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081314 · 2 months

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Book 7: The Ruler of the Abyss – Chapter 7 (Part 1)

Following is part 1 of my translation of Chapter 7 of Book 7: The Ruler of the Abyss. This part contains Episode 7-101 to 7-106

Main storyline spoilers after the cut.

Episode 7-101

Silver: Y-You’re…!

Idia: Can’t start a boss raid without a tank, and now we’re all set to go. The opening act’s DONEZO. Time for the main event! Heehee!

Sebek: J-Just what on earth is going on here!? Have we awakened from the dream?

Idia: Nah, we're still in the dream, sorry. Well, it's not really a dream. It's just a magic domain that Malleus-Shi created. I mean, just look at that armor you're wearing, dude. No way you can take that into the real world with you. 'Cause it's not really real, it's just, like, "info".

Silver: W-Wait, how do you know all this? Do you remember what happened before we fell asleep?

Idia: Uhh, it's not that I remembered everything. It's just I got a good handle on what's going on, I guess you could say.

Yuu: What do you mean?

Idia: H-Hold your horses, I'll explain later. But first… uhmm.. Ahh… I haven't really ever talked to you guys, right? Name's Idia Shroud, I'm the dormwarden over at Ignihyde.

Sebek: Ah, that's it! I was wondering why you seemed so familiar. Now I remember, you are indeed Ignihyde's warden! You appeared in that strange, plank-like form at my orientation, and I dare say this is the first time we've ever properly met.

Idia: R-Right. I just remoted into your guys' orientation on my tablet.

Sebek: And I am Sebek Zigvolt of Diasomnia! A first year of Class D, student number 33! This dullard here is my dormmate, Silver! He is a second year!

Idia: G-geez he sounds like a friggin' air horn!! Feels like my eardrums are about to explode. Hard to believe Malleus-shi's ears aren't totally busted from having to listen to that all the time...

Silver: My apologies, Idia Senpai. We'll try to keep it down. Anyways, I don't think you have to worry about your eardrums, since we're inside a dream and all, but… Ah, that's right! Everyone, stay alert!! Idia Senpai, Grim, Yuu, get behind us!

Idia: Wait, wot? Why? AUGH! Ow ow ow! I'm getting squeezed to death in a meathead-and-armor sandwich!!

Grim: Huh? What's goin' on, Silver?

Silver: Now that Idia Senpai's awake, it's only a matter of time before the Darkness appears and tries to lull him into a deeper sleep.

Grim: Crap, yer right! An' ya know what else… I bet Malleus is gonna pop up any second now and go into his stupid "HaVe yOu aWaKeNeD!?" spiel!

Sebek: The Darkness aside, I fear without Sir Lilia's aide our odds against Lord Malleus are… Nay, that matters not! Be it the Darkness or the Young Lord, we shall defeat whatever stands in our path!

Idia: Ohmigod I'm gonna die… I can't… breathe…!

???: So sorry to rain on your guys' parade, but… There's no need to worry about Malleus Draconia-san or that wiggly black stuff right now. It's likely Malleus-san is currently engaged with pouring his "resources" into keeping Lilia Vanrouge-san asleep.

Grim: Hey, that sounds like Ortho! Boy am I glad you're here, I thought we mighta lost ya back in the dream corridor. Where are you, anyway?

Ortho: Teehee, sorry for all the worry. Unfortunately, I'm unable to join you guys in big brother's dream without it causing some major problems, so we'll just have to talk through this monitor feed for now. Sorry. Anyways… My big brother appears to be suffering from oxygen deficiency judging by the pallor of his face, so could you please give him some space?

Silver: Ack, I'm so sorry!

Idia: *gasps for breathe* Uwaaaah!!! A-Another second and I was about to get yeeted into the Underworld… T-Thanks, Ortho.

Sebek: Oi, what was all that gibberish about Lord Malleus pouring "resources" into Sir Lilia?

Idia: Yeah, yeah, we're getting there. Ortho, could ya give 'em a recap?

Ortho: Roger that, big brother! I guess I'll start with how me and big brother know this is all just a dream… So on the day of Lilia-san's going away party, Malleus-san cast a spell that put all of Sage's Island to sleep… Or better said, he froze all of spacetime here. But by transforming into data and utilizing a connection I established with a communication satellite, I was able to escape.

Everyone: Communication satellite!?

Grim: The heck were ya able to do that!?

Ortho: Hehehe, it's because I'm unique! I may not be able to develop a Unique Magic, since I'm not a mage… But I was able to transmit my consciousness and my soul to a communication satellite using radio waves, and I then transferred myself into a different body. And that's something only I can do, ya know?

Sebek: I am loathe to admit it… But the technical advances that humans have brought forth truly are astounding.

Silver: Right. You and me could train and train, but we'll never be able to do what Ortho just did. He truly is unique.

Ortho: Hehheh, I'd love to hear you guys compliment me some more… But I'll get back to the story. Once I made it to Styx, I got my hands on a brand new gear.

Sebek: Styx…. 'Tis the organization that administrates the Isle of Lament, as I recall Sir Lilia explaining to us before.

Ortho: Correct. And then I worked together with Styx to infiltrate the island, so we could analyze Malleus-san's Unique Magic… Fae of Maleficence.

Episode 7-102

(A little while after Ortho and the KB-RS units departed for Sage's Island)

Ortho: This is Ortho reporting. I have reached the aerial perimeter of Sage's Island together with KB-RS01 and 02. We are now en route to the penetration point. The island's still pretty far away, but my magical energy and blot concentration sensors are going crazy. This is just like when the gates to the Underworld opened up… No, it'll be okay. I've got this new gear mom made for me, and the KB-RS units are here with me, too.

KB-RS01 / 02: Grrrr…. Woof woof!!

Ortho: This is Ortho reporting. We have reached the penetration point. Now making final preparations for descent.

Chief: Roger that. Good luck!

Ortho: Now deploying magical barrier infiltration mode. Activating counter-spell barrier. KB-RS units, deploy slicer modules and activate your ethereal slicers! Now initiating operation "Infiltrate Sage's Island"!

Ortho: Dammit, looks like this isn't going to be easy… KB-RS units! Keep on the attack!

Chief: We need to cover for Ortho. All battleships, aim your magical cannons at the barrier!

Operator A: All magical cannons are at full output! Firing in five seconds…. 3…2…1!

Chief: Fire!!

Ortho: The vines are all gathering together in that one spot to protect the island!! Looks like we should be able to get in over there, where the vines aren't so concentrated. Let's go, KB-RS units! Ethereal slicers at maximum output! We're gonna cut our way in!!

Operator A: Ortho has successfully infiltrated the barrier.

Head Engineer: …That takes care of the first hurdle. The next problem will be getting him out of there. He's only got twenty minutes before that gear loses power.

Chief: Right. Let's make sure we're prepared for whatever happens. Hurry up and get those cannons reloaded!

Staff Members: Yes, Sir!

Head Engineer: Come back safe and sound, you hear… Or-kun!!!

Episode 7-103

Ortho: ….We did it! We're inside the domain! And thanks to my counter-spell barrier, the spacetime aberrations here aren't affecting me at all.

(Time until loss of power: 20:00)

Ortho: Deploying analysis anchors!! Now running analysis! Woah, this magic is super complex… It'll take a good 17 minutes just to analyze the spell's formulation and save all this data. We'll be cutting it close, but we can make it. Just have to keep the anchors safe until the analysis is done….

(Purple lightning strikes)

???: My, my… And I was wondering just what slipped into my domain.

(Malleus appears in a column of green fire)

Malleus: Let's see here, you're… You look awfully different, but you're Little Shroud, correct?

Ortho: Malleus Draconia-san…!!! You're… So you really did overblot.

KB-RS01: Grrrr!!!

Malleus: Shouldn't you be fast asleep back at Diasomnia?

Ortho: Heh, sorry about that. But that body in the dorm lounge is nothing but a tin can now. I was able to use the wireless network to escape. Thing is, I'm an autonomous AI constructed from data, so I-… Actually, you probably won't understand even if I explain it, huh.

Malleus: In other words, you slipped out of your body, like a ghost, and found yourself a new vessel… Is that right?

Ortho: Oh, wow! That's a very fae-ish way of interpreting data transfer! But yeah, you got it. As long as there's radio waves available, I can go pretty much anywhere. …Even to the furthest reaches of space! I saw you used your magic to block off the submarine cables, but you never even thought about the satellites, didja? Magic is the power of imagination. And you can't bring to life or fight against something you don't understand. And that's exactly what I am - I'm not made out of quantum particles our spiritual energy or anything like that, I'm data. You seriously need to consider upping your security protocols! Personally, I recommend implementing UTM within your barrier.

Malleus: You-tee-em? What in the world is that supposed to stand for, I wonder.

Ortho: What the- You don't even know what that is, either? Geez. See, this is exactly why you got outwitted by your Kouhai like this. Doesn't matter if you're one of the top give mages in the world, or how ancient this spell is… You're no big deal. You'll never be able to put me to sleep with your magic!

Malleus: Heh, I see… In that case… I'll just have to smash you to pieces then, you little automaton.

Ortho: Go ahead and try! You'll see just how strong Styx… Just how strong the most advanced human technology in the world is!

Ortho (thinking): Malleus-san doesn't appear to view the analysis anchors as a threat. There's thirteen minutes left until they'll be ready… I need to buy us some time!

Malleus: My sincerest apologies, but uninvited guests really aren't welcome here. I'll be escorting you out now.

Episode 7-104

Malleus: You have my praise, it's quite astounding you've been able to maintain your sanity within my domain for this long. However… Is this really supposed to be the pinnacle of human invention? How pathetic! You haven't managed to lay even a finger on me this whole time. Fufufu…. Ahahhaha!

Ortho (thinking): Damnit! It's like everything in the domain is bending to Malleus-san's will. I don't think our attacks are even hitting him, let alone having any effect. It's like he's got this whole place in the palm of his hand…!

Malleus: Now then, let us cease with these childish games.

(Malleus explodes one of the KB-RS units)

Ortho: 01!!

Ortho (thinking): There's only 30 seconds left until the analysis is complete… Come on, we're almost there!!

Malleus: My, you look awfully pale. Do even machines feel fear? It's alright, I'll ensure you won't feel a thing when I shatter you.

Ortho (thinking): 20 seconds left… Please, hurry up, anchors! Hurry!!

Malleus: Sweet dreams, Little Shroud.

Ortho (thinking): I failed… I'm so sorry, mom and dad!

(Malleus freezes for a second and then looks confused)

Malleus: !!!

Ortho: !?

Malleus: Tsch, I missed.

Ortho (thinking): What… just happened? It's like he froze for a second there. Kind of like when a CPU overloads and gets a processing failure.

(an alarm beeps)

Analysis Anchor: Analysis complete. Data has been saved to the crypto memory core.

Ortho: 02! Get all the anchors and retreat! NOW!!

KB-RS02: Grrrr!!

Malleus: How bothersome. You're nothing more than a fly buzzing around my face…Away with you!

(Malleus explodes the other unit)

Ortho: 02! Argh… But thanks to 02 distracting him, the anchors are safe. All I have to do now is get them out of here…!

(The ground starts to shake)

Malleus: …What is it now? You fools just don't know when to stop!

Ortho: This is…!

Episode 7-105

Operator B: KB-RS01 and 02 are down! 45 seconds until Ortho loses power!

Head Engineer: …He still has enough time and power to escape the domain. Don't give up!! All autopilot Charon units, activate Termination Mode! Do whatever it takes to get Ortho out of there!

Chief: All battle ships, concentrate power into the magical cannons! Raise the output and don't stop firing!!

Technician: W-We've already reached maximum output! If we go any higher, the generators are going to get fried!

Chief: I don't care! As long as we can give him some time, even ten seconds or three seconds, it doesn't matter. We just need to have Malleus concentrate on defending the barrier! Now take aim and fiiiiiire! Fire, fire fire!

Ortho: It's Styx! They're giving me backup! Now's my chance! Magical slicer, full buuurst!

Malleus: …What!?

Ortho: Uooooooo!!

Chief: Cease cannon fire! All ships, prepare for Malleus's counterstrike and activate your invisible shields!

Operator A: …Ortho has now exceeded his power limit. System down, we don't have a signal!

Chief: …No!!

Head Engineer: Or-kun…!

(An alarm blares)

Operator A: We're receiving a transmission from the Charon Tetra Unit!

Charon: This is Tetra Unit reporting! We've discovered Ortho's body floating in the water around the domain! His body is very badly damaged, but his core is unharmed. We've also recovered all the analysis anchors from the water. We're now en route back to HQ.

Everyone: We did it!! Hooraaaaay!!

(Mr. and Mrs. Shroud hug and fall to the floor in relief)

Chief / Head Engineer: Haaaahhh….

Head Engineer: Good grief... I've said this before and I'll say it again, but even if I had a hundred hearts those boys would still leave me frazzled at the end of the day….

Chief: You know what? I gotta agree with you there, sweetheart….

Malleus: …Tsch. Damn those cunning little humans… No, it matters not. They can come back as many times as they like, be it a hundred times, a thousand times, and it will always end the same… I will remove any and all uninvited guests.

Episode 7-106

Ortho: Huh? Where am I…?

Head Engineer: You awake, Or-kun?

Ortho: Mom… Dad… I…

Head Engineer: Your Cerberus Gear was heavily damaged. All we managed to recover was your core and some of the surrounding parts around it. We lost both KB-RS units in the domain.

Ortho: I see… I wanted the three of us to make it back home together…

Head Engineer: They were good boys, huh. Listen, once we get rid of that domain, I'm sure we'll be able to recover their parts. And then mama will fix them up good as new.

Ortho: I'm so sorry, I know how hard you worked on them…

Head Engineer: What are you apologizing for!! All that matters is you're safe and sound. Welcome home, Or-kun.

Chief: Welcome home, Ortho. I'm so glad you made it back safely.

Ortho: Yeah, I'm glad to be home, too.

(The Shroud family hugs each other)

Ortho: Wait, I almost forgot! What about the anchors!?

Chief: They've all been recovered safely, you guys did an excellent job. Sytx's data processing department is firing all cylinders trying to analyze everything. There's multiple, complex layers of magic comprising Malleu's domain. The way it's interwoven, it reminds me of Test Subject F… Sorry, of the ancient spell that Grim has on him. Thanks to Briar Valley's assistance, we've at least been able to ascertain how the domain is constructed.

Ortho: Already!? That's great news!

Chief: Unfortunately, it's just the opposite.

Ortho: Wait, what do you mean?

Chief: We've determined that if Malleus Draconia himself does not break his spell voluntary, or if he is not eliminated, then we only have a 0.2% chance of destroying the domain from the outside.

Ortho: No…!

Head Engineer: Everything in that domain, even the laws of reality, is under Malleus's control. We could fire the most powerful magical cannons in the world at that barrier and fight our way inside, but as soon as you're in, you're powerless. We could maybe beat him if we take about 100,000 Cerberus Gear units with us…

Ortho: We probably wouldn't even need to fight him if we had that many units. He'd be too stunned to even move…

Head Engineer: Sounds like a good idea, right? But by the time I finish making that many auto-pilot units, his domain will have likely enveloped the whole world by then.

Chief: We have a couple of other concerns, as well. The minds of all those people asleep on Sage's Island, they're all trapped within Malleus's magical barrier. And according to our analyses, we've discovered they're all currently "dreaming".

Ortho: Dreaming…? You mean the illusionary phenomenon humans experience when in REM sleep?

Head Engineer: Correct. His magic is tricking them into believing that what they're seeing in those dreams is real. It almost works like the Lethe River system, in a way. So if we go in guns a-blazing and try to destroy the barrier, we just might end up destroying everyone's minds along with it.

Ortho: I get it… It's like the domain is one huge server. And that means… Pretty much our only option is to try and convince Malleus-san to bring down the domain himself and let everybody go.

Part 2

Part 3

#twst spoilers #twst #twisted wonderland #twst jp #malleus draconia #idia shroud #twst silver #sebek zigvolt #ortho shroud #the ruler of the abyss #twst book 7

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cyjammy · 3 months

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Alastor: A Fairly Predictable Enigma

I love how Alastor is written in the sneak peek.

Alastor waited until a prime moment of vulnerability from Charlie before he revealed that he knew angels could be killed. (Hey, we all know it, context clues, baby)

And here’s why he did it. Alastor may be seen as unpredictable, but he does have a code he follows.

It wouldn’t have made sense for him to tell Charlie as soon as he found out, he waited until this moment — for Charlie to be at her wits end before he offered the option.

Charlie is a firm believer in her plan for redemption. She’s a pacifist. It doesn’t matter what they have done or when they did it, she believes they can turn their lives around and be better.

So, Alastor was amused by the princess who boasted about her plan, took everything with a smile and unbridled optimism. She basically practiced everything he preached.

Alastor respects that.

Alastor even acknowledges this. He never expected Charlie to give up. To wallow in pity over a loss no matter how big.

With her firm beliefs comes a difficulty in getting her to try something different. Charlie’s behavior is so engrained in her very being that she will refuse to go against it.

If Alastor were to tell her before she went through everything she did in this season: being laughed at and ridiculed, having her beliefs questioned by the determining powers that have influence over her success, being confronted by a rigged system and being lied to by the person she trusted most —

She would have never listened.

Killing angels would be the last thing she would consider, and even then she would actively prevent this from happening if she had known about it earlier.

Charlie had to be battered by the world to see a new perspective. You can only rebuild what has been broken. She had to confront the world and all its flaws, break out from her delusional bubble and see things for how they actually are.

All of Charlie’s complaining about her stresses and basically giving up is what makes Alastor share that angels can be killed. Charlie sees the world for how it is and wants to give up.

Alastor can’t let that happen, so now that she’s out of options, the only thing she can do now is fight.

Alastor knows this all too well and takes advantage of it. If Charlie gives up, he no longer gets to see how this story plays out.

If he didn’t care, he would have left a long time ago (unless Lilith is commanding him to stay, which I firmly believe and I will die on this hill).

Alastor may not care for the patrons of the Hotel, but he does love a show, and what better than a war against Heaven?

Episode 7 and 8 are going to be amazing, I can’t wait until Thursday!

#hazbin hotel #alastor #charlie morningstar #Hazbin hotel sneak peek #episode 7 #SOEXCITEDFORTHURSDAY #technically spoilers #not really though

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prettyshon10 · 2 months

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TOWL EP. 4

SPOILERS

- Poured some wine for this one; let’s go

- Whose house is this? It’s nice (was that a roomba I saw?)

- Yes, thunder! Set the atmosphere!

- I will never skip these opening credits

- The body is giviiiiing! Danaiiii!

- That man is lusting—omg, he see’s the scar!

- It’s literally takes me twice as long as the episodes’ run time ‘cause I keep pausing and rewinding, but can you blame me? I’m trying to take EVERYTHING in; I’m tryna savor

- “You’ve become a bit of a creative writer these days. That note? In the getaway boat? Poetry.”

- She’s MAD mad, y’all!

- “Children”! She said “children”! He caught that!

- Only 7 minutes in and this ep has me in a chokehold; Imma need more wine

- I knew it wasn’t gonna be that easy; sorry to y’all theories

- THEY ARE ACTING!!!! ACTING!!! The mannerisms—the cracked voices raised in anger! The fact that NOBODY on the TWD cast bagged an Emmy is so freakin CRIMINAL!!!

- Yo! Automated Voice! SHUT UP!

- She ain’t giving you that thing, sir.

- “What did they do to you?” The angst is angsting.

- “Do you still love me?” STOOOOOOP! I’m done! 😭Cut the show—

- Now the sun’s coming out from behind the storm clouds…

- Round three of “They won’t come after us if we’re “dead””, huh?

- I’m totally sure Jadis would not believe they’re dead. They’re Rick and Michonne. She knows better.

- Shout out to my subscription plan—I love not sitting through commercials!

- Sis is really whacking him over head with the “what about the kids?!” approach

- The black woman in her is leaping out and I love it; baby said “deuces, then.”

- Don’t tell me she’s waiting for him to follow her…

- And he wants to!!! The tropes are troping!

- My wine is gone and I’m not even halfway into the episode. I’m gonna throw myself out the window, I swear…

- I hear a chopper; no no no no no

- Not her sassing him 😂 I love snarky Michonne

- “The only time I feel safe is when I’m with you.”

- Even at their most divided, they’re a forced to be reckoned with. Look at them fight together!

- Not him getting blood on her face! Rick, she’s pissed enough as it is!

- Automated Voice, I’m not doing this with you, again!

- The way she grounds him back to reality in the midst of his panic. How very “sun’s getting real low” of them. ❤️

- Inject this entire scene into my veins

- Bathed in the golden glow of this light; it’s the little things

- RJ really does look just like Rick. Shout out to the casting director. Man’s genes said “you’re gonna carry a lightly melanated clone, and that’s final!”

- This show is literally fan service done the RIGHT WAY; other shows takes notes

- Not the roomba sneaking a peak! Caught my boy off guard—he was ready to fight

- Finally, he’s asking about the mark

- “Carl. They took Carl.” Excuse me?!

- “I can’t live without you. Without you, I die.”

- Andrew Lincoln wants me deceased: confirmed. This is a personal attack, I’m sure of it

- Oh lord, not the Carl drawing…

- I just…😫😭

- Elevator make out! One thing about my faves, they’re gonna get it in anytime, any place! And walker killing is an aphrodisiac!

- In the car, too! 😂

- Things are totally gonna go left; only question is how

- Wait, it’s over?!

#danai ATE every crumb #she said 💋 no leftovers #twd towl #towl spoilers #the walking dead #the ones who live #richonne #rick grimes #michonne grimes #rick x michonne #amc #1x04

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connabeth · 4 months

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The first two episodes were wonderful and I really enjoyed the imagery and cinematography along with how every actor embodied the character but here are things I will complain about because I can:

1. I don’t want to see R*ck in it, why did they have to show his face…

2. Sally Jackson still just seems like a Random White Woman™️ to me. The acting was good but something just isn’t clicking for me. Also…the way she was a hardass on grover…i did not like it.

3. WHY WAS THERE BARELY ANY ANNABETH?? my girl is the star of the show!!! she’s supposed to be the one to show percy around camp and have that funny banter where he asks her questions and she answers all of them without answering at all, leaving him more confused than he was before. that was the best part of the intro chapters imo. WHY DID CH*RON TAKE HER PLACE???

3a. the full shot of a little percy standing next to chiron’s absolute wagon while walking into the hermes cabin still absolutely sends me 😭😭. it ALMOST makes up for a lack of annabeth

4. why was annabeth just hovering there in the infirmary and not nursing him like she did in the book😭 they rly made her stalk him instead of just being the person who introduced him to everything. in the book, he was already taking mythology lessons with annabeth by the time the quest came around. she didn’t feel quite as integrated into the narrative as she should’ve been. i did love how blunt she was though. she’s many things, but apparently a liar isn’t one of them.

5. clarisse didn’t call him prissy

6. why was smelly gabe so…sanitized. he’s a loser who doesn’t treat them well but his depiction also doesn’t live up to the abusive pos he really is. the interactions with him didn’t have the same gravity as they did in the books, they just seemed too lighthearted…he also should’ve looked greasier. i know abuse comes in many forms and doesn’t always reveal itself right away but he was a lot more of a pushover than i would expect him to be if sally stood up for herself

7. the plot about the hellhound that sets up luke as the traitor…simply vanishing. annabeth shoving percy’s ass into the water to figure out he can heal was funny though. would’ve been cooler if it healed a giant hellhound claw mark rather than a nick

8. percy doing some half-assed flossing on a rock alone while waiting to be maimed during capture the flag, not knowing who his dad is or if he’ll ever get his mom back is so fucking funny in the most miserably way but also…why is he a fortnite kid, this is supposed to be 2006 😭. the implication that annabeth is standing there silently watching him almost makes up for it. i can’t imagine what was going through her mind…like girl that’s your future husband good luck

#percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #pjo tv show #pjo #percabeth #pjo series #annabeth chase #ash.txt

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flicklikesstuff · 3 months

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Hazbin Hotel Ep 8 Ramble and Theory

⚠️ SPOILERS!! ⚠️

Surprisingly, the show’s first season really got me hooked with its storyline and I can’t wait what’s in store for the upcoming season 2.

I’ve had my suspicions with Alastor since the pilot, and it just keeps growing with every episode. Even then, his real motivations are just hard to really see and it’s what makes his character intriguing. One moment, he’s lurking in the shadows like some sort of villain, and then the next, we see him maaaybe caring for his friends?? If he even considers them that. Idk 🤷

I’ve always thought that maybe he’s sticking around and playing nice to get Charlie’s guard down in the long run. Waiting for her to get desperate so he can strike a deal with her. So he could ask her for any favour in the future. And guess what? That’s what he exactly does in Ep 7.

And if I’m recalling correctly, Alastor helped Charlie with the war, but Charlie is yet to grant her own end of the deal. Alastor STILL is owed a favour from her.

(Where am I going with this theory and analysis? I’m getting there-)

At one point, maybe he did genuinely care for the hotel and the people in it. Regardless what his motives were. He even admits it’s a “surprising thrill” to watch them form connections. But the word choices he uses in this scene are just sooo…weird?

“Almost??” “Could get accustomed??”

It sounds like he admits feeling attached to the other characters but at the same time, doesn’t want to commit to it. Does he have far more nefarious intentions in mind for them and that’s why he’s so distant?

Alastor probably noticed this in the ending of Ep 8 too. His altruistic self almost got control of him. He almost risked his life to help his “friends.” And he didn’t like that one bit. Perhaps, he sees this trait as a weakness.

It really sounds like the verse“Great Alastor Altruist died” is equal to him stating that “there’s no more Mr. Nice Guy” from now on. He’s disconnecting and staying firm to whatever his highly vague motives are. And it’s highly likely that whatever’s holding him back from his full power is the deal he made itself. And he’s going to try anything to get out of it. Maybe that’s the reason why he approached Charlie in the first place.

And I’m going back to Charlie’s deal with him here. The only condition she has is that she won’t harm anyone for him. But knowing Alastor, he’s going to twist the words a bit there. Maybe he won’t harm them physically. But maybe in some other way. Indirectly. One that Charlie won’t see in the long run. Maybe he uses this one favour to help him break free of this deal or loosen it in some way.

And Charlie already has so much trust in him after the battle, she most likely won’t see it coming. It’s perfect.

(Not exactly sure how these soul contracts work buuut, she’s the princess right? Maybe she’s powerful enough to do smth about it? Maybe that’s why Alastor was so interested to gain her trust and potentially free himself?)

…….

But anyway! Onto the second part of my theory!

Alastor’s probably going to optimise his one chance of freedom through Charlie’s owed favour. But I have a feeling he’s not only going to use just Charlie.

Who else is at the hotel that the other main cast members trust? Who he could freely command under his control? To show up at his will? Answer his beck and call? Whose souls that Alastor owns?

I swear. It is NO ACCIDENT that these two were standing side by side. NEXT TO ALASTOR. In the ending. (Or maybe I’m overanalysing, but whatever. This is MY ramble)

When Alastor comes back from the “dead”, everyone was happy to see him. Especially Charlie. And surprisingly Vaggie? I guess she’s warming up to him. Idk if that’s good or not.

Everyone except Lucifer and Husk. Lucifer’s still bitter on the whole ‘dad’ thing. But I just really felt sooo bad for Husk here. 😂 My guy had maybe a few happy hours of what he thought was freedom. Then he sees this guy come back and he’s just: “Ahhhh… SHT-!”

Now I’m just saying, I don’t think Alastor can just casually go up to Charlie and just easily demand that favour. Especially now that Lucifer might be staying around(?) Also, Alastor sounds like someone who would strategically play the long run if it means benefits. Albeit, less truly altruistic than before since that approach almost costed him highly.

He’s maybe going to have to pull some strings to really make Charlie feel like she HAS to do him a favour. To better solidify his chances and so she’s less likely to be hesitant/reluctant/suspicious. After all, Alastor is only owed ONE FAVOUR. Maybe he’ll pull some strings to win over Lucifer’s own trust too so he won’t be stopping Charlie? (I’m not sure, these two are not in good terms.)

(Look me in the eyes and tell me this is the face of someone who’s definitely not going to use this hotel for his own personal gain. Things are going to start getting ugly with Alastor’s new approach. I’m also still like 80% sure these 3 characters are placed together for a reason. It CANNOT be a complete coincidence, right?)

Now I’m really curious how Husk and Niffty would react under this sudden new approach. The angst potential here is smelling strong. It’s obvious that they’re starting to get highly attached to the hotel and really consider the others as friends. Something Alastor didn’t allow himself to.

And it’s not like they have a voice in the matter either. No matter what Alastor tells them to do to secretly manipulate things around the place so he’ll appear like he’s “helping out more.”

Who knows really? What kind of errands he’ll force them to do? “Mr. Nice Guy” is really no longer an option here. That guy is dead. Adam killed him.

And all at the same time, Alastor wouldn’t be breaking Charlie’s condition. He’s not making her hurt anyone at all. Just helping a good old pal, who’s done so much for her, to maybe loosen the constraints his deal has. Or whatever else he wants, I don’t fcking know-

(But Srsly though. The angst??? Niffty and Alastor are fond with each other, but Niffty is also starting to like her new friends too. Will that create some sort of rift? Niffty actually being hesitant??

And don’t even get me STARTED on Huskerdust. Like wtf-? Husk has already stepped out of line before and it left him completely shaken. What else could he do? And a heartbroken Angel finding out he’s behind all this when Husk is the first person to truly reach out to him? Husk not being able to meet his gaze out of guilt?? THE FCK-???)

Yeaaaahhh, can’t wait what Season 2 has for us all….

Remember fellas, this is just a theory. A Hazbin theory! :))

#idk #just spitballing here #hazbin theory #hazbin hotel #hazbin alastor #hazbin charlie #hazbin husk #hazbin niffty #hazbin angel dust #hazbin lucifer #hazbin spoilers #hazbin vaggie #hazbin episode 8 #huskerdust

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turtletaubwrites · 2 months

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Slipping Away ~ Part 27

This is part 27 of the poly series 'We've All Got Needs,' linked below:

Pairings: Zoro x Fem!Reader, Sanji x Fem!Reader x Robin

Word Count: 4261

We've All Got Needs Masterlist

Ao3 Link (Ch. 17 of We've All Got Needs cont.)

!!SPOILER WARNING!! Spoilers for the anime for the Water 7/Enies Lobby arc (through episode 307).

Summary: More dangers block your path as the Straw Hats keep pushing to free Robin. Help arrives in unexpected ways.

Rating/Warnings: AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, Reader-Insert, Polyamory, Canon Typical Violence, Blood, Injuries, (Including Reader), Pet Names, Cigarettes (they're gross, don't smoke), Swearing, Angst, Fear, Heights, Nausea, Throwing Up (just heaving, nothing comes out), Drowning, Reader is not doing great, Dizziness, Explosions, Fear of Death, Hurt/Comfort

A/N: Hi y'all, I'm so sorry about the wait! These chapters following the arc have been taking me longer, and I got distracted with other stories/requests. But I'm here now! The next update will be out within a week, as well as an extra scene. Thank you so much for being patient with me 🙏🏼🖤

Blood splattered on the ground as Usopp dragged himself to all fours, his wrecked body stiff, yet shaking.

“I’m sorry, Sanji,” he coughed, more blood spreading around him. “I tried, but I couldn’t…”

A silent sob left your throat as Nami struggled to guide your pathetic, limp body. Your limbs were dead after clinging for your life for so long, and you hated that you couldn’t help Usopp off the ground.

“You’re alive, that’s what matters,” Sanji declared, his voice rough with emotion. Water dripped from his blonde hair as his eyes flicked to you for a moment, before comforting your friend. “Everyone has things that they can do and things that they can’t.”

The lump in your throat did not help to reduce your frustration at your uselessness.

“Yeah, but,” Usopp mumbled, the wobble in his voice like a punch to the gut.

“Look outside,” Sanji commanded, Pointing through the gaping hole in the stone wall. The sight of those massive gates fell like a weight on your heart. A weight that stole your breath as it started to open, the huge metal slabs moving slowly, but not slowly enough.

“Robin,” Nami whispered, saying the name that you couldn’t with your dry throat.

“If those gates open up, and Robin goes through them,” Sanji warned, “we won’t have any way to follow her. She’ll cross waters infested with sea kings, then there’s the undersea prison, or the navy headquarters. Everywhere on the other side of those gates is beyond our reach. We’ll lose her forever.”

Sanji came to you, taking you from Nami’s arms to hold you against him for a moment. Your feet were getting a bit steadier, but his warmth was too much. You wanted to push him away as he kissed your temple, the tenderness shoving you closer to that edge of falling to pieces.

“This is the worst situation, but in every situation, even one as bad as this, there’s always a chance,” he comforted, his eyes on Usopp as he helped you step toward Nami.

She handed you her Clima-Tact, giving up her weapon for you to use as a makeshift cane before she pulled Usopp to his feet. His blood stained her clothes as she supported some of his weight with his bandaged arm around her shoulders.

Sanji leaned in close to the sniper, reaching to touch his shoulder, but let his hand fall before gripping the wounded flesh.

“I'm gonna stay here, and do what you can’t do. We’ll get those keys. You need to do what I can’t do.”

“Huh,” Usopp questioned, head tilting toward the cook.

“Think carefully, read the situation,” Sanji commanded, his rough voice giving you chills as the wolf man stalked ever closer. “As long as we have you there’s still a chance we can save Robin. You hear me, Usopp?”

Your bloodied friend started shaking, his question interrupted by a howl.

You heard the metal slash of blades as Zoro battled the giraffe man, and in an instant the wolf was on Sanji, your lover yelling for you to leave as he blocked the attack.

“Come on, we gotta go,” Nami ordered with a grunt, fighting Usopp’s struggle to call for Sanji.

“Ow, Nami,” he complained as she yanked at him, “I’m still injured.”

“Well, staying here and getting killed will hurt more,” she scolded, their stumbling forms moving past you.

Your boys. Teetering with the Clima-Tact, you couldn’t tear your eyes away from their fights. Battling agents of CP9, devil fruit users.

Blood, and broken stone, and hits that made you cringe.

Robin.

They can win. We need to save her.

Your movements were agonizingly slow, the makeshift cane slipping in your hands. Wiping your blood and dust stained palms on your shirt, you gritted your teeth, following Nami and Usopp out into the center stairway of the tower as fast as you could manage.

The trek down the stairs had barely started when Usopp pulled away from Nami. He was limping, but practically buzzing with a manic gleam in his eyes.

“I get it!”

“Get what,” you called as he started rushing back up the stairs.

“We can save Robin. As long as I’m here we can save her, damnit,” he declared with more true confidence than you’d ever heard from him before. Chills ran along your skin as the wounded sniper turned to face you, issuing a command that you had to follow.

“Let’s go!”

Nami took her weapon back, offering you her shoulder as Usopp’s burst of energy sent him scampering away faster than you could have gone on your own.

“Fuck, I’m slowing you down,” you hissed, fighting for your body to move, your head still reeling from that antler ride you’d like to forget.

“Didn’t you hear Sanji’s speech,” Nami scolded, supporting your sluggish steps. “We’re a crew, Y/N. Helping each other is what we do, stupid.”

Her comforting words pulled a small smile from your lips that was quashed almost immediately as you struggled up the endless stairs. Usopp’s cheerful yells pushed you forward, and your legs were slowly feeling steadier. It seemed your headache was the biggest issue, dizziness staying with you as your limbs relearned how to function.

Stepping into the sun was brutal. The light gray stone of the tower almost glowed beneath your feet, and you pulled away from Nami to cover your eyes from the glare. She wrapped your hand around her weapon again, moving ahead of you to watch Usopp at the edge.

You couldn’t get too close as your new fear of heights started closing your throat, so you stayed back. The bridge cut across the water in the distance, leading toward that now open gate, those massive metal doors like a gate to hell.

A hell that Robin was being dragged toward.

“I see her,” Usopp cried out, prepping his new weapon. With Kabuto held in front of him, and his broken mask still showing rays around his face, Usopp's shadow really did look like some mythical warrior.

Nami took your free hand, inching you closer, but you had to take it back. Holding it above your eyes to cut the glare, you stared at the bridge, desperate to see her.

You saw people. Very small people. Marines in white moving across the bridge.

“Watch this,” Usopp commanded, humming his silly Sniper King song as he lined up his shot.

An urge to stop him tore through you. It was too far away, how could he see her, let alone aim to ensure she wouldn’t be hit?

But he was your friend, even if he wasn’t part of your crew anymore. You trusted him, but still held your breath.

Then you saw her.

Two of those figures weren’t in white. One charged across the stone in a billowing, dark cloak. The other was in gleaming black, being dragged along the ground by the first.

This pathetic fucking man child. This scumbag that already didn’t deserve to open his stupid mouth again.

Spandam was dragging Robin behind him like she was trash. You wanted to rip his mask off, and smash his stupid mouth into the stone until he choked on his teeth.

“Get him,” you growled.

“On it.”

The terror of waiting was replaced with pride and sick pleasure at the sight of that small, cloaked figure being blown away from Robin. You hoped that the smoke erupting around his head was enough to strangle the air from his lungs.

Usopp hit him again, Spandam’s body flying down the steps of the bridge. And the sniper didn’t stop, sending blast after blast as those marines in white scattered, their shouts carrying across the water.

Without meaning to, your voice joined Nami’s, cheering for Usopp as he wreaked havoc on your enemies. The praise seemed to set him on fire, his shots flying faster, laughter on his lips, singing his song while he blew them away.

“Look,” Nami yelled, pointing toward that figure in black.

Robin had broken away from the chaos, and was stumbling as she ran away from that gate. Toward you.

“Usopp!”

You cried out, ice filling your veins while the marines stood in a line as they faced her. It was hard to see clearly, especially with your head still pounding, but you knew what those movements meant.

They were going to shoot her down.

Usopp kept shooting, but there were too many. There was no way he could take them all down in time.

The three of you screamed for her as she fell to her knees.

You couldn’t look. You couldn’t look away. You could only scream her name, and hope that she heard you. That she knew she wasn't alone.

The moment before the shots were fired lasted a century. A century in which you were trapped in stone, forced to watch and wait, helpless again.

Your eyes almost shut when the sound of death exploded from that line of guns. But if they had, you wouldn’t have seen it. The moment that filled you with more forgiveness and gratitude than you’d ever felt before.

Franky.

The man whose family had stolen from your crew, who’d hurt Usopp. The pervy cyborg whose family was now fighting at your side.

This strange man that you barely knew was standing in front of Robin, shielding her from the marines. He held his arms out, and took every single bullet that was meant for your love. For Robin.

“Hey! Sniper King? Needy?”

Zoro’s voice called up from what sounded like not too far down, but you couldn’t stick your head over the ledge to find out.

“We’ve got the rest of the keys. Catch, and send them to Franky,” Sanji commanded as your eyes returned to the bridge. Franky was still standing, still protecting her.

“Can you do that, Sniper King,” Sanji questioned, his voice filled with his belief in your former crewmate.

“Of course! Just throw the–”

“Catch,” Zoro yelled before a tied up bit of cloth came flying in front of Usopp.

Usopp caught it easily, tossing it in his hand.

“There’s more than keys in this.”

Usopp made you even dizzier as he leaned over to question the boys.

“We stole a snail off an agent,” Sanji’s voice carried up “You still have one right?”

“Yes,” you choked out, confirming that it had survived the monster ride with you.

“Fucking shoot it already,” Zoro yelled.

Nami untied the bundle in Usopp’s hand, adding the remaining keys before securing it, nodding at the sniper.

Everyone was silent as he aimed. This shot would mean her freedom.

“Franky! Robin!”

You were shouting in the poor snail’s face, until Franky turned to pick up that tied up cloth.

“Robin!”

“Y/N?”

“Oh gods, Robin,” you sighed through your tears.

Nami took the snail from your shaky fingers as she smoothed her hand along your back.

“All the keys are in the bundle. Franky, please unlock her!”

“Got it, but how did y’all–”

“Thank you, long-nose,” Robin interrupted. There was joy in her voice. Joy. “That was wonderful.”

“It was the least I could do,” Usopp declared in that silly, pompous voice. If he wasn’t so close to the edge of the building, you would have hugged him. “The true heroes are those who fought to retrieve those keys from the enemy. The Straw Hats will be proud to have you back. Hold your head up high, and meet them with a smile when all of this has ended.”

“Right,” Robin agreed, and even from a distance, you could see when she was freed. She stretched her arms above her head before pulling them down in front of her, and you knew exactly what was coming next.

“Seis Fleur.”

That powerful voice echoed through the transponder snail, just as a cloaked figure made its way to the front of the marines.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to do this,” Robin purred, arms sprouting from his dark clothes as she smacked the shit out of Spandam.

“Fuck yeah,” you cheered, hearing the cacophony of slaps, and the whimpering cries of that sniveling piece of shit.

The remaining marines scattered, rightfully fleeing in terror from her power.

“Alright, let’s move,” Franky ordered with a laugh. “Get your asses over here. I’ll get everything ready for ya. We’re gonna bail.”

“Got it,” Nami agreed, storing the snail while Usopp called down.

“Did you guys hear that? Robin’s free, Franky says–”

“Get down here already, Sniper King,” Sanji yelled.

You were squeezing the sides of your head, trying to relieve some of the pressure. The relief poured through your body, but almost made you feel more off balance.

“Ha, everything went according to my plan,” Usopp hummed as he limped toward the stairs. He stopped abruptly, making Nami grumble as she almost ran into him.

“What’s that,” he wondered, almost under his breath. “I swear I heard something.”

“Come on, we’ve gotta–”

Nami’s demand was cut short, all of you hunching and covering your ears as an explosion went off. It was easy to spot, a huge plume of black smoke rising from the metal fence surrounding the island. A marine ship firing on it’s own base.

“These psychos are really going to destroy their own fucking island, and kill all their own people because some dumbass pushed a button,” you seethed, hearing the boys calling for you.

Nausea rose as you neared that ledge again.

“Things have gotten serious, Needy,” Zoro urged, making you bravely peek down at him on the balcony below while Nami held your hand. “Hurry up, and jump down from there. We need to go now.”

“Jump,” you choked, glad that Usopp cut in to be cowardly for you.

“Is that supposed to be a joke? I don’t have the same kind of freakish superhuman strength that you guys have, alright. And my bravery is not the life risking kind. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a normal super hero not a super super hero–”

“Don’t be babies,” Nami teased. “We’re almost home.”

Nami called down before leaping off the edge.

“I’m fine,” she shouted as you looked over to see Sanji setting her down on her feet. “Come on, it was fu–”

At first you thought your body was fucking with you, all the looking down bringing that terror up. The crushing sound, the slipping of your unsteady feet, until there was nothing. Nothing holding you, nothing touching you, just you hanging onto the Clima-Tact as you spun.

The rough scrape of broken stone flying across your legs tore your eyes open, but you closed them immediately.

All that clinging, all that hell you went through to keep yourself from falling, and now you were falling to your death.

At least you got to hear your boys one last time, your name screamed from their lips.

It wasn’t stone.

The dreaded moment of impact came, along with the deep groan of whoever had caught you.

“Needy, are you–”

“putmedownputmedown.”

The Clima-Tact clattered to the stone of the balcony, and the top of the tower finished crashing to the ground while you fought to crawl away. Zoro’s warm hands were just another sensation too many.

But those hands held your hair back while you tried to throw up, soft voices floating around you as your head fought to split open. You whimpered as nothing came out, just spinning nausea, and your memory failing you as you tried to recall the last time you ate.

“Hey, you’re okay,” he soothed, pulling you against his chest after your empty retches had turned into frantic breaths. “We have to go now, Needy.”

As he pulled you to your feet, Nami was there, rubbing your arm as she checked on you. She offered you her weapon, but Zoro shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Needy, but we need to go faster than you can walk. Do you want me to carry you in my arms, or do you wanna ride on my back?”

Nausea rolled in at the thought, but you bit the inside of your cheek, motioning for his back. You saw Sanji and Usopp having the same debate, Usopp wincing as he moved.

“If you hadn’t torn my bandages–”

“If I hadn’t caught you, we would have had sniper crepes for lunch. Just get on,” Sanji demanded, until the five of you moved on three sets of feet.

Down those endless stairs, the sky burned through the roof that was no longer there. The rhythmic bouncing of Zoro’s body had you clenching your teeth, closing your eyes to fight the spinning.

I’m going to be dizzy for the rest of my life.

If we survive.

You only knew that you had made it to the bottom as the downward falling motion of Zoro’s steps on the stairs shifted to a steady up and down that was still just as bad.

“Please don’t ever pick me up after this, you groaned against Zoro’s shoulder. “I don’t want to be carried anymore. Ever.”

His chuckle was cut short as a familiar voice called out.

“This way, kiddies,” Kokoro ordered, and you opened your eyes just a bit to see her pointing down a dark corridor. Chopper was back in his normal, small form, his mouth hanging open in sleep as she had him strapped to her hip like some living purse.

“This leads to the bridge, come on!”

There was no time to argue or question. Just heavy steps echoing down the stone hallway that seemed to get colder with every step the swordsman took.

“Try to pick up the pace, we’re in a hurry here,” Usopp rushed over Sanji’s shoulder.

“I could probably run faster if you were unconscious,” your cook threatened, and you were shocked to feel a weak smile on your lips.

“How could you talk to your hero that way? Especially when I've been so seriously injured in the line of duty. All six of my ribs are broken!”

“You have more ribs than that,” Zoro huffed, pulling up beside them, “but if you don’t shut up, we’ll break the rest, and make you run. Got it?”

You smiled at Usopp from your carried positions as he kept complaining. Slowly, the feeling of a hammer hitting your brain was starting to lessen.

Not distant enough explosions had you tightening your body around Zoro’s back.

“We’re almost out.”

His whispered comfort almost sunk in.

“What’s that?”

“I hear something weird down the tunnel.”

Usopp and Nami had spoken at once. The group stared down that cold corridor as you kept heading toward freedom.

“We don’t have time to go worrying about weird sounds. We’ve gotta make those government jerks pay,” Kokoro said with a cough, still sounding drunk as if she’d been at the bar while you all fought for your lives.

“Is that–”

“It’s water,” Usopp cried out, cutting Nami off. “Don’t you hear it? We need to run!”

No one stopped. You couldn’t hear anything over the rhythmic slap of feet against stone, and Zoro’s heavy breaths as you rested your head against him.

“We have to turn–”

“We’ve got nowhere else to go,” Sanji huffed, “we need to keep moving no matter–”

“Holy shit,” Nami cursed beside you, her voice breathy as everyone stopped running.

“Hang on, Needy.”

You cracked your eyes open, the horrifying sight matching the sound you could finally hear.

Water.

Zoro slashed at the stone wall, but even his swords couldn’t break through.

“We’re underwater, dumbass,” Sanji spat as the group started running the other way.

Running for your lives.

The stone walls made that rushing sound echo, surrounding you even before the cold death touched your skin.

“I’ve got you,” Zoro promised through gritted teeth while he sprinted ahead.

As he passed your friends, you saw the terror burning through them, sweat dripping from their faces.

Your mind went hazy, just a little outside of your body as yet another chaotic force threatened those you loved.

Zoro flipped around as the sound roared too close, gripping your knees against his waist as he took the brunt of that liquid force.

You wished you had stayed dissociated, stayed out of your freezing body. Zoro’s rapid turn had shaken you enough that you took a deep breath, but it took every scrap of energy in you to keep your mouth closed, to not scream into that watery void.

Slipping, slipping away. The spinning torture through the rapid water had you reaching for your aching head, releasing your hold around his shoulders.

Zoro never let go. His hold started to slip, but he clamped down on your legs until they ached.

At least we’ll die together.

Your tears never had a chance, they just mixed with the wave that would drown you all.

“It’s alright. Just hang in there. I’m not going to let you die.”

A soothing voice washed over you, clear and calm through the flood. All you could do was fight to keep your mouth closed, letting yourself drift to wherever you might end up.

But something pulled at you, interrupting that chaotic drift. Your eyes opened, but the water burned, the world nothing more than a painful blur. Something had snared you, tugging you closer to Zoro, and you could feel another wriggling body against your side.

At least we’re all together.

“I’m swimming as fast as this tail will let me! None of you are gonna die on my watch!”

Kokoro’s voice carried through the water, and you almost cried out, managing to clamp your hands over your lips as the bodies around you seemed to writhe against the shock.

What the fuck?

But it was too long. You couldn’t hold it.

The choking pain tore through your chest, the struggle to stay finally fading.

Just cold.

“Y/N! Y/N!”

Too many hands rolled you onto your side as scorching water tore through your throat.

Your stinging eyes watched the water that left your lungs as it spread across wood, staining the black clothes of the person holding your hair back.

The person whose many hands held your body, whose voice cracked as she repeated your name.

“Robin?”

She let out a cry of relief, pulling your body gently as she held you against her chest.

“Is this real,” you breathed, managing to move your arms to wrap around her.

“It’s real. You saved me.”

You felt the warmth of her cheek against your temple, and if you’d had the energy, you would have wept.

“I didn’t do–”

“You came for me, Y/N. And you saved me,” Robin countered before you could finish your thought. Many arms held you up so that she could look at you, and tears managed to fall from your tired eyes at the sight of her beautiful face. Stunning, even marred with dirt and blood.

“I love you too,” she confessed, a wave of fear filling those eyes before she cried it away, laughing before she kissed your cold lips.

It didn’t matter where you were, or how much danger you were still in. Robin was holding you, kissing you. The two of you laughed and sobbed as voices moved around you, orbiting your perfect world.

“Sweethearts, are you okay?”

Sanji’s rough voice moved closer, and you finally looked around to find yourself on a ship. An empty marine ship, whose deck was covered with your crew, and all the water they’d ripped from their lungs.

Your cook crawled over, seeming hesitant to get too close.

Robin reached out, and you smiled at that sweet look of awe on Sanji’s face as he gazed at her.

“I–”

“I love you, Robin,” Sanji cut her off, racing to touch both of you, a gentle hand on your cheeks.

“I love you too, Sanji,” she said with a laugh, and your heart melted as they shared their own salty kiss.

Cannon fire and shouting were distant as the three of you held each other, laughter and tears like a shield from the danger that remained.

But it wasn’t complete.

A shiver ran up your neck, a warm vibration pulling your eyes away from Robin and Sanji.

Zoro sat with his back against the railing, giving you a small smile as you caught him staring. He shook his head when you held out your hand.

A frown pulled at your smiling lips as he mouthed, ‘it’s okay,’ nodding his head toward your other lovers.

“Please,” you whispered, hoping he could see how much you wanted him too.

How much you needed him.

He coughed, wiping more water from his brow before he crawled across the deck.

You and Robin clung to each other, laughter and tears still spilling from you. Sanji poured out streams of praise and words of love as he hugged you both from behind Robin’s back.

Your swordsman came to you, and his soaked body warmed yours as he wrapped his arms around you. He joined the group embrace without flinching away, pressing a wet kiss against your shoulder.

It was all worth it. You’d go through all of that again, just to have this perfect moment.

All of your lovers holding you close. Safe, if only for the moment.

All of your crew on this stolen ship, ready to escape this hell.

All of your…

Zoro’s body went rigid, leaving you cold again as he leapt to his feet.

His words cut through it all. No more laughter or tears could be freed until his question had an answer.

“Where’s Luffy?”

Likes, comments, and reblogs bring me much ✨dopamine✨ thank you so much!

a/n: I love them all so much 😭😭😭

Part 28

#nico robin x fem!reader #zoro x reader #sanji x reader #sanji x robin #angst #f/f fanfic #reader insert #fem!reader #nico robin x reader #poly fanfic #nico robin fanfic #sanji fanfic #one piece fanfic #zoro fanfic #x reader #turtletaub fics #one piece x reader #use of y/n

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drghostwrite · 16 days

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Operating Rooms…

Pairing: Addison Montgomery x preg!wife!reader

Summary: jumps around but reader is pregnant and due date is approaching fast, a few scares have Addison on the edge as she can’t imagine losing her wife or her baby. Also part of this is a rewrite of the episode where Derek throws up in the OR with Lexi.

Warnings: mention of miscarriage, blood, vomiting.

******************************************************** "Suction, There's to much blood in the field." you said as you and Derek operated on the patient.

"We're losing him!, ugh I should've just cut the cord, this is way to risky."

"Derek, just stay calm." you said, you were standing over your patient multiple hours into am exhaustive tumor removal. It was taking a toll on both of you, spending hours on you feet was hard enough but being 7 months pregnant made it even harder, you're muscles were starting to lock up as you fought the fatigue, your body was absolutely exhausted.

"Wait. It's back, He's coming back up." Mark said.

you could hear Lexie ask a question but you were zoning out as relief that flooded your body quickly turned into worry, you felt pain but not muscle pain, something was different, something was wrong.

"Dr. Shepard?"

"My mask..."

"What?"

"His mask, take it off" "Take off my mask, Take off my mask!"

you both yelled in unison, as you quickly realized that something was wrong. she quickly moved his mask aas he bent over and threw up on the OR floor. you looked away turning into your arm, Mark saw your reaction looking you over.

"Y/N?" Mark said watching you as you turned to make eye contact with him.

"Dr. Montgomery, y-you're bleeding." Lexi said eyes getting wide with worry. In the midst of everything you forgot about yourself, quickly looking down to see a small stream of red darkening your scrubs, you're hands still inside the patient.

"Someone page Dr. Montgomery, NOW!" yelled Mark before rushing over to you.

"Lexi check on Derek, we need to keep this patient alive." He commanded, within minutes doctors filled the room, Meredith and Callie rushed to help Derek as Addison rushed to your side. As soon as your hands were out Mark scooped you up and rushed you out onto a gurney to get you to OB.

"Addison?"

"Right here Y/N, I'm right here."

"I'm scared..."

"I know, but we have the best." you squeezed her hand as you ran down the hall, as soon as you got there Arizona was waiting with monitors. "Okay mama, Let's figure out what's going on."

a few hours later you were in a hospital bed, Addison was next to you as Arizona walked in, "How're we feeling?"

"A little nervous, what's going on?"

"Well it looks like you have a case of what we call incompetent cervix, baby was pushing on your cervix and with the stress you were putting your body through, it cause your cervix to slightly dilate."

"Which caused your bleeding." Addison finished.

"And the baby?"

"The baby is okay, we gave you a slight dose of something to hopefully prevent labor, and we'll keep you overnight... and if it worsens then we can stitch the cervix closed until you go into labor."

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

1 month later and you were back in action, saving lives, performing surgeries. Addison and Arizona had been keep an extremely close eye on you, monitoring work load and the baby.

That is until you found yourself in a very high-stakes trauma situation, here you were standing over a young woman, hand in her chest pinching an artery stopping her from bleeding out. The ER was busy and you ended up in a very extensive case that just kept going south, your patient had extensive bleeding and now you found yourself with a hand inside her chest, and people watching you while trying to keep it together

People were very cautiously and efficiently moving around the room, nobody dared get in your way as you operated. Around the 8 hours mark you started feeling small contractions roll through your body.

"Dr. Montgomery, How're we doing?" you heard chief Webber's voice over the intercom. He had been showing some prospective attendings, and the board around and they decided that watching your surgery was intriguing so you had to put on your best show for them.

"Getting there, How's my ED looking?"

"Clearing out as we speak."

"Good, I'm going to need Dr. Torres and Dr. Sloan in here to help with this repair."

"Paging them now." he said before exiting the gallery. Callie and Mark later joined you in the OR, Callie across from you and Mark next to you being your extra set of hands, after a particularly strong contraction he whispered in you ear, "you okay, we don't need another scare."

"I know, I know..." you whispered back, before returning to the task at hand. 15 more minutes went by, this time you carefully leaned back a wince on your face.

"Y/N, we okay over there?" Callie asked as you readjusted.

"I think so." you shifted around.

"Look if you need to tap out..." Mark started.

"Mark..." you looked at him with your intimidating 'don't start' look, before shifting uncomfortably again.

"Y/N, your out go relax." Callie demanded.

"No I'm not leaving, I'm the only thing keeping this patient alive right now."

"Y/N." she said sternly, a stare-down happening as you were both stubborn.

"Okay, page Arizona... but don't cause a scene..."

She slowly nodded in response, "Can someone page my wife please." Callie said, a nurse quickly going to page Arizona, minutes later she walked in.

"You paged?"

"Yea," she said and motioned to you. Arizona stepped in next to you, "Y/N, you okay?" she said gently, watching the glance exchange between you and Callie.

"I think I might be going into early labor, but I can't move yet cause I'm the only thing stopping this patient from bleeding out... we have a lot riding on this surgery and they're all up in that room watching."

"Okay so we have two options, you leave and let someone else take over..."

"nope."

"Or I can discreetly hook you up to some monitors and monitor baby from right here next to you, but once your contractions get to close I'm pulling you." you looked between her and Callie, "Okay, whatever we have to do, just don't let them see and do not page my wife just yet." you said leaning your head to point at the others in the gallery.

Arizona quickly devised a plan, Webber distracted the investors with a quick tour of the other galleries, before a few intrigued returned, Arizona quickly attached monitors to your belly allowing her to discreetly monitor the baby. Mark stood shielding your occasionally distressed form from peering eyes, Callie covering by having the nurses rotate to distract.

20 minutes later and your contractions were drawing closer, Arizona sat behind a monitor with Ben as he monitored the anesthesia, she carefully watched the monitors whispering soft encouragement as you fought through the contractions. Minutes later the investors exited to continue their tours and Callie paged Bailey who quickly rushed to the rescue, repairing the damage so you could pull your hand out, Arizona came to your side unhooking the monitors and following you out of the room.

you entered the scrub room and immediately caught yourself on the scrub sink as a particularly strong contraction caught you off guard.

"Okay mama, I think it's time to go," Arizona said rubbing her hand firmly into your back to try and relieve the clenched muscles.

"Considering my water just broke that might be best," you said looking down at your dark navy scrubs the liquid creating streaks down your thighs.

"Yea, I can see that." she said following your eyes, supporting you as you tried standing up straight.

"Okay let's do this, and please, page my wife."

"Let's get you out of here first." she said guiding you out of the door.

--- time jump---

You were now in one of the delivery rooms, contractions only 3-5 minutes apart, groaning as another wave rolled through your body. You heard the door latch engage and swing open stark white light flooding the dimly lit room, you could see Addison's silhouette in the doorway as she ran to your side. Arizona right behind her, she had been in a surgery and Arizona had to hunt her down after she didn't answer her pages, pulling her from the OR.

"Y/N Forbes-Montgomery, I cannot believe you."

"what did I do?" you softly whispered.

"operating while in labor?"

"so you heard about that," you chuckled, "whoo..." you left out a moan as another contraction started.

"Of course I heard about it, I'm your wife, someone's got to watch out for you." she said leaning you forward to crawl in the bed behind you, she leaned you back into her a leg on either side supporting you as you held onto her knee, your other hand in hers, her spare hand wiped sweaty hair from your forehead as you leaned your temple against her face.

"Addi I don't know if I can do this, I'm so tired."

"Darling I've seen you fight through much worse, you've got this, lets meet our baby."

"Mmm..." you whimpered, before gritting your teeth together to start pushing.

2 hours later and lots of different emotions and you held a beautiful baby girl in your arms, she already had a full head of reddish hair, her eyes blue with just the slightest tint of green coming through them.

“You did so good mama, I’m so proud of you.” Addison said, watching you as you held your daughter.

“She’s gorgeous…” you whispered, taking in the lovestruck feeling.

“Just like her mommy’s.” Arizona said coming in to check on you one last time, a bright smile pulling across her face, Callie followed behind to check on you.

“Mm..” you chuckled, “thank you Arizona, for taking care of our girl.”

“Oh you know I would do anything for you, both of you.”

“Well next time a little heads up would be nice, and next time no operating rooms that close to the due date.”

“But…” you whined out, “and who said about next time?”

“Oh y'all make gorgeous and brilliant babies there will definitely be a next time.”

“gorgeous and brilliant, you hear that little one…” you whispered softly down to you baby as she cooed back up at you.

“I’d say if we’re not careful we’re gonna have a world class surgeon on our hands.” Addison beamed down with a smile before kissing your lips.

“Mm knowing y’all’s brains, you’re gonna have genius babies…” Callie said and you all laughed together as they exited to give you the room.

"Hmm are you gonna be a little genius baby?" you cooed down ath the infant in your arms, before smiling back up at Addison, she was in awe and placed a loving kiss to your lips.

"So long as they aren't as daring as their mother..."

"Oh hush, it keeps you guessing..." you said teasing back.

"Something like that" she smiled down at you

#x yn #pregnancy #greys anatomy #giving birth #x reader #addisonmontgomeryxreader #addison montgomery #greys abc #greys #callie torres #mark sloan #arizona robbins

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hanasnx · 3 months

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can you share some of thosr anakin-related-content-you-consumed on ur anakin fixation era cz im fixating on anakin aswell rn and i want to study him!! please, idk where to start 🙇🏻‍♀️

supercut of star wars I - III reddit link with instructions to receive them via google docs

i've seen both tpm and aotc supercuts but i have yet to finish the rots supercut because of it being so long. there are also deleted scenes on youtube that were not included in the supercuts linked here:

star wars episodes I and II extended edition - unused deleted scenes youtube video

revenge of the sith 4 hour supercut - unused deleted scenes youtube video

if you cannot get a hold of the supercuts for some reason, no sweat. the same channel listed in the above links has a bunch of videos on their channel of all "restored deleted scenes" that you can watch individually. of course, that is without the "siege of mandalore" that's included in the rots supercut. but that's just the bits you would see from season 7 of the clone wars spliced in, so you wouldn't be missing anything.

star wars: episode I - the phantom menace

if you cannot get a hold of the supercuts for whatever reason, start here. one of my favorite star wars movies. features young anakin, about nine years old, and how comes to live with the jedi, how he meets padme, and where he comes from.

star wars: episode II - attack of the clones

we follow older anakin, about nineteen years old, where he reunites with padme and they fall in love. the cracks of the dark side's influences are beginning to show.

star wars: clone wars

this is the mini-series released in 2003-2005 to depict anakin's journy throughout the beginning of the clone wars to prepare audiences for star wars: revenge of the sith coming out in 2005. it has since been de-canonized and replaced with the clone series that comes out in 2008. it is still worth the watch. anakin's voice actor is supremely talented and sounds a lot like hayden christensen. albiet he is dramatic, as it is a kid's show, i still very much enjoy his characterization. it's actually pretty funny too, it did get me to laugh a couple times. chapter 24-25 i believe is where anakin undergoes a sort of spiritual awakening, and the ending always makes me cry.

star wars: the clone wars movie

it was honestly boring to me, but i still watched it for much needed context on the show.

star wars: the clone wars

as i’ve said before, i don’t really care for tcw!anakin, but this was still a fun and enjoyable watch. it wasn’t completely worthless to me, i did learn some more things about anakin that applied to hayden’s rendition.

unreleased star wars: the clone wars arc - crystal crisis on utapau (full) youtube video

i didn’t finish it but from what i’ve seen so far it’s pretty funny.

anakin & obi-wan | let my people go youtube video edit

one of my favorite edits to one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite movies. i think about it a lot, especially during the “this was my home.” lyric. hammering in the betrayal of brothers that grew up alongside one another, and if you resonate with that song and movie it provides another layer of context. it’s deliciously painful. when anakin’s side of “you who i called brother,” cuts through and interrupts the melody, impatient to speak about his perspective using ramses’ narrative to do it, it’s acutely accurate to anakin’s character in my eyes.

clone wars: battle of the heroes - a star wars fan animation youtube video

i haven’t seen this yet but i’ve been waiting to enjoy it to its fullest. the creator worked very hard on it for a long time, so it’s worth the link.

star wars episode III: revenge of the sith novel by matthew stover

i have not read this, but i’ve seen hundreds of excerpts over the course of this hyperfixation on tumblr. it’s widely accepted even though it’s decanonized, and offers insight into anakin’s head that you can’t access with just watching the movie. i thoroughly enjoy and reblog the excerpts i come across, but since i’m not a reader i haven’t picked it up to complete it myself.

star wars: episode III - revenge of the sith

the third installment in the prequel series, and where shit goes down. twenty-three year old anakin grapples with his desires overcoming his sense of obligations, warping his own ideals to fit into selfish purposes. you see how he betrays the republic, his wife, his brother, and himself, all for power.

star wars episode III revenge of the sith (xbox) no commentary walkthrough full game [1080p60fps] youtube video

i haven’t gotten to watch this yet but i’d like to soon, i’ve seen bits and pieces and i believe there are alternate endings that prove interesting. if you like gameplay movies i think you should give it a shot, but if not, go ahead and skip this one.

star wars: episode III - revenge of the sith - making the game youtube video

it’s short and sweet. about hayden’s view of the character anakin and how he acts in combat.

star wars: tales of the jedi

s1e5 where we receive insight as to how anakin trains his padawan.

vader: complete canon comic series 1-25 in chronological order youtube video

i loved this so much. so many good moments that i ate the fuck up. we follow vader in his first year of becoming the sith lord, grappling with identity, past, and recognition. we also get insight into the very sensitive time of jedi eradication, i learned a lot. my favorite parts are when vader has to fight without a saber against clones, make his own red saber by retrieving one from a surviving jedi, and the arc that includes jocasta nu.

star wars the force unleashed- full game walkthrough gameplay no commentary youtube video

star wars the force unleashed 2 - full game walkthrough gameplay no commentary youtube video

both of these i've been meaning to watch, but i haven't been in the mood. i figured i'd link them in case you were interested in more gameplay movies.

star wars rebels

i didn't finish this, but i did watch a lot of the vader content and the scarce anakin content. i'll watch anything that mentions him tbh.

star wars jedi: fallen order - full game - no commentary youtube video

i played this game and loved it. the ending is the money shot tbh.

star wars: obi-wan kenobi

this was probably the first sw show i watched after i got back into darth vader in august 2022. reawakened a lot for me, i really enjoyed vader's part in this story. reva is also one of my favorites, and i thought her being a mirror image to anakin in this situation was clever, i thought her backstory was unique and refreshing. but what really shines for me is vader's contribution as both an extension of the emperor and a vessel for his own selfish desires. there are parts where i can see he's more machine than man. there are also some anakin parts as well! which i didn't enjoy as much, funnily enough.

rogue one: a star wars story

i haven't seen this one in years, but i do remember darth vader's appearances being both funny and badass.

star wars: episode IV - a new hope

star wars: episode V - the empire strikes back

it took me a long time to come around on this one. now it's one of my favorites. especially because we start to get the first glimpses within the original trilogy of vader's humanity, and his ability to demonstrate faint loyalty to his blood.

star wars: episode VI - return of the jedi

fave sw movie tbh since childhood. you can't get better than the ending. vader's sacrifice is everything to me.

lego star wars: the skywalker saga

i had played this game back in may 2022 when i visited my sister. she and i used to play lego games together when we were kids, and one of my first video games ever was lego star wars: the video game from 2005 which she introduced me to. it holds a special place in my heart, and i really liked playing skywalker saga even though at this point i hadn't cared about star wars in years. when i got back home i couldn't stop thinking about the saga game so i bought it myself, and then played it so obsessively i didn't do anything else. it got me back in the mood for darth vader so i watched obi-wan kenobi, and one thing leads to another now here i am with a smut blog about anakin skywalker's entire life and his every iteration. i loved the game, i think you should play it even though it's just lego versions of everything, it's still really fun.

star wars: ahsoka

you see him in this and the cinematography is breathtaking at times, but i didn't care for it. i only cared about the glimpses of anakin/vader's appearances even if they didn't contribute anything to the story for me.

anakin skywalker vs palpatine full fight scene (hd) - star wars episode IX [alternative ending] youtube video

this is a fan edit! i think about it a lot even though i haven't seen the sequels.

the life of anakin skywalker: darth vader (star wars) youtube video

i haven't finished this, but from what i've seen it's taught me things even i didn't know. i really appreciated the facts that aren't even on wookiepedia.

any books on it i've only seen the excerpts here on tumblr, i haven't read any because i'm not a big reader but i've seen some great posts that i reblog. so don't sleep on the books/comics

great ask

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minecraft-sideblog-tm · 2 years

Text

Okay I’ve roughly seen at least one POV from each pairing and the first-episode dynamics are just so funny, it’s literally like:

Scar: Man, I wish I could find my soulmate. They’ve got to be so close.

Grian: Scar, it’s literally me! I’m like 2 meters away from you!! I’ve been here trying to tell you for an hour!!!

Scar: It’s almost like I can hear their voice 😔

--------

Impulse: Oh! Yeah, we’ve been married for 7 happy years :)

Everyone else: Guys the server has only been active for like 3 hours, how can you already be marr-

Bdubs: *bursting through the door* 7 HAPPY YEARS AND MANY MORE TO COME >:(

--------

*reality show confession cam*

Scott: We spent ALL DAY trying to find our soulmates. We searched!

Cleo: We put in the WORK! To find them! And-

Scott: And you know what? They just- *stands up* ugh I can’t even say it. *walks off camera*

Cleo: Apparently our soulmates went to Hell! Together! Without us!! They weren’t even TRYING to find us!! They were just out exploring and apparently walking through fire instead, like can you believ-

Scott: *storming back into frame* Cleo and I are soulmates now. We don’t need them. “I dOn’T thiNk it woRKs thAt wA-” WELL it does now.

--------

Tango: *respawns* oh no... uhhhhh *checks chat* Jimmy? You here, buddy?

Jimmy: What did you do?

Tango: Oh yeah I just......We must be soulmates! Neat! Ugh sorry about the whole “killing you by proxy” thing though, haha.

Jimmy: Yeah.... so now what?

Tango: Hmmm, build a house? Yeah! And get some resources!

Jimmy: That sounds good! ....how?

Tango: .....yes?

--------

Joel: *takes damage* Oh my g- Who is my partner!? They just keep getting hurt by things!

Joel: *10 minutes later* Wait... Etho, did you just...? Hold on let me test this, we might be soulmates! *already towering up*

Etho: Wait really?! Oh no...

Joel: Yeah!! *jumps* I think we might be sou- *lands* Wait...”oh no?”

Etho: No, wait! I meant yay! This will be great!

Joel: Okay good

--------

Ren: *punches BigB* Aw, I don’t think it’s us :(

Joel: *punches BigB, hurts Ren* No, hang on. *punches again* I think it is!

BigB: Wait!

Ren: Wait!!

*Joel punches BigB again*

BigB: !!!!!

Ren: !!!!!!!!

BigB: :D

Ren: :DD

Ren:

Ren: ahem Okay can everyone else leave us so we can start planning the rest of our lives together? Thanks

#if any artists want to draw any of these scenarios like please do I'd love to see it #the scott/cleo one and the grian/scar ones are what inspired this post #because I just had such a vivid visual in my head of the interactions lmao #lee speaks #double life #grian #goodtimeswithscar #solidaritygaming #tangotek #ethoslab #smallishbeans #ZombieCleo #smajor1995 #BDoubleO100 #impulseSV #rendog #bigbst4tz2

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damn-stark · 8 months

Text

Chapter 7 The ballad of a Jujutsu sorcerer

Chapter 7 of Sugar

A/N- I really love how this chapter turned out!!

Warning- Swearing, fluff, ANGST, talks of blood and death, violence, long chapter.

Pairing- Suguru Geto x Gojo!fem-reader

Episode- 2x03-2x04

(Let me know if you want to be tagged)

————

“Suguru…”

He blinks at the sound of his name softly leaving your lips. He parts his lips and looks into your eyes. He notices that you’re beginning to look nervous about something by that one look so he doesn’t say anything, he waits patiently for what you had prepared.

“I—” you cut yourself off before you could finally express yourself because your phone suddenly begins to ring.

Even so, you don’t want this to ruin the moment so you quickly pick it up and decline the call to return to what you can’t hold back anymore.

“Sorry,” you laugh softly. “Suguru—”

Once again your phone fucking rings, this time though since the person seemed desperate to reach you, you pick up the phone and read who it is; Ieiri Shoko.

Fuck her.

You answer the phone and turn sharply on your heels to begin walking down the path instead. “I was in the middle of something,” you greet your friend coldy. “It better be urgent.”

Suguru follows you at your side and without needing to say anything he reaches over and takes your hand in his, basking your cold hand with his warmth. It usually would make you smile, but because of the persistent third wheel on the phone, you don't.

“Sorry,” Shoko excuses her interruption. “It’ll be quick promsie. I just need to know where you put your nail polish? The expensive one, the very dark red one? I chipped my nail today so I want to paint them again.”

You sigh deeply and feel Suguru glance at you with worry because of it.

“It’s in my room,” you grumble and begin to examine the street now since the moment was ruined. “It’s on my vanity.”

Shoko snickers and probes. “What were you doing? Oh! Did I interrupt something?” She teases you. “I thought you were supposed to be working not inside Geto’s pants.”

You groan and move your phone away from your ear to begin rubbing the bridge of your nose out of frustration. Suguru fills with more concern, but it doesn’t seem to be urgent so he waits for you to end the call to ask instead.

“I am working,” you sneer back at the phone after you press it against your ear. “I’m working, Shoko. That’s what you interrupted. Is that all? Or?”

“Yep, that’s all I needed, so I’ll go into your room, drop off some fashion magazines you like buying, and leave, okay?”

Your annoyance falls and an intrigued smile tugs on your lips. “Wait? Really? Is it the new edition?” You ask excitedly.

“Yeah, they began selling it today so I got one,” she says.

You squeal and catch Suguru by surprise. “Okay, okay,” you exclaim. “Don’t look through it, we can look at it together when I get home, okay?”

“Understood—”

“Oh, and Shoko,” you cut her off as you remember her gift you bought her. “Today we passed by this very cute boutique, I bought us matching halter tops! Summer’s approaching so I thought we’d look very nice! Of course they’re different colors so they won’t confuse us.” You chuckle, causing Shoko to scoff softly.

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want that,” she says. “Well now I can't wait to see it.”

You grin and share your glee with Suguru before you focus back on your friend. “We’ll look super cute. Anway, I have to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Goodnight, baby.”

“Goodnight, baby, and be careful. All of you,” she redirects sweetly, letting you end the call and put your phone away again so you can put all your focus on your surroundings, and any potentially suspicious people.

“Everything okay?” Suguru finally asks.

You nod as you secure your hold around his hand. “Yeah, she just needed something from my room.”

Silence follows and what you were about to tell Suguru comes rushing back to the front of your head, causing you to once again slowly grow nervous and fearful. Albeit now the courage and blinding hope that was pushing you to express your true feelings is dwindling thanks to that call.

“What were you going to say before?” Of course Suguru doesn't forget to bring that up. He’s so sweet that way…damn.

“I…” you trail off and glance at him, managing to meet his gaze as he watches you from the corner of his eyes.

You really want to say those three words, you want him to know that you appreciate him, that you love him, but that bravery is gone and you’re doubting yourself again. So you push it away and bring out something else instead.

“I recently came to a realization about something.”

“Oh,” he breathes out softly without the slightest knowledge of what you wanted to say. Which is good, you would’ve hated seeing him upset—“What is it?” He queries.

You swallow thickly and drift your gaze away to continue looking around. “After school,” you begin to share with some sense of disappointment since you’re a coward. “I'm going to leave and start a community just for sorcerers. A paradise if you will. They won’t have to fight there if they don’t want to, they won’t have to suffer. I’ll have a school too.” You begin to smile softly at the recurring dream that’s been occupying your mind as of late.

“Students will go out but with an adult chaperone at all times, even if they’re classified as a special grade,” you continue to share. “People can stay however long they want. All kinds of sorcerers can stay and…it’ll be okay to be scared of curses there. I have the money and connections to do it. But…the most important rule will be that non-sorcerers can’t live with us.”

Yes, that's your truth. You don’t hide from it out of shame of what he’ll think.

Albeit you do look over at him to quickly read what he’s thinking. However, when you look at him he’s already looking at you and he doesn’t seem to be bothered or disgusted by that rule. His eyes are soft and awe-struck. And a soft smile plays on his lips before he laughs.

“So you’ll be a communist?” He asks.

You freeze in your steps, causing Suguru’s hand to slip from your hold as he stops a few inches in front of you to wait.

“Well,” you utter a bit in disbelief. “I never thought of it that way.” You pause and sigh deeply. No matter how you try to think of it, there’s no way around that.

Then again, you don’t mind becoming that if it means fulfilling your dream. Besides other sorcerers and your family, what has this world ever done for you?

Nothing good.

“Well,” you break your stunned silence and begin to smile without shame. “Will you try and stop me, Jujutsu Sorcerer?” You tease him and break away from your spot to hug his arm and turn him around to continue walking down the path. “Because if you are, you do have to know that I will fight with tooth and nail to keep my people safe.”

Suguru chuckles. “I won’t expect it any other way,” he says in a sweet voice. “That’s why I love you.”

What?

Suguru stops walking, and lets your hand fall down his arm so you can hold his hand as he stops walking.

“I love you…more than anything,” he says again, letting your brain know that what he said mere seconds ago wasn’t some fever dream. Making your heart begin to pound in your chest, and making a breath escape past your lips at the sound of those words.

Sure he’s confessed his feelings for you when you started dating, he poured his heart out in a way you never thought possible. But nothing beats hearing these three words spoken to you. It’s why you can’t hold back anymore. You don’t have to fear that you’re pressuring him or fear him not feeling the same way. You can share what you’ve been holding back, you can pour your heart out.

“I love you,” you confess in a shaky voice. “I wanted to say it before, I did. And I know that sounds weird now because you said it first, but I was just scared, I didn’t want to pressure you, or have you not feel the same.”

Suguru laughs softly. “That’s ridiculous,” he rebuttals lightheartedly. “You knew how I felt since the first day. And every day beyond that, I haven’t really been discreet.”

Happy tears fill your eyes, and you slowly nod your head. “I know,” you whisper. “But I was still scared.”

“You have nothing to fear, darling, I love you,” he says again whilst he cups your cheeks to then pull you in for a passionate kiss under the stars.

He’s so gentle and slow to make sure he can linger in the taste of your mouth for as long as he can before you have to part away. But when the time does come to pull away though, you slide your hands to the back of his head and pull him in again to move faster and in sync. You pull him back against a tree and slither your hands down to his neck.

Suguru slowly moves his hands down to cup your jaw, but moves one hand futher down until he reaches your shoulder and pulls back from your kiss.

You’re both aching for more, but this isn’t the place, nor is this the right time. So you have to be content with leaving things in the heat of the moment.

“I love you,” you whisper happily against his lips. “I’m glad life let us cross paths, Suguru Geto.”

Said man flashes you a soft smile before he leans in and presses a kiss on your forehead. Blissful tears escape past your eyes, and when Suguru pulls back he chuckles softly before he wipes them away with his thumb.

“Come on,” he whispers. “Let’s get back to work.”

You sigh deeply but follow after him with your hand interlaced with his, and never for a moment in your nightly patrol do you let go of each other. Never do you feel any sense of danger, nor do you see it, so it does mean that your patrol was pretty boring. But since you were with Suguru, he did make your boredom feel less so, because you know without a doubt that if he wasn’t with you and you did this patrol alone, you would have left your post or jumped in the ocean. One of the two.

However, through the patrol, that sensation in the back of your neck returned for a brief moment. Since you were with Suguru and you were watching the streets together though, you completely ignored it and instead kept asking yourself if it was okay if you never let go of the hand you held.

——

*THE NEXT DAY*

Why is it so hard saying goodbye to someone you barely know?

It’s not like you didn’t know what this mission involved. You pondered the reality of it all. It’s a necessary action. For the greater or good.

Yet as you look at her now; her young face and her gentle smile, you feel even more somber about her fate than before.

“It was a pleasure knowing you, Riko,” you tell her softly. “Thank you for everything.”

Riko blinks in confusion and presses you for clarification. “What for?”

You swallow thickly and then whisper. “For what you’ll do. Thank you.” You want to tell her that you’re sorry for not doing more for her; she deserves to live a longer life after all. But you just stay quiet out of fear that what you do say will make her begin to regret what she’s come to terms with for so long.

“Oh,” Riko breathes out before she smiles wider at you. “You’re welcome. And thank you for showing me such a good time, I had so much fun yesterday. I hope your life is as good as you are.”

You beam at her and hold her gaze for a second longer before you throw your arms around her and embrace her gently. Riko seems to get surprised by your action, but she doesn’t question returning your embrace.

Neither of you say anything else on any matter, nor do you pull away quickly, Riko actually holds onto you a little harder. As if she didn’t want to let go.

But she had to so she did and kept her eyes downcast as you moved away before you could try and convince her not to do what she was fated to do.

“Miss Kurio it was nice knowing you,” you direct at the caregiver. “Take care.”

The world is big but there’s a chance you might see her again, plus she’s not the one dying so a simple goodbye for her is more than fine.

“And you too Miss Gojo,” she redirects sweetly.

You offer her one last time before you walk over to Suguru and shoot him a gleeful smile. “I’ll see you later. Be careful okay? I love you.” You grin at the sound of those words coming out of your mouth and completely ignore Satoru’s discomfort.

“I love you too,” Suguru says back with ease and a smile. “Text me when you’re done with your mission.”

You nod and save your affection for later, instead you lastly walk over to your brother. “Be careful, okay?”

Satoru sighs and brushes you off. “Always am. Let me know when you’re on your way home.”

You nod in agreement but let your gaze linger on his exhausted face for a while longer. You try not to be any more overbearing than you already have been, so you don’t tell him anything regarding his needs after not sleeping for two days. You just offer them all one last smile before you turn away and join Haibara and Nanami waiting for you to go on your missions.

As to what they were? Many simple ones that could be done by the managers, but Satoru meddled so you’re here now, walking to a high school, yawning on the job every few minutes.

“How hard was your mission yesterday y/n?” Haibara asks as he looks at you over his shoulder.

“Well,” you roll out slowly, and hide the truth or else Nanami would be even more annoyed than he already is. “Not as hard as Satoru’s or Suguru’s. I slept like three hours last night, they didn’t. So I’m glad their mission is almost over, they’re running on fumes. Especially Satoru.”

Haibara hums softly and looks at the high school entrance ahead. “I suppose even the strongest can exhaust themselves,” he says.

Nanami scoffs. “Of course they do. What kind of comment is that?”

Haibara shrugs. “Well, when you perceive someone as strong like Gojo and Geto, it’s easy to think of them as invincible,” he shares thoughtfully. “I know they aren’t so, they’re like us in every sense.”

You smile softly before you skip ahead to fall beside him and pat his shoulder. “That’s a good way of putting it Haibara.”

“No,” Nanami cuts in in his deep voice that sounds super nonchalant. “Not at all. They’re not invincible…at least not yet,” he mumbles. “But they're not like us, they’re stronger. We aren’t, we probably won’t ever live up to them, we can get close to their level and that’s okay, but they’re different people completely. They will forever bear a heavy weight.”

Is that supposed to be his way of comfort? Or a lecture?

“No,” Haibara argues in a kind but confident voice. “I know we can never live up to be like them. I don’t want to be like them, but they are still like us. Strength doesn’t take away from what they feel. They’re not robots, Nanami. And I think that as friends and fellow sorcerers, it’s our job to at least share some of that weight they carry.”

You begin to smile wider and nod. “Yeah, I agree,” you interject. “They’re strong, we know that. But it’s like Haibara said, we still have to be there for them too. Doing it alone after all sounds pretty sad.”

Nanami sighs and mutters back, “yeah, you guys are probably right.”

Haibara and you share a quick knowing look before you both break out laughing. He has such a morbid way of thinking, but when Haibara and you talk to him he’s so easy to persuade. That or respects the thoughts of Haibara and you. You like to think that. You respect some of his after all.

“Anyway,” you drag out and focus back on your mission. “Where is this curse again?”

“Back of the school,” Nanami says. “Good. I didn't want to run into anyone. They’re always so nosy.”

You scoff and nod in agreement. “Tell me about it.”

Once you walk past the school gates, you meet up with the school principal and he points you to the location that has been giving them trouble. He said he can’t see what lurks around, but the lights flicker, there’s this horrid smell that wasn’t there before, and the students are getting hurt and breaking bones around the area. He said one of the students even tried to jump off the roof; the student didn’t know why, nor did they want to, but it felt like something was luring them to do it.

The principal didn’t say why everything began to conjure up, he was tight-lipped about that, but your manager let you know that an accident with a bullied student happened there a few weeks back. So now you’re here.

Alas when you do make it to the back of the school, all you find is one single curse. It’s tall and has one eye on its narrow head, it has long arms, and a crooked neck. You thought it’d be scarier, but It’s one that could be exorcized by either one of you with ease.

As to who? You play nose goes and Nanami loses all three rounds.

“This is a stupid mission for us,” Nanami grumbles. “It should’ve gone to the first year at Kyoto. He is alone after all.”

You swing his blade bag off your shoulder after you helped him carry it since he’s had to carry it all day yesterday, and you then hand it to him as you respond with annoyance. “Yeah well, my brother meddled.” You sigh and walk back to sit on the sidewalk. “Anyway, I don’t know how you carry that thing around all the time, Nanamin.”

“I can’t go around parading my sword,” he says as he strides over to the curse with his weapon in hand.

“I know,” you retort and swing your leg over the other before you lean back. “But maybe you could order a nice coat and hide your weapon in there.” You begin to smile while he kicks the curse back.

“You could get a cool leather jacket and be like Blade!” You exclaim and watch Haibara stand beside you. “So when you’re out on missions you just throw open your coat and pull out your sword like a badass. Or-or,” you snicker, whilst Nanami swings his sword twice across the curses chest. “Open your coat to slowly reveal your blade.”

“Nanami can totally pull that off!” Haibara interjects with the same amount of excitement. “He already acts so mysterious, that would only add to his cool exterior.”

You both chuckle and miss the way Nanami exorcizes the curse with one last blow.

“Nanami, the power of a curse, the soul of a human, and the heart of a hero,” you quote in a deep voice, making Haibara laugh harder, and making Nanami smile softly at the ground.

“You just need some cool shades,” you point out. “I’ll get those for you. And you have to say it! I promise you, you’ll be dead by dawn.”

“How do you know so much of that movie?” Nanami asks as he walks towards Haibara and you. “It’s weird.”

You sit up and shrug nonchalantly. “Satoru and I watch it a lot. It’s one of our favorite movies. We should watch it tonight actually!” You suggest. “We can make something to eat and have a cool movie night with all of us. I'm sure the guys would appreciate it after they’re finished with their mission.”

“Yeah, I’m so down,” Haibara is the first to agree. “We can make some rice balls, and some dessert for them,” he suggests as he reaches his hand out to you when Nanami reaches you, and you instinctively take it and let him help you to your feet so you can start heading out, and go onto your next mission.

However, just before you can reach your next destination, while you were walking down a city street, that sensation on the back of your neck returns. It lingers now and tingles. You find the instinct to look back again, and that’s when you see him, the same man from the restaurant yesterday.

It can’t be a coincidence can it?

He was in Okinawa yesterday, and now he’s walking down the same street as you in Tokyo? You could say he was after the Star Plasma Vessel, but she’s not with you anymore, that’s obvious, plus the bounty is down already so there’s only one reason; he’s after you.

So now it seems like you’ll have to find out what he wants.

“Dark-haired shaggy man at 6 o’clock,” you share only loud enough so your friends can hear you. “He’s been tailing me since Okinawa.”

Nanami discreetly peers back to take a peek at the man still behind you who's trying to pretend he isn’t after you by pretending to be busy on his phone.

“You sure?” Haibara asks.

You crack your knuckles and nod. “Yep.”

“Okay,” Nanami interjects. “There’s a set of alleyways coming up, lead him in there. We’ll follow your lead after that.”

They didn’t need further explanation, nor did they doubt you for a moment. They believe and trust you, it’s why you love and appreciate them. It’s why you wish that you’ll never stop working together while you remain at school. They’re your partners, your best friends, your family.

“There’s a mini mart up ahead,” you point out discreetly. “I’ll walk in there, you two keep walking, pretend we’re breaking apart for the day.”

“Gotcha,” Haibara responds with comprehension.

You keep looking ahead as if you don’t notice a thing, and when you approach the mini-mart you drift away from your friends, and they do as you asked. The guy doesn’t follow you inside, but he’s probably waiting outside in the alleyway next to the minimart, so you buy whatever snack catches your eye to keep up the act. Before you can exit the store after paying, you pull your iPod out and put your earphones in to pretend to listen to music and look oblivious.

The moment you walk out, just like you predicted, the shaggy-haired man is in the alleyway, leaning against a wall and smoking a cigarette. You keep your eyes downcast, but you feel his stare as you slowly approach the alleyway. The only reason you look up is to pretend and question your route, but once you look like you figured out to take the short way you look down and turn to the alleyway.

Once you’re about halfway down the alley, you hear the man’s feet shift against the ground before you hear his footsteps trail after you. Thus, just before you can turn left into another alley, you stop in your tracks instead and finally raise your head to look at the distant street ahead.

The man’s footsteps continue to approach you, most likely to keep up his act, but you quickly turn around to face him as you pull your earphones out and let them hang over the long loose white skirt that you wrapped around your waist.

“I hope you have a good explanation as to why you’re following me, creep,” you finally address the man, and he pretends to be startled by your question.

“I,” he stammers out as he comes to a slow stop. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just trying to get home.” He then tries to walk past you, but you step in his way and bring him to a sudden halt.

“Who are you?” You press him. “And why have you been following me since Okinawa? I’ll give you three seconds to answer me.”

The man holds your gaze with his jaw clenched for a few seconds. He doesn’t part his lips to try and speak, he doesn’t move. He narrows his gaze into a glare to try and display himself as brave and fearless, but beads of sweat begin to form on his forehead, and that clenched glower is beginning to falter.

“3,” you begin to count down with a menacing smirk tugging on your lips. “2.”

The man’s eyes widen and before you know it he throws his hands out and shoves you back.

You scoff in disgust and collect your footing right away. You then lift your eyes as you brush off the dirt the non-sorcerer man left on your shirt, and see him try to sprint the other way.

Nevertheless, before he can even reach the end of the alleyway, Haibara walks out of hiding and blocks his path as he walks toward the fearful man.

The shaggy man comes to a stop and begins to step back from sweet-looking Haibara when he notices the button on his coat. He then looks back for an escape with thick beads of sweat running down his forehead and finds it in the other alleyway at your left.

But he’s not turning there is he?

The man spins around again and sprints past you to try and run into the alleyway.

“I knew it,” you sigh out and slowly turn to watch the man reach a stairwell on a tall and wide building. “How predictable,” you mumble, and then place a hand on your hip before you peer over your shoulder as you hear Haibara approach your side.

“Boast up?” You ask him calmly as you look back at the man frantically trying to climb up to the building's roof.

“No, I’ll climb,” Haibara assures you.

You hum in comprehension and notice that the man reaches the top now.

You don’t hurry to move, you know Nanami is there to greet him. After all, you all assumed he wouldn’t want to risk getting trapped in the alleyways since he would come across Haibara at one end. So what’s his next move? Climb up because he didn’t think you’d be that smart. “You’re just teenagers after all”.Tsk.

Non-sorcerers are so predictable.

Regardless, you move from your spot a few moments later, once you know Nanami has begun to interrogate the man with his deadpan voice and nonchalant expression. Rather than climbing up though, you manipulate the air around to swiftly throw you up to the roof.

The moment you land you see Nanami walking the shaggy man back towards the edge of the building.

“Tell me what you want with her and we’ll let you go,” Nanami asks with nonchalance. “Simple.”

The man’s heels hit the edge of the ceiling so he stops and looks back with panic in his eyes. You begin to approach them and immediately catch his attention, but trigger no response.

He’s tightlipped, that’s so fucking annoying.

“Unless you like things the hard way,” Nanami says menacingly. “I can make things hard.”

You reach Nanami’s side and notice his shoe print on the man’s shirt. Ha! If only you could have seen Nanami kick the man back. He’s so cool.

“You’re Jujutsu students,” the man says in a trembling voice, and shifts his eyes past Nanami and you as he sees Haibara finally on the roof.

“You can’t hurt me.” The man snaps and lets a faint but smug smile tug on the corner of his lips.

You mirror his gesture with more confidence, and without needing to be told anything, Nanami moves to the side to let you take his place in front of the man.

“No,” you direct at the man sweetly. “We can’t hurt you. But we can for sure as hell come close.” You then gently lift your hand whilst you summon air to gather in your palm, and proceed to flick the man’s chest.

The tap wasn’t hard on his chest, but the air you threw out with that simple action shoved him off the roof as if he had been shoved back by something cold and heavy.

Now you should use the air you can manipulate to create some barrier to catch him before he can hit the ground, but…it’s as you’re watching him fall down into the abandoned ally that you begin to feel relief at the slightest thought that this non-sorcerer could die…

In the back of your head you know you shouldn’t feel the way you do. Sure being a sorcerer doesn’t mean walking down a righteous path, you don’t have to tolerate non-sorcerers either, but while you're a student you cannot harm any non-sorcerer, unless they're your target. They’re the ones you’re meant to protect after all, and yes your own personal mindset has changed from when you first got here, and it also no longer aligns with what the school likes to follow, but you know it’s wrong thinking the way you do.

It’s why you do feel a hint of remorse for feeling the way you do over the man’s potential death; even if you don’t like non-sorcerers.

Yet, that’s still not why you catch him before he can hit the ground. You do it for your own personal gain.

“Tell me,” you yell out as you jump off the roof to swiftly land on the ground to be closer to the shaggy man. Nanami and Haibara follow after you and stick at your side. All while you use the air to lift the man up a few inches so he can see that it’s still quite a drop from where you have him hanging.

“Who sent you,” you sneer and tilt his body down so he can meet your glare. “What do you want?”

The man nervously swallows back before he parts his lips. “Toji Fushiguro,” he finally spills. “He said if his mission failed…that…he'd send me a message and I had to take you by force.”

Toji Fushiguro? Toji Fushiguro?

That doesn’t ring any bells.

“Who is he?” You spat out in confusion. “Who is Toji Fushiguro?”

The man drops his head, making Nanami step forward and grab the man’s collar to yank the man up. “Answer the question,” he demands in a threatening voice.

“I,” the man stammers. “I don’t know. He’s someone that hired me for the job to take her if all fails...I just wanted the money.”

He just repeated himself. He didn’t say why this Toji guy needs you. And it’s doubtful he knows what plans his contractor has.

Could this be related to Riko? But they’re at the school now. They’re safe. So…

“What do they need me for?” You probe as you step closer to the man.

The man's eyes shift to you and he opens his mouth, but before he can even answer, the man suddenly throws his head on Nanami’s nose, causing him to yelp out and back away to grab at his offended area.

You try to react, but since the man wasn’t restrained whatsoever, just propped up basically, he manages to pull a knife out and swings it across your face.

You cry out and stumble back, and accidently let the man go since you lose concentration. Haibara looks over at Nanami and you both grabbing at your wounds and steps forward, while the man makes a run for it even if it looks like he hurt a couple ribs on impact.

And if that's true then he won't make it far.

“Nanami, y/n, what do you need me to do?” Haibara asks with concern as he walks over to you.

You shake your head and stick your hand out to stop Haibara before he can reach either of you. “Go,” you command him instead. “We’re okay. Go, try and catch him. We need to know why they need me.”

Haibara hesitates for a moment before he listens and runs after the man, leaving you to slowly drop your hand covered in your own blood, and use RCT to heal what the man did.

That technique would’ve worked that day that the non-sorcerer took you captive. Albeit you were too scared and broken to even think about it, or actually turn your negative cursed energy to positive. It works like a charm now though. What a relief.

However you are upset you can’t help Nanami heal like Shoko can.

“Nanami,” you call out and approach him as he snaps his nose back into place without as much as crying out, he hides his pain. “Are you okay?”

Said guy turns to face you with his gaze narrowed. “Go,” he brushes you off. “We have no time to waste. I’ll circle around to surround him.”

You study his nose but all you see is blood staining his upper lip now, so you just let out a deep breath before you take the long way out of this alleyway.

Once you’re out on the sidewalk you don’t see Haibara, nor the guy, but you see people stopped and looking behind them with shock, confusion, and some fear.

It has to be him. He rammed past them.

Too easy.

You run down the path that the passersby have opened after the man passed them. You cross an intersection and notice that the light is green, you can see cars speeding forward right towards you, but you simply stick your hand out and manipulate the air to create a barrier that stops the car from hitting you as you run to the other street. People honk and curse at you, but you just flip them off and follow the clues the man sloppily leaves behind.

Luckily the man doesn’t make it far, a random woman seems to figure out that you’re after him and points to an alleyway in between a theater and a restaurant.

You offer her a stiff thankful nod before you turn into the alleyway that has two possible ways out; the path you entered, and one turning the corner.

Haibara is after him, the guy knows that. He also knows Nanami is in this chase too, so running won’t get him anywhere, especially because he’s just a mundane non-sorcerer. So he’d hide if he was smart.

Where though? The theater is the only building here with their roof access open, the other one is locked. He could be there…

But he’d be trapped, so no, he’s down here.

“Tell me why they need me, I'll make it worth your while. Promise,” you taunt him as you slowly walk down the alleyway. “I bet my family could even outmatch what that Toji guy was going to pay you. Or I can.”

There’s silence, but you know he’s around here. He might even be hiding around the corner, so you quicken your stride and look over.

There’s multiple trash cans around the corner, he can be in one of those. It’d be hard to know since the trash is scattered on the ground. You’ll have to check—But…you also don’t want to get your hands dirty by touching those cans. Gross.

You shift your feet to turn and face the alleyway, but before you can move your body you then catch the man descending the theater's roof access.

“You’re going to tell me now—” You come to a harsh stop as the sound of a loud bang rings in your ears seconds before something small and sharp impales your lower back.

You try to react, see what happened, but all you can muster is silence for a few dreadful seconds. A deafening silence that’s accompanied with a blurry vision, and the feeling of your heart pounding in your chest so loud you hear it in your ears. In those few seconds you also don’t feel pain, all you have is the realization that you got shot. You just got shot by the non-sorcerer who was just sweating and stammering out of fear.

A…non-sorcerer hurt you…again. Why?

Yet you can’t even ask, nor entertain that thought anymore because your shock comes to an end, and that pain you didn’t feel before slams all over your back. Not letting you pinpoint where you got shot, not letting you stand on your feet, and knocking you to the ground where you begin writhing in pain.

“You asked,” the man shouts, or mutters, you can’t tell, the pain makes your heart pump louder in your ears, and the pain clouds your head.

“Why you,” the man continues. “Well, you were Toji’s trump card. The brother's prized jewel was Toji’s bargaining chip.” He approaches you and uses his dirty boot to flip you over so you can face him as he towers over you. “Considering I haven’t been called, his plan worked.”

You manage to sneer at him. “What?”

The man shrugs nonchalantly and snickers. He acts so tough now. Just he wait until you heal….

However, as you try to use RCT, the pain only heightens on your back and makes it feel like it’s ripping your insides.

“I wouldn’t,” he says now. “I have my trump card too. You can never be too careful with…people like you.”

You curl your lip into a snarl and throw your hand around his ankle. “I’ll kill you,” you seethe and begin to tap into your fire technique to create your fire-made snake so his blood could boil, but Haibara appears down the alleyway and makes you stop.

“Y/N!” Your friend shouts, making the man jump and then kick your side so you can let go and he can try to escape the other way.

Albeit it seems that before he can make a quick escape, he’s thrown back by none other than Nanami who finally catches up.

“Nanami!” Haibara calls out with slight panic as he falls beside you. “It’s y/n!”

You grab Haibara’s arm and shake your head. “No, let him,” you say through pained groans. “Something’s wrong, we need more information.”

Haibara meets your gaze with concern and then glances over at Nanami. You can’t see Nanami’s reaction, but you hear his fist slam against the man’s flesh.

“Just,” you stammer out. “Get the bullet out. I can heal once you do.”

Haibara’s eyes fall to the blood creeping out of your wound and nervously swallows thickly.

“Haibara,” you snap him from his stupor. “Please.”

Your friend looks at you again and nods before he uses his other hand to grab the back of your neck to try and pull you up. You try to help him by at least shifting your body, but that’s when you notice something awry with you. With your legs…

“Haibara,” you breathe out and grip onto him as fear mixes in with the pain. “I…can’t feel my legs. I can’t feel them.”

Haibara stops what he's doing and meets your gaze with a horrified look. “It’s okay,” he sputters out and lets your hand go to reach for his phone. “We’ll call our manager and take you to Shoko. Nanami!”

Tears roll down your face and everything around you once again blurs, the sounds around you don’t register. You know you’re moving, after a while you leave the man behind and return to the school with urgency, but you don’t actually register the ride home, or the panicked conversations Nanami has with Shoko on the phone. Not while all you feel is your blood pumping in your ears, and the same obilitering pain on your back; as if someone is continuously turning and twisting some sharp blade inside you.

You especially don’t register anything while you also feel something more damaging between all of it, something that’s making itself more present…anger.

It consumes the worry you initially had for your brother, for Suguru and Riko, since it all seems connected. Instead that anger drifts your focus on something else, something you can’t quite make out yet. Especially not while the pain suddenly heightens.

An agonizing pain hits you, and your throat stings as you bellow out when you feel something cold digging through your bullet wound.

It feels like you're on fire, but then it all goes black. There’s some relief, but it’s too quick because you then open your eyes and hear yourself crying because of the pain. You can even hear other voices, but they’re muffled.

“You’re hurting her!”

As far as you can tell that was Nanami, but it’s hard to identify because it all goes black again. Like before it’s only for a short while, but this time when you wake the pain is gone, instead, you feel instant relief; there’s no more stinging or burning sensations. It doesn’t feel like something is tearing you apart from the inside, it’s all gone and there’s sweet, sweet relief as your eyes flutter open.

“She’s awake,” you hear Haibara clearly, there’s no more thumping blood in your ears. He then appears in front of you and you feel joy that you can see clearly again. “Y/N,” he breathes out with relief. “You’re okay. You scared me for a moment there.”

You relish in the ease that runs through your veins, that washes over your muscles and manage a genuine smile. “I was scared there too. Where’s Nanami?”

Haibara grins and points back. “Over here. He's happy you’re awake.”

You turn your head and see him look away so you won’t see his face as he speaks. “Yeah,” he mutters, making you laugh softly before you blink and take note of the bright lights above your head, the bland white walls around you, and the screen at your sides. You’re in the medbay, so where’s Shoko?

You sit up and Haibara grabs your arm just in case you’d fall, even if the RCT Shoko used did not leave any aches. You feel brand new, thankfully.

“Where’s Shoko?” You ask and lower your gaze.

“She went to wash up and smoke I think, she was a bit stressed,” he shares. “She said that the bullet that the guy used was a cursed tool. That’s why you couldn’t heal yourself and take it out.”

You figured out that much. The actual question you’re asking yourself is where that non-sorcerer got that kind of weapon. That man that hired him?

If so, who is this Toji Fushiguro? And what does he want?

Now that your mind is clear and not invaded by pain, you actually begin to figure that out.

Considering this is all happening today, and they wanted you as leverage for Satoru, they’re probably after Riko.

So where is she? And where is your brother and boyfriend? They should be below now waiting to deliver Riko to Tengen, so they should be safe…right?

“Have you talked to Suguru or Satoru?” You blurt and snap your eyes up to look at Haibara.

Your friend quickly meets your gaze and goes serious and stiff. Which is his giveaway that he’s hiding something.

“Spill it out, Haibara,” you press him.

Said man lets out a deep breath and clenches his fist. He remains quiet for longer than you liked so you look over at Nanami sitting by the bed and press him. “Tell me Nanami.”

Nanami slowly raises his head and meets your gaze, unlike Haibara he doesn’t try to protect you by hiding the truth, he says it because he knows you won’t know some form of peace until you know.

“The man we were after said that the Toji guy was going to kill the Star Plasma Vessel,” Nanami says. “When we got to school, we found the courtyard destroyed and buildings in pieces…”

Your eyes slowly widen in disbelief, and your heart gives one hard ba-dum as you feel it creep in again…fear.

“But you didn’t see anyone out there?” You ask quietly.

Nanami shakes his head. “No. At least we didn’t check. We were too worried about you to check.”

It’d be obvious to figure out if there was people fighting outside, so it means…did they make it down to the tomb of the star now? Are they safe?

You have to know. There’s too much of a mess to not go check.

Thus you swing your legs over the edge of the bed. Haibara is caught off guard but he reacts quickly with concern.

“What are you doing? You have to stay here.”

You slide off the bed and shake your head. “No. I’m going to go find them. They might need my help.”

“Help?” Nanami asks. “If that Toji guy had our strongest students do that much destruction then you’ll only get in the way.” He’s harsh but honest.

Yet you don’t care for his honesty now. Not when it involves Satoru or Suguru.

“I don’t care,” you rebuttal softly and begin to walk away. “Oh and thank you guys,” you change the subject abruptly so they won’t continue to argue. “I know we still had missions to do, so thank you. You really saved me. I’ll see you guys later. I’ll let you know if something’s wrong.” You open the curtain that gives you privacy from the rest of the medical bay and actually come face-to-face with Shoko.

“Where do you think you’re going?” She asks and crosses her arms over her chest as she shoots you a pointed look.

“I’m going to find my brother and Suguru,” you let her know.

Shoko holds your gaze and stays put for a moment. “You should be resting,” she points out.

“You made it so I really don’t have to,” you rebuttal lightheartedly. “I’m okay because of you. So now I’m going to make sure my brother and Suguru are okay.”

Shoko sighs and steps aside. “Careful, you idiot. I healed you once today, I don’t want to heal you again in the span of one day.”

You smile at her and shake your head. “I’ll be okay,” you assure her. “I’m sure they have it under control.”

Without wasting another second you then hurry out. Not caring that there’s a tear in your jumpsuit now because of the bullet, or that the bottom half of your body is stained with blood.

You run over to where the tomb is because you hope that’s where they’d be. But the closer you get the more your fear begins to consume you, making it hard to breathe, making your hands tremble, and making a pit to grow in your stomach as if you’re expecting the worst when you keep telling yourself that it’s all going to be fine.

When you walk in the elevator shaft that goes down to the tomb, you try to listen or feel for any sign of struggle, but there’s just silence. It should give you relief, but you feel worse.

They better be okay….

They are, you tell yourself. And keep telling yourself that the entire way down. When the elevator hits the ground and it dings as it begins to open the door, you begin to move out with a straightforward vision. You step out and strain your ears to listen, and squint your eyes to see through the dim hall that you don’t notice the blood on the ground until your feet splashes in it.

“Fuck,” you breathe out and freeze. You’re scared to look down, but you need to know, so you slowly lower your gaze and gasp softly the moment you see Kurio on the ground with a pool of her own blood around her.

Is Toji here?

“Kurio?” You call out quietly.

The woman doesn’t move, you watch her back to see if it’d move as she breathed, but she lay still and silent. You then bend down to see if she’s just weak, but as you check her pulse, her pulse doesn't pump.

She’s dead. Which means…that Satoru and Suguru could be in danger. You’ll have to come back and cover her body later so someone can come and carry her out. For now, you stand up and run down the hall. The closer you get to the end, the brighter it gets, but there’s still no sign of any battle, there’s no voices.

You only hope that Riko—

Before you can finish your thought you come to a halt the moment you step out of the hall. You feel your heart immediately sink while your breath catches in your throat at the sight of…Riko on the ground with blood around her head.

Like Kurio she doesn’t move, not even to breathe. Yet you still call out for her with hope. “Riko?” You take a step forward and only see more dark scarlet blood. “Riko?”

She doesn’t answer so when you reach her you fall on your knees beside her. You notice right away that her eyes are open and still. She’s so incredibly still. But as you touch her cheek she’s still warm.

“Riko?” You call out quietly and with a crack in your voice. “I’m here. It’s Y/N.” You grab her shoulder and turn her to her back. “Riko…” You trail off and slowly check for her pulse on the side of her neck. You immediately don’t feel any sign of life, but you keep your fingers pressed against her neck as if that would change the cruel truth...Riko’s dead too.

And not dead as in she’s joined Tengen, she got shot in the head and died before she could actually reach Tengen. Then again it’s not like you cared if she joined Tengen or not, you deeply hoped she wouldn’t, you wanted her to enjoy her life, to live and enjoy her teenagehood because regardless of all the bad that you face, being one is not that bad. You wanted her to see that, you wanted her to live…

But she’s dead now. She’s actually gone.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper to her shakily. “I’m sorry it had to end this way.”

Tears stream down your face, and in that moment footsteps also begin to approach up the stairs ahead. You don’t even question that it might be danger and shoot up thinking it’s one of the two guys.

“Satoru?” You call out and walk around Riko to approach the staircase. Yet that’s when you see that who’s approaching isn’t your brother or Suguru, this a tall muscular man with short greasy black hair, a scar over the corner of his mouth, and a worm like curse wrapped around his shoulders.

This must be Toji Fushiguro. And if he’s so gracefully walking up the stairs then does that mean that Satoru and Suguru are…no…They’re probably just hurt. But how?

Is this man really that dangerous that he could outmatch Satoru and Suguru, the strongest there is?

It can’t be possible.

Nevertheless, while you’re lost in your running thoughts, the man looks up and spots you, and immediately stops in his tracks.

You lock eyes and narrow your gaze, and fist your hand to get ready to fight if need be.

“Look at how much you’ve grown,” the man says in a deep voice. “I almost didn’t recognize you, y/n Gojo.”

You knew he knew of you because he was the one that hired that goon, but this seems deeper than that. How?

He notices your confusion and scoffs before he continues to speak. “You wouldn’t recognize me, you were just a little girl when I saw you walking hand in hand with your brother several years back. He looked back at me, but you only cared about him so you didn’t even bat an eye my way.”

Okay? That only leaves more fucking questions, but you don’t bother to ask any related to that. “How?” You deadpan.

Toji blinks and squints. “How what?”

You glance back at Riko and then glance past his shoulder to look at the gap in between the lined-up buildings that are laid in several rows behind him. Toji follows your line of gaze and then huffs with a smirk tugging on his lips.

“Oh,” he breathes out and looks back at you. “You’re asking about them. Well does it matter?”

You can’t sense any kind of cursed energy on him, nothing of the sort, so it must mean one thing. “Heavenly restriction?” You ask.

Toji places his hand on his hip and his smirk deepens. “So you have more than just looks,” he quips.

You’ll have to be careful then, who knows what he’s gifted with. It’s why Riko’s dead, it’s why…Satoru and Suguru aren’t after him at the moment. He must be insanely gifted by his heavenly restriction.

Which means you can’t fight inside. Closed quarters restricts your cursed technique too much.

“I gotta ask one more thing,” you interject with your glare burning into him. “Do you mind if we take this outside?”

Toji chuckles. “You have your brother's boldness, I'll give you that. But,” he sighs. “I have things to do, girl. Plus, you’re weak, it'd be a pitiful fight.”

You scoff, and open your fist to use your cursed technique and manipulate the air inside this large corridor to turn calm resting air into gusts of wind that gather in a growing orb on your palm.

“Is that so?” You sneer. “Why don’t we try to find out.”

Toji doesn’t move, he doesn’t seem shocked by your technique, or the growing orb of air growing bigger on your palm. He steps up one stair and calmly parts his lips. “Has your brother not told you to not pick fights you won’t win?”

You ignore him and begin to lift your hand to point your palm at him, but he interjects with a malicious smile on his face.

“I killed Satoru Gojo,” he interjects. “And injured the other guy with the weird bangs, what makes you think I won’t kill you too? Sure the Gojo clan will be up my ass, but it would be good to rid this world of at least one damned Jujutsu clan.”

Did he just say he killed…your brother?

“What?” You mutter coldy, and slowly release the air you had begun to gather on your hand.

Toji grins. “Yeah, a monkey like me killed your brother,” he says again in a teasing tone.

You tap into your fire, making the dragon mark on your arm begin to glow. You want to use it against the man who said that killed your brother, but as you think about what he said you have no strength to fight back. You stay there frozen, staring at the ground with disbelief, feeling all the warmth that this room holds vanish. The warmth that your body keeps disappears, and the warmth that this earth holds fades away, leaving you and this earth cold and frigid at the thought of your brother dead.

Toji recognizes your shock and walks right past you. When he’s behind you he interjects one more time. “Let’s run into each other again once you’re stronger. I’d like to pick up on your offer then. For now…my condolences.”

You don’t bother to look back or respond. He leaves and you continue to stand there frozen in disbelief.

Satoru can’t be dead. He…can’t be gone. He didn’t leave you behind. Please don’t let it be true.

He’s still alive, you know it, you’re sure of it. You have to think that way because you know if you don’t you’ll break. It’s why you push it away, pretend like you didn’t hear those tragic words, and focus on Suguru.

He’s here, you can sense his cursed energy. And Toji did say he hurt him, so you finally break away from your spot and follow the mess a battle left behind, and end up at the edge of a deep gap made near the big tree in the middle of the room.

You look down and see Suguru lying on the ground, so you quickly use your cursed technique to use the air to help you down to where he is. Once you land on the rubble you gasp as you see the long gashes across his chest.

“Suguru!” You call out regardless of whether you see his eyes closed or not.

When you reach him your breaths quicken as your throat closes as you see the blood still coming out of his wounds and blood trickling down his lip. You want to cry too, you want to curl up to avoid the worst, because if he died too then you’d probably cease to exist. There’d be nothing but an empty flesh-made body with a beating heart but no soul.

Toji said he only hurt him, but that doesn’t make you any less right or worried. So you proceed to press your ear against his chest and wait with your breath held.

A second passes before it feels like you can breathe again as you thankfully feel his heartbeat in his chest.

“You’re okay,” you mumble and close your eyes to sigh with relief.

“Y/N?”

You tear your eyes open and lift your head to meet Suguru’s dark eyes.

“Hey Sugar,” you whisper softly before you press your forehead against his and bask in the fact that he’s alive.

Suguru uses the strength he has and grabs your hand.

“Why are you crying?” He whispers softly.

You pull your head back and sniffle. “I was scared. That’s all.”

His lips twitch to a faint smile. “I’m okay,” he mutters.

You laugh softly and nod. “You will be when we get you to Shoko. So come on, I’ll help you up.”

It’s a struggle to get him up since he’s actually very heavy, but he helps you. It’s easy after that, you use your cursed technique to get you back to the stairs. And it’s then that he actually breaks his silence. “Y/N…Satoru is—”

“He’ll be okay,” you cut him off and secure his arm around your shoulders as you begin to climb the stairs. “He’s strong. I know he’ll be okay.”

“Y/N,” he says again, this time with pity that gets you upset.

“I said he’ll be fine!” Your bottom lip trembles and tears fill your eyes again. “I’m sorry…I just need to believe it…I can’t think otherwise. I won’t be strong enough to face that truth. So for now please just let me believe my brother is alive.”

You feel Suguru’s pitiful stare before he whispers, “okay.”

“Okay,” you whisper back.

Shortly thereafter you reach the top of the stairs and Riko’s body is gone. All that's left is a puddle of her blood and her torn headband. You don’t comment on it, nor does Suguru. You just see him look at the spot where she had been last.

What could you say? He’s probably beating himself up over what happened, he lost, what can you say that’d comfort him? It all sounds like it won’t help him.

“Are you okay?” Suguru asks quietly, breaking you from your stupor. “Besides all this I mean. You’re home early.”

He’s the one bleeding out and he’s worried about you?

You sure are glad he’s not dead. He’s one of a kind.

“I…got shot,” you share, making him snap his eyes at you, showing his shock and confusion.

“After my second mission,” you continue to explain. “I spotted this man who had been following me since Okinawa. We confronted him—”

“Since Okinawa? Why didn’t you say anything?”

You shake your head. “Let me finsh,” you brush him off. “We confronted the guy about it and he said he was hired by Toji Fushiguro…the guy you just fought. He said if Toji’s plan failed he’d use me as his trump card against my brother. He ran after, we chased him, cornered him and he pulled a gun out and shot me…fucking non-sorcerer shot me,” you mumble.

“It hurt like a fucking bitch,” you continue. “But Nanami and Haibara brought me home, and Shoko healed me,” you finish. “So we both have had quite a fucking day.” You meet his gaze and sigh.

“Yeah,” he says. “It seems we have.”

You reach Kurio’s body now, and again, neither of you comment on it. All you do is stop to pull off your long white skirt and cover her with it before you walk in the elevator with Suguru draped at your side. The ride up is quiet, the way to Shoko stays that same way as well since all you can both think about is Satoru. One of you thinks of his death, the other denies the truth and clings onto the hope that he’s okay.

Unknowingly one thought you both do share is gratitude that one another is there.

And you wouldn't have left his side until he was healed, but you can’t go on without making sure your brother is okay, or if he’s actually…gone. So when you enter the medbay again you sit Suguru down, and just interject over your shoulder as you turn to walk back out the door.

“I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?” Shoko asks.

You stop when you reach the door and respond hopefully. “I’m going to find my brother.”

No one stops you or tells you otherwise. They don’t follow after you, nor do you ask for help. You walk to the destruction out in the courtyard and see Nanami and Haibara trying to get rid of the fly heads that swarmed the courtyard. Yaga and a few other teachers are out here too, but no one says a thing to you, they’re careful since they also know what happened.

It’s like they expect you to react badly. But that can’t be further from the truth, after all your brother's killer stood in front of you for a while and you didn’t react. Even if you were known to overreact (which you don't), this moment isn’t one of them. You’re barely hanging on as it is.

And when you see all the open field, the flat land littered with rubble, you expect to see him there, sitting or standing, laying even, but when he’s not obviously in front of you, it—everything…well you can’t even explain what you feel besides desperate.

He’s eveything to you. He’s the good of this world because when you hated your life he was always there to make it better, to hold your hand and comfort you after your parents showed you only cruelness. He was your warmth and your strength.

For so long he was all you had, so if he’s gone, who are you in this vast world? Where are you? You’ll be lost without him.

He’d always find you when you were lost. Late as always, but he always found a way to you.

So you plead now to whatever higher being that exists that he’ll find a way to you. You’ll wait at home if need be, you hate your fucking house, but you’ll go back to wait for him there. You’ll wait at school, where his blood lays drying to the rubble first though. If night comes, if summer passes and fall dries the leaves then you’ll continue to wait.

“Y/N?” Haibara whispers.

You hug your knees tighter against your chest but don’t bat an eye his way. “I’m waiting,” you mumble.

Haibara climbs onto the piece of rubble you sit on and takes a seat beside you. He doesn’t say anything right away, he just exhales softly before he drops his shoulders and looks up at the sky.

“Regardless of today's events,” he interjects softly. “It is a pretty day. Aren’t these kind of days your favorite?”

You glance up but the sky isn’t as blue as before. It looks kind of dull. “I’m currently debating,” you retort and lower your gaze to watch the grounds in case you’d see your brother.

“I have a younger sister you know,” he says, making you slowly look over at him.

“I remember you mentioned her before,” you fill the silence that followed.

“She can see curses too, so I forbade her from following my footsteps,” he pauses and swallows thickly. “And I know,” he continues and lowers his head to meet your gaze. “I can’t relate to what you feel, or compare to the bond you share with your brother, but I know if something happened to my sister I’d feel the same.”

Tears fill your eyes and a wobbly smile tugs on your lips as you interject. “But you’re strong, Haibara. I see it, you have the strength to protect your sister from all the bad. I…never could protect my brother, I always needed him. And maybe if I was stronger I would have been assigned with him and Suguru, I could have helped him and been here, but…I am not strong.” You shake your head and feel your bottom lip tremble as you feel the need to cry. “And if he’s actually gone then…I don’t know who I’d be. If I was stronger I could have avoided this or-or had it so it was me, not him.”

Haibara scoffs softly. “You really think Satoru wouldve let that happen?” He asks.

You laugh softly and shake your head. “No. But I would’ve tried.” Now you’re dangling over the edge of the abyss.

Your friend hums and lifts his head to watch a little bird fly by, you let your gaze fall and watch the grounds again.

“You said you wouldn't know who you’d be if your brother was gone,” Haibara whispers. “I think I know who you’d be. You would be you.”

You blink and meet his gaze again with tears running down your cheeks.

“Of course you’d be a little different, loss will do that,” he continues to say. “But you will always be yourself.”

“How do you know?” You question. “He’s all I know. I owe my life to him. He’s my home.”

Haibara meets your gaze once again and smiles softly now. “I know because the love you have for your brother is something that you’ll always have,” he says in a soft voice. “In order to carry that, to carry his memory with you, you have to keep fighting to live and keep your heart to be you. If you don’t then that’s when you lose.”

He’s so young and not so wise yet, but can you blame him? He’s young. Yet he always seems to know what to say, maybe it’s because he’s an older brother. Satoru always knows what to say, or do, sometimes he may not communicate it right, but he does share that same trait with Haibara.

“Thank you,” you tell your friend as you wipe the tears off your cheeks. “Can I hug you?”

Haibara grins and nods. “Of course, go for it.”

You smile wider before you throw your arms around him. “Thank you,” you whisper again.

Haibara hugs you back and rubs your back. “Of course, that’s what friends are for.”

You smile softly and tighten your hold around him.

“Besides,” he adds. “I don’t believe your brother is gone, he’s strong. He’s not here either so I know he’s fighting. We’ll see him soon enough.”

You pull back and sigh shakily. “I hope.”

“Y/N?”

You gasp softly and feel your lips twitch to a comforted smile as you hear Suguru call out for you. You look over to where his voice comes from and immediately where there was bleak and dullness, the sky regains its bright and soft color. Your once-racing heart slows down to a calming beat. Those breaths that once felt so hard to take, ease back to normal.

As Suguru gets closer to the crater you now notice he’s carrying clothes in his hand. You also see that he’s wearing clean clothes now, he no longer has blood or marks on his face. Yet he still wears a melancholy look that you noticed before too.

“Thank you,” you direct at Haibara again as you stand up.

Your friend pushes himself up and offers you a gentle smile, letting you jump over the gap that was in between the rubble and the rest of the ground. You then meet Suguru halfway and see he’s holding your clothes.

“How are you feeling?” You make sure to ask first before he can say what he needs to say. “Any lingering effects?” You ask and reach over to grab his arm to study him.

Suguru shakes his head. “No, I’m fine. Thanks to Shoko.” He glances over at the rubble and studies the field for a moment in search of his best friend.

“When I got here all I saw was a puddle of his blood,” you let him know, and pull his gaze back to you. “He’s going to be okay.”

Suguru hesitates before he nods softly. “Yeah,” he whispers unsurely. As if he’s only trying to comfort you. “He will be.”

You sigh and slide your hand up to grab his shoulder. “He will be,” you assure him now that Haibara has filled you with hope.

Suguru holds your gaze as he lets out a deep breath, and you feel his shoulders fall before he nods lightly. “Yeah,” he whispers.

You offer him a soft smile and raise your hand to caress his cheek even if there could be people watching. “I’m glad you’re okay. You scared me.”

The corner of Suguru’s lips tug upward just slightly before he grabs your hand and strokes your knuckles.

“I brought this for you,” he says and pulls your hand down so he can place it on the clothes he’s holding—“I want you to come with me to recover Riko's body.”

You blink and your soft smile fades, whilst your heart sinks now. Suguru notices your change in emotions and begins to caress your knuckles with his thumb since he didn’t actually let go of your hand when he made you grab your clothes.

“The Star Religious group has many facilities,” he adds. “But I’m willing to go to each one until we find her. She deserves better than that.”

You nod without hesitation. “Yeah, she does,” you agree. “I’ll go with you, but…what if we run into Toji?”

Suguru’s gaze hardens. “Then we kill him.”

“That’s if Satoru hasn't gotten to him first,” you mention to keep yourself hopeful and avoid falling into the abyss you still dangle over without actually knowing if Satoru is okay or not.

“Yeah that's right,” Suguru agrees in a tone that lets you hear his doubt.

You want to ask him why he’s so sure that Satoru is really gone, it pisses you off that he’s not hopeful, but you remind yourself that people are different with the way they process loss, plus Satoru is his best friend. If he’s too hopeful and you meet disappointment then it will hurt a lot worse, so he probably just doesn’t want to get his hopes up for his own sanity. You need to remember that.

——

*LATER*

Upon going to the first Star Religious facility you started off with blazing hope, but when that turned out to be empty, that light flickered. You went to the second location and when you found nothing there too that flame within you began to dim, but you kept holding onto hope that you’d find your brother.

Yet you went to the third one and that was empty too. Now you’re going to the fourth one, the sun is going down and taking your hope along with it.

As for Suguru’s hope? He kept on a straight face each time, only letting flickers of disappointment show visibly when you’d come across an empty building. However, you know him well, you’ve been intimate and vulnerable together, you can see his sorrow behind his seriousness. And you can guess what he might feel, you can’t be completely sure but from what’s happened you like to think you know.

Plus seeing him be that way adds to the ache you already feel, especially because he’s a lot quieter than usual. You can’t just continue going without at least trying to help in the way he helps you.

“It’s not your fault you know,” you interject and blink to look at him looking at the street ahead. “What happened today wasn’t your fault, Suguru.”

Said man sighs deeply and his gaze hardens. “How can you say that when Riko is dead? When Satoru is gone too.”

You swallow back nervously and avert your gaze. “Because you couldn’t know it would happen,” you tell him softly. “Toji Fushiguro was gifted with Heavenly Restriction, there’s no way you could be prepared for that. But you tried, you fought and that’s what matters. It’s what Satoru will see. It’s what I know.”

Suguru looks over at you, and you look at him with a faint assuring smile. He doesn’t say anything, his sorrow doesn’t vanish at the sound of your words, and it’s doubtful his guilt disappeared either.

“Look,” you add. “What happened today is an accident in life we will have to live with. So the best you can do is learn from what happened and be better. Blaming yourself won't lead to anything good.”

Suguru holds your gaze and exhales deeply before he nods softly in comprehension. Who knows if he’ll listen to you, but you hope he does take it into consideration.

“Thank you,” he says quietly.

You offer him a wider smile. Yet that quickly falters as you look into his kind eyes and remember something that happened to you. Something he might find…disgusting.

Suguru notices your falter because of course he does, and doesn’t hesitate to probe. “What is it?” He asks.

You could keep quiet and not tell him anything you felt about that non-sorcerer today. He doesn’t have to know of your defection, he’s so…righteous after all, he’s so good, he’ll lose interest, he’ll hate you. You couldn’t live with that.

But…you said you don’t want to be the partners that hide things from each other out of fear of judgment, or out of selfishness. You don’t want to keep secrets from him, so he needs to know. And if his heart changes the way it feels about you then…you’ll have to live with it.

“Today,” you begin to say quietly. “When we were chasing that non-sorcerer that had been spying on me. We needed to get information out from him but he wouldn’t speak. So I…threw him off the roof, I caught him of course, I just wanted to scare the information out of him, and it worked. Kind of. But that’s not the point…” you pause and let out a shaky sigh. “The point is that…when he was falling I…felt relief at the thought of his death.”

You keep avoiding Suguru’s face out of fear. You even walk a bit ahead to avoid even catching a glimpse of his reaction.

“Well,” he breaks his silence. “He hurt you…it’s normal.”

You shake your head and mutter. “No. He hadn't hurt me yet.”

Suguru hums, and you feel as if someone clutches onto your heart. You don’t want him to hate you. Not him.

“Do you regret it?” He asks in a quiet voice. “Feeling the way you did.”

You sigh and nod. “I did,” you say the truth. “I felt remorse because I knew it was wrong, because it’s not what I’m supposed to feel as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.”

“That’s right,” he agrees. “And as long as you know it’s wrong, as long as you feel remorse then you can work on what you felt.”

You nod, but you don’t feel relieved yet. “You don’t hate me because of it. Do you?”

Suguru stops walking, so you do too, and slowly peer back to look at him. You’re afraid to read his reaction because you know you’d see what he truly felt, but you have to so you slowly lift your eyes.

And surprisingly when you do meet his gaze he’s looking at you with a soft look and a faint smile. “No,” he reveals. “I don’t hate you because of it. Do you really think I would?”

You shrug and slowly turn to face him completely. “You’re a good person, who feels strongly about your views of this world and your place in it. You often butt heads with Satoru because he contradicts that. So…yes I was scared that you’d hate me because of it.”

Suguru exhales and drops his gaze for a moment. “I could never hate you,” he assures you as he meets your gaze. “If our views in this world change then…they do, I can’t force you to feel the way I do. You have your reasons to feel the way you do, I can never make you forget that. Would it change things? Maybe, but I wouldn't give up on you because of it. That’s not what love is, is it?”

That grip around your heart disappears and you finally feel relieved. But you can’t smile yet. “I don’t know if I will ever go back to the way I felt about non-sorcerers, so please don’t feel like you have to stay with me because you want to avoid hurting me. It’ll hurt, but sometimes we can’t agree to disagree. So please always be honest with me.”

Suguru holds your gaze and nods without hesitation. “I promise I will.”

You offer him a tiny smile and a soft nod. He returns your gesture before you both begin to continue towards the fourth facility with your hands brushing against each other.

It’s not a long ways away now, you made sure to have the manager park the car as close as they could without potentially alerting anyone. But even still the walk felt eternal with your nerves as high as they were.

When you could finally see the facility you looked out for any sign of Satoru, but all you found past the perimeter was that worm-like curse Toji Fushiguro had wrapped around him. It was cut in half and dragging itself away. Which could only mean one thing…Satoru should be around here, and Toji should be taken care of.

Why else would his curse be here without him?

Then again would curses have any sense of loyalty? Without being controlled that is.

Who knows. And who knows how Toji got this curse to bond to him. It doesn’t matter now anyway, his curse is here, bleeding out and stopped in front of Suguru and you. It even lifts his head and tilts it.

“Mommy!” It says, making your shoulders jump out of surprise that it spoke—“Hug me!”

You can’t decide if you feel disgusted by it or strangely awed by the curse. It’s kind of ugly cute.

“What…are we going to do with it?” You ask quietly as if the curse would understand.

Suguru looks at you with the same disbelief he looked at the curse with. “What do you mean what we’re going to do with it?” He asks.

You shrug and point at it. “I could, I don't know, exorcize it, or you could…keep it.” You both then look over at it and Suguru’s disbelief turns to slight disgust. He doesn’t answer you so you begin to lift your hand off your side to get rid of it with your fire.

However, Suguru reaches his hand out and summons it into a ball first. You didn’t think he’d absorb it then, he usually doesn’t like to when you’re around; even after you assure him over and over again that you don’t mind whatsoever, but this time he does swallow the curse.

“Satoru must be here,” you mention as he takes a minute. “I think we found the right place. Come on.” You break away from where you are and eagerly follow the trail of blood the curse had left behind. Suguru tows behind you, urging you to be careful, but those warnings don’t hit your ears with your heart pumping as fast it was with anticipation.

Once you make it past the gate and inside the outside courtyard, you find the reason the curse was out in its lonesome. You find Toji dead in front of a big hole made to the facility's wall. He has half of his torso missing, and his hand is disregarded in front of his body.

You’d say you feel bad, it looks like such a bad loss, but he killed Riko. He won’t get any sympathy from anyone. Actually, you feel happy because it means your brother should be here.

Thus you run inside. The entrance of the facility is empty, but you follow the signs that point to a main hall, you rush down some steps that lead to a corridor lit by eerie red lights, and find metal doors at the end of it.

“Y/N, wait,” Suguru calls out, but again you don’t listen, you run to the doors and pull them open.

It’s only when you open them that you actually stop. Not out of disappointment like the other three times, this time there’s actually people inside, you finally found the right one. You stop because you see non-sorcerers filling the room with thunderous applause, because you see them smile as if they’re proud of something. Yet you don’t know what.

As you slowly walk in the room that thunderous applause seems to get louder, deafening so. You want to investigate more, find what has them all excited, but you notice the crowd begin to part and stop to watch.

When the row of non-sorcerers in front of you breaks apart you finally see what they’re making way for, it’s Satoru. It's your brother, he’s alive, stained with blood, and with his head down, but he’s walking towards you with…Riko’s body.

She’s covered but regardless, seeing her lifeless body in your brother's arms takes away every bit of excitement you felt upon seeing him after you feared he died.

“You’re late, Suguru,” Satoru breaks you from your stupor. “No, I guess you got here fast. There are several Star religious group facilities in the city, after all,” he says and stops walking before you. He then lifts his head and you see how completely numb he looks.

“Satoru,” Suguru calls out in disbelief. “Is that you? What happened?”

“I see you already saw Shoko,” your brother changes the subject.

“Yeah,” Suguru says. “She healed me. I’m fine now.”

How is Satoru fine? Toji said he killed him, and Shoko didn’t heal him so…does that mean he healed himself at those last minutes?

That has to be right, nothing else explains why he’s here.

Then again, not like you care, all that matters is that he’s alive.

“Satoru,” you finally call out with relief, and finally manage to look away from Riko.

Your brother blinks and meets your gaze.

“You’re okay,” you point out. “How?”

“I finally figured it out,” he mutters in that same expressionless voice. “How to use Reverse cursed technique.”

“Good,” you assure him. “I'm proud.”

He hums and blinks slowly again to look back at Suguru behind you.

“Me being safe doesn’t help anything here, does it?” Suguru says.

“I screwed up,” Satoru cuts in, making your breath catch. He just never likes to admit that—“you’re not at fault.”

“Let’s go home, Satoru,” you interject softly and with worry.

“Suguru,” he interrupts coldly. “Should we kill these guys?”

You freeze but still glance around at all the people gathered around and still clapping with stupid smiles on their faces.

“The way I feel right now,” Satoru continues saying. “I doubt I’d feel anything about it.”

“No,” Suguru doesn’t hesitate to answer. “There’s no point.”

The non-sorcerers continue to clap, louder and louder. They don’t stop smiling either.

“It looks like there are only common followers here,” you hear Suguru say, whilst you watch them all still clapping and barely notice Satoru begin to walk past you—“The masterminds who know about our world have probably fled already.”

Then why are they still here? Clapping. Smiling.

You didn’t know why they celebrated before but now you do. You finally know and it disgusts you. They all disgust you. She was innocent.

“And unlike with the bounty they won’t be able to talk their way out of this,” Suguru adds. “The organization had problems to begin with. It’ll dissolve soon enough.”

“No point huh?” Suguru retorts once he’s past the metal doors. “Does there really need to be any point at all?”

Suguru doesn’t respond right away now, he stays quiet so you turn with your head high and made up about the thing that troubled you before.

You no longer feel remorse for wanting that non-sorcerer dead, nor do you feel bad for feeling disgusted by these non-sorcerers clapping and smiling over an innocent girls death. They’re…below you anyway, they’re not worth saving. They’re just mundane non-sorcerers after all.

“It’s very important that there is,'' Suguru finally responds to Satoru's question, causing you to stop under the door frame. “Especially for a Jujutsu Sorcerer.”

You know your point to all this. You’ve known now for a while; fighting for people like you. Getting stronger to fight for them to have a better life from the curses non-sorcerers create, from the evil you’ve seen. You’ll get strong for yourself and for your family. So you don’t lose again. That’s your point.

“Y/N?” Satoru calls out.

You look up at him and hum in response.

“Let’s go home,” he says.

You look back at Suguru still standing inside the hall and hesitate for a moment, you wait until he moves before you move and respond back. “Yeah, let’s go home.”

A/N- Don’t you guys love it? A cult leader and a communist in the making? Also that worm is now their child. Let’s hope is not a child of divorce soon…

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rhoorl · 7 months

Text

Delta Landscaping | Chapter 7: FriDate Night Lights

Series Summary: In this AU, the boys of Delta Force start a new business post-Colombia.

Series Masterlist | AO3 Link for Chapter 7

Rating: Explicit (18+)

Word Count: 9

Chapter Summary: I don’t want to spoil too much here, but we follow a few of the characters leading up and through a Friday night.

Chapter Warning: Swearing. Period talk. Reminder, I don’t have a beta for this, so any mistakes are all mine.

A/N: I know a few of you have asked about Frankie, so he gets a little scene here as we start to set up his storyline. (I’ve left some hints as to where he’s going). More notes from me at the end.

Please enjoy the latest episode of As The Mule Falls...

“So I think I’m going to ask Aria out for tomorrow night,” Connor said as he finished his latest set of squats.

Benny, who was spotting him, grabbed the boy by the shoulders and shook him excitedly, “Hell yeah man! How’re you planning on doing it?”

“I was going to text her later…I don’t know, it seemed easy for Will to ask Katie out that way…” he trailed off as he went underneath the bar again, taking a deep breath.

Benny smirked, waiting for Connor to finish. “Ok, sounds good, where are you going to go then? Gonna do that food truck idea you had?”

“Yeah. There’s just one problem,” he rubbed the back of his neck as Benny took his spot under the bar to do a set.

“What’s that?”

“I, uh, I can’t drive.”

“Can’t your mom drive you?” Benny puffed out between squats, drawing the attention of a few women, and men, working out nearby.

“I don’t know…isn’t it kinda lame to have my mom drive me on a date?”

“Sounds like you don’t have another option. You guys gonna ride your bikes there?” Benny kept one arm dangling on the bar catching his breath, pulling up his shirt to wipe the sweat off of his brow. “Wait, Aria's older than you, can’t she drive?”

Connor rolled his eyes, “No…she said she doesn’t want to learn…driving scares her…”

“You trying to ask me to drive you?” Benny smirked as Connor looked at him sheepishly. “Actually, wait, her parents may not be cool with some random guy driving their daughter,” he laughed. “What if your mom drives but I’ll tag along and she and I go do our own thing? We won’t bother you, but that way you all can still go and have fun."

“You’d do that?” Connor’s eyes lit up.

“What? Hang out with your mom? I think there’re worse things I could be asked to do on a Friday night. Plus, we gotta get you out on a date bud!” He brought the boy in for a half hug, messing with his hair.

“Ok, sweet.”

__________________________

“Hey Mom,” Connor walked through the door, dropping his gym bag in the laundry room.

“Hey bud, did you have a good time at the gym? Benny’s not beating you up too much, right?” Megan called to him from her office as she typed away.

“Nah, it’s all good. Hey, um, are you doing anything tomorrow night?” He walked into her office, sitting on the loveseat tucked in the corner of the room.

“Hmm…nope no plans, ‘specially since Katie will be occupied. Mel, David, and Ty are all going to a bar that gets too rowdy for me. I was probably going to go to Lulu’s if anything.”

“How do you feel about food trucks?”

“Aww, buddy. You trying to do something fun with your mom?”

“Uh, well,” he ran his hand over his face, “I was actually thinking of asking Aria out.” He dropped his eyes to the floor, fidgeting a bit with his hands.

Megan stopped typing and turned in her chair to face him trying to hide her smile. “You like her, huh?” Connor nodded. “Do you think she’ll say yes?”

“I hope so. But before I ask, I want to figure something out.”

“What’s that?”

“So…I don’t really have a way of getting there.”

“Oh, I can drive you, if her parents are cool with it.”

“Well, actually I was talking it over with Benny and he suggested maybe he could go with you, keep you company.”

Megan straightened up in her chair slightly, her brows furrowed. “Benny suggested that?”

“Yeah. Is that ok?”

“Sure,” she smiled. “It will beat being there alone, that's for sure. I promise we’ll try to not cramp your style.”

“What does that mean?”

"What does what mean?"

"Cramp my style?"

"Oh buddy, you don’t mean to but sometimes you make me feel so old," Megan shook her head laughing.

__________________

Megan: Sounds like we have a date on Friday?

Benny: I know you’ve been wanting to ask me out for a while, figured I’d have to be the one to make the move.

Megan: Omg. 🙄 Hilarious.

Megan: Ok, but seriously…how are we doing to do this?

Benny: What do you mean?

Megan: I want to give Con and Ari some space, but I also want to keep an eye on them.

Benny: Well, that’s my specialty. I’m pretty good at being stealthy. 😉

Benny: Can you send me a link to the place we’re going? Gotta do some recon.

Megan: linkMegan: Ooo so we get to go on a mission?! Do I need to bring anything? Binoculars? Should I wear camo?

Benny: Slow down mama bear, I’ll handle it.

_______________________

“What are you smiling at?” Will looked over to Benny, who was sprawled out on the couch, smirking at the phone.

“Just doing some wingman shit,” he glanced up from his phone.

“Connor?”

“Yea, he asked out Aria. Looks like you aren’t the only one with a date tomorrow night.”

“Oh nice, good for him. Where’re they going? Please tell me you didn’t share any of your ‘going to the movies’ stories with him.”

“You’re one to fucking talk!” Benny laughed. “No, they’re going to this food truck thing that she’s apparently been dying to go to. Megan and I are taking them.”

“Oooh,” Will slapped his brother’s legs so he could move them to sit down. “You and Megan? I know you have a thing for moms, but you think that’s a good idea?”

Benny furrowed his brows, “No man, it’s not like that. She’s cool. I see her more like a sister than anything else.”

“Ok, well maybe she can be a wingwoman for you then. We gotta get you back out there man!”

“I’m ok.” Benny sat up, his mouth twitched as he kept his eyes on his phone.

“Whatever you say. I just know that your dick is probably getting tired of your hand.”

“Fuck off. Think of your own dick and stop worrying about mine.” Benny rolled his eyes, grabbed his laptop, and headed to his room.

_______________________

“You have plans for tomorrow night?” Santiago poured himself and Frankie a glass of whiskey and sat on the couch to watch a soccer game.

“Well, no, I usually just wait for you to drag me to something. Who is she and what’s her friend like?” Frankie rolled his eyes as he grabbed the glass.

“No, no it’s not like that. Melissa,” Frankie side-eyed him, “and David and Ty are all going out.”

“I don’t know man, I’m kinda tired from this week. I was maybe going to see what Lulu was up to.”

“Why don’t you ever wanna do anything fun?” Santiago playfully shoves Frankie.

“I do like to have fun, I just…got a lot on my mind is all.”

“It’s coming up on a year, right?”

“Yeah, about two weeks away.” Frankie swirls the ice in his glass.

“I’m proud of you hermano. I know it hasn’t been easy.”

“Thanks,” Frankie gave a half smile before slapping Pope on the shoulder. “You helped me, so thank you.”

There wasn’t much that needed to be said between these two, they had been through the trenches not only in battle but in life as well. Even though they didn’t always acknowledge it, neither would have made it if not for the other’s support along the way.

“So Melissa…what’s going on there?”

Santiago got up to refill their drinks, not saying anything until he sat back down again. “Nothing.”

“Nothing. Ok.” Frankie scoffed before taking another sip.

“Look, she needs a friend.”

“I think she has a lot of friends, a whole damn neighborhood full of them.”

“Yeah, but all of those people are friends with Danny too. She can’t really be honest with them.”

“And she can be honest with you?”

“I’m a neutral third party.”

“Neutral?” Frankie chuckled, taking off his hat to inspect it.

"What are you doing?"

“Just wanted to check to see if my hat said ‘I’m a fucking idiot’ on it.” Frankie rolled his eyes as he ran his fingers through his curls and put the hat back on his head.

Santiago paused for a moment, trying to pick his words carefully.

“Ok look,” he sighed. “She’s having cold feet about getting married. And before you say anything, she brought this up…she has no one to talk to about this stuff. Everyone on that damn street is friends with the guy, so someone is bound to slip and say something to him. And her family? They’ve been pressuring the two of them to get married and have kids for years now, they aren’t going to want to hear that she's having second thoughts and wants to slow down.”

“Which is it?” Frankie cuts in.

“What?”

“Is she having second thoughts about whether or not she wants to be with Danny or does she just wish everyone would slow down?”

“I-”

“Because it makes a big difference, Pope. She know about Sofia?”

“No.”

“You gonna tell her at some point?”

“If it comes up, sure.”

Frankie nods and rolls his eyes. “Ok, hermano.”

“Well since apparently you can’t trust me to be around her by myself, wanna come with me Saturday? She wants some stuff done to the backyard and I said I’d go take a look…was gonna ask Benny but he and Will are going to be at Katie’s. You have a good eye for stuff like that, though.”

“So I’m your last choice, cool, I see how it is,” he smirks, barely able to get it out with a straight face. “Yeah, I’ll go with you. Sounds like a plan.”

___________________________

“Ugh, I don’t know, is this too much? Like I’m trying too hard?” Katie propped her phone on her dresser and twirled in front of it to show Megan her outfit.

“I mean, you’re going to be doing some walking I’d imagine, so the stilettos probably aren’t going to be the most comfortable. What kind of sundress options do you have?”

“Uh, one sec lemme grab some. What are you wearing?” Katie called from her closet.

“Jeans and a cute top I guess. I don’t know, figured my yoga pants and oversized tee aren’t the right move.”

“Especially when you got a hot younger guy with you,” Katie returned with a few dresses in her hands.

“Benny is hot, but c’mon, he’s like a little brother. He’s got too much energy for me,” she laughed. “Case in point, he’s apparently going to have this whole thing set up like we’re going on a mission.”

“Haha. Will told me that he’s “cased” the whole place via satellite and knows where the two of you can “post up” so you can see what the kids are up to,” Katie laughed while doing finger quotes.

“It’s cute. I really appreciate how he and the boys have taken Connor in…it’s really sweet. Oh hey, wait, show me that one again.”

Katie held up a midi dress that had a green print with white and pink flowers on it, giving it a retro vibe. It had a sweetheart neck with tie straps. “This one?”

“Yes, is that new?”

“Yeah, I bought it a few weeks ago on a whim at that consignment shop in South Tampa. I don’t know, it seems kinda fancy, no?”

“Can you just shut up and put it on? I want to see!”

Katie quickly strips out of her loungewear and slips the dress on. It hugs her curves in just the right places and shows off just enough cleavage to be flirty without showing everything.

“That’s the one. Will is going to lose his mind when he sees you in that.”

Katie blushed a little as she swished the bottom of her dress around, admiring herself in the full-length mirror she hastily attached to the back of her bathroom door.

“Ok, so we have a winner. And for my hair…I’m thinking of putting it up. It’s so damn hot out, my curls would fall in a second with the humidity.”

“Yeah, I think that works. Oh shit, Connor just jumped out of the shower, so I’m gonna get ready. Please send me a photo of the final look…please!”

“I will…have fun and tell Connor I wish him luck. And please try and give that boy some space!”

____________________________

“You’re wearing that?” Benny looked up from the notebook he was doodling in to see his brother in the kitchen wearing dark wash jeans and a black button-up shirt tucked into his jeans.

“What do you mean? This looks nice, doesn’t it?”

“You’re gonna be sweating your balls off. Doesn’t that place have a bunch of places to walk around and shit?”

Will contemplated what his brother said, annoyed that he did make a good point. He turned on his heels and went back down the hallway to his bedroom, emerging a few moments later with a white henley-style shirt. He left a couple of the top buttons unbuttoned. He also switched to a pair of lighter-wash jeans and brown boots. “This better?”

“Hell yeah, you don’t look like such a nerd.”

Will rolled his eyes, “didn’t realize you were the fashion police there, Ace?”

Benny frowned at the use of his call sign. The guys only used it these days when they wanted to get under his skin. He sat silent for a moment, doodling in his notebook.

“I’m sorry I called you that Ben,” Will sat down across from him. “What time are you headed over to Megan’s?” He said, eager to change the subject.

“Oh shit, I need to go,” Benny got up quickly, grabbing his wallet and phone from the kitchen counter. “And don’t forget, we have to go to Katie’s house in the morning so if you’re there just shoot me a text so we don’t traumatize the kid. I know how you like your morning sex.”

And with that Benny left to head down the street to Megan’s house, leaving Will to pace around. He was early, too early to head to Katie’s. They agreed to meet at 7:30, so he did some quick calculations in his mind, realizing he could run down the street to Publix and still be back with plenty of time to spare. He went to grab his wallet when something fell from it.

“Fuckin Benny,” he sighed and then chuckled.

His younger brother had left him a condom in his wallet with a sticker that said “You can do it” affixed to the wrapper.

________________________

Benny rang the doorbell and instantly heard Bucky barking.

“Oh stop it, you know Benny. He gives you treats, remember?” Megan scolded the dog as she opened the door.

And then, almost on cue, Benny fished out a couple of treats from his pocket which made Bucky’s little paws tippy tap onto the tile.

“You spoil him, y’know that?” Megan rolled her eyes and laughed. "Oh look, you wore sleeves. I feel so honored I get formal Benny for tonight!"

“It's not spoiling…I just don't want him nipping at my heels. And thanks, I thought I'd dress up for you,” he winked.

Benny was dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, the sleeves fitting snugly around his biceps. He left his trusty hat at home, slightly annoyed that his hair kept getting in his eyes.

“He’s a herding dog, they do that sometimes. He’s trying to keep you in line,” she teased, opening the door further for Benny to walk in.

“Where’s the man of the hour? We’re going to be late.”

“Jeez, you’re almost as bad as Will,” Katie smirked as Benny gave a faux shocked look. “I said almost. Will’s probably been ready to go to Katie’s since before you left right? And they don’t even leave for at least another half hour.”

“Maybe. Maybe not," Benny teased. "I could tell he's nervous."

"Well, if it's any consolation she is too. She tried on a ton of outfits. I haven't seen her this giddy over a date in a long time, maybe ever."

"I'm sure she’ll look beautiful. I saved Will so he doesn't look like too much of a dork," he smiled.

"You guys ready to go?" Connor came from down the hallway. He was dressed in black shorts, a white and black striped polo shirt, and some Vans.

"Aw look at yo-"

"Mom, don't start. You aren't going to make it weird are you?"

"Nope that's why I'm here, we're going to keep it cool right Meg?" Benny wrapped an arm around Megan's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be fine C. I just can't believe you're going out on your first date!"

Connor groaned. "I'm starting to regret this…"

"It's all good man, you'll be fine. Let's just see how it goes when we pick Aria up. I'll find some story to entertain your mom with, so there won't be any awkward silences," Benny smiled as he ushered Megan and Connor outside and into her SUV.

________________________

Will's calculations were correct and he was back with an arrangement of flowers with about 10 minutes to spare. Rather than go back home, he drove to Katie's driveway and waited in his car.

"I should wait another five minutes, right?" Will asked himself in the mirror, hyping himself up.

He was nervous. He had gone on dates here or there, usually helping be a wingman to Santiago whenever Frankie or Benny didn't want to fill in. And it also didn't help that he really liked Katie. He felt comfortable around her like he had known her forever.

With one big exhale, he gathered the flowers and walked to her door.

________________________

Katie got an alert from her Ring camera when Will parked in her driveway. She got instant butterflies, excited about the prospect of spending some time alone with him.

She busied herself with packing her purse, waiting for him to knock on the door. After a few minutes, she checked the Ring camera again and saw he was still in his Jeep.

"What are you doing, Will?"

She then saw the Jeep door swing open as he got out.

"Fuck, he looks so hot. Ok, get it together." She gave herself a little pep talk in the hallway mirror.

_________________________

Will knocked on the door and waited a few moments before he heard the door unlock and swing open. He was a bit dumbstruck when he saw Katie. She looked beautiful in a dress that showed off her curves. Her hair was gathered at the top of her head, exposing her neck which he wanted to instantly nuzzle. His mouth went dry but he knew he had to say something.

He cleared his throat, "H-hi, you look absolutely beautiful. I feel really underdressed now, I knew I shouldn't have changed…"

"You look great, Will," Katie cut him off.

"Thanks," he blushed. "Uh, these are for you."

"You got me flowers?" Her face softened as she took the bouquet of assorted flowers from his hands. "I honestly can't remember the last time a man got me flowers, thank you."

"Well, my mom would be very disappointed in me if I showed up empty-handed, especially when there’s a pretty girl involved," Will chuckled.

Her face got hot. "Here, come in, let me put these in water before we go."

“You know, they last longer if you put them in some Sprite”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah, it's kind of weird, but it works.”

She scampered over to the kitchen and grabbed a vase from underneath her kitchen sink. They made small talk as Katie cut off the stems and arranged the flowers. Will couldn't help but notice that she hadn't stopped smiling.

"There. All set. Thank you, this was really sweet."

Will moved over to where she was and leaned one arm on the kitchen island while he looked Katie up and down, licking his bottom lip.

"I'm glad you liked them."

Katie and Will's eyes locked onto one another and he stepped forward, a hand coming to her waist.

"I really like this dress, by the way."

"Thanks," Katie closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Oh no?" He smiled as he leaned in to kiss her, his other hand cupping her face.

Will started off slowly, but when Katie's nails scratched his scalp he felt emboldened and walked her back towards the kitchen counter. He started trailing kisses along her jaw and then to her neck, his eyes slightly rolling back in his head as he breathed in the vanilla and rose scent of her perfume.

"W-Will, you keep going like this and we aren't going to make it to dinner," Katie let out with a shaky breath.

"I don't see the problem with that," he smirked as he moved along her collarbone.

Katie pulled his head back, "All in due time soldier. The faster we leave the faster we can come back," she winked.

"Deal," he smiled, giving her one more kiss before he stepped aside so she could walk in front of him. "Let's go."

________________________

"Hola Lulu, you here?" Frankie called as he walked through the door, the smell of Lucille's amazing cooking hitting his nose as he stepped across the threshold.

"Si mijo!" She called from the kitchen.

He walked around the corner just as she was taking the last of her empanadas out of the oil to lay on a paper towel-lined plate. "You know, you should keep your door locked. Especially at night, don't know who will come walking in," he smirked as he leaned against her counter.

"Ay Francisco, que gracioso," she laughed as he came in to kiss her on the cheek. "Just you tonight?"

"Yeah, Will has his date with Katie and then Benny and Megan drove Connor and Aria somewhere."

"Y Santiago?"

He shook his head, "He went with Melisa, David, and Ty out.”

She side-eyed him, thinking about asking his opinion on Santiago and Melissa, but she refrained when she saw the rush of sadness that washed over his face. He shook it away and smiled, sitting down at the table as she brought over a plate of food.

"This looks amazing, Lulu. You spoil me, you know that?" He winked.

"I'm happy to do it, Francisco. You keep an old lady company," she smiled and patted him on the arm as she went to box up some of the food into containers for Frankie to take to the guys. "Dime, you don't have a girl to take out on a Friday night?"

"No, ha it's uh…it's been a while for me on that front," he shook his head, taking a bite.

"Eres guapo. And you are a nice young man. I’m sure you have some interested ladies."

"I…uh, I’m not really focused on that right now. I guess I wanted to get myself together a bit before I do that again." His mouth twitched as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Have I told you that I have these um…meetings I go to every week?"

"You've mentioned them. For work, right?"

"Uh, kind of," he rubbed one hand up and down his thigh.

Lucille sensed his nerves and came over to sit next to him, holding his hand. "Dime, my cielo. Que te pasa?"

"I. I don't want you to think differently of me," he looked down but a squeeze from Lucille's hand gave him the courage to meet her eyes. "I am…I've been…clean for almost a year,” he sighed. “I fell into some bad stuff and I couldn't shut my brain off so I turned to…drugs…to help me. But it didn't help me, it just made everything worse. I was a really shitty friend, brother, uncle for a long time. And my girl, well, I thought she was my girl," he rolled his eyes, "she messed things up for me too. Anyway, we did one last…trip…the guys and me, and when I came back I decided to change things. Going to the meetings was a big first step for me and I've been trying to repair everything I broke since then."

A silence fell between them as Frankie fidgeted in his seat, he didn’t intend to say all of that but it just flowed out of him. He was nervous about how Lucille would react knowing more about him. It wasn’t something that he offered up freely to people, given the reactions he had received in the past. On top of that, Lucille reminded him so much of his late mother and he felt ashamed at what she would think if she saw how low he had gotten. It was bad enough that his sister had to bear witness to some of it.

Lucille's eyes raked over the man sitting before her. She could see the fear and shame oozing out of him as his shoulders hunched in. He looked like a little boy who was afraid to get punished.

"Mijo," she grabbed one of his large hands with both of hers, rubbing circles with her thumb. "You said it's been almost a year?"

He nodded. "Yeah, in a couple of weeks, it will be 365 days."

"That's amazing, I'm so proud of you Francisco," she smiled as he looked up at her, tears welling in his eyes. "That is the hardest work we can do, the work we have to do on ourselves. You are a good man. I know I've only known you for a little while but I can tell you have a good heart, you care about your friends, and you are a hard worker."

Frankie let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding in. "You aren't going to kick me out?"

"What?! No! Why would I do that?"

"I've done some bad things, some of it I still can't…I'm still working through it."

"I can only imagine the things you boys have seen and have had to do," she cupped his cheek. "But you can't let that define you, okay?"

"I sometimes think about what my mom would say if she saw me…saw what I turned into."

"She would love you, no matter what. And she would be so proud of how strong of a man you are to admit that you needed help." She wiped a tear that fell from his eyes and moved to hug him.

They stayed in their embrace for a few moments as Frankie cried. Lucille didn't say anything, knowing that he had probably been needing this for a while. She just rubbed his back and told him how proud she was of him.

“I was never blessed to have a child, but if I had a son, I would have hoped he’d be like you Francisco.”

He pulled back, rubbing the heels of both of his hands in his eyes. “Sorry, Lulu, I didn’t mean to come over here and be a mess, I don’t even know where this all came from.”

“Don’t apologize, mi vida. I’m so happy you felt safe to share,” she smiled. “You said you are a brother…do you have a sister or a brother?”

“A sister, Valeria. She’s younger than me but she’s the good one, unafraid to be herself” he chuckled. “She’s got a great job and two kids. And her wife is amazing too.”

“That sounds great! When’s the last time you saw her?”

Frankie let out a long sigh, leaning back in the chair. “In person? Psh, Leia was around six months, not last Christmas, but the Christmas before. So like over a year and a half, I guess. I couldn’t make it to her first birthday because I was too messed up. I missed the flight.” The sadness washed over him again.

“Do you speak to her? Your sister.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been talking with her more regularly, it’s been nice. The kids are getting so big.”

“How old are they?”

“Well, Leia is about to turn two in…” he checked his phone. “Wow, next week. Hold on, let me put a reminder to buy her a gift tomorrow,” he laughed. “And Antonio is five.”

“Where do they live?”

“In Dallas. We grew up outside of Houston, actually down the street from Benny and Will, funny enough,” he chuckled. “She moved around for college and grad school but they eventually went up there because of Alyssa’s job.”

“Why don’t you go visit them?”

He furrowed his brow, “What? No, I couldn’t do that. It’s too last minute.”

“Do you know that?”

“N-no, I guess not.”

“Why don’t you call and ask?”

Frankie brought his hands to rest in his lap fidgeting with a hangnail on his thumb. After a few moments, he cleared his throat. “Do you mind if I do it here? You know, in case it doesn’t go well?”

“Por supresto, but I don’t think you have anything to be nervous about.” Lucille rubbed his arm, giving him an encouraging smile.

Frankie pulled out his phone and looked at it for a moment, “here it goes.”

_________________________

“Alright, you two have fun. We’ll meet you back here at 9. But text if you need anything.”

“Ok, mom.”

“And have your phone on you in case we need to call you.”

“Yes, mom.”

“And if you try and contact me and don’t hear back then call Benny, okay?”

“I think they got it there Mama Bear,” Benny laughed, cutting off Megan’s rambling. “Y’all have fun. And don’t do anything I would do,” he winked at Connor.

“Thanks for driving us, Mrs. Shay!” Aria smiled, waiting for Connor to lead them away.

“You can call me Megan, sweetheart.”

“Love you, mom. See ya Benny.”

Benny put his arm around Megan’s shoulder and forced her to turn around. “Let them walk away, we’ll keep an eye on them,” he winked.

Megan tried to put her nerves aside, curious to see what Benny had up his sleeve.

“So what’s the play?”

“Well, I scouted it out and there’s a spot I think is going to work out well. We just need to pick something up first….ah there he is! What’s up, Jax?”

“Ben, good to see you, man.” The man gave Benny a handshake and a half hug.

“Jax, this is my friend Megan. The one I was telling you about.”

“Ah, the protective mom. Nice to meet you,” he extended his hand to shake Megan’s hand.

She shook his hand and looked between the two men. “Sooo…what’s going on?”

“Well, I knew if I carried a bag Connor would notice, so I got Jax here to get some of my supplies together. He's an old buddy of mine. You and I, my dear, are doing a stakeout!” Benny grinned from ear to ear.

Jax brought out a backpack and he and Benny started unpacking. There were a couple of binoculars, a couple of power banks to charge their phones, and some snacks.

“Oh my gosh Benny, you are ridiculous,” Megan laughed. “This is great…and really sweet.”

“I knew you would be a nervous goddamn wreck, so this way we can keep an eye on the kids. Hey, maybe you’ll loosen up enough that we can go grab a drink or something.”

“Deal,” she chuckled, grabbing the binoculars from him.

“Thanks, Jax, I’ll leave this in the drop zone when we’re done. I Venmo’d you already, so you should be good to go.”

“Sounds good, brother. I’ll see you around. Have a good night, ma’am.”

Megan waved as Jax walked away, seemingly disappearing into the crowd.

“Ok, c’mere. The spot I’m thinking of is up here.”

Benny led the way, finding a small hill perched between a couple of trees. He scanned the food truck park and within seconds the smile on his face grew. “Gotcha! See over there at 11 o’clock?” He pointed to their left, lifting up Megan’s binoculars.

She scrunched her face, confused as to what Benny was referring to. She skeptically brought the binoculars to her eyes, “I don’t know what you’re looking at…oh shit, is that them?”

“Mhmm.”

“How’d you do that?”

“Lotta practice, I guess,” he shrugged.

Through the binoculars, Megan saw Connor and Aria in line for one of the food trucks. They seemed a little nervous, exchanging looks and nervous laughter.

“Oh shit, I didn’t remind him to pay. Do you think he’s going to? He should, right? It’s a date. Oh man, my little boy is out on a date.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm down. We may need to get that drink sooner than I thought,” Benny laughed. “Just watch, the kid’s got it.”

And sure enough, when it was their turn to order, Connor put his hand on Aria’s back letting her go in front of him. After she placed her order, he did and pulled out his phone, tapping it on the terminal. Aria smiled and grabbed his hand as they waited for their food to be called.

Megan pulled the binoculars from her eyes and looked to Benny who winked at her, “Told ya. He’s a natural.”

“How did he? How’s he so smooth? Did you?”

Benny shrugged. “He asked questions and I just told him what I would do. But I told him to do whatever felt right.”

“Benjamin Miller you are going to make me cry,” she playfully slapped his arm. “This was really sweet Benny, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, we can stay here and monitor them. But I figured if you saw them, it would ease your mind. Let them have fun!”

___________________________

The food truck park had a beer garden with TVs playing a baseball game, so Megan and Benny found a table and nursed a beer.

“Ok, so tell me. Why are all of you guys single?” Megan asked as she took a sip.

“Ha, well I don’t know. It’s just kinda happened. I think this is the longest we’ve ever gone where all of us are single, now that I think of it. Although, of all of us, Pope is the only one that has somewhat of a consistent dating life. That guy could flirt with a wet paper bag and probably get it pregnant,” he laughed.

“He does seem like quite the flirt,” she laughed.

“Sure is. He’s dragged all of us out on a double date at least once in the past year.”

“And nothing’s worked out?”

“Nah, although if I’m honest, it wasn’t something I was interested in. I had a really bad breakup a few years ago, and then did some shit I wasn’t too proud of in the fallout. I guess after we all retired, I just wanted some time.”

“Nothing wrong with that. Can I ask what happened? With your ex?”

“Um…I’ll say this. She didn’t treat me the best and I was too in love, well, I thought it was love. I was blind to a lot of it. And it took damn near an intervention for me to see it,” he sipped on his beer. “That was a hell of a night. There I was thinking we were going to read Fish the riot act for all the shit he was pulling and turns out Pope and Will turned the tables and I got a wake-up call too.”

“Oh shit.”

“Yea. In the moment I was so fucking pissed, but now that it’s been almost a year I can see things more clearly. Pope and Will…and Frankie, although at that time he was as shit of a friend as I was, they love me and wanted the best. They could see how…destructive I was being and they pulled me out.”

Megan reached out to pat Benny’s shoulder. “That’s nice that you have them. We’re happy to have you too,” she smiled.

“Thanks. You know, we’ve moved around a lot but I feel like we can finally maybe make roots somewhere ya know?”

“Yeah. That’s awesome,” she smirked.

“What’s so funny?”

“Well, now that Katie is off the market I have no one to be a wingwoman for. Looks like you’re my next victim.”

Benny groaned, “Oh jeez. You sure you don’t wanna go spy on Connor again?”

___________________________

The conversation between Katie and Will flowed naturally on their drive. Will was thankful for the kiss before they left, it helped to relax him.

“So are you gonna tell me where we’re going?”

Will quickly glanced over to Katie, “You don’t like surprises?”

She smirked looking out the window trying to see if she could guess where they were going based on the streets. “I do, but I still want to know.”

“We’re almost there.”

Will smiled to himself as he kept navigating to their destination. It had been a while since he had gone on a date, so he asked Santiago for some ideas. He also texted Megan to vet some of the places, the last thing he wanted to do was take her somewhere she had a bad experience on another date.

He finally landed on an idea that was named one of Tampa’s best date night spots. It was located right on the Hillsborough River with vendors for food and drinks along with a marketplace.

“So, I think we’re in Tampa Heights…ooo are we, no never mind,” she shook her head.

“What?” Will smirked, raising an eyebrow. He was amused that she was close to catching on to where they were going and she seemed excited about it.

She smiled and kept her gaze out of the window as Will turned onto Market Street. “Oh my gosh, we are going there aren’t we?”

Before them was a large former industrial facility that had been restored, keeping its historical charm with some modern touches. There was a rooftop bar and vendors scattered throughout.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve read about this place and saw it on Instagram! It looks even more beautiful in person! Did you know that this used to be a maintenance barn for TECO streetcars and trolleys? They completely renovated it a few years ago but they kept some of the original features like exposed brick, skylights, windows, and even some of the hardwood floors are supposed to be from the original place. How’d you know?”

Will parked the car and turned to look at her, “I had a feeling. Seemed like a place you might like. I knew you liked design, but I didn’t realize how much, so that’s a bonus.”

She leaned over and kissed him, gently cupping his face. “Thank you, this is awesome.”

“We haven’t even left the car yet, how low were your expectations?”

She rolled her eyes, “Oh stop it. C’mon, let’s go!”

They hit up the food stalls first, looking up and down the vendors to see what they wanted. There were a ton of choices from pizza to sushi and everything in between. Katie liked that they could each get something they wanted.

“One of these spots ok? They have a restaurant upstairs if you would rather do that.”

“No, this is great! Why don’t we grab some bites here and then maybe have a drink upstairs?”

“I like the plan, I also like that you aren’t trying to run for the hills,” Will said as he pulled her in for a quick kiss.

“Don’t be silly, I don’t wanna leave. You haven’t paid for my dinner yet,” she winked and laughed as Will kissed her again.

Katie finally settled on a couple of sushi rolls which looked like works of art, while Will opted for some empanadas.

“Lucille is going to kill you if she knows you ate someone else’s empanadas,” Katie laughed.

“Well, it can be our little secret,” he winked.

They enjoyed their meal, sampling another couple of vendors before venturing to a little shop to see what the local artisans had on display. Katie’s eyes lit up looking at all of the art and home decor. She dragged Will from one corner of the store to the other as she admired all of the pieces. She reached a wall full of clocks, looking each one over.

“Do any of these stand out?” Will asked as he stood next to her, observing both her and the clocks in front of him.

“Hmm...a few. Just trying to decide which room I'd put one of these in.” She crossed her arms in front of her, tapping her index finger to her lips, causing Will’s breath to hitch as he itched to kiss her again.

Her eyes fell on a very simple, minimalistic clock. It was round, gray, and bare; no numbers appeared on the clock face. The hour and minute hands were very simple silver bars. She could feel Will’s eyes on her, no doubt probably judging her. “What?”

“Nothing. I just wouldn’t have pegged that one for you. But I like it,” he smiled.

“You do? You don’t think it’s too simple?”

He shook his head. “No, I think simple can be nice sometimes.”

“I think it can go in my bedroom maybe, or office.”

“Well, let me get it for you,” he looked over, knocking his shoulder against hers.

“What? I can’t let you do that, Will.”

“But I want to. Please?”

She smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him. “Thank you.”

Once Will paid, he took the bag in one hand and gave Katie his other arm as they headed upstairs for a drink. After their first cocktail, the pair moved a bit closer together, Katie not so conspicuously touching Will’s arm whenever she threw her head back in laughter. Will found his hand gravitating to rest on Katie’s thigh, rubbing circles with his thumb.

They finished a couple of rounds of drinks and decided to head down to the river for a walk. On the way, Katie reached for Will’s hand, resting her other hand on his bicep so she could curl into him. His chest puffed out a bit, proud that she was on his arm as he observed men walk by and check Katie out. For her part, Katie noticed all of the eyes that trailed after Will.

“This has been an awesome night, thank you,” Katie stopped and looked at Will who was bathed in moonlight. “It’s the best first date I’ve been on in…well, a long time, I’ll put it that way.”

“Good, I’m glad,” Will smiled as he leaned in, grabbing the back of her neck to kiss her. It wasn’t until someone walked by and whistled that they remembered they were in public.

“We should probably head out huh?” Katie managed with a breathy tone.

“Yeah, that’s probably a good call.”

__________________________

Megan and Benny returned to the rendezvous point a few minutes early, Megan looking around trying to spot Connor and Aria.

“They’ll be here. Jesus, can you calm down!”

“I can’t help it. I feel like I did really well, all things considered.”

Benny threw his head back to laugh while rolling his eyes, “You went a whole hour. Congratulations. Ow!” Megan playfully slapped him on the arm.

“Hey, mom!”

Megan turned around to see Connor and Aria holding hands. “Oh my gosh, look at-”

“Y’all have fun?” Benny interrupted.

“Y-yea, it was a lot of fun,” Aria said looking up at Connor, who blushed.

“Sweet, I want to hear all about it on the drive home.” Benny smiled.

______________________________

Will kept his hand on Katie’s thigh as they talked on the ride home. They both wondered how the Connor and Aria date night went, knowing they would get full debriefs from a best friend and brother who were equally as excited to hear about their evening, whenever it ended.

As they got closer to Torrey Hills, they got a little quieter. Will wondered how to end the date, although if he had his way he'd still be there in the morning. Katie fidgeted with her hands, looking out the window. She had prepared herself for whenever the night may hold, opting for her favorite pair of silky underwear she hoped Will would like. It had been a while since she had sex with anyone, the furthest she’d gone in recent months was some fingering and a blow job here or there.

She shifted a bit in her seat, feeling a bit of pressure in her lower abdomen.

Fuck. This better not be happening.

“Everything ok?” Will asked, looking over at her when he stopped at a red light.

“Y-yeah, sorry,” she gave a tight smile. “Just daydreaming.”

“Ah, okay,” he turned his gaze back to the road, giving her thigh a slight squeeze.

Once Will turned down Mule Fall Court, Katie’s blood pressure started to spike. She didn’t want to give Will any false impression before she could confirm what she thought was happening to her body.

He parked in her driveway and kept the Jeep running. “I…uh, I had a great night, Katie.”

“I did too,” she leaned over the center console and pressed her lips to his. His hand gently rested on her neck. As she pulled away, she slightly sucked on his bottom lip. “D-do you want to come in for a drink?”

Will rubbed his bottom lip with his thumb and gave her an up-and-down, “Yeah, I’d like that.”

He took her hand as she led him up her sidewalk to her porch and front door. As she reached for her keys in her purse, Will pressed soft kisses to the back of her neck as his hands moved to her waist. Katie giggles as she struggles to concentrate on opening her door.

She finally successfully opened the door, after struggling to get the key into the lock a few times thanks to Will. She turned to close the door and he met her, grabbing her face to bring her in for a kiss as he kicked the door closed. Getting caught up in everything, Katie started to thread her hands underneath his shirt, feeling his taut back muscles. His hands move up her dress to the zipper.

“W-wait,” Katie pulled back.

Will pressed his forehead to hers, “Sorry, I didn’t mea-”

“No, no it’s ok. I…uh…I just need to use the bathroom,” she chuckled. “I’m so fucking lame.”

“Oh. Well yeah, go ahead. I can, uh, I can wait for you here.” He motioned to her couch.

“Ugh sorry, stupid bladder,” Katie whined. “I’ll be right back.” She gave him a quick peck before she rushed down the hallway to her bedroom.

Will sat down on the couch, trying to not get his hopes up. He wondered if maybe this was a ploy for her to change into something else, the thought of which made his dick twitch.

She probably actually has to use the bathroom. He chastised himself.

He felt his phone buzz.

Benny: Just made it home. I see you aren’t here so hope it’s going well. I won’t wait up 😉

“Fuckin Benny,” Will shook his head.

______________________

Katie rushed through the door of her bathroom quickly pulling down her underwear as she sat down to pee. She almost instantly felt a cramp.

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

When she wiped she saw what she had been dreading - blood.

It would be my goddamn luck to be about to hook up with a hot guy and I get my period. Fuuuuck.

She froze a bit unsure what to do before ducking into her walk-in closet, closing the door, and pulling out her phone.

C’mon, pick up.

“I’m kind of mad you’re calling me this early in the night,” Megan said as she picked up the phone.

“Meg, fuck, you aren’t going to fucking believe this,” Katie whispered. “I got my period.”

“Oh shit. Where are you?”

“I’m in my closet, I told him I had to go to the bathroom. I started feeling crampy on the way home and I didn’t want him doing anything before I confirmed. Ugh, this sucks.”

“Ok, ok, hmmm. Let’s think about this. First of all, Will is super sweet so he’s totally going to understand. Do you want him to leave? Need me to fake an emergency or something?”

“No, no you don’t need to do that. I mean, I don’t know how he feels about this kind of stuff. But I’m definitely not trying to do anything tonight.”

“Katie. The man is almost 40, he lived with a woman before. I think he knows what a period is. Just tell him, I know he’ll understand.”

“Ugh, I can’t believe this is happening. It wasn’t supposed to come for another few days.”

“There’s a joke there somewhere, but I know you’re stressed so I won’t say it.”

“I can’t fucking stand you,” Katie laughed as Megan cracked up on the other end of the phone. “Ugh, I've been gone for a while, so let me go out there. Poor guy is probably thinking I snuck out of a window or something.”

“Well, good luck, not that you need it. The guy is totally into you. I’m sure he’s down to cuddle or grab a boob or something.”

“Bye!” Katie hung up the phone, popped in a tampon and scampered back out to the living room where Will was sitting with his eyes closed, legs wide as he rested his head on the back of the couch.

“Psst. Did you fall asleep on me?” Katie whispered.

Will squinted an eye open and smirked. “I would never fall asleep on you.”

Katie laughed as she came over to Will, standing between his legs with her hands on his shoulders as his hands trailed up her legs and under her dress. “So…I have some bad news.”

“What’s that?” He scrunched his face, bringing his hands back to rest on his thighs.

“I…uh…” Katie sat down next to him. “Shit this is going to sound presumptuous…but, um, I wasn’t sure if you were trying to…ugh.” She brought her head into her hands.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did I do something to make you uncomfortab-”

“I’m on my period.” Katie blurted out, cutting WIll off.

He looked from side to side, confused. “Ohhhhkay. And what’s the problem?”

“I…uh, well, I wasn’t sure if you wanted…I…”

“Hey! It’s ok,” he rubbed her back. “Are you feeling ok?”

She shook her head, “No, I'm starting to feel some cramps.”

“D-do you want me to leave? Or go get you something?”

“No, I…do you want to leave?”

“N-no. Whatever you want. I’m cool to just chill.”

“Really? You aren’t mad?”

“Mad? No. I just want to hang out with you…I mean, obviously I want to do more, but I can wait.”

They looked eyes and Katie was overcome and pressed her lips to Will’s. “You are so fucking sweet you know that?" Will blushed. “You ok if we watch a movie?”

“Yeah, that’s fine with me.”

“Ok cool, I’m going to throw some sweats on. Just put on whatever, I don’t care,” she handed him the remote and walked to her room to change.

When she came back she saw Will rummaging through her freezer, finding a pint of ice cream, and moving to get a couple of spoons. Katie smiled to herself at how at ease Will looked in her space.

“Ah, there you are. This ok?” He held up the ice cream and spoons. “Wasn’t sure if you were an ice cream girl or a chocolate girl.”

“Ice cream is fine, Will, thank you,” She smiled as she sat on the couch, curling up in a blanket.

Will sat in the corner of her couch and Katie scooched over to cuddle into his chest. He wrapped one arm around her, rubbing up and down her shoulder. She held the pint for both of them to eat as they watched a superhero movie. Frankly, Katie wasn’t able to concentrate on the screen, she was giddy over what was happening in real life. Will taking care of her, giving her a shoulder to rest on as they enjoyed a quiet night at home. She made a mental note to repay him when she felt a little better.

Katie’s eyes started to get heavy and Will heard her slightly snoring. She looked so sweet when she was sleeping. He felt bad waking her up, but he couldn’t let her sleep on the couch.

“Hey, Katie,” he whispered, caressing the side of her face.

She leaned into his touch, “Hmm? Shit, did I fall asleep?”

“Yeah, sweetheart you did. Here let’s get you to bed ok?”

“Can you come with me?”

“W-what?”

“Can you stay?”

Will felt his face get warm, “Y-you want me to?” Katie gave a sleep nod. “Ok, yeah. Um, here let me lock up and clean this stuff up and I’ll meet you okay?”

“‘Kay,” Katie got up and stretched before trudging down the hallway.

Will made quick work of checking all of the doors and windows and rinsed their spoons in the sink before heading to Katie’s room.

When he walked in, she was slipping into bed under the covers.

“Um, i-is, is it ok if I get out these?” He motioned to his jeans.

“Yea, however you’re comfortable, Will,” she said half asleep already.

A/N: Hope you liked seeing a few different storylines take more shape. I know some of you may have questions about Santi’s night. The chapter was getting long and frankly nothing of consequence happened with him anyway, Melissa and the boys go out and have a fun night. I may do a little deleted scene sometime because writing David makes me laugh. Also, I know some have shipped Benny and Megan. I don’t want to play spoiler, but they are just friends. But don’t worry, romance is in both of their futures.

Will got down to his boxer briefs, leaving his jeans, shirt, and socks on the floor near the bed. He got into the bed facing Katie, who had her back to him. Once he was fully under the covers, Katie shuffled back towards him. Their bodies fit together like two puzzle pieces as he draped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. She could feel his breath which lulled her to sleep. Will took a deep breath and fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Next Chapter

Let me know if you want to be on the tag list moving forward!! Apologies if I accidentally left you off, I do it all manually and may have missed someone … just let me know!

@goodwithcheese / @gemmahale / @trulybetty / @patti7dc / @periodtsparadox / @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin / @maggiemayhemnj / @mysterious-moonstruck-musings / @avastrasposts / @meveispunk / @chaoticfestninja / @beholdbebravethings / @casa-boiardi / @katw474 / @linzels-blog / @laughing-in-th3-purple-rain / @pimosworld / @lynnchun / @anoverwhelmingdin /@lilmizmoz / @pedrit0-pascalit0 / @titlee78 / @noisynightmarepoetry / @inept-the-magnificent / @perennialdoll247 / @for-a-longlongtime / @readingiskeepingmegoing / @harriedandharrassed / @musings-of-a-rose / @anavatazes / @sherala007 / @midnightraain / @partyofone3413 / @inthedarkestnight / @millennial-teenybopper / @csarab615

#triple frontier fic #triple frontier fanfic #triple frontier fanfiction #delta landscaping #triple frontier boys

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Book 7: The Ruler of the Abyss – Chapter 3 (Part 3)

Following is part 3 of my translation of Chapter 3 of Book 7: The Ruler of the Abyss. This part contains episodes 7-51 to 7-55. This concludes chapter 3.

Main storyline spoilers after the cut!!

Episode 7-51

Grim: What the!? The floor gave way behind us! T-There’s nowhere else we can run to….! S-Somebooodyyyyy!!!!

???: Prefect! Grim!

Grim: Eep! You’re that guy from Diasomnia….

Silver: We’ll talk later! Both of you, grab onto me. Hurry! Those I’ve met before, and those I’ll meet someday…. Come, and let us dream the same dream.

Yuu: We’re…. Flying!

Grim: Waaaaaah!! Where’s the groouuuund!!

Silver: Damn it….! I can’t control it….! Hold on to me! Tightly!

Grim: Aaaugh! If you keep squeezin’ me like that all my insides are gonna pop out!!

Silver: Please, just bear with it! If we get separated, there’s no guarantee you’ll make it!

Grim: Waaaaaaaaah!

Grim: …..aaaaAAAAH!!

Silver: O Winds! ……Argh…. Are you two okay?

Grim: Ugh…. My eyes are still spinnin’.

Yuu: I’m so dizzy I can’t even get up….

Silver: Easy now. Don’t stand up too fast. At any rate, I’m glad you don’t appear to be injured.

Grim: W-Where is this place? I feel like I’ve seen it before… Ah! Is this… Diasomnia!?

Silver: No…. This isn’t the real Diasomnia. This is the Diasomnia “within someone’s dreams”. It’s still too soon to relax, but it appears we were able to shake off that “Darkness” from earlier.

Grim: “Darkness”?.... You mean that wiggly black stuff?

Silver: Yes. It appears in everyone’s dreams, and I’ve encountered it many times before… If those things ensnare you in their grasp, they’ll drag you down into an even deeper sleep. Don't let your guard down.

Yuu: I wonder if Mickey’s okay…

Silver: “Darkness” eroding away dreams and a dream breaking down on its own are two different things. When the dreamer wakes up in real life, the dream breaks down… Just like what happened with that room we were in. In other words, he simply woke up and returned to reality. You don’t need to worry. Ah, before I forget… You said his name was Mickey? I feel like I…. met him once before… in a dream.

Mickey: While you were gone, I found a stranger in my dream room. It was a boy with silver hair and eyes the strangest color.

Yuu: Wait, so the silver haired boy that Mickey mentioned before was….!

Silver: However… It’s strange. I’m only supposed to be able to cross into the dreams of those I have some sort of connection with. And the fact that he even remembered meeting me in a dream is also strange, in and of itself….

Episode 7-52

Grim: So how’d you end up in that room anyways?

Silver: I saw a bird in my dream that emitted the most unusual, rainbow-colored light. And when I followed that bird and crossed into the dream… I arrived in that room.

Yuu: What do you mean you “crossed into the dream”?

Silver: My unique magic, “Meet in a Dream”, allows me to cross between the dreams that other people are dreaming. What I pass through along the way is that sky-like space we were just in…. I call it the “Corridor of Dreams”.

Grim: What, you can enter peoples’ dreams!? Holy crap! That’s awesome magic! So if you go into the heads of the school teachers, you could peep what’s gonna be on the next test!?

Silver: It’s difficult to explain, but my magic isn’t for entering people’s minds…. It’s for… How should I put this… I enter people’s dreams, erm, I mean… I guess you could say, what they see in their hearts…. Or you could even say, the world of imagination borne from someone’s memories and desires…. At any rate, it’s that kind of world. I won’t know what someone’s dreaming until I cross over. So even if I was able to cross over into one of the professor’s dreams, I doubt I’d be able to find out what kind of test questions they have in mind. To be honest with you, I myself still don’t fully grasp all the idiosyncrasies of dreams and my unique magic. Dreams are nebulous things to begin with, different for each person…. And I often forget what happened within the dreams by the time I wake up.

Grim: What the heck… Your magic’s friggin’ useless, dude.

Silver: I’m sorry I couldn’t meet your expectations. As you say, “Meet in a Dream” has never been all that useful to me. I can only use it when I’m asleep, and I also have to be cognizant that I’m within a dream.

Grim: So that means… Our bodies really must be still asleep at the party venue in Diasomnia, right?

Silver: Yes, most likely. Due to…. Lord Malleus’s magic. Once I realized I was dreaming, I tried countless times to wake myself up. But… I haven’t had any luck getting out of the dream world.

Grim: Wait, there’s a way to wake ourselves up? How!?

Silver: If you receive a big shock - either in the dream or in the real world - you can force yourself awake. And so when I arrived in the dream world…. I tried banging my head against a bunch of different things and punching myself…. But I don’t think my body stirred one bit.

Yuu: (S-So he was just beating himself up, basically…)

Silver: That we’ve been cast into such a deep sleep shows just how powerful Lord Malleus’s spell is… Lord Malleus… Why would you do such a thing…

Malleus: I WILL NOT LOSE YOU!!

Silver: Even if you do something like this, Father is….. And you yourself must…

Grim: Come on, isn’t there any other way? I don’t wanna be lyin’ around sleepin’ on the floor forever!

Silver: My fath- I mean, Lilia Senpai might know a way we can get out.

Grim: Oh, yeah. Isn’t he a fae who’s lived for a reeeeally long time? Maybe he does know somethin’.

Silver: Above all, he’s someone who’s been close to Lord Malleus since he was young.

Grim: ‘Kay, then hurry up and use your magic so we can cross into Lilia’s dreams!

Silver: My apologies, but I… can’t.

Grim: Whaaaat?!

Silver: Although “Meet in a Dream” allows me to cross over into other people’s dreams… I can’t specify whose dream I cross into. But it is easy for me to enter the dreams of those I’m close to…

Yuu: So, whoever’s dream we’re in now is probably someone you know pretty well?

Grim: Wait a sec… But doesn’t that mean we could be inside Lilia’s dream right now!?

Silver: I’m still not sure. But I’ll know whose dream this is as soon as I see it. At any rate, let’s go ahead and check out the dorm.

Diasomnia Dorm – Hallway

???: IS THIS WHERE YOU’VE BEEN THIS WHOLE TIME, SILVER!? I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU!!!

Silver: ...So this was your dream, Sebek.

Grim: Huh! It wasn’t Lilia’s dream, but this guy’s? How can ya tell?

Silver: There’s a peculiar light that surrounds the dreamer. Are you two not able to see it?

Sebek: What nonsense are you blubbering now! Are you still half-asleep? Hm? Those two behind you, aren’t they from Ramshackle….

Silver: Yes, it’s Grim and the prefect.

Sebek: Hmph. The underachievers from Class A, is it. All of Diasomnia shall be gathering together today for a very important celebration, and it shall be a grand party. You best not get in our way, beast! And human!

Silver: A celebration…? For what?

Sebek: What? You really are still half-asleep, aren’t you, you twit? We’re holding a pep rally of sorts for Lord Malleus and Sir Lilia, to inspirit them for their upcoming internships!

Silver: What…

Sebek: Certainly, ‘tis a shame we shan’t see much of the young Lord and Sir Lilia come next term… But knowing them, doubtless they’ll secure the most impressive grades out of anyone at their internship locations and return victorious! Now then, the festivities shall begin momentarily. Come with me at once, Silver! WE MUSTN’T KEEP THE YOUNG LORD AND THE OTHERS WAITING!!!

Silver: Wha- Oi, Sebek! Just wait a second…!

(Sebek grabs Silver and they walk off)

Grim: Silver got dragged away! We better go follow ‘em, henchman!

Chapter 7-53

Sebek: Young Lord! Sir Lilia! I have returned with Silver!

Malleus: You finally made it. We’ve been waiting.

Lilia: Haha. Your hair looks like a bird’s nest and your hat’s all crooked. Were you out taking a nap somewhere, Silver?

Silver: L-Lord Malleus…. Father…

Malleus: What’s this? Is that Grim and the Child of Man I spy? Have you come to wish us well on our internships? Heh heh…. We’ve got plenty of refreshments available. Please enjoy yourselves to your hearts’ content.

Yuu: So it’s not a going away party, it’s like a pep rally?

Grim: Huh? But I thought Lilia was droppin’ out ‘cause he couldn’t use his magic anymore?

Malleus: Not able to use his magic anymore? Drop out? ….You’re referring to Lilia?

Lilia: What in the world are you going on about? You must have me confused with someone else.

Sebek: Y- ….You wretched beast! Do not say such portentous things!!!! Sir Lilia is the last person on this planet who would do that!!!!

Grim: Shut up!! Stop yellin’ in my ear!! Ah, wait that’s right. This is just a dream world, so…. Huh? Huuh? Henchman, we’re inside a dream right now, right? Or was the place we were at before a dream? Ugh, I have no idea what’s goin’ on anymore.

Malleus: This is but a dream? Ha ha, what a silly thing to say. It sounds like the two of you are still half-asleep, as well. Did you accompany Silver in his catnap? Once we third years advance to the next grade, we’ll be setting off for our internships. I’m to go take part in an archaeological investigation being held in the Land of Red Dragons, and Lilia will be going to study at a company that creates magical assistive devices, located in the Kingdom of Heroes.

Silver: Magical assistive devices…. You mean like medical aids?

Lilia: Indeed. I know there are many in Briar Valley who abhor modern technology… but I’m sure if I were to bring something like that back home with me, there’s plenty good it could do.

Sebek: As expected of Sir Lilia. He’s set his gaze on the future of Briar Valley!

Silver: Fath- ….Lilia Senpai. So are you going to return to the valley… to our home in the forest?

Lilia: Hm? Yes, my plan was to go back home as long as I make it through our exit exams all right… Why do you ask? Briar Valley is our homeland. And that house in the forest we lived in together, that’s where I’ll be spending the rest of my days.

Silver: …….

Lilia: What’s the matter, Silver? Your face is so pale, like you’re having a bad dream or something. Don’t push yourself too hard. Just go back to your room and get some rest.

Silver …………. You’re exactly right, Lilia Senpai. This is… All of this is just a bad dream. Just some convenient little dream that’s trying to keep us trapped in our sleep.

Everyone: Huh?

Sebek: Oi, Silver! Cease with your tasteless jokes! This is supposed to be a celebration!

Silver: Oh, how I wish I were joking….!

Sebek: What? What are you blathering about now? Are you seriously still half-asleep, you dolt!?

Silver: You have to remember, Sebek! Remember what happened before you fell asleep!

Sebek: Before I… fell asleep?

Silver: Lilia Senpai exhausted all his magic and was going to drop out of school before everyone left for their internships… He was planning to move to the Land of Red Dragons. And on the night of his going away party, with the entire school in attendance… Lord Malleus went mad…. We tried stopping him, but he was far too powerful…. And everyone there was cast into a deep sleep.

Sebek: Wh-…What… What are you saying!? You claim the young Lord lost his composure!? Our Lord is the very picture of noble serenity! It’s unfathomable he would do such a thing!

Malleus: Silver. It sounds like you really did have quite the terrible dream. That’s enough. If you stop now, I’ll forgive your impudence.

Lilia: Malleus is right. Besides, more than anything, there’s no way I would ever run off and leave you behind. There’s nothing to worry about. After you graduate, we’ll go and live together in our home in the forest once again. We’ll be together forever… right?

Silver: …..If that’s what the “real” you had wanted, then I’d have liked to stay by your side forever. But that’s… that’s not true! This world, and you… Everything here is a sham!

Lilia: Silver, what on earth are you….

(Thunder booms)

Everyone: !!!

Malleus: I will not tolerate any more of this nonsense, Silver. Don’t tell me… You’ve *”awoken”? Why must you try and disrupt this peaceful place. All of your dreams can come true here…

Silver: Awoken…. Wha-, Lord Malleus!? Are you…. Are you monitoring everyone’s dreams!? And interfering with them?!

Malleus: Monitoring? Interfering? Heh heh…. Don’t be absurd. Governance is only a natural part of a king’s duties, is it not? I’m watching over everyone, making sure you fairytale heroes don’t find yourselves ensnared in any nightmares… Making sure you’ll continue to dream these wonderful dreams for all eternity!

Silver: ….Please, Lord Malleus! I beg of you, return to your senses! My father would never wish for something like this!

(thunder booms)

Grim: Ack!

Malleus: Did you not hear me? I said I will not tolerate any more of your foolishness, Silver.

Grim: S-Silver! The guy’s seein’ red. You better just hurry up and say you’re sorry….

Silver: *breathes in, breathes out* Please forgive me, my Lord. But if I’m going to get you to return to your senses… Then I don’t have any other choice!

Lilia: Silver!? Just what are you intending to do?!

Sebek: You cur! You dare raise your weapon against our Lord… Have you lost your damn mind!? Please get back, Sire! I shall handle this!!!

*The verb さめる (to wake up) can be written either 覚める (to wake up (from sleep)), or 醒める (to wake up (from a stupor), to come to one’s senses), and Malleus is using the latter version.

Episode 7-54

Silver: Forgive me, Sebek!

Sebek: Guwaaah!??

Silver: Father! Please draw back. Lord Malleus isn’t in his right mind!

Sebek: M-My Lord…. Please… Please quell your raging heart!

Malleus: What are you so frightened of? A wondrous future lies before you. Now, give me your hand. Heh, heh heh…. Ah ha ha ha ha!

Malleus: If you surrender yourselves to sleep, even a thousand years can pass in the blink of an eye.

Sebek: Augh….! Wha- What are these… these memories…! Lord Malleus, he…. No, that’s... That’s impossible….?

Silver: ! Do you remember what happened, Sebek?

Sebek: Silver, what is the meaning of this? What is going on here…?

Silver: There's no time to explain. Get up!

Sebek: But…!

Malleus: Aah… Have you “awoken” as well, Sebek? What a pity. If you’d only given yourself up to that delectable slumber, you could’ve savored happiness for all eternity. I’ll put you all to sleep one more time… Yes, into an even deeper slumber!

Sebek: Ah…A-….. Lord Malleus…!

Grim: Eep! That wriggly black stuff we saw in Mickey’s room came back!

Silver: Take up your weapon, Sebek!

Sebek: Damn it…!

Episode 7-55

Sebek: Argh! Just what are these things? Get back, don’t touch me!!

Grim: Waaaah! The gooey stuff’s swallowin’ me up!!

Yuu: I’m getting dragged into the “darkness”!

Silver: We’re surrounded! ….We’ve only got one shot at getting out of this. Everyone, grab my hands!

Sebek: Grrr… Who in their right mind would take your hand!!

Silver: Now is not the time to be stubborn, Sebek! Come on, hurry!

Sebek: Damn it…!

Malleus: Now… Sleep once more for me. Yes, in an even deeper…. even darker place this time. Heh heh heh…. Ah ha ha haha ha!

Silver: (It’s so dark, so cold, so sad…. At this rate, we’ll all be engulfed by the “darkness”. .....This light… This auroral light….. Father… Please, give me strength! Those I’ve met before, and those I’ll meet someday…. Come, and let us dream the same dream!)

Sebek: ….Ugh…. This place is…?

Yuu: We’re in the middle of a forest?

Grim: Uuughh… Did we get away from that yucky wriggly stuff?

Silver: It appears so… I’m still not sure whose dream we crossed into, however…

Sebek: I… I defied the young Lord… *sniffle* Oh, what have I done! I can’t believe this!

Silver: You can feel bad about it later. Right now, we need to find someplace we can rest and sort out what’s going on. Hm? This forest, and the smell of the wind… Could this be…

(something heavy lands nearby and the area fills with smoke)

Silver: Ah! Get down!!

Grim / Sebek: Uwaah?!

Silver: Projectiles?! Where are they coming from?

Strange-looking Soldier A: Gyagyagya! Uumanu!

Strange-looking Soldier B: Gigiiiiii!!

Sebek: W-What are these things!?

Strange-looking Soldier C: Kiii! Aarijaa!

Strange-looking Soldiers: Garururu! Kyakyakyaa!

Grim: Ack!? They’re squeezin’ meee!

Strange-looking Soldier B: Guaa! Gyagya! Firumee!

Strange-looking Soldier A: Gyaou! Gwaruru! Shyaa!

Sebek: Y-You say we’re the “iron ones”? No, we are no such thing!

Grim: Can you understand what these guys are sayin’, Sebek!?

Strange-looking Soldiers C: Kishyaaa! Garuru! Gurururu!

Sebek: I do not lie! We are students, and we’re….!

(a bat screeches, and then a bunch of bats fly across the screen)

Grim/Silver/Sebek: Waaaah!/ Uwaah!? / What on-!?

Strange-looking Soldiers: Gyaou! / Kikiii!

???: What’s with all the ruckus, you lot?

Strange-looking Soldier A: Guaa! Gyagyaa…

Silver: !?

???: Hmph… You fools, look at the energy that envelops them. They have been blessed by the followers of the night. They're probably not the Iron Ones.

Silver: A…. blessing? Just who are you….?

???: ….However, that doesn’t change the fact that this is all very suspicious.

Sebek: T-That magical stone weapon….!?

Everyone: !!??

???: Silence, human. Do not speak unless you’re spoken to.

Silver: ….!!

Strange-looking Soldier: Who are you? Spit it out. Now. And you better not lie to me, lest you wish for me to dirty my blade.

Part 1

Part 2

#twst silver #sebek zigvolt #malleus draconia #twst jp #twst spoilers #twisted wonderland #ruler of the abyss #lilia vanrouge

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