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atlasofthestaars · 7 months

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[MK X READER] New Era - Chapter .007

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NOTE: Lots of fluff this time, hope you enjoyed! I uh, hurried to get this out before my work LMAO

Time for yet another poll this time about Kitana! These should be stopping soon, but I want to cram these all in before the Outworld Tourney arc so I can plan it out properly!

As usual leave your thoughts, and I will be taking them into consideration up until a week after this chapter, aka when the tumblr poll ends.

About three chapters left of original content before rejoining with the main plot! I don’t think there are many other characters that people are interested in polling for after Kitana and Havik, but just know that chapter 10 is probably the last time I will accepting asks for love interests since by then I do want to cement how the characters will interact with the reader before we head off to Outworld.

FROM THE EYES OF ONE WHO GETS A LITTLE CLOSER WITH OTHERS

Turns out that movie night is what you needed.

It didn’t fix all your problems, certainly not. If only it did. You still struggle with sleeping still. You aren’t certain how you were able to fall asleep so easily in that room, but you weren’t able to fall asleep quite as nicely afterwards.

You still worry and struggle to relax, and you weren’t certain if you were going to ever find a permanent solution to that. But you were inspired by Johnny to take up more activities to help loosen up more. You began to cook more, trying to chase the perfection that was Madam Bo’s cooking from the recipes that she had taught you.

You ended up cooking more than you often needed, and outside of meal times, you were often too embarrassed to ask Liu Kang to help eat the food. You weren’t even certain if the fire god even enjoyed eating, or ate to simply accompany you so you did not eat alone. You always wondered that, but found it to be too awkward of a question to ask. Plus, he seemed happy enough to eat your cooking.

Nevertheless, you had a surplus of food that you could not throw away, so you thought of a different solution.

“You don’t have to give me this.” Kenshi said, a look of confusion on his face as you handed him a neatly packed box of food. It was still warm and you could faintly smell the goodness that was inside. Despite his words, you held it out to him insistently to the point where he took the food into his hands, a confused look on his face.

“No, no I insist!” You say, brushing it off. “I’ve recently taken up cooking as a hobby again, so I’ve been cooking more than I usually do.” You explained, crossing your arms so the man could not hand back the food you had given him. “I don’t want food to go to waste, so I insist, really. Plus, I figured you’d be someone who would help critique me on what I need to improve.”

“Wouldn’t Kung Lao be better for this?” Kenshi inquired, though he did not look as against the situation as he originally did. He lifted the box up slightly, trying to examine the pristine way you had wrapped and packed the food. “He’s the one who likes food the best out of all of us.”

“He enjoys any food, he’d just eat it and compliment me to see if he could get more.” You pointed out, having thought this out. “Raiden would be too nice, he’d say I tried hard on it even if it was horribly seasoned and burnt. Johnny might have been a good choice, but I also think he might take me giving him food the wrong way.”

“I see.” The swordsman said, taking another look over the packaged food another time. You felt proud of yourself for how neatly you had done it. He paused, before sending you a small smile, and you mentally pat yourself on the back. “Thank you then, I’ll make sure to give you a thorough review of it.”

“Good, because there will be plenty more where that came from.” You said confidently as you quickly shooed him off. “Now go back to training.” You nagged him. “And let me get out of here before Johnny Cage makes fun of me for being here on my off time again.” You whispered, scanning the area for the actor.

You quickly left, leaving Kenshi standing there with a slightly stupefied expression. He glanced down at the box, a small smile on his lips.

When was the last time he had tasted a home cooked meal made with care?

Sneaking a peek around the area, his curiosity tempted him too hard. He pulled at the packaging you put thought into, and opened the lid. It looked like the definition of made with love. He grabbed the utensils you had given him, and took a bit of the food, too curious about it.

It tasted amazing.

“You’re free to do whatever, just don’t kick their asses too hard.”

It was a month after your short break, and despite your visit to the Lin Kuei temple a long while ago, it was only until now that Smoke could make time to help out your group.

You shot the gray haired man a grin as you walked down the halls with the man. He let out a chuckle at your instruction, raising an eyebrow. The man seemed confident, probably due to you hyping him up for this day. You knew he would provide just the perfect challenge.

“Let me give you the rundown.” You said as you continued to guide him. “Kung Lao, you remember him, is doing great. He does have a bit of an ego though, so feel free to knock him down a peg. Raiden, the other person from the exam, is also doing well, but don’t let his innocent looking face take you off guard. Feel free to also go a bit harder on him, he needs the push.”

“It sounds like you want me to beat up your students rather than test them.” Tomas pointed out an amused tone in his voice as he glanced over to you. He was very expressive with his eyes, which was a trait you were thankful for since he was wearing his mask today for training.

“Isn’t that the Lin Kuei way?” You teased before sighing as you put a hand on your left rib cage. “It’s been years, and I swear Bi-Han left a permanent bruise from his intensity.” You huffed. “Anyways, for the other two, let’s see…” You paused, thinking of what to say. “Johnny has a flashy way of fighting, don’t let the look of his fighting deter you, no matter how impractical it may look, he can still land a solid punch.” You let out another scoff. “Also, don’t let his words, whether positive or negative, take you off guard, he’s a real charmer.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s an actor, he has a way with words. He might try to butter you up so you’ll go easy on him. Or try to cast you in his movies.” You informed him, remembering back to the first time Johnny had tried to get you to join his movies after the tournament. “You’ll see what I mean.”

“Duly noted.” Smoke nodded, but you had a sense that you probably made him more curious rather than cautious. You watched as he subconsciously spun the karambit he fought with on his finger, doing tricks with it absentmindedly.

“Anyways, Kenshi has some more…practical practice with fighting, so he’s also a threat to look for.” You continued, purposefully being vague with Kenshi’s past for the sake of his privacy. “He fights with a katana, so I suppose you’ll be out ranged.” You pointed out, gesturing to the much shorter dagger he wielded.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to close the gap.” The Lin Kuei man said, with a tone of confidence in his words. You smiled, remembering your old spars with him. He was always tricky to fight against, being able to easily slip in a fight to get right where he wanted. “Any other advice you have for me?”

“Nope, like I said, you’re pretty much free to do what you want.” You said with a small shrug. “They’ll learn a lot from fighting you.”

The two of you made your way to the courtyard, where the group was gathered. They were waiting, and you could tell that it had probably only been a few minutes since the last master had been training with them.

“Gentlemen, I present with you today, a different person to spar.” You greeted as you rounded the corner with Smoke in tow. You gestured to your friend, a smile on your lips. “This is Tomas, otherwise known as Smoke. He’s from the Lin Kuei. and I chose him to help train you today.”

“Lin Kuei? Like the ones who broke my Hichuli?” Johnny asked, as he looked towards Smoke. He observed him for a moment before pointing at him. “Nice mask, by the way.” He commented before looking towards you again.

From the corner of your eye, you watched as Smoke was surprised by Johnny’s compliment.

“I remember you from the test.” Kung Lao said, walking up to take a closer look at the guest. He sized him up and down, crossing his arms as he did so. “We’re better trained now.” He declared, referring to Raiden and himself with confidence, “We can take you on without you pulling your punches.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Kung Lao.” You warned, sending him a look. “You may have been progressing very well with your training, but Tomas here is still a trained hunter, you know.” You gestured towards the gray clad man who took your praise well, but there was a hint of bashfulness you could glean from his face.

“It is an honor to have you with us here, today.” Raiden spoke, bowing towards Smoke with utmost respect. You smiled, pleased at the respect he displayed. You could always rely on him to be modest. You watched as Kenshi also nodded in his direction.

“Kung Lao, since you’re so confident, go ahead and step right up first.” You instructed, nodding towards Smoke who stepped forward to take the challenge. You crossed your arms and observed, feeling satisfied as you were proven right that Smoke provided just the right amount of challenge. He could do what the rest of you could not: attack from all sorts of angles with his teleportation techniques.

As Smoke finally knocked over the farmer, you strode over. You held a hand out for the man.

“Good job.” You praised both of the men. You gripped Kung Lao’s hand firmly as he grabbed yours, hoisting him up. You felt Kung Lao squeeze your hand briefly before releasing it, and you mentally noted how his hand felt with the callouses.

“You’ve improved since the exam.” Smoke added in, brushing himself off too. Even though Kung Lao had been ultimately beaten, you could see that he had still given the Lin Kuei member a run for his money at times.

“Thank you.” Kung Lao said, seeming to have been humbled a bit more. An enthusiastic look appeared on his face as he tilted his head towards the two of you. “Soon enough I’ll be able to beat you though.” He said with confidence. “Especially when I get my hat.” He said, his tone dripping with excitement as he glanced at you before walking off to the side to rest up.

“A story for another time.” You said as Smoke sent you a curious look. “Kenshi!” You called the previous gang member up, and stepped back to observe the fight from the sidelines. You had your students rotate through, each of them fighting Smoke one on one. After the last match, you called for a break, letting them catch their breaths, especially Smoke who had been fighting all this time.

“You’re really making me work.” Smoke commented lightly as he took the water you handed him.

“Just as you did when I helped you.” You reminded him, remembering how many Lin Kuei recruits he had made you spar on that day when you visited the temple. “Don’t think I forgot.” You teased as you brushed past him, purposely bumping into his shoulder in a playful manner. You felt his stare on you as you walked away to go talk to your students.

You approached all of them, giving tips to them, explaining what they could improve when they were called up to fight Smoke for another round. You smiled as you watched them absorb the information. Soon, you sent them all back to fight the Lin Kuei member once more.

“Alright, you’re all dismissed.” You declared as Kung Lao finished his round, you chose for him to go last this time since he went first the first round. You clapped your hands, and they nodded as they dispersed. You watched as both Kenshi and Smoke approached you, only for Johnny to distract the Lin Kuei member and whisk him away.

You’d have to make sure that the actor wasn’t roping the poor man into anything later.

“What’s up?” You inquired as the swordsman approached, but you had an inkling of an idea of what it was about, after all you’ve been hearing his food critiques for about a month now.

“The food today was great, as usual.” Kenshi informed you with a soft smile. He had certainly warmed up to you much more ever since your food gifting had begun. “I did notice though that…” And he went off on a small talk about your food, giving you helpful criticisms as usual. He was always honest, and seemed to put great thought into his reviews, which you dearly appreciated.

It felt all too familiar, and you felt nostalgia pull at your heart. While you didn’t have too many memories of Kenshi in your past life, you had enough to remember that he must have been a close confidant. Why else would you care so much about his opinions?

“I’ll be sure to do that next time.” You said, but your mind drifted off. While you had been cooking mainly Chinese cuisine, you briefly considered trying out Japanese cuisine for Kenshi. You opened your mouth to ask for his favorite food, but considered against it.

Maybe you can surprise him instead.

You think you remembered what you believed was his favorite food from the hazy memories that you had sorted through. You made a mental note to visit Madam Bo soon to try to ask for some advice for cooking it. After all, she was the best chef you knew.

You watched with a silent pride as the man walked off after giving you his short food review. You felt a presence approaching you, and you turned to see Tomas approaching with raised eyebrows. You returned his confused expression.

“You feed your students?” He asked, a tone of curiosity…and another emotion you couldn’t quite place. You let out a small laugh as you nodded.

“You overheard?” You asked, but you knew already that he must have if he was asking about it. You placed a hand on your hip. “I do, but just to Kenshi. I’ve been practicing the recipes that Madam Bo taught me, and I usually make too much and give some to him. He helps me out by critiquing them.”

“I see.” Smoke said, nodding. He paused for a moment, a look of consideration crossing his face. “All these years of knowing you, and I don’t think I’ve tried your cooking, I’m hurt.” He said, his voice taking a teasing tone at the end. You scoffed and rolled your eyes to match his playful energy.

“It’s nothing special, if you want real good food, you should try Madam Bo’s, she’s the real master.” You said, moving to cross your arms. “But now that you’ve mentioned it, you’re right. I haven’t cooked for you before.” You paused and considered something. “Maybe one day I should.”

“I’d like that.” Tomas said, his eyes crinkling at the edges as you assumed he smiled at you. You returned the smile.

“I’ll make plans for it, then.” You said, trying to think of an appropriate time to cook for him…or maybe you should invite the other Lin Kuei ninjas too. You began to calculate in your head some plans. It was only until you saw Smoke extend his pinky in front of your face that your train of thought was derailed. “A pink promise?” You inquire with a mock offended tone, “What, you don’t trust me?”

“I do, I just want an excuse to hold it over you in case you forget.” Tomas said. letting out a small laugh. You sighed dramatically as you rolled your eyes. Nevertheless, you extended your pinky and hooked it around his, playing along.

It was a little silly, but seeing the promise between you was a bit charming. A small delightful tingle was left on your skin where it had made contact with his as your pinkies unraveled from his. You wondered briefly if it was a side effect of his power, but didn’t try to question it too much, just savoring how it felt.

“I’ll hold you to your word, then.”

“The first prototype of Kung Lao’s hat is here.”

Turning around, you saw Liu Kang approach as he carried a small box. You approached him, grabbing the box from his hands. It was lighter than you expected, and walked over to set it down on a table so you could inspect it properly.

It took longer than you were expecting to get this first prototype. Another month had passed between when you had Smoke help you and now. The days seemed to be passing quickly, and the months leading to the Outworld tournament were dwindling slowly.

You weren’t certain to be nervous about the time to train these men were quickly running out, or to be excited that soon you were going to finally visit Outworld.

“Interesting.” You remarked as you held up the razor sharp ring of metal up from out of the box. It seemed it was the main blade that was supposed to attach to the edge of the hat. For now, it was still unattached. You were careful as you traced the edge of the blade, but hissed as you accidentally cut yourself on it. “Sharper than it looks.”

“Indeed.” Liu Kang said. you saw a crease of worry appear on his face as he noticed the look of pain on your face. You set down the blade, going to go inspect your finger where it had cut you. You squinted down, seeing a bead of blood beginning to form. It was a bigger cut than you were ready for, it extended to two of the joints of your pointer finger.

Carefully, the fire god grabbed your hand. You blinked owlishly as he carefully lifted up your hand to inspect it, not knowing what to exactly say or do. He let out a small hum as he noticed the small amount of blood. As if he were touching something delicate, he wiped away the blood with his thumb.

His touch was always so gentle, so warm.

“You carry a medical kit with you, yes?” The protector of Earthrealm inquired. You nodded, not noticing how you were spaced out. You reached around to grab it out of your pocket. You handed it to him, feeling a bit touched he remembered that fact about you.

Liu Kang took it from you, and you watched as he carefully took the supplies out of the pack. He carefully made sure to clean the blood away before he spread some petroleum jelly on your skin. You tried not to flinch at the contrast of the cold jelly and his warm skin. Then, he carefully wrapped your finger up with a band aid.

“Thank you.” You quickly said, briefly stupefied at the actions of the god. You could have cleaned and mended your cut yourself, and yet you found yourself not wanting to mention that fact to him. Maybe he just thought it was easier for him to patch your wounds for you. There was no reason to overthink things, the fire god was just as friendly to you as he is to everyone else.

Surely.

“No problem.” Liu Kang replied warmly as he packed up your medical pack and handed it back to you. You swallowed as you took it back, tucking the pack back into one of your pockets. You avoided his glowing eyes as you picked up the box.

“It’s time to deliver this to Kung Lao.” You announced, before walking briskly off. You tried not to think about why you were all of a sudden feeling tongue tied over such a small gesture. You ignored how you felt his stare linger on you for maybe a little too long as you walked off.

You were overthinking things lately, honestly.

“This looks better than I envisioned!” Kung Lao marveled as he looked over the blade you were presenting to him. You basked in the beam he sent your way, and you felt a sense of satisfaction wash over you as you were watching the man’s dream come to life before your very eyes.

And you were the cause of it.

“I think it looks good too.” You remarked. You instinctively pulled the blade away as Kung Lao tried to touch the edge. You had been reminded of what happened earlier, and ignored how your face wanted to warm up at the memory. “Be careful, the blade is sharper than it looks.” You warn. You hesitate for a moment, before gently handing it to him.

You probably shouldn’t be as cautious as you were being. He was going to wield this razor hat one way or another. You watched with bated breath as he took it from you. Your nerves turned to pride as you watched him inspect it, flipping it over as he murmured to himself.

It felt right, watching him with the blade. Why were you so worried in the first place?

“Oh, and here’s the hat, compare it to the blade to see if you like the fit.” You remarked as you stooped down to pick it up. You heard the sound of metal falling as you lifted the hat up. You looked down, puzzled, as you knelt down to inspect it.

It was a small piece of metal. It had no marks, but it was too small to be any piece of a blade. Was this a piece of scrap metal? You chose not to question it, grabbing it as you stood up. You handed the hat to him, along with the piece of metal.

“Here’s the hat.” You started, before gesturing to the small piece of metal. “Not sure what this is for, but this was also in there too.” You said, shrugging. You watched as he gladly took the hat. There was a look of recognition that appeared on his face as he saw the piece of metal in your hand. He quickly snatched it out of your hand before tucking it away in a pocket.

Odd, but it wasn’t suspicious enough to question him. Or at least, you weren’t bothered enough to.

“Thanks!” He said. You watched as he put the blade along the edge of the hat. Carefully, he put the hat on, holding the blade to the edge with his hands. He tilted the hat down, masking the fact that he had to hold the blade and the hat together by striking a pose. “How do I look?”

A wave of nostalgia washed over you as you looked at the pose. You don’t remember when was the last time you had been hit with it this strongly. You were speechless as you looked at him. You knew he wanted to make a hat with multiple blades, but something about a simple blade hat felt right.

Maybe you should try and make him a different version of this hat, one that felt closer to the memories you had.

A small memory of teasing and laughing with a much cockier version of Kung Lao filled your mind as you looked fondly at the man. You sucked in a breath as you nodded.

“You look great.” You complimented, and you truly meant it. “The hat really suits you, I can’t wait to see how it’ll look when it’s finished.” You watched as a grin grew on Kung Lao’s face, and you spotted a bit of pink on his cheeks. He seemed to absorb the praise well, and for a moment you almost reconsidered taking back the compliment. It was clearly letting it inflate his ego.

Then again, it made him happy, so you said nothing to rain on his parade.

“Of course I do.” Kung Lao said smugly as he took the hat off. He looked at it again, the same way you would think a father would look at their own kid. You held back a chuckle. He was really enthusiastic about this hat, wasn’t he?

“You can mess with it for a while, whether it be practicing with the blade or making notes for the blacksmith.” You informed him. “I’ll be taking it back with the box whenever you are ready to return it to get it worked on again.”

“Got it.” He nodded. “Thanks for this, again.” You watched as the Fengjian farmhand took one last look at the hat before stowing again in the box and running off. Whether it was to test out the blade or to make design notes, you weren’t sure.

Either way, you felt happy.

“You’ve improved a lot.” You remark as you watch Raiden run through a combination again. He was a far cry from the man you remembered from the beginning. You looked up at the stars, reflecting back to those days with a wistful look.

Time was passing by fast, and you were reminded of that as you noted how much more confident Raiden seemed in his strikes. You crossed your arms as you fixed the man with a stare, watching him take pause after he finished the combination.

“Really?” He asked, a small smile on his face. He had an almost shy look on his face as he turned to look at you. You nodded in response, and he stood there for a moment before looking away. “How so?” He asked, a curious look on his face.

“Well, for one, you’re not making as many mistakes anymore.” You pointed out, holding back a small chuckle. “Actually, do that combination again.” You said, finding it ironic that you were probably going to have to take back the praise you had just given him,

You watched him as he did the combination again, and noticed the error in his form. You couldn’t help the laugh that left your lips. The irony of it all.

“Okay, poor timing.” You remarked. You tried instructing him on how to correct him form, but watched as he kept on missing the critical error. You felt a bit bad, maybe it was because you had just been mentioning how he had been improving and now he was a bit psyched out. You walked up to him. “Here, you need to land like this.”

Gently, you grabbed his arms and moved them into the proper position. You twisted his hands to face the right way. Then, you nudged his legs apart to make sure they were spaced apart properly. You hummed as you leaned in close, inspecting his form now.

“Just like that.” You said softly, as you removed your hands from him. You backed up, looking him up and down. You looked up to his face, raising an eyebrow as you saw him avoid eye contact, his face a bit pink. “You understand now, Raiden?”

“Um, I…” Raiden stumbled on his words, his voice a little panicked as he looked down at himself before nodding. “Yes, I get it now.” He said quickly. You tilted your head, a bit confused at his change in demeanor.

“It’s okay if you don’t.” You reassured him, sensing he was nervous. Was he all caught up in trying to be perfect after your praise? You had a feeling that wasn’t the reason, but you couldn’t quite understand what else it would be. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad by praising you then correcting you.” You told him, trying to make sure he felt better. “I can help correct your form again if you need me to.”

“I should be good.” The former Fengjian farmhand said, his voice still a bit antsy. He shifted out of the form before facing the dummy. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. You nodded at him, and watched with satisfaction as he did the combination much better this time. “How was that?” He asked, a bit skeptical of his own performance.

“Excellent.” You praised, clapping your hands. “See, even if you mess up, you take critiques very well.” You pointed out with a smile. “It’s honestly impressive how quickly you can adapt sometimes now.” You continued. “I don’t think I was as quick of a learner as you are.”

“Really?” Raiden inquired, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “I can hardly imagine you not being excellent at fighting.” He commented, rubbing the back of his neck. “You just seem to be so talented at it, in all honesty. It’s admirable.”

“You flatter me too much.” You said, but still took the praise happily. You’d never admit it, but you enjoyed it whenever people praised your fighting skills. “I just have a lot of experience under my belt.” How much training you truly had, you had no idea, but he didn’t need to know that detail. “I do want you to know that I truly mean it when I say you’ve improved greatly, despite what just happened.”

“You are too kind.” Raiden said, nodding his head at your praise. “I hope to live up to your expectations for me.”

“Oh Raiden,” You chuckled, covering your smile with your hand. You looked at the man fondly, shaking your head. “You already have.” You admitted. And it was true, he always went above and beyond for training, putting in more hours than anyone else did. He was truly dedicated to getting better.

The bashful look on his face, you had to admit, was rather amusing. You grinned. You felt bad, it was almost a bit fun to try and tease the man and see what got him flustered. Maybe you were being a bit of a bully, but you would never really admit that.

“I’ve only managed to get this far because I have such a wonderful mentor.” Raiden said, and you felt a bit warm as he turned the praise back on you. Sure, he had praised you just recently, but there was something about the way he said it that made this particular compliment feel special. The smile that decorated his face only added to it. “So, thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being such a wonderful person.”

part eight

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suugarbabe · 7 months

Text

made for loving you | r.l. x reader

an: It's my birthday! & I had this cute little bitty one shot idea that I wanted to do about reader x remus after I heard the song I Was Made for Loving You by Kiss so I had to write it immediately. This is my first time writing marauders era so please be gentle

Warnings: mentions of drinking

word count: ~1.3k

It had been a few years since you had seen everyone, at least all together like you were going to tonight. The years after Hogwarts were very generous to you, and you couldn’t say you were mad about it. You gave another twirl in front of Lily and Marlene, the two coming over to help you pick out your outfit. You had settled on a black plaid skirt paired with a black form fitting turtleneck. The November air in London never being forgiving.

“You look stunning, truly, y/n/n,” Lily was hyping you up but you couldn’t help the nerves that were bubbling inside.

“You don’t think it’s too much for a pub?” Doubt written on your face.

Marlene rolled her eyes, “It’s Sirius’s birthday. You could never wear an outfit that was ‘too much’ when celebrating that man. He’s probably going to go all out himself.”

You laughed with her and Lilly as you pulled on some black sheer tights and slipped on your boots, “Well you would know best, wouldn’t you Mar?” You gave her a wink.

Marlene couldn’t contain her smile, “I would know best, thank you very much. You would know more if you came around more often! I feel like we haven’t properly seen you in forever.”

You pouted slightly, “I know, I’m so sorry. I’ve just been…adjusting to life after Hogwarts. Who’s all gonna be there tonight anyway?” You did you best to sound as nonchalant as possible, forgetting that the two girls in front of you had been your best friends for seven straight years.

Lily wore a cheeky grin as she answered, “Oh just the old gang, me, Mar, Sirius obviously, James, Frank, Alice and…Remus.” Lily put a little extra emphasis on the last name and your body reacts before you could control it, cheeks flushing a bright red.

You hum in response, “Oh, cool, perfect. That’ll be exciting to see everyone.” Marlene and Lily exchanged a look, causing you to shift on your feet, “What?”

Marlene rolled her eyes, “Oh nothing, just you trying to act like you’re not still infatuated with Moony boy.” Lily was giggling next to her as you pouted, crossing your arms.

“Oh come on, y/n/n,” Lily whined, grabbing your hands, “You two have been pining after each other since literally forever, and now you look like a bloody goddess and he’s going to be there, and you know he’ll be too shy to say anything Merlin forbid do anything.”

You shook your head, opening the door to your flat as the others followed you down the street towards the pub, “I mean yes I had a crush on him but he did not have a crush on me.”

Marlene and Lilly both groaned. “We’re gonna get a few drinks in you and then you’re going to make a move and see how right we are,” Marlene hooked her arm through your elbow.

“Yes and I’ll make sure James gets a couple into Remus so maybe he won’t be quite as shy,” Lily smiled, hooking her arm on your other side.

You made a mental note to have a conversation with both of your friends about what the phrase “few” meant because multiple shots and mixed drinks were far more than a few. The boys were late, which was no surprise, but you were not wanting to be completely drunk before they got here. But presently you didn’t have it in you to be too upset as one of your favorite songs came on and you were dragging your two friends to the small dance floor in the pub.

You could feel the guitar and drums in your veins as your hips swayed to the beat, you were having a lot more fun than you anticipated for tonight. You danced and sang the lyrics out loud with Marlene and Lily before one of them grabbed your shoulders and forced you to turn around.

Your eyes locked onto a head of soft brown hair like you were tied to him. As they got their drinks the three boys started walking towards your group. James and Sirius went straight into dancing as Remus, of course, walked smoothly over.

Maybe it was the amount of alcohol you had, or maybe it was Marlene and Lily’s voice in the back of your head but you had a sudden surge of confidence, pointing your finger right at Remus as you sang the next chorus to the song.

“I was made for lovin’ you, baby. You were made for lovin’ me”

Remus wore a shy smile, pointing to himself and cocking his head slightly. You nodded your head, wrapping your free hand that wasn’t holding your drink around his neck and singing the next line.

“And I can’t get enough of you baby. Can you get enough of me?”

Remus’s free hand found your hip, starting to sway with you for the remainder of the song. You assumed he had had some drinks at home with his friends before coming here. Partly because of the confidence he seemed to be having with you being so forward, and partly due to his seemingly relaxed state in his eyes.

Over his shoulder you spotted James and Lily, the latter of which sent you a thumbs up before making a shooing motion with her hand. You raised an eyebrow at her and she tilted her head towards the back of the pub. You turned slightly, seeing the back hallway she was motioning to.

“You okay?” Remus had leaned down to whisper in your ear. Goosebumps raised on your neck and you prayed he couldn’t tell. You looked up at him through your lashes, his honey eyes filled with adoration.

You grabbed hold of his hand, lacing his fingers with yours and dragging him to the back of the pub. The hallway was only slightly quieter but it was dimmer and just the two of you. You pulled him with you to this space with such force that you nearly slammed your back into the wall with a grip on his jumper.

Remus stables himself with a hand on the wall behind you. He’s towering over you, looking at you like no one’s ever looked at you before. You barely see his lips tilt into a smile, about to part and say something to you. However before he can get a word out you have another surge of confidence and pull him towards you, pressing your lips together.

He takes no time to respond, your mouths melding together. His lips on yours was a feeling you never wanted to go without again, you had essentially ruined yourself from being able to kiss anyone else in the future. His free hand found your waist, digging his fingers into the soft flesh as he took a step closer to you, deepening the kiss and pressing his body against yours.

Your fingers are laced in the hair at the base of his neck and when he pushed close to you, you can’t stop yourself from tugging lightly on the strands in your hand. Remus nearly whimpers into your mouth at the action and you swore your knees were going to give out right there. When he finally pulls away you’re both breathless. His forehead is rested against yours and your chests are heaving.

“Wow,” Remus was the first one to break the silence you two were holding, “I am so incredibly stupid.” Your eyes shot up to meet his, fearful that he regrets what just happened. He can see the apprehension in your face and only smiles at you, cupping your cheek and running his thumb along your lips, “I am so incredibly stupid to have been too shy to do anything like that sooner.”

You let out a breath you weren’t even aware you were holding before pulling Remus face back to yours, connecting your lips once more. So enthralled with each other you didn’t notice your group of friends coming down the hall until Sirius opened his big mouth, “Uhm, hello? It’s my birthday, why the hell is no one snogging me like that?” Yours and Remus' response was a simple middle finger thrown his way, not even pulling your faces apart in the process.

#remus lupin x reader #marauders era #remus lupin x you #remus lupin x y/n #sirius black #james potter

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lowkeyrobin · 2 months

Note

Heyy :) Can you please write headcanons of dating quackity, but in his earlier eras? (like 2019-21 maybe) ❤

ooooo yes of course!!! ; fun fact I've been watching him since 2018 or so (I don't mean this in a "Oh I'm cooler than you way) ; thank you for the request!! this was fun as hell ; I tried to kinda do it in a chronological order but yeah, I did like stuff and then more details of relationship if that makes sense yk???

QUACKITY ; 2019-2021 era

warnings ; language, talk of drugs, jokes about sex

genre ; fluff

word count ; 858

masterlist

Raiding Club Penguin with him and Axel was a core memory for you. It was the first true time, however cringe it sounds, that you saw Alex as your best friend.

he'd always try to make you laugh, especially on stream

such a little tease

back in the olden days, we had those Discord server 'wtf is that food' videos

you guys rank some of them and how likely you'd eat them

also ranking Discord memes

so many of them were dumb shit or weird shipart from like 2015 deviantart LMFAO

"guys I know me and y/n are dating but that doesn't mean compare us to Shrek couples!"

"I thought Thanos was your true love?"

"He-He is! Oh my God, stop being so desperate, y/n. ugh"

once he got invited to the Dream SMP, you were all ears and proudly taught him how to play Minecraft

you made his alt skin with the tuxedo, which he didn't wear often, but used in lore some time later

youd often help him with lore ideas

he also got you invited into the SMP where he introduced you to some of his new friends

you knew schlatt and some others, but most of these people were new and it was nice meeting all of them

the fiances are established and then you and quackity are already a think and you also like karl, which creates a weird love rectangle with an open end because you and sapnap are sharing the other two 💀

lore goes fuckin crazy with that

while Karl's off making Kinoko Kingdom and Quackity's running Las Nevadas, you're building El Tropicana, off in the far away jungle biome

Alex would usually stream and translate Mexican soap operas, which you joined in for sometimes

you'd give the characters different voices and twist their words up a bit to make it more entertaining for chat

the amount of drug talk that went into that was wild

also the amount of queer kids bullied in those schools?? yikes on bikes

also the one with that girl who got in trouble for kissing a boy on the playground or whatever that was?? Jesus christ man

youd both act put the scenes on occasion and use Tiger as whatever kid was being yelled at if she was in the room with you

taking a break halfway through stream for him to play guitar and for you to karaoke to fuckin Bo Burnham

also making fake joints out of paper he had laying around and "lighting them up" aka setting paper on fire next to a PC and your faces

Jackbox streams with the Feral Boys until 3am>>>

Paranormal Activity in the middle of the night went so fucking crazy

teaching Bad how to play GTA is your favorite memory with those two

playing horror games and watching him play horror games with Karl while he visited him

how dare he leave you all alone (you couldn't go because you had a busy schedule)

your chats shipping the hell out of you and your dsmp characters

hella fanart and fanfictions man

try not to laugh streams where you always ended up laughing before the ten minute mark because of him

he purposefully does shit to make you laugh

reading fanfiction on stream was a regular activity especially for y/s/n

youd rank the book on a scale from one to ten and how accurate to real life they were

"nahhhh that one doesn't have enough Thanos, two out of ten"

"yknow what... were gonna have our own tier lists... okay?"

"damnit... does this mean I'm not getting laid later?"

"what"

promoting the quackityhq merch religiously

also stealing whichever beanie he wasn't wearing, either the LAFD one or the plain black and blue one

him tying you to a chair and forcing you to laugh was a common stream plot

tweets that were either very inconspicuous about drugs, very sexual, or very old married couple vibes

youd both be frequently trending on twitter

hot wings or dare streams with Bad >>>>

playing girls go games and hoping you wouldn't give his PC a virus

sitting in the inflatable pool fully clothed, playing with children's bath toys

he'd for sure be the type to fall for his best friend

whether it be all the way back then or just now, he could go forever without feeling any feelings but one day they'll show up and the nervousness begins

he'd lend you a hoodie if you were cold in his room and he just straight up begs you to keep it

lots of just staring at you while chat ships you, like genuinley just zones out on your pretty face

would probably doubt his feelings at first and talk to his mom about it and she's like "boy you have a crush. Go ask them the hell out, you're a handsome young man, I'm pretty sure they like you too"

"mOooOooOoOoM"

genuinley spoils you with no good reason and after a while you just accept it

he starts sending good morning and good night texts

he'll repost (or reblog) (he has a secret tumblr) fanart of you two, especially if it's shipart

will constantly send you clips of movie characters making out or kissing and say "this should be us"

#lowkeyrobin #mcyt x reader #mcyt preferences #mcyt oneshot #quackity x reader #alex quackity x reader #quackity oneshot #quackity headcannons #quackityhq x reader #quackity #qsmp x reader #gender neutral reader #gn reader #they/them reader

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bluecoolr · 1 year

Note

What if Vincent and Bo just drowned y/n with affection for an entire day, never letting em lift an arm

LAZY DAY CUDDLES WITH THE SINCLAIR TWINS

Honestly, you don't know how much I need this 😩😩😩

Lets be real, both these boys give off major lazy energy. The only real day work they do involves tinkering with their big boy toys of choice (cars and art). Messy house I can excuse, but the mountain of dirty dishes? 💀 Femme Y/N? Always wanted to be a princess? Well, get ready because you're entering your Cinderella era 💕

However, on days when neither you or your Sinclair of choice feel like doing anything, they're more than happy to just stay in bed and be affectionate.

He is so fucking clingy

He doesn't like to admit it but he is! Usually he prefers if you do the clinging when you're in public, but in private he's all over you.

It's also him being possessive but yk

First thing in the morning, he'll pull you against him and tell you he wants 5 more minutes.

Lots of little kisses on your cheek, your neck, your shouders, your lips.

Soft, content little hums.

5 more minutes become an hour and Vincent is wondering why breakfast isn't ready.

Bo's a hefty dude, and when he drapes his leg over yours, you're locked in.

You don't complain. He's so very warm and his hugs are so nice.

Once you're both fully awake, you just lay there and talk about anything - giggling like a pair of teenagers in love.

All the while, you're constantly touching; running your hands over each other's sides, caressing each other's faces.

Bo's always the sweetest and tenderest in the morning. Over all you're getting a lot of praise and compliments from him, no matter how cheesy.

He'll tell you how pretty your eyes are and that your hair looks nice (freaking liar XD)

Either you stay in bed all day and he goes and puts something together for breakfast lunch n dinner (don't expect it to be that good btw) and you eat it there, or you eventually come down to cook together.

Although, Bo jokingly tells you to stay out of his way. He fully intends to have you kick back - if just for the day.

You hang out on the couch and watch TV

He strokes your hip while you're stretched out and lying on his lap or chest. He runs his fingers through your hair.

Vincent

Vincent's even more clingy than Bo.

He practically wraps himself around you while you're in bed.

He rests his head on your chest, feeling you breathe and listening to your heart beat. You can comb through his hair with your fingers while he's at it, he loves that.

His hug is so tight it's like he's afraid that if he lets up for even a second you'll slip away and disappear.

He'll talk with you too, but not as much as Bo. He's a little more concerned with appreciating you than anything else.

He wants you to know that he appreciates everything that you do, and that he's grateful that you stuck with him after everything.

Will give you a backrub if you want, he knows you work so hard around the house.

Plants little kisses on your back while he's at it.

He also likes to feel your skin on his cheek - appreciates how smooth and soft it is.

If you have scars, and if you're comfortable with that, he'll give them light kisses.

If you have freckles or beauty marks he traces them and tries to commit them to memory.

He'll make you breakfast, too.

Nothing gourmet (he and Bo like to say that). He was a sad tinfoil-wrapped old food eating bachelor before you came around, so-

He'll sit in bed next to you, just sketching away, while you do your thing (reading, drawing, sewing, knitting, you name it. He loves it when you two create together).

#house of wax #vincent sinclair #bo sinclair #bo sinclair x reader #bo sinclair x you #bo sinclair x y/n #vincent sinclair x reader #vincent sinclair x you #slasher fandom #slasher x reader #fluff #slasher community #bluecoolr.txt #bluecoolr.ask

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between-the-matches-verse · 2 months

Text

Throughout the Eras Intros: Couples Edition

Note: Happy late Valentine's Day! I would have posted this yesterday, but I wasn't feeling well.

Raiden: I hear Madam Bo is doing a couples special right now!

Kung Lao: If we're quick, we can still make it!

—

Mileena: Our wedding will be the most beautiful wedding in all the realms!

Tanya: There's that passion I fell in love with!

—

Shang Tsung: The Netherrealm or my island?

Quan Chi: I find myself indecisive on that matter.

—

Rain: I apologize for dragging you into my problems.

Smoke: The decision to help you was mine alone!

—

Kung Lao: Why the long face, Lord Liu Kang?

Liu Kang: You remind me of someone I loved and lost.

—

Reptile: I'll fight Lord Liu Kang himself if it'll free you!

Ashrah: You will always be welcomed by my side.

—

Sub-Zero: If we can exploit this loophole I found in your contract...

Sareena: I can be free to remain with you, Bi Han!

—

Kitana: You are just as irreplaceable to me as Mileena.

Jade: I could ask for nothing more, Kitana.

—

Johnny Cage: And to think, we used to hate each other's guts.

Kenshi: I am ashamed of that period of time.

—

Smoke: We never would've met if it weren't for Shang Tsung.

Rain: I am glad to have met you, Tomas.

—

Sareena: Aww... you were so cute as a baby!

Sub-Zero: Who showed you my baby pictures?!?

—

Tanya: Your beauty will always be unmatched throughout the realms.

Mileena: Even though I suffer from Tarka?

—

Quan Chi: Kia and Jataaka will defend you as well.

Shang Tsung: Flattered as I am, I can protect myself just fine.

—

Kung Lao: Do you think anyone in Fengjian found out about us?

Raiden: Kung Jin feels less alone now that he knows about us.

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devil-doll13 · 10 months

Text

Some House of Wax/Sinclair Brothers Headcanons I’ve had in my head that I’ve already shared w the server but… The rest of the world deserves to know.

Related to gif, Vincent is the ‘medical expert’ of the house solely because he’s the one who knows the human body/first aid the best. I mean, in the movie we see him stitching up those wounds on what’s-his-face pretty neatly, right? This is also part of the reason why he automatically reaches for Bo during this scene.

Given his birth date was sniffed out by fans before me (1970) and this man looks like he’s a cosplayer sometimes, I truly believe Bo idolised Elvis Presley as a kid, and maybe a bit as an adult as well. He still enjoys listening to rock n’ roll from that era when he’s in a good mood. When he’s in a bad mood, or doing his business™️ in his sex dungeon/basement, that’s when the Marilyn Manson comes on.

All of them have had an alt phase of some sort. For Vincent it was goth, for Bo it was rivethead/industrial rock and for Lester it was grunge.

Les is also down bad fucking horrendous for alt people in general. Yes, he has magazines stuffed down his sofa, yes, they used to be Bo’s.

Bo is allergic to nuts. He also gets really nasty hay fever. I also think possibly him having sensory issues/picky eater could’ve led to meltdowns as we see in the opening. And really, it’s the 1970s/80s do you expect his parents to understand or sympathise?

In contrast, Lester has the constitution of a Greek god somehow and has probably eaten some absolutely vile shit as a kid.

I know most people interpret Vince as sweet and shy but… While I do think he’s more measured and withdrawn compared to Bo, I also think being the ‘favourite’ in terms of being Trudy’s little art prodigy contributed to a sort of spoilt brattiness esp as a kid. (Exhibit A: The ‘Bo Sux’ fridge art in the opening) As an adult, there’s still a sense of entitlement to him. What I’m saying is that he’s an insufferable art nerd lol. He definitely isn’t toothless and his arguments with Bo aren’t necessarily one-sided, he’s just capable of ignoring him when he wants to; he’s used to his twin, after all. While I do think he’s capable of being soft, don’t forget this man killed a woman in cold blood and recorded it. I also think he can get snippy enough during arguments to combat Bo’s generally sharp tongue.

Speaking of which, everyone in the (surviving) family knows ASL. It’s necessary when communicating with Vincent.

Again with how prolific a killer Vincent is, I suspect he may be the one who does the most murder out of all of them. Bo is the handsome ‘face’ of Ambrose, and Vincent is right under the seedy underbelly with a knife, ready to spill guts (and then sew it up again once he’s got them in the workshop). Lester is similar to Bo in that he mostly just guides people toward the town, but I do think he gets his own notions sometimes.

From a more x reader perspective, Bo strikes me as a man who’s most charming when he’s not trying to be. Of course he can put on an act for victims/tourists, but those are just empty words, y’know? Also, has a kinda cheesy side.

I know everyone has Jonesy as Lester’s dog but… I think she’s really Vincent’s. In the movie, she’s always seen with Vin or in the house of wax itself, it’s only when he dies that she goes to Lester. I actually think Les is a cat person (tell me he wouldn’t actually encourage their hunting habits for his own personal collection…) while Vin is a dog person. Also, hot take I think Bo loves snakes and reptiles.

Given that the House of Wax and Ambrose itself is a big ol’ art project, and we’ve seen the state of the church (permanently in the middle of dead ass crusty Trudy’s funeral) I think there may be a sort of difficulty letting go of their past in the brothers, maybe some hoarding as well (I mean we haven’t even seen some of the other houses in Ambrose but this is just speculation). We get the sense that Ambrose is a place where time stands still, forever, until its conservationists finally die. Idk I’m talking out my ass here

#feel free to agree disagree criticise hate love flip flop #I’d honestly love to hear other people’s thoughts and headcanons too #I was talking in the server about this but I love how this fandom has just sustained itself on tumblr it’s really beautiful #Vincent Sinclair #Bo Sinclair #Lester Sinclair #House of Wax #House of Wax headcanons #headcanons #my writing

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lushlovers · 1 year

Text

Xbox Withdrawals, J Burrow

summary; the burrows decorating their beautiful home for christmas and dallas being the equivalent of the grinch :).

warnings; swearing, dallas the sass master, joe being sad for two seconds, tooth rotting fluffffff

word count; 1k

note; i hate this sm but i had to put out something. thank you all so so much for the recent love on my works, and for 55 followers on here?? if there's anything you guys have in mind that you want written send it my way, i need some ideas!!

"Alright, everything Christmas-ish is down from the attic, as requested, mama," Joe informed you, waltzing into the kitchen with a very unhappy looking Dallas in tow. He probably was put to the slightest work by his father, now he'll be a sourpuss for the rest of the morning.

Annika sat comfortably on your hip, staring up at her father with your same eyes. She was your twin and Joe loved it. The boys were spitting image of him, just with your complexion. He loved to see your little mini me's running around your house.

You hum in return, pressing a kiss to his cheek as a thank you, "ew," Dallas is always cringing at the slightest contact his parents make. Being like every seven year old ever. Geo comes in to see what he missed out on while he was watching his cartoons, "Mama, up!"

"I can't pick up both of you, baby. Anni's getting too big for that." He turns to your husband after your response, and he's scooped up before he even has to ask, but instead of Joe holding him, he sits him down on the counter, "My back is killing me," you groan, getting older is actually the worst thing ever.

"I can tell it's raining, my knee's killing me," Joe mentioned, stretching out his leg the best he could. After surgery it absolutely kills him in the cold.

Decorating in the house was an all day affair, no matter how fast you all tried to get it done, having a seven month old and a five year old running around was a challenge on the daily, let alone when there were glass ornaments sitting out as you placed them along the tree.

Unfortunately, baby Annika has figured out she can pull herself up on the coffee table in the living room and mess around with whatever may be on top of it. Once it's in her hand, of course it ends up in her mouth, some way somehow, especially since her gums bother her so much with teething.

Joe and Dallas had both volunteered to set up the lights on the bushes outside and around the trees, the rest up higher would be taken care of when there's no little ones around who could possibly climb up a ladder or something along those lines.

Going out and looking for a tree was probably the easiest part in all of this, the whole Burrow family got together and did it as a family. Having Joe's brothers and their wonderful families around to blend with your own was something beautiful to watch, especially seeing them all get to grow up side by side. You were the same way as a kid, always hanging out with your cousins.

Thankfully, today Annika has decided not to throw her tantrums or break something on the table whilst you decorate the tree, she even wanted to help the best she could. She reached out for the sparkly red bulb in your hand, to which you perched her upon your hip, taking her hand in yours and hooking it onto one of the beautiful branches.

Geo was hooking them onto it as well, pointing to each one he did searching for praise on the good job he was doing at being a helper, and you are quick to praise his skill every time just because it makes him smile. He's such a little bundle of energy and smiles no matter the time or place. Dallas too usually, but he's in a sassy era at the moment.

Speaking of, he comes inside, this time with Joe following him, kicking his shoes of with even more attitude than before, he'd gotten really accustomed to being on his Xbox all the time, but that was nipped as soon as he got too comfortable sitting around on it all the time. His playing hours are limited, especially when Joe's home. He loves spending time with the boys whenever he's capable.

"He's still mad about the Xbox?" You ask, already knowing the answer, of course he is. Joe only nods, flopping down onto the couch, Dallas had disappeared somewhere upstairs, most likely on his game despite him not supposed to be. "I just don't get why he doesn't wanna spend time with me," he muffles, but you understand what he said perfectly.

"He does, baby," you frown, sitting yourself down beside his head, "He talks about you all the time, to everyone. Even at school, all his teachers know who you are. It's just.. He's a boy in this century, thats all he does is sit on that game for hours." You're telling him the truth, that's all Dallas really likes to do.

"How about you go and join him, while us three finish the tree, then we can all come watch?" He lifts his head, smiling big and pearly at your great idea, causing his eyes to crinkle a bit. He nearly jumps up and trips over something on his way to the stairs. How had he not thought of this yet?

Geo had barely paid any attention to your conversation with your husband, only continuing to add the glittering tinsel along the tree, being sure to pick up the little pieces he'd managed to drop, "Mama, doesn't it look so pretty?" He's asking again for your validation and you happily oblige.

"It's gorgeous, baby. You did a great job helping mama."

#joe burrow #joe burrow fluff #joe burrow fic #joe burrow smut #joe burrow x reader #joe burrow x you #joe burrow imagine #joe burrow fan fic

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blueiskewl · 4 months

Text

Lost and Found: Bottle Hunter Digs Extraordinary Farmland Treasures

Tom Askjem is a time traveler. Every May to November, he disappears into the bowels of the earth, descends to depths of 13’-plus, and returns to the surface with treasure—bottles and glassware from farming’s past.

After 1,800 pits and hundreds of thousands of relics, Askjem is equal parts archeologist, thrill seeker, and mole. Muscle on dirt, the North Dakota farm boy has turned an addiction into a career, multiple books, and a captivating YouTube channel with millions of views. However, Askjem seeks more than glass.

“I’m digging for adventure, history, and love,” he says. The past is in these holes and there are countless numbers of them across farmland.”

Time to hunt with a master.

The Infection

On the flats of extreme eastern North Dakota’s Traill County, Askjem, 32, prepares for a dig trip. “No mountains and no hills in the Red River Valley,” he describes. “You can see your dog run away for days. The land is mostly featureless, other than a few big cottonwoods and shelter belts where farms used to be.”

A mop of blonde hair sits atop a 6’-tall, lanky frame as Askjem saddles his pony—a Honda Civic. At the current mileage rate, the Civic will be junkyard fodder before it has a scratch: 60,000 backroad miles added to the odometer in the past six months.

Askjem piles layers of gear into the trunk, including three of each tool for insurance: shovels, pronged garden forks, trampoline pads, probe rods, buckets, plastic scoopers, trowels, tents, sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, air mattresses, clothes, and waterproof, Redwing leather work boots.

“It never gets old,” he says, wearing a wide grin. “I caught the infection when I was a kid.”

Digging Bodies

Pushed from the Grand Forks area by the historic Red River flood of 1997, Askjem moved to a farm outside Buxton at six years young. The main property was an 1878 homestead—a progression from sod house to log cabin to the present standing 1898 farmhouse decked in Victorian-era woodwork and hardware.

Surrounded by history, including the skeletons of old wagons and rusting machinery, Askjem explored a 5-acre patch of woods on the property, and chanced on a garbage dump: pop bottles and trash.

Askjem dug.

“I went deep and found stuff going back to 1898. When you’re a kid living in the country, there’s no going down the street and there’s no hanging with friends to play video games—you make your own adventure. I started hitting up all the farmers I could find for leads.”

Behind the wheel of a rattling go-cart, Askjem sought Buxton old-timers and collected tips on abandoned houses. “They all helped me,” he says. “Nobody cared where I hunted because I was just a little kid exploring for all the right reasons.”

“I’ve still got an elementary school journal with an assignment describing my weekend,” he adds. “I wrote, ‘Me and Mom dug up old bodies.’ The teacher marked my paper out of concern,” Askjem describes, with an easy, deep chuckle. “I meant to spell bottles, not bodies. But it shows I was truly hooked.”

Indeed. Wonderfully hooked.

Soft Landing

Why are bottles buried under farmland and old house sites?

Prior to plastic and synthetics, glassware held everything: medicine, hygiene products, alcohol, soda, and beyond. Glass was it.

Additionally, prior to waste disposal services, homeowners discarded trash on-site—in back yard outhouses, trash depressions, burn pits, and wells or cisterns. In short time, the various ground receptacle spots were filled and forgotten.

“Let’s say, for example, a family moved in around 1880,” Askjem explains. “That site likely has two or three outhouse locations prior to World War l. The outhouse spots filled up at a rate according to family size. I dug one farmhouse site that had six outhouses in a 10-year span. Folks went into the outhouses and threw away bottles: medicine, opiates, beer, whiskey. It was convenient and private, and had a soft landing, and got covered quickly. Even now, the bottles often are still preserved.”

“Generally, these houses also had a burn pit and/or dump pit. In the early days, they burned all trash in the stove for heat. Also, homestead bucket wells were filled up with trash and bottles once they were replaced by pump wells. Cisterns also were eventually filled up, but most of those are associated with houses in town.”

And the sites remain, he emphasizes, hiding intact relics beyond the reach of farm machinery or tillage equipment.

X Marks the Spot

Location. Location. Location. Other than a tip or invitation, how does Askjem find dig sites?

X marks the spot, at least in the county courthouse or public library. He spends winters poring over early property transaction documents. “I look at lot sales. If several lots sold for $100 each in 1880, but one sold for $1,000 in 1885, the price climb tells the story and likely represents a building location.”

“I also read old newspaper archives, looking for hotel or business advertisements,” Askjem continues. “Then I can look up the proprietor’s name and keep tightening the scope, narrowing down the exact building location.”

“Every single house is different, but generally, in the countryside, outhouses were 30 paces out the back door. In the city, where most lots were 140’ long, outhouses could be as close as 5-10 paces.”

Confident of a site’s potential, Askjem first asks for permission to dig from the landowner. “Property owners are always so kind to me and I don’t hide anything I find. They’re curious about what is in the ground, just like anybody else.”

Second, he grids out the site. “I put down markers 2 paces apart, maybe 20 paces long. I push probe rods into ground and feel for compaction differences. Depending on the location, I’ll call in and have utility lines marked out for power and gas.”

Decked in Levi’s and a tank-top, it’s time to tunnel.

Claustrophobic Comfort

Shovel in hand, Askjem descends into a layer cake of dirt: black topsoil to brown-colored clay to telltale ash to a use layer containing treasure.

“Generally, I go deep to find old items in quantity. The earliest bottles were used to the last drop by farmers and thrown out empty. Therefore, when they froze in brutal Dakota winters, the glass didn’t break from liquid expansion.”

As Askjem extracts glass vessels from the dirt and grime, his encyclopedic knowledge registers with each find. He recognizes the type, manufacturer, and age. Ink bottles, hygiene bottles, medicine bottles, beer bottles, soda bottles—and far more spill from the holes.

“I find patented medicine bottles across the country, but my favorite are soda bottles because they are unique to their locale and have character. The old soda bottles are usually marked with the bottler and town name because they were returnable.”

The outhouse pits are typically 6’-deep at home sites, with an average size of 6’-by-4’-by-3’. “I’ve dug ghost towns, dug saloons, train depots, and pool halls that were 12’ long, 4’ wide, and 8’ deep. I remember a hotel pit that was 20’-by-20’ and 8’ deep. There was a military fort with pits behind the barracks that was 12’ long, 4’ wide, and 13.5’ deep: That was a week’s worth of digging.”

Askjem’s subterranean realm provides no comfort to the claustrophobic. At 8’-9’, he braces the holes with woodwork. “I’m in a solid clay base that doesn’t cave, but I have a healthy respect for the ground’s limitation. Sometimes, it looks like I’m digging a rabbit hole.”

Preserved in nature’s freezer, the artifacts unearthed by Askjem often are in phenomenal condition.

“Pieces of newspaper can still be read; bottle labels are legible; white lime used in decomposition is visible; and undigested seeds are everywhere. Even 120-year-old human waste sometimes is perfectly preserved and still smells like hell. I wear a hydrogen sulfide respirator in those cases.”

“It’s all there; almost like it was dropped yesterday.”

Ghosts in the Ground

In 2022, Askjem began chronicling his digs via a YouTube channel, Below the Plains, and soon captured millions of views. At two posts per week, he gins footage at a steady rate to feed the algorithm, a tough task considering the ground in his geography is frozen from mid-November to mid-May.

Additionally, Askjem has written two in-depth books (Nebraska Soda Bottles 1865-1930 and A History of North Dakota Bottling Operations 1879-1930) and has more on the way. “I put the bottle prices in the books because they can sell for a whole lot and I always tell the landowners. Listing prices draw criticism, but that’s important to me because it helps preserve the item, and preservation of history is what drives me.”

Covered in dust or mud at the end of each day in digging season, Askjem is highly respectful of what he finds—almost reverent after 1,800 digs. “I appreciate everything I uncover because it represents a part of someone’s daily life and existence. There’s nothing wrong with coveting bottles, but I’m really in those holes for the moment of discovery.”

Even when not digging, Askjem is on the move, surfing on the coasts or river diving for lost cargo. In the decades to come, will he continue burrowing into the past? “Twenty years from now, I hope I’m still digging and there’s nothing I’d rather be doing right now.”

“There’s not an infinite amount of lost bottle sites, but there’s certainly an incredibly high number,” he continues. “There were 300,000 homestead farms in North Dakota with a minimum of one well, one outhouse, and one trash dump. And that doesn’t include towns where most of the population lived. There are millions of these sites in North Dakota and far more in other states.”

Respect to a freewheeling hunter like no other. Bottles draw the eye, but ghosts draw the heart: “The moment never gets old when you uncover a bottle and find that history,” Askjem adds. “Never.”

By CHRIS BENNETT.

#Lost and Found: Bottle Hunter Digs Extraordinary Farmland Treasures #Tom Askjem #glass #glass bottles #ancient glass #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #ancient history #history news #treasure #treasure hunter #antiques #bottle hunter #long post #long reads

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majimasleftasscheek · 1 year

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Hi, im very sorry if this has already been answered or established somewhere else but im curious, with your Kazumaji stuff, around what time did they start dating (i.e. after the events of Yakuza 0 and all that) and how?

tbh, I dunno!

I don't really have an established date for that cuz sometimes I'm like man they'd be really cute during y0 and then other times I set it between post y0 and the beginning of y1. The latest they would start me thinks is some months after the events of y1 but in general it sorta depends on how I'm feeling and what silly scenarios play in my head

ideas under the cut tho 👀

if we're talking y0: I like to think Kiryu has to go to Sotenbori for some reason, be it business or he's there with Nishiki for some partying. he sees Majima at the Grand being depressed and is like "damn girl those bags under your eyes makes my dick go *boing sound effect*" and asks him out 🥺 Kiryu gets rejected immediately cuz Majima's in this cycle of 'I deserve nothing but pain and suffering' but Kiryu can't read the room so he is persistently showing up at the Grand despite Majima very obviously wanting to kick his ass. eventually he relents and goes on cute™ dates with Kiryu and realizes oof maybe human intimacy be kinda gucci

if between y0 and y1: Majima's fresh in his mad dog era starting shit with people just to be annoying and Kiryu's one of his targets mainly due to the events of y0. he's kinda like "lol this goober really did some important plot stuff, huh?" and his curiosity gets the better of him because Kiryu is an enigma who eats bugs and Majima cannot suppress his need to get some sense of understanding on this weirdo. in this timeline, it's more one-sided affection from Majima that comes in the form of stabbing while Kiryu is desperately trying to fight the gay allegations and failing. eventually he caves but it's a sorta unofficial, on and off thing that Kiryu doesn't really know how to evaluate for himself. Majima doesn't really care what they are since he's high on life atm and has a cute dude with big boobs on his arm

if during y1: literally just everything Majima Everywhere. Goromi. GOROMI 😩💦 Kiryu is all: I LIKE PUSSY but everyone's like okay big man then why's Majima pole dancing for you huh. the two braincells he has start to click and he realizes maybe Majima wants to hold hands or something unthinkable like that. ngl I like to think Kiryu's thing for Yumi is like a demisexual bi thing where he's like, I do love her but she don't zap my brain quite like the bowlcut freak who knows how to punch me real good and it becomes sorta his personal introspective journey during this time. Majima is also floating in the space of am I doing this for his benefit cuz "training" or am I falling for this dork. he's pretty sad about it cuz of the Saejima reminder vibes but eventually Kiryu falls into his own person that Majima really meshes with and the two of them struggle to actually voice how they feel all the while their pants are down in some dirty alley

if after y1: (going to insert shit from a fic I'm working on) Kiryu's absolutely devastated with what happened in the Millennium Tower + now having to take care of Haruka that he's shut himself off from everyone and everything other than doing the bare minimum to live. in comes Majima being a menace like yo you can't like, let a child parent herself you gotta get outta this slump and Kiryu's all fuck you stop breaking into my house. so it's a long pain in the ass process to help Kiryu deal with his grief while Majima keeps unintentionally making googoo eyes at him and both of them are like boy I sure hope this doesn't awaken anything within me. there's also a lotta dadjima stuff going on and Kiryu's like wowie zowie so you do have a heart and Majima's like no way loser while being just 😳👉👈

#apologies for the way I write sometimes I like to put out total garble because it makes my heart go thumpa thump #god I love them I LOVE THEM #THEY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER ON A LEVEL BEYOND THAT OF FLESH AND BLOOD AND IT HURTS KNOWING THEY DO #THAT THEY BOTH SUFFER AND THEY FEEL THAT IT'S BEST TO BE ALONE RATHER THAN BRING SOMEONE ELSE ON THE RIDE #BUT THAT RIDE BRINGS THEM BOTH TO THE SAME DESTINATION THAT THEY ARE BOTH BROKEN MEN HAUNTED BY THINGS THEY DID—THINGS THEY COULD HAVE DONE #BUT MAYBE THERE'S HOPE IN HAVING SOMEONE TO LIVE FOR—SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE STRUGGLE OF REDEMPTION DESPITE ONE'S NATURE #TO LIFT EACH OTHER FROM THE DEPTHS OF SELF LOATHING BECAUSE THEY CAN DO BETTER #then I'm tranquilized and shoved back into my cage for relocation #kazumaji #kiryu kazuma #majima goro #my hcs

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gffa · 6 months

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Hi there! I’m someone who’s been following you for Star Wars for a while but I’ve become really interested in your DC comics posting recently, and I was wondering - since the franchise has been going for so long and has so many instalments - what you would say to someone who wants to start reading these comics/watching the shows/movies but doesn’t know where to start? Have a lot of the comics been retconned? Is there a particular order one has to read in? Where does one even find these comics…?

My interest in this franchise was literally sparked by the Jason Todd telephone poll so I’m definitely interested in reading more about him - he seems like a character I’d like - and the rest of like, the… Batfamily, I think they’re called? I just have no idea where to start lol - my knowledge of DC is limited to seeing bits of Teen Titans GO when I walked past my little brother watching TV, and watching the Lego Batman movie with him xD

Also! If I’m correct, after observing the fandom, Talia seems like an interesting, complex female character (with some bad writing), like Padmé or Bo-Katan? I always love those kinds of characters, just wondering if I’d got the right impression of her.

Hi! You've got a solid idea of things so far, so hopefully, this shouldn't be too hard of a climb to get used to the structure! And I'll do my best to explain the structure of comics without getting too lost in the weeds about it. 😂

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW: In my view, comics aren't meant to be a single coherent whole and it's helpful to drop that idea before you get started because otherwise you'll drive yourself around the bend in a fruitless attempt to make everything line up neatly, when it just never will. There is no one single "true" version of the characters, there is no one single creator who is the highest authority on a character, no matter who created the character or even who is most famous for writing them, these are shared characters being written and drawn by a multitude of authors and artists who all have varying takes on them. The characters should stay true to a core personality and traits, but the flexibility of an author to write a character differently from the last person who wrote them is a feature not a bug imo. I like to think of comics as stories being told by different authors playing with action figures and we're in the audience enjoying these stories, regardless of how some authors fit really well together and others completely clash with each other. You can try to make them mesh (sometimes that's fun!) or you can just shrug your shoulders and pick what you like out of the pile of comics that have been handed to you (you'll probably drive yourself less over the edge this way!). Jason is particularly difficult on this aspect, because he often doesn't have a regular book to be written in and his overall place/point in the Batman comics is murky at best somedays and so he is wildly different from author to author. I personally enjoy this, because I think it works for Jason as a character who has some core beliefs, but also is kind of a mess who doesn't really know what he wants, so he veers wildly from one reaction to another. You can read comics in a variety of ways, but I genuinely do not recommend trying to read "in order" because it's a nightmare to try to keep track of everything once it's been a few years and the numbering of these series is the most confusing thing you'll ever meet. Instead, I think it's better to focus on picking up trades (collections of comics that originally came out in single issues, but are put together in a single volume that tells the whole story of that particular run) that sound interesting or come recommended. (And, honestly, it's not even satisfying even if you did do all the work to read them in order. Throw out the idea that comics have a coherent timeline, because they do NOT.)

CONTINUITIES AND DIFFERENT ERAS: The ONLY context I think you need (other than a general sense of the Batfam, we'll get there in a minute) is to understand that there are sort of four "continuities" that you're likely to run into, and this is EXTREMELY simplified/streamlined, so nerds don't come for me on this unless you have a better streamlined and simple version. 😂 - Anything published before 1985-1986 is all "Pre-Crisis" and while reading a lot of the older comics can be super fun, they're generally not super relevant to current comics - In 1985-1986, there was a comics event (an event is where multiple different comic books are all written to be part of a bigger storyline, whereas normally, they don't cross over that much, each book usually has its own self-contained storylines) called "Crisis on Infinite Earths" (which is different from "Infinite Crisis") that was basically a way for DC to streamline all the different versions of the characters running around into one manageable universe. This ran up until about 2011 and I'll often refer to it as the "preboot" or "post-Crisis" continuity. (This is where Jason's death happened, in the storyline "A Death in the Family".) - In 2011, DC wanted to reboot their entire universe with an event called "Flashpoint", with the purpose of creating an all new lineup of 52 comics that new readers could jump right into, which isn't a bad idea in theory. The problem was that people were really attached to the preboot versions of the characters, a lot of the Nu52 comics were really badly written, and there was almost no collaboration. You expect a certain amount of contradiction just by the nature of comics, but there were major issues with "nobody is talking to each other, so everything is a giant mess".

- In 2016, for a variety of reasons (probably including that sales for Nu52 had dipped back down pretty far again), DC rebooted their universe again, with "Rebirth", which is the continuity we're in now. I'm still catching up (I left when Nu52 happened) but I think a lot of preboot events are leaking back into the continuity, but that's not the same as saying it's equal to the preboot continuity in total. This is also the era that I generally talk about the most because I've found it genuinely the most engaging to get back into! Generally, as long as you understand those four eras of continuity, I think you'll be fine in understanding how things are put together. If you want to know where something falls, just check the date and that'll tell you! But, honestly, yeah, background details change all the time, so even within a single continuity there will be retcons--just that there are MASSIVE differences in the Nu52 era that might confuse you if you're unaware of the reboot shenanigans. (Or if you want to understand how Jason returned--like, preboot continuity has the explanation that Superboy Prime (don't ask) punched reality so hard that it shook Jason back to life, even if they never found out about it, that's what happened. I think Nu52 said Talia dug him up and put him in the Lazarus Pit? Don't quote me on that. I flamed out hard on Nu52. Rebirth continuity, they have no idea what the hell happened and I'm not sure there's an explanation. I just assume the Reality Punch leaked back in or something.)

SO, LIKE, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THESE CHARACTERS? AS SHORT AS I CAN MAKE IT: - Bruce Wayne witnesses his parents being murdered in front of him and this traumatizes him so badly that he withdraws from life to obsess over it, eventually travelling the world for several years to learn every kind of skill he can, until he comes back to Gotham at, like 22 years old or whatever and becomes Batman to fight crime. The only rails on this ride is his butler Alfred who basically raises him from the time he's eight and Alfred is working MIRACLES here, but there's only so much even he can do. He is absolutely Bruce's father figure, even if they rarely frame it in those terms, because Thomas Wayne (Bruce's father) is such an important figure in their lives and because Alfred is extremely British. - Bruce is Batman for a few years, usually depicted as being super grimdark because he's shut his heart against loving anyone ever again because the pain is too much. But then one night he's at a circus performance and there's a terrible "accident" where a little 9 year old boy (shhhh we ignore any other versions than that he was nine, dammit, it's important for the thematic parallels!) witnesses his world-class aerialists parents falling to their deaths. Dick Grayson's grief and loss spark something in Bruce and he takes on this grieving, angry, brilliant little boy as his ward. Now, not even God can stop Dick Grayson, who is going to get justice for his parents' murder, so eventually Bruce reveals that he's Batman and Dick basically barges his way into creating his sidekick persona, Robin. Bruce is not a fan of this, but seriously. He couldn't have stopped that kid, he tried. He could only put a leash on him. Dick brings light and joy back to Wayne Manor and they have the most fascinating relationship--they're father & son, they're brothers, they're best friends, they understand each other like no one else does, they fight like no one else in that family does, they love each other, they're so angry at each other, they're co-dependent and absolutely batshit about each other, they basically raise each other from the time Dick came to Wayne Manor. - Dick eventually grows up and starts clashing with Bruce more, especially as he gains his independence. Different versions happen differently in different continuities, but eventually it hits a boiling point and either Bruce fires him as Robin or Dick quits because he can't deal with this. He goes off to become Nightwing, while Bruce eventually meets another kid who (in the most common version) tries to steal the Batmobile's tires because he needs the money. Circumstances happen, Bruce eventually ends up adopting Jason Todd, who becomes the next Robin. Things are relatively stable for awhile, until Jason learns about his birth mother and runs off to try to reconnect with her, except the Joker's got his sticky fingers all up in this situation, and it results in Jason dying in the exploding building.

- Bruce is Not Doing Well after this, so in comes our favorite horrible little stalker gremlin Tim Drake, who hunts down Dick Grayson and says, hey, you gotta become Robin again because Batman's going to get himself killed if you don't. Dick is like, no, I fucking do not. Tim responds with, well, guess I gotta do it myself then and basically barges his way into being the next Robin. He bonds with Dick as a brother (who is far and way Tim's favorite, imo), he does his best to be as good of a Robin as he can be. - Things are better after that, they're fairly well into Batfamily territory by this point. Jason comes back and, originally, it was supposed to be a trick, it was a villain pretending to be him, but was later retconned to actually be Jason who came back and... it's complicated. I don't think they really knew what to do with him once he came back, so he kind of ping-pongs around with varying levels of villainy for awhile. - Then we get to the time around Batman R.I.P. where a lot of shit happens all at once, especially for Tim. Bruce dies fighting a Justice League villain, Tim also has his bio-dad die around this time, his relationship with his ex-girlfriend/good friend is kind of going to shit, the boy he's in love with (not canon at the time, but current day storylines basically confirm it was true) also died and it wrecked Tim, like he lost his MIND over Conner Kent's death, there's this annoying little shit Damian Wayne who has showed up as the bio-son of Bruce, and then suddenly Bruce also dies. And Dick has to become Batman because Gotham needs Batman and he's in mourning and dealing with Jason being back and everything OFF THE RAILS as various people are like, "No, I'M going to be Batman now!" and Dick has to shut all that shit down and take up the mantle himself despite that he doesn't want it AND deal with Damian being an emotionally traumatized 11 year old baby assassin who has been abused into being a killer his entire life (I mean, it's comics, don't take it too seriously) and he needs something to hold onto or he's going to leave and go back to killing, so Dick and Alfred give the Robin mantle to Damian, which pisses Tim off because he's not doing well and sees it as a betrayal (while Dick was asking for his help as an ally, that he was ready to graduate to being more than just Batman's sidekick) because he's lost so much. - So we have Dick & Damian as Batman & Robin (THIS ERA WAS SO GOOD), Tim as Red Robin (fandom way overplays Tim and Dick's tension, they come back together after their dramatic few months), and eventually they find Bruce who was lost in the time stream (don't ask) and then, WHAM, Nu52 happens. But basically, that's the Robins timeline. I'm skipping over Steph's turn as Robin because it was so short and it was clearly set up just to knock her down, as well as not touching on Cass much because this is long enough as it is and I'm trying to circle back to focusing on Jason-friendly stuff.

WHERE TO START: Ask a dozen different people where to start and you'll get a dozen different answers! I think starting anywhere is fine and it's going to depend on what you like--for example, I'm personally not that into the animated DC movies (not enough of my Blorbo) but "Batman: Under the Red Hood" is generally very well-regarded as an updated version of Jason's return and is nicely self-contained if you want to watch it without much other context. I also think watching the Justice League animated series from 2001 is fantastic if you want a funny, charismatic, streamlined adaptation of what the Justice League is like. (Batman: The Animated Series was groundbreaking at the time and a really good adaptation, but very dated by this point in time, so I hesitate to recommend it too much, even though it's beloved to me.) The Wayne Family Adventures is an absolutely adorable, delightful webtoon adaptation that is very light-hearted compared to the mainline comics! I like recommending it to new fans because I think it's super easy to start reading without too much extraneous context and gives you an idea of the characters' relationships to each other, so long as you understand that it is EXTREMELY soft and is much in the vein of LEGO Batman content--you're not supposed to take it super seriously, there are times it's deliberately crossing into something like parody territory, but that doesn't mean it's not genuinely funny, charming, and a great read. @fantastic-nonsense has an incredibly thorough list of recommendations for comics by character here, and you can scroll down to the Jason Todd section and start reading there! Or you can check out the "A STARTING POINT: BATMAN IN OTHER MEDIA" section because I pretty much 100% agree with everything she says about the various adaptations. I like recommending "Young Justice" as an introduction to DC, so long as you understand that it's a loose adaptation and that the team compositions and various relationships are not always going to be accurate to comics dynamics. I have my own comics recs tag, but I'm more Dick-focused, so your mileage is going to vary on how useful you might find my recs! But basically, you can't go wrong with starting with "A Death in the Family", then "Under the Red Hood" (movie then comics) and "Red Hood: The Lost Days". Basically, anything by Judd Winick has a good chance of being a solid read for him. It's hard to recommend Jason comics, because so many of them are either not great or require knowledge of the events that are going on around the same time--but, honestly, once you're familiar with the set-up, I do think you can pick up almost any trade and pick up context along the way. I personally also loved "Robins: Being Robin" series, because all five of the Robins working to solve a case together and being unhinged weirdos at each other is my jam. (But I like pretty much anything Tim Seely writes!) I also always recommend the 2016 Nightwing series because Dick is my Blorbo, but I also think "Robin & Batman" by Jeff Lemire is a fantastic story to understand who baby Dick Grayson is and his relationship with Bruce, and both "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory" are some of the best Batman comics I've ever read, but they can be tough to get through if you don't like Tim Sale's very stylized art.

WHERE TO FIND THESE THINGS TO READ? The movies and animated series should be on HBOMax and/or Netflix, and comics I always recommend hitting up your library to see what they have--so many libraries have a ton of comics available, especially digitally! And, if you have a library card, it's very possible that your library partners with Hoopla, where they have a ton of Batman comics! You can also check out DC Universe, which has almost all DC comics if you get a subscription.

TL;DR: If you want bigger context on how all this stuff works, start with either "Justice League" or "Young Justice", they're really cute, fun adaptations. If you want to get straight to the Jason stuff, start with "A Death in the Family" --> "Under the Red Hood" --> "Red Hood: The Lost Days" --> "Batman: Urban Legends vol. 1". (And, yeah, you have the right impression of Talia! She often gets written as a villain, but she's also often a lot more complex than that, it really depends on who you get to write her. The corner of fandom I hang out in is generally more generous to her, but some of the actual comics can be kind of rough. But she's complex and has a lot of sharp edges, so, you know, I love her, too. 😂)

#lumi.txt #dc #batfam #jason todd #comics recs #long post

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atlasofthestaars · 7 months

Text

[MK X READER] New Era - Chapter .005

first part | previous part | next part

NOTE: Sorry Johnny fans </3 I promise he’s getting more content in the next chapter (he still has a little crumb in this chapter to set up for next chapter, don't worry!)

Rejoice for Kenshi fans though because he FINALLY gets some spotlight here.

This should be the longest chapter so far, over 7k words! Enjoy!

Also! It’s time for yet another poll! As usual, AO3 people please let me know your thoughts on Rain! As usual, thoughts and such will be taken for about a week after this is published, AKA when the tumblr poll ends.

FROM THE EYES OF ONE WHO PREPARES SOME PLANS

It’s now been about two weeks since you’ve started to train the four, but you’ve already seen great improvement.

“Keep your balance Kung Lao! Don’t lean too far forward.” You corrected as you watched the man spar with Johnny Cage, keeping a careful eye on their technique. You crossed your arms as you scrutinized the two men, trying to keep track of the flaws they each exhibited. “Johnny, stop trying to look flashy! Technique first, please.”

You watched as the men tried to implement what you told them…one of them better than the other. You sighed as you watched Johnny Cage try to go for a risky kick which allowed Kung Lao to duck under it and quickly sweep the actor off his feet.

“Good job, you two.” You praised as you saw Johnny Cage yield, hands help up in surrender from his position on the ground. Johnny Cage sighed as he got himself up, dusting himself off. You watched as Kung Lao shone with pride as he walked off to the side to join the rest of you. “Raiden, Kenshi, if you please.” You instructed, gesturing for the two to fight.

You watched them begin to spar, yet your mind drifted off slightly, thinking back to the progress the group has made.

From your experience, you noticed that Kung Lao and Raiden were the stand out pupils. Kung Lao was naturally gifted, and you recognized the marks of good training Madam Bo had implemented into him. He took criticism well, which was a slight surprise to you due to the self-confident attitude he had.

Raiden, although not as quick to catch on, was rather determined and put in far more hours than the others. Not to mention, he was rather perceptive to the tips you gave him. You had a soft spot for him, which you supposed was a bit unfair since you spent a lot of time training him in the middle of the night.

Much like how you had your daily ritual with mornings with Liu Kang, now you had a daily plan to train Raiden at night. It just happened naturally. You, with your restlessness, and Raiden’s overeagerness to train, it was just a natural occurrence after that night.

You felt slightly guilty that it could be considered that you were showing some bias towards the man, but then again, if the others ever approached you it’s not like you would turn them down.

You snapped back to reality as you continued to watch the two spar. You watched silently as the duo fought, only really speaking to give criticisms here and there. Ultimately, you watched as Kenshi came out on top. You surmised his experience in the Yakuza was still giving him some leverage over the farmer boy.

You wondered just how long that would last.

“You’re all dismissed.” You informed them. As usual, they dispersed. All, except for one. You blinked as you turned your head to look at Kung Lao who had taken off his hat and looked wistfully at him. You observed for a few more moments, before walking over. “What are you thinking about?” You inquired as you walked over to his side.

“I have an…idea.” Kung Lao said as he tilted his hat, the same hat he had thrown at Sub Zero during the exam. You raised an eyebrow, having a feeling on where this was leading. You hummed in acknowledgement, gesturing for him to go on. “I was thinking I could turn my hat into a razor, lethal bladed weapon.”

“I can see the vision.” You encouraged him, the little voice in your head, for once, agreeing with you to send him down this path. You had a feeling, from watching him, that he had been missing something from his fighting style. You watched with a bit of pride as Kung Lao beamed at you. “Care to elaborate?”

“Well, I was planning on basing it on a chakram.” He explained, tracing the edge of the hat as if to indicate where the blade would go. You nodded, having a memory of the hat he used to have. You wondered if he had always made his own hat previously, or if it was something passed down to him. “Maybe I could even add some additional blades to the hat to make it more effective.”

“Hmm…” You held out your hand, and he handed his hat to you. You traced the edge of the hat, making a mental note of it. “Have you trained at all with any sort of throwing weapons?” You inquired, looking up from the hat to look at Kung Lao with a raised eyebrow.

“No.” He admitted, but his lack of inexperience didn’t seem to deter him. You watched as he looked down to his hands, clenching and unclenching them. “But when I threw my hat at Sub Zero and then threw that chakram, it felt…right.”

“Do you know of anyone who can help you achieve this goal? Any blacksmiths?” You continued to ask. You watched as Kung Lao gave you an awkward smile coupled with a shrug. You raised an eyebrow at him, slightly entertained by his enthusiasm despite his incomplete plan. “Do you have another hat?” You watched him pause.

“I do, why?” You held back a chuckle as you carefully took the hat into your hands.

“I hope you weren’t too attached to this one, then..” You said, watching as Kung Lao slowly processed your words. You grinned. “I’ll see if I can get some arrangements to get that idea come to life, plus I’ll talk to the monks about having you train on throwing weapons.” You told him, feeling good about yourself as you saw the enthusiasm grow within the man.

“I will!” The man said, bowing excitedly as he said your name. “I promise I will not let your efforts go to waste.”

“Good. I expect a lot out of you, Kung Lao.” You said, and you noted with amusement as he seemed to glow at the high expectations. Still smiling you turned around and walked off, ideas buzzing in your head as you did. You hummed as you traced the edge of the hat, imagining how it would look in due time.

“I see you have Kung Lao’s hat with you.”

Looking over from your shoulder, you watched as Liu Kang approached you. He was on time, as usual. He had a smile on his face, yet there was a knowing look in his eye as he approached. You smiled at him as you held up the hat you had held in your hands. You had just been idly messing with it, flipping and twirling it around in your hands, thinking of how it would feel with more weight on it.

“I do.” You said as you turned to present the hat to the fire god. He took it gingerly from your hands, inspecting it as you did before. “I actually have a request on his behalf.” You said as you leaned back on the railing, resting against it. “I was wondering if you knew any blacksmiths so we could create a blade on his hat.” You gestured to the edge of the hat. “He also thought of adding more blades, but I thought it’d be best to try and test it with one blade first.”

“I see your progress on training is boding well, then.” Liu Kang remarked as he inspected the hat. You nodded, smiling proudly. His fingers traced the edge of the hat, and you observed the expression on the fire god’s face. It was wistful, and in his eyes you could sense what seemed to be…nostalgia?

What could possibly cause him to feel nostalgic?

“I can contact a blacksmith to get this arranged, but it will be a lengthy process.” He warned. “It may even take almost until the day of the champion test for this to fully come to fruition since we would have to go back and forth between prototypes and designs.”

“He seemed pretty enthused about the whole thing, I think the wait would be worth it.” You encouraged, nodding as you thought back to the bright smile the farmer boy had when you had encouraged the idea. “Plus…” You began, looking off to the side as you recalled the memories of Kung Lao in your previous life, and how he wielded a razor hat. “It feels like he has been missing something from his fighting style.”

“I see.” Liu Kang said, after staring at you with an unreadable look. You swallowed, wondering what that had all been about. Never once could you interpret that look he gave you, you just knew he always did it after vaguely referring to the memories you’ve gleaned. “I will help aid you, then. Do you have any of his designs to give for reference?”

“Ah, I forgot to ask.” You muttered, smacking your head. “I’ll go ask for them the next time I see them.” You said, sighing. You were planning on taking a few days break from training the men. You had not had a break in a bit, and you remembered Madam Bo reprimanding that you do so when you had last asked her for advice on training the men.

“Just remember my lessons.” She had told you. “You were a good student and will be a good teacher, but you will become a poor one if you do not rest. Don’t forget all those times I caught you training in the middle of the night.” The old lady had then given you a pointed look, one that seared into your memory.

You were suddenly thankful in that moment that you had not mentioned how you had also been assisting Raiden by mentoring him at night.

Maybe you should also tell him to take this same advice.

You were planning on going to the Lin Kuei temple to ask Smoke for a favor, you supposed that you could always drop by the Wu Shi before you went. You contemplated your schedule, crossing your arms. You didn’t realize how obvious your planning face must have been until you saw the concerned look on Liu Kang’s face towards you.

“Is there something wrong, Liu Kang?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Are you certain you are not overworking yourself?” Liu Kang said, and you heard especially how concerned he must have been as he said your name. You blinked before waving your hand dismissively. “I am serious, I know you have been up late training Raiden.” You were stunned for a moment.

“How did you-” You began, before realization washed over you. “Right, God of fire.” You muttered, sighing. He nodded, and you felt slight guilt as the man continued to look at you. “I’m fine, I go there because I can’t sleep anyways, and it allows me to still be productive.” You said, shrugging.

“I’ll take you on your word.” Liu Kang replied, but you sensed the slight hesitancy in his voice. You couldn’t help but wonder why he was looking at you with such worry. Well, you actually knew, but you didn't want to think about...that. Even as his face shifted into one meant to comfort you, you could still see a glimmer of concern within his glowing eyes. “But just know you can always confide in me if you have any worries.”

“I appreciate it, Liu Kang.” You said, feeling a mixture of comfort and guilt. Comfort in knowing that the protector of Earthrealm cared about you in a sincere way, but guilt at knowing that you had been avoiding doing so despite knowing this.

“If you ever need more time for a break, just let me know.” Liu Kang insisted, his hands now idly turning the hat. The way his hands moved the hat seemed almost like second nature. “You may be in charge of Earthrealm’s champions, but you are first and foremost, a dear friend to me.”

You felt warmth in your heart.

“Alright, I will.”

“Thank you for letting me pick these up on such short notice.” You said, walking down the hallways of the Wu Shi with Kung Lao, the papers full of the design ideas for his hat in your hands. It was early morning, and you were thankful that Kung Lao was an early riser due to his past as a farmhand. You noted with amusement how the hat he donned now was an exact replica of the hat you took.

“Of course, anything for the one helping me achieve my razor hat dreams.” Kung Lao replied, a joyful note in his tone as he walked by your side, seeming all too pleased. “I’m a bit surprised you arrived early today, I thought the monks said you were taking a bit of a break?”

“I am.” You confirmed, folding the papers to make sure that you could carry them carefully in your hands. “But I have plans to visit the Lin Kuei today, so I wanted to make sure to get these first since I’m already heading out today.” You told him, sighing as you remembered where the Lin Kuei was located.

In the snow.

“The Lin Kuei?” Kung Lao questioned, raising his eyebrows curiously. A small smile appeared on his face as he chuckled. He crossed his arms, a common habit of his. “You’ll have to thank Bi-Han for me for inspiring my hat while you’re there.”

“I think it would be better suited to thank him yourself.” You told him, imagining the unimpressed look on Bi-Han’s face already. “Maybe you can thank him and show it off once you get it, that’d leave a lasting impression on him. I doubt he’d think much of it if I were just to say it for you.” You suggested, glancing over to the farmer.

“That is a brilliant idea!” The man said, an enthusiastic gleam in his eye. You matched the wide grin on his face. If there was anything you’ve learned from teaching this group, their enthusiasm and smiles were infectious. “I’ll do just that when I see him next.”

“Good, in the meantime, I expect you to keep up with the training the monks are giving you, especially the ones focused on throwing weapons.” You said, your teaching side shining through once more. “It would be a waste to create such a hat only for you to not be able to wield it properly.”

“I will.” Kung Lao promised, your name rolling off his tongue easily. “I will not let you down.”

“I’m sure you won’t.” You said, bidding him farewell. You watched as he walked away, only to be distracted by a familiar figure out in the courtyard. It only made sense that both of the farmers would be early risers. You sighed as you walked over, crossing your arms as you snuck up on him.

“Already training, Raiden?” You inquired, making the man jump. You held back a chuckle, remembering the same way he had jumped when you had first encountered him training by himself. You watched as he quickly bowed to you, and you returned the gesture.

“I am, there’s been a combination I’ve had trouble with.” The man replied, gesturing to the dummy. He looked at you for a moment before his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I thought the monks said you’re on break for a few days?”

“I am, I just came to pick up some papers.” You informed him, waving around the folded sheets of paper in your hands. You watched as the farmer eyed it curiously, eyebrows rising. “I wasn’t expecting to see you so up and early training already.” You said, furrowing your own eyebrows as you frowned. “You know, there’s a thing called over training.”

You knew if Madam Bo were here, you knew she’d scold you for not practicing what you preached.

“I know, but I have been struggling and…”

“And the body needs rest.” You cut Raiden off, feeling a bit guilty for doing so, but you needed him to understand the importance of rest. You held up a hand, making sure he got the memo. “Go back inside and rest until the monks train you.” You instructed, putting on your stern tone.

“Alright.” Raiden said, dipping his head in an almost guilty manner. You felt a twinge of guilt, but you knew it was better for him to learn this lesson now, rather than later.

“Good. And I expect you to not overwork yourself either while I’m gone.” You continued, sending him a soft smile, trying to cheer him up. “So no practicing at night until I’m back, okay?” You saw him open his mouth to protest, and you sent him a small glare. “Consider it an assignment, okay?”

“I will do my best to honor this agreement.” Raiden said, nodding. You smiled, looking at his face and nodded in approval. “I will rest now.” You watched as he turned to leave, before hesitating and looking back with a shy smile. “Thank you for looking out for me.”

“Any time, Raiden.”

“You been giving the farmer boys special treatment?”

You turned, the smile dropping off your face as an eyebrow raised to look at Johnny Cage. He looked less composed than the other two, but nevertheless still awake. He probably just woke up. He strode over as he pointed to the papers in your hands and towards where the Raiden had gone.

“Just saw you with Kung Lao with those papers, then you were talking with Raiden.” The actor paused, his face turning into a thoughtful one as he scratched his cheek. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be on break?” He asked the question everyone seemed to be asking you today.

“Important papers.” You explained, holding up the folded up pieces of paper. “And I was just telling Raiden to take a break, he’s always working. As for the break, yes, but I needed to pick up these papers before I left.”

“Huh, that makes sense.” Johnny conceded, nodding thoughtfully before shrugging. “So when are you going to spend extra time helping me?” He asked, sending you a playful grin. “Still need your word that you’ll take a part in one of my movies.”

“We can discuss that after my break.” You told him, letting out a small chuckle. You weren’t certain if you were going to go help Johnny with his movies yet, but you were still curious on what Johnny was going to try and say to convince you. “You look like you need some food, go eat.” You encouraged, gesturing to the dining hall. “I need to get going.”

“Alright, I’ll keep you on your word. See you, teach!”

What an interesting nickname.

The Lin Kuei temple was located in a cold region.

It made sense since the grandmaster’s family had long trained in cyromancy, but that did not make you resent the constant snowstorms any less.

You trekked on, donned the form of a snow leopard so the cold would not freeze you to death. Not to mention, travel felt much faster in this form due to the snow that lay upon the land. The wind tried to batter you around, but you stayed resilient.

You often told yourself you would visit more often if the walk out was not as irritating.

Reaching the temple, you strode up to the gates. The Lin Kuei guards peered at you curiously, and gracefully you took a step, transforming back into your usual form. You allowed the coat of the leopard to remain on your exposed skin on your arms and legs to battle the cold since you were still outside. How these guards could bear being out here in the cold for so long, you could never understand.

“I’m here to see the grandmaster.” You told them, your breath coming out in icy puffs. It was partially true, but they did not need to know that. You let out a sigh as you grew out a collar of fur to bury your face in. It was only a few mere moments, but you could tell your face must be flushed from the cold.

It didn’t take long for the guards to recognize you, and you nodded to them gratefully as they let you in.

Once inside, you let out a breath of relief as the much warmer air inside welcomed you. You transformed fully back, the fur on your skin no longer necessary. You shook off the last bits of snow, huffing as you tried to prevent it from soaking in your clothes. You looked down to brush off any remaining bits of the powdery snow that had gotten on you.

“I was not aware you were going to visit.” A voice spoke, and you glanced up to see Kuai Liang approaching, a faint look of surprise on his face. You smiled at him, glad to see the younger brother during your visit.

“It was a bit compulsive.” You explained, rubbing your cheeks to return your flushed face to normal. You watched as Kuai Liang looked you up and down, probably to see if any remaining snow remained on you. “Am I not a welcome visitor?” You teased, holding back a soft laugh.

“You are always welcome here.” Scorpion replied a bit more seriously despite the teasing tone, a warm note in his voice. You took a moment to recover from his sincerity. “Were you here just to visit, or do you have business here?”

“As much as I would like to say I’m here purely for pleasure, I do have some favors to ask of your brothers.” You informed him, placing a hand on your hip. “But afterwards, I am welcome to stick around before I depart, I just want to get my business done first.”

“That would be pleasant.” The yellow clad ninja agreed. He paused for a moment before gesturing to the hallways. “Would you like me to accompany you to find Tomas? Or to brother’s office?” He offered, and you hummed in deliberation.

“If you could accompany me to Bi-Han’s office first, that’d be preferable.” You requested, deciding to tackle the conversation with the grandmaster first. A sense of uncertainty hit you, remembering the unresolved matter you two had never discussed. Your hands fidgeted with each other as you thought, reflecting your nerves.

You hadn’t gone out of your way to talk with him about it, and Bi-Han seemed to always sweep the conflicts you two had under the rug.

“Of course.” You saw Kuai Liang glance down at your hands, yet there was no judgement that you could see. He simply nodded and allowed you to join his side. Even without touching, you could feel a comforting warmth from the pyromancer. It was much preferable to the freezing chill of the snow outside, it reminded you of the same way Liu Kang’s warmth soothed you during cold rainy days.

Was that just a pyromancer gift?

“Has training with the champions boded well?” Scorpion inquired, striking up conversation. It was odd, having him initiate, but it was a welcome change. You smiled at the man, looking over the man.

“It’s actually been great.” You informed him, feeling pride for yourself for being able to say that. You had never envisioned yourself a teacher before this, but the joy you got from seeing others flourish from your teachings made you feel excellent.

It reminded you of the man who reminded you of Madam Bo so much. You didn’t remember much of him other than a warm fondness and a longing for his approval.

You hoped one day you could unravel the mystery of the man who meant so much to you.

“I told you that you would be an excellent teacher.” Kuai Liang said, a tone of pride in his tone without any smugness. You saw him smile at you, and his smile alone felt like high praise. You knew that no one in the Lin Kuei gave praise that they did not mean. “Has the actor proven to be difficult?”

“Johnny? He’s actually been fine.” You said, chuckling at the memory of the superstar working hard. “He may complain here and there, and sometimes try to be too flashy, but he has a good work ethic.” You praised the man, knowing that you could never tell the actor this, lest his ego grow twice its size. “I think you all would loathe training him.”

“You have a duty I do not envy.” Scorpion admitted. You sucked in a breath as the two of you arrived at the grand doors of Bi-Han’s office. You glanced over to the yellow clad man, who gave you an encouraging nod. You closed your eyes, steeling yourself for a moment before you opened the doors to enter.

Stepping in, you took a moment to admire the organized manner which the office was. You could spot the remains of the influence of the old grandmaster lingering in this office despite it also feeling distinctly Sub Zero. You eyes wandered around before they landed on the current grandmaster himself, who stared at you with an intense look.

“What are you doing here? What task did Liu Kang send you here for?” Bi-Han asked, his gruff voice echoing through the office. Despite his words, you sensed no outright hostility towards you. You could feel a slight disdain in his voice when he mentioned the fire god’s name, to which you were uncertain why that was. You strode up to the desk, and you felt the tension rise as you did.

“Can’t I stop by to say hello?” You inquired, testing the waters. You watched as Bi-Han kept his intense stare on you, unwavering. You pursed your lips, knowing very well that he did not believe that sentiment. “Believe it or not, I am actually here by my own volition, not Liu Kang’s.” You admitted, and you watched as Sub Zero’s gaze soften just a touch. His jaw relaxed.

“For what purpose?” He inquired, still a hint of suspicion in his tone, though he seemed a bit more relaxed knowing you were not here on behalf of the fire god.

“I wanted to ask for your permission to ask Tomas to help train the champions I’ve been responsible for training. I thought having him duel them for a day would help test them.” You told him, not beating around the bush this time. Bi-Han’s lips pursed as he narrowed his gaze slightly. You heard him exhale, and you wondered why he was still so tense.

“And you sought my blessing for such a minor task?” The grandmaster huffed, the tone in his voice making it clear that he thought it ridiculous that you came all this way for just that. You held back a scoff, simply opting to keep your calm gaze on the man. “Was that all you came here to ask for?”

“No.” You said, crossing your arms as you closed your eyes, remembering the events that had gone down in Johnny Cage’s manor. “I wanted to talk to you about what happened at Johnny’s mansion. What was up with all of that? You know I can defend myself, there was no need to be hostile.”

You felt the temperature drop in the room a bit. Goosebumps crawled up your arm, and you held back an instinctual shiver.

“The actor was being foolish and arrogant.” Bi-Han huffed, contempt filling his tone at the memory of Johnny. You watched as a small snarl curled at his lips. “You would have let the man off with a glare, he needed a proper warning to put him in his place.” He explained, but you did not feel satisfied.

“That’s a rather stupid excuse to fight someone.” You pointed out, and Bi-Han’s nostrils flared at the insult. You stared at him with the same glare he gave you. “You’re telling me you had the urge to humble an actor for being egotistical?” You inquired, feeling like there was more to the conversation.

“It was the principle of the situation.” He insisted, shaking his head dismissively, as if trying to move past the conversation. He fixed you with another glare before waving you off. “Don’t you have to ask Tomas for your favor?” Bi-Han’s voice dropped to a growl upon mentioning his adopted brother.

“Yes, I do.” You confirmed, nodding, seeing as how the two of you were not going anywhere past this point about the conversation about the actor. You sighed, shaking your head. If there was one thing you learned from your years of knowing Bi-Han, it’s that you both were stubborn to a fault. Still, this conversation felt better than trying to move past the conversation entirely. “Let’s spar next time I come here, it’s been a while.”

If there was one thing you knew, it’s that the two of you could always duel out the frustration. Perhaps not the healthiest way to deal with issues, but it was better than butt heads relentlessly.

You watched as Bi-Han nodded approvingly. The two of you were fierce competitors during spars, with your drive for competition and his lust for fighting strong opponents. The tension in the room relaxed a bit, and you cracked a small smile.

“Prepare your bandages next time, I’ll have to patch you up next time then.” You said, a tone of confidence in your voice. You heard the man scoff at your trash talk, and you turned and began to walk out of the room with a sense of satisfaction. As you opened the door, you turned back, sending the grandmaster one last look.

“I still think you fighting the actor was crass of you but, I appreciate you trying to defend me if that was the point of your stupid squabble.” You admitted, tearing your gaze away from the cyromancer. “Next time you’ll see though, that I could easily do it myself.”

You shut the door, leaving Bi-Han to stare at where you had been mere moments ago. HIs jaw tightened as he looked down at his desk, a sigh leaving his lips.

“I know.”

It didn’t take long for you and Kuai Liang to find Tomas.

Much like you, Smoke often found himself aiding those in training, and you watched with interest as he instructed a younger generation of Lin Kuei. You crossed your arms, silently waiting for the lesson to end. You stayed back with Scorpion, waiting patiently. Luckily, you seemed to have caught the tail end of the current lesson, watching as the man soon dismissed the group for a break.

Turning around, you were not surprised to see the look of surprise on his face as he spotted you and Kuai Liang.

“I was not aware you would be visiting.” Tomas said, yet despite his unpreparedness for your arrival, he gave you a warm smile. You returned the gesture, nodding. He looked between Kuai Liang and you, raising an eyebrow. “Was there something you needed from me? Or were you here just to say hello?”

“I was just here to help find you.” Kuai Liang said. He glanced at you before nodding his head. “I’ll leave you to your conversation.” The pyromancer said, before walking off, letting the two of you have privacy.

“I’m assuming that you’re here to say more than hello?” Tomas inquired, crossing his arms, His eyebrow raised as he gave you an expectant look. Your grin grew and you mimicked his actions, crossing your arms as well and raising your eyebrows.

“Is it so strange for me to come all this way just to say hello, Tomas?” You asked, a light teasing tone in your voice. You were met with a look that told you that he did not believe you, yet there was a slight playful look in his eye. You returned the look with a laugh. “You’re right.” You admitted, rolling your eyes. “I’m here to ask a favor from you.”

“A favor?” Smoke inquired, his curiosity growing. He leaned towards you slightly, his head tilting. “What possible favor could you ask from me?”

“I was wondering if you’d be interested in aiding me in training the champions one day.” You said, getting to the point. The Czech man seemed surprised at your offer. “They stale from training with only each other during my teachings, so I thought bringing someone with a much different fighting style would help.”

“I’m not against the offer, but why me?” Smoke said, a note of disbelief in his voice. His face scanned your face, as if searching for an answer “Would Kuai Liang or Bi-Han not be better options?”

“The way you move is unpredictable compared to them.” You explained, recalling his fighting style. “It would help them learn how to do better defense against an opponent who likes to attack from angles they aren’t ready yet.” You paused before sending him a look. “Plus, are you doubting my judgement on who’d be best?”

“No, not at all.” Tomas admitted, sending you a slightly sheepish look as he smiled at you. He seemed to take in your words, nodding slowly. “I’m just surprised.” He said, shrugging. He considered your offer, before nodding. “I wouldn’t mind helping you.” He opened his mouth to speak, but you cut him off, predicting what he was about to say.

“I already discussed this with both Bi-Han and Lord Liu Kang, they’re fine with this arrangement.”

“Wow, you were really prepared for this.” Smoke said, stunned for a moment that you had already discussed the plans with the others. “Alright, I’ll help you.” He agreed, and you sent him a big grin. You placed a hand on your hip as you reached for his shoulder, squeezing it gratefully.

“Thank you, Tomas, you have no idea how much this means to me.” You said letting out a sigh of relief. It felt like your worries washed away. You felt your smile grow as Smoke sent you a look that you couldn’t quite identify, but it filled you with warmth. You let out a chuckle as your grin turned a tad bit mischievous. “I’d hate for my students to miss out on a chance to duel the King of Smoke.” You teased, and you watched as Smoke coughed into his fist.

“Let it go! I said that one time.” Tomas groaned, a bit of embarrassment in his voice as you reminded him of the nickname he had used one time before the two of you had dueled. He pulled at his face with a hand, playful distress on his face. You sent him a look that told him that you were not going to let it go anytime soon. “What would it take for you to stop using that nickname?”

“Nothing can ever change my mind.” You teased, chuckling at his embarrassment. “Why would I let such valuable teasing material go?” You pointed out, and you squeezed his shoulder to emphasize your point. The Lin Kuei member looked at you before rolling his eyes before sighing.

“One day I’ll get you to change your mind.” Tomas promised, saying your name with such conviction you almost believed him. You couldn’t help the laughter that left your lips. He stared at you with a look you weren’t certain what to call it, but it made you feel happy.

“Tough luck, Tomas.” You said cockily, dropping your hand from his shoulder. You were surprised as he caught it, squeezing it with both of his hands.

“I mean it.” He said, his voice teasing. Yet, there was something there that made it feel a bit more serious than a joke. Nevertheless, you leaned forward with a challenging look in your eye. You watched as his expression changed slightly as he looked at you, opening his mouth to speak. You found yourself attracted to the movement in the background, and you cleared your throat, interrupting whatever he was about to say. “Looks like your class is back.”

“Ah.” He said, dropping your hand quickly as if it were on fire. You wondered briefly whether the final squeeze he gave it was on purpose or not. He looked at them, beckoning them in before looking at you. “Since I’m helping you out, would you also like to assist me?” He offered, and you couldn’t help the excitement that surged through you.

“Of course.”

It was late at night when you made your way to the Wu Shi academy.

At first, you were planning on going back directly to the Fire Temple after spending the day at the Lin Kuei temple, but your footsteps drew you back to the academy.

Between visiting the Lin Kuei on business and being back here, you figured you were doing a shitty job of taking a break. You could practically hear Madam Bo scolding you. You stared at the entrance for a few moments, before sighing.

You were just going to check if Raiden was awake, and send him to bed. That’s all.

You watched in, making sure to be stealthy as usual. Not only to keep the peace, but you figured that if Raiden had been training behind your back, you could give him a good scare as punishment for not listening to you.

That and well, it was a bit funny to see the man jump.

Much to your displeasure, you heard the familiar sound of a dummy being beat up…rather frustratedly too. Sighing, you shook your head as you lurked in the shadows as you made your way to the courtyard. Yet, what was waiting for you was a sight you were not prepared for.

It was Kenshi Takahashi there, swinging his sword adamantly at a dummy.

Furrowing your eyebrows, you crept closer, keeping to the shadows as you did. Unlike Raiden, the man did not seem to be practicing any forms. Although his strikes were precise, they were done without much direction and thought. This seemed more instinctual than training.

You watched as he grunted, huffing as he gripped the sword as he knocked over the dummy. You saw pain, anger, and the like on his face clear as day. Unsatisfied, you watched as he righted the dummy. You observed for a few more minutes.

Interestingly enough, you watched as time went on, he tensed up. Kenshi seemed to mystify himself why he was doing so. He looked around for a moment, seeming to sense something. He had glanced at you for a moment, not realizing you were there at first, before doing a double take.

“Have you always been there, watching me?” Kenshi asked, an intense stare at you. You held up your hands to show you meant no harm. He narrowed his eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to be on break?” He inquired, much like everyone else did. His tone was accusatory, and you sensed he was in a bad mood.

“I only arrived a few minutes ago. I heard the commotion and decided to check it out, I thought it was Raiden, I was surprised to see it was you.” You said, defending yourself. You crossed your arms as you leaned back on the pillar you always seemed to gravitate towards. “I am on break, but I came here to make sure Raiden wasn’t training late at night since I told him not to for a while.” You paused. “You have good senses to notice something was off.”

“Raiden trains late at night?” Kenshi inquired, mystified, before shaking his head dismissively and sighing. “Being in the yakuza instills that instinct in you. A useful skill, even if I hated being there.” He said, sheathing his sword before facing you. “Sorry for being so short with you, I wasn’t prepared for my instructor to sneak up on me.”

“No need to apologize.” You said, waving off his apology. “I was being a bit weird standing here.” You said, shrugging before sending Kenshi a concerned look. “I might be overstepping here, but you seemed distressed.” You pointed out. You watched as Kenshi grimaced and glanced away. “Did you want to talk about it? It might do you some better than slicing that poor dummy into wood chips. I promise no judgement.”

The dummy seemed to be on its last legs. Funny how Kenshi just happened to choose the one that Raiden always seemed to use. Regardless, you gestured to the spot next to you, taking a seat on the ground.

The swordsman seemed to contemplate for a moment, his face shifting before he walked over and sat beside you. He rested on the pillar, turning his gaze to the stars like you did.

“I dreamt I was still stuck with the yakuza.” He said, after a few minutes of tense silence. You tore your gaze away from the stars to look at the man. He seemed haunted as he confessed this. His fingers tapped idly on the sheath of his sword. “The things I did while under their control, it haunts me.”

“How bad are the yakuza?” You inquired lightly, not all too familiar with the group, only knowing the basics of what Liu Kang had told you.

“They’re a horrible group. I hope you, or anyone you know, never encounter them.” Kenshi said. Although he did not elaborate too much on them, the resentment that carried in his voice told you enough of what you needed to know.

“I see.” You said, pursing your lips. You watched him for a few more minutes. “Well, you aren’t with them anymore.” You pointed out, curling up your legs to squeeze them to your chest. Your arms wrapped around them, as if giving yourself a hug. “Lingering on the past won’t help.” You said, knowing how hypocritical you were being.

“Easier said than done.”

“It always is, isn’t it?”

There were a few moments of silence, before you heard Kenshi agree.

“You never relished in the power the yakuza gave you, correct?” You asked, looking over to the swordsman once more. You saw him think, before shaking his head. “Then why feel guilt for things you were forced to do?” You continued, trying to guide his thoughts.

“That doesn’t change how horrible the deeds I did were.” The ex-yakuza member pointed out. You reluctantly agreed, some deeds, no matter how guilty the person felt, were dirty deeds still. “My family is still stuck in their grasp, and I’m here.”

“You’re bettering yourself for them, trying to go back unprepared is worse.” You countered. You paused before continuing. “I may not fully understand the extent of your guilt, nor the pain you carry, but I do understand that you are truly sorry.” You searched Kenshi’s face, noting the pain he carried. “It’ll take time, but learning to forgive yourself is what I think is truly best.”

The silence stretched between you two, but it was not uncomfortable. It settled in gently, like a slow realization. You knew he could not change his mindset in one mere conversation, but you knew that the words you told him were still comforting at the very least.

“How about we change the topic, get your mind off of that nasty nightmare of yours?” You offered, feeling happy when the look on his face didn’t seem to disagree with your line of thought. “How has it been, training with Johnny Cage?” You watched with slight amusement as Kenshi rolled his eyes at the actor’s name.

“He’s been irritating.”

“Now that’s something we can both agree on.” You jested, even though you didn’t quite think that low of Johnny Cage. You felt satisfaction as a tiny smile appeared on Kenshi’s face.

Helping people felt great.

part six

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