why otto was pissed off at julius (also - otto might have developed Control Issues???) (another arc 8 otto theory/analysis)

so this is a sequel to my other post on why otto is so pissed off at subaru (arc 8 ch 24) which. yeah this says a lot about otto either way given ive now made more than one analysis post about why hes being a Pissbaby HAH but anyway.

i think ottos anger at julius is super fascinating bc it seemingly comes out of nowhere, but i think it makes sense upon first glance. julius straightforwardly breaks the hard cold truth to subaru about how louis Has to die. otto snaps at julius bc of what you assume to be either 1. otto doesnt agree with louis dying and/or 2. otto doesnt want julius to say this because itll upset subaru. but then theres the answer that otto gives, which is: otto doesnt want an outsider to the emilia camp interfering with this matter because it affects the emilia camp the most.

we know that reasons 2 (subaru will be upset hearing that louis will most likely have to die) and 3 (otto doesnt want someone outside of emilia camp interfering) are True. the latter is obvious because otto himself is being truthful when he states that, and the former is likely true due to otto snapping at julius after julius says that louis has to die right to subarus face after subarus tried to defend louis, showing that subaru cares deeply for her. otto snapping at julius reads partially, to me at least, as him trying to defend subaru with all the energy of covering the ears on a child so they dont hear something Bad.

but only two chapters after otto first snaps at julius we learn that not only does otto agree with julius on louis needing to be dead, but otto agrees to the point where hes withholding information in order for the emilia camp to remain suspicious of louis and so louis is more likely to die. so it’s interesting that the Only Reasons otto gives to julius on why otto does not want julius interfering with emilia camp are 1. you are an outsider to this matter and 2. you are my enemy. otto is specifically very hostile to julius and anastasia Even After julius apologizes for interrupting in emilia camp matters - and otto Still pushes forward to emphasize that he considers julius and anastasia enemies.

for someone as politically savvy as otto, it's Off-putting that he takes such a passionate position against both julius and anastasia when he knows that theyre not only subarus friends, but theyre also strong allies to the emilia camp who aided them in arc 6 and are loyal enough to follow them into vollachia. so why is otto being so hostile to them when, if anything, it's a Detriment to be so hostile to your own camps allies?

but theres also something else about julius - otto specifically notes that julius "walks in the light" just as emilia and subaru do. despite being beaten down by life, they still choose to hold onto their idealism and their genuine desire to save people. but otto also notes that - unlike emilia and subaru - julius draws the line at louis, and, just like otto, julius figures that louis has to die. which is absolutely not something that julius does on the regular (ex novel readers will remember that julius felt saddened by balleroy dying), and otto recognizes that julius's idealism vs his desire to end louis are in conflict with each other. subaru, at the moment, is at the extreme end of idealism - the desire to save Everyone and go against all odds. otto is, at this point, at the extreme other end - otto is pragmatic and not only doesnt believe that everyone can be saved, but otto doesnt believe that he can have everything he wants, so he has to prioritize. julius, meanwhile, is the in between - julius is a knight that serves a pragmatic merchant himself, and while he wants to save people, he wants to kill louis. he recognizes that louis dying is the cleanest outcome, with a suitable punishment for her actions, and for that reason it has to happen. otto seems uncomfortable by this because he sincerely believes that his path is the best one to take, even though it isnt necessarily morally right - meaning that he figures that he has to oppose subaru and emilia in order to move forward. but then julius comes along and challenges everything ottos thinking by being this blend of subaru and ottos beliefs.

but what is ottos path? otto wants everything to go the way that he plans, which may or may not align with emilia and subarus desires. otto wants it to align with the emilia camps desires because he cares for them and his loyalty to them dictates so much of his actions. but that same loyalty has been leading him to take increasingly excessive actions in the name of trying to keep them safe, both physically and politically, and in his head, keeping his camp safe doesnt Always align with what the rest of his camp wants. keeping his camp safe means doing so even at the cost of going behind his camp's backs. keeping his camp safe means that he's going to keep them safe even if they become upset at his actions.

thats because ottos had this small habit (thats been. steadily growing) of doing what he thinks is best with little to no communication with the rest of his camp. he saved roswaal's tome and kept it hidden from the rest of his camp for a year. he did this out of his continued wariness of roswaal and he plans to restore the book just to find the information in it - and once hes done that, he plans to destroy the book again so that it doesnt fall into the wrong hands. being suspicious of roswaal is understandable, but keeping the fact that he grabbed the tome secret for a year is Definitely a little sketchy. and it doesnt help matters that that same tome he brought into priestella lures the witch cult into the city.

on top of that, theres of course ottos scheming so that the emilia camp agrees to help vollachia in a way that He Wants, along with otto purposefully withholding information about louis. On Top of That, it's not just that ottos withholding information + wanting louis dead - those are already slightly questionable enough, but additionally otto is well aware that subaru cares deeply for louis. otto has not voiced his desire for louis to die and has hidden information that could help save louis's life. theres absolutely No Way that otto doesnt know that if/once louis dies, subaru will be Very distraught by this, but otto keeps going anyway out of pragmatism - out of the thought that subaru will have to eventually get over louis dying, because otto has weighed the possible costs and benefits in his head and hes decided that killing louis has less consequences even though itd deeply upset subaru. thats what walking in the dark means - otto will oppose subaru and emilia out of practicality, because what will actually keep them safe in ottos opinion might not align with what they actually want to do. ottos position in arc 8 thus far implies that hes willing to betray his friends if it means keeping them safe.

this is even more interesting when you bring up a certain quote from the bittersweet peddling trade log side story - otto notes: "But wouldn't I have nightmares if I forsook a person who has done nothing wrong?"

and what is he doing in arc 8? he tried to forsake almost, if not all 50 million people in vollachia. hes trying to forsake someone he knows is innocent now (louis). he's trying to save subaru, but at the same time hes forsaking subaru by withholding information that could potentially save louis. hes tried to forsake julius and anastasia in the sense that his words carry weight as internal affairs minister of the emilia camp and he just declared them - loyal allies to his camp -his enemies.

the thing is - otto is a hypocrite. in more ways than one. otto tells subaru to depend on his friends more in arc 4 - which was the Big Speech of arc 4 - only to turn around and do various things behind his own friends' backs in the name of trying to save them. only to turn around and announce julius and anastasia aka allies to his camp are Enemies. otto snaps at julius to back away as julius is an "outsider" - and while julius is an outsider in the sense that hes not part of emilia camp, everyone reading the novels knows that julius himself has been majorly fucked over by louis and therefore has more than earned the right to have a say in what happens to her. otto remains suspicious of roswaal, understandably, only to agree with todds tactics in arc 7 and make strategies himself (his Leaving Vollachia and only taking who you care about plan) that roswaal agrees with. otto is the one snapping back at roswaal and insisting that roswaals only telling him that opposing subaru and emilia is a poison that will Kill Him because roswaal wants otto to be less difficult and more Compliant so that roswaal can get up to his own schemes - as if otto himself isnt making his own schemes in his head. otto knows that things like his plan to ditch vollachia is callous and hurts innocent people, especially after seeing roswaal agree with his tactics, and he feels guilty for this. but he keeps going anyway, which will likely end up proving roswaal right. the roswaal + otto and todd + otto parallels are Extremely purposeful, especially with the vollachia saga (arc 7-8) where one of the themes is about whether you can truly save everyone without sacrificing morality.

julius might be the proof that there is some sort of middle ground between subaru and ottos worldviews and strategies. you can do unpleasant things that may need to be done while still remaining kind and trying to save as many as you can - instead of abandoning them.

but ottos been Excessively harsh to julius, anastasia, and even roswaal and subaru. getting so angry at someone that you punch a wall hard enough to break your hand not just once, but nearly twice, is Excessive, especially when subarus goal is ultimately just trying to save people. and i think you could also attribute ottos Harshness to the stress hes under right now. otto is - friendly reminder, hah - the same guy who gets anxious easily to the point where his stomach hurts. he gets anxious over paperwork. he gets anxious over his friends and their. lacking. negotiation skills. hes always been Very Loud in his complaints whenever they do things hes not happy with. he admits that hes lost weight because of stress at the BEGINNING of arc 5 (otto, im so sorry but you literally havent gone through all of arc 5+ yet). his drinking is also to cope with stress (our introduction to him in arc 3 is otto coping with his new debt by drinking in a bar). so - otto is Easily anxious. over a lot of things. by the time we get to arc 8, hes gone through a Lot to get here. and stress does Not look good on otto.

where do control issues stem from? yeah, ottos main motivator is to save his camp, but past that, hes tired of not having control. in ch 24 he questions himself - he questions his purpose and his existence and he comes to the conclusion that his meaning for existence is to oppose subaru. subaru, at his core, is all about exerting his will - he brute forces the outcomes he wants because of rbd.

otto, meanwhile, is left to be dragged into danger again and again. ottos life is already out of his control often because of his bad luck and because of his dp making life difficult for him in his formative years - and now hes been dragged into danger repeatedly the moment he got involved with subaru. arc 5 in particular, however, was partially a consequence of otto bringing the tome to priestella - but its a consequence that he didnt expect at all. ottos legs were injured severely by gluttony, leaving him out of commission with no choice but to watch subaru and some of their camp walk away to the watchtower to face more danger without otto being able to be there to make sure theyre safe (otto specifically tells subaru at the end of arc 5 that hes Very Unhappy with this decision). then otto has to go to vollachia to save rem and subaru, only to arrive there and realize that subaru wants to stay to help vollachia. otto goes - fine. if thats what you want, ill help. and then otto finds out that subarus trying to defend gluttony. otto, i think, has grown increasingly resentful of the danger he and his friends have been put in (which is a mix of factors Out of their Control, but its also just. his friends sometimes deciding to do dangerous things as well), so hes developed this mentality that its him and his camp versus everyone else. it all boils down to the thought he has that he cant have both. and if his friends are really going to try to have both, hes going to try to do what he thinks is best. because if they keep trying to pick the more dangerous options - ie the worse options, in ottos opinion - then hes going to make more decisions behind their backs. because hes not gonna trust them to make the decisions that he thinks are the better ones, because its not in Their Nature to do so.

but its in his nature to do that. what do you do when something grows out of control? you try to exert control. theres also the possibility of: why keep allies to your camp around when they encourage your camp to continue staying in vollachia? how can you trust them if theyre going to interrupt on your internal camp affairs?

which is why he grows angry at julius for trying to interfere - because being the internal affairs minister to the emilia camp is otto's job, and he doesnt want someone outside of the camp interfering with his friends and any possible plans he has or will have. this is also why julius apologizes to otto - he recognizes ottos protectiveness and ottos status within his camp.

so. anyway. TLDR: ottos acting a little similar to arc 4 subaru, isnt he? thinking he knows whats best.... trying to manipulate everything around him to get the outcome he wants..... pushing forward on his own instead of depending on his friends..... refusing to depend on his friends.... having Confrontations with roswaal...... etc, etc.

im so sorry i dont know how to format this but could i request hcs of mc walking into one of the brothers rooms in the middle of the night and being like “um i had a nightmare.. can i stay with you”🧍if not its okay though!! :]

I Had a Nightmare...

(Feat. GN!MC and the Demon Bros)

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Lucifer

Lucifer always keeps his door locked when he's asleep, so you took a gamble in choosing to come to him for your post-nightmare comfort. Luckily, the eldest is a night owl so he's awake.

He looks up when you enter his bedroom, currently sitting on his bed and reading a book. He's about to scold you when he sees the face you're making.

You don't even have to tell him something's wrong, because he can tell. He sets his book aside and gestures to the empty side of his bed.

Once you climb in, Lucifer shifts slightly, just so your arm is pressed against his own. It's like an invitation for you to lean in if you want, and should you choose to, he'll wrap you in his arms and carefully rub your back.

"A nightmare, hm? It's interesting to think that there are things that can scare you, considering where you are right now. But there's nothing for you to be afraid of. After all, I have no intention of letting anything bad happen to you, so long as I live."

Mammon

Mammon startles awake the moment you enter his room, nearly toppling out of his bed in the process. Grrr, he could've seriously gotten hurt! What're you trying to pull, suddenly barging into his room like th-

Oh. Oh.... He takes one look at your face and all that anger of his fizzles out into nothing. He's a little self conscious being shirtless and all, so he awkwardly tugs on a tshirt that's been tossed to the floor, and makes his way over to you

What happened? Did someone do something?? Ah.. a nightmare, huh? Mammon's big brother instincts are taking over, and he's pulling you into a tight hug, squeezing out all your worries.

And when he's finished, he ruffles your hair and gestures to his bed. A human like you still needs to get their rest, so you should try to sleep some more. But if you really can't, he's not against the idea of the two of you bundling up and watching a movie or something.

"You're like a little kid, ya know? But don't worry, the Great Mammon's gonna chase away those bad dreams o' yours, no problem! ...Hah? Whatdya mean 'that's cheesy'?? I'm being serious here!"

Levi

Levi's definitely awake when you enter his room, but he doesn't notice you. His computer monitor has his undivided attention, and his headphone are drowning out the sound of your entry.

So it takes you tapping his shoulder for him to react, and boy does he react. Levi nearly has a heart attack and only calms down when he realizes it's only you. Did you come to play games? You should've texted him and he’d set everything up! But wait... that's not it?

You had a nightmare and of all the places you could go, you came to HIM?? Levi's having a hard time pushing down the grin on his face, but he collects himself for your sake. Now's no time to be feeling giddy when his best friend is in need!

He might not be great at comforting people, but he knows what helps him when he has nightmares. So he wraps you up in a blanket and pulls up a chair for you to use so you can watch him game. This is better than thinking about that other stuff, right?

"I'll turn down the screen brightness, and- UWAH! W-wait! Um... no, it's fine. I don't mind if you lean against me like that. You're tired, so it's probably more comfortable like that. I'll keep still, okay..?"

Satan

Nightmares aren't something Satan experiences often, being born of rage and the only pure demon in the house. He reads enough horror novels that he's practically become immune to anything scary.

But that doesn't mean he never has bad dreams, so when you come into his room to tell him about yours, his expression softens up. You caught him in the middle of reading, but you're more important than any silly book.

Satan gives you that warm look he reserves only for you (and cats), and gestures for you to come closer. He's got the second comfiest bed in the house, the first being Belphie's. Topped with warm quilts and plenty of pillows to support him as he reads, you're wrapped up in warm comfort once you join him.

Especially when he wraps an arm around you, giving you a curious look. He can be a little too curious at times, so he immediately asks what your nightmare was about.

"If you're interested, I have a guidebook for dream interpretations. I could try to find out the root of your worries, or... you could spend the night here instead? I wouldn't mind having you by my side until morning."

Asmo

Asmo is VERY invested in his beauty sleep. Even a slight deviation in his schedule could be disastrous for his complexion! His brothers know better than to disturb him lest they feel like dying, but you? You're the only exception... Lucky, huh? ❤️

When you touch him, he barely stirs. It takes a couple of shakes to get him to wake up, and then he's whining and grumbling until he realizes who's there. How could he be upset when he gets to wake up to your gorgeous face?

But right now.. your expression isn't bright and sunny at all. You look distressed, and he soon learns it because a pesky nightmare has been harassing you all night. He couldn't be happier that you chose HIM of all people for your comfort!

While there are many things he could do to help you forget about your bad dream, he opts for carefully guiding you into his bed, cooing sweet nothings until he's got you in his arms. You're enveloped in the smell of his sweet body lotion while he presses kiss after gentle kiss across your temple and down the bridge of your nose.

"There there, love. To think a nightmare has put you in such a state.. It's unforgivable! I'll get rid of all those worries so you can spend the rest of the night dreaming about my beauty! Or... about you and I. Wouldn't that be the perfect dream?"

Beel

Beel sleeps almost as soundly as Belphie does, and his monstrously loud snoring drowns out most sound, including your quiet knocking on his bedroom door.

But when you come in and tug on his sleeve, Beel's eyes blink open and he lets out a confused grunt, letting his eyes focus on the darkness around him. Where did that mountain of rainbow pizza go?? He wasn't even halfway done, and- Oh. MC.

You had a nightmare?? Beel stands up immediately and wears a look of worry, pulling you into a gentle hug. You look like you need one.

He's not the best when it comes to comforting words, but he can just show you how he feels. That's good too, isn't it? Maybe if he hugs you for long enough, you won't remember your nightmare.

"Do you want to take my bed? I'll sleep on the sofa, so- ah. Together? ...That's fine, too. I'll hold you close, so you don't have to be afraid anymore."

Belphie

The heaviest sleeper in the entire Devildom, it's a literal miracle that you managed to wake him up. Still, he's only half awake, and staring blankly at you while you explain why you're there.

A nightmare, huh? He's had plenty of those. If that's all it is, then just climb into bed with him. Belphie lazily pulls back his blankets and opens his arms for you, gesturing expectantly.

And once you're nice and cozy, he pulls you even closer until the gap between you is closed, and all you can feel is his warmth. He buries his face into your neck, tickling your skin with his breath.

His slow, heavy breathing makes you wonder if he's fallen back to sleep just like that, but he gives your side a reassuring squeeze and lets his eyes open slightly to look into yours.

"Must've been pretty scary if you came all the way here. No matter how many bad dreams you have, I'll be right here when you wake up. It feels better to wake up in my arms, doesn't it?"

Could you possibly do a scenario for the pillar men and a s/o who’s extremely pale? I can’t go out into the sun for more then 10 minutes without being close to sunburn. I usually feel a little insecure about how my skin in because you can see bright blue veins on my wrists and arms and stuff. It looks freaky to me.

Oh Anon ❤❤❤

Let me assure you that the Pillarmen wouldn't be happy to hear you aren't comfortable in your own skin (no pun intended, of course!). Pale or not, they would be absolutely over the moon for you 🥰🥰🥰 In the meantime, let me show you how much they love you.

Pillarmen with an s/o who is extremely pale and burns in the sun easily...

(Under the cut for length)

Kars:

• Kars was very fair skinned himself; he always had been.

• However, he never had the fear of burning to a crisp in the sunshine (well, not anymore) like any Human.

• Being very knowledgeable on your race, he was very mindful of your fragile needs, specifically your skins needs.

• He was always happy to help you apply some sunscreen on your back if you asked him to or carry some around wherever you both went.

• However, he never actually seen you burn.

• That was, until one day...

• You had left early in the morning, claiming you wanted to get some fresh early Summer air by going for a little jog.

• Kars had some work to do upstairs in his study, bidding you goodbye and losing himself in his piles of paperwork as he scribbled away.

• You had barely been gone an hour, the sounds of your footsteps pulling his attention from his work for the briefest moment but he paid little to no mind to your early return.

• The door to his study creaked open and your voice was next to hit his ears.

• "Kars?" "Hmm, so soon, beloved? How was your--" He turned in his chair to face you, his words suddenly getting caught in his throat. He nearly dropped the handful of papers he was clutching at the sight he was met with.

• There you stood in the doorway, sheepishly tapping your fingers together as you struggled to meet his gaze. You knew very well what he was gawking at.

• "Do you-- uh... know where the Aloe Vera is?" Came the hesitant question.

• Dressed in a joggers tank-top and shorts, every inch of your visible skin was near to an angry red.

• It was as if someone had rubbed you raw with sandpaper from head to toe and just from the way you were standing he could easily tell that you were starting to feel just as raw.

• "Goodness, gracious!" He cried, ruby eyes burning holes into you as he got up from his chair, marching straight up to you. "What on Earth happened?!"

• You frowned, curling in on yourself stiffly, letting out a pathetic laugh. "I... uh... forgot to put on sunscreen before I left..." you explained, the red in your cheeks blooming with more than a burn from the sun. "I didn't realize it would be so hot out today..."

• Kars blinked once, looking you up and down with tight lips.

• He wasn't even touching you and he could feel the heat radiating off your irritated skin.

• Several painful moments later... you were seated in the bathroom, devoid of clothing.

• You were already so sore that getting your clothes off had been nothing but a painful struggle with you whimpering the whole way as the massive Pillarman tried his absolute best to be as ginger with you as possible.

• He had even briefly considered just cutting your clothes off with his brilliant bone blade to spare you the agony.

• Every line of where your clothing began and ended was laid bare, leaving you looking very awkward with the blotches of crimson skin gracing your pale, white body.

• You were quite lucky Kars was blessed with the ability to heal but still, you flinched every time his huge hands graced your raw skin as he worked his magic.

• By the time he was done you were only a little more pink in hue than usual; it was almost like a weak farmers tan.

• He assured you, however, that you would be back to your normal palor in a day at best

• He also made sure to take extra care to apply a generous coat of moisturizer to your skin too.

• "There." He sighed, carding a hand gently through your hair as he planted a kiss on your temple. "Please dear one, I beg of you to try and be more careful next time."

• Ironically, through all the time he had known and loved you, one of his affectionate nicknames for you was his "ray of sunshine".

• He was starting to think that perhaps it was better to reconsider and start calling you his "starlight" from now on...

Esidisi:

• For a man whose domain lied with heat, he was always more than careful to be sure you didn't get burned.

• Sometimes he playfully teased you about how very pale you were, often during the times when you were complaining about your palor, but you knew very well he adored you and your skin.

• He often compared you to a work of art; a beautiful statue of white marble. He deemed it fitting, as marble had remarkable and beautiful veins etched into its stone much like you.

• Many a morning you woke up giggling as he trailed soft, warm kisses along your milky skin.

• Once, you came inside after spending the afternoon out in the garden and immediately he noticed a pink tinging the skin on your back and shoulders.

• You hadn't gotten burned badly but it was still a burn no less. You had put on sunscreen but alas, you had forgotten to reapply...

• "Ow!" You jumped a little, you hadn't really realized you had gotten burned until he curiously poked you where it was sore.

• He retracted his hand when you cried out as if you were the one who burned him, tears noticably welling up in his eyes as your genuine pain sunk into his heart.

• "Oh, did that hurt? Oh my beautiful little flame, I'm so sorry." He breathed, he held back from hugging you (as much as he wanted to in that moment) and causing you further pain. "You've burned yourself."

• You really hadn't been exaggerating when you told him that you had the tendency to burn easily.

• Minutes later, you were seated in the kitchen, your top removed, with your Husband the Pillarman lovingly tending to your sunburn.

• You could tell he went the extra mile to diminish a good amount of the heat in his hands as he took care to press cold wet cloths to your irritated skin to draw the heat out of the burn.

• He hummed softly to you as he worked, shushing any and all painful whimpers you happened to make as the cloth graced raw skin.

• You shivered as he removed the previous damp cloth, replacing it with a fresh and freezing cold wet one.

• It was a feeling you could only associate to pouring water sizzling on a hot gridle.

• "Th-Thank you, Esidisi..." you sighed. Your back was feeling much better now but you knew by tomorrow your skin would definitely be peeling.

• "It is my pleasure, my sweet little spark." He crooned, reaching for the bottle of Aloe Vera. He planned to thoroughly slather the area with it.

• Unable to help himself, the corner of his lips tugged into a teasing little smirk. "Well, you always told me you wished you had a bit more colour to your skin. And now you have a lovely pink spot!"

• You rolled your eyes at his words, shooting him the strongest glare you could muster. "Hah."

• Though you intended it to come out as displeased, Esidisi didn't miss the tugging at the corners of your own lips.

Wamuu:

• "What do you mean by this?" The warrior had questioned you, his eyebrows knit together, when you had first told him about your tendency to burn.

• In his eyes, that should have been impossible.

• You weren't a Vampire and Humans could train themselves to harness power straight from the sun itself.

• How and why was it possible for you, a Human, to BURN simply by standing in the sun?!

• You did your very best to explain it to him, telling him about harmful effects of UV rays and how fragile Human skin could be in prolonged exposure to it.

• You even told him proper precautions Humans had to take to prevent this from happening and that you in particular had to take extra precautions.

• Wamuu listened to you intently, nodding his head through your narrative.

• He supposed that it all made sense and you were very pale after all...

• From that moment forward, being a warrior and all, Wamuu made it his sworn duty to protect you from the suns harmful rays damaging your precious skin.

• Everywhere the two of you went, even if there was just a chance of sunshine, he didn't want to risk it and ensured to have sunscreen with him (and more importantly on you) at all times.

• Apart from that, he did his very best to ensure you were well shaded when the sun was particularly powerful that day.

• More often than not you found him standing over you with an umbrella (that he may or may not have took from the Café down the street) or draping something over you to give you some shaded coverage.

• But at times when there was nothing else to cover you, he simply did it himself by letting you (and ONLY you) stand in his shadow for some coverage as he was considerably larger than you afterall.

• "Are you sure it's ok, Wamuu?" You frowned, not at all liking the way he instinctively twitched when you stepped into the cool shade cast by his very person.

• You knew very well how hypersensitive he was when it came down to his shadow and, more importantly, people invading it.

• You could already see him gritting his teeth to fight against his primal instincts.

• "Really, you don't have to--" "I do." He said firmly, stepping to the side so you were now fully shaded. He suppressed a shiver, standing as tall and proud as he could. "For you, my beloved, I must. It is my sworn duty to protect you in any and all ways possible and that includes protecting you from the sun."

Santana:

• Santana was more pale than the average living Pillarman (with Kars coming in as "2nd most pale").

• However, despite the fact that he was now an Ultimate lifeform and could now stand in the sun all he wanted, that surprisingly didn't change about him.

• Needless to say, you both stood out a lot at the beach.

• Still, it was comforting to you to have someone in your life who was just as pale as you were, being insecure about your painfully white skin afterall.

• Santana, attentive and intuitive as always, quickly picked up on your habits of sunscreen and your preparations to go outside in the hot sun.

• If you forgot to slather some on, he would simply walk up with the bottle in hand and do it for you.

• He saved you from getting burned a few times doing this.

• One day, Santana and you were walking hand in hand downtown before he stopped right outside a flower shop.

• "Ooh, they're pretty aren't they?" You said, stopping as well to admire some of the arrangements put out.

• Santana hummed, a small smile gracing his lips. "They are like you."

• You thought that he was simply saying you were pretty but no, his meaning ran much deeper than that.

• Wordlessly, he grabbed your arm, tracing his fingertips softly over the winding blue veins visible under your pale skin before pointing back to the flowers.

• The flowers had veins too; winding little lines that had been lovingly etched into their soft delicate pedals by nature, it was only a part of them that made them more beautiful.

• "You are like them." He continued, his eyes filled with warmth as he turned his gaze back down to your arms. "Delicate. Soft. Beautiful."

• Your cheeks flamed red as you understood, your face burning hotter than any sunburn you had ever received when he pressed his lips to the veins on your wrist.

• For a man of few words, Santana sure knew how to make any insecurity you had about yourself (more importantly your palor) melt away.

• "My flower..." he murmured against your skin.

Katsuki Bakugou x Reader {Fantasy AU}

Buy me a coffee!! <3

Crimson.

A most enchanting crimson. That was the sight awaiting your rest-deprived eyes, as they dipped in and out of the mountain springs connecting the queendom of the faeries to this mortal coil. Had you happened upon a particularly beautiful fairy, or were you perhaps still dreaming? There were so many emotions swimming amid those starry pools...anger, mystification, irritation, suspicion, even a hint of nervosity. But only a hint. It was innocent, it was vulnerable, and it certainly didn't match what he chose to display. Actually, it reminded of the children who made merry in the castle's courtyard; the ones who weaved flowers into crowns and were excited for you to read to them tales of faraway lands, of dragons and masters, of mages and knights.

Well, if this man who knelt before you belonged to the plane of reality, and wasn't a tempting illusion...might you have been transported into one such tale? You reached out a hand, almost unwittingly, to ghost your fingers across his skin. It was pale and smooth. He made no effort to cease your actions, instead watching, as if an astral projection, as your fingers wandered the entirety of his face. His nose scrunched in mock disgust, lips silently begging to be claimed.

How could a seemingly small and fragile woman incite such a fierce reaction within him? He didn't understand, but he wanted to.

And then, a seraphic voice called, to snap him from a pleasant reverie. It took a few seconds to realise that you were its origin. "Um...my apologies - I must be disturbing you! B-But...may I ask...where exactly am I?"

"...My land." He grunted, after some careful consideration.

Was your ignorance genuine, or a mere deception? No-one arrived at Bakugou's territory without the intention to usurp him, or to slaughter him alongside the countless dragons who inhabited the land. But...would a frail-looking girl be selected for such a dangerous task? It was unlikely - though the possibility couldn't be discounted, for safety's sake.

"Your land? Are you perhaps the king here? Ah, what should I call 'here'? And, please pardon the intrusion! I-I'm not certain myself how I wound up on the forest floor. Not - not in foreign land, at least. I remember talking to the elves...oh, my goodness! I must have succumbed to sleep. How foolish of me! Father always warned against sleeping in the forest! Oh...what if there is a changeling replacing me right now, in the castle? What am I to do?"

"Quit mumbling. It's annoying." Those four words immediately flustered you, but he continued. "...You don't know how you got here? And...what's that about a castle? You royalty or something?"

With a quick gesture of affirmation, you replied, "My father is King (K/n)...not an awfully nice man, but saying anything more could be considered treason. Rest assured, he is not above executing one of his own."

Bakugou's expression soured. "That's fucked up."

Yours erupted in shock and awe. "T-That word...you use it? Is it not too vulgar?"

"Hah? Do I look like a gentleman, to you? Sorry Princess, but I curse as and when I like." He puffed out his chest, secretly hoping that you might compliment his muscles.

"'Princess'?" You gazed forlornly at the dress you wore. "This is your land. I'm no princess here."

You didn't wish to offend this man, especially not when the spears and swords you anticipated weren't being pointed at your throat. Bakugou's tongue was sharp, his responses crude and unrefined. Despite this...there was a warm aura emanating from him. And, from the way he started patrolling the length of the cave (as you soon recognised it), he was focused, protective. Even as the idle conversation whiled away the hours, even though he never really abandoned your side (whether this was due to doubt or care, you remained oblivious), he made a point of checking and re-checking, for any anomaly. When the western wind targeted you quite harshly, Bakugou forfeited his fur-lined cape. He draped it over you, grumbling all the while.

Though, your keen eyes caught the faintest of shivers, and before he could protest, you wrapped the cape around your bodies, snuggling into him. Bakugou's heart fluttered. His mind was failing to comprehend this new feeling, this sense of...home, and the sudden need, no - urge to provide and cherish. The small breaths against his chest, the hair tickling his skin...

Bakugou had little experience with human women. Until your arrival, the dragons were his only companions. Well, maybe the merchants (Ashido and Kaminari) could be classified as such? Definitely not that wannabe-knight, Deku, nor the fully-fledged knight, Iida, nor the Mage, Uraraka...

What if you were special? His pair - his mate? During your slumber, in the absence of any words, any reason for being here...he guessed either a fairy, a witch or a succubus, for your breed. But faeries were blessed with wings, and witches never ventured without their brooms. As for a succubus...you seemed too easily-flustered. The disbelief still permeated his mind. You, a creature of such ethereal beauty, were human? Like him? It was a simple mistake, to imagine you as something greater. His fixation had been instant. He knew what he wanted. Whether it would prove to be love, or some other, unfamiliar emotion...well, he wasn't renowned for patience, but...this was surely something to cultivate, something that required natural growth and progression.

Hopefully, your departure wouldn't be swift. Hopefully it would be messy, complicated, and eventually you would realise your true home: right here, by Bakugou's side. Together, you would spin a tale of love and devotion for the ages. Hopefully. If you didn't choose to leave.

If you left, if this feeling faded...what dreadful emptiness might consume him? He wondered about your interests, relatives (were you betrothed?), friends, future plans...he needed to sync your dreams and passions. You were perfect for him, so he needed to be perfect for you! This was his final, grumpy thought, before sleep lured him closer, closer, closer...

The morning brought forth a barrage of questions and quandaries, like: where the fuck were you? And: when had you abdicated his side? "Shit! Fuck! Shit! DEKUUU!"

"Hm?" Hearing the commotion, you poked your head around the corner.

"Who is 'Deku'?"

"Tch. Nobody. Where were you? When did you leave? Why didn't you wake me? You could've been hurt!" He scolded, loathing the slight wince caused by his raised voice. "...Sorry. I was just...urgh, nevermind!...Did you cut your dress?"

Sure enough, the distasteful garment (distasteful only because he wished to rip it off your body), once trailing on the ground, now settled just above your knees. "Yes! I would rather something shorter, anyway. Um...did I...does it not look..."

"It's better. If it's long, you'll just trip over stuff..." There lay a subtle blush upon his cheeks.

It went unnoticed. "Oh, thank you! I was hoping for practical and cute! And, um...I shouldn't intrude on you for too long, but perhaps I can be useful? I can cook...although that is probably all I can do."

"'Cause you'll wanna go home soon, I guess."

You laughed the most glorious melody. "That place is not my home."

Bakugou couldn't allow the silence to fester, lest this golden opportunity be wasted. "I can find work for ya. The dragons always need feeding...I can cook and clean, so don't fuss over that."

"B-But...I should repay you somehow!" Your whining flipped a switch in his heart.

I can think of a million reparations, but I can't say a single one of them...God, was I always this useless?

He groaned. "Like I said, I'll find something. You just...stay here for now. I'll go and catch breakfast, since I couldn't do that last night."

"I'm so sorry!"

While you wallowed in undeserved shame and guilt, Bakugou rejoiced at the memory of your conversation - all the monologuing, that transitioned into stumbles and stutters when you spoke for an extended time...the housewife air surrounding you (definitely a product of Bakugou's delusion), the way you smiled and laughed...It was ecstasy, Heaven, warmth! It was everything, and so, so much more! It was pure...

He started collecting little trinkets alongside the food - things he thought you might appreciate. Gifts, if you will. He imagined you smiling brighter, wider than before. He imagined receiving a kiss, whether a shy peck or a fiery lip-lock. He imagined decorating your neck with a dragon's teeth necklace, and showing off your bond to the world. If you would...accept him, accept everything about him, then...bliss would rain upon his heart forevermore.

She'll be my mate. She has to be! I won't let her be with anyone else...! I'll lay my claim soon enough, just you wait!

[Word Count: 1452]

Siren!Marvin x Sailor!Jackie - My Jolly Sailor Bold

Yes, there is a reference to that song both in title and in the story, here’s a lil somethin for MerMay also I really just thought of what if, Marvin but s i r e n and my head went wRITE THAT DOWN WRITE THAT DOWN- anyway I hope y’all enjoy? Its killin  me not editin the dialogue text like I usually do BUT i just dont have time so r.i.p

Jackie was gathering his equipment up and then placing it in the boat, as he finished that up, his friends had come up to him, one of them shaking their heads “Jackie… I’m worried about this… You’re going to one of the most dangerous spots out there!” Another friend spoke up “Yeah… There’s talk of a siren that owns those parts!” Jackie tilted his head “A siren? One of those old folklore tales?” He grinned “Hah! I don’t believe in such fairy tales!” Another friend shook their head “J-Jackie… Sirens are serious business! They aren’t just folklore or fairy tales, sirens are REAL and they are evil, horrible creatures! Haven’t you heard?” The other friend interrupted “About the mysterious disappearances of many sailors out there?! People have even been nicknaming that place The Siren’s Sea!” Jackie rolled his eyes “Look, guys, I appreciate you trying to look out for me but I promise, I’ll be fine! If anything tries to come after me, well… I’ve got some pretty powerful equipment, I can take care of myself!” And then Jackie was climbing aboard his boat, double checking to make sure everything was all there and ready to set sails!

His friends pleaded and begged, one stepped forward and gave Jackie a hug “Jackie… We can’t stop you from doing this but please… I fear as though you’ll ne’er return again if you head to The Siren’s Sea…” Jackie sighed and hugged his friend back, pulling the rest of them into a group hug “Guys, I promise… I’ll be fine, I WILL return to you, I swear… I’m the best sailor around and I know I can handle myself out there! I’ve made a vow to explore every part of the sea I can, and this place is no exception! I’ll be back soon!” His friends sighed and waved Jackie off as he set sail across the seas, heading out to this infamous place in question, he didn’t really believe in such things as that, he was just going out there because he was curious about the area, he had never really been out that far but truth be told he had heard it had a beautiful cave hidden around the place, and he was determined to find that cave!

Eventually after what felt like ages of sailing, he finally made it to the place nicknamed ‘The Siren’s Sea’ He looked so relieved to have finally made it, sure, it did take a good bit to get to most places out on the seas but this felt like an eternity! The air around this infamous place where sailors had gone missing was thick, almost deathly thick… It did give Jackie a chill running up his spine but nonetheless, he looked off into the distance and noticed a cave, perhaps that was the one! Although, it was strange… That wasn’t very hidden… Either way he’d go check it out, he began sailing over to the cave in the distance and midway he suddenly got a feeling, a bad feeling, that someone was watching him… He looked around as he sailed, however he saw no one in particular, he also saw no sharks around either so he took a deep breath and chuckled “Them stories my friends told me must be messin’ with me… Yeah, that’s it…” He then continued onward and once he made it to the cave he looked around it, it wasn’t the one he thought it was but it was still pretty nonetheless! It seemed to go deeper than he thought it did as well, he squinted as he looked ahead, his boat could definitely fit through the cave so long as he was careful enough!

He eased his boat into the cavern and pressed forward, this was a big cave, bigger than most! Maybe this was the right cave! It looked almost endless as he sailed through it, this cavern was very beautiful even if Jackie didn’t find the hidden area, this would do him fine, as he continued sailing he decided to sing a tune to keep himself from getting bored, it was anything in particular really, just a little tune he had made up in his head, however unbeknownst to Jackie… A creature was swimming along the cavern, it’s head perking up as it heard the tune echo throughout it’s cavern “What a… Gorgeous melody…” It muttered to itself, and while the creature usually knew who sang each song, whose voice was whose, this voice in particular however, it was unfamiliar with… The creature was curious, it needed to find out who was singing this wonderful tune! It swam ahead, trying to locate the source of the noise, of course the creature was careful to keep its distance or stay hidden, because not all creatures, not even of its own kind would be friendly toward strangers… And or of course, it didn’t want to risk scaring the other off! Once the creature had managed to find the sound, it let out a soft gasp, this was no creature…! This was a… A damn sailor! Trespassing in it’s cavern no less!

However… The creature would not deny, the human had such a beautiful voice… To be a sailor no less… No matter, the creature did not take kindly to trespassers, especially not sailors… It slowly sank underneath the water, deep enough to where the sailor wouldn’t see it right off the bat and proceeded to follow the ship, meanwhile… Jackie continued sailing along, looking around as the cavern seemed to get more and more sparkly, he finally sailed into a big open area of the cavern, sparkles from one end to the other and there were even a few spots out of the water to stand on, some crystals strewn about on the ground, once he got in the middle of the area he stopped his boat and looked out, he was curious as he jumped off and into the water, swimming to one of the spots he could actually stand on in the cave, he pulled himself up onto the rocks and grabbed one of the crystals he found “Wow… Such a beautiful place…” The creature stayed under the water, listening intently to the sailor, well… At least the sailor could appreciate the beauty of his territory, he wouldn’t reveal himself just yet however… Meanwhile Jackie was picking up some crystals and bringing them back to his boat, he was going to take a few with him just because they were so pretty… And then he continued onward, man the cave was HUGE! Eventually, he came across an even larger opening with three tunnels ahead of him…

He had no idea which one to go through so he parked his boat in the middle and then sat down and sighed, beginning to hum another melody much to the creature’s delight below him… After a few moments it decided to join the sailor in singing a tune, this made the sailor’s eyes widen as he got up and slowly approached the side of his boat to look down into the water, he saw something… It was coming up! Annnnd… Whatever it was had splashed water in his face upon coming up to the surface, great, he had to take a moment to wipe the water away and once his vision cleared, his eyes widened at what he saw… There, resting on the side of his boat, was another man…  His green hair tied up in a man bun, his eyes as blue as ironically enough, the Ocean… That’s really the only thing he could see underneath his cat mask (y’all know what that looks like, sometimes a writer can get lazy and or tired with descriptions and that’s okay)

He looked like a normal man actually, a grin was splayed across his face, revealing needle sharp fangs which Jackie had to admit unnerved him a bit “Ah, hello there darling~! You are the one who sings, yes?” ...And he could talk like a normal human apparently too and that’s when Jackie saw the other’s tail swaying behind him, it was a mixture of various greens and blues and honestly… It looked so beautiful, and then it hit him… “A...Are you a Siren…?” He asked rather bluntly, to which the creature tutted at “Well how rude of you… Ignoring my question like that, however unlike y o u… I WILL answer a question… Why yes, yes I am dear~” Jackie also saw his hands, they were webbed and the other had claws “Woah… So my friends WEREN’T lying?!” He looked… Surprised but not scared, more so in awe than anything “Of course not! Why would they lie or make up such a thing? We aren’t just folklore, fairy tales, no no, none of that! We are quite real… Now, would you be so kind as to answer my question from earlier?” Jackie nodded “Oh yeah, sorry… I was the one who was singing, yeah! My name’s Jackie!” The Siren smiled at this “Ah, Jackie… What a lovely name~! My name is Marvin, it’s nice to meet you… Which is not something I say often about sailors you know…”

Jackie blinked in surprise before realizing “Oh uh yeah… Other sailors probably try to capture creatures like yourself, yeah?” Marvin only rolled his eyes, an irritated expression now on his face “Oh it’s S O much more than just mere capturing… Your kind has tortured mine for so long now… I suppose us sirens can fetch a high price but is that really any excuse for all the damage that has been dealt?” Jackie shook his head “Not at all… I uh… I really hope you don’t think I’m here to do that, I promise…! I was just passing through here, if you really need me to though I can just turn back” While he really didn’t want to turn back, if Marvin wanted him to he would do so, he wasn’t going to break any rules or trespass where he wasn’t wanted! And then he realized, his eyes widened as he looked back to the crystals “Oh shit… Uh, if these are yours by the way, I’ll also give 'em back, I don’t want any trouble here” Marvin clicked his tongue and smirked, resting his head in his hand, he wouldn’t deny, despite this man being a sailor he was MUCH more polite than all the others that had ever came through here… Nonetheless, a sailor is still a sailor... “Mm… You can keep those, they aren’t of any importance to me…” He paused for a moment.

Then Marvin got an idea “Actually, I would love it if you did one teensy little thing for me, darling…” Jackie tilted his head “Oh? What’d that be?” The Siren paused to clear his throat before staring straight into Jackie’s eyes, and Jackie swore that very stare had just pierced his soul “Well… I would l o v e it if you’d sing a little melody with me... After you sing with me, you can be on your way, I p r o m i s e…” Marvin was lying right through his teeth, the only place this sailor would be going was down below, but he wouldn’t deny, the thought of bringing Jackie down below and drowning him was triggering something within him, something he had never experienced before… No matter, this was still a sailor, sure enough if he ever tried to trust him, he’d be captured, tortured, or killed! He couldn’t risk this… He had to focus! Jackie could swear the other’s eyes were glowing now but he didn’t really know… His mind was starting to feel fuzzy, something was wrong here… “Upon one summer’s morning…” Marvin began, looking at Jackie expectantly who instantly followed up “I carefully did stray…” (dont worry im not going to type all the lyrics i s w e a r) Marvin seemed pleased with such a quick response.

“Down by the Walls of Wapping… Where I met a sailor gay…” Well… Jackie wouldn’t deny that last part at least “Conversing with a young lass…” Jackie continued, not wanting to keep Marvin waiting, absentmindedly getting closer to the edge of the boat and toward The Siren himself who seemed pleased with this so far “Who seemed to be in pain... Saying, Jackie, when you go, I fear you’ll ne’er return again…” And then simultaneously both Jackie and Marvin began to sing, Jackie coming closer when Marvin motioned for him “My heart is pierced by Cupid… I disdain all glittering gold… There is nothing can console me but My Jolly Sailor Bold…” As Jackie got closer Marvin began slowly dipping back down into the water, and Jackie knew something was wrong, despite not being able to stop singing along with Marvin and not being able to take his eyes off the other, deep down he knew this wasn’t right! This was what his friends were trying to warn him about wasn’t it! He desperately tried to pull himself out of whatever trance The Siren had put him under but it seemed to be no use as his body slowly began following Marvin under the water, he was beginning to panic internally now at this as he tried to hold his breath.

Now it was only Marvin continuing along the song as he gently placed a hand on Jackie’s cheek, he could sense the panic in the other and that seemed to strike a nerve in him, why was he feeling so odd?! This wasn’t anything new, he used his powers to gain control over the sailors, he dragged them down below to drown and then eat them! It wasn’t anything he hasn’t done before so why this particular sailor was he feeling… Sympathy for? He tried to continue downward but the farther he went the more Jackie began to panic, some of the panic had become external and Marvin saw the bubbles, shit… This just… Ugh! He quickly grabbed Jackie and headed back to the top, he carefully tossed Jackie back into the boat and then gave up his control, the other coughed and spluttered a little bit, grasping at his chest as he heaved in some breaths, his body was now beginning to tremble and he swore he felt tears prick at his eyes, meanwhile Marvin only sighed “I just can’t do it, not to you…” Jackie looked confused but he didn’t even dare look at the other as he spoke “I-I yo...you… What the f u c k…? Wha-What were you trying to do…?!” Marvin glanced toward the sailor, it pained him to see the other in such a panic, and because of him no less, he spoke not a word as he quickly dove back below, maybe at least now he wouldn’t have to worry about the sailor coming back.

Jackie gasped “Wa-Wait!” He called out and quickly made his way back to the side of the boat and looked below, he couldn’t see the siren anymore and he only sighed “What was that all about…!?” He muttered to himself, still feeling shaken he decided to turn back and call it a day, no way he was going to continue forward after that! He quickly managed to turn his boat back around and head out of the cave, not aware of the siren in the distance watching him leave… Marvin sighed “...Why couldn’t I do something so simple…? It’s in my n a t u r e…! I’ve done this for so long now…” He mumbled to himself, watching as the boat finally disappeared, he cursed himself mentally for letting the sailor go, he should have just continued, there was no way he had… ...No, he wasn’t even going to dare think that, he retreated back to the deeper parts of the cave so he could do some thinking… Meanwhile Jackie despite still being shaken up, he was still curious, he wanted answers ...And he knew what he’d have to do if he wanted to get them, but damn he wasn’t ready nor prepared for that ...Not yet anyways.

A few weeks had passed, Marvin was just swimming around in his cave, the waters were awfully quiet around the place and that sailor hadn’t come back yet, maybe Marvin really had frightened him off, it was for the best, no way things would end well if they got too close… It was a shame really, because that was the first sailor who had ever been nice to Marvin and showed him kindness… ...He had been thinking about what happened almost every day now and the more he thought about it the more he regretted it, the more he regretted scaring Jackie like that ...He still wouldn’t admit he was growing fond of the sailor, no way but he at least hoped that maybe… Just maybe he’d get his chance to apologize… He jumped upon hearing a boat in the distance, he glanced over and squinted, there was no way… No way that was him, he was just secretly hoping, after a few moments The Siren’s eyes widened as the boat got close enough for him to see, that… That WAS Jackie’s boat! Shit! He quickly dove down and began swimming to the furthest part of his cave, sure, he wanted to apologize but that sailor was probably angry with him, he could have brought weapons with him! Maybe that’s why Jackie was back, to seek revenge for what happened which wouldn’t surprise Marvin really.

And then sure enough, there was Jackie… He was coming upon that same cave, the one where he almost… Jackie shook that thought away, all he wanted was some answers… He did bring a harpoon just in case but he really didn’t want to use that, he didn’t want to hurt Marvin or any other creatures really, it was just for a last resort… As he pulled into the cave he took a deep breath and stopped the boat when he deemed it was far enough in, he then put on some of his equipment, sure, he had brought this last time… He could have followed Marvin then but he was just too scared at that moment, too shaky, but now… He finally felt he was ready to confront The Siren, if he’d even answer his questions, for all he knew Marvin could just easily attack him, and like it or not… Despite their previous encounter, Jackie did still have some interest in Marvin, he was still curious, once he got everything set up he finally took a dive below and began swimming further into the cave, he wondered if Marvin would even still be here, for all he knew that Siren could have moved locations by now, he didn’t necessarily know if they stayed in one place all the time like a home of sorts but he supposed if he got the chance maybe he’d find out today.

This cave was much prettier than he originally thought the deeper he went, he noticed that even if he wanted, there was no way his boat would fit through this spot, it was far too small, he also noticed there were MANY more crystals and shiny objects this far ahead, he didn’t dare touch anything though, he didn’t care about the treasure at this rate, that was the last thing on his mind, right now his only focus was trying to find Marvin! And eventually after a long while he managed to come to what was presumably the end of the cave, he stifled a gasp as he saw Marvin, laying down on one of the flat rocks and looking… Sad? He was messing around with some rocks, gently tossing them to the side… Jackie slowly swam forward, trying not to make much of a sound but Marvin only sighed “Why did you come back?” Jackie seemed startled at that question, even more so when Marvin turned around… The Siren’s eyes instantly shot over to the harpoon in Jackie’s hand and then his gaze shifted back to Jackie’s “Ah… Revenge, is that what you seek? Because, I won’t deny… Heh… I probably do deserve it BUT I still will NOT go down without a fight…” Marvin slowly rose from his spot and fully turned toward Jackie.

Jackie shook his head “I… I don’t want to fight… I didn’t come here for revenge, can we please just… Talk…?” To Marvin’s surprise Jackie slowly released the harpoon and he watched it float up to the surface “...I… You… You do understand how easy it would be for me to devour you right now, yes? And you just… Let that weapon go… The ONLY thing you had to defend yourself with? ...Darling, I admire your bravery but that was oh so stupid…” Jackie flinched as Marvin began swimming toward him “Like I said, I don’t want to fight you…! I just… I just want answers…” That made Marvin stop and raise a brow “...Go on…” Jackie paused for a moment to adjust some of his equipment before continuing “I just wanted to know… What were you planning to do with me?” Marvin sighed “...Like all sailors really, I had just planned on drowning you and then eating you… There, I’ve answered your question, you may leave my home now” Marvin turned away, heading back to lay on his rock but then froze instantly upon Jackie’s next question “...Why…?” The Siren turned back around, a confused expression on his face “...What do you mean ‘why’...?” Jackie instantly followed up and swam a bit closer “...Why didn’t you?” The Siren’s eyes widened a bit at that “...I… I just wasn’t feeling hungry, that was all, what is it to you anyways?”

Jackie shrugged “I just wanted to know, after all, I heard you say you just couldn’t do it, not to me… That doesn’t sound like you just weren’t hungry to me… You acted like I was, I don’t wanna say special, but I’m just another sailor, so why was it so hard for you to just… Kill me?” Marvin looked a little… Well, Jackie didn’t know how to describe his expression, he flinched a little as Marvin suddenly swam up to him “Good because trust me, you shouldn’t flatter yourself… You are not special to me, you are just another sailor like all the rest, I could end you right now if I so desired!” Marvin bellowed, he knew damn well however that what he just said was a complete lie, but he was determined not to let Jackie find that out, he went stiff upon hearing Jackie’s next words… “Wh...Wh-Wha...What did you just say…?” He wanted to be sure he heard that correctly, there was… No way, he surely misheard that! And then Jackie looked him dead in the eyes and spread his arms “...Then do it” Externally, Jackie was as calm as could be, he tried to keep himself calm internally because right now he was poking the bear or in this case The Siren… Marvin looked taken aback, he was shocked at what just came out of the other’s mouth.

“...Do you… Have some form of death wish? Is THAT the true reason that you came back…? Or are you just dumb…? Taunting a Siren like this, you have no IDEA what we are truly capable of do you?” Jackie shook his head “Not at all, honestly, I had no idea beings like you even existed originally, the things I’ve heard about your kind, people depict you as cold blooded killing machines essentially, but if I’m being honest… You don’t seem all that bad, you seem nice actually” Marvin blinked in surprise before he shook his head and got closer to Jackie “...Well I’m n o t… You’ve signed your own death warrant by coming back here, s a i l o r…” He hissed through his teeth, and Jackie wouldn’t deny seeing those razor sharp canines were not… Pleasant but he had to keep his confidence, but mentally he couldn’t help but curse himself for being THIS risky with a literal Siren! 

Marvin raised a clawed hand, letting out a hiss as he glared at Jackie, who didn’t even break his gaze with the other, the more Marvin stared at the other the shakier his hand got, eventually he sighed and lowered it “...Just get out of here already, I have asked so many times yet you STILL persist and stay, don’t you realize that you have overstayed your welcome…?”

Jackie practically beamed and internally he was sighing in absolute relief, he grinned “I knew it…! So I was right!” Marvin wouldn’t and honestly really couldn’t deny that, that did get him to smile a bit, the sailor was… Awfully cute when he was happy or excited ...Ah hell… Marvin really was falling for a sailor wasn’t he…? Of all things, a Siren falling for a sailor… “You are such a strange individual, you know that Jackie? You come back to the very place you could have died, you confront the exact same Siren who could have caused said demise, and then you even go as far as to offer yourself to me like some sort of… Sacrifice… I must admit, that is very flattering…~” Marvin grinned “...I would hope however, that you know not to do that to just… ANY Siren of course…” Jackie nodded “Don’t worry, you’re the only one I uh, I guess I trust to do that? I didn’t believe you’d hurt me anyways” Marvin chuckled “How charming… I have to admit, you are one of the nicest sailors I have ever had the pleasure of meeting” Jackie’s face turned a slight shade of red at that “O-Oh… Really?” Marvin nodded “Yes actually~ I mean, most sailors would have come back for revenge, which I suppose would be fair... Yet you came back here just for answers and then did, well, t h a t… Honestly, it’s a nice change of pace to see a sailor as different as yourself”

Jackie nodded “Oh uh, yeah it… I don’t think I could hurt you, even if I wanted to ...W-Which I don’t, don’t g-get me wro-” Marvin held up a hand “Darling, relax, I understand what you meant” Jackie seemed relieved about that “Uh, y-yeah… So like, I… That’s really the only reason I came down here, was for answers… I can leave now if you want me to?” Marvin paused for a few moments before shrugged “Eh… It isn’t like I’ve got anything better to do today so, you may stay for a little while… Although are you s u r e it was ONLY you wanting answers… Or perhaps… Were you still curious about me?” Jackie’s face flushed a little red and that made Marvin chuckle “Aww darling~ Admit it, you ALSO wanted to see lil ol’ me as well didn’t you~?” Jackie shook his head “I… N-No… It wasn’t anything like that…! I just…” And then he trailed off, shit… How could he make a comeback here…? Meanwhile Marvin only had that shit eating grin on his face “Well? I’m waiting~” Jackie just shook his head and crossed his arms “...Just.. Sh-Shut up…” He pouted a little and that made Marvin laugh, that was a genuine laugh and that definitely caught Jackie’s attention as Marvin stared at him “Oh darling… You are quite adorable… That little pout on your face… Although, I can’t say I blame you, I mean… Who wouldn’t want to see such a magnificent creature as myself~?”

Jackie only rolled his eyes “...A narcissistic creature at that…” Marvin merely chuckled “Narcissism or just purely confident in myself~?” Jackie gave him a look but refrained from saying anything else, he watched as Marvin then swam around and looked him over “You know… I am curious, what is all that equipment you have on you? I am… Not familiar with a lot of things that humans have” Jackie smiled “Well uh, the thing on my back is my oxygen tank, it’s why I can be down here for so long actually!” He then cleared his throat before continuing on.

“Next the mask here protects my eyes so I can well, ya know, actually see down here… And the suit helps me keep warm because honestly, this cave isn’t too heated eheh… And the flippers, it helps me swim a bit faster honestly” Marvin nodded “I see… How interesting… Well, I suppose it’s fair… Given how humans differ from creatures like me…” Jackie nodded “Yeah, you’ve got gills to breathe under the water forever, you’ve even got claws and teeth to defend yourself with just like that! You’ve also got a beautiful tail and…” And then the sailor trailed off as he realized what he said “I mean… uh-” Marvin seemed to perk up at this “Oh? You think my tail is beautiful~?” Jackie sighed “Yeah I mean… The u-uh… The scales are… Very beautiful honestly…” Marvin hummed at that, he wouldn’t deny, that made a blush appear on HIS face which was impressive, no one had ever been able to make him blush before “Mm… Thank you dear… Of course someone such as yourself can appreciate true beauty when he sees it~” ...Okay, Jackie didn’t know how to really respond to that so he simply nodded and then something beeped, he pulled out a strange device and his eyes widened to which Marvin raised a brow at “Something the matter Jackie…?”

The sailor looked over at the other and shook his head “Sh...Shit… This oxygen tank won’t, uh,  last MUCH longer… I gotta get back to the surface…!” Marvin frowned “Ah… Such a shame but… Do what you must, after all, I don’t want you to drown… No no, you’re FAR too lovely for such a cruel fate as that…~” Now it was Jackie’s turn to blush “A-Ah… Uh… Th-Thank you…? I’ll come back and visit if you really want me too! I have plenty of oxygen tanks back at home…!” Marvin hummed for a second before nodding “Yes, I would like that very much…~” And then Jackie was waving Marvin off as he began swimming away, once the sailor was out of sight Marvin only sighed and smiled “...I cannot deny it… I am falling for him… Heh… How quaint…” And then Marvin looked down at his tail, he noticed a greenish blue scale was coming off and that gave him a brilliant idea… He gently took hold and pulled it off (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt him, sometimes a scale or two will fall from him) He then swam down toward the bottom and gathered up some other materials and various crystals, he knew what he would make for that sailor… He quickly got to work and began crafting the item, meanwhile…

Jackie was swimming back up to the top, he wasn’t… TOO terribly worried, he felt like he had plenty of time to get back to the surface and he wouldn’t deny, he couldn’t get that siren off his mind… Now usually a siren can play many tricks on a human but he didn’t feel as though this was trickery, in fact, the things Marvin had said about him seemed so… Genuine… ...Maybe Jackie was just hoping for that though, he had definitely felt things about the siren, he just shook his head, he shouldn’t get his hopes up though, there’s no way Marvin ACTUALLY likes him back, why would a siren, especially one like Marvin love a simple sailor like him? ...And then suddenly, Jackie heard some gentle humming that startled him, he quickly spun around and saw three sirens coming out of the shadows “Ooh… Lookie here~! We’ve got another f i l t h y sailor who’s dived down here and decided to steal all the treasures for himself~!” Jackie’s eyes widened and he put his hands up in defense “N-Now hold on… I didn’t come for tre-” The siren only swam over and hissed right in Jackie’s face and before the sailor could even t r y to get away the other two sirens came over and held him by his arms, he tried desperately to struggle against them but to no avail, they were strong, far stronger than he was.

What he presumed to be their leader grinned maliciously and chuckled “Hmm… You know if you weren’t a sailor I’d actually consider you cute~ But no matter… You should be running out of oxygen soon~” The siren gave a look to the others and they tore his oxygen tank clear off, casting it to the side which made him panic internally, shit… He wasn’t prepared for that at all! He continued to struggle, trying desperately to fight at them and kick at them even if they were stronger than he was, he STILL wasn’t going down without a fight until… The leader came closer, gently cupping his face and locking eyes with him, they began singing a soft melody and slowly but surely Jackie stopped resisting, his eyes growing slightly cloudy as he listened and swayed his head from side to side “There we go… Good boy~ Just relax now and listen to our wonderful melody~” The other two sirens giggled and joined in with their leader, making sure Jackie’s struggling and fighting ceased, he could feel his body going slightly limp but he wasn’t passing out, he just… He was beginning not to feel the need to fight back anymore, deep down however was that terror that was slowly building, despite his mind feeling fuzzy, he still knew if he didn’t get back up to the surface soon he’d run out of oxygen.

He tried his hardest to gain back control of himself, to try and continue fighting but their song was just… So powerful, who knew a song could hold such power? Granted… There had to be something more to a siren’s power than just an ability to sing, either way… After another few moments had passed, he could definitely tell needed to come up for air and f a s t! He still couldn’t struggle as the leader opened their mouth, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth that were ready and eager to devour him, his eyes widened slightly as he heard them all hiss, this was it, this was going to be his demise wasn’t it…? He couldn’t even close his eyes to avoid looking at the maw that was staring him straight in the face… Before the sirens could all begin to feast, suddenly they were all blown away by what Jackie had thought was a strong current originally… However he quickly snapped out of his trance as they had stopped singing and he looked to the much larger siren in front of him now, it was Marvin! And he heard Marvin snarling at the other sirens “I will only give you all o n e warning and one warning only… Stay. The. FUCK… Away. From. Jackie… He’s m i n e and mine alone… I should kill the three of you right now for your pathetic insolence anyway!” He hollered and the three other sirens cowered, huddling together “Ohhh!” The leader got another glance at Jackie only to look back at Marvin after he put a hand out.

“This sailor is YOUR prey?! O… Oh, we are so terribly sorry oh great one…! We had no idea that he was your pr-” Marvin hissed “He is NOT prey… Let me make this very clear, the three of you are to warn ANY other sirens out there that this sailor is NOT to be harmed, if I find one singular h a i r harmed on him, I will not HESITATE to end anyone who d a r e s to touch something that belongs to me…” Marvin heard some bubbles from behind him and he quickly held up a hand, suddenly, a bubble was forming around Jackie’s entire body and he gasped in some fresh air. This was strange but nonetheless he wasn’t complaining in the slightest, he could breathe and he felt safe and secure in this,  he heard the leader of the sirens apologize profusely “This will NEVER happen again sire…! We cannot express how terribly sorry for this!” The other sirens nodded and Marvin only hissed, baring his fangs “Enough with your apologies… I have heard enough, get out of here and don’t e v e r come near him again…”

And that was enough to send the others swimming away for their lives and Marvin then sighed, calming himself down and turning back to Jackie who was still breathing heavily, mostly trying to calm himself down from everything that just happened “...Come now darling… Let’s get you back to the surface…” And just like that, Marvin was swimming upward, the bubble slowly and carefully following behind him and Jackie could tell he was on edge, the siren kept looking around and behind himself to make sure the ones that had swam away wasn’t trying to attack him from behind, he seemed relaxed again whenever he saw the only thing behind him was Jackie and eventually he made it up to the surface, the bubble popping just as soon as Jackie got onto his boat, the sailor could feel his body absolutely trembling… Marvin leaned against the side of his boat “Are you okay, Jackie? Did those disgusting wretches hurt you at all?” Jackie shook his head much to Marvin’s relief “I… If yo… If…” He was a bit too panicked to try and get out what he was saying… Marvin noticed this and beckoned him over which Jackie slowly followed, carefully… The siren took ahold of Jackie’s hand “Shh… It’s okay now… Just breathe my darling… They cannot and will not hurt you ever again… I promise, I will let no harm come to you…”

Jackie took some deep breaths and focused on Marvin’s face, looking into the siren’s eyes was so calming and relaxing… He trusted Marvin after all so far “Just breathe in and out with me dear…” After a while of doing the breathing exercises, Jackie seemed to calm down finally “O...Okay… I… I’m good now… Thank you, so much Marvin… I-If you hadn’t shown up wh-when you did th… Then I…” Marvin lifted a finger and shushed him “There’s no need to worry any more about them… They wouldn’t dare defy the likes of me… They along with any other sirens out there will never bother you again” Jackie nodded and then he realized he and Marvin were still holding hands, he didn’t pull away however, his face only turned slightly red but he was… Grateful and honestly glad to see Marvin right now “I was originally coming to give you something but then I sensed you were in trouble, I should have swam back with you in the first place, I knew there were other sirens that populated this area… I’m so sorry Jackie…” The sailor blinked and gently took his other hand and placed it on Marvin’s cheek “H-Hey… C’mon Marv… Don’t beat yourself up over that…! I mean… How could you have known that those three would even be here, sure, ya might have sensed me in danger but that doesn’t mean you can predict what or when danger is coming… I promise… I’m fine… Besides, you did STILL come and save me!”

Jackie grinned and pulled Marvin into a sudden hug, being very mindful not to pull the siren fully out of the water “I’m very thankful you got there when ya did…!” That made Marvin sigh and carefully he placed his arms over Jackie as well “...I know but still… I should have not been that careless, next time, I will be here waiting to escort you around, and I will accompany you through this area…” Jackie smiled “...I appreciate that… I really do…” And then they both pulled away and out of the hug and then Marvin noticed, he chuckled slightly “...Isn’t this a familiar sight?” Jackie raised a brow “What do you mean?” Marvin gestured to the positions they were now in “Just like when we first met out here, when I first… ...Well um… A-Anyways, speaking of, I want to apologize… For… That…” Jackie blinked in surprise but merely shrugged “It’s okay Marv… It’s crazy though, it feels like years since that day, then again a lot HAS happened…”

Marvin nodded “Yes, I suppose things have been… Hectic as of recently, I can assure you, things should calm down now ...I would hope anyways, for our sakes” Jackie nodded “Yeah for sure…” Jackie looked out toward the entrance of the cave and saw the sun setting in the distance “Wow… That’s… Really pretty…” Marvin looked to where Jackie was and smiled, for a while, they sat in silence as they watched the sun go down before the sailor then realized “Hey wait… You said you had something to give me, didn’t you?” Marvin’s eyes widened “Oh! I almost forgot!” Marvin snapped his fingers and suddenly Jackie felt something around his neck, he looked down and gasped at what he saw, he took it off to get a better look at the item… It was a necklace, the pendants were all various crystals of different sizes and colors and in the middle of them was a bluish green scale and if Jackie’s eyes could they would sparkle right now “...Yo...You made this for me…?” He looked over to Marvin who smiled and nodded “...Yes, Jackie… I have something I wish to tell you… I hope this is not too sudden… But, from the very first day we met, granted, I DID unfortunately try to eat you… I felt something deep down that I have never felt for anyone else ever, not my own kind and certainly not a sailor…”

Marvin cleared his throat and Jackie could tell he was nervous which seemed extremely out of character for someone as confident as Marvin “As much as I tried, as much as I so desperately wanted to deny it… You were and are still very special to me… I, ahah… You probably are going to think this is ridiculous given the kind of being I am but Jackie… The truth of the matter is…” And that’s when Marvin hesitated, he could feel his heart beating more rapidly, he was never the type to really be nervous but this time… It was different, much different, deep down he was terrified of being rejected but at the same time he wouldn’t necessarily blame Jackie for rejecting him given what he tried to do upon the first meeting but… Marvin also knew, it was now or never “...Jackie… I… I… lo… l-lo… I love you….” He finally stuttered out and waited for what he thought would be rejection and heartbreak, to his surprise though Jackie smiled so brightly and after quickly placing the necklace back around his neck he leaned in and gave Marvin a kiss on the lips, this took the siren off guard and his eyes went wide, slowly but surely however, his eyes had fluttered shut and he kissed back, the kiss lasted for as long as they could manage before Jackie had to pull back to take a breather “...I love you too Marvin…” And then that made the siren’s heart flutter, his tail gently swaying behind him, and then he gave Jackie a genuine smile.

This was pleasant… He would make sure no harm ever came to this sailor, even if he had to tear down entire ships or the ocean itself to make sure of that, he would never let anyone try to take him away either, this sailor was his and his alone! He didn’t quite register Jackie’s question until the sailor snapped his fingers and that made Marvin snap out of his thoughts “Hm? What is it dear?” Jackie looked curious “So… Those sirens back there, why did they call you sire?” And that made Marvin sigh, only giving a slight smile “Oh my love… That’s such a long story, and one for another time… For now, how about we enjoy some peace and quiet under the full moon tonight, hm?” Jackie sighed, he was curious but he wouldn’t push on it, he only smiled and gave a thumbs up “Okay Marv, okay… ...Love you…” Marvin hummed as he gently intertwined his hand with Jackie’s “...And I love you as well, my jolly little sailor~”

(If y’all really want, i’ll talk bout the sire ordeal just shoot me an ask if your curious about all that anyhoo- im actually proud of this one)

Chapter 6: Rudyard

Day six: the investigation fruitlessly continues.

❃❃❃

“Any luck today?” Yuen asked.

After six fruitless days of combing over Berilo’s house and garden, LLAC had once again returned to the usual meeting place. By that time, Yuen, Rudyard and Sardion were already waiting for them, and the sun was inching down past the horizon.

Lillian shook her head in disappointment. “Nothing. We searched the house from roof to basement as usual, but we didn’t find anything that wasn’t already marked or mentioned in the initial report.” She informed them.

“Yeah, same here.” Cait added. Under their breath, they grumbled; “This is so not cool at all.”

The search of the garden on the first day had been under pleasant weather, but that was the only upside that they recalled— most of that day had just consisted of crawling around underneath the plants and staring at every inch of grass and dirt for footprints. Consistently, the highlight of each passing day seemed to be their short lunch break.

Sardion sighed. “We’re in the same boat, then. Nothing turned up for us, either— I guess we’ve hit a dead end.” Yaara’s house, in comparison had been spick and span, just like how she organized it. Like Berilo’s, a blood spatter marked the area where she had died, but the house was in better shape than his— the door was still on its hinges, with no sign of lockpicking.

“So, what are we going to do next, Detective?” inquired Rudyard. Despite his annoyance at the lack of any new leads, he managed to keep his tone calm.

Yuen raised a hand to her temple, exhaling heavily. “For now, we should head back to my office. I’m sure the lot of you are hungry, I have some food stashed there. We can talk over a nice meal.” she answered.

Sardion raised an eyebrow. “You keep food in your office, too?”

“Ah, just some Dr. Piper and a few packs of Simple Wok instant noodles,” Yuen replied. “…Er, lots of Simple Wok instant noodles, to be honest.”

***

Yuen prepared some water for the instant noodles on a hot plate, as the group sat huddled in the small space.

“Sorry that this is all I have. Whenever us detectives need to stay for the night, cup ramen and soda become our nectar and ambrosia.” She said, sounding a bit embarrassed.

Rudyard laughed, giving Sardion a gentle nudge in the arm. “It’s alright, detective. Truth be told, it makes me remember when I was back in the academy. Sardion, Berilo and I used to sneak boxes of these from the cafeteria to our rooms every once in a while, so that we could have late-night snacks every time we needed to stay up to finish our written assignments.”

“Oh gods, yeah, I remember that.” Sardion said. “And you remember that time Yaara yelled at all of us because we pulled an all-nighter and made the entire room smell like broth? She said if we had just eaten enough at dinnertime like ‘normal people’, we wouldn’t be hungry and therefore wouldn’t stink up the dorm. She was right, of course, but that never stopped us from doing it again and again.” He started laughing along with Rudyard.

“Man, we should try that out, Hattie.” Cait suggested. “Knowing ol’ Branwen, there’s no way that he’ll let me off of that paper just for this assignment, so we might as well have something to eat.”

“Yeah!” Hattie agreed. “We can eat whenever we want!”

Sardion adopted a comically authoritative demeanor. “Hey, hey, bad idea. Don’t do it. And if you ignore me and get caught, don’t tell Lionheart we did it too at our time there. But, if you pull it off and don’t get caught, then you gotta tell us how you did it.”

Rudyard shook his head, grinning. “Man, we must’ve done it ‘til the day we graduated. That grouchy old lady who worked there would always wonder why some of their food was lost, but we never got the blame for it.” He clicked his fingers “Say, you remember the time Hidalgo and Gin found her stash of chocolate pudding and took as much as they could carry?”

“The Great Pudding Robbery of ‘56. How could I ever forget—?”

This time, it was Lillian’s turn to interject. “Wait, Hidalgo? As in Hidalgo Ferrante?”

Sardion turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, he was one of our pals in the academy. You know him?”

“Sort of.” Lillian replied. “I mean, I’m dating his daughter right now.” She explained, her cheeks reddening slightly.

“Wait, no kidding?” Sardion’s eyes widened. Turning to Rudyard, he mouthed ’did you know?’

“Yeah, her name’s Rosario.” Rudyard continued. “Talks about her all the time. Showed me a picture of her once, too— she’s definitely her old man’s daughter, has his eyes.”

As he spoke, Yuen sat down with them, placing the pot of now-boiling water in the middle and gesturing to the box of cup ramen. “Okay, grab whatever flavor of noodles you want. And before we continue with the nostalgia and all that, we should first discuss what we want to do next.”

“But… we still haven’t really found anything. How are we supposed to know our next move?” Amaryllis asked.

“Well, it’s not like we can just sit here until something else happens.” answered Yuen.

“Actually, they could stand to do so.” Sardion suggested, indicating LLAC with a nod of his head. “Not for long, but just half a day should suffice. We need to have clear heads, and that goes double for you, Detective— you’ve been pulling all-nighters trying to connect the dots on that corkboard. We all deserve a moment’s rest before we try facing the problem head-on.” he suggested.

Rudyard pensively nodded. “Sardion and I can carry our own independent investigations during then. We’ll try and reconvene with you in the evening, Detective, and LLAC can join us the next morning. The last couple of days have been a whirlwind, and while I’ve no intention of stopping my search for the killer, I don’t want us to burn out— or you guys, for that matter.”

After a moment’s pause, Yuen nodded in agreement. “Alright, team, you kids get tomorrow off starting at noon, and you two get the morning to make your own inroads. But when we all get back, we immediately pick up from where we left off, agreed?” She remarked.

“Agreed!” LLAC responded in unison.

***

“You know, despite all the preservatives, this stuff isn’t half bad.” Lillian said, shoveling a hunk of chicken-flavored noodles into her mouth. “I can see why people would get addicted to it.”

Yuen laughed. “What, don’t tell me you never ate this growing up? Not even once?”

Amaryllis shook her head as she followed her sister’s example, holding up a cup of beef-flavored noodles. “Aunt Izzy was always pretty strict about what we ate. Sure, we had breakfast cereal and juice and the occasional sweets, but that was pretty much it. Said that we had to follow a good diet, and that taste was one of the first things Huntresses sacrificed in the field.” She slurped some of the broth. “Hope I never have to find out what she meant by that.”

“Mmmllpphh... uhh knww whuhh duhs’ lhhk,” Cait said through a mouthful of noodles. “Than’th fuhh th’ muhhll.”

Yuen nodded. “No problem, kid. Eat up, you need it.”

“RRURRRRRP!” Their conversation was interrupted by a loud burp from Hattie. “Ah, ‘scuse me.” She said sheepishly

“Hah! I’ll have whatever she’s having!” Sardion laughed, countering her with a slightly louder belch of his own.

He barely even finished before the petite girl grinningly returned the favor with an even louder eructation.

“Are you… perhaps challenging me, Miss Lazuli?” Sardion inquired, his face turning comically stony as he repressed the urge to snicker.

Hattie smirked, holding up an unopened soda can. “Mayb—b—buUUUURRRRUUUPPPP!”

“Oh, for the love of…” Lillian groaned at the childish antics of the two. “Okay, saying it right now; I’m not being the judge this time.”

***

“Okay, you two, you know the rules. Whoever burps the longest wins, brownie points for whoever starts the loudest,” Amaryllis recited, holding up the timer on her Scroll, her finger raised just above the screen. “Ready.”

Sardion and Hattie each snapped open a can of soda, looking each other dead in the eye as they did so.

“I must let you know, Miss Lazuli, that I was the burp-off champion of Haven Academy in my time.” boasted Sardion.

“That was a long time ago, old dude. Now, it’s my time to shine.” Hattie shot back.

“Set.”

Both of them raised the metal edges of the cans to their lips, still maintaining their locked gaze.

“Last chance to back out, kiddo.” Sardion said, in a taunting voice.

Hattie didn’t reply, but narrowed her eyes and gave Sardion a thumbs-down.

“Go, Sardion.” Rudyard cheered halfheartedly yet amusedly, who sat on the couch watching the game.

“Get him, Hattie!” Cait crowed.

“Begin!”

Glup, glup, glup, glup. Both Hattie and Sardion began swigging down their cans in one long draught, their eyes beginning to water against the drink’s stinging carbonation. Within the span of a few seconds, they had poured every last drop down their throats, only for their cheeks to pouch as the carbon dioxide came rushing back up their gullets.

“Aaaaaaand… go!”

(For the reader’s own sake, this ridiculous match has been abridged by the author, who apologizes for this shameless, childish, and blatantly filler chapter. If you wish for a much funnier burping match, please follow this link.)

“And… time!” Amaryllis turned off her Scroll’s timer as Hattie and Sardion’s burps died down at the same time. “Geez! Thirteen seconds, not bad.” She remarked, swiping on her CCCT browser. “Says here that the world record’s over forty, apparently.”

“Which one had that time?” Hattie asked, wiping her chin with the crook of her elbow.

“Both of you, actually. Tie.” Amaryllis said, lifting her gaze.

Without missing a beat, Hattie grabbed another can of Dr. Piper and thrust it at Sardion. “AGAIN!”

***

While they continued with their childish contest, Cait, Lillian, and Rudyard were busy talking about some of their older missions. Cait found the pair’s recollection of the Kumoyuri assignment far more interesting than the day’s work, and found the part where Lillian had gotten dunked in mud wildly funny.

Personally, they didn’t find their extracurricular Grimm-hunting work to be as interesting, but Rudyard still politely listened nonetheless. Lillian, having been there along with Cait, only half-listened to them as she poured water into another cup of noodles.

“Oh, man. So there we were, looking right in the eye the largest Boarbatusk I’ve ever seen in my whole life. It huffed, and it puffed, it almost blew us away, but we still weren’t scared!” Cait exclaimed, gesturing with their hands to the best of their ability. “Thing is, it was pretty simple once we got down its attack pattern. Charge, turn around, charge, turn around, snort, repeat. Fourth pass around, Hattie managed to chop off its tusks with Whirligig… uh, her saw-gun thingamabob.” They continued, snapping their fingers as they tried to recall the exact name.

“Whirling Dervish.” Lillian said.

“Yeah, that, thanks Lilly.” Cait said, nodding. “Well, as I was saying, she cut off its tusks and got its face pretty good, and I shouted, ‘Guess you’re just a “Boarba” now!’” They sniggered for a moment at their own joke. “You wanna know why I called it that?”

Rudyard chuckled, bracing for the terrible pun he knew was incoming. “No, I have no earthly idea. Why?”

“Because it lost its tusks. Gettit? Boarba? No ‘tusk’? Cut its tusks off?” Cait grinned, acting as if the wordplay had been anything resembling clever.

“Oooof.” Rudyard groaned, shaking his head despite the grin on his own face. “Bad one.”

“I know, right? I should get an award for my combat banter. S’not as easy as everyone thinks it is.”

“Ignore them.” Lillian said, rolling her eyes.

Rudyard leaned back, taking a helping of his own noodles. Despite his inner tension, the pain he still had in his heart, he felt relaxed and eased by LLAC’s company. It felt nice for all of them to gather like one big family, even facing the stark reality of the next day to come. It would take far more than one good night to heal, but watching his protégé and her team… it filled him with determination.

It gave him strength and determination, seeing the new generation take the reins the old had once held. More importantly, it gave him hope.

“Haha! Now you’re definitely my type of guy. It’s never a boring day with you, is it?” / @grttrnsgrssr

“ can’t say it makes me happy hearing it from a boozed up guy like you. kinda amazed you can fire those guns when you’re never sober.“ his smirk sharp; baritone a cavalier drawl; untamed. a brief flash of wolf’s teeth. he doesn’t even acknowledge the absurdity of his title; nor the abilities apparently his ‘merry band’ were subject to. vicious wasn’t exactly someone he morally agreed with, and while if he saw him going after those bearing the yolk of suffering, second star wouldn’t hesitate. 

then again, if he has abilities like that, he’d be for a challenge, one that would accelerate the blood as much as the terrifying purity of his convictions . he isn’t flynn, adherent to one system of idealistic justice, though it has its merits in a world more realistic. justice true and unflinching, unforgiving when the law forgives. that was yuri lowell embodied. even if the world deemed him a monster. he knew the price. he didn’t look back. it would half-ass everything.

hah, what a dramatic thought, huh? i think this guys got enough edge to spare me any.

“ i dunno what you’re talking about, i’m minding my own business. “ the fellow transgressor muses; hand raking through long violet locks. “ shouldn’t i be asking you that, vic? though vicky isn’t too bad a nickname either. “ still wolfish; the wandering sinner in an adherently twisted world rests a hand on his hip. the breeze idly blowing the tassels of his blade and hair carefree and loose in the winds. maybe he’s just biding his time. 

but he knows better that if he’s been around this long, vicious isn’t someone to take lightly. the challenge of that is weighed by the innate street smarts that tell him he can’t afford to be on easy terms with a man killing simply because it interests him. then again, like himself, this man wasn’t the most blatant in showing his intentions nor emotions beyond teasing and brutal honesty. he may be himself formidable and dreaded, but vicious was far more than he appeared, people never were. oh, idealism, it costs you everything and gains you nothing. be smart.

“ so, great transgressor. flattered, really, all that, blah blah. but i’m a bit jealous. “ he removes his half glove to reveal his sin, the mark burning white hot every now and again but measly enforcers weren’t much with his level of strength. 

“ i hear everyone got some neat upgrades, dramatic, if the starry eyed kid is anything to believe in, but what do you do if you already owned your sin before you did the crime? did i miss out? ah, man, too bad. “ he didn’t exactly want to be indebted to a guy that killed for killing. while he embodied justice, they did have one thing in common.

they had killed others, regardless of reasoning, murderers. he would not paint his actions as anything but doing what he felt must be done. one for obscured reasons; the other for what no one else was willing to do but should be done, by his conviction. but at the end of the day, killing was killing. yuri lowell was no saint, even if his bleeding heart and unwavering purity with morals remained despite the stain of his crime. even if his friends told him otherwise. even if those he saved thanked him and saw the benevolent man within. he didn’t bullshit the consequences. he wouldn’t start now.

do justice and punish the unjust. 

“ i hope by ‘your type of guy’ you’re not asking me to go drinking? “ smirk widens, dark silver eyes glittering almost predatorily. he had kindness bleeding like a cup overpouring in spades, but for this man, he was both on alert and eerily undeterred. he still had to figure him out if he became interesting enough. and by interesting started some chaos that no one deserved if the rumors, which were grains of salt in everything, were accurate. but he knew the look of men who killed for pleasure. vicious had that look, and he wanted to know the situations for it. 

“ you’re the type that’d spike my drink.  then you wouldn’t get a good dinner that misella hasn’t roasted with her pyromania.  ain’t feeding someone like that, c’mon vicky. ” sarcasm dripping, he plays along, not once being discomforted; angry or even amused. he just seems...yuri. defiant, bold-eyed and fierce. indomitable and unique to himself and himself alone.

“still...tell me, are you better at a fight sober or drunk? never fought against guns before. oh wait, nevermind. we’re allies. “ yuri waves a hand as he walks towards him; a dry smile painted on his lips. “ my bad. by the way the group’s way ahead. much as i’d love to chat, and as much as i’d love to know what you want so i can probably say ‘no’ . . . . we can’t keep them waiting. or y’know they’ll...” and a genuine smirk of amusement colors his face just as fast.

“probably fall into a hole. again. c’mon edgelord. let’s go before we never hear the end of it.  “  with a wave as if to say, hurry up,  the man walks ahead; not once looking back. vicious and he had one thing in common despite being on opposite moral ends. 

they didn’t look back period once they chose something.

God should have made a universe full of nebulas - a Good Omens fanfiction

i wanted to write about Crowley’s fall so I did. party on.

Link to AO3 if you’d prefer to read it there

-

He hadn’t meant to Fall. He really, honestly, hadn’t. He had said as much to Aziraphale, once, twice, four hundred times over the years, but he was pretty sure the angel never really believed him. After all, it sounded idiotic. Who Falls by accident? It’s definitely something you mean to do, brought about by a willful wrongdoing without a hint of good intention in your heart. ‘Ah, but,’ the casual observer may say, ‘the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.’ And certainly there are good intention rest-stops along the way, but everybody knows the road to Hell is actually paved with frozen door-to-door salespeople. And, thanks to the ever-changing nature of the world, telephone scammers.

They were in the back room of the bookshop some months after the Nahpocalypse. Azirpahale was sitting on the couch, smiling contentedly and sipping his moscato, one of Crowley’s legs in his lap and the other draped over his shoulders. His wings were out, draped lazily over the back of the furniture, primaries spreading out on the worn floorboards like a bridal train. The demon was lounged back against the arm of the couch, glass of red wine in hand and shoulder-length hair in his face, wings out as well, although not nearly as full as the angel’s: the left one, the better one, was splayed across the floor while the right one, twisted and contracted, broken by the Fall, was cocked between the demon’s shoulder and the couch cushions, the few feathers remaining warped by the awkward positioning. He was lightly drunk, and he hadn’t yet devolved to declarations of love for the world and Aziraphale, so he was still in control of his faculties. “Did you know,” he said, in a lull in conversation, after Aziraphale had finished a cathartic rant about internet sales, “that I Fell by accident?”

Aziraphale nodded, and made a point of not shifting awkwardly. Crowley often mentioned his Fall in an off-hand way, usually with some degree of pitch-black humor or sarcasm, the same way humans joked about the deaths of loved ones, or horrible tragedies being personally inconvenient in petty ways. “You have mentioned it before, yes,” he replied, trying to keep his tone light.

Crowley looked into his wineglass pensively. “Guess I have done, yeah.” He swallowed another mouthful. “You wanna hear the story?”

“I -” he paused. His brow furrowed, and he debated sobering up a little. Crowley couldn’t be serious - demons didn’t tell stories about their Falls. At least, not that Aziraphale knew of. Not that he had a lot of experience with demons outside of Crowley and a few vanquished foes from back in the Mesopotamian days. “You’re drunk,” he concluded, reasonably. “Not a good time.”

“Not a much better time, you ask me.” Crowley nudged Aziraphale’s cheek with his knee. “C’monnn, I know you’re curious.”

“My dear, I rather think this is a subject better saved for a more subdued situation,” Aziraphale said quietly, running his hand through the feathers in Crowley’s bad wing. “I wouldn’t want to upset you.”

Crowley groaned, and momentarily went limp. “Aziraphale. You’re killing me.” He looked up to catch the angel’s puzzled expression. “I’m offering, angel! ‘M not that drunk, I assure you I’m fully consenting or whatever to this. I saved the bloody world with you - okay, I was there with you when the world was saved, you can stuff it - for Someone’s sake. We’re going to buy a house together.” He made a face. “Like a couple of pensioners. You were in my body!”

A sigh. “Well, when you put it that way. But if it’s going to upset you …”

“It’s upsetting me how you keep assuming I’m gonna get upset!” Crowley propped himself up on his elbows, ticking points off on his fingers. “Was it traumatic? Yes. Awful? Absolutely. Do I miss God? Sure, I guess, just like everyone else. But!” He held up the other hand. “We have the other points: I met you, got forgiven by you which means way more than some distant authority figure by the way, all great. I get to be me, fantastic. I don’t have to talk to Gabriel ever, the best.” Aziraphale was watching him, and, slowly, Crowley’s expression softened. “I wouldn’t go back to being an angel, angel. ‘Member what I said to you when we were talking about the apocalypse? Back when I’d just dropped off Adam?”

Aziraphale thought it over. “About the dolphins …?”

“No, Aziraphale, honestly, that’s not even pertinent.” He waved a hand. “You said, ‘well I’ll be damned’, an’ I said, ‘it’s not that bad, when you get used to it.’” He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “I‘ve had a long time to get used to it. An’ … an’ you’re around which, you know. Doesn’t hurt.” There was silence in the bookshop, and the two studied one another, both thoughtful. “If it’s gonna upset you -”

“No.” Aziraphale held up a hand. “I mean, it might. I … I do not like hearing about bad things happening to you my dear but …” He took a breath. “Crowley, if you want to tell me the story, I’d be honored to hear it out.”

“I want to.” He sat up, and then laid back down, face-first, across Aziraphale’s lap. Absently, the angel buried his fingers into the soft scapulars, and Crowley hissed happily. “Jus’ keep doing that, though. An’ top me off, first?”

Aziraphale did. “Right. You can stop any time if you want to, you know.”

“I do.” He took a breath, and another gulp of wine. “Right. Okay, so -”

In the Beginning (or rather, Some Period before) …

The stars stretched out before him, lightyears away and yet practically in his lap, all at once. In his hands, stardust like clay, clinging to his fingers and wrists, slick and gritty. He swirled a palm-full of stars, and watched it move thoughtfully, and considered.

Raphael had said they needed more asteroids, planetoids, comets, all that tosh, and less stars. No more nebulas, he had been told firmly, with a disapproving look, as the Archangel sighed and looked over the lesser angel’s work. It’s a nice nebula though, Raphael said. I’ll find somewhere to put it. Just … stop making them. Try a comet, they’re kind of the same.

He had tried a few comets. They were not the same. They were, well, boring. They didn’t do anything besides slingshot around a galaxy, messy and dribbling. A nebula - a really good nebula - now that is a big interesting star factory, swirling around and bouncing on its own, doing what it likes once you let it go. It makes things, things which nobody in Heaven has anything to do with - totally independent. Some explode in a shower of ions, that’s always disappointing, but sometimes, oh, the ones that succeed are so worth it. Gorgeous and glorious and amazing.

God should have made a universe full of nebulas, the angel thought. He looked back to the stardust, still twisting in his hands, and breathed on it. It ballooned - they always did, if you knew what you were doing - and formed, and lo, a new nebula was born. He smiled at the thing, and hung it in storage. That would be Raphael’s issue, later.

If they didn’t want more nebulas they shouldn’t have made them so bloody delightful, the angel thought. He didn’t say it, though. Not then, anyway.

“What’re you doing?” He jumped and turned to see another angel - a familiar face, although after the Fall he wouldn’t be able to recall her name, only that she is now called Amii - watching him intently. “I thought old Raphael said no more nebulas.” A quizzical look. “I distinctly remember something about comets.”

The angel sighed. “Yeah. Yeah, but, you know, comets … comets are boring. Not much of one for comets, me.” He shrugged. “And what’s an extra nebula or two, when you get down to it? Space’s big.”

“Space is big,” the other angel intoned, thoughtfully. “But Raphael is an Archangel, with orders straight from, you know.” A cocked eyebrow, or at least the impression of one - forms were more a loose concept in Heaven, in that time before time. “You don’t want to go against those, eh?”

The lesser angel hedged. “Well, no, obviously, but you know … Well, it’s not like anyone’s checking up. If it was really supposed to be comets only, don’t you think I would be like, incapable of making anything else? I mean why not just make me forget nebulas? Or just … instill me with an overwhelming love of comets?” He crossed his arms. “Way I see it, until someone tells me to stop -”

“Raphael did.”

“Well …”

The other angel chuckled. “You sound like someone else I know. It could get you in trouble, you know.”

“How?” the lesser angel challenged. “She is a being of true love and forgiveness, isn’t She? What, I’m going to get a stern talking to and maybe a transfer to a different department? Hah, ok, I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing until then.” He stopped, and then wheedled a little. “You know everyone likes a nebula.”

“They do.” The angel-now-demon-known-as-Amii looked to the stardust residue coating the lesser angel’s hands. “Clean your hands off, I think you ought to meet someone.”

“Who?” but even as he asked, he was shaking the stardust loose into the cosmos, forming clouds and smears of light that drifted away.

“You ever met Lucifer?”

He raised his eyebrows. “The Lightbringer? No, not me. I’m not nearly important enough.”

“I think he’d like you.”

“Do you?” he asked, with genuine surprise.

The other angel nodded. “I do. I think you two should talk. Here, follow me - I’ll introduce you.”

And she did. Lucifer was everything you’d expect from someone called ‘Lightbringer’: charming and charismatic and easy to talk to, easy to go around with. They drank of the manna together*, surrounded by a pack of other angels of all sorts of ranks, and talked about the universe, about stars, about God, and a lot of other things in between. “Makes you wonder if Creation really is infinite, you know?” the starmaker said to Lucifer once. “Or is that just, you know, a rumor. I mean, why limit what all we can make, what all we can put it in if it’s infinite?”

“It does make you wonder,” Lucifer said, thoughtfully. “I’d like to get answers if I could, I think. I’d like to ask, anyway.” There was a chorus of general agreement. He turned his attention back to the starmaker, and nudged his shoulder. “You know, I heard She is working on something new. A new planet.”

“What? All by Herself? You’re having me on.” He laughed. “Why would She do that?”

“Another good question,” Lucifer said, a glimmer in his eye. “Gabriel says he’s seen Her working on it. Supposedly -” he lowered his voice, and the assembled angels leaned in, although in this place, where time and space and sound were optional, they didn’t really need to. “Supposedly, She is making new life to live there and only there. A new Creation. A microcosm of our Host. And She has a Great Plan.” Murmurs of confusion, surprise. Questions of ‘why?’ and ‘what’s wrong with us?’. “Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?” Lucifer asked. “I reckon, if She’s so omnipotent and infallible, why would She need to replace us? She created us. Theoretically, we should be perfect. But, I guess not.” He stood, spread his hands. “If we need replaced, after all. So is She really infallible?”

“I mean maybe it’s like a reboot?” the starmaker suggested. Lucifer turned his attention to him, and he realized, suddenly, that he wasn’t sure what a reboot really was, which rather hindered his ability to make a simile. “You know, like Angels 2.0, all the good stuff plus some upgrades.”

“Upgrades,” Lucifer said flatly.

“Yeah, you know.” The starmaker wilted a little, suddenly the center of attention, but he plowed ahead anyway. “Maybe more wings or something.”

“And then what of us?” Lucifer asked, voice low. Suddenly, this was not a light conversation. This was not just idle questions in a group of like-minded people. “When there are Angels 2.0? Are we obsolete? Or just playing eternal second fiddle? A piece to be moved around in this … Plan?”

“I …” He stammered. “I don’t know.”

“Wouldn’t you like to ask?”

He paused. “I suppose I would, yeah.” He thought about it, and then, surprised, found his resolve hardened. “Yeah, you know, you have a point. Why would She do it all again?”

Lucifer nodded. “Be a lot easier if someone could ask. Be a lot easier if we could … talk it over. Maybe She needs a little more input in decision-making.” There were murmurs of agreement. The starmaker, with a sinking feeling, frowned. “Angels, brothers, sisters - I hear your concerns. And, you know, as a member of the first circle, well …” He gave the impression of drawing himself up, and the light flaring off of him burned brighter. “I think She and I need to have a chat. I think we deserve answers.” Lower still, he added, “And I think we need to know if She has them.”

The chat, as evidenced by the heaps of mythology, did not go well. But you know that part, broadly. The angels who had gathered around Lucifer - including the starmaker - were hunted down in Heaven. Some, angry that their questions were to remain unanswered, or furious that they were to be replaced by Her newest creation, fought back. Blood was shed. Angels, flaming swords gripped in their hands, swarmed unto other angels, who parried, or ran, or were unmade.

The starmaker ran. He ran as far as he could, to the furthest reaches of space, but it was no use. The others had seen him. “You never were good at following orders,” Raphael said, flaming sword held aloft. It would have been easier if he looked angry, but he didn’t. He was crying. “I should have known. I should have - I should have known.”

“I didn’t mean it.” The angel held his hands up, placating. “I’ll make all the comets you want, Ralph, really, I promise, no more nebulas.”

“No. No, you had your chance.” He advanced, and his expression hardened. “Don’t make this harder than it is. Please.”

“Raphael, please, you know me, always getting up to something but it’s all, you know, well it’s never anything really it’s always just talk and -”

“Please stop talking.” The sword hefted. “Please. You talk too much. You talk too much, and you’re too good at it, and I can’t do this right now.”

The angel, wings wrapped around himself, hands raised, drifted back in space, bumping into a galaxy, pitching it on its axis. “Raphael -” he stopped. He couldn’t not stop. There was a flare of light - blinding, horrible light - and screaming. A form, and nobody needed telling who it was, was falling from on high. He was burning, too, as he fell, plunging downwards. Up to that point, nobody had realized there was anything below Heaven but he went through the bottom of that, too, and kept falling.

Falling. With a capital ‘F’.

And then there were more. Some jumped. Some were thrown. Some - and nobody was really sure how - just Fell, without any observable force acting on them. A lot of them screamed, but some of them didn’t. Somehow, that was worse. They burned like magnesium, streaking through space and out of Heaven, to somewhere Below.

The starmaker watched, and Raphael did, too. And then he turned back, eyes wide.

“Don’t kill me,” the starmaker whispered, his hands reaching into a cloud of stardust, twisting it, trying to hold it, to find comfort. “I don’t want to die.”

“That might be worse,” Raphael pointed out. He hefted the sword. “The Lord is merciful in all things.”

“So which one is the merciful one, then?” Raphael stopped. The sword stopped. Flames - silent and roaring all at once - licked the blade and burned away stardust. “You don’t know. I don’t know. But … but I know I don’t want to die.” He unfurled his wings, and looked down. With one last glance to the Archangel, he said, “Bye, Ralph.”

And he Fell, too.

It wasn’t great. The starmaker had free-fallen before, while he was flying, and it wasn’t anything like that. Think of it like this: falling down a hill on a rollercoaster is all well and good, because you know you’re safely held in the car, and will go around the curve at the bottom, and in forty-five seconds you will be walking away, laughing about what fun that was with your friends, and talking about hitting the ice cream stand for some soft serve. Falling off Niagra Falls, however, doesn’t have a meticulously-engineered curve at the bottom. There’s rocks. There’s definitely not ice cream.

He spread his wings, but it was of no use. He could tumble and twist, he could barrel-roll and somersault, but he could only go down. There was no deceleration, no brakes. And there was nothing below, besides the lens-flare pinpricks of other angels who had gone before.

So he Fell. It hurt, too, not physically but deeper than that, as if through every lightyear he pulled away from Heaven a little more of his soul ripped away. Which was absurd, he thought distantly, as he twisted, because his soul probably didn’t have feelings. He had Grace, and that’s what he was losing. He knew that, though no one had told him, because that was the only thing he could think of that would feel that way - the loss of Grace, which up to that point had done the job of trying to fill an empty hole in him that had once been brimming with faith. It was going, he was Falling away from it and burning up as he did, and with every millennium he Fell he felt colder, emptier, weaker. He stopped flapping. Stopped trying to stop. Stopped looking back. He went limp, head down, and let himself Fall. Maybe Raphael had been right.

He Fell for so long that he didn’t notice, not at first, that the air … changed. Got hot. Sticky. By the time it broke through to his consciousness - had he gone to sleep? - and prompted him to open his eyes, there was light, too. Sickly, yellow light. He looked to the source, and saw a pit of boiling sulfur.

“Oh, shit,” he said, and tried to hit the brakes.

It sort of worked. He didn’t hit The Pit at terminal velocity, anyway - some did, bursting out of existence with geysers of sulfur and acrid, greasy clouds of smoke. But at a certain speed, hitting liquid might as well be hitting stone, and he knew that. He braked hard, flapping and twisting and rolling and trying to create as much drag as he could and then, when it became clear that the options were to stick the landing or die trying, he dove.

His right wing hit first. It hurt. And then the rest of him caught fire. Or, he thought, it must have done. Nothing else could possibly cause that much pain. He plunged through the sulfur, flailing to slow himself, burning up and screaming silently, but alive, until the sensation of sinking stopped. He floated.

He wondered how long he could float there. It wasn’t so bad, not now that it all had stopped. Oh, sure, there was pain, his wing felt absolutely mangled and he realized he had no arms or legs, not anymore, who knew what happened to those, but it could have been worse. Beat death any day, anyway. So he floated, eyes closed, and debated staying there.

There was a rumble from Below. It had to be Below. It could only be Below. He opened his eyes, and swam up, paddling with the left wing as best he could, and tail - yeah, that seemed about right, what’s a tail anyway? Definitely wasn’t legs - whipping in the sulfur, propelling him to the surface. He broke through, eyes and nose and ears full of sulfur, the taste of ash in his mouth and fire in his lungs - weird sensations, painful but something he realized he was quickly acclimatizing to - and swam. There was an edge, in the distance. Rocky, sharp, smoking, coated in ash, but an edge nonetheless. A ledge to climb on. He swam towards it.

“Not so fast,” someone growled, behind him, and, with a sticky, charred hand on his broken wing, they pulled.

He didn’t think about it. It happened on something like instinct, although he was fairly certain that he didn’t truly have instincts. But either way, they pulled, and he struck, whipping around in an impossible arc and sinking long, needle-thin fangs - fangs? - into the other fallen angel’s bulk, bearing them below sulfur and hissing - hissing, that was new - the entire time. They screamed for a time, until they didn’t. Eventually, they let go, and they sank. He kept swimming.

The ledge was sharp, and he hissed when it scraped him while he dragged himself up it, but it was solid. His left wing gave him leverage enough to haul himself up to the waist, to get his … no. He didn’t have a waist. No, this wasn’t right.

For the first time, he risked a look at his form, limbless and burnt. And he hissed again, surprised and afraid and angry and lost, all at once, with about forty other emotions thrown in for flavor. For a bare minute, he debated letting go, falling back into the sulfur, and sinking down to the rumbling thing below. And then he snarled, and slithered out of the pool.

There were others around the pool. He slithered over the rocks, raw wounds on his belly dragging and scraping, a new agony with every move, and kept his distance, the other one in the pool still fresh in his mind. There were bodies, too. Dead angels - no, not angels, something else, now - scattered around, broken and lifeless and alien-looking. He stopped among a group of them and thought. Others were coming out of the pool, others were still Falling in. There was screaming, and gnashing of teeth, and even as he watched one tore into another, not unlike what he’d done, and began to eat. To eat. He shuddered and sank low to the ground, curling his body into a tight coil, broken wing held as close as he could. He waited. It would stop, eventually. It had to.

He was right, ultimately. The streaks of light from Heaven slowed, and then stopped entirely. He watched carefully, just to be sure, and then, cautiously, slithered forward. There was a gathering, ahead. A group. And nobody appeared to be eating one another, which was a bonus.

A heavy hand - hot, but not burning - landed on his back. He screamed and coiled, winding up to strike. “Relax!” He stopped. It wasn’t the same voice, not quite, but close. He turned around, and blinked in the face of a pillar of infernal flames. “Hail and well met.” The flames condensed, took form, almost like an angel but shifted to the left, who was waving at him. It looked, if it could be possible with milky white eyes and a mouthful of flames, apologetic. And familiar, in a distant sort of way. “What a mess that turned out to be, huh? I saw you fall - you’re the starmaker, right?”

He hissed, and tried to find the name. It evaded him. The other shook her head. “Not anymore. I know what you’re trying. But you felt the Grace leave you, yes?” He had. He hurt, and he ached, and he felt cold and empty and sick inside. “Our names went with it. You may call me Amii, now.”

“Amii,” he parroted, forked tongue and fangs and alien name unfamiliar in his mouth. “You knew me.”

“I did, if you were the starmaker. Can’t quite recognize you in that form, though - you want to try for something like you used to do?” She paused. “Or you can stay like that, since it’s technically your true form now. You’ll get used to it. Part of the deal.”

“The deal?”

“The deal,” Amii agreed. “The demon deal. It’s what we are now: demons. Fallen angels, technically, but Lucifer isn’t so hot on anyone using that term. I’d avoid it, if I were you, when you see him.”

“Demonssssss.” He looked around then, suddenly apprehensive. “Where’ssss Lucifer?”

“I’ll take you to him.”

“No!” He backed up, over the bodies of other fallen angels - demons - eyes wide. “No, no, not again -”

Amii grabbed the broken wing, dragging on the ground, and the former starmaker froze. Amii looked, for a moment, profoundly sad. “No choice now, I’m afraid. We are his. He is the King of Hell, and the King of Demons, and you have to go meet him.” She tried to smile. “At the very least, you need a name.”

“I had a name.”

“Not anymore. Come on.” She tugged, but was met with continued resistance. She sighed. “You don’t want to make him call you. Easier if you go on your own.”

“Let me go.”

Amii did. She watched, then, as the other slithered alongside him, and they started toward the crowd of other demons. “You can still heal yourself, if you want, and I can teach you how to assume the shape you used to have, approximately. It’s manageable. You survived, that’s the big thing.” She looked to the broken wing. “Wings can’t be fixed, though, I’m afraid.” She heard the sharp intake of breath from the other, and explained, “Lucifer told us She said that we will be doomed to crawl and eat dust for the rest of eternity as punishment for the rebellion.” She let her own wings out, such as they still were, both burned away to charred stumps spotted with sparse feathers.

“Rebellion? I didn’t rebel. I just asked questions.”

“Same thing, I guess.” She continued, the serpent beside her, until they reached the gathered crowd. There was a line leading to Lucifer, and Amii indicated the end. “You have to wait. You need a name. If you don’t go willingly, he’ll call you. It’s not very pleasant.”

“I’ll wait.” He slithered to the back of the line, past grotesque beasts that he didn’t have names for and others that had tried to resume their angel forms, but were marred by the Fall with boils and wounds and burns. He wondered, vaguely, what he would look like if he took that form right now. He looked down to his body again, bright black scales on his back and red on the belly, scars and burns scattered all over, and decided against attempting a transformation. He hissed, and drew his left wing in, and coiled up to wait.

Time hadn’t been invented yet, so the serpent didn’t have any idea of how long he waited, but when he finally reached the front of the line, the horror and pain and sadness had faded to a sort of background hum and were replaced at the forefront with boredom, which was a strange emotion to feel grateful for but an improvement nonetheless. He was also sick of the bull with the flaming eyes and nostrils and mouth behind him, lowing and stepping on his tail. He had been looking forward to getting this over with, but at the front of the line he stopped. Lucifer regarded him through coal-black eyes, luminescent flesh burnt off entirely, leaving only ruddy red leather. He had a crown of horns, twisting out of his head, a scaled tail like the lesser demon’s own, and the legs of a beast with cloven hooves. He had been so beautiful, before. Now, he was a monster.

Maybe he should not have been so eager to get this over with. Nevertheless, cautiously, he slithered forward, eyes downcast.

“A serpent.” Lucifer observed. “You need a name.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Lucifer considered it. “Crawly,” he declared, finally. The serpent would have winced if it had the facial musculature to do it. Crawly? It was too on the nose for him. Maybe he could change it … no, he thought quickly, pulling the brake lever on that train of thought with everything he had. No, that’s what got him into this whole mess in the first place. Taking liberties. Asking questions.

On the other hand that he no longer had, however, what more could they do to him? He burnt and felt dead inside, he ached, and he’d lost the ability to fly. His wings were ruined. He could barely speak without hissing. He surprised himself in that moment with a spark of optimism - really, in this place? - and thought, Nowhere to go but up.

Lucifer spoke again. Oh. Had he lingered too long? “Demon Crawly.”

“Lord, at your command.”

“I recognize your voice.” A hiss slipped out of Crawly, nervous and shaking and weak. He shrank back as Lucifer looked him over imperiously. “Show your other form.”

He couldn’t have resisted if he tried. He had never changed shapes before, slipping an angelic shape on like a suit, but it was easy. Most magic is easy, as all angels know: you just have to know one or two tricks about the backstage workings of physics and space-time, but once you’ve got that down there’s nothing to it. He had been a starmaker; twisting space-time had been his pre-breakfast routine. He shifted from serpent to his old form, or something approximating it, and there was no pain to it, which surprised him. Messy red hair fell into his eyes and then past his chin. He reached up to brush it away, and froze. His hand - the hand that had made stars and nebulas and waved stardust into the universe - was charred, burnt black, the ends of his fingers drawn out into claws. The char traced up his arms, ending just below the elbow and fading into scales instead, the same black and red of his serpent form. Cautiously, watching the claws like they might attack him of their own volition, he brushed his hair back, and experimentally brushed his nose. Flesh, not scales. Interesting. Horrific, but interesting.

Lucifer was watching him. “I know you. I spoke with you, not long before the Fall.”

He bowed, because he wasn’t sure what else to do. “You did, Lord.”

The King of Hell regarded him for another moment, appraising him up-and-down, and then gestured to a row of demons standing to his left. “Stand with them, demon Crawly.”

He did. He didn’t ask why. On some level, he was glad for the command, because in this form his legs didn’t seem to want to work properly - he might have been angel-shaped, but he still wanted to slither. He staggered to the line of waiting demons and stood at the end, lifting his broken wing as high as he could without worsening the pain, trying to keep the end of the phalanx from dragging along the sharp rocks. He wobbled on unfamiliar legs and fought back a wave of a very new feeling. He wasn’t sure he liked it.

Below the pain and the grief was hate, oh how that burned inside of him like nothing ever had before. Hate for Lucifer, and for his bloody questions, hate for Amii for introducing them, hate for Raphael and his fucking comets and hate for … for Her. It made him feel sick, when he thought about Her. He was so angry with Her, so furious, but then grief would surge up like a geyser and bank the heat of the hate, until another wave of anger fed it back alive. He had been the one that stepped out of line, it was his fault, not Hers. But then - why cast him out? He just had questions. She was supposed to be infinitely understanding and benevolent, forgiving and loving. Was she really so unable to handle a few simple questions?

I just wanted to make galaxies, he thought, watching Lucifer name demon after demon. Another lank strand of hair fell into his eyes, and he left it. He didn’t want to see his own hand again. He didn’t want to see the ash where stardust had just been. He ached, he felt tired to his very core and nauseous, like he might never eat again, but yet … he was alive. That was better than death. Right?

With trembling hands - claws - he reached out and gathered his broken wing closer to himself, combing the three primaries that were left with long, shaky strokes.

The demon next to him was watching him, black eyes empty and gleaming in the light of the brimstone. A frog, seated on the top of his head, croaked. “Who are you?” The demon asked.

“Crawly, I guess.”

The demon considered it. “I’ve never heard of you. Are you a Duke?”

Crawly blinked - ah, so he did have eyelids in this form. “I don’t think so,” he answered, eventually. “Are you?”

“I am Duke Hastur.” He looked vaguely disgusted that Crawly was not a Duke. “Why has our Dark Lord asked you to join these ranks?” Crawly had no idea. He said so. “Perhaps we will eat you later.”

Oh. He hadn’t considered that. Duke Hastur smiled not-very-nicely. A maggot crawled out from between his broken teeth, and re-entered his nose. Crawly shivered, and resisted the urge to transform back into a snake. At least there were no maggots. Not unless, he thought, he wanted to add them later, maybe. Which he had trouble believing he ever would. Rather than slither away, he stepped half a foot away from Hastur, and held his broken wing closer. The bones ground, and the joints, but he found a position that was nominally less painful than any other, and did his best to maintain it. It was healing up, he realized as the wing cracked and twisted in his hand, and some of the pain faded. Badly, still broken, but it was healing anyway.

It would never heal right. Guess it didn’t matter. At least it was still there - one of Hastur’s had been broken off entirely, oozing blood and ichor, maggots feeding at the stump.

As the Fall had stopped, the Naming stopped eventually, too. Lucifer stalked around the assembled demons, and addressed them. They were Fallen. They were damned to an eternity of suffering and pain, never to be forgiven for their sins. They were supposed to be kind, and benevolent, and faithful and loyal and obedient, and they had all violated that in some way. Must have done, to Fall. Crawly thought of his questions as his stomach rolled. Lucifer, too, grieved, pain apparent in every word, and near the end he cried out, voice breaking with pain and loss, and all of the demons fell to their knees, crying and hissing and screaming and roaring, as his pain washed through them, twisting and burning - burning again, just like when they were Falling, burning burning - and flames leapt up from The Pit.

Crawly would have cried, but he couldn’t. Serpents can’t cry. He clenched his fists over his ears instead, claws digging into his palms and raining ash down around his head, on knees and elbows, and whimpered until it stopped. The pain left him curled on the rocks, trembling and weak. Lucifer was talking again, and Crawly was aware of a rough hand on his shoulder, dragging him to his feet.

“The Dark Lord wishes to speak to us privately,” Duke Hastur snarled. “Stand, serpent.” There was no command to it - Hastur had no power over Crawly - but he stood anyway. Around them, demons were shuffling away, blank-eyed and staring. Crawly watched as they started picking up rocks, or digging them with their bare hands, fingers breaking and bleeding as they chipped the stones away, only to heal and re-break. He swallowed. A command, then. Had to be. But his mind was … clear, relatively. Considering recent events, anyway. So it was not a command for him.

He reached for his wing, for the comfort of his own feathers, and was surprised to find he could bring it around a little without pulling it. The pain had faded, too. Healed, then. Stiff and scarred and most definitely useless for the rest of eternity, but healed. How long had they been here?

Lucifer spoke. “Princes, Dukes, Knights … Crawly.” He stalked down to Crawly and lingered there, amused almost, Crawly thought, if that wasn’t a completely absurd thought (he must be starting to lose it, and who would blame him?), before turning and stalking back up the formed ranks. “The free-thinkers. The ones who thought it through.” He breathed out, and embers and flames flickered from his nose. “We were right. There were no answers. There was nothing beyond expected unconditional obedience, and willingness to comply with a Great Plan. And we were right, too - there is a new creation. She has chosen them, made them in her image. Our image, but imperfect.” He snarled. “But they obey. They do not question. They only love and do as they are told. She has created a world for them, and linear time, and they have been enjoying it for one day.” He spat the word. “They will live forever in a garden She has made for them, and go forth and multiply and be Her favored creation.”

“It should have been us,” one of the Knights murmured.

“Unless …”

Crawly blinked again. “Unlesssssss?” he whispered. Lucifer couldn’t have heard him, it was impossible. But he looked to Crawly anyway.

“Unless they can be tempted to wander astray.” Lucifer began traversing back down the line. “Unless we can interfere with this Great Plan. Unless we can corrupt their souls and bring them to our Pit with us. Unless we can ruin Her most favored creation, as She ruined us.” He paused to regard one of the demons, who mostly looked like a buzzing cloud of flies. “You were the ones who questioned. You will be my Prince, and lead the others to do this, Beelzebub.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“And the rest of you will serve your roles as well. Corrupt, tempt, bring them down to us. But not yet.” Lucifer had returned to Crawly, watching the demon with eyes black like obsidian, like lava cooling in the sea. “Because they don’t know, yet, that they can disobey. They only know right. They have no frame of reference for wrong. They cannot know without that power being bestowed on them, which of course She did not do.”

Probably learned Her lesson, Crawly thought. Won’t make the same mistake twice.

“Which is where you come in, demon Crawly. You’re very good with words, I noticed.”

Crawly looked to Lucifer like a rabbit staring down an oncoming semi. He should respond, he thought, or say something, but all the words were scrambled around in his head like so much flotsam in a flooded river, jamming up at the dam of his mouth and leaving him open-mouthed and staring. “I - ngk - Lord, ssorry, I shall teach … ?”

“No need.” Lucifer waved a claw. “Not at all, Crawly. There will be a tree, on which will grow fruit that contains the knowledge of good and evil. One bite, and they will have knowledge beyond any they’ll be capable of now. They will have the capacity to question, and to learn, and to doubt. They will obtain free will. They will no longer be beholden to Her.”

Crawly nodded. “Ah. Right. Sso find the tree, grab a fruit -”

“No need. The tree is in the garden.”

“What? Why do that?” he asked, before his brain caught up with his mouth and he remembered who he was speaking to.

“To ensure their obedience, I assume.” Lucifer smiled, thin and terrible and full of too many teeth. “All you have to do, Crawly, is talk. Ask a few questions. I cannot go myself - She will know if I appear there, and She has guards posted in the garden and the walls. Talk to them, and they will Fall as we did, in time.”

A lick of hate rolled over the grief for a minute, and Crawly sneered. Yes. Yes, make them fall. Misery loves company. And if She didn’t want questions, well … He could have laughed. Good luck with that. You give something sentience, questions will follow. “Yesss, Lord.” He bowed his head. “It will be done.”

“Good. There.” Crawly’s gaze followed Lucifer’s claw as the King of Hell gestured to a craggy cliff face, high over The Pit. “There is a crack in the cliff, it will lead to the Garden. If you succeed, you will be rewarded with privileges far above your station, demon. If you are caught, and you fail -” Lucifer shrugged “- there are others. I will find another who can spin words as well.”

Crawly considered it, in the privacy of his own head. And then he watched another demon claw a rock apart, weeping and breaking and re-forming just to do it again. He would succeed, then. Success was the only option. He squared his shoulders and focused on his form - look natural, look tempting. Scales and char faded, replaced with plain flesh, the wings disappeared, and the fangs shortened to incisors. His face burned on the right side, and he raised a hand - a normal hand, he could have gasped - to feel the raised scar. He didn’t have to see it to know, as he traced the curls under his fingers, that it was a serpent. “Got it, Lord.”

“Very tempting,” Lucifer growled, not unhappy, tracing his claw along Crawly’s jawline. “But you will be spotted easily by the guards in this form. You’ll have to use the other form.”

“Oh. Oh, right.” Another moment of focus - it was getting easier with every time - and he changed again, back to the serpent, wings still safely tucked away. Lucifer nodded, approving.

“Better. Now, get up there and make some trouble.”

-

Crowley - definitely Crowley now - sighed as Aziraphale ruffled his fingers through Crowley’s coverts. “And then you know the rest,” he concluded. “So that’s it. Turns out I’ve always been an idiot.” When Aziraphale didn’t reply right away, he looked up, rolling onto his side to get a better look. The angel, predictably, was crying. Crowley frowned, opening his mouth to make some flip remark, but Aziraphale took his face in his hands, oily from the feathers but still warm and pleasant.

“You’re not an idiot,” Aziraphale said softly. “You’re … yourself. You’re definitely Crowley, you’ve always had questions, but you’re not an idiot.”

“There are literal millennia of evidence that ‘Crowley’ and ‘idiot’ are synonymous, angel. Oof.” Aziraphale had pulled him into a hug, clutching him tightly to his chest. Crowley flapped, more ineffectively even than usual as his left wing was snagged on the arm of the couch. “Hang on, wait, argh, cramp, let go, angel, let me just.” There was more flapping, some hasty repositioning, and Crowley leaned back into Aziraphale. “Right, you can resume.”

“You’re not an idiot,” Aziraphale murmured again into Crowley’s hair. “Being inquisitive is the opposite of that. You only had questions.”

Crowley swallowed, and forced out a bitter laugh. The Fall … that was a long time ago. There were centuries where he wouldn’t sleep, and if he did he would wake up with screaming nightmares of the burning and the pain, the Leviathan roaring in the deep. That had faded around, oh, call it the third century. “It is a part of you but it does not define you,” Yeshua had told him - her, then - centuries before, while they’d stood at the foot of Chichen Itza and admired the jungle around. “You define yourself.”

“Says the son of God,” Crowley - Crawly, then - had pointed out.

Yeshua shrugged. “It’s a part of myself that I am happy with, for all the good and bad it will bring.” He’d looked sidelong at Crawly. “But you’re not happy with yourself.”

“I can’t undo it.”

“No. But could you learn to live with it? Incorporate it into your past, a piece of the history, and then write new history in the future?”

Crawly had thought about it while the Central American jungle faded away, and the snow-capped peak of Fuji soared above them. “S’Mount Fuji,” she’d said, while she continued to think about Yeshua’s suggestion. “Could move you here if you want to. No Pontius Pilate.”

“It’s very nice,” Yeshua agreed, “but no, thank you.”

There was silence as Crawly stared at the mountain peak, and Yeshua looked around, smiling softly at the people bustling around them, paying them no mind. “I can’t really ever get away from it,” she concluded. “I was given a name. It defines me. Crawly. The Serpent of Eden. Fallen angel. Damned for all eternity.”

“Change your name,” said Yeshua, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You make your own name.” Crawly had blinked, which was a rarity. Yeshua laughed. “Those who accept it will move forward with you, those who do not will stay in your past.”

“Except for my boss.”

Yeshua had sighed. “Well, bosses never are particularly good at remembering anybody’s name, anyway.”

“Crowley?” the demon blinked, and found, instead of Yeshua’s dark brown eyes, lined with smile lines even at such a young age, there were Aziraphale’s blue eyes, bright and curious. “Are you alright?”

Crowley frowned. “Sorry. Was miles away.”

“It happens. I was saying,” he went on, gently, “that I like that you’re inquisitive. I like that you ask questions. Can you imagine? Can you imagine a world where there wasn’t a demon who looked at the antichrist, the impending war between Heaven and Hell, and said, ‘well, why’s this all got to happen, then?’” He brushed a lock of Crowley’s hair aside. “Terrible to think of, dear boy. I like your questions.”

“Glad someone does.” He sighed, then took a few deep breaths against Aziraphale’s chest, while the angel rubbed his back. He was floating, a little - he’d never told the story of his Fall from beginning to end before, and while it was something he had filed away in ‘the Past’, incorporated into the rest of his essence, his being, the experience that is Crowley, to tell it like that made it feel just a little bit fresher. Just a little reminder. He took another breath, and felt fire in his lungs and tasted ash on his tongue, but then he smelled Aziraphale’s cologne. The floating feeling lingered, but it lost its grip on him, and a few more breaths, his face nuzzled into the nape of the angel’s neck, and he was back, back in the old bookshop, back with the angel who loved him even with the questions and the temptations and the stupid choices and the broken wings.

He took another breath and then, with the resolve of someone who will remember this moment for the rest of their life but also wants to move past it now, not linger and let it sour, he sat up, slid backwards on the couch until his back rested against the armrest and his legs were across Aziraphale’s lap. He adjusted his wings, swinging them over the arm of the couch, and then took Aziraphale’s right wing into his lap, picking at the feathers and combing them, out, though they didn’t need it. It gave him something to do with his hands, though, and for that he was grateful. “But yeah. I never meant to Fall. Just had a few questions. I’m still not sure why that warranted Falling, though.”

Aziraphale was watching him. “May I be honest? May I ask an honest question?”

Crowley considered it. He took another swig of wine. “Alright.”

“Did you have faith that the Lord knew the answers?”

“I … didn’t.” Aziraphale gave him a significant look. “You really think that’s all that it took?”

“Not having faith in the Lord? An angel without faith? Yes, Crowley. I think that’s what it took.” He rustled the wing, re-directing Crowley’s hands to another part. The demon obliged without remark. “I have known you for a long time, Crowley. You are an optimist - no, don’t interrupt me - you are an optimist and a believer in self-preservation. You always believe things will work out alright. But by the same token, you also feel that it’s your duty to ensure that. You have no faith that without your own efforts, things will be alright.”

Crowley frowned. “That’s not true.”

“My dear, you fought Armageddon tooth and nail, every step of the way.” He didn’t mention the part where Crowley had given up, when he thought Aziraphale had died, because that would have necessitated a discussion that Crowley not only has faith in himself but also in Aziraphale. It is not a discussion the angel feels like having tonight. “Look at Gabriel - he had nothing but faith that God’s plan would be followed. So did I.”

Crowley looks puzzled. “But you - no, you didn’t, because you tried to change the plan too.”

“Ah, no,” Aziraphale raised a finger. “I have always had faith that God’s plan will be followed. I did not have faith that God’s plan and the Great Plan were the same thing. Gabriel did.” Crowley has raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess - you don’t think God has a plan, yes?”

“Not a good one.”

“Perhaps not by your standards. It’s ineffable.”

Crowley sipped his wine. “In-effing-believable, says me. If it exists.”

“And this is why you Fell,” Aziraphale sighed, patting Crowley on the knees. Crowley frowned. “It’s not a bad thing, Crowley. It is who you are. You are a wonderful, complex, marginally kind - stop, don’t say a word - intelligent, funny, and overall brilliant person. The fact that you are also a demon is not any more defining of the person you are more than your hair color, your height, or the fact that even after 60 centuries you still haven’t learned to walk like a human.”

“Alright, alright.” Crowley took a sip of wine, and then glared at his glass until it refilled itself. “This conversation is making me feel some kind of way.”

Aziraphale looked concerned. “Oh? Good way, or bad way?”

“Not sure. We’re going to have to revisit it again some time.” He was watching Aziraphale over his wineglass, his lap still full of lustrous white feathers. “You think it’s that simple?”

“I have no idea, dear boy. It’s a theory. God alone knows.”

“And She’s not telling,” Crowley agreed. “I want to be drunk now. I can’t stop thinking about philosophy. It’s giving me a headache.”

“That might have been the whiskey shots.”

“No,” Crowley lied. “Come on, angel, let’s drink.” He snapped a finger-gun to Aziraphale’s wineglass, which also refilled. “How about music?”

“Mm.” Aziraphale’s head lolled back against the couch as he savored his sip of wine. It was very good, and he’d been saving it for a special occasion. They had decided that tonight, a night that shouldn’t have existed after the Apocalypse hadn’t come, and they were still together, was as special as any. “No bebop. Let’s play a game.”

“Strip Go Fish, right, I’ll get the cards.”

“No! Crowley.” Aziraphale looked wounded. “Why must you always go right to strip card games? I was thinking a board game.”

The demon groaned. “Oh, come on angel, I hate chess - you know that.”

“What makes you think I was going to say chess?”

“What other board games can you play with only two?” Crowley countered.

“Jenga.” He waved a hand languidly. “Some university students left a set here. Doesn’t require nearly as much thought as the other game they left where you have to make words out of these little tiles.”

“Scrabble?”

“It’s in a bag that looks like a banana.”

Crowley frowned. “I … have no idea. I don’t consider Jenga a board game, by the way.” Still, he stood up, swinging his legs to the floor and swaggering from the back room and into the shop, padding across the old floorboards to the front desk where Aziraphale kept lost items**. There was rustling, the distinct clunk of an elderly bong falling to the floor and Crowley cursing as he stuffed it back into the pile of lost gloves, and then more creaking as he returned, Jenga set in hand. “Right, where do you want this? Floor? Table? Table seems a better choice, only it wobbles, hang on, give me a book.”

“I will not!” He handed Crowley a stack of yellowing copies of the Celestial Times. “Use these.” Crowley accepted them, kneeling to stuff a suitable amount under one table leg, until the table was steady. He watched Crowley stacking the blocks deliberately, slowly, with the special care of someone who is just a little too drunk for the task at hand. He beamed, and the demon caught him looking.

“You really meant all that stuff you said about me, didn’t you?” His sunglasses had slid down his nose, one side cocked upwards with his crooked grin. “Brilliant and all that.”

“I did. If you hadn’t noticed, I do find you remarkably wonderful.”

“I’d noticed.” Crowley rested his hands flat on the table on either side of the assembled tower. He studied the blocks for a minute, and then, “You know the feeling is mutual, yes?”

Aziraphale’s smile warmed his voice, colored it with affection and peace. “I rather do. That said,” he added, standing unsteadily and making his way over to the table, wings pitching to help him maintain balance, “don’t think my tremendous fondness for you will at all diminish my desire to soundly defeat you in a game of Jenga.”

“I’d be insulted if it didn’t.” He grinned, honest and wide and genuine, before he downed the rest of his glass of wine and re-filled it anew. “Flip a coin for first draw?”

-

* It wasn’t that good. It hadn’t been, lately.

** Much like all shop lost and found collections, there were mostly just singular gloves and tatty scarves, but Aziraphale’s bookshop also had in its lost-and-found a lace handkerchief (lost 1884), a hatpin (1908), a fob watch (1936), a bong (1962), several lost bracelets (multiple years), a fanny pack (1987), a pager, (1989), two cell phones (1997 and 2001), an iPad (2012), and several board games (2016-2018). All abandoned Kindles, of which there had been several, had been inhumanely destroyed.

Imagine being the Youngest Reagan: There’s something about Mary-Margaret

Imagine being the Youngest Reagan: There’s something about Mary-Margaret

Staten Island, New York City, New York 1991

“I’m so sorry, honey,” Mary-Margaret apologised quickly to her sixteen-year-old daughter Erin, before bursting into a fit a giggle so fierce she doubled over slightly in her seat, “Your brother is making faces behind you at me,” She finally made out, still giggling profusely.

Erin spun around quickly and glared at her older brother, “Danny I swear to…”

“Daniel,” Your Father Frank, quickly interjected, his tone stern enough to silence both Erin and eighteen years old, Danny.

“All right, sorry,” He apologised, putting his hands up defensively before flopping down on the couch behind Erin beside his youngest brother eleven-year-old Jamie, “I’ll try not to distract Mom anymore but I can’t help being naturally funny,”

“Pretty sure she was laughing at you and not with you,” Erin commented bitterly, making her younger two brothers who were sitting on the couch but leaning over back watching the whole ordeal unfold, laugh.

“How about we get back to it?” Your Dad suggested, flashing an Erin a comforting smile and his wife a telling look.

“Right,” Your Mother agreed, straining her face into its neutral expression in an attempt to combat the broad grin brought on by Danny sticking his tongue out at her behind Erin’s back, “I’m sorry Erin for getting distracted,”

Erin smirked at her mother behind refocusing on her canvas.

“It looks really great so far,” Fourteen-year-old Joe, complimented, genuinely.

“Thanks, but I want it to perfect,” Erin exclaimed, breathing heavily as she quickly corrected something.

“It’s just an art project,” Danny reasoned.

“Worth over 50% of my final grade,” Erin stated.

“But you’re good at it. The painting looks good, they always are, so why are you worried?” Danny seemingly though out loud, his words surprising everyone in the room, “Plus any painting with Mom in it, is going to be good, I mean have you seen Mom?”

“You think I’m good?” Erin questioned, spinning back around to look at him directly.

“Aww, Danny that’s so sweet,” Your Mother breathed bashfully simultaneously at her oldest words before narrowing her features at him, “What have you done?”

“Nothing,” Danny quickly said defensively, “I’m just saying none of us can say honestly at least that Mom isn’t pretty. I mean I’ve spent my whole life with my friends telling me how hot they think my mom is,”

“Gross,” Jamie shuddered.

“Mine too,” Joe agreed.

“Same,” Erin nodded.

“Well, I have to agree with all of them,” Your Dad chuckled, looking at his wife, who was sitting by his side, fondly, squeezing her hand which he was already holding, “Your mom is definitely the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met,”

Your Mother smiled helplessly at your Dad before sticking her tongue at him cheekily, making him laugh and lean over to press a kiss into her cheek. Causing a series of ‘ewws’ from their children, which just made the pair laugh even more. Your mom flashed them a devilish grin before grabbing your Dads face and pulling him into a proper kiss.

“Please stop,” Danny pleaded.

“Only because you asked so nicely,” Your mom winked her arm still around your Dad’s neck, pressing her cheek into hers.

“Thank you,” Erin muttered before instructing strongly, “Can you get back into position,”

They straightened up back into their seats and looked forward once again.

“How long do you think this going to take?” Your Dad asked, grasping your mom's hand and resting it on his knee.

“Maybe like an hour,” Erin offered, not paying attention as she focused intently on her canvas.

“The things we do, huh?” Your Mom teased.

They managed to chat widely for a few minutes as Erin continued to paint their portrait. Erin’s art assignment required her to paint a lifelike portrait of someone you admire so Erin being Erin decided to do two people to challenge herself and picked the two people she admired most, though she would never admit it, her parents. It wasn’t easy organising them both to be at home at the same time with no other commitments but to sit as models in the hallway by the living room for three hours as she painted them. But she did it, it was after dinner on a Monday night and Joe had managed to get three year old you asleep early enough that they were free. Plus Erin had made everyone do all their homework before dinner so there would be no interruptions. She hadn’t planned on her brothers being so interested however, all three them were perched on the couch directly behind her, leaning over the back so they could see what she doing directly and their parents posing for her project.

And even both your parents were tired from their own long days, it was Monday after all. They had agreed. Your Mom agreed because she would happily do anything that could possibly help any of your guy's education. Your Dad agreed for the same reason but also because it means that all of you would spend some time together for a couple hours and that was all that ever mattered to him. Being with you guys.

“What do you guys think?” Erin asked her brother surprisingly, turning to look at them directly, “I don’t know if I’ve got mom’s eye colour right,”

“Well, it’s not like you teacher will know,” Danny commented.

“Erin you have Mom’s eyes, so just draw your own,” Joe recommends.

“I have Mom’s eye colour but Dad’s eye shape,” She corrected.

“But you look just like Mom,” Jamie interrupted.

“Y/N looks exactly like mom,”

“But she has Dad’s eyes colour,”

“But she’s mostly Mom,” Erin sighed.

“Just like you then,” Joe added.

“But you two look like Mom too,” Erin pointed out to Joe and Jamie, “Well mostly, with a little bit of Dad thrown in,”

“Everyone says we look like twins,” Joe agreed, with Jamie giving an affirmative nod, “But we have the same colour eyes as Grandpa,”

“What about me?” Danny questioned.

An awkward silence fell over the group before they looked towards their parents for saving.

“You’re a combination of both our best features,” Your mom insisted, looking at your Dad before settling on Dad, “You’re my gorgeous firstborn,”

“Yeah, but you have to say that,” Danny brushed off but he couldn't help but smile.

“Would you prefer her to tell you the truth?” Erin muttered under her breath, raising her eyebrows.

“Erin,” Your Mother warned, before adding “All have you know Danny actually looks like your Dad when we first met,”

“Really?”

“Well, if all three of you boys both were combined then, yeah,” She offered, “Just like your Dad,”

“How did you guys meet?” Joe inquired, gently, looking between his parents.

“Hah,” Erin let out stifling her giggles with her hand, soon Danny joined in with her laughter and their parents shared amused looks, “Do you seriously not know?”

“No,” Joe confirmed, “Why are you guys laughing,”

“They’re laughing at me, my love not you,” Your Mom reassured, reaching out for Joe before remembering she had to stay in her seat.

“Why, what happened?” Jamie intervened, pressing the matter.

“You boys know how stubborn, your mother can be, right?” Your Dad asked.

They both nodded immediately much to your Mom’s annoyance as she rolled her eyes to empathise that fact.

“So let’s just say she’s been like that since the day we met,” He chuckled.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, 1973

“Can I help you miss?”

“No,” Your Mom stated simply, not even giving the owner of the voice a second glance as she circled her car quickly.

“Are you sure?” He asked again, watching her intently as she seemingly tossed tools from one hand to the other.

“Listen, I don’t recall asking for your…” Your Mom began exasperatedly, she had been stuck on the side of the road for thirty minutes and this was the third man who had taken it upon themselves to come and try and rescue her, as she spoke she looked up from her crouched position to see your Dad smiling down at her, meeting his gaze for the first time ever she paused momentarily consumed by light hazel, “…Officer…” she managed to get out confidently enough before looking away.

“Oh, I know. I just thought you looked you were in a bit of trouble, you know?” He offered, with a dazzling friendly smile.

“What made you think that?” Your Mom demanded, “Because I’m a girl”

“Because you’re trying to use the jack before loosening the lug nuts,” He responded politely, expertly concealing his grin. “And you saw that from all the way over there?” Your Mom accused, gesturing to the other side of the road where he had parked his police cruiser.

“You’re hard to miss,” He grinned.

Your mom smirked, rolling her eyes before standing up and leaning against the back of the car to look at your Dad.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean you don’t see a lot of bright cars round here,” He elaborated.

“You don’t?”

“It’s New York, most New York teenagers don’t even know how to drive a car ” He chuckled.

“Well, I’m not a New York teenager,” Your Mom sighed.

“Let me guess,” He outwardly pondered before saying, “California?”

“How’d ya know?” She inquired.

“You can tell,” He said, “So do you still not want a hand with that flat?”

“Nope,” She insisted, “But you can tell me how you know I’m from Cali,”

“You really want to know?” He entertained, as she settled back down on the ground and he circled the car so he was standing beside her, watching her in amusement.

“I wouldn't ask if I didn’t,” She informed.

“You can just tell, the accent for one if you want specifics,” He shrugged, “…and the bright red dress helped though. Bit bright for the city,”

“I have a couple of roommates that would disagree,” Your Mom commented, securing the jack and lifting the car up.

“So you moved here for school?” He deducted.

“NYU,” She confirmed, “Moved here a couple of months ago,”  

“By yourself?”

“Like most people when they leave for college,”

“Yeah, I guess,”

“Let me guess, born and bred New Yorker?” She asked.

“Yeah, never lived anywhere but the city,”

“I can tell,” She chuckled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He accused, jokingly.

“Nothing,” She brushed off, playfully, giving him a suggestive wink.

“Sure,”

They both laughed before silence fell over them as your mom unscrewed the lug nuts.

“Well, Officer if you’re going to stand there, do you mind grabbing my spare tire from the back?” You asked, looking up at him with her bright eyes.

He gulped over intensity before giving her a stern nod. Taking a deep breath while he was out of eyesight to control his nerves. Your Dad rarely got nervous but your mom, in that dress, in particular, was making him nervous if not weak in the knees. It’s why he had to lean against the car.

“So what’s it like leaving your family and moving so far away?” He asked casually, “I couldn't imagine not going to see my Ma every day for Sunday dinner.”

“You go have dinner with your parents every Sunday?”

“And my Grandparents right after Church,”

“That’s sweet,” She smiled, “My Dad and I used to do something like that every Wednesday,” She looked away before remembering, “It’s not too bad, my Dad comes up all the time. He’s even thinking of getting an apartment here plus I’ve made tons of friends but it’s not too bad. But then again I don’t really miss San Fransisco very much. I like it here…a lot,”

“Well, I hope my city keeps treating you well,” He grinned.

“It keeps getting better,” She chuckled, looking up tellingly at him.

“So it just you and your Dad?”

“Yep, just the two of us,” She nodded.

“What about your…” He immediately went to ask before stopping himself short, “Sorry, sometimes curiosity gets the best of me,”

“Probably a good quality for a cop,” She complimented, “And my Mom died during Childbirth,”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” He comforted, placing his hand on her shoulder.

“It’s fine,” She teased, patting his hand and giving him a sad smile.

She then suddenly slipped and struggled with the wrench while distracted and your Dad immediately swopped in and helped.

“Sorry,” He apologised, “But I wasn’t raised to leave someone who needs help,”  

“Is that why you are still here in case I need you, Officer…” Your Mom questioned, their faces only a few inches apart.

“Reagan, Officer Francis Reagan, but everyone called me Frank,” He stuttered, gulping loudly due to their sudden proximity.

“Nice to meet you, Frank,” She beamed confidently, putting her hand out for him to shake it, “I’m Mary-Margaret Norgaard, but everyone calls me Em,”

“Why?”

“Because both my names start with the letter M,” She shrugged.

“Right,” He nodded, looking away, flustered.

“Are you nervous, Frank?” She whispered into his ear.

“Well, you’re funny…and really pretty,” He confessed, grinning as he started to blush.

“You’re…not too bad…yourself,” She replied, suddenly equally as nervous as he was, taking his hand as he helped back up as they finished up.

She quickly grabbed all her tools and put them in her trunk before looking back at your Dad who was loitering around still. Hands in his pockets with a bashful expression.

“You know Frank,” Your Mom began to announced, “I don’t actually dress like this all the time,”

“No?” He asked, teasingly.

“I’m actually going to a block party, you know? And I was wondering if you aren’t working if you wanted to come with,” She continued.

“With you?”

“Yes, with me,” She chuckled.

“Yes,” He agreed automatically.

“Great,”

“Let me just take the car back and clock off,” He grinned, “I’ll be back in five, just wait here,”

“Is their police station around here?”

“It’s just down the block,”

Staten Island, New York City, New York 1991

“And so we went to the party together and we danced all night and then we spent the next month spending literally every day together. After work or after class but we saw each other every day and have ever since,” Your Mom continued, looking at your Dad fondly as she wrapped up the story and he held her hands in his, pressing a kiss into them.

“I have a question,” Jamie piped up, even raising his hand a little.

“What is it, Babe?” Your Mom asked.

“Why didn’t you just let him help you with the car if you didn’t know how to do it?”

“Because your Grandpa Chris showed me five times how to change a tire because he didn’t want me to depend on anyone,” She explained, “But I like to think it was fate that I didn't listen because if I had I wouldn’t have met your Father,”

“And she’s just stubborn,” Danny added.

“I think she just wanted to keep talking to Dad,” Erin teased.

“Shouldn’t you be painting?” Your Mom accused.

“Guess I struck a nerve,” She muttered under her breath.

“I’ll just say if I didn’t love your Dad as much as I do, we probably wouldn't have made it,” Your Mom admitted.

“What why?” Joe questioned.

“We had to deal with a lot of stuff to be together, to get married, to have you guys.” Your Dad filled in, “But we got through it,”

“Yeah, we did,” Your Mom agreed, enthusiastically.

“Who had a problem with you two?” Danny inquired.

“Let’s just say your Grandpa Chris wasn’t too happy that I dropped out of school to marry and have a baby with a cop,” You Mom breathed, “But that’s a story for another time,”

“But he likes Dad now, right?”

“He absolutely loves you guys,” Your Dad reassured.

“And he likes your Dad, enough,” Your Mom interjected, “Anyway Erin, how long do you think this going to take now?”

“Almost done,”

“I mean anyone who spends more than ten minutes around you two know that you guys are perfect for each other,” Danny stated aloud once again, not to anyone in particular.

“Is that the second compliment he’s given us tonight?” Your Dad asked your Mom teasingly.

“I think so,” Your Mom responded, in an exaggerated whisper.

“And it will be the last time,” Danny added, annoyed.

“But you guys argue all the time though,” Joe reminded.

“We bicker, but we don’t really argue,”

“Okay, you bicker all the time,”

“But isn’t that a good thing?” Your Mom posed to them all, “It would be boring if we agreed about everything,”

“You guys never agree,” Erin added.

“That’s because we are very different people with different upbringings with different opinions but we do pretty well consider, we have been together for almost twenty years,” Your Dad reasoned.

“And it’s all because I got pregnant with Danny,” Your Mom joked which earned her a disapproving look, “I’m kidding, it’s because your Dad is the greatest thing that I’ve ever had,”

“Nice save,” He acknowledged, leaning into her playfully.

“So what was the worst argument you guys ever had?” Erin inquired, peering over the top of her canvas.

“Probably two years ago when we moved to this house,” Your Dad thought out-loud.

“I was this close to divorcing him,”

“No, she was not,” Your Dad reassured, as a flash of panic appeared on all four faces looking at them.

“That was bad,” Danny agreed, “Can’t blame you though, the whole day sucked,”

“You didn’t make any effort to make it better though,” Your Dad pointed out.

“I apologised,” He defended, “Eventually,”

“What happened?” Jamie asked.

“Your Dad and I got into a big argument the day we moved in here because we were trying to unpack and get settled in all while trying to control five kids including a new-born,”

Staten Island, New York City, New York 1989

“And what do you want me to do about it?” Frank questioned, his voice raised ever so slightly higher than usual and his tone…frustrated, his breathing laboured as he felt himself get angrier.

Not that he would show it. As he stared down into his wife’s blazing eyes. He couldn't be angry when looking at her no matter the situation. Mary, couldn't say the same, however…

“Something!” Mary shouted back at him, they were only inches away from each other but she couldn't help herself from doing it, throwing her hands up and looking around the empty kitchen, littered with moving boxes yet to be unpacked for every room seemingly but the kitchen, “I just can’t…do this…right now!”

“What do you mean?” He probed.

“What do I mean? What do I mean,” She repeated bitterly, before exploding, “What I mean is Erin and Danny aren’t talking to anyone because they're so upset, the boys are fighting and Y/N hasn’t stopped screaming since we arrived because I can give her any of my time because I’m dealing with everyone else all while unpacking so we can get settled into this godforsaken house. And the only reason it’s happening is because of…”

“You think this is my fault?” He demanded, taken aback.

“Well it isn’t mine,” She snapped, “I wanted to stay in…”

We discussed this,” He sighed, reaching for her arm to comfort her, “We didn’t have enough space for everyone. This was the best thing to do for us, for everyone. It was the only way we could afford a place big enough.”

“But we were happy there, even if it was small,” She insisted, interrupting quietly, creating a silence, “We were happy there but I don’t know…I don’t know if I…we can be happy here,”

“You haven’t even given it a chance,” He reminded, pained particularly after she shrugged his hand off her in annoyance.

“I don’t need to give it a chance. It isn’t working,” She stated, indigently.

“You just need to calm down a little,”

“Stop it, Frank. Just stop trying to make this work,”

“I don’t think this is about the house,”

“Stop trying to change the subject,” She cut off.

Your Dad’s tone was calm and collected, “Is this about the ba…”

“Shut up,” Your Mom screamed, “Just shut up,” Breathing heavily and walking across the room, “I just can’t do this right now,”

And with that, she walked out of the room and right by your siblings had crowed outside the closed door. You were only four months old at that point and Erin was holding you. As your Mom walked by she took you from Erin with the best smile she could muster.

“Mom, are you okay?”

“I’m just fine, my love,” She smiled, “I’ll be back in a bit, okay?”

And with that, with you in her arms, she walked out of the house with just you, her wallet and her keys in her hands. She didn't come back till later that night. So much later that everyone had gone to bed when she got back. Except, your Dad, who had stayed up.

The look of relief on his face when she walked through the door with you sleeping in her arms, was one utter and pure. He’d been so worried. She went upstairs to put you down before coming back down to face your Dad.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” She said, being the first to break the silence.

“It’s okay,” He reassured.

“No, it’s not. You were worried.” She argued softly, “Your eyes are as red as mine,”

“I’m just glad you’re both back home,” He breathed.

“Because you missed us or because you think I…” She went to say before stopping herself as more tears rolled down her face.

“Both,” He said, as he drew her into his arms.

“I think you might be right,” She sobbed, “I think there is something wrong with me. I just feel wrong. I love her so much but it isn't the same. I get so worried about her all the time. I need to be with her all the time,”

“We’re going to get through this,”

“How do you know?”

“Because it’s us.”

“And that’s enough?”

“It’s been enough so far,”

Your mom cried into your Dad’s chest for a couple minutes as they stood in the middle of the empty kitchen.

“There’s something about Mary Margaret,” Your Dad started to whisper into her ear.

“What are you doing?”  She questioned, knowing exactly the origin of these words.

“I don’t think I will be able to describe what it is but there is something about her,” Your Dad continued without missing a beat, “ when we first met everyone told me the same. ‘There is just something about Mary-Margaret,’ And they were right. There was just something about her. Mary is special and magnetic but also fierce and apologetic. She makes me feel loved unconditionally every single day. She speaks her mind even if it gets her in trouble sometimes. She lives like her herself every day no matter what anyone says or thinks. The bond we share is based on understanding, respect and what I believe to be pure true love. I have no doubt in my mind that I was made for you. I am the luckiest man on earth because I have had the privilege of falling in love with you and spending my life with you. I love you.”

“I love you too,”

Staten Island, New York City, New York 1991

“And that’s why whenever we have a real argument we say our vows from our wedding day to each other,”

“It just puts things in perspective,” Your Dad concurred.

“Mom, I had no idea you were feeling like that,” Erin sympathised.

“That’s because I didn’t want you guys to know. I didn’t want you guys to ever think I didn’t want or love you. Because no matter what I had to give up. All six of you are the best thing to happen to me,”

“Oh Mom,” Jamie let out before running over and hugging her tightly, quickly followed by Joe.

“My boys,” Your Mom chuckled, before going silent, “And look your sisters up,”

“How do you know?”

“You can hear it,” She said as you appeared sleepily on the top of the staircase.

Joe quickly swept you up and brought three years old you down before quickly passing you to your mother.

“How’s my beautiful baby,” Your mom cooed as your Dad leaned over to play with you too.

“And done!” Erin announced.

Your parents with you in your arms quickly went over to finally see their portrait.

“Hey,” Your Mom protested, “That isn't the pose we were doing,”

“I know but I was so inspired that I did this instead,”

“It’s wonderful,” Your Dad complimented, kissing Erin on the cheek.

Your mom looked on in amazement at the portrait as you babbled in her arms. The pose they had been doing was just both of them holding hands, looking right at Erin. But the portrait consisted of them both laughing heartily, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes as if they were the only two people in the whole world.

It was what they looked like every day.

OPM s2e5 Live blog

“The Martial Arts Tournament”

Alright I’m back to the regular live blog schedule and theres 2 things before we get started. 1) OH MY GOD DO-S IS THE EPISODE THUMBNAIL WE GET TO SEE ALL THE MONSTERS POPPING UP and 2) DOES THAT MEAN WE’LL SEE ZOMBIEMAN TRAILING MARTIAL GORILLA BECAUSE IF SO I sincerely apologize in advance yall must be aware by now how that’s going to go down on this blog. Anyway, as always I’m watching this from the perspective of someone who is caught up on both the manga and web comic. Los geht’s!

Yup the centipede movement is still creepy as hell. I saw people saying it was cgi last week which I didn’t catch right away, but regardless it’s done so well because it looks unnatural.

EYYYYY ok actually I kind don’t care about Metal Knight. What this episode is actually going to be is me screaming about all the monsters liKE RHINO WRESTLER AND PHOENIX MAN GUYS I LOVE THIS STUPID BIRD SO MUCH HECKING HECK. I’m gonna vomit like him and Do-S PLUS Garou vs Bat PLUS the other S Class heroes (Tatsumaki and Flashy Flash??) I am not physically mentally or emotionally prepared.

Yo this seems to be a trend with the monsters and me, I am evidently never prepared for the garish color schemes they get. Not mad just surprised every time?

hhhhhhhhhhhhh Ok the fight! I’m… I’m gonna try really hard to not pause every 2 seconds because I will inevitably have many words to say and screen grabs to take but that would be more than excessive sooooo ok here I go

Lol I failed immediately. I love that they’re going shot for shot with the fight. I’ve said it before, but I really think Murata captures movement and action sequences so well in the manga that if the anime were to try and deviate, it just wouldn’t be as good (especially with all the flack JC staff has been catching). Also I ADORE Metal Bat’s theme music when his fighting spirit comes out??? It’s so corny and triumphant and bad ass at once it fits him so well?? Ok wait a second I thought that after metal bat hit the manhole cover it ricocheted and came back at Garou what the heck??? That was such a cool move on Bat’s part and demonstrates he’s not just brute force, but tactical too. Why’d they leave that out??OH COME ON THEY DID WHAT THE HELL WHERE IS THIS??

This is actually my least favorite thing about season 2 biggest complaint what the fuck they did my boy dirty here. Oh thank god Zenko is here to quell my anger. Also Bat’s glowing eyes of murderous intent. Look at her. A legend.

Garou: “...haa?” Yup still love his voice actor. Perfection. Also Zenko. Just. Metal Bat and Zenko. Moshi moooshi? Just. This whole thing was almost perfect. So close. The fight felt so short, and it was because they cut out some good stuff. So close to perfection uhg

AH MY STUPID BIRD MAN he sounds exactly like what I wanted him to I’m so glad and HAH the fuckin hand I forgot about that. Side note, Anyone else play Arkham Asylum? The monster association logo looks like Scarecrow’s symbol in that game…. ANYWAY I need to take a moment to appreciate that little Phoenixman chuckle it was hella cute ok

Rh-Rhino Wrestler basically just said “Then Perish”

Oh Fuck

Oh God

Martial Gorilla  

Oh fuck

O H F UK

oh false alarm im ok my heart rate skyrocketed for nix Oh Maiko Plasma!! I love her voice wtf its cute? Phew ok the tournament. Wait that’s not giving me a break either because MAX AND SNEK M A X AND SN EK

I love him and his stupid hair omg. I’m REALLY hoping that the anime branching out and giving other characters more spotlight will help them grow in popularity a bit. Every single character in this series is underrated imo. Even the popular ones like geNOS LOOKIT HIM clapping for his sensei. Genos is baby boy I lov

“Dark Corporeal Fist?” Isn’t Void Fist just easier to say? really now. Oh My God Sourface chanting “I’m ok I’m ok I’m ok” is literally my daily Mood™. Damn look at Bang taking out some frustration I’d hate to be that monster. Me too my dude Smile Man.

WHOA I was NOT expecting that transition!! Heart! Hard! HIT! It’s the Monster Wife!! And She definitely looks more monstrous in color oof those eyes ❤❤

OH FUCK OH GOD WAIT MARTIAL GORILLA AGAIN DAMN IT I WISH I REMEMBERED EXACTLY WHEN Z SHOWS UP MY BLOOD PRESSURE CANT TAKE THIS ofuck ok false alarm again but I’m low key freaking out as they pan through all the monsters because the S Class is so close like we’re about to get Child Emperor, Flashy Flash, Pig God, Drive Knight, Darkshine and so on who got next to no screen time in season 1 its giving me anxiety im so pumped??

OH FUCK GUYS PUREBLOOD OH SHIT FUCK I FORGOT WE SEE HIM THIS EARLY CAUSE HIS DESIGN KEPT CHANGING he looks stupid with his hair behind his ears and his voice is NOT what I imagined and that manga panel redraw I did was way off with the color scheme but I don’t care I have read and re-read that fight countless times this monster just grew on me by default oh no UHG and look at Super S again it looks like they’re going panel for panel here with her and I’m not complaining

They keep hopping to the tournament but I don’t have much to say about it until the shit starts going down….. and like I’m so excited for that Snek and Max moment (you know the one) but until then I’m just so overwhelmed by all the other plotlines happening I don’t have much in the way of comments for it

I lied ok that eye twitch got me. But see then it cuts away too quickly and the episode is over. I get that there’s a lot happening at once but the tournament feels dragged out a bit. It’s different when you read the manga at your own pace but cmonnnnnnnnnnnnn gimme moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

HAH THANK YOU POST CREDIT STINGER YOU DELIVERED MY WISHES AND ZAKKOS IS SOME WEAK SAUCE.

NEXT WEEK GUYS ITS HAPPENING

Final thoughts. Um. I wish the Garou vs. Metal Bat was a tad longer just for that ONE moment. I’m still heartbroken over it. But otherwise? I’m so excited for next week, I can’t convey my excitement without being excessively obnoxious? this episode was pure hype. There are no buts about it- we are getting the S Class next week. I… think I’m going to leave work at noon to catch the episode right when it airs. I was saving that for an episode with Z but I don’t think I’ll be able to function at work if I stay. At this point every character is a fave and now we’re getting all of them, I feel so overloaded and we haven’t even seen anything yet. I don’t know what to even say about the future of these crap ass live blogs- they have no structure as it stands right now, but like they are going to devolve into just me screaming. Not even real words. just something like keyboard smashing and tears, probably. I’m so sorry, but anyway, as always thanks for reading, see yall next week assuming I survive

The Family Business

Yes, that title is uninspired and overused.

You're probably going to get the most out of this if you're familiar with the plot of Supernatural's first season.

I’m also on AO3 as MaryPSue!

...

There’s somebody in the kitchen.

Dipper knows as soon as he turns the key in the lock. They aren’t making a lot of noise, but – that was definitely the click of a drawer closing, the quiet pop of the fridge door opening.

“Wh -” Wendy starts, and Dipper turns to her, a finger to his lips for silence. On tiptoe, he creeps down the hall, which seems to have grown miles longer since he’d first heard the sounds. He tries to tell himself it’s just Lee or Nate or Thompson, helping themselves to his food and beer, but his mind keeps spiralling back to the still-locked front door.

He leans against the wall beside the kitchen door for a moment, listening to the quiet clatter inside. Then he spins around the doorframe, ready to pummel whoever – or whatever – dares violate the sanctuary of his student housing.

Dipper’s twin looks up from the marshmallows she’s stuffing into her mouth, and her face breaks into a broad grin. With the marshmallows in her cheeks, it gives her a distinct chipmunk-y aura. “Oh, hey, bro-bro!”

“Mabel?” Dipper asks, in disbelief. The last time he’d seen his sister, it had been through the back window of the taxi taking him away from the little family he had left. Towards a new life, he’d thought. He’d hoped. A fresh start. “No offense, but what are you doing here?”

“Ith that any way to greet your long-lotht twin thithter?” Mabel asks, through the marshmallows, before swallowing. Her smile is as brilliant as ever, though Dipper notices it no longer reaches her eyes.

“Dude, what’s going -” Wendy comes around the corner and stops at the sight of Mabel. Dipper can’t blame her. Between the half-shave and the glitter, Mabel always is an arresting sight, even when she hasn’t somehow breezed through a locked door and made herself at home in somebody else’s kitchen. “Whoa, what’s all this about?”

Mabel’s eyes light up with an unholy glee, looking from Wendy to Dipper and back again, and Dipper groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. Maybe it has been a while, but he still knows exactly what’s running through Mabel’s head.

And sure enough, the next words out of Mabel’s mouth confirm it. “Oh. Em. Gee! Dipper! You didn’t tell me you finally got yourself a girlfriend!”

Beside Dipper, Wendy snorts. “Hah. He wishes.”

“We’re roommates, Mabel.”

Mabel raises one eyebrow in that annoying way she has, and smirks.

Wendy gives Mabel an appraising look. “Are you two related? You look a lot alike.”

“We’re twins!” Mabel chirps, bounding forward with a hand outstretched. “Mabel Pines! Nice to meet you!”

“Wendy Corduroy,” Wendy says, giving Mabel’s arm one good pump as she stares at Dipper, who pretends not to notice. “Twins, huh? Weird. Dipper’s never mentioned you.”

Mabel’s sunny smile slips several notches at that, and Dipper glances away as she ratchets it back up. “Well, maybe he was just scared you’d fall in love with me.” She winks, big, in Wendy’s direction, then spins to give Dipper an eyebrow waggle and an exaggerated ‘can you beLIEVE this?’ point in Wendy’s direction.

“Mabel, what are you doing here?” Dipper manages, finally, in the face of his sister’s hamminess. “If Great-Uncle Ford sent you -”

Mabel’s eye twitches, and her smile turns grimace. “A hah. About that.” She bobs her head to one side, eyes flicking in Wendy’s direction. “Grunkle Ford hasn't been home in a couple days.”

“So?” Dipper asks, crossing his arms over his chest. Nope. Nuh uh. He’s not getting dragged back into this craziness. “Have you met Grunkle Ford? He’s probably somewhere with a bottle of something strong and an ‘interesting specimen’ -”

“No,” Mabel interrupts, eyebrows in full Significant Waggle mode. “Grunkle Ford’s on a hunting trip. And he hasn’t been home in a couple days.”

Dipper groans, dragging a hand down his face.

“Whoa, significant emphasis there,” Wendy says, looking from Mabel to Dipper to Mabel again. “You know what, this sounds like a family thing. I’m gonna head back to the library.” She taps Dipper’s shoulder lightly as she passes behind him. “Text me when the dust settles.”

Neither Dipper or Mabel speak again until they hear the front door shut behind Wendy.

“I like her. She seems cool,” Mabel says, a little too innocently.

“The coolest,” Dipper sighs. He already knows he’s going to regret this. “So. What’s this about Grunkle Ford?”

…

Mabel’s taste in music hasn’t changed. The 1967 Cadillac de Ville’s stereo system shudders and thumps out the bass beat under “Oops I Did It Again” as they fly down the highway, Mabel singing along at the top of her lungs and drumming on the steering wheel. Dipper rolls his eyes as he stares out the window, smiling despite himself. There are a lot of things about his life with what's left of his family that he doesn’t miss, but – this isn’t one of them.

“So what’s our play?” he asks, and Mabel glances over in his direction before reaching to turn the radio down.

“We follow up on these missing persons Grunkle Ford was looking into, and hopefully, we find him too.” Mabel drums her fingers on the steering wheel, a thoughtful frown drifting across her face as she hangs a right. For the first time, Dipper thinks he’s getting a glimpse of how much this is affecting her. He’s a little surprised. For all that Mabel had followed so closely in their great-uncle’s footsteps that she’d sometimes stepped on his heels since the house fire that killed their parents, she and Ford had never really seemed all that close. 

Though maybe Dipper’s just blinded by how much Ford always pushed him to take an interest in Ford’s work. Just because they’re similar in a lot of ways, maybe more than Ford and Mabel are, doesn’t mean Dipper wants the same things Ford does.

But that doesn’t mean he wants to see Ford get hurt, either.

“Sounds pretty simple,” Dipper says, as the flashing lights of patrol cars come into view at the top of the hill.

“Which means it won’t be,” Mabel says, as if reading Dipper’s mind. “But that’s okay. The Mystery Twins are back in action! If we can’t do it, nobody can!” She pauses a moment, then turns to Dipper with a smile dawning across her face. “Ohmigosh! Dipper! There’s two of us again, we can do the Mulder and Scully!”

“Seriously, Mabel?” Dipper sighs, but he can feel himself smiling. “Do you want to be the skeptical partner or the true believer?”

“Um, do you even have to ask?” Mabel says, as they pull up alongside the squad cars piled up around the entrance to the bridge. She parks the Caddy, and hops out, heading straight for the blockade like she belongs there.

Dipper shakes his head, and follows.

The sheriff holds out an arm to stop him as he draws level with the blockade. Dipper looks out over the bridge to see that Mabel’s already wound her way between the patrol cars and out onto the bridge itself, poking around the car sitting diagonally across the road with its nose jammed up against the railing.

“Excuse me,” the sheriff says, and Dipper reaches into his jacket, flashing his fake FBI badge.

“Agent Nimoy, FBI. That’s my partner, Agent Kelly. We’re here about your missing persons.” He stares out at the car that Mabel’s – oh, ew, is she licking it?

The sheriff also looks out at Mabel, and then gives Dipper a stare of clear disbelief.

“Oh, yeah, her methods are unorthodox,” Dipper says. “As is her…look. But she was top of her class at the academy. A real profiler’s profiler.”

The sheriff’s still giving him that look, and Dipper shrugs, squaring his shoulders and clasping his hands behind his back in the way he knows makes him look older and more professional.

“What can you tell me about what happened here?”

…

The ghost is a Woman in White, just like the notes they find in Ford’s abandoned motel room say. And she goes after Dipper, which makes zero sense, since she’s supposed to go after unfaithful men and the last time Dipper had a girlfriend, it meant someone to hang out with on the playground at recess. Doesn’t stop her from turning up in the backseat, driving him to her abandoned house, and trying to rip his heart out of his chest, though.

Which is when Mabel turns up, just in the nick of time, with the kaddish on her lips and a shotgun loaded with rock salt in her hands.

Two living twins and three spectres of unknown religious affiliation, two of whom are underage, hardly qualify as a minyan. But the Woman in White goes quietly in the end anyway, with tears tracking down her cheeks as they warp between human flesh and sunken bone. The ghosts of her children, clutching her hands, one on either side, flash Mabel near-identical sad smiles. Then the last syllables fall from Mabel’s mouth, and they’re gone, blown away like dust on the wind.

…

“Sooo…” Mabel says, in the moment of silence after “No Scrubs” ends and whatever’s next on Mabel’s “Road Trip Mix!!! :D” CD comes on. “We did not find Grunkle Ford.”

Dipper sighs, leaning his elbow on the de Ville’s window and his chin in his hand. “I have to get back, Mabel. I’ve got entrance exams on Monday.”

Mabel lets out a long breath, but doesn’t say anything. The dulcet tones of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” flood in to fill the silence.

“We did a really good job back there,” she says, quietly. “We work really well together. You and me, we’re like, an unstoppable team! And – we really helped those people -”

“Mabel,” Dipper says, unable to keep the warning edge from his voice.

Mabel bites down on her bottom lip.

“I don’t…have a lot of family left,” she says, like the words are barbed, like it hurts to force them out. “And it feels like I just keep losing people. First Mom and Dad, then you, now Grunkle Ford…” She sighs, the sound at odds with the bubbly pop song.

“Hey.” Dipper looks up, but Mabel’s staring intently out at the road, with a focus she rarely, if ever, turns on anything that isn't a monster hunt or a crafting project. “Mabel, c’mon. You didn’t ‘lose’ me, I’m right here -”

“Oh yeah?” Mabel turns, fixing Dipper with a knowing look that makes his stomach sink straight towards his shoes. “You never return my calls, you wouldn’t meet me when we were in town chasing that sewer alligator -”

“It was finals week, Mabel, I didn’t have time -”

“How come you never told Wendy you had a twin?” Mabel demands, and Dipper’s tongue knots in his mouth.

“I just…” he says, slowly, trying to line up his thoughts in his head. “I wanted college to be something that was…mine. That wasn’t about – the thing that killed our parents, or the supernatural, or what Ford wants from me, or how much better than me you are at all this stuff…” He rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know. It’s not like I don’t want to be your twin, it’s just – it was nice not to be compared to you for once.”

Mabel’s silent, for an uncomfortably long time, tapping her fingers thoughtlessly against the steering wheel as “Barbie Girl” ends and P!nk’s “Get The Party Started” comes on.  

“Is that why you left?” she asks, so quiet that Dipper almost can’t hear her over the song.

Dipper shrugs one shoulder, turning to look out the window at the fields flying by.

…

It’s dark by the time Mabel drops him off at the house. She waits until Dipper’s out with his duffle bag, then peels away from the curb with a huge, insincere smile and a “See ya round!”. The de Ville’s candy-apple red tailfins and familiar STNLYMBL license plate disappear away down the street, and Dipper has to force himself to look away before the taillights vanish from view.

The house is dark, and quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of the shower running in the bathroom down the hall from his room. Dipper unlocks the door, shuffles inside, and flops facefirst onto the bed without bothering to kick the door shut behind him.

He feels tired, right down to his bones. Like he’s been gone a lifetime tearing around the countryside in the old Caddy with Mabel instead of just a weekend. Like he’s been awake the whole time. Like he had to walk the whole way. His chest is still twinging a little, where the Woman in White had stabbed a clawed, bony hand through it, and Dipper rolls over onto his back, eyes closed, breathing slow, pressing a hand over his breastbone. Mabel was right, most of the spirits they meet are just troubled, but there are some he finds it real hard to say mourning rites for. A mother who killed her own children over her own rage and grief? Definitely one of them.

He can’t remember ever feeling this tired. He’d sworn he’d never let himself get sucked back into this life, and yet here he is, the night before entrance exams, and all he can think about is angry ghosts –

Something cold splashes against his face.

“Oh, fuck,” Dipper mutters, throwing up a hand to protect himself against the splatter of chilly droplets. If they’ve burst another pipe, their damage deposit is already gone, that’s gonna come straight out of pocket, and he has a part-time job in the commissary but Wendy’s always broke –

Dipper opens his eyes, reluctantly, and looks up at the ceiling. Instead of the spreading, bulging brown-edged stain he’d expected to see, though, there’s something up there that sends an electric jolt up his spine and freezes his bones to the marrow, something that jerks him instantly, painfully awake.

The ceiling is bleeding.

There’s a red patch up there, not very large, maybe about the size of a dinner plate. As Dipper watches, another droplet tugs away from the puddle, dangles obscenely for a moment, suspended above him – and then drops.

Dipper twists his face away, and the drop splatters against his cheek. In the sudden hush, it sounds like a gunshot, like the crack of doom.

And then come the flames.

…

Mabel settles her leather jacket a little more carefully around Dipper’s shoulders. He’s broader in the back than she is, so it doesn’t exactly fit, and the diamantes she’s studded it with dig uncomfortably into his neck and his chin, but Dipper doesn’t protest. He’s probably in shock. A blanket would be best, but that would mean going over to that fire truck and admitting to them that he was in the now-blazing house when it went up and explaining the blood on his face and the long-lost twin sister who turned up out of nowhere to pull him out and where Wendy is and he’s so, so tired.

“Did you see -” Mabel starts, again, and Dipper sighs.

“I told you, Mabel, she wasn’t there. It was just – just blood.” He shivers. It’s a warm night, and the heat from the burning house is probably enough to reach them out here, but Dipper can’t feel any of it. He’s just cold.

Mabel nods, fiddles with the collar of her jacket under Dipper’s chin for another moment, then gets up and turns on the police scanner in the Caddy’s dash. They listen to the radio chatter back and forth – a noise complaint on the frat block, an altercation in a McDonalds’ parking lot, a young woman, still missing after a house fire in student housing. It’s been a while since Dipper had to translate police radio codes, but it comes right back. Just like riding a bicycle. It all comes right back.

“Do you think it was -” Mabel starts, and Dipper curls a fist in the lapels of her jacket, tugging it tighter around him.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.” He stares at the house until the fire leaves afterimages, burned on his eyes, until he can’t tell what are real and what are illusory flames. “And Mabel?”

Mabel sits, immediately, on the trunk beside Dipper, looking over at him, hanging on his next words.

“We’re gonna kill that son of a bitch,” Dipper breathes. It feels final – like a commencement speech, or a eulogy, almost. An epitaph for the normal life Dipper Pines almost had.

Mabel doesn’t say anything, but she does shift a little so that their arms press against each other, leaning her head on his shoulder. Her hair tickles Dipper’s nose, but he doesn’t move to brush it out of the way.

They stay like that until the fire has mostly turned to smoke and steam and embers.

   one season later

“We’re gonna need some backup.”

…

The junkyard is exactly like Dipper remembers it, a graveyard of cars both classic and contemporary, a few miscellaneous big dogs and the ever-present (and ever-mysterious) goat wandering or napping among the wrecks. The sign over the door of the shabby old garage is still missing a letter, its shadow faded into the peeling paint.

Mabel goes charging in first, ducking as she crosses the threshold. Dipper, following behind her, pauses a moment before the doorway. The shotgun blast goes right over Mabel’s head, blowing out a chunk of the doorframe just by Dipper’s ear, and he can’t help but grin. Clearly, some things haven’t changed.

“Grunkle Stan!” Mabel shouts, dashing across the kitchen and flinging both arms around their great-uncle’s middle. Stan clearly tries to poker-face at her, but the way he shifts the shotgun to one hand and gives her hair a ruffle with the other is kind of a tell.

“You know the drill, pumpkin. Holy water first, then hugs.”

Mabel huffs out a sigh and rolls her eyes. “Grunkle Stan, we’re Jewish.”

“Yeah, but these demons that been popping up like mushrooms ain’t. Holy water, kiddo.”

Mabel lets out an exaggerated sigh, but she takes the flask Stan digs out of his back pocket and takes a swig, holding out her arms like she’s showing off how much it’s not burning her. She waves the flask in Dipper’s direction next, and Dipper reluctantly steps forward to take it, throwing back a slug.

Stan’s double-take is almost certainly put on for comedic effect, but he does look genuinely surprised to see Dipper. “Well, wouldja look at that. If it isn’t the prodigal son.” He takes the flask of holy water back from Dipper with a suspicious scowl, even though Dipper just passed his test. “Thought you swore you were never coming back here.”

Dipper raises both eyebrows, glances across the kitchen at the fridge. “Did Ford tell you that?”

Stan just gives him a hard look, then turns away. "Look, you know as well as I do that my twin can be a real asshole, but no matter how pissed he was about you walking out, he never woulda badmouthed you to me. Maybe he's not an easy guy to get along with, but he cares about you kids. Even if he's got a funny way of showing it sometimes."

Dipper stifles a laugh. "You can say that again. Or maybe it'd be more accurate to say he doesn't show it at all."

Stan sighs. “Well, it’s good to see you again anyway, kid. Just wish it was under better circumstances.”

...

Mabel fills Stan in on everything that's happened - tracking the yellow-eyed demon to Salvation, the call Grunkle Ford had taken, how they'd split up and how Ford had been abducted - while Dipper flips through the enormous book that Stan had hauled out of his library. Mabel being, well, Mabel, it’s not exactly easy to pay attention to anything other than her storytelling.

Dipper wanders out of the kitchen, heading for the worn armchair by the fireplace. He doesn’t take his nose out of the book. The Key of Solomon, according to Stan. Dipper wishes the only place he'd ever encountered the stupid book was in the Library Sciences course he'd picked up as an option last semester.

Still, no matter the circumstances, it’s very, very cool to get to hold in his hands, to page through spells and seals and -

“Oh, sorry,” a familiar voice says, and then, “Dipper?”

Dipper looks up. “Wendy?”

Wendy grins, broad and bright. “Hey, dude! I’m so glad to see you, I kinda thought you might have been eaten by some kind of monster. Your family is so cool, Dipper. Why didn’t you ever introduce me to any of them?”

“Long story. What - what are you -” Dipper stammers, watching Wendy’s eyes carefully for any flash of black, of yellow.

“Doing here?” Wendy finishes for him. “Your great-uncle showed up at the house just after Robbie went all nuts and tried to pin me to the ceiling, did this whole ‘come with me if you want to live’ bit." She winces before saying, "Hey, if you see Robbie before I do, tell him no hard feelings, all right? I know he was possessed, and I'm sure he understands the axe wounds were inflicted in self-defence."

"My great-uncle? That's weird, Grunkle Stan doesn't do much fieldwork, and I don't know why he would've been -" Dipper starts, and Wendy shakes her head.

"No, not Stan, the other one. He’s...a total nerd, but kind of a badass, too.”

“Wh- Grunkle Ford?” Dipper asks, disbelieving, and Wendy nods. 

“Yeah, man. He sent whatever was possessing Robbie packing, dropped me off here, and I’ve just been doing axe practice with Stan and reading up on what kills different monsters since then.” She laughs, a little too bright and too brittle. “Also apparently demons are real. Is that fucked up or what?”

It takes Dipper a second to find his voice.

“Tell me about it,” he says, weakly, at last.

...

The information they get out of Pacifica during the exorcism checks out. They find Ford, unconscious, in the Sunrise Apartments block, and barely make it out, with him and the memory gun, in one piece.

And that's when everything goes wrong.

Dipper's ashamed to admit that he doesn't notice right away. Mabel has to almost hand the memory gun over to Ford before something, some quirk of a smile or edge of a laugh or turn of a phrase, sends him scrambling across the abandoned farmhouse, yelling, "Wait - Mabel, don't -"

"Dipper?" Mabel asks, half-turning to look at him, and that's when Ford - the thing wearing Ford like a rented tuxedo grabs the memory gun from her, wrenching her arm down at an angle Dipper's pretty sure arms aren't meant to bend at. Mabel's scream is horrible, but the smile that slashes across Ford's face is somehow worse.

"Ooh, good catch, kid!" the thing possessing Ford says brightly, turning that smile in Dipper's direction. Its voice is too nasal, too sarcastic to be mistaken for Ford's. "And it only took you, what, two hours? Three? You and your great-uncle sure must be close -"

"Shut up," Dipper grinds out, between gritted teeth.

"How -" Mabel gasps, cradling her injured arm close to her chest. "But you passed the test -"

"What, that stuff with the holy water? Geez, I'm disappointed in you guys! Woulda thought you of all people wouldn't buy into that 'Christianity applies to everybody' baloney!"

"You're literally a demon," Dipper points out, quite reasonably, he thinks.

The thing in Ford's body rolls its yellow, slitted eyes. It's - honestly, it's really horrible to look at. Now that it's not pretending to be Ford anymore, its expressions, its movements, even just the way it holds itself are all different, and overlaid over the so-familiar figure of Dipper and Mabel's great-uncle, they all just scream 'wrong'. "Sure, sure, just paint all demons with the same brush. Like you know anything about us, kid."

"I know how to kill you," Dipper says, hoping he sounds more confident than he feels.

The unblinking yellow stare that the thing in Ford's body turns on him seems to say otherwise.

And then it grins.

"You know what, that's not a bad idea!" it says, almost chirps. It steps past Mabel, ignoring her wide-eyed stare, and holds the memory gun out to Dipper. "Give it a shot, kid! Let's see what you think you know."

Dipper eyes the gun, dangling tantalisingly in front of him. He locks eyes with the demon in Ford's body as he reaches out.

The hilt of the memory gun is cold and heavy in his hand.

"Dipper, no!" Mabel gasps as Dipper raises the memory gun. He hopes - though he knows it's futile - that the demon doesn't notice the way his hand shakes. "That's our grunkle!"

"Not right now, it isn't," Dipper says, settling his finger on the trigger.

"But if you shoot it, you'll wipe out Grunkle Ford too!"

"That's right!" the demon in Ford's body says, still grinning so wide it must hurt, throwing out both arms and advancing, step by looming step, towards Dipper. "So go ahead! Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what your uncle would want? I killed your parents and ruined your life! You've been hunting me for decades, and now here I am! C'mon, kid, don't you have the guts? Take - the - shot!"

That awful smile is right in Dipper's face, and he squeezes his eyes shut and pulls the trigger.

When he opens his eyes, though, it's to those slitted yellow eyes still winking at him from his great-uncle's face.

"How - what -" Dipper stammers, stumbling backwards, holding the memory gun between himself and the demon like a security blanket. Which would be about as useful as the gun turned out to be. "Grunkle Ford told us this could kill you!"

"Oh, I bet he did!" the demon in Ford's body cackles. "But let me tell you, kid, there's a whole lot ol' Fordsy didn't tell you. You should ask him about me someday! About what really happened to your parents!"

"Our -" Dipper starts, but then one of Ford's broad hands grabs him by the throat and pins him up against the wall. Dipper kicks out and struggles for breath, lungs burning, but the demon's grip is solid.

"Of course," it says thoughtfully, stroking its chin with its free hand in a mockery of one of Ford's favourite mannerisms, "you'd both have to be alive for that to happen."

Dipper gasps, uselessly, as the demon tightens Ford's fingers around his throat.

His vision starts to darken, tunneling around the edges, but it doesn't go dark so fast that he can't see the movement over Ford's shoulder. And, despite everything, he can't help but smile.

The demon narrows Ford's eyes. "Hey, what's so funny -"

And then Mabel slams the fireplace poker into the side of its head.

The demon stumbles, letting go of Dipper's throat as it goes down on one knee. It looks up at Mabel, that smile still slashed across Ford's face and a dangerous glint in its eyes.

"Well, I gotta hand it to you two! You sure are persistent! So I guess I'll let you off the hook for now." The smile slides off of Ford's face, eyes narrowing as Dipper steps over beside Mabel, trading the memory gun for the poker dangling in her good hand. "But know this." Its voice goes deeper, picking up a strange reverb as it says, "A darkness approaches. A time will come when everything you care about will change." Its smile snaps back, as though nothing is wrong. "Until then, I'll be watching you! I'll be watching..."

It winks one yellow eye, and waves.

And then it throws Ford's head back, and a jet of blue flame pours from Ford's open mouth, splashing against the ceiling. It goes on, and on, until finally Ford's mouth shuts, and with a sigh, he topples over onto his side, unconscious.

Dipper looks over at Mabel, sees his own confusion and fear written on her face.

Somehow, between the two of them, they manage to drag Ford out to the de Ville before the burning roof of the farmhouse collapses.

________

AN: I started this crossover/fusion AU in a fit of excitement and then quickly realised that I was not equipped to respectfully and tastefully mash up a show that, among other things, is based entirely on Christian theology, with a show with Jewish-coded protagonists. So this is all there’s gonna be of this. I sincerely hope I haven’t butchered what I have done here too badly.

Had I been able to rework the...entire storyline of SPN to make this endeavour not a questionable decision, though, the role of Literal Angel would probably have been played by Soos.

Who I was looking for -Part 18

Summary: Even after you started wearing cuffs, the words are engraved in your mind as well as your wrist. You know you're not destined for love as soon as you learn how to read. How could you? When the words "Sorry, you're not who I was looking for" are written in black ink on your skin.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: angst, pining, insecurity, etc

Words: 1779

A/N: I seriously meant to post this yesterday but I slept all day oops

Marsterlist

Mobile Masterlist

Part 17  Series Masterlist

Your name: submit What is this?

"Alright Tin-Man, what is it?"

They're in the hallway now, mainly so they can escape the renewed noise of the common room. As soon as Bucky had spoken, a hush fell over the room. It was weird for him to speak to Stark, and Bucky was known for being aggressively independent, never asking for anything even if he needed it. He was glad they had moved to the hallway, he was a little embarrassed, but he still wanted to ask.

He turned to look behind him, the door to the common room was ajar, and he could see Steve and Natasha lurking on the other side, he huffed and turned back to Stark.

"I need a jet" he spoke with no preamble, better to get it over with.

Tony raised an eyebrow, surveying him slowly as if searching for bad intentions. There was a glint in his eyes that looked teasing, but that might have been his imagination. Or maybe that was just a Tony Stark thing, a permanent teasing look.

"What for?" That was almost definitely fake innocence Bucky heard in his voice. Bucky grit his teeth, he hated when Stark acted like he knew something that he didn't, but he really needed this.

"I want to..." he sighed, ran a hand through his hair,

started over "Y/N has to leave for her hometown in a hurry. I'd like to take her, it's kind of an emergency." Bucky doesn't remember ever speaking this many words in a row to Tony Stark.

Tony's smirk widens and Bucky suppresses a growl.

"You have to forgive me if I don't trust you with a jet, old man. But-"

"I'll pilot the jet" The two men turn to look at Natasha, who is standing behind the open door and next to an open-mouthed Steve. She shrugs before speaking again, her voice nonchalant. "I was looking for an excuse to go outside anyway. Besides, everyone keeps telling me about the girl James is crushing on, I'd like to meet her."

"I'm not crushing on her" Bucky murmurs, but he's secretly doing somersaults on the inside. His chest is tight with excitement, and he can't help the small smile that blooms on his face.

"Well look at that" Tony exclaims. He looks at Natasha, then at Bucky. "Fine then, but bring it back in one piece" he aims this last part at Natasha, who only smirks and motions for Bucky to go with her.

Steve shakes his head with a smile and goes back into the common room.

-

"So" Natasha's tone is deceivingly nonchalant "Y/N"

Bucky hums noncommittally, helping her adjust the controls on the jet before takeoff. She flops onto the pilot's seat like it's a living room couch.

"Yeah, spill. I've been trying to set someone up for ages, but Rogers won't cooperate" she grins. "Tell me everything"

"There's nothing to tell Nat, she works in the tower" she perks up at that, ooh-ing at him, he ignores her "She's nice." He finishes, wanting her to stop looking at him like that.

"Oh, c’mon James, she has to be something more than nice if I'm flying this jet"

He gives in, knowing there wasn't a point in trying to keep something from her "She's kind, and hilarious, and frankly adorable. She sees me as Bucky, y'know? Not a monster, or a teammate, or a soldier, or even an avenger. I guess I kinda miss people looking at me like a person" he huffs, looking away when he sees Natasha glancing at him with those dewy eyes she looks at him with sometimes, when he's being particularly depressing.

She hums, then turns on the engine.

-

Nat makes fun of him when he realizes they took off without knowing where you lived. Luckily, they were already close by and arrive in a matter of minutes.

He looks for you as they land, and he finally sees you, bursting from the side of the building, your face frozen in a shocked expression. He knew you hadn't believed him.

"She is pretty" Natasha comments, a smile pulling at the corner of her lips as she opens the door for him.

You give a loud, incredulous laugh when you see him, your wide eyes glimmering with childish astonishment. Bucky's heart expands, pumping wildly in his chest at the sound of your laughter, it's the first time he's smiled this big in a long, long while.

He basks in your gleeful expression, and feels weirdly proud of putting that look on your face. When he takes your bag you seem to not notice, and remain standing outside, gawking at the sleek aircraft.

"What a cutie" Natasha smiles, and Bucky's glad to get the approval of one of his best friends, he beams at her and she gives a surprised laugh. "Oh boy, you really are a goner aren't you?"

He ignores her, and places your duffel inside a compartment near the floor.

"You coming?!" He shouts, cupping his hand next to his face so he's heard over the sound of the roaring engine.

"Oh! yeah! Hah! Oh my god" Natasha snorts behind him. You give an excited wiggle and there's a nearly painful tug to his chest. You step onto the aircraft, looking around with your mouth half open, Bucky can see you taking everything in, looking at the inside of the jet like you're in an art gallery. When you take off you squeak softly in excitement, then in fear when Natasha speaks from the pilot seat and startles you.

"Hi" she grins "nice to meet you, I'm Natasha. I'd shake your hand but we'd probably crash if I do that." Your eyes widen, looking at Natasha curiously and maybe a little nervously. "I've heard a lot of good things about you." She says pointedly. Bucky gives her a warning glare that he knows she caught, even if she doesn't turn his way.

"You have?" Your voice comes at an unusual high pitch "I mean, nice to meet you too. Thank you so much for doing this"

Bucky can't tell what's wrong. Maybe it's nothing, or maybe it's the stress of the day that's getting to you, but your voice is a little strained when you talk to Natasha. And your eyes look almost... sad?

He moves closer to you.

-

You arrive at your hometown almost two and a half hours later, and Bucky's a tad disappointed that it went by so quickly. He isn't about to say anything to you though.

The ride was quiet at first, but Nat had made an effort to spark a conversation (thank the heavens for her, he'd have to buy her one of those gooey brownies that she liked when they got back). It had worked, because soon all three of you were talking and laughing. He enjoyed the way your expression changed when you listened to them tell stories of their past missions, looking almost like you were watching a super interesting movie unfold right before your eyes. You'd relaxed around Nat too, and he breathed out in relief when he caught you giggling uncontrollably at the Budapest story.

"I'll have to meet Clint someday" you gasped, holding on to your stomach.

Natasha made a considering noise "Oh, he'd love you. Maybe I'll invite you guys for coffee someday"

You choked on your next breath, your mouth dropping open with a faint pop. You were about to speak but were cut off when Natasha spoke again.

"We're here"

You stood up in a flash, and Bucky handed you your bag while Natasha landed the aircraft at the hospital's parking lot.

Nat reached upwards and flipped a switch, which caused the door to open with a sharp hiss.

"You guys saved my life today" you said sincerely, shouldering the duffel. You grinned up at Bucky, stepping closer and then immediately stepping back. "Um, can I hug you?"

Bucky's breath punched out of his lungs. He couldn't believe you. You wanted to hug him, and that was a surprise on its own. But the fact that you asked? Search his face kindly to check if he was comfortable? It made his heart ache with a sudden burst of... something.

He couldn't speak, so he only nodded at you. You stepped forward again, confidently this time, and wrapped your hands around his waist in a tight embrace.

You were warm, and soft, and your shampoo smelled like coconut. Your bag hit him in the ribs, but he couldn't care less. It felt like comfort, something he hadn't had for many years, not for real at least. He shut his eyes tightly and tried as best as he could to absorb the feeling through his skin.

You pulled apart after a long moment, one that felt too short anyway, and smiled at him before shouting your goodbyes to Natasha and then sprinting off the jet.

"Wow" breathed Natasha.

"Yeah" Bucky said back.

-

They watched you be greeted halfway through the parking lot by a tall, dark skinned man who swept you into a tight hug before ushering you inside.

"She has a soulmate" Bucky blurts without thinking, keeping his eyes on the glass door even after you disappear from sight.

"What?!" Natasha snaps her gaze to him "that him?" She points towards the hospital entrance, then flips the switch that closes the door.

"I don't thinks so. I don't think she's met them actually, she wears a leather cuff because she doesn't like her words." He sits down on the floor and leans on a wall.

"Well that sucks"

He hums in agreement but doesn't say anything. He's thinking about that man he saw you hugging, he really had no idea who he was, or who you were, for that matter. He didn't actually know anything about you, and who knows, maybe he was your soulmate. It wouldn't make a lot of sense for you to not live in the same place, but it was still a possibility. Maybe it wasn't him, but you could have already met them and just hadn't told him anything. Jealousy churned uncomfortably in his gut and her frowned at himself.

"Why haven't you said anything then? Is it because you're embarrassed?" Natasha says, interrupting his train of thought.

"I'm not embarrassed" He really wasn't. He was against telling the team at first because he knew they wouldn't leave him alone about it, but he had never been embarrassed of liking anyone, and wasn't about to start now. He wanted to tell you, the problem was that he couldn't. It was just better for everyone involved if he kept his feelings to himself.

Part 19

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Chapter 3 is now up!

Chapter 3: Memories

“Oh memories, where’d you go? You were all I’ve ever known, How I miss yesterday, And how I’d let it fade away.” ~ Memories, Panic! At the Disco

October 5, 2018 (afternoon/early evening)

It was early. Much too early.

In their defense, she surmised, it wasn’t planned; getting groceries for said rooftop barbecue session should have been under the assumption that they, the lab members, would end up being the ones getting the items.

Because he was always very much prepared for their company. Kurisu rolled her eyes in remembering his much-too-casual personality.

And to be fair, it wasn’t that early; it was just too early in terms of meeting with everyone. The actual meet-up didn’t begin until 18:00, but she was abruptly wakened by Mayuri that morning to be ready by 15:30 to go grocery shopping (why they needed two and half hours to go shopping for groceries was beyond her, but she didn’t question the younger girl).

As much as she sounded upset at the situation, she didn’t mean to intentionally. She absolutely loved being with the other members, but…

She inhaled with a shaky breath, trying to calm herself. The nerves she felt about the meet up that night clearly made its way into the social time she had with the others during grocery shopping, making her seem both on-edge and spaced-out. Kurisu jolted when a sudden hand gently touched her shoulder and she sighed in relief as she made eye contact with Mayuri.

“It’s going to be okay, Kurisu-chan.”

The simple words made alleviated some of her fears and she nodded, smiling back.

------

Okabe impatiently tapped his foot against the wooden floor, sitting on the computer chair within the lab room. He sighed as he aimlessly turned the page of an English research article, no longer highlighting key points or looking in the translation dictionary as he skimmed through the words. The tapping of his foot became rhythmic and constant, as he began to forget that he was performing such an action.

He immediately stopped as a soft item bounced off the back of his head; looking down, he noticed a child’s plush toy was the culprit to his distraction and he eyed Daru across the room, who sat on the couch, holding Suzuha in one arm and the other already with a toy in his hand almost ready to throw another at the back of his head.

Daru shook his head. “You’re gonna drive me insane if you keep that up.”

Okabe, realizing what Daru was referring to, frowned in response. He turned back to aimlessly reread the article he barely bothered to understand.

“I’ve got a lot planning going on in my mind for tonight’s lab member occasion, so I need some time to-”

“You mean you’re nervous about seeing her again, right?” Daru curtly interrupted, causing Okabe to sigh.

“As I said before,” Okabe said, rubbing his temples, “no. I’m done with that chapter of my life. And it would do you some good to stop prodding into my personal life.”

Daru shifted Suzuha in his arms as she reached for a toy he held out, laughter coming from her before he responded.

“So you’re admitting that at one point, there could have been more, right?”

Okabe said nothing as he glanced back at the article, picking up the dictionary in an attempt to appear busy. Daru gave one more glance at Okabe before returning his attention to Suzuha.

Why he even bothered to continue studying in English was beyond him; at one point, he thought it a goal to research in the US, but after some time, he realized he could accomplish just as much in Japan instead of moving to someplace unfamiliar. He had taken up English in the past few years, on and off teaching between formal classes and self-taught lessons (which weren’t the best for him, he realized, but he did what he could do). He could have easily given up and not pursue the language anymore than he intended; but he found himself still learning the second language. In the end, he realized it proved beneficial to him as most articles in English had interesting content he could learn from.

And for a moment, he began to remember a quick passing memory from the years when they were creating their paper; she had spoken to him in English for two full conversation sessions at one point, in order for him to become accustomed to the language. He remembered having a major headache afterwards (between having to process complex topics and translating in his head, to her poking fun of his pronunciations), but he did remember them being very beneficial. She would sometimes message him in English to keep up his fluency, and it helped him excel a bit more in the language.

Okabe shook his head of the memory; he tried not to remember how those times were; it was as if a thread dangled in front of him, and close, oh so close, was he to being with her again-

The sound of footsteps going up the stairs to the lab shook him of his thoughts, shaking out the remnants of bittersweet pain. His eyes shot up towards the door as Daru began to smile, anticipating his wife’s return.

“My Yuki is back…!” Daru exclaimed with a sappy tone, turning towards Suzuha as he did so. “Mama is back and she’ll be so excited to see you.”

Suzuha squealed response as he stood up towards the door. As if on cue, the door opened, first revealing Yuki, who smiled warmly at Okabe.

“Okabe-san,” she acknowledged with a smile. “I hope hanging out with my family wasn’t too much of a distraction for your work.”

Okabe shook his head, waving his hand aside. “Not at all, any time.”

Yuki smiled once more before crossing the room to her family. Okabe ignored their reunion as his eyes became focused towards the incoming visitors. He felt himself sweating as he began to anticipate the worst.

Breathe, he told himself. If yourself fails, at least Kyouma is here to help you recover.

And he almost found it absurd, really, that he should be feeling this way. He did tell himself he closed this chapter of life some moments ago to Daru, right?

And as if time dare mock him once more, a flash of auburn caught his eye.

She turned the corner. She was in his living room.

And she was making steady eye contact with him at that very moment.

Okabe felt a breath catch in his throat as he locked eyes with the very person he had barely seen or talked with in the past two years. Steadily, her amethyst eyes were almost blunted with emotion at first before they focused on him with a clearer intent, slightly widening at first before relaxing once more. There were a stream of emotions glinting in her eyes, he noticed, but none that he could read.

He scoffed to himself. Typical; Kurisu was the one person who covered up her emotions quickly, and time has rusted his skills in reading her more properly.

The one thing he did notice, however, was how much she had grown in the past time he hadn’t seen her; if it were possible, she had become more beautiful than the last time.

He bit his tongue. Stop it.

When she entered the room and just so conveniently locked eyes with him first, she couldn’t believe it had happened so quickly; Kurisu felt herself trying to erase any anticipatory emotions as much as she could, but, just as she feared, she couldn’t shake it off. Within the first second locking eyes with him, she felt herself waver with mixed emotions of absence, happiness, and relief at the sight of him.

Relax, she told herself as she calmed down her gaze towards him, it’s not like you haven’t messaged him in a year. At least you talked to him sometimes.

And that was the extent of their first meeting in nearly two years; other than the quick visit she had when Suzuha was born last year, she barely had time to spend with the other lab members, mostly him, since she only came momentarily before leaving back to the US. She felt herself somewhat frozen to the entrance of the living room as he sat, gazing at her wordlessly.

The silence between them was loud and noticeable enough that the rest of the lab members began to slowly quiet down, noticing the somewhat heavy tension. Mayuri automatically picked up on the connection and almost began to speak up before Okabe suddenly stood up dramatically, a mocking grin on his face.

“What’s this? Has the long lost child finally dared to enter my lab after years of nonexistence? This must be blasphemy!” Okabe stated, pointing dramatically at Kurisu.

That’s it, Okabe told himself as he kept up the act. This is all I need to keep moving forward.

Kurisu, on the other hand, placed her hands on her hips in response and stepped forward towards him. With furrowed brows, she looked at him with slight confusion.

“Hah? Who are you calling a lost child? I’ve actually been busy with work, you know!”

Okabe gave a low chuckle still in a Kyouma tone before eyeing her once more.

“As expected from the selfish lost child, because I, too, have been busy concocting research for the masses to extend my beautifully crafted mad scientist brain-”

Kurisu waved her hand aside. “Yes, yes, and by that, you haven’t really done a whole lot yet, am I right?”

Okabe flinched before recovering quickly. “Like I said, selfish Christina, I’ve done plenty, more than you would ever know!”

Kurisu glanced up for a moment at him and crossed her arms. “Stop calling me that!”

She spat back in spite, but mostly because she knew. She most definitely knew he was right and had done a lot in the years she was gone.

But this is the only way to talk to him right now, she thought to herself, slowly protecting herself from the obvious truth. Just for now, let me get through this.

The momentary pause in Kurisu’s behavior gave Okabe a chance to relax before giving out a small laugh. She looked up at him as he had a small smile on his face, his gaze still on her.

“I see you haven’t changed much, Christina.”

She rolled her eyes. “Keeping up with the name calling, huh?” She smiled back. “You haven’t either, idiot.”

As her smile reached him, an inner feeling began to churn in him again and he lowered his arm, placing his hand in his pocket. He clenched his hand hidden from her sight, gritting his teeth.

I really haven’t, Kurisu. And it’s really unfortunate.

As soon as their typical banter completed, Mayuri clapped her hands nervously to get their attention, laughing as she did so.

“W-well, it’s so nice to have Kurisu-chan back, right?”

Faris nodded enthusiastically. “That’s why we’re having this barbecue, nyan! We need to celebrate her return and commemorate this day!”

Kurisu nodded nervously in return, suddenly jolted from her extreme focus on Okabe to the rest of the lab members. She flushed in response, almost forgetting that the rest of them just witnessed her encounter with him and she grimaced to herself, realizing how embarrassing it really was.

As Kurisu crossed the room to greet both Daru and Suzuha, Okabe kept a steady gaze on her. Sighing, he internally kicked himself, disappointed in his thoughts and actions, regression creeping itself up into his mind. A sudden but gentle squeeze on his arm distracted him from his thoughts and his gaze on her as he looked down at the source. Mayuri looked up at him as she moved her hand to gently take out his clenched fist from his pocket, slowly relaxing his hand and placing hers within his. With a soft smile, she looked at him reassuringly.

“Let’s have the barbecue now, okay, Okarin?”

For a moment, he felt himself stunned to speak; how Mayuri read him so easily was both understandable and complex, considering her easy-going personality, but he appreciated it as he lightly grasped her hand in return.

He looked away and smiled a bit in appreciation.

“Thanks, Mayuri.”

--

The barbecue turned out to be an amazing turn out, in Kurisu’s opinion. Okabe did indeed have a weird friendship with Mr. Braun, but the landlord was a lot nicer than she originally thought (she realized it was just Okabe being obnoxious). Him allowing the lab members to have a rooftop barbecue was gracious of him, even though he did invite himself to the event which she found amusing to an extent.

She finally met up with Luka, who, in Mayuri and Faris’ defenses, did indeed look very charming. Years did a great number on him, and she realized that the boy had grown into himself with more comfort and confidence. He still had the same gentle personality she remembered him to have, but he presented himself with more firmness and compassion. It was no wonder Mayuri considered to him be one of her best friends.

Daru was still, indeed, Daru. This time though, she noticed he was much more calm, often talking about Suzuha versus his eroge novels (which she didn’t want to hear about, anyway). There was a certain, mature aspect of him that he had developed into and she was grateful that he had both Suzuha and Yuki in his life.

After hearing what probably seemed like the tenth story about Suzuha and Yuki, Daru chuckled as he noticed Kurisu’s eyes began to slightly glaze over, nudging her in return. She eyed him in response and he nodded towards her.

“What about you? I’ve talked your ear off about my life, and I’m sure the US is doing great things for you.”

Kurisu shrugged. “Same things. I’m working on my fourth paper right now and I have a conference again here in Japan in December, so I’ll be coming back again.”

Daru hummed in response. “If you have a conference in December, why come back now? There’s none that I know of that you’re in, or that you would be interested in participating in.”

Kurisu grimaced, cursing herself for letting that slip out again. “I...a vacation. Senpai suggested I need it before buckling down in preparing for the conference.”

At the mention of Maho, Daru’s eyes lit up. “Maho-tan! It’s been ages since I’ve seen her-”

“Should you even be talking like that when you have a family already?” Kurisu interrupted, crossing her arms disapprovingly. Daru shook his head.

“Yuki agrees with me that she’s adorable too, you know! We have high respect for her!”

Kurisu shook her head. She had forgotten that the couple had similar interests to begin with.

“Anyway,” Kurisu breathed, “it’s just been the same old otherwise. I enjoy my work and that’s all.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Kurisu could’ve sworn that she saw Daru’s expression change for a moment; she felt as if his glasses glinted at her with slight scrutiny, making her feel uncomfortable before she finally glanced at him.

“W-what?” she asked nervously. “If you have something you want to ask, just ask it; you’re creeping me out.”

Daru scratched his chin for a moment in mock questioning before speaking.

Kurisu prepared herself, almost knowing what the next question was.

“Well,” he started, “from when we last heard from you, weren’t you...you know…”

Kurisu groaned, hating the fact that she knew she was right about expecting his question. She debated on whether or not to tell him, but knew in the end that he would find out either way from Yuki somehow.

As soon as she opened her mouth to respond, Yuki appeared in front of Daru, grabbing his hand and steering him back to the barbecue area. She winked at Kurisu before turning to her husband who was still not budging from his spot.

“There you are!” she exclaimed. “Mayuri-chan and I are talking about the most recent cosplay magazine and thought it be interesting if you join us!”

“E-eh?” Daru was caught off guard as Yuki came up to him. “There’s a new magazine?!”

He was about to go, before he turned back to Kurisu who looked at both of them with slight amusement. She looked at him in question as he walked back to her and from behind him, she could see Yuki almost in panic mode trying to steer him back to her; she waved at Yuki with a small smile, in a reassuring gesture that everything was alright. Yuki frowned a bit, but nodded back at her, patiently waiting for Daru to say one last thing to Kurisu.

Without looking at her, Daru spoke in a low voice to Kurisu, only within her earshot.

“I know you don’t want to answer me about the other stuff, but at least answer me this: can you talk to Okarin before you leave back to the US?”

Kurisu looked at him in slight confusion before Daru clarified.

“I don’t know what’s been going on between you two, but just...really talk to him, alright? He’s a pretty open and nice guy...but there’s a lot he doesn’t say, either.”

Kurisu nodded slowly in response. Watching as Daru walked off with Yuki, she tried to unravel the meaning of Daru’s words, but couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was that made her feel unsettled.

Yuki glanced back at Kurisu once more with concern, but Kurisu shook her head. She acknowledged the other woman’s concern, but wanted to be alone for a bit as she watched the rest of the members from far away. Yuki nodded, before returning her attention to the others before they noticed her actions.

Kurisu leaned back on the rails of the rooftop, sighing as she did so. Daru is a good man, she surmised, but a little too-knowing. Then again, she concluded in her mind, Daru is his closest friend.

She shook her head. Talk to him? She had already planned on that. That was her main intention of coming to Japan, to get to the bottom of everything confusing in her mind.

But, she realized, coming to Japan had surfaced more questions than answers. It was a frustrating array in her mind, something she wasn’t used to. While she loved chaos, there was no defining reason to the current chaos she was, in comparison to the chaotic research she was used to. It exasperated her, not knowing what she was supposed to be looking for.

And all of a sudden, as she glanced up to look a the rest of the lab members, she saw him again within the circle, an atmosphere that seemed so natural for him to be in.

Her stomach churned as she saw him interact with Suzuha; as Yuki and Daru talked ecstatically with Mayuri, Okabe had been the one to take Suzuha from them for slight relief, as he held her up, dramatically laughing in order to amuse Suzuha. And he didn’t fail, not one bit. Suzuha reciprocated with gleeful giggles, clapping every once in awhile as he spoke to her with nonsensical talk.

To Kurisu, it was a scene filled with individuals who had grown up with each other throughout the years; they’ve watched each other grow, been there for the worst and the best, and understood each other far more than she knew about them.

Most especially him, who seemed to be the center of it all.

She turned away from the scene slowly, choosing to overlook the scenery of Akihabara instead. Thinking about the scene she just saw brought her the same feeling as she felt before; questionable but familiar feelings rose in her, as if at some point, she was meant to be closer with the lab members than she was at that moment.

Something inside tickled with her emotions; she wanted to know more about them, but the closer she came, the more distant she felt herself to be when she thought about the present. But when she felt herself apart from them, she only wanted to be with them all the more.

And suddenly, it clicked in her mind; it was the same feeling she had around him, if not, more.

Why did she keep coming back to this place? Most of all, why did her mind keep reverting back to him? She hated how familiar she felt around him, which caused the distance between them to grow all the more. The closer she felt, the farther away she pushed; it was a concept she couldn’t understand.

Time couldn’t play catch up to the memories she had lost making with the others. She felt that her absence in Japan caused an absence in her heart, craving for what other familiar memories she could have dug up while being around the others.

...including what other memories she could have made if she were around him.

She rubbed her temples in frustration. The sight of him taking care of Suzuha hit her more than it should have; it shed light to a different side of him, she realized. It was a side of him that was more endearing and caring-

And yet another thing she missed throughout these years’ absence. Getting to know more about him, instead of just the surface; she felt she had started to know who he was during their collaborative paper, but even then, it felt like she was barely starting to scratch the surface. Was she close at the time? If she stayed, would she had found out?

She always tried to ignore the undeniable and bittersweet look he would sometimes give her when she would banter with him. Truth be told, it bothered her a lot; he was hiding something that he didn’t want to tell her, and she intended to find out.

But the more she tried to speak with him, the more her words escaped her. He felt almost unreachable, even though he was right next to her.

And as if on cue, Kurisu snapped out of her thoughts when a pair of footsteps sounded its way next to her, stopping at the same railing as she and looking over the same citylights.

“No longer hungry? Daru is going to eat the rest if you don’t go there right now.”

Kurisu stiffened. How time knew when to bring him to her was beyond anything she could fathom, but she accepted it. Straightening up, she sighed and shook her head.

“I’m fine. I ate enough.”

For a moment, he glanced at her, hesitating eyes observant as he kept his gaze steady before finally looking away into the Akihabara lights below. There was a silence that enveloped the two of them, a small breeze filling the space between them as they stood next to each other. They stood in an awkward position, as if there were an invisible barrier between them representing what could and would have been.

The silence became unbearable as Okabe decided it was time to speak, opening his mouth to ask a question before Faris’s voice sounded over them.

“Kyouma-nyan, we ran out of drinks! Be a sweetheart for Faris-nyan and buy more, please?”

Her sweet-filled, sing-song voice reached Okabe who sighed in exasperation, shaking his head.

“Lab member 007, you’ve failed as your one and only mission-”

Surprisingly, Faris didn’t play along with his antics and only waved it aside. “Just this once, please Kyouma-nyan? We’re going to die of thirst!”

As dramatic as the plea was, Okabe shook his head nonchalantly. He glanced back at Kurisu, nodding towards the rooftop door to exit as he did so.

“Care to join me, Christina?”

Worse Than Nicotine

Prompt: “You’re the health-conscious med student and I’m the chain-smoking art student who’s also your barista and you leave me notes on smoking and lung health on your napkins and also a 20-page essay on lung cancer tucked under your saucer” AU. Where Sirius is the chain-smoking art student.

Word Count: About 5,500.

Warning(s): Smoking, sexual tension, kissing, motorcycle ride without all the gear. Don’t accept a ride from someone on a motorcycle unless they supply the proper gear and you’re wearing pants and a heavy jacket, preferably. Do some research before riding!

Note: Sort of a modern, college AU. This isn’t smut, but, I have to warn you, it does end up being smoking hot. Hah. Get it?

To the barista with the pretty grey eyes,

Smoking can cause the lens of the eyes to fog up and the whites of the eyes to turn yellow. Don’t ruin their beauty. If not for yourself, then for those who have the pleasure of seeing them. ;)

Love, Y/N.

Sirius rolled his eyes, a slight chuckle escaping his lips as he pocketed yet another note from you. If you were to open a spare drawer in his flat, you would find a collection of tossed napkins with rushed scribbles littering the surface. Maybe one day Sirius would take your insistent advice, but right now, all he wanted was a drag.

“Another love letter from your favorite med student?”

With a shrug, Sirius rested his palms on the countertop, sending his co-worker and flatmate, James, a smirk. “You could call it that.”

“What does that make it? The third one this week?” asked James, spinning a permanent marker on the tips of his fingers.

“More or less.” Sirius checked the time before peering out the cafe windows. “It’s kind of endearing, I think. You know, in an annoying, motherly sort of way.”

James let out a laugh, pushing his glasses higher on his face. “What did it say this time?”

“Oh, just not to ruin my beautiful eyes by smoking.”

“Beautiful?” James squinted, zealously searching Sirius’ face. “Your eyes? Are you sure these notes aren’t meant for me?”

Sirius snorted, brushing his hair to the side. “They’re definitely for me.”

With a mischievous grin, James drummed the tip of his pen on the counter. “Sure they are.”

When the door chimed, James was ready to take the customer’s order, making the drink himself since business was slow at this hour. Once the latte was ready and the customer was seated, he turned back to Sirius.

“But what if it’s not just for you?”

“Pardon?”

James shrugged. “I’m only saying, what if you aren’t the only mysterious, smoking barista in your little med student’s life?”

“First of all, she’s not my little med student.” Sirius paused, a small smirk playing on his face. “Not yet, anyway. And second, that’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Still, as ridiculous as James’ suggestion sounded, an unsettling feeling entered Sirius’ stomach at the thought of you flirting with someone else.

“I don’t know about that,” James drawled. “Have you even talked to her?” Sirius opened his mouth, but quickly shut it at James’ pointed look. “Besides asking for her order.”

“She’s always busy studying from that textbook of hers,” Sirius said defensively. “I was trying to be polite.”

James hummed, tapping his foot on the linoleum floor. “That’s chivalrous and all, but if she has time to write you a little note on her every visit, I think she would be more than willing to take the time to talk to you.”

Sirius thought on his best mate’s words, just now questioning why he had never made a move.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Sirius snorted, “Since when did I need girl advice from you?”

“Looks like the roles have been reversed,” James said with a grin. “A girlfriend will definitely wise you up.”

Sirius’ only response was a cocked eyebrow.

“And as the one with a girlfriend, and therefore the one who is wisest,” James chose to ignore the huff he heard from Sirius, “I say you need to talk to her before she thinks you don’t like her.”

“I will–”

“And when I say talk to her, I mean soon.” James paused. “And when I say soon, I mean tomorrow.” Taking in Sirius’ amused eye roll, James continued, “Y/N is incredibly smart and–forgive me, Lily–incredibly pretty.  She’s not going to wait around if you show no interest.”

“I show plenty of interest!”

“Then you’ll be fine with showing even more tomorrow.”

“Fine. Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” said James with a nod of affirmation. “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you, tomor–”

“Oh, bugger off, Prongs.”

- - - - -

To the barista with the beautiful voice,

I’ve heard you and your friend with glasses sing along to the music as you guys worked. You have an amazing voice. On a completely unrelated note, smoking can damage breathing control, dry out your vocal cords, and strain your lungs. Be careful and, please, be safe!

Love, Y/N.

Sirius didn’t bother to stop the smile that spread across his face. You really were an observant one, he thought.

Throughout that day, he had been subtly trying to sneak glances at you while you sat at your booth. That time, you had no textbook with you. Just a phone you were hurriedly typing on. It would’ve been the perfect time for Sirius to approach you.

But he didn’t. And soon enough you had left, shooting him a quick grin before tucking the napkin under your saucer.

Maybe tomorrow.

- - - - -

He really is too pretty to die.

You shook your head, blinking once. With a look of determination, you returned back to your textbook, running the cap of your highlighter underneath the words as you read.

You had to focus on studying for your exam next week. The cute barista would have to wait.

A cafe full of potential distractions might not have been the best place to study, but with your flatmates having their monthly movie night, you reckoned that a house full of drunk college girls would have been even worse. And, to be fair, you didn’t think your barista would be working a shift this late.

Plugging your earphones in, you blasted some white noise, turning the page of your textbook. Time to get busy, you told yourself.

About a quarter away from being done with your study session, you felt a warm presence above you. You looked up, your eyes flittering over to their name tag.

Sirius. Your barista. A small smile found its way across your face.

Bringing your gaze to his, you took an earphone out. “Hi.”

He smiled back with an amused expression. “Hi.”

Your nose scrunched up ever so slightly as he got closer, a faint smell of nicotine still lingering on his shirt. Trying not to be rude, you huffed softly.

“Yes, I did just have a cigarette,” Sirius supplied with a deep chuckle, answering your unvoiced question. “My shift ended and I needed to get off store grounds to smoke.”

Disappointed, you hummed slightly. You worried he would never take your notes to heart. Or worse– He paid no attention to the napkins and tossed them on sight.

“But I couldn’t leave you here alone to study without some caffeine to last you the night.” He slid you a cup of coffee, careful not to spill the drink on your books. “It’s on the house.”

You felt your cheeks heat up. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to– Really.”

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly, giving you a noncommittal smile. “It’s the least I could do in exchange for my newly acquired knowledge on the dangers of smoking.”

“So you do read my notes!” you chirped, satisfied. “Thank goodness, I was worried my efforts were all going to waste.”

“Of course not.” He brushed the loose strands of his hair from his face with a slight smirk. “My favorite part is always the address. The barista with the pretty eyes or the soft-looking hair or the beautiful voice or the tauntingly ravishing, kissable lips–”

You let out an indignant laugh, keeping him from teasing you further. When he never responded to your little notes, you thought Sirius might have been broody and shy. But taking one look at his playful grin and relaxed posture, you realized he was anything but.

“Strange. I don’t recall ever writing the part about your lips, but,” you trailed your gaze from his eyes to his mouth in one exaggerated motion, “maybe you’re not wrong.”

He matched your stare with his, running the tip of his tongue across his bottom lip. Clearing his throat, he placed the palms of his hands on his jeans.

“I don’t want to take up too much of your study time,” said Sirius as your wrapped your hands around the cup. “But hopefully I’ll see you again soon.”

“Actually–” You cut yourself off, looking down at your textbook. You could finish studying tomorrow, but it wasn’t everyday a cute barista returned your advances. “I’ve finished studying for tonight. You can take a seat–you know–if you’d like.”

He grinned, glad you didn’t kick him out. Sirius slid into the booth, facing you.

Finally lifting the latte to your face, your eyebrows furrowed at the art on it. You glanced up at him only to see he was looking intently for your reaction. When Sirius caught your eye, however, he shot you a grin.

“Do you like it?”

The crema formed the shape of a delicate rose, the white foam a stark contrast from the dark latte.

“It looks beautiful,” you replied honestly, careful not to ruin the design as you moved. “You did this?”

He nodded.

“I can’t even draw this on paper,” you admitted, letting out a laugh. “I have absolutely zero artistic ability.”

“Oh, please.” Sirius raised an eyebrow at you. “You’re just being modest.”

You matched his expression with a challenging one of your own. “No, believe me; I’m really not.”

Pulling out a scratch piece of paper from the back of your notebook, you placed it in front of you. Using Sirius’ latte art as a reference, you attempted to sketch out a rose.

After almost ten minutes of frustrated grunts and feverish erasing, you turned the drawing toward Sirius to reveal a meek, two inch drawing of something that resembled a flower.

Taking the paper in his hands, Sirius held it up to the light. “I mean, if you squint really hard and shake the paper really fast, it looks quite interesting.”

“Funny,” you deadpanned, grabbing hold of Sirius’ forearm to stop him from shaking the paper. You made a face. “Not everyone can be blessed with artistic abilities.”

“It just takes practice.” Sirius leaned back into his seat as you took a sip of your latte. “And, perhaps, you should stick to your annoyingly endearing cigarette facts.”

You huffed, the corners of your mouth tilting upward in a wry smile as a comfortable silence fell over you. The only sound heard in the coffee shop was the muffled music being played from the speakers. Scanning Sirius up and down, you saw he carried an aura of effortless elegance you had never noticed before.

Shifting slightly, you mixed a packet of sugar into your coffee. “The notes didn’t annoy you, did they?”

He cocked his head to the side.

“Because they weren’t meant to be naggy,” you said in a rushed tone. “It’s just… I know how detrimental smoking can be and I didn’t want you to get–”

“I told you,” Sirius started, waving you off with one look, “I like them.” He brushed his hair behind his ear. “Now, if it were anyone else, I might’ve been annoyed. But it was you… An intelligent, beautiful girl that I was lucky enough to catch the attention of.”

His gaze stayed focused on your face, the sudden attention causing heat to rush to your cheeks. The amount of times you blushed in a conversation embarrassed you; you were a normally collected person, but the smallest of compliments could set you off.

You took a sip of coffee, keeping the mug in front of your face in an attempt to hide your blush. “I have plenty more facts about smoking. Maybe one you’ll actually listen to.”

Sirius laughed lightly, shaking his head at your accusatory look. “I read every word, sweetheart. And I will admit, I haven’t been smoking as much.”

“Really?”

“Only a couple cigarettes a day.”

“Sirius!”

He smirked at your cry of concern, offhandedly stating, “It’s better than a pack in one sitting.”

“You better be joking.”

“You act as if nicotine is the worst thing in the world, Y/N.” Sirius rubbed the back of his shoulder, keeping his eyes on you. “I’d say there are things worse than nicotine.”

“It’s not nicotine that’s the problem.” You paused, pursing your lips. “Well, it is. In a way. It’s a stimulant like caffeine, which isn’t too bad, but nicotine is a highly addictive drug and the fastest way to get your fix is by smoking. And as I’ve stated in my notes, in the long run, smoking–”

You broke off abruptly, hoping Sirius didn’t think you were looking down on him.

“I mean, not that I’m trying to pressure you into quitting.” You broke your gaze, staring down into your coffee as you mindlessly stirred it around. “If you do decide to quit, it should be a conscious decision that you make for yourself.”

“I know.” He nudged the edge of your shoe with his, causing you to look up to see a small smile on his face. “Now stop worrying that you’re going to hurt my feelings. I’m a big boy; I can handle it.”

Rolling your eyes, you let the conversation shift into something more lighthearted. You asked him about his art, he told you to ask him for lessons anytime, you told him you might have to take him up on his offer. He asked if you had a life outside of med school, you replied with a hearty shove.

Before you knew it, the two of you were leaning closer to the edges of your chairs, becoming more comfortable as time went on. You didn’t want this to end. But when you caught a glimpse of the time on your phone, you knew it had to soon. Trying to find a bus to bring you home to your drunk flatmates at eleven o’clock at night wasn’t exactly the safest thing.

“Well,” you said hesitantly, “it’s getting late. I better head home.”

Sirius nodded, standing up next to you. “I might as well go, too. Let me walk you out.”

When you made it out of the cafe doors, Sirius bidding his co-workers a farewell and goodnight, you searched the parking lot for the nearest street with a bus stop. You turned to Sirius, his face pale under the harsh street lights.

“Can I walk you to your car?”

“I actually didn’t drive here today.” Kicking up the gravel with the tip of your shoe, you felt his gaze on you. “I’ve never been a fan of driving at night.”

“Hmm.” Sirius nodded with a slight hum. “I’ll wait with you until your ride gets here, then?”

“I was going to take the bus.” At his curious glance you continued, “My flatmates and I usually have a girl’s night a few times a month, but I had to study.” The breezed up, prickling your skin as you rubbed your arms under your shirt. “So I asked one of them to drop me off and told them I had a ride home.”

He quirked a brow. “But you don’t.”

You shrugged, tucking your stray hairs behind your ear. “They needed a night to unwind; I didn’t want them to worry about me.”

“That’s ridiculously selfless of you,” Sirius stated, moving closer when he saw the goosebumps on your arms. There was a comforting warmth radiating through his uniform and you had to keep yourself from pulling him closer. “I can give you a ride to your flat, if you’d like.”

“No– It’s fine. The bus stop isn’t too far from here.”

Sirius folded his arms, shaking his head slightly. “Not that I doubt your capabilities, but I could never just let you navigate your way through the city at this hour.”

You bit your lower lip. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

“You’re not,” he insisted. “But do you know what would be a bother?”

You didn’t respond.

“Leaving you here and spending the rest of my night wondering if you made it home safely.”

Rolling your eyes, you fought off a smile. “Well, when you put it like that…”

Beaming, Sirius took your hand in his, leading you to the staff parking lot. You may have just had your first real conversation with him today, but getting a ride from him still beat wandering the streets at midnight. Plus, the feeling of his hand around yours helped warm you up. That, of course, was the only reason you enjoyed it.

Telling him your address, he entered it into his phone GPS. His eyebrows furrowed. “I’ve actually dropped James off there before…”

He trailed off, a small smirk making its way onto his face. You have him a curious look, but decided not to question it.

Soon enough, Sirius pulled out his keys and a small clang sounded. He let go of your hand and patted the vehicle in front of him.

Your jaw almost dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

He met your dubious expression with a smirk of his own. Unlocking the chain, Sirius looked up at you to say three simple words. “You like it?”

Folding your arms, amusement flooded your features. You shook your head slightly, the corners of your lips tilting upward as you saw Harley-Davidson branded on the ride. “Why does this not surprise me?”

“I’m going to pretend that was meant as a compliment,” said Sirius, passing you a spare helmet.

You raised your eyebrow in question, wondering why he kept more than one with him.

“When James–my co-worker with the messy hair and glasses,” he paused at your giggle, smiling. “When James and I have the same shift, I usually give him a ride to our flat. So I make sure to bring an extra helmet with me.”

“That’s the only reason?” He raised an eyebrow at you. “So charming random girls at the cafe and wooing them with your hot ride isn’t a frequent ploy of yours?”

“Nah,” Sirius drawled, unbuckling the strap of the helmet with his fingers. “Not frequent. I do it once a week, at most.”

You rolled your head to the side, jutting your lower lip out slightly. “I’m not sure I want a ride from you anymore.”

He laughed, the soft sound echoing in the empty parking lot. “I’m only kidding, sweetheart. Don’t fret– Unless you consider James competition. But I must say, with his tight grip and delightfully caffeinated scent, he might be tough to beat.”

“Well, damn.”

Shooting him a coy smile, you grabbed the helmet from his hands, plopping it onto your head. Sirius gave you a once-over, eyes stopping at the loose strap under your chin. Leaning forward, his fingers brushed against your jawline, tightening the helmet so it fit snugly atop your head.

“Safety first,” he murmured, face still mere inches away from yours.

With a lazy smirk, Sirius pulled away, tugging the back of your helmet to make sure it wouldn’t come off before patting the top of your helmet. You huffed, slapping his hands off.

“Sorry.” With a hint of laughter in his voice, he didn’t sound very apologetic. “You just look too damn cute for your own good in that.”

“Cute?” Your lips turned down into a pout as you folded your arms, trying to look aggressive through your face shield. You unbuckled the helmet and placed it under your arm.

“Cute,” Sirius affirmed, breaking out into a grin as he pinched your cheeks. “And your little pout just makes you look even cuter.”

You attempted to pushed his hands away, but they somehow managed to stay rested on your face. “Just cute?”

“Amongst other things,” he breathed, brushing a small spot behind your ear with the pad of his thumb. As he pulled away with a cheeky grin, you released a breath you didn’t know you were holding. Sirius laughed at your reaction.

“That wasn’t funny,” you scowled, nudging him in the arm to let him know you weren’t upset.

“‘Course not.” Pulling a shirt out from his Harley, he turned back to you. “I’m just going to change, teach you the basics of riding as a passenger, then we’ll be off.”

Without giving you the time to turn around, he pulled his polo off, swapping it for a loose-fitting black tee. Your gaze followed the exposed parts of his abdomen as he fumbled with getting his shirt on. You caught a glimpse of black ink on Sirius’ chest, furrowing your eyebrows as you tried to make out what it was before he clothed himself.

Sirius met your stare with one of his own. You quirked a brow at him.

“You smoke, you ride a motorcycle, and you have tattoos?” You gave him an amused smile. “You’re my father’s worst nightmare.”

“Let’s hope you’re not a daddy’s girl, then.” He didn’t give you time to process what he said, instead holding his own helmet under his arm. “Anyway, when you’re on the motorcycle, I need you hold on as tightly to my waist are you’re comfortable with.”

You nodded, noticing his sober expression. Riding a motorcycle wasn’t a joke and he wanted to make sure you knew that. Still, it was something that should feel fun and exhilarating.

“If I’m accelerating or riding too fast, wrap your legs around mine.” You raised an eyebrow and even Sirius couldn’t help but smirk at that. “By doing so, you will get a better grip and, at the same time, tell me that I should probably slow down.”

Sirius went on with a brief summary on what to do and how to communicate with him while riding and, by the end of it, your stomach fluttered with nerves and excitement. You all but clambered onto the bike, putting your helmet on and wrapping your arms around his torso.

“Keep them here,” he stated with a small laugh, bringing your hands hands from the center of his abdomen to his sides.

Feeling rejected you let out a soft, “Oh.” Maybe you were reading this incorrectly and Sirius had no interest in you after all.

Sensing your discomfort, Sirius placed his hand on top of yours, briefly interlacing them to give you a firm squeeze.

“It’s not that I don’t want your arms wrapped around me–because, trust me,” he let out a throaty chuckle, his voice growing quieter, “if I had my way, your arms wouldn’t be the only thing wrapped around me.”

You bristled, your face flaming at his wanton statement. For a moment, you were glad you had a bulky helmet on to cover your tomato-like complexion.

Feeling you stiffen, Sirius threw his head back at your reaction, his chest vibrating with his deep laughter. You edged away from him on the seat and you knew if you could see his face, he’d be smirking.

“But it’s not about me right now.” He turned back to you once he sobered, eyes searching for yours through your face shield. “Right now, what matters is your safety, okay?”

“Okay,” you murmured, giving his side a gentle squeeze.

Securing his own helmet on the top of his head, Sirius revved the engine, checking one last time to see if you were comfortable.

You laughed at his concern. If anything, you thought Sirius would’ve been the type of guy to ride without a helmet, going at dangerous speeds to prove his expertise. But, so far, he had been nothing but cautious. A little too cautious, in your opinion.

“I’m fine, Sirius. Now–what is it you told me?–stop worrying. I’m a big girl; I can handle it.” You heard his airy breath of amusement through the low speeds of the parking lot. “Now, take a little risk.”

You saw him shake his head, voice swimming with mirth from your challenging words. “That’s what I like to hear.”

And with that, he took off.

The city lights passed by in a blur, the breeze biting into your exposed arms and you were grateful for your helmet a second time today. In the middle of the night, the streets were yours; the cars were sparse and space was plenty.

An estranged mixture of fear and excitement coursed through your veins as you tighten your grip around Sirius’ abdomen. It wasn’t until he slowed down and pulled closer to the sidewalk did you notice you were screaming the whole time.

“Are you alright?” he called, amusement lacing his tone.

“Better than alright!” You attempted to lower your voice, not wanting to yell in Sirius’ ear. “I just scream when I’m excited, sorry.”

He chuckled, shaking his head as he accelerated once more. Though he wasn’t going very fast, the force of inertia caused you to wrap your legs around his. You were vaguely aware of the feeling of your thighs pressed against his as you edged your body closer to the center of the seat, leaning your head to the side to avoid knocking Sirius’ helmet.

As soon as you fell into the groove of riding, you placed your feet back on your own pegs, taking one arm off of Sirius and stretching it out above your head. With the breeze billowing through your fingers and tossing your hair back, you’ve never felt more in touch with your surroundings.

“Yeah!” you cried, urging Sirius to drive faster.

You felt the rumble of his laugh through his thin shirt, thinking how unfair it was that warmth exuded from his back despite the cold air around him while you had goosebumps covering every square inch of your arms.

Before you knew it, Sirius had pulled up in front of your flat, the motorcycle silencing itself to nothing more than a soft purr. Killing the engine, he helped you off, keeping his hands on your waist for longer than he needed to.

“So,” you breathed, rolling your bottom lip into your mouth.

Sirius let his hands linger around you before slowly retracting them. “So.”

“Thank you for the ride.”

“It was my pleasure.”

You nodded, avoiding eye contact. Any charm you might have previously possessed went down the drain when Sirius stared at you. All you knew was you missed the warmth of his body on yours.

“Going to have a smoke after this?” you remarked, arms folded in a challenge.

He let out a huff of amusement, running the tip of his tongue along the inside of his cheek. A sideways grin made its way onto his face. “Depends. If I say yes will you stay out here and make sure I don’t?”

You gave Sirius’ arm a playful push, leaving your gentle grip on his tricep. “If that’s what it takes.”

Running your fingers along the light cloth of his sleeve, you smirked at the slight tightening of his muscles. Sirius quirked an eyebrow at you, deliberately skimming his lower lip with his tongue.

Two can play that game, you thought with a small shake of your head.

Stepping closer, you peered at his face through the harsh lights littering the streets, the gleam casting a shadow on his eyelashes. Tilting your head to the side, you brushed the tip of your index finger over the cool skin of his cheekbone.

You moved back, pretending not to feel the intense stare Sirius was burning into you. You shot him and innocent smile, bringing your forefinger and thumb together.

“Eyelash.”

Though you shifted away from him, the proximity between the two of you still left you in a compromising position. Focusing your attention back on Sirius, you noticed the bottomless greys of his eyes had turned a stormy color from your interaction, his jaw clenching.

Blowing the stray eyelash from your thumb, you shut your eyes, making a wish. When you finished, you slowly looked up at him, smiling. But his gaze was already on your lips.

You tried not to smirk.

Testing the limits, you cupped your hand under his chiseled jaw, running your thumb along the light stubble peppering his face.

“Sweetheart,” Sirius rasped, a tone of warning laced through his voice.

You traced a circular pattern on him, your touch so light he barely felt it. Still, he was aware–painfully aware–that it was there. Your hot breath was feathering the base of his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing at your light touches.

“Did you want me to stop–”

A low growl escaped from the back of his throat as Sirius grasped your wrist firmly in his large hand. He rubbed the sensitive part of your forearm with the callous of his thumb.

So, he doesn’t like being teased.

“Sweetheart,” he said again, voice still hoarse, “I don’t think you know what you’re getting into.”

“I think I do.” You fingered the hem of his shirt, daring to inch closer. “But how about you show me, anyway?”

And he did.

Dropping your wrist, Sirius placed one hand on the small of your back, pressing your body against his, and the other cupped against your cheek.

As he toyed with the strands of hair framing your face, twirling it around his forefinger, Sirius kept his gaze intently on yours. He trailed his fingers down the length of your hair, the edges of his knuckles skimming past the crevice of your chest.

A satisfied smirk formed on his face as you shuddered, arching away from him, his other hand still applying a pressure just above the curve of your ass.

“Sirius.” You almost groaned, your voice strangled in need. You wanted more. You wanted his lips on your lips, his hands in your hair– More.

His amused hum rang through your body, heat spreading to the core of your abdomen. Still, he made no move to change his pace.

Lacing his fingers through the back of your hair, Sirius gave it a slight tug, causing you to expose the vulnerable parts of your neck to him. He continued the stroke his thumb in downward motions through the material of your leggings, peppering your jawline with chaste kisses. He started near your chin, making his way up to where the base of your ear met your neck. His stubble tickled your jaw, leaving you to wonder how it would feel elsewhere.

Moving away ever so slightly, Sirius brushed the spot behind your ear with his soft lips, blowing a hot puff of air against your cool skin.

You shivered.

He was getting you back for teasing him. But he was going harder.

You were getting frustrated. Your stomach twisted in anticipation, heat coursing through your veins. In that very moment, there was nothing you wanted more than for Sirius to place his mouth on yours.

“Please,” you moaned.

With his lips still brushing the base of your ear, he whispered, “Please what?”

Grabbing at the collar of his shirt, you pulled his face closer to yours. “Please– Just kiss me, already.”

“Since you asked so nicely…”

A strangled whimper escaped from your mouth. You were are the end of your line, unable to take his continuous teasing any longer. Taking matters into your own hand, you stood on the tips of your toes, craning your neck up to meet his lips.

“Finally,” you murmured against his mouth, causing Sirius to laugh into the kiss.

The deep vibrations from his chuckle rang through your body, a feeling of pleasure erupting in your chest. You eased into his caress as you brought your hand to cup his jaw, stroking his peppered stubble.

His large hand pressed against your lower back, pushing your hips against the rough material of his jeans. For a second, Sirius broke the kiss, nipping the soft flesh of your bottom lip, then soothing the spot with the tip of his tongue.

The next moment, his mouth was back on yours, moving against you in a tantalizing dance. The night filled with the cacophonous sounds of gasps and groans. You were sure Sirius could feel your heart beating erratically through your ribcage, your chest flattened against the defined muscles of his.

The kiss was better than you could have ever imagined.

You pulled away, breathing heavily for some much needed air. Sirius let his forehead rest on top of yours, his lips parted in a pant, his warm breath teasing your hypersensitive skin.

He grinned, breathless and dazed by the kiss still lingering on his mouth. “Now, wasn’t that worth the wait, sweetheart?”

You let out an amused huff, your arms still around his neck. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

Sirius trailed his hands down from your waist, to your hips, and went lower still, stopping to cup the curve of your ass.

“Still going to have a smoke after this?” you breathed, eyebrows raised in a challenge.

He wore a hooded expression, smoothing the furrow between your brows with a light kiss. You looked back up at him to find a look on his face that made your stomach churn.

“Nah.” Sirius removed your hands from around him, toying with the tips of your fingers. “I’m good.”

Interlacing his hand through yours, he gave you a small, but firm, kiss on the lips.

“I think I found something much better than nicotine.”

Aw, I can’t stop grinning. I hope you guys enjoyed! xx Fia.

All For One

who?: Wanna One’s Lai Guanlin, Cube Ent’s / Pd101’s Yoo Seonho genre: 🌸 type: bullet point blog navigator. • you have two Cube Chicks for best friends • is this a good or bad idea? this...is the cutest, softest thing...possibly...ever. I’ll try my best! Made me think of my best friends a lot  :”) TYSM @isaluciavevo for requesting - Admin L

• ahhhh the Cube Chicks are back together again • honestly,,,who...just who in the right mind thought that this would be a good idea • because it is a GREAT idea • but • warning: Cube Chicks may cause trouble out of good intention • good vibes only • that’s how y’all roll • if you want it • you go get it • and your boys will support you • both are competitive sportsmen • basketball team!! • captain • and vice-captain • it’s a v v messy yet memorable friendship • sometimes it’s you trying to keep Seonho and Guanlin alive • sometimes it’s Guanlin trying to keep you and Seonho from getting arrested • yeah • it’s Seonho for everything • have you seen this boy? • he gets in so much trouble its a miracle you haven’t bailed him out of jail yet • but he’s a good boy, don’t worry • he’s just clumsy and childish • kind of doesn’t think of consequences before acting • sort of plunges both feet into hot water without dipping his toes to check first • but • that’s how your entire friendship functions • it’s a good friendship • you share a class with Seonho • and it’s crazy • he sits next to you • some days he never pays attention to the teacher and gossips to you throughout class • other days he’s like • ‘hey seonho can I borrow a pencil-’  • ‘shush. pay attention to the teacher, y/n.’ • damn Seonho I just wanted a pencil I didn’t ask for this slander • but you love him • in school, he’s the first person to greet you at your locker in the mornings • with a bright smile, his backpack slung over his shoulder • then he ruffles your hair playfully, messing it up completely • true friendship :”) • ‘ahh, I know that person you like will definitely take notice of you now,’ he teases • then you guys walk to assembly and class together • sometimes in class, you guys have a sheet of foolscap paper in between the desks • and either one of you will draw or write some really cute, heart-warming, heart-fluttering bullshit • okay you get my drift • ‘you’re doing amazing sweetie’ • ‘cheer up!’ • ‘have fun at basketball practice later!’ • ‘i miss Guanlin :(‘ • ‘>:( what about me’ • ‘I love Guanlin :D’   • ‘ :”( ‘ • ‘ily2 dw ❤️’ • Seonho smiles before folding up the paper and sticking it into his bag just as your teacher walks by • he has an incredible knack of never getting in trouble • he can create trouble but he doesn’t get in it • explain later • okay now • Seonho is also super concern and caring • during lunch if he gets pizza, he makes sure to buy some for you too • and Guanlin of course • ‘pfpp lol hyung you can buy your own’ • ‘yah, you still owe me from last week’s frozen yoghurt.’ • bickers over food • visits your house very often • he just comes to nap on your bed • ‘nooo I’m here to inspect if you cleaned your room like you said you did in your Snapchat story.’ • really, he just wants access to your pantry and kitchen • while eating popcorn, you and Guanlin doodle things all over his arms when he’s sleeping • not dicks pls • Seonho is a child • he needs his sleep • after sleeping, he makes sure to go out with you and Guanlin a lot • barbecue is a MUST • in fact, the owner is a classmate’s parent • and always give you guys a discount • THAT’S how regular y’all are • and there’s always a tad bit more food for your table • karaoke is a favourite • time for swaggy rapper™️ to shine • speaking of Guanlin • he’s a year older • yet not that much more mature • or sensible • jk, he is • quieter and shyer than Seonho • but just as goofy when he opens up to you • is fake deep • ‘I want to get a tattoo of a burrito because we get so wrapped up in our internal feelings and sadness, that we ignore the crisp and goodness outside.’ • sends really meaningful things to the group chat at 12am • Guanlin🐥: you guys mean the world to me, I would never trade y’all for anything else • Seonho🐣: aww hyung :”) • you: 💓💓💓 • changes the group chat profile pic very often • he went through an entire streak of Kermit the frog for a month • Guanlin really likes memes • more than Seonho • and Seonho has a folder of 500+ pictures of memes alone • at 3.30am, Guanlin will send memes to the group chat • kermit the frog memes • pepe memes   • any other meme you can think of • sometimes recycles memes • edits memes • Guanlin🐥: hey Daniel hyung promised me a lifetime worth of pizza if I gave  Seonho to Minhyun hyung • Guanlin🐥: so lmao bye bye Seonho • Guanlin🐥: you’re the sacrifice • Seonho actually disappears for a couple of hours   • wh00ps • but Guanlin is EXTRA • extra sweet ;) • advises you both of life • ‘now...my young grasshoppers, I’m going to teach you how to sleep in class and not get caught.’ • ‘this is how you secretly eat pizza rolls in the middle of math’ • ‘LiSTEN, this is how you sneak in a waffle maker to make breakfast in morning assembly’ • but he does actually help • he helps both of you with studies • pushes Seonho to study by treating him to pizza • and ice cream • and chicken • Guanlin tells you tips and tricks to memorise math formulas better • uses creative analogies • ‘okay, imagine that x is a sheep. So 2x would mean 2 sheep and then 4x + -3x would be?’ • I don’t even know actually but let’s just pretend I do • ‘guys, if you get Mr Kai as your math teacher next year, tell me.’ • is a nice, responsible and caring older brother • gets really protective from time to time • it’s the small actions that give him away • like • ‘no, I’ll walk you out to the gate, don’t go by yourself.’ • ‘text me when you get home safe, okay?’ • will walk you to the bus stop and take your bus even if it goes the opposite way • makes some lame excuse • ‘uhh, my sister’s friend’s dog is in the area so I’m going to meet him and we’ll go back together.’ • ‘I need to pick up dry cleaning for my mother. You know how she’s fussy about her evening gowns.’ • ‘Lin, it’s 9pm at night...the shop is closed.’ • red-faced • ‘oh’ • Guanlin is #1 on speed dial on both your phones • ‘in cases y’all get drunk, call me, no one else knows how to take care of you two.’ • Seonho always texts him when he’s arrived safely at home • with a cute selfie sometimes • Guanlin tracks both the children’s sleep schedules in his diary watch him • is generous • pays for your haircuts • *pushes both of you into the salon Jinyoung works at* • ‘since school is almost over, you guys need a look for summer.’ • ‘hey Jinyoung, these are my friends so take good care of them wink wonk’ • ;) • I got you • Taiwanese chick is slyer than a fox • Seonho sits in the salon chair with pitch black hair • and emerges with a blonde streak down the middle • you don’t sense anything wrong • until Baejin starts to whip out green hair dye • ‘WAIT’ • you wrestle Jinyoung for that box • ‘HOW MUCH DID GUAN PAY YOU? I CAN PAY YOU MORE!’ • Guanlin’s hair ends up being blondish green • well done • he also once convinced Jinyoung to chop off a good 4 inches of your hair • I could use some 4 inches in height • hah • speaking of height • Guanlin is tall • so is Seonho • and Guanlin is just a bit more of that annoying tall friend who makes fun of everyone who isn’t as tall as them • yes thank you for putting MY box of cookies on the top shelf of my pantry • aww Seonho you sweetheart, thanks for helping   • he smirks and takes the whole box for himself • sigh • tall people • if you hang out in the evenings • Guanlin always drags Seonho’s ass out of your house to the basketball courts nearby • to practice • you know • time to grind😤😫 • you tag along • trying to win against a basketball team captain and vice-captain • some die heroes • ‘WatCH ME’ • your best friends just chuckle and shrug • but they are also your support squad • ‘jUst JUMP YOU GOT THIS!’ Guanlin yells enthusiastically • once, he even bought a loudspeaker • ‘LET’S GO TEAM!’ • and it got taken away by a park warden • then he brought another one • and a policeman on patrol swiped it • so Guanlin relied on his swaggy rapper™️ voice • Seonho becomes the spectator • ‘AND-AND WILL Y/N SCORE FOR THE FIRST TIME?’ • this is how you guys spend the weekends • ‘...THEY DO. A MIRACLE HAS HAPPENED.’ • Guanlin runs and catches you in a hug, overjoyed • Seonho joins soon after • and the three of you collapse in the cold court floor, bursting into laughter • but your heart couldn’t feel any warmer :”) • ‘ahhh, I could spend all night here.’ • but of course, realistically, you can’t • so all of you retire to Guanlin’s mansion • I make him a rich boy in every single one of my works I realised I’m sorry • sometimes it becomes a sleepover • like pillow fights   • making s’mores • scaring the hell out of his chef in the process • ‘dAMNIT GUANLIN YOUR PARENTS WILL KILL ME IF YOU BURN THE BOTTOM OF THIS POT.’ • ‘they’ll fire you if you swear at me, right?’ he says cockily, raising an amused brow • his chef just huffs. ‘I’ve known you since you ran around in diapers, goodness.’ • ahhh • his chef is gracious nonetheless and brings you guys platters of snacks for your movie night • includes a lot of yelling • Seonho getting spooked easily • Guanlin taking time to calculate if the scenario could happen in real life then reacting • the kind of best friends to watch Netflix with you until 12am • ‘c’mon,’ Seonho whispers. ‘Everyone should be asleep by now.’ • the three of you creep up to Guanlin’s spacious rooftop garden • star-gazing time • you pop open the soda bottles and get bags of chips • sipping cola • looking at the stars • back on the ground, head to head to form a circle • ahhh • ‘oh! shooting star!’ • ‘hey, that constellation looks like a horse!’ • it’s just a good time filled with laughter, jokes, food and friendship • as the night wears on, things get really deep and personal • these hangouts have sort of become personal therapy sessions for you • whatever you want to say • say it • all of you trust each other with your lives • a lot of things get lifted off each other’s chest • figure out problems together • help each other out • just a genuine, meaningful time of bonding • when it ends, you feel more secure and loyal to your friends • you and Seonho take the enormous couch in the gaming room while Guanlin sleeps in his bed a few doors down • he makes sure to tuck both of you in • and talk until one of you falls asleep before he tucks himself in • such a pure and real friendship • supportive • loving • loyal • and caring • during Christmas time, you guys team up to bake cookies and other holiday treats • it obviously isn’t the greatest idea • I mean, have you seen Guan and Seonho’s ‘It’s meringue time!’? yeah • seonho insists on icing his own cookies this year • he later spent almost an hour scraping icing off the ceiling of his kitchen • taking turns to help decorate each other’s houses • gift shopping for the rest of your clique together • synonymously agreeing to buy yet another fly swatter for Daniel • maybe some shoe insoles for Sungwoon • savages 24/7 • puns all around • breathe memes • especially Guanlin • like that boy has a basketball jersey with Kermit on the back • he actually wears it out • gave an identical one to Seonho for his birthday • and you received one as well for Christmas • from your Secret Santa • at basketball matches • it’s a given you’re there to support them, rain or shine • so if your crush wants to see you, they attend the game • a night before, you’re spamming the group chat with encouraging messages and gifs • they’re like ‘pffp we don’t need these’ but it actually cheers them up • HEART MELTING • there’s always a small spat in the group chat on whose jersey/jacket you will wear • Guanlin🐥: hEY I’M OLDER THAN YOU. • Guanlin🐥: THEY CAN WEAR YOURS ANY OTHER TIME, THIS IS ONE OF MY LAST COMPETITIONS 

• Seonho🐣: I FRICKIN WASHED AND DRY CLEANED MY JERSEY FOR THIS i’msorryimessedup

• on the day itself, you’re clad in Seonho’s practice jersey and Guanlin’s jacket • the cutest • everyone assumes y’all daring • but all of you are just the closest of friends • friendship goals • plus, they’re the best wingmen • just a super supportive, real, joyous friendship

Klinos

I dont even know what to say bout this one?? I was just feelin sad n upset that night and out popped a giant bastard, here he be so yeah

| Name: Klinos

| Nicknames: Linos, Kli, or Lin

| Pronouns: He/Him and It/It’s

| Age: N/A

| Height: 100ft

| Species/Race: Giant

| Hair Color: The sides are a dark brown but the top floof (yes, i call the top part floof shush) is a a dark blue color with dark green mixed in (his hairstyle is a spiked quiff)

| Eye Color: Ironically enough, his eyes are a Bluish Green color

| Skin Color/Body Type: He’s extremely pale like almost ALL my dudes are and his body type is pretty average honestly

| Appearance: He doesn’t change his outfit too much so his main one is a black and green hoodie with some ripped and distressed black skinny jeans that have chains hanging down,and some combat boots as well (the strings on the combat boots are green also) he wears some spiked bracelets along with a black spiked collar, and before I forget these details- he has a circle beard, his pupils are slit, he has pointed ears (he also wears black gauges along with SEVERAL other piercings that go up his ears), he has long black and green claws (he painted the green on some of them actually, their naturally black though), he’s got them b e a r  t r a p teeth, he’s also got a tongue piercing, an eyebrow slit and an eyebrow piercing of course (most of his piercings btw excluding his tongue are spiked-type piercings) and for some EXTRA details his eyebrows are like fuckin caterpillars- big fluffy bois, he’s got a lotta scars on him and i’m gonna say already the bigger ones are from fights with other giants and the smaller ones are from tinies who have dealt some damage his way.

One more thing, unlike most giants (the giants where he’s from don’t have no tails) he’s got a large black tail with a fluffy bun tip)

| Personality: Oh look, it’s another bastard son of mine isn’t it? ...Yes, the answer is yes- Klinos is an absolute bastard, he can be pretty nasty and mean, he can also be borderline cruel and sadistic even! He loves to torment tinies/borrowers, tease them by showing them how powerless they are against him, and he loves to scare the shit out of them in any way he can, hell sometimes he can scare OTHER GIANTS with his attitude.

He’s also borderline masochistic I mean… With all the fights he purposefully gets himself into, it’d be weird for him to not enjoy pain- So jokes on you motherfucker, you wanna hurt him? He ENJOYS that hAH! Asdjfklskjdfsl- Anyway- Absolute bastard man, stinky, gross- Surprisingly enough though despite being cruel, mean, and downright sadistic- He’d never kill anyone, maybe by accident sure but never on purpose, deep down the boy’s got no REAL malicious intent, he just loves to be an asshole and tease tinies/borrowers and scare the shit out of them.

He’ll never really admit it but deep down he does have a soft spot for the little pipsqueaks out there… Any giant actually t r i e s to kill/hurt em? Oh boy, they’re gonna have to go through Klinos (I will say, Klinos might hurt a tiny/borrower and it’s definitely not intentional really? Sure, he’s sadistic with his words, his threats, and his actions but hurting em he does feel guilt when that does happen and he actually tries to make it up to em)

Deep down he’s a big softie but don’t say that to him, don’t you d a r e, he WILL follow through with a threat- don’t tempt him- lmao, overall a stinky bastard brat man who’s sadistic, cruel, mean, masochistic, loves to pick fights and scare p much everyone at this rate, but he cares secretly ..about tinies/borrowers, other giants? Fuck them, he doesn’t give a shit bout his own kind too much… The ones he’s known and even his own family are all a bunch of assholes so the day he sees a nice or friendly giant would genuinely surprise him, won’t change his opinion of his own kind much.

| Side Facts: Klinos can honestly be like a giant cat sometimes and a dog like others (I have a feeling him and Maximus share some solidarity here) some days he likes to just laze around, sometimes he’ll bat a tiny/borrower around just for the hell of it, when he yawns he DEFINITELY does that cat yawn, a dog mostly when he’s excited and sometimes when he’s chasing someone down, he’ll literally get down on all fours sometimes and just sprint that way, he’s a fucking feral shithead. He also wags his tail when excited too.

He doesn’t do that cat thing when he’s nervous or scared (its rare he gets nervous or scared but it can happen) unfortunately nor when he’s excited either. Another sad fact is he doesn’t have toe beans, he isn’t t h a t type of giant, he’s one that looks mostly human.

In his spare time though he actually likes to play video games or listen to music (he listens to a lotta edgy shit but there’s some random songs mixed in his playlist as well) and his games are mostly horror games but he plays a few other games here n there as well (Like Minecraft and Animal Crossing, he likes to smack some villagers on the head in BOTH games, hitting villagers in MC is boring though, it just ends in death, in AC the villagers get pissed off instead lmao)

You know he’s the type of giant to catch you off guard when you least expect it, you could be sneaking around and suddenly a boot slams in front of you OR his entire fucking body slams right in front of you, down on all fours, drooling and snarling like the feral bastard he is.

...Oookay listen, I know you want the secret softie side facts, if your a tiny/borrower he grows attached to and v i b e s with essentially (doesn’t mean he’ll hurt/kill any other tiny/borrower just bc he befriends some) and besides you have to be one who’d stick around for one, two, you’d actually wanna get to know him, etc- certain circumstances you get it but either way, he’s the type who’d let you sleep in his hood, his hoodie is VERY soft and warm and comfortable and he’s confident you’ll like it (might I mention he’s also very confident and cocky sometimes, and even narcissistic on the occasion but not OVERBEARINGLY so)

If he cares bout’cha and is attached you’ll know, he’ll start making a lot of efforts, that don’t mean he won’t be grumbly grumpy bc he still has a rep to keep but he’ll hold you much more gently, he’ll do things like pet you, make you items that are perfect for people like your size, he’s even made you your own bed! It’s on the nightstand next to his bed ...He doesn’t wanna risk rolling over onto you even though he’s not that type of sleeper but still, no risks taken there-

On occasion, he’ll gently place his hand over your bed, on one hand- its comforting and warm but on the other side if you have to get up for any reason you cannot, like physically- his hand is pinning you there so your in for the long haul- the most NOTABLE thing is he’s WAAAY more possessive of you than other tinies/borrowers, he’ll snarl and growl if any one be it giant or tiny being tries to even LOOK at you, and he does have a few possessive actions he’ll do, once you’ve stuck with him, your his, there is no “Takebacks” there is no going back, no, fuck you, you’re stuck with him- whether you like it or not ..On the bright side though now you’ve got, despite being a bastard, you’ve got a really good protector who really does care bout you deep down and you know he won’t HESITATE to literally kill someone for you.

He also REALLY loves plants, he has a ton of em in his house, and he has seemingly named them all! His favorite plants seem to be venus fly traps AND cacti.