Tumgik
#anyway enjoy this cheeky comic
garlic-sauc3 · 4 months
Text
reading comics from 1984 and then reading comics from 2014 is so weird. the art, writing, lettering, storybuilding, etc has changed so much in those 30 years it feels completely different
0 notes
isaegi · 9 months
Text
KISS AND CRÊPE UP
feat. gojo satoru x gn! reader
tags: established relationship, fluff, gojo being annoying but the ultimate pooks, got a bit suggestive at the end lol sawry..
A/N: had to repost because i needed to re-edit it; n e way enjoy( ˘ ɜ˘) ♬♪♫
Tumblr media
Gojo leans to take a bite of your food after you offer him some and he just winds up taking the biggest, most disrespectful bite known to man.
So much so that his lips brush up against the tips of your fingers, which hold the crêpe you originally bore out for him— with the intention that he'd take a normal bite. You're left there to watch him chew in silence, his cheeks puffed out as he swallows your meal with a satisfied hum.
It's comical, really. You've only had about 3, maybe 4, bites of food before the pressure of your boyfriend's heated glare stare on your plate willed you into sharing a taste with him. 
A. Taste.
Now all you have is a few crumbs and a streak of vanilla ice cream dripping down your fingers left to your name.
"Man, I should've gone with what you've got," Gojo says, smoothing the creases on his white button-up shirt. "Next time, though."
There's a heavy silence that hangs between the two of you. Either A) it's one that he blatantly chooses to ignore, or B) he's oblivious to the turmoil you seem to be experiencing in that pretty little head of yours.
Gojo's arm rests along your neck, warm and affectionate, as he sinks into the seat of your booth's table. With his free hand, from your perspective, you can see that he's playing with his food and making an absolute mess of the once neatly plated dish into a pile of God-knows-what.
"Satoru."
"Hm?"
Warm pools of blue peeked right back at you from beneath his shades. And if you didn't know any better, you'd assume that a playful glint lingered in his eyes as he gave you his wholehearted attention, as if he was toying with you on purpose.
But you know Gojo Satoru, and well at that.
"Go and order another crêpe, please."
"Wha—" His brows furrow and his lips twist into a tight pout as if you had spoonfed him something sour. "Is it because of the bite I took?" Gojo brushes aside your squawk of that wasn't a bite and you know it to focus his sights on you and how you’re frowning at the feigned expression of innocence on his face.
Cute, you thought, but you immediately shake this revelation up and out of your head. You wouldn’t even be in this current predicament if it not been for his insatiable nature!
Gojo digs his fork into his bowl and shovels some of his fries to prod them at your mouth. “It’s fine, it’s fine!” You keep your lips tightly sealed and try to ignore the many intrigued gazes from onlookers tables away from you two. “Here, have some of mine. You won’t even notice the difference.”
Between his incessant whines for you to open your mouth and his hand squishing your cheeks so that he could slip some more food into your mouth, you eventually relent to his antics and try out one of the fries.
You can now understand why he barely made a dent in his plate since you arrived.
“Yummy, right?” Gojo inquires, an easy smile resting on his lips. His nimble fingers graze your lips, brushing off imaginary crumbs from your mouth for extra effect.
You push his hand away from you, shrinking away in disgust from his fork and drag your eyes away from it toward his eyes. You can only roll your eyes in response to the cheeky expression he wears on his face. “These are stale, Satoru…”
“Right?”
You shake your head in disbelief and shrug his arm off of you, “Let’s go,” you push your plate away from you, making a big show of how you were ready to leave, “I’m sure there’s food at home for me in the fridge, anyway.”
You manage to sway him easily, hook, line, and sinker, because Gojo tugs at your hand to pull you closer to him and deter you from leaving. “Fine, fine! I’ll buy you another, okay?” 
Sticking to his word, Gojo does exactly that, even going out of his way to buy two so that you could enjoy your own. But, of course, not all good things can last forever. His trait of having a knack for sweet things rears its head, and he wolfs down his serving within minutes. 
How wonderful.
With nothing else left to do, Gojo watches you eat silently. Happy that you’re happy with how things turned out. But his shades do nothing to mask the almost carnal want that swam in his eyes every time his head would not-so-conspicuously tilt down to look at how much there was left of your crêpe.
From the corner of your perspective, you spot Gojo’s hand sneaking its way off from your knee, up toward the table and slowly inching closer and closer to your plate. 
That’s it.
You inhale a sharp breath, picking up the last remnants of your desert, and shove it all into your mouth in one go, leaving him none whatsoever. 
When you turn your head to throw Gojo a triumphant glare, one that screams I win, you’re met with an expression that stops you dead in your tracks.  
Gojo’s face is unreadable as he stares at you behind his sunglasses. Even though you can’t directly see into his eyes, you can still feel the intense weight of his gaze on you, his eyes slowly trail along your face. Suddenly you feel very conscious of the ice cream that clung to your bottom lip.
You run your tongue against your bottom lip, bringing your wrist up to your face to dab away any sticky residue it may leave behind.
He stays silent for a beat before he puffs out a breath of laughter. A sly smile tugs at the corner of his mouth once he tips his head back against the padded header of his seat.
“Now that’s just obscene.”
Tumblr media
thank you for reading <333 shoot me a request, i'm always looking for something to write :)
1K notes · View notes
ginnsbaker · 8 days
Text
fic: if i bleed (you'll be the last to know) (4/?)
Tumblr media
Part summary: Getting to know Leigh Shaw comes with some hardships—literally.
Pairing: Leigh Shaw x Fem!Reader | Word count for this part: 4.600 | Warnings/Tags: Pining | A/N: Still haven't decided how many parts will there be, but for now, enjoy reader's POV as her interest in Leigh grows :)
Masterlist | Part I Part II | Part III | Next
-
For some reason, you keep saying yes to Leigh Shaw.
Yes to providing your veterinary services for her.
Yes to divulging the private aspects of your relationship with Matt.
Yes to staying in her yoga class.
Yes to running very early in the morning, with a lung-busting pace that leaves you dehydrated and feeling queasy by the end of it.
As if to add insult to injury, Leigh Shaw doubles back to where you're lagging behind, barely hanging on for dear life. She flashes that cheeky grin, says, “Try to keep up,” and takes off again like it's nothing. You're left gasping for air, your heart screaming in agony as you attempt to match her pace, but Leigh's already a blur ahead. 
She was right—your endurance is really nowhere to be seen. It's in these moments, as you're pushing past what you thought were your limits, that you start to get why Leigh's both a pain and a push that was kind of missing before in your life. 
Leigh eventually vanishes around a corner, and consequently, you lose sight of her. You dig deep, pushing yourself to keep going, refusing to quit out of stubbornness and curiosity of what your body could do. By some miracle, you make it to the finish line, which turns out to be that park you've been to only once before with Matt. He had made it a special day with sandwiches and comics, while you got lost in a book he swore you’d love. You can’t shake off the feeling that this place is significant for Leigh and Matt too.
When you finally stumble in, there's Leigh, chilling on the grass, looking like she's lost in thought, her eyes dark with something you can't quite put your finger on. But then she spots you, and it's like someone flipped a switch. She’s back to the flippant Leigh—easygoing, as if nothing’s amiss.
“Was half expecting to find you passed out somewhere back there,” Leigh smirks up at you.
You can’t help but flop down next to her, letting the sun beat down on your face, feeling every bit of your skin that's exposed soaking up the warmth. Thirst claws at your throat, fierce and unforgiving. Gathering the little energy you have left, you manage to ask, “How long have you been waiting?”
Leigh glances at you, her casual ease belying the brief glimpse of concern you thought you'd seen earlier. “Oh, about five minutes,” she says, her tone light, as if the grueling run was nothing more than a leisurely stroll for her.
You pant out, “Why are you so fast, anyway?” 
Leigh bursts into laughter, finding your question absurdly funny. “Fast? Me? That's hardly competitive speed, you're just... completely out of shape.”
You pout, feeling slightly offended but too exhausted to argue. Stretching out beside her, you let out a series of groans and pops, feeling your muscles protest and then slowly relax. “Feels like I'm a hundred years old,” you mutter with a heavy sigh.
Still chuckling, Leigh shakes her head. “I've been running for three years now. It's more of a hobby, really, but I need to stay active for my job at the Beautiful Beast. Or my mom will fire me.”
“Your family owns that place?”
Leigh corrects you quickly, “Not my family, just my mom. And being the owner's daughter doesn't give me a pass to slack off. I can't afford to be terrible at my job.”
Her distinction between “my family” and “my mom” sticks with you. It seems like a clue into her family dynamics. In the short time you've known her, Leigh comes across as straightforward, genuinely helpful, and yes, perhaps a bit quick-tempered, but overall...she's okay. 
More than okay, actually. She must be incredible to those she truly cares about. So, what went wrong with her and Matt? How could he betray her like that? It’s even more baffling when you remember Leigh saying they were trying for a baby. That detail still turns your stomach, and you're endlessly grateful you never went down that path with him, despite once wishing things had gone differently.
Lost in your thoughts, you don't realize how intently you've been staring at Leigh until she calls you out on it. “What is it?” she asks, her voice pulling you back to the present.
Flustered, you find yourself asking the question that's been simmering in your mind, since you first pulled on your sneakers for that 5k this morning. “Why'd you bring me along for your run? Why are you even helping me?”
Leigh just gives an offhand shrug, says, “Well, you didn't have to show up, so you're actually helping yourself.”
“Fair enough,” you reply, but can't shake off a bit of disappointment. The truth is, you were hoping she'd say something that suggested she was up for being friends, or at least saw you as more than just another client of hers.
It's weird, really, why you keep wanting to be friends with Leigh Shaw.
Suddenly, Leigh glances at her watch and looks up at you. “Ready to go?” she asks, a bit impatiently.
“If I can still walk after this, sure,” you say, half-joking, half-serious, feeling the effects of the run in every muscle.
Leigh laughs at that, a genuine, hearty laugh that lights up her face. It's a sound that's real and unguarded, making you think that maybe, becoming friends with her isn't such a far-fetched idea after all.
-
Yoga sessions with Leigh stick to the script you first stumbled into. She's all business, only really tossing you a nod or a word when your form goes sideways. “Shoulders down, back straight,” she corrects you, her voice firm, yet not unkind. Outside of that, you might as well blend into the walls for all the personal attention she gives, just like anyone else there. Everyone gets the same treatment—tough love, dished out in equal measure.
Despite her imposing presence, there's something else, a depth to her that often seems just out of reach. You catch her sometimes, looking out the window with a distant gaze. But then she blinks, shakes it off, and is back, fully attentive and ready to guide the next pose.
“Focus on your breathing,” Leigh's voice snaps you out of your focus on her. “Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, sink deeper into the pose.”
Determined to excel, you pour all your effort into being the student Leigh doesn’t need to worry about. Ironically, your diligence only seems to make you more invisible to her. As you master the poses with less need for correction, Leigh's interactions with you dwindle further.
After class, you toy with the idea of approaching her. Maybe get some feedback, or even suggest grabbing dinner together so you don't have to eat alone. But as you're putting together what to say, you notice Leigh seems in a hurry. She exchanges a few quick words with another instructor who's just arrived, and before you can decide, she's excusing herself and heading out.
The moment to ask her has slipped away, leaving you to pack your yoga mat with a resigned sigh. 
Another time, then, you think.
-
The next day, without another invite from Leigh for a run, you lace up your shoes and follow the same route you and Leigh took together. Just 20 minutes into the run, the solo effort feels more like a chore than the engaging challenge it was with company. You loop the route four times, hoping maybe to cross paths with Leigh purely by coincidence, but she’s nowhere to be found. 
The studio had announced last night that Leigh’s yoga classes would be temporarily led by a different teacher, with her expected to return next week. This bit of news leaves you mulling about her absence, kind of hoping you might accidentally run into her to find out more. But as the week goes by without any such encounters, you realize you actually know very little about her daily routines or habits. Despite the nagging curiosity, you refrain from texting her, not wanting to intrude or anything.
Admittedly, your motivation to work out dipped slightly without Leigh being part of it.
-
When you finally talk yourself into visiting Matt’s grave, you do so just minutes before it could get really dark. You've chosen this time deliberately, betting on the common fear that keeps most people away from cemeteries as night approaches. 
Your main concern isn't the general public, though; it's just Leigh. Past experiences have shown that encounters with her can happen unexpectedly and in the most random of places—like that night at the club when she ended up getting sick just a few inches away from you. You're not here out of a longing for Matt. Instead, you aim to properly close this chapter of your life, hoping to do so without running into his widow and giving her the wrong impression.
The air holds a chill that wasn't there when you left home, making you wrap your jacket tighter around yourself. It’s quiet, just the sound of your own footsteps crunching softly on the path. Being here as the day turns to night, watching shadows stretch out long and skinny, really gets you thinking about life, death, and everything else in-between. Maybe that's also why people avoid this place—it sort of forces you to face the music, making you curious if all the things you're wrapped up in are actually important or utterly pointless. 
As for you, you haven't quite figured out where you stand on that yet. Lately, you've really come into your own in your career, especially now that you’re seeing the profits steadily rising each month. But that sense of achievement fades each evening as you return to your empty apartment. It's just you, night after night, pushing through the grind, pouring everything into your job. Yet, when you try to envision where you'll be in five years from now, the picture isn't clear. Will you be settling down with someone, or just picking up the pieces from another relationship that’s gone awry?
Finding Matt's grave takes a moment, but when you do, your heart clenches. It’s just a simple stone with his name, the years he was here, and a couple of words(you’re guessing it’s Leigh who wrote them) about him. 
You kneel down, the grass cool and slightly damp beneath you, and lay the flowers you've brought on his grave. They look kind of bright against the dimming light. Like hope.
“Hey Matt,” you say, stepping into a silence that feels like it's hanging around, just waiting for you to fill it. Talking to a dead person feels ridiculous like they do in the movies, but it's not like anyone's around to hear you.
“You know, I met Leigh,” you begin. “Your wife you conveniently forgot to mention when you were busy asking me out.”
There's a sour edge to your voice, airing grievances to a guy who can't throw back excuses anymore. You can't help but chuckle, though it's more bitter than amused. You let your thoughts more freely now, like the barrier between you and Matt has thinned out with the honesty. 
“Leigh is… beautiful, you know? Not in that runway or social media kind of way, but in a manner that's hard to just overlook.” 
You could list a dozen more positive things about Leigh to tell Matt, but he already knew all that, didn't he?
“The first time I met her, I felt small, maybe even insecure. And now?” you shake your head, smiling slightly. “...I still do. But mostly, I'm just left thinking…” You pause. The next thought isn't really for Matt, not anymore. 
It’s for you.
“I just can't wrap my head around why you'd want to be with me when you had her. I feel like the murder weapon that's trying to seek justice for its victim.” You let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Not a great spot to be in, honestly. Makes me feel kind of helpless, you know?"
Sitting back, you take a moment, just looking at the headstone, at the name etched into the granite. The conversation, if you can call it that, feels like it's shifted something inside you. Not closure, exactly, but maybe the first step towards understanding—or at least accepting—that some things just don't make sense.
Standing up, you dust off your knees, taking one last look at the grave. “Anyway, Matt, I hope you've found peace. It looks like we're all searching for a little of that ourselves. Thanks for the book suggestions. Though, you might be a bit disappointed to hear Agatha Christie remains my top favorite.”
As you walk away from Matt's grave, it feels as though you're leaving a piece of yourself behind to rest with him. You decide then, as the cemetery gate closes behind you with a gentle click, that you won't let this page in your book define you. Maybe tomorrow, you'll try a new coffee shop, or take a different route to work. Small changes, but important ones.
Maybe you’ll even try that spin class that scares you so.
-
“Since when did you start living at the gym?” Suzie teases you from her spot across the desk, that signature playful, all-knowing arch to her eyebrow.
Suzie, who had originally come on board as a receptionist at your vet clinic with little more than enthusiasm and a genuine love for animals to her name, had quickly become much more than just a staff member. Her lack of relevant experience was initially a concern, but her dedication and the way she connected with both the animals and their owners made it clear she was a perfect fit. Over time, she evolved from being just the receptionist to a friend. 
A friend who seems to enjoy teasing you, though.
“First off, it’s hardly the gym. It’s this fitness class I’ve been trying out—big distinction,” you clarify, eyes glued on your phone. The last half hour has been a slow crawl towards 5 PM, the magical hour when you can finally shut down and head to Leigh’s class at Beautiful Beast.
“Tomatoes, to-mah-toes,” she quips.
“Not the same thing,” you insist, still not fully engaged in the conversation, your focus on a food article you're reading.
Suzie just waves her hand dismissively. “Semantics. But seriously, you've been really into whatever this is. There's gotta be a guy making those sweat sessions worth it.”
You can't help but laugh, the idea so off base it circles back to being hilarious. 
“Trust me, the allure isn't the sweat. It's those endorphins,” you say.
“Yeah, sure,” she drawls, unconvinced. “Come on. Who is it? I know you're not this amped to be all gross and sweaty for nothing.”
“There's no guy, Suzie.” Then, as if the thought just occurred to you, you add, “Or girl. But honestly, there's really no one.”
At that, Suzie's expression shifts from playful teasing to one of pleasant surprise and a touch of mock offense. “Hold up, you might be into girls? And here I was, shooting my shot in the dark this whole time!”
Your ears burn red at her blunt flirtation. “Suzie, come on,” you stammer.
“If I had known that was on the table, I would’ve upped my game ages ago,” she says, her wink sending your face from warm to inferno.
“You’re impossible,” you manage to say as you hurry to collect your things, ready to rush out the door.
“Impossibly into you,” she retorts saucily.
“I’m gonna have to fire you, you know,” you mutter jokingly, glancing at your watch. “Gotta run, bye!”
“Just so we're clear, the offer stands,” she adds, still grinning.
-
You feel a sense of relief seeing Leigh back in class. 
Though the website clearly stated her schedule, you found yourself on edge until you could see Leigh with your own eyes. There's nothing noticeably different about her; Leigh seems just as composed and in control as ever. When she catches you looking, she offers a small, somewhat dismissive smile before turning her attention elsewhere. 
You spend the whole session with your energy dialed up, partly because Leigh's presence just does that, and partly because you're already plotting. As soon as she calls time on the session, you're practically springing into action. Your belongings—a water bottle, towel, and the rest—land in a haphazard pile on the floor as you quickly stand up, eager to catch her before she disappears. You make your way toward her, determined not to let her slip away this time.
Leigh's busy packing up her own gear, her back to you as you close the distance. “Hey, Leigh,” you say, and it sounds like you've got this under control, even if your heart's hammering away in your chest. She turns, and there's a flicker of surprise in her expression. You’re hoping it’s the good kind of surprise.
“I'm really glad you're back,” you push on, hoping it doesn't sound as clumsy to her as it does in your head.
She takes a swig from her water bottle, giving you a once-over, and then says, “Thanks. Do you need anything?” There's an expectant look in her eyes, and in that moment, your confidence begins to wane, melting under her gaze. You're on the spot, scrambling for words, any words that don't involve asking her out for dinner, which suddenly seems like an insurmountable task.
“Uh, actually,” you start, your mind racing to find a safe topic, “I was wondering if you had any tips on improving my form?”
Leigh's expression softens, and she nods, setting her water bottle down. “Sure, I can show you a few things. Let's go back to the mats,” she suggests, leading the way. Despite feeling like your tank is on empty and your body crying for hydration, backing down doesn’t feel like an option. 
Not when Leigh is already spreading her mat next to yours. She does so with a sort of blasé authority, and you can't help but think how this is Leigh all over—straight to the point, no fuss. You're tired, sure, and a part of you is suggesting that you're about to make a fool of yourself with your shaky legs and probably even shakier form. But then, Leigh starts talking, pointing out where you're going wrong and how to fix it, and suddenly, you're not thinking about dinner anymore. You’re too distracted now by the smell of her perfume mixed with the scent of her sweat.
The next few minutes turn into what feels like a whole new session under Leigh's watchful eyes. She's on you about everything—the angle of your arm, the set of your shoulders, even the way you're distributing your weight on your feet. Leigh's not mean about it, but she doesn't let anything slide. You're just trying to keep up, watching her move with that easy confidence. It's mesmerizing, really, how she can make something so complex look so simple.
By the time you're done, your muscles are burning, your breath is ragged, and you're pretty sure you've sweated out every last drop of water in your body. As you lie there, staring at the ceiling and asking yourself how a ten-minute guidance turned into an even harder session, you mentally kick yourself for not just admitting you wanted company for dinner. It was right there, and you were too scared to be rejected. 
But why? Considering everything that's happened and the circumstances, Leigh turning you down seems like the more probable outcome anyway.
And then Leigh does something totally offbeat. She glances at the clock, then back at you, and out of nowhere, she's asking, “Want to grab something to eat?”
It's so unexpected, that for a moment, you're sure you misheard her. But Leigh's waiting for an answer, a slight smile playing on her lips, and suddenly, the fatigue feels a little less overwhelming. You sit up, a slow grin spreading across your face as you realize this is it—your chance, handed to you when you least expected it.
“Yeah,” you finally manage to say, almost tripping over your tongue. “Yeah, that'd be great.”
-
When Leigh mentioned grabbing something to eat, you expected a sit-down at some cozy restaurant serving healthy food. Instead, she pulls into the drive-thru of a fast-food joint, orders a mountain of fries and a couple of burgers, and parks the car in a secluded spot overlooking the city. It's laid-back, unpolished, and honestly, pretty perfect.
“So, how long have you been in town?” Leigh asks as she hands you a burger, the city lights twinkling below like a scattered deck of glowing cards.
“Just over a year,” you reply, taking a hearty bite of your burger. “Moved here for the business opportunity, but it’s been... you know, slow on the social front.”
Leigh nods, understandingly. “It can be tough, starting fresh somewhere. This place isn't the friendliest to newcomers.”
Your eyebrow lifts, curious whether she's speaking from her own experiences or perhaps someone else's.
“Yeah, most of my socializing happens online these days. My closest friends are scattered across different states,” you say.
Leigh just hums a bit, not really adding anything else. She doesn't go into details about her own friends, so you're left trying to think of something else to talk about. But everything that comes to mind feels too personal, like asking why she wasn't at the Beautiful Beast for a week, how she's dealing with being a widow, or questions about her family.
Small talk isn't really your thing, so the conversation fizzles out from here. Both of you just end up staring out at the city lights in silence. Leigh seems comfortable with it though, so you decide to just go with it and savor the quiet moment too.
After a while, Leigh breaks the silence. “I didn't think I'd be able to love another dog after Rogue,” she shares, not taking her eyes off the cityscape. “Matt and I had to put her down because she was sick. It was brutal. I swore off dogs after that.”
You look over at her and offer a soft, “I'm sorry.”
But there's no trace of sadness on her face. It’s so nonchalant, almost as if she’s just talking about the weather and not a painful memory.
“But then...I saw Visitor,” she goes on, a small smile cracking through. “I just knew he needed me. And, this might sound odd, but I realized I wanted to feel needed. When Matt—” She stumbles over his name, a rare falter, but she's quick to brush it off. “When he died, nobody needed me. And I struggled with that. Because being needed felt like a purpose.”
The idea of needing to be needed isn't something you've ever considered. Truth is, you've never really needed anyone. You've been a solo act for as long as you can remember, handling things on your own, relying solely on your own capabilities. And so, that also meant you couldn't imagine being on the other side of the spectrum—being needed by someone.
However, there's a part of you, unexpectedly, that feels a twinge of jealousy towards Leigh. To truly experience loss, there first has to be something meaningful to lose. You're not sure you've ever let yourself have that kind of bond with anyone. Not yet, anyway. It's a sobering thought, making you think about what you might be missing out on.
Leigh notices you're not saying much and says, “I don't even know why I'm telling you all this. I'm sorry.”
You shake your head slightly, “It's okay. I just... I don't think I've ever been in your shoes.”
Leigh looks a bit puzzled. “What do you mean? Are you talking about the dog thing, or…?”
“The other thing,” you clarify.
Leigh smirks. “Oh, I wish I was like that.”
You quickly realize how arrogant that must have sounded, so you rush to explain, “No, I'm not trying to brag or anything. It's just, I guess I've never really opened myself up to that kind of bond.”
“Not even with Matt?” she asks, and there it is—the topic of Matt you've been tiptoeing around. You're suddenly aware that Matt's shadow is something you'll have to get used to, just as Leigh apparently has, given the unceremonious way she alludes to your almost-affair with her late husband. 
“No,” you whisper, looking straight into Leigh's eyes, hoping she’ll believe you. “We never needed each other like that.”
Leigh's eyes linger on yours a moment longer before she looks away. Eager to change the subject, you add, “Must've been rough, giving Visitor back to his real family.”
“Yeah. I mean, I shouldn't be, right? But part of me was actually angry at them for letting him get away like that. He could've been hit by a car or worse, all because they weren't careful. But at the end of the day,” she stops, a sigh escaping her, and that smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes comes back as she looks at you again. “He’s not mine.”
“Visitor really snuck into your heart, didn’t he?”
Leigh nods. “I wasn't expecting to care that much, you know?” Then, she offers a small, reflective chuckle. “Makes you think about the connections we allow ourselves to have, and the ones we avoid, doesn't it?”
You try to gauge whether she's still talking about Visitor while also trying to figure out where you stand—the connections she's chosen or the ones she sidesteps?  Before you find the courage to ask, Leigh starts the car and presses down on the clutch, ready to switch gears.
“I need to head back to the studio, so I can only drop you off somewhere on the way,” Leigh says, signaling the end of your time together for now.
You quickly decide that being dropped off at the studio is fine. “The Beautiful Beast works for me,” you reply, hoping to extend the time you have left with her, even if it's just by a few minutes. 
The ride is quiet, the earlier ease replaced by a thoughtful silence. You're watching her, the way she's all eyes on the road but clearly lost in her head. Leigh, as you’ve noticed, is someone hard to get to open up, her walls built high and strong. She's this fortress of a person, but tonight felt different, like she accidentally left a window open and you caught a glimpse inside. 
It just makes you crave for more.
As the studio comes into view, it feels like you've both made some progress with Leigh and yet, somehow, not made any at all. Stepping out of the car, you’re met by Jules, another staff member at the Beautiful Beast whom you've heard Leigh refer to numerous times, approaches. You barely catch her saying, “Danny is waiting for you inside,” to Leigh. You miss the frown on Jules's face or how Leigh instantly seems on edge.
“Thanks for the ride—and for dinner,” you say, feeling a bit out of place now.
“Don't get used to it,” she says, the corners of her lips twisting into a reluctant smile. “Was nice talking, though. Thanks for not making it weird.”
As she's quickly pulled away by whatever's going on inside, you hover for a second, debating if you should go in for a goodbye hug. But before you know it, Leigh is tossing a quick “Bye” in your direction as she strides towards the studio.
You're left there, floating in the aftermath, wondering about everything and nothing all at once.
226 notes · View notes
Text
—tangy
Tumblr media
SUMMARY | this was supposed to be a simple, relaxing mission. all of that had been thrown out the train window as soon as you saw idiot one and idiot two
PAIRING | tangerine x reader
REQUESTED | no
WARNINGS | spoilers for bullet train, hit men, mentions of murder, guns, ect
WORD COUNT | 1.7k+
AUTHORS NOTE | fell in love with tangerine while watching bullet train. what more is there to it
🍊 MASTERLIST 🍊 NAVIGATION 🍊 RULES 🍊
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Confined spaces certainly makes the job easier for you.
You were able to observe everyone simultaneously. Being everywhere all at once. Sitting idily in a corner inconspicuously, sipping on a drink while pretending to read a newspaper. All the while watching as people fidgit with their fingers and mingle amongst nearby passengers. Keeping tabs on who leaves and who enters and how many times they do it.
In fact that's all you had been planning on doing for the next twenty four hours. Enjoying the ambiance of the lovely modern train as you waited for your mark. Probably opting on getting up to lure the target into a bathroom stall, slitting their throat once the lock had been clicked. An easy job by definition, especially for you. Practically a vacation handed to you on a silver platter.
That's why you almost choked on your fizzy drink when they walked in.
You'd never forgot a face. Not once. That's part of the reason you made for such a good hit man. Show you someone's high school picture once, and you'd be able to pick them out in a crowd forty years after it had been taken. And when I say pick them out, I mean with a gun. Preferably from a rooftop. Probably from a rooftop.
So you recognized the leather jacket and blue suit almost immediately. After all how could you forget. Your annoyance for them had been all but solidified in concrete the moment the loud one had shot your leg in Russia, his twin just watching. That cast was a bitch to lug around for half a year, and everytime it thumped against the staricase in your house you cursed the both of them.
Suppressing a groan, your eyes cautiously watched from behind the pages of a comically large larg magazine as Lemon and Tangerine walked down the isle of the train compartment together, facing each other while bickering quite loudly. Or at least doing what you assumed was to be bickering. Knowing them, they probably just used that many curse words in a casual conversation anyway.
"I've told you a thousan' times, bruv." You listed to Lemon slur his words with that thick accent of his, practically spitting fire at his twin. "It's Thomas The Tank Engine. Not Thomas the Train. Get that in ya thick skull."
"Oh well, ex-fucking-scuze me. I didn' know I'd be gettin schooled on a fuckin kids show today, twat." Tangerines eyeroll was all but audible in response. He ignored as fellow passengers swapped offended looks with each other at their language. You'd imagine he'd be flipping them off if he wasn't so busy basically biting his brothers head off.
They were nearly past your booth now and out of the train car, your fingers tightening around the reading material in front of you in anticipation. For a moment you thanked whoever had given the both of them such long legs and speedy strides, happy as long as they were out of sight. Didn't matter that they would still be on the train. As long as they didn't see you, all was well.
So of course they would choose that moment to stop right in front of your fucking seat. The urge to stand up and kick them both in their asses was only increasing. Not that it wasn't already high up there in the first place.
"I don't give a bloody damn when ya smart ass people half the time you bastard. Here me complanin? Nope." Lemon popped the p at the last word, pointing a finger at his companions chest. "But no one, and I mean no one ya cheeky fuck, bad mouths Thomas in front of me."
"Right. And what you gonna do about it, fruit boy. Stick a diesel sticker on me when I ain't lookin?"
"I just might. An don't call me fruit boy. You're the one who came up with those names in the first place 'member?"
Your muscled tensed up in preparation when Tangerine suddenly whipped around to you, dragging Lemons attention along with him. The cool metal of your gun brushed against your fingertips as you slowly reached under the trains table for where it was hidden. Maybe this time you'd have an excuse to shoot them in the legs. Send them a hallmark card in the hospital afterwards. Something cheep and tacky. You were petty like that.
"Hey, mate, mind reminding my buddy here tha' grown ass adults don't watch the cartoon channel and he's due for a visit to the loony bin?"
You just glared at him and his stupid fucking 90's porn stache, frown deepening as you watched recognization well up in his eyes.
"Hang on." Your hand twitched with the urge to rip his tounge out of his mouth as it ran across his bottom lip. "I know you—"
"Oh for fucks sake."
You hopped up, abandoning your cozy little corner in turn for dragging him by the lapel of his now wrinkled suit into the connecting cabin of the train cars. You imagined that if they hadn't been so surprised by an innocent looking samaritan dragging their asses along, you would be sporting two new holes in the side of your head.
"One job! I had one job and the two of you had to muck it all up!" Words hissed out of your mouth like steam from a gas can as you dropped your grip on Tangerine and turned away from him, revealing your own gun nonchalantly. They were both quick to draw their own, stances stiff and confused in contrast to your loose but annoyed one.
"Ay I recognize you now." Lemon looked over at Tangerine, gesturing his gun to you loosely. "Russia. A broken leg. James the train, 'member?"
"Would you stop it with the Thomas the train shit for one fffuckin moment?" He hissed back. "Yeah I remember 'em. But that dosent explain what the hell their doin on this train now does it?"
"Nothing that concerns you." You saved them the trouble of yet another fighting match. "And wait, James the train?"
"Yeah." Lemons eyes brightened slightly while looking at you. As if happy someone was asking him about his interest in the train show without attempting to shit on it. "A James. Impatient but gets shit done. Kinda determined too."
You blinked.
"Okay now I like him." You turned your gun over to Tangerine completely now, the man's eyes widening as he sputtered slightly.
"What?!"
You shrugged with an unbothered and downward turn of your lips. "He complimented me. Plus he wasn't the one who shot me in the leg."
"Come-fucken-on that was not a fucken compliment!!"
"I dunno bruv." Lemon shrugged, mirroring your earlier action. "It kinda was."
"Yeah, alright I definitely like you now."
"Oh come off it you bitch! Help me out here or I'll fuckin kill you before they shoot me!" Tangerine spat. You listened as Lemon snickered.
"Hey. I'm good at readin people wha' can I say. And they certainly aren't lookin to shoot any of us right now. That's not a very Jamss thing of them ta do." You sent Lemon a kind thank you—to which he returned it with a your welcome. Tangerine was left alone to seethe in anger.
"Stop that before you blow a gasket." You made a face, referring to the way Tangerines jaw clenched as if he were attempting to chew glass. "Your brother here, Lemon, is right. I don't really feel like carrying your lifeless body across this train right now. I just want to get my damn job done and then go see a cherry tree grove or something."
He grumbled whilst Lemon preened at your recognization of his correct assumption.
"Besides. I'd hate to shoot you in the face and ruin your best asset. Would really ruin my day more than it already has been." A loose sigh made it past your lips. "Fucking up shit is more your style anyways."
You could tell Tangerine was struggling with being of the receiving end of such a blatant compliment and insult on the same time—practically picking through his brain for a measurable response. Either way he was about to run his mouth, and you'd wasted enough time on the job already.
"If I see either of you pass by through my train car again, it better just be that: passing through. Anything else and I am not afraid to end up leaving a few people with ringing ears. Capishe?" The gun in your hands was nodded at strictly, the not so hidden threat being left out in the open for all to interpret.
"Loud and clear mate." Lemon grinned.
"Good. Now scram."
"Hold on love—"
"Call me love again, and I rip that mustache off and shove it straight up that ass of yours. Now ta-ra, or whatever pricks like you say." You were already leaving, so sadly you didn't get to see the look on Tangerines face as you walked off, really just wanting to finish that drink you'd left behind now. Although you wouldn't complain if you were to find something a bit stronger than soda. Especially after that.
The twins waited until you were out of the connecting room before either of them went to speak.
"You know." Lemon clamped a hand down on Tangerines arm with a toothy grin. "If I didn' know any better bruv, I would say tha' you have a thing for them. Not everyday you get a compliment on your ugly mug."
"Must have hit your head boarding. And get ya fucken greasy bitch ass hand off me." He snarled, swatting his brothers hand off his shoulder. "They just threatened to kill me for fucks sake. And I them!"
"I dunno. They seemed like they're a little partial to oranges themself."
"It's tangerines idiot! Tangerines!"
"Whatever. Don't get your knickers in a twist."
Tumblr media
759 notes · View notes
outivv · 1 year
Text
— Sneaking in —
Tumblr media
Synopsis: sneaking into their dorms!! For… different reasons that barely correlate to actually sneaking in :’)
Warnings: Idia being sick lol, not proofread
Characters: Sebek, azul, jamil, rook, and Idia
Pronouns for reader: gender neutral/ not mentioned
A/n: hello!! I know I have a lot of requests to finish but I couldn’t focus with this idea in my head :’). So!! I’m quickly writing this then back to requests >:O. I’ve been posting a lot of twst recently, so I do apologize for the people who follow me strictly for genshin content, I do hope you’re hanging in there OAVEJEG anyway, hope you enjoy!! And take care of yourself!!
Tumblr media
— Sebek —
You carefully snuck through the diasomnia form hallways, the creaking of the floorboards were the only thing that could give you away. That or the loud opening of sebeks door, and his head peaking out, with a large comical scowl, and frown on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but thought against it as Lilia’s room was right across from his own, and he didn’t want to wake Lilia of all people. So he grabbed your arm, and hurried you inside his room.
“You were so loud I could hear you open the front door.” Sebek said his hand sliding down your arm, to carefully grab intertwine his hand with your own. “Nuh uh!! I was super careful!!” You protested. He scowled even harder, but despite that he was somehow very… docile this evening. He caught himself before shouting, he’s very gentle with his hold on your hand, he even asked you to sneak into his dorm, even though the curfew is 10pm and it’s currently 11pm, which all give the vibe that he’s not quite his usual self tonight.
“Sebek? Are you ok?” You squeeze his hand, which is still holding your own. He hums in response, his demeanor very… shy, and even embarrassed. You laugh a little, at how your big, half fae crocodile, loud, boyfriend is acting all… shy. It’s cute, you wouldn’t tell him that, but you know… he’s cute!! “I know you didn’t ask me to sneak in here without a reason.” You say, grabbing his other hand. He mumbles something completely incoherent as a response. “What was that?” You tease, even if it was a genuine question.
“I said… I just missed you.” His pointy ears turn pink, as his eyes meet your own. Ahh, now this makes more sense. Of course with the overblotting, and events, and etc etc, Malleus has been busy, which by extension means Sebek has been busy. Barely has any time to see you even, and he hates that, even if he doesn’t want to admit it because while he isn’t with you, he’s doing his duty and protecting Malleus. But, he can’t help himself, he misses you. You sigh, “alright c’mere.” You say, dragging him over to his bed, and laying down with him, beginning to talk about mindless things like you usually do.
— Azul —
“Thank you jade.” You say politely, as jade closes, and locks the mostro lounge doors again. “Of course.” You look over the massive box you’re holding, to try and make your way towards azul’s office. Getting close to the doors you can hear Floyd doing his agreed upon job, and distracting Azul so he’d stay in his office longer than usual. You creak open the door, and neither Floyd nor Azul could see you over the again, very very large box you were carrying.
Floyd rushes over to help place said box on the coffee table in the middle of the office. “Delivery forrrrrr… the prettiest boy in the world!! A-k-a the birthday boy!!” You say with a cheeky smile, thankfully for Azul Floyd has already left the room, saving him from the embarrassment. Well… you can’t really save completely, his face already turning red, as he bites down on his lip to stop himself from smiling. “What are you doing? I thought we were going out for dinner.” Azul says as he walks over to where you’re standing by your box.
“Well, maybe that was a lie to get you to think we were doing that when in reality…” you proceed to open said box, lifting it up to reveal a beautifully decorated cake. “We’re having cake for dinner!!” Azul think over how… unhealthy that is, but before he can get worked up ok how own thoughts you’re already sitting him down and lighting his candles. “You really got jade and Floyd in on this to help you sneak in?” Azul questioned, intertwining his pinky with yours. “Of course, as long as I give them some cake”
— Jamil —
“What are you doing?” Jamil asks as he suddenly appears right behind you. You jump away from your spot peering around the corner, your hands find their way to grasp the over the shoulder bag you were carrying. They have very valuable goods in I’ll have you know!! “uhhhhhhhhhhhh sneaking… into… your dorm?” You say it like a question. Jamil quirks an eyebrow, “really?” “Yes really!! That’s what I was doing before… you caught me” your demeanor goes to shy, and embarrassed real fast, which jamil chickened at a bit.
“You know you could have just… used the front door.” Jamil comments. You sigh, resting your hand ok your hip, and tsk at his naivety, “now now jamil. You know it’s less fun that way. Plus I wanted to surprise you!!” He crosses his arms, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, “oh? And why would that be?” Your face flushes as you suddenly remember why you came here.
“Well… I uh-“ you open up the bag you had with you, and carefully pull out a small bouquet you had with you “I actually wanted to give you this!!” You hold it out in front of you, a bright and almost innocent smile spreading on your face as you outstretched your arms. Jamil carefully holds the bouquet, looking at it confused, he’s never gotten such a thing from someone… what exactly does this mean? Do you feel the same way for him? Or is it a… friendly gesture amongst friendly friends for friends. He’s not sure. The more he stares at your gift the more your face reddens. “If… you don’t like it that’s fine, I know it’s not really a uh… what’s the word… hmm… practical? Gift?” Jamil now looks up from the flowers “No no it’s just… never mind, thank you. I appreciate it.”
— Rook —
You casually walked through the halls of Pomefiore, you were just gonna meet up with epel for some studying!! Nothing more!! And yet… “ah Mon cherie!! Were you trying to surprise me with your presence?” Rook said as he quickly revealed himself behind the corner, a sharp smile on his face. You step back and scream, obviously surprised by his appearance, rightfully so too!! “Holy sh- rook?!”
He tilts his head, and fully steps away from the corner, walking towards you, and taking your hand in his to kiss it tenderly. Your face bursts into a fit of blush, but also still shock from him startling you, “hey!! No flattery.” Rook looks at you, still with that same sharp close mouthed smile, “Hm, I do apologize for scaring you, but I just couldn’t help myself”
Rook leans against the wall next to him, “I thought you were sneaking up on me, oh how scary that would be” he fakes being dramatic, for a little added flair. “No, I’m just going to study with epel.” You tilt your head, clearly confused. “Oh now you’re even choosing epel over me, oh my!!” “What do you mean??” You respond, very clearly confused on how he keeps pulling random scenarios out of thin air “oh I can’t believe my beloved dear, is hanging out with someone other than me in my own dorm!!” You sigh and start walking to epel’s room, with rook still tailing behind you like a dramatic puppy. God this study session is gonna be obnoxious.
— Idia —
The ignihyde halls are usually very empty, as the echos of your footsteps are played over and over again. There’s not many students in ignihyde, and the ones that are here typically find themselves in their room, or on campus. Either way, meant you got to sneak into the dorms easily, well… after you notified ortho before hand (ortho is ignihyde equivalent of Cerberus prove me wrong).
Now, all you had to do was… not startle Idia, should be easy enough. You knocked on his door, and slowly opened it after hearing him groan. Upon entering you saw him huddled in a blanket, his face illuminated by the screen of his pc, and screen. “Hey.” You say, and you can hear a little squeak, and see him jump a bit in his chair. “What… are you doing here?” Idia says turning around, with a sniffle. You shrugs and say, “well I thought I should cheer you up.” You hold up a bag you were carrying, “I brought candy, that new game you’ve been wanting, and I even brought a copy for myself and my console. Oh and more tissues and medicine, cause you look all… drippy.
It’s funny how whenever Idia gets sick, it’s ortho who calls you for help. Idia was miserable this whole day so far, until you snuck in, and decided to take care of him. Idia, snuggles again, the tops of his hair turning a bright shade of pink, “thanks…” he mumbles, he is truly thankful for everything!! He just… god you make him so nervous, and so happy all at once. You walk over and hand him the box of tissues, “of course. Anytime.”
Tumblr media
329 notes · View notes
ohmystarrynight · 1 year
Note
Really adore your artstyle. You have such amazing designs! I only have one big question and that is in regards to Thomas' Backstory before he became Edward's adopted son. Basically, what happened to Thomas that made him climb aboard Edward's engine? You mentioned you live for sad stories too so I can presume it's something angsty was involved?
Tumblr media
Ah good question good question…
It dawned on me that before I got back into this show, I never knew the era it took place in. Now I’ve realized it’s between 1936 and 1952… to keep it brief, I’d place my au around the end of WWII.
I haven’t exactly given thought to WHO Thomas’s parents are, only that they were separated from Thomas, and later (most unfortunately) became casualties of the war.
I imagine Thomas might have been quite curious at seeing such a bright blue engine at a train station one morning while wandering aimlessly, so, being him, he probably climbed aboard and never thought twice. (Given that he’s around 4 I can’t say I blame him, I might’ve done the same???)
And while I know y’all have seen the comic, you haven’t seen all of it (yet?) but Edward does eventually realize he’s stowed away on the train and decides to ask Sir Topham Hatt what to do once they’ve reached Sodor.
I’ll post these doodles eventually but what ensues after is essentially this:
-Topham and Edward decide an orphanage is probably their best bet, so Topham starts looking into arrangements.
-in the meantime, Edward had the whole caretaker role thrust unto him by default. The first few nights are chaotic, as no one, but especially not Edward, had much experience in caring for a kid before. (Let alone one as cheeky as this one). There was a lot of learning to be had.
-it takes much longer than anyone had thought to find a place for Thomas to go, and eventually a few months pass by. You see where I’m going with this I’m sure, but needless to say, Thommy has already grown quite attached. To everyone, sure, but especially Edward, who takes him on trips and teaches him all about how to drive the train.
And as you all know, he does eventually stay. There was one futile attempt made to separate them and send Thomas off, but after one rather vocal and tear jerking stop at THAT station you better believe Thomas went back HOME to Sodor without further question.
If this wasn’t horrifically boring for y’all I’d be happy to go more into this and how he grew up around the others? Idk I’ve never had such a long post before 😭😂 anyway enjoy
186 notes · View notes
purdledooturt · 1 month
Text
WIP xDay
SO. @larvasmoon tagged me for WIP Wednesday but I lost track of the days - I'm so sorry!
Anyway, the last WIP I dug up for this turned into a full fic, so I had to find something else to post (we love suffering from success) - please enjoy this excerpt from the Dadstarion fic I'm working on in between other things ❤
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Remember That I Love You
His daughter stood on a step stool in front of their mirror, making faces at her own reflection. Astarion, crouched low and armed with sewing pins, looked up to find her scrunching her nose while trying to lift her eyebrows. He clucked his tongue and shook his head. “Darling, do be careful or your face will get stuck like that.”
“Would you still love me, Papa?” she asked, and her face broke into a toothy grin as she turned to face him. Gods – with a smile that wide (missing front tooth and all) she looked very much like her mother, who was elsewhere pottering in the house.
The sudden movement made the cloth slip past his fingers. He tutted gently and without any malice, making a note to himself that, all things considered, she’d been unusually patient and still for this alteration session. She apologised, the words coming out almost as a reflex instead of a genuine apology before he turned her towards the mirror once more to continue rolling and pinning a new hem to her new skirt.
“Well?” she prodded again, careful to only turn her head towards him this time.
“My love, there is nothing you can do that will make Papa love you less,” he answered, truthfully and honestly. He loved his daughter unconditionally, and he did not think it initially possible until he had held her in his arms for the first time. “You know, you looked like a prune when you were born but I still loved you then,” he grinned at her, recalling the memory of her birth like it was only yesterday. Every detail came to mind with ease, her arrival to the world a bright flash of light in the timeline of his life. For someone who had been beaten into believing that you would only be valued for what you could give, Astarion found that he loved his wrinkly little child before she could offer him anything at all. “Mama and Papa will always love you.”
She hummed, and it was obvious the seriousness of his declaration went unnoticed. “Even if my face got stuck like… this?” She made another comical face, crossing her eyes and pouting. She looked nothing short of adorable. How could he, with all his sins, have made something so pure? He gave her nose a light tap, amused as her eyes followed the tip of his finger. The action made her break into giggles, which was a sound he wished he could bottle and hold to his heart forever.
“I suppose even then,” he sighed theatrically.
She began swaying side to side, as she put her hands out for him to hold. She was an affectionate child, and he’d found his personal bubble had grown and accounted for the shape of his daughter in it. The alterations were momentarily forgotten, as her skirt swayed side to side, half too long and half just right. “Even if… I don’t eat my vegetables?”
Cheeky thing. “Sure – but we would still give you a talking to, I think.”
“What?” she asked, and she nearly tipped herself off the step stool if not for his hands holding hers. “Papa, if you loved me you wouldn’t give me a talking to.”
Ah, yes – this deviousness could only have been his contribution to the development of their only child. “My sunshine, that’s not how it works,” he replies, “Nice try.”
Tumblr media
The prompt came from Cinnamontails's discord (the prompt was provided by myself, and then taken by myself, like a greedy gremlin). As usual, I'm here to promote our little community - please come and join us!
I'm tagging @larvasmoon back, like a cheeky chook. I'd also like to tag @riskpig and @vyjuarts. And also, @bludazey (my love, because I have missed you), and @cinnamontails-ff (because I'm trying to coax more of that Rolan fic out of you, if it wasn't already obvious).
Fingers crossed I'll have something new soon (wink).
49 notes · View notes
pixiemage · 1 year
Text
When All Is Said and Done
[Story based on this comic by @shepscapades.]
This work can also be found on Ao3
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jimmy ended up standing in front of the bracket board for far longer than was really necessary. The poll results from the most recent round of voting had been revealed a few hours ago. The cacophony of sound that had filled the tournament facility back then had long since lessened to only a small scattering of voices and laughter. Everyone who had been bombastically celebrating victories or mourning losses, discussing potential outcomes or jokingly squaring up against their next competitor with an air of friendly competitiveness…many of them were long gone, either heading back to home servers to do a little more recording before the next set of results came out, or leaving with friends to enjoy the rest of the tournament from afar. Some, too, were probably going to kick into campaigning mode the second they left.
Scott had done that, Jimmy knew. Scott had promoted his own name and sent out a call to arms among his viewers throughout the competition, asking for their votes and using sly tactics to sway the poll in his favor. And it had worked.
Scott had won and Jimmy had lost.
Jimmy tilted his head to the side, the feathers around his ears flaring as he squinted at the little percentages below their names. With himself at 46% and Scott at 54%, it had been a close race. Closer than Jimmy had expected, if he were being honest with himself, though that thought didn’t dissuade his disappointment. He had hoped to do well, of course, but he had also known that Scott was a fairly well-known name in the Minecraft world. Between MCC and the multitude of SMP series he participated in on a regular basis, he definitely had a lot of supporters…and in a competition like this, one couldn’t discount the fact that being popular was an asset.
His eyes trailed a little lower to a pair of names four spots down on the bracket from his own. WilburSoot – 54%, TangoTek - 46%. Tango had lost as well, by the exact same margin as Jimmy himself had. Despite the loss, Jimmy felt a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth.
Almost as if summoned, a familiar and warmer-than-human hand slipped into his, tugging gently.
“Hey Jim,” Tango spoke up, coming up to stand close at his shoulder. “You’re still here?”
Jimmy hummed noncommittally, his eyes dancing from name to name again. He had initially come to the bracket board to make some guesses on who exactly might move on in the next round, but…well. He had gotten a bit distracted.
There was another tug on his hand, almost playful.
“It’s over, man. Almost everyone else has left.”
Jimmy finally dragged his focus away from the board to look at Tango. His soulmate was watching him with a soft sort of understanding in the red of his eyes, his head tilted ever-so as he took Jimmy in. Jimmy’s smile brightened a little and warmth swirled beneath his ribcage. Against his back, the tension melted out of his wings. He hadn’t seen Tango much since this whole thing had begun. He wasn’t ashamed to admit he missed his partner.
“...yeah, I know,” he said finally. “I was just - looking.”
“Heh, I can tell,” Tango chuckled. “You’ve been just looking for a while.” His eyes flicked over to the board and lingered on the spot Jimmy had been stuck on for longer than he’d care to say. “...are you alright? I knew Scott was gonna be tough competition, but…still.”
Jimmy took a slow breath. Was he alright? He pondered it for a moment, his thumb tracing circles against the back of Tango’s hand where it was still held in his grip.
“I’m good,” he decided finally, smiling sideways at Tango. “Great now, actually. This was fun! It’s just a silly game anyway, isn’t it? And hey!” His wings puffed up, a bit of cheeky humor lighting up his eyes. “I wasn’t out first this time!”
At that, Tango laughed, a brilliant grin lighting up his face.
“You weren’t out first!” he agreed. “You did good, buddy!”
“We both did,” Jimmy corrected, even as the compliment from Tango settled like warm honey in his chest. He cast one last glance at the board before turning away, letting Tango lead him out of the little poll center that he had been in and out of for the better part of the past few days. “Don’t think I didn’t see how close you and Wilbur got in your poll as well.”
“I wasn’t even campaigning!”
“Well neither was I!” Jimmy countered, setting Tango off into bright barking laughter again. He grinned, chuckling, and squeezed Tango’s hand where they were joined between them. Their shoulders bumped gently as they walked, Tango’s slightly lower than his own, and Jimmy curved his right wing out to curl around his partner’s back. Void, but he’d never get bored of this. “...did you notice our results were almost identical?” He spoke up after a moment. “Forty-six percent, both of us. What’re the odds of that?”
“Hmm, weird…” Tango mused. He cast Jimmy a sly sidelong glance. “I dunno, that’s a heck of a coincidence. It’s almost like we’re soulmates or something–”
“Wh– Tango!” Jimmy laughed, bumping Tango’s shoulder on purpose this time, and Tango’s shoulders hunched up with the quiet snickering he tried to hide behind his hand.
“Alright, alright, enough talk about polls!” he said instead, yanking Jimmy off toward the portal back to the server hub. “I’ve missed you. I need some proper cuddle time with extra cuddles. So you pick - your place or mine?”
“Mmm…mine,” Jimmy said. The comfort of his own bed after such a tension-filled morning was more tempting than anything.
“Back to the ranch, huh?” Tango’s eyes were bright when he cast a glance back over his shoulder. “I like the sound of that.” He stepped into the purple swirl of the portal and tugged Jimmy after him, both of them tucked close to fit through the obsidian doorway together. Tango grinned up at him and Jimmy had to tuck his wings close to keep them from puffing up under his soulmate’s affectionate gaze.
“C’mon, rancher. Let’s go home.”
91 notes · View notes
sadruru · 25 days
Text
"Captivity begins with one's own mind."
A story about Melissa with an old illustration (old, yep, from last year!). As it turns out, Baphomet has played a cruel trick on her. This is a very important part in her story. Later I will illustrate this moment in the comic strip. Doesn't everyone in Baphomet's lineage like to play with nerves???? HAHAHAHAHA ;D I love how it turned out anyway! Why not post it here? I just wanted to reveal a bit of her character back when I wasn't drawing comics yet. I'm a not good writer. I tried very carefully to translate (maybe). That's a lot of reading to do, hehehe. Enjoy the despair ~ ...
The heart of demon lord Baphomet's domain - the Inevitability Prison. Another room. Another torture chamber. This place is part of an eternal labyrinth, littered with suffering souls and their torturers.
The labyrinth was the property of Baphomet, and once again the commander felt the call of the Abyss. The call of destruction and murder confused the thoughts in her head. The commander could hardly contain herself, venting her anger at the servants of the Father of the Minotaurs. A weary glance fell on the cracked mirror in the corner. The commander saw her reflection and - vaguely and briefly - the master of this prison glimpsed in it
No one noticed how Melissa had fallen behind the squad. Does no one see it but her? Does no one hear it?
- How long you gonna hide from us, goat?! I've had enough of these stupid riddles! Give me back the Hand of the Inheritor, or I'll gladly find you again and gut you! - a cheeky grin touched her face. Her eyes lit up with scarlet fire.
Baphomet let such a brazen insult pass his ears. He grinned, glaring intently at his enemy.
His eyes reflected… victory?
- An empty boast, mortal. But I see our last conversation has borne results,- he pointed a finger at his forehead with a bloody, burning star, repeating what he had once said: - "Captivity begins with your own mind". There was that phrase again. From the first few seconds it had been lingering in the commander's mind. Melissa didn't understand why those words were so irritating to her.
- Are you showing off again? Threats don't scare me.
- I'm not threatening you. Rather, I'm reminding you that I've studied you, your thoughts and feelings. There's no need to get rid of you myself. I wonder what will happen first - will your mind destroy itself now or afterward, if you close the Abyss? I've met your kind before. It doesn't always take physical strength to defeat you. - every word was infused with arrogance and poison.
- What the hell are you...
- A world-abused, terrified, unhappy tiefling-child. You know what I mean? You're in my domain. Your mind is like an open book. Still remembering all your hurts? - in the shards of the mirror there are pictures of the past and faces of familiar people, - Do you remember the face of your dear mother that day? No... But that look! So cold, unfamiliar, empty... You admired her so much.
The smug grin quickly disappeared from Melissa's face.
Everything came into view as if it had happened yesterday, when her happy childhood had begun to crack.
- And your beloved father? What did he do to you? Do you remember the mad fear for your life, the pleas for mercy? Which gods did you turn to then? A poor kitten, tied up, thrown into the raging river in a dirty, cramped sack, without the slightest hope of rescue...
- Stop it!
The wounds never healed, even after many years. The pain always returned, coming in waves, and each time it was worse. It became hard to breathe. Blood boiled with rage. A drop of cold sweat rolled down her cheek.
Trying to break free of the illusion was futile.
The commander realized that this was nothing more than another trick… But her soul was still torn apart.
The demon lord's words hurt like knives.
- What about old friends? A friend who deemed you useless and betrayed you for the sake of her freedom and safety. The laughter in her eyes. The cracked skull of a dear comrade who died because of you. And you only escaped and survived because of him!
- I said enough! Stay out of my head! - Melissa's voice trembled, her legs shaking under the weight of her past. Her chest was squeezing painfully.
- Have you ever thought about what will happen when the crusade is over? Will your "faithful" companions, all those people, still need you? What about that boy, who fell in love with someone like you? Have you wondered: are they not using you because you are useful?
The demon lord's voice changed. It became almost affectionate:
- They will quickly forget your existence and get rid of you. They will look at you the same way, like the dirt beneath their feet, tiefling. That's the way it was, is, and always will be. No one will be there for you like the day you died. It was scary to die helplessly, slowly, alone, with your neck cut, wasn't it? Once again, the world condemned you to die.
- Shut your fucking mouth, asshole!!!!
A cry of pure anger echoed through the dark corridors. Her fist struck the fragile mirror with all its force, ending its existence.
And only in her ears could she still hear the laughter of the Lord of the Labyrinth.
A hellish pain brought her back to her senses: the shards were embedded in her arm. The companions found Melissa quickly enough. The leopard led them to his mistress. She was sitting on her knees. As soon as she raised her head, she could read the shock and worry on her companions' faces.
It seemed like an eternity had passed, not a couple minutes.
Something was wrong.
Something had changed in the commander - everyone understood it from the first second. Melissa looked at her companions. In the red eyes read a lot of things… Doubt? Distrust? Despair? Like a wild animal trapped in a cage, surrounded by enemies.
From that moment on, nightmares and insomnia began to plague her more and more often, almost every night. In Drezen, many people noticed the change in Melissa. The fun, cheerful girl was turning into a walking corpse, repelling any attempt to speak or care for her. Periodically she repeated the same thing quietly, barely noticeable, like a curse:
- Captivity begins with one's own mind… She's broken like the shards of a mirror.
Tumblr media
10 notes · View notes
italeean · 8 months
Note
HELLO THIS IS RANDO TO ELLE I REPEAT RANDO TO ELLE, OVER!! I HOPE YOU ARENT BEING DROWNED OUT WITH REQUESTS FOR THE MILESTONE EVENT (IF SO PLEASE DONT FEEL PRESSURED TO DO MINE, AND MAKE SURE TO TAKE LOADS OF BREAKS WHEN NEEDED!!) ALSO I APOLOGISE FOR THE ALL CAPS I DO THIS WHEN I’M EXCITED OR JUST ENTHUSIASTIC IN GENERAL!
SO FOR THE EVENT:
THE NAME’S RANDO, BUT YA KNOW THAT ALREADY,
I’M SUPER LOUD AND LOVE FUN EXCITING STUFF, THOUGH I CAN ALSO GET SCARED EASY- AND I LIKE PERFORMING ARTS (ESPECIALLY SINGING, HIPHOP DANCE, AND MUSICAL THEATRE) OR ARTS IN GENERAL AND PRANKS AND PARTIES AND IM BASICALLY A GREMLIN HDJDHSKS-
I AM ALSO A LEE BUT SHHH YOU DIDNT HEAR THAT FROM ME-
FOR THE FANDOM, EITHER GENSHIN OR BUNGO STRAY DOGS- I DON’T MIND WHICH!
AND ALSO I’D PREFER PLATONIC AND A DUDE CAUSE THE B IN BRO GOTTA STAND FOR BESTIES >:D
ANYWAYS THAT WAS PROBABLY A LOT BUT I HOPE YOU’RE DOING WELL AND HAVE HAD A GOOD WEEK SO FAR!!
Tumblr media
ANYWAYS THIS WAS RANDO, OVER AND OUT-
RANDOOOO MY DEAR!!! IT'S BEEN SO NICE TO SEE YOUR REQUEST POPPING UP IN MY ASK BOX 🥹 About how many requests I have, I can officially say that I passed the 20 requests!! 😸 Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the match I gave you... I chose BSD as a fandom hehe ❤️🍡 *some dango for my #1 Itto stan* P.S. You better have slept properly, or else.
🔮 For the match-up, your pair is... RANPO
Tumblr media
🔮 Why did I choose him for you?
• SAME GREMLIN ENERGY, THAT'S THE FIRST REASON • I can see you getting the zoomies together after having an overdose of sugar... poor Kunikida would take a sick leave probably hehe~ • You two would probably fall together into Yosano or Dazai's tickly clutches... or maybe both of them at the same time • I can imagine you two (lovingly) bullying the life out of poor Poe... he'd get wrecked at least twice a week • Ranpo is always honest (even blunt and cheeky at times) so he would always give you a honest feedback about your singing, dancing or theatrical performances... you can always trust his judgment • I'm imagining you creating a song with a couple of lines about every member of the Agency hahahaha • Maybe someone would even get revenge on you two if you made his lines comical enough (ahem Kunikida *cough cough*) • The detective would probably have fun with giving you jumpscares... maybe even tickly jumpscares~ • PLAYFIGHTS WITH KENJI AND ATSUSHI. PERIOD. • You could have a "bro/bestie night" with a nice movie, maybe a comedic murder mystery, and a huge pile of sweets!!! • You could give yourself a silly bros nickname, like THE RANS, since your names both start with RAN • Ranpo probably wins both tickle fights against you, thanks to his observation skills and his great memory. He'd remember each and every one of your weaknesses...
🔮 Tickle scenario
The Agency was completely quiet for once. Dazai and Kunikida were on a mission together, just like Kenji and Tanizaki, Naomi was out shopping with Kyouka, Yosano was buying more bandages and a new chainsaw, the President was having a negotiation with Mori, Atsushi was out "fighting" Akutagawa and Ranpo was on a crime scene.
Which means that when you arrived at this building, you found no one to welcome you. You sighed, although you didn't get mad, you knew that your friends were out doing their job... so you decided to use that time to explore around the building.
You went around and checked everyone's desks, making your heart skip a beat when you almost knocked over a pen holder on Kunikida's perfectly tidy and organized desk, and in the end you found it. The treasure. Your eyes literally lighted up at the sight: you had found Ranpo's stack of sweets.
You genuinely wondered how Ranpo was able to eat all that sugar without getting sick, but a rumble in your stomach made you snap back to reality. You were hungry, but you couldn't eat those sweets... you knew how jealous the detective was of his food, so you decided not to touch anything.
...
After an hour, the pile of candy was complete gone, and you gulped when you heard the door open and the sound of approaching steps. It wasn't your lucky day. Before you could even think about hiding the evidence of your hideous crimes, Ranpo appeared before you.
"AAAAAHH I'm so disappointed! The case was so easy that I spotted the culprit from afar! I didn't even get to use my ability! Seriously, isn't there an intelligence test to become a policeman?" The detective was clearly grumpy, so he did the thing that usually cheered him up, which was eating sweets to his heart's content.
However, his frown deepened when he found his stack completely gone and the wraps all scattered around the floor. "Rando..." The detective looked at you with a piercing gaze, even putting on his glasses, "do you know where my candy went? "I... you... no... I mean... I didn't... well... I WAS HUNGRY!!!" You couldn't lie at all, especially to the greatest detective of all times.
"Now I'm hungry! What am I supposed to eat, huh?" If you hadn't been so nervous, you would've probably noticed the playfully ominous glint in your best friend's eyes. "Erm... I... I think Kunikida left s-some raw veggies in the fridge..?"
"EEEEEEEHHH VEGGIES??? BLEH! HOW DARE YOU?! YOU'RE GONNA GET IT!!" The green-eyed guy jumped on you, but you managed to put your hands on his shoulders and push him off... Or so you thought.
When you raised your arms, two fingers immediately wormed under your arms, thoroughly digging in the very center of your underarms. "KYAAAHAHEHEHEHE RAHAHAHANPO WAIHIHIHIT NOOOO!!!" You were immediately reduced to a laughing mess, but Ranpo showed no mercy.
On the contrary, he moved his hands and made you think he had decided to spare you and let it slide for once, but right after you breathed a sigh of relief, twenty wiggling fingers descended on your poor tummy.
"WAAAAHHAHAHAHAHA NOHOHOHO RAHAHANPOHOHO NAHAHAT THIHIHIS!!!" You begged, wishing your thin cotton shirt could protect you better from the pokes, pinches, scribbles and spiders that were targeting your midriff.
"Yes, this! You deserve it for eating my secret stack of sweets! Hmph!!" He huffed while he started circling your belly button. "NONONOHOHOHOHO BROHOHO PLEAHAHASE LEHEHET'S TAHAHALK ABOHOHOUT THIHIHIS..!" As soon as you understood where his finger was going, you started pleading and squirming, making the tickly feeling even worse (or better).
"You should've thought about it before eating my snacks... now I'm gonna dig and get them back!" The brunette exclamation as his finger found your bellybutton and started wiggling extra quickly, as if it was digging in your poor belly.
"AAAAAAAAAHAHHAHAEHEHHEHE NAH- NAHAHAHAHAHAHA NOHOHOT THIHIHIS PLEHEHEAHASEEE" It surprised you how mean a cute guy like Ranpo could be, but there you were, squirming like a little worm, trying in vain to escape your tickly fate.
But alas, your yelling, squirming, pleading and begging fell on deaf ears. Only when your laughter went silent and you asked him to stop, Ranpo actually ceased his assault. "Are you okay?" The detective asked while handing you a glass of water "Sorry if I overdid it..."
"Don't worry, I'm fine, and well... it was deserved hehe" You gave him an embarrassed smile and scratched the back of your head, "Now... shall we go buy more candy and annoy Poe?"
"YAY! LET'S GOOO!!!"
25 notes · View notes
Text
A new side of you: summer evening
Tumblr media
Pairing: Eugene 'Flash' Thompson x Reader
Summary: Getting closer traveling around the evening city of New York.
Warning: 12k words!, fluff, tension, awkward, Ned third wheeling, non-canon stuff (Rhino has enhanced sense of smell when he doesn't in the comics)
A/N: Sorry again for taking a long time in-between chapters but hopefully you'll like it, enjoy!
Tags: @wheelerzluv @loxerclu8 @ray-of-sunrise @m00nkn1ghts
Tumblr media
"It's actually not that cold."
We are distancing ourselves from the yacht the lights brightening our path toward the evening streets.
The music is getting distant and my ears are focusing on the sound of our feet padding on the ports' wooden planks and the water rippling through the wood poles.
Passing a certain area, Flash stops dead in his spot.
"Wait, where are we going?" he asks feet firmly planted on the ground, standing awkwardly.
"The bus stop is right there, why?" I answer with a frown, not knowing exactly what we are apparently doing wrong.
"But my car is right there," he notifies us to his car parked in front of the stone wall beside the staircase leading to the street.
"Yeah but you don't know where we're going," I argue.
"You could always tell me the way."
"Well, we only know the way through the bus, you know a particular stop and a distinct building, I can't really tell like that by street names."
He stays silent, probably judging.
"Anyways, better not bring your car around there at this hour, you never know how quickly you can lose your tires until it happens during a 2-minute errant," I say getting closer to him and sliding my arm around his, linking our arms and tugging him towards the stone stairs instead of his car.
I feel him tense up, standing straighter and looking ahead at the bus stop like it's a target.
We don't have to wait long as the bus can be seen approaching our stop from afar. When the doors open, Ned zooms in front of us and swipes his card sitting himself ahead of us.
"A ticket please," I say as I swipe my metro card and take a few coins out of my wallet.
The driver looks at me and my small puddle of change before sending a look in Flash's direction. Exchanging my money for a card.
"You don't have to pay I can just use my money," he interrupts as I hand him his card.
"You have change in your wallet?"
"I have my credit card."
"Pocket change goes faster to get yourself a ticket. Plus, you're the birthday boy you don't have to pay," I say with a smile and a cheeky wink.
Sitting down, I take in the sight of the boat's light under the darkness of the outside. Flash really went out there this year with the spotlight.
It aggressively contrasts with the dead of night, barely lighted up by the few street lamps. I feel the seat beside mine shift and turning my gaze from the window I see him shifting around and sending me a quick awkward smile before looking elsewhere.
The bus's engine rumble as the bus starts back up. I look at the port sliding out of my vision.
we reach a corner before turning into a street and a question pops up in my mind making me turn my head around toward him.
"Have you ever taken the bus before?" I ask a bit agitated.
We make eye contact before he frowns, "Why do you ask?"
"It's just. I always saw you getting to school in cars, either yours or someone else's."
A strange look passes his eyes, "Oh! um yeah Once. I was like what, thirteen? And I wanted to go to a convention but my dad wouldn't let me to go."
he messes with his jacket's pockets, "I failed some grades and I was grounded so when he sent me to my room I stole some cash from my mom's purse and left through my window."
It sounds like a touchy subject.
"How was it?" I try to switch his attention.
"How was what?"
"The convention."
His eyes lose the fog but still manage to be elsewhere a happier place.
"Oh that was cool," he says with a smile, "saw a lot of people, discovered a lot of games that were to come and I even met a group of guys, they were cosplaying the Avengers and they were missing one of their buddies so I got to cosplay Hawkeye."
"How cool," I say remembering that the Avengers were the number one cosplay the year they assembled for the first time to save New York.
"Sounds cool, did the costume fit you?"
At that, he chuckles awkwardly but still reaches out to his phone and turns it on. Scrolling through it, he turns it towards me and I get to see the picture of five guys posing as what people call today the OG six.
"Like a glove. It's a shame, I'm not a fan of Hawkeye."
I gasp, "Hawkeye is such a cool guy!"
Analyzing the picture's small details I notice he is silent and turns my head to him to catch him looking back at me in silence.
"What?" I ask losing my smile in fear of having messed up.
"Nothing, just, I always forget that you mingle with the Avengers that's all."
I don't know what to say, should I be offended? He always made a mockery out of my 'internship' that would only be fair to let my sarcasm take over. But again, it feels like we are moving on to a clean slate since we interacted back at the wedding; my sarcasm could potentially put us back on hostile ground.
I decide to stay silent. Nowadays I don't know if his words are compliments or jabs anymore so with the fact that I am trying to spend a nice evening in his company I'd rather believe it is a compliment.
With the bus' incessant shake I take the initiative and catch his wrist in my hand stabilizing his arm and taking a closer look at the picture.
His hand grips his phone harder probably securing the device in his hand to make sure it does not fall.
"They are missing a black widow," I say smiling.
He hesitates, "Yeah? well, next time I'll keep you in mind if they're missing someone."
"It'll be an honor."
Taking my focus away from him I sense him smiling to himself and making eye contact with a laughing Ned who turns his phone to me showing me a video.
That's how the bus ride continues, in a comfortable silence rocked by the bus and chatting from time to time.
A nudge on my knee takes my attention away from the window and brings me to look at Ned who then stands up letting me figure out we are getting to our stop.
"Come on," I say catching Flash's arm in my hand and dragging him out of the bus.
The wind attacks us as we jump out of the vehicle, the summer evening getting a bit chilly.
"Okay, so where are we going now?" He asks watching Ned walking ahead of us.
"It's just up that corner."
"What is it exactly?"
"Delmar's is …well it's Delmar's," I chuckle, "But it's just our first stop of the evening, to get a bit of food."
"We could've eaten back on the boat before leaving," he inform.
"Yeah but then you would have never tasted the Queen's best sandwiches."
"Sandwiches, huh? You're spoiling me, Parker," he says with a smirk.
I burst out laughing finding it impossible to keep it to myself.
"Okay, be smug but check it out first and then you'll see, you'll thank me," I say confidently.
Turning the corner I almost walk into the door that closes up right in front of me. I open it and see the culprit running to the back of the shop where the shelves create a small maze of different delicacies.
"Little Miss Parker! What are you doing here at this hour?! The streets are dangerous around this time," he says full of delight even at this late hour, "And who is this? You're bringing me new customers now? You're too good to me," he shouts hands on his heart.
"Hello Mr.Delmar," I shout laughing, "No we are just stopping by to get some food, where's Dominic?"
"At home, he has a daughter you know? Can't spend all his time in here."
"Oh so you're the one behind both counters tonight?"
"Yes, and I see you need some quality food so what can I get you ladies and gentlemen?"
Turning back to him I see that he is scrutinizing the menu above Mr.Delmar.
"Huh, I'll take a number five," I jump in leaving a bit more time for Flash to decide.
"And Leed will take a number three with tomatoes and pickles?" He asks with a smile already knowing our command by heart.
I smile and nod back without needing a response.
"Would your friend like some recommendations?" He asks Flash directly.
He looks back at Mr.Delmar before realizing the man is waiting for his order to start preparing.
He lets out an 'oh' and some humming looking at the menu and feeling bad for his hesitation. I walk to him and intertwine our arms bringing him closer to the counter and pointing out the best options.
"Number five is a safe option but you can still ask to have in a few things you want, pro tip? ask to get your bread to be grilled a little bit so it's warm and crusty," I say trying to appease him in his uneasiness.
He hums again and looks down at Mr.Delmar, " You know what? tonight I'm gonna let you choose for me. Surely you're the expert."
"Oh, you want to be adventurous tonight? Alright then give me a few minutes and your orders will be ready." he beams.
"Great! Thank you Mr.Delmar!" I say dragging him along with me by our arms.
Walking us to the back of the store I see Ned appearing and disappearing in between the shelves.
"Is that a toy stand?"
"Yeah," I draw out, "It used to be just sandwiches and a few snacks but then Mr.Delmar noticed people would come in expecting to find last-minute formulas, diapers, or even pre-made cakes!" I say pointing at a plastic container containing the cake with a happy birthday message.
I start my usual walk, like clockwork, and unconsciously detangle my arm from his walking ahead.
Chips, chocolate, candy, walking I don't notice that I've lost and left Flash behind to do his own shopping. My eyes travel from top to bottom before they freeze on an item that isn't supposed to be there.
In between the mochis and Reese's bars lying there all alone and out of place is a digital Spiderman watch probably meant for the toy stand.
It lies there, an intruder around all the treats.
I look left and right and pick up the item. It is wrapped in plastic and decorated cardboard. The two dollars and twenty-five cents are scratched and a bit sticky but it doesn't happen to have been opened.
"Hi there."
I jump, not expecting anyone to approach me let alone a stranger.
"Oh, hi."
"What do you have there?"
I don't know him, I've never seen him around and he isn't much older than me but the way his gaze keeps running up and down my figure is making my skin crawl and side-eye him.
"Um, snacks, lots and lots of snacks," I chuckle trying the calm tactic.
"Yeah, looks delicious," he laughs to himself.
He walks closer to me, too close for my comfort and reaches out for a bag of candy purposely brushing his arm on my shoulder.
I rush back and he starts smiling, "No need to be scared I'm not gonna attack you."
"I know I just prefer my personal space," I say a bit on edge, the urge to punch him in the face apparent on mine.
"My bad, 'was just trying to be friendly."
I don't answer and leave him to the awkward silence by himself as I turn back to the shelf ignoring him.
"So you come here often?"
I stay silent.
Getting my watch I get ready to turn the other way when I feel pressure on my arm.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Away from here," I say firmly as a warning, snatching my arm off his grasp.
"No need to be a bitch I'm just being friendly," he says his tone switching from nice to sinister.
He's offended?! He's the one harassing me!
His eyes travel from me to behind me as his scowl softens down to a frown.
I turn around, preparing myself to see Mr.Delmar ready to dismiss the confrontation. Instead, I see Flash approaching with a blank face.
"Can we help you?" he asks drily standing beside me as I subtly hide the watch from his view.
I feel his arm sneaking around mine, linking them together.
"My bad dude didn't know she had a boyfriend," he says putting his hands up in defense.
"Oh, so it was okay to harass her as long as you thought she didn't have a boyfriend?"
"I wasn't harassing her, was just talking,"
"How about you go talk to someone else, oh I know! How about the cops parked across the street," he says with a broad smile nudging his head towards the store windows.
Looking in the direction he glanced at I see two cops ordering from a food truck right across the street.
"Damn, whatever she's not even cute," the scum spits out before spinning around and vanishing from our aisle.
"You got everything?"
I look at him to see his gaze still fixated on the end of the aisle before looking back at me.
I quickly look back at the shelf and snatch a pack of candy, "Yeah."
He looks back at me and gently walks me back the other way.
Turning the corner Ned is walking towards us with confusion.
"You okay?"
We make eye contact and I faintly nod my head.
"Yeah, let's just pay up and leave," I say dragging Flash along and tossing my pack of sweets in the small basket before taking Ned's arm as well.
Passing the aisles and walking toward the counter I see the scum paying up for his thing when his eyes catch the three of us. Sending a dirty look, he shakes his head and scoffs before beading his goodbyes to Mr.Delmar.
When he is out of the way and the place is cleared out the last of our sandwiches is slapped down on the counter.
"A number five, three, and a mystery sandwich for the adventurous little man!"
I take the basket from Ned and put it down to be scanned up.
I take my wallet out as the steady beep of the item emits from the register.
"I got it," Flash says reaching for his back pocket.
"Oh, would you look at that a bunch of cash that is way quicker to pay with than a card," I smile handing the small stack of dollars before he can slip his card out.
He looks at me frozen and with his mouth ajar as I hand him his sandwich. He stands there a few more seconds before Ned nudges him into motion and they start walking towards the door.
I watch them pass the door and turn back around to grab my own meal. I throw a 5-dollar bill beside the rest of my cash and receive a frown from Mr.Delmar.
Turning around making sure nobody is looking back toward me, I swipe out the watch and show it to him, turning it around to show the price tag.
He smiles and winks at me in understanding, packing the last of our purchase in a bag and handing it to me he slides the money to himself.
"Good evening, Miss.Parker."
"Good evening Mr.Delmar!" I shout passing the door with my bag.
Walking to the bus stop I see Ned and Flash looking at the food truck more precisely the officers waiting around for their food to get ready.
"What are you two looking at?"
Before I can have an answer Ned stands up from his seat on the bus bench and crosses the street towards the officers.
"What?"
"We can hear the police station in their car and Leeds is curious."
Looking back at Ned, I watch him tap one of the officer's shoulder.
I shrug and tug at his wrist as he frowns at me. With his arm in the air I rip open the watch's packaging and throw it in the bin on the side.
Enveloping his wrist with the digital watch I see his frown deepen before he registers what it is. He's silent as I fasten it on and stares at it when I drop my hands to my side.
His wrist stays in the air and he pulls it closer to his eyes examining the gift.
"I liked it and it was cheap so I thought, why not?" I chuckle.
He doesn't answer and instead gazes up at me.
He doesn't get to answer me before Ned jogs back to us.
"So, what do you got?" I ask him with a smile.
"Huh, no nothing they just basically said I need to get a life."
"What happened?" I ask.
He pauses looking at both of us, "Well we were waiting for you and I was looking at the food truck. Then I saw the officers looking stressed and their car's radio started blasting off with a code telling every officer in the area to stay on their foot."
"How d'you know that?"
"Flash told me," at that, I turn my gaze to him. He looks taken aback and goes back and forth looking between Ned and me before understanding the silent question I'm asking and straightening himself up if it's possible.
"I learned the NYPD's code on the internet."
Both of us stand, mouth agape and still in our place.
"What, it's not complicated, it's interesting and you can keep up with the police."
"Why would you want to keep up with the police?" Ned beat me to the question.
"We're in New York. It's better to know what's happening in the street," he says after a second of silence.
His eyes shifting between the two of us reassures me to know that Ned doesn't believe this explanation just like me.
Seems like he does not want to answer and sits on the bus bench waiting.
I sit by his side and meet eyes with Ned who too thinks his refusal to answer is strange. Focusing on something else I decide to rummage through the plastic bag and hand him a bag of candy.
He grasps it with a smile leaving the previous awkwardness to rest and tear through the bag presenting it to me so I can serve myself but I don't get to as the bus approach and instead decide to steal the bag from him to stuff it back inside the plastic bag.
I move us along to the open doors, following behind and swiping our card I see Ned already seated on the side of the bus where three seats are lined up, and where he is already seated in the front seat.
Passing him with a pat on the shoulder, I sit behind him and spot Flash sitting behind me as I watch the outside scenery of New York City's evening.
I feel a tug at the back of my head. Turning around I look behind me thinking I'd see the strand stuck in the bus seat but instead, I'm met with Flash's gaze meeting mine as I see him sitting back in his seat a bit slouched.
"A bit of your hair was sticking out," he says running his hands up and down his jeans.
"So you tugged on it?" I ask with a smile finding his thought process funny.
"No, I just wanted to-never mind," his eyes hold a secret that I can't get access to.
A tap on my shoulder brings my attention to Ned who is sitting sideways on his chair and switching his gaze from me to flash and back to me cautiously.
At the edge of my seat, far away from Flash's earshot, Ned starts talking close to my ear, "The cops are on the lookout for an inmate who they think broke out of jail."
The news shocks me and sends me sitting straighter before composing myself and bending back again listening closely to Ned's re-telling of the event.
"You remember that guy you threw into the armored van?"
The memory brings out a cackle from me, "Yeah, that was funny in my head. The money thief being arrested because he's stuck in a van full of money that he tried stea-" my explanation is cut when Ned's face doesn't morph into the amused face I expected.
Instead, I'm faced with a blank stare waiting for the end of my story and I decide to leave the explanation for a later time, "Yeah, that guy. I think his name was like Rhino or something?"
"Yeah, well apparently he wasn't found during the morning roll call. They're still searching but if he's out there I'm ready to bet that he's trying to find y-"
"How do you know all that?"
"They told me to scram but they never said I couldn't eavesdrop."
"Everything's okay?"
I snap my head around to stare at Flash who's inclined in his seat, supporting his body by leaning his forearm on my seat waiting for an explanation or a heads up.
"…Yeah!" I say with confidence sitting up, "We're just talking about," I look at Ned with distress, the color draining from my face when I realize I don't find an excuse worthy enough.
"Spiderman," Ned says without any hesitation.
A cold sweat travels my body, slithers up my spine, and stops at my brain as my head whips back toward Ned with panic.
"I was talking about the fact that since superheroes started spouting out of nowhere it would be logical that if a guy broke out of jail they would go after the one who put them there, like Spiderman or Iron Man," he says nodding back and forth between us both and emphasizing the Spiderman while looking at me.
Nodding I look back at Flash hoping he buys the story made on the spot.
With a frown, he nods and I can see that he's confused but decides to go with the flow, "Sure that makes sense."
Subtly breathing out a sigh of relief I sit back fully on my seat slouching a little bit so he doesn't see me out of breath.
My brain is on overdrive, the possibility that Rhino is out there looking to find Spiderman and causing havoc in his pathway makes me break another sweat.
"You sure you're okay?"
The question makes me raise my head, his body hunched over my seat and his face close to mine.
"huh," my eyes keep scanning his face, "sure, I'm good," I say my voice low and anxious to speak any louder in fear of attracting any attention around.
He's very close and I see a smile gracing his face. My eyes keep watching him and with each swing from eye to eye I figure he's also analyzing mine.
It is only when I feel a tug at my hand that I leave his face and look down to see that he has reached toward the plastic bag to grab a bag of treats.
Looking back up at him, his smile reaches his eyes before he leaves my line of sight and sits back in his chair tearing the packaging up he grabs a mochi full of iced sugar.
I jolt from my seat and rush in front of him, "No wait!" I say in a hushed but agitated voice.
"What?" he says concerned, looking around as if he had just broken a law.
"It's full of iced sugar you're gonna put it everywhere!" I hiss as I kneel, putting my hand under his chin to prevent any mess.
"That bad, huh?" he says cockily.
I raise my eyebrows, a silent scolding to just eat the damn treat.
He looks down at my hand grazing his chin and gazes back at me causing me to doubt my gesture, instead, I bring up the plastic bag on his lap and open it gesturing to go ahead.
With a doubtful smile, he brings the snack up and takes a bite half of the icing falling onto the bag.
He hums and chuckles with his mouth full realizing my scolding wasn't in vain.
A tap on my shoulder makes me turn around and look up at Ned who notifies me that the next stop will be our exit cue.
"So, is one of you gonna be a gentleman and tell me where you are taking me?" he says griping the bus pole to stand up beside me as we approach the bus doors.
"You'll see, from what I heard it's quite noticeable in view," I answer balancing myself without the help of a pole to not fall over.
"From what you heard? you're taking me to a place you've never been before?" he says gripping my arm as we come to a full stop.
"Well," I try to find a decent explanation for my thought process, "Well you know I heard about it a few weeks ago but I never had the time to visit the place so when you said you wanted to have fun I remembered it," I say as we step out.
"Bold, a surprise sandwich, and now a surprise location you don't know about."
I feel the air behind me where the bus drives off.
"Hey I also read the reviews, it's a good place," I say, "Plus, you love your special sandwich, don't you?" I genuinely ask.
"Touché," he says taking a bite before choking on it looking up at our destination.
The reviews weren't lying, the laser game is flashy, and just the entrance would make one believe a carnival is located inside.
"That is flashy," he wipes the corner of his mouth after coughing out the piece lodged in his throat.
"Flashy for Flash," Ned chuckles to himself.
Walking up my shoes go from a hard cement floor to a berber flooring as blue as the night sky depicting an endless pattern of space.
Hearing a loud bang I swiftly turn around back to the street and see a man dressed up in a suit standing back up. The steel shutter being the cause of the disturbance I notice that the arcade is placed right across a bank.
"Bit late to work, right?" Ned wonders aloud.
"No, depends on the day. Some banks stay open late at least once a week," Flash says as if it was a common fact.
"Okay how do you know so much?" Ned asks with frustration or is it genuine confusion by his sudden knowledge.
"My dad works in business, he deals with banks a lot," he shrugs, clearly not enjoying the subject of his father or his father's business.
A tug at my hand makes me turn back around. Looking down I pause at the realization that it is Flash's hand tugging at me and making me move from the entrance to the front counter where a guy barely older than me; maybe even my age with a summer job like me.
"Leeds, follow."
I sneak a peek at Ned who is still standing at the door ignoring us or simply not focused enough to be able to hear him.
"Hum here, take this we'll join you in a second," I say handing him a few bills and squeezing his shoulder before walking up to Ned.
When I take place beside him he senses my presence and speaks up, "Look at the logo isn't that the bank that Rihno guy tried to rob?"
Squinting, I do recognize the logo and chuckle, "Yeah," I say linking my arm in his, "But don't worry bad guys like Rhino are not smart enough to escape from jail AND follow up with a plan that failed once."
I drag him alongside me toward Flash who is standing beside the register counter close to the laser game entrance with his arms crossed.
"Done daydreaming Leeds?"
I squint my eyes and Ned completely ignores him walking ahead.
Passing him, I flick his ear.
"Ouch! What? I was just joking."
Walking ahead I roll my eyes but slow down as he calls out to me and catches up.
He takes my hand and drops something in it. Looking down I recognize the dollars I gave him prior.
"Wait, how did you pay-"
I cut myself off in realization. I don't know whether to be angry or disappointed.
"I told you, you don't have to pay that's why I gave you that!" I say frustrated.
"Wasn't enough!" he says defending himself, " Plus if you continue paying you'll end up broke."
"I'm not broke!"
"Well you're gonna be," he mumbles as I huff and walk ahead of him.
Ned keeps the door ahead open and walking through it we meet a group of people of various ages all scattered around the room.
we husher up and stand against the wall close to each other.
"I can't believe I couldn't even keep at least one bag," Flash says defeated plopping the last candy he managed to sneak in into his mouth.
"Wait they threw our stuff?!" I ask panicked.
"No no, they just put it aside until we're done."
I sigh in relief, closing my eyes and leaning back against the wall.
"But you're not broke, huh?" I hear a whisper and look to see Flash leaning down to my ear.
He is close once again and the lack of distance gives me flashbacks to our kiss. My eyes keep switching back and forth from his eyes to his lips and seconds feel like minutes.
I turn away clearing my throat and look around inspecting the room.
A bright red sign above the door tells us a session is still going on. As for the rest of the space, it is quite sober, a few benches placed around to wait for the current session to end. The walls are covered in thick wire mesh with hangers that are there probably here to hold the laser game equipment.
A group of kids are here scattered around and probably here for a birthday with one of the kid's mother tagging along to supervise, I can see a group of three girls and a couple on a date, maybe a first date even.
"Hey, I know you!" Flash says loudly bringing all the eyes in the room onto him.
His eyes are throwing daggers at one of the kids and if a look could kill…
"Oh shit," the kids seem to recognize Flash as well as the mother berates the kid for his language. Flash points an accusing finger at the smaller kid.
"Yeah, I recognize that voice! You're the guy who keeps trolling people on the D&D server!" he calls out confidently.
The kid looks appalled and most of his 'friends' look in between one another in confusion.
"Once we're in, you're next buddy!"
At that the kid slides behind the mother who sends a nasty look at Flash along with an offended scoff. I nudge his shoulder and place myself in front of him.
"Sorry! he's been a bit stressed lately. He doesn't really know how to handle it," I make up an excuse looking back at him with large eyes.
"Hey it's not my fault he started it!" he shouts motioning to the kid.
At that, I sent him a death stare of my own as the red sign atop the door starts to flash letting us know the previous session is now over.
I move him backward as a staff member enters the room.
I get a bit of a cold sweat before realizing that he entered the room to help the people undress from their laser game attires and not to throw Flash out for threatening a child.
It gets a bit crowded with people all around trying to slide in and out, and more complicated when elbows start to swing as the previous players try to undress from their equipment for the new players.
I get handed a vest from a player who hands it with a smile. Taking it with hesitation I analyze the device with a frown, "Shouldn't those be disinfected in between sessions?"
Flash turns around with his vest already on and approaches me sliding through the few players left trying to squeeze out of the room.
"Here let me help you," he said, taking the vest from me and passing it over my head. The tissue feels heavy on me and I don't get to wonder before he starts circling me with his eyes and bending to secure the many clips to keep the equipment on.
"You've done laser game before?"
"A few," he answers mindlessly securing yet another clip.
I feel his hands on my neck and freeze before I understand his intention to free my hair from under the vest. I believe he would back up but he stays firmly in front of me and I can't help but make eye contact. His eyes however end up drifting from mine to focus on my forehead.
I frown wondering what has his attention when his hand moves to the base of my hair and I remember the bandaid on top of my earlier injury.
"I did a bad job, shouldn't have placed it so high up," he says putting pressure on the side of the bandaid smoothing it once again against my forehead, "It's crazy it looks almost healed."
"Yeah, I guess-" I get cut off as the employer stands beside us asking if Flash could help a few of the customers as the poor guy is struggling to get the cluster of kids to behave long enough to get them geared up.
Getting separated I'm joined by Ned as we examine each other's gear and check if we're secure before another employee enters the room. He takes place in front of us and waits to attract the room's attention his colleague walking up beside him.
I look around and gradually see the rest of the room starting to pay attention to him. As the volume goes down it takes a few beats of silence before the man speaks up enouncing the rules and the normal flow of a laser game match.
My attention gets taken away by my curiosity as I look around.
The group of girls is barely keeping it together, tip-tapping their feets almost unable to keep their excitement in. Only one of the two people that makes up the couple is paying attention, the girl taking mental note as her supposed date seems entranced by her, devouring her with his gaze.
My eyes reach Flash who isn't paying attention either. His eyes are focused on the man but I recognize that empty glint in his eyes, the same one I see once in a while during class when I look around telling me he is lost in his head.
His stare is redirected toward me as we lock eyes and the glint in his eyes switches up as he flashes me a grin.
My ears start to register the game's instruction but my eyes stay glued on him, those eyes that usually irk me are now void of all mischief they used to hold and it's a feeling that fills me with satisfaction.
The man's booming voice brings me out of my daze and a cry of approval from the room makes me focus back on my surroundings.
A crowd mobilizes around the door to the laser game room as the sign lights up to indicate a new session when I get shoved ahead by Ned who too cannot keep his composure hopping to the door. A hand lands on my arm and I look back to see Flash back on my side.
"You okay there? You seemed out of it."
"Yeah I'm fine, what about you? it looks like you weren't listening," I answer as we are squeezed through the door to the darkness of the neon-drenched place.
"Of course I wasn't listening, I've done laser games before I know the rules but it's different for you, why weren't you listening?"
"What? I was!" I say standing still in front of the door as the rest scattered around.
"Oh yeah? What team are we on?"
At that, I stay silent.
"Blue," I say proudly pointing to the luminescent lights on my vest.
"And who else is on the team?"
…Damnit!
"Ned, the group of girls, and the two lovebirds," he says pointing and nudging the middle of my forehead as a sort of gentle scolding.
"So we're against the birthday group."
"A few of them were put in our team to balance things out," he says dragging me away from the door.
I get to learn about the rules for a second time as he walks me through them. Skipping wall to wall, aiming at adversaries and targets.
It's fun and exciting, skipping and running around, hiding and attacking. We were hit a couple of times but all in all, I'm content and having a good time with Eugene Thompson out of all people. I also get to be the witness of his vendetta against the other birthday boy a bullet landing right in the middle of his vest and a grimace adorning his face as slurs fly out of his mouth.
Before I can ask where a toddler like him learned such language I get dragged away by my hand by Flash to turn a corner as backup shows up for the opposing team.
It's hard to believe. A few months ago the perspective of spending time with Flash Thompson would have given me a migraine and I would have had to have a pep talk to have both of us in the same room.
turning around I look back and forth trying to keep my laugh at a low tone to not attract any unwanted attention from the opposite team before I bump into his back. Turning around he catches my shoulder and maneuvers me aside hiding us from the rest.
I put my hand in front of my mouth to muffle another laugh leaning against the wall as he bend sideways to check if we were followed.
"Did they follow us," I say close to another fit of giggles.
He shakes his head, his beaming smile so strong it forces his eyes to squint.
After a moment where we manage to calm down the laughing fit comes right back as we hear amidst all the voices a specific one holler in a very high-pitched tone how a certain Tyler can eat shit.
The laughter is so hard that we find ourselves leaning on one another for support.
My guts hurt and I try to talk through my laughter, telling Flash we should stay in movement.
"Oh my-" I say breathlessly laying my head on his shoulder, "I feel like I'm dying."
No response from him outside of an agitated gasp to catch his breath.
My head still planted on his shoulder I feel us lean aside so he can check again if our exit was trailed.
He smells nice. I never noticed, even back in the yacht' bedroom my mind didn't get to focus on his perfume as I was too distracted by his lips.
It's soft but I can tell that at first the scent was strong when it was applied. It's calming and unnerving even as I accidentally snuggle a bit longer than I should.
I notice that we both calmed down and I don't feel either of us shaking with laughter.
Raising my head, our eyes meet in silence.
We are close, forehead to forehead as a voice booms in the place scolding a participant who is apparently violating the rules. It does not take my attention from him and from the way he gets closer brushing his nose against mine I can tell that he is not bothered by the screaming either.
His lips brush against mine and that same feeling of electricity comes back traveling inside my body sending the butterflies in my stomach in a storm.
The feeling is so intense that I need to hold on tighter to his arms to convince myself that I'm not hallucinating.
His lips stay here atop mine just brushing and I understand that he's asking me to do it, he's silently asking me to kiss him first this time.
The first time was rushed almost like instinct an impulsive idea he couldn't help but act on but this time he's waiting almost out of breath making sure he has my consent first, like a confirmation I feel the same.
The feeling of him fades as my body feels like it's falling into the abyss. That feeling I have when I'm in costume, the one I feel when something bad is about to happen.
I back away and look around to hear my surroundings. Nothing but the usual cheering, screaming, and the pitter-patter of feet yet this feeling doesn't go away.
Creating distance drives Flash to back up as well as if I burned him. I can see him fidgeting and trying to say something but he doesn't get to as we both jolt, startled and holding on to each other with a scream.
The shadow gets clearer and I recognize Ned and exhale with a relieved cry.
"Damnit Ned, what's wrong with you?!" I shout exasperated.
"One of those kids is a damn sniper I swear I'm ready to bet he's part of the FBI!" he says frantically looking behind him over and over again.
"Damn Leeds. It's a laser game," Flash says with a concerned face.
"He's crazy!" he repeats with just as much power.
The building shakes and forces us to find our balance and I catch myself holding on to Flash's wrist and grasping Ned's shoulder to not fall.
A huge buzz resonates through the place, one that isn't the final buzz to declare the end of the game.
"Customers and staff are asked to evacuate the area calmly using the emergency exit located at each end of the building."
"What's going on," my question echoes through the many hallways of the maze as others probably ask themselves the same question. I already see people regroup, finding allies and opponents to scurry out as another hit sends the building shaking.
"Okay that's so not an earthquake," Ned says with urgency.
"Let's get out of here," Flash says slipping his wrist out of my grip and joining our hands.
We don't get to take a step before we are sent to the ground with violence, the wall comes crumbling down in pieces as a towering figure appears covered in darkness.
The brutality of the fall thankfully sent us into a corner where the figure can't see us.
Sitting up with a headache for the second time today I look down to see Ned shaking his head to clear it and putting pressure on the side of it as I feel the side of my head being cradled.
"You okay?" I make eye contact with Flash who whispers scanning my face for any injury.
I nod urgently before standing up and running toward the nearest wall that would allow me to sneak on the faceless figure. Leaning over, I recognize the shadow to be Rhino who must have found a way to escape the authorities and get his hands back on his suit.
Feeling a tug on my arm I turn around to see Flash trying to hurry me in the opposite direction.
A scream erupts and the idiot rushes headfirst into another wall creating more chaos.
"Come on we got to get out of here," he says tugging me urgently.
A cry for help resonates and I spin around trying to locate where the scream came from.
Too many questions in my head. I don't have my suit, how do I do without my suit? I can't just go help with my face uncovered, how do I do this?
Another high-pitched cry lets me know that the person who needs help is a girl and is balling her eyes out crying out about being stuck.
I turn back to Flash and address the both of them, "You two get outside and wait for the cops, once they get there you tell them where we were I'll go get the girl and I'll bring her back right here, okay?" I say sternly making sure the two of them understand.
"No no! We get out of here and when the help gets here we'll tell them we heard someone needed help."
"She's stuck, I'm not leaving her alone here with this lunatic!" I say firmly.
He pauses, his eyes switching back and forth between me and the hole created by the metal-suited criminal, his brows scrunched up and worry swimming in his eyes.
"No, it's too dangerous. Damage's been done to the building and their alarm has gone off, firemen, ambulance and probably cops are toe to toe to get here, they're way more trained for that type of thing the only way we can help is to get out of here and be out there when they arrive to tell them about her."
"She's stuck, meaning she can't get out she might be hurt or debris might be crushing her," I say angrily trying to keep my tone down to not give out our location.
"Yeah well guess what? you might get crushed too because if that guy's big enough to crush you to begin with imagine the impact with a massive armored suit!" he says frantically looking back at the destroyed debris left behind by Rhino.
"I'm not going to fight him I'm going to get the girl and get out of here, you two go!" I say walking ahead through the debris.
I turn around to walk away when I feel his hand grabbing my wrist and turning me back around to him.
It must be the look in my eyes because the second we make eye contact he seems to be unable to protest.
I turn and start walking again as I feel his fingers holding onto me till the end as my wrist slides out of his grasp.
I hear him protest behind me telling me to come back here before he gets cut off by Ne. I don't get to know what he says to him before the voices fade and I'm left focusing ahead of myself to not come face to face with Rhino.
Stepping over a pile of broken scraps of wall I focus on my hearing to try and figure out where the girl is all while smoothly moving from hiding place to hiding place.
I come across a few items including a backpack where a piece of cloth hangs out from the opened zipper.
Grabbing it I recognize the pattern of a scarf and mentally fist-bump myself for finding a cloth to stop any potential bleeding wound.
Shoving the fabric into my back pocket, the tail of the scarf drags along the ground as I move along crouch walking.
I see a thick sweater protrude from another piece of debris. Snatching it I come to an abrupt stop when I hear another rageful howl before a flash of tarnished silver makes me fall on my ass a huge rumble forcing yet another wall to come crumbling down.
"Where is he?!" I hear Rhino's words echoing along the remaining walls he hasn't yet destroyed.
Who is he talking about? Spiderman? He can't possibly know I'm here…did he figure it out?! How did he find me?!
Clutching my fists I decide to raise myself and leave the crouch walking behind determined to find the girl as soon as possible.
With how silent the place has become I'm convinced she's around the area Rhino just left and hushed when the criminal showed up, baited by her scream of distress.
"Where are you," I ask in the void of the room that I just entered through the punctured wall.
That's when I hear it, the audible intake of breath and a panicked question.
"Is he gone?" comes the frail voice buried in a mountain of broken wall scraps.
"How did you end up down there?"
"I was playing and then I heard a huge crash and before I knew it I was under all of this."
"Are you hurt?"
"No but I'm trapped and I can't lift those," she says with a frustrated grunt trying once again to lift one of the wall remains.
Looking at the structure burying the girl I observe that her current situation is nothing short of a miracle as all the wall pieces are piled up in a way that each piece balances each other out.
"Okay, alright so what we're gonna do is you're going to stand as close as possible to me and then I'm gonna lift this one and you'll see, the rest of them will slide off."
"It's too heavy you can't lift it."
That's a great point. My frame doesn't allow me to go around displaying my real strength.
"Never underestimate the power of adrenaline," is the excuse I manage to find on the spot as I try to balance myself grabbing a strategic piece of the wall amongst them all.
Putting pressure on it the piece is lifting as plaster dust falls down the pile. As the pieces slide off I can throw mine back in a swing.
In a coughing fit, the girl grabs my hand as I extract her from the pile.
Hidden by her forearm to cough and rub her eyes I grab it to get a clearer view of her face.
"Are you okay?"
She doesn't answer but nods, coughing.
"Okay, what we're gonna do now is get out of here," I say holding her shoulders so she pays attention to me rather than the chaos around us.
"He's coming this way so you're going to go to where I was, there is a direct exit."
"Wait what about you? what are you gonna go?"
"I'm just gonna check if everybody is out, don't worry I'll be right behind you," I say as I push her back to the exit.
She walks ahead carefully and when she turns the corner of a wall that hasn't yet been destroyed I snatch the sweater previously tied up around my waist and throw it on hiding any evidence of my chest.
Another crash and I look back making sure I get the time to swap up the scarf and cover my face and hair rolling the fabric all around and tucking it safely behind my head safely hiding my identity.
A dry thug and loud stomps lead me to turn around and face a wall that I know will come crumbling down in a matter of seconds.
Before the walls' crumbles can harm me my arm protects me from the cement dust as the wind is knocked out of me and my body is sent backward smashing against another wall that hasn't yet been torn down by the brute.
"I knew I recognized that smell."
Standing back up with a grunt the prospect of Rhino locating me by sniffing around town forces bile to pile up my throat.
"Ew, that's gross," I say deepening my voice to not give myself out.
Rhino is just a criminal but even a criminal can convince and reveal to enough people that Spiderman is not actually a man.
My voice is also strained from the hit I received when I was smashed against the wall leaving me to be unrecognizable.
I lean against a pole that probably keeps this roof in place as another pained moan escapes me.
"I was gonna finish what I had started before being arrested," I silently cheer as It seems I have accidentally sent the idiot into a villainous monologue.
"Since the bank across the street is the one that was supposed to and did receive the money I thought why not finish what I started."
Breathing in and out with difficulty I can already feel my cracked rib healing with another huff.
"And then I smelled it, that obnoxious smell I remember picking up on when you threw me in that truck."
"Yeah, that was hilarious because see you wanted to steal from the truck but you ended up inside the truck and-" my chuckle is cut short with a pained grunt as my rib is still mending itself.
"We'll see who's laughing when you're six feet under!" he hollers running at me.
Jumping up I propel myself in the opposite direction through Rhino's back landing clumsily still clutching my side.
"I think you're giving yourself too much credit man. I don't think you can punch me hard enough to send me through the ground," I say avoiding jabs after jabs.
I hear sirens and realize I need to take care of Rhino before they can enter the building and see someone else other than the blue&red vigilante going toe to toe with the armored Rhino.
Blocking another hit the force of it sends me to my knees pushing against his weight of him.
Trying to focus on not getting plummeted to the ground my ear buzzes continuously drawing my attention behind me to the electric panel placed behind the counter which is still standing after all the damage caused to the place.
The perfect placement.
When I feel the smallest shift in strength from Rhino I push back with all my force sending him stumbling backward and tripping on a pile from his destructive strike.
Putting distance between us I walk back to the counter climb on it and stand face to face with him.
"See?" I say motioning to my unscathed self, "Untouchable. Of course, that's not a surprise an idiot like you who can't even stand still could not possibly get rid of me."
His only response is a cry and an angry balled fist connecting to the ground, shaking it up.
"Look at you, a little baby having a big tantrum because he's clumsy," I seal the deal with a smirk.
And I get the exact reaction I expected as the brute hurls running like a savage toward me.
When I can feel the breeze of his enraged speed caressing me I bolt up and stick myself to the ceiling leaving the brainless idiot to go headfirst into the panel.
The sound is enough but my curiosity drives me to look upside down to see the Rhino passed out and fuming.
"Dude, you're toast," knowing he can't hear I can't help but make myself chuckle.
My laughter is cut off short when I hear in the distance the sound of the entrance's metal door banging open and a choir of yells invading the place.
Instead of letting go and falling to the ground to get away with the risk of my poor disguise being questioned by the authorities I instead decide to crawl away to a quieter place before falling back down on the ground and letting go of the secondhand vigilante costume.
Fleeing the scene I come out of the alleyway where I throw my 'gear' into the dumpster and walk out to an ocean of red and blue lights. A group of firemen enters the building following the hoard of cops and a booming voice attracts my attention.
"Where were you?!"
My head whips around before my shoulders are grasped firmly and I am turned to a frantic Flash Thompson.
Speechless I'm only able to look at him with a dumbfounded look like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Huh?! Where were you?!" he says shaking me, "You said and I quote 'I get the girl and we'll join you outside', she got out and you weren't with her so where were you?!"
"Rhino was coming so I told her to run and I lured him away before hiding so he couldn't find me," I explain lying as best as I can grabbing his upper arms to steady both of us.
"Oh, and that's supposed to make it better?!"
Out of explanations, I can only shrug my shoulder with an awkward smile.
He scoffs exasperated and let go of me to pace back and forth at a loss for words too.
Not knowing how to make it better for myself I decide to stay silent and just let him pace around trying to calm down.
An officer walks up to us, "Were you inside this building?"
I nod with a frown looking at Flash and Ned for reassurance.
"We're gonna need you to come with us with your friends to the station we're gonna need your statements."
At that Flash tenses up even more walking up to the officer and pleading.
"No wait! Can't we like give a statement later? We like really need to go."
Agreeing with him it's Ned who walks up to the officer and manages to make us look less suspicious.
"We just went through a lot of stress and we're expected somewhere so we'd appreciate it if we could give our statement later on, maybe stop by your station tomorrow or something?"
"I'm gonna ask my superior, please stay here I'll be right back," she says walking back as I halt her with a request.
"Wait, in case you're allowed to let us go could you please drive us there?" I question.
Flash looks at me with an incredulous expression sliding his hands down his face probably in an attempt to wake up from what seems to be his worst nightmare.
"We would feel safer escorted by the police."
"I'll see what I can do," she says with a warm but swift smile before walking away.
With the sound of her footstep fading in the chaos-packed background, Flash approaches me with his hands out.
"Why would you do that?!"
"Because it's better this way. We get back to your party and we get escorted by the police. When you're in this kind of situation cooperating is the best option."
Before he can answer another officer walks up to us to confirm our request of being escorted back as well as asking us to give out our numbers.
"We'll contact you and settle a date and time to pass by the station, have you been examined?"
"Oh um, no there's no need I'm alright."
"No, he's right let's get you checked out," Flash says tugging me towards one of the many firetrucks.
"No no, I really don't need to get checked out. I didn't get hurt I swear I'm fine, no bruises, nothing."
"It would be safer miss."
"I swear I'm not injured, I did not fight Rhino I just hid in the toilets."
"Yeah no shit we can guess you didn't go toe to toe with the guy, would still be smart to get you checked out."
"No, I swear I'm fine no need. It'll only waste time."
"It would only take a few minutes," the officer tries to resonate.
A shrill sound attracts our attention and the sigh of Rhino passed out on a stretcher makes me noticeably tense up.
I'm not used to this I usually don't stay so close after a save. I'm used to watching from afar as the bad guy gets taken away and I'm also in costume but right now the lack of Spiderman attire is making me feel exposed as if anyone could just turn around and point at me saying I was the one who knocked him out.
"Hey, it's okay."
My eyes are drawn back to Flash who is gripping me back tightly like a reassurance probably thinking it's the sigh of Rhino that scared me.
"Let's get you checked out and then we can-"
"I am fine!" I affirm.
My outburst throws a pause and I'm frozen on the spot feeling a bit guilty.
His expression is unreadable, I don't know whether he's angry, scared, or disappointed. How am I surprised that I can't read him? I shouldn't even be able to read him.
"Okay, okay I get it, no check-up," he says his eyes softening as well as his tone.
Letting go of my arms I catch myself missing the feeling but it is not gone for long as he places his hand on my back to guide me to the police car.
"You're alive!"
My breath escapes me as I'm attacked with a violent but warm embrace.
Looking down I recognize the hair of the girl I rescued earlier.
"It's her! the girl who saved me!" she says turning around to a woman who jogs up to us.
"Are you quite sure?"
I frown wondering exactly why this reaction. The woman must notice my expression bringing the girl back to her by the hand.
"Sorry it's just," she hesitates," With the story she told I imagined you to be…bigger."
Bigger?
"My apologies I did not mean to sound rude but," she hesitates again, "Nevermind I should've known. You know how kids are, full of imagination I mean."
"No, I did not lie! She saved me! I was stuck under a pile and she lifted that one HUGE block and got me out!"
Fortunately, my face cannot get any whiter but it doesn't stop my face from falling.
"You must have the wrong person," I turn around to see Ned taking a step forward, putting his hand on my shoulder, "She's not strong, can barely lift chairs at school so I can't even imagine a piece of broken wall," he chuckles turning to Flash for validation.
"Yeah," Flash says with a frown, "Parker is not the type to lift a tone I think you might have embellished things."
He looks from the girl to the woman, "Adrenaline does that a lot."
"I'm not lying!" the girl screams as the woman holds her back asking her to calm down.
"I'm not saying you're lying. She saved you but she did not lift that HUGE block or most likely it wasn't as heavy as you think it was."
"Excuse me," we are interrupted by the police officer, "the car is over there, we'll be driving you back."
"I'm not lying," the little girl whines sadly as I am hurried away by Flash.
I feel bad not being able to back her up but the circumstances are perfect to keep my identity hidden.
I bend down to enter the car and sit comfortably in the middle of the back seat right in between Flash and Ned.
"Are you sure the address you gave me is the right one?"
Looking through the wired wall the officer messes around with their console as the last door of the vehicle is closed and we are finally surrounded by a comfortable silence.
The car moves and my eyes are drawn to the unconscious body of the Rhino.
"I didn't learn police codes to keep up with them," Flash says softly beside me.
This statement wakes me, "What?" I answer with just as much discretion so the conversation can stay private in the gorged car.
"You were weirded out earlier when I said I learned the NYPD's codes by heart and I'm not an idiot I saw that you didn't believe me."
I look down uncomfortable.
"I found-well I heard about a website," he says trying to maintain eye contact, "And at first it was cool, it was all about fans of Spiderman."
He must notice my frown because he hurries his explanation as if he was his own lawyer.
"But then there was that one guy who added me to another group chat except this time it wasn't the same, those guys weren't fans they were like stalkers. They were asking weird questions and one said he was actively trying to find him using the police radio."
My eyes double in size and a chill rushes through my body rising my blood temperature.
"It's not like I learned the codes, I just read through the messages and it was so disturbing that I think the codes just ended up stuck in my head I guess," he finishes avoiding any eye contact, fumbling with his hands.
"I told them it was weird, that they shouldn't do that because they could end up stalking and walk up on him during a mission and end up hurt or dead, not just them but also him."
I stay silent letting him finish up his story his eyes clouded up like earlier in the evening during our first bus trip.
"We argued through text and most of the people in the chat ganged up on me and I just left. Well after I reported their accounts but I don't think anything was done about that though."
I don't know what to do, how can I tell him he didn't do anything wrong when I don't even know what he possibly could've done wrong in this situation.
"You seemed ashamed of it, why?"
Raising his head he doesn't seem to know how to answer me.
"You saw someone doing something wrong that could put not only put themselves but others in danger and you tried to put an end to it," I try to reassure him as best I can.
He maintains eye contact without a word before he slowly nods and I believe I spot the ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
The soft noise of the car's movement mixes in perfectly with the chatter which lulls me to sleep.
"I was told by one of my colleagues that you were in there, you were very lucky," I hear the officer ask from the front seat.
I tiredly nod the simple motion making me drowsy as I lean my back my head with a sigh.
The conversation is unintelligible as I feel myself falling in and out of consciousness.
I jolt awake when a hand lands on my neck and moves my head from the headrest to a shoulder. Groggy, I try to protest wondering why the sudden change of position when I am cut off.
"You'll hurt your neck go back to sleep now."
My argument dies on my tongue as the haze of sleep crashes back on me. I fall into the kind of sleep where you don't really snooze and can still hear everything going around you but can't get rid of the veil of slumber.
And so that is how I spend the rest of the travel in and out of consciousness, half listening here and there to the discussions going on around getting more and more comfortable on his shoulder.
As the speech gets louder I frown and grunt sleepily, my hazy brain still trying to grasp the reality around me.
"What's going on?" I barely manage to get out in my half-asleep state.
"The call on my radio sounded close to the address you gave me but I wouldn't have guessed it was the exact same location."
Looking out I see the familiar sight of the sea and the port as well as the brightly light yacht surrounded by multiple police cars.
"Uh oh."
"What is going on?" Ned chimes in.
The guests are divided into small groups like herds of sheep looking around. Some are confused, some are annoyed, or simply bored, officers are scattered trying to question or count the heads all looking frustrated and exhausted.
"My parents are gonna kill me," he says looking through the window overstepping in front of Ned sending him to sit far back into his own seat.
The pang I feel in my heart is painful and the realization that I'm at fault makes me scooch back into my seat. The shame being too much to handle I yank the car door open needing a breeze of fresh air.
The outside cold bites at my cheek as I breathe in deeply.
"Flash! Where were you?!"
I turn around noticing one of our classmates looking frantic.
"I stepped out for a little while what the hell happened here?!"
"I swear it wasn't me! some guys from another school sneaked and used the fireworks."
"What fireworks? there weren't any fireworks."
He hesitates looking at the birthday boy with squinted eyes full of worry "It was McCoy," his question almost sounds like a question.
Flash looks up and like me breathes in deep, "Damn McCoy stresses me out even when I throw him out."
The classmate walks away escorted by one of the many officers around as our personal chauffeur of the night approaches us and singles out Ned telling us they'll come back once Ned gives his point of view of the night.
"I'm so sorry," I say my voice quivering without my consent.
Turning back to me, he frowns and looks at me up and down.
"If I hadn't offered to go out this wouldn't have happened."
He approaches me as I fidget with my hands, "And If we didn't go to the laser game we wouldn't have almost been killed by Rhino," I say wiping my nose who's beginning to tingle.
His frown somehow deepens, "What are you talking about?" he says firmly.
It's my turn to frown, "Well your night is ruined now and it's my fault."
His frown softens to leave place for an eye roll.
"Parker," he says annoyed.
"It's true if I hadn't proposed you'd have still been here and could have stopped those guys from-"
"It was my decision to stay or go but I wanted to go. I could've just said no but I didn't."
It might be the first time I've ever seen Flash Thompson take the blame for anything.
"But it's your birthday I shouldn't have taken you away from your party-"
"Oh my god!" he says irritated taking me by the shoulders and hurrying me aside to a corner where fewer people can eavesdrop.
"Listen Parker none of what happened tonight was your fault okay? I decided to follow you because I wanted to and we both know for a fact that this psycho who started crashing the building didn't just appear out of nowhere just because of because of you."
I internally cringe. Oh if only you knew.
"And it's fine. Okay, it's still sucks, but I had fun and if I stayed I would've been bored out of my mind anyways so I guess you could say you came and saved me from the most boring party ever."
His hands move from my shoulder to my face as he finishes his speech.
Speechless, I'm unable to answer as the warmth of his hands is comforting against the harshness of the outside cold.
The honesty of his speech and the tenderness that shows in his eyes throws me off balance.
When my eyes make the quickest contact with his lips I quickly switch my gaze to anywhere else.
"You're parents are gonna kill-Oh no!"
My yelling directs both of our attention toward the target of my panic.
"Is that your Aunt May?!"
I spin around to somehow hide from her and try to find an out.
"Forget about your parents I'm gonna die before you!"
"She's pointing very angrily behind me which means she's pointing at you," he informs me, "Hi Miss Parker!" he says with fake enthusiasm and a high-pitched cracked voice.
My whole body tenses up and I take all my time turning back around not daring to make eye contact.
Flash is still standing between the two of us feet planted in the ground.
"Flash get out of my way."
"For sure," he says hurriedly stepping aside.
"So get this. I get a call, right? And I hear that not only was there an incident at this party but I also hear that you weren't at the said party which right then reassured me since I believed you weren't in danger," she shouts all over the place with frantic movement as if she was telling a scary story around a campfire.
"But then my logic sense came back and I told myself 'Wait if she's not at that party, where could she possibly be?'"
The lump in my throat is starting to hurt and I go back to avoiding eye contact.
She's now silent and it's clear her question is not a rhetorical one.
"It was my fault."
I turn to him with confusion that quickly turns into irritation.
"Not it wasn't," I say firmly.
"An accident happened and she was hit," he says pointing at my forehead that I try to hide with panic written on my face.
Why is he aggravating the situation?!
As expected Aunt May panics walking to me and analyzes me up and down focusing on my forehead where the bandage has managed to stay attached through my baby hairs, the second hand suit, and the attack.
Startled by the sigh she trots up to me inspecting the area closer.
"It was an accident but the person who did that refused to apologize and would not leave the party so I thought the best would be to step out so there wouldn't be any more tension and then Leeds proposed to go take a look around the city," he lies skillfully through his teeth.
"But then we were at this place and that guy Rhino showed up-" May starts to panic again but is cut off for the rest of his speech, " BUT we're okay we got out before any of us could be harmed and we were escorted back here with the police to make sure we're safe," he finishes his rant with what I could only describe as a marketing grin motioning to our surrounding as if all of this isn't as bad as it looks.
A sigh escapes May as she closes her eyes and tries to let go of the tension inside her.
I am smothered by a hug from her letting me in turn lose all the tension in my own body.
Embracing her back I breathe out not once noticing how I've been stiff since my run-in with Rhino. The tension leaving my body I close my eyes and let myself fall deeper into her arms hugging her back.
Opening my eyes my gaze traces back to Flash standing there looking at us with sympathy.
I mouth him a 'thank you'. I don't really know what the thank you is for but it feels right to say it.
A cop approaches him and I let go of the hug to investigate hoping he won't get in trouble.
"He didn't do anything," I intervene, "Actually, he wasn't even there!" I protest.
Met with blank stares from both of them I have second thoughts.
"Alright I'll make sure to write that down on my report but I will first ask Mr.Thompson what happened from his point of view," the officer says with a pointed look as if asking me to stop talking to avoid damaging his case even more.
The previous anxiety on my face falls to an awkward open-mouthed, "Oh."
"Yeah," Flash says.
"Now how about we go home and leave the nice officer to do his job?" May says loudly holding my shoulders and silently telling me to mindlessly agree to what she says.
With a similar fake smile Flash gave earlier, I giggle and nod like a puppet to get myself out while making sure he doesn't get in more trouble for my indiscretion.
"Let's go get Ned."
"Um I'll be right with you," I call after her my hand in hers.
She seems confused but nods regardless.
When I'm sure she's far away I trot back around.
"Hey, Flash!"
I catch his attention as he walks back to me reassuring the officer he'll be back in a moment.
"What is it?" he ask curiously and a bit in a hurry.
I don't know what to say.
"I. I-just."
I'm fully out. What should I say? I'm sorry? Thank you?
I'm still looking for my words when his finger begins mingling with my bandaid once again.
"I really did a shitty job with that," he chuckles eyes focusing back on mine.
I feel that peace again, that comfort I never thought possible around the obnoxious Flash Thompson.
"I should probably go, Officer Davis isn't gonna wait around for me forever."
"Oh yeah of course!" I agree.
I see that Aunt May is looking around for me by her car with Ned beside her looking around as I still try to find the right words.
Looking back at him I find myself analysing his face and figure out I don't need words.
"You okay?" he asks.
Taking a few steps I am standing just a few inches away. Before he can question my motive I lay a kiss on his cheek, right below his eye.
I step back, a feeling of Euphoria invading my body, "Happy birthday."
He does not answer frozen in place and rigid like a pole.
Oh no, did I mess up?
"Are you okay? Aren't you gonna go with officer Davis?" I ask worried.
"Mister Thompson?" talking of the devil.
"Yeah! Let's go!" he shouts turning around and hurrying into the car.
The euphoria dissipates and the regret sets in. What a way to end such a nice night in a fiasco.
I really messed up.
Tumblr media
A new side of you: Waltz of emotions
33 notes · View notes
greenskellyblob · 9 months
Text
9 people I’d like to know better
Tagged by; @thefloatingstone
Last song; Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youths, I’ve been listening to this song relentlessly a year ago, and it still frequently pops up when I let youtube radio do its thing. I’m not gonna complain!!! It’s still a banger! I’ve just googled it and realized it is a song in an album, and I never listened to the whole of it. Huh. I should do that sometimes.
Anyways, here’s the song:
youtube
Currently watching: Just finished Community and the last season of Black Mirror. I finally know where some memes come from now!!! I’ve been seeing Community memes around and I never knew TwT. Consider me enlightened now. I really enjoyed it, all the characters there are stupid and unhinged and taking their stupidity seriously and I loved it! V good, v nice way to spend the time.
On the other hand, this season of Black Mirror kinda dissapointed me? There was one episode I REALLY LOVED (Demon 79, the last one, hell yeah the ending!!!!! WOOO!!!!), the first one (Joan is awful) was kinda neat, Loch Henry was depressing and I laughed out loud at how one character died because it is SO STUPID, Mazey day was boring, and Beyond the Sea was the biggest bullshit I ever saw. Such a big old dump!!!!! Something Extremely Traumatic happens to one character on a very important mission, and the Earth command doesn’t even get them to talk to a therapist. Also a lot of dick measuring going on there. Also shitty ending nobody could have predicted (sarcastic). Just, ugh. Sorry about the vagueness but I don’t want to spoil people who haven’t watched it yet. But if you want to watch only one episode of season 6, make it the last one :D 10/10
Also I’ll be cheeky and say I just finished the VOD of C-Puff’s ( @thefloatingstone‘s) stream :3 Can’t wait to see more!!!! And, please, don’t apologize for lore dumps they are delightfull and I finally have a streamer I can watch and not feel like I’m missing most of the story/worldbuilding. You know what? Everyone, have a link for that too. For some reason it doesn’t let me embed it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqmuA_WcAlQ
Currently reading: Nothing in particular, my brain is once again in the reading slump. I guess comics would count, actually? In that case, an absolutely amazing comic called “Tiger, Tiger” by @pepurika. It has two very gay siblings, A giant bisexual (?) himbo, an old god’s child (they are very chaotic and very, very gay from what I understand) and cool old ships. ALSO SEA SPONGES!!!! Sea sponges are very important. They literally drive the plot okay! There is ship stealing, identity theft, deals with gods, marvelous scientific discoveries and much, MUCH more, all in the name of sea sponges! The main character got hyperfixated as a child and went unhinged, and if that sounds relatable to you, you’ll enjoy her :) Also everyone there is very smart and capable and yet you have to wonder where they keep their braincells because they are all also??? Kinda dumb??? In incredibly relatable ways. Heccking 10/10 comic. I have to read it all from the beginning because I can’t wait for the last book to come out asaajudzgigui the suffering is sweet tho.
I slapp’a link your way. Go read, you’ll have a really good time (this is a threat)
https://www.tigertigercomic.com/tiger-tiger/001
13 notes · View notes
spotaus · 2 days
Note
(hi I’m just gonna finish what I wanna say here cause the tags are getting excessive and people can only handle so many reblogs of moots gagging)
I won’t get burnt out! I’m perfectly content right now just really hyper fixated on pretender. Also he is still taller then Ozzy without heels by like half and inch. It still counts for something.
low-key wanna continue this comic but I have no idea how he’s canonically react to being kissed. Flustered yes but who isn’t? Anyway that’s it for my ramble I just finished making a quiz for a whole new fandom so. Yippieeee!
thanks spot for making Pretender and N! They’re the silliest AU’s I’ve come across. (And the most smooch able.)
Heya!! (And yeah, good call! I forgot that Asks exist lol-)
And nice! Glad ta hear you'll be good lol, I always just like to check in on folks ^^. And NICE! Tall Pretender from comic holds strong then! (Plus who knows, Pretender does shape-shift so he could totally just... change height to mess w/ ppl or tease hehe)
And Ooh!! I'd love to see where you could go with it! If ur looking for a potential reaction I might have a few? (Adding them... now: 1) Pretender kinda like, melts a lil. When he's emotional he kinda loses his shape and sinks into that purple mist, so I could totally see him just kinda getting flustered and literally deflating for a sec before popping back up with a stuttered little surprised response. 2) He's definitely Blushing, but doesn't like, react very obviously. More of a, "Well, that's a first!" Followed by a cheeky, "Usually I try to eat a human's face, not the other way around.... Not that I'm complaining!" Or something with a stupid lil grin and a wink, before he continues conversation. 3) "You sure know how to greet a new pal!" As he kinda squints at them and goes, "So, do I get a name to match the kiss?" Looking flustered for sure, but low-key smug as he jokes to cover his loss of composure. These would just depend on how competent u think he'd be in the face of a Random Wonderful Smooch hehe...) And those are just loose ideas? I'm actually not sure how he'd react to romance yet, if only because I haven't written him in that situation often enough yet hehe! U got him p spot on tho, so take any or none of these as guidance if you want! (And if not this was still a fun chance to write him some dialogue lol---)
And You're so welcome!!! Thank you for enjoying them so much!!! I pride myself on the Silly since my Serious sticks to writing, so I'm glad ya like em! (And wanna smooch em too! The rizz was built-in I suppose lol---)
4 notes · View notes
soapkaars · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
It’s been a while since I worked on this comic! I’ve been having a bit of an art block/artistic crisis that was preventing me from animating and also started seeping its way into my comics and other art. It was so frustrating! But recently I’ve been finding my way again and now I feel a lot of inspiration! What also helped was going to visit some very good friends today which really pumped me up! Anyways I’ve sat down and started sketching and I hope I can show something soon! In any case, enjoy this doodle of Stakhanov resurrecting me from the dead and being cheeky
14 notes · View notes
e-adlirez · 11 months
Note
Your headcanons for the thea sisters is so fun and amusing! I was just wondering if you have more headcanons about them?
Oh DO I--
Once again I will clarify that my headcanons are very genfic-y, so uh, you're not gonna see any comments about the girls' sexual orientations or anything
So with that outa the way, headcanons :]
Canon context for most of these, Violet is canonically passive-aggressive as hell and is capable of dishing out some insane shade (for evidence, please consult every other time she's lightheartedly roasted the other girls, and the scene where the girls talk to Angus in Old Castle (the one where he attempts a pity party thing only for Violet to shut him down coldly); and also the non-English extras in the non-English books :D)
I will draw this at some point, but since Pam canonically believed that classical music is boring back in the day (like fall-asleep-to-the-sound-of-it boring), I like to think that passive-aggressive Violet and her cheeky ass slipped into her stereo key evidence that classical music is NOT boring, while Pam was slowly dozing off in her room or something. Feel free to make your selections of headcanon pieces from Liszt, Shostakovich, Ernst, Verdi, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and more :D maybe even slip in a Haydn if you want :DDD
Nicky is the memelord of the group, and Paulina is the interpreter who has to explain to literally everyone what a mood and a tbh creature is.
Violet has a distinct Hangzhou accent when she speaks Chinese because she's been around her grandfather enough that she picked it up. She's rather self-conscious about it, but fortunately no one has made an open note about it so far. Also she is self-conscious about it but she doesn't really know how to change it so it's less "Hangzhou". She also doesn't really want to change it, so there's that.
Ever since I learned that English teachers in China can only be native English speakers from certain first world countries (and South Africa for some reason), I now have the funni idea of Violet having an unexpected accent when she speaks English. Just imagine one of the girls having a brain crash over Vi having either an American (neutral American), British, Irish Canadian, New Zealand, Australian, or South African accent. If it's Australian, then feel free to have Nicky's brain crash and think Vi's a Chinese immigrant who lives in Australia.
Not a Thea Sister, but Vic is canonically a gremlin (in the comics anyway). Headcanon, one of his favorite pastimes is platonically flirting with Pam to get her all flustered. Everybody thinks Pam has a crush on Vic, but the reality is she has a complicated relationship with him, and she's just not used to having someone flirt with her.
Pam is painfully oblivious to Shen having a crush on her, because the way Colette in particular teases her about it makes it sound like Pam has a crush on Shen, which Pam doesn't. That plus the fact that Shen never confessed makes it off to be a stupid rumor (in Pam's mind at least).
Nicky swears a lot, and the only reason they don't appear in the books is because Thea is very aware of the fact that kids like reading her books.
Violet came up with the nickname Coco for Colette out of lighthearted spite for "Vivi" and "Princess", the two nicknames Colette gave her early on in canon (there're these extras in the non-English books, and Dragon's Code's one in particular has the girls writing to each other. Colette gave her the nickname "Princess" because she saw Violet as a "little miss perfect" type person). It was supposed to be a one-off joke that Vi told in front of the girls once, but Coco has stuck ever since.
Enjoy :D
9 notes · View notes
deartouya · 1 year
Text
LILAC FOR JOONIE — YOUR HQ MATCHUP IS KENMA KOZUME
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
kenma never considered himself an artist. never even really sat down and drew anything more complicated than a stick figure or the occasional star. so he's not sure why he ever agreed to a painting contest. let alone one late judged by kuroo--he was doomed from the very beginning.
"what is that? a horse?" you knew, it was crudely painted and even more crudely drawn, but it was a cat. but he's so easy to tease.
you can feel the sharpness of his glare before you ever glance up from the floor, though it's greatly undermined when you look up at him. he's streaked in paint, paint which you're not even sure how it got there as it wasn't on either of your pallets, and his bangs are clipped back in a comically small spike of blonde.
kenma huffs, "it's a cat. and you know it." he nudges a foot against your thigh, smiling, "not my fault we're not all van gogh."
he's finished it--a fat orange and black cat with a small fish clamped between its teeth surrounded by purple--and taking to watching you paint. your brows are scrunched, face pinched and focused as you work and kenma feels an overwhelming urge to smooth the wrinkle out with his thumb.
"like what you see?" the tease has him huffing again, rolling his eyes at the cheeky smile you toss at him.
"you wish." he tucks himself into the crook of the couch, smiling cheekily, "i'm just thinking about how good it's gonna feel when i beat you."
"oh you're on," you challenge, "prepare to get your ass kicked."
Tumblr media
@iitoshi aaah kai, i don't know if it was worth the wait ;-; but i hope you enjoy it anyways !! activity dates scream kenma to me and i think he'd really enjoy painting ones in particular! very casual and indoor and just an excuse to spend a lot of time together and i'm sorry if this is bad,, i'm not very practised at all with hq and i don't think i've ever tried to write kenma </3
9 notes · View notes