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madwomansapologist · 10 months

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living as shan yu's prisioner/bride would include

synopsis: After the initial fear and distrust, you undertood that you only had one choice: adapt. And, going against everything you knew about yourself and the world, you discovered that it weren't that hard. That Shan Yu wasn't that horrible.

warnings: female!reader. shan yu (that's my wife. yeah, i decided that 30 seconds after meeting her. she's my soulmate, idiot) x reader (slow down, big boy, i have standarts. oh. you gave me a horse. you're kinda of reaching them). mentruation because i'm a whore for domesticity in moments of vulnerability. violence. not that dark. it's kinda about the first steps of falling in love when your logic says you're not supossed to. in this house we hate the misogynist version of Shan Yu in Mulan (2020).

note: that happened right before the end of this. hope y'all like it!

• You felt guilty. So dirty. How could you feel that way about it? But it didn't matter how many times you told yourself that you shouldn't feel that way, you did it anyway. A heart feels whatever it wants. And yours feel free.

• That's something special about feeling the air against your body, the speed of your horse, the world moving on with you. Not despise you, not without, but with you. And it felt so good. Like it was supossed to be that way.

• When Shan Yu gave you a sorrel, he knew you wouldn't try to run away. Quickly after meeting him you knew you couldn't. It would be impossible for you to escape the Huns. And even if you did: then what would you do? Who would be able to help you? You knew that you couldn't, but Shan Yu also didn't gave you a reason to try.

• Yes, he kidnapped you. That is reason enough for you to at least try. But Shan Yu said he would make you his Empress. Endless times. He talked about how you'll reign beside him. You have classes about war, history, economy. The other Huns treat you like you had spend your lifetime with them. He'll make you his Empress. If he win the war, of course. And he promissed that you'll see your family again after the war.

• Shan Yu made clear that he wants your heart. He won't touch you, not without your consent first, but you're his bride. He made sure everyone knew that. You're his. His bride, his future wife, his mate. You don't know how anyone could fall in love that quickly. You believe him, Shan Yu have no reason to lie, you just don't get it. It may be that easy to him, but it isn't for you.

• You would never chose to be close to him if things were normal. The leader of the Hun army, an enemy of the Emperor, his fame precedes him. But things aren't normal, are they? You don't love Shan Yu, but you certainly don't hate him. And sometimes you think that he would be nice as a friend. Someone that would be easy to be around.

You were freaking out. You woke up in pain, and it took you a second to figure out what was that warm feeling in between your tights. Tears were rolling down your face when Shan Yu suddenly moved on his bed.

"Are you hurt?" You don't know how he did it that quickly, but when you looked at him Shan Yu had his sword on his hand. That man was ready to kill someone. The moonlit made it easy for you to see him, which means he could also see you. That made you feel so embarrassed. "Why are you crying?"

"Look away!" You shouted. Shan Yu almost did as you demanded, but he couldn't just ignore your tears. You tried to grab the bed sheets, but your sleep weaked your movements. "Just go back to your bed and leave me alone."

Shan Yu approached, and then he understood. He's experienced in the battlefield. Shan Yu would be able to recognized blood even if blind. "I will prepare a bath for you. It will help cease the pain."

"Stop", you could feel your body getting so warm. "Just leave me alone. I'm embarrassed enough."

Shan Yu sighed. "Embarrassed of what?" You pointed to the sheets. "Do you think that's the first time I see blood? Are you afraid I will faint?"

That made you chuckle. "No."

"I will prepare a bath for you." Shan Yu walked towards the bathroom. "Just sit down and wait."

That's what you did.

• Shan Yu isn't violent. Not to you. You fought his men, screamed at him, called him a liar: he never reacted. And he can be somehow kind when he wants to. You can sense that he's always checking if everything is okay with you. And he can be fun. In a weird, little bit off, kinda of way.

• Like how Shan Yu knows when he's better than someone and just let them dig their own graves. It isn't him being patient, coward or anything else: this is Shan Yu having fun. He likes the chase. You heard countless people calling him a monster, but you disagree. He's a predator.

• Fun. In a way that you don't really understand. And you would never say this out loud, not even under torture, but you feel that life would be easier with him. Or at least it wouldn't be the worst thing ever to stay beside him.

• Shan Yu isn't violent, has a good sense of humor, somehow respects you. Money would never be a problem. Even during a war, Shan Yu gave you clothes to fill countless wardrobes. And with him you're safe. You knew his fame, and now you know it fits him.

• It's nice to not worry about marriage. There is no family talking about how you should've already married to someone. There is no such a thing as spending sleepless nights thinking about what would happen to you if your father die before you can find someone. You don't worry about this anymore.

• So, yeah, somehow you enjoy that situation. Not love, and you certainly didn't dream with having that type of life, but you found yourself enjoying your time with the Huns. Your time with Shan Yu.

"You know that you don't need to run everytime, do you?" Shan Yu asked, scaring you. You didn't expect him to be behind you. You didn't even heard him approaching. Before looking at his direction, you could see that constant smirk on his face. "Horses are able to trot."

As usual, when you got the chance you ran with your sorrel, you did it. Feeling the air against you, a type of freedom you never experienced before. Exhausted, you waited for them to reach you.

For him to reach you.

Shan Yu grabbed your sorrel's rein, guiding him. You let him do it. Your body was already tired. Unlike him, you're not accustomed to ride for so long. And you could go to your carriage, Shan Yu wouldn't said no to you, but you know why he gave you that sorrel.

Before his gift, he led the army mounted on his horse while you stayed inside the carriage. Now, you can ride with him if you want to.

"Maybe I'm trying to runaway," if you know him well enough to understand the way his humor works, then he better understand yours. "Smarten up, big boy."

But you think there is another reason for that present. A thing that you noticed a while ago. The way he lighten up when someone mentions that you can fight. Or when you share your opinion, regardless if it's what he wants to hear. Shan Yu likes to see you fearless. He likes when you talk back. When you make sure everyone heard what you have to say.

"It's a joke," you told him. "I'm not planning on running away."

"Why?" Shan Yu said so calmly, but you could hear it was a honest doubt.

You also thought about it before. Why didn't you run away? Okay, using your logic you understood it wouldn't work out, but somethings aren't about logic. Humans don't usually do things only because of logic. Why your emotions didn't made you try everything you could? Why didn't you at least tried to runaway from him?

"I hope to never see a matchmaker again."

That made Shan Tu buffaw. "Alright," he nodded with his head. "It's a promise: you'll never see a matchmaker again in your life."

"Watch out," you smiled at him. "I may fall for your pretty promises."

"I'm counting on it."

• Things weren't perfect. Of course they weren't. But that feast was the last straw. There are some lines Shan Yu can't cross without you reacting. There are things that not even your logic can ignore. Things that made your heart decide to act. And of course it included him being violent. You should've know.

• All night long, you could feel his eyes on you. Those yellow eyes, following your steps like if you were a prey, would never go unnotice by you. Not even the loud music of the feast, the amounts of alcohol you drank, the way your feet were already aching because you danced for so long: you could feel Shan Yu watching you.

• You know he wants to join you. To dance with you, to hold you, to have you. You know that. But Shan Yu promised he would only touch you after you decided that you want him to do it. And you didn't say anything. You didn't try anything. You did not gave him permission, so he only watchs.

• At some moment, when it was already midnight, you fell. It wasn't anything important. It didn't hurt you. It was more embarrassing than anything else, but you were drunk enough to not care about it.

• Someone helped you getting on your feet again. Just a kind hand for you to hold on until you were sure you wouldn't fall again. For a second, you forgot about his eyes on you. You just hugged whoever helped you in a way to show your drunkness gratitude. And that was when Shan Yu made sure everyone knew he was still there.

• Shan Yu is quickly. Your mind, lacking sobriety, almost didn't record him moving towards you. You just noticed what was happening when Shan Yu hold the man by his throat, pulling him away from the floor. You knew he was scary, dangerous, cruel. You knew that. But you never saw it. You never saw how his eyes can burn others. You knew who Shan Yu was, but you never saw it.

• The poor man were turning blue on his head, barely able to struggle against the strong hold on his neck, trying to say something. Trying to say he was sorry. You were frozen in place, almost convincing yourself that it was all a nightmare, until Shan Yu dropped the man on the floor. He coughed, trying to breath again while thanking Shan Yu.

Shan Yu looked at every single person on the feast. Every single one. "No one touch what's mine."

Shan Yu wasn't only punishing him, but teaching everyone around him a lesson. And you can't deny, he was a great teacher. Everyone seem to understand. Everyone seem scared enough to never go against him.

But when Shan Yu looked at you, he didn't saw your usual challeging gaze. He didn't saw joy, or tiredness, or surprise. He didn't saw fear. When Shan Yu looked into your eyes, all he saw was disgust.

Your gaze alone made something itch inside him. But your words cut his soul in places he didn't even knew existed.

"You will never touch me," you whispered, only for him to hear. "I will never love you back. Hurt whoever you want, hurt me if you desire, you will never have me."

You told Shan Yu to smarten up. At the time it was only a joke. But now, after seeing how cruel he can be and hearing what he had to say, you changed your mind. Your heart feel smaller. You won't stay here for long.

Without giving him a chance to reply, you turned your back on him and walked towards your carriage. You stood there until you were sure no one had followed you. You put on your boots, grabbed a bag with food and water, and went to the stable.

You were lucky. Everyone was at the feast, which means no one was there to see you riding your sorrel. Which means no one was there to see you running away. Which means your carriage was empty when Shan Yu went there looking for you.

You knew the path you need to follow. Your could hear the river, you saw the birds flying north, all you need to do was to be faster than the Huns. And you're almost sure that they're all drunk.

At some point, maybe twenty minutes after you exit the stable, you heard another horse. You couldn't see it, but you knew it was Shan Yu. That scared you, made you shiver, but you didn't stop. You just went faster and faster.

Shan Yu is strong, but he's too strong. His horse wouldn't be able to compete with your sorrel. He can try, but you know for sure that your sorrel needs to worry about less weight.

He was close. But not close enough.

You don't know for how long you tried to make him struggle, but at some point it started raining. It was harder to see the path, you were shivering, and the ground turned muddy. You tried, you really tried, but nothing can control a horse's response to thunders.

You almost fell when he jumped, your hands burned holding the rein. You weren't so lucky the next time. When you collapsed on the floor, you felt like all the air in your lungs had imploded. You tried to move, the rain falling on your face kept you awake, but you couldn't stand. It burned.

And that gave Shan Yu exactly what he needed: time.

When another thunder came, you rolled to the side so your sorrel wouldn't step on you. You crawled on the ground, holding your head as if it would fall from your neck, and struggle to stand up. It hurts, it burns, but you're stronger. It felt like it was impossible, but you stand where once you fell.

It was hard to control your tears, and even harder to deal with the pain on your chest. You tried to hold your sorrel by its head, but he was so scared. You didn't stop trying to calm him down, but then you heard.

Shan Yu reached you. There he is, so close and yet so far away. Riding his own scared horse, rain dripping on his skin and marking his clothes. He wasn't wearing his usual fur. No. Shan Yu was still using the clothes for the feast.

That made you think less of him. You prepared. You have food, water, maps. And he just took a horse and went to search for you? Why would he act so unprepared?

With thunders ecchoing on your ears and pain spreading along your chest, the right answer didn't even passes through your head. Why Shan Yu was unprepared to the cold, to the rain, to the chase: because he was scared. He was scared that one second he wasted not looking for you would be the second that would separe you both forever. Because Shan Yu was scared. So scared.

"I won't stop trying," you shouted at him. It was so dificult to find strenght to say things, but you did it anyway. Screw it. Don't matter what he does, you will keep trying to flee away from him.

"Don't be stupid." Shan Yu jumped from the horse. You could hear the tiredness on his voice. He also sttrugled with his breath. "Are you trying to kill yourself? What would you do? Keep riding in the rain, waiting until the cold took your body?"

"I would rather die than live as your object!" You tried to mount your horse again, but he keep moving away from you. He was so scared. You caressed his fur, trying to make him stop. "For once, be honest with yourself. Face the truth. You don't love me. You won't have a happily ever after with me like in a old fairytail. I'm just someone you saw naked once. I'm not a person for you. I'm something that only you can consume."

Shan Yu walked towards you, but you moved away. He was trying so hard to be calm. All he wanted to do was took you on his arms, put you on his shoulder and walk you home. Home. There you could scream for how long you wanted. You could speak, he would hear, and things will change. He sighed. "That's not the truth and you know that."

"Do I? Because that is all I know. You saw me naked and now you do anything you can to make me let you fuck me. A person touch me and you almost killed him! Why won't you get over it? Find someone else!"

Then Shan Yu realized that no, you didn't know. You really didn't understand? How could you? He said to you so many times. Shan Yu made sure that you would see it, but you didn't. "I love you," Shan Yu didn't know what else could make you understand that. "I won't find someone else, because you are the one. We are meant to be. This isn't about your body. This isn't about your touch. All I do is to make you see it. To make you want to be mine."

You just glared at him, trying to understand what your mind wanted. Trying to understand him. "But why? Why do you feel this way about me?"

"Because you're like me."

"No. I'm not," you didn't move this time when he stepped closer. "I'm nothing like you."

"You want more of life," Shan Yu stood right in front of you. "You don't want to go back to a dead village, to go through the same day again and again, to no be remembered. I know you want more. You want to see the world. You want to feel free. It's your time to be honest with yourself. Face the truth. You want more."

Shan Yu wanted you to agree. He wanted you to say he was right, that you want more, that you want him. But he thought you would scream at him, push him away, declare your hate for him. He didn't imagined you would cry.

"I don't," Shan Yu stopped. He didn't knew what to say. He didn't want you to cry. He didn't want you to react this way. "Please, don't cry. Everything will be alright."

"I'm tired," you whispered. "Im in pain, I'm scared, and I don't know what I want. I don't know what to do."

"You're hurt?"

You nodded. "I fell."

Shan Yu sighed. How he wanted to just touch you. Hold you in his arms. Clean the trace of tears on your face. See where you hurted yourself. "We will come back to our carriage, we'll eat and rest. And when you're fine, you can decide If you go back home."

It was so dumb. So stupid. You could help but laugh, almost forgeting the tears. "And you would let me go if I want to?"

"I want to feel your love, not to see your disgust." Shan Yu sighed. "If you want to go, you can. But when i defeat the Emperor, when China became mine, I'll come back to you. And then I'll ask you once more if you want to be mine."

"You promise?" You didn't knew what to think about this.

"I do," Shan Yu answered. "Sadly, I do."

• That was the first night of a thunderstorm that lasted days. That was the first night of a thunderstorm that would make Shan Yu fall. That was the first night of a thunderstorm that would change your mind.

Next Part!

GENERAL TAGLIST: @suakemi @notanalienindisguiseblink

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duckchu · 6 months

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… Hello, I hope it's not rude I'm just looking for drabbles or anything League of Legends since I'm in the mood to read the LoL fandom content after being away for a while…

Coincidentally when I found out about Heartsteel when I was watching anime edits with LoL songs and I was like WTH??! And an idea came up and now I'm hungry for some crackhead and platonic cuteness (For Yone + Yasu) and romance (for othe boys).

So can I please ask for headcannons or drabbles (you can choose which is easier) of the Heartsteel Boys (Kayn, Aphelios, Sett and Ezreal separately) having a crush on F! Reader who is a game streamer and is the little sister of Yone and Yasu who is the living example of Wife Material with an affectionate and bubbly cinnamon roll personality?

She likes to take care of her siblings even though she's the youngest (Yone and Yasu would kill if someone hurt her, good luck running away from them) and spoils them rotten! Are they both always busy and stressed with the whole band and Idol thing?

No problem, she, with her divine culinary skills, cooks their favorites or prepares them a lunch box with nutritious homemade food or brings them some snacks after an exhausting day of recording MVs and songs. (Sometimes she likes to deliver it in person, especially if they are showing hints of extreme exhaustion).

Sore muscles? Nah, her angelic hands know how to work and ease any tension and pain. Do they need a shoulder to vent on? Okay, she's there ready to listen and support her siblings and shower them with comfort and words of affirmation when they're on the verge of burning out.

Trouble sleeping and sleep schedule being a mess? Enjoy her divine voice when she sings and Yone and Yasu are out in seconds for a nice nap (Yasu looks dead when he naps on her lap, if it weren't for his noisy snoring while Yone looks like a cat almost purring when she massage his scalp with her fingers lmao) or a good night's sleep.

Need help with other household tasks? Fear not, she is ready to help! Do any conflicts or fights arise? She is a good mediator! Someone being a brat? Nah, she just needs to look strictly and sternly and that's enough for them to stop being brats and shut up.

But she's also the precious cinnamon roll who is the kind of cinnamon roll who can kick ass if someone is being toxic and mean to her brothers because when she's really mad it's not a pretty sight… (Yone and Yasu are secretly highkey traumatized from the first time she got really mad when they saw her pissed off frown when she threatened to beat up a bully who picked on Yasu when they were younger).

But also her brothers overworking themselves? Nuh-uh! Not when she's watching! She doesn't care if she's the youngest, she'll scold them as if she were the the oldest and they are going to listen to what she wants to say, willing or not!

(My lil brainrot bonus: Here was a time that everyone in True Damage saw Yasu who was kneeling on the floor in front of his little sister for fear of irritating her even more while still being scolded for over an hour for neglecting his health while he was running on energy drinks and fast food and messing with his sleeping schedule, she understands that he is part of a famous band but it doesn't stop her from saying 'I know how important music is to you, but for Heavens' sakes! Don't sacrifice your health Yasu! I don't want to receive the news that you passed out and I have to visit you in a hospital bed!')

Holy...this is a long request but also this was my reaction reading it

I've decided to do headcanons since I feel their easier to showcase all of their personalities (also decided to add platonic K'Sante)

Kayn

When he first saw you, he thought you were lame

You came on set to give Yone some food and he noticed how bubbly you were

But then he had a thought

You were kinda cute

So he nabbed some food from Yone

And laughed as you protested

Which got him an elbow between the ribs from you

Next day he was surprised to see you come to the shoot again, this time with food for all of them

Decided he needed you to be his wife

Started flirting with you mercilessly

Yone wasn't pleased

But you looked so cute flustered~

It was only to cover his own embarrassment tho

It's not his fault you're just perfect for him

A cute little thing for him to ruin ~

Aphelios

When he saw you, it was love at first sight

Like heart eyes all that jazz

Yone noticied

But honestly, he prefers him to for example Kayn

How could Phel not fall for you?

You were just perfect

Every time you came by to make sure Yone wasn't overworking himself, you were so sweet to him

Sometimes even bringing by food for him

He always thought he wasn't really the guy to fall in love

But there you were, making him all soft

Ezreal

You were just Yone's little sister, no one to be bothered about

But why did he feel so warm everytime you came over?

And you did often to check up on Yone

And Ezreal always thought you didn't mean much to him

But there he was, head over heels for you

And slowly realising it

And so was everyone else

The way he was stealing glances everytime you were busy with something

If looks could kill, he'd be dead

At least that's what he thought from the way Yone was glaring at him

Sett

At the begining, he didn't think much of you

You were just Yone's sister, someone who came over frequently but that was that

Untill he started noticing how you treated everyone

You were really kind, always bringing over something to eat and a shoulder to cry on

How could he not fall in love with you?

Yone's gonna kill him, but it's worth it

K'Sante

He met during an unfortunate situation

It was him finding out Aphelios replaced his protein powder with flour

He was furious

Almost killed Aphelios right in front of you

But you were a great meditator so you managed to make Aphelios live to see another day

And K'Sante gained a person to talk to

Since he's usually the one giving out advice, he has problems with opening up himself

But you were so nice to him and didn't push him at all so it became natural

Especially if you were staying for the night and he happened tobe grabbing a glass of water at the same time as you

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makeste · 6 months

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BnHA Chapter 407: Wait Why Are You Running Away

Previously on BnHA: Kacchan figured out how to control his quirk upgrade and was totally chill and normal about it. Definitely not terrifying at all. He actually spent the entire chapter smiling and laughing like the wholesome little boy he is. I don’t know why Kid For One is so freaked out about it. He even politely introduced himself using his childhood nickname. Clearly he just wants to be friends with you, KFO!

Today on BnHA: Horikoshi is all “sorry to keep you waiting, here’s the AFO and Yoichi flashback you ordered at long last” and proceeds to serve a nightmarish stew of HUMAN MISERY and RATS and STABBING and CARNAGE and SO MUCH MURDER and THE SINGLE MOST FUCKED-UP CASE OF CODEPENDENCY ANYONE HAS EVER WRITTEN. I was not even remotely prepared for any of this, and if anyone else claims that they were, I will call you a liar to your face. If this chapter had a mouth it would scream. Or just sob, ceaselessly and uncontrollably. I’m really glad Horikoshi is on break next week because that man needs to take a fucking nap. My god.

okay WOW

anyone else read the first two words and just immediately say to themselves, “oh okay, so it’s gonna be one of those chapters”? I mean, I guess we were due for a darker chapter after last week’s Kacchan Comedy Tour. but idk, I just wasn’t expecting “homeless sick prostitute with a drinking problem” levels of dark

AND SHE’S PREGNANT?!

what exactly is this manga rated again? doesn’t this backstory seem just a little bit raw for the impressionable kiddos??

has anyone actually checked in on Horikoshi recently? you know, just to make sure he is okay??

what a fun and wholesome manga this is

the lil baby arm covered in blood with the AFO hole on the palm. lying next to the dead mom hand. what an image to sear into our minds. I guess it’s been a while since he killed any dogs. gotta keep us on our toes somehow

also wasn’t expecting AFO and Yoichi to be twins! that puts an interesting spin on their relationship, because it’s usually a closer bond than even regular siblings. especially with all of that delightful shared trauma from a young age!!

yes, exactly

ohhhh this chapter is gonna hurt me, isn’t it. okay. ooooooookay. let’s do this

OH I’M SORRY, THERE’S MORE?!

Horikoshi my dude. you do realize that their mom dying in childbirth and the two of them just barely surviving and growing up as street orphans would have already been MORE than tragic enough, backstory-wise. you did not have to turn this into a freaking horror show with RATS TRYING TO EAT THEIR NEWBORN SELVES jesus christ

and THAT’S where you chose to put a one year timeskip?!

what the fuck am I reading here, you guys. no please tell me, I am actually desperate to understand

so the narrator is saying that some of the quirks manifested later in life, in “pubescent and pre-pubescent stages”, which is interesting because it’s the first time I can recall hearing about someone actually manifesting a quirk that late. maybe Deku’s old OFA cover story was more plausible than I realized

anyway so eventually it occurred to everyone that they should maybe freaking study this shit, idk. and eventually the researchers concluded that the superpowers came from a new gene that apparently isn’t human. and upon hearing that, society apparently lost its freaking mind. which is fascinating to me because it implies that the turning point wasn’t actually the superpowers themselves, but the realization of what it meant

like, so they were apparently fine with it when they thought it was a “mysterious disease”, but somehow it hit different when they learned it wasn’t actually a sickness at all, but instead the Next Step in Evolution. and it became an “us vs them” thing, as opposed to a “we have to cure these poor people” thing. damn

anyway so now Japan is a dystopia and we’re cutting to a big crowd of merc-looking dudes who are getting ready to attack some “meta freaks”, how lovely

but who is this figure in the shadows

I ask politely, as if it wasn’t already beyond obvious that this is AFO about to wreck some people’s shit

ohhhhh my god lmao

hopefully Katsuki and Deku can take the present day AFO out before he winds up looking like this. because this little fella is clearly demonic and idk if anyone can stop him

you all don’t understand. you need to run the fuck away right now

oh shit it’s already too late for them

it’s too late for any of us. it’s over. it’s all fucking over

((((；゜Д゜)))

AFO I am putting the manga down. I am backing away slowly with my hands in the air. I mean you no harm. please for the love of god have mercy

holy

“you see, we told you he wasn’t human” okay Scientific Research Group, you know what?? you win this round I guess

“HE WAS LITERALLY EVIL FROM BIRTH” HORIKOSHI SERIOUSLY ARE YOU OKAY??

HE WAS BORN AN ARROGANT BABY is literally the most terrifying sentence I have ever read

what the entire fuck

it’s a gorgeous sunny mid-November afternoon outside my window. but no matter how hard it tries, the light cannot reach this place

what kind of moron would throw a can of soda at him. officially the stupidest person we have ever seen in this manga

OH MY GOD OF COURSE IT’S HIM LMAO

(ETA: how come baby Yoichi has clothes that fit him perfectly but baby AFO is just stomping around wearing a tablecloth.)

BABY YOICHI. OH MY GOD. HOW THE HELL DID YOU GROW UP TO BE SANE AND KIND AND GOOD. THAT’S MY QUESTION THAT I NEED ANSWERED RIGHT NOW. YOU ARE LITERALLY A MIRACLE. YOU ARE AN IMPOSSIBILITY, DO YOU KNOW THAT

small and weak, but also so, so cute. all of the cuteness genes went straight to him. no wonder AFO was jealous

(ETA: just want to press pause for a second to speculate about what type of twins AFO and Yoichi are, since it has some relevance to the story, and especially to the OFA/AFO quirk lore. so! at first glance the two of them would appear to be fraternal twins, just based on the fact that they have very different appearances, and also the fact that Yoichi doesn’t have the AFO quirk – no holes in his hands, etc. identical twins are born from the same fertilized egg, so in theory they would both have the same sequence of DNA, which means Yoichi would have had the same quirk as AFO. but that doesn’t appear to be the case. so all of that points to them being fraternal, not identical.

on the other hand, there is one piece of evidence in this chapter that does support them being identical twins, and that’s the fact that per the narration, AFO absorbed most of the nutrients from their mother. a few minutes of google fu informed me that this condition is relatively rare, and only happens in cases where two twins share a placenta, which typically is only the case for identical twins. HOWEVER, for what it’s worth, there have also been rare instances where two fraternal twin placentas fuse together and become a single placenta. AND this apparently also increases the chances of one of the twins gaining more of the nutrients and causing the other twin to have a lower birth weight.

so based on the evidence here, my conclusion is that the two of them are most likely fraternal twins with a case of placental fusion. besides, you can’t tell me that stealing his baby brother’s placenta while the two of them are literally still in the womb doesn’t sound like exactly the type of BS that fetus!AFO would pull, lol.)

HEY!?!

okay?!?!?! well to be fair he did throw that soda at him

oh my god this is so fucked up. in like the best and worst way possible

I genuinely couldn’t ask for a better AFO backstory. it’s so incredibly twisted, and you actually do feel sorry for him. or at least I do. but it’s also beyond clear that this kid was FUCKED UP BEYOND ALL REASON right from the get go. zero goodness in him. literally doesn’t see other people as people. sees them as possessions only. things to rule over. not other thinking, feeling human beings. and that includes his own little brother

but. even if it’s not actually what I would call love, there’s still... attachment, there. it’s the closest he can get to actually caring about someone. guh. just, somehow they have both managed to humanize him, and at the same time made him less human than ever. this manga, man. this fucking manga, though

lmao and here we go. Captain Hero

you know, all those times that I made fun of AFO for not knowing how to read, I never suspected that the twist in his backstory would be that he LITERALLY DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO READ dfksjdlfkjslkdf

but seriously though. because Yoichi appears to be self-taught, and I can’t see AFO having the patience for that, and CLEARLY no one else was around to teach him, sooooo...

oh my goodness it’s actually getting wholesome up in here

what a good fucking boy. poor AFO. fuck me, I can’t help it. it’s not your fault you’re the world’s greatest monster you poor bastard

now we’re cutting to THREE YEARS LATER. okay

is he going to declare war on the glowing baby

typical teenager concerned about nothing but likes and view counts. AFO you would be so much happier if you stopped worrying about all of that and just focused on your own growth

oh, lol. well that was quick

(ETA: r.i.p. Damien.)

“this guy had more instagram followers than me. so I killed him” honey. sweetie pie. you need therapy

omfg

all this time I was wondering who AFO’s middle school lit teacher was who had failed so spectacularly at teaching him reading comprehension. and it was YOICHI ALL ALONG. omg

“and, presumably, that’s how it always was and always will be.” dude. can you imagine listening to AFO’s oral book report on A Tale of Two Cities. “ahem. it was the Best of Times. the end” buddy noooooooo

it was at that moment when Yoichi knew, etc. etc.

oh my GOD I scrolled down to the next panel right after this one and I just IMMEDIATELY DIED LAUGHING

“WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID” ffffffffffffffff I fucking can’t omfg

NOW THIS HUSSY IS STEALING HIS BROTHER AWAY FROM HIM NOOOOOOO

HE’S HIS!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!! THAT’S NOT ALLOWED!!!

oh my god the hands. so wait, is this just the standard symbolic BnHA handholding, or are there More Levels To This. when exactly did Yoichi pass OFA on to Kudou. like is that why the sudden close-up and all that? omg

WHAT!!!!

OH THAT’S THE END, HUH? THAT’S THE END RIGHT THERE, AND THAT’S JUST HOW IT IS. I SEE. OKAY THEN. EXCUSE ME WHILE I PUT MY LAPTOP DOWN AND GO INTO THE NEXT ROOM AND SCREAM INTO A PILLOW

oh my god. and break next week too. this is what you guys have been dealing with this entire time huh. I understand your feelings now. godfuckingdammit lmao

#bnha 407 #all for one #shigaraki yoichi #ofa the first #bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #bnha manga spoilers #makeste reads bnha

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spacecowboyhotch · 3 months

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Not Enough

summary: you try to talk to Marc about your connection— he’s not ready.

prompt: rainy day

pairing: gn!reader x marc spector (the tiniest bit of jake at the end)

contents: angst, requited love but wrong timing, longing, pining, crying, low self-esteem (both parties), ptsd if you squint, no happy ending

wc: 1,023

an: i know it’s Valentine’s Day, but this is just kinda where i am rn. this is pretty vulnerable and sad so just a heads up. disclaimer: as a mod/organizer of @moonknight-events, my participance in this event is purely for promotion and i will NOT be entered into the drawing for any prize.

moonknight masterlist | SP BINGO 2024

Marc has never considered himself dramatic. And he certainly has never considered himself a romantic. He hates the heavy rain, hates the way that water pelting down on his skin makes him feel so tiny. So small. Like he’s just a helpless boy again.

So why is he running through mud and greenery in hopes of finding you in this soon-to-be thunderstorm storm?

This is not the time, not the place, and you’re not the person he should be getting involved with. Marc stopped pretending he didn’t want you a long time ago, but that hasn’t encouraged him to make a move. You deserve better. He deserves to have his shit figured out before pulling you into the tornado that is his life— the life he feels like is sometimes not his own, the one he shares with an ancient bird. He’s out here looking for you to keep you safe, not to tell you how he truly feels. Not to finish the conversation you’d practically cornered him into. Not to be honest. He had abandoned honesty the moment his mother turned on him.

Khonshu’s latest target has brought you all here. Somewhere in the grassy wilderness, rolling hills dotted with small ponds that are tucked between towering forests. It's beautiful, or at least it would be if you all weren’t here to kill someone. If you weren’t overstimulated, stomping (and occasionally tripping) through the muddy forest trying to put as much space between you and the man you’ve accidentally fallen in love with.

At this rate, you’re soaked to the bone, and your clothes are sticking uncomfortably to your skin. But, as you peer up through the trees letting the rain hit your face, it feels like it’s washing everything away. It feels like for just a moment, you get to sit in anonymity. After attempting to be so vulnerable with Marc back at the cabin, it's exactly what you need.

You’re just a small being in an expansive forest and it feels good. You have no desires, no words, no feelings. It’s just you and the rain. You stop walking, focusing on the cold raindrops, teeth chatterng. Cold as it is…it feels like a temporary peace.

Peace that is quickly taken away when you hear Marc’s voice echoing through the trees, calling out your name. You start walking again, though this time your feet have less force and more speed. You don't want him to catch up with you, you're not ready to be seen again just yet, not even at face value.

As you continue to trot forward, Marc’s voice waxes and wanes behind you. Sometimes it’s softer, allowing you to relax but then it grows louder and your heartbeat picks up along with your pace. You know that he’ll catch you, whether he uses his abilities or not. But you’ll outrun him as long as you can, the same way he’s outrunning his feelings for you.

It isn’t long before you end up in a clearing. You’re more out of breath than you would like to be, but in all your training you hadn’t prepared to run through your tears. You’d take physical pain over the gnawing feeling in your chest any day, unfortunately, you don’t have a choice.

This is your reality. With words so sobering echoing in your mind you finally stop, hunching over to slow your breathing. You hear his footsteps behind you over the rain and for a long time, neither of you says anything.

Marc breaks the silence. “I’m sorry. I don’t…I don't know why I can’t be honest with you.”

You stay quiet, stay turned away from him because even in this heavy rain he’d be able to recognize the renewed tears that stream down your face harder than before.

“That’s not true,” He murmurs, to himself, to you after the silence grows on too long. “I know why but I can’t— I’m not ready yet.”

You still aren't talking, practically frozen in place under the sheets of rain. He shivers again, trying to block out the discomfort, the tightness in his chest. This isn't about him. For the first time in a long time, he’s sacrificing his safety for someone else’s. It's still not enough…no not yet. He’s not sure when it will be.

With a deep breath, you turn towards him and for a moment Marc thinks that the two of you will get somewhere, that there will be some understanding. That fades when you don’t meet his eye and walk right past him without a word. Before it’s too late, he reaches out, catching your hand in his own.

It stings, a temporary warmth with the promise of nothing.

“I won’t ask you to wait for me,” He says, squeezing your hand gently.

You know that it's meant to be a comfort, but it simply makes your heart ache more. How he could look at you with such regret and still break your heart, it's cruelty at a level you want no one to experience. Because you know that even as he says those words and offers his comfort, even as he lets you off the hook, that you’ll wait for him.

You’ll be subject to this torment as long as you can look into his eyes. As long as you can remember his name, and be by his side, you’ll love Marc. It’s never been a choice for you. If it was…you aren’t sure you’d be able to make the right one for you anyway.

You pull your hand out of his, raising your chin high as you pointlessly wipe away the tears that stain your cheeks— they simply reappear.

“I’ll see you back at the back at the cabin,” You whisper with finality, turning a way that is distinctly the opposite direction, hand tucked into your pocket to fetch your compass.

Marc lets you go. The piece of him that longs to reach out to you is too small, too weak. It has no claim. Helpless once more. It feels like someone else starts to take the steps back towards the forest. He can’t find the strength to care or be afraid.

moonknight taglist: @ninebluehearts, @rmoonstoner, @later-gators12, @foreverinwanderlustt-blog, @aleeb, @eyelessfaces, @marc-spectorr, @missdictatorme, @toracainz, @mccn-bcys, @campingwiththecharmings, @whatthefishh

#marc spector x reader #marc spector x gn!reader #x reader #marc spector fanfiction #marc spector angst #moonknight fanfiction #moonknightevents #arson writes

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97keanu · 9 months

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Witch!Reader who comes from a long line of witches. The blood is diluted from the years and the magic of old manifests within you in subtle ways. You can divine, tarot is your friend as well as looking glasses and bowls of moon water. You know just about every herb and crystal and their properties, you sell spell jars and satchels for many ailments in your small village. You find candle magic particularly helpful at times, and dreams really do come true for you. Older, more powerful witches live much longer lives than you, though you wouldn't doubt if you saw one hundred and beyond.

Witchfinder!Constantine who comes from as long a line of blood as yours, just on the otherside. He can sense magic from a mile away, and especially those with an evil shine to them. He who has fought ancient evils, witches and demons alike, who has never come in contact with a witch such as yourself. When he senses you, it feels like waking in the sun after a comforting nap, a pleasant warmth that radiates in his heart. What could this possibly mean?

Witchfinder!Constantine who knows he is on the hunt in your town looking for who or what has been plaguing the town of demonic possessions. He comes across your herbal shop after a neighbor who believes you to be evil tells on you. He can hardly believe you to be someone of evil magic after he meets you, despite being told of evil temptress witches such as yourself since he was a young boy.

Witchfinder!Constantine who seems so big in your little shop, filled to the brim with herbs, flowers, plants, trinkets of every shape and size, and books no human could read in one lifetime. The bells chime gently as the door closes. He looks around wary, unsure if magic is surely afoot here, or if you just practice natural medicine. He prays that is the case.

Witch!Reader who knew Constantine was coming. You always knew. You dreamed of dark hair, ruffled suits, and the scent of cigarettes and whiskey since you were little. You saw those dark, deep eyes, not unlike a wolf, every night this week. Your scrying bowl showed you a man, going from town to town, in search of something to kill. Something he could feel good about killing. Something that was undoubtly evil. You knew he would find you instead. You know what will surely come to pass.

Witchfinder!Constantine who meets eyes with you, and his breath catches, choked, in his lungs. He can't put his finger on why, but he knows that he's seen you before, twirling about in that misty land of his dreams, particularly the ones he wakes and fails to quite remember. Like smoke sliding through his fingers he could never place that face, until now. A chill runs down his back.

Witchfinder!Constantine who, despite his surly and rough edges, finds himself hardly able to speak to you as he approaches you. You already have a cup of tea ready, steam floating in the cool fall air, waiting for him. From the smell of it, you already prepared it with whiskey, just how he likes. He sits across from you, your red velvet topped séance table between the two of you.

Witchfinder!Constantine who is so taken back by your beauty and your grace that he almost forgets entirely why he came to your shop, your village, in the first place. All his soft lips can utter is, "Who are you?"

Witch!Reader who responds "I think you already know the answer to that." And he does. His heart longs in ways he cannot hold back. He hasn't felt this way since he was just a boy with a schoolyard crush. And even still, this is more powerful. It's as if the missing part of him has been filled. This scares him all the more. He can take killing monsters, there's a cleanness to that. He gets the job done, and feels better for making the world a safer place and following in his ancestors footsteps. With you however, all he can think is how messy this has already begun to be. He settles into his chair, this will be a long ride.

#john constantine x reader #constantine x reader #keanu reeves fanfic #my writing #my imagines #keanu reeves #john constantine #Constantine fanfic #constantine (2005)

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jjongscardigan · 2 months

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LOVE DRUNK ₊ ⊹⟡ — p.jongseong

PAIRING: non-idol!jay x fem!reader

GENRE: fluff, first meetings and all that shizz. Slightly suggestive at the end but nothing explicit. :)

CW: Does making out need a warning?? Mentions of retching, drugs, alcohol and horny people.

NOTE: Something smol I had in my notes since I had plans of writing on here. Enjoy~

SYNOPSIS:

Y/n prepares for a wild party, encountering chaos and unexpected situations. Amidst it all, Y/n shares a captivating moment with Jay, hinting at the possibility of something more.

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"Y/n work with me will you? Sunoo, your best friend, says. You guys are getting ready to go to a party. Sunoo got invited by a classmate of his and chose you as a plus one. "You keep stabbing my eye with that brush, sorry that I'm flinching?" You sarcastically say. He rolls his eyes and continues in silence. You guys dressed up as sluts for the party. You're wearing a backless black dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. Meanwhile, Sunoo wore an almost transparent shirt that he tucked into wide dress trousers topped off with a cute beret.

Half an hour later you guys enter a very crowded house. The atmosphere is humid and smells like weed. The music's so loud there definitely will be complains about it. The rap song playing starts giving you a headache. There's people making out everywhere and you catch a glimpse of someone naked running through the corridor. You make eye contact with Sunoo and he shrugs. You guys move towards the living room and look for drinks. "Hi, Sunoo!" Heeseung, who invited him, yells. You friend shyly waves and you nudge him.

"Drinks?" He asks. You nod and wait by a plastic house plant. Two girls, whom you recognise as Ryujin and Yunjin, bump into you but barely notice because Ryujin has her hand in Yunjin's cleavage and they're practically humping like dogs in heat. You quickly divert your eyes and see a group of very loud boys on the couch. One of them whom you know as Riki is shugging down a bucket of pint. You frown because that boy is not of age, but, hey, that is not your responsibility.

Sunoo comes back with a plastic cup and you guys start walking around looking for a spot to sit. Heeseung eventually calls Sunoo over and he walks away leaving you standing there all alone. You sigh dramatically and continue the journey all alone as well. Going up the stairs you almost slip because of a substance and brace yourself while recovering. "Don't even look at it, y/n" you retch and make way up. There's a door on your left and you open it hoping it's the bathroom. And bingo! But upon entering you witness Jake, straight A's astrophysics student, snorting a line from Minho's chest. "Want to join us?" His voice is slurred and you barely make out the syllables. You smile politely and close the door.

What even was that? "I'm assuming you witnessed Jake doing lines?" You jump up at the voice next to your ear. Jay, super-hot-ideal-boyfriend-who-majors-in-business-management-or-something-but-is-super-hot-and-speaks-french-on-top-of-being-super-hot, Park is leaning against the wall where you held yourself up in dramatics. He chuckles at your expression; "I once saw him do it from someone's dick" had to chug down a lot of bleach and I still can't forget. That manages to make you laugh. "Oh, my gosh? Who's dick?" Curiosity killed the cat but you can't help but ask. Jay leans closer to your ear and goosebumps form on your skin. Thus begins the gossip session. Jay tells you all about these parties and you hang onto every word he utters.

After a while he notices that your cup is empty. "Want another one?" You shake your head, "Nah, not a fan of alcohol" his eyes widen and he grabs your wrist. "Let me make you the best mix. So good you'll get addicted to alcohol." Without waiting for an answer he drags you all the way back down to the kitchen. "Addicted in a good way by the way" He shyly lets go of your wrist and locks eyes with you. You giggle because it's Jay Park. "Okay, sir. Blow me away"

As Jay busies himself behind the makeshift bar, you watch his every move with a mixture of fascination and amusement. His confidence is evident as he effortlessly mixes various spirits and juices, creating a concoction that promises to be nothing short of extraordinary.

"You're quite the mixologist, aren't you?" you tease, leaning against the counter as you observe him with a playful smile.

Jay grins in response, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Just wait until you taste it. You'll be begging for more," he says, his voice laced with a hint of playful arrogance.

As he finishes preparing the drink, he slides it across the counter towards you with a flourish. "Here you go, my dear. A special creation just for you," he announces proudly.

Taking a sip, you're pleasantly surprised by the burst of flavours that dance across your taste buds. It's sweet yet tangy, with just the right amount of kick. "Wow, this is amazing!" you exclaim, genuinely impressed by his mixology skills.

Jay's grin widens at your reaction, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction. "Told you it would be good," he says smugly, leaning against the counter next to you.

You both fall into an easy conversation, exchanging stories and laughter as you enjoy your drinks. Despite the chaotic atmosphere of the party raging around you, being with Jay feels like a welcomed respite—a moment of calm in the midst of the storm.

As the night wears on, you find yourself drawn to Jay's magnetic presence, captivated by his charm and charisma. And as you laugh together, sharing secrets and stolen glances, you can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest.

Maybe this party wasn't so bad after all, you think to yourself, grateful for the unexpected turn of events that led you to Jay's side. And as you continue to revel in each other's company, you can't shake the feeling that this could be the start of something incredible.

Eventually, the playful banter and lingering gazes between you and Jay become too much to ignore. With a surge of courage, you lean in closer, your lips brushing against his as you close the gap between you. The kiss is electric, sending shivers down your spine as you lose yourself in the moment.

Jay responds eagerly, wrapping his arms around you as he deepens the kiss, his lips moving against yours with a hunger that matches your own. The world around you fades away as you become lost in each other, the music and chatter of the party fading into the background as you give in to the undeniable chemistry between you.

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perma taglist: @haechansbbg @luvnicho @kim2005bomi @n1k1mura @eclipse-777 @kgyam4

MY WORK!!

#enhypen #enhypen jay #kpop #kpop moots #park jongseong #enha jay #jay x reader #jay #enha jongseong #park jongseong x reader #jongseong fluff #enhypen jongseong #jongseong x reader #jjongscardigan

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vexic929 · 2 months

Text

Child in Time

Chapter 1

Warnings: implied child neglect, mentioned child death

By now, Barry Allen was fairly confident that nothing could surprise him anymore. He'd been through so many impossible things, done so many impossible things in just the last few months - he'd run faster than the speed of sound, fought multiple metas and supervillains and won - he couldn't fathom what was left that wouldn't feel like just another Tuesday at this point.

The familiar crackle of Speed Force lightning zipped behind him and Barry turned, startled and prepared for an attack, expecting the Man in Yellow. Instead, there was another crackle behind him as whatever it was left and his attention was immediately drawn to a baby carrier, securely placed away from the glass beakers and chemicals in his lab. He approached slowly, cautiously, his brow furrowing. The blanket overtop shifted and Barry flinched before shaking his head at his stupid reaction. It was a baby carrier, not a bomb...at least he was pretty sure.

The blanket moved again, this time distinctly as though something very small had hit it from the inside, and it drew Barry's attention to a piece of folded paper pinned to the top. 'Barry' was scrawled across the front in his own handwriting. Thinking about how bizarre this already was, Barry carefully removed and unfolded it.

I'm sorry I can't explain more. This is Eo, he's 8 months old. You and Iris need to keep him safe. Thanks, Barry

Barry's hands were trembling as he tugged the blanket off, filled with apprehension.

Inside the carrier, chewing on a teething toy shaped like a storm cloud, was a tiny, pale infant with wide blue eyes and the softest wisps of strawberry blond hair, dressed in a light blue onesie. Barry thought he looked like the most stereotypical baby he'd ever seen, like a Gerber baby with his chubby cheeks and long eyelashes. He reached into the carrier and gingerly picked up the little boy who immediately dropped the toy and reached back in the carrier with a distressed sound. His chubby fingers groped at nothing while his little lip wobbled.

"Oh no, don't cry, please don't- oh," Barry said letting out a relieved breath as he reached into the carrier and picked up a small teddy-bear dressed in a Flash costume. "Is this what you want?" He handed the stuffed toy over and the baby cooed and gurgled happily, nuzzling into its fur.

Barry's mind was racing. Who was this baby? Where had he come from? Where were his parents? Why had he brought him…here? In the past? From the future? God, he really needed to get better at explaining things to himself. He had a feeling Dr. Wells was going to kill future him for this.

On top of all the questions, Barry definitely wasn't ready to be a parent - he and Linda had barely started dating and he was only 24, he hardly felt like an adult himself. But the baby was here, now, and he needed someone to take care of him, to protect him from...something. Apparently that someone was him.

Well, not just him. 'You and Iris' the note had said, also. He definitely couldn't put this on Iris, she and Eddie had only just moved in together. He chewed his lip, looking down at the baby again before making up his mind, cradling the infant more securely to his chest, and speeding out of the lab.

The baby chewed on the bear's ear, wide blue eyes tracking everything he could see as Barry arrived in the cortex. Cisco, who had been making his way across the room, paused and pulled the lollipop from between his lips, using it to point at the infant, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Um, what's that?" He asked. Eo squeaked helpfully in response, tiny feet kicking at the air.

Barry shifted his grip to hold the baby more securely. "Guys, I think we have a problem."

Dr. Wells' keen blue eyes flickered between Barry, Eo, and the bear plush for a moment, seeming to need that moment to process what he was seeing. Barry couldn't really blame him, he hadn't been expecting to have an infant in S.T.A.R. Labs either. After a beat, he wheeled forward and offered his arms to take the baby. Barry handed him off gratefully.

"Indeed. Who is this, Mr. Allen? Where did he come from?" He asked as the baby settled against his shoulder, babbling in his ear and waving his pudgy fist in the air, the bear swinging and nearly knocking off Dr. Wells' glasses. Dr. Wells removed them and set them out of the baby's reach.

Barry shrugged helplessly. "I'm not sure. I guess I - future me, I mean? - brought him back to me - past me. I-I guess he's not safe wherever - whenever - he's from and I thought that I could take him here?"

"Did you just say future you? As in you time traveled?" Cisco asked, looking torn between surprise and excitement at the prospect. "Bro, that's sick!"

Eo babbled loudly as though agreeing. Barry gave another helpless shrug and Caitlin finally set down her work to cross the room and examine the infant.

"He certainly doesn't look related to you, Barry, he shares none of your characteristics - of course, he could be adopted," she added as the baby reached for her.

"Yeah, I dunno. I left myself a note but all it said was he's in danger, he's 8 months old, and his initials." And that he and Iris should take care of him, but he wasn't about to bring that up.

Caitlin hummed. "He looks as though he's hit the growth milestones you'd expect for 8 months. I'd need to give him a proper exam to know for sure."

"He's kinda creepy," Cisco commented. "Like that creepy Twilight robo baby, Chuckesmee. Uncanny Valley, demon baby creepy."

"Cisco." Caitlin chided, giving him an exasperated look.

"What? You can't tell me he's not creepy, look at him!" Cisco insisted, gesturing towards him.

"What are his initials?" Dr. Wells asked curiously.

"E-O," Barry answered, watching as Caitlin took the baby and bounced him lightly. Eo cooed, pulling at a button on her blouse.

"Well, I suppose we should keep an eye on 'Eo' for the time being and hope your future self returns for him sooner rather than later." Dr. Wells said finally, replacing his glasses.

"I'm going to give him an exam, make sure he's healthy. Barry, why don't you go get some baby supplies; bottles, formula, baby food, bibs, diapers, onesies, teething rings, pacifiers," Caitlin listed off, adjusting Eo to her other arm and carrying him to the med bay.

Barry was back with the requested supplies before Caitlin had even set Eo down. The tiny boy immediately pulled her stethoscope into his mouth as soon as it she brought it close, wide blue eyes watching her inquisitively.

"Cisco, can you come distract him while I examine him?" Caitlin asked as she tried to pull the stethoscope away gently so she could press it to his chest and he grabbed a tiny fistful of her hair instead.

Cisco made his way into the room and Barry made to follow but Dr. Wells stopped him. "Barry, a word?"

Barry turned, surprised by the seriousness in Dr. Wells' tone. "Yeah, sure," he replied, following the older man to a the hall.

Dr. Wells folded his hands together, his expression grave. "Barry, I understand your impulse to take responsibility for this child, but this isn't just a matter of caring for a baby. We have no idea what his presence here could change, what potentially has already changed."

Barry nodded, running his fingers over his mouth anxiously. "I know. But I can't exactly take him back, I mean, I don't even know when he's from even if I could. I didn't even know time traveling was a possibility until like 20 minutes ago. And if future me thought it was important enough to bring him here, then I have to believe there's a good reason for it."

"I understand your concern and I'm sure that your future self had good intentions but our main priority should be returning him to his time." Dr. Wells sighed heavily and removed his glasses. "I must not be present in that future because otherwise I most certainly would have told you that this was a terrible, stupid, dangerous idea. The ramifications of the action of bringing him here alone are entirely unpredictable, much less keeping him here for an extended period of time. We need to focus our energies on getting him back home and minimizing the damage, you especially need to focus on that. Until we can return him, I think it best if he stays with me so you don't risk becoming attached."

"Dr. Wells-" Barry started but Dr. Wells lifted a hand to silence him.

"He'll be in good hands, Barry, you don't need to worry. I have experience in the area - I had a daughter, Jesse, and while her mother certainly did more than her fair share of the work, I'm more than capable of caring for an infant." Dr. Wells assured him.

The past tense 'had' made Barry's heart clench and before he could stop himself he asked, "what happened to her?"

Dr. Wells' expression softened. "Jesse passed away when she was still a young child. The car accident that took my wife took her as well, much too soon. She was three."

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Wells. I had no idea."

Dr. Wells waved off Barry's condolences. "I'm not telling you this to garner sympathy, Barry, just to reassure you that he'll be well cared for."

Barry shifted foot to foot, feeling conflicted. On the one hand, he knew Dr. Wells was right. This was probably the safest option for the baby. But on the other, he couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility, that this child had been left with him for a reason.

"I...Dr. Wells, I know you'd probably - definitely - be the better option but I feel like there's a reason I brought him to myself. I promise I'll come to you with any questions I have but I think I should be the one to take care of him, at least for now. I mean who knows what he's even in danger from, whatever it is could hurt you and him both," Barry said finally.

Dr. Wells regarded Barry for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh and nodded. "Very well, Barry, if you insist."

Barry nodded and returned to the cortex after a moment, feeling strangely guilty. Cisco and Caitlin had Eo on the floor between them, lying on his stomach on a S.T.A.R. Labs sweatshirt to prevent him from making contact with the cold, hard metal flooring. Caitlin pursed her lips as the infant shuffled his feet and waved his tiny arms, seemingly unable to get them underneath himself.

"How is he?" Barry asked, coming to sit between them, next to Eo. Eo rolled onto his side and watched Barry, tugging the sleeve of the sweatshirt up and into his mouth.

"Healthy, for the most part, but he seems...pretty delayed developmentally," Caitlin said with a heavy sigh. "It's hard to tell for certain; infants can't exactly say what they're capable of, but usually if you put them on their stomachs and they're able to crawl then they will do so or at least start to. At this point he should be trying to stand but he won't even army crawl."

Barry's heart sank at Caitlin's words. He looked down at Eo, who was happily chewing on the sleeve of the sweatshirt, oblivious to the conversation happening around him. The weight of responsibility settled heavier on Barry's shoulders.

"Do you think there's something wrong with him?" He asked, fearing the answer.

Caitlin shrugged. "I'm not a pediatrician. I know what milestones he's supposed to have hit at this stage and he seems to be missing a few but I couldn't tell you if they're significant enough to warrant concern."

Barry's mind raced as he processed Caitlin's words. He felt a surge of protectiveness towards Eo, mixed with a deep sense of worry. What if something was seriously wrong with him? What if Barry wasn't equipped to handle it?

"I could run some blood work on him," Caitlin offered after a moment. "I think he's otherwise fairly healthy. He's a good length and weight, his vision is fine, he tracks pretty much everything, and responds to auditory stimulus."

Barry nodded, feeling a mix of relief and dread at the prospect of finding out more about Eo's condition. "Yeah, let's do it. I want to make sure he's okay."

#child in time #baby eo au #the flash #cw the flash #the flash cw #eowells #eobard thawne #barry allen #caitlin snow #cisco ramon #baby eobard #vexic writes #vexic lives

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vivwritesfics · 2 years

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Eddie Munson is a Really Overprotective Brother

Steve Harrington has a date with Y/N, the sister of Eddie 'the freak' Munson. Eddie 'the freak' Munson will do anything to protect his sister. In this one he follows her on her third date with Steve, how fun.

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Fluff warning

STEVE HARRINGTON X FEM!READER

Hey, I'd love some mutuals! Pls send me a message for a moot!

"Do you know Eddie Munson?"

At those words, Dustin's face paled. He had no doubt that Eddie and Steve had crossed paths at some point; they probably shared a few classes once upon a time. But Steve was an asshole back then. He either ignored Eddie or made fun of him for being a freak.

They were sat in Steve’s car together, driving to Mike's house. When it came to Eddie's campaigns the boys liked to be prepared for whatever he threw at them.

“I-yeah, why?” Was all Dustin could say to answer. This couldn’t be something good, he’d decided, just from the way Steve had said his name.

Steve’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “It’s just that I got a date with his sister. I need to know if I’ve got anything to worry about or not,” he said casually, but his hands were white, paler than usual.

Y/N Munson was Eddie’s little sister, although they were now in the same grade in school. She was the complete opposite of him; cute skirts, nice blouse. She wasn’t a freak like her brother, just a freak by association. Made to sit in on the DnD campaigns, reading quietly in the corner. Eddie would protect her with everything he had.

“How did you score a date with Y/N?” Asked Dustin, his eyebrows raised.

Steve shrugged. “She knows Robin. Anyway, should I be worried about her brother or not?”

Yeah, Steve should have been worried. Eddie was fiercely protective over her; he’d scared away several guys who had tried to ask her out. Rumor had it that Eddie had a list of approved men for her and it was blank. If he caught wind of her date with Steve, he’d hunt him down.

Dustin nodded. “You sure you want to go on a date with Y/N?”

“Yes Dustin,” Steve groaned. “Now, is Eddie gonna kill me or not?”

“Yeah, he’s gonna kill you.”

***

Y/N loved her brother. She and Eddie never fought, no matter how different they were. He had been protecting her since they were kids. Someone pushed her on the playground and little Eddie would come running over to push them twice as hard. She grew up protected because of him.

“Getting ready for something?” Asked Eddie, leaning against the frame of her bedroom door. Their rooms were just across from each other in the trailer. He looked at Y/N sitting at her vanity, applying a light layer of eyeshadow.

Y/N looked at her brother and smiled. “Going to see Robin,” she answered. As much as she hated lying to her brother, it was sometimes necessary. She looked away from him as she told her lie, but Eddie clearly didn’t believe her. He looked at her for a full minute and turned away.

Eddie was a scary guy, Y/N knew that. She also knew that guys tended to avoid her because of him and his protective ways. But all he said was, “stay safe, okay?” And left her room. No grilling, no interrogations to try and see who it was.

As strange as it was, Y/N let it go. It was a relief, not to be stuck under eddies spotlight as he asked question after question about who she was really meeting and where they were going.

Of course, Y/N didn’t tell Steve to pick her up from the trailer park. She told him to park a little way down the road and marched her way down there, turning back every two seconds to make sure Eddie wasn’t following.

Her hopes was that he trusted her, but Y/N knew that wasn’t the case. Was her brother psycho enough to follow her on her date? She didn’t know.

The sight of Steve’s car brought a smile to her face. She almost started jogging, but kept a composure, a bounce in her step as she walked towards the car. “Hey,” she said through a grin as he pushed open the door for her.

Nobody knew but this was their third date. Both Y/N and Steve knew that, should this date go well, it would be the one that sealed the deal. Not sex, mind you (Y/N knew she wouldn’t be able to contain her smile and Eddie would know something was up immediately), but Steve would ask her to officially be his.

As she climbed into the car Steve leaned over and kissed her cheek. “What’ve you got planned for us tonight, Stevie,” she whispered, smoothing out her skirt.

Steve was nervous for this one. He hadn’t gotten to the third date since Nancy, too busy looking after the kids, or easily finding something that would put him off by the end of the first date. But not with Y/N. In Steve's eyes already, she was perfect.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and started the ignition. “I was thinking we could catch a movie and then head to a diner or something.” Actually Steve had spent his week trying to think of which restaurant to take her to. He’d asked Robin for her opinion time after time, but he couldn’t find anything. So a movie and the diner it was.

Y/N hummed along to the radio, looking at the streetlights as they went past. She looked in the wing mirror, at the van driving behind them. Weird, that looked just like Eddie’s van.

Sitting up straight Y/N looked over at Steve with wide eyes. He spared her a glance, eyes quickly returning to the road. “What’s up?”

“Nothing! Nothing,” she said quickly and looked back in the mirror. Oh yeah, that was her brother alright. She didn’t know if he could see her, but she ducked down in her seat anyway.

The movie was nice, that was all Y/N knew by the end of it. She didn’t know anything about the plot or the characters, or even the title of the movie. She spent the entire thing looking at every seat, watching out for those long dark curls she knew so well. Thank God she and Steve were sitting at the back. The seatrest was up and she was cuddled into his side, eating the popcorn sitting in his lap.

She may have been clueless when it came to the movie, but being around Steve was enough. “I’m having a really nice time,” she said, her lips against his cheek. Steve's arm was around her, fingers dancing up and down her side. He looked down at her, eyes crinkling as he smiled.

A second later they were kissing, his tongue in her mouth. Steve was two seconds away from pulling her into his lap when Y/N pulled away. She settled back against him, her attention returning to the movie. But it didn’t return to the movie; spent the entire thing looking around for her brother.

After the movie Steve took her to the diner. It was just a short drive from the movie theatre, where Y/N tried to discuss with him the parts of the movie she had caught.

In no time at all they were in a booth in the diner, a plate of fries between them. They’d been talking and laughing, Dustin the current topic of conversation. “Actually,” Steve started and put down the glass of coke in his hands. “I, uh, these dates with you have been great,” he said. “And I wanna take things to the next level.”

Y/N’s breath hitched. “What’re you–”

“Well, well, well.” A figure suddenly loomed over him. “What do we have here?”

Y/N’s head fell into her hands.

“Good to see you again, Robin. Oh wait.”

Eddie stood over them, grinning. “Move over, big boy,” he said and sat beside Steve in the booth. “Having a fun night?” He asked, looking over at his sister with his brows up. “Wanna tell me who this guy is, while you’re at it?”

“You followed me on my date?!”

“That’s what happens when you lie to me,” Eddie said and ate a fry.

Y/N leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “What the hell, Eddie! What is wrong with you?!”

Scowling, Eddie leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "I'm just looking out for you," he said, his voice low. "Now, who is he?"

Steve held out his hand. "Steve Harrington," he said, trying to ease the tension that had built up between the three of them.

Eddie's eyes went wide. "Steve Harrington as in Hendersons friend?" He asked and Steve nodded. "That kid idolises you," he said and turned to his sister. "Why didn't you tell me it was Hendersons Steve?"

"Would that have mattered?"

"It does now?"

Y/N and Steve both raised their eyebrows at him. "Look, there are a lot worse guys she could go out with. You know how Henderson talks about him."

"So, you're fine with this?" She tried slowly.

"Not completely, but I'll let it slide."

Steve cleared his throat. "Do I have your blessing to ask your sister to be mine?"

"That you do, Harrington." Eddie patted his shoulder and stood up. "Have her home by nine thirty!" He called over his shoulder and walked out of the diner.

Y/N let out a breath. "I'm so sorry," she muttered and pushed the fries away from her.

Grabbing her hand Steve ran his thumb over her knuckles. "Hey, it's okay. He's just looking out for you. I'd be the same if I had a sister," he said and kissed the back of her hand. "But, what I was trying to say before your brother showed up is I've had such a nice time on our dates and I wanted to ask you to be mine."

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Yes, Steve!" She cried. "Yeah, I wanna be your girlfriend."

#Steve harrington #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington smut #steve harrington x reader smut #steve harrington x female reader #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington x you #joe keery #joe keery imagine #joe keery x reader #stranger things #stranger things imagine #stranger things x reader

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mikuni14 · 4 months

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Rewatching Ep 1-4 :)

First of all, I'm again amazed and amused by the fact that if they split into 2 groups and guys from one of them walked on their feet and just... didn't stop, they would finally reach civilization and call for help 😂 The road to this house is sentient, I swear, sometimes it's good and passable for a large car, sometimes it turns into some forest path where there is barely room for a scooter, oh, and there is also a conveniently collapsed bridge. Which other people know about, i.e. civilization AND HELP is not THAT FAR. 😭

How Phee gently holds White's hand while preparing for the filming. How does he treat him at all, how kind and caring he is. 🤔

Jin admitting he is a coward. 🤔

I wonder about the divine quality of the murderer(s) 😆 How mobile he is, how he appears often and in different places, twice he appeared in the way of boys running away on a SCOOTER (did he chase them through the forest? or does he just sit in the bushes and jump out when someone appears?), how strong he is - enough to lift Tee, or when he was hit several times in the back and head and it doesn't work on him. Same with his selectivity: he didn't finish off Por, he didn't kill Top even though he had the perfect opportunity, he killed Dang, he tried to kill Jin in the temple. And he never seems to sleep. And the fact that Top arrives on a scooter disguised as a murderer who previously attacked Tee and Tan who was then wearing black shoes and blue pants, while Top has white shoes and pants.

In deleted scene: Por counted 9 people on cctv.

Jin says that Non is alive, he just doesn't want to talk to them. 🤔 Tee and Top immediately assume it's his ghost, meaning that Non may be dead 🤔 Tee: If Non were alive, he would come to visit us, or at least he would come to Jin. Phee keeps insisting that the murderer is human. 🤔

Jin is genuinely worried about Por, he is shown comforting others, a voice of reason, a support for the group.

Phee's strange reactions: when Tee wants to leave Por and save himself, Phee is shown sitting frozen, looking at the floor. (Was that the case with Non? Was he left behind with wounds and maybe the reason he died was because no one helped him?). Or when Phee looks at Fluke strangely when he talks about leaving fingerprints on the dead body and an autopsy, and then he keeps looking at him when Fluke is visibly panicked. 🤔

Tan keeps directing the conversation towards Non, casually trying to bring out from the group what happened 3 years ago, until he loses control towards the end and DEMANDS to tell him what happened. Tan messes with Fluke's head, who only in this one scene with him, acts genuinely terrified of dying throughout the entire series, even his voice is different. Yet Tan also saw someone in the house and fought the murderer, too. What's interesting is that when the injured Tan comes back, he calls only Phee and Jin. 🤔

Now, as the first time, I'm impressed with how Tee treats White. I really can't doubt his feelings for White. His vile character, which we got to know in the flashbacks, came out in two scenes with White, when he scolds White for "not obeying" (although I have the impression that Tee is lashing out because he's panicking about filming a movie that triggers him) and when he runs away with Top (in in this scene he clearly succumbs to fear and peer pressure, they are in a frenzy in this scene. But the moment he sees the masked murderer he realizes that he left White and immediately returns).

It's interesting how Jin and Phee gravitate towards each other. I also think they are more compatible with each other than Phee and Non. And Jin can't lie to Phee and tells him the truth straight to his face, including the unpleasant one, which clearly pleases Phee.

It's also interesting how Phee and Tan often complement each other and "cooperate" wordlessly 🤔

The scooter doesn't start when Phee tries and starts immediately when the murderer sits down 🤔

Fluke is ready to worsen Por's condition, shoot Top and now hold everyone hostage (what's his plan again?), just so the truth about what happened 3 years ago doesn't come to light and just to save his precious reputation. Fluke is willing to do anything to save his bright future as a doctor. (It's very interesting how he looks at his bloody hands.) Just like the first time, I wonder about Fluke's extremely terrible behavior towards White, he is plain nasty, abusing him mentally, verbally and even physically, how often he tells him that Por may die because of him, he acts like a abusive parent with his: "can you do at least one thing right?", "you are so slow." What else struck me was the obvious fact that Fluke hates being a doctor, hates the patients, hates this job, complains when he has two patients, doesn't he know what it's like to work in a hospital? 😆Question: why does Fluke want to become a doctor, because it's definitely not his calling… 🤔 For his mom? For the money?

Jin's arm is dislocated AGAIN? What happened the first time?

Fluke to Tee: you killed a person. Tan immediately at Tee: 👀👀👀 I have the impression that Phee is working with Tan and that they just want to get confirmation of what happened first by scaring the boys. We see, for example, Tan unpacking the costume, which means he has access to it. And that is why the murderer did not kill Top - because he only wanted to freak him out (which worked, also Top's panic was contagious, also Tan is not there). Or maybe there never was a plan? Because actually everything looks quite random and accidental, they couldn't have known that Por would have a disk with the movie lying just there next to the TV (unless they already had this disk and placed it earlier), that he would let them play it, that the rest of the guys would agree to play in the new film. There's just too much randomness, dumb luck and unknowns here and the real (?) murderer is interfering with their plans.

I have a feeling that Non is either dead, missing, in a coma, or in a mental hospital and Phee and Non are trying to get information what happened. Although I wonder why they would wait 3 years for an answer, while being friends with the people who caused Non's downfall. Not to mention that Phee was sleeping with Jin and had quite an intimate and emotional relationship with him, and if he hooked up with him for revenge/spying, that would be quite a new level of sophistication and, well, being fucked up. And bit out of character for Phee, too I think. I have the impression that Phee and Tan are also shocked by what is happening, but I might be wrong.

I would say that Por's death was an accident that no one wanted (Phee, Tan and even the masked killer), if it weren't for that wire that decapitated Dang and the genuine attempt to attack Jin. Is this Non? Hmm, this would mean that Non's alive and in these three years he has either improved a lot and is able to carry out a complicated revenge plan, or his condition has gotten a lot worse and he is on a killing spree - at the same time being sane and balanced enough to carry it out successfully. (friendly reminder, that in slasher films, parents are also often the masked murderers - especially mothers..)

(Did you know that the actor playing Dang has his entire body covered with tattoos? :O)

#dead friend forever #dff the series #thai bl #bl drama

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bbygirl-aemond · 1 year

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do you have thoughts on how ewan mitchell compared aemond to the cyclops in his interview...?

Um absolutely. Ewan Mitchell's recent interview has completely ruined my life, and especially so because of that very part.

In case you missed it, Ewan said that one of the first things the showrunners ever talked to him about was this very idea of the Cyclops. "What does that do to a person?" asked Ewan in the interview. "To know the day you're going down, and feel bulletproof to a point."

This means the showrunners canonically have written parallels between Aemond and the Cyclops from Greek mythology, who traded one eye to Hades, the god of death, in order to see into the future and discover how he died. This wasn't explicitly mentioned, but Norse mythology also carries a very similar story of Odin, who sacrificed one of his eyes in exchange for drinking from a well that would give him unparalleled knowledge. And it suggests that, with the loss of his eye, Aemond gained not just Vhagar, but the knowledge of his own death.

And GOD does that add so much depth to the show, and to his character. Especially the standoff between him and Daemon: a lot of people read this moment as Aemond backing down out of fear of Daemon's implicit threat. But to me, it now seems more like an acknowledgement: "it is not yet our time."

It also, interestingly, strengthens the parallels between him and Helaena, but I'll go into that another time.

Okay, now it's time for book spoilers, and I'm gonna make myself sad with this one.

If Aemond KNOWS how he is going to die-- if he knows WHO kills him-- then it makes him provoking Daemon all the more interesting. Because his toast at the dinner must have been deliberate; right after Daemon kills someone for calling Rhaenyra's children bastards, and Aemond goes and does the same thing? Who would be so insane, except someone who knows that he will not die that day? Who would want to draw Daemon's ire, save for someone who knows it will be inescapable no matter what they do?

It also makes the way he goes to his death all the more honorable. He doesn't try to run away, even though he has much to live for: his family, his lover, and especially their unborn child. In fact, he seeks Daemon out, as if he'd simply been waiting until the time was right. And he goes to mount Vhagar for the last time with grace, and without fear.

Also, there's no way Vhagar didn't know there was no coming out of that fight for Aemond. Regardless of what you think about a dragon-rider bond, we know for a fact that things like pain are transferred through the bond (Rhaenyra and Syrax), and the emotions involved with knowing you're about to die are too strong to not seep through. I've always had this headcanon that Vhagar made a conscious decision to go down with her rider, and I think that if she had knowledge (through Aemond) of his doom, this makes it all the more likely. There's something very beautiful, if very sad, about the oldest, loneliest dragon alive, deciding that if her rider dies she no longer has anything to live for. Or, even, deciding to fight for him, even if his heart tells her it will be futile.

Lastly, if the books are correct in their portrayal of his final moments, it means that despite the years he had to prepare himself, he cannot help but succumb to terror at the end. In the books, he is barely twenty years old-- barely beyond his teenage years--and so of course he dies as what he truly has been, all this time: a lost, and terrified boy.

In summary, I am not ready for what's going to happen to my baby boy :((((((((((((((((((((

#ask #asks #answered #aemond #aemond targaryen #ewan #ewan mitchell #vhagar #daemon #daemon targaryen #hotd #house of the dragon #show #books #aemyra #hotd meta #meta

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maladaptive-ninja-returns · 3 months

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New World (7)

Itachi Uchiha x Reader Fluff

Summary: The world War has met its end and Itachi has returned to his village. He questions whether he should set down his roots here when he meets a stranger. Or rather, a stranger is forced upon him by fate.

Warnings: perverts

Word Count: I want to go on a date with someone. But the thought of having a conversation with a stranger horrifies me.

MASTERLIST in bio, darlings. Tags are open (check bio)

"Onsen! Onsen! Onsen! On~sen!!!" Naruto cannot hold in his excitement. He is all over the place. And the place is not small either. The quarters prepared for him and Kakashi overlook the zen garden in this lone property sitting on the hillside, right next to the temple. There are four quarters in total. And Kakashi has already scanned all four for any more foul play. Foul play, the phrase sounds almost comedic, given the recent events. The view of the dusky sky as the sun slowly bids farewell behind the mountains brings a stillness to the chaos that has been today. Kakashi takes a peaceful moment to appreciate it, while also wondering if his comrades were cursed or blessed. If they are cursed, they have been cursed in a rather beautiful way, he wonders. And just as another second passes, Kakashi suddenly feels the uncomfortable silence that has filled the room. His head whips around to find the menace he is carrying with him. Naruto is sitting on the porch outside, lost in a thought that reflects quite the discomfort on his face. "What's wrong?" Kakashi is genuinely curious. "Just wondering what Y/N must be going through," Naruto mumbles. "She was attacked for being a bit different than others and now her attackers just forced her into an accidental marriage. She barely got to catch her breath. Not to mention her having a nightmare last night."

Kakashi raises his brow at the boy. "And...what were you doing in the night outside?" "Looking for food?" Naruto says it like it is an obvious thing to do. Kakashi comes and sits next to him, taking in one deep breath. "Well, we can only hope she is okay. And if she's not, we are all here for her. And as far as accidental marriages go-" Kakashi runs his hand through his hair- "I am glad she is with Itachi right now." Naruto nods in agreement. The mentor and mentee look at the dipping sun for a few more minutes. "I would have punched Toge if he had succeeded in his plans to marry Y/N," Naruto declares softly. Kakashi's eyes narrow as his mask hides a smile. He pats Naruto on his back in affirmation. "You can have an hour in the onsen, as a treat."

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Nami too is looking at the setting sun from her bedroom while unpacking your clothes even though it does not bring her any peace. A knock on the door makes her turn away from the scenic view to curse under her breath and grab the closest of her kunai in attack mode. "I come in peace," Kozuki announces, her hands raised to prove her words. "You will leave in pieces," Nami announces, not ready to take another word from Bamboo Village residents. "I swear to the Gods, Nami. I had no idea Toge was planning a quick wedding with your friend," Kozuki presses, taking a cautious step towards her. Nami raises her kunai to point at the woman. "Your people tortured her in her sleep last night-" she takes a step forward, emanating a toxic amount of rage- "sent assassins to kidnap and or kill her, and when that was not enough, your shit excuse of a ninja thought the best course of action would be to get married to her and claim her as his property." Kozuki can suddenly feel the pressure of Nami's wrath on herself. The usually composed woman is suddenly finding it hard to look into Nami's eyes and justify the actions of her village. "I'm sorry, Nami. It was all planned by Fukaboshi sensei and-" "I. Do not. Care," Nami whispers as she now stands close to her, raising the little hairs on Kozuki's back. "If I find any more of your senseis planning something for my friend that would hurt her in any way, I swear on your Gods, Kozuki, I will start from Fukaboshi's house and then burn my way to the other end of your village, with or without the people in it. I will make sure this land is turned to ashes by the next sunrise." Kozuki furrows her brows in shades of anger. She parts her lips to say something. But Nami is already pressing the tip of her Kunai on the woman's chest. "If you think this is an empty threat...or if you think I cannot do such a thing...try me." Silence. Nami leaves the room. Kozuki stands there; still as she can be. For a couple of seconds before her mind regains the grip on the moment and her body begins to shudder in fear.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Time as a concept has lost its hold on you. You do not remember how you got to the hot springs. Nor do you recall what the ladies said when they greeted you, saw the string on your wrist and guided you to the onsen at the farthest end. It never registers inside your mind the dimly lit area- away from the usual onsen sections- that is wider than your normal spring, decorated with flowers and coloured ribbons. All your body seems to do is dump your clothes in the nearest closet, throw the towel in one corner of the bathing area and then walk into the hot waters to find a comfortable corner where you can let a few tears out. The huge mirror on the opposite wall- where you can see your naked figure crying in the hot waters- makes it a bit worse. A few minutes pass and the tears ultimately stop even though the heaviness in your chest doesn't. Wiping away the residue of your sadness from your face, you blink to bring yourself back to reality, looking around you and wondering where Nami is. Why am I alone here? As if to answer your question, there is a knock on the sturdy wooden partition of the onsen. "Y/N?" a familiar voice calls for you. Itachi's voice. The heaviness in your chest suddenly seems to swirl. "Yes?" "I'm coming in," he simply announces. Your jaw drops in horror. And so does your body; deep inside the water till it is just your face that is visible over the surface. In between the rising vapours that have developed the perfect index of a mist around you, you see him enter in a blue t-shirt and shorts that seem too big for him.

"The...uh...ladies won't let me go to the men's...onsen," he declares softly. He does not look in your direction and instead looks down at his feet and then up at the starry sky. "Oh-" you suddenly seem to recall something from your zoned-out walk to the bath- "they did not let me go to the women's side either. Because of the s-" "Strings. Yes," Itachi adds, raising his wrist to show you his golden beads studded thread still secure in her wrist. Itachi stands there, shuffling his towel in his hand while shifting his weight between his legs. And you simply watch his figure, wondering how this man was once the most dangerous ninja in the entire world. "Do you..." you trail off, looking around before coming back to look at your saviour. "Is it safe to talk in here?" Itachi looks around for a moment before his fingers summon a sound shield around the area. "I'll head back then," he announces, confusing you a little. "No, don't go!" you nearly shout, regretting not setting the right weight of desperation in your voice. "I mean-I didn't mean to...you should stay. Please stay. I'd rather have you here than..." Images of Toge standing next to you at the temple cross your mind, making your spine shudder even inside the hot water. Itachi can sense the uneasiness as he finally looks into your eyes. And he knows that emotion is not for him. Putting the towel down on the wooden bench by the wall, he removes his shirt. A soft 'oh' leaves your lips as you watch the muscles on his back move. Your first instinct is to turn around and give him some privacy to undress. Your second instinct is to smack your insides for thinking of how you want to run your hands on those muscles. Your third instinct is to push your dark urges under the water as they scream for you to turn around and take a peak at the man in his naked glory. Your ears catch the gentle sploosh of water and your skin feels the gentle wave rushing towards your end, telling you he is in the same vicinity as you now. "Is something behind the rock?" Itachi asks before his lungs let out a breath of relief. You shake your head. It's just Itachi, Y/N. Be an adult about this. He is also stuck in a situation with you. Nothing wrong with two adults in hot o-

You turn around. And forget to breathe. Itachi has taken the support of the rock on the left corner of the hot pool. The lanterns are reflecting their warm hues from his face down right to where his happy trail meets the water. Itachi Uchiha's clothes need to do justice to his sculpted body. His arms are toned, his biceps flexing as his elbows grace the rock beneath him. His chest and abs are shaped to human perfection. He has dropped his head back; his hair tied in a loose ponytail, his eyes closed, lost in the relief of the healing hot waters. Even with such a breathtaking view, you feel those soft lights not doing justice to the physical embodiment of the man in front of you. For a moment there, tiny stings of a simmering foreign emotion press inside your chest as your gaze is stuck on the yellow and orange lights of the lanterns having abundant opportunity of touching his skin and bouncing away. You do not realise how long you have been shamelessly staring at him; many times you have run your hands along his jaw before teasing his lips with your fingertips. You do not remember when you started wondering what his neck would feel like under your touch, as your fingers moved on his body inside your mind, grazing the tiny hairs in the middle of his chest, teasing them before reaching over his hard-built core. Your heat builds up between your legs when those mental images of your fingers travelling down, are slowly making their way past the belly button, reaching the happy trail and daring to walk further below the surface of the water. "Stop," Itachi's voice growls as his head whips in your direction and his eyes glow a murderous ember of red. You are frozen where you sit, not moving a muscle while your fogged-up mind is racing to come up with an explanation. But before can say something, a scream can be heard from the other side of the wooden partition that separates your section from the men's. "Aaaah! My eyes! My eyes!!!" a man can be heard screaming from the other side while a few other men can be heard panicking and calling for first aid. You have turned around by now, trying to figure out what happened when beyond the rocks you see a hole made in the wooden walls. But how did he... The mirror on the wall. You turn back to look at the wall for the mirror but it is no longer there. Rather, your body jerks back as it watches Itachi walk in your direction- till he is within four feet of you- before he swings the mirror in his hand towards the other side like a professional putter and stands there until he hears the crash and screams at the other end. You have not closed your mouth throughout the whole act, but you are thankful for the fact that he is wearing black underpants- which are doing a marvellous job of sticking to his skin- as stands in front of you, taking in a lungful of breath to ease back into his usual form while you sit there watching him in awe. A few seconds pass before Itachi kneels where he stands and shifts to the rock next to you. "Are you alright?" he asks. "...we could have just closed the hole," you declare. Itachi nods in agreement, pursing his lips. He pulls on his hair tie, undoing his ponytail before taking a dunk inside the water, wetting his hair, and coming back up. "They could have just opened another one." He finally adds, resting his arms on his knees. He's not wrong. You can no longer hear voices from the other section of the bath. The silence is comforting this time, bringing a bit of ease inside your chest.

"How are you doing?" you finally speak, bringing your knees close to your chest beneath the water. Itachi blinks at the question. "I'm sure getting married was not in your mission itinerary. Are you doing okay?" You can see the split second of the crease pass through his brow while he runs his hands through his hair to push it all back. "Nothing much has happened for me to not be okay." You chuckle, rubbing your hands on your face to stop this sudden burst of grinning spreading over it. "That's good to hear," you whisper more for yourself than for him.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

A Few Minutes Earlier "If they can try to get Toge to treacherously marry Y/N, I won't put it past them to try something foul again." Kakashi declares, taking a clean towel from the pile in front of him. "They sent her away to the last section because of the beads on her wrist," Itachi adds, as he puts on the blue t-shirt provided by the onsen workers in the changing room. "The elders had already planned to separate her from the rest of us that way." "All the more reason for you to stay next to her." Kakashi gently wraps his kunai, covered in a summoning jutsu paper, in between a piece of cloth before tucking it inside the pile of his clothes. That is not much of a job for Itachi. He has surveyed the halls of the onsen house. there are no hidden traps in this place. Just a plain old bathhouse where the far end unit is reserved for married couples. He is polite with his intrusion, and glad that you do not push him away in such a vulnerable position. He has already noticed the peephole in the wall behind you but does not say anything about it as you are already neck-deep in the water and someone would have to be foolish enough to try and take a peak at him. He chuckles internally when you turn around to bare your back at him while he undresses. His basic skill set tells how she should not be looking away from her enemy, to which his mind wonders if she trusts him enough to do so. Itachi's gaze has already studied the two moles on your back when he finally steps into the water. He makes sure you are not facing that peephole for long when he calls for you, indirectly making you turn around while his body likes the feeling of hot water over his skin, undoing all his tensed muscles in his legs and back. Even when he has covered the area with a soundproof shield, even when he has closed his eyes, his sensations are at an all-time high under his Sharingan. He can hear the sounds of men in the bath on the other end of the wall, snickering and scheming next to the peephole, wondering what 'beauty' they will see today. But that is not what stills Itachi. It is the sensation he feels over his face under his Sharingan. It is the familiar small warm hands wandering along the line of his jaw that he can feel inside his mind. Itachi does not move. And surprisingly, neither does his mind. No more calculations are happening in his head when he feels the fingers drop from his jaw to his neck, feeling the curve on his Adam's apple to the little dip down. He can smell you on him. Your redolence is seemingly bringing a positive rush inside his brain, while the sensation of your fingers grows substantially, slowly crawling down the middle of his chest. Lazily reading his abdomen, the fingers do not seem to stop, aiming right for the treasure trail.

He has underestimated the power of an empath.

And gradually, Itachi realises the boldness of those fingers is not the only thing growing. "Look at those breasts! Hohoho! We have won the lottery today!" the whispers from the other end of the bath resonate in Itachi's ears. Before the pervert at the other end can make sense, red eyes bore right into his, burning them with black fire. Itachi is trying to make sense of the unsettling rage building inside him when his body grabs the mirror, walks back into the water and throws it to the other end, aiming for the pervert. The scream and cries from the other end seem to satiate his fury somewhat, bringing him back to you. He sits next to you this time, trying to balance the remains of his sudden uproar inside him. Your presence does dilute it. But the concern in your eyes seems to create another whirlpool inside him, forcing him to take one much-needed dip inside the water. Coming back up, the fire seems to subside a bit. More so when he sees you watch him with a curious intent. Gradually, his heart feels at ease when you smile, more so when you giggle. "Y/N!!" Nami's voice calls out from somewhere outside the walls. Itachi watches you sit up before looking at him. "I should go," you state before rubbing an itch at the back of your neck, "do you mind...?" Itachi drops his head down, closing his eyes before turning a bit away from you. You get up and rush to the floor to grab a towel and wrap it around you. What you do not realise is the slight blush rushing on Itachi's cheeks as his mind can see your figure clear as day despite taking every precaution. Every fold, every dip, every mole, all those pretty stretch marks as you walk out of the water and those beads in your wrist brush past your curves. "See you at dinner, Itachi-san." You bow before leaving the bath. Itachi finally opens his eyes, his hands locked in one another, arms still resting on his knees, his gaze watching the entrance from where you just left. He sits there for five minutes- maybe more, his fingers playing with the beads- still looking at the doorway, seemingly lost in a thought. His breaths are steady, his eyes are relaxed. There are no noises inside his head. Just the resonating image of you grinning at him with unadulterated kindness reflecting in your eyes. In one collective motion, he gets up and runs his fingers through his hair and the soundproof shield drops down with a whispered pop.

"I have pretended to not notice you for her sake," Itachi announces to the wind. There is a split-second sound of one of the roof tiles shifting before the air goes back to the soothing sound of trickling water. "But if I ever get a whiff of you or anyone in collusion with you intending to harm her-" Itachi barely tilts his head in the direction of the 'loose' roof tile and holds the pause- "this village will know first-hand what Uchiha Itachi is capable of."

#itachi #itachi x reader #itachi x y/n #itachi x you #itachi uchiha #itachi fluff #itachi smut #itachi uchiha fluff #maladaptive ninja returns

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twstbookclub · 1 year

Text

Sweetest Escape

Summary: Going on a date with a certain red haired housewarden is like a haven you probably didn’t think could go well, but did it? POV: 2nd Pronouns: Gender neutral Admin/Writer: Kai⚔ Tags: Riddle Rosehearts, first date, riddle is a nervous wreck, another date?, sorry for not updating in a while Word Count: 974

“Will you go out with me?”

“Yes!”

“Wait-”

At that time, you and Riddle laughed since you asked each other on a date at the same time with the same response. It felt like something straight out of a movie, except this was real.

Right after deciding when to meet, you both walked away and headed to your respective dorms. Once out of Riddle’s sight, you had begun running to Ramshackle dorm.

“CATER!” You yelled out as soon as you stepped in through the door. The male popped his head out of the kitchen door with an excited look on his face.

“What’s-”

“We’re going out tomorrow! It’s happening! What should I do?! What should I wear!?!”

“Oh my seven, it’s really happening! Come on, we have to get you ready!” Cater said enthusiastically and ran to your room.

At this same moment, Riddle was running through Heartslabyul to look for Trey.

The kitchen door was forced open as a boy with his face redder than the roses stood at the door frame. Trey was a bit spooked but he simply laughed it off nervously as he was preparing pastries for tomorrow’s tea party as per rule 53.

“They said yes! I’m going on my first ever date… On the day of the monthly tea party… I’m breaking a rule?!” Riddle was in complete shock at his own revelation.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. First off, congratulations. Secondly, breaking one rule is not going to kill you. Be happy, you’re going on a date with the person you like. You think the Queen didn’t have someone she loved too?”

Trey did make good points, and Riddle did want to go on the date. He sighed and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. “You’re right. Then, what do I do to get ready?”

Trey smiled and came up with a plan in his head, staying quiet while making his way to Riddle’s room.

Time went by extremely quickly as it was already time for the date. It was peak afternoon, with the skies blue and clear. The perfect setting for your date.

You sat at a spot near a corner that had a window right beside the table. You were quite nervous, but this was like a first date jitters.

The jingle of a door bell was heard and your head immediately shot towards the sound, only for your eyes to be met by Riddle, who had already found you as soon as he walked in.

You stood up and watched him walk over, still staring for a few moments.

“This place is wonderful. Thank you for inviting me.” Riddle kept a calm demeanor, but inside he was a mess. His heart was going miles a minute, and his thoughts never stopped running.

You laughed softly as your eyes couldn’t help but gaze at his features. How red his face got. How his lips turned a bit thinner when he was thinking as you both talked about the common things. The way his hands moved as he explained something.

Riddle was the same way. When you talked, he noticed so many mannerisms that you used, like having to pause to think, and he grew to adore that silence every time it happened. The way your eyes noticed the smallest movements, how that caught your attention so easily, and- wow, he was feeling his heart wanting to burst.

As you both enjoyed pastries and tea together, laughing and talking in your own little worlds, you noticed that there was a small stain of whipped cream on the corner of his mouth. You suddenly excused yourself before standing up.

He looked at you a bit confused as he watched you move over to his side and lean down. Your finger gently wiped the cream off and you licked it off your finger, and all Riddle could do was sit in his chair, almost like a statue.

His face turned red as soon as he processed what just happened, eyes wide, and mouth slightly agape at the sight. Not to mention, you were suddenly so close to him. But that little gesture was making his mind run a mile per minute.

It was a bit awkward as he’s blushing like crazy, but soon after finishing you both leave. By this time, the afternoon was turning into mid sunset, and the sky was clear shades of orange and pink all over.

You both walked around the streets to look at display cases, and laughed while running down the walking paths with one another. Time had passed by suddenly as, shortly after, the door of your dormitory was right in front of you.

You stopped at the last light post and Riddle followed suit after, but he didn’t let go of your hand for a moment.

“So… Is there a next time?” He asked as his voice was tender and curious, but in a way that showed that interest that he was trying to hide. You playfully thought about his question before responding, giving him a false look just to tease him.

“Definitely. Does next week sound good? Oh! And, I’ll choose the place.” You gave him a smile as you could feel your face suddenly heat up. “Oh- alright! Then- have a good night. Sleep well.” After that, he waited as you went to turn in for the night, and then he went off on his own.

Riddle walked casually towards his room and carefully closed his door before he fell face first onto his bed. Trey was getting ready to turn in for the night when he suddenly jumped from hearing a loud scream. “Wow… was it that bad…?” He mumbled to himself.

You suddenly heard your phone ding from a message and it was from Cater.

“What did you do to him?”

“What? Nothing?”

“Nothing!?!? Huh!?”

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exhaustedpirate · 6 months

Text

parent for hire

finally, the next instalment of this adventure! only another one to go (and an epilogue)! once more, major thanks to @kmomof4 for being the best beta!

Chapter Six - Camelot

word count: 9,372 words

rating: Teen and Up

tag list: @cocohook38 ; @bluewildcatfanatic ; @piraterefrigerator ; @sotangledupinit ; @booksteaandtoomuchtv ; @teamhook

They were summoned to the throne room the next morning. There had been new clothes laid out in their room and a bath prepared. Killian chose to explain it with magic and not think about the fact that there had possibly been someone in the room without him noticing.

Their bags had been delivered to their room the night prior and he was happy to note that their things were all present and accounted for. There wasn’t much he needed from it except for the drawing of his brother and his compass - a gift from Nemo. And his sword, of course.

Emma and her parents were already waiting for them in the throne room. Emma looked as beautiful as she had before. Her hair had been pulled away from her face, a blue leather vest and a white shirt she wore fit her like a glove, and the dark trousers complemented her form.

The three seemed deep in conversation, and the royals’ frowns told him that they weren’t happy with the course of it. He wasn’t a betting man anymore but he would wager he knew the subject.

“Even before we appeared on the bank of Lake Nostos, we promised we wouldn’t leave you again. We won’t go back on it now,” Snow tearfully explained.

“You can’t go. You said last night that you were ready to be the people’s ruler again. You have to stay here.” Emma’s tone had a hint of panic, of fear. “This is my mission, I need to go.”

“We can’t change your mind?” David almost begged. “We only just got you back…”

Emma took a deep breath. “I need to do this.”

The determination in her eyes blazed like fire and Killian watched as Snow looked at David, and gripped his hand in a tight grip, an entire conversation being held within their gazes. They turned watering eyes and sad smiles on their daughter, and Killian thought his heart would break.

“We know,” Snow said, her hand on Emma’s cheek. “You’re so grown, a hero in your own right.”

“I-I’m not-” Emma stuttered, her eyes shining in the morning light.

“You are,” David interrupted, pulling Emma and Snow to him for a tight hug.

Killian wondered how many years Emma had longed to be held this way, to be loved this way, and his heart went out to her while his mind traveled to the only parent he still had.

“Y-You don’t have to go, Emma.” Henry’s quiet voice next to him broke him away from his thoughts and the three-person hug in front of them as they finally noticed their audience. “You can stay. You should stay.”

His shaking voice had Killian’s hand tighten on his shoulder.

“Henry,” Emma kneeled in front of the boy, her hands cupping his cheeks. “I want to go with you. I want to make sure you’ll be safe.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Henry.” Snow’s voice shook just as much as the boy’s. “This family will always find each other.”

Snow stood close by, her hand back in her husband’s and he nodded. “There have been many times when Snow and I were separated from each other but we still held on to hope.”

“We were separated from our daughter all those years ago, but we had hope that we’d see her again,” Snow added with a watery smile.

“And look where we are now,” David finished.

“Never lose hope, Henry. Even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing.”

Henry nodded, tears running down his cheeks but a hopeful smile on his lips. He threw himself at Emma, burying his face on her neck as they both held on tight to each other. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Hope.

Maybe they were on to something.

After all, it was abundantly clear to him how much his life had changed ever since he started having hope.

David cleared his throat and Killian took the distraction to wipe away the tears that had escaped down his cheeks. “Since you’re off on an adventure, I wanted to give you guys something.” He gestured with his head towards the throne at the end of the room.

Henry and Emma followed him holding on to each other’s hands. Killian made to follow, when a hand on his chest stopped him. Looking down, he saw Snow’s watery eyes hiding a fire behind them. Emma’s fire.

“I have something important to ask of you.”

Killian nodded. “Of course, your Majesty.”

“That’s my daughter.” Her voice broke and she cleared her throat. “That’s my daughter and I want her back in my arms. I am prepared to give you anything you wish to protect her and make sure she lives. Gold. Jewels. Anything.”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline the offer, Your Majesty.”

“What?” Her eyes were wide open with shock, her lips parted.

“You see…” He trailed away for a moment, his smile towards her nothing like his usual smirk, there was too much swirling through his chest to allow for such arrogance. “I have no need for your gold or your jewels. All I need is for Emma to be safe.” He couldn’t help the way his eyes drifted to her, the way she smiled at her father, the way she shined.

When he looked back at the Queen, she was smiling, a soft smile that lit up her eyes.

“You love her, don’t you?”

Killian looked away, scratching behind his ear. Was it so obvious?

“I’m starting to,” he confessed. “It creeps up on you, doesn’t it?”

Snow laughed and he couldn’t help but smile.

“It does, yes.” She nodded, watching him for a few seconds and sobering up. “When we left the castle yest- I mean, that day, we had hope that we’d see her again, yes, but I also had hope that, even if we didn’t, she’d be loved. She’d be okay.”

The Queen cleared her throat, trying to stave off the swelling sadness.

“She told us it wasn’t anything like I’d hoped. I regret that we weren’t able to give her that happiness and love.” She took a deep shaky breath. “But she’s strong. She pushed through and she became more than we ever expected. Seeing the way you and Henry love her, makes it all a little easier. Thank you.”

“Believe me, Your Majesty, loving them is, without a doubt, the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

The smile on his face melted into shock by the Queen’s tight embrace around him. He hadn’t felt such motherly affection in years. His arms went around her slowly, his eyes closing.

“Killian, look what I have!”

Henry’s call broke their hug, Snow grabbing onto his arms to look at him with a smile. He could only smile back and let her hope fill him. Killian cleared his throat.

“What do you have, lad?”

“A knife!”

“What?!” In a flash, Killian’s smile again turned into shock as he strode over to them.

“It’s not a knife, Henry. It’s a dagger,” David corrected, a smile on his face.

“Why does he even have a dagger?”

“For protection,” David answered like it was obvious. “But only as a last resource, remember?”

“Yeah!” Henry’s reassurance didn’t mean much when the boy was pretending that he was in an imaginary fight with his dagger.

“Henry?” David crossed his arms on his chest and raised an eyebrow.

Henry looked up quickly, his eyes wide and mouth agape before nodding. “Right, last resource.” Sheepishly, the boy sheathed the dagger on the new scabbard on his belt. “Look, Snow. Look at my dagger!”

Despite his concern over the boy, he guessed David was right, Henry should be able to defend himself without his magic. Just the thought of the boy in danger, however… Killian didn’t want to consider it. He looked away to find Emma’s attention on the sword in her hands.

It looked nothing like her old one. This one looked heavier - more of a royal’s sword than a pirate’s, he guessed. The hilt was golden and the cross-guard was curved, a masterful build.

“Looks like a perfect fit, don’t you think?” David asked, having followed his gaze, a look of pride in his eyes.

“I-I don’t know.”

“Since we can’t go with you, I want to know you’ll have a piece of me with you. To help you.” David’s voice was shaky despite his best efforts.

“Thank you.” Emma’s voice matched her father’s as she smiled back. She sheathed the sword on the equally detailed scabbard on her belt.

“Killian!” Henry called as he approached them with Snow. “Have you told them where we’re headed next?”

“No, lad.” He smiled. “I thought you’d want to do the honors.”

“So, last night, Killian checked Cygnus. You know, the star we’re following.” Henry looked between them and, like the avid listeners they were, they nodded. “It’s telling us to go West, to Ca-”

“I’m glad you’re all here.” There was a flash of blue magic after the sound of the Blue Fairy’s voice and Killian couldn’t help the surge of annoyance that rose in him at her presence and interruption.

“Is there something wrong?” Snow asked with a confused frown.

“No, no, I’m here to open a portal for Emma and the Truest Believer,” she answered matter-of-factly. “They’ll be heading to Camelot.”

Henry deflated next to him and Killian frowned. “How do you know that?”

The Blue Fairy sighed. “Camelot is where Merlin will be waiting for the Truest Believer, to fulfill the prophecy.”

“What about Avalon?” Emma asked, taking a step forward. “I’m supposed to take Henry there.”

“Avalon is a myth, dear. It doesn’t exist. It’s merely a sailor’s tale.” Her tone was patronizing as she glanced unimpressed at Killian.

“Tinkerbell told me that the prophecy said that’s where I’m supposed to take Henry.”

“You should know better than to listen to that girl. She has disgraced her role as a fairy and has no business interpreting the prophecy.”

Emma frowned at the fairy’s haughty and indifferent tone. He agreed with the sentiment. Killian watched as Henry took a deep breath and approached the fairy. He couldn’t help the step he took towards the boy, the instinct to protect rising fiercely in him, stopped only by Emma’s reassuring hand on his arm.

“Blue, I need to-”

“Ah, yes, Henry, I have something for you,” the fairy interrupted.

His face lit up expectantly but Killian had already learned to expect the worse from her.

“Tiger Lily asked me to give you this.” In her hand was a vial of sparkly dust. “It's fairy dust.”

Henry frowned as he reached up to take the vial, only for the Blue Fairy to pull it from his reach.

“I was against giving this to you, given your age, inexperience, and its power, but she was adamant that you have it. Tiger Lily is a… special fairy, and she knows how to get her point across.” The frown on her face told Killian there was more she was leaving out of the explanation, but given how secretive the fairies were - and the Blue Fairy in particular - he doubted any of them would ever know what it was. The fairy raised her eyebrow expectantly. “She assured me that you’d use it wisely.”

“Of course, you can trust me.” The boy clutched the vial carefully, reverently. “Did she say anything else?”

“No.”

Henry cleared his throat. “Then maybe you can answer some of my questions.” Killian was proud of his strong tone but the Blue Fairy’s unchanged expression didn’t give him hope that she’d answer.

“No time for that.” Blue waved him away and the boy’s crestfallen expression was heartbreaking. She turned to the others. “Say your goodbyes quickly and I’ll open the portal.”

As soon as Henry got close enough, Killian pulled him close. “I thought they cared.” The boy’s whisper had him tightening his embrace.

Pulling away, Killian caressed the boy’s cheek before patting the hand still clutching the vial with his hook. “I think they still do, my boy.”

Henry looked down and nodded slowly. “Yeah…”

Killian pulled the boy in for another tight embrace, his hand on the back of his head.

“Be careful.” Snow spoke behind them, her hands on Emma’s cheeks, her voice shaky. “Trust your companions and please, don’t do anything reckless.”

“That might be hard, considering how much like your mot-” Snow gave David a silent glare, causing a watery smile to bloom on Emma’s face. “Like all your family you are.”

Emma smiled wide. “I promise I’ll be safe.” She was the one to initiate the hug now, her eyes closed in happiness, her hands gripping her parents’ clothes. “I’ll be back.”

Henry and Killian watched as they slowly released each other and Snow placed a kiss on Emma’s forehead. There was an insistent throat clearing from behind them that Killian completely ignored but broke the peaceful moment between the other three.

Snow and David made their way to Killian and Henry next, David pulling Henry into a big hug that lifted the boy’s feet from the ground and made his giggles echo in the large room. Snow’s hand was on his arm with a reminder of his promise in her eyes. He nodded.

They switched next and while David’s handshake wasn’t as emotional as Snow’s hug, Killian still saw the emotion in the man’s eyes, pleading for the same promise the Queen asked of him. Killian tightened his grip on the man’s hand and nodded, an unspoken agreement between the two. Snow was peppering kisses all over Henry’s face making him laugh once more. That was definitely a good start to an adventure.

The Blue Fairy’s impatience grew too loud to ignore and they all turned to her.

“Now that you’re all done,” the fairy pointedly remarked, “it’s time to go.”

With a wave of her wand, a bright orange portal roared to life.

“We love you, Emma,” Snow called over the noise of the portal.

“Come back to us,” David added.

Emma nodded vigorously, lips thinned in overwhelming emotion. She held onto Henry’s hand. Killian held on to the other as they approached the swirling portal. They all turned back to look at the royals they were leaving behind for one last glance.

Not waiting another moment to change their minds, they all crossed through the portal.

---

The first thing that came to Killian’s mind once they came out on the other side was the lack of nausea. Which was a very happy and welcome reprieve.

Second thing was the silence.

They stood in the middle of a pathway, stone walls standing tall in front of them. Killian turned around to an empty village. Houses were closed, streets were clear, shops were shut.

He was getting really tired of desolate kingdoms.

But this silence was different. There were people here, he could feel it. Unlike Misthaven, there were no signs of disaster. People were just gone. Hidden.

“Another deserted kingdom?” Emma sighed, her voice quiet.

“It seems our little adventure has a theme.”

“I feel something inside those doors,” Henry whispered, his finger pointed at two large wooden doors embedded into a tall stone wall.

“Last chance to turn back,” Killian teased, even with an anxious cadence to his voice.

Emma rolled her eyes with a hint of a smile while Henry chuckled before pulling the two adults towards the doors. Taking a deep breath, they pushed the doors open.

The doors gave way to a large courtyard lit by the midday sun. On the other side of the circle, stood a man in shining silver armor. His hair was dark and his terrible grin shone in the sunlight. Next to him, sat a woman. Hair as dark as the man’s but her expression spoke of an immense sadness, regret and fear, all the fight taken out of her.

“He told me you’d appear,” The man said, his voice echoing in the courtyard.

“Who are you?” Killian asked, standing in front of Henry who grabbed onto his sleeve.

“I’m King Arthur of Camelot and I’ll be taking the Heart of the Truest Believer from you.”

“Just you, mate?” Killian asked, a smirk on his face and eyebrow raised. “I have to say, I like our odds.”

Arthur’s grin widened before he whistled. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Suddenly, a large lion-like creature crashed into the courtyard - its mane and tail was made of fire and it was easily twice the size of an actual lion. Its roar shook the ground they stood on.

“You had to ask,” Emma grumbled next to him, unsheathing her sword.

“At least it’s just one this time,” Henry commented from behind them.

Killian sighed in exasperation, shifting on his feet as he armed himself.

The creature sat next to the king, his fiery eyes on the three strangers. While Killian was a man of bravery, the creature’s size was enough to make him reconsider his initial plan.

“Alright, mate, we might have started on the wrong foot,” Killian started, trying for a disarming tone.

“Give me the Heart of the Truest Believer or I will take it from you. It's as simple as that, mate,” Arthur interrupted.

“Why do you want it so much?” Henry asked, taking a step forward. Both Killian and Emma stepped closer to the boy at Arthur’s hungry stare. He knew it was Henry.

“Why?! My kingdom is broken, and your heart will make it whole!”

“And you’d kill an innocent boy for your kingdom?!” Emma asked, angrily.

“Please, Arthur,” the woman next to him pleaded. “You don’t need to do this, we can still be happy.”

Killian watched as the madness in Arthur’s gaze eased, his eyes shifting from his queen to Henry. There was something hidden behind his eyes - recognition. A fast blur flew over them and he felt as if they were being watched, a tingle on the back of his neck. Any progress he thought they had made with Arthur seemed to shatter, a shadow shuttering his eyes once more.

“For years, I lived for Merlin’s prophecies!” Arthur shouted. “For years, I was mocked, ridiculed, for believing that I would be king! And when it finally happened, I’m given this, this broken kingdom! But with your heart, I will make it whole! Your heart will make me a king!”

He raised his hand then, the beast standing on four feet, its fire burning bright and angry.

“No more talking, the Heart is mine!”

Without any further warning, the beast leapt forward, its thundering steps unsettling their footing. Henry threw his hands up, a strong magical shield stopping it in its tracks. The shield wouldn’t last long, with the beast charging it again and again.

“What are we going to do?” Killian asked, watching Henry.

“Arthur is controlling the monster,” Emma answered, focused on the creature. “We need to split up.”

“What?”

“Like we did in Arendelle,” Henry added, with obvious difficulty. The strain of holding the shield against the monster’s attacks was wearing on the boy.

“Henry and I will deal with this beast, you’ll get Arthur,” Emma delegated. “On three, Henry will lower the shield, I will hold the creature back while you run to Arthur. Ok?”

Killian nodded. “Be careful, both of you.” His eyes lingered on his companions, hope burgeoning in him for their safety.

“You too,” Henry said, Emma nodding in agreement.

“Alright, one, two, three!”

Henry’s shield came down followed immediately by a blast of white magic from Emma’s hands. The beast was thrown a few feet, letting Killian use that distraction to run towards where Arthur watched the fight. Expectedly, Arthur saw him coming and armed himself in time to block Killian’s attack.

The beast focused back on the magic users. Killian kept an attentive ear on the battle next to him, hoping that he wouldn't hear Emma or Henry get hurt.

Killian and Arthur’s swords clanged in tune with the beast’s growls. Arthur didn’t fight like any royal he’d fought against before but then again, neither did Killian.

“Call off your beast,” Killian grunted, as he managed to lock Arthur’s sword against his. “You won’t win!”

Arthur’s determined gaze spoke louder than any words as they forced each other’s swords.

More than willing to play dirty, Killian kicked at Arthur’s leg, ruining his balance and causing him to fall. While on the floor, Arthur grinned even with Killian’s sword pointed at him. But he wasn’t looking at him. “I disagree.”

Killian’s heart beat louder in his chest as he turned to look at his companions, even knowing how dangerous it was. Turning to them, Killian saw Henry laying down, looking terrified as the beast’s large paws pinned him to the ground. The beast bellowed loudly.

He couldn’t see Emma.

“Henry!” Killian called, turning towards the boy, blind with his need to protect him.

“Not so fast.” Arthur’s smug voice reminded him of his ongoing battle. “We are not done yet.”

He was glad for his years of practice as he managed to side-step a swipe at his head. A white glow and a loud whine had him hoping that Emma had managed to save Henry. Arthur’s angry expression confirmed it.

From then on, his mind was torn. Killian tried to focus on Arthur’s fighting techniques, on learning and avoiding them, but he knew most of his focus was elsewhere.

There was a lull in the magical battle next to him. A million scenarios paraded through his mind and he hated all of them. His sword swipes became faster and more intense and he relished the frown on Arthur’s brow. Their swords locked and he put all his strength behind it.

“Now!” Henry’s shout surprised them both and they turned at the same time.

Killian watched as Henry jumped to the side as Emma used her hands to direct water on top of the beast. Amazingly effective, the fire was extinguished and the beast fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

“No!” Arthur shouted and Killian quickly focused on stopping any thought of intervention by holding his sword against the king’s neck.

Unflinchingly, Henry approached the beast and fumbled with something on his clothing. From where he stood, Killian saw the sparkle of what he assumed was the fairy dust Henry had been gifted fall on the beast.

A blinding light encompassed the large monster. When it was gone, they were all surprised to find a man lying where the beast used to be. A man wearing a knight’s outfit.

“Lancelot!” The queen called from where she had been sitting restlessly before rushing towards the waking man on the floor. “I thought you had left.”

Despite the distance between where he stood and the tender scene in front of him, Killian still heard the relieved sigh of the man. “I could never leave you, Gwen.”

Never had he thought they would be reuniting long-lost lovers with this adventure, but then again, he never thought he’d be in this adventure in the first place.

His eyes immediately found Henry and Emma, who appeared unscathed even if tired. The relieved feeling in his heart was overwhelming, and he couldn’t take his eyes off them. Killian could only look at Henry’s proud and happy expression, at Emma’s hand on the boy’s shoulder, and her own look of joy. It looked simply beautiful on her.

“Killian! Look out!” Henry called loudly and Killian moved just in time to miss Arthur’s swipe at his head. A bright white light threw Arthur against one of the stone columns, rendering him unconscious.

A word of gratitude was stopped on his tongue at Emma’s look of terror and Henry’s matching one. A breeze blew through the courtyard making him aware of a cold sting on his throat. He dropped his sword to touch the left side of his neck. When he looked at his hand, there was an alarming amount of blood on it for a mere scratch.

“Oh.” Killian’s knees wobbled under him as he knelt to the ground. In seconds, Emma and Henry were in front of him.

There was pressure on his neck. Emma’s green eyes came into focus and his heart shattered at the worry and fear in them. He wished they would never look that way.

“Killian?” Henry’s quiet call squeezed his heart. He had promised that Henry wouldn’t feel that way again. “Can’t you heal him, Emma?”

Emma shut her eyes and he mourned the loss. There was only the sound of his labored breathing.

“I can’t!” Emma shouted in frustration. “Come on, Killian, stay with us!”

He wanted to tell her that he wouldn't leave - that he would never leave them - but the pressure on his throat stopped him. Their faces turned blurry and he could feel his mouth open and close, wanting to tell him that it was okay, that all that mattered was that they were okay. That he loved them.

Emma’s face became even more blurry as she shook her head.

“No.” Her voice sounded far away but never more clear. “We are not losing you, not now, not ever.” He felt her deep breath in his own chest.

The warmth on his hand disappeared and Killian watched as Emma grabbed Henry’s hand and placed it over hers on his neck. “We’ll do this together, like we’ve done everything so far. What do you say, kid?”

Killian could hear the desperation in her voice and he wondered if Henry could hear it too. The pressure on his neck grew and he was finally able to take a deep breath.

“Let’s do this.” Henry’s voice was less confident than he no doubt intended, too wrapped in despair, but it didn’t make Killian trust him any less.

There was a sudden burning feeling on his throat and he howled in pain. He felt as though his wound was being cauterized from the inside. There was a tight grip on his arms, barely felt over the pain.

He remembered the way Nemo held his only hand as the blurry face of a shipmate burned his stump. He remembered wanting it to stop, wanting everything to stop, wanting the peace and quiet of death. He remembered the way he held onto revenge when he woke up days later.

This pain, however, he bore it, cherished it, welcomed it because he knew that it would allow him to live. It would allow him to be okay. It would allow him to see Emma and Henry again.

“Killian?”

It did.

His eyes fluttered open to find the worried faces of his companions, his family. Killian only had a second to witness the look of relief and happiness on Henry’s face before the boy threw himself against him in a tight hug, the feeling of holding the boy in his arms better than any magical remedy.

With his arms wrapped around the boy, he finally looked at Emma. There were tears in her eyes but the most beautiful smile on her lips. How he loved her smile.

“You aren’t getting rid of me yet, love.” His voice was hoarse and quieter than he expected but it was worth it for the quiet chuckle she gave.

“Good.”

He felt the warmth of her hand on his face, the light stroke of her thumb on his cheek but all he could see were her eyes. The happiness, the relief, and something else he hoped would be there for a long time to come.

“Is he okay?” A familiar female voice sounded from behind Emma.

She nodded, without taking her eyes off him, a soft smile on her lips. “Yeah, he’s okay.”

Henry’s head lifted from their embrace to smile brightly at the two of them and Killian could only laugh. Laugh at how stupidly happy he was to have met them. The way they joined in his laughter warmed his heart, and reminded him of how happy he was to be alive.

Killian held on to Emma’s arm, sadly staining the white shirt with his blood - not that they cared much - so he could sit up. Henry’s hands were on his arms, a worried frown on his forehead. But Killian only smiled. He was alive, he was okay, he was ready to carry on his life with them. His hand tightened on Emma’s arm as he bumped his forehead with Henry’s.

“Thank you,” he whispered before he moved back to look at the two of them. “Thank you for saving me.”

Henry’s smile was wide, his small body crashing into him for a second time. “Thank you for staying.” The boy’s whisper sounded loud in his ears and he wished he could stay in this moment forever.

A loud scream interrupted them.

They looked towards the source to find the queen with a horrified look on her face as she pointed towards the far side of the courtyard.

“Arthur…” Lancelot whispered with the same expression.

They all turned to see Arthur’s body standing in front of the pillar Emma had thrown him against. That would be alarming all on its own, but the truly shocking part was the fact that his head hung forward, the man still clearly unconscious. The king’s body took stumbling steps towards them, his head lolling from side to side.

As Arthur continued his lumbering approach, Killian noticed a second shadow on the floor. A much less fumbling figure from Arthur’s unstable form.

With Emma’s help, Killian stood from the ground, pulling Henry behind them. From the corner of his eye, he could see Lancelot - even in his weakened state - try to shield his queen.

And then, Arthur stopped.

They watched as his head was thrown back, his whole body following suit and so precariously unbalanced that Killian wondered how he was still on his feet.

A bright gash appeared in the middle of Arthur’s chest without any response from the man, not even a small whimper, even when a hand burst out from the rift. One of the shadows reflected on the ground began to convulse until it disappeared.

“Take her to safety, now!” Emma yelled towards the other two people in the courtyard, forcing Henry further behind them, hoping to block his view.

They heard the urging voice of Lancelot and the frightened voice of the queen before the couple’s rushed footsteps reached their ears.

Their full attention drawn back in front of them once Lancelot and the queen were safely away, they watched as a second hand joined the first, widening the tear in the king’s chest. Killian could only hope he could spare Henry the nightmares that were sure to follow the gruesome scene. It was only moments before a blonde head emerged from the fissure. And then the figure stepped out of the former king’s carcass to stand in front of them, Arthur’s body crumbling to the ground.

“When you want something done, you have to do it yourself.” The surprise guest’s voice was eerily peppy given the macabre scene surrounding them and Killian struggled to keep his jaw from dropping.

He looked only a few years older than Henry, even though his face told of decades of existence and he was dressed in a green outfit that reminded Killian of Emma’s old one. He’d seen him before. Emma gasped.

“Pan…”

“Hello, Duckling.” Pan was grinning and his voice lacked surprise. He knew they would be here. “Didn’t think you’d seen the last of me, did you?”

“H-How is this possible? You can’t leave Neverland!” Emma’s voice trembled. She looked terrified, a panic in her eyes that he’d only seen once before - when they sailed too close to the island aboard the Black Pearl. A lost girl.

“Our dimwitted king helped me with that,” Pan said smugly, pointing towards the body. “His failure gave me enough time to get the Heart of the Truest Believer myself.”

“You’re just as dimwitted if you think we’ll let you take the Heart.” Killian took a step forward, inching himself closer to Emma and covering Henry more.

“Ah, Captain Hook, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Emma tensed up next to him and Henry placed a questioning hand on his arm but he didn't stop directing his glare towards Pan. “I had expected a bounty hunter like you to have been more interested in the deal I offered.”

“You were wrong.”

“Pan was the one who sent you after me?” Henry’s quiet question pulled his attention off Pan.

“I didn’t know who he was when we spoke.”

“Lucky for you, I’ll give you another chance.” Their eyes followed Pan’s casual pacing, the feeling of prey watching a predator settling on them. “Give me the boy and you can leave. Go back to your life.”

Killian glared at Pan’s knowing and confident grin, as if he knew Killian would take the deal. Henry’s hand tightened on his left arm, and Emma sent him a sidelong glance. But Killian couldn’t take his eyes off Pan.

“And what makes you think I would accept?”

“It’s like you said,” Pan replied with a shrug of his shoulders, “you’re a survivor.”

A shiver ran down his spine. He’d never said that to Pan or anyone else besides Emma. Not for the first time, the feeling came over him that they were being watched.

“I have been watching you three for a while.” Pan’s eerily calm demeanor became even more disturbing. “So, I’m going to sweeten the deal. Give me the boy and I’ll even let you take someone with you. Emma.” His penetrating stare landed on her and a small, utterly depraved and evil smile lifted the corner of his lips before he spoke again. “My sweet duckling. We both know how much you would love that.”

“And if I refuse?”

“I’ll kill you all.”

The demon’s nonchalant attitude as he made the statement made gooseflesh erupt on Killian’s skin, but he just hummed, as if considering the proposal. “That’s an interesting proposition.” His hand tightened on his dagger. “But I’m afraid I’ll have to refuse.”

Killian was grateful for his connection with Emma as his thrown dagger was matched by the whistling of her short arrow. The weapons traveled towards their common enemy, only for a dark blur to stop them.

Pan laughed, a terrible laugh that made his ears ring. “You didn’t really think it would be that easy, did you?”

They didn’t have time to answer before they were being pulled back by the arms. Killian felt the tight grip immobilizing him but when he tried to escape, he couldn’t see anyone. Looking towards where Emma was caught in the same struggle as he was, he noticed a dark shadow behind her, a shadow holding the arms of her shadow. It occurred to him that this might be a battle they wouldn’t be able to win.

Pan approached with slow, confident steps where Henry stood helplessly looking between his two companions. The lad looked scared but Killian’s struggle to escape was useless.

“Get away from the boy!”

“Leave him alone!”

Killian and Emma’s voices were angry but they were laced with desperation.

“You had your chance.” Pan shrugged again with a wide grin. “Now, you’ll get to see me kill the boy. And then, you’ll see me kill my runaway Swan. Only then will I kill you. Nice and slow!”

Killian’s struggle grew more violent as Pan got closer to Henry. From the corner of his eye, he could see Emma was doing the same.

“Why do you want my heart?” Killian could hear the fear in Henry’s voice, but there was bravery in his eyes.

“Have you learned nothing? I want power! I want the power your heart will give me!” Henry had to look up as Pan approached, but he didn’t back down.

There was pride mixed in with Killian’s fear.

“How did you know it was me?”

“I thought you were smarter than that, laddie,” Pan grinned. “A prophecy told me about you, a baby born in a night with no moon or stars. Your parents knew it too, so it took me a long time to find you.”

“You saw my parents?” Henry’s voice was quiet, like the young boy he never got the chance to be. Killian’s frown matched the one on Emma’s face.

“No. But my Lost Ones did, the last ones to see them alive.” Pan’s fake pout had Killian’s hair stand at attention. “But that’s only because they’re the ones who killed them.”

The heartbreak coming from Henry nearly brought Killian to his knees. The boy knew he was an orphan but to hear it spoken of so callously and with so much certainty was the height of cruelty. It was clear Pan was enjoying inflicting this pain on the boy. He was feeding off it.

“They told me your father was the first to go, trapped in the house when my boys set it on fire-”

“Stop it!” Emma shouted.

“But your mother?” Pan continued, ignoring the two adults’ struggle, his grin widening. “She escaped, ran away with you, but she didn’t go far-”

“Don’t listen to him, lad!”

“Your mother abandoned you and ran away. You should be thanking me for having had her killed, she deserved it. We even celebrated!”

“He’s lying, Henry, I remember that night!” Emma’s voice broke through Pan’s sadistic game, bringing it to a screeching halt.

Henry turned to her and Killian saw the tears streaking down his cheeks and his begging eyes. Killian’s struggle intensified.

“Remember your place, Duckling,” Pan warned but she ignored him.

“That was the night I escaped, I remember the screams on the island. They weren’t celebrating,” she explained feverishly, “They had failed.” Her eyes were on the boy, a hint of a smile on her face, a smile meant only for him. “They were after you, but they didn’t find you. She didn’t abandon you and deep down you know that.”

Pan growled and Killian watched as another shadow joined the one behind Emma to pull on her hair. An involuntary whimper of pain escaped her lips even as she tried to stifle it. Henry took a step towards her but she shook her head the best she could to stop him. The boy turned back towards Pan.

“She didn’t abandon me.” Henry spoke clearly and with his head held high. “She protected me from you, she saved me. Your games won’t work on me.”

There was a moment when Pan’s frown marred his young face where Killian foolishly thought they could win, that Henry’s bravery would be enough. But then Pan smiled.

“You’re right, no more games.” His voice was soft and calm but it only unnerved them. “I’ll be clear, give me your heart or they die.”

Pan grinned as he snapped his fingers. A black figure appeared in front of Killian, there was no face, no body, merely the shadow of a person. That’s what it was, a shadow - he’d never seen one up close and he suddenly feared it would be the last thing he would ever see.

Without warning, the shadow grabbed onto his shoulders and began to slowly pull. This pain was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before, including the one he had suffered only moments ago. It felt like his insides were being pulled out of him - as if his very essence was being removed.

His screams of pain were echoed by Emma’s, who was clearly suffering his same fate.

“Run, Henry!” Killian yelled. “You need to run!”

“No! I won’t leave you, I won’t let you die!”

“You need to go, Henry!” Emma urged him between screams of pain.

“No!” Henry unsheathed his dagger to point it at Pan. “Let them go!” Henry looked so frightened, his dagger held in a shaky grip.

“Even if you could kill me, they would still die,” Pan gloated with a shrug. Henry’s arm lowered in defeat. “What’ll it be, Believer? You or them?”

“No!”

“Don’t listen to him!”

“I’m sorry… This is my fault, but I can still save you.”

Time stopped as they watched Henry’s hand shine with a white light before he shoved it into his own chest. They watched as Henry removed a golden heart, his knees wobbling.

“Please, Henry!”

“Don’t do this!”

Henry glanced towards them with a brave and hopeful gaze. “I love you.”

They watched as Henry pushed the golden heart into Pan’s chest before collapsing to the floor. Pan’s victorious laughter surrounded them, but what truly mattered was that suddenly there was nothing restraining them, nothing pulling the life out of them anymore.

Before he could take a proper breath, Killian was kneeling next to Henry’s unconscious body, Emma on the other side. His hand touched the boy’s neck, his chest, hoping for a heartbeat he knew wouldn’t be there. His skin was still warm and Killian remembered another one he loved who laid in his arms the same way.

“Is- Is he dead?” Emma’s voice was quiet and Pan’s laughter grew louder and stronger.

Killian’s mouth opened and closed silently, unable to answer her question, unable to admit the truth they both knew.

“People will do the stupidest things for love,” Pan pouted, a fake mournful tone to his voice.

“You did this!” Emma growled but Killian grabbed her arm, stopping her.

“Actually, he did it to himself,” Pan shrugged, an unconcerned smile on his face. “You saw it, he took out his own heart, but don’t worry, it’s in a safe place.” He patted his chest with a smug grin.

Unable to look at Pan’s face anymore, Killian turned back to the boy. He looked like he was simply asleep, like he would wake at any moment. But Killian knew he wouldn’t. He felt Emma’s anger-fueled grief under his grip as he heard Pan take a deep satisfying breath.

“I finally have the Heart and now the world will be my Neverland!” Pan held out his arms in triumph. “Thank him for me. I’m sure you’ll be seeing him soon enough.”

Killian let go of Emma’s wrist as his hand went to the boy’s chest, feeling the still chest when his own heart was hammering against his. It wasn’t fair.

“Take my heart.” Emma’s words matched his own as they both spoke at the same time, the same expressions on their faces - determination and hope.

Killian glanced towards Pan, hoping the villain was too distracted to stop them. He stood a few feet away focused only on the new power in his chest and the bright golden light of his stolen magic, victorious.

“Emma,” Killian started in a quiet voice. “I promised to return you to your parents. If we’re going to use anyone’s heart, it should be mine.”

Emma shook her head. “No, I won’t take you from his life. You’re too important to him.”

“So are you!”

“I don’t even know if this will work for us and then you will have died for nothing.”

“If it’s to save Henry, it won’t be for nothing.”

They looked at each other, their faces both stubborn and hopeful.

“Together?” she asked, her voice wobbly.

“Emma-”

“We’ve done everything together since we met, Killian. We should do this together, too.”

Killian took a deep breath, focusing on her green eyes. He nodded and the way they brightened with hope was enough for him to nod more vigorously.

“Together.”

Emma laid her hand on his chest, but where there had been confidence, now there was fear. “I’ve never done this before.”

He placed his hand over her wrist. “I believe in you.”

Emma nodded and pushed her hand into his chest. He stifled a grunt of pain when she pulled it back out. He hadn’t expected the surprisingly red heart that she now held in her hand, a small dark blob in the center of it. Maybe he wasn’t as lost as he thought.

The world was dull around them and there was a feeling of emptiness in his chest. He still felt the love for the two people in front of him but it felt muted.

She took a deep breath as she looked between his heart and him before she plunged her own hand inside her chest. With her own groan of pain, she removed her hand, now holding a bright red heart.

“Hmm, I should split them.”

“Aye, that should work.” A weak chuckle made the corner of her lips rise.

Emma placed her heart confidently in his hand. Killian held it reverently as she focused on his. He felt the magic in her fingers, her careful grip, like a warm fire in his chest. Her heart beat fast in his hand and he hoped she felt the same warmth that he felt.

He winced when she finally jerked her hands, successfully splitting his heart. “That was interesting.”

“I’m sorry.” Her eyes were wide in concern.

Killian shook his head. “We need to hurry.”

They traded hearts and he held on to his split heart as Emma focused on hers. He glanced at Pan to see him floating a foot off the ground, hands raised. Killian noticed how the courtyard appeared darker, despite the high sun in the sky. He watched as a couple of shadows already circled Pan’s feet. They really needed to hurry and get out of there.

He heard her whimper and turned to see her holding her halved heart. She quickly placed one half back in her chest, a shiver running down her body as she got used to the feeling.

“Now, you.”

She grabbed one half of his heart and placed it in his chest. It was a strange feeling. It was a relief to be able to feel again, no longer the muted experience of before, but there was still a sense of being incomplete, of something missing.

They looked at each other, an unspoken question between them. He nodded.

He held his breath as Emma joined both halves together, as they stitched themselves to form a complete heart. They took a deep breath when it worked. Their surroundings were darkening and the glowing red heart was like a beacon.

Killian grabbed Emma’s wrist. Their hands holding the constructed heart hovered over Henry’s chest and with a last deep breath, they pushed.

“Fight, my boy.”

“Come back to us.”

It felt like years before Henry took a gasping breath. A powerful wave of multicolored energy passed through them and then they heard it.

“No!”

Pan’s scream caught their attention and they watched as he came back to earth, turned towards them, and began to approach with angry steps before falling to his knees. A bright beacon began to form on his chest and Pan’s screams turned from fury into pain.

They watched, dumbfounded, as Pan burned from the inside out until there was nothing but ash where he once stood. He wouldn’t be missed. They looked up as the midday sun began to shine brightly in the sky again.

“Henry?” Emma called softly, her voice watery.

The boy finally opened his eyes. Glancing between the two adults, he seemed to understand exactly what just happened. His lips curled in a small smile.

“Guess I have another great story to tell, huh?”

Emma let out a startled laugh before she pulled Henry into a tight hug, Killian shaking his head amusedly before joining. They all took a collective breath.

Killian could feel his beating heart echo, feeling twice the love, no longer incomplete. He cupped Henry’s head and placed a kiss on his forehead, completely unconcerned over his wobbly voice.

“We thought we lost you, my boy.”

“But you didn’t lose hope.” Henry smiled before burrowing his face in Emma’s neck.

Emma chuckled, running her fingers through the boy’s hair. “We learned from the best.”

Henry is the first to break the hug but he doesn’t go far, his hands holding each adult’s arm in a tight grip. “I love you.”

Killian shouldn’t have been surprised by the sentiment, considering the great lengths they had all gone for each other in the time they’ve known each other, but it’s still surprising to see someone give their love so instantly, so freely. His heart felt too large for his chest even with its reduced size, but he cherishes it.

Emma’s smile widened and she stroked his face. “We love you, too.”

“You know we do. I’m sure you can feel it.” Killian tapped the boy’s chest with his hook, with a smile.

Henry smiled widely, eyes watering before nodding vigorously and pulling them both close for another hug. Killian can only hope to feel this love everyday for the rest of his life.

“Are you all alright?”

The familiar female voice broke their quiet moment. Not giving up much of their personal space, the three of them turned to see the Queen approaching slowly with a steadier Lancelot, his arm around her shoulders.

Killian took a deep breath. “Aye, and I’m pleased to see you safe and sound as well.”

“We wanted to help, bu-”

“This was our battle,” Emma interrupted Lancelot’s apology with a kind smile. “You two were in no shape to fight.”

“Besides,” Henry turned to them with a smile of his own. “Camelot needs its queen safe and sound.”

Despite the Queen’s smile, they could all see the guilt in the furrow of her brow. “I knew he was obsessed with the prophecy, but I always thought I would have my Arthur back.” She paused for a moment. “I never thought he was so…mad.”

“Gwen,” Lancelot interrupted. “Arthur was lost to us a long time ago. We tried our best to help him, he just wouldn’t listen.”

Killian stood first before he helped Emma and Henry stand next to him. “He’s right, there was nothing any of us could do.”

“Pan is- was a demon, he corrupted whatever good Arthur had in his heart. Like he does to all things.”

Emma’s tone had Killian placing his hand on her arm, Henry leaning back against her in a gesture of comfort.

Gwen nodded, wiping her tears. “Now, Camelot can return to its former glory.”

“With a wonderful Queen to rule it,” Lancelot added with a soft smile.

As Gwen’s cheeks reddened, Killian turned away with an amused smile mimicked by Emma, while Henry watched them with bright eyes. Killian’s eyes found Emma’s and he cherished the reddish hue on her own cheeks.

Gwen cleared her throat hoping to move away from the moment but they noticed the way her hand found Lancelot’s as she did. “We would like to thank you. If there’s anything you need…”

“We wanna know where to find Merlin,” Henry burst out, Killian’s hand on his shoulder doing little to ease his excitement.

The way Gwen and Lancelot looked at each other quickly told Killian and Emma that they wouldn’t find the answers they hoped for there.

“Merlin has never been here.”

“At least, not while we’ve lived here.”

Henry’s silence was deafening and he looked up at his two companions with a worried frown.

Killian sighed as he squeezed the boy’s shoulder in comfort. “Do you know where we can find him?”

Gwen was quiet for a moment. “When we were children, Arthur used to speak to a tree in the kingdom grounds that he believed Merlin had been trapped in. That’s where he was told of the prophecies.”

“When he came into power, he cut down every tree around the castle grounds. So even if Merlin had been here, I suspect he no longer is…”

Killian nodded, trying not to let his frustration show.

“We should carry on our way, then. There’s still a lot we need to do,” Emma answered with a tight smile.

“Are you sure we can’t give you anything? You can rest here, eat.” Gwen frowned.

Killian felt Henry’s questioning stare on his face but ignored it. “We should really get going, but thank you.”

They made quick work of grabbing their things and walked out of the kingdom’s gates under the confused stares of the Queen and her knight. Both Emma and Killian ignored Henry’s confusion until they were a safe distance from the castle. By then, the Camelot people were leaving their houses with questioning gazes and curious questions.

“Why did we leave so fast?” Henry finally asked.

“We don’t know them, lad.”

“They might not have been on Arthur or Pan’s side but there are always dangers around,” Emma added, holding on to Henry’s hand as they made their way through the crowds.

“But they were good people, we could have asked them what they know.”

“We did, and they didn’t know anything, lad. They were victims just like us and they now have to deal with a whole kingdom wanting answers.”

“So where are we supposed to go now?”

Killian and Emma were quiet at that. The truth was they didn’t know. This was the first time they didn’t know where to go. Pan was defeated, that should have been the final piece.

“You don’t know, do you?” Henry asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile creeping up on his face.

“Well,” Emma stuttered, causing Henry to chuckle and Killian to smile. “I know we need to get to Avalon…”

“We just don’t know how to get there,” Killian finished with a teasing smile.

“It’s not like Cygnus is available to give us directions.” Emma gestured towards the bright afternoon sky pointedly.

Henry laughed. They had reached the town proper. They stood in the middle of the emptying market, everyone had followed the news towards the castle, only the merchants left behind, worried over leaving their wares.

“We should find somewhere to wait until evening,” Killian told his companions. It was the only permission Henry needed to begin exploring the market under their watchful eye. “We’ll check for Cygnus then.”

“I agree.” He watched Emma’s smile from the corner of his eye and couldn't help but match it.

They could breathe now. Their journey wasn’t over but they defeated Pan. Henry was alive and so were they. The more he looked at her and the more he heard Henry bombarding questions at the merchants, the happier he was for being with them now, for having made the decision to protect Henry when they first met.

Her eyes found his and his breath hitched in his chest. Their last conversation played through his mind. They hadn’t reached Avalon yet, but after what they just went through, a part of him didn’t want to hold back any longer.

“Emma-”

“Killian-”

They spoke at the same time, pausing to look at each other with a shy smile.

“You go first,” Emma allowed with a nod.

“Emma, I-”

He'd recognise that ship anywhere. The rigging he climbed time and time again, the hull he begged to help clean with Starkey while they flew forty thousand feet in the sky. The ship he tried to escape from so many times. The ship that turned out to be the home he never had.

Nemo would be there. He would be there and so would his disappointed eyes. His anger. At that moment, he felt just like the troubled teen he hadn't been in a long time.

Emma looked at him with expectant and confused eyes as his silence and stupefied expression lasted longer and longer. He looked once more at the ship but saw no familiar faces looking out but that wouldn’t always be true.

“We need to go.”

“What?” Emma frowned, defensiveness taking over.

“Where’s Henry?” Killian looked around. “Henry!” The boy’s dark head of hair quickly turned to where they stood in confusion. “We need to go now.”

“What happened?” Henry asked as he approached. “Is someone after us?”

“Killian Jones!”

The familiar booming voice echoed through the emptied market. Emma turned around first to see an imposing figure in a pristine naval outfit. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the man’s crossed arms. Killian wasn’t sure he could face an expression of sorrow on the face of the man he considered a father.

“I have been looking for you.”

#parent for hire #carolina writes #the actual big villain fight #shtuff happens #tw character death #killian jones #captain hook #emma swan #henry mills #captain swan #captainswan #once upon a time #ouat #captaincobra #captaincobraswan #king arthur #peter pan #cs ff

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