#Ivan needs a hug dammit

[mewmewchann]

The implications of Ivan’s entry in the Anakt Diaries is killing me rn

“Oh wow before he goes into class he always looks at his facial expressions in his reflection in the pond, he doesn’t really show that much emotion so seeing him try to smile just like the other kids sure is funny isn’t it

And for a while we were worried he wouldn’t fit in because of how quiet he was but wowee he’s recently been fitting in with them just great that’s amazing huh”

Bro.

B R O.

screaming yelling crying throwing things at the wall

#alien stage #alien stage Ivan #Vivinos #I want to throw something #Ivan needs a hug dammit #I WANNA HUG HIM #Idek if ‘he’s practicing faking his smile to fit in’ is the reading Vivinos intended #BUT ITS STILL SAD

[mintaka14]

This is the start of my newest multi-chapter Lukanette story, and a Dammit Quick! fic. To the LBSC crowd - you’re all a pack of enablers, so have some Disney music-nerd angst/fluff with a Julerose wedding for good measure.

See the Light

A Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction

By Mintaka14

Chapter One – All Those Years

 Luka Couffaine got the shock of his life when, six months before his sister’s wedding, his past walked onto the boat. She moved with an assurance that she’d never had at fourteen. A little older at twenty-four, a little less arms-and-legs and a little more rounded curves, but still with those same devastating blue eyes.

Her hand curled on the rail, and he realised he was staring.

“Luka,” she said. “Hi.”

“Ma-ma-marinette,” he managed, and that mouth of hers lifted in a tentative smile. “It’s been a while.”

“It’s been a while,” she agreed softly. “How are you?”

He said something, he wasn’t sure what.

“I take it Juleka didn’t mention that I was coming,” she said. “I’ve offered to design the dresses for the wedding, and she suggested I come round today to talk about them. Are you… is it okay that I’m here?”

At that, Luka jolted out of his distraction and offered her a more genuine smile.

“Marinette, it’s more than okay. It’s good to see you again. You’re looking well.”

Her own smile grew a little brighter, and she flicked a quick glance down and back up to meet his eyes again. “So are you.”

“Marinette! You made it!” Rose’s shriek cut off any response he might have made. Rose barrelled up the steps from the galley and past him to engulf Marinette in a tight hug, with Juleka not far behind. Luka had a moment to collect himself while they caught up. All in all, he thought he’d handled it pretty well. He hadn’t actually swallowed his tongue.

Marinette flashed a brief, rueful smile at him over her shoulder as Rose towed her below deck, leaving Luka to pull his scattered thoughts together. He hadn’t seen her in ten years and she could still bowl him over at first sight. He turned absently to the stack of papers he’d been working on when she arrived, barely seeing them.

He hadn’t made much progress half an hour later, and gave up, heading down to the galley. A burst of laughter drew his attention and in the other room he could see Marinette wielding a tape measure around his sister with brisk efficiency, while Rose sat on the table, swinging her legs as she flicked through a plain black sketchbook. He’d seen plenty of the same type of book back when he’d been spending a lot of time with Marinette all those years ago. He leaned in the doorway, unnoticed, watching Marinette at work.

It had always been hard to define exactly what made Marinette so overwhelming whenever he saw her. Maybe it was the sense of intensity and creative fire, as if her skin could barely contain everything that she was, or the fierce, giving heart that shone within her. Maybe it was the endless blue of her eyes that spoke to him of a limitless horizon. It seemed like none of that had changed.

What had changed was the dizzying rush he felt as she bent to pick up something and he found himself following the tight curve of her jeans and the contour of her strong, lean legs. He jerked his wayward gaze away, trying to fight down the heat in his cheeks and the fleeting speculation about what it might be like to have those legs wrapped around him, and those beautiful eyes of hers on him while he … God, Couffaine, get your mind out of the gutter! It had been ten years since he’d last seen her, and these were not appropriate thoughts to be having barely thirty minutes and less than a handful of words of conversation after she’d turned up in his life again.

She had always been a pretty girl, but that was nothing to the gorgeous woman she’d grown into.

He would have bet money that the jeans hugging those legs like a second skin were her own design, and the silky red shirt sliding artfully off one shoulder but never quite falling looked like it had come straight from the fashion week runway. The way Marinette filled it, though, was far more distracting than any model could have ever made it.

The pigtails were another thing that was gone, but he didn’t spare them more than a moment of nostalgia, because the blue-black satin of her hair was caught up in a knot that left the smooth line of her neck bare, and that was a whole other train of thought that he cut off quickly. He looked up to find that she was watching him with a quizzical expression, and he managed to answer it with a smile of his own before Rose noticed him standing there.

“Luka!” she called out. “You have got to see what Marinette’s come up with for us!”

She was practically bouncing, and shoved the sketchbook at him. He looked at Marinette, one eyebrow raised in a question, before he opened it.

“If Marinette’s okay with that,” he said. Marinette’s mouth lifted in a smile at that.

“Marinette’s okay with that,” she told him, and he opened the cover. The slim book was full of designs and scribbled ideas and notes on wedding dresses. He’d seen her fourteen year old designs, and been impressed by them, but this… this was a whole other level, which, he supposed, wasn’t surprising. He turned through the pages slowly. He paused on one that was clearly meant for Juleka.

“Wow,” he said softly.

“That’s one of my favourites, too,” Marinette said. She’d come to look over his shoulder, and he was finding that rather unsettling for some reason. “Juleka’s so elegant, she could wear just about anything, but I like that structure for her.”

“It feels like her.” He glanced up at Marinette. “Dangerous edges, with just a bit of sweetness underneath.”

Marinette turned another few pages, and waited for Luka to find it.

“Rose,” he grinned back at her. “Channelling her inner Disney princess?”

“The brief was Sleeping Beauty, live action, but more -” Marinette gestured extravagantly, opening her eyes wide, and from the table where she was perched, Rose stuck out her tongue at them.

“It’s my wedding, and I’ll princess if I want to,” Rose sniffed.

Luka glanced back at the sketch, and was impressed all over again. Marinette had somehow turned flowers and glitter and pink and Rose into a few lines of charcoal and caught it on the page. Her own special brand of magic.

On the other side of the room, Juleka looked up from her phone.

“I’ve just ordered takeaway, and Ivan and Mylène are on their way,” she told them, and levelled a look at Marinette. “You are staying, aren’t you?”

By the time Marinette had been talked into it, and Ivan and Mylène had turned up in a bustle of exclamations and hugs and chatter, Luka had recovered something of his equilibrium. As darkness fell over the river and the lights strung up across the boat spilled a soft light over the deck, Luka handed Marinette a glass of wine and settled into the deck chair beside her.

“You’re wearing a tie these days,” she said with a hint of mischief, and he glanced down at the shirt he’d rolled up over his tattooed forearms and the tie he’d forgotten he was still wearing. “I never pictured you in the kind of career that would need a tie.”

He pulled himself together enough to smile easily back at her. “Well, it’s been a while. A few things have changed. I see you’re not wearing those pigtails anymore,” he teased her, and her hand went to the soft satin twist of her hair.

“No.” Marinette leaned back in the chair, her wine glass in hand, and her eyes were on Rose and Ivan arguing amicably about something. There was an indefinable sense of distance in her that had never been there when they were kids, and he wondered what had happened to put that there.

“So when did you get back in touch with Jules? She didn’t mention that she’d seen you.”

“I was showing a couple of pieces at something Juleka was modelling at a while ago. We bumped into each other backstage, and when she mentioned that she and Rose were getting married I offered to make up the dresses for them. My wedding present to them,” she said with a self-conscious smile, and Luka couldn’t help a soft laugh.

“Only you would do that for someone you haven’t seen in years.”

“They’re still friends.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Like you wouldn’t do the same.”

Rose was standing on a stack of crates now, singing something about rainbows, while Juleka hooked an arm around her to keep her from overbalancing and Mylène snorted with laughter. Marinette looked over at them a little wistfully.

“It’s nice to be back in touch with the old Kitty Section crew,” she admitted. “It was nice to reconnect with Juleka… and you. I’ve missed that.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Luka said quietly. “Do you see much of the old school crowd?”

Marinette shrugged. “Not really. I run into Adrien from time to time. I see him at the fashion shows sometimes, but honestly, once we get past the awkward reminiscing about collège, and industry stuff, we don’t really have a whole lot to talk about these days. I’ve sort of lost touch with everyone else.”

“How about Alya?” he asked. Luka had never really warmed to the brash journalist-in-the-making, with all her Adrien-schemes, but she’d been best friends with Marinette back in the day.

“No.” The one word was oddly expressionless. “I haven’t see her in a few years.”

There was a heartbeat when he thought she was going to say something else, then those lashes of hers dropped. Instead, when she looked up again there was that mischievous spark in her eyes again, and she said, “So what convinced you to put on a tie? Although I notice you didn’t get rid of your blue hair.” Was that an approving note in her voice? He ran his hand a little self-consciously through the longer, teal-tipped sweep of his dark hair, rubbing at the shorter hairs at the back of his neck. “What are you doing these days?”

“Playing the occasional gig whenever I get the chance, selling my music from time to time, teaching…”

“Teaching?”

He named the lycèe.

“Lucky students.” Marinette tilted her head to regard him speculatively, a small smile playing at the corner of her mouth. “I’m having a hard time seeing you as M. Couffaine, though.”

“Just Luka. I’m the cool teacher that half the faculty hates because I undermine authority.”

“And the other half madly crush on,” Marinette suggested, and Luka felt himself flush. She could still throw him off-balance, all these years later, although it was in a different way now. The fourteen year old Marinette he remembered would never have been able to say something like that without self-combusting, but here she was, watching him with that mischievous glint in her beautiful blue eyes, and it was just another reminder that things had changed.

“What about you?” he deflected. He gestured at the sketchbook she’d left on a nearby table with her handbag. “Following the dream?”

She gave a wry little smile. “Oh, I got through my degree in fashion design somehow, and I’ve been running a bespoke atelier out of my bedroom. It’s not huge, but it pays the bills, and at least it gives me a certain amount of … flexibility.” Luka couldn’t understand the slight twist of her mouth at the word, but she had it smoothed out before he could be sure he’d really seen it. “And Ja… a few high profile people have been very kind and sent work my way.”

Luka felt certain he knew who the celebrity had been. For that alone, he could forgive his father a lot. There was a long silence while Marinette contemplated her empty wine glass, then she met his eyes.

“You have no idea how sorry I am that I broke up with you like that, right when you were going through everything with... I just made everything worse, and it wasn’t fair on you. I never really found a way to tell you that I was sorry for everything.”

“Marinette, no!” Luka straightened in his deckchair, a faint frown crossing his face. “We were kids. I’ve always felt badly that I put you under more pressure when you were clearly having a hard time with something.”

“There was a fair bit of that going around,” she conceded, and let out a shuddering breath that he didn’t realise she’d been holding. “But you have nothing to apologise for, you had every right to be upset about how I treated you. I regret a lot of things about back then.”

“I don’t regret that we tried,” Luka said with unintentional intensity, and Marinette’s eyes widened a little. “But I do regret that I lost you out of my life altogether. You always had the most fascinating way of seeing things, and I missed just hanging out and talking to you.”

“I didn’t think you’d want to see me after all that. And I thought it was saf -“ she cut herself off abruptly, changing what she’d been going to say, “- better if I stayed away.”

He shook his head, but didn’t say anything in response.

She gave him a sidelong look. “I never really got the chance to ask you, did you… how did things go with Jagged in the end? Do you talk to him?”

Luka’s expression turned wry. “It’s complicated. It’s always complicated with Jagged, but we talk a bit. He’s going to be there for the wedding. Not sure how that’s going to go.”

Marinette made a sympathetic noise. He thought for a moment that she was going to ask him for the details, but instead, with another swift, perceptive glance from those blue eyes of hers, she changed the subject.

“So what’s teaching like, M. Couffaine?” she asked lightly, and he settled back to tell her some of his stories, enjoying the ripple of laughter he drew from her over his students’ antics, and the chuckles she surprised out of him with her own tales about clients and their most outrageous demands. He had no idea how late it had grown when the conversation was interrupted by a chorus of phones chiming all at once from various corners of the Liberty. Ivan was the first to reach his.

“Akuma alert,” he sighed. “Aw, man, they’ve shut down septième. Traffic getting home is going to be hell.”

“What’s the bet that it’s the Eiffel Tower again?” Juleka muttered.

Mylène was shaking her head. “Hawkmoth, and now Swallowtail, and there was that weird thing with the rats a few years ago, and the government keeps pretending that there’s nothing they can do as long as they can just dump it all on Ladybug and Chat Noir to deal with the problem. We’re still working on getting subsidies for mental health therapies, but they keep stonewalling us.”

Marinette was getting to her feet.

“I really should go,” she said reluctantly, and Luka stood as she gathered up her bag and sketchbook. “It was… really nice to catch up again, Luka. It’s been far too long.”

“Oh, but you’ll be back again soon, right?” Rose cut in before Luka could say anything. “There’ll be fittings for the wedding dresses, and we’re not letting you lose contact again like that. We’ve missed you, right, Luka?”

Luka ignored Rose’s unsubtle nudge, and Marinette said her goodbyes to the rest of their friends.

“It’s good to see you again, Marinette,” he told her, and accepted the light bise she brushed against his cheek. He caught a hint of vanilla and sugar as she leaned in, and oh hell, it suddenly hit him why the smell of cookies had always left him with a faint and peculiar sense of homesickness when his mother had never baked a cookie in her life. He closed his eyes briefly, and let Marinette go before he could do something stupid.

Luka watched her safely down to the dock, and he absolutely was not fixating on the sway of those jeans as she walked away, holy crap, and turned back to meet Rose’s hopeful and utterly transparent look.

“So-oo,” his future sister-in-law said with overdone nonchalance. “You and Marinette looked like you were having a good time together.”

“Don’t go getting ideas, Ro.”

“Rose,” Juleka muttered warningly from the bench where she was sitting, but Rose ignored her.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said innocently. “I just want you to be happy Luka. It looked like you were really happy tonight. And it was great to see Marinette again.”

“No ideas,” he repeated, and Rose gave him a look of deep disappointment. She started collecting the empty takeaway containers, while Luka rounded up the glasses. Rose dropped a kiss on Juleka’s mouth on the way past, and flitted down into the galley. Juleka heaved a put-upon sigh, and swung herself gracefully to her feet, scooping up a couple of stray cushions.

Luka picked up Marinette’s wineglass, with the soft pink imprint of her lipstick.

“You didn’t mention that Marinette would be coming round,” he said, his back to his sister. “You didn’t mention that you’d been in touch with her again.”

Juleka shrugged, and dumped the cushions in one of the storage boxes on the deck. “Didn’t think it mattered. It was ten years ago. You’re not still hung up on what happened back then, are you?”

“No, of course not.” And he was pretty sure that was true. This felt like he’d been blindsided by Marinette Dupain-Cheng in a whole new way.

#lukanette #pro lukamari #see the light #this is disney nerds #julerose wedding #they're still idiots #tangled

[miraculous-anna]

Opposite Day (Or DuPont’s Worst Nightmare) Part 2: electric boogaloo

Hello Everyone!! The title is a joke, i promise! I saw a chance, and i took it lol. Anyway, In this part, we’ll be focusing on Lila a little bit, and the class focusing on everything Marinette said to them, and having a couple heart to hearts :) Just an FYI, the taglist is still open! And if you wanna be tagged, send me an ask and i’ll put you on the list! 

Just a tip lmao: To really get a feel on how i interpret the mood of this chapter i recommend listening to this piano cover of knee socks by Arctic Monkeys, it made me cry :,)

Okay, on to the story! 

___________

Original Post  /  Previous  /  Next  /  Masterlist 

Footsteps echoed through the halls of DuPont Highschool, going straight towards the bathrooms. I have to make this right! She has to still be there! I have to apologize, come clean, tell her I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to go this far. But i was too stubborn, I let it get out of hand.  

Lila raced to the bathroom, only find it was empty. “Dammit! Of course it’s empty!” She cursed, closing the door and going back down the hallway. Lila grabbed her phone, checking the time, and decided on another idea. Perfect, I can’t back out of it this way. 

 Lila ran towards the library, her backpack slung over her shoulders. Finding a table in the library, Lila sat down, and dug out her notebook. Picking out a pencil, she flipped open a page and got to writing. I have to explain, I need her to understand, and fast. 

After a good 30 minutes of writing, Lila grabbed her things, racing towards the front of the school. Sprinting down the steps, she ran toward the cross walk to get to the side of the road, and after looking both ways, ran towards a very familiar and well known building. With determination in her eyes, She pushed open the door, hearing the bell jingle, alerting an older woman of her presence. The older woman smiled, and greeted her. Lila noticed the bakery was very empty at the moment. 

“How can i help you, dear?” The woman asked, walking away from the counter. Lila took that as a sign to walk towards her. Walking up to her, with around 6ft between them, Lila took a deep breath.

Suddenly feeling nervous, her mouth goes dry. “Uhm, excuse me..” Lila’s words got caught in throat before the guilt came crawling back in waves. She swallowed, and repeated herself. “Excuse me, ma’am? I.. I need to speak to you.” The woman tilts her head in confusion, a smile still present on her face. “Well, of course, what is it? I’m Sabine, by the way.” 

Lila would be lying if she said she wasn’t shocked that Sabine, Marinette’s mother, didn’t recognize her. Surely, Marinette had told her parents about Lila? Just how much was she keeping to herself? 

With a shake of her head, Lila decided to say her name. “I’m Lila, Marinette’s..” Lila cleared her throat. “Uhm.. Marinette’s classmate. I need you to give this to her, later tonight. Please, after school is over, and she’s home.” Handing a letter to her, Lila balled her fists at her sides. Straightening her posture, Lila looked Sabine in the eyes, and said, as confident as she could manage, “I made some mistakes, and my apology is in that letter. I need her to read it at exactly the right moment. Your daughter didn’t deserve any of the things that happened. I’d appreciate it, if you’d comply with my request.” Finishing her plead, Lila took a deep breath, and blinked repeatedly to rid of the tears, and the burning sensation behind her eyelids. 

“Of course! I’ll give this to her tonight. I’m glad you’re coming clean, Lila. It’s very mature of you. Would you like something from the bakery?” Sabine tucked the letter away in her apron, and gestured towards the glass cases showing the baked goods they had on display.”Uh,” Lila started, reaching into her pocket. Feeling her money pouch with her allowance she kept hid, She nodded her head. “Yes, please. Question, though.” 

‘Yes, Lila?” Sabine asked, smiling again. “Which ones did Marinette make?” Lila scanned the room, searching for the macaroons the baker’s daughter was famous among the class for bringing. Sabine pointed towards different colored macaroons and chocolate covered croissants in a display cased with a sign on it called, “Marinette’s specialty baked sweets!”

Pulling out her pouch, Lila remembered just how much was in the pouch, and asked for as much as what was in there could get her. Sabine looked shocked, once again. “Are you sure, this is a lot.” Nodding her head, Lila pleaded for the second time that day. “Please, please make sure that money reaches Marinette. Consider this apart of my apology. It’s the least I could do, honestly.” Nodding her head, Sabine accepted the money, and assured the girl the money would reach her daughter. 

Leaving the bakery with goods in hand(s), Lila sighed, hoping her plan would work. I just hope I don’t try to back out of this when i’m back to normal, I can’t afford to. 

_____

Sighing, Alya scratched her head. Nino looked over at her, “Something wrong, Alya?” Messing with her hair, Alya groaned, “No, Nino, everything’s peachy!” “Sorry, Alys, dumb question.” Nino said, sheepishly. “It’s fine, i just can’t stop thinking about everything Marinette said.” Alya confessed, alerting the rest of the class. “Honestly, none of us can. What she said really hurt, but she did bring up a few good points.”  

“Oh, really? Like what, Nino?” Alya glared, crossing her arms. “Well, We did ignore her for the past month in favor of Lila...” Rose pitched in, sadly. “Yeah, and she doesn’t like Adrien, definitely. I’ve been hanging out with him all month, frequently, and she hasn’t talked, texted, even seen Adrien all month.” Nino explained, He shrugged, “ He even complained how everyone but Marinette talks to him. He says he doesn’t know what he did, but he thinks she’s been avoiding him.” 

“Where is he, anyway?” Alix asked, noticing the resident “sunshine boy” wasn’t present. “It IS lunchtime, Alix. His dad probably wanted him home or something.” Ivan replied, shrugging his shoulders. Alya placed her head in her hands, clearly frustrated. “I don’t get it. Am I a tabloid reporter? Surely, everything Lila says is the truth! She wouldn’t lie like that.” Mostly everyone was murmuring among themselves, mostly agreeing with her. 

“If you think Lila wouldn’t lie, then what about Marinette?” 

Silence. Alya surveyed the room. Who had said that? She spotted Nathaniel in the back, staring right at her. He spoke again. “Why is Marinette different then Lila? We’ve known her longer  than Lila, she’s never given us reason to doubt her before, and Marinette hates liars just as much as Ladybug hates Hawkmoth.” Nathaniel continued to stare right at Alya, knowing she was one of the main accusers, if not the only one. “Well, you know Marinette acts crazy and kinda stalker-like when she gets jealous-” Alya tried to explain. 

“But who is she jealous of? You heard her scream it right in your face. She isn’t jealous of Lila, so yeah, Alya, why would Marinette lie? Did you even check if Lila was telling the truth?” Alix, of all people had decided to speak up. She narrowed her eyes at Alya, deciding to perch like a gargoyle on her desk. Everyone had to admit, it was slightly intimidating.

“Alix? Why are you defending her? I mean, we get Nathaniel, he liked her at one point, but you?” Kim asked, shocked, and very confused. "Because I realized Lila's lies were hurting Marinette a couple weeks ago. Dont you remember? I stopped hanging out with the girls whenever Lila was there." Alix explained, rolling her eyes. Before anyone could say anything to Alix, someone walked in.

In all her glory, there stood Lila.

The class was silent, as they watched her walk to the middle of the room. "I need to speak to all of you, and it's important that you listen to what I have to say while my personality is reversed."

Everyone murmured in shock. Lila knew she was acting different? Everyone quieted back down, and Lila started speaking again. "Over the past month, since I came back, I've been lying to you all. I said that I did all these great things, met all these people, went places. But I lied."

Lila spoke before anyone could say anything in response. "Before you assume why I did these things, I want you to know, that I didn't do them cause I wanted friends, its an entirely different reason that I'm not gonna tell you, until I tell Marinette, cause she deserves to know the truth first. After everything I've done," Lila continued her monologue, taking a deep breath. "Of course, it still doesn't excuse my actions for lying, but one thing I don't get, is why you all believed me. I've been to 5 different schools, counting this one, and none of them except you ever believed my lies. I don't get it."

“Well, we accept your apology Lila. We’re glad you came clean.” Alya spoke up, finally. It was clear she was taking this whole thing the hardest. “Wait, then we really did hate Marinette for no reason!” Mylene cried, her hands flying up to her mouth. Rose gasped, and teared up. “You’re right, oh no..” Juleka hugged Rose, who was now crying. 

“I don’t get that either. Yes, I was hard on her, but i never expected you to believe Marinette, the class president, the goody-two-shoes of this school would bully me.” Lila spoke up again. “At least you know what you did.” 

And with that, she left. Where, no one knew.

“We have to apologize to her. Immediately.” Alya cried, running out of the classroom, desperate to find her ex-best friend. The girls of the class ran after her, minus Alix. “You guys can apologize to her once the girls are done. I feel like bombarding her at once will be a bad idea. The girls ran out before I could say anything to them.” Alix sighed, jumping down from her desk. Holding her hands behind her head, she walked out with Nathaniel beside her. 

____ 

Arriving at the bakery, Alya opened the bakery door, and the rest of the girls present followed after. “Mlle. Cheng! Where’s Marinette? We need to speak to her, like right now!” Alya pleaded, her words coming out in a frenzy, and very rushed. Sabine looked slightly shocked, and surprised. “I’m afraid Marinette hasn’t been home since this morning, girls. She told me she wasn’t going to be home for lunch because she was meeting up with a friend of hers. I’m sorry, girls.” Sabine gave them a pitying look, turning away to tend to the customer in front of her. “Dammit! Where could she be?” Alya groaned, leaving the bakery with everyone following behind her. “Who knows? Wait, she mentioned a friend?” Rose asked. Everyone nodded, before Rose turned to Juleka. “What about your brother?! They’re friends, aren’t they? You did mention they hang out a lot!” Rose squealed excitedly, as Juleka nodded. Alya grabbed Rose’s shoulders and shook them excitedly, exclaiming, “Rose! You’re a genius!” 

“Look! It’s Ladybug!” A bystander cried, pointing to the sky. Everyone watched in admiration and awe as the spotted heroine swung over the city, her feline partner not far behind her. 

______

Welp, that’s it for this chapter!! Hope you guys enjoyed it! Remember, if you wanna be tagged, just send me an ask, and i’ll get right to it! :) 

Also! If you have any questions about the stories, me, or anything in general, feel free to ask! I love hearing from you guys, It makes me extremely happy! I’ll be happy to answer anything.

Taglist under the cut~

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#mlb duponts worst nightmare au #mlb au #mlb salt #mlb marinette #mlb class salt #class salt #lila salt #lila pepper #alya salt #marinette deserves better #marinette dupain cheng #adrien salt #chat noir salt

[johns-prince]

Genderbend AU: John Lennon and Paula McCartney [McLennon]

“If Paul would have been a woman, John would have been in love with her”  – Yoko Ono (John was in love with Paul, thing is it only would’ve made their love much easier to act on and be public with if, Paul had been a woman)

“Oi, John!” 

John looked up from trying to re-tune his guitar after fixing the busted string, squinting up at Ivan from where he sat, giving him a rather bothered look. 

“Brought a friend of mine.” 

A smaller figure stepped out from behind Ivan; at the first glance all John caught was a dainty little thing, a bird obviously. 

Oh, 

a bird. 

Feet dropping from their relaxed position on the chair opposite of him, John sat straight up, doing a double take, and this time really saw Ivan���s little friend. Well, as best as he could without his specs. 

“John, this is Paula McCartney. Paula, John Lennon,” Ivan introduced the two.

She certainly was a dainty little thing, a lovely, delicate, slender little girl, with long, long legs. Couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering even if he tried. While John didn’t care much for what a girl wore [all that mattered was if he could get it off her quick and easy] he had to admit, the dress this girl had on looked very good on her; white summer dress that hugged her, what looked like a blue ribbon wrapped about her small waist. It contrasted the dark black hair of hers, and to John’s amusement, was tied back in an obviously loose, hurried way– but it worked, very Brigitte Bardot, John thought to himself. 

Then her face, God in heaven, her face– if only he could put his glasses on to see her better. A heart shaped face, with a cute little button nose and the biggest doe-eyes John had ever seen, with the thickest, darkest lashes. Only later when he’d get the courage to put on his glasses around her, would he realize her eyes were hazel.  What put it altogether were a pair of lips that were so pouty, so full– lips that were made for kissing raw. Finally, John met the girls’ gaze, and it was like a jolt of energy had been shot right into his veins, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand. This girl was beautiful.

John’s tongue suddenly felt thick, heavy and dry like he had a mouth full of cotton instead. Damn Ivan, not warning John what sort of ‘little friend’ he was bringing for John to meet. Trying his best to keep his cool, all John could manage was a simple, Hi Paula, before turning back to his guitar, though at this point he was just fiddling with it, couldn’t focus. Shy, a bit flustered, voice soft as she responded,  “Hullo, John.” When no other pleasantries were exchanged, Paula then turned to Ivan, and reaching out towards the guitar he’d been holding, was passed over to her, along with some small object he’d been holding in one of his pockets for her as well. As if approaching some wild animal, Paula carefully took a step closer to John, catching his attention once more, eyes darting down at the guitar she held tightly in front of her, then darting back up with a curious look now. Worrying at her bottom lip, “D’ya need some help, with that?” 

For a short moment John didn’t respond, just stared at Paula, look turning from curious to surprised, an eyebrow quirking; then, turning away from her back to his guitar, responded with a, “Sure, take a seat.” 

While she tried to hold it back, a small grin broke across her face as she watched John pull the now vacant seat besides him. John himself had to bite the inside of his cheek, hard, to keep his own smile of interest down. 

Seated, she offered her own guitar to him, and he took it as she went to work on his. John watched as her slender fingers fussed with the pegs, before curiously inspecting hers. The strings were the wrong way! “Hey,” John said, catching Paula’s attention. “What’s with your guitar?”  “Oh, I’m left handed,” with that she turned her attention back to tuning, and as she plucked at a string, brought that little object, a guitar tuner, to her lips. “There we go, I- how ‘bout I check the others, while I’m here,” Paul said, glancing over to John as if waiting for any objections, but when John simply gave a curt nod, she smiled and went on ahead. John quietly watched, most of his attention on Paula’s hands, the way she bit at her bottom lip while focused on something; and when John’s eyes would occasionally drift about, he noticed all the other lads were just as curious and watchful as he was. Something akin to jealousy made itself known, which John quickly found stupid. 

“Fancy that,” Though surprised, John found himself much more impressed by this girl. Eyeing all the boys as he went on, “She’s good, don’t know many women who can do this…” Turning to Ivan, John asked as if Paula wasn’t right there, “Can she play as good as she can tune?” Before Paula could say anything herself, Ivan, as if she was his girl to brag about, said, “Oh she can play, John.” Speaking directly to Paula, Ivan urged, “Gotta show ‘im Paulie.” A grin grew across John’s face, playful, all white teeth; “Yeah Paulie,” John drawled out the childish nickname, “Y’should play somethin’ for us.” A pause, “for me.”

With both Ivan and John staring at her now, Ivan predictably, but John… well, he certainly got her cheeks rosy with such a look. Biting the inside of her cheek, her large eyes darted from one boy to the other, before falling on John, a ghost of amusement quirking the edge of her lips. With a soft shrug of her shoulders, she gave only a soft hum as a response before going back to the guitar.

“There,” sitting up straight, a soft smile on her face as she turned to John, offering back his guitar. “Thanks Paula,” John said, gingerly taking his back. “Would’ve taken me ages to do that.” With that he handed her guitar back, which she took along with his smile of gratitude. Despite looking like a true Ted, rough and big with his quiff and sideburns and squint, Paula had to admit, he came off as genuine to her. She’d expected him to be a bit putt off by her, being a girl and all; but no, he was… cool. Since she was being honest, she’d also admit that this John fella wasn’t bad looking– quite good looking, really. Suave, was maybe another one of the many words she’d use to describe John. 

Noticing herself staring, Paula ducked her head, brushing a dark strand of hair behind her ear; turning to Ivan, she handed him the pipe-tuner back to him to hold for her. While she had looked away, Paula could feel that John hadn’t, his stare burning his skin and making her feel bothered [she reasoned why she felt hot was because of how warm it was inside this little church] 

Standing, holding her guitar besides her by the neck, the other hand nervously tugging down at her skirt before reaching up to twiddle with strands of hair; “Well,” she said, tangling her finger, wincing as she pulled it loose. John, simply gazing up at her with that damnable smile, arms resting along the side of his guitar’s body. “Yeah?” John returned, and then with a teasing tone of voice, almost goading, “What does this little bird got?” A challenge. 

John watched with fascinated bemusement as something changed in that pretty face, those eyes burning feisty, he could tell even without his clear vision; and instead of shying back, playing meek, Paula’s shoulders squared. Oh now, this girl certainly was a treat. Without explanation Paula toed out of her simple heeled shoes, and John took note this girl wasn’t wearing nylons… Some of the boys broke out in a whisper, and John looked over at Ivan, expecting him to say something, but all he got was a look like, “Just watch.” So, he did, he watched as she swung her guitar up, cradling it close, and for a moment settle herself down. 

‘What does this little bird got,’ Paula thought to herself with a huff. With one last calming breath, Paula threw herself into exactly what she got.

They watched, rather captivated by this young girl, shamelessly playing out her own renditions of ‘Twenty Flight Rock,’ and ‘Be-Bop-A-Lula’; then a trio of Little Richard tunes, including ‘Tutti-Frutti’, ‘Good Golly, Miss Molly’, and ‘Long Tall Sally’. John took note she’d switched some pronouns around in some of the songs, but it worked– she worked. For such a sweet voice she certainly had some pipes on her, beautiful even, even if it wasn’t exactly expected for women to be able to even do this sorts of music. She swayed and slid with the music, moving in such ways that, for Little Richard and Eddie Cochran could pull off, but would be highly unladylike for someone like Paula. But she went for it, and John was incredibly impressed, almost blown away even, especially with how she played Twenty Flight Rock. Though, John couldn’t help but also feel a bit shown-up by this lass, even threatened. 

When Paula finished, the sound of praise from the other boys, even some of the girls who’d trickled in to chat up those boys, Ivan beaming at her… Paula let out a breathless laugh, flustered and shaking just a bit. When Paula looked to John, a sweet old smile, ruddy cheeked, eyes wide and bright and for a moment John swore he saw kaleidoscopes staring back at him. Whatever envy or insecurity he had started feeling, withered as her eyes held his, and the way she looked at him, coquettish, seemed only for him; “Were you watching?”  At that moment John wasn’t sure if it was the cheap beer that got him buzzing, or if it had been this girl. 

She certainly wasn’t conventional, but neither was John– and coming from a long line of unconventionals, how could he judge her? No, she was talented, and strange, and fascinating, and beautiful– maybe even more than Ms. Bardot herself. Bloody hell, John dug this bird.

John wanted her, and dammit all, he’d have her.

#AU: genderbend #fem!paul #mclennon #mclennon au #mywriting/mycontent

[waeziverse]

Royal Punch (chapter 11)

“Dimi. You are upsetting the little ones.”

Dimi looked at Aura with a grim expression on her face as she stopped sweeping the stable. The wife of her godfather was holding a griffin cub she was studying to see if the newborn animal was healthy. The cub began to cry, and so did the other three cubs that were hiding under the wings of their mother who growled while looking at Dimi.

“I’m not doing anything.” The human princess returned to sweeping.

“You are scaring the little ones, they can feel you are upset.”

Dimi sighed. The downside of her animal empathy powers were that they could feel all of her negative emotions as well. And cubs were extra sensitive to that. “I have a right to not feeling cheerful.”

“Oh, you most certainly do.” Aura returned the cub to her mother and siblings. “But you don’t have to be here while being... moody.”

“I’M NOT MOODY!” Dimi snapped at the sphinx woman.

That resulted in all of the four cups crying loudly. Aura narrowed her eyes as she made a now-look-what-you-did gesture.

Dimi groaned as she dropped the broom. “FINE, I’m going outside.”

The human girl sat on the chopping stump near the stable. She looked at the forge. Smoke came out of the chimney, meaning that Ivan was still working. This suited her just fine, since that meant she didn’t have to see him just yet. She was almost as angry at him as she were on her father.

“So, you wanna talk about it?”

Dimi looked to her left. Aura stood and looked at her somewhat worried with her arms crossed.

“Talk about what?”

“Well, you are clearly upset about something. And you are not talking to Ivan about it, that’s not a good sign.”

“That’s because Ivan is part of the problem.”

“Really? What did he do?”

“He DIDN’T tell me that my dad was a spineless jerk.”

Aura lifted both her eyebrows. “Ouch. Harsh words. Where is this coming from?”

“I met a gorgon today.”

Aura’s left eye twitched. Dimi luckily didn’t notice. “A gorgon? That’s... nice.”

“It was, until she explained to me that humans killed a ton of her ancestors, treated them like garbage AND that my dad didn’t do squad to make up for it.“

“Ah. I see.” Aura leaned against the stable. “That’s rough, kiddo. But what is Ivan to blame for here?”

Dimi scoffed. “He didn’t tell me! For so long I wanted to get my dad back, and NOW I know that he is a cowardly jerk!”

“You wanted Ivan to call your old man that?”

“YES! Wait... no? Yes? Ah...” Dimi looked dumbfounded. “I don’t know! Look, I wanted the truth!... I think!” Dimi slapped her forehead. “Dammit, I’m not suppose to be angry at him!”

“Who? Ivan or your dad?”

“BOTH OF THEM!” Dimi stood up and kicked a bucket.

“Dimi...” Aura wondered if what she was about to say was a bad idea. “Ivan and me talked a lot before getting married. He wanted me to know everything about him before the wedding. We talked about things he might not tell you. You want to know about what he thinks of your dad?”

Dimi stood with her back to the sphinx for a couple of seconds before she turned around and walked over to Aura, leaning against the stable. “Sure. Yes.”

“Look, you have a right to be angry about not being taught about the negative aspects of your family history. Trust me, I can relate.” Aura narrowed her eyes. “History is not exactly appreciated where I came from, I know what it is like to hear the ugly truth. And sure, your dad was sort of a pushover. But I think you should consider that before your dad became king, he was just, well... a normal guy, I guess. Just regular Pater the Human. He grew up in this little town as a normal guy without much talent for human magic either. And then he met a girl who was ANYTHING but regular, one who actually fell in love with him. A princess. They decided to start a family together. But you know the problem with marrying a princess? You become royalty. Worse, you become a MONARCH if your wife die. Pater assumed he was just gonna be the husband of the queen, that he was gonna look pretty and nothing else. But then his wife died and he had a whole KINGDOM to be responsible for. Not everyone is cut out for that sort of responsibility.”

“So WHAT?!” Dimi narrowed her eyes. “It was STILL his responsibility. And he screwed up.”

“Well, he did do some good things. He made better laws for foreigners like me. the only reason to why I was allowed to move into the kingdom of Nesredna after I deserted the army was because of king Pater.”

Dimi looked shocked at Aura. “Wait, army? You were a soldier?”

“I will tell you some other day. What you need to understand is that your dad became QUITE unpopular after that little law change, so he decided to play nice so to say. Give his subjects what they wanted. And most of these subjects were humans who hates gorgons, minotaurs and others.”

“Why would Ivan then even agree to raise me?”

“Your dad was his best friend. They grew up together like brothers. And when no one else gave a damn about Ivan, your dad pulled MANY strings to help him out.”

“With what?”

Aura hesitated. THAT she thought Ivan had to tell her if she needed to know at all. “That’s... grown-up stuff, Dimi.”

“Whatever. I’m still angry.”

“That’s okay. You are entitled to be angry.” Aura laughed. “You are a teenager for gods’ sake, you are SUPPOSE to be mad at your parents.”

“NO, I’M NOT! I’m not SUPPOSE to be angry at my dad. I’m suppose to miss him.”

“You should especially be mad at him if you miss him.”

Dimi was about to say something. Then, she just sighed and looked defeated.

Aura placed her clawed hand gently on Dimi’s shoulder. “Being angry doesn’t mean you don’t care about him.”

“Whatever.” Dimi looked at her feet to evade eye contact.

“Would you... heh...” Aura smiled awkwardly. “Would you like a hug?”

“I’m not a baby.” Dimi scoffed. Then she looked the lion-woman in the eyes. “... Actually, a hug would be kinda nice.”

The sphinx embraced the human girl who awkwardly hugged back.

“Okay...” After the hug had lasted for a couple of seconds, Dimi gently pulled her herself free from Aura’s embrace. “That’s enough Ah... thanks.“ 

“Don't mention it.”

***

“OW! Damn it all to hell!”

Ivan blew on his finger that he had hurt with his hammer. He was normally not that clumsy. In fact, he wasn’t clumsy at all when it came to his work.

Then again, it bothered him how angry Dimi had been. Or he assumed that she was angry? In fact, he was unsure if she was angry at him. Ivan had no idea what went through that girl’s head. He partly felt bad about not going looking for her to see how she was doing, but he assumed she wanted some space from him.

Or maybe she didn’t?

“Why is it so hard to figure out how young women works?!” Ivan yelled as he fetched his hammer to finish the horseshoe.

“Tell me about it, we can’t figure ourselves out.”

Ivan turned as he heard Dimi’s voice. She had just entered the forge. She looked at him and looked at him with an expression that was somewhat hard to read.

“Hi.” Ivan didn’t know what else to say.

“Maybe you should take a break? I can take over for a while.”

“Sure...” Ivan shrugged. “That would be... nice.”

Dimi took the hammer from Ivan and looked at her feet. “I’m not mad. Not at you, at least. Just... confused?”

Ivan shrugged again. “That’s fair.”

The human girl and the bull-man smiled awkwardly at each other, not sure what to say. Dimi then tied an apron around her waist and started hammering on warm steel while Ivan went to the house to prepare dinner.

Aura was already doing so when Ivan entered the house. “Hey, darling. Did you and Dimi talk things out?”

“Something like that.” Ivan kissed his wife on the cheek. “I wonder who told her about Pater.”

“Dimi met...” Aura hesitated. “A new friend. They talked about her negative feelings toward Dimi’s father. I decided to talk to her about it and tell her what you told me.”

“Ah...” Ivan looked worried. “Did you tell her about... Veronica?”

“No, absolutely not. IF she needs to know about that bitch, YOU should tell her, not me.”

“I don’t mind her knowing about Veronica as such.” A grim expression appeared on Ivan’s face. “But I don’t want her to know about my mistakes.”

The next day...

“I’m telling you, Dimi, Oswald is the cutest Satyr in the kingdom. Sure, not as cute as my Cobalt, but I think you would like him.” Amethyst followed Dimi to the former bakery while she tried to convince her to go on a double date with her and the dwarf she was currently in a relationship with.

“Amethyst, I’m...” Dimi sighed. “I don’t have time for stuff like that. I train and I work and I rather wanna spend my free time with you.”

“Yes, and I do think you should spend it with me. AND Oswald.”

“I don’t know him.”

“Yes, and we can fix that.”

“Right now, I want you to meet Ruby. I think you will like her and she needs a hand fixing up her new place.”

“More than happy to. It is about time we got a place where we can go to eat locally.” Amethyst smiled about the thought of a restaurant in Jadedale.

She stopped smiling when she spotted who she assumed was Ruby.

The young gorgon stood with her back against Dimi and Amethyst as she was adjusting her dark glasses when she was taking a break from cleaning a window. One of the snakes on her head hissed. Ruby turned around and noticed her new friend and a dwarf had come to lend her a hind in fixing up the place that was gonna be her very own eatery. “Hey, Dimi! Glad you came, I could use a hand here.”

“Sure, no problem. I brought a friend to help.” Dimi smiled at Amethyst as she waved a hand at the snake girl. “Amethyst, this is Ruby.” Dimi stopped smiling when she noticed that Amethyst looked like she has eaten something she couldn’t stomach. “What’s wrong?”

“Hello, nice to meet you.” Amethyst made a half-assed smile at Ruby(who gave the dwarf a tired look) then turned to Dimi and pulled her arm. “Dimi, could I talk with you privately for a sec?”

“Ah, sure?” Dimi looked at Ruby who narrowed her eyes the same way she did when Dimi pointed out that she was a gorgon. “Ruby, we will be back in a sec.”

“Sure, whatever.” Ruby sighed as she went inside with her bucket and wet rag.

Amethyst dragged Dimi a few steppes away from the closed down bakery before she gave her a stern look. “Dimi, how did you meet her?”

“Ah, in Onyxville?”

“No, no. I mean how did you meet her?”

“Ah... when some creatures were ganging up on her?”

“Alright. Why did they gang up on her? Did you ask her that?”

Dimi gave the teen dwarf a blank stare. “Ah, no? I kinda think it was unimportant why anyone would.”

Amethyst groaned. “Dimi, you can’t be that naïve. Did you consider that maybe that gorgon did something? That she had it coming? That she was... you know... asking for trouble?”

Dimi’s blank glare was replaced with an angry one. “No, it didn’t occur to me. Why would you even think that?!”

“Dimi, she is a snake person! Doesn’t the snake part bother you just a little? Everyone knows that gorgons are violent, their freaky hair has a mind of its own, they steal, eat up animals while they are still alive-”

“AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING SENSE OF HEARING ON TOP OF THAT!” Ruby yelled from inside her house.

Amethyst blushed while Dimi gave her an angry glare.

Dimi was so angry she was practically steaming. “What the hell is WRONG with you?!”

“Dimi, I didn’t mean to upset you-”

“Upset me?!” Dimi pointed at Ruby’s soon-to-be restaurant. “You just called Ruby a criminal, violent snake-monster!”

“But she most likely IS one!”

Dimi grind her teeth. “If Ruby is a snake-monster, then maybe YOU are a freaky, bearded BIT-”

SMACK!

Dimi’s cheek turned red after Amethyst had made a small jump to reach the human’s face in order to slap her.

The human and the dwarf glared angrily at each other before Dimi smiled mockingly and said; “I dodge punches for a part-time job. You only stroke me because I LET you do it.”

“SOD OFF!” Amethyst stomped away while steaming like a kettle.

Dimi sighed as she watched the dwarf leave. She entered Ruby’s shop to be met by the gorgon at the door. The puddle at the floor around her mob indicated she hadn’t done much while Dimi had talked with Amethyst. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Nothing you should be sorry about. Hey, should I mob the floor?” Dimi said with a tone that indicated that she didn’t think they should mention the incident.

“Ah, sure.” Ruby handed over the mob. “Hey, while you do that, how about I warm us up something to eat? How does turkey ragoût sound to you? I made some earlier.”

“What’s ragoo?”

Ruby smiled. “Give me a few minutes.”

After a while when Dimi had just begun drying up the floor, the human could smell something amazing and  stood up from the floor to see Ruby holding a wooden bowl in each hand. Dimi took one and saw a sort of stew in it. The two of them leaned up against a wall and Dimi took the spoon from the bowl out and took a mouthful of the “ragoo”. It tasted unbelievably good.

“Ruby, on behalf of everyone who lives in the village, I wanna thank you for moving to Jadedale. This restaurant is gonna be a success!”

Ruby smiled bitterly. “Glad you are an optimist.”

Three days later...

Ruby threw another knife that impaled the opposite wall. She groaned as she stepped out of her kitchen and looked to see if someone had entered the restaurant.

As expected, no one had.

She kicked a chair that stood by one of the four tables in the room. She was frustrated, but not surprised. Moving to a smaller town had not helped at all.

Her savings, as well as her dad’s savings, had been wasted for nothing.

She had gone to the city square to do shopping. The only good thing to say about Jadedale was that people at least just gave her looks of dismay instead of downright insulting her. Bottom line was that no one wanted to associate with her unless she actually talked to them, and they would keep it short.

“I’m moving to the ocean to live with my parents...” The young gorgon made a sigh of defeat as she sat on the floor and felt helpless.

***

“Feast your eyes, ladies. It’s vegetarian night!”

“BOO!”

Ivan smiled like a watermelon as he placed the pot with spicy carrot soup on the dinner table while Dimi and Aura shoved their disapproval by making thumbs down gestures.

Ivan shook his head. “Don’t you boo at this soup. It is my grandpa’s recipe. Nectar of gods I tell you!”

“What kind of god, a rabbit one?” Dimi smirked as she poured soup in her bowl.

“Ivan, I want meat tomorrow, you hear me?” Aura sipped the soup of her spoon. “You can eat all the vegetable you like, but I want MEAT when we go out to celebrate our anniversary.”

“OH, that’s right!” Ivan placed his spoon in the bowl. “We still haven’t agreed on where to go. There are plenty of places we could eat in Onyxville.”

Aura made an awkward smile. “Except for Pie House.”

“Oh, ABSOLUTELY NOT the Pie House. Never setting my foot inside that place again.” Ivan made an awkward laugh.

As Dimi had finished her soup, she realized something. “Hey, I have an idea for where we could go.”

“Sure, we are open for suggestions.” Ivan smiled at aura as he poured more soup up for himself. “Right honey?”

“I think Dimi very much has a say here.” Aura grinned, revealing her sharp teeth.

“Well...” Dimi coughed. “We don’t have to go to Onyxville. We have a place where you can buy food now in Jadedale. And I had food at Ruby’s that was great.”

Ivan and Aura seized smiling right away. Ivan looked as if he was about to choke on the soup. Aura looked worried at Ivan.

“Ah... Ruby’s?” Ivan began to blink nervously. “That’s right, I forgot that we... have a new creature in town.”

“Yeah, she is great. And I had her cooking before, we should totally go there tomorrow.”

Ivan bit his lower lip. “Dimi, I’m not sure I would be... comfortable about that.”

Aura slapped her forehead as she mimed the word No with her lips.

Dimi raised an eyebrow. “What’s that suppose to mean?”

Ivan realized he had messed up. “Um, it means that... I just think we should go to a place we are familiar with since we rarely go out that often.”

Aura slapped her forehead three times more.

“... I don’t believe it.” Dimi stood up and pointed a VERY accusing finger at her godfather. “You are just as bad as everyone else!”

Ivan blinked. “What is that suppose to mean?”

“You know EXACTLY what I mean!” Dimi slammed a fist on the table. “I always loved how everyone in this little town got along despite the many diverse species. But not I realize it is because it was all the good species lived here. As soon as this nice girl moves into our supposedly very welcoming community, EVERYONE give her the cold shoulder because she just so happens to have scales!”

“Dimi, be fair now.” Ivan tried to use his I’m-older-thus-smarter voice when he wanted Dimi to accept something he was about to explain. “I don’t know your new friend, but have you considered that maybe there is a reason to why people don’t... trust that kind of creatures?”

Aura sighed as she rolled her eyes.

Dimi gave Ivan a glare that could set a house on fire. “Suuure. I bet there are plenty of good reasons to why no one likes gorgons. Hey, I bet there are good reasons to why people think minotaurs eats babies!”

Ivan looked shocked at the human princess, then looked at his wife for backup.

“Don’t you look at me.” Aura waved a clawed finger. “The kid has a point.”

Ivan stood up and looked at the girl with anger in his eyes. “Dimi, that was uncalled for. That was not fair.”

“You are right, Ivan. It is so not fair. It is not fair when people talk smack about you behind your back in Onyxville. And it is NOT fair that people assume Ruby is trouble when she has only been here for less than a week and done nothing wrong. It’s not fair that no one gives Ruby a chance.”

Ivan opened his mouth. Then he didn’t say anything since he was unsure what to say. He closed his mouth so he wouldn’t look stupid. He lifted a finger, then lowered it.

“Ahem.” Dimi and Ivan turned their attention toward the sphinx woman. “If anyone would like to know what I think, then I think going to Ruby’s sounds like a lovely idea. We get a nice meal as well as supporting the local economy.”

Ivan looked at his wife. Then at his protégé. He sighed as he sat down. “... She serves vegetarian food?”

***

Ruby stared at the still closed door as she threw a second knife at it.

“Move to the countryside, he said!” Ruby sneered as she took aim. “Creatures will be more welcoming in a smaller town, he said! Start fresh!” Her snakes all hissed in anger along with the teen as she impaled the door with her knife. “Bunch of ignorant, self-righteous, butt-scratching HICKS!”

Ruby was about to throw another kitchen knife... and almost had a heart attack as the door was opened.

A minotaur looked terrified at the knife in Dimi’s hand. He gulped as he raised his hands above his horned head. He looked at the young gorgon who blushed and looked very embarrassed.

“Oh, NONONONO!” Ruby bit her lower lip as she smiled. “I wasn’t... It’s a cook thing!”

“Hello...” Ivan smiled awkwardly at the snake girl. “Do you have a table for a party of three?”

“Sssuuure...” Ruby looked at the empty chairs. “I can squeeze you in.”

“Name is Ivan, I’m the town blacksmith.” Ivan stepped inside. He was dressed in a green jacket. He looked at the knife attacked to the door before returning his attention toward his host. “I’m here with my wife and my goddaughter that I believe you know?”

A lion-bird-woman stepped inside along with Dimi. Both of them in dresses that weren’t expensive but looked nice.

“I’m Aura.” The sphinx made a warm smile as she grabbed Ruby’s hand and shook it firmly. “I heard your ragoo should be divine!”

Ruby laughed timidly. “Oh, you won’t be disappointed, madam. I promise you that.”

“Madam?!” Aura laughed. “Dimi, I LIKE this girl!”

Ruby pulled herself free from the handshake as she looked at the bull-man. “And I hear you are a vegetarian, sir?”

Ivan wanted to kick himself. This gorgon was a nice young lady. “Yes, you have any soups or salads?”

“Oh, I have something much better.” Ruby looked very please. “Ever tried ratatouille?”

Ivan looked baffled. “Rattoo what?”

Ruby chuckled. “Give me a few minutes and you are gonna have a new favorite dish, sir.” Ruby looked at Dimi. “And ragout for you?”

“Absolutely!” Dimi sent Ruby a big grin.

“Alright, give me a few minutes and... oh. right.” Ruby went to the front door and pulled the knives free. “Gonna need these...”

Dimi resisted the urge to giggle as Ruby went to the kitchen. She immediately lost the want to laughed as she front door was opened once again and two dwarfs entered the establishment.

“Come now.” Amethyst’s mother Agate gently pushed her daughter toward the table where Dimi and her family sat. “Go on.”

Amethyst sighed as she walked toward the table, not looking Dimi in the eyes. Dimi however stared at the teen dwarf.

“Dimi...” Amethyst groaned. “I had a long talk with my mom... and she pointed out that maybe judging creatures because of garbage she has been told by idiots may not be that smart. That I should be more unbiased when I meet new creatures. And that I was just being rude and should be more open minded. And...” Amethyst looked up and stared Dimi directly in the eyes. “I’m sorry. I was a jerk.”

“Am, I’m sorry I made fun of your beard.” Dimi stood up from the table. “But I’m not the one you have to apologize to.”

Amethyst looked like she wanted to shrink into nothingness. “Do I have to?”

Dimi nodded. “You don’t have to like her, but she is my friend and you insulted her.”

Dimi offered Amethyst a hand that the dwarf girl reluctantly accepted as she walked toward the kitchen.

“Ivan...” Aura decided this was a good moment to talk with Ivan about why he had had issues coming in the first place. “I know you didn’t want to come here because you kept thinking about Veronica when you heard about Ruby.”

“Oh, PLEASE.” Ivan shook his head. “I was being stupid, I realize this now. That Ruby girl and other gorgons can’t be held responsible for the actions of one woman.”

“I didn’t want to say anything.”

“Well, I’m glad Dimi did.” Ivan sniffed. “Hey, I think I can smell eggplants!”

***

Old man Sunmut the Satyr and Greg the Goblin looked at the restaurant from a distance.

“This would NEVER have happened back in my day.” The old goat man looked at the little building with a judging look. “Here I thought Ivan was a smart lad.”

“Yeah, and the dwarf family too?” Greg sighed. “Some people have no standards.”

“I’m telling you, they will all come out turned to stone.”

“Hear ya, hear ya.”

The two creatures said nothing for a while.

“... smells kinda good though.” Greg gave Sunmut a look.

“Yeah...”

The goat and the goblin exchanged glares.

“Ah, to heck with it!” Sunmut tightened his grip around his cane. “I’m old, it’s too late for me to fear death. I’m going in!”

“So am I, I’m STARVED.”

#Royal Punch #Dimi #Dimicatio #Dimi the Princess #Ruby #Ruby the Gorgon #gorgon #Ivan #Ivan the Minotaur #minotaur #Aura #Aurauaakarusaank #Aura the Sphinx #Amethyst the Dwarf #RP #waeziverse #fantasy

[lovelyirony]

Ironwidow fake dating and cousin Sharon matchmaking

Nat and Tony have been friends since seventh grade, when Tony made fun of her drawing and in retaliation, Nat stuck a pencil in his thigh. 

He grinned at her after sneakily getting a tissue from the front desk. 

“You’re pretty good, Nat.” 

“My name is Natasha.” 

“Not to me, it’s not.” 

So it becomes Nat and Tony. Tony and Nat. They do everything together, from attend the eighth grade pool parties and hate all of them to the freshman orientation in high school where they make fun of the senior leaders and sneak into the admissions office to make sure they have at least one class together. (And then change the schedule when they don’t.) 

Tony has been in love with Natasha Romanoff since the first eighth grade pool party, when she showed up in a full wet suit because she didn’t like the way that their classmate Ivan liked her. 

But, he hasn’t done anything about it. Why is that, everyone asks? Just ask her out! 

Well, Tony has a special talent that is medically known as “anxiety,” but he also has common sense. 

Natasha Romanoff is beautiful. She has gorgeous red hair, eyes that know everything about you before you even think they do, a wicked sense of humor, and a sense of self that is beyond anything Tony’s ever encountered. 

Tony stays up until three a.m., doesn’t give a shit about his appearance so he is frequently rushing to school with the worst bed hair imaginable, and also wears possibly the most out-of-style clothing ever. 

Like right now. A pair of jeans that’s too short and he cuffed only on one leg, a shirt that’s advertising some college Howard made him visit, and he’s pretty sure that the plaid he layered it with has a coffee stain down the back. 

He’s proven right when Sharon wrinkles her nose. 

“Dude, you seriously haven’t done laundry since two weeks ago, have you?” 

“Do I smell bad? Do I?” 

She leans in. 

“No, just like old coffee. So regular. We’ll see when Nat comes. Or you could confess your love to have her not roast your choice of apparel.” 

Tony scowls, adjusting his backpack. 

“Do you have another topic, or are you just that boring?” 

“I could also tell you about World War One,” Sharon adds. “I just read about it in one of those stupid textbooks I have to carry around. Did you know that the French are actually the worst at war?” 

“Yes, everyone knows that. I think they know that too.” 

Nat’s already at her locker. She looks gorgeous with her jean jacket, the new patches sewn on. 

“Looking cute,” Sharon says appreciatively. “Do you think you’re gonna get dress-coded for the ‘fuck men’ patch?” 

“Not if they want me to write an article on how the club fund got cut but the football team got another new field within four years,” Nat says. 

“Still a good article,” Tony says. “If you could still get into a college without a reputation ruined. You know how much schools care about sports.” 

“More than education at times!” Sharon cheers. 

Nat snorts, bringing Tony into a hug. 

“Nice to see you, dude. Ready for history?” 

“Not in the slightest. We’re probably talking about government procedure again while our teacher waxes poetic about the justice system. I think I might try to change the FDA’s home screen again.” 

“You know, they might catch on after the fourth time of you inserting random YouTube videos to different links.” 

“It’s the Federal Department of Agriculture, I highly doubt they care,” Tony says, rolling his eyes. “Besides, I’ve already proven that I’m probably better with technology than the government itself.” 

This was true; Tony had hacked into the official website of the White House with shitty hotel Wi-Fi and half his sanity. (It was flu season, he’d had way too much Ny-Quil.) 

School passes by with little incident, all things considered. A classic Monday, with the only real excitement being an announcement of no school the following Monday for a staff meeting. 

It isn’t until Tony gets home to find both of his parents home and in the same room, waiting for him, that he starts to panic. 

“Is this an intervention?” Tony asks. “Did I do something bad?” 

“Not yet,” Howard says. “Although I wouldn’t be surprised.” 

“Dear,” Maria reprimands. “No, there’s an event that we want you to attend.” 

“Want or need?” Tony asks. “I was supposed to hang out with my friend Bruce to work on his genetics lab.” 

“I’m sure the lab can wait,” Howard scoffs. “You’re in high school, for god’s sake.” 

“Bruce is doing lab work for Culver,” Tony says. “He got early acceptance, so he’s doing a weird deal so he gets college credit and a year off early.” 

“Impressive, dear,” mom says, smiling. “But this event is something that you can’t miss.” 

It’s a goddamn family reunion. Maria’s side, but still. At least Peggy and Sharon would come. 

Family reunions on the Carter/Carbonell side are…interesting. A lot of loud people, aunts that couldn’t stop cooking, and at least one uncle that would say something marginally horrible and cause a rift for at least six hours where everything was tense. 

Sharon had to take this advantage carefully. 

So she got her own email into the family chain of them–a mistake by all accounts, but one that should be committed sooner rather than later–and tells the family that Tony is bringing his girlfriend, Natasha. 

They both love each other, she knows that much. Tony looks at Nat like he could give her anything in the world, and Nat looks at him with so much vulnerability that she always says she doesn’t have. 

They’ve liked each other for a while now. Sharon wishes that it wasn’t at her family reunion that she was doing this, but it was either that or a dance for high school, and that’s far too much work. 

Tony, understandably, is stressed. 

“Does she even know she’s going?!” Tony yells. “Holy shit Sharon, she’s going to meet like eighty of us!” 

“Yeah,” Sharon says. “She just doesn’t know that she’s supposed to be your girlfriend.” 

“Sharon.” 

“Yes?” 

“Run.” 

Sharon squeals as she skids out of the room, Tony chasing after her. He’s not really going to do anything about it, but he still has to text Nat. 

i am. so sorry 

lmao it’s fine. sharon just said i’m going to the reunion. why? 

funny story…

fuck what’d she do 

she emailed everyone that i was bringing you as a girlfriend. and i’m not really going to spend the whole weekend correcting it. 

gotcha. operation: fake dating commence! 

thank you nat. seriously love you 

Nat reads the message, but doesn’t respond. Of course Sharon would pull something like this. She knew that Nat liked her cousin, probably since they were kids. 

And now she had to pretend to be his girlfriend, something she actually wanted very much to do. 

She gets a text from Sharon. 

Please don’t wear your jean jacket with all the patches. It’s very cool, but you will start a fight in my family and win. But then you aren’t allowed to come back :( 

Natasha sends her back the middle finger, but then promises not to bring it.

This brings up the subject; what do you wear to a family reunion? 

- 

Tony’s fidgeting in the car as he goes to pick up Nat. His mother was very surprised. 

“You got your father’s distinct habit of not shutting your mouth,” she says with a chuckle. “But I do suppose the gazes say it all. Every Carbonell man looks like he’s in love before he says it, so–” 

“Mama, not now!” Tony hisses. Natasha’s making her way to the car, backpack slung around her shoulder and an elegant handbag in the crook of her arm. 

“Hey Ms. Carbonell,” Natasha says. “How are you?” 

“Doing good, better now that I get to have you with us,” she teases. “Anthony over here never told me that he was going to have you on as a special guest.” Natasha sends a raised eyebrow over to Tony. 

“Oh?” 

“I forgot,” Tony lied smoothly. “You know how I get in the labs. Just completely forget everything I’m supposed to remember.” 

The conversation is easy after that: just a few little anecdotes that Nat and Tony have gone over last night over the phone. They had confessed that they liked each other a year ago, had kept it extremely low-key since both didn’t want to fuss with it, and that was that. 

“How come Sharon knew but I didn’t?” Mom pouts. 

“She’s an imp,” Tony answers. “An imp who doesn’t know how to keep business to herself.” 

Their family fills up a small inn out of the way, and Tony sighs as he sees three of his aunts already conspiring at the bar. 

“Be prepared for a barrage of questions.” 

“Roger that.” 

Natasha is whisked away by the ladies with a few compliments to the cute flats she’s wearing and her favorite type of perfume. Tony gets led over to Sharon, who is playing darts with Trip and their kind-of-but-not-really-cousin, Ricardo. 

“What have I missed out on?” Trip asks, grinning. “Heard some girl was crazy enough to come and date you. She’s a looker, Tony.” 

“Thanks,” Tony says. “But yes, crazy enough to date me. Sharon knows how crazy it is, I practically get the same gene from her.” 

Sharon rolls her eyes, landing another bullseye. Ricardo curses. 

“How do you always manage to do this?” 

“Practice for this exact moment,” Sharon says with a grin. “Go get me a drink. One of the good ones.” 

“You seriously get him to do your bidding every single time,” Tony says with a laugh. Trip excuses him to see Uncle Erik, leaving Sharon and Tony alone. 

“So. You liking your new status of boyfriend?” 

“You seriously need to stop meddling,” Tony scowls. “Just because I like her doesn’t mean she should be in on this.” 

“She doesn’t mind,” Sharon scoffs. “Besides, I think Aunt Angie is going to tell her about the cardboard incident.” 

“Oh my god–” 

Natasha saunters over, grinning devilishly. 

“So. Naked and a cardboard box for modesty? Why am I not surprised at the innovation, Tony?” 

��Dammit,” Tony swears. “I’m going to learn something embarrassing about you. I’ll ask Clint.” 

“Like he’ll tell.” 

The reunion goes about as well as expected. Uncle Daniel finally spills the beans and says that his son who couldn’t make it was going to bring his girlfriend that no one likes, but they canceled at the last minute. 

“They’re horrible,” Tony says. “I’m serious. They’re the kind of people that take advantage of old people.” 

“Gross.” 

They gravitate closer to each other. While Natasha doesn’t have a problem with this, it’s bittersweet. Every time Tony casually puts his arm around her and tells another story about how they snuck into the office to match schedules and his family coos and says it’s so cute, and Sharon smiles at them. 

It stings, to be this close and yet knowing that it isn’t at all real. 

Tony lies awake at night. Becuase this is nice. All of his family loves Nat, so does he, and it seems…possible almost. To have her this close, smiling at him like she has. 

So it’s not a good idea, but he goes to her room at three a.m. She’s still awake. 

“Why are you still awake?” 

“Watching funny videos. Why are you awake?” 

“That’s why I’m here. Follow me.” 

They go into the courtyard. It feels…nice outside. Tony’s wringing his hands. 

“What’s got you so nervous?” Natasha asks. “And why at three in the morning?” 

“I think this is literally the only way I could do it,” Tony says. “Only time my family shuts up.” 

“Go for it then,” Natasha says. “You have until four, when your baby cousin wakes up. Lorenzo?” 

“Got it,” Tony says, smiling. “Um, well, I–” 

“What?” 

“Oh fuck,” Tony curses. “Listen, I’m just going to say it. I’m just going to say it.” 

“You’ve said that twice.” 

“Iloveyou.” 

“What?” 

“I…I love you,” Tony says, sighing. “I’ve loved you I think since eighth grade, and I’m now telling you because I don’t think I can just go on with life without telling you. I also realize that you’re stuck at the family reunion until this is over, so now I realize I’ve put stress on you and I’m sorry, I can fake my death if you really want me to, so–” 

Natasha envelops him in a hug. She kisses his cheek, looking at him in the dim light of the lanterns. 

“You absolute fool. I love you too.” 

It’s the first of many “I love you’s.” 

Sharon takes credit for the relationship, and Tony and Nat let her. She’s also the maid of honor and meets her future wife, Maria. 

Tony and Natasha don’t go to the same college, but compete against each other in the trivia clubs that both schools have, and so they spend other time together. Natasha shows him her favorite tea shop downtown, and Tony shows her all of the hideaway spots he uses for studies. 

(And to hide her away from Rhodey, who will tell her anything and everything that’s embarrassing about Tony.) 

Right after college, Tony and Nat move into an apartment. 

About a year later, Natasha holds out a gold ring for him to put on, asks if they really have to get married in a fancy church, and watches as Tony tears up and hugs her. 

“I told you!” Sharon crows when they reveal the rings. “I told you that you would get married!” 

“Okay loser,” Natasha says. “Then you’re the maid-of-honor. Congrats on throwing my bachelorette party.” 

“I’m making us go paint-balling.” 

Tony rolls his eyes, but looks at his now-fiancee. 

Things will be good. Aren’t they always? 

#holy FUCK this is long and it's not showing me my read more link #oh well! #lovelyirony writes #long post #this is long as fuck #ironwidow #sharon carter #iron man #black widow #natasha romanoff #tony stark #i love them okay #so much #i did this instead of read about the protestant reformation but all you need to know about that is martin luther hated the church #and everyone else hated martin luther #so that was fun #fake dating au #i love how i search up teh characters name to find this nad i can't #that's so sexy ;)

[553butterfly553]

Lightning Dragon Slayer Love - Laxus x OC 2

Doing The Job

Laxus kept a hold of Adryn all the way back to their inn. He even dragged her up the stairs and to his room before throwing the door open and practically tossing the girl onto his bed out of anger. Bickslow, Evergreen and Freed all trailed behind them, concerned over what was about to happen. “What the hell was that?” Laxus asked Adryn as she got up from his bed. She seemed a bit rattled from being so manhandled. “I... I lost control of my anger, I'm sorry.” Adryn hesitantly responded as she looked down at the ground. “You need to tell us your history with Ivan, right now, before we continue on with this job.” Evergreen snapped as she approached the other girl. Adryn just looked up at Evergreen and frowned. “Do I have to?” “Yes!” Both Evergreen and Laxus snapped back at the girl causing her to wince out of both pain and fear from their loud voices. “Alright, damn, fine, I'll tell you guys. Sit down, this is going to be a long story.” Adryn made herself more comfortable on Laxus' bed. Laxus sat down on the other side of the bed, Evergreen took the chair in the room while Freed and Bickslow decided to just stand. Adryn didn't begin speaking right away, she just thought overall she was going to say before she said it to them. “Well, we're waiting,” Evergreen spoke up when Adryn didn't speak for a few moments, she clearly had no patience. “I guess I should start by saying that I, too, am a lightning dragon slayer due to a lacrima embedded within my body. Before you ask, I was turned into this by Ivan due to him realizing that Laxus wasn't going to follow him after he left the guild. Ivan was already taking care of me then due to my parents' mysterious disappearance.” “Mysterious disappearance?” Freed questioned when Adryn didn't immediately give an explanation for that. “They were out on a job and never returned home. They were presumed dead, but their bodies were never found. I'm pretty certain that Ivan had them killed or killed them himself to get a hold of me.” Adryn paused in her speaking to think about something else before finally saying it. It was like she didn't want to say it at all though. “My former best friend, Eclipse and her family were also murdered when Ivan realized that they were going to try to save me from him. Her little sister, Nova, my first lover, was kept alive as a hostage to ensure I did everything that Ivan wanted me to do.” “You dated a girl?” Bickslow questioned with his babies repeating that same question. “I did. She was my first love. However, it turned out that she'd been dead the entire time. I did horrible things to keep her alive, and when I found out that she was already dead, I lost it. I went through years of mental, physical and emotional abuse at the hands of Ivan and the other Raven Tail members just to keep someone alive, that was already dead. I won't get into details on the exact abuse, but just know that it wasn't pleasant.” “What did you do when you realized she was already dead?” Evergreen now took her turn to question things. “I flipped out on Ivan and nearly killed him, but decided that I shouldn't at the last second. So, I just left Raven Tail and returned to Fairy Tail. He let me go for some reason. I'm sure he always has planned to get me back, but I don't ever plan on going back to him.” “I cannot believe that someone so horrible exists. I'm sorry that you had to go through that.” Freed stated after Adryn was done talking. “It's disgusting that he did all those horrible things to you. I can't believe you lasted through all that.” Evergreen spoke up next. “We should go right back to him and kick his ass!” Bickslow angrily said with his babies repeating, “Kick his ass!” a few times also angrily. Laxus shaking his head caught their attention next. “I... I am disappointed that my own father could do such things to someone he was taking care of, but I guess I should have seen it coming since he was never a good guy.” Laxus stated before looking at Adryn. It was clear from his eyes that he felt terrible for Adryn, but he wasn't about to admit that out loud. “Thank you all for being so supportive.” Adryn finally spoke up holding back tears. Evergreen instantly got up and hugged the poor girl. It was a little shocking for her to do such a thing, but no one decided to call her out on it at that moment. “Well, now that we have some answers, we should head to bed. It is getting pretty late after all.” Freed spoke up once Evergreen as done hugging Adryn. “Alright, so everyone get out of my room,” Laxus stated once no one started moving even though they all agreed with Freed's statement. Adryn couldn't help but chuckle as she hopped off Laxus' bed. She headed to the door with Evergreen but turned around to face Laxus. “Before I forget, please don't manhandle me like that again, alright?” Adryn nearly demanded of Laxus, who just looked at her with an eyebrow raised. “If you go off the deep end again, I'll have to do that, so keep calm and I won't.” Laxus simply responded to the girl, who just nodded her head and began the trek to her and Evergreen's room. Bickslow and Freed also headed back to their room, leaving Laxus all alone with his thoughts. He kept thinking about how it wasn't fair that a girl like that needed to go through hell. However, once he thought that, he felt weird inside. He wasn't sure why, but he felt bad for the girl and he doesn't usually feel bad for people unless he actually cared about them. So, Laxus went to sleep confused and a little pissed off with his father. ~ The next day, Laxus woke up first and woke up the others by banging on their doors and ordering them to get their asses up. Apparently, they'd slept in a bit too much and were now a bit late getting started with their day. Once they all ate breakfast at a nearby diner, they headed out to do their job, which in total, was to take down the members of Raven Tail, should they be trying to be an active guild once again. They'd already gotten confirmation from Ivan that he was in contact with his previous guild members, which was strictly forbidden. They could guess that the members were gathering to become a dark guild once more. “Let's split up and hunt down these members,” Freed suggested once they left the diner. They each had a list of names and descriptions of the members of Raven Tail that were said to be in the town. “Alright. Adryn, let's go.” Laxus stated to the redheaded girl. She nodded her head and followed Laxus as he walked away from the Thunder Legion. “Do you know where we are going?” Adryn asked as she looked up at the tall man. He looked down at her and then back up to the path ahead of them. “Laxus, are you ignoring me or something?” “Maybe, maybe not.” Laxus had a slight smile on his face, which made Adryn pout. “Aren't you too old to be pouting?” “Bitch I might be!” Adryn snapped at the man who just laughed in return. He found the girl hilarious, however, she was getting worked up. “Don't tease me. I don't like it.” Laxus nodded his head and looked down at her. “I suppose not many people do like being teased.” Laxus then patted the girl's head and began to speak once again. “I'm sorry.” “Oh? You're sorry? For what?” Adryn looked back up at the man, to see he was still looking down at her, but this time he had an odd look in his eyes. “Stop it. I hate when people look at me with those eyes.” His eyes were showing that he felt sorry for her, not because of the teasing, but because of all she'd said last night. “I can understand that.” Laxus had a few people in his lifetime feel sorry for him over his father's actions. He didn't like it one bit, so he could understand why the girl didn't like it either. “You know, you aren't such a bad guy after all,” Adryn muttered, but Laxus heard it loud and clear. “You thought I was a bad guy?” Laxus paused in his walking to face the girl. He almost seemed a bit offended by that. “Well, not exactly. I heard all about what you did all those years ago, so I had a bad impression of you. However, after meeting you and getting to know you a little bit, other than the manhandling, you're a good guy.” Adryn smiled up at Laxus and it caused a little flutter in his chest, which he promptly killed and ignored. It caused Laxus to frown, which made Adryn then frown. “What's wrong?” “Let's just do our job.” Laxus then began to walk away from the redheaded girl. Adryn was extremely confused but followed after him anyway. She didn't like the pain she felt in her chest when he frowned at her. The two groups then began their quest to take down the members of Raven Tail. Some members were difficult to find, and some were easy. Some fought them and then some just gave themselves up. Either way, all the men and women were caught before the day was up and were loaded onto transportation to head to jail. The last one they had to take down was Ivan and they all met back up to do so. “Everything went well so far,” Freed commented as they hurried to where Ivan's home was. However, when they got there, the door was open. “I'll go in first.” Laxus declared as they approached the open door. He pushed the door open and peered inside. “It's empty.” “What?!” Adryn pushed past Laxus and entered the home to see it was, indeed, empty. “Dammit!” “Come on, nothing we can do now.” Laxus pulled the girl out of the house and slammed the door. It showed that he, as well, was upset over losing track of Ivan. As they walked back to their inn, Adryn trudged behind them. She didn't know what to do now. Her objective was always to take down Ivan, and she had the chance to yesterday but was stopped. She felt a little lost now. “Let's go drinking tonight.” Laxus suddenly said as they walked past a bar. He stopped and looked towards the others. “I think we could all use a drink after today.” Freed agreed

with his leader. They then looked towards the girl who was still just looking at the ground. Adryn then realized she was being looked at and looked up at them. “I guess I could drink,” Adryn stated as she looked at the group. “Good. Let's go.” Laxus then entered the bar with the others following him. Instantly, the men of the bar looked between Evergreen and the cloak wearing Adryn. “Adryn, get us a table.” The girl nodded her head and went to get a table for them. It was one in the corner away from the other people. She didn't want to be around other people because of the way they were all staring at her. Once she was at the table, she unhooked her cloak to reveal shorts and a tank top. The shorts were black and the tank top was dark blue. Her cloak itself was black with blue lightning pattern around the edges. Immediately, the men of the bar were looking at her. She could feel their eyes and instantly became uncomfortable. She felt like putting her cloak back on but was stopped by the others returning. Laxus then sat a mug of beer down on the table in front of her before sitting to her left while Evergreen sat to her right. Freed sat next to Laxus and Bickslow sat next to Evergreen. “I never noticed you wore such revealing clothing before, Adryn.” Evergreen commented as she sipped at her beer. Adryn looked over at her and shrugged. She didn't really see anything wrong with it, as people wore worse things than she did. “You look hot!” Bickslow stated with a smile on his face as his babies echo, “Hot! Hot! Hot!” Adryn just ignored the man and took a sip of her own beer. “Apparently, other men also are thinking the same thing, as there are a lot of eyes on us currently.” Freed pointed out as he set down his beer from having just taken a drink of it. Adryn peaked around Freed and Bickslow to see men just staring at Evergreen and Adryn. Adryn then watched as a man got up from his chair and made his way to them, stumbling all the way. He was clearly drunk and it gave Adryn a bad feeling. She was so thankful that Evergreen and herself were cut off from the man by Freed and Bickslow. He couldn't get to the girls without getting through the two men. “Hello there, gorgeous.” The man was drunk but his words weren't slurred. He was looking right at Adryn as he spoke, which made her want to crawl under the table and hide. “What do you want?” Laxus demanded, surprising them all at the table. His tone was harsh and caused the drunk stranger to jolt. He then glared at Laxus. “I was talking to the beautiful redhead. Not you.” “And I was asking you what the hell you wanted.” Laxus set his drink down and looked up at the man with a death glare. “I, uh, just wanted to tell her she was beautiful. That... that's all.” The man then scampered away. “Wow Laxus, you sure scared him off. What was that all about?” Evergreen questioned as she watched the scared man return to his group of friends. “I'm trying to relax.” Laxus simply explained though none of them thought he was telling the truth. “I'm sorry. I should put my cloak back on...” Adryn was about to grab her cloak when Laxus grabbed her hand to stop her, which caused her to look up at him with confusion. “You don't need to do anything. It wasn't your fault. It was his.” “Oh, okay.” Adryn nodded her head and looked at her and Laxus' hands. Laxus followed her eyes and then instantly let go of her hand. He then resumed drinking as nothing had happened. So, that's exactly what Adryn decided to do. The five of them drank and chatted about various things for another hour or so before the night began to creep upon them. So, they all headed home, with Evergreen and Adryn leaning against each other. They both drank a bit much and were now drunk and wobbly. “Are you two alright?” Freed questioned as he turned around to make sure both of the girls were still behind them. Laxus and Bickslow also stopped and turned around to check on the girls. To Freed's question, both girls muttered incoherent responses. “I don't think they are alright, Freed,” Bickslow stated as he watched the girls sway in place before Adryn fully lost her balance and nearly tumbled to the ground. She would have hit the ground had Laxus not moved like lightning to catch her. “Remind me to never take her out drinking again,” Laxus muttered as he picked the redhead up fully and began to carry her back to the inn. He didn't see the shocked faces of his Thunder Legion as he walked away. Even Evergreen sobered up enough to realize that it wasn't usual Laxus behavior. Before Laxus could get out of sight, they all hurried up and made their way to their leader. Bickslow had to help Evergreen walk though, as she was still quite drunk. Once at the inn, Laxus carried Adryn to her room with Bickslow following behind with Evergreen leaning on him. Laxus took the key from Evergreen and unlocked the door. “Which bed is yours?” Laxus questioned Adryn as he looked at the beds. She pointed to the one closest to the door, so Laxus took her to it and dropped her on the bed. “Rest up. We're heading back to Fairy Tail in the morning.” With that, Laxus left the room, leaving Evergreen to Bickslow. “Is it just me, or was Laxus acting weird?” Bickslow questioned Evergreen as he led her to her own bed. He helped her get in and covered up. “He seemed to care for Adryn. Maybe he was just being kind?” Evergreen questioned even though she didn't believe that was the real reason. So, being drunk, she decided to blurt out her true thoughts. “Maybe he likes her and wanted to take care of her?” “You think so?” Bickslow responded with a laugh as his babies repeating that word over and over again. With that conversation being over, Bickslow wished the girls a good rest and left the room to meet back up with Freed at their room. With that, everyone was in their rooms and sleeping. They just hoped that no one would have bad hangovers the next day. ~ Adryn woke up before anyone woke her up this time. She instantly felt horrible and wanted to just go back to sleep. However, she knew that she shouldn't as she could tell that it was already time to be waking up. Sure enough, moments after she sat up in bed, there was a knock at her door. “Girls, it's time to wake up. We're leaving in one hour.” It was Freed at the door speaking gently to the probably hungover girls. Adryn quickly got out of bed and opened the door. She was still wearing the same clothes as last night and even still had her cloak on. “Thanks for waking us up, Freed. I'm glad it was you and not Laxus. I don't think I could handle the loud pounding on the door this time.” Freed just smiled at the girl's comment and nodded his head. “Laxus was actually the one to asked me to come to wake you girls up.” “I knew it...” It was Evergreen speaking from her bed. Her voice was low but clear and full of pain. “Laxus most likely does like you, Adryn.” “Wh-What? No, he definitely doesn't.” Adryn responded instantly in a flustered tone. Both Freed and Evergreen both shook their heads at the girl in disbelief. She was clearly in denial, just as Laxus most likely was as well. “Let's just get ready and head out, alright? No more of this talking about who likes who.” “Very well. Meet us at the entrance when you are ready.” Freed said to the girls before closing the door as he walked away. So, both the girls freshened up and got changed slowly due to their massive headaches. It took them some time, but eventually, they got done and headed to the entrance of the inn to turn in their key. “You two took forever.” Bickslow stated with his babies echoing “forever”. “Stop them from doing that this instant. I can't handle your 'babies' on a good day, so I don't want to deal with them on a bad day.” Adryn instantly snapped at the man who just laughed in return but did indeed keep his babies from laughing as well. “Give me your key and I will turn it in,” Freed spoke to Evergreen who did as he asked. Freed then went to the front desk to turn in all three keys they'd been given. “You feel better?” Adryn turned to Laxus, who'd just spoken to her. “You were a mess last night.” “Gee, thanks for telling me that,” Adryn responded with a frown on her face. Laxus chuckled and patted the girl's head. “You should thank me, I carried your ass back here because you couldn't walk.” “You did what?!” Adryn's face immediately went bright red and she took a step backward. “I carried you like the little princess you are.” “Oh my god. I am never drinking again.” Adryn shook her head as if to shake that thought from her mind. Laxus just chuckled at the girl again, which irritated her. She began to pout as she glared up at him. He just gave her a cocky smile in return. “Everything has been settled, we can depart now,” Freed spoke up, breaking Laxus and Adryn from their world they'd gone in to. They didn't see Bickslow or Evergreen watching them with shocked faces. Laxus wasn't in the habit of messing with people who he didn't care about, showing that on some level he cared about Adryn. “Alright, let's head to the train,” Laxus stated as he turned away from his group. He began the short walk over to the train station where the train had just arrived. They got their tickets and headed into the train. This time, Evergreen made Adryn sit across from Laxus while she sat alone in a seat. When Adryn looked at her with confusion, Evergreen spoke to her. “I want to get some rest and lay down in this seat. So you sit with the boys.” Evergreen simply stated to the redhead. Adryn nodded her head in return. “I sure hope I don't get sick...” Adryn muttered to herself, just loud enough for the boys around her to hear. “You better not.” All three of the men responded with Bickslow's babies repeating the sentence a few times as well. Adryn just warily smiled at them. “I'll do my best.” Then the train took off and Adryn's face went completely pale and then green. “I'm just going to go to sleep.” Adryn then leaned her head back and closed her eyes as she fought off the sickness that was rising in her. Laxus followed suit and did the same, as he too was feeling sick but only from the motion sickness and not also due to hangover. They all hoped they could get through the train ride without someone throwing up on someone else.

#laxus #laxus dreyar #fairy tail #bickslow #evergreen #freed

[lovren-la-vida-luka]

Hi! This was inspired by an ask @lovrenfc received while people were sharing their stories of meeting the Croatian NT guys and freaking out. The anon came up with the concept of dating Dejan, going to a gala event with him, meeting Luka and crying or fainting, so if you were that anon, get in touch and I’m happy to give you credit for the idea!

Dejan x reader

Featured: Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Domagoj Vida, Sime Vrsaljko, Mario Mandzukic (briefly) No warnings required as far as I know, no nsfw content, just a few kisses and one or two swear words.

Most importantly, this was written quickly and isn’t perfect. I just found this concept hilarious and wanted to do something with it.

Dejan stands behind you, the smell of his musky aftershave and sea salt hair spray enveloping you as he helps you button the back of your floor length gown. “You look incredible. I can’t wait to introduce you to some of my friends,” he says proudly as he fastens the last button. “They’ll love you.”

You giggle when he says it, and in the mirror you see a soft smile on his face too. “What’s so funny?” he asks.

“I was just remembering my first introduction to your footballer friends,” you explain, and he laughs out loud.

“Dammit, Domo,” he chuckles. “Budalo jedna.”

You both take a moment to remember that night during the World Cup when you and Dejan were still keeping things on the low; how you’d walked into Dejan’s hotel room after he gave you the key while he was taking something to Dalic, how Domagoj had jumped out of the bathroom yelling “POLUDI” to scare Dejan then screamed even louder than you had when he realised you were very much not his tall, dark and handsome teammate.

It had taken you quite a while to convince Dejan to invite him back to the room and introduce you, but eventually he gave in and Domo had arrived along with Šime and a bottle of rakija. The four of you stayed up until the small hours drinking and laughing. You and Dejan smile fondly at the memory.

You step forward and pick up your necklace, a beautiful diamond necklace that Dejan bought you for your birthday. “Would you put this on for me?” you ask, and Dejan obliges before turning you around to face him.

“You really do look gorgeous,” he smiles, and kisses your lips. “Let’s go.”

When you arrive at the gala event, you look around to see if you recognise anyone. Dejan realises you’re feeling nervous and kisses your head softly. “I’m still not entirely used to these things,” you confide in him, and he squeezes your shoulder reassuringly.

“I know, draga. But you’re perfect, and I’m here. You’re fine.”

You allow him to lead you to the dance floor, you both know that will help. You slow dance with him, your nerves dissipating until all you’re aware of is Dejan. He holds you close as you sway to the music, and when it ends, he dips you and gives you a fleeting, light kiss on your lips. “I love you,” you whisper to him as he pulls you back into an upright position. He smiles at you and says it back, taking your hand and walking towards your table.

Suddenly, a loud whistle behind you stops you in your tracks. You both spin around to find Domagoj standing behind you, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “Domo!” you cry, hugging him tight. “I’ve missed you! We were just talking about you earlier!”

“Really?” he gasps in feigned shock. “Was it about my dashing good looks? Or my exceptional talent on the field? Was it-“

Dejan interrupts him. “It was about you scaring the shit out of my girlfriend in Russia, then apologising by getting her impossibly drunk,” he says with a raised eyebrow, not quite managing to keep the amusement out of his voice.

Before Domo can remind Dejan that he wasn’t exactly sober himself, Dejan excuses you both and pulls you towards the table, where you find Šime and a man you’ve never met before but quickly recognise as Ivan Rakitić, or Raketa as he is introduced to you. Šime greets you like an old friend, which, judging by the many times you’ve spoken on FaceTime during his drunken calls to Dejan, you almost are.

Raketa offers you a cookie, and Šime slaps his hand away. “Ivan, I don’t even know how you got those in here! I’m sure Y/N would prefer the canapés that are going around to your Domacica.”

You give him a light slap on the shoulder before taking the cookie from Raketa and eating it. “I love them!” you smile, and promise to buy some.

As you continue chatting to them, you feel Dejan’s hand on your shoulder. You turn to face him, and he smiles at you, making your breath catch in your throat. You always assumed one day his smile would lose some of its impact, but it never did.

“Y/N, there’s someone I’d like you to meet. This is my good friend-“ you follow his gaze, and he doesn’t get a chance to finish his sentence.

You try to say something, anything, but all that comes out is an incoherent yelp as you stumble on your high heels. You try to grab Dejan to steady yourself, but in your state of shock you forget which side he’s on and reach to the wrong side, sending yourself crashing to the floor.

You’re not sure if it’s the sheer awe and emotion of having someone you’ve looked up to and been a huge fan of for so long standing in front of you or the humiliation of collapsing on the ground in front of him, but you start to cry.

Tears flow uncontrollably down your face. You panic, realising that your eye makeup will be getting ruined – what if the mascara infused tears drop onto your dress – which only makes you cry and hyperventilate more.

“Oh my God,” you sob. You attract the attention of a dark haired, muscular man who’d been standing behind Luka. You don’t have a chance to register who it is you’re looking at before he looks at Dejan and gestures to you on the floor while saying just two words. “No good.”

“Give it a break, Mario,” growls Dejan, and Mandzo responds only with a smirk as he walks off.

You have a feeling that will really hit you later - Mr. No Good directing his catchphrase at you! - but right now you still can’t focus on anything but him. “Oh, my God.” It’s the only coherent thing you can say, and you find yourself repeating it until it loses meaning as Dejan picks you up and puts an arm around your waist to steady you.

“Are you okay?” he asks in unison with his friend. You finally manage to compose yourself and nod, tears still running down your face. Dejan pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and dabs your face before kissing your cheek.

“I’m so sorry, if I’d known you’d freak out like that, I’d have warned you, or made sure you were sitting down…” he rambles. “Anyway, can we try this again?” You nod your head yes again, take a deep breath and turn back towards Dejan’s friend.

You expect to see confusion, or annoyance, or worst of all, pity on his face but he’s smiling, a disarming mischievous grin you’d seen a hundred times in pictures and videos.

Dejan chuckles lightly and gestures towards the man.

“This is my good friend, Luka Modric. Lukica, this is my girlfriend, Y/N.”

Luka steps forward. He shakes your hand, then pulls you into a hug. You almost lose yourself again as you feel his silky hair against your cheek, but you manage to hold it together.

“It’s so great to meet you,” you tell him, still holding onto him. You don’t ever want to let go. “I’m sorry about… all that. I’m just a huge fan.”

Luka laughs, and hugs you tighter. “I could tell,” he snickers, then kisses your cheek and lets you go. He looks you in the eyes. “Honestly, there’s no need to apologise. It’s fine. I hope you’re okay.”

You nod and burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. “I’m fine,” you tell him between giggles, and he pulls you in for another quick hug before hugging Dejan.

You notice him whispering something in Dejan’s ear, and suddenly Dejan laughs and pushes him. “She does not like you better, you-“ he begins, but Luka simply winks and walks away in the general direction of Suba, who’s busy talking to Domo, Domo’s wife and some of her model friends.

You turn back to Dejan, and he hugs you tight. “I can’t believe you,” he laughs as you hide your face in his chest. “I can’t believe me either,” you say, then you stop laughing for a second.

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you,” you tell him earnestly, looking him in the eyes.

He cups your face in his hand and strokes your cheek with his thumb. “Of course not,” he smiles. “But just so you know, I’ll never live it down.  He’s going to be insufferable.”

“He seemed perfectly nice about it to me!” you reasoned.

“Yeah, to you,” grumbled Dejan, taking your hand and leading you back to the table.

You sit next to Šime, who’s hunched over a phone screen with Raketa, both almost crying with laughter. Raketa turns the phone screen to you. It’s a picture he took of you taking a bite of the Domacica cookie, then the screen cuts to you crumpled on the floor overcome with emotion. “This would be the perfect promo for Domacica on Instagram,” he cackles. “Please-“

“NO,” you and Dejan yell simultaneously. Raketa pouts, but nods and puts the phone away.

“So,” he asks. “Tell me a bit more about yourself. How did you and Dejo meet?”

You turn to your other side and smile at Dejan, then turn back to Raketa. “We met by chance, at a party. A friend of mine went to school with a friend of his and so we both ended up at my friend’s house party… I fell for him as soon as I saw him,” you smile.

You feel an arm that isn’t Dejan’s lazily drape around your shoulder. You look up and Luka is standing between your chair and Dejan’s, an arm around each of you. “That’s cute,” he grins. “But you literally fell for me.”

You crease up laughing and can’t stop, and Luka joins you. “Idiots,” mutters Dejan, but he can’t stop himself from laughing too.

“I told you he’d do this,” Dejan says with narrowed eyes, and Luka ruffles his hair.

“You know me too well,” he grins, and Dejan gestures to the empty seat at the other side of him.

“Join us,” he offers, and Luka does. As soon as he sits down, he’s handed Raketa’s phone by Šime, both desperate to show him the Domacica meme he’d indirectly helped to bring about.

“Oh, Ivan! Poor Y/N,” Luka laughs, handing the phone back.

“It’s just a joke,” Raketa reassures him. “We love Y/N really.”

Dejan leans in so close that his lips brush your ear. “See?” he says softly. “They love you.”

@get-up-and-try-again @barca-madrid

#dejan lovren #luka modrić #sime vrsaljko #domagoj vida #ivan rakitic #mario mandžukić #croatia nt #x reader #fic

[saccharii]

You Call Me Strong, You Call Me Weak

Chapter Four: Selfish

Other Chapters: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11

<<Previous Chapter -- Next Chapter>>

Adrinette May April, Day 9: Jealousy

Summary: Marinette’s friends will always be there for her, no matter what.

AO3 Link

@adrinetteapril

Me: Okay, let’s try to keep these chapters short, like under 1k words. 

Me, after writing the chapter: Did I say under 1k? I meant under 3k, hahahaha.

Here’s a fun drinking game for this chapter: whenever someone smiles, nods, or blushes, take a shot.

“You know, this is kinda creepy,” Marinette said.

“What?” Adrien said, putting his hand on his chest in mock offense. “Blindfolding someone, shoving them in the back of your car, and whisking them away to places unknown is creepy?”

“Yeah, I’m definitely getting some serial killer vibes here,” she joked. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“You’ll see in a second; we’re almost there.”

The limo slowed to a stop at the side of the road, and Adrien got out and jogged around to Marinette’s side. At the sound of the door opening, Marinette reached her hand out and groped blindly about. Adrien caught it in his and pulled her from the car.

He waved at the Gorilla. “We’ll be back in about two hours or so.”

The man grunted and settled into his seat. Adrien wondered what he did while he waited for him. Did he read? Sleep? Play flappy bird on his phone?

“Hmm... the smell of gasoline in the air... the sound of water slapping against wood... are we at the Couffaine’s houseboat?”

Dammit.

“Maybe we are, maybe we aren’t.”

Marinette smirked.

Adrien led her along the gangplank, walking backwards with both of his hands holding hers.

She tripped when she reached the end, falling into Adrien’s arms. She grasped his shoulders to steady herself, and smiled up at him, still blindfolded. Adrien could feel his face turning red.

“SURPRISE!”

Marinette jumped out of his arms and ripped her blindfold off, blinking the sun out of her eyes.

“Wha- but, it’s not my birthday?”

“It’s a ‘just because’ surprise party,” Alya said.

Every member of their class, except Lila and including Chloe, were there. Honestly, Adrien was worried about the boat’s weight limit.

(When Alya had pulled Adrien aside to explain her plan to cheer Marinette up, Adrien had responded enthusiastically. He quickly volunteered to be the one to get Marinette to the party. Alya had thought that was a great idea.

“Don’t give her a choice,” she’d said. “Just tell her you’re taking her somewhere.”)

Marinette’s face split into a smile, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes.

“I- wow. This is- Thank you, everyone.” She wiped at her face.

Adrien squeezed her shoulders in a side-hug. Someone in the crowd of students whooped.

“Alright, mateys!” Anarka said, hands on her hips. “Now that the girl of the hour is here, let’s take sail before the vultures start circlin’.”

She and Ivan pulled the gangplank in, then she started up the boat’s motor. The ship lurched into motion and headed down the Seine. There was still a chance that someone would recognize Marinette from the shore, but at least the privacy laws protected them from the worst of the tabloids. Not that the laws would have much power over a person with a cell phone and a twitter account.

“Finally!” Alix crowed. “Let’s eat!”

The pink haired girl made a bee line for the sunroom/sitting room combo.

Someone had set up a white folding table covered with all sorts of sweets and snacks. People ambled over to it, patting Marinette on the shoulder and greeting her as they passed by. Marinette shot them all a shy smile.

Nino came up beside Adrien and Marinette and chuckled. “Alix’s been complaining that she wanted to eat the entire time she’s been here, and she was one of the first to arrive.”

He glanced at Adrien’s arm still around Marinette’s shoulders and shot him a wink and a discreet thumbs up. Adrien flushed and pulled his arm back.

“Marinette, did you see? There’s a ping-pong table on the upper deck. Wanna play with me?” Alya asked.

Marinette laughed. “Sure. But I’m terrible at it.”

“Me too. It’ll be great. Let’s go.”

Alya pulled Marinette through the crowd towards the back of the boat. Adrien’s lips turned up into a fond smile. Alya was such a good friend.

“It’s good to see her smile again,” he said.

Nino nodded. “That’s for sure. I’ve never seen her that down before. Not even back in sixieme when her best friend moved away.”

“‘Your greatest secret has been revealed and now you are in the middle of a massive media storm and also your family is in danger’ isn’t quite on the same scale as ‘your childhood friend moved away.’”

Nino gave a rueful laugh. “True.”

The two watched the girls play ping-pong in a companionable silence.

Alya served and Marinette missed the return. She scrambled across the deck to retrieve the ball. Marinette served and Alya missed the return. They kept up like this, occasionally hitting the ball back to their own surprise.

“You’d think that Ladybug would be better at stuff like that, wouldn’t you?” Nino said.

Adrien hummed thoughtfully. Ever since he found out that Ladybug was Marinette, he’d noticed something. It wasn’t that Marinette was better put together as Ladybug, (well, she was, but that wasn’t the point) but rather  that whenever Marinette really needed to step up to the plate she was always confident and sure footed, even when she was out of the mask.

Marinette stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, her face scrunched up in concentration, and slammed the ball into Alya’s side of the table, sending it flying past her and over the side of the boat.

The two girls ran over to the railing and peered over the side in shock. Then they both burst into laughter, Marinette shining as brightly as she ever did.

“Soo... How goes it with Marinette?” Nino elbowed Adrien in the side and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“What do you mean?”

Nino snorted. “Don’t give me that. I’ve seen all the ladybugs you doodle on the side of your notes, and the way you blushed whenever Ladybug was around. And don’t forget all the lovesick sighs whenever someone mentioned her. You’ve been super tight with Marinette ever since everything went down. You’re always standing near her or touching her.”

“It’s not like that. I think she likes someone else.”

“Dude,” Nino said flatly.

“Hey guys!” Marinette said brightly from behind them. Her face was flushed a delightful pink and her eyes shone.

Adrien started. He hoped she hadn’t heard what they were talking about. He didn’t know if he could handle getting shot down by the same girl twice.

“We kind of lost our ball.”

“We saw,” Nino said.

“Oh, Marikins~”

Chloe latched onto Marinette from behind with no warning. She held out her phone at arms length and snapped a selfie. She withdrew her arms and began tapping away at her phone.

“Everyone is going to be so jealous. ‘Hanging out... with my bff... Ladybug.’”

“Don’t post that until after the party is over,” Adrien warned.

Chloe stopped typing and pursed her lips.

“I guess you’re right. We don’t want anyone to interrupt our time together, right Marikins? Tomorrow let’s hang out and go get manicures! You can come too Adrikins. Then we-” Her phone ringing cut her off. “Hello? What do you mean they’re out of stock?”

Chloe stomped off, haranguing the poor soul on the other side of the phone, and Marinette heaved a sigh of relief.

Over Marinette’s head, Alya and Nino seemed to be having some sort of silent conversation made up of quirked eyebrows, significant looks, and nods. Or rather, Alya was trying to have a silent conversation with Nino, who just scrunched up his face in confusion and shook his head. Finally, Alya rolled her eyes and dragged Nino away.

“We’re going to go get some food. You two have fun,” she said.

Marinette blushed, and she shyly looked up at Adrien.

“Do you want to, um.” She gestured towards the railing.

“Sure.”

Behind Marinette Ivan gave him a thumbs up and Mylene nodded encouragingly. Did everyone know about Adrien’s crush? At least they were all cheering for him.

Adrien and Marinette went over to the side of the boat and leaned against the railing, looking out at the plants and buildings that lined the river.

“I love the view along the Seine. Everything is a mixture of the old and new. There’s so much history and so much potential. It reminds me of why I fight to save Paris.” She had a faraway look in her eye and a wistful smile.

“Yeah, it’s really beautiful,” he said, not looking away from her face.

They stood there in silence for a little while, their arms touching. Wind ran gentle fingers through their hair, and the occasional cloud passing overhead gave welcome shade from the unseasonably hot October sun.

“Look! Look! Mommy, it’s Ladybug!”

A little girl in a pink dress on the walkway nearby was pointing at them. Her hair was pulled back in pigtails and she had a ladybug plush clutched in one arm.

Marinette smiled and waved at her.

Murmurs of ‘Ladybug?’ and ‘Is that really her?’ came from the other pedestrians. Soon the walkway was crowded with people calling out for Ladybug and waving their hands back and forth.

Marinette’s smile became fixed; her wave, hesitant. Before all this she’d never shrunk away from the admiring crowd. But now... Adrien hated that such a thing was ruined for her.

“We should go down below before any more people get here,” Adrien suggested gently.

She nodded and he hesitantly placed his hand on the small of her back. When she didn’t draw away, he pressed more firmly and she let him lead her across the deck and through the sunroom to the stairs.

Several of their classmates scowled at the shouting people with no effect. Alix made a rude gesture and Adrien winced. He was not looking forward to seeing that on the internet later.

The wooden stairs thudded reassuringly under their feet as they descended. Adrien had been below deck on yachts before, but that was nothing like the cosy combined kitchen and living room they found themselves in. It was small and a bit cluttered. Guitar music floated through the air. It felt more like a home than Adrien’s actual house.

Marinette breathed deeply in the way Adrien now knew meant she was holding back her emotions. She sat down on a low, yellow couch and Adrien took both of Marinette’s hands in his and squeezed them.

“I’m going to get you something to drink. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered.

He jogged back up the stairs and headed to the snack table.

“Water, water, where’d they put the water?” he mumbled under his breath.

“Here,” said a voice from behind him. They nudged his arm with a cool plastic water bottle. “They’re in a cooler under the table.”

Adrien turned and took the bottle from Nathanael.

“Thanks.”

Nathanael shrugged. “How’s she doing?”

He picked at the label on his own water bottle and refused to meet Adrien’s eyes. Adrien knew the other boy still harbored feelings for Marinette, but surprisingly it didn’t bother him.

“She’s... alright. She’s strong, she’ll pull through. She’s just been shaken by everything that’s happened, and this kind of brought it back?”

Nathanael nodded, and they lapsed into an awkward silence.

“You should probably go back below... She needs- well, you’re good for her.”

Adrien bid a stilted farewell and headed back to the stairs, careful not to make eye contact with anyone else.

At the bottom he came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Marinette sitting next to a black and blue haired boy, her body pointed towards him. She giggled uncontrollably into her hands, her shoulders shaking with mirth, and the boy (Luka, Juleka’s brother from the music festival, Adrien remembered) smiled warmly back at her.

Adrien couldn’t see the expression on Marinette’s face, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

“So then she says, completely deadpan, ‘I’m a pretty princess.’” said Luka.

Marinette burst into a fresh round of giggles. “I’m sure you’ve never let her live that down.”

“Definitely not. Every time I catch her doing her makeup I ask her if she’s a pretty princess.”

Adrien plastered a smile on his face, strode over to the couch, and handed her the water bottle, making a point to look at Marinette and only Marinette.

“Here you are.”

Marinette beamed brightly up at him, the events of several minutes ago forgotten.

“Thank you, Adrien.”

Adrien sat down on the couch next to her, as close as he could without pressing his body up against hers. Marinette turned so she was facing straight ahead, not towards either Luka or Adrien. He was counting that as a win.

“Luka was just telling me about the time Juleka got into her mother’s makeup case back when she was in ecole maternelle.”

Adrien’s smile became a little bit sharper as he turned to nod at Luka. He couldn’t ignore the other boy anymore without being unbelievably rude.

“Oh?”

Luka nodded. “And thus started a makeup experimental stage that’s lasted the last ten years. Mom loves it. She bought her a huge makeup kit with all sorts of colors.”

Marinette smiled wider at the both of them, and Adrien felt the jealousy gripping his heart soften.

“Hey Adrien, I saw that you were in that class photo reshoot you guys took for Juleka last year. I just wanna thank you for that. I know my sister doesn’t always show her emotions well, but it really meant a lot to her.”

“Oh, uh, you’re welcome? I don’t think I did anything special...”

“Yeah you did. You’re a good guy, Adrien.”

Why did Luka have to be so nice? If he was a jerk, Adrien could get in between him and Marinette with no guilt. But no, Luka had to have everything. He lived a carefree life on a houseboat with an easygoing mother. He played in concerts and could come and go as he pleased. If he dated Marinette, he’d never have to cancel because his father scheduled a last minute photoshoot or because he was grounded because he hit the wrong note while playing the piano.

(Adrien honestly had no idea how his father would react to the idea of him dating Marinette. He didn’t think his father would be open to Adrien dating anyone at all, let alone letting him be exposed to the danger that would come along with being Ladybug’s boyfriend.)

If... if Marinette chose Luka, Adrien would step aside. Her happiness was the most important thing to him, and even if it hurt like hell, he’d support her. But he was selfish. As long as he had a chance he’d hold onto it. Luka and Marinette weren’t dating yet; he still had time to win her over.

#adrinetteapril2018 #day 9: jealousy #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #miraculous ladybug #adrienette #You Call Me Strong You Call Me Weak #My writing

[vertigoambrosia]

i thought this shotgun wasn’t dropping until next week so i am pleased!

um they gotta updaate the opening credits with white version jayfk

oh and NOT CHAMPION ANDY

hi can we not keep talking about the LAST SHOTGUN EVER you’re making me sad

espe XXL shotgun cause it’s basically shotgun with less plot

at least we’ll still have plot segments on road to shows

ivan! wrestling!

we better fucking get a rise plot segment

it’s silly when dudes wear their merch as aprons

WELL HELLO PETE BOUNCER IN JEANS

ivan is so lucky

“ivan kiev, representing rise, versus julian pace, representing cars’ omg alan

tfw when someone accidentally zooms imn the hard cam

julian not happy that ivan basically sat on his face for that pin

ohhhh vollgas like ‘full gas’

listen german is hard

does ivan seem a little off in the ring to you guys? or maybe something about the pace is off?

nooo my boy :(

ngl i kinda worry about ivan because lbr pete is pretty enough to stay over even if creative has nothing for him

i wonder if this is before or after walter’s jealousy

‘veit i like u but ringkampf isn’t for babies’

i only just realized that tim has half of his head shaved and i hate it

why does this boy hate having hair

wowwww marius you really saying veit doesn’t hit the gym?

“looking at my awesome belt because i am an awesome guy” wowwww he’s just andy jr now

oh dammit i was hoping to see that match at broken rules so marius could lose, but it’s been a long tim since the shotgun title has changed hands on shotgun

precious moments :)

so andy’s shoulder will be ok by next week?

oh no ivan’s hair is long and i don’t like it

like, it’s actually awful

bobby hanging out with rise is kinda weird but i can dig it

i actually really like bobby and lucky, whether they’re allies or foes

so is fred yehi going to get to win a match

we had him and lucky being bros and that was special, but of course the tarkan storyline took over

lol apparently this is the last match we’ll see of him on the tour, so i’d be honestly be shocked if he wins this

it’s odd too because commentary always really talks him up, so it seems like the office likes him

oberhausen y u boo

well no i know why bobby is beloved

awww monster consulting :( they were so sad

avalanche looked like he wanted to cry i wanted to hug him

aww but they’re still happy for their friend!

ok i love

ilja admitting things have been mentally tough

everyone excited about ilja vs pco

ilja being like :DDDD and then ‘ok wait let me calm down a lil it’s not here yet

avalanche: awkward exposition

oh i actually don’t know anything about these coast 2 coast guys

i only pretended to be interested in roh when new japan  guys came around

ali has a ghostbusters tattoo

god please let us get a pretty bastards segment

the one they had forever ago was hilarious

lol tommy just called lsg ‘lsd’

no ali not in the face! ahura’s too pretty

i do really appreciate how commentary always introduces and really talks up new people

they put a lot of effort into telling you why you might want to care

that was a fun match!

but i still want more of our pretty narcicissts

oh man i forgot if lufisto is sticking around or not

i still maintain that was not a good distraction spot

YES LUFISTO IS STILL AROOUND

aww mella’s singing isn’t that bad

also her dress is really cute

hahahahaha that was fucking great

tfw people are getting in line to come after your baby

*toni voice* i woke up and immediatly had to tell you i hate you

HERE’S THE CHEATING ANGLE

i mean what more can i say

*gasp* andy and marius on the same side of the ring again???

ringkampf need some couples counseling...perhaps monster consulting could help????

omg veit has his shirt tucked into his trunks

bb no

i mean i get he’s trying to avoid the ‘just took off my pants’ look but honey you look like a nerd

oh this is a bald boi fight

wow i really like this match

i think veit needs a little more to his character but he’s really starting to gel with me

and not just because i have a newfound appreciation for meaty men

LMAO THAT MELANIE PORTRAIT

woman laughing with championship

also pco vs ilja is gonna own so hard

i wonder if destro (and his car battery) is coming with him

did u know destro can levitate?

omg jay fk are such fuckboys

andy is liek when a fuckboy hits middle age

lmao jay’s face

THE ENVELOPE

lmaooooo meaningless!

this gonna be fun

[flyingsassysaddles]

After the Soviet Union

Ivan Braginsky was miserable. The Soviet Union had collapsed, his economy was in ruins, and he had to deal with that STUPID American’s look of triumph, an expression that said, oh, I’m sorry, were you are a superpower? I didn’t notice over the sound of ALL MY MONEY! Mwhwhaha! It didn’t help that he now owed the American 45 bucks from a bet back in 1945.  

But the worst part of it all was the loneliness. During the Soviet Union, there was always people mulling and working around the house, talking and laughing and filling the large mansion with cheerful banter and at least some noise. But all of the Soviet states left, with Kazakhstan being the last one to skip out the door. She even punched his shoulder and cackled about how she was going to destroy the rest of Central Asia, before telling him that she hoped she and Russia could still trade after this mess was over.

And once she was gone, the house had gone quiet. Deathly quiet. The only sounds came from the howling winds and the mansion’s occasionally shudders. Ivan would sit in his room and listen, hoping to hear Latvia yelling about impossible to cook food, or the Caucasus nations throwing rocks at each other with glee, or even the sound of his older sister humming away while finishing the laundry. But there was nothing, and the house remained a solemn tomb of memories long gone, and a fancy casket for a bitter old man who wanted to hide away in the ground and never come out. His sulking lasted for weeks, months, before one nation had enough.

“IVAANJAV!” The house roared, and Russia fell out of his chair in surprise. Did the house finally learn how to talk? And why did it sound like an angry Mongolia?

“IVAANJAV, I KNOW YOU ARE HERE!” Oh god that wasn’t the house, Ivan realized rather stupidly, still a bit hungover from his vodka drinking session from last night. That WAS Mongolia. Oh god, he worried, Mongolia didn’t come here to kill him did he? He heard that happened sometimes with empires and their subjects. But, he reasoned, Mongolia didn’t live here, and he was an independent nation! He couldn’t have come here to kill him. Right?

“IVAANJAV, FOR THE LAST FRICKING TIME, I KNOW YOU ARE HERE! SHOW YOURSELF YOU VODKA LOVING COWARD!” Better safe than sorry, Russia decided, and jumped out of the kitchen and to into his locked weapon supply room upstairs.

“WELL THEN, IF THAT’S HOW YOU WANT TO PLAY YOU RUSSIAN DRUNK, LET’S GO! I HAVE ALL DAY TO FIND YOU!” the house rumbled, and Russia took a gun and spear from off one of the walls  and pointed them at the door in fear. No way the Mongol was going to get him! Not when he still had 326 fully functional guns in the same room!

“READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!” Ivan waited in silence, skin crawling with fear and eyes wide, tracking the door’s every move. The minutes dragged on, and the Russian slowly began to relax slightly, gun pointed a bit down. Then an hour past, and Ivan was lulled into a sense of safety, putting his gun on the ground where he was sitting and searching through his pocket for any vodka or food that he usually had stashed all over his house (except for the weapon room dammit). Time walked on, and Russia boredly looked at one of his guns that he won from Alfred (he had an entire collection along with angry letters from Alfred to send them back, which he never did of course). More time sped by, and Russia was debating coming out to fight Mongolia just for the entertainment when the door slammed open and an angry looking braided hair man glared at the terrified Russian with god like fury.

“You see, THIS is why I DON’T DO NICE THINGS! I come all the way from ASIA to come see you, AND YOU’RE HIDING FROM ME IN A ROOM! I spent 3 HOURS LOOKING FOR YOU IN THIS BLASTED HOUSE!” Mongolia roared, grabbing Ivan’s collar and pulling him off the ground, thoroughly pissed off. “AND I FIND YOU HIDING IN A CLOSET!”

“It’s a weapon room,” he corrected meekly, only for Mongolia to drop him onto the ground and jab at his chest with every furious word the Mongolian had to say.

“WELL, if it’s a WEAPON ROOM I suppose that makes it alright that I was on a plane for SIX hours to come and cheer you up and had to look around your MANSION WITHOUT ANY FOOD OR WATER OR ANYONE TO SAY HELLO! Because after all, it's a WEAPON ROOM!” Mongolia threw his hands in the air and started to walk out. “THIS is why I never listen to Tibet. Go cheer up your friend, he said, it’ll be a fun trip, he said, he wouldn’t hide in any CLOSETS, he said. I’m never taking that monk’s advice again.”

Ivan’s eyes widen and he rushed out of the weapon room trying to catch up to the furious Mongol. “Look Munkhbat, I’m sorry, I didn't know!” He caught up to the fairly short man on the stairs, grabbing his sleeves and panting from walking so fast. “Please,” he said in between gasps of air, “Stay for awhile, you came all this way after all.”

The former empire looked at the doubled over man, still gasping for air, and decided that he really did need to have a talk with Ivaanjav. The Russian looked like a goat that had been in the wild and eating nothing but wild flowers for years. Not to mention the Mongol was hungry.  

“Alright fine. I’ll stay. But you have to give me food,” Mongolia grunted, and went down the rest of the stairs to the kitchen.

“Thank you Munkhbat! I was simply frightened, I didn’t mean to insult you.” Ivan gave a sigh of relief and looked around the kitchen, before realizing with a face full of embarrassment that he hadn’t cleaned the kitchen in three months. The mongol sat on a chair behind him, looking at the destroyed kitchen with a critical eye. Ivaanjav was in even worse shape than he thought.

“Sorry about the kitchen, I haven’t cleaned up in a while.”

“I can see that.”

“Um, would you like some food?” Mongolia raised an eyebrow. “Right, stupid question. What food would you like?”

“Anything that isn’t filled with vodka and the smell of death, which is what I assume is half of what you have.”

“Pickles it is.” Ivan grabbed a jar of pickles from the top shelf, and placed in on the table in front of Mongolia, putting down a paper plate and a couple of plastic forks down as well. Ivan sat down,  and they both looked at their quite pathetic meal, before Munkhbat decided to address the elephant in the large, awkward, and more than a little sad room.

“Ivaanjav, you’re a mess.”

“I know, the food is a little bad but-”

“No, I mean YOU are a mess. Look at yourself! You obviously haven’t changed your clothes in weeks, and the house is in complete disarray! Just look of your kitchen you are always so proud of! It’s terrible. All of your things are being destroyed and falling apart and rotting because you are not taking care of anything. This place is a mess, The kitchen is a mess. But the biggest, worst, most rotting mess in this room, is you.”

Ivan’s eyes went wide. He looked around the kitchen he used to be so proud of back in the Soviet days, looked up at the ceiling where a spot of fungus could be seen on the ancient roof, and then glanced down at himself, at his stained coat and unwashed hair, his nails coated with dirt and skin gritty from oil and spilled alcohol. He looked at it all, and then at Munkhbat’s severe face.  And then Ivan started to cry.

Mongolia led him to the couch in an adjoining room as Ivan sobbed his heart out, collapsing on the couch and hugging a pillow soon filled with snot and tears. Ivan cried and cried, harder than he cried after the death of Anastasia, harder than he cried during all the wars he had to fight as a child, harder than when Germany stabbed him the back, harder than he ever left anyone hear. He cried for his lost Soviet Union. He cried because how he lost the great, terrible game between him and America. He cried because of the way the house creaked and groaned with no one to sweep its cobwebs or mop the floor. He cried because he would never, ever be able to cry this way again, like the world had crashed and burned, and he was the only that got singed, and everyone was happy to see the whole world die, and leave him alone burning in the dirt. He cried and he cried, letting his heart out in the open for all to see, lost in a pile of emotions he would never feel again.

Through it all, Munkhbat sat besides him, giving tissues when asked and bringing over water when it was not. He listened as his former charge cried loneliness and fear and sorrow. He sat by and waited until Ivan had cried every emotion out of him, leaving an empty shell of a man who sat numbly on the couch and sniffled every once in awhile, blowing his nose and hugging the pillow tighter. He sat there when Ivan finally said something comprehensible, the first real, unfiltered thought he had since everyone had left him to die alone, since the world had left to watch him burn.

“Do we have any food?”

It took something digging, but Munkhbat managed to produce some bread he had found deep in the cupboard. After that proved to be insufficient to the now doubly hungry men, Mongolia swallowed his pride and ordered chinese food. After yelling at the lady on the phone for a few minutes (“What do you mean you can’t deliver in this location?! It’s not THAT far from Moscow! Get your stupid chinese food over to this address or I will burn you restaurant to the ground! I’m hungry and I know your address god dammit!), the food arrived and they sat down at the newly cleaned table, talking of times past long ago.  

“I know how you feel Ivaanjav. When I fell apart after the Mongol Empire, I felt excruciating pain for years. I could hardly move! It was a miracle that Buddha didn’t call me up to afterlife right then.”

“You felt the terrible pain of loneliness and sadness that feels like it could swallow your being because everyone hates you and wish you’d simply disappear so they can get your land?”

“Er, I was talking about more physical pain, feeling like I was being torn into pieces day after day after day, with my limbs randomly falling off and new scars popping up every once in awhile, but sure, that too I guess.”

“Does it ever get easier?” Russia asked softly, purring down his chow mein and staring at the white rice like it had all the answers.

The mongol shrugged. “It is like any loss. It hurts forever, but it dulls with time. Who knows? Maybe in 40 years you won’t even feel that sad anymore.”

“Oh.” Ivan looked back down at his rice. “What would you do if you were in my place then?”

“Besides relish in glory over all the land I owned?”

“Um, sure.”

“Join an army.”

“Really? What would you do for the sadness?” Ivan asked.

“Join an army.”

“The loneliness?”

“Join an army.”

“The lack of purpose?”

“Join an army, duh. That one was easy.”

“No friends?

“Join an army.”

“Would you do anything BESIDES joining an army?”

The mongol was quiet for a second, before scratching his braided hair in confusion and giving Russia a raised eyebrow. “Does joining a mercenary ring count?”

“I can’t believe you. Would you do anything BESIDES fighting?!”

“Of course not! I’m a fighter! The only way I’m still alive is because I hit my problems! If I feel bad, I’ll just follow my great leader Genghis Khan’s word of advice.”

“And what’s that?”

“Join an army.” Russia gave a cry of frustration and Mongolia let a tiny smirk rest on his face.

“Okay, what about if you were feeling like I was feeling, you couldn’t fight anyone, and had no way to join an army of any kind. What would you do then?” Ivan asked, trying to get an answer that could actually help him.

“That is the reason Tibet exists,” Munkhbat grinned, devouring more of his rice.

“So you’re saying I should seek the comfort of those I love?”

“Sure Ivaanjav. Whatever you say. Do we have any more rice?”

Soon all the food was gone, and the pair were sitting on the couch once more, remote in hand and surfing through Russian channels. They sat in silence, well, Mongolia was complaining about the crappy T.V reception, which was rich coming from a guy who never had reception at his place, as Russia pointed out, but that might have well been white noise. Generally, they sat in relative silence, until Russia finally spoke.

“Thanks for coming. I needed that,” he whispered, glancing at Munkhbat to see his reaction.

“Hmm? You mean making you cry? Don’t worry about it, I do it often, though not really on purpose. Think of it as tough love,” Munkhbat explained, before focusing back at the T.V.

“Mongolia?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry for what I did to you when I was the Soviet Union.”

“Well, that’s in the past now, isn’t it?  Besides, at least you apologized, and that makes you twice the man China will ever be. Oh, go back a couple channels, I think I saw a Spanish opera.”     

#hetalia #daily upload #russia #mongolia #soviet union #tibet #america #end of cold war #tough love #just a idea main #fanfic #a great spanish opera

[cocoarosalia]

Rocking The Cradle Chapter 1

As I near the end of my first big fanfic, I kinda wanted to post it here to see what the general Tumblr community thinks of it. If the first chapter does relatively well here then I’ll be happy to post the others. Anyway, please enjoy my first Miraculous Ladybug fanfic

‘Who comes up with this shit?’

She stared down at the assignment blinking. Early Parenting Project, the words stared back at her like a really lame joke. Who the hell came up with the concept of letting lycée students adopt orphans for a school year just to teach them about parenthood? Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. While the project itself was fine albeit a bit odd, she was far more concerned about how she would balance that, regular school work, a semi decent social life and oh of course BEING LADYBUG. The last thing she needed was to fight akumas with a juice box in her hand instead of her yoyo. She took a very deep sigh.

‘My life is so comically shitty’

She looked over to Alya to she how she felt about this whole situation and as expected the journalist in training was taking it immensely better than she was.

“Personally I don’t think it’ll be that bad” she said “I mean they give your a weekly allowance to take care of your kid, you just have to keep a journal on how things are doing and they give the kids a daycare to go to, you pick your kid, and on top of that you get a partner so i mean it’s not like they want us all to be single parents that are broke as shit.”

Marinette mulled over Alya words “yea I guess that’s true but adoption? We can’t even take care of ourselves.”

“Well maybe this is to help us figure out how to do that” Nino said, turning in his seat to join in the girls debate “No better way to learn than just doing it.”

He then turned to Adrien to get his opinion but the look he saw suddenly made him refrain. He looked like he was debating with life and death, his green eyes boring deeply into the paper packet just underneath his nose.

Nino reached out to touch his shoulder. “Uhh you alright man?”

Adrien jumped in his seat, coming out of his mental dispute “What? Oh yea man im fine. Yup totally fine, not freaking out in the least little bit. What makes you say that? Hahahaha”

All three of his friends gave him blank empty looks

‘He’s totally flipping out’ they all thoughts simultaneously

“Ignoring Adrien’s eventual asylum admittance for the moment, how do you think they’ll have us pick partners?” Alya inquired.

“Pick a name out of a hat?” Marinette offered

“Computer randomization” Nino suggested

“Maybe we can pick our own partners” Adrien finally said after finally rejoining reality.

Marinette thought about the idea of picking a partner to parent with. Obviously if she had the choice (and the bravery) she’d pick adrien in a heartbeat. Who wouldn’t want to suddenly become a parent with their long time crush? That would be the dream.

‘But let’s be real here Mari’ she thought sadly ‘there’s no way Adrien would wanna partner with someone who couldn’t even get through a proper conversation without her face turning straight tomato. He’d sooner pick Chloé just for pure confidence sake.’

“Well since this is a school wide project I sure hope we can so I can bag myself a hot mama partner with” Nino said with a daydream look on his face.

Alya scoffed “Yea cause any girl is gonna want a DJ daddy as their partner”

“Don’t scoff at me woman I could be a great dad. I’d be teaching my kid the top of line life lessons.”

“Like what? How to strike out with every guy or girl they meet? Or how to get chewed out by their mom every time they try to put together a set for a show that’ll never come”

“Look dammit I’ll have you know…”

And off they went bickering back and forth over something goofy like an old married couple. Though some might wonder if the two really hated each other Adrien and Marinette knew that deep down there was a lot of love being exchanged too… even if they don’t know it yet.

But ever so quickly marinette found herself peering over at adrien as he watched the two, observing his bright smile and joyous laugh. There was something truly captivating about the boy in front of her that she could never place her finger on; but to be honest she didn’t care. All she knew is that if she could spend the rest of her life with him even if it just amounted to one day she’d take it with acute quickness.

‘What a nice thought’ she mused to herself gently smiling ‘coming home after a long day. Kicking off my heels to the sound of little pattering feet with long heavy feet following close behind to come greet me. And then there she is, my perfect little daughter bounding down the stairs to tell me all about her day. I pick her up and give her the biggest hug I can muster. Then here comes daddy, big smile and an even bigger hug to match as he sweeps me into his arms her in tow. I feel utter bliss. And then… as my little girl shields her eyes so she doesn’t see her daddy leans in real nice and-’

“ALRIGHT CLASS IT’S TIME TO RECEIVE YOUR PARTNERS!”

Marinette head slams on the table as her hand gives out from under her, jerking her away from her dreamy family fantasy. The impact was so loud that it caused the whole class to turn right toward the sound. Rightfully mortified she mutters a slight ‘“i’m fine” and slumps in her seat, hiding her reddening face behind a textbook.

“...well then ignoring that for now. Due to there being a decent amount of you in this class we’ve decided to just let a computer pick your partners for you.” a ‘called it!’ could be heard from nino who received a fist bump from adrien in response. “Just know that it’s already determined and you can’t do anything about it...just like real marriage”.

The class waited anxiously to receive the results. The teacher looked at all their eager faces.

“You know what? Just cause i’m an asshole and it’s fun i’m not going to tell any of you in front of the whole class instead i’ll call one half of the partners and then YOU can let the other half know who you got” The class effectively booed in disapproval “Oh boo yourselves!”

And so the teacher began rattling off the names of student to come down and receive the names of their partners. Some walked off indifferent, some looked pretty pissed, but most were pretty alright with the results

“Nino Lahiffe” the teacher called out. Nino couldn’t wait to see who he got and immediately rushed down to hear who he got. However though, his walk back was a little less than jovial as he returned to his seat deflated.

“So? Who’d you get?” adrien asked curious

Nino took a long deep breath and turned his head toward Alya who stared back expectantly waiting for him to speak.

“Well Alya looks like you’re the one stuck with good ol’ DJ daddy”

“Ha Ha. Watch out everyone looks like we got a fucking comedian on our hands.”

The silence permeating amongst the group was deafening.

“Nino, quit bullshitting you’re kidding right?”

It felt like the silence grew louder.

“Holy shit you’re not kidding are you?”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng” The teacher called from the end of the room

“Oh wow! look at that an excuse to not be in the blast radius of this conversation; I’m just gonna go check it out real fast” Marinette announced quickly as she got up to receive her partner. Adrien looked back at her pleading for an excuse to leave as well but she just gave an apologetic look as she had no answers to give.

Turning back to the issue at hand marinette held her breath as she received the folded slip of paper containing her partner’s name. It could be anyone. Nathaniel, Ivan *gasp* maybe even chloe!

“Please god if you exist… at least make it not be chloe”

Marinette then quietly returned to her seat folded paper still in hand and sat down just missing Alya’s realization and chewing out of Nino.

Adrien looked back at her curious as to what was written on that little sheet of paper.

“So what’d you get Mari it clearly wasn’t worse than getting Nino” Alya Inquired

“You know if we’re gonna be parents I’m gonna need you to not diss me every time you open your mouth” Nino demanded

“Then this is gonna be one silent partner ship isn’t it?” Alya retorted back. She could feel Nino flipping her off just outside her vision.

“Well I don’t know I haven’t opened it yet.” Marinette admitted sheepishly

“So then open it”

Hesitation began to fill her up inside

“Just open it”

Worry and anxiety came next

“Why isn’t she opening it?”

Then annoyance

“Do you think she knows how to open it?”

“Alright Alya I’m opening it!” Marinette said annoyed at the constant prodding

She shut her eyes tight and opened it quickly, cracking one eye open she caught a peek at the name written before her and instantly…

Marinette.exe just shut down

“Mari? Hellooooo. Are you dead?” Alya snapped and waved her hand in front of the blue bell’s face trying to get an answer and after a minute mari blinked coming too

“So you gonna tell us or just play statue for a while cause i got things to do and me and nino gotta go shopping.”

“Shopping? For what?”

“Uhh for our kid? Duh. We gotta get toys and books obviously.”

“We don’t even know the gender or age of the kid yet!”

“They make gender neutral toys.”

“Extremely not the point-”

“Adrien”

The conversation paused as the group looked at her, especially adrien’s as green eyes met blue.

“Uh yea Mari?”

“I’m gonna be your mama.”

“I’m sorry?”

Alya and Nino watched the exchanged surprised by the result.

“No! No I mean you’re gonna be the father to my child.”

“Mari, you’re getting so terribly worse, go back.” Alya chuckled as she looked at Adrien’s mortified face.

“Oh my god. You’re my partner!”

Relief washed over Adrien’s face “Oh thank god that’s what you meant”. But shortly after delight over took his kind features as he beamed a smile right at Marinette.

“Well then, all I can say is let’s raise a good kid ‘mama’.”

#miraculous ladybug #MLfamilyAU #marinette cheng #adrien x marinette #adrinette #LadyNoir #eloise agreste #adrien agreste #nino lahiffe #alya cesaire #adoptionau #toddler #first fanfic #long post

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 69

in which all hell breaks loose...

-early morning- Kid: *yawn* stocking: *making waffles* Kid: *sniffs* "Smells great..." stocking: thanks. want anything on them? Kid: "Strawberries?" stocking: on it~! -elsewhere- Spirit: *pours coffee* "Here you go." sachiko: thanks. Spirit: "You're welcome." *sets down bacon and eggs* "How's today look?" -elsewhere- Chuuya: *opens the closet* ("Now I just have to hide this gift on the top shelf--") *looks up...he can't reach it* "..." *lowers his head* Y_Y …… *light bulb* *floats up* YYWYY;; *sets the gift down* *lowers himself, closes the door* "There." -elsewhere- Magaki: *in a dark room, curtains closed, studying a newspaper* ("I got another killed...Security increased...") *closes the newspaper, folds it...stands up, and walks by a hallway of mirrors along the wall* -silence- Magaki: *approches the kitchen, opens the fridge, removes a bottle of dark red liquid* -...- Magaki: *sips* -...- Magaki: "..." *grimaces* "Ugh..." *grabs some milk* "Need to favor this crap." -elsewhere- Akitaru: "Everyone got their assignments?" shinra: yep. tamaki: *nods* iris: mmhmm! nozomi: yes, sir! Relan: "Yes, sir." Vulcan: *nods* Arthur: *bows* Takehisa: "When you are finished, file your report." everyone: yes sir! Akitaru: "Dismissed!" *smiles* -elsewhere- Yohei: *looking outside* mana: *playing in the snow* Shotaro: *tossing a snowball in the air--and let it hit himself in the face* "Hee hee..." Emine: *lying in the snow* chie: seems they're enjoying themselves. Yohei: "Yeah..." *slight shiver* chie:...*kiss on the cheek* Yohei: "..." *holds her hand* "Th-Thanks..." -elsewhere- Wes: "Good work, Licht..." licht: thank you. Wes: "I think we'll be ready in time for the performance...but..." licht: ? Wes: "Why is your friend lying on top of the piano?" Hyde: *lying back* =w= licht: ==# shit rat, get off of there. Hyde: "Can't I be your muse~" -elsewhere- Hibana: *in a pair of slacks, buttoning up her shirt, then putting on a tie* "How do I look?" gabriella: *thumbs up* nice *nosebleed* Hibana: "..." *smirks* "Your nose is bleeding." gabriella: !!! *puts a tissue to it* .////.; Hibana: *leans forward--smooch* gabriella: =///////////= -elsewhere- Sanjuro: "Tsubaki..." tsubaki: dad... *hugs* mrs nakatsukasa: *hugs* <welcome home, sweetie.> Sanjuro: ^^ *hug* Black Star: *looking at the map* "I think we go this way--" *walks into the wall* "...Ow." tsubaki: ^^; jetlag? Black Star: "Ow...Maybe. Oh, hey Mr. and Mrs. Nakatsukasa." mrs nakatsukasa: ^^; Sanjuro: "Hello, Black Star. Not yet oriented?" Black Star: "Give me an hour--I'll have this world wrapped around me!" -elsewhere- Aizawa: "Have your permission slips turned in by the end of the week..." momo: *nods* tsuyu: got it. Iida: "..." Izuku: *looking at his list of options* ochako: do you hear someone running- Mineta: "I don't hear anyt--" *Door slams open--crushing Mineta against the wall* ochako: O-O; All Might: "I AM HERE--HAVING DASHED DOWN THE HALL TO BOW!" *bows* -staaaare- Izuku: "A-All Might!" *stands up* Aizawa: "...What is it now?" All Might: "I MUST SPEAK WITH YOUNG MIDORIYA!" *grabs Izuku by the collar, pulling him from his chair and dashing back down the hall* Izuku: YEEEEEEEeeeeeeee….. *his voice fades out as he is dragged* tsuyu: *blinks* satou: d-did that just...? Mineta: *whimpering from behind the door* "Heal me..." -and so- Izuku: "Your teacher?! And he knows about your Quirk? Why didn't you mention it earlier? And...are you okay?" All Might: *nervous smile* "Y-YES!" *holding his leg down* "STAY DOWN, LEG. STOP SHAKING...OH, NO, WHY IS HE SEEKING YOU OF ALL PEOPLE?!" Izuku: .____.;;; "...Should I not accept--" All Might: "YOU MUST ACCEPT! IT'LL GIVE YOU A NEW PERSPECTIVE!" Izuku: *hair blown back from the shouting* .______. "...Okay." -elsewhere- Kunikida: *dialing* "...Answer already..." aya: is he sick? *worried* Kunikida: "I wish I knew. He usually answers..." -the phone answers- yana: who is this? Kunikida: Yes, hello. Is Katai there?" yana: no, he's at the doctor's. he broke his ankle. Kunikida: "!!! How does he break his ankle?! He lies down all the time..." yana: hey, i dont know man. Kunikida: "...Who is this?" yana: just a family friend. Kunikida: "...Where was he admitted?" yana: he didnt say, he just asked me to watch the house for him. Kunikida: "He didn't say--but he has you watching his place? Then you won't mind if I stopped by." yana: sorry, im really busy with tidying everything. i bet you he tripped over the trash or something. Kunikida: "Well, good luck cleaning--he can be disorganized." yana: thanks. *hangs up* .....<just where did mr hackerman go? or his body.....> -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *standing on rooftop* "...I don't see them." naoya: lets see here.... -perspective- they're in the alley next to the hardware store. Akutagawa: "Exit points?" naoya: just the entry way and a fire escape... Akutagawa: "You take the entry, I'll take the fire escape." naoya: on it. *heading down* Akutagawa: *uses Rashomon to stilt-walk over the buildings to the fire escape* -in the alley- Escapee #1: "Crap crap crap!" naoya: howdy there, chucklefucks! Escapee #1: Q~Q escapee 2: *grabs a pipe and charges* naoya: *grabs the pipe and is trying to force it out of his hand* Escapee #1: *backs away--then feels someone tap his shoulder* O____O Akutagawa: *tapping with Rashomon* "You don't want to try this, friend." escapee 2: !!!! -CRACK- escapee 2: *screams* Akutagawa: "See? Don't try that." *picks up Escapee #1 by their legs* Escapee 1: "EEEK!" naoya: now... *chokes escapee 2 with the pipe* what to do with you two.... Escapee 1: "DON'T KILL US!" naoya: so you'll come back quietly? Escapee 1: *nod nod* naoya: see, that wasnt so hard was it- escapee 2: *elbows her and tries to run* naoya: urk- Akutagawa: *sighs--and tosses Escapee 1 at 2* -she shoots him in the leg- Escapee 1: "EEEEEEEE--" escapee 2: AHHHH!!!! *CRASH* Escapee 1: X_X Escapee 2: *groans* naoya: god...god dammit. never an easy job, eh, akuta? Akutagawa: "No...Not very bright, are they?" *offers a hand* naoya: *smiles* thanks. -elsewhere- yana: .... pushkin: <what're you lookin' at?> yana: *points to ivan and zoey* them. pushkin: ?? <what're they doing?> yana: trying to show off for the boss. zoey: *nuzzles fyodor's leg* master~<3 Ivan: *massaging Fyodor's shoulders* <Let me know how to please you, Master~?> Fyodor: ….. yana: <neither one of them wants to admit defeat, so they just flaunt their affection towards him while he's just indifferent. they're like two, sad little peacocks...> pushkin:...........<that's actually pretty funny.> yana: <indeed it is, pushkin. indeed it is.> Fyodor: "???" katya: <oh dont be such a goddamn baby, pyotr! your finger will be fine!> Fyodor: <Could you keep it quiet?> katya: <WELL SOME OF US HAVE TO ENTERTAIN OURSELVES _SOME_HOW! IF I DONT GET TO KILLIN' SOMETHING SOON, IM GONNA FLIP SHIT!> pushkin: easy now. Fyodor: *sighs* <Leo, please sew up some dolls...> leo: understood. Fyodor: <Katya, use the dolls as targets.> katya: *griiiiiiin* leo: <please try not to bite their heads off again.> katya: <i aint promisin' shit.> leo:....*sigh* <close enough...> Fyodor: "Now, where were we--" *shudders* "Too hard..." zoey: *pouts and nuzzling his thigh* Ivan: *glares...his hands slide under Fyodor's collar to his bare shoulders* Fyodor: "Hm." -elsewhere- Medusa: *stares* "...If I have to make one more gingerbread house, my fingers are going to fall off..." neian: *chewing on her rag* Medusa: "..." *pats her head* neian: babu! Medusa: *light smile* -elsewhere- PlushFix: =w= "Aw, paradise..." kinuta: *chuckles* hina: *taking a drag on her cig* damn. Akua: *trying to shield against the sun* =_=; PlushFix: *resting along Kinuta's leg* =w= kinuta: cozy? PlushFix: "Could be cozier..." mimeca: *as a crab on her head* =w= Akua: *stares at the crab* -_-; kinuta: *picks him up.......putting her between her breasts* PlushFix: *muffled* "HEAVEN!" saku:.....tch- <idiots.> Akua: "Shameless." >_> -elsewhere- Jacqueline: "??? You okay?" kim: yeah, just felt sick all the sudden... Jacqueline: "..." *places a hand on her forehead* -elsewhere- atsushi: *looking at the flyer* Lucy: "Thinking of going~?" atsushi: !!! YESPLEASE! Lucy: ^^ "Good." *takes his hand* atsushi: o////w////o; Lucy: "We get to dress all fancy, too." atsushi: oh wow. Lucy: "Maybe you can borrow a suit..." atsushi: i'll see what i can do! Lucy: *looks down* "And I'll need something, too..." atsushi: ^^;... *glances at kyouka* ?? Kyoka: "We will need pretty dresses." Lucy: "Something poofy!" -elsewhere- Izuku: "--so I'll be visiting with a mentor for my internship." inko: that's wonderful! Izuku: ^\\\^ "I'll be out of the house for quite a bit..." inko: where abouts? Izuku: "Th-The older part of town." inko: please do be careful, i hear some unsavory sorts hang around that area... Izuku: *nods* "I'm going to be heading there with a friend, since it's on their way to their internship..." inko: that sounds nice. ^^ -elsewhere- Kid: *humming* stocking: im home...*slumps to the floor, asleep* Kid: O_O *bends down, picks her up* stocking: zzzzzz.... Kid: *takes her upstairs to their room, sets her down gently in bed* "..." stocking: =w= kiddo~ Kid: *smiles, strokes her hair* stocking: =///w///= Kid: *lies beside her* stocking: *snuggle* Kid: *holds her, hums lightly* stocking: u//////u Kid: *closes his eyes* -elsewhere- Dazai: ( . ) w ( . ) naomi:....what? Dazai: "...Cooooooloooors." naomi:....kunikida! he found the mushrooms again! Kunikida: "Damn it!" *pulls out a mallet* -elsewhere- Anya: *covered in snow* tsugumi: you ok? Anya: -_- "Brats did this to me..." kana: no regrets. Anya: >-<# -elsewhere- Black Star: *holds up empty plate* shop worker: ._.; Black Star: "I want more of this. And a meal." shop worker:.... *blinks and looks at sanjuro* tsubaki: v~v; Sanjuro: "J-Just, um..." *picks a plate* "We'll take this...and any information you have." -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "Are they talking?" higuchi: they're in interrogation now... Akutagawa: "Will they live long enough to talk?" higuchi: hopefully... Akutagawa: "Hmm..." *listens to the door* naoya: alright. now how did you get out? Escapee #1: Q~Q "A-A spoon?" naoya: *raises a brow* Escapee #1: Q_____Q "A-A lot of d-digging...Took a long time to dig with...a spoon?" naoya:.....oi, tachi! were there any holes in their cell? Tachihara: "Hell no." Escapee #1: Q__________Q naoya: gee, how interesting....*laughs and twists their wrist* DONT BULLSHIT US! Escapee #1: *screams* "Th-They called us!" naoya: who's _they_? Escapee #1: *gasping* "Th-They had masks--" naoya: ?? what did these masks look like? Escapee #1: "It-It had tiny eyeholes! And something like a cross along one eye?" naoya: ?? ... Escapee #1: "His voice was raspy..." naoya: hmm... hirotsu: is there anything else you remember? Escapee #1: "H-He wore a cross?" hirotsu: hmmm... Escapee #1: "H-He told us to get away--keep running..." hirotsu: .. Escapee #1: "I just wanted to leave...go home..." hirotsu: ... *he glances at mori* Mori: "Hmmmm...No." Escapee #1: "!!!!" -elsewhere- Kuro: =_= *digs deeper under blanket* mahiru: .....*glances at the clock* Kuro: "You waiting for someone?" mahiru: my uncle still isnt home yet.... Kuro: *yawns* "Probably busy at...whatever he does." mahiru: .... -a few days later...- fukuzawa: ... *walking along the streets of the city, admiring christmas decorations* ..... ?? (thinking: blood?) -the blood leads to an alley- fukuzawa: ..... *gripping his sword handle and enters* ..... *No one is in the alley* fukuzawa:.....*examining the blood* *A separation in the air can be felt behind Fukuzawa, as if someone is about to slice at him* -barehanded blade block!- fukuzawa: so you're the culprit then.... -he elbows the assailant in the gut- *Masked Assailant bounces back, holding a sickle* fukuzawa: ?? Mask: "Death...to ability users--" fukuzawa: targeting ability users, are you? *sigh* and to think, this city is supposed to be a safe haven.... Mask: "Saves the user who brings danger wherever he goes..." fukuzawa: ....!! Mask: *swings the sickle again* -clang- fukuzawa: ... Mask: *trying to hold his own against Fukuzawa's sword--then seems to slide under* fukuzawa: ??!! Mask: *swings the sickle* -clang clang- fukuzawa: grk-...*cough* w-what? Mask: "Death will come for you, as it does us all. The ways of death are many: wounds, illness, loneliness...and..." fukuzawa: *coughing* Mask: "Poison." fukuzawa: *collapses* urk-...w-what did you- Mask: *holds up the sickle--then leaps up, seems to form dark flashes at his feet as he goes higher* "A beautiful winter night...to bleed upon the snow." fukuzawa: d-damn...*passes out* -morning- atsushi: *checks his phone* Kyoka: "??? What is it?" atsushi: hm..... !!!!!! kyouka, come on! get dressed! we need to get to the agency right now! -at the agency- ranpo: ............ fukuzawa: *laying in bed, alive, but his breath is shaky* secretary: it's awful… secretary 2: i cant believe someone managed to get a hit in on him, let alone do this... Kunikida: "We are hunting for any more information..." atsushi: .... yosano: ..... *glances at dazai* -elsewhere- hirotsu:...damn. they arent here either...*on communicator* how is everything on your end, sir? -elsewhere, mori and elise ware walking along- ruby: *patrolling* pearl: ... dia: hmm... Officer: *walking by* elise: are we there yet, rintarou? Mori: "Just one more shop~" elise: ugh, that's the 15th tailor today =3= Mori: "Please? It won't be a long walk..." elise: *grumbles* fiiine, but it's the last one for the day. =3= Mori: "Would you rather the car?" elise: yeah yeah, let's just get going already! >3< Mori: *opens the door, enters, closes* elise:.... !!!! RINTAROU WE NEED TO GO- *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* dia: !!! ruby: holy moley! -elsewhere- Dazai: *in the alley, examining the floor where Fukuzawa was attacked*…. -elsewhere- elise: *floating, holding mori by the collar* ugh, this is so lame! Mori: ._.; "...Our car..." elise: cant believe someone would put a bomb in there! >3< *lands on the ground* how lame! -in the alley- Akutagawa: *following blood drops in alley* -silence- Akutagawa: "Where could he have gone?" ???: "Eternal..." Akutagawa: "!!" Mask: "Death..." Akutagawa: "So, the dog hunts, just to kill his prey...To kill all ability users. Insane." Mask: "...I will kill….for the sake of my beloved…" Akutagawa: "And you are all bark..." *unleashes Rashomon* Mask: *leaps* *Mask dodges, seemingly unscathed* Akutagawa: "Blood...Your attracts. I know you. And where to strike--" *Mask's mask was sliced, dropping to the ground* Akutagawa: "...As I thought: blood reverend of the Guild." Hawthorne: "..." -on the street, the 1st brigade has secured the area of the burning car- Mori: ^^;;; "Quite a spectacle, eh?" elise: =3= Officer: "Sir, please--we need to get you and your daughter away from this crime scene..." elise: ?? Officer: "How did this explosion even happen?" Mori: .w.; "My daughter put orange juice in the gas tank?" elise: *gives him a look of 'are you fucking kidding me?'* Mori: "She said, 'Daddy, I want Mr. Car to have a drink'! Isn't that right, Elise Sweetie?" elise: dont drag me into this! D8< Officer: "Well, if it was an accident--" Mori: "Oh, it was! It totally was!" ^^ Officer: "--then we have a problem." *shiv* Mori: "..." elise: ......!!!! *The hat falls, revealing...* Fyodor: "..." Mori: *falls down* "E-Elise..." elise: *chasing after him* dia: ?? ...*turns to see....* ..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fyodor: *running towards Dia* dia: .......*unable to speak, too stunned to move* Fyodor: *he seems to be...smiling* *passes Dia* ruby: did someone just run past? dia:.....*collapses to her knees, eyes wide, pupils shrank.....she's trembling* pearl: dia? dia?! -in the alley- Akutagawa: "You used your blood to step on air, literally." Hawthorne: "..." *The blood at Akutagawa's feet bubbles* Akutagawa: "!!!" *Akutagawa uses Rashomon to block Hawthorne's blood scythe* Akutagawa: "You used to be more straightforward in your attacks, Priest--hardly as deceptive to need a mask, or to use anything but your words and direct attacks." Hawthorne: "..." Akutagawa: "You said you intended to restore that which she lost--that woman I attacked. Is that why you have targeted me?" Hawthorne: "...Who is the Priest?" Akutagawa: "...!!!" -elsewhere- Fyodor: *tosses his police uniform, opens a locker and puts on his coat--* "..." <Where's my hat?> ???: “Hello~!” Fyodor: "..." -_-# Dazai: *waves* “Looking for this, Dosty~?” -someone holds a scalpel to his neck- zoey:....that doesnt.....belong to you..... Dazai: "..." *takes Zoey's hand--and holds it* "Young woman. May I entice you to join me in a--" zoey: *snarling* Dazai: .w.; "...You know what? Here--" *shoves the hat onto her* "It didn't suit me." *looks at Fyodor* Fyodor: "...You anticipated I would be here--" Dazai: "And blocked your one exit! I didn't see her coming, though." zoey:....master....s-shall i....dispose of him...~? Fyodor: "No." zoey:....*removes the scalpel and backs off* of course... Dazai: "...You're the one trying to kill the heads of the two parties involved..." Fyodor: "..." Dazai: "..." *smiles* "Where do I sign up?" zoey: ?? Fyodor: "...Ha." Dazai: "Kidding! I just want to know the poison you used." *evil grin* "I wanted to find it the easier way." Fyodor: "...You know then?" Dazai: *nods* "I know. I know your plan: to eliminate your competition. By poisoning the two heads of the ability user organizations--assassination--is what someone with limited resources would do." Fyodor: "How did you arrive at that conclusion?" Dazai: "Because if I had nothing, it's what I would do." Fyodor: "Hm. So you think we're alike." *smiles* "Very well. That poison assures mutual destruction: you will destroy yourselves." zoey: ...*smiles* Dazai: "???" Fyodor: "This virus-type ability will eat away the hosts' organs. But if either host dies before 48 hours, the ability ends." Dazai: "...To save the director, the other host must die." -elsewhere-.... Chuuya: "..." {fyodor: I can predict every movement you take…so I know you will accept my offer. Because without that girl, you are a mess. And you want her to live the life she was denied. And all it takes is this book–to make your dreams into reality.} Chuuya: "...Even if we wanted to work around him, 2 days is not enough time. We...have to give into this demand." -in the alley- Fyodor: "Fools. Humans, even when they know they are still being manipulated cannot stop killing. A sin. That a god must cleanse from this world." zoey: ah~ so wonderful, master~<3 -she kneels at his feet, like a loyal pet- Fyodor: *pets Zoey's head* Dazai: "...Right. Anyway, 'God,' your plan is A-plus--except the part where you realized I can negate the ability--" Fyodor: "You would need contact with their internal organs--which is suicide, as it will spread the virus." Dazai: "...'Suicide.' *smiles* "I think you underestimate what the Agency can do." Fyodor: "True. And I could underestimate your ability." *BANG* Dazai: "..." *blood is coming from his chest* zoey:...his vitals....werent shot... Dazai: "..." *falls to his knees, then face-down* Fyodor: "You still have a part." *walks by Dazai, picks up his hat* "Come along, my dear." Dazai: *sitting up* zoey: !!!! *holding a scalpel to dazai's neck* ..... Fyodor: *holds up his hand* "Zoey, please." zoey:.....*backing up* ...... Dazai: *chuckling* "Humans _are_ sinfully stupid." *smirks* "What's so wrong about that?" Fyodor: "...! You knew the sniper was there?" Dazai: *getting up* "Because...I know what that book does...It lets you write your reality onto its blank pages." Fyodor: "...To make a world without the sin of ability users." Dazai: "Give it a try--if you can." zoey: ....master fyodor....our god....he'll bring us to the promised land.....ah...it feels wonderful~.....so wonderful....to carry his baby inside me.... Dazai: "..." .________.;;;; "...Girl? You're fucked up in the head." atsushi: dazai?! where are you?! Fyodor: "Zoey. Come along. We have a promised land to create." zoey: of course...~ -elsewhere- ranpo: ................................ fukuzawa: *laying in bed* ...... -in the mafia headquarters- higuchi: ........*glances at a door*.......(thinking: now is as good as a time as any.......) *she approaches the door*........ Mori: *passed out* higuchi: .........*breathes and reaches for the knob* ..........*hard gulp and quietly opens the door* ..... Mori: *slight groan* higuchi: !!! *silently sneaking into the room*....*phew*......??? (thinking: is this....a surgery room?....) *she spots the closet...._that_ closet* ........*shaking*..... *mentally preparing herself for what lies beyond.....she opens the door*....*winces as she sees the decapitated head* (thinking: god....i knew it would be bad but....it doesnt even seem real.....) Mori: *grunts* higuchi: !!! *backs up*.....*noticing the vials* .....*examining* (thinking: the blood samples.....what are you planning, mori?) *There are notes* higuchi:.....*looking at them* Mori's notes: "--to change life itself." higuchi: ??? *looking at more notes* Notes: "-and until I can determine how to change her age--" higuchi: (thinking: does he mean elise?) Notes: "--isolating the mitochondria would be key to unlocking the aging process." higuchi: ....(thinking: has he gone crazy?) Notes: "I found the perfect candidate." higuchi: ...... *her stomach drops* w-what? Notes: "Higuchin's tests were flawless, a perfect match." higuchi: f-for what....? Notes: "--to give Elise the life she deserves." higuchi: ..... -elsewhere- yosano:....it's just as he said, the virus is slowly eating away at him.... Tanizaki: "... We should..." naomi: ?? Tanizaki: "Kill Mori." yosano: it'll be risky, given the amount of firepower the mafia has. Kunikida: "..." ("And Dazai is at a hospital...") kirako:..... ranpo: ..................... kenji: ranpo looks really sad... yosano: yeah.....the director's the closest thing he has to a father...... atsushi:.....*looking out the window* ..... !!!!!!!! Chuuya: "..." atsushi: um guys? we have a situation... Chuuya: "Atsushi!" kenji: oh! we have mafia visitors! naomi: !!!! shit, we're surrounded! Chuuya: "I am here for a deal!" atsushi: sorry we're closed right now! Chuuya: "YOU DON'T GET TO HIDE BEHIND STORE HOURS!" atsushi: um.....*looks at the other agency members* ideas? QuQ;;;; Kunikida: "..." *stares at his book* ("They have us surrounded...They intend to kill, and we can't afford to. And we can't have them learn the full extent of our abilities for the element of surprise...We need a last minute plan..." ranpo: dont rush it, kunikida. you're the director's star pupil, right? yosano: ranpo? ranpo: the director told me something. 'get a hold of yourselves' yosano: ah! he's awake? ranpo:....no, but i heard him mumbling. -ranpo looks at kunikida- ranpo: what do we do, temporary director? give me all the important info! Kunikida: "!!! ...Okay. Follow." -on the roof- naoya: i see someone by the window. it's some blonde kid. kenji: *whistling* Chuuya: "Hmph. He's too strong for one person." naoya: let's see here......*using perspective on kenji* oh shit! Chuuya: "?! What?" naoya: it's not just farmer boy, they got their whole main force down there! Chuuya: "...To protect that one room..." naoya: your orders, chuuya? Chuuya: "...Get all of our forces." naoya: on it. -inside- Tanizaki: *standing* hirotsu: .... Chuuya: "We can fight you one on one, or a direct attack?" Tanizaki: "...Neither." naoya: ??? *Lined up are the Agency members...who seem to shiver and waver in the light* naoya: what the fuck?? t-then how did- *All but Tanizaki fade...revealing a hole in the wall* naoya: son of a bitch. hirotsu: sacrifice one's self to save the rest. how noble. Akutagawa: "How is a decoy noble?" hirotsu: what say you, boy? naoya: 'what say you'? what year do you think this is, gramps? Tanizaki: "...I am not a decoy. I stayed to give you a message." -elsewhere- atsushi: what?? ranpo: that's right. catch the ability user that spawned the virus. if we fight the mafia head on, people will get hurt, or worse, killed. we just need to play by different rules. if we beat the user, or have dazai touch them, then both parties win. if what the rat's leader said is true, then this 'criminal friend' cant get out of the city easily. all public routes are being supervised by people such as the DWMA, the special ability's department, fire brigades, and the life. and the mafia has the back ways all blocked. atsushi: so then... ranpo: get the info on ability user criminal counter-measures. if i have that, it should be enough. -elsewhere- Black Star: "--and then punch this criminal in the face!" tsubaki: ^^; tokyo chief of police: .... <i....see...> Sanjuro: "We do need to track this criminal first...Tsubaki, I want you to track this neighborhood." tsubaki: understood. Black Star: "Can pick up a meal there, too." tsubaki: ... -elsewhere- atsushi: .....this place is pretty run down... -there are vagrants all over the place...- Kunikida: "Just up ahead...; atsushi: ...*glances at one child* child: ..... atsushi: .......(thinking: it almost feels like the orphanage here....) -soon, they approach a tunnel leading to an underground area- -in one underground building, there is a man doing some cooking and listening to christmas music- man: just hear those sleigh bells jingling~ ring-ting-ringling too~ *whistling* *The phone rings* man: *picks up* 'yello? ???: "Get out! You've been found!" man: !!!! *he runs to a communicator* kids! they've caught up to us! im counting on you all to keep them here! kids: !!! man: *running to an escape hatch* -and so- atsushi: ...!!! there he is! *tiger limbs and chases after him* Kunikida: *follows* man: *still running until he turns a corner* atsushi: *still running* Kunikida: "!!! Atsushi, wait!" atsushi: !!!! -BANG- atsushi: *has caught the bullet with his teeth* ..... ooow, that tingles. people were not made to bite metal. Q_Q odasaku:....*stunned* Kunikida: -_-; "Pull yourself together, brat." odasaku: ..... *his stomach drops* atsushi:.... !!!!!!! -several children are armed with guns- man: im counting on you guys! child 1: you go ahead, big brother! -they start shooting- atsushi: *picks up kunikida and retreats to a safer distance* wha...what the hell. odasaku: *still completely stunned....* Kunikida: "Children...with machine guns...One bullet would kill their tiny bodies..." atsushi: what kind of people are we dealing with?? isnt there a way to get past them without shooting them? Kunikida: "Yes..." *opens his book* "Quickly." atsushi: *runs* Kunikida: *summons a tear gas grenade* *tosses* -PSSSHT- kids: *screaming* atsushi: *runs in* child 2: *holding his gun up* atsushi: !!! *BANG* child 2: *screaming and clutching his shoulder* AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT HURTS!!! atsushi: !!!!! Kunikida: *aiming his gun* *frozen* atsushi:...shit, come on! let's go! -after making it a ways down the tunnel- atsushi: .... Kunikida: "..." *slams his fist against the wall* atsushi: !!! kunikida? Kunikida: "Is this hell?" atsushi:....i honestly dont know... but if we bring him to yosano then maybe- Kunikida: "I KNOW!! ... I know." atsushi:.....something isnt adding up. i figured he'd undoubtedly fight back, but... Kunikida: "--why not use his ability?" atsushi: .... odasaku: come to think of it, there werent any alarms or locked doors.... atsushi: .... Kunikida: "...! Atsushi...don't move." atsushi: .....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! child: *they have a grenade collar on* p-pwease...don hurt...big bwubber.... *sniffles* Kunikida: "Atsushi...find another way around. I'll stay..." atsushi: *runs* child: *sniffles, and crying ghibli tears* Kunikida: "..." ("Willing to use a child to explode this tunnel, cave us in...") "..." *leans down where he stands* "We are not going to hurt your brother. I promise." child: *sniff* -elsewhere- Shousaku: "...I know you didn't kidnap me for a concert." Fyodor: "..." *keeps playing* zoey: *outside the door, listening and rubbing her stomach* Fyodor: "Actually, a mutual acquaintance brought us together." *smiles* Fyodor: "I want to know what happened between you and the Agency." Shousaku: "..." *lets out a laugh* "That man, Kunikida? He's the real deal. You can't break that ideal." Fyodor: "..." *smiles* -elsewhere- Kunikida: "...Hey?" child: ..... Kunikida: "Do you like magic?" {child: *answering the phone* h-hewwo?} {Fyodor: "If that awful man pulls out a notebook, expect he is dangerous.”} child: !!!! *grabs the string* Kunikida: "!!! No--" -.........- -BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM- Kunikida: *stunned* -outside atsushi: *tackles the man* you're not going anywhere! man: p-please, dont hurt me. i just..i just wanted to leave the past behind me! atsushi: what? man: s-some guy. i-i was targeted by a hit man. t-these guys were killing off anyone who witnessed a hit and run i saw... t-then this foreign guy started giving me all these weapons and shit. atsushi: then your ability- man: i-i dont have any abilities! you have the wrong guy! atsushi: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man: p-please, dont hurt my little siblings, they're all i got left! -....- -the dust clears, and the splattered remains of the child is strewn about the rubble...- Kunikida: "..." *falls to his knees, his glasses fall off--the lenses break* -all he is able to do is scream out in agony- -...- man: *showing them a paper* atsushi: !!! the info is all different... ranpo: looks like this guy in the picture is the real deal......but this one is all a lie too. yosano: so it's all a wild goose chase... -in the mafia HQ- hirotsu: *takes a long smoke* *sighs* it's been a long time since the mafia has been out for blood like this. naoya: yeah, no shit, even your mustache is stressed out. hirotsu:....what? naoya: 737 *whistling* hirotsu:.... riiiight. -in mori's room- Mori: *barely breathing* Chuuya: "..." -chuuuuya~- Chuuya: "!!!" rain?: *laying on the floor* ...... Chuuya: "N-No..." rain?: what are you waiting for chuuya? now is.....the perfect chance....to make him pay....for what he did to me....to make him pay....make him pay....makehimpaymakehimpaymakehimaymakehimpay -her eyes are completely black, with and inky fluid dripping from her eyes, nose and mouth…- Chuuya: *shudders, steps back--his hand knocks over a scalpel* rain?: chuuyaaaaaaa....*crawling over to him, dragging her body* dont you love me? -more of her start to come out of the walls and floor- -chuuya i miss you so much- -i love you- -chuuya- -it's so cold- -its s o c o l d h e r e- -kill him! kill him! kill him!- -make him suffer how i suffered so much- Chuuya: "..." *he has fallen to his knees, his hand near the scalpel* -do it- -he's sleeping right there- -cut his fucking throat- -do it- -kill him- -cut him open- Chuuya: "..." *snatches it, bolts up* d             o                    i                t Chuuya: "..."*raises his hands* *slam* Tanizaki: *slams the door behind him, runs forward--and stops* !!! Chuuya: !!! "...How did you get free? And get a switchblade?" Tanizaki: "...Why do you have a scalpel to his neck?" Chuuya: "...If I asked you to say he died naturally--" Tanizaki: "Why?" Chuuya: "...I asked you first!" Tanizaki: "So I can save the director and--YOU DIDN'T ASK!" Chuuya: "JUST LET ME HAVE THIS!" Tanizaki: "No, I'm gonna do it!" *grabs Chuuya's wrist* -elsewhere- fukuzawa:.......*groans* nnh...w-where-? ???: "You're awake? Stay down--you're still feverish." fukuzawa: huh?...oh...you-*coughs* you're atsushi's girlfriend, right? Lucy: *nods "Lucy. Kitten asked me to bring you here to Anne's room." fukuzawa: *tries to sit up* grk- Lucy: "Hey! I just told you to lie down! Do you want Anne to sit on you?!" fukuzawa: please...*cough* tell them...not to fight the mafia. -in mori's room- *Blood drips* kouyou: ..... golden demon: *stabbing tanizaki* Tanizaki: "!!!" *coughs* kouyou: do forgive me, child.....*looks at mori* i fear that if he dies....the mafia will revert to it's detestable old ways... Tanizaki: *his body falls--and collapses into bright snow* kouyou:......*she looks at chuuya* Chuuya: "...He wasn't...?" kouyou: .... !!! golden demon! golden demon: *slicing at tanizaki* Tanizaki: "!!!" *covers his face with his arms* *CLASH* kouyou: !!!! k- Kyoka: *hard stare* -the door slams open- mafioso: boss lady! are you ok?! Kyouka: *grabs Tanizaki--and jumps* mafiosos: *aiming their guns* kouyou: dont! you might hit kyouka!! Kyoka: *looks to Demon Snow, opens her phone* "We need a landing..." demon snow: ~understood~ kouyou:..... -elsewhere- ranpo: alright, pull up. atsushi: *opens the door* kyouka! tanizaki! over here! Kyouka: *carries Tanizaki inside* Tanizaki: *groans* yosano: are any of you hurt at all? Kyouka: "No." Tanizaki: *struggling to move* yosano: easy now. ranpo: what's new? kenji: looks like they're evacuating their boss through the underground. Kyouka: "Hmm...We can't infiltrate that as easily as I did the Mafia HQ..." atsushi:....lucy told me that fukuzawa said something. 'dont fight the mafia.' ranpo: it wont be easy finding our mastermind. and a full on assault would risk our lives.....what will you all do? Kunikida: *silent, without his glasses* atsushi: so we either have to fight or run away...? ranpo: if the mafia knows where the director is, they'll resort to kidnapping loved ones of the agency, and threatening to kill them off. atsushi: so people like lucy, kirako, naomi, aya, and others are all at risk... Kunikida: "..." *opens his mouth* "I--" Tanizaki: "I'll do it." atsushi: tanizaki? Tanizaki: "...If we try to protect one person, we'll get another one hurt." yosano: i'm in too. mori and i were once classmates in medical school, i think he'd agree to an ending such as this. Kyouka: "He is frightening...but I know the Mafia, and I can use that knowledge for the sake of the Agency." kenji: i dont know if it's wrong or not, but if everyone's helping, i'll help too! ^^ ranpo: kunikida? what will you do now? Kunikida: "...” ranpo: The director ordered us to 'protect the balance of peace of this city.' His purpose is to protect people from this mastermind's destruction of this city. tell me, will you bend the 'rules' to go after that guy? Kunikida: "..." *covers his face* atsushi: kunikida.... Kunikida: "If we continue to 'bend the rules,' more innocent people will die!" atsushi:.... ranpo: kunikida. you're the strongest and most virtuous person in the agency. that's why _he_ wanted to break you first. ranpo: dont forget that. atsushi:.... odasaku: *shaking* i dont want innocent people to die either. if you fight the mafia, you're just playing right into his hand. atsushi: ...... Kunikida: "..." *stays seated, lowers his head to his knees* atsushi: kunikida.....katai said he would investigate the rats, right? Kunikida: "Yes." atsushi: then wouldnt he know something? Kunikida: "...If we bend the rules and pursue this mad mastermind, another child will die." atsushi: we wont let that happen. i dont want to be someone who fights people. i want to be someone who protects people! odasaku:...*small smile* Kunikida: "..." *reaches into his pocket, and removes a new pair of glasses* "Then the way to honor that child...is to save this city." -at the mafia HQ- kenji: heeeeeave *flips the floor* HO! yosano: HYAAAAAH!!! -in the alley, with chuuya- Chuuya: "!!! They broke through the first floor?! Damn it--hold the base!" -chuuuuyaaaaa~- Chuuya: "?!!!" rain?: *crawling onto his back* why didnt...you just kill him? Chuuya: *doesn't move* "...Rain...Don't ask me..." rain?: dont you...love me anymore? -she looks at him, with those same black, bloody eyes- Chuuya: "I...know you're not her..." -someone is at the end of the alley- ranpo: fancy seeing you here, mr fancy hat~ Chuuya: "...Agency scum..." ranpo: if you join this battle on the mafia's side, our chances of winning are pretty slim down to nothin' so it's up to me to stop you then, eh? Chuuya: "...Insane." ranpo: y'know, my buddy tanizaki told me something interesting. he said when he busted the door in, there you were, holding a scalpel to the mafia boss's throat. do you really......think killing him will bring that girl back? *CRUNCH* ranpo: ?? *The pavement cracks under Chuuya's footstep* ranpo: ... Chuuya: "You pathetic brat...You man-child..." *lifts his head, eyes burning* "You have no idea what she went through!" -he’s shaking- ranpo: oh? bet my super deduction could find out... Chuuya: "...Figure this one out, Boy Detective: how not to get CRUSHED!" -at katai's place- atsushi: mr katai?! hello? Kunikida: "..." atsushi:....??? he isnt here? Kunikida: *steps forward, clenching his fist* atsushi: ...kuniki- *KUNI-PUNCH!* atsushi: holy fuck- -the hole in the wall reveals...a hidden camera.- Kunikida: "Katai kept it as a record in case of emergencies." *shakes his hand...* atsushi: i dont know if i should kink-shame that or.... Kunikida: *intense glare* atsushi: OxO;;; Kunikida: *plugs the camera into the laptop* -the video shows katai on the night he talked to keek.....and fyodor shooting him in the back- atsushi: !!!!!!!!! Kunikida: "!!!" *pulls back the futon--* -there is a blood stain....but no katai- -elsewhere- kim: is he awake yet, jackie? Jacqueline: "N-No...He's still pretty banged up--" Katai: *groans* ???: wakey wakey, mr~ Katai: *moans* "Hmm...What?" blair: *sitting on top of him, in a nurse outfit* hello~ ^^ Katai: o\\\\w\\\\o "...Okay. I know I have died now." kim: god dammit blair! >-<; blair: just trying to help <3 kim: *unamused* Jacqueline: .\\\. "Maybe get off of the patient?" Katai: "Wh-Why is there a cat nurse on me? Who are you people?" blair: *getting up* kim: some guy found you shot in your room and brought you here. blair: kimmy here healed your injuries, so you should be good to go then ^^ Katai: "Shot?...!!!" *pulls up his shirt* -there is a slight scar- kim: we're just glad he found you when he did, otherwise you'd be a goner... Katai: "...Healing? Black cat...!!! Wh-Why save me?" blair: consider it me doing a friend a favor~ *winks* Katai: .\\\\. *pulls blanket up over his nose* "I-I'd like some w-water, please? And I have to--!!! I have to call the Agency! I know where _they_ are!" -in the mafia HQ- higuchi: .... (thinking: mori....trying to turn elise human? but why?) ..... ?? (thinking: a doll? isnt this-) *A hand covers Higuchi's mouth, pulls her inside a closet* higuchi: !!!! Kyouka: "Move, and you're cut." higuchi: !!! i thought you gave up on killing? Kyouka: "I do not do so without reason. If you do not give me the information I seek--" *The blade leans closer to Higuchi's wrist* higuchi: go ahead, i've been prepared for such a thing... Kyouka: "...Too bad. Demon Snow..." higuchi: *wince* *SLICE* Kyouka: "!!!" higuchi: ?? Kyouka: *falls through the floor, where a triangle has been cut out by dark energy* higuchi: !!! w-wha- Kyouka: *falls to the floor below, doing a three-point landing* *looks up* "...You." Akutagawa: "...Do you remember...when you left the Mafia?" Kyouka: "Yes. A van in the desert." Akutagawa: *nods* "You thought you could destroy me there, even at the cost of your own life." *holds Rashomon ready to stab* "Do you still think that is your only path to victory?" higuchi: ryunosuke! Kyouka: *sends Demon Snow to slice at Akutagawa before he can attack* higuchi: !! Akutagawa: *blocking...and smiling* *calls to Higuchi* "Tell them upstairs...Leave this to me." *smiles wider* "Fighting someone with a spine will be good for me!" -elsewhere- ranpo *dodging* Chuuya: "Stand still, you short-pant sugar-chugging brat!" ranpo: *whistles* man, i struck a nerve with you eh? no wonder dazai can beat you so easily. Chuuya: "!!!" *yells, pulls back his fist, and swings at Ranpo's mouth* -something catches his hand.....a book?- ranpo: say, do you like mystery novels? Chuuya: *grunts* ("My fist...is stuck?!") ranpo: the cast is half a cast of people, half of them are blood thirsty killers. in this book world, abilities wont work, see you on the other side, mr fancy hat~ Chuuya: "!!! No! I can't! Son--" -they both get caught inside the book- karl: *picks the book up and heads up the fire escape to where poe is...* Poe: *holds the book...passes a hand over the cover* "I was surprised Ranpo asked for such a risky strategy...I was getting this book ready for the publisher, but now it's being used to hold him and that Mafia person with the goofy hat..." karl: *chitter* Poe: "This showdown story...will pit them against killing machines. The Mafia hat-man could die...or Ranpo could die...or both..." *shivers* karl: *pap pap* -meanwhile- *CLANG CLANG SLASH* demon snow: *slashing* Akutagawa: "Insufficient." Kyouka: "???" Akutagawa: *wraps Rashomon around Demon Snow* demon snow: !! Kyouka: "!!!" Akutagawa: "You are an assassin: you are not designed for direct attacks--they put you at a disadvantage. How can someone who is in the shadows ever enter the light? How can you ever be in the Agency? How did _you_ ever _get_ to join _him_?" Kyouka: "...'He' showed me something that you should learn." Akutagawa: "???" Kyouka: "I am not the person you knew..." demon snow: *phases out from the restrictions* Akutagawa: "!!!" *tries to block* ("How can the physical stop the intangible...?!") -slash slash- Akutagawa: *blocks--then feels a presence behind him* "!!!" Kyoka: *behind him with blade at his neck* Kyoka: "Goodbye." *SWHISH* -elsewhere- fukuzawa: ....nngh? Lucy: "Zzz..." fukuzawa: *sitting up and winces* grk- ???: it's raining bullets here dammit! -in mafia HQ- yosano: atsushi! kunikida! where are you two?? atsushi: *on walkie-talkie* no good, katai's missing, and we found blood. yosano: !!! damn. right now isnt the time for grieving. as long as they keep up- -the gunfire has stopped?- yosano: ?? *peeks* oh you got to be fucking shitting me. *Motojiro stands* Motojiro: *sneers* -elsewhere- Kyouka: *stunned* Akutagawa: *intense unblinking stare* *has caught the blade in his hand, wrapped in Rashomon: his Demon Armor* Kyouka: *struggles to press the blade in--but it won't budge* *CRUNCH* *Akutagawa's grip shatters the blade* Kyouka: *leaps back--and her eyes reflect back light* Akutagawa: *watches her eyes* "You've certainly changed, Kyouka." {Kyouka: "That ability...can cut anything."} {Akutagawa: "...What about it?"} {Kyouka: *her eyes are dark and lifeless* "...Kill the demon, to avenge my parents. And kill me."} {Akutagawa: "..."} Akutagawa: "Where is that revenge that was once in your eyes?" Akutagawa: "You have tried to eliminate yourself, kill yourself, die in so many ways. I never saw this value for your own life in your eyes." Kyouka: *falls to her knees, tearing up* "How can you know this?" {Dazai: *smirks* "Or you can join me. And I can give you that revenge you seek."} {Ryu: *stares*} Akutagawa: "...There was someone with those same eyes." Kyouka: "...Who were they? What happened to them?" Akutagawa: "...The same as you: they joined an organization, found purpose--and gone went their death wish." {atsushi: i just wanted to show her she deserved to live!} Akutagawa: "..." Kyouka: *unable to move* Akutagawa: "I'm happy for you." Kyouka: "!!! ..." *bounces up and away* walkie talkie: get out of there! the lemon cakewalk is approaching! -elsewhere- ayako: ho-dee-doo agency peeps! Motojiro: *giggling* "Three days!!!" yosano: ?? ayako: three days of hard work baby! yosano: (thinking: what are they talking about?) Motojiro: "It took so much of my time I forgot to wear underwear today!" yosano: *trying not to gag* ayako: shall we begin the experiments for today? Tanizaki: "This is our chance, Doctor. We can make a straight line--" yosano: wait...something isnt right? ayako: but first, safety procedures! *aims a grappling gun to the ceiling* HENSHIN-A-GO-GO, BABY! *zips on up and puts on a protective suit* Tanizaki: *gets down* Motojiro: "LEMON! CAKE! WALK!" *BOOOOOOOOOM* BOOOM!- yosano: fall back! he's a walking bomb! ayako: *muffled cheering from the protective suit* Motojiro: "This is an empty world! Your happiness is just brain synapses. It is only through science that you can get closest to the truth!" yosano: pull back! everyone pull back! -elsewhere- fukuzawa:......*puts his cloak over a sleeping lucy and takes his sword* .....*begins walking away* Lucy: "...I won't stop you." fukuzawa: ?? *looks back* Lucy: "I'm not a member of the Agency... but I don't want to see my friends there killed. If you can save them...Can you at least tell me what is your plan?" fukuzawa:....just visiting an old friend. -elsewhere- miura: mori's missing. this isnt good. higuchi: ??? hirotsu: i dont think we should be afraid. miura: ?? hirotsu: mori may be a twisted man, but he is still the head of this mafia. and he intends to protect it... -in an abandoned house...- Mori: *approaches the entrance, opening it carefully, before entering* fukuzawa: ...... Mori: "Ah, this location brings back memories." fukuzawa: indeed.... no one else really knows this place still exists but us. Mori: "Which is why I anticipated you would meet me here." fukuzawa: did your subordinates follow you? Mori: "Perish the thought. I do not want another fight between our organizations." fukuzawa:....its amazing how much can change in 12 years... elise: *appearing, in a nurse's outfit* Mori: "Yes...And yet, some things don't change." fukuzawa: ....*gripping his sword* elise: *floating, ready to attack* fukuzawa: bring it... -elsewhere- aya: ugh, this is so lame! i wanna be able to fight too! >n< Naomi: "I know. But you also know that the others have got this." *trying to put on a smile* kirako: mii still isnt home. im getting really worried...*urk* *throws up in the trash can* aya: yuck! kirako: *panting* a-aya...could you..bring me some water? aya: can do! *goes to get some* kirako: ....i guess im sick from the nerves....whenever mii goes missing for a while, something bad always follows suit... Naomi: *rubs her back* "Don't over-do it...And don't exaggerate this. Mii will be fine..." kirako: m-maybe....if the director really has gone missing... mii:....*watching from the window, and flees before being seen* -at the hospital- man: yes, i hear a mr 'osamu dazai' is staying at this hospital? Nurse: -_-# "Yep. I've heard." man: would you be willing to release him into my custody for the time being? *holds up a business card. 'Masuji Ibuse; CEO of Salamander Publishing'* i'm his benefactor! Nurse: "...I'm going to need more than a business card. Like talking to him..." -_-### nurse 2: i already told you, im not going to inject air into your blood stream! D8< masuji: found him! Nurse: *serious voice* "If you get him out of here, I'll owe you for life." masuji: leave it to me! *eye glint....even though his eyes are closed* -elsewhere- elise: *attacking fukuzawa with giant needles* fukuzawa: *slashing and dodging* i see your tastes are still as repulsive as ever. Mori: "Dear Elise...Be gentle with him." -slash slash slash- fukuzawa: ..... *slash slash dodge* Mori: *smiles* ("The Silver Wolf. Once the deadliest assassin of any government, his word moves faster than the eye...") {fukuzawa: a bodyguarding mission?} {Mori: "I heard you were capable."} {fukuzawa: well, im currently trying to start up a detective agency...im only here because mr natsume told me to...} {elise: *coloring and humming*} {Mori: "Well, if you aren't working right now, then you're skills will get dull!"} {fukuzawa: -_-# } {-the door slams open-} {man: oi, doc! my friend has been injured! you got to help him out!} {Mori: "...Very well. But this is neutral territory: I will treat all, even the one who shot him--so don't bring your fight in here." *clears hospital bed* "Get him here."} {fukuzawa:.....(thinking: something doesnt seem right here....why would mr natsume want to keep him protected?) } {...} {man 2: ugh, how annoying. he's way too stubborn to die...} {*Mori is handcuffed to a bar*} {Mori: "I have to scratch my nose..." T_T } {-WHACK-} {man 2: cut the shit, doc, this place is neutral ground, right? so you probably got info on all sorts of people. either spill the info or we spill your guts...} {man 3: now, the port mafia's armory, where is it? their leader has gone onto a rampage, and anything can easily be blamed on them, especially if we use their weapons.} {Mori: "...And unleash disaster onto this city. Tell me, where are you from?"} {man: that's not your business, <friend>} {Mori: "Ah! Now I remember! Last week, you attacked a medical transport truck, carrying drugs for the black market." *assumes a darker stare* <I like all of this city--the light and the dark. But you parasites disgust me.>} {-the door opens-} {fukuzawa:....} {man: ?! t-the guards-} {fukuzawa: they're dead.} {man 2: you back off asshole, or i'll blow his head right off!} {fukuzawa: have fun.} {Mori: D:< "WHY?!"} {fukuzawa: because you're lolicon scum.} {men: ..... KILL HIM!} {*SPLURT*} {man 3: *grk-*} {Mori: *holding his scalpel*} {fukuzawa: .....i'd say you have terrible bedside manner, but the mental images would scar me forever.} {Mori: "Give me some credit: I did get him to reveal their base, yes? I suggest retribution and counter-attack. It's what Natsume would want..."} {-...-} {fukuzawa: .....} {Mori: "...You're upset."} {fukuzawa: so much for 'you'll do just fine on your own'... there was far more people here thant you said there would be...} {Mori: "Which meant I only had to put in half the effort. Helpful, yes?"} {fukuzawa:...still. it was one battle. as long as the port mafia is still in control, people will keep getting hurt.} {Mori: "...Boy, you are innocent."} {fukuzawa: ??} elise: *attacking mori* -SLASH- elise: ah- -elise is cut into pieces- elise: rin....ta....rou..... *she vanishes* Mori: *frozen, just staring* fukuzawa:..... -*sniffles*- rintarou?: *sobbing* i dont wanna be alone! Mori: "All alone..." tomoe mori: that...that thing isnt my son....it has its fathers face. it makes me sick just looking at it. Mori: *covering his ears* "Quiet..." shizuka: hehe, mr mori~ *standing on top of a chair with her arms outstretched* Mori: "...Oh God..." shizuka: *leans forward and collapses, leaving a large blood splatter and her decapitated body and head behind* Mori: *falls back, inching back along the floor* rain: you have no one to blame but yourself for this. you tried to play god with your own ability for your own selfish desires. ougai sr: you have an obligation, rintarou. you need to live so you can continue our family legacy. former mafia boss: if you die, the mafia will be brought to chaos. you musnt allow that. Mori: *clenches his fists, shaking* fukuzawa: mori? -but....rintarou is a good boy....right?- fukuzawa: ....mori? -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- -rintarou is a good boy, right?- Fukuzawa: mor- *FWIP* fukuzawa: !!!!!!! -several birds are scared off from outside- fukuzawa:....*collapses, a scalpel in his throat as he bleeds out* ah-...ah.... Mori: "Forgive me, Fukuzawa..." -meeeew- fukuzawa: *looks over to see....mii* mii: *mreeeeeow and streeeeetch* Mori: "A dirty trick...to get you to fall. A pity." mii:....*approaches the two* fukuzawa: c...cat... mii: *staaaaaaaaaare* -FWOOOOOSH- souseki: what in blazes do you two hooligans think you are doing?! fukuzawa: !!!!!! n..na....tsume? Mori: ._. "S-Sir?" souseki: *BONK* honestly! let a retired man live his life in peace! why do you think i left the three of you in charge for anyway? >3< Mori: "...How did you find us?" fukuzawa: sir please, im literally dying. souseki: cat-like instincts, of course! mr katai found the rat's hide out with the help of a newly found friend! fukuzawa: ka...tai? souseki: indeed. he's in the van right now. these rats are a cunning sort, let them slip out from our grasp, and it may not be so easy to find them again. now, what will you two do? fukuzawa: then...the others? souseki: i've already informed them. you have 12 hours left to make a decision. your organizations are strong in their own rights, not fit to be devoured by rats. Now both of you will prove that to me! Mori: "...I will instruct the Mafia." *turns* fukuzawa: mori......just...who are you, really? Mori: "..." *turns his head back* -there is a twisted smile on his face, but his eyes are those of a frightened and lost child- fukuzawa: .... -and so- atsushi: so then, this 'KEEK'... Dazai: "--is being held by the Rats." atsushi: and she's going to help us find the virus user and fyodor? Dazai: "Yes, she's going to help you both." atsushi: wait, both? Akutagawa: "Hello." atsushi: ._____O WHY?! IS HE HERE?! Dazai: "You two are going to save Director Fukuzawa's life!" Akutagawa: "..." atsushi: and the mafia boss-? Dazai: -_-; "I mean, if we have too..." Akutagawa: "...It is unfortunate." atsushi: uh.....oookay then? owo;; -seems they arrived- atsushi: we're this far away from the city? -there is a tunnel at the bottom of the hill. the sign reads 'Zverkov Mining- Dazai: " 'Cause Death City used to have mining operations signed on by someone else..." atsushi: so what's the plan? Dazai: "Their coal mine hideout is miles down, likely full of traps. Catch the virus ability user--or we lose the Director." atsushi: so the virus user is our main objective. Dazai: "And Fyodor only second." atsushi: so then keek is 3rd priority.... Akutagawa: "...This interloper is a grave concern..." atsushi: well....let's go for it then, right? -and so- Kunikida: "We're here." atsushi: damn, guards are all over the place... Kunikida: "Our intelligence says the guards have their vitals tied into their communication devices: if they are injured, that information is sent immediately to their source." atsushi: (thinking: so that leaves knocking them out. out of the question.) *SLAM* atsushi: MEEP! h-hey! akutagawa! where are you go- Akutagawa: "...Despite everything, you should know two things about me. First, I will not wait for you to hurry up. Second, get in my way, and you're dead." atsushi: ..... Akutagawa: *summons Rashomon--and uses it to jam down into the ground* atsushi:....!! shit! *tiger jumps in after him* man: ?? <you hear something?> Man #2: <I heard you say, 'You hear something.'> man: <fuck you misha.> -inside- atsushi: hey, wait up! dazai said we were supposed to work together on this! Akutagawa: *keeps walking fast* "...No. I have to prove myself." atsushi: ?? but- Akutagawa: "To Dazai. And to you." atsushi: ..... listen, i might not know all your circumstances, and i know dazai hadnt been the best teacher to you, but i think you can be better than just killing people mindlessly. Akutagawa: "...'Mindless'? Did you...just call _me_ mindless?" atsushi: ._.; Akutagawa: *Rashomon swirls around him* "I was a fool...to think I could work with you on this. What if I just kill you here, insist you died in battle against the enemy? Maybe then you and Dazai will respect me..." atsushi: how can i respect you if i'm dead?! and if we fight here now, the enemy will be alerted and escape! Akutagawa: "..." *stare* atsushi: why do you always resort to killing everyone in your way? you never try to improve as a person, no wonder dazai abandoned you! Akutagawa: "..." *stare intensifies* odasaku: i think you may be going a bit far there. atsushi: (thinking: wha-) odasaku: look. *CLICK* atsushi:......(thinking: shit) Akutagawa: "...Is that so?" atsushi: *wince* Akutagawa: "..." *turns swiftly* atsushi:....*imagining himself as a donkey* wait, akutagawa- ???: <nah, im technically here illegaly. gives me a place to stay, y'know?> atsushi: .____.;;; (thinking: ssssHHHHIIIIIIIT) Akutagawa: "..." *summons Rashomon* pushkin: <what the fu-> *SMACK* *GRAB* pushkin: O-O;;;; atsushi: !!! Other Guy: QXQ atsushi: wait, dont kill them! Akutagawa: "..." *has Rashomon covering their mouths* "If you speak without being asked to, or if I feel any resistance--I will kill you immediately." pushkin: QxQ *Intercom*: "Yo, 48, 49! Your vitals are a bit high. What's up?" pushkin: o-o;;; Akutagawa: "...Speak. But carefully. Your lives are barely worth a cent." pushkin: ^-^ just thought we saw a snake, that's all. hahaha! *Intercom*: "...Hmph. Whatever. I don't care whether it was a snake or you two running around--just make up for this lost time now. Over." *crackle* pushkin: *phew* so you're the black coated hellhound of the port mafia, right? atsushi: could you tell us where the virus user is? pushkin: *sweats* i didnt even know someone like that was here! we're just doing it for the money! *ZIP* pushkin: O-O;;;;;;;;;; *trembling* *squeaky voice* mother. Akutagawa: "Next time, it will be your ear." pushkin: h-hey! i dont even know what kind of place this is! atsushi: hey, take it easy! he's gonna pee himself. pushkin: D8< Other Guy: "Too late..." Q~Q pushkin: *scoots away* DUDE! D8< Akutagawa: "Explain this facility." pushkin: i think it used to be a mine, that's all i know! we're just foot guards! Akutagawa: "So you're trash." atsushi: why do you have to be so bluntly rude? Akutagawa: "Because we have to eliminate these useless impediments. Why, did you have a better idea?" atsushi: see, this is your problem! you kill first, ask questions later, the hell are you, a goddamn lawnmower? Akutagawa: "And you think you're invincible now, you bastard. When this is over, I'm turning you into a tiger rug." atsushi: see! that! that's what im talking about! when this is over, we need to teach you something other than killing people! pushkin: jeez, what's with these two? atsushi: you just shush! pushkin: OxO;;; Akutagawa: "You move, and I'll chop off your leg--" *freezes* "...I'll hit you really hard in the jaw." pushkin: that's- ...um....well, i remember seeing these heavy duty steel doors around that direction. maybe he's hiding in there? there's this really high tec fingerprint scanner too. Akutagawa: "Take us there--and the Port Mafia will reward you." pushkin: ^w^ sure thing! (thinking: this is way scary! i hope kati is having better luck...) -elsewhere- leo:... katya: uuugh, my feet hurt! we need a ride. and so- leo: *waving her arms by the side of the road* Motorcyclist: "???" *pulls over* leo: please help, my sister collapsed all of the sudden. katya: *laying face down* Motorcyclist: "?!!!" *gets off his motorcycle* "Let's help her up--" katya: *she smirks* -BANG- Motorcyclist: "..." *falls* katya: *as if in a split second, she is now behind them, holding a gun to their head* thanks chump. we'll just be taking your ride now~ leo: are you sure you can drive? katya: of course. i've been on tons of joyrides. leo: like the zambon- katya: dont. leo:...right. *sitting behind her, holding her waist to hold on* katya:.....(thinking: why do i feel like i've been beaten?) -underground, in a trailer- Fyodor: "..." *sips tea* Ivan: "How is it, Master~?" Fyodor: "Excellent as always, Vanya." -the phone rings- Fyodor: *answers* "Yes?" mafioso: both the mafia boss and agency director are MIA. only 9 hours have passed. their locations are unknown. Fyodor: "The house?" mafioso: empty. i-i told you the info, now please, help me disarm this thing! -he has a bomb collar on his neck- Fyodor: "Right, sorry. First remove the blue wire." mafioso: *doing so- *BOOOOM* -he collapses, dead- -his death rattle can be heard over the phone- Fyodor: "..." *sets the phone down* -a message comes over the communicator- katya: <boss man, we secured a ride and are heading to miss executive's estate now.> Fyodor: <Good. Remember what to do.> katya: <it shouldnt be too hard to find. the girl will lead us right to her> -elsewhere- atsushi: wow, it's even bigger in person. pushkin: phrasing, boom! *ahem* iiii'll just be going now. atsushi: how does it look, katai? Katai: *webcam* "This independent power grid will be tough, given network speeds over that portable." Akutagawa: "Our priority therefore should be finding the enemy's location, not unlocking a door that's taking time we need to find the virus uswe--before the bosses die." Katai: "Roger that, brother!" atsushi: -_-; Akutagawa: "..." (" 'Brother'?") -a voice chirps in from the phone- keek: hello? atsushi: ah! you're keek, right? keek: yes. do you need any help? Katai: "Can you hack this electrical grid?" keek: i should be able to. atsushi: how are you- keek: im using the phone of their mechanic. when i leeked the rat's location the last time, their mechanic, sasha, took the fall for me and was killed. i want to at least pay her back somehow. Katai: "..." *sniff* keek: h-hey! d-dont go getting misty eyed on us now! we-we need to focus, ok? Katai: "Y-Yes!" *typing* atsushi:.....hey, akutagawa? Akutagawa: "What?" atsushi: why do you think dazai wants us to work together? Akutagawa: "Don't overanalyze it: he chose the best combination with the highest success rate." atsushi: ....well, we did succeed on the moby dick.....although that girl.....*shakes his head* nevermind... Akutagawa: "..." {Akutagawa: *shudders, staring at the dead Rain*} {Chuuya: *holding her, sobbing*} Akutagawa: "...Whatever. Besides, you are Dazai's most trusted subordinate, so of course you'd be here." atsushi:....i...i guess......do you think....we could have saved her? {headmaster: someone who cant save one person doesnt deserve the right to live!} atsushi: .... Akutagawa: "...She was in pain." atsushi: .... keek: ok! you're in! atsushi: really?! Katai: "Um, Big Bro? Atsushi?" atsushi: yeah? keek: BEHIND YOU! pushkin: *holding a gun up, grinning* atsushi: !! *jumps to push akutagawa out of the way* -BANG- -the bullet grazes akutagawa's cheek- pushkin: oopsies~ i missed. but that's just fine! your faces are priceless! HAHAHAHAHA! Akutagawa: *growls* pushkin: *jumps into a mining cart* toodle-loo, motherfuckeeeeeers~<3 atsushi: h-HEY WAIT! *begins running after him* pushkin: *cackling as he rides off* atsushi: oh no you dont! Akutagawa: *collapsed* atsushi: !!! akuta- pushkin: didnt you ever hear not to underestimate small scratches?! Akutagawa: *summons a small bit of Rashomon as a shield--which collapses* "Wh-What...?" atsushi: w-what? !!!! (thinking: the virus?!) -elsewhere- sonia: .... Kouyou: *strokes her head* sonia: im scared. and my neck really itches. Kouyou: "Let me check..." sonia: *showing the back of her neck....nothing seems to be there....right?* Kouyou: "..." *traces a finger* sonia: *upon closer inspection, there seems to be a faded scar...* higuchi:.... !!! *has her guns out* Kouyou: "What?!" katya: how's it going <bastards?> we have an appointment with your miss executive if you dont mind~ *she has her guns out* leo: *has a knife* sonia: !!!! higuchi: i dont think so! katya: want to bet? *grins* Kouyou: "...Oh, please." *summons Golden Demon* higuchi: *aims* katya: *smirks* 10 seconds. -time seems to stop around her- -10.....9...- katya: *aims her gun at higuchi, so that the bullet grazes her* -3...2....1...- -once time resumes, the bullet grazes- higuchi: AH! *SWOOSH* katya: !! -CLANG- leo: *blocking with her knife* Tachihara: "Jeez, they let anyone in here..." katya: oi, lev, they let the bitch squad in. leo: katya, please focus. Gin: *holding a sword* Tachihara: "...I got the gremlin." katya: YOU WANNA DIE, PUNK?! Gin: *rushes* leo: please, make this quick. *clang clang slash bang bang* katya: you assholes are lucky i like toying with my foes first, otherwise you'd already be dead. hirotsu: how did you even find us here? katya: ask the brat, or rather the tracker our medic put in the back of her neck! higuchi: !!!! Kouyou: *tenses* sonia: ...... katya: why do you think fyodor left you as a loose end, brat? leo: ...... Kouyou: "Golden Demon...KILL THEM ALL!" golden demon: *slashing at leo, even decapitating her* leo: ......i only wish it were that easy. Gin: "!!!" katya: *knocked out of the window* fuck! *using her grappling gun to keep herself up* shit, that could have been bad. leo: *picks up her head and reattaches it* higuchi: what the actual fuck?! leo: my ability.....my curse. -back underground- -waltz of the flowers plays over the radio- Ivan: =W= -the walkie talkie speaks- pushkin: <oi! gon! the orders have been carried out.....gon?> Ivan: <Shh...I'm listening...> pushkin: <i infected the intruders, now what?> Ivan: <Master says: "Find your own exit."> pushkin: <seriously?! that's cold, even for him! what happens if i get caught, huh?> Ivan: <Of the Rats, only three are here: you, myself, and Master. That man-child cannot find us. And I have no interest protecting anyone but Master~> pushkin: <you really dedicate yourself to him, eh?> Ivan: <It is bliss.> pushkin: <bliss?> Ivan: <Pure happiness.> pushkin: <i know what it means, gon. jeez, i bet you'd cut off your own face for him, right?> Ivan: <If Master asked, I'd peel it off and give it to him.> pushkin:...... <gon, i meant that as a joke. jeez, you really are crazy obsessed, you _and_ the medic.> Ivan: <DON'T YOU EVER COMPARE ME TO THAT TROLLOP!> pushkin: <ow! too loud......you know she's actually pregna-OH FUCK!> Ivan: "???" <What is a pregnofuc?> pushkin: <tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber are catching up with me!> Akutagawa: *holding his face* atsushi: you're not getting away that easy! -BANG BANG- pushkin: <GON HELP A BRO OUT HERE PLEASE!> atsushi: *idea* *lifts up akutagawa and tiger runs for him* pushkin: OwO;;;; OH FUCK! atsushi: hold on tight! Akutagawa: "!!!" *holds on* atsushi: *running*....!?!?! are you sniffing me?! Akutagawa: "No...I'm just out of breath...Is that a new shampoo?" atsushi: DAMMIT AKUTAGAWA THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOUR OBSESSIVE CRUSH ON ME. pushkin: ....nope, not gonna touch that. Ivan: *intercom* <...Are you making fun of me?> pushkin: <no! not at all.> Akutagawa: "Quiet. Go more quickly, or I'll ride you harder." pushkin: ..... PHRASING! *BOOM* atsushi: HOLY TOLITO! pushkin: took you long enough, gon! Akutagawa: o_o *pulls up on Atsushi* atsushi: *skids to a stop* what the fuck is that?! Ivan: "It is a gift from Master that is not fit for such uncivilized intruders..." atsushi:....then why are you showing us this? Ivan: "Because now that you have seen it, I have to kill you." atsushi: well now you're just being a dick. *runs after the cart* -outside- kenji: a whole bunch of cars are leaving the mine tunnels! Dazai: "..." Tanizaki: "Give chase!" Dazai: "Ignore them." kenji: ?? Tanizaki: "What?! Why?" yosano: there's a figure in a hood surrounded by guards, they're walking on foot. Dazai: "Ignore them, too." yosano: but- Dazai: "These are distractions to thin our numbers." yosano:...... -on ground- zoey: *in the hood, carrying Q on her back, who is hidden by the hood* Q: will papa be joining us? zoey: soon, sweetie. when he's done, he'll join us. you, me, and your baby sibling~ -in the tunnel- atsushi: *running* pushkin: i dont think so, kitty! *tosses something at him* atsushi: ACK! it is a paper with something written on it- pushkin: just a lil something for gon to loot from your corpse! atsushi: i dont think so- *PUNCH* atsushi: *knocked back* shit! o-ow.. *wince as the sigil of the virus is on him* f-fuck... Ivan: "All sides covered..." atsushi: *looks behind him* Ivan: *swirls together a rock spire* "I'll be kind enough to end this quickly--" *STABBED* Ivan: "!!!" atsushi: !! Ivan: *coughs...* Akutagawa: "Even the earth you stand on is thine enemy..." *tosses Ivan's corpse down* atsushi:.....something...doesnt seem right......!!!??? that's- *CRUNCH* Akutagawa: "?!!!" *looks at the corpse* "...A clay doll?" *The rock wall crumbles...a person emerges* atsushi: oooooh fuck. Ivan: "My master...brings happiness wherever he goes. Any who oppose him are the evil that must be expunged..." -outside- kenji: there's someone walking alone. i cant see their face. Dazai: "All troops--go after that person! It's him!" ???: !!!!! person: alright, game's over- .....!!!! Dazai: "Report!" person: FUCK! this guy....it's not him! it's some stranger! ???: *trembling* Dazai: "!!!!" *shaken* -underground- atsushi: *coughing* s-shit... Akutagawa: "Get up, damn it..." atsushi: *trying to stand* -quicksand forms around them- atsushi: !!! Ivan: "I think it is time we go our separate ways..." atsushi: *struggling* (thinking: i cant die here...i just cant...) Ivan: "Your strengths are impressive--so I'll let you fight to your end. I would honor your memory--but really, only one man deserves all my attention. You will be forgotten." *turns* <Goodbye.> *walks away* Akutagawa: "..." atsushi: dammit.....i cant die here.....the others....they're waiting for us.... Akutagawa: "...Why?" atsushi: we cant just let them wonder what happened to us. we have to stop those guys! Akutagawa: "No. I mean what I asked you earlier...Why do you fight?" atsushi:....i want to prove......i have some reason for living.....that man.....he's still in my head....still hurting me.......but there's someone else too. however, he's trying to help me. he tells me 'i shouldnt be someone who fights people. i should be someone who protects people.' Akutagawa: "...Rashomon." atsushi: ?? *Rashomon wraps around Atsushi* atsushi: ?!?!?! Akutagawa: "...I need _you_ to protect someone...and if you do not, I will never forgive you." -elsewhere- ranpo: ah, so many. im almost done finding them, but some of them are still evading us. Chuuya: *growls* ranpo: how you holding up, mr fancy hat? Chuuya: "...I'm going to throttle you..." ranpo: ...you're worried about that little girl, your daughter, right? Chuuya: *glare* ranpo: dazai showed me a picture. she looks a lot like her dad...i think we both know who that is.... Chuuya: "The hell is wrong with you? How can you be so...blunt?" ranpo: i just have a detective's understanding of things. Chuuya: "...I need to get home." ranpo: and you will. but im going to need your help too, ok? if not for you, then for your daughter, if not for her, then for her mother. {rain: please.....dont scare me like that anymore...} Chuuya: "...Okay, genius. What are you thinking?" -elsewhere- Ivan: ^u^ *humming* -something can be heard- Ivan: "???" *turns* "...Wait..." -wait, where the fuck did atsushi go?- atsushi: *behind where ivan is looking, in a black rashomon coat* hey. Ivan: "?!!!" *turns--* *summons a golem--* -no one?- Ivan: "..." <What the f--?> -PAWNCH- atsushi: gotcha! Ivan: D: *knocked into his own golem* -elsewhere- pushkin: *running* (thinking: this place is too crazy. 'grand chamberlain'? what even is that?! i need to get out of this place!) -the sun is rising- pushkin: !!!! (thinking: the way out! im getting out of here! wait for me out there kati-).....eh? Motojiro: "Hello~" hirotsu:.... kenji: hiya! higuchi: ... naoya: sup. ayako: mehehehehehe~ fukuzawa:..... pushkin:.......oooooohhhhhh crap. yosano: so you're our virus user, correct? pushkin: ^-^;;;; hhheeeeeeey everyone~ ^^;;;;;;;;;; please dont hurt me! have a little mercy, for the holidays? fukuzawa:.....very well. *grips fist* merry christmas, you filthy animal. pushkin: QuQ;; -too violent- pushkin: @-@ Dazai: "..." *taps Pushkin's nose* "Boop." -the virus vanishes- atsushi: *phew*.... naoya: hey kids. atsushi: MEEP! naoya: relax, jumpy, im here to help you guys find keek. Akutagawa: "...I'll take my Rashomon back now." -and so- keek: *shaking, still holding the phone* naoya:........shit....their medic fucked you up.... keek:.....*tears falling* atsushi: it's ok. we're getting you out of here... Akutagawa: "..." naoya:.....dammit! dost flew the coop. fucking hell. atsushi:.....*glances at ivan* ?? Ivan: "Hee hee hee..." naoya: the hell're you laughing at, beaky? Ivan: "I feel bliss." naoya: even though you lost? Ivan: " 'Lost'?" *giggles* "The fact that you are here shows _you_ lost." atsushi: what do you mean? Ivan: *smiles* "Who told you that you would find Master here?" -elsewhere- Fyodor: *blows over his hot drink* waitress: do you need anything else for today, sir? Fyodor: "No, thank you." -elsewhere- atsushi: so then the radio.... Ivan: "Codes." naoya: you may be fucked in the head, but that's pretty damn clever, i'll give you that much. Ivan: "I'm _blessed_ in the head." naoya: the fuck're you talkin' 'bout, beaky? Ivan: "He _improved_ my brain--removing the part that creates unhappiness~" naoya *stunned* what the fuck?! atsushi: !!!!! keek:.... naoya: *kicks him in the stomach* you people are fucking SICK!! Ivan: "Ow! ... Hee hee hee..." naoya: shit...and i thought mori was fucked up....those notes....*shudders* atsushi:...!!! ah! right! *pulls the note out, it's in russian*......i dont understand this.... Ivan: "Oh, you fools..." naoya: well then YOU read it! -<hey gon, the medic's pregnant. thought you should know. ~pushkin>- -it also has a crude doodle of pushkin's grinning face- Ivan: ……………………………………………………………….. atsushi: what? what does it say? Akutagawa: "??? What is he--" *RIP* Ivan: *has ripped out of Akutagawa's Rashomon* naoya: HOLY SHIT! Ivan: "I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" keek: !!! atsushi: OH CRAP RUN! Ivan: <I'm going to smash that fucking cunt into paste and then smear it along the walls!> Akutagawa: "..." atsushi: i dont know what he's saying, but it doesnt sound good! naoya: AKUTA MOVE DAMMIT! Akutagawa: "..." *slaps Ivan back and forth with Rashomon using a nearby table* Ivan: "I will--" *smash* "I will--" *smash* "STOP HITTING ME WITH FURNITURE!" Akutagawa: *drops a vase on Ivan's head* Ivan: "..." Akutagawa: "You seem obsessive. It is not healthy to focus on one person like that. Stop it." Ivan: "..." atsushi: ..............REALLY?!? *GOLEM-PUNCH* naoya: GUYS! MOVE IT OR LOSE IT! Akutagawa: *smashed face-first into the wall* "..." Ivan: *WHITE-EYE SCREAM* atsushi: *grabs akutagawa and runs with naoya and keek to the minecart* let's go!! Ivan: *roar of rage as he sends golems after the minecart* Akutagawa: X.X keek: *screaming* atsushi: DO NOT BE OUT COLD RIGHT NOW! Akutagawa: "..." *groans* atsushi: we could use your rashomon shield here! Akutagawa: *trying to sit up* "...Am I dead?" naoya: not yet, thank god, but we have a situation! HELP US ON OUT HERE! keek: *whimpering* naoya: easy there, kiddo, we're almost out. atsushi: come on! Akutagawa: "..." *grabs Atsushi's hand* atsushi: ?? Akutagawa: *flings him up* atsushi: *MREOW* D8> Akutagawa: *blasts Rashomon as a line directly at the Golem* "RUN!" atsushi: *running* WHAT NOW?! *Rashomon wraps around Atsushi's head* atsushi: *muffled yelling* Akutagawa: "TIGER FANGS! BITE HIM!" atsushi: .....ok then! *biting through the golem and kicking ivan back* Ivan: "UMPH!" atsushi: akutagawa! pull me back! Akutagawa: *does so--swinging Atsushi upward* atsushi: woah! naoya: hang on, kids! -the mine cart heads up the ramp and skids to a stop outside- *As the mine cart descends, Akutagawa pulls down Atsushi* atsushi: YEEP! Akutagawa: *catches Atsushi* atsushi: awawawawawa @_@ yosano: !! Dazai: "...Oh, shit...How you going to explain this to Lucy?" atsushi: wha-..... *SCREAMS* LUCY SAVE ME! Akutagawa: *intense stare* "...Maybe you could wear Rashomon again in the future?" atsushi: i would prefer not to thanks.....i need a long nap. winter vacation cant get here sooner. keek: *sniffles* Dazai: "??? ...Oh no..." keek: im.....im finally outside....*she starts crying* Dazai: "...Yosano?" Akutagawa: "...Who?" yosano:......how long have you been there? -keek explains- yosano:.....damn. that's too long.....there's not much i can do for her now... keek:.......can i....go home now? -at the cafe- Fyodor: *listens to the radio* Melville: "I see this town is taken by rats..." Fyodor: "??? Wh-Who are--" Melville: "...You owe me. A lot." Fyodor: "...I have no idea who you are. Good day--" Melville: "Moby-Dick is my ability." moby: T3T# Fyodor: "..." *slight smile* "Then I hope its departure left you devastated." Melville: "Oh, I'm not at all. But he may be." Fyodor: "???" Fitzgerald: "Greetings, Old Sport." Fyodor: … Melville: *sips his drink* Fitzgerald: "After the expenses I paid to hunt you down, and the cost of damage from Moby-Dick--you owe me a tidy sum. Although that look of shock is worth a million dollars." *smirks* ango: we'll be taking it from here, mr fitzgerald. -several armed soldiers aim their guns at fyodor- Fyodor: "..." *gets down to his knees, puts his hands behind his head* ango: you have the right to remain silent, anything said and done here will be used against you in city court. Fyodor: "...May we depart?" guard: *putting cuffs on him, grabbing his wrist* Fyodor: "...Heh." -slprt- guard: *collapses* Melville: "!!!!" guard: !!! Fitzgerald: "..." ango: hands where we can see them! try anything funny and we will shoot! Fyodor: "...I will follow your orders. Just tell me where to walk." ango:....very well..... -that afternoon- kirako: well, fyodor's been detained. atsushi:.....(thinking: i dont like the feel of this....something's wrong...) Tanizaki: Q~Q "We're so fired..." kenji: but tanizaki, we arent on fire. Tanizaki: "STOP BEING SO LITERAL!" Kyouka: "..." *puppy dog eyes* ???: hey guys, what's up? Tanizaki: "W-We have to figure out how to make sure the Director doesn't learn we attacked the Mafia-" ranpo: oh, he already knows about that. naomi: ranpo?! where were you?! ranpo: i was in poe's book again. i got out. mr fancy hat got out too, his daughter was waiting for us, she got really mad at poe and kicked him in the shin. naomi: ouch. ranpo: and if you're worried about being fired, dont, cuz he's not. though he did say he wanted to talk to us later. atsushi: any idea where dazai is? ranpo: he's making a delivery... -elsewhere- -knocks- Mrs. Harue: *looks through the eyehole* "..." *lets out a small gasp before opening the door* keek:.....m-mom..... *she's in a wheelchair* Dazai: "..." Mrs. Harue: "..." *breaks down crying, reaches for her hand* keek: *shaking and holding onto her, crying* Mrs. Harue: "Kiku...I'm sorry..." keek: i-im home....im home now.... Mrs. Harue: "Y-You are..." *hugs her, crying* Dazai: "..." *steps back* -elsewhere- sonia: ..... Chuuya: *has a black eye* sonia: papa, your eye got hurt. miss akiko can fix you. Chuuya: O_O; "...I'll let it heal on it's own." ^^; sonia: ok. miss akiko make the itchy thing in my neck go away. the bad people put a thing in my neck to find me. Chuuya: "...I'm happy they fixed that..." ("...They were using us, all this time...") sonia:.....grandma and the others got three of them.....but miss leo.....i dont think miss leo's a bad person. Chuuya: "Why's that?" sonia: she seemed sad. and she asked them not to hurt miss katya or mr pushkin. Chuuya: "Well, they do work together...People tend not to want to see people they work with hurt." -in mafia holding- pushkin: *groan* am i dead? leo: no. pushkin: ngh? lev? izzat you? leo: yes, please dont move too much, i just patched you up. pushkin: thanks. leo: ... pushkin:...lev? where's kati? leo:.....about that. katya: *wearing a muzzle and strapped to a gurney ala Hannibal lector* *ANGRY MUFFLED RUSSIAN SCREAMING* pushkin: .___.;;; leo: when we were caught, she got frustrated and started beating everyone up. pushkin: kati? you ok? katya: <<LETMEOUTIMGONNAKILLSOMEONE!!!>> pushkin: O.O; leo: katya, please dont scream so much. katya: <<nyeh?> pushkin! they caught you too, huh?> pushkin: yep. katya: <<come get this muzzle off>> -one muzzle removal later- katya: so we got beat, huh? leo: i dont know. katya: well, im glad you didnt die. i would have gotten worried, jerk. pushkin: d'aww. *A door opens down the hall* leo: ..... katya: oh great, who's gonna be the first shmuck? Gin: *enters* leo: ... pushkin: who's this punk? Gin: "Are you comfortable?" katya: you tell me, <fuckwipe> leo: i suppose. pushkin: eh, better than nothi- *CLENCHED* pushkin: GRK- leo: !!! katya: OI! LET GO OF HIM, BITCH! Gin: "Quiet." *turns back to Pushkin* "The boy with the dark hair: why did you attack him?" pushkin: boss's orders, why? Gin: *tightens her grip* "Why him specifically?" leo: please, stop it! pushkin: l-like i said, boss said, to eliminate intruders- Gin: "..." *tosses Pushkin back* pushkin: *cough* katya: LET ME DOWN FROM HERE SO I CAN KICK YOUR BITCH ASS INTO NEXT WEEK! Gin: "..." *looks at Leo* "You. How many others are there?" leo: ........ Gin: "Is anyone going to come for you?" leo: ......i dont know. they dont know where we are.... Gin: "...How do you contact them?" leo: we dont have any means to do that, since you confiscated our communicators, plus the signal on them was cut. Gin: "Cut by whom?" leo: our leader, most likely. katya: <BASTARD SENT US ON A GODDAMN SUICIDE MISSION!> D8< pushkin: um...kati- katya: *SCREAMING OUT LOUD WITH WORDS FAR TO VULGAR FOR ME TO TYPE HERE* *pant*...*pant....*pant*..... pushkin: you ok there? you get it all out of your system? katya: =A= *replying grunt* leo: ....*sweatdrop* Tachihara: *peeks over* "...Yo." leo: ?? katya: oh greeeeeat, THIS asshole again! Tachihara: "How y'all doing?" pushkin: in jail. 'cept the ninja. leo: *sweatdrop* Tachihara: "Cool, cool..." *stares at Leo* leo:... ?? Tachihara: "What's your story, beautiful?" leo: e-excuse me? ._.; Tachihara: "What you in for? Maybe I talk to the boss and get you out for good behavior..." leo: i-i really dont- Motojiro: "I'm here!" leo: e-eh? Tachihara: -_-; katya:...*gives pushkin a 'wtf' look* pushkin:...*shrugs* Motojiro: "And I want to share with you science's greatest achievement. What do you think that is?" leo: um...i-i, er- pushkin: oh! a bottle that you squeeze and it gives the middle finger? OuO katya: a gun that shoots knives? Tachihara: "Infinity booze?" Motojiro: *holds up a lemon* leo: .... Motojiro: "Note the perfect color and shape! It is the ideal!" leo: .....um.... ._.; katya:...is this guy on coke or some shit? Motojiro: "I'm high on science!" leo: um..... *blinks* pushkin: im confused, and im gonna take a nap. Motojiro: *stares at Leo* leo: ....y-yes? Motojiro: "...Want to bake a cake with me?" leo: um...arent i a prisoner here? Motojiro: "I'm sure we can work something out~" Tachihara: .-.; "...Was 'baking' code for something?" katya: go asking us. pushkin: *asleep* Motojiro: "I will take you away from this life, to a farm upstate, where the lemons roam free along the Nevada grasslands." leo: ....................................*blinks* Tachihara: "Dude, I saw her first!" leo: u-um... ._.;;;; Motojiro: "Well, obviously, I am learning from your errors to reenact the experiment with greater success!" *CLUNK* leo: ah... ._.; Gin: -_-# "Ignore them." *drags them away* leo:...... naoya: *sigh* just cant help themselves in front of a pretty face. leo: ..... -elsewhere- Ivan: "..." *smacks his head with his fists* -silence- Ivan: "..." *sobs, collapses to his knees* -that girl doesnt mean a thing to him. he told you himself, remember?- *Golem rises* golem: ~master has a reason for doing this, right?~ Ivan: "H- He has to...Or this is all...empty." golem: ~right! he has to! so dont feel sad, vanya! he'll come back for you for certain!~ Ivan: "...R-Really?" golem: ~he promised he would! you heard him, right? right?~ -elsewhere- Kunikida: "...The hell?" aya: mail call! atsushi: .____________.;;;;;;;;;;;; Dazai: "What'd we get?" atsushi: *trying not to faint* ranpo: 'manhasset security'....oh sweet! Invites! Kunikida: "Into the den of our enemies?" atsushi: 'consider them a pre-apology gift' .......... Kunikida: "...That's ominous." atsushi: .____.;;;;; Dazai: "Huh." atsushi: ...oh, dazai, you said you wanted to ask me something? Dazai: "I wanted to know...what was it like working with Akutagawa?" atsushi:......*excalibur face* Dazai: "That bad?" atsushi: ...... {atsushi: six months?} {Akutagawa: "Then I will kill you."} {atsushi: ....i dont get it. you love me, yet you want me dead.} {Akutagawa: "...I love you. But you do not want me. So, if I want to possess you, I have to kill you before anyone else can have you."} {atsushi: that's really messed up, logic......look, you've been hurt in the past. i get that, but like you said, you arent bound by the past. all you can do is go forwards. i think we can help you get better about all of this.} {Akutagawa: "...How?"} {atsushi: dont kill anyone in those six months, and we'll give you a chance.} atsushi: and that's what happened... Dazai: "..." *smiles* "A Mafia member not killing? Huh..." odasaku:...*faint smile* -inside- kirako: i dont know what to say. yosano: well, just tell him up front. kirako: i guess.... atsushi: kirako? are you feeling any better? kirako: well, yosano took a look at me. and well....is dazai with you? Dazai: *pops up behind Atsushi* "What up?" kirako: well, i figured out why i've been sick for the past few days. yosano: *gives him a look* Dazai: ?? kirako: *inhales and sighs* dazai, im pregnant. atsushi: *looks at dazai, then kirako, then back at dazai* naptime~! *faints* Dazai: *catches Atsushi* "...Babies?" *faints as well* kirako: ....*facepalm* Kyoka: *pops up behind couch* "I knew it." yosano: h-how did she- Kyoka: "I'm. Every. Where. ..." *opens a bag of chips with "Rampo" written on it* -elsewhere- dia: ......*in the elevator, heading down* ...... ???: "..." dia:......*staring at the floor* it's been a while.... Fyodor: *smiles* <I'm glad you remember me. You look well.> dia: ..... <i honestly wish i could forget...> Fyodor: <...I have given you nightmares?> dia:....*still looking at the floor, biting her lip* Fyodor: <Who found you? Or were you homeless?> dia: <the uniform should explain it.> Fyodor: <What rank are you?> dia: ........... Fyodor: *smiles* <I still remember that little girl...> dia: *grips her sleeves, trying to keep calm* Fyodor: <I would hope I look better now. I mean, at least I'm not covered in blood~> dia: *hard gulps, sweating slightly* <you're behind bars, you cant hurt me out here.> Fyodor: <Is that right?> dia: ..... Fyodor: <I guess I'll just have to get used to my new home. If you have been able to adjust here, I suppose I can, too.> dia: .... *Something falls behind her* dia: *jumps back and looks* *It's an empty metal cup* dia: .....*trying to recompose herself* Fyodor: "Some of the other inmates can be quite disorganized, leaving their utensils lying around." dia: ......i just have one thing to ask of you. why? the staff, i understand, but why the other children? Fyodor: "..." <Because how would I grow otherwise?> dia: ..... <did you kill anna too?> Fyodor: <...No.> dia:.... <where is she now?> Fyodor: *smiles* <Why should I tell you?> dia: ........ Fyodor: <A trade, perhaps.> dia: ?? Fyodor: <I tell you were Anna is, and you do something for me.> dia: ..... <what do you want?> Fyodor: <A message.> dia: ?? Fyodor: <I'll need time to write it out. Just think about it, and come back and see me.> dia: .......*exiting* .....*still shaking* Fyodor: *sighs* -elsewhere- vivian: are you ready, torry~? ^^ Kishiri: "All set! Where to?" vivian: how about the mall? kayoko: ..... *glares and gives kishiri the 'im watching you' sign* Kishiri: "Okay, but on one condition." *then notices Kayoko* ._.;;; "Um...N-Nevermind." ^^; "Let's get going." *holds her hand* vivian: yay! ^u^ Kishiri: Q_Q ("I just wanted something fun, then that person glared at me...") tao: *hanging by her monkey tail in the tree* they gonna be ok? kayoko: they'd better be. Hibana: "Something up?" kayoko: i dont trust that boy. gabriella: neither do we. Hibana: "...Join the club." *holds up a bottle of wine* -elsewhere- Black Star: *staring into koi pond* tsubaki: *sigh* still no sign of this demon. i feel we've been here for days.... Black Star: "Well, we got one more spot to check--" *spots someone* "Oh, hey, look at that person." tsubaki: ?? *glances over* *There is a person cloaked in white, holding an umbrella* tsubaki: ....something's wrong..... Black Star: *glances at them, then the pond* tsubaki:....black*star......there's.... Black Star: "Yeah?" -the person in white....isnt reflected in the pond- Black Star: "...That's freaky..." tsubaki: .....!! it's them! Black Star: "!!! Let's do this..." tsubaki: *sword form* Black Star: "You're coming with us!" Magaki: *sighs* <About time.> *holds their umbrella--and jabs it at Tsubaki's blade form* tsubaki: *screams* Black Star: "Tsubaki!" Magaki: "!!! Wait..." *leans forward--and inhales* tsubaki: ??!! Magaki: "..." *smiles, opening their mouth--revealing sharp teeth* tsubaki: !!!!!! Magaki: <The Uncanny Sword finally has returned...> tsubaki: ?!?! <what?> Magaki: *grabs the sword bare-handed--sending light through it* tsubaki: ?! Magaki: *closes their eyes* "Yes...Multiple abilities, right? Multiple weapons...I want..." Black Star: *trying to kick Magaki away--* -tsubaki changes back- Black Star: "Wow!" *falls back* tsubaki: ... ???!!!! w-what? i cant...the sword.... Magaki: "..." *holds out their hand...it lights up* tsubaki: .... !!!!! Magaki: *fashions a version of the Uncanny Sword along their hand* "...It's a start." *The pool reflects just the portion of the Uncanny Sword, not their entire body* tsubaki: ?!?! what....what even are you? Magaki: "..." *smiles, showing their teeth* "I think you're familiar with my kind..." tsubaki: .....a vampire? no....you dont seem like a subclass, or a servamp..... Magaki: *chuckles* "Servamps, subclasses...Is that all you know? You're experiences with them is so limited." *sniffs* "But...given how you smell, maybe you _are_ more experienced with them than I thought." tsubaki: *uneasy* Magaki: "I have missed so much...Sunlight. A reflection. But your abilities can unlock so much in me...I want it all." tsubaki: *looks over at black*star* Black Star: "Not a chance!" *rushes at Magaki* *tackled* Black Star: *knocking her into the sunlight* "I got you--" Magaki: *screams, as they are lighting up on fire--which is also burning Black Star's hands* tsubaki: ...!!! black*star, stop! Black Star: "Ow!" *With Black Star distracted, and their body injured--Magaki bites into Black Star's neck* tsubaki: !!!!! STOP IT! *attacking magaki* Black Star: *blood pulled out from him, as he holds his burnt hand to his neck* Magaki: *backs up, kicking at Tsubaki--Black Star's blood has restored them from the burning of the sunlight* tsubaki: black*star, are you ok?? Magaki: *backs away into the shadows* Black Star: "I-I'm fine..." *blood is still pouring from his neck wound* tsubaki: we need to get you to the hospital! *Magaki has already disappeared* Black Star: *shakes his head, barely able to focus* "N-No...Capture...them..." -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "..." naoya: how're you feeling? Akutagawa: "...How do you get stronger?" naoya: like physically or something else? Akutagawa: "...That quicksand person could have drowned me. And my...attention on the Were Tiger is making me weak." naoya: hey, its ok to make mistakes, akuta. Akutagawa: "...How do you learn from mistakes?" naoya: aah, that's a good question. Akutagawa: "For example, he made me promise something." naoya: oh? Akutagawa: "No killing." naoya: ah... and what did he say he'd to in return? Akutagawa: "...He'd consider...um..." naoya: ?? Akutagawa: "...A relationship." naoya: ...you really like this boy, huh? Akutagawa: "...I don't know. I want to try at least." naoya: ...then you just leave the murder to me, kiddo. ^^ Akutagawa: "..." TT_TT "Thank you." -elsewhere- Lucy: "How did it go?" atsushi: well, we managed to stop the virus. and i did have that talk with akutagawa. here's hoping it goes well. *sighs and lays on her lap* Lucy: "..." *strokes his head* "Whatever happens, we'll deal with it." *small scratch behind his ear* atsushi:....im sorry. i know, im not really the fairy tale prince you might have hoped for, but i really do like you a lot. *hugs* Lucy: *hug, strokes his back* "Hey. I know it's not the best compliment I can pay, but maybe it's like Beauty and the Beast...Tiger." atsushi: ... .///w///.; -elsewhere- Dazai: *holding an ice pack to his head* yosano: well? feeling better? Dazai: "...How did this happen?" yosano: trust me. you _know_ how this happened. 7_7 Dazai: -_-# "...What do I do?" yosano: well, kirako's going to need a lot of support and help from us all. the least you can do is help as well. Dazai: "...I'm not the father type. That's...I didn't have role models...None that are still here..." yosano: well, once upon a time, neither was fukuzawa, yet here he is now. Dazai: "...Fukuzawa wasn't handling babies. Minus Kunikida." yosano: then i suppose it will be a learning experience for all of us. Dazai: *groans* "I'm an idiot." yosano: ?? Dazai: "Getting Kirako pregnant. I'm not ready for this. She's going to hate me...like everyone." yosano: now now, she doesnt hate you. Dazai: "I got her pregnant because I didn't put something on my Little Dazai--if it was me, I'd hate me." yosano: ....*sigh* dazai, so you made some mistakes, everyone does. Dazai: "..." *turns over on the couch* yosano:.... well, you get some rest then. it's been a long night for all of us. Dazai: *stares at the couch's cushions* -elsewhere- Tachihara: "No sign of the boss?" higuchi: no. still missing in action. hirotsu took up the helm of temporary leader until we find him....... Gin: "..." Motojiro: "But he'll be back. Right?" higuchi: ....probably. kouyou: he has to, right? i mean, he wouldnt just abandon us...would he? Tachihara: "...Want to take bets?" -elsewhere- Katai: TTWTT aya: nice to finally meet you, mr katai! i'm aya! *holds out her hand to shake* Katai: *takes her hand carefully* "As well. I-I'm not used to being away from my home..." aya: well you're back now! right kunikida?....kunikida? Kunikida: *staring blankly* aya:....kunikida? are you ok? you've been acting weird since you got back. Kunikida: "I-I'm...I'm..." aya: ......*looks at katai* Katai: "..." *clears his throat* "Aya, I have some food we could share?" aya: ok! i'll see what we got-... *sniff* >x<;; Kunikida: "...Katai, when did you last _clean_ your place?" Katai: .\\\. "Um...A week before I was shot?" aya:....dude, this expired two months ago! Katai: "I was busy researching!" T_T -elsewhere- Black Star: *unconscious in hospital bed* tsubaki: ...... Doctor: <He lost a bit of blood. Those burns will need time to heal...> tsubaki:....*covers her mouth and sighs* <i see.....> (thinking: i could have stopped this...why didnt i-?) Doctor: <I will update you on his recovery. But it may be some time...> -elsewhere- sonia: *petting mito* mito: *mewl* Chuuya: "..." *shudders* sonia:.... ?? papa? Chuuya: "...Yes?" sonia:...do you want to pet mito, too? Chuuya: "..." *nods, pets Mito* mito: *purrs* sonia:.....*hugs* were you scared, too? Chuuya: "Yes...So much." sonia: but you're ok now, right? Chuuya: "...Yes." *hug* sonia: im ok too. Chuuya: "Th-That's all I want..." sonia: ...can we watch some christmas movies now? Chuuya: "Heh...Sure. I got a few tapes pulled out..." -elsewhere- Mori: "..." -the old clinic is silent...still....stagnant...- Mori: "..." *pushes a chair* -some dust falls from being disturbed- Mori: *looks under the desk...and sees a crayon* {elise: hey, rintarou?} {Mori: "Hmm? Yes, Elise?} {elise: do you think i might ever grow up?} {Mori: *playful* "Why would you want to do that?"} {elise:....just thinking about stuff, i guess. i mean, you got to grow up, but i didnt.} {Mori: "But you get to be young..."} {elise: ...*sigh* i guess...} Mori: *picks up the crayon, sets it among the dust on his desk...stares at his hand* -silence- Mori: *looks up, seeing a cracked mirror...he can see wrinkles under his eyes* "..." -elsewhere- Burns: "Where did you run off to?" dia: ....my apologies, commander. a-a personal matter came up....i-i'll refrain from letting that happen again.... Burns: *nods* "If it could not be helped...I left paperwork and mail with you: review and complete it." dia: understood, sir. *One letter is addressed to Dia* dia: ?? *examining it* *The return address is listed as "Mr. Bartleby c/o The Tombs" in New York City. There is a small symbol next to this address--it looks like a whale* dia: ?? *opening it and reading* *Mr. Bartleby*: "Dear Ms. Volkov: My supervisor has come into possession of some documents regarding your prior stay at a facility in Russia. We think they would be valuable towards one of your future meetings with an associate of ours. Please meet with them at the address listed to receive these materials." dia: ......*examining the address* *The address is a Deathbucks near the courthouse district* dia: .... -elsewhere-

#death city days

[vertigoambrosia]

i applied to three jobs today so i definitely deserve to watch true colors

this is a dumb thing for me to say at the beginning of this show, but dresden looks really pretty

who this new boy commentating

where’s alan

oh! this event theme is different - so far i like it

lol i already forgot jayfk’s actual theme despite hearinf it two or three times

a lil surprised they opened with the tag title match

lax stands for latin american exchange, but it is also the short name of the los angeles airport so i constantly have to remind myself that they are Not Californian

ACTUALLY santana and ortiz are from nyc :)

robert and julian are so cute

woah wait that’s not tommy announcing either! WHY THE NEW VOICES

(i would say i wonder what happened to rico, but half of the time he’s off on vacation so....)

(probably not the best decision to go on vaycay during fucking 16 carat)

dammit i can’t differentiate christian and andy’s voices

(i am very bad at this, to be fair - a lot of the times when i start a podcast it takes me forever to remember which voice is who)

omg this whole julian and ortiz sequence is fucking amazing

calling wxw ‘dub ex dub’ really bothers me for no reason

yaaaaaaaay monster consulting!

i got spoiled on twitter but good for them!

ok ngl i am already biased against audrey bride b/c she’s doing the tired as fuck ‘i’m a diva’ pose

also meh on the kill bill aesthetic but that’s not really important

i do hope this isn’tthe only time we see her though; we need more regular women and not just one time opponents

yeah ok cmj it’s not great on commentary to start with ‘i don’t really know her that well’

‘she’s not a barbie doll or anything, she’s showing women are capable of fighting’ shut the fuck up andy

[that annoyed me enough that i paused the video to type it]

see i wish we at least got like, a lil promo video from audrey, or millie before the match, because commentary keeps talking about their characters and skills but it doesn’t always come across in a first match

also: characters! i like them

also it means more to know these competitors instead of just ‘if kelly beats enough randos she’ll get another title shot’ - when we really know someone’s skilled/dangerous, the win means more

damn kelly has a nice fucking bridge

oh wow shortcut is in august this year? i was wondering why it wasn’t lisen on this tour

i guess they’re making it the tour opening now?

lucky makes me smile every time he exists

who tf is tko

ok that[s not fair actually he def appeared on a shotgun match once cause i remember saying almost the exact same thing

i like the idea of mack’s blue jacket, but with his trunks it’d be better in a much darker blue

LMAO RISE IS POOP EMOJI

i have no use for a track suit but a small part of me wishes i had bought a rise tracksuit

is that a yankees hat in orange? not like, mets orange

oh lucky

it’s not your turn yet!

he’s canadian why tf is he wearing that fake yankees hat

‘the mack...what a sad story’ THE DRAMA

argh i want to ask what you guys think of this andy commentator guy but you all just watch the german version, don’t you?

there’s something about the..idk the speed or rythym of his speech that seems awkward for commentary

but also i might just not be used to his accent

lmao lucky’s so excited..but mack is too srs to acknowledge it

LMAO THAT DRAMATIC ASS TURN

haaaaay peeete

with his jacket open and shirtless, of course

oh shit!!!! oh shit!!! did rise just turn on mack?

awwwwwwwwwwwwww ivan hugged pete :3

now rise is, good

also love how lucky insists on his lil finger thing

the boyfriends are back together :)

i love marius to death but his raiden from mortal kombat look is kinda cringey as hell

marius vs glacier for joey janela’s spring break 3 book it

oh no the old andy dudes went to dresden!

it’s late and my attention wandered but i’m back

????

tlcf match?

is the fan going tobecome important later or is this the match equivalent of that painting

lmao wtf

i have to gif this later

that was a pretty fan too

i hope someday i can go to a wxw show adn sit down

wtf was andy trying to do with that ladder it wouldn’t reach anyway

tfw there’s only one ladder tall enough

ok this is fun and all but boys

wtffffff he just killed him with the chair

no andy i didn’t want you to get the ladder

get reckt andy

this is the only thing about ladder matches; there’s cool action, but then the setup that interrupts shit

gotta go get the ladder

gotta open the ladder all the way

whoops i got dropkicked and the ladder has fallen out of the ring

gotta set up the ladder again

hmm where did that ladder go

BOOOOOOO

BOO THIS BAD MAN

can you climb a ladder without your hands?

APPARENTLY?

BITE THAT TITLE SHOT

god that is actually terrifying

hahahaha fucking security

watch, andy will claim interference if marius wins

AUF DIE FRESSEN

[i probably spelled that wrong but you know what i mean!]

what wtf did christian just say?

‘he’s like the nugget, you can’t flush it, every time it returns’

i’m laughing so fucking hard

i mean i’m assuming it’s just something that didn’t translate well

but that doesn’t make it any less funny

marius nooooooo

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

lmao look at christian’s face he is Not Pleased

not that i don’t want ivan to have a match, but why did they keep it a 4-way?

though actually i guess i like having a multiman as a #1 contender match as opposed to a title match

sup eyeliner prince

look how happy ivan is to be back with pete!

and look how happy lucky is to exist and touch people’s fingers

i like mark davis but his nickname is dumb and so is his hat

omg rise are so cute now with bones and mack gone

i really like lucky and ivan being friendly rivals

lmao mark davis is all ‘fuck your lil curtsy spot’

what the fuck is going on here

did aj start calling that rains of castemere after he became buddies with jurn? did he do it to impress jurn?

mark davis if i stop insulting your nickname will you not kill lucky

he’s my baby boy

oh no ivan died

ilja made a motivation post yesterday and the belt wasn’t in it and now i’m irrationally worried he lost it

which like, it’s not like i’d be mad walter was champ

but i want ilja to have a nice long reign

ok this theme is a good entrance theme, but it does get tiring

i guess most themes with lyrics do pretty easily

oh, felix is doing a title match?

did ilja wrestle the night before or his is chest just like that now

*ilja voice* fuck me up walter

‘walter has no regard for human life’ ok andy that was sufficiently dramatic

HOLY SHIT THOSE PUSHUPS ILJA IS THE EMPEROR OF BEING EXTRA

*ilja voice*  sometimes the skin on my chest falls off but i consume it to recapture the energy from my cells

legit got worried at that sleeper spot

oh ok that’s why tas isn’t doing this one - he needed a night off from getting rekt

not sure why the ref bump was needed though

OH SHIT

walter u can’t win a title if the refs are dead!!!!!

awww now tas has to come out

*tas voice* BOTH OF YOU GO TO YOUR ROOMS

FUCK these near falls are killing me

jesus fucking  christ

it’s 2:45am and i have to go to work tomorrow but lol if i’m able to go to bed after that