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jazzpostsrandomthings · 5 months

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Journey Retold: The First Dungeons and Trials

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Sorry for cutting the last entry a bit short, I ran out of time and space and then got busy with the next exam. But I have time now so let's pick up from where we left off!

After Pi took flight, the scene transitioned to a different airship flying through the air and landing in a fortress on a... space rock of some kindAt first I was very confused and thought for a second that it was the same ship my character had boarded… But it still was a nice transition.

From the airship came four figures dressed in metal garb, looking quite alien to the rest of the people we've seen so far. They also looked very "Star Wars" in addition to their own theme music, which is probably why I thought we were on a completely different planet now.

And who is that guy, Gaius van Baelsar? He sounds quite fami--

OH YOU--

I didn't check his voice immediately after hearing it for the first time (I did do it near the end of ARR), I had my doubts about it since I am known for confusing voice actors a lot, but man, I did manage to hear the guy's voice right and he still sounds incredible after so many years since Rockman X7 came out. But if someone didn't know, he is also the Japanese voice of Solid Snake and Big Boss. I am just more familiar with his role as Red.

Anyways, we have an evil Empire trying to conquer Eorzea and who are quite ruthless to others. Most definitely they are our antagonists, at least for this expansion. Note taken.

After that scene, Pi finally arrives to one of the city-states Admiral Merlwyb had sent him to, the liveliest and the largest settlement of The Black Shroud -- Gridania. It's the least confusing city to traverse through by far which is a plus, but I wasn't too interested in it because it was looking like a normal fantasy forest village, but I still don't think it's bad, don't get me wrong, I just think Limsa and the next city we'll visit after that were more memorable.

Here we meet up with the Elder Seedseer, the local governor of sorts -- Kan-E-Senna, who I, for a moment, thought was a weird kind of Au Ra lady because of the horns, but it's actually a really rare subrace of hyurs that only lives here which I found interesting. She signed some documents after reminising about the days prior ot Calamity and what happened after (mostly latter) and Pi moved on to the other city-state on the list, the richest city of Thanalan -- Ul'dah.

Now, I really liked the whole look of Ul'dah. Its West Asian aesthetic and the way it's structured like a big palace with rich-looking buildings and bazaars around it was just so memorable and unique to me, and I absolutely loved looking around Ul'dah for the first time… even though it was the worst city for me so far in terms of actually exploring it because of the amount of layers it had. I was getting lost even more than I did in Limsa...... ;w;

We go talk to the guy here who isn't the ruler of the city-state but instead is the leader of the local Grand Company called "Immortal Flames" -- Raubahn Aldynn. He didn't talk to me much because everything has already been explained to Pi by Kan-E, so he quickly signed the papers and let me go.

OK, what did I do next, I genuenly don't remember, let me look at the fold--

Oh. I went to unlock a few dances instead of MSQ. That's hilarious.

But after that, I unlocked the first dungeon! I made sure to tell my friends about it because they wanted to take me through it so I wouldn't be afraid to do the next ones. I had to wait for one of them to come back from a raid they happened to be doing at the time though.

It was... fun! Although the fact that my friend was a level 90 tank who knew how to pull enemies quickly made me sweat because I was falling behind and doing shit damage due to my equipment being very low-level in comparison. But I was told to ask others to slow down in the next dungeons if I happened to have troubles catching up. However, I wasn't afraid anymore. I wasn't playing as Tank or Healer so I didn't need to take note of everything at the same time, I just needed to maximize my damage output and stay alive -- simple enough.

Next day, I did a few sidequests before proceeding to the next dungeon, this time in The Black Shroud... and I actually couldn't find the entrance to it for a while because I somehow missed the fact it was under the ground.

I also asked my friend how to do a character portrait (and by extension the Adventure Plate) and it took me nearly an hour to make, if not more, but this was the result:

The variation of this portrait is still on my Adventure Plate to this day actually. I think it just shows the character of Pi quite nicely (at least when he isn't out exploring the world).

After I came back from university (and I remember that because I actually wrote to my friend about finishing the portrait as I was going outside to catch a bus), I actually went to the second dungeon. And then to the third one. None of them gave me troubles fortunately.

At this point, according to the screenshots at least, I seemed to have drifted off into Arcanist questline for some reason. Either because I wanted to unlock Scholar and Summoner (and hitting a brick wall because of Sylth-management quest) or because its story was just more interesting than MSQ itself to me at the moment, or maybe even both. So yeah, I ended up picking the MSQ back only a few days after, on September 7th.

And also have a funny excerpt from a conversation we had in Discord before that point:

Me: Probably we won't be able to play together until Saturday, my University classes are held until 8PM for four days straight. The player of the self-proclaimed Emo Catboy: Das fine... miss 20 hours in THREE DAYS.

Me: You two are so fun to play with though... but do you have a problem with my progress?

The player of the self-proclaimed Emo Catboy: YOU ARE ALREADY LIKE A SIXTH OF THE WAY THROUGH THE FREE TRIAL. At the pace you are going, you'll outrun me when we hit StormBlood. Me: :D Skill issue.

(You are allowed to give me shit for this, Emo Catboy :) )

But I did have a problem of playing too much Final Fantasy XIV in a span of three days at that time, I won't deny that. I too had (and still have) a bit of a skill issue in this regard if you can say so.

OK, let's continue. So, some thugs attacked a defenseless woman because they thought she was stealing food, my little baby defeated them, and then Y'shtola showed up again and told Pi that it must be fate that they have been bumping into each other so often and that he does actually have a gift that her good friend also has. This gift is called "Echo" and it's the reason why we can look into other people's memories, along with a few other powers we will learn of later. The miqo'te woman also invited us to visit her organisation's headquarters in Waking Sands at the Vesper Bay. But before I actually visited the Scions of the Seventh Dawn (that's what the group was called), I made sure to unlock Glamour, which also allowed me to obtain a beret, which I dyed blue and proudly put on Pi's head. Now he could finally have his most recognizable design feature and stop wearing ugly wizard hats and mismatched robes. After that, his appearance remained largely unchanged until the start of the next expansion.

But let's go back to the story.

This is the receptionist at the Waking Sands. And I think I was more buffled with her unironically singing "Trololo" than her standing on a chair because she was too short to reach the table. But yeah, her name is Tataru. She lets my lalafell boy in after finding his name on the list and here we are finally introduced to the full cast of main protagonists.

(Sorry I actually never made a screenshot with them all in one frame...)

Their leader, a young woman by the name of Minfilia (voiced by Milla Maxwell of all people lmao) who also had Echo, told us that they have been working on protecting the peace on Eorzea after the Seventh Umbral Calamity (hence "Scions of the Seventh Dawn") and how they are searching for people that too have the gift of Echo because it helps with resisting the tempering of the primals, gods summoned by the beast tribes, which can brainwash people without such gift into serving them for the rest of their lives so there could be even more bloodshed. Minfilia politely asks if the lalafell boy of mine even wants to join the team, but of course he wants to save the world and be as cool as them so he answers with a nod. Now Pi too is a scion!

At this point, I had already formed a group of friends to get to the first trial as quickly as possible. And then something absolutely hilarious happened, which I unfortunately did not capture in a screenshot. So I was in a cutscene and all, and when I finished it, I saw a giant fucking level 50 lizard thing that my friends were fighting. I panicked, tried to run away while I heard one of my friends scream, and then this thing killed me in one hit, scoring me my first death in the game. Even though I was swearing and typing in caps in the part chat at that moment (couldn't use the mic), I was actually laughing my ass off. I don't think I could have had a moment like that in any single player game, or even if I was playing FFXIV alone because I think my friends accidentally got the monster too close to me, so it was another moment that made this game worth it for me.

But just a few cutscenes after that, Pi got taken into some cave with other people by the lizard beastfolk tribe, Amalj'aa, that wanted to summon their god -- Ifrit. This was the first trial, the first actual boss fight, and--

The player of the stern-looking Auri man: Jazz? Where are you? The player of the self-proclaimed Emo Catboy: ...Actually, yeah, where ARE you?

I opened the map, saw that the location was called "???" and that there was no way out of it, and then I was told that you can actually start duties through a menu -- no need to approach the entry points to dungeons or trials once you unlock them. That was a relief because I was afraid my party leader won't be able to register for this duty and I would have to do it with a bunch of randoms.

I am sorry, I didn't screenshot Ifrit either. But the cutscene that showed how summons happen, with the whole demon-ass flame monster emerging while this musical theme of approaching disaster played, it all was quite great! As for Ifrit himself, though... he didn't stay alive for long, all because of my friend's equipment again, I am pretty sure.

We stopped the primal, sending the lizard folk running, and, oh! Ifrit left a crystal behind! Great, now its ours and we are 2/6th of the way to... whatever would actually happen once we collect all 6 crystals.

Damn, I do write quite a lot here, don't I? And I didn't even mention all the things that happened along the way, I had to skip a few (such as Golden Saucer and Aesthetician guy) since the post was too big already and I was diverding attention from MSQ a bit too much. But I assure you, once we get over the middle part of ARR, my writing will end up being more focused on MSQ itself, just bear with me here :'D

#ffxiv #final fantasy xiv #final fantasy 14 #ff14 #lalafell #ffxiv wol #ffxiv journal

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queenxxxsupreme · 3 years

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I just thought of something- Arthur as a dad and having a little girl that he's so overprotective of and he's got a ranch and he's all healthy and thick- This should be canon I swear.

A/N: BABE this might have just started a mini series involving dad!Arthur and my new ending to rdr2 that I know we deserved. There’s at least going to be two more parts (that could be read separately from this one) including Daisy’s birthday which has some members from our lovely gang in it and some drama as well as the part where Daisy gets her first horse which also has some drama in it! Also just saying, I am open to dad!Arthur requests...

Additional Note: So in this, Charles’s SO is named Lucy and Abigail and John’s unnamed daughter that they eventually have is named Grace :) They are just mentioned but in this RDR2 AU mini series they will be appearing!

Warnings: DOES INVOLVE SPOILERS FOR RDR2 ENDING, mostly fluffy!, female!reader,

***

“I’m a survivor, Morgan!”

Arthur jolted awake. His hands gripped the pillow beneath his head with white knuckles.

For a split second, he didn’t know where he was. The room was dark save for a bit of moonlight that came in through the curtains that covered the window.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes as he tried to get his bearings. A thin layer of sweat covered his skin. He pushed the quilt and fur blanket off of himself, throwing his legs over the side of the bed.

Arthur’s gaze fell on the end table by the bed. The picture on the table brought him back to reality.

He picked the wooden frame up, a small smile coming to his lips. It was a picture of you, him, and Daisy when she was a newborn.

“Oh how time flies.” He murmured quietly, placing the picture back down.

Arthur glanced over his shoulder to where you should have been sleeping, but that side of the bed was empty. It wasn’t too much of a surprise that he was alone. You had trouble sleeping sometimes. But it was odd that he hadn’t noticed you getting out of bed.

“I’m a survivor, Morgan!” Micah Bell’s voice thundered in Arthur’s ears. “That’s all there is! Living and dying!”

Arthur stood to his feet and moved down the hallway, making his way to Daisy’s room. He pushed the door open and poked his head inside.

The little lump beneath the blankets on Daisy’s bed settled Arthur’s racing heart. All the worry that had been swirling in his stomach dwindled down at the sight of his seven-year-old daughter.

The family dog, Carson, huffed from the foot of her bed, alarmed that someone had opened the door.

“Shhh, boy.” Arthur tried to hush him before he could disturb Daisy, but it was too late.

“Carson.” She whined.

“Sorry, sweetpea.”

“Daddy?” Daisy turned over in her bed, brushing her messy hair back out of her face.

“Didn’t mean to wake ya up.” Arthur moved into the room, giving Carson a pat on the head. “Just wanted to check on ya.”

“Why?”

“‘Cause…. Well ‘cause I was just worried about ya.” He explained.

Daisy looked up at him for a few moments.

“Momma said you was havin’ bad dreams.”

Arthur furrowed his brow.

“When did she say that?”

“Earlier when she came in to check on me.”

Arthur would’ve laughed if the reason that you both were so insistent on checking on Daisy wasn’t because of your past.

“Were you havin’ bad dreams, daddy?”

“No, sweetpea.” He started to tuck her in, making sure the blanket covered her properly and that she was comfortable. “I was just a little restless. Sometimes it’s hard for daddy to go to sleep ‘cause he knows there’s so much to do around here.”

“I can help you do stuff, daddy.” Daisy offered. “That way you can sleep better.”

Arthur smiled.

“Sweet girl.” He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “You help me plenty. Try to get some rest. Tomorrow is a busy day. Do you know why it’s a busy day?”

A huge grin spread across her face.

“I get a horse.”

“What? No, no. That don’t sound right.” Arthur shook his head.

“Daddy!” Daisy giggled.

“I’m just teasin’ you, sweetpea.” Arthur kissed her head once more. “Sleep tight, sweetpea. First thing tomorrow mornin’, we’ll be goin’ into town to get you a little horse.”

“What if I want a big horse?”

“Well, we’ll have to just see what the stables have got.” He chuckled. “Good night, sweetpea.”

“Good night, daddy.”

Arthur closed the door to Daisy’s room behind himself.

He looked down the hallway towards the kitchen, hearing the sound of a quiet conversation.

He found you and Hosea sitting at the kitchen table.

“Drinking coffee in the middle of the night? What is it with you two?”

“We’re already up.” Hosea shrugged his shoulders. “No point in trying to go back to sleep.”

You chuckled a little.

Arthur moved around to stand behind your chair.

“Was Daisy up earlier?” He leaned down to kiss your head.

“Yeah, briefly. Carson heard something outside and started barking.” You nodded, taking a sip of coffee.

Arthur looked to the large window in the kitchen that looked over the backyard. His brows furrowed together.

“Hm. Why didn’t I hear nothin?” He moved towards the window, lingering towards the side instead of standing directly in the middle.

“You were talkin’ in your sleep again.” You said quietly. “You only do that when you’re having real bad dreams.”

Arthur nodded.

“I already went out there and looked around. Didn’t see anything.” Hosea told him.

“I’m gonna go double check.”

“What- You think I don’t know what I’m doing?”

“That’s not it, old man.”

Hosea watched as Arthur disappeared down the hallway, going to the backroom to retrieve a gun.

“He only wants to see for himself that there’s nothin’ out there.” You spoke so only Hosea could hear you. “He was sayin’ Micah’s name again, Hosea.”

Hosea let out a sigh.

“He thinks Micah’s gonna come after him.”

“You don’t think so?” You tilted your head to the side a little, eyebrows drawing together. “After…. After what happened…. Arthur ruined his plans at getting the money from Blackwater. Dutch died on that mountain. You’re the only other one who knows and Micah knows you’re here too. It would only make sense for him to come here and…. and I’m afraid, Hosea.”

Hosea shook his head softly, reaching over to take your hand.

“Micah Bell is a coward, Y/N. He knows it. He knows Arthur’s got all of us in his corner. You, me, Charles, John-,”

“But Hosea, we’ve got families.” Your voice cracked. “We have Daisy and-and Charles and Lucy are having one of their own. Abigail and John have Jack and Grace. We-We ain’t what we used to be.”

Hosea was quiet for a few moments.

Arthur passed through the kitchen fully dressed and carrying a shotgun.

Your eyes met his briefly. The air in your lungs escaped. It felt like someone was sitting on your chest.

The back door closed behind Arthur.

“If it comes down to it, Y/N, we will do what we have to do.” Hosea assured you.

You nodded your head, wiping the tears from your cheeks that managed to escape.

***

A half an hour had passed and Arthur had yet to return to the house. You ventured out to find him. He sat on the front step with the shotgun still in his hands. Upon hearing the front door open, he looked over his shoulder.

“Do you plan on stayin’ out here all night?”

He didn’t answer you, turning his head to look back to the woods.

You sat down next to him, slipping your arm around his. You kissed his shoulder and leaned against him.

“Is everything okay?”

“I just…. just got this feelin’ that ain’t sittin’ right with me. That’s all.”

“We’ve been here for four years, Arthur. We’ve been quiet, haven’t drawn any attention to ourselves and haven’t let any of the locals know our real names. There’s no way he’d know where we are.”

“If that snake wants to find me, he could. I know it. And if he…. I don’t want him anywhere near Daisy.”

“Charles and Lucy are just down the road. You know Charles is just as vigilant as you are and with those dogs he’s got, he’d know if anyone was setting up camp in the woods between our property and his. If need be, next time Sadie comes through we can ask her to dig around and see where Micah’s at. You know she’d be willing to help.”

“I hate to get her involved.” Arthur muttered, shaking his head softly.

“If it involves the future of her niece, you know damn well she’d want to be involved.” You rubbed his arm. “It’s early, but we still got a couple hours before the sun comes up.”

He let out a breath.

“M’not gonna sleep at all tonight, pumpkin.”

“Then at least come lay down. Let me read to you. You don’t need to be out here alone with just your thoughts.”

Arthur’s eyes found yours.

“You know I love you, don’t you?”

“I know.” You smiled. “Come on.” You patted his arm and stood up.

“Daisy’s real excited about gettin’ herself a horse.” Arthur put his hand on the small of your back as he walked behind you. “You don’t think she’s still too young for one, do you? I mean, she’s so small. She’s smaller than Jack was and he was a tiny kid.”

“She’s just fine for her age, Arthur.” You assured him. “It’ll be good for her to get started with a horse now. It’ll keep you both busy all spring.”

“What if she gets hurt?”

“She’s bound to get hurt. It’s a part of growin’ up.”

“I don’t want her gettin’ hurt.”

The door to Daisy’s room opened and Carson slipped out.

“Daisy.” You said her name. “You should be in bed. It’s four in the morning.”

“I can’t sleep, momma.” She lingered in the doorway to her room, a frown on her lips.

You looked back to Arthur. He nodded his head, moving past you so he could get to your daughter.

“You wanna come lay down with me and momma? She’s gonna read a storybook to me.”

“Yeah!” Daisy held her hands out for him. Arthur grunted as he picked her up and placed her on his hip.

Carson slipped into the bedroom just before you closed the door. Arthur put Daisy down on the bed and took his hat off, placing it on her head.

“Daddy! It’s too big!” She giggled, pushing it back so it didn’t fall over her eyes.

“Nah, I think it fits just perfect.” He grinned. “I’ll be right back. M’gonna go change. Don’t get too comfortable though, sweetpea. You’re in my spot.”

You slipped off your houseshoes and pulled a book from the shelf.

“Momma?”

“Yeah, honey?”

“Where can I get a hat like this daddy’s?” Daisy put Arthur’s hat on the stand next to the bed and then settled back against his pillows.

“I reckon if you mention it to daddy while you’re in town tomorrow he can get you one.” You sat down on your side of the bed, opening up the book. Carson made himself comfortable at the foot of the bed.

A few moments later, Arthur returned to the bedroom. He stopped just after shutting the door and put his hands on his hips.

“Sweetpea.”

“Yes, daddy?” She giggled, bringing the blankets up to cover her nose.

“I think we got a problem. Where am I supposed to sleep if you’re in my spot?”

She giggled again, pulling the blankets up over her head as if to hide from him.

“Arthur, she needs to sleep some.” You told him quietly. “Don’t get her-,”

He didn’t listen. Instead, he chose to tickle her through the blankets. Daisy’s delighted laughter filled the room. You couldn’t help but smile.

Once Arthur was content with her laughter, he stopped tickling her and pulled the blankets back. Daisy’s hair was a mess.

“Little Miss Daisy, we are definitely going to have to fix your hair in the morning.” Arthur leaned down to kiss her forehead. “But first, you need to get some sleep.”

“Nuh-uh! Momma was gonna read to us!”

“I’ll read until someone falls asleep.” You yawned. “Though I might be that someone.”

“You heard your mother, sweetpea. Scoot over so she can read us a story.” Arthur nudged Daisy over towards the middle of the bed.

Once the two were settled, you began your story.

“A long time ago, there were two cowboys….”

Taglist: @doggone-cowgirl @winterwolf @lauramb7 @caraqas @bluscryn @krenee1drful @zodiacaldust @nonodino @gabstaroc @cal-lifornication @thefirelordm @sargeantsea @sokkasdarling @thecollection @mayday1284

#arthur morgan x reader #arthur morgan x reader fluff #dad!arthur morgan #dad!arthur morgan fic #rdr2 #rdr2 fic #red dead redemption 2 #arthur morgan ask #kacey answers

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let-them-read-fics · 3 years

Text

Worth It

Requested By: You guys!

Pairing: Lisa x Fem!5thMember!Reader

Word Count: ~ 3,543

Warnings / Misc. -- Fluff, Suggestive Themes

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Hey everyone! A bunch of you guys have been requesting a continuation to the previous Lisa fic I did, so I thought I'd provide for you 😌 I really hope you all enjoy this little addition ♡ Happy Reading ♡

Previous: Dancing In The Dark

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

You should've known. It was all too good to be true -- too close to being a fairytale as it teetered on the edge of perfection, just waiting to fall off that mythic pedestal.

Lisa's eyes meet yours the moment you walk through the front door, opening widely as she scrambles to collect herself -- she clearly hadn't expected to be caught.

"Seriously, Lisa? Wow." Part of you is shocked, but you'd be lying if you said you didn't see this coming. The bags in your hands hang heavily, weighed down by everything YG sent home with you for review, and their plastic straps uncomfortably dig into your palms now. You don't put them down, though; they serve as a good distraction for what you're witnessing.

"Y/N-- I can explain, I promise!" Lisa walks around the counter and tries to reach for you, but you're quick to step away before she can.

"Don't," you say, glancing down at her outstretched hand. She gets the memo, giving a subtle nod as she obediently puts it back at her side to appease you.

"I can't believe you."

"Baby I'll go pick up some more, any kind you want!" Her eyes are pleading now, scanning between yours with purpose as her brows furrow more and more. She's desperate to make it up to you.

Her bargaining piques your interest, but you don't show it. She's not getting off the hook that easily. "How could you eat the last one?" Disappointed, you give her a hurt look. "You know I've been craving them and you still ate it! I didn't even get one!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't realize that this was the only box of them we had."

Your favorite donuts, all gone. And when you're on your period, no less. The audacity that your girlfriend possesses really blows you away sometimes.

The pout on your face eventually fades a bit as you see the sincerity in her eyes, and with a small huff, you crack a smile. After stepping around her to place your bags on the counter, you turn around and wiggle a finger at her. "We're getting 2 boxes, and you're paying."

"Of course, babe. You can get as many toppings as you want, too." She adds, her smile widening obnoxiously as she wraps her arms around you.

"You're lucky you're cute, jerk." Your arms loop around her neck as she pulls you in, rubbing your back to soothe you. Despite joking around, she really does feel guilty -- she knows how bad your periods can get, and those sweet treats always seem to make things at least a little better.

"Come on, let's go get them." She whispers against your temple.

You raise your head to look at her, eyes wide in shock. "Right now? I thought you meant we'd go tomorrow… it's getting late, Lis."

"Why would I miss out on an opportunity for a late night drive with my girl? Besides, it's still open for…" she glances at her watch before looking back into your eyes, "...2 more hours. I think that should be enough time for you to choose." She teases, narrowing her eyes at you playfully. You can be pretty indecisive at times, but a lot of that uncertainty seems to fade for you when you're hungry enough.

"They have so many good options, though. You might have to help me pick."

"Okay, but do me a favor? Remember this moment when you want to yell at me again for not getting enough of your favorite kind." She cracks up when she sees you hide your face behind your hands, laughing at yourself.

"I do get pretty cranky sometimes, don't I?" You tilt your head to the side, looking at her with a soft smile.

"That's an understatement, but I'll let it slide. You're adorable."

She plants a sweet kiss to your cheek before grabbing your hand and leading you out to the car.

---

Where you go I follow

No matter how far

If life is a movie

Oh you're the best part, oh oh oh

You're the best part, oh oh oh

Best part

The windows of Lisa's car are rolled down, allowing the warm evening air of Seoul to flow in and gently ghost over your skin. Vibrant city lights pass by leisurely, blending together in the distance to create a breathtaking skyline, and Lisa has no desire to rush anything. She keeps the car at a cruising speed, enabling you to relax and enjoy the smooth ride. Her thumb strokes over your knuckles as she sings along with the song, both of you knowing who she's aiming the words at. Occasionally she brings your hand to her lips, laying soft kisses to your skin.

The heat radiating from your seat warmer fends off any possibility of a cramp, further putting you at ease. Today was a long day of rehearsal and interviews, only broken up by meetings that you didn't particularly enjoy sitting through. It drug on mercilessly, paying no mind to how exhausted you were or how eager you were to be home. Every time you'd sneak a glance at the clock, nodding along to whatever your manager was saying without actually listening, you'd find the time creeping by, the minute hand barely further than what it had been during your last check. It was boring and monotonous, but now you're here with Lisa and you couldn't be happier.

The open sunroof allows for you to peek up at the stars, seeing them twinkle brightly for you, as if to say hello again. The sky surrounding them is rich; its velvety darkness serves as the perfect backdrop for them, making their colors pop in all the right ways. It's a gorgeous sight, and although you hate to admit it, maybe you're not too incredibly angry at Lisa for eating your donuts after all.

"We missed you back at the dorm today," she says with a soft smile, her eyes still trained on the road as she lazily rubs her cheek against your intertwined hands.

"Yeah?" You ask, turning your attention to her. "I missed you guys, too. I couldn't wait to get out of there; Jiyoung barely gave us a break, and we were practically buried in all the paperwork we had to go through. I've never signed so many things in my life." A grimace tugs at your features at the lame memory, and Lisa sports a very similar expression.

"I'm so glad I'm not you," she says with an amused smile now, chuckling when you flick her. "We're so proud of you though, baby, and all of this work will be worth it. Your solo is gonna blow everyone away." The fleeting look she throws over her shoulder to you makes your heart swell with pride, and you're reminded of how far the two of you have come.

Through trials and tribulations, hidden feelings and repressed desires, the two of you eventually found your way to each other in the end. You'll never forget the day that she asked you to be hers:

"Lisa, we can't get another cat right now! You know I love them just as much as you, but we don't have room." You try to reason, running a brush through your hair as you continue getting ready.

"You're no fun," she groans, throwing herself back onto the bed like a frustrated toddler. In a perfect world, she'd have a house filled to the brim with little kitties scurrying around, rolling and playing with each other -- she doesn't understand why some people try to put a limit on how many she can have.

"Stop complaining or we'll be late," you warn, giving yourself a final once-over in the mirror before walking over to the bed. You stand between her parted legs, gazing down at her until she realizes you're there and opens her eyes to look at you.

For a moment, she doesn't say anything; she just takes in the sight of you before shaking her head. She's smiling like a giddy teenager, and you can't help but question her with a breathy laugh.

"I'm so in love with you."

She's implied that before -- her words usually accompanied by nervous fidgeting and an avoidance of eye contact -- but something about this time is different. Her gaze holds a softness that you've never quite seen from her, an added layer of tenderness and care behind her words.

She's not afraid anymore, and, truthfully, neither are you.

You've turned her into a more gentle person - one that thinks before she speaks and doesn't act so impulsively anymore - and a sense of accomplishment settles within your heart. It's not that you wanted to change her -- she just naturally adopted some of your mannerisms, shifting into a better version of herself.

"I've never loved anybody like I love you, Lisa." You confess, a look of pure adoration on your face as you realize how true your own words are. She's evolved into a better person to be with you, knowing that she couldn't function as her old self any longer, and that alone makes her different from all the rest.

You see her release a little nervous breath as she moves to sit further back on the bed, coaxing you into her lap. You have a sneaking suspicion of what's coming, but you bite back the smile that threatens to break out on your face and allow her to speak next.

"Well, then, I think it's only natural that I ask that question." She starts, referencing back to the night that you all made up. You're glad you didn't jump into anything then, when you were high on your emotions -- both of you needed time to grow individually first, but now the stars are finally aligned. You know the time is right now, and you're ready to be together.

"Go ahead," you nod with a smile, playing with the baby hairs on the nape of her neck as your arms rest against her shoulders.

Part of you wants to mess with her and say no, but all of that goes out the window once she asks the words she's been dying to.

"Jagi, will you be my girlfriend?"

"I'd love to, Lili."

Smiling like an idiot, she wraps her arms around you and lays back, falling onto the cushions with a soft bounce as she pulls you in for a kiss. She peppers your face with hundreds of tiny pecks, giggling when you squirm and squeal at her ministrations.

You pull away slightly, just enough to look into her eyes, and you grin. "Should we just cancel the reservation? I don't think we'll make it on time and I'm too happy right now to even leave."

She agrees, deciding that eating takeout on the couch while Netflix plays in the background is a much more tempting offer, and reaches for the phone in your back pocket.

She lets her hands wander, knowing exactly what she's doing to you, but you allow her to have her fun -- a fitting revenge plan is already being formulated in your mind anyway.

The fingers of her unoccupied hand flirt with the hem of your shirt, sneaking up under the material to caress your side as she waits for her call to be answered. You brush the back of your hand over her cheek lovingly, reveling at how smooth her skin is.

"Gorgeous," you whisper, tilting your head down to kiss along her jawline. She sighs as you continue, lulling back into that blissful state of happiness she enters anytime your lips are on her.

Suddenly, the line picks up and a familiar greeting can be heard. "Hello, how may I help you?" A surprisingly pleasant voice asks, the smile evident in how her words come out.

"Hi, I'm calling to cancel a reserva-- oh," Lisa starts off strong, only to get blindsided halfway through when she feels your lips against her neck. They tease the tender skin just the way she likes, strategically parted by your tongue every now and then to lick a heated path to your next target area.

She has to pull the phone away from her mouth when you snake a hand down her body, allowing it to travel to all the places she wants you most.

"Ma'am?" The hostess asks when the line remains silent, Lisa too busy moving her head to the side to give you more access to respond to her.

"S-sorry about that," she lightly smacks the back of your head as punishment, but soon groans again when you nip at her pulse point. "Manoban. I need to cancel my reservation."

The woman begins typing away at her keyboard, searching the list for Lisa's name. Your girlfriend's legs wrap around your waist, and she grinds her hips against you with a smirk on her lips. The little tease is loving this.

You move away from her neck now, satisfied with the marks you left behind as you follow the path that your hand previously made. You leave no area unattended as you methodically work your way down, making it a point to give attention to all of her most sensitive spots in order to get a rise out of her.

You do, of course, in the form of quiet expletives and breathy mewls of your name in between the small talk she's having with the hostess.

When you sit back on your knees, momentarily stilling your movements, Lisa's eyes flutter down to where your hands rest: right at the front of her jeans. She gulps at the mischievous look in your eye, but bites her lip nonetheless.

"--Yes, okay Ms. Manoban, I see your reservation for 9PM? Is that correct?"

You undo the first button.

"Yes, that's correct."

You tease her, running your fingers along the material before popping the next one open. Her hips involuntarily buck up towards your hand when you brush it against her center, bringing a shade of blush to her cheeks.

"And to ensure that we're meeting the needs of all of our customers, may I ask your reason for canceling?"

You flick the last one open, glad that she's only wearing a semi-high waisted pair of pants -- that little game was fun, but her hushed moans have gotten you riled up. She covers her mouth, sinking her teeth into her palm to silence herself when you pull her pants past her hips and lay needy kisses to her upper thighs.

"Something just… came up. No fault on your part," she rushes out, wishing she could just hang up now and not care enough to be polite.

Her eyes lock with yours when you push her shirt farther up, kissing across her toned stomach as you tug on the waistband of her lingerie. Its maroon lace is paired with accents of deep purple, contrasting with her skin gorgeously as jagged breaths ripple through her. You admire the bruising patches your lips have left behind that paint her stomach, splashes of darkness to accompany the material that leaves little to the imagination.

"Ah, I see. Well we hope you'll come back and see us."

Just as Lisa is about to say a hurried goodbye and hang up, the hostess asks, "Speaking of, would you like to book another now?"

Lisa's head digs into the comforter, her eyes tightly closed in frustration… for multiple reasons. She tangles her fingers in your hair, her silent way of pleading for you to continue, and she does her best to sound stable as she responds.

"No, no. Thank you, though. Goodbye." The very second that she registers a parting word from the other end, she quickly hangs up and tosses the phone to another part of the bed.

"That was cruel," she breathes out, though both of you know she isn't upset in the slightest.

"You loved it," you say, self-assured as you smile against her hip bone. A slight tremble runs through her body, and it works to boost your confidence tenfold.

"You drive me crazy, Y/N."

You're pulled from your pleasant reverie by the feeling of Lisa nudging your thigh with her hand. You hadn't even realized you closed your eyes.

"We're here, my love." She says, unbuckling herself. You let out a tired yawn before doing the same, and you thank her when she comes around to open your door for you. You settle against her side, and soon enough the two of you are filtering into the cozy little shop.

Rows of treats greet you, all tucked behind crystal clear walls of glass for protection from any stray kids that may try to snatch one of them when no one's looking. A shorter container sits beside the standing racks, stretching out to reveal an impressive array of ice cream and sorbet flavors. You wander around, studying the different options as if you don't already know them all by heart after being such a frequent customer for so long.

"I'm debating on getting some ice cream, too. What do you think?" You ask Lisa, only to hear her let out an earth-shattering squeal in response.

She clears her throat, amusingly composing herself, and acts like the inner 5 year old in her didn't just pop out. "We can get the Super-Ultra-Mega-Shareable Waffle Cone, if you want."

"Sounds like a plan, babe." You laugh, seeing how ready she is to absolutely demolish some ice cream. You'll be lucky to even get a few bites in, you realize, though seeing her this happy is far more important.

You spend the next few minutes deliberating with her like you're judges on some Food Network show, deciding on the perfect order as you rack the price up with every gourmet topping you add. Eventually satisfied with your choices, Lisa kisses your cheek and sends you off to find a seat while she pays. Upon scanning the entirety of the dining area, you spot a corner booth that's tucked away from the busy center of the store, and you smile at how intimate it is. It's perfect, and you begin making your way over to it.

She follows behind you shortly after, shoving the change she just received down into her pocket. The large cone rests in her other hand, and she swipes her tongue along the top of it, gathering up a generous amount of whipped cream as she slides into the seat across from you.

You swear you can hear angels singing as you open one of the boxes, seeing the beautiful spread of yummy treats lined up together in neat little rows. Their delicious aromas waft up, making your mouth water in anticipation. So, deciding not to waste anymore time, you reach for the one that you've been dying to sink your teeth into all day and take your first, glorious bite.

It's made just the way you like it, with the perfect dough-to-glaze-to-topping ratio imaginable. The memory of Lisa specially requesting them to be made fresh warms your heart, and you open your eyes to look at her.

"Oh mah gahd--" you say around your mouthful of food, attempting to not choke and die when you see how crazy she looks. Ice cream is already messily smeared across her face, reaching just about everywhere -- her cheeks, nose, mouth -- you name it; and her hair is haphazardly pulled back in a messy bun.

Halfway through crunching on the tasty cone again, she looks up at you. "What?" She asks, sounding as if she genuinely has no clue as to the state she's in. You motion to her face, prompting her to grab her phone and look at her own reflection. Rather than getting embarrassed, she lets out a loud cackle, successfully throwing the two of you into a laughing fit.

It's the good kind -- slapping the table, making no noise as you egg each other on, filling the shop with those joyous sounds -- kind of thing; and seeing her so carefree is priceless. Any trace of stress that stuck around from the long day you had quickly disappears completely, no longer deserving of the room it was taking up in your brain. This moment with her is perfect, and you're so glad to be sharing it.

After things die down a bit, the two of you lean back in your chairs, tightly clutching your aching stomachs. Your cheeks hurt, too, but it's the kind of pain you're more than happy to welcome with open arms.

Lisa reaches for your hand across the table as she looks at you with that special twinkle in her eye, her smile looking particularly swoon worthy. "I'm really happy I ate those donuts earlier." She's teasing, but it's the truth -- this night is a memory she'll keep forever, added to the list of things she never wants to forget.

"Me too." You squeeze her hand and pull her in, grinning at the taste of ice cream on her lips. The next part (which you knew was coming) still makes you squeal: she nuzzles her face against yours, spreading the sticky sweetness all over you as well.

"There. Now we're matching." She kisses you again, leaving you to attempt to hide the unwanted smile that parts your lips.

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shadyteacup · 3 years

Note

If you’re still doing requestsssssss how about a hcs of Dazai x fem! Reader who is like Midari from Kakegurui 😌

Ooh thats a nice one! Yes love, I'm still doing requestss

And I'm so sorry, this is so late... also it's very long n I'm not exaggerating. It's not even funny I'm so sorry

I'm Crazy, But I'm Free

Dazai x Fem!reader who is like Midari

• You and Dazai probably met during his days at the port mafia.

• I can imagine the mafia capturing you because of how much trouble you were causing in a casino.

• UK, when big businesses pay gangsters for security?? Yeah, similarly the casino you were playing at, has paid the mafia.

• You were already banned from many other casinos, as your games either end with you gaining a lot of money, or begin with a dangerous condition.

• Many people were quite afraid of you, and wanted to avoid even being in the same room as you, as they couldn't handle the severity of the danger you pose with every game.

• Anyways, so you were warned by a few members of the mafia twice, but you, being the fearless adventurer you are, flipped them off and continued to seek a life threatening game.

• So then the mafia decided to use violence, and cornered you in a dark alley. You pulled out your beloved gun.

"Well, well, well! Do you boys want a fight!?", you excitedly point the gun at them.

"Put your weapon down, Ms. L/N. We are here to warn you for the final time. Stay away from this casino. Further misbehavior will lead to dangerous consequences."

You hum, thinking up a plan.

"How about this. My revolver has 5 bullets. And there are five of us. How about we all take turns to shoot blindfolded!"

You excitedly shove them in a circular arrangement.

"I'll go first! The rules are that every person gets a chance to shoot from the center of the circle. If the bullet misses, everyone takes a step ahead, closer to the center."

You explain, grinning at the men clad in all black.

"If a bullet hits me, I'll agree to your terms. If it hits one of you lot, then you can't stop me anymore. What do you say?!"

The mafiosi were weirded out by this. What if you had a good aim, or an ability that allowed you to shoot them with your eyes closed? They didn't have much intel on you, and only knew you to be a girl from a rich background, who had come to Yokohama for higher studies.

"That's enough. Grab her-"

• Thats when our boy showed up. Dazai was curious when he overheard some of the men talk about some 'fearless girl that had flipped them off even after two rather threatening warnings.'

• So he had decided to tag along, staying in the shadows, until now.

• "I think it will be a wonderful idea. Play along, gentlemen. I want to see where this goes."

• You shot, and missed. So did the other guy. Then the other one. Now, the circle had shrunk really small. You were almost in the line of fire at this point. There was an 80% chance of getting shot.

• "That's enough." ,Dazai said, as he walked to stand in front of you.

• "You are daring, aren't you. You're not afraid of death."

• Staring into his eyes, you saw a reflection of yourself. A dark, lost soul stared back at you.

• "In fact, you arranged this little game to ensure that you got hurt. You perfectly planned it out, and ensured that as the circle gets smaller, you would be in the direct line of fire."

• "You missed the first shot on purpose, didn't you?"

• He had seen right through your game.

'What's this guy's deal?', you thought.

"Why would you stop the game when it was at its peak? Hah? Whats wrong with you, man?!", you angrily grab his collar. "I was just beginning to have fun, and here you are, ruinjng it!"

• Taken aback by your bravery, he just blinked at you.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, obviously, idiot. But that doesn't give you any right to interrupt our game."

"Oh? So who do you think I am."

You give him a 'baka janiono?' look.

"You are their leader. Probably an executive of the mafia, judging by your expensive suit. Why?"

The thoughts running through Dazai's head were along the lines of :

'Just who is this girl? How does she know about the mafia? Surely my men weren't dumb enough to tell her who they work for. How does she know about my position? She surely didn't just guess that, right?? And why the fuck does a student have a gun? Does her family have connections within the underworld? She obviously doesn't fear death. Will she be a good addition to the mafia?'

• "What are you thinking about, baka? Answer me."

• He smiled sweetly at you, and firmly gripped your wrist, pushing it off his collar.

"There's someone who would like to meet you"

Before you can retort back, he continues,"You seek adventure, do you not? You want to feel something worthwhile. Something akin to facing death, something that will give you an adrenaline rush. I can give you all of that. If you come with me, that is."

• Mori was shocked when he heard about what had happened. He agreed with Dazai's decision to make you join the ranks. He needed such fearless crackheads in his organization.

• He paired you up with the double black, making you an executive too. You hadn't quite agreed to his terms, but he had offered you to just accompany the ginger and the brunette on a mission. And had let you make the final decision .

• You three had to go to an abandoned warehouse, where some people were tampering with the mafia goods. There, you saw how sadistic Dazai was. How manipulative and bad he was. It made you fall for him. Hard. Plus, you realized the risk of being a mafiosi. It was quite thrilling.

• When you got back, you had screamed at mori to let you join. Quite literally begged. And he, ofcourse, agreed. You hadn't even given him a chance to threaten your life, which was the usual norm, when a valuable asset wasn't willing to join the ranks of the feared organization.

• You trained with dazai. And purposely got hit. It turned you on. But you never mentioned anything, in fear of being rejected.

• Dazai, ofcourse, noticed this, and one fine day, confronted you about it. You told him just how much you love him. He was always intrigued by your sadistic side. He saw a part of himself in you. The daring, brave, smart side of yours was something so similar to himself, yet unique. You were seeking the same thing that he was, that is to feel something. He felt sadness, and loneliness, and he never had a purpose in life. You, someone who had it all, a good family, a great marksheet, and a pre set goal in life, were willing to give it away, just to feel something. He, someone who was stripped off of a normal childhood, was never given the opportunity to choose. He used to think that maybe he was to blame. Maybe if he had had better luck, he would have gotten a good childhood, a purpose. But now that he knows you, a genius, smart person, who had it all, but threw it away, he realized that maybe life really is worthless. Maybe, he wasn't to be blamed. And that, oddly enough, made him feel better. To know that no matter how much lady luck favors him, life would still be fucked up, and that it wasn't his fault, made him hate himself less.

• And so, you two became a thing.

• Let's just say, that both of you are equally freaky.

• You want him to dom u, and he gladly accepts

• You guys try it all... I mean, especially with guns.

• I can imagine you both sitting at a boring meeting, when you decide to edge him on, and you're not even touching him. Your gun is.

• You both claim atleast one spare room on every floor of the building, for your.... activities.

• You are like his praise queen.

• He loves that.

• Always rough. Always. And you guys are into spicing it up.

• Anyways, you both never decide to commit double suicide.

• Thats because dazai wants a beautiful way out, while you want to feel the thrill of facing death. You don't really want to die, you just want to know the feeling of almost dying. You want to feel something exhilarating.

• When Dazai decides to leave the mafia, you are all for it. As long as you get to stay by his side, you were ok with it.

• Like Midari, you are a very perceptive person, and can easily guess what's going on in someone's mind. Dazai was easy to read for you, as his thoughts were pretty similar to your own.

• You were smart, cunning, and could read peoples mind with ease. So it was pretty easy for you to guess what's going on in Dazai's mind, sometimes even predicting his next moves.

• You really fit in with the ada, coz that place is filled with crackheads, and you and dazai are no exception lol

• Also, you get along with Yosano really well.

• Like, if you weren't so loyal to dazai, you would have become Yosanos slave. So would i ngl

• Anyways, you and dazai always mess with kunikida. You two prank him till the breaking point. You two are such a menace in the office. Always skipping work, slacking off, but really shining when it comes to actual detective work, like solving mysteries.

• You are a valuable asset to the ada, coz 1. You are smart and 2. You can intimidate the enemy into giving in, thanks to your sadistic games.

• You are also a very good companion. You can easily understand what the other is feeling, and end up comforting the gang.

• I can imagine you roasting Kunikida for being such a nerd, but at the same time giving him accurate and well needed advice .

• You do the same for your bf, and the two of you have many late night convos about topic that Dazai had never discussed with anyone before. Because no one had quite understood him the way you did.

• Midari is actually a pretty deep character, and just like her, you have many layers. There's the sadistic side, the goofy side, the careless side, the intelligent side and the insightful nature.

• You would be his perfect partner, as you'd support his crazy, reckless ideas, but at the same time keep him afloat, and prevent him from drowning in his own thoughts.

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wickedgamesoyaoya · 4 years

Text

Was it appropriate to long for someone who loved another?

The question was one that Iwaizumi refused to acknowledge for the last six years, after Oikawa questioned the trainer’s feelings for their mutual friend. The conversation bloomed the night of your two-year anniversary with the younger Miya twin. It was quite difficult to miss the dozens of photographs uploaded to your social media, broadcasting the romantic evening that was planned. Soon his entire feed became only…you.

The former captain raised an eyebrow curiously at his friend, who was battling several emotions that were threatening to contort his features. It was not fate that brought Oikawa Tooru to his best friend’s side that evening. Rather, the decision to invite Iwaizumi for drinks on that particular date was a calculated choice. There were some questions that were nagging at him, ones that demanded answers before he departed from his home country.

“You didn’t think they would last this long, did you?” The inquiry was hummed out in amusement as he trailed a finger along the rim of the glass planted ahead of him. From the side of his eye, he noticed Iwaizumi shift uncomfortably in his seat.

“It’s good. We wanted her to be happy, and she is. So, it’s a good thing they lasted this long.” His words lacked an earnest vigour, and not even the straightest composure could sell the packaged response as the truth.

“Hmm. Oh, Iwa-chan. When will you be honest with me?” Exhaling a weighed sigh, Oikawa shook his head before taking a swing of the liquor. Or at least, when would he be honest with himself?

“What are you blabbering about now, Shittykawa?” The narrowing of his eyelids into slits was meant to resonate a sense of anger, or at minimum irritation. Yet, it was fear that was burning bright in his irises.

“Is it really appropriate to long for someone who is in love with another?” It was a dangerous question to be spewing, Oikawa knew the insinuations laying at the foundation were sure to provoke some dormant emotions. And so, when sorrow forced the other male to flicker his gaze to the opposite direction, the former captain blew out a low hum in understanding.

“I don’t long for her, you idiot,” After swallowing the lump in his throat, he attempted to brush off the comment, rather unsuccessfully. While Oikawa found his friend’s first protest to be a blatant lie, what followed next was enough to cause him to drop his face onto his palm. “She’s like a little sister to me.”

Despite Iwaizumi’s desire to present the admission as factual, calling you his little sister returned the crawling sensation that was prompted earlier to return to his skin; and he had to ponder whether the bitter taste in his mouth was from the liquor or from the deceit dripping from his lips.

“Iwa-chan, you know what they say. Denial is the first stage.” The humorous comment was accompanied by a gentle laugh. While his questions were completely shut down; the physical reactions that his inquiries elicited was enough to confirm his suspicions.

Unrequited love was tragic; but what made the circumstances substantially worse was that it began with mutual love. The only issue was that neither party dared to cross the boundaries between friendship and relationship, afraid to lose the other in the process.

“Shut up.” Neither boy was convinced or impacted by the half-hearted demand, rather it was silently understood that its sole purpose was to fill the empty space that was left for a confession that would not come.

However, the conversation laid a layer of bricks on Iwaizumi’s shoulders, shackling him to the truth he was desperately avoiding. It comes as no surprise that for the remainder of the evening, he could not muster the courage to scroll through any of his social media. For if he did, the action would be admitting something he promised to always keep buried.

Tonight, the question returned to the forefront of his thoughts, mocking him for a weakness he despised himself for possessing. But it was not longing that was behind the uneasiness bordering nausea flooding him. No – it was the thought of what could have been.

What if he said something? What if you did? Would you have been happier – not knowing the one who was the cause of your broken heart? Or would he have stolen from you a happiness that you could never receive with him?

Sinking his face into his palms, he clenched his eyelids shut, aiming to shove aside the haunting thoughts. He remained in the crouched position for twenty minutes, unable to gather the energy to adjust his posture until he heard slight stirring from the bed ahead of him.

“Akari?” From under the duvet, you raised a hand to beckon for your sister who was coincidentally, not in the bedroom at the moment. The impact of the alcohol had worn off considerably by now, leaving only an irksome strain in your temples.

“She’s downstairs.” The trainer debated internally whether to approach you or not, and upon hearing the little groan that was offered in response, he opted to wait before abandoning his post. “How are you feeling?” Resting his arms along his thighs, he laced his fingers together, stretching them anxiously on either side.

A verbal response did not immediately follow his line of questioning. As you raised to a seating position on the bed, your gaze dropped to the stuffed animal that was snug against your side. Your memories of what transpired earlier in the evening was lagging, returning to you at a slow rate that was highly antagonizing. Though, the pieces that you did remember were the ones involving your best friend whose gaze you could not meet. Maybe if you were younger, still justifying your decisions with the motto of no regrets, it would have been an easier task. But you knew what was said tonight was dangerously careless.

“Tired.” Whispering the response, you brought the plushie to your lap, gently brushing your fingers against the fur. While you did remember the accidental damage, your intoxicated state inflicted on your friendship; you did not remember how you came to possess the toy within your grasp.

“Do you remember anything?” Iwaizumi prodded, testing whether it was appropriate to initiate the conversation you were dreading to have.

“Pieces.” This time you responded promptly; emotion devoid in your mumbled response. “Though, I don’t remember asking Bo to get this little baby, so I guess I saw him?” You aimed to spit the final word of the sentence with venom, and yet it spilled from your lips, coated with a hint of fondness, rather than disgust – something that Iwaizumi caught on, twinging the spear planted inside of his chest.

“You did.” Ignoring the discomfort stretching along his torso, he forcefully stabilized his breathing, drawing longer and heavier breaths through his nose. He didn’t know what was expected of him now. His role in your life had always been one of a protector – but now, with the truth exposed as an open wound, what could he do? What should he do?

“I thought so. I was hoping that part was a dream.” Chewing on the inside of your cheek, a humourless melody was blown out. While you were unable to recall what the conversation was, an image of your fiancé had projected inside of your mind. In the memory he wore his vulnerability openly for you, and you despised how it made you want to comfort him. How you wanted to claim his pain as your own, even though your own heart was suffering from the pain he inflicted on it.

“Why didn’t you answer me? I could have been there for you. If it’s about what you said…” With his throat constricting, he was unable to complete the sentence. But you were quick to fill the silence, aiming to end the conversation before it could develop further.

“I wasn’t thinking straight, Hajime. Just ignore what I said, okay.” You couldn’t do this. Not right now. Not when your heart was already breaking from your last love – it would not survive additional pain from your first one.

“What if I don’t want to ignore it?” He did not intend to push the topic forward without your consent, but the question left his mouth before he could bite his tongue. Despite being regarded as the one who held a considerable amount of control of emotions, his resolve to remain in control weakened with each passing second.

“Why? So, you can tell me that you didn’t feel the same way? That you’re sorry? Because if that’s what you’re doing to say, please don’t. I don’t think I can handle it.” Drawing in a deep breath, you tipped your head up, fixing your attention on the ceiling, hoping the liquid hanging on your lashes would not depart. “And if you’re going to tell me that I was wrong, that you did see me that way…What’s the point now?” Sinking your teeth into your bottom lip, your eyelids fluttered shut, granting the tears full reign over your cheeks. “You didn’t tell me it when it would have made a difference.”

The sight of you falling apart filled him with dread. How could he despise the younger Miya twin for his idiotic behaviour when he too caused you similar hurt? How could he have been so damn oblivious?

The only difference between him and Osamu, was that he didn’t care for his own pain. He didn’t desire your pity or sympathy. He wanted your happiness.

The distance between you two could no longer be tolerated. He quickly rose to his feet, making his way to the mattress, before guiding you into his arms. When you were in his embrace, you slowly placed your arms around his middle limply.

“I’m sorry, y/n.” What he was apologizing did not have to be stated, you knew what it was and that was enough.

Because you were sorry too… for what could have been, and what had been lost.

Let’s do it again, shall we - what if

Masterlist - Previous - Next

A/N: no one kill me, LMAO.

taglist: @idiot-juice-enthusiast @vicassa @yourstarvic @bringmelily @newfriendjen @hikarichannn @anime-simp @tsukkismamagucci @laughingismorefun @astronomyturtle @shegrewupwithoutafather @hyskoa1998 @deephumandragonperson @pretty-setter-bois @raenebalgaire @sugawarabby @justanotherfangirl2 @keijisworld @90s-belladonna @momoinot @sempiternal-amour @cherryblosom111 @yqshirov @haikyuufairy @volleybloop @bloody-bella @sadkaashistan @seikamuzu @namyari @toaster-stick @coconut-dreamz @roseestuosity @prcttylittlcthing @uzumakioden @nerdynstoned @kenmasgameboy @kaiju-teeth @ouijaeater15 @aquariarose @fandomtrashpandasposts @helloalex80 @stfucanunot @envyusshades @cuddlesslut @seijohiseliterambles @meiikuki @cuddlejeongin @tchalameme @ditu-m9 @elianetsantana

Taglist continued in the comments from my personal ❣️

#osamu x reader #osamu x y/n #osamu x you #osamu miya #miya osamu #osamu smau #osamu scenario #hq osamu #osamu angst #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu smau #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu

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potrix-the-queerschlaeger · 3 years

Text

layers (like onions)

Random idea of the day that wouldn’t leave me alone; this little future fic. And it’s not like we can’t all use some more Harringrove fluff, right? Can also be found over on AO3.

- - -

Sadie is having the absolutely worst first day at work, and the lunch rush isn't even over yet.

It had started with the fancy coffee maker spitting steam at her when she’d tried to show her new co-worker that she understood how to use it, burning the back of her hand and her wrist. Then the trash bag she’d been carrying to the dumpster out back had ripped, spilling all over her feet and the kitchen floor, so she’d spent fifteen minutes cleaning up while apologising profusely.

And to top it all off, her first table hadn’t tipped at all, even though Sadie had pulled out all the stops, been all friendly smiles and polite small-talk despite the total shitshow her morning had turned out to be.

Things don’t look much better with her current table, either.

So far, they’ve yelled across the restaurant for her when she hadn’t been fast enough with their drinks, demanded three additional baskets of the complimentary bread, one of them won’t stop making gross comments whenever she has to walk by, and by the look on one of the men’s faces right now, they aren’t happy with their food, either.

Forced smile firmly in place, Sadie approaches their table, ignoring the urge to roll her eyes when one of them clicks his fingers at her.

Before she can so much as ask what seems to be the problem, the scowling man snaps, “This burger has onions on it.”

“Yes, sir,” Sadie tries, summoning up patience only acquired through years of waitressing, “all our burgers come with tomatoes, pickles, and onions—”

“Well, I don’t like onions,” the man says, slowly, glaring up at Sadie. “I didn’t want any onions.”

“Of course, sir, I’m so sorry,” Sadie apologises, instead of demanding, like she really wants to, “Then why the hell did you order a dish with onions in it?”

(Watch out for the break!)

She pulls her notepad out of her pocket, quickly scribbling down an order for a replacement burger, and underlining the no onions three times. “I’ll put a new order in for you right away, sir. Would you like me to add a side dish as well? Free of charge, of course, as an—”

“No, no,” the man cuts in, and throws the burger he’d been holding down hard enough that it slips off his plate, and falls apart on the table. Which only appears to make him angrier. “Look at this mess. I want you to clean this up, and then I want to speak with whoever’s in charge here.”

The two other men nod, clearly not only used to their friend’s behaviour, but actively encouraging it. “Get to it, sweetheart,” one of them demands, making Sadie bite the inside of her cheek, “before all of our food goes cold.”

“Certainly, sirs,” Sadie scrapes the ruined burger off the table, waving over one of the busboys, “I’ll take care of this right away.”

Despite her words, after putting in the order for the new, onion-free burger, Sadie leans against the wall in the kitchen for a moment, breathing out heavily as she tries to compose herself. The line cook shoots her a sympathetic look, and Sadie smiles back shakily, grateful for the silent support.

Her boss’ office is one floor up, and Sadie isn’t too proud to sneak behind the bar, and make her way to the stairwell where she hopefully won’t be spotted by anyone from her table.

It’s quiet, once the door closes behind her, the voices of the guests and the sounds of the restaurant muffled, and Sadie swallows hard as she starts up the stairs. She’s seen her boss a grand total of thirty seconds so far, when he’d breezed in earlier, with a small child in each arm, a phone clutched between his shoulder and ear, and a frown on his face, while her co-workers had been showing her the ropes.

Mr Hargrove had been supposed to be the one to interview her, last week, but instead, Sadie’d been greeted by his business partner. He’d shaken her hand, smiling brightly, and introduced himself as, “Steven Harrington, but please, call me Steve, everyone does,” before explaining, all sheepishly, that Mr Hargrove was usually the one talking to the new hires, but that he’d unfortunately been called away on short notice.

He’d offered Sadie coffee, and had gotten her a glass of water instead when she’d declined, before dropping down in the swivel chair on the opposite side of the desk, picking up Sadie’s resume with a hum. “I’ll be honest, here, I don’t usually deal with this side of the business,” he’d said, chuckling a little to himself, “but if Billy’s invited you here for an in-person interview, chances are high he’s already decided to hire you. He can be picky.”

It had been said with a sigh, half annoyed and half fond. “So,” Steve had put the resume down again, and shrugged at Sadie, “if you’re still interested, and if the hours and pay you’ve talked about over the phone work for you, I don’t see a reason why you can’t start next Friday.”

Sadie had blinked at him, stunned, and then scrambled to sign the contract. Flexible hours, two free meals per shift, decent insurance, and paying slightly above minimum wage? It had been everything a struggling student like her could hope for, and then some.

Now, faced with the prospect of having to tell her boss that she’s screwing up on her very first shift, Sadie wishes she was anywhere but here. Still, she steels herself, takes a deep breath, and knocks on Mr Hargrove’s office door.

A moment later, a gruff voice calls back, “Come in.”

Mr Hargrove is sat behind his desk, one eyebrow raised, and Sadie hesitates, standing awkwardly on the threshold. The kids—definitely Mr Hargrove’s, going by their wild, curly hair—are playing on a blanket in front of the small couch, where Steve is sitting with a laptop open on his lap.

He smiles and waves at Sadie, which gives her the confidence to clear her throat, and say, “One of the guests would like to talk to you, Mr Hargrove.”

When Mr Hargrove only raises his eyebrow further, she adds, “He ordered a burger with onions, but says he doesn’t like onions. I offered him a new burger with a free side dish, but, well.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Mr Hargrove mutters, which earns him a scolding look from Steve, followed by a stern, “Language, Billy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mr Hargrove says, with a small roll of his eyes. He gets up from behind his desk, gesturing for Sadie to lead the way. “C’mon, let’s go deal with this shit.”

He’s obviously not happy about the interruption, but Sadie’s glad to notice that his irritation seems to be aimed at the picky guest, not her. The cursing also helps, strangely enough, has her bite back a giggle as they walk back down to the main floor.

Mr Hargrove looks intimidating, at first glance, what with all the tattoos, the denim, and the heavy jewellery. Like those bikers always parked in front of the shady bar a block down from her shitty, shoebox-sized apartment. Only, like, prettier.

Sadie ducks her head a little, blushing faintly. Mr Hargrove has to be in his thirties, is almost old enough to be her dad, and Sadie isn’t even interested in men like that, but she does have eyes. The blond curls, piled into a messy bun on top of his head, the dimples, the striking, bright blue eyes; Mr Hargrove is definitely good-looking.

Frannie would have a field day if she knew Sadie was getting flustered by her old, cranky new boss. Sadie silently vows to never tell her girlfriend a single word about it, ever.

“It’s the booth in the back,” she says, once they reach the main room of the restaurant again, pointing in the general direction, “by the big window—”

Mr Hargrove freezes mid-step when he spots the three men, but only for a second. Then he sneers, teeth bared, “Hell no.”

He stalks over to the booth, fast enough that Sadie has to hurry in order to keep up, and slaps the fork right out of one of the men’s hand with a snarled, “Get the fuck out of my restaurant.”

The men at the table—and a few people within earshot—fall silent in shock, all gaping at Mr Hargrove. Then, the now forkless man pushes to his feet, and right into Mr Hargrove’s space. “William—”

Mr Hargrove doesn’t back down, though, and he has several inches on the other man. “Get out. Right now, all of you. You’re not welcome here.”

The other man’s face twists in outrage. “How dare you speak to me like this? You can’t throw us out, we’re paying customers!”

“Oh, trust me,” Mr Hargrove’s smile is, Sadie thinks, pretty damn terrifying, “I can. And I will.”

“On what grounds?” the other man scoffs, and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Well, let’s see. For harassing my staff,” Mr Hargrove begins, and holds up his hand, counting on his fingers, “or, maybe, the years of emotional abuse? For regularly beating the shit outta me for close to a decade? Or for just generally being a terrible fucking human being, and an even worse father?”

The restaurant is so quiet, after that, Sadie’s almost afraid to breathe.

“Take your pick,” Mr Hargrove finishes, and takes a step back with a sweeping motion towards the door. “But get the fuck out, Neil. Or we will call the police.”

“Honestly, I’d love to see that,” comes Steve’s voice from by the bar. He’s holding the phone, wiggling the receiver when everyone turns to look at him. “Your choice.”

“You—” Mr Hargrove’s father starts, but is wisely interrupted by one of his friends standing up as well, and putting a hand on his elbow with a disgusted, “Leave it be, Neil. The little faggot’s not worth the trouble.”

There are several gasps from the other customers, but Mr Hargrove seems unfazed. Almost amused, actually. “At least my faggot ass can keep a family together. Ginny was, wait, let me think? Wive number five? How’s the divorce going, by the way?”

“Okay, that’s enough!”

If Sadie’d thought Mr Hargrove looked scary, it’s nothing compared to an angry Steven Harrington, apparently.

“You’ve got one minute to get your shit, and get the hell out. Everyone else,” and now he’s all charm again, looking around the restaurant at the shamelessly watching customers, “free pie, for having had to witness this little display of homophobic bullshittery.”

Mr Hargrove takes it upon himself to escort the men out of the restaurant, while Steve goes around apologising for what’s happened. Sadie shakes herself out of her stupor, and follows Steve in order to jot down everyone who’s interested in the free pie.

Before she can head back to the kitchen, though, Steve stops her and asks, quiet enough that only she catches it, “Hey. Are you okay?”

“That was,” Sadie breathes out, then trails off with a helpless shake of her head.

“Not a great first impression on our part?” Steve chuckles, wry smile on his lips. “Why don’t you take a break? Get a slice of pie, too? We got it handled out here.”

Sadie accepts the offer gratefully.

And the pie is delicious.

“Billy’s a fuckin’ master with anything even vaguely dessert related, man,” the line cook tells her, when she moans around her first forkfull. At her hum of surprise, he laughs, and adds, “Yeah, he still does most of the bakin’, even though he’s the boss man nowadays. Ask him for his lava cake recipe, it’s fuckin’ sick.”

The rest of the day is, thankfully, much less stressful.

Sadie gets to leave on time, and slips out the back door with a cheerful, “Goodbye!” thrown over her shoulder, only to stumble to a stop when she nearly bumps right into Mr Hargrove. And Steve. Because they’re standing very close, with Steve’s arm around Mr Hargrove’s shoulders, and his chin resting on top of Mr Hargrove’s head.

Mr Hargrove blinks one eye open at her, but doesn’t move out of the hug. “You good? Sorry ‘bout, you know. All that shit earlier.”

“Oh, yeah, uh,” Sadie stutters, feeling herself blush again, “don’t worry, all good. Thanks.”

“Have a nice night,” Steve says, with another one of those sincere smiles. “See you tomorrow.”

Sadie nods. “Tomorrow. Goodnight!”

She carefully steps around the kids, who are racing each other through the alley, shrieking with excitement. She’s almost by the bike rack when there’s a crash, followed by a warbling cry, and a distinctly toddlery voice going, “Shit!”

“Billy, I swear—”

“C’mon, Stevie, it’s not my fault they—”

Sadie rides off, not bothering to hide her laughter.

(When she comes in the next day, Mr Hargrove is waiting for her. He apologises, again, and introduces himself properly.

“Billy, please,” he insists, grimacing a little. “Mr Hargrove is my father, and, well. You saw that whole shitshow yesterday.”

Then he shows her how to use the coffee machine without getting burned, before Steve calls for him from upstairs. He’s almost through the door when he turns back around, eyes flickering down to the collar of her shirt with a small but genuine smile.

Sadie watches him go, ghosting her fingers over the small rainbow pin Frannie had proudly stuck on her shirt earlier that morning.

She’s pretty sure she’s going to like this job after all.)

#stranger things #harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #future fic #post canon #billy lives #homophobic language #neil hargrove's a+ parenting #myfics

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skyholders · 4 years

Text

Lucien: Passing By [Rumours & Secrets]

This translation contains DETAILED SPOILERS of Season Two of MLQC- Proceed with caution!

NOTE: This Rumours and Secrets tells the happenings of what happens after MC left for the other world, leaving Lucien in the OG world to prepare for the “Second Birth of Life.”

P.S: Apologies for any grammatic or spelling mistakes I have missed. Some minor details are added to this translation to make it less confusing.

Section One

[1/6]

It was very quiet in the streets, quieter than Lucien thought. His hand(s) reached into the pockets of his coat, and, unhurried, he walked towards where it was usually the most lively in the streets. A large, yellow truck was abandoned amidst the road, filled with furnitures like an old wooden rocking chair, a bookcase without half of a pair of frosted glass doors; toys stuffed and huddled into large plastic bags- seems like the truck of a moving company.

Lucien couldn’t piece the phrases together, 'end of the world', 'moving', 'abandoned truck'. They seem to have no connection among them to formulate a believable story. He stood in front of the truck, thinking of the time when he’d first moved in next to the girl.

[2/6]

Lucien is a rather minimalistic man: When he’s moving, he’ll only bring along his collection of books, his computer, and other necessities. Packing up doesn’t require more than seven boxes, and with the moving company's employees' skills, everything will be moved within two trips up and down the apartment. The night has grown very dark, Lucien stood in the middle of the road.

[3/6]

A gust of wind blew against his bangs. He sudden thought of how pleasant the weather was the day he moved. He’d lifted his head up to the sun as he drove, looking towards the sky above him. The sun was hidden behind a layer of clouds then, yet it still burned the eyes and sizzled the heads of many.

The moving company’s supervisor had a white towel hung across his shoulder, using it to dab the sweat off of his face occasionally. He said hello, chatted briefly. He smiled, saying how little he’s brought with him, and how customers like him are quite the rarity. After all, who doesn’t bring their life along with them when they move?

“I’m afraid it’ll be quite inconvenient, I can always purchase them once more after I’ve settled in,”- That’s what he said to the man.

[4/6]

As time went by, there were certainly many new additions to his home. However, most of them are gifts the girl’s gifted him. From a small cartoon memo, to a big, soft pillow, among other intriguing decorations.

He thought of the girl’s expressions when she first walked into his living room, a sort of timid politeness- not daring to look around too much, not daring to look at him any longer as well- like an innocent little bunny, entering the predator's trap willingly and without any bit of caution.

However, the little bunny soon familiarized herself with him, happily bouncing about around his life, trimming the leaves of his plants occasionally, never once leaving without assuring his fridge was filled with food. She liked to read while laying against the rug next to the floor to ceiling window, her legs dangling about. And she would have fallen asleep by sunset, where a seemingly miraculous golden hue coated her dress and her hair.

[5/6]

Those memories, seemingly distant, yet close enough to grasp, they came without warning. As it turns out, he remembers every little thing so vividly.

There was a foreign light dancing in his eyes, and yet, when he looked around, he couldn’t see a single thing. The buildings around him had no lamps or lights, they stood along the road, two roads facing one another, looking as if they’ll collapse anytime soon.

The end of the long road's an endless darkness, like an abyss raised from the grounds, with not a bit of light able to pass through it.

It’s only him, and the hems of his white coat being blown by the wind, contrasting against the night, thick with darkness.

[6/6]

A group of comets left brilliant trails among the sky, and he stopped looking, walking towards the pressing darkness in front of him.

Half an hour later, he stood in front of the Highest Bioscience Research Centre.

Section Two

[1/6]

Lucien noticed the weeds and shallow puddles of water in front of the gates.

He was also here when the research centre was under renovations, and it almost looked the same, if not for the taller grass, and little earthworms in the mud- Abandoned, ruined without a trace of humanity, yet brimmed with liveliness.

Life will always create all sorts of surprises in every little way, and life will never seem to be erased.

Lucien stepped over the shadowed silhouette of a branch filled tree, and pushed the doors of his research centre open.

[2/6]

There’s probably no one in there, perhaps there won’t be anyone else.

Without the lights, the hallway seemed long and narrow. Lucien walked along it, his leather shoes echoed as they hit the marble floors, creating an almost sinking sound to the malicious space.

He didn’t inspect each and every laboratory, instead, he walked straight to his own office- he still had one more thing to complete.

[3/6]

The hanging pot of orchids beside his window had completed wilted, its long branches reduced to a sick, black and yellow hue, falling down onto the floor from high above. It was quite a determined little thing, it only needed a little bit of sunlight to survive. He’d always forget that he needed to care for them, but the girl will always think of them. She loved caring for them, buying them all sorts of nutrients

.Many praised him, saying how rare it was, to see orchids raised as beautiful as those.

It’s always been a species that’s learned how to survive under minimal care, but under her nurture, it could grow its branches and leaves comfortably under gentle winds, it could breathe freely under the sun, could crawl freely far from ground- it had the chance to live with such contentment.

[4/6]

Lucien pulled his chair, and unknowingly sat on the wilted leaves of the hanging orchid.

After entering the password for the data storage unit, Lucien browsed through the information he’d stored with his own special method.

[5/6]

In the silence of the office, there was only the clear sound of a keyboard being used. The screen reflected upon Lucien’s eyes, as countless lines of data rolled over the screen, not worthy of being read. His eyebrows furrowed, lips sealed to a tight line. He’d spent countless hours researching of it, and it’s been clear, through numerous repeated experiments, that there aren’t any abnormalities or differences between the gene of an EVOLVER and an ordinary human being. The truth these data revealed had halted any further research, but even so, one thing’s for certain: The information he’d taken (out of) from BLACK SWAN was not complete.

He’d even argue there was only half of it.

[6/6]

He’d been delaying it for far too long. He must immediately find and acquire the lost vital information, and uncover the most important secret hidden among these data, he had to do it now.

Section Three

[1/8]

The Highest Bioscience Research Centre.

Lucien’s familiar with every corner of the place. When it was being reconstructed, it’d only gone through the most basic of renovations. There wasn’t any changes towards the information units, and all the data stored in them remained the same. In this period of time, he’d almost stripped down every drawer, every layer of every bookcase, and yet, it’s proven to be fruitless...Not truly so, however.

He found something wrapped in old newspaper, sitting hidden in the lowest layer of a bookcase. Upon unwrapping it, he was stunned- ten pieces of 5.25 inch and 3.5 inch disks, each stored in a plastic container, with a red date tag stuck on them.

[2/8]

Lucien was curious. He found an old computer in the storage room, and inserted the disk into the empty drive. The computer still had a CRT display, the mouse still had a little roller in it. And when filed were being transferred, the computer would make an odd, clicking sound.

He selected the files in the disk, files which showed many experimental results cramped together neatly in numerous rows.

Bioscience, every since this branch of science has been established, there’s been countless scientists putting all efforts into finding ways to advance further. Even with differing views, even with differences among their specialties, they’ll willingly dedicate themselves into the field with every bit of their passion. Lucien mindlessly explored through all of them, from the first disk to the last, there were a total of twelve years of experimental results recorded in them.

[3/8]

Those were twelve years of a researcher’s life.

Lucien didn’t know why he’d thought of all of those things all a sudden.

He stood in front of the window, looking towards the big beam of light from the horizon- the first batch of comets had hit the surface of the earth, the second batch should arrive forty five minutes later.

He entered a deep state of thought.

[4/8]

A soft disk has the storage of 1.44 gigabytes, and has the capacity of 700000 words, where as a regular disk has the storage of up to 700 gigabytes, and with that in mind, it’s possible to store as many GB as you want in one single removable disk., or in a USB. If the 'other half' of the missing information are mixed within these things, simply thrown in random corners of this building, who can possibly find it?

If it were him, he wouldn’t do it- any digitally stored content has the risk of being damaged.

[5/8]

Even then, seventeen years ago, when digital technology has reached a level that’s beyond imaginable, as long as it’s a piece of data stored in a computer, then there will be the absolute possibility of a person finding the information they need in a short amount of time.

Not to mention, KEY was still there seventeen years ago. The hacker’s appearance is a guarantee that every information stored digitally can be found. Reality has proven so.

Lucien’s gaze shifted, as he walked towards the deepest end of the corridor- and into the database room.

[6/8]

There, all of the data were organised and stored according to their dates. Lucien took out an old report, sealed in a brown paper envelope from 17 years ago. He read slowly. Even though the handwriting was quite messy, and the drafts and diagrams drawn haphazardly, he still read them with his full attention. The sound of pages being turned over filled each corner of the room. There were only thirty pages of reading materials, yet it took him half an hour to go through them.

Finally, he stopped at one particular page. Tearing it down, he brought it up towards the light. The paper was thin, yet it blocked it.

He’d found it.

[7/8]

The paper was made of two individual pages, someone had skillfully glued the two pages together, creating a secret layer. The trick was one as old as time. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would use a trick like this to store information in a time where information can be kept digitally. It took Lucien quite a while to tear the pages apart, using a small screwdriver to take out a piece of paper kept in the middle.

It’s small, around B5 in size, and it was very light. Its corners have begun to yellow with time, and the center of the paper was ever so slightly wrinkled, perhaps having been soaked in some sort of liquid. It was a poorly done work, as it’s left its traces.

Lucien handled it once more, and finally, he unraveled the mystery.

[8/8]

The information on the slip of paper was yet another data of genes, yet its structure's slightly different from that of a modern human's gene. It’s been given many question marks for many decades, and for that, Lucien made a bold deduction. It’s written on the back of the paper as well, the same theory inked in a fountain pen- The Prehistoric Civilization.

Lucien knew, that the tiny paper may perhaps be the very foundation of his research centre, the meaning of its postcode existence. It’s the passion project, the effort and time spent by researchers from one decade to another, all for the desire of seeking the truth among the world.

The secrets carried with it was perhaps heavier than the data of every genetic information of all human beings.

Section Four

[1/9]

Lucien knew that humanity's traces were undergoing an eradication, as when the comets have impacted the Earth, its explosions have formed tsunamis- obliterating countless cities and large museums, palaces and cathedrals, skyscrapers and all the wonders alike.. nothing could escape as big of an inevitable as that.

A notification from his phone rang in the silence of the night, pulling him away from his thoughts. He didn’t imagine that anyone would contact him at all.

[2/9]

“The Seedlings Project's*” researchers have sent him the final observation report. Even if the group of young people have always felt that they should be crippled with fear, burying in pain, in tears upon the awakening of a disaster as big as this, they’d still hang onto their researches.

Lucien did not open his email, instead, for the first time in forever, he clicked on the messaging app instead- as expected, the group of researchers have been keeping in contact with one another in their moments. He was unexpected hit with a wave of those researchers' beliefs and values: They were still hanging on, smiling and joking about, and at the same time, they’re working as hard as they can.

Lucien opened the email, and absorbed the contents of the three thousand word report in one go. After a short while, he responded with a “Thank you for the hard work.”

He lifted his head up, looking at the device in front of him.

[3/9]

The dream recording device.

Under the cold of the light, his expression seemed much too calm.

The information's complete.

The secret files BLACK SWAN had been hiding with every bit of effort, the progress and results of the research centre's years of research, they’re right in front of him. Even if Lucien does not have any proof, even if he’s unable to testify on his own verdicts and hypotheses, for he’s running out of time, and does not have a chance to settle on a solid conclusion through numerous procedures and experiments.

[4/9]

At that moment, he’ll have to trust on his own instincts. To believe in the girl that’s already left- left the road that’s already so close to its end, waiting for her to unravel a new scene, a new future. He does not disapprove of this idea at all, he’s a scientist- he accepts any sort of possibilities, however improbable they may be.

Anything that hasn’t been proven has the chance to be true.

She can do it, and she will do it. He’s determined to believe in her, and because of it, he’ll have to be prepared for any possibility that lies ahead.

There’s something he must leave. Something that will seem obvious.

[5/9]

To be frank, he’s rather worried of the girl.

Even if she’s grown to be rather strong and independent, however brilliant she may be, he still remembers the pair of innocent eyes. The fact that he is unable to walk along with her on her journey makes him feel rather unsettling.

She’s only left for the other world a few hours ago, yet he’s starting to miss her already.

And when he felt that sense of longing, the person he’s longing for is already out of reach.

[6/9]

He lifted his hand to the left side of his chest, feeling the rise of the familiar rhythm. Lucien felt himself being more honest to his own feelings than he did in the past. He wondered what sort of a smile the girl would give if he told her that. Will it be comforting? Or will it be as if an eruption of joy? Or will her cheeks flush a shy shade of red, as she steps a little closer towards him?

Time did not stop its pace, the silent countdown reached its final few moments.

[7/9]

Around a hundred comets flew across the ozone layer, more magnificent than any other view, a scene unable to be described with words; unable to be captures fully with any form of expressions. Lucien thought that he was very lucky to be able to witness such a scene. He’s not an astronomer, but he knew, for the past centuries, countless astronomers had held up their telescope, aimed towards a place further than the sky, beyond the horizon, just to have a chance to witness how these stars morph into crushed pieces of rubble, how they form, how they’ll react as they sink into the ozone layer, its explosion as it collides.

Humanity was formed by a single spark. Humanity’s extinction was brought on by a single spark. Nature has always had a sequence.

And he will keep holding onto this sequence.

[8/9]

Another piece of a comet fell onto the range of mountains a hundred kilometers away from Loveland City, its steam igniting the night as it set the forest on fire. Following tightly behind it, was yet another group of comets brought by the night.

“The next time we meet..”

Lucien's eyes shone with a glimmer of gentleness, lasting for one fleeting moment before they returned into their usual coldness once more.

He turned around, activating the dream recording device.

Your appearance is enough to occupy the years of my life I’m losing.

[9/9]

There was a sudden beam of light from the sky once more, welcoming the string of comets. In that sinking moment, the brilliance of the night sky fell upon Earth, bright as a large firework.

And at the same time, the wilted hanging orchids returned to its soil as a little seed, and continued to remain asleep, until the second birth of life.

Time’s cycle has reached the starting line after completing its turn.

The round of chess restarts itself.

[END]

*The Seedlings’ Project (Direct translation): An international scientific project where a group of scientists preserve seeds of many species of plants as a way of protecting those species from the “End of The World.” Part of the New World Project.

May we have a moment of silence of the hanging orchid, all the furnitures Lucien’s abandoned, Lucien, and everything involved in this story.. so the entire world.

You will be missed for now.

Hope you enjoyed this odd translation, sorry for any grammatic mistakes I’ve missed, and have a nice day!

And no worries, I am as confused as you are!

-Shio

#mlqc #mlqc spoilers #mlqc lucien #mlqc translation #lmao my phone went fbrevbervbeb because of a volleyball #mr love queens choice #mr love spoilers

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quazartranslates · 3 years

Text

Welcome to the Nightmare Game - CH58

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

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Chapter 58: Witchcraft Sacrifice (XXVII)

Ning Zhou quickly went to Lu Youxin's phantom and looked at her in shock.

Lu Youxin's phantom was like a written program that ran smoothly: "Ning Zhou, or Qi Leren, or you two, the phantom you see now is an ability I got from the swamp tower. It will convey my will to the designated person after I die for a period of time. You are really lucky. In addition, there are several points to remind you that she has been completely strengthened now, and both strength and speed reaction ability are far beyond the scope of normal people. When she suddenly challenged me, I couldn’t resist at all, but it was strange that she spared me. After I took the opportunity to make a sneak attack on her successfully, she and I suddenly exchanged bodies, and then I died because of the injury caused by my own sneak attack. Therefore, I suspect that her soul transfer skills should be greatly limited. To complete the soul transfer, she may have needed to beat me once, and then let me sneak up on her, causing her serious injuries. If you meet her, be careful. "

"Time’s running out..." Liu Youxin's phantom gradually dimmed, like a television with a bad signal, and even the voice became intermittent. "There’s one thing I want to tell you, but forget it, don't worry, it won't affect your completion of the task, and you’ll know it naturally. Although it's a pity to die with regret, looking back, life is always like this. Without knowing what page you’re looking at, the book will suddenly close. Therefore, we must live happily at any time."

Lu Youxin's phantom smiled in the direction where the two were standing, just like an ordinary pretty girl. The cold voice said mechanically: "Now I am going home, goodbye... I wish you good luck."

The image became blurred, and finally in the cold air, the door of the hall was empty, as if no one had ever appeared.

In the silence, Qi Leren watched Ning Zhou standing at the door, slowly clenching her hand at her side, and exerting herself until the veins stood out.

"Ning Zhou..." Qi Leren’s heart was heavy. He didn't know how to comfort Ning Zhou, who had just lost a friend, but if he just watched her fall into grief and blame herself…

He came to Ning Zhou’s side, stretched out his hand and took Ning Zhou’s clenched hand. In the moment they first touched, Ning Zhou’s clenched fist relaxed to hold his hand tightly instead, as if to confirm his presence.

The warmth from the palm of his hand ran all the way to his core along the nerves and blood vessels, brewing into a sweet affection in his beating heart.

For a moment, Qi Leren felt that Ning Zhou also liked him, just as he loved her quietly. Perhaps, as the "Ye Xia" in the dreamland said, liking a person always showed in one’s eyes. Maybe after leaving this instance world, Ning Zhou, who liked girls, would be disappointed to find that he is not a girl. And then, he’ll become a stranger to him. He was uneasy about it.

But at least for now, he could hold Ning Zhou's hand.

He never wanted to let go, he wanted to share this burden with her.

"Here she comes." Stopped on the stone, the blackbird suddenly said.

Accompanied by its words, a figure came up the long corridor outside the temple where candlelight flickered in the distance.

She didn't walk fast, she didn't hurry, and her footsteps approached in a leisurely and undisguised way.

Ning Zhou's hand was pressed on the handle of the short knife, and the cold light in her blue eyes was like a killing weapon about to be drawn.

She stopped, more than ten meters away from the door.

"It seems that you already know." Ye Xia, who occupied Lu Youxin's body, looked at Ning Zhou and smiled arrogantly. "Then you should also know that now I have far exceeded the limits of the human body. No matter the speed, strength or agility, ordinary people can no longer resist it. Confronting me is just like a grasshopper in front of a car."

Ning Zhou didn't speak, the two blades out of the scabbards were her answer.

Something was wrong. Why did she say so much nonsense? Why not just kill them? Qi Leren looked at the explosive atmosphere of the two people, and his doubts lingered.

"Don't worry, there is still a game of cat and mouse to be finished. After killing you, I’ll continue to serve the Lord, and you will stay in this cold underground palace forever." Ye Xia’s smile was slightly mocking, while walking towards them.

When she stepped into the temple gate, the system prompt appeared again.

[ Witchcraft Sacrifice Step 2: Sacrifice in the underground palace, 7/7 witches have been killed so far, and the remaining witch candidates are 4. Unlock the third step: bloody sacrifice. ]

[ Task background: You have found that every time a witch candidate is killed, all attributes can be greatly improved (it will become invalid after leaving the underground palace), and the survivor of the last sacrifice and the witch who served the Lord of Fraud once again came to this underground palace. Kill her, the altar will appear, and after the sacrifice is completed, all the surviving players will be regarded as completing the task. ]

[ All surviving witch candidates will be randomly teleported. Teleportation countdown: ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Teleportation complete. ]

Qi Leren once again appeared in a strange corridor, and the candlelight around him was weak, swaying in the wind passing through the corridor, together with his shadow.

There were too many thoughts to be sorted out, and it was too easy to be found just standing in the corridor. He simply ducked into the nearest room and closed the door.

It seems that the task had reached the last part, which was also the most difficult part.

Have to say, this time the quest difficulty was not something a new person can deal with. He practically spent eight lifetimes’ of his unluckiness to trigger this abnormal quest. The biggest BOSS turned out to be a witch who survived the sacrifice in the task three years ago. As someone who knew everything inside out, she simply struck first, she killed four people in the underground palace, and her ability increased to a level that was difficult to compete with. This increase would not disappear because she changed her body, and it was completely bound to her soul. They now had only three people in total. Even if one of them killed the other two, they couldn’t beat her either.

The system prompt said that there are only four witch candidates left, that is to say, the Ellie sisters were dead …

Qi Leren's mood was even heavier.

Now they had solved Isabel's memory and learned that Ye Xia was a witch who survived three years ago, which should be a necessary condition for clearance. If they didn't know Ye Xia's true identity, they may not have been as vigilant. Finally, they’d die. But it was probably too late to know now. Ye Xia had already killed four people earlier... Because she was a player and not an NPC controlled by the system, wasn't she? So as someone who knew the process of the quest, she wouldn't give them a chance to turn the situation around.

Could he only wait to die? There must be some way…

[Rain-Day Laundry: At present, the remaining sensing times are 2/3.]

Qi Leren’s heart pounding, he suddenly took a step back, afraid to cling to the door.

There was silence all around, and he looked at the closed door as if there was a monster standing outside, a wandering soul wandering in the underground palace, or…

But nothing happened outside.

Was the sensing wrong? This skill did have the probability of inducing errors. And the underground was so big, he just finished teleporting, so he shouldn't be so unlucky as to meet Ye Xia already? Even if Ye Xia was really around here, how did she know he was hiding in this room? He didn't hear the sound of opening the door to check the surrounding rooms. It didn't make sense. She just stared at the room where he was hiding.

Holding the last miniature bomb in his palm, a layer of sweat broke out, and Qi Leren stared at the door motionless, until his crazy heartbeat calmed again. He took a deep breath and took the first step stiffly, ready to open the door.

[Rain-Day Laundry: At present, the remaining sensing times are 1/3.]

With a crunch, Qi Leren, who suddenly took a step back at the sensing prompt, and watched the sharp blade stab through the fragile wood board, spraying out fine sawdust, and went straight to his throat with overwhelming murder intent.

Just a moment slower and it would have pierced his throat.

Just like in the dreamworld, when she almost pierced his head under the bed.

It turned out it was no coincidence that she could sense where he was.

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#Welcome to the Nightmare Game #欢迎来到噩梦游戏 #danmei

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glassmenagerieofmusesarc · 3 years

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Let’s talk about two important aspects of Charlie’s character and how they develop in Season 2; Co-dependency and guilt.

Both of these aspects of Charlie’s character are well established in his first season storyline episodes and flashbacks.

Codependency

Charlie is shown as being very co-dependent on Liam. He gives up a dream of his because his brother asks and he jumps down the rabbit hole because he feels the drugs are coming between him and his brother. Even though he knows that the drugs have changed his brother’s personality in ways he doesn’t like, he’s more afraid of losing that relationship than losing himself. This tendency to latch on also explains why he is so susceptible to the addiction in the first place. When his brother decides to leave the band, the vacuum of that relationship sends him into an even deeper spiral. He tries to again emulate his brother by dating the girl with the Winston Churchill memorabilia. He wants to take a job and settle down to repair that new gap but his relationship to heroin is now even stronger than his dependence on his brother.

Enter the island; Charlie is forced to break his dependency on drugs and immediately bonds with Claire in their place. This is partially because she draws out his more positive side, a side he’s lost in the years of his drug addition. More importantly, he believes that she needs him, just as he needs her to distract from his recovery. Not a great reason to fall for someone but while he is clean, it works out fairly well. Claire depends on him and he helps to relieve some of the stress of having the baby initially. Still, Charlie overinvests very quickly as shown by the way he proposes a whole new life with her when they leave the island. He’s way more serious about it than she even knows.

Guilt

When we meet Charlie, he wants to go into seminary and is very dedicated to his religion, specifically Catholicism which is 1. a very pointed choice for a Brit and 2. a very clear indication that guilt is a motivating factor in his life. After he turns away from this path, the only way he can avoid his guilt is through his drug use. No one thinks he’s more pathetic and terrible than he does. The shame he feels after failing at sobriety in the real world and giving in to the temptation of stealing the Winston Churchill plate sends him spiraling.

His entire recovery on the island carries over these religious overtones. Locke tests him three times to get his drugs back but he refuses to do the drugs once he gets them back. His recovery is also greatly helped by Rose helping him reconnect with his faith. Finally, we get to the not at all subtle, borderline cruel use of the Virgin Mary statues as symbolism for his relapse into heroin addiction in season 2.

(Also, lol btw Claire positing that maybe Charlie is some really religious dude after finding the statue is the most amazing and layered way to pull these two themes together *chef’s kiss*)

Season 2 So Far (About 6 episodes in):

So how do these two themes contribute to Charlie’s development in season 2 so far? Charlie hasn’t been on screen too often so far. But there are a few scenes that imply he is using again and not doing well in his relationship with Claire as a result. Aside from the fact it’s highly questionable for a drug addict to be a primary caretaker for an infant, we see Charlie becoming more inconsistent. In Locke’s episode after they have a disagreement about waking the baby up, Charlie has mysteriously wandered off. When he comes back, he snaps at Claire and Locke, a clear indication he snuck off to get high.

We can also tell a lot from what Claire reveals about her feelings on the disagreement, which she does not characterize as a fight even though Charlie later does. Claire’s concerns revolve around how involved Charlie is despite the fact they have barely known each other more than a month. She mentions feeling like they’re married and doesn’t know how she feels about this level of codependency. These anxieties are only heightened when he returns and becomes jealous of Locke. Clearly, his more possessive and insecure side, the side that needs Claire in his life to be okay is starting to wear him down. He sees Locke being helpful, and rather than thinking he is a threat to any romantic relationship between him and Claire, he thinks that anyone else getting involved could make Claire realize that she doesn’t need him as much as he needs her. He knows the drugs might make him lose her and he selfishly thinks he can have both dependencies like he did during his time touring with his brother. Yet he knows from experience, people will only tolerate that behavior for so long. The drugs are playing on his paranoia, certainly not helped by the pressure of the situation.

What I think is even more interesting though, is his conversation with Locke afterwards. In this conversation, he tells his side of the disagreement. He calls the disagreement a fight unlike Claire and begins to say negative things about Claire and her ability to raise Aaron. Aside from the obvious explanation that drug use makes people say all sorts of awful things they never would when sober, this conversation also returns to the theme of guilt. The fact that he calls it a fight shows how bad he feels and how nervous he is about his connection to Claire. The statements he makes about Claire not being a good caretaker, saying she is irresponsible and can’t handle the pressure, are projections of his own guilt for taking care of the baby while using. Drug addicts will do anything to justify their use and so by putting himself above Claire, he can tell himself the drug use isn’t really interfering with caring for Aaron. Dismissing Claire allows him to believe that he’s still the more stable force in the relationship. Totally fucked up and toxic mindset, but it’s heroin. I also love that Locke totally calls him out for his hypocrisy. Charlie can’t even meet his eyes after Locke implies he knows that Charlie is using again because of that guilt.

Where will this go? I don’t know but I desperately wish that Claire had found out what was in the statue the first night she saw it. She could’ve stopped him from relapsing by reassuring him that she needs him before things got tense between them. She could’ve laid out her expectations for him to be sober if he’s going to be around the baby. He knew this would be the conversation they had which is part of why he lied--can’t break a promise if you never made it!

#m; charlie pace #musings #meta #drugs tw #I'm in pain

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dhufflebee · 3 years

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of t-shirts and hoodies (a Glee fanfiction)

One-shot Fandom: Glee Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jesse St. James/Rachel Berry Characters: Jesse St. James; Rachel Berry Additional Tags: Fluff; Cuddles; Late Night Conversations; gratuitous references to the Michelin Man; discussions about clothes; couples' clichés; they're just very cute is all; Implied Sexual Content

Also read on: AO3 | ff.net Summary: Rachel and Jesse have a late-night conversation (and a winter morning surprise) about clothes and couples’ clichés.

Apparently these two are the only thing that can get me motivated enough to write as of lately.

Anyway, this is just a fluffy little slice of life (?) that I really couldn’t get out of my head. Rachel and Jesse are so cute; I miss them.

Still half asleep, Jesse heard a sound he didn’t recognize, and stirred under the duvet. His mind wanted to attribute the sound to the pleasant dream he’d been dreaming and couldn’t quite remember—yet the low, uneven sound wasn’t stopping. Jesse forced his eyes open and blinked a few times to regain some clarity of mind. His brain finally caught up with his ears and he recognized the noises in his bedroom: rummaging, feet shuffling, annoyed murmurs. Jesse started, alarmed by the presence of an intruder, and readied himself to jump off the bed to grab his baseball bat.

After a couple of seconds, though, the reality of the situation washed over him—It’s just Rachel. Jesse exhaled and shook his head, smiling. She’d moved into his apartment the previous month, but the novelty of living together still took Jesse by surprise every now and again.

Jesse finally emerged from under the covers in time to see Rachel put her pajamas back on, frowning like she’d received the worst news of her life. She then got back under the duvet by his side, and crossed her arms on her chest while staring at the ceiling. Jesse was frowning as well now, and he turned towards her: “Rach, what’s up?”

“I cannot believe you don’t own a single loose-fitting shirt!” she said, emphatically.

“What?!”

Rachel finally turned to look at him, eyes ablaze. “I said, I cannot believe you—”

“I heard what you said. What does it mean?” Jesse asked, bewildered.

Rachel huffed, the ghost of a smile on her lips. “Look at me. I had to put my pajamas back on,” she said, raising her eyebrows, clearly waiting for an answer from Jesse, who was at a loss for words. “My own PJs, Jesse! After sexy times!” she explained, petulantly.

Jesse burst out laughing. “Sexy times?”

Rachel scrunched her nose and stuck her tongue out at him, and Jesse shuffled under the covers until he reached her and enveloped her in a hug. She cuddled up to him and entangled her legs with his, humming comfortably. Jesse’s heart swelled with affection—How was I ever able to sleep before having Rachel here with me, God only knows.

“I still don’t get it, though. What’s with my shirts?” Jesse asked, stroking Rachel’s hair.

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s stupid.”

“It’s bothering you, so it clearly isn’t a trivial matter. Besides, I nearly took you for an intruder, and you know how effective I can be with that baseball bat.” He felt Rachel chuckle against his chest—surely one of the most pleasant sensations life could offer.

“It’s just—” Rachel began, shrugging a little. “You know that thing you always see in movies? where the woman is so settled into their life together or their home or whatever that she can just like, wear his clothes? Especially in the morning, when she wakes up after a night together.” Rachel shook her head and waved her hand, like she was trying to shoo an innocuous but persistent fly. “It’s silly, I know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s actually kind of adorable,” Jesse said, before kissing the crown of her head softly. “Why all that fuss earlier, then? I do own clothes, you know,” he added with a smirk.

“I know you do,” Rachel exclaimed, with a smile and a playful swat on his chest. Then she frowned again, and Jesse had to resist the urge to smooth the line between her brows with his thumb. Instead, he caressed her cheek in that way he knew she liked. Rachel closed her eyes and hummed softly, and Jesse was afraid his heart would explode at any moment.

“I’ve always dreamed,” Rachel mused after a while, “that I would be able to just—take a look at my husband’s side of the closet and immediately find a loose, well-loved t-shirt to put on when I woke up, or even just a big hoodie during winter nights, you know?” A wistful smile was dancing on Rachel’s lips. Jesse (whose breath had hitched in pleasant surprise when she’d so casually said husband) looked intently at her face, and smiled in return.

“Only problem is,” Rachel said, quirking an eyebrow, “you don’t own any hoodies, and all your tops are tight cause you’re so lean and fit… Not that I’m complaining, mind you,” she added, a little breathlessly, while slowly tracing the muscles on Jesse’s abdomen with her fingers.

Jesse, for his part, was certain he’d lose any ability to understand what Rachel was saying, if she insisted on doing that—his brain was two seconds away from short-circuiting, and his skin burned under her touch. Jesse struggled to steady his breath and mentally begged Rachel to stop, because he wanted to listen to her and talk to her, and she was making it unfairly hard. (Then, when she stopped, he cursed himself for ever thinking that.)

Holding Rachel in his arms, feeling her that close to him, was intoxicating, but at least Jesse’s mind was clearing up. “I can go get some large t-shirts tomorrow, if you want,” he offered.

“Thanks, but that wouldn’t be the same,” Rachel answered shaking her head, her hair falling everywhere. She then caught a strand and started fiddling with it, almost anxiously. “The point is that the shirt should be yours, you know? Even better if it’s old and loose and soft—not the right size for my body, yet barely big enough to contain all my love.”

Rachel had spoken so quietly that Jesse wouldn’t have heard her if they hadn’t been that close. His heart swelled up, and once again he felt like he was on fire, only that time it was the steady, comforting warmth of affection spreading all through him—God, he loved her so much.

Jesse hugged Rachel tighter, the space between them almost nonexistent. She sneaked an arm around his waist and murmured: “That was so sappy”. She scrunched her nose against his chest, and he kissed the top of her head, a smile on his lips.

-----------------------------------------------

Rachel closed the door behind her and hung her coat and purse on the rack nearby. She was trying to be as quiet as possible, so not to spoil her surprise for Jesse—she’d come back home way earlier than usual, having left school before her lessons even ended just because she missed Jesse and wanted to see and hug him. Their respective schedules were a mess that month, what with her studying and him just starting rehearsals for his show, and they’d seen very little of each other. Late nights and snatchy Sundays and the rare, rushed lunch were not nearly enough.

She left her shoes near the door and padded towards the kitchen, were she could hear Jesse humming and handling plates in that noisy way of his. Rachel was glad Jesse was distracted, because that meant she could surprise him with a hug from behind—something she loved to do, and that he endearingly called ‘the sneaky koala’.

Rachel walked up to Jesse and put her arms around his waist; she felt his body tense under her touch, then relax after a couple of seconds. “Hey, Rach,” he said, a smile in his voice.

“Hi, baby,” Rachel answered, her voice muffled by Jesse’s hoodie. Wait, what? A hoodie? Rachel stepped back and stared at Jesse’s back with a puzzled expression. He was wearing a big hoodie over what appeared to be several oversized t-shirts—a rather warm outfit for a winter morning but one that was decidedly not Jesse’s style.

After a beat, Jesse turned around as well, his head tilted to the side. “What are you doing here, Rachel? Aren’t you supposed to be at school now?”

“What are you doing dressed like that, Jesse?” Rachel sputtered, gesturing wildly in his direction. “You look like the Michelin Man!”

Jesse chuckled, and Rachel could swear he was blushing a little, too. “You first,” he urged.

“I just wanted to surprise you is all,” she answered, her expression softening. “We’ve seen so little of each other lately, and I just really missed you.”

Jesse smiled and enveloped Rachel in a hug, resting his chin on her head. She sighed contentedly against the soft fabric of his hoodie. “This feels really weird, you with all these layers and stuff. What’s going on?”

“I’m just—” Jesse began, a note of uncertainty in his voice. “I’m trying to speedrun the process of making these clothes feel well-worn.”

“What?”

“I’ve been wearing all these shirts whenever I’ve been home alone in the past week,” he explains, the red on his cheeks deepening. “The plan was to just do it for a little while more, and then surprise you one morning when you opened my side of the closet.”

Rachel stared intently at Jesse, going almost weak at the knees at the fondness in his eyes. Her brain was trying to remember something, but the details were fuzzy except for the vague recollection of a late-night conversation about clothes. “You mean—”

“Yeah, so you can put on a big t-shirt of mine when you wake up,” Jesse said, bashfully.

The force of the memory slammed Rachel like an oncoming train. She couldn’t believe he’d taken her sleepy, nonsensical rambling that seriously. Her heart swelled up, and she felt she was about to burst at the seams with the intensity of her love for Jesse. She stood on tiptoes, put a hand on his neck and pulled him into a kiss. He smiled against her lips, before deepening the kiss and pressing himself flush against her.

Rachel broke the kiss apart after a while, happy that Jesse looked as flushed and out of breath as she was. She smiled and thanked him, resting a hand on his chest. “I can’t believe you’d do this for me… It was just a silly thing, really.”

Jesse tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, smiling softly. “Of course, Rachel. You know I’d do anything to make you happy.”

Rachel bit her lip. Missing Jesse made her heart ache on the daily, but at that moment she felt so grateful and in love that she feared her heart would explode nonetheless.

“Um, baby?” Rachel said, pulling playfully at the hem of his hoodie. “Do you think you need help getting out of these shirts?”

Jesse laughed out loud, tilting his head back. “I think I can manage!”

Rachel huffed in mock exasperation and wiggled her eyebrows at him.

“Oh, you meant it like that,” Jesse exclaimed, smirking. “Then I definitely need you to help me.”

“Good,” Rachel mused, before giving him a peck on the lips and tugging at his arm so that he’d follow her. “I wonder how it’s going to feel like, getting out of bed and finally wearing a t-shirt that belongs to the man I love.” She smiled at Jesse, who was beaming and looking at her so eagerly that she felt heat spread through her body.

Maybe I should make a habit of ditching school to come home in the morning.

#glee #glee fanfiction #st berry #rachel berry #jesse st james #glee (tv)#apparently these two? are the only thing that can get me motivated enough to write??#i mean i'm not complaining but i would have never imagined tbh #rachel x jesse #myships #fanfiction #my fics

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splendidlyimperfect · 4 years

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When Natsu runs into five-year-old Sting and Rogue at the Grand Magic Games, he thinks they're cute kids with a serious case of hero worship. But when it turns out that they're both Dragon Slayers and they belong to the ruthless Sabertooth Guild, something doesn't feel quite right. Natsu and Gray quickly grow protective of the two little kids, and they do their best to build a relationship with them to try to keep them safe and figure out what exactly is going on at Sabertooth.

alternate chapter art here

Chapter Summary: Natsu and Gray are both unsettled by the revelation about Sting and Rogue's dragon slaying powers, and Gray realizes he has something in common with Rogue.

Chapters (2/?): 1 | 2 Fandom: Fairy Tail Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster, Rogue Cheney/Sting Eucliffe, Laxus Dreyar/Freed Justine Additional Tags: Canon Universe, Not Canon Compliant, like not even close, Dai Matou Enbu | Grand Magic Games Arc, Sort Of, Childhood Friends, Cute Kids, Hero Worship, Fairy Tail Dragon Slayers, Protectiveness, protective Natsu, Protective Gray, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Parenthood, sorta - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trans Character, Nonbinary Character, Trans Gray, Trans Sting, Nonbinary Rogue, they're just adorable baby dragon slayers and Natsu wants to adopt them, and kind of does, Mutual Pining, because Gray and Natsu are idiots

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The walk back to the inn was quiet. Erza and Lucy quickly slipped into a recap of the day’s events, but Natsu was edgy and distracted, still trying his hardest to figure out what had felt wrong about the two boys.

“You’re gonna hurt yourself if you think too hard.” Gray appeared beside Natsu and bumped his shoulder, knocking him out of step.

“Hilarious.” Natsu nudged him back, but it lacked the usual enthusiasm of their bickering.

“I try.” Gray shoved his hands into his pockets, staying next to Natsu as they made their way through the dark streets. He didn’t say anything, which wasn’t unusual for him, but Natsu felt like there was a weight behind the lack of words.

“It doesn’t feel right,” Natsu finally said once they had arrived at the inn and the girls had headed in to sleep. He leaned against the wall next to Gray and stared up at the sky. The sun had set, and the sky was a dark tapestry littered with pinpricks of stars. “I dunno why it’s bugging me so much. We weren’t much older when we joined Fairy Tail.”

Gray nodded, absently patting his pocket where he used to keep his cigarettes. Natsu batted his hand away, trying to ignore the warm spark when their fingers touched.

It doesn’t mean anything, Natsu thought as he pulled his hand back and shoved it in his pocket. He’s your best friend.

Continue reading on AO3

Gray didn’t answer for a while. The silence that settled between them was easy and familiar, and Natsu felt himself unconsciously leaning closer to Gray. Everyone always teased Natsu about how much he talked, but when he was alone with Gray, it didn’t feel necessary. The urgent need to fill the air with cheerful words was replaced by a deep, quiet sense of familiarity that felt like home.

“I think,” Gray said after a while, keeping his gaze on the sky, “it feels wrong because they’re alone. I mean, not alone, but there aren’t any other kids in their guild.” He kicked at a rock, watching it bounce across the street and clatter down into the gutter. “They’re so young. And nobody’s looking out for them.”

“Yukino is,” Natsu pointed out, and Gray nodded. “But she seems…”

“Afraid?”

“Mm. She doesn’t really fit with them either.” Natsu sighed, prodding at a bruise that was still forming on his ribs. It was courtesy of a vicious kick from Orga during their fight that morning – one that Natsu and Gray had nearly lost to Sabertooth’s ruthless tactics.

Silence fell between them again. The soft chill that normally radiated from Gray was tempered by Natsu’s heat, keeping them both comfortably warm in the cool spring air. Natsu absently held out his hand and summoned a small flame, running it back and forth across his knuckles. Gray blew a stream of frosty air at it, and it froze for a second, glinting orange and gold in the dim light of the streetlamp.

“I think Sting’s trans,” Gray said as the flame went out.

Natsu raised an eyebrow, tipping his head to look at the soft expression on Gray’s face. Natsu still remembered the day he’d come out, even though it was years ago. They’d been nine or ten, sparring as usual, and Droy had told Natsu that he shouldn’t hit girls. Gray had yelled that he wasn’t a girl, said some words that he’d probably picked up from Gildarts, then punched Droy and stormed away from the guild. Natsu had followed him down to the river and they’d spent the afternoon together, carefully holding hands and watching the water sparkle in the afternoon sun.

Nothing had changed. Gray was still Gray, and Natsu had still loved him just as fiercely.

“How do you know?”

Gray shrugged. “I dunno, something…” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely. Natsu nodded. He’d known right away that Rogue wasn’t a boy or a girl, just like Freed, but he couldn’t quite explain how.

“I wish they could come with us,” Natsu said. “There’s something off – not just about Sabertooth, about them. I can’t figure it out and it’s driving me crazy.”

“You could try to talk to Yukino,” Gray suggested. “Not to take them or anything, just to maybe, I dunno, offer to help them. Train them, I mean. With the dragon slayer stuff. Jiemma might go for that if that’s what he’s… keeping them for.”

“That’s… actually a good idea.”

“I happen to have those sometimes.”

“Only when you’re inspired by my brilliance.”

Gray laughed – a rare, quiet sound that made Natsu’s cheeks warm and his stomach twist in a gentle, familiar way.

“C’mon,” Gray said, pushing himself off the wall and nudging Natsu’s arm. “It’s late, let’s go to bed.”

Natsu swallowed back the disappointment that washed over him – he wanted to stay here, shoulders touching, talking quietly in the night. He liked having Gray to himself. It happened so rarely now that they were adults, and Natsu missed the afternoons they used to spend by the river. He missed holding hands. He missed falling asleep together under the afternoon sun and waking up with his head on Gray’s shoulder.

“I’ll be right in,” he said, forcing himself to smile.

Gray frowned. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Natsu said quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You shouldn’t drink so much of that; you’re going to have a heart attack.”

Gray glared half-heartedly at Lucy over his fourth cup of coffee. Even with that much caffeine flowing through him, he was still exhausted. Sleep had evaded him for most of the night. At first, he’d spent his time waiting for Natsu to come inside, wishing he’d stayed out with him. Then, once Natsu had finally crawled into the bed across from Gray and was snoring softly, the nightmares had started.

Gray hadn’t dreamed about his mom in a long time. He’d woken up in the early hours of the morning, skin and sheets covered in a thick layer of frost, and had been surprised to find tears frozen to his cheeks.

“’m fine,” he mumbled. “Stupid beds are uncomfortable.”

Lucy nodded sympathetically as she sat down at the table across from him. The inn had its own small kitchen, and Gray was grateful for the option to eat here, mostly alone, instead of heading to the market to find food with everyone else. He still felt unsettled and wasn’t quite ready to face the world.

“Are you okay?” Lucy’s gentle question made the fragile barrier around Gray’s heart splinter a little and he sighed, dropping his head into his hands. Somehow, she was always able to see past his bullshit.

“Just bad dreams.”

“Is it because of the kids?”

Gray peeked up at her. “You’re freakishly perceptive, you know that, right?”

Lucy laughed, poking at her pancakes. “So that’s a yes, then.”

“I guess.” Gray rubbed his face. “I dunno. They’re little and alone.” The words stuck in his throat and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself together. “It just…”

“Reminds you of yourself?”

“Would you stop that?”

“Nope.”

Gray groaned. “Yes, okay? And I know a lot of us had shitty childhoods, but it made me think about my mom, and how it sucks they don’t have their parents. That’s all.”

Lucy reached across the table and took Gray’s hand, squeezing it gently. “It’s okay to miss your mom,” she said gently. “I miss mine, too. And I know that Natsu’s thinking about his dad. You’re not alone, Gray.”

He let out a noisy breath and tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling. “Yeah, I know.” He squeezed her hand, giving her a small half-smile before letting go and grabbing his coffee again. The taste was bitter as he downed it in one gulp, then stood up and pushed his chair away from the table.

“You’d better get going,” Lucy said, gesturing at the clock on the wall behind him. “I’m pretty sure you’re up first this morning.”

“Mm.” Gray stretched, then leaned across the table and quickly kissed the top of Lucy’s head. He pulled away before she could say anything, turning toward the door so she couldn’t see the redness in his cheeks. “See you later?” For some reason it came out as a question, almost seeking reassurance.

Of course, Lucy provided it. “I’ll be cheering for you,” she said. “Good luck!”

The fight was exhausting. Gray was matched one-on-one against someone named Renne from a guild he couldn’t even remember, and the lack of sleep caught up to him halfway through the fight. Something hit him hard in the forehead and he stumbled backward, blinking when blood dripped into his eyes.

C’mon, Princess. Natsu’s voice filled Gray’s mind and for a moment, he thought it was his imagination. Then he glanced up into the stands and realized that Natsu was staring down at him with Max by his side, borrowing his telepathic magic. You’ve got this.

Gray shook his head to clear his blurred vision, launching a barrage of ice blades from his hands as Renne teleported behind him. Another hit landed on his jaw and he grunted in pain, stumbling forward and cursing under his breath. Frustration and embarrassment washed over him as blood filled his mouth.

The kids are watching. Natsu’s voice appeared again. Look up.

Gray spun around, gaze moving from Natsu’s grinning face to the enormous screen that panned across the crowd. Right now, it was focused on Sabertooth, and there, leaning against the railing, were Sting and Rogue. Sting had a wild grin on his face and was bouncing up and down in excitement, turning to talk to Yukino as he pointed at Gray. Rogue was standing behind him, looking much more subdued, but when Gray realized they were still holding the snake he’d made, something warm flooded through him.

Fuck this, he thought, spitting blood onto the ground and turning back to Renne. I’m not gonna lose. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

As soon as he thought about it, the devil slayer magic he’d been ignoring for so long started to thrum under his skin. An anticipation grew along with the power, layered with an irritated almost-whisper of, why did you wait so long, let me out, let me free, let me destroy.

Gray gritted his teeth, pushing back against the destructive desires of the magic. It itched and stung, just like every time he called on it, pushing at him like it didn’t quite fit in his body. The black marks raced across his skin like ink on parchment, twisting in patterns that Gray still didn’t understand. He didn’t use the magic often – even after a year, the new powers still unsettled him.

He exhaled, letting the tension and fatigue flow out of his body, then looked up at Renne again. Everything about her was sharper. Gray could see her magic now; a purplish-blue aura that darted around her, quick and nimble. It tasted bitter, overpowering the coppery tang of blood that clung to the inside of his mouth.

A look of surprise appeared on her face that was quickly replaced by disgust, and she cursed as she charged at him. Her magic flowed just ahead of her, and Gray watched the movements carefully, stepping out of the way of her attack. She stumbled uncertainly, then glared at him as she disappeared in a burst of light.

Gray closed his eyes, letting the magic flow out of him like a sixth sense, feeling through the air until it found a heartbeat. He whipped around as the magic snapped back to him, crystallizing along his arms until sharp blades spread from his fingers to elbows. Renne appeared exactly where he’d expected, and her nasty grin was quickly replaced by a look of surprise when he caught her blow one-handed and tossed her to the ground.

A hungry sensation raced through Gray at the expression on her face, but he pushed it back, refusing to give in to the vicious desires of his magic. The commentators shouted something, and a cheer spread through the crowd, but it all turned to a dull roar as Gray pushed the magic out again, letting it crystallize into a group of wicked-looking ice shards that hung around Renne.

“What the hell kind of magic is this?” she hissed, pushing herself to her feet. The shards moved closer to her, bathing her in the bruised purple light of the devil slayer’s ice.

“Mine,” Gray said simply. Then he closed his fist and detonated the ice. It exploded into thousands of tiny fragments that whipped around Rennee, sharp and deadly. She swore as one of them nicked her arm, then scowled at Gray and teleported away.

He closed his eyes again, following the magic as it moved. It darted back and forth around him and through the air, leaving behind a sour, acidic smell, then stopped on near the edge of the stadium. Gray quickly dropped to one knee, pressing his hands to the ground and sending out a shockwave that culminated in a mass of razor-sharp ice spikes exploding underneath where Rennee reappeared.

She disappeared again and Gray could feel her anger and resentment, a dark blue color seething through the lines of her magic. It made her even easier to track. He kept his eyes closed, shifting to follow each teleport and block it with the hungry magic that flowed through him.

A few attempts later, he caught her. She materialized into a prison of dark purple ice that raced across her skin until it covered her torso and pinned her arms to her chest. She stumbled forward, landing on her knees and not standing again.

The commentator’s voices were fuzzy as a cheer raced through the stadium and the Fairy Tail logo filled the screen. Gray exhaled in relief as he released the magic around Renne, pulling it back to him and letting it dissolve. The marks quickly disappeared into his skin, leaving him worn out and oddly cold.

“Freak,” Renne hissed as she stumbled to her feet. “That magic is evil. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Gray didn’t have an answer for her, and he dropped his gaze to the ground as she turned on her heel and walked away.

I knew you could do it. Natsu’s voice appeared in Gray’s head again and he looked up to see the stupid, brilliant smile that always made his heart ache. You looked pretty badass, too. Gray was glad he was far enough away from Natsu that he couldn’t see the embarrassed flush that crept into his cheeks. I think you’ve got a new fan, Natsu added, nodding to the screen again.

The camera had panned to the left, but the edge of the screen still caught the Sabertooth viewing area. Sting had been cut out of the picture, but Rogue was still there, clutching the snake to their chest and gazing down at Gray with a wide-eyed look of adoration. The warm feeling from earlier swelled in Gray’s chest again – for some reason, that look was worth more than all the cheers from the rest of the stadium.

The dizzy, uncomfortable feeling that always appeared after using the devil slayer magic plagued Gray for the rest of the day. He tried his best to shake it off and cheer for his team, but the feeling dug its claws into him and wouldn’t let go.

Freak.

Evil.

Demon.

The echo of Renne’s voice drifted around in his mind, next to the headache and the unsettling feeling of his skin not fitting quite right.

“You okay?” Natsu asked once they’d left the stadium for the day. The evening sky was a soft pink and cast gentle shadows across the cobblestone street. The market was closed for the evening and the quiet was a calm reprieve from the shouts and excitement of the games.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Gray grumbled. “I’m fine.”

“Liar.” Natsu gave him a sideways look but Gray refused to return it. “You look like shit.”

Gray snorted. “Thanks.”

“It’s what I’m here for.” Gray caught Natsu’s grin out of the corner of his eye. “Seriously, though. You used the magic.”

Gray’s stomach twisted. “Of course I used magic,” he said quickly. “It’s called the Grand Magic Games.”

“That’s not what I meant, idiot, and you know it.”

Gray sighed, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. He missed being able to hold Natsu’s hand. They’d done it for years, and the gentle warmth of Natsu’s palm against his had always been enough to make Gray feel safe. Then they’d grown up and it had started to feel like something else, and it hurt Gray too much to keep touching Natsu and knowing he couldn’t have him like that.

“I just—”

Gray’s words were interrupted by a yell, and a familiar voice shouting, “Stop it!”

“Sting?” Gray frowned at Natsu, looking around the empty market for the little boy. It took a second and another shout for him to see the head of curly blond hair on the other side of the fountain in the center of the square.

“Are they out here again by themselves?” Natsu asked, sighing in exasperation as they both quickened their pace and headed toward Sting. “I swear, I’m gonna—”

“Leave them alone!”

Sting yelled again, and they arrived at the fountain just in time to see someone shove him. It was a boy who looked to be a couple years older than Sting and Rogue, and an ugly look crossed his face as Sting stumbled backward.

“He’s stupid and you are too,” the boy said, hands clenching into fists. A terrified-looking Rogue stood just behind Sting, and a spark of protective anger flared in Gray’s chest. Sting’s cheeks were red, and he looked like he was about to cry, but he didn’t back down. His hands shook as the boy took a step toward him.

“Hey!” Natsu’s shout caught the boy’s attention as he stepped forward, and he whipped around to face them. His eyes widened when he realized who Natsu was. “What do you think you’re—”

Before Gray could grab him, the boy was gone, darting out of the market and into the maze of alleys that wound through the city.

There was a moment of silence, and then Sting burst into tears.

“Hey bud.” Natsu’s voice was gentle as he crouched down next to Sting. “Are you okay?” Sting shook his head, and Natsu made a sad sound, pulling the little boy into a hug. “It’s okay,” Natsu said softly as Sting pressed his face into his shoulder. “You’re safe.”

Gray turned to Rogue, who was staring uncertainly at Sting and Natsu. Gray hesitated, not quite sure if he should step in or let Natsu handle it. Kids weren’t his forte – even with Asuka he sometimes felt awkward and out of place, unsure of how to respond to her exuberance and desire to play.

Then Rogue rubbed their face and Gray realized they were about to cry as well.

“Hey, c’mere,” Gray said gently, holding out his hand. Rogue stared at Sting for a few more seconds, then cautiously took Gray’s hand and followed him over to the fountain. Gray sat down on the edge and lifted Rogue up to sit beside him, surprised by how light they were. Rogue quickly curled up against him as they sniffled and tried to hide their tears.

“Is Sting in trouble?”

“Of course not,” Gray reassured them, wrapping his arm around them as they snuggled closer to him. The easy trust that Rogue seemed to have in him made Gray feel warm and important. “That kid was a jerk,” he said. “Neither of you did anything wrong. Did he hurt you?”

Rogue shook their head, sniffing and wiping their face with their sleeve. “He said my eyes was weird,” they said quietly. Anger flared up in Gray’s chest again and he contemplated chasing the kid down. “Sting telled him to go away but he didn’t listen. Why he was mean?”

“I don’t know,” Gray said honestly. “Sometimes people aren’t very nice and there isn’t a good reason for it.”

Rogue didn’t answer, just rested their head against Gray’s shoulder and played with the frayed edge of their sleeve. Gray looked back at Natsu, who was still crouched next to Sting with a hand on his arm. Sting had stopped crying and his face was set in a stubborn frown, and Gray almost laughed when he realized it was the same look Natsu had always worn at that age.

“You’re nice,” Rogue said, pulling Gray’s attention back to them. “I like you.”

Gray stilled, not quite sure why the words made his cheeks burn. “I like you too,” he said carefully. He looked back at Natsu, who had managed to get Sting to smile, then back down at Rogue. He felt wildly out of his element and he had no idea how to make Rogue feel better. Then he thought of the way Rogue’s face had lit up at the snake sculpture he’d made the day before.

“Hey, you wanna see something cool?”

Rogue looked up at him, half of their face hidden behind a curtain of dark hair. “See what?”

Gray held out both hands, summoning his magic as slowly as he could. Snowflakes drifted up and around his palms as they started to glow with a faint blue light. Rogue’s face immediately brightened with excitement and they leaned forward, staring at the magic.

“You can make a snake again?” they asked as they gazed at the soft blue light.

“Sure,” Gray said, relaxing as Rogue’s tearful expression transformed into a small, shy smile. “I can make anything you want.”

“Anything?” Rogue’s eyes widened further.

“Yep.” Gray moved his fingers and the ice twisted into a snake again, then into a thin, delicate snowflake, then into a small cat. Rogue watched the whole time, head tilted to the side, entranced by the movements.

“You can do it black?” they asked, looking down at their own hands.

Gray frowned. “Black?” Rogue touched Gray’s forearm and his eyes widened as he realized they meant the devil slayer marks.

“That’s sort of—”

“Like mine.” Rogue held his palm out next to Gray’s and a tiny, black wisp appeared. “See?” Gray watched as it flickered and twisted, then dropped back down onto Rogue’s hand. A bit of it spread out under their skin for a moment, just like the marks on Gray’s arms. “It’s only little cause I did a big one and it scareded Yukino but it was an accident. I didn’t mean to.”

The uncertainty and shame in Rogue’s voice made Gray’s heart ache.

“I’m sure she was just surprised,” he reassured Rogue. Then he pushed away his exhaustion and slowly pulled at the devil slayer magic until a pattern of dark marks swirled across his arms. The soft blue glow in his palms darkened as he focused the magic, keeping it from overwhelming him. He jumped when he felt something on his wrist, but it was just Rogue’s fingertips, tracing the pattern of the marks.

“Show me yours again,” Gray said, nudging Rogue’s hands. They hesitated, then held up their palm next to Gray’s, summoning another wisp of shadow that danced along their fingers. “You can make it bigger,” Gray said. Rogue gave him a dubious look. “It’s okay, I promise.”

“’kay.” Rogue squirmed forward, bringing their other hand up as the shadow grew, spiraling and flickering until it was nearly the size of a house cat. Gray nudged it with his own magic, drawing the shadow into the cloud of dark snowflakes.

“See?” He smiled at the delighted expression on Rogue’s face. “It’s not scary. It’s pretty.” The marks on his arms shifted again and he felt the magic trying to stretch. “What should we make?” he asked, trying to ignore the sensation.

“A frog?” Rogue asked. “I like frogs.”

Gray laughed, shifting his magic alongside Rogue’s and molding it into the shape of a small frog that fit in the palm of their hand. Instead of the bright, clear blue from the other day, this one was deep purple, with wisps of shadow twisted inside the ice. It was beautiful, in a strange way.

“Thank you.” Rogue tipped their head onto Gray’s shoulder, letting out a happy sigh and snuggling close as they ran their fingers over the frog. He exhaled, letting the magic sink back into his skin as he wrapped his arm around Rogue again.

They sat in silence for a while as Gray watched Natsu and Sting. Natsu had moved to sit cross-legged on the ground and Sting was in his lap, still red-eyed but no longer crying. The soft, fond feelings that Gray tried so hard to keep to himself surfaced easily as he watched the two of them. Natsu’s smile was genuine and his hands were gentle, and he was beautiful in the shadows of the setting sun.

“All right, you two,” Natsu said eventually, standing and scooping Sting into his arms. “Oof, you’re heavy.”

“I’m five,” Sting said, managing to look indignant even while wrapping his arms around Natsu’s neck. “That’s big.”

“That is big,” Natsu agreed, giving Gray a soft smile as he stood as well, holding a sleepy Rogue in his arms. “Now, let’s go find Yukino.”

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adonis-koo · 5 years

Text

tease

| Prologue |

↳ Summary: You came with the intentions of your best friend landing a job as a stripper. You never meant to catch the eyes of the king stripper of the establishment- Jeon Jungkook, yourself. With what was supposed to be a harmless way of paying off college debt faster you find yourself falling into a very odd and passionate relationship with your new mentor. Between infidelity, passion and jealousy there’s never a dull moment at Cherry Bomb.

↳ Pairing: Stripper!Jungkook/Reader

↳ Genre: Smut, fluff, angst, drama, slice of life, relationship problems without the relationship, reader is such a shy baby protect her, MUTUAL pining, so much sexual frustration,

↳ Word count: 1.5k

Previous | Next

Warning: This story touches on both sexual harassment and abuse, please read with caution if any of these things are triggers to you. Additional warnings will be given when a chapter present them.

~~~~

The things you did for your best friend was absolutely ridiculous, obscene and most of all embarrassing. It was her 22 birthday and naturally like any other young spirited adult, she had picked the equivalent in her choice of place to celebrate. She was howling out laughing, drink in hand and her face flushed red from all the previous alcohol she had drank, the shitty plastic tiara adorning her head making her stand out in the dimmed cherry red neon lit atmosphere.

Seulgi- was always the life of the party, no matter where she went, or what she did. She could always bring in a new crowd of people, or somehow convince you along with the majority of her other friends to go out.

How she convinced you to come here? Even that was beyond you. You were the typical introvert that seemed to compliment her extroverted nature, except at times like these. You had work in the morning and honestly? You’d rather be at home with a tub of cheesecake filling and the food network on, or maybe one of those house hunter shows?

You sank further into your sit as you sighed, unable to look up from the spot on the floor you had been practically checking out for the past five minutes, “Y/n! Oh my god- look it’s him!” Seulgi exclaimed loudly as a new song came out, she grasped your arm as she drunkenly shook you in excitement, “It’s the king!”

It’s the whole reason she wanted to come. To see him. Knowing she wanted you to at least try and enjoy yourself you forced yourself to glance up from your spot on the floor, taking in the hue of dark red again that ran so deliciously against his body that leaned against the otherwise vacant pole. As soon as he glanced towards the crowd a wide cocky smirk pulled on his lips making you cower again back to your spot on the floor.

It was too much, just one look from someone attractive was way too much for you to ever handle. That being said Seulgi obviously wanted you to burn alive to drag you to a strip club on her birthday. She had apparently just discovered this place- Cherry Bomb and it’s ‘famous’ male strippers.

The one on stage being it’s biggest attraction or so she had told you. You had only come to appease her, it was her birthday and you couldn’t just not go because of your easily embarrassed nature. But you also had a boyfriend who wasn’t exactly happy to hear about where you’d be spending her birthday- of course you reassured him you’d try to be home at a decent hour and you were only going because of Seulgi.

But still- you couldn’t help but feel your face getting hotter by the second as Seulgi wrapped an arm around your neck, “God he’s so (hic) hot- Y/n look! He’s taking off his shirt.” Just hearing her words had you flustered as you covered your face with your hands, unable to even think about what was currently taking place on stage.

He looked good- he looked insanely good, anyone would have to be blind to not acknowledge it. But seeing his body? You were sure you would’ve melted into the floor if you dared to look up from the ground at the supposed king.

But after hearing so many screams- and not just from your friend but from the whole building you finally caved into the temptation.

Letting your eyes hesitantly lift back from the ground to the stage. Your pupils must’ve been hilariously blown out at the sight they met with. His body was so chiseled, shoulders wide that complimented the narrow hips and his thighs, good god his thighs.

They were muscular and taut, his tawny skin looking all the more delicable under the red lighting. He was on the floor of the stage, hips thrusting into the air slow and languidly bringing all sorts of dirty and embarrassing thoughts to your mind.

His tongue dragging against his lower lips and his eyes were squeezed shut, the money was practically raining over his head and in that moment, you could have sworn it was like a masterpiece. He was a masterpiece shamelessly putting himself on display. It was when he opened his eyes again that you began to fumble in your seat. Because his eyes had met yours.

It could have only been for a brief second, but you wouldn’t have known due to your knee jerk reaction of covering your face with your hands.

You had a boyfriend! You could feel all sorts of layers of shame cast over you at how easily corruptible your mind was. He loved you, he was sweet, and while he didn’t rival this guy in looks or body- you still loved him very much. You were currently chastising yourself repetitively when Seulgi had suddenly started screeching along with the rest of your acquaintances, “He’s coming over here! Oh my god, oh my god- he looks so hot up close.” She had whined out, her speech terribly slurred and you were afraid you were the only sober person at this point.

Her words made you pale in the face as your head shot up in surprise.

But just as she said he was making his way over, and that could only mean one thing. He was looking to make extra by lapdance. By nature that was fine- you didn’t judge or care. But you sure as hell cared when you glanced up to see his eyes honed in on you.

It was like all of your squealing friend’s didn’t existence in his mind but it only made you cower more. Attempting to pathetically hide yourself behind Seulgi in hopes he’d go for her, it was her birthday!

But that must’ve amused him further, his approach towards you wasn’t hurried, rather the opposite. The sway of his hips steady and he even had the audacity to smile cockily at you, as if knowing his very presence made you want to throw yourself off a cliff. It wasn’t that difficult to tell, admittedly.

It was difficult to not react as violently as you had. A nearly naked and good looking guy was standing right in front of you, looking down as if he had just found his next meal to devour, the smirk coiling on his lips, “Why so shy, baby?”

Oh god, oh god anything but pet names please! You couldn’t even form in words as you gaped in horror, the red lighting was your only saving grace to hide your cheeks that undoubtedly were the same color as he shifted down to sit in your lap, careful to not put too much weight against your body, but enough to feel him.

And then he started rolling his hips slowly, but just the softest of movements made you hyper sensitive, you had let out the most embarrassing whimper at the feeling of his length, hard and throbbing rubbing against your thigh. He only laughed though- god his laugh, it was angelic for someone who was so disgusting in the most delicious way. He had barely touched you and you were already shamefully soaked.

It didn’t take much for you to get flustered, anyone could tell from the little they had gotten to know you- or flirted with you. And he was well versed in that language, letting his hips pick up in speed as he hummed something that sounded like a played off moan. One particularly hard thrust made you strangle out a whine again and your knuckles were going white to keep your hands off of him, off the temptation to touch his near perfect skin that just looked so tempting to kiss, to mark.

His music- thankfully came to an end, forcing his eyes that had been previously shut to flutter open as he sighed, making his way to stand up. You had let out a breath you had even realized you were holding in as you fumbled to grab the bills your friends had all laid on the table to chip in for your ‘experience’.

But he only laughed shaking his head much to your humiliation, kneeling down to eye level as the haughty smirk stayed on his lips, those dark sultry eyes burning into yours as he spoke, “Keep the money, those reactions were well worth it babygirl. Unless you really insist- but i'd rather have something else.” his voice was deep and husky making your body stir in compliance but your thoughts were spirally into an absolute flustered mess.

Crossing your legs tightly as you curled away from him shaking your head wildly while finally spitting out a stuttered reply, “N-no I’m good!”

But he only laughed at your face, tucking his tongue into his cheek with a confident smile, one that practically ruined you as he hummed, “See you around baby.”

Your friends were practically shouting at you for the missed opportunity but you could only take in deep breaths to calm your frantic heartbeat, watching his broad, muscular back saunter away in relief.

It wasn’t too long after that you ended up leaving, having seen the main show Seulgi wanted to watch, albeit she was probably too drunk to remember the whole thing but that was besides the point. The cool night air was refreshing and you felt like your body and face both were finally cooled off as you walked her home, “He was so cute Y/n! You should’ve took his offer.” She hiccuped a complaint.

Pinching the bridge of your nose you sighed, “I have a boyfriend Seulgi, who I love for a matter of fact. Never bring me there again or else you’re dead to me, okay?”

She pouted like a puppy, fumbling in your grip as you stopped at the door of her apartment, another pitiful hiccup sounding from her lips as she whimpered, “Okay.”

You didn’t realize at the time, that your fate had been sealed. That this was going to be far from the last time you’d ever step foot into Cherry Bomb. And that was going to be far from the last time you’d ever see the king.

Note: Hope y’all are prepare for some frustrated mutual pining and miscommunication bECAUSE DEAR GOD

Taglist: (hmu if you want on yo)

#bts #bangtan #jungkook #jeon jungkook #jungkook x reader #jungkook x reader smut #god give me strength #this series is gonna be a WILD ride #prepare to be frustrated #emotionally and sexually #jungkook au #bts au #jungkook smut #tease

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monkeymindscream · 3 years

Note

1, 2, 11 and 28

Well this got long quickly...

1. How long ago did you discover The Dark Crystal, and how?

I wassssss three or four, I think? So over two decades ago by this point (because yo’ girl here is dusty). It was Easter and my aunt gave me THIS:

Before anyone asks: no, I did not dig this old-as-balls VHS out for the sake of this ask. It was already sitting in my room.

(Also I want everyone to know that I wonder every single day which skeksis that’s supposed to be on the cover. Is that supposed to be skekSil?? Is that Sil?? Why does he Look Like That???)

I had a very complicated relationship with this movie for most of my childhood, actually? Which - on that note - unnecessary tangential story time!

When me and my little sister ( @shuri-flurry ) were little, our parents used to take us to this video place to rent movies, yeah? And the place they’d take us to would frequently have The Dark Crystal playing on the TVs they had mounted towards the ceiling of the store. “Previewing the merchandise,” or something.

(Upon reflection, though, there was seemingly no reason for them to have had Dark Crystal playing. This would have been in the mid to late 90s, and therefore well after the movie had been released and needing to be advertised. So I’m not sure what the Video Vision employees thought they were doing there).

My little sister and I - despite having already seen the movie at this point and therefore knowing exactly what we were looking at - were royally freaked out. To the degree that for months afterwards we would be coming up with battle strategies in the car whenever we were taken to rent movies. Essentially, put your head down as soon as you walk through the door so you couldn’t see the TVs, and KEEP it down until you’d discerned whether or not Dark Crystal was playing and how much risk you were in of seeing a skeksis (as long as you couldn’t see them move you were safe).

Now, reading all of the above you’d think I didn’t like the move, right? Wrong! I loved the movie, and would watch in on loop. And my favorite part of it was, in fact, a fucking skeksis (which we’ll get to in a sec here). It’s just that for some ungodly reason, I was utterly terrified of the thing that brought me joy.

Figure that one out.

2. If you watched TDC as a child, who were your favorites then, and who are they now? If not, do you think that your child self would have enjoyed it?

My fave back in the day was our most beloved bastard, dear skekSil. For as much as the skeks freaked me out as a kid, I couldn’t resist falling in love with Sil. Mostly because my villain-lovin’ baby-heart felt incredibly bad for him. Not only was he picked on by the other skeksis (from a toddler’s point of view, at least), but when he talked to Jen and Kira, they were mean and ran away!! Even after he saved them from the Garthim!! RUDE you guys, not cool!!

(I knew that he didn’t have Jen and Kira’s best interests at heart when he was talking about “peace,” but I couldn’t quite comprehend it at that age. If that makes any sense at all.)

He’s still up there in my top 5, although now it’s because as an adult I can appreciate just how cutthroat and devious he is, all while doing it so... uniquely. In all of fiction, there’s only ONE Chamberlain.

He’ll be very aggrieved to know that he’s sharing the spotlight with several others now, though (all still skeks; don’t know if this counts as irony or just me upholding my brand):

SkekSo has clawed his way up the ranks, which knowing him either involved stalking his way up to the front of the line of potential faves and expecting everyone to just. Move out of the way for him (which, credit, they did), or it involved actual clawing. The emperor that AoR showed us would absolutely rip a bitch’s face off to bolster himself, and damn him, I adore him for it.

I’ve always had a soft-spot for scientists and abused underlings, and when you combine the two you get skekTek. Obviously he’s a fave. Honestly, his character is kind of more what my child-self had initially interpreted Sil to be, but with the addition of snapping under the abuse and violently committing murder (so he continues to check all my boxes!)

Is there a single person in this fandom who DOESN’T have skekGra somewhere on their list of favorite characters? Anyone? Because he’s certainly on mine.

Last but not least (none of these are in any kind of order, honestly), we’ve got skekLi, and Wig it is ENTIRELY your fault for this. I didn’t even need to meet him in canon - I didn’t even need to read the book he’s in (y’know, literally his only canon appearance???) because you swooped the fuck in and made him the most lovable creature in existence. The impudence.

11. Three favorite romantic ships?

Wig, why would you ask me a question you already know the answer to? You’re the reason I ship anything in this fandom, I was a blank slate before you. Have I not gushed enough? Have I left room for doubt in your mind?

Listing these in chronological order of when I got dragged in if anyone’s interested in knowing, here we go:

a. Li/Gra

When we first started talking, Wig sent me a variety of arts, right? Because she’s sweet like that. Among them was this, which I babbled in the tags on (jokingly, this was only supposed to be a JOKE!), and, in response, she sends me this. Then, while I’m floundering, she drops THIS on me. And then followed that up with about, ohhhh, three, four months? Of developing, pure, heart-wrenching ANGST.

And that’s how I got tricked into shipping Li/Gra.

b. Sil/Ung

This used to be a pairing I didn’t understand the hype for. Like... Yeah, okay, they had the rivalry thing going in the movie for all of five seconds, but apart from that I couldn’t comprehend any interesting ways their characters could bounce off each other. There was no chemistry as far as I could see.

Enter Wig, sliding into my DMs one day, sending me cute art. Then, after softening me up with this initial strike, she casually goes, “have you heard about this scrapped early plot idea in the novel where Zok initiates another trial by stone after Ung won the first one, and uses the reflection in his sword to break the rock leading to Ung being exiled too?”

And then, when I was weak, finished me off with "AU WHERE THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENS AND THEY HAVE TO BEGRUDGINGLY WORK TOGETHER TO GET BACK INTO THE CASTLE."

One dramatic reimaging of the movie, several instances of character development, and the dramatic culmination of all discussed -later, and I’m sobbing my entire shipping heart out.

And that’s how I got tricked into shipping Sil/Ung.

c. So/Li

This one I’ll accept partial responsibility for, since I was technically the one to go “hey wait-” over it, but I would have never stumbled on the realization if I’d never talked to Wig, so I’m still holding her accountable.

This all started when Wig reblogged this, and then we got talking about how this angle might affect Li’s relationship with So. Things escalate and then suddenly it hits me: A demanding, violent tyrant, and the ONE(1) asshole who is both not afraid to and routinely gets away with aggressively taking the piss outta him?? That is FANTASTIC. I’m only human for God’s sake how is one person supposed to be able to resist that kind of dynamic-??

And that’s how I- ah shit. I didn’t technically get tricked into this one, I played myself. My pattern is all thrown off.

28. If skekEkt wanted to design something especially for you, what would you ask him to make (formal wear, armor, an accessory etc.)?

Hooooo boy, okay, here’s the thing: I never know how to respond to people wanting to like... GIVE me things. Or DO things for me. And I don’t imagine I’d feel any less awkward when the person wanting to do things for me is a friggin’ skeksis, who aren’t known for their generosity. It’d make me feel like an exception and I don’t know if I could cope with that.

More to the point, I’m literally a cartoon character. Y’wanna know what my daily outfits usually consist of? I take t-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants (or jeans if I’m going out) that are two or three sizes too big, and then I layer. I call it “I’ve rolled out of a dumpster please leave me to my business” -chic.

None of which meshes with Ekt’s brand of style at all. Nor does Ekt strike me as the type who’d tolerate his creative vision to being restricted in any form, if you catch my drift.

So not only am I awkward and uncomfortable with people doing things for me, but he’d be doing something for me where I wouldn’t know what to do with the finished product.

Just kill me it’d be so much easier.

#dark crystal #muttering about thra #thewiglesswonder

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misc-headcanons · 4 years

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500+ Followers Event: 2nd Place Scenario

(For @hanamiyaaaa, who requested a Law/F!Reader scenario with the prompt: “Lie to me, then.” Hope you enjoy!)

Word count: 1221

Law had always tried to avoid getting attached to people ever since Corazon died. To him, it was the most logical solution: he can't lose anyone if he doesn't have anyone, after all. But over time, as he formed his own crew and sailed around the world with them, fighting alongside each other through thick and thin--he grew to love them as nakama and as family. He was initially anxious when he realized that he loved his crew, but he decided that he would just harden his heart from now on; he loved his crew, but that was it. Nobody else. And then...____. Somehow, she'd managed to melt that layer of ice around him before he'd even realized it. His thoughts drifted to her more often, his face would feel warm and his chest would feel light as air whenever she was near him. He assumed that it was because she was a new addition to the crew, so of course he would feel a close sense of kinship with her. But deep down, he knew that it wasn't that simple. He never thought about how soft Bepo's skin looked (or...well, his fur, in this case). He never dreamt about Shachi shyly asking to spend the night in his quarters. Even if he knew that what he felt for ____ wasn't as platonic as he might have hoped, he refused to accept that. He could afford to love her as his crewmate. But to accept that he'd fallen in love with her was too risky. He can't let his heart be so exposed, so easy to twist and break if the wrong person (namely Doflamingo) found out how vulnerable she made him.

____ didn't know why Law had been so distant and cold lately. She thought that things had been going well between them...did she do something wrong? After three full days of him avoiding her had gone by (walking out of the room when she entered, not speaking to her whenever she asked him something outside of a few short words), she couldn't take it anymore. When Law had wordlessly left after dinner, refusing to even look at her when she'd offered to take his plate, she followed him out of the dining cabin and into the hallway of the Polar Tang.

"Cap."

Law froze when he heard ____'s voice.

"Is there...Are you alright?" Her voice was soft. "You've been acting a bit off recently, but only to me. Are you upset with me or something?" She hesitated for a moment and racked her brain for what she could have done to make him behave so coldly. "Whatever it is, I'm sorry. Just…" She sighed and looked pleadingly at the back of her captain as he stood still. "Can you just tell me what I did?"

Law bit the inside of his cheek and stared straight ahead. He'd never meant to make her upset by avoiding her; he had thought that by keeping his distance from her for a while, the feelings he had might start to fade. But instead they'd only gotten stronger. She was always in the back of his mind, no matter how much he tried to focus on something else. And now she was right behind him, sounding so guilty and confused and hurt. He'd hurt her.

He couldn't bring himself to turn around and face her. "...You didn't do anything wrong," he replied.

He heard her take a few steps closer to him. "Then why have you only been acting like this towards me?" She crossed her arms. "Look, whatever it is, I want to make it right so that we can go back to…" She sighed and threw her hand around. "I don't know, talking to each other! Occasionally making eye contact every once in a while. Being able to stay in the same room without you immediately leaving when I walk in." Her voice wobbled a bit as she vented her frustration. "I thought we were close. I thought that you…" She trailed off and ran her hand through her hair. "Just tell me why you've been acting like this."

Law felt his fingernails digging into his palms. His mind was racing for a way to explain his behavior without having to confront his feelings for her. "I…" His knuckles tightened. She didn't deserve to be lied to like this. "I don't know if I can tell you," he replied quietly. "I'm--I'm not upset with you, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm sorry that I made you think that." His voice was slightly shaky as he fumbled for an explanation. "You've been a valuable crewmate, and obviously I care about you. But there's something else there when I think about you. Something I don't want to admit." His face felt like it was on fire, wondering what her expression was as she heard him stumble his way through this; he was too nervous to turn around and face her on his own, though. "Something I'm...afraid to admit."

____ was silent behind him, eyes narrowing as she tried to piece together what he was really saying. After a few moments of watching him, her eyes widened a bit and her gaze softened. She walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder; he immediately tensed up and his breath hitched. "Well," she said, her voice soft with a slightly playful lilt to it, "Lie to me, then."

Law furrowed his brows and frowned, and he turned his head slightly to face her. "...What?"

____ saw just how pink his cheeks were and smirked. "If you can't tell me the truth just yet, then lie to me. Like...hmm..." She put a hand under her chin. "Say that you were avoiding me because you caught a disease or something." Her smile widened. "One where you can't be around beautiful women for too long, or else your temperature will get so high that you pass out." She pantomimed a person falling onto a floor with her hands. "So you had to quarantine yourself and stay away from me, or else--smack."

Law stared at her for a while and his shoulders slowly relaxed. "I…" Even if he hadn't been brave enough to actually say it, he'd finally let her know how he felt. In the moment it was terrifying, and still was right now, but also...liberating. It felt like a weight on his chest had been lifted. He gave her a small smile. "Yes. That's...that's why. But I think it's passed now, so we should be able to interact again without any problems."

____ caressed the back of his shoulder with her thumb, and Law immediately felt goosebumps raise on his skin. To his surprise, she tilted her head back a bit and let out an incredibly fake cough. "Oh nooo," she said dramatically, "I think the disease might be contagious, even after a patient's cured! I can't look at a handsome man without..." She glanced back at Law and held the back of her hand to her forehead as she pretended to swoon.

Law rolled his eyes and pulled her back up; when he heard her snort as she laughed, he let out a small chuckle. "Sounds like a dangerous disease. Luckily, I know a good doctor.

#one piece #one piece scenarios #one piece scenario #law #trafalgar law #trafalgar d. water law #female s/o #mine #500+ followers

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doomedandstoned · 3 years

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Doors To No Where Drop Rowdy Grunge-Punk-Desert Spinner ‘Darkness Falls’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Review by Billy Goate

Before us is the latest record from Santa Cruz heavies DOORS TO NO WHERE, a band new to these pages but which has played alongside many of our favorite West Coast acts, including KooK, Worship, and Year of the Cobra. As May is Mental Health Awareness month, it's good timing to be introduced to 'Darkness Falls' (2021). "This came to me during the pandemic," says frontman Marc Lewis. "I was watching so many folks struggling from all walks of life. Struggle isn’t biased -- it can hit anyone."

The album lyrically was a concept album in a way on the topic of mental health and its impact. I'm truly passionate about this and want it not to be such a taboo thing to talk about or seen as a sign of weakness.

Composed during the pandemic's most clutching moments and recorded with Aaron Cooper of Pylon Productions, the album features longtime collaborators Marc Lewis (guitar, vox), Marc Prefontaine (bass), and Pete Testorff (drums).

"Lie, Lie, Lie," dashes off to a furious Foo Fighters pace as we begin the record, with Pete Testorff's fervor and panache paving the way for Marc Lewis to deliver the three word chorus with all the snarl of a man who just wants to break his rusty chains and run.

"The riff in Lie, Lie, Lie," Marc tells Doomed & Stoned, "was written off something I heard Pete doing one night during sound check. He was playing his whole kit and then doing those snare hits you hear at the beginning of the song."

There's some nice give-and-take between Marc Lewis' guitar and Marc Prefontaine's bass that betwixt the introduction and chorus. I didn't pick it up at first listen, but it definitely grabbed me the next several spins through.

The grungy lyrics match the pissed-off spirit of the music, as the song mourns the loss of a common reference denominator for truth, warning that in its absence there is division, calamity, and ruin. "Together we rise, together we fall." Marc amplifies these powerful moments for us:

This track centers around the idea of false power and how someone could start to believe their own lies and self-hype, while others could fall for it. It can become a toxic relationship or even a cult kind of thing.

It may be hard to remember this far into this surreal "pause" in our world's history, but we too were afraid, alone, and angry for much of the pandemic's wake -- especially in those uncertain early moments when we followed the spread of this strange disease from China to Italy and onto the shores of Seattle and New York.

Darkness Falls by Doors To No Where

The aptly named "Fade" comes next, presenting at a doom's crawl with a sombre arpeggiated motif that summons the spirit of Trouble and Saint Vitus. Or you might hear a twisted, doomed-up variation of Metallica's "Enter The Sandman" in that low-end omen. "Fade was built of the rolling riff and bend," Marc explains. "I wanted it fat and raunchy." Certainly Pale Divine and Dirty Grave come to mind as I seek to match the mood with bands of similar spirit.

Then comes the pained chorus: "Run, run baby," which Marc illuminates in a very personal light:

"Fade" is about a friend of mine who is no longer with us. She was a larger than life personality that was loved by all. She played the personna and role of the happy-go-lucky person. She thought that's why people loved her and why they were friends. She was actually really struggling with mental health and depression though. She would behave in a way that she thought people wanted her to behave, while she was actually suffering. Those around her did not realize her pain or that their influence was making things worse. For years she would self-medicate with drugs and alcohol and that was celebrated by those around her.

I had started to see signs of her pain and tried to reach out. Unfortunately, I was too late. Any time anyone would reach out for help, she would disappear. The chorus line “disappearing one” is a reference to her pushing away and hiding from help. When she passed (sucide) everyone spoke of how special she was and how much they loved her. I was angry and sad. Why didn't more folks try and help her? My perspective was that coddling her addictions and self-medicated escape helped her to the grave.

The lyrics “We all love to see you fade, but don’t you go away” and “We all love to see you soar, but don’t you fade away” are references to the idea that sometimes humans are selfish in their relationships. Meaning that someone may give me the attention and things I need without me being aware of the sacrifices the other person is making.

"Worship The Machine" is another hefty doomer, with some wild guitar noodling contrasted against a rhythm that is quite machine-like as it dances stoically along its predestined chordal path. "Worship The Machine was written to be heavy and groovy," the band notes. "We wanted it to have a certain feel that pushed hard, while still having that chugging along kinda vibe." Closing in on the three-minute mark, Pete turns loose on the drums like a man possessed and the intensity continues when the rest of the band joins in, taking us right across the finish line to a crashing conclusion.

Darkness Falls by Doors To No Where

"I wanna live, but I'm dying" are words I can certainly relate to, not just in 2020, but in 2021, where the lingering impact of such a global (and personal) disruption is still very much a struggle on the daily. Turns out, my intuition was not far from the lyrical intent: "This song is all about the addiction to social media and how it corresponds with one's self esteem, mood, and self-worth. The social media world has become this giant machine and some are literally addicted to it. It creates this tool of status. I think it has truly impacted how people feel about themselves and others."

"Got Mine" is up next and this one is the most punkish track yet. It reminds me a lot of Soundgarden's periodic forays into punk, with songs like "Nazi Driver," "Never Named," and "Kickstand." On this point, Marc is clear: "Got Mine is influenced by the fact that I love old punk rock. I love the energy and the attitude. We wanted it to be loose but with tight stops and control." As to its meaning, we're told:

This song is about a revolution with the main character being selfish and self serving. So the character is done with the revolution or fight once their needs and wants are met. They are not really looking out for the cause or to tackle bigger issues for the good of humanity. They are actually looking for what is best for them. The chorus refers to a cold heart and lack of empathy.

Darkness Falls by Doors To No Where

All you lovers of southern sludge will dig "Policy" with its Goatsnake meets Acid Bath groove and sassy guitar lead. Speaking of Soundgarden, I really dig the Kim Thayilesque breakdown and stinging solo two-minutes in, though some may draw parallels with Crowbar here. These are all, of course, points of reference to try to do the near impossible: put the emotional experience of one listener (e.g. yours truly) into words. In the end, it's up to you to listen and find a favorite of your own. For my money, "Policy" is where it's at. Check out the fantastic dual guitar interplay two-and-a-half minutes in! Down, eat your heart out.

"Policy" is another riff I wrote to play off of a groove I heard Pete do during warm ups. It's got a swing to it but punches hard. Almost a heartbeat if you will. The solo was a direct result of playing the drums.

This track touches on letting toxic people go from your life. At what point do you stop investing in someone's negative energy? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. It is the idea of surrounding yourself with people that want you to be the best version of yourself.

Up next: "Who Died", which summons all of the band's talents. Beginning with bursts of rapid-fire guitar picking set against a zombie-like beat and chorus, the song has something of a swampy feel. "I won't follow you!" Mr. Lewis shouts defiantly. I wasn't sure where the song would progress from there, and almost thought it was concluded at the false stop barely two-and-a-half minutes in. But the song rallies and the band pulls out its full force, with what sounds like the addition of the synth to present a layered effect that amplifies the intensity. I think this could have been developed even further, but sometimes brevity is the most appropriate option for a song.

"Who Died" was written off the chorus and intro. Zeppelin kinda riff. It's all about feel and giving the riffs room to breathe. This track is about the concept of thinking for yourself and not being an easy victim of mental or physical abuse.

The reverberating echoes of organ-sounding keyboards greet as "New Monster" takes its place next. We get our footing pretty quickly with a kind of "We Will Rock You" bass motif, but the song gets stranger and stranger as the seconds tick off. As with the previous track, there is a sudden atmospheric shift accompanied by furious strumming and ending on the swirling guitar theme we started with.

"Here we are, same ol' thing, round and round, 'ever again...I wanna run, I wanna breathe, I wanna live." This is, for me, perhaps the most relatable song on the record, lyrically speaking. This one especially gave off strong Prong vibes with its strong vocal lead, robust drumming, strong bass play, and industrial guitar feel.

"New Monster" was written in isolation and was originally an acoustic song. Even though the tempo is upbeat it's a dark and murky riff. We wanted the end out of the breakdown to hit hard. I imagine it building like a wave in the ocean.

Another track focusing on mental health with the idea of perseverance and to keep fighting, "New Monster" is the idea of not being perfect is actually perfect. We are all just floating on a giant rock in space and going through this thing called life together.

Darkness Falls by Doors To No Where

At last, we reach the record's namesake "Darkness Falls" -- the gem of this eight-pronged crown of thorns. I've always thought it was a great name. Darkness Falls is also the title of a 2003 movie about a malevolent tooth fairy, though I see no compelling reason to connect the film with either the song or record. I may not be too far off the mark, as Marc Lewis explains:

This concept came to me during the pandemic. I was watching so many folks struggling. All walks of life were struggling. Struggle isn’t biased and can hit anyone. “Please, please shine for me” and “Please, please glow again” reflect on how badly I wanted things to be better. For things to be ok. How I wanted those I love to be happy, safe and loved.

As it stands, Doors To No Where does a superior job of fleshing out the notion of "Darkness Falls" than previous contenders in any medium. The song stirs up a smokey, mysterious Near-Eastern ambience. Four minutes in and it's confirmed: there is indeed a synthesizer at play on Darkness Falls but its hypnotic effect in this song is interrupted by a screaming riffstorm and a gut full of churning bass. This song would make a great companion to "What The Hell Have I" by Alice in Chains. It also pairs well with Portland band A//TAR, whose metaphysical music we've also debuted in these pages.

"Darkness Falls" is special for another reason: Bob Balch of Fu Manchu and Big Scenic Nowhere was a guest on the album closer. "Him and I worked together on the track," Marc reflects. "He is a pro's pro and added so much to the vibe of the song. His playing and tone are phenomenal.

The new album Darkness Falls by Doors To No Where releases to the public on Friday, May 21st via Desert Records (pre-order here). This is its world premiere c/o Doomed and Stoned.

Give ear...

Doors To No Where · DARKNESS FALLS

Some Buzz

Featuring Marc Lewis (Guitars/Vocals), Pete Testorff (Drums) and Marc Prefontaine (Bass). Doors To No Where have been making music since 2010. Their sound is heavily influenced by Santa Cruz and the local beauty it offers along with the rich history of music. Doors To No Where have been called a stoner rock band but also touch on elements of punk, doom, metal and even grunge.

Growing up on a skateboard and surfing has played a huge part on the influences of the sounds Doors To No Where like to include.

The band has toured in and been honored to share the stage with bands like, Mondo Generator, Fatso Jetson, Fu Manchu, The Melvins and many more.

Doors To No Where will be releasing 'Darkness Falls' (2021) via Desert Records on May 21st 2021. The fourth studio album features eight tracks and a special guest appearance from Bob Balch (Fu Manchu). Staying true to their roots, 'Darkness Falls' is a combination of desert rock and punk influences. The band tracked and recorded the album in the unusual quarantine times of Covid-19.

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#D&S Debuts #Doors To No Where #Santa Cruz #California #grunge #desert rock #punk rock #heavy metal #Desert Records #D&S Reviews #Doomed and Stoned

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