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#it feels so earnest and fun and has so much love and care put into it

haihaihaitani · 9 months

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High on Your Love ~ *Haruchiyo Sanzu*

Summary: Sanzu has had a long, long night. And because he’s a little sleepy, he’s very forthcoming with is feelings. However, you think he’s on drugs.

Pairing: Haruchiyo Sanzu X G/N!Reader

Genre: Fluffy Drabble

Word Count: 530

Warning: Mentions being high (but no one actually is), Haru is a little OOC

Masterlist

It had been a very long day, that much was for certain. Sanzu could barely drag himself up to the apartment. He had to keep reminding himself that a nice, warm bed waited for him just on the other side of the door.

However, as soon as he entered, he was greeted by something far more pleasant than his bed.

Your cheerful smile turned into a cute frown at the state he was in. He gave you a tired grin as you hurried to his side and helped him to the couch to rest.

“Are you alright, love?” You asked, brushing the hair from his face.

He gave you another weak smile, taking your hand in his. “I’m fine, now that I’m here with you.”

“Are you high?”

“The fuck? No, I’m not high!” He exclaimed. “What, are you high?”

You shook your head. “No, I’m not. I’m just trying to see how best I can help you. If you were high, I’d know exactly how to help you.”

“Sure…” He trailed off before smiling more earnestly and pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles. “You’re too good to me.”

Chuckling, you replied, “You’re right.”

“You’re not supposed to agree with me!”

“I can’t help it!” You pressed a reassuring kiss to his cheek. “You’re right, I’m too good to you. But it’s my honor and pleasure to take care of you because you’re worth it.”

Sanzu wrapped an arm around you before pressing you to his chest. He buried his head into your shoulder and sighed. Your fingers tangled themselves into his hair. You kissed the top of his head.

“You put up with so much shit from me. I’m horrible to you sometimes. And yet, you still let me come back to you with open arms. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I just love you so much.”

“Oh, Haruchiyo.” You sigh. “Are you sure you’re not high?”

Before he could protest again, you kiss his lips and laugh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be making fun of you, but it’s rare when you reveal to me your deep, earnest feelings. I can’t help but think something is making you say this. But I digress. I know you’re not the easiest person to get along with. But I still love you because you’re you. Nothing in this universe will ever take my love away.”

He squeezed you tighter and you smiled.

“I love you so, so, so, so, so much.”

“And I love you too.” You replied. “And it’s because I love you that I’m going to tell you this: go take a shower, you reek. And then when you’re done, I’ll have dinner ready. Then you can eat and relax before bed. Sounds good?”

He gave you a half-smile. “Alright, that sounds like a plan.”

Kissing him again, you said, “Hopefully a shower will sober you up.”

“For the love of- HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU I AM NOT HIGH?!”

Giggling, you zipped off into the kitchen as you called over your shoulder, “I’m just teasing!”

“You’re lucky I love you.” He grumbled, making his way to the bathroom.

“Very lucky indeed.”

#Tokyo Revengers #Tokyo Revengers Fanfiction #Tokyo Revengers Drabble #Anime #Anime Fanfiction #Anime Drabble #Haruchiyo Sanzu #Haruchiyo Sanzu X Reader #Haruchiyo Sanzu Fanfiction #Haruchiyo Sanzu Drabble #Haruchiyo Sanzu Fluff #Sanzu #Sanzu X Reader #Sanzu Fanfiction #Sanzu Drabble #Sanzu Fluff #Drabble #Fluff

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lloydfrontera · 6 months

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do you know how fucking mad i am at the fact that the webcomic gave us lloyd giving javier his own mana in an attempt to save his life and javier overcoming literal dimensional differences in order to be able to accept it into his body effectively foreshadowing how far he's willing to go just to be able to protect lloyd,,,, but they did it all with a fucking 'haha lloyd is ugly' joke. do you.

this could've been one of the best scenes in the entire thing. it could've been such a pivotal point for their character development. it could've been one of the most earnest moments in the story. but it's made into a joke because they just need to draw the ugliest faces possible to make a cheap joke that has been made a hundred times already. i'm not being funny i'm genuinely mad at the wasted potential lmao

the tone of the scene was changed from the webnovel so much it's almost unrecognizable. and not in a good way. like. why would you cheapen the emotional core of your own story like this. do you trust your own plot and characters so little to keep your readers engaged with the story that you feel the need to make everything in a joke. is that it. was the original story not funny enough to keep your attention so you think no one will care if you turn what's meant to be an earnest and heartwarming scene into a joke you've made hundreds of time before.

i'm not. mad. about the changes themselves (mostly). like i said this particular scene had so much potential to compliment the original story and foreshadow the ending that i'm actually upset that the tone and art made it so i can't in good faith say i like it.

they just. shot themselves in the foot by trying to make the scene funny. all the tension and emotional built up is wasted when the webcomic makes fun of itself. it cannot take itself seriously so i can't either.

like. it was going so well. i loved the built up with the scene where they talk about javier's parents and you see that they're still emotionally guarded with each other, they don't quite feel close enough to the other to call themselves friends even when we know that they care deeply for each other. i liked that they changed it so lloyd had the opportunity to save javier the way he wasn't able to in the novel. i even liked the development with lloyd's mana being so different from javier's that he struggles with accepting it, cause it was a chance to call forward to a very important event in the future.

the scene where they're reaching for each other as they realize that yes, they're friends and god help them they will save their friend no matter what?? gorgeous i loved it so much, it wasn't 'We'll be together forever, just like we've always been. Casually. As natural as breathing air.' yeah but it was perfectly okay on it's own too.

and then they do this.

like. what.

all that emotional built up, all that tension, all of it,,, for this?? this????

what's the point of making your audience feel emotionally engaged with the story if you're just gonna make the art equivalent of a fart noise. a well executed yet still completely out of place fart noise lmao

it doesn't feel funny, it just makes me feel like i wasted my time being emotionally invested in something that isn't interested in delivering. it's like watching someone setting up dominoes to topple them in a gorgeous pattern only for them to put on clown shoes and start kicking them all over the place without rhyme or reason. like yeah they're in their right but then what was the point of all that work in the first place.

and yeah maybe it's my fault for expecting something earnest and heartfelt from a webcomic that has shown multiples times that it's not interested on that but like. is it really too much to expect for an adaptation to, well, adapt the original source in a way that doesn't feel like it's making fun of it??

#i talk a lot <3 #tged #the greatest estate developer #lloyd frontera #javier asrahan #i'm just. so sad. and angry. and tired.#this is not fun anymore asjdhkjasa

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angeat · 10 months

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@arcvmonth day 18

"an earnest unrequited love, wanting to make it bear a little happiness" reference

i have posted about my au a couple of times, it's not specific to arc v though it involves yuya and yuri so i shall take this chance to ramble

to introduce. an excerpt of a ramble about my au: "i have my focus sort of split between yuri and yuya's yanhomo weirdness pov v.s. bakura trying to not kill punch beat the shit out of worship marry johan while anzu takes an irritated drag from her cigarette pov" so it's a whole Every Yugioh Crossover and a part of the premise is everyone is at least mildly to severely out of character johan and mokuba are quite different for instance. there aren't relevant arc v characters aside from the aforementioned two but i can mention some. also little extra designs

yugo is yuya's older half brother on yoko's side (likes motorcycles per her influence), they don’t visit each other often but they do talk regularly, yugo tries supporting yuya and being a proper big brother as much as he can. yuto is yuri's estranged older brother but yuri has no memory of him because he was too young when they were separated and yuri was adopted by leo (yes reiji and reira are his siblings. the akabas continue to be the most dysfunctional family ever) yuzu and gongenzaka are yuya's best friends per usual. yuri ran away with yuya for their survival since it's no good to stay in the same spot with a billionaire ceo guy (seto kaiba) tracking them and a jail escapee (kyosuke kiryu) but also just because he wants to have yuya alone

(yuzu and gongenzaka look about the same so just the yu’s and yo)

i frame my au yuri with a lot of yandere shit just because i think it's fun and he does stalk yuya + sometimes treats him like something of a boyfriend but he isn't really in love with yuya? yuri loves and admires himself above all but he sees himself in yuya. literally physically because he thinks they have similar faces and yuri has always unconsciously wanted something of a normal life and family so seeing yuya have that meant projecting on yuya became his favorite hobby. and now because of their situation they're in he uses this new forced closeness with someone for the first time to act out everything he's never experienced (a friend, a parent, a lover)

despite how much yuya might be creeped out or uncomfortable, since yuri has been the real reason he's been able to survive, he feels like he doesn't really have the right to reject yuri in any sense, by all means he's dependent on him in this situation and he can't just leave and go to anyone else unless he wants to put them in danger. also helps that he's scared shitless of him both because yuri is armed, merciless, and he would hurt yuya himself if he wanted to as he only needs yuya alive beyond that yuri doesn't really care how he is physically or mentally. the arrangement is a bit of a nightmare though coming to understand the way he thinks and acts, yuya genuinely pities yuri for the way that he is so he wants to help him be more normal and genuinely befriend him in return for everything he's done to protect him and starts to treats this as something of an obligation but yuri makes it hard to do anything nice for him

(since yuri is a solider baby and views socialization through a power hierarchy he sees these attempts of being kind and friendly as yuya acting above yuri, which he obviously doesn't take very well since he refuses to be below anyone except for leo, his dad. the only reason yuri acts the familiar way he does with yuya is because he sees them on equal footing since in his perspective yuya is essentially an extension him but he still by default treats yuya as someone below him, so yuya can't reciprocate acts of familiarity without yuri being the one to initiate them)

also the au is a future diary au. forgot to mention. yuya and yuri are two of twelve people trying to kill each other and have diaries that tell the future. it follows nothing about future diary outside of that basic premise, yuya and yuri are not the main characters.

clothes concept + notes + etc because you know. i might as well while i’m at it i doubt i’m sharing these any other time

this is test thing of a noncanon scene i had in my head there's the rest of it in script because i could not be damned

#arcvmonth2023 #yuri arc v #yugo arc v #yoko sakaki #yuto arc v #yugioh #ygo #digital art #traditional art #fanart

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bisayawa · 1 year

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language ! ; alejandro vargas/gn! reader

― fluff

desc: headcanons on alejandro with a multilingual reader.

note: wrote this in a haze of endearment & affection for my mother tongue. not proofread.

languages with you felt fun ― for both of you!

at first, much of it was him teaching you spanish. the phrases, the pronunciation ― which syllable to stress & which one to rest (like the case with the double L's & double R's in words), the sentence structure, even going on a tangent about questions depending more on the lilt of your voice than the words themselves.

he didn't really think much of it at first but with these little impromptu lessons, he's found more love for his mother tongue.

and you, star student that you are, bring him words you've learned, read & heard throughout the day, bringing him synonyms & asking him if different words with the same meaning feel the same.

that question was always his favorite ― how do words feel to him, a native speaker?

his heart swells up each time. you ask with such earnest, undivided curiosity & interest. it makes him smile until his cheeks hurt.

and in turn, he answers with the same enthusiasm you give. sometimes, he explains more than he has to but you drink in each lesson without fail.

it wasn't much later when he took an interest in your mother tongue. he heard every harsh syllable & vowel when he came home one morning whilst you were talking to your mother on the phone.

all the words were alien, the beats & pauses ― your mannerisms.

your spanish felt guided through politeness & social customs. here, you felt flowy, free in your native speech.

alejandro even felt that you were cursing & cussing at times ― something you weren't fluent enough for spanish.

when you put down the phone, your eyes met alejandro's, all wide & curious. it was there that it started.

and so it was alejandro's turn to learn from you !

it started rather slow, mostly because it wasn't used on a daily basis. unlike spanish, your native tongue was sparse to be found. it wasn't in the environment, nor the buildings you visit, nor the people you talk to.

your native tongue was chained to your house & yourself, but hopefully, with time & care, it will chain itself to alejandro, too.

it was fun to see the differences & similarities of the two languages. the vowels, the alphabet, the tone for questions & the tone for statements, the pauses, and so on.

at times, alejandro would be so bothered by words you just introduced to him (which he could just as quickly forget in a few minutes) that he'd take his phone out & google the word so he'll be happy. if he doesn't, it will annoy him for days on end. he has to know the meaning of the word he's forgotten.

one of the things you got for him was a dictionary for your mother tongue. you stressed that it didn't have all the words but that it was a good start. he kissed your nose & hugged you tight that day.

and so life goes on, now with more languages in it

one of the moments that both of you treasure is during early mornings ― two lovers just sleepy enough to blur the line between the two languages.

you'd speak your native tongue & he'd speak his ― and you'd both understand each other.

it's one of life's ordinary miracles you think about, that both of you speak different tongues, and yet feel the same affection for each other.

my footnotes :)

#alejandro vargas #alejandro vargas x reader #alejandro vargas x you #colonel vargas x reader #colonel vargas x you #call of duty x reader #cod mw2 #call of duty #mwii #my fic.

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ryuichirou · 4 months

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Replies

More replies~

Anonymous asked:

I know that we put a lot of emphasis on ignoring antis but sometimes there are days where I read one of their comments and get so disheartened and tired. I do try to report and block as many as I can but it's just really difficult to pull through when a majority of them are minors who are calling for us to drop dead or be assaulted or kill ourselves.

Anyway, I'm grateful for you and your art! It really brightens my day, especially when I'm going through it.

It could be tough sometimes, Anon, I get it. You’ve said it well – if anything, it’s tiring. Even if you know for a fact that it’s just some kid trying to hurt you because of their own issues, you (and none of us) shouldn’t be forced to tolerate it just because they didn’t figure their shit out yet. And they sound so deranged sometimes that it becomes obvious that they don’t really understand what they’re saying/implying and they don’t care.

Thank you so much for your support! I am happy it makes you feel better. We’ll do our best to keep posting as long as we’re having fun, and I hope you’ll keep having fun too <3

And don’t forget that whatever they do or say, it’s not really about you – it’s about them trying to earn favor with their lame-ass friends who do the same type of shit, because creating meaningful earnest connections is much more difficult than gathering an angry mob, as well as creating actual content that can make other people happy and helps you to express your love for the media.

Anonymous asked:

What do you think is the reason for the octatrio visiting the Scalding Sands, is it just a business trip? Or maybe Azul is organizing his wedding, and wants to share his happiness with his old friends by inviting them in person! I'm sure that this isn't also one last ditch effort to get Jamil to reconsider their "relationship" (Oh, but he looks so misty-eyed after hearing the news, is that maybe a tear they see?... Ah, wait... He's just yawning...)

Ohhh, of course Jamil wouldn’t be misty eyed over this loss, Idia basically took the bullet for him… Honestly, good riddance, these two deserve each other 😭 The line between the Mafia AU and the Marriage AU is a bit blurred, but I didn’t think it was the case with this particular sketch; THAT BEING SAID, Azul is absolutely going to invite Jamil (alright, Kalim too) in person. He just HAS to see Jamil’s face when he hears that Azul is getting married! (Jamil’s face: completely unimpressed…)

When I was sketching it, I was thinking that it was a business trip; whether he is a mafia man or just an enterpreneur, Azul always has a lot of business in the Scalding Sands. And if they’re there anyway, why not pay a visit to their dear former classmates? <3 Jade and Floyd are always excited for that lol Poor Jamil.

Anonymous asked:

i love your riddle smut (especially the stuff with trey it’s so good <3) but honestly i find any nsfw of riddle a bit funny bc i can imagine him thinking something as innocent as a kiss is how babies are made. take responsibility trey!

You heard them, Trey! Teach Riddle about the birds and bees! But in general I’m sure Trey feels very responsible and probably even guilty, Anon….

Thank you <3 I love drawing Riddle in smutty situation, he is my ultimate sheltered homeschooled kid at his first party lol I really like the contrast of his innocent easily embarrassed self and his deeply hidden desires.

Anonymous asked:

My sister thought Idia was Aoba, at first…

Gotta love them blue-haired twinks with funky boots and huge-ass jackets and headphones and 10 boyfriends one of which is an AI dog…

Anonymous asked:

I think 'Kalim Overblots' plots should take advantage of their surroundings more often. If Kalim is overblotting in Scarabia, there's no reason why the dorm can't turn into Octavinelle 2.0 thanks to Oasis Maker. Especially if the Octa Trio is involved.

Yeah, using the environment is a great way to make a scene way more engaging. I wonder if Kalim could drown his dorm completely by the time he’s all out of magic and filled with blot; it would be interesting to see underwater Scarabia… lots of space for the fishies to swim in…

Anonymous asked:

If Jamil has a best man/woman in his wedding, it would be Najma because while she is annoying to him at least it is better than any of his school mates. Floyd and Ace are too troublesome to take care of. Ruggie will only just busy with the food than being best man. Kalim, if he isn't who he wed, would feel much more troublesome to take care of and wouldn't care if Kalim wanted to be his best man.

I'm sure if Kalim wasn't wed to Jamil, he will be make him his best man. If not, I'm sure Silver, Cater, or Lilia will. Except Silver, I can picture Lilia and Cater fighting for position. Then again, there will be many weddings for Kalim and they took turns.

I can’t even add anything to that, Anon; I haven’t thought about this scenario at all, but everything that you’re saying makes sense. Honestly, this is just another reason for Jamil to never bother with getting married – the thole thing is going to be so fucking annoying lol but I’m all for Najma being a best woman.

I can also picture Kalim saying stuff like “ah don’t worry, I’ll make you my best man next time!”

Anonymous asked:

I have returned from the trenches of forgetting my password and then finding out I had no access to that email anymore. So now I come back bringing some foods for thought in what can be called a part 4 of my shenanigans.

Ruggie is the campus whore, don't know where the idea came from but I feel like he'd sell his body for some quick cash.

Rook x Idia has been inching its way into my brain, I feel like Rook would find him to be a straight up sexual conquest. Idia would be an unsuspecting deer in his eyes and I don't think Rook has much impulse control lmao

Random story time rabbit hole : Your ranking for their levels of whore inspired to give Divus a pretty bastard son because I feel like Divus wouldn't discriminate on gender in his teen age years. Which made me realize Divus is not dad material, and led me to this conclusion after a friend of mine mentioned it; he would probably sleep with his son on purpose or by mistake. If he's the one to raise the kid on the other hand, its more emotional incest. On that note, my pretty boy deserves justice against his daddy (not, he is used to it by now and probably can't function without it lol)

~ The one and only, 🐩 anon

Welcome back, 🐩 anon! I’m glad to see you again :)

Ruggie would definitely sell his body; I think the only reason he would stop is if he gets himself a deal with Leona and has to protect his exclusive rights and all lol Other than that, Ruggie doesn’t see this whole thing as anything other another business.

100% about the Rook/Idia thing, we love thinking about these two, god it’s such a pity I never finished our sketch with these two LOL but it’s exactly like you described: Idia is such a rare unsuspecting deer that’s so skittish and fearful and difficult to catch. At the same time, whenever they interact, if Rook manages to keep Idia around long enough for his initial scare to pass, he seems to know just the right stuff to say to Idia to keep him invested in a conversation. He’s working on it, he’s working on this deer~

Oh god, the Divus-the-dad scenario was the one I wasn’t expecting lol I’m not even sure which one is more cursed (=better); but I feel like Divus sleeping with his bastard son on accident is more plausable, at least at this point in his life. When he gets older, he might get into the emotional incest thing….

Divus and his emotional incest era…

#replies

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scoutpologist · 3 months

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brain worms got to me so. how the tf classes and their overwatch counterparts would feel about each other. i just got into tf2 so this might not be Super accurate but i'm going off vibes so whatever.

spy and sombra: i'm getting begrudging respect from spy and probably annoyance or dislike from sombra. they can get along, sure, but they probably wouldn't seek each other out voluntarily. just the mutual knowledge they'd stab each other in the back to protect themselves but also knowing they probably won't have to do that.

spy and echo (bc she duplicates ppl): echo would learn a lot from him and i think they'd actually end up liking each other somewhat! she's too polite and genuinely earnest for him to dislike her, and i can't see echo really HATING anyone. he'd give her social skills lessons and she'd have fun putting her lessons to use, then running back to him to ask how she did.

demoman and junkrat: they'd blow each other up and laugh about it together, no hard feelings at all. these two are the type to literally attack each other with cartoon hammers just to see the other person squashed all funny like a pancake. LOTS of respawns here. inseparable.

soldier and pharah: she'd be annoyed by him because of his... well, his everything, but he'd probably have a lot of respect for her, especially since she has a much easier time rocket jumping and can actually fly for short bursts. he's like an annoying dog that she can't get away from.

sniper and widow: they would never talk to each other. this is a silent conversation. nothing is going on here. they wouldn't even work together because they're both snipers and they'd move the hell across the map away from each other. mutual respect but they have literally never spoken.

heavy and zarya: oh they'd be besties 0 doubt about it, two huge strong russian mercenaries with giant fucking weapons? nah they're best friends. catch them wrestling at any hour of the day just for shits and giggles. also one of the loudest pairs ever if you get them going.

engineer and torbjorn: probably good friends who work together well. engineer seems like he'd be good with kids and he would probably be really sweet with torb's family. engie is very calm and could balance out torbs intense energy well, plus they're both VERY technically competent which creates a lot of respect. overall buddies.

scout and tracer: i think they'd honestly hit it off!! scout to me gives off a sort of... idk what a fag hag is for lesbians but that's what he is to me. they'd race and she'd win every time if she was trying but sometimes she lets him get it just to make him feel better. he probably gets a crush on either her or emily for a few months.

pyro and mei: hot take, i think pyro would fucking adore mei. she's so sweet and sunshine and rainbows, how could they not? they'd bond over a mutual love of cute things and would be very playful with each other, but mei would be kind of weirded out and scared by how much pyro genuinely seems to LIKE burning people alive. they would def be friendly tho.

medic and mercy: honestly, i think mercy would feel about him like she does moira - a genuine respect and awe for his work, but total revulsion at the way he does it. nonetheless, he actually cares for his teammates in a way moira does not, so she'd like him for that. i think medic would like her but think she's a bit of a coward or her heart isn't in it (the second half which is literally true). they could work together, but they'd constantly try to influence each other in a way that would become a very annoying power struggle over time.

medic and ana (bc of uber/nano): she'd hate him. she'd literally kill him in his sleep if she could. she'd avoid him at all fucking costs. she does not like this guy and mercy would be stuck trying to keep them apart so he doesn't innocently ask a question about her tech or something and end up sleep darted in the hallway.

#op #what do i even tag this.#tf2 #overwatch #have fun with this post. tell me ur thoughts.

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secretnimh · 2 years

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Misconception that DC has tried to retroactively make the new canon to varying degrees

"Jason died because he was reckless and angry and wanted to prove himself - thus ignoring batman's order's to stay put and getting killed by the joker because his experience was inadequate to take him on"

What actually happened, largely abridged

"Jason was trying to prove himself to Batman" bull, actually - after Jason overheard Bruce and Alfred saying he should be benched from robin, he ran out of the house to clear his head, and returned to his old apartment. there, he unexpectedly came across the info that his mom wasn't actually his birth mom, and decided to go find her (bc Bruce is terrible with expressing his emotions, and inadvertently made both dick AND Jason feel like their place in his life/at the manor was dependent on being robin, so being fired feels a hell of a lot like being unwanted/kicked out - like. we know this. it happened with dick. It's gonna happen similarly but differently with Tim. it's a theme)

finding her just also happened to mean checking out various potential moms, not all of which were local, or even in the country... so, sure, angry, but also really upset and all those other complicated emotions that come along with "I think my dad doesn't want me around anymore" and "oh wow i have a living parent out there in the world"

Bruce didn't even notice he ran away btw?? to another COUNTRY???? Bruce was tracking down Joker for a case and legit just HAPPENED to come across him bc his search for Joker coincided with Jason's search for his mother???? sir????????????? Jason is 15???? and also canonically so, so small. 4'6" i mean come on, not only is he objectively young but he definitely *looks* young, too

anyway they team up. it's kinda cute - also would have been low-key fun if Shiva *was* his mom I won't lie, but like, Cass exists and is so wonderful, that funky lil opportunity for additional bat and shiva drama was banked on

then they find Jason's mom and Bruce... leaves him with her???? Like, okay, sure, she's biologically related to him, and seems like a nice enough person bc she does work w a humanitarian organization, but sir. That is your small child you're leaving alone with a stranger in an unfamiliar place in an unfamiliar COUNTRY can we re-think this decision.

shenanigans happen and they both team up again for the joker thing, which ends w Bruce running off to save civilians from a truck full of bombs or something, and Jason keeping an eye on the warehouse joker and his mom are in. B tells Jason to stay put, and Jason is annoyed but agrees. he has literally every intention of staying out of Joker's way while Batman is away!!

of course, baby 15 year old jason (and b!!) think jay's mom is being *forced* to work with joker. What's a baby to do when his mom comes out and says he needs to leave well enough alone?? a baby will tell her he's robin and can help, that's what!! That she doesn't need to worry and he's more capable of protecting her than she thinks! and what's a shitty mother who cares more about her reputation and money than a child's life to do?? Tell him joker isn't at the warehouse anymore, obviously, it's all totally fine and Jason should definitely come inside while she grabs some things - oh but yes please walk ahead of her, of course. And *then* she pulls a gun on on him, right before they meet the very clown she swore had left.

He's not expecting the joker! He definitely wasn't expecting his mother to lie to him!! Reckless, rash, and angry my ass. If anything killed Jason, it was that he put too much love and trust and the earnest will to see good in people.

And it's really fucking sad that, after all that trauma - his death and resurrection both - after feeling betrayed and forgotten by his family, feeling his life wasn't *worth* a damn in the end, that he ultimately lost that ability to see the good before the bad and just trust that there are better people in the world - from too much empathy to not nearly enough

#dc #jason todd #robin jason #ik this seems out of context and unprompted #but i was getting too rambly in a discord and wanna get my rambles out

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everyb0dysf00l · 19 days

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"You feel the same way that I do for you, about her"

Tags: canonxoc, fem oc, wlw, hurt no comfort, unrequited love, returning love too late, major character death, grief, angst, infidelity? (Michael's a homewrecker)

Summary: Unceremoniously changed against her will, Star must navigate her new life as a half-vampire, knowing the reason she was turned was for an immortal that grew fascinated with her. When the Emerson's moved into town the maverick girl finds herself stuck between two desires and two people she cares for.

Word count: 15.5k (I got a bit carried away)

Star had never put much thought into her plans.

Always a free spirit who lived for life and everything it came with. It never resonated with her that being so optimistic and lively might get her in trouble one day.

And it has. The kind of trouble that no matter how much you try patching it up and praying over it, it simply can't be fixed. She had thought she hated the boys and her but as she looked down at her bloody, fervid attempt at self-preservation, she can't help but feel she had been wrong.

The bright signature lights of Santa Carla's boardwalk shone over the nightlife, lighting up the otherwise obscured faces in colourful intervals. Fun for them, useful for the looming figures tucked away on the edge of the overlapping crowds. They watched over their potential prey in the pools of stock, looking through each individual to find their perfect match. Two of the blonds had already found a couple of passersby they fancied to sink their teeth into, eager even to taste their warm, thick blood, the thought alone making them restless. But they waited for the others to make their claims, somewhat earnest that they were taking so long.

"What's the big deal, just pick one so we can eat!" The taller blond, Paul, whined clearly fed up with the group's prowling, much rather wanting to strike their victims and sustain the burning hunger in his throat. The others ignore him apart from a couple eye rolls sent in his direction, specifically from Dwayne, keeping their focus on the tourists.

The leader of the group stalling his time to take his pick, as the norm for him. David claimed he wanted nothing but the best to feed from, not wanting to drink from a drug addict or a chronic alcoholic, their life source tasting bitter and old compared to clean blood.

Marko and Paul had coined it 'virgin blood', thinking they were clever, but they honestly didn't mind tainted blood too much. The two already taking whatever drug they could get their hands on at the time. "You know, junkie blood isn't that bad. You get food and get high at the same time!" Paul pushes further, practically jumping on the spot from where he sat on his bike. His friend chimes in "Yeah, the stoner bloods the best." The blond gestures to Marko "See! Roni, you think so too, right?"

Standing the furthest away from the group, arms crossed loosely to her chest with a cigarette resting between her fingers, Veronica was trying her best to stay out of whatever conversation the boys were having but naturally, they ended up pulling her into it regardless. She turned her head slightly to look in their direction, "Hm? Oh, yeah, sure." she muttered in a distant tone before turning back around to watch the crowd.

"Something on your mind there?" Marko prodded her side receiving a glare in return which only caused him to chuckle, bumping shoulders with his friend who was equally as amused. "None of your business." Paul joined in with his Marko's antics looping around to the other side of Veronica, looking down at her with a mischievous smirk. "Oh, really? So would we be wrong in assuming a certain girl's on your mind?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Can you not?" trying her best to push the two men away, the dark-auburn-haired girl sighed out in frustration. The boys had always been like this, especially the two tormenting her currently, when they offered her to join them as their sister she didn't think they meant they'd actually treat her like one. "Aaaww, don't want us to embarrass you in front of your girlfriend?" They mocked in a baby voice, teasingly pinching her cheeks, she finally broke free from their grasp and smacked them both on the arms, which made them cackle loudly.

As if on queue, Star appeared from the sea of people walking towards the gang with little Laddie in tow, a fistful of her skirt in his hand to not get lost. Paul and Marko chuckled amongst themselves as they make their way back to their bikes, anticipating what was going to happen when she did regroup with them.

If Veronica had a working heart in her chest it would be beating a thousand times over right now, tension already in the air connecting her and the approaching woman. The night before still fresh on her mind, she kept eye contact as the gap between them reduces until Star comes to a sudden stop in front of her. They stand silently looking at each other, waiting for the other to speak first, neither of them do. Instead, keeping their eyes entrapped within the others. Licking her chapped lips and fidgeting with the cigarette laying between her fingers, Veronica looked her up and down as if doing so would cause her to come up with anything to say. It manifested itself into an awkward silence with neither of them knowing how to progress. There was so much for Veronica to say but she couldn't think of a way to say anything at all, chewing her lip to where it became sore, fingers flicking the rolled tobacco.

A low whistle came from Paul's lips as if to signify the awkwardness of the situation, Laddie had already detached himself from Star at this point to head back to Dwayne, the man lifting him up to settle him down on the back of his bike now revved up and ready to go, waiting only for the rest of them to follow.

David seemed to have made his mind up as he too starts up his engine and wordlessly motions for the rest to do the same with a nod of his head. Star looked over to them before giving Veronica one more quick glance, bowing her head she silently walked past Veronica's bike to sit on David's. Not making eye contact with the sullen girl, clearly embarrassed and ashamed with all the eyes on her, she wrapped her arms around David's torso.

Veronica sighed, throwing the butt of her cigarette to one side before lifting her leg over her bike and starting up the engine, sending a glare over to the boys for the enjoyment they were clearly getting from the situation, Paul in particular looking like he might burst into a fit of laughter with his lips clamped tight shut around his teeth.

The road back to the cave was easily followed by the group, having taken it more times than they could count. They used to only go back to the cave once they were done hunting but since Star had joined she insisted they drop her and Laddie off first. David refused but of course she got her way, as the norm it seemed to be. That fact irritated the blond to no end, David and Veronica used to be close but now, it feels as though their relationship is dwindling by the minute, with every day she and Star cause tension in the pack she could feel the bond with all of them weaken. Even now as they drift down the dirt road, the boys stick together while Veronica falls back a bit.

Engines sputtered to a stop at the entrance of the cave just long enough for Star and Laddie to hop off the bikes and head inside, Veronica watching the woman skip down the uneven rocks until her silhouette disappeared into the mouth of the den before they were driving back down the path toward the beach.

The scent of their chosen prey still plaguing their senses, she assumed the others were excited for the hunt but she just wanted to get feeding over with as soon as possible. The once high-spirited girl used to love going to the boardwalk to find victims, the way they'd scream and fight while their sickly-sweet blood ran down her throat gave her an ecstasy she couldn't resist.

Now she couldn't care less about the activity, seeing it as more of a chore than something to enjoy. It was a particularly cold night tonight especially for Santa Carla's standards, imagining Star sitting alone in the cave, wrapped in her sheer scarf trying to keep warm in the cold chill worried her. Half-vampires are a bit stronger than humans but nowhere near the extent of true vampires, a bug or illness the boys and Veronica can easily brush off like nothing could have a bad effect on the two fragile halflings currently huddled up in the hideout.

Luckily for her, the group didn't take long to get to the beach, not that she would've noticed with her thoughts taking her mind elsewhere. The woman Veronica had set her eyes on hadn't wandered far from the area she had left her, much to her relief, tracking down runaway prey wasn't something she was particularly excited for currently.

Most of the prey had congregated around a bonfire as was the tradition for tourists, cold beers in hand with loud music blasting across the seafront. The group spend only a few moments observing the lot before unleashing their attack. Veronica leapt forward from behind one of the old trees that outline the beach, attaching her fangs to the throat of her long-awaited kill, taking in the alluring and addictive scent of blood. The soft crunch of broken skin pacifying the primal desperation for the hunt, shivers juddering through her body as the woman squirmed under her grip, feeling the blood escape her veins into the mouth of the merciless creature encasing her.

Screams and pleas are all drowned out by the others who too fell victim to the vampires, almost like a sick harmony except everyone is out of time and only worried about their own survival. Ultimately, the predators prevail and take what's theirs until the screaming comes to a halt.

For Veronica, it all went by in a blur. The distant begging and screeching still swirling in her mind's ear as she lets the once warm body drop, pushing tussled curls out of her peripheral, smearing the burning liquid across her already caked face. If vampires had the ability to sweat, the heaving gang would be drenched in the musk, the moist air blowing in from the sea coating a clammy sheen on their cold skin.

Hollering and whooping, the guys jumped around the beach shoving into each other like a group of boisterous school boys, using the bonfire to dispose of the drained, cold bodies. Sparing them only a slight glance, Veronica rose to her full posture and turned to leave, the grains of sand beneath her worn boots gritting together in protest, making her way back to their bikes.

"Hey! Where you going?" Sighing in annoyance but not faltering in her steps, Veronica continued her pursuit even as a heavy arm fell on her shoulders pulling her close into a side hold. "You okay, babe?" Paul leaned his weight onto her hovering to be down to her height. Marko joined on the other side slotting an arm around his blond friend, trapping Veronica between the two of them once again, except this time she was desperately trying to get out of the situation. She tried pushing through but their grip held strong, keeping their stride even to hers as they pestered her.

"Come on, boys, stop bothering her." Dwayne called out from by the bonfire, for a moment Veronica mentally thanked him for a small mercy, "She's trying to get lucky tonight, don't cockblock her". Cackles erupted across the seafront, not even David couldn't resist a crack at her expense, and here she thought he was coming to her rescue. Shoving the boys' arms off her, she turned around slightly "Seriously, fuck you guys." before continuing until she got to her bike. The sounds of her friends laughing still playing in the background as she sets back off to the cave.

-----

The abandoned wreck, which used to be a grand hotel, is actually quite cosy. Posters and stolen decorations hang from the ceiling and walls, old couches and chairs strewn across the layout were dusty but relatively comfy but nothing compared to the small sanctuary Star had set up for herself in the furthest corner. Canopies and fabrics slung around the area of her bed which harboured blanket on top of blanket all perfect to nestle into. Boxes of scarves and clothes and all sorts of shimmering things scattered around the room, including on the drawers that had been set out for the rest of Star's things.

Scanning quickly over the cave, Veronica looked for Star through the hanging fabrics. Soft humming travelled from a nest of pillows and duvets to the entrance where was Veronica climbed down, she presumed it must be coming from Star's bed as she ventured towards it. Sure enough, sat with crochet needles in her hands, Star is delicately weaving yarn into intricate patterns. Looking lost in her own world, she hadn't even noticed the approaching girl until her boot let out a squeak that dragged her attention from her project.

Dropping the needles and yarn to the side, Star stared at the bloodied woman with wide eyes. Looking her up and down taking in the mess left behind on her body, the staining that was no doubt going to be apparent by tomorrow, luckily most of her outfit was composed of black material but the blood will take nonetheless.

The doe-eyed woman slowly stood up from where she was on the mattress, circling around to meet her reluctantly but not with fear, reaching a hand out to rest on Veronica's arm "You're a mess." She spoke, almost scolding her in a way. Taking in the sight up close. Usually, they'd wash themselves off in the ocean before they settled in for the night but the anxious girl had come straight home to Star, totally forgetting their routine.

Pushing the dirtied jacket up and off Veronica's shoulders, the blood making the fabric stick to her skin giving a peeling effect as it left, Star disposed of it to the side making sure not to let it fall on any of her own possessions. Soft fingers brush bare skin as they travel up the curves of exposed flesh, nothing between the bloodied upper body and the outside aside a cropped singlet that could pass for a bralette if anything. About to move her hands away to grab a washcloth that sat in an old box of materials, they were suddenly held down by the vampire's, forcing them to stay in contact with her sides. Star's eyes flickered up. Sharp but shallow breaths pass the rosy lips of the halfling, chest slowly rising and falling as if an internal battle isn't waging in her heart trying to overtake any sense in her brain.

A mass murderer stood before her, the faint scent of gore still lingering, in the hair tickling her arms, the pudge that lay under her palms, under the fingernails that now reach to caress her cheek. The gap between their bodies lessening leaving only a few inches to separate them, Veronica removed one of her cold hands from Star's, she makes gentle contact with the brunette's face.

It's wrong. It's so wrong. This beast of the night, sucker of blood, something dubbed soulless by mere humans yet upon looking in her eyes and feeling her touch Star could protest that all to be wrong. Looking back to the entrance of the cave to make sure no one was there, Star looked suddenly nervous trying to seperate herself from Veronica but failing. She let out a weak protest when she felt the thumb resting on her cheek edge closer to her lips, the blood filling her nostrils tempting enough to make her mouth begin to water. She knew what the vampire was trying to do but her protests were too weak for Veronica to believe.

Transitioning from human to vampire was difficult for any halfling but pure, kindhearted Star took it too hard, she couldn't fathom sinking her teeth into the flesh of another. But she knew, deep down, that she was becoming just like that monster standing before her now. Every new night spent in this new body, life and mind she felt the burning thirst take hold of her throat with an iron grip that held no mercy, making her see darkness until she had no choice but to fight for air. Blood. God, she needed it so bad and here her saviour was offering to take that grip from her throat herself, to stop the pain and guilt. But she just couldn't do it, she was weak just like her trembling hands now pressed on Veronica's midriff, trying to push away.

Surprisingly gentle, Veronica gave comforting strokes of her thumb over Star's hand while the other still rests by her lip, the lack of heartbeats and heat coming from her didn't help the goosebumps littering the shaken girl but the soft words emitting her mouth gave her enough warmth to keep her standing. "Why? You've already come this far, haven't you?" Looking away from the vampire's eyes didn't help the feeling she felt through her, doing her best not to turn her head was so difficult, "Are you trying to say you don't want this at all? That you don't want me all? You'd rather go back to how your life was before I met you?"

Allowing a feminine hand to travel further up until they settled on the side of her neck, a thumb pressed to the sensitive points causing a shake to infiltrate her body. They both know she isn't going to answer, she never does. However, Veronica became tired of the lack of reciprocation and communication as of late. Gently but forcefully using the hand on her cheek to twist Star's face toward her, eyes locking together. "Answer." It was almost a beg in its nature but Star knew the darkness that lay beneath. "I-" a breath caught in her throat "I can't." sobs racket her body in violent shudders, the hand that wasn't occupied working itself to wipe away the tears pouring themselves down her cheeks. Weeks of pent-up frustration and tension finally snapping into an explosion of tears and hiccups.

"I can't kill people. I can't, Veronica, please. I can't. I don't want to." Incoherent babbling pooling out with no intention of making much sense. The relief of finally being able to let out the conflicts going through her mind allowed her to slump her shoulders and let herself fall on the sturdy woman. Accepting arms welcome the meltdown, giving soft strokes to the back of coiled hair, taking strands between cold fingers and twirling them.

A soft hum acts as a way to soothe the panicked girl, "You do. You want to kill as much as I do, but you know if you give in you'll change and no one will forgive you apart from me, not even yourself." Glossy brown eyes snap up to make contact with the darker set peering down at her, vision blurred from the weeping. Her body pressed up against the vampire, Star gazed at Veronica flustered. Words caught in her throat, unable to come up with an argument to what she knew was the truth.

Suddenly, Veronica lunged down, lips lock in a rough, passionate exchange, hands travel through locs of curls and soft skin. A gasp passing through Star's mouth into the vampire's, lips hungry and desperate for more, denial stops none of the intense lust travelling through the halfling as she becomes one with her illicit lover. Teeth nipped at red flesh causing blood to rush forward to the meeting point filling Veronica's senses with the primal urge to sink her fangs into soft skin, retrieving the nectar from its source. Hunger still raging its war through her throat and soul, begging her to lean forward and fill its desires, her last meal was sparing and meagre it would be so easy now to put an end to the burning.

She pulled back to look down at the delicate human, a sliver of tongue swiping across her lip to gather the remaining saliva left behind before she suddenly pushed Star away causing her to gasp in shock.

Sparing not even as little as a glance, she sauntered away, fists curled tightly by her side, knuckles turning a pale white, her posture stiff. A stunned Star left behind, mouth parted dispensing hot, heavy breaths, fingers clutching at the fabric of her skirt. Confusion set in watching the frustrated figure disappear back up through the mouth of the cave, presumably to the boys who were no doubt laughing at their expense right now as they suffer from their emotions. She felt pathetic clinging to whatever nerves she had left, knowing how much pain she was causing the one person who still stood by her unconditionally. She was never wanted by the others, even in her human life she remained unnoticed, but here now she took advantage of the dedication of a woman who loved her.

Wet strokes of tears remarried the damp cheeks of Star's pink face, a muffled thump echoed in the small burrow as she let herself fall back on her bed, resting her upper body on the column supporting the canopy hanging over. Raising a shaking hand to cover her mouth, sobs racked her body leaving her without noise. "Star?" A little voice popped out from around the corner, Star whipped her head around toward the sound.

Laddie stood alone by the wall separating the main cave and the little nook the boys had set up as their nest, peeking out with his hair ruffled with sleep and pyjamas crinkled. Confusion set across his face as he watched Star break down in front of him. Usually, he'd sleep beside her in her bed but on the nights she and Veronica had their tensions, Star would redirect the young boy to the other vampires' room, where he now emerged confused and yawning.

"Oh, Laddie, what're you doing up? It's about to be morning soon." Such an odd saying she had never gotten used to, sunrise used to give her such joy, playing out under the rays, sunbathing under the rising heat. Now she could never see it again, at least not without the most immense discomfort imaginable.

"Why are Veronica and you mad at each other?" Such an innocent question caused another bout of hurt through the shaking girl, with open arms and trembling lips, Star allowed Laddie to return to her, holding him to her torso firmly. Wrapping him up with the blankets, letting out sniffles as she held the boy like her life depended on it, tucking them both into bed.

-----

It turns out the male vampires hadn't been too far from the cave, waiting by the old, rusted railings of one of the abandoned roads making conversation about whatever has been happening on the boardwalk. They appeared to have taken their wash in the ocean, although Paul had clearly missed a few spots here and there.

The breeze blowing in from the sea rustled their hair, their jackets stripped off and placed across the backs of their bikes. Paul and Marko play wrestled on the road in front of the unimpressed David and Dwayne who were passing the time with a couple of rolled cigarettes. It was only David who noticed the woman, fists still screwed tight by her sides, approaching the group, huffing under her breath.

"Oh, look who it is. Done already?" He teased as she came to a halt in front of the railing. She reached a hand out to snatch a cigarette from his slung coat and reached down to take her lighter out of her own pocket. Remembering she had left her jacket in the cave she sighed, extending the tobacco out expectedly to the bleach blond. A laugh rumbled from his chest but he lit her smoke nonetheless. Taking a deep puff, Veronica allowed the smoke to fill her lungs, a wave of release washed over her as she closed her eyes. Feeling eyes still on her, she waved them off "Nothing happened."

At this point, the two rowdy boys had stopped wrestling and turned to look at their friend. Veronica opens her eyes to stare back at them "She's still half human, I can't stand to be around her right now." A sigh passed her lips "She just refuses to feed, what's wrong with her?!" She whined, taking another puff from the cigarette clutched between her fingers. Dwayne reached out a hand to rest on her shoulder, giving a comforting squeeze, "She'll come around. I know you didn't take well to being one of us at first, but look at you now."

She appreciated the gesture but Veronica couldn't help but feel like he was wrong. Star didn't want to turn for her.

"Let's get you cleaned up."

And she never will.

It hadn't been a week since the mishap when the group returned to the boardwalk, following the same chaotic routine they always do; cause some mayhem, get a bite to eat then go hunting for more to complete their fill. Star and Veronica hadn't interacted too much afterwards, much to the grievance of the latter, the nights becoming more lonely. No matter how many parties and concerts they attend, it doesn't stop the tension between them. A hole felt itself form in Veronica as they grew further apart, it would be shocking to see how close they were formerly, but the truth has to come out eventually and revealing the nature of her true form practically made them strangers all over again.

Even now as the group sat outside the gates waiting for the curly-haired girl to return, Veronica knew it wouldn't be her bike she climbed onto tonight. Fiddling with her old lighter, she pretended to listen to whatever the boys were saying but not actually taking anything into her mind. Watching the crowds in hopes for Star to appear so she could put an end to another painful night.

Much to her relief, the girl emerged from the gates striding towards the group, an rare smile spread across her lips. For a moment, a foolish moment, Veronica assumed it was directed towards her, a replica grin spread across her face as she watched. Just as she was wondering what caused the sudden joy to overcome her, her smile was wiped off as another figure entered the scene. A boy with curly brown hair followed behind the young woman, watching her every move like a lost puppy.

Who is he? The thought jumped into her mind, pushing everything else aside to persist itself. The boy came to a sudden stop when he caught sight of the gang, clearly confused as to why a girl like Star would want to be around a group like them. With furrowed brows, Veronica watched the grinning girl move to sit on the back of David's bike. The whole group had turned to look at the starstruck boy, laughing amongst themselves as he had his eyes glued on Star. A younger boy with blond hair and a pierced ear stood by his side, mockingly bumping his elbow "Ha, she stiffed ya!" he chortled as the gang took off on their way.

Eyes staring off in front of her, they all continued their way to the cave not allowing the ogling stranger to disrupt their schedule. The others made jokes about the boy but Veronica didn't want to contribute, feeling out of sorts. Usually, she didn't allow boys like him to make her insecure but the way Star reacted to his longing stares made her feel like this time was different. Would she ever get the guts to leave, if she could resist the order of her sire would she?

She couldn't even bear to look in her direction as they dropped her off at the cave despite feeling her eyes pressure on the side of her head. Something she would be dying for a week or so ago is now something she avoided to the best of her abilities, she could almost feel the disappointment from the girl as they all drove away to take their next victims.

It was a girl and her boyfriend they had picked out tonight, they had caused some trouble with them a few hours prior and the merciless lot had decided to take their revenge on them. They had parked on an overhang looking out to the boardwalk, no doubt getting up to something sexual, however, unfortunately for them, their promiscuity was cut short by the bloodthirsty beasts. Ripping the roof off their car the group pulled both humans up and out, fighting over them like animals over scraps. An unfair distribution of two to five leads to hissing and pushing, but they all get at least a little blood from the victims in the end.

By the time they were done, it was as if the animalistic fighting had never happened, wrapping arms around shoulders and giving pats to backs. They all seemed in high spirits with no care in the world, all except Veronica who stayed behind while the rest started making their way back to the bikes. It is only when Marko reaches his arm out to sling over the woman's shoulder that he realises she's not there, turning around to look for her, he catches sight of her looking out to the silhouette of the seaside town unmoved from where she was feeding.

"Hey, you alright?" He called over, grabbing the attention of the other three. They all stare back concerned, Veronica doesn't respond instead continuing to look out over the cliff. Dwayne decides to take the initiative and make his way over to her, the rest staying behind so as to not crowd her. "You okay?" He repeats, careful not to get too close understanding the danger of sneaking up on an unexpected vampire.

No response. Letting out a sigh, he steps closer to the edge leaning over so he could get a glimpse of her. Although the look on her face doesn't give him much to go off either, a neutral expression sat on her features. "What's wrong?"

The boys start to edge closer, shuffling their boots on the dirt and gravel, taking their time to get to her. Lips clenched tightly around her teeth, eyes looking off with a gloss sheen, Veronica blinked rapidly or at least more than usual. Being empathetic in regard to his friend's emotions, Dwayne sent a sympathetic look her way, raising a hand to her shoulder, rubbing gently. The young woman tried acting unmoved by the gesture but her bottom lip started to quiver, she tightened her crossed arms as if doing so would provide her something to hold on to that might stop her from falling into shambles.

By this point, the rest had caught up coming to a stop just behind her, forming a half circle. They had half a mind as to why she was suddenly upset. "Guys stare at Star all the time," David spoke up, reassuring her in a way that would only be reassuring if said by David. "'Cause she's hot!" Paul interrupts, throwing himself in the mix. An appreciation for their efforts was felt by Veronica but it did little to improve her mood, arms moving to sway by her sides she doesn't move her eyes from the lights in the distance. "I know. But she's never reciprocated, she's never liked men looking at her like that. But. But, she. The way she looked at him."

They knew exactly what she meant, even through their jokes they could see what was right in front of them. They'd all been given looks like that by girls and guys alike throughout their lifetimes, both mortal and immortal, and that look replicated itself on Star's face. She likes the boy on the boardwalk.

Truth be told it wasn't just tonight that upset her so, it was weeks and months of pressure and denial weighing down on her shoulders finally buckling and falling down, crippling her with the pain of the hard truth. "She doesn't love me anymore. She hates me, thinks I'm a monster." The last of her speech slurred from the saliva building up in her mouth followed by a thick lump at the back of her throat. Her eyes try their best to shun the wetness forming under their lids, she let out a shaky, soft breath through her nostrils.

"Hey, that's not true!" Marko tried denying but the decision was already made up in the brunette's mind.

It carried on for days, the boy continued returning to the boardwalk looking for Star and she didn't resist, letting him look for her with amusement as she made no attempt to hide away.

Tonight, he stood looking at the stall offering ear piercings, wincing as the girl in the chair had the needle shoved through her lobe. Not far away, the gang stood chatting watching over the nightlife, they too found enjoyment in the young man's efforts, all except from Veronica who sat scornfully watching as Star made her way toward him.

She leaned over his shoulder, whispering something in his ear. The group were too far away to hear what it was but Micheal seemed to like what she said because as she turned around to walk away, he followed. A conversation ensued as they ventured down the pathway, giggling and smiling between themselves, Star gestured to the man's ear presumably offering to pierce it for him.

Veronica remembers when Star had pierced hers, before everything fell apart, before she knew what she was. They would visit the boardwalk and stroll around, like she and the boy were doing now, riding the rollercoasters, eating ice cream, and playing the games set up in the pop-up stalls. They'd visit the beach, let the salt water soak their feet, play music and dance under the moon. But those days are over, Star would much rather walk around with this stranger now.

The boys and Veronica watched as they disappeared around a corner, David took a puff from his cigarette not letting his eyes leave the spot where the two left. The dirty blonds looked slightly uncomfortable in contrast to their former laughing selves, sending glances towards their friend, who sat tensely on her bike. "It'll be okay." An uncharacteristic reassurance came from Paul, peaking out from behind Marko to look at the upset girl. The change in tone became apparent, before the thought of it all as a joke but now Star and the stranger had actually started talking, they realised how quick the tides could turn. If Star goes around becoming friendly with humans they can't be sure how long their secret would stay safe.

David tossed the butt of his cigarette to the side ordering the others to follow him as he peels off in the direction of the recently departed duo. Letting out a sigh of contempt muffled by the sound of roaring engines, Veronica followed the leader down the boardwalk. Stopping not too shortly after as they spot Star with the guy about to climb on his own bike. The bitter woman almost laughed at the petty excuse of a vehicle he drove, it clearly wasn't very powerful and certainly not much to look at.

Star looked slightly frightened by their sudden appearance, not for her own wellbeing rather giving a worried look toward the teenager, who clearly didn't feel safe around the gang circling him. "Where you going, Star?" David mocked the girl, who couldn't even look him in the eyes, "For a ride. This is Michael." She answered, pointing over to the young man. Micheal. So that's the name of the boy trying to steal Star, seduce her away from her rightful family, the only ones of her species around.

Veronica squints her eyes sending him a nasty scowl which he didn't go without noticing, goosebumps prickling the exposed skin of his neck and forearms. He reaches an arm back for Star to grab a hold of, "Let's go." but David doesn't let him get too far, calling out the girl's name. She looked back at the bleach blond, her thoughts playing a game of tug and war with what she should do, before looking at Veronica, her eyes drilling into her head.

Finally, she succumbed to his silent demand, walking back to his bike with her head down. As she was about to throw her leg over the back of his motorcycle, David's sharp voice stopped her in her tracks. "Veronica's bike." She looked up at him in bewilderment but knowing better than to argue, especially in front of company, she obeyed. Positioning herself behind Veronica, she wrapped slim arms around her waist sending ripples of goosebumps across the auburn haired girl's skin. The warmth against cold skin bringing a bout of serotonin through her, almost shivering, it had been quite some time since the two had been skin to skin, allowing their bodies to press up against one another. Curly brunette hair brushing her neck, the familiar scent of her perfume filling the vampire's nostrils, the product remained unchanged in the time she knew her.

Paul let out a chuckle at Michael's embarrassed face, looking at Marko who too looked like he was going to laugh. David's eyes remained on him, sizing him up with an intimidating and clouded look, "You know where Hudson's Bluff is, overlooking the point?" He questioned, accusatory. Michael shifted uncomfortably under the combined vexed gazes of David and Veronica trying not to look at them for too long, already self-conscious around the other males "I can't beat your bike."

David looked amused, "You don't have to beat me, Micheal. You just have to try and keep up." eyebrows raised to emphasise his point. Star shifted uncomfortably, pushing herself further into Veronica's back. Placing a hand on her arm, Veronica looked back "Hold on tight." receiving no response she started her engine following David and the rest.

Hollering and whooping, they all set off down the street making a turn to jump down the stairs leading to the beach. Pedestrians turned to look at the commotion, jumping back when the bikes narrowly passed by them. Sand flew through the air as the gang stormed down their own path, looking between each other letting out cackles and laughs, even Star looked like she was enjoying herself. Letting her hair flow behind her, giggling in Veronica's ear and squeezing her arms around her abdomen. The physical reunion between them seemed to have cheered Veronica up enough for her to join in on the screams of enjoyment.

Marko, by her side, sent a yell her way which she happily returned, the blond grinning at her bounce back from misery. Glancing back, the girl realised Michael was falling behind, which only inflated her ego, the natural sadism of her species prevailing as she enjoyed watching the boy struggle to prove himself. They continued travelling under the pier to the woods, the road becoming bumpy and uneven, something the vampires had become accustomed to but the human trailing behind them seemed to be having more of a struggle.

Eventually, they made it to the more rocky side of town, close to home, either they had slowed down or Michael had got the hang of the path because soon he appeared next to Veronica's bike, making eye contact with Star. Glaring at the unrelenting man, Veronica rammed her bike closer to his, not making contact but getting close enough to make his confidence wobble causing him to fall back a bit. The boys let out a laugh at Michael's panic, David slowing down slightly to slot himself by Veronica, blocking Michael from Star. He looked him deep in the eyes, goading him into going faster, pushing his buttons.

Their surroundings become more foggy the further they go, Michael looks around deliriously trying to find a better way to see but they are surrounded by the murk. His hands begin to shake and soon enough he loses balance, thrown to the side, his bike crashing on top of him, he lays on the floor coughing and clutching his head. He looks up, only then noticing he was at the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, infuriated he gets up, storming up to David. "What the hell are you doing, huh?!" A firm punch landed across the blond's face, his head swivelling to the side.

Star lets out a cry, trying to get off the bike and to the two men but she's held back by a firm grasp around her arm, Veronica holds on tight, not wanting Star to get in between the volatile boys. A hard look is exchanged as Star tries to pull back but the hold is unwavering, Laddie drops off from Dwayne's bike, now abandoned by the man to hold off Michael, running over to the two women, certainly scared by the violence. Gripping onto the skirt of Star, trying to keep far away from the yelling men.

Whatever fight was happening didn't last long with the boys laughing at Michael's 'macho man' persona, not putting much effort into holding him back. David ended up brushing it off as a joke and invited him over to their place to hang out with them and Star. The sound of the woman's name prickles his ears, as he appears to calm down at the prospect of spending time with her, he relents, looking down to the floor and agreeing. Clearly embarrassed by the way he was acting. Laddie reluctantly detached himself from Star, heading back to Dwayne, taking comfort in the man's now calm demeanour. Star gets back on Veronica's bike as well, gently wrapping herself back around the biker.

Fortunately, the cave wasn't too far only about a couple minutes drive from the cliff, they made it there with relative ease. Michael seemed very confused as they dispersed off the bikes and into the mouth of the cave, maybe assuming they were going to an actual house or bar instead of an old wrecked hotel laid under decades of rubble. Intrigued, he follows carefully watching as the boys jump down the steep bed of rocks like nothing, trying to replicate their steps in fear of falling and embarrassing himself further.

On the way down, Dwayne picked up a torch, setting it ablaze with his lighter and using it to light the way. Behind him, Laddie and Paul followed, Paul helping the boy on the way, being as careful as he could be not to let him drop. The remaining blonds trailed behind calmly allowing Star and Veronica to go at their own slow pace. No matter how long she'd been here, Star still feared falling down the acute pathway and Veronica never stopped giving her a helpful hand to hold, to reassure her of her balance.

Michael climbed down with careful footing, his way being suddenly brought to light when Dwayne used the torch to set fire to some old metal bins the gang used as furnaces. "Hit the rock box, buddy!" Paul called out to Laddie, who quickly ran off to grab the stereo. Once they were down, Star awkwardly removed her hand from Veronica's looking away as Michael dropped down beside them. The teen looked around in awe of the dusty old place, clearly not expecting much, never mind a whole set-up. David stood by the old fountain watching Michael's face for a reaction, "Not bad, huh?" he backed away, crossing past Paul, who climbed around the edge of the fountain waiting for Laddie to return. "This was the hottest resort in Santa Clara about 85 years ago. Too bad they built it on a fault. In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this place took a header," he suddenly clapped his hands to prove his point, making Micheal jump "right into the crack."

In the time it took for him to go into his little monologue, David had circled around the fountain and made his way back to the three still standing by the entrance, a grin spread across his face. Dwayne had lit the final furnace and Paul set up the stereo Laddie had carried back, looking through the tapes for music to play, Marko was nowhere to be found though that wasn't too out of character for him.

David looked the bewildered boy up and down, "And now it's ours." "So check it out, Mikey." Paul laughed, raising a blunt to his mouth with a grin spread across his face, lighting it with the lighter he'd swiped from Dwayne, echoes of laughter filled the cave. Marko returned from wherever he was previously, one of his beloved pigeons clasped in his hands, David called him over and asked him to get them something to eat. Obediently, the blond let his pigeon fly away and turned to leave the way they came, presumably to get some food for the lot.

David put an arm on Michael's shoulder, leading him toward the couches rested at the furthest corner, "That's what I love about this place. You ask, and then you get." he's handed a blunt by Paul as he continues walking around the fountain, giving a thank you. Something Veronica knew was only for show, she hadn't been thanked by him for anything she'd done for him in quite some time, none of them had.

The girl glanced toward Star, whose eyes stayed trained on the two making their way further into the cave. Tapping her on the arm, Veronica nodded her head toward Star's little nook, motioning for her to follow. Star understood, trailing after Veronica to the corner and sitting next to her on the bed. A hand was placed on her knee, giving an affirmative squeeze "You okay?" A coarse voice asked, Veronica cringed, realising not using her voice most of the night was starting to take effect. Looking off to the side, quickly glancing towards the others Star shrugged her shoulders, "As fine as I can be." A curt answer, one that didn't satisfy the question. Not being able to control what came out of her mouth next she turned slightly towards Veronica, "I'm sorry for not talking to you recently. Things have just been..." she didn't finish her sentence but she was understood. A sympathetic look crossed the biker's face, her hand still sat on the knee of Star "I understand," she didn't, she really didn't understand one bit "This must be hard for you." she could understand that, but wasn't the difficulty worth it for her?

Her questions would never be said or answered because right as she was about to speak, Marko jumped down from the ledge announcing his arrival with the food. The girls looked at each other once more before leaving the bed and heading to the main room where Marko was throwing Chinese takeaway boxes to open hands. As they were walking to the couches, Star stopped just a few feet behind David. Veronica, noticing her absence, looked back and motioned for Star to follow with her hand but received nothing except a shake of Star's head. Furrowing her eyebrows, Veronica didn't push simply flopping herself on the couch across from Michael, who was too busy watching Star to notice her. Feeling eyes on him, he turned his head to look at the scorned woman, glaring at him intensely "You okay there, Michael?" it was almost mocking in nature but Michael had become used to it at this point. "Didn't know you talked." he quipped back trying to be as friendly as possible to the ruder one of the lot.

A fake smile was sent his way in return, a box of noodles thrown to her which she caught with ease, not taking her eye off the boy. Becoming uncomfortable, Michael looked at David who handed him a box of rice "No. No, thanks." he tried to refuse but the leader pushed harder "You don't like rice? Tell me, Michael, how could a billion Chinese people be wrong? Come on." To shut David up, Micheal snatches the box, taking a bite. All eyes are on him when "How are those maggots?" Michael freezes, looking at David pointedly "Maggots, Michael. You're eating maggots. How do they taste?". Seeing the rest of the boys laugh, he assumes it's a joke but as he looks down at the contents of the box, he drops it to the ground in panic. Hundreds of fat, white maggots wriggle around in their cardboard container, making Michael's skin crawl.

"Leave him alone." Star plucks up the courage to speak, keeping her scarf close to herself. The boys laugh together, ignoring the girl's protest but Veronica turns to make eye contact, shaking her head as if to say 'don't interfere'. It wasn't until Michael looked down to the disregarded box that he realised, it was rice. He had been hallucinating, embarrassed at his reaction, he wiped his mouth. David let out a weak apology offering another box of food towards him, before he could even take it he noticed the wiggling pink flesh intertwined together; worms, the box filled to the brim with the earthly creatures. "They're worms." He looked like he was on the verge of throwing up, Veronica sat across from him cracking a grin at his discomfort. Before Michael could warn him otherwise, David used the chopsticks to lift the contents of the box into his mouth. Just as Michael was about to freak out he realised, it was simply noodles David started chewing.

Having enough of the torment, Star stepped forward to stop David "Enough." but she was brushed off without another thought. David motioned Marko forward, whispering something in his ear which sent Marko to the other side of the room. Soon enough, he returned with something in his hands and Veronica's interest peaked, she leaned over to see what he was holding. Her body becoming colder than it already was, eyes widened in surprise, lips going slightly slack, if she had a beating heart it would be pounding out of her chest.

Placed in David's hands was a regal wine bottle, to humans it would seem like it contained centuries-old wine but Veronica knew better. "David." His name escaped her mouth like an instinct, looking for reassurance from him but he spared her not even a glance. "David." Again, his name passed her lips but nothing was returned.

Star scurried over to Michael, who became very confused at the sudden silence. David took a quick swig from the bottle, a grimace passed over his face before he leaned forward "Drink some of this, Michael. Be one of us."

Her heart dropped. Betrayal was the only emotion she could feel right now although the word betrayal didn't feel strong enough for what she felt pounding through her body, rushing through her veins like ice. Michael lifted himself up and off the couch, retrieving the bottle from David's hand. The pain in her chest blooms as the others start chanting for him, goading him to drink it. Her self-proclaimed 'brothers' encourage the man who is actively trying to become involved with Star to join their family. Star rushed behind him "Don't. You don't have to, Michael."

Paul butted in voicing his disagreement, twisting her head to look at the rest of them, Veronica shook her head in disbelief. "It's blood." The warning came out as a whisper but Michael heard it, he didn't, however, want to make himself look like an idiot again. He took a large gulp from the bottle making the boys scream in approval, jumping in the air, treating this like a joyous celebration.

Not being able to take it anymore, Veronica stood up from her seat and beelined for the entrance of the cave, not looking back at the boys as they celebrated, clearly not caring about her departure. The night was still young, cold air blew in the upset girl's face threatening to expose the tears already brimming. She hunched over trying to catch the breath she didn't need but found comfort in, hands pressed firmly on her knees. There's no way she has any hope now, Star was already slowly separating herself from her but now the man she finds interest in has taken the first step to becoming one of them, what chances does she have now?

The feeling of bile made itself apparent, crawling up her throat like the hallucinations David had enforced earlier. She couldn't stick around, they'd surely come out to continue their initiation, they did it for her all those years back. Maybe they'd do it for her replacement too. She knew she'd caused some strain between them with her situation with Star but she didn't think it would make them do this.

Pulling herself together, Veronica stood to her full height walking to her bike, revving the engine, not caring if the boys heard. She had no idea where she'd go but she'd rather be anywhere but here.

Light poured through the entrance of the cave, covering the rocks and posters with a shade of yellow. The time when the dead slept and the living arose, but not today. In a hole in the wall, hidden away from the light, four panicked vampires congregated, wringing their hands, tapping their feet against the floor, pacing in what little room they had. Tension thick in the air as none of them spoke, all looking to their leader who was hunched over, sat on a boulder by the back of the hideout. The look on his face unreadable but the boys could tell he was distraught by the possibilities passing by in his mind.

"I just don't get it." A voice broke the silence, echoing between its rocky confines. Paul sat the closest to the exit being careful not to edge too close to the light, one knee to his chest and the other sprawled out, his fingers fiddling with the loose strings of his bracelet. Melancholy followed his statement with nobody answering him "I get she'd be mad at us but why would she not come home?"

Silence. Nothing but the sound of Marko's boots hot on the floor, pacing back and forth, trying his best to let off steam but the prospect of not being able to go outside and do something grating on his mind, fingers twitching as he lifted them up to bite. Dwayne looked down at Paul from where leaned against the wall, sadness written on his features "She'll come back."

But would she? They have done something irreparable and in the process, alienated their only sister. None of them had chosen for Michael to be the one to join the family but their choice didn't matter. Either way, it was too late, they had no idea where Veronica was and they'd have to wait until nightfall to go looking.

"But, what if she..." Paul looked back at Dwayne with concern, but the brunette quickly shut it down "There are plenty of places to hide from the sun apart from the cave, Paul." Of course, that had been their top concern when she didn't return home before the sun woke up, but they knew she was smart, she'd probably hidden out in a cellar or an attic in some unsuspecting occupant's house. But there's always a possibility that she hadn't and that thought rattled their mind.

Not much else was said for the rest of the day, Marko managed to catch up on some sleep, hanging by the entrance close to Paul, who couldn't seem to close his eyes for more than a few seconds at a time. David didn't say a lot if anything, suffering his own battles in his mind. When the sun slowly lowered down past the ocean, the boys were practically on their toes to get out to the entrance of the cave.

As soon as all light disappeared fully, they rushed out heading to the upwards path, but soon they were cut off by a frantic Star "Did Veronica come home last night?" she stood in front of David who looked as if he didn't want to speak to her at all nevermind right now. "No. We're going out to look for her." Simple and blunt he barged past her with little regard but she wasn't done asking questions, stepping in front of him once more "Is she okay?" Desperation dripping from her voice, devastated by the idea of her not coming home for good.

David pushed passed once more, a rougher voice came from him this time "How are we supposed to know? That's why we're going out to look for her." the boys followed him out, walking around Star, who watched them in panic.

The air was misty and cold, blowing their hair in their faces, even their enhanced vision couldn't see through the fog cast over the seaside. Using his hand to shield his eyes, Marko looked towards David, or who he presumed was David, and yelled out over the sound of the whistling wind "Where are we supposed to look for her?" The gruff voice responded, confirming its identity "We'll head off to the boardwalk first, if she's not there we'll have to split up."

And so they did, taking their bikes out to their usual hangout spot, hoping she had some sense and decided to wait for them. She hadn't. When they got to the red gates, she was nowhere in sight. Kicking his bike in frustration, Marko was the first to start walking around the area, fist balled furiously by his side. "I don't get it, why isn't she here?" Paul questioned, looking side to side with his head urgently, clearly growing more concerned. David sighs "I don't know." The blond turns to look at him "You don't think she's..." he trails off, not wanting to finish the thought aloud. "I don't know!" David became more frustrated, snapping back. Before the blond could continue, Dwayne suddenly interrupted "Wait." raising his hand in the air "Follow me." he was quick to move past the rest of them, manoeuvring through the crowd with ease the rest of them following behind.

It was no secret Dwayne was the best tracker, there was no doubt he had Veronica's scent. Trust for him allowed the boys to tail after him until they got a more remote part of the sea front, small businesses and mom-and-pop shops lining the street and less people walked down the roads. The scent became stronger for the lot of them, exploding in their senses when they rounded a corner into an alley.

Footsteps stuttering when they saw the unmistakable figure leaning on the wall at the other end. With her arms crossed over her chest, Veronica didn't acknowledge the group stampeding towards her choosing to ignore them as if she didn't purposely set herself up somewhere she knew they'd find. Suddenly, a smack was delivered to the back of her head, letting out a sharp slap that echoed through the alley, "Ow!" a pained yell escaped her mouth as she reached up to grip her head. "What were you thinking, huh?!" Marko yelled, "You know how freaked we were when you didn't come back?!" Although his voice was raised the fear in it didn't go unnoticed, Veronica looked him in the eyes with sympathy but the words that followed didn't match up "Oh, you cared, did you? Would've thought you'd replace me with Michael by now."

A series of shocked and hurt expressions took over the group, a bewildered scoff came from Marko as he stepped closer to Veronica "What are you talking about? Why would you even think something like that?" It was her turn to scoff now "How could I think that?" she shook her head in disbelief, looking around to stare at anything but the boys, trying to keep her composure and not let the burning liquid in her tearducts fall. "You knew how I felt about him. You know how I've been feeling for months! And yet you still changed him. Why?" When none of them answered, she continued "I've been so hurt and I've shown you that. Nights where we should've been having fun I've spent crying to you!" Although the yell is directed at all of them, she makes eye contact with the brunette in particular, both of them knowing it was him who stuck by her the most in her sad nights.

"So, yeah, I'm wondering if you do care about me." She finished, tears threatening to spill although she made no move to wipe them. No answer came, even as the seconds turned into a minute, letting out a sad laugh she turned to walk away "Yeah, that's what I thought." Her boots tread on the gravel with each footstep, about to exit the other side of the alley. "Max." Everything stopped, an abscess in sound formed and no more steps were taken. All placebo breathing is gone and no one moves. The name they never spoke of was spoken, so matter of factly that Veronica couldn't believe she even heard it in the first place.

David looked at her cooly from where he stood at the end of the alley, his head turned slightly to meet eyes when she swivelled back around, "He told us we had to. That he wanted Michael's mom and the only way he could get her is if we changed him. We had no choice."

Of course, they didn't. No vampire could resist the order of their sire, she knew that but a new question formed in her mind. "Why didn't you tell me?" She gestured towards herself with her hand aggressively "Don't you trust me?" Dwayne intervened, lifting a hand up to reason "Now, you know that's not true." Paul, who had been uncharacteristically quiet through the confrontation, finally spoke up "We didn't know how to tell you! We're sorry, V, we're so sorry." A beg of forgiveness shattered her heart, deep down she knew it was true, as she looked in his pleading eyes she felt guilt form in her.

She couldn't bear to look at him anymore, letting her gaze fall to the wall, the next words were a whisper "Yeah, well, you should have told me." a hand clasped her shoulder making her look up. Dwayne had appeared before her looking at her with a small smile, "We know. Like Paul said, we're sorry. We just wanted to protect you but clearly we failed." he gently squeezed her shoulder trying to comfort the best he could.

A sigh passed her lips and she let herself look back to the rest of the boys, all stood hopeful for her to accept the apology "Let's go home." Cheers erupted from Paul whose spirits were clearly lifted, he barged past the brunette, who gave him an offended look, taking a hold of Veronica's shoulder and pulling her with him down the alley "That's more like it, babe! Let's go back to the cave and party!" Marko joined on the other side, the anger he had been feeling previously forgotten.

"You know, Star's been worried about you." Paul remarked nudging her with his hip, she scoffed in response letting her arms rest around both boys "Yeah, right! Like she'd care." The other two trailed behind them but not too far away for David to quip back "You'd be surprised." Paul let out a cackle "Yeah, she was all like 'Oh my god, you have to find her and save her and bring her back so I can smooch her and show her how much I love her'" he put on an obnoxiously high-pitched 'girly' voice, leaning down to pretend kiss Veronica's face.

This seemed to brighten her up a bit, a smile spread across her lips as she tried pushing away the hyper man, wiggling as Marko held her still, laughing at his friend's antics. David and Dwayne chuckled as they watched, overtaking them to the bikes "Come on, we don't have all night." the leader called out. The three rowdy teens stopped messing around to run back to their bikes, "Yes, Mom." Veronica joked starting her bike, the others laughed with her as David shook his head, pretending to be unimpressed.

They all peeled off back onto the road, driving past the pedestrians trying to cross the street, receiving angry yells in return. They laughed amongst themselves as they journeyed back to the cave, following the distinctive path they'd set over the years, a quicker route than what they'd taken the once-human now half-vampire on, less bumpy too.

The entrance of the cave came into view not too long after their departure, they slowed themselves to a stop off to the side, stashing their bikes by one of the large rocks outside the cave, hiding them away. The boys ran inside before Veronica, who stood motionless by the mouth of the den looking suddenly anxious, David gave her a nod of his head before disappearing with them. Tensing her hands she followed the group in, slowly walking down the pathway. Paul ran to grab the stereo and Marko left presumably to see his pigeons, Dwayne and David sat on the couches starting a conversation about something Veronica couldn't be bothered to take notice of, turning to go to her corner where she kept her comics.

"Veronica!" Star came rushing out from behind the sheets hanging from the ceiling, almost bumping into the woman before she came to a stop. A hand placed on her arm, looking up at her slightly, "Are you okay? Why didn't you come back last night?" looking over her instinctively to see if she was harmed. Returning a hand on her shoulder, Veronica reassured her with a gentle touch "I'm fine. I just wanted some time to myself." An angry look crossed Star's face "Some time to yourself? Veronica, we've spent all day worrying about you!" Still hung up with the confrontation earlier, the brunette sighed "I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to. Why don't you go to Micheal to take your mind off it?" Scrunching her eyebrows at the subtle dig, Star removed her hand backing up slightly "And what's that supposed to mean?".

Veronica shrugged "It means what it means, you can go to Micheal and forget about me like you've been doing for days now." An offended scoff came from Star, shocked at the accusation she moved past the brunette and stormed out of the hideout into the night leaving an upset Veronica behind. She turned to look at the boys to see they were already staring back awkwardly, trying not to look at them for too long she continued walking to her stash of comics, settling in the beanbag chair pushed into a sharp corner. Trying to ignore the eyes of the rest trained on her.

-----

The night went by painfully slow, no one spoke much and Veronica was actually pleased when the sun was about to rise, wasting no time to huddle back up in the nest. Completely ignoring the gang when they awoke the following night, she chose to head straight out to the boardwalk.

Throwing back rounds of liquor that wouldn't truly affect her, Veronica stood in a run-down old bar, leaning with her hands gripping the edge of the counter, putting her weight down on it. Trying to drown her sorrows in shots of the strongest the bar had, paying with money she'd stolen from her victims. The burning of the liquor pouring down her throat not affecting her in the slightest, the pain from not feeding for too long numbing her senses to any kind of other pain. The bartender looked at her with a raised brow, an oldish fellow with greying hair, wiping the cups in front of him "You okay there?" he inquired.

She swallowed the brown liquid and looked up at him with glazed eyes, her voice came out rougher than expected, "Fine." She looked back down to another shot lined up, her last one, about to pick it up to take one last gulp "I wouldn't be too sure of that." Turning around, Veronica straightened up when she saw David stood by the entrance with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Groaning, the brunette looked back down to her drink picking it up to throw it back when it was plucked out of her grasp by a gloved hand, David swallowed the drink without a grimace setting the glass back on the counter. "Gee, thanks." Veronica replied to the abrupt theft, David grinned back like he was proud, which he likely was, "No problem."

Looking up at the bartender, seeing he was no longer paying attention, David leaned down to be in earshot "Why don't you go back before you end up doing the impossible and getting wasted?" she rolled her eyes and pushed herself off the counter sending a nasty look David's way, but she knew he was right so she headed out. Clambering on her bike, she setting off down the road, for humans this would be a life-threatening decision but Veronica knew she'd be fine. After all, the dead can't die twice.

The ride back home always seems a lot longer without the boys by her side causing trouble, the path to home more bumpy than she remembers, less fun than when she's racing them down it. But the shortcut was still pretty quick, especially from where the bar had been, closer to the cliffs than the actual boardwalk itself. She climbed off her bike setting it aside when she noticed another bike sat in their usual spot, red in colour and quite small she recognised it immediately. Rushing into the cave, skipping quite a few steps on the way down she looked around for the boy but before she could call out for an answer, she heard it.

In the back of the cave, in Star's 'bedroom' rustling and muffled noises sounded. Curious but cautious, Veronica crept forward gently pulling back a blanket slung across the entrance when she saw them. Locked in a lover's embrace, littering kisses across one another's bodies, their upper bodies bare and their lowers covered by a blanket. It was as if time froze, the mortified woman stood silent watching the intimate moment unfold, breath caught in her throat. They didn't notice her, too enthralled with each other to pay attention to anything else.

Finally, Veronica was able to come to her senses and turn away, wanting to be as far away from them as possible. She felt bile rise up in the back of her throat, threatening to spill out the contents of her stomach, suddenly regretting the pints of alcohol she had consumed. She stumbled away, her body begging for a way to release the pressure building in her, wishing for the ability to sweat again for the first time in her immortal life. She had to ground herself by leaning on one of the walls, the noises still playing in the back of her mind, taunting her.

Stumbling slightly, she ventured back up to her nest trying her best to ignore what was happening in the other room. Once through the small passage, she snuggled into the spare blankets slung across the floor, pressing her head into the sort fabric to drown out the foul noises infiltrating the walls. Hands on her knees, she rocked back and forth just to keep herself moving, hoping it'd make time pass quicker.

-----

Veronica wasn't too sure how long it had been since she crawled in her hole but the noises had stopped quite some time ago, not that she'd noticed, her memory still replaying the awful racket in mind like it wanted to torture her on purpose. Hunched with her back to the wall, legs crossed and blanket still covering her lower half, she peaked up at the sound of a new noise entering the dark zone, joyous and playful she recognised it as her brothers returning from town. Mentally preparing herself for the earful and awkwardness she was about to experience, she tried straightening up but struggled with numb limbs and the migraine that washed over her as soon as she made an attempt to move, groaning in discomfort.

"Woah, what happened to you?" A boisterous voice asked from the entrance, walking with loud footsteps to stand in front her. Paul looked down in amusement at the sight of his tipsy sister, nudging her with his foot, receiving a weak attempt at a slap in return. Laughing with Marko, who just arrived, he crouched down to try and catch a glance at her face.

Veronica wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to look up at the two boys who were now being joined by the remaining two of the group. "You know, drinking your problems away isn't going to help." Dwayne looked down almost disappointed by the state in front of him, but the smaller brunette couldn't seem to care less, simply giving a shrug "Well, sure as hell feels like it does."

David stood in front of Veronica with an annoyed expression dawned on his features "You need to stop this, you can't keep moping forever." A nasty look presented itself on the girl's face, trying her best to look up at David as she responded "Oh, yeah? And what do you suggest I do?" The bleach blond leaned down to pull off her boots "Well for starters, you can sleep off the gallon of booze you cleared." he yanked her up suddenly, ignoring her protests. The world starts to spin and she wanted nothing more than to sit back down and close her eyes but David stops for no one, flying up to the top of the nest to the rafters where they slept. Looking at her pointedly, like a stern father, he motions her towards them. An annoyed sigh echoed as she used her flight to hang upside down from the bars, using her feet now transformed into claw-like attachments. The rest of the boys joined her side, hanging close by her to settle in before the sun fully rose. Although she fought it, the black screen of sleep blinded her vision and her thoughts slowly dwindled to nothing.

-----

When her eyes snapped back open, it was dark once more. Veronica looked to her side and realised the boys were gone, unfolding her arms, she peered at the small clock face wrapped around her wrist, 3:45. She must have slept through both day and night, her body trying to work off the toxins consumed by her the night before. Dropping from the rafters, she peeked out from the hideout into the main part of the cave, completely desolate and abandoned, she assumed the boys must have left for the boardwalk. She wondered if she had enough time to hunt before the sun came up. Not having anything to eat for two days finally taking effect on her body, feeling groggy and tired she leapt down into the lobby, heading for the exit, when she noticed a figure sitting on the couches alone.

Approaching steadily, Veronica recognised Star with her hands rested on her lap, zoned out staring at the wall behind the opposite couch. Jumping when she realised someone was behind her, Star looked up at Veronica wide-eyed. "Oh, it's you." she looked down at her hands. Raising her eyebrows, Veronica stared at her "Well, hello to you too." the sarcasm in her tone made the sat girl snap her head back up to look at her "I didn't mean it like that. I just..." she trailed off, staring off in thought "I've been going through a lot." fingers fiddling on the fabric of her skirt.

Veronica plopped down on the next pillow over, an arm resting on the back of the couch. Star avoided eye contact with her until she spoke up again "Yeah, and what's that?". Feeling a pair of eyes staring at her, Veronica slowly meets their gaze, brown meeting brown. Star's lips slack a bit to try and say something but she doesn't, a guilty look on her face and her cheeks pale. The sound of the old leak in the back on the right side of the cave tapping like a clock, reminding them of their time and taunting them as they sat awkwardly in their spots. "Um, nothing important." she broke the contact, turning back around to stare at what she had been before, she wanted so badly to admit what she'd done but Veronica could see the fear of consequences deep in her.

Scooching closer, Veronica leaned down slightly to look at Star "I know." The look on the woman's face would be hysterical to her if it hadn't been for the circumstances, shame blatant on her face which now tried to bow from view. "About what?" Voice cracking, giving away her already shaky facade. A scoff passed Veronica's parted lips "You know exactly what I'm talking about." the 'exactly' emphasized sending an echo through the cave. Shaking her head, Star looked up "It's none of your business." the pain that one sentence caused the dark-auburn haired girl unexplainable, is this what they had come to? She thought.

What came from her mouth next was a surprise even to herself, "Well, You didn't seem think that when I was the one to protect you from the boys. Maybe I should let them kill you like they always wanted to, if I'm clearly not important enough for you." wide eyes stare back at her but she paid them no mind, getting up from the couch and making her way out of the cave.

Refreshing air wafting in her face, she took in a deep breath of the cool fog trying to hold her composure. A hand raised to brush through tussled hair, she peered out to the ocean watching the waves crash into each other. About to turn around and walk away, the boys appeared only a few feet infront of her, covered head to toe in blood, their clothing ripped and muddy. "What the hell happened to you?" Veronica looked them up and down, shocked at the state of them. They were always messy feeders but they had never come home looking like this before.

They all walked forward but Paul was the one to wrap an arm around her shoulders, "Messing with Mikey." he chuckled, pulling her along back towards the cave. She resists, planting her feet to stop the blond from moving her. Looking back, Paul raised his eyebrows "Something wrong?" The others stopping behind them puzzled as to why they weren't moving, confusion turned to concern when they saw the pale look across Veronica's face. "Hey, you okay?" Dwayne peered down at her, hand placed on her shoulder, still covered in blood.

A sigh passed Veronica's lips, not saying much but it wasn't needed because the boys already understood "Trouble in paradise, huh?" David passed by the group and headed down into the cave, a glare sent his way. "Me and Star got into a fight." Marko huffed as he followed the leader "Yeah, what else is new?". Frustrated with their humour, Veronica shoved past the boys and headed down the path, "Hey! Where you going?" Paul called after her. "To eat!" She continued storming down the rocky turaine until she was out of sight, thoughts whirling like a storm in her head.

It felt like some kind of torture. Hiding away in the nest, isolating herself from Star. Once so desperate for her attention now trying her best to keep away. Like an alcoholic on a clean streak, she tried her best to stop herself from giving into temptation. She had no doubt Star would be out visiting him, forgetting all about her existence for a short while. The thought made her sick but it was a hard truth. Even now as she hangs upside down next to her brothers, trying to conform to sleep, she thinks about what Star is doing, she wonders if Michael has stayed over once more.

Is she making plans to see him? Is she forming an intimate relationship with him? More than just the sex and banter they had shared previously? Has she finally done away with her after months of building a bond? What if- shriek. Snapping her eyes open, Veronica whipped her head to the sound of the noise. Three boys stood off to the side, balancing on the rocks jutting out of the wall, two of them she couldn't recognise but the one closest to the floor she identified as the boy that had been hanging around Michael on the boardwalk. In the hand of one of them is a stake, now covered in dark shiny blood.

Realisation hit her when the sight of Marko flailing caught the corner of her eye. Blood flowing out of him at an alarming rate, splattering the walls. The gang, sensing the attack close to her, jumped into action, flying off their places at the teens, trying their best to grab a hold of them. However, they were too quick, squirming their way out through the way they came, only just escaping David who managed to grab one of their ankles. A hiss passing through his lips when the light caught his hand.

Quickly remembering the injured, Veronica turned around to look at Marko, now laying on the floor with Dwayne and Paul surrounding him. Hurriedly running over to them, she looked the boy up and down to find his injury. His heart. Penetrated clean through with the jagged wood, there was no way to save him now, but that didn't stop them from trying. Multiple hands roam around desperately trying to pull his shirt off to get a better look at his wound. A retch escaped Paul's mouth when the ulcerating puncture revealed itself, the thick dark blood oozing out at an uncontrollable rate spreading down Marko's chest, down his stomach and making its way onto the rest of them. Dwayne placed his hand down hard on Marko's chest, causing a pained groan to escape him, tears stream down his reddened face as he whimpers incoherently. Veronica reached out to place a hand on his cheek, stroking it with her thumb "It'll be okay. It'll be fine." but her tone said otherwise, eyes darting back and forth between the wound that Dwayne was trying to stop bleeding and Marko's clouded eyes.

Slow blinks became far and few between, the panicked heave of his chest coming to a gradual stop. Marko stared off head-on into nothing. He was dead.

-----

Wails and sobs echoed off the cold stone walls, some loud enough to cause their ears to ring but they couldn't care about that now. The pain taking over their hearts is more painful than any physical discomfort could ever bring. It had been going on for hours, Paul curled up on the floor clinging on to what was once Marko, now just a dead body with no soul. Dwayne and David sat off to the side, the brunette held his head in his hands trying to process what had happened and the blonde had his fists clenched, a cigarette between his fingers as an escapism which wasn't working. Veronica leaned against the wall trying to keep calm through the panic, her fingers messing with the sleeves of her jacket, eyes darting around anywhere but behind her, where the tragedy has taken place.

Through the grief, a prominent thought stuck out in her mind, was Star okay? If what she had suspected was true and Micheal had orchestrated this, did he steal Star? Was she safe? There's no way she would've let him do this, was there? The more she contemplated it the more unsure she became, the two of them had been very distant lately and they had a fair few arguments but that wouldn't warrant this, surely.

It appeared Dwayne had a similar thought on his mind although about Laddie, he hoped they wouldn't go as far as hurting the little boy but knowing vampire hunters, he didn't think it was too far fetched. The group hadn't said a word after they realised he was truly gone, they would much rather well in their own pity and anger. The sun was almost down and Veronica could tell David was desperate to get out, cigarette discarded on the floor and jacket thrown on, she similarly waited at the entrance watching the light slowly ebb away. It took Dwayne placing a gentle hand on Paul's shoulder to make him snap back to reality, eyes red from the constant crying, he reluctantly let Marko's body rest on the floor as the brunette helped him up. The sun was gone "Come on."

It didn't take more than David's words to make them soar out of the cave, out into the new night and down the trail of the boys' scents. All the pain from before morphing into complete and utter rage, growling as they flew through the air the group surveying the land below until they caught eye of the young blond boy from before. They dived down to chase the boy, Paul in the lead, causing him to scream in panic pulling his husky dog with him by its leash. Luckily for him he managed to squeeze through the front door of his home and lock it in time to get away from the predators. Letting out an angry huff, Paul gave a defiant punch to the locked door.

"Split up." David instructed before rounding the corner of the building, Veronica decided to take the upper window on the left, swooping through with ease and landing on the carpeted floor. It appears to be someone's bedroom, maybe Michael's or his brother's, but the brunette doesn't stop to take in the scenery, running out into the hallway looking side to side for anyone. Although she wanted to get revenge for her fallen brother, Veronica's top priority currently was to find Star and make sure she was safe, only then would she exact vengeance.

About to exit down the end of the passage, a body collided with her own knocking her slightly, immediately on guard Veronica seized the offender with a harsh grasp, yanking them away from her body to look at them directly. The aggressive growl about to pass her lips quietened when she recognised the girl she was looking for. A look of relief passed her face and the grip on the girl's arms loosened, Veronica quickly looked her over with her eyes relieved when she saw no obvious injuries. Star clutched her desperately as pleas for both help and mercy babbled incoherently from her, "Please, I'm sorry, you can't let them get me." she buried her face in the vampire's shoulder. Veronica wrapped her arm around her and pulled her impossibly closer surveying the area for the vampire hunters she assumed had been in pursuit of her.

"Okay, let's go." Veronica gently ordered leading Star down to the stairs. Suddenly, the sound of a scream came from behind them, whipping their heads around in unison, they noticed the voice sounded very young. "Laddie." Star whispered pushing herself out of the brunette's hold and sprinting down the hallway, "Star!" Veronica panicked but the girl didn't listen, already disappearing into a different room. Catching up to her, Veronica entered the room where Star stood with Laddie behind her guarding him away from the young vampire hunters now closing in on them "Get away from him! You just stay away from him! He's just a little boy." Veronica stepped in front of them both causing the boys to raise their weapons "Jesus Christ!" the boy dressed in military attire screamed "Let's kill it!" the one with a bandana wrapped around his head yelled. Charging forward they were quickly discarded by the vampire, shoving the camo clad one to the side and grabbing the other one by the throat and throwing him at the opposite wall, narrowly missing the window only slightly.

A gasp passed Star's lips as she cowered in the corner, the young boy still pressed behind her. Veronica watched as the hunters quickly got up and rushed out of the room and into the bathroom. Not wanting them to get away with what they did so easily, she followed pushing the bathroom door open and running in only faltering when she saw the macabre scene waiting for her. The walls and floor are covered in thick blood, water dripping off every surface, but it got so much worse when she caught sight of the bathtub. Nestled deep in the tub, a skeleton stripped bare of its flesh sat with water up to its shoulders. If it hadn't been for the jacket wrapped around it's bones Veronica wouldn't have realised who it was. "Paul." A heartbroken whisper passed her lips as she turned away from the scene, unable to stomach the sight any longer.

Quickly departing from the room and into the hallway, running down the stairs and into the living room. From one murder scene to another, the body of Dwayne is laid in pieces by a busted stereo, his body parts strewn around messily. Turning her head she only brought more pain to herself, David's body hung impaled on the horns of an animal skull rested on the wall. They're all dead. All of them. Tears stung Veronica's cheeks as she hiccuped, she almost succumbed to a pathetic weeping state until she saw Michael step forward to leer over her dead brother's body "You!" Michael whipped his head around to the call of his name, standing on guard when he saw the lone vampire.

Lunging forward, Veronica grabbed Michael by the throat, squeezing down on his air pipe. The half-vampire mirrored her actions, trying to push her away from his neck with his other hand. A panicked yell came from the stairs the vampire had descended only moments prior, coming closer quickly "Stop!" It was Star. "Stop it, both of you!" she begged but was ignored immediately. Baring her teeth at the halfling, Veronica lunged forward again taking a bite out of his face, a pained yell escaped him, his agony reflected in the way he tightened his grip around her throat. It wasn't until his gaze looked past her and his eyes widened that his fist loosened and Veronica had a chance to glance at what he was looking at.

Behind her, Star stood with a thick stake raised in her hand, an unsure look on her face "Both of you need to stop." She used the piece of wood to gesture at both of them as a threat, all three of them knew she wouldn't be able to carry out on her threat barely having the courage to stand up to the two fighting. With Michael's grip loosened, Veronica managed to squeeze herself out of his grasp and toward Star who was clearly in distress "Star, put that down. You're not going to use it we both know that. Just come to me and put it down." Before she could get a response she felt a harsh shove to her back push her forward, suddenly she was only centimeters from Star's face, chest to chest, the feeling of being punched shooting through her. It was only when she pulled back did she realise the stake in Star's hand had penetrated her chest and impaled itself in her heart.

A gag jumped from Veronica's throat stumbling back and looking down at the damage. Star's shock is apparent on her face, becoming clear she never intended to use such a weapon on her. Reaching her arms out to Veronica as she fell to the ground, the sound of the impact and the pained gasp echoing through the room. Her blood staining the floorboards below her, the brunette looked at Star in desperation as she leaned over her. Gargled gasps came instead of the words she tried to speak, a lost attempt to lift herself up failing. "Oh God." taking a fist full of Veronica's jacket to steady herself, Star looked down in what could only be described as guilt.

Guilt. For what she had done or at the very least enabled. A series of 'Oh, no's and 'Oh god's fell from her lips like gospel, as if chanting it would make the situation any better. A gentle hand tried its best to stroke hair out of Veronica's face, clearing her vision. Spluttered coughs rattled her body, straining her lungs with a burning sensation spreading across her chest. Looking over the immobile body before her, Star let out a weep that shattered the dying girl's soul, trying her best to reach up to her but the attack had made too weak.

Star grabbed her hands and held them together in her own "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Apologies flowing out of her mouth desperately, tears uncontrollably pouring out of her eyes and down her cheeks, some even landed in the lying girl. Her image soon became a shadowy figure to Veronica's struggling eyes, the strong effort she made to keep them open soon dissolving along with the muscles in her neck trying to prop her head up. "I'm sorry." Star repeated "Please don't go. I didn't mean to." The remaining vision Veronica upheld turned dark, her once lively eyes became glazed and unfocused. "No. No, don't." Star begged, tears now blurring her own vision.

A final breath raised her bloodied chest and then; nothing.

#star the lost boys #the lost boys #the lost boys oc #character x oc #the lost boys 1987 #star tlb #oc x canon #the lost boys x reader

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your-phantomfield · 26 days

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MAI = NATSUME

i .. ii .. iii circa 2198 for @tokufan400

Cooking is a great way to take care of your loved ones. A good meal makes anyone happy, there are countless ways you can experiment and personalize your work, you don’t need fancy words or a whole lot of money to express your feelings this way, and learning someone’s favorite foods is like learning more about them as a person! For anyone who enjoys cooking, part of the fun of dating is learning all your partner’s favorite dishes and seeing their eyes light up when you surprise them with one!

Which is why things with Mai are starting to stress you out. She’s a wonderful girl; earnest, hardworking, always kind. But there's something about the subject of food that's causing a bit of a problem in your relationship.

The problem started early on. When you first brought up that you liked to cook, she seemed to take it fine... but looking back on the memory now, her reaction does seem a little off. At the time you figured maybe she just wasn’t that much of a foodie, or maybe it was just the typical nervousness of early attraction.

As you started dating, Mai never seemed interested in lunch or dinner dates. It was the one type of date that she always seemed to need to rain check last minute. The times you’ve tried to bring her a treat, she’s always claimed that she just ate, so she’ll have to take the food home and eat it later. She’s reluctant to even try it in front of you!

II.

At first it’s a little heartbreaking- you can’t help but wonder if she’s not interested in you, or trying to hide something, the way she’s being so evasive. You may not want to doubt her, but she’s flat out not acting normal. You start looking for other signs, and things go from upsetting to… outright worrying.

At some point you notice that you never see her eat. At all. With you, or with anyone else. The next time she assures you she already ate before she met up with you, you try to ask her about what she ate. She seems thrown off- even frightened- by the question. When she answers, it honestly sounds like she’s making something up.

This pushes things past the point of you being worried about your relationship, and into the realm of you being worried about her. You're becoming more and more convinced that your girlfriend is hiding an eating disorder.

III.

This is where you learn about Mai’s unique condition, and her complicated relationship with food.

Mai Natsume really can’t eat. Well, she can- she still has to, like anyone else- but it isn’t easy for her. There was an… incident, back in her teen years, that messed up her sense of taste really bad. She was in the hospital for a while. Since then, she really can’t taste her food at all.

Instead, she experiences this bizarre sensory overload. She calls it ‘super taste.’ When she puts something in her mouth, the taste is there, but it’s buried under all kinds of other information about what she’s eating. The thoughts and feelings of anyone who cooked the food come rushing into her head, alongside the sentiments of the ingredients themselves. It's like everything in the dish is alive and screaming at her from the inside of her head.

She laughs awkwardly as she tells you the story, almost shaking. She won't look you in the eyes. You are her first relationship, and she didn't want to ruin things like this. She knows how insane this all sounds, and what's worse, she knows how much you like cooking.

She understands that this might be a total deal breaker for you... if you can even believe it in the first place.

IV.

Her story explains her odd behavior, and it addresses some of your concerns, but it also brings on several new ones. What has she been eating, if eating is so painful for her? She has to eat something, right???

She's able to reassure you that she does eat, but she's not enthusiastic about it. When she joined Sector Seven, an entire small team was tasked with attempting to fix her condition. They failed, in the end, but their experiments did produce the least agonizing way to feed her.

Her daily meals are protein packed rations with all the flavorful appeal of prison food. All ingredients are synthesized beyond recognition in an attempt to distance them from whatever form of genetic memory Mai's taste picks up on, and packed with neural depressants to try to prevent the sensory overload she experiences. These meals are bland, tasteless, and they still leave her with headaches, but at least she can eat.

With the truth out in the open, Mai can finally stop avoiding your questions and tell you her favorite foods. The truth is, she doesn’t have one, considering how awful everything is for her. Since her taste changed, there’s only ever been one thing she can eat and actually enjoy… Her mouth is practically watering as she explains that one of her old friends is such an amazing cook, they can make food that Mai can eat, and it even tastes good! Great, actually! She describes it like heaven.

Naturally, this catches your attention. If it’s possible for one person to crack the code on how to make food Mai can eat, then it has to be possible for another person to learn to do the same. You’ve been wanting to cook for Mai since you first fell for her. Learning just how miserable her experience with food is has turned that ‘want’ into a full-on mission.

It’ll be just like learning a new recipe- or, maybe a whole new style of cooking. You’re sure you can do it. People have been fine tuning how they cook and developing whole new menus for people with special dietary needs for centuries! Vegan menus, gluten sensitivities, all KINDS of allergies- what Mai has must be just, like one of those on steroids. And she just confirmed that it’s possible to cater a menu to her needs. Whoever this mythical chef friend of hers is, you need to meet them and start studying with them asap!!!

VI.

This leads into a new problem. Mai hasn’t seen this friend since she left school. She doesn’t know where they are now, and considering her work with Sector Seven, it isn’t entirely safe to go hunting them down. If Mai was comfortable doing that, she would have done it already.

So, you won’t be able to learn directly under this mythical chef. Fine! It’s not going to stop you now that you know a solution is out there. As long as you consider yourself a cook, your girlfriend is not going to be eating bland sensory hell food for the rest of her life!!! Mai is worried about making you go out of your way for her, but even as she tries to tell you you don't have to do this, she's practically jumping out of her seat in her excitement. Your whole relationship you haven't been able to share your love of cooking with her, and now here she is, eyes lighting up and telling stories about foods she wants to try again one day. There is no way you're going to give up now.

VII.

Your first step from there is to talk to the research team behind Mai's meals at Sector Seven. You need to learn what they already know that works, what doesn't, and all the 'safe' ingredients or techniques you can use as a baseline. It's 95% complicated drug names you've never heard of, but you're learning.

You also need to taste what she's eating now. You don't have super taste, you have normal human person taste, but even then, this stuff is gross. You find you hate eating it, even without it beaming a flood of nonsense into your mind and giving you a migraine- you can't imagine how Mai manages to choke it down.

Then it's long talks with the research team to swap ideas. They're a bunch of chemists, not a bunch of chefs, so there have to be things they're missing. Unfortunately, a lot of your early ideas to improve the taste have already been tried and just make things worse for her. The issue for her is stimulation, and adding much flavor or any of the ingredients you'd usually use would bring her back to the hell she experienced before they started making special prescription rations for her.

No matter what you make, it’s going to need to be packed with sedatives. Which makes you feel like some kind of mad scientist, rather than a cook.

VIII.

At the very least, you could do a lot to improve the visuals and atmosphere of her meals. Again, these are a bunch of chemists that are cooking for her. Her meals may still have to taste like muddy dog food until you’ve made some kind of breakthrough, but they sure don’t have to look like it.

It’s an interesting experience for a cook, focusing all your attention on the visuals of her meals rather than the flavor, but it definitely grows your skills in new directions. People have said food can be an art, and plenty of studies have shown that the way a meal looks and smells will impact the way it tastes. Maybe if you can stimulate her taste through her other senses, rather than directly via her tongue, you can avoid triggering her condition.

☆ Bonus ☆

The fun part about all the research and experimenting you have to do is all the time you're able to spend with Mai now. You sit down with her for all her meals, so different from only weeks ago when your girlfriend would disappear into the night at the very mention of dinner. Now you sit with her and brace yourself for the most unappetizing gruel you've ever had the displeasure of dining on, a notebook or a recorder at your side to track the ideas and complaints that come to mind.

You hold her hand and let her squeeze while the pain washes over her, sitting in silent comfort until she's ready to talk- then maybe make a few jokes about the awful meal to get a smile back on her face. You grill her for everything she experiences- taste, thoughts, pain, smell, anything- and the two of you spend an hour or more brainstorming together. You tell her about the foods you love, and steadily she opens up about which ones she wants to try one day, and the meals she misses most from before her taste changed. She hasn't been cured, yet, but being able to share the experience with someone is life changing in its own way.

She doesn't dread when it's time to eat anymore. What's more, alongside the thoughts clouding her mind as she eats, she can feel how much you love her as she eats your cooking.

She can hear the thoughts you had during the hours you worked to make something that wouldn't hurt her, something she could enjoy.

The first time she eats a meal you worked on, using all the weird ingredients from Sector Seven and all the tricks you've learned, she breaks down crying.

You're afraid you may have messed up- that something you did to the food is hurting her.

She's not in pain, though, and she'll tell you that when she can stop crying.

The first words she manages to choke out through a sob are,

"I love you too."

#x reader #romantic #mai natsume #tokufan400

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gravity-barbie · 1 year

Text

Celebrating your birthday with the Sparrows HCs

Request: May I ask a hc where the Sparrows are planning a celebration for their S/O’s birthday?

A/N: Fei’s is written queer-platonically

Tw: mentions of alcohol

Masterlist

Marcus Hargreeves

-Marcus does actually care a lot about things like birthdays and anniversaries, and tries to make the most out of them, making up for how busy he is throughout the rest of the year

-It’s so easy for him to get the time and privacy to plan, just telling you he’s busy with the sparrow academy, but actually his siblings are freer than they’ve been in months, he pretty much blows them off

-His particular skill set really come in handy here, guiding the decorators and caterers is a lot like leading the sparrows, honestly in another life he could of been a professional party planner

-With him at the wheel it’s the most extravagant event of the year, but he has the sense to tailor the details to your interests, after all his ultimate goal isn’t to impress you, it’s to make you feel happy and loved

-Even though he’s very confident in the end result, on your birthday when you finally get to see it he studies your reaction to every part so carefully, even after years of appeasing Reginald he’s never cared more about someone’s opinion than he does in this moment

Ben Hargreeves

-Ben is a lot more romantic and thoughtful than he often feels comfortable expressing, but it really shows on occasions like this, he goes all out on this celebration

-He takes it so seriously too, his siblings could tease him about it and he would in all earnestness be like ‘is this a joke to you?’, and he’s basically a tyrant to any staff he may end up needing, he’s like the birthday-party-planning equivalent of a bridezilla

-But the quality of the final result can’t be argued, every last detail is a testament to how well he knows you and how much you’re worth to him, though he’d still have a hard time actually admitting just how much consideration he put into everything

-It’s quite possibly the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for you, you’re over the moon and Ben is getting near high on your joy

-He makes sure to give you his softer side all day, even playing nice with the other guests, but it’s after the party in private that he’s at his absolute sweetest

Fei Hargreeves

-Fei is so excited to get into party planning, it’s a rare chance for her to tap into her sizeable fun side for maybe the only person she knows who would appreciate it

-As much as she’d rather it be a surprise, she’s too practical and needs to confirm that you won’t make any other plans, but there’s plenty of room to surprise you with things like the theme and an overall amazing quality

-Unsurprisingly she nails all the details, she knows you so well, you yourself couldn’t of arranged something that better fits your taste

-She would prefer something a bit private and intimate, but if that’s not your style she’ll work around it, as long as she can steal a few moments alone with you throughout the day

-Fei had been looking forward to your reaction all week, so finally seeing your undoubtedly thrilled expression completely melts her heart

Alphonso Hargreeves

-Alphonso is pretty confident that he has this in the bag, and because of that he leaves a lot of the work to the last minute, though he does plenty of brainstorming in the meantime

-However his lack of a solid plan leaves him going through a comedy of errors when he finally starts, which exhausts him to no end but he takes it like a champ because he remains determined to throw you a hell of a party

-The end result isn’t as glamorous as some of his sibling could of pulled off, and it doesn’t quite live up to the vision in his head, but it’s heartfelt, it has character, and you couldn’t imagine a sweeter celebration

-It’s definitely a fun filled occasion, he brings out all these party games that he’s always been kind of curious about, and his dry humour throughout never fails to get a smile out of you

-Once the party’s died down and any guests have gone on their way, your night continues in a chiller, snacking on leftovers in front of the tv way, and it’s then he wishes you his most sweet and sincere happy birthday

Sloane Hargreeves

-Sloane has been waiting for this for months, she loves you, she loves event planning, it’s perfect, she’s most likely more excited for your birthday than you are

-She considers every detail so carefully, thinking back on all the birthday parties she had dreamed of having as a kid for inspiration, taking into account all your likes and dislikes, and even seeing what inside jokes and references she can incorporate

-Her finished project is of course extremely aesthetically pleasing, which is extra impressive because she made all the decorations herself, and while there are hints of her signature flair, it definitely caters to your taste

-You’re certainly blown away and overjoyed, which just makes her light up all the more, occasions like this really highlight what a sickeningly sweet couple you two make, any guests you have are gonna leave bitter and envious

-Even by her standards, Sloane is so sweet and affectionate all day, her presence could of turned an evening in hell into the best birthday ever, but the party makes a wonderful cherry on top

Jayme Hargreeves

-You truly don’t expect much, Jayme would never forgot or go without acknowledging your birthday, but she’s not a party person, and her acts of affection are quite low key

-That being said, she can truly get away with a surprise party, you don’t suspect anything when she randomly asks you about your desert or music preferences, or when she’s ‘busier’ than usual on the week leading up to your birthday

-She doesn’t go overboard with the party planning, just gathering a few of your friends, a couple of pizzas, a lot of alcohol, and throwing around some disorganised decorations

-But the sentiment is there, especially since it’s coming from someone like Jayme, who wouldn’t do anything like this for someone else, you’re frankly amazed to which she roles her eyes and tells you not to get sappy but she can’t hide her smile

-The evening still isn’t exactly her idea of a good time, but when you’re happy so is she, but she’s a lot happier after the party when she’s finally got you alone

#the sparrow academy #marcus hargreeves x reader #ben hargreeves x reader #sparrow ben x reader #fei hargreeves x reader #alphonso hargreeves x reader #sloane hargreeves x reader #jayme hargreeves x reader #tua x reader #tua x you #the umbrella academy preferences #the umbrella academy imagine #the umbrella academy x reader

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bengiyo · 8 months

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Love in Translation Ep 3 Stray Thoughts

Last week, they opened the store and things were slow. Phumjai used Tammy in their marketing, and his parents ruined it at first by rushing to buy stuff. Phojai realized this and chewed his brother out, but Phumjai didn't know. Yang felt bad after this, because he was also going to yell at Phumjai, and instead used it as an opportunity to help Phumjai learn to ride a bike and feel more confident in himself. Additional messaging with Tammy went well, and we learned that Phumjai's interest in her is completely innocent and kind of cute. We also know that Yang has a thing for Phumjai, Odo has a thing for one of the workers, and Phojai has the other bestie here to keep an eye on Phumjai. Now, Tammy is here.

Incredible use of the lens flare as Yang reassures Phumjai that he should be himself with Tammy.

Now, Yang, why are you working in those tight ass white pants?

Hey, Tammy remembered Phumjai!

DRAMA: Yang and Tammy know each other!

Love them doing the IG research and coming to the same conclusion as Yang. Phojai may be harsh, but he's very protective of his brother.

Whoever is in charge of cinematography and lighting is doing a great job in this show.

I wonder if Yang is sabotaging the translations.

This show continues to land its comedic timing flawlessly. This latest rushing to Yang for translations bit was good.

I hope that Phojai and Yang team up later.

Oh my god. Tammy wins this round, but that entire scene was stellar. If you're gonna come for Tammy, Yang, you better not miss.

It's really impressive how effectively this show is using the depth of the frame for comedy.

I need every BL fan to watch this show so they can recognize Ngern Anupart immediately the way I do.

I totally get why Yang is smitten by Phumjai. He's got such a fun spirit.

Yang is not feeling all these gimmicks at all.

Offroad and Daou are good together. Seeing Phumjai come down from that fight to put on a cheerful face for the kid was solid work.

I like characters with a healthy amount of emotional intelligence, and going to reconcile with Phumjai after snapping at him and then getting scolded by his own employees is the kind of work I love to see.

Okay, Tammy! She may have been a player, but I am curious to see what her taking Phumjai seriously looks like. Seems like Yang is bisexual, and now has to deal with his ex as a rival. So fun!

Love that we went from a scene where Tammy praised the way Phumjai cares for people and is curious about them to a scene where Phumjai continues to care about Yang and is curious about his family and friends.

Teach you how to have a date? What in the Hidden Agenda? Yang, you better tell him that you're not gonna teach him how to dance with her.

I'm so excited to see these two go on a date. Truly, Phumjai's earnestness is holding the emotional truth of this date concept together.

I am ready to declare it: THIS IS MY FAVORITE SHOW CURRENTLY AIRING. I recently passed 50 productions watched this year, and I can already tell this one is probably going to sit in the top 5. This show is tight! Nothing is wasted. I haven't been this impressed with how well the scenes work together since The Warp Effect. This show is also funny! It's so good. I am so impressed with everyone, and especially Offroad. This character requires so much energy, and I never feel Phumjai faltering once.

#love in translation #thai bl #bl series #Ben watches

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gorogues · 7 months

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Fictober 2023

Prompt number #14 Fanfiction Fandom: Flash Rogues Rating: T – Teen and up Warnings: A referenced violent threat.

Day Fourteen: “If you don’t stop now —”

Lisa has had better weeks. Several of the Rogues had annoyed Abra Kadabra with their usual criminal shenanigans, and the time-travelling magician retaliated by de-aging the offenders. Kadabra claimed it was a temporary spell after Lisa put a skate blade to his throat, but she has no way of knowing whether it’s true or not.

Which brings her to now, having spent several long days keeping watch over two rambunctious eight-year-old boys.

She’s really had better weeks.

“I told you to clean your plates, guys,” she says for the second time that evening, more tired than angry.

“It’s gross,” Roscoe replies with a disgusted face, pushing the plate away and refusing to even look at it. “I don’t like the way the food feels in my mouth.”

“I’m not gonna eat mine unless he has to eat his,” Lenny says firmly. The past week has taught her that he means it, and it fits with the brother she’s known her whole life. Len’s always been stubborn, but it seems as though both men have regressed to what they were like as kids, and they don’t appear to have memories of their adult lives.

She doesn’t know what she’ll do if the spell never wears off: it’s incredibly awkward to care for her boyfriend and older brother as children. But who else could she trust to look after them?

“I’m sorry, guys, I don’t have a lot of experience cooking. We’re just going to have to learn as we go.”

“Pizza!” Lenny cheers, and Roscoe soon joins in until it’s a chant. Lisa can’t help grinning along with them, because they’re obviously having so much fun. She loves seeing how happy they are right now, as experiencing pure joy can be rare for their adult selves.

“Maybe tomorrow, okay? Let’s finish our plates tonight and look forward to ordering something tomorrow!” she replies with as much encouraging excitement as she can muster.

The kids are disappointed, and she is too when she sees those smiles vanish, but they can’t eat pizza every day. They reluctantly pick up their forks and begin pushing their food around -- stalling for time to avoid having to eat it -- but things start going sideways when Roscoe sneaks some of his food onto Lenny’s plate.

“Hey, look what he did! You jerk!” Lenny exclaims indignantly, and throws the food at Roscoe’s face. Soon the boys are pummelling each other in earnest, a kind of clumsy flailing very unlike the precise blows she’s seen the adult Rogues direct at the others during their conflicts.

“Knock it off!” she scolds, running over to pull them apart. “If you two don’t stop that right now—”

“You’ll what? You’re not my mom,” Roscoe says defiantly, and he’s got her there. She doesn’t know what to say to that, so all she can do is send him to another room for a time-out.

She’s never wanted children; she doesn’t trust herself not to replicate her parents’ many disastrous mistakes. But at least she didn’t hit or belittle either of the kids, so she’ll take her victories where they can be found. She takes a deep, tired breath, although Lenny’s already figured out that something’s wrong.

“Sorry I threw food at him. I was just mad that he tried to make me eat it.”

“I know. I know you guys didn’t like it, and I’m not mad at either of you. He just needed a time out and you two needed some space apart from each other.”

Lenny wraps his small arms around her shoulders and hugs her tightly. “Love you.”

“I love you too,” she says softly, fighting the tears in her eyes and leaning into the hug. She misses the days when her big brother would comfort her during tough times, and this is the next best thing.

When she goes to find Roscoe thirty minutes later, he’s already half-asleep on the couch in front of the television. A large top lay on its side next to him.

“You can come out now. You were never in trouble, we all just needed a chance to cool down and think,” she tells him.

“I did think,” Roscoe says drowsily. “I know you’re not my mom because you’re much nicer than she is. She yells at me a lot and says mean things, and I’d much rather be with you.”

“Oh, sweetie.” She really isn’t sure what to say to him, as the entire situation has been deeply weird since the beginning. “I’m glad you’re here too.”

He just yawns in response, and she pulls a nearby blanket over him so he can get some much-needed sleep. He’d had a very active day, and she suspects he's been full of restless energy his entire life.

Hopefully the ‘kids’ will be back to their normal selves tomorrow, she thinks to herself. But for tonight, she’s fine with things remaining as they are.

#fictober23 #Golden Glider #Captain Cold #the Top #fanfic #kids

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culturenosh · 1 month

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We love her again

youtube

Charli XCX is pop's foremost wannabe troll (not pop's foremost actual troll - that's Selena Gomez). So of course she would use the occasion of her most irritating album rollout to soft reboot the plainspoken vulnerability that animated her early work.

The part about "So I" that gets me is the first verse - how it touches on the ways that well-meaning cis people dehumanize trans people via idolization ("You're a hero/ and a human"), and how her consequent inability to recognize SOPHIE's genuine care compromised the relationship they could have had ("You would say, 'Come on, stay for dinner'/ I'd say, 'No, I'm fine'"). It's so simple, but the step-by-step pace of her melody makes it feel like she's putting in so much effort just to hold onto the bare facts of her words, surrendering to grief when the countermelodies squeeze in at the end of each stanza ("nowIreallywishIdid"). It's the same kind of tactic she used in the True Romance days, using pauses and rhythm to imply worlds of meaning in between the things that are actually said.

Crash strained to balance its conceptual narrative about fame with the personal narrative of her relationship with her boyfriend and her fans, as well as the actual reality of Charli's place within the pop ecosystem. It felt strongest as a series of love songs in which Charli roleplayed as a personification of the industry's vampiric cynicism, but that framework fell apart when she took swings at radio-bait. I felt like, perhaps, she was no longer for me. It's still possible that I won't love Brat, her upcoming album; "Von Dutch," the lead single, is fun but lightweight, and her public persona has become increasingly caustic and humorless since Pop 2. But I'll take any evidence that her earnest femininity is still intact, somewhere beneath her brittle bravado.

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beepochi · 7 months

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many thoughts head overflowing but Liam going to spend the holiday with his dad and his dad's partner (they drink milk tea together and vibe)

eheh yea this is p much canon. liam genuinely loves jian once theyre finally introduced n vice versa😌 (one thing james actually facilitated well)

think ive only ever written one drabble thing w jian n liam interacting (even tho also hv many thoughts) but dont reckon itll ever see the light of day? so just gonna stick it down below for fun >:) its uhh set after james n jian break up🕺

It’s pouring outside the bar and Jian just stands on the footpath, feeling too cold and too hot. He also feels like he’s about to cry and briefly considers calling someone. Desmond or Marcus. No, not Marcus. Nor Desmond, actually. He swallows and starts walking, the rain hitting his shoulders. He loves them both. But they can be stifling. Their worry; concern; care for him. So earnest and real. He finds it overwhelming and he’s not sure he could face it tonight.

He starts feeling properly cold after he’s walked about a block. He’s soaked now and regrets wearing just the one layer; a thin white shirt. He wipes a forearm across his face and hopes he doesn’t get sick. Sniffing, and still feeling on the verge of tears for no apparent reason, he looks around. He recognises these buildings, he knows where he is. James lives nearby.

Jian swallows and his eyes actually well up for a moment. He blinks rapidly and blames it on the rain. He crosses the street.

On any other night, he’d go home. On any other night, he’d text first. On any other night, he’d stop and think. But tonight is not any other night and he’s not sure what he’s doing.

He doesn’t even need to think about the route; his feet just naturally take him to the classy apartment building.

It’s only when he’s rung the doorbell that Jian starts feeling sick. What if he tells Jian to go away; what if he’s found himself someone new; what if said someone new answers the door?

The door opens. Jian blinks and looks down.

“Liam.” he says, surprised. Liam’s face goes from confused to delighted in a matter of seconds. “Jian!” Jian swallows and desperately tries to think of an excuse, of a reason he suddenly has to leave again, of some reason for Liam to pretend he never saw him, of- “Jian.” a lower, less delighted voice sounds. Jian shifts his gaze upwards again. James stands behind Liam, a vegetable knife in his right hand. He’s in a white dress shirt and navy slacks; the dress shirt is pushed up to his elbows with the first two buttons undone. He looks gorgeous. Jian doesn’t have any words for him. James’s face shifts to a frown as he runs his eyes over Jian. “You’re soaked.” Jian swallows and looks down. He’s made a wet patch on the flooring outside. “I-” “-come in.” James tells him, putting his left hand on Liam’s shoulder as they both step back. Jian’s stomach turns. Nonetheless, he bends down to pull off his shoes before stepping inside and letting the door close behind him. He places his shoes beside the various other pairs, then has nothing to do with his hands. Liam moves in for a hug and Jian doesn’t mean to sidestep. Liam pulls back and pouts. “You don’t like me anymore?” Jian swallows, eyes flicking up to James’s before he answers. “Course I still like you.” He says. “But ‘m all wet. Don’t want you gettin’ sick.” Liam nods slowly and James’s free hand falls to ruffle his hair. “Go lay the table bud.” he says gently. “For Jian too.” Jian opens his mouth to refuse when James cuts him off with a look. Liam gives his dad a corny little salute before running to the kitchen. Jian clicks his thumb joint and feels his stomach twist. “‘M sorry, I-” “-it’s fine. You need to change, c’mon.” James turns and starts after his son. Jian watches him for a second, feeling god-awful, before he bites his cheek, peels off his wet socks and follows.

After a brief stop in the kitchen to deposit the knife, James leads them to the bedroom. Jian hovers awkwardly by the bed as James goes through his wardrobe. Jian is fascinated by how somewhere that used to be his home now feels so foreign. He bites his lip. “James, I didn’t- ‘f I’d known Liam was here I wouldn’t’ve-” “-it’s okay.” James cuts him off calmly, turning away from the wardrobe with a pair of grey sweats and a black shirt. Jian feels his eyes go hot and prickly and he scowls. “It’s not— ‘m sorry. I didn’t mean— t’ come. I-” “-Jian.” James hands him the clothes and catches Jian’s eye. “It’s okay. I mean it. Let me get you a towel.” Jian numbly accepts the clothes as James moves to the ensuite. He drops his gaze to them and they feel so soft. He puts them on the bed.

James returns and comes far too close in order to drop the towel over Jian’s head. He then starts to dry Jian’s hair. His jaw is set, Jian notices, yet not quite in anger. “You look nice.” James tells him after a heavy silence. His eyes are on his hands as he continues to move the towel against Jian’s hair. Jian’s throat clicks as he swallows. “Night out?” James pushes and Jian feels nauseous. “I—” he starts and wishes he could read James’s face, his tone, anything. “-went to a bar.” James’s hands finish and he nods, stepping back. “With friends?” Jian doesn’t know why he’s asking this of all things. He pulls the towel off his head and drops it on the bed. “No.” He mutters, stripping off his shirt and retrieving the towel to rub roughly over his arms and torso. “By yourself.” James says and he folds his arms over his chest. Jian focuses on pulling on the black shirt. It’s too big for him, obviously, and smells of James. “Are you okay?” James asks after Jian stays silent. Jian moves his hands to the waistband of his trousers. He’s not sure how to answer and undoes his fly button and then his fly. James lets out a very light sigh. “Are your boxers wet too?” He asks. “Do you want to borrow some?” “S’fine.” Jian peels off his trousers. James hums as he nods. Jian wishes he would look away as he moves his hands to the waistband of his pants. “Which bar?” James asks. Jian sets his jaw. The shirt is big enough that it covers everything so he pushes his boxers down quickly and doesn’t bother drying before he tugs on James’s sweats. “The Bridge.” Jian mutters and he watches James’s eyebrow twitch. “Why that one?” Jian bites the inside of his cheek and breaks eye contact. He pulls the drawstring of the sweats tight. “Thought it was what I wanted.” James is quiet. Jian has trouble making a knot. “But?” James prods. Jian scowls as his fingers fumble and he has to start again. “But nothin’. Some creep tried t’—” He fucks up a simple knot once again and cusses. James steps closer and knocks his hands away. “Tried to what?” He asks, making quick work of tying the drawstring but not moving back when he’s done. Jian refuses to lift his eyes from the waistband of the sweatpants. James’s hands come to rest at his waist. So light, Jian can’t even feel them. “Nothin’.” He says. “He was just horny. I wasn’t bein’ clear.” The hands get a little tighter. And then, finally, the question Jian had been waiting for: “And you came here. Why?” Jian can feel the warmth of James’s body, he can smell his shampoo, his cologne. He looks at James’s socked feet and his chest aches. Wetness returns to his eyes and he glowers. “Why d’you think?” There’s a small breath from James. “I can’t read your mind, Jian. You need to tell me.” Jian takes his bottom lip into his mouth and realises James’s socks are mismatched. One is navy, the other is black. He sniffs wetly and he didn’t mean it to be such a loud noise. “Needed t’ see you.” He manages. James is quiet. Jian regrets his phrasing. And then there are soft lips pressing against his forehead. “Okay.” James murmurs, pulling back. His hands travel up to cup Jian’s face and he makes it unavoidable to meet his eyes. Jian’s vision is blurry and he blinks. A tear slips out and he clenches his jaw. James’s thumb brushes it away. “I really didn’t-” His voice is tight and he doesn’t know what he’s even saying. “-‘m sorry.” James just watches him, eyes critical. Jian bites his lip as his eyes overflow again. “I know ‘m not- it- but I couldn’t—” James cuts him off with a kiss.

Jian, of course, hadn’t expected a kiss. And if he did, he might expect a soft, tender one. This one, however, is firm and hot and demanding. James’s hands tighten where they cup Jian’s face, giving him nowhere to go. There is tongue and teeth and Jian’s mind is hazy as he just lets James take.

When James finally pulls back, it’s only enough to let them both breathe. “Stay the night.” He says, nose brushing Jian’s. Jian should say no. “Okay.” James presses another kiss against his lips. “Liam’ll be happy.” He says, stepping back. “Put your clothes in the laundry, I’ll wash them tomorrow.” Jian nods and picks up his soaked clothes.

James goes back to the kitchen and Jian watches him continue chopping vegetables. He feels awkward and is about to offer to help when there’s a light tug on his shirt. “Jian, I did your ones the right way round, look.” Liam pulls him along to the sleek dining table and shows Jian where he’s set Jian’s plate. Jian nods, confused, but gives Liam a small smile anyway. “Fork on left, knife on right.” he explains proudly. Jian blinks and looks back to the table. He notices his place is the only one set this way and can’t help laughing, ever so quietly. “You got it wrong man.” He says softly and switches the knife and fork around. “Knife ’n the left.” Liam groans. “I knew it.” He grumbles and moves to fix his and James’s. When he’s done he looks back to Jian. “Does this mean you’re coming back?” He asks, eyes bright and hopeful. Jian’s stomach drops. He doesn’t know how to respond. “Dad said you didn’t love him anymore.” Liam obliviously continues and Jian thinks he might vomit. His eyes flick over to where James tenses in the kitchen. “But that’s not true.” Liam tells him. Jian really doesn’t want to start crying again, definitely not in front of a child. He clears his throat, trying to get rid of the lump there. “Yeah. S’not true.” He agrees quietly. Liam smiles and Jian notices a missing tooth, one of his top canines. It’s very cute. He points halfheartedly, “When’d that happen?” Liam’s face - impossibly - brightens. “Two days ago!” He says, sticking fingers into his mouth as if to better show Jian. Jian snorts and gently tugs the hand down. “Very cool.” “This one’s loose too!” Liam pushes his tongue against one of his bottom canines and Jian nearly cringes as he watches it wiggle. “Careful.” he mutters, not feeling particularly keen on watching it be pushed from Liam’s gum. Liam rolls his eyes. “Doesn’t hurt.” Jian snorts again. “So brave.” Liam laughs and then he’s taking Jian’s hand and pulling him to his bedroom.

He sits Jian on the bed before telling him to stay and carefully moving a big Lego structure to the middle of his floor. “It’s a spaceship.” he starts, adjusting the toy dinosaur seemingly just plonked on top. “And a hair dresser’s.” Jian laughs and slips off the bed in order to have a better look.

Liam happily guides him through, pointing out all the little secrets and quirks. Jian thinks it’s actually quite impressive and tells him so. Liam accepts the praise as if he already knows and Jian’s chest pangs with affection, listening to Liam start on the dinosaur’s backstory.

They’re up to the bit where the dinosaur is wanted in seven states when James’s voice cuts through. “Dinner’s ready boys.” Jian looks up. James is leant on the doorframe, expression unplaceable. “Yus!!” Liam shoots up and races out of his room. “Wash your hands!” James calls idly after him. There’s an ambiguous yell in reply. Jian stands and steps carefully around Liam’s spaceship. “Did you make?” He asks. James pushes off the doorframe. “Pasta.”

Liam’s plate is already full when he and James join him. Piled high with pasta and one leaf of salad. Jian snorts to himself as he sits beside Liam. “Leave some salad f’r us, huh?” Liam ignores him, shovelling a forkful of pasta into his tiny mouth. “‘Lwedy ate slad jus’-” He swallows. “you guys didn’t see me eat it.” Jian laughs. James doesn’t. “Liam, manners please.” Liam pouts, but sits up straighter nonetheless. James looks to Jian. “Help yourself.” Jian nods and puts only a little bit on his plate. He doesn’t feel hungry. James watches with a moderate expression but doesn’t comment, helping himself once Jian is done.

It’s quiet for the first minute. A weird tenseness hangs in the air. Jian swallows his mouthful, stabbing a piece of cucumber with his fork. “What’re you doin’ at school Liam?” He asks because the silence is making him more and more anxious. Liam, much to his father’s approval, chews and swallows before answering. “Doing a project on the Nile.” “Yeah?” Jian pushes because if he can just get Liam to start… “Yeah!” Liam grins and Jian feels a flood of relief. “And it’s also- I’m working with Amelia who’s my best friend! And we have to- it’s really cool!” He pauses to have another mouthful before excitedly continuing. “We’re making a cardboard copy of the Nile. To scale! And-” Jian lets out a helpless laugh and even James, who seems so restrained and distracted, snorts quietly. “-y’mean not t’ scale, yeah?” Jian gently interjects. Liam’s cheeks tinge red and he lets out a bashful laugh. “Right, right. It’d be massive otherwise! Oh, right! It’s the Nile from ancient Egypt. Forgot that bit. That’s the main bit.” Jian smiles and nods, picking through his food. “So we’re making a cardboard copy, not to scale, and then we’re also making some games from ancient Egypt and it’s so much fun!” he quickly munches down another forkful. “Jian, did you know the ancient Egyptians invented toothpaste?” Jian did not. “No.” He says. “That’s awesome.” Liam nods. “Yeah! And locks too!”

Thus, over the course of the meal, Jian learns all kinds of trivia about ancient Egypt. Interesting facts he will no doubt forget by tomorrow. After everyone’s finished, James tells Liam to load the dishwasher and he goes to the bathroom. Jian feels useless as Liam does his chores, so helps out by wiping the dining table and kitchen down. Liam tells him he doesn’t need to and soon enough shoos Jian out of the kitchen to ‘relax.’

Jian sits on the sofa and does not relax. He spots the blue highlighter stain he’d accidentally marked on the couch last year and idly rubs at it. He’s surprised James hasn’t cleaned it off properly. He then looks at the blank TV before standing and moving to the window. He shifts the curtain and peeks out at the cityscape. It’s pretty.

He goes onto the balcony and leans on the railing. It’s cold but he likes it. Gives him something to feel other than sad. He doesn’t even know if it’s sadness. Maybe it’s more like disconnect. Uncertainty and confusion, too.

He hears the door slide open then shut behind him and his chest twinges for no reason. A hand slips around his waist as James comes to stand next to him. “What’s going on?” he asks, soft. Jian goes straight back to on the verge of tears. He swallows and starts scratching at the railing. “Nothin’.” James makes a noise of disagreement. “You want anything? Beer?” “Tea.” Jian says. James lets out a breath of laughter. “I only have earl grey, that alright?” Jian wrinkles his nose and straightens up. “Hot chocolate.” James’s hand rubs up and down his back. “Okay.” The hand drops as he turns to go back inside. “Don't stay out here, it’s too cold.” So Jian follows him in.

He drops next to Liam on the sofa and squints at the TV. He’s watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Jian keeps his distaste to himself and instead drops a hand over Liam’s shoulder and shuffles so they’re both comfy.

James makes them each a hot chocolate and has a glass of wine for himself. He sits beside Jian on the couch but doesn’t touch him and Jian isn’t sure if he’s happy or sad for the fact.

They watch one more episode before James tells Liam to go to bed. Reluctantly, Liam does so. But before he goes, he makes Jian promise to be here tomorrow. Jian’s stomach knots as he does.

The atmosphere immediately changes when James comes back from tucking Liam in and Jian tries to ignore it. He bites his thumb nail as James drops beside him, watching him go back to the Netflix homepage. “Anything you wanna watch?” he asks, absently scrolling through the many options. Jian drops his hand from his mouth. “No.” James pauses on some crime show before scrolling on. “Movie or TV?” “TV.” Jian mutters, not sure what to do now he’s not chewing his nails. James moves to the TV shows page. Jian sees he’s been watching Queer Eye (though he’d not apparently managed to finish his episode) and Abstract. He can’t think of anything further from what he feels like than Queer Eye. The trailer for some psychological crime drama starts playing. A woman stabs a man on a beach. “Light or heavy?” James asks, frowning at the trailer. “I don’t—” Jian starts before worrying indecisiveness will annoy James. “-let’s just watch…” He hurriedly scans the screen for something. “Tintin.” James glances at him. His lips twitch as he looks away. “Okay.”

Jian does actually like Tintin, but he doesn’t think James is enjoying it. That starts making him antsy. He keeps glancing from the screen to James’s deadpan face. He chews his lip and wonders if it would annoy James more to continue watching a kid’s show or to start the search for something to watch all over again. “Relax.” James finally says and there is an edge of annoyance in his tone. Jian’s gut sinks and he bites the inside of his cheek, glancing over. James side-eyes him. “You’re being very loud.” He says. Jian scowls. “Didn’t say ‘nythin’.” James sighs and runs a hand over his face. “You didn’t need to.” He looks at Jian for a while, then fixes his eyes back on the screen. Jian had assumed there was more to come but apparently there’s not. He swallows audibly and shifts, tucking his legs underneath himself and leaning subtly away from James.

A few minutes pass in which Jian quietly watches the TV. But he’s just getting more and more edgy. Finally, he puts his feet down on the plush carpet. “I should go.” He mutters as Tintin and Snowy board a boat. James looks over at him. His eyebrows are raised, not in surprise, not in worry, but in something almost like flat disapproval. “What about Liam?” He asks, returning his gaze to the TV. Jian hates the disinterested air he’s putting on and clicks his thumb joint again. “Shouldn’t’ve even come.” James doesn’t reply to that and Jian feels a rush of frustration. “What about you?” he asks and he sounds immature. A muscle in James’s jaw jumps. “What about me?” He keeps his eyes trained on the TV. Jian swallows. “Don’t you want me t’ leave?” James lets out a dry breath of laughter and looks back at him. “Clearly, baby. That’s why I asked you to stay.” Jian hates when James is sarcastic. It always makes him feel stupid and small. “Doesn’t seem like you want me here.” Jian tells him and he hopes to god he doesn’t start fucking crying again. James sets his jaw before he answers. “I don’t know why you’re here.” He says and his tone now has a slightly softer edge. “I’m trying to give you space.” The lump in Jian’s throat aches. “I don’t want space.” He says, very quietly. James watches him. “What do you want?” God fucking knows. Jian wants to go home, he wants to stay. He wants to talk things through, he never wants to speak again. He wants James to touch him.

Slowly, so James can tell him to fuck off if he wants to, Jian moves. He moves to sit on James’s lap, thighs either side of him. James’s hands naturally come to rest on his hips and Jian isn’t sure where to put his. He settles for James’s shoulders. James continues to watch him. “This is what you want?” He asks. Jian isn’t entirely sure. He nods. James is still for a moment more before one hand comes up behind Jian’s neck and tugs him down.

#sorry its in present tense lmao couldnt be bothered changing #also bear in mind havent rly touched it since at least a year ago #OH marcus is uhhh future bf in one timeline lmao still havent decided how things turn out long-long longterm #also also 'i did yours the right way round' uhh its never come up but jians ambidextrous w left hand dominance fun fact #n just realised jian apparently goes looking for casual sex at a bar BEFORE dinnertime? ignore that lmao #ask #drabble

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ryuichirou · 6 months

Text

Miscellaneous Pomefiore-related asks

You have been in Pomefiore mood lately~ Can’t really blame you lol, I’m pretty much constantly in Pomefiore mood.

So if you sent us anything about Epel, Vil or Rook over the past couple of weeks, you’re very likely to find a reply in this post. I hope I haven’t missed anyone.

Anonymous asked:

I love how you ship Epel with men who would hunt him for sport. Rook and Floyd should have a competition to see who gets him first…

I can’t help it, Anon! Epel is just too darn huntable lol it’s his fault for looking like a widdle wabbit.

Rook and Floyd would indeed have a wonderful competition! Although I get the feeling that Floyd would get bored first lol

Anonymous asked:

Imagine Rook being a third wheel to everyone's ship and he finds it fun. Like seeing between Neige and Vil, which Neige is happy while Vil is a bit annoyed or the fact that he is between Leona and Ruggie that made them creep out to the hunter. Even him between Vil and Ortho.

This 100% sounds like something Rook would do. He hunts for love in all forms lol, both finds beauty in it and wants to participate... You never know with him, is he acting like a naturalist in a forest that watches animals perform courtship or is he just horny and wants to stick his nose into other people’s business. Well now I’m just describing a regular Rook Hunt lol

Whenever Vil goes, Rook would go with him and be an active part of his relationship, I feel like this isn’t even optional. Even if he isn’t a “boyfriend” boyfriend, he would always be there, sometimes in the bushes, sometimes in their bed lol

And if Vil tolerates it because he has a soft spot for Rook (any of his partners would tolerate him too, well, other than Floyd), I feel like Leona and Ruggie would freak the fuck out whenever Rook is around. Ah, wild animals~

Anonymous asked:

So all the dorms canonically wear make up, right? If Epel was in Savanaclaw like he wanted to be, do you think they'd have any easier time getting him to accept wearing makeup or do you think it would be harder?

I might be imagining things but I feel like someone has said at some point that some of the dorms use magic to apply makeup instead, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Savanaclaw guys did this?? But even if they don’t, their makeup is SO subtle it barely exists. I think Epel would have no problem putting some paint under his eyes – it’s manly paint! For wild men! Leona-senpai does it too, so it’s cool! And manly!!

It’s nothing like using all of the products that Vil makes him use, I think.

Anonymous asked:

after this event I'm half tempted to ship Rook an Deuce together

Rook:"your stupid i love that in a man"

I COMPLETELY FORGOT THAT THEY HAD A MOMENT OMG YES YOU’RE RIGHT LOL

Deuce is so adorable, I like when cunning and dangerous men gravitate towards his earnest and not very smart self. Rook was definitely charmed lol

Anonymous asked:

GloMas fuck fest anon coming back yet again with another dynamic to offer you, imagine Rook finding out about Azul being able to grab Malleus horns and dominant him? He's already obsessed with trying to hunt him.. it wouldn't hurt to add Malleus onto his list, right?

Oh Rook is obsessed with anything that is animalistic and weird, so he would get so excited about this whole thing. We’ve seen Rook trying to kind of almost flirt with Malleus in his own creepy Rook way at least once…

He’s probably going to talk to Azul first though. To ask uncomfortable question about how exactly it went, what it was like, how Azul’s octopus instincts acted out during sex, is Malleus okay with someone pulling on his horns, does his tail show up, is it sensitive. Azul would freak the fuck out and tell Rook nothing lol

So Rook would have to try to hunt Malleus down himself once again~ But he’s better be careful about it…

And these two replies are related to this post about Epel and Neige making out lol

blackbutlerfandomnerddomain asked:

I'm sorry but the pure idea of Epel seducing Neige to make Vil feel better about something negative a Neige-fan said about him is an idea that lives in my mind rent free. Even better if during a photoshoot, Vil gets a text from his Pomfiore Trio Group chat and when he opens it it's a video of Neige getting breathless making out with Epel before it cuts to a video of Rook fucking Neige's brains out in some grass, face and uniform shown and everything, all this so he has evidence of something to bring drama to Neige, or could be yandere for him

Damn what a crazy situation that would be lol yeah, you could take this thing very far and to a very dark direction! I like the idea of Epel seducing Neige.

But to be honest, this particular scenario is not really our cup of tea because of the dynamic and positioning (Neige being the one to get his brains fucked out lol), and still think that Vil would rather be freaked out if his boys did something like this. The latter isn’t a reason for them to stop of course.

Anonymous asked:

XxNeige_is_Vil's_Biggest_Fan53Xx: ffs, guys.they were making out against Vil's Pic. clearly it's all an attempt to make Vil jealous!

WhiteAppleLover69: plz. U VilNeige shippers are pathetic. Just accept that Neige actually has taste.

VilsFutureWife184; 1rst of all, the ship name 4 Neige and Vil is PoisonPrince. 2ndly, any1 who can't tell that this is just a PR stunt is the truly delusion 1. Like, when has Neige ever made any indication that he's even in2 men?

VilAnti: uh oh the self shippers have entered the chat

VilsFutureWife184: At least i don't project the actions of the characters an actor has played onto them as an excuse 4 petty hate.

VilAnti: vil doesn't love u he can't love u

_XXJUICETHEAPPLEXX_: WHY R U ALL DOGPILING ON VIL?! CLEARLY THE FLOOZY IS TRYING TO USE NEIGE 4 HIS FAME!!!

ApplesRn'tPurple: If he was using some1, wouldn't he go 4 Vil instead?

PoisonPrinceTruther: He probably got shot down bcuz Vil is obvi in luv with Neige and decided to take Neige ad range!

_XXJUICETHEAPPLEXX_: NOW URE ACCUSING NEIGE? WUT IS WRONG WITH U PPL!!!???

Deuce: Epel, what are you doing?

Epel: Vil's making me read the Magicam comments about my scandal as part of my punishment.

Deuce: ....That's awful.

Epel: I would rather clean all the windows in Pomefiore from outside again, if I'm being honest.

Vil: That can be arranged.

Absolutely priceless, Anon. I laughed so hard and got war flashback as if I’m also a veteran of the twisted wonderland in-universe rps shipping wars this felt TOO REAL lol

I also love the fact that Vil made Epel read magicam comments as a form of punishment. This is so so brutal and so Vil-like. Epel needs to learn how to behave himself LOL

#replies

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