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pitchsidestories · 5 months

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10 Things I Hate About You (4) II Alexia Putellas x Reader

Part 1 I Part 2 I Part 3 I Masterlist I word count: 2687

A/N: Thank you so much for over 600 followers ! We hope you enjoy the requested finale of the 10 Things I Hate About You series. ❤️

Barcelonas next game ended with a 1:0 win against Atletico Madrid. Adrenaline was still rushing through your veins when the referee blew the final whistle while your teammates surrounded you, congratulating you on your goal in the 76th minute.

Alexia and you shared a short smile. You gave her a grateful nod. Her spectacular pass set you up for success. Before you two could exchange words of appreciation, Lieke Martens pointed towards the pitchside where a journalist with a microphone in hand stood; "They want you two to answer the press questions."

You sighed, feeling the man’s attention on you; "Can‘t we just celebrate our win in peace?" With a shrug, Alexia passed you; "This is our job too." "Plus, it would be boring without the goal scorer.", Mapis voice appeared behind you. Her hands grabbing your shoulders and gently pushing you into the direction of the camera.

Laughing, you held up your hands; "Okay, okay, I‘m coming." Alexia turned back to you with a wink; "Good girl." You caught up with her and bumped your hip against hers; "Do I have to remind you who scored?" "Remind the reporters.", Alexia rolled her eyes with a smile. "Not necessary, I think they saw it.", you whispered as you approached the journalist who beamed at you two.

"Congrats on you win!", he greeted you. You smiled politely; "Thank you." "That was a great win. Must feel good, right?", he grinned. You poked Alexias upper arm with your finger; "Yes but as our captain here loves to remind us all the time, it‘s still a long way to go." "It is.", Alexia agreed.

Apparently, she had caught the journalist’s attention; "Alexia, did you enjoy your assist tonight or would you have preferred to score yourself?" "A goal is always great but if the team wins and I made an assist, that‘s okay too.", she replied, the corners of her mouth slightly lifting.

Satisfied with both of your performance, you added; "To be fair, it was great that something from training transferred so well to the match." "We worked hard on our on-field communication.", Alexia nodded.

The face of the journalist lit up with interest; "Could you tell us more about that." "Well, maybe some team events helped with that too.", you laughed, but Alexias’s face went serious again; "And extra training sessions." "Exactly, but it was worth it." The journalist nodded slowly; "We can see that. What do you expect from the next games?"

"We‘ll continue to build on that.", Alexia answered courtly. "And hopefully score a few more goals.", you smirked. Finally, Alexias expression softened; "It‘s your turn for an assist now." "I‘ll be ready." "Thank you for your time.", the journalist ended the interview. "Thank you."

Mapi waited for you to right in front of the tunnel; "They couldn’t get enough of you two." "It was just a couple questions. Like usual.", Alexia shrugged, walking past Mapi and straight into the dressing room. While Mapi and you followed her, you explained; "Honestly, it was nothing special, Mapi."

“Sure.”, the defender shrugged. Annoyed with your teammate Alexia demanded from the younger player: ”Maps, stop looking at us like that.” “Fine, is like that better.”, Mapi grimaced. The midfielder shook her head in amusement: “No.” “You’re no fun.”, the defender sighed dramatically.

You winced when Leila suddenly stepped from the dark to the light parts of the tunnel, wearing a bright grin on her face:” Oh Ale had fun during the interview though.” “You two are so annoying.”, Alexia stated.

A devilish smile appeared on Mapis lips: “You know what’s more annoying?” “That we paused the celebrations for that unnecessary conversation?”, you asked her. Teasingly your captain added: “That you talk too much?” “Now but you’ll realize that in time.”, the blonde defender promised. Immediately Alexia gave her a frowning look:”What?”

“Mapi, you played great.”, your sister exclaimed cheerfully. The cheeks of Mapi were turning red because of her compliment. Even though you secretly thought they would make an adorable couple you couldn’t help but saying out loud:” Mapi, comes first, huh?”

“Sorry, you played great too.”, she answered blushing. Now it was Alexia who assisted your sister instead of you with reassuring her: “Ignore her, your sister casually wants to remind everyone who scored the important goal tonight.” “Not true!”, you playfully hit her arm.

Innocently your sibling looked between you two:” She couldn’t have done it without that fantastic assist.” “That’s true.”, you had to admit this much. Was that gratefulness in Alexias eyes, it must have been when she whispered: “Thank you.”

Something between your captain and you had change, and it wasn’t solely because you won that game. But you were too scared to further think about what the change was and what it exactly meant for the both of you.

You could hear your sister speaking softly to your teammate:” Mapi, I can’t believe they manage to talk like normal people now.” “Wait for it.”, louder Mapi continued, turning her heads toward the older player, Ale can you believe it? She has not seen the coast outside of Barcelona yet?!” “You haven’t?!”, Alexia’s shock was written all over her face.

Nervously you put a loose hair string behind your ear: ”No, I haven’t found the time for that yet.” “How long have you been here now? Do you only play football and sleep?”, your captain pressed on. Her fury caught you off guard. She was the one in the team whose life was centred around football the most. “A few months. And no, I go to the university too.” “Still. You haven’t seen anything of Barcelona yet.”, Alexia muttered in disbelief.

Quite offended by her reaction you tried to defend yourself:“I saw the city.” “The touristy spots, right.”, she shot back, letting you almost no time to breath. Looking at her was enough to continue to rant:” Knew it. Be ready tomorrow morning. I’ll pick you up before sunrise.” “Okay, captain.”, you replied too stunned in what direction your conversation went. Satisfied Alexia nodded:” Good.”

She already turned away from you to leave when you finally were able to gather your thoughts again; "Will Nala join us?" "Seriously?", Alexia replied, more annoyed than surprised. You shrugged with an innocent grin; "Just asking.""At this point, I think you like the dog more than me.", she rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her amusement.

"Possible…" "Wow." "I’m just joking… With your dog, I can’t play like we did today.", you joked. Alexia tilted her head in thought before turning away from you again; "Probably not. I’ll see you tomorrow… with Nala." She smiled at you over her shoulder and left.

When Alexia arrived at your apartment the next morning, it was dark still dark outside. Yawning, you opened the door for her. For a second, you stopped mid-yawn. She looked so put together for that time of day. "Morning.", she greeted you. You stepped aside to let her in.

"Morning. It‘s still so early so I made us two coffees to go.", you replied and led her into your kitchen where you handed her a to-go cup. Gratefully, she took it but her gaze was fixed on you; "Thanks. Uhm…" "Yes?", you prompted her to go on.

She cleared her throat; "You might want to put on something other than your PJ pants." She took a sip of her coffee, but you caught her smiling smugly into her cup before you looked down, only to find that you were still in your plaid flannel pants. "Oh my god. Wait right here, I’ll be back in a minute.", you laughed about yourself and disappeared into your bedroom to change.

While you slipped into a pair of soft cotton pants, your eyes met Alexias in the mirror. You must have forgotten to close the bedroom door. "Stop staring.", you grinned. Your teammate hid another smile in her coffee; "I’m not." "Sure, Alexia. I‘m ready, we can go.", you replied with a smirk, taking your own coffee and your bag. "Finally. We can’t miss the sunrise."

You followed her to her car. It was too early still, so you both were silent for most of the ride. Only the radio was playing quietly. Alexia parked close to a beach just as the first rays of sunlight came up. The beach was completely empty. You both sat down in the cold sand and watched in awe.

"This is beautiful.", you whispered. Alexia smiled to herself; "I told you, you can’t miss this." "Thank you for taking me here." "You’re welcome, really." You looked at Alexia. The morning light painted her in a golden glow, and you couldn’t help but stare. "Maybe there is more than just uni, football and sleep.", you admitted. Alexia nodded; "There is. Trust me."

You closed your eyes letting the sound of the waves wash over you:” Like moments like these. I wish one could collect them into a jar and when one has a bad day or time you could open it and feel the joy from that day again.” Memories of the times you were injured came back to the surface level of your mind.

With a free hand you let the sand rinse through your fingers to distract yourself from those images. “But if you could go back to this moment all the time.. would you not lose the joy of this moment?”, Alexia asked you carefully. “I’ve not thought about that yet but you’re probably right it would lose what made the moment special in the first place.”

With a serious smile the midfielder confessed: “It would. I like coming here in the morning when no one’s here yet.” “I can see why.”, you told her. Almost shy, Alexia turned her face back to the water: “It’s nice and quiet.” There was something between you that clearly wasn’t there before. Her grin deepened while she added:” Well, usually. When I’m alone with Nala.” “Oh, trust me I can do quiet too.”, you announced as you pulled out the book of your bag which you were currently reading.

Your teammate shook her head slightly:” You know I was just joking, right? But it’s so cool, you look so at peace right now.” “That’s because I am if there was not a voice interrupting my peace.”, you teased her, in the meantime Narla took refuge in your lap. Your comment earnt you an eyeroll by your captain: “Sorry.”

Even in her annoyance you had to admit that she looked beautiful as the sun made her skin appear golden. “Wait, you look so pretty in that light.”, you exclaimed before taking a photo of her. A surprised laugh escaped Alexia’s mouth: “What are you doing?”

“Taking a picture of you because you looked quite happy, so I tried to capture that on camera.”, you stammered. With a stern look on the midfielder’s face, she urged you: “Give me the camera.”

“Okay.”, you handed her your camera, it was one of the thing’s you treasured most as it reminded you of the parent you had lost and shared that passion with. Your teammate seemed satisfied with that object in her hands: “Thanks.”

So, you continued reading your book peacefully, during the reading you somehow managed to steal your captains green cap but she was too immersed in taking pictures of you.

You both enjoyed the silence of the early morning and each others company. But with the time passing, the beach started to fill. With a sigh, you closed your book and looked up to Alexia; "Do you think we should head back? It‘s getting crowded." "Yes, let‘s leave.", Alexia agreed, stood up and brushed the sand off her jeans. You put your book back into your bag anf followed suit; "Alright."

"Come on, Narla!", Alexia called her dog and you three walked back towards her car. You watched the landscape pass on your way home but with each passing minute, you could feel your eyes closing. You didn’t even realize you fell asleep until Alexia stopped her car in front of your building. "We’re already there?", you yawned.

"Yes. But you don’t have to get out yet. I can drive around the block for a little longer.", Alexia suggested. You were taken aback by the thoughtfulness. "I want to stay for a little while longer if that’s okay.", you admitted, your cheeks turning slightly red. Alexia smiled softly and started her car again; "Alright. Go back to sleep then."

Narla cuddled onto your lap and her warmth made you immediately fall asleep again. When you woke up again, you realized that only a few minutes must have passed. The sun was still high up in the sky and you were still driving through your neighborhood.

Once again, Alexia stopped in front of your appartment. You turned towards Alexia; "Thank you for the day. I really enjoyed it." "Me too.", she replied. You leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek; "So, I’ll see you in training tomorrow?" A light blush spread across Alexias face; "Uhm… yes, sure." Smiling, you got out of her car; "Perfect."

Before you could open your front door, you paused on the sidewalk as you realized you were still wearing Alexias green cap. At the same time, Alexia opened her car window; "Hey?" "Yes?", you turned around. She nodded towards your head; "You should keep it. It looks cute on you." "Thanks.", you absentmindedly touched the cap. "Wait.", Alexia called again while getting out of her car and crossing the distance between you two. "Huh?", you asked before her lips were suddenly on your lips.

You stared at her; "Wait, what was that?" "I don’t know.", she answered truthfully, obviously confused herself. You grabbed her by the wrist; "No, do it again please." "You don’t have to tell me twice." A smile appeared on Alexias face. She kissed you again. This time, more patiently but just as hungry.

A loud squeal came from Mapi’s mouth when she spotted you wearing Alexia’s cap right before your team training was about to start: ”Oh my god!” “Mapi, it’s not a big deal.”, the captain reassured the defender who was beaming at your sight. Amused you added: “Honestly, calm down, Mapi.”

“Don’t tell me you’re dating.”, your teammate almost screamed excitedly. “Well, I hate to say it, but we don’t hate each other anymore.”, you winked at her. Cheerfully Mapi pulled out her smartphone from her pocket:“So that’s a yes! I’ll have to call your sister.”

“About damn time you call her, while you’re at It you should tell her that you would love to go on a date with her Mapi!”, Alexia suggested grinning. Inspired by what she saw the younger player nodded: “You know what? Maybe I will.” “Don’t worry, she’ll say yes.”, you encouraged her. With a cheeky smile she asked:” Like you did to Ale?”

“Yes.”, you replied, placing a kiss on Alexias lips, making her blush in front of all your teammates. But the midfielder didn’t mind, she pulled you even closer, kissing you hungrily like she was starving before.

2023

Without a knock Mapi stormed into your hotelroom giving you each a scolding look:” You two should be asleep now.” “Mapi!”, Alexia frowned at her. The defender ignored her and clicked with her tongue:” Did you got lost in telling you love story again? Don’t worry I can tell that in my best woman speech for your wedding.”

“Who said you’ll be the best woman?”, the midfielder looked challenging at her. Playfully offended the younger player stopped moving: “I’m not!?” “Of course, you’re.”, Alexia answered laughing. “Well, I hope so!”

Softly you continued the captain’s sentence:” We know what you did to make us realize that we fell for each other.” Satisfied with that you went on to talk for a couple of minutes before she went to her room with Ingrid.

You secretly even worked on a sonnet for your wedding day, writing all the things you once claimed to hate about Alexia but actually you didn’t because these were parts of her you came to love.

#alexia putellas #alexia putellas x reader #alexia putellas imagine #mapi leon #mapi leon x reader #mapi leon imagine #woso x reader #woso fanfics #woso imagine #woso #woso one shot #woso community #barca femeni #espwnt

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sparklingjay · 2 months

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Here is the whole Sonic X Shadow Sonic channel translation for you just in case you haven't read it before or if you want to read it again:

I got the translation from here:

Beneath the light of the full moon stood the trendy business and shopping district of Mission Street. Sonic perched atop a storefront that overlooked the block, stargazing.

He came here tonight to witness a celestial event.

As usual, Sonic arrived with time to spare, so he turned to watch the hustle and bustle of the city below — when he spotted a black hedgehog engaged in fierce combat behind a back alley… Shadow.

Shadow was one of Sonic's most formidable foes, rivaling his abilities in every way.

He didn’t always choose the dark side, but his ruthless “ends-justify-the-means” attitude had a dangerous unpredictability that sometimes put him at odds with Sonic and his friends…

What was Shadow doing here?

Curious, Sonic dropped to Shadow's side.

Before them lay the wreckage of several G.U.N. Beetle surveillance drones, spewing black smoke and sparks. This was serious.

With an accusatory tone, Sonic asked:

"Yo, Shadow. Looks like you're having a fun night?"

"This is none of your business. Stay out of my way."

Shadow responded curtly, then disappeared into the darkness — but Sonic wasn't one to be left behind. A high-speed chase ensued as they weaved through the twists and turns of Mission Street.

They ran along walls and leaped between buildings, coming to blows as they sped through the rumbling highway into the tunnel… After some time, Shadow kicked out his heel with fearsome agility, but Sonic caught it with both hands.

I'm ending this…

I couldn't dodge it…

They paused in blade lock until Shadow jumped aside, seething in frustration.

"Why are you following me?"

"I don't want anybody pinning your crimes on me again."

"Ha, aren't you paranoid? I'm busy. Farewell!"

Shadow pointed at Sonic, a flickering stone in his hand… A Chaos Emerald.

"Wait! Hold up!"

"Chaos — Control!"

There was a brief flash of blinding light! And when it cleared, Shadow had vanished.

Chaos Control… This was Shadow's signature move, wielding the power of the Chaos Emerald to warp time and space.

To perform this technique with a weakened Chaos Emerald, after exhausting his own power in the previous battle, was an impressive feat for Shadow. Left alone, Sonic could only stare up at the night sky.

"Shadow…"

☆ ★ ☆

Later…

A few blocks away, Shadow had silently infiltrated a suspiciously large bank. The wreckage of a newly-destroyed Beetle rolled at his feet.

"Here. I'm sure of it."

He dispatched another armed Beetle that emerged from the back and proceeded to the second-floor vault, incapacitating the guards who dared fire upon him. As he reached the reinforced vault door, he saw —

Sonic, standing with a smirk, twirling the key card between his fingers.

Using the energy detector he borrowed from Tails, he tracked Shadow’s location and snuck into the bank through an alternate route.

The fact that there were military Beetles all over town, that not one of them sounded an alarm after being destroyed, that they open-fired without warning…

Well, Sonic thought there was something unusual about the whole thing.

"So, what are you willing to exchange for that key card? …No, stupid question. You want the full story of this situation."

With a dour sigh, Shadow lifted his head and recounted the evening’s events.

"This place looks like a bank, but it's a fake… It's actually some sort of a G.U.N. research facility. They're conducting experiments on a mysterious electromagnetic capsule seized from the Doctor's base after our last battle. Now I fear they're using this place as a front to develop even deadlier weapons within the city."

Shadow slowly approached Sonic, continuing:

"I received intel that this capsule is a disguised time bomb set to explode at midnight tonight. If true, it has enough power to obliterate half the city. I tried to send a warning, but they failed to heed it. That's why I came here. What do you believe?"

Shadow paused in front of Sonic, glaring at him interrogatively. Several seconds passed.

"I don't know what to say."

It was a lot to take in. As Sonic worked out his reply, the detector picked up a sudden energy spike and sounded a loud BEEP! Whatever it detected was inside the vault.

"But I know I trust Tails' device."

Sonic grinned at Shadow as he slid the key card through the card reader on the vault. A heavy metallic clanging echoed from within.

Undeterred, Shadow placed his hand on the vault when…!

BANG!

The vault door swung open from the inside, and a group of researchers frantically rushed out.

"Get out of here!" "It's about to explode!"

Emergency sirens wailed as people fled the scene. The whole facility was in a frenzy.

When Sonic and Shadow burst into the lab, they found that it was much larger than they expected, and at the center was a glass-encased capsule about 6 feet tall, protected by an electromagnetic barrier, emitting intense light.

A swarm of armed Beetles spotted them and unleashed a barrage of bullets, despite the imminent countdown.

"Talk about a work ethic! Shadow, you get the bomb!"

“…!”

Sonic easily cleared out the three guard robots before him. Shadow leaped through the ensuing blast toward the capsule. The electromagnetic barrier sensed his approach and emitted an electric charge — then deactivated just before Shadow touched it. At that exact moment, Sonic found and destroyed the barrier generator. And then…

"Chaos — Control!"

A halo of light erupted from Shadow's Chaos Emerald, enveloping the surrounding area. And when the light subsided… There was no trace of Shadow or the bomb. Then, seconds later…

A massive explosion filled the sky above Mission Street.

The fireball was so huge that it eclipsed the moon. The soundwaves that followed shook the surface of the earth. Sonic saw it as he leaped from the bank and gave a cheerful thumbs up.

Meanwhile, Shadow, already outside via Chaos Control, looked on with frustration. He had intended to teleport the bomb into space. However, he could only do so much with a malfunctioning Chaos Emerald.

Shadow pulled out the Chaos Emerald and tossed it to Sonic.

"Shadow…?"

"This is no better than a fake emerald. If I give it to you, maybe your soft nature will restore it."

Sonic shrugged as he caught the Chaos Emerald with one hand.

"I was gonna say thanks, but I take it back…"

☆ ★ ☆

"Why are you still following me?"

Shadow asked without turning back as Sonic trailed him down a deserted road outside Mission Street. Sonic wrapped his hands behind his head and gazed into the night sky.

"I'm the one who should be asking the questions. Since when did you become such a guardian of peace?"

"I don't care about peace. I don't care about these people. What I can't stand are the fools of this planet who believe they can get away with whatever they want — whether that's the Doctor or anyone else, including you. So don't misunderstand me."

A few seconds of silence followed. Shadow scowled, but Sonic kept grinning.

"Okay. I getcha. I'll do my best. But I think some people out there would wanna thank you for what you did today."

"Nonsense. Who would —"

Fed up with Sonic, Shadow stopped cold and finally turned back to shut him up…

"…!?"

Sonic stood with his arm outstretched, the lights of the distant city behind him, pointing up at the full moon shimmering out in space — and floating just above that, staring down at them, was the Space Colony ARK.

The sight of this spectacle left Shadow speechless, the ARK appearing otherworldly in the glow of the moonlight.

The ARK… An ark of hope and pain. The place where Shadow was born, where he gained and lost so many precious things and so much time. A tomb lost in the void with nothing left to sacrifice for this planet.

Once a year, there was a night when the orbits aligned, and the ARK was visible directly above the full moon.

Mission Street was one of the best spots to see it, and Sonic loved the view of the two cold, majestic “moons” against the sea of warm city lights.

Shadow silently watched the ARK.

Nobody knew how many memories or secrets of the past remained in his heart or how he felt about them to this day. But to Sonic, his silence seemed like an answer.

As if in response, Sonic slowly lowered his pointed finger.

Shadow traced Sonic’s gesture downward with his eyes —

— until it landed on Sonic’s own smirking face.

"Enough…!"

Shadow dismissed, then straddled a hidden motorcycle in the bushes at the side of the road. It was a heavy G.U.N. bike. He must have prepared it there ahead of time.

The engine revved to life, drowning out any further comments from Sonic…

"It looks better on its own anyway."

Shadow sped away at full throttle. Sonic didn't chase him this time, but as he turned away, there was a hint of disappointment behind his smile.

☆ ★ ☆

Beneath the light of the full moon stood the trendy business and shopping district of Mission Street.

Beyond the peaceful glow of the city, a lone shadow drifted away as if it was exiled.

The shadow was indistinguishable from the darkness — except to the moon, hanging over the bustling metropolis, watching the shadow from above, always… ★

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic #shadow the hedgehog #sonadow #sonic channel #I like this translation more than the one on sonic channel #this story is a masterpiece #and a gift to all the sonadow shippers

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bokutone · 6 months

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˗ˏˋ LOVING THEM ˎˊ˗

including: semi eita, sugawara kōshi, kuroo tetsurō, kita shinsuke, ushijima wakatoshi. genre/warnings: nothing but pure fluff! a/n: here's a little christmas present from me to all of you because i miss my boys and we need to bring the hq content back<3

semi — loving him is red, full of passion and love. you’re his muse and he’s your superstar, your love for him is like a roller coaster and every day feels different; mondays are for soft love, soft touches, sweet kisses and bear hugs. while fridays are for rough love, desperate kisses, red marks on his skin and possessive words coming out from your lips. but he loves it, you love him, and the combination of your souls together creates a beautiful shade of red.

sugawara — loving him is blue, like the deep ocean and dark sky. your love for him flows like the waves you two watch every night, it’s calm, revitalizing and harmonious. it feels like the first kiss and last hug, your eyes hold his secrets while your lips savor his love. loving him is drinking the first drops of water after a long day of work, loving him is feeling safe, loving him is knowing your heart is safe within the walls of a shared house, loving him is having a home to go back to when the world seems to collapse on top of you.

kuroo — loving him is yellow. it’s the bright yellow that lightens up your day, the color you see when his eyes close and his mouth opens every time he laughs. loving him is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, the happiness when you wake up with his arms around your body while the sunlight reflects on his skin, loving him is hating when he decides that comedy should be his career even when he knows he sucks at it. full of energy, fun and bad jokes, loving him is the yellow that shines around him when he loves you back.

kita — loving him is white, white like the clouds above your head while you help him with work. white and pure like the way he looks at you and how your heart pounds on your chest when he says how much he loves you, loving him feels like sleeping under the trees’ shadow that saw how you two shared kisses and strawberries. it doesn’t feel rushed, it doesn’t feel wrong, it feels perfect because the love between two angels is always blessed.

ushijima — loving him is purple. pleasant and calming like a sunset. his love is calming and peaceful, his love is full of tenderness and stability, making the worst day feel like another battle conquered after a hug. loving him is having the patience to understand his silence but also his words, loving him is learning to love without the pressure of loving wrong. loving him is tripping with your own feet and feeling a soft and strong hand pulling you out of your stupor, laughing about it with sparkling eyes and big smiles. his love is straightforward but not overwhelming. his love is simply yours.

rbs and comments are really appreciated!

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thedoctorsthings · 3 months

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Power to the king | Min Yoongi pt. 2

Fantasy/historical AU, viking Au (attempted lmao), Yoongi x female reader

More angst (you know me by now), Yoongi is still an asshole, things taking a dramatic turn

cw: sexism, mentions of war, Jungkook's humour (I've decided I'm blaming my painful unfunnyness on the character now)

word count: about 3k

Yoongi and you had been married for a month now and you’d kept your promise. You were ice cold, you only talked when spoken to and you hadn’t as much as smiled in Yoongi’s general direction. The servants and everyone else in the castle treated you with respect and subservience. One might even say they seemed scared of you. Only you knew this all to be a farse. At night, when you were alone you cried yourself to sleep. It had been a month and you’d made little progress. Every day felt as empty as the last. Days before the wedding your mother had told you that an arranged marriage without love wasn’t as bad as people made it out to be. She said you would find things to love, running the household or eventually your children. But as a princess there was no household to run and how were you supposed to have children if your husband wouldn’t even look at you. You admit that you did want children. If you couldn’t have your husband close to you at least you would have them. They would be something that you could devote yourself to in this empty life. Since your wedding night you and Yoongi hadn’t spoken about the subject again. You assumed he would come knocking on your door every night, asking over and over. This was the way most of the men you’d met and heard of acted when it came to sex, but he left you alone. It seemed that maybe it was up to you to come to his door, but over your dead body were you going to give in to him first.

You got out of bed and got dressed. It was customary for maids to help women of your status with this, but you had quickly made an end to this habit by sending the maids out every morning. Now they didn’t even bother coming in anymore. The typical attire of a princess consisted of a white underdress and a heavy garment over it. Today you chose a blue dress. You leave your room and head to the dining room for breakfast. Yoongi is already sitting at the table. You were infinitely thankful for the rest of his family and the ever-present servants. If they weren’t here every moment you spent in the same room as Yoongi would be spent in agonising silence. You always sat next to your husband, as was customary. His brother sat next to you on your other side. Jungkook was a small dash of light in the dark tunnel that your life had become. He was nice, funny and actually tried to engage in conversation with you. He was the reason your days here weren’t spent in complete loneliness. You had no romantic feelings for him, but still found yourself wishing you’d have been married off to him instead. Marriage with him might have been easier, might have worked better than with Yoongi. “Good morning, your majesty. How did you sleep?”, Jungkook asks in that overly polite tone he often liked to use with you. “Nothing to complain about, my lord”, you replied, equally nasal. “Not really suitable for a prince to be playing games with his future queen, is it?”, sounded a grumpy voice from your right. You had already noticed that Yoongi didn’t appreciate it when you had too much fun with Jungkook. It made you want to do it all the more. At this comment you settle your gaze on the empty chair in front of you, the one where the queen is supposed to sit, and rigidly stare at it. “We are expected to attend next week’s festivities together”, Yoongi poses and somehow his voice sounds softer. He’s bent slightly towards you, but you stay unmoving. “okay”. Yoongi finishes the rest of his meal in silence as you occasionally say something to Jungkook. As Yoongi gets up, he says: “your chambermaid will tell you when it is time to prepare. She’ll give you the clothes you’re expected to wear as well”. You merely nod.

Yoongi walks through the huge, stone hallways while lost in thought. He got what he wanted, a wife that never let her emotions get the best of her, one that was rational and let him do as he wanted. You were perfect, there was nothing you did wrong, and somehow, he still despised you. Whenever he tried to make contact with you, you rejected him. There was nothing but one-word answers from your side. He felt that you hated him and that made him dislike you. He knew he would never be as charming as Jungkook, but you could at least try to form some sort of friendship with him. The most important reason however, was that he hated the way he felt when he looked at your emotionless face. You looked like all life had been sucked out of you, while at the same time there was a deep silence lying in the still waters of your eyes. It made him feel horrible, it was his fault, he’d never admit it. He knocked on the door of his mother’s bedchambers. “Come in”, he heard her weak voice call. He pushed open the heavy, wooden door and stepped into the room. She was sitting half upright on the bed, leaning against a mountain of pillows. The sunlight coming from the high windows hit her face nicely. He sat down in the chair next to her. “How is married life, son?” “To be honest, I barely talk to her”. The queen looked at him with a questioning look. “I just don’t really like talking to her”. “Why?” Yoongi sighed and stayed quiet for a while. He made a vague gesture with his arm and shrugged: “It’s like she’s not really there. When she always responds as short as possible and only speaks when spoken to. I think I don’t like talking to her because I know she doesn’t like me either”. His mother looks out the window a second, before speaking: “You think she’s cold?” “Yes exactly”. “Yoongi, you’re my son and I love you, but you’re not the warmest person either. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t like talking to you either”. “But I try so hard to seek contact with her”. “I think a husband and wife should have more than just contact”, the queen said, smiling. Yoongi was quiet again. “Could it be that you feel guilty?” At this Yoongi got up: “No that’s not it!”, he said raising his voice. “No need to get angry”, she said calmly. “I’m not, I just have things to do”, was the last thing he said before leaving the room.

You’re walking through the gardens of the castle. It was spring now and getting warmer. In this kingdom, warmer still meant well below what others find agreeable, but your people were used to it. People had started dressing lighter and the sun shone more often. You also felt lighter. After months of basically ignoring your husband, you had decided to be more welcoming. Your sister had been right. As a woman all you could do was make the best of it. About a week ago you had started being nicer to Yoongi. You smiled at him during meals and asked him how his day was going. Yesterday you spent the evening together playing a traditional board game. You suggested it. It was nice, you’d laughed together for the first time ever, even if it was still awkward. Things started looking up, maybe you could find happiness here after all. You let your hand brush over the newly growing flowers and enter the halls. Tonight was the night of the festivities and you planned to go to your husband and ask him what was expected of you tonight. You could ask any of your maids, but this was the perfect opportunity to spend more time with Yoongi. As you near the corner you hear giggling. Your ears perk, even with Jungkook’s presence everything happening at the castle was a grim affair. Giggling was not something often heard around these parts. “Your majesty, behave”, you hear a female voice tease. Dread fills your stomach. You round the corner and there he is, his hand on her lower back, his nose in her hair as she opens a door. He looks up for a split second. You don’t know if he saw you, you’re still quite far away from them. Even if he did see you, it clearly doesn’t matter to him, because he and the maid enter the room. You hear shushing and more giggling and then the door shuts. You welcome her back with open arms. That all familiar emptiness, or at least that’s what you wish this feeling is. It’s not, it’s pain. It hurts you more to admit it. It’s horrible to realise that you let this man get to you. You promised yourself you would never feel again when it came to him and here you were, seeing blurry from the tears trying to find your way back to your rooms.

Tonight’s festival marked the beginning of spring. Everyone in the city gathered on the main square every year to sing, dance and eat together. It was your favourite thing as a child. Today was the first year you couldn’t enjoy it. You were expected to walk through the crowd at the height of the festival. The king and queen first, although the queen wouldn’t attend due to her illness, then the crown prince and his wife and lastly the second born son. You’re waiting in the carriage. You and Yoongi are seated next to each other, Jungkook sitting opposite of you. The air is tense. You still have no idea if Yoongi noticed you earlier today. You have a feeling that he might have because he’s tenser than usual. So are you. “Alright someone say something before the awkwardness drives me to jump out of the vehicle”, Jungkook says while uncomfortably squirming on his bench. You and Yoongi both remain silent. “By Odin, I bet the mute choachman is better company than you people”. At this you let out a giggle, that in its turn makes Yoongi scoff. Wanting to relieve Jungkook of his suffering you offer: “What do you think the head druid will predict tonight? I hope not another failed harvest like last year”. “Me personally, I’ve been hoping for golden rain ever since I was a kid”, Jungkook jokes with that signature, boyish grin of his. “The druid’s prophecy is no laughing matter Jungkook, Y/N is right. We better hope for a fruitful harvest this year”. “Alright Mr. Cranky, maybe you should jump out of the carriage”, is the last thing Jungkook mumbles before getting kicked in the shin by his older brother. This time you laugh out loud and even if it was just unconsciously, Yoongi is proud that he was finally part of the reason why.

Your carriage arrives after the king’s and when you get out the mass of people outside cheer so loud you almost cover your ears. Almost, because you’re sure that if you did Yoongi would have something to say about it later. You and Yoongi link arms, which is probably the most intimate you’ve been since the wedding. You walk through the path of people to the thrones that have been set up at the head of the square. There are six thrones. The king and Yoongi sit on the two most extravagant ones in the middle. You sit next to Yoongi and Jungkook next to you. Two men are already sitting on the thrones next to the king. These are the head druid and his apprentice. At the end of the evening, they will perform a ritual to predict the fate of the kingdom. During the meal you and Yoongi barely exchange a word. After however, when you’re watching the city’s people dance, Yoongi chuckles at seeing a young man almost trip and light his hair on fire with one of the torches. The man manages to do a sort of twirl and prevent this horrible fate from happening. “That’s Jimin”, Yoongi states: “He’s a bit of an idiot but a good man. He’s the son of the farmer that delivers food to the castle. You might have seen him help his father with the deliveries, the old man is getting sicker and sicker”. You haven’t digested the events of this morning yet and honestly the fact that he’s acting as if nothing happened is pissing you off. “So, you’re just going to act like I didn’t see you grope a maid this morning?”, you ask without looking at him. “Y/N”, Yoongi start, but he’s interrupted by the booming voice of the king. You hate that man for the way he talks to you and for the way he speaks of his wife as if she’s a burden, but you have to admit you’ll always have respect for the way he can make a crowd of hundreds of people shut their mouths. “People of Sargon, turn your eyes to the fire. The Druid will perform the prophecy!”. His voice could reach the deafest of men. The druid got up. You had never seen him from this close. He was quite a young man; most druids were older than stone. He had pitch black hair filled with silver jewelry. It ran over his broad shoulders like a black waterfall. When he turned to bow to the king you saw his face. In your nineteen years of life, you had never seen a man so handsome. After that, his apprentice got up and turned to do the same. This man had dark eyes and an almost equally handsome face. “I think these druids have a potion to make themselves look better, it’s not fair”, Jungkook whispers. “You look fine Jungkook don’t worry about it”, you smile back. “Don’t ya think I oughtta get to the bottom of this then ey?”, he asks in that accent you’ve gotten so used to. “Yes Jungkook, as prince of the kingdom I think you should make it your first priority to find interrogate two druids on why they look so good”, you retort. “Exactly my thoughts”, he grins, but he can barely finish the sentence because Yoongi reaches over you to softly hit his brother upside the head. The druids walk over to the huge fire. The head druid reaches into his pocket and takes out some dried leaves. His apprentice is holding a wooden bowl with a purple looking oil in it. He dips the leaves in the oil and then throws them on the fire. For a moment, nothing happens. The square trembles with suspension. All of a sudden, the flames turn black. In all the years you’ve attended the festival you’ve never seen a fire this dark. It roars and seems to double in size. The head druid is caught off guard and stumbles to the ground. The flames shoot higher than ever, before turning back to their normal size and colour. Everyone is quiet. The man named Jimin, who was laughing seconds before is now looking at the druid with fear in his eyes. That same fear is visible in the eyes of each person in attendance. You feel the heat on your face fade away as the druid whispers: “war”.

After the druid had uttered the word war a shock wave had rolled over the square. The king had ordered the druid and his apprentice to accompany you back to the palace. Once arrived there, he immediately called all his advisors to gather in the main hall. You and Yoongi had followed them in. “What is she doing here?” the king’s voice sounded throughout the entire hall. “She’s my wife and the future queen of this kingdom. She needs to know what’s going on”, Yoongi defended. “Your mother never sat in on things like this”. “I plan on doing things differently”, Yoongi said sternly. The king grumbled but didn’t complain further. “Seokjin, what is the meaning of this”, the king yelled angrily, as if it was the druid’s fault that the fire had behaved this way. “I don’t know your majesty; all I know is that this means war. I don’t know with whom. I don’t know how long, and I don’t know how high our chances of winning are. The rest of the of the evening was spent with old men arguing with even older men about what to do. Eventually they concluded that we would have to wait. After hours the druids had managed to convince the king and his advisors that it was too early to decide anything, but the king decided to start training his men more fervently.

After this evening regular life continued, albeit with a dark cloud hanging above all your heads. Everyone seemed stressed and anxious at all times. You and Yoongi also went back to normal. Normal meant back to how it was before you decided to be nicer. You never brought up the affair with the maid again, and neither did he. That evening at dinner the king showed, once again, why everyone tried to stay as far away from him as possible. “Why is she not pregnant yet?”, the king asked, although a better term would be, demanded. Of course he didn’t ask you. He asked Yoongi and acted as if you weren’t in the room, like always when he said something about you. “I don’t know father. We haven’t had any luck yet”, Yoongi answers stoically, without looking up from his plate”. “I bet it’s her fault. She’s barren and tricked us into marrying her into this family”. “That is not it!” You raise your voice. You’ve barely ever said a word at this table and the king is made of the same thing your nightmares are made of, but you refuse to let him talk about you. The room becomes impossibly tense as the king looks at you. It almost felt as if you could feel his stare sting in your eyes. “Father, you will not talk about my wife like this”. Yoongi says calmly. “Oh, really son? So it’s not her fault? Is it yours then?” Yoongi and the king share 5 full seconds of murderous eye contact before the king delivers the final blow. “I should have known. The God’s refuse to bless you with an heir after what you’ve done”. Yoongi slams his fists on the table and gets up so roughly his chair falls to the ground. He storms out of the room and the sound of the door slamming can be felt in your ears long after he leaves.

Later that evening you are sitting in your chambers. You’re reading a novel when there’s a knock on your door. “Come in”, You say curtly. Yoongi steps into the room. He doesn’t peek his head in first like the servants do. He always enters rooms with the confidence of someone who belongs, something you could only dream of. At least now, when you were a child, you could do the same thing. Somewhere along the way you lost the confidence. It happened to every woman in this godforsaken kingdom. “We should talk about producing an heir”, Yoongi offers carefully. “Oh really, now you want to come to me. For months on end, you leave me alone in the cold of the night but when daddy dearest brings it up you listen”, you bite. “I just think he raises a good point. We’ve been married for months and people will start expecting good news soon”. “What is it really? Are you starting to get lonely, does our stone-cold crown prince need someone to warm his bed?” halfway through that sentence you had gotten up and started getting closer to him. He grabs you by the wrist of the hand you had been pointing in his face with: “You will not speak to your future king in that way!”, he spits through his teeth. You refuse to stand down, so you say: “Maybe my future king should go find another servant to produce a successor with, I bet she speaks to you in whatever way you want, doesn’t she?” Yoongi lets go of your hand. For a moment it looks like he’s about to say something, maybe even apologise. But then he disappears from the room without saying a word. You flop down on your bed. Maybe you were too harsh. You have to admit that you did desire a child to raise. It would give you something to do, someone to love in this cold castle. You would also be lying if you said you didn’t desire Yoongi in that way. When you saw him and that council hall a couple of weeks back. When he had argued with his father about protecting the country, when he had argued to stay calm and not make any rash decisions, he seemed in his element. He was good at this, he was good at strategy, he was a born leader. Seeing him like that had shot a feeling through your body like you’d never felt before.

taglist: @lifeless-firefly @emerald-notes @daisies-and-dandelionpuffs @jjkwifestyle @viankiss

#bts #jimin #jungkook #namjoon #taehyung #yoongi #bts headcanons #jin #hoseok #bts fanfiction #bts historical au #yoongi x reader #yoongi fanfic #bts fantasy au #bangtan #fanfiction

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gliphyartfan · 6 months

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@yanderelinkeduniverse @stars-for-thought @imprisioned-in-the-hole @screaming-until-god-hears-me @crestfallenmermaidan @ice-cream-writes-stuff @linked-heroes @eternadreebliss

Hey hey folks! yes yes i know what you're thinking.

'But Gliphy! it's only been a few days since your last post! Is the world ending?'

And I agree! Buuuut I decided to throw something out there, a change of pace so to speak!

I present: TTAU Side stories! Or Side Stories in general.

The chain are still my main cast for stories. Most things will be written around them.

But, due to certain inquiries, a few characters were requested to be written~ Will that automatically mean I'll start posting a barrage of stuff for the side stories? Eh, probably only when inspiration hits me.

But I decided to have fun with dropping in characters from time to time.

For now, it's gonna be one character that a few people has asked for.

Will I do them justice? Dunno! I'll leave that to you lovely folk~

Anywho~

---

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---

The stench of blood was very potent here, enough to make his nose crinkle the moment he stepped into the area.

The soldier guiding Link gave his report as he led him through the mountain pass.

"This is the place." He said, gesturing to the entrance of an easily overlooked cave, his helmet tilted back to show his face. "We managed to lead him through here. Once he went through, the others distracted him while I sealed off the opening as best as I could."

The soldier stopped before the cave opening leading inside. There were crates and broken carriages turned on their side blocking the entrance.

Link eyed everything. "Impressive for one man. Though if what you said was true, blocking the path like this wouldn't have slowed him down."

The soldier sighed. "He seemed too focused attacking the nearest soldiers, I did what I could to escape and seal it off."

Warriors' eyes narrowed but said nothing of the soldier's careless admission.

"Very well, you and I will enter to confront him." Link folded his arms over his chest and gave the soldier a look when he opened his mouth.

"In the event that a battle occurs, I'll need you to be near so you can bring a detailed report back to base." The soldier thought it over and nodded.

"...Right then."

Without further ado, Link and the Soldier pushed as much of the crates out of the way and made their way in.

The cave was dark, darkening further since dusk approached. Even after stepping several feet inside there wasn't much light, it took a several minutes for his eyes to adjust.

They made their way carefully down the narrow tunnel.

...Warriors was uncertain about this situation.

While his memories of his past battles were convenient, he would be a fool to believe them to be absolute.

War was ever changing, no battle was fought with the exact method or gained the same result twice.

But this...he definitely would have recalled a situation like this. This was a new turn of events and he had to keep his wits about him.

After making it about twenty minutes in, a sudden loud bang echoed down the corridor. "I know you're there!" A male voice bellowed. The voice sounded angered. deranged.

"That's him sir!" The soldier whispered to him.

The Soldier and Link both stood still, not wanting to give away their position.

"Come out! Come out and tell me where she is!" The male's voice cracked, as if he had been screaming for some time. His breathing was loud, sped up.

His voice...frantic...angered.

With his weapon drawn, both soldiers cautiously crept to the end of the cave passage where faint light poured from a hidden opening off to the side.

An open space, the light coming from burning crates off to the side, otherwise empty, save for the scattered corpses of soldiers throughout the space.

From the state they appeared in, they had been hit a large blunt object.

There was blood everywhere.

It was splattered from the ceiling and walls onto the floor, pooled beneath the bodies of soldiers whose faces were crushed flat within their helmets.

"Goddess above." the soldier breathed, his hand clutching at his weapon tightly in terror.

Link looked on dispassionately. "I have never seen such madness." he murmured, his voice devoid of emotion.

A flash of purple caught the corner of his eye as he scanned the room.

He made his way towards it, ignoring the soldier's hushed protests.

When he got closer, his eyes widened and he froze. Blue eyes lined with gold stared back at him. Reaching down, he grabbed it brought it close.

He recognized it despite it's ragged appearance. Only one person dressed in such a fashion.

Suddenly the sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor caught his ear. Then there was a low groan of pain before it grew into a scream of anger.

The soldier looked at Link, anxiety written clear on his face as he raised his sword but Warriors, dropped the item and shook his head.

They slowly moved into the open area, eyes and ears peeled for any signs of movement.

As they advanced, the noises grew. Heavy footfall and heavy breathing.

An occasional whimper or whine as things were dragged around. The sounds came more and more frequently until, finally, a single figure came into view, slowly stumbling forward.

His hair was disheveled. Green eyes wild. Blood seeping from wounds hidden behind purple robes, dripping onto the ground.

Robes soaked in blood that was both his and not his. A large bloodied hammer being dragged behind him. His missing hood left his face uncovered.

The Hero of Warriors felt his heart jumped.

The face that stared back at him was one he knew.

But how?

It didn't make sense. What could possibly bring about this scenario? Why the hell was Ravio here of all places, alone?

He shouldn't be here, he was supposed to have joined up with them several missions prior.

(But Time had taken a different path as well...)

"Where..." came the raspy whisper.

"Where...Where is she?" His eyes were frantic and desperate, darting around.

Not once had he looked at Warriors, as if he hadn't been there at all. He looked right at the soldier, his eyes piercing into the soldier's.

"Tell me where...is she..." He growled louder, stepping closer even as the soldier took several steps back.

He looked around frantically, trying to find something in the darkness, find someone.

But why? Who was he looking for...

(...Could he...)

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about!" The soldier shouted, his voice shaking as he pointed his sword at the unhinged man.

"LIAR!" He roared, storming closer, hammer being raised with one arm.

"You killed my comrades!"

"You all took her from me! Took me from her!" His voice raged, his path to the soldier blocked as Warriors stepped in front of him.

His eyes settled on Warriors, and his gaze became fixated upon him.

Suddenly Ravio let out a loud scream, and without a moment's notice, he swung the hammer at him.

Instinctively, Warrior raised his blade and blocked it as best as he could, even as his arms shook from the force of the attack.

"Tell me what's wrong!" Warriors cried, desperately trying to hold the sword steady as the merchant pressed his hammer against his sword.

Ravio was screaming.

"It's all wrong! IT'S ALL WRONG!!" He was screaming and fighting against Warriors, but it was useless. "I'm not supposed to be HERE! You took her!! She was supposed to be SAFE!"

Warriors' ears picked up movement behind him and he shoved Ravio away just as the soldier swung his sword at the unstable man.

"Who are you talking about?" The soldier snapped as he was pulled back by Warriors while he put distance between them and Ravio.

"She was supposed to be with safe! I'm not suppose to be here!" Ravio cried out, as if he hadn't heard what was being asked at him.

"I was there! I was waiting for her at the house! I SHOULDN'T BE HERE!" Dropping the hammer, Ravio grabbed the side of his head with both hands, shaking his head violently.

"(y/n)..." He groaned in pain, eyes squeezing shut.

Warriors felt like he had been dumped in cold water.

"What did you say..?" He whispered.

Ravio's head shot up, a wild look on his face that Warriors couldn't quite recognize.

He...remembered?

---

She was brave...

That's what Ravio's first thought of her was, when Mr. Hero explained her situation to him.

A world without magic. A world nothing like theirs.

At least there was a way for him to return to Lorule. But for her...?

But she didn't let that get her down. In her eyes, if there was a way to land in Hyrule, there must be a chance to return home.

He liked that about her, liked her more when he got to properly know her.

Her bravery, her determination.

The determination to keep going even when she had no clue how to go about things.

But that determination to return home didn't stop her curiosity.

Ravio wouldn't deny how pleased he felt when she asked detailed questions about his items. Even more so when it turned into a conversation about Lorule.

Which became a routine whenever the group came by.

The culture, the history, the economy, there was always something new she wanted to ask him about his homeland.

He was a bit embarrassed to say he didn't know too much about most things she asked at first. But she never made him feel dumb about it.

Instead, she listened attentively as he tried to explain the differences between Hyrule and Lorule. Happily speaking of her world, describing the vast differences between here and there.

They would chat about those differences for hours on end. Which turned to a talk about the people back home, which would lead to a talk about each other's hobbies and opinions on things.

Anything they both wanted to talk about really.

It was only when Link interrupted them to announce dinner or something else that Ravio would realize how much time had passed.

All those questions that made him smile brightly, and it always made her laugh. Her laugh was wonderful and her smile was bright and contagious.

It made him crave to have the answers to the questions he couldn't give her. He'd return to Lorule just to gather books on those topics and study them.

He dared to say he knew more about his own home's history and of Hyrule's thanks to her curiosity.

When she returned, he was eager to show her what he managed to find.

Though he knew she wouldn't understand everything he said, it was simply a matter of her asking enough questions to make sense of it

Her enthusiasm was contagious when she spoke, especially since she never seemed disappointed or confused.

Sometimes he wondered whether that trait wasn't what attracted him to her at first.

He hadn't realized it at the time, but (Y/n)'s arrival had changed things. Everything about Ravio had changed. Every aspect of his life seemed to shift the longer he got to know her.

And it seemed he wasn't the only one who felt the same.

Watching the way Link and his companions began to behave around her.

Their gazes turning softer, smiles forming on their lips when she approached. They would sit closer to her whenever they had a chance and listen attentively to every story and ramble she shared.

How they each wanted to spend time with her. How the group seemed so much alive with her there.

How they felt like they needed to protect her because she was important to them.

How happy he saw them being when with her.

Not that he didn't understand. Being with her made him forget about everything that troubled him.

Everything simply felt better when with her.

He wasn't some strange fellow who people looked at oddly. He wasn't a coward that many people would mock.

He was simply Ravio to her.

...He liked being simply Ravio.

And being simply Ravio meant he was more perceptive than most others. (How else had he seen through Yuga's shoddy acting when he was manipulating Hilda.)

So it was almost immediate that he noticed the way the others became...attached to her.

How they started to focus more attention to her whenever she entered the room. How they began to follow her wherever she went. Even when she wished for a moment of solitude.

How they seemed to care for her a lot more now than before.

And while it was true that they were still worried over her safety but that wasn't exactly uncommon for them either.

But the way they treated her...

They were becoming...possessive. And protective. It was almost frightening actually.

Especially when they acted that way towards one another, especially around (Y/n).

How they glared at one another with venom one moment, only to look at her with absolute adoration the next.

How they looked at her as if she were the sun itself.

As if she were the entire world itself.

...Not that he blamed them. (Could he blame them?)

She was simply...perfect.

Not to say she was a flawless person that never made a mistake. No no.

But that's what made her perfect, she was human. She was herself.

She was real and real was beautiful.

He adored the times when Link would ask him to be her company, when they had business she couldn't join them in. (Business that had them strictly tell him what areas to not take her to, business that had them returning with a faint scent of blood.)

He spoke to her, let her speak whatever was on her mind. He joined her whenever she wanted to head to town or wander the area.

And with some made up excuses and a promise that she wouldn't go to certain places and to return at a certain time, he even let her wander off on her own.

He had been nervous about doing so. Because (he didn't what to consider the possibility that she would walk into danger if he wasn't there.) Link had told him to always be by her side.

But how could he listen to him when she would ask him with a nervous smile how she wanted some time to herself.

...She shouldn't smile like that. It should be happier, more carefree.

He could listen to Link about many things. (He had done so much for him and his homeland, it was the least he could do.)

But...what was the harm of letting her have a moment to herself? (Even if it felt like he was being torn to two whenever she had to leave.)

Yet when he gave her his conditions and told her he'd keep quiet...

That strained, nervous smile would relax into one more fitting. One full of joy and excitement.

He'd watch her wave at him as she wandered off, Sheerow fluttering around him.

Her journal under her arm and a bounce in her step. Only returning to the house when she vanished from his sight.

He'd spent the whole time she was gone debating what excuse or lie he would have to give to Link.

But she returned, always. With that beautiful wide smile, the tension gone from her shoulders.

His heart was melting and he wasn't sure how long it take for him to recover from such a beautiful sight. But he never wanted his heart to recover. (Not when it was caused by her.)

It was love. That's what he, what the heroes, felt.

What other emotion would make him feel as if his heart was filled with an endless warmth. As if his chest was going to explode with affection, with happiness, with love?

He loved (Y/n), and he knew everyone else did, too.

He didn't think his heart could beat this much when he thought of her. Not this fast, not this violently.

It almost hurt. It was almost too much.

But it was never enough. He wanted more.

When she smiled at him, his heart was ready to burst. When she held him, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let her pull away. Never wanted to feel that cruel coldness that always came when she let go.

When she wrapped a loose arm over his shoulders when they sat together, when she drifted off to sleep and slumped against him.

When her eyes brightened when she saw him when she and the others next returned to the area.

It was him that made her have that look. Not the others, certainly not Link. (Perhaps not for a long while.)

He wanted to keep being the reason that she was happy and relaxed. (LookAtHimLookAtHimLookAtHim)

Ravio hated when she left, the world felt quieter, colors more muted.

But he waited patiently, because each parting meant she would return soon enough.

She always seemed tired when she returned, but Ravio tried his best to offer her a quiet space for herself. Her expression of gratitude made going behind Link's back all the more worth it.

Each parting meant a return.

When he last waved her goodbye. She seemed more quiet. She still looked at him warmly. Yet much more tired. Even as the others seemed oblivious to it.

But Ravio saw.

It lingered within his mind some time after. But he tried to argue with himself over what could have happened.

When he could think of nothing, he decided that the best course of action was to ask her in person. He wanted to help her, he wanted to ease her burdens, even a little.

So he waited for her return. Waited so he could ask her what he needed to do in order to take the weight that had been pressing down on her.

Waited so she could finally let herself have that moment of peace that had been so long coming.

...

.....

But she never came back....

No one did.

He waited and waited, waiting for her to return. Waiting for him to see the light in her eyes again.

He wanted to see her smile again. To hear that musical laugh.

Yet he waited. He waited as long as he could for her to come back but...she never did.

One month became two.

And neither she, nor Link and his companions returned.

'They...They're just delayed.' He rationalized in his head. From what Mr. Hero explained, they didn't get to choose where they went. So obviously they must have found a trail and went after that shadow.

Yes...it..it was a delay...they'll...she'll return...

Two months became three.

But no one came.

'What happened?' Ravio paced in the house, wringing his hands.

'Where did she go?'

He received no answer.

He got no response.

Only silence.

Silence that drove Ravio mad. A silence that only brought more questions.

Questions he could find no answers for.

(Why did they not return? Why were they delaying? What could possibly have happened?)

The silence was deafening and he loathed it.

"I...I just have to wait..." He whispered to himself, biting the tip of his thumb.

"I mustn't leave. She could return any day now." He shook his head, forcing his legs to start moving once more.

(He ignored the nagging feeling in his stomach that told him something horrible happened.)

He forced himself to stay still for a few moments. Breathing slowly. Slowly and deeply. Just...just until she returns. Just until she returns.

Just until she arrives, safe and sound, with a smile on her face and her eyes shining brightly like they had once before.

But the third month eventually led to four.

What happened? Why haven't they returned?

Had it been enemy? Had they've become trapped somewhere?

Had the heroes done something to her..?

Ravio's breathed hitched at the thought.

Why...why would he think that? He's seen how they act around her. Treating her like she created the stars in the sky.

They would never, never, do something that would lead harm to her.

(...But she's been so stressed lately.)

No. They wouldn't. They wouldn't do something like that. He knew that.

The heroes would never do something that could cause trouble between them and (y/n). They'd kill themselves before doing something that would harm her.

(But why did she only feel relaxed when away from them?)

He sighed, running a shaky hand through his hair, trying to calm the worry that plagued him.

They would be fine. (She'll be fine.)

He just has to believe that. They have to be fine.

'If anything happens, she knows she can always send a letter to me...right?.' he thought, had he ever told her that? Had he ever told her that even when traveling, she could always reach out to him?

Tears springing in his eyes as he buried his head in his palms.

What could have happened, what kept her away?

It wasn't his fault. He would never wish to cause her harm. He wanted her happy. (But he wasn't there with her all the time. The others though...)

The others...if they...if...he clenched his hands, taking deep breaths to keep himself from falling apart.

They...they wouldn't hurt her.

They may have become possessive, may have monitored her whereabouts...but they were...simply watching out for her...

...

...Right?

(But what if they crossed the line?)

A shudder ran through his body, his breathing becoming uneven again, panic starting to grip him. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop his thoughts from spiraling out of control.

No...there was no way they could hurt her. (They knew better than that.)

But...what (did they do) happened...

There was no way they wouldn't be connected to it.

What...(did they do) happened?

(It's going to alright. Any day now. Any day.)

Four led into five.

What (did they do) happened?

And on the sixth month, he's unable to bear the quiet anymore.

He sits at the table, head in his hands. He long since closed up the shop. Unable to think.

Sheerow resting on his shoulder, trying to comfort him even if the little bird knew it was useless.

He needs to know why. Where is she? Is she alright? Who took her? How did they get her?

The questions ate at his heart and tore open everything he thought he had been keeping locked away.

What did they do?

Where were they? Where was she?

(What did they do? It's all wrong.)

"What did they do..." He said to himself, voice breaking. "Where...where are they?"

There was no door opening behind him.

No one to come and greet him, to apologize for taking so long.

No warm smile that would have easily soothed away the pain that had settled in his heart, placed months ago.

He doesn't notice the tears that began dripping silently onto the table.

No one was coming. But he didn't want to leave and be proven wrong.

So he stayed there, staring at the table, letting the pain overtake him. Tears streaming from his eyes and the fear and pain in his heart only growing.

His knuckles turned white as he gripped his hair tightly, staring blankly at nothing.

Everything was hurting him but he just wanted them to come back.

His heart was hurting him but all he wanted was for her to come back.

What did they do....

What did they do to her. (He wanted to find her but he had to stay. He had to be ready for her return.)

What did they do. (He wanted to go but he had to wait for her to return.)

What did they do. (He had to wait for her to return.)

He couldn't leave. (He had to wait.)

(He couldn't leave. He had to wait.)

(He couldn't leave.)

And all the while, his world was crumbling apart.

What did they do...

---

His eyes were greeted to open skies and the sounds of battle.

..He was nowhere near where he should be.

(He shouldn't be here. She could be back and she would think he forgot about her)

He was in a daze as he walked. He didn't know how long he did.

(Why was it so hard to breathe? Why did his heart heart so much? What was happening? He shouldn't be here.)

He stumbled and hit the ground hard, shaking.

"Hey! You shouldn't be here!" He heard footsteps approach. Several.

"A civilian? Here?" "Where did he come from?"

".. need to go home.." He whispered. "I... shouldn't be here."

"Well you're right about that." One said as he stood before him, Ravio could see his boots.

Slowly, he looked up at the soldier who stared down at him.

"You seem lost little man." The soldier said, a mockingly kind smile on his lips.

"Maybe you should come with us to make sure we don't bring you any more danger."

Before he could reply another spoke up. "He's weird. Look at the state of him."

"Probably is sick." Another said. "In the head I mean"

Laughter rang out among their group.

The words didn't register in Ravio's brain and he blinked, looking at the other men who surrounded him. His mind felt fuzzy and confused, he could barely hear the words that fell from their mouths.

"you think we should-"

" don't wanna escort this guy-"

"-we don'-"

"Where...is she..." he asked quietly, trembling. (He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be here.)

"Where is...she..?" The soldiers looked at eachother, then at him.

The one in front of him, their leader, chuckled.

"Aw, missing someone?" The soldier asked sarcastically.

(How could they joke about this. About her. She could be in danger.)

Ravio swallowed hard, the lump forming in his throat making it harder to breathe.

The man crouched down, smirking.

"You know we could help you find her." He offered. "For a price."

The group chortled.

"Where is she..." He repeated, his voice crackling. "Where..is she?"

He choked as he spoke.

The soldier leaned closer, staring straight into Ravio's brown eyes with an expression Ravio couldn't quite place. "You know, maybe this place has a bunch of dangerous monsters ." The man purred, a sinister glint in his eyes.

(Monsters? no no, she shouldn't be near monsters. She could get hurt...she could get hurt.)

"Who knows? Maybe she ran off, maybe she got cornered." Ravio let out a low whine at his comment, which made the group laugh again.

"That or she's dead."

'No. No.' He didn't want her dead. She had to be safe. She couldn't be dead. "No. Please, please...No." He whimpered.

The soldiers kept laughing. "Ohh. So sad. You must miss her, don't you?" He cooed.

"Please, don't say that-"

"Sorry. but that's war for you.." Their leader said. "There are a lot of casualties. She isn't special."

Ravio's breathing quickened, his body trembling violently.

(Her gone. Dead. Gone. Gone. She's not coming back.)

"What are we going to do with him..." Another soldier asked. "We have to finish patrols."

(She can't be gone. She can't. She can't be. She had to be safe.)

Their leader shrugged as he stood up.

"Where is she?" he repeated, hand reaching out to the soldier, only for him to kick it away, but Ravio didn't care about that. "Where is she?"

"Leave him. Seems deranged. Not our business." They continued walking past him, leaving Ravio in the dust.

(She's not gone. she's not. She's not.)

Ravio stood up, his breath quickening.

"Where is she.." He kept asking, His eyes widened, tears welling once again.

(Please...please, don't tell me she's gone.)

"already told you. Probably dead. Just accept it." Another soldier replied, walking past him to follow his friend. (Please...please.)

He gripped his head, shaking it.

(Nonononononononononono)

(She's not gone.)

He didn't feel himself letting go of his head. Didn't feel himself reach into his expandable pouch, the one he always carried because she told him it was always good to be ready for any situation.

Feel as he pulled out a weapon and turn to face the walking group.

(She's not deadShe's not deadThey know where she isThey are hiding herThey are trying to hurt her.)

He felt something inside him snap and suddenly, he shot out like a bullet towards the group.

The group hadn't realized what was happening, not until he was upon them, not until he grabbed the shoulder of the one who spoke to him and forced him to face him.

(What did you do.)

"Where is she." He rasped out. raising the hammer over his head with one arm.

"Where is she."

And He swung right at the soldier's head.

---

...What did you do Hero?

---

"What. Did. You. Do..." Ravio rasped out at Warriors. Frowning, staring right at the pale faced hero.

"You...remember...?" Warriors breathed.

(How was this possible? How could he remember? The probability of his sword brothers remembering was high, but the merchant?)

"Where is she?" Ravio took a step forward, never once taking his eyes off Warriors.

Warriors simply stared back, unable to properly register this situation.

"Where is she...? What did you do? Tell me, Hero. What did you do to her?!" Ravio demanded, slowly reaching down and grabbing the hammer's handle.

"..I-"

"Sir!" The soldier tried to step forward as Ravio grabbed his weapon but Warriors kept his arm up.

"You..." Ravio's voice trembled, "You were all supposed to come back. She was supposed to come back."

Warriors was quiet, trembling.

"I waited. But no one came." The Lorule merchant's lips twitched into a crooked smile.

"No one CAME! No one! Not you! Not her!" He laughed hysterically, pointing a trembling finger towards Warriors, "You were supposed to come back! You were supposed to keep her safe and happy!"

He let out a scream. His entire body shaking.

"Why didn't you come? You should have come back! I shouldn't be here!" He screamed.

"Ravio-" "Where is she!?" Warriors could only shake his head slowly at him.

"We...we-"

"WHERE IS SHE?!" He screamed louder.

"Ravio, please-"

"You promised!! You all promised to keep her safe! And you FAILED!!" Ravio screamed, he grabbed his hammer with both hands and he lunged towards Warriors.

"Get back!" Warriors shouted at the soldier behind him, dodging out to the way by jumping to the side.

"WHERE IS SHE!" He yelled, his head followed Warriors even as the hammer hit the ground, the impact breaking the surface swiftly.

"Please, listen to me!" Warriors shouted.

"I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!!"

Warriors continued to dodge as the hammer flew straight towards him. The force of the hammer hitting the wall where his head has been was felt even without touching it. A few stone shards flying across flying and onto the floor.

"Where is she? WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

Another slam. Another broken surface.

"Please! You have to listen to me!" Warrior pleaded looking back towards the other man.

"Sir this man is clearly insane-" The soldier was cut off by another slam, and another crack.

"Ravio, please." Warriors begged.

"SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE!!!" Ravio screamed. He continued to attack Warriors.

"I'm sorry." Was all Warriors could say.

Ravio sobbed, "I waited and waited." Ravio whispered, "But no one came."

"Ravio..."

"She could be back, and I'm HERE!" He screamed.

"She isn't..." Was all he could say to the merchant.

"I waited," Ravio cried, "She could have been in danger while I waited. I have to get rid of any danger. I have to find her."

"So you choose to kill our comrades?!" The soldier exclaimed, clamping his mouth shut as Warriors gave him a sharp look.

Ravio shook his head wildly again, groaning in pain.

"I have to get rid of the danger. I have to. She's not safe here."

"The soldiers...were a danger..." Warriors said, his words calm.

"Traitors..." Ravio groaned, "So many, I have to get rid of them. I have to kill them. She wouldn't be safe here. She doesn't KNOW."

"She's not here. But this place is not a threat anymore." Warrior stated, "You got rid of the enemies."

"Sir! You can't just-" Warriors gave the foolish soldier such a fierce glare, the man stumbled back.

Turning back to Ravio. He continued to speak calmly.

"You did well to get rid of the traitors," He continued, "Less enemies to harm her."

"I waited..." Ravio whimpered. "I waited so long."

"I'm sorry you did." He spoke softly, slowly stepping forward, not removing his eyes from the merchant's. "But I can explain what's happening, I can tell you how we can find her again."

Ravio looked at him.

"Find her again.." He mumbled back.

"Yes. We can find her again." He said gently, reaching out with one hand to touch Ravio's shoulder. Ravio flinched before relaxing slightly.

"You don't care about the rest of the world. Neither do I. Only She matters, right?" Ravio slowly nodded at him.

"We have to get rid of any traitors here." Warriors continued, "Get rid of any possible danger to her. We have to make sure this place is safe for her, right?"

"They...said they didn't know where she was..." Ravio said, still hesitant but less aggressive than before.

"They said they didn't know...but I knew they were lying..." He shook his head, blinking repeatedly, as if to clear his vision. "I knew better. Traitors always lie. I was going to force them to tell me, but they were stubborn, liars..."

"So you killed them." Warriors finished, nodding his head.

Ravio nodded his head again. "I...She's not here...w-where is she?" He repeated, his whole body trembling violently.

"...She's gone." Warriors replied.

Ravio stared at Warriors with wide eyes. "Gone...?"

"She...had to go somewhere.." Warriors said calmly, "We all did...it's why you're here too..."

"...Why I'm here..."

"Think about it, why would you be here?" Warriors asked Ravio, who continued to stand still. "You've been waiting patiently for her return. Why would you be here when she hasn't returned yet?"

"I..."

"It's alright. Just think. Why are you here. You remember this place don't you? Do you remember me? How we first met?"

"..War...Cia..." Ravio mumbled, his breathing heavy. Warriors nodded.

"The sorceress, the war she began. We are currently fighting her. Tell me Hero of Lorule," Warriors felt Ravio flinch under his hand, "How can you be here, how can we be fighting her if you were waiting for (y/n) back home?"

Silence filled the room for several moments, as Ravio stood there and processed everything that was said.

His gaze lowered to the ground, his eyes watering. His lip quivering.

Finally, he managed to look up at Warrior, fear in his eyes.

"She's...not.." He whispered, trailing off, but Warriors knew what he was asking.

"...She isn't..." Warriors replied, eyes softening as he thought of her, "But she is not here. You remember when you met her, right?"

Ravio nodded.

"But if you think about it, that point in time hasn't happened yet." Warriors reasoned, "So if you're here, and the point of time when you met her is farther down the line, what do you think that means..?"

"That she's still alive." Ravio answered quietly.

"Precisely."

"She's not dead." He said slowly. "She's...She's okay?"

"Right." Warriors smiled weakly.

"...Is she really alive?"

"She's not dead. That woman is very strong."

"Strong..." Ravio nodded, thinking of her. "She is very strong." He raised his head.

"What...what do we do?" He asked, wringing his bloodied hands, the fierce aggression that had been behind those eyes now settling, replaced with exhaustion and nervousness. "W-What should we do now?"

"..First we needed to meet up with the others, it's better to be around those you trust when feeling like this." Warriors explained, "Then we can decide on what to do next."

Ravio stared up at him, slowly nodding before looking around.

"...The...bodies..." Warriors looked at the corpses around them, eyes empty of any emotion.

"What about them?" He asked,

"Traitors..." Ravio muttered.

"We'll destroy the entrance to this cave..." He answered, "Lie and say an ambush took them out. They were never meant to live beyond the war anyways."

Ravio nodded, appeased by his response.

He shrugged, "Traitors don't live past their usefulness."

"How could you say that?!?" Warriors looked over his shoulder at the sudden outburst.

The soldier had his sword pointed at him. "These people risked their lives! And you decide to leave them here and take that...that monster with us?!??"

Warriors raised an eyebrow, "I don't see how you care, you abandoned them to save yourself."

"That...is not true!" The soldier shouted back, "I went to get help!!"

"You all saw Ravio here, decided to be drunk on power and harass a clearly out of sorts man." Warriors stated, turning to face the soldier, "And when he took out several of your 'comrades', despite your clear advantage in numbers, you decided escape was the better option."

The soldier, who's stance became slightly shaky, stepped backwards slightly, "Th...those are not...true."

Warrior chuckled, it was not a pleasant sound. "Oh...you didn't think I knew about your little group's power trips when left alone with any refugees?"

He looked at the soldier, "No. Of course I knew about that, I knew about the bribes you took to lie about reports, how you tried to lord your status as a soldier to get what you wanted out of civilians." Warriors tsk'd.

" What Ravio did to your comrades ...that wasn't part of your plan, was it? You wanted to use you authority to take advantage of a clearly unstable man and when it turned out to be a bad move, you abandoned your fellow men to save yourself."

He chuckled lightly, "A shame though; I might've gotten something of use out of them before I took them out myself."

"No...they-I....!" He exclaimed, sounding desperate. "I did this because I was forced to!"

"Always with an excuse." Warrior stated, looking at the soldier steadily, "But no matter, I had no plans to keep you alive the moment I realized who you cornered."

"You...You can't!"

"Traitors," He scoffed, "No matter how many of you are taken out, sooner or later, someone else will always step in to take your place."

He stared down the soldier, "So killing you really won't make much of a difference. But I suppose extermination of insects never is."

The soldier trembled violently.

"You're a monster!" He shouted at him, "You are nothing but a traitorous monster!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Warrior replied, "How very hurtful...and predictable, you all always say the same thing when you face judgement."

"Y...You'll pay for this!" He growled, lunging forward at the Hero.

"DIE!!!" The soldier shouted, raising his sword once more.

Warriors stood there calmly as the man charged forward.

But his attack never landed.

The soldier could only let out a gurgle noise as a blade pierced his neck from behind.

"One lesson I learned when dealing with traitors," Warriors said simply, as the soldier collapsed to the floor, "Always bring backup."

The soldier let out a choking gurgle, a hand trying to stem the blood escaping his neck.

Warriors slowly walked over to the dying man, staring at him.

"Hm...I just realized." Warriors commented, crouching down.

"But what was your name again?"

The soldier's eyes widened, a flash of rage passing through his eyes, but just as quickly as it appeared, it faded.

Along with the life that those eyes once held.

Warriors stared at the dead man for a moment before looking up.

"Thank you for the assistance, Time."

"You enjoy making me deal with your messes." Ravio jumped at the young voice that came out of nowhere.

He blinked, and suddenly, a young boy was standing next to Warriors and the corpse, a grey, stone like mask in his hand.

The boy was familiar...

"...The...old man..." Ravio uttered, still blinking in confusion.

The deceivingly young hero looked up at him and nodded.

"I'd say it's good to see you again merchant, but I doubt you wanted to wake up here in the first place." He said as he reached over and pulled out his sword from the corpse.

Ravio twitched but nodded all the same.

Warriors stood up, dusting his pants, "Where's Sailor?"

"Getting the bombs ready to seal up this place." Time answered, flicking the blood off his sword.

Warriors nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to face Ravio.

"We're heading out now."

"Also, here." Time reached into his pouch and pulled out something large.

Ravio blinked. Oh, his hood.

The child hero tossed the hood over to the merchant who caught it.

"Alright then, follow me." Warriors began walking away, Time following.

"Will we...see her soon?" Ravio asked quietly, Warriors didn't pause.

"We will, eventually...but for now, we need to wait just a bit longer."

Ravio shifted in place.

He...didn't want to wait anymore. He was tired of waiting.

...But this time he wasn't the only one waiting, was he?

"If she isn't at the end..." Ravio said after a moment, "...then I'll kill you"

"...And I'd let you." Warriors answered as he kept walking. Time silently following, but the glance he gave the Lorule merchant said the same thing.

Ravio was free to kill them if she wasn't there.

Absorbing that answer, Ravio silently followed them.

---

Ravio silently stared at the letter and his bracelet on the table.

The captain hadn't informed him of what were the contents within, but he said it would help his counterpart greatly.

Tomorrow he would head into Hyrule to find Link.

The war had helped him get his mind settled straight.

Guided by the three heroes, he was able to learn control over his emotions, able to have a plan to focus on. It helped, when he returned to a desolate Lorule, one without it's Triforce. One where Hilda was manipulated by Yuga.

But not that he had a problem hiding his thoughts.

Who would expect cowardly ol' Ravio?

Ravio stared at the bracelet and letter. Thinking about everything that would happen, what could happen.

Just a little longer and he'll see her again.

He just had to wait a little longer. He wasn't the only one who prayed she was at the end.

He wondered how Link was handling this. A part of him worried for his Hyrulian counterpart. (Understandable really, to be away from her was utter pain.)

He hoped she was there.

Because Ravio, he didn't want to kill them.

Because killing them meant she wasn't there.

So he hoped, hoped that he didn't have to kill them.

He didn't want to even consider the idea that she wasn't there.

So he wasn't going to kill them. Because she was going to be there. He just had to wait a bit longer.

Whatever punishment he could come up with was nothing compared to what they must all be feeling. So he will meet his counterpart with an open mind. (Only when she was back, safe and sound, would he speak to him about it.)

He sighed, setting the two items in his desk and headed towards his bed.

He fell asleep early that night, he wanted tomorrow to come soon.

Because then he's one step closer being with her again.

...

(His heart still hurt. The world was still so cold.)

#side stories #TTAU: Side Stories #linked universe #yandere linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu #loz #lu ravio #Lu warriors #lu time #(y/n)#linked universe x y/n

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wolveria · 3 months

Text

The Raven's Hymn - Ch 50

Pairing: SCP-049 x Reader

Series Warnings: Eventual smut, dubcon, slow burn, violence, horror, death, monsters, human experiments, dark with a happy ending

Chapter Summary: “This is insane. We’re going to die down here.”

Chapter Warnings: SCP-106's pocket dimension

AO3

Spotify

It wasn’t infinite darkness once you had a moment to let your eyes adjust. It only seemed infinite in the dim light and the oddity of the room. You stood within a central foyer constructed of colorless brick, gaping doorways, each leading down a dark tunnel away from the circular room.

The purpose of the room was obvious. It was the beginning of a maze, a game that would be played among unwilling participants for the sadistic pleasure of their captor. You weren’t sure how the game was watched, but you doubted 106 would want to miss any of the fun and games.

This was his domain. Perhaps he saw all. If he saw you coming, that was fine with you. Better that then to surprise him.

Each doorway looked the same, equally dark and foreboding and entirely unhelpful. The shadows pervaded everything without a source of light, an unnatural realm that didn’t obey the laws of reality as you were used to. You had a feeling that was important. Maybe it didn’t matter which way you chose, just as long as you had a destination in mind.

You turned to Leahy, about to order him to move, but he was hunched over as if to catch his breath. He also gave you a strange look, and you automatically glanced down.

You were… glowing. Or not glowing, but as if the darkness of this place didn’t touch you, and in the end, it was the same result. You shone like a soft beacon, and it would be impossible to hide your presence.

Leahy’s uneven, labored breaths continued, his skin pale as he clutched his leg above the wound, and it seemed to grow worse by the minute.

“What’s wrong with you?”

He didn’t, or couldn’t, respond, as if it took all of his concentration to remain upright. You made a frustrated noise, stalked forward, and grabbed the sleeve of his dress shirt, yanking it up his forearm. As soon as your fingers clasped around his wrist, he took in a large gulp of air.

The same glow/absence of darkness surrounded him, and some color returned to his cheeks as he no longer looked on the verge of death.

Great. You fixed the problem, but now you had to hold onto him like a wayward child dragged around by his mother. His expression wasn’t far off, a bitter, wary frown that made you want to grab him by the scuff of his nape instead.

He didn’t thank you, but he did say, “This is insane. We’re going to die down here.”

An interesting way to put it. This dimension did feel downward, as if you were buried beneath the layers of reality in a place no digger could reach. Not a comforting thought.

But all you said was, “Be quiet,” and tugged him along. He followed, albeit unwillingly and at a slower pace thanks to his limp, but he did follow.

The corridor stretched onward, and even after several minutes you felt like you hadn’t gone anywhere at all. So, you stopped trying to go somewhere and just… walked. You emptied your thoughts until nothing remained, a blank determination to keep moving.

The labyrinth wanted you to grow tired, panicked, and riddled with fear. When you gave it nothing it could find pleasure in, that’s when you felt the way give, and before you lay a dark, open room. Only a narrow walkway over a chasm could be seen, and you walked forward without pause, otherwise it might be seen as hesitation.

Leahy didn’t make it easy, his uneven gait behind you threatened to throw you off balance. He better hope he didn’t, because you would take the bastard with him.

You did jolt to a stop when something massive and heavy whooshed inches from your nose. A large stone something moved in the dark, weaving in and over the pathway, a mad man’s puzzle that one was meant to solve while blind.

“We have to turn around,” Leahy growled past your head. “It’s a trap.”

“It’s a test,” you corrected him with a snap. Funny how he thought his opinion was wanted in any shape or form. “And if we go back, I guarantee we’ll end up right back in this room. Now shut up and let me think.”

There wasn’t much to think about. It was all timing, and you couldn’t see the way the pillar moved in the dark to find the rhythm.

Fuck it.

You dug your fingers into Leahy’s wrists and moved as soon as the pillar slid past your face. Your movement nearly tipped the man off balance, but he found his footing and stuck annoyingly close. Unfortunately, it was the best plan. The smaller a target you made, the less likely to go plunging into the depths.

The pillar continued to move in the darkness, an ominous low vibration marking where it passed, sometimes so close the displaced air tugged at your clothes and hair.

And then you were on the other side, untouched and unbroken. The rush that flooded your veins was dangerously satisfying, like you’d played Russian Roulette with the devil and watched as he blew out his own brains.

But there wasn’t time to gloat. You tugged Leahy along before he could fully catch his breath again, but at least he didn’t complain past a weakly uttered curse.

This corridor was different. It seemed to expand the longer you traveled, the bricks made of tan-colored stone, the grout crimson and tacky like blood. It gave the uncomfortable sensation of walking in a house made of flesh, and the rooms you passed with stone cells hanging from the ceiling did nothing to help that image.

You pushed forward and did your best to ignore the soft crying and moans that came from within.

The crimson grout seemed to spill outward until the stone was drenched in the color of blood everywhere you looked. The passage continued to expand until you stood inside a space that could only be described as a throne room. There was no lighting, no decorations, save for a massive stone seat that sat in its middle. The room was so dark it took a moment to realize the chair was occupied.

106, a grotesquely large version of him, leaned forward in his throne. There was a curious glint to his endless black eyes, his skeletal grin depicting malicious glee or hunger of the flesh. It was difficult to say.

The entity didn’t speak, if he even could. Instead, he simply… waited. Watching.

He knew why you were there, then.

By Leahy’s pale expression as he sized up the behemoth, he was starting to figure it out, too.

Your words were flat.

“Get on your knees.”

“No.”

To his credit, his voice didn’t shake, but you could feel the tremble that had started up within his bones.

You released his wrist. The glow blinked out like a burnt bulb, and he immediately gasped for air, gravity doing the work of collapsing him into a kneeling position.

The entity eyed the Site Director with barely contained hunger, but you stood behind Leahy and grabbed him by the nape of his neck, just as you imagined earlier. The glow returned, as well as the air to his lungs, and he spit out a guttural, “God… damn you, Reid.”

You ignored him, your hold on him firm when he attempted to struggle. But he was too weak, too overcome with pain and blood loss, and you didn’t need 714 to keep him under control.

You looked 106 in the eye.

“Am I to assume the Site Director had countermeasures in his office you couldn’t breach?”

Leahy had been entrenched, trapped, easy prey. 106 hadn’t attacked. A clever fox wouldn’t enter the hen house when the floor was covered in snares, but he would wait for them to come out, feeling safe and assured by the light of day.

Silence. Or… mostly silence. There was a low, gurgling noise coming from somewhere within the anomaly, like an eternally ravenous stomach that demanded to be fed.

“Well, here he is. And you know what I want.”

You said it anyway so there was no mistake.

“SCP-049.”

You were forced to hold on tighter to the back of Leahy’s neck as balked.

“Reid,” Leahy gasped out, desperate. “You can’t trust him. You can’t trust them!”

“Like I could trust you?”

Your words bit, colored by the rage that always simmered beneath the surface.

“Like you gave me a choice? As if I wanted to put the entire facility at risk? Put my friends and coworkers and the anomalies in danger? As if I wanted any of this—Shut up!” you snarled and cut through whatever he was going to say.

The entity remained silent, but the glittering eyes spoke of interest and amusement.

“I want to see him,” you hissed through your teeth as you glared upward at the entity. “Alive, or no deal.”

What you lacked in confidence you made up for with anger. There might not be much you could do if 106 decided to dismiss the bargain and simply take what he wanted. But you were done with anomalies using you for their own means, and there was no guarantee he could overpower you.

You remembered the test. Those black eyes glittering with something other than malice and hunger. You didn’t forget the fear you saw, and you were sure he hadn’t forgotten either.

Come on. You were counting on his predictability. 106 was a predator, but not always the pursuing kind. Sometimes he would lie in wait. Other times, perhaps he just wanted an easy meal.

This was a show for his benefit, proof you were a hunter, too. All you were doing was swapping prizes. His prey for yours.

Come on, you bastard. Come on.

And then 106 moved. He leaned back in his throne, his posture relaxed, lazy, a king before his trope of jesters.

You ground your teeth together. He wasn’t going for it. Why would he? Even if you escaped the pocket dimension, he count hunt Leahy on his own terms. You weren’t giving him anything he didn’t already have—

The wall to your right moved in an odd way. It bubbled outward, as if boiling on the surface, and then something broke through. It was difficult to make out the shape, nondescript and dark, some kind of fabric…

…And a white beak.

The figure slid from the wall, and you released Leahy the moment it hit the ground.

It wasn’t a great distance to run, maybe seven meters, but by the time you reached him it was as if you’d run a marathon, your breaths harsh and hitching. You grabbed his shoulders and rolled him onto his back, your hands desperate on his robes as if to prove he was real.

He was barely conscious, his grey eyes hidden behind heavy lids, unable to focus as his gaze slid past your face. The same glow illuminated him thanks to your touch, but he didn’t recover like Leahy had. Whatever had been done to him wasn’t surface level damage.

There was a scream, so full of agony and fear that you froze, instinctively looking up for the source of what could cause such a noise.

Leahy was sinking into the ground, or it was swallowing him. One of his hands had gotten free, but the other vanished into the black floor, his legs and knees already disappeared.

The hand that remained clawed outside the ravenous circle, as if to pull himself free. Leahy’s fingers dug at the tile for purchase, but he continued to sink, the floor now up to his waist.

You turned back to 049 and pushed out everything else. He must have been able to feel your grasp on his shoulders, his head tilted in your direction, but his eyes couldn’t focus—

Another panicked scream. Another involuntary turn of your head. Leahy wasn’t clawing at the ground now. He was reaching out. To you.

You tried to ignore him. You did, up until he cried out your name. Not your last name, but your first. You hadn’t known he’d even bothered to learn it.

Your hands shook as you pulled 049 into a sitting position, his weight difficult to move. You had to get him out. He wasn’t going to get better, not here, and you had to leave.

You had to leave.

“Get up,” you choked out with a desperate tug on his arm. “049, get up!”

Bit by bit, you managed to get him to his feet. He staggered and swayed dangerously, but you kept him upright, propped against your shoulder. Your journey back to the corridor was a drunken shamble, but there was progress.

You shut your eyes tight, fighting to block out the cries of Leahy begging you not to go, not to leave him like this. His pleas for mercy created a trapped scream in your throat.

Why didn’t 106 just kill him already?! But you knew the answer to that. 106 couldn’t have fun with them after death. You wished he would just end it, if only to stop the screams.

Each step was a battle, each breath too fast and shallow. 049 didn’t sound much better, his lungs rattled and wheezed, his arm draped over your shoulders heavy and boneless.

You couldn’t tell if the screams had finally stopped through the ringing in your ears, and you couldn’t see past the faint glow that surrounded you both. Like a lantern-lit ship in the mist, you sailed through a sea of inky black, unable to tell the waves from the sky. There was no direction, no physical space, not even a change of temperature. The darkness was so complete it suffocated.

It might have continued for minutes or centuries until your foot caught on a hard barrier and launched you forward. You clung to 049 as you fell, and fell, and hit the ground with a surprisingly soft landing.

Not that the ground was soft. It was hard, cold, and entirely too bright. Everything was bright, and you blinked the pain away until the room came into focus.

The medical bay, exactly as you left it—or almost. Aside from you and 049, the room was empty. 682 and 079 were gone.

Behind you, the black portal in the wall faded until it was a faint rust color, the surface stained but solid. It seemed 106 wasn’t in the mood for any more visitors.

Your hands were immediately on 049’s robes, checking for any obvious signs of injuries, feeling for his heartbeat and the rise and fall of his chest. He was unconscious, the last of his strength used to get him this far.

It was the last of yours, too. You pressed your cheek against his shoulder, curled up against him where he lay on his side. He smelled of things tainted from entropy. Rust and ruin and dust.

But his scent was still there, trapped under the bitter note of 106’s noxious lair. You buried your face in the hollow space under his hood, your nose against his neck. His familiar scent was there, both a comfort and an ache in your chest.

He was alive, he was breathing, but what if he didn’t wake? You didn’t know what 106 had done to him, or how to help him. No one at the Foundation had ever been able to keep 106’s victims alive more than a few hours, and you had no working equipment even if you knew what to do.

You were exhausted, in pain, tired and filthy. Worse, you were helpless. 049 was here, but he might already be gone.

What had been the point? What had been the goddamn point of it all if you couldn’t even save him!

You’d taken too long, been too slow. You were too late. You were too late—

Faint pressure on your back as a pair of arms slowly encircled you, and 049’s cheek pressed against the side of your head. Careful, gentle, and warm.

Alive.

You breathed.

#scp 049 x reader #scp 049 fanfiction #the raven's hymn #scp fanfiction #scp 106 #my writing #source: me stumbling through 106's pocket dimension way too many times #each time i made it out was a miracle

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angelkissiies · 10 months

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this is what you came for

leon kennedy x reader

˗ˏˋ cw : SMUT, mdni, fingering, squirting, public (semi public?), alcohol consumption, allusion to driving under the influence (do NOT do that) | wc : 2.2k ´ˎ˗

The air was sticky with sweat as you followed Claire into the darkened hallway, her hand clasped in yours tightly to avoid losing you in the masses of people moving about the club. Though it didn't help much as a man pushed between the two of you, sending you stumbling slightly away from the girl for a moment before you regained your composure, throwing a glare towards the mans retreating figure, brushing it off as you made your way forward. You squinted as you stepped into the main area of the club, the lights hitting you first, bright neons swinging around the room wildly– stopping occasionally to shine on a random person dancing in the crowd, and then came the music– some pop song you vaguely recognized from the radio echoing through the corridors as you came to a stop near the edge of the crowd. You could barely hear yourself think, let alone be able to track down three social butterflies in their natural habitat. You couldn’t deny that part of you was itching to turn around and go home– or at the very least wait outside for the group to have their fun without you, whilst the other nursed a sense of thrill that coursed through your veins.

“They said they are somewhere in here.” The brunette stated, yelling over the music as she glanced back at you before moving to scan the room, she was more comfortable than you’d ever seen her– dressed in a skirt that served as a second skin and a red tube top– something much different than her normal attire, but she looked good– you couldn’t deny that.

You turned your back to her for a moment, eyes cast across the room in an attempt to locate the gaggle of men, falling short as people crowded around– blocking your view of the other side of the room. “Claire–,’ You began, turning on your heel to find the girl gone. “Shit.” You chewed on the inside of your cheek, debating the best course of action, before shaking off the nagging anxiety that dared to pool in your stomach– braving the crowd as you pushed further into the mass of people. “Claire? Jill?” She surely couldn't have gone that far in such a small window of time, at least you hoped that was the case, the latter being that she was just as lost as you were.

No end was in sight, the lights suddenly stilling, making the room delve into putrid darkness– the smell of alcohol and sweat hanging heavily in the air. You took a sharp breath, head feeling fuzzy due to the cocktail you’d drunk getting ready, suddenly finding the room less intimidating than it had been before– the prospect of finding the team slowly beginning to fade to the back of your mind as you felt the bass move up your body, filling your chest with vibrations that made your breath hitch.

The bright neon light came back to life, only now as a kind of warped spotlight– interchanging colors landing on people at random as the music switched to something you finally knew. A hint of a smile rose on your lips as you closed your eyes, letting the music move you, unknowing to the eyes that had come to settle on you from across the dance floor.

Leon Kennedy found himself to be just as lost as you’d become in the haze of the club, his rum long discarded as he wandered aimlessly around the room– sliding by more couples than he could count doing (what seemed like) more than dancing. “Sorry,” He muttered as he bumped into a passerby, words falling upon deaf ears as he shifted his gaze to peer across the crowd, a semblance of normalcy filling his chest as his eyes finally locked on you. It was clear you hadn’t managed to find the group yet, your scantily clad body moving to the music with your eyes screwed shut, the image of you disappearing and reappearing with every flash of light overhead. It felt somewhat like a fever dream, tunnel vision obstructing his stable mind as he remained glued in place.

You felt a burning begin to overtake your body, warmth flooding your senses as your eyes snapped open, feeling a lingering gaze from somewhere you couldn’t pinpoint. Your face was flushed, small panting breaths leaving your lips as you continued to move– watching for the person responsible for the pounding that had now taken to your heart. With a slight hesitation, your feet stumbled to a stop, eyes fixed straight ahead as your stomach twisted into instantaneous nervous knots.

There, leaning against the metal support beam, was Leon. His usually choppy bangs slicked back to reveal his sharp stare– gaze unwavering as you finally clocked him. A small semblance of a smirk rising on his lips as you watched the lights fly around him– shrouding him in an intense burst of color every now and again. “Leon,” You mouthed, to no one but yourself as you dared to take a step towards him.

In all the years you’d known the man, you realized you’d never seen him quite like this. Under the coruscating neons, the rough exterior he carted around like a weapon seemed to drop– allowing his true nature to shine through. Much like the alcohol coursing through your system, he had filled you with a feeling you didn’t think you’d be able to replicate, the thrill from before pulsating with every step you took towards the man.

Much like a moth to a flame, he followed suit, hands moving to push up his sleeves to reveal his toned forearms as he pushed through the groups of people keeping him from you. His feet dragged against the sticky liquor coated concrete as he found himself unable to tear his gaze from yours, it was like he had found a way to capture himself in your gravity– moving as you did, a muse of energy begging to collide.

He stopped before you, looking down upon your wordless figure with a mixture of nerves and taut restraint. A ghost of a smirk rose on his lips, a hand suddenly outstretching to ask for your own, heart thudding under his just barely buttoned back top.

You raised your hand to meet his own, connecting in a moment of senseless intimacy amongst the crowds of unbridled social alienation. As you allowed his fingers to lace with your own, his free hand scooped behind you to pull you flush to his chest– a small gasp falling from your lips as your gaze never faltered, an unspoken communion between the two of you.

The lights overheard came to a stop, a heavy red coating the two of you, drowning you in a dusky moment of pure unadulterated tension as Leon dipped down to level his mouth with the soft shell of your ear– hot breath causing goosebumps to rise on your skin as he spoke. “Let's get out of here.”

You nodded, tongue swiping out to wet your lips as you felt him begin to pull back, your hand shooting out to wind in the soft silk of his inky button up. You hesitated as his face leveled with your own, his hand drifting further down your back, eyes piercing your innermost thoughts as you inched forwards to brush the soft flesh of his lips with your own– a shill shuddering through your body as you released a soft sigh at the feeling. “Lets.. Let's go.” You managed, willing yourself to pull away.

Leon felt his chest swell, unable to resist much longer, his hand tightening in your own as he practically dragged you towards the exit– any and all will he once held to find the group was long forgotten, the only thing on his mind now was the electricity your kiss had alight within him– a live wire he couldn’t shake. “My bike is out back,” He hummed lowly, pushing the double doors leading outside open– the cool night air rushing over your feverish bodies as he did not falter in his step. At this point in time, not even Umbrella Corp would be able to take his mind off of what he wanted, the constant lingering of your plush lips on his own driving as searing need into his stomach.

As the two of you turned the corner of the building, a deep sigh left the man's mouth, grip tightening as he spun you around to press your back against the rough brick exterior– the ability to withhold exiting his body as he crashed his lips onto yours, eliciting a whine from you. “I’m sorry,” He began as he broke away for a moment, steely gaze causing a heat to pool in between your thighs, desperation soaking his words. “Tell me to stop.”

You blinked in surprise, mouth opening and closing as you looked up at him– lips swollen from the ferocity of his touch. “W-what?” You spoke in a whisper, his gaze wandering to your lips before sinking lower to the exposed flesh of your thighs– your skirt beginning to ride up.

“Tell me to stop, or i am going to rip that fucking skirt off of you, Right here, right now..” He growled, hand coming to grip your chin, directing your eyes to meet his. “Tell. Me. To. Stop.”

The words caused a thick haze of pink to coat your cheeks, yet you couldn’t bring yourself to speak. You couldn’t deny him, because in doing so– you’d be denying yourself. There was no explanation to the way his touch clouded your mind, none other than the obvious, so as he watched your eyes with an intensity he could only describe as lust– he snapped.

Leon’s hands navigated to the hem of your skirt, pushing up the material until it was bunched around your waist, his hand moving to cup the outline of your cunt through the black lace panties you sported. “Need this as much as I do, huh?” He groaned, the wetness seeping through the fabric to speak for your own state of mind.

A gasp tore from your throat as you felt his touch draw up to the hem of your panties, pushing past the waistband to dip into your core. His fingers grazing your clit, sending a shockwave of pleasure into your stomach, your teeth sinking into your lip to control the noises that tempted your lips. “Leon,” You whimpered, hips trying to grind down on his thick fingers, his own mouth falling open at the sensation of your arousal soaking his hand. “Leon, please.”

The man felt a rush of arousal course through his veins at the sound of his name, his head dipping down to go to work on your neck– his tongue tracing your jugular as he pressed a single digit into your core. “Be quiet for me, baby.” He whispered, a dark chuckle tempting his lips. “Don’t want anyone inside to hear, do you?”

You attempted a feeble shake of your head, mouth opening to answer him as he pressed a second finger into your cunt– causing a moan to rip from your swollen lips. “Fuck, Leon, ..fingers are so.. thick.” You managed through broken gasps, the harsh thrusting of his fingers causing your knees to weaken, your body flush against his as he held you still.

The blonde chuckled, resisting to make a joke in bad taste as he finger fucked you into oblivion, his hand soaked with your arousal as he curled inside of you– massaging the spongey spot sitting just inside your cunt. He wanted more than this, you both knew that, but as he felt your walls constrict around him– he felt as if he could spend the rest of his life doing this, forever just exploring the way your body reacted to him. “C’mon, pretty girl.” He urged, bringing his thumb up to circle your clit roughly. “I know you can do it, give it to me.”

A hot ache grew in your stomach as he grunted in your ear, a pulsating overtaking your cunt as he used his free hand to cup your breast– squeezing it through the fabric of your top. “I,” You breathed, a sharp whine leaving your throat as you felt the burning course through your veins– your hands latching onto his shoulders as you trembled under his towering frame. The wetness soaked fully through the cotton of your panties, covering his hand and the insides of your thighs in a warm clear liquid. “I–, Christ.” You breathed, the words a sharp whisper compared to the music that was seeping out of the building.

Leon slipped his fingers out of your panties, popping the two digits into his mouth, a stifled groan tempting his throat as he tasted you. He drew his gaze down to meet your own, taking in your blown, wide eyes as he did so. “Sweet girl.” he remarked, his hands moving to smooth your skirt down, covering the mess he’d just made of you. “C’mon.” He spoke softly, though the tentative edge in his voice stayed, making you bite the inside of your cheek as you allowed him to drag you to his bike.

“Where are we going?” You asked, feeling him settle before you on the bike, his foot moving down to throw the kickstand back as he twisted the throttle– allowing the bike to rev its engine. The sound sending your arms around his waist.

The man turned slightly to look at you, eyes scanning the flush of your post orgasm face, biting back a smirk. “You thought this ended here?”

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crawlingforwardx · 2 months

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starter for @curlpower

They had spent the last few years in a seemingly infinite darkness but at last they had reached the light at the end of the tunnel. With no more Vecna and the Upside Down permanently sealed off from bleeding into their world, they could finally just breathe again. Of course, no victory ever came without it's tolls; people had died and much of Hawkins had been destroyed in the chaos. The community pretty much had to rebuild from the ground up while simultaneously trying to heal from their shared grief and trauma but eventually they were able to come out on the other side of it.

It took awhile for Hawkins to be fully functional again and when it finally was, Steve finally got to celebrate with Nancy by taking her out on a real date. A Fun Fair was the perfect event to signal a new beginning for Hawkins and for their second chance as well. His fingers laced through hers as they paid for their tickets and strolled through the front entryway, it felt a lot like walking into Disneyland for the first time. Probably because the last few years had been so crazy but he definitely had a new appreciation for little things like this.

Still soaking in all the bright colorful lights from the rides and the delicious smell of fried foods from the stalls, Steve's not entirely sure where they should start when there was so much they could do. The Ferris Wheel was must, obviously, but maybe they save that for the end. They could play some games and win some prizes or ride the Tilt-a-Whirl until they genuinely felt too dizzy to walk a straight line. "What do you want to do first?" He asks looking over at Nancy with a small grin as he leaves the choice to her, affectionately squeezing her hand. "I mean, we have all the time in the world now, baby. So what are you feeling?"

#curlpower #( v: the light at the end of the tunnel. )#( thread: curlpower. )#// I hope this is okay!

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yes-im-youtube-kids · 2 months

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I developed the sudden inability to read for more than 80 consecutive seconds. Solution?

Incorrect quotes, obviously :)

Applebees: There are three ways to handle a difficult situation. The right way, the wrong way, and the YTK way. Firehouse: Isn't that the wrong way? Applebees: Yes, but it's faster.

Incognito: How does one turn their emotions off? Firehouse: Okay, so first go to settings. Firehouse: I'm a fucking idiot, I thought that said emojis at first. Incognito: No, I'm still willing to try this, go ahead. I'm at settings, what do I do next?

Bless Your Heart: A pessimist sees a dark tunnel. Google: An optimist sees light at the end of the tunnel. Shakespeare: A realist sees a freight train. YTK: The train driver sees three idiots standing on the tracks.

Sephora: SK likes to say ‘you can be part of the problem or part of the solution,’ but I happen to believe you can be both.

Pandora: I have one brain cell and it bounces around in my skull like a windows screen saver. Pandora: When it hits a corner perfect, I’m allowed one good idea.

YTK: I CAN'T DO IT! SK, laughing: I CAN'T EITHER! YTK: I CANT FUCKING DO IT ANYMORE Official Petsmart: WELL I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, YOU CAN EITHER GIVE UP NOW, OR YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT. BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU, AND WE KNOW YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT US. YTK: YTK: I appreciate it, YTK: BUT LOOK WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH- Opera Real: YTK- YTK: YOU GOTTA DRAW THE LINE SOMEWHERE! Bless Your Heart: YTK we gotta- YTK: YOU GOTTA DRAW A FUCKING LINE IN THE SAND. YOU GOTTA MAKE A STATEMENT. YTK: YOU GOTTA LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF AND SAY 'What am I willing to put up with today?' YTK, motioning to Google: NOT FUCKING THIS!

Target Official: Do you support gay rights? Firehouse: I’m literally gay. Publix: They’re avoiding the question!

Sephora: So the other day I sent SK out to get us some gas. Sephora: And instead of getting gas, they got us novelty cookie cutters. Sephora: Now everything we eat is shaped like a dinosaur. Sephora: … Sephora: I love them so much/p.

Target Official: It’s nice to be wanted, you know? Publix: Not by the law!

Incognito: Alright, which one of us is gonna check outside? Opera Real: Not it! Pandora: Not it! Incognito: …Neither one of you are as dumb as you lead on to be.

Official Petsmart: I think you're still suffering the effects of your party last night. Shakespeare: All I drank was Redbull! Official Petsmart: How many? Shakespeare: Eighteen.

This one was so fucking fun :DDD

@esrathebaard @firehouse-subs-fr @incognito-mode-official @i-bless-your-heart @the-real-google @shakespeare-official-account @real-sephora @spotify-kids-real @official-petsmart @operagxreal @its-target-official @the-official-publix

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peculiarxafternoon · 2 years

Text

pile 1 pile 2 pile 3

𝙥𝙖𝙘: 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙡

in a world where we, now more than ever, are aware of how small our existence is, it is rather easy to get lost in the sea of possibilities, media, and numbers. however, if a butterfly's wings fluttering can result in a hurricane, surely one's breath can cause mountains to move, no?

wake up, world. open up your eyes, open up your mind.

in this pac reading, you will receive:

i. a discovery of your true self

ii. a revelation on how you change the world by being you

iii. an ateez song from their newest album "the world: ep 1 – movement" that suits you

! for entertainment purposes only!

! constructive criticism and feedback are welcome!

! decks used: rider waite tarot deck, mermaid tarot, astrological oracle cards!

pile 1

i. your true self

(cards: ace of swords, five of pentacles x2, nine of cups rx, three of cups, knight of pentacles, three of wands rx, capricorn)

conflicted between calculations and leisure, your true self seems to want it all. you want the fame, the money, the luxury, you want the parties and the fun, you want the easy, sweet life after the tough, humble beginnings. a saviour complex for yourself only, it seems you wish to be the underdog who made it happen with the help of your strong will and undeniable charm. there's not much that you wish for, still, just a straight path from point a to point b, all that you want neatly packed in a gift box, there. your true self wants to escape the poverty, the lack, the absence. you keep chasing and chasing without finding the end to your tunnel, yet impatience never got anyone anywhere. you're but at the beginning of your journey, so keep calm and continue through the seemingly abyssal path. your eyes have yet to get used to the darkness, and the light is far from here. one by one, your wishes will come true, only once you accept that you do, in fact, want to achieve greatness, and that, in time, you will. there's a drive inside you, a push to get you far. your true self is full of ambition – don't cut its wings.

ii. how you change the world

(cards: queen of pentacles, three of cups, nine of cups, nine of wands, the lovers, the high priestess)

the world changes as you change with it. the more you grow, the more you start to believe in yourself and your abilities, the more your environment responds to who you are becoming. the world changes by your ability to balance out the good and the bad, the boundaries and the divided seas. channel your true self more when you feel ready to, no matter the situation or the formality of it. whether you're out with your lover or at a meeting, you shine when you let your energy freely flow – and your light reflects on everyone around you. once you accept that you deserve more, and once you understand that you already have it, your environment will change to match your mindset. the world changes when you realise you're part of it, but it's also part of you, too.

iii. ateez song that suits you

— wake up the world with thunder, we are

we are unstoppable like a storm

thank you for reading <3

pile 2

i. your true self

(cards: eight of wands rx, queen of swords, the hierophant, five of wands, the empress, ten of cups rx, venus)

after questioning over and over why and how, you've found yourself on a path of your own. the person who said to do things by the book surely must not have been the one to write it, since, to you, it doesn't make sense. you can not be held back, told what to do, controlled. you do things by your own book, one with some of the tons of knowledge you have accumulated over your lifetime(s). because your definition of femininity, independence, beauty, is better than whatever society could come up with, and you know this. you advance in life, sure that your sheer wits and prowess will get you to your destination, no matter how rough or challenging the road is. and, if being the black sheep or the escape goat of the family is what it takes, you will gladly claim those roles as yours, even if your feelings – ever intense and most certainly vivid – get wounded. you can find love in the darkest of places, and that is a power you have naturally. search for it, listen to it calling your name. your true self knows what they want, and who they want to be. embrace that, learn to let it flow through you. freedom and self definition is worth more than following the masses, you know that better than anyone.

ii. how you change the world

(cards: ten of cups rx, nine of pentacles rx, page of pentacles rx, page of swords rx, eight of cups, the magician rx)

you're not afraid to do the world's dirty work. if that's what it takes for people to open up their eyes, or for you to help, you will do it with no hesitation. you learn from your past – the bad memories of early childhood and education – and you use up that knowledge to its fullest potential. you change the world by letting go of whatever used to hold you back, impose itself on you, and making your way to where you truly want to be. truly, moments of low happiness, confidence and self respect are bound to happen. you know that, but when others see you at peace with it, it inspires them to move forward without fearing any possible mishaps. you stay still to face the reality of the world as it is, raw and unadulterated, and the world turns around to face you, too.

iii. ateez song that suits you

— on top of the world, we stand again

shout louder! shout out loud!

thank you for reading <3

pile 3

i. your true self

(cards: page of wands, six of pentacles rx, the chariot, page of pentacles, eight of pentacles, strength rx, venus, jupiter)

hunger and thirst combined, you're ready to eat the world raw. there's a curiosity behind your eyes, a mischievous glint pointing to the start of a new adventure before sunrise. you look forward, always onto the next thing, always up to something exciting, that will get you moving. you want more, bigger, better, to be known as the best and crowned as such – no less would fit you, anyway. charm and ambition, ready to fight even when your body protests, always putting in the work before others can, because you need to be at the top at all times. who would you be if you weren't, after all? conflicted between sharing the success and hoarding it, you choose to advance forward anyway. the goal isn't to make friends, nor to be known as part of something; it is simply to be known, to know, and to keep on learning, more and more, until you feel not only deserving of your status, but also ready to move onto a better version of who you used to be. truth is only relative and the world is most unpredictable, yet your true self knows one thing: they want all of it in their palms and will keep on fighting to get there.

ii. how you change the world

(cards: page of cups, ace of cups rx, nine of pentacles, four of cups, justice, the devil)

it's interesting how you don't limit yourself to just changing your close environment of friends and family – there's a need to rule the world here, to have the ability to do as you wish, when you wish to do it. you change the world by balancing your thoughts and feelings, and by figuring out what you want to with what you have. especially when you accept your feelings, and the vulnerability that comes with them. sure, achieving the status you want requires a certain persona, but your health depends on the one of your feelings too. you sometimes find solace, confidence, and peace in the raw, the taboo, the disturbing. the world is changing by you immersing yourself in who and what you want to be. you courageously face the uncomfortable and turn the world's face to it too, as if to say "look".

iii. ateez song that suits you

— everyone raise your heads, face to face

look at the grayish world, ooh

thank you for reading <3

! don't copy or repost my work!

#{🌱 pick a card 🌱}#pac #pick a card #pick a card reading #tarot #tarot reading #ateez #ateez guerrilla #ateez comeback

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illarian-rambling · 3 months

Text

Character introduction: Twenari Undetasib, the Blessing of House Tunnel Wasp

With a feeling like jumping from a great tower, Twenari reached forth into the great corpse of magic. For an instant, her body went into shock. Trying to cast without energy nearly always resulted in, if not always death, then at least some severe brain damage. However, she had no choice but to plunge ahead.

A moment later, Twenari latched onto power. The girl gave a ragged scream as the ancient magic poured into her, lighting her very bones with bloody fire. It was too much! It was beauty incarnate!

There was a second where Twenari could have been the most powerful mortal mage on the planet. Ten thousand years of runoff magic from what could have only been the work of something tantamount to the gods themselves flowed through her, around her. It became her.

Magic is as central to Twenari as air or food might be to another person. It's her purpose, her true love, and her greatest ally, even when it sometimes burns her from the inside out.

Twenari’s path began with the unique circumstances of her birth. She is the only daughter of Undeta Idansib, smuggler queen of the infamous House Tunnel Wasp, as well as a prodigy sorcerer. Though she only learns of this later, it is heavily implied that Undeta sought out a powerful sorcerer for the sole purpose of having such a gifted heir. Life with the Tunnel Wasps, spent mostly on her mother’s flagship, was one of brutality and subservience. Twenari was expected to be a perfect smuggler princess; educated and polite, ruthless and cunning. Her duties, which she began at the age of eight, included warding priority shipments, acting as an intimidation tactic, and reading the minds of any enemies her mother might torture for information. All while keeping up with her rigorous studies.

Obviously, this wore on the kindhearted girl. After delving into the mind of an innocent pawn in a game between crime syndicates whom her mother killed regardless, Twenari fled the Tunnel Wasp flagship. She ended up on the shores of a rural, out-of-the-way island called Saaz, and running right into a certain pair of seafolk in hiding. However, Twenari’s mother is not one to easily let go of anything valuable, especially not her main source of magic.

That is where the story of Honor's Outcasts picks up. As Twenari soon learns, her mother’s pursuit may be the least of her worries in the wide, wild world.

As a person, Twenari carries a pragmatism and maturity well beyond her years. She is insatiably curious about everything from cooking to divine magic, yet she approaches all of these interests with methodical precision. Some would be quick to call her cold. However, a righteous heart hides beneath the shield of aloof severity. She cares deeply for the family she's come to choose and will help them with their own problems in any way she can. Acts of service is very much Twenari’s love language.

As for what she looks like, there's a four year gap between books one and two, so that changes a bit. In book one, she's a messy-haired twelve-year-old with absolutely zero meat on her bones. In the later books, she's a tall girl of sixteen with many piercings in her ears. She has dark skin, short locs she keeps under a kerchief, bright tawny eyes, and prefers skirts to pants. There is a tattoo of a stylized tunnel wasp on her wrist.

Now for some fun facts!

Twenari loves to cook. She cooks most meals for the quartet.

She's unimaginably terrible with kids her own age.

She has resting crazy eyes.

Despite her natural sorcerous gifts, she wants to go to school to study runic magic and alchemy. Every sort of magic will bend to her will one day, or so she hopes.

She's an amateur arborist.

Being 12/16, she swears the least out of my main cast, however, she's picked up a lot of Halawema’ishi curses from Izjik. Most of these are eel-related.

And that's a wrap! I hope you all enjoy this absolute freak of a prodigy middle schooler raised by the fantasy cartel. Lmk which outcast I should do next!

Have a bitchin day <3

(Tag list @amandacanwrite @elsie-writes @riveriafalll @kosmic-kore @kaylinalexanderbooks @bard-coded @carrotsinnovember @patternwelded-quill @somethingclevermahogony @whatwewrotepodcast @goldxdarkness @the-angriest-author)

#writing #writerscommunity #writblr #my ocs #author

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transandersrights · 11 months

Note

I have an adorable prompt for you today! Anders and Ser Pounce-a-Lot and the quote “Thanks. For a while I felt human again.”

Can be real short or however long you like. Feels like something cozy/fluffy

(I take prompts! See info here)

I don't think I've ever written Pounce before so this was a fun new thing!! It's not SUPER fluffy but they're both gonna be totally fine I promise. So here: ~600 words of Anders & Pounce for @dadrunkwriting :)

Anders didn’t know how long he’d been walking. You’d think, with his particular history, that he’d have some kind of skill in judging the passage of time without the sun to match it. Turns out he wasn’t.

Really, he was surprised he was still alive. Normally when you fell off a bit of the Deep Roads, that was it. The end. No chance of emerging again, because you were probably off any of your maps and definitely getting closer to where Darkspawn would be there, ready to pounce.

Maybe his squad had already given up. It would be reasonable, if they hadn’t managed to work out where exactly he fell to or how to get down safely. He’d moved on, they would have had to move on, and now they were separate.

He was running out of water; soon, he’d start running out of food, and then he’d be done for. Still…

Pounce, trotting steadily ahead of him, meowed and came to a stop. Not from danger — Anders couldn’t sense a damn thing, and he’d definitely be able to if Darkspawn were approaching. He just… didn’t want to walk anymore?

“You wanna stop, buddy?”

Pounce meowed again.

“Alright. We can stop for a bit.” Five minutes wouldn’t make a difference to whether he made it out before he ran out of water. Ditching Pounce when he got it into his head he needed to stop would, obviously, but that was a cruelty he wouldn’t entertain.

“What’s up?”

Pounce meowed again, determinedly rubbing his body against Anders’ legs.

“Oh, alright.” Anders shifted his pack around and let himself drop to the floor, his tired legs thanking him and protesting at the change in position immediately. Just as instantly, Pounce lived up to his name and made Anders’ lap his prey, curling into a near-perfect circle the moment he settled down. “You’re so demanding.”

A quieter meow this time. Pounce was probably tired at this point — maybe he’d stopped to sleep.

“I can put you in my pack, you know,” Anders said. There was plenty of space for that now, with his rations dwindling. He liked to think he was getting closer to the surface — the road had certainly been moving what felt like upwards — but who knew? Pounce almost certainly didn’t.

This time, a meow of protest, followed by Pounce nestling even deeper.

“You want attention, do you?” His response, of course, was less a noise and more a vibration as Pounce communicated his approval. “You know, I think you’re smarter and better at understanding people than any smelly mabari. You’re a good boy, Pounce.”

As he spoke, he moved to card his fingers through Pounce’s fur. He was a little grimy, having long since accepted the impossibility of safely grooming himself when coated with the persistent grease and Maker-knows-what of the Deep Roads. Even with the slightly wrong feeling, it was good. He felt a bit better.

Pounce really was the only thing that made this all bearable, sometimes. Anders hated the Deep Roads, but Pounce didn’t seem to care. He thrived everywhere — a particularly admirable trait Anders wished he could live up to even a little.

Pounce’s next insistent meow interrupted his thoughts, and Anders laughed. “Yes, alright.” This time, he moved to scritch Pounce behind the ears. He let out a little mrrp sound, leaning in. “Thanks. For a while there, I felt human again.”

The tunnels of the Deep Roads stretched out ahead and behind, the darkness ever-encroaching. But here, in their private little corner, there was a small (and distinctly fluffy) light.

#anders #dragon age fanfiction #anders dragon age #da drunk writing circle #ser pounce a lot

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inkfw · 1 month

Text

The Hargreeves in the backrooms ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

Pov: They end up in the Backrooms with ___ (There is no more context because I don't know what else to put) I think I'll write this but with character x character

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||| 0:10

Poolrooms with Five: ___ was slightly afraid-Because they already knew about this level-, and Five was unable to use his power to get them both out of that level. They were screwed so they decided to look for a place with more light. There were no signs of anyone or monsters around, Five didn't want to let go of ___'s hand the whole way to literally who knows where When they stop to rest near a pool that overlooks another deeper pool, without cover but with water, Five doubts that that was an advantage since he didn't know if it was drinkable for both of them.

Level 0 with Diego: Diego lost sight of ___ just changing hallways, as if had been brought down by the floor or something. Diego continued wandering aimlessly to see ___ escaping from something dark, black, and with a very bad body. They both ran away as fast as they could. Once they managed to be safe - or so Diego thought - he decided not to let go of 's arm so that if they disappeared again, he would also go with . They came to see "paintings" painted on the yellow walls with thick, heavy black ink. They managed to pass the level and were still together, Diego almost had a heart attack after what he experienced in the first level.

The Bumper Crop with Allison: She'd be more like "I just lost my marriage twice in a row and this is the worst thing that could happen to me? What a load of shit…" And thus traumatizing a small and innocent ___. Obviously it is a snowfield safe from any entity, but there is nothing but horizon, wheat, lakes of water, and surprisingly a house in the distance from them. Very relaxed as to be alarmed, so they will just keep walking until they can reach another random level.

Pipe Dreams with Luther: They went to shit very soon, literally. They separated and both Luther and ___ were distanced from each other. There is no perception of day or night in what seemed like a long dark corridor and despite being a network of public service tunnels built with concrete, it gave a very bad vibe. Luther did not find ___ as he changed direction and arrived at Level Fun. He literally prayed that ___ was still alive.

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||| 0:10

Yes too lazy to continue with more characters I guess. Please do not write, copy, or translate my work without my permission!

#tua #the umbrella academy #five hargreeves #klaus hargreeves #diego hargreeves #viktor hargreeves #ben hargreeves #luther hargreeves #allison hargreeves #reader #hargreeves siblings #you #(your tags here)

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marithlizard · 9 months

Text

You know what's a not very smart thing for your brain to do? Get a plot bunny that insists on being written just before a new episode is going to come out and invalidate it. This will all need to be rewritten after "Oops" drops but I liked how it came out anyway and thought I'd save it here. Blitzo mentions having a therapist in S1E1. He was probably joking, but what if he wasn't?

-----------

If it wasn't for Rasputin's Raspberry, he never would've gone inside in the first place.

Sure, it caught his attention almost every day as he trudged home after his shift: "COUNSELING AND THERAPY" in plain block letters, black on white, a sign that was so boring-ass and cheap that it stood out against the colorful crap that lined the streets around the Hellevator. The owner had scored a space in this prime real estate territory in a practical and traditional way: put a makeshift door at the entrance to an alley and stretch some canvas between the buildings for a roof.

Every time he saw the sign Blitzo wondered what kind of sad sack would pay for those things in Hell. Therapy was that human thing about lying on a sofa while someone with a clipboard asked questions about your mother. And counseling sounded like sex work without the sex, someone getting paid to just sit there and do nothing while you talked about your problems. Not exactly good value.

But today he wasn't trudging home so much as squelching, leaving a trail behind him, and frankly there wasn't much to look forward to when he got there. His steps slowed.

Yeah, who needed someone to listen patiently while they vented? Someone totally uninvolved who...might not even recognize any names and could care less if they did, who was getting paid to keep a straight face while he got it all off his chest for once...

He really was a sad sack, wasn't he?

Inside it was just an alley littered with garbage. The dangling canvas “walls” at front and back flapped in the breeze, letting in dust and the dim red light of Pride. The only things to see, in fact, were the hole in the ground and the sign next to it with a crude arrow pointing down.

Blitzo looked over the edge. Seven feet? Eight? The electrical cable at his feet ran down to the bottom and curved off into a tunnel, which explained why it wasn’t dark in there.

His survival instincts said Hello? Trap? Go down there and you could die, dumbass.

The darker voice he’d been hearing lately said How much do you care?

By the time he was six yards down the sloping tunnel, he’d realized it wasn’t a trap. Someone had put far too much work into this thing, even braced the walls and ceiling with struts of scrap metal. A green curtain hung across the end of the tunnel ahead of him for that extra-homey troglodyte touch.

Blitzo pushed aside the curtain and stepped into a surprisingly normal-looking room with white walls. A tall spindly sinner unfolded from the chair behind the desk and stood up.

“Are you lost?” They cocked their head like a bug considering a possible meal. Literally.

He’d never seen a demon so much like a preying mantis: huge bulging faceted eyes, curving claws like saw blades, even antennae sticking up out of their gray-green head. He couldn’t begin to make a guess at gender, not that it was any of his business.

“What the fuck did you do when you were alive to end up like that?”, he blurted in genuine admiration.

“Oh, you are lost.” Surprisingly, there was no buzz in the calm voice. “This is the counseling office, where people come to answer personal questions, not ask them.”

“Riight, the mother thing. Well, I’m not telling you jack shit to feed whatever maternal fetish you humans have going on, I don’t care if you’re fantasizing about fucking one or having one or being one or whatever, there’s plenty of fun things to do with tits but do them on your own time.”

They laughed, and now he could hear the droning buzz behind it. “You’re very energetic. No. No one here has to talk about anything they don’t want to.”

“So what, you sit in that chair and people yell at you about the shitty day they had?”

“If that’s how you want to spend your hour.” They held out a claw. “Twenty in advance, by the way.”

What the hell, he was already here and it was less than he’d spend at a bar in the same amount of time. Blitzo pulled out his wallet and gingerly stuck a couple of bills onto the big spine that curved up from their palm like a permanent middle finger. The sinner plucked them off deftly and sat back down.

“The floor is yours.”

His father was wrong. He did not freeze up in front of audiences, that was not a thing that happened, forgetting a line or two and improvising was not the same thing. But standing there looking at a hundred tired, defeated looking Blitzos reflected in those disco ball eyes, he wasn’t sure where to start.

After a few moments of silence the sinner asked, “What is that red stuff you tracked into my office, anyway?” They didn’t sound angry, just curious.

Blitzo looked down at the red glop all over his lower legs and feet. “That...is the signature slurpee flavor of the most popular ride at Loo Loo Land this season, Dunk the Monk.”

“What kind of ride is that? A waterslide?”

“No, see, there was this human a long time ago who was really hard to kill, or something? Everyone gets issued a gun, and you ride around in little carts on a track past these displays of all the different ways to kill him, and if enough people shoot the target on each one -”

“I get the picture. “

“It’s pretty clever, I have to admit. And the music track slaps. The slurpee flavor tastes like ass though.”

“And you’re covered in it because…?”

“Because the dispenser was broken again, and when you take it apart to fix it half the time the contents spray all over. Preferably on the customers, it makes them look like massacre victims and most of them love it, but today the whole machine just came apart in my hands like the useless piece of crap made out of Satan’s pubic hair shavings that it is.”

“So you work at Loo Loo Land. Fixing things?”

“Doing whatever shit job needs doing. Anything and everything, if it’s grubby or gross, give it to Blitzo and laugh. If I’m lucky I get to put on the world’s lamest clown costume and hand out balloons next to the fucking robot star. I haven’t been allowed on a stage since -”

“Since?”

“I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Okay.”

So that dropped the conversational ball with a thud. But it was picked up and handed back to him: “So if this was a bad day, how does a typical day go for you? Start to finish.”

“Oh, I, uh...” No one had ever asked him a question like that, not and stuck around for the answer. Huh. “Well, I get up, obviously, my tiny shitty apartment is all the way out at the ass-edge of Imp City but at least I have a place of my own now, if I had to stay in the company dorms one more night someone was gonna die, anyway I have to get up at 4am to be on site by 6 and get yelled at with everyone else because yesterday’s sales…”

Twenty minutes later he was pacing back and forth, waving his arms around like one of the puppets on fire in the daily Punch-and-Judy show. “- and we were having a great time, those kids LOVED my balloon animals, until one humorless bitchmom complained that they were “too anatomically correct”. Does she have any idea how hard it is to perfect a balloon horse with a dick? No. Did she get me banned from the only fun thing I still got to do in this festering shithole? Yes.”

He paused, panting. “Okay, yeah, it did feel good to get all that out there. I feel like I just puked up everything I shouldn’t have ordered from Wackdonalds in the last year.” Ten pounds lighter, slightly dizzy, and ready to fall asleep on the nearest safe flat surface. Too bad that was far away in his apartment.

“I have questions,” said the sinner.

Blitzo dragged over the rickety chair that was the only other piece of furniture in the room and sat on it, carefully. “Oh yeah? I wouldn’t brag about it, that shit can be contagious.”

They leaned back, rasping one forearm against the other slowly with a sound like sandpaper. “Is there anything at all you enjoy about your work now?”

“Uh, were you paying attention at all?” For a moment he was tempted to demand his money back. “...I guess there was nothing about listening comprehension in the deal, huh. The answer is no.”

Scraaape. “Then why do you stay?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re clearly not a prisoner, or you wouldn’t be here,” they pointed out. “Why do you get up every morning and go back?”

Well that was a stupid question, he had to because - “I’m a circus imp. See this mark on my forehead? That’s the troupe I was born into. I learned how to walk on my hands as soon as I could walk on my feet, the three of us were the Toddler Terrors act for a while until Barbie decided she wanted to do highwire and me and Fizz went for clowning -”

He hadn’t meant to talk about Barbie or Fizz. Fuck. Blitzo shut his mouth.

A thoughtful clicking noise was the only sound from the other side of the desk. The silence stretched out, and out, until he started talking again just to fill it.

“Anyway… you don’t just stop being a circus performer.” Barbie had. “You stick with your family and your dream, and...” Fizz hadn’t. His piece of shit father certainly hadn’t. “What the fuck do you know about it? If you had all the answers you wouldn’t be spending your afterlife in a hole underground hoping an angel doesn’t spray you with DDT.”

“I don’t -”

“”Exterminators”, ha! Get it? Because you’re a bug?”

Their stupid upside-down triangle of a face didn’t even change. Great. Annoying people was his best skill as an adult and he was failing at that too.

“Your time is almost up, so let’s finish with a thought experiment. Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Because you want to get full value for your twenty. Close them.”

Blitzo did, with an irritated huff, because he couldn’t actually think of a reason not to. This still beat any of the other options he’d had for the evening.

“Imagine that it’s tomorrow and you’re getting up for work and turn on the radio, and hear that Loo Loo Land was destroyed. A freak accident, a turf war, whatever. You’re out of a job. You don’t know how you’ll pay next month’s rent. You’ll never see any of those people again. What do you feel, as you hear that news?”

He could lie, but what would be the point?

“...Relieved,” he admitted. “And worried, and also pissed off because I wanted to be the one to blow the fucking place up, but mostly relieved.”

“Now imagine it’s tomorrow and you get up for work and go in, and the next day and the next for the rest of your life. How does that prospect make you feel?”

No words were adequate. Blitzo made a noise that no dom had ever managed to beat out of him, not even that one guy with an electric cattle prod.

“It sounds as though you know what you need to do, then.”

How was he supposed to argue with the evidence that just came out of his own mouth? It was true. The place was killing him. He’d been telling himself to suck it up and get through one more day and week and month as though the next one would somehow magically be better. And he always knew it wouldn’t, but the alternative was terrifying.

And now it was right in front of him, inescapable.

“But...what can I do instead?” Thank fuck he was talking to a random sinner in a hole. The robot would laugh until it hiccuped sparks. And if Barb or Fizz heard him sounding this small and unsure – it didn’t bear thinking about. He would head straight to Envy and walk into the ocean first. “I don’t know how to do anything else.”

It took a few seconds for him to realize that the chittering sound was laughter.

“I’ve just sat here and listened to you tell me about your skills, yet you don’t realize you have them? Not many people can crawl into a duct and kill an infestation of hellipedes with nothing but a stick covered in chewing gum. Even fewer would be able to rescue the show after they fell out of the duct onto the performer.”

“The audience threw things at me. I don’t even know why so many of them had rocks.”

“But they had fun, didn’t they? You said they laughed at you.”

“Yeah, uh, you’re not helping boost my confidence here.”

“The point I’m trying to make is that you have nerve, strength, reflexes, the ability to think on your feet, and a certain kind of obnoxious charisma. You’re creative – the method you used to kill the cotton candy vendor and the park mascot at the same time, while giving yourself a solid alibi by being caught sucking off the ferris wheel operator? Agatha Christie could never.”

Blitzo felt his face growing warm. Positive feedback wasn’t something he got a lot of these days. “Welll, I didn’t exactly know all those kids would be able to see us from above. But it worked out. I guess it was pretty clever.”

The sinner grinned at him, showing – teeth? Mandibles? Whatever – in predatory approval. “Since I got here I’ve heard a lot about how imps are natural-born servants and followers. You’ve proven to me that’s bullshit in less than fifty minutes. Get out there and you’ll find no shortage of ways to use your talents.”

“Yeah. Yeah! You’re right, there’s got to be something.” Ideas were popping up in his brain suddenly. He’d never thought much about what the marks did with their boring little lives once they went home. A lot of things, that’s what. Things he could do better.

They extended a long, saw-toothed arm and pointed at the door. “Time’s up. Come back someday and tell me how it went.”

Too full of thoughts to bother answering, he went. As he reached the door, the sinner said, “And one more thing.”

“Yeah?” Blitzo answered, not turning around.

“Don’t feel guilty about abandoning the life you were born into or your dream or any of that shit. You already have. That place isn’t a circus, is it? You owe them nothing.”

“I don’t, do I?” He grinned, as a whole new set of thoughts floated up like champagne bubbles. “Later, bug-man.”

He wasn’t going to put in two weeks notice, that was for sure. But he could take a few days to make plans and leave some presents behind for his soon-to-be-ex coworkers. As he climbed back out of the hole and stepped out onto the street, Blitzo started to whistle cheerfully.

That had been a fucking good peptalk. It was worth more than a twenty, if he was being honest. Luckily he had just the right tool to leave a tip. That cheapass sign was looking a lot less boring by the time he put the marker back in his pocket and started the long walk across the city to his apartment.

Where would he be a year from now? Dead? Rich? In jail? Not at Loo Loo Land. The world was his oyster and Blitzo was going to pry that sucker open and do fish sauce shots. Just you watch, Fizz, he swore. Just you watch.

#helluva boss #short fic

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