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nxrthmizu · 3 years

Text

Crash and Burn

fandom | miraculous ladybug

genre | salt, lila salt

pairing | n/a

w.c | 3.2k

author's note | hey remember that lila salt fic i promised? this isn't it but this is something i made today so yep. please accept this as an apology for yknow. me promising to write and. not doing it.

Enough was enough.

“Marinette, stop accusing Lila! She just wants to make friends!”

“Take the high road.”

“Be a good model student, Marinette.”

Enough. Was. Enough.

Marinette had the connections, the power, the choice to make Lila’s entire world crumble apart. The only thing that stood between the liar’s demise was the tiniest pinch of morality and self-restraint— And no, that self-restraint did not come in the form of Tikki. Even the kwami, who had to be an aggregation of all the good and nice things in the world, was fed up and ready to retaliate.

“What a joke.” Lila cackled, tossing a chunk of her sausage hair over her shoulder flamboyantly. The two girls were in the bathroom, with Lila smirking in front of the sink and Marinette a little distance away from her. “You can make my world crumble? What is this, a threat?”

“A promise.” Marinette corrected. “Stop telling lies. Come clean to every one. No more lying about knowing celebrities left and right, no more making excuses about not being able to take your own notes, no more making up ‘diseases’ just so your life gets a little more convenient. To be frank, I really don’t care what happens to you— But by making these empty promises to introduce my classmates to great ‘celebrities’, you’re ruining their futures. Stop.”

“And what are you going to do if I don’t?” Lila sneered, face twisted into an ugly grin. “You going to cry in front of the class? Try and convince them that I, the one they adore— That I am lying?”

“No.” Marinette’s eyes were clear when she met Lila’s. The clouds of self-doubt that used to hover over the bright, shining star inside her soul had now dissipated, letting the bluenette emit a confident, glowing appearance as she met the liar head on. “I’m just going to keep my promise.”

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

Lila headed off to a modelling shoot after school, pleased at the prospect of spending more time with Adrien. There were a couple tendrils of Marinette’s words hanging behind in her mind— Did the girl mean what she said? Did she actually… Was she actually capable of causing Lila’s downfall? … Surely not. Marinette may have once been the ‘Everyday Ladybug’, but there was no way she was that competent, there was no way the girl was capable of plotting.

The Italian hummed, brushing away thoughts of the annoying bluenette from her mind. She was going on a photoshoot— One that was going cause the rise and burst of her career, the one that was going to make her name a globally-known one. Unfortunately for Lila, her plans were going to be derailed quite soon— In fact, as soon as Gabriel Agreste’s car rolled into the parking lot of the shoot location.

“Explain this, Mlle. Rossi.” Gabriel’s nostrils flared as he pointed to the tabloid article on his tablet. The Italian girl froze, the headlines seared into her eyes, big and black and bold, shooting poison right into the core of her body, paralysing her cell by cell starting from her heart. “What is the meaning of this?”

‘Adrien Agreste Reported To Be Harassed by Fellow Model’— The image under the caption was one that was clearly taken by a hidden photographer. The picture was framed with leafy foliage, which suggested that the camera was tucked up in a tree. Despite the distance, it was quite obvious in the image that Adrien was reeling away, disgusted and uncomfortable as a faceless woman in an orange blazer, back turned to the camera— Invaded his personal space.

The subtitle was the cream on the cupcake.

‘Witnesses State Gabriel Agreste Ignorant of Workplace Harassment’.

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

As if things couldn’t quite go down a worser path, Lila returned home to a fuming mother and an unexpected visitor.

“Lila! You come here right this instant!” The diplomat demanded as soon as the front door opened, her daughter shrinking slightly at the tone and pitch that her mother was using. The last time her mother had been this angry— Well, it was when she got expelled from her last school. “I can’t believe what you’ve done! If it weren’t for your kind classmate, lord knows how long you would’ve continued with this!”

The Italian meekly followed her mother into the living room, eyes widening until they were as large as saucers, mouth agape at the last person she expected to see sitting on the couch.

Marinette smiled kindly, waving at the girl, looking every bit the part of the innocent, pure, kind child that every parent wanted to have. Before Lila could release a torrent of questions about what the hell Marinette Dupain-Cheng was doing in her living room, her mother charged on, beginning to take out her anger on her daughter while a literal angel sat on the sofa, cradling a box of pastries from her family’s bakery.

“Your friend here tells me that you’ve been taking absences from school to go on trips to help humanity!” Mme. Rossi exploded, waving her arms around madly. “She says she’s here to share her notes from the classes you’ve missed! You’ve never left Paris this year! What’s this I hear about flying off to the kingdom of— What was it called again, Marinette dear?”

“Achu.” Provided the bluenette helpfully, the diplomat’s expression instantly softening when she talked to the other teen in the living room.

“Ah, yes. Thank you, dear.” The woman turned back to her daughter, instantly snapping on a mask of anger in a matter of a fraction of a second. “What’s this about flying off to this kingdom of Achu to help homeless orphans with some random prince?”

“Um…” Lila piped up, wriggling as her brain churned at 200 lies per hour, trying to whip up a cover of some sort.

“I’m not done! Your friend here is such a helpful child that she even went as far as to ask her family doctor is there’s a cure for your… Lying disease!” Mme. Rossi practically roared, breathing flames as if she were an intimidating dragon, her daughter flinching away from the heat. “I’ve never heard of anything more ridiculous! And then there’s the fact that you lied to your classmates about having tinnitus?!”

“I actually do have tinnitus!” Lila cut in forcibly, widening her eyes to make herself look more pitiful. “I was just afraid to tell you because I didn’t want you to worry!”

“Bullshit!”

“Um… Sorry to interrupt, Mme. Rossi,” Marinette piped up, the diplomat instantly cooling down as she faced the bluenette, a soft smile tracing the Italian woman’s lips. “But it’s getting rather late and my parents would love me home soon. I also have some tests to revise for tonight, so I think I should get going.”

“Oh, of course, dear.” Mme. Rossi hastily got up to help the bluenette to the door, shooting a warning glare at her daughter— ‘Sit still and don’t you dare go anywhere’, the glare read. “Feel free to come over again anytime you want, dear. I’m not home often, but you are such a sweet child. I’m sure Lila could learn a lot from you.”

“Thanks for having me as well, Mme. Rossi. I really like your home. I left the pastries on the counter— Make sure to warm the curry puffs before you eat them.” Marinette returned the smile, bowing slightly to the older woman as a sign of respect.

“Thank you for the pastries as well, Marinette. I ought to visit your parents’ bakery sometime when I’m free.” Mme. Rossi opened the door kindly for the bluenette, waving the girl off with an affectionate smile. Her parents must be so lucky to have such a sweet little thing like her, Mme. Rossi sighed internally, turning the key so she locked the door. And she seems to be a high-scoring student as well.

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

Lila seethed, having been grounded by her mother. As far as Mme. Rossi was concerned, there was a boarding school not too far away from their current residence, and by the next week, the Italian girl would be transferred over. Lila had never hated Dupain-Cheng as much as she did in that moment.

Still furious, the Italian snapped her laptop open, too angry to bother with the fact she might’ve scratched the surface. Clicking into the web browser, she started to type in the words ‘Ladyblog’— That was, before a news article caught her eye.

‘Jagged Stone Interview Reveals Underage, Obsessed Fan’.

What on Earth…

As soon as Lila clicked into the link, the news footage from the interview immediately begin to play. The date stamp on it showed that it had aired last night— Which meant that she would’ve missed it, since her mother was too busy yelling at her to turn on the television to watch Nadja Chamack’s daily news.

“As soon as I heard this rumour about some underage teenage girl claiming that she had saved my cat on an airport runway, I called Penny and asked her to book a slot for me to clarify this,” Jagged Stone said grimly, dressed in more formal attire as he sat in the comfortable, cushioned chair of the news station, with Nadja nodding equally seriously beside him. “Let me clarify— I’ve never owned a cat. I’m allergic to fur. The only pet I’ve had was Fang, and he’s an al-li-ga-tor. Not a cat. Whatever the girl is claiming, she’s obsessed and making up stories.”

“It’s also kind of bewildering that she saved it on an airport runway,” Nadja continued, shaking her head in disappointment. “That kind of thing only happens in dramas— It’s too dangerous for anyone besides authorised workers to be on airport runways.”

“Right, right!” Jagged agreed instantly. “The whole rumour is just really baffling.”

“M. Jagged, may I ask what kind of effect these rumours have on a celebrities’ career?” Nadja continued, leading the conversation on like a professional.

“Well, rumours that circulate around tend to have really bad effects, and the worse ones can hang around for a long, long time. Tabloids are often spun off from rumours, baseless and with no evidence. Those tabloids will never truly disappear, so they can leave a mark on a celebrity’s reputation as some people will believe anything— Even things they read from un-cited tabloids.”

“That is simply terrible. Have you ever had any cases of rumours created by underaged teens before this?”

“I’ve had quite a number, but none of them really got as big as this one. From what Penny has found from digging around, the teen girl managed to spread the rumour through her school and onto a once-popular blog.” Jagged explained. “Penny has also found out that the same girl has claimed that I’ve written songs for her to thank her for saving my cat! I would never write songs and dedicate them to an underaged girl— Trust me. If I could do such a thing, I’d already have written a dozen in honour of my niece— She’s my favourite designer.”

Nadja smiled at that sentence. “Then—“

The news footage cut off abruptly as Lila slammed her laptop shut, too upset to continue watching.

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

On the other side of Paris, Alya was pacing around her room frantically, wondering why on earth Lila wasn’t picking up on her calls. She’d left at least four dozen messages to the Italian, who was absent from school that day. There had been a couple whispers here and there about why she was missing— Rose had suggested another impromptu trip to Achu.

Lila’s absence wasn’t the weirdest part of the day, however.

That award would go to Marinette, who walked into class with a smile, the slightest sprinkles of delight colouring her bluebell eyes when she spotted Lila’s empty seat.

Growing in frustration, Alya threw herself onto her bed, phone clattering onto the mattress with her. Within the next few minutes, however, her phone suddenly started exploding with notifications. Excited at the prospect of Lila finally texting back, Alya turned on her phone, only to be disappointed by the notifications all clamouring from the class group chat.

Kim had sent a link to the chat— Without hesitation, Alya clicked into it, frowning when she saw Nadja and Jagged appear on the screen. Throughout the interview, the colour on the Ladyblogger’s face only paled by the second until she was as white as a sheet, and if it were halloween at that time, she would’ve won the best costume award for being a ghost.

There must… There must’ve been a mistake.

A notification from Lila’s number made the blogger perk up, instantly clicking into the conversation— But her newfound hope didn’t last very long.

[Lila]

Hi, Alya. This is Lila’s mom. She’s currently grounded right now. Is there anything important you need to tell her?

[Alya]

Oh, nothing much… I just wanted to ask where she was.

[Lila]

She’s at home.

[Alya]

Okay, thanks.

Flopping onto her bed, Alya begin thinking, revising over the past few months like it was an old clip. Lila’s exciting adventures and interactions with celebrities of every kind— Lila going overseas and face timing the entire class— Lila letting her in on the secrets of being Ladybug’s friend…

… Marinette trying to tell them that Lila was lying…

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

The class was awfully silent the next day. Adrien was absent as well— A social worker was looking into his home life as a result of the tabloid that arose. Things for the blonde could either get better or worse from then on, as the matters were still foggy and things hadn’t cleared up yet. The blonde maintained contact with his friends, however, calling and texting them whenever he could.

“Class, settle down.” Mlle. Bustier stepped into the class, looking very tense and uncomfortable. “Today, we will have a guest, so please be on your best behaviours, alright?”

Just as the teacher finished speaking, a tall, regal-looking Italian woman entered the classroom, a cowering principal and a meek-looking Lila in tow. The class brightened slightly at the sight of their friend— But by the way she wasn’t looking into their eyes… Things weren’t going to be good.

“Good morning. I am Mme. Rossi, Lila’s mother.” The woman begin speaking, her firm and no-nonsense tone instantly making every student sit straight, their eyes too afraid to look anywhere else but the Italian diplomat. “It has come to my attention that my daughter has been taking absences from school to do charity work— And I have to clarify that this is a lie. Lila has been doing nothing but holing herself up in her room, lying to me and saying that there are no classes due to akumas.” The Italian diplomat glowered at Damocles. “What’s even more baffling is the fact that neither her homeroom nor the principal bothered to check up with me despite a student having extended periods of absence with no note or email written whatsoever.”

The class was so quiet that they could hear the quiver of Mlle. Bustier’s trembling lip.

“In addition, I’ve been kindly told that Lila has claimed to have a lying disease, which is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard this week.” It was impossible to miss the way the Italian diplomat was glaring daggers at both Mlle. Bustier and Damocles. “No one bothered to look it up online to see if it’s actual disorder, nor did anyone call me to confirm and ask for a doctor’s note, which is standard procedure.” Chills burst over the room, making every one shiver as the woman hissed out her words.

“Mme. Rossi, we didn’t want to disturb your busy schedule—” Damocles begin, only to be blown backwards from the sheer intensity of Mme. Rossi’s glower.

“M. Damocles, standard procedures exist for a reason. Unless you’d like to tell me about any other things you’ve been letting my daughter get away with?”

“N— No, Mme.”

The Italian diplomat continued on her war path. “My daughter also claimed to have tinnitus, am I correct?”

“Y— Yes, Mme.” Mlle. Bustier answered when it seemed like no one was going to.

“And I heard that the class seating arrangement was shifted to accommodate for that?” The homeroom teacher didn’t dare answer this time, for it seemed like whatever she said would be the incorrect answer. “And apparently, my daughter has also been faking broken wrists and requesting for her classmates to complete her work for her.” Mme. Rossi was practically breathing flames at that point, “And I am incredibly upset at the lack of action from the homeroom teacher.”

No one could breath.

“I have many concerns about the running of this schooling facility, and I expect to discuss this with M. Damocles privately after this. However, there is still something to be done.” Mme. Rossi swept her gaze towards her daughter, who found the floor incredibly interesting at that point of time. “Lila? Something you’d like to say to your classmates?”

“… I’m sorry for lying to you.” Lila mumbled resentfully.

“Louder, Lila. No one can hear you.”

“I’m sorry for lying to you!” Lila swallowed, bursting like an explosion that had finally been triggered, tears in her eyes and fists hatefully curled. “I’m sorry for lying about my diseases and injuries. I’m sorry for making you do my work,” She spat. “Sorry for causing any inconveniences.”

Mme. Rossi raised an eyebrow at her daughter. “Is that all?”

Lila glared at her mother, who was completely unfazed. “Oh, so you want an apology from me? Fine!” She turned to the class, a maniacal glint in her eyes as she sneered at the class, a few gasps puffing from around the room as they caught their first glimpse of the liar that resided in the ‘harmless’ shell of Lila Rossi. “I’m sorry that you are all such idiots that you all fell for everything. I’m sorry that Marinette has such terrible, untrusting classmates that turned their backs on her even though she was still a goody-two shoes till the end, even though she still wanted to help you sorry peasants. I’m sorry that you were all so goddamn gullible! There! Good enough for you?”

Shock was etched into the faces of every human in the classroom— Including Mlle. Bustier, M. Damocles, and Mme. Rossi themselves. Clearly, that part of the apology had not been part of the plan.

“Did I miss something?” Said a sweet voice, followed by the presence of a bluenette, her hair tied in a half-up. A royal blue blazer decorated her lithe form, accompanied by a smart-looking white blouse and a black plaited skirt. Formal had never looked so good on anyone— And if someone didn't know better, they'd think that the bluenette was a young lawyer, emerging victorious from her first successful case.

“Marinette!” Alya exclaimed.

“I’m sorry that you’re such an annoying, little, pest.” Lila bit in the girl’s face, disdain colouring her features as she ignored her mother’s enraged gasp behind her.

The bluenette simply smiled, unaffected by the liar who had crashed and burned like the liar once wished upon her. Marinette Dupain-Cheng stood at her full height, the perfect image of grace and poise as she maintained her composure, quite unlike her nemesis, who thrashed under her mother’s restraining hands.

“And I’m sorry that you didn’t take my promise to heart.”

this can count as adrien redemption depending on you cause ehhh i dont like how passive he is but i havent caught up with the recent episodes, he might have become better. idk.

also where the hell is my miraculous taglist i cant find it so eep. no tagging ppl ig oops

#miraculous ladybug #the tales of ladybug and chat noir #marinette dupain-cheng #lila rossi #lila salt #rossi salt #ml class #ml salt #ml class salt #marinette deserves better #badass marinette #lila rossi lies #lila's lies are exposed #adrien agrete #alya cesaire #cady writesss «

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cutiedi3 · 3 years

Text

CUTE FARCRY 5 HEADCANONS

JOHN:

* loves talking about planes

* He loves when you sit and listen to him gush about planes

* Likes to have dates in the sky

* Wishes he could live in the clouds

* As a child he used to dream he was a pilot

* Takes Faith on plane rides

* Treats Faith like his little sister and is very protective over her

* Sometimes he and Faith have sleepovers and they stay up all night talking about anything and everything

* He secretly loves to bake

* Makes amazing cakes

* Has a pet siamese cat

* His name is Jet ( of course)

* He loves him with his full heart and would never blame him for anything and so help you god if you hurt his cat

* Has a huge bed and shares it with Jet plus a lot of stuffed animals

* Faith got him all his stuffed animals

* Likes cats more then dogs

* Plays piano

* He has a great singing voice but is too anxious to use it

* Sometimes he takes Jet flying with him

* He and Jet have matching P.J.‘s

* Cares about his cat like it’s his son

FAITH:

* Faith loves music

* She’s always writing songs and singing

* She wrote most of the cults music

* Loves to swim

* Has swam in the river so many times to even count

* Like to catch frogs

* In love with reptiles and insects

* Has a pet wolf spider named Lilly

* And a pet milk snake named Fred

* Both of her pets love her to death and would never harm her

* She cares for every animal (but bees or wasps)

* 100% vegan

* Gets very angry if she sees someone harming a animal

* Loves to garden

* Has a huge garden of vegetables

* She planted it all by herself

* Paints Jacobs nails but no one knows but them

* She makes flower crowns and hands them out to project members

* Loves cuddles and hugs

* Lays in trees and reads the word of Joseph

JACOB:

* He really spoils the judges

* He has reading glasses and gets embarrassed when anyone sees him using them

* Like to go hiking them have a picnic after

* He makes his family hike with him

* He hums Set Those Sinners Free all the time

* Can play guitar very well

* Pretty good dancer

* Let’s a few of the Judges sleep with him a night

* Likes to spend time with John

* They can do literally anything and Jacob will be happy to spend time with him

* Loves to see Joseph preaching

* He and Joseph play chess

* Jacob watches Faith swim in the river and sometimes he will swim with her

* Loves to have his nails painted but only red and black

* Reads romance novels all the time

* He loves to go fishing

* If you took him fishing you’d make his day

* He reads the word of Joseph to his family sometimes

* It’s usually A very special family moment with Faiths head in Joseph’s lap as he plays with her hair and John sitting beside Jacob with his head on his shoulder

* Loves to have his scars kissed

JOSEPH:

* He loves his project members and family very much

* He treats Faith like his daughter and will do anything for her

* He enjoys walks as he reads

* He has a tree with his wife’s name carved in it and he goes there and tells her about his day and what’s going on in his head

* Always singing project songs

* Likes to spend time with the children of the project

* He will make them flowers crowns

* Will help anyone project member or not if you need help you will receive it

* Likes to spend time with John

* They eat dinner together or just read together

* He and Jacob do a lot together

* They play board games and hike

* Is hard on John because he wants him to reach the garden

* Treats John like his son

* Likes to spend time with dogs

* He vents to the dogs and sometimes cries

* At his wife’s tree his family will decorate it with flowers without him knowing and when he sees it he breaks down and cries feelings so lucky to have them

* Wants what’s best for everyone

* Some days he sits in the middle of the compound and his project members sit about him as he read books

* They aren’t always the word of Joseph they can be any book

* He makes dinner for all his members and they have a huge family dinner every Saturday nights

* Treats Jacobs scars even though they are healed

* Learned to braid hair

* He will style Faith and any members hair

#jacob seed #faith seed #far cry 5 #john seed #joseph seed #the seed family #fc5 #rachel jessop #headcanons #far cry five #deputy

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jaeminlore · 5 years

Text

Leap of Faith | Jaemin

summary: jaemin is spider-man. he’s also in over his head, and head over heels in love with you.

words: 7.6k+

category: ps4!spidey universe, fluff, angst, bad writing

warning(s): brief mentions of blood, fighting, and threats

a/n: you don’t have to have played the game to read this story. but if you did play the game, yes, i changed the outcome of **** *** because i’m selfish.

The streets of Brooklyn seem almost dead at midnight. You walk to your apartment, one earbud in while the other hangs off and bounces against your name tag every few seconds. Clack, clack, clack...

You ignore it and focus on the beat of the drums that play through your head. Work was rough, and the weather seems rougher as white breaths surge through your lips. Winter feels horrible here, and walking home during the cold and dark season is not — and never was — your first choice of transportation. However, the subway is sketchy around this time, and you feel like you’ll fend better on the streets. Your apartment is in a well-lit area anyways, so who would try anything?

Clack, clack, clack... thud!

Nearby, a trashcan falls to the ground. The clatter alerts a nearby alley cat, who runs across the road towards safety. Trash falls across the ground. You keep walking.

You reach your apartment safely, but you don’t let out a breath of relief until you’re in your living room with the door locked behind you.

Then you turn on the light and see that everything in the room has been ransacked, and your pet cat is nowhere to be seen. Drawers and cushions are scattered across the linoleum, and all your clutter is, well, cluttering up any free space. You notice an old MCR cd and focus on it as you try to figure out what’s going on.

The first thing you do is pull your cellphone out of your pocket and dial 911. It rings once, twice, then “911, what’s your emergency?”

“My apartment has been—“ your phone flies across the room. You shriek in fear when it crackles with electricity. It drops to the floor and you watch as it glitches a few times before turning off completely.

“Oops.” Timidly, the culprit appears, and it’s Spider-Man. The actual Spider-Man, with his red suit and tall stature. Your eyes focus on the large white spider that spans across his chest. Was that always there? You don’t think so. Maybe it’s an upgrade.

You still don’t know what he’s doing in your house.

Well, right now he’s shaking his hands, letting a few crackling strings of web fall to your floor. “I didn’t mean to use my electronic webs. I’ll buy you a new one.”

You blink. “What are you doing here? Did you mess up my place?”

“No!” Then he looks guilty. Well, his mask looks guilty (you aren’t sure how that’s possible). “I mean, I didn’t do it alone. I certainly didn’t mean to ransack your place specifically it’s just... me and my friend were roughhousing and it got out of hand.”

“Just say you were fighting bad guys in my house and go.” You grumble and make your way to the fridge, where the frozen pizza you bought is luckily still residing. “Why can’t you take your fights into the street? Or, like, not in someone’s home?”

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I really didn’t mean to. I can’t exactly control where the fights go. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“I hope there won’t be a next time,” you say honestly. “My insurance is pretty nonexistent.”

“Can I bring someone to help you fix the place?” His voice sounds shameful.

You’re upset that there’s a giant dent in your cabinets, but you don’t doubt that Spider-Man’s intentions were good. “I think I can handle myself. Thank you for getting your, uh, friend, out of my house.”

“It was Hammerhead,” Spider-man says goofily. “And no problem!”

You slip the pizza in the oven and when you turn around, Spider-man is gone. Nothing but an open window and a gentle breeze is left as evidence that he was even here.

Well, except for your destroyed kitchen. You sigh and close your window, flicking the lock. “Be safe,” you whisper against the cool glass.

🕷️

The broken cellphone looks even worse under Octavius Labs’ fluorescent lighting. You grimace, wondering if you could somehow get this fixed before your mother gets worried that you aren’t answering her calls. Luckily, Octavius Labs is pretty famous in Greenwich for its kind scientist and his assistant, who will almost always fix something for little to no cost.

Dr. Octavius must be out, seeing as his assistant is the only one in the lab when you enter. You’re pretty sure his name is Jaemin. You’ve seen him around, especially when his Aunt May owns the F.E.A.S.T. Shelter in Chinatown that you work at. Jaemin is known for making quick friends of the occupants there. He makes many of them feel comfortable and safe. He is exceptionally well at it.

He’s dressed in his usual: jeans and a too-long sweater. The only thing that’s distinctive about the outfit are his bright red Converse, scuffed beyond repair. His back is turned to you, and all his attention seems to be focused on the desk in front of him. You notice he’s sewing some kind of cloth — red and blue — together. Maybe he’s patching up a hoodie? Or some kind of electrical blanket?

You clear your throat.

He jumps, and the cloth is so quickly hidden away that you wonder if it was even there in the first place. Jaemin turns around and leans against the desk casually. “H-Hi.”

You don’t think you’ve ever been this close to him, but in this cramped lab, you can see the soft brown curls that threaten his eyes. You can see his shiny white teeth, partly hidden behind chapped lips. He’s pretty; boyishly pretty, part of you thinks.

“Hey,” you say, confused by his not-so-secret secrecy. “Uh, do you, uh, know how to fix a phone?“

The boy winces when you hold up your phone in all it’s glitching glory. “What happened?”

You think about the masked stranger in your dorm last night. “I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you.”

Jaemin lets out a laugh that sounds a little too forced. “That bad, huh?” But he doesn’t question you any further. “I can probably have this done before the week is over.”

You sigh in relief. “Thanks so much, Jaemin. I owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it.” His eyes are leveled, lips drawn in a thin line. “Really.”

🕷️

Ever since the last bust at Rikers, Jaemin has been resuming his duty as friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. As exciting as huge battles are, battling five arch nemesis’ at once can take a lot out of a man. Jaemin thinks he has had enough broken bones to last him a lifetime. Or at the least, the next few years.

He’s perched atop Octavius Labs, listening to his headset spout off different crimes throughout the city. Sometimes he wishes that — despite the famous saying — the city would sleep. Just for a few hours. Enough for him to take a nap, or find a job more stable than Octavius Labs, or go on a date.

He scoffs at himself. “Date. As if anyone would deal with my secretive nature and inconsistent schedule.”

His earpiece beeps. He presses the call button. “Hey, Aunt May.”

“Jaemin, uh, sorry—“ the voice that comes through is flustered, but Jaemin knows he’s heard it before. “—it’s Y/n, from F.E.A.S.T.? Anyway I was just gonna let you know that I took the night shift here, and May said you might come by. I was just thinking that you could bring the phone?”

Each word sounds more nervous than the last. Jaemin is already swinging towards Chinatown when he replies. “Yeah, no problem! I’ll bring it by.”

He wonders why you sound so nervous when he’s the one who tore up your apartment and broke your phone. Not that you knew it was him, but still. His guilt should trump your nerves.

He drops onto the roof of F.E.A.S.T. and extracts the backpack he has webbed to the underside of the air conditioning unit. He quickly slides his sweater and jeans over his suit before tucking his mask in the bag. He hastily runs his fingers through his hair in an effort to look presentable, and then he’s walking down the fire escape and entering F.E.A.S.T. through the front door.

F.E.A.S.T. is essentially a giant gymnasium, with beds and chairs and tables all scattered around for whoever is occupying them at the moment. Jaemin figures Aunt May is either in the kitchen or in her office, but he finds you at a table, playing chess with an older woman. “Y/n, I brought your phone.”

You look up from the checkered board. Your cheeks are still rosy from the chilly air, and your hair — albeit tied up — is rather windswept. There’s one strand that hangs just over your eyes, and it makes him want to tuck it back behind your ear. Then he thinks that sounds too intimate, too weird when he’s just the boy who broke your phone.

Then you’re tucking your hair behind your ear by yourself, and the moment is gone. “Thanks! How’d you fix it so fast?”

Jaemin’s neck feels hot when you smile at him like that. “I-It was nothing, really.” He doesn’t want to admit that he nearly wiped out your entire cloud, and it took him a good few hours and a few deep dives into reddit forums to figure out how to get it back. He’s still working on getting the hang of his new web designs. It was extremely unfortunate that Hammerhead insisted on fighting inside of your apartment. In retrospect, you’re lucky Hammerhead didn’t decide to ram through your wall.

“Of course it is! You saved me a lot of money and time.” You reach out and squeeze Jaemin’s arm reassuringly. “I know I probably interrupted whatever you were working on, so is there any way I can thank you? Maybe take you out for pizza?”

Jaemin nearly denies, because he knows this scenario all too well: someone nice shows the littlest amount of interest in him, and he ruins it because of his spidey schedule. He knows what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna schedule a time for pizza, and he’s gonna get a dispatch call, and while he’s stopping thugs from holding up a gas station, you’ll be leaving the pizza place, vowing to never call him again.

It always happens like that, because he can’t be Spider-man and lead a normal life. He’s tried. He’s failed. Horribly. Multiple times. He’s not ready to do it again.

But then May is sidling up to the two of you, and her eyes are sparkling in a way they haven’t for a few months. “Jaemin would love to go out with you! Gosh, it’s been years since he went out with someone his own age.”

You squeeze his arm again, and Jaemin knows it’s supposed to be reassuring but it’s dizzying more than anything, and he blinks a few times before he remembers where he is. He’s at F.E.A.S.T., with you, and his Aunt has just set him up for a date. Wait, a friendship get-together. Not a date. Because Spider-man doesn’t date, and that means that Na Jaemin doesn’t date.

You seem all too excited about the thought of pizza, and it makes Jaemin’s heart ache when he thinks of your pretty lips turned into a frown once you realize he’s stood you up. But he thinks you might give him the same look if he says no. “Okay. How’s tonight, after your shift?”

“Great!” Then you let go of his arm, and you’re walking away, and Aunt May has this look on her face like she knows.

So Jaemin blushes. “I’m gonna go for a walk.”

🕷️

He doesn’t go for a walk, he goes for a wall-crawl downtown, patrolling the streets as the day turns to the dawn. He put his number into your phone when he fixed it, so it’s really up to you to drop a call whenever your shift is over. He prays that until then no call comes in. He prays that for once this city’s police force can hold their own. Just until he can get pizza with you.

He thinks of this pizza when he swings towards Central Park and stops a mugger from taking a lady’s purse. He thinks of your clear and happy eyes when he rescues a cat from a tree. He thinks that he’d really like to hear your soft giggle again, because he’s almost forgotten it, and he’s sure it’s a nicer sound than cars honking and men cursing.

Jaemin makes a joke to a robber just as the man getting pushed into a cop car, and then his phone rings. It’s Yuri, alerting him of some illegal gun trade in Brooklyn. It makes him worry, wondering if it’s anywhere near your apartment and if it’s safe for you to go home.

Someone called him while he was on the phone with Yuri, and he checks his voicemails to hear your sweet voice. “Hey, Jaemin. It’s me again. Y/n, that is. I don’t think you’ve forgotten me but I don’t know how many people you talk to. Does that sound weird? Sorry. Anyways, I was thinking we could just order pizza and eat it at F.E.A.S.T during my ten o’clock break? I know it’s late but just... just let me know, Jaemin. Thanks.”

Jaemin wants to go. He can make it too, if he busts this trade quickly.

He’s Spider-man, so he thinks he might be able to do it, but he’s also Na Jaemin. And Jaemin is bad at time management and even worse at relationships.

The clock strikes ten o’clock and he’s still trying to get through the intricate ventilation system. He curses under his breath; he feels angry at himself once again for breaking a promise, but there’s a city at stake.

There’s no telling where those guns will go; who they will hurt. If he can get to them in time and destroy the guns, everything will be worth it. Even breaking up a relationship before it even starts.

🕷️

He reaches F.E.A.S.T. just before the clock strikes midnight. His suit is covered by civilian clothes. His mask is tucked away in his messenger bag. The guns are all destroyed.

You walk out of the back door just as Jaemin is about to walk in. “Oh. Hey.”

He feels nervous again. That jittery feeling in his chest is back, but it’s smothered by guilt. “I’m so, so sorry. I promise I didn’t mean to be so late. Something came up and—“

“It’s okay,” you say. “I wasn’t even sure if you’d get the voicemail, so don’t sweat it.”

Jaemin is sweating it. Literally. He can feel the perspiration creep up where his suit meets his skin. His heart is beating fast again. His palms are warm. “Still... I’m sorry. Can I make it up to you? Walk you home, maybe?”

“How about you walk me to my train?” You smile softly, “I’m taking Q at Canal Street Station.”

“Yeah,” Jaemin breathes, “I can do that.”

He spends most of the walk trying to keep his heart from bursting out of his chest. Once he can hear over his heartbeat, he realizes you’re telling him about your day.

“May said we’re getting more people the colder it gets,” you start. “Which is a good thing, I suppose. It’s better they stay at F.E.A.S.T. than out on the streets, but we still need more volunteers. I was thinking of staying over a few nights, so that May will get the nights off, but I have classes and an apartment to keep up, so I don’t know.”

“What are your classes for?”

“Teaching,” you reply. Your cheeks are suddenly dusted with pink under the streetlight.

“Oh yeah? What for?”

“Just early childhood education. Preschool or daycare or something like that, you know? Nothing special.”

“Nothing special?” Jaemin scoffs. “That’s like, the most important job in the whole world. Teachers shape kid’s lives. They’re like, modern day heroes.”

“I think our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man took that role already,” you say.

“Right.” Jaemin suddenly feels hot under his hoodie. He’s hoping desperately that you don’t notice the red, white, and blue suit just underneath his clothing. “What do you, uh, think of him. Spider-man, I mean?”

“Funny you should ask,” you mutter. “You might not believe this, but he’s the one who broke my phone.”

Jaemin feels a thin sheen of sweat line his suit. “No way.”

“Yeah,” you mutter, “I’m just glad you were able to fix it.”

“It was the least I could do.” For ruining your apartment. For breaking it in the first place.

Jaemin’s earpiece beeps. He pretends to scratch his ear as he answers the call. “Spider-Man, did you miss me?”

He nearly groans out loud before remembering where he is. He quickly mutes the call just as you reach your building. “Goodnight, then. Have sweet dreams.”

You smile softly, and Jaemin can’t help but return it. “See you later?”

Jaemin nods. “Yeah! Yeah, of course.”

As soon as the door closes behind you, he unmutes the earpiece. “What do you want, Screwball?”

The girl cackles through the comm. “Welcome to the grand show, Spidey! Today’s challenge is stopping the Brooklyn Bridge from blowing up! But not before you answer my riddles, and find the bombs!”

🕷️

A late night commercial is a murmur in your living room as you continue to study. You don’t have any classes or work tomorrow, so you figure pulling an all-nighter won’t hurt anything. You’ll sleep in tomorrow and then head to the store with the list of supplies May emailed you. You know she’s been overworked as winter draws nearer, so it’s the least you can do after she’s given you the day off.

The commercial ends, and it’s replaced by the late night news. You reach for the remote to turn it off, but pause when they mention Spider-Man. You turn it up. “... Screwball is a well-known adversary to Spider-Man, always creating challenges to stream live. Tonight, bombs were planted under the Brooklyn Bridge, and while police filed to the area immediately, they were unable to find the explosives. Spider-Man managed to crawl under the bridge and dispose of them just in time, throwing them toward the sky and webbing them so that they blew up out of harms way. Twitter blew up over the surprise fireworks, while Screwball was quickly found and arrested. Reports say her lawyer is willing to fight under the grounds that Screwball herself didn’t plant the bombs, only live-streamed Spider-Man’s mission. Her identity is still remaining a secret, but rest assured, she’s locked up tonight...”

The television clicks off as soon as you hear a knock on your window. Keeping the remote in your hand, you raise it above your head and quickly pull the curtain aside. You nearly shriek at the sight of Spider-Man himself, all dressed in red and blue.

You raise the windowpane. “What’s going on?”

“Aw, you didn’t miss me?” Spider-Man leans his hip against the sill and you swear you can hear a smile in his voice. He quickly straightens up. “Actually, I came to make sure your phone was okay, and that no one has broken in.”

“Since you broke in, you mean?” you quip, lowering the remote. “I’m fine. My friend fixed it, actually.”

“Oh, that’s cool.”

You grin. “Yeah, it was cool of him to do it for free. So... this Screwball business, huh?”

Spider-Man lightly taps his forehead against the fire escape. “She’s killing me. She uses all these loopholes to basically stay out of Rikers. Stupid, really.”

He moves backwards, and then winces suddenly.

“What’s wrong?” You don’t know why you feel so concerned. After all, Spider-Man has done nothing for you except break your phone and give you a minimum of two heart attacks. Still, he did come to check on you (a week late.)

“Nothing,” Spider-Man says. “Just sore from all the swinging. I’ll go home and take a soothing bubble bath before I get back into the swing of things.” He — his mask? — winks at you.

It was such a stupid pun that you couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, well good luck with that.”

He’s gone after that. He shoots a web at the building across the street and swings away, like some kind of phantom. You wait until you can’t see him anymore before closing the window.

You get back to your studying, thinking only briefly about the web-crawler.

Because really, what he heck was he doing here?

🕷️

When you wake up at noon, you check your email. Then you see that Jaemin sent you a text, asking if he could come along on the shopping trip. May must’ve told him about her plans for you.

You tell him to meet you at F.E.A.S.T. in an hour, which is just enough time to eat and get ready.

Jaemin is a very cute boy. Especially when he wears his oversized blue sweater brandishing Octavius Labs’ logo. His wire-rimmed glasses keep slipping off his nose as he talks to Miles, another volunteer-slash-worker at F.E.A.S.T., and he keeps pushing them up absentmindedly. You kind of want to take a picture and keep the visual forever. But Miles peaks over Jaemin’s shoulder and notices you. “Y/n! Hey!”

“Hi, Miles.” You wave gently and sidle up to Jaemin. “Thanks for working on a weekend so I could have the day off.”

“No biggie,” Miles returns with a nonchalant wave. “Jaemin wouldn’t forgive me if I took the opportunity of spending the day with you away.”

Jaemin’s gaze flicks towards you, and his cheeks suddenly turn red. “I thought you’d need help.”

Your cheeks lift as you smile. “I appreciate it, Jaemin. You ready?”

The two of you make it to a department store, where you stock up on the clearance blankets and pillows. May has a budget for F.E.A.S.T., and you and Jaemin intend to get as much stuff as you can with it. You pick up a small plushie shaped like Spider-Man and nearly make a quip about last night before Jaemin gets a text alert.

He checks it and groans.

“What’s wrong?” You peak over his shoulder and glance down at the text. It’s a news alert, and the news is that Screwball has been tweeting about another challenge for the masked hero. “Again? This soon?”

Jaemin pulls his aunt’s credit card out of his wallet and hands it to you. “You can finish the list, right? I’ve gotta go.”

“Wait—“ you grab his sleeve before you can think. “Why?”

“I— uh—“ Jaemin grimaces. “I forgot I had to be at the lab. I have, uh, a project I need to finish by tonight and I’m afraid I might not make the deadline.”

“Oh, okay,” you whisper, feeling insecure all of a sudden. He’s lying, that much you know, but you don’t know why he feels he needs to lie to you.

He walks out of the store, and you finish shopping for the list.

You return it to F.E.A.S.T., ignoring the blare of the television as it covers yet another one of Screwball’s schemes. As you hand out blankets, you ignore the sick feeling in your stomach.

How much of these challenges can Spider-Man take before he fails?

🕷️

That night feels like déjà vu. Another knock comes at your window, and this time, you let Spider-Man into your apartment. He’s groaning in pain, so you ease him into a sitting position at your table.

You’re in the middle of making him tea when he speaks. “The challenges are getting harder. She’s timing them now, and the police still can’t find a real reason to keep her in jail for longer than a day. I think she’s in for a week for this one though, so that gives me a break.” He accepts the tea with a quiet thanks.

You watch in silence as he lifts his mask up just above his top lip, enough to take a small sip from the mug. His mouth looks familiar, but you can’t really place it. Besides, he pulls his mask down after every sip, so it’s not exactly easy to tell. “Can’t you just ignore her? Won’t she go away if you let the FBI handle it? It would make it less fun for her, right?”

Spider-Man leans his head against his palm and let’s out a long sigh. “I’ve never been able to trust those guys.”

“Okay, what about Sable?”

“Ew, worse.”

“I figured, but wouldn’t it be better for them to take the fall instead of you?”

Spider-Man lets a bitter laugh escape him, “I’d have to take the fall no matter who Screwball challenged. Jameson would certainly talk about it over his stupid radio show that everyone seems to believe—“

“I don’t,” you say, because it’s important that he knows. It’s hard to see someone who is clearly just as young as you, risking his life every day. “Anyone with half a braincell can see that you’re doing your best.”

“But is it enough?” Spider-Man says. “Because Screwball nearly flooded the Rockefeller Center today. And that’s certainly not as bad as blowing up a bridge but after a week in prison? She’ll have a horrible plan, I know. And I don’t know if I can keep up. It’s creeping into my personal life, too.”

“What do you mean?”

Spider-Man takes an anxious sip of chamomile tea. “There’s this... friend. And I kind of really like them, but keeping my secret— my life, basically from them is really hard. I would love to tell everyone close to me, you know? But it’s such a huge risk. If anyone knew who I found important— if Screwball knew...”

“I understand.” Your words are barely comprehensible. You reach forward and grab the boy’s gloved hand. It looks kind of silly: his bright red gloves again your bare skin. But it also looks like your hands belong there; together.

Spider-Man swings away within the hour, but your mind stays fixed on him deep into the night.

🕷️

The next time Jaemin has free time, he visits you at F.E.A.S.T. Today you’re supervising the children that live there, as they paint pictures.

“Hey,” Jaemin whispers.

You turn towards him, a bright smile on your face and pink paint on your cheek.

Suddenly Jaemin feels too warm under his lavender sweater. “This is a cute little class. Is it new?”

“Well, May’s driving a bus full of adults to the job fair across town. I needed something to keep the kids distracted until their parents came home.”

“Do you need help?” Jaemin asks, looking around. “Is Miles here?”

“He said he has extracurricular activities,” you shrug. “It’s okay, we’re having fun.”

Jaemin gets along with the kids well enough. They like him as long as he complements them on their paintings. There’s even a little girl that seems to have a crush on him. She ends up following him around the majority of the time, so Jaemin lets her hold his hand and help him clean up the cups of dirty paint water.

You’re in your element. Jaemin can see why you want to be a teacher, as you’re good at it. You’re gentle and encouraging, but authoritative enough to keep all kids at bay. Jaemin would’ve never pictured you as the authoritative type, but now he certainly doesn’t want to get on your bad side.

He feels affection bloom across his chest. There’s something so genuine about watching someone in their element. Someone so invested in their own interests that they don’t even notice how big their smile has gotten; how their eyes suddenly seem to glow. There’s this halo of purity and love that circles around them, and right now it’s around you and Jaemin thinks he’s going to melt at the sight.

He absolutely adores you. He adores you and all you stand for. Though he’s only known you for a short time, he wants it to be more. He wants to make it official and be able to hold your hand. He wants to kiss you hello and goodbye. He wants people to know he’s your boyfriend and tell him how lucky he is so he can reply, “I know.”

He wants to show you the love you show the world.

You look up and brush your hair out of your face. “What’s wrong? Is there still paint on my nose? I thought I got it off...”

“No, you’re good.” Jaemin clears his throat and returns his attention to the kids.

🕷️

Jaemin walks you home after your shift. Out of hospitality (and your extreme fondness for Jaemin) you invite him inside.

He walks straight to the kitchen and grabs a mug out of your cupboard. It’s the same one you usually give to Spider-Man when he comes over, and you feel a bit possessive over it for that reason.

You take it out of his hands. “Maybe... let’s use different mugs. This is— My friend, he— This is the mug he uses when he comes over.”

“Oh.” Jaemin blinks. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude. I—“ Jaemin isn’t even supposed to know where your cupboard is. Only Spider-Man has been in your kitchen.

Stupid.

“It’s okay.” Your features soften and Jaemin notices the way you hold the mug close to you.

“Is your friend- I mean- Do you like him?” Jaemin doesn’t know why he feels jealous right now. If you say yes, you’ll be talking about him. He’s not sure why it bothers him so much that you might like Spider-Man more than you like Na Jaemin.

“No...” You place the mug back in its place. “I just- You know a lot of people at F.E.A.S.T. are just people looking for safety? Away from their homes or relationships or whatever?”

Jaemin urges you on with a confused nod.

“I don’t think my friend has a place like that. He’s got a lot of enemies and I want him to always feel welcome here. So I don’t want his favorite mug to be dirty if he arrives late tonight for some tea.”

Jaemin knows it’s not the appropriate time, but he really can’t think of anything but pulling you into his arms and kissing your breath away.

There’s no one else in the state of New York as caring as you. Not to Jaemin. Even as Spider-Man, no one has so casually extended their hospitality to him. He carries danger around with him wherever he goes, and yet you make sure his favorite mug is filled with tea every night.

“Jaemin? Are you okay?”

Jaemin bites his lip to keep his affections from spilling out. “Yeah. I’m great, actually.”

🕷️

Jaemin wants to scream. Every single time he sees you, he wants to confess that he’s the masked boy that’s been visiting you every week.

But it’s hard. He doesn’t know who to trust anymore. Not that he doesn’t trust you, but he has no idea who Screwball’s minions are. What if they find you and take you away?

Hanging out with you as Na Jaemin is dangerous enough, but as Spider-Man? Jaemin seriously begins to wonder if he has any brain cells at all.

But he likes you. He really, really likes you. He likes you so much for just being around him — Spider-Man, that is — and never demanding anything of him. He can’t remember the last time someone has seen the mask and not asked for any favors.

And as Jaemin, he’s failed you. He always fails you because he has Spidey business to get to. He’s left you disappointed more times than not, and at this point he’s pretty sure you like his alter ego better than him. Not that he can blame you.

It’s another night of infiltrating demon warehouses when he finds himself wishing he could just be honest with you about everything. It’s really selfish, though, so he tries not to think about it and focuses on alerting the police that he’s caught more demons.

“Yuri,” he addresses the captain tiredly, “I think I’m gonna turn in for the night.”

“I wouldn’t do that yet, Spider-Man. Sorry, but the networks getting alerts of a hostage situation in Greenwich. We don’t have any other info yet, but we might need you.”

Spider-Man’s comm beeps. “I’m getting another call, Yuri. I’ll swing to Greenwich and call you back for more info.”

“Thanks, Spidey.”

He answers the new call. “Hello?”

“Aw, did the police already tell you? I was hoping to be the one to break the news! Anyways, today’s challenge is for you to go on a scavenger hunt through Greenwich and find the prize!”

Jaemin’s stomach suddenly feels heavy. “What’s the prize, Screwball?”

“Don’t you know? What’s most important to Spider-Man right now? Who owns that apartment you’re always visiting? My viewers are just dying to hear what’s up. Maybe a love story to tell?”

“Screw off, Screwball.” Jaemin swings towards Greenwich. How did she find you? How would she know that you’re important to him and not just a business partner?

Jaemin can feel the tears stinging already and it sucks because he’s gotta make smart quips to Screwball. He’s gotta play her game so she cooperates. All she wants is content. If Jaemin gives her content she won’t hurt you. It makes him so angry that Screwball is using you for views. Using you to force him to play this stupid little game.

He wants to cuss Screwball out but he isn’t sure how young her viewers might be.

“Are they safe?” He hopes the fear in his voice isn’t as evident as he thinks it is.

“Your precious little darling is hanging out with me! Don’t worry, I’ve got a bucket of popcorn for the two of us and a blanket to cozy up until you get here.”

“Let me talk to them.” He swings over the Rubin Museum and perches on top of the building. He struggles to catch his breath as Screwball cackles.

“Can’t go a minute without talking to your sweetheart?” Screwball coos, but she hands the phone over anyway.

“I’m okay,” is the first thing you say, though your voice is shaky. You follow up with, “Just stay safe. Take your time; I’m okay.”

As soon as your voice catches in your throat Jaemin wants to confess. He wants to you to know that he’s not just some random boy in a mask. He’s Jaemin, your friend, and he loves you so so much. He needs you to know that just in case he-

Just in case he fails you.

But he can’t tell you because your phone call is being live-streamed for all of the stupid world to hear and damn it if the police couldn’t do their job just once and get you to safety.

The comm begins to break up and Jaemin knows this stupid wild goose chase is almost over. He knows this is when Screwball drops the plot twist and tells him he only has so much time left. But he’s still swinging from building to building with no idea where he’s going or where you are.

“Y/n here certainly would like you to come quickly, Spidey. We’re just chilling on the balcony, enjoying the night air. Would be a shame if they fell off, huh?”

“You do anything to Y/n and I’ll-“

“You’ll what?” Screwball cackles. “You’ll turn me in? I’m not doing anything wrong.”

“You’re blackmailing me. You’re holding someone hostage, you—”

The comm switches, and it’s Yuri in a distorted voice. “We blocked the stream for thirty seconds. You’re not live. Screwball’s stream has a private network and firewall to break through. Our team’s working on it but we need you to keep talking. Alright, time’s u-“

Jaemin listens silently while Screwball tells her viewers that she’s back online. He does his best to try and pick apart the background noises. Any small clue that might show him where you are. He knows the two of you are on a balcony, or a ledge, or something you can fall off of because Screwball doesn’t make empty threats.

Then he hears it: the sirens. They’re loud through the stream but faint through his own ears.

He swings toward the sound, desperate to find you before Screwball does anything.

“What do you want from me, Screwball?”

To keep Screwball talking, he’s gotta ask her questions about herself.

🕷️

Okay, so you don’t exactly know how you managed to get ambushed by Screwball. All you know is that you were on your way to F.E.A.S.T one minute and the next, you were being dragged into a dark van. After screaming — and being consequently gagged — Screwball revealed herself to you.

Now you’re tied to stool, balanced on the edge of a balcony in the middle of some neighborhood you aren’t familiar of.

You’ve managed to stop your blubbering for now and focus on the sky until Screwball lets you speak to Spider-Man. That’s when you’re voice breaks and you find yourself panicking because that’s not Spider-Man’s voice over the comm.

It’s Jaemin’s.

And it sort of makes sense now that you think about it — Jaemin and Spider-Man have never been in the same place at once. Jaemin went directly to Spider-Man’s mug as if it were his own. And Jaemin seemed almost over-eager to fix your phone, as if he somehow had something to do with it.

Right now you don’t really care. Right now you just want him here, with you. You want Screwball arrested and you want to be home, in your apartment, snuggled under a blanket with Jaemin where nothing can hurt you. Either of you.

You want Jaemin safe too.

The tears bring on an instant headache so you do your best to keep them from forming behind your eyes. Instead you focus on the city. If you try hard enough, you can ignore Screwball’s annoying voice.

You gaze at the skyline and focus on looking for Jaemin. He’s gonna be here any minute now. He has to.

“Better hurry up, Spidey, or it’s sleepy time for your little sweetheart!”

“Aren’t you talking about yourself?” Jaemin swings from a nearby building and kicks the camera out of Screwball’s hand.

You close your eyes during most of the fight. Based on the quips the two keep shooting at each other, it doesn’t sound like a dangerous one. Jaemin’s probably just stalling for the police. Still, it makes you feel queasy and a little bit scared, so you’d rather not watch.

The police finally arrive around ten minutes later, after Jaemin has successfully webbed Screwball to the ground so that she can’t escape.

As soon as she’s in handcuffs, he turns to you and begins to free you from your restraints. “Y/n, I’m so sorry. I had no idea she’d ever find out about you. I didn’t know they kept such close tabs on me. I shouldn’t have been so reckless and stupid. I shouldn’t have visited you so often, but I didn’t want to stay away and—”

You grab Jaemin by the shoulders and pull him into your embrace, burying your face in his neck. “Jaemin, it’s okay.”

He chokes out a sob and squeezes you tighter. “I’m sorry I did- didn’t tell you earlier...”

“It’s okay,” you whisper. “Now, let’s go home.”

🕷️

The two of you take turns showering at your place, and while Jaemin is cleaning up, you watch the news to make sure that Screwball is being locked up for good.

After a positive confirmation, you turn the television off and go to your room.

Jaemin walks in moments after, face red from the too-hot water. He’s got on one of your hoodies and a pair of your sweatpants, and he looks so broken-hearted that you can’t help but feel sad too.

“Please don’t blame yourself.”

Jaemin crawls under your dark blue covers. He turns to face the wall, away from you. “You could’ve died.”

“I know,” you whisper. Anxiety pools in your chest at the thought. But you don’t want to think about what happened. You want to be distracted, and you want to feel safe.

You wrap your arm around Jaemin’s waist and press your forehead against the space between his shoulder blades. “I didn’t, though, and that’s thanks to you.”

Jaemin’s body shudders again, and your heart breaks at the sound of him crying. You squeeze him tighter and kiss his nape. “We’re safe now. It’s okay.”

🕷️

Jaemin keeps his distance from you for the next few weeks, and while you know why, it doesn’t make it any easier to bare.

You miss him greatly, and constantly ask May how he’s doing. She’s tried to get him to reconcile with you, but it’s no use. He’s blaming himself for the Screwball incident. You want to yell at him and remind him that •he’s• the hero of this story. He’s the one who saved you.

Without him you wouldn’t even be here.

But Jaemin doesn’t see it that way. You keep up with the news and follow all the Spider-Man blogs you can, trying to figure out whether or not Jaemin is okay. The last thing you want is for him to do something reckless out of guilt. Luckily, though, he’s back to fighting smaller-scale crimes and tweeting from his Spider-Man account.

So he’s okay. At least, he’s okay enough.

You know it’s all just one big distraction from that night, so you keep a tea kettle on the stove every night, just in case. You never know when he’ll finally break and swing by.

Your intuition rings true by the end of the week, when a familiar knock appears at your window. You open it with haste, hopeful of a tearful — or just joyful — reunion with your friend. Instead, Jaemin seems rather reluctant to be back at your place.

His mask is off, but his suit (or what’s left of it) is still on. His hair is a mess, and his face is covered in sweat and grime. There are tears in his suit from who-knows-what, and to top it off, Jaemin’s lip is bleeding.

“Jaemin, what happened?”

“I’m sorry,” he gasps, clutching at his ribs. “It’s just... I need help and no one else knows my secret. Except Aunt May, and she’ll worry too much. And Miles, of course, but he’s just a kid—“

You interrupt him. “Miles knows?”

“Long story,” Jaemin grunts. “Can I come in?”

You help him onto your sofa and run to grab some supplies. After making him change into more comfortable clothes, you take a damp washcloth and begin to wipe the sweat and dirt off of his face. “What happened?”

His eyes stay focused on yours for a moment. Your heart skips a beat at the way his eyelashes flutter when he blinks. You don’t think you’ve ever been this close to him before.

“I- It was just a drug bust. I was distracted because my earpiece was on and it picked up Jameson’s podcast. I should’ve turned it off, but you know how he likes to insult me, and I felt like I deserved it so I listened. It cost me a kick to the rib and a punch to the face, though.” He tries to laugh, but it comes out as a strangled noise. “Ow.”

“I’m gonna get an ice pack,” you say, already halfway towards the kitchen. You open the freezer. “Do you think they’re broken?”

“No, they’ve been through worse.” Jaemin watches you walk back towards him.

You sit right beside him and hand him the frozen pack. “Here. You apply it. I don’t want to accidentally hurt you.”

Jaemin is still watching you. Although you feel nervous under his gaze, you can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking as his eyes flit over your lips for what feels like the hundredth time. “I’m sorry for ignoring you.”

“Oh,” you mumble, suddenly too shy to look at him. “It’s okay. You needed your space.”

“Yeah, but you were affected too. You were affected more than me, and I abandoned you when you needed me. I shouldn’t have done that, and I hope I can make it up to you.”

You smile sadly. “Jaemin, all I want is for you to be safe. Safe and happy, that’s all.”

Jaemin is still looking at your lips, but this time he’s leaning in. His eyelashes flutter again as he closes his eyes and you find yourself frozen in place as you prepare for the inevitable.

Jaemin is going to kiss you.

His lips find yours within seconds. They’re warm and soft, and when they slot between yours you think some people were just made to fit together.

You feel one hand go to cup your jaw, but it doesn’t stop there. Jaemin reaches up and takes a gentle hold of your hair, tugging at the roots every moment or so.

Being so close to him is overwhelming. You can smell his cologne, and although it’s mixed with sweat, it isn’t any less desirable than before.

You think of Jaemin’s soft eyes and warm smile and low voice, and you sigh into the kiss. Your heartbeat quickens when he smiles suddenly against your lips. “I like you, Y/n.”

You giggle and break contact. “I hope so.”

Jaemin manages to contain his blush as he rubs the back of his neck. “I really missed you when we were apart, and I don’t want to feel like that ever again.”

“So let’s try it out,” you whisper. “Me and you. We’ll protect each other, alright?”

Jaemin hums and presses a quick kiss to your forehead. “Alright.”

#this sucks lol sorry ig #jaemin au #jaemin fluff #jaemin angst #jaemin scenario #spiderman!jaemin #nct au #ncy fluff #nct angst #nct scenario #destwrites

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lokispettigerr · 5 years

Text

Only an Echo: Tom Hiddleston and Mystery Guest??? x Female Reader (SMUT) NSFW

Summary: Tom and Female reader decide to sign up for a partners yoga class. However, the heat is turned up inexplicably when the instructor begins to work closer than expected.

Warnings: Non-con, threesome, PDA

A/N: taken from an Imagine I created with Tom Hiddleston and Loki using gifs of Tom Hiddleston doing yoga.

Taglist: in the reblog.

The soothing music surrounded me; low beating drums thumping rhythmically in time with my pulse. Hollow sounding flutes and reed-like instruments rang out, putting my mind in a trance, and the metallic strum of the guitar could be heard over it all.

I took a deep breath in, inhaling the smell of sweaty musk from the other yoga practitioners mixing with the sandalwood and dragons blood incense. The air was smoky, thick with the incense that trailed throughout; swaying and twirling, going between a fast puff and a slow trickle. It was like a dancer, trying to seduce the people who stared for too long, a siren or a succubus comprised of smoke. Tom was completely content beside me, relaxed and in his element. His warrior pose was striking. His thick arms sticking out to each side of him like great beams waiting for some unspoken kill command, cutting the air. His shirt was soaked with his delicious sweat and I could see it beading down his chest. I wanted to lick it up, to graze my hot lips against his pecs and abdomen-- trialing fiery kisses down towards his pant line.

Gods… Did he have to be so hot? We had decided to sign up for a couple’s yoga class-- it seemed like something that could be fun! We had been looking at information boards around town one day, our interests in concerts, festivals and the like, when we found the poster for the class posted up on a beam on the sidewalk. “Come release your inner sensuality, use your body for your own sexual awakening and empowerment”. It was only $20 per couple for the first session. I knew this class today was going to spice up the bedroom and I was counting down the seconds until it was over so I could jump Tom’s bones. A dark, sultry, male voice rang out over the swaying, tribal music. “Now,” it said, accentuating the “N”, “Men, approach your partners. I want you to help deepen their downward dog stretches… Really pull those hips back”. That voice, midnight blue, something that birthed constellations in my mind, it sounded so familiar-- like I had known that voice my entire life. Tom approached me, his hands grabbing my hips, gently. Before I bent down, I stood on my tippy toes trying to see who the voice belonged to, looking for a familiar face, but I never saw the instructor. I searched around the room, but only saw the other couples taking the class. All of them were partnering up, each man taking their partners and helping guide them down. I bent down with the rest of the women and a few men belonging to same sex couples. The tip of my braid slid down around my shoulders and touched the floor as I lowered my head. My hands slowly inched out in front of me, opening my shoulders, stretching both my back and my hamstrings as my legs remained still. Tom was holding my hips helping me deepen my stretch. I could feel his enormous erection flush against my lower lips as I bent. Like a cat that awoke from a deep slumber in the sun, I stretched contentedly, a smug smile on my face. I was so proud of what my body could do to Tom. He was so responsive to the way I looked, the way I moved, the way I sounded… Everything about me. It was like we were made for one another, and in truth we were. “Yes,” the instructor purred, deeply, “lovely form, all of you, deeper still.” I thought I could feel his eyes directly on me. I flushed, hearing the innuendo, my arousal pulsating and resting directly in my lower lips as Tom’s massive cock heated and became even harder. He pulled back on me harder still and I moved with him. I couldn’t help it, my arousal was too much for me to stand and I began to slowly gyrate my hips into his waiting and greedy cock. I heard a distinctly erotic chuckle, dark and smooth like chocolate, sinful too. Had it come from Tom or the instructor? I couldn’t hold the thought for long; my sexuality and Tom’s scent was clouding my thoughts. All the blood that should be helping me think by going to my brain was going elsewhere. “Up, partners reach up,” the familiar voice demanded, the stars it bespoke twinkled alluringly. I reached out, stretching towards them.

Tom stood out behind me, his hands trailing from my hips up the curve of my waist to cup hungrily at my full breasts. His thumb and index finger plucked and softly twisted the buds of my nipples. The heat from my womanhood grew. I could barely stand it.

I drew a deep breath in, trying to calm myself and my breasts swelled in Tom’s hands.

His lips were at the back of my neck, sending chills down my arms and my nipples hardened craving his lips around them. I had chosen not to wear a bra and the shirt I was wearing was so light and breathable that it felt like Tom was caressing my nipples, feeling the bumps on my areolas. I leaned back into him, his dick reaching up my rear. “Relax partners, that is all for today. I will turn the lights down and you all can lay down on the floor, clear your mind. Leave when you are ready,” the instructor said. I looked again to see who the voice belonged to, but the room went dark and I could no longer make out anyone’s face but Tom’s, who laid down next to me, one of his hands remaining on my breasts, massaging it. I grabbed at his clothes, plucking at the moist neckline to bid him to climb on top of me, to feel his rigid body and length on my own. It didn’t matter to me that there were other people in the yoga studio, all that I felt, all that I knew was that it was just me and Tom. Tom rolled over to me, his lips meeting my own, moving with them in a sweet caress of unity. My searching hands wet to the lip of his shirt, lifting it up and diving inside to explore the muscled abdomen underneath. His skin was erotically smooth with muscles that were hard as granite, and I could feel them straining and pulling underneath my cool touch as he rocked his hips, rubbing his cock against me, craving friction and my touch. “Tom, I need you,” I whispered in his ear, my lips kissing a freckle there. In response to my desperation, Tom’s hand went down to my yoga pants and started to lift them. His hand going down, plunging towards my warm, wet folds. My eyes shot open in the dark and I gasped, excitement and longing taking over. “But there are other people here,” I rasped trying to find my logic. He pulled back, looking me in the eyes, “Let them watch me make you cum. Watch your body rise up off the mat in pure bliss and ecstasy while you cry out my name”. My hands met his pecs and I pushed lightly against him, “No, Tom, please”. I breathed against him. He pulled back listening to my pleas, but I pulled him forward again. My mouth said no, but my body craved him-- all of him, his cock, his hands, his mouth on mine, his eyes gazing at me, his voice, his breath, his hot cum, his very soul. And, Oh gods, Tom had climbed between my legs spreading them with his own. His throbbing cock was sitting right at my opening. Hot, huge, protruding. The pressure was building and our clothes, our despicable, unacceptable clothes, were in the way. My walls clenched, tightly, wetting my panties. The pleasure building deep within my belly. All Tom would need to do was barely graze over my swollen, pulsing clit and I would melt into oblivion. Just then, a loud, slow clap began to ring out, clap...clap...clap… A clap produced by strong, rough hands. Tom stopped kissing my lips but continued humping me. He chuckled and it echoed somewhere else in the room. The very same as his own, dark, smooth, deeply erotic and unholy.

I could hear long strides, slowly approaching us, “Well, well, well. What have we here?” The voice called out shrouded in shadow. I pushed against Tom, “Tom,” I whispered, “cut it out.” “Please, don’t stop on my account.” “Tom,” I hissed, “I’m serious!” “I wonder...Do you think he can fuck you like I can fuck you?” the voice inquired. This was just too weird, what kind of yoga instructor was this? I didn’t sign up for this. I was faithful to Tom, but somehow the idea of a threesome with this erotic voice that caused goosebumps to rise on my skin and my nipple buds to tighten made me feel so very aroused. “Two pets then, how lucky of me. You two fuck like rabbits in heat.” he paused sniffing the air, “Oh my, my, you are in heat. Ripe with the scent of it. No wonder he can’t control himself around you. Absurd of you to think he can. I empathize with him completely,” the voice said facetiously, placing a hand over his heart in a false gesture of solidarity. “Has he never told you how truly dangerous it is to walk about the world smelling like that? What kind of people you invite? I can’t possibly stop myself, and you, mortal”, the voice cloaked in shadow said, waving a slender hand at my form, “can’t withstand me at all.” I gulped and my eyes widened. “Oh please don’t be frightened, you have that look… What’s it called, doe in headlights? When I sense fear on a woman such as yourself it sends me into a frenzy, and we wouldn’t want to tear up that weeping wet pussy of yours now would we?” “I don’t understand…” I lied. “Oh, don’t play the fool with me, pretty little pet.” he scolded with a chuckle full of malice so dark it could cause a rose to whither. “Male pet will clean you up once I have had my way with you, he can taste your honey dew pussy when I have torn it asunder while you clean your pheromones off my cock. Understood?” the voice asked. I didn’t respond, I was shocked to silence. “Well, if you don’t understand now, you will soon. You will beg for his tongue on your clit to soothe it and my cock down your throat to stifle your moans. “But first, you must turn over.” Though I wanted to protest, to scream, I did as the voice bid. It was hypnotic, alluring, toxic, and magic all in one. I would have done whatever the voice told me to do. I turned. “Good girl,” the voice praised. Without any warning an enormous burning pressure was at my opening, pushing past the lips and pulling them with it as he forced his way into me. I cried out, but his hand went to my throat cutting me off. “Take it!” he hissed as he pushed into me harder. I began to feel a burning of heat and passion in my loins. I couldn’t deny that I was aroused by his confidence and his actions. Tom had practically made me pant and plead for some kind of sexual attention with his kissing and petting. His cock began to create an odd sensation, the remaining length that was still trying to bury itself within me was hurting my lips, but the head and length inside was already coated with my slick juices. Stupidly, I pulled away from the painful pressure leaning forward on my hands and knees. And the conqueror’s arms wrapped like a vice around my sensitive, roiling hips. The more I pulled away from him the more forceful he became and the tighter he held me. I began to whimper, and for a split second he let up before grabbing me and ramming the rest of his length within me making my breast bounce and my cervix tighten with lust. His beating against my pussy was direct and controlled-- as if he was afraid he would not be able to control his ejaculation. But soon the wiggling from my hips and moans from my lips proved too much for him. I had easily seduced him as he had seduced me. As I would buck and grind against him, surprised by my appetite for him, he would begin to frenzy. His fingers raked through my hair to rest at the ends, pulling it back as he exposed my neck and held me still. “No,” he cried out as I began to roll my hips, “Don’t move,” he demanded in a hostile whisper. I nodded. “Move and I won’t be able to stop myself from cumming in your soaking--” he stopped, stifling his own moan, his words were driving him to the point of insanity. With a growl he pumped into me, pushing me down between my shoulder blades so he could hold dominion over my form. “Too late, too late,” he grunted quickly as he gripped my hips and rammed into me. I cried out as he came, pumping his burning hot cum deep within. His body straightened and went rigid in his bliss. When he was finished riding out his climax he snapped his fingers, “Clean her.” And Tom’s tongue was on my pained, throbbing pussy. It hurt but felt so good, and I began to cry as I went between jerking away from his quick tongue to rubbing my pussy lips on his mouth. As his tongue rhythmically incapacitated me, I felt the familiar electric sensation begin in my hips and spill over until I lost my mind into oblivion in pleasure. “I think you have had enough for today. As much as I would enjoy placing my greedy cock down your throat I think we should save it for when you wake.” My eyes were closed and I lay panting on the floor. What did he mean when I wake? I wasn’t asleep.

My eyes fluttered open and I lay in my bed, staring up at the lazily spinning ceiling fan, I turned my head on the pillow to look at my bedmate. “Loki?” I called out, still half asleep. “Love?” he replied, his head resting on his hand. “Did you enjoy the dream?” I smiled, nodding and drifted back to sleep, his eyes ever watchful over my sleeping, vulnerable form.

********************

Thanks for reading friends! Please be so kind as to share some positive thoughts and experiences with this fic with me! I love it! Asks are encouraged.

Reblog this bitch so hard! *If you would like to be added to the general Loki and/or Tom taglist please send me an ask.

#loki fanfic #tom hiddleston fanfic #loki #imagine loki #tom hiddleston #imagine tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston loki #loki x you #loki x reader #loki smut #loki mcu #loki marvel #tom hiddleston smut #smut #tom hiddleston x you #tom hiddleston x reader #loki odinson

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lowkeyhockey · 5 years

Text

cat and mouse (for a month or two or three) - freddie andersen

Pairing: Freddie Andersen/Single Mother!Reader

Mentions: Mitch Marner, Nazem Kadri

Warnings: Curse words, slight sexual innuendo, two POVs

Word Count: 6.5k

Credits: @hockey-reblogs beta’d this for me, and like. thank g od IDEK what i did to deserve her help and support <3

Summary: Someone can’t wait to get on the ice, someone wants to meet up off the ice, and someone has an unexpectedly intense reaction to coffee. OR: a story of how you two met.

Writer’s Note: This is a standalone fic that’s a part of a bigger verse titled Can I Go (Where You Go) featuring [Y/N], a not-very single mother, Lila, your very opinionated daughter, and Freddie Andersen - a man very happy to be invited along for the ride.

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

The first thing you notice upon arriving at the Mastercard Centre, your new training facility for the next five seasons (if your contract has anything to say about it) is the noise. The words sound about the same, shouts about cellys and sick dangles and benders and dusters, all the words North American players like to throw around to make it sound like they're from a generation older and greater than they are, but the pitch is - different.

A lot higher, for once, the voices a lot softer, and you're frowning even before you turn the corner to the Leafs' locker room. Mitch Marner and Nazem Kadri are standing near the doorway, Naz grinning in a way that you know from watching game tape means he's probably going to lay a hit on someone, and Marner looking - well - scared, but they're not looking that way at each other.

Which, is probably good. Mitch is as new to the Leafs as you are, which means you'd probably have to take his side against Naz, and you've seen Naz's hits. Game tape. It's weird to think of them as teammates now, with how you've memorized the slightest shifts in their stances to figure out split-seconds before the recoil of their stick exactly where the puck is going to go, but you're good at dealing with weird.

Dishing it out, taking it. Part of hockey, and part of being a goalie. You're not good at, however - you're not used to - dealing with the sight that had apparently frozen Naz and Marner into caricatures of themselves.

About thirty girls, give or take, all of them minors, in green tartan skirts and hockey skates and green and white sweaters. You wonder if the Leafs are taking another PC shift on the ice crew, though the girls aren't even in Leafs colours. But then you see that half the girls are holding hockey sticks, and suddenly you're feeling just as worried - worried, not scared - as Marner's obviously feeling scared.

You can't blame him, though. Kid looks about twelve, looks like a couple of the bigger girls could beat him up without breaking a sweat. He's probably worried about his voice cracking in front of them or something.

It's Naz who sees you first, shit-eating grin in full effect as he calls you over, but his voice is drowned out halfway through "Yo Andy, get over-" (which, thank you, but no) as a girl shouts, "motherfucker, get on the ice and I'll show you roughing."

And then you change your mind.

Naz cracks up laughing at the threat and you match Marner's smile, but a woman is there in the next heartbeat - this one, thankfully not in uniform, though you wouldn't mind seeing what she could do to a schoolgirl skirt - pinching the girl's nose in a way that you're almost certain isn't part of the school's disciplinary code.

Or maybe it was. California didn't have corporal punishment, and it didn't have school uniforms either, and judging by the way you were looking at the woman - the teacher? - up and down and trying to picture her in pumps and tiny skirt and blazer, with maybe a green ribbon in her hair, it was probably for the best.

The girl doesn't look like she's in pain or anything, so you wander over to the boys, trying to not make any sudden movements just in case the girls could smell fresh blood. "School trip, we're teaching them the ropes," Marner says to you before you could ask, and Naz's expression turns a little wry, his smile a little dry as he adds. "Private school girls, so make sure none of them breaks another nail or we could be looking at a lawsuit."

*****

You'd been helping one of the younger girls with her skates when you'd glanced up and saw Freddie Andersen - the Great Dane, the Ginga Ninja, the new goalie for the Leafs - approaching through a break in the cloud of girls, and you bite back a grin that was - okay, maybe a little mean.

But his furrowed brow-stoicism was an expression you knew well, from the faces of men who just didn't know what to do with a small army of girls - which, good. You girls can handle your own, which is a weird thought to have when you're on your knees in front of an apprehensive-looking sixth grader, but all the other girls had gotten each other laced up and strapped into protective gear and you wonder whether it was actually necessary for the headmistress to insist that the Leafs drop in to "show you the ropes", as it were.

It was a school in Canada, after all, and in Toronto to boot, where hockey wasn't so much a pastime as it was a minor religion. An open, accepting religion - you could be both practicing Christian, or Muslim or whatever and a Leafs fan. There was a reason why games aren't scheduled for the same time as Sunday Mass, or Friday prayers.

God and the NHL both knew which one people would rather attend.

But Branksome Hall's new to allowing hockey to be played and not just watched at the school, and having been a hockey fan for most of your life (not to mention a young and new teacher, which made you an easy target for assignments such as these) you were an obvious pick to get girls into the sport.

You probably won't have a school team this season, but it's always nice to get girls on the ice, and your girls could always use an outlet for their excess energy (not to mention aggression).

Brianna's all talk and you tell her that, giving a last, gentle tug on her nose before she pushes you away, laughing, and you turn to the boys just in time to hear the tail end of Nazem Kadri's words.

Which, ouch. But not at all wrong, and it's your turn to laugh, though Madame Mercier - who's just as suddenly by your side - is looking considerably less amused.

"Branksome Hall takes the health and safety of our girls very seriously," she says, her French accent - French, and not Quebecois, she'd remind anyone with a faux-haughty look on her face and a twinkle in her eyes - thicker than it usually is, and you jump in to alleviate the tension before the boys could apologize - or very pointedly not apologize.

"We do, but we also understand how dangerous skating and hockey can be, and the girls and their legal guardians have all signed the disclaimers we've passed along to your organization," you say with a smile - not the practiced one you hold in reserve for overbearing parents, because god only knew what you'd do if you ever ran out of those - but something easy and warm.

You'd been an athlete yourself, when you were in school, and you hadn't gone to a school like Branksome Hall, where the Board of Governors could up and decide to introduce a new sport to the school and then have the pull to have some of the best athletes in the sport go and teach it to the girls themselves. Never mind that it's still off-season, and that the boys would probably rather be in board shorts than hockey gear.

You're just you, a little messy, a little too casual, you have nothing of Madame Mercier's dignified grace as you offer your hand out to the newcomer. Frederik Andersen, who's all ginger scruff in the early light of day, brown eyes looking a little wary even as he takes your hand.

His hand's large, because of course it is, and a little rough, because of course it is, and you feel an impulse to sandwich it between your own for a full study. But a smaller hand covers the back of it before you could embarrass yourself, yanking both your hands down -

and you look further down to see Lila coming out from behind Mitch Marner's legs, all toothy grin despite the fact that she was clearly feeling ignored, and you laugh again. "Sorry about that," you quickly say, dropping the goaltender's hand and dropping to your knees to scoop up your little girl.

Mitch, sweet boy that he is, reaches out to tickle her sides, and you suppose you're thankful that he's learned his lesson about having his hands too close to her teeth.

"I'm [Y/N L/N], and this is my daughter, Lila." Lila frees one of the arms you'd pinned to her sides in an attempt to stop her from squirming out of your arms to give the man a wave, looking almost shy, and Freddie in turn - surprise fading into something that almost looks like shyness, too - reaches out to pat her head, as though copying his teammate.

God, if you were just unlucky enough the boys might come to see Lila as some kind of lucky charm to be fussed over or petted, like a team mascot in tiny human form. It seemed a little far fetched, but you know hockey players and how superstitious they could be, and you turn around to pass Lila off to your nanny before any of your dire predictions could come into fruition.

When you turn back around, Freddie's hand is still hovering in midair, and you can't help but raise an eyebrow at him, watching a flush slowly spread across his cheekbones as though in slow motion. He looks so dumb, looks something like a piece of art. You'd title it: hockey player vs social situations or something like that.

You squash the urge to paint him.

"Frederik Andersen, right?" you ask, because he hasn't introduced himself, and smile encouragingly when he nods, feeling like you were talking to one of your younger girls.

"Call me Freddie," he says, and you grin, turning to include the other boys in it.

"Freddie, Mitch, and Naz," you say as though to check their names, though of course you know them all. "Thank you guys so much for coming, I'm sure all the girls are going to love this. Now, are you guys ready to meet the next group of miracles on ice?"

A little kitschy, a little corny, but Mitch is grinning back at you, and Naz is looking amused, though you suspect that with the latter that's pretty much his default expression. Freddie's not looking at you, though, and you follow his gaze to the near-empty corridor, wondering if he's looking for an escape route - but no, he's watching Emilie and Lila.

And you feel - jealous? Emilie's very pretty, and she's so good with Lila, and you were only expecting two hockey players with you today and not three and - Frederik Andersen could do whatever he wants, really, it's nothing to do with you.

Naz gives you a light punch on the arm, like you're a part of the team, though you're just a teacher for the group of girls he's been made to babysit. "Lets get at it, coach," he says, as he follows Mitch to the entrance of the rink, and you give Lila a small wave before following suit

Madame Mercier doesn't even own skates and she's not about to start trying it at fifty-two, and Freddie Andersen - you realise, then, that he hadn't even been wearing skates. He was still in his coat, for god's sake - he was taller than you even though you're in skates so you hadn't noticed.

But then the girls are calling for you, tapping their sticks against the ice where they all stand in a loose circle on center ice, and you and Mitch and Nazem hurry up to join them.

*****

"Freddie," you repeat to the little girl, all brown, windswept curls and a grin that takes up about half of her face, and her hazel eyes look like they understand but all she does is blow a raspberry at you. And then giggle, like it's the funniest thing in the world, and maybe it is, because her nanny laughs too.

Emilie, she'd said her name was, in the same accent that the strict-looking teacher had. The one that wasn't [Y/N]. You didn't even realise that you hadn't asked her name, and now she's ignoring the three of you, leaning against the glass like she's worried one of her girls might actually break another nail.

"She's only three, Mr. Andersen," Emilie says to you, and that Lila decides to repeat, the lisped "three!" sounding jubilant in her voice. Emilie smiles down at her, expression so fond, and you can see why. "She has one month before she turns three," Emilie corrects herself, as though the one month makes a difference, and you nod a little dumbly because maybe it does.

"She looks a little older," you say, though she doesn't. "She looks smart." And she does. There’s something assessing in her gaze, more curiosity than shyness or fear.

You've always liked kids, but they've always looked a little fragile, especially compared to you. And the kids you usually meet are excitable boys either starting out in or already playing hockey, eager to show the world that they have what it takes.

And Lila's just staring at you with her large hazel eyes, squirming for a moment before she suddenly flops back, body going limp all over until her nanny relents and sets her down on the floor. Her little shoes squeak with each step, and you both watch her as she makes her way - just as determined as any young boy you've ever met - to the rink entrance.

"Too smart," Emilie says with a smile, and you grin as Lila drops to the ground in a deliberate collapse, patting both of her hands against the ice. It looks like she doesn't want to walk in - she's ready to crawl in instead, but Emilie is on her in the next heartbeat, scooping her up and pressing kisses against her little face.

"No, silly, your maman said to stay here," she tells Lila.

You take the chance to step in then and say, "I can take her in, she'll be safe with me," but the look Emilie shoots you is arch, a little too knowing, and you feel heat rise on your cheeks again.

"If her maman wanted the little one on the ice she'd take her herself, non?" But her grin turns friendly again as she tilts her head to the ice, before swinging around so that Lila isn't pushing out of her arms to take matters into her own tiny hands. "Now go, before her maman wonders why I'm keeping you."

And you're fairly certain that this isn't in your schedule, that no one's expecting you to stay, but you already have your gear and skates in your bag and you wanted to get some solo training in before training camp, anyway, so.

You go.

*****

He's easy on his feet, you realise with a pang. Quiet. You hadn't even realised that he was standing right behind you until Wei Yan slammed into his side, not hard enough to make him stumble, but enough to catch your attention, making you turn around with a slight frown.

She's not at all apologetic about it, grinning as she says, "inertia" as though that alone's an explanation, even though it isn't. Freddie's looking down at her like he doesn't quite know what to do with a fifteen year old girl suddenly attached to his side and spouting Newtonian principles at him, which, fair.

The girls love to show off what they'd learned in class - little teachers' pets, all of them, and you could relate - and usually, it makes you smile. It means you've done a good job. Nut somehow inertia is always the first thing they remember, probably because it allows them to do things like this, and you can't have them breaking the new Leafs goalie before he's even broken in yet. God knows the Leafs need a good man in the crease.

"Goon," you shoot back at her, waving your hands like you're shooing off some stray chickens. And you might as well be - wherever Wei Yan led, the rest of the girls usually followed, and soon there'd be no one doing the skating drill you had set up.

Mitch was in the far end of the rink, coaching most of the girls through puck-handling drills, and Naz is on center ice dropping face off puck after face off puck while girls battled for dominance. You could see his grin from here, delighting in the role he's getting to play in the chaos.

When Wei Yan doesn't move, leaning against Freddie's side and giving him a narrow eyed look that he seems intent on returning in full measure, you skate over to them to give her a gentle nudge. "Shoo, you know how hockey players feel about a hit on their goalie," you tell her, and she turns to face you, grin unnervingly like Kadri's.

"There's no D-men on the ice," she points out, sly, and it takes Freddie by surprise - the laugh he lets out is over-loud, and it looks like the sun had broken out just over his face.

You're soon giggling too, more from the sound of his laughter than anything else, and Wei Yan skates away looking smug.

Silence stretches after that but it's not awkward, not really, the two of you watching as Wei Yan lands another hit - this time against Marie, who's a full head shorter than her and maybe fifteen pounds lighter, but she's so gentle about it that you can't help beaming.

They're good girls, and you're so proud of them, and you're so happy that the school's letting them have this outlet.

Freddie's apparently thinking along the same lines because when he breaks the silence it's to ask, voice light but sounding just a hint too serious to be properly teasing, "you went to all the trouble of bringing Lila to the rink and won't even let her skate?"

You turn to him with brows raised, more amused and curious than annoyed by the personal question, and he smiles a little at you, as though encouraged by your expression. "Seems a little mean, is all," he explains, and you laugh.

"My dad's a diehard Leafs fan," you explain. "He'd never forgive me if I didn't bring her. But she's still a little too young for skates. "

There's a beat of silence, and it looks like he's studying you now, as though he's memorizing the planes of your face the way you'd tried to memorize his hand, and you're already blushing - your gaze sliding from his eyes to his lips - when he asks -

"Would he forgive you if you said no to the Leafs' new goalie taking you out for coffee?"

And the colour's exploding over your face in full force, now, you could feel even the back of your neck getting warm, it's like you've never been asked out before. And you might be a single mom but you're only twenty-six and still attractive, still in full possession of a sex drive, thank you very much, you're clever and you're articulate and you're athletic.

You shouldn't be staring up at him looking like you'd just finished a 5k on the treadmill, mouth in a flat line, arms crossed across your chest.

He shouldn't be looking down at you, looking somewhere between confused and mortified, but god that was such a pro hockey player question - I have money, I have fame, I can hit a puck really, really hard, wanna come home with me?

And he'd just been talking about your daughter - Lila, of all people, who absolutely doesn't deserve to be around more hockey players. Once burned and all that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Freddie finally bursts out, and you shake your head.

"Of course you didn't, Mr. Andersen, I apologize if there's been any confusion," you say, and you know you're using your stern teacher voice, and now he's looking down at you like he doesn't know who you are.

Which, of course he doesn't. He doesn't know why you're so opposed to - well, if not hockey players, then hockey players pulling what he'd just tried to pull.

And you would have let it drop at that but he's moving just a little closer, brows furrowed, looking contrite. "I didn't, I'm not trying to use my position to ask you out. I'm just - I was trying to be funny."

He looks half- in pain is the thing, and you believe him. You can certainly believe he's not the best at being funny. You relax a little, make a show of untensing, giving him a small smile and putting a hand on his arm. " It's fine, really. It's just that I'm working - and I have Lila."

Not that Lila's really an excuse, with the full-time nanny Sid hired and pays for. But Freddie doesn't need to know that.

"Can I make it up to you?" he asks, and he still looks like you'd kicked a puppy, and he looks softer than you're prepared for. But when he continues, words tumbling over themselves in the rush to be said, "I can get you tickets for the opening game, you said your dad's a fan and you can bring Lila -"

you shake your head, laughing. "I said it's fine, and my dad has season tickets anyway." Honestly, you think it's the biggest family heirloom your family has to your name.

He looks like he believes you, he looks like he's relaxed somewhat, and he looks like he's not some pro-athlete dick so you even tease him with an "I'm sure I'll come and see you sooner or later, see if you're any good,"

and if it sounds like flirting it's possibly because you are, just a little.

But he's smiling back at you, looking like you'd given - well, not a puppy, but maybe a dear friend - CPR, and you find yourself smiling back.

And become aware, in the next moment, that the girls closest to you have stopped doing their drills, and are looking at the two of you just smiling at each other like idiots with expressions that ranged from surprise to delight. Which meant that Madame Mercier was probably watching, too, even if you both had your backs to her - which meant you had to disguise what you'd been talking about.

"But if you still want to make it up to me," you say to Freddie, voice low, not waiting for him to reply before you skated to the girls. "Line up, ladies, Mr. Andersen's going to get in goal for you. Make sure you show off a little, eh?"

And the sound of his laughter from behind you, the quiet swish of his skates as he moves to set up between the posts, makes you smile.

*****

You go to all the pre-seasons game you have the time to attend with your dad, and once with Emilie, though the poor girl ended up with a headache from all the noise. You - you were in your element, in your old Sundin sweater that still hit you about mid-thigh, usually with blue lines painted under your eyes even though it was just the preseason.

After your first game, a young man with a Leafs intern lanyard comes over to your seat with a puck and a kids' jersey, and you're frowning just a little until he tells you that they're both from Marner. You ask the kid to give Marns your number, so you can thank him personally, and when he texts you later that night he tells you that he's just excited to have someone wearing his number in the coming season.

He's just a sweet kid, and you thank him about ten more times, and you take it to mean that you're going to have to bring Lila in for a game sooner or later. You'd enjoyed watching Marns while he was with the Knights, and you're definitely looking forward to rooting for him on the Leafs - and Freddie, too.

But he doesn't look at you. Freddie, that is.

Not during warmups and definitely not during the games, you don't think he sees anything but the puck and there's something almost magical about that degree of hyper-focus.

It's the night before opening night when he seems to remember that you exist - and it's Marns texting you, not Freddie, and at first you ignore it because Marns has taken to texting you memes you can barely understand, though the girls at your school giggle when you pass it on to them. You won't let him contact any of the girls directly - it would be unprofessional for you to give away any of your students' numbers, and none of them ask you for his - but he seems proud of being the girls' favourite coach.

(The girls still practice at the Mastercard Centre, and you're the one chaperoning them more often than not, but with the season coming underway the boys are no longer obligated to show up - the school's hired their own skating and puck-handling coaches, and even a goalie coach though Melanie's the only one interested in getting between the posts, and she far prefers when Freddie's the one to help her.)

When you finally reach for your phone, deciding that a social media break's allowed after three straight hours of grading physics papers, you're surprised to see a closeup shot of Freddie in his goalie mask - eyes narrowed and staring at you through the grill and phone, like he sees exactly what you're doing and he doesn't approve. It's a little intimidating, more than a little hot.

You wonder what Marns has done to piss him off - and why Marns decided to send it to you - but the text that pops up after you reply with a simple "???" just says - "he's wondering why u haven't brought lila yet."

Which, weird. Also, flattering. Also, weird. You hadn't even been aware that he's noticed that you're there at all.

"so he can eat her?" you shoot back, grinning a little down at your phone, and marns replies in the next instant with

"maybe"

then:

"rude tho"

then:

"y don't u ask him urself"

You shoot back a "he didn't ask ME himself", even though it feels at this point like you're two kids passing notes in class, and you're judging yourself for it hard when your phone dings thrice with more text messages.

From Marns:

"can u imagine freddie taking a selfie"

and then:

several barf emojis, and you don't know why, because Freddie has a pretty decent face

and

from an unknown number:

"Why haven't you brought Lila to any games?"

When your phone dings again, a few seconds later, you see several frowning emojis from the same number, and you hate how you can picture exactly, in your mind's eye, the way Freddie could be frowning at you right then.

You save his number under "F.And, L", knowing how hockey players - at least the ones you know - value their privacy, and you wouldn't want his number to get leaked if you somehow lose your phone. Marns is just saved under a frog emoji, and he seemed inordinately pleased about that when you'd told him.

"Too loud for her," you send back to Freddie, and before you could think twice about it, you send Marns several sweat droplets emojis. You are a teacher - if anyone asks, you could say that you had no idea what they meant, you just know that that's what the kids are texting nowadays.

"Marns is going to be disappointed," Freddie replies, and you're disappointed - despite yourself - because he didn't say that he would be disappointed.

Another two dings, another two texts, and it's Freddie saying "We'll have to get her in for a practice," while Marns just fills your whole screen with more barfing emojis.

You shoot them both the okay emoji, and then tell them that you need to get back to work.

When you check your phone again before bed, there's two text messages, both of them from Freddie.

The first: "Good luck with your work, and sweet dreams"

And then a picture of him, light spilling over him from a bedside lamp, duvet halfway up his bare chest. He looks a little tired, a little shy, but he's smiling up at the camera.

A selfie. You wonder what else Marner has told him.

And you save the picture.

*****

The boys win the first home game of the season, and you couldn't make it because Lila's down with a cold but you send Marns a selfie of you and Lila in Leafs jerseys in front of the TV - you wearing Sundin's number and grinning wide, Lila in Marner's and opening her mouth to show him a mouthful of chewed-up mashed potatoes. You figure it's not too different from a picture of unchewed mashed potatoes, and besides, you're just happy that she's eating.

Marns sends back a shot of him flashing a peace sign, flushed with good spirits and (you're pretty damned sure) alcohol he's barely old enough to be drinking, and the way he angles the camera makes you think he's trying to hide the fact that he's in a bar.

Which, dumb, but you pass along the congratulations the girls text you to send to him, and there's almost thirty of them, and by the time you're done Freddie's message to you has been waiting for several minutes, unopened.

"Thanks for the congratulations," it says, even though you didn't send him one, and you giggle as you lean back to reply.

"sorry! had to pass on messages from mitchy's fans first, and there's a lot of them."

Freddie: "Yeah? And who were you rooting for?"

"david pastrnak," you reply, grinning to yourself as you did it.

and then before he has time to get into a sulk: "guy has to be a superhero to have gotten one past you"

He doesn't reply anyway, not for a good half hour, and you switch the tv to a golf tournament with the volume on low, because of course that's what Lila falls asleep to best.

And then, from Freddie: "Guess that makes me your kyptonite."

Which, okay, he isn't wrong.

You're not sure how to reply - you guess this means that he's at least a little bit into you, and he knows you're at least a little bit into him, and - you're not sure how to reply.

"you're not wrong," you text him. And then, like a coward, but at least an honest one: "i need to go and tuck lila in. make sure you drink lots of water before bed x"

And he sends you a goodnight text, tells you to tell him if Lila's not feeling better in the morning, as though there's anything he can do about it anyway.

When you wake up the next morning, there's a text from Marns sent at around three am that says, "YOOOOOO WAS TAT SMOOTH OR WHAT"

Which, okay, he's not wrong.

*****

The boys go through a losing streak like it's nobody's business. Which, is disappointing, but it's the Leafs, and Toronto's a city that's grown accustomed to it. After a home win against Florida that they barely managed by the skin of their teeth (which, it's Florida) Freddie's on your doorstep instead of celebrating at some bar or another, or maybe sleeping the adrenaline off.

You raise your eyebrows at him, don't move aside to let him in even though you'd known he was the guy at the door when you'd looked through the peephole, and you'd gone and opened the door anyway. He looked rumpled, exhausted, hair a mess but not covered in product - like he'd gone for a shower after the game and then left, not even bothering to swing by his place to change out of his game day suit.

And you're in your Leafs jersey still, it's practically a dress on you so you didn't bother slipping any pants on, and the TV's still quietly going over game recaps.

You know this, the look on him, even though you've never seen him this way. He racks up a loss, takes it all on his own shoulders, won't let anyone take some of his burden or even see any of his pain. You've lived this, just not with him, and you're not in the mood for dealing with a moody hockey player.

It's Lila's birthday tomorrow, and Marns' already said he would come, and he's asked if he could bring some of the boys with him, too. He hadn't mentioned Freddie, and neither had you - Freddie's been on radio silence since the loss against the Hawks, third in a streak that didn't seem like it was going to end. That had been five days ago, which

You're a big girl, you can take it.

But you don't particularly want to expose Lila to it.

"Look, I know I've been stupid," he starts, the creases in his brow deepening when he sees you're not going to start shit, but he falls silent when you shake you head.

"Don't make a martyr of yourself, Freddie." It comes out sounding short, impatient, you're a little tired yourself and it's late.

And it hurts, just a little, him showing up here and now like you're some kind of fair weather-only friend. You're not even a fair weather fan, or you sure as shit wouldn't still have your Leafs jersey.

He looks confused, though, raising one hand to rest against the frame of the door, and leans in, like proximity would help. That, or he's too tired to stand straight, which. Idiot.

"You lost, and you went and licked your wounds in private. It's fine." You pause, consider that, and decide to go for something a little more honest. "Or it's not fine, I missed you, but if that's what you need to do to get your head on right for your next game then I can live with it."

You're a big girl, you've survived worse things.

"I'm sorry," he says, and you smile, because - that's one you've never heard before. And you didn't think he'd understand, either, how you needed an apology and not a self-lashing from him, because the latter's designed to make you feel sorry for him more than anything else.

Which, you already do. Idiot.

You open the door wider, but instead of letting him in you step forward to wrap your arms around him, feeling him do the same to you - one across the back of your shoulders and one around your waist, warm, solid weights holding you in place for a long moment.

"I know you were worried about me, I shouldn't have put you through that, all I needed to do was pick up the phone." He pulls back, then, to look you in the eye, and your right hand slips higher to settle on the nape of his neck, to keep him there.

"Idiot," you tell him, but you're grinning, and in a moment he's grinning back. "You can come on in. I'm almost done getting things ready for Lila's birthday party tomorrow."

"Can I help?" he asks, but you brush the offer aside, leading him through the hallway and into the living room, where you give him another push until he's settled on the couch.

"Beer's in the fridge, if you want, and Lila's already in bed. We have a spare room if you'd like to use it." He looks a little concerned at that - and, yeah, maybe you are being a little too forward - but you flash him another grin.

"What, you're making it up to me, right?" You ask him, voice teasing. "So you're going to do all the barbecuing for the party tomorrow."

He smiles back at you, but then the smile slowly fades, and he says again, sounding like he has to, "I'm sorry. I needed time to myself, but we're - friends, and- "

"You shouldn't have gone full radio silence?' You shake your head, amused, but Freddie's still looking at you like you might throw a temper tantrum, so you move to sit on the couch beside him, stretching out your legs so that your feet rested in his lap.

Physical contact helps. Open communication helps. The slow massage he was giving your left foot definitely helps. After a few minutes: "I was upset, but it's just five days, Freddie. I've gone into radio silence for longer just because I had an assignment due." You give him a nudge with your other foot and he takes the hint, switching feet. "We're still friends," you tell him, the emphasis on the last word unmistakable, and you watch him colour up a little.

"Are you free next weekend?" He blurts out, like you figured he would, and you shake your head, biting back a smile.

"Nope, I'm chaperoning a school dance."

"Can I chaperon with you?"

And there's no biting back the laugh you have to let out at that, hand covering your mouth so it doesn't wake Lila, and Freddie's looking halfway between amused and embarrassed.

"The school isn't usually okay with having strangers attend our private school functions. Why don't you come out for coffee with me instead? Say, after your game on Tuesday, even if you lose?"

The smile he gives you is something like watching the sun coming out, or maybe you're just feeling warm, but either way you'd have liked to be closer to him.

And then - voice teasing - "last time I asked you out for coffee you tried to snap my neck."

Which, fair, and you shrug a little even as you shift closer, so that you're sitting on the seat beside his on the couch, your bare thighs across his lap. His arm slips down from where it had rested along the back of your couch to around your waist, which. Feels nice. "Nah. Last time it was this kinda arrogant Ducks trade who'd asked me, and I wasn't even sure if he's any good between the posts."

A misstep, maybe, because his brows are creased again, and you have an urge to smooth it out with your thumb so you do just that. "So you want to go out with a good goalie," he says, something so uncertain in his voice, something sad in the way he looks down as you as though braced for the worst. Idiot.

You kiss his cheek, because you can't help it, then the corner of his lips - pulling back before he could kiss you properly, grinning a little as you drop one last kiss on the tip of his nose. "Yeah, but I'm hoping that's not all you're good at."

#freddie andersen #freddie andersen imagine #nhl imagine #hockey imagine #toronto maple leafs #toronto maple leafs imagine #v:can i go (where you go)#lyss writes hockey

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bluesakurablossom · 7 years

Text

Life's Gift Of Love: Mikey's Love Story

Chapter 2 Sky's Pov... Well another day, another dollar. Waking up in my comfy bed with my cat curled up beside me and the rays of the sun shining through my silky yellow curtains, starting my morning before I headed off to work for my late morning shift. I pushed off my puffy comforter and rolled up in bed rubbing my eyes open. Kisa was rubbing against my side purring like a motor boat as I gave the back of her head a scratch. "Love you Kisa, such a good kitty", I said She then looked up and stood up on her hind legs giving my cheek a nuzzle and I giggled nuzzling her back giving her head a kiss, only to have some of her fur cling to my face. I blew a few raspberries as some of the hair got into my mouth. "Remind me to take you to the groomers this week, you are shedding like crazy", I said, getting up I walked out of my room and headed off into the kitchen and prepared some hazelnut coffee. I then heard squawking coming from behind me and I turned around to see my scarlet macaw hanging from her cage door in the corner of my apartment, cocking her head side to side. "Oh how can I forget my baby bird?", I said, opening the cage door I held up my arm as she climbed on top of it and I gave her beak a kiss as she flapped her wings repeatedly. "Morning Skittles, you hungry this morning? Want a snack?", I asked "Yummy yummy", she said I giggled and I rested her on top of my shoulder. "Okay let's get you some fruit", I said I opened the fridge and there was many shelves stacked with fruit, vegetables, almond milk, sealed up garden salads and my two giant tubs of peanut butter and jelly. Now you are probably wondering why I didn't have meats, cheese, yogurt or anything else of that kind in my fridge? Well it's because I am a vegan. I have been one really for most of my life, I just never ate meat or dairy when I was growing up. After hearing and seeing some disturbing and shocking truths about what really goes on in those industries when I was nine by watching a protest parade on the streets, I decided to become one. Growing up when I saw those images and undercover tapes of what happens to animals, I was shocked and disgusted. I don't see why anyone could hurt such an innocent creature to pleasure our needy greedy lives. I wanted to prevent myself for being one of the millions of causes to exploit animals and I believe that many silent and sentient creatures have a right to life and freedom, just like the rest of us. And besides to me it is a healthier lifestyle to live and I really have grown into it. I took out a bin of cut up peaches and I took out a jar of walnuts from the cupboard and I poured each of them into a small bowl as Skittles then flew down and used her foot to eat a peach. "Good girl, eat up", I said, stroking her back feathers After giving the rest of my animals their food, I left my pets to eat their breakfast as I went back into my bedroom to get ready for work. I took a hot shower and then got dressed into a dark navy blue plaid shirt with silver stripes, rolling up the sleeves to my elbows, slipped on some dark black skinny jeans, and my grey and white high tops. I tied on a simple long navy blue bandanna around my head. I pushed the tails behind my shoulder as I grabbed my phone, my wallet, and my house keys. Thank goodness it wasn't smoggy out today and it was nice and hot, so I didn't need my oxygen tank today. I made sure all my pets needs were taken care of before I walked out the door locking up. I walked down the stairs till I got down to the sidewalk and made my way to work. I arrived at work at a good fifteen minutes early as I walked in thorough the glass door making the little bell ring above the frame. There to greet me was one of my co workers straightening out the desk, with long black hair in a low ponytail and dragon tattoos on his arms in a tough guy outfit. "Hey Sky, what's chilling?", he asked "Hey Clint, oh pretty much the same thing, different day", I said, shrugging "Fair enough, feeling any better?", he asked "Actually quite good today", I said, clocking into my shift on the computer "Best I have been feeling for months" "Well that's good", he said "Meghan got back in last tonight" "Oh really? Awesome! I can't wait to see the designs she was going to bring back from LA", I said "She got so lucky to go on the set of LA Ink, I can't wait to know what knowledge that they gave her", he said "Maybe it could boost up business" "I sure hope so, we have been kind of slow these past two weeks", I said, unlocking my door to my station "By the way what time do I have that appointment with Christy? It was for restoration on her back" "She called this morning she had to rescheduled because of a meeting, you got her at four today", he said, as I walked inside turning on the light "Cool beans", I said, setting up my tray with my inks and tools Well at least we did get some business today after Meghan had shown us what she learned while in California. I had at least four appointments of doing tattooing and restoration and made some pretty good tips. I was cleaning up my station by making sure all my inks were in colored order and sanitizing my tools. I decided to stay and help clean up the shop since one of our cleaning staff members didn't bother to show up at his shift. I dusted the counters and artwork, wiped the glass and mopped the concrete floors. As I finished mopping up the area, my boss Bryan came in from his office. He had short brown hair and flame tattoos on his muscular arms. "Oh Sky you didn't have to do that, I am going to give that guy a good talking to, this is the second time this month he has done that", he said "Nah don't worry Bryan I don't mind", I said, mopping around the front desk "It's gotta get done one way or the other" "How's the therapy?", he asked, sitting down and starting some paperwork "To be quite honest, I am pretty much sick of it", I said "I mean I haven't made any progress for years, and it's more annoying that nothing has changed since I got this" "I'm sorry to hear that, be a shame if this doesn't go away", he said "Don't want to lose my next manager" "Thanks for your concern", I said, smiling a little "But I'm hoping a miracle will happen soon, I'm sick of dealing with this shit" "I wouldn't say I blame you, I would be fed up and throwing in the towel right about now", he said "Anything going on for you tonight?" "Pretty much the same thing, going to go home and take care of my so called zoo", I said, giggling "Oh yeah Mrs. Dr. Dolittle", he said, snickering "Haha you guys are so funny calling me that", I said, rolling my eyes "Well you kind of own every animal there is", he said "Oh contrary, not every kind...yet", I said, laughing He laughed along with me as I dumped the mop water outside on the street and store the bucket and mop in the storage closet. "Though something did strange did happen last night", I said "Like what?", he asked "Okay I helped this guy out from getting beaten up I guess by thugs or something and when I tried to see if he was okay, he took off running", I said He looked at me quite surprised. "Really? He just like vanished?", he asked "Yeah! I mean he jumped the wall and climbed up on a rooftop and disappeared", I said "He was so fast, like lightning speed!" "That's really strange", he said, nodding in agreement "I know right, but he did leave me a message saying that he owed me one", I said "Someone called Mikey" "You know anyone named that?", he asked "Not that I know of", I said, shaking my head "But oh well, probably not going to see this guy again anyways" "Yeah probably not", he said I shut off the lights in my station and locked it up and I clocked out of my shift. "By the way I got those invoices and bids sent out today", I said, tightening up my bandanna "Oh thanks Sky! You work way too hard, it's like you are trying to run me out of here as quick as possible", he said "Not my intention", I said, giggling walking to the door "Good night" "Good night, see you at noon", he said "See ya", I said, as I walked out of the shop I walked down the street and decided not to go home straight away. I wanted a little breather from work before I tended to my home life. Going past my apartment complex I headed towards the docks at the end of the block. I walked along the rickety boardwalk and leaned against the edge watching the sea quietly ripple under the light of the moon and seeing a few sailboats out in the distance. "Ahhh fresh air", I said I always loved the boardwalk. It was just where I loved to be to get some peace and quiet and enjoy the crisp ocean air, that really enhances my breathing. Best of all I usually had it all to myself to enjoy. Or so I thought. I heard footsteps coming up behind me, that sounded loud and making the old boards cripple under my feet. "Hey!", a voice yelled I shot around seeing a man holding a knife in his hand and just from standing a far distance, I could smell alcohol and cigarette smoke. "Get off my spot!", he said "Excuse me, this is a public place, so I can stand here if I want to or not", I said, crossing my arms "Shut up! You little whore!", he said, walking closer I gripped behind my pants pocket and grabbed a little object hiding it in my fist. I backed up against the edge of the boardwalk, not knowing what he could be planning. "Strip off your clothes!", he said "I don't think so", I said, being brave "You bastard!" "Strip or I cut off your fingers!", he said, as he pressed the knife up under my chin "No!", I said, getting in his face "Do it...or I will!", he said, in a warning tone "I said no!", I said, as I revealed my weapon I sprayed a tiny bottle of mace that was very effective in his eyes as it created a cloud of smoke. He yelled in pain as I tried to push him away to run. But the spray only helped me so much before he pushed me back hard. "You little cunt!", he said, as he shoved me again This time he pushed way too hard and I slipped on the wet boards and went stumbling backwards falling into the ocean. I screamed as I started falling faster and faster till I hit the icy cold water. It was a sudden shock for me as I never felt so cold in my life. I swam back up to the surface catching my breath and I tried to swim to a dock post to hang on to since I was near the roughest part of the waves. I was close till a huge wave crashed on top of me pushing me under and making me do multiple somersaults. I tried to swim up to the surface again, but I wasn't moving anywhere. I looked down to see my leg was tangled up in some kelp and I reached down trying to get myself free, but it wasn't getting any looser. It felt like I was attached to a chain on a ball. I could feel my lungs tightening by the seconds desperate for air and I started to panic struggling faster to get free. Suddenly a huge wave came rushing towards me as I tried to swim away, but it smashed me against a wooden post on the dock and I hit my head hard. My vision started to go blurry and my whole body began to relax as I sunk down into the ocean. I never felt so calm, it was peaceful like I had just fallen asleep. My head looked up and from what I could see was rushing waves continuing to hit the dock. But I then saw something jump in making a huge splash and for some reason it started to swim towards me. I tried to keep my eyes open but everything went dark. "Come on", a voice said, sounding muffled "Come on, come on!" I felt a strange thump on my chest that was repeatedly hitting me. I suddenly shot up coughing hard as salty sea water came drooling out of my mouth. I coughed hard a few more times before I finally caught my breath and laid back down. My eyes slowly opened and I could see I was on the beach and sand was sticking to my wet clothes. I slowly looked up and I was stunned to see the exact same shadow I saw last night, with the exact same bright blue eyes looking down at me. "No need to thank me!", he said, clearly not noticing my shocked expression "I take cash and checks as repayments" My eyes then rolled into the back of my head and my head fell unconscious from everything happening so fast. I didn't remember anything after that. When I felt myself coming around I didn't feel the cold sea water surrounding me, instead I felt warm and cozy. I fluttered my eyes open to see I was back in my own apartment and I was laying in my bed, hooked up to my oxygen tank. "Wow that was some dream", I said, to myself "It felt so real" "That's because it was real", a voice said I quickly sat up and looked around in my dark room and I turned on my lamp on my nightstand, backing up against the headboard. "Who...who is there?", I asked, sounding nervous "It's okay, I'm the one who helped you out, I just stayed to make sure that you were okay", he said "Why are you hiding from me? I can't see you", I said, relaxing a little "You probably don't want to", he said "You would be afraid" "Why would I be scared of my own rescuer?", I asked "You saved my life, there is no reason why I should be afraid" I could hear slight movement and I can see the same huge shadow. "Please don't go, I really want to see you", I said, sitting up in bed "You will freak out", he said, sounding a bit sad "I won't freak out, I promise you", I said, softly He stood there silent for a few moments as I waited patiently for him to say something. He then took a step forward and I could see a huge sneaker wrapped in white bandages and going up his leg and I could see material of orange and black gym shorts and part of a grey hoodie around his waist. I got a look of curiosity and when the light had barely hit his face, the same bright blue eyes appeared. "It's you", I said, softly He then fully stepped out and I was right, he wasn't human. He was a giant turtle, like a head and almost shoulder taller than me. An orange mask was wrapped around his head and had a golden chain hanging from his neck along with shades with golden orange tint and a long skateboard was behind his back. He looked at me frightened. "You are that guy", I said, standing up "You are the one from last night" "Yeah, and you were the one who helped me out", he said, smiling a little "Told you I owed you one" "Mikey?", I said, remembering the name from the note "That's me!", he said, smiling more Without warning I suddenly hugged him tight around his neck and I then could feel the happiness spike up in him as he hugged me back tightly too. "Thank you so much! I would of been a goner if it wasn't for you", I said, smiling "Aw no worries little dudette!", he said, swinging me side to side as I giggled "Just doing what I normally do" "Man I thought I was dreaming for a second there", I said, letting go "Thought I was going on crazy" "Oh this is real, believe me", he said This guy had such a laid back and casual attitude towards me, and I hardly even knew anything about this guy. I knew he wouldn't have harmed me in any way, not with an attitude he has. Otherwise I would have been dead before I had blacked out when nearly drowning out in the ocean. Besides I did help him out so there was no reason why he would hurt me. "But don't worry, I am not afraid of you", I said, smiling "You are not?", he asked, surprised "Not at all", I said, shaking my head "Well that's a surprise you are the first human I have met who doesn't get all freaked out or faint at the sight of me", he said "A lot of people these days can be very judgmental about a lot of things", I said, crossing my arms and nodding in agreement "They just don't give it a chance" "Right instead of like running away, they could just stop and just try to understand it on what it really is", he said "I might just end up being the coolest thing ever" "But why did you run away when I tried to approach you?", I asked "I didn't mean to scare you like that, I'm sorry, it was just the only thing I could think of to help you" "No I wasn't scared of you, I just worried that you might be scared of me", he said "The reason why I ran, I panicked because I didn't want you to see me how I looked" I looked at him concerned. "What why?", I asked, gently "I didn't want you to freak out by my appearance, I thought you would called me a monster", he said, lowering his head "Pretty much everyone does" "Now why would I call you a monster?", I asked "I don't know because I am a giant talking turtle", he said I gave him a smile. "You ninny", I said, giving his shoulder a playful shove "If I was scared of you, I wouldn't have bothered to help you out back there, I kind of got the idea that you weren't human anyways" "Really?", he asked, surprised "I'm pretty observant of my surroundings", I said, giggling and crossing my arms "And besides I don't think any human could of been that big in size or fast to get on a rooftop unless they had some kind of special climbing equipment" "Well not entirely true, Spiderman could of done it", he said, smiling "Oh yeah! That's true!", I said "Love the part when he tries out his spiderwebs for the first time saying all those goofy pick up lines", he said "Oh my god! Me too!", I said "And right when he smashed into that billboard, too classic" "Like a bug on a windshield", he said "Hey that's a pretty good comparison, I never thought of that", I said Just then the sounds of scratching and squeaky meows could be heard from outside of my bedroom door. A big grin exploded on Mikey's face. "Awwww you have a kitty?", he said "I do", I said "Wanna meet her?" "Yes! Yes! Yes!", he said, excitedly Wow this guy really must love animals, well considering that he is one. I rolled out of bed and I opened the door and came running in quickly was my cat, meowing. "Hey baby girl, you miss mama?", I said, picking her up "Come here" She hugged me around my neck as I petted her along her back. "This is Kisa", I said, setting her down beside him with Mikey sitting on my bed "Awwwww she is so cute!", he said, petting her along her back as she purred loudly "So fuzzy and adorable!" I smiled. "Yeah she is my baby", I said "She is very affectionate, even when I found her in an alley on my block under a dumpster, poor little girl must of been on her own for quite awhile, thought she wouldn't make it" "You found her under a dumpster?", Mikey asked, shocked "Yeah I was walking home from work and heard a little squeak and I went to see what it was, and sure enough this little dirty fuzzy kitten came walking up to me", I said "Picked her up and took her right into my home and she has been with me since" "Awwwwww do you know how she got out there?", he asked, petting her head "Maybe getting separated from her mother, or possibly thrown out by an irresponsible owner", I said, shrugging "I am not so sure, but all I can say is that there was no way and how I was going to leave her there" Kisa had climbed up on top of Mikey's arm and walked along his shoulder till she laid down behind his neck curling up and purred rubbing up against his face. He chuckled smiling as he scratched her head. "Kisa really likes you Mikey", I said "Never seen her that affectionate before" "Well I can be quite the alley cat myself", he said "Maybe that's why she likes me" I giggled. "Maybe", I said "Um did you maybe wanna stick around for a bit? I mean you don't have to if you don't want to, just really enjoying the company, I don't often get visitors" "Let's go for it!", he said, suddenly I flinched back startled a bit by his answer. "You said the magic words!", he said "You really want to stay?", I asked, a bit confused and yet surprised "Why wouldn't I?", he said "Oh...well then okay", I said, smiling "Great! I could show you my other pets that I have too" "Wait Kisa is not the only one you have?", he asked "Oh no no no", I said, shaking my head "Come on I'll show you" I got up with Mikey quickly following behind me and Kisa running out in front of the both of us. There to greet us was my other pets in there tanks or cages Mikey looked like a little kid in a candy shop as he looked around seeing my pets that were going about their own things. "Wow! You are like in the office of Dr. Dolittle!", he said I giggled. "Yeah you could say something like that", I said "A lot of people do tease me for that, but hey I love animals, can't help it" "This is awesome! Show me everyone!", he said, happily "Gladly", I said, walking up to one of my tanks "First we have my fish, I have my cinnamon clown Sugar, my angel fish Shimmer, my blue tang Dory, my starfish Peach, and my snail named Slime", I said In the tank was beautiful colored corals and purple and blue pebbled rocks at the bottom, with a little light shining down into the clean water. Something like you would really see in the ocean. "So cool! I wish I had fish growing up that would of been awesome!", he said, getting on his knees and watching them move around "Glad you like them, come on I'll show you more of my critters", I said, patting his shoulder He got up and followed me to a good size metal cage and from the little hammock hanging I could see little whiskers pop up. "And this is Iggy and Lola", I said "What are they?", he asked, peering inside the cage trying to see "Here", I said, opening up the cage door and held out my hand A white rat with black patches and a plain white rat appeared and they started crawling up on my hand. "They are my rats", I said, pulling my hand out "Wow! I didn't know that you can own rats as pets, I thought you would really just find them in the sewers", he said, looking at them "Surprisingly they can be good pets, they have become more popular now", I said, as they started climbing up and down my arms "Not like the ones I would see lurking around in the tunnels for scraps", he said, as he looked at Iggy in the face "You see rats all the time?", I asked "Yeah I kind of live in the sewer", he said, sounding a bit uneasy "Not really a surprise", I said, shrugging, not really bothered by his answer "You don't think its bad?", he asked "I don't think so", I said, shaking my head "I mean you don't often see giant turtles living in penthouses" "Oh that would be the day", Mikey said, looking up at the ceiling dreamily "Tell me about it", I said, nodding in agreement Iggy and Lola came walking up my arms as Lola stood up on her hind legs and sniffed the air reaching out her little paws. "I think she wants to see you Mikey", I said He held out his finger as she rested her paws on the green digit. He looked at her with a smile and she then scattered up on his arm as Mikey looked at her with surprise as she then rested on his shoulder and began sniffing him. "This feels so weird, usually rats would scatter at the sight but to have one actually come up to you", he said, as he watched her move all over him sniffing around "It feels funny" "I know at first glance you might think that why would you own a rodent that eats everything in sight and is nothing but a pest in society", I said "But really I found them fascinating, I mean they are so adapted to living in such harsh conditions and can still keep living a normal life" Lola scattered on top of Mikey's head as she rested her paws on top of his face and her whiskers twitched. Mikey's face was scrunching up as he started laughing as she continued on. "Hey cut that out!", he said "That's her way of telling you she loves you", I said, smiling as I petted Iggy on his head "Hey! Come on! That tickles!", he said, with his face scrunching up more "Okay Lola, come here", I said, holding out my hand and she walked along my arm to rejoin Iggy Mikey shook his head with a bit of fur flying off his face as I then took a few fruit treats from a bag beside their cage in my hand. "Would you like to feed them?", I asked His blue eyes went wide. "Can I?!", he asked "Yeah, here watch this", I said I took one of the fruit treats and I made a little clicking sound to get Iggy's attention. "Iggy, stand", I said, holding the treat out in front of him Iggy slowly got to his feet as I began to move the treat farther away and he began to walk slowly on his hind legs following the treat. I made him walk along my arm a short distance before I held the treat to him and he took into his paws and began to eat it. "Good boy Iggy", I said, giving his back a stroke "Wow I wanna try!", Mikey said "Here", I said, handing him a treat "Just make that noise and tell Lola to stand and make her walk" Mikey tried mimicking the same clicking noise I made and he held the treat out in front of Lola. "Lola, stand", he said Lola heard him and got up on her hind legs and began to walk along my other arm towards the treat. He made her walk a distance till she started walking faster and faster till she got to my hand, before he handed her the treat. "Good girl Lola", he said, stroking her head with his finger "Wow never could get her to walk that far, that was really awesome Mikey!", I said "I am the King Rat, rodents kneel before me!", he said, in a dramatic evil tone teasingly doing striking out his arms I couldn't help but giggle at his child like behavior. "Nice try Mikey, but they are not that obedient", I said, as I set them back in their cage locking the door "So much for getting service", he said, teasingly I giggled. "Oh well", I said "And we have my last one, this is Skittles" I moved the sheet off the cage and resting on a perch was my macaw waking up. She squawked as she flew up and landed on my wrist and she stretched out her wings. "Wow never seen a macaw like that before! Not like in real life", he said, as Skittles looked at him "She is a scarlet macaw", I said "Had her since I was thirteen" "Why the name Skittles?", he asked "Okay so I was struggling to figure out a name for her because I adopted her from the humane society and I wanted her name to be a good one", I said "Try to use a different name than what people normally name a bird like Polly, Birdy or Tweety something like that. So I was eating skittles trying to figure out a name for her and then it hit me when I was saw the same colors of the candy matched her feathers and I am thinking, hey I should name her Skittles since she has all the colors and is very sweet like them" "Huh how creative!", he said, smiling I giggled. "Or weird", I said "How old is she?", he asked "She is 18 years old, so same age as me", I said "And she loves talking and doing impersonations" "She can talk?", he asked, surprised "Yeah really well, here I'll show you", I said "Skittle can you say hi?" She then held up her wing in front of her beak while Mikey laughed. "Oh it's okay baby don't be shy, he is nice", I said "Can you say hi Skittles?" "Hi Skittles", she said, laughing "Okay she is a little nervous, so can you say hi Skittles?", I said "Hi Skittles", she said, again still laughing He looked at her amazed as Skittles stopped laughing. "Okay being very literal, it's a comedy I get it", I said "Okay let's rephrase the question, how about you wave with your foot and just say hi?" She then rose up her left foot and waved it. "Hi, hi, hi, hi", she said, repeatedly "Good girl!", I said, petting her head "Wow that is so cool!", Mikey said "Here watch this", I said "Can you give a big kiss Skittles?" Skittles made a clicking noise making it sound like kissing sound effect. "And this one she does really realistic", I said "Can you cough?" Skittles did a coughing sound while shaking her head back and forth. "Good girl!", I said, giving the tip of her beak a kiss as she flapped her wings "Can you she do a Dark Vader impersonation?", Mikey asked "Not quite", I said, smiling "We do practice that one though, she is getting better each time, I'm hoping we can get it right very soon" Skittles then rested on top of Mikey's arm as he looked at her with a smile and Skittles looking back at him with curiosity. "You can sit down with her if you want, I'll get us some drinks" I went into the kitchen and I took out two glasses and got some ice from the freezer, sliding them inside. I then opened another cabinet and smiled taking two cans of my favorite soda. The fizzy bubbles made it look really refreshing and tasty, and best of all its vegan. I carried the two glasses back into the living room and I giggled seeing Skittles was swinging off from Mikey's gold chain as he swung her standing up. "Oh should of warned you, she loves to swing on anything that hangs", I said, giggling "Yeah should of warned me, she has got an iron grip", he said, still swinging her He then stopped and took her off his chain and set her on top of his shoulder. "It's really all I have that might be tasty for you, but I don't know if you maybe might like Orange Crush", I said, looking down at the glasses "You like Orange Crush too?!", Mikey asked, looking surprised "I knew it! I knew couldn't be the only obsessed with it!" "Me too! It's like the best ever!", I said, handing him a glass He took a big a gulp of it, nearly drinking the whole entire glass with one gulp, before letting out a sigh of refreshment. "Nothing beats the taste of a delicious beverage!", he said I giggled. "You got that right! I would be drinking this like there is no tomorrow", I said, as we sat down on the couch "I mean who doesn't like this?! It's full of flavor, just the right amount of bubbles, and creates the best burps", he said He then suddenly burped out loud as if it were by coincidence as he blushed in embarrassment. "Well excuse you", I said, shoving his arm "Sorry", he said, sheepishly "My bad" "It's cool", I said, smiling "But yeah I agree, best soda ever" "I mean who doesn't like this?", he asked "People who have no good taste", I said, cocking an eyebrow "Exactly!", he said, nodding his head firmly before taking another gulp "Um question?", I said "Yeah?", he asked "How did you even know where I lived?", I asked He looked at me sheepishly. "Oh that, I kind of followed you home that night you helped me out", he said "Just to make sure you weren't going to be followed or attacked. I also kind of saw you in your window" "I figured", I said, smirking "But I wasn't spying on you or anything!", he said, quickly shaking his head "It's cool", I said, shoving his arm "I would of done the same thing too if I was in your shoes" "How could you? Your feet couldn't possibly fit in these", he said, teasingly lifting up his foot We both started laughing even with Skittles joined in the laughter. "Haha that was a good one", I said, giggling "You are funny" "I have been known to please a crowd with my humor", he said, with a charming proud smile I giggled. "Well you proved me right", I said, taking a sip of my drink "So how long have you been living here?", he asked "A few months?" "Too young that's pretty much all I can say", I said, shaking my head "I have been living on my own since I was fifteen" He looked at me shocked. "Why did you leave so young? You run away or something?", he asked I shook my head as I took another sip of my soda, before setting it down on the table. "No", I said "I have a bad relationship with my mom, just everyday there would always be a fight about something, just had to get out of there you know" "Were you scared?", he asked "A little", I said, nodding truthfully "At first I didn't know what I was getting myself into, I didn't know where to start. I mean I was just a fifteen year old girl who has leukemia with no money or anything trying to find a new place to start. Luckily I had a struck of luck when a lady gave me a job assisting teaching kids art at the local school here, she even offered me a place to stay until I got my savings up. When I graduated from high school, I worked as a full time waitress while doing online classes to get my tattooing license" "You are a tattoo artist?", he asked, with his eyes going wide "Yeah been one for a little while now", I said, smiling a little "So you like own your own shop? That would be so awesome!", he said "Well not yet", I said "I'm working my way up to owner position. My boss Bryan is teaching me all the things I need to know how to do and everything before he allows me to take the reigns" "You will have to show me everything! Like where you work, your designs, your space! Everything!", he said, sounding ecstatic and shaking my shoulders "Okay woah woah woah!", I said, giggling from seeing his excitement holding my hands up "Of course, but we will have to wait till night to sneak in after hours and I can show you everything from there" "Can't wait!", he said I smiled and then my glow and the dark clock began glowing all different colors showing the time. "Awwww man it's midnight! I'm going to be so late to get home! The guys are going to kill me!", he said, suddenly getting up "Are you going to get in trouble?", I asked, getting up from my seat "Yeah! I'll be grounded for like a week!", he said, taking his skateboard and putting it behind his shell "Ugh hated being grounded as a teen, such a pain in the butt", I said "Right!", he said "Here I'll lead you out here", I said I opened up my huge window up to the top and Mikey crawled out by wedging his giant figure in sideways to get out on to my fire escape. "Oh you might want to have these back", I said, revealing to him the ninja stars out of my pants pocket "Woah! How did you get these?", he asked, taking them from my hand "Let's just say they nearly speared me in the head", I said, cocking an eyebrow "Oh my god! I am so sorry! I was trying to get the ninjas and I thought-", he said, sounding all panicky "I'm just kidding with you!", I said, shoving him playfully "I am fine, don't worry about it" "I didn't hurt you?", he asked "No, just nearly had my heart leap out of my chest and see my life flash before my eyes, I'm alright", I said, giggling "Oh good", he said, taking a huge breath "But yeah sorry I didn't know they nearly hit you" "It's okay", I said, smiling "Hey but we won the match, that's the main thing!", he said "Nah main thing is that I knock those guys on their asses with my air tank", I said "Girl power was on a roll that night!", he said, bumping up a fist I laughed smiling and we gave each other a high five, then a knuckle touch, doing an dramatic explosion sound effect. "Yeah boy!", I said, giggling "You know what, why don't you keep these", he said, handing them back to me "But they are yours Mikey", I said, as I took them "I couldn't take them" "Nah don't worry I get like a whole supply of them at home", he said, smiling and shaking his head "Keep them" "Wow thanks! I got my own ninja stars", I said, looking at them "Catch you later dudette, I'll see you around! Got to go!", he said, climbing out the window "Well it was really nice to meet you again and see you for the first time, Mikey", I said, sitting on my window sill "Bye" He was about to jump off my fire escape until he stops and looks back at me. "By the way I never caught your name", he said, pointing a finger at me "Oh right, that would be rather useful to know", I said, giggling "It's Skylar, Skylar Richards"

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peppersandcats · 7 years

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Elevenses.

Tagged by @cliches-and-coffee , ten days ago…! Sorry for the delay.

Rules: Always post the rules, answer the question given by the person who tagged you, write 11 questions of your own.

Tagging @trufflemores, @notsolittlegirlevenmorelost, @eh2zie365, @kariki, @fortheglare, @luvtheheaven, @psifires-universe.

1. Head in the clouds or down to earth?

Clouds for goals, earth for daily maintenance. I daydream a lot, but I get the mail every day and the bills are all paid on time. (Stressed over, sometimes, but paid on time. Yes, I know I’m lucky.)

2. Taste in music?

Folk, 80s stadium rock, filk, pop.

3. Favorite quote, from any show, movie, or book. (The movie and show may change to reflect my mood. The book is unlikely to.)

No… there’s nothing behind those eyes. There’s just clay and magic words. - Terry Pratchett, Feet of Clay

You mean the movie lied? - Freddy, Return of the Living Dead

“What about the bus ticket?” “Not that useful. Unless you want to get to a little spot outside Gallup, New Mexico in a jiffy, which I don’t.” “Why Gallup?” (utterly resigned to the capricious wonder of the universe) “Why not?” - Joe and Wally, The Lost Room

4. Did you ever move as a child, or did you always live in the same house?

Moved from Canada to England, moved back to Canada (to a different house, not that I remember the first one), moved to Algeria, spent a year in a Swiss boarding school away from my family, moved back to Canada (to another house).

5. Obscure interests?

Post-apocalyptics, old short stories, and fine weird pulp.

6. Do you fear the future?

Personally, not often. Societally, yes.

7. Any regrets that you wish you could go back and change?

Not so much anymore, which is really nice. There’s a limited amount of time left, and I don’t feel good when I get bogged down in the shouldas.

8. Stars or moon?

Stars. Especially when there’s no light pollution.

9. Do you play any instruments? If not, would you like to?

I used to play the recorder, but I don’t anymore. I wish I could sing, but I don’t have the ear for it.

10. Do you prefer routine, or spontaneity? Some of both?

Routine for getting ready to deal with the day (getting up, taking care of pets, having coffee, picking earrings), and I like spontaneity for what actually happens during it. I suspect some level of routine is actually necessary, though, so I’ll say routine.

11. What word do people use to describe you most often?

The LOML says kind, but I think he sees me through rose-coloured glasses, and he gets to hear a lot of me worrying about people. Still, it’s a nice idea to strive for.

My questions:

What was the last text you sent?

Dogs or cats?

Mixtapes or moodboards?

What sorting system (Zodiac, MBTI personality type, Hogwart’s House) are you most comfortable/familiar with?

What’s your favourite thing to do when it’s raining?

What’s the last book or movie that you recommended to people?

When you read poetry (or song lyrics), do you read them in your head or out loud?

What’s your favourite time of day?

What’s something you want to talk about?

How long have you had your phone?

First class you ever skipped. (If you never did, first class you fell asleep in. If you never did either, first thing you did during class you weren’t supposed to.)

#ask meme #ask meme response #personal

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cutshawsnidowoa · 4 years

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8 Questions About Calico Cats — Answered

The post 8 Questions About Calico Cats — Answered by catedit appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Ah, calico cats! Those multi-colored coats that can be arranged into never-ending combinations of patterns make for tons of questions. Do male calico cats exist? Are the rumors about calico cat personalities true? What in the world is a calibby? We’re here with answers to a few commonly asked questions about those mysterious calico cats.

1. Is a calico a type of breed?

Nope. Calico refers to a color or pattern of a cat’s fur, not a cat breed.

2. Where does the name calico come from?

Actually, the term “calico cat” is a description you’ll mostly hear in the U.S. Why? Calico is actually a type of fabric, but when it came to the United States in the 1780s, Americans used the term calico to refer to printed design.

Calico cats are also called brindle, tricolor, tobi mi-ke (Japanese for ‘triple fur’) and lapjeskat (Dutch for ‘patches cat’). Diluted calico cats with lighter coloration are sometimes called calimanco or clouded tiger. Calicos may also be referred to as piebald, which can mean any animal with a white base and pigmented spots.

A dilute calico has colors that are a bit more muted than a standard calico. Photography ©adogslifephoto | iStock / Getty Images Plus.

3. What about a calibby? Are there different types of calico cats?

A standard calico usually has a white coat with large spots of orange and black.

A dilute calico, as mentioned above, has lighter colorations that result in white coats with large spots of smoky gray and an almost strawberry-blonde color.

A calibby is a mix of a calico and a tabby cat, where the calico patches of orange and black have the tabby striped or spotted markings.

Compare a tortie’s coloring with some of the calico photos. See the differences? Photography ©piranka | iStock / Getty Images Plus.

4. What is the difference between a tortoiseshell cat and a calico cat?

“Tortoiseshells (or torties) have similar coloring to calicos in that they are also contain black and orange in their coat, but the major difference is instead of a mainly white base, tortoiseshells have a black-based coat,” Dr. Gibbons of Just Cats Veterinary Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut, explains. “In addition, instead of distinct spots of orange and white, tortoiseshells are more of an even blend of the black and orange with sometimes white mixed in.”

Do male calicos exist? They’re rare, and they’re probably sterile! Photography by Mahlebashieva/Thinkstock.

5. Are all calico cats female?

Most calico cats are females — but not all. Male calicos are rare. “The traditional characteristics for a calico cat are carried on the chromosomes that make cats female, so the majority of calico cats are female,” Dr. Gibbons says. “The possibility of a male calico exists, but they are incredibly rare, and I have yet to see one in 15 years in the veterinary field.”

Approximately one in 3,000 calico cats is male. Also, if you have a male calico, odds are that he’s sterile. Only one in 10,000 of male calico cats is fertile.

A munchkin calico cat. Photography by Linn Currie / Shutterstock.

6. What cat breeds can be calicos?

According to Dr. Gibbons the following breeds may have calico colorations:

Domestic Shorthair

Domestic Longhair

American Shorthair

Maine Coon

Persian

Exotic Shorthair

British Shorthair

American Curl

Japanese Bobtail

Norwegian Forest Cat

Turkish Van

Turkish Angora

Munchkin

Maneki Neko, aka Lucky Cats or Fortune Cats, are often calico cats. Photography by Danny Smythe / Shutterstock.

7. Are calico cats good luck?

Yes! The aforementioned male calicos are considered especially lucky since they’re so rare.

The Japanese lucky cat, maneki neko, is often calico. Japanese sailors used to travel with calico cats on their oceanic expeditions. Calicos were said to protect the sailors from storms and any angry spirits on board!

Calico cats are also the official state cat of Maryland, due to a similarity in coloring with the state’s bird, the Baltimore oriole, and the state’s insect, the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly.

And, according to Irish folklore, calico cats will cure your warts. Simply rub a calico cat’s tail on your warts in the month of May!

Merritt does not love when we pay attention to other living souls or objects other than her. She prefers to be the center of attention — always. This is her as a tiny kitten, so she’s always been this way! Photography by Cait Rohan Kelly.

8. Why do calico cats get a bad rap for their attitudes?

As the proud mama to a calico cat, Merritt, I am very familiar with the calico attitude that these cats are said to possess in spades (there’s a reason her nickname is Mimi —the same nickname for known diva Mariah Carey). Like the infamous “I don’t know her” feud between Ms. Carey and a certain Jennifer Lopez, my Mimi would prefer not to acknowledge her competitors (in a cat’s case, other cats). This isn’t usually a problem since my other cat Gabby is large, lazy and likes attention selectively. But when we’re petting, kissing or snuggling with Gabby? How dare we! Mimi will meow away, wedge herself into the cuddle or come up and play-smack Gabby.

Merritt also likes to make packing impossible. And check out the tabby markings on her head — I think she’s a calibby! Photography by Cait Rohan Kelly.

Yes, my calico loves to be kissed, cuddled, held, paid attention to and — when the mood suits her — even carried around the house like some sort of ancient queen even though she is not a kitten anymore. Mimi is also very talkative and loves to trill away, another attention-grabbing behavior. She is a total diva.

But is this behavior backed by scientific fact? “Calico cats have a reputation for being fiercely independent, and sometimes feisty,” Dr. Gibbons says. “This is not always the case but many live up to their reputation. A recent study by the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science says that many owners report more aggression toward owners, when being handled and at veterinary visits in calicos, torbies and tortoiseshells. However, according to the author, analysis ‘of aggression due to handling, as well as aggression displayed during veterinarian visits, showed little difference among coat colors in these settings.’”

So … the answer is still sort of. But I’ve never met a calico who wasn’t sassy. (Let us know in the comments if you have!)

Tell us about your calico cats!

Do you have calico cats? And do your calico cats have a real cattitude? Has anyone ever come across a male calico cat?

This piece was originally published in 2018.

Read more about cat colors on Catster.com:

5 Intriguing Points About Seal Point Cats

The Orange Tabby Cat — 8 Fun Facts

What Exactly Is a Mackerel Tabby Cat?

from Catster https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/questions-about-calico-cats-answered via IFTTT

#Catster

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whimsically-ominously-auspice · 4 years

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Marc Antony and Mercury expect terms to be met by Friday. 3 days says Mercury. Possibly by Friday says Marc.

So then listen. Stay inside.

We have 3 more planets along with planet Zulululu.

2 said "just kill them we don't want them"

2 others said they want their dead. So Marc and Team said they would send by air to certain meeting place. Marc warned them if they didn't find it acceptable there would be no war. He and I will kill the rest and they won't get any bodies at all and we will evaporate what we gave.

Beggars can't be choosers.

I will destroy a fucking planet that pisses me off. I'm very good at giving blind explosions of what is deserved. Sometimes they get good shit. Sometimes i blow up and destroy shit.

And so they are asking for something in my opinion don't deserve. Dead bodies? Fuck you. Youre lucky it was Marc. Im beyond pissed. But I'll let him do what he wants then I'll destroy shit cause i can.

I'm fucking pissed about this shit.

So yall Just stay inside. Don't get kidnapped. Don't get beaten up. Don't get molested. Don't get raped. Don't let an alien peep in your shower when you're nude and wet and soapy.

And just be extra cautious for the next 3 weeks.

This Friday he should be done with Mercury.

Then he will do each of the 4 planets one at a time.

After each planet is supposed to be complete he will wait 1 to two days to ensure everything is going well before he starts on the next task

He will make sure that Tree details y'all about progress.

So a total of 5 planets are left.

Now Mars is picking up its "sexual studs" trees are watching very closely and other than Mars our atmosphere is clear of aliens.

After all the 5 planets are completed we will then attack any UFO that enters our atmosphere.

And kill it. They're all on warned. So.

6 billion UFO are 900 billion kilometres away from the atmosphere of Earth. Not the land but the highest cloud/air layer we have.

They are Just spectators. 726 million UFOs are prepared to protect our planet with warnings and/or violence.

They are the closest to our atmosphere. As they have learned so much regarding aliens and relationships from Eaerth. So for their appreciation and desire to watch more progress we benefit from their love.

Still we will watch and protect. And even so.

Follow Quarentine.

Marc Antony has told Tree and asked him to write the underlying most important points of the reasons of Quarentine. And tree has also filled in the blanks. So. That is pinned up. So it's all about being at the top for your sake and ease.

So focus on those things. 85 points and reasons to focus on. How to retrain our minds. Allot of good information. We all really need

So remember to laugh at the memes i reposted two tonight.. One made Marc Antony really laugh - the gorilla. And the joke about the woman eating cats made me laugh more but he laughed too. I was worried about the Gorilla. Where was he? Did someone take care of him? Was he just playing?

But I appreciated the joke. I thought it was cute and I know at zoos that is actually a normal behavior.

Unfortunately...

Some people after 3 weeks pass. Will lose their animals. Some are possessed by aliens. There are 782,569,857 planets that will have their creation returned to them and possessing aliens will die.

What happens is an alien will share a body with an animal. Its prohibited and all planets know.

Then there is oysters. Which will be all dumped in the most luxurious of neighborhoods like it is a landfill.

Zebras. Ostrich. Orangutans. Chihuahua dogs (he literally sheds a tear. We know so many love that breed. But we will try to help you after your loss). Prarie dogs -- which we found dead in the yard todsy as a death threat against me. My 16 year daughter found it and pointed it out. So i loooked and asked it what it wanted and it said nothing. So i said don't look at me with your beady little eye which made my kid laugh. It was a bloody wet mess. Fuck y'all. I ain't scared I'll shove dead and living ones up your ass. Fredrick's grandma's best friend's daughter. Try a claw trying to come out your ass hole. Bitch. Coward bitch at that.

Some snakes like rattle. Coral. Most poisionous. No one would claim the King Cobra for example but they are part of a historical culture so we will save them for their owners as the poison is very hard to eject because it's midway down the body and not in teeth or head. We didn't know but I asked tree and he says it was a competitive snake Christopher Columbus made. He said please don't bully him. I have one on my wrist. So they are the ones that dance.

Grass snakes are made by Mercury as an apology. They will take.

We want only what Earth created. Its not about the apology we have enjoyed and used them for billions of years. So we gift them back as a thank you.

So they remember their sorrow in killing Cleopatra and Jesus 20 years later. (Me)

And as a request to please leave us alone in the future. They also made a poisonous snake called the Goldan Coerel. We eradicated it in the 1970s after it killed a sleeping infant. We just killed them all. They were mostly in Vietnam.

Dingo in Australia are not ours. But hey kangaroo is!!!

Rabbit is not. We will replace with either ducks or a chimpanzees. Or both. We use a distinct intuition. Like Santa Claus. Literally.

Like how i find space ships to blow up.

Now ALL animals are trained to use the toilet. And are infants. They come with a special cabinet and 1 year supply of food. And play toys and so on.

Chihuahua are replaced with chimps and/or a dog breed of choice.

There is a website you can type your animal into.

You can type your address like if you're like my dog is a mutt Idk how to find out... Well you put your address.

A Chihuahua of 25% breed and more will go

So if you have a small dog with only 3% Chihuahua. It stays.

Putting in the address allows you to create a family link. So you want a chimp. You pick the color.

So mom wants Orange

Dad brown orange.

Daughter 1 wants electric yellow.

So then tree will review... And make a bright orange with yellow when the hair is brushed a certain way and the brown like streaks

So he will decide and inform your family in the link then you can have other options.

If you don't preorder he will surprise you which he really likes to do.

So that is about 5 weeks away. You'll board the ship and say good bye. You may drive with them to the dock to drop off

All other animals stay home under Doctor Tree care where he trains it to use potty and speak and eat at the table,using fork ans spoon.

I have a list of 57 items that must be trained to each animal by tree. Now you can specify "no I do not want my dog asking more than 2x to borrow/drive car. In one day or 1 full trip on errands, or family road trip" otherwise he csn ask 35 times. But it's fun. He will sulk. Get angry. Beg happily. "Well I'll beat you up if You won't let me drive!!" "I hate the back seat why wont you let me drive?? I don't care. I don't wanna know. I just wanna Drive. Seesh parents don't understand anything!!"

So realize he may be speaking feelings but mostly its just acting and playing. Its a Trick or Treat.

Just yo Keep things lively. Fun. Kids will laugh and learn bullying and threatening does not work. They love it even teenagers.

Its play acting to develop healthy psychological prograss. So remember manners and don't let him drive because he intimidated or annoyed you. Unless you say trick or treat and have a family discussion

When he is violent in asking to drive he will have offensive driving skills. Fast and digging through traffic. And road rage m which is hilarious!

If you say yes to "but I'm an old gramma i know how to,get there m don't take away my rights I'm a perfect driver and omg watch out, just kidding." He will be super cautious and double checking. Driven 6-10 mph under the speed limit.

Its fun. Tree will train it to be humaneyezed.

So he will give advice. Like "watch the fuck out!" In road rage mode. While granny will say "hey there little dearies you almost wrecked. Slow it down buster"

My pill is saying time to sleep.

3-5 weeks to spend with your pet before we evacuate.

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tragicbooks · 7 years

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<p>The high-flying heroes saving animals from kill shelters.</p>

On a clear, sunny day, Galaxy took flight.

The lanky white German shepherd soared high above the clouds on a private plane, a far cry from the streets of Southaven, Mississippi, where she was found. After getting used to the motion, Galaxy settled in to relax. She was finally going home.

All images via Pilots N Paws, used with permission.

Galaxy is one of the many lucky pets rescued and transported by Pilots N Paws, a nonprofit that pairs volunteer pilots with animals in need.

Pilots N Paws (PNP) was created in 2008, when Debi Boies asked pilot Jon Wehrenberg to help her fly a Doberman from Florida to South Carolina to save it from a cruel fate. The successful flight sparked the idea to rescue and relocated more animals — a service that is sorely needed.

Despite the success of spay and neuter campaigns, pet overpopulation remains a serious issue, and kill shelters are common, with an estimated 1.5 million dogs and cats euthanized each year. This problem is especially pronounced in parts of the rural South where there is limited access to affordable spaying and neutering services and poorly enforced leash laws.

PNP has more than 5,000 volunteer pilots using its online message board to look for animals in need of relocation.

Some pilots may be flying for business or pleasure and will pick up an animal headed to or from their destination. Others will take to the air specifically for PNP missions, each about 300 miles, bringing their kids or families along. It's a great way to volunteer, take to the skies, and see a new city outside of lunch at the airport.

PNP executive director Kate Quinn shared a recent e-mail from one of the pilots who wrote, "For me personally, I love to fly, my kids and I love animals, we always adopt rescue dogs. PNP gives me a rewarding reason to fly rather than just getting a burger."

The organization boasts another 12,000 volunteers on the ground who assist as foster parents, help out with transport to and from the airport, and coordinate rescues and pick-ups from shelters. A few of these volunteers have even started taking flying lessons so they can fly for PNP.

This year, PNP pilots will transport more than 15,000 animals.

Since the organization's founding, more than 150,000 animals have been rescued and relocated, including sweet Galaxy.

After getting picked up in Mississippi, she was taken in by a white German shepherd rescue in Tennessee then flew with pilot Jim Carney to her foster home in Alton, Illinois.

All of this may seem like a lot of work, time, and effort to save one pet, but it's bigger than that.

Each animal rescued becomes a beloved family member, trusted companion, loyal best friend, or even a hard working service dog. The animals are grateful beyond measure to live out their lives with loving families. For the humans, the gratitude is mutual.

"It's amazing to see the pilots stay in touch with the adoptive homes. They'll get Christmas cards and updates," Quinn says. "It's something that has a ripple effect. ... I think it just enriches peoples lives."

After all, they're good dogs, Brent. And good people too.

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socialviralnews · 7 years

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<p>The high-flying heroes saving animals from kill shelters.</p>

On a clear, sunny day, Galaxy took flight.

All images via Pilots N Paws, used with permission.

Galaxy is one of the many lucky pets rescued and transported by Pilots N Paws, a nonprofit that pairs volunteer pilots with animals in need.

PNP has more than 5,000 volunteer pilots using its online message board to look for animals in need of relocation.

This year, PNP pilots will transport more than 15,000 animals.

Since the organization's founding, more than 150,000 animals have been rescued and relocated, including sweet Galaxy.

After getting picked up in Mississippi, she was taken in by a white German shepherd rescue in Tennessee then flew with pilot Jim Carney to her foster home in Alton, Illinois.

All of this may seem like a lot of work, time, and effort to save one pet, but it's bigger than that.

After all, they're good dogs, Brent. And good people too.

from Upworthy http://ift.tt/2tHzwqL via cheap web hosting

#Upworthy

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jettsjournal · 7 years

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Mortal and Coiled

Upon reaching the deck from the Wisp, I came to find a large python on board preying upon our family of kittens. Ashina, faster than I, swooped past me and scooped the snake off of the ship. The two kittens that were grappled by the reptile recovered and scampered back to their mother. Revan was on board but otherwise occupied by the other kittens and must not have noticed the intruder in time. Ashina returned to the railing next to me once the snake was removed and I could see in the morning light that her feathers seemed denser than normal. She gives me a feeling of greater protection when she is near. In the morning air the trees surrounding us were filled with animal noises, some of which were not pleasant. Glancing over the railing I saw the odd sight of a family of feral cats disappearing into nothingness. I used a small spell and found that the python had in fact eaten them while invisible, which unsettled me a bit more.

I decided to try and scare off the snake with a quick array of spells which seemed to work as it dropped its meager prey and took to swim away in a nearby river. I decided to rescue the two remaining kittens which survived the snake’s attack on the family of feral cats, since their mother was not so lucky. They’re much smaller than the kittens we already had but they certainly didn’t have a fair chance in this land. The mother cat we have wasted no time caring for the small kittens. The kites on board the Altus only gave the kittens a cursory glance in their nesting state. The adult kites hunt freely for their young in the surrounding trees but seem to know which animals won’t upset the local population.

Mahtan came over to me while I worked to re-stock the fire under the snapdragon egg. She encouraged me to sell the kittens at the next city that accepts them, or she feared I would get distracted too much. I assured her I don’t expect to take on too many animals and the new kittens are up to be sold on our journey. Her concerns were made apparent at my lack of control over the little ones but I assured her they will learn to take care of themselves while they’re with us. She had yet to finish talking when a hawk came down and snatched Yona in its talons. Ashina wasted no time sensing my intent to retrieve the kitten and flew after the hawk, blasting it with a radiant force once in range.

I ran toward the falling hawk and channeled my abilities Dagren helped me train in order to slow the fall of Yona. In a moment the kitten was safely back in my arms but in my absence chaos began on the ship again. By the time I had returned I came to find the python had returned and already killed one of the kittens I had saved that morning and had Henila in a grip. The snake moved back into the river with Henila and the kitten struggles to stay afloat in the water. I gave chase and attacked with another blast of magic, only to dissipate an illusion. It seems that Henila was simply knocked into this river, so I made to retrieve her from the flow. By the time I caught up to her, it was apparent she was constricted to death prior to falling in the river.

Back on the ship, where the real snake remained it gave a great lash of its body to knock all of the cats off of the deck except Starr who managed to dodge the attack. Metara caught Cloud before he hit the ground and Starr used the small bauble on her collar to protect the two baby hares. Fithlesis and Sondossa were not as lucky and fell the full two stories to the hard earth below us. Ashina, with Yona retrieved from the attacking hawk, returned to ship to protect the remaining pets from the Snake.

In a last effort, the snake grabbed the mother cat and attempted to flee in a different direction. Mahtan and I gave chase after the snake who also had to deal with the mother cat’s struggling. I fired more spells at it using the tome from the pantheon and Mahtan was using the Wisp to keep up with the reptile. Mahtan tossed a coyote carcass we had stored on the Altus in the snakes path and seeing the better meal, drops the mother cat who struggles to shore. The snake, with its new meal in its possession, creates a grim illusion recreating the death of our kittens before disappearing under the murky water.

When Mahtan and I return to the Altus I entrust Revan to care for the surviving kittens. The single kitten I rescued today sticks out with fur of black and gold. Grabbing some tools from the Altus’ stores I worked to perform a proper burial for the four kittens that were killed off our ship. Fithlesis, Sondossa, Henila, and the small kitten with a coat the color of ocean pearl now lie in the forests of Kadd bordering the farmlands. Their lives cut short under my care, I hope their afterlives are peaceful.

#dungeons and dragons #5th edition #Jett #air genasi #sorcerer

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bluesakurablossom · 7 years

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Life's Gift of Love: Mikey's Love Story

#tmnt mikey #turtlebaes #tmnt 2016

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