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himbeaux-on-ice · 3 years

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Hello! I was wondering if you could please explain to me what Robin Lehner said yesterday about vaccination and competitive edge? English isn't my 1st language and from what I gathered NHL and PA promised VGK that if they get vaccinated the restrictions on them will lessen and they can freely leave their houses. And when they players got vaccines, NHL changed their promise and said players can't do that until all of the teams across the league are evenly vaccinated (shitty move from NHL, 1/2

2/2 as always). But what did Robin mean talking about competitive edge? I rewatched the video 3 times and I still don't understand :( Did the league make it a competition between the teams? "The sooner you all get vaccinated, the sooner there'll be no resctions on you?" I hope, I'm not completely missing the point, sorry about that. Big respect for Robin for speaking up and calling out the league. I'm really happy seeing players speaking up for themselves and their teams

Hi anon! I’ve spoken about this already a bit here and here, in case you haven’t seen those yet and think they might answer some of your questions. But I’m happy to elaborate further! I hope I can clear this up for you.

First, just as a note: Right now it doesn’t seem to exactly be clear what the NHL and NHLPA did or didn’t promise players in terms of easing restrictions, but it seems like Lehner was definitely given the impression by somebody that a team getting fully or mostly vaccinated was the ticket to not being under such strict isolation. The NHL for their part seems to be claiming they promised no such thing, but it’s hard to know right now whether that’s just them covering ass, or if there was just a misunderstanding somewhere in which what they actually said was not fully clear to the players. [Elliotte Friedman voice] More news may be yet to come on this.

Right. So as far as “competitive edge” goes, I can definitely explain that. You’re only a little off the mark. What he means in this case is that the NHL is concerned that letting more fully vaccinated teams live under a less intensely restrictive set of internal rules (regarding things like dining together, exercising together, sitting next to each other on planes and busses, having more group off-ice social time, sharing hotel rooms, having in-person coaching meetings again, etc) will lead to that group having an on-ice advantage in their play over other teams who are less vaccinated and still have to live under full restrictions.

Because the NHL is intensely obsessed with “parity of sport” (trying to make the conditions of competition the same for all teams regardless of outside factors wherever possible), they always in as many situations as possible want to eliminate any potential leg up one team could have over others. This is why we have things like the salary cap, rules about scouting players, rules about how draft picks are distributed that try to make sure struggling teams have a chance to draft well, rules against signing your best players for 20-year contracts so nobody else can have them, etc.

In general theory, being parity-oriented is good! It aims to make sure that the success of teams on the ice and in the standings is determined by the hockey play/skill alone as much as possible, not by franchise wealth or other things they did to get an unfair jump on the competition. And that should make the games more fun and less boring/predictable in most cases! As far as sports leagues go, the NHL has pretty good parity of play overall — there are only a few REALLY good teams and only a few REALLY bad ones, and everybody else performs within a pretty similar range most years. This is why back-to-back Cup wins are so rare in the current era, because due to all the rules to enforce parity there are relatively few teams that are THAT dominant over the competition for a long stretch of multiple seasons in a row, and the odds of any given team winning each year are much more similar. (As compared to like that period in the late 70’s when it was like “who won the Cup? oh surprise surprise it’s the Habs AGAIN 🙄” lol).

However, sometimes the NHL gets unrealistic in its pursuit of making sure everything is exactly the same for all teams. We’ve seen it already this season with the stubborn insistence on making sure the Canucks play a full 56 game season like everybody else, regardless of whether it is safe or reasonable to do so in the time they have left.

This time, the fixation on parity seems to be rearing its head in the form of the League insisting that even if a team has most or all of their players and staff vaccinated, they still have to maintain the same intense restrictions within team spaces as other teams which may be WAY further behind in getting everyone vaccinated, rather than getting to benefit from the lowered risk that being thoroughly vaccinated brings within a closed group like that. And they seem to be insisting on this not because it would be unsafe to change things for vaccinated teams, but rather because of concern that doing so might make that team perform better as a hockey team.

That’s the key part here: The NHL seems to consider getting to (safely) return to a mode of team life that is somewhat more similar to what these guys have been habitually used to pre-pandemic, to be something that could translate into an unfair on-ice advantage in the quality of their play, over other teams who are still doing it all “the hard way” under strict restrictions because they haven’t been vaccinated yet. And because of trying for parity, they want avoid giving teams that “advantage” by basing restriction changes around each team’s individual situation, and instead plan to ease restrictions for all teams at the same time at some point once all teams are similar levels of vaccinated.

Now, US teams seem to be getting vaccinated faster and faster every day, but Canadian teams probably have not started vaccinating their players or any team employees under age 50 at all yet, because Canada’s vaccination process has been painfully slow. So waiting on them to catch up could leave US teams who are already mostly/fully vaccinated still stuck in those restrictive mentally draining conditions for quite some time before the other teams catch up — again, not because it isn’t COVID safe to ease their restrictions if done properly (that doesn’t seem to be a problem), but because the League sees the improvements to their mental state and team morale/cohesion that would come from living a less restricted life together and getting to return to familiar off-ice hockey routines as gaining a “competitive edge” over unvaccinated teams, which would lead to them playing better hockey to a level that can’t be matched as a result.

Which, Lehner is right, is a pretty fucked up way to look at it! “It’s an unfair advantage for you to not be miserably alone and depressed by that and frustrated and doing everything with 16 extra steps you’re still not used to, it’s an unfair advantage to get to actually act like a team off the ice when playing a team sport, so no, we’re not gonna let you eat lunch together or share hotel rooms or whatever” is not exactly a compassionate argument!

Anon I’m also really glad Robin said something about it, and I was glad to see VGK captain Mark Stone put full and vocal team support behind him when asked about it last night on the broadcast too. The mental price of these intense restrictions is something that has been weighing on my mind ever since I first heard they would have to spend all their time on the road locked in hotel rooms alone when not playing and thought “oh god, five months of that is going to be psychologically devastating”. It’s a relief to hear it acknowledged.

I’m not fully sure what the best solution is here, but that mental wellbeing factor absolutely must be discussed in all decisions. It would be fucked up if the League is treating that as something purely technical to be controlled like the salary cap, rather than as a key determinant of health and life (in the short and long term) that is just as important as COVID safety. The old hockey culture of “just suck it up” cannot cut it anymore.

Aside: I think it’s also worth mentioning while we’re here, that I think I do understand why players may be angry about have been talked into getting the vaccine because they thought it would lead to eased personal restrictions, and why I don’t believe that anger necessarily represents an “anti-vaxx” mindset. There are reasons they may not have planned on getting vaccinated just yet which aren’t necessarily “anti-vaxx” cult thinking (though that doesn’t mean they’re smart reasons lol) and would likely seem reasonable to players in-context. I’m gonna put that under a cut though bc this is already really long!

First, there’s the fact that we don’t know what medical conditions some players may or may not have which could make them hesitant to get some of the vaccines out of an abundance of caution. More prominently you also gotta remember, these guys are athletes currently competing their way through an extremely intense and extremely important part of the season as they try to secure playoff spots, playing sometimes as many as 4 games a week. Looking at it that way, it’s understandable why some of them would be hesitant about getting a shot at this particular time which we all know is going to whammy you with a nasty little bout of mild-moderate side effects that hit you like a bad cold for as much as a week. They probably don’t feel they can afford to be laid up with muscle aches, sinus suffering, fatigue, and all the other little fun (and eventually harmless in the end!) things that your body runs through while activating that initial immune response — because in the couple of days that it throws them off for, their team could play 3 or more REALLY important playoff-clinching games, which they could end up underperforming in or having to sit out.

If that is the situation you’re in, and you already feel like the current League restrictions are doing enough to protect you, you can see why you would say “I think I’ll wait and get it during the offseason/during the week break between regular season and playoffs, and just suck it up for these last few weeks dealing with the same ol lonely isolation restrictions I’ve already gotten used to dealing with all season long, rather than be hit with that curveball of possible temporary vaccine side-effects during this time when I need to give it my all every game.” That may sound like a selfish mindset, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that is how at least some of these athletes are approaching it, especially ones who may be single guys without families at home to worry about protecting. (Lehner, for the record, has a wife and two young kids).

BUT, if the League told you (or it sounded like the League told you) “Hey, if enough of your team gets vaccinated quickly, we’ll be able to lift some of the internal restrictions for you guys and let you like hang out and do stuff together within the team again”, and if you were REALLY struggling with the mental stress of that isolated living style, you might weigh the two options against each other and say “Okay, I’m willing to power through a week of potential side-effects and get vaccinated with the fellas if it means I won’t have to be so goddamn miserable and depressed every day.” and then you get the shot(s).

And if you did that, and THEN the League said “lol no, even though your team is fully immunized you still have to sit in your room alone every night and eat by yourself and not leave your house, because it’s not fair to other teams if you guys are no longer mentally miserable like them”, well now you find yourself in the worst of both worlds — still stuck in isolation, AND you’ve still got to play through all the potential vaccine side-effects that will leave you a little off your game during some of the most crucial games of the year.

Plus, that leaves you not feeling like you got to give informed consent — you agreed to get vaccinated (ie undergo a medical treatment) under the expectation that there would be certain rewards to be gained in terms of relief for your mental health, which made you decide it was worth the potential dent in your performance for a few games and any other worries you had about the vaccine, because the prospect of that relief was so worth it. And now, you are told by the League “that payoff you expected never existed, we never promised that, what are you talking about? we can’t change things for your mental health because that might make you better at hockey than the depressed unvaccinated teams”. I can understand how that turn of events could leave someone, as Robin expressed, feeling like they were “tricked” or “forced” into making a choice that they may have done differently otherwise. They felt that they were promised something in return that they didn’t get.

Note at the end of all this: Again, we still don’t know whether the NHL and NHLPA actually made any promises, or if they simply weren’t clear enough in communicating expectations to teams and the players misunderstood what was said to mean something else. Regardless, using the idea that being freed from having to be miserably isolated to an even greater degree than most of the US general public is an “unfair competitive advantage” to now justify not allowing reasonable adjustments to the restrictions for fully vaccinated teams is fucked up, and treats mental wellbeing as just another gameplay-impacting factor to be controlled rather than a deeply impactful part of a person’s overall wellbeing which can even threaten their life. The players must be treated as people.

#long post #asks #anon #robin lehner #vegas golden knights #covid 19 #nhl #hockey

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vintagedolan · 3 years

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mixtape | track six

| masterlist | faceclaims | playlist | visual by @brockhsmpton

“Okay so let me get this straight. You have a boyfriend. Your boyfriend is famous. You’re flying to LA with said boyfriend. And you’re staying at his house? Cause he’s 20 and has a fucking house.”

“Uh yeah, that pretty much covers it.”

“Jesus, I move across the country and then you decide to start getting interesting.”

Indy flipped her grilled cheese over in the skillet, and then flipped off the camera, getting an eye roll from Charlie that she felt through the facetime call.

“You gonna be okay on the plane?”

“Don’t wanna talk about it,” she grumbled, trying to push the nagging thoughts from her mind.

“Indiana. You’ve gotta tell him before you get on that plane. If you can even get on the plane that is.”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it. Just drop it, okay?”

Her list of distractions was dwindling as she finished all the work that had been piled on her before fall break, which was really only a long four day weekend. All she had left was an exam that afternoon, and then it would be time to go.

Grayson had insisted that they take Beks advice, take a trip out of the city to somewhere other than Jersey. It had been an interesting conversation to say the least.

“That sounds fun but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

She hesitated. Her usual excuse for getting out of things that made her anxious was simple. School. Too much homework, upcoming exam, blah blah blah. Usually that just earned her an eye roll, maybe an off hand ‘nerd’ comment too, but then the subject would be dropped.

Grayson wouldn’t be swayed that easily; and, she didn’t even have her default option. She scrambled for ideas with her thoughts running wild until he reached across the couch and laid his hand on top of hers.

“Hey, where’d you go?”

“I was thinking about airports.” It wasn’t a lie, but that was only partially the culprit of the knot in her stomach.

“It’s a straight flight to LA, super easy. I’ve done it way too many times, I know my way around.”

She chewed her lip and he squeezed her hand.

“C’mon, you’ll love it. LA is shitty sometimes but it’s amazing too. And you can meet Eden finally, she’s always asking about you. And Adele too. And I can show you the house, the pod studio. We can go surfing if you want. I’ll take you to Monty’s.”

“Gray. I can’t afford it.”

“Like I was gonna make you pay for it,” he laughed, but she stayed still beside him, unable to find the same amusement.

“I don’t want you to spend money on me like that.”

“Money doesn’t mean much to me. Doesn’t mean anything to me really,” he shrugged - she couldn’t imagine what that must feel like. It felt a bit hypocritical, for her to be acting like she struggled with money while she sat in her nice Chelsea apartment. But that money hadn’t come from her own pockets - it came with the price tag of guilt and the threat of it being taken away if her dad felt like it, which kept her and her ever shrinking savings account on edge. Money didn’t seem to be a real concept in the Dolan family however, and she tried to remind herself of that while Gray toyed with her fingers.

He switched to other tactics of persuasion when the silence stretched a bit too long, moving closer and nuzzling into her neck, pressing little kisses to her skin in between murmurs of “please Dee” and “c’mon baby”.

She conceded, gently tugging on his hair to get him to come back to her.

“Fine. But I’m paying you back one day. When I can.”

Grayson knew that wouldn’t be for years, and he liked the idea of her and him that far in the future, so he just nodded and kissed her again.

Charlie stayed on the line while Indy ate and then moved on to finish her packing, throwing in too many outfits for just four days and four nights, but she wasn’t sure what California called for. It took her a good five minutes of digging to find her bathing suits that she hadn’t drug out since the summer, but she eventually added them to the bag as the final touch and got everything ready. Charlie convinced her to take a few pieces of skimpier clothing in case the ‘vibes were right’, which had Indy blushing bright red and eventually making an excuse to get off the phone before she had to get into her sex life any further with her sister.

Her breathing settled for a moment when her phone buzzed, a message from ‘gray 💚 ’.

Plane snacks?

Also does coffee make you shit your pants

Cause I’ll get you some for the ride to the airport if it won’t hurt your tummy on the plane

Leave it to him to put a smile on her face even as her stomach continued to turn. She tried to convince herself it was her exam that had her so worked up, but she knew better.

if 4 years as a barista gave me anything it was immunity in that department

so yes to the coffee pls :)

and just get me whatever you’re getting for snacks please

Gotcha, I’ll swing by and get your bag

Good luck on your exam! Not that you need it

I’ll be waiting outside in the ugly ass truck 💜 I love you

see you soon, I love you too

With that she packed up the last few things, leaving her bag in plain sight before she left for class. She was able to clear her mind enough on her walk, getting herself into ‘school mode’ before she got to the building. The exam went easily, as she expected that it would - it was nice to have subjects like medical terminology that were so cut and dry sometimes. Either you know it, or you don’t, as Nicole used to say. No point in guessing.

Indy didn’t like having to guess.

Which was why she had the airport map pulled up on her phone while she stood on the sidewalk, leaned up against the building as she tried to plan out the best way to get to the terminal that they needed. She’d already done this - three times, actually - but it made her feel better anyways.

She heard the rumble of the engine first, but it only held her ears for a moment. Because then, it was a giggle, and a squeal, and a whispered voice saying “no, that’s them, that has to be them! Who the fuck else would have a truck like that?”

Indiana’s stomach tightened even more somehow at the realization of what was happening. Charlie’s voice rang in her ears - your boyfriend is famous.

They’d never talked about what to do in a situation like this, but she’d seen enough stories about celebrities who hid their relationships to know that ‘undisclosed’ was the default setting. Suddenly very thankful that she’d decided to go with a hoodie that morning, she pulled the fabric up over her hair and dropped her head, keeping her eyes trained upward to watch what Grayson was doing.

She watched the girls go up to the cab and ask for a photo, which Grayson seemed to happily oblige to, though he didn’t get out of the car. He noticed her a moment later and his smile faltered at the realization that she’d been waiting on him. The girls asked him to give their love to Ethan and then went on their way. Indy held back for a few moments, waiting until they were out of sight before she hurried forward and got into the passenger seat.

“You must have finished that exam quick, I figured I’d be waiting on you,” Gray teased, but his voice was a bit tight.

“It was pretty easy, you either know it or you don’t.”

“Right. Well, I wouldn’t have known any of it,” he laughed, eyes still scanning the street - whether for cars or people, she couldn’t tell. “You ready to go?”

No. “Sure.”

The pair had felt the peace of comfortable silence enough in their relationship so far to know when it was absent, and there wasn’t a trace of it to be found. Indy was too caught up in her own mind to react to Grayson’s attempts to engage her, from the hand on her bouncing thigh to the looks he snuck, eyes darting from the busy road for a moment. She kept her coffee in both her hands - drinking it was counterproductive in terms of her nerves most likely, but the warmth of it was comforting enough for her to justify it. Grayson’s mouth got drier with every exit they passed, and he kept his cool until they got to the pay to park lot at the airport and he shifted the truck into park.

“We don’t have to go you know.”

The dejection in his voice was finally enough to pull Indiana out of her own little world. Her eyes came back into focus as she turned to him.

“Gray-”

“If it’s about the money, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just really wanted to show you LA, cause it’s a big part of me, and I didn’t want you to be stressed about the price of tickets.”

“It’s not the money.”

“Then what is it? Because you’re pissed about something, obviously, and I’d like to be let in on the secret if you don’t mind.”

She shrunk under his harsh tone, unsure of whether she should even say anything. She hated when she got like this, and hated even more that she didn’t even have a hope of control over it, despite it being herself, her own mind causing the issues.

“Planes.”

“What?”

“It’s not you, it’s planes. Airports. Flying in general. I just… I don’t like it.”

“Oh. Well, I mean, I’ve been on plenty of planes, and nothing bad has ever happened while I was on there.” There was an airiness to his tone, as if it was as simple as his own testimony fixing the entire situation.

“That… doesn’t help.” She didn’t even like the thought of him being on a plane, much less the both of them. She practically flinched at the sound of one flying over them.

Grayson’s wheels were turning, slower than he wanted them to as he scrambled for an idea, anything that could make her feel better at the realization that his words had only made it worse.

“Can I have a redo on that?”

She looked up at him - at his sheepish smile and the blush on his cheeks, and the next breath she took in was a tad easier.

“Sure.”

“I’m sorry you’re feeling anxious, what can I do to help?”

His tone was so flat that they just looked at each other and then busted out laughing. Indiana couldn’t remember the last time someone had made her laugh when she felt so terribly. It was almost foreign to her - she felt like she shouldn’t be doing it somehow.

“Sorry, that was - fuck that was formal,” he laughed, rolling his eyes. “What I meant was, whatever you need, I’ll do. You just have to tell me.”

“Uh… not going.”

His hand moved to the gear shift, ready to put it in reverse and leave. She placed hers on top of his, holding on when he moved away.

“Kidding.”

“No you aren’t.”

“Okay, maybe I’m a little serious. But I want to. I want to go, it’s just hard. Having someone with me that I trust helps though.”

His chest swelled a bit at the realization that he was considered one of those people - it was one of the best honors he could imagine being given by somebody that he cared about, probably because it wasn’t something that he gave out easily. He pulled her hand up to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the soft skin.

“I’ll be with you then. You can hold onto me the whole time.”

“You sure about that?”

He frowned immediately at that, reaching his hand over to her thigh, running a thumb over the material of her leggings. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I mean you’re probably gonna have more fans coming up to you and stuff. I figured you didn’t want them like… knowing about me.”

“I never said that,” he countered, squeezing a bit. “I mean if you don’t want to, that’s okay, but I’m okay with it if you are.”

There was a sincerity to his gaze that conveyed what he hadn’t said - an almost plea for her to be okay with it. And so she was, at least enough for her to give him a nod and a quick kiss before stepping out of the truck.

He got to her bags before she could, and he was grateful that he’d only brought a duffle. He managed both bags with one hand and grabbed onto hers with the other as they started through the parking lot.

And he didn’t let go a single time, apart from the security scans and her going to pee after they made it through, in which he waited outside the bathroom for her with his arms crossed. Ethan met up with them at the terminal, buzzing with excitement at the prospect of getting to see Eden for the first time in a month. He was staying an extra week to get some quality time with her, and he was a constant stream of excitement. Grayson kept his attention on Indy though, trying to read her for any signs that things were getting worse. He kept a hand on her bouncing leg, running a thumb back and forth constantly, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her temple every so often.

“I’m gonna go check something really quick, I’ll be right back. Ethan, stay with her okay?”

Ethan didn’t question it. He slid over to replace his brother for a moment as he headed up to the desk at the gate. Despite his bubbly charm, Ethan had a calmer nature to him than Grayson did, no matter how hard he tried to exude the same level headedness. It came effortlessly to his twin it seemed.

“Gingerale helps calm me down on planes. Don’t know why but it does,” he mumbled, scooting a bit closer so his arm was pressed up along hers on the small bars between their seats.

He didn’t seem to need a response, and Indy was grateful. She leaned against him a bit more as a silent thank you that he seemed to accept, and they stayed that way until Grayson returned, switching out places again, wrapping his arm around her shoulder immediately.

“I upgraded us to first class.”

“What? Why!?” She spoke for the first time since the car, surprised that her voice still sounded stable.

“You’ll see. C’mon, we’re about to board. You still sure you want to do this?”

She couldn’t give him an answer, but she stood up anyways and held onto his arm as they scanned their tickets and moved down the jet bridge. He pressed kisses to her blonde hair, ducking down a few times to check on her as they made their way down and got settled into their seats, Ethan settling into the row beside her.

Indy kept her lip tucked underneath her top teeth, looking around at anything to distract her from where she was as her mind raced, so fast she couldn’t even pinpoint what was making her the most anxious.

“Focus on me. I’m right here,” Grayson hummed, reaching over to turn her face towards his for a moment. “You’re okay. We’re okay.”

“Yeah.” There wasn’t an ounce of conviction in her voice. She felt like she was going to cry, and she tucked her hood up over her ears, trying to drown out anything that sounded remotely like an airplane. Her lungs weren’t working how she wanted them to, and she sucked in breath after breath, none of them deep enough to relieve the tightness in her chest.

“Here. Try this.”

Long fingers tucked into her hood, moving her hair back from her ear so he could slip one of his headphones in. It fit snugly, and he scrambled to his phone, pulling up his Cudi playlist and scrolling through until he found what he wanted. The familiar intro of Teleport 2 Me, Jamie started to play as the final passengers boarded onto the rather large plane. How had everyone gotten on so fast? It seemed her mind was running away from her, making time move faster, bringing on the inevitable.

“This song makes me think about you, you know. I know Jamie is your middle name but still.”

She barely registered his words as a few tears snuck out of the corner of her eyes. Even her lips were shaking as she tried to breathe, curling in on herself with her knees pulled to her chest. The flight attendant was nice enough to not ask to see her seatbelt, sensing that she was better left undisturbed.

The guilt started to eat Grayson alive as he watched her struggle, running a hand over her back and leaning over to hold onto her, looking to his brother for support. Ethan’s eyes were wide with concern but he was just as helpless, not even being able to reach a comforting hand across the aisle because of the flight attendants passing by. It only got worse as they began to move - Grayson couldn’t tell if she was shaking harder or if it was just the movement of the plane.

The only good sign he got was her reaching her hand out in search of his. When he laced his fingers with hers she squeezed so hard he knew his bones were moving in a way they weren’t meant to, but he didn’t dare pull away. Not when he was the cause of her being in so much distress. It put a pit in his stomach, a mixture of the urge to apologize over and over and the wish that he could somehow climb inside her mind and soothe her, make her believe that she would be alright.

So, he did the next best thing he could think of. As soon as they had taken off, which felt like it took hours, he reached to her waist and unclipped her seatbelt.

“Come here.”

It took a moment for her to process, but once she understood Indy didn’t hesitate to climb over into his lap, curling up so small that she fit comfortably there in the wide first class seat, head tucked into the nook of his neck as he wrapped her up in his arms.

“You’re okay, I’m right here. I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry, fuck I’m sorry,” she squeaked. If anyone else in first class heard it, they elected to ignore it. “It’s not usually this bad.”

“Shhhh, don’t. Just close your eyes. We’ll be there before you know it, okay?”

She reached a hand up to his neck, tucking it in against his skin under his sweatshirt as an anchor before she closed her eyes. She wrestled with her mind, trying to override with a focus on what she was physically feeling - his warm skin under her fingertips, the roughness of his beard against her forehead, the change of the song in her headphone. Her other ear was pressed against his chest and she tried to listen for his heartbeat, getting sidetracked when his hand moved her hoodie up barely so he could get underneath to her skin. One finger began to trace.

I-M-S-O-R-R-Y

She shook her head, tilting up to press her nose against him. It was her that should be apologizing, she thought. She hadn’t warned him properly of what to expect. That being said, it was true that she hadn’t had such a bad experience in a while - it only clicked then that it probably had to do with the fact that Grayson was on the plane too. If it crashed and she died, so would he, and the thought of it made her want to hurl. Instead, she clung to him tighter, forming letters by his collarbone with her fingertip.

N-O-T-Y-O-U-R-F-A-U-L-T

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, leaving his lips there for a moment before he shifted and rested his cheek on top of her head.

S-T-I-L-L-S-O-R-R-Y

She nuzzled closer to him.

I-L-O-V-E-Y-O-U

Against her hip, she felt four gentle squeezes, a silent I love you too as they continued through the sky.

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

“Jesus. It’s hot. Like, hot hot.”

“Ethan. It’s Cali. Of course it’s fucking hot.”

“Yeah, but it’s not natural for it to be this hot in fucking October. Anywhere.”

Indy listened to their bickering quietly, catching her breath a little more with each mile she put between her and the airport. It was just her leg bouncing now as she sipped on her gingerale - it had appeared on her tray table at some point in the flight and she hadn’t been able to stomach it until she made it out of the airport and into Ethan’s tesla, which was driven by Adele, a sweet woman with a kind smile and soft voice.

Grayson sat in the backseat with her, still on alert for any sign that she was anxious, hand resting on her thigh. But he breathed easier as he watched her body finally begin to accept that she was on the ground, and by the time they pulled up to the gate she was almost back to her normal self.

She enjoyed the feeling of her feet on the hard concrete of the driveway when she got out of the car, feeling a bit like a celebrity when the door swung open over her head. Grayson grabbed the bags and was immediately at her side, taking her hand and leading her up to the door. It wasn’t the first time that Indy had seen the inside of the house - she’d gotten glimpses of it on a few vlogs that they’d watched with Bekah one night. But there was a warmth to the space that didn’t quite read on camera, a familiarity that she realized was traces of Grayson everywhere, from the Cudi vinyls on the shelf to the wood based furniture that he’d definitely had a hand in making.

“I’m going to get Eden, I’ll be back in… I don’t know how long,” Ethan winked, immediately grabbing his keys and heading back out to the still warm Tesla, leaving his bag off the side of the kitchen.

“You up for a tour?”

If she was honest, her body was entirely exhausted, and her mind wasn’t far behind. But she perked up for his sake and nodded, taking his hand as he started to guide her through the house. He stopped in each room, showing off little details he’d helped pick out, from the colorful couch in the sunken room off the kitchen to the floating desk in Ethan’s room that he’d helped him install. The podcast studio was the most eclectic of any of them, with a massive wooden table that almost seemed carved around the blue light in the middle - not to mention the hot pink wall of the entrance, which was cut off by a wild jungle wallpaper wall that stretched from one end of the house to the other. Grayson spoke a mile a minute, explaining every step, every change they had made to the house since they’d bought it. Indy’s mind struggled to keep up, to visualize what he was saying, describing rooms she’d never seen.

“Ethan got the master this time around, so my room is a little smaller, but it’s cooler anyways.”

He guided her into a dark room on the right side of the hallway. It was somehow calmer than the rest of the house, and it practically zapped the rest of the energy out of her as soon as she passed the threshold. He showed her the green bathroom, the fancy toilet he’d picked out, his massive and meticulously organized closet. But when she flopped down onto the bed, she knew she was done for.

Grayson smiled when she hummed against the comforter - the first true sign of relaxation she’d shown since he’d picked her up from campus that morning.

“You tired bubs?”

“No,” she lied.

“You wanna take a nap?”

“No.”

“Your eyes are closed.”

“I’m resting, I just need like… 30 seconds.”

“You can sleep.”

“You were gonna show me the backyard though.”

She felt the bed dip down slightly, and then his lips were on her temple.

“The backyard will be there when you wake up. Besides, I need to get some work done anyways, and you’ve had a shitshow of a morning. Sleep, and maybe we can go get dinner with E squared later if you’re up for it, and I’ll take you to the beach.”

“E squared?” She muttered, only half motivated to stay awake for the answer.

“Ethan and Eden. They’ll be back over in a few hours I’m sure, he’s saving us from having to listen to their reunion fuck through the walls.”

“How considerate.” Her voice was muffled in the pillow, and it made Grayson smile. He moved to his closet, opening the extra drawer he used to store his blankets and pulling one out for her.

She vaguely felt the weight of the fabric being laid over her, and a gentle hum that sounded like ‘I love you’ before her body finally gave in and succumbed to sleep.

As soon as he knew she was out, Grayson got to work on all the things that he’d neglected in the last month. He made quick work of a full email inbox, a few calls that he stepped out of the room for, a Wakeheart campaign approval that he forwarded to Ethan - something about being back in LA lit the fire under him that always seemed to simmer out in the cool Jersey air. It took less thought, less intention to go into his kitchen, use his preset on the coffee machine with his favorite mug under it. Jersey was home, but LA was home, and he never realized how much he loved it until he was away for a while. His phone buzzed, loud against the counter - a text from Ethan running across his screensaver of the only picture he’d taken with Indy so far. He made a mental note to take more over the next few days before he opened the message.

Be there in 10, make sure everyone has pants on

He liked the message and stood up slowly, closing his laptop before heading back towards his room. He paused in the doorway, unable to help himself as he looked in.

Indiana was sprawled out across his bed, one of her legs escaping from under the covers. The pillow was tucked under her head, held by one arm while the other reached out to the empty side of the bed, hand splayed out on the fabric. With his phone already in his hand he couldn’t help but to snap a quick picture of her, a sweet memory that he knew he’d want to keep. He felt a little guilty having to wake her up from what seemed like such a peaceful nap, but he also knew she’d be made if he didn’t give her a chance to freshen up before Eden got there. So he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple, rubbing along her back until her eyes blinked opened.

“Time to get up sleepyhead,” he teased, keeping his hand on her hip as she rolled over and stretched out in the most adorable way.

“Hmmmm, c’mere,” she grinned, reaching up for him and pulling his lips down to hers. The little cat nap seemed to be the recovery her body needed, a reset that allowed her mind to focus on other things, like how good Grayson looked in the fresh t-shirt that he’d changed into while she was out. He indulged her, moving a knee onto the bed so he could get above her and get behind the kiss.

“Ethan’s gonna be here in 10,” he murmured, but his lips still moved against hers, his relief palpable that she seemed to be doing better.

“Then we have 9.”

“Eden’s coming too.”

She pulled back with wide eyes, and before he could say another word she was rolling out from underneath him. It took her two whole rolls to get to the other side of the bed, which was almost as endearing to Grayson as the way she scurried to her bag in the closet, immediately pulling out clothes like her life depended on it.

“Baby, it’s just Eden.”

“No, it’s Ethan’s girlfriend Eden. Which means she’s not just Eden, it means she’s very important.”

“Important? You act like this is a job interview or something.”

“It’s a girlfriend interview, which is worse.”

“A what?” He struggled to stay focused on her answer as she pulled her leggings off and wiggled into a pair of high waisted black jean shorts as she spoke.

“When you have a woman in your life, a good woman, who isn’t your girlfriend, they go into protective mode. It’s a maternal thing I think, but it doesn’t matter who it is, they keep an eye out for you. And the biggest threat that those women can see for their guy friend is a new girlfriend. It doesn’t mean she’s gonna hate me, but she’s definitely gonna want to vet me at the least. And I bet it’s worse because I’ll be around Ethan so much so she’ll want to be extra careful. Plus, she doesn’t know me from adam, and...hey. Hey. Are you listening to me?”

At some point in the middle of her explanation she’d taken her shirt off, and Grayson’s mind had gone a bit fuzzy at the sight of her bra - dark purple, with a peek of lace under the cups.

“Yeah, yeah sorry. Eden’s nice though, she’s sweet, there’s nothing to be scared of.”

She turned to him with a frustrated frown that he kissed away when he closed the distance between them, hands moving to hold her bare hips. Her skin was soft and still had a trace of warmth from sleep, and it made him hold on and rub his thumbs against her for a moment, trying to process that she was actually there with him.

“If you say so.”

“I do say so, and besides, her opinion of you isn’t going to change my opinion of you.” He kissed her forehead quickly and let go so she could get ready. She pulled a tank top on and headed into the bathroom, freshening up until the moment that she heard the front door open, signally Ethan and Eden’s arrival.

“Do I look okay?”

“Perfect as always,” he beamed, taking her hand and leading her back out towards the kitchen.

“Grayson!”

Eden came running around the island and barrelled into Grayson like she hadn’t seen him in years. He caught her with a smile, a laugh and a ‘hey evil’, an inside joke that Indy wasn’t let in on. She didn’t have time to dwell on it though, because she was immediately wrapped up in tan arms, her vision obscured by a curtain of wavy black hair.

“Hi! I’m Eden, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Hey, Indiana, nice to meet you too!”

The hug was as awkward as any first hug she’d ever had, but the smile on the boy’s faces made it worth it when Indy pulled back. Ethan was glowing in the way you only glow after you get laid for the first time in a long time, and he’d apparently worked up an appetite, because they didn’t spend more than five minutes in the house before they were headed out to Monty’s. Indy still tried to open the Tesla door like a normal one, barely stepping back in time when it lifted up above her head. To her surprise, Eden jumped into the backseat beside her, forcing Grayson up to the passenger seat next to Ethan.

“So, you’re in school right? To be a nurse?”

“A doctor actually, but yeah, I graduate in a little over a month with my Bachelor’s,” Indy explained, preparing herself for the questions she was sure to get, being careful to be truthful in her answers without accidentally saying something that would make Eden hate her. Ethan’s girlfriend had a sweet face, peppered in freckles that almost looked faded in her warm toned skin. Her eyes sat large on her face, making her look a bit like a doe. But her outfit told a different story - everything about it spoke confidence and bad bitch energy in a way that Indiana was only used to seeing on LA model’s instagrams. It hit her quickly that it was very much possible that Eden might actually be an LA model, and the thought made her mouth run dry.

“What do you do?”

“I’m a graphic designer.”

“Oh really? That’s amazing! What kind of work do you do?”

Eden launched into her career, from how she got there to what major brands she’d worked for - some of which shocked Indy. Grayson reached back behind his seat a few minutes into the drive, holding onto her leg and running his thumb along her skin as he balanced listening to his brother and listening to the girls. The energy settled in the cab, and Indy breathed out a sigh of relief at the realization that, for now at least, she’d passed the test.

It didn’t stop the questions though. A constant stream of information grabs, from her favorite things about New York to her family. Grayson squeezed tight when Eden mentioned her mom, throwing Ethan an unjustified look of annoyance. Indiana didn’t mind, though she didn’t love the look of pity that came over Eden’s face when she let her know that she had passed. But it moved on quickly, on to questions of her apartment, her college, her friends.

The only pause came when the Tesla rolled to a stop outside of Monty’s, which was packed with a long line outside. Eden let out a small sigh, reaching down for her purse.

“Usual, guys?”

They both nodded, a bit of unspoken tension growing in the air.

“Indiana, you wanna come with? The boys can just circle around.”

“I uh… yeah, yeah sure.” Indy went along with it, stepping out of the car quickly, trying to look back at Grayson through the window for some explanation, but they were so tinted that she couldn’t even guess what his facial expression was. Eden linked their arms quickly, leading her down the sidewalk and to the back of the line as if nothing had happened. Indy watched Ethan pull away quickly, and swore she could see a very concerned Grayson through the windshield.

“It makes it easier if they don’t have to get out. Too many people, and with a line this long the paps would show up.”

Two brunette girls in front of them turned around, interest piqued.

“Paps? For who?”

“No one, mind your damn business,” Eden said, waiting until they turned around to melt back into her usual friendly demeanor.

“I didn’t even think about that. About like, getting recognized I guess. But it happened in New York for the first time this morning, on campus.”

“LA is the worst for it. People see you take a picture with someone and then ask for one even if they don’t know who they are. Well, most people our age know who they are actually, but still. It’s not as bad in other places, just the occasional person. Et-” she cut herself off, knowing the girls were still eavesdropping. “He loves meeting fans but it gets to be a lot sometimes. So I try to help him out when I can. They’ll never ask for it, but they never turn it down either.”

Indy swallowed hard. She said it so casually, as if it was totally normal for the two of them to be standing there while their boyfriends drove around just so they didn’t get mobbed. She felt like a million pairs of eyes were on her as they inched forward in line every few moments. Eden just looked at her nails, picking at her cuticles.

“Does it ever get… normal? Them being recognized?”

“You learn to ignore it. And they don’t go out as much as you think. We’ll go out to show you around because you’ve never been here, but most of the time they’re home bodies. They kinda had to be, coming out here so young.”

“I can’t imagine coming out here at 15,” Indy mumbled, shaking her head.

“They’ve been through a lot. But then again so have you. So has everyone, at the end of the day.”

She was taken aback by the sudden depth of the conversation, but it didn’t last long, because soon they were close enough to the menu that Indy was asking questions. The Tesla circled again while they waited on the food, which came in little brown boxes stuffed into a bag. The girls waited on the curb for Ethan to pull back around, climbing in as inconspicuously as they could, getting settled into the backseat again.

“Got the goods?”

“You know it,” she grinned. Grayson reached back for Indiana again - he’d missed her in the few minutes that they were gone, and he didn’t realize he’d been anxious until it faded when she was back with him.

“We’re going to the secret beach, it’ll be like 10 minutes, so don’t eat all my fries.”

“I bought us all an extra to share.”

“Atta’ girl,” Ethan said, pressing on the gas a bit harder.

The secret beach, it turned out, was just a less populated one. But it was peaceful, washed pink by the beginnings of a sunset over the ocean. Grayson couldn’t tell if he was more overwhelmed by the colors in the sky or the feeling of finally having his own girl with him, someone’s hand to hold as he moved down the sand beside his brother and Eden. It had been almost a year of him being a third wheel, and he couldn’t stop looking over at Indy, his girl, who was there with him.

Her eyes were on the ocean. Sure, she’d seen the atlantic ocean plenty of times, but the pacific was different. It seemed bigger somehow, bluer, and it took her breath away. Food forgotten, she tugged on Grayson’s hand, only pausing to kick off her shoes before she was running down towards the water, laughing when the froth of the waves tickled her toes. Grayson’s shoes were soaked, but he didn’t care as he followed her down the coastline, laughing and yelling, picking her up around the waist and spinning her around, stopping to kiss her hard as the waves crashed. Ethan took a video on Grayson’s phone, a proud smile on his face as he watched his brother light up. Eden rested her head on his shoulder, remembering the days where that was the two of them, when everything was brand new and on fire.

The duo’s burgers were cold by the time they made it back up the beach, and Ethan had already started in on Grayson’s fries, much to his dismay. But they settled in the sand and ate their food, falling back into the group conversation between bites and swallows.

“So, you’ve been in LA for what, 5 hours now? Are you sold yet?” Ethan picked up another fry from the extra container, dropping it into his mouth.

“It’s gonna take a lot more to sell me on anywhere this far west,” she laughed, crumpling up the paper that her burger was wrapped in and tossing it into the box.

“Has Grayson made you a Jersey girl already?” Eden teased.

“It’s grown on me for sure, but nowhere compares to New York.”

Grayson chewed his last fry a bit slower.

“Yeah? Ethan took me into the city once when we were visiting Jersey but I don’t know much about it if I’m honest. I grew up in Texas.”

“The city is special once you get to know it. There’s so many different people, different cultures, new places to go. And it’s got all the best hospitals, which just makes me work harder because I want to work in one some day. Plus it uh… it’s just always been home to me. I can’t imagine living anywhere else really.”

Grayson’s stomach tightened, suddenly very full of food and smaller than when he’d started eating. They’d never really discussed living situations. He racked his brain, tried to remember if he ever mentioned that he was only staying in Jersey until the tiny homes were done. Surely she realized that he was going to come back to LA. He couldn’t tell if he’d subconsciously thought that she would want to move with him, or if he just assumed that they would handle the distance. But his mind was instantly filled with the image of Indy curled in on herself in a first class seat, and he resisted the urge to get up and walk it off as the guilt returned. The sun seemed to set faster, turning the beach indigo as everyone got up and headed back for the car.

Ethan took an extra moment to fold up the picnic blanket they’d brought, letting the girls get just out of earshot.

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Don’t go all doomsday on this shit and shoot yourself in the foot. Cross the distance bridge when you get to it. You all haven’t been together a month yet, if you start talking moving across the country she’s gonna freak. Give it time.”

Most of the time, Grayson despised Ethan’s big brother persona - 20 minutes wasn’t a flex when it came to maturity in his book. But in certain moments, he was grateful for his level head. It helped him breathe a little easier as he headed back to the car, happy to see that Eden had shifted to the front seat. He took the back, a bit annoyed at the space between their seats - another perk of his Porsche, no doubt. But he settled for resting a hand on Indy’s thigh and leaning over for the occasional kiss as they found their way home.

Each couple bid their goodnights despite the early hour, a silent understanding of the do not disturb courtesy to be followed. Indy and Gray bumped hips as they brushed their teeth in the same sink, toothpaste filled smiles shining at each other in the mirror. They fell into each other like they’d done it a million times, even though they could still count on two hands the amount of times they’d had each other like this. It didn’t matter that they were in a new place. Grayson felt the same above her, beside her, behind her as they worked each other up and eased each other down. Their voices echoed off the walls the same, the attempt to stay quiet still there as they tried to give the other couple the same respect that they were no doubt trying to give them.

The travel caught up with Indy first - she was much less versed in time changes after all, and she fell asleep right after her quick shower, curled up in Grayson’s arms, his nose full of her vanilla shampoo and his mind racing, running laps around two words. New York.

He felt like he heard more about the city in his next few days than he did when he was actually there. They facetimed Bekah the next morning, glad to see that she’d made it out of surgery successfully, and that all was smooth sailing so far. She was ecstatic that her two friends we’re getting a break, and she excitedly showed them the new view of the city she had since her recovery room was on the other side of the hospital.

Indy wore a New York sweatshirt that evening when they went back to the secret beach, and she fell asleep with it on on the couch at home, leaned back against Grayson’s chest. He carried her to bed and kissed her forehead, but his eyes focused on the letters, which seemed to be staring at him in the dark.

They ordered pizza for lunch the next day, after an anxiety filled morning of Eden and Indy in a follow car behind the two of them longboarding with their friends. Eden asked about what made NYC pizza so much better, and it seemed like Indy could have talked for hours about crust and sauce, seasoning and ratios.

By the third day, it was consuming his every thought, and despite Ethan’s advice to let it play out, he knew he had to talk to her, or at least try to.

Indy was none the wiser. The LA sun had warmed her skin and her mind, leaving little lines of its presence on both. By the second day the house felt less like a hotel and more like a home, and she understood why the boys loved it so much. Eden became more than an acquaintance; she was easy to love, and the interview seemed to have stopped for the most part. But a part of her still itched for her New York apartment, the bustle of the city, the familiarity of campus and Jets and the blocks that she walked down.

She thought she’d hidden it well, but she learned she was mistaken on the last night they spent in LA.

“You’re ready to leave, aren’t you?”

Indy perked up from where she had settled on his chest. It was routine now, for her to rest against him and trace patterns on his skin before they dozed off.

“Hmm?”

“You’re tracing N-Y-C on my chest. You want to go home.”

“Home sounds nice, the plane ride doesn’t though,” she laughed a bit. Laughing was good. Calm, and put together. “Guess it’s just my subconscious.”

Grayson sighed against her, running his fingers over her back as he looked up at the ceiling.

“I didn’t realize you were so attached.”

“To what?”

“To the city.”

“Oh. Well, yeah. I mean, it’s home.”

“Home can be multiple places. LA is home, Jersey is home, hell, even Australia is home for me in a way.”

Indy’s neck got tired from craning up at him, so she shifted up to sit with her legs criss cross as he lounged back against the pillows.

“Well, I’ve never really had to make anywhere else home. New York has everything I need I guess.”

“You’ve never wanted to try somewhere else?”

Indy sighed, finally understanding.

“Gray, baby, it’s not like I hate it here. I know it’s important to you, and it should be. I’m just saying that New York is… well, it’s New York. It’s important to me, it’s where I’ve planned out my future.”

He sat up further, propping up on his elbow, resting a hand on her knee.

“What does that mean though? ‘New York is New York’. I mean, it’s a cool city, I’ll give you that, but it’s not just that, right?”

It took a moment for Indy to find her words. She’d never really tried to explain it to anyone, but if anyone would get it, it was him.

“It’s my mom.”

Grayson’s face fell immediately, and he opened his mouth, but she kept talking before he could.

“I know she’s not there. She’s wherever she is, I guess. But she breathed New York Grayson. That’s the last place that I knew her while she was still her, and the last place that she knew me. My memories of her live in that city, and when I’m not there I feel like I’m even farther away from her. And I already feel like I’m forgetting little things, because it’s been 4 years now, and I can’t even tell what I can’t remember, and it’s scary.”

Her breath caught in her throat a bit at the realization of what she was saying, what she was admitting. She’d never spoken any of it, not even to Charlie.

“Leaving would feel like moving on and leaving her behind, and I can’t do that. I can’t.”

Her face fell into her hands, and when Grayson’s arms moved around her and pulled her close, she let him.

He held her there until her tears stopped, rocking her barely back and forth until the wave had passed. He thought of Sean, of where he was, and what he would say. And he did his best to take on the heart of his father, to be like the man he so admired - selfless, and good, and strong for others no matter what it cost him. He pressed a kiss to her hair before he spoke.

“No one is asking you to leave. I promise, I’ll never ask you to leave. I promise.”

#SURPRISE HEHE #mixtape #wowza I did not expect to finish this tonight #well #~this morning~ i suppose #please let me know what you think!!!#love you guys!#grayson dolan imagine #grayson dolan fanfic #grayson dolan fanfiction

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iamnightduchess · 3 years

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HELLO QUEEN! Oh my gosh your latest updates have gotten me so hyped up and happy!! I love the feeling of seeing your post updates on my dashboard. I was wondering if you had time if you could possibly do some NSFW head cannons for It’s Gotta Be You universe?? I reread it again for the 100th time after reading your AYA update but I love that universe so much!

Hello dearie! I hope you've been doing well ever since. I apologize for the slight delay as RL is demanding a lot of my time. But, I hope you'll enjoy this! ❤

Reiner x Mikasa (ReiKasa) (R20+) Fic AU Headcanon #13

Universe: It's Gotta Be You (Modern AU)

(A/N: ‼️WARNING‼️Graphic/Explicit Description of very dirty smut with potentially provocative images ⛔ Please don't click Keep Reading if you're below 20 🙅‍♀️ Sorry kiddos! To my dear adult readers, please absorb this post's content with appropriate discretion & maturity)

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I've shared more of ReiKasa's detailed Modern AU sexcapades in this post and for this Ask, I'll explore the different preferences involved in their sex life. Based on this post, Reiner & Mikasa had a 10-dates rule before they actually become intimate with each other and that post describes briefly on their phenomenal sexual compatibility. Before they reach that 10th date goal, they decided to keep all their interactions chaste, which only adds up to the building sexual tension between them. These two has a spark that ignites from just a single touch. Therefore, it had been a truly challenging period for them to keep their magnetic pull in check.

When they were in high school, they've only ever held hands but has never even kissed. Reiner was raised to be a respectful gentleman and he's always letting Mikasa takes the lead. He waited until she was ready to get a little bit more physical with him, thus why he suggested the 10-DR. So when did they have their first real kiss?

On their 10th date.

First Time

Their first time with each other had been a literal afternoon delight. Mikasa missed out on their 10th date night because of an on-call emergency at the med centre, so they made up with a lunch date the next day. Sure, they've been clawing at each other's clothes from outside the car to his front door and had never even made it to his bedroom but they really made full use of his coffee table and his couch. If only those furnitures could talk, they would tell you very interesting stories that took place on that day.

Bedroom Jams

Reiner and Mikasa do not have a particular preferred soundtrack running in the background while they're getting down and dirty. But, they'd always have Linger by Cranberries or The Root's You Got Me to set them in the mood for some slow-dancing before revving up their engines for their inevitable sexy times.

One time, Reiner had jokingly put Boyz II Men's I'll Make Love To You on in the bedroom. Mikasa changed it immediately to The Devil in I by Slipknot. It felt like an out of body experience the whole time.

Reiner likes to do this little striptease dance to 90's boyband songs just to drive Mikasa up the wall 🤣 One time, he wanted to surprise Mikasa from work & started grinding against her booty with his sexy moves as soon as she crossed their living room, completely not realizing that his mother had also walked through the door as his wife had picked Karina up for dinner at their house. He got an earful from his own mother 😳

Sexting & Surprises

Reiner loves sending sexy text messages to Mikasa when she's at work or when he's away in Marley for work meetings. The nature of her work demands her to be on-call or be at work in longer shifts, therefore, his texts make her misses him even more. Mikasa would not admit it out loud but his naughty texts do get her in the mood to make a lot of love to him when she gets home 😏 Before someone asks, no, Reiner does not send his wife dick pics haha

Reiner is also the type who'd surprises her from a long night shift in the morning by making her breakfast in the kitchen with nothing but an apron on. Yeah, Mikasa had a good eyeful (and mouthful) of his buns alright *wink* Reiner would also surprise her with a hug from behind when she's doing meal preps in the kitchen BUT Mikasa would be the one slipping her hand in his pants while he's doing the dishes. These two really do love getting kinky in the kitchen.

Gabi accidentally walked in on them one time and poor girl was mentally scarred, she locked herself in her room the whole night.

Favorite Positions

Despite having athletic bodies and fit figures, Reiner and Mikasa do not experiment with odd, bizarre positions as much. Their favorite position is either tantric or golden arch as they love locking gazes while whispering their undying affection for each other (+more dirty-talking from Reiner!)

But when they're in the mood for a more rough loving, all fours in front of a mirror or standing/sitting wheelbarrow would be their favorite positions for them considering his superb upper body strength and her amazing flexibility (Reiner has those weekly yoga routines of hers to thank for!)

Dirty-talking

Reiner likes to do this a lot (even in public) that it'll always make Mikasa goes multiple shades of red. His dirty-talkings are adorable and dorky but although Reiner's very alert when reading the room, he also tends to forget in switching off his dirty-talking mode once he's in the mood.

One time, he was calling Mikasa when he's away for work training. She was driving and had him on speaker. He was feeling a bit frisky and told her flat out - he can't wait to come back home, get inside the showers with her and ram into her so hard that she can't walk straight that his Dr. Ackerman-Braun need to take sick leave for 2 days. Things went still and quiet from Mikasa until he heard Annie's voice from the other end.

Annie : Ram her with what, Reiner? Your 3-inch dick?

Reiner: Screw you, Annie.

Annie: Gross and hey, Armin's already doing a bang up job in screwing me. Besides, you don't need to worry about Mikasa missing you. I just bought her this brand new vibrator.

Reiner: Totally ignoring you, Annie. Mika, c'mon babe, you know the real deal's so much better.

Mikasa: Rein--

Reiner: I made you come three times before I leave. You don't need that thing right? Can you hold on until I get back, baby, please?

Mikasa: Rein, can we talk a bit later?

Reiner: It's just Annie there right?

Pieck: Hey, Reiner. I think you just terrorized Gabi.

Reiner: F**K

Turns out Pieck and an already traumatized Gabi were also in the car with Mikasa at that time. Reiner avoided showing his face in front of the two women and his own cousin for the next 2 months.

As mentioned, that wasn't the first time Gabi had such TMI of her cousin and his wife's sex life. Apart from walking in on Reiner and Mikasa in the kitchen, the couple had terrified her enough for life when she also walked into them doing the deed inside their own living room (They either forgot Gabi was staying the night or had thought she was asleep) Gabi never wanted to be near that couch ever again.

Public Sexcapade

They had a quickie in Grisha's basement during one family dinner with the Jeagers. Zeke almost walked in on them.

Reiner also owns a pickup truck. He likes to take Mikasa out for a night drive. He'll have the back boot of his truck all nice with warm covers and they'll park somewhere private uphill to stargaze. They'll make love underneath the stars in the open air and just hold each other afterwards. Mikasa loves to listen to Reiner as he tells her about his favorite constellations.

Body Appreciation

When Mikasa's body starts to grow when she's carrying their twins, Reiner develops a much higher level of appreciation towards her body because of the changes she's going through. Obviously he appreciates the tremendous increase of her cup size, but he notices every other parts of her that swells beautifully with every week of her pregnancy too. As shared in this pregnancy post, Mikasa had the upper side of her hormonal changes that Reiner was the one who's constantly be worrying that he'll poke the babies in their heads every time she gets in her special mood 😂 see, he's so adorkable!

Sneaky playtime(s)

Reiner & Mikasa would always have a burning fire in their marriage even as they grow older. The twins were not spared from the traumatizing knowledge of their parents' extracurricular activities, when they overheard their parents from outside their bedroom door one Sunday morning.

Miraé: Rémy, are Mama & Papa fighting? She said the F word to Papa. Oh, Papa said he's coming? To where?

Rémy: Jesus, Miraé. They're having sex.

Miraé: What's that?

Rémy: Aunt Gabi told me to stay away if we ever hear weird noises coming from Mama & Papa's bedroom because it means they're having their adult playtime.

Miraé: Let's just go next door and ask Uncle Armin & Aunt Annie about it.

Armin was speechless and red with embarassment while Annie cackled at the poor twins. Afterwards, Annie sent a photo of the twins in their family group chat with the caption "Please come pick up your kids at our house after you're done maintaining Mikasa's plumbing 🍆💧💧" 🤣

-----------

Gosh, I really, really enjoyed working on this. Thanks again for the Ask, Anonie 🙈💕💋

#ReiKasa #ReiKasa asks #ReiKasa fic #ReiKasa fic asks #reiner x mikasa #ReiKasa headcanons #ReiKasa reimagines #ReiKasa sexy headcanons #strictly ReiKasa #ReiKasaverse #ReiKasa Modern AU #ReiKasa smut #snk smut #aot smut #its gotta be you #by NightDuchess #ReiKasa kink!time

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just-some-fiction · 3 years

Text

Just You and Me Part 20

Pregnancy Snippets Part 1

Before her bump was too restrictive and after Rio put Mike and Mick as her security detail, she got them to let her tag along to work one day. Feigning innocence and saying she just wanted to tag along for the drive, when in reality she wanted to jump her man. Her sex drive was on high lately and all she wanted to do was climb her husband like a tree whenever she saw him. Arriving at the bar, the boys got out and headed towards the entrance, only to turn and watch her walk in with them.

"Uh," Mike looked at Mick, "he's gonna shoot us."

"No he won't," she laughed as she opened the door and stepped in, "he's old school, he'll never kill you two in the presence of his unborn child."

Rio was sitting at the bar with Jakes, Cisco and one of the new underlings, Eddie, who was tending the bar. It was just the four of them in the building. They were currently waiting on Mike and Mick to have a meeting. When he heard the door open, he assumed it was them so didn't turn around, his attention on his phone, sending Lucia a text message.

"Who's the pregnant lady?" Eddie asked.

As Eddie spoke, a phone went off behind them and his head whipped up. Looking behind him, he saw his pregnant wife stroll towards them, with Mick and Mike trailing in the back, looking a bit skittish.

"Hey Lucia," Jakes greeted her with a wave.

"Hi Jakes," she smiled, before turning to her husband, “hey babe,” who raised an eyebrow, sending his two right hand men a look. Oh god, she loved that look, grabbing his hand, she pulled him towards the back office.

"Bye guys," she smirked as she pulled her husband along.

"Did she really just use us to get some?" Mike looked at Mick.

"She's a genius," Mick shook his head, "at least he ain't gonna shoot us now."

"Just glad the boss didn't assign the two of us as her security," Cisco said to Jakes who simply laughed.

As the office door closed Rio turned, ready to interrogate her as to why she was here, but was interrupted by her pulling him in for a kiss. Her hands were everywhere, his shoulders, torso, neck and arms. Not allowing him to pull away just yet, Lucia sucked on his bottom lip as her hands travelled down to his crotch, cupping him through the denim.

Slightly pulling away he almost laughed, "Are you for real right now?"

"Mhm," she nodded before pulling him back to her.

Who was he to deny her? He hoisted her onto his desk, kissing her neck while sliding her tights off and sliding his hands under her knitted jersey, groaning at the absence of panties. Her hands worked to loosen his belt and unzip his jeans, before shoving it down along with his boxers. Working her hand over him, he was soon hard and sliding into her.

Biting his shoulder as he moved in and out of her. Rio was placing kisses all over her neck. He loved how she felt since falling pregnant, it was tighter and wetter than before, her skin sensitive and responsive to everything he did. With the way she was clenching around him, neither one was gonna last long.

He held her as she shuddered, her face buried into his neck, "That's it mama," his grip in her hips tightened, "take it all in," he felt his balls tighten, "fuck Lucia," he pushed as deep as he could, emptying his load inside of her.

Helping her straighten up he looked at her, a smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes pulling him towards her.

"Don't," she warned, "I already feel bad for using those two just to get some."

He laughed, "I ain't say nothing mama," wrapping his arms around her, "I just got this meeting then I'm done for the day aight?"

"Mhm," nodding, she kissed him before hopping off of the desk and following him out into the open area.

"I'm gonna just be over there," pointing to one of the booths, not making eye contact with anyone and refusing to acknowledge the amused looks on Jakes or Cisco's faces. However halfway to the booth she stopped and turned around looking at Eddie.

"Hey," she called, "could you make me a milkshake please, there's vanilla ice cream in the deep freezer at the back and in the office there's microwave popcorn and caramel sauce," the others, including Rio sent her incredulous looks, "what, who do you think makes sure ya’ll munchies stash doesn’t run out?"

"I've never seen anyone go from horny to hungry so fast," Mick mumbled to Mike, who choked on his drink, as Rio sent them both a look.

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

A few days later at the warehouse, Mick and Mike strolled in. Walking over to Rio, who was dealing with one of their associates, Mike cleared his throat. If their boss was surprised to see them, he hid it. They were supposed to be at the apartment with Lucia until he got home. The associate was currently tied to a chair, gag in his mouth and looking alarmed.

"Scuse me man," he said to the guy, smiling that hollow smile of his before turning to his two most trusted men.

"Boss," Mike spoke, he never called him anything else when they were working, leaning closer so the tied up man couldn't hear. Rio sighed before turning to him.

"I'll be back, gotta deal with something quick, these two will take care of you," he said, patting the frightened guy on his shoulder, before walking out.

He made his way to the car and climbed into the back, sending his wife an exasperated look. Leaning his head against the headrest he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Lucia," he pulled the hood of his hoodie down, "you can't be forcing those two to drive you to wherever I am when you thirsty."

"Yes I can," she said, sounding indignant, "I'm pregnant."

"I'm handling a rotten egg mami," he sighed, looking out the window. Glancing over at her, he pursed his lips, he saw her clenching her thighs together. Of course him being the crime boss dealing with shit would turn her on right now, he thought.

Being who he was, he groaned and moved towards her, placing his one hand on her thigh and the other pushing her hair out of her face, “That really got you clenching round nothing mami?” Soon she was on his lap, kissing him as she sank down onto his length.

"Fuck," she moaned as she came, looking at him as her ogasm ripped through her. He came soon after, burying his head on her neck. Kissing him soundly she climbed off of him, straightening her dress.

"Fuck mami," he tucked himself back in to his pants. She pulled him towards her, kissing him again.

"'m sleepy," she mumbled, he stroked her hair for a few minutes as she dozed off.

A few minutes later he walked back into the warehouse, as calm as ever and nodded at the three men. Their associate was sporting a few bruises and gashes.

"We were just finishing up," Mike explained, smirking at Mike, "you can head out if you want boss."

"Nah imma handle this but if you two could do clean up that'd be great."

Lucia was napping on the backseat of the car, having tired herself out while riding him. Part of him wanted to just drive her home and run her a bath, but he had shit to deal with inside. So here he was, finishing off his rotten egg before hopping into his car and driving his wife home to pamper her.

"Sure thing," Mike nodded.

"Thanks boys," he smiled coldly before picking up a crowbar from the table.

Later, Lucia woke up as they pulled into one of their car washes. Sitting up on the backseat, expecting to see Mike and Mick, she let out a surprised huff when she saw her husband's face in the rear view mirror, a bored expression on his face.

"Have a good nap?" he asked, glancing at her through the mirror. His hoodie was zipped up straight to the top, covering his tattoo. She nodded, leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek.

"I did," she whispered, "but now mama and Bean are hungry."

He turned his head and stroked her cheek, "Ok mami."

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

During her pregnancy she felt a range of emotions. Some days she'd be horny and hungry, jumping Rio every chance she got, not that her husband would ever complain. Other days she'd be extremely emotional.

Rio was busy with a meeting when he felt his phone vibrate. Sighing he knew exactly who it was, but as much as he wanted to answer it, he couldn't. Later that evening when he got home, he found Lucia alone in the apartment, having told Mike and Mick that they could call it a night. When she saw him, she pushed herself off the couch and went to the bedroom.

"Hey mama," he greeted her as he walked into the bedroom. She ignored him and went about getting ready for bed.

"How was your day?" he asked, but she continued to ignore him, "Cia?"

Suddenly she burst into tears. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. He came to sit next to her on the bed.

"Mami," he tried again, "what's wrong?"

"You don't love me," she said between sobs.

"What?"

"You ignored my text message," she sniffed, "and you came home late and the other day with the boys you forgot our smoothies and this morning you didn't kiss me before you went to work and last night you raised your voice at me-"

Pregnancy was a roller-coaster he decided. Sighing he ran his hand over his face, which probably wasn't the best thing to do because his wife started sobbing harder.

"And now you're getting annoyed with me," her sobbing started again.

"No baby," he tried pulling her closer but she pushed him away, causing him to rock his jaw, which set her off even more. That's how he ended up on the couch for the night.

Sometime during the night he felt a presence next to him and the sensation of being poked. It was followed by something heavy climbing on top of him. His eyes shot open, his survival mode kicking in, only to realize that it was Lucia who was trying her hardest to get comfortable on top of him.

"Nah," he said, turning on the reading lamp on the table by his head, "we ain't sleeping here Lucia," no way was he going to be a preggy pillow on a fucking couch.

With that, he pulled her to their bedroom and settled in. He didn't say anything about the shit eating grin on her face.

"I love you," she whispered into his chest.

"Love you too," he replied, "you psycho," she kicked him in the shin.

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

One day, Mike came into the warehouse, looking very sheepish, "Uh," he just pointed to the door and Rio knew.

Climbing into the backseat he found Lucia sipping on her milkshake. As soon as she saw him she launched herself into his arms.

"Mami," he sighed.

"I was feeling sad and wanted to cuddle and Mike said no so I told him to drive me here," she explained, "he didn't wanna cuddle cos I'm fat."

"Nah ma," he chuckled, "he ain't wanna cuddle cos I would probably cap his ass."

She said nothing, just cuddled. Calling Mike he decided he'd take her home and spend the rest of the day with her. His boys would handle business for the day.

"Want me to take you home mami?" he toyed with a strand of hair, "Run you a bath," he slid his hands down her back, squeezing her ass, "make you feel good, haven't fucked in a while."

"We fucked yesterday morning," she said into his chest.

"Exactly," he shrugged, "that's more than twenty four hours ago."

She laughed kissing him as he untangled himself from her to get the keys from Mike.

"She ok?" Mike looked a little worried.

"Said you didn't wanna cuddle with her," Rio looked amused more than anything.

"She didn't ask me to," Mike scratched his head, "she just said you broke her pregnant pillow."

"Preggy pillow," Rio automatically corrected him, rocking his jaw in annoyance that he knew the right terminology, holding his hand out he snapped, "not a word, gimme the keys."

Mike just laughed. They drove home and cuddled on the bed for the rest of the day. He'd answer a few work emails and take a few calls, while Lucia napped on his chest. Every few minutes she’d move, or stretch, placing a kiss on any part of him and then doze off again. When he was done with work, Rio pulled the blanket a bit higher, covering her shoulders. Resting his hand on her swollen abdomen, he felt the baby kick.

"Hey pop," he whispered, smiling as the baby kicked again, looking at his wife whose face was squished against his chest, fast asleep, "can't wait to meet you," he kissed her head, "three of us are gonna have so much fun together."

"And I thought pregnancy made me sentimental," Lucia mumbled into his chest.

Rio chuckled, "Nah it just made you horny as fuck baby," he kissed her nose as she looked up, "not that I'm complaining."

Lucia sat up, rolling her eyes, her hand rubbing her little bump, "I'm gonna go lay in the tub for a bit, wanna join me?"

A few minutes later the couple were submerged in bubbles and warm water. Rio pressed her shoulders and kissed along her neck, before slipping his hand between her legs.

"Papi," she moaned as he fingered her, "so good."

"Come for me baby," he whispered, smirking when he felt her clench around his fingers, her orgasm hitting her, "good girl," he kissed the side of her head, "my good girl."

Later he made them lunch and they watched a movie. Lucia cuddled deeper into his warmth under the blankets, enjoying the time with her husband. Rio held onto her, rubbing her back and placing random kisses on her head.

"Baby's kicking," she took his hand and placed it under the blanket to feel.

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

One day Lucia woke up from a nap to the sound of a gun being cocked and her two security details jumping up.

"Boss no," Mick pleaded.

"The fuck is this?" Rio did not look pleased. A few minutes ago he strolled into a quiet apartment, annoyed that none of them were answering their phones. Only to find his two right hand men and wife napping on the couch.

An hour earlier Lucia was complaining of back pain and how she can't sleep because of it, "Rio fucked up my preggy pillow, so I usually nap on him," she said as she stretched.

Mike looked at Mick then at her, "Oh hell no," when Lucia looked at them.

"Come on you guys," she sighed, "we're family and it's not like we haven't shared a sleeping area before, remember the camping trip."

"Yeah," Mick spoke up, dipping a chip into the salsa he was currently having, "also remember homeboy was there and he almost shot me for stretching too close to you."

She rolled her eyes, "Please guys," she pleaded. That's how they ended up on her couch, sandwiched together, one supporting her back and the other as her preggy pillow. What they didn't account for was all three of them falling asleep and being discovered by a very annoyed gangster.

"Baby, seriously," she sighed, sitting up straight , sending her husband a look.

"Rio, man," Mike wanted to laugh but he knew as soon as he did, he'd be dead.

"The fuck you two still doing on the couch?"

"For fuck sake babe," Lucia was annoyed now.

"Lucia," he warned.

"You fucked up my preggy pillow and you weren't here so I had to improvise,"she huffed, "so either you get out or shut up and come be my preggy pillow."

By now Mick and Mike were slowly edging out of the lounge, their eyes glued to the gun. Rio pursed his lips, his free hand twitching as him and his wife had a stare off.

"It's like you want me to kill someone," he mumbled into her hair a while later, both out of breath and naked. Mick and Mike somehow made it out of the apartment unscathed.

She sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder, "Next time don't fuck up my preggy pillow," she replied, her arm tightening around his middle, "mmm I missed you," she chuckled, "Mike's body is too skinny to do this comfortably," he made a sound at the back of his throat, "next time I'll try Mick as the pillow and Mike as the back rest."

"Nah," he cut her off, "there ain't gonna be a next time, cos from now on, imma be here the whole time," he looked down at her, "gonna be working from home and whatnot."

She smiled, "If I knew using Mike as a pillow would get you to stay, I would have done it a long time ago."

"Whatever you psycho," he wrapped his arm around her, "still not sorry about the preggy pillow."

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

The preggy pillow met its end five months into her pregnancy. Rio walked into their home one day to find the monstrosity of a pillow in the middle of his bed, with his wife napping around it. At first it was adorable, she sat with it everywhere and it helped her sleep, especially when he wasn't there.

Slowly it went from being cute to being annoying, especially when Rio wanted some quality time with his wife. Lucia had that pillow with her everywhere, when they were in bed, when they were chilling in the lounge, just everywhere.

The breaking point came one night when he woke up to movement. Only to look over at his wife and see her pleasuring herself with the pillow, nestled between her legs. Just before bed, he slid his hand up her night shirt and bit his lip suggestively, only for her to say no. Now she was laying her getting herself off on this fucking pillow. To make it worse, the pillow was situated between them.

"See how it is," he drawled, as her eyes shot open in the dark, "why fuck your husband when you got a pillow."

She had the decency to look guilty, "Hey baby," she lifted her head off of the pillow. Before she could do anything, the pillow was pulled from her and the next thing she knew, Rio was slicing it with the knife he kept in his bedside drawer.

"Rio!"

Walking over to the window, he wrenched the curtains open and tossed it out the window. Turning around, he shrugged his shoulders before getting back into bed.

"My pillow," was all she could say.

"Nah mama," he growled, rolling them over, "from now on imma be your pillow," with that he kissed her, moving his hands under her sleep shirt. She just sighed into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Later on, when they were done Lucia was nestled into his side, drawing circled on his chest, "Can't believe you got jealous over a pillow," she laughed.

He made an unimpressed sound, "Can't believe you thought it was aight to pleasure yourself with a pillow when I'm right fucking next to you."

"You were sleeping papi," she reasoned.

"When that ever stopped you before?"

That seemed to keep her quiet, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

She laughed, "My silly man," kissing his neck and wrapping her arm tightly around him. Her silly man who saved her all those years ago and who's loved her regardless of where she came from. The baby started kicking as Rio drew patterns on her belly.

------

Pregnancy also seemed to affect Rio. The next morning Lucia woke up to her husband's head resting on her belly, it would have been adorable, if only he wasn't explaining what to look for in a gun.

"You want something that's easy to conceal yeah," he whispered, "you also need a silencer, your uncle Mick can show you his collection one day."

"Can we not explain the intricacies of gun use to a 20 week old foetus?" Lucia looked down at her husband.

"We already went through the intricacies of gang law the other morning," he shrugged.

"Of course you did," she laughed, laying back against her pillows.

"What you wanna do today?" he rested his head against hers, "Boys are handling business today," he kissed her neck, "could run us a bath, with all those salts and shit you like," he kissed his way down her neck to her collar bone, "watch movies," pulling her nightie down slightly he sucked on a nipple, "or we could stay in bed all day and I could fuck you sensless?" his hand skimmed up her thighs and between her legs, "Fuck you wet already mami," pushing a finger inside of her.

"I want all those things," she moaned as she pulled his head towards hers and kissed him.

Another time she found him watching videos on breastfeeding and the different ways for the baby to latch. There was something extremely comical about watching a gangbanger learning about breastfeeding, especially when said gang leader just came home from dealing with a few men who tried to encroach on his territory.

“Baby what are you doing?” she frowned, trying to hide the amusement in her voice.

“Did you know that breast milk can be stored in a freezer for three months?” he looked at her, his eyes wide in amazement.

“I do now,” she laughed.

“And that you can use breast milk to clear up a blocked nose, ear infections an cracked nipples?”

“I did actually know that,” she leaned into him as he continued to scroll through videos on his phone, “thinking of becoming a lactation consultant or something?”

He huffed, “Was curious,” he looked at her, “don’t really want my kid drinking that formula shit you know,” he shrugged. They spoke about this when they found out they were expecting and decided they both wanted the baby to be breastfed.

“I know baby,” she kissed his cheek, “so what else did you learn?” she peered at the phone screen.

“Dads can do that kangaroo care thing too and they can cup or bottle feed the baby breast milk,” he showed her a video showing a man holding his child on his bare chest, practising skin to skin contact.

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

Lucia woke up one morning and cuddled into Rio’s warmth. She felt his arms tighten around her, causing her to smile. Since Rio decided to work from home, they fell into a routine. They’d wake up and lay in bed until she’d need to use the bathroom, then they’d make breakfast and shower together and he’d do some work, while she went through their books and by the afternoon they’d be lounging on the couch watching something.

Evenings consisted of him running them a bath. She’d lay against him, while stroking his stubble and placing kisses on his neck.

“You good?” he mumbled, head tilted back, enjoying the warm water and feeling her, naked and wet skin against his. She nodded into his neck, lips sucking on the skin, her hands roaming over his muscular shoulders, before taking his one hand that was resting on the outer edges of the tub and moved it under the water, placing it on her bump.

“He’s kicking,” she smiled into his neck, “our baby papi,” she smiled.

“Ours Cia,” he sighed, tilting her head and kissing her.

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

With her second pregnancy, came an added feature - possessiveness. During her first pregnancy, they didn’t have to deal with the likes of Beth Boland. However, now, she was a fixture in their lives, something Lucia was not handling well since falling pregnant. It didn’t help that Rio wanted her nowhere near Beth , worried she’d see Lucia’s pregnancy as an opportunity.

“Lucia,” Mike sighed, seeing her walk towards the G-Wagon, “we had strict instructions, he will shoot me on sight.”

“No he won’t,” she rolled her eyes, “I will, because I’m pregnant and horny and you are preventing me from scratching that itch,” she smirked, “unless,” sending him a suggestive wink.

“Get in,” he ground out.

“Thanks Mikey.”

They pulled up to the warehouse and Lucia grimaced when she saw the minivan. Mike glanced at her and sighed. He’s known her for long enough to know when her insecurities were coming through and this was one of those moments.

Rio rocked his jaw in annoyance. These ladies were testing his patience today, especially Elizabeth. He respected the fact that she was trying to be a boss, but she still didn’t understand the consequences of her actions. The added annoyance came with the fact that she was still trying to seduce him - something that was getting old and something that may lead his wife to commit murder.

They were almost done with their meeting when the door to the warehouse opened - as usual he assumed it was one of his boys or Mike, so he didn’t turn around. However, when Elizabeth’s attention was focused behind him, it grated further on his nerves and he glanced behind him. Suppressing a groan as he saw his wife walk towards them, her little bump barely visible, but still there and that all too familiar look on her face.

“Hey boss,” Mike greeted, sheepishly, “ladies,” he nodded at them, avoiding eye contact with Rio, “you all know Lucia, right?” he tried lightening the tension.

Lucia rolled her eyes as she walked alongside him, not sparing the ladies a glance and beelined for her husband, grabbing his hand and hauling him towards the back office, not even bothering to make an excuse. He decided, these ladies were wasting his time today so he didn’t mind taking his time with his wife either - might as well send a message to Elizabeth. As she came to wrap her arms around him he sighed, pulling her closer as she kissed him gently. Soon she was sucking on his neck, her hands trailing down his hard torso, over the fabric of his shirt. His hands grabbed her ass, as he pulled her in for a kiss, groaning when she rubbed against him.

“You not supposed to be here Lucia,” he said, pulling away, his hand on her neck, making her look at him.

“Papi,” she sighed, trying to unbutton his shirt, but he stopped her.

“I don’t wanna give that woman anything to use as ammo,” he glanced down at her bump.

“She’s a mother Rio,” she sighed.

“Don’t matter,” he growled, “she was willing to leave our son without a father.”

He had a point, but at that moment, she couldn’t care, all she cared about was having him fill her very empty body. Cupping him through his pants she pulled him closer. A few minutes later he had her bent over the desk, fucking her from behind.

“Love how this pussy feels when you’re pregnant mami,” he groaned, “should keep you knocked up all the time,” Lucia couldn’t respond, too lost in the feeling of him filling her. Everytime he pulled out, she felt the veins along his dick, creating delicious friction against her sensitive walls.

“So good mami,” he huffed, as his thrusts became harder and deeper. Gripping her hips until his knuckles turned white, he held her in place as he came, groaning into the back of her hair. Her walls clenched around him as she came. Pulling out, he slid her panties back in place and helped her get dressed.

"You good mami?"

She nodded, pulling him close and wrapping her arms around him, "Yeah I am."

He kissed her roughly, holding her flush against him, "I won't be long yeah," he squeezed her sides, "gonna deal with them and then I'll be home," he kissed her cheek as she trailed her hands down his chest, "pick up something to eat too."

"Can't you come home now?" she pouted as she played with his chain, causing her husband to laugh at her behavior, both of them aware that she was being silly.

"Mami," he laughed, his hands resting on her little bump, "your mama is having a moment," he rubbed the bump earning him a whack against the shoulder, "she likes hitting me too but you gonna protect me when you're here yeah," Lucia rolled her eyes.

Outside Mick and Mike looked at the ladies, a bit sheepishly. Beth had a murderous look on her face and both Annie and Ruby looked around a bit awkwardly.

“This happen often?” Annie broke the silence, Beth sending her an annoyed look.

“Pretty much,” Mick shrugged. They all cringed as they heard the thud of the desk behind the office door.

A few minutes later Lucia walked out, Rio trailing behind her, rolling his shoulders as he watched her hips. Elizabeth had an annoyed look on her face, while Annie looked amused. Regardless of her dislike for Beth Boland, Lucia didn’t have anything against Annie and Ruby, finding them entertaining.

“Can we get on with it please,” Beth rolled her eyes.

Lucia ignored her and turned to Rio, who smirked, “See you at home mami.”

“Let’s go Mikey,” she walked past them towards the door.

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

During her first pregnancy, Lucia became a bit self conscious regarding her weight. Rio noticed after one of his mother's block parties, when Jenny looked his wife up and down, a smirk on her face. So when he woke up the next morning alone in bed, to find his wife staring at herself in the mirror with a look on her face, he threw the covers off and stood behind her. She immediately lowered her top when she saw him. Raising an eyebrow, he placed his hands on her hips and pulled her flush against him. Burying his nose in her hair he sighed.

"Why you let bitches like Jenny Valdez get to you?" she tensed up at the question and when she didn't answer he lifted his head, looking at her in the mirror.

He huffed, rubbing her bump, feeling their baby kick against his hand, "Feel that yeah, that's ours," moving her hair to one side he placed a kiss against her neck, "our little bean, we made that," turning her head, he kissed her, "you gotten so far baby,” he held onto her, swaying them slightly, “accomplished so much over the years,” he smirked against her skin, “probably the only person out there who can put up with my shit,” she scoffed, “girls like Jenny stay in their bubble, living in the past and scavenge off other’s leftovers,” his hand trailed under her top, lifting it off of her, baring her to him, “fuck mami,” he groaned, his eyes roaming down her body, before lifting her bridal style and onto the bed, “the hell do I want anyone else but you Lucia?” he growled before devouring her lips.

At the next block party, Rio made a point of paying close attention to the looks people decided to send Lucia. When he noticed Jenny eyeballing her he smirked, before walking over to his wife and running his hands along her body.

“Looking good mama,” he rasped, tilting her head towards his and kissing her, “so fucking good,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Easy there papi,” she laughed, “public remember.”

“Don’t care,” he growled, “you ma girl, carrying my kid,” he whispered, “anyone got a problem with me being handsy they can fuck right off.”

She shook her head and kissed him, before looking down at her bump and shaking her head, “Daddy is silly.”

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

Rio was watching her out of the corner of his eye, waiting for the right moment to get up and help her. For the past ten minutes Lucia has been trying to pick up a book that fell out of her hand, however due to her belly she was having some difficulty bending down. Knowing better than to immediately get up and help her, Rio waited for the right moment to get off the couch and pick the book up. He heard her huff as she tried using a pair of grilling tongs to reach the book, however due to her height she wasn’t able to. Instead of her calling him though, he heard her throw the tongs down in frustration.

“Baby you a’right?” he looked over at her feigning surprise at the sight of her struggling.

“I dropped my book and my baby bump is in the way so I can’t bend down,” she rambled as he walked towards her, picking up the book, as she took it from him, she looked him up and down, “you did this to me.”

He grinned in amusement, it’s been a regular occurrence lately for her to say that whenever she was having a bad day, most of the time he’d leave her and not saying anything, however today it was rather amusing, “You weren’t complaining when I was doing it to you,” he stepped closer to her, resting his hands on her stomach, “pretty much the opposite,” his voice went deep and rough, “you were praising me more than anything,” he chuckled, “was creaming on me while I fucked you, remember?”

She just rolled her eyes, but he could see the flush start building up along her neck, “You’re an idiot,” he smirked and pulled her towards their bedroom.

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

The worst part about her pregnancies weren’t the cravings, unstable bladder or mood swings, no, it was the knowledge that her husband might not come home. Lucia realised her pregnancy didn’t exempt them from the reality of their world when there was an attempted hostile take over from the Arrabuenas.

That morning she kissed him before she went to work for one of her last shifts before going on maternity leave. It was an uneventful day, her colleagues threw her a mini baby shower in the breakroom and the rest of the day the trauma unit was quiet, until just thirty minutes before her shift ended. The paramedics wheeled in a man with a badly beaten face and several stab wounds to the abdomen. Lucia froze when she recognised him as one of Rio’s underlings, the attending doctor, someone who was part of RIo’s gang, looked at her and nodded. In a matter of minutes, she got her things and went home. When she walked into the apartment she was met with the sight of Charlie dabbing a cut on Rio’s face.

“Fuck,” Rio cursed when he saw her, “babe I’m fine,” he winced a bit and that’s when she noticed that he was shirtless and sporting a bandage along his side and one wrapped around his bicep.

By now Charlie moved out of the way and was collecting her things, “I’ll keep you updated on the situation,” with that she left.

“What the hell is going on?” Lucia turned to her husband, “My shift ended with a few of your boys coming in sporting some serious damage.”

“Jarvi Arrabuena decided to make a move on my territory,” he winced as she started cleaning up his cuts, “turns out those kids were working for him the entire time,” Rio sighed, “motherfucker decided to strike on his own without the rest of his posse there to help,” he shook his head.

Lucia just looked at him, he saw the apprehension in her eyes, “Hey,” pulling her close, “come on mami, I’m fine baby,” he held her chin so she wouldn't turn her head, “just a few scratches, I ain’t leaving you or our kid aight,” she said nothing, just leaned into him and held onto him.

They got rid of Jarvi and his people a week later, when the power hungry gangster decided it was a good idea to try and kidnap Lucia. She was on her way to her car, when she felt a presence behind her, unfortunately, due to the extra weight, she wasn’t as quick on her feet as she usually was, before she could do anything, she lost consciousness. When she woke up she found herself in her own bed and Chuck laying next to her.

Somewhere in town Rio was staring down at Jarvi and his men, lined up in their own warehouse, hands bound and on their knees. This wasn’t going to be a quick execution, no, he needed to send a message to whoever thought it was ok to target his pregnant wife.

“Jarvi,” Rio crouched down in front of the other man, “you’ve tried a lot of risky shit in the past,” he paused, “but this, has to be at the top of the list,” his eyes were cold as he spoke to the other man, “the fuck you thought this was gonna end huh,” he pulled out a blade from his pocket, “targetting my wife and unborn child,” he looked his old schoolmate dead in the eye, “you know what I gotta do now yeah?”

It was a long process, however the message sent was clear and to the point. They sent pieces of Jarvi and his men to the different areas in the city. That night he walked into his home, washed the blood off his body and crawled into bed. Lucia woke up immediately, pulling him close to her.

“You okay?” she whispered in the dark, her face buried into his neck.

“Yeah,” he replied, his voice just as soft as hers, “fuck Lucia, thought I lost you,” he kissed her head.

"I'm right here," she felt the baby kick, "we're both right here papi," she placed his hand on her tummy so he could feel.

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

Marcus was unsure what to make of his mother’s pregnancy. The little boy was intrigued and kept asking questions whenever he could. He’d ask if it hurt to carry a baby in her tummy and whether the baby could hear them on the inside. One day the question that both Lucia and Rio were avoiding came up.

“So what did daddy have to do?” he asked looking at his parents. Rio who was sipping on a bottle had to stop himself from choking.

“What you mean papi?” Lucia asked, feigning confusion.

“Why do you tell daddy that he did this to you sometimes?”

This time Rio did choke on his water and had to hide his laughter behind his hand, Lucia glared at her husband before turning back to her son.

“And why does daddy say you liked what he did?”

If looks could kill, RIo would be dead right now, he cleared his throat and got his son’s attention, “Pop there’s some stuff you’ll only get when you’re older,” Marcus made to protest but Rio the ever patient one stopped him, “I know it’s frustrating to hear that but it’s true aight,” the little boy nodded.

“I just thought you gave mommy the seed to eat that makes the baby grow,” he shrugged his shoulders. Both his parents burst out laughing at that.

#rio x lucia #marcus #good girls nbc #lucia solano #mick and mike #mike graceland #mick good girls

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aphroditestummyrolls · 3 years

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Tagged by: @rhubarbdreams @cactusdragon517 @morallygreywaren and @ceraunos (I’m so sorry this took so long! Thank you for thinking of me, it is so flattering <3)

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!

This was SO FUN. It was so nice to go through my old stories... I’m really proud of my writing. That’s something I never thought I’d say, and it’s something I’ve decided I’m going to do unabashedly from now on. <3 Happy almost April, everyone!

Gaining Heart (Spartacus)

The days following the defeat of Glaber had been a flurry of activity.

Agron found himself not only leading on field of battle, but leading organization and defensive strategy. Those fucking Romans had moved into the temple as if it was their own home, claiming all that they saw— but they had also brought much of their own. Food, wine, supplies— it was a gift from the fucking gods, and needed proper inventory.

Agron knew not how to do that. Nasir and Naevia were invaluable, cleaning each chamber of any evidence of battle, cataloguing lists and categorizing everything from barrels of grain to rolls of bandages.

Tangles and Roots (The Old Guard)

He was covering Andy.

The hangar was dark, shadowed by the last of the night while dawn crept up over the skyline outside. The plane was set to land any minute now, and Nicky’s eyes flicked from corner to corner, finger on the trigger of his gun and his jaw grinding hard. He could swear he saw shapes moving along the roof— the banks of high windows above them left eerie patches of weak blue light, flickering with little flashes of darkness.

It was probably just birds. He was out of practice— they had done nothing but sit around in the six months since Merrick, trying to heal the deep wounds left in their minds… and bodies, in Andy’s case.

Nicky swallowed, stepping that much closer to his friend’s side as they took their places in the shadows.

Still Awake? (The Old Guard)

He pretended to sleep. His eyes were closed, and his muscles were stiff, tying themselves into knots where he laid in his cot between Andy’s empty bedroll and Joe and Nicky’s snuggled up bodies. Booker refused to be comfortable— he refused to rest. The day had been rough, and the fighting had left a bone deep ache inside him, even while the physical wounds had healed.

All the Time in the World (The Old Guard)

The first time Nicolo and Yusuf bathed together, it was by the river— he wasn’t sure which river. It had probably changed names and countries a hundred times by now. All he remembered was that, by the time they heard the steady rush of water and cleared the brush and trees to the bank, he was half mad with annoyance.

If that man made one more grumbled complaint— one more clearly telegraphed grimace— about the supposed smell of him, Nicoló might have to break their truce and run the bastard through.

Kissed by an Angel (The Old Guard)

Nicky felt his lips flicker into a private smile, setting the pot on the stove to simmer and turning to look out the window into the garden. Joe’s garden.

He was humming to himself— Nicky couldn’t quite hear it, but he could tell by the set of the other man’s jaw under his beard and the purse of his lips as he concentrated. The weeds wouldn’t rip themselves, the overgrown shrubs wouldn’t miraculously be already pruned and waiting for them.

They were finally back in Valletta. Finally home.

Patron Saint of Satisfaction (The Old Guard)

It had been a long, long few weeks.

Joe’s shoulders were tense and knotted, and his whole body still ached from the train ride he and Nicky had taken all that day. There was a stifling, choked sensation in his gut that would rise in waves, up his throat to the tip of his tongue until he was ready to scream. The whole way to their safehouse, he brushed shoulders with his lover— practically leaning on him— and let himself take refuge in the feeling of Nicky’s warm hand entwining their fingers.

Waking Dreams (The Old Guard)

At first, they could’ve been anywhere for all Joe knew.

There was nothing in the world but Nicky— his scent, his body, his quiet sleeping breaths. Joe felt himself hover on the edge of sleep and wakefulness, the familiar thrum of pleasure making up the backdrop of his thoughts.

He nuzzled into his Nico’s neck, pressing sloppy, half asleep kisses to the back of his neck.

Here There Be Monsters (The Old Guard)

The morning had been blustery and hot. The scent of ozone made the sea air thick as it blew through his hair where they all stood, crowded around the lower deck. They all squinted against the bright sunshine, but Joe knew better than to trust the blue sky.

”If I’m getting in, I’ve gotta do it soon—“ he spoke up, cutting into some conversation that he hadn’t been listening to, “There’s a storm coming in from the East.”

Nile— still so young, so far from the American Midwest, and in her first field season— raised an eyebrow at him from behind her sunglasses.

He smiled at her bemused look, shooting his gaze over to Andy. Andy smirked, huffing a laugh. “If anybody knows, Joe knows.”

In Loving Memory (The Old Guard)

The wind whipped up off the water, cold and salty despite the way the sun beat down on them. It was alright, honestly— refreshing after all those stuffy hours in the car.

These immortals were highly resistant to normal modes of transport. Like a plane— a real passenger plane, not a Russian cargo plane full of drugs. It was all cars and boats and trains, low to the ground, literally under the radar.

Nile understood why. She didn’t want to end up strapped down to a lab table like the one they escaped all those months ago. She’d just rather take a nice plane from the closest airport to Provence and get to Valletta in a matter of hours, rather than drive through three countries and all the way down the Italian boot, just to bribe a fishing boat.

Feed My Soul (The Old Guard)

Malta looked good on Nicolò.

Joe leaned on the railing of their balcony, looking down into their old, old walled garden where his Nico shuffled around in the herbs. He was looking for something particular, the bridge of his nose scrunching as he peered at the mess of overgrown pots.

Joe beamed, the familiar, all-encompassing warmth of loving that man filling him up and making him feel expansive and bright. There was a cathedral ceiling in his chest, airy and golden with the light of dawn through its tall, jeweled windows. There was a house of worship where his heart should be, and he traced the lines of the other man’s body like he was devoting a painting to him.

Sono Qui (The Old Guard)

Andy left Booker on the beach.

She felt his gaze follow her, but couldn’t bring herself to look back.

It wasn’t as if they had never separated before— as if the four of them had been constantly attached from the time they finally found the Frenchman, even after months and months of dreaming and searching. There were plenty of times where they spent months, or sometimes years apart. They took breaks from each other, they traveled. Just a year ago, Andy had declared that she needed a break— was that last year of being alone the thing that led Booker to betray them? Maybe they should’ve stayed together. She never should have left him. She understood how it felt to be alone in the world… to lose someone so precious that life loses its color.

Andy had left Booker plenty of times. It wasn’t something she liked to think about now, but she had… She had assumed he was handling it like her. Somber and drunk, wishing for some type of release. They’d talked about it enough times. But not like this.

Brother of My Heart (The Old Guard)

Joe clenched his hands on the steering wheel, flexing his fingers to feel the stretch in the tendons, even though any injuries from the fighting had long since healed.

While driving away from the ruins of Merrick’s car, the adrenaline was still rushing in his veins, and all his self control was devoted to staying reasonably within the speed limit. The last thing they needed was to get stopped by some bobby cop while covered in blood and dust, with a bullet through Andy’s stomach.

Right now, they needed to blend in. So, Joe didn’t press the gas pedal into the floor.

Care and Feeding (The Old Guard)

Nile couldn’t ever remember liking the cold.

Even at home in Chicago. Sure, her memories of warm Christmas masses, bright lights on the tree, and gently falling snow outside the kitchen window made her throat dry with that familiar, wistful grief. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to seeing pine trees or twinkle lights without thinking of her mom’s mac n cheese, or how early her brother would wake her up on Christmas morning.

But loving Christmas, and loving snow? Those were two completely different things.

Going Underground (Star Wars)

Poe wasn’t sure what it was like when they broke through the atmosphere into Yavin IV. He didn’t watch through the Falcon’s wide front window as the familiar jungles passed by in a blur of green underneath them, and he couldn’t pick out the roof of home from the surrounding grasses as they came in for a landing.

The first thing he saw as he came to, bleary and aching, was Finn. They’d fallen asleep right where they were, pressed shoulder to shoulder at the holochess table, Poe’s head on Finn’s shoulder. It took him a sluggish moment to recall why his hand had its own throbbing pulse, and why Finn’s soft, dark skin was pockmarked with strange cuts, glistening with bacta.

The second thing he saw, swallowing against the rush of memories filling his fuzzy mind, must have been a hallucination.

STAR WARS VIII: The Battle of the Force (Star Wars)

“General, I don’t know how much longer we can hold ‘em off—”

Poe’s voice crackled from the shoddy reception, nearly engulfed by the constant bombardment in the background.

“Commander, the Resistance depends on taking down this dreadnought.” Leia kept her voice steady and strong “Stand your ground.”

Beyond What We Can See (Star Wars)

If he was being honest with himself, he supposed that he’d been feeling the Force his whole life. He’d always just brushed it off as basic intuition— he thought everybody felt this way. It wasn’t until he started seeing the way the Force was treated in the First Order—as a myth, a fearful, distant thing—that he realized how much he needed to keep his head down. Even though he only felt it in small ways, he was different. He buried the feelings, tried to ignore the nagging dread that said that he didn’t belong there in his platoon. That none of them did.

But that wasn’t something he was allowed to feel. The Force wasn’t supposed to be something any of the troops knew firsthand.

Like She Always Did (Star Wars)

The first time she left was barely a memory. More of a dream. He didn’t remember the fight they had, but he knew in hindsight that they must’ve had it for much longer than the tail end that he saw. Maybe it was what got his little feet out of bed in the first place. Daddy’s eyes were rimmed with red and Mama was pacing out her anger into the sitting room rug. Poe’s eyes were wide as he watched from the threshold to the hall, his little hand gripping onto the pillow that he’d tugged along with him from his room.

Love Will Help You Heal (Star Wars)

Every inch of him throbbed, the last dregs of whatever the interrogation droid had injected him with still pumping through his bloodstream. He was so tired. How long had it even been? Getting captured on Jakku felt like a hazy dream, as if it was weeks ago.

No one was coming for him. He knew that much—he’d probably be mad if they endangered the resources to try—but he couldn’t help but wish anyway. Death seemed so close, like a cold hand on his shoulder, by his side in the recirculated air of the Star Destroyer.

He wished they’d just hurry up. His drug-addled, sleep deprived mind didn’t know if he was asking for rescue or death. Maybe they were the same thing now.

Dying a martyr. At least it suited the image—Poe Dameron, Poster Boy of the Resistance.

Ghosts of Future and Past (MCU/Captain America)

His head was throbbing. His back ached. Everything in him pulsed with agony like he’d been hit by a train.

A train. Bucky.

“Bucky is alive.”

He could feel the winter cold at the memory, his eyes snapping open as the past few moments came flooding back to him.

There had been another Steve. Even without the mask, he’d looked just like him. It must have been Loki playing tricks again, it had to be.

Sweet as Honey, Gold Like the Sun (Stranger Things)

Steve was drifting after high school graduation. He drifted right out of the halls of Hawkins High and into a desk job at his dad’s office. If he was being honest, he’d been drifting since the Gate closed— maybe even since Nancy broke it off.

He wasn’t mad. She was his best friend. He and Jonathan were even friends now. No, he hadn’t been mad for a long time— but he was lost. The kids were going to high school. Dustin would be getting his license one of these days, and Steve’s last function to his little gaggle of brats would become all but useless.

The idea of not serving a purpose left the bitter tang of anxiety in his throat. Once the kids didn’t need him— and Joyce and Hopper and even Nancy— Steve would be left behind. Again.

Okay... Some of these may have been more than just what is considered “Opening Lines”, but I can’t just leave something feeling unfinished, and I’m a little tipsy, which means I am bending the rules <3

**EDIT** i forgot to look for patterns and pick my favorite! I mean, I think all storytelling/creative expression (anything from developing a recipe to composing a painting to writing a story) follows a distinct formula. And the best way to establish the story is by starting it with the most important element front and center— I almost always start with my main character. A thought or a feeling, a situation or a sensation. They’re the focal point from which everything ripples out. Those first ripples (the 2nd, 3rd or 4th lines) are usually about building the setting. It’s an equation that works so well for me, and though I sometimes shake it up by adding immediate dialogue or flipping the positions of setting and main character, it has served me well ❤️ i think my favorite has to be Brother of My Heart. It’s the first really, immediately big story Ive ever had. So many comments, so much warmth, so many kind people— it grew my confidence and helped me make friends. It reminds me of how truly wonderful fandom can be, even just with the first few lines.

I’m going to continue to bend the rules by not tagging anyone immediately-- it’s giving me weird anxiety levels, so I’m gonna wait and do it later maybe. If, in the meantime, you see this and want to do it, write me down as the one who tagged you! <3 Feel frrrreeeeeeee!

#spartacus #the old guard #star wars #fanfiction #writing #writing by ME #<3 thank you friends #for thinking of me #it was really nice of you

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loudsuitlover · 4 years

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Doctor Harry XXX. T la sudo

A/N: Everything will come for those patient enough to wait. (My abuela’s words, not mine.)

BLUE’S POV

Unbelievable. He’s still asleep. Is it possible that this is his longest night of sleep? Would he remember what he said last night? Was he hallucinating? He fell asleep right after. I remember when he told me I had recited Roy McBride’s lines on my sleep and I didn’t remember any of it the morning after. Will it be the same for him?

I have barely slept and as much as he has had trouble sleeping any other night, last night he peacefully slept through the entire night. Every time I’d wake up and look at him, there he was, peaceful, calm and vulnerable and in contrast I was tachycardic.

Harry’s phone screen illuminates with Hampstead name. I sigh. I’m about to pick up and tell them to fuck off and learn to solve their problems by themselves but I know that would be too much. But, come on, Hampstead, it’s Saturday morning and he’s asleep. Thank God it’s on silent mode.

He put it on silent mode! So if someone had called with an “emergency” last night, he wouldn’t have picked up because he was with me. Aw, I’m so proud of him! I want to kiss him until he wakes up and the suck him off to begin his day.

When the call ends, the missed call text pops up on his screen and only then I see the photo he’s got as his wallpaper. That’s me. My pulse accelerates. I don’t want to take his phone but that’s me. It’s a photo from his sister’s wedding and it’s taken from behind me when we were standing under the flower arch greeting the guests. He couldn’t have possibly taken it for he was right next to me but maybe the photographer did and he liked it. Hampstead texts him and the messages pop up on the screen.

Hampstead: Hey, I was just calling to remind you I still have the tickets for Kings of Leon tonight if you want to come!

I don’t want to read his messages. I know that’s terrible. But they’re right there… And they keep popping. I didn’t know Hampstead and him were friends. He’s never mentioned them.

Hampstead: Last week was fun!

Last week was fun? I hope he’s talking about the congress. But a congress, fun? I mean it can be interesting, it can even be thrilling… But fun?

Wait, what is going on with me? I’m not like this. What do I care what Harry talks about with his friends? Even though he’s never mentioned them… But what do I care he’s never mentioned them? Maybe they’re not that close and that’s why he has never said anything. But then, why would they invite him to a concert?

Before I know what I’m doing, I’m looking for Hampstead on Facebook. The only Hampstead I have friends in common with- those being Mario Matteoti and Harry Styles- is a girl, is a very beautiful girl. Sarah Hampstead. She’s blond and her hair is long like mine but straight. She wears it in a braid in most of the pictures and looks like Rapunzel. She’s a first year residence in Anaesthesiology at Grad hospital. The last picture she posted is a selfie with Harry. They’re smiling at the camera having a drink at some restaurant or hotel and she’s wearing her hair on a braid over her shoulder. It’s from last Tuesday when Harry was supposed to be at the congress.

My heart stops. I hate this. I hate that I’m doing this in the first place and I also hate that I’m feeling so threatened but I remember the fights I’ve had with Harry over her calls and how he walked away from me to take her call when we were at Marie’s house.

I don’t want to think this of him but… Why did he never tell me about her? And why does she think it’s okay to call him at those ungodly hours? And why does he always pick up? And why the fuck is she inviting him to a concert?

Last week was fun. Yeah, that drink they had looked like fun and they looked like they were having a good time on that stupid selfie. The congress. It’s impossible, I know it is, but what if the congress wasn’t a congress at all? I need to stop.

I get up from the bed and don’t know what to do. Do I shower without telling Harry? I mean I know he told me not to ask him if I could shower again… But it’s still his house. Well, fuck it, I need to get rid of the dirty feeling of having spied on him and then doubt him. But what if it’s true? Ugh, stop!

I can’t get their stupid selfie out of my head while I shower. Why the fuck did he never tell me about her if they’re colleagues? There’s a voice inside me that tells me he might have done it precisely to avoid this irrational reaction but fuck it. That’s not an excuse. I’m only reacting this way because he hid this from me. Why would he not tell me?

I guess I’ve acted jealous before, with Camille and that dinner of theirs… But I think when he explained it to me I took it nicely and I showed him I could be rational… Plus, does that give him the excuse to just hide things from me?

Last night he told me he loved me. I gotta focus on that. This Sarah Hampstead can text him all she wants, he loves me. He said it last night.

I forgot my clothes on my overnight bag so I make my way outside the bathroom wrapped in a towel and try not to make much noise but the moment I open the door I realize Harry’s not on the bed. I put on clean underwear and my clothes for the day and find him in the kitchen.

He’s wearing thick grey sweatpants and a white cotton long sleeve shirt and looks so cosy my frustration leaves my body through my pores. He grins when he tilts his neck and looks at me.

“Good morning.”

He keeps making breakfast. What is he doing? Is there no good morning kiss?

“I’m feeling like fruit and yoghurt. What do you want?”

“Fruit and yoghurt sounds good.”

“Guay.” He smiles.

Alright, so this is what we’re doing. Then I’m starting the conversation.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Very much so.” He smiles but his green eyes signal for me to have a seat. “And you?”

I nod.

“Take a seat, love.” He chuckles.

I walk towards my usual stool on his breakfast bar and sit down in front of him. I add some sugar to the coffee he gently prepared for me but my eyes don’t leave him. He frowns as he munches on his apple.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Okay, he doesn’t remember what he said last night. That or he’s messing with me. Or worse, he regrets it.

“Do you remember how you fell asleep?”

“With my eyes closed.”

“So you don’t.”

“You also asked me to help you put the cover over us” he says “and I did.”

“Right.”

I took a spoonful of yoghurt with pieces of kiwi and apple and fill my mouth. Either he doesn’t remember or he regrets saying it and now it’s playing dumb. Maybe the sex was so good he got confused or maybe I dreamt it. I guess it’s okay if I fell first… Even though maybe he doesn’t fall at all.

“What do you wanna do today?” He asks.

I look up at him and search for the lie on his green eyes. Did he not check his phone or does he not want to go to the Kings of Leon concert?

“What’s going on with you today? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I might have plans.”

“What do you mean you might? Do you or do you not?”

“I mean I might spend the day with my mum.”

“Oh, okay.”

We eat in silence. I might spend the day with my mum for real. I’m planning on going to my dad’s next week during the uni break to study for the finals so it’d be good to spend some quality time with my mum before I leave.

“I’m sure you can find something to do.”

He looks into my eyes.

“Alright, what is it?”

“What’s what?”

“Why are you mad?”

“I’m not mad.”

He sighs but his eyes don’t leave me.

“I just mean that you can… Go out with some friends or friend, if you want, and that’s fine.”

“I know it’s fine. Are you worried that I’m going to stay here crying if you leave or what? I can call Adam if that’d make you happy.”

“He’s got plans with Marie.”

“Right.” He has a sip of his coffee. “Well, it’s a good thing I don’t need a babysitter.”

“You could do something with another friend.”

“Yes, I could.”

“Guay.” I shrug.

He narrows his eyes at me.

“All I meant is I understand that people want you around, that they appreciate your presence, you know? It’s nice.”

“Why?”

I look up into his eyes again. His hands are intertwined before him as if he was waiting for my answer.

“Because you’re fun and a good person and a good friend. I think it makes sense that people from your environment want you around.”

“Is that what you think?”

I nod.

“Why?”

“I’ve told you. To me, being with you is… easy and nice.”

“Why?”

Again? He sounds like a three-years-old. I don’t know what he wants me to tell him.

“I guess because of the way you treat me. You’re gentle and caring and kind…”

He lets go of his own hands and covers his mouth with one of them but his eyes give him away. He’s trying to hide a smile. I don’t think I’m saying anything funny. He shuts his eyes and when he opens them, he takes his hand off his face and looks at me with affection and amusement.

“Am I your second boyfriend?” He asks.

My blood freezes on my veins. Please, God, don’t let him ask me about Dylan.

“No.”

He raises his eyebrows questioningly.

“What does it matter?”

“I’m just trying to understand something.”

“Third.”

He nods.

“What happened with the second?”

Thank, God. At least he knows Dylan is not a light conversation. I look down. I have never really told him about Javier and I don’t think I want to.

“He wasn’t a good guy.”

I see concern flashing on his eyes.

“What does that mean?”

What a silly guy.

“Did he hurt you?”

I look away from him and his hand rests over mine. He understood I don’t want to talk about him.

“I’m sorry, Blue. How old were you?”

“20.”

He nods.

“What about sex?”

“What about it?”

He rolls his eyes but smiles.

“Have you slept with many people before me?”

“Less than you, that’s for sure.”

His jaw clenches slightly but he doesn’t take his hand away from mine. Come on, Blue, remember you did not want to be harsh to him.

“Three.”

Harry’s eyebrows raise and his neck moves forward. He’s so silly, he’s making me embarrassed.

“Just us three?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“No, baby, three is fine.” His thumb caresses the back of my hand. “So I was the first guy you had casual sex with?”

“Yes.”

He hums.

“Are you done with your interrogation?”

“Yes.” He nods. “And, baby, whatever the second guy did to you, he’s crazy because you have to be insane to let you go.”

“It’s not easy to be with me.”

“Oh, I know.”

“No, you don’t know.”

“What do you mean?”

I stop myself from shivering. Can I tell him? Can I fully ruin the morning by telling him I was in love when Dylan died and that’s not going to change? Because then he will feel like I’m only with him because Dylan is not here and that’s mostly true and then he’d leave me because he must know he deserves better.

“I…. I….” I love you, but Dylan will always have a place in my heart. “I can be very harsh.”

He smirks but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“I know that.” He tilts his neck. “But when you’re not, you’re funny and smart and unique. You’re lovely here” he taps my forehead with his index finger “here” he taps my heart “and your whole body is fucking lovely too, baby. Just own it.”

“Do you really think that?”

“I don’t think that, I know so and it’s a little sad that it takes a random guy like me to tell you for you to see that.”

“You’re not a random guy.”

He smiles.

“Well, have fun with your mum today then. Next week-” He starts but I cut him short.

“I’m going to my dad’s next week.”

His expression changes and he uses the napkin to clean his mouth but he did it mindlessly for his mouth was already cleaned. That has me thinking.

“But what happens next week?”

“No, nothing.” He smirks.

I give him a look letting him know I am not buying it and he clears his throat.

“It’s just… I knew you were on holidays and I had some days off that I haven’t taken because of my addiction to work” he jokes “so I thought in order to show you that we are making progress and also to spend some time together, I could take some days off next week and… We could do something. But it’s okay, you’re going to visit your dad and I should have probably told you sooner.”

My heart swoons. He used his days off for me. He might not remember what he said last night or he might even want to take it back but this is what someone who really does love spending time with me would do. The next thing I say, I say it in a frenzy, in a love rage, even before I can process it.

“Come with me.”

His green eyes set on me as he considers my invitation. I feel embarrassment flooding my cheeks and my neck.

“To Capitol?”

“Yes, have you ever been?”

“I have not.”

I could have guess it.

“So you’ve travelled all around and you’ve never been to one of the most beautiful cities in the country?”

He smirks.

“Well, I should decide whether that’s true, don’t you think?”

“So you’re coming?”

He weights his options looking at me but suddenly his expression falls into one of disbelief.

“Don’t invite me out of pity, Blue.”

I frown and my eyes narrow. Is that really what he thinks of me?

“I didn’t invite you out of pity. I invited you because I want to spend those days with you. I’m so happy you finally decided to get holidays like the rest of people and the fact that you wanna spend them with me only makes my heart flutter so are you coming?”

My confession makes him smile again and I smile foolishly back at him. The way his dimple forms on his left cheek even before his teeth are shown sweetens my mood and my blood.

“Are you sure?”

I nod.

“What are you gonna tell your dad?”

“The truth. I don’t lie.”

He hums as he tilts his neck and raises an eyebrow, calling my statement into question and I shake my head weirdly amused.

“I got a train ticket for Wednesday morning, do I get another one? Or do I cancel mine and you drive us? It’s a little less than 4 hours away.”

He’s going to say yes, I can tell, I can see it on his face; how is eyes have a sparkle about them and his smile reaches them. He’s loving this. His expressions always give him away. He’s an opened book.

“I don’t mind. We can drive.”

We both grin.

We decide to spend the morning together before I go have lunch with my mum. I might invite him to that as well. Mum might get jealous if she knows Harry’s gonna be spending a few days at dad’s and she only got a dinner. Harry’s on his closest, picking his clothes for the day I guess when I call my dad.

“Hey, dad.”

“Hey, Berry. What’s up?”

“Hi, I was just calling to ask you… Would you mind if I bring someone along on Wednesday?”

“Not at all, honey. Is Jason coming back?”

“No, it’s not Jason.”

“Ollie then? Marie?”

“No, it’s a… It’s a guy.”

“Oh!” I shake my head at how thrilled my dad sounds and the way Harry looks at my with a side smirk. “A guy! That’s great, Berry. Is he a special guy?”

“Yes, dad, he is. He’s my boyfriend.”

“Your boyfriend.” He repeats.

“Yeah, okay, so you’re gonna pretend you didn’t figure that out after the wedding photos I sent you. You don’t go to a wedding with just anyone, dad.”

As Harry makes his way to the bathroom, he walks past me and slaps my ass cheek loud enough so that my dad can hear it and I jump.

“What was that, honey?”

“Uh… It was just… Uh… My notes. That fell. On the floor. Because I’m tidying up.”

Harry looks at me and silently chuckles and I shake my head and swat his arm playfully whilst he walks to the bathroom.

“Oh, okay, darling. Well, thanks for calling and don’t worry about anything, I’ll make sure everything’s ready. Why don’t you text me what food he likes so I keep that in mind when doing the groceries?”

“Well, he’s not picky, dad. I think he’d eat anything.”

“Good then I’ll cook my special rice. I can’t wait to see you!”

“Me neither.” I chuckle. “Bye, dad, love you.”

“Bye, Berry, love you too.”

While Harry’s in the shower, I pick up my clothes from last night and kept them on my overnight bag and make his bed. I try not to think about how crazy we both are. Last night he told me he loved me and this morning I found out that Hampstead is a girl and he acted like he didn’t say anything last night and interrogated me and then I invited him along to my dad’s. In Capitol. Where I met Dylan.

I think I’m going to faint.

I go on The Golden Girls group chat searching for counselling.

Indie: Are you guys awake????

Jason: Yes, everything okay?

Ollie: Awake and ready to listen.

I guess Marie’s busy. Well, these two would do.

Indie: Hampstead is a girl.

Jason: Who the fuck is Hampstead?

Ollie: She’s an anaesthesiologist who works with Mario and Harry.

Indie: Has Mario ever mentioned her to you?

Ollie: I don’t know. I guess he might have.

Jason: What happened with her???

Indie: I know this is bad guys

Indie: But this morning when I woke up she had texted Harry

Indie: And I didn’t purposefully read his texts but they just pop on his lock screen and I couldn’t help it

Indie: I mean I read them unintentionally

Jason: Just stop excusing yourself and tell us what happened

Indie: She invited him to a concert tonight

Indie: And she said “last week was fun!”

Ollie: Wasn’t Harry on that congress thing?

Jason: Shit

Ollie: Stop it. Don’t listen to JJ, he’s a jealous freak.

Ollie’s typing… And I try not to freak out at Jason’s assumption. She is right. Jason is the jealous type. That’s why I need Ollie’s point of view.

Ollie: I mean they work together. Probably they just went to the congress together too. It’s normal.

Jason: Yeah but why the fuck would she text him that it was fun on a Saturday morning? Like days after? She clearly was trying to initiate a conversation.

Ollie: Who cares about her intentions?

Indie: The thing is Harry’s never mentioned her to me

Indie: And he always picks up her calls even when she calls at like 11 pm on a Friday or worse like on AM on Saturday morning like what the fuck?

Indie: And we have even fought over her calls and he’s picked up.

Ollie’s typing… Jason’s typing…

Jason: I just searched her on Facebook. You’re prettier.

I smile at his attempt.

Ollie: Talk to him.

It’s Ollie’s words that have me thinking. Talk to him. So she thinks there’s something to talk about. And Ollie’s laidback and she is not one bit jealous but she also found it weird. Shit.

Harry’s phone rings and my eyes inevitably search the screen. It’s from the hospital.

“Baby!” Harry yells from the bathroom. “Can you see who’s calling?”

“It’s from the hospital.” I let him know.

“Fuck” the shower stops “can you pick up and tell them to hold on a sec?”

“Sure.”

I pick up the call and bring his phone to my ear.

“Hi, Harry will be with you in a second. He asked me to tell you to please hold on.”

“Uh…” A female voice answers. “Excuse me, who are you?”

“I’m…” I cover the microphone with my hand and talk to Harry “she asked me who I am.”

“Well, tell her.” He laughs. “Who is she?”

“I’m his girlfriend. He asks who are you?”

“His girlfriend?” She sounds surprised. “Oh, I… I didn’t know he…”

“He’s here.” I cut her short.

Harry is smiling when he brings the phone to his ear.

“Hi, sorry, I was in the shower.” He listens. “Oh, hi, Hampstead. What’s up?” He listens.

So Hampstead. What a surprise! And she didn’t know he had a girlfriend, of course.

“Uh… I think that was Danny. I didn’t work yesterday so I am not sure. You should probably ask him. I think he’s on call so send a message to his pager.” He nods as if Hampstead could see him. “Yeah, no problem. Bye, Hampstead. Have a nice day.”

I scroll senseless shit on Twitter so I don’t snap at him. I need to calm down. I need to control this fucking oppressive feeling on my chest but my mind is racing.

Why did he not tell me about her? I think they must be friends or at least friendly if she thinks it’s okay to call him when he’s off duty, especially when freaking professor Gibbins is on call and is the one signing that patients’ paperwork. And he even gives explanations on why he doesn’t pick up on the first tone when he’s off duty. I was in the shower… What do you care?

And why did he not tell her about me? I mean, even Jason could tell her intentions with a single text. I’m guessing it’s a lot more obvious on a day to day basis… And Harry didn’t catch up with that? Why did he never just casually mention he had a girlfriend? He doesn’t even have to tell her about me, just about the roll. Just to have her know that there’s someone sleeping in his bed already.

We haven’t talked much on our stroll along the park behind his apartment. It’s a nice park, with lots of green and trees and wide white stones path for people to stroll like us, or go for a run or walk the dogs. We’ve past some families too. Dads and Mums playing with their children on the grass and I’ve seen Harry staring at them with a hard expression.

I don’t know what’s going on through his mind but he seems to be as pensive as I am. Maybe he’s thinking about Hampstead too.

“Uh, I did tell doctor Hampstead I’m your girlfriend” I say out of the blue “just so you know.”

He tilts his neck to look at me with a confused expression.

“You did?”

“Yeah.” I frown too. “I mean I did tell you she asked me who I was and you said to tell her.”

“Yeah, no, I know what I said.”

I hum and look away.

“Wait, is that what you’ve been thinking about?”

I look at him.

“Is it not what you’ve been thinking about?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “Hampstead called in the morning, she had a doubt about a patient I couldn’t answer and then I hang up. That’s all the thought I’ve given it.” He chuckles.

“She could have called Professor Gibbins… Specially if he was on call… And still she called you.”

Harry frowns as if he wasn’t following me. I sigh.

“She sounded surprised when I let her know I was your girlfriend.”

“Are you serious?” His tone sounds surprised at the realization.

Calm down, Indie. Don’t talk to him in a way you’ll regret, don’t talk in a way you’ll regret. I count to tent in my head. 1, 2, 3, 4…

“Are you jealous?”

I take a deep breath. 1, 2, 3, 4…

“Blue, talk to me.”

“I’m counting to ten.”

“Are you really that mad?”

“I’m not mad.” I stop him right there. “I just feel stupid.”

“Why?”

“Because”

I’m about to tell him last night he said he loved me and… For a second I thought it was true because I love him too but then… This fucking whole Hampstead thing, I just… I am embarrassed that I am more invested in this than he is and I don’t want him to know that.

“Listen, you just never mentioned her despite all the times you’ve talked to me about work and she calls you at very weird times to be work related and… I mean she’s… Pretty.”

“How do you know that?”

He’s not denying it. Sometimes his sincerity is too much. I guess it would have raged me if he had denied it but knowing he thinks she’s pretty doesn’t help my jealous fit.

“That’s what matters? Of everything I said.”

“It kind of does.” He tilts his neck.

“I saw her.” I lie. “On Facebook.” I decide not to.

“When?”

“This morning.” Later on, I will analyse this and realize I’m getting defensive but for now all I feel is my shoulders tensing up and my honour being harmed. “And I saw a picture of you two together having a drink on Tuesday night when you were supposed to be on that congress.”

“Supposed to be?” His eyebrows raised on his forehead. “Excuse me but can I not have a drink with whoever the fuck I want?”

“Yes, of course, that’s not what I’m saying!”

“Then what are you saying?”

“I’m saying you’ve kept this from me for no reason. I mean why didn’t you tell me?”

“So you think just because I didn’t tell you that means I- what? Cheated on you?”

I don’t answer him and his lips part.

“I can’t believe you.” He sighs. “The only reason I didn’t tell her about you is the same reason why I don’t tell anyone at work about you and it’s because you don’t want me to.”

My mouth shuts and my lips purse on a thin line.

“She’s a colleague, just like any other person working with me and I haven’t told you about her because well, there’s not much to tell. She’s just a first year Anaesthesia resident and she’s a bit lost likewise I was when I was a first-year resident and likewise you will be when you are on your first year of residency. So I remember what it was like to be scared, not to know what to do and… She reminded me of you and… That’s why I help her.”

My brain is working a mile per hour and it’s hard for me to catch any thought with how fast they just pass and go.

“So what you’re saying is I have no reason to be jealous.”

“Of course, you don’t.”

“Okay, then why didn’t you tell me that she invited you to a Kings of Leon’s concert tonight?”

Every sign of frustration is removed from his expression and instead he looks at me stern but expressionless or at least I don’t know how to read this.

“You read my texts?”

I shut my eyes.

“I didn’t purposefully read them, they just pop in your screen and don’t give me that because we both know you’ve stuck your nose on my texts before.”

“I have never gone through your phone.”

“Oh, no, I know, I wouldn’t be here if you had.”

“But you get to do it?”

“I didn’t! I didn’t even pick it up! It was just there! And it popped, I couldn’t.. I mean I had just woken up, I truly read them without thinking, I would never purposefully go through your phone.”

“Okay, okay” His hands move in the air to stop my rambling. I think he believes me. “And the fact that I don’t even have my messages hidden, doesn’t make you think that I have nothing to hide? I mean I could have them and, by the way, that would be perfectly legit and wouldn’t even mean anything but you’re saying it- they were right there. It’s not a secret.”

“Then why are you not going?” I challenge him. “Kings of Leon are awesome.”

“Would you like it if I went?” He challenges me back.

“This is not about what I want, what I want doesn’t matter here. This is about you. If she’s just a friend and I have no reason to be jealous, then why won’t you go?”

He takes a deep breath and rest his hand on his hip. Now it’s him who’s counting to ten.

“She is just someone I work with to me but-” He raises his eyebrows before he unlashes the beast “I am not an idiot and… I don’t want to give her the wrong impression.”

“Was it that hard to acknowledge that?” I ask him.

“Was it that hard for you not to assume the worst of me without even talking to me? You always do this, Blue. I mean I already knew you thought I was a junkie but now also a cheater?”

Wow, that was low. So he’s going to through that at my face. I already apologized and he knows how terrible I feel about that and now he’s using that against me? I feel a lump on my throat and try to swallow it so I can speak.

“I… You know how much I regret that.”

“Yeah, well, maybe other than regretting it you should stop doing it. Why can’t you just trust me?”

I frown and look down at his feet.

“Last night” I start “you… and I…”

“I knew you would do this.” He cuts me halfway. “I knew that you were going to pick a fight because you got scared last night but… I’m tired of you using me as your punching-ball, Blue. You unleash all your frustrations on me and I thought I could take it, you know, but… I don’t want to… I’m tired of waiting for you.”

“Waiting for what?”

His words hurt me. Deeply. But I try my best to hold my tears at bay. I don’t want him to see me crying, especially because I don’t want him to stay if he doesn’t want to but he just confirmed every fear I’ve had lately. I am toxic. I am bad for him. I am hurting him and he doesn’t want me.

“For you to open up and let me in and trust me but you don’t and… It hurts, Blue… Uh… I think it’s best if we take a little break…”

“No, Harry! I- I’m sorry.”

I wipe my tears as I keep trying not to cry but this is happening. He’s finally doing what he has to do and yet I don’t want him to. I knew this would happen but I thought… I was trying very hard to let him in.

“Please, don’t cry.” He sighs. “This is how you fix everything. You hurt me and then you cry and I forgive you and when I scare you, you do it again but I… Maybe I’m asking too much of you, I’m not saying this is all your fault. I just thought I didn’t need you to feel the same way I did, I thought I could just… Maybe you’re not ready and… I think you have to work on some things before you are.”

“Harry, please… I… I…” My eyes search his and I can tell then that he is indeed waiting, like he said he was and it’s out of respect that I don’t say it.

“What? You what?”

I know what he wants to hear. He’s been wanting to hear it since this morning. He remembers what he said last night, he was just looking for my reciprocation, but I won’t do this to him. I won’t tell him I love him because I’m afraid of losing him.

“I think you’re right.”

I see the air leaving his chest and I feel a punch on my throat when I see the pain in his eyes. If this is what he wants, then why does he not look happy? Oh, right, it’s because I am that toxic to him. I am no good for him but he doesn’t want to let me go because I have become that toxic person that gives him just enough for him to stick around but not what he deserves.

He wants all from me. He told me last night, but I can’t give it to him. I just can’t. Jason’s words swirl around inside my mind and laugh at me. D’you think any other person would have stick around long enough…? He doesn’t deserve this and I love him, I do. But that’s why I’m letting him go.

I don’t even remember how the goodbye was or when he left or if I was the one who did but after crying my eyes out like a dramatic widow sitting on one of the benches of the park, I manage to get my phone out to ask for the girls.

Coco: Dad told me Harry is going with you to Capitol this week so I’m going too :)

How can something happen so suddenly? He was happy to be going to my dad’s this morning and two hours later he just breaks up with me?

The Golden Girls group chat has also been active.

Marie: Let us know when you talk to him!

Ollie: How did it go?

Jason: Bet they’re fucking.

Marie: Jason!

Indie: Can we meet?

Jason’s calling me.

“Fuck, Indie, where are you? I’ll pick you up.”

“We broke up.” I cry.

“Fuck. Send me your location.”

I do and I wait. This reminds me of that time I picked him up in the middle of nowhere after David Dick abandoned him like a dog. Only this time, I’m the bad guy.

I am terrible person and I don’t know what else to do. Maybe I am destined to be alone and maybe that’s not a bad thing. After all, the whole problem was falling in love because then I will be leaving Dylan behind and I know people don’t understand but people haven’t lost the love of their lives. It’s not a fucking easy thing.

But still, Harry doesn’t deserve that I unleash all my frustrations on him like he said I do because he’s right, I do that. I do that all the time and I treat him like shit because I don’t want him to treat me as someone I’m not. I don’t want him to think I’m this lovely person who deserves to be loved because I’m not. I’m the girl who let her boyfriend died.

That’s yet another thing people don’t understand. But Dylan was begging for help. That’s why he kept smoking and that’s why he had thrown his entire life away. It was his way of letting us know he wasn’t okay and instead of supporting him or loving him I just… I kept fighting him and telling him he needed to stop and… I wasn’t what he needed me to be. I failed him. And then he died. And I will never live past that.

The emergency lights of Jason’s car attract my attention and I get on the car and rest my head on the back of the passenger seat. He drives to the girls’ apartment and we make our way inside in silence.

The girls are sitting on the couch with a worried expression on their faces.

“It’s not what you think.” I start. “It had nothing to do with her.”

“Then what the fuck happened?” Ollie frowns.

So I tell them. I tell them about my confrontation and I tell them what he said and I tell them I agree and Jason says then you didn’t break up and I just look into his eyes because we both know that’s not true.

“But what did you tell him?” Marie asks. “I mean when he said all those things about you not being ready and all that? What did you say?”

I shake my head.

“Nothing.”

“Why?”

“Because I think he’s right.”

“He’s not.” Olivia frowns.

I can tell she is angry. No, she’s furious. I’m not used to this reaction from her. Usually, she’s the one who keeps calm and manages to calm us down. Marie is the one who gets mad, she’s the protective one. So to see Ollie like this is new to me.

“He’s fucking not.” She almost yells. “I mean are you kidding me? He knows what happened to you! He knows and he still didn’t tell you he had had an accident himself! And he chose not to tell you that sometimes he smokes weed when he knew that’s why Dylan died.”

Jason’s mouth opens but he doesn’t have time to say anything for Olivia’s palm rests in the air before him as a sign of stop.

“I don’t think it takes a detective to imagine that Indie might have some issues with weed.” She says through clenched teeth. “And you still listened to him and you forgave him and he fucking decided to still break up with you and now you get jealous, once, and he throws all that at you? I seriously can’t believe him! He’s turning you into this monster and you’re believing it and you’re not!”

I frown concern and surprised when she starts crying. Marie’s hand rests on her shoulder as we all remain silent and she just wipes her tears away.

“No, this is not about me.” She sniffs. “It’s just… I’m tired of seeing you like this, Indie. I’m tired of having you thinking everything is your responsibility and I think you’ve had enough! Fuck! And I’m mad because… You… You lost your fucking boyfriend and you would think he would understand some shit is fucking hard for you and instead here I have my friend crying in my house because this fucking selfish idiot made her feel as if she was some cruel person… You’re not.”

Olivia rests her back against the cushions of the couch and takes a deep breath. She sobs a little more and I find myself pouting as I stare at her.

“When Jack left me for Dulce, you were there for me. When my parents got a divorce, you were there for me. When my brother had the accident, you were there for me.” Her voice croaks again. “And every time Marie’s been sad, you’ve just left everything to come be with her and when David dumped Jason in the fucking highway, who did he call?”

Now I’m crying too and so is Marie.

“So no, I won’t have the best person I know thinking she’s a monster.”

I hug her and we both cry and only when we’ve calmed down, I call my Mum and tell her I’m having lunch with the girls. I promise her tea and biscuits. Selfishly needing some Mum-daughter time too.

After lunch, Ollie falls asleep on the couch halfway through the movie and when it ends, I catch Jason staring at her with a tender smile on his lips.

“She’s fierce, that one.” He whispers.

“Thank God she didn’t have Harry at hands’ reach.” Marie adds.

I giggle softly.

“I know, I wasn’t expecting that.”

Jason’s eyes set on mine and I know he’s trying to read my mind. I let him.

“I think they’re both right.” Jason whispers.

I frown.

“She doesn’t know what we talked about just yesterday.” He reasons. “Maybe if she knew, she wouldn’t have been so hard on him.”

“What did you talk about yesterday?”

“I… I told Jason I felt terrible for the way I treated Harry sometimes. I know it’s just self-destructive shit. I hate doing it but I do and I’ve ended up hurting him. I mean he was right about that pattern he figured out. I do get scare and then push him away and then I regret it so he forgives me and we start all over again.”

“Do you really think you’re bad for him?” Marie whispers.

I look ahead. I think yes. We’ve fought a lot of times. Love is not supposed to be so hard. I think that’s the idea that’s been passed through generations because of Wuthering Heights or Pride and Prejudice but I don’t think that’s what love is. Love should be like loving a brother or a mother. It shouldn’t hurt, it shouldn’t bring more pain than happiness.

“Adam says he thinks you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Harry.” She tells me. “He says he hasn’t seen Harry this happy since before the accident and that he can see the old Harry coming back. When he said that, I thought the same thing was true for you. I can see you, really, fully happy sometimes. So, as much as I was against you two at the beginning, I cannot agree with you on this.”

“We had a fight at your beach house. There I accused him of being an addict and he said he was an addict, but not to weed.” I nod my head. “Now, if this was some sort of toxic love movie, I would be thrilled that he said that but I’m not. I don’t want him to be addicted to me because addictions are not healthy.”

“I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean it like that.” Jason says.

“He did.” I assure him. “We fight too much.”

“You’re a girl who lost her boyfriend and who thinks she doesn’t deserve to fall in love again and he’s a guy who thinks he ruins his sister’s life and put her on a wheelchair so he also thinks he doesn’t deserve love. Why do you think you fight?”

“See? We’re not good for one another.”

“I beg to differ.”

“So if you don’t want that, what do you want?” Marie asks.

“I just want him to be happy.” I shrug. “He’s genuinely good and I don’t want to hurt him.”

Both Jason and Marie smile but I frown.

“He turns you into such a softie. You really like him.” Marie smiles.

“Of course, I do.”

She smiles.

“He told me he loved me last night.” I confess and both my friends grin and get closer to me. “This morning I thought he didn’t even remember but he just thought that it was going to scare me so he didn’t mention it. He did give me a lot of opportunities to tell him myself so I guess he was just finding out if I felt the same.”

“Well, do you?” Marie asks.

“What does it matter now? He doesn’t want me.”

“There’s no way he loves you on Friday night and doesn’t want you on Saturday morning. That’s not how love works.”

I shrug.

“It’s not the same, you can love someone and still don’t want them.”

“You’re head over heels in love with him like a bitch.” Jason states as if he had just realized that.

I sigh.

I don’t deny it.

Yes, I am.

I am head over heels in love with Harry.

#harry styles imagine #harry styles angst #harry styles blurb #harry styles one shot #harry styles imagines #harry styles fluff #harry styles and reader #harry styles fic #harry styles fanfic #harry styles #harry styles new

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wittlebear18 · 3 years

Text

Just a little short story I wrote up.

Alexis( Lex) and Damien

*Lex's pov*

I've been sitting in Damiens office for over an hour now. He told me his meeting would only be about 20 minutes. But that was an hour and 15 minutes ago. I have already eaten my snack he left for me, colored all the pictures, and even tried to take a nap. Which didn't work out. I know sometimes his meetings run long but I'm so bored.

Then I got an idea. I'll read a book while I wait. It surely can't be too much longer now. I grab my phone and open my Wattpad app then start scrolling through all the books I have added to my list. I choose the one I have been working on reading most recently. Oh yeah we were just getting to naughty scene.

Good thing Damien isn't here. He would catch me reading this chapter and I would probably get in trouble. In this scene the guy has the girl pushed up against the shower wall. They are making out and it's getting really steamy and I'm not talking about the shower either. The guy starts to trail his hands down her body toward her kitty. I blush and look around to make sure Damien still hasn't come back.

Once I see I'm in the clear I sink more into the couch and keep reading. He guy runs his hand down to her kitty and starts to rub it. The girl gasps in pleasure. I bite my lip as I continue to read. The guy kisses her neck and starts to put a finger in her kitty. Wow this is making me horney. I rub my thigh high sock covered legs together creating my own friction.

"What do you think you're doing over there little girl?" I gasped and looked up from my phone to see Damien standing in the doorway to his office. "You look too flustered to be playing a game or scrolling through facebook." He said with a smirk on his face.

I clicked my phone off and hid it under my thigh then looked up at him with the most innocent face I could muster. "I-I'm not doing anything D-Damien." I bit my lip then looked down at my lap.

He slowly walked over to me and crouched down by the part of the couch I was laying on. "You sure about that little girl? You were biting that sexy little lip of yours..." he said as he used his thumb to pull my lip from between my teeth. "And you were rubbing these big..." He put his hands on my thighs and squeezed them sending a shiver of pleasure through my kitty. "Delicious..." He said as he pushed them apart. "Beautiful thighs together in a very naughty way. Weren't you little girl?"

"Y-y-yes D-damien.." I stuttered out becoming more flustered at his words and actions. He gave me a sharp look and said "Yes who? What are you to call me when we're alone?" I bit my lip again and looked into his eyes which were now dark and lustful. "Yes D-daddy." I corrected myself.

His face softend but his eyes stay the deep blue color they get when he's in daddy mode. "That's my good girl. Now tell daddy. What was it that had you all squirmy?" He looked at me clearly expecting an answer. But I was too embarrassed to tell. So I just sighed and handed him my phone. He unlocked it and read through the page I was on. Then he swipped to the next page. "Daddy!" I whined.

Without looking up at me he said "Lex do good girls whine?" He swipped to another page then looked up at me with an eyebrows raised. I pouted out my lip at him and pointed to my phone. "You're going to lose my place. I havent read that far yet..." I whined again. He leaned in and kissed my pouty lip. "Okay baby girl." He swipped back to the page I was on then put the phone down. "I'll stop reading your book. But you have to tell daddy something. Okay?" I nodded my head at him and he gave me a stern look. "Use your words little girl."

I nodded and said "Yes daddy." He smiled and put his hand on my thigh just above where the thigh high socks ended. He started rubbing his thumb in circles in what I'm sure was meant to be soothing. But it was just making me feel all tingly. "Good girl. Now tell daddy. Is that....." he pointed to my phone. "What you want? Hmmm? You want daddy to fuck you like a little shut in the shower?"

I turned impossibly more red than I already was and looked down at his hand on my thigh. He grabbed my throat lightly making me look up at him. "I asked you a question little girl and I expect you to answer me." He started moving his hand further up my thigh and squeezed the hand on my throat a little. I bit my lip and let out a small breathy moan. But other than that didn't make a sound.

His eyes grew darker and removed his hands from my body standing up tall in front of my tiny self. Then he picked me up and walked me over to the wall by his desk. He pressed me up against it causing me to gasp. "Is this what you want little girl?" He said as he started leaving kisses and bites on my neck. I let out another moan and put my hands in his curly black hair. He stopped and pulled his lips away then looked me in the eyes. "You're going to have to tell me if you want me to continue. Daddy can't read your mind. Even if I did read your book."

His eyes were boring into me and I knew he was losing his patients. "D-daddy I want you to do what I was reading in my book. I want you t-t-to..." I looked down and blushed. "T-to fuck my kitty l-l-like a good little slut." I could hear him groan and he pushed me back into the wall again. "Thats a good girl." He growled out as he started attacking my neck and my one exposed shoulder with hungry kisses.

He slipped his hand up the front if my oversized sweater and into my bra. He squeezed my breast then rolled my nipple between his fingers. I let out a loud moan at the feel of his warm rough hands on my sensitive nipple. He brought his kisses up to my ear and whispered "Shhh baby you gotta be quiet. Unless you want everyone on this floor to know what a little slut you are..." I gasped and used one of my hands to cover my mouth as he once again rolled my nipple between his fingers.

He kissed his way along my jaw line to my lips then planted hungry kiss on my lips. His tongue darted out at my lips but I kept them closed, which caused him to growl into the kiss. He brought his hand around and smacked my mostly exposed ass which caused me to gasp. He took that opportunity to plunge his tongue into my mouth. My own tongue tried to fight him for dominance but it was no use. We continued to make out for a while until we needed to take a pause to breathe.

He used our moment to pull off my sweater and bra. I blushed and bit my lip. He pulled my lip from between my teeth and then trailed that hand down my neck, through the valley of my breasts, circled my belly button, then along the lacy top of my panties. "Fuck baby girl you have no idea what you do to daddy." He said as his eyes followed his hands trail on my pantie line. He moved his hand further down and cupped my kitty. I moaned and blushed cause I was sure he could feel how wet I am.

"Oh baby girl your pussy is so ready for me. What a good little slut getting nice and wet for daddys big cock." He ran a finger along the length of my folds and stopped at my clit. Then started to apply pressured circles to my sensitive button. I threw my hand over my mouth to muffle the scream of a moan I knew was about to come out. He walked us over to his desk and used the arm that wasn't holding me to swipe everything onto the floor. Then he set me down next to it and crouched down to where he was looking up at me.

He started to pull my panties down when there was a knock at the door. A male voice came from the other side of the door. "Mr.Blake is everything alright in there? I thought I heard a loud crash?" I blushed and tried to run and hide but Damien grabbed my hips and heald me in place. "No everything is just fine in here." He yelled to whatever one of his employees was on the other side of the door. "Why don't you just cancel my next few appointments for me?" Then he lowered his voice so only I could hear and said "Cause this is going to take a while."

He smirked at me and went back to pulling my panties down. He tossed them toward the couch and turned me around so I was bent over the desk. "Now I should punish you little girl for reading such dirty things and then lying to me about it. Do you think 10 is fair little girl?" I was about to nod my head in response but stopped when he said sternly. "Oh and do be sure to use your words like a good girl this time."

I cleared my throat and let out a quiet "Yes daddy." He rubbed my left cheek and then lifted his hand. It came down hard and I let out a squeak. "One" He said then rubbed the other cheek and repeated the process. At number 6 I was starting to not only feel the pain but also feel my wetness dripping from my kitty to my thighs. Once he got to 10 I heard a zip sound and something rubbing in the juices that were coming from my kitty.

"Little girl your so ready for me to use that tight little hole of yours." He groaned and started to prod at my hole with the tip of his dick. I bit my lip and squeezed my eyes shut in preparation for the pain of him entering my kitty. He slammed it in about half way and I couldn't hold in the screamed moan that came from me.

He pulled his shirt off and laid it next to my face. "Bite down on that to muffle you sounds of pleasure you little slut. Don't want them to come knocking again do we?" After he said this he began thrusting into my kitty over and over until I felt that tightness in my belly like it was going to explode. I guess could feel it too cause he slowed down to an extremely slow pace. I groaned and he said "Now now little girl. Were you about to cum without my permission? Seems to me you are looking for another punishment."

I let the shirt go from my mouth and started rocking back into his thrusts. "D-daddy. P-p-please! Don't s-stop. I want to.... I-I need to......" he smacked my right ass cheek and stopped my hips with his other hand. "You need to what little slut? Be a good girl and tell me. Maybe then you can find your release?" I can basically hear the smirk in his voice.

I groaned again. "I-I need to cum! Please please D-daddy! Please l-let me cum!" I almost shouted at him in frustration. With that he began slamming into me faster and harder than before. I shoved my face in the shirt to muffle the moans and screams coming from me. But I doubt it helped much. I felt that balloon filling up again. With one last thrust I let it all go and screamed "Daddy! Yes daddy!" Into the shirt.

As I rode out my climex Damien didn't stop he kept moving in and out just as fast and hard as he was before. And just as I was coming down from my high he slammed into me one last time. Letting his own climex go and filling me with his warm seed. He then laid down over me squishing me between himself and the desk. We let our breathing go back to normal and heart rates go back down.

After a few minutes I giggled and said "Daddy you're squishing me!" He groaned and pushed himself up off of me thenpulled me off and started cleaning us both up with one of the towels he keeps hidden in his desk. He pulled my panties back on. Then went and retrieved my sweater that was disguarded somewhere in he room and put that on me too. He fixed my thigh high socks, as they had rolled down during our play session.

"There you go princess. What do you say we get some ice cream on the way home. Maybe if your good we can even watch your favorite movie?" He gave me a knowing smile. I jumped up and hugged him tight excitedly. "Yay! Icecream and tangled!!!"

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astro-break · 4 years

Text

Thoughts on the third ep of Hypmic Rhythm Anima (as always, spoilers beware but not only for the anime itself but for future things covered in the Drama CD and the Manga. If you’re an anime only, those are marked with a *)

Right off the bat. Super disappointed that it isn’t a MTC episode. I wanted an MTC episode. :((((

Still got my MTC crumbs this week tho and I think I can hold out until next week which hopefully will give me the MTC episode I so desperately want (Yes, i have a division bias and i’m not afraid to show it)

Jakurai entertaining kids are just so cute. I think its very very precious.

* Also. What kind of doctor is Jakurai anyways? So far we know that he’s a councilor/therapist (helps Doppo w/ his anxiety), a pediatrician (he helped a kid), a family doctor (I think i might be wrong on this one), a surgeon (In the FP vs MTC manga he’s shown preforming surgery), a hitman/assassin (:/ yeah evil line records seems intent on retconning this one), a battle field medic (he’s state to be one during WWIII) and now he’s getting called into the orthopedic (things concerning the musculoskeletal system) and gastroenterology (working w. the digestive system) department, two things that have nothing in common with each other. And I’m sure I’m missing some. There is no way in hell this man can do all that he’s 35 for fucks sake. You’d be old and grey before you could learn and complete the credentials needed to work half of these jobs

Nice to now that theres some hints of jakurai’s past. I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of the detective later in the story, esp for Matenrou

Doppo being overworked as usual *sigh*. When will the man ever rest? Never... Though im a bit skeptical as to why one of his co-workers calls him doppo. this is a work environment, usually he’d be called “Kanonzaka” for the least amount of informality. seems sus to me. Though his depiction of his insecurities is nice

I love how his first reaction is to call Hifumi and as him if he’s killed anyone. Peak bromance guys.

Honestly Doppo’s method of trying to calm down is nice but not at all effective. He has the right mindset of calming down and letting his body breath, but the way he goes about it is... eh.

Tom and Iris’ argument is hilarious and I really want to see more of them and Rex! Can’t wait to see what happens with these three new characters

Iasdgfjsd;flkasjdflkasdjfkasdlvn ajsdk, MTCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

MY BPOYS OH MY GOD RIOU NEVER CHANGE

fsajghasdf i love them asdhfoiksldjfasdfj riou’s food looks so so so so so good omgggggg

Samatoki respecting the fuck outta Jakurai is amazing and I never get tired of their father-child kind of relationship (yes jakurai is a dad to TDD fight me.)

The Riou and Samatoki interactionnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ah my heart!! they know each other so well and play off each others strengths. its so cute and I love how Samatoki knows his teammates well enough to know when to play each of his pieces. He isn’t just some brute who speaks through his fists, but he does use his head too. I think this is one of the reasons why he’s also high up on the Yakuza ladder since he’s not only brawny but also brainy

EAT RIOUS FOOD SAMATOKI

ah yes, Jyuto kneeing a bitch. just what I needed to see on a stressful friday thank you for feeding me

I love MTC, im very happy with the MTC crumbs. Since MTR showed up in BB’s ep last week, i really really hope that next week’s ep will be MTC

There it is. Jakurai’s “Jitsuni Kyoumibukai” line

lolololololol the sound effects for MTR is hilarious. Though please give Doppo a break, man deserves it

Jaku’s hair man. its beautiful

Again, please give Doppo a break, he deserves with the 4 joints that they attacked

They say 3 times, but they attacked 4 places?? Did they not report one of them?

Ahhhhh the DoHifu interaction on the temple grounds is both hilarious and cute. Though I can’t help but feel bad for Doppo

* Huh, Jaku did you get that from your hitman days loll

Oh man host mode. Though I like how Doppo recognizes when Host Mode is a legitimate shield that Hifumi needs and is willing to give him that shield when he needs it. God I love their dynamic]

wow... yet another female stalker for Hifumi... very original. This is pretty similar to the stalker girl from the manga and CD

Lol callback to when Doppo was in the toilet and trying to calm down.

pffft the girl is so weird. I can’t stand her or Uwabami.

The plot is so convoluted holy shit. Is this a drama now? (I’ve never watched any c-dramas or k-dramas so I’m the furthest thing from a voice of authority but this seems like a drama show plot lmao.)

This is just a drama at this point lol. Misunderstandings, plot twists and cheesy shit all over the place. Its a badly written and hilarious drama thats for sure

Someone please write a fic where instead of the hypmic universe, the boys are all in a tv drama show plot and their hijinks bc it would fit perfectly. please

Ah, Doppochin snapped~ He’s very interesting once he gets fired up and thats when I really really like MTR. Don’t get me wrong, I love them normally but its when they get down to it that really makes me squeal in delight

Oh! So i think each character gets their own personalized intro w/ their speakers, not just the leaders. Thats honestly so so so cool. The 3D didn’t get in the way of the sequence and was really flashy and smooth. I love how they show the transformation and reveal of the mic and speaker. Honestly the Anime has so many good takes on thigs that aren’t touched on often in the franchise.

The rap was honestly fire this time around. I love it and have replayed it almost 20 times. According to the ending credits its called Welcome U which is so cute for such a funny and badass song. The strong base beat and imagery were so strong and included a lot of homages to things that really matches both Shinjuku, Matenrou and the lyric’s themes and they’re really small but important details! The humor was on point without sacrificing any of the amazingly cool elements and the three distinct styles of rap were integrated in such a catchy melody!

EG) the verse All Year Round features a quick shot of the four seasons and the things most prominently associated with each season. Spring has cherry blossoms and flower viewing, Summer has festivals, Fall and Winter have food that corresponds to events that happen in those seasons.

Doppo’s line of “The flea counters w/ a bite” is so so so cute bc he’s got a little w at the end and thats jp chatspeak for a laugh and skjdfhsdjfkslad adorable

Hifumi picking up right after and asking if Doppo is okay is just. Goals. And his gratutious english works really well and is super smooth! Very very good

Also the small homage to The Champions with Hifumi’s “Jump around” line and the format where Hifumi takes separate lines than Jaku and Doppo. Its a brilliant way to sneak these references in and they’ve kept that theme going from last episode

Foreshadowing with “We’re the true leader, Matenro!” Nice touch there lol.

Lol of course its attempted murder. Still gotta keep this PG 13 even though theres swearing abound

The ending w/ mimimi..... leaves me kind of torn since i don’t like how it ended but they did provide some nice advice. i guess

lsdf;jsalkdfjsldf Hifumi please you’ve known Doppo for over 25 years, you should know better than anyone what his charm points are. and shouldn’t you be the one who understands Doppo’s appeal? smh

SCREEEEEEE THAT TITLE OF THE NEXT EP. if its an MTC ep i will scream even more bc asudhfsdkjflasd A friend in need is a friend indeed this is just pushing my Poly!MTC agenda isn’t it

Final thoughts:

Please please please let next week be MTC please please please

DoHifu are goals, both romantically and platonically

The rap was fire and I’m going to keep listening to it on repeat. First ep was a bit of a disappointment in terms of CGI and raps but these latest two eps are really picking up the slack! I really hope they continue this for the next two!

JAKURAI WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR ARE YOU PLEASE TELL ME

#hypmic #hypnosis mic #hypnosis mic rhyme anima #hypnosis mic rythme anima spoilers #hypmic spoilers

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idnek83 · 3 years

Text

Aid - Chapter 2/13

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham

Tags: Alternate Universe - Island Mode, No Game Spoilers, Masturbation, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Semi-Public Sex, Grinding, Wet Dreams, Anal Fingering, Friends With Benefits, Getting Together, Internalized Homophobia, Anal Sex

Summary: Everyone is hot and half naked because of their beach vacation. Soda is horny and tries to do something about it. Gundham tries to help and does. It all gets a little out of hand.

Chapter: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Read on Ao3

This Chapter: Soda isn't really sure where he stands with Gundham right now, but he's not going to worry about it. The boys bond over hamsters.

_____________________

All in all, things had been way less awkward than Soda thought they would be.

After catching his breath and cleaning up the mess Soda had made on his stomach, Gundham simply left the beach house, stating that he needed to “construct fortifications worthy of The Four Dark Devas of Destruction,” grabbing a bucket and small plastic shovel on his way out of the storage room.

Soda had given himself a moment to think about how weird, and maybe slightly cute, Gundham was for making his hamsters a sandcastle, before leaving out the back door of the beach house.

After that he didn’t see Gundham again until dinner, where he took the seat beside Soda silently and began to eat his meal.

This caught Hajime’s attention, and when he asked about it Gundham spoke up for the first time that meal.

“Kazuichi has elected to ally his body with mine on my dark crusade through this mortal realm. Is it so unnatural that I deign to be near those who I consider my confidants?”

‘Ally his body with mine’? Did Gundham actually just admit to everyone that they had… we’ll they didn’t really fuck, but they had gotten each other off and that was still super awkward to just announce in the middle of a group dinner.

“Oh, so you two are buddies now then?” Akane offered through a mouthful of meat.

Sonia, who seemed to have the uncanny ability to perfectly understand what Gundham was saying at least 50% of the time, narrowed her beautiful eyes and raised a perfectly shaped brow, her gaze shifting between the two of them.

“Uh, yeah. Haha, you got a problem with us being bros, Hajime? Promise I’ll always make time for my soul buddy, so ya don’t gotta be jealous.” Soda forced an exaggerated laugh to try to hide how nervous he felt under Sonia’s stunning gaze. “So, uh, anyways, Hajime, who ended up winning that game of chicken?”

With the topic safely changed the rest of the dinner was pretty unremarkable, aside from Soda constantly replaying what Gundham had said in his mind, and trying to figure out just what exactly the fuck he had meant. It had to be just weird Gundham speak for ‘we’re bros now’ right? There’s no way he would just come out and tell everyone they got each other off, even in his weird cryptic way of speaking, right?

Everyone ended up just heading back to their cabins after dinner, and Soda found himself sleeping better than he had since they arrived on the island.

When they met up for breakfast the next day Gundham sat next to him again, bantering with their classmates in the same strange way he usually did, no strange maybe-confessions of hooking up to be heard. Soda relaxed and let himself join the conversation like normal.

The rest of the day passed without note, Soda spent most of it fiddling with various knickknacks he had found around the island and wishing he could have brough his bike to work on instead. When dinner rolled around Gundham once again took his seat beside Soda, and he accepted that this was just the way it was gonna be from now on.

Except that now he’s been sitting in the hotel restaurant for like 20 minutes, having finished his breakfast a while ago, and the seat beside him is still empty.

Where the hell was Gundham?

Well whatever, dude can do what he wants, it’s not like they made a promise to eat together or anything.

Soda picked up his plate and took it over to the kitchen to be washed later. When he turned around Gundham was behind him.

“Shit!” Soda jumped back before calming down a bit “D-don’t fucking do that man, you scared me.”

“Apologies, my companion. I did not mean to frighten you, it had slipped my mind just how dulled mortals’ senses are. I will be sure to alert you of my presence next time.”

Soda rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed by how startled he had been. “Whatever dude. Where were you anyways? You missed breakfast.” Right when he had just gotten used to him being there too.

“Ah, I must apologize again.” Gundham actually bowed slightly this time. “I was cleansing impurities from the lairs of my Dark Devas, and it would appear that I fell prey to some fiendish time anomaly.”

Cleaning his hamster cages and lost track of time, got it.

Gundham stood upright again. “However, now that the Devas’ lairs have been properly cleansed, it would be safe for a mortal such as yourself to lay eyes on them.”

Gundham seemed to be waiting for Soda to say something. Oh, was that his way of inviting him to check out his hamster cages? Soda didn’t really know a lot about caring for hamsters, so he wouldn’t mind going back to Gundham’s room and-

Oh.

Gundham’s room.

Shit was Gundham propositioning him? It was still pretty early, but maybe Gundham was more of a morning guy when it came to getting off. Ok, yeah, he could work with that.

Soda could feel himself blushing. “S-sure.”

Gundham simply raised an eyebrow.

Right he didn’t actually ask Soda to come ‘look at his hamster cages,’ he just heavily implied that Soda should ask him if he could ‘look at his hamster cages.’

“Right, I mean, if it’s safe and whatever do you think I could take a look at your ham- uh, Devas’ lairs?”

“If that is your wish, I will accompany you their lairs once I have found sustenance.”

Right, you shouldn’t bone on an empty stomach. That’s probably a thing people say, right?

“Cool, I’ll just, uh, be in my room then. So just come get me once your… sustained?” Look, he was trying alright?

Gundham spared him a nod before moving to find his own breakfast. Then Soda left the hotel to go sit in his room like a dumbass who definitely should have just stayed in the hotel cus what the fuck was he gonna do in his room for the like 10 minute it would take Gundham to eat?

He entered his cabin and flopped onto his bed. Should he like, put on sexy underwear or something? Did he own sexy underwear? All his boxers fit him pretty much the same, and even if they were slightly different, they were all covered in similar random splashes of neon colors, so none of them really seemed any sexier than the others.

What the fuck were you supposed to do while waiting for a hookup? He couldn’t, like, get things started on his own cus he still had to walk over to Gundham’s cabin and he wasn’t gonna risk getting caught with a hard-on again. He wasn’t sure if he had enough time to shower either… not that it’d really matter since he’d just be getting all hot and sweaty again soon anyways...

Nope, can’t think about that right now, still have to make that walk.

Soda stood and walked over to the mirror in the bathroom. He combed out his hair with his fingers, fiddled with his braid, and checked his teeth for food. Great, he had killed like 30 seconds.

Why was he so nervous damnit! They had already seen each other naked, hell he had Gundham’s dick in his mouth! He swallowed his cum! There was nothing to be nervous about!

Unless… what if Gundham wanted more this time? Soda hadn’t really thought too much about actual sex with a dude yet. Like, what exactly would Gundham expect him to do? Would he be into it if Gundham put his dick in his-

There was a knock at the door and Soda jumped.

Shit, no more time to think about it.

Soda opened the door, kinda hoping it wasn’t actually Gundham who had knocked, but there he was, in all his weird, handsome glory.

“H-hey.” It would be rude to back out now, right? Like they had that whole pact thing Gundham had mentioned so…

“I have reconstituted this mortal shell, so let us make haste. The Devas have granted you access to their lairs, Kazuichi, it would not do to make them wait.” Gundham turned and walked away.

Ok, shit, he could do this, he’d be fine. He didn’t even actually know if Gundham was gonna try to fuck him, like, they were probably just gonna mess around again, right?

Soda took a deep breath, slowly exhaled and followed Gundham to his cabin.

Once inside Soda made sure to lock the door behind himself. He needed a moment, so he pressed his head against the solid wood of the door and took another deep breath.

“Are you unwell, my companion?” Ok yeah, Gundham was gonna notice that and he was dumb for not realising it.

“I’m good, just-“

Gundham was behind him when he turned, like, right behind him. The sheer closeness of him made Soda blush, and he couldn’t manage to look Gundham in the eye. However, Gundham apparently wasn’t going to let him hide.

Soda felt Gundham place his finger below his chin, and gently lift his head so he could see his face. God, he thought they were close before, but having their faces, their mouths, so near each other made the distance feel unbelievably smaller somehow. Soda didn’t know what to do, his eyes were locked on the mismatched set currently examining his own face and he was frozen.

He felt Gundham shift, bringing his other hand up towards his face as well, and Soda couldn’t help but close his eyes, not certain what was about to happen, but anticipating it anyway.

The press of lips against his-

Gundham placed his hand on Soda’s forehead and hummed, shaking him out of whatever the hell he was imagining.

“You feel quite warm. Are you certain you are not unwell? I am positive the Devas will grant you access another time if you are not yet ready for their splendor.”

Was he ready?

“No, really I’m fine. I’m just, uh, excited I guess?” Might as well just get it over with, at least figure out what exactly Gundham wants from him before he freaks out about it. “So maybe we can just like… get right to it?”

“Such enthusiasm” Gundham’s voice was low, approving, and still so damn close that Soda could swear he felt it vibrate through his body. “Very well then.”

Gundham stepped backwards and gestured grandly to the room “Behold!”

Soda was still reeling from the tonal whiplash his own stupid thoughts were giving him, so the dumbfound look on his face, as he surveyed the colorful sprawling tubes winding their way across the floor, into a large cage and back out the top of it, was genuine.

“Impressive, is it not? The Four Dark Devas of Destruction demand not but the best in all things. This lair may be but a fragment of their true dwelling, but it is still magnificent! Do you not agree?”

Soda continued to stare at the strange structure before him, he was literally speechless.

Wait so, when Gundham asked him to come look at his hamster cages… he had actually just meant he wanted him to look at his hamster cages?

“Ha! It seems your mortal mind was not yet ready to behold such a marvel! Fear not, my dear companion, the Devas power shall not harm you while I am here! Should you still feel overwhelmed, however, you need only let me know and I will return you to your own domain swiftly.”

Gundham crossed his arms and hid the bottom half of his face in his scarf. It looked like he was starting to get embarrassed by Soda’s continued silence. Shit, he didn’t want him to think he thought it was dumb or something, time to tell his confused dick to shut up, and get his equally confused brain to start making words.

“Oh, sorry dude. I was just, um, super surprised! I mean, this stuff takes up like half your room. You must be really dedicated to taking care of your, uh, Devas if you’re willing to give up so much space for them. Like, damn dude.”

As Soda spoke, he watched as Gundham practically inflate with pride again. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t happy to see it.

“Well of course, a proper environment is important to all creatures, both large and small, but I do not consider the lost space a determent to my own domain, rather-“

Gundham began to monologue about the importance of varied and enriching environments, before delving deeply into different aspects of proper hamster care. Soda couldn’t really keep up, but he was enjoying watching Gundham talk so animatedly about something he was obviously passionate about. As Gundham talked, Soda crouched down and began to examine the tubes up close. They didn’t exactly look like they were hard to connect, but the thought of Gundham painstakingly placing them, ensuring they were properly connected so his hamsters didn’t escape or get hurt, made him smile and feel a warmth in his chest completely different from what he had felt earlier.

Gundham crouched down beside him, pausing his monologue, and immediately a hamster skittered through the tubes and stopped in front of them, as if summoned. Soda looked from the hamster to Gundham, and made sure to commit the soft smile that appeared on Gundham’s face to memory.

“Ah, Jum-P, you appear to be at full strength once again.” Gundham gently disconnected a section of the tube and allowed the hamster to crawl into his hand, before carefully reconnecting the tunnel.

“Full strength? Was he sick?”

“Jum-P was waging war with an unidentified demon late into the night. By this morning, the demon had been banished, but Jum-P was left weakened by the battle, I… was worried the battle may have been to fierce.” Gundham’s face was sober as he spoke, he was carefully examining the hamster in his hand at the same time, probably checking for any signs of remaining illness or injury.

Oh, so that was why Gundham had missed breakfast, he must have been up pretty late taking care of his hamster. In fact-

“Gundham, did you… did you get any sleep last night?” Now that he was looking, there were definitely dark circles under Gundham’s eyes. Gundham did not look away from the hamster.

“I could not rest while one of my Devas fought such a fierce battle. Though, I fear there was little I could do without knowing the true identity of the demon.” Gundham looked sad as he began to pet the hamster. “I apologize, Jum-P, I was unable to assist you in your time of need. I have failed as your guardian.” God, he had never seen Gundham look so miserable before.

“I’m sure that’s not true…” Gundham raised his miserable gaze to Soda “I-I mean, even if you couldn’t, um, fight the demon for him, I’m sure just having you there helped, right? Animals are supposed to be sensitive to that kinda stuff, aren’t they? I’m sure he knew you were there worrying about him and it, like, helped him fight better!” He was having a hard time sticking to Gundham’s battle metaphor, but he looked a bit less miserable, so Soda kept talking. “Sometimes all you really need is someone there to support you right? Everything’s a little less scary that way, so I’m sure you helped Jum-P more than you know! Uh, right?”

Gundham smiled softly again, this time while looking at Soda, and he was pretty sure he was going to die any second from how goddamn handsome this man was. When Gundham looked back at his hamster Soda was both relieved and disappointed.

“I have misjudged you, my dear companion, it appears you possess great wisdom, incongruous with your outward appearance. I thank you for your words, friend.”

“Hell yeah I’m wise, and don’t you forget it!” Soda was pretty sure Gundham had said he looked dumb somewhere in there, but whatever, he’d let it slide for now.

“Would you like to hold him?” Gundham extended the hand holding Jum-P towards Soda. The hamster was tiny, and had apparently just recovered from some disease, Soda was a little worried about hurting it by accident, but if Gundham trusted him…

“Can I? I mean is Jum-P cool with letting a mortal like me hold him? What if I, y’know, accidently hurt him or something?”

“You require great dexterity while attending to your constructs do you not? I trust your hands to be capable of managing Jum-P, he is the most tranquil of my Devas. However, if you are nervous, I will lend you my aid.” Soda blushed at the word, and he couldn’t be sure, but he thought Gundham did as well. “Hold your hands like so.” Gundham cupped both his hands together, creating a sort of bowl for the hamster to rest in.

Soda copied him, and Gundham placed the hand not occupied by Jum-P below Soda’s, supporting them as he gently placed the hamster into Soda’s palms, petting him lightly after he let go. Jum-P felt warm and ridiculously fragile in his hands, and Soda immediately began to panic. He was absolutely going to hurt this hamster somehow and Gundham was going to hate him.

“Relax.” There was that low voice again, so close, and this time Soda was certain he felt it reverberate through his body. He took a deep breath and focused on keeping his hands steady as the hamster sniffed his palms.

“Do I stink or something?” Soda let out a nervous laugh.

“Your scent is quite pleasant, Jum-P is simply familiarizing himself with it.” Gundham once again began to pet the hamster in Soda’s hands, still supporting them from below with his own.

Soda flicked his eyes up to Gundham’s face, and there was that stupid soft smile again. Soda suddenly became aware of their position. They were basically holding hands around the hamster, sitting with their knees touching and their heads bent together, foreheads no more than an inch apart. Had Gundham just said he smelled nice? He felt that weird warmth from earlier again, the one that had nothing to do with his dick and sat heavy in his chest. He swallowed and looked back down at the hamster.

“Oh! Is he asleep?” The hamster had curled up in his palms and looked to be breathing peacefully.

“Yes, it would appear Jum-P has deemed you worthy of his trust. You should be honored.”

“Oh, thanks little dude.” He giggled a bit “So do we have to sit here like this until he wakes up, or?”

Soda was enjoying himself, but his knees were starting to hurt, and he had no idea how long hamsters slept for…

“That will not be necessary, Jum-P is a sound sleeper, he will not be disturbed by being relocated to his lair. Would you like to do it, or shall I?”

Soda was pretty flattered that Gundham would trust him enough to carry the hamster across the room the cage, but he didn’t trust himself not to trip over one of the hamster tubes on the way.

“You should probably do it, I’m still pretty worried about dropping him.”

“Very well.” Gundham scooped the hamster from his palms, and Soda had to admit he kinda missed the feeling of its furry little body in his hands.

Almost as much as he missed the feeling of Gundham’s hand on his.

He wasn’t really ready to think about what that meant just yet.

Next Chapter

#Soudam #Soda kazuichi #gundham tanaka #danganronpa #danganronpa 2 #fic #Soda/Gundham #Fellas is it gay to tenderly cradle your bro's hands while you let him hold a hamster than means more to you than your own life?#Fic Aid #My writing

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multishippingtrashfire · 4 years

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Diego’s First Kiss(es)

Summary: Diego was 14 when he first kissed a girl. Diego was 20 when he first kissed a guy.

Or Diego's Bisexual Awakening

Notes: Hi this is my first ever story, so any constructive criticism, please let me know. This story was not beta'd so if you notice any mistakes, let me know and i'll fix it. I just wanted to give Diego some love and he's my bisexual king.

2003

Diego was 14 when he first kissed a girl. The night started out the way it usually does, with Klaus sneaking out because he can’t take another minute in the Academy. With Klaus sneaking out, Ben decides he has to go with Klaus because Ben knows Klaus is reckless and he feels it is his personal responsibility to make sure Klaus gets home safely. Diego, as the second oldest and protective of his two brothers, feels as though it is his responsibility to make sure that Ben gets home safe too, so at 11pm, they all sneak out.

They end up at the park, where a small party seems to be taking place. It’s just a bunch of other 14 year olds, smoking weed, drinking and making out, hanging off the various playground equipment and throwing red solo cups around, while a stereo is playing the radio in the background. Klaus fits right in, always ready for a good time, a moment to quiet the spirits. He’s already dancing, swinging a bottle of what looks like Jack Daniels and he took a hit off a blunt before he even started drinking. He’s the life of the party and everyone already loves him; they never even question where he came from.

Diego and Ben don’t fit in quite as easily.

They aren’t really sure how to mesh with this new crowd of people and honestly Diego is afraid to speak, because he doesn’t want to stutter and embarrass himself. So instead he chooses to migrate to a swingset a little off to the left, deciding to really just observe, mainly for danger but also because he doesn’t know how a party really happens. He sips on the solo cup and pulls a face at the taste of its contents but says nothing. His intense focus on watching Klaus and Ben’s figures is interrupted by a girl sitting in the swing next to his.

He’ll swear she didn’t startle him but truthfully? She did.

Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. In the dim lights from the park, it looked like it was black and her eyes are truthfully what really pulled him. It was two of the bluest eyes Diego had ever seen and they had flecks of brown throughout too. He doesn’t even realize he’s staring until she starts waving her hand in his face.

“Huh?” Diego blurts out, realizing she said something

“I said these stupid parties suck. And then you looked like I started doing Umbrella kids tricks.” She snorts, taking a sip of her drink. And for the first time Diego is reminded that this is kind of awesome, he’s not Number 2 of the Umbrella Academy, he’s just Diego.

He takes a deep breath and nods, choosing the strong silent route, at least until he can get his thoughts under control. And with his thoughts under control, his words would come out clearer, that’s what Mom always told him.

“Quiet type? Me too usually.” She offers up, kicking her legs a bit in front of her. “I’m Zoey.”

“Diego.” He responds. His name was the first word he worked on with Mom. If nothing else, he was determined to say that without his stutter.

“Nice to meet you, Diego.” She tosses him a lopsided smile and Diego realizes he’s started holding his breath, and that his heart is beating abnormally fast. He’s never been this close to a girl who wasn’t his sister. She’s pretty.

“Where do you go to school?” She inquires, cocking her head to the side.

He takes a deep breath, visualizes the words in his head but it still comes out as “Pri-Private Sch-School”. He drops his head in shame. He feels like a fucking idiot. He’s too old to be tripping over his words like this.

But Zoey just nods, acts like she didn’t hear the stuttering. “Cool. I go to public but I skip all the time. School feels like a waste, all they do is teach you to be the same as the person next to you.” She looks off thoughtfully. And Diego just nods again. Before he realizes it, they’ve been sitting in each other’s silence for 10 minutes, just swinging back and forth. And it’s nice.

She startles him again, when she grabs at his hand. He blinks at her owlishy and she just looks at him, waiting. He realizes she’s waiting for him to show his consent. And he has butterflies in his stomach, so he squeezes her hand and smiles back at her.

It’s another 10 minutes of comfortable silence, just feeling Zoey’s hand in his own, when she stops swinging.

“You should kiss me.” She states boldly, but Diego can feel the tremor in her hand too. He’s holding his breath and his heart is beating impossibly fast and Diego realizes he’s about to kiss a girl.

He gulps, nods and starts leaning over. Before he makes it in for the kiss, he closes his eyes, too nervous to look at her now. And then their lips touch. It’s gentle, a soft brush of the lips and for the first time, Diego can smell her hair and whatever perfume she’s wearing. It smells like cupcakes. He feels like he might be falling in love.

She pulls back and smiles shyly. And Diego feels his cheeks start to pink. He just kissed a girl. A girl wanted to kiss him and did.

Before he can enjoy the moment more, he hears Klaus and Ben shouting his name as they sprint towards him. The panic in his brother’s faces, makes him bolt upright, breaking his handlock with Zoey. He feels himself slipping into Number 2 mode, his hand moving to the knives tucked on his side, ready to eliminate whatever threat coming for his brothers.

“Gotta go! Gotta go now!” and “Someone called the police!” are being said overtop of one another and for the first time, Diego notices the quick movements of the other teenagers as they begin to scatter to all directions of the park. Diego hears the distinct whop whop of a cop car siren as the flashing red and blue lights come into view.

By now, Zoey’s jumped up too and poured their cups out in the grass. Klaus and Ben start pulling him away and he never gets to say anything to Zoey, as he pulled off. He waves dumbly and she whisper-yells a quick “Bye Diego!” and then it’s back to the Academy.

That night Diego smiles as he lays in bed, touching his own lips and replaying their moment over and over. Zoey

2009

Diego was starting to notice that something was...off about himself.

At this point in his life, he tells people he’s had a long list of hookups. It’s easier than admitting he’s really only had one and it lasted all of a week before Diego began to fear the intimacy he was craving. That was a year after Ben died and it was easier to explain to the woman that he didn’t want to date anymore than to explain why in a week's time, he’d be uncontrollably sobbing for at least a week, as the one-year anniversary approached.

He, Klaus and Ben had always been closest, and now it was just him. He hadn’t heard from Klaus in months and at this point, each time he saw him hurt more than the last. His little brother was addicted to all kinds of drugs, and had done all sorts of illicit things to get those drugs. Klaus couldn’t go one day without a substance, be it alcohol or drugs, but it was always a party for him. Diego wanted to help him and a couple times Klaus had agreed to be helped, and when Diego woke up the next morning, he was nowhere to be found. The first few times, Diego had gotten up and scoured the city for him, checking alleyways, known drug hideouts, hospitals, everywhere. After the fifth time Klaus had done this, Diego didn’t see the point, he wouldn’t find him anyway. He just hoped each time, his brother was still alive.

But in the meantime, Diego kept to himself for the most part, save for when he decided to fight for the people of New York, since the police let more than their fair share of crime fall through the cracks. In the last couple months, he got Al from the boxing gym to agree to let him move into the boiler room. Partially, Diego thinks it's just as thanks from when Diego stopped some muggers from getting him after he was locking up. Either way, Diego was grateful for the space to himself.

Diego liked his boiler room. It was all his. In the depths of the boxing gym, he could make noise (he didn’t), have as many people over as he wanted (he didn’t) and do whatever he wanted with the space (he was a simple man, with simple tastes).

And then one morning there was this guy in the gym. Guys being in the gym wasn’t unusual, but this guy was different, because Diego thinks he may be attracted to him. He’s tall, taller than Diego, broad shouldered, tattoos covering his chest. He was all hard muscle and he was beating the hell out of the punching bag in front of him. He had dark skin, a short cut hairstyle and the deepest brown eyes that Diego had ever seen. His focus as he trained made Diego swallow thickly, before he shook his head to stop from starring. He made a beeline for the door, and hoped that this guy was just practicing here as a one off.

He wasn’t.

His name was Lance, it turns out. Al told him that while helping reposition the punching bags after closing. He was new in town, making a name for himself in the mid-level boxing circuit and could be looking to go pro. He was young, just 21 and found Al’s because he lives around the corner. Diego didn’t respond to this information verbally, choosing to purse his lips instead and nod.

Later that night, Diego wondered if finding Lance attractive was a fluke. He hoped so.

The next morning, Diego came upstairs to the gym and Lance was back, practicing his dodging in the ring with Al. He was shirtless again and focused. And Diego was starring again. He was broken out of his trance by Al telling Diego to answer the damn phone, ringing near the desk. Diego hadn’t even heard it, but sprinted over, and picked up. The call was asking specifically for Al and it sounded like an equally grouchy older man, so rather than deal with telling him Al was busy, he approached the ring.

“It’s for you!” He coughed, interrupting the drill Al was working with Lance, holding out the phone.

“Who’s calling?” Al questioned, as he pulled his hands from the training mitts. Lance was in the background chest heaving, taking this moment to catch his breath.

“Tommy, I think?” Diego shrugged as he passed it over and Al took the phone, stepping to the other side of the ring, leaving Diego and Lance on this side.

Master of subtly that he was, Diego looked everywhere but Lance, glancing at the rafters, the other parts of the gym, the windows, the lockers, the door to the basement, everywhere.

“Hey.” Diego snapped his head around to face the only person that ‘Hey’ could have belonged to. Lance.

“Hi.”

“I’m Lance.” He extended his hand and gave Diego an award winning smile. His teeth were so white and straight and perfect. And Diego was holding his breath.

“Diego” was all he managed before Al was back and Diego was able to retreat before Lance could see his blushing cheeks.

I’m so fucked

Diego had never thought he’d be the one of his siblings to experience a sexuality crisis. It would’ve made more sense for Vanya or even Five, but him? No way. Diego was always certain about who he was. He was Number 2 of the Umbrella Academy, he was Diego Hargreeves, he was 20 years old, and he was attracted to women...and men, it appears. In a moment like this, Diego really missed Ben, or even Klaus. Klaus who was never scared of the things that he liked or what anyone thought of them and would advise Diego to be just as carefree. Or Ben, who gave the best advice and was the most level-headed Hargreeves sibling, who would talk him through what this means (if anything), and listen to Diego as he questioned his world out loud. He couldn’t even visit Mom or else he’d have to see his father, and seeing his dad in the midst of his sexual identity crisis sounded worse than pulling off his toenails with a spoon.

So it was just Diego and his sexuality and the crisis of it all.

The next day started much like the two days before it, except Diego was sleep deprived from being up all night trying to sort through his sexuality, and he was maybe hearing Klaus’ voice in his head just a little bit. He spent half the night wondering about if all those times he took more than two glances at a guy, he actually found them attractive. The second half, he tried to go through every man he could think of to come up with his ‘type’. He really missed Klaus.

Diego came up the stairs and found Lance was training, running a drill on the bag again, but Al was nowhere to be seen. At 7am, the gym was deserted; it looked like it was just Lance here alone. Diego looked around the gym once more before Lance stopped his drills and addressed him.

“Al said he had to run an errand but that it was cool for me to practice here.” He huffed out. He was shirtless again. Diego should institute a ‘shirt required’ policy, because this was starting to feel like a trap. Maybe a just general ‘no Lance’, because at this point, Diego doubted the shirt would help much anyway. It didn’t help he could just hear Klaus’ voice talking about licking stuff. He really really should’ve slept more last night.

“Oh okay. Yeah that’s fine.” Diego nodded, walking toward the desk to start doing the small clerical stuff he agreed for Al.

“So how long have you worked here?” Diego looked up and found that Lance decided this was his moment to take a break, sitting on one for the benches.

“Uh” Diego swallowed, willing himself not to stutter but he was nervous. “A couple months”. In that moment, Diego thanked every deity in existence.

“Oh cool. Do you live in this neighborhood?” Lance asked, all casual and with a kind smile.

“Yeah…” Diego nodded slowly, wondering if he should divulge that he lived here. In that moment he heard Klaus telling him to take a risk, so he did. “Actually, I live in the gym.” He rushed the words out before he lost his nerve.

“Oh that’s awesome! Do you box?” Lance asked excitedly and Diego felt his heartbeat speed up.

“Uhh, sometimes. Not too much.” Diego ducked his head down, so he could try to catch his breath even for a second.

“That’s cool too.” Lance nodded and then he was up approaching Diego and Diego stopped breathing. “We should hang out sometime.” Diego only got to stare at him wide-eyed, before the door to the gym was banging open and Al was walking in, complaining about some idiot who couldn’t watch where he was going. Once Diego turned back around, Lance was back near the bag, re-wrapping his knuckles.

While Al went about putting his coat down and continuing his rant, Diego hears Klaus again. Be bold, Di.

And while Diego still had Klaus’ nerve, he walked up to Lance and said “Yeah, we should. Tonight?”

And Lance smiled and nodded.

Tonight

Diego will never admit how long he spent in the mirror, making sure his outfit didn’t scream part-time vigilante, former superhero. He just wanted to exude as much normalcy as possible. He settled on a black shirt, some black jeans and boots. He was still Diego, afterall. In the mirror, he told himself that he may like men, and that’s okay. And that this all may be a fun experiment and he could be perfectly straight too.

Then he realizes, Lance never actually said this was a date and Diego is dry heaving trying to figure out what he’s doing. And then he gets a message from Lance saying he’s outside.

Diego doesn’t have time to backout anymore.

He takes a deep breath and heads upstairs, where he opens up the side entrance that Lance said he was waiting at. He came in a white t-shirt, with a brown leather jacket on, with dark wash jeans.

And he had a pizza in his hand.

“Hey” Lance smiled brightly at Diego and his heart fluttered a little bit.

“Hey. You brought pizza?” Diego questioned, stepping aside to let him in.

“Yeah, and beer” He pulled the case of cheap beer up to show Diego. “ You seemed like maybe you’d like a more lowkey setting.” Lance moved forward heading towards the ring and said over his shoulder “plus I thought it’d be nice to get some alone time with you.”

Diego could feel his face heat up and he was grateful that Lance’s back was turned. He followed him to the ring, where Lance had settled cross legged in the center, with the pizza box open and beer right next to it. The moon light from the windows above made it look kind of romantic.

“Th-Thanks” Diego felt his face get hot in shame. He was 20 years old and still stumbling on his words. Pathetic. He sat down opposite Lance, keeping his eyes on the ground.

“No problem. You like pepperoni, I hope?” Lance asked, shooting off that winning smile again. Diego just nodded.

“Perfect. And please take as much as you want, because I’m about to scarf this down. I’m starving.” Diego nodded again but this time with a smile.

At first, they ate in silence, and Diego blamed himself. He couldn’t get his words straight and Lance thought he was weird and this was dumb and he was so stupid and-

“I’m sorry if you didn’t realize I meant a date.” Lance said, looking down at his plate.

“Huh?” Diego asked incredulously.

“The silence right? I made you uncomfortable because I asked you out but you thought it was just hanging out and not a date.” He nodded as he said all this, deciding that that was the reason behind the stoney silence.

“No!” Diego jolted forward a little bit, surprising even himself. He stopped and took a deep breath, and when his eyes were open, Lance was staring back at him. “It’s me. I-I have a st-stu-” Diego stopped himself, breathing out in frustration, looking up to the ceiling as if it would give him strength.

“A stutter?” Lance offered.

Diego nodded, “I get fru-frus-frustrated and fe-fe-feel st-stu-stupd”. Diego finished staring down at his own hands.

“Oh! The stutter doesn’t bother me.” Lance tried to reassure him but Diego wasn’t convinced, looking at him in skepticism. “No really! I think it’s cute. I think you’re cute.” Lance ended softly and Diego’s heart was thrumming loudly in his ears. “I just wanna get to know the cute guy who works at the boxing gym I like, if you’ll let me?”

And Diego felt his face get warm. He smiled shyly and nodded.

They talked for hours, about everything. Diego told him a little about Ben and Klaus. Lance shared a story about getting caught putting a flaming bag of dog poop on his principal's porch. After that story and the story of Mom walking in on Diego singing a Spice Girls album, they couldn’t stop laughing.

It was the most fun Diego had had in forever.

In their storytelling, they had migrated closer to one another, with Diego sitting up and Lance lounging back on his elbows. And this is the closest Diego has ever been to a man who wasn’t one of his brothers or someone who was about to get beat up.

He looked down at Lance’s mouth and swallowed. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted Lance to kiss him.

And then Lance leaned up and did kiss Diego. It was sweet at first, just a gentle brush and then there was more pressure and Lance was sitting up. He was pulling Diego to him and Diego was pulling Lance closer by the shoulders and then Diego was on his back. They broke the kiss and panted heavily, and Diego just looked at him.

“I’ve never been with a guy!” Diego rushed out (higher pitched than usual), realizing how quickly this situation could move, how quickly he wanted this situation to move.

“Oh! I’m so sorry Diego!” Lance pulled back, helping Diego up at the same time. “That was way too far. I’m sorry!” Lance apologized, looking guilty.

“No! It’s okay, I just...wan-wan-wanna slow d-do-down” Diego offered.

“Yeah! For sure! I’m still really sorry.” He said earnestly and Diego reassured him it was okay.

They slowed down and started talking more, kissing and making out here and there. It was really nice and romantic.

And around 1am, Lance said he had to get home, so they started packing up. And as Diego walked him to the door of the gym, Lance told him he had a great time and that he’d love to do it again. They kissed at the door and Diego felt like he was walking on air to his bed.

Lance. He liked Lance.

Diego was 20 when he first kissed a guy.

The next time he saw Klaus, he casually mentioned that a guy he knows likes men and women.

“Only men and women?” Klaus questioned between mouthfuls of pancakes.

“Is there anything else?” Diego cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t be so closed minded, there is everything in between and of course, neither.” Klaus gestures wildly, as syrup drips down his chin.

“He says men and women.” He spoke slowly.

“Ah, a bisexual then.” Klaus shrugged his shoulders and continued eating.

Bisexual.

Huh, I’m bisexual.

#the umbrella academy #tua #diego hargreeves #klaus hargreeves #ben hargreeves #bisexual diego #my writing #not beta'd #first kisses #OMC #OFC #fanfic

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analyzingadventure · 3 years

Text

I’M 5 EPISODES BEHIND ON PSI, I CAN ONLY WATCH 4 BECAUSE THE NEWEST ONE ISN’T AVAILABLE YET AND IT’S KILLING ME BECAUSE I SAW AN OUT-OF-CONTEXT MEME ABOUT IT AND IT HAD SOME IMPLICATIONS ABOUT IT

ANYWAYS, LET’S CATCH UP ON PSI, EPISODES 20-23, LET’S GO

Okay let’s save that widdle baby from that test tube

HOLY SHIT PSI’S VELGRMON IS HUGE

THAT IS A BIG FUCKING BIRB

That is a weird way for Devimon to ask Velgrmon to fetch Takeru considdering he was technically already captured by Devimon but okay I guess

MEGADRAMON!!! YEAH

Leomon please don’t die

Ah, they are acknowledging that the kids were missing for three days during a horrifying black-out, I was worried they wouldn’t like, acknowledge that at all

Koushirou’s hesistant to talk about his parents... Oh baby... ;_;

TENTOMON!! How’re you messaging to the kids?? IS GENNAI THERE TO HELP?? Or are you just in the Network messing with stuff?? Probably?

Oh, great, Algomon still isn’t fucking dead. HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NEED TO KILL THIS FUCKER

Is that squid thing Calmaramon? It looks like Calmaramon??

oH MY GOD it took me a moment to realize what was happening but WEREGARURUMON HITCHING A RIDE ON THE GIGA DESTROYER MISSILE WAS HILARIOUS OMG HE’S USING IT LIKE A SKATEBOARD LMFAO

YEAH YAMATO, SAVE YOUR BABY BRO!!!

TAKERUUU!! SASUKEEEE wait

ANGEMON!!!! BABY!!! WHERE ARE YOU ANGEMON?!?!

Megumin Han.... I’m so happy to hear your voice ;___;

A beautiful reunion

Takeru seems to be taking... [/points at the DW and the Digimon] everything really well

Jesus Velgrmon is stronk

NOOO THEY JUST SAVED TAKERU, FUCK

ANGEMON WAKE UP!!! WAKE UP!!!! WE NEED YOU!!!

OHHHHH TAKERU IS ANGERY no talk to him he angy

YEAH ANGEMON, FLY LIKE THE FUCKING WIND

God I love WereGarurumon’s nail polish, it looks fantastic yo

ANGEMON!!!!! Feather symbolism yeee

Is Angemon gonna spend all his powers to kill Velgrmon and die instantly? That’d be hilarious

Awe, no Giga Destroyer? Just Giga Storm? D’aww

HE IS GONNA DIE, ISN’T HE

ENJOY YOUR TRAUMA TAKERU LMFAO

oh mY GOD SKULL KNIGHTMON CAME IN AND STOLE IT TOO, YOU FUCKER LMAO

EPISODE 21, LET’S GO

Yamato I’m sure you could explain a few things to Takeru while you’re just chasing Skull Knightmon

Ah Devimon, your arms are as long as always, how wonderful

Ah, more Xros Wars rep! Splashmon! :D

TAKERU WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING

YOU JUST GOT HERE LITTLE CHILD, DON’T JUST JUMP INTO THE HOLE HEAD FIRST, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU’RE DOING

Oh wow Devimon had prepared an Evil Incubator for Angemon’s Digiegg, how fast and nice

Poor baby is gonna get super corrupted, eh?

IT’S SO NICE... TO SEE THESE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE KIDS, LOOKING SAME AS ALWAYS AND STUFF

Oh wow did Koushirou just hack the Digivices, WOW

IT IS CALAMARAMON! I KNEW IT, FUCK, I am so enjoying the Frontier/Xros Wars rep rn, thanks Toei, I wub you

Is that another nuke? Are they launching another nuke? No? Just a massive crash at a dock?

I was just gonna complain about Psi having a serious case of Takuya & Kouji Show-syndrome but if Sora and co get to deal with the threat in the Network while Taichi and Yamato are rescuing Angemon’s egg, I’ll be okay with it

Takeru, your Powers of Adorable will not save the world, I’m sorry, you’re just gonna get yourself killed and/or kill Yamato a third heart attack, PLEASE GO BACK

Holy shit METALGREYON NOOOOOOO DON’T HURT HIM LIKE NOOOOOOOO MY BABY ;A;

THAT IS A BIG EYE WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT

A Digimon that was sealed away by Devimon or something? IDK it’s kinda scawy

METALGREYMON NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

TAICHI PLEASE SAVE HIM ;_; YAMATO GO HELP HIM YOU WIMP

OWO WHAT'S THIS

A NEW METALGREYMON VARIANT? (Or a different Mode?)

Tbh the new cannon kida clashes with MetalGrey’s oldschool design a lil BUT IT’S FINE, IT’S COOL

Agumon deserves a nap

WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT

ELDORADIMON???? IS IT OH IT TOTALLY IS, RIGHT? YEAH

I love the textures on his face, the pencil strokes look really cool

EPISODE 22 WOOO

I think I’ve complained about this before but it has kinda bothered me before how the Digimon don’t have to rest or eat before entering into battle again, and like, while it’s been mostly fine up until now... Like ever since the kids entered the Fake Tokyo they have pretty much been fighting non-stop without resting or eating and like, it’s starting to get to me, their stamina to keep on fighting is a bit much and it’s just gonna keep on going until Devimon’s dead, isn’t it

How are you climbing this wall that’s this god damn steep, you are a little child HOW DO YOU HAVE THE MUSCLES FOR THIS, I’M A GROWN ASS ADULT I DON’T HAVE THE MUSCLES FOR IT

Gabumon is a sweetheart and I would die for him

Koushirou, why didn’t you have your partners evolve faster, jesus christ (like I’ll give Gomamon and Palmon a break but the other two? Jesus)

Oh that DigiEgg is getting so super corrupted, isn’t it? Oh yeah, Devimon is trying to turn Angemon into a fallen angel like him, amazing

I wish Skull Knightmon had like a personality... In fact I wish all of the enemies had personalities beyond Devimon being ominous and Orgemon dumb with lots of honor

Jyou is gonna get in such great shape from running up those stairs- he ain’t skipping Leg Day, not today

Skull Knightmon is so cool I wish he had more of a personality ;_; I wanna root for him but beyond doing cool shit he has nothing going for him

Ah, the upgrade to MetalGrey wasn’t permanent, just a temporary buff from the power of Courage

DARK KNIGHTMON! YEAAAH

I hope Eldoradimon is okay with all this chaos happening inside him; like I hope he doesn’t get an upset stomach from this

THE BABY TOLD YOU TO MOVE, SO MOVE, KNIGHTMON!

Poor Calamaramon died without ever getting a personality ;_;

How the fuck is this infact making these gigantic leaps over great distances

God Takeru you are so cute, you widdle baby you

Oh man the hightech wings really don’t fit with the punk look of WereGarurumon at all

Welp the DigiEgg got dipped in the miasma like an egg in soy sauce, Press F for Patamon, say “hi” to Tsukaimon

Oooo the egg is exploding! :D

Oh, the egg... I mean it didn’t explode but it destroy the fortress

POYOMON! :D

Devimon, are ya gonna finally show up in person

YEAHHHHHHH DEVIMON!!!! YOU LOOK SO PRETTY I MISSED YOU YOU EDGY GOTH BASTARD

OOOO DEVIMON AND ANGEMON GO BACK? THEY HAVE A HISTORY? Well this is a ship I’m into, let’s go

EPISODE 23!

DEVIMON AND ANGEMON USED TO BE FRIIIIIENDS ohhhhhhhhh I wanna know more about their history THIS IS A JUICY SHIP RIGHT HERE

Ohhh he is so OP, I love that, thanks

How’d MetalGrey and WereGaruru get the message to use the rubble as cover? Not that it worked really

Devimon can use finger beams, lovely

Sora and co should really evolve to Perfect, like they should’ve evolved earlier to begin with

OH SHIT, WE GOT EVOLUTION ALREADY! I mean it’s only Tokomon, which ain’t that useful rn, but okay

Oh Devimon just gave Tokomon this angry-ex look oh my god

I wonder if Devimon’s plan was to like, bypass the need to use humans directly to evolve, instead using the data from humans to forcibly bring forth evolution

NeoDevimon isn’t as cool and sexy as vanilla Devimon, F

Honestly I’m kinda sad he evolve to begin with because Devimon was already super OP, like he didn’t evolve because he was losing, he evolve because his ex made him angry (although I mean I guess that is funny)

Oh WereGarurumon can just do the wing thing at will? Seems OP but okay

Ah, but I know Devimon isn’t dead yet... Saw the new Digimon Bandai shared on Twitter, the new Devimon form that is VERY SEXY (IDK if this needs to be stated but I do say “sexy” here ironically)

OH, Dark Knightmon, you’re still alive? You gonna take lead from now on?

Ohohohohohoh let’s go, gimme that new Devimon

OH MAN, IT WASN’T THIS EPISODE? HE’S SHOWING UP IN THE NEXT EPISODE? Boo, now I gotta wait :(

So I saw some memes on Twitter (along with the art of the new Digi), them including Taichi dying, dark evolution, a clip from the Adventure dub finale where Agumon’s like “next time I’ll evolve into one of the Dark Masters” so like

NEXT EPISODE IS GONNA FUN, also I’m kinda unsure if I wanna watch the preview or not... Like I already know so much out-of-context so I’m afraid if the preview is gonna tell me even more to a point it gets too much, or if it should be fine...

No, I have no chill, Psi has been teasing Mugendramon to me this whole god damn time, I NEED TO KNOW IF WE GET MUGENDRAMON LIKE THE MEMES PROPHESIZED, I NEED TO KNOW

PREVIEW!

LMAO IT REALLY DOES JUST START WITH “TAICHI DIES” JKSDFHKJSDFGJSFDGHJ

OH MAN WE ARE GONNA GET MUGENDRAMON AREN’T WE

I’M SO EXCITED

ALSO DOWNDEVIMON OHOHOHHOHOHO

NEXT EPISODE IS GONNA BE GOOOD I can’t wait

#Psi #Psi reaction

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thanksjro · 4 years

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More Than Meets the Eye #1- Meeting All Our New Friends

Okay, let’s see what happens when you give one man way too much power over a franchise, and he doesn’t use it for evil.

Before we get into the story, let’s take a look at the cover art! MTMTE, as well as its sister series, Robots in Disguise, started off IDW Phase Two, a brand new run of main comics to replace the by-then completed The Transformers (2009). To celebrate this momentous occasion, each comic’s first issue got FOUR separate covers, which could be combined to create a large, overarching image. MTMTE’s looked like this when all the covers were put together.

The cover art here is by Alex Milne, who is on as the main artist for the series, but he’s not on issue #1- no, for our foray into this comic run, we see the return of Nick Roche.

The last time Roche and Roberts worked together was on Last Stand of the Wreckers, and other than MTMTE #6 and the Revolution one-shot, they won’t be teaming up again within the IDW run.

On a potentially-related-but-more-of-just-a-humorous note, it seems that Roberts is a huge stickler with his scripts, going into what sounds like an honestly horrific amount of detail for each individual panel. The average comic script is either between 20-23 or 28-30 pages long, not counting title and credit pages. Roberts has been cited as sending in comic scripts that approached 50 pages.

Which, if you know anything about the scriptwriting process, is a little… yeah. It’s a very good thing Roberts seems to be able to take criticism.

ANYWAY.

IT’S TIME.

The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye- Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It- holy fucking shit that’s a long title- starts off with the Story So Far, a comic book classic to catch readers up on what’s happened prior to the issue. The very nature of a Story So Far will become plot-relevant much later down the line, but as is, it’s just reminding us what happened during Phase One, in as basic a point as it can.

And then the credits are right underneath.

I can’t even imagine how friggin’ good seeing this printed must have felt.

So, what’s going on in the premiere of the sad, gay, space comic?

Not my phrasing, by the way, but the Wiki’s.

So, the war’s over. What does that mean? Well, a lot of things, honestly, but the first thing we’re given in terms of what changes to expect with everyone’s favorite space robots is in relation to their wardrobes. Yeah, without a war to fight, what’s the point in having relatively identical blocky armor that protects all your insides? It’s time to get skimpy.

Rodimus has switched out his toned calves and discernible ankles for the Uggs that are now positively iconic to his character. Drift’s mass has almost completely gravitated to his thighs, making him the curviest thing this side of the Milky Way. Ultra Magnus didn’t get the memo about not needing to be in uniform anymore, I guess, but somehow I doubt he owns anything casual.

Rodimus, Drift, and Magnus are holding a rally to invite Autobots to come on their party-barge to find the Knights of Cybertron, in an effort to heal the planet, because Rodimus took one look at post-war Cybertron and said “no thanks.” Honestly, I think most would, if these properly colored characters are any indication.

Just the Autobots, by the way. We aren’t ready to be friends with the ‘Cons just yet. Swindle did some major damage on that front.

Prowl and Wheeljack are off to the side discussing this turn of events, and while Wheeljack seems to think that a lot of folks will be boarding the ship and getting the hell out of dodge, Prowl’s expecting nothing to come of it.

So, that was yesterday. What’s going on today?

Inside Kimia, there’s a dead guy. He wasn’t dead when he was brought in, but he is now. Who is he, anyway?

Oh, he’s one of the NAIL protesters, and he died because he was protesting by way of transforming on the steps of Autobot HQ, until his transformation cog burn out. Yep, that can kill you. Ratchet’s the one who performed the autopsy, as per Metalhawk’s request- he only wanted the best of the best on this.

Too bad the best of the best is starting to slump. After a brief scare with Rigor Morphis- the stiffening of the corpse into the body’s preferred mode- Ratchet explains to Bumblebee that his hands have started seizing up, and that’s why he’ll be leaving on the Lost Light with Rodimus. He just can’t do the work anymore.

This news is not well received by Bumblebee, who’s just about had it with everyone up and leaving him all by himself with the mess that is Cybertron.

Phase Two will not be kind to Bumblebee.

Bumblebee accuses Ratchet of having been insnared in Rodimus’ siren song of reclaiming the Golden Age, but c’mon, this is Ratchet! He’s too cynical to fall for that. He’s more interested in finding the Autobots who’ve been lost over the millennia to the war. Ratchet’s already well aware of the true purposes of this little galactic road trip, almost like he’s read the plot outline.

It’s about helping people, and adventure, and being unapologetically gay and sad in equal measures.

Up in the sky, Cyclonus is displeased. He spent six million years in the Dead Universe, under the control of a madman, waiting for the moment he could return to his beloved homeworld, and what does he get? A ball of half-baked primordial cookie-dough, and it’s not even chocolate-chip like he was expecting; it’s fucking oatmeal raisin.

Mmm, that is some tasty panel-breaking right there.

Of course, the I/D chip might not have worked anyway, seeing as Cyclonus got a little bit of a boost when Vector Sigma ejected everyone during the Matrix incident. It’s doing some weird stuff to his body, on top of whatever nonsense existing inside the Dead Universe does to a person.

Cyclonus is about to head over to the Lost Light- apparently he and Rodimus made a little deal off-panel- when he detects a familiar life sign and decides to see what that’s all about.

Over in Prowl’s office, things are tense. He and Chromedome can’t even look at each other, as Chromedome reveals that both he and Rewind are jumping on the Lost Light. Prowl doesn’t like this, not one bit. He needs Chromedome, needs his skills, his expertise. He tries to appeal to Rewind, knowing who wears the pants in this relationship.

Or, well, he tries.

Prowl, they’ve been married for over 250,000 years.

In all seriousness, this is slightly before the first tentative steps Roberts took towards making the franchise as gay as he possibly could, at least when going by the story’s chronology. The thing about professional comic script writing is that plotting/planning goes for a ways beyond the current script one’s working on, so that everyone knows where everyone else is. Considering the somewhat congruent nature between MTMTE and RiD, planning ahead was especially important.

Chromedome and Rewind were originally (like, first draft originally) meant to be best friends. This was to fill a void in the department of close relationships Roberts felt within the Transformers franchise. Then Roberts saw how handsy he’d been writing them during plotting and realized he’d made something a little different happen. Which still sort of went with what he was going for, just in a slightly different fashion. Chromedome and Rewind are a rare case of a writer NOT leaning into the “they’re just bros, bro” mentality and just letting the characters be together as romantic partners.

Also keep in mind that it would be another three fucking years before the United States would legalize same-sex marriage, which is where the IDW offices are located. You gotta ease that sort of change in, that way nobody realizes what you’re doing until it’s already been done, then you can go hog-wild. We won’t be hitting critical mass on the homonormative civilization that is IDW1 Cybertron for a solid year or so.

So this bit of dialogue is just the start of the setup, and the “best friend” line is either a leftover from earlier versions of the script, or Prowl really just is that big of an asshole.

Rewind is, of course, recording everything taking place on his handy-dandy little head-mounted camera, because history is his business, and he’s not going to stop recording for the likes of Prowl.

Rewind doesn’t like Prowl very much.

It would seem that the feeling is mutual.

Chromedome suddenly remembers that trying to reason with Prowl is like talking to a brick wall, and the two of them leave. Prowl responds to this slight by yelling in the hallway and then flipping a table.

I sure hope y’all like running gags.

Of course, Prowl wouldn’t be Prowl without having a few contingency plans in place for when things don’t go his way, and he makes a call to his inside guys to “load the cargo.”

That’s not ominous in the slightest.

Six million years prior to all this nonsense, a tiny little dude fell in a hole and broke his legs trying to get to work.

This is Tailgate, and he’s seen better days. Not many, mind you, but at least a couple. He was making his way to the launch of the original Ark, when he decided to take a shortcut that would change the course of his life forever. Hence the whole “stuck in a hole” thing. Still, he’s got to get out of here, because without him, the entire expedition is doomed!

For being an idiot, Tailgate’s pretty smart- he figures that if he sets off his energon rations, it’ll blast up through the roof of the cavern he’s in and someone will be able to find him. Good thing energon’s so incredibly volatile.

Speaking of volatile, let’s jump back to the present and check on our buddy Whirl.

It looks like Whirl also got a makeover between series, because he’s now sporting a much sleeker, angular frame, complete with long, tapered head.

Whirl’s currently busy thanking his new friends for spending so much time with him. It really meant a lot to him, their patience. Not many folks have been patient with him before.

Of course, it probably helps that all these guys are dead as hell.

It’s time for another Roberts’ staple- the suicide attempt. We won’t be using the robot-equivalent to Multiple Sclerosis though. This go around, we’ll be using a classic: self immolation!

Title drop! Bet you weren’t expecting it to have such a dark connotation, huh?

Cyclonus interrupts Whirl’s monologue and suicide attempt. He thought he’d seen his best buddy, Scourge, on his tracker, and his immediate response is to lurk in the shadows looking like a night demon wearing a party hat.

Fun fact: a group of Sweeps is called a Spring Cleaning.

Scourge isn’t here, and he won’t ever be. Scourge most likely died off-panel, never to be seen again, assumedly because nobody wanted to write for him. I think it’s the nails, puts people off.

Whirl doesn’t take kindly to the intrusion, and responds the only way he knows how.

It’s always embarrassing when your self-immolation gets interrupted, but maybe try taking a first deep breaths before committing to more war crimes, Whirlybird.

While these two morons fill the post-Bay movie explosion quota, Red Alert’s hard at work screening the passengers on the Lost Light. Currently, he’s checking Brainstorm, who’s making it as difficult as possible, both legally and emotionally. Red Alert waves him on with a grumble, without even getting a peek at what’s inside his mysterious briefcase.

Up next is Swerve.

His legs are so jacked, it makes me a little uncomfortable. Glad to see Swerve’s body reformat went swimmingly- seems he went for the classic “tires in the shoulders and ankles” model.

Oh hey, it’s Rung! Hi Rung!

This series will not be kind to Rung.

While Cyclonus and Whirl terrorize the folks just trying to get on board the dang ship, Rodimus is feeling rather pleased with himself with the turnout. Drift strokes his ego a bit, because they support each other, but things are still weird because Drift doesn’t know who he is as a person anymore, and Rodimus has a guilty conscience mixed with being the Matrix’s golden child, which really fucks with a guy’s head.

Ultra Magnus goes through the list of the folks joining their quest, and starts running through all their demerits and crimes like it’s his job, because it is. We get a little peek into Magnus’ world view and then it’s back to the Whirl and Cyclonus show.

Also, Drift doens’t have a nose right now. He’ll get it back in time for the next issue, don’t worry.

Over with the flyboys, Cyclonus has decided to land and attempt to reason with Whirl. Not that he couldn’t totally kill Whirl if he wanted to.

He just doesn’t want to.

No, Cyclonus is far more concerned with his meeting with Rodimus, the one that he’s already friggin’ late for thanks to the detour he took checking that life signature. Whirl doesn’t care, far more worried about the fact that Cyclonus saw him talking to desecrated corpses and, far more importantly, vulnerable.

Look at this jackass’ ensemble- demon helmet, a crop top, a skirt and bellbottom pants. What an icon. He and Eugenesis Wheeljack should trade fashion tips.

Whirl still isn’t done with him, even after scraping him across the side of a mountain. Feeling especially artsy, he scoops Cyclonus up and jumps into the air, since he apparently has a hundred-foot vertical leap.

Back in the past, things aren’t going so well for Tailgate.

More cool panel stuff going on here- every time the panels have had rounded corners, it’s been when the scene takes place in the past. Now that the last panel has proper right angles to it, Tailgate’s in the present with everyone else. That middle panel probably covers a couple million years, at least. Poor guy.

Up on the surface, Ratchet’s met up with Chromedome and Rewind, and they’re all walking over to the launch site, Chromedome bitching all the while about how they’ve got to use their legs since Rewind’s alt-mode isn’t a vehicle, but a USB.

Chromedome seems to have forgotten that his tiny husband is small enough to probably just ride on top of his alt-mode, if not directly inside, most likely due to his larger-than-life personality.

Whirl and Cyclonus fall out of the sky before Chromedome can say something that’ll get his ass divorced. Cyclonus gets knocked out cold, having taken the brunt of the impact. Unfortunate, seeing as Whirl’s taking the time to make up lies about him.

You thought I was kidding when I said the armor was skimpy, but here we are, with a shot of Whirl’s battle thong.

Ratchet, who knows Whirl, because he knows everybody, tries to talk him out of straight up murdering Cyclonus. Whirl doesn’t like it when people try to talk him down, and is about to turn on the good doctor, when Tailgate enters the scene, by way of explosion.

Whirl doesn’t handle explosions terribly well. Probably why he was going to use one to kill himself.

With Whirl knocked out, Ratchet and the power couple pull Tailgate out of his hole, where he manages to ask about the launch before freaking the fuck out and fainting at the sight of a rather dead-looking Whirl. To be fair, I can’t think of a whole lot of folks who’d survive getting their tits blown off with enough force to clear a tunnel in solid rock.

You said it, Rewind.

Ratchet grabs Tailgate and Whirl and brings them onboard the ship, seeing as Tailgate seems to want to be there, and Whirl’s too dangerous to be out of sight. They just kinda leave Cyclonus on the ground. I doubt the two guys who were on Kimia last month really want to deal with him.

Rewind breaks off from the group to see his dealer. This dealer isn’t selling the good kush though. He’s got something far more incriminating to offer.

But we don’t get to find out what the fuck Rewind just bought from Swindle for a few more issues. Rest assured, it’s nothing good.

On the bridge, Rodimus is in his captain’s chair, ready to captain it up. The Lost Light raises into the air, as Bumblebee and Prowl watch on, about to exit the atmosphere and begin a adventure filled with hijinks and mild peril.

And that’s a series wrap on everyone! I hope you enjoyed this wonderful one-shot written by James Roberts.

What do you mean there’s 56 more issues?

Alright, let’s see where this goes.

Back on the bridge, there’s alarms and sirens out the wazoo, as things have pretty much immediately gone to shit. The quantum engine the Lost Light’s outfitted with apparently went off prematurely, rocketing them into a completely random quadrant of space.

Also, there’s a hole in the ship, and vacuum physics are doing their thing.

This series will not be kind to Rodimus.

The Lost Light touches down on the planet they popped back into existence over to start looking for all the guys who got sucked out of the ship. They don’t have to look long, seeing as they’re all burning up in the atmosphere.

Welcome to the Lost Light. It’s a friggin’ mess.

Back on Cybertron, the aftermath of the explosion is seen, as Bumblebee and Prowl listen to a message that seems to imply a lot more heartache in the future.

Prowl, you could at least pretend to give a shit.

That’s the end of the story, but not the end of the issue. In the back of the book, we get a welcome letter from James Roberts himself, thanking the reader for taking the time to read the beginning of MTMTE, and holy shit does he really try to sell it to you. This is a guy who wants you to be excited about the story that’s coming your way, because he’s excited about it. He’s a big dork who loves Transformers, and he gets to write about them for the next six years! That’s awesome.

#transformers #jro #mtmte #liars A-to-D #issue 1 #incoming analysis #maccadam #Hannzreads #text post #long post #comic script writing

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lovemesomerafael · 4 years

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Destroying The Planet To Save It Chapter 24: Call If You Find Moria

Chapters 1-20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22

Chapter 23 Read It On AO3

Arias turned the course of the battle when he activated the pulse that shut down all the power. But he turned it in the wrong direction.

Everybody was surprised when the lights went out, but the Avengers and their S.H.I.E.L.D. team were prepared. After all, the possibility of sudden darkness wasn’t that hard to foresee when they were fighting underground. The gunfire had stopped, of course, since no one could see to aim, which gave the team time to put on night vision goggles. After that, it was shooting fish in a barrel for the Avengers, because they could see, and the bad guys couldn’t. Sam ran up on the fight in time to catch two of Arias’s men trying to escape by feeling their way along the wall. He saw that his teammates were subduing the guards and sitting them down against a wall with their fingers laced behind their heads, until S.H.I.E.L.D. agents could escort them two by two to the makeshift conference room / holding cell.

Fuck that. Anita was in trouble. Sam knocked his guys both unconscious and kept on going.

He had to punch and shove his way through the throng of idiots still blindly trying to fight, which he probably shouldn’t have enjoyed as much as he did. Eventually, though, he got to the other side and could finally run flat-out down the corridor toward the machine room. The first thing President Burke asked for was an earpiece so he could hear the chatter on the comms. Joss treated him with the bare minimum of first aid, because that was all he would allow. Even then, he grumbled impatiently the whole time, whenever they weren’t listening to the team communicate. Joss found that first aid was actually a little easier using the night vision goggles, because blood showed up darker in the green glow. When she was done, she helped Burke to stand, then watched as he stretched, rolling his shoulders and his neck stiffly.

“All right,” he said. “Let’s get this done.”

In the complete darkness, Joss took his wrist and lifted his hand to place a pair of goggles into it. “Huh,” he grunted appreciatively. “Thought I was gonna have to let you lead me out.”

He winced when he pulled the straps over the now-dressed wound on his temple, and they were clearly uncomfortable over his swollen eye, but he didn’t make a noise.

“Hey. These are nice. Way lighter and more compact than the ones we had.”

“Stark tech, Sir.”

Once President Burke finished adjusting his goggles, Joss handed him the sidearm that had been strapped to her thigh and turned toward the door.

“C’mon, Joss. You can’t be better armed than me.”

She turned back, a slight smirk on her face. “It is literally my job to be better armed than you.”

“I want another gun and at least two knives. And don’t tell me you don’t have them, because I can see four right now. Which, from what I hear, means you have at least eight on you.”

Joss blew out her breath in only partially mock irritation, reaching to the small of her back to hand him the Skorpion she wore there.

“Now we’re talkin’,” Burke smiled, testing the heft of the weapon and nodding in appreciation. “But I know that’s not regulation.”

“Maybe not for the Secret Service, Sir, but I’m on assignment to S.H.I.E.L.D. right now. S.H.I.E.L.D. has a very cool weapons policy on missions.”

“Which is?”

“Pack ‘em if you got ‘em.” Joss unbuckled the holster that had held the Skorpion and handed it to the President, albeit a little reluctantly. She saw him appreciate the Gerber Yari that fit into a slot in back of the gun.

“Oh, yeah,” the President chuckled. There was a little bit of an awkward moment when he handed her back the weapons so that he could strap on the holster. He took the sidearm back and said, “One more knife and I’ll be good to go.”

The one and only reason Joss handed over her Benchmade Autocrat, against the resistance of every molecule in her body, was that President Burke was the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces. He nodded and tucked the knife, blade retracted for the moment, into his pants pocket.

Joss touched the transmit button on her comms. “I have AK. Bringing him out now.”

As Steve acknowledged her, she turned toward the door, swung her weapon around to the ready position, and flipped the safety.

“Stay close behind me,” she said as they reached the door.

“Not today,” Burke growled, pushing past her and beginning to stalk up the hallway. It was a swagger she’d never seen him use before, but she recognized it immediately.

“Oh, no. Sir, please no-“

“I got a score to settle with this prick.”

All Joss could do for the moment was follow him up the corridor, muttering under her breath about damn brainless Navy squids. She did, however, go into full “Oh no you don’t” mode when Burke flattened himself against the wall outside the dooway to the machine room.

He held up a hand and she instantly bit down on her whisper-screamed pleas to let her get him to safety.

“Airman, follow orders,” he barked, which was a feat considering he did it so quietly no one but the woman beside him could have heard it. Clint simply knelt hunched over Natasha to protect her from being harmed, intentionally or accidentally, during the rigged game of Blind Man’s Buff the team was playing with Arias’s men outside the Armory. The other Avengers quickly cleaned up the rest of them. When they were all subdued and disarmed, they led the men in a line, hand in hand, like school kids on a field trip, as they shuffled blindly to the holding cell.

“Bruce, Catherine, you can start making your way down here,” Steve said into the comms once all their captives were secure. “You’ll need a S.H.I.E.L.D. escort, though. The facility’s not entirely secure yet.”

When Bruce acknowledged that, Steve turned to Tony. “Glad to see your suit didn’t get knocked out by that pulse.”

“Shielded,” Tony shrugged. “I think of everything.”

Those Avengers who were present, as well as some other team members, gathered around Steve outside the conference room door.

“Arias?” Steve asked Bucky and Marcus.

“Disappeared into some kinda trap door or something in the machine room. We’ll go after him,” Bucky answered.

Marcus added, “I gotta get Anita out of that thing.”

“I think Falcon’s way ahead of you on that,” Steve told him. “So we will need somebody in the machine room, but I want you two with me. We need to be waiting for Arias when he reaches wherever that trap door goes. I’m betting it’s an escape route. No point in him staying down here, now that he’s knocked out the power.”

Steve looked over at Tony. “Vision’s out, but Friday’s working through the possibilities, and Coulson’s got agents crawling all over the areas where a tunnel might emerge.”

At that moment, Joss’s harsh whisper came through the comms. “Captain, change of plans.”

“What is it, Agent?”

“AK insists on going after Arias personally. He’s about to enter the machine room.”

“Arias isn’t there,” Steve snapped irritably. “He escaped through some kind of trap door. Stick to the plan. Get AK out of here.”

There’s a short silence before the President’s voice says, “We’re going through that trap door after him.”

“Sir, that is not advisable-“

“Burke out.”

Steve swore vehemently.

“Look at it this way. Now you have someone in the machine room. We can concentrate on securing this place and finding Arias’s exit, if there is one,” Bucky offered, shrugging and grinning a little at what he knew Joss must be feeling right now. He could sympathize. He knew exactly what it was like trying to protect a reckless dumbass who insisted on running toward whatever it was you were trying to protect him from.

Clint laid Natasha gently down on a cot. In fact, it was the same cot they’d put the guards into together when he and Natasha had infiltrated this bunker before, although he was too worried about her at the moment to be amused by that. He pulled a light block from his vest and activated it, casting a surprisingly bright glow from where he set it on a nearby metal chest of drawers. Natasha moaned groggily. He sat down next to her and ran his hand over her hair, pushing a few stray strands away from her face. When she opened her green eyes, Clint thought that they had never looked so lovely as they did right then.

“Hi, beautiful.”

Natasha groaned. “Ohhhhhh... This is the part where you yell at me for being an idiot.”

“No, this is the part where you would yell at me for being an idiot. I’m just gonna take care of you. Don’t want to steal your act.”

“Ugh. Shaming me by being nice. You’re diabolical.”

Clint smiled down at her before kissing her softly. When he lifted his face, he stayed very close, looking into her eyes with genuine concern. His hand went to her hair again, stroking it in a way he knew she found soothing. “I understand the impulse to yell, though. Shit, Tasha, it never gets easier, seeing you take a hit.”

“Scumbag just got a lucky shot. I’ll be OK.”

“He was huge. That had to hurt.”

“Actually, it didn’t,” she laughed weakly. “I was knocked out before I had time to feel it.”

Clint lowered his head to rest his forehead on her chest, heaving a sigh that sounded like it came from somewhere deep in his soul. She put a hand to the back of his head, weaving her fingers into his hair. Burke and Joss carefully entered the machine room and swept it thoroughly, just in case Arias might have returned. They’d just finished when they heard someone sprinting down the corridor outside, and ducked for cover behind the machine, weapons aimed at the door. When they heard whoever it was stop outside the door, preparing to swing in with guns blazing, Joss called out.

“You in the hall! Declare yourself!”

There was a hissed curse from the hallway and the sound of weapons being holstered. “It’s the Falcon,” Sam shouted, his voice strained. “I’m coming in.”

“Yeah, OK, Sam,” Joss said, as she and the President took their aim off the door and stood.

Sam streaked in, looking frantically around at the machine. “Where is she?”

“I think it’s this,” Burke said, indicating Bucky’s pry bar lying on the floor and an area of bent metal that indicated where he’d begun to work to free Anita.

While Sam immediately knelt to pick up the pry bar and begin wrenching violently at the front panel of the drawer-like recess, the President turned to where Vision still lay, still and silent.

“The trap door must be right around here someplace,” he said, then shocked Sam and Joss by spraying the wall with several rows of bullets from the Skorpion. When a small section of the wall bent in, displaying cracks around a rectangular panel that would otherwise have remained invisible, he said calmly, “Yeah. There it is.”

Both Joss and Sam gasped in surprise and Burke looked back at them with what she guessed was a scowl behind the goggles.

“What?” Burke asked. “We don’t have time to fuck around.”

Joss whimpered as she shook her head.

It took Burke no time to kick in the panel and tear it away from the wall, revealing a crude tunnel cut into the bedrock. The floor was rough, but easy enough to navigate. Burke did wish he was wearing tac boots, like Joss was, instead of his expensive brogans that didn’t give him either the traction or the protection he’d have liked on the rough surface. Still, he started up the fairly steep slope toward a turn several yards ahead.

When they reached it, Joss tried to make Burke let her take the corner first, but wasn’t surprised when he gruffly dismissed the idea. Just as he was about to whip around it, Joss stopped him.

“Wait! Listen!”

When the President stilled, they could hear, faint but unmistakable, the sound of someone ahead in the tunnel, panting with exertion as they stumbled up it. Burke didn’t hesitate. He actually growled as he rushed around the corner and began to run. Once again, all Joss could do was follow. The S.H.I.E.L.D. team escorting Bruce and Catherine down into Arias’s facility was not the ideal group. Most of the agents on site were helping to clear the bunker or assisting in the search for the exit from Arias’s escape tunnel, so this team of five agents was an ad hoc group that had never worked together before. The only good thing, from Bruce’s perspective, was that Director Coulson had sent Sharon Carter down to the bunker site to led the team. Although Bruce didn’t know Sharon well at all, he recognized competence when he saw it. He appreciated the way she crisply briefed the team and the tone of confident command she used when she did it.

Once she was done, everyone slid on their night vision goggles. The well-armed group surrounded the scientists, readied their weapons, and began to exit the armored vehicle in which they’d driven into the bunker.

Bruce felt kind of stupid. He was surrounded by tough-looking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in black, squinting down the barrels of intimidating guns as they half-marched their way across the garage cavern and into a corridor. He, on the other hand, was wearing a sage green button-down shirt and Dockers under the bulletproof vest they’d given him, carrying a computer satchel and just trying not to step on the heels of the agent in front of him. He was reduced to being grateful that it was dark, and that Catherine was with him, holding his hand, so the agents would at least know he had a girlfriend and wasn’t a total loser.

Catherine seemed much more on edge than he was, but then, Bruce got attacked and shot at a lot more than she did. She clutched at his hand and pressed up against his side, her head on a swivel as she tried to look in every direction at once.

For much of the distance down the long corridor to the machine room, nothing happened. Bruce’s mind was split between hoping none of Arias’s goons was left to surprise them, and planning how to deal with the machine once they reached it. Which is why, when the overloud crack of a gunshot sounded and the agent to his left went down, it took a moment for Bruce to understand what was happening.

It was the worst possible location, for the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the scientists. For whoever was shooting, it was ideal. They were in a long stretch between doorways and intersecting corridors, meaning there was absolutely no cover. Sharon threw Catherine to the floor and laid on top of her, protecting Catherine with her body as she returned fire. Another agent had done the same to Bruce, and Bruce could only hope that Catherine could breathe more easily than he could, because the guy weighed a ton.

The agent who had been on point was hit directly in the face. Catherine screamed as blood sprayed back onto her. When another agent was hit in his gun arm, letting loose a torrent of foul curses, Catherine made a small, terrified noise that somehow brought home to Bruce just how hopeless their situation was. The very real possibility that the woman he loved was about to die hit him much more forcefully than the sonic weapon had.

Olviedo, Arias’s top lieutenant, had known that Arias had what he called the Pulse, which could shut down the power. It’s why he had stashed night vision goggles in several places throughout the facility, including in the machine room. He was proud of his forethought, and also proud that he had timed his attack so well. The invaders blocking the corridor were completely pinned down and helpless, and he had plenty of ammunition to keep firing for as long as it took. He was under no illusion that he could reason with these people or threaten his way past them. He had to kill them, so that’s what he would do.

He hadn’t planned on a Hulk. When Friday narrowed down the possible locations and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on the ground found what had to be the entrance to Arias’s secret escape tunnel, Steve and Bucky were way ahead of the rest of the team getting there. As they ran, Steve cursed himself for sending Scott to help with scouring the bunker for any of Arias’s men who might still be hiding down there. It would have been nice to have him for recon of the tunnel.

The building looked like any other dingy, rundown shop in this industrial area. It was so nondescript, in fact, that S.H.I.E.L.D. had basically found it by accident. Friday’s analysis of the underground tunnels, sewers and utilities, as well as the geologic structure underneath Washington, had pointed to this area as a possibility, but the two-person S.H.I.E.L.D. team had noticed this particular building only because of the unusual cleanliness around its entrance. A quick look inside with a fiberoptic camera had revealed the edge of yet another of those thick metal doors, poorly hidden behind some crates hastily dragged only partway in front of it.

Bucky simply pulled the lock off the door with his metal hand as though it was made of cotton candy and, on entering, strode rapidly to the stack of crates and shoved them out of the way. It took him very little time to ascertain that there were no booby traps, at least on this side of the door. Just to be safe, however, everyone else took cover as Ironman burned through the door.

When nothing exploded, Bucky cracked a relieved grin and pulled his SIG Sauer P220, going into a wary crouch as he moved toward the tunnel entrance.

“Hang on, Buck, let’s think about this. If the President’s chasin’ him from that end, all we gotta do is wait,” Steve suggested, even as he moved up next to Bucky.

“Uh-uh,” Bucky shook his head once. “We don’t know what Arias might do, and Joss is down there with a politician for a partner.”

“He was a SEAL.”

“Was. You comin’, or what?”

Bucky felt a glow of comfortable familiarity as Steve gave him the expected dirty look.

“That rock is gonna block our comms,” Steve said to Tony. “Stay up here, handle anything that needs handling.”

“Yeah. Go. Have fun. Call if you find Moria.”

Steve stared blankly for a few seconds, then simply turned around toward the tunnel entrance again, Tony’s laugh following him. Now was not the time for Tony’s favorite game of “Let’s make references Cap won’t get.”

Steve took the lead, shield out in front, with Bucky right behind, covering them. The two headed down the tunnel, amazingly silent for big men moving so fast. By the time Sam got the cover dismantled enough to be able to unlatch the mechanism to release Anita, it looked like he’d chewed through it. He pulled as hard as he could, sliding the receptacle out against the resistance of an unpowered motor. He let out a noise that might have been a sob when he saw that she was breathing. She was deathly pale, eyes open and staring, not moving except for irregular, distressed gasps, as though she only remembered to breathe when her body became starved for oxygen. Her face was frozen in horror.

“Baby, baby talk to me,” Sam coaxed as he reached in and lifted her out. She remained silent as he cradled her to him, closing his eyes in gratitude and kissing her forehead. “OK. It’s OK, you’re safe. I got you. It’s all over now. I’m here. I’mma get you out, you just relax. I got you.”

He wished fervently that the wings of the EXO-7 weren’t too wide for the corridors down in this hellhole. He’d have loved to just whisk her up and fly her out as fast as his wings could carry them. He needed to get her out of here. He had no idea what the machine had done to her, but he could see she needed medical help.

He pulled one of his Steyrs, then stood, shifting Anita in his arms so that her head rested on his shoulder. With her legs over his other arm, he could hold the weapon in the hand behind her back just in case anyone was fool enough to get in his way. Sam began to run.

Burke’s shoes made too much noise on the floor of the tunnel for them to move very fast if they hoped to take Arias by surprise. He’d considered taking them off, but had to acknowledge that the stone was too rough and his feet too soft these days to make it workable. That pissed him off in a way he couldn’t have explained to anyone but another SEAL.

So he and Joss crept up the tunnel as fast as they could, ensuring at each turn that they remained out of sight of Arias. Fortunately, Arias wasn’t trying to be quiet. Either he was simply unable - which was a possibility given the wheezing he was doing on the climb – or he thought he was alone in the tunnel.

That changed when the sound of screeching metal came echoing down the stone passageway. Burke and Joss instantly guessed that someone had found the upper end of the tunnel, although they couldn’t be sure, because their comms had ceased to have reception once they entered. They knew, too, that Arias guessed the same thing, because he let out a short, high shriek and the sound of his footsteps stopped.

Burke held up a forearm, fist clenched, as though Joss needed to be told to stop. He started to move slowly forward, but Joss put a hand on his arm and pointed toward his shoes. He shook his head once, but she gave him a look she would later be shocked she’d used on a superior officer, and moved silently around him. When she reached the next turn, she flattened against the wall and risked the briefest peek possible down the next section of tunnel.

No Arias. She signaled to Burke and he moved slowly to her, trying not to let his shoes make a sound. They crept up the next section of tunnel. When they reached the turn, they could both hear clearly that Arias was in the section beyond. He was breathing heavily, but making no other sounds. He seemed to be trying to stay quiet to hear any further sounds from the head of the tunnel. At least they hoped that’s what he was listening to, rather to them.

They didn’t have to wait long. A deep, metallic sound, much closer to a thud than a clang, sounded in the section beyond Burke and Joss, and they saw Captain America’s shield ricochet off the tunnel wall with a few sparks and return the way it had come. From the sound, it didn’t hit Arias, but it had done its job, nonetheless.

Arias began to run back down the tunnel, right toward Burke and Joss.

Natasha would not allow Clint to keep her from sitting up. He finally decided that struggling against his efforts to keep her lying down would be worse for her than sitting up, and helped her to sit up on the cot, leaning against the wall.

“You’re stubborn, you know that?”

“I’m Russian.”

Clint took the opportunity to try to examine her which, of course, she resisted. “I’m fine, Barton, stop it.”

“I need to see how badly hurt you are.”

“No, you don’t. You need to get back out there and do your damn job.”

“They got it covered, they don’t need me.”

“You know, this is exactly the problem. You’re sitting in here with me instead of out there getting it done. We can’t both be out of the fight, just because I get hurt.”

“I agree. And if I thought they needed me, I’d still be there. Not to mention that if they thought they needed me, they’d be calling. Cap ordered me to get you out of there and make sure you’re OK, so that’s what I’m doing.”

“Fine. I’m OK. You’ve completed your mission. Now-“

“Tasha.”

“Seriously, Barton, there’s work to do! I am not-“

“Tasha.”

“Well, I’d for damn sure be leaving your ass right now! I’d trust you to –“

“Tasha.”

“What, damn it?”

Clint touched his comms. “Hey, Cap, you read?”

Tony’s voice answered. “He’s spelunking right now, what do you need?”

“Just checkin’ in. Nat says she’s fine. Where do you need me?”

“We’re covered, and Natasha lies, as you well know. Bunker’s still not secure. Stay with her. Once we get the all clear, get her out.”

“I don’t need-“ Natasha tried.

“And Hawkeye?”

“Yeah, boss.”

“Get her to S.H.I.E.L.D. so she can complain about how she doesn’t need to be seen by a doctor and they can find major injuries that absolutely need to be seen by a doctor. Out.”

“Copy,” Clint said, and conveyed “I told you so” to Natasha in every way but verbally.

To his surprise, tears welled in her eyes.

“Hey, I’m sorry… Nobody’s suggesting you’re weak, or can’t take care of yourself…” He reached for her and she let him pull her into his arms.

“It’s not that.”

“OK.” He turned his face into her hair and kissed her. “Then what? What can I do?”

“I just… I feel… I don’t know, like I’m wrapped in tissue paper or something. It feels too soft! I can’t be like this.” She began to shuffle her legs, trying to move to get up from the cot.

“You’re good, Tasha. Just stop. Relax, hmmmm?”

She stopped struggling, but didn’t move back to her resting position. “It’s nice, though, right? Letting me love you? Letting me take care of you?”

“No! It’s… I don’t…”

“It’s nice. You like it. It feels good.” Clint was murmuring into her hair, rubbing her back as he spoke. “And you’re afraid you’re going to get used to it. Which, if I have anything to say about it, you will. And you will still be just as badass, just as ruthless and dangerous as you’ve always been. You’ll just also know that you don’t have to be like that every minute. You can allow this. You can even like it.”

Natasha sniffled, fighting her emotions as always. “Shit.”

“You know what? I think it’ll make you tougher. Know why? Because you’ll know you don’t have to hold back, save energy for the recovery. When you’ve kicked whoever’s ass needs kicking, you’ll know I’ll be there to take care of you. To be strong for you.”

Natasha didn’t respond, just clung to him and slowly, gradually allowed her head to rest against his shoulder.

“Yeah, Clint whispered. “Tougher. I think a whole lotta bad guys just got a serious pucker, and they don’t know why.”

Natasha chuckled softly. “You’re so full of shit.”

“I’m full of love for you. And shit.”

“Ugh, Barton, you suck at sweet talk.”

“Good at other things. Wanna fuck in an evil villain’s underground lair while the fight’s still going on?”

“Yes.”

“Well, tough. You’re hurt.”

Clint’s shout when she punched him could be heard echoing far down the corridor outside the room. Once Bruce began to transform, his S.H.I.E.L.D. protector couldn’t get away fast enough. Catherine and Sharon, on the other hand, just backed into the corridor wall, out of his way. The shooter wasted no time targeting the massive figure, and couldn’t miss, given that it filled the space from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, even on all fours.

Olviedo had been shooting from the doorway of a storage room. He was just throwing down his weapon to find a place to hide when the Hulk reached him. He didn’t have time to wonder how the creature could find him in the dark, without goggles, before a massive hand clamped around him and there was a wet crunching noise that cut off the beginnings of a scream.

Sharon and Catherine watched the Hulk’s crouching form, one arm stuck through the doorway from which the shots had come. It was much too small for him to fit through. The gunshots stopped once he reached the door, and then there was no more noise once he stuck his arm in. They could see nothing except a slight movement of the bunched muscles of the Hulk’s upper arm and back suggesting that he was moving his forearm inside the room.

Then he stopped moving and hesitated a moment before turning back to look at the women sitting together next to the wall. That’s when the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who’d protected Bruce shrieked and went running back up the corridor toward the exit. Sharon and Catherine glanced briefly at him, then back to the Hulk.

Catherine stood, slowly. She didn’t move toward the Hulk as she said, softly and calmly, “Do you know me? I’m Catherine.”

There was a slight grunt as the Hulk regarded her.

“We need to get to the machine room. At the end of this corridor. We could use your help to clear the way.”

Both of the women were surprised at how quickly he made a decision, turned, and began making his way down the corridor

“Holy shit,” Sharon whispered. “I never get used to him. How are you so calm right now?”

“That’s the man I love. He won’t hurt us.”

Sharon tilted her head. “Uh-huh.”

“Right, then. I’m faking it.” She reached down to pick up the satchel with Bruce’s computer in it and, together, they followed the Hulk down the dark corridor with Sharon in the lead, checking every doorway with her pistol before they passed it.

#The Avengers #Captain America #The Winter Soldier #Bucky Barnes #Steve Rogers #Sharon Carter #Clint Barton #Sam Wilson #Natasha Romanoff #Bruce Banner

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makeste · 5 years

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BnHA Chapter 198: A Pair of Chuunis

Previously on BnHA: Shinsou, Tsuyu, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Kouda (henceforth known as Team A) faced off against Shiozaki, Tsuburaba, Shishida, and Rin (Team B). Kiri, Kouda, and Tsubu were captured, making it 3 VS 3. Tsuyu covered Shinsou and Kami with her disgusting frog mucus in order to mask their scent so class B wouldn’t be able to track their movements. They then purposely allowed Kaminari to get captured as a distraction to let Shinsou get close enough to Shiozaki to ensnare here with his quirk. Realizing what had happened, Shishida stopped talking so as not to fall under Shinsou’s control himself. However this also left him unable to communicate with his remaining teammate, and Rin was shortly thereafter taken out by Tsuyu. Shishida was knocked out shortly after that, and so Team A ended up winning the match, giving class 1-A the lead as we enter the second round.

Today on BnHA: Aizawa and Vlad provide their respective students with constructive criticism following the match. Meanwhile the remaining 8 teams begin to plan out their strategies, including Monoma who is excited to have the chance to work together with Shinsou, particularly after witnessing the first match. It turns out he’s not the only one interested in what Shinsou can do, as Aizawa and Vlad reveal to All Might and Midnight that today’s exercise is doubling as Shinsou’s exam determining whether or not he should be admitted into the hero course. The second round of battles begins, with Team MomoYamaTokoKure facing off against Team KendouKuroMangaToadette. Kendou is excited to be battling Momo, as she considers the two of them to be rivals, and feels that up until now Momo has been outshining her. Meanwhile Kuroiro from class B bonds with Tokoyami over their mutual goth aesthetic before the two teams split off to get things started. Toko sends out Dark Shadow to do recon, only to have Kuroiro -- whose quirk allows him to move freely within the color black -- hitch a ride back to Team A’s location. The two prepare to clash, and Toko gets ready to show off a new technique he’s apparently learned from Hawks.

(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my mostly-unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’m caught up with the manga now at chapter 222, so any ETAs will reflect that.)

my man Aizawa out here making sure I continue to stan him

this is school after all!

and oh my god this title

you know it’s the Momo chapter when...

goddammit Kirishima’s self-esteem issues are acting up again

does anyone know if that “staring at yourself in the mirror and psyching yourself up by reminding yourself that you’re cool and awesome” thing actually works? maybe he should try that. he’s so good at complimenting other people but he’s so damn hard on himself. why are all shounen characters like this

Kouda says he needs to get better at issuing detailed orders to insects

good god Kouda, if you improve on your quirk you’re going to be fucking terrifying aren’t you

and I know I just said all shounen characters are too hard on themselves, but then along comes Kaminari to prove me wrong!

you were great, buddy. 10/10 I stan one adaptable and clever electric boy. I would pit you and Mina up against Rat Principal all over again because I bet you two would crush it now

(ETA: not to mention that as Jirou will shortly point out, he’s skirting on the edge of falling into his usual derp mode here -- but he’s managing to retain his senses for the most part, which is extremely impressive given how much electricity he put out in that fight, first against Shishida and then later against Shiozaki. Kaminari!! you’ve become stronger!)

Tsuyu says she wanted to win without any casualties and she regrets losing two of her teammates

Shinsou, who did amazing for his first time, says it was “incredibly frustrating” and that he wasn’t able to apply even ten percent of what he’s learned

kid, take that frustration and channel it into becoming even more determined to fulfill your dreams! that’s the upside of being a shounen character who’s too harsh on himself! you learn and you keep getting stronger, okay?

see, and Aizawa’s telling him the same thing

wow so he didn’t master it until he was out of school, then? or did he start on that before he entered U.A.?

say, aren’t we due some Aizawa flashbacks soon? this is the arc the manga was on when I first started reading, so it seems to be about that time I’d say

(ETA: so what is it exactly that made people have all these headcanons about him knowing the Iida family as a kid? I know he and Tensei are both in Vigilantes, so I’m guessing now it has something to do with that. lol and here I thought we were going to get a whole backstory. instead we’ve had all of one panel’s worth of flashbacks, and that was very recent and we apparently don’t know what the deal is with that yet except that he had some sort of cloudy friend that he doesn’t want to talk about. not that I’m not loving that, mind you; it’s just not what I was expecting. I really gotta start Vigilantes don’t I. maybe this weekend)

oh my god

I’m a simple girl, I see Jirou losing her damn shit over Kaminari and I hit like and subscribe for more great content

and yes, Aoyama, they do seem to be taking this much more seriously than the others. thinking about what would have happened in a real life situation. and I mean, that’s not a bad thing per se, but it’s just... they’re still kids. and already thinking about death and other worst-case scenarios because they’ve experienced it firsthand now. and man but that’s rough

now Aizawa is giving them his own pointers

he’s such a good teacher I love him so much

meanwhile Vlad is chewing out his own students

didn’t Horikoshi describe his teaching approach as being gentler than Aizawa’s? was that just because he doesn’t expel entire classes at the drop of a hat? sure not seeming real gentle right now lol

(ETA: strut strut)

excuse me Monoma who is the teacher here

but he says that despite the loss, he’s satisfied because they showed the rest of them “something marvelous”

(ETA: strut strut)

yeah, I’ve been wondering about that. he probably can’t wait to try that quirk out for himself

man if Monoma bonds with Shinsou and then Shinsou ends up joining 1-A I am going to laaaaaaugh

(ETA: lol except for the fact that I sorta kinda ship it now oh shit)

and they have an advantage over the class A Shinsou team since they actually have some time to prepare

wow they’re all strategizing now

friendly reminder that I love all of these kids and would die for them

and yes you, Todoroki. humility is all well and good but let’s not kid ourselves. you’re a powerhouse and you need to own it

I have no doubt that Team BakuJirouSeroSatou is going to crush this and I can’t waiiiit

(ETA: THEY SO CRUSHED IT)

and who fucking asked you, C-3PO. maybe they can’t have spare parts installed, but human bodies literally heal themselves given just a bit of time and rest. we don’t need to sit here and be dragged by someone who can’t even pass a damn turing test okay

All Might is reflecting on how much everyone has grown. he sure does that a lot

I guess. and also a way to finally introduce the other 20 U.A. first years after 200 fucking chapters lol

hey what

what is it. what’s with those faces. y’all wanna throw down or what?? bring it

oh they just want to know what they thought about Shinsou

All Might is so good I love you All Might

oh shit. so spoiler alert I guess he passes lol

is he aware that it’s a test? is this another one of your Logical Ruses you deceitful hobo

yessssssssss!

I honestly can’t fathom how a team with both Momo and Tokoyami could possibly lose. they’ve even got Aoyama “saving the day in the clutch” Yuuga and Hagakure “I’m the friggin’ traitor” Tooru for fuck’s sake

by the way, Hagakure’s right fist is facing out but isn’t that weird? wouldn’t it make more sense to have your fist facing toward you for this kind of “pumped and ready to go” gesture? idk why it bothers me. maybe because she’s literally only hands so you could at least get that one detail right lmao

and have I mentioned how much I love Momo’s cape. now if only they’d get her a fucking zipper good grief

that kid from class B who speaks in literal dialogue bubbles is freaking named Manga and I can’t you guys

I have no problem with calling Kuroiro by his name, but I’m pretty sure that legally I have to continue referring to Komori as Toadette. I don’t make the rules you guys

Kendou is asking Momo why she didn’t enter the beauty contest during the cultural festival

have I mentioned lately that Aizawa is the best dad? I have? well it never hurts to say it yet again. Momo had more important things to worry about than participating in the least rational annual event this school puts on

oh right, somehow I forgot that these two did their workplace experience together. actually can I just call it a fucking internship even if it wasn’t an internship internship? y’all still know what I mean anyway so come on

this is an odd thing to bring up now and I can’t help but think Kendou’s trying to get into Momo’s head somehow

(ETA: nope. just bein’ rivals)

oh, Hagakure’s bringing up that one guy at the festival who kept cheering for Momo. I had been wondering about that. so he was a fan of theirs from the commercial they did then? who the hell stans someone from just a single commercial

yes

ooh, hidden dark side from Kendou all of a sudden!

I mean, on the one hand I don’t like Kendou getting jealous because these badass ladies should be supporting one another, not harboring jealous thoughts and insecurities

but on the other hand she’s not wrong about Momo though trufax

okay good, this seems healthy enough

A WHOLESOME LADY RIVALRY, EH? BRING IT

oh my god

imagine going from drawing Shiozaki to drawing this guy. Horikoshi must be filled with relief right now

oh my god Kuroiro’s quirk is apparently amazing!?

holy shit?? WHIP OUT THAT DARK SHADOW AND TEST IT OUT! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR

lmao

if these two don’t watch it they are gonna cut themselves to ribbons on ALL THAT EDGE

so then is Hagakure gonna clash with Toadette. or Manga

so now round two is officially starting, and Sero is asking his friendly neighborhood Tetsutetsu about Kendou, Tetsu’s crush

I ship these two kids so hard. he adores her

lol he says that if she wasn’t around the whole class would have been “indoctrinated” by Monoma

he says she’s the big sister of class B

yeah, so basically the Momo

and now Todoroki is thoughtfully chiming in

you know, operation? as in scheme? as in whatever plan Momo’s thought up using the intellect that’s put her on at the very top of what is probably the most brilliant class in U.A. history?

so now we’re cutting to Team B, and Kendou is saying that they should wait and see what Team A has in store first, since even though they know their basic quirks, they don’t know what improvements they’ve made and what special moves they’ve come up with

go fuck him up Kuroiro! I know I shouldn’t be rooting for you, but I’m so fucking curious to see if you can use Tokoyami’s quirk against him omg

meanwhile we’re cutting back to Team A, and Tokoyami is reporting to the others that Dark Shadow has located Team B

oh shit

TOKOYAMI THEY GOT YO BOY

Dark Shadow’s zooming toward them now and Tokoyami’s shouting at everyone to disperse

HE LOOKS SO SAD OH NO

KUROIRO YOU ASSHOLE WHY ARE YOU MY NEW CLASS B FAVE

Hagakure is all “Kuroiro popped out from inside Dark Shadow!” as though everyone else didn’t just watch that happen right along with her

Momo’s flinging some ninja nets at Kuro but he’s dodging!

I LOVE IT

HOLY SHIT TOKOYAMI IS RIPPED. WHEN DID THAT FUCKING HAPPEN. WHERE WERE THOSE ARM MUSCLES DURING THE POOL EPISODE, JESUS

(ETA: and I’ll have you know Horikoshi even specifically described his arms as “fairly thin” when he did his little bio in chapter 101! so this is a recent fucking development. bird boy been hittin the gym)

also he sure does have a lot of natural enemies doesn’t he. his quirk is so powerful but it has a lot of weaknesses

and lmaoooooo at “a pair of chuunis” holy fucking christ

how is this chapter over already?? oh well, we’re almost at 200, let’s keep going and check out Toko’s new technique

#bnha #boku no hero academia #yaoyorozu momo #kendou itsuka #tokoyami fumikage #kuroiro shihai #kaminari denki #shinsou hitoshi #monoma neito #aizawa shouta #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #makeste reads bnha #you know I wasn't quite as aware of it during my first read #but on the reread it's inescapable how much this arc is a shipping goldmine #I count like six different ships in this one 13-page chapter alone #kamijirou #monoshin #momokendou #tokokuro #kendoutetsu #todomomo #and I'm probably missing some others #and damned if I don't ship *all* of it #the best part is horikoshi probably isn't aware of like 90% of it #you just keep doing what you do dude #your characters all have great chemistry with each other and I'm pretty sure momo and kendou passed the bechdel test in this chapter #so basically what I'm saying is good job #keep it up

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1wngdngl · 4 years

Text

Pokemon Shield playthrough - Part 5

Back again with another post! This one covers Route 5 and the Water Gym.

Just as I start down the route, I encounter the Cameraman/Reporter duo, who are a classic trainer pair from past games. Given that all the Gym Challenge stuff is a big spectacle in the Galar region, it makes perfect sense that Gym Challengers would get interviewed along the way.

This horde of Minccino chased after me. It was adorable.

I discovered the Pokemon breeding-grounds - or at least, the artificial version of it. This is not the same as the old “Day-Care” that could also level up Pokemon. The Nursery is solely for eggs, while Levelling up can be done with PokeJobs and the experience candies.

The people here are really nice - they gave me a free rare Pokemon!

It’s like a baby dinosaur! I believe this is also the first Poison-Electric combo we’ve had.

Since I don’t want to have duplicate types, I remove Yamper from the team. I prefer dual-types, plus this purple dinosaur looks cooler. Okay, so he starts at Level 1, and he’s pretty frail, but I can be patient.

Leaving the Nursery behind, I encounter another traditional trainer class - the Chef. He sends out food to attack me.

I also find a wild Wobbuffet - and promptly realize just how horrible its catch rate is.

I wasted every last Poke Ball on this fiend. At least he gave decent experience when I knocked his lights out.

I consoled myself by catching the weird apple creature for myself. Here’s another unique type combo - Grass and Dragon (wait, does Mega Sceptile have that typing?) It only knows a defense-raising move and the incredibly-weak Astonish, and has horrible stats all around. I’m sure it will evolve into something great, if I can figure it out. (btw, is it weird that Galar has both apples /and/ “Leppa” berries?)

I decided that my psychic-bug-cocoon wasn’t doing enough for me, so it got booted off the team.

I also got a second try at Wobbuffet ;)

This guy has a nice camping spot for himself. He never leaves. Maybe he ran away from home?

Seeing a pink puffball and an apple fight over a toy is too cute for words.

My coworker also has this game, and was kind enough to trade over this incredibly-high level Wingull. Not that I really plan to use it, but it /does/ have Pokerus. You’d think by now the nurses and professors of the Pokemon world would have learned to harness the power of Pokerus and turn it into a mandatory booster shot.

Back on track, these silly Team Yell people are blocking the bridge forward.

I get to see what my Dark-type fox /could/ have evolved into, if it were still on my team :( It looks like a proper gentleman-thief.

I love Pokemon - you save someone from getting their precious possession stolen, and as thanks, they give you their precious possession.

Too bad the outfit for it is so garish.

The blue color is a little better though.

Now that I have a bike, I can go into the Wild Area and try the Rotom Rally mini-game. It’s basically a time trial as you travel between different regions of the Wild Area. It looks like you can’t get attacked by wild Pokemon while in this Rally mode, so it’s probably the quickest way to get around (minus the flying taxi, of course).

These guys can also upgrade your bike a bit, but it’s expensive. And they don’t have the ride-on-water option either.

You know, Serebii.net says that Bunnelby doesn’t evolve until Level 20. This is an illegal Diggersby here!

Okay. Back on the bridge. Riding is so much faster than walking, but I keep stopping anyway to grab hidden items and look at the scenery. You can see the Dragon city in the background.

Another fight with my rival on the bridge. His Scorbunny has evolved, but it’s still not too tough.

In this place, Eldegoss literally float by on the wind.

Here’s the tunnel that ducks under the train tracks. What could be on the other side?

That can wait! First, I gotta get my Pokemon sent out on more jobs. I love this logo that’s a blatant KFC rip-off.

Oh, I also discovered that you can, in fact, change the wallpaper of PC boxes. All of the choices are pretty boring, though.

Also, my coworker invited me on a raid battle with a 5-star Ditto. I have a bad feeling about this...

Scorbunny’s final form is so majestic.

None of the previous raid battles I fought had “barriers”! Is that something that only shows up in multiplayer raids?

This is it. We’ve weakened it, and now I have the chance to obtain this rare, useful, iconic Pokemon for myself...

Yeah, I failed the capture. I didn’t know they could fail. At least I got some good loot.

FINALLY, I make it to the seaside town of Hulbury. I wonder which British coastal town this is based on? For being the main port of the region, it’s not really all that big.

We encounter Chairman Rose and some of his “admirers”.

We also learn a little more about the relationship between Rose and Bede. Apparently Bede really wants to impress the Chairman, so maybe he’s not so much “working for him” as trying to gain his favor.

You know, I really don’t think he pulls off that outfit. What is it even - a mix of baseball uniform and swim trunks?

Oleana thinks she can boss me around.

I don’t owe you anything, silly person! This is /my/ Pokemon journey. And I’ll take as long as I want. ^.^

Sigh...Why can’t I just throw my coal monster at these goons to get past? My character is way too nice.

Oh, here’s another look at that elephant Pokemon that the Chairman had. It looks like it’s wearing a little hat.

Also, please be more creative when naming locations.

Here’s the “bustling market” I was told about? Must be a slow day.

We’ve got the stock “bitter medicine” booth (I never use these)...

Ah! Here’s something useful. You can bet I will use this item to maximize my earnings from every battle. I haven't seen an option to re-battle trainers yet, and those cool outfits won’t buy themselves.

I trade away for a Cottonee. You know, why don’t people in real life just trade pets with each other whenever they feel like it?

Pokemon, Pokemon...People already say your recent games are too easy, and now you’re giving me a free held item that’s super-effective against the current Gym? (Yet another sign that you should ignore Oleana and /not/ go straight to the Gym upon arrival.)

If nothing else, Hulbury is scenic. I bet the dock is covered with Wingull droppings though.

These people obviously don’t get the point of Pokemon.

With the hills overlooking the sea, I’m reminded of Los Angeles - or was it San Francisco? It’s probably a lot colder in Hulbury though.

Here’s the train station at the top of the town. Of course it can’t take me anywhere new. What if my dying grandmother lived in the next town over - would you let me get on /then/?

I never got into Pokemon’s post-game battle facilities much. I wonder what Galar will have in that department.

I go fishing in the pier, and find a few new Pokemon. That seems to confirm that what you catch is based on where you are, so there’s no rod upgrades.

Good to see that Basculin still comes in two forms. I’m guessing Sword version has the red form?

Another sneaky way to help players - hide a Chinchou in the pier. Its electric attacks would also be useful against the Water Gym.

Aha! Here’s that Pokemon we saw in the trailer, when everyone wasn’t sure if it /was/ a Pokemon or just a generic fish. Well, it is real, though it doesn’t look that useful. It actually looks like a skinnier version of red-striped Basculin.

Nope, not keeping you. I only have six slots!

Some more postcard pictures.

Here’s that weird-looking Pokemon that was also glimpsed in the trailer. Will I be able to find this in the wild?

A hidden Electric-type TM. This is why you explore and do side stuff /before/ continuing the main story.

About ready to face the Gym now. First, now that I’ve entered a new town, I have some new options for my league card.

Here’s a brief look at where I am so far.

And a preview of Nessa. That pose cannot be comfortable.

My team. I’m hoping Avery’s Electric attacks will help, even though he is a bit under-leveled...

First, the Gym puzzle. It’s not really that hard. You could probably do it completely by accident.

In the old days, we had puzzles involving sliding around on icy floors, and using the Strength HM to push boulders into the correct holes. Now /that/ was a puzzle!

I wonder if Nessa ever gets cold, wearing that?

Her Dreadnaw wasn’t a super-high level, but it was incredibly powerful.

It knocked out my Dynamaxed Pokemon, even when the Dreadnaw itself was small!

I had no choice but to pull out my starter, and fight water with water.

Turns out Nessa’s calm demeanor breaks when she faces failure.

And now it’s dusk. I still don’t get how time of day works in this game - is it just an aesthetic thing related to the story?

A change in lighting can make for totally different pictures.

I have access to a new job company. They must be a sponsor for Nessa, since she wore a pin with their logo. Does this mean we can actually encounter Wailord in the game?

I also get the Chairman’s league card. I like the way he writes his signature.

You know the drill - can’t advance with my life until I follow the plotted line into this restaurant. At least it looks fancy inside. I like the Wishi-Washi designs on the floor.

Some story stuff happens. I am completely extraneous to this conversation.

I don’t really know how I feel about the Chairman. I still think he’s probably up to no good, but he’s not the cackling-evil sort that Lusamine was. Maybe it’s actually Oleana who’s evil, and Rose is being manipulated.

This restaurant: Nice location, horrible service. The whole time I sat here - empty glasses, and no food. If I’m gonna be forced to sit and listen to some exposition, I should at least get a meal out of it.

Okay, that’s all for now! In the next entry, I will enter this tunnel into yet another mine.

#pokemon #pokemon shield #pokemon gen 8 #let's play #lps

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