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highfunctioningflailgirl · 6 months

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Damage Control: 1x02 Wendigo

Dean would never admit to it, but it’s a good thing that Sam’s driving. In truth, the Wendigo had done a number on him, and now that he no longer has to keep up his Winchester trademark bravado for the girl, the cops and the EMTs, he turns his face away from Sam and leans his forehead against the Impala’s passenger window, pretending to fall asleep.

The rain-streaked glass is blessedly cool against the bruise creeping up his cheekbone to his eye and soothes his headache. Maybe he has a concussion after all. Although he’d told the EMTs his head was fine and his pupils had done him the favor of being equal-sized when they’d shone their flashlights into Dean’s eyes, he feels queasy now, and a little dizzy.

Everything feels sore. His cheek is swollen, his neck itches under the bandage. His shoulders hurt from being strung up by his wrists for hours. His skin is chafed from the rope. His back aches from being dragged across the forest ground, over roots and rocks, to the cave. Although his sturdy canvas jacket had literally saved his skin, he still feels like he’s been road-hauled.

Without Sam, he would’ve parked the Impala somewhere off-road and curled up in the backseat to sleep off the worst of it before dragging himself back behind the wheel and onto the road. He would’ve popped a few pills and chased them with whiskey to drown out the pain. The next morning, he would’ve caffeinated at a drive-in to avoid curious looks and stayed away from mirrors for a few days.

But Sam is here, a reassuring presence beside him, driving him through the night, and the familiar squeaking of the Impala’s chassis and the sloshing rain on the windshield are comfortably lulling Dean to sleep.

xxx

“Dean. Dean!”

Sam is shaking him by the shoulder, and Dean peels his eyes open, disoriented.

“What?”

“Jesus, Dean!” Sam is shaking his shaggy head. “I thought you’d fallen into a coma or something!”

Stiffly, Dean sits up and scrubs a hand across his face. It hurts.

“Why? No. I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Sam arches dubious eyebrows. “Dude, I could barely wake you up.”

Dean waves him off. “Yeah. I’m good. I was just exhausted. Relax! I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“Then don’t look at me.”

“Hah! Funny.” Sam isn’t laughing.

Dean ignores him and tries to gather his bearings. “Where are we?”

“Motel parking lot”, Sam replies, still frowning at Dean. “You’re beat, and I could use some shut-eye, too. Something to eat. And a shower.” He sniffs at his jacket and wrinkles his nose. “We both smell like roadkill. You look like it, too.”

Dean blinks blurry surroundings into focus - a mostly empty parking lot ringed by the peeling outline of a cheap motel complex, a “vacancies” sign flashing orange in the misty dawn. Then he looks down at himself, at his dirty clothes and hands, and takes a whiff.

“You’re not wrong,” he admits. He stinks, and it’s not exactly helping with his lingering nausea.

Sam pulls the keys out of the ignition and reaches for the door handle. “I’ll get us a room. Stay here! We don’t want to scare the locals.”

When he’s out of sight, Dean angles the rearview mirror so he can look at his face. He does look terrible. His right eye has blackened, and his cheek is swollen and tender around the cut. The bandage on his neck is a rusty brown. He‘s pale, the freckles on his face competing with dried specks of mud and dirt. His hair is plastered to his temple where he’s been leaning against the window.

“Ughh…” he comments and repositions the mirror, away from his face.

It only takes a few minutes for Sam to return, motel keys jingling in his hand, but it’s about time. Dean is already drowsy again, and only his full bladder is keeping him awake.

While his brother grabs their overnight duffels from the trunk, Dean hoists himself out of the passenger seat, and, for a hopefully inconspicuous moment, hangs on to the passenger door while a dizzy spell passes.

“Dude. You’re on concussion protocol for the next twenty-four hours!”

Shit.

“I’m f-”

“Shut up.” The sudden authority in Sam’s voice surprises Dean. He almost sounds like their dad. “You’re swaying, and you look like Casper after six rounds of mud wrestling. I don’t care what lies you told the EMTs, but I am going to wake you up every hour to make sure you’re not bleeding into your stupid brain!”

The fact that Dean can’t even come up with a return has Sam nod in confirmation.

“Right. Now let’s get your ass into the shower and then into bed.”

There’s no further discussion. Sam carries their bags to their room while keeping a close eye on Dean who crosses the parking lot like his own friggin’ grandfather. As he shuffles along, Dean wonders about the sudden role reversal. He‘s the one who‘s always taken care of Sammy, and it’s odd to experience it the other way around. Odd, but not entirely unpleasant.

Inside, the garish interior of their lodgings bites into Dean’s aching eyes - tasteless combinations of orange and green that would put even the ‘70s to shame. Longingly eyeing one of the two beds, Dean staggers past it, into the bathroom. Once he lies down, he knows he won’t be able to get back up.

„Wait!“

Sam prevents him from shutting the door, then he reaches inside Dean‘s duffel bag and, rummaging around, retrieves his toiletry kit including shampoo and shower gel.

„Here, you’ll need this.“ He hands it to Dean. „And don’t lock the door!“

„Sammy, you don‘t have to take care-„

„Well, yes!“ Sam glowers at him in a mixture of worry and annoyance. „Because someone has to if you’re not taking care of yourself. I know you Dean, and some things… they don’t change.“

The brothers lock eyes and, for a moment, memories bounce between them. Memories of hunts with their father when one of them had gotten hurt and Dean in particular had quickly adopted John Winchester‘s way of unwavering stoicism. It hadn’t just been about copying the behavior of his father, whom Dean admired. Nor had it been about heroism or masculinity, as Sam had often claimed. No. Dean had simply never deemed his pain important. Saving people was important. Protecting Sammy was important. The world was full of monsters hurting innocents. They were important. Not Dean’s occasional sprained ankle, a cracked rib or a conk to the head.

His attitude had driven Sam crazy. Even Dad had torn him a new one once, for ignoring an injury that had brought him close to sepsis and forced them to abort the hunt for a shapeshifter. Dean had learned from that. A little.

“Thanks, Sammy,” he says and disappears into the bathroom.

The massaging heat of the shower trumps the stinging of his wounds, and Dean spends so much time under the hot spray that Sam gets nervous outside and knocks on the door, threatening to come in.

“I’m fine!” Dean yells, and he wonders how many times he’s said those two words in his life when, truly, he’d been anything but.

When he emerges from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, he’s weary to the bone and grateful for the fresh set of clothes Sam has already laid out for him. He nods at his brother and briefly returns to the bathroom to slip into the soft, clean jogging pants, t-shirt and hoodie, his shoulders groaning in protest at the movement.

“You want something to eat before turning in?” Sam calls from the main room. “I was thinking about ordering take out. D’you want a burger?”

Dean’s stomach does a little flip at the thought of greasy food - more proof that he’s indeed concussed - but he can’t quite shed the pretense. It’s too ingrained in him.

“Cheeseburger and fries, but only if you order something, too,” he calls back. “And do we have beer?”

He shuffles back into the main room and sits down on the nearest bed, gingerly leaning back against the headboard.

“Alcohol and a concussion don’t mix,” Sam tells him sternly, one ear pressed to his cell phone. “But you know that, and I guess you’re not going to- Yes, hi, can I place an order, please?”

Whatever burger joint is on the other end of the line, Dean’s grateful for the distraction. One good thing about hunting alone had been that no one had lectured him about his lifestyle. Not that his father had cared about Dean’s preference for junk food or his drinking. If anything, he’d set an even worse example, living on whatever food was left after his sons had eaten and regular swigs from his hip flask. But hunting had been John Winchester’s number one priority, and he would’ve taken Dean’s head off for aggravating an injury through drink and compromising his hunting skills even further.

“… you should really change those.”

“Huh?”

Dean looks at Sam, forcing his eyes to focus. Jeez, he’d really zoned out for a moment there.

Sam’s standing by the bed, his own toiletry kit and fresh clothes in his arms. His brows are knitted in annoyed concern, forming a swirly set of wrinkles on his forehead that Dean thinks is going to stay if his little brother doesn’t stop this mother-henning anytime soon.

“I said food is ordered, I’m gonna hit the shower, and you should change those bandages. They’re wet.”

Dean sighs in surrender. “Yes, ma’am!” He lifts his hand to peel the sodden bandage from his neck. “Go shower!”

“First aid kit is on the table.”

“Go shower!”

Finally, Sam leaves him alone. Reluctantly, Dean gets up again and fetches the first aid kit. It needs restocking, but he finds some gauze, and, in front of a dusty mirror by the door, tapes it over the wound on his neck. He doesn’t bother with the cut on his cheek; it’s already scabbing over. Same goes for the abrasion on his forehead.

The shower’s still running when he’s done and he sinks back down onto the bed. Sam seems to be enjoying the hot water as much as Dean, and although he managed to escape the Wendigo nearly unscathed, Dean is sure he’s feeling the long hike through the woods in his muscles, too.

Dean himself feels leaden now. His head’s still hurting, and he leans back, closing his eyes. There’s a soothing comfort in the sounds emanating from the bathroom - water running, an audible sigh from Sammy and muffled banging as his 6’5 brother navigates the too-small shower stall.

Before Sam had joined him in his search for their father, Dean had only had silence for company, filled with a looming, leering sense of danger. It’s not that he wasn’t used to being on his own. His father and Dean had been splitting up and gone on solo hunts ever since he’d turned twenty-five. In fact, Dean quite enjoyed those times. His father’s tough love approach wasn’t always easy to bear, and his presence always diminished Dean. He was more confident and a better hunter on his own. As a bonus, solo hunts meant he could pick up girls more easily.

But it had been different this time. His father was missing. John Winchester was in trouble; Dean could feel it in his bones. And suddenly the motel room he’d been staying in on his own hadn’t felt like freedom; it had felt stifling and too quiet, with evil lurking in the corners. For the first time in a long time Dean had felt alone, and scared, and he still doesn’t know what he would’ve done if Sam hadn’t come with him to go looking for Dad.

That fear isn’t entirely gone. Dean still worries that something happened to their father, that he– No. He’s not going there. He’s got Sam now - who’s apparently going through a whole bathroom routine with his fancy shampoo and expensive shower gel - not like the cheap no-name soap Dean uses - and will later sleep in the other bed the way he always does, on his belly, his long lanky body sprawled on the mattress like a starfish. If Sam isn’t haunted by nightmares about Jessica, he will sleep like a log, his deep, even breaths reassuringly filling the darkness.

And it is with that comforting thought that Dean himself drops into slumber now, concussion be damned, and he doesn’t wake up until Sam, like clockwork, raises him exactly one hour later, for a warmed-up burger and fries.

Find the whole series on AO3 here:

#spn #supernatural #fanfic #fan fiction #the damage control series #1x02 #wendigo #dean winchester #sam winchester #jensen ackles #jared padalecki #h/c #angst #blood tw #injury tw #hoodie!dean

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jackest-jack · 3 years

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I would very much like to hear about your spooky scary Sirens, pretty please 🥺

AJKSJAKISJAJAJF Ok so I almost had a heart attack when I saw you were following me because YOU’RE SO COOL so thank you

I already wrote about my spooky scary sirens over here, and they have pictures and I would be willing to write a short thing with them later but for right now I’m gonna pick a different thing and blab about it.

The most fleshed out and cohesive thing I have is the vampire band nerd slasheresque story with a police chase followup as well as a separate zombie apocalypse thing, so ig I’ll go with that. More under cut and warning for like a lot of gore and death and angst. I’m also only doing the first part of that because this is taking a long ass time

I came up with this in junior high, and I was in band, and I noticed that each instrument section had different personalities sort of, so I made characters around that and put them in a horror plot where they all die horribly, because what else are you gonna do? This is gonna be a plot rundown and it might get real long. (It is no longer a rundown. Its just unedited word vomit.)

anyways a bunch of friends, who I’m just gonna call by their instrument names, go camping in the woods for a couple weeks. They all take one car and set up in the middle of fuckin nowhere.

Clarinets a vampire pretending to be a high schooler for kicks, because she was 15 when she turned 5 years ago and got dragged away to the magic underworld (basically a series of safehouses and towns for the supernatural) and she wants a letterman goddamnit.

She gets adopted into a friendgroup despite her best efforts, and gets dragged along on the camping trip in the small car and close quarters with a buddy system and she hasn’t eaten anything substantial in like two months and its proving to be a problem when she starts thinking of her friends as snacks instead of people.

one night, percussionist gets up to go on a 3 am lake walk. But, the buddy system. So he takes Clarinet, who never seems to sleep anyways, with him.

They’re on the edge of a lake littered with huge old chunks of driftwood, looking out over the water, when Percussionist steps on something sharp. It went straight through his sandal and he pulls it out without much trouble, but “that nail looks kind of rusty and I’m Pretty Sure I’m bleeding a little bit, oh I hope I don’t need a shot-“

she falls on him like a cat on a wounded songbird. She has enough of her mind left to cover his mouth and stop the screams as he slowly loses blood.

He tries to fight back. He does. he jams the nail deep into her throat and twists away, but she catches his wrist and slams him backward, a sharp stick going through his stomach, sticking him bloody at the base of an old driftwood branch still attached to its old tree.

She stops draining just before he dies. And she waits, and waits, and waits. Finally, hours later, the corpse takes a deep gasp and its eyes fly open. It begins the excruciating process of pulling itself off the tree.

his wound is closed less than a minute later.

he comes to and sees her sobbing on the ground, bloody streaks under her eyes from where she tried to wipe away her tears with hands soaked from putting pressure on his stomach in a feeble attempt to save him.

“Vampires, huh?” He says, half joking, half looking for an explanation.

—-—

they’re sitting around a small campfire, and Clarinet tells him that he’s a vampire, he needs blood, he cant go back to camp or he will eat his friends. She leaves to find him something substantial before he loses it.

back at the original camp, its around sunrise. Flute notices a small trail of smoke not far off, realizes that Percussionist is missing, and gets French Horn to help him look for their idiot friend (and maybe put out a small fire.)

They make it about 3/4th of the way to the smoke when flute trips on a tree root and scrapes his knee. About a mile away, Percussionists head perks up.

He distantly realizes that he just left the campfire that he’s supposed to stay at, but he can‘t seem to care. The hunger doesn’t gnaw at him or hollow him out. Its not like looking for a fix either. Its an itch in his whole body, a near unavoidable function of his being. The hunt is as natural as a cough, a spasm of muscles to take away the awful itch.

He moves faster than he ever could before, and just to see if he can, he jumps up and begins running across the branches of trees. Its slower, but sneakier; his prey won’t see him coming.

Finally, he reaches them. He jumps on the smaller one, sending it crashing to the ground. It’s blood is what brought him here. He sinks his hollow teeth into its neck and begins feeding.

There is a scream and a crash as the taller one runs away. Thats ok. He only needs one.

———

French horn, for her part, is freaking the fuck out. The sun had just peaked over the horizon and orange light was streaming through the trees when everything went to shit.

The pale thing had fallen on Flute, and the noise he made… she was almost certain he was dead now.

She kept running. If she could make it back to camp, then maybe she could get help, or maybe leave before the rest of them died too.

She charges through a thicket, sharp thorns scraping and tearing every inch of her as she shoves her way through. She shuts her eyes as she goes, to avoid the thorns poking them out.

When she comes out the other side, she feels her gut sink.

She doesn’t recognize the trees or bushes around her. She doesn’t see a path.

She’s lost.

She wants to break down, to scream and cry the injustice to the heavens, to kick and punch and fight the thing that killed her friend, to sit down and rest and have a moment to breathe, to be home-

She picks a direction and runs.

———

Percussionist stops draining Flute just before he‘s dead, following the instinct that drove him to where he is.

He wants to be horrified. He does, really. But he was so hungry, and the itch is still there, waiting beneath his skin to pounce on him again. But for now, its gone, and he can think clearly. He can move without the instinct tainting his every twitch.

He turns to look at the person he drained and sees-

He sees his friend. And it hits him all at once.

He killed a person, a person he knew, a person he cared for, and he had been powerless to stop it. He didn’t even know- he didn’t realize- he would never have done it if he-

but he knew he would have. Even if he knew. He would’ve killed Flute, and he hates himself for that.

So he sits by the body of his dead friend, maybe in solace, maybe because some instinctive tick tells him to. He doesn’t want to know. He refuses to.

When Flute sat up and gasped, Percussionist could‘ve sworn he had a heart attack (even without a functioning heart.)

To Flutes credit, he made it through Percussionists halting and confused explanation before letting himself ask about the smell.

”what smell?” Percussionist asked, and lifted his nose to the air.

He got his answer. The smell of blood, salty and sweet and with a coppery tinge to it drifted through the air, leaving a hunger and odd comfort sitting in his gut. It reminded him of smelling baking cookies from the kitchen as a kid.

A leaf crunched, and he snapped out of his trance. Flute had stood up and broken into a run, faster than any human could’ve gone. After the person that had been with him.

After his friend.

Percussionist sprinted after him.

——

He had the chance to notice how fast he was really going, now that he could think through the hunger. He practically flew through the forest, leaping over a fallen log half his size that blocked his way. He ducked and dodged branches that threatened to slash his face, and if he were running for something else he may have threw his head back and laughed.

As it was, he was following the occasional red flash of a windbreaker that he could barely keep up with without being hit by a tree.

He could heal now right? Did he really even need to be worried about being hit by trees?

He let one slap his face just to test, and he felt the stinging pain all across his face as a deep cut opened across his nose and eyes. He faltered as his vision went red with blood. A second later, it was gone, and he could see again. ….And he‘d lost flute. Great.

He sniffed the air, remembering how he’d been able to smell the blood, and tried to look for his friend.

He could smell the whole forest. Sap and pine and rotting leaves, rotten flesh and mushrooms and a skunk miles and miles off, the sweet sting of honey and dew and campfire smoke, and over it all, the most lovely smell-

Well, looks like he couldn’t find him that way. He thought for a moment, and groaned. He could just follow French Horn and get to her first!

He began running again.

———

Clarinet had just made it back to the campsite, a live deer kicking around over her shoulder. She would’ve killed it, but she couldn’t quite figure out how without losing any of its blood, and since she drained and seriously injured Percussionist he would need a lot of blood-

and the campfire had a suspicious lack of vampires around it. Great. She could only hope that no one had cut themselves-

She stopped as the scent of blood hit her nose. She cursed and took off running, dropping the deer as she did.

——

French Horn thought she was going to die when she heard a bush rustle and snap behind her. She had stopped for a rest, thinking she was safe (if very lost). She was braced for her death when Percussionist crashed through the bushes.

”Oh, good, you’re still alive. We need to go like right now.”

Before she could protest, he grabbed her wrist and began pulling her away. With his very cold, very pale hand.

”Wait. Was it you?” She said, planting her feet.

”Yes.” his voice was solemn, and his eyes downcast. “But unless you want Flute to get you, we need to go”

She tore her wrist out of his grasp.

“Flutes dead. Flute’s dead and you killed him!”

And Flute hit her from the side. He sank his teeth deep into her neck, but only for a moment. Then he pulled back, looking horrified and ran away.

French Horn stands up dazedly. “That was…”

”Yeah.”

she lifts a hand to her bleeding neck where the bite is still gushing blood.

A rustle of trees comes from the side, and Clarinet skids to a stop in front of them. She takes in the situation and drops to her knees, tearing loose a piece of her shirt and holding it to the holes in French Horn’s neck.

”Wheres the third?”

French horn points to the copse of trees he disappeared into.

”I think we might actually be jinxed.” A pause, then “That was supposed to be a joke. Go after him. He’s heading towards the camp, and chances are he won’t be able to stop himself a second time.”

Percussionist nods, and then stops. “How do I get there?”

”just run straight! GO!”

and he does.

———

Clarinet gently explains to French Horn that vampires are real, and that she is one. When asked why she isn’t bloodthirsty, Clarinet answers that she has a lot of blood left in her still, and that she’s not all the way changed, and that the change will, in her words, “Stink. Its kind of the worst thing you’ll have to go through, and it’ll take way longer since you have blood, and you may not notice at first.“

French Horn pursed her lips. “Theres no way to stop it?”

Clarinet shook her head.

”Okay. Okay, shouln’t we help Percussionist?”

Clarinet swore. “You won’t be much help in the state you’re in, but I can drop you off by the camp. Pack our things and be ready to go.”

Clarinet scooped French Horn up and took off into the woods.

———

Percussionist got there just as Tuba was ripping Flute off of his neck.

Despite Flute being the smallest out of all of them, and Tuba being the strongest, he was struggling to keep the scrabbling, biting Flute away.

So, Percussionist did the only logical thing and full body tackled Flute, trying to hold him down. It worked, sort of. Long enough for Tuba to start running. Long enough for Sax and Trombone to see what the ruckus was.

Flute burst out of Percussionists grip, grabbed Trombone and ran.

Sax sprinted after them, and percussionist was left in the dust, standing dumbstruck as they all dashed off. He snapped out of it when Trumpet pressed an axe to his shoulder and told him to not move.

———

Flute knows this: he is very hungry. He also knows that blood tastes very good.

His last two meals escaped. He thinks he let the first go, but he can’t seem to remember why. The second was ripped away from him by someone like him, which was rather rude.

But this one won’t get away. He is far to hungry to let that happen.

He feeds as he runs, draining the squirming thing dry, pinning its flailing limbs against his chest. It stops wailing eventually.

He slows as he becomes able to think clearly again. He holds the body in his arms and revels in the fact he is no longer hungry. Then, he looks at the thing he drained.

And it’s his friend. He feels his stomach drop, and a hollow pit grow in his chest. His friend is dead, and it’s his fault. He tells himself there’s nothing to do but run, so he does.

Really, though, he just doesn’t want to see what she’ll become.

———

“What did you do to them.” Said Trumpet, each word slow and dangerous. She lifted the axe off his shoulder, and he felt relief before he realized she was lining up to take off his head.

He may be able to heal, but he did not want to see how far that ability stretched. Not like this, at least.

He swallowed his fear and asked, ”What makes you think I did something?“

She barked out a harsh laugh. “You go missing in the middle of the night with Clarinet, who still isn’t back. Flute and French Horn go to look for you and have mysteriously disappeared. Tuba came running from this direction, bleeding like a stuck pig. And here I find you, in the center of it all.”

Ah. He was fucked. Time to implement the worst plan ever, considering how fast Trumpet was.

”that’s- that sure is some pretty overwhelming evidence that I did something. I swear I didn’t, though but I know you won’t believe me so I’m just gonna RUN!”

He ducked under the axe she swung at his head, and took off running into the trees. He glanced behind him to see her struggling to keep up, and grinned. He was actually getting away with his head, and beating Trumpet in a footrace for once-

He turned back around just in time to see the tree that crumpled his skull.

———

He wished he could say he didn’t feel every excruciating twitch of his skull righting itself as he laid there. As it was, it was painful enough he was functionally passed out.

Which is why he was surprised to see trumpet dragging him by his feet deep into the woods.

Not half as surprised as trumpet, who dropped his feet and swore when he sat up and gasped.

”What the hell? You were dead! that killed you!” She yelled.

Percussionist was still reeling from how much growing his skull back sucked, and latched on to the first thing he noticed.

”Did you steal my shoes?”

”what are you?” She asked in a tone that was decidedly horrified.

He fiddled with a piece of grass somewhere to his left. “A vampire, as of yesterday. Really though, why do you have my shoes?”

“Not important. What do you mean as of yesterday?”

”Last night, really. Me and Clarinet-“

”Clarinet and I.” She said.

”Whatever. We went on a walk and turns out she’s always been a vampire, and then she did the vampire thing, and now I’m a vampire, and things have just been spiraling from there-”

”That explains a lot, actually. Who else is a vampire?”

Percussionist, feeling slightly more alive, realized they weren’t by the camp anymore.

”Where are we? Why do you have my shoes, and why are you so calm about this?”

”oh.” She said. “I may have made an action plan for something like this. You know, in case of murderers, or if supernatural stuff was real.”

”thats cool. Why steal my shoes?“

”I was framing you for murder.”

an awkward silence settled over them.

”We should get back to camp. Stop more people from getting vampired and all.”

”Yeah. Lets do that.“

———

Sax skidded to a stop in front of Trombones body. She was limp, and pale, and by all accounts dead. He whipped out his phone to call anyone, anyone at all, and pitched it into a tree when it read no service.

He sat, and he cried by his best friend, who always made the shittiest puns, who was the worst at sports, who thought anything with soulmates was stupid but still read all the stuff he suggested her. Who was dead.

He was still crying when she sat up and latched onto his neck, draining him dry.

———

French Horn and Clarinet ran across Tuba, who was holding gauze to his neck where he had been bit. French Horn was starting to feel slightly feverish, but otherwise okay.

”Guys! Are you okay? The weirdest thing just happened.” He said.

”We need to leave.” Said Clarinet. “Now.”

”No argument here. Have you guys seen Flute? He was with you last time I saw him.“

French Horn and Clarinet shared a look.

“I’ll go find him. You two pack. we leave before dusk.”

They watched as she disappeared into the leaves.

”Whats going on?” Asked tuba, a hint of worry in his voice.

French Horn took a deep breath in before saying “Vampires are real.”

Tuba burst out laughing.

“Oh. You’re serious.” He said as he hefted a tent into the back of the van.

”you don’t believe me.”

“How could I? I haven’t seen any proof that they exist.”

She threw a bag of trash in the van with more force than nessecary.

“What attacked you then?”

At this he paused. “I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a vampire.”

———

Percussionist and Trumpet made it to where Trombone was crying over Sax, the late afternoon sun reflecting off of their now pale skin.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. He’ll be alright.”

Trombone looked up at him and snarled, all teeth and rage, and Percussionist jumped back.

”He’ll end up like me, won’t he.”

Percussionist nodded.

”I don’t know what world you’re living in, but this isn’t fucking alright!”

Trumpet walked over and knelt in front of Trombone. She held out her hand, and Trombone scrambled away.

”I don’t believe you would hurt me. Not right now. I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

”so what?” She scoffed. “I still did it. Should I just go on existing as whatever I am now? Just kill people so I can live?”

”Actually,“ Percussionist said, “we can live off of different types of blood.”

Trumpet looked back and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Shut up you twatwaffle, can’t you see this is a delicate moment?”

”just figured it would be some good information to have.“ he said.

“Are you seriously telling me my angst fest was for nothing?” She asked.

Percussionist leaned against a tree. “Oh, don‘t worry.” He said. “Theres still plenty of angst about the immortality.”

“Sax did always say he wanted to be sixteen forever.”

Trumpet rolled her eyes. “Lets go home.”

Trombone reached out to take Trumpets hand, and Sax shot up and clamped his jaws around her throat. Trombone grabbed Trumpets wrist and pulled her away as Percussionist peeled Sax away.

”Let him.“ choked out Trumpet. “I‘ll be one of you either way.”

”Absolutely not!” Said Percussionist. “Trombone, go find literally anything else with blood.” Sax kicked and snarled in his grip. “Hurry! I’m not sure how much longer I can hold him.”

———

“Flute!” Yelled Clarinet. She had been looking for him for an hour now, and still couldn’t find him.

She was walking along an old trail that went out of use years ago when she almost tripped over him. He was curled up in the shade of a tree, hiding away in a hollow.

“What do you want.”

”I want to take you home.” She said.

he laughed. “Something like me doesn’t deserve a home. I killed people, and I knew there was another way, but I did it anyway. Just leave me here to rot.”

She remembered when she’d been like this. She had forgotten to eat, had slipped up. Its not a hard thing to do. When you’re a vampire, you brain tricks you into feeling fine by your old standards until you‘re so hungry you can’t stop it.

She believed it was all her fault, though. The only way someone had gotten through to her was something they had called twisting the knife. She had always called it shitty.

She sighed. “I wanted to say sorry.”

He poked his head out a little, peering up at her. “You didn’t do anything.”

”But I did.” She said. “I drained percussionist dry last night, and then I left him to find you. I watched while you attacked your friends, and now, I’m giving you a chance to fix the harm we caused. What will you do with it?”

”You made me like this?” He asked.

”Yes.”

he lunged at her face, fingers clawing for her eyes. She turned around and ran for the campsite, making sure he was behind her, and praying that he would forgive her for the stunt she just pulled.

———

The campsite was packed, and Percussionist and Trombone had made a game of who could catch the best songbird for Sax. Sax was less murderously inclined, though it was hard to tell if it was because the blood he had consumed or trumpets growing nonhumanness.

After the third or fourth time of watching Sax suck down a bird or squirrel like a juice box, Tuba was forced to admit that maybe vampires were a little real.

(He noticed his neck wound had already scabbed over and was halfway gone. He was afraid to ask if he was becoming one.)

The sun was slipping behind the tops of the trees when Clarinet charged out of the forest, leapt over the van, And yelled “Flutes trying to kill me!”

Flute burst into the clearing and lunged at Clarinet. Percussionist stepped in the way.

”What happened?“

”She did this in purpose! She said she dropped you in the woods to kill us!”

Percussionists blinked. “No she didn’t. She told me to stay where I was while she got something for me to eat.”

he stopped yelling. Now, he just looked confused. “But she turned you.”

”Yeah? It was an accident. She obviously regretted it.”

Percussionist backed off, and Flute looked at clarinet.

”why did you say all that then?”

“You were’t gonna come with me if I didn’t. Besides, you were spiraling and this was the easiest way to stop that.”

”Sounds like the shittiest way to stop it, too.” Scoffed Tuba.

She sighed. “Yeah. It was.”

”Hey,” asked sax. “Are any of us still human? I know me, Percussionist, and Trombone aren’t-“

”Percussionist, Trombone, and I.” Said Trumpet.

”-And I saw you two jump over my van, but whats up with the rest of you?”

”Basically,” said Clarinet, “anyone who was bit is or will become a vampire, depending on how much blood they had left in them after the bite. Was there anyone who wasn’t bit?”

everyone was silent as they all glanced at each other, looking for anyone who could say yes. It quickly became awkward, and was broken by Clarinet muttering “Fuck.” quietly under her breath.

”Who all, um, died today?”

Flute, Sax, and Trombone slowly raised their hands. Clarinet squinted at Percussionist, which prompted him to say “What? I died last night.”

French Horn yelled “past twenty four hours, dingus.”

He rolled his eyes and raised his hand.

”Alright. You three,” -she made a sweeping gesture towards the three with their hands down- “Are going to have the worst couple weeks of your life. Take a few days off of everything. Don’t go to the hospital. Stay isolated. Call me when the pain’s mostly over.”

Tuba’s lips pursed. “What, exactly, is going to happen to us?”

”The way it was explained to me was that your body slowly cannibalizes itself. It sucks.”

”hm.” He said. He looked very troubled.

They got in the van and drove through the night.

For now, they rest. A short break, before they have to figure out the rest of their lives.

#Not a super satisfying ending I know #Not the best writing I could’ve done either #I’m already planning out a sequel for how things go that will get into the nitty gritty of their character #And hopefully give them real names #THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLOT SUMMARY WHAT WHENT WRONG #(It started out as a kiss how did it end up like this)#Its still basically the bulletpoints version of this story with some banter mixed in #I did actually have a concrete well thought out(ish) plan #Then the characters (mostly trumpet and tuba) said “no thanks we’re too cool for your shit/to much of a himbo” respectively #And honestly? They’re right #Please keep in mind I made this when I was like 12-13 and havent developed it much since then but I love em all the same #I could be persuaded to attempt to draw them #Or at least picrew them #Anyways that took way too long thank you for sitting through this with me #Writing #my writing #oc #ocs #my ocs #writeblr #Bandpires

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snowboiwinwin · 3 years

Text

NCT Dream (+ Shotaro and Sungchan) as types of Among Us players

this is all based on my friends and I whenever we play Among Us... it is a mess but absolutely hilarious! Hope you enjoy! :)

Mark: the yellow character, uses some type of nickname that no one actually calls him

Is never saying much, but is especially quiet when he is an impostor

Actually a really good impostor

Wins 8/10 times

Very risky killer thoguh, he has BALLS

Always has an alibi somehow

But don‘t sus him please - as soon as he opens his mouth and is put under pressure.... everyone knows its him

“Guuuuuys, I swear. It wasn‘t me! Oh come ooooon. I was in admin! Oh.... you were in admin too? Bro, I didn‘t see you though. Guys, I don‘t wanna sus anyone, but he might be it.... Guys, guys, listen! I was-, hey! Guys! OKAY! I AM THE IMPOSTOR, I ADMIT! JUST KILL ME ALREADY!“

Renjun: most probably the black character, uses a cute nickname and puts cute accessories on his character

yes, yellow (aka Mark) is a great impostor

BUT Renjun is THE best

his character looks so innocent with the cute lil name and the christmas lights

But don‘t let it fool you

ALWAYS has an alibi as well

And even when you sus him - he has the best arguments as to why you should believe he is actually innocent (he never is) and always manages to make someone else look sus, so he‘s off the hook (not that you sus him to begin with)

Usually is the impostor 5 times in a row

Wins 9/10 times

“Can I just say something? Chenle has been really weird this whole game. I think he even closed the doors on me when we were in electrical but he didn‘t dare kill me cause someone was in front of the door... why are you getting so defensive? I just said it was kinda sus, not that I actually think you’re the impostor... your behavior is very off man... bro, I was with Jeno this whole time! yeah, let‘s vote for Chenle, just to be save.“

Jeno: changes his character‘s color all the time but usually it‘s either dark or lime green, uses his last name and puts fancy suits on his character

Literally the best person to play Among Us with

He is so chill and laid back and let‘s you actually talk (some people just outscream each other and I find that annoying)

Also an amazing impostor

He is just so nice and kind, you would never sus him

“Don‘t worry Haechan, I can confirm that you are innocent! I saw him doing tasks, guys. It can‘t be him.“ (well yeah, cause it‘s you Mr. Lee)

Due to this, no one would ever sus him

Kills usually the same people at the same spot (apparently not even on purpose) and that‘s actually why the others sus him

Wins 9.5/10 times

“Okay, only us three left... we really have to think this through. Chenle, why are you trying to proof your innocence so hard when we haven‘t even said anything? Ugh, I don‘t even wanna vote anyone, I really don‘t know who it could be. To the impostor, you did a great job! I‘m honestly shocked by how well played this was. Oh? We voting Chenle? Okay!“

Haechan: the dark blue character, uses a „cool“ made up rap name and suits to look even cooler

He is LOUD

And he has literally no mercy

Do not sus him or else you will lose your hearing

He outscreams everyone

Kills infront of someone else and acts as if the other person (usually Jaemin) has killed Jisung

Literally self-reports but due to Jaemin not being able to get a word in, EVERYONE believes him

But although he is doing quite well most of the time, the others see the pattern in his impostor tactics and stop believing him at one point

Wins 5/10 times

“I SWEAR IT WASN‘T ME!!! IT WAS JAEMIN; I SAW IT WITH MY OWN TWO EYES!!! You know what guys, fuck you. You are unbelievebale, you are all gonna lose now! Thanks for nothing.“ *mutes his mic*

Jaemin: he chooses the colors pink or purple, goes by his actual name and uses either a cool cap or flowers for accessoires

He is alwas the one the others sus, just becasue

They don‘t even have reasons but apparently he is always acting hella sus

Which frustrates him, because they only sus him when he is a crewmate, never when he is the actual impostor (which is hilarious)

He is genuinely doing tasks and trying to defend people he deemed innocent but still, he is always the one getting accused of the killing

When he is impostor, he usually doesn’t even kill people cause he is so nervous and afraid hahaha

So the crewmates know, when there isn‘t a single kill after 5 minutes, it is probably Jaemin

But when he is on a killing spree, he is actually quite good - 100% better than Haechan

Wins 7/10 times

“Guys, why would it be me? I was just with Shotaro and Jeno the whole time! I didn‘t kill either of them!!! GUYS I AM NOT THE IMPOSTOR I SWEAR TO GOD!!!! If I would be the impostor you would know cause no one ever dies! Omg, are you for real??? Guys I AM INNOCENT!!! YOU ARE KILLING THE WRONG ONE!!“ *gets voted off while being an innocent crewmate*

Chenle: the white character, uses a weird name and also dresses up in cool suits

Boy is always sus

Probably because he constantly is the impostor

He also kills very fast

The game just started and there‘s already a reported body

So that‘s what makes him sus immediately - he kills 5 seconds into the game

But he is good at talking himself out of it - people still sus him though

He is making stupid mistakes though; “Jisung, let‘s stick together!“ and suddenly Jisung is dead

Usually plays 2-3 rounds as an impostor before people know for sure it‘s him

Wins 6.5/10 times

“Noooo? It isn‘t me wtf? Are you guys drunk? WELL I PERSONALLY THINK IT‘S SUNGCHAN! Every other opinion is INVALID!! I haven‘t seen him this WHOLE game! Shut up Sungchan, that‘s what an impostor would say as well. Yes guys! TRUST ME!!! Bye Sungchannie!“

Jisung: the red character, uses a weird name he came up with that has nothing to do with his actual name, also wears suits cause Chenle wants to match #chenji

He never is impostor

He wants nothing more than to be the impostor once

When he suddenly gets chosen to be the impostor - he gets voted off immediately

But not because he is bad - his impostor teammate is the reason

Imagine; lights go out, his impostor mate kills one person directly infront of the electrical, infront of jisung and runs away... suddenly lights turn on and jisung stands infront of the dead body

People immediately vote him off, no questions asked

Wins 3/10 times

“I know it looks so bad, but I swear it wasn‘t me! Renjun got killed infront of me, I didn‘t even have time to report him yet! Guys, seriously, it was NOT me!!!“ but due to Chenle (most probably the other impostor) throwing accusations at him, he doesn‘t even get to say much

Shotaro: the orange character, goes by a nickname and usually chooses the egg for accessories

Is not that experienced with the game

so let‘s say, he plays for the firs time with the boys

He is the impostor for the first 4 rounds - he is completely overwhelmed

Never gets suspected cause “he just started playing this game - no way he is impostor and gets away with it so easily“

Whenever people sus him he plays the “i don‘t know how this works“ card - and the others believe him

The boys are SHOOK when they see he was the actual impostor

Wins 11/10 times - his cuteness and innocence make him win every time

“I was in that one room, I don‘t know what it‘s called....“, “I have a question; why are these alarms going off? Huh? Impostors can sabotage? How is that possible??? Oh okay, wow. Good to know. I hope i can remember this when I am the impostor then!“

Sungchan: the brown character, shares the same braincell as Chenle and chooses a weird name haha, is the only one who has a pet

He is the only one that thinks logically

Doesn‘t sus people without having his reasons (even when he is impostor)

Plays very well, sticks with his partner most of the time - double kills occure often with him being impostor

Him and Jaemin are actually a very good team

Although they stick together a lot, they also try to get alibis from other players

Win 10.5/10 times (sometimes he does mess up)

“No guys, I can confirm that Jisung is not the impostor, let that guy live for once! Haechan on the other hand apparently finished the ‚Simon says‘ task in less than a minute, which i find very weird as it takes longer than that.“ *cue Haechan‘s screaming*

#nct 2020 #nct dream #mark #renjun #jeno #haechan #jaemin #chenle #jisung #shotaro #sungchan #among us #nct scenarios #kpop #nct

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smallblip · 4 years

Text

Rest in peace, Paradise

Written for Levihan Angstober (Prompt: greeting/farewell/free spot)

Levihan | + the vets | Rated for mild language | I’ve weaved in moments from the manga, so to be safe, avoid if you don’t want spoilers?

It’s on Ao3! https://archiveofourown.org/works/27247006

Levi and Hanji go on a road trip to the sea with a stop at Paradise Inn. They dream of greetings, farewells, and all the love in between.

But I cannot forget that, at other times I have been deceived in sleep by similar illusions; and, attentively considering those cases, I perceive so clearly that there exist no certain marks by which the state of waking can ever be distinguished from sleep, that I feel greatly astonished; and in amazement I almost persuade myself that I am now dreaming. - Rene Descartes

Levi wakes to a soft buzzing- frantic at times, but it comes and goes. Nevertheless it brings him out of a deep slumber. And he’s caught in a haze. In this moment, Levi doesn’t distinguish between dreams and reality, there’s little point in dichotomising two sides of the same coin. He feels for the familiar warmth beside him but his fingers meet with cool sheets.

“You’re awake...”

The voice cuts through the haze and paints vivid reality. Levi is awake.

“Morning,” he murmurs against her pillow, “the wasp wants out, Hanji.”

Hanji chuckles, and Levi appreciates how slow everything moves in the morning, how gentle everything seems in the light that filters through the day curtains.

“Can’t have you build a home here can we...” Hanji says, leaning to open the windows. She pushes the air around it with her palm, guiding it, and the wasp disappears into the sunlight, past the sign that says ‘Paradise Inn’. Levi slides his arms around Hanji’s waist, head coming to rest on her shoulder.

“Sleep well?” She says, busying herself with the dishes they had abandoned last night in favour of other, more exciting endeavours.

“Had a dream...”

“Ah... About you and me versus the man-eating giants again?”

Levi frowns at Hanji’s handiwork, there’s still soap on the dishes she left to dry on the rack, but he snaps out of it when she wipes her hands on her pants and turns to plant a kiss on his head. “Not this time... We were lying in a forest, just talking...”

“What about?”

“Staying there together... I don’t know... Building a shitty cottage with damp wood... Gathering berries... Stuff like that.”

“That sounds cute...” Hanji says, she lets out a sigh when Levi kisses her, tender.

“This is better...” he says, and Hanji is swaying them to a tune stuck in her head.

“Aren’t you a charmer this morning...”

—

Levi sees her around the first day they check into the motel. She is Autumn manifest- the girl with the orange hair and the auburn eyes.

She looks at Levi, and he mostly tries to ignore it, except he finds he’s unable to.

“I think she likes you!” Hanji teases, and she makes it a point to wave at the girl whenever they see her. The girl waves back.

Levi, with his limited capacity for niceties, returns her gaze with a glower. And she approaches him one day, when he’s getting ice from the reception.

“Hey...” she says, “I’m Petra.”

“I’m Levi.” He replies, eyes narrowing, “you stare a lot Petra.”

“Ah... Sorry about that...” she rubs at the back of her neck sheepishly, “you just look like someone I used to know... I looked up to him a lot you see... So it’s a little jarring seeing you here.”

Levi sees how young she is from the uncertainty in her speech to the gentleness that she exudes when she faces the world.

“I’ll take that as a compliment...” he says.

Petra laughs, bright as a bell, a little embarrassed. She shrugs. “Anyways... I can’t stay around to stare any longer. I’m leaving today!” She gestures at her luggage.

He bids her farewell. When Levi sees the sadness in her eyes, he fights the urge to tell her to stay a little longer.

She’s got places to be and time waits for no one. Not for the pull of familiarity and the emptiness of new acquaintances.

—

They are on their way to the beach. It’s a year in the making, starting with their big move closer to the shores. They have never seen the sea, and Hanji thinks maybe, more than a bucket list, it’s a call. A whisper in her ears. And Levi hears it too, in the steady thrum of her heartbeat, like the ebb and flow of foamy waves.

They mark one pit stop before the beach, not out of necessity, but because Hanji thinks it would be nice to spend the night in a motel. I’ve never done it before, she says. It’s the early morning when they arrive. Hanji is snoring in the passenger seat and Levi pinches her nose to wake her. She snorts and struggles and they find themselves staring at the sign. The big neon “Paradise Inn” bright amidst a dark sky, competing with the moon itself. It’s perfect Kitsch cliche and Hanji chuckles. She adores it.

“We’re lovers in a motel, Levi!” She clasps her hands and coos in mock romanticism. “This is what novels are made of!”

“Aren’t we a little too old for that, Hanji?” Levi replies, hand coming to ruffle Hanji’s hair. She catches his hand and kisses his palm, “Maybe it’s time to catch up on what we’ve missed out on then...”

—

The sky spills orange and gold, and they only stir when the sun paints a glow behind their eyelids. This is real life. Levi is sure. It had been a dreamless sleep. Just darkness one moment, and light the other. Hanji is curled up against him, head on his chest. Her eyes flutter open, and she smiles, and Levi thinks this is paradise.

They put in an extension for their stay at the motel, because it doesn’t seem right to leave just yet. Levi goes back on what he had said about motels being places of the barest of necessities, because this is actually really nice.

They spend the whole day in bed.

“Do you think we could get a dog when we get back home?” Hanji says, she’s looking at Levi with the most earnest look she can manage. And his resolve crumbles a little. Just a little.

“What do you want a dog for?” Levi says, ever practical, and Hanji thinks it’s a useful control mechanism.

Nevertheless, she chuckles at the odd phrasing and pouts for show, “Not for anything... To take care of? To love?”

“Don’t we have each other for that?”

“Yes and I’ve got my hands full with you!” Hanji runs her fingers across Levi’s ribs where it tickles and he crumples. His hands move fast to retaliate and between wrestling Hanji and dodging her flailing arms, he manages to correct her because really, he‘s got his hands full with her.

Levi’s got both her wrists in his hands and she’s completely subdued, and Hanji uses the one trick she has up her sleeve. She stops resisting, relaxing into his hold, expression soft and wanting. She hooks her legs around his waist and draws him in. Levi releases his grip on her almost instantly and kisses her. She revels in this little pattern they’ve fallen into. She knows him enough to establish certain predictability. It’s assuring and she thinks this is the essence of a good life.

“I love our little home Levi... And you... And I also think I’ve got love to spare for a dog.” Hanji makes the proposal with finesse and a practiced ease, and Levi grunts a reply.

“Maybe...” he says, hands stroking bare skin where Hanji’s shirt has ridden up. She has her back against his chest, but she can hear the beginnings of a smile in his voice.

“Maybe is good...” Hanji smiles, eyes heavy and blinking. She can work with ‘maybe’.

—

Levi dreams of man-eating giants. It's a macabre dream. Hanji searches it up and she says that could represent some inner insecurity. But Levi is used to feeling small, he's been small all his life. Besides, that doesn't explain why Hanji's there too in his dreams. They're perched on a wall, back to back, the giants come close, but he doesn't feel anything close to fear. He knows with certainty they will win. And they do.

But the dream morphs, and her back is no longer against his. He feels fear for the first time. He searches for her. He asks the others. When he finally finds her, her glasses are smashed and they can't save her eye. But she's alive. Levi remembers taking her harness off with finesse. And he remembers the warmth of her body against his, fevered from battle. Levi shuts his eyes.

When he opens them, Hanji is there. Hair splayed against thinning motel pillows. He listens to the steady exhale that follows the inhale. He traces a finger from her forehead, skimming gently past her eyelid, down to where her lips are parted in sleep. Hanji awakens at the touch, and she's blinking at him, confused.

"Four eyes..." Levi says, brushing against the corner of her left eye with his thumb. The relief of reality washing over him.

"Am at most a two eyes now... My glasses..." She murmurs, pointing to her glasses on the bedside table. She falls back asleep almost instantly.

Levi chuckles, pulling her closer.

—

They had spent the night drinking at the bar in town. It’s the next morning and Hanji thinks they’ve been lazing around too much, pretending they’ve got hangovers to nurse. Not that she’s complaining really, the way Levi has his arms around her, the way his hair feels combed through her fingers. Time is a quick march towards death, but it stills it’s pace in these moments. Hanji wants to live in these moments forever- the moments between earnest kisses and fingers dancing absently across skin.

She abandons her busy thoughts in moments like these. There will always be another opportunity to talk Levi’s ear off about work.

“Hey Levi...” Hanji says, something is bubbling in her chest and she can no longer contain it. “Wanna get married?”

Levi blinks. He wonders if he’s asleep, if this is just a really nice dream. He’s been having good dreams lately, it provides a kind respite from the harshness of reality. But Hanji continues, matter of fact, “it’s no big deal, we’ve made promises before...”

“You don’t have to give an answer right away... I’m just putting it out there. If you wanna get carried away one day, you know who to call.” Hanji says, winking.

The alarm blares from the distance and they get dressed. Levi tests the strap on her chest and it’s a convenient excuse to pull her closer. He kisses her like an oath.

“Let’s try to survive today first four eyes, then we can talk about forever.”

Hanji mocks a salute and laughs.

—

They meet by chance in the reception. Mike is struggling to get the inn-keeper’s attention. You just gotta yell, he’s a bit hard of hearing, and Hanji does just that. Mike gets his towels. And when they shake hands, a warmth courses through her body- the warmth of an old friend. And something like nostalgia pinches her nerves.

She feels it intensify when Mike introduces her to a blonde girl- all limbs like Hanji. She sports an undercut.

Her name is Nanaba.

— Mike tells Levi he smells like fresh laundry, and Levi makes a face.

“Sorry... Can’t help it... Got a good nose...” Mike says, and Levi panics internally. If only Hanji were here, she’s got a penchant for abnormals, being one herself. Well, that also probably explains why she handles Levi so well.

But here he is, looking up at a painful angle at Mike.

They get buzzed on cheap beers later and play fussball with Nanaba and Hanji. Mike and Levi learn they make a great team. The other two don’t stand a chance against them.

—

Hanji feels the shock of déjà vu during the quick sprint Nanaba makes with her from the pool to the shelter. The sudden downpour dashing their plans of getting a tan.

“You know I dreamt of you once, Nana...”

“What about!” Nanaba says, she’s handing Hanji a towel to dry herself off.

She tells Nanaba she doesn’t really remember. But she does remember taking shelter from the rain with her and feeling an overwhelming sense of comfort.

And you told me everything is more beautiful after the rain...

Nanaba chuckles as she takes in Hanji’s state of dishevelment, her eyes hold only affection. “I guess that applies to people too!”

Hanji laughs and links her arm with Nanaba’s. The forecast shows showers all afternoon, and they decide it’s not a bad idea to go swimming.

—

Hanji tells Levi there’s a familiarity in all of this. In them meeting and hanging out with Nanaba and Mike and growing close over the course of a few days.

And Levi finds himself swept up in the liminality. He watches as Nanaba and Hanji dance by the fireplace, Mike reclining beside him, he’s smiling at the scene. They talk mostly about the best teas they’ve tried and discuss running a hypothetical tea shop in the city. They settle into a comfortable silence. Levi wonders if it’s possible to feel nostalgia for a life he has never led.

—

Hanji and Levi meet Erwin at breakfast at the donut joint next to the motel one day. He’s sitting with Mike and Nanaba, all eyebrows and blond comb back and the build of a Football player.

And the picture pains Hanji in a way that’s almost melancholic. She sees them chatting over donuts and coffee and the melancholy fades to sweetness. And she knows Levi feels something too, because he’s staring at the scene before him, and he’s confused. But being with Hanji has made him more comfortable living in the margins of what makes sense and going with the flow, so he relaxes as they make their way towards the table.

There isn’t enough space, what with Mike and Erwin occupying most of it, so they sit at the next table. And they realise the three of them are acquainted, just that Erwin holes himself in his room a lot, “catching up on being a bum... It’s been so busy all these years...” he says.

“Erwin is on vacation to find himself,” Nanaba explains and Erwin chuckles. “It’s a mid-life crisis of sorts...” he says, dusting at the powdered sugar that had gathered in the stubble on his chin. There’s an ease and confidence that comes with experience, and Erwin has just that, his severity fading behind a deep chuckle and a trove of stories to tell.

And they talk and laugh like they’ve known each other for years.

—

“Ah Levi... It’s you...” Erwin says, before training his eyes back on the horizon. They are on top of the walls and the day has just broken.

“Never saw you as a sunrise type of person...” Levi says.

“Oh... Didn’t you know? I can be quite the romantic...” Erwin laughs, the crease in his brows disappearing. Levi rolls his eyes. Even after all these years he refuses to let Erwin get too haughty with his humour. But it makes Erwin painfully human and vulnerable. Even so, Levi follows him.

“The new recruits have been talking about the sea.”

Erwin chuckles, he had been young once, so he understands. Even now, Erwin understands. It’s easy to dream, give yourself to the world. Not so easy to convince the world to give a piece of it in return. “Dreaming is good... Keeps us all young.”

“Puts ideas in their heads... Even Hanji has been talking about the sea... Wouldn’t stop going on about it...” Levi says, annoyed, but Erwin recognises the look in his eyes. Erwin had been in love once, so he understands.

“Well... Sounds like a good vacation spot once all of this is over.”

Levi doesn’t really imagine an end to all of this, it’s really hard to. But when he does, he feels the soft promise of a hand in his.

Levi hears the waves crashing into shore.

“Then you better keep dreaming and get us there.” Levi says, and Erwin is chuckling. “Sounds like a plan,” he replies.

“Hypothetically, if we did put in a greenhouse in our backyard, how big do you think it could reasonably be?” Hanji says, adding in a, “hypothetically speaking...” when Levi frowns. It’s sunny out and they’re sitting on one of the deck chairs by the pool. Hanji has her book on her stomach and her hands shield her eyes from the sun as she turns to look at Levi.

Levi sighs, abandoning his book for this conversation. “Does this hypothetical situation involve us building said greenhouse by ourselves?”

“You know it’s part of the fun, Levi!” Hanji says and she chuckles when Levi groans.

“Hypothetically speaking, the size of our bathroom.”

“That’s really small...” Hanji says, contemplating.

“It’s enough for your hypothetical vegetables...”

“Not enough for my cabbages...” Hanji sighs, “hypothetical cabbages...” she adds when Levi narrows his eyes. She’s laughing. If only Levi knew what was in store for him when they got home. She’s been researching the best way to build a greenhouse and she’s got a whole proposal ready.

They will have cabbages for home-made sauerkraut and it will be lovely.

—

Hanji is no stranger to bad dreams, but this particular one had been really, really bad. She jolts awake in bed, breathing heavy, gaze fixed on an imaginary point on the wall.

“Hanji-“ before Levi could ask, Hanji is hugging him. She’s squeezing him tight and desperate like she’s trying to will him into permanence. Her breathing evens and Levi can feel her heartbeat steady where his chest is pressed flushed against hers. Skin against clammy skin.

“Bad dream?” He asks, carding his fingers through her hair, unknotting where he can manage.

“The worst...” she answers, her fingers gripping Levi’s arms still, head buried in his shoulder.

”We were in a river, the currents were so strong and I was losing my grip on you. I peddled so hard... But you were hurt... You were going under Levi...”

“Dreaming about me dying in large bodies of water... Kind of shitty of you when we’re going to the beach...” he says, and already she’s laughing- nervous at first, but it soon grows into something that lets him know she’s going to be okay.

Levi scoots them both so his back is against the headboard and her head is on his chest.

The dream fucks with Hanji and it shows in the way her knuckles turn white from gripping the sheets. She squints her eyes shut and she sees the rush of white water behind her lids, roaring and unforgiving, the currents are strong and Hanji is so so tired.

“You're alright...” Levi says, and it’s enough to silence the scream of the currents. His calloused fingers soothe into her skin. She’s holding his hand now, falling asleep against him. She thinks she can taste the salt in the air, and everything is okay.

—

Hanji and Levi contemplate extending their stay again, but the ocean is calling and they feel themselves stretched in opposite directions. Hanji lingers in the reception, she takes a few steps towards the counter and she stops, pacing back to the wall where the maps and pamphlets are tacked.

“Thinking of extending your stay?” It’s Erwin, dressed for a day of doing absolutely nothing- old gym shorts and a faded singlet.

“Yeah...” Hanji says, and they end up sitting on the steps leading up to the reception. Hange bums a cigarette off Erwin. Don’t usually smoke, but it fits the whole poetry of a mid-life crisis doesn’t it? he says and Hanji laughs. She loves a good cliche.

“This whole stay has been...” Hanji starts, but she decides it’s self explanatory. It’s been an absolute dream. So she continues with “you know Erwin... Before meeting you, Levi had a dream about you once...”

“What about?” Erwin says, curious.

“Hmm... Something about standing on walls and watching the sun rise...”

“Interesting...” Erwin replies with a chuckle, “I am a sunrise kind of guy... And I probably have the sort of face people find familiar huh...”

They talk about dreams and memories. Did you know Freud once hypothesised that dreams are a way the brain tries to work through what we leave unresolved in real life? It’s a way the brain deals with repressed wishes, Hanji says. She is in love with the beauty of it all, and Erwin is too. He makes a mental note of it.

It’s silent for a while when Erwin brings it up. “You should get going... To the beach I mean... If you wait any longer the currents are going to get more violent and you can’t swim then...” He’s smiling, warm and assuring, “not that I don’t enjoy your company... Or Levi’s for that matter...”

And Hanji is smiling back, with a melancholy that fills her bones. It’s silly, and she feels young and small again. They can always make plans, meet again, maybe Erwin can bring that special someone he talks about- Marie- who works at a bar in his hometown. She leans her head against Erwin’s shoulder and feels the tension in her chest unknot. Her cigarette now abandoned between her fingers, but the smoke performs a complex dance as it passes their eyes.

“We’ll send you a postcard of the ocean!” She says, bright, like a promise. And Erwin takes her word for it.

—

They leave the next morning. Levi makes their bed and tidies the room and even to a trained eye, the room appears untouched. Hanji thinks there’s something romantic about transience, and she sees it through the tears in her own eyes as she says goodbye.

“Hanji... Stop crying!” Nanaba says, fingers coming to wipe at the corners of Hanji’s eyes. But Nanaba is crying too. “We’ll see each other again. That’s a promise.” She crosses her heart and when she looks over to Mike, he’s crossing his heart too, slightly embarrassed at the whole scene.

Hanji lunges for another hug, pulling Levi and Nanaba into Mike’s chest as Erwin watches, chuckling. She waves to him with a spare arm, and when he’s close enough, she pulls him in too.

And it pains her to say goodbye, but the certainty that they’ll meet again lingers.

They’re cruising along the highway now, and Levi has his hand on Hanji’s thigh. The pain of goodbye soothes into a dull ache.

—

“He looks like he’s really struggling...” Levi raises a brow. Hanji slows down to get a better look.

There is a man pulled up at the side of the road and he’s studying his map, squinting. He turns it here and flips it the other way, and he looks like he’s about to have a nervous breakdown. Hanji laughs at the face he’s making.

She pulls up behind him and they get out the car.

“You look lost! Need help?” She offers and his frown disappears behind a smile.

“I’m looking for Paradise Inn, but I can’t seem to find it...”

“You’re in luck! We were just there! You missed it. You gotta turn right two junctions before, it’s a really narrow path, really easy to miss.”

“Thank goodness for you two...” the man says, “I’m Moblit by the way.” He says, and he shakes their hand.

“Where are you guys headed?” Moblit asks.

“The beach,” Hanji answers, and maybe she lets herself get comfortable in the familiarity.

“Ah! I heard the winds are strong this time of year...” Moblit says, worry creasing his forehead.

“We’re strong enough swimmers!” Hanji says, grinning, “plus Levi packed for colder weather so we’re covered.”

Moblit is smiling now, a calmness spreading across his face, “that’s good.”

“It’s nice meeting you, Moblit! You’re going to love Paradise Inn! Enjoy your stay alright!” Hanji says and Moblit is chuckling, he’s smiling a little sheepish, unsure of how to react to Hanji’s excitement. But as it is, it’s already hard to say goodbye, and he can’t stay pulled up by the side of the road forever. “Ah, really?” He replies

“You take care of yourself now, Hanji...” Moblit says as he looks at Hanji. And she doesn’t understand why she feels this way for a stranger she’s just met at the side of the road. But the sadness in Moblit’s smile is mirrored in her eyes as she waves goodbye. Moblit gets into his car he turns his attention to Levi, “you too Levi!”

—

“Levi! Wake up! We’re here!”

When Levi opens his eyes from the passenger’s seat, the picture in front of him makes his heart stop. The sea commands awe, and he understands why people write about it like a lover.

Hanji grabs him by the hand and pulls him towards the sand. She has lost her shoes somewhere along her beeline to the shore.

“Come on Levi! The water is warm!” Hanji shouts and Levi sighs and folds the clothes she has discarded at the shoreline.

“Watch it, Hanji...” he says as he pulls her against him. She’s far too excited to notice the waves, and she’s sputtering. The saltwater obscures his vision, but he sees her- playfulness in her eyes, her legs coming to circle around Levi’s waist as he stands on his toes, balancing them both as the tides threaten to tip them over.

“We made it Levi!” Hanji exclaims.

He chuckles. This is the world where ‘I love you’s are easy. It’s not a big deal, they can always come back, have a picnic by the beach, skinny dip by the moonlight. The world is their oyster.

Levi presses a kiss to Hanji’s wet cheek.

—

They’re sitting on the shore now, clothes clinging to wet skin, sand sticking to wet clothes.

Hanji has placed a ring of shells and pebbles around where they are sitting. She’s drawing patterns in the sand now, absentmindedly, perfectly content.

Levi looks at her, hair wavy from the saltwater, blush on the bridge of her nose from the sun. Loving Hanji is terrifyingly easy. So he says-

"We should get married."

Hanji's eyes grow wide. She doesn't say anything and Levi's stares at the sand between his toes.

The sun is setting mid-way, at this rate, it will be dark in no time. They had promised to leave by this time, darkness makes for a difficult journey back. But they had also promised never to talk about love and here they are. Hanji laces their fingers together and kisses the back of his hand. Maybe promises are meant to be broken. Maybe it really is time they get carried away. Levi is holding Hanji's hand to his chest. And she feels the call of the sea fade behind the steady thrum of his heart. It’s the sound of a life worth living.

"Maybe..." Hanji says, she’s always been a tease. But her heart is beating out of her chest and her cheeks are pink. She's pursing her lips, and even then she can't contain her grin. She pictures herself bursting at the seems, glee spilling out of her like a geyser.

"Maybe is good..." Levi smiles. He can work with 'maybe'.

—

“I had a dream last night...” Levi says to Hanji at the end of the world, he presses his fist to her chest and it remains there, curled loosely.

“Ah... About the others again?”

“It was just you this time... I dreamt of us. And the sea...”

“Sounds nice...” Hanji says, and she’s smiling. Levi pulls her close by her cape, and he watches as she bites down hard on a trembling lip. She wills herself to stop shaking, and it pains him to think this is one of the many reasons why he loves her. Hanji is stubborn as fuck, strong as hell.

And Levi knows this is it, but for a person who has known death all his life, he doesn’t have the right words to say goodbye.

“We’ll see each other again Levi, I’ll wait for you...” Hanji says, and she thinks of a place between home and the sea. She sees familiar faces around the fireplace. It smells of late mornings and coffee in bed, and it feels like Levi’s hand in hers.

She calls it Paradise.

“Do you think things would’ve worked out between us?” Hanji grins, cheeky. She’s saying what they had both been thinking all these years. She imagines Levi, and a little house, a dog, and a cabbage patch for homemade sauerkraut. And so much love between them that they have to crack the window open.

And Levi understands. He sees it too. In the curve of her smile and in her laugh. They spend the whole day in bed, there’s nowhere to be, nothing to do. Life permits them to talk about love and the frivolity of domestic life. Levi wakes up to Hanji every morning. “Maybe...” he replies, all the love he has for her showing in his eyes. And he wants to tell her he loves her. But Hanji is smiling now, she knows.

They laugh at the cruelty of it.

Hanji slips her hand in his, letting her fingers trace the inside of his palm. “Maybe is good...” she whispers as his fingers close around hers.

She turns to leave, and Levi isn’t one to think about heaven and hell when there’s already so much going on in between. But he is certain this isn’t goodbye.

Later, Hanji. He says, and the wind carries his voice enough for her to turn back one last time.

—

“Did you know that wasps survey a place for suitability before it builds its home? Then it transports the soil in bit by bit for its nest...” Hanji says, it’s a little too early in the morning and they’ve fallen back in bed after breakfast. Their eyes trace the wasp as it scouts around the house.

“I think it likes our house...” Levi says, he’s annoyed at the buzzing and the fact they might have to deal with a wasp infestation in a week or so. Just not enough to leave the warmth of Hanji’s side.

She laughs, bright like the morning, and Levi turns to press soft kisses to her neck.

“What’s there not to like? It has Levi, his dashing Hanji-“

“Tch...” Levi interrupts. “And the smell of goddamn sauerkraut...” In fact it smells so overwhelmingly of sauerkraut they have to leave the window open. Levi makes a face every now and then when he catches an especially strong waft of it lingering in the air. It makes Hanji laugh. Indeed the smell kind of makes her stomach turn now, but she insists it’s all worth it. And Levi is tackling her to the ground, play wrestling like children. There’s more sauerkraut than we can eat in a lifetime, Hanji... What do I do with you?

Even so, it’s lovely.

He has his head on Hanji’s chest and her fingers are combing through his hair, scratching gently at the back of his neck. He hides his smile against her skin.

Hanji clears her throat, clearing the air of Levi’s interruption. She continues. “- and all the love between them.” Hanji smiles, performing for an audience of one.

Levi thinks this is paradise.

#levihanangstober #levihan #levihan fanfic #levihan fanfiction #shingeki no kyoujin #hanji #hanji zoe #hange #hange zoe #LEVI ACKERMAN #shingeki no kyoujin levi

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popatochisssp · 5 years

Note

OH??? Diamond skellies??? I've seen llama's so what's your diamond au like?

oH NO, YOU’VE CONVINCED ME TO SPILL

Fair warning, this is obviously…a big-ass Diamond Authority, so their individual roles are more specialized than if there were only three or four of them who had to handle everything.

Also, the diamond colors I picked are all apparently naturally found, none artificially created! Doesn’t impact anything, but I thought it was cool lol

Sans (Undertale): Blue Diamond, in charge of all the laws and legislation of the Empire. He oversees all trials for any transgression of said laws and has the final judgment of any accused. He can create or abolish laws with complete impunity on a whim, but luckily for everyone, he’s extremely fair and doesn’t abuse his power. He pretty much never leaves Homeworld as his function requires he remain in a predictable location and he adores his cushy job.

Papyrus (Undertale): Orange Diamond, the figurehead of the Empire! He’s the diamond most often seen by the common people, giving speeches and making visits and hearing the concerns, thoughts, and feelings of the citizens. He’s great for morale and making gems feel heard, and while it’s impossible to please everyone, he does a really good job bridging the gap between he and his fellow diamonds and the rest of the Empire. Responsible for lots of social events, balls and galas and the like.

Sky (Underswap Sans): Yellow Diamond, a very important gem with a lot of responsibility. What’s going on with the Empire? Where are they going to go next? How are they going to get there? Those are his questions to answer, mapping out the goals of their civilization and planning the steps they’ll take to realize them. Keeps up contact with all the other diamonds to stay informed but does most of his work behind the scenes– the majority of gems just know him as ‘the very friendly diamond who always seems busy’!

Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Green Diamond, his specialty is Homeworld’s infrastructure. He keeps on top of the practical things the gems living on their home planet all need– public works, things in need of repair, requested and/or necessary buildings and warp-pads, the works. Obviously, he’s not doing all this dirty work himself, but he does oversee it and coordinate the necessary machines and gems at his discretion. He gains a real sense of satisfaction making sure all the little things run so smoothly that they’re constantly taken for granted.

Jasper (Underfell Sans): Red Diamond, one who’s really in the thick of things and always off-planet, conquering new territory for the Empire. He’s a real diamond of the people, so to speak, not too good to shoot the breeze and make bawdy jokes with common quartzes and rubies, or afraid to put himself right on the front lines to turn the tide of a battle. He works very closely with another diamond…

Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): Black Diamond, a master tactician and one of the driving forces behind the Empire’s military success. He coordinates frequently with Red Diamond and they’re rarely more than a few lightyears away from each other when conquering new star-systems, as Red Diamond’s intuition and power make an effective match alongside his own finesse and gift for big-picture strategy. Even solo, though, he’s only ever lost a few battles and never the war.

Mal (Swapfell Sans): Purple Diamond, overseer of colonies. Every new territory added to the Empire’s might hosts him for at least a few star-cycles as he makes sure everything is set up properly and perfectly in order. He ensures the construction of gem structures and kindergartens happens on schedule and with minimal screw-ups and delays, as well as dealing with any potential setbacks in a quick and efficient manner. He’s quashed many a native inhabitants’ rebellion in his day, and devised plenty of unique solutions to planets’ uncooperative geography. He’s almost always on the move, as there’s always more colonies being built, needing to be signed off on.

Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): Violet Diamond, integration and assimilation specialist. He follows along in Purple Diamond’s wake, investigating new colonies and making note of anything unique or which could be useful to the Empire– flora, fauna, minerals, sentient lifeforms, anything interesting you could find on a planet, he’s the one who gives it a once-over and decides what to do with it. If something’s special enough to be important and worthy of preserving or otherwise utilizing, he’s also the one who comes up with the plan to make sure that happens as smoothly as possible and then gets the ball rolling on implementing it. He gets to see and interact with a lot of cool stuff this way, and usually ends up preserving a little bit of everything from every world the Empire conquers.

Slate (Horrortale Sans): Gray Diamond, the oldest living diamond…they think. No one’s really sure where he came from and they can’t exactly ask because he’s just a teensy tiny bit…cracked. It’s affected his memory a little, but he’s still an imposing figure on Homeworld– where he never leaves, because he oversees gem production. They all contribute their essence of course, through the extraction chambers, but Gray Diamond is the one who signs off on the allocation of resources for this gem-type or that, and who works with the engineers and technicians who test and develop entirely new kinds of gems. He has a lot of reverence for and fascination with the creation of gem life and consequently, he loves his job.

Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): Brown Diamond, a bit of a recluse, actually… Lots of rumors fly around about it, that he’s off-color, that he’s almost as old as Gray Diamond and even more badly damaged, that he doesn’t even exist… They’re all wrong, of course! There’s nothing wrong with him at all! He’s just a bit of a homebody these days and likes to stay close to his brother. There’s also the matter of his pet-project– gem healing! Partly inspired by Gray’s crack and partly by his genuine compassion, he really wants to find some kind of solution for gems who’ve become physically damaged other than ‘pray it doesn’t get worse and be glad you didn’t shatter instantly.’ It might be a wild goose chase, like a human trying to find an immortality serum, but he holds out a lot of hope for the research and it’s already stumbled on a lot of promising things, if not the specific thing he‘s looking for. As long as he’s personally helming that project, his public appearances are few and far between, but he always has a knack for showing up right when those ‘Brown Diamond is a myth’ rumors start flying the strongest. ;3

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pacoc-a · 4 years

Text

soft prompts #7: “I told you that I’d never leave you; I’m not going anywhere.”

Characters: Five & Vanya

Genre: Gen

Five tries to deal with bad memories.

AO3 link

He wakes up on the third hour, at the twelfth day of July.

Heat simmers in the courtyard, like bacon sizzling over the pan. There’s insects and color, the song and sound of the summer sky melting against the dry pavement in greens and hues of orange. The summer has set in his skin too. His sweat spots the two hundred and thirty fourth page of the Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics like a bookmark.

He rights himself against the chair and wipes the drool that’s dried across his chin with his sleeve. The sun is doing him in, and he feels out of sorts of with it, bright and big against a spotless sky. He is heavy when he pries his body away from the chair, his book sliding off his lap as he goes.

It’s dehydration, or some sort of summer flu, that's all. Five makes his way to the kitchen. Water is what he needs, if not for the thirst, but for the bile of putrid ash in his tongue that lingers vaguely like the aftertaste of an old twinky.

It’s been three years since he made it back and he still can’t shake the taste of it.

He blinks in the kitchen, it’s faster this way, and the water is cool against his tongue, pooling across his cheek like a steady stream. Vanya is there too.

She clamps her mouth shut when she looks at him.

‘Hey…. I was just coming over for some food.’

He takes his head from under the tap to look at her.

Vanya fidgets, ‘Uh, you okay? You seem kind of…. out of it.’

‘I’m fine.’ He snaps. He twists the tap closed. ‘Peanut butter’s at the top shelf.’

‘Okay, thanks. But are you sure you—‘

Five jumps to his room.

He is seeing spots a little, but that’s okay. He flops on his bed and looks up at the ceiling, at the countless numbers that dots the room like constellations. Five keeps his gaze there, waiting for the throbbing in his head to disappear.

At least he’s home. He’s not there anymore, hasn’t been there for three years now, and what a fucking relief that is, that he doesn't wake up with dust on his eyes and on his hair. He's got real food now, and a bed and blankets and though he's spent only half a year there, it still felt like it would've been forever. A miracle is what brought him back, and it's gonna take more than that to save the world from it's inevitable hurtle towards armageddon, but for now he closes his eyes and hopes the memory of that place fades away.

He hears three knocks at the door.

Fucking hell.

'Hey, Five.' It sounds like Vanya, 'Can I come in?'

Five contemplates not answering and saving a couple of blissful moments for himself, but shit, she sounds worried. He sighs, looks up at the ceiling again. It's not worth the guilt.

'Come in.' He tells her, 'Lock the door behind you.'

Vanya slips in, quiet as a mouse. The smell of toast wafts in the room like perfume, and his stomach responds eagerly. She closes the door behind her.

'Hey. I just wanted to see if you're doing okay. You kind of…. you looked a bit pale back in the kitchen.'

'Well, let's just say I've never been partial to heat and leave it at that.'

'Yeah?' She leaves her plate on the bedside table. Five's favourite is peanut butter and marshmallows but Vanya has always preferred a good, grilled cheese sandwich.

‘You never complained before.’ Vanya says.

‘Really.’

‘You just seem a bit weird ever since that time we all had dinner.’ She fidgets, ‘I don’t know, I just wanted to know if you’re okay. Sorry if I’m overstepping or—‘

‘It’s fine.’ He pats the space beside him, and Vanya obediently goes. The mattress tilts to her weight.

‘So whats up?’

He’s almost tempted to tell the truth, but they could never understand. He’s not even sure if they have the mental capacity to comprehend it, and Vanya has always been the one he comes to when he needs a soundboard for his ideas, but that’s miles different from having an actual colleague who he could have an actual conversation with. Besides, involving another person will just be detrimental to the mission. He doesn’t need the distraction.

But Vanya is kind, and her big, brown eyes are looking down at him with worry. She’s trustworthy. He’s always appreciated that about her.

‘Bad dreams.’ It’s as close to the truth as he could get, ‘Took a nap outside to clear my head, and woke up with a brain more scrambled than radio static. Figures.’

‘It sounds like more than just bad dreams.’

He doesn’t say anything to that.

‘If you want you could talk to Mom. I could come with you.’

‘If I wanted to talk to her, I would’ve, but I don’t need to. Unlike everyone else around here, I can handle my own shit just fine.’

She scoffs at him, but there’s a small, wry smile on her face.

‘Alright, then.’ She says, ‘But I’m going to eat here. You look weird, and I’m not leaving you alone.’ Vanya promptly picks up her plate, and takes a massive bite of her sandwich.

He‘s irritated, ‘Vanya.’

‘Do you want me to go?’

He levels her a stare.

‘Then I’m staying. You’re all sweaty and pale. I’m not going to leave you when you’re like this.’ She takes another big bite of her sandwich. ‘I just want to be there for you, that’s all.’

Crumbs sprinkle out when she talks, and he’s got half a mind to just drag her out and close the door behind her back, but he finds that he’s too tired for that. He doesn’t want her out anyway. Her presence is comforting even, and he feels the memory of that place ebb just from the smell of her favourite sandwich alone.

‘You’re going to regret that.’ He closes his eyes and tries to remember that he’s here now, in the correct timeline. That there’s people now, and colour here, that silence doesn’t stretch before him like an empty road.

It’s a little easier though, when her hand slips under his to hold.

‘I might, but it’s okay.’ She says, ‘I told you that I’d never leave you; I’m not going anywhere.’

It’s enough, just then. Five feels something close to relief when he holds her tight, and rides the last of the wave with her.

He’s not alone.

#57 #vanya hargreeves #five hargreeves #the umbrella academy #soft prompts #my writing

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kyouxa · 5 years

Text

Diabolik lovers Chaos Lineage: Ayato Sakamaki (Story 03)

In terms of the gameplay: The black choices lead up to a bad ending, the white choices lead up to a good ending. Please no reposting onto other sites, ask me before translating this into another language too! I’m an amateur translator, but I hope you do enjoy it anyway!♡

Place: Orange Mansion ー Living room

Ayato: Ugh it’s so annoying. Ruki gathered us all here, I wonder what's the reason for this.

Yui: Eh, what you mean?

(It's been a few days since I joined them, but nothing happened until now)

(Is he gathering us all to discuss what we will do in the future?)

*Ruki enters*

Ruki: Is everyone here?

Shin: Yes, we are. We were waiting for you

Yui: (I’m wondering what they will talk about, I hope it’s not some privat sibling stuff)

Ruki: It’s been a few days since Eve joined our mansion. So let's talk about our present situation again.

Until now we’re having Eve, the key to become king, but she couldn't give us any informations until now.

Yui: (That's right, tho. I’m the key to make someone the king but I still don’t know how)

(I actually don’t know anything about Adam and Eve)

(No matter how long Ruki-kun is waiting, I can’t help them now...)

Ruki: I wonder whats causing your lack of memories, but as long as they come back soon, I dont mind it.

Thats why we should start to prepare for the worst scenario. At least, until she remembers everything again.

What I mean is, that we should prepare for an attack from the other families.

Yui: Attack..?!

(That’s right, they are going to fight their real brothers because they don’t remember them)

Shin: Hm. I like the idea. It's a good opportunity to beat the disturbing flies that aim for Eve.

Ayato: Yes thats it. So it‘s okay to kill every member of each family?

Ruki: Thats right

Kanato: Is that so. I‘ll be welcoming all those noisy people in hell if they just try to enter our mansion.

Yui: (The atmosphere just changed... I‘m sure it’s going to get serious. But I don’t want them to kill each other.)

Shin: Don’t you think the Violet family with Carla as their head will attack as first?

He‘s the one who would be the most violent in getting her in his fingers. Thats why, we should eliminate him first.

Yui: (Shin-san, Carla is your brother and you‘d never want to hurt him...)

Kanato: We should be aware of the scarlet family with Reiji as their head tho. They seem to be pretty strong too.

Ayato: That’s interesting. It seems like we wont be able to kill them without a strategic and smart plan.

In my opinion the first person who would attack us is that insane guy. Reiji wouldnt be a big problem

Kanato: Well, you have a big mouth Ayato-kun. There won’t be any forgiveness if you lose Eve to anyone else

I'll tear you down and make you regret that you even started breathing the same air as I did.

Yui: (This really means they are going to kill their real brothers...! They can’t do that)

(But, what can I do, how can I get everyone’s memories back...?)

(More then anything else, I want Ayato-kun to get his memories back... maybe we could escape then)

Ruki: A few days passed since we received Eve into our house. Until then nobody decided to make any further movements.

Ayato: Well, if you really think thats the case. We should attack them as long as we can!

Ruki:*sigh* That idea is completly nonsense. But, we should think about a plan for now.

Tell me about your opinions.

I cant think straight in such a situation anymore, thats why I will listen to whatever your plans are.

Ayato: Well why don’t we split up then.

Shin: Not bad, Ayato. What is our brother thinking about that plan?

I wouldnt come up with a better idea, brother

Ayato: Tch, brother, my brother my ass.

Ruki: Shin, Kanato you two are going to collect, any possible information about the families then. If you got sth imporant report it immediately to me.

Shin: Got it.

Kanato: ...Understood.

Ruki: Ayato will be waiting in the Mansion, while taking care over Eve. You better take responsibility for your role as guard.

Kanato: Wait a second. Why is ayato only waiting here.

Ayato: Eh?! Dont talk shit! Why do I need to stay home!?

Kanato: I just cant accept that. Why can’t I stay here instead of Ayato and look after Eve?

Yui: Huh?! Kanato-kun...

Ayato: I’ve been locked up in that mansion until forever now. I want to go outside too.

Ruki: ......

Kanato: Ayato, are you agreeing with my interests?

Let’s exchange roles then. You just need to hand it over to me, I promise, I‘ll take care of Eve from now on

Ayato: Hah? As if I‘d give my role away. She‘ll obviously go with me and get informations

Yui: Huh? What are you saying it’s dangerous if I go outside..

Kanato: Thats right. What kind of an idiot are you to get such an idea.

There is no way you could guarantee that Eve is safe in your hand either. She could be robbed away immediately if you don’t pay attention.

Ayato: I know how to protect her!

Kanato: I don’t agree

Shin: Cut it out already you two! Is it too much to ask if you could follow the orders you were given?

We'll do it as our brother instructed already. Kanato is going outside, Ayato will stay here.

Ayato: I did not agree to that decision yet!

Kanato: I totally hate this decision

Ruki: — be quit

Kanato: ......huh?

Ayato: What is it....

Ruki: Ayato, Kanato. You‘re misunderstanding the situation.

You two are useless for me if you don’t do what I order you to. I have no use for you then.

Kanato: ...

Ayato: ...

Yui: (Amazing, Ruki was able to make them quite that easily...)

Ruki: The most important thing is now, Eve needs to be protected at all cost

Don’t make any moves out of your own Intension... I’ll give you the orders

You just have to play along to what I say. Got it?

Ayato: ...Tch

Kanato: ...Hmh

Ruki: Its settled, cool your head for a while, until you are completly calm

Shin: Heh, it looks good. You should do what our brother says.

*Shin and Ruki leave*

Yui: (They both left...)

Ayato: Damn it!

Yui: (He kicked a chair...! He’s really angry)

Ayato-kun you should relax a little...

Ayato: Shut up! Fuck this, I'm leaving!

*Ayato leaves*

Yui: Hm! Wait, Ayato-kun! Where are you going?!(Ayato can’t let me stay here lonely! I need to follow him!)

*Yui follows him*

Kanato: ...*giggles*

Place: Orange Mansion ー Corridor

Yui: A-Ayato-kun, wait! Please calm down...!

Ayato: You can calm down!

That intelligent bastard, is always so annoying. I’m not taking any order from him!

Yui: (He’s so angry... that’s so frustrating)

(When I was at Sakamaki's house,Shu and Reiji were always fighting like that)

(Shu-san doesn't interfere and Reiji-san is a little tough to handle, I really miss them)

(It may be that Ruki-kun's way of giving instructions is making him angry)

Ayato: I hate being locked up, the great me is supposed to do sth better as playing around.

That bastard should actually know that!

Yui: Maybe... it is better for everyone that way

(I know Ayato-kun is strong, I wonder why he cant go...)

Ayato: Hah? What are you saying. Did you secretly team up with that bastard or what?!

Yui: Kya!

(My shoulders are pressing against the wall, it hurts—)

Choices

1) ーStop him (black)

2) ーDont fight (white)♡♡♡

ー Stop him

Yui: It hurts! Stop that...!

Ayato: What are you saying. You are usually enjoy it aren’t you?

Yui: ...I dont

Ayato: heh...! You’re a pretty bad liar.

Just continue lying to me and I'm going to be angry.

Yui: Ayato...kun...

ー Dont fight♡

Yui: I don’t wanna say I’m weak... ah.. It’s just that I don’t want to fight with you...

Ayato: You are weak! Im stronger than anyone in this house! I want you to know that

Yui: That’s not it...

Ayato: I'm stronger than anyone, I’d never lose!

So don’t worry about it.

You just have to remember that you’re protected by me. I won’t let anything happen to you

Yui: (I know that Ayato is stronger and cooler than anyone else!)

(I’m just worried about him, because I love Ayato-kun)

end Choices

Yui: No, I just want to think about ways other than fighting...

Ayato: The scent of your blood is distracting me.

Yui: .....ah....!

Ayato: I might try another place today, what do you mean?

Yui: Eh, that is...!

Ayato: That’s right, I’m going to pierce you with my fangs just because you like it.

You want to feel the pleasure right? Let me hear your voice then.

....ahh.....ah... haa... aah....., You look excited, I know you like it when my fangs pierce your smooth skin...ahh..!

Yui: Ahh...Hmm...!

(I want the Ayato who I feel in love with, back then so badly)

(It's true that our thoughts were connected but everything’s vanished now.)

Ayato: Look at me. In this house, no, who is the strongest in the world?

It’s me right? Say it for me. I won’t stop until you do as I say.

Ah... Hmm...Ahh... !

Yui: ....Ahh...!

(...What. He’s more violent today. My conscious is fading... already...)

(I don’t want to say that..., but if I don't say what he wants, he’ll kill me like that...!)

Ayato: Hey, say it, Chichinashi

Yui: You’re the best Ayato-kun...

Ayato: It’s Ayato-sama!

Yui: Ayato...sama...hn..

Ayato: heh, you’re not done yet

Yui: ...is... the... best...

Ayato: You really cant say it without me getting a little rougher on you

Show me more of that face... Ah... Haa... Aah... !

Yui: No... ahh!

Ayato: Heh... why are you pretending that you don’t like it? You should beg more for me...

Yui: (I can’t feel any strength in my hands and feet —)

Ayato: Whats with your strength. Are you giving up already?

Yui: stop...!

(I fell on the floor... I tried to get away from him, but he forced me to stay.)

Ayato: You truly are an idiot. Get up now.

It seems that it was so miserable that you'd rather be sleeping on the floor then preach me. Hehe!

Yui: (This atmosphere— It’s like the first days I met Ayato-kun...)

(Back then, I hated him...)

Ayato: What is it now. Even if you show me those hate filled eyes, I will not show sympathy.

Yui: (That Ayato-kun in front of me is not the person I fell in love with)

(I know Ayato-kun, he cares about my feelings and considers how much he sucks...)

(But he’s not here anymore—)

Ayato: (That was fun. After all it is the most interesting to play with her like that ......)

*strange noise* Ayato: ...ugh... what is it?

...Not again. Why did it come back... shit

Yui: Ayato-kun... what’s wrong? Are you okay?

Ayato: Shut up, it’s nothing serious. It’s just this annoying dazzling again...

Place: Sakamaki mansion ー Outside

Ayato: ugh...?!

Yui: Ayato-kun...?

Ayato: ah... ahh... ahh.. Just what, was that...?

Yui: W-What is it...?

Ayato: There was a place, which I don’t know... running through my head...

Yui: Hey?

*time passed*

Yui: (What does that mean? Did he remember sth from the past, what was it)

(Maybe his real memories are coming back little by little?)

Ayato: ughh... that was weird. Was that a kind of daydream? I really don’t know...

Yui: (I believe that Ayato still has some memories in his head. If I’m only able to recover them —)

Ayato: I’ll return to my room now. Let’s continue our play on another day.

*Ayato leaves*

Yui: Ayato-kun...

Ayato: (That dazzling is so annoying when it appears.)

....why is it only happening when I’m going to drink her blood?

That place... I've seen it, but I don’t remember it, yet I feel like I’ve been there.

Besides, I get that strange feeling when I suck her blood.

She's just my bait, I shouldn’t worry too much about it.

There’s, something burning in my heart... what is that supposed to mean.

Fuck, I’m getting irritated. I’m sure it was just a daydream.

Surely if I stress myself with that dazzling, it might get worse at that point.

Whatever, I shall go to my room.

That woman won’t get away that easy next time.

I wonder what we should play tomorrow... let’s see.

→ Story 04

← Story 02

#diabolik lovers #diabolik brothers #diabolik lovers translation #diabolik lovers ayato #ayato #ayato sakamaki #chaos lineage #chaos lineage translation #ayato sakamaki translation

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asuccessfulbusinessman · 6 years

Text

This is my Gundam Build Divers OC-

Alright, I’ve already jokingly made an OC- Leo Greatfang, who pilots a straight build Leo and knows the 48 Killer Moves- Finishing Move 01, Finishing Move 02... etc. They’re all wrestling moves, if you still haven’t caught the referen-

Anyway, Gundam Build Divers episode 23 had a really bad fight scene between two mooks and Riku, where Riku loses his full armor to a surprise attack, gets called selfish, curb stomps the mooks, and then cries- implicitly promising he won’t destroy GBN, and explicitly promising to save Sarah. And I thought... how could we make that better, without changing anything else about the show? I mean, it is an isolated mook fightscene, so this is one area we can change without affecting anything else. Also, my muse is telling me to write, and I want to write about mobile suits.

Well, the easy answer is, make the fight more animated- with less “stills,” less beams. But that would add to the cost of production, so let's presume they’re saving their budget, and assume any fight scene we do make can’t be that well animated. A better answer would be, have the Tequila Gundam we saw in, like, episode 4 show up and have the pilot go “can’t let you do that kid...” This allows Riku to curbstomp an enemy he had troubles fighting at the start of the show, showing his growth, and allows the Tequila Gundam pilot to show that he too cares about GBN- which makes sense considering how much he worked to rank up.

But, that’s still fairly shallow. The ideal fightscene would have an opponent who really truly cares about GBN, but who isn’t too hamfisted about it. So let me introduce my Gundam Build Divers OC-

Daryl Lorenz. Well, not the real Daryl Lorenz, but rather, someone with his face. We only ever see him from the chest up, and he doesn’t wear the Zeon uniform. Thanks to the Colasour easter egg, this doesn’t interfere with the narrative at all, especially for kids who probably have not watched Gundam Thunderbolt. Anyone who has watched Thunderbolt can connect Rommel’s line about “some people can only walk in GBN” if they think about it hard enough, but as this is already simply a reference, it becomes a “Eureka!” moment for discovering it, and not hamfisted characterization/moralization.

Anyway, let’s handle the fight scene. Daryl doesn’t speak all that much, no “you’re being selfish” to undermine his point. And we only see his face when he gives a battle cry near the end of the fight. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Daryl pilots a Zudah painted Orange and Yellow. You could call it the “living dead” Zudah, as the Zudah is likely an MS that would be used by the living dead squadron, but if I had to give it a name it would be the Pheonix Zudah. All the standard armaments of the Zudah, plus it appears to have two Vulcans coming from the chest. More on that later.

If there’s anything Star Wars Episode 7 taught me anything, it’s that mooks who defy being cannon fodder are cool. And so, Daryl gets Riku’s attention by shouting “You!” at him, before landing on the ground with a thud and throwing his ranged weapons aside. He pulls out a HEAT Hawk, and assumes a stance. One-on-one baby. Not only is this cool to me, a melee freak, it implicitly gives Riku a choice- to try and run past a mobile suit with no ranged options, or to fight him. Logically, if he wants to “win,” he would try to avoid getting bogged down. However, that would go against the whole reason to have a force battle- to let the Gunpla decide things. And so, Riku fights. And by that I mean, lands and draws a beam saber before we cut to a different scene.

Now, as an aside, I said this scene wouldn’t change anything else about the show, but if the creators planned all this out ahead of time- you’d see the brightly painted Pheonix Zudah in the background as part of the big Coalition Battle against the Break Decal users that happened earlier in the series. This would cement Daryl’s passion in the “You!” he shouts, as he had seen the wings of light firsthand. It also adds a layer of perceived betrayal. That is, if you sifted through the series with a fine-toothed comb.

Back to Riku’s scene- a still where Riku and Daryl are having a beam saber-HEAT hawk clash, and Riku is able to keep Daryl at bay. So, after Daryl jumps back, we see the Zudah freeze (gotta save that animation budget) in a “DBZ powerup stance,” and then the afterburners kick in- the Zudah engine roaring.

Now, Riku doesn’t know much about the more obscure mobile suits, that’s Yuuki’s domain; but he is smart/intuitive enough to recognize when someone is about to go all out. We hear his thoughts (because he’ll likely vocalize it), as contemplates whether to use TRANS-AM to counter, but decides against it, as using it too soon would make winning the force battle impossible. However, while he’s contemplating, we see the Zudah swing his arm back, flipping out the blade on top of the shield, and charging straight at Riku. Ideally, we’d see a still of the Zudah flying straight ahead, with the legs “obscured” by the body- more on that later, the shield blade lodging itself into the 00 Sky’s full armor, and then a cut to Riku’s cockpit.

Now, we know there is one technique the Zudah can use in GBN that would be too prohibitively expensive to use in Gunpla Duel. That is, the nature of the Zudah to self-destruct due to the engine. This choice of mobile suit, then, furthers Daryl’s characterization two-fold. He is grateful to GBN, because it’s the only place where the Zudah can realize its true potential, so he is willing to use his mobile suit to the fullest and sacrifice it to protect GBN. This is in stark contrast to Riku, who would refuse to use TRANS-AM if it “hurt” the mobile suit- and still wears a scar in memoriam of the 00-Diver.

Speaking of Riku, he’s a smart lad. Intuitively, he knows that trading 1-for-1 in this situation effectively makes it his loss. He‘s realized, or at the very least, can assume Daryl’s plan is to self-destruct and jettisons the full armor, allowing him to escape the blast zone as it goes off. Riku starts to apologize, but then we see Vulcan fire dispersing the smoke cloud.

Meet the Raptor, the lower half of the Pheonix Zudah. It’s basically a cockpit with legs. And, of course, those two chest Vulcans we mentioned earlier. That’s right, we using Bawoo technology with this custom! Except, the Bawoo had the legs be the automated part, and gave the legs a hilariously stupid name. Anyway, the cockpit does a minor transformation, folding out forward to look less like a brick on legs and more like a wingless bird. If you want a reference to visualize this, look up MechAssault’s Corvus (not, ironically enough, MechAssault’s Raptor). Anyway, the cockpit now is glass, or at least see-through, and we (and Riku) see Daryl’s face as the smoke clears.

Another scene switch. When we come back, we see 00-Sky shrugging off Vulcan fire like it’s nothing. You see, a big problem I have with the Coalition Volunteers is that they often aren’t characterized (recall that Rommel’s men are cut down without so much as a voiceline earlier in the episode) and when they are, they come off as cocky, so sure they’re going to win. As much as it pains me to say, Riku is a top pilot of GBN, and many of these Volunteers should be desperate in fighting to stop him. And so, we see Daryl’s desperate fighting spirit, using a walker whose only armaments are a desperation weapon that, in many Gundam series, can barely even scratch a Gundam. This is also where we hear, and see (because we’re zooming into a cockpit view to save animation budget), Daryl giving a battle cry. Because he doesn’t just have the Vulcans.

He has his legs. That’s right, after some fancy footwork used to avoid fire while charging, Daryl goes for a running kick- hell make it a running kick combo. If you haven’t guessed, I really like “walker”-esque mechs, and love it when mobile suits actually run instead of just flying 24/7.

“But Businessman,” you may be asking, “how can your characterization be so grossly hamfisted? Isn’t this taking the whole ‘only walk in GBN’ thing a bit too far?”

You are like little baby, listen to this.

How, do you think, is Riku going to win this battle? Is it with a beam saber? With a rifle? Or with the sky leg guards, and a “shoot” kick that sends the Raptor flying? Obviously, the last one says something, but I am not entirely clear about what it says. I think this one might be something left up to individual interpretation. Anyway, now we can have Riku crying, now that he’s earned those tears after seeing someone go all out to stop him, even if he does not over analyze the fight as much as I have.

Now, while I may have called the original fight scene bad, it wasn’t really that bad- too many people seem to love to hate Build Divers- I just wanted to see if I could make it better.

Or, at the very least, premiere my own completely original character Baryl and his cool as heck ace custom that I wish I could make-

#Gundam Build Divers #Writing #OC #Verseno don't you dare even as a followup joke #Remember to rate the OC comment the OC like the OC and smash the MFing OC #Also hit the bell #Also Verseno you're gonna be disappointed this isnt a creative OC-

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hachidorinoko · 4 years

Note

# all the odds >:3

50 headcanons || Accepting anything with an even number...!

Ya gotta be odd to be Number One!

OHHH BOY HERE WE GO… (the rest are under a cut because oh YES, I did all 25 of them and thoroughly enjoyed it.)

1. what’s your muse’s favourite album of all time / favorite artist?

Start with an easy one - Tenji’s favourite album is FAKE STAR ~I’m just a Japanese Fake Rocker~ by Kuroyume, and his favourite artist is Kuroyume’s lead singer Kiyoharu. Do NOT get him started on this topic of conversation because he Will. Not. Stop.

3. do they take baths or showers? do they prefer one over the other?

Showers to clean off, but Tenji loves a soak when he can. Back home in Gifu, his family have a traditional small tub which is heated from beneath by a wood burner to keep it warm so that the whole family can make use of it, one after another. He kinda misses it, but he’s also a big fan of onsen/sento, so since moving closer to Kamurocho, he goes there rather than waste water at home.

5. how many blankets / pillows do they like to have on their bed?

Tenji likes the idea of having a bed covered in fluffy blankets and pillows, but in reality he tends to kick them all away in the night so he’s given up bothering. In his apartment, he has a futon bed frame with a light comforter and a sheet - if he could choose, he’d just have a roll-up futon, but as he’s living in a furnished apartment at the moment, he’s stuck with the bed taking up too much space. (He does keep one fluffy blanket in the cupboard for winter though - cheaper than using the heater!)

7. do they wake up groggy or alert? do they like mornings?

Very groggy and gravelly until he’s had a coffee. Mornings are the WORST as far as Tenji’s concerned. He’s absolutely a night owl, and will stay out all night and get the first train home to sleep if he can. Generally, the only time he sees 7am is if he’s approaching it from the other side. He thinks 11am is an early start…

9. what do they smell like? do they use perfume or cologne?

Cheap cologne - and far too much of it, most of the time. Because it’s budget, it wears off pretty quick so he’s constantly re-applying it. He likes fruity scents on other people, but his own choice of cologne is quite… distinctly aftershavey, with sandalwood, neroli and vanilla. His favourite is Chanel Platinum Egoiste, but it’s so expensive he’s been carrying an almost-empty bottle around for a year in the hope one of his customers might buy it for him as a gift. (It’s nose-curdlingly strong, so it’s probably for the best that he doesn’t have it because he‘s usually half-drowned in it!!)

11. bar soap or liquid? do they like loofahs?

Liquid! He’s somebody who really hates the idea of finding hairs on the soap, and he’s so not about that arse/face soap life 😂 and as for loofahs, he could tell tales of loofahs which would make your hair curl in his Dragon’s Ward/Fourth Chairman verse, phew! 😳 Overall he’s not exactly a fan of bathroom paraphernalia because he feels that most of it just collects mold, but he has a pair of exfoliating gloves that he swears by — because if you wear that much fake tan, you gotta be smooooooth!

13. do they like the room cold or hot when they sleep?

Cold! He’s big on cuddling close for warmth, but he’s also one of those evil creatures with ice feet and yes, he will put them on your back when you’re least expecting it. He’s quite weak to temperature change and tends to overheat in the night though, so a cold room suits him better and makes it easier to regulate. Just don’t be surprised if you wake up wearing him like a scarf because he was having a cold shiver.

15. do they know how to drive? do they like to drive?

Tenji is a paper driver! His parents paid for him to learn and take his test, but he’s never owned a car and he hasn’t driven since. He doesn’t really enjoy driving much, and when he moved to study in Yokohama, he found that the transport systems in the bay and Tokyo areas are so good that there was never any need to bother with his own wheels. His friend Arata loves driving though, so they have hired a car together and driven out to the beaches in Chiba a couple of times. Tenji always says he’ll help with the driving, but he never does…

17. do they have pets? what kind? dogs, cats, etc?

No pets, and they’re not really on his radar. He likes animals well enough, but he never had pets at home growing up so it doesn’t really occur to him to get one. If he had a pet though, I imagine it would be a small ‘fashion breed’ dog like a pomeranian or french bulldog that he could carry around in a bag on his shoulder and spoil with all the snazzy accessories and tasty treats.

19. what are their phobias? do they have any at all?

Tenji doesn’t really have any phobias as such, but he’s a small fish in a big ocean, so he’s viably scared of quite a lot of things. The things which truly frighten him and keep him awake at night tend to be quite philosophical - he fears being forgotten, being outshone in the eyes of those he cares about.

21. did they have any fears growing up that they’ve since conquered?

Tenji has always had a sort of logical/illogical fear of falling off his bicycle, and it’s one of those things which is sort of like vertigo - the more mental space he gives the concept, the more he has that strange urge to engineer a crash outcome. As he’s gotten older and as he uses his bike more often to get to and from the station/supermarket, it has lessened, but it’s still very much present if he were to give it headspace.

23. how do they show fear? sweating, shaking, blankness, anger, etc?

It’s very obvious to see when Tenji is scared - he shrinks into that fight-or-flight pose as if ready to flee, and becomes visibly anxious, looking around, licking his lips. He tends to just start talking at this point - yammering on about anything, pointing out weird details, making odd conversation to try and distract from his fright. Saying that, talking is pretty much his coping mechanism for everything.

25. do they get scared easily? does loud noises, shouting, etc, scare them?

Yes, Tenji gets scared pretty easily. Sudden loud noises definitely make him jump - you’ll probably see him hit the deck if something goes bang close to him. That said, loud places like clubs, gigs, raves and parties don’t bother him at all - it’s just that sudden sharp shouts/screams/alarms etc will make him jump something awful. Good luck extricating his grip from around your neck if he jumps up on your shoulders to hide. 😂

27. what do they never, ever want to speak of, ever?

I can’t tell you, or I’d have to kill you……… truthfully, not so much, but there are certain things he would never tell certain people. For instance, he would go to extreme lengths to keep his parents from finding out that he dropped out of university after just one year and frittered his student loan (and extra money they sent him) on fancy clothes and nights out to live his host lifestyle. He’s not even sure what they would do if they found out, but he wouldn’t be able to cope with the weight of his father’s disappointment.

29. is there something they’d like to change about themselves physically?

Quite a lot, really, though most of it he changes cosmetically. He would like to be quite a bit taller, and so he always wears heeled boots to try and add a couple of inches. He’s 163cm/5’6”. He would also like to be naturally tanned, but he is quite pale-skinned really so he slathers on fake tan to get the look he wants - most of the collars of his shirts are stained orange as a result. He dyes his hair and wears contacts - he’s happy with how he looks with all these alterations, but it belies a dissatisfaction in his natural appearance, which is a shame.

31. do they have good fashion sense? or do they just wear whatever?

I don’t know about *good* fashion sense, but Tenji definitely has a passion for fashion! He wears mostly whites/greys/blacks and muted hues like khaki with silver accessories, and favours a distressed look, torn jeans and fashionably ripped shirts/sweaters. He’s a walking Men’s Egg model and is very taken in by trends - he will buy things because they’re ‘cool’, and then never wear them again if they fall out of style. A victim of fast fashion, he does have a few timeless things which he will always wear no matter what.

33. are they too hard on themselves over the little things?

Not so much hard on himself - he doesn’t really tend to think too much when he doesn’t have to - but Tenji finds it very hard to take rejection/correction from other people. He takes criticism very personally and can get very defensive and upset over the tiniest thing.

35. are they possessive over their things? or over other people? both?

Not particularly. You can bet if he lends you something precious, he’ll be asking for it back, but generally he doesn’t mind sharing. Arata tends to walk all over him and take his stuff, and he just kinda lets him do it because he doesn’t like confrontation. As for people - so long as he feels like he is important in a relationship, he’s not particularly possessive in a general sense - however, he can get extremely jealous if he feels that somebody is getting more affection/attention than he is. (This goes hand in hand with his fear of being forgotten or left behind - ‘what if he/she likes them more than they like me??’)

37. what do they think about polyamorous relationships? would they do it?

Being that his job requires the upkeep and management of many semi-intimate relationships (some closer than others, generally more romantic than physically intimate), Tenji can see the value in polyamory. He probably would consider entering a polyamorous relationship, but there would have to be a lot of communication and reassurance involved in it. Polyamory requires a certain amount of maturity which he doesn’t really have, but could be guided into if his partner(s) had more experience. He’s kind of wound up in a polyamorous relationship in his Diamondé verse - he’s been tied up with Sakurazawa while Sakurazawa is publicly with Paprika. Both Tenji and Paprika are aware of this, and are aware that the other partner supplies something they cannot or would not want to. The communication between Sakurazawa and his partners is terrible, but Tenji and Paprika stay in touch and have a relationship of their own (whilst neither romantic nor physical) which gives this arrangement some balance it might otherwise lack - Paprika understands Tenji’s immaturity and weakness, and tries to protect and mother him to an extent. Paprika does all the heavy lifting in that particular relationship - she is too kind for her own good, but an incredibly strong woman trying to hold her own heart together. Tenji is totally oblivious to the effort required in holding up the sky in that sense.

39. do they have siblings? if so, how many? do they like them?

Nope, Tenji’s an only child. Mummy and daddy’s perfect little boy… if only they knew.

41. where would they want to live if they could live anywhere? why?

A swanky penthouse in Kamurocho! He’s not particularly imaginative when it comes to that kind of thing - once he has a goal in mind, he will plough everything into achieving it. Right now, that’s Become The Best Host In Tokyo, and everything he wants are the trappings which go with that. He’s got grand designs on a walk-in wardrobe with automated hangars… heated floors, smart lighting, you know the drill.

43. do they like living alone or with another person / other people?

Tenji currently lives in a share house with roommates that he doesn’t know and barely sees outside of passive aggressive notes on the fridge, and he’s not really a fan of the setup. That said, he would relish living with friends or partners, but they might need a spare room to get a break from him following them around and chatting at all hours of the night 😂 ‘ Whatcha watching? Is it good? Did you see the first one? Is that Ishikawa? Man, did you see…’

45. what’s their dream job / profession? do they have one?

Tenji loves being a host more than anything else in the world (to an alarming extent, if you ask his peers.) If you ask him, he’ll tell you that’s his dream job. Besides that though - and he has no real intention to pursue this at this stage - he loves acting, and thinks he would make a great talk show host/TV personality. If he got scouted, he would totally go for it! (There was a host TV personality about 10 years ago who always wore a white suit and carried a bunch of red roses - his gimmick was mainly just flirting with the camera, I wish I could remember his name cus I’d show a picture otherwise - Tenji feels like a guy like that is wasting his opportunities, but he’s also a little jealous that a guy like that can get such airtime.)

47. do they like tv shows or movies? or neither?

Tenji is more of a movies guy - hasn’t got the attention span for a box set, he gets twitchy and distracted - but he loves variety TV shows, the daytime and late night dross. He learns a lot of odd facts and trivia from these shows, and they prove useful in his day job. How else would one discover the signature dish of Ehime?? And that Tsuyoshi from SMAP is allergic to peas!? Or how they flush toilets in space???

49. do they have a creative outlet? if so, what is it?

Tenji is more of a consumer than a creator - the closest to having a creative outlet is probably karaoke, which he LOVES. He doesn’t write music or play an instrument, but he sure can sing, and he’ll sing just about anything so if you need a duet partner, he’s your man!

#tricksterfinale #[ask]#[answered]#[headcanon]#[ srsly THANK U!! i had way too much fun doing these! ]

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