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lu-is-not-ok · 10 months

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Lu's Guide to Sin Analysis

Welp, since my brain is too focused on having K Corp Hong Lu go full unga bunga in Mirror Dungeons to write full analyses, I decided I might as well give something else to all the people starving for Limbus Theory content.

So, here we are. A basic guide on how I approach the Sin Analysis portion of my analyses, covering my personal interpretations for each Sin, as well as how to use those when analysing both E.G.Os and Identities.

That way, ya'll can dabble in doing some of this on your own when I'm too busy grinding my way to 400 hours of play time on Limbus to write up full analyses.

Sounds good? Awesome. Under the cut we go, wheeeee!

Sin Interpretations

Let's start with the most important part - the Sins themselves.

I want you to take a moment and think about your own associations with those Sins. Perhaps your immediate thought is to take the words used literally. Maybe you immediately think back to the Biblical ideas of the Seven Deadly Sins. Mayhaps there's some other media you know that also uses Sins in some way, which you subconsciously default to when thinking about them.

Whatever those associations are, I want you to throw them away.

That's right. Whatever is telling you that Lust = Horny, Wrath = Angry, Envy = Jealous, etc, etc? Throw all of those preconcieved notions away.

This is the biggest mistake I see people make when trying to analyse Identities and E.G.O based on their Sins - they assume that those Sins have the same meanings in the context of Limbus as the popular, more common interpretations of them.

And while, sure, some of them can definitely overlap with what one would expect them to be, I think relying on those during analysis instead of trying to understand what the game itself is trying to tell us by using those Sins as symbols is doing its storytelling a massive disservice.

Do I think my personal interpretations of the Sins are a 100% accurate reading? No, of course not. I can't see into the mind of Kim Ji-Hoon or whoever else at Project Moon might have been the mastermind behind deciding what Sins connect to what. I have no way of knowing what exactly they intended here.

However, I do wish to believe that my interpretations not only strive to meet the game's storytelling on its own terms, but also hopefully make further analysis based on those interpretations a bit easier to wrap one's head around.

...God I really need to stop writing massive preambles and just get to the fucking point.

So let's actually get to The Fucking Point. Sin Interpretations, one by one. Let's fucking do it.

Wrath

The flames of revolution burn bright in the face of cold winds.

Wrath is the Sin of self-righteousness and defiance. To act with Wrath is to decide that one deserves better, that things around then should bend to their will, and then take matters into their own hands. It's the Sin of deciding one has the right to change something simply because they don't like the current state of things.

There are many ways one can act because of Wrath. It can show through trying to rebel against authority, to subvert one's fate, to escape one's unfavorable circumstances, or to even reject one's own true nature. To act with Wrath is to stand up for oneself and tell reality "No, I refuse!" loud and clear.

A common misconception of Wrath is the idea that anger is an inherent part of it. While it's true that those feelings often coincide with defiance, they're not required for one's acts to be fueled by Wrath. Some can be Wrathful while being completely calm and collected, as their acts of defiance could be more on the quiet and simmering side.

Likewise, being quick to anger isn't always a sign of Wrath. It's very possible for someone to have a short temper, while also being fully accepting of the reality they live in (Ryoshu, I am looking directly at you), thus lacking Wrath.

Lust

One's base insticts go all the way back to that genetic code.

Lust is the Sin of self-indulgence. It's the Sin of letting one's own desires and whims dictate one's actions. It's also the Sin of seeking personal fulfillment above all else. To act with Lust is to give up one's self-control and let one's instincts and wants guide them.

Unlike what the name and symbol might initially imply, Lust can include many different types of desires, not just the carnal.

Likewise, acts of Lust can be just as varied as one's desires. Satisfying one's most basic of needs, searching for a form of spiritual enlightenment, or even just saying the first thing that comes to mind because one feels like it are just a few examples.

Sloth

A stone will not care for what happens to it, nor the world around it.

Sloth is the Sin of apathy and resignation. Unlike other Sins, which mostly show through one's direct actions, Sloth can also show through inaction.

To act with Sloth is to ignore reality, to let oneself go along with whatever is happening with barely any complaints. As such, Sloth is commonly associated with blind obedience or unwillingness to act out.

Due to its nature as a Sin of resignation, Sloth can be seen as the direct opposite of Wrath, the Sin of defiance. This creates a unique situation where the inclusion of one can drastically shift the context of the other if both are a part of the same Identity or E.G.O.

Gluttony

Plants never stop waging wars, always wanting just a little bit more.

Gluttony is the Sin of hunger, and it's unique from the other Sins in that it equally represents two different ideas of that hunger, which can appear together just as often as they can be completely seperated.

The first type of Gluttony is one of the starving hunger of survival. In this context, to act with Gluttony is to do anything for the sake of scraping by and living to see another day.

The second type of Gluttony is the hunger for more, or in other words: greed. In this context, to act with Gluttony is to do everything for the sake of this idea of "more". To gain more wealth, to find more recognition, to make more progress.

Both of these types of Gluttony are unified in one main point - they are, by definition, endless. The struggle for survival never ends, unless one fails to survive. Likewise, there is no finite "more" that greed is reaching towards, it's a neverending process of one-upmanship.

Gloom

When a wave of emotion rises, many will be swept away in its wake.

Gloom is the Sin of dwelling on feelings. To act with Gloom is to be guided by one's negative emotions, to buckle under stress and let it control one's mind and actions.

While sadness, grief, and depression are the states of mind most commonly associated with Gloom, and are often a part of it, they're not inherent to it. The only "requirement" here is the experience of severe emotional duress, and acting out in direct response to it.

In a way, Gloom is the Sin of losing control over oneself, not dissimilar to Lust. However, the main difference here is the cause of losing that control. Gloom is the loss of self-control due to being overwhelmed by negative experiences, while Lust is the loss of self-control due to seeking out positive experiences.

Pride

Be careful, for that double-edged sword may cut you as well.

Pride is the Sin of ignoring consequences. Acts of Pride are all actions taken because of the belief that their benefits outweigh the cost in some way. While the most common way this can present is through actions that benefit oneself at the cost of others, it's not the only way Pride can manifest.

One can be Prideful when believing the benefit to many outweighs the consequences. Likewise, refusing to acknowledge the harm one brings to themself because their actions benefit them in some other way also counts as Pride.

The idea that Pride is inherently tied to selfishness or self-confidence is another common misconception. In fact, Prideful acts can manifest just as often from a lack of self-confidence or a misguided selflessness. Rather, one could interpret Pride as a form of willful ignorance, in a way.

Envy

Thorns don't go out of their way to harm, they merely react to your touch.

Envy is the Sin of reaction and retribution. It's the idea of doing something because of what someone else has done. By definition, one cannot act with Envy without some form of provocation.

Like is the case with many other Sins, acts of Envy can take many forms, from taking revenge to following orders. The main connecting idea here is letting oneself be influenced by another person, whether it's being coerced, provoked, ordered, or otherwise manipulated.

Out of all of the Sin misconceptions, seeing Envy as inherently tied to jealousy might be the worst one of all. While acts done out of jealousy would likely count as acts of Envy, they are but a miniscule part of the sheer scope that Envy represents.

...

Alright, so you know what each of those Sins means. Now it's time to figure out how to Actually Apply Them.

Sin Affinities in the context of Identities

The main way Sins play a role in a given Sinner's Identity is through their Sin Affinities. Mechanically, these are the Sins attributed to each of their skills, signifying both their type of Sin damage and what Sin resource they generate upon being used.

However, this is Project Moon we're talking about, and these fuckers can't keep their gameplay mechanics seperate from the story to save their lives.

So, this begs the question: what can we learn about a Sinner's given Identity through their Sin Affinities?

Here is the method that I believe works best in my experience:

The Sin affinities of each of an Identity's skills represent a different layer of their psyche and motivations. I'm going to try to show what I mean by using base Identities of the four Sinners who already had their own Canto.

Skill 1's Sin Affinity is the surface level motivation of the Sinner's actions. This is the most obvious and "shallow" reading of them and their actions, and also likely the one the Sinners themselves are most aware of.

Gregor's Skill 1 is Gloom due to him being constatly haunted by his trauma, with much of his cynicism and dark-ish sense of humor being shaped by his war experiences. Rodya's Skill 1 is Gluttony due to her tendency to value material goods and love for food, which are signs of her greed and will to survive respectively. Sinclair's Skill 1 is Pride due to him taking many actions (such as sharing his father's secrets or giving Kromer his basement key) for their immediate benefits, without considering the consequences. Yi Sang's Skill 1 is Gloom due to him falling into deep depression and letting the trauma of the past shape his current actions.

Skill 2's Sin Affinity is a deeper motivation of the Sinner's actions. It's delving deeper into their psyche to see what guides them in less obvious ways. This Sin Affinity can also have noticeably closer ties to the Sinner's background in one way or another.

Gregor's Skill 2 is Gluttony due to him being driven by the will to survive, most notably expressed by him leaving the rest of the veterans to escape the war and try to live after it ended. Rodya's Skill 2 is Pride due to her fully believing in what she does working out in her favor, completely ignoring consequences on the way. Her killing the pawnbroker is the biggest example of an act of Pride, as she fully believed that it would help her neighbourhood despite the consequences that murder would bring. Sinclair's Skill 2 is Wrath due to him not accepting his circumstances. His want to defy his future prosthetics procedure is what eventually led him to agreeing with Kromer, and his will to defy her is what drove him through the events of his chapter. Yi Sang's Skill 2 is Envy due to his passive nature and how easily he lets other people dictate his actions. It's especially notable in how after the League fell apart, he would have been willing to do anything Gubo told him at that moment.

Skill 3's Sin Affinity is what I would like to call a Sinner's Core Sin. It's the true main reason behind their actions, and has a much closer and direct tie into their past than the other Sin Affinities. In a way, this is the deepest layer of their psyche.

Gregor's Skill 3 is Sloth as his resignation to his circumstances is what colors much of his past. He learned that resistance is futile early in life, and it shows. Though he didn't want to fight in the war, he felt like he had no choice but to. All of his life, he simply listened to orders without complaint, unable to see a way to change his situation. Rodya's Skill 3 is Wrath as her self-righteousness and defiance is what drove her actions at the deepest level. She first joined the Yurodiviye because she wanted to bring change the state of her neighbourhood, and likewise left them when she no longer agreed with how they did things. Her murder of the pawnbroker was her biggest act of defiance, of taking matters into her own hands and trying to bring change to her reality at all cost. Sinclair's Skill 3 is Envy as much of his actions were dictated by other people. Social pressure was what led to him first breaching the trust of his family, and Kromer's coercion and manipulation is what then led to his family's death. In a way, you could also interpret Sinclair's arc in Canto III as one big act of Envy, as he finally tries to take revenge on Kromer for what she has done. Yi Sang's Skill 3 is Sloth as his apathy to the reality around him is what led to him ignoring the warnings signs of the League falling apart, and the resignation that followed could have resulted in him helping Gubo and the New League out with their horrible plans had there not been an intervention. It's only by the end of Canto IV that he finally manages to break out of this state for long enough to stand up for himself and decide to keep on living.

So, that's the basics of Sin Affinities when it comes to Identities! Now, some of you might be asking, "Hey Lu, what about Sin resources needed for Passives?", and my answer to that is...

Honestly, I don't entirely know! I do think there probably is some reason beyond pure gameplay mechanics... Buuuuut I don't think their importance is as major as the main Sin Affinities of a given Identity, especially since there isn't a single Passive that is activated by a Sin that the given Identity doesn't have any Affinity to.

Sin Affinities in the context of E.G.Os

Alright, so, when it comes to E.G.O, we run into some additional complexities. Unlike Identities, which can usually have their Sins Analysed with minimal additional context, E.G.O Sin Analysis has to be done under a specific angle.

This is because while Identities represent the Sinner as a whole person, E.G.Os represent a specific singular part of that Sinner.

Base E.G.Os usually seem to tie back to a specific event or action or some other thing in that Sinner's past. Likewise, E.G.Os derived from Abnormalities represent the ways that Sinner connects to that Abnormality's own themes.

In a way, the game's worldbuilding even acknowledges the fact that a Sinner can only use the E.G.O of an Abnormality they relate to in some way, as Dante's Notes describe the process of the Sinners using E.G.O as trying to make the Abnormality's emotions and identity their own.

That little tangent aside, there are two main things to analyze sin-wise when it comes to E.G.O - the Sin Affinity, and the Sin Resources necessary to use that E.G.O.

An E.G.O Sin Affinity works similarly to an Identity's Sin Affinities - for a Base E.G.O, it's the main Sin that action manifests as. For an Abno-derived E.G.O, it's the Sin that contextulizes the way the Abno's themes connect to the Sinner in question.

The Sin Resources an E.G.O needs is where things get fun. These are what a Sinner needs to be able to use the E.G.O, both mechanically AND story-wise. The Sins here represent what a Sinner has as their motivation and drive to fully reflect what that E.G.O represents. For Base E.G.Os, it's why they took the actions they did. For Abno E.G.Os, it's why they connect to that Abno's themes and why they're able to relate to it.

Now... There is one more thing about E.G.Os that I don't really talk about.

Sin Resistances.

The reason why I don't talk about them... Is because I have No Fucking Clue how to interpret them. There has to be some importance to them (Hong Lu being weak to Wrath in all of his E.G.O thus far, I am looking at you), I just don't know what it is. In fact, I doubt we even have enough information available to us right now to be able to say for sure.

I don't know how to end these posts dear fucking lord-

So uh. Yeah. That's. Everything that I think is important to mention on the topic of Sin Analysis and how I do it. If I ever change my mind on something or have an epiphany regarding one of the things I currently have no idea about, I'll probably reblog this post with an addendum or something, but until then...

Uh. Yeah. Hope this helps the people who wanna get into analyzing Limbus stuff but don't know where to begin. Or just people who wanna understand the method to my madness a little bit better.

I'm gonna go to sleep now, cause it's 4 AM already and I spent like the whole fucking night writing this post.

#limbus company #limbus company project moon #lcb analysis #lcb canto iv #lcb spoilers #lu speaketh #god help me

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i-cant-sing · 2 years

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Dabi: I’m a killer. A villain. There’s nothing left in my soul but hatred and evil-

Daughter Reader: Daddy can I have the Hello Kitty popsicles please?

Dabi: Of course baby. After I’m done here we can go get that and some new plushies, Ok? turns to Hawks Where was I?

Dabi: the world is ugly, and we must cause everyone pain because there is no good left-

Hawks: try saying that without wearing a pink apron and bending on your knees to feed your baby who is dressed in a Teddy bear onesie.

Dabi, narrows his eyes and feeds you another spoon: Y/n has nothing to do with this. She won't be a hurdle or do anything to make me stop from completely obliterating the world. I'm focused, I'm determined and- Y/n? Y/n! What do you have in your mouth?! Spit it out! Spit it- COME BACK HERE! *chases after his baby who is wearing sqeauky shoes* HAWKS CATCH HER!

Baby Y/n, jumping off a sofa: wheeeee!

Hawks, catches you mid flight: no more wheeeees for you, Y/n. Not until your father has recovered from the heart attack you gave him and he goes back to the serious discussion we were having- *tiny fart sound* well, well, you really are naughty like your father. Dabi? Dabi, you good? Why don't you keep lying on the floor and catch your breath while I change Y/n's diaper?

ASKS ARE OPEN! Send more🥰🥰

#yandere dabi x reader #yandere dabi #yandere dad dabi #yandere bnha #bnha headcanons #yandere mha #bnha imagines #yandere hawks x reader #yandere hawks

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iamamythologicalcreature · 8 months

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I'm-Not-Going-To-Count-These-Sentences Sunday

Thank you @aroace-genderfluid-sheep and @hushed-chorus for the tags! (Guess what hushed-chorus I did that thing we talked about.) Also thank you to everyone who has tagged me on other WIP-days! I really appreciate it <3

So... I'm not counting sentences this time. I write long sentences, and I make rabid use of sentence-extending punctuation. And I have this thing about posting excerpts that are semi-contained in some way. Plus it's going to take me forever to get this fic posted, so I gotta give ya'll something. THUSLY: Here have a bunch of words.

(I really should have pinned my bi-weekly updates on Wednesday, but OH WELL.)

Context: Baz POV, with Agatha in the chapel after midnight, being 17 year olds. Simon is out of the picture after Baz kinda sorta stole his voice with a tape recorder in fifth year.

“I never thanked you for saving me,” she said, with just a little too much effort at nonchalance. “You did, actually,” I said, not slowing, or sparing her so much as a glance. “You might recall how you resembled a hypothermic beached mermaid? You were quite free with your gratitude once you caught your breath. It was all very melodramatic.” There was a brief pause - possibly an attempt to work out whether my description of her was complimentary or not. Either way, it didn’t deter her. “I never got to thank you the way I wanted to,” she said, a hint of a whine working its way past her shoddily built facade. I didn’t answer right away as I fought down a sudden surge of irritation, one that threatened to trigger my more destructive tendencies - self-destructive, perhaps, but not exclusively so. The only thing worse than being considered a villain was being cast as a tragic hero - someone only misunderstood, just waiting to be saved. “Basil—“ she began, apparently ready to try something else. I stopped short, forcing her to halt both her forward movement and that regrettable demonstration of poor judgment. We were at the entrance to the chapel, now, and it was easy to crowd her against the cold statuary. “How exactly did you want to thank me, then, Wellbelove?”

Later it's entirely likely these two are going to put special effort into trying to forget any of this ever happened, because teenage mistakes are brilliant like that. You're welcome, Bazatha.

Also, super stoked to be working on a couple @caught-on-tape-fest podfics as well as cowriting with @ileadacharmedlife for the @carryon-reverse-bang. Wheeeee I can totally do this all! >.>

Tags/Hellos under the cut! (BTW regarding tags - I'm often unable to browse tumblr, so if you've posted something creative Sunday/Wednesday/for the hell of it, please feel free to tag me so I see it!)

Thanks for the tags over the past couple weeks @aristocratic-otter, @whatevertheweather, @brilla-brilla-estrellita, @ileadacharmedlife, @prettygoododds, @cutestkilla, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @tender-ministrations, @ic3-que3n, @artsyunderstudy, @youarenevertooold, @ivelovedhimthroughworse - I love love love seeing what everyone is up to! (Sorry if I missed anyone - apparently tags don't always work? Sigh.)

Tags and hellos also to @fatalfangirl, @katmiscellanious, @shrekgogurt, @rimeswithpurple, @alleycat0306, @ebbpettier, @supercutedinosaurs, @nightimedreamersworld, @thewholelemon, @theearlgreymage, @bubble-gumhead, @raenestee, @jasonfunderberkerthefrogexists (thanks for the extra notes XD), @ionlydrinkhotwater, @erzbethluna... And anyone else who wants tags, please let me know! Or just tag me! I love them.

#agatha will figure herself out eventually but it will not be This Day #ditto baz because he's just in a lovely out of control tailspin right now #WHERE IS SIMON?#maybe I know #I hope so anyway #I really need to title this fic #but I have a whole hat full of titles #a playlist full of them!#I could just call it ANGST #Or maybe ANGST ANGST BABY #No #I will absolutely not title it that #even I have standards #wait #*goes to AO3 to make sure I didn't just accidentally insult someone*#I think I'm okay #six sentences sunday #six sentence sunday #(which one is the right one?)#snowbaz #baz pitch #agatha wellbelove #simon snow series #the simon snow trilogy #simon snow fanfic #only sans Snow so far #what is it with me and tags? I mean really.#and all anyone really wants to know is when or why was Agatha a hypothermic beached mermaid?#jodofic

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puzzlekinq · 9 months

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why do you have a crush on eddie? love youu ^-^

OOOKKAY HERE WE GO (thank you for giving me the chance to gush about him, i love you too)

to start off, his personality!! his awkwardness makes him so cute, and hes also silly!! hes VERY silly, i love all his little jokes ("dont lose your head mr coleson" is one i giggle at every time) and the way he talks, because that adds to his silliness

"hehehe you tell ME :3" "laaaassstt riddleeee ^_^" "i told you id see you in hell" and also lines from the comic:

and the way all his riddles are always so impressively clever!! my personal favorite is "what does a liar do when hes dead?" because of the word play!! and hes so smart, thats one of the most attractive things about him!! his hobbies involve using a lot of brain juice, and his intelligence also shows through his creativity with the way he plans things out.

i just love how his mind works and the way hes able to connect dots and solve puzzles so easily its like hheheehehe my boyfriend is big brained :3 loved seeing him go into detective mode in the comic!!

and of course, hes a cutie pie!! hes so handsome!!! one of my favorite features on him is his nose, i mean LOOK at it. i love the shape of it so much. and HIS SMILEEEE ITS THE CUTEST THING EVER GHDBDJDN

the rest of his face is attractive too. his eyes and his jawline are so pretty to me.

AND HIS VOICE. HOLY FUCK HIS VOICE. its one of the things i find so attractive about him (and paul himself). like its so soft and warm. not when hes screaming obviously but most of the time!! like the calmness in his tone while he was talking about blowing up the sea wall was so creepy but also made me go WHEEEEE SEXY VOICE SEXY VOICE

i just find him as a whole attractive!! and thats why im so in love with him :3

#edward nashton #does thsi make sense im so sleepytired

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i-fondued · 1 year

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Ghost | Sinners in Secret - Chapter 10

Chapter Ten - The Plane Incident

Pairing: Cardinal Copia x Reader/Sister of Sin x Papa “Terzo” Emeritus III

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Plot, smut, etc. See AO3 for full list of tags!

A/N: wheeeee gratuitous travel day smut lol, next chapter we get to meat of the climax of sorts lol, also I will be making a separate post about this but I will be moving to a week update schedule moving forward mostly likely, but I’ll post about that separately. For now, enjoy!!

Chapter One - HERE

Chapter Two - HERE

Chapter Three - HERE

Chapter Four - HERE

Chapter Five - HERE

Chapter Six - HERE

Chapter Seven - HERE

Chapter Eight - HERE

Chapter Nine - HERE

AO3 Link - HERE

“You two have actual first names?” I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind in my panic.

Terzo burst out laughing, covering his mouth with his hand as he tried to stifle his laughter. Copia pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at me with an irritated scowl on his face.

“Amore…this is the first thing you ask after reading that letter?” He sighed, plucking the paper from my hands and reading over it again.

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that it wasn’t a reasonable question!” I snapped, throwing my hands up in the air as Terzo and I worked together to unbox several peoples worth of food.

“We will need to speak with Imperator immediately, we will need to make arrangements.” Copia mumbled, clearly wrapped up in his own world. “Why would the clergy wait till now to get involved? Questo sembra un cattivo presagio…”

Copia was in full panic mode, fingers resting on his chin as he mumbled to himself and puttered practically in circles. On one of his passes I snagged his free hand which made him pause. I smiled softly, brushing my fingers against the inside of his wrist.

“Come, eat. Sister Imperator will be at dinner anyways. We might as well eat together, Terzo did go to all the trouble of ordering us take out.” I teased, tugging him to sit at the dining table with me.

“Amore, I also picked out the vino.” Terzo mock pouted, crossing his arms until I leaned over and gave him a small kiss.

“Yes you did and it seems like a delicious fit darling.” I giggled, Terzo preening under my praise.

After some coaxing, Copia seemed to settle down and eat a little. Though he seemed distracted and was looking at the letter more often than either Terzo or I. For what it was worth, Terzo and I tried to lighten the Cardinal’s mood but he seemed lost in his concerns and trepidation. Finally after putting away the leftovers, cleaning up the dishes, and myself getting dressed in my old robes; the three of us made our way back to Sister Imperator’s office.

“Come in.” She called and Terzo opened the door for us to step in, Copia the first to rush inside. Letter extended in his hand he practically shoved it in her supersized face.

“Seestor, this had arrived for us. All three of us.” Copia’s voice was stern but his eyes betrayed his worry. Terzo and I hung back and watched as imperator’s eyes rushed along the pages of the letter.

“How dare they!” She hissed, tossing the letter to the side and snatching the phone from the far corner of her desk. She dialed a phone number, fingers stabbing at the number keys. “Time zones be damned…”

“Sister Imperator..?” I started to speak but he held up her hand to silence me. I sighed and sat in the free chair across from her, rubbing at my temples.

“Hello, yes. This is Sister Imperator.” A pause. “Yes that Sister Imperator. I need to speak with Saltarian. Not available?! Well then get me someone now!”

I flinched as she hissed into the phone, hand on her hip as she stood.

“Yes? Oh hello Cardinal, yes we got your lett-yes? Yes…yes…of course but I-” Another pause. “Yes, yes. I see. Yes, Cardinal. Of course, we’ll see you for the binding of course. Thank you, yes you too. Good day, Cardinal.” Imperator hung up the phone, hands on her hips as she sighed before looking up at the three of us.

“Pack your bags, you’ll be heading to Vatican City first thing in the morning.”

Copia, Terzo and I all looked at each other before looking back at Imperator. I was confused, beyond whiplash at the day's events. I’d never even interacted with more than one Cardinal before Copia. Even though our abbey was one of the largest in the states and was the one the Papas and Emeritus family called home, we rarely had any interactions with any of the other clergy members from other locations. Least of all the main monisatary in Vatican City.

“Sister with all due respect, I don’t understand why they would insist on us coming to them. Especially since the next few weeks they are going to be arriving here aren’t they?” I spoke, trying to keep my voice steady and strong, crossing my arms over my chest like it would help crush the building anxiety.

“Plans have…changed.” Imperator’s tone was flat, her face however showed her barely contained fury. “The Clergy feel that, once you’ve been vetted properly, a binding of this caliber is fit only for the chapels at Vatican City. It has been a long time since there has been a Prime Mover, let alone one bound to Papa and a Cardinal.”

“I don’t understand how this went from me performing a ritual to speak with Satan to now having to go to Italy and prove to people who’ve never met me that I am what I say I am…” I couldn’t help but pout, feeling like this was beyond me.

I felt Terzo put a hand on my shoulder, trying to smile at me to bring me from my sour mood. Copia knelt in front of me and took my hands into his.

“Amore…” He spoke softly, gloves fingers entangling in mine. “We understand your esitazione, but this is an important step in all this. The Clergy…they are tradizionale, sometimes a little too much, si?”

“Tradizionale is an understatement, Cardinale…” Terzo chucked before turning my head to look at him with two fingers under my chin. “Just think Tesoro…the three of us in Italia…practically senza supervisione…”

The meaning in his words hung in the pregnant pause and I felt my cheeks flush, thinking about the beautiful italian landscapes and the three of us getting up to all forms of debauchery.

“You will not be unsupervised Papa, we learned our mistake on that last time…” Imperator grumbled, the three of us turning to look back at her. “The reason the Clergy is looking to meet with you Sister is because finding a Prime Mover among the siblings is rare. When one isn’t found there is a more symbolic form of the role if the papalcy or clergy heads prefer to take a spouse. However the official Prime Mover like yourself is essentially anointed and chosen by Lucifer himself. You’d be on par with Papa himself and there hasn’t been an official Prime Mover since…”

“Since Primo’s, I know. He told me a little…” I filled in, unsure how much Copia or even Terzo was aware of. Judging by the looks they gave me, very little.

“Precisely. Prime Mover Francesca, may she rest in hell, passed in childbirth. There hasn’t been another till you, my dear, and we’d not like to repeat what happened. The Clergy is just being cautious if you ask me, they want to make sure whoever takes on this role is ready for all that comes with it. Especially when it comes to bearing an heir for each head of the church, since you’d be bound to Papa and Cardinal Copia.”

“I’m not an incubator…” I mumbled, brow furrowing at the thought of this council of old men reviewing my medical records.

“We know that, Sister. I will make sure that only the utmost care and respect is extended to you. In our eyes here, you are our Prime Mover.” Imperator’s tone was almost kind, her face softening slightly as she spoke. “I will be there with you every step of the way.”

“Thank you, Sister Imperator.” It was the first time in a long time I’d meant it.

“My job has been to take siblings under my wings and help flourish and now? I get the honor of helping the first Prime Mover in over a generation and the first to take two lovers in practically a millennium.” She laughed, I blushed. “Now, you three will be leaving on your own tomorrow. Myself, Papa Nihil, and the other Emeritus brothers will be joining you in a week's time as long as everything with the council goes well, which I don’t see being an issue.”

My heart clenched as she spoke. What would I do if they said no? I couldn’t imagine my life without Copia or Terzo at this point, I couldn’t imagine if we couldn’t be together. Copia was speaking to Imperator but I felt like my mind was buzzing loudly in my ear, the sound muffled slightly.

“Amore?” Terzo’s voice was soft and I realized that everyone stopped speaking and was looking at me. “Are you alright?”

“Fine.” I squeezed out, Copia’s face softened and he came to cup my cheek.

“Non ti lascerò andare così facilmente, amore.” He whispered, leaning to press a soft kiss to my lips. “We will not give up on you…”

“Si, Cardinale is right Tesoro.” Terzo chimed in, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. “I think it is time for bed si? We will see you in the morning Imperator, yes?”

“Of course Papa, goodnight. Be ready early, it will be a long day…”

…

To say our morning was chaotic would have been the biggest understatement of the year.

Why I thought leaving for the airport, where the private clergy jet was waiting for us, would be simple I’m not sure. While Copia and I both had taken the time to pack the night before, Terzo had waved us off that he wouldn’t have any issues throwing his things together.

“We will be in Vatican City! Whatever we forget, we buy. Non è un grosso problema, Tesoro.” He chuckled when he kissed me goodnight before bed.

It was very much a big deal apparently.

Imperator had come by to collect us, two ghouls in tow to carry our luggage, and had looked haggard as she pulled me aside to speak about the travel plans.

“Sister, I know you haven’t left the abbey since joining us here and I’m sure this trip will be overwhelming for you as it is but I am pleading with you…do not let Terzo get his hands on this credit card.” Imperator sounded stressed as she tucked a black card into my hand. “It is for your wardrobe when you arrive and any emergencies, you are in charge of it and keeping Papa in line.”

“Imperator, with all due respect, he can’t get up to that much mischief when we are in the holy city.” I laughed but the look in her eyes made me pause.

“Last time he got so drunk, he tried to sacrifice a goat in Vatican square and told Pope Benedict to come fight him. The clergy was furious and it took no small amount of money to keep it hush hush.”

I had to contain my laughter, seeing the look on her face I knew she didn’t think it was nearly as hilarious as I did.

“Understood Sister. Will I need to worry about the Cardinal?” I asked, looking over to where Copia was instructing the ghouls on which bags to grab while also yelling at Terzo in the other room in italian.

“Who do you think was egging him on?”

“Sweet mother of Satan…” I sighed, rubbing at the bridge of my nose. It was going to be an eventful trip.

“I spoke with Copia as well, since we haven’t made an official announcement yet, I just ask that you and Copia dress for your stations while you are in public.”

“Of course, Sister.”

“Once you arrive at the monastery in Vatican City, you are more than welcome to go back to your current wardrobe.” She gestured vaguely at my bags before storming into Terzo’s rooms. “Your excellence, you have five minutes and the car will be leaving without you!”

I laughed and watched as Copia, dressed in his red cassock and biretta, came and took my hand. He spun me around as I laughed before pulling me to him and pressing a kiss to my temple.

“It has been a long time since you have worn your habit and robes, Topolino.” He smiled, tucking my hand in the crook of his arm as we started towards the car. “Come, before Seestor turns her wrath on us.”

Copia and I walked from my rooms, following the ghouls carrying our bags down the stairs and to the main entrance. Outside in the breezy early November morning I took one last look at the grounds knowing it would be a long time before we would be back. In the stone driveway sat a limousine, the driver was a ghoul who was holding open the door for Copia and I. I thanked him as I slid into the back seat and scooted to the side. Copia slid in next to me before sitting in the seats along the side. He leaned over to grab the chilling champagne bottle, popping the cork and pouring us both a glass.

“This trip is a cause for celebrazione, Sorella.” He said, smiling softly as he handed me a glass. We kinked them together, and I couldn’t help the small smile that slipped onto my face as we sipped our glasses.

Like a whirlwind, Terzo finally arrived with Imperator hot on his heels.

“On your best behavior, Papa!” She called as he opened the door to the limo and threw himself in. “Sister will need your support.”

“Si, si Imperator. I know.” Terzo grumbled before shutting the door. He was dressed in his normal papal suit but he wore sunglasses which he dramatically slid down his nose when he saw the glasses in our hands. “You two started without me?”

“You were taking too long.” I teased before handing him a glass of his own, clinking ours together softly. “To our mini vacation.”

The car lurched forward and I almost spilled my glass before settling back in the seat. Terzo chuckled at me before pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

“Si, Sorella. This will be like a vacation, we will enjoy every moment we are in Italy. No supervision and one big bed for all three of us.” He purred the last part, my cheeks warming as his arm wrapped around my shoulder. “Now settle back, it is a long drive to the airport.”

I did not in fact settle back. Instead I was practically glued to the window, watching everything going by as we drove. I saw the city in the distance as we headed onto the highway and towards the airport. Terzo and Copia chatted, occasionally answering my questions or asking me for my input on their topics. After about fourth-five minutes we finally arrived at the international airport.

“Stay close to me, Tesoro. I do not want to loose you.” Papa pulled me over to him as the limo pulled up to a crowd.

“I think she should stick with me, Papa. She has not formally been introduced yet and I would not want the ire of the crowd in her direction.” Copia’s eyes were on the people who were leaning against barriers and pointing at the limo, my heart thudded in my chest and I felt a little panic rise in my throat.

“You worry too much, Cardinale. They are fans of the Ghost Project, that is all.” Terzo started to open the door but Copia’s arm shot out to stop him. The ghouls who drove us here had already started unloading the luggage and were waiting for us before they went inside.

“Sorella isn’t used to that kind of attention, Papa…” Copia pleaded, something I’d never heard him do before and I couldn’t help but cut in.

“I’ll just have to get used to it, this is the first step to our binding and there is just going to be more and more public events isn’t there?” I tried to smile, fighting the anxiety in my chest as I nodded to Copia, trying to convey that I was okay. He seemed to understand and sat back slightly, eyes still locked on mine.

“If it becomes too much, Stellina. Take my arm and we go inside, si?”

“Of course, Copia.” I said, taking and squeezing his hand before looking back at Terzo. “I’m ready. Let’s get going.”

Terzo kissed me abruptly, hands cupping my cheeks before he pulled away with a wry smile on his face.

“Questa è la mia ragazza…” He purred, eyes warm, before he knocked on the window and the ghoul opened the door.

The crowd goes wild when Terzo steps out of the limo, shrieks from men and women alike. I shrank back slightly before Terzo, who suddenly seemed emblazoned by the attention. He worked the crowd, throwing his arms up and laughing, before remembering why we were there and turning back to me. He offered me his hand as I stepped out of the limo, suddenly the flash of a few cameras going off in my face. I tried not to shrink from them and kept my head held high as Terzo tucked my hand in the crook of his arm. He waved with his free hand, joking and laughing at the people calling for him. I caught the eye of a few people, the looks not the kindest in my direction.

“Papa Emeritus, over here!” One photographer called out, catching my attention before the flash went off in my eyes. “What’s with the nun?”

“Ah, this my friend is my Pri-…mi scusi, my Sisters of Sin.” He crooned, almost forgetting what Imperator had said about waiting till after the meeting to introduce me to the public. “She is a dear companion for the long flight, along with Cardinale Copia here.”

“I’ll be your companion, Papa!” A woman cried out and for the first time I felt an angry pang of jealousy in my belly. I felt Terzo’s grip on my arm tighten and I looked at him, his eyes were hard and I knew he was telling me to let it go.

“Sorella…” Copia’s voice caught my attention as he held out his hand to me, grateful for his sudden lifeline. I slipped from Papa’s arm and into Copia’s instead as he and I headed inside, the crowd absorbed in Terzo’s magnetic energy.

Once inside we were directed to follow a stewardess to our private flight lounge while they finished readying the jet for us. There were a few couches and a little snack bar set up. I threw myself on the couch as Copia brought me over a hot tea, his face was soft and I smiled at him.

“Thank you, how long do you think he’ll be out there for?” I sighed, sipping the warm tea as Copia took his Biretta off and sat next to me.

“Not too long, but he does love working the crowd…especially so close to a ritual tour.” He chuckled, looking out of the windows that faced out towards the take off lane. “He has a talent, no?”

“He does…I wouldn’t ever hold him back from that, he knows that right?” I mumbled, staring at the cup in my hands. I felt Copia’s fingers slip under my chin and he tilted me back to look at him.

“Being jealous does not suit you, Topolino.” Copia teased, his thumb reaching to play with my bottom lip. I shivered slightly at the look in his eyes. “Maybe I should distract you from those thoughts, si?”

“Copia…” I sighed, leaning forward slightly as his eyes floated from my face to my lips, his tongue slipping out to wet his own.

He pressed his lips against mine softly, hand coming to tenderly cup my face before heat bled into our kiss. I scrambled to put the tea cup down on the table in front of the sofa as Copia’s hands moved to my hips, tugging me into his lap. I settled with my legs on either side of his hips, hands tangling in his hair as he deepened our kiss with his tongue. I felt him coax my own past my parted lips, sucking slightly on the wet muscle as his tongue caressed against mine. I gasped as he tugged my habit off my head, tossing it aside. My hair spilled out and he hummed in pleasure as one of his hands tangled in my hair and tugged me against him while his other hand rolled my hips against his. I whimpered into his open mouth, a shudder running down my spine as I ground against his hardening cock.

“Copia…” I panted, eyes hooded as I locked on his missmatched gaise. Someone behind us cleared their throat before speaking.

“First the champagne, now this.” Terzo chuckled as I leapt from Copia’s lap back to my seat on the couch. My face was on fire and I gave him a meek smile. “Honestly, I cannot leave you two alone for more than five minutes. How come you keep forgetting about your Papa, eh?”

I couldn’t stop laughing even when Terzo crashed his lips to mine, playfully shoving Copia over on the sofa.

…

I’d been on planes and flights before my time at the abbey, but I’d never been on anything like the Clergy’s private jet. This was a whole other space compared to the simple JetBlue flights I’d taken in the past.

All the interior fabrics were a soft cream color, the seats made of leather, and the accent was a deep red. The wood surfaces were a deep and rich dark wood that looked almost black. When we boarded the plane the stewardess, who happened to be a sibling, gave us a quick tour. She let us know there was a private bedroom on the back half of the jet should anyone prefer to lay down for our long flight. In the main section of the jet was a little conference table with four chairs, towards the front of the plane was where the galley and crews sleeping quarters. Before that however was a little sitting area with a couch against the windows and another smaller sofa along the middle, a TV on a riser was on the opposite side of the plane as the sofa.

Terzo had already ordered us a small breakfast spread; Copia and I were sitting at the small conference table while Terzo poured us each a small glass of champagne again, this time with orange juice which was how he justified it to me as a breakfast drink.

“Amore, please. We are on vacation starting now.” He teased, finally sitting at the table. “After we eat you will change into something more comfortable, you too Cardinale.”

After I scarfed down my plate of eggs and sausage that was far better than any other airline food I’d had in the past, I went and changed into something from my carry on bag. Just a simple black linen dress and I didn’t bother with shoes. When I came back out Terzo smiled, taking my hand and pulling me into his lap before kissing me quickly.

“You next Cardinale.”

Copia grumbled under his breath about pushy Papas but did what he was told. He came back wearing his read track suit and I smirked at him.

“What’s up with the track suits?” I teased as he sat in his chair, clearly full from eating as he lounged comfortably.

“I thought it would be cozy for the long flight…” He mumbled, eyes closed as he crossed his arms. He looked almost relaxed sitting there.

“I…I can’t really argue with that thought process…” I laughed, slipping out of Terzo’s lap and coming to press a kiss to Copia’s cheek. “I’m going to go take a nap, wake me up before we get there.”

“Of course, Amore.” Terzo smirked as he tiptoed away from Copia who already seemed to be asleep in his chair. Terzo followed me back to the bedroom in the rear of the jet, closing the door quietly behind him.

“You know I was serious about sleeping, Terzo?” I didn’t even look back at him, slipping into the bed and stretching out lazily. It had been a long morning and I was ready to rest.

“Si, si. You rest, I just want to spend time in your company.” His voice was smooth like silk as he slid into the bed with me, arms wrapping around my waist and pulling backwards against him. “Close your eyes, Tesoro.”

I chuckled, taking one of his hands from where they settled around me and tangled our fingers together, pressing a kiss to the top of his hand. It was quiet for a little while, just the sound of our breathing as I tried to fall asleep.

“Terzo..?” I whispered, wondering if he fell asleep. He shifted behind me, subtly rolling his hips against me as we spooned.

“Si?”

“What’s Italy like?”

“L'Italia è bella, Vatican City is old, older than anything you have seen here in the states. Sometimes it is like stepping back in time when you go down an alley. You can feel the history in every stone…” Terzo’s voice was rumbly in my ear, his lips almost brushing against the soft skin of my earlobe. “Ma io preferisco le coste, little seaside towns that do not know anything about you but treat you like familia.”

“It sounds wonderful,” I sighed sleepily as he pressed a soft kiss to my neck. “We should take some time to explore the sights and those little towns.”

“Oh Tesoro, I have plans for us and the Cardinale…” Terzo chuckled, a shiver sliding down my spine as his hand came to grip my hip possessively. “You are mine, Sorella. I will not let il clero dei vecchi invidiosi take you away from me…”

I whimpered as he pressed against me, dragging my skirts up so he could brush his silk gloved hands against my skin. I arched back against him and he groaned into my ear, the sound causing goosebumps to break out across my skin. His arm slid under my head, curling around my throat as his hand covered my mouth to muffle the gasp that slipped out as his other hand cupped my core.

“Careful, Bella, we do not want to wake Cardinale do we?” He chuckled, hand pulled away from my mouth long enough to pull his gloves off before his warm hand settled around my throat.

Terzo’s fingers settled on my pulse points under my jaw, arching my neck back towards him. I whimpered as I caught the look on his face out of the corner of my eye, his fingers finally slipping between my legs again. He teased me, fingers gently caressing my cunt and causing me to shudder against him. I could feel his cock against my ass and I rolled my hips against him.

“Ah, ah. Sorella.” His fingers, which had just started to dip into my soaked underwear, paused and I groaned in frustration. “Let Papa take care of you…”

He slowly pushed my underwear down my legs, tossing them behind him, and lifted my leg to rest over his hip. I arched my back to give him a better angle and my arm came up to caress his cheek, Terzo pushing against my hand like a cat. His middle finger slid into my wet slit teasingly slowly as he slid the digit up and down but barely brushed my clit. I gasped and rolled my hips as best as I could to search for more friction. Ever slowly he slipped his pointer finger in as well, the pads of his fingers slick as he dipped into my entrance before swirling around my clit. I moaned loudly and Terzo’s hand slapped over my mouth, I could feel his chest rumbling against my back with barely contained laughter. His fingers teased the little bundle of nerves while my hips ground against him.

“Pazienza, Amore…” He purred, tongue darting out to caress my sensitive neck. I whimpered and arched back against him. I was desperate for more of him, to feel his skin on mine.

Terzo must have known this because he kept edging me towards my orgasm before taking away the pressure and teasing me instead. I was panting behind his hand, my hips rolling and shuddering as my legs twitched, I could feel tears of frustration gathering in my eyes and I wrapped my hand around his wrist, digging my nails into his skin. He hissed at the feeling, grinding against my ass, and pulling me by the hand on my face against him tightly. I writhed against him, moaning his name into his hand.

“Sei stata una brava ragazza, Tesoro.” He crooned sweetly, fingers finally spreading up as he circled my clit roughly. “Do not make me punish you, si?”

I whined and he moved his hand from my mouth, gasping in the fresh air.

“Beg for it, Sorella.” He hissed, suddenly slipping his now free hand from my face to slip to fingers into my cunt without warning. I moaned before shoving my fist in my mouth to muffle the sound.

“Please, Terzo please.” I cried, reaching back to slip my fingers into his hair and tug him closer than I thought possible as he sucked and nipped at my neck.

“Who do you belong to, Amore?” He hissed, tone reminding me of Copia and I shuddered at the thought of them both taking me like this.

“Y-you!” I whimpered, the heat pooling in my belly so close to over spilling as the tears spilled from my eyes. “You and Copia.”

“Mmh, soon Sorella.” He purred. “You have been such a good girl for Papa…”

“Please, Terzo I-I can’t…” My legs were shaking and I was trying to hold off my orgasm but it was like fighting off a bear. I was in a losing battle, rolling my hips against his cock and begging. “I ca-…”

“Now, Amore.”

My orgasm ripped through me, Terzo’s fingers thrusting into me lazily as I rode his hand through the aftershocks. I felt like I was floating, eyes squeezed shut tightly, as I buried my face in the pillows to try and muffle my moan as best as I could. One of Terzo’s hands gripped my hips roughly, pulling me back to grind against him as he grunted and growled in my ear. I felt a shiver run down my spine at the sound.

“…una brava ragazza,” He groaned into my ear, pulling the lobe into his mouth as I lay there boneless. His hands wandered up from my waist to cup my breasts, rolling and pinching my nipples through my clothes. I gasped, arching against him, and shuddered at the overstimulation. “Voglio fotterti in questo materasso... finché non potrai camminare dritto.”

“Terzo…” I groaned, eyes closed as I took in the feeling of him rutting against me. “Use me…”

“This does not seem like a nap, Topolino…”

Copia’s smug voice startled me, I tried to sit up to look at him but Terzo pinned me down to the mattress. He had taken my wrists and pinned them above my head as he turned me onto my front. He pushed my legs till I was on my knees, head pressing into the pillow but turned to look out the window.

“The fault is all mine, Cardinale.” Terzo chuckled, his hands pushing the skirt of my dress up and over my bare hips. Without my underwear I felt exposed to the two other men in the room, squirming slightly as I attempted to squeeze my thighs together. “I could not help myself, Sorella is just so deliziosa when she squirms, si?”

I looked up slightly as I felt silk wrap around my wrists, Terzo winking at me as he tied them together before looping it around a little hand rail I hadn’t noticed about the bed. My cheeks flushed as he tested the strength of the knot, leaning to press a soft kiss to my wrist.

“Vorresti partecipare, cardinale?” Terzo’s voice was cheery as I turned my head to watch them standing at the edge of the bed. I squirmed as I watched Terzo tug off his papal suit, hurrying to slip out of his pants as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m sure Sorella would not mind your attention, no?”

Both men looked at me and I blushed before nodding my head, eyes unable to keep locked on their heated gaze. A soft crack echoed before the burst of pain on my bottom registered, Copia’s gloved hand softly brushing against the sting to soothe the pain.

“Speak up, Sorella.” Copia’s voice was hard but he had a smirk on his face as I gasped out a yes. “Do you want me to join you?”

“Y-yes Sir.” I whimpered, arching back against his hand as he caressed my stinging skin. “Please…”

Copia chuckled before shedding his track suit jacket and coming to sit right next to me on the bed, his hands now bare as he tilted my head back to look at him. He lounged casually, legs crossed with a smug look on his face.

“Impress me and maybe I will let you put my cock in your mouth, hm?” He purred, pressing a soft kiss to my temple as I panted.

“Yes, Sir.”

I felt the bed shift and turned to look over my shoulder, glancing at Terzo as he gripped my hips tightly and grinded against me. Copia snatched my chin, turning me to look back at him.

“Eyes on me, Sorella.” He purred, caressing my cheek softly.

I felt Terzo lean over me slightly, curling around my body as he teased my cunt with the head of his cock. I shuddered, rolling my hips backwards before he sunk into me, a low groan rumbling in his chest as he pressed on my shoulders. I sank even lower on the bed as Terzo curled around me, his hands settling on either side of my outstretched arms as he pulled out and thrusted back in with a quick snap of his hips. I bit my lower lips, holding back the moan fought to spill free, as I felt Copia’s thumb brush against my bottom lip.

“Look at me, Stellina…” His tone was low and I felt my cheeks flush as I tried to keep my eyes on his. “Penso che il nostro topolino si stia consumando, Papa.”

I felt the rumble in Terzo’s chest as he pressed against me, rocking his hips against mine at a torturously slow pace. My hands gripping at nothing as I cried out. Terzo’s teeth scraped against the sensitive skin of my neck, biting down and making me shudder against him before he groaned in my ear.

“Sfortunatamente per lei, non ho ancora finito con lei…” He hissed, hand coming to wrap around my throat as he started to rock against me more aggressively.

I writhed under him, my eyes locked on Copia’s mismatched gaze as he watched us. My face was on fire as his breathing grew harsh and he shifted slightly, the tent in his trousers more obvious to me since it was right in front of my face. I felt like my mouth was watering at the thought of him in my mouth at this moment, with Terzo taking me from behind like an animal. My hand fought at the silk bondage as I desperately longed to touch them, I whined as I felt Terzo squeeze my throat slightly.

“You are mine, Sorella.” He grunted, punctuating his words with particularly hard snaps of his hips. I gasped, turning to peek at him behind me as he hit a spot inside me that made me see stars. “No, scusami, sei nostro...ours.”

I couldn’t even formulate a response, the heat and tension behind my belly button pulling tightly as Terzo fucked me and Copia looked at me with a heated smirk. I panted and gasped as Copia’ thumb slipped past my open lips and into my mouth. His thumb brushed against my tounge and I whimpered as he gripped my jaw, Terzo’s grip still strong on my hip and throat as he fucked me.

“Suck, Sorella.” Copia’s voice was thick with desire, eyes hooded as he brushed his thumb against my wet muscle.

I didn’t have to be told twice. I sucked and curled my tongue around his thumb like it was his cock, giving my best performance as Terzo’s thrusts picked up speed. His grip on my hip was hard enough I was sure I would be bruised by the time we landed. I whimpered as Terzo pressed more of his weight to pin me in place, leaning forward to whisper in my ear.

“Cosa direbbe il consiglio se potessero vederti adesso, sorella?” What would the council say if they could see you now, sister? Terzo’s voice was tight as he began to pound into me, his hand on my hip slipping between my legs and teasing my clit. I cried out, Copia slipping his finger even deeper into my mouth and tilting me to lock eyes with him again. “Così bisognosi e alla mercé delle mie mani, hm?” So needy and at the mercy of my hands, hm?

“Penso che dovrà chiedere il rilascio, eh Papa?” I think she'll have to beg for release, eh Papa? Copia chuckled, eyes locked on mine. His thumb slipped out of my mouth and he gripped my chin tightly, leaning forward to barely let our lips brush as he spoke to me. “Go on, Sorella…beg.”

I felt the tears pooling on my cheeks before I registered I'd started crying. Terzo’s fingers teasing me right to the edge of my orgasm before pulling away and starting again. I felt like I was going mad between the two of them and I whimpered while I rolled my hips back against Terzo.

“Please, Papa…” I mumbled, attempting to pull my face from Copia’s grip as my cheeks burned.

“Ah, ah, Amore…I want to hear you beg.” Terzo’s voice was husky as he curled around me, hand squeezing my throat tight enough to make me gasp. “Beg for it.”

“Please…p-please! I-I can’t hold on anymore.” I cried, hands fisting the binding as I gasped as Terzo flattened his whole body against mine.

He thrusted wildly, the sound of wet skin on skin obscenely loud in the quiet room. His fingers flicked against my clit aggressively and I shuddered against him, legs wobbling as I tried to support my weight.

“Now, Amore.” Terzo grunted before biting down on the spot where my neck met my shoulder, I practically shreaked his name as I came undone under him. “Vieni per me…”

I was gasping, writhing and tugging at my restraints while Copia never took his eyes off my face, his free hand palming himself over his trousers. Terzo’s hips snapped a few more times before he buried himself as deep as he could, cock twitching inside of me as he also found his pleasure in my body. He collapsed on top of me, both of us panting and gasping as we tried to catch our breath, and I felt my eyes droop slightly. I was perfectly boneless, a silly small smile on my face as I felt Copia brush the hair from my face as Terzo pressed soft kisses to my bare shoulders, mumbling how I had been such a good girl. I felt Copia’s hands brush against my own as he untied my restraints and rubbed at my wrists.

“It seems you have fully worn her out, Terzo.” Copia chuckled darkly. I watched as he moved to slip his hand into Terzo’s hair and tug him slightly. “Now how will I take care of this?”

Copia gestured vaguely to his crotch and I felt a shutter go through me as I watched the heated gaise traded between the two men. Terzo, suddenly full of more energy, slipped from the bed to the floor between Copia’s legs.

“I can think of ways to repay you, Cardinale…” He purred, reaching forward to untie his tracksuit trousers.

…

It was daytime again when we finally arrived in Italy.

Eventually we were able to get some sleep, though I still felt exhausted. Though according to Terzo that feeling was part of the reward of joining the Mile High Club. We had dressed back in our formal robes, Copia in his red cassock and I was in my sister of sin robes and habit. Terzo however decided he needed a change of outfit since he was on vacation. He wore a pink button up dress shirt, white vest and trousers. When he stepped out of the bedroom, dramatically sliding on a pair of sunglasses I had to hold back my giggle.

“You like, Amore?” He purred, coming to spin me around and shake his head. “You should dress in something more fetching, you are beyond this uniform you wear.”

“I know but…its something I feel the most comfortable in,” I shrugged looking back at Copia who was waiting for us to disembark the plane. “Besides I’d like to give the council some sort of good impression before they see me act like a degenerate with you two…”

The stewardess opened the door and bowed slightly to us as we stepped out into the sunshine. She hadn’t been able to look at me all morning and I had a feeling that she knew exactly what had happened in the back of the plane over the course of our flight. I mumbled a quick thank you and good-bye before stepping out and letting my eyes adjust to the sun as I looked out over the tarmac.

There was a black carpet that was rolled from the steps down from the plane to one of three black SUVs waiting for us. All three had ghouls sitting in the driver seat, silver masks glinting in the sun. In front of the waiting cars was a small welcoming party of sorts. There were three cardinals, all dressed identical to Copia besides the one in the middle who wore a little black lace shawl over his caplet. Behind them were four sisters of sin who wore a similar robe to mine, theirs however had a high leg slit.

The cardinal with the black lace shawl stepped forward as we came down the stairs, a wolffish smile on his face as he took Terzo’s outstretched hand and kissed his knuckles with a bow.

“Buongiorno, Cardinales.” Terzo’s face looked like he was welcome in old friends but I could tell by his tone that he was tense. “Sorellas…”

The gaggle of Sisters shifted slightly, a giggle rumbling through them and I had to fight my urge to roll my eyes. Terzo reached out to me and took my hand, tucking me close to him. Copia also stepped close to us, standing to my side with his arms behind his back and practically glaring at the Cardinals.

“Welcome, Papa, to Vatican City. I have taken the liberties to make sure to make the same preparations we did last time you blessed us with a visit.” The black shawl cardinal spoke, eyes lingering longer on me that I thought would be appropriate as he gestured behind him towards the Sisters of Sin.

“Ah…t-that won’t be necessary Cardinale Veritas.” Terzo laughed awkwardly as he scratched at the back of his neck. Two of the four sisters behind Veritas pouted and I couldn’t help turning to Terzo with a dark expression on my face, he looked away quickly and was unable to meet my eyes.

I turned my eire to the man in front of us. Cardinal Veritas wasn’t a bad looking man, no you could have almost called him handsome. His face was angular and sharp, lips full and pouty, and he had a curious look about his eyes. He was tall with long blond hair that had been pulled back into a low ponytail with his biretta perched perfectly on his head. But something about his demeanor I didn’t trust, he looked almost too pleased to be here with us as he surveyed us. His dark gaze settled on Copia, his face contorting to give the other man a dark look before he spoke.

“Cardinale Copia, you look much changed since you last left us.”

“I suppose there have been many changes since we last spoke, Veritas.” Copia’s glare was glacial, a small shiver running down my spine as I watched him size up the taller man.

Veritas, seeming to know Copia quite well, shrugged slightly before turning to me. A dark look passed over his aristocratic features before he smiled at me like a predator would play with their food. His hand snagged mine before I could react, leaning forward to press a kiss to my knuckles as he bowed to me.

“…and this must be our supposed Prime Mover.” Veritas purred and I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes.

“I didn’t realize that there was any doubt on who I was, Cardinal.” I countered, a plastic smile on my lips as I snatched my hand back.

“The council just wants to verify the claim and your ability to fulfill it, that is all Sister. I mean no harm.”

“I’m sure.” My voice was dripping with sarcasm as I lost the battle to keep my eyes from rolling. I saw Copia and Terzo exchange a look, both companions fighting back smiles.

“We’ve had quite a long flight, I for one would like to settle in and freshen up before this evening.” I spoke with as much commanding energy as I could muster, straightening my back and doing my best Imperator impression.

“Of course Sister, please let the Sisters of Sin escort you to your vehicle. Gentleman, follow me.” Veritas backed off, gesturing to the SUV in the middle for me to follow as he started to escort my companions to the first vehicle.

“Ah, mi scusi…I had thought to ride with Sorella…” Copia’s voice was firm, leaving no room for debate as he took my hand and began to tug me in the direction of the black SUV.

“I see…” Vertias’ voice was low with what seemed like thinly veiled anger. I turned to watch Terzo side step the cardinal and smile brightly.

“Chiedo scusaas… I had also plans to ride with Sorella as well, Cardinale.” Terzo laughed, sliding his aviator sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose as he playfully smacked Veritas on the shoulder and he jogged slightly to join back up with us.

The three of us piled into the car and once the door was shut the ghoul in the front didn’t even hesitate to drive off. I looked out the window as we drove away, my gaze locked on Cardinal Veritas. His dark eyes held a barely contained rage that made me shutter, our gaze locked till we passed by the group and he was out of sight.

#Ghost #The band ghost #cardinal copia x reader #papa emeritus x reader #terzo x reader #terzo x copia #copia x reader #copia x reader x terzo #cardinal copia #papa terzo #terzo emeritus #Ghost fanfiction #my writing #Sinners in Secret Chapters

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weekend-whip · 5 months

Note

💡🎶✂️🧑‍🌾?

Ask Game! Thanks anon!!

💡: How did you first get into Ninjago?

I've been invested since the very beginning, watching the pilot specials on tv (oof) and following the first two seasons weekly episode by episode (a thrill that no longer exists in this day and age). But unlike most others who fell off prior to S3 (or S6, or post-Movie), I still kept tabs on the show, always catching up every 2 or 3 seasons (though always surprised that SOMEHOW there was still more). I didn't officially commit to the fandom life until around the end of NS11, though...and now here we are!

🎶: What's your favorite Ninjago song?

Born to Be a Ninja!! Is it the *best* song? Noooo, but it is definitely the one I have listened to the most!! Gets me so pumped for life!!!! I literally named my most ambitious fic after this song wheeeee

(the weekend whip is a very close second, to no one's surprise)

✂️: What's one thing from the series you would change?

Does the entirety of Season 3 count? 😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇

🧑‍🌾: Who's your favorite Side Character?

All right, after much deliberation with myself, I gotta go with Antonia, and not just because I've elevated her to a strong supporting character in my mind, haha. I just love the episodes with the Paper Kids, and seeing the side of all these crazy crises from a civilian perspective is so fascinating, and watching her personality play off of Nelson's? Always good stuff! (Plus, she literally saved Kai from drowning and delayed an evil squid's plans in the process. Put some respect on her name!!)

#ninjago #ask game #asks from nice people #i could rave about all the other songs i like tho #day of the departed. enter the tournament. bring on the pirates. found my place. ninjago go.

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doebt · 6 months

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it's funny how usually when it's rainy usually birds will seek cover but in a light rain if it's been a while they just go WHEEEEE BATHS. here's a mockingbird having the time of its life

YES.... YESSSSSSSSSSS. GOD YES. Im sad lowkey since its gotten a LITTLE colder ive been seeing a crazy amount less birds Like i am literally devastated its been DAYS since i saw a mockingbird. we did see a cardinal today though thank god. Thank god... we are in a drought right now too so if you want to send any of that rain over here Well erm... Choco says please🥺 Say hi to ur parents for me i was thinking about all you guys recently because i was down at the river

#submission #previous submission failed to send i hope to GOD this is not a duplicate

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feekins · 9 months

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aha! super-fun Happy Days! such a great time we're about to have as I go over my thoughts and things and whatever translation weirdness I find re-reading ch 1 of Trigun Maximum vol 7! happy fun! nothing traumatic, that's for sure! wheeeee haha 🥲

(NOTE: I'm reading the Dark Horse [physical] and the Overhaul [online] translations side-by-side)

oklikeso! the focus on Knives' POV and reactions continues in this chapter, as we only directly see HIM in his room, and only a video feed of Vash (which is an interesting thing to note for any fellow writers out there: by 1yo, the twins have separate rooms in trimax)(oh and also they both have their own lil tablet/communication devices! that's neat!)

and again! Conrad runs up to Knives specifically! I forgot about that detail!

...also...holy shit, Conrad's outfit looks strangely familiar... 🤯

(Dark Horse on top, Overhaul on bottom)

not a translation discrepancy, but something I noticed in how the speech bubbles here were arranged and attributed. it's such a tiny difference, but. idk. the Overhaul's way of going about it feels more natural/intuitive to me. which isn't to say there's anything wrong with the way Dark Horse did it! I just particularly admire the Overhaul's approach here =u=

Knives is so! nervous! about how the second human he's ever met will react to him and Vash! and it ends up going so well!!! 🥹

and again, the way the Overhaul handles the dialog in this bit is more natural/intuitive

here, we see perhaps some basis for why Rem immediately suspected Knives for causing the emergency this chapter starts with. he's so curious, just...making a beeline for the computer. I've never paused to give that much thought before.

also, I wanna note - in both translations, her name as it appears in that bottom panel is spelled TESSLA. Dark Horse goes with this spelling in the dialog (at least in this chapter), and I noticed that the Overhaul, meanwhile, goes with TESLA. that's interesting. my only comment is idk why I thought it was "Tesla" up until now, considering all my previous readings of this series were only Dark Horse's translation (...actually, I probably mentally linked it with Nikola Tesla...)

BUT ANYWAY.

(Dark Horse on left, Overhaul on right)

no comment here - just another area I noticed some variation in dialog choices and thought I'd put them up for comparison =u=

...interesting. Dark Horse uses her name JUST THIS ONCE in the notes Vash and Knives find, otherwise they do what the Overhaul does and consistently uses "the subject" when referring to her - the ppl experimenting on her not even recognized her personhood. 😬

(also, I like the Overhaul's added specificity with "sapient" species!)

and something critical I wanna note here: Knives is the one who continues searching for info, who triggers the mechanism that brings up Tessla's remains.

interesting, considering his association with Adam in tristamp... 🤔

again - the Overhaul's translation is more nuanced/specific

YAAAAAAY HAPPY DAYS? 🥲

#trigunbookclub #text postan 2k23

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softprettything · 8 months

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late bloomer, ch 10

AO3 | Previous | Next

Fandom: OHSHC

Pairing: Kyoya/Reader

Tags: 18+, A/B/O Dynamics, College AU, Fake Dating, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slice of Life, Eventual Smut

Taglist: @silverhetdanes @lampalooza

late bloomer, ch 10

You wake up in your own bed, which is good.

You’re also surrounded by empty wine bottles and cups, which is…less good.

Doesn’t matter. You can clean those later. Right now, you let your eyes flutter back shut, planning to get whatever additional sleep you can before your alarm goes off. You smooth your cheek against the pillow, which seems almost to be rising and falling beneath you.

Oh, shit.

Not a pillow; a chest. A person. And all you have to do is let your gaze wander ever-so-slightly upwards to confirm that wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, that person is none other than Kyoya Ootori. He stirs. Slightly. He must have felt you move your head.

“Kyoya,” you whisper. He doesn’t respond. You try again. “ Kyoya.”

His arm tightens around your waist, and you feel his chin against the top of your head. Before you can even consider what you’re doing, your eyes close again; your leg curls over his hips, your face tipping up to rest against his neck.

The panic and embarrassment you should be feeling? Nowhere to be found. It’s buried beneath half a dozen layers of a deep, heavy calm, too powerful to fight. You let out an involuntary hum of contentment, pressing your hips more firmly into his, and—

He jerks awake.

The sudden movement shakes you out of your fog, and simultaneously the two of you leap to opposite ends of your creaky twin bed. He hits the wall; you fall off, You scramble ungracefully to your feet. “I didn’t—um.” You grab his glasses from your nightstand, and toss them at him. “I’m going to go brush my teeth.”

And with that, you bolt from the room.

“What did you do?” you whisper to your reflection.

In your early college days, when you went out more, you took a specific pleasure in going to the bathroom, mid-party, and looking at your face in the mirror. Examining it. That is me, you would think. That is me and I am drunk, wheeeee--

Now, you find yourself doing the same thing—regrettably sober.

You look down at your clothes. Pajamas. You do remember putting on your pajamas. You remember opening the door; opening the wine; passing out after Kyoya left for water. You don’t remember him coming back.

So you didn’t sleep together, then, you just…slept.

That calms you down a bit. You set about actually brushing your teeth, washing your face, combing your hair.

When you get out of the bathroom, you half expect him to be gone, but he’s still here. Leaning against the doorframe to your closet-sized-bedroom, holding two steaming mugs. He is also dressed in yesterday’s clothes, rumpled but still obviously expensive.

“Coffee?” he asks. You take the mug to be polite. “I called a car.”

“Oh. Good.” He sips his coffee. You put yours down on a little shelf built into the wall. “I’m sorry about…all of that.”

“All of what?”

“You know. We don’t have a proper guest room, or anything,” you improvise, trying to convey your intended meaning without flat out saying sorry for snuggling up to you in the middle of the night like some kind of drunk koala. “I mean, we don’t have a couch. Or, like, any floor space whatsoever. So I appreciate you being cool with sharing the bed.”

“I’m the one who showed up unannounced.”

“At Haruhi’s request. And besides, I invited you in,” you say, and how has this become an argument over whose responsibility it was that you woke up cuddling? “And then proceeded to foist alcohol upon you.”

“I think you foisted more alcohol upon yourself than on me,” he says, his voice wry.

That’s true—you drank more than him, and you’re a lightweight to begin with. Oddly enough, though, your head feels entirely fine. “I’ve had much worse nights out. Out and in.”

“I’d agree. This was one of my better nights in, as of late.” He checks his phone. “And it seems H and T are still occupying my apartment, so. As much as I regret imposing on you, I can’t say I’m not grateful.”

“Right.” You lean against the wall, and slide down until you’re sitting more comfortably on the floor. “What a shitshow.”

“You know, coffee might not fix a broken heart, but it’ll at least do something about the hangover.”

You shake your head. “I don’t drink it. Sorry. Not that I don’t appreciate it. It was nice of you.”

“A grad school student who doesn’t drink coffee? I didn’t have you pegged as that much of a masochist.”

“Guess you had me pegged wrong. But I do drink tea.”

“Noted.” His phone buzzes again. “Car’s here. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Tomorrow. Monday. In class. Right, it’s Sunday already. Christ, all the unfinished work you have to get done…

You nod, giving him a small smile. “See you tomorrow.”

“Thank you again for the hospitality, (Y/N). Especially the wine.”

“Wait!” You stand up, reach out a hand. Without having to be asked, he hands his phone over, still unlocked. You text yourself his name, then pass it back to him as the two of you walk to the front door. “There. Now you have my number. Feel free to shoot me a text if you ever get sexiled again.”

“Thank you.”

“Not going to return the offer?”

He shrugs. “I strongly doubt Tamaki would elect to stay here in the face of…” He peers back over your shoulder at the world’s tiniest living room. “Literally any other option.”

“Fuck off.” You can’t help but grin as you say it.

He smiles as the car pulls up. “Have a good afternoon, (Y/N).” And with that, he’s down the stairs, down the sidewalk, and gone.

Afternoon? You look at the time. Sure enough, it’s a quarter to one, which means… shit. Shit!

It takes you ten seconds to yank on shoes and a coat and take off running.

*************

“Sorry, sorry!” You get around the counter and scribble your name on the clock-in sheet just as the hour turns. At least the rain washed away the last of the snow and ice, which made your sprint slightly easier than it would have been otherwise. Kaoru regards you with amusement.

“Careful there, (Y/N),” he says, “You’re only exactly on time .”

“Ha, ha.” You’re trying to slip your apron over your head while simultaneously tying your hair back. It is not going well. “You look like hell.”

“Why, thank you.” He pretends to flip hair back over his shoulder. “And in last night’s clothes, no less.”

“Worth it?”

“Never. It was that Zeta guy. The one from last semester.”

You freeze. “No.”

“Yeah.”

“White Boy Dreads?” He nods, and you groan, tipping your head back. “Kaoru. Even you have better taste than that.”

“I missed the first half of this, but no, he doesn’t have better taste than whatever it is he did. Especially not after ten shots of Fireball,” Hikaru says. He yanks on one of the ties of your apron as he passes by, freeing you from the tangled mess you’d gotten yourself into. “You don’t look much better yourself. Are those pajamas?”

You look down. Silky white sleep set with little pink and purple hearts all over it, check. Bra, uncheck. Heat rushing to your cheeks as soon as you realize—check, check, check. “Shit! Is it that obvious?”

“Apron covers most of it. Stay behind the counter, you should be fine.”

“Right. Perfect.” You rub your eyes and shake your head, trying to wake yourself up. Trying to focus. “Remind me to never keep alcohol in the house ever again.”

“Hungover? On a Sunday? ”

“More importantly,” Kaoru says, “what I’m hearing is that you’d rather drink alone, in your shoebox of an apartment, than with us.”

“I wasn’t alone,” you say, “and besides, I wasn’t planning to get drunk, I just—”

“You weren’t alone?”

You freeze. “What?”

“Well. It’s just interesting, because…” Hikaru pauses to open his phone, and gives it a few taps before turning the screen to you. “I have it on very good authority that Haruhi was out of the house last night.”

You look at the picture — a beautiful candlelit dinner — then back at him with an unamused expression. “So by very good authority , you actually just mean Tamaki Suoh’s Instagram story ?”

He locks his phone, and slips it back into his pocket. “Fess up, (Y/N). Who were you with?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t matter? You get laid for the first time in ages , and it doesn’t matter?”

“Nobody got laid last night!” Your gaze slides sideways. “Except for White Boy Dreads.”

Hikaru wrinkles his nose. “Ugh, Kaoru. Really?”

“Not the point. (Y/N) —”

“I should check on the register,” you say, and escape before he can get any further. You’re not exactly in the best mood to be receiving customers right now, but at least a perfect stranger won’t ask you anything more personal than whether or not you’re out of croissants. "Hey there, welcome to Ground Up."

"(Y/N)?"

"That's what it says on the tag—oh." It so happens that the person on the other side of the counter isn't a stranger. Or not a perfect stranger, at least. Bronze hair, bright smile— "Hi. You're—"

"Reese."

You nod. "Yes! I know. Sorry, I'm just—” such a mess this morning “—I, uh, what can I get started for you?"

"Flat white with oat milk, if you have it?” You try to keep your face neutral, though you catch Kaoru snickering in your periphery. “And…” Reese scans the pastry display. “I don't know. I'm stuck between the pumpkin bread and the Danish. Which would you recommend?"

"Hm. I’d usually say pumpkin bread, but…” You shift to a stage whisper. "This is the end of last week's batch, so it's not as fresh."

They chuckle. "Danish it is, then."

You pass off the marked up cup to Kaoru, and wave off Reese when they offer their debit card. "Don't worry about it."

"What?” They try offering it again. “No way."

“Please.” You shake your head, keying in the code to cancel the transaction. "It's the least I can do to pay you back after you rescued me the other week."

"And after you forgot my name this morning."

"I didn't—" They tilt their head, and you realize you're being teased. "Well. I knew it started with an R, at least."

"Honestly? Grateful for even that." You share a small laugh. They tuck their hands into their pockets. "Hey, I'm actually glad I ran into you here. I don't want to overstep, but..."

“Oh?”

They hand over a different card—a business card, almost, but instead of their name and number, it's the name of the beta frat.

“Oh.” You hold it like you would a live slug. Then you remember yourself, and try to school your expression into that of someone who doesn’t feel as though they’re holding a live slug.

“We’re having a meeting tonight. Not a meeting-meeting, just this thing we do every other Sunday—I mean, usually we burn through a couple of agenda items for the first fifteen minutes, but after that it's just, like, a study hall. But more social.” When you don’t respond for a few seconds, they add (with a chuckle), “You don’t have to be a card-carrying member, I swear. Zero pressure. But it’s a good time, and I think you’d really fit the vibe.”

You’ve spent so much time avoiding Greek life at Ouran. And while half of it has to do with an actual distaste for frats themselves…you’d be lying if you said that was the only reason.

There’s no shame in being a beta. You know that. You’re the first to proclaim that. Why, then, does it feel like that proclamation applies to everyone but you?

For all your determination to not feel shame in your status, you’ve never felt comfortable taking up space in all-beta rooms. You don’t apply for beta-only scholarships. You at least have attended some rallies and donated to some fundraisers over the years, but for the most part school and work kept you so busy that anything else had to fall by the wayside. But it makes you feel like a sham. Like you’re all talk and no walk.

You’ve tried to comfort yourself sometimes with the thought that academia isn’t nothing—this degree is the start of an entire career, an entire life, dedicated to the examination of dynamics. The work that Professor Suzuki and Abe and all the researchers like them are doing—the kind of work you want to do—is the type of thing that informs policies for decades to come.

So no, academia isn’t nothing. It is, however, incredibly slow. Any progress you make will be subtle. It won’t come to fruition for years down the line.

And…does it make you a bit of a hypocrite, this not-so-subtle avoidance of all beta spaces?

You know your answer to that—yes. It’s just hard to shake this…this fear. The feeling that you’re not a good example of what a beta should be. The feeling that you should be happier. More content. More at peace with who you are. In truth, the idea of sharing a space with people who are so entirely secure in their—your identity—made you feel deeply inadequate.

Better late than never, right?

You finish bagging their Danish, and move to hand it over the pastry counter to them. “Sounds cool.”

“Great! Hope to see you there.” They toss a few bucks in the tip jar, ignoring your protests. “Cool outfit, by the way,” they say over their shoulder on their way out.

You look back down at your pajamas, and immediately bury your burning face in your hands.

“Reese Barlow was your mystery date?" Kaoru lets out a low whistle. "Damn. Now I'm really embarrassed about settling for White Boy Dreads."

“The fact that you weren’t embarrassed before is embarrassing," Hikaru says from your other side.

“There was no mystery date, we just—hey!” That last bit is in response to Hikaru plucking the card out of your hands, and Kaoru grabbing your wrists to keep you from stealing it back. You hate it when they team up on you. "Cut it out!"

“ Epsilon Phi Cozy Quorums ,” Hikaru reads. “Oh. So they were just…recruiting you?”

You get your wrists back from Kaoru, and Hikaru hands you back the card. “I guess.”

“You gonna go?”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” You shake your head, and put the card on the counter, next to the register, which you open to re-sort the bills. It’s rare to have a lull in the cafe during the afternoon on a weekend—part of the reason why you always make a point of arriving ten minutes early, to get ahead of the work rush—and God knows the twins aren’t the best at keeping things organized. “I have all this work I meant to finish last night—”

“Before you got distracted by your mystery date, right.”

You shoot Kaoru a glare. “And part of it is a paper that I’m also going to be submitting for this scholarship contest thing?”

“I thought you’d already won every single contest in the school.”

“Yeah, but this one—it’s the Jennifer T. Goodwin scholarship? It’s, like, the biggest one in the department. So it’s not just the money, it’s the prestige—although the money would help, obviously.” You sigh, flipping through a stack of ones as you think of all the free time an extra ten thousand dollars could afford you. “I could travel to other universities for document research, I could replace my laptop, I could cut back on my shifts at the cafe…”

“Less shifts at the cafe? You absolutely cannot win this scholarship,” Kaoru says.

“Absolutely not.”

“We won’t let it happen.”

You roll your eyes. “Don’t waste your energy on sabotage. I’ve lost it every year I’ve been here. Don’t know why I’d expect this year to be different.”

“Jennifer T…oh! I have heard of that, actually,” Hikaru says. “That’s the one Ootori wins every year, right?”

You freeze while shutting the cash drawer. “Who?”

“Kyoya Ootori. You know him, right?”

“Why would she? The only people she even talks to are us and Haruhi.” Kaoru hip-checks you as he carries a tray of replacements to the pastry display. “And apparently Reese Barlow, now.”

“Yeah, but Kyoya and Tamaki live together. And if he keeps beating her in this humanities scholarship thing, they must have had a class together at some point.” Hikaru turns to face you. “You ever run into him, (Y/N)?”

*************

According to the card Reese gave you, EpPhi’s monthly shindigs take place in the old church on the end of campus, which is A) a bit creepy, location-wise, and B) doesn't exactly ease your concerns that you're about to be indoctrinated into some kind of cult.

But when you walk into the basement, you're met with an airy, well-lit space. Paper lanterns are stacked atop every open surface, in soft golds and blues; against the back wall, a line of foldout tables have been set up and laden with food. The rest of the space is filled with overstuffed chairs, couches, beanbags; plush-looking rugs where a few people are sitting crosslegged with plates of food in front of them.

"(Y/N)!" Reese waves at you over from the main table. "Glad you could make it!"

You walk over to them. "Yes! Sorry I'm late, I just—"

"No worries. You came at a good time; we're pretty much done with all the boring administrative stuff, so now people are just mingling while we wait for the Trips to show up. Go on, get some food."

The who? you want to ask, but they're already gone to greet someone else. You grab a plate of snacks and make your way over to the nearest empty beanbag.

You weren’t going to come. It’s like you told the twins—you have work to do. As soon as you got home from your overlong shift at the cafe, you sat down with your laptop and forced yourself to read every single winning entry Kyoya had ever submitted to the JTG.

They were all brilliant, dammit.

You shouldn’t be surprised. You know he’s smart, obviously. And he wouldn’t have gotten first prize if the essays weren’t any good. But…God, it’s just so unfair. Not only does he clearly not need the money, but you’ll never forget what he said the first time he walked into your Austen seminar. Where does he get off, submitting to prestigious awards in departments he clearly doesn’t give a shit about?

And all of this is complicated, of course, by the fact that you have hung out with him in depth, and are finding it increasingly difficult to dislike him.

He hasn’t texted you since this morning. Not that you’d expected him to. But you did maybe want him to, loathe as you are to admit it. You spend all day at the cafe with the twins, and Haruhi’s text chain with you has mostly been reduced to her letting you know that she’s going to be out of the house again. You’re lonely.

And so—after many failed attempts to rewrite your own essay submission, after scrambling together a discussion post response for your class tomorrow, and after checking your empty message inbox an embarrassing number of times, you dug the little card out of your pocket and headed across campus. To make some new friends, maybe.

Of course, you didn’t exactly get to where you are now by being a social wunderkind.

So you resign yourself to people watching. The room isn’t overly crowded, but there are a good number of people here. Reese, of course, talking to a group of newcomers by the window; people standing and chatting at the food table, people with laptops in one corner, people coloring in posters in another.

“First time?”

“Hm?” You turn. A girl—shorter than you, with long, honey-colored hair and a well-tailored red pantsuit. “Oh. Yeah. That obvious, huh?”

She laughs nervously. “No! I mean, I’m new, too. New-ish. This is my second one. It’s really fun, though, everyone’s really nice. Sorry, I am off to the worst start—Reagan.” She sticks her hand out for a firm, if fluttery, handshake; her hand feels so light, almost delicate, in yours.

“(Y/N).”

“Yeah—I think I saw you present at SecGen last year? Sorry, not that—I mean—God, I sound like such a creep—”

“Chill, Ri.” Another girl, tall and dark-skinned with close-cropped curls and the prettiest eyeshadow you’ve ever seen. “But yeah, we were both definitely at the panel. You fucking nailed it.”

You feel your cheeks grow warm. Your advisor last year had submitted your thesis project—which combined your interests in medicine and the humanities—to a university conference hosted at Ouran, one of the biggest academic events of the year for people studying secondary gender dynamics across fields. Being selected as an undergrad was a huge honor. Probably the biggest honor of your academic career. “Oh. Thanks. I’m sorry, I have the worst memory for faces—”

“Shut up, you were the one up on the stage. Don’t expect you to remember a couple of faces in the crowd. But you’ve met Reagan now—forgive her the fangirling. I’m Lou.”

The conversation flows more easily than you would have expected. They’re both undergrads, you find out—seniors, so one year below you—and waiting to hear back from engineering job interviews (Lou) and med school applications (Reagan). You don’t envy them. You remember the anxiety of being a senior and not yet having any concrete plans for the next year.

“I’m going to miss Ouran, though,” Reagan sighs.

Lou snorts. “I’m not.”

“Oh, come on. When else are you going to get the chance to live somewhere this beautiful?”

“Beautifully racist, sexist, classist…” Lou ticks off on her fingers. “Look, will I miss waking up every morning and looking out my window to see buildings that look like literal castles? Yes. Am I going to miss being micro- and macro-aggressed at every quarter hour on the hour?” She shakes her head.

A wave of relief washes over you. “Yes!”

She looks at you. “Aren’t you literally going to school here? For several more years?”

You nod fervently. You love the twins, but sometimes it seems as though they occupy a different reality than you, in terms of struggling through Ouran. It’s nice to meet someone who gets it. “I thought it would be better in grad school, but if anything it’s so much worse. I mean, I love the work, but it’s just…”

Lou shakes her head. “And that’s where we differ. God help me, I wouldn’t go into academia if I had a gun to my head.”

“As opposed to engineering, that famously easy field,” quips Reagan.

Lou holds up her hands. “As long as they pay me and they don’t assign me any five to eight page papers with one inch margins on some niche topic I don’t give a flying fuck about, I’ll be happy.”

As you all share a laugh over that, you’re struck by the warmth in your chest. Yes, you’re dirt poor and overworked and losing your best friend to a man who knows the difference between sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, and also losing this one fucking scholarship contest over and over again to a man who also knows the difference between sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Yes, you are going to have to pull an all-nighter trying to rework your paper proposal into something salvageable to show T.A. Abe tomorrow. And somehow, in this moment, you are bothered by none of it.

“Hope you guys didn’t start the party without us!”

Until you hear that voice, and turn to watch as Olivia Freidmonte walks through the door.

#late bloomer #kyoya/reader #kyoya x reader #softprettything #a/b/o #ohshc x reader #kyoya fanfic #kyoyaxreader #ohshc x y/n #a/b/o fanfic

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