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thiswasinevitableid · 3 years

Note

57 sternclay nsfw? i can see stern complaining to a stranger that his ex complained about how weird his kinks were while dumping him

Here you go! 57: “we’re fighting over the last box of half-off valentine’s day chocolate and end up in a “who has it worse” battle.

For being in a mountain town in the slow season, the seasonal candy shelves of the Kepler Walgreens are bare. Were it 10 am on Valentines Day, Joseph would be in a panic. At 10 p.m, it feels like yet more proof this trip is utterly doomed.

But he didn’t become one of the top agents in the Department of Unexplained Phenomena by being unobservant. On the top shelf, pushed towards the back, is a bag of Reese's hearts and a bag of M&Ms. Thank you, years of training.

Being six feet tall helps too.

He’s so locked onto his target that he doesn’t notice the other person in the store until their hands smack into each other en route to the bags.

“Sorry, uh, lemme just get these and I’ll get out of your way.” A voice as deep and sweet as summer honey reaches his ears.

“I’m sorry, but I was going to buy these.” He starts pulling the bags towards him, only for the other guy to grab them. Joseph glares; the man trying to relieve him of his last solace looks like the kind of lumberjack you see in recordings titled things, “Log Pounders IV” or “Bear Hunting.”

“Look, buddy, I really need these so can you, like, find some other bags?”

“These are the last two. And I guarantee I need them more.” As long as he keeps a pleasant voice and gives no ground, this should go smoothly.

“Unless you got dumped this month, I don’t think you do.”

“I got dumped seven hours ago.” He says through an increasingly tight-lipped smile.

“At least your ex isn’t tagging you in a bunch of photos bragging about his new boyfriend.”

“He can’t, because he probably only just got back to his apartment in the rental car. The one I’m now stranded here without.”

“Pfft, just call an Uber or something.”

“It’ll cost several hundred dollars to get home!”

“You look like you can afford it.” Brown eyes flick from his hair down to his shoes, “some of us have to use half-price candy to soothe our wounds. You’re probably staying at the kind of fancy B&B where they have complimentary booze.”

“I would be, except their was a fuck-up with the reservation. Which my ex took as proof this was time to end things, and is the reason I’m dragging this all over town.” He kicks his ergonomically designed, rolling suitcase hard enough that it bumps into his adversary.

“Better he gave you some bullshit reason than the truth, which mine was all too happy to tell me. You can have these when someone you tried to make happy tells you he thinks you’re ‘too soft’ and that if only you’d manned up he woulda stayed, whatever the fuck that even means.”

Goddamnit, Joseph is not about to lose this argument--and his candy--on top of everything else.

“I’ll trade you that for being told you’re: too exacting, far more uncool than your job implies, too anxious, too invested in your work, that your whole personality is flawed and, just for extra fun, that your kinks are too weird and no one in their right mind would ever want to sleep with you if they knew them ahead of time.”

The other man’s hold on the bags loosens. Then it returns, stronger than before, as he grumbles, “Please, no one’s kinks are that weird.”

“You have no idea what mine are.”

“Then how about you give me a demonstration, huh?” Lumberjack snaps.

Joseph's common sense finally catches up with his thirst for comfort and, apparently, conflict.

“I, I’m sorry, did you just offer to fuck me in the middle of a fight over discount candy?”

“I....” the man lets go of the bags, chuckles, “yeah, I did. Fuck, I’m sorry, it’s been such a shitty day that my mouth decided it was gonna do whatever it took to stay in that fight.”

Joseph laughs a little, slumping against the shelf, “I guess it’s nice to know I’m not the only person in town whose Valentine’s Day didn’t go to plan.”

“No kidding. Though, uh, I didn’t get dumped this month. It was three months ago. He did tag me in all those photos today though.”

“That’s so rude.”

“Not as rude as leaving your boyfriend stranded in the mountains.”

B-grade pop hits fill the awkward silence between them.

“I, uh, this might be way outta line, but I got an idea; if you buy the candy, I can take us back to my place and bake something with it. That way we can both enjoy it, and you won’t be stuck wandering around in the cold.”

He runs a quick is-this-a-serial-killer scan of the man in front of him.

“Sure. But just so you know, I’m opening the Reeses in the car.”

-----------------------------------------------------

“Feeling better?” Barclay, his host, wipes stray cupcake crumbs from his lips.

“Much.” He polishes off his second coffee-cocoa cupcake with M&Ms in the batter, lifts his coffee cup, “this place is lucky to have you.”

Barclay blushes the same way he has every time Joseph compliments his cooking, home, or taste in books. They’ve spent the last ninety minutes in the kitchen of Barclay’s small, A-Frame cabin, one of eight laid out in a half circle behind Amnesty Lodge. The cook explained that the cabins were for staff or long term residents, and that while the Lodge sometimes had vacancies, this week had seen them swamped.

The rain alternates between pleasant pitter-pats and drops that could kill a small bird, so Joseph is incredibly grateful to Barclay for giving him a place to shelter. When he thanks him, the cook shrugs with a little smile, “you shouldn’t leave nice things out in the rain.”

As they’re cleaning up the dishes, Barclay passes him a plate and says, “You can stay here tonight. If, uh, if you want. The couch isn’t much, but it’s dry and I’ve got a bunch of spare blankets.”

“That’d be great, thank you. And, um, thank you for being so nice to me, given how we met.”

“Eh, no one who’s in a Walgreens after ten is in a good mood. And, uh, it’s nice to have someone to talk with. I’m kinda the quiet one of my friends, and work is mostly calling orders and stuff.” He pulls the coffee pot from the heat, “can I top you off?”

“Yes, please.” His caffeine tolerance is so high a few cups late at night doesn’t mess with his sleep. Barclay is sticking with tea, something scented like cardamon and comfort.

They move to the couch that’s clearly been re-covered a dozen times, Barclay only getting up to turn on some music; delta blues, if Joseph’s ear is right. It’s not until the clock strikes one thirty that Joseph notices they’re sitting so close that their knees bump whenever one of them turns to talk.

“Okay, I gotta ask” Barclay’s brown eyes shine sweet and playful, “what exactly was so weird about your kinks that your dickhead ex went out of his way to mention them?”

He thinks a moment, scanning his body and noticing he’s more relaxed than he’s been in weeks, including all the times he spent with his ex. Something about the faint scent of dish-soap on Barclays hands, the gentle smile that makes Joseph certain that--for all his bulk--if Joseph told him to roll over and show his belly, he’d do it in an instant, the way he doesn’t rolls his eyes or shy away when Joseph talks, all of that makes him calm. Which makes him bold.

“Wait right here.” He hops up, grabs his bag from the door and pulls it over to the rug by the couch. All he has to do to reveal his secret is lift his pajamas.

“Holy fuck.” Barclay leans forward, “you really came prepared.”

“It was supposed to be a romantic getaway. I...we’d never used any of this together, but I hoped we might this time. It’s, it’s not his fault, I know my tastes aren’t for everyone, and we had plenty in common in bed. But he went through this whole thing where he said we should share our deepest fantasies. Apparently wanting to be choked is fine, but wanting to fuck Mothman is not.”

“That’s what this one is.” Barclay picks up one of the two dildos, black with lots of swirling ridges.

“That’s actually my dragon one. Um.” he holds up the ovipositor toy, “this one is supposed to be mothman.”

Barclay squishes one of the silicone eggs, “that feels kinda nice. What else did you bring?”

His genuine interest is not helping Joseph keep his hopes under control.

“The other toy is the ‘bigfoot’ model. And this is, um, this is my newest one, I was so excited I pre-ordered it. It acts like a cock-sleeve, but this part here is supposed to mimic a, um, a knot.”

“Like the idea of getting knotted, babe?” The cook’s voice is a little deeper than when he last spoke, and rather than pulling away he’s inching into Joseph’s space.

“Yes. I, um, I’m getting the sense” he shifts so his hands are on Barclay’s knees, “that we might have something in common besides our taste in leftover candy.”

“I packed all this so carefully” he brushes their lips together, “it’d be a shame to let it sit unused.”

Barclay scoops him into a kiss, growling happily when Joseph instantly parts his lips. His beard is soft and tickly under Joseph’s palms, and his mind takes the thought of getting beard-burn on his thighs and runs so far with it that he almost misses what Barclay says next.

“In that case, you better decide if you want me to open your ass up so I can fuck you with a knot, or if you wanna do it yourself.”

“I prefer to do it myself.”

A second kiss, a bit gentler this time, “bedroom’s at the end of the hall. Get naked and wait for me there?”

“Roger that, big guy.”

When Barclay growls this time it’s rougher, jumping out of his chest and seeming to surprise him.

Joseph undresses as Barclay stops off in the bathroom, rifling through the medicine cabinet while Joseph folds his clothes. He’s down to his boxers when he remembers there is a conversation he needed to have before it hit this point.

“You trying to get me to rip those off with my teeth?” Barclay grins as he sets some condoms and lube on the bed and starts taking off his pants.

“I, um, there’s something you should be aware of. We don’t have the same, um, set-up.”

Barclay furrows his brow, gets his meaning, then nods, “no problem. If you’re okay with that part of you being involved I, uh, I just got a really, really good idea for what to do.”

“It’s not always the case, but tonight I definitely want it involved. I want you inside me as many ways as possible.”

“Fuck yeah.” Barclay tosses his shirt into the laundry, “get your ass open enough to take that knot.”

He slips the condom on, douses it with lube, and presses the first finger in, discovering that he's unable to stop complimenting Barclay for even five seconds while he finishes disrobing. The flush under his dark chest hair is unendingly charming, as is the little whine he makes at Joseph telling him he likes how big he is.

“I, I’m serious, ahhn, it’s rare to find someone taller than me and I really like it.”

“Feeds into the monster thing?” Barclay crawls beside him, laying down so he can kiss him as he works the second finger in.

“In a way.”

A deep, rumbly chuckle that has Joseph fucking himself hurriedly, “Don’t be coy, babe. You like the thought of something big and hairy getting a hold of you and not letting you go until you’re dripping cum.”

“Holy shit, yes” he gets the third finger in, sighing as Barclay nuzzles his neck.

“Well, I’m not bigfoot, but I’m betting I’ll do just fine.”

“More than fine.” Joseph kisses him, feels him smile in a way that melts his heart like cheap chocolate.

“Got some other theories about you, babe, but you gotta wait until you’re on my dick to hear ‘em.” Barclay sits up, stroking his cock in time with Joseph’s hand, “fucking-A, can’t believe your ex didn’t wanna stick around for this. You look like a fucking porn star; we oughta record you getting fucked in your suit and sell if for big bucks.”

He moans, pulling his fingers free, “Fuck me now. Please.”

“Fuck that’s hot.” Barclay works the sleeve down over his cock, sits up against the wall, “come sit in my lap, facing away.”

Joseph straddles him, gasps when the head of his cock presses in. He prepped well, but all the same he has to take his time wiggling his way down. Barclay caresses him, grunting and whimpering whenever he moves, breath prickling the hairs at the base of his neck. It’s heavenly.

When he hits the knot, Barclay rubs more lube on it, but it stays outside of him as he grinds on it. Between moans, the cook manages to say, “want me to start the next part?”

“Yes, please.”

Barclay loads the ovipositor with the three eggs, praises Joseph for being a good boy when he spreads his legs to accommodate the head of the toy.

“I, I thought you had more you were going to tell me?” He tilts his head awkwardly to kiss Barclay’s shoulder.

“Uh huh.” Barclay slowly works the toy in and out, doing his best to sync it to the rolls of his hips, “I think you’re the kind of guy who doesn’t just want one monster; you want ‘em all.”

“Variety is, ohgod, part of a healthy sex life.”

“I don’t mean one monster on one day and a different one on another. I think you want them all at once.”

“Oh yes, oh! Ohohoh” he kicks his legs as the first egg pushes in, “fuck, Barclay, please keep going.”

“Whatever you want, babe.” He nuzzles Joseph’s hair, “that’s how I came up with this plan; seeing all those different dicks made me think you’d, fuck, you’d like me to pretend there was more than just me fucking you.”

Joseph nods, clinging to Barclays arm and bearing down on the knot.

“Can just see it now; you got yourself lost in the woods out here, go looking for help only to find a whole bunch of monsters waiting for you. Spend the rest of the night pressed into the dirt and leaves while every cryptid from, fuck” he bucks his hips, “from here to Canada had their turn.”

“Shit, shit” the knot starts pushing in, “y-you’ve got my number, big guy.”

“Yeah?” Barclay squeezes the base of the toy as he talks, causing the remaining two eggs to push their way in, Joseph’s body clenching around them, “you want a night where all your good for is being fucked, where if you beg for a break you get a bigfoot fucking your throat and werewolves cumming on your chest instead of them all mobbing you at once?”

“Shit, yes, YESohfuck” the knot enters him as Barclay shoves his hips down, “ohmygod that’s good, fuck, I feel so full, you’re so smart, this was genius, fuck you know how to treat meAHannnfuck, shit.” He holds on to Barclays arm’s as the other man fucks him with abandon.

“Oh I know, babe. Know I was fucking right. You wanna be claimed, wanna be owned, wanna be bred by a whole fuckin pack-”

“Jesuschrist” it’s hard to breathe at the pace Barclay sets, his body aching to cum but not quite able to get there. He squeezes his eyes shut, rubbing frantically at his dick as Barclay loses himself in the fantasy.

“You’d be so cute, leaves in your hair and cum on your chin, taking it all and begging for more. Good thing you’re so needy, you could tear a pack apart with folks fighting over who gets to fuck you, fuck, Joseph, baby, you’re so fucking good, gonna be so fucking good to you, fuck, fuck” he shoves as deep as he can while he cums, and in the haze of pleasure Joseph swears claws prick the skin of his chest. Just the thought of that sends his own orgasm coursing through him, his body tensing and twisting on Barclay’s cock, making them both moan from sudden overstimulation.

“S-sorry” Barclay pants.

“Nothing to apologize for, just physiology, here, let me ow, ow, okay maybe I should have relaxed more first.” He’s free of both toys, but that was right on the edge of too painful. He waits for Barclay to take off the sleeve, then rolls the bigger man so his head is on his chest.

“Your ex didn’t know how good they had it.”

“Thanks, babe.”

He smiles, “I like that. No one ever calls me something that informal.”

“Call you it whenever you want. Babe.” Barclay kisses his arm, “you can, uh, stay in bed if you want. We don’t have a ton of time together so I’d, uh, well, I’d like to spend as much of it with you as I can.”

For the first time, Joseph wishes his vacation would last longer.

“Agreed, big guy.”

--------------------------------------------------

“You said you had my new assignment, sir?”

“Yes. Agent Stern, you will be going to the town of Kepler to investigate the events described in this file.” Agent Hayes passses him the folder.

“Understood, sir.”

Joseph manages to keep his smile to himself all the way to his desk.

#sternclay #agent stern/ barclay #taz amnesty #reader request #meet ugly

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sumire-bride · 3 years

Text

Sumire and shuus route (demo) maniac 9

Scene is living room

Sumire- ..haah… (..Shuu-sama told me I was suspended… I was not sure what that meant until.. reiji-sama woke us up…)

(..and well… he was not happy… at all…)

*FLASHBACK*

Flashback is in living room

Reiji- …

Sumire- …

(..there is such a dark aura coming from reiji-sama…. Ahh…)

Reiji- I have no words.. I.. I honestly can’t believe you did such a thing.. I already deal with laito and subarus suspensions and make sure they don’t get expelled which already puts me in a situation and now this!

Good grief do you have any idea how you could have messed up the sakamaki name if I didn’t make your suspension a little shorter, you should be happy that your suspended for a month and not longer,what do you have to say for yourself?!

Sumire- …. Forgive me… I did not realize what I was doing.. until after I had did it…. I am very sorry… I did not mean to cause such.. trouble for you…

Reiji- how do you expect to make this up for yourself ah!? I can’t even think of a proper punishment at this very moment

Laito- ufu, give our bitch-chan a break, we should be happy if I’m being honest. It’s the first time she has ever gotten angry! Shuu was there

Ne ne tell us Shuu, what did she look like? I can’t help but imagine what she must of looked like, her eyes full of rage, did she yell? Ahh… Just the thought of it turns me on~. An angry bitch-chan.. ne bitch-chan show me that face you had yesterday

Subaru- tch.. fuckin perv..

Ayato- little watermelon got suspended, still can’t believe it,

Kanato- if you need a punishment for her then.. I can help with that. Ne teddy what should we do to torture her hm..? Should we rip her pretty eyes out and use them..? Or should we cut off her long legs and use them for one of our.. other projects, or or should we-!

Reiji- silence!

Haah.. this women is such a headache.. well no matter I’ll come up with one when we come back

Everyone get in the car we’ll be late

Sumire- …uh… I did not put my uniform on…

Reiji- what are you talking about? Your suspended..- don’t tell me you don’t know what that is, I shouldn’t be surprised.. suspension means someone stopping someone from doing or going a place or thing

So your not going to school, for a month,

Sumire- …so.. I can not go to school…? I see…

Reiji- seems like you understand, well your not going so when we’re gone.. don’t burn the house down, I’m being serious don’t.burn.the.house.down. Unless you require a bigger punishment then your already getting

Laito- bye bitch-chan! Don’t cause to much trouble while we’re gone Kay~!

*FLASHBACK ENDS*

Sumire- … (..and that is how i got here… I’m not sure what to do… mm… I guess I can go to the music room… piano seems to calm me down…) well I should get going then….

*scene is in the mansions music room*

Sumire- … (…this piano is really pretty… haha… what am I saying… I think all pianos look the same from what I’ve seen…. I am starting to think that the word “idiot” is not a compliment… does this mean I am a idiot…?)

(..the things I do are stupid aren’t they…? I.. I do not understand anything….)

Shuu- oi..

Sumire- ..!!!…

Shuu- you don’t need to jump.. it’s only me geez..

Sumire- ..Shuu-sama….! You are not in school… did you get this thing suspended as well…?

Shuu- why does it matter if I did or not, it’s not like you should care

Besides that.. what are you doing..?

Sumire- ..I am on the piano… is that not obvious….? Ah..! Is Shuu-sama going blind…!

Shuu- okay I get it.. geez.. what I meant was why are you up here, you don’t seem like the type who would be going to random places without a reason to

Sumire- ..Did I need a reason to come here…? I merely came here because I like the sound of piano… I was not sure if I was even going to play anything… I have.. just been in some stress… and piano is soothing to me…

..I knew how to play ever since I was.. a child… my older brother taught me how… he used to play when he came to visit me and father…. I remember the first song he taught me…. He told me when we first sang together that.. I had the voice of a angel… or something else that was better.. he said the same thing about my looks… He said that was only befitting of the only daughter of the kanashi family to be… beautiful…. And have everything that came with it….

..I love the piano and music…. There such amazing things… and the memories of him and my other brothers.. is something I will cherish till the day I die… they’d want me to.. right…?

Shuu- you know how to play this old thing..? Wow Rapunzel actually has something she can do besides reading and acting like a idiot.. what a surprise..

Well, play me something then.. I wanna nap

Sumire- ..huh… you want to hear me.. play…? That is quite funny… haha…

Shuu- why is that funny..?

Sumire- Shuu-sama has never seemed interested in.. any of the things I do… so I find it funny when you do… but I also find it quite nice… I like when Shuu-sama shows interest in my talents….

Shuu- tch.. whatever, I guess I’ll nap listening with my headphones then..

Sumire- ..eh.. if that is what Shuu-sama wants to listen to then I am perfectly fine with it….. (..Shuu-sama also makes me feel happy… I like that he is here… fufu..)

..I am going to read okay…?

Shuu- do what you want.. I doesn’t bother me as long as your quite..

Sumire- ….

*TIMESKIP*

Sumire- …ah.. (..this is sad… poor boy… his love is dying… how sad… but I can not cry about.. such things…. Mother and father will get mad at me….) hmm…. (Maybe I should.. stop reading for now…. So I don’t cry)

..(..Shuu-sama is still napping on my shoulder…. Maybe I should take a nap as well… but I’ve slept quite a bit… I wonder if that is a good thing…. Normally I would myself up by reading before…)

*sumire puts her head on his shoulder*

Sumire- … (..when I look at Shuu-sama… there is a lot I like about him… including his looks… his pale and bright hair colour reminds me of those.. really pretty guys in books…it’s.. it’s nice… a lot of the time when I look at him… he makes me feel dizzy… but in a good way…?)

(..oh goodness this is confusing me… haha… I’m quite confused at my feelings towards you Shuu-sama… I love him but… what type of love is this…? It is a lot different then how I felt about my big brothers and parents… and the servants…. I’m quite confused… ne Shuu-sama please tell me…)

Shuu- oi.. your getting tears on my shoulder

Sumire- ..what are tears…? Uh..

*drip drip*

Sumire- …?.. what is this… I don’t not quite understand….

Shuu- is that not obvious..? Your crying, and you got your tears on my shoulder

Sumire- ..I am crying…! Oh no… I can cry….! Mother will be upset at me… I can’t have that… go away tears…!

Shuu- why tell them to go away.. I honestly don’t dislike you crying.. this is actually the first time I have seen you shed tears.. though I’d wish you’d actually have a frightened look as well, but I guess I can make that happen on my own

Hey.. shed more tears for me

*rustle rustle*

Sumire- …uh… if you are going to suck my blood then.. please wait an till I have stopped these awful tears coming… from my face…

Shuu- don’t wanna.. I prefer it better to suck you blood when your full of them, so go on cry more for me.. not like anyone’s gonna hear right..? I mean it’s just the two of us in this one room,

Or were you expecting something a little more dirty..? Lewd girl

Sumire- ..Why would I want the two of us to get dirty…. It would be troublesome to clean ourselves up… and I don’t quite like dirt in my hands to much…

Shuu- you really are I naïve girl, again I don’t dislike toying with girls like that either

*shuu bites sumire*

Sumire- …ah…! Shuu-sama… I.. (..and there goes my voice…. I.. I don’t want to move…. I can’t move… does.. does this make him.. happy…?)

Shuu- nn… haah.. haha.. look at that I finally got a look out of you.. after multiple tries it happened.. go on make that face more, cry more.. I want to see it..

Sumire- … (..It… it does make him happy… if this is what he wants then I am… willing to…) uh… ah…!

Shuu- I’ve wondered for a while if these we’re either tights or stockings… hmm.. so they are stockings.. they look nice on your legs..

*shuu rips the left sock*

Sumire- …Shuu-sama…! Don’t rip those…! Oh goodness I will need to see those back together….-

*shuu bites sumires thigh*

Sumire- ..argh….!! (…that hurts… a lot…!! But.. but I can not cry about it…)

Shuu- Nn.. hnn… a lot of blood comes from here.. hey you should be happy I gave you a compliment..

You know.. you should wear something else other then his baggy dress, I’ve just found out that you have nice legs.. surprisingly you actually have nice features besides that face of yours.. speaking of which.. there’s another thing I’ve wondered..

Sumire- …?..

Shuu- as of recently I’ve wondered what you’d look like if you didn’t have this annoying dress on. So let me take it off

Sumire- …huh.. what… you want.. no.. no in all ways….! I will let shuu-sama bite me but I will not take my dress of for his… own amusement… my body is for my eyes…

Shuu- heeh.. look at that.. you made another face.. your blushing

Sumire- …I am not doing such a thing…. Oh goodness…

Shuu- so would you rather my brothers see you like that..? See you in all your own little forms..? Or would you rather me see it instead..?

Sumire- ..uh… (..shuu-sama says weird things… I am not quite sure how to answer that… but..) …if I am being completely honest… I don’t want anyone to see me in this state… if my family say me like this now… I’d get in trouble…. But.. (..I am fully aware of what he is implying… I am not that dense)

..I would rather shuu-sama look at me in this state then anyone else… because he is the only one I feel safe around to show him these… scary feelings and expressions with…. so.. if it makes Shuu-sama happy than I am willing to sacrifice what I have stuck to in my life…

Shuu- I’m getting a lot of the things I want today.. strange isn’t it.. whatever.. scream.. shout.. use this opportunity to actually be loud around me.. okay..? Don’t waste it..

Sumire- ..mhm… (..I understand what I am doing is considered wrong in the eyes of father.. but… he is not here right now… so… I am fine… and I am making Shuu-sama happy… so everything is fine because he’s here….)

Monologue

This man and mines body fell close together.. it was almost like we were melting together like candle wax..

I gave up everything I once knew in this moment.. but I feel like everything will be the same by tomorrow.. I’m terrified that it will be the same.. I want things to stay like this for just a moment longer…

This is so different then what I’m used to feeling.. and I don’t understand it.. even after I still didn’t.. I wonder.. what is this..

It’s different from what me and you had.. this “prince” is different from you.. but how..?

It’s the first time I’ve done anything that wasn’t to make you all happy but to make someone else happy.. the first time I asked someone else a question

So tell me.. is this what you’d call “love”..? Is this the same type of love we had..?

Father..

—to be continued—

Maniac 8 — maniac 10

#diabolik oc #sumire #sumire-bride #shuu #sumires route #diabolik oc route #((ahem.#((it happened))#((poor bb didn’t understand fully though))#((but even so this one was a bit more spicy))

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softboywriting · 4 years

Text

Fight For You | Part 1

Summary: Your whole adult life you’ve dated mixed martial arts fighters, it comes naturally with working and living in and around the fighting circuits. After a fallout with your now ex-boyfriend you find a new place to start a new life where you find someone who is willing to fight for you as much as you are for him. Will you be able to build something beautiful or will your past come back to haunt you? [fighting] [asshole ex]

Word Count: 13k

Authors Note: None of my works should be posted anywhere outside of my linked accounts. I do not give permission to repost with or without credit to my accounts. Please notify me of any reposted fics on any platform.

|Masterlist In Bio|

Moving to a new town in a new state is a fresh start for you. After a rough year dealing with an asshole boyfriend, leaving said boyfriend and losing your job, you have to find a new place in life. The world is a clean slate for you and Red Lake is where you’re ready to put down some roots and start over. Your best friend Jodi and her wife live there and they’re the closest thing to a real family you have left so choosing Red Lake was a no brainer.

"So, how's the apartment?" Jodi asks as she unlocks the back door of the gym where she works. Her wife Harlow is the owner and a former female MMA fighter. "It's not too shitty I hope."

"Oh I didn't get the apartment. I got the house on Garden Plaza. The one Harlow said her friend was renting out."

"Oh yeah! Fuck, I totally forgot." Jodi holds the door open for you and you wander into the back storage room. It's full of old mats and various pieces of equipment in need of repair. "When does the truck arrive with your stuff?"

"This week. The drivers said tomorrow but I'm not counting on it."

Jodi pushes open the door to the main hallway to the gym floor and nearly smacks into someone. "Holy shit!" She leans on the door and you step forward to see who she hit or just got scared by.

"Are you okay?" A voice says from beyond the door and a head pops out. "Sorry Jodi."

"God! Why are you here so early!" Jodi asks, ushering you out into the hall. She closes the door and you see a guy in a fitted black shirt and a pair of grey sweats standing behind the door. He's oddly familiar.

"Harlow asked me to come in and...wipe down the mats." The guy stares at you and you stare back. You know him. Those chocolate curls, soft eyes, and sharp jawline are unmistakably familiar. You just can't put your finger on it.

Jodi waves her hand in front of his face. "Shawn? Earth to Shawnie boy!"

Shawn Pierce. Shit, yeah it's coming back to you. Tate trained with him about a year ago when he was trying to get into the western region MMA championship circuit. You were never properly introduced but you did talk a few times. Tate didn't bring you by the gym a lot, he claimed you distracted him.

"You're Tate Greyson's girlfriend right?"

"Ex." Jodi snorts and you shove her shoulder. Shawn raises his eyebrows.

"I was, yes. We're not together anymore." You chuckle and shake your head. "Not that we were ever that together in the first place."

Shawn narrows his eyes at you and you shift uncomfortably. "Did he hit you?"

"What?" Your eyes go wide.

"The bruise on your collarbone."

Jodi leans in and pulls your shirt aside a little bit. "Oh shit, what happened?"

Suddenly you remember the bruise in question. You had fallen off the step ladder in your apartment back home while taking down your plant hangers. "I fell while packing up my apartment." You pull your shirt back to show Jodi more of the yellowing bruise. "I swear Tate never hit me. It's been months since I've seen him."

"Oh thank God." Jodi sighs and pulls out her keys. "I'd kill him myself if he touched you."

Shawn steps back and rubs his neck awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed anything."

You lean against the wall as Jodi walks up the stairs to her office door. "No, it's fine. Tate is a bit of a loose cannon, but he never hit me."

"Yeah, he was a tough one." Shawn folds his arms, stretching the tee across his chest and you can't help but stare. He shakes his head. "He never did like to listen, always just wanted to swing hard and fast, no finesse."

"Should have seen him in bed. Same tactic."

Shawn's eyes widen and you realize you didn't really need to tell him that. You flush and he just laughs. "Man he must have pissed you off if you're out here dragging him like this."

"Yeah he did." You roll your eyes at the thought of Tate. Everything he did pissed you off. Silence falls between the two of you and you push off the wall. "I'll see you around?"

"I'm here just about every day." He puts his hand out for you awkwardly and you take it, giving an oddly formal shake. "Are you going to be here a lot?"

"Dunno. I got a job at Dixie's down the street but I work nights. So I might come around a bit."

Shawn drops your hand and runs his hand over his hair. "A waitress?"

"Bartender." You smirk and he grins. "You can stop by, I make a good gin and tonic. I'm allowed discounts for family and friends."

"I'm a friend then, eh?"

"Oh I'm sure you'll be a friend." You look him over and bite your lip. "Maybe more."

Shawn grins and you can't miss the pink that spreads across his cheeks. "You're bold. I like that." He steps back and turns to go out to the main floor. "I should get back to those mats now."

"Mmmhmm." You wave him off. "See ya."

Jodi clicks her tongue and you steps out of her office. "You are so predictable." She says from the top of the stairs.

You jog up to meet her and give her a look. "What? Because I think he's hot?"

"No, because he's a fighter." Jodi rolls her eyes and sinks into her chair as you follow her into the large room. "You only date fighters."

"Says the woman who married one!"

"Hey, I don't count. Harlow is the only fighter I ever dated and I didn't even know she was a fighter when we started going out."

You roll your eyes. "Whatever. So I got a type. Whoopty do."

"At least Shawn's a good one."

"You saying I have poor taste?"

Jodi picks up a few large envelopes and stares at you over them. "You're joking right? Tate? Remember that hot garbage of a few months ago?"

"Yeah but Chase before him wasn't garbage."

"Chase was a two month fling while you worked the circuit with me. Was he ever anything?"

You flop down onto the couch under the window that overlooks the gym. "I guess not. So what, Shawn's a fighter and I like fighters. Maybe he'll be a keeper."

"Ex fighter."

"Hmm?"

"Shawn's an ex fighter." Jodi types aways at her computer and you wait for her to continue. "He doesn't fight anymore. What?"

"He doesn't? Why? He looked healthy."

"Personal choice. Harlow has been trying to book him on the circuit for years. He keeps in shape and trains other fighters for Harlow but he's not getting in that ring for anything. It's a shame, he was a two time champion."

You look out the window to where Shawn is running along the mats on the far side of the gym with a towel. You wonder what made him stop competing. A guy like him could take out anyone his weight. No doubt. You'd seen him spare with Tate once when he trained with him. Shawn has the skill, what would drive him to waste it?

_____________________

Dixie's is a hole in the wall kind of place. Definitely a local spot and everyone in town goes there. It's a bar and restaurant that serves your classic American staples, burgers, fries, steak and sandwiches. Nothing fancy, but the food is good and homemade. The day time crowd at Dixie's is mostly families, regular customers on their lunch breaks or afternoon meetups, occasionally a truck driver or two since it's on the edge of the town. The night time crowd at Dixie's is much different, very adult orientated. They didn't let kids in after eight since that's when most of the drunks and party goers start showing up. Most people know to avoid Dixie's for a late dinner lest you be caught up in a fight or have to listen to some guy babble on about the good ole days for four hours.

You work the night shift at the bar. You don't mind, you tended places much worse. Hell, you lived in Vegas for a year after graduation and that's where you learned to bartend. When you're raised in hell, the rest of the world doesn't seem so bad.

"Hey! You made it!" Carrie says from the door to the kitchen. "I was worried you wouldn't come back after last week."

"What? Greg? Please, I've dealt with a lot worse then having a drink thrown at me and being called a raging bitch." You place your purse under the counter behind the bar in a little safe. Carrie didn't fuck around when it came to safety and personal belongings in her bar.

"Oh thank God. Greg is an asshole but if you made it through the night with him I think you'll be alright."

"I worked in Vegas, Carrie." You grab your apron off the wall beside her. "I've seen shit. Greg, ain't shit."

Carrie looks incredibly relieved. "I've had four bartenders walk out because of him."

"Yeah, well, they weren't me." You wave to one of the waitresses, Sammy, coming in for her shift. The two of you hit it off really well last week so you're excited to work with her tonight."Besides, I'd like to stick around."

Carrie pushes open the kitchen door and you follow her in. "Oh yeah? Find a love interest?"

"I don't think I'd call him that yet. But I'm definitely interested." You grab a few plates off the warming table to help Carrie serve them. "We've met before."

"Oh wow, coincidence huh? You just moved here right?"

"Yeah. It's so weird, but he's a fighter who trained with my ex boyfriend a year ago. I guess I'm bound to meet people from the same circuit."

Carrie chuckles and leads the way with her arms full of plates. "You like those fighters huh? We got a lot of those type around here."

"I do." You fall silent as you help Carrie serve the large group of middle aged people at the front of the seating area. As soon as you're done Carrie walks with you to the bar.

"Anyway, those fighters are always coming in here. I don't mind the business of course, they eat a lot. But some of them also drink alot and bar fights between fighters is a nightmare."

"Don't worry, I can handle them." You wipe out some glasses on the drying station and Carrie starts going through the liquor stock to see what she needs to bring out of the back for the night. "I swear, I'm sticking around."

Carrie pauses and looks over at you. "You seem pretty set on it."

"Yeah, I am. Things are good here. I have my own place, I'm near my best friend, there's a hot fighter who I wanna get to know. It's good. A fresh start."

"I'm happy for you dear." Her hand comes down on your shoulder and you look over at her. She's smiling, her big round glasses sitting too low on her nose. She blows a stray curl out of her face and pats your shoulder a few times. "You're a good kid."

"I try to be." You chuckle. "Anyway, looks like it's kicking off early tonight." You point at a group of guys who have just walked in, some fighters by the looks of them. Out of circuit fighters, the kind who drink too much and let their bodies get weakened by alcohol. You scoff to yourself. Frat boys with too many muscles and big dreams but no dedication. A bunch of Tate Greysons'. It's gonna be a long night.

___________________

"Pierce! Focus!" Harlow yells from the office doorway at the top of the stairs. Shawn is standing in the ring with his client for the day but he keeps looking over at you where you're talking to Jodi near the bathrooms.

You look over and bite your lip, knowing you got him in trouble. "Anyways, as I was saying," you turn back to Jodi and she's grinning. "What?"

"Harlow is gonna kick his ass if he doesn't stop gawking at you." She looks up at her wife through the window and she's pacing the office, watching Shawn like a hawk. "You're quite a distraction."

"I don't mean to be. I'm just standing here for fucks sake." You gesture to your jeans and plain tee shirt. "I'm not even dressed up!"

Jodi laughs. "Shawn's just soft, he's got your attention and he doesn't want to lose it. I don't know the last time he had a girlfriend."

"Really?" You look back. "A guy like him has been single for-" Shawn gets clocked in the head. "Oh shit."

Jodi sighs. "Moron."

You jog over to the ring and hold onto the cage, staring at Shawn on the ground. "Are you okay?!"

"Dude, you went down like a sack of bricks." The other fighter says, kneeling on one knee beside Shawn. "Dude?"

"Is he knocked out?" You ask, walking along the ring to climb the stairs at the open entryway. "Shawn?"

"I haven't been hit that hard in years." Shawn groans, eyes closed. "Good left hook, Connor."

"Thanks, but for real are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Shawn sits up and holds his head. "Y'know no matter how many fights you're in, and how much training you do, getting hit hurts worse when you're not expecting it."

"Getting hit hurts in general." You laugh and help him up on his feet. "And you would have expected it if you weren't staring at me."

Connor snickers.

"I was not staring." Shawn stretches his arms and shakes off the hit.

"Yeah? Why'd you get hit then?"

"We're sparing."

"Uh huh." You look to Connor. "Did he seem distracted?"

"Very."

"Mmm thought so." You turn and walk out of the cage with a glance back with a small smile.

Shawn calls out to you as you cross the gym floor. "Wait, what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Stop staring at me and actually talk to me is what it means!" You laugh and meet up with Jodi outside the office. "God he's ridiculous."

"He hasn't asked you out yet?"

"No! It's been a week since we met. He just stares at me when I'm here and occasionally says no more than four words to me." You glance over and Shawn and Connor have changed positions so Shawn is with his back to you. "I think he's shy."

"Shawn? Nah. He's sweet, always has been. I think he's just cautious because he knows you just got out of a relationship, and one with a former trainee of his too. I'd be cautious."

"Well light a fire under his ass for me will you?"

Jodi gives you a thumbs up. "I'll get right on that boss. Matchmaker Jodi Price is on the case!"

"Oh shut up. Just talk to him?"

"I will." Jodi grabs her keys from Harlow as she steps out of the office. "We'll be back later honey."

"I'll pick up dinner." Harlow looks out at Connor and Shawn. "If I'm late it's because I've got two man-children to deal with."

"Easy on him. He's got feelings for our girl here."

Harlow rolls her eyes. "I don't pay him to have feelings."

"You're such a hardass, Harlow." You laugh and she smirks. "I promise I'll try not to stop in too much when he's training Connor."

"Yeah yeah." Harlow waves you off. "Get out of here, go have fun."

"Picking up furniture at Ikea isn't fun." Jodi says in annoyance.

"Mmhmm. Sure its not. Bye bye." Harlow walks toward the window to the gym floor and you wave goodbye.

"Come on." You put your arm around Jodi's shoulders. "Let's go build some skeptical furniture and relive the good ole days."

Jodi laughs. "Yeah, the good ole days of duct taped chair legs and book balanced tables. God I hope these Ikea things will be better than our crap back then."

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

_____________________

Building furniture is a nightmare. You and Jodi spend an hour putting together a dresser that you end up abandoning in favor of Chinese take out and a rerun of Chopped you hadn't seen before while sitting on the boxes for your nightstand and kitchen cart. You still have both of those items plus your bed frame to build. You'll get to it eventually.

Eventually leads to three days later and you still have the boxes propped against the wall of your living room where you and Jodi abandoned them after dinner. Every day you walk past them and think, maybe that day, but then you keep going. It's not until today, Friday, your day off, that you might actually get them built.

"Hey, what're you doing tonight?" Shawn asks as he steps down out of the cage. You've been watching him spar with one of the other trainers for an hour now after stopping by to help Jodi read over some paperwork for the gyms lease.

"Me?"

He grins. "Yeah, you."

"Building furniture for my house."

He chuckles and sinks into the chair next to you, observing two fighters now sparing on the mats nearby. "Sounds like a wild time."

"Oh it will be. I'll probably decide to get drunk halfway through and just say fuck it again." You laugh to yourself. "Drunk lonely furniture building on a Friday night. I've reached my peak at age twenty four."

"Need some help?" Shawn looks over and you raise your eyebrows. He is really making a move. Finally.

"You sure you don't have some floors to clean or something?" You ask, referencing the last time he tried to get out of your attempt to instigate a date. He is a weird one, definitely interested but hesitant for some reason. You get what Jodi said, about him being cautious because of your past with Tate but it's been almost five months. You're ready to move the fuck on. You gotta make it clear to this man you're ready.

Shawn smiles and looks away. "Okay, fair enough. Just call me out why don't you?"

"Yeah? You realize you've been dragging this out?"

"Yeah yeah. So can I come over?"

You grin and cross your arms. "I guess. What do you drink?"

"Tequila?" He says with a smirk as he starts unwrapping his hands.

"I'm not buying tequila. I don't know about you but tequila fucks me up and I will make some bad decisions."

"Me too, maybe we should go for it then."

"Absolutely not." You reach over and grab Shawn's hand as he picks at a piece of the fabric that's tucked too tightly under another. "How about we just start with some hard lemonade or something?"

Shawn smiles and closes his big hand over yours. "It's a date then?"

"Is it a date?"

"Could be."

"Let's just call it hanging out for now." You place the coiled up wad of wrapping fabric in Shawn's hand. "Now, I'm going to get lunch at Dixie's. You want something?"

"Nah, I brought lunch." Shawn looks over at the sitting area where Harlow has set up a refrigerator, a stand with a microwave and a few little tables with chairs. "Leftover chicken and rice."

You stand and Shawn stands with you. He flexes his hand a few times to work out the stiffness of it being bound too tight in the wrapping. You head for the office stairs to see if the ladies want lunch too. "I'll let you know when I'm heading home so you can follow me."

"Works for me."

"Oh, and don't wrap your hand so tight next time." You point at his hand. "You should know better."

Shawn grins sheepishly. "Maybe someone else should wrap it for me?"

"Maybe." You smile and he just grins.

_____________________

"Hey Jodi have you seen- oh." Shawn leans against the door as he looks between you and Jodi on the couch in the office. It's almost seven and you had completely lost track of time.

"Yeah?"

"Whatcha doing?"

Jodi holds her half wrapped hand up to show Shawn. "Teaching her to wrap."

Shawn smirks. "Your ex never taught you?"

"Tate didn't like having me around too much when he was fighting. He said I distracted him. So I didn't get to wrap his hands but once or twice."

"What a dick. Well I'm done cleaning up for the day, are you ready to go?"

Jodi raises her eyebrows. "Y'all have a date? And you didn't tell me?"

"It's not a date." You roll your eyes. "He's just going to help me with the furniture."

"So he's gonna be at your house with you alone?"

"Yes." You stand and Jodi unwinds her hand. "Now don't say another word missy." Jodi just snickers and you grab your purse. "Let's go Shawn."

An hour into furniture building and you're sure you're going to combust. Shawn is so big and thick, and close. He's in a pair of tight black jeans and a black tank top, having forgone his shirt almost as soon as you started working. He is just...he's too much. You thought Tate was big, you thought Tate was ripped and he was but not like Shawn. The way Shawn is built and the way he moves so fluidly is just...it's enough to stop your heart.

"Hey, hello?" He waves his hand in your face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine?"

"Did you hear me?"

"Yeah?"

Shawn chuckles and leans back on his forearms. "What'd I say?"

"Hello?"

"Nope. I asked you if you wanted to get dinner."

"Oh." You push your hair back out of your face and look up at the clock over your kitchen table. "It's almost eight. Shit."

"So? Do you work tomorrow?"

"Yeah in the evening, but I didn't mean to keep you this late."

"It's not late?" Shawn laughs. "It's no big deal. I'm off tomorrow. I'll order something and we'll keep putting together this bed frame, sleeping on a mattress on the floor is bad for your back."

"Mmmhmm. Sure you don't just want to stay late to get me on this bed after we put it together?"

Shawn sits up, leans forward onto his hands and knees, face close to yours as he pushes himself up off the floor. "Oh I'll be much more upfront when I wanna do that." He pulls out his phone and you flush hot. "What sounds good? Pizza? Wings? Chinese?"

"Don't you need to eat healthy?"

"I do." He smiles over at you. "It's alright to indulge now and then."

"Oh."

"None of this is going away because I eat some pizza now and then." He gestures up and down himself. "I know that sounds incredibly pretentious but I worked hard for this strength. I'm having pizza." He puts the phone up to his ear and walks around the room aimlessly as it rings.

"Tate never wanted to get dinner. He said it'd ruin his diet." You stand and look around at the scattered pieces of the bed frame and your stomach rumbles loudly.

"Yeah because he was an idiot." Shawn says softly before answering the phone and placing an order for a medium taco pizza.

You raise your eyebrows and he grins. How did he happen to know your favorite pizza? There was no way he could have known or guessed. Taco pizza was not an every day order.

"Thank you bye." He pockets his phone. "Anyway Tate was obsessed with his eating habits. I remember sitting him down and explaining that he actually needs to eat real food and not protein shakes and supplements for every meal. He didn't ever listen though."

"Yeah he was an idiot, okay, but how did you know I like taco pizza?"

"Wild guess."

"Uh uh. Who told you?"

Shawn holds his hands up. "Honest to God, you want the truth?"

"Yeah. Who was it?"

"No one. Seriously, it was a wild guess. I like taco pizza and I noticed you have little taco magnets on the fridge and a taco pillow on your couch so I figured maybe you like them too. Seriously, it was a shot in the dark."

You stare at him slack jawed. He had been in your house for an hour and he noticed your taco magnets? That was...just so...weird? What else did he notice? You look around your room suddenly very self conscious of everything you have sitting on the dresser and nightstand. "I...I don't know what to say about that."

"About what?"

"About how observant you are."

"Oh. Should I not be?"

"N-no, I mean, it's fine? I've just never had someone pay attention to my stuff I guess."

Shawn chuckles and gets down on his knees to start taking the rest of the bed frame pieces from the box. You definitely don't miss how his ass is perfectly accentuated by the dip of his jeans. "Well, I like your place, it's interesting and cozy. Sorry if that's weird, I don't mean it to be."

"It's fine." You get down next to him, eyes still on his butt and he hands you a bag of screws. "It's just different. You're different." He leans forward to grab a bar from the frame and the way his back curves makes you want to grab his ass so bad. It's perfectly round and you just want to feel it so badly.

He glances over with a smile as he sits back on his knees. "Is that good?"

"W-what?" You feel a flush on your cheeks. Was he talking about your staring? Was he good? Because yes, a thousand times yes he was.

"Is it good that I'm different?"

"Oh! Yeah, very good." You smile and look down with a chuckle as you dump the bag of screws into a little Tupperware bowl he hands you that you've been using for small parts so nothing gets lost. "I like different."

"Me too." He grins and you meet his eyes. "Let's get this bed together so we can relax when the pizza gets here."

"Sounds like a plan."

_____________________

"Busy night?"

You look up from the back of the bar and see Shawn sitting a few seats down from you. He's smiling, hair pushed back looking like a damn angel in his white tee. The bar has been crowded for two hours now, a huge bachelor party of some sort taking up most of the space in the building. You and Sammy have been working double time to get food and drinks out as quick as possible. Big parties of guys meant big tips, keep them happy, keep that tip growing.

"Yeah." You glance over to the loud crowd nearby. "Bachelor party."

"I see. Must be fun?"

"For me or them?"

"Both?"

You chuckle and walk down to stand in front of him. "Is it fun making drinks? Yes. Is it fun watching a bunch of twenty some year olds get hammered while getting hit on by every one of them? Not so much."

Shawn waves off a drink offer as you gesture to the bar behind you. "I just came by to see how you were doing. You haven't been by the gym in a few days."

"Oh, you noticed." You lean back and smile. "I've been working doubles. Carrie has had a cold and I didn't want her to push herself. I'm a lot younger, I can't handle a few days of work."

Shawn cracks open a peanut from the bucket on the counter for customers. "You're a sweetheart." He grins and pops the peanut in his mouth. "Glad you're alright though."

"Did you think I was avoiding you?"

"Nah. Well, a little?" He chuckles and hangs his head. "Honestly I thought I fucked up the night we put together your bed."

You step forward and fold your arms on the counter in front of him. "I'd tell you if you fucked up. Trust me, you haven't done anything to put me off."

"Good. What do you say to lunch Wednesday?"

"I'd say I hope you like Dixie's pulled pork special because that's where I'll be."

"You work dayshift again?" He shakes his head.

"Yep. My last double."

"Okay, alright. I'll stop by?"

"I'd love it."

Shawn looks over at the party of guys getting loud again. "I'm gonna head out before that gets too wild. Stay safe honey."

"Bye Shawn." You roll your eyes at his ridiculous pet name and he waves as he heads out.

____________________

"How's Connor doing?" You ask as you watch the young fighter spar with one of the other guys while Shawn is taking a break in the office.

"The kid is insane. He's fast, strong, smart too. He reminds me of myself when I was nineteen."

You look over and Shawn is tossing a stress ball up at the ceiling casually. "Connor is nineteen?"

"Yeah." He looks over with a grin. "Why? Thought he was cute?"

"Shawn! God, no. I'm just surprised Harlow took on a guy that young."

"I was too. I remember when Connor walked into this gym. He was a short little sixteen year old with no intention of doing anything but bulking up a bit."

"He didn't wanna be a fighter?"

"Nope." Shawn chuckles. "He came to take some HIIT classes and some CrossFit bullshit Harlow had let a trainer do for a few months. I think once he saw me and Mike in the ring he caught the bug."

You watch as Connor takes down his opponent, pinning him to the mat. Shawn's right, he is fast and strong for his size. His practice opponent is easily twenty pounds heavier than him and he is taking him down like it's nothing. "You think he's gonna make it to championship finals?"

"He going to make it to nationals if I have any say in it. He has what it takes, he's got the heart and soul of a fighter. You don't see that everyday. I've trained a lot of guys in the last few years and they just don't have what Connor has."

"Has any of your trainees made it to the championship circuit?"

"No. Not yet." Shawn looks over and you chuckle. "What? You think I'm not good at training?"

"Not that. I'm just laughing because your last trainee was Tate right?"

"Yeah."

"He definitely didn't have what it takes."

"He didn't. He couldn't listen, just wanted to do what he thought was right. You'd think when a two time western champion and two time national finalist takes the time to train you, you might try and give a fuck." Shawn sits up and squeezes the shit out of his stress ball. "Tate honest to God pissed me off like no other."

You raise your eyebrows and giggle. How funny it was that the two of you shared the same distaste for Tate. "He was something."

"No. He's nothing and he's never going to be until he gets his head out of his ass."

"Harsh."

"You think so? I'm sure you've thought the same thing."

You smirk. "I've definitely thought worse."

"And I'm harsh?"

"I haven't said it out loud." You scoff and lean back in Jodi's chair. "But someone should."

Shawn stands and walks over to the desk. He leans forward and smirks. "I'd tell that sorry piece of shit every single thing you wish you could say to him. I'd hand deliver it to him right in his smug fuckin jaw."

"Easy tiger." You run your hand up his arm, fingers curling against bicep and he drops his head. "No need for the violence. Fighting is an art not a brawl."

"You-"

"I'm using your own words against you?" You smirk and stand up, checking a message on your phone from Sammy about stopping by for tips from last night.

Shawn straightens up with a grin and shakes his head. "You remember me telling Tate that?"

"It's the first thing I ever heard you say to him."

"Tate is a dumbass for losing a woman like you, y'know?"

"Yeah." You walk around and past Shawn toward the door. "But if he wasn't, I wouldn't have ever found a man worth fighting for."

_____________________

Wednesday afternoon is a shit show. For some reason there are a couple day drinkers in at the bar and they won't stop bugging Sammy. She's covering a shift for one of the other waitresses, Megan, since it's her birthday and she's seriously regretting it. Day shift is supposed to be easy. The worst part being an occasional kid throwing food around. Poor girl.

"I just can't do it," Sammy hisses as she stands beside you at the end of the bar at the wash station. "That guy over there has been harassing me non stop. I've tried everything to get him to fuck off."

You take a look over at the end of the bar and you know exactly which guy it is. He's in his thirties, probably an insurance broker or real estate agent by the looks of his tailored suit and gray temples. He looks older than he should. There's a glass of whiskey in his hand that you served him about ten minutes ago. He's the one you were about to cut off and send packing anyways.

"Want me to make him leave?"

"Do you have a bouncer?" Sammy glances over your shoulder. "Because I don't think he's going to leave so easily."

"Well, how about we make him realize you're not into him?"

"By doing what?"

You smirk and set down your dirty glasses into the sink. "I can stage kiss you. I used to do it all the time with my friends back in Vegas." You look down at the guy. He'd definitely fall for it, he was too drunk to see straight. "We'll make a show of it."

"I don't know." Sammy twists her hands in her apron. "Maybe he'll just leave?"

"Sammy. He's not gonna leave if he thinks he has even an inkling of a chance." You pull Sammy down the bar closer to where the creep is sitting. "It's up to you. He's watching us right now."

"Okay, okay." She shakes her hands out and puts her hand on your shoulder, going up to your neck. You can see her glance over at the guy. "It's working he's watching intently."

"Good." You cup her cheek and bring your other hand up to here jaw and cover her mouth with the side or your palm as you pretend to kiss her. "Is he looking?"

"Mmhyeah."

You pull back and give Sammy a hug before going down the bar to the creep. "Do you need a refill on that?" You ask, pointing to his nearly empty glass. You weren't really going to give him a refill, he'd had more than enough.

"No." He grumbles and stands up. "I'm going home." He passes you his credit card and you settle his tab. "Thanks."

Sammy beams from her spot by the liquor shelves. "I can't believe that worked!"

"Almost every time." You walk over and hand her the ones the creep had left as a tip under his cup. "For you dear."

"Thanks." Sammy pockets the bills and smiles. "I wish I had you years ago."

"Well I'm here now." You ruffle her hair and she ducks away. "Do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Keep an eye out for Shawn? He is supposed to be coming in for lunch."

"Ohhh." Sammy smirks. "You got a little crush on the big boy?"

"Obviously." You toss your bar rag over your shoulder and head for a lady who's just walked up at the end of the bar. "How couldn't I?"

"He's a good one!" Sammy laughs and heads off to check on her tables while you get back to bartending.

_____________________

Shawn never showed up for lunch. You can't say you weren't a little disappointed since you had made plans, but you understand that he may have gotten busy at the gym. Things happen. It isn't a big deal.

You stop by the gym the next day to help Jodi with registration for the fall championship circuit for the western region. She had to have all of the fighters from Harlow's registered and ready to go by Monday. It is a ton of paperwork and you know what to do, so you volunteer to help out before work.

"Can you go get Jack for me? I need to talk to him about getting me a copy of his physical."

"Yep." You push away from her desk and head out the door. The locker rooms are to the right of the main floor of the gym and you head there first.

"Dude, I saw her kissing Sammy."

You freeze and listen to the conversation you've walked up on. It's clearly Shawn.

"So? What's the big deal?" It's Connor.

"I thought she was into me. We've been flirting and stuff and then I walk into Dixie's for lunch and she's kissing the waitress! I thought she was into guys!"

Connor laughs and sighs. "I dunno dude."

"I can be into both." You say, stepping into view and getting a good look at Shawn in nothing but a towel. He's dripping wet and it's so hard to focus on the conversation at hand, you have to look away. "Maybe if you wanted to know what was going on, you should ask me?"

Connor's eyes go wide and he looks between the two of you before ducking his head and squeezing around Shawn to make himself scarce.

"I know you can like whoever you want...I just thought..."

"Shawn." You walk over to him and lay your hand on his chest. He's warm and damp and oh Lord when he shifts you can feel the muscle flex. "Relax. I pretended to kiss Sammy so a guy at the bar would stop harassing her."

"Oh."

"Is that why you didn't show up for lunch?"

"Yeah." He rubs the back of his neck. "I walked in and saw that kiss and I didn't know what to think. I'm sorry, I should have asked you."

"It's fine. I probably would have been really confused too." You look him over and he smirks. "I swear I'm still very much into you."

"Yeah? Enough to go on a real date?"

"Mmm I think it's time we did. Any plans?"

Shawn grins. "I have a few. How's this Saturday night sound?"

"I'm off. What time?"

"Six? I'll pick you up. Wear something comfortable and not too fancy."

You raise your eyebrows and he just keeps smiling. "Alright. I'll see you then. In the meantime, have you seen Jack? We need a copy of his latest physical for the registration."

"He's probably out on the floor. If you didn't see him, check the backroom because he might be resting on the spare mats."

"In the storage area?"

"Yeah." He chuckles. "He likes to meditate and listen to his audio books back there to relax."

"Oh. Well thanks." You pat Shawn's chest and he traps your hand under his, curling his fingers around yours. "Yes?"

He bites his lip and shakes his head before releasing your hand. "Nothing. Go on."

"See you in a bit."

_____________________

"Do you still do photography?" Harlow asks you Friday day while you, her and Jodi sit in their living room while going over travel plans for the out of state fights in this year's competition.

"A little bit. I don't do anything professionally anymore."

"But you have your camera?"

"Yeah of course and my lenses. Why?"

Harlow grins. "If I hire you, will you do the photography for the website? I need pictures of all the guys for the brackets this year."

"Sure I can do that. I think I have a my backdrop stuff still as well."

"You'll probably get to photograph Shawn too." Jodi pipes up from where she's typing away at the laptop. "You could take a few just for yourself."

"Jodi!"

"What?"

Harlow groans and shoves her wife's shoulder. "I'm hiring her for a professional shoot, quit teasing her."

"Yeah yeah."

"What time do you want me to stop by? I'm free this weekend and next Thursday all day. Otherwise I work after six."

"Stop by whenever you want. I'm sure it'll take a few days to get all the fighters done and we have a few weeks before fights start. We'll start with Connor when you do get set up. He's my headliner. I'm banking on him hard so I want his photos to be really good."

"Yes ma'am."

_____________________

"So you're doing photos for Harlow?"

You look over at Shawn from the passenger side of his truck. He'd picked you up at a little after six and still wouldn't tell you where you're going. He did make you change into an old pair of jeans instead of the black skinnies you had on and promised you wouldn't regret it. You're almost convinced he's taking you mudding outside of town because you've been driving for twenty minutes and you're still not sure where the hell you are.

"Yeah, I'm doing photos for her? Why?"

"No reason, I was curious."

"You want me to take pictures of you too?"

"I'm not a fighter in the circuit."

"So?"

Shawn looks over and raises his eyebrows. "So why would you take pictures of me?"

"Because you're gorgeous." You look out the window away from him, heart racing at your admission. "I'd die to photograph you in action. You're a rarity, perfect from every angle. It'd be a treat."

"I had no idea you were so into photography. That's awesome." He bumps your leg and you look over. "I'd love to see what kind of photos you take at matches."

"I've taken some good ones. But like I said, I really want to photograph you."

He chuckles. "Sorry sweetheart. I'm retired." He turns the truck down a dirt road toward a big sign that says Pierce Ranch.

"You have a farm?"

"No, my uncle does."

"Why are we going to your uncle's farm?"

"Because I'm taking you horseback riding."

"What? You're serious?"

Shawn turns the truck into a long driveway in front of a big sprawling house. "Dead serious. My uncle is out of town for a few days and he said we could come out and spend some time out here."

You sit stunned in silence. Horseback riding as a first date. Who thought of that? It's so off the wall and incredibly romantic.

"Should we go back?"

You snap out of your thoughts and look over at Shawn as he kills the engine in front of a set of garages. He looks worried. "No, why?"

"You're really quiet. If you don't want to do this we can just go to dinner or something. I know it's kind of different and-"

"I want to go horseback riding."

"Oh." He smiles big and you can see the relief on his face. "Okay good. I'm really looking forward to having you meet my favorite horse."

You put your hand on the door to get out. "I can't wait."

An hour later and you're set up on a horse named Butters, his favorite, and you're strolling along side Shawn on a well worn path around some trees behind the barns. You were nervous at first, needing Shawn's help to stay on the horse but eventually you got the hang of it.

"So, you must really like horses then?" You giggle, looking over at Shawn during a lull in conversation.

"Yeah. I used to spend every summer here with my Uncle Carlos. I still come out here pretty often when I need to relax and get away from it all."

"Ahh, I can see why. It's nice." You bite your lip and glance over. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?" He chuckles. "Usually that's how dates go."

"Why don't you fight anymore?"

Shawn is quiet. You know it's a sore subject, seeing as no one really wanted to get too in depth when they talked about Shawn's past. You're curious though. A man like him with his skills and experience could still be in the ring.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

"No, I-I knew you'd ask eventually." He sighs and guides the horses to a clearing in the trees. He slides off and hitches his horse and then yours to a tree before helping you down.

"Seriously, you seem uncomfortable to talk about it. We don't have to."

Shawn stuffs his hands into his pockets as the two of you head for a bunch of rocks. There's a stream nearby and you can hear the water trickling along the rocks you're walking toward. This place is incredibly serene and you feel bad for bringing up such a tense subject when the date has been going so well.

"So, three years ago I won my second championship." Shawn drops down onto a large flat boulder. "But, the fight was so intense I almost killed my opponent. Now I know, fights get rough and tension runs high in the ring when there's a lot of money and a title at stake. It wasn't about that though. I kicked my opponent so hard he dropped, he just went down, lights out. It wasn't until after everything was said and done I found out he had serious brain trauma from the fight, particularly from my kick."

You sit down next to Shawn and grab his hand. He rubs his thumbs over your fingers gently before continuing.

"I found out he had a newborn baby. I accidentally almost killed this man and took him away from his child because of a sport. I had to stop after that. I couldn't do it anymore."

"Oh Shawn." You squeeze his hand and he looks at you. "You didn't kill him though. He's fine, he's alive and with his child. It is part of the risks you take as fighters."

"I know. I just couldn't deal with that sort of thing happening again. I've made my peace with it and with fighting."

"I understand." You scoot a little closer and he runs his free hand over his hair. "You're a great trainer. Maybe being a fighter isn't for you anymore, but your skills aren't wasted this way. Do you want to fight?"

"To be completely honest, yes. I want to fight every single day, I itch to compete and I think that's why I push Connor so hard. I'm living vicariously."

"Maybe you could do some small time stuff? Not such high stakes?"

"I can't." He shakes his head. "When I'm in the ring I don't stop, I fight hard until I'm out or I win. It's all or nothing."

"Oh."

"Yeah. But anyways, I'm happy training." He smiles, soft and small but genuine nonetheless. "I'm proud to be training a fighter like Connor."

"Good. That's what matters." You bite your lip and giggle to yourself. "I much rather see you like this then all beat up anyway."

"Oh yeah? Not into the black eye and busted lip look?"

"Not on you." You reach out and tenderly turn his face to you. "You're too gorgeous to see damaged."

"I'm gorgeous?" Shawn smirks and runs his hand over your hair. "I think you're mistaken. You're the gorgeous one here." He cradles your face in his hand and just stares at you lovingly.

"No, definitely not." There's a moment where you're both staring at each other's lips and you both know that you want to make a move but it's too soon. Or is it?

Shawn's hand slides away from your face and he stands, offering to help you up. "Let's go back. I've got stuff to make dinner."

"You're making me dinner?"

He hauls you up against him. "Mmhmm. You can help if you'd like." He holds you steady by your hips. "How does spaghetti and meatballs sound?"

"Really good."

"Good." He puts his arm around your shoulders and starts walking back to the horses. "Because when we both have garlic breath the rest of the night won't matter."

You laugh and he just beams at you. "You're something else." You run your hand over his back and he leans his head on yours. "I like it, I like you."

"I like you too."

_____________________

Wednesday night comes around again quicker than ever and Dixie's is crawling with people. All the fighters from Harlow's have showed up to celebrate the announcement of the western circuit championship bracket. Shawn shows up a little after nine and you can't help the smile that spreads across your face. He smiles back and makes your heart beat faster. Things have been going incredibly well with him since the date at the ranch. You're falling hard and fast and you don't really want to stop.

"Hey darling," Shawn says over the loudness as he leans against an empty spot at the bar. "How's it going?"

"Packed! Harlow brought all the guys and their friends and families in! It's crazy."

"Good for business though."

"Very. Carrie is moving faster than I've ever seen her go. We've had to pull Dave from the kitchen twice to help me catch up with drinks. We're gonna need to restock." You laugh and point back at the bar. "My tips are racking up fast too."

Shawn looks you over in your required black tee and apron. It's nothing special, but you know it looks good on you and so does he. "You deserve every dollar you get tonight. You're working hard."

"I am. Can I get you something?"

"Just a diet coke is fine. I'm taking it easy in case anyone needs a ride home tonight."

You turn around and fill a glass from the soda guns attached to the counter. "Enjoy yourself, you got most of these guys to this competition after all."

Shawn raises his drink to that and smiles. "I'm going to go hang out with Connor and Jack. I'll check in later?"

"I'll be here."

Two hours later and you are pushing through the kitchen doors to find Carrie. There's a guy who's harassing you and he's way more wasted then he should be, you've only served him three drinks and they weren't that strong. You suspect he may be taking something along with his drinks and Carrie won't have that sort of activity in her establishment.

"We've got a problem." You state angrily, gripping the doorway to the walk in cooler. "It's that asshole who's been trying to get my number since he sat down."

"Yeah?" Carrie turns to look at you as she hauls out a box of burger patties for the cooks. "Is he tweaked out?"

"I think so. He just grabbed my chest when I leaned over to hand some drinks to a guy beside him."

Carrie is livid, her eyes look like she could kill a man with her bare hands and possible has before. "Oh he's gone, I'm gonna-"

A loud crash from beyond the kitchen stuns you both and not a second later Dave, the line prep cook, throws open the door to the backroom and says there's a fight in the front area. Carrie drops the box of burgers in the cooler and closes the door as she hightails it to the front with you on her heels.

The scene before you is not pretty and immediately you think that it's one of the fighters involved. You're right. It's a fighter. But not a current one. It's Shawn and he is standing in front of the bar squared up with the drunk grabby handed guy. There is an overturned table and chairs and you think Shawn's already knocked the asshole down once, or he stumbled into the table and fell.

"Shawn!" You try to yell over the crowd but it's way too loud.

Carrie pushes past you and shoves her tiny frame through the crowd. You decide to go around to get behind the bar and as soon as you do you see a mess of shattered glass and ice on the floor.

"Shawn!" You shout, hands cupped around your mouth. "Shawn stop!"

He isn't listening or he can't hear you. Either way he's swinging at the drunk guy again in defense and before anything can get worse, the cops show up. You watch as the crowd separates and drunk grabby hands gets cuffed while Shawn tries to talk to the cops. It's no use and you watch them walk Shawn out of the bar as well.

You lean on the counter with your back to the door as the two guys get escorted out. Great. You can't help but feel like this is your fault. Shawn must have seen the move grabby hands pulled and approached him. You run your hand over your hair and look to Carrie as she steps behind the bar.

"God damn fighters. This is such a mess!"

"Yeah it is." You chuckle dryly to yourself. "It sure is."

______________________

You didn't think you'd ever be waiting in the lobby of a police station at three in the morning but here you are. Harlow was going to come with, in fact she was going to go alone and bail Shawn out but Jodi was absolutely trashed and you know she needed to take care of her over Shawn, so you said you would go. Besides, you wanted to talk with him one on one about the fight and why it happened.

You hear Shawn before you see him. He's coming down the hall behind the check in desk. "What do you mean my girlfriend came and-"

"Hey," you wave and he walks over to you quickly and hugs you tight.

"Thank God you're okay."

"Of course I'm okay. What would have happened to me?"

Shawn pulls you back and holds your face. "I couldn't find you after that guy put his hands on you. I was worried you left Dixie's or he did something."

"Shawn, he was wasted. What was he going to do to me? He could hardly stand."

"I don't know. I approached him after I saw what happened and he was talking all this shit like what he wanted to do to you. God it was disgusting, and then I didn't see you around and I panicked."

You cup his face and he has a bruise blossoming on his left jaw. "So your instinct was to fight him?"

"He came at me. I was just going to get some of the guys to help me escort him out but he started swinging as soon as I said he needed to go."

"Well it's done and over with now." You turn and head for the doors. "I'll take you to get your truck at the bar."

The ride to Dixie's is quiet. The dark streets are empty, illuminated only by the soft yellow street lights that have been there for far longer than they should be. Seriously the light is so dim it hardly lights up the road. You turn down the street you live on to take a shortcut to Dixie's and as you pass your house you glance at it instinctively.

You slam on the breaks just past your driveway. "What the fuck?" You put the car in park and squint at your darkened front door, or lack thereof. The door is open, gone by the looks of it.

"Don't get out of the car." Shawn warns, flipping the lock button. "Someone could still be in there. Call the cops and back up out of sight."

You fumble with your phone and put it up to your ear. You report the break in and your street name. As soon as you're done you reverse down the street until you're a few houses away.

Shawn reaches over and lays his hand on your shoulder. "Do you know anyone who might have done this?"

"No. I have no idea. I don't even have anything worth stealing!" You lean your head on the steering wheel. "I don't understand. Could this night get any worse?"

"Don't say that." Shawn rubs up and down your back. "It's not the end of the world. We'll find out what's going on."

"What if I had gone home from Dixie's? What if I didn't come pick you up?" You look at the darkened house. "What if I was there?"

"You weren't. That's what matters. Look," he points to a police car coming down the street. "Here comes the cops."

"Will you go in with me?"

"Of course. You think I'm gonna just stay in the car?" Shawn grabs your hand and kisses it gently. "Come on, let's go talk to the cops."

An hour later and you've filed a full report with Officer Jones. There was nothing stolen as far as you can see. The house is fine, completely in order except for your room. Your dresser had been torn through and your closet emptied out, bed sheets and blankets torn apart too. You have absolutely no idea what someone was looking for and Officer Jones kept asking if you were completely sure you didn't know who could have done this.

It's nearly five in the morning and you are exhausted. The sun is coming up and the sky outside is getting brighter by the minute. You need to sleep and you don't feel safe in your house with the door broken and your bedroom torn apart.

"Grab some clothes, I'm gonna take you to my place." Shawn says, walking around your mess of a bedroom. "We'll take care of the broken door frame and stuff later."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Come on. I know we're both exhausted so I'll drive and we'll pick up my truck tomorrow. We need to rest, it's been a long night."

You grab a tote bag from your closet and throw a few shirts and jeans in it with some underwear. "I could stay with Jodi."

"I really would feel better if you stayed with me." Shawn takes the bag from you as you grab a pair of shoes and socks by the dresser. "Are you okay with it?"

"Of course Shawn." You join him by the door and lay your hand on his shoulder. "I trust you. We'll go to your place. If you want to take that stuff to the car I'm going to grab my camera gear. I told Harlow I'd start doing photos tomo- today." You sigh. "Well, I'll try and get everything set up after we get a few hours of sleep."

"I'm sure she'll understand." He rubs your back and you lean your head on his shoulder. You're absolutely at your limit, body ready to collapse on the next available soft surface. "I'll be in the car. Don't take too long."

"I won't."

_____________________

When you wake up you have no idea what time it is. Shawn's room is bright and you look around for some hint that he is there. He had insisted you take his bed and he'd sleep on the couch. His bed smells so good, like fresh laundry and his cologne. Warm and spicy, it is absolutely perfect. You reach for your phone on the nightstand and see it's just after noon. There are three missed texts.

Harlow: are you coming by to do the shoot today?

Shawn: I'll be at the gym, take it easy and help yourself to the fridge.

Harlow: nvm please rest I talked to Shawn

You close your eyes and flop back onto the pillows. You promised Harlow you'd be by to take some photos, at least some of the ones for the gym website. You turn over and curl up with Shawn's spare pillow, pressing your face into while opening Shawn's text to reply.

You: is Harlow mad I didn't make it?

Shawn: no. I explained the situation and she's more worried about you than anything

You: tell her I can still make it in to set up at least

Shawn: okay. If u are coming by bring me an extra shirt? I forgot to bring one for post workout.

You: okay no prob.

You glance over at his dresser and then back to the window opposite you that over looks the tree line behind his house. It looks like a nice day, it'd be a shame to waste it but you aren't feeling like going out. You just want to stay curled up in his bed forever. Yesterday was so draining with everything that happened and you don't know how much you can handle without snapping at someone. Rest had definitely helped but you still feel uneasy about the break in. It just seemed so targeted like Officer Jones said, but you can't imagine what someone would want from you.

Eventually you get up and make your way down stairs to the kitchen. Shawn's place is beautiful, it truly is. It's very much like a modern cabin and you're not surprised since it's just outside of town in the woods. He's got a few neighbors but it's not like a usual neighborhood setting.

You grab a protein bar from what you assume was once a fruit basket. It looks good enough and you grab your purse from the living room, stuffing one of Shawn's tees into it before you head out. You pause, looking down at the white shirt hanging out of your purse. You go back into the bedroom and take a blue shirt from Shawn's dresser before stripping off your top and pulling the white tee on over your head. It's a little big but it fits well enough and you smile to yourself in his mirror. You grab your purse and head for the front door.

The drive into town is quiet, a little long, but it's nice. It's one long road that winds around the woods in a circle and then turns out on to Main St that you take all the way into town. It's basically a cul-de-sac but in the woods. The whole time you wonder if you should stop by the house and check on it, or if you should call Officer Jones and see if they have anything to go off of. You're really banking on one of your neighbor's having a security camera or something that spotted the intruder. Though your street is so dark at night it's hard to see anything anywhere.

You turn into the lot behind Harlow's and park beside Jodi's Jeep. You unload your backdrops and stands, carrying everything in the back door. You're met with Connor whos grabbing some tape for a mat from the storage room and he offers to help.

"Look who I found," Connor announces as you walk out onto the gym floor with all your stuff in hand.

Shawn walks over from boxing with a stand up bag. "Hey darling," he takes your camera bag and stand case. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yes." You smile softly. "Your bed is very comfortable."

"I'm glad." He rests his hand on your lower back. "Is this my shirt?"

"Maybe."

He grins and kisses your cheek. "It's all yours now. Looks good on you anyway. Any word from Officer Jones?"

"Not yet. I'm sure he'll call tonight or tomorrow."

"You can stay at my place as long as you need to."

You stand up on your toes a bit and kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

"Alright love birds break it up." Jodi says loudly, clapping at the two of you. "Before you start getting set up I wanna talk to you about what happened, I need to know who I'm going to skin alive."

"We don't know anything yet Jodi." Shawn says with an eye roll. "I told you that."

Jodi snorts. "I'm still going to kick someone's ass."

"I promise I'll let you know who to hunt when we hear back from the police." You say softly and Shawn gives you another kiss on the head before heading back over to the cage with Connor. Jodi puts her arm around you and the two of you head to the backroom that isn't full of old equipment to set up your camera.

_____________________

Photos go well, you manage to get all the guys done in a few hours. You'll go home later and look them over to decide if you need to reshoot anything. But for now you are finished and starting to pack up.

"Hey, you forgot one."

You turn and look at Shawn standing in the doorway to the backroom where you're set up. "I did?"

"Yeah. Me." He grins and steps in, closing the door behind him. "I thought you couldn't wait to get photos of me."

"Well, I figured I could get them any time."

"Oh? You think I'll pose for you whenever you like?"

You smirk. "You might, but I want to take candids of you."

Shawn wraps his arms around you and you lean back into his chest. "Candids huh?" He noses against your ear, hand going over your stomach. "Like private candids of me in my bed, laid out on the sheets holding my-"

"Shawn!"

He chuckles deeply and you can feel your body get warm, heat pooling between your legs. "Is that not what you want?"

You turn around in his hold and run a hand over his hair. "I want so much more from you then a couple of photos."

"Yeah? Tell me what you want."

"Oh you know...all the good stuff."

"The good stuff?" He walks you back against the backdrop and you bring his head down, foreheads rolling together. "This kind of good stuff?" He asks lowly before he kisses you softly.

"I know why you came in here." You whisper between kisses, hands going up and down his back. "You're jealous."

He lets out a growl as he kisses along your jaw. "You think I'm jealous of my fighters?"

"Your fighters hmm?"

"Mmm. I'm partnered with Harlow." He pulls back to look down at you. "I own the gym with her. I thought you knew?"

"No, I had no idea. She seems so bossy and it's called Harlow's so..."

Shawn plays with the ends of your hair, twisting his finger around bits of it. "She already had the place, I just bought in with championship winnings to keep it open. She runs the business side with Jodi and I run the gym floor as you can tell."

"Wow. So Connor and the other guys in the circuit this season is a huge deal for you."

"Yeah. A win from one of them could mean we expand Harlow's, new equipment, more fighters. With four guys going this year we have a good chance, and with Connor, we have the odds in our favor, I think."

You grin and shake your head. "Our first kiss and here we are talking business. Y'know if you were anyone else I'd have left by now."

"But I'm not anyone else." He leans in and bumps his nose to yours. "I'm special huh?"

"Oh you're special alright."

Shawn gives you one more kiss before he laughs and pulls back. "Let me make it up to you. I told Connor I'd go to dinner with him at Dixie's to talk about his first fight and what to expect. We can go a little early and have some time to ourselves first. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a date."

"Oh it's not necessarily a date, but it could be."

You smile and he just holds your hips looking down at you. "Come on, enough staring like weirdos. I'm hungry."

____________________

Dixie's is packed when you arrive but you manage to get a table near the bar that's a small two seater. You see Carrie running around like a mad woman and two of the day time waitresses are running around behind her. The place is popular this time of year with fighters and their crews moving into town and nearby during the first part of the western circuit. That's what Carrie told you anyway during her briefing on what to expect and how she deals with the increased number of fights during this time of year.

"Is that Connor?" Shawn asks, pointing to a table behind you. "What's he doing here so- oh I see."

You turn and look over at where Shawn is pointing to a corner table where Connor is and leaning on the table in her work clothes is Sammy. You smirk, it's about time they talked. Sammy has been eyeing Connor for weeks but she's hesitant because he's a fighter and she knows what the lifestyle entails.

“They’re kids, leave 'em be.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sammy is a good girl. I’m not worried about it.”

“She is. She also knows what it’s like to live with fighters. She told me her brother was a fighter.” You shake your head. “I think she said he went north to try for the canadian championship but he didn't win and ended up settling down up there”

“I knew her brother Devin, we fought a few times.” Shawn smiles over his drink. “The guy was really good, he gave me a run for my money.”

“Oh yeah? Did he train at Harlow’s?”

“No, no it was way before then. When I was nineteen he was twenty one, we went a few rounds in my first championship entry. I didn’t win that year, I got too cocky and big headed. He was a tough dude though, if Sammy is anything like him she’ll keep Connor in his place.”

You chuckle. “Sammy is very shy, I’m not sure she’s like her brother at all.”

“The shy ones are the ones you gotta watch out for.” Shawn smirks and you roll your eyes.

"Anyways, you said I could stay at your place again?"

"Mmhmm." Shawn smiles and chews on his straw. "I definitely don't mind."

"Good. I'm nervous about going home until we find out more from the police. It's feels like such a personal attack since they went through just my bedroom and didn't even take anything." You shake your head and lean you chin on your hand on the table. "They didn't even take jewelry. Someone wanted something from me."

"Maybe they thought it was someone else who lived there?"

"I don't know. I hope there is video footage from one of the neighbors that shows us something."

"They're gonna check with the neighbors for you?"

"Yeah, Officer Jones called while I was photographing Gauge. He said they're gonna canvas the area, ask for surveillance from anyone nearby and see if they can't get a suspect or even a car or something."

Shawn leans back and crosses his arms. "Y'know I was actually thinking, do you think it could be Tate? I didn't want to say something about him to the cops but is there something you have of his?"

You raise your eyebrows. You hadn't thought of Tate being a suspect. Hell, you were two states away from him now and it's been months since the break up. "I don't think I have anything. I gave him everything back, all his clothes and anything he ever bought me. I left it all in a box in our apartment."

"It was just a thought."

"No, it's a good one. He is crazy enough to do something like that." You roll your eyes and flag down Carrie to pay for your drinks. "Maybe I can call him, or I could try his sister Maggie."

"I'd try Maggie if you have a good relationship with her. If it was him he probably won't want to talk to you."

Carrie stops by the table and hands you your bill. "Have you seen Sammy?"

"She's over there with..." You look around for her and Connor but neither are at the table in the corner anymore. "Well she was here. Is she working tonight?"

"Yeah. Her shift starts in five minutes." Carrie takes your cash and you wave her off for change. "You say you seen her?"

Shawn chuckles. "She was with Connor."

"The fighter?"

"Yeah, my champ." Shawn stands and gives you a look and you nod, letting him know you don't mind if he goes looking for the two of them. "I think I know where they are."

Carrie raises her eyebrows. "Well if you find her, tell her to get her ass to work."

"Yes ma'am." Shawn smiles. "See you at the house." He squeezes your shoulder and heads for the front door.

A minute later Sammy comes walking in very flushed and you can't help but smile to yourself. She's got a flower tucked into her hair and you think her and Connor must have been sitting out on the patio since the flower is definitely from the pots out there.

____________________

You get to Shawn's place a little after eight. His truck is in the driveway so you know he's there. The sun is starting to go down and you are tired from working on photos and stress from the break in. Your brain is absolutely taxed. All you want is some dinner and a soft bed. You turn the handle to the door and walk into music blasting from the kitchen. It's some eighties hair band and you chuckle to yourself as you walk across the living room to find Shawn around the corner shadow boxing at the stove shirtless.

"What's for dinner?" You laughs and he looks back around with a grin. "Smells good!"

Shawn turns and shuts off the music on his phone. "It's chili. I figured it's pretty easy to throw together since I got home just a few minutes ago."

"Why not order something?"

"Eh, I like homemade." He stirs the pot around. "I haven't had it in a while, I thought it'd be nice."

You walk around the island and take a look into the pot. It's not chili. Well, it is, but it's not what you were expecting. "What kind of chili is this?"

"Chili Verde. My dad's recipe. Wanna taste?" He spoons some out to cool in a little bowl on the counter. "I promise it's good."

You smile. "I'm sure it's very good. What's in it?"

"Pork, onions, green chilies. I cheated and used a bottle of premade chili verde salsa for a starter since I don't have time to stew tomatillos and green chilies for hours." He spoons some up for you and you take a bite. "Good yeah?"

"Hot." You cover your mouth. "It's kinda spicy but I like it. It's good."

Shawn beams and scoops out two bowls to cool. "I'll finish getting dinner ready, go change and relax."

You lean up on your tiptoes and kiss his cheek. "Thank you for making me dinner."

"Of course." He kisses your nose and your heart skips. "Go on."

Post dinner you're sitting on the couch with Shawn watching some ghost hunter show. He's got his arm around your shoulders and you're tucked into his side snugly. It's comfortable, being with Shawn feels incredibly natural. He's warm and safe.

"What're you doing next Sunday?" Shawn asks as he tucks his feet against yours where your legs are outstretched on the ottoman. "I was thinking if you're available we could go out."

"I work the late shift but I can see if one of the guys can cover for me."

"I don't want you to miss work. We can go another day."

"No, I want to go. It'll be a nice escape from the stress around here." You run your hand down his forearm and slide your hand into his. "Are we going to go horseback riding again?"

Shawn squeezes your hand. "Nope. I have another idea."

"What is it?"

"I'm not telling." He grins at you and you narrow your eyes at him. "I can surprise you again can't I? It's more fun that way."

"I'd like to see what tops horseback riding."

"I have a few ideas. Don't worry." He glances at the clock on the wall in the kitchen. "I should go to bed, I have a seven o'clock session with Jack tomorrow." He scrubs a hand over his face and sighs. "Do you mind if I take the bed?"

"Nope. I don't mind sharing."

"Sharing? You're ready for that?"

You push off of him and stand up, putting your hand out to him. "I'm ready for anything with you."

He takes your hand and stands, pulling you against him. "Anything huh?" He runs a hand over your hair. "Falling a little fast aren't we?"

"I don't mind." You wrap your arms around his middle. "We work well together. I've never felt this comfortable and free around someone before."

He hums. "It feels natural. I completely understand."

You scratch at his back gently and he smiles down at you. "Let's go to bed. You need to be up early."

"Mmm I could always reschedule if we wanted to stay up late." He runs his hand down your back and over your butt. "I'm sure Jack won't mind."

You shake your head and laugh. "No, you're not cancelling work because of me. We can sleep together any time."

"Well don't make it sound like we're an old married couple, jeez."

You lean up on your tiptoes and kiss him quickly. "Maybe it's good practice for the future."

"Wh- oh." He grins. "First kiss and you're planning our future all in one day? Damn."

"Oh shut up." You pull away and head to his bedroom. "Come on, chop chop. The bed awaits."

_____________________

You wake up in the middle of the night and you're freezing. It doesn't even feel like there is a heater on in the house. You roll towards Shawn and slide your arm around his middle, spooning him from behind. He shifts. A soft grunt followed by a mumble of incoherent sleep laden words. He's like a furnace, body radiating into yours.

"You okay?"

"Mmhmm." You press a kiss to his hair. "All good now."

"I missed this." He places his hand over yours on his chest. His heart beats in time with yours, a cadence of comfort in the night. "I missed being held."

"It's been a while?"

"A long while. I didn't like to date when I fought. I only wanted to focus on my work." He chuffs. "I'd deprive myself to be the best. Stupid huh?"

"No. You thought it'd help. It must have, you did win." You flex your fingers against his skin, blunt nails scratching him lightly. "Do you like being the little spoon?"

"Love it. There's something about having someone smaller than you curled up and wrapped around you that I just love. I do like being the big spoon too, but I really enjoy being held sometimes."

"I'll hold you any time." You give him a squeeze and he tangles his legs with yours. "You're like a big teddy bear."

He chuckles and that's the last thing you hear before you fall asleep to the sound of his soft breathing and the beating of his heart under your fingertips.

-------------------------

End Part 1

-----------------------

Thank you for reading! Part 2 will be out sometime in the future as I have to write the ending still, but it’ll be another 13k at least. Thank you all again. - A

#stories #fighter trope

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dialovers-translations · 3 years

Text

Diabolik Lovers GRAND EDITION for Switch ;; More, Blood ー Yuma Maniac [Prologue]

Monologue

ーー I could not get the concept of a livestock’s pride,

out of my head.

Since I became one of them, some time had passed.

Compared to the other kids my age, I had a large frame,

and my battle skills weren’t all too shabby either,

so whenever a fight broke out,

I more often than not found myself by Boss’ side.

That day, I ended up finding out

about Boss’ secret.

Opposite to the fear I experienced at that time,

afraid of getting kicked out of the group,

Boss actually began to pay even more attention to me.

No, it was something slightly different.

Unlike before, it seemed as if Boss,

was seeking support from me.

While chowing down on the food he acquired through his secret activities,

we would talk about the most trivial things.

It was such a simple thing,

yet I came to realize that only during those times,

a pressure seemed to be lifted off Boss’ heart.

That is when I first found out.

That even Boss had a hard time,

burdening everything by himself.

It is so obvious when you think about it.

No matter how reliant or amazing of a guy he may have been,

in the end, he was still a young boy.

Boss was not much older than me,

he was still just a child after all.

However, even when I thought of him that way,

my respect for him did not falter.

If anything, knowing he still lived strong despite that,

I admired him.

ー The scene starts with a flashback in the city

*THUD*

Gang member A: Ugah...!

Bear: Ahーahー ...Can you guys not even read a calendar? Ah? I thought we decided we’d settle the score in three days?

See? As you can tell, this message was delivered from you guys’ boss to ours. He was even kind enough to attach a knife with it.

So why are you two here to try and strike while I least expect it? (1) What’s the meaning behind that, huh? You wanted to meet me that badly?

Gang member B: ...Because we have a bone to pick with you! We wanted to at least get one good hit off on you before you all get wiped out!

*Swoosh*

Bear: Wiped out, you say!?

*THUD*

Gang member B: Uguh!

Bear: You really think our whole squad would get wiped out by you little punks? Just how highly do you think of yourself?

Gang member B: ...Heh, hahaha!

Bear: Disgusting. Whatcha laughing for?

Gang member B: Nobody expects it. And that’s exactly why we aimed for those three days.

Bear: Ah...?

Gang member A: Oi, don’t say any more! Let’s go!

Gang member B: Che, guess we’ve got no other choice...!

*Rustle*

Bear: ...Hold it!

ー The other gang members run away

Bear: ...What do they mean...?

*TIMESKIP*

Lucks: ーー The day has finally come.

Once the morning dawns, we’ll go settle the score with those guys. Anyone under the age of ten remains here. You’ll be in charge of protecting the hideout until we return.

Everyone coming with me is all ready to go, right?

Comrade A: Yeah!

Comrade B: More than ever, Boss! We’ve set everything up perfectly for today.

Lucks: Don’t overdo it. Lately the military has been patrolling the city as well. They’re not the kind of guys you want to get involved with.

Bear: ...

Lucks: Oi, Bear? Are you listening?

Bear: Eh? Ah, yeah. What?

Lucks: What’s wrong with you? You look so gloomy. With you looking like that, it’ll affect the spirit of our team!

Bear: My bad...Say, Boss. Shouldn’t we think this over one more time?

Lucks: You’re still saying that? Are you that worried about what they said?

They all talk big like that, no? It’s basically a greeting at this point.

Bear: That’s true but...I have a bad feeling about this. For some reason, I feel restless...

Lucks: Hehe...Bear, you might excel in terms of your built and physique, but you’re more of a coward than I thought.

Bear: Boss! I am seriouslyーー!

*Rustle*

Lucks: Don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen.

We’ve been in plenty of fights up till now, right? However, we always came out victorious.

And if we defeat those guys today, we will finally stand at the very top of this city.

In short, we’ll have conquered the very bottom layer of this country. Do you understand what that means? It’s the first step towards our ‘dream’.

We’re not out to kill each other or anything. Well, I’m sure some blood will be spilt regardless.

We might call each other the enemy, but we’re actually also comrades living in the same place. The real threat are the rich, not them.

Despite everything, I like the kids living here. They’re headstrong, genuine and strong.

Which is why I won’t let them fight ever again once I reach the top. I’ll start by changing my own surroundings like that.

Bear: ...

Lucks: Besides, I’m here for you guys. And so are you all for me. How could we possibly lose?

Bear: ...Yeah, you’re right.

( He’s right. I’m sure this is all just my imagination. ...But you know, Boss. )

( I still have a bad feeling about this. I know that there’s just no possible way we lose, but there’s this uneasy feeling in my chest... )

( ...Please let it just be my imagination. )

Monologue

...Back then,

if only I had stopped Boss even by force,

would he have...would everyone have,

possibly survived?

In those filthy quarters, wearing dirty clothes,

but eating the same food,

as we all became adults together...

...I wonder if Boss,

would have been able to fulfill his dreams...?

ー The scene shifts to another flashback in the city

Comrade A: ...What...on earth is that...?

Comrade B: A tank...!? From the army...!?

Bear: ( ...Those bastards! They really planned to set us up after allーー!! )

Military member: An armed gang has been spotted. We can assume they are a rebellious group as stated in the information we received. Commence suppression!

Lucks: ! You guys, ruーー...!!

*BANG BANG*

Monologue

ーー We were children.

Despite calling this a fight,

somewhere inside our hearts,

we believed it to be impossible to lose our lives in just a kids’ quarrel.

I’m sure that the thought of their comrades dying, their Boss dying,

or even themselves dying,

did not even cross their minds.

Before the overwhelming force in front of us,

we were utterly powerless.

Bear: ...

...Boss...Hey...Open your eyes...

Aren’t you the one who said...I’d have to watch you till the bitter end...?

But you never told me it would be like this...! ...Damnit...!

Military member: ーー A survivor has been spotted. Kill him.

*BANG*

ー The flashback ends as the scene shifts to the kitchen

*Rustle rustle*

Yui: Ah, Yuma-kun! Geez, you’re searching the fridge again...Dinner will be served soon, you know?

Yuma: I’m hungry right now. Actin’ all high and mighty tryin’ to lecture me, huh, Sow?

Besides, it’s ‘cause ya always take forever makin’ our meals.

Yui: ( I started on it as soon as I got back from school, so rushing me any more would be... )

*Rustle rustle*

Yui: ( Ahーah... Today he’s going for a whole package of sausages... )

Yuma: ...

...Oi.

Yui: Yes?

Yuma: Who’s that dude from the other day?

Yui: Eh?

Yuma: That NEET on the staircase.

Yui: Staircase...Aah, you mean Shuu-san? He’s the eldest son of the Sakamaki family. Sakamaki Shuu-san.

Yuma: ...Do ya think I’m dumb? (2) I obviously know that much!

Yui: T-Then why did you ask?

Yuma: This prey really doesn’t get a hint...Is yer head completely empty or somethin’, aahn!?

I’m askin’ what kinda dude the eldest son of those Sakamaki bastards is!

Yui: What kind...?

( He basically wants to know Shuu-san’s personality? Hm... )

A listless...person, I guess? To put it simply.

Yuma: Haah? That isn’t ‘simple’ at all.

Yui: But if I had to put it some other way...He always seems exhausted, for example...?

I’m pretty sure his only interests are music and sucking blood. Also napping.

Yuma: Haah...He’s an actual NEET. (3) Anyway, and that guy’s the eldest son? It pisses me off how those on top are always too lazy to do anythin’.

...No, I guess that’s exactly why he’s like that. He can get his ass on the throne just by sleepin’ after all. Whatever. What else?

Yui: There’s also...Don’t ask me about the details, but I heard he went through quite a lot in the past...

Yuma: ...The fuck? Did he almost get himself killed or somethin’?

Yui: Like I said, I’m not quite sure eithーー

*THUD*

Yui: Kyah...!

Yuma: You do know, don’t you? Ya had them wrapped ‘round yer lil’ finger with that body of yers, didn’t ya? Ah?

So don’t tell me ya don’t know their secrets.

Yui: I’ve told you before, I never...

*THUD*

Yui: ...!

Yuma: Oi...I don’t think you’re that stupid but, you’re not tryin’ to cover for those bastards, are ya?

Yui: Cover...?

Yuma: Aren’t ya hidin’ all and any information which could put them at a disadvantage from us? Aahn?

Okay...Listen up!

Right now, you are our livestock and my toy. In short, we are yer owners.

If ya dare betray us ーー I will kill ya. I’d mess ya up real good, we could actually feed ya to the pigs and cows once I’m done with ya. (4)

Yui: ...Uu...

Yuma: ...Heh. You’re just gonna stand there quietly, shiverin’ in fear again? Ya really are so borin’.

Just don’t betray us then? As long as ya can do that, I can look past minor slip-ups.

‘Course, I have a limit. If ya make too much of a fuss...

ー Yuma grabs hold of her

Yui: ...! What are you doing...!?

Yuma: I’ll teach ya while I’m at it. What kind of punishment would be waitin’ you, that is.

Well? I’m pretty sure yer body is already used to this, whether ya like it or not.

ー He bites her

Yui: ...!

Yuma: Nn...Phew...

Yui: ...Nn...!

*Rustle*

Yui: ( Ah...! )

Yuma-kun...! The pot! The stove is still on...

Yuma: Aahn? Who cares ‘bout that crap? Just keep still!

Yui: No! If it boils for too long, the noodles will become overcooked and it won’t be good...

Yuma: ...Che, pasta out of all things? I can think of at least one person who will throw a tantrum if that happens.

Yui: If you understand, let me go...!

Yuma: Won’t do. If ya want me to stop that badly, then try and stop me yerself.

Yui: No way...!

( How should I do that when he’s holding onto me with his full strength...!? )

Nn...Nn...!

Yuma: Hehe...Do ya really think ya can slip free like that? You’re basically just shiverin’.

Don’t overestimate yerself too much, ‘kay?

‘Cause you’re the one who will end up regrettin’ it in the end...

Yui: ...!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the dining room

Kou: ...What’s this...? I don’t want to eat this mushy mess!

Yui: I-I’m sorry, Kou-kun. I was going to boil a new batch, but we ran out of pasta...

( I got yelled at as to be expected... )

Kou: Then please give me a reward instead.

Let’s see...Fufu, I’ll forgive you if you let me suck your blood, okay? Say, what do you think?

Yui: W-What I think...?

*Thud*

Yuma: If ya continue spoutin’ that bullshit, you’ll be takin’ one hefty blow ‘gainst that face you’re so damn proud of!

Ruki: Yuma. We’re in the middle of our meal.

Azusa: Don’t worry, the pasta is safe...Hey, Yuma...You can hit me instead if you’d like?

Yuma: Ya stupid!?

Kou: Geez~ What are you getting so upset for? I was just messing around a little. Joking is what we idols do! (6)

Yuma: Do you see me laughin’!? As her caretaker, I’m obviously the one who has to blame her whenever she messes up! Don’t try and take my job!

Yui: ( Actually, it’s Yuma-kun’s fault the pasta overcooked in the first place... )

( Speaking of which, I wonder why Yuma-kun asked about Shuu-san earlier? )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) Yuma uses the word 寝込み or ‘nekomi’ which literally implies that they tried to attack him ‘in his sleep’. However, I think this is meant to be taken less literal in this case, but refers to the fact that they were expecting an attack in 3 days, so they could have been caught off guard.

(2) Literally he says ‘are you looking down on me/are you underestimating me?’ but ‘do you think I’m dumb’ sounded better in this context.

(3) A NEET stands for a person who isn’t in education or training, implying that they don’t work but aren’t currently in school either. They have a very bad reputation for being ‘lazy’, simply wasting their life away at home, sitting at the computer, watching TV, etc.

(4) Yuma says he would mess her up so badly, she could actually become ‘food for livestock’ by the end of it.

(5) In Japanese, the expression for overcooking noodles in Japanese is ‘麺が伸びる’ or ‘men ga nobiru’ which literally means ‘the noodles will stretch’, referring to them being too plump/soft because they cooked for too long.

(6) Kou calls it an アイドルジョーク or ‘Idol joke’ which isn’t a term I’m actually familiar with. I do know that idols in Japan appear on TV quite often and a lot of those programs are geared towards comedy, so I assume having a decent sense of humor is a must if you want to be a Japanese idol. xD

→ LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

<- [ Dark Epilogue ] [ Maniac 01 ] ->

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #yuma mukami #more blood #diabolik lovers translation #mbyumamaniacprolog

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bellatrixxue · 3 years

Text

Xue’s Supernatural Dare: Wendigo (S1 EP2)

Hello, everyone? How did everyone feel about the finale? Yes? Yes? Oh. Oh. Oh my. Oh, dear.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell that half-assed homophobic chicken-shit fuckbucket’s not gonna stop me, since I strapped myself onto this roller coaster already and I promised I’m not getting out until the ride’s over, so here we go, wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Also, those who are in this roller coaster with me, ready? Tag list is: @fangirlxwritesx67 @amazingiam00 @kalliravenne @indecisive20something @2musiclover2 @impossibletosleepthrough @there-must-be-a-lock @wingedcatninja @arvit

Oh my gods this recap is so cheesy I actually can make a fondue out of it. 2000s, everybody!

A WHOLE MINUTE AND A HALF FOR THAT FONDUE

FUCKJUMPSCARETITLEFUCKYOU

So we’re starting the episode with the murder scene first, eh? Is that gonna be a trend?

Oh come on, Chads, you’re out in nature and you’re playing video games? Absorb the nature...before it absorbs you!

Waitwait. Holy shit is that...is that Cory Monteith? Oh, bless his soul...

If the wendigo eats his dick as he’s peeing I’m immediately giving Jensen Ackles $100. For no real reason, I just feel like giving him money for already carrying the show on his back.

I can’t tell if it did or not, so I’m not paying yet.

Aw, Sammy...

"I should have told you the truth.” *Vine voice* BUT YOU DIDN’T

FUCKYOUINTHEASSHOhnightmare. Nightmare. So did he visit her at her grave or not? I need answers.

A week? Goddamn. Poor thing. That man-eating tree’s fucking good at his job, man.

“There’s nothing there, it’s just...woods,” Sam, I don’t know if Jess’s death hit you hard or if you got into law school by eating some ancient dick and/or pussy instead of earning that high score fair and square, but the woods “in the middle of nowhere” (your words) are known to be one of the top places full of weird-ass creatures. Even kindergartners know that.

Ehehehehehehehehe he’s so smol next to his lil bro my lil shit

At least you’re coming up with decent covers this time. No Agent Mulder and Scully ruining things for you this time around.

“Bull” oop-

Oh Dean’s a smoooooooooth operator. Good going, buddy.

AND HE GOT A COPY OF THAT DOCUMENT TEAM DEAN TEAM DEAN

Oh that death really got to Sam. I hope he doesn’t turn out to be a trigger-happy psycho. Or eat the man-eating tree and become one himself.

Oh, Haley’s a cutie! Which one’s her brother? Cory? Discount Enrique Iglesias?

Do you have a card for EVERY profession, Dean? And how do I get them too?

That is a very pretty car. I bet they wasted half the budget on that thing.

Okay, sonny boy, little bro, Broseidon, calm down.

Ah, fuck, Haley and Broseidon is gonna go into the woods, that’s more heads to worry about.

How the fuck does Sam find information this fast? I’m impressed, I take five hours to get to one article for my research paper. Or maybe I’m just lazy. So he really earned his law school interview without having to eat dick and pussy, huh.

Every 23 years? What is this, Pennywise? Are we going to see the wendigo do his best Tim Curry do his best scary clown impression? Honk honk?

“Whatever that thing is, it can move.” And the sun rises on the East, Sammy. Why are you so smart and dumb at the same time? Is this his character trait? It might grow on me.

Ahhh, so Sam’s go-to move at interrogation is doing puppy dog eyes and sympathize with the person. He’d make a good lawyer, shame that man-eating tree.

Go Grandpa Exposition, go!

Go Grandpa Exposition, go, give us information and none at all!

OH GEEZ THAT SCAR. PENNYWISE WENDIGO IS VICIOUS.

Skinwalker, Back Dog...Ooh, those all sound cool! I hope we get to see them soon!

‘Corporeal’ doesn’t sound like a real word, but then again, English doesn’t sound like a real language. Sorry. Moving on.

Sam’s gonna eat the wendigo with that attitude, Jesus Christ.

AND HIS BROTHER, AT THIS RATE. If the real villain turns out to be inside Sam all along I’m gonna flip. Is that why women keep dying and burning on ceilings where he sleeps? Is he secretly Lucifer’s spawn or something?

“Oh sweetheart I don’t wear shorts”. They queer-coded him from the start and they tried to make you believe he was straight for fifteen seasons straight? And some people bought that?

Oh, crap, another crappy death treatment for Cory before he got into Glee...No, I wasn’t into Glee, I just watched a few episodes and I might hate Rachel Berry...And Lea Michele...ahem...

Dean is totally flirting with Roy shut upppppppp

OOP AND THERE ROY GOES OH THE SEXUAL TENSION IS HIGH IN THESE WOODS TODAY

“It’s probably the most honest I’ve been with a woman. Ever.” See. Bi. Bi bi bi.

So...why the coordinates, Daddy Negan? Is this a portal to Hell? A place where man-eating trees grow?

*carefully places death flag on Roy*

Ooooh the campsite is very...haunted house-y. You know what I’m saying?

That’s not Discount Enrique Iglesias, but Pennywise wendigo, yes? Those things can mimic human voices, right?

*Google searches*...There are so many versions of this tale I can’t even confirm or deny it. Dammit.

Maybe Pennywise wendigo just wants some snacks and a nice phone and GPS? Maybe he misses his family in uh, Canada or something?

Daddy Negan’s journal is a e s t h e t i q u e .

I’m so sorry, but the way Sammy smirks as he speaks with those dark, dark voids for eyes? My boy’s a demon. He’s a demon, I’m telling you.

At least Haley has some sense to her. *puts another death flag on Roy*

*PUTS YET ANOTHER DEATH FLAG ON ROY*

True, that. What the heck is Daddy Negan up to with all of this?

“Saving people, hunting things, the family business!” Okay, the way Dean said it gave me chills.

I can actually empathize with Sam here...As whiny and bitchy as he is, he has his reasons to be this way. I guess if I were in his shoes, I’d be less of a Dean and more of a Sam, too. We deal with our losses quite similarly.

Ah, the brotherly bonding moments like these little talks make the show worth it. It’s so heartwarming.

Pennywise wendigo! I didn’t miss you, why’re you here to burst my happy bubble?

I’m starting to see a slight parallel between Haley and Broseidon and Dean and Sammy. Hmm.

Nice meeting you, Roy. Zoop you go.

Haley and Broseidon are taking this rather well, I’m glad they do.

Okay, actual exposition time, thank you.

Whoa, Broseidon speaks! Donner Party! Please don’t remind me of that! Those poor people!

Hibernation and food storage. Delightful, just delightful.

TORCHING? *CALLS RAMMSTEIN*

Somehow, not being able to see the wendigo is scarier to me than what I will probably see itself. Limited budget horror can actually work well.

Oh, dear, Roy literally did a death drop. Badum tissssssssss.

FUCK IT TOOK DEAN THE ONLY CHARACTER I CARE ABOUImean I love you too, Sam! Come on, let’s find him before it’s too late!

A trail of M&Ms! Yes, Broseidon! And Hansel and Gretel refercalled it. Sammy, you and I share the same wavelength?

SHITSHITTHEYTRIPPEDANDFELLINTHEFUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Thank the gods the Pennywise wendigo kept them right there. Chances.

DISCOUNT ENRIQUE IGLESIAS IS STILL ALIVE GEEZ BUT ALSO PHEW

Ah, Dean Winchester, I love you so much that I can’t even begin to describe it.

Also how convenient that the flare guns are there. Deus ex machina!

Haley would bode well as a hunter, look at her courage, her will. There are more hunters around than Daddy Negan and the brothers, right?

Yeah, seeing the actual wendigo makes me less scared of it now. It’s unnerving, but still.

TEAM DEAN YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAW

Graphics are...alright, but it’s the thought that counts!

Running with the grizzly bear story. Smart Broseidon. Ben. Sorry, you deserve to be called by your real name. I think with practice they could become good hunters, along with their Discount Enrique Iglesias brother! Is there a fanfiction for that? Can I write it now?

...

I AM WILLING TO DIE TO PROTECT DEAN WINCHESTER I

Haley’s a lesbian, that’s why she kissed him on the cheek only. Headcanoned. Also I have a crush on her, she’s really pretty? Like? Heart eyes???

Ah, the siblings parallels again. Let’s hope neither of the two brothers end up in the bed like that.

“Man, I hate camping.” Really. Really really. Really.

“I’m driving”

...

SAM WINCHESTER I’M SORRY I EVER SPOKE ILL OF YOU I WILL PROTECT YOU WITH MY LIFE TOO I PROMISE YOU I WILL

It’s just a sassy bisexual brother and his little snide bisexual brother on the road to kill evil creatures and find their father and I love this show? Help? Help???

I really, really see the charm of Supernatural now! I’m fully invested in both brothers and their story, and I’m cheering them both on! Let’s get Daddy Negan back and get rid of that man-eating tree once and for all!

Six stars out of five!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This dare is introducing me to a whole new world, and I really, really am glad I took that jump a few days ago, man!

Thank you everyone for reading my ramblings, and I’ll see you in the day after with the next review! Thank you for sticking with me! Buh-bye!

- Xue

#xue's supernatural dare #spn #supernatural #dean winchester #jensen ackles #sam winchester #jared paladecki #text #i had a really bad day today with my constant pain and aching from the chemo #but this really brought genuine smiles to my face!#what a good show #what a wonderful show #how the FUCK did they fuck it up later #well #i guess i'll find out when i get there lmao

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stupid-stew · 3 years

Text

two vent fics in as many days? me? nooooo.

the answer is actually yes. i am in crisis all of the time. here take a gender one because why the heck not it's 4:30 am and i have nothing to lose. luz, toady you are me. there is also a little bit of parent eda because what do you take me for? a fool? (Pronouns? AO3 link if that floats ur boat)

Luz Noceda had a lot of problems.

Sure, she was stuck in a hell dimension with no way home in sight, where her best chance of surviving was reliant on her having magic, of which she had none, and was separated from her mom, and was currently blaming herself for her surrogate mom having lost her magic, but that wasn’t the point right now.

Right now, Luz was focused on herself. That’s usually how these nights ended up, with her so lost in thought that she circled back to the root of the problem, she didn’t know who she was.

That wasn’t entirely true, she was Luz Noceda, average teen, lover of Azura, daughter of Camila, professional witch in training, student at Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, foe to an unlucky few, friend to most, the girl who had managed to outsmart the emperor and get herself stuck so far from home she might as well just give up now. Luz knew what she was, she was what other people knew her for, but who was she? Anyone’s guess, suggestions much appreciated.

She had grown up in an environment that exposed her to many different people, the internet. Yeah, maybe she had seen a lot of stuff way before she should have, but she also had the whole world at her fingertips, many types of people and experiences just on the other side of her screen, and it had led to some amazing things. Her mom had also been a big help, allowing Luz to question and experiment any which way she pleased, as long as she was happy and safe. That had helped Luz figure out who she liked, she was comfortable telling her mom she liked girls confidently at the ripe age of 10, Camila had of course been nothing but accepting.

That was easy enough, right? She knew exactly what she was, who she liked, hell she could figure out most people just by looking at them, so why couldn’t she figure out herself?

And that was where Luz was at, laying on the floor in her makeshift bedroom in the owl house, once again wondering what in the hell was a gender.

Luz was no stranger to this internal battle, it sort of came with the whole territory of figuring out your sexuality, but for the life of her she didn’t even know where to start.

Ok, she thought to herself, let’s start from the top. I don’t know where the top is. What is the easiest way to go about this. Most people start with pronouns, maybe that’s a good place to start? Luz let out a groan, this was going nowhere. Back on track. she/her. Simple enough, good solid pronouns. That’s what most people have called me forever. I'm comfortable with it, other people are comfortable with it, no, what other people think doesn’t matter, this is about me. Focus, Luz. Ok, she/her, fine. Though not always, doesn’t always feel right, how can words feel right or wrong that doesn’t even make sense. Whatever, most of the time she/her equals a girl.

Luz shivered at that, girl, the word had never felt right to her, something about it was gross in her mind. She had always hated being referred to as girl or daughter, but never had the guts to speak up about it in the moment. Luz chuckled to herself, and look where we are now. she/her moved to the maybe pile for now.

Next on the list was he/him. Luz smiled at that. Being a somewhat androgynous child for most of her life with short hair, being called her mother’s son at the grocery store was a fairly common occurrence. She recalled one time she was out with a couple of friends and some sweet old lady had said to them “you ladies have a nice day.” and then looked at Luz and added “oh, my bad, and gentleman.” Luz had to leave the store at that, her friends had assumed she was upset that the lady had called her a gentleman, but that wasn’t the case. She was more upset about having been singled out than anything, in fact she hadn’t at all minded being called a gentleman. It didn’t feel completely right, but it didn’t feel completely wrong either.

Ok, so pronouns, this is Luz, he is my apprentice. Eh, feels about the same as she. That’s so lame I was hoping there would be some sort of difference. The only discomfort is that i’m used to she, god my head hurts just thinking about this. Luz rolled over to her other side and covered her head with her sleeping bag. How can I feel literally the same about the two, I haven’t even left the binary, there’s only two options, one should be right, the other should be wrong. This is the same idea as answering an either or question and both options are the same but both are neither right nor wrong. It doesn’t even make sense. If the binary isn’t going to give me my answers then I need to step it up.

They/Them was dangerous territory for Luz and she knew it. This wasn’t her first time around the block, she knew that she loved they/them pronouns for herself. “This is Luz, they’re my apprentice.” God it just felt so right. She could never figure out why, much less bring herself to even try, which was probably how she kept landing herself in this situation. Laying up at night, staring at the ceiling, running pronouns, of all things, through her head over and over. It probably would have been easier if she had someone to tell her how gender was supposed to feel. What it was supposed to identify, what it was supposed to offer for her identity, but alas. It had been easier with her sexuality, she knew from the moment someone had told her that liking girls was even an option that was who she was. She was confident in that, it was simple enough. So why was this still so hard?

Luz took her head out from under her sleeping bag and rubbed the heel of her palms over her eyes. I know I like they/them pronouns, they’re my favorite, they feel so correct, huh go figure I finally got my answer, words can feel right. Still not sure how… anyways, what the hell do I do about it? Ask people to just change the way they refer to me? That’s absurd. Luz knew it wasn’t absurd. Not in the slightest. She knew she had done it for plenty of people before, people she had known for years. It wasn’t hard, it was actually pretty easy and she was glad to switch around how she referred to them no matter how many times they asked. So why can’t I just do the same. Most people see me as a boy or a girl, it’s fine, it’s ok, well at the very least I can deal with it. What are they supposed to do? Just not?

Luz sprawled out on her back and shut her eyes as tight as she could. She knew she had met plenty of people who were non binary, and somehow she had been able to erase the idea of them being either a boy or a girl out of her head almost completely. It’s just how it had worked, was it because she didn’t really see herself in that way either? Maybe I’m just making it up. Maybe it’s all in my head and I’m stopping myself from causing a lot of problems, what if I’m wrong, what if I make a mistake and have to ask people to change around again? I barely figured out what pronouns I prefer, ok well I’ve known for a while, but I still don’t have a label. Non binary? Maybe? I wish I knew what gender was supposed to feel like. She placed her hands behind her head and sighed. If you asked me what gender felt like to me I either wouldn’t have an answer and would start crying or would just scream shrilly at you for a few minutes. Pronouns don’t equal gender but what are either of those. If I use they/them pronouns do I have to identify as non binary? I don’t even like labeling my sexuality and I know what that is. God, I haven’t even scratched the surface of how I present mysel-

Her thoughts were muted by a knock at her door.

“Luz I know you’re awake.”

It was Eda, of course it was. Who else would be awake at this hour and hear her singular sigh from the hallway?

Luz pushed herself up from off the ground and slowly opened the door.

“Can’t sleep?” Eda asked.

Luz just shook her head. She didn’t have the energy for words at the moment.

Eda sighed and stretched out her arm to reach behind her head and pull out a clock from her hair. “Me neither, looks like it’s too late for either of us to be awake. Want some tea?”

Luz nodded and followed Eda down the creaky stairs and to the kitchen. Eda immediately found a kettle and started filling it with water to boil while Luz took a seat at the counter. They sat with just the sound of the running tap for a few uncomfortable seconds before Eda asked the question Luz had been dreading.

“What’s keeping you up?”

Shoot. Can I talk to her about this? It’s Eda, she doesn’t care, does she? Nobody here seems to mind anything, cool non binary witches. That’s so rad. I don’t want to bother her, what if she doesn’t understand, so I have the energy to explain? How would I even go about dropping this if it goes south?

“Hellooooo? Isles to Luz?”

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Eda waving her hands in her face, she looked… worried? Oh, I haven’t answered her question.

“Hm? Oh, it’s nothing.”

Eda didn’t believe her for a minute.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing.”

Luz just sort of turned her head away and shrugged. Eda knew she couldn’t pry it out of the kid. Instead, she just decided to finish making the tea. The two of them sat in silence while the tea bags steeped, which gave Luz a moment back to herself to question her next move.

Eda handed Luz the steaming mug. “You can talk about it if you want. I’ll listen.”

“I don’t know how to do this.”

Eda grinned. They were getting somewhere, whatever was keeping the kid awake this late at night was reaching the surface.

“Just go for it, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Sooo many things Eda.

Luz decided to just start out simple. “Do you know what pronouns are?”

Eda nodded. Ok, good.

“Ok, what are your pronouns?”

Eda was taken aback by this a little, nobody had asked her that in years. What was the kid dealing with? “Well, I use she/her pronouns, but I’ve never really felt attached to any of them, so whatever works just works I guess. Same for King, I don’t really think he cares much as long as you’re referring to him as royalty.” Eda snorted with laughter.

Luz was kind of in shock. Does she feel the same way I do? How did she pick? “How did you know?” the words just kind of fell out of her mouth in a mess.

“Know what?”

Eda looked at her with confusion.

“What pronouns you use?”

“I don’t know, here nobody really cared that much, why should I?”

Then Eda remembered.

“Ooooh yeah you humans use them for that whole gender identity thing. We kind of have that here but it’s not as big of a deal, you guys have all those labels, yeah?”

Luz swallowed deeply and nodded.

“Is that what’s keeping you up?”

Another nod.

“Do you wanna talk at me? I know you do better with your words than your mind, I can do the dishes while you talk if you don’t want my focus.”

Luz was now completely dumbfounded. In the last two minutes, Eda had told her that not only was gender a human thing, but that she was willing to let Luz process it the way that she needed, how had she known? Wait…. Just how similar are Eda and I? Luz couldn’t help but wonder.

Luz nodded and Eda got up without a word and headed straight for the sink.

“I don’t know. Back in the human world, people have a lot of words that they use to describe their genders. I don’t understand any of them, I know their definitions, but I don’t know how to relate to them.”

Luz paused and Eda gave her a gentle hum of interest as a signal to continue.

“They’ve just never made sense to me, I don’t know why and I don’t know how but it’s incredibly frustrating. I gave up on trying to get it and moved on to the things that I do get, which is limited to pronouns. You’ve got the binary pronouns like she and he, usually those fit the words girl and boy, not always, sometimes people use more than one set of pronouns, but the thing is I can’t pick. They feel the exact same to me. There are other ones, the most common being they/them, and I really like those, Eda I really really like them.”

Eda smiled at her, glad to see Luz’s face lighting up.

“But I don’t know. I don’t know if I should use one set, multiple. It’s really bothering that so many people back home understand, they just seem so sure of themselves, they know who they are, they know that they’re a boy or a girl or neither or even both, there’s even more genders to be a combination of, but I can’t. I think there has to be something wrong with me because I know it shouldn’t be this hard but it is, it’s always on my mind, and I can’t stop it or make it make sense. I haven’t even begun to entertain the idea of asking people to change the pronouns they use for me because I can’t tell myself what label even goes with what, and I feel stupid.”

Eda stopped what she was doing.

“You aren’t stupd Luz.”

“How can you say that when I don’t even know who I am, I can’t even figure out what words I want people to use when they refer to me.” Luz sounded exhausted.

Eda turned around and looked her in the face, dead serious. “You aren’t stupid, you just don’t know who you are,” she dried her hands on a towel and sat down across from Luz. “and that’s ok. I know it’s maddening not knowing, but you’re allowed to feel that way, if you don’t have all the answers, what’s gonna happen? Are you gonna die?”

Luz rolled her eyes “sometimes it really does feel like it.”

Eda stood up. “Well we can’t have that, no dead apprentices. You seem to have been thinking about this for a long time, you just need a little bit of a push. Pick some new pronouns.”

Luz stared at her, “what?”

“You can’t figure out how the feeling works, or if there even is one, that’s ok. But, you know that there are some words that fit better than others. You might not be able to tell me why, but you know what they are. What are they?”

Luz didn’t know what to do, she hadn’t prepared herself for this. She was ready for Eda not knowing what was going on, not this. She’s right, time to rip off the bandaid.

“I don’t know…”

“Yes you do.”

There really is no getting out of this one.

“I don’t know, I guess they/them feels ok? Better than the others?”

“And so it shall be.” Eda stated matter-of-factly.

Luz shifted uncomfortably in her seat, “but I don’t know, I’m really used to she/her, they don’t fit quite right but they’ve never really felt wrong enough to get rid of completely.”

Eda shrugged, “you don’t have to. You can use both if you want.”

Luz wasn’t sure, she knew Eda was right, but she couldn’t help but recall the time someone had told her that adding they/them to your pronouns was performative and accomplished nothing. Screw them.

“Ok.” It was simple, but it’s all she had.

“Anything else I should know?”

Luz took a deep breath, she was in this far, might as well keep it up.

“It really bothers me when I get referred to as a girl, I know that I don’t know what labels go where, but I know that one is wrong.”

“Good to know.”

This was going way better than Luz expected, but now all her thoughts were out and she had a little bit of a resolution, she was finally starting to feel how late it was. She yawned, “I think I’m done for the night.”

Eda put on a mock offended look, “But you didn’t even touch your tea? I worked so hard on that for you!”

Luz gave her a weak smile. “It was never about the tea, was it, you just wanted me to talk.”

Eda reached out and ruffled Luz’s hair, “It worked, huh?”

“Yeah I guess it did.”

“Good.”

They emptied their cups into the now pristine sink and went back up the stairs.

“Thanks Eda.”

“Don’t mention it.”

#the owl house #luz noceda #pronouns #fanfic #eda clawthorne

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dajaregambler · 3 years

Text

HeliosR - Dino Albani Character story - part 3

Translation of the third part of Dino’s character story from ‘Helios Rising Heroes’.

Dino: Fuh! Haah…!

Dino: Hey-ho….!

Dino: .....

Dino: Phew…. Guess I’ll take a break….

Brad: Looks like you’re putting quite the effort in it, Dino

Dino: !! Brad…!

Brad: I’ve heard you’ve been training every day lately. Aren’t you burdening your body?

Dino: It’s all good. I’m completely back on track and have more than enough strength to use

Dino: Wait, am I hogging the entire training room too much? Did you come to see if I had put a claim or…..?

Brad: That’s not it. I simply came to check up on you.

Brad: You returned to HELIOS and got admitted as a mentor in West immediately. I want to hear if there’s anything outside of your physical state that you’re having trouble with.

Dino: Ah, that’s what it’s about. It’s not like there’s anything bothering me right now?

Dino: Tower’s not looking too different than before either…. I can’t be more thankful to people I know and everyone else that are welcoming me back.

Dino: ….Well, the current situation is as it is though.

Brad: ……….

Dino: Being a mentor…. It’s going kinda so-so?

Dino: I’m trying out various things to learn more about Junior-kun and Faith-kun though. Like, copying Jay’s methods and inviting ‘em to play some catch♪

Brad: Catch huh, been a while since I heard that. Honestly, I’m not too worried regarding that.

Brad: Compared to other mentors, your skill in communication is high. ….If anything, I’d want Keith to have more of a sense of danger.

Dino: Ahahah…It does feel that Keith’s the same as ever

Dino: Like, the type of guy to keep saving his energy. Was a bit of a shock to learn that he drinks that much though….

Brad: ….Whether it’s about the rookies or Keith, if there’s anything that’s weighing on your mind don’t hesitate to tell me about it. I’ll give you my support as the Mentor-leader

Dino: Thanks. Man, you being a Mentor-leader’s giving me a big sense of security

Dino: Back at the academy too, I remember teachers going on how it was such a peaceful year when you were the president of the student council

Brad: Hmph…… Fellow students would frequently heckle me though.

Dino: Still, when once in a while you’d be organizing events, all these complaints would get cancelled out by the good vibes, right?

Dino: You properly did what you’d promise, but still listened to what people had to say around you…. Seriously, it made me think that you’re such a smart guy

Brad: I was merely preserving the balance so the order wouldn’t get disrupted.

Dino: That you can do it is amazing enough. I’m the type that lets my feelings go ahead and do whatever I want, I totally can’t be serious

Dino: I admired you since forever, but this gave me a newfound respect for you

Brad: ………..

Dino: Ah, right… Remembered there was something I wanted to ask about, can I?

Brad: Yeah, go ahead

Dino: My physical condition is back to where it once was…. With my intuition it’s kind of a different story which is bothering me.

Brad: Intuition?

Dino: Yup. Until now I…. had been moving my body while I was at Eclipse, but it wasn’t like I was controlling it myself.

Dino: I’ve been training everyday while trying to recall my intuition from before, though I can’t feel that I’m getting ahold of it

Dino: So with that, if you don’t mind…. I want you to do a bit of sparring with me!

Brad: What……?

Dino: If you still have work left to do then tommorrow’s fine too, or rather, whenever you actually have the time is totally fine too!

Dino: And I know veeery well that you’re busy----

Brad: It’s not a problem

Dino: Really!?

Brad: Yes. However, would I be good enough?

Brad: Even if it’s a light match, I might be lacking in strength to take you on

Dino: What are you going on about, Brad. Who else am I supposed to fight if I leave you be?

Dino: Honestly feel like I’m lucky since you came here. Thought to ask at once if you were gonna stay

Dino: Ah, and…. it’s not just a light match, let’s do it seriously

Brad: …….

Brad: Hm, let’s go then

-----

Brad: Haah….. How about it, have you regained your intuition, Dino

Dino: Heheh yup, all thanks to you♪

Dino: Aaah, been a while since I felt this. It’s making me think of how I enjoyed to sparring with you back then

Dino: How do I put it? It’s reassuring to feel that I can always go all out and fight with everything I have?

Dino: Of course Jay and Keith are strong too, and their respective powers are worthwhile in different ways but….

Brad: Same here, I’m also able to gain a lot from sparring with you

Brad: It’s been a while since I had seen it, but your power is truly an interesting one. It’s certain that you’re flexible, yet again and again you exceed my expectations by thinking outside the box.

Dino: ‘Cuz it’s the style of a wild wolf. I can use different martial arts at my disposal, but basically it’s like resorting to the senses of an animal….. such as “Don’t think, feel”?

Brad: Oscar would be envious if he were to hear that we fought each other.

Brad: He highly thinks of you as his mentor and respects you. If perhaps next time you need a sparring partner, give him a call

Dino: Ooh, that’s a good idea. I’ll do it♪

Dino: I’m telling you though, you’re the one that Oscar idolizes the most. He’d go all like “You sparred with Brad-sama!?” and get jealous, ahaha.

Brad: I also admire you.

Dino: ...Eh?

Brad: During battle it’s a given, but your friendly personality that can be open about anything to whoever, and how you’re honest and such…..

Brad: You always had what I was lacking

Dino: Uwah…. It really makes me happy to hear that coming from you….. Actually, kind of a bit embarrassing?

Brad: You said the same thing yourself earlier.

Dino: Right. How I admired you and all...

Dino: Nihi, great to see that we feel the same about each other♪ Love and peace…..☆

Dino: Guh! Kinda just noticed Keith’s staring at us suuuuuper hard now!

Dino: Let’s go give Keith some honoring too!

Brad: Hmph. If you were to ask me what’s there to admire about him, you wouldn’t get it out of me any time soon

Dino: Ahahah…. But well, Keith’s got his strong points too

Dino: Seriously, I’m glad from the bottom of my heart that we’re classmates. And that I could also come back to where you two are……..

Dino: Really, thanks for sparring with me. I had lotsa fun!

Brad: Yes….. I was able to spend my time productively too.

#heliosR #helios rising heroes #dino albani #brad beams

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toothpastecanyon · 3 years

Text

Dreams That Walk, Nightmares That Talk, Chapter 7

Ben's been visiting the Mindscape every day since he was born. Once he brought something back, and twenty years later, Marie García is still picking out the pieces.

See most updated version on Archive of Our Own.

______________________________________________________________

Another time. Marie would admit she’s never been able to choose a good moment; she’s not really sure what that even means. She’s gonna have to say it at some point, so

“Hi Marie!”

why not

“Sorry I’m late, had a… rough summons. Ready for chess?”

right now?

“I need you to go into my mind and fix whatever’s wrong with it.” Marie gets out the chessboard, hesitates, and looks up at him. “What?”

“Wh-what?” He’s staring at her like she’s grown a second head. “What do you mean?”

“Like you offered before. You can still do that, right?”

“Go into your head?” Alcor rubs his eye. “I mean, yeah, but… sorry, this is just kind of sudden. I thought you didn’t want me to-”

“I didn’t forget, I know what I said.” She snaps, and then makes a face at his flinch. “Sorry. That came out harsh, sorry.”

Quietly, Alcor takes a seat next to her. She can feel him watching her set up the pieces, can sense him waiting for her to go on. It takes a second, and then:

“Look, I… I don’t like… I don’t like admitting when I need help.” She lines up the castles. “But I think I do, and I think you’re the only one who can. Help me, that is. God knows I’ve tried getting it from anywhere else, but half the time it doesn’t work and half the time I can’t be honest without getting Ben hauled off by demonologists.”

“Sorry,” Alcor says, and she gives him a strange look.

“What do you mean-? Oh. Oh, I wasn’t talking about you, I was talking about…” Marie stops herself. She sighs. “Well… that’s why I didn’t want anyone rooting around in my head. Obviously I didn’t want you at first because I didn’t trust you, but... I don’t want anyone in my mind. I don’t want anyone rooting around in my secrets. I still don’t.”

“That’s understandable.”

“But this isn’t sustainable. Not for Ben.” She picks up the king, runs her thumb down the grain. “I’ve been going in circles my whole life, I’m used to it, but after… after Ben ended up in the hospital, I promised him I’d get help, I’d get better, I’d stop pinning everything on him, or…” She hesitates, grips him tight. “He’s the only thing that matters to me. I can’t lose him. So I have to do this.”

“Are you sure?” Alcor leans forward. “It, uh, really doesn’t sound like you want to do this. You don’t have to do this for Ben.”

“Well, if Ben ends up cutting me off, there’s not much point carrying on. So I guess that means I’m doing it for me too, right?”

Marie chuckles at that, but the look on his face tells her that didn’t come off as a joke. She clears her throat.

“No, that’s not - I was just exaggerating. Don’t worry about it.”

“Marie-”

“Look, I’m not saying I don’t want to do this. Believe you me, I’d love to fix whatever’s wrong with me too. It’s just that, well, I have a lot of things I’d rather keep to myself. I mean, I like you, but there’s things I’ve never told Ben.” She places the king, then the queen. “Or Santino.”

“Santino?”

Marie looks up sharply at that, and then lets out a dark chuckle. “Yeah,” she says, and shakes her head. “You don’t know anything about me. Maybe that’s why you seem to like hanging out with me, right?” She keeps chuckling. “And then I let you in, and you’ll know better, right.”

She trails off, and for a moment it’s all too quiet. Then there’s a sound: Alcor places a pawn. Nothing’s changed, but Marie feels something shift, like the air got a few degrees colder, the silence got a little bit more unsettling. Alcor places a pawn, and the sound is jarring.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me either.” He looks up at her with the same eyes she’s gotten used to, speaks in the same, casual tone she’s heard before, but underneath that is something… else. Something that sends a shiver down her spine. Alcor places a pawn, and she notices there’s dried blood under his claws. “Whatever you’ve done, Dr García, trust me when I say that I can’t judge.”

Marie can only nod to that. It seemed when she first met Alcor, it’d be impossible to forget what he is, but the more she gets to know him, the more… unsettling it is, to be reminded.

“Right,” She says, and clears her throat. “Well. It’s good to know that. So… will you do it?”

“Of course I will.”

“What would you like in return?”

“What I’d like?” He looks at her… and then cracks a smile. “Do you want to play this game first?”

“That’s it?”

“I mean, I just came from some demonic weirdness; I’d rather take a second before diving into the next one. If you really want to do it right now, though-”

“No, no, that’s okay. We can take a break.” She rose to her feet. “Do you want some tea? I was going to put the kettle on.”

“Oh, yeah, thank you! And-”

“Extra sugar?” She snorts as he nods. “Yeah, figured. I’ll get that going.”

“Thanks!”

“Thank you, Alcor.” Marie gives him a smile. “Thank you.

They didn’t play one game; they played several, and then ended up on the couch together watching one of Alcor’s strange pre-transcendence movies. Marie isn’t really a TV person, but she did notice how he hadn’t been joking around so much today. It seemed like he really did need the break.

(And of course she asked him on a bad day. She really couldn’t pick a moment, see?)

Even though she isn’t focused too much on the movie, she does feel pleasantly warm and sleepy; her eyes are drooping, and she sinks into the couch and lets them. The dialogue dissolves into a distant murmur, the action into a gentle glow against her eyelids. She might even have started leaning against Alcor because she feels something like fabric against her cheek, but she can’t bring herself to mind. She drifts off, drifts away…

“Do you want to do this now?”

It’s a gentle voice, almost like it’s afraid to wake her. She opens her eyes, and suddenly she’s a little surprised about how awake she feels. She sees Alcor standing in front of her, blocking the television.

“Oh, I’m ready if you are.” She frowns. “Don’t you want to finish your movie, though?”

“Eh, you already fell asleep.”

Marie blinks at that, and then looks around. Suddenly it strikes her how grey everything is, and when she looks down she feels a jolt at the sight of herself still resting on the couch.

“Wha-”

“Don’t panic!” Alcor holds his hands out. “You’ll wake yourself up. Everything’s okay.”

“Is this my mind?”

“No, no, I wouldn’t do that without your permission. This is just the Mindscape.” He gave an awkward smile. “I promise there’s a difference.”

“I… see.” Marie looked down, and saw herself floating a little ways off the ground. Her leg was clipping through the couch. “Interesting.”

“Yeah, it takes some getting used to.” He reaches out a hand. “Are you ready?”

Marie nods. “I am,” she says, and takes it. “Let’s go.”

She watches him close his eyes, and put a hand on her head. Nothing happens for a moment, then there’s the distinct, unsettling feeling of his hand sinking into her forehead-

But only for a heartbeat. Marie blinks, and now Alcor’s standing beside her, and she’s somewhere else.

Somewhere… dead.

Ash rain is all Marie can make out at first. A thick cloud of grey surrounds her, settles on her, kills any sound but for the beating of her heart. It’s hard to move through, like the air is made of syrup, and Marie imagines that staying still for too long would bury her under this, that she’d reach a point where she couldn’t move at all, couldn’t see, couldn’t scream-

“Let’s get moving.” Marie says. She looks for Alcor, and finds him waist-deep in the grey. “Alcor? Do you need help?”

He says something, but she can’t make it out. She grabs his arm and starts pulling him up.

“Come on, Alcor. We need to get to my mind.”

“This is wrong.”

“What?”

Alcor looks dazed, scared. The ash is up to his neck.

“What is it, Alcor?”

Slowly, he turns that expression on her, and she feels a shiver go up her spine.

“This… is your mind.”

“Okay. Is this not normal?”

“Not normal? There’s nothing here!” He gestures, and shreddings of her mind follow the wake. “I don’t - I don’t even know how you’re alive right now! I feel nothing here, no thoughts, no memories… n-no soul!”

That strikes a chord in Marie, but she tries to keep it contained for now. “Huh,” she strokes her chin. “But you felt souls within me. They have to be somewhere.”

She looks down at Alcor, sinking into the ash, and then at her own feet. They’re a little buried, and she can feel a… warmth, the further down she lets them go.

“Hmm.” She glances over at him again. “I think you have the right idea.”

Alcor doesn’t reply; she can only see the top of his head now, and as she watches it’s swallowed up into the sea of ash. That left her standing there, trying not to extract herself as she sinks down to her shins.

“Just do nothing. Let it happen.”

Marie stands there for a moment, staring out into the grey. With nothing to do, she can pick out vague, dark shapes; a little unsettling, and the ash feels slightly… sharper, than she first thought.

She wonders if this is a good idea, and that’s when a hand grabs her ankle. Marie jumps and kicks herself free… and finds herself right back on top of the ash. She pauses, then frowns.

“Huh. This is literally my own mind playing tricks on me.” She kicks at the ash. “Fuck you, let me through already.”

The ash is barely falling now, and she rolls her eyes.

“Great. Maybe there’s another way through.” Marie starts pacing. “Or I could ask Alcor for help… would summoning work here? I wonder where he even went.”

There was a mumbling from the ash. She looks down, and sees Alcor surface.

“Marie!” He looks relieved. “There you are! I thought I’d lost you!”

“Yeah, some mind guide you’ve been so far.”

Alcor makes a face. “Sorry. I was just… shocked.” He reaches out a hand. “Come on. You’ll want to see this.”

“Something tells me I won’t, but sure.” She takes it. “Lead o-”

He dives beneath the ash, and she manages only a gasp before- darkness. Worse than darkness: stillness. She breathes the weeks she spent wasting away in her bedroom, feels the stale air and stale thoughts scratching across her whole being. And it’s getting worse, getting hotter, getting to those nights when the air conditioner wasn’t enough and the sun was glaring down at her through the blinds and still she couldn’t even summon the energy to kick the fucking covers off of her-

Light. Blinding light. Marie stumbles forward, eyes squeezed shut, and it’s all she can do to hold onto Alcor. She can feel his arm raise up to point.

“Look.”

“A little, little warning next time, thanks…” She blinks open her eyes, and then frowns. “Okay, I’m looking. What is it?”

It is coming out of the centre of this narrow chamber. It is thin and narrow, pitted with holes like a termite mound. It has a dark, rocky hide to it, but small fissures reveal something underneath, something pink, something pulsating, something alive. She looks to Alcor, and sees he’s gone sheet white.

“What is it?”

“It’s…” He takes a step closer. “You. Your mind. Your soul. Everything that you are.”

“Okay. How do we fix it?”

“Wh- Marie, I-” He runs a hand through his hair. “I’ve been asked to heal souls before, but this is…” Another step closer, and he’s eye to eye with its peak. “I’ve never had so little to work with.”

“Well, you’ve still got something to work with. What’s the first step?” She rolls her eyes at his bewildered expression. “Come on, Alcor. Walk me through how you’d usually treat something like this.” A pause. “Well?”

“I’m sorry, I just…” His voice is faint. “No wonder I can barely feel your aura. I don’t know how you’re talking to me right now, I- Ow, you pinched me!”

Marie draws her hand back. “Okay, the first step is to stop panicking. Now that you’ve done that, can you tell me what you do next?”

“I, uh…” He tries to gesture to the mound. “Well, usually I’d step inside their mind to figure out what’s wrong, but-”

“Okay. Is that possible?”

Alcor pauses. “I guess… size is a lot less defined in the mind.”

“It’s worth a shot, then.”

“Yeah. Yeah!” He moves towards the mound, and shoots her a grin. “You’re good at this!”

“At not panicking? It’s half my job.” She nudges him forwards. “Let’s go.”

Alcor nods, and then lifts up his foot. He’s taller than the mound, but he steps his leg into it and seems to fit into one of the tiny holes. He offers his hand to Marie, and she takes it.

“Ready?” He says, and she nods. “Alright. This is it.”

He leans down, and Marie feels the world shrink around her as she’s led into the hole. She looks behind her, and there’s no opening where they came through. Before them, though…

“Huh.” She raises her eyebrow. “It’s the old hospital I used to work at.”

And it is… mostly. It’s the same mint green hallways she’d worked in for years, but there’s definitely something off about it. There’s no sound. The lights are dimmer. When she tries to read the room numbers, the words shift and twist and refuse to make sense. Stranger still, there’s something long and thin and red nestled against the baseboard, trailing into the darkness.

“Doesn’t look so bad.” Marie turns to Alcor. “What do we do from here?”

He looks uncomfortable. “Marie…”

“What?”

“It’s… I just…” He hesitates, and then shakes his head. “I’ll ask you later. What did you say?”

“Where do we go from here?”

“We, uh… well, we find where the extra souls are.”

“I see.” She eyes the blood vessel as it gently pulsates. Cracks have formed around where it’s dug itself in. “Anything we should be cautious of?”

“Doors are common mental representations of memories.” He makes a face. “Probably shouldn’t go around opening them, if we can help it. Or anything else that looks... significant.”

“No, we shouldn’t.” She takes a step forward, and then motions for him. “Come on.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.”

They walk forwards, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. There’s far more crossroads here than there are in the real hospital, Marie notices; it feels like every five steps they come across another path, and, for lack of a good reason to turn, they go straight every time. As they continue, she can pick up a faint hum… or a beep.

Beep, beep, beep.

beep, beep, beep.

one two three.

The blood vessel in the corner branches off at the next intersection; they look like they’re going in all directions at first, but she blinks and-

right right right

The right path. The only path. It’s covered from floor to ceiling in hot wet viscera, and she feels her heart skip a beat.

right right right rightleftright RIGHTRIGHTRIGHT

“I guess we know where we’re going, huh?” She can distantly hear Alcor’s nervous chuckle. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” Marie takes a step forward with her right foot. “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

Make it right. Now that she hears the beeping it’s deafening; now that she notices the right path, it compels her to go that way every time. They take three more rights, and she can start to feel Alcor’s worried eyes on the back of her head like she doesn’t know that she’s just leading them in circles now. She’s not an idiot.

Another intersection comes up, and she eyes the path straight ahead. She’s not an idiot.

(shes-(shes-

She steps forward, and suddenly the beeping is screaming, the ground is shaking, the walls are pressing in around them. She can hear Alcor shout something as her feet give way beneath her and she’s falling, falling, falling…

“Hey.”

Marie feels a hand on her arm. She recoils.

“Are you okay, mi cielito?”

“I…” She stares at the kettle she’s reboiled five times now. “I don’t know. I don’t know.”

“Okay.”

“I look like an idiot, don’t I.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do. Of course I do, I-”

“I’ve never thought that once.” She can feel him standing next to him, thinking. “Is there anything I can help with, today?”

“I… I don’t know.” A chuckle. “You could boil this for me over and over again, heh… no.”

“I can’t help you do that to yourself.”

“I know.”

A pause. Marie blinks, and looks at her hand. It’s smooth, devoid of wrinkles.

“How about if you go to the living room, and I make you some tea?”

“Santino?” She watches his eyes disconnect from her, wave at where she once shuffled around the corner. She backs away. “This isn’t real, this is - memory. I need to get out of here.”

“Is there anything I can help with, today?”

That came from Santino. Her head whips up, and he’s picking out a mug. No one else is in the room.

“What?” She steps closer. “Santino?”

A heartbeat later, she feels something grab the back of her scrubs and pull. She stumbles back into the hospital, and Alcor breathes a sigh of relief.

“I found you!” He laughs nervously. “Again. Are you okay? Everything kind of broke apart for a second there.”

Marie nods. “I’m… okay. I-“

“Oh, whoa.”

She watches his eyes go wide. “What?” She asks, and follows his gaze to…

The doorway. Or doorways - it looks like it’s duplicated inside of itself, and the frame’s taken on a W-shape. Right in the centre, fitted like a keystone, is something small, something glowing, something that makes her heart skip a beat.

“A soul,” she breathes. Through the doorway, she can see Santino taking a mug of tea into the living room. “What happens now? Alcor?”

Alcor steps forward, and with one hand he reaches up to the soul. She can see him frown, and then before she can speak again he steps back and tries to yank it out; a pain shoots through her temple at that, and her blood runs cold.

“St- stop! Stop!” She pushes his arm. “You’re gonna break me, stop!”

“Marie!” There’s hands on her shoulders. “I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”

“I’ll be… fine.” She rubs her head. “As long as you don’t start yanking parts of me out again. What was that for?”

Alcor makes a face. “I’m sorry. I thought it’d work - souls don’t exactly like being in close proximity to each other.” He sighed. “I’ve never… I’ve never seen this. I don’t know how it got integrated into your mind, but you’re right. It’s not going to come out easy.”

Marie stares at the soul. She reaches up, touches it, feels along the edges. There’s a definite seam there, but it’s thin.

“Huh. I wonder…” She looks over at him. “Scalpel.”

“What?”

“Hand me a scalpel.”

He raises an eyebrow, but he digs in his pocket and draws one out. Marie positions herself over the soul, and gently traces the blade along the edge. When nothing breaks, she slides it in a little deeper, and feels the soul loosen.

“Forceps.”

“Huh?”

“Forceps?” Marie looks down at him. “Oh, just hand me some tweezers or something, I don’t want to drop this.”

She feels him slip a pair into her hand, and she gently holds the soul in place while she runs the scalpel down the other edges. It’s very, very loose when she’s done - just the slightest tug, and it comes away.

The soul is gently glowing between her forceps. The door before her shifts in her absence, straightens into a regular doorway. She looks at the memory, and it’s from her point of view, in the living room. She looks up at a gentle knock, smiles as Santino comes through with a cup of tea.

She looks down at the soul cupped in her hands. It’s warm, and she feels a tap on her shoulder.

“You did it.” Alcor smiles. “Give it to me.”

“What are you going to do with him?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt it. I just want to release it back into the cycle.” His smile shrinks a little. “It’s where it wants to go.”

Marie hesitates, but she can feel a sort of restlessness to the soul; little arms of light are trying to worm their way through her fingers. She holds him out, gently places him into Alcor’s hands, and watches him blow on the soul. He fades away, leaving nothing behind.

“There.” Alcor dusts off his hands. “It’s at peace now. When there’s enough of it back in the cycle, it can reincarnate into someone new.”

“I see,” she says, quietly. She stares at his hands a moment longer… and then tears her eyes away.

Turns to look at the hallway of embedded souls stretched out endlessly before them, glittering like the night sky.

“I see.” She says. “I have a lot of work to do.”

“Marie-” There’s something in Alcor’s tone that makes her glance at him. He won’t look her in the eyes. “I… uh… listen, I don’t want to pry, but…”

“You want to know how this happened, don’t you.”

“I just - I’m sorry I was… less prepared for this, than I made myself out to be.” He stared at the hallway of souls. “Truthfully, I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t want to make you feel weird, like saying you should be dead or something, but- you should be dead. I’ve only seen damage like this in ancient ghosts and - I don’t know, souls I’m halfway through eating.”

He barks a laugh. It isn’t a funny sound.

“So I guess I can’t lie, I wanna know what happened. If you want to tell me.” He blinked. “And I mean, if you even know. Do you?”

Marie pauses, and gives a grim smile. “Oh, of course I know what happened.” Her eyes trail back to the door, to Santino sitting with her on the couch. Her expression darkens.

“The time I killed my husband. I could never forget.”

#transcendence au #Ben Can't Sleep #Ben #marie #toothwrites

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knight-queen · 4 years

Text

𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐤 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐘𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐌𝐮𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 – (𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭)

[Chapter O2] [Chapter O3] [Chapter O4] [Final]

Main CG used in this Route -

—

Yui: (I must have to get back my heart….!)

Place: 山中 / Mountain / Yamanaka

Yui: (I must have to get back my heart….!)

Yuma: From now on, we gotta solve this problem, huh?

Yui: Sorry...Yuma kun.

Yuma: Haa? Why are ya’ saying that? The person called Earl or whatever, it’s all his fault, right!?

Don’t make such a annoyin’ face! C’mmon! La-u-gh?

*Yuma gets closer*

Yui: Ouch...I-it hurts…!

(I think he puts all his strength into stressing my face.)

Yuma: Hee? That face was also good...ha-haha!

Yui: Laughing like this….it’s not fair!

*Yuma backs off*

Yui: (By the way, what should we do from now on)

(I think I saw something in the dream...Maybe I can figure out something if I think about that.)

Yuma: ……..*Sighs*

Yui: (Why is he looking at me putting on such a scary face…?)

Yuma: Making such a stupid face for a while, I am saying that everything’s gonna be fine! HUH?

Yui: You are wrong...It’s not something like that…

Yuma: I am saying it, which means I am correct!

Yuma: Haa...Looks like I have to make you understand it thoroughly….haa!!

*Yuma hugs Yui*

Yui: Kyaa!

(He’s hugging me out of nowhere…!?)

Yuma: Don’t be so dumb. It doesn’t matter where we go so, hold onto me tightly!

Yui: Eh?! Gh! Kyaaaa!!

*They are flying*

*Sound of Wind*

*Screen black / Yui closes her eyes*

Yui: (This feeling...Could it be that we are…!)

*Opens her eyes / screen comes back*

Yui: (Flying…?)

(We’re just going up and up! At this rate, it looks like we will reach the Moon...!)

Yuma: Kuku! Make sure that you hold me tightly!

Yui: You have suddenly started to fly! I was scared, y’know?

Yuma: Even if I wouldn’t fly suddenly, you would be scared to fly anyway.

Yui: That’s true though…

Yuma: So? Can’t you think of anything other than scaring?

Yui: Eh?

Yuma: For example, shooting stars or the lights of the parade venue. What about those?

Yui: Yes, they are beautiful…

(I am seeing colorful lights far below...ah, there is an amusement park over there. That wagon is selling something, I think?)

(That was the parade venue from the earlier, right? It’s very lively and pretty.)

Yuma: No-w, where shall we get started? What ‘bout starting from attractive places all the way through?

Yui: Eh?

Yuma: Ruki said it, right? Earl Walter can be anywhere that we don’t even know.

If that’s so, that we should use our feet for searching without thinking about anything!

I think it’s best to ask people here about this world. There may be other information out there ‘bout being stolen of your heart.

((A quick reminder that Yuma is extremely rude, and I am trying my best to translate in his type language. But he is always RUDE! He is not formal at all))

Yui: (Definitely…)

Yuma: That’s why, let’s play & have fun while collecting the information!!

Ah! That amusement park will be a perfect place! We are gonna’ ride every single one!

Yui: Y-yeah…

(Looks like his main intention is to have fun rather than searching for information.)

(I also want us to have fun together, but…)

Ne~ Yuma Kun.

Yuma: Aah?

Yui: If I don’t get back my heart...I will end up dying, right.

It would also work if I don’t have this body...but that’s…

(It’s difficult to have fun while holding these feelings.)

Yuma: Oi, haven’t you noticed anything. I am not planning to have fun around by throwing out your main problems.

Yui: Eh?

Yuma: Tch! You are very poor at guessing!

I haven’t gotten any other choice but to yield, I guess?

It’s obvious to get depressed at the same time, but even if we don’t have fun, you’re gonn’ be anxious anyway.

That’s why I’m sayin’ that I am gonna make your face unconcerned just like I have!

Yui: (Yuma Kun is...thinking about me.) *Blushing*

(Yet, I was just concerned about me.)

I am really sorry...I wasn’t planning to doubt you or something…

I was just feeling washed away...I didn’t even watch my own words...as a result I ended up being teased by you

Yuma: Exactly.

Yui: (I was so depressed lately. I haven't fixed it. First of all, let’s keep in mind that I have to make myself cheerful.)

(Alright, beware of your smile...)

Yui: Yuma Kun! Can I company you?

Yuma: ….!?...

Yui: Yuma Kun?

Yuma: You, making such a face….damn! Don’t say cute things! *Blushing*

Yui: Eh? Ah…!

*Yuma undresses Yui*

Yui: (He embraced me, he’s digging fangs in my neck….!)

Yuma: Don’t think that I’ll stop if you say ‘sorry.’ Give me a thank you using your feelings.

If I bite ‘ere, then those vampires won’t bother me.

Yui: (Could it be that, he was planning to fly for this….from the beginning…!)

Yuma: At first, I’ll do it from here….nh…*Licks*

Yui: Don’t…! *Blushing*

Yuma: Your makin’ such a face before I even dig my fangs. Don’t you still have some hope…!! (( He has used 期待 -> means hope or expectation.))

Yui: Please...don’t…!

*Sound of shooting magic*

Yuma: Hm? I have heard somethin’...HAAA!?

Yui: Eh?

(A black object is approaching this way!)

*Another sound*

Yui: (What a speed...we are going to collide!)

Yuma: A meteorite!? Why is coming straight towards us! Tch, as this rate —

*Another sound*

Yui: (We’ll get hit…!)

Yuma: Can y’ easily bum ito us...Aaaa!!

*Yuma aparts from Yui*

Yui: Ah!

(I am separated from Yuma Kun…!?)

Yuma: Yui!!

Yui: Kyaaa!

*Sounds of wind*

Yuma: *Unclear Voice* Ugh! Extend your hand!

Yui: …!

(Can’t, my hand can’t reach him…!)

Yuma: Guh!...Damn! You’ll…!

Yui: (I will?...Die...I thought it’s gonna be positive with me….but)

*Screen black / closes her eyes*

(I am sorry Yuma Kun)

Yui: …..nh?

(—What...This touch...it is very soft….and sweet smell.)

Yuma: No good, I can’t control this speed!!!

UWAAAAAAA— —!!!!!!??

Yui: Nh!? Yuma kun!

Yuma: Ugh...what’s this...it’s hurting and...ugh…

Oi, can you move?

Yui: It’s… kinda impossible….

Yuma: Haa? What should I do then?

So, where’re we? I’know it's a parade venue, but...I can’t see anything like that.

Yui: You are right….

(It's a very noticeable place…)

Clown D: Haa...I was going to finish up today’s work. Are you guys substituting my candles or what?

Yui: Candles? Umm...what you mean —

Clown D: Oh my, oh my. You guys are festiving too much in the name of parade~

Yuma: Isn't it weird to hear something like this from a clown?

Clown D: It’s not weird~good grief! You are really a hopeless couple. Here, I will help you, gimme your hand.

Yuma: Yea, counting on ya’.

Yui: Thank you so much…

Place: サントノレパーク通り / Saint Honoré Park Street

Yuma: Ha— we had face somethin’ awful!

Yui: (I am glad that everything was okay, but...)

(No way, it’s more likely to break a giant cake of the parade celebration.)

We are really really sorry.

Clown D: A—….It’s okay, it’s okay! I’d like to say...nope, I give up~

I will make it over again. Even though I’ve made the cake with great efforts, y’know~!

Yuma: Haa? It was you who cooked, huh? You have a great taste!

Clown D: Eh, Really!! Even though it’s not true, that makes me so happy!! But, A—aah~

Yui: (He’s feeling so down. I am sure that he was preparing that taking a long time…)

(A lot of people will be gathering here. If we don’t cooperate, he may not be able to finish making such a big cake….)

Umm…

Clown D: Hm? What is it?

Yui: I don’t know whether you’ll be able to make a gorgeous cake or not, but, we will compensate for you!

Yuma: Haaa—?

Yui: Because, it was all our fault after all. We must have to do something.

Yuma: I’know what you mean... but how can we compensate somethin’ like this?

Yui: That’s—…

(There should be a way…)

...Sorry, I can’t think of it right away.

Yuma: Anyway, my whole body is sticky and sticky for the cream, it’s unpleasant.

Sorry but I'm someone who’ll get tension for this, right?

Since it’s a parade, I am looking like a display object or something like that….Let’s go for the bath right away.

Clown D: Saying this means you’re planning NOT to come back, right~?

Yuma: Well, if I would be the only then I wouldn’t come back. But, if I do so, this good-person won’t forgive me.

Yui: Listen...Of course we will come back! We will absolutely pay back your debt, so please trust us!!

Clown D: Let’s see...— Um...I don’t have faith in this big brother, but I can trust this big sister!

Yuma: Aaa—? Tch!

Yui: Thanks a lot! By the way, would you mind telling us where we can have a shower….?

Clown D: I’ll lead you to a familiar hotel. If you like then, I may give you the tickets!

Yui: Eh, is that okay…?

Yuma: Is that ‘cuz there’s an acquaintance there and you keep an eye on us so that we won’t run away?

Clown D: Listen—…!

Yui: (But that way, we also can proof that we keep our promise, right?)

Yui: I got your point. Of Course we’ll come back. We were really sorry.

Clown D: Well—That wasn’t my intention. First, I will say that, don’t be slow~

Yuma: Got it. Let’s go then.

Yui: Yeah.

Place: ホテル・モーントシュタインバスルーム / Bathroom of Mortstein Hotel

*Without dress*

Yui: (Phew….)

(Nevertheless, we completely spoiled the cake…)

(I did something like this in a dream when I was a kid. I think I wasn’t happy at all for doing that...)

(Anyway, it’s Yuma Kun’s turn now)

*Turns off the shower*

*Puts on dresses*

Yui: (Okay, all I have to do is to just fix my fair. Shall I call him out?)

Yuma Kun, thank you for waiting. I am coming out, just a little, okay?

*Yuma opens the door*

Yui: Wah?

Yuma: I’m tired of waiting — Haa! How annoyin’. These clothes’re stuck with me.

gh...ugh...—I still can’t take these off...guh… *trying to take off*

*He takes off his clothes*

Yui: —! Kyaa!

Yuma: Aa? Shut up, why screaming, huh?

Yui: *Blushing* Wa-wait! Let me move backwards!!

Yuma: Why are y’ being damn noisy. Y’can move anywhere so be quiet!

*Yuma turns on the shower*

Yui: Uuh— I wiped my hair perfectly... I must get out…!

Yuma: ...Nh...What the hell is this, such a sticky! ...—Oi!

I can’t remove dirt from my hair, you gotta help me!

Yui: Eeh! But…

Yuma: I wrap a towel ‘cuz you’re such a noise! Hurry up and help!

Yui: (If it’s so...then I may lay him a hand.) *Blushing*

(To tell the truth, he had fallen down in the cake to protect me, right?)

*Turns into CG*

Yuma: —Ah...by the way, wash more gently there, and also the right side…

Yui: *Nod*

(Uu—It’s embarrassing….I must not look at him….)

Yuma: ...—What it could be that was hittin’ us during flyin’ in the sky.

Is that a meteorite?

Yui: May be...A—

Yuma: Uwa—Oi! Are you blind or what? Watch carefully!

Yui: Ah! Sorry!

Yuma: Whatta pain! Are you embarrassed for that! Usually, you used to be more close to me, right!

Just—like this!

*CG turns where Yuma’s sucking*

Yui: Kyaa!!

Yuma: It reminds me that I couldn’t suck during flying...kuku~ I’m gonn’ get it back!

….—Nh…..hn…*sucking*

Yui: Ah…

(His fangs are digged deeper….!)

Yuma: Kuku...Such a good face. Lemme taste it more.

Nh—...ha...nh…

Yui: (No...I am losing my strength…)

Yuma: Like always….your are having a sloppy face….hah….lean on me.

Yui: Ah...—Yuma kun,....I can’t—

(Even though I was done with bathing….I am feeling dizzy.)

Yuma: What now? Do you want me to suck from here? I’ll do it.

Haha, dropping tears...all I see is that you just want me to continue.

Raise your face…

Yui: Uh—…

(If he still continues….I will lose consciousness…)

Yuma: Nh…*Kiss*

Yui: (Lips...he didn’t...bite?...)

nh...Yuma Kun…?

Yuma: I am glad that you didn’t die…

Yui: Eh…?

Yuma: It’s nothing. C’mmon give me more. These blood’re just coming out. I won’t waste it.

Until I am satisfied...I won’t let y’ go...nh...nh...mn..

Yui: (Enough already...at this rate…!)

Stop...we have to go back to the plaza. We promised to Clown San…!

Yuma: Aaa?

Yui: (If he still continues sucking, we can’t keep our promise. I can’t allow something like that...!)

*Yui moved back*

Yuma: Aah? Wait!

Place: ホテル・モーントシュタイン客室 / Guest Room of Mortstein Hotel

Yui: (I’m sorry for Yuma Kun, but it’s good that I managed to escape somehow. I must go back to that place, as soon as I can!)

Yuma: ….Oi! What’re you actually planning to do somethn’ for that big cake?

Yui: It’s obvious! It was your fault....If you wouldn’t fly then, we won’t have deal with something like this.)

Yuma: Aaa? It was those meteorites’ fault! You were expecting my fangs, didn’t you?

Yui: I didn’t! By the way, let’s go back to that place.

Yuma: Even if you say that. You’ve almost forgotten your most important work.

Yui: Eh?

Yuma: To remake such a big cake, how can you buy such an amount of time?

If you do it, then we may lose your heart!

Yui: Ah…

Yuma: Your face’s telling that you’ve completely forgotten...hah, as I thought, you should just lie ‘bout it.

Yui: *Nod* I can’t. When I imagine people’s sad faces out there, I just can’t do something like that.

(If we escape away, then I am sure that we’ll regret it later. More than that, I don’t want others to be disappointed.)

Yuma: Well, it’s true that I also did something horrible.

Yui: Please Yuma Kun, let’s go there together?

Yuma: It can't be helped. Then hurry up and finish making that cake.

Yui: Really?

Yuma: I can’t hear if you’re sayin’ something. ….That kind of attitude of you still hasn’t washed away, this stubbornness.

Yui: Not really. It’s very normal.

Yuma: No, you are not normal. Hehe, you easily get swept away by the things that make you feel good.

Yui: —No, you are wrong!

Yuma: Hehe, you are red all the way to the neck.

Yui: (—! There are many things to say, but...it’s good that he accepted my favour.)

Place: サントノレパーク通り / Saint Honoré Park Street

Yui: (There’s a lot of traffic. People walking in the road also disguised themselves to have fun.)

Yuma: Oi...Don’t get lost from me.

Yui: Yes, Ne~ Yuma Kun. Did you remember about the carnival that we visited before?

Yuma: Huh? Very strange situation. It also remembered that. ...However, the situation right now is completely different from that.

Yui: Eh?

Yuma: At that time, it was a problem when those vampires got addicted to your blood, right?

Yui: If it’s so, then it’s completely different now.

(A human like me....no one is noticing me, even if I walk around them...It was a little mystery…)

Yuma: Perhaps….since your heartś replaced with a stone.

Yui: (I see...Earl has replaced my heart with a gem. For this, they are thinking that I am not a human, may be itś the reason for that…)

Ne, did the taste of my blood change?

Yuma: Haa...you’re looking so serious. Are you worrying ´bout it?

Yui: Huh?

Yuma: You said that you won´t feel comfortable like in the past, kukuh! Are you disappointed?

Yui: Itś not something like that…!

Yuma: Aah? It’s a bull’s eye y’know? But, don´t be worried. I don’t care ´bout taste or something like that.

For me, to make you feel better is more important than suking your blood after all, kukuh

Yui: Enough-...!

*Blushing* (Saying something like that...may me that’s a part of his kindness…)

(As I thought, I have to get back the heart as soon as possible.)

*After a while*

Yui: Ah, Clown San!

Clown D: Oh, you two huh~ Good to see that you come back after all~

Yuma: That was obvious. So? Did you make that cake?

Clown D: No way! I am just a clown out here, so I can´t make something like that~

Yui: You made it then?

Clown D: It’s a sweet shop-keeper~!

Yuma: What about getting that guy to make the cake over again?

Yui: Yuma Kun, it’s not fair to say something like this.

Yuma: Aah? But it's impossible to make it for an ordinary person, right?

Yui: That’s true, but…

Clown D: At first, go there and tell that ¨ I am sorry.¨ Spoiling such a huge cake, I can´t say something from my position, yḱnow~

Yui: Okay, we are going to apologize.

Yuma: Letś make it.

Clown D: I don't know whether it goes that easily, but good luck~!

Place: ザフィーア菓子店 / The fear confectionery shop

Yui: (Waah! The sweets are lined up! How cute…!

(There’s also something called eat-in.)

Yuma: Oi! We haven't come here to eat sweets or something!

Yui: Umm...excuse me. I have heard that hereś the person who had made a giant cake in the plaza.

‘The fear’ store’s manager: Aah! That was my self-confidence work! That was a very splendid cake, right?

Yui: Aah...yes…

(Uuh, itś hard to cut out this topic…)

Yuma: Yup, that was tasty. The sweetness level was perfect.

‘The fear’ store’s manager: Aah, I am so glad to hear that! Come to think of it, who are you? How do you know the taste of that cake?

Yuma: Haa? By eating, ofcourse.

‘The fear’ store’s manager: Eeeeh!!??

Yui: That’s...many things happened and as a result, we broke that cake. We are really sorry!

‘The fear’ store’s manager: Wawawa - What did you just say!? You broke that cake! That cake was specially made for the parade!

Do-do-do...Do you even know how much materials and time I had to spenk for that!!!! I won´t easily...forgive you!!

Yuma: Shouting like this, itś useless now to get angry for that.

‘The fear’ store’s manager: What’s up with that attitude! You have broken my masterpiece cake...how terrible...uuuh!!

*The manager collapsed*

The fear confectionary assistant: Manager! Please hold on!!

Yui: Manager!?

The fear confectionary assistant: Haah...first of all, I will listen to your conversation. Please continue if from the very first.

Place: ザフィーア菓子店厨房 / The fear confectionery shop, kitchen

Yui: (Waah! The smell is very sweet. Thereŕe a lot of designers here! Everyone looks so busy…)

The fear confectionary assistant: Until recently, every members were just focusing on making a huge cake.

fear confectionery assistant: It has such a big size, so itś very didfficult to to arrange the materials, to bake and even to decorate…

This is why...when the cake was done, we were so happy that we held our hands in hands together.

Yui: Is that so...umm...we are really sorry.

Yuma: ….But, the paradeś is still continuing, right? That open place won look good if thereś no cake out there.

The fear confectionary assistant: We are getting so much advertisement from our customers...I want to do something.

Yuma: So, let’s start making the cake. Looks like a lot of workers are here. I am somehow excited.

Yui: Um..we will also help you out since we will pay your debt!

The fear confectionary assistant: Before the manager gives us the permission, I can make sure that we will be able to gather necessary ingredients.

Yuma: Haa? Are y'all gonn´ use rare ingredients or something?

The fear confectionary assistant: It’s not like that. We are in the middle of the parade, so sugars won´t be available everywhere, and it will be harder to get.

When the sugar of our shop was out of stock, we were about to close the shop…

Yui: That’s…

The fear confectionary assistant: Did you notice that there are so many street halls, itś very unusual. There are so many…

Yuma: Well, I don´t get it well, but there's no other problem if you get the sugars, right?

The fear confectionary assistant: Yes...Flour, eggs and raw cream are still affordable.

Yui: (Sugar...I have no idea how much sugar we should get, but...we can´t give up.

We will manage the sugar but please make that big cake one more time!

Yuma: Haaa….

Yui: Please!

The fear confectionary assistant: Understood...I will pass your words to the manager. I am also requesting you to get the sugar.

Yui: Yes!!

Place: グリンマーストリート表通り/ Glimmer Street, Main street

Yui: (Even though she told me the amount of sugar I have to get...but I didn’t imagine that they’re gonna need such a huge amount…)

Yuma: *Sighs* … … …

Yui: (He is being irritated for searching. Of Course the necessary amount of sugar is something to be shocked.)

Yuma: You! Y’re a completely stupid! Lastly ending up asking the necessary amount of sugar...what have you done, haa!?

Yui: Anyway, I want us to try out searchi individually where sugar is available

Yuma: Haa? If we search individually, then the parade is gonn’ be over! Let’s steal those from somewhere!

Yui: We can’t steal! We have to explain our situation and ask others!

Yuma: Damn! Y’ come up with such a lame idea!

Yui: I am sorry...

Yuma: We gotta finish up dealing with this. So? Where should we get started?

Yui: (Where should I say...)

SELECTION ー

Sugar House (Correct +)

Sugar making factory

Yui: What about Sugar House? Since it’s right over there, I am pretty much sure that there’s a lot of sugar stocked.

Yuma: Hehe, it sounds like a simple step.

But, those are very rare...don’t you think it will be a waste to ask them mashed sugars as they put such an effort?

Yui: You are right...maybe we should try going there...they will probably gonna distribute the unmashed sugars…

Yuma: Well, there may be restricted sugar which’s specially produced for parade. ‘Kay, let’s go!

Yui: Mhm

Place: グリンマーストリート表通りワゴン前 / Glimmer Main Street Wagon Street

Yui: (Phew...they didn’t understand our excuses pretty well, but they distributed sugars to us one by one.)

(People of this demon world are unexpectedly nice with me...may be because my heart is now a gem.)

(More importantly, Yuma Kun also helped me out...I also gotta do my best!)

Yuma: What’ are ya’ barging about, Sow? Watching me sweating while pulling the rear car, it’s funny to see, haa?

Yui: Y-you are wrong! I was about to thank you…

Looks like we are about to gather our target amount of sugar. Umm...next up isー

*Something sounds like wheel blusted*

Yui: (Hm? What’s this sound…)

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Aaah, that’s weird. I heard that it will get fixed by hitting, but I am not sure it will end up working or not…

Yui: “Cotton Candy”...I didn’t assume that there are such stores in the parade.

Yuma: This trouble...looks like I’m not the only one who’s experienced it.

Yui: Mhm…

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Oh, customers? I am really sorry for this...I am going to repair it right now.

Yui: Not really...Are you fine with it. We can help if you would like to.

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Oh, really? Thank you!

I heard how to fix it when I got this machine...but it’s making me scared now…

Yuma: Ah….As I thought, I know how to fix that.

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Eh!? Is that so? Can you help me out, brother?

Yuma: Kuku~ Leave it to me ….Haah!!

*Yuma hitted the Machine*

*A huge sound of being damaged*

Yui: (This sound...could it be…!)

(Oh no...cotton candies just bounced and popped out from there…!)

Yuma: Ugh...Oi! Pick those up before more of those come out!

Yui: On it!

(He got such strength....anyway, let’s pick these up as much as possible!)

*After a they are done with picking candies*

*Repairing sound*

Yui: ….Hah..ha...Yuma Kun...I have reached my limit…!

Yuma: Tch! Get fixed already!!

*Yuma hitted machine more time*

Yui: Ah...looks like we did….

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Oh, looks like we’re done with repairing...Thank you so much!

Yuma: Np, I just hitted, that was all. Is that ‘kay?

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Fufu~ It was a great help. Take my cotton candies as a gift.

Yuma: That’s fine though, but if possible, we would like to have sugars.

Yui: For many reasons, we must have to gather some sugars...Please, can you accept this request?

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: But...due to this circumstance, if I finish up using my extra sugars, then it will get tough to recover the crisis...

Yuma: Oi! Who do you think you get rescued from this circumstance? If you’re grateful, then give those!!

Yui: Yuma Kun, dont! We are so sorry for being rude.

Yuma: You!

Yui: I didn’t really intend to help for getting thanks or something. It was just about hitting afterall.

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: I’m really sorry…

Yuma: ...ugh...Let’s go.

Yui: (It’s good that I convinced him. Now, let’s regain our mind, and go for the next step.)

Place: ザフィーア菓子店厨房 / The fear confectionery shop, kitchen

Yui: (After all...we couldn’t gather the perfect amount..)

(But, we must do something...I should try out by requesting them)

‘The fear’ shop’s manager: I refuse!! I won’t make the cake unless I get the necessary amount of sugar, I told you, didn’t I?!!

Yuma: THIS - IS- WHY Make something using these, even though a small one!

The fear shop’s manager: No-no-n-n-n-o-! Stop speaking cocky despite being a lay, ‘cuz it’s just… The things can’t be done, means can’t be done!

Yui: Calm down Yuma Kun...But we still managed some sugars, right? Can’t you even barely make one?

The fear confectionary assistant: I know your feelings, but it’s still not quite yet.

Yui: But somehow…

*Someone Opens the Door*

‘The fear’ shop’s manager: Who’s there? Getting into the kitchen without my permission? What does that mean!

???: Oh, I thought there's a crisis of sugar in this shop...I get some sugar for you. Aah! It’s you guys.

Yui: Eh!? Why are you here…

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: That’s to you that, my shop improved a lot! You were really a great help.

I announced to all the stallholders in the acquaintance for sugar and fortunately, I managed to get some...Here you go.

Yuma: Haa? This is too much! You can use it for cotton candy or yourself!

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: I also thought about that for a while...Somehow I remembered that you guys were working so hard.

Yui: Really, thank you! How can I thank you? I don’t think I will be able to do anything for you…

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: It’s fine! You said earlier, right? “ We’re not helping to receive thanks.” Those feelings of you made me happy.

Yui: (Ah…!)

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Fufu~ Seeing this kind woman to smile...I am so glad to see it.

*Yui blushes*

Yuma: ...Earlier...That was my bad.

Cotton Candy Shopkeeper: Nope. By this, your problem has been solved, right?

‘The fear’ shop’s manager: Since, the perfect amount of sugar is collected, then we got no other choices but to make one.

Yui: This means…!

The fear confectionary assistant: Fufu~ Looks like we'll be busy for a while. Now, it’s time for the workers to get started. You guys, feel free to have some rest.

Place: ホテル・モーントシュタイン客室 / Guest Room of Mortstein Hotel