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teddy06writes · 3 years

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With Ghastly Consequences

Part Two of A Dangerous Game

{I wasn’t going to do this till later but ThE IdEaS were flowing}

Requested by this anon: “I don’t mean to be a bother but if you could possible make a part 2 for the “a dangerous game” fic that you made? It was amazing!!”

and this one: “ Dude I need more poly Dream team with SBI family reader what if reader came back as a ghost but it’s like Ghostbur so she doesn’t remember everything?”

Sooo....

Dream x George x Sapnap x Reader + sleepy boys x sibling!reader

trigger warnings: yelling, swearing, mentioned character death (its you, you died in the last one)

premise: after your death, everything was hazy; this is an account of the events sparked by your ghostly return

(y/n/n)- your nickname

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You’d drifted, for a while, in a greyish abyss for a while, knowing that there was a choice to make.

The void, though being of course, a void of nothingness, was peaceful, and gave you time to come to terms with what had happened, and come to the solution to the question.

And as soon as that happened-

You were gone again.

“Philza!”

The man froze over the brewing stand, the bottles in his hands beginning to tremble, “(y/n)?”

“Dad!” You grinned as he turned around, looking dumbfounded, “I didn’t know you were coming here- when did you get in? Oh I can’t believe you finally came!”

“D- Do you not remember?” His voice was low, shaking almost as much as his hands.

“Course I remember- well I remember some stuff. Like you and Tommy and Techno and Home and- and Pogtopia- and Dream and George and Ni- Sapnap- oh- wait-” your voice dropped to a whisper, “You know how they were- y’know, my partners?”

Your father nodded.

“Don’t tell Wil,” You said quickly, “He’ll get mad.”

He nodded blankly again, still staring at you.

“Well what's with you? Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“Y- It’s just- your back. I- I was devastated- more than- when WIlbur- er- when you died. But n- but your back.” There was quiet relief in his voice.

You nodded, “Course I’m back. Like you could get rid of me that easy.”

Phil dropped the bottles onto the crafting bench, rushing forward in an attempt to embrace you.

You shuddered as he passed through your spectral form, sadly mumbling, “Uh, yeah. I kinda pass through things now.”

Phil smiled sadly, “Still, your back, come on, come on, lets go find Techno, he should still be around here.”

You nodded, following him down that ladder, “That's what I wanted to ask, where is here? Why are you out in the arctic?”

“Oh, uh, just to get away from everything, you know who Tech hates his governments.” Phil attempted a joke.

“Oh, yeah- I wouldn’t want to be there with Shlatt either. Strange he didn’t just go back to pogtopia though.”

Technoblade looked up from where he was sharpening his axe, at first his face reading confused, then guilty, the carefully blank, “Things have changed (y/n). People, change.”

“Like Wil? I rember Wil being mad about something- do you think- no it wouldn’t be that, I was careful.”

Techno winced, glancing Phil’s direction, “Uhh, we- we don’t talk to Wilbur any more. Not- not since he- er- not since you died.”

“That man is no son of mine.” Phil spat.

You looked at him confused, “What happened? Did you get in a fight?”

“It’s- not our place to tell you.” Techno said finally.

“hmmm, okay! So what have you guys been up too?”

You hummed a tune, drifting down the prime path, headed towards L’manburg, toward home

Phil and Techno had warned you that things had changed since your death, but that didn’t deter you from going back.

Coming over the hill, you looked over your beautiful country, the walls, which you knew were gone, seemed to be partially rebuilt, and distantly you could see Fundy over seeing construction.

At first glance everything seemed fine, but as you got closer the atmosphere seemed to change, a sort of anxiety hanging in the air over the city.

Slowly you floated up to the platform your nephew was standing on, “Fundy! You’re rebuilding the walls!”

The fox jumped, “(y/n)?”

“When Techno said things had changed I didn’t think he meant Shlatt was putting the walls back!”

“(y/n)- your- your back?”

“Course I’m back,” You chuckled, “You miss me fur ball?”

“I- you- your back?” He repeated.

“Yeah, what’s going on round here? Why’d Shlatt have a change of heart- wait- did we win? Did I die and miss us winning? Is Wilbur putting the walls back-”

“Wilbur isn’t here any more.” Fundy interrupted bitterly.

Your brow furrowed, “Why is everyone mad at him?”

“Come on, lets get you too Ranboo, Tommy and Tubbo, they’ll-” He sighed motioning for Jack Manifold to take his place, “Well they should tell you at least part of it.”

He led you down off the platform, toward the podium that still stood in the center of L’manburg, at your look of confusion explaining, “Ranboo’s a new comer. Uh- he’s- different, half enderman, we think, eye contact isn’t his thing, so be aware of that.”

You nodded as he pushed open the door, “Hey- guy’s drop what your doing, this is important-” there was a small thud, “No not literally Ranboo- it’s a figure of speech.”

You drifted past him into the room, smiling at the flustered looking enderboy, your brother, and his best friend, “Hello!”

Tommy’s breath hitched, his lip beginning to tremble, “(y/n/n)?”

“Hi Tommy! Hi Tubbo! Hi person I’m assuming is Ranboo!”

The tall boy waved awkwardly, “Hi?”

Fundy cleared his throat awkwardly, “Uh, I have t’get back to work. They’re- confused. I-” He gave Tubbo a ‘this is your problem now’ look before quickly turning and leaving.

“Uhh... (y/n). You’re- back?” Tubbo laughed as if he couldn’t believe it.

Tommy was still staring at you in shock, “(y/n)?”

You drifted across the floor to be near him, “Tommy what’s wrong?”

Your brother burst into angry tears, “I thought you were gone! I thought that he took you away from me! He- he fucking thought- that bitch thought he could take away my sibling! Just- just because of some- of some fucking-” He fell off into hiccups, tears still falling down his face.

“That bastard! He- he fucking killed- he- and for what? Cuase he didn’t fucking like who you were seeing?” Tommy muttered, moving back past Ranboo to sink into a chair.

“Who? Who didn’t like it?” You asked.

Tommy let out a bitter laugh as Tubbo looked at you sadly, “It’s- nothing.”

“Hmmm, well, what’s going on here then? Did we win the war?”

Tubbo nodded, “Wilbur- isn’t here anymore, he- he- sort of betrayed us, and we chased him out. So we’re rebuilding the walls, so he doesn’t do anything else, and me and Tommy are co presidents.”

You nodded, but were still confused, “What did Wil do? Is it why Phil said he wasn’t his son any more?”

Ranboo gulped awkwardly, “Uh- from what- er I- uh heard, yes.”

“hmmmm, I hope it wasn’t anything too bad.” You sighed.

You stayed with them for another hour, talking about L’manburg, and the presidency, until Niki arrived, breathless, having heard you were back, “(y/n/)!”

“Niki!” You looked over her, something seemed off, less bright, less Niki.

She glanced around the room, “How about we go for a walk, to catch up?”

There was something desperate in her voice, and you weren’t stupid enough to ignore it, “Of course.”

She gave you a strained smile, motioning to the door, “Let’s go then.”

Soon you were out wandering through the city, many of the crowds were gone, though you could see signs of life in open windows, and small restaurants, “Niki what’s going on here? Something isn’t right.”

“Nothing is right, not since we got rid of Wilbur.”

You looked up at the walls, now seeming to loom twice as tall as they once did, “Tommy and Tubbo- they’re anxious about something.”

Niki nodded, “The whole country holds its breath. Tommy is angry, and Tubbo is paranoid. They think Wilbur will blow up the country, and that he’ll have help, the walls, the security checkpoints- none of this is what L’manburg was founded for.

“The people are terrified, everyone tells them something different, they’re waiting for the country to be driven into the ground.”

You gulped (can ghosts gulp?), “Well that isn’t good. Maybe- Maybe- hmmmm, Maybe you should be in charge Niki! You- don’t tell the others- but I think you’d make a better president than any of them!”

“If I could I would (y/n), but it’s not that simple,” She smiled sadly, looking around with a sigh, “Why don’t you go find your boyfriends? Have you gone to see them yet?”

~~ “Georgie!”

The King blinked, quickly pushing back the small sense of hope, he was just imagine things again, he thought to himself, he had to be.

“George what’s wrong?”

The voice was closer now, and it was the cold sensation at touched his shoulder that convinced him it was real enough to look, blinking in surprise again at your gray form, hovering next to his desk, “(y/n/n)! Oh my god! (y/n/n)!”

You grinned, “George!”

“Your back!” The goggles were quickly pushed off his face, dropped down onto the top of the desk, “Y- your really back!”

You nodded eagerly, “I missed you! Well- I mean, it wasn’t that long that I was gone. At least I don’t think- anyway I missed you!”

“I- (y/n) it’s- it’s been nearly a month.”

You cocked your head, “Huh, that's weird.”

“George who are you talking...” Nick trailed off as he entered the study, “(y/n)?”

You could see the tears in his eyes as you awkwardly waved, “Hi Nicky.”

“Holy shit.” He muttered, “I- we thought you were gone- I mean- when- when Wilbur...”

“When Wilbur what?” You asked with a chuckle, “Everyone keeps saying he’s done something, but no one’s told me what.”

Both men froze, sharing a looking, “Don’t worry about it.”

Nick quickly swiped away tears, “So your back?”

You nodded, “I’m back- hey, have you guys noticed how L’manburg’s being all weird now? Niki says Tommy and Tubbo are running the country into the ground.”

“Well- they’ve refused all foreign aid, we tried to offer them help- after the war, paying for damages and such after they sorted out there Wilbur problem,” George sighed, “And so far only Eret’s tried reaching out to talk to us, help with our Dream problem.”

“Yeah, where is Dream? I miss him and I can’t ping him, cause ghosts don’t have com tablets.”

“Even if yours hadn’t broken it wouldn’t help. He disappeared after Wilbur- did that thing,” Nick sounded all to broken for your liking, “He hasn’t answered any of our messages.”

You frowned, “Well that's not like him. Maybe he just left his tablet somewhere- or maybe he just got busy doing something again, you know how he gets during manhunts.”

“(y/n),” George tried gently, “He- smashed his com tablet, said something about going off the grid, undermining the server. He probably isn’t coming back.”

You froze, hover in silence for a moment, “No. No that’s not true- he wouldn’t- he wouldn’t leave us! You’re lying to me! He loves us! He’d never leave! It’s not true! He wouldn’t do that! Your lying!”

Nick seemed shocked at the outburst, “(y/n)- we were just as upset but he left- gone insane-”

“STOP LYING TO ME!” You exploded, “He wouldn’t do that! I know he wouldn’t! Your just lying!”

They watched you sink to the floor, spectral tears flowing down your cheeks, mumbling, “You’re lying, you’ve gotta be lying, he- he wouldn’t he wouldn’t do that.”

“Wilbur!”

Your brother flinched, he’d planned for this, he reminded himself, as soon as he heard the rumor's.

“(y/n).” He stood up, turning to face you, ignoring how he’d begun to shake.

He didn’t regret what he’d done.

At least that was what he told himself.

He knew what he had had to do, and he done it, and he had no regrets for his actions, because it was all in the plan.

“Wilbur what’re you doing outside L’manburg? I thought they said they chased you out.”

“I missed it.” He said simply, forcing back the choked noise that had started in his throat upon seeing your grey floating form.

“Did you miss me? George and Nick said I was gone for almost a month, that that was how long you and Dream were gone for.”

“Don’t fucking talk about that man.” Wilbur spat.

At your face of shock and horror at what you said Wilbur grinned, “Oh yeah, I know all about them (y/n). Them, and You, and everything before your death.”

“Why do you hate them so much?! Can’t you see that they make me happy?! What did they ever do to you?!”

“THEY TOOK AWAY MY SIBLING! MADE YOU TURN AGAINST ME! AGAINST L’MANBURG!” Wilbur yelled.

Tears started to slip from your eyes again, “Wil, I never turned against you- your my brother, I love you. Why is it so hard for you to see I’d never turn on you? Who I love has nothing to do with it.”

“Oh it has everything to do with it!” He laughed, finally managing to shut off the tiny part of his brain that screamed at him to stop, “You’re fucking dead because of it!”

You blinked, “N- no! It’s not because of them! I died in the war! Dream was trying to protect me! I died so we could be free again!”

“No (y/n)! You are so fucking stupid! Your dead because I killed you! I killed you because you were turning against me! Because it was the only way to get those fuckers to get there hands off you!”

You let out a choked sob.

“And guess what? I don’t regret anything. I killed you so that they would suffer! Suffer from loosing you the way I had! And it worked and so none of the cost matters!”

“No wonder everyone’s mad at you,” You sad shakily, “You’re a monster Wil.”

“And I’m not the only one.”

He sounded almost proud, gesturing his chin upward, at a patchwork of scaffolding as being stretched across the sky above L’manburg, distantly you could see someone in a neon green sweater running across the top.

~~ “Dream, what are you doing?”

The man only sighed at the serious voice, “Getting revenge. It’s what they would have wanted.”

“Is it?”

He finally turned away from the contraption, staring through the slits in his mask at the Spector that hovered in front of him, “So you really are back.”

“Dream,” You could almost see the wall he had put up when you died, repeating, “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to destroy L’manburg.” His voice was cold, steely, too close to that which you remembered from the day he and Tommy had their duel.

“You think that’s going to make things right? You think that’s going to put me- my spirit to rest?”

He faltered, “It has too. Wilbur killed you, and now he’s going to pay.”

Slowly you moved closer to him, across the narrow walk way, “Clay why did you leave them? When did you break your com tablet? You knew they needed you.”

“I- I had too.” The smile on his mask was all to haunting, a broken reminder of the past.

“They needed you and you left them. You put them aside, for this? To be a villain?”

“If I’m a villain then so be it.”

Down below the people of L’manburg were beginning to raise alarms as you spoke, “They love you. I love you. You don’t- you don’t need to be the villain my love.”

Slowly he reached up, slipping the mask off his face, “I know, I know but- but this is the only way.”

Gingerly you reached out, hovering your hand right where it would rest to cup his cheek, “It isn’t the only way. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to cause this destruction.”

“It’s the only thing I know how to do,” There was anguish seeping in to his voice, “I don’t know if I can do anything else.”

You longed to embrace him as he fell to his knees, “You don’t have to do this Clay.”

“I don’t know how! I don’t know any other way to make Wilbur pay!”

“Clay look at me, look at me, there is another way- you don’t have to do this, We love you- we miss you- Nick, George and Me, we can just, climb down and go and find them and then run away together, leave this all behind!”

“Keep them safe.” He sniffed, wiping away angry tears.

“Yeah- yeah- we can build a little cottage, and plant flowers in the window boxes- and forget all about this,” You were phasing back into the material world, nearly by Dream’s sheer willpower as he pulled you into his arms, “And we can forget all about this, but only if you don’t do this.”

“I don’t know if I can... (y/n) I don’t know if I’m strong enough.” He sobbed.

“You are darling. You are. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to do this Clay, we love you.”

He sniffed, sitting up a little, one of his arms reaching away, both of your breathing unsteady as you looked up at him, desperation in your eyes...

And then the tnt hit the ground.

The world exploded into fire, ripping away his words:

“I love you too.”

#mcyt x reader #mcyt imagines #dreamwastaken x reader #georgenotfound x reader #sapnap x reader #dream x george x sapnap #dream x george x sapnap x reader #poly dream team x reader #sleepy boys x reader #teddy06 writes

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kinetic-elaboration · 3 years

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August 28: 3x05 Is There In Truth No Beauty?

Several days later, coming back to write up these Star Trek notes. I feel like I never got to talk this episode through properly, or even think through it properly by myself, because mom went right into watching AHS on Thursday, and I was too tired to even sort through my thoughts and when we talked yesterday, it was… entirely about other things.

So, here at least are my liveblog thoughts, and maybe I’ll remember some more as I write.

Right off the bat, this is such a cool concept: the friendly alien Ambassador who no one can look at because his form is not fit for human eyes.

Love Spock’s silly looking little visor. Not sure I get why he’s wearing it right now, when the Ambassador is in his box, but okay.

Dr. Jones is so beautiful. I love her dress.

I’m sure Spock is thinking “If only all Ambassadors could be put into little boxes like this.”

Okay, Ambassador’s coming! Everybody quarantine!

Right, I JUST remembered the significance of the dress.

Spock has experience with mind links with other creatures—a lot of experience that ho. Is he thinking about the pleasure of connecting to Kirk, that “dynamic individual”?

“My life is here.” With the Captain???

I feel like this episode is implying, all but stating outright, that Spock is very good at mindlinking. Like maybe even more so than the average Vulcan. Which makes sense because he does it so often. And yet he still messes up with AOS!Kirk.

I love the effects for the Ambassador. I’m not even being sarcastic; I think they get across the experience of looking at him quite effectively.

Hmmm, some non-touch telepathy. I know Spock has a little of that. I guess it’s mostly him reacting to Miranda, though.

Gotta get a dig in at Dr. McCoy before he leaves lol. Spock, so predictable.

Kirk’s flirting is off the charts today omg. Tone it down man.

SCOTTY IN A KILT aw yeah.

She learned from the Vulcans how not to read thoughts. Exactly!! Their telepathy is such an underrated part of the whole Vulcan thing, including why they remain ‘emotionless.’

She’s so jealous of Spock.

Honestly this whole scene… there’s a lot going on here! I’m trying to pay attention to the Vulcan telepath stuff but the men won’t stop flirting at 11. Especially McCoy, laying it on extra thick.

She does hold her own very well, though.

A preference for beauty—one of our last prejudices.

“Sleep well.” So cute. (I’ve already forgotten but I’m pretty sure this is Kirk.)

“We’re all vulnerable in one way or another.” KIRK SHUT UP I LOVE YOU.

Girls don’t like guys, girls like Medusan ambassadors.

This guy is so jealous. I barely know who he is lol; this comes out of nowhere.

Interesting angle on the hallway shot. I feel like there are a lot of those in this ep, like these weirdly long shots of the hallways… Maybe I’m just not used to seeing them with one or no people in them.

Kirk and the squad. Work work fashion baby.

“Larry? Marvick? Why?” Okay that is some real Shatnerian inflection there.

SCOTTY FIGHT SCENE.

*Ship veers obviously*

And look at this weird-ass view of the bridge. Like what the hell, where is the camera? On the lift? It’s so disorienting!

Spock needs to fix some stuff, calls for his protégé Chekov, of course.

And this funky music. So bizarre.

WE’LL BE SAFE AT THE BOUNADIRES OF THE UNIVERSE. Drama queen

This is a nutty view, this “unknown void.” Like one would think beyond space there’s… just more space, not a Windows 98 screensaver.

Space time continuum?? They didn’t time travel (again), did they?

“He just simply died.” How convenient.

“An entertaining suggestion, Mr. Chekov, but not very helpful.” Honestly, I do think he’s entertained. Spock has grown so much over the course of the show.. like I know there was controversy with his IC-ness this season but in this case, I really do think it is growth. Compare this to the Corbomite Maneuver, where he had a sense of humor but it was… a little mean, a little arch. There’s a certain warmth to him now.

Her mind must be so engaged that she doesn’t notice the plan for Spock to meld with the Ambassador = Kirk will seduce her. Lol. Of course. Everyone’s favorite honeypot.

He has absolutely NO shame.

The man sure does love his flowers, though.

She’s never been to Earth. So she’s a human born on a colony, I guess? That’s such a throwaway line, but so interesting. Could that be part of how she’s telepathic?

Oh no! A thorn!

“Violent emotion is a kind of insanity.” Can I steal this?

Too ugly to bear or too beautiful to bear?

Let me spell it out for you: this is romantic. (Again, I’ve forgotten what this refers to, but I’m going to assume it’s something Kirk said.)

Lol Bones just dropping truth bombs. How did he know she was blind? Did he recognize the dress or does he have access to her files as the ship’s doctor?

And Kirk accepts it immediately. “Of course! It’s the only reasonable explanation as to why you weren’t attracted to me.”

The Ambassador is brought to the bridge and placed behind a covid wall, I mean, protective barrier.

And now, we meet the Ambassador for real.

“THAT’s Spock!” Bones is so happy. He’s really not comfortable with Spock being all… smiley and flirty. Or rather, someone in Spock’s body, I should say.

Kollos is VERY flirty. And he and Miranda have chemistry for sure. It’s weird, because I don’t get any sense of that between her and Spock (rightly so) but Spock as the Ambassador and it comes right out.

I love the characterization of him. The idea that the Medusans’ thoughts are supposed to be particularly nice to engage with…. I really see how that would be. He’s so soothing.

Kollos is enjoying his time in a human body, I think. Mostly. Not all of it. (I got a little teary at the part about loneliness, ngl.)

Time to go back? So soon?

Noooo the shield! It’s like forgetting your mask when you enter a building.

[Spock wails]

Honestly, even seeing the steps to the upper level of the bridge is really weir. Like, I’ve always known there are steps there… but I’ve never thought about what they look like.

Kirk is so skeptical about all of this. Spock is in danger and his brain immediately goes to the pessimistic scenarios—very unlike him!

He’s freaking out nervous.

“Are we supposed to wake him with a kiss?” Idk, it’s worth a try. Why doesn’t Kirk give it a go?

Does Kirk have a game plan with Miranda here, or is he just honestly freaking out?

…The answer is honestly freaking out, which is rather a disappointment.

Trippy.

Spock has a necklace version of the IDIC symbol this time.

Everyone’s exchanging all these highly formulaic, formal goodbyes and Kirk’s like “Peace.” Wow, really trying hard with that one. Still rattled, I guess.

Also speaking of these formulaic exchanges—this fits very well with the HAICG-verse. Just saying.

This episode was really good! I loved Miranda, I am a huge fan of the underlying sci fi concept, and I though the Spock characterization and the hints of Vulcan culture were very interesting (and very in keeping with my own characterization and world building, imo).

The only thing I didn’t like was Kirk’s characterization. He felt like a stereotype, like who AOS thought TOS Kirk was, rather than himself—the over the top flirting, the dramatic rage, how he didn’t really seem in control of anything or on his game at all.

But, even though he’s my fave, the interesting Spock characterization made up for that, and I really appreciated these insights into him, interacting with someone who, while not Vulcan herself, had a Vulcan cultural background, someone he approached similarly to how he would one of his own people. It was very polite but with a lot of unsaid beneath the surface, which is how I imagine Vulcans are.

The introduction of IDIC truly was pretty random! I did like the idea of Spock trying to compliment her and not really landing it, because that’s just the awkward nerd sort of thing he would do. But it’s weird that the phrase has never been introduced before, and also that even within this episode, it’s only obliquely explained.

I’m not actually sure if I’ve seen the next ep or not. I don’t think so, but it’s possible I did and just don’t remember it very well…

#the year 2021 #2021: star trek #2021: fandom thoughts #star trek tos

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fantroll-purgatory · 4 years

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@theshieldswordandcrown

I’d like it if you guys could look over my tea man for me! (Art by my friend lythaeriahomestucks. I haven’t made him a sprite yet.

Oofadoofa it’s been a while. Hi I hope your roleplay group is fun!

World: Alternia, but the draft is a lot further off than in canon, because none of my group is interested in roleplaying interstellar space battles or politics, especially considering the amount of setup that would have to go into making deep space believable. Though I think Friendsim’s stated they’re dragged off planet at 9 sweeps, so he’d still have a little time before getting dragged underground anyway.

Name: Oolong Matcha. Yes, they’re both types of tea. It started off as a quick joke, but I’ve grown to love it. Not only is matcha green, like his blood, but he’s a gardener, and really enjoys tea.

Mmmmm I mean joke trolls are famously canon in Homestuck. See: SWIFER EGGMOP or the salt and pepper shaker troll BUTTT mmmm. I feel like naming a character based at least partially on Japanese monks Oolong would deserve some side-eye. But I like the matcha bit! So let’s see…I like him being a gardener since monastic gardens were very much A Thing, and one of the famous still-extant ones is at Rievaulx abbey, so maybe we give him RIVULX, which sounds sufficiently trollish and is obvious enough for someone to get the reference.

Age: 9.69 Sweeps, or 21 Earth years.

Theme/Story: He’s partially themed after monks, specifically Irish and Japanese, which was originally an excuse for his bald head, but ended up influencing his clothing, calm demeanor, and lusus. I was also, oddly, thinking of 4chan – not maniacs like /pol/, but just average people who don’t get out enough, like to chatter about anime or cooking, and generally act like a bit of a dipshit. Fatherhood is definitely a theme with him as well – he’s already a father figure to two other trolls.

Hmmm. I like the broad concept, but I think we can tighten up a little on the “monk” theme by expanding it. Review Goals: General overview, classpecting advice, filling in missing details like fetch modus or lunar sway, etc.

Strife Specibus: He greatly prefers to snipe threats before they reach him, but if he’s forced into melee, he’ll grab a pipe and go berserker nuts. He takes satisfaction in neutralizing threats, especially if he’s protecting someone or something. He’s not averse to talking things out, but dislikes putting others on the line.

Hmm. None of that is a strife specibus, though I suppose you’re going for riflekind and pipekind. Generally void players use fistkind since it’s the absence of a weapon, but if you want to give him another option besides hand-to-hand melee may I suggest poisonkind? He could use something from his garden, like monkshood :3c. Or if you want to give him a melee weapon he could use the sansetsukon per the 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which would double as a symbol reminder since he could arrange the segments in a backwards s. Fetch Modus: ;;3;; I have absolutely no idea.

What about a clue modus where the items are obscured but contain details describing them? With the caveat that some of them will have similar color/taste/textures listed. I think this might be fun because there are actually *two* famous detectives with the last name Monk, Adrian Monk and William Monk.

Blood Color: Jade.

That works great, especially with Friendsim’s reveal that many jades are indeed monastic/cloistered.

Lunar Sway: Not sure.

Given that he’s a monk and you have painted him as someone unlikely to cause conflict or rebel against the system, I think he’d be a Prospit dreamer.

Title: Knight of Void, someone who exploits what little secrecy and irrelevance he has for all it’s worth. He was first conceived as a Bard, to fit into a fansession, but I eventually decided it didn’t fit what the character had developed to be.

Symbol and Meaning: I made it up, and it doesn’t have a name. It’s an infinity symbol, broken in the center - like this, but flipped 90 degrees clockwise. I guess it could tie into his aspect by…destroying infinity, I guess, but I really haven’t put that much thought into it.

If we’re going by the EZ, he would be Virittanius, the Deliberate. Which I think fits him quite well! It also looks like a further corruption of the sign you gave him, so I may toy with that a little in the redesign. Handle: I feel like I might have given him a serious handle at one point, but if I did, I forgot it, so for now, it’s oolongMatcha. Just his name. Considering his classpect and desire for secrecy, this makes about as much sense as a rain barrel made out of crackers, but I’m not sure what to give him.

Since his new initials are RM, maybe revenantMyiopsitta. Revenant, of course, to hint at the fact that he’s part of the blood caste most commonly associated with rebirth after death, and Myiopsitta being the genus for two types of parakeet: the cliff parakeet and the monk parakeet. So we have his true identity as well as the unusual nature of his hive, both concealed in plain sight. Quirk: he types in all lower case and likes putting his horns in his emoticons! ’:) Maybe doing it like (:; would make more sense, as it’s his right (our left) horn that’s busted.

I like it! Depending on his redesign you may also want him to uƨe backwardƨ ƨ’ƨ to mimic hiƨ ƨymbol.

Special Abilities: Supreme Dadliness. Jokes aside, he’s a crack shot, even with his impeded vision, and has been successfully flying under the radar his whole life.

If you still want him to be a crack shot even with the changes I suggested above, maybe he uses blowdarts to poison his enemies from afar?

Lusus: His father is a MASSIVE white snake; I was thinking some kind of constrictor. Personality-wise, he’s close to a prototypical 50s dad. He’s a safe haven for his son and those his baby cares about, and is exceedingly patient, to the point of letting a small child fingerpaint on him. He’s also willing to carry Oolong in emergencies, though I’m not really certain that would work in real life, movement-wise.

I feel like the snake can be a little overplayed as a lusus. If we want to give him something similar to a mother grub as a jadeblood, why not a massive butterfly based on the monk/dusky friar? It also gives you the mechanics for how his dadderfly would carry him around in emergencies.

Interests: He used to spend a lot of time alone on the internet - I originally conceptualized him as a very lonely NEET, to the point he had to find his wallet to remember his own name - but has become more adventurous and friendly, spending more time with his girlfriend and friends (and he has friends now!) He’s very proud of his garden and fruit trees, some of which are rare, difficult to grow properly, and/or dangerous (offering more security).

Huh! You don’t explain *how* he goes from isolated to friendly, but I’d hope that gardening is a way for him to reach out to others since it’s a hobby you can commit to on your own but bond with other hobbyists.

Hive: He lives out in the woods by himself, though not so far from other trolls that he can’t take the day to go shopping or see his mate. His hive is surrounded by his garden on all sides, and has a very visible path down the center (making it easy for him to see anyone approaching, and shoot if they’re a threat). Trees surround it, and dangerous plants are strategically placed to make going through his garden unpleasant at best (it also makes weeding a pain, but he thinks it’s worth it). His hive is especially unusual in that the porch is raised up to the second floor with large poles, and you have to use a ladder to get up to it (unless you’re snakedad, in which case you go up the poles). He has a remote so he can let it down from the ground, as well as access to it on the platform, so he can let people up himself. I don’t think the ground level has a door. I’d be happy to submit pictures, if you want.

Feel free to show us pictures, but I like the concept a lot!

Appearance: Tall and rail-thin, excepting his oddly curvy hips. (I figured due to jades being majority female, developing jade males might be exposed to more than the usual amount of estrogen and androgens. Also I’m way more used to drawing women than men and his initial outline was a gal for like ten minutes.) He shaves his head bald. (This is because A) I didn’t want to bother trying to figure out men’s hair - I almost never draw dudes - and B) he’s partially themed after monks, who often shave their heads. I don’t remember why he says he does it.)

…man, I’m gonna take issue with the way you phrased this description. There’s a lot of gender essentialism going on in your explanation there, and given that a number of us mods are trans and nonbinary I feel obligated to point out a few things:

1) Trolls are bugs. They’re not even mammals. They aren’t exposed to androgen or estrogen or any hormone to give them a certain body shape. It is quite heavily implied that when the mother grub gives birth it is to a bunch of larvae.

2) I know that Homestuck lore has given us largely jade girls and one jade trans guy but that’s no reason to assume that jade men are broadly more “feminine” by default in *any* dimension

3) Even if trolls *did* work like humans, it rubs me the wrong way to see someone talking about a man’s “oddly” curvy hips like I’ve got guy friends both trans and cis with wide hips and the only reason to remark on it at all is because We Live In A Society that forcibly genders people in relation to physical characteristics.

…So I am otherwise taking your description at face value. ______ Matcha is tall, rail thin, with curvy hips and a bald head. I will probably add some little fangs, per the Alternian fashion guide.

He wears leggings (unless it’s very hot) and long tunics or robes, usually tan, with his symbol emblazoned on the breast. He goes barefoot if he can. His right (our left) horn is broken, due to an accident in his youth (I think he fell onto something?), amusingly improving his vision, since his unbroken left horn points in front of his left eye, obscuring it somewhat. His face could almost be described as delicate, and his default expression is calm.

I don’t knooooow that tan is a color trolls wear all that often in Alternia, so I will see how I can rework that in the redesign. I get him being barefoot, but I may give it a shot spriting him monk shoes for if he wants to go on an outing. :3c For his broken horn…hm. When we see trolls with physical damage, it is almost always something more significant than just “childhood accident” (see: every troll in Homestuck except Equius who somehow had like 3 simultaneous accidents?). I have an idea for his horns that I will get to in the redesign, and I will probably add a hook to his front horn, both because it’s a jadeblood trait and because it seems suitably horrifying to constantly have a sharp implement millimeters from your eye.

Personality: Oolong is a nice, fatherly young man, well regarded by most he meets. He really really likes tea. He has a beautiful, dangerous mafiosa matesprite in a rustblood named Andora Ingenu, and they adore each other. He’s also taken on the substitute dad role for an adorable young fuschia who lives in the swamp near his forest, Lillie Waters, teaching her how to cook (and keep her tools clean) and rescuing her from other fuschias. He’s very protective of his and his loved ones’ privacy and safety, and spends a LOT of his time in the massive gardens around his hive, of which he’s deservedly proud. He is very good at being sneaky, and sometimes takes the time to run around seeing what he can get away with, especially in the realm of snatching seeds up for his garden. He sells whatever plants he can grow for money, especially fruits and vegetables, but he doesn’t really enjoy sales. He doesn’t put a lot of stock in blood superiority, but doesn’t make a big deal out of it. He’s oddly well adjusted for someone who spent most of his life alone.

I like this description! Also looking at his close compatriots, it looks like I can swap the tan in his design for rust or fuchsia. We already see jadebloods wearing a fair amount in the red/burgundy/purple spectrum, so it should fit right in with the others.

Land: I don’t remember if I’ve come up with one. If I did, I feel like it may have heavily wooded areas, dark and tangled and difficult to navigate.

Hmmm. What about Land of Rough and Reflection (LORAR)? Covered in rough terrain, with pools to contemplate oneself. Unbeknownst to your troll, there are switches at the bottom of each lake (deeper than he could ever hope to dive and hold his breath) that must be flipped to drain the lakes and free the consorts from the underwater caves in which they’ve been trapped for generations. His land would initially seem completely empty and without guidance, and it neatly parallels his own situation before he began to socialize.

I hope you like him! :) I’d love to see what you guys think of him.

He’s certainly an interesting troll, and I hope I’ve helped by way of sharpening up on his theme! Let’s move on to the redesign.

Top to bottom as usual!

Hair - I gave him some stubble courtesy of fan-troll (I have never managed a post without plugging fan-troll/tajazzled’s sprite sheet and I’m not gonna stop now)

Horns - I wanted to make his other horn sort of…curve away from his head so it looks like his symbol from above?

Eyes and brows - they didn’t change but big ups to fan-troll for giving me bases to modify!

Mouth - this is a modification of Sollux’s mouth but I gave him lil fangs and a little lower lip definition

Robes - I just modified some of Kanaya’s robes, appropriately enough! I decided to go for a red/pink shade that was between rust and fuchsia so he could fit in while subtly broadcasting his allegiance

Shoes - they’re John’s but with buckles! :B monk shoes

Aaaand that’s about it for my critique! I hope this helped!

-TR

#jadeblood #submission #oolong matcha #oolong #matcha #theshieldswordandcrown #rivulx #rivulx matcha #review #redesign #tr review

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melissatreglia · 5 years

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Did You Miss Me?: Darkiplier in 2018

For the most part, 2018 was a quiet year. In contrast with 2017, where we were gratified to see Dark's monochromatic visage throughout the year, 2018 carried playful hints and teasing of the elusive entity's presence but no confirmation. There were thumbnails and quick flashes that indicated He was continuing to pull strings, ensuring that His presence was felt but His face never really seen.

Throughout 2017, He'd show up during what us mere mortals consider major holidays or important events. Valentine's Day. Easter. Even Cinco de Mayo got a nod. And of course, the infamous Friday the 13th late in the year.

But 2018? He apparently decided to stay home in the void during our days of revelry, with the possible (though not confirmed) exception of the decidedly strange Fall in Love with Markiplier video for Valentine's Day. And for the TWO Friday the 13ths in 2018? He was a no-show. In 2017, He'd returned to shake things up in our safe little lives... and in 2018, He left us wanting more, like the skilled manipulative seducer He is.

Getting Over It, Part 8 included a thumbnail with Mark's dour expression and a suspiciously familiar colour scheme. The thumbnail for WATCH OUT!! had Mark reaching for us in a state of panic (which belied the contents of the video itself).

Try Not to Smile Challenge #3, while the smile-free serial killer laugh is creepy, it's not a Darkiplier moment. Though, him joking near the end of the video that people who didn’t smile at some point during the video are "soulless demons" does seem to be a Darkiplier reference of some kind (or maybe a Devilplier reference, since the Cuphead song was released just two months later)?

In Madison, when his game character watches a television that glitches and fades to static, Mark fearfully squeaks, "Darkiplier, is that You?!" While in the description for End My Suffering, just ten days later, Mark wailed, "What malevolent being did I piss off to be cursed like this!"

Brother Wake Up promised "I’ll try to help in whatever way I can but you have to wake up!" Which, while it fit perfectly with the title of the game, the description also fit pretty damn well into the channel lore too. And Umfend's description was likewise ominous: "You shouldn't have forgotten about me... I'll make you remember..."

Meanwhile, the title for the video of Welcome The The Game 2.0 doubles as a callback to an earlier Darkiplier moment: "Don't Play This Game". Horns of Fear did it one better, with the thumbnail featuring many eyes staring out at the viewer (again with an all-too-familiar colour scheme), while the title warned us "DON'T LOOK AWAY..."

In the Warframe playthrough late in the year, Mark's camera briefly freezes. But in 3 Scary Games #9, his camera freezes repeatedly before glitching back to normal, and he implies that "there's something else" messing with the camera. In 5 Nostalgic Games, when Mark gives the definition of ubiquitous and bares his teeth while saying "We're learning today!", the video suddenly glitches.

The thumbnail for Markiplier has fled the country had Mark lunging at the camera, his face completely darkened by shadow. And the thumbnail for 3.75 Scary Games blatantly toyed with the fandom with text shouting "DARKIPLIER?"

And the fanbaiting didn't stop there. More thumbnails that hinted at Dark included a hand bathed in blue light reaching out to the viewer for the fittingly titled The Devil Haunts Me, and a cartoon of Mark cowering away from Dark's furious glare for You're Perfect.

Markiplier's Tour: The Movie featured the improv teacher stating that Markiplier wasn't at the shows. "I don't know who that guy was, but it wasn't him." Even the Markiplier Animated short I've Got Boobs?! features a brief scene of a shadowy Darkiplier rising from a well and whispering something unintelligible.

For the most part however, the teasing came directly from out of Mark’s mouth.

In 3 Scary Games #5, Mark jokes that a ghost (clad in the classic white sheet and glitching somewhat) is Darkiplier. 3 Scary Games #13, the first (jokey) game called "Death Trips" features RGB text and Mark narrating in an echoing voice. In Midnight Shift, a game where Mark is memorably being chased by mannequins, he jokes that an RGB poster on a wall is "expricitly [sic] Darkiplier". In SCP Containment Breach #57, Mark jokes when he sees the intro screen of a pretty lady in 3D with an open third eye, "Look at this Darkiplier ass thing... it's like Celine, straight out of [Who Killed Markiplier?]".

In 3 FNAF Fan Games, he even chortles that the game has “Darkiplier letters.” In Devil Daggers, he scoffs, “A high-pitched ringing in the darkness. That’s always good.”

[Image captured by me, on June 3, 2018.]

Just before midsummer, I received a pleasant surprise. In Imscared: Steam Edition, Mark says "I gotta go get back into the Shadow Realm, the Upside Down." Which, personally, made me very happy at the time. Since I first became active on Tumblr in July 2017, I've been referring to Dark's void dimension as the Shadow Realm, while Mark has referred to it in the past as the Upside Down, making the link fairly clear in this statement. (Somehow, whether by happy accident or serendipity, my terminology and its proper context made its way to Mark. As a fan, I can't describe how pleased that made me, to know he might have actually seen something I’ve made.)

(But enough about me. I’m just an obsessive Darkiplier fangirl. So let’s get back to cataloging all the hinty goodness!)

By this point, you’re probably wondering, “Okay, so all those hints are decent. But where the hell is Dark in all of this?!” But that’s the point, my friends: He was there the whole time. In brief flashes of imagery, in hints and innuendo. Unseen, but his presence clearly felt as our expectations were played with by our channel host.

We expected a wild ride at the beginning, when Mark made two brief livestreams on January 5th, wandering through the theatre he was slated to play for the You’re Welcome Tour.

The first of the two, “What’s Going In?!”, he showed us the back area of the Paramount Theatre, using only improvised narration and acting to build an atmosphere of dread. He claimed the theatre was haunted, and that he could smell “the scent of death”, ultimately vowing to protect those who would be visiting the theatre to see him that night. He also declares the EXIT a trap, before being pursued by an unseen entity.

The drama continued with “...” (a title that is impossible to find using Youtube’s search options), that begins with an eerie quiet. Tyler eventually finds Mark’s dropped phone. He asks the viewers where Mark is, before going on a search. He’s eventually attacked from behind and the stream cuts off, leaving those who weren’t at the show that night to wonder how the matter resolved.

In Simulacra, there's a brief flash of Mark in his Big Mood outfit with text saying "WAKE UP". When the simulacra changes the colour of the cellphone's display and begins to speak in a calm, creepy voice, Mark reflexively responds, "Darkiplier?" and sounding unnerved at the mention of "behind your black mirrors", then being stunned as the screen appears to crack.

At the end of Simulacra, he gives an uncharacteristically downbeat speech, declaring that "We're all just digital copies of ourselves, idealized in a digital form. And maybe that's the way that life is just supposed to be. Maybe we should all just roll over and accept it, because there's nothing that we can do to change our fates, after all. And who's to say that it's not better for us just to wear the masks that are our digital personas, and live our lives as those? Maybe that is for the best."

The How To Make Slime video goes from harmlessly silly and takes a twist for the stabby. Mark declares "In order to appease the Dark Gods..." then he instructs the viewer to slice their palm and "whisper the words of power." The words in question? "They shall rise. They shall consume. All will be lost when they rise from the darkness of the ocean. Madness opens up to everything." When the making of the slime is concluded, he adds that "We all get to enjoy three years of peace before the Dark Gods consume us all."

I have no idea what that means, but I’m pretty sure it may involve Cthulhu chomping on my kidneys. (Then again, Darkiplier is a Lovecraftian monstrosity Himself. So, if it’s Him who’s one of the Dark Gods? He can have a kidney from me if He’s really that hungry. Kidneys are a redundant system anyway, so you really only need one.)

April Fool’s Day brought us the gag gift of The Official Markiplier Rock, with a suspiciously deep voice informing us that the rock is available in white. Additionally, the video warned to alert the SCP Foundation if the rock appears to start talking! (What? My rock has been talking to me since I got it, and there’s nothing wrong with me!)

Baldi’s Basics: Secret Ending featured an explanation about attaining the secret ending, with Mark’s otherwise normal voice echoing slightly with subtle white noise effects. (Hmmm...)

In December, for the charity livestream and archived in a video called Santa Spills The Tea, a Santa Claus that sounded suspiciously like Wilford Warfstache declared that Dark, the master manipulator and Big Bad of Mark’s channel, was a “sweetheart! He shouts a lot, but he’s just a big ol’ pussy. He can’t even possibly… he didn’t hurt anybody! He didn’t kill one person! If there’s anybody who’s on my naughty li— uh, on my list of people who’ve been bad, he’s the only one not on it.” (And mind you, in 2017′s Markiplier TV, Wilford sang a little ditty about how he killed Santa Claus and the kids wouldn’t be getting any presents that year. And Dark still convinced us to shoot someone in A Date With Markiplier, while apparently feigning regret. But heck, use your own judgement.)

Mark also dropped one heck of a hint of things to come in, of all places, Markiplier Tries Korean Beauty Products. There, the descriptive intro to the following year’s DAMIEN animated feature can be heard at one point. “Snow blankets the field, a pristine meadow of untouched white. No animals call. No birds cry. Only the steady rustling of wind through dead trees accented by the impact of his axe. A crack-like thunder rings out as the ancient pine finally succumbs to his murderous assault. The old giant crashes into the ground. Dami-”

Wilford Motherloving Warfstache was, of course, focused on the mustachioed entity. But there were elements to the short film that felt like Darkiplier was watching along with us. Particularly the VHS-style glitch at the end of the film.

Of course, there were only three videos that year that potentially contained Darkiplier himself.

One candidate is Fall in Love with Markiplier. Yes, the name on the title is Mark’s... but is it really him? The entirety of the film is a fourteen minute staring contest with Mark, as he lovingly (and somehow also creepily) gazes at the viewer in different settings -- by the ocean, at a dog park, and in a bubble bath. The only spoken words are in the intro, over the strains of the music from A Date with Markiplier: “It’s scientifically proven that you can fall in love with someone simply by maintaining eye-contact for an extended period of time. So now, you can fall in love with Markiplier all over again in these three locations. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

The second candidate is World’s 5th Quietest Let’s Play, released just 5 days prior to the Let’s Have a Romantic Staring Contest video. Unlike the previously mentioned video, there’s more going on this time around. The game to be played quietly this time around is Bennett Foddy’s infamous rage-inducing creation “Getting Over It”.

He threatens the developer with the words, “You will see the inside of your entrails, when I drag them out of your abdomen and show them to you.” (Ah, how romantic.) He goes even further than that, saying soon after, “This is a representation of My sins... You will be purged in the fires of absolution, along with all of your ilk. I will burn the heretics that you are harbouring inside of your soul... I will destroy you.” (Now there’s the smite-happy Hellgod we all love!)

But He doesn’t stop there, snarling under His breath, “You will burn in the fires of My own hell! And I will choose your pain to last eternity!” However, He is ultimately defeated by the game, departing our company with “Alas, I leave you now, to slumber amongst the ancients.” (Aww, poor guy needs a hug. And I know just who’s ready to snuggle with Him...)

But the last of the video to potentially contain Darkiplier is... the four-hour long play through of Hearts & Heroes. Is it canon Dark? No, probably not. It’s a fan game, though the words of dialogue are acted out by Mark himself. But rather than simply recounting key phrases for you, here’s the Boss Battle between Mark’s team and Dark, edited by the lovely icedpinkpeebles (Mark’s goofy character names and all!):

youtube

So, what does all of this ultimately mean? Why did Darkiplier fade into the background in 2018? And, most importantly, what is He up to now?

The truth is I don’t know any more than you do. I can only guess.

But I can tell you this: We don’t know Darkiplier as well as we all think we do. Many of us (including me) fully expected Dark to raise hell following the events of the jokey Darkiplier vs Antisepticeye video in 2017 (because He did mention how He hates being mocked!). And while we did get more Dark at the end of that year, it was in the form of an origin story.

Whatever Dark’s planning, we’re not going to see it coming. Because He’s playing a long game. And when you’re immortal like He is, you have all the time in the world to get what you want. Be it for love or revenge, Darkiplier remains a force to be reckoned with.

But here we are, in the eye of the storm. Only time will tell before the final wrath of the hurricane makes landfall.

#markiplier #darkiplier #markiplier fandom #darkiplier fandom #iplier egos #dark egos #2018 recap #vid: simulacra #vid: how to make slime #vid: santa spills the tea #vid: fall in love with markiplier #vid: world's 5th quietest let's play #hearts and heroes

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abundantchewtoys · 4 years

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Homestuck^2 re: Chapter 3 “How Are Your Feelings” p96-118

So, the next chapter appears to be about an attempted feelings jam.

I think it might be too early yet for the pursuing crew, so maybe we'll have a look at Karkat and Meenah?

Though if there's ever a way for the pursuing crew or Dirk's crew to meet up with the new teens, I'm fully expecting Vrissy to have a "mom?" moment re: Kanaya or Rosebot.

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Page 96

OOoooh!! Okay, so I was wrong.

Hah, that does look like something Jake would do - build a fleet of wildy different space ships.

Plus, it's an emerald pirate ship... In pursuit of a great white whale- I mean shark. Hah!

So yeah... It's been three years since Rose and Kanaya were together. :/

I suspect the crew is made up out of Dave, Karkat, Jade (perhaps possessed) and Roxy. But that'd mean Jane had the run of Earth C for all this time, and Calliope is back there in a worsening political climate.

Hmmm... Maybe Roxy would have chosen to bring their partner along though. Even though Callie is upset by the presence of her other self. In any case, I wonder what they look like! Whether they're still a deadringer for Dave.

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Page 97

Pfff, what an exhaust pipe. I love the visual pun.

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Page 98

Woooww, this reminds me of Problem Sleuth / Midnight Crew visuals! So purple though. Whose room is this, Roxy's? (It might be closer to violet than purple.)

Ooh boy, Calliope's about to take over the narrative. So she hasn't let poor Jade out of her grasp, or at least not definitely.

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Page 99

D'aaaaahh, she's a frickin devil now. PFfffffffff, this is Dave and Karkat's room! Glad to see Davekat's still canon.

I bet this might be a recurring occurence, Jade/Calliope coming in at the most impossible hours bearing ominous tidings.

Hihih, so she's taken over the command box only for now. I suppose it's a clever way to show she could still take over the narrative is she was so inclined.

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Page 100

Dave is more upset with Karkat than Jade, pffff.

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Page 101

Ooooh, new outfits! Wait, Calliope made herself a new outfit. :/ She's getting comfortable in that new body.

Karkat has a Time shirt for a pyjama, hahah. I'm pretty sure he fell on his sweater, which probably still bears the Cancer sign.

Cool to have a squinting version of Dave's sprite. Now all we still need is one with his eyes wide open, but this is a start.

I'd start wondering if Calliope's starting to be a bit lonely, reaching out to Karkat and Dave like this with her message. And yup, she does it all the time. Dave's blasé about it.

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Page 102

Welp! Jade's doing the Possesion 180-degree turn of the head now.

Return of the gross, oil-slick coffee machine from the meteor, maybe? :P

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Page 103

Oh cool, at first glance Roxy's appearance is that jarring. Maybe her coup is a little shorter than before, but not as short as she wore it during the Meat epilogues, near the end. Guess she might be working through some of the same things as Candy Roxy and understanding she doesn't have to go all non-binary if that isn't where her heart is up at in.

Also, cool shades! Though, of course, a Heart is a bit of a faux pas perhaps, giving who they're chasing. :P

So Jade at least spent the first part of the voyage more silent. But as her powers grow, she has more control over Jade's body. :/

Cool, Dave has Karkat's shirt as part of his jammies. Roxy just went with a full on hoodie. At least I think it's her jammies, she's reading at the kitchen table but it's probably still night.

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Page 104

Pfff. Welp. Yes Roxy, mirroring what you think your ancestors were doing ends up looking dumber when you actually meet them in person.

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Page 105

ooooh, okay, so her hair is back to mirroring Dave's coupe. Roxy's hair is a bird pass it on. I love the sprite art, also of the kitchen itself.

Cool to have a comparison is size between meteor and this ship. Though with even less to explore, I can see how things might have grown dull around here. Also confirmation of Roxy's pronoun change, still a thing.

And I have a feeling Dave and Kanaya are in for a feelings jam.

Blaperile has a point, maybe Calliope commands the attention of the narrative, but she commands the narrative itself, so she can make the story follow Dave instead, as he goes to find Kanaya.

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Page 106

Cool, even the inside looks like a pirate ship. Jake's quite taken with matters of appearances, practicalities be damned! :P

I suppose alchemizing a spaceship and a sailing boat would result in still a viable means to cross the void, the physics behind alchemization would ensure it.

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Page 107

That appears to be a different hairstyle or hood. ... Is she wearing a grieving gown?

Maybe she's contemplating how she's ended up here, having to deal with another clown coming between her and her loved ones. I wonder how much harm she's wishing to heap onto Dirk, I mean.

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Page 108

Aww, that rose in her hood.

And yup, Dave has it pinned down: they keep finding themselves either literally or figuratively chasing through the void, with no idea what's coming. You know, remembering how Dave saw the meteor as his first real home, I get the idea he might be the most in his element here. But he knows it's not a healthy pastime.

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Page 109

She's wearing a ribbon much like Rose used to wear.

What story could Rose have reserved for reading to grubs, and what are the odds Vrissy knows the story as well, having been raised by Rose?

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Page 110

It is on point for both Kanaya to read too much into Rose's story, as well as Rose putting all that symbolism in it on purpose.

... Aww, she's really hurting. But through the hurt she's started to wonder, perhaps in an attempt to limit her pain, whether she isn't being manipulated into feeling like this. At this point, it could really be either.

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Page 111

Wow. Okay, Dave's really opening up here to Kanaya. It was actually a relationship I didn't really see evolving due to both of their inherent awkwardness.

But that's Dave for you. If you find a place in his heart, he'll die before he lets you go into harm's way alone.

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Page 113

Turntable gesture! And okay, yes, via Dave it's shown Roxy's back to identifying male after the past few years.

Yes, his and Karkat shit has definitely changed, for one, Karkat almost unabashedly acknowledges they're matesprits back there in the kitchen.

And it's Kanaya who does the title drop after all, not Dave like I was starting to think.

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Page 114

Awww, yeah, Dave is really the only one left of the old B1 crew in a normal state of mind. Here's to hoping his brush with Davebot doesn't leave him in a state like Callie.

And yes, Dirk has shown his true colours, and Dave is feeling like a runt for ever thinking he could be different from his Bro. :/ Poor guy, I feel for him.

Meanwhile, he innocently hopes that Dirk's influence was the only thing causing Jane and Jake not being good leaders for Earth. Too bad we know the alternative is far from good.

Though he's also oversimplifying, since he himself said that Earth C society wasn't sustainable in the long run, they just sped things up.

Aww, he admits to feeling more in his element out here. Yeah, I very much understand that. It's easier to deal with fewer people in your social circles, a lot of the time.

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Page 116

Ah, the other side of the coin. Dave and Kanaya are bonding over Rose. Karkat and Roxy are kind of related as well through Dave.

Oooooh, so Calliope DID come along. Brave of her, with how "Jade" unnerves her so.

Karkat's right, the people that left weren't really so close to him as to others, he mostly here to support Dave! But of course we know he really would be good at leading at least a rebellion. Though it wouldn't really feel fulfilling either.

I wonder what's in store for Karkat, in fact, if it isn't to be a leader.

"KARKAT: I LITERALLY FOUGHT PEOPLE FOR CONTROL OF THE TEAM, AND WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY FRIENDS BESIDES KANAYA DIED. KARKAT: ACTUALLY, SHE DID DIE! KARKAT: FUCK! KARKAT: I’M ZERO FOR ZERO! ROXY: ur kinda an intense dude anybody ever tell u that KARKAT: NO."

Best interaction. Is Roxy really going to help Karkat deal with something here? :P

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Page 117

Hah! Yes, well, I guess Karkat already has his win state the way he wants it! Though he's still feeling conflicted about it on some level, but that's just the type of person he is.

Roxy's REALLY gunning to make pancakes, hahah. Guess a part of her really is good at the whole caring thing.

---

I definitely like the pacing of the chapters so far. Good combo of visuals and conversation.

#homestuck #homestuck^2 #reaction #homestuck^2 chapter 3 #roxy lalonde #dave strider #kanaya maryam #karkat vantas #alternate calliope #liveblogging homestuck

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hippychick006 · 5 years

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14.15 - Peace of Mind

I thought I’d do one of these for the current season.

Meh is the word that comes to mind for this episode. Not great, not a stinker, just meh. Would I recommend it as a watch? Possibly as background while you are doing more important stuff like cleaning.

If it hadn’t already been yet another episode separating Sam and Dean in an entire season where Sam and Dean have been separated (with only a few exceptions), it might have been okay. I really don’t think I’m complaining needlessly. To put it into perspective, the people that I’m watching for (that by their own admission, the show say that the audience is watching for) had a grand total of 108 seconds sharing the same scenes this entire episode. 108 seconds and 50 of those were shared with Castiel. And I’m just trying to imagine any other show doing this. Like Starsky ditching Hutch constantly and going on investigations with side characters like Huggy Bear (because Huggy Bear is no longer just an informant, he’s an investigator because he’s a “fan favourite” character and his fans constantly ask, Where’s Huggy Bear so they made him part of the team even though he doesn’t fit). WTF even is this?

Moving on...

The story is credited to Steve Yockey/Meghan Fitzmartin and the teleplay to Meghan Fitzmartin. This is the one people were a little worried about, given Meghan appears to be an open Destiel shipper (which has no place in the writers room or for anyone working on the show - completely unprofessional for anyone working to do anything that might give rise to calls of bias). From what I can gather, Destiel fans appear to love Steve as they think any gay/bi character he writes is a parallel for Destiel. It isn’t and although Steve’s given us a mixed bag, he did give us the witch twins in Celebrating the life of Asa Fox and Twigs & Twine and Tasha Banes. I love the witch twins, great new, interesting characters that we no longer see because the show is obsessed with old, tired, done to death characters that only a very small, very loud section of fandom harp on about). Sighs tiredly and moves on.

Reading between the lines, I think there was a close eye kept on this one and I think it worked because I can’t for the life of me see anything at all that’s a nod to Destiel. If anything, the Sastiel shippers got all the cookies and good for them. Enjoy those cookies Sastielers! I’ll be over here drinking the hellers’ bitter tears.

I liked the opener, head go splody. Though the guy that played the gas station clerk was a very questionable choice by casting. If that had been his 1 minute, then fine, but no, we see him later in the episode and because of the known nepotism on the show, I’m automatically wondering if he’s child/brother/friend/third cousin twice removed of someone on the cast or crew because he is terrible (sorry kid, don’t listen to me, keep working at it, the only way is up).

Oh great, yet another Cass/Jack conversation. Cass is not the best at speaking to people as we’ll see later in the episode. Screams into the void about the distinct lack of Sam and Jack this season. I know we’re heading for something between them, but this is my problem (or one of many with Dabb). I think he has the weird view that if he rations the good stuff, then it makes it all the better when we get it. Not really, it just switches me off from watching the show. I want good every week, I don’t actually think that’s too much to expect from someone who is getting paid to entertain the audience and not bore them to death.

Anyway, Jack thinks his snake is sad and Castiel suggests it might be missing his former owner.

Ah, now Dean and Cass talk – is there a checklist? If so, it’s missing “Sam and Dean” on it. Interestingly, as I’ve pointed out many times before, their conversations revolve around other people; usually Sam, but Rowena and Jack get included, because “family”

Speaking of Sam, we switch to him and see he’s having flashbacks of the dead hunters, so he really isn’t doing good. Appears he’s trying to keep his mind off things by hunting constantly and has found another case. He walks in on the awkward silence between Castiel and Dean (not awkward because he caught them awkward, just awkward because they’ve got nothing in common, other than talking about Sam and Jack and when that runs out it’s just... awkward). Dean says he needs a break, but Sam’s leaving in ten. End of.

Castiel: Maybe I should go with him and you can stay with Jack

Dean: Why?

Me: * Whispers * because Dabb hates us and he’s passive/aggressive about it.

Castiel: You were right… Jack is struggling, and I’ve tried…

Dean (interjecting): Why do you think he’ll talk to me

Castiel: Because he looks up to you (Dean rolls his eyes, so I don’t have to), and his soul, I mean… you’ve seen this before...

Me (interjecting again): You really think he’s the right person to handle someone soulless after he beat Sam beyond the point he was already unconscious. Seriously? I’m with Dean on this one.

Dean: No, no, no, see I was not great with Sam. You know when he was…

Thank you show for acknowledging this.

Castiel: Jack’s soul isn’t completely gone. At least I don’t think so, we just don’t know how much is left.

As I’ve already seen in other posts, my instant thought on this is “You can’t do the fist check?” I’m really tired of wondering what powers Castiel still has and what he doesn’t. They seem to switch them on and off as needed.

Dean asks how he’s supposed to know. Castiel says just talk to him, get him to open up.

I completely understand why Castiel is not going to the obvious person for this – duh, Sam of course – because he feels Sam is overburdened as it is and going though his own issues, so this does actually make sense for me and I’m fine with people trying to keep him out of it while they try and deal with it (It will go wrong though).

Castiel is driving and I seriously have to question Sam’s driving ability at this stage since he’s either happy to be chaperoned around or they don’t trust him in the driver’s seat. Also, all the beautiful classic cars in the bunker and this is the clunker Castiel chooses to drive around in? Would some soap and wax go amiss?

We’re back with Griffin from earlier and least said about this scene the better. The guy is just terrible. Sorry, but he is and unsurprisingly, only has 1 other credit as “Asian teenager” before getting this part.

I love the drive through the town. It’s obvious something is going on with all the clothes dating back to I’m guessing the 50’s. Castiel: “It’s like we’re stepping into a Saturday evening post.” Sam at least knows what this is, he’s just surprised that Castiel does. I however have no clue, so had to google it and it’s a magazine that ran from 1897 to 1969. Here’s one of the covers:

Men doing menly things and women… I’m kind of not sure what she’s supposed to be doing. I think looking clueless at the engine. Anyway, Sam looks at Castiel who explains that he “looks at them sometimes after you fall asleep at night.” Sastiel for the win on this one! Who isn’t picturing Castiel sitting up on the bed reading while Sam sleeps, hmmm? Because as we all know, Castiel has zero boundaries when it comes to personal space and Sam’s not likely to call him out on it, because he’s used to having his personal space invaded..

I like that they are five minutes into the hunt and they already want to call Dean. They can’t though as no cell signal, so they are on their own.

We meet Justin Smith (the first). I like him, he’s swell. But he’s yet another clue that all is not right here, not least because he doesn’t know what a cell phone is. My first suspect of being a witch is his stepford wife, so we’ll keep an eye on her.

We head to Harrington’s for a milkshake. They’re looking around and the place is straight out the 50s, but I’ve been in diners that are set up like this, so it shouldn’t actually be that unusual. What is unusual, is that Sam accepts a free milkshake from the waitress (Sunny) in a town that he’s investigating and that clearly is under the influence of something. Let’s put this down to Sam being tired (*whispers lazy plot driven writing).

Chip points them to the boarding house where splody head guy was staying. I love the boarding house, but would have to change the outside colour. I also love that everyone knows who they are, and the owner of the guest house is no exception. Small towns really are like this.

Back with Dean and Jack. Jack’s trying out different food with the snake. Dean investigates a Chinese take-out container that he quickly discovers contains live mice and not take-out. He suggests going out with Jack for a drive. Jack is hopeful for a hunt, but Dean says more of a field trip. Jack’s okay with that, but first Dean wants bacon. Of course he does.

At the boarding house, Sam and Cass are shown to splody head guy’s room. Sam asks for coffee, leaving Castiel free to search the room. He finds some letters under the mattress and is reading them as Sam comes back. And I know Jared has large hands (beautifully in proportion to the rest of him), but I think there is an element of also finding the tiniest teacups they can get a hold of. However, since this scene gives us another Sam drinks tea gif, I’m happy. Anyway, the letters are from Sunny and are explicit from the sound of them.

Sam says great, they’ll look into it tomorrow. He wants to stay at the boarding house because the landlady is making pot roast. Oh oh. Castiel for some reason lets this slide and leaves Sam overnight.

We’re now at my first suspects home with Justin Smith (the first). He’s still talking about cell phones. He’s started to remember who he is. He runs out of the house and his head goes splody. Poor guy.

I’m really not sure that Dean’s test for whether Jack has his soul is legit. Choosing Angel food cake or Devil food cake. Jack looks like he’s going to choose devil food cake which arouses Dean’s suspicions but at the last second, chooses angel food cake. Dean heaves a sigh of relief.

It’s the following day and Castiel goes to check on Sam who isn’t there. I like Mrs Dowling, the landlady who is cleaning and dancing. She tells him Sam was going for a walk and a milk shake.

Sam is not at the milk-shop place, but Sunny is there. Castiel seems to be as pissed off as I am that Sam repeatedly gets referred to as “the tall one”. Sunny tells him about Mr Smith dying so Castiel turns up to Mrs Smith’s house to investigate. Yet another house I like. Where are all these beautiful houses in Vancouver? Anyway, Mrs Smith doesn’t look all that upset that her husband has died. Castiel says he’s looking for his “partner” and that he’s tall with “beautiful hair”. He could have added “drop dead gorgeous” but it’s better than just “tall” so I’ll let it slide. Mrs Smith is clueless, and I have to question if she’s a robot at this point.

Castiel goes to sit in a chair and Mrs Smith screams. I have the exact same reaction after I’ve cleaned everywhere, and someone comes in and starts dumping their stuff all over the place. Castiel starts speaking about her dead husband but Mrs Smith laughs and asks if Castiel has already had a martini today. We hear someone call “honey” and I don’t know why they tried to hide the person in this scene because Jared has a very distinctive voice so we know it’s him.

I love this next scene though. We get “agent” from Castiel, but Sam responds that he is: “Justin… Justin Smith” then asks, “And you are?”

Castiel (winking): Your partner

Justin (still smiling): Partner? Super, that’s swell, great…

Justin (the second), asks Castiel to stick around as they are “having pot roast”. This seems to be a 50s staple. Thank Chuck the 70s added prawn cocktail and blackforest gateaux. I like to give Misha his due whenever possible and his confused face here is brilliant. Mrs Smith is sent off to make a martini and Castiel tries to get to the bottom of things. He’s still wondering if Sam is “under cover”. But no, Sam really thinks he’s Justin Smith and married. Mrs Smith comes back during this and says they are low on olives and asks “one or two”. Justin is a fussy one though and asks for “three” and adds that he’s “feeling adventurous.” Mrs Smith does a perfect “rawrrr”, Justin responds awkwardly “roarrrr”. I just can’t with Jared in this scene.

I didn’t pick up on it, but with the three olives and “feeling adventurous”, added to Castiel’s wink and “partner” comment from earlier, other people are suggesting threesomes. If that’s the case, Justin seems up for it.

While Mrs Smith goes to get more olives (or slip into something more comfortable - who knows at this stage), Sam asks Castiel if he wants one (get your mind out the gutter, he meant martini). Castiel tells him “Your name is Sam Winchester…” Justin: “So that’s a no no on the hootch?” Castiel’s had enough and commands Sam to “snap the hell out of it.”

Justin: Sir, you watch your mouth, if we cannot remain civil, then you can skedaddle.

Castiel: Sam…

Justin: That’s not my name. (He grabs Castiel to see him out). “Cindy, grab his hat.”

Castiel: I don’t wear a hat

Cindy: Honey, I don’t think he wore a hat

Justin: Fine.

He shows Castiel the door. “Sir, using language like that; h e double hockey sticks (Sam shakes his head and waggles his finger). You should have your mouth washed out with soap.

Castiel: Sam…

Justin: It’s Justin! (slams door closed).

Dean and Jack arrive at a house, Donatello comes running out. He and Jack go inside to chat and Dean waits outside. I think the next bit was supposed to be funny when Dean taps the car to check on the snake then slides along to get away from it. It wasn’t funny. And that isn’t on Jensen at all, he’s a really funny actor, it’s on the material. Don’t force the comedy elements. Yellow Fever was genius, this attempt is lame.

Donatello and Jack talk about souls. And in sharp contrast to Jared with the ridiculous tiny cup earlier, could they have found a bigger cup for Alex? Donatello tells Jack that not having a soul is a lack of pity, empathy, humanity. He asks what Jack feels. Jack doesn’t know. He doesn’t feel nothing, but he doesn’t feel the same either. He just doesn’t want Sam, Dean and Castiel to worry. Donatello, “They’re your family. Families worry.” (Family mention box ticked – phew, I really thought we were going to get through an entire episode without one). Donatello tells him he always asks himself “What would Mr Rogers do?” Jack asks who Mr Rogers is and Donatello answers, “The best man I know.”

Jack: Sam and Dean are the best men I know. (heh!) Look, I know Castiel isn’t a man, just let me have my petty moment in peace!

Donatello suggests that Jack thinks of WWWD. What would the Winchesters do. But considering the Winchesters have continually sacrificed themselves for the other, I’m not so sure this is such sterling advice.

Jack returns to Dean and Dean asks Donatello if Jack is okay and does he have his soul.

Donatello: I suppose the first question we must ask ourselves is… what is a soul?

Dean (I am not in the mood for your shit): Donny...

Donny says to keep an eye on him but if he says he’s okay, he probably is. He goes on to say that Jack is the most powerful being in the universe, who knows what goes on inside his head. They both turn to the car and Jack gives a dorky wave. Dean is not in the least reassured.

Back at Harrington’s milkshake place, Castiel has decided that Sunny is the witch. He says to tell him the truth or he’ll rip it from her mind (keep an eye on these powers, I’m pretty sure they won’t work the next episode).

Turns out not to be Sunny, but the mayor, he has Justin (the second) with him and he doesn’t look amused, he’s at least a little mildly ticked off with Castiel.

We then get villain monologue – why do villains do this? – Just get on with it. Long story short, Chip can make people do whatever he wants. Sunny runs out during this - I don’t blame her - and Chip runs after her, leaving Justin and a couple of other goons to deal with Castiel:

Castiel (to Sam): I won’t hurt you, Sam

Justin: Golly, I told you my name is Justin!

Justin is a terrible fighter, even someone as bad as Castiel normally is manages to put him on his back (Sastiel for the win). Castiel’s actually doing well this fight, but Justin suddenly realises he’s got height and weight advantage and lunges at Castiel, taking him down. He sees Castiel’s angel blade and pulls it from his sleeve – and if this was Dean and Castiel, the hellers would be going wild right about now, about Destiel being end game and true love (because nothing says true love like one partner trying to kill the other). Anyway, for anyone interested in the whole top/bottom debate, Sam is on top, but he’s cowgirl in this scene so I’m calling this topping from the bottom. Don’t @ me top!Sam people!

Moving on, Castiel does that thing where he talks, and he shouldn’t. He says he knows what it’s like to fail as a leader. That Sam needs to fight and not lose himself, because if he does, he fails them, all of those they lost, he fails Jack. He fails Dean. Sam raises the blade and slams it down…

So, a couple of things on that. The narrative once again saying Sam has “failed” in some way kind of completely sucks. Done with Sam being told things like that and everyone else getting told they did good (*coughs* letting Lucifer out of the cage the second time around *coughs*). But I’m sure I’ll get hurt!Sam out of it and Dean seems to be the trigger word for Sam to snap out of things so toxic co-dependent bros for the win.

…Sadly the blade slams into the diner flooring and Castiel lives to hunt another day (tries to summon up a “yay” but fails miserably). But Sam’s back to normal (yay!!!).

They exit the diner to stop Chip, who TK’s Castiel through the air and tries to kill Sam. Sunny’s had enough though and uses her own powers on Chip, trapping him inside his own mind.

Dean and Jack are back at the bunker. Dean asks Jack if he had a good time, Jack: “It was… illuminating.”

Before Dean can process that statement, Sam and Castiel are also back. Dean not one to miss some good brotherly ribbing: “I heard you wore a cardigan.” Sam turns to Castiel.

Castiel: Yeah, I told him about the cardigan.

Jealous!Dean alert: And the wife. (Sam looks at Castiel again). He said you were… really happy.

Castiel decides it’s time for him to exit stage left and goes to find Jack.

As usual with getting nothing out of the episode, the hellers are making a lot more out of the “off screen” conversation between the “hunter husbands” than merits. Of course Castiel told Dean what happened, it’s more than his life’s worth not to if Dean found out Sam had been in danger and Castiel didn’t tell him. The phone conversation would have went something like this.

Castiel: Now, don’t get angry, Dean. First of all, the important thing is that Sam’s fine... now...

Dean: WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BROTHER?!

Back in Jack’s room, he tries to do what Sam and Dean would do. He thinks they would help the snake so uses his powers to Thanos the snake to the afterlife so it can be with it’s owner again in heaven. Jack, I really don’t think the owner would have passed the abacus good/bad test so no idea where you actually sent that snake other than purgatory. Camera pans out and Castiel is watching from the doorway. Parenting advice from me Castiel: you need to trust your teenagers and give them space. Constantly checking on Jack is just going to make him feel closed in.

#season 14 #episode recap #supernatural #14.15 #peace of mind #anti castiel #just in case

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bnha-hcs · 5 years

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Soul Bond - Chapter 4

I’M FINISHED WITH FINALS YEAAAAAH now I can write and draw for at least a month before classes start back up... BUT I’M GONNA WRITE BC I’VE BEEN SO CREATIVELY STARVED UGH. Here’s chapter 4 to Soul Bond I’ll probably be writing some Jojo stuff later because I’m trying to update all of my series. Emphasis on try. My goal is to finally get part 2 to Winning Your Heart and another chapter for the Death Before Decaf before I die alsdjak. I might open commissions again but we will see

- Tiki

You didn’t have much time to respond to what Katsuki had just let fly into the void like that. The sharp intake of breath from yourself didn’t you serve you much as you tried to say something about how it was extremely unnecessary to just shout things like that as you stopped to watch as the knight’s face contorted to such pure undenied rage that you thought the poor guy was literally going to explode. I mean, he was out here probably guarding the world eater of all things… his pride out here probably was already a little… damaged if you will. Katsuki’s words probably did him in if you were being honest.

The knight and his crew stopped a little beyond the base of rocks that you were on, and by the looks of it, you could see that he probably had a LOT to say to you which was great.... Thanks for that again Katsuki. You were about to try and buckle down to get through whatever rant this knight was going to spill on you, but in the distance, closer to the world eater, you could see two men. How they got past these idiots in front of you, you had no idea but it looked like there were trying to take on the world eater themselves… Or not, you couldn’t really tell from this distance anyways. But it wasn’t until you heard a throat clearing so obnoxiously loud that you remembered your situation that you looked back to the knight. Well… Great.

“Are you even listening to me???” The knight asks, obviously more offended by the fact that you didn’t hear a single word of his rant. You sighed.

“Obviously not!” Katsuki said for you. He was right, though so you sat tight as Ochako approached from behind you, now finding herself into the situation unfolding in front of all of you.

“Jeez, are you in trouble with authorities already?” She asked poking her head from around you.

“I wouldn’t really call them-”

“Enough!! State your business here immediately and we’ll remove you by force!!” The knight yelled.

“Don’t you mean OR you’ll remove us by force??” Ochako asked, squinting at the man. You heard Katsuki snort.

“This guy is just full of beans huh…”

“Well we’re here to attack the world…!!! Thingy…!” Ochako said, losing a bit of her enthusiasm halfway as she realized that 1. She didn’t know the name of the thing they’re fighting and 2. That it sounds completely ridiculous. The knight looked at her like she’s the stupid one. (Spoiler she’s not.)

“That’s just… Stupid.” The knight says, very bitterly. You wonder how he thinks it’s any less stupid that he’s guarding quite literally the one thing that could kill him very easily.

“How rude!! We’re just-”

“I don’t have time for this lunacy!!” He yells, obviously thinking that all of you are out of your damn minds. “You all, get rid of them!!”

The soldiers who were on standby this whole time quickly started to make their way towards you like they were waiting for their chance to jump in. You were quick to jump out of the way but one managed to grab Ochako by the arm. She was quick to fend them off however and ran off after you and towards the path in between the rocks. Your strategy was to let them funnel their way towards the two, or three I guess, of you. And so you watched as Ochako found her place behind you and wait, the soldiers not being too far behind her.

“Keep your dirty hands off of me!!” You heard her yell, slicing into the shoulder of another one of the soldiers trying to advance.

You found yourself surrounded by four other soldiers and although they outnumbered you they looked even weaker than those bandits in the forest not too long ago. Maybe being out in the sun all day and having to deal with such an annoying commanding knight took a lot out of a guy, but if this was what the army was like around these parts you were sure getting past these guys was easy for most people. Your point was proven as one of the soldiers swung at you with a short sword, making an easy block and parry with your much longer blade. It took maybe one solid hit before he was on his ass and out cold.

The other soldiers seemed to pale when they realized that you were much stronger than they thought you were and you didn’t have too much trouble getting rid of them. They were dispatched and knocked out cold on the craggy field area as you started to loot them. Just as soon as you were done reaping your spoils, you heard Ochako from not too long a ways down finishing off a few of her own opponents.

“I guess I got to see how rusty I was with these guys huh.” You heard Katsuki say cockily as you started to walk over to Ochako.

“I thought you got to do that during the last fight?” You said unsure, sighing as you debated drinking another stamina potion before facing that annoying knight down the path.

“Yeah sure but now I’m really starting to be able to stretch my legs in this body.”

“I don’t know if I like that.”

“Sure you do!”

You were halfway through a groan when Ochako came up to you, seeing you unharmed and nary a scratch on you. The two of you nodded before you made your way down the path to where the knight was waiting. Upon seeing you he got on guard, and seemed a little angry by the fact that the two of you already bested his men. And to be honest you felt a little bad for him. Being stuck here with a bunch of shitty men who don’t know how to fight in the middle of a barren area with literally nothing to do. But at the same time he was really arrogant for someone who just got all of his men decimated by a Sepp and a possessed person.

It wasn’t too long before he lunged at you, obviously much faster and more experienced than his own men as he landed a blow on you. It wasn’t that good because you responded in kind, hitting him right back but much harder. Katsuki must’ve been able to tell that you were a little mad he got a hit on you because the power pulsing through your sword got stronger as the ringing in your ears got louder.

Ochako managed to land a hit on him not too long after you did, and hey, it was two on one so good for him for being able to hold out against you for so long. BUt he was still going to lose. And so with renewed vigor, you slugged the dude head on with a full body slash, knocking him off of his feet and into the dust. He scrambled for purchase on the ground as he made a hasty retreat.

“Impossible!! There’s no way such rabble them could….” He gasps trying to get away with some semblance of pride. “I’ll tell my commander of this!! Men, retreat!!”

You watched as he made his escape and weren’t too sure if he understood that his men were all knocked out but part of you knew that he probably didn’t care. Ochako was happily besides herself as she watched him go. And now that all that was over the three of you could get down to business and get after that world eater. You turned towards the direction that the path lead you to, contemplating if this fight was going to be that easy. A big part of you said of course the hell not because it’s a goddamn world eater and it literally eats worlds!! But it’s what you had to do so…

“Ha!! What a bunch of wusses!!” Ochako laughed happily, pumping a fist in the air.

“Yeah yeah, but you only won thanks to me here so…” Katsuki interjected. “Our real fight begins now though. Are you ready, Soul Mate?”

With a huff you cringed at the way Katsuki called you Soul Mate. You weren’t really sure if you liked it at all but you certainly didn’t like the way he said it. It sounded too… violating if you will. Like, you already had to deal with him being inside your body but the least he could do was not make such weird comments. You would prefer not to have to think about sharing your body with a master of death. In fact, you’d like to forget it sometimes.

“Anyways let’s just go kill this world thingy!!” Ochako declared, leading the way down the path.

“World EATER! Gods how can you forget something so important!?” Katsuki barked.

And so the three of you made your way down the path, taking note as any sort of life started to disappear around you. The grass was gone, and it was nothing but cracking sandstone and wind as you slowly got closer and closer to the world eater. You didn’t like the feeling that the rumbling ground made while you walked through the sand and sandstone, and how the air felt like it was thick with a static, an energy that you couldn’t understand. Katsuki was oddly quiet for someone who was supposed to know a lot more about this thing than you or Ochako.

As the three of you finally came into range, you could tell that Ochako wasn’t too sure about herself anymore either. She turned to you as it loomed not too far off. The thing looked absolutely massive. The main body was like a woman with a large dress but was discolored in a mixture of gray and bright magenta, mixing into glowing highlights of blue and yellow. Giant winglike structures grew out of the back and horns grew out from the beautiful woman’s face. Two large arm structures floated out in front of it, holding two giant golden swords all the while four more loomed ominously around the main body. Hmmm... you weren’t too sure if you liked to idea of fighting anymore.

“Hey now that we’re closer… It kinda looks tough…” Ochako said quietly, her will to fight also wavering.

“Of course it’s fucking tough! It used to serve none other than yours truly!” Katsuki said rather matter of factly. You heard Ochako groan. “Of course I could beat its ass in no time.

“Okay then go.” You said flatly.

“Then give me your fucking body!”

“No.”

“Ugh!!” Katsuki groaned disgustedly. “Whatever, we can’t do much talking now because here it comes!!”

“Wait is it those guys from before??”

You looked over quickly to see the two mysterious men from before with the knights. And with all horror you watch as the world eater slowly shifts to face them, charge up attack from the core of its belly, and then shoot it at the men. The sound echoed in your ears and cracks raced out of the earth around the beast. The light was so bright that you couldn't see, and you covered your eyes and waited for the attack to be over. When the blinding light subsided, the men were gone and the world eater slowly started to face back to the three of you…

“That thing is terrifying!!” Ochako shrieks, you nod solemnly in agreement.

“Yeah, and it wasn’t even aiming at us. It saw the actual strong people and went after them first.” Katsuki spat. “A hell of a lot stronger than you guys.”

You hear Katsuki whisper to you in your mind, “A shit ton stronger than you considering you can't even use my power right. You can pray that maybe you can be able to unlock even a sliver of my unlimited godliness.”

With a groan you rolled your eyes and tightened the grip on your sword. You hated that he’s at least kinda right. You don’t have any clue as to how to use this power you have, and nothing from your training ever prepared for you to be possessed by the master of death or even how to use his power for yourself! How were you even supposed to know anyways?

And then again with much hesitance you made your way closer to the world eater, and before you knew it, it’s going to engage you. You prepared for the worst as you practically stared death in the face, every hair on your body standing on end as every instinct you have was telling you to fucking run. You don’t and blindly walk forward. Right before it charges its attack you hear an oddly familiar voice.

“Leshura…” It says.

You watch as the golden rays charge up from beside it, and soon enough its floating arms fly out at you and Ochako, slicing you with one golden sword before the other one comes down and like a pair of scissors, slices you completely in half.

And just like that, you’re pretty dead yeah? Everything’s black, and your consciousness floats in an endless void. You aren’t sure where you are but it feels familiar. It’s then you realize… You’re there and then you look up and see him.

“Hey kid.”

#bnha #bnha imagines #bnha scenarios #bakugou katsuki #bakugou x reader #crossover #it's 2 AM rip

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enchantment1385 · 6 years

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OC interview meme ... Pt 2

I was tagged by @dickeybbqpit @keeperscompanionsdai and @shield-maiden-of-sherwood You guys are all beautiful and lovely for thinking of me ;) So, let’s ask post trespasser Faeron some questions, shall we?

1. What is your name? Faeron Tamlith Lavellan

2. What is your real name? Ummm... That... That is my real name...

3. Do you know why you were called that? My mother once told me it means "Bright in Mind and Spirit" *he giggles* I expect they really chose it because they liked it though.

4. Are you single or taken? *he almost winces at the question* I... WAS with someone... It... We... *he sighs sadly* Single.

5. Have any abilities or powers? Hmmm... I can cook? Although... The lack of arm hinders that somewhat. Need more help nowadays with the preparation and stuff. *A small sweet smile graces his face* Or.. did you mean stuff like this...? * He waves his hand and it begins to snow inside...*

7. What’s your eye colour? *he chuckles* Good question! You tell me *he winks* I once got told they were the colour of magic... That was very sweet. I’m honestly not sure if they’re periwinkle blue with golden flecks, OR, golden with periwinkle blue flecks?

8. How about your hair color? *He blows his hair in front of his face* From what’s left of it... Still looks to be blue black. Someone once called that ‘raven’. *he says sweeping his hair back again*

9. Have you any family members? Nico is well, if that’s what you’re asking? *he smiles* Father is still as strong as an ox... I... I have been a little... reserved as of late... There are people I should have visited now there’s time again... It’s just been... Difficult... * He seems to fade away for a moment staring at the floor* The clan is well. Varric keeps asking for a visit too! ...I should probably save him from the paperwork at some point...

10. Oh? What about pets? *sigh* No one let me keep the dragon egg we found *he says with a pout* I told everyone it would be fine, but... They still said no. I still have my Halla, Ghilas? He’s such a good boy! He likes it when I let him sleep near the fire when we are traveling and rub his tummy... Nico, doesn’t like that so much though... She just... glares at him, and mutters things like ‘Just try scaring me, you shit horse...’ ... It’s uncomfortable. Father says he’s not a ‘pet’, but he is! He likes to be spoilt. *he gives a big smile*

11. That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like. That’s... A BIG question... Isn’t it? Do.. Do you mean big life things like, pain, and sadness? Or, more trivial? Like... The fact I don’t like wearing clothes?

12. Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing? I feel like... *he clutches the stump of his missing arm.* Like, I’m relearning how to do everything at the moment. The first cake I made was... Lumpy and when I tried to dance and spin Harding... I lost my balance... and ended up in her arms! I still love Varric’s books?And can read them one handed! .... No, wait that sounded wrong... *he blushes*

13. Ever hurt anyone before? I... I hope not.

14. Ever… killed anyone before? *he looks ashamed of himself and looks at the floor.* Yes...

15. What kind of animal are you? Oooo! Ummm... Hmm... Maybe... Maybe a stag? Or a raven? Ooo! What about an owl?

16. Name your worst habits. I... I have been told I’m too soft, too kind, and too self sacrificing... *he give a humorless chuckle* I also cry a lot.

17. Do you look up to anyone at all? Oh yes! Nico, is strong and beautiful, clever, and brave. Varric is smooth and funny. Blackw- Thom, is Noble and kind. Cassandra is pure and wise. Josephine is sweet and friendly and soooo diplomatic! Bull is strong and unshakable. Cole is gentle as a breeze Lady viviane is... Well, she scares me... But, She is amazingly shrewd. Sera is brave and funny. We... We don’t talk about the others... It... It’s too fresh.

18. Gay, straight, or bisexual? *his eyes widen and he blushes bright red* I... I’m gay.

19. Do you go to school? Not... In... the traditional sense? Me and Nico were taught in many things though. Even when we didn’t want to be... Father, he... He wanted us to have every opportunity, so we learnt most of the trades of the camp.

20. Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day? *His face falls and it looks like someone has just ripped his heart out. He places a hand to his mouth and sits quietly for some time* More... More than anything... *he snuffles*

21. Do you have any fanboys/fangirls? Tut! Have you been talking to Nico? *he chuckles* Don’t pay any attention, it’s not true.

22. What are you most afraid of? I... I think the worst thing that could have happened, HAS... *he looks sad again* So now... Now I supposed I’m scared of pain... Loneliness... That my life will now be a void...

23. What do you usually wear? As little as possible. Clothes are always... Rough against my skin... I don’t like it... So, soft things?

24. Do you love someone? Of course. *He smiles* I love lots of people.

25. When was the last time you wet yourself? I have no idea... I expect when I was out with this? *he holds up what’s left of his arm* I mean... It’s not a regular thing, I can say that! *He smirks*

26. Well, it’s not over yet! Okay! *he smiles*

27. What class are you? (High class, middle class, low class) Ummmm... I... I’m an elf? I mean... I know people are nice enough to us now because we saved Thedas and everything, but... Still an elf. *he giggles*

28. How many friends do you have? Lots! I made friends with the soldiers... *his face contorts into confusion* Want to know something really weird? So many of them were call Jim... It got creepy!

29. What are your thoughts on pie? I have made many! Why? Did you want one? I can probably make you something if you’re hungry?

30. Favourite drink? Anything with apples and elderflower. Meed is yummy... and jasmine tea.

31. What’s your favourite place? There’s this little nook behind the waterfall in the undercroft... It’s nice there.

32. Are you interested in someone? I adore them... *he gives the saddest smile you’ve ever seen, his eyes glassy* But... Love isn’t always enough... so I have learned....

33. What’s your bra cup size and/or how big is your willy? *Faeron’s ears flick (which only happens when he gets realllllly flustered) and he goes beet red* I... Ummm... I.... I don’t know how to answer this... I’ve seen bigger... But no one has ever complained?

34. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean? Lakes. I love swimming in them.

35. What’s your type? I would say I don’t have one... Nico says I have a weakness for rogues and redheads...

36. Any fetishes? *He pouts and looks up thinking* Don’t think so... I mean, depends what you call a fetish I suppose? I LIKE certain things... But nothing ‘weird’. *he giggles*

37. Seme or uke? Top or Bottom? Dominant or Submissive? *he chokes and sputters going as red as ever* I ummm.... I’m not great at being dominant... Ever! As for... Ahem... I ... I like both...

38. Camping or indoors? I like both, but... Outdoors has the stars. *he smiles*

39. Are you wanting the interview to end? I don’t mind. *he gives a soft shrug and a smile*

40. Now it’s over! Oh. *he giggles* Okay! Was... Was it okay?

Tagging: @dreadhobo @tessa1972 @dinah-myles @queen-of-the-crows @john-cousland @long-liv-prairies @sassylavellen @hoehoehoelt @gugle1980 @inquisitorsmabari @inquisitor-julia @mamawolf0714

#faeron lavellan #post trespasser #dragon age #my OC #my poor boy

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proxylynn · 5 years

Text

Underfell: File Name not Edgy Enough #13

Chapter 13: Pussycat WARNING: I WANT NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER SPOILING THINGS FOR OTHERS. THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS HOW FILE NAME NOT FOUND WOULD FUNCTION IN THE AU OF UNDERFELL. BEFORE YOU READ THIS, UNLIKE THE NICE TIME OF UNDERTALE, THIS WORLD IS KILL OR BE KILLED. THIS STORY WILL BE GRAPHIC, GORY, USE SWEARS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, AND DEAL WITH SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE FILE NAME RELOCATED SPOOF WILL KNOW HOW I PICTURE THIS VERSION OF LYNSIE COMING TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING DUMB. IT IS BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO END HER LIFE. SO TAKE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I MADE IT BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LET SOME OF THIS EDGINESS OUT OF MYSELF. WHICH I GUESS MAKES UNDERFELL LYNSIE EVEN MORE TRUE TO WHO I REALLY AM. ANYWAY, ENJOY. ^_^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Papyrus woke from slumber feeling oddly satisfied. Not that he would admit it, but the human's sub-par meal was successful in filling him and not entirely leaving a bad taste in his mouth. He would admit it was better than anything his brother had attempted making. First was that god awful Mustard Pie. Then he burnt his try at a Hamburg Quiche. The final attempt was pathetic, Sans merely put a takeout menu on a plate with the message of "order whatever ya want". That one really annoyed him as not only was that a new low in laziness but Papyrus can't stand bad grammar, and his brother's use of slang pisses him off to no end. But now was not the time to dwell on the stupidity of his brother. Nope. It was yet another day and once more it was time to get ready for work. And if anything could be said about Papyrus, it was that he was a creature of habit that sticks to a strict routine. He wakes up extra early to steam clean and presses his Battle Body uniform, after all, he only has the one that he made himself. After that, a small morning workout and shower to really wake himself up. This was now how his mornings ended. He would normally make something to eat for the both of them, but that was the human's task now. He'd fetch her and his little pet will do as Master tells her. That much he at least found comforting. She wasn't the best pet, part of him really wanted her dead and out of his life, but at least she had her moments where he knew she'd obey without question. And when it came to breakfast, she was a bit more tolerable. First things first, it's time to make sure that no good sloth down the hall gets his ass up and ready to go. So the spotless proud badass struts his stuff over to his slimeball of a brother's door and ever so nicely pounded on the door hard enough to get attention without breaking it. "SANS! WAKE UP, YOU LAZY SHIT! YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS TO OPEN THIS DOOR! ONE! TWO! THREE...!" The door opens but to Papyrus's surprise, the human is the one standing in his sights looking very tired. "*slight yawn* Morning, Papyrus. Sans is getting up...Slowly." His right eye twitches. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HIS ROOM?" She rubs her eyes wearily. "Must have nodded off. San and I were up for a good chunk of the night. *groan* God, my back is killing me..." It doesn't take much to set off the short fuse that Papyrus has. And that less than subtle bit was enough to do it. In seconds, he has her by the throat and slammed onto the bedroom floor. "YOU FILTHY WHORE! HOW DARE YOU DEFILE MY BROTHER!" She winces and looks at him confused. "What are you talking about?" "DO NOT DENY IT! I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS AND MOUNT IT OVER MY BED!" "pap, knock it off. it's too early for this crap and nothing happened anyway." Sans stretches himself out of bed, ignoring the seriousness as if this is as normal as it can be. Papyrus is far from convinced by his disheveled and possibly pleased brother. "DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL? THERE IS ONLY ONE REASON A FEMALE AND MALE SHARE A ROOM." Sans smirks cockily. "oh yeah? and what exactly is that, huh?" The always serious and unwavering Papyrus begins to falter in his cool. A slight blush reddening his cheekbones and his eyes shift a bit. "Y-YOU...YOU KNOW..." "no, pap, i don't. why not enlighten me on why this is so bad?" Sans, of course, knows the reason why Papyrus is having this little fit. After all, out of the two of them, Sans is the more social and people experienced. He's thrown himself into the dating pool before and, due to his family's reputation, came out rejected and soggy. So he finds this rather funny. The highly inexperienced Papyrus losing his shit over something like this. It's god damn hilarious to him. And it would be even funnier to see if Papyrus can even say the word "sex" without passing out like a prude. Papyrus on his end starts to sweat a little and his grip on the human weakens in nervousness. "UH...UM...WHEN A MALE AND A FEMALE..." Sans isn't able to hold in his amusement in and laughs out loud. "oh my god...hehehe...this is just too rich." Papyrus growls all flustered. "THIS ISN'T FUNNY, SANS!" "i disagree." "May I interject here?" Papyrus glares at her but seeing as Sans isn't in a helping mood maybe she won't be a bitch about this. "SPEAK, HUMAN." "I can see where you probably got the wrong idea from all this. But for real, nothing happened with me and your bro. All we did was talk." "THEN WHY WOULD YOUR BACK HURT IF ALL YOU DID WAS 'TALK'?" "she slept on the floor." "Technically, I passed out on the foot on the mattress and then rolled onto the floor." "oh, ya didn't roll. i pushed you off." "You dick!" "SO...THERE WERE NO ACTIONS DONE THAT WOULD BRING SHAME TO OUR FAMILY?" "*sigh* no, pap. nothing happened." "Okay, for one, ouch. I know I'm no prize but he could do way worse than me. And secondly, your bro is cool, but he's not random fuck cool." "the fuck does that mean? ya think you're too good for me?" "Never said that. I'm just not interested in bedroom antics. And if anything, you're too good for me." That caught Sans off guard, causing him to blush a tiny bit. Papyrus, however, takes offense to this. "EXCUSE ME? IF ANYONE AROUND HERE IS TOO GOOD FOR ANYONE, IT'S ME. I AM THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS. I COMMAND RESPECT...RECOGNITION...AND BEST OF ALL...FEAR." "Got high standers, huh?" Sans scoffs. "there's an understatement." "AND WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSE TO ME?" "bro, you've never been on a date in your entire life." "THAT'S BY CHOICE! IF I WANTED TO DATE THAN I WILL. I JUST HAVEN'T MET ANYONE WORTHY OF MY TIME. THAT'S ALL." "right...and it has nothing with that incident when we were kids." "YOU SWORE WE'D NEVER SPEAK OF THAT AGAIN!" "did i go into detail about what happened? no. so calm down, bro." "EITHER WAY, THAT THING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING. IF I DO DATE, AND ONE DAY I WILL, SO FUCK OFF...IF I DO CHOOSE TO DATE, I WILL GET ALL THE THINGS I UTTERLY DESERVE! PEOPLE WILL FLOCK TO BE WITH ME. BEGGING TO BE ON MY ARM AND FLAUNTED AS BELONGING TO ONE SUCH AS MYSELF. I WILL BATHE IN A SHOWER OF KISSES EVERY MORNING AND BREATHE DEEP THE INTOXICATING AROMA OF ENDLESS AFFECTION. BUT THAT DAY WILL COME ONLY WHEN I FIND SOMEONE WORTHY. I REFUSE TO DEGRADE MYSELF BY LOWERING THE BAR AS YOU HAVE." Sans growls and opens his mouth to most likely say a very hurtful thing, but the human speaks first. "I do hate to interrupt because this is interesting as hell, but don't you both have work today?" Realization hits Papyrus and he lets her go while rushing downstairs. "you know he's going to yell for you to go down there and make breakfast." Sans remarks while looking through his dresser. "I know. Just letting my neck relax. Why does everyone keep grabbing me there?" She rubs her neck in soreness. "come here. i'll give it a look." She pulls off a reverse somersault and moves over to him. He snickers a moment and checks under her bandanna. "hmmm..." "The bruises going away or getting worse?" "the major marks are going away slowly. there's some minor irritation in the palm prints, probably from pap's grip. but i'd give it to the end of the day for it all to be gone." "It's still so weird. How did his strangling follow me out of the void?" "not a clue. i might be a smart guy, but shit that breaks the laws of reality or sense is beyond me." "Makes your brain grind it's gears too?" "yep." "HUMAN!" "called it." She sighs and stretches, a few bones pop in doing so which make Sans cringe. "Time to do another stereotypical woman chore. Hope eggs are still good on your menu." "heh...anything is better than morning pasta." She snickers and takes her leave of his room. "See you in a bit, Sansy-boy." Sans glares but lets her tease go. He really doesn't like her calling him that. But he as a limit on how many times he can take it before it gets under his metaphorical skin. He'd have to think of one to get back at her later, though the one Grillby came up with works pretty well. Maybe he can work with that. By the time Sans gets downstairs the hustle Papyrus had has slowed down thanks to food. Judging on his brother's plate, today's meal was eggs over easy with some french toast. The smell alone had him salivating. "smells good." That got her to smile. "Tastes good too. You like soft yokes?" He saw an opportunity and went for it. "that's one of the few things i like soft." It takes a moment before she giggles. "Oh wow...You cracked me good there." She hands him a plate and he takes it with a grin. "not hard to do with such a weak shell." "Careful now. You don't want to get stuck in a sticky situation." She offers syrup and he has a hard time not snickering. "now you're just eating up my time." "You know you like chewing the fat with me." Sans attempts to make another pun but the deep throaty rumble from the entryway shuts that down. "i'm...i'm just gonna go eat." "YES. YOU DO THAT, SANS." Papyrus comes into the kitchen and puts his dishes in the sink as Sans walks out. "WHILE STILL NOT ON MY LEVEL...I WILL SAY THIS DISH WAS ADEQUATE." "Glad to hear you were able to tolerate it." Papyrus smirks. "THAT. THAT RIGHT THERE IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO FIND IN A PARTNER." "What? Witty banter or blind obedience?" He scoffs and she snickers. "Okay...somewhat obedience depending on mood." "A BIT OF BOTH REALLY. THOUGH I'LL TAKE THE BLIND OBEDIENCE." "I knew you would say that." He pats her head roughly and it makes her bite her tongue as his phalanges pull her hair. "SUCH A SHAME, HUMAN. HAD FATE NOT BEEN SO CRUEL AS TO MAKE YOU INFERIOR, YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD 1% CHANCE OF GAINING MY ATTENTION." She playfully mock pouts. "Oh, how cruel this life of mine is. How wrong my birth was, as random as it might have been to house this weary soul, to be made human. Damn you powers that be for committing such a grievous sin as having me miss out on a potential rejection from the great and terrible Papyrus!" He slaps her in the back of the head and she laughs. "Too much?" "AS TRUE AS YOUR WORDS ARE, I AM NOT IN THE MOOD TO ENJOY YOU MAKING AN ASS OF YOURSELF. HEH...MAYBE WHEN I COME BACK." Papyrus turns to leave. "Master..." The very utterance of that word had him at a dead stop. "Am I really to be restrained while you're away? It would make doing my chores impossible." She's manipulating him with the truth. On the one hand, she does do things around the house. And on the other hand, he doesn't trust her as far as he can throw her. Maybe if there was a guard in place? Lord knows the flower isn't stopping her and she managed to get by Sans. No, he must handle this with a delicate touch. Whom could he trust with ensuring the human wouldn't run around town like an idiot or altering Undyne that there's a human in the Underground and losing his position in the Royal Guard? Maybe...Just maybe... "HUMAN...SANS FOUND YOU AT GRILLBY'S WHEN YOU DECIDED TO BE 'ADVENTUROUS', CORRECT?" She stops what she's doing and looks at him. "Yes." "AND UNDER GRILLBY'S ROOF, DID HE MAKE YOU STAY?" She looks at him funny. "He was a bit insistent. Why?" "AND HOW DID HE TREAT YOU?" "He was okay but kept annoying me with this pet name. So what?" "I SEE." "...I'm not sure I like how this is starting to sound." He begins to smile and she grows in concern. "What? What are you planning?" "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEND THE DAY WITH HIM?" "Why?" "what?!" Sans comes in and is not happy. "what sort of bullshit did i just hear?" "SINCE WE CAN NOT TRUST THE HUMAN TO STAY HOME AND NO ONE IS APPARENTLY KEEPING HER IN LINE BUT ME, I HAVE MADE THE CHOICE TO HAVE HER UNDER A MORE RELIABLE WATCHER." "so she gets to be at grillby's and that's fine. but if i do it, you bitch me out?" "Uh, better note, I don't need a babysitter. I'm a grown woman." "A GROWN WOMAN THAT DOESN'T LIKE TO LISTEN. I WILL NOT HAVE YOU ROAM FREELY LIKE YOU OWN THE UNDERGROUND. AND SINCE YOU ARE A CRAFTY LITTLE CREATURE THAT DOESN'T WANT ME TO BEAT YOU TO A BLOODY PULP, I'M OFFERING A GENEROUS ALTERNATIVE. I RECOMMEND YOU ACCEPT IT." "But...But the housework?" "IT CAN WAIT. NOW FIX SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF AND FLOWER. WE'LL BE LEAVING IN THREE MINUTES." She growls in annoyance. "BE PISSY ALL YOU WANT. IT'S HAPPENING WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT." "are you sure this is a good idea, bro?" "OF COURSE IT IS. ALL MY IDEAS ARE GREAT. OUR PET IS A TROUBLEMAKER AT HOME, BUT SHE ISN'T AS STUPID AS SHE SEEMS. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, HUMAN? YOU KNOW BETTER THAN TO CAUSE PROBLEMS IN PUBLIC. DON'T YOU, PET? YOU WOULDN'T RISK DRAWING ATTENTION TO YOURSELF. CAN'T GET BACK TO MOMMY IF THE TOWN GANGS UP ON YOU." Her growling softens and she folds her arms. "You've backed me into a corner, sir. I have no moves left. And I hate it." Papyrus laughs in triumph and Sans shakes his head. The human begrudging sets two more plates and serves a nervous Flowey before muttering curses as she eats. There isn't much resistance after that, though the human was reluctant and moving so slow that Papyrus had to drag her the rest of the way. Once at the bar belonging to the fire elemental, Papyrus explains the situation as discreetly as possible to the amused bar owner and Sans had to squeeze extra hard on that stress ball in his pocket to ignore the creepy look the monster behind the bar was giving the slumped over human hiding in a booth. With that done, the skeletons left me here and here I've remained seated for the last hour or so. I don't mind being here, not at all. The part I'm annoyed by was that Papyrus MADE me come here. I planned on doing the chores quickly and then napping before cooking. Now I'll have to rush shit when they bring me back to their place. Shit...I gotta call mom before she wigs out. Man, I really need to get a better phone. Texting would make this less embarrassing in public. [RING] "Hello?" "Morning, mom." A loud excited sound of glee shatters my eardrum and gets attention in the bar. "My child! I am so happy to hear your voice." "Glad to hear that...mostly because it means I haven't gone deaf." "My apologies. I have just been worried sick. You did not call last night." I slap my face. "I knew something was bugging me for a reason. I am so sorry, Nanny. It slipped my mind." "What could have possibly distracted you?" "I was just up all night with Sans..." I can hear her phone crunch a bit in her grip. "I had another nightmare. And we just talked to get it off my mind. Making dumb jokes and puns. It helped." The crunching stops and I start to notice a shadow hovering behind me that is casting a faint glow. "Do you wish to talk about it, my child?" "Maybe some other time. Preferably when there isn't someone listening in." I look back at the smirking flame-man leaning in over me. "Are those boy's being rude?" "No, they're at work. This is another mischief maker." He moves his head closer and invades my personal space. "*whisper* Calling mommy, pussycat? That's so sweet." I want to slap him and hide under the table at the same time. "Mom, I got to go. I'll check back later when I'm alone." "Very well. I shall call you at supper time." "Sounds like a plan. Take care, Nanny. *mutter* I love you." "Awww...!" I close the phone before I hear Toriel's reply and I glare at Grillby hard. "Dude, what the hell?" He merely smiles and moves to sit in the booth seat across from me. "You seem to be in a good. Such a nice girl you are to call your mom and let her know you're okay." I'm not in a playful mood right now to deal with him. "Shouldn't you be behind the bar?" He chuckles a little. "I have the right to take a break when I want. Besides, surely you would like some company." I stare at him blankly. "Don't tell me you're that mad? It's not like I heard anything. I merely was playing with you." I fold my arms and rest my head on the table. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just not in a good mood." "Can I interest you in another burger?" "As good as it was, I would prefer to be able to remember things. Thank you." He gets quiet for a moment before tapping on the table to get my attention. "How about a drink? Free of charge." I eye him. "What? What's with that look?" "Nothing is ever free. There is always a price. So what is it you want?" He frowns a little. "You wound me, pussycat. I am just trying to be friendly. Did I do something wrong to you last time?" "...No." "Then would you be willing to come to the bar and keep me company? I assure you, that mood of yours will turn around if you do." I really don't want to leave my booth. I'm not a sociable person when like this and I'd rather be left alone. But Grillby is very charming and when he puts his hand over one of mine, it makes it difficult to really tell him to piss off. "Come on...I'll make it worth your while." I fight the smile coming to my face so that it only comes out as a smirk. "You can try, my friend." Still holding my hand, he pulls us from our seats at the booth and he gets us to the bar. He, of course, takes his rightful place behind it while I rest on a familiar stool. When he returns to his post, Grillby begins receiving orders from other patrons and he decides to be a cheeky bugger by showing off his skills in the art of flair bartending. Flair bartending is the practice of bartenders entertaining guests, clientele or audiences with the manipulation of bar tools such as cocktail shakers and liquor bottles in tricky, dazzling ways. Used occasionally in cocktail bars, the action requires skills commonly associated with jugglers. He starts off with some simple baby moves, the basics really. When getting ready to put ice in a glass, he throws several ice cubes in the air and then catches them in the glass. Then grabbing bottles by the neck, he flips them 360° degrees in front of him and catches it by the neck or body before beginning to pour. He then tries something a bit more advanced as he continues. He takes another bottle by the neck and throws it like he did the with the basic flip. But instead of catching the bottle, he has it land in his palm. He gains much applause for this yet he isn't done. With another bottle he lays it flat in his palm, then using his fingers to spin it in full circles a couple times, he makes waving motions to make it pour out only when the neck points at the glass. And as a cool finishing touch, he snaps his fingers to cause the drinks to come alive with a fiery top that needs to be blown out to drink properly. He's really good. "So, pussycat...How's that bad mood now?" "Heh...You make it hard to keep a frown, that much is true. Though, please, quit calling me that name." "What name?" "I'm not going to say it." "Say what?" "...I will smack you." "God, you're so cute when you get feisty." I glare at him but all he does is smile. "You get off on this way too much." "Maybe. But it's only because you make it so much fun." I so want to wipe that smile off him. "By the way, since you fixed the jukebox, I looked over what was inside and found a little gem that I think suits you perfectly." I sense a setup. "Why don't you give it a listen?" "...If this is a ploy to play a messed up song or porn music, you sir, will not like me...unless it's funny." "Trust me. It's none of those things." I eye him still as I go over to the jukebox. "What's the setlist?" "It's the first one. I made it easy for you." I hit the button and the track begins to play. Upon hearing that first blaring note, I recognize this song and smack my face for falling for this. [What's New Pussycat by Tom Jones begins to play] "Oh, you cheeky fartknocker..." He laughs and I sit back down. "♪What's new, Pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What's new, Pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...!♫" "I hate you so much right now." "You know you love me." "♪Pussycat, Pussycat, I've got flowers. And lots of hours. To spend with you. So go and powder your cute little pussycat nose! Pussycat, Pussycat, I love you. Yes, I do! You and your pussycat nose!♫" "Hey, I find this song offensive!" Shouts a dog from the other end of the bar. Grillby responds with the threat of being hosed with water. "Fuck off, I worked hard on this bit. If you don't like it, then leave." The dog grumbles and drowns its snout in its mug of beer. "♪What's new, Pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What's new, Pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...!♫" I hide in my hands and pray to become invisible, all the while Grillby can't get enough of this. "♪Pussycat, Pussycat, you're so thrilling. And I'm so willing. To care for you. So go and make up your cute little pussycat eyes! Pussycat, Pussycat, I love you. Yes, I do! You and your pussycat eyes!♫" "Come on, pussycat. It's not that bad." "I don't know which I want to do more. Kick your ass or applaud you." "♪What's new, Pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What's new, Pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...!♫" "When is this over?" "Relax. It's only a two-minute long song." "Longest two minutes of my life." "♪Pussycat, Pussycat, you're delicious. And if my wishes. Can all come true. I'll soon be kissing your sweet little pussycat lips! Pussycat, Pussycat, I love you. Yes, I do! You and your pussycat lips! (Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!) You and your pussycat eyes! (Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!) You and your pussycat...nose!♫" The song fades out and I stare at the smirking man of fire before me. "Well? Did I pick your tune or what?" I feel on the verge of some emotion, but whether it's good or bad I can't tell yet. "Um...You okay?" "...Let me have a drink and I'll let you know." "Alright. What'll it be?" "Just ice water." Now he's the one eyeing me as he does as requested. He hands me the glass and I drink deep of it, half is gone by the time I set it down. "So...?" I take a slow inhale through the nose and calmly exhale the same way. "Grillby, my dude..." "Yes?" I suddenly yank him by the tie and pull him down to me. "You are so lucky I like you, ya flaming dork." He blinks a few times then grins. "You got me again, pussycat." "You make it easy, sir." I let him go and take my glass again. "And my name is Lynsie." I drink in smug satisfaction as he readjusts his glasses. "Whatever you say..." He pokes my nose. "Pussycat." I mock purr and it gets him to flair a slight blush. "That's checkmate, flame-boy." "Oh, pussycat...I have yet begun to play with you." I smirk. "Bring it on. But first...A refill, please? And maybe a basket of those onion rings." [Ten minutes, two baskets of beer-battered onion rings, and a very tall glass of spiked fruit punch later] [What's New Pussycat by Tom Jones begins to play for the fifth time in a row] "See, hotness...here's the thing about when 'What's new pussycat' plays over and over and over and over and over again." I'm in a giddy mood and been cracking Grillby up since my blood alcohol level went higher than zero. "Do tell, pussycat." "Okay...The second time it plays, your immediate thought is not 'Hey! Someone's playing Whats's new pussycat again'. No. It's 'Hey...What's new pussycat is a lot LONGER than I first thought...and it has like...a dip in the middle'. You know how some songs have a dip? Where it dips out and you think it's over, but then it suddenly kicks up again?" "Sounds familiar." "Then you get where I'm going. So...The third time it plays, your thinking 'Maybe someone's playing What's New Pussycat again'. The FOURTH time it plays your thinking...'WOAH! Someone just played What's new pussycat FOUR times!'. Or at least...'Someone played it twice, but its really long song.'." The bar itself is not in a good mood even if Grillby and I are. The song is getting on people's nerves. MOST people have gotten wind as to what's going on. The silly drunk girl can't hold her liquor and is acting a fool. And management is getting his kicks out of it too, so they know Grillby won't stop me. Which, for one patron, is really shitty. A butt-ugly fish monster sits at the far left end of the bar, a glass of scotch shaking in his hand and there's this look on his face like he just got his thirty-day chip from anger management. And he's staring hard into the glass to keep calm. "Now...The FIFTH time is the kicker." "You mean this one?" "Yeah. Just look around for a moment." Now we're watching the entire bar at this point and the fifth play fades out. It's dead quiet. There is thick anticipation that it was the last play or a different song will come on instead. And then, I don't know if you know this, but the song begins very suddenly with a very loud blaring sound. "♪What's new, Pussycat?...♫" "GOOOOODDAMMIT!" The guy loses it. He pounds on the table and flings his glass at the jukebox. It's a fantastic reaction! But one that earns him the wrath Grillby, who allows the guy to stay if he pays a fee. After all, nearly ten minutes of the same song can drive people crazy. And that's understandable. Even to me in my dizzy state of mind. Which is why I did something evil. When I was first up at the jukebox and punching in the "What's new pussycat"s, I punched in about six and added one "It's not unusual"...then more pussycats. So after six "What's new pussycat"s in a row...suddenly... [It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones begins to play] "♪It's not unusual to be loved by anyone. It's not unusual to have fun with anyone. But when I see you hanging about with anyone. It's not unusual to see me cry, I wanna die.♫" Sighs of relief sweep through the bar. People are ECSTATIC! It was like the liberation of Monsters from the Underground. So much joy unleashed by one little action. "♪It's not unusual to go out at any time. But when I see you out and about it's such a crime. If you should ever wanna be loved by anyone. It's not unusual it happens every day no matter what you say. You'll find it happens all the time. Love will never do. What you want it to. Why can't this crazy love be mine?♫" Someone somewhere must have once wondered..."Can you make grown men and women weep tears of joy by playing Tom Jones'-It's not unusual"? And the answer is...YES. You can. As long as it's proceeded by a bunch of "What's New Pussycat"s. "♪It's not unusual to be mad with anyone. It's not unusual to be sad with anyone. But if I ever find that you've changed at any time. It's not unusual to find out I'm in love with you. Whoa, whoa, whoa...♫" Ah, how the joy on those normally depressed faces is something to behold. And oh how evil I am in giggling of the soon to be made rage. The song fades out...it's dead quiet...and then... "♪What's new, Pussycat?...♫" The bar goes fucking insane! No one could handle it! Not one soul. I, myself, end up laughing so hard that I fall off the stool and hit my head on the foot bar, still laughing. And it didn't help that Grillby was indifferent, snickering to himself finding the chaos hilarious. It doesn't last very long though. Someone unplugs the jukebox and restores the peace once more. Probably for the best, I had six more pussycats's lined up to play. Had that been allowed to happen a riot might have started. No one needs that. "You okay, pussycat?" I settle down and climb back onto my stool, all be it a bit a tad shakily. "I'm fine...Though I got a question...Were you always red?" "No, dear. You just have some blood over your eyes." "Oh...Grillby...I feel sleepy..." "Okay, no more punch for you." Grillby uses a washcloth to wipe away the blood trickling down my face and, upon locating the open gash, seals it with some lite cauterization using his magic. That probably would've hurt if I could feel pain right now. "Pussycat, tell me how many fingers you see." I try to focus on his hand and it's a little hard. "Ummm...Is it four?" He sighs in relief. "Good. You're not too messed up. Thought you had a concussion." "So...Is it cool to nap for a little bit?" "Only after you drink this whole glass of water." He puts a glass in front of me and drops two tablets into it that makes the water he pours in churn. "Why is it bubbling? I don't like seltzer water." "The bubbles will help you sober up. We can't have you hurting yourself, can we? Plus, I don't want your housemates getting on my case about any of this." "Okay." My initial grasp of the glass is flimsy, but messed brains will do that, yet I get it and begin drinking. "You wanna know something, hunky hot-man..." "What's that, pussycat?" "You are an amazing person. You live in his cold place and open this bar to every sad face willing to cast aside their mean spirits for spirits of another kind. You put up with a lot of nonsense, a good bit came from me today, and I'm sorry about that." He seems shocked by my words as I pause to drink. "Where is all this coming from?" "I'm not done. You have been nothing but nice to me. And doing that isn't easy in this world we live in. Since meeting you, you've shown me more kindness than I got from my own family, and this is only our second meeting. Heh, how pathetic is that? I fell into the Underground trying to die, only to end up wanting to live because of the few that showed me any decency. And for that, I give you my thanks." He and a few in earshot stop doing what they're doing as my sad tone is far from the sweet they know. "Pussycat?" I guzzle down the rest of the glass and sigh. "I don't know if it was the punch or I'm just in a weird mood. I'm probably making things awkward. No one wants to hear someone ramble about lame junk when at a bar. This is a place people go to forget things. I know I've got a lot I want to forget. Like the three or four times I ran away from home but never had a plan and always had the cops take me back. Or the time I cussed out my grandma because I thought she lost my dog when it turned out my mom had dumped the pup at a shelter and told me it escaped. Or the suicide attempts..." "Attempts?" "Oh yeah, there was more than one. Hard to believe, but I'm a very sad person. No, that's being too nice. Depressed is more accurate. 90% of the smiles you see me do are fake. Just part of the mask I wear to hide how truly miserable I really am." I put my head on the bar before I talk myself into crying. "God, I hate myself. I'm a sad pathetic mess." The feel of Grillby's hand petting my head gets to me. "Shhhhh...No more talk, pussycat. Take it easy and sleep this off. You'll feel better soon." "Why are you so kind to me? Don't you gain more if I sink deeper into this pit of despair?" Hinting at if I die, be it by someone else or I kill myself, they all get the last soul needed to be free. "Call me selfish. But I'd rather have you alive and here then deal with the unknowns of someplace I've never been." I don't know if he's being true or merely pitying me, but I like the things he says. He makes me smile. "And if you were gone, I'd have no one to play with. You don't want to leave me all alone, do you, pussycat?" I sit up straight and rub my wet eyes. "No, I don't want to do that. Thank you, Grillz." "Think nothing of it." "No...No, you deserve a little something special for putting up with me." "Really, you don't have to do..." I don't let him finish. While he speaks, I stand on the stool brace pegs and grab him, pulling him into a full-on smash face kiss. The bar is shocked. Drinks fall from hands and jaws hit the floor. Grillby himself is wide-eyed with disheveled glasses and his hair of flames burns bright as it grows upwards. I know I'm not the best kisser, only did it once and I don't count stupid kid shit, so I let this last as long as the point I want to be made. Though when I start to pull away, I swear he moves closer to prevent the contact from ceasing, but I fall back on my stool so who really knows. "That, my fine fiery fellow, is your reward and yours alone. My first kiss. Take good care of it, Hottie." Not sure if the drinks are getting to me or the heat from him did something, but my eyes lull back and my unconscious head hits the bar. Grillby, on his end, blinks with an uncertainty that such a thing even happened and fixes his glasses while his inferno of hair cools down to a less hazardous size. "Did...Did she really just do what I think just happened?" Red Bird, one of the few females that come to the bar and who sits near Ugly Fish, looks at him in a similar state of disbelief. "If you mean when she basically mouth raped you? Yeah, that happened." "Dude! You are so gonna get laid!" Punk Hamster chiming in with his two cents worth of remarks and raises his glass in cheer. "If you ask me, you can do better, Grillby. After all, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Don't take the first one that bites your hook. You get a lot more if you use a net if you know what I mean." Ugly Fish trying to give advice even though no one has ever seen him with anyone ever. "Leave the guy alone. One drunk kiss doesn't mean anything. You lot heard everything. She was out of it. No one is who they really are when shitfaced. And that girl was out of her mind." So speaks Big Mouth as he gobbles his platter of fried chicken. "I don't know about that...The way I see it, the drunker a person gets, the more honest they are. And by the way she was going, she couldn't have been more honest than had she ripped her soul out and handed it over to him. Whether or not the kiss was something based on any real feeling or just a tipsy spur of the moment thing, that's anyone guess. But hey, that's just this silly gal's opinion." Drunk Bun or Crazy Bun (depends on who's asking) is another female regular and a notorious flirt. She preys on new males and the extremely intoxicated, using them to get money or other things. She knows her craft well, so much of what she says carries weight to it when not being a naughty bitch. Though much of the males in the pub try disregarding her words while others defend them. For Grillby, all the chatter goes in one ear and out the other. While not having skin, he could still feel the sensation of another heat linger on him. It was colder than his natural temperature yet warm enough to distinguish. It was good. This warmth. It made his soul burn. He liked it. He wanted more. And that scared him. [An hour and a half later] Like normal, the time for the lunch rush rolled around and like clockwork, Sans made his way to Grillby's to grab a quick bite and get Papyrus off his back by checking in on their "pet". Remembering what happened the first time he found her at the bar, the skeleton was already imagining the human to be all giggles and making an ass out of herself while Grillby perved out. Honestly, he couldn't for the life of him understand why Grillby of all people would look at the human that way. For one thing, SHE IS A FREAKING HUMAN! Humans and Monsters don't mix. Never had. Never will. The only thing even coming close to something like that were old tales that became twisted after the war, the original stories lost long ago to time. So to see his buddy cutting these heated glances at a human just made his nonexistent stomach want to hurl for days. So when he opened the bar door and made his way inside, seeing the human passed out at the bar while the pub itself was normal, it had him feeling more at ease. "Hiya, Sansy~...Why don't you come sit with me for once? I can warm those bones of your better than any jacket could~." Drunk Bun making her move early means she's wanting something. "maybe next time. heh...try again when pigs learn to fly." She snickers. "Worth a shot. By the way, that girl you and your brother left here has been very interesting." That got his attention. "ya don't say. how so?" "Ah ah ah...If you want details you're going to have to pay a small fee~." "*scoff* nice try. but i ain't shelling out any more gold your way. hell, more than half my debt is from when you were leading me on." "It's not my fault you made it so easy." He growls. "arrogant bitch." "Oooh, that's going to cost you. Guess you'll never know about what happened. Such a shame." He scoffs and heads to the bar and takes his seat on the right of the human. "sup, grillby. the usual and a thing of fries." "Sure." Sans watches Grillby go about his usual bartending duties but something feels off. "you okay there? ya seem a bit tense." "I'm fine." Grillby not being chatty? Now that isn't normal. "did she do something stupid? *sigh* damn girl. can't trust ya to behave any damn place." "She is fine. I am fine. Nothing happened." Red flag warnings were coming up on his radar. But he needed more clues. "so...what happened with her anyway?" "Not much. She got a bit tipsy, had some fun, bumped her head, and has been taking a nap ever since." "anything serious?" "A small cut. It's been dealt with." There's this strange tension coming off the fire elemental and he couldn't think of why. "ya sure you're okay? you can take a break if ya need one. my shit can wait." Grillby pauses for a moment. "grillz?" "Sans...Can you watch the bar for a moment?" This was odd. But a doable request. "sure...take your time." Grillby puts everything down and exits the bar using the door to his living space. Makes things really easy when your house is also part of the place where you work. Time ticks away slowly as Sans taps on the bar. None of these mooks would dare pull something while Grillby was gone. The cameras saw to that. Yet as more time passed, it made Sans question as to what got Grillby all bothered to be gone so long in the first place. He could ask around the bar, but no one really could stand him, so he doubted anyone would be truthful. So he goes with a more obvious source, one that won't ask for money, and pokes the human. "hey. kiddo. wake up." She wriggles a little but that's it. "lynsie. come on. quit being a bitch and wake up." She lazily opens one eye, looks at him, and then goes back to sleep. "ya lazy piece of shit. *pause* whoa...sounded like pap for a sec. *shivers*" He is about to attempt waking her again when the front door opens and someone nobody recognizes walks in. This orange cat-like monster that looks to be in his late teens walks in with a lit cigarette in his mouth. The punk wears a black and red trimmed fast food uniform, complete with a small hat with the letter M on it. He slinks his way up to the bar and looks around for a second before taking a puff. "Man...And I thought my service sucked." Sans snarled and was about to give this asshole a piece of his mind when someone else beat him to it. "It would be wise not to piss off someone you want to get food from. You never know what you'll get." The sleepy tone of the human caught Sans ear and the cat didn't seem to like her words. "Preaching to the wrong choir, babe. And unless you work here..." He takes a long drag of the cigarette before snuffing it out on the woman's exposed wrist, making her come alive with a raging roar. "Keep your mouth shut." "Son of a bitch! You wanna go, prick?! Because I'll beat you so bad you'll look like something you shit into the litter box!" All the cat does is smirk. "I don't see it. You're just like everybody else. Why does he like you?" "The fuck does that mean?" The sound of a shutting door get the attention from all the patrons and Grillby resumes his place behind the bar. Not wanting trouble, the human yields but rumbles low with seething spite and the sting of pain. Grillby takes note of this but follows with his job. "Is there something I can do for you?" "My pussy of a boss is trying to suck up to all us employees by paying for lunch. So we low-level schmoes heard you make decent grub. Can you handle a large order?" Grillby glares but remains professional. "Try me." The cat chuckles and pulls out a notepad, flipping it open. "Hope you got a good memory. If it helps, they're all sandwiches. *coughs* One burrata and marinated cherry tomato sandwich, but only with green tomato. Two porchetta sandwiches with marinated onions and salsa verde, one with white onion and one with regular salsa. One pecorino parsley and anchovy sandwich, extra anchovy. Three braised brisket burgers with pimento cheese, one with cheddar, one with swiss. Two smoked gouda and apple butter sandwiches, both want normal butter. One soft shell crab sandwich with slaw, make sure it's the blue kind. And lastly, two pork schnitzel sandwiches." The cat closes the notepad. "You got all that, bub?" Grillby folds his arms at the smug cat. "One burrata and marinated cherry tomato sandwich, but only with green tomato. Two porchetta sandwiches with marinated onions and salsa verde, one with white onion and one with regular salsa. One pecorino parsley and anchovy sandwich, extra anchovy. Three braised brisket burgers with pimento cheese, one with cheddar, one with swiss. Two smoked gouda and apple butter sandwiches, both want normal butter. One soft shell crab sandwich with slaw, make sure it's the blue kind. And lastly, two pork schnitzel sandwiches." Grillby's smirk makes the cat sneer. "Get to it then, old man. Unless you don't want to get paid." "Tell me, boy. Which part of that order is yours?" "I ain't stupid enough to tell you that." "Heh...You're lucky I pride my work." Grillby gets to work but he makes sure to annoy this punk however he can. First, he brings Sans his order. Then he tends to the burn on the human's hand and gives her a look that says he is up to something.. Then he refills everyone's glass and snacks. Only after all that does he go to the kitchen and starts working on this douchebag's order. During the wait, Sans remembers what he was doing before this schmuck showed up. "hey, kiddo." "Hm?" "did anything happen after we left ya here?" "Like what?" "i dunno. just anything really." She looks up in thought for a moment. "Well...Grillby tricked me into playing a song that embarrassed me." "oh yeah? what song is that?" "It's called What's New Pussycat." That got the skeleton chuckling. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." "so...that all?" "All that I can recall right now. That song just keeps repeating over and over in my head." He figured as much. Her and booze don't mix. But maybe she had a witness. "did your bro see anything?" "Him? Don't know. Haven't heard a peep from him all day. He likes to be choosy about when he speaks." "how convenient." "What's with the questions? Did something happen?" He shrugs. "don't know. just making sure ya didn't do anything dumb." She swirls her water a bit. "Lord, I hope not." "you and me both." She shoots him a strange look. "what?" "Nothing. Just...still getting used to seeing you drink mustard." "heheh...it beats drinking ketchup, that's for sure." "I'll drink to that." She drinks and he does so too. Grillby doesn't make himself known for quite some time. The annoying cat bounces his leg impatiently in his seat by the door. He wanted out of this place as soon as possible. When Grillby finally comes back out, he's carrying two large paper bags stuffed with the food. "Here's your order. I hope you choke on it." The cat gets up and comes back to the bar. "Not so fast. I have to make sure you did it all right." Grillby glares daggers at the insult. He's a man of class and skill, he'll be damned if some punk slings mud at his good name. One by one, the cat unwraps and looks over each individual order. "Good news, old man...Looks like you're getting paid. Congratulations. How much do I owe you?" "For the food? 2,000G. For your behavior? You can get your ass out of my bar and never come back." "You serious?" "The next time your boss sends someone over here for food, make sure it isn't you." The cat scoffs and throws the gold at Grillby. "No skin off my nose about that, old man." The bar is dead silent and gets chilly when Grillby removes his glasses. "Little boy...You are going to regret that." "Yeah, right." The cat aims to take the bags but doesn't get to. Grillby punches him in the face and hops the bar while the cat flies. Patrons watch as Grillby proceeds to beat on the cat with volleys of punches and slams of his face onto tabletops. Only when Grillby is satisfied with the level of violence done to the cat does he toss the lout out of the bar and then does the same with the food. "If I ever see your face in town again, your boss is going to have to set up interviews to replace you!" Grillby slams the bar's door and tries to calm down so that his flames don't set the building on fire...again. The bar slowly begins applauding Grillby on an ass-kicking well deserved and he smiles before returning to the bar to do what he enjoys. "That was one hell of a beat down. Most impressive, sir." The human comments. "Yeah, well...He was some jackass that needed to be taught an important lesson." "and what lesson is that?" "Never piss me off. Honestly...people like that is why I left Hotland." "Hotland?" The human questions. "it's the section of the underground past waterfall." "Oh. Any more places I'm unaware of?" "nah. only place past there is the capital and that's it. the barrier pretty much engulfed the entire mountain. so the underground encompasses that space. at least, as much as was dug out." "So there are four areas of the Underground? Neat." "and you're not going anywhere near the other two. understood?" "Whatever you say, dad." Sans punches her in the arm and she snickers. "What's wrong? Did that rub your funny bone the wrong way?" "shut up and drink your water, lightweight." "Hey, this is damn good water. My compliments to the man behind the bar." She smiles at Grillby and he, surprisingly, avoids eye contact with her while waving back. "No need, pussycat. But...thank you." She didn't seem to notice this change but Sans did. "So how long are you gonna be on break for, Sansy-boy?" "don't call me that. and i still got time." "Good. Because I thought of some messed up jokes and need your insight if they're any good." "flattery doesn't help ya, kiddo. but go on. give me your best shot." "Very well...What's the difference between a pregnant woman and a light bulb?" Sans thinks for a moment. "i dunno. what's the difference?" "You can unscrew the light bulb." The condiment bottle slips from his hand in shock and Punk Hamster busts out laughing. "Hahaha...It's so true!" "I got another one...What do a woman and a bar have in common?" "What?" "Liquor in the front and poker in the back." Punk Hamster pounds on the bar in his later and a few more start to chuckle in. "This one is for the ladies...What do you call the useless piece of skin on a dick? ...The man." Red Bird stifles a laugh but Drunk Bun cheers. "Girl's got talent!" "Okay, this one's really innocent. What's long, hard, and full of semen?" There's a pause as things build. "A submarine." Grillby chuckles and she points to him. "Busted! You were thinking naughty!" "N-No I wasn't." "Yes, you were~." "I was not!" "Dude, it's fine. That's how that joke works. I take it as a compliment. Alright, I got one more and it's in a story format. *ahem* So a man with a tickle in his throat..." [Ten minutes later] "And then...*giggles* then the donkey looks him straight in the eye, and without missing a beat, says...purple hat!" The bar is set into waves of laughter from the filthy jokes that come out of the human's mouth. She suddenly has such the potty mouth. It's actually pretty damn funny. Dirty joke after dirty joke rolls off her tongue with little care as to who it might offend. Funny enough, Sans found this almost charming. Nothing was quite as alluring as someone with a great sense of humor. But at the same time, this was the human! He can't have feelings of any level for the human. The very idea made him sick and yet sick in an almost okay way. Argh! The confusion! "Nickel for your thoughts, bone-boy? "huh? wait, don't you mean a penny?" "You look like something is on your mind. And I think your thoughts are worth more. So what's up?" "eh, it's nothing." "Thinking about the stuff from last night?" "maybe." He was lying. Like he'd tell her what he was really thinking. "Crazy shit, man. Hard to believe any of it's real. I mean...Wow." "is it really that hard to believe? after all, you are sitting in a bar with people you never thought were real either. so finding out some nutty shit like time and space are warped in a freaky cosmic way down here can't be all that hard to grasp when magic is also all over the place." "You know...That's not even the part that weirds me out." "then what does?" "The part where instead of me, some little kid was supposed to be here. I mean...I like to think I'm doing okay down here and I'm an adult. I can't imagine a kid lasting an hour here." "heh...you'd be surprised by just how tough that kid was." During their talk last night, Sans went into some length about what he knew. Mentioning Frisk and timelines, but only telling her so much. He didn't once mention how Frisk would either save all the monsters or slaughter them. He didn't mention how many times time suddenly stopped and rewinded. How many times he saw the people around him turn to dust. How many times he fought this kid and in the end failed. How many times...he himself has died. There are just some things you don't tell anyone even if the other person seems willing to listen. Argh! Not this shit again! Stop being weird already! "Whatever the case may be, be it a random anomalous phenomenon or even just a fluke the universe made because it wasn't paying attention...I'm glad." That had him looking at her oddly contented smile. "you're glad?" "I am. I'm glad to be here. To have fallen down and was able to get back up. To have met Nanny. To have my bros. To know Pap and you..." She continued on for a bit but sound ceased to be heard in his skull. The only sound he could hear was the one his soul made as it thud and thumped in his chest. This had to stop. It's too much. He had to go. "thanks for the grub, grillz." Sans put some gold on the bar and leaves his stool, making the human look at him funny. "Break time over?" "yep. if i don't get back, well...ya know how pap gets." She nods her head and brings her attention to her glass. "See you later, Sans." She used his name and not that annoying one she teases him with. Why did this suddenly bug him? "yeah...see ya later...lynsie." He headed out the door before he could see her reaction. This felt awkward. It didn't make sense. All he knew was that he needed to get back to his post before Papyrus bitched a fit or something odd happens. "Well...That felt weird." Grillby refills her glass. "You too? Like this strange tension was around him." "He has to deal with a lot. The Royal Guard isn't all fun and games. Stress piles on and others don't help." "I know that feeling. Like that douche-cat. What was his deal anyway?" Grillby shrugs. "Some monsters are just more of an asshole than others." "I'm glad you aren't like that. Makes it easier to want to be here." Grillby suppresses a blush that wanted to come to his face. "So...How's your wrist?" She looks at her wrist. "I can still feel the sting. But you healed the damage away. No new scar for me today." "Can't believe that little shit...Comes into my establishment...Harasses my people...Thinks he can disrespect me and my craft...Hope he likes that patch of burned off fur, the sniveling son of a whore!" His rage increasing with each word made his flames burn hotter and brighter. Seeing the spooked faces of those at the bar, he straightens himself back into his calm professional demeanor and sighs to a calm. "Forgive me. That was...That was just dumb." "No, no, it's perfectly fine. That creep was a huge ass-hat. He got everything he deserved. Which, I'm kinda hoping you did something to the food to really make him pay." He mocks a scoff. "Why, my dear pussycat...I am a man of the highest pride when it comes to my work. I would never knowingly serve trash to my customers." "My sincererest of bads, good sir." He motions her to lean in a bit and she does so, allowing him to whisper in her ear. "But that boy is not my customer." She smirks as he grins. "Don't tell anyone. Okay, pussycat?" "Ask me again and this time use my name." "Very well..." One of his hands comes up and firmly grabs the back of her head, gripping just a little strongly into her hair enough to make her wince soundlessly. "You'll keep all of this just between us. Won't you...Lynsie~?" His voice murmured her name in growl directly beside her ear, the distortion of a crackling fire that always accompanies his speech making it seem intimidating and intimate at the same time. "Y-Yes." Her voice came out meek and it made him release her. She just looks at him concerned after such actions. Did he frighten her? It wasn't his intent. He only thought a little roughness in his flirt would show her he was interested. He didn't mean to do the opposite. He only thought, well, he wasn't sure right now what he thought. That kiss stirred things in him. Hell, he had to soul-jerk the moment he was alone just to get under control again. Still, he may have overdone it and an apology was in order. "Look...I...I didn't mean to..." "Random question...Were those twelve sandwiches really worth 2000G?" Whatever the thoughts going on in her head were, she clearly wasn't going to voice then as she changed the subject rather quickly. Grillby blinks for a moment as he remembered how to talk again. "N-No. I overcharged him to piss him off. You really remember the amount and price?" "The fucker put his cigarette out on my wrist, damn straight I'm gonna remember every detail. From that lame hat to his yellow eyes, to that twitch his nose made when he got annoyed. It's all in here." She points to her head and it made him think. "Tell me...Can you remember the entire order?" She closed her eyes and he noticed her hand looked like it was typing words on her glass. "One burrata and marinated cherry tomato sandwich, but only with green tomato. Two porchetta sandwiches with marinated onions and salsa verde, one with white onion and one with regular salsa. One pecorino parsley and anchovy sandwich, extra anchovy. Three braised brisket burgers with pimento cheese, one with cheddar, one with swiss. Two smoked gouda and apple butter sandwiches, both want normal butter. One soft shell crab sandwich with slaw, make sure it's the blue kind. And lastly, two pork schnitzel sandwiches." His eyes widened. "Oh don't look so surprised. If you can picture it, I used to work in the food industry." "Really?" "For one year, I worked the counter at a pizza chain. I took the orders, handled the phones, did the drive-thru window, everything apart from actually making the food. *pleasant sigh* I hated that job." "Why only one year?" "Family moved. But I was thinking about quitting anyway. Hard to want to work at a place that gave me more work than required, few hours, shit pay because of said few hours, and no help when the summer rush hit. Though, as bad as it was, I am proud knowing I worked hard and earned that award." "You earned awards?" "Just one. There was a company contest that had the other stores compete with each other for who could get the most donations for charity. During that time, one guy would always call once a week and order the same thing each time. He would then donate $100 dollars each time. My store won and that me a photo on the store's internet page, a certificate telling me I did good, and a small pin to put in my uniform's hat. I still have that uniform...well...Guess I don't since I'm here." "Hmmm..." "What?" "Nothing. Just..." "Yes?" "Well...What would you think of the idea of working here?" That made her almost spill her glass. "You're offering me a job?" "Nothing major. As you can see, the place is usually slow, so you wouldn't have to worry about insane rushes. Hell, rarely are there ever more than ten people here." "If it's that slow, why offer me a job?" "Just because it's slow and not a lot of people come in, doesn't mean those few don't keep me busy. It would make things a bit easier if someone could top off drinks or pass out snacks while I'm cooking. You know? Keep the mood going so they're more likely to keep ordering." "Wow...Manipulation through hospitality. You're a genius." He chuckles to himself. "So? What do you say, pussycat?" He hoped the pet name would make things more normal. Maybe have her forget that small incident from earlier. "I don't know...Based on my current situation, whether or not I accept the offer means nothing. If anything, you'd have to take it up with my 'housemates'." True. She was under the skeletons' thumbs since they were harboring her. Any decisions regarding the human had to be taken up with them first. No way around it. "Fine. I'll talk with them when they come back to get you." "Good luck with that." "Are you saying you'd accept if they agree?" "That depends. Will you be cool and not pull that creepy shit again?" He knew he was too hopeful on her letting that slide. "I was merely stepping up the level on our game. I thought you were ready for more...intense play." She gives him a funny look. "Part of our game? Really?" All he could muster was a nervous grin. She eyes him for a while before finishing her glass. "Okay. I'll buy that." Maybe luck was looking his way. "So...We're okay?" "For now. But just so we're clear, when I am ready for that next level of play, I'll let you know." He knew better than to press his luck any further. It wouldn't be in his best interest to question her. "And how would you do that?" But he is but a man. And playful curiosity tempted him too strongly to ignore. "Trust me. You'll know." Considering her drunken-self told him that was her first kiss, he figures her to have this cute naïve idea as to what intense things are. So he was even more curious as to how she would let him know. "Care to give me an example? Just so I'd know for reference." She rolls her eyes at him. "Don't be naughty." "Come on. Try me. Just one little tease. That's all I'm asking." "I don't want to in front of others." Her cheeks began to redden and he is eating her shyness up. "Would it help if I made them leave?" "Stop teasing me." "But you look so adorable." "Will you both just fuck already?!" Punk Hamster shouts, causing them both to glare at him with faces glowing in blush. "What? It's not like we're not all thinking it. Be mad all you want. That don't make it any less true." Grillby growls but stops when she gets off her stool and returns to the booth from whence she began. Even though it wasn't anything he had planned, Grillby felt some real progress was made, until this turd opened his yap. Now he could go over there and try to talk to her, tell her that moron is just wasted so she should ignore the remarks. But he opts to go about this differently. He'll leave her alone for now and focus on his work. Let her come to her own thoughts and see how it goes. And maybe, if she would let him later, perhaps they could mess around some more. After all, he had her for five more hours.

#undertale #underfell #Lynsie #Anomaly #sans #papyrus #gaster #grillby #grandpa semi #napstablook #mettaton #toriel #Asriel #asgore #flowey #chara #frisk #undyne #alphys

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ember373 · 2 years

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2/11/22 2:03 pm

Well…now it’s 3:04. I got distracted. Lol.

Hmmm…I have so many thoughts swirling in my head and I never know where to start. If only my mind was like one of those claw machine games and I could press a button and would draw one out for me. Or maybe not claw machine because you still have to guide those. More like the chicken that bawks and then spits out an egg. Oooh a ring!! Score!!

I am discombobulated. To say the least. And yes, ofc it’s over a man. Duh. I think back to all the guys I’ve met in the last 10 years (gawd that sounds like a lot but really it’s not…). Of course there’s drama with every one. I always wonder if they’re the guy Margie talked about. I am always wanting them to be the one. And they haven’t been so far. Not even close really. But I try to squeeze them into that hole. And then I swear that I won’t do that again. And then I do it again. Oi ve.

Panda obviously left a very big void in my heart and in my life. The one man I was prepared to leave everything for and was trying to figure out how to do it and he gave up. He panicked and told me to stay where I was. He wasn’t strong enough. Too wishy washy. Spineless. So I stayed. Because why hurt so many people just to try to be happy by myself? I needed someone to do it for. To give me that extra little bit of strength. I shouldn’t need it, but there ya go. I’d rather suffer than make anyone else suffer. But…if the one I love deeply suffers? Then it’s time to make some changes so I can make them happy. And in doing so, make myself happy too. And, while that’s still kind of the case, I think I am closer to doing what I need to whether its for someone else or just myself. The oppressor isn’t happy, so I guess in a sense I’d be doing it for him and me, even tho he wouldn’t see it that way. But with each angry outburst, with each emotional burden he places on me to take care of for him-I’m wearing thin. I’ve felt change coming for years now. YEARS. But I couldn’t get anything together to make it happen. And, if I’m being honest, I really wasn’t in a place where it was feasible. I wanted out, but it would have been jumping in the middle of a vast ocean without anything to help me. I didn’t have a stable job that paid well and just figured I’d find one. No savings. No real plan other than just get free and the rest will work itself out. Which may be fine for some situations, but perhaps not this one. As much as I think the universe hates me, maybe it’s trying to protect me a bit after all.

So who is the man now and what’s going on? Since panda left the picture, (gosh, what was it 6 or 7 years ago now?), there have been men I tried to fit in that void that inevitably slipped through my fingers because they weren’t meant to be. San Fran, whom I never ever felt was the one Margie talked about but gave me such a sense of acceptance and that feeling of being loved and cared about that I so crave. But, as much as he adored me, us being together was never even in the equation and he didn’t mind that and that bothered me. There were plenty of unrequited crushes. We won’t count those. Lol. Hmmm…I guess next would be Houston. Fuck Houston. What was I even thinking there? Won me over with a freaking Spotify play list that he says he made just for me (ok, I actually believe him, but I’m sure he’s made one for every person he’s met so how special was it really? And it was all pretty much a lie anyway. But I digress.). My love starved little heart rejoiced at being thought about. Even tho it really wasn’t what I thought it was. That just ended in disaster and, to this day, I’m pretty sure he was married or had a gf or lived with his parents or SOMETHING and lied about it. Which…why? That was dumb. And he certainly wasn’t anything Margie said he would be so yeh…pretty dumb on my part. then there was B. Beautiful man, but did I really think it would work out with someone who was asexual? I need to be desired. I don’t know what I was thinking to think that I didn’t need that. Or affection. Pfffffft. Not that B returned my affections. I wouldn’t know cuz he disappeared off the face of the planet. Whatever.

So now, I’ve met this wonderful man and it’s really hard for me not to go down the Margie path, ya know? Is he perfect? Nah. Nobody is. But man am I irresistibly drawn to him. He’s so strong and exudes such a strong masculine presence. Wants to rule me but leaves me to my own devices when needed. Says he adores me. Says he wants me to be his. Possessive. Jealous. Adorable. Intelligent. Funny. Domineering. Sexy as hell. Kind. Funny. Solid. Mature. Has his life together. Stable. Seems to know what he wants out of life. Dependable. So many things. I know some of those seem like red flags, but I find them so damn sexy. >.< there are still some questions, and he is really young, but I really do like him and want to keep him. And he says he wants to keep me. I don’t know why, but he does. If he just adored me a little bit more….lol. I’m too needy. >.< I honestly don’t know if he’s the Margie man or not, but I sure can picture a life with him. And since nobody reads the shit I type here, I’m going to lay it all out to get it off my chest and hopefully stop fretting over it.

I really like this guy. Like…to the point where I would say love if it wasn’t so damn scary and way too soon to probably be thinking of that. I’m sure he certainly doesn’t feel that. I need to be careful. He takes control and it makes me feel safe. Makes me feel loved. He thinks when he’s being domineering that it hurts me, but really it reassures me. It’s when we don’t talk as much or he chooses to do other things than talk to me and we end up not talking as much that hurts me. When he doesn’t say he misses me or find me cute or adorable or asks me how badly I want to suck his cock-those are the things that hurt me. Like yesterday and today, I feel a bit neglected. He’s told me he needs space sometimes and I’m trying really hard to give it to him, but I’m sad he’s not around. That he doesn’t want to be around, even for the briefest of moments. Does he really ever miss me? I don’t believe he’d lie about that, but yeh. You know how my mind likes to fuck me over and tell me things that aren’t true.

Do I have concerns? Yeh. Obviously, he’s so young. And not that the age is a factor per say. I mean, the heart wants what it wants. It’s more along the lines of omg what if one day he decides I’m too old and wants someone younger? And he said he wants kids. I would certainly do what I could to give them to him but omg am I too old? And then his family will probably hate me. My family will think I’m nuts. Overlords family will be all what the fuck? But…I can withstand all of that if I know that he absolutely loves me for me and it’s solid. But will he? I honestly don’t know. I just have to wait. And we all know how good i am at that. 🙄

Another concern is the BDSM. Most of the guys I have been with have been very dominant guys. But it was all about control. And not that BSDM isn’t about control, it very much is, but its treated differently than just domineering over your partner. So he’s into some aspects of that lifestyle and wants me to call him Master, but does he know what that signifies? Does he know the responsibility that entails? A domineering man gets what he wants, satisfies himself, and leaves his partner to deal with the aftermath. A true master takes care of his little sub afterwards and makes sure they are ok and loved. They may beat the hell out of their ass, but then they rub it and hug them and praise them and hold them and make them feel loved. After care. Does he know about after care? Or does he just want to beat and humiliate me? Because I can take that as long as he loves me afterwards and shows it physically and comforts me. Things he’s said and done hint at that, but I don’t KNOW. And I’m afraid to ask because I don’t want this to end. But I know it’s important to me.

We’ve discussed the whole give and take of this relationship. We give each other what we need and take what we need. I satisfy his need to dominate, control, humiliate and shame (in private) and he fulfills my need to be adored, loved, accepted, protected, and reassured. We both think the other one has the harder job. Lol. He’s afraid I’m too sensitive for his rough desires-both physical and emotional- and I’m afraid I’m too needy for him and he’ll get frustrated with my constant desire to be reassured that he cares for me (and eventually loves me) and will leave me. Obviously, only time will tell on that one. But still. It is a concern I think for both of us.

He fulfills a deep need in me and that kind of scares me. Because, if it works out, I’m going to have to make some really big changes. Leaving overlord, working out what to do with my kids, potentially having another kid, and where I’m to live. My home has always been a person and not a place so I figure I’ll eventually end up where he is, but will it work? And I just got this new job and they’re training me and giving me skills I can take with me and utilize anywhere and I just don’t want to up and leave them. But it’s too good an opportunity to pass up. I love it. Will we be able to work through that? Part of me thinks that ya know, I couldn’t quite get my life together before. I’d get pieces of the puzzle, but they weren’t the right fit. Or some pieces just have always been missing. It just dawned on me as I’m writing this, that maybe it was for a reason. Maybe it was to leave space for this right here. Didn’t leave and buy my own house because maybe I’d be leaving it soon. Didn’t have a good stable job because it wasn’t meant to last. The one I have now will teach me skills I can take anywhere and make decent money doing. Things like that. Did nothing come together because this was the culmination and I needed to wait? Are things finally going to fall into place? Am I finally going to be able to get my shit together and do what I need to do? What I want to do?

He’s made comments like I could be a potential partner, he wants me to be his and vice versa, he’ll never leave me…. I want to believe in those so badly. But am I truly hearing what he’s saying or only what I want to hear? Is he truly thinking about the potential to be with me as a life partner, or just for now? I’m so used to being a damn placeholder until something better comes along. Never quite good enough. Is that the case here, or is he serious? My gut tells me he’s serious. My scared brain tells me there’s no way because I’m definitely not good enough for him.

Here’s the thing tho. The very absolutely scary thing that I have a very hard time voicing out loud. I like him so much I want him to be the one. I don’t want to force him in that role and get my hopes up, but I really want him to be the one. The one Margie said would be the love of my life and understand me and give me everything I’ve ever needed and we would be happy together. The one to make me feel safe. To love me how I need to be loved. I can see that with him. And it terrifies me. He made the comment that if we decide we like each other then we talk about my marriage, what we both want out of life and the relationship and go from there. He’s serious. And I know, obviously, I’m going to need to initiate a divorce. He’s not like panda. He’s not going to panic and tell me to stay. I’m his. He will claim me and demand I go to him and…I want him to. And I’ll do it. Somehow, I’ll do it, if I haven’t already.

The thing that cracks me up is he told me he’s going to Japan next year for 8 months. Japan!! Margie said she saw me going to Japan. Obviously, this is probably just a coincidence…but what if it’s not? What if it’s a sign? I’m afraid to think about it but I’m also hoping it is. I want to be with him. I’ve never even seen what he looks like and I want to be with him. How much have I lost it? Lol.

And I keep seeing numbers. 555 and 333. 333 signifies needing to make great change. Dealing with your past and discarding what isn’t helping you to make way for something better. In love it’s an indicator that it’s time to make essential changes and choices in your love life. 555 is twin flame. That one person that is meant for you. Like really? I used to see lots of repeating numbers, mainly 11:11 and 12:12. But now? 5:55 and 3:33 pretty consistently. And it’s usually when I’m thinking of him or us. One day I was driving and was just kind of like does he really like me? Will this really work? And I saw a Florida license plate right in front of me. Seriously? Is the universe trying to tell me something or am I just crazy? Probably the latter….lol

I drew cards about us. Our relationship is new and a commitment will be made soon. I bring peace and tranquility-rest. He brings bullying and domination-Master. The potential in our relationship is that one will end while a new one begins-one that will be better and more fulfilling. I will learn that I deserve this happiness and success and I need to be wary of an offer of money with conditions I don’t quite like. It all makes sense. Oddly. I don’t know. I don’t want to jinx this, I don’t want to force it, I don’t want to ruin it. I’m trying to just let it be. But damn do I want this so very badly. I just have to remind myself that he’s worth trying to discipline myself for. He’s worth being patient. he’s worth it all. But that little voice keeps asking…am I worth it? That’s what scares me most of all.

Am I worth it?

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clownsgobeepbeep · 6 years

Text

Mommy Dearest Pt. 1

I now present to you, the first drabble that will lead to Ryder's end. I apologize in advance. Am I really sorry though

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh

Games were one of his fortes. Whether they be digital or physical, Cosmos was able to win almost any sort of game, and he loved every single one.

Just like games, game making was another one of his fortes. Cosmos could create a whole world in less than a second, and he made sure that it always ended with him as the winner.

But this time, this was not his game, and he was no winner at all.

Cosmos was surprised to have opened his eyes for a moment, noticing that he was all alone in bed. He looked around and noticed that he was already in his normal clothes which he found strange, but then again, he did sometimes take naps or slept like that. The clown shrugged to himself before he slipped off of his bed and put his boots on to then walk towards his and Vespers' bedroom door. He reached up towards the doorknob but stopped when his hand hovered over it, and he squinted his eyes as he felt as if something was completely off. No, he didn't feel as if something was wrong, he knew something was wrong.

Cosmos bit his lip for a moment, hesitating but still holding and turning the knob to open the door and furrow his eyebrows once he saw outside. This was not the observatory in the slightest bit, not even in the dark. He knew what this was, and he was not going to fall for it.

"Fucking original, now you're trying to fuck around with me?" he plainly stared into what he could say was a void of nothing but complete darkness leading nowhere. Cosmos shook his head in an annoyed manner as he stepped out of the bedroom and into it all as he slammed the door shut and crossed his arms to glare up.

"Hmmm, I kind of forgot you're not the type that really scares with these kind of things." a voice in the darkness replied, and Cosmos saw the towering figure of none other than Ryder appear from out of the darkness. "Well, I actually thought that I'd just give it a try. Never hurts, now does it?"

"You're right about that, but you already knew it was pointless to do this. So why try?"

"Curiosity."Ryder chuckled, fixing his hair as he stared down at the much smaller Cosmos who looked absolutely nonchalant.

"Alright, just kill me or fuck me up already so I can go."Cosmos told him, uncrossing his arms before Ryder shook his head as he chuckled some more.

"Oh no, no, no Cosmos. Now that is not how we play games, now is it?"

"I don't want to take part in these shitty games of yours, just get it over with and let me wake up. Nothing you do is going to-"

"Oh but Cosmos, trust me when I say that you seriously want to play this game. Would you like to know why?" Cosmos opened his eyes and stared up at Ryder, giving him an ever deeper stare as he crossed his arms once again and started to impatiently tap his foot. "Well, every game must have a winner, and I believe that said winner deserves a prize, yes?"

"Hurry the hell up."

"In this game, there will be a variety of winners, and one loser."

"Me, alright. Got it. Now let me-"

"Ah, ah, ah Cozzy. You must listen to the instructions if you don't want to choose the wrong loser."

"Excuse me?"

"This is the game of life. I have 7 game pieces, and you must save them all. If you miss one, they lose, you win. Capiche?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cosmos squinted, then seeing that Ryder snapped his fingers before a giant hourglass appeared next to him, still not counting down. He then snapped his fingers once again before Cosmos heard the sound of chains and gears, and slowly from above he not only saw six chains, but he saw that they were holding Ryder's seven pieces.

"You ass-"

"Who of these is going to take your place in the real world Cosmos?"Ryder asked before he poked the first 'piece', which was Pepper who struggled to get out of his chains. "Your brother, who you've tormented ever since the second he was born for no reason?"

"Real world?"

"Or, your pregnant sister? The one who you pushed away just because you thought she preferred baby Pepper over big brother Cosmos?" Ryder continued before going to the third chain, poking it again as he showed Vespers struggling. "Or maybe, your husband? The one who you never even wanted to be married in the first place? An accidental wedding, isn't that lovely?"

"What are you planning!?"

"Or will it be your brother's twins? The ones you never cared about until much later? Or, your sister's daughter who never even liked you in the first place?"

"Ryder, you-"

"Oh, oh, wait! Maybe it'll be your father!"Ryder excitedly exclaimed, toying around with the chain that held an angry Aster, but he then laughed to himself when he went to the last chain, holding onto it. "Or my favorite choice, your mother?"

"None of them! I'm not saving any of them, because none of this is real and I know better than to play your game, you're just fucking around with me!"

"Dear Cozzy, you're still not listening to my instructions, now are you?"

"Because this is bullshit."

"I don't think allowing one of your loved ones to die is bullshit. Do you know what this little time piece will do? Once I turn it, I'm going to allow you to save your loved ones. If you save them, congratulations! You fucking lose."

"Lose? Why is that?"

"Because, somebody has to die. If it's none of them, I take your life while you continue sleeping peacefully next to Vespy-Wespy."

"And if I don't?"

"Then, you get to live while the unsaved person is killed in real life. Isn't that simple?"

"You wouldn't do that, I know how you work."

"Oh, but do you know that I no longer care? If anything, I'm just in it for the suffering now. While you're trying to figure out who to save, my little plan has already taken action. Now I will ask, would you like to see your brother in law Lennie suffer because you decided to let his wife and baby die at my hand? Or would you like to see him suffer at my hand?"

"You wouldn-"

"Time's running out Cosmos. Maybe if you save yourself, you can still save the poor bastard before I get to him." Ryder smirked, snapping his fingers before he disappeared back into the darkness with a dark laugh. Cosmos looked at the hourglass which was now upside down, and the sand was now falling down before he heard the others gasp. He whipped his head around all sorts of things beneath each chain which all started to lower down.

Cosmos raised his hands so that his sleeves could easily grab his family, but he grit his teeth once he remembered that this world was Ryder's, and he had to actually work for this. He ran towards the chains and stood in front of the open ground, right about to jump towards the children right before Ula opened spoke up.

"Don't do it."

"What? Ula I-"

"You're the worst uncle, and the worst brother. You try so hard with me because you know you can never make up what you did to my mother."

"What!?"

"You're an idiot! Stop trying! You don't care about me! You just see my mother in me, which is the only reason why you care about me!" she angrily yelled while she grit her teeth, and Cosmos shrunk down for a second before he shook his head and leaped forwards to grab Ula before the sharks beneath her could bite. He set her down and turned, then doing the same with Jeff and Bubbles who merely gave him death glares which was quite terrifying.

Cosmos set the children down, then turning around to jump and grab Jelly and Pepper who were being lowered into a pit of tentacles and another filled with large spiders. He bit his lip and crouched down a bit to jump higher, then stopping once more when his siblings shot him glares.

"Really? Are you really doing this shit now?"

"Wow, would you look at that! The big hero!" Jelly laughed, and Pepper swung around for a bit which made Cosmos look at him.

"She's right, big, strong hero you are Cosmos. After everything you've done to us, now is when you actually care?"

"I've always cared!"

"No, you didn't. The only time you ever gave a fuck was when it was just you, and me. But right when Pepper was born, the only thing in your world was your fucking TV screen!"Jelly yelled while Cosmos shook his head, and started to shake for a bit while Jelly stared him down. "You're the worst brother anybody could have."

"You hurt us for no reason."

"No!"

"You made us feel like we weren't worth your time."

"No!"

"You pushed us away because you were jealous."

"No, no, no!"

"You wanted mommy's love all to yourself."

"Stop it!"

"You've never done anything good in your life, and you disappoint even us."

"Shut up!"

"Look, you're too weak to even save us now."Jelly rolled her eyes as Cosmos looked up at her, and she looked down at the writhing tentacle filled water as she was so close to it. "Now Lennie's going to hate you, because you couldn't keep your sister and your nephew alive."

"Oh, but you're of course going to save mom!"Pepper yelled, and Cosmos shut his fists before he walked backwards, shutting his eyes before he ran towards them and opened his arms as wide as he could before grabbing both of his siblings and landing on the opposite side of the pits. Before he could let go of them and turn around, he felt his lips quiver as he hugged them tightly and kissed the top of each of their heads.

"I didn't mean any of those things...I love you guys so much...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…."he sobbed into their hair, then letting go of them before he turned and saw his next family member.

"Ah, how nice. Now is when you decide to save me? Of course, your family comes first."

"Vespers-"

"Don't make up any stupid excuse, I know they're all so much more important than me." Vespers spat out, ignoring Cosmos who was getting ready to run and jump. "I should have broken off the marriage when I had the chance to. I can't believe I'm married to such a reckless idiot who can't control his own anger."

"Vespy, please-"

"A reckless idiot who doesn't know how to love. If you can't love your own siblings, how are you supposed to love me? For all I know, you care more about flirting with some random floozy than spending a day with me. Maybe, you're just using me like you use everybody else."

Cosmos grit his teeth and took action, grabbing Vespers before he set him down and went with to where his parents were as they were being lowered into a pit of carnivorous plants.

"Finally the boy comes."

"And to think we'd be his first choice, seeing how we're the reason he's alive."

"Oh Lyds, you know he's always been the brat of the three."

"Lazy, ungrateful, a big man baby who depends on his mother for everything."Lydia rolled her eyes while Cosmos shook his head and felt his hand shake along with his lips. "Look at him! He can't even decide who he's going to save!"

"Well, he's going to obviously save you because he's always cared about you more than me."Aster laughed to himself, then looking at Cosmos. "Isn't that right son?"

"Dad, no! I love you-"

"Cut the crap Space Boy."Lydia interrupted, and she turned to Aster with a knowing smile. "Everybody calls him a Mama's Boy, so he's going to try to prove himself otherwise and choose you for once. Just to prove that he also loves daddy."

"No! I'm saving both of you! Right now! I'm gonna give up my life for the both of you!" Cosmos frantically yelled out, feeling tears prickle at his eyes while he ran back and started running. "I love you guys so much, and I wouldn't let anything happen to either one of you!"

Cosmos let out a few breaths before he bit his lip, then jumping up to grab both of his parents before Lydia glared at him, speaking one last time.

"I wish I never gave birth to you, you disgrace."

Cosmos looked at her with a completely devastated expression which distracted him, and he instead fell towards his father . Rather than pulling him down with him, Cosmos harshly fell onto the ground before he looked up at his parents who were nothing but dangling chains which made him gasp loudly.

"My, my. Two dead? That's so nice, double the trouble for me."a voice called out once again, and Cosmos looked up with tears already spilling from his eyes. "Cozzy, Cozzy, Cozzy...you just made my morning, you know that?"

"No, please, please don't do anything to them!"

"Hmmm, well... okay. I won't do anything...to one of them." Ryder laughed as he grabbed the floating hourglass which was of course already done with. "I need to have my fun you know."

"Ryder, don't! Kill me! Do whatever you want to me! Don't do it, please, I-I-I'll do anything!"

"Too late for that Cosmos. You should have done that before you kept me away from your sister."

"Ryder, you asshole! James! I know you're there! Do something you bastard!" Cosmos shouted, slamming his fists against the ground before Ryder let out a malevolent laugh.

"Cosmos, Cosmos! Calm down my friend, you have nothing to worry about. I was just pulling your leg."

"What?"

"I won't do anything to anybody."

"You-....wh-"

"Because I already have."

Cosmos' eyes widened as Ryder smirked down at him, and his giant hand grabbed his tiny form before bringing him up to his face. "While you were too busy trying to get over your fears, I took the time to visit your dear mommy. You do know, time runs differently around here, right?"

"You bastard! You sick, psychotic, asshole! What did you do!?" Cosmos kicked out, biting into Ryder's finger which didn't hurt him, but instead made him frown.

"Geez, you really are a man baby. How about I just put you to sleep?" he smiled, then lifting his hand which he roughly lowered down as Cosmos' vision turned into nothing and he blacked out.

_______________________________________________________________________

Cosmos jolted up from his bed and panted rapidly before he jumped off of his bed, then running towards the door which he swung open. He ran through the hallways of the observatory before he skidded to a stop as he was about to bump into Vespers.

"Cos-"

"Vespers! My mom! We need to go to her right now!"

"Cosmos..."

"Ryder's gonna do something! Or he did something!"Cosmos sobbed out as he grabbed onto Vespers' shoulders tightly, and he felt Vespers pull him into a hug. "No, Vesp, please! We need to go right now!"

"Cosmos, please listen to me."

"Vespers, move so we can-"

"Cosmos!"Vespers yelled out, making Cosmos slightly jump back before he looked at Vespers' saddened expression. "Cosmos, we couldn't wake you up. We didn't know why, but while you were sleeping...Ryder..."

"What? What!?"

"Cosmos, I'm so sorry..."

#cosmos the clown #ryder the clown #others are here #but you'll have to read to see them~

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fallen029 · 6 years

Text

Ride or Die

Mirajane Strauss, honestly, didn't know a lot about Laxus Dreyar. Not on a personal level, at least. She knew that his father left the guild, that his grandfather was the Master of it. That his mother was dead and he had no siblings. She knew the Thunder God Tribe loved him. She was smart enough to realize that, on some level, he had to love them back. He was a Dragon Slayer, which she was well aware of, and one of the strongest ones she knew. One of the strongest mages she'd ever met.

Oh, and he had quite the rotten attitude.

But other than all that, she knew next to nothing about the man. For the longest time, at least. Recently, however, in what felt at times like a rather factitious relationship, she'd begun to learn more. She learned that he liked his steak plain and his burgers with tons of ketchup. He preferred her with her bangs down and in her black dress over any other. He shined his boots weekly and smoked at least one cigar every other day. His heavy coat was washed frequently, as to stay clean and nice smelling, while he was for some reason fine with wearing a pair of socks for days at a time. He owned the newest and most expensive lacrimas in his very tasteful and pricy apartment, yet kept the same old headphones that he'd had since he was a boy.

There was, however, one thing that Mirajane hadn't found out about just yet in their relationship that consisted of infrequent dates and her occasionally being allowed to stay over at his apartment.

Laxus, a slayer very much so effected by motion sickness, owned a motorcycle.

She found this out one morning when she awoke rather late after an equally as late night out with said slayer, at some concert of some band that she suffered through because they hadn't been on a date in what felt like a month (three weeks and four days, actually) and she was actually had the night off, for once. Plus, if she didn't, she was fearful that he'd ask one of his other dates and, well, Mira just wasn't risking it.

So it was with a headache from both lack of sleep and drinking that she got up with that day, lazily walking around Laxus' seemingly empty apartment, not looking for him. He always got out of there by six in the morning to go training. Always. It was part of his ritual.

Which, on days she worked, was just as well, seeing as she had to be at the guildhall around the same time, so they'd usually leave together. On days when he knew she wouldn't have to open the bar (she'd traded shifts with Lisanna in preparation for her late night out) however, he usually just mumbled something to her before they went to bed about how she needed to lock up before she left.

Not before taking a shower, of course, and perusing his fridge. He'd never given the go ahead on either of those, of course, but Mirajane did them regardless and, so far, hadn't received a complaint.

It was after she got her shower in and was heading to the kitchen, however, when it happened; someone knocked on Laxus' front door.

For a moment, Mirajane froze. She knew the man didn't have many associates and, of course, he wouldn't be knocking at his own door. The first place her mind went to was that it was another one of the women that Laxus frequently saw and that was just too awkward to deal with.

She'd accidentally forced Laxus into the same position once before, when they were out together and ran into one of the men she occasionally took to functions and, well, needless to say no one involved was very comfortable. Mirajane especially. Laxus made a big deal about it, after the guy was gone, about how she forced the introduction between the two men and that she'd enjoyed it (which she definitely hadn't), and she wouldn't have been surprised if he was getting her back for that.

Which is why Mirajane decided, at first, not to open the door. That only lasted about a minute as, after one more knock, the handle shook a bit before a key was shoved in the lock and turned.

Mira was completely embarrassed then. If he was giving another woman a key, clearly she belonged there far more than Mirajane did. She was busy mustering up some maturity for the situation when, suddenly, the door opened and it wasn't a woman at all.

Rather, it was just Freed.

"Oh. Mirajane." He hardly seemed shocked to see her as he strolled into the apartment. "I suppose Laxus is out?"

"Uh, yeah, he's training," she said as she stood there awkwardly, rubbing at her arm as she stood in the middle of the living room. "Did you...need something? Or-"

"Just dropping these off." He held up a keyring with only two keys on it. "For Laxus."

"What is it to?" Mira asked, slightly curious as the man came over to set it on the coffee table. "Freed?"

"Hmmm?" The rune mage glanced up at her before shaking his head a bit. "Oh, nothing special. Just Laxus' motorcycle."

Mirajane blinked. "Laxus' what?"

"Motorcycle." Freed cocked his head at her. "Have you not seen it?"

"N-No. What were you doing with it?" Curious, Mirajane came to stare down at the key.

"Well, someone has to start it, occasionally," the man explained. "Drive it around."

"But if it belongs to Laxus-"

"He bought it, I think, more for the image than for anything else, honestly. It makes him more than a tad nauseous to ride it." Freed shrugged a bit. "He'll only take it out when he's in the mood, so it's my job to keep up the maintenance and such on it. I-"

"Can you… Do you think you could show it to me?"

"W-Well, I'm really only supposed to drive it around town for a night and then bring it back-"

"I just wanna see it, Freed. Please?" Mirajane wasn't sure why this little tidbit of Laxus' life was so intriguing to her, but it definitely was. She'd tried very hard the past few months not to pry too hard into his life (she'd even managed not to go through all of his drawers in his bedroom when he wasn't around; note all), but something about finding out he owned a motorcycle just excited her. "Just a quick peek?"

And she used that dumbed down tone that, shockingly, made Freed cough just a bit and look off. She'd thought that such a thing wouldn't work on the man, but whatever worked.

He led her down to the basement area of Laxus' apartment building, which mostly housed SE-plug vehicles, but also a few fuel based ones for non-mages. That's what Laxus' motorcycle seemed to run on fuel as well as, when Freed led Mirajane over to it, she saw no plug.

"Wow," she remarked, reaching out to gently ghost a hand over the dark black tank cover of the motorcycle with a blue dragon etched into it. "This looks really-"

"Please." Freed reached out to grab her hand. "No smudges. I just wiped it down before I came up to the apartment."

Giving him a slight grin there, in the dark and mostly empty underground garage, Mirajane said, "If Laxus never rides it, then-"

"He comes down here sometimes," Freed said as he let go of her hand to toss his own in the air. "You know, to show it off to dates and such."

"Yeah." Mira nodded. Dates. Other than her. "Sure."

Continuing right along, Freed said simply, "I would let you...ride it, I suppose, but it's not mine to-"

"Oh, no. I get it. Really. I just wanted to look. Honest. I… You know. I have one too."

Freed blinked. Then he frowned. "You have one too what?"

"You know. A motorcycle."

"R-Really?"

Bemused, the woman said, "Of course. I mean, it's not as nice as this. And it sort of doesn't run… I had a boyfriend, once, that had one and he left it in the shed in my backyard. He was going to fix it up or something and then we broke up and he never came back for it. I've always thought about just selling it for parts, but then I also like the idea of rebuilding it and...I dunno. Maybe one day. For either. But… You were really busy, weren't you?" Mirajane giggled then and Freed coughed into his hand again.

"Yes, well, I did have other things to do today, sure," the man agreed. "But-"

"Then you can get to it." Mira even giggled again. "I have to get down to the hall anyways. Thanks, Freed."

He even bowed his head at her. "Of course."

Mirajane didn't see Laxus again for a few days after that. He didn't come up to the hall and she didn't call on him. It wasn't until she had the afternoon off about a week later and she was out to lunch with Lisanna when they accidentally stumbled upon him.

He was walking into the restaurant and spotted where they were sitting almost immediately and headed right over.

"You sure have been in town for awhile, Laxus," Lisanna commented as Mirajane coerced him into sitting down with them. "Aren't you leaving again?"

"I've been a bit busy," he remarked simply. "Gramps, for some reason, decided to buy a whole new set of furniture, so I've been busy moving his old furniture out and the new furniture in and now he wants a new bedroom set too, which I don't get, because he's, like, so old and won't really get any use out of it-"

"Laxus," Mira complained as Lisanna only giggled. Still, the man sat there, on the same side of the booth as Mirajane, void as ever.

"Like I said," he told the grinning Lisanna. "I've had a lot going on."

"I just posted some new S-Class jobs for Mirajane," the youngest Strauss kept up. "There was this one about these, like, ghosts that are haunting this entire town and it looks really cool. I'd snatch it up, if I were you, before someone else does. Or, ooh, sis, maybe you could take it and you and I could go on it and-"

"I actually want to spend some time doing something else," Mirajane offered up as Laxus looked around for a waitress to take his order. "And it's kinda funny that you showed up, Lax, because it sorta has to do with you."

"Oh yeah?" He finally caught a waitress attention and she only waved at him, as if to say it'd be a moment, before walking off to the kitchen. It was for the best, honestly, as he was in the middle of listening to Mirajane. Glancing then down at the woman, he asked, "What is it? You wanna go somewhere or somethin'? I was thinkin' about heading up to this cabin I go to sometimes and taking someone with me. If you-"

"No," she cut him off. Then, frowning, she said, "I mean, yes, to that, but that's not what I mean."

"Then what?"

"Well," Mirajane began, reaching out to her glass of soda and playing with the straw just a bit, as if bashful. Lisanna was staring just as curiously at her.

"What is it? Sis?"

Glancing up at Laxus, she said, "Freed came over to your apartment as I was leaving the other day and had the...keys to your motorcycle and he took me down to see it when I asked and… Are you honestly into motorcycles?"

Laxus blinked. Then he frowned. "Why did he show you-"

"Are you?" Mira kept up. "Or do you just own one? Because Freed made it seem like he's the one that deals with it and-"

"It's my bike," the man grumbled. "Of course I...can...tune it up...err whatever you call it. I'm very mechanically inclined, Mirajane."

Which he wasn't. At all. And he didn't really know why he was telling her that other than the same reason that he bought the motorcycle in the first place; image. Pure and simple.

"Oh, great!" And she bounced, just a bit, clapping her hands. "Then you can help me."

"Help you?" Laxus frowned. "Help you with what?"

"Well, I have a bike too," Mirajane said, sitting up straight as she stared up at him. "Or, well, one of my boyfriends did, but he, like, left the bike at my house all the way back before we even got trapped in Tenrou, so I'm pretty sure he's not coming back. I've been trying to fix it up forever, but I can't get it running and then, while we were gone, it rusted and stuff and… And it's been so hard! I don't know what else to do with it. I've been thinking about selling it for parts-"

"You should," Lisanna remarked as she went back to her plate of food. "Seriously, Laxus, it's just a piece of junk. It-"

"To us," Mirajane agreed. "But to Laxus, who clearly knows about motorcycles and all their intricacies, I bet it'd be a snap! Right, Laxus?"

Shit. Was this why they always said you weren't supposed to lie to people? Shit. Laxus didn't know what to say. How to save himself. Only muttered something to Mirajane about how he'd come over in a few days to check it out and see if anything could be done for the bike.

"That'll be great, Lax!" Mirajane kissed his cheek. "I have a toolbox full of wrenches and screwdrivers and a bunch of other stuff I don't really know how to use. Oh, and I own a hammer."

"Mira," Lisanna chided. "Laxus just said he's into mechanical stuff. I'm sure he has his own toolbox full of wrenches and has his own hammer."

Trying hard not to bang his head on the table, Laxus told them both, "I really don't think I'll be needing a hammer, guys."

"Really?" Mirajane giggled. "I bet you have the best hammer ever. Thor's hammer."

That time, he groaned. "We're not Norse, Mirajane. I'm Raijin! Not Thor. Use your head."

"Before you hammer us?" Lisanna added and then they were basically just making fun of him and, well, hell, he didn't have to stand for that. Or sit for it. So, without even ordering anything, he took off.

The jerks.

Besides, Laxus had something more important to deal with than the giggling Strauss sisters. Namely, he had to figure out how to get out of fixing up Mirajane's bike.

Oh, and he had to beat the heck outta Freed for causing the problem to begin with.

"Perhaps," Freed suggested later that day as he sat on Laxus' couch after the man berated him for, at least, ten minutes, "you should just tell Mirajane that you do not understand how to fix her motorcycle and-"

"And what, Freed? Look like a chump? A poser?"

"Many people drive cars, Laxus, and yet do not understand how to chance their own oil."

"Wh- Are you stoned? What are you-"

"It doesn't make them posers," he pointed out. "Just tell her the truth; you do not really enjoy the mechanical aspect of the bike. Rather, you think that you look cool on it."

"I don't think that." Laxus was stalking back and forth in front of the couch. "I do. I look great on it!"

"I agree."

Ugh.

"There's only one real option in all of this," Laxus decided as he came to a stop in front of the rune mage.

"And that is?" he prompted.

"I have to take a crash course in anything and everything relating to motorcycles. I'll need...books. On that kinda shit." Nodding at Freed, Laxus said, "What are you still doin' here? Get me books! Tons of books! On anything and everything mechanical. Oh, and buy me a toolbox."

"A-A toolbox, Laxus?"

"Yeah. Full of whatever kinda shit I need to...to… At the very least, pretend like I know what I'm doing."

Freed only sighed before getting to his feet. "Of course, Laxus."

And then all was left was for Laxus to learn. He was quick at that. Learning. Hell, he was the most powerful mage in all of Fiore, if not Earth Land (or at the very least in his own mind). He could do anything he gave his all too.

Which is what he kept repeating to himself one afternoon as Mirajane Strauss led him through the back gate of her yard and over to a rundown wooden shed back there. There were two big double doors on it, locked shut with a thick metal chain, a single lock danging from it.

"Keepin' somethin' nefarious out here, woman?" he asked as she summoned a key magically before unlocking the shed.

"Just this bike," she said. "I'm really proud of it."

"Yeah," he remarked as the chains just disappeared into oblivion, seemingly, when Mirajane keyed into the lock, "well, if it's not even runnin'-"

"I just love him is all." Then she frowned, but didn't glance back at him. "It. I love the bike."

And Laxus drew nothing from that because he honestly wasn't paying attention. And, besides, he would have assumed if Mirajane was keeping a piece of junk out in a shed that some ex never came back for all those years later, that there was definitely some sort of baggage there.

He didn't have time for that mess though. At the moment, he had to focus in on one thing and one thing only; fixing Mirajane's motorcycle.

It wasn't anything special, he found, when Mira opened the old wooden doors and revealed the bike. It was old and ugly and clearly was just a standard bike. Nothing special. Nothing expensive. Nothing worth fixing.

He was just getting ready to tell this to Mirajane when she took the heavy toolbox he had dangling from one hand and went to set it on one of the tables in the corner of the shed.

"So what do you need?" she asked, going to flip on the single, dangling bulb in the shed. "From me? I've messed around with it a lot. Could show you what I think is-"

"It's probably best if I just look at it on my own," he told her with a sigh. "Fresh eyes and all."

"Oh, of course." Mirajane clapped her hands together. "I'll go make you something for lunch, okay? Just call me if you need me."

"I think I'll just be out here for a bit," he sighed as she pressed a kiss to his cheek before running off. "So just leave me to it, huh? I'll...I'll work on this." When she was gone, leaving him alone in the shed, he added, "And try not to look like a complete idiot while I'm at it."

That was what Laxus did for four straight afternoons. Try hard not to look completely and utterly stupid. He took things off the bike, flipped through the books he brought with him (and hid from Mirajane), tried anything and everything to get the dang thing working. Even spent his own jewels on different parts that he thought might be what the bike needed, but just couldn't figure it all out.

Not that Mirajane minded. She seemed thrilled that Laxus was taking such an interest in helping her out and, even on days when she had work, would always stop by the house to bring him food while he was working on it. Kept a supply of beers in her fridge just for him.

Even on days when Laxus didn't go over there, all he thought about was that motorcycle and just what could be wrong with it. What he was missing. What he'd (possibly) messed up. It was the most important thing in his life at that moment.

By the third week of going over there, at least, every other day, Laxus realized he was becoming obsessive. Which was his inclination with most things. It's what helped him become the great mage he was. If he wanted to learn a spell, he'd spend day and night practicing it into perfection. He wanted a guildhall of his very own, then hell, he'd spend days plotting and planning behind his grandfather's back just how to get it.

Now he wanted to prove that he wasn't just some loser trying to pretend like he was hardcore. Laxus wanted them all to know just how hardcore he was. So hardcore, in fact, that he actually learned a craft such as mechanical know how and studied hard to become quite proficient at it.

And yes. That was a hardcore thing to do. So don't question him about it!

Laxus frequently had run ins with Lisanna while he was there, at which times he'd try and show off his (unreal) prowess and have her help him out in...really...doing...nothing. But she didn't know that. She honestly thought that she was helping. And she was totally impressed with him for the most part while he was mostly just glad she was nearly as gullible as her sister.

Elfman was also someone that Laxus saw a lot of. And, as with all of the men that Mirajane...saw, Elfman tried his hardest to be neutral around him, but it wasn't easy. Laxus and he, obviously, had some amount of history together, being from the same guild. And knowing that that guy was...with Mirajane made him wanna gag. A lot.

Then there was the fact that Laxus was very close to Evergreen who Elfman tried to be very close to as well and.. It was just complicated, alright? And the man didn't make it any easier, walking around in skintight undershirts and jeans, complaining about the heat as Mirajane sat around and made him food and served him beers which, considering her job description, wasn't too odd, but in their own house? As Laxus sat at their kitchen table? And worked out in their shed? And then took a shower in their bathroom? Only to go out and do heaven knows what with other women?

It was madness! And unmanly!

"Now, Elf," Lisanna trounced on more than one occasion when he expressed these feelings. "We all put up with your weird dates."

"I don't have weird dates."

"You have Evergreen over. Multiple times."

"Ever's not-"

"And I don't know anyone weirder than her."

"You-"

"And besides, if Mirajane's not bothered by any of it, why should you?" Then Lisanna grinned. "And think about it; what's more manly than restoring an old motorcycle?"

Absolutely nothing.

Which, actually, is why when Mirajane broke up with that jerk all those years ago, Elfman bought the bike off him. Mirajane was rather torn up about the breakup and, one day when the guy came to the door, wanting to roll off with it (it didn't run back then either), Elfman didn't go get his sister from her room. Just forked over all the jewels he had, shook hands with the man (even though he wanted to strangle him) and then pretended to Mirajane like it never happened.

Then came the manly part! Elfman worked on the bike for a long time. Honest. He just never quite got it to run, was all. Mira either.

It was getting to the point that Elfman just wanted his jewels back, or at least some of them, and was willing to sell the thing to anyone. Now that Laxus was sticking around, messing with it, however, Mirajane seemed to be further from that idea than ever.

So Elfman bit his tongue, as he did with most things when it came to his sisters, and put up with Laxus and his annoying persona. Even offered to help out on the bike once or twice which, if Mira was around, got a no thanks from the slayer and, if she wasn't, a growl of he had his chance; now it was Laxus' turn.

Which it was for over a month. Laxus seemed to be milking his turn, in fact, it was taking so long. Even Lisanna started to question his knowledge on motorcycles, but Laxus just shut down concerns with his claim that the bike was pretty messed up.

And it was.

From his tinkering.

Heh.

He took jobs still, of course, in between working on the bike. Went out. Did other things. He and Mirajane even went out a few times together, rather than just spending time with one another in her musty old shed.

They did a lot of that as well though. When he finally started letting her into the shed to help him out some, she seemed thrilled. She'd sit atop one of the tables out there, rattling on about random garbage. He learned about how, when she became S-Class, the first thing she did was save for the house. And how the shed had had most of the junk he saw in it then in there when they moved in and she'd never actually gotten around to clearing it out. He learned about how Lisanna was seeing some guy that Mirajane didn't know and wasn't sure about. How Kinana had been slacking, just a bit, at work, and Mira wasn't certain if she should mention it to her.

He even, one day as he was staring down at what he thought was, maybe, the engine, met Mira's stray dog who was very aggressive towards the man and about got a ball full of lightning for it. Stupid mutt. Mira, of course, was the one to save him and just told Laxus that he was more than a tad possessive over her.

"Yeah, well, if he comes at me-"

"He won't." And Mira had a strong hold on the scruff of fur around the dog's neck. "Promise."

Mirajane never questioned Laxus either about just how much time he was wasting in the shed every other day he wasn't out on a job. Not even at the two and a half month mark. In the back of her mind, fine, she did find it a bit odd that it was taking him so long to get the bike working if he really knew what he was doing (which at times she was beginning to doubt), but at the same time…

She kinda liked having Laxus over constantly. She hadn't had a real boyfriend in quite some time and sorta missed waking up with someone and making them meals rather than just meeting up somewhere. She liked watching Laxus work on the bike and loved the idea of someone who cared about her being around to listen (or at least pretend to) to all of her complaints and comments.

And yeah, she knew that it wasn't really a relationship. Not really. She and Laxus were friends, honestly, that occasionally went home together, but other than that, nothing more. Yeah, he was helping her out with her bike, but at the same time, he was no doubt seeing other women and wasn't at all committed to her.

So why did she feel so good when he spent hours over at her place, tinkering in the shed?

Laxus, for his part, was slowly beginning to lose his interest in the bike. It was becoming increasingly clear to him that not only did Mirajane have no faith in his ability to ever fix the motorcycle, but also that he truly just wasn't going to. He'd taken off parts and then taken them apart with no idea how to get them put back together, he'd lost nuts and bolts and was just completely out of his league.

Maybe if Mirajane had asked him to fix, like, a malfunctioning movie lacrima or something, he'd have been able to pull it off. But a vehicle? Oh, no. It just wasn't going to happen.

But...Laxus had slowly learned to enjoy the time that he was spending over at the Strauss household. Was even able to hold a conversation with Elfman. Given it was about Evergreen's upcoming birthday and just an insurance neither was getting her the same thing, but still, a conversation all the same.

And Lisanna was great. Laxus enjoyed her spending time with him out in the shed more and more as time went on. She enjoyed his rather dry sense of humor and talked his head off nonstop about this guy that she'd met (stories in which he'd hear a very different take from Mirajane later). He felt as if he and her were becoming...friends of sort.

Then, of course, getting to be around Mirajane more often was also a plus. She was working, a lot, when he was over messing with the motorcycle, but when she'd get home, it would always either be with him food or with the intention of making him something.

Oh, and sex. Lots of sex. She seemed really appreciative towards him or something. Either that or just deprived.

Rather moot, really.

Still though, it was getting to the point of ridiculousness that Laxus could honestly still be doing anything at all to the bike and, well, even though he was enjoying himself on the personal level, it was beginning to get horribly tedious, constantly forcing himself to pretend to be tinkering.

Not to mention unfair to Mirajane. In his mind, the reason that she was so in love with the idea of the motorcycle getting fixed up (and by proxy him being there) was rather simple.

She'd more or less spilled it to him late one night as she brought him some dinner.

"I was about to leave," he told her as he sat on one of the stools in the shed, balancing the plate of sandwiches in his lap. Lifting half of one up to his mouth with oil stained fingers, he added, "Have something to do tonight."

"Oh." Mira knew what that meant, but didn't move from where she'd taken to sitting up on one of the wooden tables across the shed. She only kicked her feet a bit before saying, "Well, you are here rather late tonight."

"Lisanna was in here bothering me all day."

"Is that where she was?" Mira frowned a bit. "She was supposed to be up at work. She-"

"We lost track of time."

"Mmmm."

"She's not much help," he said around the ham and bread, "but don't' tell her that."

There was something off with Mirajane that night. Laxus could tell that, even as he sat there, eating. Her whole demeanor was down as she glanced around at the parts strewn across the shed. With a soft sigh, she spoke.

"He really loved his bike, you know," she told Laxus and, realizing who she was talking about, he focused in on his food. "A lot. I used to help him work on it. I don't think he was any better at getting it all together than you or I have been."

"Apparently not," Laxus mumbled under his breath.

"He didn't have a lot of jewels though." Then, with a bit of a grin, she said, "He didn't really have a job. He just picked up work where it found him. He was, you know, pretty unreliable about showing up and all."

"Lazy."

"Not lazy." That got him a look. "Just...different."

Grunt. "Lazy."

"Oh, shut up, Laxus." Huffing, she went on. "He just had so many dreams. Like with his bike. He was going to fix it up and ride around Fiore and- And I was going to go with him. It was before, you know, Lisanna came back, so I didn't know about...leaving Elf, but it sounded like lots of fun. And he thought that my guitar playing was really good. I used to play to him as he fell asleep and… I dunno. I just liked the idea. The dream. Of me and him traveling around and I would play at bars and I just..."

It was silent then, out there in that shed, an Laxus wasn't so hungry anymore. Mirajane was looking off, away from him, and only took deep breath.

"I was stupid," she told him. "To think that. I was completely interchangeable in his plans, if not a complete hindrance. I mean, he loved his bike and didn't even come back for it. And me-"

'I'm sure he loved you plenty, Mira."

"No, he didn't." She swung her feet gently. "I loved him though. And… I'm sorry, Laxus, for making you work on this stupid, worthless bike for so long. I guess I thought… I dunno. That if it started working again that… It's dumb. I'm so stupid. He's never coming back and, you know, it's probably what they say, right? That the longer something's gone, the more you want it? He was a jerk. He cheated on me, you know. A lot. And we were only together for about a year. And he hated that I worked up at Fairy Tail as a barmaid and he was really mean to Elfman, I think and I'm just such an idiot, aren't I? I- Laxus-"

He'd set his plate down, on one of the many tables, before heading over to where she was seated. Staring hard down at her, he said simply, "I'll fix up your bike, Mirajane. Honest. And you're not an idiot. Alright?"

"But I am. I- Mmmm."

Leaning down, Laxus had pressed a deep kiss to her lips, only pulling away when she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I thought," she mumbled as he started on her neck, "that you had a date?"

Against her flesh, he breathed, "I never said that."

But only by a technicality.

"It was implied."

"Only if you feel like implying it."

"You-"

"Just shut up." He went back to kissing her neck. "Mira. Let's go up to the bedroom, huh?"

Mira sighed as she pushed him off to get up. "Only if you're quiet. I think Elf's home."

"I'm always quiet, babe."

Laxus was reinvigorated to the idea then, of fixing up Mirajane's motorcycle and tried his hardest to be more serious about it. She, however, was becoming more and more hung up on the idea of Laxus being around as much as possible and, because of that, felt a stronger and stronger urge to shove him away.

They were both dealing with their own internal issues one day as he openly consulted a book in front of her about carburetors and she sat around, watching and listening to the lacrima playing that godawful rock music he was so in love with, when Mira got to absently talking about this or that and somehow arrived at a topic that, over the course of their (semi) relationship they'd managed to avoid.

"Laxus?"

"What?"

He had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, even though he hated them (cigars were his thing), but Mira had found a pack lying around in the house and thought they might belong to Lisanna's boyfriend (who she was, apparently, sneaking in and out of the house). Regardless, neither she nor Elfman smoked and Lisanna wouldn't cop to them, so she sorta just gave them to Laxus and, well, he thought it went with his mechanic persona, so he took them.

Mirajane thought he looked cute with it dangling from his lips.

"Are you...staying for dinner?"

"I dunno." He went back to the book, absently flipping a page. "I'mma train at some point today. Probably gonna take a job in the next two."

"Oh." She still only stared over at him. "Have you…"

"Have I what?"

"Uh… What job are you taking?"

"Don't know yet."

"Oh."

"Mirajane, is there something you wanna ask me?" He glanced over at her. "Or something?"

"Well...sort of."

"What is it?" Done with the book, he went over to his toolbox, glanced through it before retrieving what he wanted. "Huh?"

"Just… How often do you have sex with other people?"

Laxus paused on his way over to the motorcycle before slowly continuing on. Getting on his knees beside it to look at something or other, he said, "The hell kinda question is that?"

"I just want to know. I'm not, like, trying to sound-"

"What difference does it make? We're not-"

"I know."

"Then-"

"I just want to know, Laxus."

"Well...I dunno. Pretty often, I guess. Whenever I feel like it." He scratched at the back of his neck. "I mean… Mira-"

"I just-"

"Like once a week. Or twice. Or something. It depends on what else I have going on."

"Oh."

"So-"

"How...often do you go on dates? Or-"

"Mira-"

"I'm just curious. I-"

"Like every few weeks or-"

"How does that work, Laxus?"

"How do you think it works?" That got her a glance back. "You're fucking lucky. You think everyone gets dinners and plays and walks through the park first? You're high class, woman."

Blushing a bit, she lowered her head before saying, "You're really a jerk."

"But not to you." He went back to what he was doing. "And isn't that all that matters?"

"I don't… I've really liked having you around so much, Laxus."

"Oh yeah?" He puffed some smoke.

"Yeah." Nodding just a bit, Mirajane whispered, "And...I don't want to do this anymore."

That got him to truly stare back at her. Frowning, he moved to get back to his feet. "Do what? Mira-"

"I mean, I do want to do this. But with someone that's serious. Someone that's committed to me and that's here every day and that I don't have to check with before we make plans because he might be going out with another woman and I just… I want a boyfriend, Laxus. This was fun, it was great, actually, but it wasn't something that, like, was going to go on forever. And thank you for all that you did with my...motorcycle and I'm not, like, mad at you and I know you're not at me, so let's just do whatever we need to so that we can go back to normal and-"

"You want a boyfriend?" He let the cigarette fall from his mouth and onto the concrete floor, smushing it under the heel of his boot. "Huh?"

"Laxus, it's not-"

"Is that what you want?" And his fingers were stained black with something as he approached her, coming to cup her cheeks in his hands, leaving smudges of the stuff behind. Mira only stared up at him with a slight grin as she nodded.

"This was nice," she agreed softly as he kissed her head. "But eventually you have to grow up."

"There ain't nothin' more grown than being able to have sex with someone and be upfront with them that you're sleeping with other people too and they don't care."

"Yeah, Lax, there is," she whispered as he moved to tug at her shirt. Whenever she was 'helping' him out in the shed, she always wore this stupid, old ragged shirt, but made up for it with the jeans she wore that were so tight that Laxus could hardly concentrate on anything other than her ass when she bent over to get him a tool. "It's called mahogany."

"Mmmm," he groaned against her forehead. "I think you mean monogamy."

"Whatever," she giggled as he pulled her shirt at. "Laxus."

"I'm grown," he told her simply as his hands drifted down her belly and to the front of her jeans. "With or without it."

"But I'm not."

"Is this one of those stupid women things where one of your friends is pregnant or getting married or something stupid like that so you start taking stock of your own life and realize you deserve more?" His dark eyes stared down into hers. "Or something?"

"Or something," Mirajane moaned, wiggling around as he pulled her jeans down. Knowing Elfman was on a job and Lisanna was putting in a shift at the bar (or ditching out on it with mystery boyfriend), she didn't even attempt to fight him on the location. "Lax."

And when it was all said and done and he got those smudges on nearly all of her pale flesh and he was busy pulling back up his jeans, nothing was so funny anymore.

Just rather depressing.

"I'm not good at that shit," he told her simply as Mirajane slowly gathered up her clothing. "Being with one woman."

"I know," she whispered. "I suck at it too."

Looking back over at the motorcycle, he let out a slow breath before saying, "It's just not something I ever thought I'd be into."

"I figured."

"But…I never thought I'd spend months pretending to work on a motorcycle just to keep up an image with a woman that really doesn't care one way or another, much less continue doing it just to keep her from feeling like shit."

"Laxus?"

He only let out a loud groan, standing there in the shed, as he reached up to roughly run both hands through his already messy blond locks. "You can't just do this to someone, Mirajane. Pull the rug out from under them like this."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Huffing, he took to looking at her once more before saying, "I don't know how good I'll be at it. You know, just...being with one person. The last time I seriously tried that I was, like, nineteen, so-"

"What are you saying?"

Shrugging his shoulders, the man said, "What do you think? I want to be your boyfriend." Then he frowned. "Assuming you'll have me, I guess. Because if not, then this never happened."

"Laxus, are you serious?"

"I wanna be." He gave her the best grin he could muster. "You've been my number one for awhile now. Months. I mean, if it had to be someone, I'd choose you. I...I really do care a lot about you, Mirajane. I don't know if it'll transfer well into a real relationship or not, but if you wanna give it a go, then fine. So do I."

When she went to hug him, only having succeeded in pulling up her panties, Mirajane giggled a bit into his chest. Breathing against him, she said, "You really should think about this more than just a minute."

Oh, he would. He'd think about it a lot.

Truth be told, he'd actually already thought about it a lot. Just not in the sense that it would ever occur anywhere outside of his own head.

"I will," he told her softly. "But for now, I think I'm kinda into it. I've liked you cooking me dinners and washing my clothes when I leave them over here-"

"That last one is just you being a little butt and leaving your stuff in my bedroom."

"With," he added, "the intention of you washing it."

"I did it once out of courtesy and you-"

"Because I enjoyed it so much, yes, I furthered it."

Ugh.

There was a moment or two of peace in which Mirajane went to finish getting dressed once more while Laxus found that pack of smokes and lit up once more. Then he glanced back at the motorcycle before back at Mirajane.

Taking a deep breath, he decided if she could admit something, then so could he.

"Uh...you know, now that we're being all honest and shit-"

"I know you can't fix the motorcycle, Laxus. I mean, come on. You haven't even been able to put everything back into the frame in-"

"I think I'm missing a spark plug." Then he frowned. "I also am not sure what a spark plug is, so-"

"It's just," she whispered softly, "a stupid motorcycle anyways. If anything, you're more put out than me. You've bought all these parts that- Why did you buy parts again if you never knew what was-"

"To keep up the rouse, Mirajane."

Grinning slightly, she said, "You are into me, aren't you?"

Grunt. Then, "I'd say that I'd get someone to look into fixin' it up for you, but at this point-"

"Yeah, I know. It's just scraps."

Nodding, he added, "It'd cost more to ever get it put back together than-"

"It's fine. I just...I really loved that bike."

Laxus gave her his own, soft grin, cigarette dangling from his lips. "Yeah, Mirajane. I know."

She stared at all of it, the motorcycle itself as well as the surrounding parts, before whispering, "It was stupid anyways. I-"

"I'mma buy you a bike."

"W-What? Laxus-"

"I am." And he had his determined face on so she knew he meant business. "I mean, I'm going to give you some jewels, huh? For one? Then you sell what you can of this one and use it to buy you an actually working one. You deserve it."

"You don't have to do that. You-"

"Yes, I do." Staring over at her, he said, "Because I want to. And I always do what I want, Mirajane."

It was just a given fact.

Things weren't, in any regards, set from there. At all. And wouldn't be for awhile. They seemed to be just in a tentative truce in which neither messed with a person of the opposite sex until they figured out just what their new relationship meant and how it was going to all work out.

Then, as promised, Laxus left on a job.

Which was probably for the best. You know, get the big test out of the way first. Laxus usually did all his sleeping around when he was out of Magnolia. And it was with a rather queasy feeling that both he and Mirajane said goodbye, but neither commented on it.

Whatever happened, after all, happened.

It wasn't like Mirajane wasn't busy in Laxus' absent either. Like when she found out that Lisanna's boyfriend was very much so someone she knew and also someone she very much so didn't want her younger sister involved with.

Namely, Bickslow.

That, however, as well as the selling of the bike (for an extremely low price to some guy who just basically took all of the junk Laxus had made out of it off her hands) was all taken care of when Laxus arrived back two weeks later.

Or, at the very least, she'd sort of gotten passed the first one by the idea that her and Laxus could double with Lisanna and Bickslow.

Maybe. If she could stop from gagging over the fact that her sister and the seith had totally ruined the couples she'd made up in her mind for both of them for very different people.

Laxus seemed rather happy to see her, which Mirajane chalked up as a good thing. She first greeted him up at the bar as she was working a shift and he claimed to be tired after his job and planning to head home.

"You could come see me," he enticed. "After work."

Shaking her head, she only said, "I get off at seven. It's only, what? Noon now? You should meet me out in the shed around eight, huh? At my house? Surely you'll have enough rest by then."

He only nodded his head. "Surely."

And he was, actually, more than rejuvenated when eight rolled around. He'd spent the previous hour showering and trimming up the beard he was trying to grow and was more than ready to see the woman. He was thinking that they'd go out to get a nice dinner and then, hopefully, wind up back at his place.

Or just skip dinner.

Pick something up on the way.

Maybe even have her just make him a sandwich back at his place later.

"Mirajane," he called out as he came into her backyard, nearly tripping over the rubber hose and attached sprinkler in the dark. He was mostly concerned about her demonic stray dog lurking around in the darkness. "Are you in the shed, babe? Because I really don't wanna look at that damn bike again. Ever. Bleh. Let's just skip that, huh?"

He could see from the opened wooden doors that the light was on out in the shed and, heading over, he found the woman there.

Also, he found that the old bike he'd been working (messing around) on was gone, along with all the random parts that went along with it. In it's place was, while not nearly as expensive or nice as his own, a rather sleek looking gray motorcycle.

Oh, and most importantly, a very sexy Mirajane who was wearing some kinda leather outfit with a big zipper down the front, stopping just beneath her boobs and, damn, fuck dinner or his place; Laxus wanted to take her right then and there.

"Surprise!" Mirajane, having no doubt heard him coming, had gotten onto the motorcycle backwards, as if posing for him. "Do you like it?"

Laxus swallowed. "The bike? Or what you got on?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her innocuous tone played up to the maximum. "This is my bike riding gear."

"What are you? Erza?"

"Do you want me to be?"

"No," he said, quite definitely, slightly fearful that the woman would transform into the swordswoman and completely ruin the mood. "I don't."

Giggling, Mirajane shifted on the bike, leaning forwards so that her hands were rested on the fender. He was almost fearful (read hopeful) that her breasts would pop out of the tight garment when she did so, but no such luck.

"You got your bangs down," he said as he came closer, Mirajane grinning up at him.

"That's how you like them? Right?"

"Mmmm." Laxus stopped in front of her. "This is your bike, huh? Didn't take you long to shop around."

"Well, I did consult Freed-"

"You what?"

"-and he helped me out."

"Why would you do that? You shouldda waited for me to get back! I'dda got you one just like mine. I-"

"Overly expensive, you mean? No thanks."

"Mirajane-"

"Your jewels are over there." She nodded at where she'd sat the stack he handed her before taking off. It was meant for her to use on her motorcycle. "I didn't need them."

"Of course you did."

"No. I told you when you gave them to me that I wanted to buy it for myself."

Laxus didn't move to go pick them up. Only said, "You gonna go change then? For dinner? I figured I'd see if we could get into-"

"Oh, no, dragon." Mirajane got to her feet then. "We're going riding."

"What did you just call- And what are you talking about?"

"Riding." She nodded at her bike. "Hop on. We'll head over to your place and get your motorcycle and then we can ride together." Then she bounced a bit, no doubt just to get his eyes to drift back down to her breasts. As if they'd ever left them. Ha. "Unless you like being my, what is it? Bitch?"

Ugh. Just ugh.

Giggling at his expression, Mirajane grabbed his hand before pulling him over. "Come on. I've gotten really good at driving it. And I won't go too fast. Promise."

Laxus didn't want to. For multiple reasons. And he definitely didn't want to, as Mirajane put it, be her bitch, but when she was in front of him and he wrapped his arms around her middle and, gosh, could she feel as turned on he was? Or…

"Here, Lax." Mirajane reached down and grabbed the helmet that she'd sat to the side of the bike before handing it to him. When he just stared, she said, "If something happened, bitch, I would die if your skull cracked open and not m-"

"Just put on the damn helmet, woman." He shoved it over her head. "And come on."

Riding was, just as Laxus thought it would be, was horrible. Mirajane drove far too fast and took way sharper turns than needed to be taken. He about vomited all over at her at more than one time. He could hear her giggle too, even over the sound of whipping wind and bike when he tightened his hold around her stomach and buried his head in her shoulder.

Laxus could hardly stand when they finally pulled into his apartment building's garage and alongside his bike.

"Hurry up, Lax. Go get your keys." Mirajane flipped up the face visor on her helmet. "And try not to puke on the way, huh?"

Clearly, the bike gave Mirajane the allusion of power.

No wonder that love of her life guy left her…

Err…

Mirajane, for some reason, thought the best thing for them to do on their bikes together was race. Race where? Who knew. Through the city? Out of the city? Were they abiding speed limits? Was she even noticing that he was definitely lagging behind and close to barfing?

When they finally pulled back up at Mirajane's place that night, Laxus thought he was dying. He felt intoxicated with nausea.

And you know what? Maybe he didn't need to be with Mirajane. If that was her idea of fun (and he had a sinking feeling that it was going to become so) then clearly they were just different people. If it was the motorcycle that was such a turn on to her, then hey, he knew plenty of guys, powerful mages, who would be just as turned on by that. But not him.

Laxus would admit it; he was a poser. A big, fat poser. Plain and simple.

Until...you know, Mirajane got off her bike too and took him into the house, leading him right to her bedroom where she thought that the best cure for motion sickness was a blowjob and, hey, maybe it wasn't, but Laxus wasn't complaining.

Mmmm. Maybe he could put up with motorcycles. If that was where they ended him up.

"Lax?"

Grunt. He was stretched out in the center of her bed and refused to open his eyes for fear of the ceiling spinning above him if he did so.

"Did you… While you were gone, did you sleep with anyone else?"

Groan. "Mirajane-"

"I'm not mad," she told him softly and she hardly sounded interested. "But, I mean, if you already have, then we need to just go ahead and realize that this isn't going to work and-"

"I didn't do anything, Mira," he breathed. "Other than my job. And then I came home."

"Oh." She was nuzzled up under his arm and only whispered, "Then you...wanna give this a try? Really? Have you thought about it?"

Nodding, just a bit, he said, "I really do like you, Mira. And being with you. Hell, woman, I just rode around for hours on a damn bike and about died just to keep you entertained." He grinned then, if not a tad morosely, before saying, "I don't know how good of a boyfriend I'll be, when it counts, but I wanna try for you."

Mirajane giggled before kissing his side. "I really don't think I could ask for anything else."

And later that night, after his stomach quelled a bit, enough for some dinner, and they'd taken the fact Mirajane had her own, separate bathroom from her siblings to their advantage by showering together, Laxus didn't really know how he felt about the whole thing. Not even as Mirajane curled up with her back to him and he only snuggled right up to her, one arm stretched over her as he gently stroked her fingers with his own.

He didn't want to hurt Mirajane. Ever. At all. But he felt like, inevitably, he would. He'd miss dates or flake on events and then, eventually, he'd be drunk one night and a woman would be all over him and he would just…

It was impossible, practically, for him not to wind up hurting her. So why shouldn't he do it just then? As they were lying there? Before feelings got too invested either way? What would be wrong with that?

Because, selfish as it may be, Laxus just didn't want to. He wanted to keep Mirajane around. And if he had to be her...boyfriend for that, then so be it. He would feign the role for as long as she let him and, when it did inevitably go south, what could be said other than at least he tried?

Laxus didn't know, of course, that in about two years, that finger of hers he was stroking so softly as she drifted off would house a nice little diamond that he spent forever picking out or that, eventually, he wouldn't just be tossing around money on frivolous things like motorcycles just to make himself look cool. He'd have a mortgage, with Mirajane. And he certainly didn't know about the three sons they'd have in the coming decade, much less that eventually it would be Mirajane who tirelessly nursed him back to health when, in about twenty years, he would catch a rather nasty virus and nearly lose his life.

And really, it was probably for the best he didn't know any of that. If he did, he'd have probably gotten up, right then and there, and ran. Never looked back. But he didn't know, so he didn't run, and, well, when Mirajane asked him the next morning if he wanted to take their bikes out for a spin ("just a quick one, dragon"; he still didn't know where she got off calling him that), it was with a slight smile that he agreed.

He wasn't certain if he could be her boyfriend back then. But...he could stomach a ride or two. A couple of test drives. Just to check it all out.

#Miraxus #Mirajane #Laxus #Freed Justine #Lisanna #Elfman Strauss #Fairy Tail #Fanfiction

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janeykath318 · 7 years

Text

Pirate Bones Prompt Fic

(I’m so sorry I lost the original ask, so I don’t know who requested this. I hope you see it and enjoy it anyway!)

“Don’t look at me like that, kid. I ain’t the one that snatched you.”

You glared at the grungy looking man looking you over in your berth aboard the stupid pirate ship that had intercepted the small ship you were a passenger on.

“Well, you’re in league with a bunch of scummy pirates! Let me guess, you’re being blackmailed to work for them in exchange for them not killing your ailing relatives?”

“Hmmmph,” he snorted. “Do I look like the type to get blackmailed?”

He gave you a dangerous look out of stormy hazel eyes and you gulped a little.

“You never know,” you boldly continued. “Maybe you’ve got a dark past. Your captain’s a jerk by the way. Won’t even let my hands free.”

“Given that you gave him and Sulu black eyes, I don’t blame him. Had to sedate you to get you here.”

“What?! He deserved it for being a criminal and a kidnapper!!! I was fighting for my freedom!”

You were really annoyed at this guy now and gave him a death glare, since you couldn’t really do anything else.

“Freedom? Where do you think they were taking you?”

“To Starbase 10. I paid a fair passage on that ferry.”

Alarmed, the doctor grew very serious and spoke in a lower tone.

“That was no ferry. The reason we intercepted that ship was because it’s operated by people who work with a slave ring. They had no intention of getting you to the Starbase.”

“How do you know?” You asked disbelievingly. You weren’t about to just accept the word of space pirates, who probably were just as bad as the Orions.

“We intercepted comms between them and a slave auction house. They were planning on dropping you off in chains tomorrow morning. If you want more info, you’ll have to ask Jim.”

A sickening feeling swept through you and you slumped against the wall, panic filling you at the realization that you’d fallen right into a trap.

“Hey there, it’s gonna be alright,” he said in a much softer tone. “You’re out of danger now.”

“Am I really?” You asked when you could speak again. “I’ve been rescued by Pirates! How do I know you and your captain don’t have your own nefarious plans for me?”

“Because we’re GOOD guy pirates, that’s why!” came a second voice from behind you.

The captain stood leaning against the doorway, still looking worse for wear with his bruised face, but wearing a triumphant grin. Like the rest of his crew, he wore a lot of denim and leather, but distinguished himself with a rakish looking gotee.

The doctor glared at him.

“What’re ya doin’ here, Jim? I told ya not to scare our guests.”

“I’m not scaring them, Bones. I’m trying to explain my pirate mission.”

You looked skeptically at the captain.

“If you’re a non-frightening good guy, then why are you a pirate? If your ship was Starfleet, I would’ve felt better about being “rescued.”“

“She’s got a point there, Jim.”

Jim ignored his friend.

“Well, unfortunately, I found Starfleet had too many rules to allow me to pull off my humanitarian missions without jumping through miles of red tape and bureaucratic mess, so I got my own ship and answer to no one but myself.”

“Hmmm, well perhaps you might try dropping the pirate act if you don’t want all your passengers giving you black eyes,” you pointed out.

Jim nodded in sheepish acknowledgement and This brought out a grin from “Bones”–a huge, stunning, dimpled grin that made your heart skip a beat.

“I like her already!” He declared. “Feisty and won’t take any of your lip.”

“Do you like me enough to take off these cuffs?” You implored hopefully, holding up your arms. “I’d really like to be able to feel my fingers again.”

“Jim?” He said, looking pointedly at the captain, who stepped forward slowly and unlocked them with a key, instantly retreating in case you decided to swing at him again.

“Thank you,” you sighed in relief. “So where are we going?”

“To see you safely to the Starbase, of course. I promise you I’m telling the truth. I’m really sorry we didn’t make our intentions clear, but we were kind of in a hurry. Don’t let Bones’s ferocious looks scare you. He’s really a softy at heart.”

You looked back at the doctor, who groaned and dropped his face into his hands.

“Bones, you can show her around the place now if she’s up to it.”

With a wink, Jim excused himself and left you alone with the embarrassed doctor.

“Why does he call you Bones? Is it your pirate name?”

“No. Jim calls me that because I was in a bad place when we first met and was drunkenly rambling about how my ex took everything but my bones in the divorce. The brat decided he’d never let me live it down, hence the Bones. My actual name’s Leonard McCoy.”

“Pleased to meet you, Pirate Leonard,” you said impishly. “My name’s Y/N.”

You shook hands and noticed with another little pulse skip how much his big hands engulfed your own.

“So, you gonna show me around this place?” You asked.

“It’s not that great,” he demurred, “A rust bucket tin can barely keeping us from the cold, oxygenless blackness of space.”

Startled, you looked at him weirdly. What a strange thing for a space pirate to say.

“So, uh, why are you out here if you’re so scared of space?”

“It’s not that I’m scared, I just have a healthy respect for the vast void of the galaxy and Jim needed someone to keep him from getting himself killed, due to the number of incidences of him ticking people off. Then there was the mess with the ex, which made me more inclined to leave earth.”

You nodded understandingly. You’d had toxic people in your life that made you take a teaching job off planet to get some distance. It seemed your choice of a ride had been rather poor, since these “good guy pirates” had had to intervene.

The doctor looked searchingly at you and you met his look of concern with a shrug. He nodded and got up to leave, picking up his medkit.

“It appears you’re none the worse for wear, Y/N. I’ll leave you be for now. Yeoman Rand will be by to bring you some food shortly.”

“Wait,” you said before he’d made it out the door. “I’m not that tired. Would you mind giving me that tour Jim talked about? I’m too restless and wound up to be by myself right now.”

You smiled weakly, still shaken by what had almost happened to you.“

"Not at all, not at all,” he assured. “For a rust bucket, she’s not too shabby on the inside. Besides, time in your company won’t be a hardship at all.”

Was that a wink he’d shot you? You thought so, but it happened so fast you couldn’t be sure. Hmmm, maybe this man would be the perfect thing to take your mind off of your travel woes. Never hurt to butter up the “pirates”, right?“

"I’m flattered,” you said with a laugh, “Lead on, matey.”

“Arrrrr!” growled Leonard playfully in response.

#my fics #bones/reader #prompt fic #bones x reader #leonard mccoy x reader

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crabsfishingforjellyfish · 6 years

Text

Land

A year passed by in a blink of an eye and brunette only got more enchanting. Her looks attracted business all across the country, even the world. You would have thought that Edo would but more weary about others around him, but it was the opposite, for Judai only had eyes for him. She may entertain other men days on end but at the end of day, when business was finished, they would relax and spend their time together. Every other second they could get, they would spent it together. On her days off, they would sit outside in the gardens, enjoying the sun. Everything seemed alright, Jack still visited them often.

However, everything wasn’t fine. Behind that mask that Jack wore, his jealousy and longing for Judai only grew. He was betraying what he had promised himself. As much as he wanted to protect that smile on her face, he couldn’t bear the thought of Judai being married to Edo. He could see how it was going, Edo would propose soon. How the two were inseparable, how Judai’s face lit up whenever she saw Edo. How her eyes were only for him. He had worn a mask since then. From the day he married Mikage, followed by Stephanie. And finally, Carly. He looked happy, Judai looked happy for him too, teased him by saying he was greedy. Little did she know though, he indeed was greedy. He still wanted her even though he had three wives already.

Still, the brunette went about her life, not once noticing this aura. But as Judai’s fourteenth birthday neared, the blond man found it so hard to keep it together. How could he break them up like that? That was heartless, yet, it weighed his heart down seeing the brunette snuggled up with the silver haired male. He had known Judai for longer. He had known Judai before she became who she was. Technically he should have been the one she fell for. But instead, for some weird reason. It was this new guy, who randomly entered her life three years ago. This was not right.

Then an idea crossed his mind. Perhaps he should propose to her, perhaps she’ll be so moved that she would want to marry him.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

The sun was high in the sky, the weather was beautiful. Summer was always the best season. Judai laid lazily under the tree, reading a book. She hummed a tune to herself unconsciously. Suddenly, her book was snatched from her hands. A face popped into her view instead. Blue eyes, silver hair and that arrogant yet beautiful smile. She loved it all, she loved him.

“Well, I suppose this book was getting a bit tedious. Good thing that something more interesting popped up into my view.” She mused as the other locked eyes with her.

“Any time spent with you is timeless, My Dear.” Mused the silver haired male.

“That is just too cheesy.” She mused as she pulled him down into a kiss. The sun’s rays peeked through the leaves of the trees. The silver haired male laid down next to her in a lazy haze.

“So what would her highness like to do on her day off?”

“Hmmm… I don’t know. I’m so spoilt for choice, Your Lordship.” She mused back at him.

They exchanged playful glances at each other. Everything was perfect. This was perfect. The scene, the weather, everything. She leant in closer to him, enjoying the feeling of having him by her side. She hummed in content as he put his arms around her.

“Perhaps we can just spend the entire morning being lazy and go dancing later.” She mused.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

“I’m glad you agree.” She laughed.

Edo couldn’t take his eyes off of Judai. He loved how at peace she looked and how happy she was. How she actually looked genuinely happy now. He hated it when she used to pretend she was content with something, since even though she smiled, her eyes weren’t. But now, everything was different. She was actually truthful about her emotions. Around him and Jack, of course. She still had to keep a persona around her, which she was just too good at.

He lay there as he locked eyes with the other, getting lost in her jewel like eyes. He reached out and took her hand into his, intertwining their fingers together. How he wished that time would freeze. He wouldn’t say it out loud just because the brunette would tease him saying he was being cheesy. He knew that she appreciated his cheesy remarks because she knew that he meant them as a joke. But he was sure she would agree with stopping time for the two of them. He felt her snuggle closer to him, he smiled. If only the ladies in the brothel could see this, they would be shocked. They always saw him as unaffectionate, he didn’t care though. Judai and him masked their relationship well and frankly, he was quite pleased with that. It just wasn’t right to be flaunting it around. It worked well for the both of them.

He glanced at her, the thick lashes and her almost doll like features. How did Judai manage to look like that? She was so beautiful. He could easily understand why she was so popular amongst her clientele.

“Edo, I can feel you staring.” mused the brunette, her eyes were still closed. He blushed as he caught off guard. What was he to say? “Sorry, you’re too beautiful, so I couldn’t help it?” Of course not! That was definitely not something to say. There was a smirk on her face as she opened her eyes.

“Close your mouth or flies will get in, darling~” She mused as she leant in and gently cupped his face with her hand. It was quickly followed by another kiss. He always forgot how passionate she was at times. Like a flame and just like a moth he was attracted to it. Judai was going to be the death of him, honestly. With her mischievous antics and also how his heart would beat so much faster around her. Though, if he were to drop dead suddenly, there wasn’t much he would regret apart not being to be by her side forever. He knew puppy love was a dangerous thing but this had been going on for at least past a year now. The two of them had their odd disputes, but all in all they saw eye to eye a lot. Though, there were times where he’d be mad at Judai for being too carefree, but Judai was like that. She was as free as a bird when she wanted to be.

It wasn’t like he didn’t love that about her though. She was also so spontaneous. Sometimes, she’d surprise him in ways he didn’t know were possible. Like that one time when she somehow hid that she had arranged for a boat trip to a nearby island. He didn’t know that was physically possible, but Judai apparently achieved it. Leave it up to Judai, he supposed. Still, he’d do anything to keep this smile on her face.

He hated it, staring at the two of them from a distance. He felt like a stalker. He wasn’t trying to spy on them, rather, he had wanted to talk to Judai in private, unfortunately, she was spending her time with Edo. He clenched his fists and bit his lip. He frowned. This just won’t do. This feeling rising up inside him.

Jealousy. It was jealousy.

Of course it was. He wanted Judai all to himself of course.

He had to walk away. He just had to, lest he destroy their friendship once again. He had to fight this side of him. It wasn’t fair, Judai deserved happiness. He shouldn’t let this feeling of jealousy burn inside him. He could destroy Judai’s happiness just like back then.

He just couldn’t. So he walked away.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

It was finally time to leave the ship. It felt odd since she couldn’t remember when the last time was when she actually left the ship. Usually, she was forced to stay. It had started as her no longer wanting to spend time with the Captain after that incident, to him deciding that he also wanted nothing to do with her. He used to take her on land and took her out to enjoy their time together. They would go dancing and see the theatre, and for a while, she would forget everything, she thought she was finally happy.

However, things didn’t get better. No, she couldn’t met his standards. She had too much fight in her to sit there and let them take her. She had a will to fight and that was what he disliked about her. Soon, after that fight, she no longer used his name. She started with addressing him as ‘Captain’ before eventually not calling him by anything. She even stopped acknowledging his existence. That must have hurt the other man’s ego so much as he stopped addressing her as well. They stopped spending time together and now they were just acquaintances at best. In fact, in a way, she really had just become treasure on his ship, except she just happened to have legs and breathed. Of course, he still made sure she had beautiful clothes to wear and she took out her frustrations in stealing and being greedy. She used material items to fill the void in her heart that kept being opened back up. She never questioned it though. She just supposed that life was like this and it just doesn’t always get better. Still, she couldn’t help but yearn for something better.

Perhaps, having this sudden strange change with the two Yuseis was a good thing. Maybe it was a way to help her take some initiative and for her to be sure to push who she was as a person. This Yusei had nothing but good things to say about her. He was so kind despite his sad past. It showed her that you should be a better person and not hold grudges.

She couldn’t say she could forgive Jack just yet. Oh no, definitely not. And his Captain was no different from her resentment. Sure, she will resent him for a while, but maybe in the future, something good will come out of it. Though, at the same time. It wasn’t just her that needed to work on herself, everyone did. Especially the Captain. If he could get rid of those silly ideals, then they would get along like before.

She stepped down the ramp and almost flinched when she finally hit solid land. She couldn’t believe it. She had set foot on land for the first time in months. A year or so if she were to be counting it. Yet, it had felt longer than that. It had felt like an eternity. She gazed at the place in front of her. Nothing much has changed, but that wasn’t to say it was a bad thing. No. She was glad that she could still recognise the place. She briefly wondered if she should ask Yusei to come with her, but decided against it. It was best that she did this on her own. So she started walking off.

Yusei could see her wandering off on her own. Now he was rather curious. Not to mention, he felt that he should follow her just in case someone were to do harm to her. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t be able to hold her own ground, but how she seemed to have some inner turmoil going on currently had him worried. She probably wasn’t as on guard as usual, which meant it would be bad if she weren’t paying attention. What if she ran into Jack? No, he wasn’t about to leave her alone and vulnerable.

She wandered around the town, looking around to take in the surroundings. Things haven’t changed, but it was for the best. She preferred it that way. She was nervous. Of course she was. She didn’t know what to expect. In fact, she may even look like a fool. Maybe he had moved in the end. She wouldn’t blame him, after all, because of her, he had lost everything that day too. They both had lost something important that day. She often wished she had enough time to say goodbye. They had left in such a rush after all. Still, wishing for lost time was always something others wished for when they regretted something. She definitely wasn’t clean of regret, but at the same time, she definitely wasn’t one to let it consume her. Perhaps it was because it was something rather important that she had regrets.

She had been happy here, at one point felt lucky too. Couldn’t believe her good fortune. Some wouldn’t see it as amazing, but to her, it was a miracle after the things she had been through. She thought she was safe too for a while.

How did it go so wrong? If only it didn’t go so wrong.

She continued to wander around, enjoying warm breeze that blew through the area. Ah, how she had missed the calm and comfortable weather that came with this town. Even the winters weren’t too bad. They were definitely cosy and warm. It was nice to see that everything in this quaint little town stayed beautiful. She would hate it if all of that vanished.

She let herself escape into her thoughts for a while. Aimlessly walking around, enjoying the environment. Walking around on the land is quite nice, it was definitely refreshing from being on the boat, floating on endless sea. She remembered how she used to go out dancing for fun as well. How there was always plenty to eat. Life was so easy back then. Now, it was different. She couldn’t remember the last time she laughed because she was having fun or thought something was funny. Living on the ship barely gave her anytime to feel at ease. Especially not with her Captain. Sure, there were moments, like if she hid up where Crow was. This kind of solace was the only saving grace for her when things had first gone on with the Captain. Now she got used to it, she got used to feeling numb. Not to mention, numb was only what she generally felt.

Without realising it, she had ended up in front of the place that she once loved so much. She found it difficult to take another step forward, but she knew she had to. To get any sort of closure, she just had to. Just before she decided to approach the door though, she felt a presence behind her. She looked back.

“Yu-Yusei?” she said. “What are you doing here?” she asked. She didn’t know what she was achieving with this question.

“Sorry, Judai. I know you can handle yourself well, however, I noticed that you were a bit out of it, so I decided to follow you to make sure nothing bad happens to you.”

“Oh, I see. I must have been really out of it. I didn’t even sense your presence till now. Usually, I’m not like this.”

“I’m sorry. I’m guessing you want to enter this house? Would you prefer if I went away?”

“No. Since you’re already here, you might as well come with me too.”

“I’m sorry to intrude like this, Judai.”

“It’s alright, Yusei. You were only concerned for me.” She replied.

He had watched her wander around the place, with how she was acting, it seemed that she was going back to a familiar place. Perhaps she lived here before all of this had happened? He didn’t know. All he knew was that she seemed to have calmed down a bit since she went on land. She seemed to be enjoying herself, until she got to this house, that was.

She bit her lip. She had to go in, or she would live with that regret forever.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

Another week, another day off. The brunette was doing the usual, sitting under the tree, reading a book. It was odd to know that when she didn’t know how to read before. Yet now, no book was too hard for her. He couldn’t imagine how much trouble and hard work she went into to ensure that she could read.

“You know, if I didn’t know who you were, I would have thrown you out for lurking already, Jack.” She said flatly as she turned another page. Most of her attention was focused on the book.

“You’re sharp as always, my dear.” The blond male mused as he sauntered over to the brunette.

“Don’t call me that, it sounds weird coming from you, Jack.” She said as she turned another page over. “So, what brings The Great Pirate of the Seven Seas, Jack Atlas to our humble brothel this time round?”

“My Lady, what compliments you shower me with! Me? The great Pirate of the Seven Seas?” he laughed.

There was a smirk on the corner her mouth. “Why, of course! Complimenting our clients to make them feel important is the key thing in our services.”

“Hmmm, but paying attention to the client is also key to your services.”

“Well, I’m sorry, My Lord. I happen to be not working today.” She mused, her eyes never once leaving the pages of her book.

“You always know how to one up me with that silver tongue of yours, Judai.”

She sneered, put the bookmark into the book and closed it. “If mine is a silver tongue, then Edo’s must be a gold one.” She mused.

“Oh yes, he is quite a smartass.”

“So are you, Jack.” She mused, chuckling when Jack looked flustered because she had corrected him.

He coughed. “I guess I can be at times.” He said quietly. “I-uh have something for you Judai.”

“Jack, you can stop showering me with gifts. I really appreciate and love them, but I feel like it’s too much.”

“But Judai, I want to give you gifts.”

“Look, I know what you did to me in the past was wrong, but the past is the past and I want to move on from that, Jack. You don’t need to feel guilty anymore. There’s no need to give me gifts to make up to that guilt.”

“It’s not to do with the guilt, Judai. I just want to give you gifts since you were always so curious about the world. So I figured that I’d bring bits of it to you since you can’t get out.”

“You make it sound like I’m trapped here.” She mused as she stood up from where she sat. “If I wanted to leave, I would have already, Jack.”

“Then why haven’t you? You’re wasting your life in here, Judai! You could be out sailing in the sea, having adventures!”

“Because, I quite like it here. It doesn’t mean that I won’t be leaving ever! Edo and I have plans to go explore in a year or so.”

He hated it when she mentioned him, especially in that way of adoration. Love in her voice. Why didn’t she love him the same? She adored him but only as a friend. With each day, he felt the gap between them grow more and more. This was not mean to end like this.

“In a year?” he found himself saying.

“Yes, we plan to set off and see some parts of the world and then come back.” She said. She had an odd expression on her face, maybe because she could sense something was off about him.

“You look upset, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I’m just surprised. I guess I just thought you would never leave this place, but I’m happy for you, Judai.” He said as he faked a smile. She seemed unconvinced but let it slide.

“So what did you get me this time?”

“It’s nothing much really.” He replied. “Just a little memento from one of the reason towns I visited.” He said. “It’s inside.” He started to turn around.

“Ooo, look at you being all secretive! I’m curious now!” she smirked as she followed him inside.

On the table laid a box, it was a rather big one. Now she was really curious. She had no idea what to say now.

“Go on, open it, Judai.”

She said nothing and started to open it. She gasped when she saw what was inside, it was a beautiful red dress, lace and ribbons. There was even matching jewellery with it.

“This is too much, Jack. I can’t accept this! What would Mikage, Stephanie and Carly think?” she said.

“They don’t know, it can be a secret between us.”

“Am I only supposed to wear this when it’s just the two of us then?” she said, sounding a bit weary of him.

“Oh, no! You can wear it to one of the big functions that Mr. Phoenix sometimes likes to host!” he quickly replied. This was meant to be a wedding dress of some sort. Brides were stereotypically meant to wear white, but he couldn’t see Judai in anything else but red. So he chose red. He had it made for her specially.

She had a look in her eye like she didn’t trust what he was telling her.

“Jack, you know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Yes, I know.” He replied. Maybe he should come clean to her. But no, this place was filled with prying ears and such. He had to choose somewhere much more private.

“I was wondering whether I could take you out sometime, Judai. Just the two of us. If that’s alright with you and Edo.”

“Jack, you are so silly! Why would Edo mind? We’re all friends here!” she mused.

Friends. That hurt. Yes, in her eyes, he was just a friend.

“Alright then, maybe I can pick you up on Saturday at night?”

“Yeah, that’s fine! Edo’s busy that day with a work meeting arrangement so I’m all free!”

“Alright then! I’ll see you Saturday then!”

“Yes! Should I wear the dress.” She teased.

“No! It’s not meant to be worn for informal occasions, but do wear something nice, Judai.”

“Rude! Are you saying I don’t normally wear nice things?” she nipped back playfully. “I can’t wait for Saturday now!” she said, her face filled with excitement.

“Me neither.” He replied.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

Just as he promised, he picked her up at six exactly. Mr. Phoenix stood there sternly at the doorway, requesting that Jack to bring her back by Ten exactly. She smiled, bid him farewell and told him to enjoy his boring meeting that Edo was also attending. Edo would have seen her off, but he was already dragged away by some business men. So off they went into the brightly lit streets.

Jack couldn’t help but admire Judai, she was beautiful. He couldn’t help but stare. Earning some witty remark from Judai. First, they went around the shops that opened at night, then they went to grab something to eat. Then it was followed by dancing, one of Judai’s favourite past times.

He couldn’t help but savour each moment he held her hand, held her body as they danced. The two of them together, dancing the night away. From what she told him, Edo and her often go there. Judai obviously loved dancing. Time had quickly slipped by the two of them and he really was quite disappointed. Still, he still kept it going, it was only eight after all.

Their hands touched, those eyes of hers, engaging him and drawing him in. In a way, he felt like he was an insect on a spider’s web. He was stuck and he wasn’t going anywhere. The dress she wore beautiful, it was one of the previous ones he had bought her. In fact, he had never seen her in it. The accessories she wore were also bought by him. This was like a dream come true. If only she would fall in love with him. He could see it now, her travelling with him as they sailed around in his ship. How she would don the clothes and accessories he bought her. How beautiful she would always look and how she would never have to work a day in her life. He would treasure her forever, treat her like treasure even. With her on the ship, he wouldn’t even need to look for treasure. His other wives will just have to accept Judai into their boat. They couldn’t do much to stop him from wedding her anyway.

It was a shame that she didn’t love him the same way he did.

He could feel a dark feeling creep up upon him, the same dark feeling he had felt the other day. He knew he had to suppress it, like the many times he did, so he focused on her. She was so radiant, like the sun in the sky. He just couldn’t help feel lighter and more free around her. Every time he came back to this town to visit her, it was as if time never moved on, she would still do the same things. She would always be as radiant as ever. Maybe he was dead already and stuck in the a forever time loop. He wouldn’t mind that were the case. He would love to be stuck in this moment forever. Just having Judai by his side.

They had now decided to go wind down in the gardens outside. That was enough dancing for the day. Or so Judai had said. He didn’t blame her though, they had been dancing for two hours. Soon, it would be time to drop her off back home. Which would be a shame, he would have to ask her to accompany him again some time again.

She looked so beautiful in the dimly lit lights in the garden. Those heterochromic eyes of her seeming to glow in the dark. He couldn’t help but stare and admire her features. He quickly looked away as she had caught him in the act.

“Jack, you’ve been acting really weird tonight. Is something on your mind by any chance?”

Nothing got past her it seemed, perhaps she even knew how he felt about her, but decided to brush it aside? No. But that would mean that she had kept him by her side while letting him suffer all this time.

“Judai, there is something on my mind, a few things even.” He began. She looked concerned, sat down beside him.

“Judai, I’m sorry. I haven’t been the most honest towards you.” He found himself saying. She said nothing in return, the silence urged him to go on. “You see, I still love you from all those years ago. I’ve been trying to ignore them, however, they keep coming back.”

“When you mentioned how you wanted to travel with Edo, my heart just sank. I’m sorry that I’m acting like this, I am a terrible friend to you and Edo.”

“Jack, I’m so sorry.” She replied. “I had an inkling that it was something along the lines of this. However, I only see you as a friend, always have and always will do. I wish there was an easier way.” She continued.

“You have to try to let those feelings you feel for me down, Jack. It’s not fair towards Mikage, Stephanie and Carly. You have them already, they are so good to you and love you as if you were the sun in their sky.”

“I know Judai… But, I find that I can’t seem to bury these feelings at all! Like them, I see you as the sun in my sky.”

“Jack, I’m sorry. I just don’t feel the same.” She said, this time a bit sternly.

He didn’t know what to do, it was always a mess when it came to his feelings for Judai. In a way, he was still that spoilt rich boy from a few years ago where he had to have everything. Being rejected a second time was harsher, this time it felt like she had slapped him across the face. He couldn’t do this, he was going insane. He found himself dropping down onto one knee. What was he doing?

“Please marry me, Judai. I promise you, your life would be happier and much easier than it is now. I won’t let you lift a finger for anything! You can have anything you want in the world.”

“Jack, I can’t. I don’t love you. You know this, I only love Edo. Stop acting so foolish.” She replied. He felt like she had personally smashed his heart with a giant hammer, reducing it into ash. No. No… she didn’t just reject him, this was a joke. This was a lie. No.

He looked up, he could see that the brunette was staring at him a bit warily. He couldn’t tell how she felt. Was she scared? He felt like an idiot. He had just made such a scene. They were supposed to re-kindle their friendship and he was ruining it. He knew he couldn’t just do as he pleased. No, it wasn’t this easy.

This was real life.

Judai had just rejected him and this was real. He had just made a fool of himself in front of her once again like last time. He had given his heart to her, only for her to smash it into smithereens again.

But. It wasn’t her fault.

The fault was his own for thinking that a love confession could win her over just like that. No. In Judai’s eyes, there was no ‘them’. There was only Edo. It would always be like that. She loved him as much as he loved her. He was terrible for doing such a thing to her again, placing her in such an awkward position. No, he was better than this. He was supposed to be the adult here. However, yet again he was back in his room all those years ago, when he had childishly unbuttoned his shirt because he didn’t want to attend a gathering and Judai had re-buttoned it and scolded him for it. Judai was always the adult in many situations, the only time she was a child was when she fell asleep on his floor trying to read.

But that Judai was gone. That child was gone. Here she was thirteen years old, but very much a full grown lady of her own. Making her own decisions, not allowing people to bully her into doing things she didn’t want to do. She was so much stronger than that frail child who hid from the other servant boys. The one who would always lose to him in a fight. No, Judai had grown and moved on, she had lived years without him.

He was left behind.

It wasn’t her fault though, it was all his own. If he hadn’t done what he did, they would still be friends. If he hadn’t acted upon his own selfish desires, he would still have her close to him. She wouldn’t have lost everything that day. It was all his fault and he knew it.

Yet, here he was again, trying to take from her again. He hadn’t thought about how she felt. How she probably was happier without him and better off with Edo. No, he was being selfish again. He had promised to protect that smile of hers, yet, here he was trying to destroy it once again. He had been selfish in entertaining the idea that if he proposed to her, she may change her mind.

He was so stupid.

He should be ashamed of himself, Judai had grown. Yet, he hadn’t. He still acted like a brat. In his life, people always gave him things when he asked for them, sometimes without asking. Like how Mikage, Stephanie and even Carly had given themselves to him. Here he was asking for Judai to marry him without considering their feelings. They already fight enough amongst themselves. It was over him.

“Forgive me, Judai. I acted out of line. I promise you, I won’t ask something so difficult of you again. I know you love Edo.”

“It’s alright, Jack. It’s hard to take no for an answer when all your life, people have offered their lives on the plate for you, I understand. I’m glad you’ve grown slightly from that though.” She replied, a gentle smile on her face. He looked at the clock, it was time to go. So they did, back to where her love was waiting for her.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

It took everything in her to knock on the door. She honestly didn’t know what to expect. Maybe they may have even moved away. She wouldn’t be surprised. What if it were her? Would she have done that?

She probably would have ran far away, she never liked to face her sorrows head on. Probably her own sort of coping mechanism. Besides, even if they still lived there, they probably would have changed servants already. It was very rare for him to answer the door on his own accord.

The silence was deafening.

A knot caught up in her stomach. They probably moved. It was probably the best thing they could have done in such an outcome anyway.

Then suddenly, the door opened. The sound of the door brought her back, she looked up a lot quicker than she thought she would. She could hardly believe what she saw with her eyes.

It was him. Wait, he probably didn’t remember her now, or would probably prefer not to see her ever again. She probably brought terrible memories to him. He hadn’t changed much, he looked more tired and obviously, sadder, but nonetheless, this was definitely him. Maybe she should leave, she couldn’t do this. No she couldn’t.

“Judai?”

That was enough to make her stop running.

“Judai is that you?”

She could barely find her voice, tears were threatening to well up in the corners of her eyes. However, she pushed down those feelings.

“Y- Yes Mr. Phoenix, it’s me.” She said quietly. Then suddenly, an unexpected move. She felt herself being embraced tightly.

“Thank goodness you’re alright! Oh Judai, how I’ve missed you! I never thought you would be here in front of my eyes again!”

“M-Mr. Phoenix. I-I’m so happy to see you again too! I’ve missed you too!” she said.

“Welcome home, my dear.”

“Thank you, it’s great to be back.” She said.

They ended up taking tea inside the courtyard. Nothing about the place had changed. Everything was the same, even her room was the same. She felt bad for Yusei who was also ushered in with no explanation whatsoever on the situation. Maybe he was used to being confused by now. He had also decided to wander off to just to explore the place. However, Judai knew all too well that he was giving them time with each other.

“How have you been keeping, my dear?”

“Very well, Mr. Phoenix. I do miss being on land though, I haven’t been on it for a while.”

“You’ve grown so much and so beautiful too. I’m so happy that you’re doing well.”

There was a pause, she knew she had to get everything that was in her heart out to him.

“Mr. Phoenix, I’m so sorry for what happened. Words can’t even describe my anguish. If I hadn’t been so stubborn, maybe, just maybe Edo would have been fine.” She said quietly. “That night when I lost him, I lost everything too. I can only imagine you felt the same, that you lost everything as well. I know my words will probably not heal anything, but I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry. The time I spent here was the best time I could ever ask for. I felt so loved, so fortunate. You gave me such good opportunities, yet, ultimately, I made you lose such important things.”

“It’s not your fault, Judai. Even if you had married him, I feel that Jack would have cut down Edo to stop the competition. Besides, I’m sure Edo didn’t regret making the decision he did. You know that you were his world, Judai. I can see on your face how you’ve suffered enough these few years. I know that you miss him as much as I do.”

“Thank you for saying those words to me. I was convinced that you wouldn’t want to see me ever again… I had dreams every night after we both left, of you being alone, on your own and that pained me so much. I wish things could have turned out for the better.” She said.

“I know, my dear. But the past is the past. I wish I could have dealt with Jack in some way that stopped him from harming the both of you. You’re like a daughter to me, Judai. You’re always welcome here.” He said as he took her hands and squeezed them. In turn, she smiled and squeezed his hands back.

“Perhaps, I have a way to bring at least some closure to you, Judai.”

“Closure?”

“Yes. Come with me.”

She followed him to the back of the garden. Her heart felt like it could burst at any moment. This place, this garden. All those happy memories. All those memories that wouldn’t stop flashing in front of her eyes.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

A few months passed on without much going on Jack came and went as per usual. Judai entertained her clients and spent her spare time with Edo. Nothing really changed. Judai couldn’t help but think back to Jack’s confession though. Should she have told Edo about Jack? Maybe she should have. But she was worried it would ruin Edo and Jack’s friendship that they had now. Edo had been extremely busy lately, always dealing with the business here and there. It wasn’t a bad thing though. He spent whatever little time he had left with Judai. She couldn’t have felt anymore happier though, despite them being busy all the time. The time her and Edo spent together was gold to her.

She happily strode to the gardens as per usual, she saw Edo sat there. He was reading a book, pretty gripped into it. She quickly joined him by his side. Edo soon closed the book as she sat down next to him. He smiled at her.

“Oh good timing, Judai! I have a little something for you!”

“Ooo~ What is it Edo?”

Edo seemed a bit odd, a bit stiff. She let it slide though, she was far too curious about what he was giving her. He silently handed over a book he had kept on the side of him. She looked at the front, smiling as she held it.

“You’ve always known I love this book! Thank you!” she smiled. She ran her fingers across the markings of the book. She had read it quite a few times, but it was always borrowed from someone. Now it was hers to keep.

“Why don’t you open it and read me some of it?” Edo suggested.

“Alright!” she said as she opened the book. She looked surprised, for there at the top left page, a ring was attached. “Edo… I.”

“Judai please stand up.”

The brunette wordlessly did what the silver haired male requested. He took her hand with both hands and knelt down on one knee.

“Judai, I know we haven’t been together for long. But I would love to go through the thick and thin with you. The ends of the world with you. You’re so special to me and I just couldn’t imagine my life without you.” He paused, looking up into her eyes.

“Will you marry me?”

The silence was far too long for his liking, he was probably imagining things. This was strange, usually he was brave, cool headed. Did stunts that sometimes even Judai scolded him for, but mostly they would do them together. But suddenly, those few words shook his confidence hard.

“Yes. Yes I will! I-I can’t believe you’re asking me!” she said happily.

His heart fluttered as he saw the smile on the brunette’s face. It was so beautiful. That very smile that welcomed him when he joined her by her side whenever she was reading a book. The smile she would give him in the dimly lit garden after their dancing. Those nights when they would sit out in the back garden and gaze at the stars. When they had picnics out in the park. And finally, how she would snuggle up close to him by the fire when it was cold in the winter. He just couldn’t help but love her more and treasured every moment with her.

He took the ring from the book and held her hand gently. “May I?”

“Of course you may, My Lord.” She teased and he complied, sliding the ring onto her ring finger. After he did so, she pounced on him, overloading him with kisses. There was laughter, there was joy. It was just perfect. Edo couldn’t deny it.

Eventually they ended up cuddling under the tree they often read under. Enjoying the warm yet gentle sun. It was such a relaxing atmosphere and it was perfect. Their hands linked together and their fingers, intertwined. This was what the feeling of true happiness felt like and they had both tasted it today.

“I love you, Edo.” She said as she looked into his blue eyes.

“I love you too, Judai.”

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

She bit her lip and walked over to the garden, it seemed that Yusei had also caught up with them. He was just observing, not saying much of a word. The only words he had said were ones to introduce himself. She carried on following him through the all too familiar garden. It was kept exactly the way she had remembered it. Exactly the same. Except, one thing was different. Next to the tree that they used to sit under, was a grave. She could her heart breaking all over again. It couldn’t be, could it?

“The only decent thing Jack did do, was bring his remains back to us.” Mr. Phoenix said sombrely.

She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t say anything. Her knees felt weak. It was like she was re-living her own personal hell again. Mr. Phoenix didn’t seem to be bothered by her silence though. He knew how she felt. It must have been so hard for him, having to deal with it all on his own. He must have been so lonely.

“How about I leave you alone for a few moments. I’m sure there are a lot of things you’d want to say to him.”

“T-Thank you.” She said quietly.

“S-Should I leave as well, Judai?” Yusei asked after Mr. Phoenix had left. He realised that he was intruding. Whoever this person was, they must have been rather important to Judai. This probably was the reason why she was acting so oddly prior to this.

“N-No. It’s alright, Yusei. Can I be selfish and ask you to stay with me?” she said so quietly that it was almost a whisper. With every step she took towards the grave, she could feel her knees weaken more and more. When she was finally at the grave, she knelt down on her knees.

“Hey, Edo.” She said, her voice shaking. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to visit earlier.” She continued.

“I’ve really missed you.” She said.

“I- I still wear the engagement ring you gave me. I just can’t leave it be.”

Then she grew silent, she just stayed there on her knees, staring at the gravestone.

Yusei didn’t know what came over him, but as soon as he saw the slightest change in Judai, he found himself running over there. When he got over there, she looked at him. He thought the best way was to join her on the ground too. He didn’t know what to do, so he was surprised when she threw her arms around him. It was then that he could feel wet warm liquid hit his shoulder.

She was crying. Judai was crying.

He returned her embrace. He heard her whimpering and held her as he felt her shaking.

“Judai, it’s okay. You can cry, no one but me can see you.”

So she did. She did for the first time since the incident. She cried with all of her might, not afraid to let all those feelings she had stubbed out in her heart pour out.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

They were engaged now… Like he had predicted. When he heard the news, he was all smiles but inside he was not. He hated this because he knew he wanted to act badly towards this announcement. In a way, he felt like he was part of a movie. He felt himself heavily disconnecting with anything going on currently. He also found himself in his arms of his wives a lot more. It was to ease the pain, to forget the truth. He just couldn’t take it. He needed this to stop, and mostly, he needed to stop himself. He couldn’t do this to Judai again. No. It would be unfair. She deserved happiness, even if it weren’t with him.

He repeated that inside his head - a means of calming himself down and reasoning himself out of a stupid move. Yes. She deserved happiness, even if she wasn’t with him. The world did not revolve around him. The last time he was selfish, he had taken everything away from Judai. They stopped being friends after that too. He was not prepared to lose her all over again. He has to remain strong. He must allow Judai to find happiness.

It was too much for him to bear though. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t settle with how he felt.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

“You’re leaving so soon? It’s a real shame!” the brunette frowned, concerned for the blond.

“Yeah, I’ve decided to venture out again. I’ll bring you a gift as an apology.”

“You don’t need to do that! Here!” she said as she gave him an envelop. “Promise you’ll come to the wedding.” She said, a frown on her face. “You’re my best friend, Jack. It would be weird if you weren’t there on the day.”

“I will do my best to be present.” He replied, feigning a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back in a few weeks.”

“You better!” the frown not leaving her face. “I was going to ask you to go out for an evening together again, too! Now you go running off to the sea!” she pouted.

“Maybe we can do that when I come back.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” He said, smiling at her before walking out of the courtyard and disappearing. Judai could only watch his back as he left. She didn’t like this one bit. Jack was acting really peculiar. She decided not to question it though. Things could turn complicated quickly.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

Things have been pretty tense lately. He wasn’t around all the time to see it, but he knew it was. Judai and Jack just seemed on edge lately. He wasn’t oblivious so he could tell easily. How Jack seemed to have a certain aura around him and how Judai seemed to hang around him less. Then suddenly, right after the wedding was announced, he took off just like that, not a second word. His suspicions had been right all along, Jack was still very much in love with Judai. He knew that Jack could be trusted, but at the same time, he kept his guard up. He refused to let Judai be hurt again. He won’t let that happen ever again.

“It’s strange… That Jack kid, he hasn’t shown up for a while.” A voice sounded. One of the men that worked for his father.

“Yeah, it is. I wonder why.”

“He used to be here all the time, ever since the girl came to us.”

“Here all the time?”

“When the little miss was brought here, he’d visit at least once a month.”

“That doesn’t make sense… He only appeared in our lives a year or so ago.”

“He’s always come here, he just simply hid himself from the both of you.”

“He what?” the silver haired male frowned. This was new news to him. Did anyone else know? Did they choose to withhold this information from him.

“In fact, I think a week before the little miss was brought here, he was speaking with your father.”

“Why haven’t you told me this before?” Edo said darkly.

“I thought you knew, Mr. Phoenix.”

He frowned. “Cancel all of my meetings today.”

“A-As you wish, Sir.”

He quickly made his way over to the brunette’s room. He hoped that she’ll be alone. Without much of a thought, he knocked on the door. It opened, behind it was a happily surprised brunette.

“Edo? I thought you were fully booked today!”

“I was… but not any longer.” He said.

There was a frown on her face. It was like her to suddenly pick up on the change in mood quickly. “Edo, what’s wrong?”

“Everything.”

“Edo, sit down. Let me pour you some tea, you’re shaking and am not making sense at all.”

He allowed himself to be ushered over to sit down by the table. He watched the brunette as she made her way over with the teapot and teacups. He felt an odd sense of calmness wash over himself. However, as soon as she sat down, the anger within him started again.

“What happened, Edo? It’s not like you to cancel important meetings.”

“Judai, I don’t think that you and Jack should be friends any longer.”

He had expected the brunette to query him, to argue with him. However, instead, she chose to stay silent and let him continue.

“I found something out today… One of the men that serve me, he told me that every month… Even before you forgave him, he’d come and spy on you.”

“Every month?”

“Yes.”

“I did always feel uneasy on my own.” She said.

He took the silence as another sign to continue. “He also said that a week before you were forcefully brought here, he was talking to my father… I think he was responsible for you being brought here.”

“I’m such a fool.” She said quietly.

“Judai, it’s not your fault! It’s mine. If I had known-”

“It’s not your fault, Edo. You didn’t know.” She said, taking his hand in hers. “The next time I see him, I will confront him.”

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

The next time Jack set foot in the brothel, it was three months down the line. He himself seemed like he was in a pretty good mood. What was there to worry about anyway? Judai would probably go on the date with him that she had mentioned just before he left, everything was peachy.

He stepped into the garden, the brunette was there as expected and Edo was away as per usual. Everything seemed normal. She greeted him, as per usual. It was as if he never stepped away from that haven. So the day carried on and soon it was time for them to go out for dinner.

He couldn’t help but think how this would be such a romantic place had the brunette had feelings for him. Entertaining his own thoughts were too much though. Judai was going to be married soon. She still looked so beautiful. How he wished that could keep her with him. She looked at him, with the same eyes she always did. An unreadable expression on her face. Dinner continued on and soon they danced the night away.

They were out there once again, in the dimly lit garden outside. The peaceful night air made anyone relax.

“Say Jack, I wanted to ask you something.”

“What was it, Judai.”

“You don’t have anything to hide from me, do you? Maybe something you hadn’t told me?”

“No, Judai. I’ve told you everything, why?”

“Oh nothing, just wondering.” Was all the brunette said before turning herself back to staring at the big starry sky.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

Nothing seemed out of place the day after either. When the brunette greeted him in her room where she took clients, she was all smiles and rather pleasant. As she set the teapot on the table and sat down, Jack couldn’t even sense that she may be remotely angry about something and most certainly not at him.

“Say, Jack… You haven’t been the most honest with me, have you?” she said pleasantly as she poured him some tea. The blond man was confused. Wondering whether the brunette was playing with him or being serious. Many a time, she’d tease him so.

“What would make you assume so?” the blond man mused. Deciding it was a joke or out of mere play.

“It’s you who put me here, isn’t it?” she said, her mismatched eyes boring into his soul as their eyes connected.

“No, of course not, Judai. Why would you think that?”

“Jack, don’t lie to me. I even gave you a chance to come clean, yesterday.” She frowned.

“Why would I want you to end up here? I’ve been trying to make you leave this place!”

“Did you at least drop by to spy on me, Jack?”

“Of course not, Judai! Why would you accuse me of such things all of a sudden?”

“Because someone saw you, Jack.” She said darkly. “Just admit it, you’ve been caught.”

The blond couldn’t believe this was happening… He had been so careful to cover his tracks, he thought he had gotten away with it, when being faced with the truth, he couldn’t help but cower before it. Did she hate him now? Would this undo their relationship once more? He didn’t want to stay to find out. This was just too mind bogging. He didn’t like this. He was supposed to be the one in full control of this situation here. This was meant to never be known.

“So what if I was there spying on you? I just wanted you to be safe from harm…” He said in a hushed voice. The brunette frowned, those eyes of hers were on guard. She wasn’t going to take him lightly, it seemed.

“Why didn’t you tell me then? Why did you deny it?”

“Would you have let me in if you found out?”

“That’s not the point, Jack! You were not truthful with me!” she frowned, standing up, her eyes burning holes into the back of his head. “Then I’m guessing that you were responsible for me being here then!”

“Was that a question, my dear?” he responded, a sly smirk on his mouth.

“Did that sound like a question?” she frowned. “I’m giving you a final chance to come clean, Jack.” She said coldly.

A ear piercing silence rang through the air, the atmosphere could not get any more tense.

“Yes. Yes I did, Judai.” He said finally.

“Why would you do such a thing to me, Jack?” she said quietly.

“I had to keep you someplace else, so I could still find you, but I had to stay apart from you.”

“That’s not good enough of an answer.” She spat. “Those are just mere excuses. Stop giving me excuses!”

“Everything I did is because I love you, Judai. I always have and always will.” He said as he walked over to the brunette. “Judai, I can’t see a world without you by my side.”

“You make me sick.” She hissed.

“Marry me! I can make you happy, I can give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of! I promise you, I’ll never lie to you again.” He said as he reached out to her.

“No!” she said as she slapped his hand away. “Don’t you dare touch me, Jack!” her eyes were ablaze.

“I’ve said no before and my answer still stands as no! I will never marry you, Jack!” she said. The look of hatred in her eyes, how cold those once warm eyes were… It was enough to shatter his heart. But no, he had to have what he wanted.

A laugh, he was laughing. She couldn’t possibly have refused him again.

“You’ll regret this, Judai. All of this!” he laughed. Those amethyst eyes were now filled with menace. “Mark my words, you will regret saying no to me!” he bellowed before storming out of the room.

She was shaking still, from the anger she felt inside… So much so that she did not hear Edo and several servants come rushing in by her side to ask her whether she was alright.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

“Judai, quick! If we are leaving, we must leave now!” Edo’s voice sounded. She had never seen him like this before. He was terrified, but she didn’t blame him. Jack had been true to his words about how she would regret it. However, she didn’t have time to be terrified. In fact, she was more livid than terrified.

“How many of them are there?” she asked.

The silver haired male couldn’t believe just how calm she was. Even in a dire situation like this. Jack had gotten his pirate crew to come after them after Judai turned him down. Still, it was realistic that he was terrified, he had never had to deal with this. He couldn’t help but wonder if Judai had dealt with this before, however, her calmness made him feel calm too.

“I think I counted twenty men.” He said.

“Let’s go then.” She said as she quickly pulled up a trapdoor from the ground and hopped in. How she knew it existed was beyond Edo, perhaps she was always prepared to run. Just in case things turned out for the worse for her. He followed her without a second thought, careful to close the door behind them. He hated this, he regretted not saying a proper goodbye to his father or anyone in the place for the matter. However, Judai and him did hint at him that something may happen. Still, no one wished for it to happen. Of course they wouldn’t.

As they ran through the tunnel, he could only hear his own footsteps behind him. His eyes darted to the brunette who was running but seemed still so collected. It seemed like she was ready for Jack’s nonsense the day he declared it. They kept running until they were out of the place. Out there, they quickly hid for some shelter and rest.

“I’m sorry that you ended up being dragged into this, Edo.” She said, speaking after having not spoken for a while.

“Don’t be silly, I am more than happy to keep running with you, Judai. None of this was your fault.”

“We should probably head out at the first crack of dawn. I don’t know how far we have to run but faraway enough from him.”

“I know, Judai. I wish we had a better escape route than this.”

“It’s not like you knew he was going to do such a thing, Edo. If I had known, I would have been planning even more further ahead.”

“You don’t look like you’re afraid though, Judai. How you acted back there was as if you were prepared for this.”

“I started finding out ways to escape when he started acting weird a few months back. I just had an inkling.” She said. “But I also wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and I wish I hadn’t now. I should have just planned to leave with you in secret.”

“You wanted him to prove you wrong, that’s all. I understand how you feel.”

“Ah well, too late to regret it now.” She said frankly.

“That is true, still I’m glad one of us is calm.” He smiled.

“Believe me, my past self would not have been so calm.” She smiled, taking his hand into hers. She allowed herself to relax for now, to rest, but as soon as it was dark again, they would be on the run.

++++++++++++++++++++ Conflicted Waves ++++++++++++++++++++

A few months have passed by since their initial escape. They had somehow managed to escape safely but the brunette was still rather on guard. She had gone back to wearing a bandage on her orange eye. It was just far too easy to look for her. She hoped that everyone was alright, she missed the place terribly. It was such a nice environment. Though it may not be to many, but she had started to call it her home. However, all of that went out of the window rather quickly. Once again, Jack had ruined her life.

She mainly stayed inside now, since Edo and her agreed that it was probably easier to spot her than him in some ways. Besides, the target was her, not him. She hated staying in hiding so much. However, until they could get onto a boat and sail to the next country, there was no way she could be out. This will have to do for the meantime. How she wished that one day, she could see everyone again.

“Judai!” cried Edo between pants, it sounded like he had been running. “Quick! We have to leave!”

She quickly got up, knowing this day would come sooner or later. She stayed calm though. Without uttering a word she ran towards the back door. Unfortunately, it seemed that this time there was no easy escape. The backdoor was clogged up by people.

“I hope you’ve kept up your fighting skills Edo, the backdoor is blocked and it would be stupid to climb onto the roof.”

“I hope you’ve kept yours up, Judai.”

“Of course I have! Time to clear the path!” she said as she threw the door open before rampaging through the group, punching the men in the way. This was not how she wanted to spend her day but she had to do this. She wasn’t sure where they were going to escape to this time though. They had only gotten there yesterday. She was sure this was not what a thirteen year old had to face everyday, but then again, her life was not normal. She figured as much. Still, she wished that it would calm down a bit soon.

“It’s all clear, Edo! Let’s go!” she cried as she sped off. They had no time for this.

He ran after her, not once looking back. In times like these, he wished that they were somewhere further. These few months had been challenging, they had been on the run. How was his father? He hoped he was well. He hated that he never got to say goodbye. He didn’t even write him at all, for fear that it may give away where they were. But there was no going back, he had made that decision on the day he had runaway with her.

So they ran on, making sure to watch out for any pursuers. Unfortunately, all that running still didn’t shake the problem as they found themselves quickly surrounded. The brunette stood there, a frown on her face. She had had that face for a while now, he could barely remember what her smile looked like.

“You might as well give up now, Judai. You’ve got nowhere to run.” Sneered an all too familiar voice.

“What if I don’t give up?” she replied.

“Then it would be futile, there’s more of us than there are of you.”

She frowned, how she would love to beat that smug smile off of his face. She decided that even if she couldn’t escape, she’d die trying.

“Just grab the girl, I don’t need him.” The blond man stated. He was frustrated, he wanted Judai to beg for mercy, for her to try and reason with him, but Judai did none of this. Instead, she stared into his eyes, filled with defiance. She wasn’t going to go down with a fight. No way was he going to rule her life. She would not allow it.

She frowned as she fought off one of the men running towards her. She continued to fight.

A swish, a slash.

They were all on the ground. It was a natural thing for her though. She turned around, checking to see if there were any other enemies around.

But.

There was only Jack and Edo.

They were engaged in a battle. Then suddenly, it happened so quickly.

She heard it and saw it.

The silver haired male, slumped over. A sword in him, blood gushing out.

The blond male, a smug smirk on his face, yanking the sword out of his body.

Blood. There was blood everywhere.

Everything was red… Then it was black.

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fallen029 · 7 years