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kashimos-hajime · 3 years

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homestretch of the hard times | g.t.

summary: the eve days of your potential death kinda spurns things to move forward: for takemura, it means confessions. for you, it means making exceptions. and drinks. ‘cause takemura’s the pickiest fucking eater you’ve ever met.

WARNINGS: small spoilers for act 1 of cyberpunk 2077 and references to non-spoiler texts between takemura and v, just fluff, small angst, swearing, idk what else is going on so if there are actual spoilers thats completely coincedental ndlnskfsldnf pairing: goro takemura x fem!street-kid!v word count: 2.6k

a/n: so cdpr did us dirty for not allowing us to romance him (to my knowledge) but he has my mind, heart and everything else so :) listened to the bones by maren morris w/ hozier

part of the tales of a two-bit thief series

It starts with something straight out of a romance movie: A car crash, saving each other’s lives (well, him more than you) and “Wait, V, I need you.”

You don’t know how you got here, to be precise. There were a chain of events, some absolutely stand up fucking moments on your part, and just… fuckery. So much fuckery and life went to shit.

All you know is the ticking time bomb’s only ticking louder and at this point, the only thing that can silence it at all is the man beside you. Not even the meds Misty gave you can help you now.

You’re sitting in his car because you called him and he had answered and now… now they’re on one of the off ramps looking over Night City like they own the fucking place.

Maybe you did, once. Ha, maybe back when everything seemed more job to job and not life to life. For a moment, maybe you were in the big leagues.

Takemura doesn’t say anything, even though you can tell he wants to. His hair still pulled into that man bun, collared shirt with not a single wrinkle in sight. Weird how he never looks out of place, not really. Not even with the car crash. Shit, he always looked good.

You think you’re actually gonna miss that. That one semblance of someone being put together that gave you the hope that maybe you could stick it too.

You think you’re gonna miss a lot of things about him—from his stupid complaints about the food here, to his stupid random philosophy texts in the day, to the fact that he eats the ramen you buy anyway without complaint, even though it’ll never compare to what he has in Japan.

The thought that counts.

They don’t even have the radio on, just the dim lights of the car, a window rolled down. You don’t smoke but you feel like you should be tapping a cig either way. You haven’t had the time to just fucking breathe—not with Silverhand breathing down your neck, corpo rats swarming you on all sides.

Everyone wants a piece of you, it feels like.

You look at Takemura.

Almost everyone.

“Thank you,” you tell him quietly, with difficulty. It’s hard to get through your words without thinking Silverhand’s behind your back, mocking you. You’re so fucking tired. “It hasn’t been easy.”

He doesn’t respond. He’s too busy looking at one of the cars nearly collide with a pedestrian. You could’ve laughed. You used to make fun of the shitty drivers in Night City, knowing full well you’re one of them.

You get chased by a couple of cops, rules start to bend.

You used to wonder why you never left.

Then, you actually left, and you realized that hell, you can take the person out of Night City—can’t take the Night City out of a person.

Atlanta fucking sucked, but maybe you should’ve stayed there.

But then, a tiny voice whispers as you look out the window to the fresh night wind. You never would’ve met him.

It’s funny, you think. To come back and get a brain tumour in the shape of a rocker who can’t fucking touch anyone who loves him, who he loved, only for you to fall in love with a corpo you can’t fucking touch at all because… because there is no time left. It just isn’t fair.

“I used to be a corpo kid,” you confess, looking at him with a wry smile again. That catches his attention. He looks at you with those eyes that scrutinize you, interrogate you, peel you apart to your bare essentials and you have to look away before you can’t control your face anymore. God fucking damn it. “Not when it mattered, obviously, but… I remember what it was like. Grew up hating every single on of them.”

“Your parents were Arasaka?”

“Mhm. Security division.” It’s like your eyes are magnetic to his because when you blink, you find yourself regarding him again. Your fingers play at your lips. “Counterintelligence. I was supposed to go into that, too. Big dreams.”

“I see.”

“Yeah, then my parents were tried for treason and murdered, so I got thrown out. That’s it.” Your hand falls away. You pick at the chipped nail polish on your thumb. “Never told anyone that. ‘Cept…” Jackie. Well, he’s fucking dead, now. “‘Cept you, now, I guess. Guess some corpos aren’t so bad.”

The corner of his mouth pinches up like he’s flattered and you can’t help the pleased warmth spreading through your chest.

“Should I be honoured I am one of the few exceptions you have made?”

“Well, I don’t make exceptions often, so…” You grin slyly. He looks away just as you catch a flash of his smile growing. It’s a nice smile. You wish you saw it more often before the end of the road. Maybe it’s one of the regrets you have, too. “Yeah, maybe you should feel special.”

“Hm.”

“C’mon, Takemura. Humour the walking dead, yeah?” You stretch against the leather of his car seat with a pleased sound. “I’m spending what time I have left with who I want to. Can’t ask for much better than that.” A quiet hangs in the air as you melt against the black leather and you look at Takemura who’s staring at the wheel with an intensity you don’t often see. It makes your gut squirm.

“And I? I am one of those people?”

You lean on one hip and look at him, bending a knee and resting an ankle on your thigh. He looks at you with an uncertainty—an uncertainty you’re sure echoes in your eyes.

It was business, then it wasn’t. Maybe it never was.

“Yeah. You’re one of the few on the short list.”

“Exceptions again.”

You laugh. “Yeah. You’re an exception to most things, I think. Weird, that.”

“How so?”

“Ah, I don’t know. I’ve had family—still do, ones that matter, you know. Just… no one ever like you, Takemura. Drives me crazy.”

“The feeling is mutual. Your mocking brings you onto thin ice, V.” His fingers tap against the steering wheel. The engine’s off so it seems more fidgety than anything. Weird. You never noticed he fidgeted before. Maybe he’s nervous?

About what?

“I must ask you something.”

“Shoot.”

“If you have a future, what do you see for yourself?”

Your eyebrows shoot up. You frown and pick at your flecking nail polish even more, looking at your hand and focusing more on that so you don’t have to answer your question. His eyes burn into you and you swallow, trying not to act like you haven’t thought, in regret, at night, about a hundred million fucking times the possibilities they could’ve had together.

You’re not about to say all that.

Instead: “Settling down with the family. Mama Welles, people at the Coyote.” You blatantly don’t look at him when you add, “Others. This has been enough action for a lifetime.” You rest your hands on your lap and chance a glimpse at him. He’s looking away from you, out the window on his side, and you shift in your seat. “How about you? You must’ve… had dreams. Before all this shit went down. You make it out of here and then what?”

When he looks at you, your heart nearly cracks at the sadness in his eyes. He smiles, but there is no strength, and his eyes are darker than the night surrounding them.

“I would go to the countryside, just as I’ve always wanted. Leave this, all of this, behind. Rural Japan is beautiful, so a small town would suffice where everyone knows everyone. We do favours for one another. It is community. Nothing like here.” His lips pull into a tiny frown. “When I was a younger man, I wanted a daughter,” is all he says. “I believe I could have been a great father, so perhaps… perhaps one day.”

“A daughter? Not a son?” you ask curiously, and he almost chuckles. You can’t help the faint smile on your face.

“If my daughter grew up anything like her mother,” he explains with a slight glance towards you, “I would have more hope than a son who was like me.”

You frown. “You’re not a bad man, Takemura. Any son like you—with your code of honour, your shitty selfie skills—no one’s gotta a chance.”

He merely scoffs in response. Again, with the you mocking him. It’s a wonder he lets you.

“But really, that sounds… nice. A daughter, a wife.” You drum your fingers against your knee and his eyes dart to yours, click like they were always destined to meet, and your lips part. Words stall on your tongue and you want to speak but in the dim lights, you are lost in the darkness of his eyes. Something comes, something goes, and you barely croak out, “Whoever marries you will have to deal with so much of your shit that the kids have to turn out alright. The complaining, for one. Picky eater for another.”

This time, he does chuckle and you swallow a breath at the sound. “Dealing with it comes with practice, V.”

“Is that so?”

“Shouldn’t you know?”

“I—“ For once, no funny retort, no witty quip shoots out of your mouth, and you realize that there is an implication—an intricate dance where they’re struggling not to step on each other’s toes and nearly failing at every turn, yet somehow, it works because they’re dancing, and it’s quiet, and it’s… it’s peaceful.

Shit, you’re getting a load of this. When’d you become a poet?

“I guess I should know,” you finally say. “Never understood why I got so giddy whenever I saw your texts, you know, seein’ your name flash on my phone.” You laugh bitterly. “Guess I know why, now.” He’s silent and you don’t look at him. You look at the dashboard where you’ve kicked your feet up a dozen times, the glove compartment that still has your sunglasses inside.

Shit.

“Thank you for everything. Shit’s a little… more bearable, I guess. When you’re around, that is.” The words come out stilted, awkward, but your heart is so heavy in your throat you feel like you’re going to choke. You look into your lap, your whole body incinerating under what you’re sure is the most judgemental glare of your life and you just hope to fucking God this man says something, does something.

Holy shit. You’re going to die of embarrassment. Didn’t even think that was possible.

Then, a loud sigh. A sigh you’ve heard often enough beside you right before a gunfight or when he has to eat the food you ordered for him or even the nights when they’re exhausted, bruised, and just plain tired right before going to sleep where they lay on the floor.

It’s exasperated, a how on earth did we get here, a very annoyed again, you’re so fucking stupid, and you’re still running through your list on what this particular sigh can mean before a hand gently takes hold of yours. Your eyes dart to his, blinking and he stares at you like you’ve just stabbed him. Your heart is fucking racing in your chest, pounding like thunder. His fingers fold over and you realize, as you interlace fingers, that his skin is burning at your touch.

Or maybe, it’s the other way around.

They sit there in silence, not looking at one another, looking out windows, parts of the car, everything but each other, and when he squeezes your hand, you close your eyes and swallow your heart.

It’s over.

“V,” he murmurs, voice so deathly quiet and raspy in your ears that your gut clenches. You turn to watch him. “Tell me that you will not stop fighting.” You swallow your breath as his eyes flicker from your own to your parted lips. He inhales quietly and you swear you can feel his heartbeat pulsing in his fingers in your grip. “That this is not all for nothing.”

“It isn’t.“

“Then I was right.” His eyes flutter back to your gaze and he tilts his head. Wisps of fine hair escaping his manbun brush over his nose and you reach up on your own accord, swiping it behind your ear. You lean over the console, your elbow digging into the leather and, tentatively, you trail your fingers down his jaw, hold his face in your hand. “I am… what is that phrase you use so often?”

“SNAFU?”

“No.”

“Assblasted.”

“No.”

“Royally fucked?”

“We need to expand your vocabulary.” You smile nefariously as his other hand reaches for your chin. He pinches it lightly, thumb stretching up to brush over your lips and your face freezes at his touch. “But yes. Royally fucked. I wasn’t wrong when I said I needed you.”

“I think that meant a whole something else back then,” you whisper rawly and he smiles sombrely. His thumb leaves your mouth to brush your cheek, his eyes fixing on you as if he’s trying to memorize aspects of your face: the arch of your nose, the bow of your smile, the way your brow wrinkles. “Meant more business-like.”

“I did. And now, I believe the terms have changed.” He arches an eyebrow. “Are we at a mutual understanding, V?”

“Yes.” And I hate that we are. Your hand along his jaw lifts to wrap around his wrist. “Consider that feeling mutual, yeah? It goes both ways.”

“I will.” Another small smile graces his lips. It makes him look younger every time and you rub your thumb over the back of his hand.

“Do you wanna grab something to eat before you drive me back home for some shuteye?”

“The choices here are atrocious, V.”

“Then, drinks,” you propose, letting go of his wrist. He lets go of your chin, and turning to face the front, you kick up your feet on his dash. He stares at you for a moment then sighs because there really isn’t anything he can do about it. Nor, do you think, he wants to. You squeeze his hand and send him a silly smile. “How about drinks? I wasn’t hungry anyway.”

“Are you paying?”

You eye him incredulously. “Who do you take me for? You?”

He snorts and the engine roars to life with a flick of his wrist. He grabs the wheel dominantly and you swallow at the way his fingers wrap around the handle. “The Afterlife, then?”

“Or, we could make it rustic.” You pull his hand into your lap playfully and run a thumb over his knuckles. His eyes flit over and you send him a smirk. “I know Mama Welles doesn’t like you, but the Coyote’s serving cheap. Happen to like me there.” He begins to pull out of their little overhang and he nudges their joined hands into your abdomen, silently telling you to buckle in. Rolling your eyes, you mumble out a ‘boomer’ underneath your breath before letting go of him and following orders.

He settles a hand on your thigh and squeezes. You hang an arm out the window.

The wind’s running through the car, he has the radio on low, and they’re easing through onto the highway.

Your chest is lighter than a feather, mind’s quieter than a ghost.

You’ve seen scarier deaths, dealt a lot more. You know that silence is a bigger killer than most bullets.

But here you are now…

“I’m changing this,” Takemura says. “This music is terrible.”

…Shit, maybe life isn’t so bad, ending the way it is.

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donnabenevientosimpingzone · 3 years

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Donna and Angie’s relationship with the Dimitrescu daughters Part 2 (while they are kids)

Overall:

- Mom Ver. 2.0! The daughters ADORE Donna and have mistakenly called her “mom” a few too many times. They all also regard Angie as another sister.

- Protective little feral bug colonies, they might be tiny but they’ll buzz aggressively whenever someone steps too close to Donna or Angie.

- They’re still learning how to use their swarming abilities. Donna and Angie help them in different ways with this obviously.

- Bed time stories with cookies yes please! Lots of family baking time too, Alcina had to scold Donna a few times for feeding her daughters so many treats.

- Both Donna and Angie teach the daughters how to read and write.

- The kids are TERRIFIED of spiders, they learn how to deal with them when they grow up but as children they will scream and duck for cover behind Donna and Angie at the sight of one.

DONNA

Bela:

- Definitely the kid who tries too hard to grow up fast. Donna constantly has to remind her that it’s okay to be a kid and do childish things because she is a kid.

- Despite this, as a child, Bela was surprisingly SUPER dependent and followed Donna around like a lost fruit bat baby.

- Like seriously the baby wouldn’t even eat unless Donna was directly bottle/spoon feeding her.

- Yes her sisters still tease her about it.

- The first one to be in Donna’s lap for bedtime stories. Will shove her sisters off.

- Definitely learned how to read and speak by reading aloud for Donna and listening to her read back.

- But also because of this Bela was the last to speak, she stayed selectively mute as a kid and didn’t learn much of everyday conversation.

- Models for Donna! The kid who asked for her to make outfits with specific designs. Both Donna and Bela still have some of the clothes, and Bela has asked Donna to make adult versions of some of them.

Cassandra:

- Oh yeah, she’s the kid that’s frying ants with a magnifying glass or chasing squirrels up a tree- Donna constantly needs to keep an eye on her.

- Picnics are either sweet and relaxing or spent trying to get Cass down a tree.

- But also because of this, Donna learned how to climb them and sometimes she’ll join Cass in the branches.

- Oddly relaxing.

- The kid who hates being dressed up or pampered at any degree, definitely hisses at Donna whenever she wipes her lips after a meal. The never ending rebellious phase(tm).

- Cass is definitely still a rambler as a kid, the first to speak (coherently) and never shuts up.

- Donna enjoys listening to the little child talk about how she’ll rip off a squirrels tail.

- Surely it’s just child stuff right?

Daniela:

- The second to speak but technically the first cuz she’s the kid who growls and grunts like a fucking animal at everything as a way of communication.

- Donna still knows what certain noises mean and it’s a secret communication between the two of them to this day.

- Definitely the most attention hungry, will climb up Donna’s dress or fall down from the top of the doorframe where she perched waiting.

- Fights with Bela for the spot of Donna’s lap during bedtime stories.

- Begs Donna to make toys for her, she has every single one of them still! Has to sleep cuddling with one of them. Donna still makes her new ones.

- The first child to start the whole “bring random shit to show mom” trend that the sisters all do today.

- Donna still haves a lot of the random stuff Daniela brought/showed her as a kid.

- Also the kid who acted most like a cat.

ANGIE

Bela:

- They’re always hugging, because of how dependent Bela was as a kid, if Donna wasn’t holding her then it’s Angie.

- Definitely the kid who enjoyed listening to Angie’s nonsense rambling.

- Angie’s the one who makes Bela acts more like a kid. As much as it’s trouble for Alcina and Donna, it’s also a relief to know that Bela is enjoying her childhood while she still can.

- Makes accessories with Angie from paper and cardboard for the stupid roleplays all the kids are doing.

- Bela developed her scientific mind as a kid because of Angie, she’ll convince the doll easily to go through all her wack experiments.

- She was skittish and jumpy as a kid, so Angie taught her to be brave and courageous.

Cassandra:

- Squirrel chasing buddies!

- They’re both causing havoc in the trees, the poor birds and squirrels.

- Angie’s the one who gives Cass the terrible ideas.

- The one to teach Cass how to write too, they have similar handwriting to this day.

- Also the one who teaches Cass the bad words and how to fight/hunt, Cass refined the moves as she grows.

- They used to greet each other by striking weird poses and making noises.

Daniela:

- Oh no don’t leave these two alone.

- They were so much more chaotic as kids because Daniela was smaller- lots of nights spent frantically searching the castle for these two.

- One brain cell? Nah they shared a fraction of a brain cell.

- They made their own language, still use it, and it literally consists of animalistic screeching and wild hand gestures.

- But they do eventually learn to greet each other normally, and by normally I mean yelling profanities and insults at each other from across the room.

- If you want Daniela to do something as a kid, you needed Angie with her too. She would never do anything otherwise.

Feel free to add on<3

#resident evil #resident evil village #donna beneviento #angie the doll #daniela dimitrescu #bela dimitrescu #cassandra dimitrescu #headcannons

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vavuska · 3 years

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TINA AND HER LOVE FANTASIES

1 - Tina dated a ghost in Tina and the Real Ghost (Season 5, Episode 2)

The basement storage space of the restaurant has a bug infestation and Bob has an exterminator come to check it out. However, the exterminator claims the basement is haunted and refuses to treat the infestation, claiming they need to make contact with the spirit to get rid of it. Linda and the kids decide to use a Ouija board to communicate with the ghost and trap it in a shoebox to get rid of it. Using the board, they learn that the ghost is a 13-year-old boy named Jeff, which piques Tina's interest. After "trapping" Jeff in the box, Tina refuses to throw "him" out and brings him with her to school. Tammy, Jocelyn, Zeke, and Jimmy Jr. taunt Tina about the box, until Louise has them all use the Ouija board to communicate with Jeff. They become convinced Jeff is real, and through the board, learn that Jeff is cool and that he has a crush on Tina.

Tina and Jeff begin going out, earning her attention from her friends, though she has some doubts about whether Jeff is real. However, Tammy takes the box and claims that Jeff left a message written in steam on the girls' bathroom mirror that says he's breaking up with Tina and is now dating Tammy. Tina is heartbroken. The family tries to decide how to cheer Tina up and Louise reveals to the rest of the family that she controlled the Ouija board and made Jeff up, but did not anticipate that Tina would fall in love with him or that Tammy would one-up her by stealing Tina's popularity with a similar ruse.

Louise and Gene resolve to get back at Tammy by scaring her on Halloween night when the older kids plan to enter a mausoleum in the nearby cemetery. Tina surprises them by joining the group and they head into the mausoleum, which immediately shuts and traps them inside in complete darkness. Louise takes this opportunity to steal the box and fill it with bugs from the restaurant and gives it back to Tammy to open. The kids light a candle and are frightened to find a message written in blood on the mausoleum walls, allegedly from Jeff, condemning them all to Hell.

Scared, Tammy confesses that she wrote the fake breakup message and throws the box away, causing the bugs to swarm them all. Tina calms everyone down by revealing that she pretended the mausoleum door was locked and wrote the message before they arrived in ketchup to scare them, having realized long ago that Jeff was not real.

She explains that they all believed in Jeff because he was able to give them something they wanted: Tina wanted a boyfriend, Zeke wanted to believe in the afterlife, Jocelyn wanted another way to conform, and Tammy wanted Jeff as a status symbol. Tina states that they can get these things from themselves, though they all agree that Tammy is terrible. Louise is impressed that Tina pulled such a great Halloween prank on all of them.

2 - Tina dated a duck in Every Which Way but Goose (Season 9, Episode 14)

When Jimmy Jr. cancels their school dance plans, Tina, discouraged by not being asked to prom by Jimmy Jr., forms an unhealthy attachment to a goose from the nearby park.

Tina's story revolves around her theme "Dance of the Living Dead" being chosen for the school dance. She goes berserk when Jimmy Jr. won't ask her to the dance (which was due to an embarrassing injury) and ends up forming a bond with a goose - she named Bruce - at the local park. This leads to the goose disrupting the dance when it followed her to school.

This is one of the rare episodes where we see Jimmy Junior being bashful of his feelings towards Tina.

During the dance, Gene and Louise find out why Jimmy Junior didn't ask Tina. While dancing, he injured his buttocks. He felt embarrassed about what Tina would think of his injury and not being able to dance with her.

“I pulled my butt muscle doing a very difficult move from Save the Last Dance. There. I said it. (sighs) It feels good not to hide my butt stuff anymore. Anyway, I can't really dance, but I'd like to try. With you.”

He later sacrifices himself to save the trapped goose.

3 - Tina fell in love with a character from a Spanish audio course.

In Y Tu Tina También (Season 11, Episode 16) it’s school fair time again, and Gene and Louise are training hard on throwing skills to at last put Mr Frond smack in the dunk tank. Meanwhile, Tina is suffering crippling ennui, but is lifted out of it when she is forced to listen to Spanish audio lessons in the library to improve her grade and developed an infatuation with a spanish teenage boy – or rather, the voice of a 15 years-old boy named Rodrigo recorded on a 1980s Spanish language teaching cassette someone donated to the school.

Jokes about Tina obsession for love and boys:

Also producers made a joke about Tina's very developed ability to made up romantic stories with every single boy or object she saw.

In O.T.: The Outside Toilet (Season 3, Episode 15) Gene finds an expensive talking toilet out in the woods, he falls in love with it and he and his friends decide to protect it against an evil toilet hunter who calls himself Max Flush.

This is remarked in Just One of the Boyz 4 Now for Now (Season 9, Episode 1).

A news report on Boyz 4 Now shows that they're having auditions for a 4th member after a new album sells poorly. While Tina is taking napkins out of the car, she bumps into Damon, a boy going to the tryouts and says it's love at first sight. Convinced she's met the love of her life, Tina decides to disguise herself as a boy and sneak into the Boyz 4 Now auditions to find him, since girls aren't allowed to go to them. Tina struggles to keep focused due to other boys at the tryouts, so she understands that she doesn't love Damon because of all the boys she fantasized about.

Part 2

>>>>>

#vavuskapakage #bobsburgers #bobs burger quotes #bob's burgers #bob burgers #bobs burgers #Bob's Burger #bobsburger #bobs burger #tina belcher #louise belcher #gene belcher #jimmy pesto jr #jimmy jr

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antialiasis · 3 years

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Worldbuilding June (Pokémon edition), Days 8-12

Whoops forgot to post these for a couple of days, too busy with a load of Things as always.

8. Who rules in your world?

TQftL never brings up government, but each region has its own human government, generally just standard representative democracies similar to what we have in the modern world. Ouen has an elected parliament and president. It's a fairly utopian world with little scarcity and politics play kind of a background role - they keep things running, they have some different parties, but there's low polarization and usually they work pretty smoothly together and have little conflict. The situation in other regions is similar - movement is very free and conflict between them is rare and minor in the grand scheme of things.

QftLverse Pokémon, once again, have their own societies and are not subject to human rule except in a limited way while they're with a trainer, as per the Agreement, an all-encompassing contract dictating how the relationship between humans and Pokémon should work. Different Pokémon species govern themselves differently, but their societies are generally based on smaller self-governing groups. The Scyther society has a single leader, who is meant to be the simply strongest in the swarm, and anyone can challenge them to a duel to the death to take their place at any time.

The Morphicverse is once again close to Earth, with different countries having different modes of government. The Poké-USA's politicical climate resembles the actual USA's political climate in ~2007, but if I ever wrote references to the current president I wouldn't make him an outright Bush expy or anything, beyond being from the conservative one of the two highly polarized parties.

9. What religions and myths/legends exist in your world?

The QftLverse's human society is basically post-religious. Legendary Pokémon are revered, but not worshipped - people don't pray to them, ascribe natural phenomena to them, expect them to watch over them personally, perform symbolic rituals associated with them, etc. That said, humans do have myths concerning them - not always accurate ones. The story describes the human myth behind one set of legendaries early on before the reality much later turns out to have been fairly different, for instance.

QftLverse Pokémon have their own myths, legends, religions and beliefs. The Scyther society explored in the spin-offs has a bit of a vague mythology going on explaining the sun, moon, stars and clouds, but it's not very important to them, more of a just-so story. Meanwhile, they live by a system of ethics known as the Code that they consider sacred and all-important, though it doesn't have a godly figure behind it as the source of it, only a philosophy. Other Pokémon might variously have straight-up religion (whether worshipping legendary Pokémon or something else), be entirely areligious, or something in between; most will have myths and legends in some form, though.

The Morphicverse has a form of Christianity, which is functionally a lot like ours; this also means they had a version of Judaism. Other specific religions don't come up, but they'd at the very least be as varied as real-world religions. Like in real life, there are many sects and variants, and as many individual interpretations of faiths as there are people. The villain cult in particular has fringe views that in no way resemble the mainstream. And like in real life, many people nominally believe but don't really practice their religion, and many are agnostic or atheist.

Legendary Pokémon in the Morphicverse are cryptids - there are myths and legends about them, and people think they're neat, write fiction and make movies about them all the time, but in the modern day, actually-for-real believing that they exist out there ranges from mildly eccentric to entirely unthinkable. Worship of legendary Pokémon exists, but in the way that modern neo-Paganism does. It's not remotely mainstream, generally seen as a weird hippie thing, and the notion of Arceus appearing in the flesh one day and declaring he created the universe is about as fantastical to most people as the notion of the Norse pantheon doing the same in our world.

10. What traditions are observed in your world?

QftLverse human traditions are mostly just secular holidays - commemorations of important days in the region's history, etc. It's tradition for most children to go out on a Pokémon journey the spring after they turn ten years old, and participate in a First-Timers' League in the autumn if they manage to stick it out for the whole journey and collect all the badges - there are kids who don't, but it's rare for them to not want to, and other kids may see them as no fun.

Every year in Green Town, there is a Pokémon Festival originally built around the legendary Pokémon Chaletwo's yearly brief visit to the outskirts of the city (which may or may not be ditched in the next revision); it hosts a number of Pokémon-themed events over several days. One of them is a starter Pokémon giveaway, where most kids go to get official starter Pokémon, who have specifically volunteered and been trained to work with beginning trainers - though many kids have had Pokémon as pets/partners since they were young and journey with them instead, or their parents otherwise get them a Pokémon who's up for a beginning trainer. (Many Pokémon kind of like the idea of journeying with a beginning trainer, in the way that many people like the idea of getting a kitten rather than an adult cat - just something special about having been with them from the start. Though getting a starter who's actually been trained to deal with kids is recommended over just finding any random enthusiastic Pokémon.)

Pokémon have all kinds of different traditions. The Scyther society as explored in the spin-offs has a number of traditions and rituals, including a sort of blood baptism of new hatchlings, the leader of the swarm teaching all the adolescent Scyther about the Code, and First Prey, where each of the adolescents is sent out to hunt prey on their own for the first time, with a male and female witness following, so they can prove their ability to kill and to feed themselves. Afterwards, they're expected to publicly offer a symbolic piece of the meat of their first prey to some members of the swarm, and doing so signals respect; you don't technically have to, but in practice everyone always offers it to the leader and not doing so would be taken as outright disrespect.

The Morphicverse is once again culturally similar to the real world and has mostly similar sorts of traditions. Pokémon training is less culturally ingrained there, but still a very common hobby for kids.

11. What are some ways people communicate with pokémon in your world, or pokémon with each other?

In the QftLverse, humans learn to understand Pokémon speech as a mandatory subject at school. Pokémon inherently understand human speech, but they speak anime-style, usually in syllables of their species' name (which is what the species are named after). They share one language, which is not based on exactly what the syllables are but the tone and the way they're combined, hence why it works regardless of the species.

In the current version of the fic, this is pure handwave worldbuilding: it's established that it happens at school at the beginning, and then we just move on to the story, where every human simply understands what Pokémon are saying at all times. In the next revision I'd give a bit more proper worldbuilding attention to it - let the language barrier be a little more present, humans vary in exactly how good they are at it (luckily it's already the main character's best subject at school), and otherwise treat it less like it's just an excuse to act like Pokémon speak English.

In the Morphicverse, Pokémon do communicate but they don't do complex communication - instead, it's closer to the sort of communication most animals do in the real world. They can express how they're feeling, draw attention to something interesting, sound the alarm about something scary, ask another Pokémon to follow, and can do this in a somewhat more efficient and intelligent way than most animals generally do. But one way or another, they don't communicate complicated abstract ideas, neither to humans nor to one another. Pokémon don't automatically understand human speech here, though they're very quick learners when it comes to commands, and they can pick up a fair amount just by being around humans, allowing them to get the gist of basic statements and requests without being explicitly taught them, though anything abstract would still be entirely lost on them. You could tell a Pokémon you've lived with for years "I lost my hat, can you help me find it" and they'll go look for your hat, but they'd be lost if you tried to ask them for anything much more complicated than that.

12. What is the gym circuit or adventuring organization like in your world?

In the QftLverse, gyms are meant to be taken on in a specific order and gym leaders are accordingly expected to keep their Pokémon below a certain level. To be officially sanctioned by the League, a gym needs to have a theme - usually a type, although Rick got away with a legendary theme because he gets away with everything because he is hypnotizing League officials with his Mewtwo super-clone I was twelve years old. Every year there's a First-Timers' League in the autumn in each region, where new trainers who have collected all eight badges of their region face off (except for the bit where I somehow made a guy who'd been training for years be part of it without thinking about it properly). There's also a global Old-Timers' League for more experienced trainers, which crowns a world champion; this doesn't involve badges and is just a tournament. Trainers are advised to stick to official routes, while Pokémon who want a trainer seek out the routes and others avoid them; going off-route has the potential to lead to run-ins with Pokémon who are more hostile to humans. It's not forbidden but it's drilled into kids' heads that you're not supposed to.

The Morphicverse's gym circuit is not too dissimilar to that, but gym leaders are expected to carry a variety of Pokémon teams to take on challengers of different skill levels, who can take on the gyms of their circuit in any order. Kid trainers are strictly meant to travel only along official routes, which are thoroughly monitored to be safe, and often take public trainer transportation; when they're eighteen they can get an adult trainer license with which they can take their Pokémon anywhere they like, at their own risk. Mostly kids do it as a hobby, and many young children dream of being professional trainers, but only a fraction are actually good enough to make money off it, so most either quit it after a few summers on realizing it's not for them (they might release their Pokémon or keep them as pets, depending on how high-maintenance they are), or continue to do it as a side hobby. There exist college-level training schools for those who really want to dedicate their lives to it, but by that point in time most people will have dropped their pro trainer dreams.

#tqftl #morphic #worldbuilding june #pokemon

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bidoldaccount · 3 years

Text

Erase All The Downsides - One

Intro

Word Count: 3,042

Pairing: Dean Winchester/Lisa Braeden (Temporary)

notes: cigarette use; anxiety; pining; singer Dean; No Ben

"Which one should I wear tonight?" Dean looked away from the mirror and looked at Lisa thoughtfully. The two dresses she was holding up were so vastly different from one another. In her right hand was a floor length red dress, covered completely in sequins. He could tell it would show off a lot of her cleavage, the dip in the chest would go to her sternum. In her left hand was a navy blue color, with lace sleeves, that puffed out on the bottom.

"I like the red," he said, smiling softly at her.

"Hm, me too," she kissed his cheek as she passed him in the bathroom. He returned his gaze to the mirror, putting the finishing touches on his hair. His hair was already fine, and Charlie would tease at it later, so this process was pointless, but he needed something to do so he wouldn't fray his nerves thinking about all of the people that would be at tonight's event. A few of the strands that he had carefully teased fell out of place as Lisa threw her top at him, smiling playfully at him in the mirror. He turned with a lazy smile, leaning against the bathroom counter and watching as she undressed. Her body was slim and her short height made her look smaller than he already was. Her hip bones jutted and her stomach was completely flat, the tightness of the dress showed this off, a thin line from top to bottom. Dean kissed her cheek when she was done dressing, leading the way out of the bathroom.

A cab was waiting for them outside when they walked out. Charlie, Dean's unofficial publicist, Benny, Dean's official manager, and Sam and Jess were already waiting for them at the venue. Paparazzi were swarming outside, buzzing and flashing, talking at them as they walked in. Dean kept his hand on Lisa's lower back, smiling politely, raising his hand in greeting at some. Lisa smiled as brilliantly as she always does, not shying away from the flashing cameras. She was a lifeline in social situations, her beauty and amenable personality life a safety blanket. She steered conversations as easy as breathing, and Dean's social anxiety always relied on that.

Meg Masters had started singing in 2013 and she skyrocketed to fame in the early months of 2015. Dean had met her around 2014 and they got together occasionally to write music together. He had his hands all over her second album and, likewise, she wrote half of his third. Dean genuinely liked her personality, so it wasn't a shock to him that he was invited to a charity event she was hosting. Everyone was dressed in their best, floor length evening gowns and pressed suits. Dean fiddled with the button on his jacket as they were directed to their table.

"Aren't you guys going to Florida this weekend?" Charlie asked, drawing Dean's attention away from all of the strangers surrounding them. The question was directed at Sam, who was sipping casually from a glass of champagne. Dean's not sure where he got it or when.

"Yeah, we're visiting Jess's sister, she had her baby so we're going down to meet it," he said.

"It?" Dean questioned with a laugh, "Sam, it's a baby, not an it," he said.

"Yeah, don't do that in front of my sister," Jess said with a soft laugh. Sam rolled his eyes and gesticulated.

"You know what I mean, I forget what it was," he defended.

"It's a girl, you dork," Jess said with an amused roll of her eyes.

"I sincerely hope you two wait a few more years to have kids, I'm surprised Sam has kept Bones alive this long," Benny said.

"Okay, says the guy who fed his dog chocolate yesterday," Sam said.

"It was an accident!" Dean relaxed in his chair a bit as they fell into an easy rotation of banter and light conversation. Meg took the stage twenty minutes into their arrival and began talking about tonight's purpose. She was raising money for the local LGBTQIA community, specifically geared towards mental health resources. She looked very passionate as she spoke, and Dean clapped when she finished. There were a number of people lined up to speak, half advocates and the other half teens from the community itself.

Dean got a glass of wine thirty minutes in, and it eased the tension in his throat. He kept his hand on Lisa's leg, trying to ground himself in the feel of her, trying not to squeeze too hard even though it was getting harder to anchor himself to her and all he wanted to do was squeeze harder. She gave him a look when his third glass of wine arrived, not judgemental, but definitely warning. Sam was talking about some new book Charlie loaned him, dissecting it with her, and Benny was talking to Lisa about the last speaker that was just on stage. Dean couldn't hear a word of it. He was sinking into his skin, and he was a second away from surrendering to it.

"I'm going to the bathroom," he whispered in Lisa's ear as he stood. She gave him a slight nod before returning her attention to Benny. Dean clenched his jaw and blinked a few times as he walked to the bathroom. Maybe he could sneak out for a smoke before the next speaker came on.

The bathroom was sparsely in use when he walked in. He ducked into the first stall he saw open and took a second to just breathe. He couldn't unclench his jaw, but his body felt a little more secure. He was still floating somewhere outside of it, but it wasn't as bad in this smaller space where he could press his back against the stall door and dig his feet into the ground.

He did his business and washed his hands with minimal anxiety, but his breath started to catch as he walked out. He stood still just outside of the door, looking across the room at their table. His friends and his girlfriend were all conversing without a care, he knew all of them had their own set of discomfort and anxieties, but he also knew they flourished in social situations. Benny was the only one who suffered like he did, but he was distracted by Charlie and Lisa. Dean knew he was fine, so he ducked over to the kitchen area. He was directed to the back door by one of the waiters and instructed to prop it open. When he pushed through, the air hit him hard. He sucked in a lungful as he propped the door open with a brick.

He gulped down the air with needy satisfaction, walking a few steps away from the door and settling with his back to the wall. His pack of cigarettes was a bit crumpled coming out of the pocket of his slacks, but he saw that none of the sticks were damaged when he pulled one out. He smacked his pockets in search of the lighter, sticking the cigarette between his teeth to free up his hand. He dug into his pants pockets, finding nothing but flimsy, expensive cotton. He grunted in panic as he searched his jacket pockets, almost ripping the inside in his haste to find the lighter that he obviously left at home.

"Need a light?" His breath hitched before he even looked up. Her eyes were soft and dim in the faint light of the alley.

There were times when Dean got that itch under his skin, that need to not be the one in control, where would think about this moment. The moment he was under the weight of her gaze again. After the first few months, when the panic attacks and the excessive crying calmed down, after he could breathe normal again, he thought the effect had worn off. Like a detox from a drug he didn't know he was taking. He thought the temptation would disappear. Obviously that is not the case, because here he is, sighing into the warm evening air, already feeling utterly intoxicated in her presence.

She looks almost the same. Four years later and she is just as beautiful. Her black hair fell down to her shoulder blades, pinned back because she hates it in her face, naturally wavy with a little product. Her eyes still make his heart stutter, worsened tonight but the shock and the guilt. They peer into him, reading his every thought, understanding his every emotion before he even feels them. He can't bring himself to look away, all he can do is hope that he doesn't look as shocked as he feels.

"I'll trade ya," her voice was just as he remembered it, if not a little deeper, she had probably been drinking, her voice dropped a little when she drank champagne. It took him a second to realize that Castiel was gesturing at the pack of cigarettes sticking out of his pants pocket. He probably looked like such a mess, with his clothes ruffled from searching them, his button up slightly yanked out of the waist of his slacks. He shut his mouth and swallowed hard as he pulled the pack out and offered them to her. Cas took them with a soft smile, taking one stick and handing it back. He didn't dare touch her, even though he wanted to. There was a guilty feeling creeping up his spine with how badly he wanted to touch. She lit hers first then offered him the lighter. The smoke seeped past her lips in smooth clouds, twisting and disappearing in the air above her. The lighter was warm from her purse, and he would bet anything that it smelled like Peach gum.

"Thanks," he muttered before lighting his own cigarette. Castiel smiled at him without responding verbally. The color of her lipstick stuck to the cigarette as she pulled it out of her mouth, her chest rising as she inhaled, then sinking as she pushed the smoke out.

"You doin' okay? You looked pretty far gone when you came out," she asked, holding her cigarette as she always has, her wrist bent with her palm up, the cigarette a slight flick away from falling from her middle and pointer fingers, elbow resting at her hip.

"Just, um, having a rough time with anxiety. Too many people, too much noise, I was feeling a bit out of body," he explained, unable to look away from her. He was afraid to look anywhere other than her eyes but he couldn't help looking down at her dress. It was a silk, a deep emerald green, reaching down to the floor. There was a slit at the right side, draped open around one leg. He had to look away when he got there, that guilt twisting in his gut again. She was watching him still, and his cheeks flared up under the attention. "I wouldn't have expected to see you here," he said, trying not to flat out ask 'what the hell are you doing here?'.

"Yeah, I run a shelter for teens, specifically for lgbtq+ teens who need a safe space. We have on campus counselors who work pro bono," she explained. He remembers her talking about that. It's been a few years but that passion is still in her voice. "I'm speaking later so I guess I'm glad I ran into you now. I'm sorry if I blindsided you, I know it's been awhile since we've seen each other," she said.

"Yeah," his collar got tighter as he glanced down at the ground, unable to hold her stare and not buckle beneath it.

"Am I making you uncomfortable? I can leave you alone, I would pass on the speech if it wasn't something so important," Cas took a step back, putting more space between them. Dean tried not to let his breath hitch again.

"No, no, I'm just," he blinked hard a few times, trying to clear the fog of shock and anxiety from his brain. "You're not..." he paused, swallowing on a dry throat. She waited patiently as he took a slow drag of his cigarette before finding his voice again. "You're not making me uncomfortable," he said.

"Okay," she took a step forward, still a respectable amount of space between them, maybe an arms length away, but that arm's length felt like an anchor, bringing him back into his own body. He's startled that she still has this much of an effect on him. "How have you been? You look like you haven't slept much," she looked away from him with that thoughtful tilt of her head, then added, "I'm sorry, I'm talking like I still know you, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, it's just surprising how well I can read you still."

It's surprising him too, though it really shouldn't. She has taken him apart piece by piece then carefully reassembled him, adding pieces of herself to make him whole.

"No, you're right. I haven't been sleeping too much recently. We're making plans for a new album and I'm anxious to start performing again. Isolation will do that to you, I guess," he shrugged.

"I understand, you've been on a break for about a year, right?" She asked. He looked up again, his cigarette pausing halfway to his lips.

"How'd you know?" He asked.

"I check in, see how you're doing," she shrugged one shoulder. The thought of it almost makes him fold in on himself. The thought of her pulling up articles of posts about him and his career, all of the things he's done without her. He shakes that thought away, the guilt squeezing.

"Yeah, about a year," he nods in response.

"So, what is it? Stage fright? You've been offstage for over a year, there are bound to be some kinks while you find your rhythm again," she said.

"Yeah, that's what everyone else is saying too," he took another drag, trying desperately not to look her in the eyes again, in fear that he won't be able to look away.

"Meaning that's not what you're afraid of. So what is it?" There it is again. She's too good at reading him. He sighed softly, flicking the ash burning tip of the cigarette.

"The last time we went on the road, I started doing bad shit, I was playing my best onstage because I was doing my worst offstage. I'm afraid that I'll fall back into it once we start up again," the confession rolls off of his tongue easily as soon as he makes eye contact again.

"Do they know?" She asked.

"Just Benny, I've been too ashamed to tell anyone else besides him. I didn't even really mean to, I just got too drunk one night and it all came pouring out," he said.

"You don't have to be ashamed of falling into a rough patch. People make mistakes and people do bad things, especially when it messes with the chemicals in their brains. If anyone tries to make you feel ashamed for having a hard time, then those aren't the people you want in your corner. I'm glad you told Benny, because now when you go back on the road, you'll have someone looking out for you, who I'm sure won't judge you if you stumble a bit. But, you have to tell him if you get that urge again, if you start falling again," her voice was so soft but so sure and firm.

"Yeah, I don't want to go through that again," he whispered.

"That's good, Dean. I'm proud of you." A shiver ran up his spine as those words left her lips. Goosebumps rose on his skin and he couldn't help the little shake that shot through his knees. The guilt was rising. "I should go get ready for my speech, but," Cas paused as she looked at him, something hesitant in her eyes. He could only imagine what expression he had on his face. "It was really good to see you, Dean." She tossed her cigarette on the ground and crushed it under her heel as she reached into her purse. It was a bittersweet feeling that ran through him when she pulled out two sticks of Peach flavored gum. She offered him one and he took it because he is weak. She didn't say anything else as she walked away, back towards the door where he had set the brick.

When Cas was gone, Dean fell back against the wall with a soft exhale, allowing the air in his lungs to rush out. His face fell with the closing of his eyes and he didn't realize how boneless he felt until he almost slid down the wall. He caught himself with a stutter, steadying his body on shaky legs. He brought the gum up to his nose and inhaled the artificially sweet scent. The smell of it sent a shiver through him, he felt utterly disgraceful shivering at the smell of a piece of gum, but he didn't have it in him to care. He slipped the stick into his pocket, beside his slightly crumpled pack of cigarettes.

With a deep inhale, he straightened out his suit jacket and started tucking his button up back into his slacks. His hips stuttered when he realized he was half hard, his eyes shutting as he stilled. He finished tucking his shirt back in, he ran his fingers through his hair, and stamped out his cigarette before walking back inside.

"You were gone awhile," Sam remarked when he sat back down at the table. Dean sank into his seat, pressing his hands lightly to his thighs, feeling the soft material of his slacks.

"Yeah, the noise was getting to me, I ducked out for a cigarette," he said with a nod of his head.

"Damn, I should have gone with you before the next speaker," Charlie said, her nose scrunching.

"Too late," Lisa gestured to the stage with a small smile. Dean looked over and steeled his expression as Castiel went waltzing on, effortless in her demand for everyone's eyes. He's absolutely positive that she doesn't realize the power she has over any room she walks into. Dean's view of her is obscured by Lisa moving her head and the guilt in his stomach makes him turn his head towards the table.

"Is that?" Benny's question goes unanswered as she starts speaking.

Yes, yes it is.

"Good evening, everyone, my name is Castiel,"

#Destiel #Dean Winchester #Dean Winchester x Castiel #Sub Dean #Dom Castiel #Female Castiel #Dom/Sub #Pining #Lisa Braeden #dean x castiel

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disgruntledspacedad · 3 years

Text

the mandalorian season finale that i wish we could have

Take with a grain of salt that while I am well-versed in the OT and the prequels, my knowledge of CW and Rebels is pretty limited (I’m watching now), and I know nothing about the EU. Disclaimer that this isn’t quite fic, or headcanon, or meta, or speculation - kind of a bastardization of all of the above, maybe.

Because he is a man of discipline, and because he suddenly finds an opportunity to channel all of that downtime in hyperspace into something productive, Din decides as they leave Corvus that he has no excuse for letting the kid’s powers fade.

He has no delusions that floating the shifter knob across the cabin is in any way challenging to the kid. Kriff’s sake, Din’s seen him lift a mudhorn and channel a gods-damned explosion. But Din knows from hard-won experience that there’s a major difference between power and finesse, and that the more comfortable the kid becomes with casually accessing his powers, the easier his eventual reintegration with the Jedi will be.

Besides, if Din is to be responsible for delivering the child to his kind, then he will see to it that he’s done more than just the minimum of keeping the child alive and unharmed.

They start with simple things. A quick game of catch with knob, Din asking the kid to reach his own utensils, rather than Din handing them to him.

Din realizes quickly that the child, like any child, is quickly annoyed with the exercises. I know you are capable of so much more, Din thinks, raising his hands in a moment of frustration. He only realizes that he’s spoken aloud when the child blinks up at him.

Din has a distinct feeling of frustration. It raises a memory, long since forgotten, of his early combat training. He’d longed to go out to the range and shoot his blasters, rather than endlessly taking them apart and reassembling them.

Connect with him, Ahsoka had said on Corvus.

So Din does.

He learns to make it fun. Grogu, like any other gifted child, craves a challenge. “Float the ball,” becomes a game of catch. Silent steps evolves into hide and seek. One day, Din lowers to cabin temperature to near freezing, then watches proudly as the kid summons his blanket from the lower level.

Din also learns the value of calling the kid, Grogu, by his name.

Din doesn’t tend to think in the way of proper nouns. He is a Mandalorian. His charge is a Child. This is the Way. To separate the individual from its classification only complicates things.

But the kid, Grogu, likes being called by name. At first, Din uses it reluctantly, as last-ditch effort to capture the child’s attention. But there’s this subtle thrum of rightness that swells briefly beneath Din’s skin when the kid hears it. His eyes light up, and his ears quirk, and Din finds himself smiling beneath his helmet. The name quickly becomes habit.

As Grogu’s reluctance to tap into the force fades, Din’s challenges become more complex. Din learns, little by little, what Grogu is capable of, and he adjusts his training accordingly.

He’s getting better at reading Grogu, too. It starts as little impressions - the thrill of anticipation while watching him hunt yet another frog, the dread of bathing afterward, a sense of weary contentment as he settles Grogu into his hammock after a long day.

Then the dreams start.

At first, Din doesn’t remember them. He wakes with vague impressions, confusion/fear/longing/emptiness. Din isn’t usually a dreamer, and the intensity of the residual emotions unsettles him.

He rolls with it, though, like he rolls with every bizarre development that the universe throws his way, until one night he wakes panting, sitting straight up in his bunker, cold sweat running in rivulets down his spine.

Darkness. Fear, no, terror, pervasive and all-encompassing. The acrid scent of smoke and cauterized flesh. Screams cut violently short. Heat and heavy footsteps. An eerie blue glow that hums as if alive, familiar and dreadful and encroaching ever closer. Loss, aching and empty and devastating beyond belief.

A familiar trill brings Din back to himself. Grogu is sitting up in his hammock, wide awake, staring at him with his head cocked.

And suddenly, Din understands.

He doesn’t speak, just lifts Grogu from his bedding and holds him close. Grogu snuggles close into the softness of his cowl, and Din feels his tiny heart beat fluttering wildly in his chest.

“Ni ceta,” he tells Grogu. I’m sorry.

From that moment, Din starts to become aware of a bond between them. The intense, foreign feelings, the dreams that feel so real, that new, instinctual understanding... it’s all Grogu.

Now that Din is aware of it, the connection is obvious. Grogu doesn’t communicate with words, no, but if Din is concentrating, he can determine which emotions are his and which belong to the kid.

At first, it terrifies him, and twice, he nearly sets a course for Corvus to ask Ahsoka just what the kriff is happening in his head. But Grogu understands more than Din has ever given him credit for, and Din knows, whether by instinct of through the force, that Grogu won’t use his power to harm him.

In fact, Din finds that their bond is beneficial for more than just mutual convenience. Sure, he knows when Grogu is telling him that he’s tired or bored or hurt or hungry, but Din discovers that if he quiets his mind and concentrates, he can get a vague impression of how Grogu is doing. Where he is, if he’s content or not. Din can’t initiate a conversation between them, not in the way that Grogu seems to force himself into Din’s brain with all the subtlety of a baying bantha when he pleases, but Din finds that this casual awareness of Grogu’s continued existence is enough to convince him of the utility of their connection.

He even finds that he appreciates it.

Grogu, for his part, comes to recognize that Din is more than just a passing master who is casually training him in the ways of the force. Grogu doesn’t have words for what Din is to him, but his instincts determine that it is something outside his own experience. He is familiar with the concept of master and padawan, and the bonds between them. This, still, is not correct. Mando, as others call him, or Din, as the Mandalorian calls himself, is not a master. That much is clear. The Jedi Order doesn't have a term for what he is, so Grogu lifts the term from the Mandalorian’s memories as he sleeps.

Buir.

At some point, Moff Gideon is going to catch up to them. Din discovers the tracker in the Razor Crest too late, and Gideon takes Grogu. Din is angry, rabidly, ferociously so, until he feels that oh-so-subtle, familiar prompting at the back of his mind.

Reassurance. Safety for the moment, if not comfort. Absolute, unassailable trust that Buir will find him.

Din chokes. It’s the first time that he’s heard that term so clearly in Grogu’s thoughts, and it alights something primal in him. He contacts Navarro on a secure channel, delivers his message, and then retreats to his cot.

The Mandalorians of old told legends of the Dream Walkers, warrior sages who harnessed their dreams to tread the stars, to learn visions of the future and past. Din knows already that his bond with Grogu is clearest in his dreams, so he calms his nerves, tamps down on all of his adrenaline, curbs the instinct to go/run/fight/protect, and sleeps.

Din dreams of steel corridors and bright lights. He is strapped down, facing many open windows that look to the sky above him. Cold drips into the crook of his elbow, running chills up his skin.

The stars, Din thinks as loudly as he can, as aware as he can be. Look up, Grogu. Look at the stars.

Then Grogu looks up and sees the stars.

Din wakes alert and jittery. less than 90 minutes after collapsing into his bunk, and sets a course.

Cara meets him planetside with a ragtag team of hunters and ex-rebels. More are coming, she promises.

Din won't wait.

They surround a small moon on a backwater planet at the edge of the galaxy. Din doesn’t know the name of the system. He doesn’t care.

Grogu is here.

They fight. Din makes it to the lab, nearly has Grogu in his arms before imperial reinforcements swarm the base. Din is overwhelmed, and Grogu is pulled from him.

Knocked down, but not quite out, Din watches as the star destroyer prepares for the jump to hyperspace. With all his strength, Din reaches for his kid, and his kid reaches back. “Cara is coming,” Din says aloud, hoping that Grogu hears him as he stumbles to his knees.

He is overwhelmed with images and impressions.

The stark chill of hyperspace. A growing dread. Hands that grip him too tightly. A thin voice behind him, panicked, pleading. “We don’t know how it could affect the final results!”

A struggle. Fear. Pain. Anger.

“Surely, Pershing, you understand that the final results is are irrelevant if the initial samples cannot be gathered. This will ensure that there are no more undue... interferences.”

“No, please! He’s only a child!”

A mind-shattering scream, cut ominously short.

And then, silence.

So I’m tired of writing this like fic. I’m fairly sure it’s canon (or at least, it’s very popular fanon) that force blocking technology is a Thing. Gideon might not be force sensitive, but he’s probably studied Jedi, and could reasonably assume that there’s some sort of communication between Grogu and Din. At the very least, Grogu would use his newly redeveloped strength in the force to make things difficult for Gideon, and it would certainly be worthwhile for Gideon to cut him off.

But silencing Grogu’s access to the force would disrupt the bond between Grogu and Din. Din, who in true overprotective space dad style, has become dependent on that bond in order to assure Grogu’s comfort and safety. The sudden loss of the bond would certainly be absolutely shattering, and Din, who has no other context, would naturally assume that Gideon killed Grogu.

Now, I’m a slut for the “presumed dead” trope. Din would-burn-the-galaxy-and-everyone-in-it-if-you-harm-a-hair-on-his-head Djarin seeking vengeance for the murder of his little green son is something that I would pay dearly to see. We’ve never really seen Din lose control, not like this. We’ve never seen him fully invested, with absolutely nothing to lose.

I want to see him bet everything on this, call in every favor and exhaust every contact on tracing Gideon’s star destroyer around the galaxy. I want him to have time to acknowledge his grief of losing Grogu. I want him to accept that Grogu was his kid, and to regret never taking those Mandalorian adoption vows. I want Din swearing justice, knowing that infiltrating Moff’s star destroyer is a suicide mission, and just not giving a shit.

Cara manages to talk a little sense into him. Wait, she says. I can’t understand how you feel, but I know why you have to do it. Let me get some people together, let’s do this as a team. We can take them all out, make sure they can’t harm anybody else.

It kills him, but Din delays his vengeance long enough to allow them to form a plan.

I would really love some scenes between Din and Ahsoka, with Ahsoka attempting to help Din deal with a severed bond. Though her padawan bond with Anakin Skywalker wasn’t quite the same as the bond that Din had with Grogu, Ahsoka has experienced a similar loss before. It’s all a little more complicated because Din isn’t inherently force-sensitive.

Basically, Din is shattered.

The Day comes, and Din tears though the destroyer, cutting down anybody and anything that dares stand in his way. He takes great delight in blasting Pershing three times through the heart, but the sniveling imp presses a code cylinder into his hand as he dies.

“Take it,” he chokes, looking desperately into Din’s visor with glazing eyes. “Save... save him...”

Din grips the cylinder, still clammy from where Pershing had held it, and something in him quickens.

Ignoring the ensuing battle and his mission to find Gideon, Din hacks into the ship’s computer. He finds a lab, well hidden, accessible only to Pershing and Gideon himself.

Hope rises, fierce and glitteringly painful, but Din tamps it down, doesn’t dare give it power over him. He storms to the lab anyway, using the code cylinder to make quick work of the security protocols, and there, just beyond the door, is Grogu.

Bruised, anemic, far too thin, but alive. Reaching for him.

Ad’ika, Din is suddenly aware of saying it aloud. He still can’t feel Grogu, is still painfully aware of the emptiness at the back of his mind, but the word feels right, and Din says it again. “Ad’ika.”

Grogu coos, and Din notices the manacles on his wrists.

Beskar, but not any alloy that he’s familiar with. They are warm, almost painfully hot even through his gloves, and Din can see the scars from where their heat has burned Grogu’s skin.

Din hardly has time to process this before he realizes that they are not alone.

Din naturally has to have a massive showdown with Moff Gideon in order to take his kid back. Lots of darksaber/mandalorian/beskar/jedi lore that I don't have the knowledge to delve into, but in my head, it’s pretty cool. No idea how Grogu would get rid of his manacles, but I would love to give him something to do in this fight, rather than him just being rescued by Din. I imagine that the beskar gets hot when Grogu attempts to tap into the force; the scars on his wrists are from the many times he’s tried to defend himself or reach out through his bond to connect with Din.

Also, damn, as soon as the manacles are off and Din can feel Grogu in his head again, he’s going to be absolutely overwhelmed, but in the best way.

Lots of healing/comfort in the aftermath. Din is dealing with some heavy guilt, especially as he’s tending to Grogu’s scars. Grogu is pretty insistent that Din doesn’t take the blame, and eventually, they work it out. Din drops his helmet and swears those adoption vows as soon as they are alone on the Crest, and the bond between them only strengthens because of it. Din learns a lot about Grogu’s history and the Jedi in general. Ahsoka is much more helpful now that she knows that Din is committed to raising this kid and not just fobbing him off on her.

Din turns down the title of Mand’alor, unceremoniously tossing the darksaber to Bo-Katan because he just doesn’t give a shit about it. All Din wants is his ship and his kid, and that’s what he gets.

#the mandalorian #tm spoilers #din djarin #baby yoda #grogu #the mandalorian headcanon #the mandalorian fic #mandadlorian #dad din djarin #the mandalorian meta #metanalysis #star wars #chapter thirteen the jedi #the jedi #ahsoka tano #cara dune #mandalorian #probably a lot of this is based on coffee-quill's amazing fic #and possibly others #the truth is i've read way too much good fic in the last two weeks to remember who inspired what ideas #but feel free to inbox me and i will give credit where credit is due #dream walking is based on lucid dreaming #which is a real skill that anybody can learn to do #din djarin is a good dad #they live happily ever after #traveling from temple to temple learning jedi shit and picking up bounties along the way #grogu grows up to be this scrappy little mandalorian/jedi/force-using abomination #and dad is so stupid proud of him #guys i need fandom friends #feel free to shoot me a message or hit up my inbox

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happys-crazy-queen22 · 4 years

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The Race Of Time

WARNING:Kidnapping, bombing. Taglist: @nocturnalherb16. "I can't believe you're running for PD, Y/N". Herrmann shook his head with laugh as he stood beside you.

"I have to run for my husband, next year I'll run for Fire. Sounds fair"?

"You're own blood". You rolled your eyes with a chuckle.

"Are you still talking crap, fireman"? Jay came up beside you, kissing your cheek.

"It's cool, I can take the old man's jokes".

"Old man? I'll show you old man". Herrmann started running as the gun went off, you weren't paying attention so you were behind.

The street was crowded with family, friends and supporters of the Chicago police and fire Department. You ran past your kids waving to them as they cheered you and Jay on.

You were hot on Herrmanns heels as you hit the corner of the street, you past Otis and Cruz who were acting like children as they ran.

"Come on babe, you can do this". You heard Jay in front of you, you knew he could run faster but he stayed with you. It wasn't really a race mostly raising money for the community and the stations had a childish war going on to see who was better.

"I'm coming, go ahead. I'll meet you there". You waved him off and he sprinted off. You were at the four mile mark when the road was filed with smoke. You tried running threw it but you started coughing. Then a bright light filed your eyes and you were thrown to the ground. Your head bouncing off the cement.

Jay panicked as he heard a blast from behind, he stopped to see. The smoke started to clear out and he could see bodies on the ground.

"Herrmann". He yelled, Herrmann stopped and saw what Jay was talking about. His jaw dropped and the both ran over to the victims.

The street was cleared quickly. Cops swarmed the place. Jay was worried about you but everyone said you're probably helping or with someone. They were right, you were with someone that was supposed to be dead.

"We should take her to the hospital. She looks bad". The voice echoed your head. Groaning as you say up, your hand went to your head and you hissed as you touched it. Blood covered your fingers.

"Where am I"? Looking around you were in a van and it was a moving.

"You're okay now". A males voice startled you as he came out from the back of the van.

"Who are you"? You asked blinking at the figure, he looked familiar but it couldn't be him. Could it?

"Well, let's say a blast from the past". He laughed bringing his face to the light.

"Evan? You're dead". Your voice trembled as you saw the man that you buried sitting right in front of you. The hair stood up on the back of your neck.

"Nice to see you too Babe". He spoke right before something metal hit your head, knocking you out cold.

"I can't find her anywhere. No one has seen her or heard from her". Jay paced the hallway of the hospital. He watched as the kids got checked over just to make sure.

"Jay, calm down. We'll find her". Will tried to calm his brother but it wasn't doing much.

"Are the kids okay"? Jay's head turned to the end of the hallway, coming down was Kelly.

"Yeah, just shook up". Jay bit his nails.

"What's wrong? Where's Y/N"? Kelly looked in the room.

"Jay"? Kelly's voice increased.

"I can't find her. After the bomb went off I couldn't find her. There's people out looking for her but no one's contacted me yet. I'm sorry".

"What do you mean you can't find her? She was with the runners right"?

"She was behind me. I think inside the bomb or at least close to it".

"So there's no body"?

"No". Jay whispered and Kelly let out a sigh of relief. This means you're still alive, hopefully.

"Can you take the kids back to your place? I don't want them alone with someone they hardly know"? Jay asked Will.

"Yeah sure. I'll get them checked out and we'll head there now". He walked off leaving Jay and Kelly.

"What do we do"?

"Voights brought in bomb squad and they're trying to figure out where the bomb came from".

"Okay. What do you need me to do"?

"Help me try to find out who took her". Kelly raised a eyebrow looking at Jay confused but Jay was serious.

"You're saying someone took her from the race after the bomb went off? Who would do that"? Kelly laughed at the idea.

"It is kinda crazy Jay. Wouldn't we have seen something? I was behind Y/N and I didn't see anyone out of the ordinary". Adam leaned against the wall.

"Then it must have been a runner. Blending in as one of us". Jay was so sure of himself.

"Who? Who could it have been"?

"We need a the list of everyone that signed up for the race. Maybe a name will trigger something in one of us. It could be a suspect we put away, a person with a grudge. Someone took my wife and I'm not stopping until I find her". Jay slammed his fist against the window.

"Wakey wakey". Evan shook you hard. Your head hurt like hell as he did.

"Please stop". You whimpered, trying to move your hands but you couldn't. Looking down they were tied to a chair so were your ankles.

"Why are you doing this"? You tried wiggling around but it was no use.

"You remember that day I found out about Logan and Laura"?

"Yes".

"I was so happy that I was going to be a father. Then I realized that I owned some bad people money and I couldn't figure out how to do both".

"So you faked your death? I mourned you for months". You screamed at him. "You have no idea what you put me through".

"Put you through? I couldn't see my kids be born or take their first steps. Then when the coast was clear I heard you moved on...with a cop". He got into your face.

"I didn't know you were going to come back. I wasn't going to wait around for a ghost".

"You're letting him raise my kids".

"My kids, not yours". You corrected him. "That went out the window when you supposingly died".

"I forgot how much of a bitch you were".

"If I'm so much of a bitch then why kidnap me? Why make me part of your plan"?

"I got your husband's attention didn't I"?

"So you're after Jay, what did he do"?

"You'll find out later once I've got everything worked out". He said going to the front of the van, you worked on the ropes around your wrist. You had to get out and fast.

"So I got the list of runners. All checked out except for two. One was a guy named Evan Bates the other is Norman James". Mouse put the papers in front of Jay.

"Bates"? Kelly raised a eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know him"? Jay asked.

"Don't freak out but he's the twins dad".

"What is he doing here all these years? What does he want with Y/N"?

"Jay, he's died". Kelly's mind was blown and Jay was confused.

"Wait, he's died"?

"Yeah, we buried him before the twins were born".

"How did he die"? Jay nodded to mouse and he started typing on his computer.

"Car fire. I got a call to a wrecked car that was on fire. I got to looking at the car and it was his".

"Did they do DNA to make sure"?

"No, he was to burned to get anything".

"I got something. I ran the names and Norman is Tyler James's brother". Mouse pointed to the screen with a picture of Tyler and Norman.

"Tyler"?

"You arrested him for arson and he escaped and you killed him".

"So Norman's after me for revenge and Evan"?

"You taking his life from him"? Kelly thought that was the only explanation.

"Y/Ns being used to get to me. Do you think he'll hurt her"? Jay asked Kelly with worry in his eyes.

"I can't say for sure".

"We need to find them now".

"Pull over here". Evan told the driver.

"What are we doing"?

"Going to have a chat with Halstead". Evan pulled put a phone handing it to you.

"Call him". You did as you were told as it was ringing Evan swiped it from your hand and put it on speaker.

"Hello"? You heard Jay's voice and you sigh with happiness.

"Jay Halstead, I'm assuming that you have already figured out who I am since you're so smart".

"Evan Bates and Norman James".

"Correct. Now can you tell me where there are three other bombs at"? Evan chuckled as the line went silent.

"There's three more"? Jay questioned.

"Three, four, who knows. But you'll find out soon enough".

"Where's Y/N"?

"She's right here, looking lovely as usual".

"If you lay one finger on her"... Evan cut Jay off.

"You'll what? Kill me? You'll have to catch me first Jay Halstead".

"I will catch you and I'll make sure you don't see the light of day again".

"I see. And I thought we could be friends, well I have to go so I'll see you when I see you". Evan hung up and put the phone in his pocket.

"When I see Jay, it will be the last time you see him....alive". Evan push a strand of hair out of your face, you jerked at him. He chuckled and went back to the front.

"She's alive. Thank God". Kelly felt relieved.

"But there's more bombs and I don't know where to start". Jay ran his hand over his face.

"Most bombers put bombs where they'll be noticed. Places that remind them of something or someone".

"There's a festive going on at the high school today"? Mouse spoke up from his computer.

"Let's get some people there and circulate their pictures around. We have to find these guys".

"I pinged the number and it's bouncing off two towers". Jay looked and he knew right where they were. He grabbed his jacket.

"I'm coming with you". Kelly ran after Jay.

"I know you want to help but I cant let you get hurt too".

"You need someone with you. I can help".

"Fine. Just don't get shot or killed. I'll never hear the end of it". Jay smiled as Kelly laugh.

Jay followed his instincts and he was right. There was a van sitting in his drive way.

"I'll go around back". Kelly got out of the car and sneaked to the back yard.

Before Jay got out of the car he got a text from Voight, telling him to wait for back up. Jay cut his phone off and got out of the car. Walking up to the house, he looked through the windows. There you tied on the ground. Evan was sitting on the couch a gun in hand. Norman was out of sight, that made Jay's heart beat faster as he entered the house.

"Welcome home Jay". Evan said from the couch. Jay's eyes went to you, you nodded to him telling him you were okay.

"What do you want"?

"My family back".

"Sorry. They're not yours anymore. You gave that up".

Evan jumped off the couch getting into Jay's face. "They were taken from me. I did this to protect them and you came and stole them".

"You did this to yourself. Getting into bed with the wrong crowd. It's your fault".

"Well, I didn't come here to fight. That's Norman's job". Evan motioned for Norman to come in and he came in swinging. A punch landed to Jay face, knocking him unsteady. Evan sat back down on the couch.

Norman landed another blow to Jay's ribs with his leg. You cringed as Jay yelped. Jay faught back punching and kicking Norman. Evan was having field day as he watched Norman beat up Jay that he didn't see Kelly come in the house. Before coming into the house Jay gave Kelly a gun and Kelly wasn't going to use to but you were in the hands of a psycho.

"Evan". Kelly yelled bringing the attention to him, he pointed the gun at him.

"Kelly, so nice of you to join us".

Norman stopped fighting when Kelly put the gun to his head. Jay grabbed his hidden gun from ankle pointing it at Norman, taking his handcuffs and slapping them on.

"Get up". Jay ordered Evan, Evan sat still not moving.

"I said get up now". Jay gritted his teeth pointing his gun at Evans head. Evan moved slowly as he got up. Jay swiftly turned him around slapping handcuffs on him as well. He sat him back down on the couch and went to you. Taking put a knife and cut your ropes. You slung your arms around Jay kissing his lips as he helped you up. Your head was still hurting and you felt dizzy.

"You okay"?

"Yeah".

"We'll get you an ambulance". Jay wrapped your arm around his neck as you hardly could walk. He motioned his gun for Evan to get up and walk out the door. Kelly pushed Norman out the door. Voight and his team was pulling up as you got to the front yard.

As Evan walking he laughed, then thats when Jay saw the remote in his hand. Jay pushed you to the ground covering you as your house blew up. Wood shot out everywhere, car alarms went off and there was ringing in everyone's ears. Jay staggered to get up, he looked around Kelly was fine but Norman got a piece of glass in his throat, it sliced right threw his neck. Evan was lucky just a piece of wood threw his leg, he was still laughing. "I took something of yours now". Jay came closer to him. "I didn't lose anything. It's a house, it can be rebuilt. But you, you lost everything because of your stupidity". Jay walked back to you as the ambulance came. He picked you up carrying you to the EMTs. His family was more important than a house and stuff. More important than Evan. He had to make sure this never happened again. Voight came up to Jay as the ambulance was about to leave. "The bomb was at the high school, we got it in time". "Good". Jay closed the door. Voight and his team searched through Evans and Norman's stuff, they had planted two more bombs. One at Evans grave and one at Will's house. Thankfully him and the twins weren't home and they were at the hospital. Evan was serious about making Jay pay.

#jay halstead fanfiction #jay halstead x reader #jay halstead imagines #jay halstead imagine #jay halstead #chicago pd fanfiction #chicago pd #chicago pd imagine #kelly severide x sister reader #kelly severide #happys crazy queen22

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poweredbydietcoke · 3 years

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Favorite books of 2020

This is normally a January or February thing...last year it was November, so May seems fitting in 2021. You can find the last few years here and here...

2020 book totals: 23 audio books 14 Kindle books 10 tree books

47 books total

I shifted a lot more of my reading this year to audiobooks, which I think is a combination of the baby (a lot of time that I could use my ears, but not my hands), more ranch work (got a nice set of ISOTunes bluetooth ear protection for running saws etc), and more solo travel time during the pandemic. I also read a lot more tree books, mostly as a result of some out-of-print titles and some baby-related gifts. And overall my reading dropped a bit, unsurprisingly.

[Reminder: these are all affiliate links, and it all goes to charity at the end of the year]

How to Have Your Second Child First: 100 Things That Would Have Been Good to Know--The First Time Around by Kerry Colburn and Rob Sorenson

When I told Bryan that we were expecting our first child, he insisted I read this book. It was fantastic, as far as parenting goes (targeted audience, obviously). But the basic message is chill out, it's going to be fine. Think about how many people do this multiple times. And all of the things you worry about for the first kid, like making it perfectly quiet for them to sleep aren't going to be possible for the second kid, so why don't you just treat the first kid the same way--it makes everybody more flexible. We've tried to put a lot of this to work with Cooper and at least so far is making our lives easier. No promises how he turns out yet. :)

Age of Ambition, Chasing Fortune in China by Evan Osnos

I’m pretty sure Scott Cannon recommended this to me a while back, I think after some of his time in China, and I really enjoyed it. I've been trying to read and understand a lot more about China these days for obvious reasons. I've started reading Sinocism by Bill Bishop. It's a lot, you have to skim it every day, or just disregard it some days, but it's got a lot of really interesting insight (at least to me) on how China is operating these days. At least I'm trying to build some sort of understanding because it feels as if it's going to be important at some point in our lives. The highlights of this book, for me, were probably starting to understand some of what are apparent contradictions in the dynamism of the entrepreneurial economy there combined with pretty aggressive state control. Sort of the way that the party is different from the state but isn't in many ways; it’s often the same thing “functionally,” at least as I understand it. The other interesting takeaway was the total aversion to a loss of control and the single overarching directive that seems to grip the party, which is no social unrest. I also read China’s Vision of Victory this year, but Age of Ambition was a better read. I’m currently working on Blockchain Chicken Farm, and while the title is better, Age of Ambition still comes out on top.

Expecting Better by Emily Oster

Love this book, and the second book by the same author, called Crib Sheet. This was given to us when we told some close friends that we were expecting and they said “Oh, this woman we worked with at University of Chicago (she's now at Cornell, I believe), wrote these books and they're very scientific, data-driven books on pregnancy,” which obviously appeal to both Lizzie and I. This one was great because it goes into the research and the studies on things like can you drink alcohol during pregnancy or not? What do you think about sort of deli meats vs sushi vs whatever in terms of how it's going to affect the baby? How much should you worry about different prenatal tests, which are the really important ones, which are the ones that have a lot of false positives, and so on. I highly, highly recommend this and in fact, have sent it to a number of friends who are now expecting kids. It really simplifies things in terms of what you need to worry about and not.

Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley

I don't remember who recommended this, but I absolutely loved this book. It's a really fascinating (if pretty in-depth) overview of the science on honeybees. Obviously, part of this is appealing to me because Lizzie keeps honey bees here at the ranch. And we love their honey and love learning about them and seeing them in operation. But the thing that just blew me away about this book, in addition to just the detail on the explanations of how these things actually work, was how they did the study design. They would find a big offshore island that had no bees on it and actually go out and do these experiments in a “pristine” environment. Eg how did the bees decide where to set up their new hive? How did they lead or follow a swarm or anything else? And it was just brilliant...as an example, they figured out that bees like to establish hives of a certain volume, not too big, not too small. And so how do honeybees measure volume? It turns out that there are two measurements they frequently do: one is they walk around the circumference of the potential hive site, and two is they fly across it and kind of measure their flight time. And so somebody actually went to prove this and built a hive they had a “treadmill” on one wall, that they could speed up or slow down to change the perceived volume, and that did in fact change which hives were chosen by the bees. Really, really amazing book!

Educated by Tara Westover

Lizzie read this first and really loved it, and has been on my list for a little while. I finally read it and thought it was fascinating. This single story of a woman who's raised in, I think, Idaho in a very Mormon community. Fundamentalist and very conspiratorial/out there on the fringe family. And she ends up going to BYU and then studying in London and doing a bunch of stuff that kind of breaks the mold. But she talks about it as kind of an escape, and rationalizing/understanding how her parents shaped her and both the positives and negatives. One of the biggest things that was interesting to me was, and I've heard it in many ways, but this passage stuck with me: at some point, she made a little bit of money, maybe $1,000 in a single chunk rather than getting paid for a day of work. And she made the point that all of a sudden she'd never felt like that before, because she didn't have to worry minute to minute about where the money was and was going and whatever. Just an interesting reminder of the costs of all these things that many of us are lucky enough not to think about at that level. Year by year, sure, but day by day or minute by minute is a different thing.

Fire on the Mountain: The True Story of the South Canyon Fire by John N. Maclean

I think this one was recommended by Zuni, one of our neighbors. It was another post fire disaster investigation, this time for a fire in Colorado that ended up turning and claiming the lives of a bunch of Hot Shots and Smokejumpers. It was a really well researched book, very descriptive, pretty fast moving, not excruciatingly detailed, but a little bit overly detailed unless you understand this stuff, which I don't claim to. But worth reading if you live in a wildfire zone, as many of us do these days!

The Haywire Heart by Chris Case

Mark Gainey recommended this to me. It’s about how endurance athletes can develop heart conditions, from training so hard and bringing their hearts to such an unusual level in different ways, and the various arrhythmias that come from it. Also how blood pressure can be off because your heart gets so strong at pumping during anaerobic exercise, develops really strong muscles, and then your heart rate goes way too low when you’re resting/sleeping and then loses rhythm. Really interesting. I listened to it in an audio book, which wasn't quite the right format for it because you have to be really paying attention to some of the science. But it was fascinating and made me a little more thoughtful about paying attention to heart rate monitors as I get older.

Twelve hours' sleep by 12 weeks old by Suzy Giordano

A couple of people recommended this to me, Rick Morrison and Ashley Carroll were the ones that I remembered. For us it was the canonical sleep training book. It was really interesting and really good, but I don't think it works for everybody (seemingly different things work for different people, especially per Emily Oster’s research). But this is how we ended up getting Cooper to sleep well (he was largely sleeping through the night by 8 weeks, but I think that was mostly him and not us). Most of it is simply structured feeding and making sure that you can extend the time between feedings so that they can sleep longer periods of time without being really hungry. There are a bunch of really easy summaries on the web of, and the book itself was pretty tedious. I listened to it on Audible on my bike, and the number of examples like “every four hours, eg, 8a, 12p, 4p, 8p” ... I can do the math, thanks. But the method was two pages and really good. Obviously, again, doesn't matter if you don't have an infant.

My heart is Africa by Scott Griffin

Dennis Pilarinos recommended this book about a Canadian Doctor who goes and flies through Africa in his Cessna 185 (and even more adventurously, he actually flies it *to* Africa from Canada and back). Really cool fun book, some crazy stories like the usual kind of bush plane drama. Only available in paperback. I did order it somewhere random, but it was totally worth reading. Super fast and fun blending aid to Africa with flying and totally worth it. Very, very quick read but great for pilots.

The Billion Dollar Spy by David Hoffman

Alex Yakubovich recommended this to me and as always, his book recommendations are fantastic. This one was about Oleg Tolkachev and his work with the CIA while the Cold War was still going on. And all this crazy interesting information he passed and why he did it. And it was fun. It was like a spy novel that was real and exciting, but not over the top James Bond style.

Flatland by Edward Abbott Abbott

This was actually recommended by Sonia Wong at Sequoia in an interview I read with her. It's really quick and interesting, basically a story about living in two dimensions and trying to understand three- and one-dimensional worlds. How do you think about dimensionality, represented by the rules of these different, theoretical societies, if you will, that live in one or two dimensions. It's hard to describe well, but it was a really fun, interesting book, a very quick read. Even fully understanding the math of N space it was still really entertaining. I don't know if it'd be a good or bad thing for a kid to read, probably pretty good for a mathematically inclined kid. Really interesting.

The Storm Before the Calm by George Friedman

I read a lot of his work through Geopolitical Futures. I find it really interesting, just as an intellectual pursuit of understanding how the world works and how countries interact on a geopolitical level. And I've always thought his analysis is pretty insightful. He's a Polish immigrant to the United States, and a huge “patriot” in the unfortunately anachronistic sense. He writes about the four cycles he sees in US politics (institutional and socioeconomic, most importantly). And his primary argument is that in the 2020s, they're all going to end at the same time. And usually, when one of them ends, there's a little bit of pain and dislocation in the US. Historically, the US grew stronger out of it. It can grow, or it can obviously implode and cause a revolution. He thinks it'll grow stronger, and he thinks it'll largely lead to a decentralization of political power because the United States and its organizations and institutions have gotten way too complex to run centrally. Interesting parallel here to China in terms of the complexity of that organization and country, that's 4x, 5x the size population wise.

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behrooz-musigns · 3 years

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+ Innovative, warm, witty, kind, protective, geeky +/- Intellectual, observant, horny - impatient, unreliable, outspoken, easily distracted

++ BASIC INFORMATION

FULL NAME: Behrooz Hakim Najm PRONUNCIATION: Beh-roes MEANING: Lucky ZODIAC: Pisces ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Bi SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Poly CURRENT LOCATION: Epineios OCCUPATION: Student, IT

++ BIOGRAPHY

Behrooz personally invented the saying ‘I guess luck is just on my side’, or so they would have everyone in their school believe when they got another high score in one of the games they played in the back of the school. They would do guessing games, with people asking them a number which they had written down, and Behrooz would always guess right.

Sadly luck rarely followed them home. They were raised by their grandmother, who forbade them to hang out after school, and certainly ensured they would never be seen hanging out with girls on their own. She would remind them time and time again of their father, a gambler who had made it big winning game after game, then one day showed up with a baby, only to drink himself to death a year later. She would remind them that they were the family’s burden, and they would have to behave in order to not bring another burden upon them.

And as they grew older, luck left them more and more often. Being a practicing Muslim was already a hard sell, but with the world growing more extreme around them, they found the community stifle their ambitions daily. It confused Behrooz that while their religion gave them anxiety, praying chased the demons away. It was almost as if they couldn’t have the one without the other.

Life was a constant . Bad people walking in and out of their life, bullies, racist teachers, judgemental neighbors, judgemental extended family members. Behrooz tended to lock themselves up in their room every day, listening to music or playing games of chance. A knot seemed to live inside their stomach all the time, a fear of being plucked off of the street and never arriving home.

When that actually happened, it wasn’t like they had imagined.

Being mostly interested in digits, numbers, code, etc. Behrooz hadn’t paid much attention to history class when Ancient Greek and Ancient Rome were being discussed, and as they saw a creepy creature with goat legs walk up to them, they really wished they had. There was a whole speech about being in mortal danger, gods, strange creatures on the loose, yada yada. Behrooz had a headache by the time the goat legged creature told them to follow him. Very close to sparking some lie about soccer practice or prayers, their head snapped back to attention when the creature suggested they had a mother who was a God.

The only thing driving them forward was the possibility of learning who their mother was, something in their brain sending out constant messages of: gotta meet mom, gotta meet mom, gotta meet mom. Rather than forming coherent sentences. They disappeared into some cleared out old train tunnel, and emerged on the other side of the bleedin’ ocean. All Behrooz knew to say was: “thought your accent sounded funny.” Before being swarmed by the strangest assortment of kids, some younger than their fourteen years, others older, everyone excited. Was this the right time to say they were Muslim and watch everyone slowly disappear like they had done back in school?

Nobody really seemed to care however, over the years - in which they discovered their godly parent, never got to meet her, discovered she was probably the most difficult goddess to find, got a large portion of the camp to join them during Ramadan - Behrooz stayed at the Camp the whole year round. They didn’t wish to return to the UK, and followed online lessons to keep up with their education. Of course they were bleedin’ lucky, and with time they learned how to use that luck to their advantage, and to that of those around them. Yet, Behrooz started to appreciate the balance of it all, the bad and the good.

To them, code was good. Watching others struggle with programs and computers, just made them more interested in it. Algorithms fascinated them, they could spend hours looking at code trying to figure out how it worked. When the time came for them to move out of the warm nest of Camp Half Blood, Behrooz had already set their sights on studying Programming at the University of New York.

++ HEADCANONS

++ Horny as hell, and often very lucky in love, although they can never seem to hold on to anyone for long.

++ A skilled programmer with a love for code and numbers and digits. They can stay up nights on end trying to figure out some new program or write an algorithm of their own.

++ Despite their interests in the digital, Bez spends most of their time outside if they can help it. They love forests, trees, the fresh air. They take walks a lot, driving the metro to the park and helping themselves to a huge thermos of coffee.

++ Religion is an important part of their life, without it they would be nowhere. Whenever they feel lost or anxious, they tend to be eager for it to be time to pray, something they do five times a day.

++ They’ve read the Quran, although their grandmother never taught them Arabic beforehand, so they’re currently reading it in English in between classes, thesis writing, and walks.

++ Bez is a very kind individual, who will help others whenever they can - mostly with IT stuff. As a job, or a way to get money mostly, they help teachers or partake in arranging anything that needs a programmer. They’re a regular Upwork user.

++ In fights Bez uses their ability to generate luck to get other Demigods out of trouble and make the damage less.

++ They love bunk beds.

++ Wears very loose-fitting clothing.

++ Drinks way too much coffee and black tea.

++ Doesn’t like it when people constantly nag.

++ Extremely messy, will end up finding coffee mugs everywhere.

++ Is always running from one place to the next because he has too much planned on a daily basis.

++ SKILLS & ABILITIES

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: Above average OFFENSE: Lacking DEFENSE: Main attribute SPEED: Above average INTELLIGENCE: High ACCURACY: Descent AGILITY: Good STAMINA: Fine TEAMWORK: Speciality TALENTS: Luck manipulation SHORTCOMINGS: Easily distracted, no overview LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: English DRIVE?: yes JUMP-STAR A CAR?: not really CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: absolutely not RIDE A BICYCLE?: absolutely SWIM?: decently PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: piano and guitar PLAY CHESS?: no BRAID HAIR?: one day maybe TIE A TIE?: yes PICK A LOCK?: yes

++ PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

FACE CLAIM: Viveik Kalra EYE COLOR: brown HAIR COLOR: brown HAIR TYPE/STYLE: semi-long, wavy, thick GLASSES/CONTACTS?: no DOMINANT HAND: right HEIGHT: 1.75m WEIGHT: 65kg BUILD: lean EXERCISE HABITS: jogging in the morning, some sparring during the weekend SKIN TONE: brown TATTOOS: none PIERCINGS: none MARKS/SCARS: none NOTABLE FEATURES: three-day beard on account of forgetting to shave USUAL EXPRESSION: concentrated or dreamlike CLOTHING STYLE: loose clothing, soft fabric. JEWELRY: two rings on their right hand ALLERGIES: incense

++ PSYCHOLOGY

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral ELEMENT: earth MENTAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS: Dyslexia, slight ADHD SOCIABILITY: normal EMOTIONAL STABILITY: average, let’s not talk about it. OBSESSION(S): code COMPULSION(S): gambling, drinking coffee and forgetting coffee, hyper-focus PHOBIA(S): fear of people being Islamphobic ADDICTION(S): caffeine DRUG USE: none ALCOHOL USE: none PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: no

++ MANNERISMS

SPEECH STYLE: quick, active, excited ACCENT: London British QUIRKS: licks teeth, uses swear words HOBBIES: coding, walking, jogging, drinking coffee, is Starbucks a hobby? HABITS: forgetting to sleep, running from place to place NERVOUS TICKS: tapping feet, sighing a lot DRIVES/MOTIVATIONS: meeting their mom, finishing their education FEARS: fear of being neglected or ignored SENSE OF HUMOR: yes, mostly dark British humor. DO THEY CURSE OFTEN?: a lot, though they use ‘bleedin’’ and several other more British less terrible words. CATCHPHRASE(S): “must be my lucky day” “I was born lucky”

++ FAVORITES

ACTIVITY: walking/hiking in the forest ANIMAL: raven BEVERAGE: coffee BOOK: Thief Lord by Cassandra Clarke CELEBRITY: Tom Hanks COLOR: Green DESIGNER: ?? FOOD: Sharma FLOWER: Lotus GEM: Emerald HOLIDAY: Eid al-Fitr MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: Bike MOVIE: The Internship MUSICAL ARTIST: Sigur Ros QUOTE/SAYING: “No person knows what he will earn tomorrow” SCENERY: forests SCENT: freshly grinded coffee SPORT: soccer SPORTS TEAM: Manchester united TELEVISION SHOW: I, Robot WEATHER: overcast and drizzly VACATION DESTINATION: -

++ ATTITUDES

GREATEST DREAM: to create their own algorithm that can help people choose what they want the most GREATEST FEAR: being targeted or discriminated based on their religion MOST AT EASE WHEN: at home, in their bed, with coffee, coding, or hiking in the forest, or at a mosque praying LEAST AT EASE WHEN: in a crowded place, discussing religion WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN: being killed before finishing their degree BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: getting a scholarship on luck alone BIGGEST REGRET: never having known their father MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: grabbing a girl by her boobs in a hug from behind by accident BIGGEST SECRET: sometimes wishes they weren’t born a Demi-god. TOP PRIORITIES: finishing their thesis

#about

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catofulthar000 · 4 years

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ad1ostoreador

As promised, Tav will transportalize himself to Tavros's hive coords, before too long. He just needed a little time to change into the darkest clothing he's got, and explain the situation to Gamzee, at least in part. When he gets there... he's lowkey agitated, but also kind of grim/set about the jaw, wings giving little twitches and rustles against each other, at his back.

fiduspawnMaster

He comes in on the pad in the corner in the large open block, at first glance, there doesn’t appear to be much damage. Tavros is sitting on the loungeplank at the opposite end of the block, leaned over with his face in his hands, elbows on his knees. Coming closer, the stairwell comes into view, the first flight mostly intact, but the rest leading up to his respite block smashed to smithereens, moonlight filtering through the hole in the roof. The skylights in the ceiling are all cracked too from the impact, though none have shattered. Tavros looks up slowly from his hands, looking frustrated, but under a thick layer of exhaustion. There's still a huge, blue blood stain on the rug in the middle of the block, not really well hidden at all under the table scooted over it. "Hey.... There's, Uhm, Some seafins, waiting on the coast. I can lead you, To where they are with them... I still have some following from a distance... The, Uhh, Lowbloods are all okay, And, The dragon's on her way, Uhm, Just in case, I guess..." She didn't actually live on the surrounding plains and cliffs, so it took her a little while to fly to his hive normally.

ad1ostoreador

Is that bloodstain fresh enough to smell, still, or...? Tav is admittedly distracted first by the damage to the stairwell, and looking over Tavros for any signs of injury. "Um... yeah... that's... probably for the best. It's good that the, uh, others made it out... how many more are there?"

fiduspawnMaster

The stain is a few days old by now, nothing to do with what just happened, but part of why he's so fucking exhausted looking. "Yeah, Uh... There were three ships. The goat sunk one of the two smaller ones..." He points out towards the wall of windows across from the lounge plank, one of them being a sliding door out onto the porch. Across the field beyond the cliff, on the ocea, sat two retreating scraps of color on the horizon. "You can, Go out through there, If you can't find the seafins from here..." There were faint sparks of copper glowing in his pupils as he kept up communing with the beasts tailing the fleeing seadwellers.

ad1ostoreador

"I'll... go up to the roof, and... reach from there, I think..." He looks toward the windows, then moves to let himself carefully out onto the porch. He can pester for (and notice) details after the immediate threat is dealt with... for now, he flicks his wings out to their full spread and darts up to a perch on the rooftop, staring out over the waves and reaching his communing outward as his own eyes start to show traces of that glow. He keeps a light touch that skims over the seafins his counterpart is already communing with, not wanting to disrupt that or confuse them, and ranges further, seeking out ocean beasts anywhere in the vicinity of the ships, the bigger and fiercer the better.

fiduspawnMaster

Tavros just nods, sighing and putting his face back down in his hands. There is plenty to choose from. The sea here is alive with beasts of the fiercer variety. He's been cultivating the coastline here as a haven for them for many, many sweeps. The remaining angry goat was still around, along with a school of large lancefish and smaller ripperjaws and sawmaws. There was even a whole bed of massive gulp eels nesting in the cliffside nearby.

ad1ostoreador

Maybe it makes him bloodthirsty. Maybe it's just... transference, letting some hapless idiot pirates who shot off their cannons in the wrong direction stand in for her. But as far as he's concerned, they gave up any right to appeal for mercy when they forced lowblood kids into crewing for them. He's done making allowances for shitty highblood bullies. There are an awful lot of predators in the surrounding waters, and while his first impulse might be to simply ram the ships with the biggest of them, he also doesn't want them to have time to bring their cannons around to face what attacks them. So... he starts small. The little, flickering silver-sided algae-eaters that move in schools, starting to converge on the ships, well beneath the surface, unseen and largely unnoticed. Harmless... but beginning to swarm there... and the gentlest of touches to get the nearby predators' attention, but keep them shying clear of the growing school.

fiduspawnMaster

The seadwellers pay the swarms no mind, busy barking orders at their crew as the ships move further and further out to sea, trying to get away from the beast infested waters. There's not much hope of that though, beasts are everywhere... The smaller ship lags behind the larger one, four masted and gaudily decked out with intricate carvings and gold leafing on most surfaces. The owner of this boat was obviously a wader of excessive means.

ad1ostoreador

Really, he just doesn't want them to think a single thing of it. Nothing to see here. Just a freak migration of a mega-school, which happens to be rising closer to the surface than usual, despite the disturbances in the water caused by the passing ships above. People tend to think about communers in terms of 'talking' to beasts, which in Tavros's experience isn't at all what it's really like. They don't really talk. They feel, they have urges and instincts, and they react, and the less sentient they are, the more instantly reactive. Communing with a school of small fish (or a swarm of insects) is more a matter of gently nudging at their sense of where 'food' can be found, guiding the school up and up, until the surface of the water all around the swimming seadwellers and the lagging ship starts to churn with small fish leaping out of it, simply from the pressure of the masses swimming below. It's a matter of moments before a fish lands, flopping, on the deck of the smaller ship. Then three more, bouncing and flapping wildly across the planks. Then, dozens, and more, as the massive school beneath the surface slowly swirls. The little fish aren't big enough to pose a real threat to either ship, or the swimmers. It's the predators in pursuit of the massing food source that do, and the bigger the gathered food source, the more appealing it all looks to them. The trickiest part of it all isn't urging the fish into motion... it's keeping track of the predators to keep their bite-reflexes subdued until after he can distinguish just what they're pursuing. A gulp eel breaches first, just enough for its massive, sharp-fanged jaws to yawn open, and one of the swimming seadwellers who was nearing the side of a ship to vanish between them, shocked, along with a mouthful of tumbling fish.

fiduspawnMaster

The waders who haven't grabbed on to the sides of the smaller vessel yet cuss and hiss in confusion as they're suddenly swimming through fish instead of water, buffeted and slapped around by small, shimmery tails. The rustys on deck startle at the leaping fish, a couple bronze and burgandy's staring in confusion as a gaunt looking olive seizes the opportunity to pounce on one of the fish flopping on the deck and shove it into his mouth, tearing starving at the living flesh. The boat rocks when the gulp eel breaches the water, jaws neatly closing shut around it's prey, gullet swollen with fish and water and one unhappy passenger before constricting, a fan of water spraying up into the air over the deck as it slides back down into the water with barely a ripple. For a moment the other wader's holding onto the side blink dumbfounded through the mist and moonbows before scrambling faster up on deck, the ones still in the water flailing and slapping furiously at the fish to try to keep swimming.

ad1ostoreador

The worst part, for Tavros, is trying to track, through thousands of fish-eyes, what any of them are looking at, individually. Right now, at least, he's confident enough that the ones still in the water are pirates and not lowblood 'crew', that he doesn't hold the circling predators back. Another gulp eel snaps its jaws shut, not far away. The bereft seagoat picks off another straggler, and a flurry of ripperjaws eagerly swarm a stray limb left bobbing in a violet cloud in its wake. Fish are still flopping everywhere, slicking the decks and churning the sea's surface, so they can't tell where to fire their cannons, and their swimming targets are mostly too small to aim at, even if they could. Tavros's eyes are glowing bright enough to be seen, now, if anyone were on the roof with him, as he brushes from consciousness to consciousness, coaxing and nudging and guiding the milling beasts around the two ships, shuddering and rocking the smaller one again as a larger gulp eel swerves against the hull, somewhere beneath the surface, with a hollow thud at the impact, and the scrape of sinuous scales against wood.

fiduspawnMaster

The smallest ship is already swaying heavily from the turbulence of the school below it, a million tiny bodies together creating a considerable force, and the bump of the eel is enough to knock a pair of wader's free as the last one scrambles onto the deck. most of the crew is knocked on their asses as well, exchanging shocked looks at the bubbling screams and mayhem all around, before looking almost as one to the three highbloods left on the ship. They're outnumbered six to one at least, and in a flash the rustys are on them, grappling and trying to shove them off of the deck and into the bloody chaos of the churning waters.. There are cries as one lowblood is slashed across the face, another's arm broken and a third goes flying across the deck, but together, they manage to haul her up and sling their captors overboard with three huge splashes.

ad1ostoreador

Tavros has to piggyback off the vantage point of a circling flapbeast, overhead, to get a better view of the scene, but when he does, he grins, all fangs, and the predators abandon their interest in the smaller ship, entirely, letting it bob unmolested as fish continue to flop their way across its deck, many spilling back into the waves. The summarily demoted pirates are quickly overtaken by those circling lancefish, eager for some of the bounty. Now, there's a bigger target to pursue. And also, a dragon approaching, in the distance, which he reintroduces his mental contact to, with a polite exchange of scent-identifiers (spiced cocoa, with a peppery, citrusy note and an edge of woodsmoke) and cheerful recognition.

fiduspawnMaster

As the last wader falls onto the long spine of a waiting lancefish, a cry rises from the smaller ship, part victory, part catharsis. It's course will begin to divert, no longer following the larger vessel, which has pulled well ahead by now. It's head start would be no help in escaping the dragon, however. The large, white beast cuts through the air like a blade, pink moonlight glinting off of it's pristine hide. There is a rumbling trill of recondition, her trajectory curving with new direction to cut off the larger vessel. She was not yet as big as a five mast galleon, but she didn't need to be. This ship had only two, and her wings were easily as big as it's sails.

ad1ostoreador

The sound of wingbeats might be the last dawning dread the highbloods running the larger ship ever really have the chance to experience. So tragic, how shooting a stray seagoat in the wrong place led to a freak feeding frenzy over a fish migration route, which in turn lured a dragon out to enjoy easy pickings in the ensuing chaos. What a shame. When those running the ship give a cry of warning and attempt to order it turned hard about to bring its skyward-aimed harpoon to bear on the approaching dragon before she can draw into range for her own attacks, a gulp eel loops itself out of the water and over the very prow of the ship, one enormous eye tilted unblinking toward the moons, then disappearing under the surface again as cold scales contract in a tightening coil and the vessel sways, ungainly with the sudden weight dragging at its nose and more fish hurling themselves onto the decks in a slippery flood. There's a warning creak from the prow-mounted harpoon, built to be launched at skywhales and other aerial threats, not to sustain this sort of twisting, torquing pressure at the mount.

fiduspawnMaster

The highblood's weren't the only ones to experience this dread, the lowblood crew scrambling to their given post, if they didn't freeze up entirely at the sight of the legendary beast. There were screams as the gulp eel breached, it's great net of a jaw like a sail itself as it looped around the brow, the boat jerking as it was dragged lower in the water and tilted forward. cannons and crewmen went sliding down the deck, two unlucky souls pitching over the rail into the churning water, a bronze and a gold. The bronze at least managed to barely keep her head above water, but the psiless gold sank like a stone, unable to swim at all. Above there was a resounding crack as the embelished bowsprit snapped right off, prow crumbling under the constricting weight of the massive eel. Chunks of wood rained down into the water, nearly hitting the struggling bronze.

ad1ostoreador

His eyes flare brighter as he reaches out to calm the churning fish around them and steer the frenzied sawmaws and ripperjaws away from the two lowbloods, creating a clearer, safer path to them for the seafins that pursue the ship. From there, he brushes against the seafins' minds, leaning stronger into urgent divedive chase don't-bite when he finds little of his counterpart's presence there. The gold needs immediate help, and the bronze's situation is nearly as pressing, and Tavros bares his fangs as he juggles frenzied predators' instincts with the blind chaos of the milling school of fish and the massive bulk of the gulp eel sliding past (glide under the fallen, buoy up, don't turn and gulp, ignore these tiny thrashing figures in favor of other-better prey) and the approach of the smaller, less-bloodthirsty sea-fins.

fiduspawnMaster

Tavros comes out of his stupor somewhat as a second presence spurs the seafins on, straightening up on the loungeplank and refocusing. What was going on? People in the water? people to help. He could at least do that much. Instead of sitting there being useless. He more actively encouraged the sleek creatures onwards, hoping his alternate would be able to tell he was taking over so he could focus on all the other chaos happening. It was easy enough for the big, nimble creatures to scoop up both of the floundering lowbloods in their dexterous paws, lifting them to the surface and rolling onto their backs to carry them on their bellies away from the malestrom. More seaflips joined at the periphery, seeking other troll's that might go overboard, and there were a few, especially with the encroaching dragon. A half dozen highbloods abandoned ship, preferring to take their chances in the wild waters than with such a terrifying skybeast of legend. A couple other lowbloods toppled overboard too as the boat continued to lurch and tip forward in the water. Tavros kept his full focus on scooping up warmbloods in the water, the seafins slipping between the predators to snatch any and float them towards the distant beach.

ad1ostoreador

It helps, and his tension eases a little as the other's mental touch firms, there, and he can back off monitoring the seafins, focusing on keeping the predators in check around the panicking lowbloods, while guiding their frenzy towards the colder overseers, and merely circling those he isn't sure about, until he can get a better look at them through other eyes.

fiduspawnMaster

The ship is truly going down now as the gulp eel drags down the nose until it kisses the water. The dragon hovers above the sails, surveying the chaos as more waders are flung to the water, others clinging to the rigging and decks. Any lowbloods that hit the water are soon carried away to safety, and a handful of bronzes seem to catch on to what's happening, shouting to the others and encouraging them to jump off at one specific spot, so that only one area would need to be kept clear of predators. They quickly organize, grouping together and dragging those unwilling or afraid to toss them overboard into the waiting paws of the seafins.

ad1ostoreador

There's a channel kept largely free of predators, leading to the other, smaller ship and its mutinous warmblood crew, but the lancefish and sawmaws and a few trailing slithersnares who have drawn closer to the commotion out of curiosity unerringly pursue and drag down any officers who attempt to make that crossing. Increasingly, the only ones left on board the sinking ship are those who have built their entire trade from it and know no sort of warm reception awaits them beyond. The gulp eel's coils shift almost lazily around the destroyed prow of the ship, with another crackle of tearing wood and metal, which makes the young dragon bellow a challenge, wanting in on the excitement and smelling the panic and agitation from below. It takes more of Tavros's will, there, to urge her again to wait just a little longer, to be sure, to use her keen sense of smell to ensure no remaining captives remain trapped or chained or hiding belowdecks.

fiduspawnMaster

She growled, scenting the air as she dipped lower passes over the ship, tongue flicking out to tally every troll that had been aboard, each accounted for as presently clinging to it's deck for dear life, pools of color in the water, or fast retreating towards the other ship. No other traces remained and she roared again, the beating of her wings catching in the sails and driving the boat down further into the water. She would hold back no longer, alighting on one of the now nearly horizontal masts which groaned and creaked under her weight. She would smell this ship destroyed, and more than just smell it. Her eyes were burning with excitement from all the chaos, all the heat and light of the Alternian sun searing along the seam of her lids until they split, at last, washing the ship in scorching red that made the sodden deck steam. Roaring in imminent triumph, the lights from her eyes wavered, focusing and refocusing, a little clumsy the first time, but at last, like the suns rays focused at just the right distance through a magnifying glass, the light concentrated, condensed, and exploded in an orb of fiery heat that consumed the deck of the ship in a shower of gilt timber and flame. She was forced to catch herself on her wings as the ship fell into two pieces, masts snapping and sails catching flame as she flew higher over the devastation.

ad1ostoreador

The hard-scaled, cold bulk of the coiled gulp eel slides free of the shattered ship's prow, sinking safely back beneath the waves almost soundlessly as the ship catches alight behind it. A handful more of the upper-caste crew fling themselves free of the burning wreck, or are thrown with the explosion, but none of them will survive the waiting, circling sawmaws or smaller gulpers there, even as the massed super-school of fish begins to disperse itself naturally, darting off in a thousand different directions while the larger predators are largely preoccupied with combing the bobbing wreckage for stragglers and traces of blue and cooler in the water. Now that he's not guiding the school of prey-fish, Tavros is aware of a bit of throbbing behind his eyes, where the pressure has eased somewhat, and it's likely to get worse as he lightens more and more of the connections. He hasn't really had a reason to commune like this with such a large and varied number of beasts in a long time, and he's feeling it. He still needs to stay attentive, though, to keep any of the larger beasts from interfering with the ship that now carries the lowblood mutineers, and ensure the remaining seagoat vents its rage on wreckage and not surviving lowbloods, letting it maul at the broken-off bowsprit some distance away. Can't relax just yet.

fiduspawnMaster

Tavros keeps all his focus on the rescue, the last seafin scooping up the final lowblood onto it's belly, chittering as it swims backwards after the ship which has slowed it's retreat to allow the remaining rescued rusties to clamber aboard. A screamed cheer rings out at the explosion, anger and relief vented as the burning wreckage slips below the water. They should be safe now, sheltering below deck when the day comes, and making their way up the coast towards civilization. Perhaps some would even remain on the ship once the rest were dropped off, embrace the mutiny and freedom. No cold blooded soul will escape the jaws of the hungry beasts, even the dragon managing to poetically snap up the former captain as she curses the shitblooded scum that had to be responsible or this. When he could relax again, Tavros would be waiting for him with a mug of hot tea and downcast eyes, fangs digging at his lip as he twists the ring around his thumb. He definitely needs to thank him...

ad1ostoreador

It's a long stretch of minutes, at the very least, before Tav relinquishes the last light contact with the satisfied dragon with a warm little wash of gratitude for her, and reels back into himself fully, eyes no longer glowing at all and head well on the way to throbbing. He gingerly flies back down to the side door, and lets himself in, a little unsteady on his feet and drained. "...Hey, can I, uhhh.... just.... sit for a little bit?" He might just plunk down in a chair before Tavros has the chance to answer. (He might also catch sight of that blue stain in the process, though his pan isn't working fast enough to formulate a question yet.)

fiduspawnMaster

"Uhm, yeah, of course.... Thank you." He says as he watches him sit, carefully setting the mug within his grasp and eyeing him a moment. "Uhm... You okay? Do you... have psi strain? I, Uh, Have some medicine for that. It, Really helps with the panache." he offers, still fretting his fingers together.

ad1ostoreador

"That... is probably a thing that I have a little of, maybe, yeah," he admits, pressing the backs of his fingers on one hand to his forehead, and looking at the mug in front of him with only vague recognition. After a few moments, his other hand settles around it, and he summons enough mental energy to bring it up for a sip.

fiduspawnMaster

"Uhm, Okay, hang on..." He steps back, slipping around the corner across from his destroyed stairs into the ablution block. He returns a moment later with a glass of water and something cupped in his hand. He places the glass down next to where the mug had been and holds out his hand, a single pill resting in his palm. "Here, this will help..."

ad1ostoreador

"Thanks...." he murmurs, gingerly plucking the pill out of his palm and holding it for a few moments there, as he exchanges tea for water, and eyes the medicine. Then, he takes it, following it up with a few quick swallows, and sets the water back down in favor of pressing his condensation-cooled hand against his forehead, exhaling slowly. "...they're free now. The ones who they were... uh, keeping on their ship," he adds, a little lamely, though it's probably obvious. "...I don't know if you want to... go and meet them, or try to, um, keep anyone from knowing for sure someone helped. I think a few of them... had some experience, kind of, with communers, at least. They were... uh, making it easier."

fiduspawnMaster

He nods at the thanks and goes to sit on the loungeplank adjacent to his chair. "Yeah, I know, Uhm, I saw..." He mumbles, looking down at the floor again. "They're, uh, already heading up the coast. That's probably for the best..." he sighs, twisting at his ring again. "Did you...... Get, All of them?" He means the highbloods now, his guts twisting sick in his thorax at the lingering impressions of blood in the water.

ad1ostoreador

Tavros is quiet for a long moment, taking another sip of the water. In the moment, it was easier to immerse himself in the instincts of the predators and let them frenzy, than to really consider it deeply. And somewhere, far underneath it all, there's still the deeply buried anger he carries, about Vriska, and how easy it is to hear her shrill jeering every time he sees lowbloods cower that way, for a highblood playing out their personal dress-up power fantasy as a pirate, and how many people turned their heads and looked away. "....They, uh.... won't be hurting anyone, anymore."

fiduspawnMaster

He nods, should be relieved, but isn't. They won't be able to come back to destroy everything, destroy him, but they're also dead because of him, and that still makes his stomach feel sick and leaden. "Okay... Thank you." he says, because he should be thankful, even if all he feels is sick, sick and exhausted. He just wants to not think about any of the things that have happened in the last few days. It'll be hard though, with the stain on his rug, and now the wreckage in his stairwell...

ad1ostoreador

Part of it, for Tavros, is also that Alternia, for him, just sort of suspends emotional engagement. Of course there's a great huge messy bloodstain on the rug. It's Alternia. That's just how things are, here. He stares at it, a bit vacantly, and picks up the tea again for a drink of that, instead. "....What happened?" He motions vaguely at the stain, weary. "Did someone, uh, come scouting?"

fiduspawnMaster

His ears twitch up, snapped out of his own thoughts before angling back as the subject registers. "Oh, Uhm, No..... It was, Uh, anons I guess... They... temporarily, killed Loom, While they were, Uhm, Hanging out with me......" There's a hint of derision in his voice at the word temporarily, as if that made it okay, as if it wasn't still a horrible thing to happen to someone. He's still angry about it, and upset, sad for them, for the unfairness of it... He sighs again, closing his eyes and hanging his head. He's so tired...

ad1ostoreador

at 1:16 PM

There's a beat or two of confusion, then dismay/disgust, his ears pinning back as he eyes the spot again. "....oh. That is... um.... not a thing which I imagine anyone would... appreciate happening. Are... you okay? It's... temporary?" He's very tired of gray-magic maliciousness, temporary or otherwise. It's the kind of thing that happens, in the kind of place where a bloodstain on the rug is just another night, and he doesn't miss it at all.

fiduspawnMaster

"Yeah... Yeah..." He mumbles, scratching his claws through the stubble on the sides of his head before threading his fingers together and pushing them forward through his mowhawk, then back again. "Uhm, They said it was, Maybe only for a week? Or something? They're a ghost right now I guess..." He sighs.

ad1ostoreador

He winces a little, rubbing a hand over his face again, then going back to resting his elbows on his knees, head hanging slightly. "...That's, um, awful, still... I'm sorry..."

fiduspawnMaster

"Yeah, it is..." he agreed quietly, though thinking of Loom more than himself. His posture was similar to his alt's just taking a moment of quiet when it comes. Hopefully the medicine should be kicking in by now

ad1ostoreador

It's starting to help, at least, lessening the pounding discomfort gradually, as his ears droop further out of their back-slanted, tense state. "...are you, uh... going to be okay with..." He gestures vaguely at the cannonball where his stairs should be. "...for tonight, I mean? Until... you can get it fixed... and if we can help, or bring materials or something... let us know?"

fiduspawnMaster

He sits up a bit, glancing back over his shoulder and biting his lip. "Uh, I should be okay tolight, I think I have stuff to cover the hole anyway, And, My window is unlocked, So, I can fly up to my respite block..." He lets out a weak huff, half amused. Silly of him, still leaving his windows unlocked, at his age, as if Pupa Pan might still come to take him away. It was a habit though, one he wasn't likely to stop, and one that turned out convenient in this situation at least. "Uh, Thanks though... I guess, Wood is kind of hard for me to come by... Maybe next night? Uhm, I don't really feel like working on fixing it now..."

ad1ostoreador

"Um, yeah... not right now, for sure... you need to, uh, get some rest and stuff, too..." He's just too drained to contemplate the logistics of cutting down a tree and sawing it into planks, right now. "Gamzee wanted to... be here, but. I wanted to come. This time."

fiduspawnMaster

"Yeah, you too..." he agrees. Things could wait, he wasn't in immediate danger any more, thanks to Tav. His ears twitch a bit at the mention of Gamzee wanting to come, frowning, a little confused. "Uh, right... Uhm, Thanks again, For everything." He sighs once more, leaning back into the padding of the loungeplank some. "Uhm, I'm probably just going to lay down for a while... You can stay, Uh, Relax, Until your pan feels better if you want..."

ad1ostoreador

"It's... fine, I think I will just, um, go back, and relax there, so he isn't worrying, either...." A tired not-quite smile, and he puts down his mostly-empty mug on the table, levering himself to his feet with a rustle of his wings. "I'll, uh, let you do your resting, and... go."

fiduspawnMaster

He watches him stand, nodding and managing a tired smile. "Uh, Yeah, That would probably be good... Thank you, Again..."

ad1ostoreador

"I couldn't have... um... stood back and not..." He offers a tiny shrug, unable to explain the compulsion better than that, and turns back to the transportalizer pad, reaching for his personal device as he does. It's time to go home...

=== End.

#action post #ad1ostoreador #death #impalement #blood

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winchesters-favorite-girl · 5 years

Text

Flatline-Part Six

A/N: Jensen and his sixteen year old daughter get into an argument before she goes out for a night with some friends. A few hours later, Jensen gets a call that is going to change his family’s life forever.

Word Count: 1,428

Warnings: Car accident, angst

Masterpost

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Jensen stood in the hallway across from your room, catching glimpses of the chaos that was occurring as the hospital staff tried to restart your heart. The man who removed him from the room, whom Jensen learned his name is Lee, a a Chaplin at the hospital, remained by his side. He had tried to bring Jensen out to the waiting room but allowed Jensen to stay on the unit as long as he didn’t try to go into your room.

“What’s taking them so long?” Jensen asked in a worried tone.

“They’re doing everything they can Mr. Ackles.” Lee told him as he tried to give a reassuring smile.

Jensen continued to look forward into your room, tears forming in his eyes.

“Please don’t take her.” Jensen said to himself, hoping that whatever higher powers were out there were listening to him, “She’s too young, she has too much left to do in this world.” Everything seemed to be quiet for a moment as your father focused on his breathing, “I can’t lose her.” More silence, “I won’t survive it.”

Lee looked down at Jensen while he spoke and opened his mouth to try and console him when more movement in your room gained their attention. Hospital equipment was being moved and soon your nurse Julie was rushing out of the room and towards Jensen.

“We got her back, but the doctor wants to perform an emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on her skull. Do you consent?” She quickly asked.

“Is it going to save her life?” Jensen questioned.

“Yes.” Julie responded, glancing back at the room she needed to get back into.

“Then do it.” Jensen told her. Nodding her head Julie turned and ran back into the room to tell the other hospital staff what was happening.

“Let’s go to the waiting room, they’ll be bringing out a piece of paper for you to sign consenting to the surgery.” Lee suggested as he started to walk away.

“I wanna see her one more time.” Jensen stated, refusing to move from the spot until he saw you again. Lee didn’t say anything, instead he nodded his head and stood next to Jensen once more.

In a matter of moments you were being wheeled out of your room with hospital staff surrounding you, all of them communicating with one another about what they were doing. Jensen blinked and you were gone, down the hallway headed towards the elevators that led to the operating room.

The men were silent, Jensen was trying to wrap his mind around everything.

“Let’s go sign that paper.” Lee said, moving to walk away, “You need to tell your wife about what’s happening.”

At the mention of Danneel Jensen broke out of his thoughts, “Yeah.” He stated, nodding his head, “Let’s go.”

After signing the consent form for your surgery Jensen was led to the waiting room where different family members and friends were waiting to hear news about how you were doing. Danneel shot out of her seat when she saw her husband’s bloodshot eyes.

“Jay, what happened?” She quickly questioned as she grabbed onto his hand.

“Her heart stopped beating.” Jensen spoke in an emotionless tone, his parents, Jared, and Gino swarmming him.

“Wh-what?” Danneel whispered, gripping onto his hand even tighter.

“They got it started again and she’s in surgery right now, but-De, she died. She was dead.” Jensen’s voice cracked as he sank into a chair in the waiting room. “I was holding my little girl’s hand and she died.” Placing his hands over his face Jensen tried to pull himself together when all he wanted to do was break down.

“Honey,” Donna, Jensen’s mother spoke softly as she sat down next to him. “She’s in surgery now you said?” Nodding his head Jensen grabbed onto his mom’s hand when she offered it, “What’s the surgery for?”

“Get pressure off her brain.” Jensen replied, looking his mom in the eye which she returned with a gentle smile.

“Okay, that’s good. They’re helping her. Her body has been through a lot, but she’s young and she’s a fighter. With the doctors looking after her and how stubborn she is, she’s gonna be fine. You hear me?” She told her youngest son.

Jensen absentmindedly nodded his head, not believing what his mother was telling him.

“Jensen Ross Ackles.” Your grandmother said firmly, gaining Jensen’s full attention. “I said do you hear me? That little girl isn’t going anywhere. She’s your daughter, my granddaughter, she is a strong spirited fireball who isn’t going to give up so don’t you dare give up on her.”

Jensen looked at his mom and broke into tears, “I’m so scared Mom.” He said as he continued to cry, “I can’t lose her, she’s my babygirl and I-I-I won’t-”

“Shh, sweetheart don’t think about that.” She told him as she wrapped him in her arms, “Until a doctor comes up to you and says to give up don’t let your mind go down that path. Even if a doctor tells you to give up you tell them to shove it cause they don’t know Y/N/N and what a fighter she is. Got it?”

“Got it.” Jensen agreed, letting his mother’s words soothe him, “Y/N’s gonna be fine.”

Your family sat in the waiting room hoping for word about how your surgery went. Jared went and got coffee for everyone before he sat down with your father. They didn’t speak much. They didn’t need to. Jared being present with Jensen on the worst day of his life was enough.

“She’s gonna be fine.” Jared told his best friend after twenty minutes of silence, “She survived the wipe out of ‘10 with minimal tears and was back on the water skis in minutes. Don’t you go underestimating her now.”

A small chuckle made it’s way out with Jared’s words as your father remembered the time Jared and him brought you water skiing for the first time.

You were nervous as hell but determined to stand on your own and show everyone you could do it. By the third hour you were skiing around like a pro and gaining more confidence, which turned out to be your downfall when you made a mistake and went crashing into the water.

Jensen jumped into the water within seconds of seeing you fall and was holding onto you a few moments later.

“Hey now babygirl it’s okay, I got you.” Jensen told you while you desperately clung onto him, the fear of falling down still fresh in your mind.

“Th-that was sc-arry.” You said brokenly as tears came from your eyes. Jensen could tell you wanted to cry more but were holding back.

“It’s okay to be scared sweetheart,” He let you know, “I get scared sometimes too.”

“She okay?” Jared shouted, interrupting the conversation as he slowly pulled the boat up next to you and Jensen, the ladder next to you so you could get up.

Carefully Jensen bent your knees so that he could reach the skis that were attached to your feet. After releasing you he held onto you as he climbed the ladder and lifted you onto the boat.

“You okay sweetheart?” Jared asked as he approached you, a towel in his hand, he wrapped you up in it before doing a quick glance of your body to make sure you weren’t hurt.

“I-I’m okay.” You informed him, turning towards your dad as he engulfed you in his arms again.

“She’s okay, just a little shaken.” Jensen said, sitting down as he held you in his lap with his arms wrapped around you. Taking a deep breath he placed a long kiss on your head as he tried to calm himself down from the fear that overtook his body when he saw you disappear into the water.

“You guys wanna head back in?” Jared questioned, pointing his thumb behind him in the direction the docks were located.

“No.” You spoke before your father could, “I wanna try again.”

“You sure kiddo?” Jensen asked, “We can try again another day if you wanna go back. We can get some ice cream.”

Jared let out a small laugh at his friend who was trying to bribe you with ice cream so they could go back but Jared knew what he was doing; Jensen was still freaked out and didn’t want to risk it again.

“I’m sure Daddy, I wanna do it again.”

“That kid has always had more guts and been stronger than either of us combined. She’s gonna be fine.” Jared told his best friend, “She has to be.”

(Text divider by @writeyourmindaway)

#jensen x reader #ackles daughter #jensen x daughter!reader #winchester daughter #jared x reader #i'm falling apart #real person fanfic #real person fanfiction #katie writes

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chaoticneutralwriter · 5 years

Text

Thirty Second Heartbreak

You think you’re doing pretty well for a human being who has to deal with two demonic entities in your life, to the point where you think you’ve become unfazed by them (maybe even prefer them over dealing with the arguably more trivial things in your life, like working customer service). But alas, you are still only human and humans grieve over the darnest things.

guardian demon! Jimin x reader

genre: fluff, comedy, slice of life, supernatural, aspects of slow burn

word count: 8.6k

Related works: see masterlist under guardian demon!jimin section

Story progression from Worlds Collide

A/N: Oh my God, the struggle to start this was fdskgh but probably because there was no way I could avoid a more ‘slower’ installment this time compared to the previous ones. BUT! All necessary! Don’t want to jump to the....exciting bits so soon. :D I hope you enjoy...while you can. (LOLL i kid idk i’m just gassing yall up).

The sound of the door unlocking, opening and then closing brings your attention away from your screen momentarily, spotting the familiar figure of Jaehee as she throws her shoes off, clearly disgruntled. You turn back to the video you’re watching just as she ambles over to your place on the living couch, collapsing onto the other end in a mess of limbs.

Taking out an earbud, you comment. “You look like you’ve been through hell.”

“Ugh don’t even get me started.” She groans back, rubbing at her temple before she spills her guts. “I’ve been trying to help Jason look for a place with his roommate since the place they’re renting now is so dingy. I don’t know how many viewings I’ve been to now but every time I think we’ve found a decent enough place, they complain about the stupidest thing!”

“Such as?”

“How it’s ‘too far’ from their school and work.” She air quotes it before squawking incredulously. “It’s literally a five minute bus ride away! How is that far?!”

You snort with a shake of your head. “Yeah, that’s like, nothing? What are they expecting, especially living in the city here?”

  “Exactly! Not only did they want to a nice, cheap place but somewhere close to one of the busiest parts of the city? Nah uh, not happening.”

“So? What are you gonna do about it?”

Jaehee lets out a heavy sigh, exasperation lacing her every word as she lets her head flop back against the couch. “They still haven’t decided on a place, and I’m making his roommate look for some himself but they got about half a month left to find one because the idiot—!” She interrupts herself by making a strangled, growling noise that expresses her restrained frustration (for her boyfriend or his roommate, you’re not too sure at this point), “Put in his notice already! Like I get you have to let the landlord know two weeks ahead of time but were they really that confident in finding a place by then?!”

You grimace at your friend’s predicament because it really does sound like a pain in the ass.

“You working any time this week?” Jaehee asks after a moment. You pause your video to think about it.

“Hmm, I only work this Tuesday and Wednesday. Why?”

“Let’s go out for lunch or something — check out some of the cafes I have saved from Instagram.”

You hum in consent; it’s been a while since you’ve been out (besides for work) anyways so you’re okay with a little outing. “Sure, how about this weekend?”

“Sounds good!”

“Have a good day!” You say cheerily, waving off the customer you just cashed out. As soon as they’ve walked away from your register, your smile immediately drops, eyes whipping to the time before immediately you’re pressing the button for the mic on your radio. “I’m going to take my break. The line’s dead.”

“Yeah go ahead, Alicia will cover you.”

“Thanks.”

You don’t hesitate to speed walk out from behind the cashier counter and beeline your way to the very back of the store where the staff lunchroom is, all the while dodging the few customers lingering in your path. You will not be stopped here if you can so help it. Punching in the code on the security pad in record timing, you fling open the door while tearing the earpiece off to place on the communal table then heading over to the fridge to grab the large iced latte you had bought before going into your shift today.

And thank god you did because you don’t think you would be able to make it through the day without it. It’s your first shift of the week and being that it fell on a weekday, the store isn’t so busy. It’s great on your part because then you don’t have to deal with talking to customers and putting up a fake smile but it makes for the shift, however short it may be, feel ten times longer than it is.

You’re only here for four and a half hours but you already feel like dying.

As you settle into a chair, you pull out your phone to scroll through your social medias as well as take the time to reply to messages in your group chat. You’re sipping on your drink when a sudden chill overtakes the room. Before you can so much as shiver, a voice nearly makes you shriek.

“So this is where you work? Man, how depressing.”

You nearly fall off your chair at how hard you flinched, managing to stifle your would-be shriek into a more controlled yelp. It’s only when you recover were you able to shoot the intruder a hard glare.

“Jungkook! What are you doing here?!” You hiss, trying to keep your voice down. The offending demon merely shrugs nonchalantly from across you, leaning back in his own seat in a very impossible way where he should’ve tipped over but he doesn’t.

“I was bored and decided to follow you — find out any of your dark secrets you might be hiding.”

“You know even Jimin doesn’t stalk me as much as you’re doing right now.”

“He’s boring; doesn’t know how to have fun anymore.” Jungkook sighs almost tragically as he gets up to stride around the room. You watch, a little thrown off by the juxtapose this demon-disguised-as-an-idol has to his surroundings. He’s got on a black hoodie that has bold white letters on the front that spell out Balenciaga, Kappa sweatpants and Puma runners; casual yet so bougie at the same time, it’s painfully obvious that Jungkook does not belong here, a lunchroom of a minimum wage job and that’s not taking into account his good looks either.

You sigh out in both annoyance at the scene and at Jungkook’s unannounced appearance.

“Look, I don’t have time to entertain you so I think it’s best if you —“

It’s quiet but you distinctly hear the trill of the lock pad being woken up and the numbers being punched in, announcing the arrival of a co-worker. You immediately clamp your mouth shut, eyes darting to see who would walk through the door. Not like it would matter because the more worrying issue here is that Jungkook has not left yet. The door clicks open and in walks Emily, a girl who usually helps out around the floor.

“Hey!” She greets you cheerily, none the wiser of the demon standing just mere feet in front of her.

“H-Hey…” You reply back, trying hard to be casual and maintain your attention on her rather than on Jungkook who’s grinning so widely, you think his cheeks would split. “Done for the day?”

“Yeah, thank god! I’ve been here since twelve.”

“Wow….but lucky you, at least you’re leaving.”

It’s currently seven in the evening, you started at five today and are scheduled until closing which was nine-thirty. You envy her for getting to leave, regardless of your otherwise short shift. Emily clocks out at the computer, taking off her work vest, walkie and headset, placing them back in the appropriate charge holders. It’s then that Jungkook decides to saunter over, silent as a ghost to peer curiously at the equipment and hover over your co-worker as she opens her locker to grab her bag and other belongings.

You try to grab his attention to get back, facial expression doing the talking for you but all he does is bunny grin at your cartoonishly angry faces.

“You’re part of the closing team today right?”

You instantly school your expression as Emily shuts her cubby locker, turning your way to head over to the wall hooks to grab her jacket.

“Y-Yeah. I hope we get out early since everyone’s been working on the go-backs as much as they can so cleaning shouldn’t be so bad…” Your voice comes out higher than normal, and though you technically have nothing to worry about (his demon visa only allows for you and supernatural beings to see him after all), it’s still hard to ignore a begrudgingly handsome 5’10” man. Actually, you think it’s even more frustrating because you’re the only one who can see him. And that doesn’t add to the fact that he’s being a total little shit right now — what is he doing with those radios? You try to subtly lean your head to get a better look but your co-worker speaks, pulling your gaze away from the mischievous demon.

“Yeah, it has been pretty slow too but you know how it gets when we’re just about to close; they all come swarming into the place out of nowhere.”

“Damn it you’re right….” You groan, the thought effectively distracts you from your demon problem momentarily. You let your head flop back, eyes looking skyward as if to pray to the retail Gods to have mercy. Emily pulls on her jacket, fixing it into place while slinging her bag over her shoulder to throw one last pitying look your way.

“Well, fingers crossed it doesn’t happen. I’ll see you—“

A piercing screech erupts in the room, causing both of you to wince and whip your head towards the rows of radios by the computer desk. Emily’s confused while you’re not impressed because she can’t see the stupid, wide eyed look Jungkook has on his face, mouth shaped into a perfect ‘O’ and looking like he just discovered the next best thing after Nutella, finger poised just inches from a walkie.

“Did someone forget to turn off their radio? That was a nasty feedback.” Emily remarks, shuffling over to take a quick peek only to walk away with a puzzled shake of her head. “Weird.”

“Y-Yeah…” You agree uneasily, shooting up from your seat and attempting to change the subject. “Weird—anyways! I should probably head back out there, get this done and over with.”

“Ha ha, yeah you’re right. I need to get going too; I’ll see tomorrow then!” Emily smiles, waving at you before she hurries out the door, finally leaving you to be able to openly glare at Jungkook.

“What did you do?!” You hiss, pulling on your own walkie and shoving your phone away into your back pocket.

“I don’t know! But it was cool!” He squeals, giddy as a kid on Christmas. It makes your head begin to pound and you just know that you’ll end up with a headache if you stay here any longer. But the conundrum here is that you don’t want to leave to finish the remainder of your shift, and not because you don’t want to work. No, you’ve found yourself a bigger problem.

“Look,” You say sternly, “I better not see you in and around the store doing…whatever the hell you just did there!”

“Hmm, can’t promise you that poppet.” Jungkook grins, wiggling his eyebrows. “I’m a free demon, tied down by no contract or mortal so you have no power over me.”

You huff, aghast at his declaration because you cannot have him running around causing a mess in the store (that’s more work for you!). Your mind races before the thought strikes you and you stick your nose in the air, challenging. “I’ll tell Jimin.”

You almost smirk in triumph at the way Jungkook’s snarky grin falters, eyes flickering as you see him consider his options and when you think you got him beat, he squares up again, mirroring your stance only it’s annoyingly more effective with his height advantage.

“Go ahead — I’ll have you know that he loves me too much to do serious harm to me.”

You don’t know if he’s bluffing or not but you really have no time for this; you already hear your manager asking if you’re back from your break yet over your headset. You answer that you’re on your way back out now before shooting Jungkook one last warning glare.

“Just. Leave. Or at least stay here!”

His only response is to continue to look like that meme of the cat with a knife pointed at it. Begrudgingly, you turn to leave, already feeling your blood pressure skyrocket.

You continue to work as the cashier for the remainder of the night, keeping up an impressive front that everything is fine and you’re not beside yourself with anxiety at the thought of whether that troublemaker of a demon had pity on you to leave you alone or not. So far, you’ve not heard a peep of any supernatural business coming from anywhere around the store. Your hope runs higher once the clock reaches nine and you only have half an hour left on shift to clean up with your co-workers before you can finally head home.

“Alright guys, how are you sections doing?” You hear your on-duty manager ask over the radio.

“Still got some stuff to put back.” Someone replies.

“Any up at the front?”

You turn your gaze from dumping the trash in the smaller bins by each register into the larger garbage bag, bringing up your mic to speak into, “There’s a couple of stuff here.”

“I’ll go grab them.”

Things were going pretty well, you manage to finish emptying the trash bins and as you’re tying the bag up, that’s when you hear it — a static noise coming through your headset but before you can make anything of it, it’s gone. Not a minute later you hear one of your co-workers, Daniel, say over the headset, “Stephanie where are you?”

“I’m in aisle 48, why?”

“Did you say you need help?”

“….No?”

A pause.

“….Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then who said they needed help then?”

You chime in after a moment of your own puzzlement. “No one said they needed help.”

“Yeah I didn’t hear anyone say they needed help.” Your manager adds in as well too. You see her coming up to where you’re standing by the return bins behind the register, shooting you her own pinched look of confusion. You can only shrug, just as lost.

“I swear I heard someone say they needed help….Or I’m going crazy.” Daniel responds, sounding unsettled. You honestly don’t know what to make of it either…..unless……

“I think the store might be haunted.” Your manager comments as she begins to unload the assortment of items left in the return bins.

“…..What makes you say that?” You ask nervously though the thought of a possible poltergeist isn’t what got you sweating.

“The last store I worked at, we actually had some unexplained things happen — all caught on camera by the way. Like, stuff being knocked over with no one there to cause it, or hearing people when there’s no one there just like now.” She says this all in a really light-hearted tone, even adds in, giggling, “Whenever we had to close the store, everyone would be so scared to go to the back by themselves; we would all just move in a group.”

You give your own stiff laugh, glancing out onto the store floor in hopes that a certain demon didn’t hear that and get any ideas. Your manager shuffles off with the items in a cart, off to put them back in their appropriate spots which allows for you to begin dragging the garbage bag and grab the handful of damaged items to put in the back. You nearly break out into a run to get these tasks done because your mind is set on another goal: find out where the hell Jungkook had gone off to.

You pass by Daniel who, on meeting your eyes, only shakes his head in disbelief, still not over what had just happened.

“I swear I heard someone….” He begins to defend himself and though you would’ve loved to validate him that it’s most likely true, you don’t for various reasons.

“I think that’s a sign that we should all go home soon.” You teasingly say instead. He laughs as you scurry past him to fling back the ‘Employees Only’ double doors, throw the trash bag by the door that lead out to the dumpster and deposit the damaged items in the designated racks. You swear you do it in record timing, you’re left slightly panting by the time you barrel out of the flapping doors of the back room area, but before you can begin to think of where one might find a demon lurking in a department store, you hear a loud crash.

“What was that?” Your manager asks over walkie.

“I don’t know, but something big fell over around aisle 50-56….”

You hurry on over to the scene of the crime, arriving fourth among your co-workers who had thought to do the same thing. From the end of aisles 52, you hear a very loud gasp, followed by a barrage of concerned remarks.

“Oh my God, what is this even doing here?!”

“Didn’t we sell this?”

 “Okay, I’m low-key a little spooked and it doesn’t help that this was the Halloween decoration.”

Sure enough, your eyes travel downwards to see a massive dark shape lying on the ground. Once you’ve approached the group, they’ve already propped it back up again to reveal that it was a six feet tall witch, abnormally pallid face haggard and twisted into a wicked, gnarled grin, complete with rows of sharp teeth and wispy, long white hair. You grimace, metaphorical hackles raised as you stand at a safe distance away from her outstretched, clawed hands. You’re not a big fan of anything horror to begin with, but at least before, you would’ve still been assured that this was just a mannequin-like, overgrown store centrepiece …..and not something that could possibly be possessed if given the chance.

That being said, your eyes nervously dart around but find no signs of the demon on the loose.

“Rachel, didn’t we move this to the back? What’s it doing out here still?” Daniel asks your approaching manager on duty.

“I….thought so too?” is her puzzled reply. She does a once over on the witch, trying to think of whether or not maybe the other managers have forgotten about it and had left her here in the corner to rot but it all doesn’t seem plausible; the store is very strict on moving out seasonal items once the occasion is over and Halloween was well over at this point.

After coming up short on an explanation, Rachel shrugs, “Either way, we have to move it to the back. It doesn’t belong here anymore. Anthony and Daniel can you do two do that while we do final touches?”

“Sure.” 

“Yeah.”

Your two male co-workers go to grab a side on the witch to lift her up but as soon as they touch her, she comes to life, shrieking and cackling while waving her arms around and everyone present find themselves shrieking along with her.

“OH MY GOD!!!” Stephanie wails, hand pressed over her heart. “I NEARLY FUCKING DIED!!”

You can’t voice your own agreement with her, too preoccupied trying to calm your own racing heart after nearly jumping into the shelves of clothes behind you. Amidst the loud complaints of the near death experience, you faintly hear another set of cackling that wasn’t coming from the witch. Rachel eventually reels everyone back in once everyone’s general panic has died down to hearty laughs. The boys get set back to the original task and the rest of you were given the duty to put back the remaining straggler of items from the return bins earlier.

But once again, not even a minute goes by before you hear another startled shout coming from back room.

“Guys everything okay?” You hear Rachel ask over walkie.

“Oh my God, I think this store might actually be haunted!” Daniel’s voice cuts through, pitch a tad high from whatever encounter he just had. “The lights just turned off in here, we’re leaving right. NOW.”

You distantly hear a swoosh of air from the force the back doors swing open, followed by a garble mixture of nervous laughing and rapid talking.

“Okay guys if everything’s fairly clean then we can definitely head out now and put the remainder of the stuff back early morning.”

You check your watch and see that it’s 9:15, which by your work standard is a way early wrap up time for a closing shift — but you’re not about to complain. You’ve got a demon to catch and the faster you get out here, the better. So you race back to the lunchroom where mostly everyone was already gathered, taking off their headset, vests, and clocking out on the computer before grabbing their things from their cubby lockers.

“You need to get a priest in here and bless this place or something Rachel.” Daniel half jokes but you think underneath it all, he’s actually pretty serious. Everyone else seems to agree and you can only offer a wry smile, not sure if that would actually keep Jungkook away from causing any more trouble, or if an exorcist is a better option. Either way, everyone seems more antsier to leave than usual, even if they seem like they’re not taking these supernatural activities too seriously. You all move out of the lunchroom in a group, hastily making your way to the front entrance in hopes that you don’t encounter any more spooks. Your manager reaches up to the panel by the sliding doors, punching in the alarm code with speedy fingers and once the initial beep has sounded, she pulls open the doors and everyone goes rushing out into the cool night air.

“Goodnight everyone!” You hear a chorus voices call out and you return your own before you start making your way to the bus stop, bag strap clutching tightly in your grip. You arrive to the little shelter, huddling yourself into the seat in the farthest corner, leg bouncing in a mixture of impatience and jitters. Naturally, you swivel your head to either side of you to check on your surroundings but find that no other soul to be approaching or presently with you. You swallow, breathing out deeply while rolling your shoulders a little to finally settle back in your seat. Maybe Jungkook got bored after everyone left the store, off to find some other unfortunate being to —

“Y/N!”

“GYAK—GOD!”

The brunette throws his head back to let out a boisterous laugh, leaving you practically clinging to the bus advertisement panel for dear life. After a few breaths, you shake yourself from your frozen state to shove Jungkook by the shoulder. He only continues to laugh, clutching his sides and curling up on himself.

“You—! That was you in the store wasn’t it?!” You accuse right off the bat, eyes glaring as he calms himself finally to breathy giggles. Once he’s reigned in those too, he looks at you square in the face, dead serious.

“No, it was bloody Mary, come back to take revenge because you didn’t let her use her coupon six times.”

Your mouth hangs agape, so caught off guard by his answer but when it actually registers, you wheeze. Now it’s your turn to throw your head back and laugh. Vaguely, you remember that you probably look really crazy right now because no one other than yourself can see Jungkook, sitting beside you but you don’t care; it’s late and if anyone has caught sight of it then all the more reason for them to leave you alone, just like how you want it. Eventually, you calm yourself, catching your breath and with a sniffle, you half-heartedly slap the demon’s arm.

“You’re awful.” You say weakly, failing to keep the lingering mirth out of your voice. “You didn’t have to scare my co-workers and in turn, me, half to death.”

“But it got you out early, didn’t it?”

You go to argue but find that you can’t. Jungkook sees and isn’t afraid to let you know he’s got you beat with a smug smirk and quirked eyebrow.

Well played, you think, well played.

The weekend couldn’t come any sooner and you find the joy in not having to set up an alarm all the more sweeter. It puts you in a better mood knowing that you can finally sleep in and wake up when you actually feel rejuvenated enough. Which is why you’re feeling more energized to be out and about with Jaehee as you two make your way to one of the cafes she had bookmarked. It took a bit of searching (the cafe, evidently enough, was located on the other side of the plaza you were in, facing out towards the busy roads rather than grouped together in the inner circle like the rest of the other establishments), but you were settled into a cozy cute booth of the aesthetically pleasing cafe, iced latte and an assortment of fancy pastries to try out in no time.

You and Jaehee catch up for the first couple of minutes while sampling the little cakes in between conversations. After you finish two of the four you both bought, you ask Jaehee about her impromptu real estate agent job she’s taken on for her boyfriend and his roommate. Instantly, she lets out a groan of irritation at the mere memory of it.

“God, it’s still a mess. I actually have a scheduled viewing later today; I was wondering if you’re okay to tag along. It won’t take long.”

You nod your head, sipping on your latte. “Yeah it’s fine, I don’t got anything else planned for the day.”

Jaehee nods, slouching in her seat a bit as she pulls out her phone. “Good, I might just need the moral support. Like, the roommate was also supposed to come too since Jason’s at work and because, well, he’s the one looking for a place right?! But ugh! He’s like, ‘I’m too lazy’. I’m ‘bout to drag his ass if I have to at this point.”

“Gosh, you’re honestly doing the most right now and I don’t even know what for.” You say, frowning at how this situation sounds to be more and more of headache the more she talked about it. That’s what you kind of admire about Jaehee; she’s willing to go through such lengths for the people she cares about the most but at the same time, you really wished she knew when it starts to get too ridiculous. Even if he was busy with work and school, Jason or at least his roommate should still try to make an effort in apartment hunting instead of leaving it all to Jaehee (regardless of any amount of compensation that was probably offered).

“I know, it’s because they think they can get a place so easily when it comes down to it but it’s not. Like, we were lucky enough to score the place we live in now but that was before the housing market really went to shit.” She says, firing off a text message (most likely to her boyfriend’s roommate). “I honestly would’ve left it up to them too but….” Jaehee grimaces with a shake of her head. “Some of the places his roommate sent to me to check were so sub par for the offered price, like, you can get a much better place for the same price and also if they’re willing to dish out another $75 on top of their budget.”

“Huh.” You reply, not sure what to say to that but also thinking that the whole situation speaks for itself. You’re low-key glad that it’s not you that has to deal with this all, considering the fact that you have enough on your plate. On second thought, you think crazily enough, having to deal with two demons doesn’t seem so bad compared to what Jaehee’s doing — at least they leave you alone for the most part, save for Jungkook’s random bouts of shit disturbing but overall, they’re not bad company; just enough spice to your otherwise mundane life. The notion makes a wry smile begin to tug at the corner of your lips.

“By the way, how’s it going with Julien?”

“Huh? Wh— Oh! Yeah, Julien….Um…Good? I guess?”

Things have been….interesting between you and Jimin. He still goes out nightly to do….God knows what but you’d rather remain ignorant to whatever demonic activities he gets up to but when he does come around to pester you, it’s very much ‘the usual’; a lot of bickering and pranking (mainly on his part) where often times it leaves you fuming and red-faced and him smirking triumphantly or in a fit of giggles. Despite your indignation though, you surprisingly don’t mind it….that much. It’s a weird push and pull with you two, where even though it seems like he shows up just to judge your choices, poke fun at your human first world problems, you’ll still be able to find him standing at the end of your street, waiting to walk you back home after a late night shift so that you don’t have to face the convenience store corner alone without fail. On the rarer occasions, you’ve caught him humming parts of the ‘The Truth Untold’ during late night showers where you wake to get yourself a glass of water and the first time you did, you had stood in the hallway, completely mesmerized (you told yourself it was the good acoustics, you know, to help you sleep at night).

A puff of air releases from your nose quietly, unconsciously; the beginnings of a chortle bubbling up in your chest as you muse about your aloof guardian demon who looks like your idol crush. He’s started out to be such an anomaly, a disturbance to your normalcy, but now, you’re starting to see how interwoven he’s become in your life — settling into an empty space you hadn’t quite noticed until now and making it into his own.

“Uh…Y/N? You okay?”

“Huh….?”

“You like, spaced out on me.”

“O-Oh…Sorry, was just thinking about something…”

“Julien….?” Jaehee teases with a waggles of her eyebrows.

“Oh my God, you’re annoying.”

Jaehee only laughs, scooping up another forkful of the pink decorated cake. “We should finish up here and get going, I’ve finally convinced Jason’s roommate to get his lazy ass up and go to this viewing with us so we gotta go meet up with him.”

“Yeah, sure.”

You both finish off the rest of the cakes and you your latte before leaving the cute little cafe. After a quick subway ride, you arrive in the area where Jason’s university is; a hub of students walking around either on campus or around the neighbouring streets leading to downtown. You and Jaehee head off in the direction where a small residential area is located by the school, just a block around the corner, an admittedly convenient place to live in for those attending the school but also understandably not the best of living spaces. Right off the bat, you could tell that this is a very old neighbourhood, one that has probably been around since the building of the university. Many of the small bungalows look cramped beside each other with their collective, muted grey, brown and off white colour schemes, facing out with even smaller yards with overgrown lawns and low chain linked fences, all rusted and has seen better days.

Subsequently, Jason’s place falls in with the monogamous look the neighbourhood has taken and you can’t help but grimace when you and Jaehee step up the small wooden patio of the front entrance, noticing how badly chipped the white paint is. It makes you wonder if the interior is as dismal as the exterior, and if that was the case, then you can see the reason why they would want to find a new place despite how convenient the location is.

Jaehee gives the doorbell a ring, quickly growing impatient as a minute passes and your third companion doesn’t answer the door. You shift idly in place, but then decide against it as a loud creak gives off from the old wood — best to stand still lest you wanted the entire patio to give out on you, seeing that it very well may if you so much as sneeze on it. You both wait a bit more until finally you hear shuffling from inside and the locks click, door finally swinging open to reveal what you assume to be Jason’s roommate.

Personally, you’ve never met him until this moment but you can’t help being a little bemused; the guy looked like he straight just rolled out of bed and put on the nearest clothes he could grab.

“Took you long enough Henry.” Jaehee snaps, already heading back down the steps towards the little driveway. You follow after her without so much of a word or second glance at the male to see if he would follow.  “We need to start heading to the viewing, it’s literally just down another block across the street.”

“I just got up…”

Well that solves that mystery, you think wryly. You stop by Jaehee’s side as she stands at the end of the driveway, looking back to see Henry locking the front door and closing the screen one in front of it afterwards. He shuffles on down in his sweatpants and university hoodie, ball cap on over his head to no doubt hide any unruly bed hair. It makes you glance down at your own outfit for the day through the lenses of your shades, it’s one of those days where you’re actually coordinated and looking pretty cute, if you do say so yourself (self pat on the back).

When he finally catches up to you, Jaehee takes the time to formally introduce you. “This is my bestie and roommate, Y/N.”

“Hello, nice to meet you.” Henry greets, offering a small smile. You return it with a simple hi and a small wave before Jaehee ushers the both of you to start making your way. The weather is nice and clear, sun beaming in a fairly cloudless sky but has yet to reach the point where you can feel the heat bearing down on you. A perfect temperature where it’s not too hot, not too cold and all you need is a light jacket. The air feels fresh, promised with the coming of spring soon along with the budding of leaves sprinkled on the branches of the trees you pass by. You inhale deeply, enjoying the breeze and the way the sunshine makes everything seem a little more vibrant.

You take it back when you reach the so-called apartment. Well, you had expected it to be an apartment but it’s another one of those small bungalow houses, the only difference is that this one is a lot better kept on the outside; grass trimmed with a small garden and even had an overhang on the side that separates the garage, leading to what you assume is the backyard. You spot a figure standing on the sidewalk just outside the home, in the middle of stubbing out a cigarette. It made you and Jaehee pause to look at each other, wondering if this is the owner waiting on you to arrive. It’s Jaehee that speaks up first.

“Hi there, we’re here for the viewing…?”

The man turns, lanky with a scruffy beard, dressed in a plain grey t-shirt and jeans with a baseball cap. He gives you both a wry smile.

“Funny, because so am I. It seems that the guy is showing someone else around right now.”

“Oh! Okay…”

And so you have no choice but to wait around outside until the person who had arrived first was finished with their viewing. It doesn’t leave much for you to do, and you find yourself pulling out your phone to scroll idly through your social medias. You get pulled into conversations with the other two but for the most part, Jaehee and Henry are discussing about other possible viewings they should see with Jaehee pushing Henry (and through him, Jason) to get some of the required paperwork when signing the rent for a place (i.e. credit scores).

You’re bored by the time the man in the grey t-shirt gets his turn. Sighing, you tuck your phone back into your pocket and glance around, actually seeing more people approaching the home most likely for a viewing as well. As your eyes scan over the patrons, they lock onto a figure standing right across the street from you, casually leaning against a lamp post, staring right at you through their own pair of dark shades. You had to lower your own to make sure you weren’t seeing things but nope, there he is, in all of his dark denim glory and you just know he’s smirking (honestly when is he not). Before you can even sputter, you see him reach into his back pocket, pulling out his phone and fingers making quick work on it. Not a moment later, your own phone vibrates.

It’s only then that you tear your gaze away to avoid looking suspicious (or crazy, who knows; you can never tell if you’re the only one who sees him or not), pulling out your own phone to see a text notification. You swipe your lock pattern, quickly tapping to open the message.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

You hate how you just read that in his voice, teasing lilt spot on. Your fingers fly to reply back.

“I should be asking you that, aren’t you allergic to the sun nowadays?”

Instinctively, you glance back at him to see his reaction but should’ve known to be disappointed because he only coolly inclines his head downwards to read your text off his phone before you see deft fingers work on a reply.

“I’m a demon, not a vampire. Besides, what is this haunting of a department store I keep hearing about going around?”

You suck in a breath, glancing up nervously to see if he’s caught wind (being a demon and all). You duck down when you catch sight of the those dark shades locking onto you, even when you can’t even see his piercing eyes behind the lenses. You could only hope your own shades hide the way your eyes shift briefly with unease.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about but considering the fact that I have a literal guardian demon, this shouldn’t even be that concerning?”

“Y/N! It’s our turn now!” Jaehee calls, pulling your attention away from the demon.

“Oh, yeah coming!” You scurry after the duo who had walked up the length of the driveway to meet with the agent doing the viewing. He introduces himself, shakes all of your hands and then leads you under the overhang to a door on the side of the house. Upon opening it, you realize that the space up for rent was the finished basement of the home, not the actual house itself as the door leads to a pair of stairs going downwards and straight into a small, tiled kitchen. It’s simple, open spaced with two bedrooms (one on each side of the living room area), one bathroom down the hallway leading from the kitchen and a laundry room. It’s adequate enough for two male students to live in.

Jaehee seems to think the same, nodding her head in approval as she directs Henry to ‘take a good look’ around. You hang off near the entrance seeing as how you’re just here for the shits and giggles, which allows for you to resume your conversation with Jimin. When you pull out your phone, you see a string of messages.

“You’re funny doll but you’re not dumb.

This has Jungkook’s name written all over it.

So have you been talking to that brat? I thought I told you not to.”

You roll your eyes, shooting off a reply.

“Hey man, he’s the one who follows me. Not like I willingly go out and look for him.

If it bothers you so much, then why don’t you just do some demon voodoo magic to ward him off?”

You don’t get an immediate response and it makes you smirk triumphantly for once. Yeah, you know him by now that whenever he brings up Jungkook and how you should stay away from him, his tone never gets stern enough to where he would personally go out and burn the younger demon with hell fire. In fact, you want to go as far as to say he’s using Jungkook as an extension of keeping his eye on you without actually having to constantly shadow you. You don’t mind, but you still find it funny that as loathing as he seems to be of his junior, Jimin undeniably has a soft spot for him…. or at least some semblance of trust, which is a good sign right?

Your phone vibrates and you glance down to read the new texts.

“What are you even doing there anyways? Don’t tell me you’re downgrading….

Please don’t.

No offence but this house looks ugly and I just saw you go through a side door that leads down to the basement of it.

That’s never a good sign.”

You actually snort to yourself, smile wide on your face as you go to reply but then back track a couple of times, debating on whether or not you should take this opportunity to mess with him. Unfortunately before you get the chance to decide, Jaehee, Henry and the sales agent are shuffling over to where you’re standing, looking about ready to leave.

“So I will definitely send you the paperwork that you need to fill out through the email you gave me and if you have any questions, feel free to email me as well.”

“Sounds good! Thank you so much!” Jaehee smiles, nodding to the agent before turning to you. “We’re ready to go, sorry if you got bored.”

“Nah, it’s all good.” You reassure as you follow her out with Henry. When you emerge back outside, your eyes instinctively go to the lamp post where you last saw your guardian demon, but find that he’s no longer there. Figures.

You shrug it off (you’ll probably see him later tonight anyways), turning back to Jaehee who’s talking to Henry about how they should take the place because this is the best one she’s seen so far in terms of meeting their requirements. Henry nods, seemingly agreeing with her and says he would let Jason know about it. The look of relief washes over your friend instantaneously and you just know that she’s glad that this headache will be settled once and for all.

“Make sure you tell him! You guys seriously only have less than half a month left before you get evicted!”

“Okay, okay!” Henry’s smiling good-naturedly, clearly not letting that looming fact dampen his spirits. It’s commendable because if it were you, you would be a hair away from a mental breakdown. His easy-going response makes Jaehee’s smile falter a little and you can only send a helpless sorry look to her; seems like she’s not quite out of the woods yet.

“Anyways, we’re gonna head home now since all of this has made me tired so bye.” She’s turning away in a huff, not so much as another glance at Henry. You smile awkwardly, sending a hesitant wave before following after your friend.

“I swear to God they better take that place like, I’m so over everything.” You hear Jaehee mutter under her breath as she rapidly types out a message, probably to Jason because you get the feeling that she’s lost faith in Henry to do something as simple as that.

“I think it’s a pretty good place for them too. And it’s only slightly farther from where they live right now anyways so there shouldn’t be any commuting ‘problems’.” You add in half to placate her and half in honesty.

“Exactly, and the rent is around what they pay for already.”

Your discussion carries on to Jaehee telling you about the places she has seen in the past weeks (quote, ‘it was the saddest and dinkiest place I’ve ever seen’) to how she’s also received some pretty shady emails from landlords about possible viewings. You make it back home in no time, the both of you taking off into your rooms to change into something more comfortable as well as wipe off all your make-up. No sooner had you closed your bedroom door and flopped back onto your bed, flinging your bag and sunglasses off to the end of your bed, completely worn out for the day did a familiar face pop up to hover over yours, brown eyes looking none too pleased, arms crossed. It’s then you realize he’s lost the dark denim jacket you last saw him in, revealing the simple black fitted t-shirt underneath, which showed off nicely toned biceps. His sudden appearance had made you flinch in surprise, but find that you’re too tired to care, settling back into your mattress unperturbed.

“You never answered my question.”

“Hello Jimin, I’m doing great too.”

“Not funny. I need to know so I can make sure I won’t be caught dead going into a shack of a house.”

His words make you perk up, giving him a cheeky look. “So if I said I was downgrading, you’ll move out?”

The words fly out of your mouth before you even register what you just said. For a fleeting moment, Jimin’s face takes on an unreadable expression but it was enough for a dull ache to start blooming in your chest and in its centre, regret. It was meant to be a light-hearted, teasing jab, like the ones you always engage in with Jimin but you find yourself wanting to backtrack because, even when you won’t admit it out loud, you don’t actually mean it. Besides, it’s not like you see him on a daily basis to begin with, so you’re not particularly sick of seeing his face every day…. And last you heard, demons don’t need sleep so what’s the point in getting his own place when he won’t even use it that often?

You’re about a breath away from blurting out your own poorly constructed ‘psyche!’ moment when, in a blink of an eye, the air around him shifts, a dangerous gleam in his gaze. He moves slowly, deliberately, arms uncoiling like a snake ready to strike and it makes you tense up, effectively pulling you out of your head. His hands come down on either side of your head, caging you in as he lets out a dark, breathy chuckle.

“Oh, my darling Y/N….” He leans in close, voice but a low rasp that actually sends goosebumps along your skin. “Have you forgotten that it was you who bound your soul to me?”

Oh shoot…. By technicality, he’s right; as if you can even forget about the night you first met him anyways. You have no arguments there, and his smirk widens knowingly as he watches you chew on your lower lip nervously. You hate how you get the feeling that one of his favourite hobbies is making you squirm and when he catches you in those moments, he likes to milk it as much as he can. Point proven when he doesn’t let up in iterating his point.

“Or….” He continues purring with a languid tilt of his head, “Do I need to remind you so you won’t forget…?” He trails off vaguely enough to have your imagination running wild without your permission.

Like a nail in the coffin, your face instantly flushes, indignantly or from being extremely flustered — or maybe a combination of both. Either way, you feel like you wished the bed would swallow you whole but Jimin, ever so cunning and sly, always knows when to rile you up only to have it all come crashing down on you. It’s the same old trick, but you always manage to fall for it so his next words knock you right out of the spell.

“Besides, I know you’ll miss me too much to let me leave.”

Instantly, your face morphs to one of disgust, the teasing tone that replaces his seductive one acts like the bucket of cold water you had desperately needed.

“You’re insufferable.” is the only thing you can manage to seethe out but it comes off more of a pout, cheeks still burning strongly. His face breaks into a huge grin, eyes disappearing as he throws his head back to laugh, finally easing off on you to a comfortable proximity but still keeping his hands firm on either side of your head. You choose to petulantly turn your face to the side, refusing to be subjected to this humiliation any longer.

Thankfully the chiming of your phone allows you that moment of escape, hand eagerly bringing up the phone to address the notification and when you get a glance, it nearly makes your eyes pop out. Faster than you thought possible, you whip into a sitting position and it’s only thanks to Jimin’s inhuman reflexes that saves the both of you from causing each other’s concussions.

“Woah, if that was your plan on trying to kill me, you’re gonna have to do better.”

You ignore him in favour of the news you received in your group chat in the form of a video trailer. More specifically, a trailer for BTS. Concert. TOUR. DATES.

You’re silently screaming, heart pounding so hard you think it might explode out of your chest as fingers tap furiously to open the link, all the while in your mind you are chanting;

Please let it be in my city, please let it be in my city, please let it be in my city, please let it be in my city, please —

Your eyes are laser focused, the new title track blasting through your phone’s speakers as clips of past concerts flit by in rapid succession. Bold words flash by in accompaniment with keywords being ‘BTS’, ‘WORLD TOUR’, ‘LOVE YOURSELF’. It all further adds to the buzzing live wire your body has become and it reaches the apex once you see the name of the first city and date flash across the screen. You swear you stop breathing.

Moment of truth.

Time seems to slow for you, but the names go by within seconds and then...the video ends.

It takes some time before you think you finally let out a slow, deep breath, the buzz dying out of you just as quickly as it had come like being on a roller coaster.

Your arms drop from holding the phone up so close to your face and you can’t help your heart from doing the same.

“Ah...So they’re going on a world tour....” You hear your guardian demon muse airily from beside you. “Aren’t you excited?”

Shoulders slumping, you bring your group chat to type back a response, saying the words aloud for him to hear as well.

“They’re not coming.”

313 notes · View notes

starlost-andfound · 4 years

Text

Camouflage // Jonah Marais

Part of the We’re Safe Now series

Summary: Jonah goes out for a walk in the forest past the Night Shadow’s curfew, unaware of the people-or person- watching him. (Jonah has the power to communicate with wildlife in this imagine and y/n, well you’ll just have to find out.)

A/N: Sorry for the bad summary. Hopefully the imagine is better than the summary :/

P.S: Not edited.

- - -

Jonah’s P.O.V

“Hey! Stop right there!”

I picked up my pace, but the snow wasn’t in my favour. I took a sharp turn to the left, hoping they would lose my trail.

Go out for a walk past the curfew Jonah. It’ll be fun, Jonah.

My boots crashed into the snow as I ran through the trees.

So this is the result of four cups of coffee. A late night walk. In the middle of the night. Past the curfew. Great job, Jonah.

“Stop or we’ll shoot!”

I halted to a stop.

“Turn around and put your hands behind your head, young man.”

I turned around and faced the Night Watchers, slowly lifting my hands up. There were two of them. One of them must have gotten lost.

I gulped. I had to take the risk.

I whistled softly, hoping they would hear my call.

“What are you doing? Stop that!”, one of the Night Watchers yelled. I continued the soft whistle and then I heard it. The reply of a whistle. I smirked, watching as the Night Watchers frowned. “What’s so funny, freak?!”

I grinned and shrugged, “Nothing. You wouldn’t understand the humour.” From the corner of my eye, I spotted the flock of birds, flying towards the Night Watchers.

“Hey,” I said, catching their attention, “Heads up!”. The flock of birds dove at the Night Watchers, swarming around them. I quickly whistled a “thank you”, hoping they would understand before making a run for it.

I would make it out alive. I just had to find home.

I followed the familiar path back home, the trees clearing out.

I will make it.Almost there, I-

Suddenly, a brute force, slammed me into a tree. I slid down the bark and groaned. Almost made it.

“Think you can outsmart us, kid?”

My eyes fluttered open, a Night Watcher kneeled down in front of me. “You’re coming with us and so is your family. Think I didn’t see you heading here?”

My skin turned pale.

The Night Watcher grinned, “That’s right, creep. It was all just a little trap to lure you and your freakish family in and you were the bait.”

It was a trap. They’d find my family-mom, dad, Esther, everyone..even Svea....

I lunged forward, kicking the Night Watcher. He fell to the ground and I quickly got up, attempting to let out a high pitched whistle, high enough for the animals to hear. The Night Watcher yanked at my leg, cutting off the whistle and pushing me to the ground. I yelped and he swung his arm, punching me across my cheek. “Don’t think, I don’t know your little trick up your sleeve, talking to animals?!”

He picked me up by the collar, backing me up into the tree. I gulped, “Please, let me go,” I pleaded, “Let me and my family go, we’ll leave town, we’ll leave the country. Please.”

He grinned smugly, “Aww, look at you. Such a kind hearted soul, caring for your family and all. It’s okay. You can still do all that when we arrest you.”

I struggled against his grip as he pulled out the handcuffs, “Now, you’re going to do as I say and bring me to this lovely family of yours, okay?”

“How about you let him go instead?”

We froze, looking around. There was no one in sight.

“Who said that?”, the Night Watcher searched frantically for the voice, “Show yourself!”

“Behind you,” a voice whispered. The Night Watcher turned behind to see the snow around him. There was no one there. I searched around, who was there?

Suddenly The Night Watcher’s grip loosened on me and he was thrown into the tree next to him. The bark snapped. What the heck? He rose to the feet, levitating in the air. “L-let me go, you freak!”, he choked, gripping his neck. His face turned blue and I frowned, shaking my head. I wasn’t doing that.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reasoned.

The Night Watcher squirmed in the air, trying to get a hold of the invisible force when suddenly a loud thud was heard and he fell to the ground clutching his head. I spotted a small trickle of blood slipping out of his uniform’s helmet. I shivered, who was that? He groaned and his eyes slowly fluttered shut. He was knocked out.

I looked around me, “Hello?”

I gulped, “Please don’t strangle me too.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” I heard.

I relaxed a little, “Thanks for uh saving me, I guess.”

“It’s not a problem.”

I felt the cold breath of someone in front of me. I looked down, spotting the trail of footprints imprinting the snow, leading to me. My breathing quickened, “Who are you?”, I whispered.

Slowly the thin air materialised turning into the figure of a girl, around my age. Gosh, she was beautiful. I gasped, “Did you just, appear here? Like apparate? (A/N: Harry Potter reference) The girl shook her head, laughing. “No silly, I was camouflaged.”

“Woah,” I whispered.

“Hey, you’re pretty cool yourself with that whistle thing,” she said.

“You saw me?”, I asked.

She nodded, “Umm anyways..”, she backed away slowly, “I should go now.”

She began to blend into the surroundings. There was something about her, something else. I had to find out.

“Wait!”

“What?” she returned back to her normal self.

“I never got your name.”, I said, “I’m Jonah,” I reached my hand out for her to shake.

She rolled her eyes playfully, “Oh, how formal.” Her hand gripped mine, “I’m y/n.” As her name escaped her lips, the sparks seemed to fly. We both pulled away gripping our burning hands.

“What was that?!”, y/n asked, “Did you do that?”, she looked at me.

“N-no, I didn’t,” I looked down at my hands, watching the rainbow of colours paint my skin and looked back up at her, “Y/n.”

She looked back at me, the realisation hitting her, “Jonah, y-you’re my soulmate.”

#jonah marais #why don't we #why don't we imagines #daniel seavey #zach herron #jack avery #corbyn besson

23 notes · View notes

mintseesaw · 5 years

Text

Written in the Stars | one

Pairing: taehyung x reader

Genre: fluff, angst, dad!au

Word count: 6k

Warning: none

Description: read here (link in bio)

“I know, Mom. I’m about to leave.” You're on the phone with your mom, she’s reminding you about your trip to your hometown, your eyes skimming through the things you’re going to bring, making sure that nothing is forgotten.

You zipped the travel bag open, checking specifically the treats you bought yesterday in the nearby convenience store for your nephews. Joo Woon and Seo Joon are in a sugar diet but it doesn’t hurt if you spoil them once in a while.

“Okay, dear. Give us a call once you arrived at the station, I’ll ask your brother to pick you up.”

Your movements halted for a second at the mention of your brother.

“He’s home?” Since he got into uni, you rarely get the chance to see your little brother. You couldn't even admit that you miss that little punk who used to call you every time he asks you for a favor--more like when he needs money for his luxuries.

“Oh, he is. I threaten to cut his allowance off if he does not go home this weekend.”

Your eyes rolled at your mother’s remark. Indeed, she always has her ways in everything, including your trip to Daegu today.

“Mom, let him be. At least, he’s studying well. Anyways, don’t worry about me, I’ll just ride a bus or something.” You zipped it shut then hooked it on your shoulder as you sauntered your way out of the bedroom towards the sofa in the living room.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. You know my brother, mom. Yeonjun will only ask me a favor in exchange of driving me home.”

She chuckled and you can just picture her shaking her head. “Alright. Take care, dear.” Your thumb pressed the end call button then slipped the device inside your pocket.

You didnt fill your hand carry full as you don’t need a lot of clothes to change into. Also, you have remaining clothes kept somewhere in your drawers back at your parents’ house so you don’t necessarily need much.

Today’s your first Saturday to spend it back at home, first of the many coming weekends. You’re not a morning person, and if it werent for your agreement with your mom, you would have still been sleeping at this point.

The car ride to the train station was short giving you an ample of time left for you to catch the closest trip to your hometown. And as you saunter your way inside, you’re not expecting anything less than a crowd swarming within the pavement.

In no time, you have made your way to a ticket booth, purchased a ticket and settled in your seat indicated in the ticket receipt. Among the two pairs of seat facing each other, the one to your right and the pair across yours have yet to be occupied. And as you wait for the clock to strike at the time the train will leave, your eyes scan the confined space, eyeing the passengers who have also settled in like yourself before they unexpectedly land on a pair of a tall, young man and a little girl whom you assumed his daughter.

Although they have yet to reach near where you are, you could still make out the displeased expression of the man. The little girl, on the other hand, is half-sprinting ahead of him and you concluded that the action stirred the reaction present on the young man’s face. He tried to garner her attention by calling her name which you had failed to hear through the collective sound of chattering passengers. Instead of making her turn around to face him, he gains some of the passengers’ attention, heads glancing in their direction to which he bowed his head apologetically for creating an unnecessary noise. For you, it wasn’t the noise that made them turn their heads at him, it was probably his voice.

Wasting no time, in three long strides, he was able to reach for her tiny hand, taking it securely in his large one, making sure the little girl will no longer run naughtily. Once she snapped her head up and had a glimpse of his face, it’s as if she already knew she did something unpleasant. Her face fell, letting her father take her wherever their seats are without a protest. You were half-expecting for them to pass by your seat so when the same man halted his steps next to the seats across from yours, you slightly straightened your back, gathering they must be occupying of the seats across yours.

His nearness allowed you to examine him clearly and the first thing your scrutinizing eyes have landed on is his hair. It was not short, but not too long to be able to tie it up in a bun. Your eyes then traveled down his deep set of brown eyes to his pointed nose, to his pink, supple lips— you abruptly jerk your head away when you realize you’ve been staring far too long to be considered rude. You silently hoped he didnt notice that, lowering your head in utter embarassment. That‘s how you noticed your phone clutched securely in your palm.

You opened it and directed your gaze at the device, mindlessly scrolling through a social media app you just tapped, shaking away the urge to peer at the two figures in front of you.

After they had settled down, and made sure his daughter is comfortable enough, the handsome man crouched down to his daughter's eye level. Talking to her in a low voice so no one could hear it. The proximity between your seats and the wavering commotion allowed you to hear it, whether you want to or not.

"Do you promise not to do it again?" Asked in a low but deep whisper.

You heard his voice earlier, but now that you can hear it clearly and this close, it surprised you how his voice seemed deeper than you expect it to be. Not only his physical features made him a head turner, but his voice could as well. You know for sure.

The kid avoided his gaze then said, "Daddy, I want to eat." She was completely ignoring his father’s warning. And she was trying to get away with it.

"We just ate before we got here, didn’t we angel?" His forehead creased in doubt of his daughter’s claim. She was silent, blinking innocently.

"We didnt bring food though. Can my baby wait until we reach granny's house?" He softly coaxed, praying she would understand that there’s no way they would get anything to eat inside the train. He then clips some of her hair behind the shell of her ear, consoling her to her little dilemma.

"But Daddy, I'm hungry." Whines the little girl, although her pronounciation is clear and her verb communication skills are noticeably developed enough to voice out her thoughts straight into a clear message rather than saying it in chunks of phrases. Maybe she’s above the age of three.

"Didn't we just eat, angel? You're hungry again?"

She nodded vigorously, as if to prove a point. He looked helpless for a second.

It was during that moment when the train moved.

His features fell into a worry one. His goal to scold his daughter, long forgotten and washed away with concern. "Are you sure?" You heard his daughter whines again. You couldnt watch the scene continue to unfold anymore. And before you even register what you’re doing, you’re already interrupting their conversation.

"Uh— excuse me," the moment you spoke, it was an instant reaction of him to snap his head towards you. His daughter quietly peered at you. He straightened his back as he waits for you to continue talking, “Im sorry, I didn't mean to listen to your conversation. I heard... uhm your daughter... I have treats here, I'm not sure if you allow her to eat sweets—" he cuts you off politely. Your cheeks heating up when he didn't let you finish.

"No, it's fine Miss..." he trailed and look at you expectantly, waiting for you to tell your name.

"YN,"

You’re embarrassed for what you did that your mind is tricking you when you saw his eyes glinted by the mention of your name.

"... Miss YN, I mean, you didn't have to." He offered a smile and you’re not sure if it’s in response to your offer or a consolation to your flushed face.

"I was just considering that the journey will take more than 2 hours. And we just left Seoul..."

You waited as his eyebrows meet, pondering over the situation. It wouldnt upset you if he wouldnt accept it, since you’re a stranger and if youre in his shoes, it would be reasonable enough to second doubt a stranger’s intention.

He heaves a long sigh, raking his eyes to his daughter’s figure. If it weren’t for his daughter, he’d be too shy to accept anything from anyone.

"Okay, but please let me replace it once we get there."

You shook your head, “It's alright. I can just buy another."

"For your kids?"

Your mind momentarily went blank, suddenly losing the ability to process and comprehend a question.

"What?"

"The sweets."

Then it clicks in your mind. “Oh!" You chuckled, then briefly corrected his query, "...nephews."

This time around, it is his turn to blush. The faint crimson tinting his cheeks made him no less than the attractive man that he is. He looks dashing, regardless.

"Right, I'm sorry for assuming. I shouldn't have asked in the first place."

You didnt speak, but offered him a polite smile in reply. Your hand went to the small travel bag which you placed to the empty seat beside yours, lightly rummaging through the contents inside well aware that you’re under the scrutiny of two sets of eyes, watching your every movement in pure curiosity.. It shouldnt take you long to find it since you put them on top of the clothes. The familiar touch of the plastic wrapper made its way to your palm and you pull one out, and hand it over to the little girl.

His daughter, whom you heard her father called her Jae hya, looked at him as if to get a consent before accepting the treat from your hand.

He nodded and mouthed a ‘Thank you’ towards your direction before glancing back at her daughter, ‘What will you say to Miss YN, angel?”

Blinking a few times, she answered shyly in her cute adorable voice, “Thank you, Miss YN.”

“Just YN please,” you softly said then laughed a little before continuing, “and you’re welcome.”

Silence filled the air after the small interaction, to which you used the opportunity to divert your attention back to your phone.

The only time you dared to look up at him again is when he introduced himself out of nowhere.

"Taehyung,"

Your eyes instinctively flicked up at the sound of his deep and thick voice and met his intense gaze. His hand held out across the rectangular platform which created a little distance between your seats. Your eyes travelled from his eyes to his palm pushed forward in front of you, you stared at it for a second admiring how impressively large it is compared to yours before accepting the handshake. The warmth of his hand felt contrastingly good to the cold temperature inside the train. But then the moment ended shortly as you took your hand back quickly, startled by the sudden faint cold enveloping in your spine as his long and slender fingers made contact to your slim ones.

Sensing your awkwardness in the situation he cleared his throat as if to ease the strange tension between you, pulling himself back to his seat. Your head tilted on your left where the clear window allowed you to watch the blurry view outside. There’s nothing entertaining or astonishing in the view that can prolong your attention there, but you could just pretend to be immersed with it if it’s the only way to escape the chance of getting an an eye contact with him.

He was not intimidating at all. In fact, he’s polite and seems like a good father. The smile on his face while you were conversing with him is surprisingly sincere. But the rational in you tries to disregard the certain pull that’s accentuating in him.

Why would he waste his time to you? You’re someone he personally does not know of as well as he is for you.

But...is it wrong to appreciate his perfect exterior features? After all, he’s just not simply beautiful. The word alone would not give justice to describe him. He can be likened to an ethereal creature whom god generously gifted too much of all the good physical attributes that one human can have.

And when he stared at you—the intensity that his eyes hold when he sets them on you, it was too much to just let him rest them on you while your insides are melting. You try to shake away the emerging attraction.

Isnt it too soon for that?

He’s just a stranger— a passenger travelling from Seoul to Dongdaegu station which also happens to be where you’re boarded into, and whom his seat is across yours. That’s just it. You’ll never see him again. The thought becomes your internal mantra the whole journey in order to dissipate the agitated feeling inside you that one could mistakenly concluded as a look of indifference while you motionlessly peer at the window.

Two hours and more had passed and the train stopped to your destination. During the whole ride, you were not even spared a single wink of sleep from the mere presence in front of you. His eyes are shut when you stood up and walk towards one of the exit doors, unsure if he spared you a glance during the rest of the journey. It shouldn’t matter anymore because you wouldn't see him again. And the embarrassing act which hinted your little act of eavesdropping to their personal conversation should be buried deep in your memory lane where you can’t remember it forever.

“YN!” Your mom exclaimed happily when she opens the front door, greeting you with a warm hug.

It was more than four weeks ago when she paid you a visit in your place in Seoul and it was the last you’ve seen of her until today. You hugged her back.

“Come, let’s eat. Table’s ready for breakfast...”

Your eyes skimmed the vicinity of the before asking, “Where’s Yeonjun?”

Just as your mother heard you and is about to speak to reveal where your brother is, Yeonjun timingly appeared from the doorway of the kitchen. He was munching something you’re not sure what of. Not to mention, his mouth is full. When you say full, his cheeks are swelling and his lips are barely closing from the contents filling exaggeratingly inside his mouth. When your mother’s eyes landed on his form, he flinches. The mere sight of her giving you and him an indication of what is to come.

“Yeonjun!” He earns a smack in his arm from your mother, “I told you to wait up!” She gritted.

Yeonjun immediately went behind your back, knowing he’ll be spared the scolding if he has someone protecting him from your mother’s wrath and someone as a human shield from another impending spank.

He complains, “I’m starving, Mom. I didnt have dinner last night.” You chuckled, not at his reason but from the manner he delivered it, they way a three year-old kid would reason out if they get caught red handed eating sweets when they’re not allowed to. Going to college didn't change him one bit. He’s still the immature younger brother that you know.

Such a baby.

“Who isnt? Your father is as hungry as you are!”

He didnt reply but you could hear him mockingly imitate her in a low voice so she couldn’t hear. It made you snorted further. Your mother eyed you briefly, her eyebrow shot up in question. She threw a harmless warning at him before proceeding back to the kitchen.

“You rascal,” you poked, ruffling his hair at the same.

“Stop that, Noona, I just fixed my hair.” He whines, swatting your hand away from his hair.

“Oooh, my baby brother’s growing up. When did you learn to clean up?” You teased further. He rolled his eyes in response.

“Stop calling me that. I’m not a baby...look I’m even taller than you.” he retorted back, a side smirk appearing on his face, mocking your obvious insufficiency in the height department.

You playfully rub his cheek as if to literally wipe off the smirk on his face. He reacted impulsively, grabbing your hand away from his face.

“Noona… stop!” he grumbled. His efforts seemed to be wasted as he firmly locked both of your hands in his fist but he was kept pestered on as you kicked his thighs in return, trying to get away from his hold.

You were enjoying the look of complete irritation in his face like he’s ready to throw you off the window at any second in any chance that he gets.

“YN noona!” he frustratingly exclaimed while struggling to keep hold of you. “Why are you being annoying? You literally just got here.”

“Carry me to the dining table.” You softly demanded, as if you’re not locked up from his hands. Despite his strength and towering height, he’s scared enough to use it to his advantage against you and a sly grin making its way on your face knowing that he’ll eventually obey you.

His face scrunched up, trying to mock your command. “What are you, 5?”

“Piggy back ride, then I’ll leave you be.”

He dramatically lets out a sigh before he follows to your bidding, “Fine.”

Your parents both send you a weird look when Yeonjun entered in the dining room with you on his back. After he puts you down, and after you briefly greet your dad and flop down on an empty chair beside your brother’s, the four of you finally started eating, anything but a silent breakfast. It’s always like that, especially when your brother is present. He also has his way of annoying you as much as you have to him and if not for your mother chiding in between your bickering, you wouldn’t try to shut up as well as your brother.

As the short duration of the meal ends, your father ordered your brother to do the chore of washing the dishes. Being a baby that he is, he whined helplessly as if it can change your father’s order.

Your sister and the twins arrived shortly after breakfast. Your temporary job or as your sister calls it your duty as an aunt starts right away, babysitting them as they play in the confines of the living room. Toy cars, animal figurines and pieces of legos were left scattered all over the floor and you helplessly sat on the floor while looking out for your nephews to make sure they won’t hurt themselves. At this point, you find the chance to talk to Chae through the phone, while your eyes never leaving the two handful human beings wherever they waddled to. When she came to know you’re currently at your parents’ house, she immediately gossiped the information in the groupchat you share with your old friends whom you met in high school.

“How’s the city girl doing?” It was Chae right when you reached the table where you found her sitting in inside the famous Samgyeopsal place in the town. It was about twenty minute drive from your parents’ house. She arrived to the diner before you and Hoseok did and obviously selected a table while waiting for everyone to show up.

You were greeted with smoke and pleasantly tolerable chattering coming from the customers as you and Hoseok went inside. Hoseok took the chair which is literally across the grilling area of the table.

“Just fine.” You casually shrug your shoulders, asking you as if you two haven’t been talking on the phone for at least half an hour.

Chae craned her neck trying to peer behind your back, probably looking for the others. Hoseok gave you a ride so you only came with him.

“Where’s Yoongi and Irene? I swear to God those two are always competing for the last one to show up.”

“I called Irene to say I’m gonna pick her up along with YN, but she mentioned baby Leo is sick so she couldn’t make it.” He told you that earlier in the car on the way here. He continued talking when no one else has yet to throw a remark, “Yoongi-hyung… well you know him, he’s probably just late.” Chae curtly nodded in acknowledgement.

“Chae told me your auto repair business is expanding, Hobi.” You began, and in a way, to talk about something far more important. If Chae didn’t share the information, you probably wouldn’t have known. Among the group, you’re always the last one to know what’s going on with your friends’ lives, not only that you’re the only one who left the town to work, you also rarely get the time to communicate with them.

“Oh, yeah. It’s going great, the number of customers is growing so there’s also a demand to expand the area. But you guys know it’s not solely mine. I have a business partner.”

“Are you talking about that beautiful, young man in your office when I came to your shop? You didnt even introduce us!” Chae accusingly asserted.

A familiar lady, who you recognized as the owner of the diner, appeared on your table. Fresh slices of pork belly in a plate and side dishes in the tray being balanced in a single hand as she placed them one by one on the table. Another helper came, serving the rest of the dishes Chae first handedly ordered. Hoseok attentively took the plate filled with meat and started grilling them.

His eyes narrowing at her remark. “Shut up, Chae. He just recently got divorced.”

“The more reason you need to introduce me to him. You know, he might be looking for someone to forget his wife.”

You throw a potato marble in her direction using your chopsticks. It was too late when she tried to cover her face with her hands as it landed on her shoulder. You heard Hoseok roared into fits of laughter. She winces even though it was faintly thrown, thus, she’s only being dramatic. “What? I’m desperate. Perhaps, your brother—” she ducked and screeched when she saw you raised your chopsticks, anticipating the impact of another potato marble.

“He’s 19.” You grated casually knowing that she’s being in her satirical self.

“So? He’s attractive.”

“So is Ji Soo. Better option since he’s around our age.” You teased, your smirk growing as a distaste look replaces her bright and playful aura. Hoseok yet again fell into a series of laughter in pure amusement which made you laugh in return. He’s the only person who can make you laugh through the sound of his laughter alone.

“Why don’t you give the poor guy a chance? He’s been pursuing since forever.”

“No, thanks. I’d rather be single.” She scornfully expressed while spontaneously filling her mouth anything that her chopsticks can reach to divert her attention, mostly kimchi and anchovies.

“He’s not that bad, seems like a nice guy to me and probably better than your ex-fling.”

“Yeah, he once stopped by the shop. He’s nice.” Hoseok seconded your comment to her dismay. Her face scrunched up in disgust.

“Why is the topic suddenly shifted to that guy? I can’t stand him, okay?”

Before you can bite back a reply, Yoongi suddenly appeared, coolly sitting up beside Hoseok.

With a simper, Chae retorted at the swift appearance of the honey-haired man, “Look who decided to finally show up.”

As usual, he doesn’t seem one bit embarrassed from being almost half an hour late. He gave a brief nod in your direction, acknowledging your presence before taking a pair of chopsticks and took a bite from Hoseok’s ramen.

“I couldn’t leave until Yoo-Ri sleeps.” He states in an indifferent manner, even though no one was questioning his late arrival. Maybe you all just got used to it.

“Aww,” Chae’s hand flew on her chest, clutching it, a gesture of mock admiration to which Yoongi responded by rolling his eyes. “Such a sweet father.”

He ignored her jest, then spoke in between chews of food in his mouth, “So, what’s up?”

“YN, wants to treat us. That’s what.” Chae proudly announces which you send her a dumbfounded look, not expecting her comment.

“I didn’t say that.”

“She’ll pay the bill anyway,”

“I’m sure city girl will,” Yoongi snickered. The pet name came from him. As you’re the only one who went away from the town for better opportunities of your career. All of you separately went to uni outside Daegu. But the rest of them, unlike you, came back here. Yoongi married a year ago and chose to settle down here, as well as Irene who got married right after college. Hoseok started a business related to his degree and Chae works in one of the district hospitals here as a nurse.

In between chitchats of you and Chae, and Yoongi and Hoseok, your sudden visit in Daegu became the main topic of conversation when Yoongi asked out of nowhere, “Are you planning to stay here for good?”

You shook your head, “Plain visit. My mom wants me babysit the kids every weekends.”

“You’re going back to Seoul?” Yoongi interrogated further.

Uncertain of where the conversation is going, you tell him, “My work is in Seoul...”

“But where do you wanna live permanently?” It was Hoseok, this time. Now their attention is solely aimed at you, peering as they curiously wait for you to answer.

“I don’t know…”

“Life is much better here.” Yoongi acknowledges. Of course, he’ll say that. For one, he wouldn’t decide to live here if he thinks otherwise.

“Are you guys convincing me to live back here?”

She shrugged of her shoulders. “Maybe?” You didn’t respond to that, mostly because you’re confused why the casual conversation turned serious and seemingly fishy in your perspective. Are they teaming up now? For what?

“I mean, there’s like a tiny chance of running into...him if you’re here.” She further supplied.

Your eyes remained at Chae processing her words, although you’re certain the two guys are observing your reaction by the mention of your ex, an indicator rather. They must have thought you’re still not okay. You admit you’re not entirely healed up. But it doesn’t mean you’re hopelessly waiting for him to come back. You’re done with him. Nothing will ever make you change your mind, even so much as him literally begging the place he once have in your life, though you’re certain he wouldn’t.

The pain caused by the remnants of your wounds is what’s making you emotionally reserved these past few weeks. You’re broken and you’ve learned to cope up with it. You’re still broken because the past keeps haunting you for it was hard to erase years of your life that you had spent with him. 8 years to be exact. But it was just that. It’s not because you haven’t moved on. In fact, you don’t love him anymore. The pain that he caused is the only thing that reminds you of him now.

“Even if I do, I can manage. It’s not like I’m avoiding him, anyway.”

Yoongi decided to interfere as the atmosphere abruptly changes, “Let’s just drink.” He then called the attention of the lady owner, ordering bottles of soju.

The night ended pretty much later than you have expected. Hoseok’s low alcohol tolerance already made him wasted after half of the shots Yoongi have had, as well as Chae. Unlike him, Yoongi looks fine except for his flushed cheeks and neck. Not even a flicker of drunkenness can be identified in him. The current situation led him to volunteer himself to drive Hoseok’s car since all of you didn’t bring any car except for the owner himself who’s barely holding up and almosr crawling his way back to where his car is parked.

Both Hoseok and Chae have literally passed out right after you and Yoongi brought them to the backseat. It was quiet on the ride home. And you’re not complaining about it.

This day went a little productive than you anticipated it to be. The hangout was unplanned and a spur of the moment decision while you were talking to Chae through the phone. You mindlessly brought up the desire to go out to Chae, not really thinking the others would take it seriously if you ever ask them through the groupchat. The next thing you know, Chae have set up the the time and place where everyone will meet up to have a little drink and Hoseok calling you up to tell you he’d pick you up on the way.

In the midst of the silence inside the car, an image of the man earlier in the train flashed into your mind, to your dismay.

He’s just no one.

Yoongi decided to break the comforting silence. “You’ll be back next Saturday?” He rolled down the window and lit up a cigarette which you’re not aware where he got it from. Inside his pocket? You guessed.

“Yeah.”

“To babysit?” He chuckled, resting his elbow against the driver’s side’s door, the stick in between his forefinger and middle finger poking outside the window as he puffs out a smoke through his mouth. His other hand permanently glued on the steering wheel.

“Something like that…”

His efforts to casually converse with you was short lived as he noticed through his peripheral vision how all the events that occured today are gradually taking its toll on you. So he just continued to drive without opening up another conversation.

He only spoke later on when he stopped in front of your parents’ house, right after you slid off the car, and is about to close the passenger’s door.

“Give me a call if you wanna set up a little playdate with the kids and Yoo-Ri. I’m sure my wife wouldn’t mind it.” A smile made its way on your face, nodding at his offer. The twins will be ecstatic to meet another playmate.

“Sure. Drive safely, yeah?”

He gave you a curt nod then rolled the window up in the passenger’s side and drove away.

That night was the last you saw them yet. Days flew by in a blur unlike the past weeks and months which felt longer than this week that had quickly passed. You hate to admit that the weekend you spent with your family and with your old friends did a wonderful refreshment to you. You’d rather not tell your mom that she’s right, yet again. That her idea made a great effect on you.

When Monday came, you’re already anticipating another weekend to spend to in Daegu. And now that it’s already Saturday, you couldn’t wait to see them again today. You’re not sure who exactly you're excited to see of. Perhaps, being around the presence of people you trust without reservation puts you in peace. Being away with your loved ones and faced with strangers, colleagues, gravely contributes to your pent up frustration of doubting everyone’s sincerity towards you. After what happened.

All you’ve been chasing throughout these years is a decent life somewhere with someone you love thinking it’s the simplest form of happiness. After he broke off the engagement, the man whom you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with and the future you created with him all vanished into the thin air. When he officially left your shared apartment, you thought it was also the end for you. Not knowing how you’d recover from the severe damage he inflicted. That the rest of your life will be spent full of pretense happiness, with pure indifference and hatred to the world.

Now that you’ve realized what you’ve become after he left, it’s a good thing for you that he’s already out of your life. Because loathing the world instead of directing it towards him says how badly infatuated you are to him. To the point of blaming everyone for your heartbreak instead of aiming your fury to the person who have caused it. This would be the last time you’ll think of him. Even a flicker of his name, or a tinge of his image in your mind. You wont think of him, unless an external force coerces you to.

It was the last thing you remembered before falling asleep in the comforts of your seat.

He couldn’t help but stare mesmerizingly and in full awe. His lips parted, eyes twinkling from admiration, barely blinking, as if afraid to let his sight falter to such view in front of him. An angel. It was as if luck is on his side. She was already asleep when he arrived at his seat not too far away from her. But taken aback when he saw her, sleeping. Noticing the vacancy of the seats across her, he risked occupying them with his daughter sleeping on his arms as he settled in front of the woman who has filled his thoughts since that day. Indeed, luck is in his favor because nobody has claimed the seats.

Now, he’s not only sitting across her, the closest he could get, he can also stare at her sleeping form and could do it longer without making her uncomfortable like the last time. Hair getting in the way of her face as her head swayed to the said and he wants so much as push it aside to see her face more clearly. She looks like a beautiful angel, one that was sent to rescue them last Saturday and one who is responsible for making his heart flutter involuntarily.

When she offered the sweets for his daughter, it was an instant thought that she may have kids on her own although he shouldnt have voiced it out. Because she looks mature enough to be one, in a good way. Taehyung witnessed his friends bloom in their motherhood stage. It was that kind of maturity that he sees in her.

His eyes instinctively searched for her hand, for her ring finger that may hold him back. His heart does an overwhelming tug when he saw your finger unoccupied by a wedding band. Perhaps, a boyfriend? The same thought trailed in his mind as he noticed her stirring from her slumber. He moves his eyes towards his little princess, sleeping soundly beside him. And when he moves it back in front where the beautiful angel is sitting, his eyes widens.

She’s awake. And her reaction completely mimics his. Surprise evidently written on her face. For what reason?

You’re dreaming, aren’t you? Your mind must be creating an illusion at the place where you first laid eyes on him. You were thinking of him too much than you care to admit for letting him wander in your mind alone is unnecessary. You literally just broke up with you fiancée some months ago. You’re not supposed to relevantly consider the idea of him, someone you’re probably attracted with like a teenager that you’re not.

Your eyes fluttered, expecting to see nothing but the cushioned chair in front of you as you open them again.

Your breath hitched when your eyes landed on him yet again. He was looking at you with the same intensity like the last time. The same one which made you strangely uncomfortable.

He’s really here?

Your eyes traveled beside his seat. It is taken as well. By the sleeping figure of Jae hya. Have your mind gone wild making an image not only him in it but including his daughter...which likened the scene last Saturday? This time though, he is wearing a different button up shirt, larger than his body size but strangely suits him well. If this image in front of you is real, isn’t it weird to be seated across with a man and his daughter twice in a row?

Your heart achingly tugs against your chest when a smile slowly surfaces on his face while he locks his eyes on you.

The longer you stare back at him, completely immobile from your seat, the harder it gets to believe a part of you which convinces you this is not true.

The same man who has kept your mind unwarrantedly occupied is here? Same train in a same day. What is the probability of seeing him again? There’s only a tiny bit chance. Coincidence? Possibly… or perhaps, fate?

⇀

an: unedited :( what do you guys think?

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