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adracat · 1 year

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G Witch episode 16 thoughts

Or the episode where the real plot thickens. No offense to earth and Guel but these are the sort of stakes and drama I'm weak for. Truly a wonderful present to receive on this blessed of Sundays! Just in time for Walpurgisnacht too

And we start off strong with this heated Prospera and Bel confrontation! Cont. from last time, Bel just learned Eri Samaya is not Suletta Mercury or even alive anymore, but a mysterious 3rd thing-- her biometric code uploaded to the cloud aka Aerial. We learn her immature body couldn't handle it so she perished. Eri is now entirely composed of Permet particles, and without Aerial housing her consciousness she'll dissipate. The Gundam is literally possessed by a child's ghost.

And it seems with a permet score of 8, the datastorm can be extended with Quiet Zero and create a space for Eri to live. Or that's the implication, I gather. How exactly that would happen is a mystery though I suspect it would mean granting Eri a new physical body, perhaps by 'overwriting' Suletta's mind/soul. (Well this is sounding familiar, isn't it 3h fans?)

But amid all this, there's the matter of Benerit's leadership. Without Delling, they need someone to control the various corporate beasts so it's decided they'll hold an election. Awfully democratic of them tbh. Though I wager leadership might boil down to whoever can crush hardest in a Mobile Suit royale.

We know Shaddiq will be throwing his hat in the ring, as will our prodigal failson Guel by the looks of it. Speaking of, I wish he had a bigger moment with his brother but maybe later? Their surprise was pretty good, and I enjoyed Guel's talk with Petra. She's grown up quite a bit from the shallow bully/fangirl of the first season.

Moving on to Mio, I went nuts over this shot. Suletta is fulfilling all her promises!! Even cleaned her disaster area of a room and messaging three times per day. She's unnervingly good at following directions tbh.

Adored this so much too. Lauda is grateful to GUNDARM for their aid and subsequently clears them of suspicion in the terrorist attacks. He goes out of his way to say Mio is free from the dueling games too, but Mio could care less about that petty nonsense. Her heart and mind is set on Suletta.

Quick mention to Secilia for being the most relatable person in the show. She just wants to sit on this god forsaken couch, watch the drama, and see who'll be Miorine's husbando. She's so funny, I swear.

And ofc we get spacian/earthian hostility in the wake of the attacks. You can't blame these kids for being scared and lashing out at the nearest targets but also Earth House was clearly not involved and aiding students during. Even Lauda of all people can understand that. They are grieving for a friend apparently which just complicates the situation further. Sad for all tbh

Martin steps up to defend his housemates, which was nice to see, but it's Mio who is able to shut down their hostility with a clever bit of blackmail. She's so cool and taking no one's guff this season

Nika had a brief interaction with Sabina, but it was insightful. We understand Sabina's loyalty to Shaddiq now as she's an earthian who was taken in by Grassley. Like Nika, she wants to become a bridge for spacians and earthians. Their methods contrast Nika's but they're all coming from the same place. Sabina is anyway. Shaddiq is a bit more inscutable.

Detective Mio is exploring all avenues in her quest and the space assembly league are all too happy to collaborate. They all find Shin Sei and Prospera suspicious, it seems. Valid observation. She does manage to locate Nika, sorta, and brings that information back to the others.

Mio is so adorable when Earth House thanked her for everything. This is probably the first time in years people appreciate who she is on her own merits and formed bonds that aren't conditional or tied to her father. It was just a really wholesome moment. Ah I love her and Earth House! Especially after hearing that first drama cd sketch.

Shout out to Till for shipping these two like the rest of us. Solid wingman right there. Poor Suletta doesn't quite know where they stand after all this time and doesn't want to be a nuisance, but still desperate to show Mio her dedication.

Just look at this pathetic puppy face 🥺

Only a monster could say no to that look, and luckily for her Mio is an understanding and loving bride.

Prospera Jumpcare. Watch out y'all, this one has a mean bite. Her showing up suddenly was unnerving. For the love of all that is holy, never do this again lady. Creeping me out somethin fierce.

HOO BOOOY where to begin? So 5lan was rejected from Aerial immediately, unlike when Eri was humoring El4n and Mio. Is this a sign she's grown in power or just fed up with 5lan's gremlin antics? Could be a combo of both! I take this as confirmation there were multiple failed clones/instances of Eri and Suletta was the lone sucess. The others look Eri's age. 12 of them in total, making Suletta unlucky 13.

I kinda felt sorry for 5lan here, cause he has a right to want to live and not be a tool but also... I don't like him and wish him nothing but misery for being a creep + striking Bel, who I do love. Poor Bel is not having a good week in between Prospera's guilting and now 5lan's.

And we finally arrive at THE SCENES we've been waiting for. It's so wonderfully tense but also tentatively hopeful at the start. Suletta who wants nothing more than to bridge the gap and Mio who wants the same.

Mio starts off with an empathetic apology, stating she understands Suletta's choice in ep12 even if it was traumatic for her. But the reconciliation derailed the moment Suletta declares her mother was right after all. She did the right thing. Run gain one, move forward and gain two.

Mio is galvanized by this logic and hastens to ask Suletta how she can smile at something so terrible. She might understand why Suletta killed for her sake, but she doesn't get how Suletta can just blindly accept everything is ok; that murder was right. Then Mio goes directly in, striving to make Suletta understand. She presses her about her mother, asking if Suletta would do anything. Including giving up her dream for Mercury or killing again.

Her answer, while terrible, is yes. To all of it. Suletta would forfeit the school for Mercury. Would kill again at the behest of her mother. Would do anything so long as her mother said it was right.

Suletta only sees the positives. She got to go to school, have friends, and meet Miorine who she loves. All because she moved forward at her mother's demand. It's horrifying but it makes perfect sense why she would think this way. It's clear from her anxious gestures she's not wholly oblivious to the horror either, but deems her discomfort inconsequential when she gains so much from obeying.

Hearing this speech is the breaking point for Mio who dashes away, leaving a forlorn Suletta to gaze after her. And we're swiftly shown what exactly she has on her mind

This scene was electric from the start. Someone is finally calling out Prospera's manipulation and while she's unflappable as always you have to admire Mio's fire. She wants Suletta to be freed and doesn't care a whit what Prospera thinks.

GOOOOOD this quote. We know Mio loves Suletta genuinely but Prospera only sees her 'daughter' as a tool to be tossed around and used by others. Her phrasing is disgusting in this exchange. 'She's a good little girl, isn't she?' *shivers*

Prospera proceeds to lay her cards on the table and is amazingly forthright, declaring her intent. She reveals her hungry fixation for vengeance and 21 yr long grudge against Delling.

Ngl it's pretty hilarious that Mio doesn't mind the idea of these adults killing themselves fighting each other so long as she and Suletta are left alone. Mio in protective wife mode fr.

It's not that easy however, as Prospera coerces Miorine to help her with QZ. And the first step is to become president of the Benerit group. Miomio for President 2023!! Will she find a loophole from this dire situation? Cast your votes now as we await what becomes of our stellar cast until the next Suletta Sunday~

#gundam witch from mercury #g witch #sulemio #miorine rembran #suletta mercury #prospera mercury #belmeria winston #nika nanaura #g witch spoilers #g witch episode 16 #suletta x miorine #you can do it Mio!!#it's rough being the dueteragonist

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wickedlywrittenwords · 1 year

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Her Bloody Shadow

Summary: Y/N moves to Travis County after inheriting an old house from a distant relative. She then notices some strange things happening around her new home after helping her neighbors. Is it all in her head or is something more sinister going on?

Warnings: Stalking, blood, animal death, gore, bondage, possessive behavior

It was a hot, dry, Texas morning when she had arrived in Fuller. She had driven several hours from the city before pulling in front of a small, abandoned house. It had belonged to an uncle she had only met once as a baby and, as the only remaining relative, he had left it to her after his death. Receiving the call from an aging lawyer with a thick accent telling her of her new property had been a surprise she was not expecting but one that was welcome.

She originally lived in a city and to say she was unhappy was an understatement. She had a shitty job with a shitty boss, her apartment was smaller then said bosses dick, and she had just gotten out of a messy relationship with a cheating prick. It had felt like the whole city was sucking the life and joy from her. So when the opportunity arose to cut ties with her old life and start a new one, she didn't give it a second thought. And thanks to her meager savings and a little money included in the inheritance, she wasn't starting her new life penniless.

Which was a rather good thing considering her new home was...well...kinda decrepit. The moment she stepped inside, she new she had her work cut out for her. Spiderwebs, dust, and dirt covered every inch of her new abode. The windows were boarded up and she highly suspected that a family of raccoons were living in the attic. Well...might as well get started.

A few days later, and Y/N was sure her lungs were 50% filled with dust. But her house was feeling more and more like a home. She had un-boarded and opened the windows, dusted, swept, and chased the raccoons from her chimney for good...hopefully. She had even got the old stove working. Which was a blessing considering both her love for baking and her plan to get her new neighbors to like her.

Y/N's new home was quite literally in the middle of nowhere with a small grocery store a small drive away and a rather large farmhouse 5 minutes down the road no doubt belonging to her new neighbors. And one thing her mom had always taught her was to try and get along with everyone she met. So what better way to introduce herself then some baked goods?

After a quick drive to the store and an hour of baking, Y/N had a little over a dozen chocolate chip cookies in a Tupperware sitting in her passenger seat as she drove up the dirt driveway of the large home. As she got out and made her way up the porch steps, she couldn't help a chill go up her spine. The house was old without a doubt. But that wasn't the problem. The atmosphere of the place...it was almost suffocating. It was causing her fight or flight instinct to scream at her. She shook her head and smiled. She was well passed the age of being scared of haunted looking houses. She knocked on the door and straightened her clothes, wanting to make a good first impression. After a few minutes of waiting, an older woman answered the door. She was a little shorter than Y/N, with white hair pulled into a messy bun and old triangle framed glasses sitting on her nose.

The woman looked Y/N up and down before smiling and speaking in a sweet southern accent.

"Why hello there. I havn't seen you around before!"

Y/N grinned. "Yes ma'am. I just moved into the house down the road. I'll be your new neighbor. My name is Y/N." She held out the plastic container holding the baked goods. "I made you some cookies to help break the ice."

The older woman took the cookies with a slight surprised look on her face. "Well isn't that sweet! My name is Luda Mae Hewitt. We don't get many visitors around these parts, let alone new neighbors. Im sure my boys would love to meet you. They are all out and about right now but I'd love to have you over for dinner to meet them. How does that sound?"

Y/N was about to accept the kind invitation when her eyes drifted over Luda Mae's shoulder. She thought she saw the silhouette of a man standing in the hall. But there was no way someone could be that big right? She looked to the older woman and then back to shadow only to find that it was gone. Was she seeing things? Maybe she was more tired than she thought.

Y/N smiled. "Im afraid I have to decline for tonight since I'm still moving in and am rather tired. Maybe another time?"

Luda Mae's smile seemed to falter for a second before returning.

"Thats no problem at all! Well I better get back to chores. So much to be done around here. We'll see you soon, dear." She said before closing the door abruptly.

Y/N just stood there for a second in confusion at the quick dismissal. She shook her head and contributed it to maybe the lady not being used to new people. Thinking nothing more of it, she returned to her car and backed out the driveway to head home.

Within the old farm house, a large shadow stood at the window and stared at the woman who was talking to his mother as she got into a car and drove away. His mother had failed to lure her into the house as usual whenever an outsider wandered into their town. Usually he would be excited for an opportunity to kill any strangers that stepped foot in their home and add their skin to his collection, but a part of him was glad the woman didn't enter the house. He didnt know why but seeing the way she smiled made his chest feel tight. She didnt seem any different than any of the others that wandered into town and ended up dead and on his table in the basement. Thankfully, his momma had said to go and keep an eye on the woman. She may be a new member of the community, but she was still an outsider. Maybe now he could find out why she made his chest feel so heavy.

The last few nights had been very tense for Y/N. She had been focusing cleaning and repairing the house so she didnt notice anything strange at first but then the signs started to be hard to ignore. First it was small things. She had her windows open at night due to the cool evenings but she had started to feel like she was being watched and hearing rustling at night. So now she kept the windows closed tight. Then she started finding things left on her porch steps. It started out as flowers and small stones but then it evolved to old pieces of broken jewelry and animal bones. Then animals started showing up. Dead ones. Raccoons, coyotes, and even some stray cats and dogs were killed and placed on her porch. Thats when she went from concerned to downright terrified.Was this a threat? Was someone trying to get her to leave? She didnt know but now she made sure her doors was locked tight and made a point never to be outside at night.

Thomas watched as his lady went about her nightly ritual of locking the doors and windows. He was kinda hurt that she didnt seem to like his gifts. He had to work very hard to get those animals and leave them at her door. But the more he watched her, the more he realized he couldnt stay mad. How could he? She was so beautiful, kind, and looked so soft. He wasnt sure but he thought he might be in love. Luda Mae had told him what love was like when he was young. She said it felt like you couldnt live without the person and would do anything to be with them. He never felt that way about anyone but his momma so he thought he'd never feel that way. But then he saw her. He knew he had to have her and keep her safe from the rest of the world. She would return his love...eventually. He was sure. He just had to show her how much he loved her and then she would love him too.

Y/N checked the locks one more time before heading upstairs to her room. She was exhausted. On top of all the repairs and cleaning, she had been stressed with the "gifts" being left at her home. Maybe moving here wasnt such a good idea... She sighed as she changed into a thin nightgown to help with the hot night. Maybe it wouldnt be a bad idea to take something to help her sleep. She went tinto the bathroom and took a sleeping pill before crawling into bed. Soon her mind grew groggy and she slipped into blissful slumber.

Thomas waited a few minutes after he saw the last light going off in the house. He snuck to the back of the house and broke through the backdoor window, opening it from the inside. when he got inside he stopped and listened to see if she had heard the noise. Being quiet wasnt easy for someone his size but with how important this was, he was going to do his best. Hearing no movement, he made his way upstairs without a sound save for his heavy breathing and the creaking of the stairs. He found the room he knew was hers and pushed the door open slowly. It was dark in the small room except for the moonlight that streamed in through the thin, lace curtains. As he finally stood over her sleeping body, Thomas felt that funny feeling in his chest again. It was like his heart was pounding out if his chest. He watched her chest raise and fall with every breath she took. Reaching out, he ran a finger down her cheek. She felt so soft and smooth. His heart stopped when she moved and mumbled in her sleep but he breathed again when she went still again. He stood up straight and looked watched her for a minute more before leaning down and gently scooping her up in a bridal hold. She mumbled some more but otherwise didnt seem to notice. He was secretly thankful that she seemed to be in such a deep sleep so she couldnt out up a fight. Now he just had to take her home. To their home.

Y/N felt a chill go through her thinly clothed body as a draft swept over her. Her blanket probably fell off her again. She moved to cover herself up again but found she couldnt mover her arm. This caused her jolt awake and immediately knew she was in trouble. She wasnt in her room anymore, hell she was sure she wasnt even in her house. She looked around before quickly realizing she was bound to an old bed. Her wrists were tied to the bars of the headboard while her legs were equally bound to bars at the foot of the bed by old ropes that bit into her limbs as she tried to pull them loose. The room was dark but not dark enough to hide the horror she was in the middle of. There were bloody hooks hanging from the ceiling with bits of flesh clinging to them. To the side of the room, was what looked like a table covered with knives and flesh. The room reeked of blood and rust. Where was she?

Her breathe came out ragged as she heard a door slam open and heavy footsteps coming down stairs. Panic coursed through her body when a large man came into view. He had long dark hair and wore a leather mask that covered most of his face. He a dirty shirt and pants covered by a tan apron covered in...was that blood!?

She tensed as he moved closer to her, his large frame casting a shadow over her smaller one. Was he going to kill her? He leaned down, causing her to flinch. Instead of pain or a strike, she felt a large, warm hand on the side of her face. She opened her eyes and saw that the man was staring at her as he ran his thumb over her cheek, heavy breathes coming from the mask and washing over her face.

"Please...let me go...I won't tell anyone about this, I swear." Y/N gasped out the words in fear, hoping against hope the hulking man would listen to her.

A soft grunt came from him as his thumb paused. Instead of answering her pleas, his hand moved down her face. He traced over her lips with feather-light touches and continued down her throat to her chest. There he placed his hand flat as though trying to feel her heartbeat and the rapid rise and falls her breathing caused. The heat from his large hand, spread through her chest along with the panic at his every movement. His gaze roamed over her body, as if he was taking in every inch and committing it to memory. Y/N closed her eyes and willed herself to be still, afraid that any movement or sound might turn his soft touches into pain.

Thomas was having a hard time keeping himself under control as he felt the soft skin under his hand. He didnt want to scare her or rush but he couldnt help himself. She was finally in his home. She was finally his. Of course he noticed how terrified she was and how fast her heart beat at his touch. But she would learn. Momma said that love sometimes took time. And she would have a long, long time to learn to love his touches, his presence, his ways. To love him. He'd make sure of it.

#slashers #thomas hewitt #leatherface #thomas hewitt x reader #thomas hewitt x y/n #fanfic #fanfiction #reader insert #female reader #stalker #possessive

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andromythical · 6 months

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im dangerously obsessed with frank zhang rn so here's a "little" thing about him bc people don't realize how complex his character is. Buckle in cause this is a long one.

Frank arrived at camp (correct me if I'm wrong) about two weeks after his mother died. The night of the funeral was the night he found out he could die at any moment if a wooden stick caught fire. (Again, please feel free to correct me about the timeline and stuff.) Frank travelled from Vancouver, Canada to California. A 415 HOUR WALK. As far as we know, he did it illegally too. All while still dealing with the fact that his mother had recently passed and his (low-key kinda neglectful) grandmother was now his legal guardian.

We see how in the first few chapters, just how much Frank is drawn to archery, his grandmother even chastising him about his obsession. He wishes to be claimed by Apollo. Yet, after he wins the war games for his cohort, he is claimed by Mars. Mars, the god of war. The god of violence. The god of what killed his mother. Frank couldn't be less like him, or so we think. Of course, Frank doesn't want to be violent, but it's shown on multiple occasions how his first instinct is to fight.

When he sets off on his quest, there was no way for him to know what would lay ahead. There was no way to know that he would meet Iris, who would show him his gift. Speaking of Iris, however, this where something very interesting happens. Iris claims he is connected to the stick because he 'had too many gifts'. This confused me on my first read, because how could he have too many gifts? He could shapeshift, sure, but it's not like he had any other major powers or anything. That's where I was wrong. It was confirmed in a book, I can't remember which one, that children of Mars and Ares have control over the dead, as long as they were on the losing side of a battle. So no, he doesn't only have one power. He certainly has skills, too. He is gifted in war strategy and tactics, as well. Making him an absolute unit in combat.

Of course, how could I talk about SoN with our bringing up the whole Zhang mansion chaos? It begins with Frank, Hazel and Percy in desperation. They resort to going to his 'grandmother's house' as he calls it. Not his house, his grandmother's. (This has absolutely no significance I just wanted to point it out). His grandmother is quite literally on her death bed when they arrive, Mars at her side. When Frank and his father have a one on one, Mars mentions how he is 'Junos secret weapon'. While talking about Gaia, he mentions that - in a direct quote - " I think you worry her more than Percy or Jason or any of the seven." This ties back to Iris' comment. He is too powerful.

Grandmother Zhang seems very shitty, and for the most part is. She has told Frank that "Men do not cry, especially not Zhang men" which we can see ties into a quote further on in the book, after the mansion catches fire and they're on the plane back. Percy mentions that "Frank kept his head down, as if he was ashamed to have been crying."

What people don't mention about Frank as much, is that he lost his only family about a month or so apart. A month.

People don't like Frank because of his conflict with Leo, but what people choose to ignore is the fact that the arguments started after Frank started hearing Mars and Ares in his head. And as we see in HoH, Mars and Ares are very pushy. Some of his behaviour could be contributed to his anger at Mars, who he now hears encouraging him to fight the Greeks at every opportunity, and some could also be contributed to Leo himself, who caused the Mars and Ares fiasco, and who also teases him at every chance he gets.

it's getting very long now and I'm getting very unmotivated so I'm gonna leave it here and if I think of anything else I'll edit it :3

The moment we've all been waiting for... the Venice incident, when Frank killed between 200-300 monsters. He was blessed by Mars afterwards, and is described to have been more confident. Even Leo had stopped teasing him.

And THIS, dear readers, is why Frank is the physical embodiment of "I'm not a violent dog, I don't know why I bite."

#i love him so much #i did not mean it to get this long my bad #hes so underrated #this is an absolute essay i apologize #frank zhang #percy jackon and the olympians #pjo #son of neptune #house of hades #heroes of olympus

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jinx-on-mars-19xx · 8 days

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Tongue Tied Together

🩸Previous Parts Here🩸

Dom x Colson (Yungblud x Machine Gun Kelly)

Warnings: ABO dynamics (knots, slick, heat), alpha serial killer/hitman Dom, omega mob boss Kells, grumpy Dom, Tom being his helpful self, discussions of sex, mentions of killing, cursing, grumpy tea making, insults, light stalking, Dom being clueless, Kells being stubborn, Kells being a badass boss bitch, discussions of serious topics such as- trafficking, past assault (physical and SA), allusions to childhood trauma and sexual trauma (all just explained in a discussion- nothing is said in detail but keep yourself safe!), Collette being a badass gem and trying to help dumb boys, enemies to lovers 💣 Rating: mature

All ideas helped by @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker 🖤

“You look like ‘hammered shit’ as the kids say. Sweet dreams again I suppose?” Tom's voice was soft as Dom entered the kitchen of their flat. His words were harsh but they'd never sugar coated life for each other. Considering the way they met it wouldn't make sense to be gentle, the photographer knew what the Alpha was before they even spoke. They'd made a home together of sorts even though they only liked each other as brothers and they even mixed home and work life. Tom ran a photography crime blog and was basically Dom's hitman assistant- there was really no need to be kind.

“Fanks. Tea?” If Dom was speaking so little he had obviously slept terribly, the boy's ADHD made him ramble like a five year old on meth when he wasn't in desperate need of a kill. It worried his best friend to see him so down.

Tom nodded to the kettle and watched the other man shuffle around the room. It had been over a week since the kid had come home covered in mating mess and grinning like mad- quite literally like mad, Dom was certifiable but they took care of each other and he'd helped find ways to keep his friend mostly sane. Then he accidentally sent him after that mob boss omega and everything and nothing changed. He hated watching the kid hurt but there wasn't anything he could do about it. He knew Dom was still ‘keeping an eye’- the Alpha's phrase for stalking, but he guessed the man still hadn't contacted him again. Since that happy afternoon delight the killer had been fighting old demons at night and while normally Tom would tell someone to talk to their fucking mate, this was a special case. Wasn't Dom always one…

Tom knew more than he probably should, the other man could overshare like no one else when he was manic. They'd been through everything together so he was used to it. He'd even been the one to help get the Alpha's wards set up in the states. Anyone who did so much to give their little sisters such a good life was a saint in his book, even if that halo of Dom's was held in place by horns. He just didn't know if the demons plaguing his friend were from his past or his present. It was hard to fish when the one you're trying to help occasionally enjoyed seeing people's insides on their outsides. Not that he'd ever truly threatened Tom.

“Tea's good today.” Even grumpy Dom could compliment his friend but it felt like a chore making himself sit across from him.

Tom took a deep breath that he didn't mean to let escape in a sigh as he made a choice and glanced up at the Alpha. He looked awful, dark circles under dead eyes and his hair even more wild than normal. “You know you can just… talk to him right?”

Dom was too tired to roll his eyes so instead he dropped his sight to the cup in front of him. Damn Tom for being so perceptive. “I don't care-” He stopped short. He couldn't lie with the man he thought of as his brother. “He's got me number.” He shrugged instead and he didn't have to look to know the other wasn't too tired to roll his eyes.

“And you've got his. Hell, you see him so often you could just… say hi? Of course not. So what? You just stalk him into submission?”

“I don't bloody know Tom. He needs me. I can feel it but he's so fucking stubborn!” The scoff his friend answered him with made his brow arch. “Fairs. Ya cunt. You know it's ya fault. I mean who fucks someone and never talks to ‘em again?” The voice crack and silly question showed the boy's age but it still hurt the omega's heart.

“Almost everyone?” He shrugged back but it wasn't what the kid needed to hear. People could be shit, that didn't mean Colson was. “He's got secrets too. You said…” He had to take a breath and prepare himself for an awkward conversation. Weren't they all though? He could still remember the time he had to catch the Alpha and bathe him after Dom attempted to stop killing cold turkey, before he decided to just protect his girls from afar. He didn't want a bad Alpha in their lives, even himself. Of course the break in self care and release for his urges wasn't the right choice. Tom still couldn't forget the sight he'd walked in on after tracking the boy down that night. Having to spray down a full grown arsehole after he ran home half naked and covered in red was an experience they didn't talk about. Awkward was relative. “He seemed… new to that, yeah?”

“‘Ere was blood. And wiv ‘ow he talked… If I weren't the first I'd be surprised.” That thought yet again sent a rush of emotion through Dom he couldn't fully understand. Why did that make his stomach flip? His cock twitch? His heart felt funny in his chest.

“And he was on heavy duty Alpha hormones. Long enough to grow up here since around puberty and pass. I've researched everything I can on him and for what the world knows he's an Alpha. That could have been his first heat. I can't imagine what it's like going through that so late.” Tom shuddered. It was a truly terrifying thought.

“Alright well ‘en why? Wha’ ‘append to start it?” Dom could feel the other man glaring at him. He wasn't daft, he just… didn't always understand simple things. Ask him how long it took someone to bleed out from a neck wound and he was a genius but his father hadn't cared to teach him omega sex ed beyond where he was supposed to stick his knot in one.

“You're serious? Dominic… Fucks sake. You. You happened.”

“Wha’ ya mean?” The boy almost whimpered. He genuinely didn't understand. Not really. Or maybe he just couldn't let himself. He wasn't ready. How could he be?

“I'll just say… you had the right pheromones for each other. But-” Tom was scared to ask the next question. He knew he had to navigate carefully, he couldn't let his friend go off the deep end. “So just that one time?” He paused long enough for Dom to nod. “And you've been close enough to see if he's still sick?”

“He seems alright now. Bitchy but alright. Maybe he got new blockers.”

Either the omega found stronger blockers, the old ones messed up his system so much that it was a false heat, or… No, it had to be one of the two. There was no way they wouldn't notice anything else, not with how drawn to each other they were. Tom just didn't know whether to push the Alpha to talk to Kells or not. Granted… maybe it didn't have to be Dom he gave the nudge to.

🩸☠️🩸

Colson was pissed. The man he was supposed to meet for the buy he had set up was later than anyone had given him the disrespect of before. The club was mostly quiet around them, even the normally pounding music was turned down. That was the benefit of owning your own place, you could do whatever you wished with it, but there were still enough people milling around to keep trigger happy idiots from doing anything stupid. He was in the VIP section taking up most of a velvet bench seat, his lanky body spread out to give the appearance of nonchalance. In actuality the omega was raging inside and wondering who to shoot first.

“Hey boss…” Mod’s voice was almost shaking, the beta obviously didn't want to bare any bad news.

From behind his purple shades Kells watched his friend nod his head indicating to someone against the far dark corner of the building. For a moment he thought the seller had finally arrived but no- it was just the fucking Alpha a-fucking-gain. Maybe Dom was who he should shoot first. A small part of his inner turmoil relaxed at the sight of him. He hated that he couldn't stop himself from feeling safer and calmer in the killer's presence. He didn't ask for him to come, Dom was always just… there. “Leave it. He's not the problem right now.” Colson snapped, trying to move his sight away from his stalker. He could feel his core pulse between his thighs but he ignored it. He would ignore the Alpha as well.

“But-” Megan huffed from Col’s other side and he shot a withering glare at her. It must have been something because she rolled her eyes and looked away, crossing her arms with a huff.

“I don't care if he wants to be a god damned fly on the wall alright? He's not doing shit but creeping.” Kells shrugged, he was tired of her bullshit to be honest. He was tired of everything. The past week had been one of the weirdest of his life and he just needed one thing to go right.

After the impromptu bang sesh the Monday before he and Dom had gone their separate ways with a few more insults tossed at each other, though they felt a little more playful than before. He'd gone home and slept like the dead and starting the next day he'd tried a new blocker. The fucking things just straight up refused to work. He wasn't sick anymore but he could tell the fake hormones weren't working. After a few days of trying he just tossed them out. It wasn't too bad anyway, he still felt slick when he saw the psycho which happened a lot more than he'd assumed it would, but that was about it. Every day Dom would appear in the shadows and while at first it pissed him off, now it was simply a part of life. The hitman was just his annoying shadow, the guy didn't even try to talk to him or anything. Sometimes he even caught Dom curled up on his balcony asleep. He refused to admit he slept better those nights.

He finally looked away from his new Alpha shadow and checked the time on his watch. “Fuck! I hope this asshole knows-”

“Boss!” Before Colson could finish his threat the man in question appeared at the door. Kells felt his trigger finger twitch but he didn't reach for his gun. Yet. He noticed his mother disappearing from her seat next to him but she rarely stayed around for the meetings. It was a compliment if anything, she trusted him as much as she'd trusted the man she loved.

Pete- the man he normally trusted to be his go between with sellers looked suitably shaken as he came to meet the group. The beta was trying to look hard but there was a subtle trembling in his limbs. When he reached Colson's table he took a seat across from him and his knee bounced. For just a moment the omega wondered if that was how people acted around Dom but he pushed that away. He was scarier than his golden retriever psycho. “You gotta understand- this ain't on me alright boss? I swear! These guys they just… they never showed up and all I got was this text saying the shipment was taken care of. I dunno what that means boss. Ya gotta know I wouldn't fuck you over. You're my best customer! I mean-”

Colson arched a brow at the man's nervous rambling. It would be hilarious to let him work himself up to pissing himself but Kells was tired. Dom hadn't slept close the night before. Fuck. He shouldn't let himself get used to it. “You mean what? That you fucked me over? That you're so fucking shitty at your job you lost me millions on product? Cause that's what this is Petey. You. Fucked. Up. Now, why shouldn't I just shoot you now and be done with it? You'll take out the trash, right?” He asked the last of Mod who nodded but then Megan was laughing at his threat and resting her hand on his thigh. It automatically made him itch and his gaze flicked to where he'd last seen the Alpha. Shit- was his mom talking to the freak?

“Cause you love me boss! We're friends!”

“Are we? My friends don't lose my shit.”

“Fucks sake boss I didn't mean to!”

“They already rescheduled from last Friday to tonight. Is this why? They were trying to fuck me over?” Kells was near growling. He hated being disrespected like that. The previous leader never was. Everyone acted as if Col was softer and he always worried it was his secret, that somehow everyone felt it without knowing.

“All I gots a text. Fuckers said the buy was done. I dunno boss. I'm sorry.” Pete shrugged and looked near to passing out.

He should be sorry. Everyone should be. Pete didn't know but Colson- just like his adoptive father before him didn't buy up omegas to sell. Travis had hated the way the fairer designation was treated and he built up his family to save them. That's how Kells had made it to them originally, thanks to his asshole Alpha bio dad. They made their money in guns and drugs but while everyone thought they were the best in the trafficking world they were doing quite the opposite. They would purchase shipments of omegas and give them new identities. New lives. Not everyone in the family was a fan of it but it was his reason to live. The reason his secret was so important. In truth deep down he and his stalker weren't so different.

🩸☠️🩸

Dom felt his polite mask slip in place as Collette approached him, though part of his smile was genuine. He truly liked her. She was a sweet but hard omega with her son's eyes and smile. Not that Colson ever smiled. She moved to hug him and he accepted it even if he was a little stiff. After squeezing him tight she led him away to a table but let him keep his needed line of sight as they sat down. “Sweetheart, you look like hammered shit.” Her voice was lovely and her words… true. He couldn't deny it.

“You ain't the first to say tha’ today. Jus' can't sleep. I'll be alright.” He shrugged one shoulder, his fingers tearing apart a coaster on the table. He couldn't help fidgeting at all times.

“May I ask what's wrong?” Her voice stayed gentle as she laid her hand over his. Dom had never had a good mum and for just a moment he wondered if he'd be different with someone who cared like her. She genuinely seemed to already.

“Rough week. He-” The Alpha grit his teeth, he didn't know much about social or relationship norms- not that he was in one- but he was pretty sure bitching to a fuck buddy’s mummy wasn't allowed. Bollocks.

The omega tried not to chuckle as she watched the boy fight himself over something. He was so young and sweet seeming, even though she knew who he was in the dark. Killing didn't phase her, she'd done her own plenty when needed and she wasn't as blonde as she appeared to be. It wasn't hard for her to see the common denominator in every one of Yungblud’s hits- Alphas. Bad ones. Hell, to the rest of the world her son was the leader of the top trafficking ring, she understood why Colson would be on his list and she knew that they shared the same principles, they just took care of the problem in different ways.

“You know when I met my husband I was scared to let him in. I fought and I fought and I told him I hated him every day for months. He had basically bought me from- from my previous husband and I hated all Alphas for it for a long time. He always said I was free to go though and I just… didn't. I couldn't make myself.” She laughed softly and brushed her hair behind her ear. “Eventually I realized I could trust him and we grew closer. By the time Colson came to us we were in love and I was finally strong enough to help my boy through hell.”

Dom’s brows furrowed and his gaze flicked between the two. Colson was too far away for his liking but he could see him. “Wha’ ‘append? To Cols I mean.”

Collette took a breath and pulled her hand back to fidget herself. She didn't know exactly how much she could say but she also didn't want the boy giving up. “My first husband… He was someone I think you'd like to meet with those knives you seem so partial to.” She paused as she watched Dom start to reach for his bag before he stopped and sat up straighter. “I was given to him by my own father very young and he was a religious ass who thought Alphas were God's gift and omegas were-”

“I know tha’ type. I fink me dad and Col’s would ‘ave been friends.” Dom shuddered.

“Yes well… He hated that I gave him an omega son. He was… he was terrible to us both. After the birth he hated me and let me know it. His brother was just as bad but that bastard thought if my husband wasn't using me…" She paused to let the gravity sink in. Her brother-in-law had been a sick fuck. Both of them were. "When Colson was two my ex caught his brother assaulting me and of course blamed me. He beat me so badly the next week was a blur. I woke up the day Travis found me and we tried to get my son back but the fuckers had moved.”

Dom watched her calmly talk about the hell she'd been through as if she were speaking about the weather. He knew that feeling, that separation from your own trauma because it was far too big to feel. He had his own story and he gave her the respect she deserved by keeping eye contact as he listened. “Wha’ appended to ‘im?” There was a soft growl in his chest.

“I'm not sure it's my story to tell. But history repeats itself, I think we both know that. My son came back to me broken. It had been a decade and he was… he'd been through something terrible. As soon as it was safe he went on blockers and my love took him under his wing. It was Col's choice to hide. Just please understand he has a good reason to be scared of what you did together. He might be terrified for a while. Please just… be patient? I think you could be good for each other. And he'll really need you now.” She gave him a soft smile and he nodded.

He couldn't do much more than that. The sociopath wasn't used to emotions but something was aching in his chest. He knew what her words meant. He hadn't technically been the omega's first, just the first he allowed. The panic Dom had felt in the moment was shared. He also knew there were two new names on his list but he wouldn't leave the man yet to take care of it.

“He stopped taking his blockers. If you were worried. He'll figure it out. Just give him time.” She soothed but he was confused why he should care about that. The Machine Gun could do whatever he wanted with his body. He didn't hate the thought of being able to scent him though. “Oh.” Collette laughed softly, shaking her head. “I'll talk to him, alright? Don't give up.” Her voice was sweet as she patted his arm over where the omega had bit him as if it meant something more than he understood. He couldn't help admiring her beauty and she wasn't much older it seemed than her son. If Colson had been sold at twelve... Maybe she had been married off then too. Yeah, those two were definitely on his list. After a moment she slid off her chair and pressed a kiss to his cheek before disappearing back to her son. It left Dom to watch and wait and picture all the ways he could slaughter those who hurt what was his. Wait... Fuck.

Of course he didn't plan on leaving Kells alone, he couldn't seem to make himself. Something about the man drew him in and kept him there. Like a moth to a flame. Maybe he just needed to try a little more than stalking- Tom kept telling him words were good. Watching the omega he knew it wasn't conversation he wanted to share but he'd do anything to stay close. Even put off his own bubbling needs.

Author's Note/Tags: @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker @hollywoodxwhore @jaxbreaker @fenoy7 @cole-way-iero28 if anyone else wants tagged let me know 🖤

So this chapter was intense but I tried to keep some of it light. These boys have been through hell but they can help each other. Hopefully they'll start getting closer in the next chapter but I hope you enjoyed a little more Tom and Collette time! Also mob boss Kells moments are fun. I hope you liked it 💣🖤

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worm-wood-words · 4 days

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So uhhh yeah I wrote the two intro scenes please don't rake me over coals that's not me being self deprecating I'm actually still fucked up about actually posting writing.

Anyway TWs for SA (no detail), intimate partner violence, suicide, blood. None of it's graphic but it's there.

2772 words

Veniae-di

Colony Outpost 9

2276, 3rd Standard Cycle

Carina, Age 15

Carina adjusted her mask, turned off her left eye and slid up her sunglasses. They did little against the sunlight streaming down, bouncing fiery off the mix of human and avaki ships docked ahead. She pressed her hands over her ears. They were similarly ineffective against the noise, the cacophony of human and alien tongues and of ships disembarking into space.

“Sorry, Rina.”Tovie whispered. “Your implants will settle down soon.”

Carina nodded, looking up at the woman beside her. She looked older than her 20 years, narrow black eyes scanning the crowd. She tapped her violet mouth, one clawed finger against a tooth poking out from her bottom lip. Short white horns curled out under the veil tied over her long dark braids, white with purple trim. Fine, light blue fur covered her azure skin. A smart brown jacket hung on her wide shoulders and a brown skirt fanned out around her ankles, the tip of a long, striped tail peeking out of it.

“No insignia?”Carina asked, also speaking under her breath. She doubted anyone out here was paying them much mind, but it was best not to take chances.

“I'm not with my unit yet.” Tovie rolled her eyes. “Besides, there's not much insignia on women's uniforms, remember?”

“Right, sorry.”Carina said. Tovie had tried to explain avaki military structures to her before but she had never quite understood, especially when it came to women being limited to a specific set of non-combat roles. “Are…are you sure we-”

“Relax, Rina we're blending in just fine.”

“Right.” She swayed on her feet, trying to ignore the weight of her backpack. “Now…now you said I'm…. Nevermind, sorry. The line's moving.”

They both fell silent, waiting as the two groups ahead were scanned and cleared to board. Carina had seen pictures of whales in her textbooks before, strange marine mammals that were rare on worlds other than Earth, and non-existent on Veniae-di. The avaki ship reminded her of them, all seamless curves of undulating blue and grey, the metal they were made from like a liquid held in place, a miniature ocean shielding a miniature world.

“Alright, we're up.”Tovie squeezed her hand. “We've got this, Rina.”

Carina nodded. Her hand fell at her side.

An avaki man stood by the ship’s door, his arms crossed. He looked them over. “Identification?”

Tovie held out one hand for the man to scan.

“Let's see.”he said. “Of Kallis clan, Tovrek. Ah, off to service. Com-sec, too. Not bad for a lady. Then again, I doubt your clan would accept less. And this one…” He pointed at Carina. “...is your…?”

“My servant.”Tovie said. “She's fully registered.”

“I suppose. Still, a com-sec officer bringing a human along….” His lips pursed, two long teeth jutting from the top.

“Oh don't worry.” Tovie scoffed. “She's a farm girl. Barely literate. I doubt she even understands what we're saying right now, and I won't be getting her a translator.”

“We'll see.”the man said. “Your chip, girl.”

As they had practiced, Carina did not respond. She blinked, staring wide eyed just past the man. Tovie grabbed her hand and held it out. She forced her breathing to stay steady and hoped the man couldn't hear her heart race. Tovie had rewritten her ID chip with a false identity, part outright falsehoods and part the truth of a girl who had recently died. The override would only last so long, if it worked at all. She bowed her head.

“Nova.” The name sounded strange in the man's mouth, unused to any human language. “Of Danvers clan.” He scrutinized his netpad. “Four year contract.”he said to Tovie. “Says she's old enough, barely. Hardly looks it, though. Nice find.”

“May we-”

“Yes, yes, go ahead through the decon scanner.”

“Thank you. Now.” She switched to the human common tongue. “Come along, girl.” The words flowed naturally.

Still silent and meek, Carina followed her. A blue glow ran over them, concentrating on their bags. Once the machine was sure they carried no contraband, a second door slid up to let them enter the ship. A wave of cold air washed over her. The light changed from blazing sun to a sickly fluorescence on silver walls. A crowd of avaki, mostly men, milled about. Multiple faces turned to them both. She shivered.

“Come, girl.” Tovie took her hand and pulled her down a corridor. Her hooves clicked on the metal floor. “Yes, here we are.” She let go, unlocked the room and nudged her inside. “Quiet.”

Carina obeyed, standing still as Tovie inspected the thin room. It was all bare silver metal with two panels stuck out from one wall. Hiding a sink and toilet, she assumed. A small mattress was folded away opposite to her. She watched the door, her heart quick again. None of the men in the entrance had been familiar. No one was coming. She repeated that in her head.

“Alright.” Tovie stuck a small translucent disk to the wall. “That should chop up our speech for a bit. And, hey, sorry about out there, Rina. Had to save face and all."

“I...I understand.”she replied. “I'm just glad we're here now.”

“What did I tell you?” She grinned down at her. “Nothing to worry about. I'm just that amazing.”

“You weren't nervous at all, Tovie?”she asked, lightly chiding.

“Okay, maybe a little.” She shrugged. “But we're fine now. Taking off soon. And hey, we have a window!” She pulled down the bed, leaving them barely room to stand, and pressed a button on the wall. It parted and light streamed in. “Come here, let's watch.”

Carina dropped her bag. It thudded on the floor. She knelt on the mattress. It was as hard as it had looked. Tovie pulled her close, one arm around her shoulder. She didn't know if it was an actual window or even a real time display. It didn't matter. She'd been too anxious in the shipyard to even take a final look. Now, green and red fields stretched before her, under the shadows of towering old brown trees. There was corn and soy and wheat, of course, but far more of the fields were full of avaki vegetables, the trees heavy with fruit just for them. Between the fields were chaotic columns of stack houses, tiny boxes of thin plastic that had been unfolded on the spots where they stood, little more than walls to guard against the elements, the upper levels only accessible by ladders on their outsides. Somewhere nearby, just out of view, was the Kallis mansion, a citadel of metal and glass that loomed over the human community of Outpost 9.

“Is it…gentler out there?”she asked in a strained whisper. “You…you've left a few times.”

Tovie rested a hand on her head, fingers in her hair, claws retracted. “It is.”she lied. “I'm…I'm sorry, Rina, that I couldn't-”

“It's…okay.”she lied in return.

“No, it's not, and-”

“It's not your fault.”

“It's not yours either.”

Carina didn't answer, staring at the fields. She had said goodbye to her mother. The final word had been met with silence.

“May I?”

She nodded and Tovie took her hand, a warm and strong grip.

“Takeoff in forty five seconds.”a low voice announced over a speaker.

They each sat, holding one side of the bed. The ship lurched.

“Sentinel Station isn't so bad.”Tovie said. “It's crowded, but…but it's not the worst place. And I promise I'll-”

“I know you won't be able to talk much.” she said. “Military monitoring and all. Hard to get around even for you. I know I'll be on my own.” She swallowed and rubbed her eyes. “It's okay.”she lied.

“I'm sorry.”

She said nothing. The ship lurched and Tovie held her up. She watched the fields shrink. They disappeared. The window closed.

“You okay, Rina?”

“We're…we're….” She buried her face in her hands. Tears that had built for days now burst through. A sob cut through her heart. Her throat tightened. She screamed, shaking in Tovie's arms.

Sevala

Northern Underground

2276 3rd Standard Cycle

Verren, Age 18

Verren coughed, curled up on the cold stone floor. Pale blue blood spurted between his teeth into his shaking hands. He'd stopped crying but his vision was still blurred, his left eye swollen shut. Kero hadn't broken anything. At least, he didn't think she had, though his whole body was heavy. His bleeding arms pulsed in pain, and multiple teeth had come loose.

"Get up." Kero's voice cut into his aching head. Her eyes narrowed to red slits and she crossed her arms.

He stumbled to his feet. "K-kero, I-"

"Quiet."

He hung his head. Blood dripped from his mouth.

“Fix this up."she said. "Then come to my room.”

"But, Kero, it is-"

"Come to my room."she repeated. “I have things to tell you. And be quiet."

He nodded. Kero walked away, silent. He looked at the first aid kit on the nearest wall, shook his head and turned away. By now he knew better than to even touch the tubes of cura in it. None of that was for him, especially not now. The cuts would heal well enough in time, though they would scar. He tied two old rags over his arms. That would do to stem bleeding. He didn't bother to fix his face, but just swept up the broken pieces. Black polished clay clattered in the garbage bin.

He had dropped the plate. He knew that, but couldn't remember it happening. His body had been useless before, but now it would refuse his control, going stiff and fogging his eyes at least once a day. Kero had forgiven him, the night he had realized he was unworthy of her, but even she could not forgive this new sickness. He swallowed back fresh tears and finished wiping his blood off the floor. The hallway stretched endless and dark before him. Most of the rooms were empty, as he had borne no children for her, not even sons, and Kero did not yet have other men to occupy her.

He stopped outside her room. It had only been five days since the stillbirth, his third in their two years of marriage. She knew he needed at least two weeks to heal, and over a month until they could try again.

"Vera."he whispered. Her half formed face filled his mind. It was a strong name. They could not try again. He didn't understand.

"Are you going to stand there and stare at the walls all night?"

Kero looked down at him. She was so tall, imposing and stately in dark grey silk woven with silver, a necklace of pointed teeth strung around her neck. Her deep red eyes bored into him. More than ever he understood her place in the world. He got to his feet, eyes glued to the floor, and followed her to her quarters.

She undressed. She undressed him. She pulled him into bed. It hurt. It did not seem to end, until at last she pushed him away. He laid there, eyes closed, the floor warm on his skin.

“That was good.”she said. “You’ll do well at Sarae’s.”

“What...what do you-”

She sighed. “Your results aren’t in yet, and your skin hasn't changed, but it’s clear you’re a Feraan-kiin.”she said. “I found a woman who can take you. She runs a...bar you can work at.”

His stomach sank, but he said nothing.

“You’re pretty, if nothing else.”she continued. “At least for now. You’ll do alright.”

“Thank you.”he whispered.

She stood, bent down and lifted him into her arms, carrying him across the room. A large square basin sat in the corner, perpetually full. She dropped him into the water and turned away.

He laid there, silent. Cold burrowed into his veins, cutting through the numbness. The water turned blue with blood, a concentrated, vile azure from his arms and between his legs. It blossomed out into pale cyan. More coated his mouth again. Kero had hit him before. Of course she had. Few women were blessed with mates who never had to be kept in line, and he was more foolish, self centered and impure than most men. She had needed to discipline him many times, but she had never made him bleed before.

He stood slowly, his limbs heavy, and tied a black sheet around his chest. Kero lay sprawled in bed, asleep on top of the large nest of blankets placed in a hole that had been cut into the floor. Verren swallowed down a lump in his throat, watching her. She was broad chested with strong arms and long, muscular legs. All was covered in black, shining scales, and two lines of flexible spines ran down the top and back of her head, connected by translucent blue skin. Her thick tail draped over the bed's edge. Even asleep, even as much as she frightened him now, she was a handsome woman, as ideal in looks as she was in temperament and intelligence, the sort who built and upheld erathi society.

He sighed. Love was not the goal of marriage. Still, he tried to remember if she had ever loved him, if she had ever been happy to have him pledged to her.

He couldn't. It didn't matter. He turned away. The door closed behind him. He drifted back to the kitchen. Slowly, mechanically, he opened the cupboards, took out three bottles and poured them into a bowl. They fused into a thin black liquid. It smelled rotten, a sign he had done it right. He took a knife off the wall, dipped it in and poured out the rest.

“Verren?”

Her voice shot through him. He froze. The knife hovered over his wrist.

“You should be in bed.”she said. “And - oh, by The Mother what is that smell?”

He did not hear her approach, did not know she was behind him until her shadow overtook his own.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was even and toneless.

He opened his mouth but could not speak, his throat tight and dry. She grasped his arm.

“No!”he yelled. He pulled and twisted in her grip.

The knife turned.

Kero's eyes widened. The knife fell. She followed, crashing to the floor.

He would never be sure how long he laid there, frozen and mute beneath her. It might have been minutes. It might have been hours. It felt like days. Arms straining, he slid out from under her and leaned against the cabinet, staring.

“Kero?”

She did not respond.

“K-kero?”

Again she did not speak or move.

“I…I am sorry.”he tried again. “I…I will go to bed. I will…will go to Sarae's. I am sorry.”

Silence stretched. The walls warped inward. She did not move or speak. Blood trailed dark blue from her arm, a thin river drying as it flowed.

He stood. The knife was dry. The poison was gone. He stared into the cupboard. There was enough to make more. Kero was dead. Kero was dead because of him. He held the knife.

Kero was dead. Kero was dead and he was alone. His head was full of static. He was alone.

He screamed. It echoed off the walls. He threw the knife. The jagged bone edge scratched as it fell, claws inside his skull. She still did not move.

He drifted, first to his room and then to hers. Grey skirt, grey tunic, get footwraps and grey gloves. A grey shawl, grey veil and mask. It was almost the garb of a proper man. Not even his eyes showed through. A slight haze hung over all, the world through gossamer webs.

He slid a panel aside on the wall. Kero stored most of her money digitally, but she also visited whores. That much was clear now. He held his breath and keyed in the combination, as much as he could recall from having watched her leave months ago.

The safe swung open, a cavern of deep red. The coins were heavy, pure carved Sevaath stone rather than coated disks. He swept them into a bag until he could carry no more. Surely that would be enough to pay a ship to smuggle him to the nearest station. Her door slid shut. The sound seemed far away.

In the kitchen she still lay there. He stared, silent, at her stiff body, searching his heart. Where there should have been sorrow, regret or even base fear, he only found a horrible, unfathomable lightness.

She was gone. She was gone and he was alone. He opened the door and stepped onto the street.

#maggot original #uhhh yeah if you think anything about this please tell me maybe #original writing

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nonbinary-sticks-the-badger · 3 months

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the OFFICIAL sonatchet propaganda post from the REAL ceo of sonatchet

are you a fan of sonic the hedgehog? perhaps ratchet and clank is more your style? or maybe you like both? well, have I got the ship for you.

now, why should YOU ship sonatchet? it's simple: the franchises have so much in common. now, sonic fans, when i say, an anthropomorphic creature has to stop the evil capitalist baddie from taking over the world with his little buddy, smart as a whistle. along the way, he grinds rails, he follows his own path, not exactly good, but certainly heroic. he does this all with an absolutely brilliant soundtrack. and yeah, maybe the more recent games haven't been so good, writing and gameplay-wise, but hey, we're getting back on track.

what i have just described to you is ratchet and clank. initially created a year after everyone's golden child of sonic games, sa2, by ex-members of sonic team, ratchet and clank has been a vital part of my upbringing, more so than sonic has. for me, sonic is a more recent thing. i've been a fan since i was 5. when did i become a fan of r&c, you may ask? well, my first memory is my dad playing it in front of me, to give you an idea. i couldn't walk or speak properly, sat in a high chair, presumably eating soggy toast, one half marmite and the other of bovril. but, by that point, i was used to the experience - i can't even remember the first time i watched him play.

for any sonic fans who havent yet got the gist, imagine shadow the hedgehog (2005) with good writing that sounds like how actual people speak and less goofy weapons. edginess for the sake of humour rather than for edginess. oh also there is actual genocide in r&c1 quick heads up.

so, r&c fans, with it being far more mainstream, you're probably well aware of the overlap between the two franchises. hell, most of you reading probably are sonic fans. so, of course, i probably wont have to explain sonic in ratchet and clank terms. i want to but i wont. at the end of the day, all you need to know is that sonic is a hedgehog who runs fast and is kinda like ratchet.

THE SIMILARITIES

quickfire round! if it's in blue, it's headcanon, if it's plain text, it's canon!

transmasc and bi

somewhat morally grey, however definitely on the good side and classes themself as a hero

has a younger brother-figure/best friend who's good with electronics and can let him fly

has to fight robots

the biggest baddie is usually capitalism or actual cosmic horrors

space is vaguely related

sci fi

both quite calm and laid back but can get very serious and angry if you let them

adventurous travellers

fairly flirty but never seem to settle down (aroace reference?)

from what ive heard stc sonic is basically slightly angrier 2002 ratchet (i havent read stc though)

both almost the exact same age, with ratchet being 14-16, depending on which game, and sonic being 15

THE DIFFERENCES

ratchet LOVES weapons, with the vast arsenal being one of the main selling points of r&c1/sonic is known for spin dash

ratchet canonically has negative rizz (though i believe has had canon love interests iirc?)/sonic is attractive to almost everyone

ratchet has explored multiple galaxies/sonic has only explored a single planet and the odd space station

sonic is probably more likely to do the right thing

sonic is a giant environmentalist, literally has befriended nature/ratchet cares more about saving people than planets, unless it's an actual planet blowing up. like, the planet will cease to exist from quark's super laser piss or something

all of this ties together to create the wonderful ship we call sonatchet, a real and true yearning across franchises. truly, god made them in different game studios because he knew they would be unstoppable as canon lovers.

for any sonic fans wanting a really good comparison, id say the best i can give you is sonadow with a sonknux dynamic? though, not entirely. obviously, if there were a comparable ship, i wouldn't bother tagging in another guy from a completely seperate franchise, so please, please, understand the joys of sonatchet.

#sonic #ratchet and clank #sonatchet #sonic the hedgehog #ratchet the lombax

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fatalheart0 · 9 months

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Silence pt 2 Final

@sleepyconfusedpotato I really hope you enjoy this :')

2 weeks later-

It was time. The trucks were parked a mile from the base to avoid being seen approaching, having a great amount of woods around the base gave them enough cover to sneak up on them without being seen. Once they got close enough to the base, Soap and gaz were quick to snipe the guards, giving them room to push forward. Price gives a nod to soap and gaz, for them to rush to the sides to check for any pop up guard posts to avoid them being caught as soon as they jumped over. One by one the made their way over the wall, dropping into the darkness below.

It was hard for ghost to not just rush through everyone like a bull gone mad. But he needed to make sure jade got out unharmed. Jade was his focus, Vargas too of course but jade- she was something ghost would never find again. When they got close enough to the entrance of the base, they waited in the darkness for the guards to rotate posts. During the change they quickly used the time between the guards leaving and coming to enter the base.

Now was the time to get to the cells, they weren't far but Shepard isn't an idiot. They knew very well they'd be guarded heavily. Once they got to the corridor it was weapons free. Shots rang out in the building echoing off each wall. Bullet casings and bodies piled up on the floor as the task force pushed their way through Graves men. Quickly running down through various halls, obviously not to fast to avoid any enemies that popped out of nowhere, soon they found themselves at the cell block.

"Ghost!?"

"Over here Rudy!!"

The voices of their teammates call out in the open as Ghost and Rudy open the cell doors. Ghost is quick with Jades door; you'd think if he did it any harder he'd tear the door off its hinges. The relief he feels when he sees her sitting there tied to a chair has him feel every ounce of euphoria just knowing she is alive. He's quick cutting the ropes pulling them away from her.

It's a small moment but it means so much to him. He helps her up, noting every small scratch and bruise that are on her face and shoulders. For what he had planned for Graves was to return every mark on her to his body 100x times worse. Even though they were small marks, they didn't make him feel any better because he now knows she was in trouble and he wasn't there to help her.

"Are you good enough to fight?" He asks jade who is already up on her feet.

"You bet your ass I am beanpole"

—----

Breaking out from the base felt like just a few seconds with jade by his side. They were always a powerful team. Nothing was impossible for the two of them. When they fought together it was almost like an art form, like two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together. They truly were a match made in heaven even if they didn’t yet realize it

Back at the Safe house Ghost had pulled jade aside into a private room wanting to help her patch up any wounds. Jade couldn't help but smile watching him be gentle with her. His hands were rough but every movement he made was soft, he carefully cleaned every cut and checked her physical motions to make sure nothing was broken. When all was cleared the two remained in silence.

Ghost was the first to speak. It felt weird for him, being the first to say how he felt was weird because normally jade had to get him to even confess to being upset.

"I missed you-" was all he could say. No other words could process in his mind, partly because he was still mad at himself for not being there for her and because [even though they were quite literally small marks] she got hurt. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace. She knows emotions aren't easy for Ghost to speak on, it's something he hates doing but for her he will always break every time. "I missed you too, Simon"

He smiles under the mask and pulls away from her. "I believe you dropped this" reaching into his vest pocket he pulls out the bullet necklace gently placing it over her head back around her neck. She reaches for the hulled and smiles as her fingers touch the brass metal. "Thank you for returning it to me" he nods, as a sudden yawn emerges from him. He stands from his seat and looks down at jade. He's hesitant for a moment before he finally caves in.

"Can I lay here with you? For tonight please?"

Jade stifles a small laugh, flattered by ghosts sudden change in attitude. “Missed me that much huh ?” She teases watching his eyes roll slightly.

A small smile returns to jades face as she nods scooting over for ghosts larger frame to fit into the bed. The bed dips down as he lays next to her smaller frame. Their both quiet, just enjoying being in each others presence once more.

“So I heard you got cranky with soap and price” ghost groans rolling onto his back to cross his arms . He's silent for a moment thinking of how to respond to her, pulling off his mask he sets it aside with a low sigh.

“I thought I lost you Lottie. And it… scared me. I thought I’d never get to see you again. I had hope you’d be alive and we were taking so damn long to locate you or hear from you that I lost my cool”

Jade remains silent listening to him speak, heart fluttering as he speaks about his feelings towards her. She smiles bring her head up to lay it on his shoulder. “Well I’m back thanks to you. You didn’t give up on me like others might have. Thank you”

“Actually- I should be thanking you. I know this will sound weird coming from someone like me but- I don’t think I could be the same without you. You’ve brought out the real me in ways I didn’t think could be possible to relive again. You truly are the light in my life Lottie- so um I got you something and I hope you’ll let me explain it entirely first”

He turns his head slightly to look down at her as he reaches into his pocket pulling out a small velvet bag. He empties its contents into his hand. A golden ring lays in the palm of his hand, there’s an engraving on the inside in another language.

“I got this for you. Maybe a few weeks ago, I didn’t think I’d ever give it to you - I always second guessed myself and how I felt. But now I see these truly are the emotions I am capable of feeling. But only for you. This isn’t a wedding ring or an engagement ring - it’s my promise ring. My promise is that no matter how far away I am from you, I will always come looking for you, that whenever you’re in trouble, I will be there just as you have for me. I love you, Charlotte Le Jardin, and I hope you’ll accept this ring as a reminder of that. You don’t have to wear it on your person at all times, but I do want you to have it for whenever you need a reminder that you are truly loved by someone. The inside translates to "I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I'm with you." "

Jade remains in silence, her watery eyes staring up at him. She gently takes the ring and stares at it. She slips it onto her ring finger, then switches it to her pinky. The ring was a perfect fit to both and she smiles to herself.

“Thank you ghost” she wraps her arm over his chest pulling him into a sideways hug, he shifts in her arms to wrap his own arms around her waist and plants a gentle kiss to the top of her head the two laid there in silence ready to drift to sleep in each others arms

“Hey ghost?”

“Hm?”

“How’d you get my ring size?”

“…..”

“Ghost?”

“Hurry up and go to sleep”

-_-_-_-_-

Authors note: I'm sorry, but when the idea of ghosts giving Jade a ring after almost losing her, I had to make it funny at the end, like the artwork of ghost braiding jade's 😂😭

#fanfic #fanfiction #call of duty #modern warfare 2 #mw2 #modern warfare remastered #simon ghost riley #simon riley

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gamerbearmira · 2 years

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(SA)

Pepa froze and fought back her cloud when she went to the nursery to feed Antonio one night. Mirabel was standing there with her back to the door as she held and rocked Antonio who wasn't crying as he snuggled into her. She had never seen Mirabel near Antonio before. Her mamas favorite seemed to avoid her youngest just as much if not more than she avoided Pepa herself.

"I hope you get a gift Tonito. I hope you aren't cursed like me...I don't want them to stop loving you too." Mirabel was softly speaking to the baby and if it weren't totally silent otherwise Pepa wouldn't have heard the words.

"I know they hate me or don't want me around. I don't want that for you...please get a gift Tonito. Please." Mirabel said and she kissed the baby's head as he cooed up at her innocent and oblivious.

"I better put you back in your crib. Ti...Senora Pepa will be mad more than normal if she sees me near you. I don't want her to hate me more than she already does." Mirabel spoke softly as she gently settled the baby back into the crib.

Pepas heart broke when she realized Mirabel called her Senora not Tia. When she realized Mirabel believed wholeheartedly that Pepa didn't want the girl around or near her baby. Her heart shattered as she realized Mirabel thought Pepa hated her.

"I love you Tonito. Even though you'll hate me too. But that's okay. Everyone but Abuela hates me and I still love them all." Mirabel kissed the baby's head as he began to fuss at being set down.

Mirabel then turned to go back to her bed and froze when she saw Pepa standing there.

"I'm sorry! I know you don't want me near him but he was crying and I couldn't....I'm sorry. I'll sleep elsewhere." Mirabel hastily apologized looking terrified before she skirted past Pepa to find somewhere else to sleep.

Maybe in the hammock? She just...she didn't want to hear her Tia...Senora Pepas anger right now. She didn't want Senora Pepa to tell or get mad near Antonio...

PLEASE. IM ON THE GROUND RN.

I wish they would just pipe down and listen to her for once. She’s so scared of them, of Pepa. Homegirl literally can’t even be in the same room as her without freaking out. And now she doesn’t even see her as her aunt? I mean…it’s a little too late. And you admit to not being able to get over an assumption you made that you’d don’t even know is true?

Also Antonio is quite possibly the only family member who loves Mirabel unconditionally besides Alma,,,,sobbing,,,,

#encanto #encanto au #au #my asks are open #my asks #encanto mirabel #encanto pepa #encanto antonio #werewolf alma and mirabel au

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arabian-bloodstream · 2 years

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I have never read the book, but I’ve seen a lot of people on Twitter saying that Daemon lived Laena and even Nettles more than Rhaenyra. Other takes I’ve seen include interpretations like Daemon never truly living Rhaenyra at all or Daemon being in a throuple with Rhaenyra and Laena. I’ve only seen the show and….none of those book takes I’ve listed fit with what I’ve seen. With Laena, he didn’t really even see her till he felt her staring at him. Even then, the way Daemon abruptly got up when Laneor went to Joffrey and went on to “dance” with Laena, felt like it had little to do with Laena. His eyes seemed to be on Rhaenyra more often than not. From the stills and leaks for next episode, it seems Daemon and Laena are content…like Harwin and Rhaenyra may be content. It doesn’t seem at all like Laena is the love of Daemon’s life especially if he’s going to fuck someone else at her funeral. Nettles, while how the show runners play that out remains to be seen, just wouldn’t make sense. To speak on the show as a whole, it feels like it’s Daemon and Rhaenyra’s story. Even in episode 3, where they were miles away from each other, the parallels were too immaculate to be a coincidence. I don’t know about the book (which I understand is a biased retelling of events), but in the show? Daemon and Rhaenyra are the story and they are a story of love. What are your thoughts on this whole Daemon, Laena, Rhaenyra, and Nettles thing?

Great ask! The idea that Deamon loved Laena and even Nettles more than Rhaenrya based on the book reading is just silly. It simply is.

Here are the specific sections from the book:

Laena: "Prince Daemon fell in love with Laena, the singers would have us believe. Men of a more cynical bent believe the prince saw her as a way to check his own descent. Once seen as his brother's heir, he had fallen far down in the line of succession, and neither the greens nor the blacks had a place for him…but House Velaryon was powerful enough to defy both parties with impunity. Weary of the Stepstones, and free at last of his 'bronze bitch," Daemon Targaryen asked Lord Corlys for his daughter's hand in marriage." (F&B p. 375)

Yes, my friend, that is literally their "grand love story." There is more when it comes to her death which ties into the "throuple" idea which I'll talk about later.

Many people tend to ignore the fact that it was all second, third hand accounts re: Daemon and Laena who said it was a love match, and it truly was more likely (in the books, at least) that Daemon married her for political power. On the other hand, I have little doubt that Laena and Daemon got along splendidly. Laena and Daemon were both splendid dragonriders who had an extremely close bond with their dragons (Daemon/Caraxes, Laena/Vhagar). In fact, growing up into a young woman, Laena had little interest in boys/men. Her main interest was hanging out with her dragon. I believe, personally, that Daemon and Laena loved each other as very close friends do, who happened to be married and had sex because, (a) it was their duty to have children, and (b), well, why not?

As for the throuple with Rhaenrya? Well, that actually does have some merit. In the books, Daemon and Laena lived on Driftmark for a time which is close to King's Landing, and Rhaenrya and Laenor visited often. Rhaenrya's boys and Daemon and Laena's girls spent quite some time together -- they were even betrothed. And Rhaenrya and Laena got along very well. So well that, again, those salacious rumors, implied that, yes, Rhaenyra and Laena had something going on and Daemon was a part of it. It didn't help that when Laena was dying in childbirth and Daemon was by her bedside, Rhaenrya was right next to him with Laena to the end.

So, yes, Daemon loved Laena, but as I mentioned in an earlier post of mine, Daemon was with Laena because he couldn't be with Rhaenrya it certainly appears. He showered Rhaenrya with gifts--even when he was the heir. He introduced her to sexuality. They wed quickly and quietly (and scandalously soon after their spouses died -- his 2nd, her 1st) before Viserys could presumably wed her off to someone else. When she becamse queen, he did NOT call himself King Consort, but Protector of the Realm. He crowned her Queen. He was, by far, her greatest supporter.

Nettles, ah, Nettles. OK, so brief history. There were a bunch of dragonriders. Then they lost a bunch of dragonriders, so they needed more. They got some, and then a few did some bad things, and Rhaenrya who was having a not so good time of it at this point worried that all the new dragonriders were gonna do the same bad things (I am trying not to overly spoil, LOL). Nettles -- who was FIERCELY loyal -- was one of the new dragonriders and went with Daemon everywhere. Meanwhile, a certain character was basically spilling nasty tea and causing great paranoia in Rhaenryra's head. She convinced her that Nettles used magic to seduce Daemon and was turning him against her. (Mind you, again, very, very bad time for Rhaenrya right now.) So, Rhaenrya had an 'off with her head' moment. Daemon was not down with this, sent Nettles on her way. He knew that his lovely wife would not be happy with this. Soooo, I believe it's pretty likely that he went after their most ferocious opponent in the hope of bringing him down so that if he succeeded, Rhaenrya would win, hands down. He could come back to King's Landing with his head, and say 'Hey, babe, I know you're upset with me, but looked at what I did. You forgive me? I know you do!'

As to why Nettles was always with Daemon? Why he saved her despite Rhaenrya wanting otherwise? Well, she is his daughters' age. The salacious account is from an anti-Rhaenrya septon. However, the maester at Maidenpool--where they were staying--said Daemon treated her as a daughter. I will be surprised if that isn't the type of relationship we see on the show.

So, to answer your original question, based on the books, no, it does not come across overall that Daemon loved Laena or Nettles more than Rhaenrya. Not at all. And considering that GRRM wrote Fire and Blood as essentially a biased historical text, and the show is an objective telling of what happened, AND the show is showing us a Daemon and Rhaenrya who are clearly IT for one another, yeah. Well, yeah, I rest my case.

#daemrya #daemon x rhaenrya #fire and blood spoilers #hotd spoilers #hotd 1x06

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leggerefiore · 2 years

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potentially weird request, but hear me out? you remember one of the initial posts you made with emin meeting ingo and emmet, right? the one where it turned into a "emins the middle child now" kinda situation?? could we get emin interacting (and eventually also falling for) ingo and emmet's crush? either poly or separately, whichever's easier on you to write!!

since you said crush, it's just all three bros crushing on one person.

~~~~~

Emin was embarrassed. First he ended up in this strange world where he was apparently two people, and next he meets their shared love interest (which he was certain that he would have it stranger should they not have technically been him). It was clear, from the glare that the younger twin gave him, that there was an expectation for him to respect their 'claim'. Emin was certain he would have done so, had you not quite literally been everything he liked in a partner as well. You were a certain kindness and understanding that warmed his heart. Your job was as the secretary for Ingo and Emmet, but since he had taken on a job as a third Subway Boss in the Gear Station, you technically were his, too.

Watching you care for Ingo when he decided to stay in late at the station, or bring a lunch for him when he seemed to drown himself in work, made him fall deeper. He related to Ingo's workaholic nature, falling into his bad patterns with ease back in his world. You also brought Emmet sweets and played around with him to keep him entertained during the slower parts of his shifts. Another thing Emin understood. Though, the false twin was made along to watch with a heavy yearning in his heart.

Emmet turned to him with a smug look after you wiped some crumbs from his cheek. “You lost,” the younger twin mocked. Emin felt angry. How dare he? If he wanted a challenge, well, he hadn't even seen Emin's competitive side! Those loser versions of himself from this world couldn't even compare to his more balanced nature. Emmet was too brash and honest, while Ingo was too high-flown and slow. Emin knew there were times honesty could fall short and ideals just couldn't happen, unlike the two brothers who seemed to follow these philosophies unknowingly. They considered him a middle brother of sorts, but he wasn't bound to them by any familial ties (except their shared parents).

You smiled at him as he stood in front of your desk. Ingo's eyes bored into his back from where he was speaking with a depot agent nearby. Always watchful, he was. Emin supposed he needed to be with a twin like Emmet. “Ah, hello,” he spoke clearly and properly. “Wow! You really are their triplet,” you commented, “you sounded just like Mr. Ingo. I don't think even think Mr. Emmet can get that close.” His shoulders almost wanted to slump down from the emotional turmoil that your words wrought. “Is that so? I can assure you that I'm not him,” he retaliated, “I'm not even actually their brother, if you'll believe it.” With that, he checked his watch and bid a polite farewell. Ingo rushed over to you to apologise for anything weird he might have said. You were a bit interested in him now.

Emmet huffed audibly as you sat beside Emin to share a lunch. You had heard him sigh that he forgot his food and wallet at home, so he would have to skip for today. There was no way you could allow such a thing, so you offered him some of your food. He smiled so sweetly at you that you felt entranced. It was such an Emmet smile, but his eyes seemed genuinely kind. A good blend of both Ingo and Emmet. “Your cooking is verrry good,” Emin complimented it after finishing the pasta you had given to him, “I'd eat it every day!” You giggled. “Thanks,” you leaned closer to him, “I think I wouldn't mind waking you to your smile.” His cheeks bloomed pink while he let out a chuckle.

Emmet wanted to scream. Emin hadn't forgotten his wallet, nor had he his lunch. He hadn't even packed one! He was a liar. The younger twin hated liars. Though, he hated the heavy pain in his chest, too.

Emin held your hand as you both explored the Driftveil market together. At first, you had gone to the PWT to watch a type expert tournament. It was exhilarating and fun. The strange man would often explain strategies at play and his guesses about who would win or lose. You were stunned by his battle knowledge, even though you shouldn't have been. He was Ingo and Emmet's brother and a Subway Boss, battling was in his nature. Now, however, you both chatted languidly about life while looking over some berries. Your hand was locked with his. “So, you breed Joltiks, too? I thought that was just an Emmet thing,” you asked him.

“Ah, yeah, but I think we do it for different reasons,” he explained, “I don't actually get along too greatly with them.”

“Oh? Why?” you were curious. They were so similar, how could they not get along?

“I don't really know them that well,” he continued while picking up a pecha berry, “We weren't very close growing up. I was basically raised as an only child. It was extremely lonely, so I often turned to pokemon for comfort.”

“… Did they not play with you? They're both close themselves that I literally think they're conjoined sometimes with how often I catch them together,” you joked, “… Are you really not their brother?”

“Would you believe me that I'm an alternate version of them from a world where they never split in utero?” Emin questioned. You stood there dumbfounded. A cool breeze drifted through the open market as you pondered his words. He really had just shown up one day with the announcement that he was the twin's third brother and that he was working there now. It was easy to believe as they were all identical and acted quite similarly, but when you considered it from the new perspective, it made more sense.

An alternate, non-split Ingo and Emmet. While you had come to like them both, you pondered if having them in one package would be better. Emin had moments like either brother but always seemed to maintain a certain balance to himself which made everything a bit easier. “I would,” you admitted.

“Alright… would you also believe me that I love you?” His hand grasped yours tighter as he looked at you, “You're such a wonderful, kind person. The way you genuinely care is something that I have come to adore about you. I wish to be with you…” You were flustered by his sudden confession. Though, you already had an answer:

“I love you, too, Emin.”

~~~~~~~

You screamed as Emmet seemingly materialised and tackled Emin. “Usurper!!!” he screeched, “I loved them first!” Emin sighed as the younger twin held him pinned to the ground. It seemed you needed to talk to the twins about everything, too.

#emin.ima #submas.ima

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italiantnea · 1 year

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#2-3_kawauso/ a name I couldn't call

prev: 2-2 // next: 3-1

-----

—......Why?

The first thing that came to his mind was a question. Well, it couldn't be called the ‘first’ thing. It wasn't like he’d just been born on this earth. Anyhow, he thought, why?

Was he not dead? He’d just thought he was definitely dead.

Why wasn't he dead?

Well good, he wasn't dead. That’s right. He hadn't died.

He’d just experienced something that felt like dying. It wouldn't have been strange if he’d died. What had happened?

What was it…

He didn't really know, but there was light.

He could see light.

It wasn't bright. But at his feet, there was light.

Was he sitting? That seemed to be the case. Seemed like he was sat in a chair. He couldn't move. It felt like he was tied to the chair. Why a chair?

Oh right. He remembered.

The car.

He’d been run over by a car. A minivan. It had been a white minivan.

He’d been tailing a young man. He’d spotted him and fled. He’d tried to secure him, and the man had used a long cord-shaped, earthworm-like, tapeworm-like—

“...Zin…gai…”

That hadn't been a mere cord, or a long earthworm, or a mutant tapeworm.

It was an illusion with substance. A phantom body, it was called.

Another name for it was zingai¹.

It was a zingai.

¹ 人外=literally ‘human’+‘outside’, an inhuman being

That man had brought it along. It was the man’s zingai.

Speaking of zingai—

He looked to his right leg.

It was gone.

Or should he say, he was gone.

Olver, who’d melded with his right leg, was gone.

The Otter nodded and muttered, “Ok, ok.” English? He thought. Or is ‘ok’ not English? If it isn't English then what language is it? I guess it’s English.

Whatever had happened, he was still alive. He didn't know where he was, but it was a dark place. There was light. Probably from an electric light. The floor was made of concrete, and it was cracked here and there. He was definitely indoors. He was tied to a chair. Was it a factory? That, or an abandoned factory. Or it could be a warehouse.

Footsteps came.

The Otter raised his head. He strained his eyes, blinked, breathed in and out, and eventually he could see.

Someone was there. They were approaching. They stopped in front of the Otter. It was a woman. She had a short hairstyle. Or was it a man? Their figure was hard to make out. An oversized hoodie. Track pants. They weren't large; they were quite slender.

“...You awake?”

From the voice, it seemed like they were female.

The woman bent forward slightly and peered at the Otter’s face.

“Hey, I’m asking you a question. You’re awake, aren't you?”

The Otter tried to jerk his head up and down. The woman turned.

“Hey! He’s awake!”

The Otter and the woman weren't the only ones here. It seemed the woman had companions. It seemed she was summoning those companions.

The Otter confirmed his surroundings. Some kind of old machinery lay on its side. Rebar pillars and beams. The roof was corrugated iron. Here and there, shingles were missing. Was this an abandoned factory after all? Some distance away, a lantern like the type you used when camping was set down. That was the only source of light. The surroundings were dark.

If it was nighttime now, it must have been more than half a day since he’d been hit by the minivan. Thinking of it now, he seemed to have had a dream before he woke up. Had that been a dream? Or had it been something else. The Otter had woken up many times. But his head had felt fuzzy, and he’d fallen back asleep straight away. He’d probably lost consciousness.

At the edge of the lantern’s light, the minivan was parked. It was probably the minivan that had hit him. The backseat’s sliding door was open.

From there, a man stepped out. Military-style jacket. Denim pants. From the jacket’s sleeve, a long, earthworm-like, tapeworm-like—a zingai dangled out.

The young man walked, dragging his zingai.

“Ibe-kun,” the woman called out to the young man.

Was that his name? Ibe. it was probably his name.

The woman asked Ibe, “What about Hideyoshi-san?”

Ibe shook his head.

Hideyoshi. It didn't seem to be the woman’s name, nor Ibe’s given name. Meaning, there was one more person. Hideyoshi, as he was called, was probably in the car.

Was this a three person group?

Ibe, with the tapeworm zingai. The woman and Hideyoshi might have been riding in the minivan. The Otter had been run over just as he ran into the road. Had that been a coincidence? Who knows. He couldn't remember the moment he got hit clearly anyway, so he couldn't comment on it. But these people had taken the Otter to this abandoned factory by car. The severity of his injuries was unclear, but it was probably not just a scrape. Despite that, they had restrained him here instead of taking him to a hospital. That was not a common-sense procedure.

Ibe came next to the woman.

“You’re from the flower shop, aren't you.”

The Otter didn't answer. Ibe’s tapeworm zingai slithered forward on the concrete and approached the Otter’s foot.

“I know all about it. When an incident or accident involving zingai happens, you guys’ll set out and sniff around, won't you? All sneaky, like hungry stray dogs.”

This was the first time he’d looked properly at the tapeworm zingai. Its long body had a diameter of about one centimeter. From its rounded tip, what looked like a single snail’s antenna sprung out.

He thought of crushing it underfoot, but his ankles were tightly bound to the chair. Thanks to that, he could hardly move anything except his tiptoes.

“You guys are the pawns for that organization, aren't you?”

Ibe’s face pressed closer. The Otter didn't meet his gaze. He stared at Ibe’s tapeworm zingai.

“Yeah? I know, you know. That you’re the pawns for that organization. All the politicians, megacorporations, and mass media in the world. That organization’s hands can extend anywhere.”

“...You’re a classic conspiracy theorist, huh.”

The Otter couldn't help but let out an inappropriate laugh. Ibe grabbed his shoulder.

“Ough...”

The pain was dizzying.

“It’s no use, iiidiot.”

“We know the truth. Sullivan told us everything. Do you understand? I guess that organization’s pawns wouldn't understand. We, we’re awake now.”

He gasped. He continued breathing in, and quietly breathed out. He shouldn't have appeared to be shaken.

—Sullivan.

Ibe’s gang were connected with Sullivan.

Dhole-senpai and the Otter. It wasn't just their Dahlia 4 duo. The flower shop, flower house, special countermeasures, or the Special Cases Countermeasures Office, that the police spoke of, had multiple active divisions. Many of them, while handling special cases in their regular missions, were also searching for a character called Sullivan.

Something was slithering up the Otter’s left leg. It was the tapeworm zingai. Like a snake climbing a tree, the tapeworm zingai made its way up the Otter’s left leg.

“We understand it all. About you guys trying to find Sullivan too. We’ve seen right through everything.”

The Otter shook his left leg. He wanted to shake off the tapeworm zingai, but he was tied to the chair so he couldn't.

“I guess you guys aren't like stray dogs are you? You’re kept by that organization. I bet they feed you well. Considering that, you don't look that fat, huh? Oi.”

Ibe grabbed the Otter’s jaw with his right hand.

“Say something, florist. You guys belong under the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, don't you? What about your superiors? What kinda guys are they? How many are there like you? Just how much do you know about Sullivan?”

“Ibe-kun.”

The woman sighed. Ibe turned his head,

“Hah?”

“Rather than asking it all at once, isn't it better to ask them one by one?”

“...It’s fine. We’re gonna make this guy spit out everything he knows anyway.”

“Even so, there’s a way to go about doing it.”

“Then you do it, Yuki.”

“Eeh, what a pain.”

“The hell? Stop messing around…”

“I'm not messing around.”

“I’m a civil servant.”

The Otter spoke as he felt the tapeworm zingai was about to reach his neck.

Ibe applied force with the hand that gripped his jaw.

“What’d you say?”

“I’m just a run-of-the-mill civil servant. They said I was part of a ‘special position’ though. What do you mean, ‘that organization’? You mean the nation? The Japanese government?”

“Don't get carried away.”

Ibe licked his lips repeatedly. His lips were peeling. The tapeworm zingai poked at the back of the Otter’s neck. It probably hadn't broken the skin yet. The manner of death of the old woman from the apartment and the young man under the overpass flashed in his head. The tapeworm zingai was trying to use its antenna-like part to open a hole in the Otter’s neck. No doubt it would propagate through his blood vessels, all the way to his heart.

“Listen up. If you keep running that cheeky mouth of yours I’ll kill you in seconds.”

Ibe let go of his jaw. He seemed to be quite worked up. He clenched and unclenched his fists, and crossed his arms, seeming like he was trying to restrain himself.

“Don't you know? The government’s already under that organization’s thumb. They’re like its headquarters. Of course they are. Civil servant? That means you're definitely a pawn of that organization.”

“...Organization. Organization, huh.”

The Otter tried to compose himself as well, but he couldn't remain calm. To be honest, he was scared. He was so unbearably scared he couldn't feel the pain in his body.

It’d be better not to carelessly anger Ibe. Or did he just not want to anger him? Maybe the feeling of not wanting to die had won. The Otter himself didn't know.

“I don't have any idea about that…‘organization’ you’re talking about. That might be because I'm just an underling.”

“...You’re a zingai user, aren't you.”

“...I’m not familiar with that phrasing.”

“Ones who are the master of a zingai, and can see zingai. Those are called zingai seers. Aside from that, you can utilize zingai freely. That’s why you're a zingai user. You're the same as us.”

Ibe’s tapeworm zingai pushed its antenna against the back of the Otter’s neck. It felt like it could eat through his skin at any moment.

The Otter glanced at the woman Ibe had called Yuki. ‘the same as us’, Ibe had said. Was Yuki a master to a zingai as well? He wondered where Yuki’s zingai was.

“...It seems like we’re the same. A zingai user, huh. That’s right. Mm. We’re the same.”

“So?”

“...Eh?”

“Where’s your zingai?”

“My…”

His voice couldn't come out properly. The Otter tried to swallow some saliva. It was no use; his mouth was completely dry.

“...zingai? My—ahh…”

The Otter looked around as if to search for Olver.

“Where is it? It’s not here, my zingai. Huh? That’s weird… it’s gone. I was so sure it’d always be with me… but it’s gone. Where did it go…”

“For a zingai to disappear and the master be completely fine, is that even possible?” Ibe muttered.

The Otter could answer that question. Though there were always exceptions, a master who had lost their zingai would not be unharmed. But did he have the obligation to kindly tell them that? No way, like hell he did.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise. It was the sound of the door opening. It seemed like a door somewhere in the abandoned factory had swung open with great vigor.

Ibe and Yuki looked to the left.

“Wha—”

Ibe tried to say something. Before he could finish, he was attacked. It was a wolf. A wolf rushed in and leapt on Ibe ferociously. The wolf knocked him over and pinned him down in one fell swoop.

“...!”

Together with the chair he was tied to, the Otter collapsed to the ground. It was all or nothing. The tapeworm zingai could open up a hole in his neck and kill him in the blink of an eye. He managed not to lose his nerve thanks to senpai. The wolf. Of course, that was not a wolf. Garm. It was Garm. Senpai's Garm. Senpai had come for him.

Naturally, the concrete floor was hard. The impact reverberated through his entire body. Right after that, the weasel-like Olver ran soundlessly and poked his head between the Otter’s neck and the ground. What was Olver trying to do? He couldn't see, but he understood. It was the tapeworm zingai that was trying to invade his body. Olver bit into the tapeworm zingai and ripped it away.

Olver, who’d come out from between the floor and Otter’s neck, went berserk grappling with the tapeworm zingai.

“Ibe-kun…!”

Yuki kicked at Garm. It was a soccer kick. She missed; just before the kick landed, Garm leapt away from Ibe.

While Yuki helped Ibe get up, the tape or whatever it was tying the Otter to the chair began to tear apart.

“...Senpai.”

The black pantsuit, white pumps-clad Dhole-senpai was right by his side. She was squatting, cutting the tape or whatever it was away with a knife.

Senpai had let Garm rush in first.

She’d diverted their attention over there, and come to rescue the Otter herself. So that was it.

When the tape or whatever was all cut away, senpai took off without so much as sparing him a glance. How excessively cold she was. A word or two would have been nice. Well, she was senpai. She was generally acknowledged to be the ace of the Special Cases Countermeasures Office’s active divisions. The intimidating Dhole-senpai who could quiet even a crying child was referring to her.

The tapeworm zingai shook free from Olver and ran.

“Olver!”

The Otter opened his eyes wide and yelled.

“Garm!”

Senpai too, called for the werewolf-like Garm.

Olver rushed over and coiled around the Otter’s leg. Garm was even more daring. He jumped and embraced senpai. Every time he saw that, the Otter thought, That must be nice. I’m kind of jealous. If he said something like that, senpai would look at him in disdain. It felt like he would be subject to scathing verbal abuse. That was why he didn't say it though.

Garm hugged senpai close to his chest. Was that action even supposed to be described in such a romantic way?

Garm’s chest and abdomen ripped open. It seemed to suck senpai in, and she entered inside him.

Or rather, this phrasing may have been more appropriate.

The wolf had eaten senpai.

Garm hadn't opened his mouth wide like the wolf from the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood. his entire body split in two down the middle, and it ate senpai as if that were his mouth. Senpai was swallowed whole.

The bond between a zingai and its master was something special. Masters and zingai were paired one-to-one. Without exaggeration, there were no replacements. They made a completely unique combo. To use an idiom, she was the apple of his eye; he loved her so much he could have eaten her. Was that why Garm had eaten senpai?

There was no way that was true.

Senpai had not let Garm eat her, but had gone inside him. It was that, the thing that came up in the New Testament: a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Well it was the opposite. Senpai wasn't a sheep in the first place though.

What appeared was Dhole-senpai, who was not a sheep, in wolf’s clothing.

How to put it? Senpai had become a werewolf.

“—Kuh…!”

The Otter kicked off the ground with Olver’s right leg, and used the recoil to leap up. He landed with Olver’s right leg, and though he supported his body with his own left leg, he was quite uneasy. But so what if he was injured? Senpai was watching him. Was senpai watching him or not? It was a little unclear.

“Deathworm…!”

Ibe shouted. Was that his zingai’s name? Deathworm. He had quite the good naming sense. Deathworm, a.k.a. The tapeworm zingai, probably wanted to fulfill the expectations of its master. Instantly, it coiled around the Otter’s senpai-turned-wolf-woman. But it was meaningless.

Senpai, who was wearing a wolf’s skin—Garm’s skin—was dangerous to say the least.

She was fast, or rather, sharp, and violently strong.

Mercilessly ferocious, and savage to the point of cruelty.

Senpai bent backwards with the force of a backflip. Just like that, she dodged Deathworm, but she wasn't done. In the next instant, she leaned forward and sank her teeth into Deathworm. In one bite, she devoured the half of its body with the antenna on the end. Another bite or two, and she demolished the rest of it.

“Aah…”

Ibe collapsed.

For a zingai to disappear and the master be completely fine, is that even possible?

Just now, Ibe had asked that question. He ended up experiencing the answer firsthand.

After losing their zingai, the master would enter a state of shock. Their brain activity would drop dramatically, or stop completely. Their senses would be dulled, or numbed. Worst case scenario, they would fall into a coma, and they wouldn't recover for a very long time, possibly forever.

“She-she ate…”

Pulling Ibe back, Yuki fell on her butt.

“—Omen, come…!”

Was she driven by desperation? Had she meant to say ‘Amen’? It didn't seem that way. Just where had they been hiding? White things, about twenty centimeters long, fell from above. Were they dolls? Not Dhole like Dhole-senpai, but dolls. There was no way they were just dolls. They were zingai shaped like dolls. It seemed like they’d been hiding above the beams or something. Not just several, but several dozen white dolls rained down on them. They were huge in number. Omen. Were they all Yuki’s zingai?

“Sure is a rare type you’ve got…!”

The Otter kicked the ground with Olver’s right leg and jumped down. Everything except his right leg which had melded with Olver couldn't be put to use, so he could do little aside from take shelter. It was frustrating, but he had to put his feelings aside. The least he could do was get out of senpai’s way.

He just had to leave the rest to senpai.

Senpai, wearing Garm’s skin, ignored those things called Omen and went for Yuki.

Those white dolls didn't appear to be dangerous. Then again, a skilled hawk might hide its talons. If all the white dolls were Yuki’s zingai, there might be no choice but to take them out all at once. If that were the case, it would take time.

Senpai chose the quick way: ignore the zingai and take care of the master. A master without a zingai would not come out unscathed; aside from extremely rare cases, a zingai without a master couldn't even continue existing. If you couldn't eliminate the zingai, you just had to do something about the master.

However, if its master lost consciousness, a zingai wouldn't even be fazed. Then, what should you do?

It was simple.

If the master died, the zingai would be annihilated.

In other words, you had no choice but to kill the master—the human.

Fortunately, the Otter was yet to take a human life with his own hands. If the time came where he had no choice to do it, he would, without a question. That was his intention. But could he really do it? Would he be able to kill without hesitation?

Senpai was different. She wasn't an inexperienced softie like the Otter. If it was necessary, she would do it. Senpai could easily pull off what the Otter couldn't.

In reality, it had happened right in front of him. To take care of the dreadful zingai that harmed people, that couldn't be left unchecked, senpai had murdered its master, the human, right before the Otter’s eyes.

She was going to do it again. Senpai was probably going to kill Yuki.

“Senpai…!”

It wasn't like the Otter was trying to stop senpai. Senpai herself wasn't doing it because she wanted to, either. It was their job. To carry out their mission, they had no choice but to do what they had to. The Otter wasn't trying to change her mind. He was giving her a warning.

The car. Someone jumped out from the driver’s seat of the minivan. He was wearing a black jacket, and skinny black pants. He wore a black cap and had a beard. He was quite skinny; a man that was reminiscent of a spider. He was older than Ibe and Yuki, around his thirties. Yuki had asked Ibe, “What about Hideyoshi-san?” Hideyoshi. Was this spidery man Hideyoshi?

Both Ibe and Yuki were zingai users. Hideyoshi was not. Was that possible? Well, it was unlikely.

Zingai.

Was that Hideyoshi’s zingai?

Following Hideyoshi out of the white minivan came a flabby lump of meat that was humanoid, but spherical in form. Had that lump of meat been in the backseat? It slid out through the open sliding door. That was how it appeared.

Its appearance was strange, and it was big. It wasn't particularly tall, but it was still around the height of an adult man. Its width and breadth was far above average. The Otter had seen an image on TV of a man so fat he couldn't get up from his bed. This was worse than that.

Senpai noticing the meat lump and Hideyoshi, or the meat lump springing into the air with a boing; he didn't know which happened first.

Hideyoshi was holding something black in his hands. He readied it as soon as he got out of the car. That something was a handgun.

Senpai’s attention was on the gun. The same could be said for the Otter.

They were used to zingai. If you were talking animals, they’d fought with lion and brown bear zingai before. But zingai didn't use guns. This was Japan. Cases of zingai masters arming themselves with firearms were rare as well. Up till now, the Otter had never had a gun pointed at him before. What about senpai? He didn't know, but at least during the time she’d been paired with him, she shouldn't have. Even if she was senpai, there was no way she wouldn't get nervous at the sight of a gun.

Hideyoshi gripped the gun with one hand and held it sideways. It was quite the showy posture. He wasn't a trained professional. It was painfully obvious he was an amateur. Was that a real handgun? Maybe it was a model. That was possible. This was Japan after all. If you knew the channel, getting your hands on one was just a matter of money, but it wasn't something you could buy just anywhere. Was it a bluff?

Hideyoshi pulled the trigger.

“Bang!”

It wasn't the gun. It was his mouth.

Hideyoshi had said it with his mouth. He’d imitated the sound of a gun.

Of course, senpai hadn't been shot. Fucking around like that. The Otter was pissed. If Hideyoshi had been right beside him, he probably would've punched him. But had that really been just a practical joke?

“—..."

The Otter was speechless. It was the meat lump.

The meat lump dropped downwards, aiming for senpai. He couldn't believe it. Could you say that it had fattened up in its brief time in the air? It was clearly bigger than before.

Even fatness had its limits. What an enormous lump of meat it was. Still, this wasn't like senpai.

To think that senpai hadn't dodged.

It was all because of the gun. Because she’d turned her attention to the gun, her reaction was slowed. Her attention had been thoroughly diverted.

The meat lump completely squashed senpai.

She disappeared from view.

Senpai.

She’d been pinned beneath the lump of meat.

He had to help. He had to help senpai. The Otter tried to kick off the ground with Olver’s right leg. He’d been careless. Until that moment, he hadn't noticed it at all. It was Omen, Yuki’s zingai, the white dolls. They closed in. They began to swarm the Otter.

“Ah…!”

The white dolls jumped not at Olver’s right leg, but at his flesh left leg, his body, and his arms. In the blink of an eye, Omen had dragged him to the ground.

“Uahahaha-”

Grating laughter rang out. Hideyoshi. The spidery man was coming. Or rather, he was already here. His hollow-cheeked bearded face looked down at the Otter. He aimed his gun at him. At his head, between the eyebrows. The gun was still held sideways.

“You fucking ate Ibe’s zingai. That’s the end of the torture. We’re soldiers who offered up their souls to Sullivan’s ideals after all. The organizations dogs are the enemy. And we’ll kill the enemy. You’re dying too.”

No, it wasn't a model gun. It was real. He was going to be shot. Even with that grip, there was no discounting the distance he was at. There was no way he was going to miss. On top of that, Hideyoshi used his left hand to support the right hand gripping the gun. Like that, he pulled the trigger.

He was desperate. The Otter used all the strength he could muster to twist his neck to the left.

He wanted to praise himself for not closing his eyes and resigning himself in such an extreme situation. He was just a little bit proud of himself for trying to survive.

The Otter felt a strong impact on the right side of his head. His right eye burned terribly, but he wasn't hit directly. The bullet had not hit him. That was undeniable.

“Aah?! You bastard…!”

Hideyoshi flipped out, immediately reaching to fire the next bullet. It might it this time. If he was hit, the Otter would probably sustain life-threatening injuries. It was possible he could be hit in the head and die instantly.

“UAAAAAAAAAAAAH…!”

There was a beast-like roar. From that, the Otter understood. It was senpai. There was no mistaking that sound. It was senpai’s voice.

“Wha-...”

Hideyoshi looked to the side. He didn't mean to withdraw the gun, but the mouth of the gun turned away from the Otter.

“Olveeeer….!”

The Otter opened his eyes as wide as he could. He didn't think a thing about what he should do, or how. He entrusted it all to Olver.

The Olver melded with his leg jumped up the Otter’s body, shaking off Omen, the white dolls, and blowing Hideyoshi away with them.

The Otter spun. Not vertically or horizontally, but diagonally through the air. As he spun through the air, he caught a glimpse of the majestic figure of senpai wearing Garm’s skin lifting the meat lump zingai in the air—the wolf-woman, Dhole-senpai.

The Otter tumbled to the ground. Senpai was flinging the meat lump zingai in Hideyoshi’s direction. Hideyoshi jumped to the side, dodging the meat lump zingai just in time. It would have been funny for a master to be crushed to death by his own zingai though.

Hideyoshi barely managed to get up and yelled.

“Go, Fat Man…!”

Fat Man bounced and rushed to attack senpai again. Senpai faced it without running. She grasped Fat Man and snapped at it. Senpai and Fat Man rolled around, entangled together.

Senpai bit off chunks of meat. With all her strength, she tore the meat off the meat lump zingai. No blood came out. Even as meat scattered around, splintered, and collapsed in on itself, even more meat came out. It was meat. The meat lump zingai was just like a cluster of meat personified. Even so, the meat lump zingai expressed discomfort. It twisted its body, its meat, around, and tried to push senpai away. It couldn't. Senpai wouldn't let it.

Senpai had the upper hand.

But that didn't mean he could stand idly by and wait for the fight to conclude. Sorry about this, Olver. Just one last stretch. The Otter cheered on Olver’s right leg and stood up. He scolded his flesh and bone left leg, which hurt so much he could hardly put any force on it. The bones seemed to be broken. That didn't matter. He’d steeled his resolve.

The Otter pivoted on Olver’s right leg and rushed at him.

He would kill him.

Hideyoshi.

From now on, the Otter would kill people.

Call it murder or whatever you want, but it was the mission. He had to do it. More than that, he had to lend senpai his strength, if just a little. The Otter wanted to stay the kouhai who let their senpai handle all the dirty work. But he couldn't stay like this forever. He had to become a kouhai who could bear senpai’s burdens with her.

Hideyoshi knelt on one knee, watching over senpai and Fat Man’s tussle. He wasn't aware of it himself, but the Otter seemed to have let out something like a war cry. Thanks to that, he was spotted.

“—ah?!”

Hideyoshi shot immediately. He fired many shots in the Otter’s direction. He felt a strong impact like he’d just taken a baseball bat to the guts, and staggered, but he didn't stop. He tried to keep running. It was like his posture wasn't steady, and he couldn't run like he wanted to. And what of it? He was already covered in wounds and unsteady anyway. After that, his left arm was hit as well. It’s fine. The Otter decided to think. If it’s the arm, that’s fine.

“The bullets—”

Hideyoshi pulled the trigger, but no more bullets came out. It was right after that. Finally. The Otter caught Hideyoshi.

He grabbed Hideyoshi’s neck with his right hand, and pressed him to the ground.

That’s not it.

I have to kill this guy.

Then it was not his flesh and blood right hand, but Olver’s turn to shine.

“T…”

Hideyoshi was trying to say something, but his neck was constricted and he couldn't speak.

That’s good. Good.

Die.

Let’s keep my body weight on him like this. I’ll crush his throat. You’re dying.

Die.

He had intended to kill him, but what had happened?

—Goh.

He heard a loud noise. It wasn't Hideyoshi. Had something else shoved the Otter away? Had he been punched?

The Otter was on his hands and knees. Or was he lying on his back? He couldn't even discern if he was facing up or down.

Someone was there.

He was standing right nearby.

It was a large man.

He wore long boots, and had what seemed to be gloved hands.

The large man was wearing a mask. A mask with a bared teeth design drawn on it.

Did he have a shaved head? Or was he wearing a hat?

Hollow eyes stared down at the Otter.

“...Sullivan’s—”

Someone spoke. Was it Hideyoshi? Maybe Hideyoshi said that. Sullivan.

Sullivan’s.

Sullivan’s what?

The masked man lifted one leg. It seemed like he was going to step on the Otter with his long boots. It seemed like it would be painful. It probably wouldn't just be painful. The one who was about to be stepped on by the masked man was the Otter, but for some reason, he felt like that wasn't somebody else’s business. He felt his consciousness fading.

Was this the end?

It’s ending like this? I’m sorry, senpai.

If I apologize, would you get mad? Stop apologizing for everything, you’d say. But still, I’m sorry. Truly—

“NGAAAAAAAAAH…!”

Senpai.

Why did senpai’s voice…

Of course, it was because of senpai.

Senpai had rushed over and knocked the masked man flying.

Whenever her unreliable kouhai fell into a tight situation, she would come save him without fail. That was senpai.

“Who gave you the right…! You beat up my cute little kouhai, you pieces of shits….!”

When the time came, she would stand in the enemy’s way and have her kouhai’s back, hurling abuse defiantly. The Special Cases Countermeasures Office active force’s ace. Dahlia 4’s Dhole. Senpai, who wore Garm’s skin. The horrifying and beautiful wolf-woman. How about it? Isn't my senpai amazing? She’s awesome isn't she. She’s more awesome than anyone.

The Otter laughed. Well, he tried to laugh. His voice wouldn't come out. Maybe because of the pain or something, he couldn't move his body. He couldn't really see anything either. This might be bad. Aren't I dying? It was possible the Otter was on the verge of death. Even so, he wanted to laugh. He wanted to at least die laughing.

This wasn't the time to be laughing. The Otter couldn't understand that this wasn't a situation you could laugh in.

—Why?

Senpai suddenly shed Garm’s skin.

Why?

Garm picked up the Otter and carried him on his back.

What is this guy doing?

“I’ll leave the rest to you.”

That was what Senpai told him. Her voice was quiet, and her tone dull. Senpai didn't look at the Otter. But they were words aimed at the Otter. That, he understood.

Leave to him?

The rest?

What was that?

What did she mean?

Garm took off running. It seemed like Garm was carrying the Otter away from this abandoned factory. What’re you doing? What’re you doing for me? Stop it. The Otter tried to resist. Please stop. Let me down. I said no, Garm. Why’re you doing this? He wanted to stop Garm even if he had to use brute force. He would if he could. But the Otter was wandering the boundary of life and death. The surroundings were dark. Was this the darkness of the night? Or had he lost consciousness already? He called for senpai in the darkness. Again, and again, and again, and again, he called senpai’s name.

The Otter knew senpai’s real name.

Shima Touko.

He’d once tried to call senpai by her real name to tease her.

Touko-san, he’d called, and without missing a beat, senpai had shot back, What, Haizaki Itsuya?

How can you remain unbothered? Haizaki had protested, and senpai had let out a laugh through her nose. I mean, it’s just my name. I don't think anything of being called by it.

Senpai.

Dhole-senpai.

Shima Touko-senpai.

Touko-san.

Suddenly, the Otter was thrown into the darkness.

Garm, who was supposed to be carrying the Otter, was nowhere to be found. Where was this? He had no idea. But it seemed to be thick grass. Was a river flowing nearby? He could hear the faint sound of water. The Otter was alone.

Garm was gone.

He’d disappeared, suddenly.

Senpai’s zingai, Garm, had been eliminated without a trace.

What did that mean? The Otter didn't understand.

It was fine if he didn't understand right now.

He didn't want to be sure.

-----

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#inochi no tabekata #inochi no tabekata light novel

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