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gayhawkelatehomicide · 2 years

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Alike In Sorrow

Finished the first section of a bigger thing I'm working on so I'm throwing it out here for a vibe check ig

***

Words: 603

Rating: T for Kiera's mouth and discussions of past character death

Other tags: major character death, not in this snipped but in the past, this is sad y'all, questionable coping mechanisms, Cole therapy, my obsession with the canticle of trials

***

Title is from the Chant of Light, Trials 1:8

“You have grieved as I have.

You, who made worlds out of nothing.

We are alike in sorrow, sculptor and clay,

Comforting each other in our art.”

***

"Rush of rage, blinding, but it's not real. It's just sadness wearing a mask. Didn't even bring her body back, nothing to burn, buried beneath silent stone. She doesn't mind. She knows you tried."

Or: Hawke meets Varric's newest project.

"Scratching, clawing, catching, crushing. Left her there, in the deep dark and damp. Mother's eyes when I told her. I tried, I tried, I tried."

Hawke just about jumps out of her skin at the sudden voice, and she's on her feet with her sword between herself and the intruder in her quarters before she has time to process his words. That weird spirit kid Varric's sort of adopted is perched in the casement of her open window, despite the fact that her room is in the top of one of Skyhold's many towers.

"What are you doing in here?" She demands, lips thinning into a displeased frown. There's climbing into her window, which might be forgiven because the kid is Varric's, but bringing up her sister is a quick way to get on Hawke's bad side.

"You think very loudly," he answers, head ducked to hide his eyes and most of his face under the brim of his ridiculous hat. "The hurt is heavy, hidden but held. Guilt and grief, the Gray could've saved her. But it didn't matter. There was nothing you could've done for Bethany."

Hawke grits her teeth, resisting the urge to swat him off the window. She reminds herself how much Varric apparently likes this kid, and how unflattering his stories would get if she were to hurt him. She gets her temper under control. It's harder than it used to be, before the chantry. Hawke sits down in her chair and puts her sword back across her knees, picking up the cleaning cloth from the floor. She returns to the soothing, repetitive process of working oil over the blade.

Her voice is controlled, when she speaks. "When I want someone poking around in my head, you'll be the first to know. In the meantime, get lost, would you?"

"Rush of rage, blinding, but it's not real. It's just sadness wearing a mask. Didn't even bring her body back, nothing to burn, buried beneath silent stone. She doesn't mind. She knows you tried."

Hawke's head snaps up, furious and ready to put up with whatever retaliation if it means she doesn't have to listen to this anymore, but the window is empty. She can't remember exactly why she's so mad, but it's still there, vitriolic and seething. Maker, why am I so angry? She shakes her head at herself.

There's a piece of paper weighed down with a shiny rock on the windowsill. She has no idea who put it there, but curiosity—and, she'll admit privately, her fondness for shiny things—has her hauling herself out of the chair to go investigate. The rock gleams when the sun hits it, some kind of crystal polished just enough to catch the light. The paper bears a sketch, shaky but recognizable, of a young Leandra Amell. It resembles the portrait Hawke gave Bethany, after they cleared the slavers out of their family home. She stares at it for a long moment, unsure what she's feeling.

A drop of water lands on the page. Hawke watches it sink into the paper. Three more join it before she realizes she's crying. Her hand clenches closed, crumpling the paper and the incriminating tears. She scrubs the back of her hand hastily across her cheeks, tosses the rock onto her bedside table, then hurls the balled up paper out the window. Watches the wind catch it, and carry it over the battlements. She hefts her sword onto her shoulders and heads downstairs to find something to hit, something to do with the fury churning in her gut.

It's just anger. That's all she has anymore.

#dragon age #da2 #dai #my writing #kiera hawke #hawke at skyhold #pre-adamant but the mood is still there yanno #trauma #your friendly neighborhood therapy spirit doing his best #major character death #not in this snippet but in the past #this is sad y'all #questionable coping mechanisms #Cole therapy #my obsession with the canticle of trials #sad bastard warrior hawke

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talentforlying · 7 months

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28. felt at total peace with themselves and everything around them.

he's forty, and he's cross-faded, and zatanna is off her face on the kitchen counter, levitating mange the talking rabbit three feet off the floor. he thinks he pissed on the phantom stranger's shoes in the alley a few minutes ago, and it's a whole lot funnier than it probably should be. header and rick the vic disappeared off to the toilet longer ago than he wants to think about, and the six-foot-six giant who put the whole shindig together is slugging back tennent's super like he's a fish and it's water.

it's his birthday, and for the first time in a long fucking time, he thinks he's gonna be okay.

almost unreal now, with this much liquor warming his belly and a high that reduces his eyes to burning cinders, to think that the day started out badly — kit unexpectedly visiting family, chas on a shift he can't shake. that sinking, lonely feeling that he's getting old, because he's lived twice as long as he ever thought he would and ten years more than his mum ever did, and he doesn't know what to bloody do with himself when he's not doing magic. feeling guilty about it in a way he never has before kit; before a normal, domestic life abruptly became a real option for him.

it's a zero-sum game any way he chooses to go about it: he's forty, and he's still fucking around with forces beyond his comprehension, still trying to play a young man's game. he's forty, and he hasn't worked a regular layman's job in his entire sodding life, but if they're going to pay the rent, he'll have to strike up and stick with it, SOON. he's forty, and he sees his sister every other weekend, sees his best friend twice that, and goes to bed every night with the love of his life beside him, and none of it feels even halfway as real as the shite he sees in his nightmares.

so, one more bad birthday. why not. what's there to celebrate, anyway?

except. except THEY all seem to think it's worth celebrating, don't they? his friends. the fact that he's still got enough of them left to throw him a surprise party is enough to stone crows the world over, but that they still think of him well enough to put in the effort in the first place is . . . sort of fucking mind-boggling. they like him enough to remember his birthday in the first place, enough to pop in from hell and scotland and america and . . . wherever it is the immortal lord of the dance fucks around these days. enough to stick around and keep him company until the wee hours of the morning, if they're good for their word. ( and he knows they are. ) enough to invite the sodding swamp thing, and the fact that the big hedge even showed was more of a kick in the teeth than the fucking phantom stranger.

obviously the free booze doesn't hurt as incentive. or nigel's supercharged wacky backy, either. but any one of them could've gotten that elsewhere, if they'd felt the urge, and they chose to get it with him. he's forty, and he's got more friends than he would've ever thought possible.

jesus fuck, the nerve of them, making him sniffle at his own bloody birthday party.

he loves them all, each silly blighter.

the lord of the dance crushes another crate as easy as snapping a toothpick and laughs at some inane shite nigel is spouting on about. ellie's gone and rescued mange from the inevitable crash to the floor, holding him gingerly by the ears, but the furry git doesn't seem to mind; still effing and feffing about pulling magicians out of hats, as per usual. zatanna is utterly lost in the world of the monumentally stoned, reading the ingredients on a packet of instant oatmeal backwards like it's the most important magical text in the world. header and rick are STILL conspicuously missing, and god, he wishes he could hear what brendan finn would have to say about that one: something filthy about rick being at his best when he's on his knees, just ask god.

' mere hours into a fourth decade and you've already lost the ability to hold your liquor. jesus wept, john. '

ellie's apparently left mange to his own devices to come and join him on the sofa, sinking into the cushions at his elbow and propping her arm up on his shoulder to lazily skim her fingers along the collar of his shirt. she doesn't look halfway blotto for all she's been drinking, eyes still sharp and clear as she studies the room and its motley inhabitants with dry disinterest; she smells like cinnamon, sulfur, and asphodel, and if he didn't know better, he'd say she almost seems relaxed. ' what are you smiling so big about, anyway? you know you'll have a hell of a hangover to look forward to when all this is done. '

is he smiling? he hadn't realized. but sure enough, he lifts a hand to his face and feels the grin there, broad as a barn; feels the way it hurts his cheeks like it's been there for a long bloody while now, and it doesn't feel like it's going to go away soon, either.

fuck him. HE'S FORTY.

it's the best thing he's been in ages.

@fightwing / MOMENT IN TIME PROMPTS

#fightwing #drug mention /#drug mention cw #for the weed yanno #constantine turning 40: waaaa i'm old #me: not yet bitch. 30 more to go #i just Adore the issue with his 40th birthday party he was SO surprised and happy. just page after page of joy #also yes i Am making every minor character in hellblazer at least a little gay. and what about it #rick and header had Something going on behind the scenes just look them up and tell me i'm wrong #nyway if this is sloppy it's nooot because i wrote it in three different locations hours apart it's because he's crossfaded. yeah. that's i #( headcanons. ) I'M JUST LIKE THE BASTARDS I'VE HATED ALL ME LIFE.#( answered. ) THIS IS JOHN CONSTANTINE. FUCK OFF.

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oneknightlight · 1 year

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I think my goal for convention season this year is to actually enjoy my cosplay and immerse myself in the cosplay community like I used to Once Upon A Time. I think my problem is I’ve had one too many sour experiences with ex cosplay groups, a challenge socially adjusting to the fact that I’m trans, and getting back on my feet after moving out of an unhealthy environment, so the last convention I went to I just. Hid away and lurked artists alley, sort of anxious. Sorta confused. Nothing like me really, and it sucked. Almost the entire reason I go to conventions is cosplay and fan interaction. I love to enjoy art too, but it’s more of a cherry on top, I fancy the element of play and pretend foremost, and going to a convention anxious, insecure, and unable to pretend was actually miserable and I won’t be repeating that (Best I can! :>)

I want to cosplay a character that puts me in a position where no one’s necessarily pressuring me to act, but it would be delightful. Acting would be fun, preferred, maybe a tiny winy bit expected even if it goes unsaid. A character that’s going to bring me into social situations like picture taking, and fan interaction, because to be frank. it’ll be good for me. Pre-pandemic, I had a certain amount of self-made glory at con’s that I let life and shitty people rob from me and I want to reclaim it.

#Walt talks #im not ex partner and ex friend bashing but all I’ve ever done is surrounded myself with other cosplayers who drag me down #and pull me away from fan interaction and grabbing spotlight #which . yanno they’re allowed to lay low and just shop #but not me I like being on a stage #im a performer! i always have been! i used to be a part of a studio perform on stage #let ! me! be ! crazy!#i want freedom!#give me my light back!#stop tying weights to my ankles yah wee bastards!#(hey Walt why are you posting cosplay stuff on this account)#(hey friend I’m thinking about turning that other blog into a TH blog because all that’s there now is hita and it sits on massive hiatuses)#(and it would get more use as a fan blog)

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sparkles-and-trash · 7 days

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dabi & shouto bonding + dabihawks, fluff

It's almost noon when Touya comes shuffling into the living room he shared with his boyfriend, PJ pants hanging low on his hips, no shirt in sight.

"Well, good mo-, no wait, good midday to me, handsome," Keigo quipped with a grin and Touya rolled his eyes.

Yeah, yeah, I'm a lazy bum, I know I know," Touya replied with a yawn and a stretch.

"We can't all just call home office and lunge around in sweats all day and call it work, yanno," he added and Keigo laughed.

"So staying up until 3 am gaming with Spinner and Tenko counts as work, now?" the hero asked with a sly smirk, and Touya sighed.

"I need a shirt for this conversation, and either their all in the wash or you stole some again, and I think we all know which one is true."

Keigo raised his eyebrows at that.

"I haven't taken any more than you've given me, I swear!" he said with hands raised in surrender, and Touya sighed dramatically.

"Well, what am I supposed to wear then?"

Listen, Touya loves Keigo.

Everything about him, actually.

Except for the fact that, ever since the war ended and the hero was allowed to develop his own style, that style turned out to be a mix between cottage core lesbian and confused grandpa.

Actually Touya didn't mind it when the clothes were on Keigo, he actually kinda loved it.

But while Keigo looked ridiculously hot in Touya's band shirts and big hoodies, Touya didn't quite have that same luxury.

So, there he sat, in a crowded coffee shop, a busy afternoon, out in public, with his white hair, scarred skin, piercings, tattoos, ripped black skinny jeans and... a very eclectically colored cardigan Touya suspected Keigo had dug out of a thrift store that should have been closed decades ago.

Yeah, fuck his life.

Just as the former villain pulled the bucket hat he had also borrowed from his boyfriend further down on his head in a vain attempt to hide he noticed the person he was here to meet come in trough the door.

"Shouto," Touya said out loud, raiding his hand to grab his brothers attention.

His dork of a younger brother smiled, as brightly as he ever did, and moved over to Touya quickly.

"Nii-san!" The young hero greeted and Touya huffed.

"Yeah yeah, sit down ya dork, I ordered you your..."

Touya's voice trailed off as Shouto took off his jacket.

"Todoroki Shouto, are you wearing my fucking shirt?!"

Shouto looked up at him with a hint of surprise on his face as he looked down on himself , before he nodded.

"Yes, it appears that I am," he said simply before happily taking a sip of his bubble tea.

Touya just stared at him.

"Why?" he finally asked as Shouto didn't elaborate.

Shouto took his time enjoying his tea before he answered.

"It's like a hand-over, it's normal for brothers to do, you know?" he replied with a shrug.

Touya blinked a few times trying to catch up.

"A hand... over?" he finally asked, trying his best to wrap his head around this.

He decided this was a bucket hat off situation, and just as he placed the hat down, Shouto picked ip back up and put in on his head.

"Like this, see?" the young hero said as if that answered all the questions.

Touya just stared back and Shouto sighed.

"Iida said he used to get his older brothers stuff all the time, Nii-san, I really think you're making too much out of this."

Oh.

Oh, god.

This poor, clueless, sweet bastard.

"You're talking about hand-me-downs, aren't you?" Touya finally asked, and Shouto nodded.

"Yes, that was the phrase."

Touya bit his lip, trying to figure out how to go about this without being too mean.

Look at him, all reformed and shit.

"Look Sho, I get that we have a lot of catching up to do, but if you want my stuff as hand-me-downs or whatever it'd be great if you asked first, okay?" Touya explained.

Shouto hummed.

"I must have misunderstood the tradition then, I apologize."

Touya huffed.

"It's okay, kid," he said with a small smile, and Shouto smiled back, before his gaze fell to the cardigan Touya was wearing and his brown furrowed.

"You can keep that one, though," Shouto said seriously, and Touya couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Yeah, I don't judge ya there, kid," he replied with a grin.

Before they parted ways a few hours later Touya quickly snapped a picture of Shouto in the bucket hat to send to Keigo with a warning that he'd probably never seen that hat again.

It was handed down now, after all.

#dabihawks #dabi #shouto todoroki #todosibs #todoroki siblings #todofam #hawks #keigo takami #touya todoroki #touya and shouto #shouto and touya #todoroki family #todoroki sibs #mha #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #bnha

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milleneumfulcrum · 6 months

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Cities In Dust

written with the consultation of our queen @sanzosin <3 to whom i must apologise to because this took FOREVER to write thanks to work and class

this work is cross-posted on A03 as usual

Pairing | Handsome Jack x Nisha Kadam

Word Count | 3,353

Warnings | slightly NSFW, also jack and nisha are just like That

Nisha remembered the way the train had blown in, dusting umber hair across her eyes. It was no ordinary cargo transport, built instead to hold people, not Eridium. The Hyperion livery indicated this particular person must be special indeed.

Jack came with all the fanfare and splendor he demanded, followed by what she deemed as an unnecessary number of Loaders. Did he think she'd let something happen to him- in her town of all places? Nisha rolled her eyes, twin spheres of molten gold.

"Heya, pumpkin," Jack grinned, enunciating each syllable. "Didja get my gift?"

The gift in question had been delivered early, around the time Nisha roused from bed. Jack was a frivolous bastard, and she'd expected another piss-yellow brassiere, or perhaps another ridiculous Hyperion rifle. Her surprise had been an uncomfortable blow when she opened it to find deep purple silk instead, a two-piece set that flattered her tanned skin. Damn.

"You didn't tell me you were coming," Nisha snipped, ignoring Jack's query. His smirk didn't falter; bastard probably knew she was wearing his gift underneath.

"Oh, I was in the area, and, well, yanno..." He waved his hands impatiently, stepping down from the platform languidly. "Thought I'd pick you up for our date tonight."

Make that a presumptuous bastard.

"That's not how you ask, cowboy." Nisha's gaze was sharp. "That doesn't work-"

"Nish," Jack cut her off, and that alone should've made her furious... but there was something indecipherable in his eyes, even through the lifelike mask, that intrigued her. "Come back with me tonight." He paused, looking troubled that he even had to ask. "I, ah, wanna see what it looks like on you."

He'd been strange ever since Angel died. The Jack she knew never would've stepped foot in her dusty town without good reason; now, here he was, albeit surrounded by monstrous-looking robots, demanding her presence.

The Nisha she knew would've told him to stuff it.

Instead, she glanced up at him in a gust of wind, raising her right arm to block the sun. The light flashed off her armguard- Hyperion yellow.

Jack seemed to understand he'd succeeded, and Nisha resented the flash of surprise that crossed his eyes as she stepped up onto the platform. Her fingers found his wrist, nails digging into the flesh she'd claimed. He winced; a small victory.

"You'd better make it worth my while," Nisha hissed, her voice low. Her defense was venom.

She needn't have threatened. As soon as they'd breached his grandiose quarters on Helios, Jack had been wild, pulsing with need beneath her. The marks down her arms- scratches, as he'd gripped at her- were made by a man possessed.

"Nish," Jack panted, letting out a low groan. She'd pinned him to the mattress, her fingers twining cruelly around his throat. "I wish you'd stay here. You could- friggin' hell- be my sexy secretary."

Her hold tightened, and he retaliated by bruising her hips in his grip. Nisha's eyes were shards of yellow gold, her lipstick smeared just at the edge of her mouth.

"Secretary? Don't insult me."

She'd woken up pleasantly sore in his silken sheets. Sore and alone, wrapped in Jack's dingy yellow sweater.

Nisha scrubbed at her eyes with a faded sleeve, her other hand inching across the mattress to Jack's side. She found the pillows cold, swearing under her breath. He should not have the capability to leave like that- not without waking her. But he couldn't be far.

A silver-blue glow outlined the door. Nisha's feet carried her over the marble flooring; without her boots and chains, she was silent beneath the white noise of Helios. Jack didn't notice as she swept into his office, hidden in the shadows. His face was lit with the same pale blue light, and she was almost offended to see his mask had been slotted back into place. Whatever he was staring at so intently required two working eyes, apparently.

"Well, sorry I bored you," Nisha declared flatly. Jack startled so hard that his wrist banged on the underside of the desk.

"Nisha," He began, but she cut him off with a piercing look. Something tugged her gaze to his screens- a flash of familiarity, dust kicked up in the night- and she froze.

Death-Row Refinery, the camera feed read. Nisha barely recognized the smoldering ruins.

"Jack," She began. Her voice was dangerously low. "What happened in Lynchwood?"

If he answered, she wasn't coherent enough to listen. This wasn't the work of just any bandit; this smoking husk was the product of those ludicrous Vault Hunters, no doubt seeking revenge for Roland's death and Lilith's capture. And Jack- somehow he'd known. Somehow, he'd lured her away to the oppressive security of his space station, like she was some fragile little woman.

Nisha saw red.

Her open palm cracked across Jack's synthetic mask. The contact smarted, much more so than if it had been his real skin, but she was too far gone to notice. This was betrayal.

"You-" Nisha struggled for words. "-you skag fucking bastard! I oughta kill you!"

Jack's expression was unreadable, and that made her blood turn to steam. How dare he refuse to even flinch before her? How dare he-

"We are going down there," Nisha spat through gritted teeth. "Right now. And you'd better hope those Vault Hunters are still there, because if they aren't- well, someone is dying tonight."

Jack didn't resist when she hauled him to his feet. A little, "Hunh," escaped his lips, but he was otherwise silent as Nisha dressed in a fury. She was electric, like a storm, and they touched down in Lynchwood with the force of a typhoon. The Vault Hunters were long gone, leaving a trail of broken yellow bots in their wake.

"Cowards," Nisha muttered. Jack looked strange like this, a rifle slung over his shoulder, barely illuminated in the pale dawn. The rest of the town was mostly untouched, but she could smell the smoke from the refinery. The air was thick with it.

There was a body outside of the station; Nisha recognized it as Winger immediately, with his ridiculously oversized coat. She hardly spared him a glance as she stepped inside, whistling low under her breath. Destruction reared its ugly face again.

"They were looking for me," Nisha remarked, turning to face Jack. Her initial eruption of anger had cooled, leaving behind an icy middle ground between respect for the Vault Hunters' boldness and contempt for her boyfriend's antics. "Maybe I can lure 'em back. Finish the job."

Jack twitched.

Nisha emerged from the station in a blaze of gold. The sun was rising, filtered through hazy smoke. She didn't need to follow the ashy trail to find the source; Death-Row Refinery looked like it had been carved open in one grand explosion, perhaps with the help of a maniac like Torgue. It was no doubt a last-ditch attempt by the Vault Hunters to stem the flow of Eridium to Hyperion- they couldn't have known just how close Jack was to charging the key. How Lilith was stronger than Angel had ever been.

"If I was here, none of this would've happened," Nisha hissed, rounding on Jack. He hadn't said a word since they'd landed, his mask an untouched mantra of stony silence. "My town is a smoking fucking husk, and your biggest producer of Eridium is outta commission. No, screw your refinery. God, if those ratches took the shit from my fucking room- I left my sniper here, Jack. Armor-piercing Jakobs! Do you know how long it took me to-"

"The gun doesn't fucking matter, Nisha!"

Jack was wild, more so than she had ever seen before. He met her pace for pace until his palms were on her shoulders, shaking her like she was the idiot.

"Look at this town," He snarled, pointing one long finger at the destruction behind them. "Look at it, Nish! Look what they did. You'd be just another fucking body in the dust- and I told you, when you join Hyperion- no, no, no- when you join me, there's no way out. No fucking quitting."

His grip was bruising; Nisha was mesmerized.

"Do you see how many Loaders I sent down here?" Jack continued, frenzied. Nisha looked at him like he was rabid. "They're all scrap now, and I- and I had- I actually had time to prepare for this, Nisha- not like- like-"

His voice broke, stuttering to a ghastly halt. Nisha went rigid in the silence that stretched between, her expression thunderous. She didn't know how to temper her storm to a drizzle- not even now.

"I can take care of myself," Nisha sizzled, like lightning. She couldn't quite bring herself to shake Jack's hands off her shoulders, even when his grip turned bruising. "I don't need a hero- if you're gonna... gonna be like this, you can fuck right off back to Helios."

She wrenched him off then, stepping back in the dust. His eyes flashed with something indescribable, but Nisha didn't stick around to decipher it, turning on her heel. Her boots clicked against rock and rubble, then concrete as she approached the main strip. She could hear footsteps behind her- Jack's footsteps- but didn't so much as glance back.

Nisha's place was in a quiet corner of town, blended in with the half-abandoned ramshackle structures. She'd wanted it over the sheriff's station, when the town was first sanctioned in her name, but Jack had convinced her otherwise. It was too obvious- too easy. Reluctantly, Nisha had agreed to an unassuming building on the outskirts of town, one that ensured privacy- and a long walk to work.

Inside, Jack had spared no expense. Hyperion technology was built into every corner, complete with sleek flooring and furniture. It was completely untouched, and when she vaulted up the stairs, entering her bedroom, her sniper was exactly where she'd left it. Only then did she turn, finding Jack lingering in the doorway. He should've looked smug- his precautions had worked, after all. His countenance was haunted instead.

Nisha moved to fidget with her hat, unsure of what to say, when she caught a glimpse of her Hyperion-yellow armguard again. Another plate of armor encased her right boot, all the way down to the heel. Even her damn badge was Hyperion; almost gold, with a little white stripe down the bottom.

"Well," She began uncertainly. This had never been her expertise. "They didn't get my gun."

A choked noise escaped Jack's lips, half laugh and half whine. He jerked forwards and they both went tumbling down into her sheets, her fingers winding through his hair as Jack's hands found her waist. She didn't stop him as he buried his face in the hollow where her throat and shoulders met, shivering in satisfaction as his teeth scraped her skin.

"Nish," Jack shuddered.

She tugged on his hair in response. "That all you got, cowboy?"

Her hands fell from his crown to cradle his jaw for a moment, then Nisha was slipping the coat from Jack's shoulders. His watch clattered to the floor as she dipped her fingers underneath his annoying yellow sweater; they'd both dressed in a hurry, forgoing layers for time.

"This doesn't mean you're forgiven, you know," Nisha hissed, the hand in his hair slipping low, her fingers resting on the back of his neck. Jack muttered something unintelligible into her breasts, fighting with the hem of her shirt as she hooked her heels into his shoes and pulled them off. "You don't deserve-"

"Nisha," Jack whined, and the last of her resolve crumbled. She threw a leg over his side, hooking Jack's body to hers, and flipped his back into the mattress. Nisha followed quickly, straddling his hips as her hands slipped under that damned yellow sweater. His skin was burning beneath her calloused fingertips, as she traced every ridge and scar with practiced, blind expertise. Jack moaned, long and low, only coming to a stuttering halt when Nisha thumbed the edge of his mask.

"Off," She ordered. It came off with a soft click, guided to the sanctity of her nightstand by Jack's broad fingers. Nisha didn't waste a moment, pressing rough, bruising kisses from his neck to the corner of his lips. She was softer as she brushed over his scar, tracing the edges of Jack's roughened skin. "They're gonna die, babe. Screaming."

Nisha never claimed to be good with words- this being no exception. But... Jack's hips bucked upwards in response, another strangled noise escaping his throat, and she felt emboldened enough to continue.

"They're not getting off without learning who the boss around here is," She hissed. Her pretty speech was starting to get to her almost as much as it was striking Jack; her hands ached for her whip, just to strangle each and every one of those bastards who dared oppose Jack. If they hadn't needed Lilith so much, Nisha maintained a long list of things to try- a list she'd been compiling since Elpis. She settled for grabbing a fistful of Jack's hair and tugging, relishing in the long, low groan of pleasure it ripped from him.

"Fuck, Nish," Jack huffed, squirming against her as she forced his head back. "Watch it, will ya?"

Nisha ducked low in one smooth movement, like a creature of the water, and sank her teeth into Jack's exposed throat. It wasn't hard enough to draw blood, but when she pulled back, a perfect little indented oval remained. Jack was quick to tear her shirt off, then, and the rest of their clothes vanished in a tangle of limbs. Her nails dragged along his exposed chest, leaving little red trails parallel to his faded scars.

"I don't care how- god, fuck- how pissed you are," Jack snarled. His fingers gripped her caramel hips with enough force to bruise. "I'm not letting your overconfidence kill you. I told you, there's no w-way out once you're in."

Nisha's eyes flashed molten gold, like she could scorch him with her gaze alone.

"Can't stop playing the hero, can you?" She sighed, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Someone ought to humble you."

But in the back of her mind, where rational thought was often crammed away, Nisha knew Jack was right. The Loaders he'd thrown at the Vault Hunters could've leveled a city, and still, they managed to burn him where it hurt most- his daughter. And while the Lawbringer wasn't one to just keel over and die... well, she didn't want to think about that now. Her mouth had found Jack's inner thigh, her breath hot on his skin. His earlier grandeur was fading fast.

"You'd miss me, wouldn't you," Nisha sighed, lips parted. Jack's fingers were in her hair again, tugging rather weakly. "You make such a big show of protecting what's yours or some bullshit, but you're just selfish."

"M'not selfish," Jack whined. "Can't you just thank me for saving your frigging life?"

"Aren't I?"

She thanked him in the only way she knew how, her fingers trailing uninterrupted down the long length of his wiry chest. When her hands met his waist, Nisha hoisted herself back up, ignoring the way Jack's lips twisted into a scowling pout. His noise of protest quickly dissolved into a stuttering moan as she fit her hips to his, feeling strangely merciful. For once, Nisha didn't want to draw this out.

Jack released a slew of curses when she finally started to move, his fingers finding an iron grip on her waist. There were little words between them, no barbs of playful spite or authority as Nisha splayed her fingers over his chest, his skin searing beneath her touch. She bent low again, her lips trailing the length of his throat as she sucked and bit bruises down his collarbone. It didn't take long for Jack's rhythm to falter, his hips thrusting erratically.

"Nish," He uttered, his voice breaking roughly. "Nish, I'm so fucking close, I... shiiiiiiit, Nisha-"

He might as well have wiped her mind clean, then, in that moment. Lynchwood, the Vault Hunters, her golden star- it all melted away as Jack pleaded for release below her scar-crossed thighs. She'd be a fool to think she could control the world around her, but Jack? He was hers, even if he didn't understand.

Wordlessly, Nisha egged him on, her nails digging in and scraping parallel to Jack's faded scars. She was bent still, almost flattened against him as she sucked another dark bruise in the hollow where his throat and shoulders met. This was where she wanted to be. This was her domain- her territory.

And... Jack was waiting for her. His hips had gone rigid, his eye burning with the cold blue fire of restraint. He thought this was a punishment.

"Jack," Nisha almost laughed, her breath soft as a whisper of wind through thick green boughs. "Jack, move."

The moan that escaped Jack's lips was inhuman. His hips stuttered back to life like some ancient machine, so weary and broken that it barely remembered how to chug forward. She could barely hold him down as he bucked up once, twice, and then-

Jack's body went limp against her deep silken sheets, his eyes nearly rolling back into his head. Nisha could feel the snapping of the coil, the breaking of the wire, as he finally released. Jack was quiet for a long moment, longer than she'd ever seen, as she wound her slender arms around his torso and eased herself down to his side. His chest rose and fell with sharp, rapid breaths, but he welcomed her into his arms, closing his eyes as his nose met her warm skin.

"Hey," Nisha uttered after a long moment, surprising herself with the softness of her voice. "You falling asleep, cowboy? We have to get goin'."

Jack's good eye fluttered open blearily.

"Hunh?"

With a stifled laugh, Nisha brought her hand to his forehead, combing back his sex-wild hair. His forehead was damp with sweat, and she imagined she was probably in a similar state.

"I mean, Jack," She began, sucking a whistling breath in through her teeth. "Let's get the hell out of this wreck. I got what I came for-" Nisha motioned to the discarded sniper. "-and the rest can go to hell, for all I care. Those fucking Vault Hunters aren't even worth the trouble, really. It'll be much more fun to see your Warrior beat them to a bloody pulp- maybe we can make them watch as I sweep Sanctuary first. That lawless dump could use me."

She glanced down as she finished, her nose scrunching in contempt, only to meet Jack's reverent gaze. He looked at Nisha like he was seeing her for the first time all over again, his cheeks flushed and his lips parted.

"You-" His voice broke, hoarse from their earlier exertion. "-you wanna go back to Helios?"

Nisha merely shrugged.

A myriad of emotions flickered over Jack's scarred face, and for a moment, he looked lost. Nisha nearly backpedaled at the sight- and then his countenance exploded in a surge of charismatic confidence. His lips twisted into a sharp smirk, the fingers that had been limp at her waist suddenly alive and bruising again. Jack's gaze was nearly manic in his passion, and his mouth crashed against hers in a devouring, possessive kiss. Nisha barely had time to battle for dominance before he had pulled away, breathless and grinning. There was something wildly unstable buried in Jack's expression, and Nisha found herself tingling with molten excitement.

"We're going to wipe those bandit bastards off the face of Pandora," He hissed, his voice dangerously low. If it wasn't for the wild grin on his lips, she'd think he was seething. "I told ya, Nish. And we're gonna do it together."

She didn't respond. There was no need to reaffirm her pledge, to sink her loyalty in like the driving of a stake. For once, Jack had unquestionable loyalty.

Nisha grabbed his mask, turning it in her fingers, and clicked it back into place.

#jack x nisha #handsome jack x nisha kadam #handsome jack #nisha kadam #nisha the lawbringer #borderlands 2 #jacknisha #borderlands

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essektheylyss · 2 years

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🌹❤️

An original bit for this one! This is from an old draft of a sci-fi wip that is on the backburner:

“Perhaps I should kill you here,” Césaire said, and there was something eerie about her smile—Lydia realized, delayed, that it was because no expression reflected from the matte black of her eyes. “A daughter and a brother are not the same, but perhaps not so different. I do not know. I have no father to compare.” Sometimes, growing up, Lydia had felt like Césaire was more her father’s daughter than she was, but she didn’t think now was the time to reflect on that particular slight.

#thank you for the ask!#if anyone's sensing a theme yes I do only write assholes. where's the fun otherwise.#bastard energy or bust #I did actually write a short story recently about the third protag of this project that ! might get published! we'll see #it's not really canonical to this timeline but it is the same character so. yanno.

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iwoszareba · 4 months

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OC Mannerisms // Avinsin

got tagged by @dmagedgoods and @spyridonya thank you!! filling these things always takes me unreasonable amount of time so I hope you don't begrudge me for picking my newest kid

BASICS

- NO. OF SPOKEN LANGUAGES >> low and high drow, drow sign language, abyssal, undercommon, common, druidic, (does speak with animals count?)

their memory got wrecked due to backstory reasons so it's hard to say if they could still fluently use all of them just like that, but I think with the headband of intellect they can

- TONE OF VOICE >> high / average / deep

i’m using voice 2 in the game and i’m actually happy with it

- ACCENT >> yes / no - they grew up speaking drow and in recent times used mostly undercommon so i feel it’s unavoidable that their common has accent

- DEMEANOR >> confident / shy / approachable / hostile / other

do not perceive me, do not interact with me kind of energy, but when actually approached/approaching someone they seem fairly unfazed by having to talk with someone

- POSTURE >> slumped / straight / stiff / relaxed

their posture could be better and they always look somewhat uncomfortable

HABITS

head tilting / swaying / fidgeting / stuttering / gesturing / arm crossing / strokes chin / er, um, or other interjections / plays with hair or clothing / hands at hips / inconsistent eye contact / maintains eye contact / frequent pausing / stands close / stands at a distance

when dealing with people they don’t know they always default to arm crossing to keep their hands in one place, naturally they are quite fidgety, rub their hands or arms a lot it’s probably the first signal they are starting to be comfortable around someone when they stop hiding that

COMPLEXITY (Fill in the circle’s as you wish)

- VOCABULARY >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️⚪️

they didn't have much reason to use common before. they can communicate fine but may not know less used words or surface idioms

- EMOTION >> ⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

they speak in a rather monotone fashion and their facial expressions are also slight and quickly return back to default resting sad face

after getting one unfortunate disapproval from Wyll I decided they are deadpan to the point people may not realise they are joking

- SENTENCE STRUCTURE >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️⚪

nothing too fancy

PROFANITY

- FREQUENCY >> ⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

sometimes under stress or when they really dislike someone

- CREATIVITY (in regards to profanity) >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️⚪️

they only curse in drow. undercommon and common swears just don’t carry the right weight and emotion to them. I like to think that drow can be flowery in their cursing, ‘may spiders devour your treacherous heart’ instead of ‘fuck you’, things like that

BOLD THAT APPLY

arse / ass / asshole / bastard / bitch / bloody / bugger / bollocks / chicken shit / crap / cunt / dick / frick / fuck / horseshit / motherfucker / piss / prick / pussy / screw / shit / shitass / son of a bitch / twat / wanker

THIS OR THAT

straightforward or cryptic? / finding the right word or using the first word that comes to mind? / masculinity, neutrality, or femininity? / formalities or with abrasiveness? / praise or equivocation? / frankness or flattery / excessive or minimal hand gestures / name-calling or magnanimity? / friendly or blunt?

one of the things I found out while playing the game is that they actually can use pleasantries regardless if they actually care or not, to not be an asshole yanno, but with their monotone delivery it's up for debate if they ever come off as genuine. maybe a drow being nice catches people off guard enough to counter that effect, or maybe that makes it sound even more fake, depends on the person and situation probably

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

- DO PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME HEARING OR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARACTER?

almost always / frequently / rarely / never

they try to speak at the right volume but they have a whispery quality to the way they speak so they sometimes have to repeat themself

- DOES YOUR CHARACTER’S POINT COME ACROSS EASILY WHEN THEY SPEAK?

almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never

they have moments of stopping in the middle of saying something and then having a hard time picking it back up but most of the time they speak clearly and with intention

- WOULD YOUR CHARACTER INITIATE CONVERSATIONS?

almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never

- WOULD YOUR CHARACTER BE THE ONE TO END CONVERSATIONS?

almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never

- WOULD YOUR CHARACTER USE ‘WHOM’ IN A SENTENCE?

yes / no / only ironically

- YOUR CHARACTER WANTS TO MAKE A COUNTERPOINT. WHAT WORD DO THEY USE?

but / though / although / however / perhaps / maybe

- HOW DOES YOUR CHARACTER END CONVERSATIONS?

walk away / ask if that’s everything / say that’s everything / give a proper goodbye / tell their company they're done here / remain quiet / they don’t

- WHAT SOCIAL CLASS WOULD OTHERS ASSUME YOUR CHARACTER BELONGS TO, HEARING THEM SPEAK?

upper / middle? / lower

I think people on the surface see them as a foreigner first but if they were speaking drow with someone they probably still have 'raised noble' vibes

- IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE WAY YOUR CHARACTER SPEAK STAND OUT TO OTHERS?

accent / vocabulary / tone / level / politeness / brusqueness / it doesn’t

Anything that wasn’t touched on?

⚫️ They hum! Most commonly when they do alchemy/medicine stuff but sometimes they do it just to self-soothe. I found this nice track as an example.

⚫️ When the situation requires it, for example at the goblin camp/Moonrise, they can speak ‘with dead woman’s voice’ and change their whole demeanour back to the Lolth’s priestess they once were. Their posture becomes more confident, voice louder and more animated, they smile and act with practised courtesy which can very easily turn to condescension or cold threats. It must be a jarring shift to witness.

#oc: avinsin #it's still a little funny to me they are the face of the party #but they are actually really good at passing checks #eldritch invocation proficiency in persuasion and deception :)#other

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harley-style · 6 months

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VBS fans i offer for you an AU : VBS in the Reaper's Game aka TWEWY.

Ok ok SO. This is before their RISE event aka Kick It Up a Notch and shortly after Find A Way Out. The four of them are heading to weekend garage before BAM they die

They dont know HOW they died is the thing. That was wiped from their memory.

The one who personally puts them in the game is Neku but Joshua supports this decision (neku is the conductor in this au nc shinjuku fucked with his existence blah blah handwavvy canon). Theyre both personally interested in this group (and WxS but theyre still alive) bc the group is breathing life into Vivid Street and shibuya by extension.

Such important souls should not die so early so like, yeah, theyre given a chance to fight for their lives.

Neku goes to them in a reaper outfit and explains to them (patiently bc akito firmly goes into denial for the first half) that they are DEAD and they will be given a chance to be ressurected (incorrect but vbs are kind of not in the right mental space to brain their way through this) by playing a weeklong game.

Toya is immediately suspicious and asks why specifically them.

Neku doesnt answer bc honestly confidential, and kinda just says its a whim even tho its rlly not, VBS needs to be alive. Joshua personally sees into a potential future where VBS doesnt exist and its kinda bad.

How are our beloved street musicians doing you ask? Well.

Kohane is scared, but she handles her terror well. She asks the right questions and quickly adapts. She thinks Neku is hiding something (he is) so she has the most questions about this 'game'. She doesnt want An, Akito or Toya to be dead, so shell do her best to ensure that isnt a permanent reality. No matter what price she has to pay.

Toya is very skeptical about the Reaper's Game, but atp he doesnt really have a choice. Its not only his life on the line here, its the people most precious to him as well. So he squares up. But the poor boy reverts back into his cold facade when neku meets them. He only softens when he notices An (Akito can tell how he really feels on the inside so he doesnt feel the need to soften around him)

An is literally two seconds away from a total mental breakdown. Out of everyone she is handling it the worst. Shes thinking about vivid street, her family, her DAD...nearly works herself into a panic. Toya and Kohane hold her hands to keep her grounded, but only barely.

Akito is similarly not handling it well bc goddamnit, why did it have to be his team? They dont deserve this. Hes angry and accusatory towards neku, but his senses have sharpened to a point that he notices a few holes in neku's explanation. But the bastard doesnt seem intent on actually explaining, so once again, akito has to piece things together. Similar mindset to kohane-- he will do ANYTHING to get them out of this fucked up game.

Neku himself is pleasantly surprised by the fire in VBS' eyes and feels kinda guilty about whats about to be done. He explains the entry fee and it doesnt go well.

Kohane needs to lose her voice -- its something she feels brings her to VBS so she considers it very important. Her personal challenge will be to connect to her teammates without the power of her voice

An will become an Eri-Shiki situation and will have Nagi's appearance for the duration of the game. She needs to face her issue about being reminded of Nagi, and wanting to be like her when she doesnt need to-- An needs to find value in herself first.

Akito loses his passion and this hits VBS hard. Akito, i consider, is the literal backbone and foundation of VBS that keeps it working, yanno? Hes very meticulous when it comes to his teammates, his value and the most important thing that kept him going is his burning desire to chase his dream. IG he's like rhyme? He cares about his VBS, but he no longer understands why they chased after...what was it again? (Throughout the game he mostly just likes hanging around VBS and having fun with them. He would still very much like to leave the game but like...yeah

Toya is tricky, bc its not actually explicit what he values most. The entry fees are also meant to help the players in a way, so i cant just take his love for music bc there would be no point lol. His entry fee is...probably the ability to express his love. I feel like he needs to be able to show he loves his team despite it being taken from him.

Ofc, in true TWEWY fashion, they lose memories about their meeting with Neku, so they wake up confused and something missing

Kohane is with Akito near Hachiko. An and Toya land somewhere near Main Street. They all quickly realize something is wrong. Akito panics when he realizes Kohane cant talk. Kohane has to keep an arm on him at all times to keep him from spiralling and to prevent him from leaving her behind. Bc of his lost passion, akito comes off a lot nicer, which is weird, but kohane doesnt know why it unsettles her until later

Toya is a lot colder, this time, but he cares a lot about An (his entry fee wasnt his love for his teammates but the ability to express it ig) so he holds her hand all the way once he recognizes her. An initially doesnt realize she looks like Nagi until Toya points it out...by being a dick lol

An: Toya! I found you!

Toya: ...who are you?

An:...its me? An?

Toya: You dont look like An.

An: wtf do you mean *sees reflection* WHY DO I LOOK LIKE NAGI-SAN????

Theyre accosted by a mean-spirited Reaper who tells them they are dead and they have 1 week to win to be revived. Toya quietly points out that akito and kohane had been there before they ended up here. So begins the search.

They all instinctively form pacts bc theyre stupidly in love with each other and they trust each other. They are In Sync!!!

They do struggle though -- kohane has to act a lot bolder to attract akito's attention. Kohane quickly loses her shyness in the determination to survive and drags akito along, whos confused as to why kohane is trying this hard. Kohane slowly realizes why akito is acting a lot more subdued -- his fire, its gone. Hes not passionate anymore.

Akito rlly only cares about reuniting with VBS. Hes not thinking about how to get revived immediately, thinking he can just take his time. They work better as a team, yadda yadda.

So kohane has to struggle being the only one determined to get out

VBS reunites chaotically bc Akito sees An and is like Toya what are you doing with Nagi-san? And An is like akito its me tf! Surprised mf is he. Kohane explains (with limited vocab) that they need to survive for one week and complete missions etc...or face 'erasure'. None of them want to be erased to like yeah might as well.

An is having a TIME as Nagi. Bc as it turns out, some reapers are actually big RADder fans! They keep asking her to sing when she comes across them and she tries to oblige but ppl can tell when youre pretending to be someone youre not. Poor An has to live with the fact that shes barely like Nagi, even if she looks up to her so much.

Im sorry but we r also going thru an AkTy divorce arc 2. Toya resents akito's current situation bc wtf happened to his partner??? Akito is worried about Toya's sudden attitude and can tell hes mad but doesnt understand why. Akito is FINE. But stupid Toya doesnt see it that way.

Poor Kohane actually needs to wrangle these idiots bc akito cant muster up the willpower to, An is a little distracted and Toya isnt helping. With her voice out of the picture she really needs to try, with them. It forces her out of her shell more.

An slowly realizes that its not fun being seen as Nagi, bc shes quite proud of herself. Akito actually helps her make this conclusion bc he is attuned very well to VBS. No i will not shut up about how much attention akito pays VBS. Anyway An cries abt wanting ppl to love her for HER and not NAGI. VBS tells her shes being stupid, they already love An Shiraishi and no one else.

Toya is a lot less positive, sometimes even bitter, especially towards AkKh. He still very much loves them with all his heart, but you can resent a part of your loved one's character, yknow? He doesnt like that Akito is a lot more chill now, almost following along with Kohane. He no longer has his sights set forward and that fucks Toya up a bit. Where do they stand now, if his partner looks so lost? And man, Kohane. He appreciates that shes stepping up, but theres an ugly feeling thats welling up inside him. Its kinda like the feelings Akito had for kohane pre-main story ish.

AKITO. man akito. Akito starts off strong, willing to take the heat with Kohane and VBS, but on day 6 he practically doesnt give a shit. Kohane has to drag him everywhere, to get him to do anything. He has to be bribed. He just doesnt see the point, plus they figure out that they can just come back as reapers. He and Toya get into a fight about it -- toya pointing out that reaper duties would interfere with practice, and akito getting confused as to why theyd need to practice. They discover that akito no longer recognizes rad weekened and thus has no desire to surpass anything. Rather than his passion (honestly at this point theyre the same thing), they took his DREAM. Ouch. Its a good thing he still likes being a musician with VBS. But he thinks its just a fun thing. Kohane and Toya get really mad. An tries to mediate.

They all nearly die on the sixth day but Akito finally gets out of his funk and helps them. He may not understand why theyre trying so hard, but he loves them (he is a kind and caring boy fight me) and hes willing to try for their sakes

Kohane struggles with inferiority issues, but most of her struggles are physical. She really just needs to recognize that her value isnt just her voice, she is valued as KOHANE. She also becomes a good leader (not that VBS has a leader, just someone who takes charge in certain situations) bc she is willing to do anything she can. If she cant be a good singer for VBS, shes going to damn well shine in other ways.

Same thing with An and needing to be Valued as An Herself, though there are a lot of angsty stuff that happens throughout the week. An breaks down a lot, its not pretty. Especially when a reaper lets it slip (hes a part of the Vivid Streed community) that nagi is Dead DEAD and cue An not wanting to return to her old self bc she desperately wants Nagi. So she is also resistant to the idea of ending the game which doesnt sit well with kohane or toya. Eventually she does admit that she wants just to be AN, not Nagi despite how much she wants to see her again (but she cant). She learns acceptance!

Toya is desperate to leave the game, and is almost harsh for it. He feels so fucking hollow and depressed and he hates it. He wants out. He pushes them a lot and its only akito getting angry that hes acting like his father that toya gets a reality check. It nearly breaks him. He loves his father, but he doesnt want to end up treating his loved ones the same way his father has treated him. He apologizes after a minute of self reflection.

At this point, in the seventh day, theyre all in agreement that the goal here is to find a way out of the game. By the seventh day, they have to fight neku and its an extremely difficult fight. Neku hits hard and he hits home, both physically and emotionally. Its more of a test on his part, he needs VBS to truly shine, and they do. Akito, even without his passion/dream, displays that he loves, and he loves fiercely. He loves VBS, and thats all he needs to fuel him further and further.

Kohane learns to shine and impact others even without her voice. She is a heavy presence on the battlefield and demands your attention, giving her friends time to whittle away at the enemy

An does things her own way, and she does so by riding the momentum of her teammates. She dances to the beat of her own tune, and even though she wears the appearance of Kotaki Nagi, its clear that she is An Shiraishi and no one else

Toya learns to channel all of himself. He has a distinct ugly side, and with it he learns to wield it without hurting others, but instead support them. Just ok im losing words for this but he is there he learns to accept himself yeah thats how he fights

Neku deems them good enough and shifts down the plane and explains to them, finally, why they specifically have been chosen to play this game. Its very ominous, his warning of "Shibuya needs you. It needs VBS" bc YEAH NO PRESSURE RIGHT. Anyway, they learn Neku is like chill af and they get his card. Akito bugs out bc. CAT???? WTF??? neku doesnt explain but invites them to Mr. H's cafe instead.

They wake up in hospitals. A week has indeed passed since they got killed lmao. A worried ken visits An, Ena is sobbing over Akito, Kohane gets piled on by Minori and Emu, and Toya gets worried Tenmas lol.

VBS goes to the SEKAI (previously being unable to in the UG) and tells the VS about their troubles. MEIKO doesnt let them out of the cafe for HOURS. Miku Len and Rin hover over them, and even KAITO and Luka seem worried. But theyre gonna be ok.

VBS, after getting out, are a lot more cohesive as a unit. Now youll catch akito referring to kohane and an as his partners along with toya. Toya has a bit of a mean streak and his vocals have gotten more powerful. Kohane gains a hell of a lot of stage presence and An begins to defy expectations, bc everyone always was like "just like nagi, just like ken, just like taiga" to her but now shes unapologetically An to everyone.

Thats not the only thing thats changed with VBS. Now theyre able to identify Reaper aligned stores and mostly hang in there. They meet Shiki in Gatto Nero and become instant fans (especially akito. Hes delighted when hes offered a flexible job from her lmfao)

An is a little uoset that her town hid a big secret from her, but mostly doesnt dwell on it bc like, hell, shes been through the wringer. She DIED, and came back to tell the world she LIVED, BITCH.

vbs meets hanekoma and honestly mr h doesnt know why secrecy is a thing anymore and exasperatedly tells them highly edited accounts of neku and joshua. And their world. Vbs realizes that, yeah, they really are THAT important, and while they are pressured, theyre just all the more incentivized to practice and become the best musicians. RAD WEEKEND is now just another stepping stone for them -- they have their sights on bigger and grander things.

Which is why, during RISE...things happen a bit differently. Kotaro, Arata and Tatsuya are in for a big shock bc Kohane KILLS it from the get go, white lines and all. An is so fucking proud (and she went through the nagi angst already so no "she looks like nagi :(")

things calm down with EVER and Kotaro and Arata. And then VBS comes on stage and blows the crowd away. Wheeee.

Taiga still does the thing where he challenges a bunch of teenagers and young adults but is absolutely thrown for a loop when, after revealing the secret, an goes "i know. Youre a dick for keeping it secret, btw"

VBS nearly matches Taiga and that serves to shock all of them even more. Where the hell is this fire coming from? Taiga begins to doubt his intial impressions of VBS. He thinks they could actually surpass rad weekend, but doubles down and slams them with his full strength

And Vbs. Doesnt even. Flinch. (Well, yeah, compared to fighting a 24 story tall monster who can absolutely toss you at a building, an intensely singing middle aged man is significantly less terrifying. Like. Noise is based on emotions, negative emotions especially. So like, theyre pretty intense, you gotta fight them with your full soul.)

Vbs loses only bc their voices cant properly convey their passion, but the fire in their eyes dont die out. Theyre steady, and more than ready to take on whatever bullshit the world decides to throw at them.

So when Ken finds them hes surprised to see them all just chatting quietly. An asks him to explain why vivid street lied calmly. An finalizes her resolve -- she wants to take nagis dream as her own, and fulfill it in her own way, with VBS.

Oh yeah, ken still trains them, but VBS also gets in contact with a bunch of the reapers who want to give them a hand. 777, especially, takes an interest in them. Vbs expands their community to all around shibuya. Everyone is like, why is vbs running around shibuya like all the time without looking tired???? (Bc they went through 7 days of exactly that. Running around shibuya without looking tired.)

Anyway more fun HCs their pin powers: kohane gets puppy (forgot the brand but its happy puppy? Puppy? The paw brand one fuck) pins and pins themed around spring. An gets star types and ones that let her move around the field heh. Akito has fire based ones and minor telekinesis. Toya somehow has a basic ice pillar, lightning, and the healer pins. He was their angry healer.

Joshua meets them at one point and Akito immediately susses him out. Neku tells them joshua is his boss and vbs is like Oh. 🧍‍♂️ (they are legit terrified of him. Joshua thinks theyre cute.)

Vbs also starts dating shortly thereafter, but their dating lives are a mess. They dont know what to call each other! Bc atp girlfriend and boyfriend feels too shallow. They default to partners but its rlly more than that. Kohane starts calling them her soul, akito follows with his heart, an calls them her lights and toya gets rlly sappy and calls them his everything. They dont know what theyre doing. Someone help them.

Like genuinely theyre not sure if theyre dating or just really really clingy, and theyre not interested in exploring it either. Theyre just happy being together, yanno?

Kohane starts up her solo shows again but this time shes experimenting with styles. She missed her voice a lot and is a lot more self assured so she makes more mistakes but gets a lot farther with making her voice a unique tone.

Akito no longer has that filter holding him back and just pours his whole soul out. Ken is so fucking proud. He refines what akito has and lets him loose

An also works on her stage presence, starts upgrading more than just her voice. She gets lessons from haruka! And her charm shoots through the roof (shes a quick study lololol) she nearly gets scouted by a label but is like nah sorry ive got a music group? Im just doing this for training 😊 she and kohane also go to WxS for lessons on acting and stage presence!

Toya, in a surprising turn of events, dives into classical music (patiently explaining to his father that he still wants to pursue his music career with vbs) bc now...now toya wants to devour EVERYTHING. All music. Because every music is valued. He expands his repertoire and truly comes up with some of the most unhinged demos for VBS (some are unreleased bc vbs only does the best but they keep the unreleased ones bc its just plain fun, they realized along the way that they dont HAVE to sacrifice what is fun for what is exceptional)

Overall VBS just gets a major upgrade and joshua is as pleased as pie bc shibuya is once again thriving. Now if only he can get the other units to thrive too... thats only if they die, like vbs did, and get put into the game ofc.

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