#damnit now my high has worn off

[fuckyeahdindjarin]

Hallow'seams

A Seams Halloween special oneshot

{ Part IV: Notch | Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist }

Rating: A spicy T

Summary: Joel proves to you that he can be adventurous if he wants to be.

Warnings: Joel wears a slutty Halloween costume, fluff, mentions of drinking, spicy thoughts but nothing explicit, no use of Y/N

Word count: 1.7k

Notes: I was so looking forward to writing this Seams Halloween special that I floated back in the summer. Unfortunately, life™ happened - I've had a very rough month and honestly I didn't think I had it in me to do any writing for the rest of this year, but then this happened! I woke up thinking about Joel wearing a Gladiator costume and couldn't put it down. It's not as long or intricate as my original idea, but I hope you enjoy this anyway. I've missed these two so much!

Thank you for sticking with me and giving me so much love, I really don't deserve you all 🧡 Happy Halloween!

Joel pushes open the door to the High Street Outfitters, one booted foot steps over the threshold -

And he stops and stares.

Pumpkins of all sizes, some more crudely carved than others, seem to occupy every conceivable surface. Black cat and broomstick decals adorn the worn wooden walls, while hand-pulled cotton cobweb the ceilings.

When his feet unstick and move into the empty shop, he nearly topples a huge cauldron of what looks like homemade candy. Steadying it with his hands, he mutters under his breath. 'What the f-'

He would never admit it, but he nearly jumps out of his skin when you emerge from the studio with a dramatic flutter of the curtain divider. 'Oh hey, you're here!'

Stepping towards you, he presses a kiss to the corner of your mouth in a hello, and gestures. 'You really went all out, hmm?'

Your grin brims with pride, and he feels his lips stretch into an answering smile as you straighten up some of the costumes on a nearby rack.

'We found a Halloween shop nearby a few years back,' you explain. 'All their stock was still in boxes in the store room, so we took everything and ran with it. It's a lot of work every year, but the kids have so much fun with it, it's definitely worth it.'

Joel hums skeptically. 'Not just the kids have fun, from what I heard.'

You cross your arms and play coy. 'What have you heard?'

'That my brother hosts the rowdiest Halloween party in town for the adults every year, and tonight is their last hurrah before the baby comes.'

You chuckle. 'And I'm guessing you fought the costume and lost?'

'There’s no winnin’ when your sister-in-law plays the pregnancy card,' he grumbles with poorly concealed fondness.

You walk him towards the racks near the cashier. 'Here are the men's costumes. We run a pay what you want system for Halloween rentals, just pop your contribution into that pumpkin on the counter. You better hurry though, things start kicking off around seven tonight.'

Joel combs through the outfits half-heartedly, when a standalone clothes rack on the other side of the room, covered with a black sheet, catches his eye. 'And what's that?'

You hesitate, and stutter, 'Oh, um - you won’t like those.'

Arching an eyebrow, he stares down at you. 'Why is that, sweetheart?'

The endearing way you wring your hands and worry your bottom lip brings him right back to when he first met you. Your shyness has always provoked a reaction from him - an understanding at first, from the introvert in him. Then protectiveness, when he started spending time with you.

And now, knowing you the way he does, with you opening up to him over the past few months, he lets his mouth relax into a half-smirk, one hand curling around your waist to pull you into his side as he teases, 'Use your words, Pin.'

You huff, recognising the playfulness in his body language, but you still struggle to get the words out. 'They’re - um, damnit - they're adventurous.'

He sets his face in a mock stern expression. 'And what, I’m too borin' for them?'

Narrowing your eyes at him, which makes him grin, you deadpan, 'It's just - they're not your thing, ok? They're of the -' you pause, and gesture in air quotes. 'Occupational variety.'

Comprehension dawns on him, and he drawls, 'Ah, you mean slutty costumes.'

He can feel your skin heat at his words as you duck your head, and he teases, voice low and gruff by your ear. 'And will you be wearin' somethin' slutty for me tonight, sweetheart?'

Your breath hitches and your lips part, eyes glassy at the turn of the mood. 'Joel -'

He isn't a particularly spiritual man, but the longer he lives, the more he’s convinced that some people are put on earth for a reason.

And Lucy's raison d'etre is to cockblock him at every turn.

The door bursts open with a brash energy that is uniquely hers (with an uncanny resemblance to Ellie's), and your best friend doesn't skip a beat at the sight of the pair of you canoodling. 'Save the making out for later, Miller. We gotta go get ready Pin, c’mon!'

You hastily press a kiss to his whiskered cheek. 'Pick your costume and lock up behind you, ok? I'll see you in a bit.'

Lucy all buts hauls you out of the shop, throwing over her shoulder. 'See ya later, Miller! You better show up half naked!'

Curiosity getting the better of him, Joel pulls back the sheet from the clothes rack, and his eyebrows reach for his softly graying hairline. Leafing through the options, he pauses somewhere in the middle, and smiles to himself.

He’ll show you adventurous.

Maria and Tommy's Halloween party is easily the most anticipated event in the Jackson social calendar. Illicit incentives often swap hands for a RSVP, with those unfortunate enough to be assigned patrol duties on the night willing to pay handsomely for a swap in shifts.

While the kids are knocked out at home from eating their body weight in sugar, the Tipsy Bison is teeming with townsfolk. The normally dark interiors are decked out floor to ceiling in garish black and orange, as if people wouldn't get the memo.

Joel was apprehensive on his arrival, pausing for a moment outside the double doors of the establishment to steel himself. But as soon as he crosses the threshold into the warm and boisterous bar, so loud that his right ear rings, he realises that his worries are completely unwarranted.

No one even bats an eyelid as he wades through the throngs of partygoers, nodding politely at acquaintances who drunkenly shout his name and raise a pitcher in greeting.

It's pure madness - Halloween stopped existing for him twenty years ago. The last time he went to a Halloween party was their neighbour's barbeque. He still remembers the Gryffindor costume he bought Sarah, and how big she smiled swishing around in her robe, casting gibberish spells on her friends all night.

This, however, is a distinctly grownup affair.

When he put on his costume and stood in front of the mirror an hour ago, he could barely look at his own reflection. But now, compared to others in the room, turns out his choice is almost demure.

He only saw Gladiator once when it came out a couple of years before the outbreak, but he liked it, and when he saw the costume on the rack, he picked it out straight away.

The dark red cape sits on his shoulders and drapes across half of his torso - shirtless, of course - baring his right arm. He's a bit self-conscious about the skirt (he's sure there's a name for it but the packaging didn't shed light on this), which sits mid-thigh, fastened by a belt around his waist. He's even wearing the Roman sandals and leather bracelet, and a plastic sword hangs from his belt - the full monty.

The vain side in him thinks he can pull it off, but more importantly -

He wore it for you.

But you're nowhere to be seen, even after he grabs a beer from the counter, having circled the bar twice. Spotting a lone empty chair at a high table, he decides to perch (pulling down his skirt so his boxers don't show) while he has a drink and looks for you.

His keen eyes scan the room methodically. Sexy witches, slutty lumberjacks, misbehaving firemen, naughty nurses - together with the noise, everyone and everything seems to blur into one, and he almost gives up when something familiar crosses his line of sight.

Joel frowns.

Hold up. That toolbelt looks familiar. His eyes narrow as he squints at the worn faded leather.

It is his toolbelt. The toolbelt that disappeared from his garage workshop a couple of days ago that Ellie swears she knows nothing about. That little shit.

Then his gaze pulls back, like a camera zooming out, and he finds that the toolbelt is sitting on the soft swell of a pair of hips, over short denim cut-offs that he's sure he's seen before, and below a red flannel. His red flannel, knotted at the waist, that he knows you sleep in every night.

His chest rumbles with something primal, and he downs the rest of his beer in one big gulp before slamming the empty pint glass on the table and getting onto his feet.

You don’t see him coming, but you know without turning around the moment a pair of strong hands close over your hips in a possessive grip, pulling you towards the bathroom in the back of the bar.

He knocks a breathless laugh out of you when he pushes you up the closed door, the noise of the party muted by the thick timber as you grin up at him, preening at the way his dark gaze rakes over your costume.

A shiver runs down your spine as your own undoubtedly dilated eyes follow the solid outline of his right arm, which flexes as he rests his palm on the door behind you, then down his broad chest and the soft belly he’s so nonchalantly putting on display.

It’s absurd, you know - it’s just a tacky Halloween costume, but the seams of your eyes prickle as you muse how comfortable he is in his own skin.

'And what exactly are you dressed up as?' he asks, sliding his free hand under the toolbelt to squeeze your ass.

'A slutty contractor,' you answer boldly, dragging your index finger down his bare chest. 'Isn't it obvious?'

'And you thought stealin' my toolbelt for your little costume was a good idea?' he growls.

'Well, I didn't know you'd turn up as a gladiator of all things,' you tease, wrapping your fingers around the hilt of his plastic sword.

It should not make his pulse spike like this.

'Not only that, sweetheart. I'm a slutty gladiator, thank you very much,' he retorts, walking into you to slot his hips flush against yours.

You shoot him a loaded smirk that instantly has his boxers shrink by two sizes. Ripping his cape off his shoulders, you ask cheekily, ‘And what does my champion demand as punishment -'

Joel doesn't let you finish your sentence, swallowing the rest of it with a kiss so deep that it steals your voice and takes out your knees in one fell swoop.

Grinning at the way you're already bonelessly slumped against him, he winks, nose brushing yours. 'I can think of a few things, sweetheart.'

Note: Thank you for reading! I had so much fun dipping my toe back into the Seams universe, I hope you did too. This is me warming up with a view of returning to writing for the series proper, fingers crossed sometime soon! Comments/reblogs/asks are very much appreciated as always 🧡

Thank you @firefly-graphics for the adorably spooky dividers!

#fuckyeahseams #hallow'seams #seams halloween special #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x you #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x fem!reader #joel miller x reader #the last of us fanfiction #joel miller imagine #joel miller fluff

[myreitha]

Costume time!

Okay, you know what, I want to share this process and I've chosen y'all to suffer with me.

SO! A friend of mine doesn't have a spooky show to produce this year, and so is putting all his energy into a cool-ass halloween event (Fancy paper invites, puzzles to solve, challenges, games, seances, etc). The whole thing is themed around this fake secret society that we're all now part of, and the dress cose and we're being encouraged to come up with cool fancy clothes/outfits to match the theme to come in. Best description I can come up with for this theme is "Fancy witchy-vampire" (Like, think VtM, but witchier). THAT SAID. I'm still out of a job, so, I've got to be strategic. AND I've got the itch to make things. Even better. (More past the cut!)

I don't have photos for a lot of these earlier decisions and stages, sorry. BUT I go through my closet and costume tubs (the for-fun-or-cosplay costumes as well as the circus/performing ones) and have a nice closet-runway to figure out what I'm starting with and settle on this one burgundy satin wrap top with big-ass sleeves that I love. . .that unfortunately doesn't go with much that I have in my wardrobe that vibes with the theme. (There's like. . .one or two things it works with, but I want to be FANCIER). So I sketch around and come up with an idea based around this shirt (and a statement necklace collar I have that was some of the best $5 I've ever spent)

I have this old dress I'd bought at a flea market years ago and had altered to be an overskirt for a hoop skirt, and then it's been worn as a bustle with the bodice tucked away more times than it's felt hoops. It's a similar color as the top, so I figured I'd finally take the bodice off it, pull it in to be something I could walk in that wouldn't trail on teh ground, and I could set it under a corset in the center. Bing-bang-boom! Genius!

No. The skirt and the shirt were similar-but-different enough colors and textures that they clashed. Damnit. Well, I can ditch the skirt and figure out the rest! Some skinny moto pants. A decorative corset - I could embroider a corset (Myr no), or, ooh, use gold appliques (Okay, more realistic, proceed).

Next step was to mock things up as I'm trying to find what I want without purchasing a bunch of shit, which got me to this:

Okay okay okay. Cool, I've got a direction (that's not the shirt, but it's the closest I coudl find online to use, so I used it). Now for the endless internet and thrift store (No fingers, not thirst store, dear god) and internet thrift store searching to find me some cool-ass pants and a corset and some shoes that'll work with this. You'll notice, though that my statement necklace has been swapped out for cool-strappy-thing. Because statement necklace-collar is geometric and GOOD LUCK finding geometric applique. Harder than I expected. Took me a couple months to find things that weren't lots of money that I could afford. BUT I EVENTUALLY DID IT. This included buying multiple corsets with the intention of returning things. Benefits of modern shopping. The happy "lets try everything on" day was this weekend!

SO FAR SO GOOD. Took a poll from friends and the short corset is the winner. It's definitely the best constructed of the three, though the pants aren't QUITE high enough waist to be able to wear under it without some adjustments. But it'll do. The shoes turned out to be dark brown instead of black, so I need to see about making them black (and fixing them so the tongue doesn't decide to go deep diving towards my toes.) Other things to do: bring in the wrists of those sleeves some, they're a bit too big (Here they're clipped with bobby pins), decorate the corset, maybe add some gold detailing onto the pants? They've got that gold ridging along the thighs that you find on moto-pants, but that's absolutely invisible most of the time, so I think if I just brush some gold paint along the tops of those ridges, it'll make them pop in a good way. You'll note that none of these photos have the strappy-thingy, and instead we're back to the statement necklace-collar. Turns out the differece between the image I found on the internet and teh shirt I own is enough that you BARELY SEE the strappy. Also, I decided that instead of using applique, I'd buy some gold paint, make a design that'd work, and paint it on the corset. Only time will reveal whether this was a good or a bad idea.

Other thing this showed me is that this doesn't feel FANCY enough. So I'm coming back to that half-skirt idea. This time, though I'm thinking about something sheer - either a burgundy to match the top, or a black with gold accents (OR A FULL DESIGN?!?!?!).

Last night I got flat photos of the corset for figuring out the design, since the shape I was working with in my sketches doesn't match the chosen corset shape. Pls to enjoy some of the designs I was playing with:

Proooooobably going to see about adjusting the eye design. I think it fits the theme best.

Last night I started on the alternations by taking in the waist of the pants. Please have this photo that happened 30 seconds before my thread was attacked.

#Project #costume #sewing #Join me on this journey as I make it up as I go

[sweet-teeth-mfs]

That feeling when you can’t remember where you read your favourite Namkook fic and you’ve spent an hour in the dark, in bed, desperately trying to find it/remember where you read it. 🤦🏼‍♀️😭

#whyyyyyy #wish i could sleep #wish i wasnt up #trying to find a fic #damn my hyperfocus brain #just laying here #cuddled up to my pillow #endlessly searching #for my 2nd fav kook fic #why brain why #I DONT EVEN BIAS HIM #why do i have to be jungshook rn #😩😩😩😩 #wish u were here #damnit now my high has worn off #shitpost #edie’s opinion

[draco-and-tom]

School Girl- George Weasley

✰ WARNINGS- unprotected sex, thigh riding, Dom!George, Nicknames, Skirt Kink, Marking Kink

You and George have been dating for 8 months now. It’s been almost a month since Fred and George left you alone at Hogwarts. They had asked you to come with, but you knew you wanted to graduate first. It’s not like you thought it would be easy, but you never thought it would be so hard to not see George. You went from seeing your boyfriend, and your best friend, to not seeing them at all for a month and it honestly hurt you more than you would ever admit. You got up from your bed and rubbed your eyes, walking over to your dresser. You pulled out your button shirt, tie, robes, and…..damnit. You had just worn your skirt yesterday, but it was too hot to wear your pants. You shrug and get out your skirt from last year, sure you had grown a little but it would be all right. You start changing and can't stop the grin that you get when you think about the trip to Hogsmeade. You finally got to see the twins and you were sure that there was nothing that could ruin the day for you. You walked over to the mirror and adjusted the skirt that was now around your waist. You knew you would be fine, it was only a few inches shorter, plus Hogwarts thankfully doesn't have much of a dress code.  You pull on your shoes and walk out of your room. Walking down the hall alone was honestly peaceful at Hogwarts. The sound of your steady breathing and the tap of your shoes always have a calming effect. You tend to wake up earlier so that you can get the good food from the great hall before it’s all gone. You enter the great hall and sit down beside your friend Alica. “Damn y/n nice skirt” she laughed “You trying to get laid?”

✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫Arriving in Hogsmeade✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫ “See you later” you shout to your friends as you walk away. They wanted you to come to The Three Broomsticks with them for a glass of butterbeer, but they knew how you are about George and didn’t bother after your first answer.  You lightly jog over to the joke shop about two stores away from you and run through the doorway, ringing the bell above it as you enter. “Welcome to Weasley’s-” George stopped talking when he lifted his head from the product he was gently setting on a display. “Y/N?! You didn't tell me it was a Hogsmeade weekend!” he said smiling, practically from ear to ear. God did he miss you. “Surprise!” you laughed and ran up to your boyfriend. You hugged him tightly before kissing him on the lips. “Woah there Y/N. I'm supposed to be greeting you not the other way around” he jokes and gives you a peck on the cheek. You roll your eyes and let go of him, taking off your school robes. As you turn around to set it on the chair George notices the difference in your skirt and goes a little stiff, trying not to be aroused by something as simple as a skirt. George knew he had a thing for skirts, and hated the fact that he did. That’s the only plus of not seeing you all the time, apparently you liked your little skirts. This time, however, it was different. That skirt was pretty short, not showing anything inappropriate, but showing him more of your thighs. Sometimes he wished he could fuck you in one of those pretty little skirts, but god this time he could barely force himself not to fuck you right there. “You okay?” you ask and look at him with concern once you notice George staring at your thighs and stand almost completely still which was reallyyy weird for a Weasley twin. George couldn’t stay still to save his life to be completely honest. George cleared his throat, looking you up and down. You blushed, you knew George got turned on by you sometimes but you’ve never done anything with him other than make out. “Yeah just….thinking,” he said and turned back to the display. “Hey Y/N? Can I show you something upstairs?” he asked, turning back to look at you. You nod and stand up, walking up the stairs with your boyfriend. “Oh hey Freddie!” you say as he passes you on your way up the stairs “Good to see you Y/L/N”. You smile and nod before reaching their flat. George gestures to his room and you oblige, walking inside. As soon as you pass the threshold he slams the door shut and pushes you against it. George’s arms were on either side of your head, making it practically impossible to move, even though you had no intention of doing so. You let out a small whimper from all of the sudden movement. He ignores your sounds and gets closer to your face “Why the hell are you wearing that fucking skirt” he asks, lips barely touching yours. You felt your legs buckle slightly beneath you at his words. You didn’t think the skirt would have that much on an impact, but it’s not like you were complaining. George’s left-hand moves to your hip, helping you stand back up straight. “Answer me!” he said making you bite your lip. You didn't want to disobey, but you didn't feel like you could speak. He’s never been this forward on sexual stuff and it was making the pool between your legs grow by the second. “Fine” he responds to your silence, almost whispering “I’ll just have to ask nicer”. George moves his face over to your ear and whispers “Why did you wear that skirt darling?” he moves one of his hands to play with the end of it, fingers lightly grazing your thigh. “Because all I want to do right now-” he paused to nip your ear lobe “ is fuck you in your tight little hole”. You squeezed your eyes shut and let out a whimper for him to hear. “My other skirt was dirty” you explained, trying your best to focus despite your arousal. You opened your eyes to see George roll his eyes “And?!” He whisper-yelled “I’ve been around Hogwarts long enough to know that they allow pants kitten” he started to gently nip at your neck, sadly too light to leave any marks. “It’s too hot” you squirm under his touch. You could feel the ginger smile against your skin. “Want more huh?” he asked, noticing your reaction to his teasing. You moaned out and nodded. You didn’t know why you were being so honest, you don't normally give in to stuff this easily, but you couldn’t help it. George groaned at your response and started sucking harshly on your neck. You reached out and grabbed his upper arm, needing something to squeeze. Once the realization came over you that everyone was going to know what George was doing to you, you became more aroused and it was almost painful not to moan with every new mark he made on you. He pulled back and admired his work “hmm” he hummed and nodded “look how weak you are….I've barely even touched you”. He smirked “guess now I know my baby girl has a thing for marks” he paused and made a face of consideration before speaking “or maybe she just knows that now everyone knows she’s mine” he whispered, leaning into your ear “tell me...do you want everyone to know how good I make you feel? Or do you just want to brag about whose cock you took like a good girl” you moaned and the boy observed in silence “oh. How silly of me, I forgot that it's both” he chuckled in a low voice. George honestly felt too turned on with the way you reacted to his words. You were practically begging him for more. “Need help with your situation love?” George asked and you nodded eagerly. He wrapped his hands around the back of your thigh to lift it, but when he touched you he felt the thin lines of liquid running down your thighs and moaned “Fuck. All this for me?” he asked, rubbing your thigh “only you.” you moaned out and he groaned. George continued to lift your thigh and put his knee between your legs. You looked down at noticed the obvious bulge in his pants. “But I want you” you whined and he nodded “I know. You better be glad I'm giving you anything at all” you whimpered in agreement as George pulled your white panties for you. “Who gave you permission to wear something so pure?” he chuckled “trying to play innocent?” he asked and brought his knee back up to your throbbing pussy. “You can help yourself now kitten,” he said and you quickly gave in. You started to grind your pussy against his clothed thigh, trying to get the perfect angle on your clit. “OH” you whined when George pushed you harder against the door, taking matters into his own hands. George gripped your hips tightly and rubbed his thigh perfectly against you. George was grunting “good girl. Keep whining, I love seeing you make such a pretty mess all over me.”  After a few seconds, you could feel the pressure in your stomach tighten and knew you were so close. You didn’t even need to tell George, he could tell be the broken whimpers and praises of his name. Suddenly you felt yourself cum and George helped you come down from your high. George pulls away from you and starts to take off his jumper and trousers. “I don't know if I ca-” he cuts you off “you’ll take my cock like a good girl kitten. You’ll cum as many times as I say”. You moaned as he walked over to you. George was completely naked by this point. George had your lip quivering with desire once you saw how hard he was, It looked smaller in his pants. He nipped down in your neck making more marks, “Finally get to fuck your pretty little hole in this damn skirt.” he growled out as he slid his cock through your folds before sliding in. You and George both struggle to fight back loud moans when he starts thrusting. His pace starts out average before he loses control and pounds into you deep and hard. George grabs your leg and pulls it over his shoulder “George” you moan loudly as every thrust hits all the right spots. “Close baby?” he asks panting and you nod “me too”. You could tell he was going to cum soon and it was obvious you would too. His thrusts became faster and more sloppy, and your walls were clenching around him before you knew it. George thrust a few more times before cumming deep inside of you. George pulled out of you and tried to catch his breath. “And I thought Quidditch gave me a workout….damn skirt”

TAG-LIST- @georgeswh0re (comment request to be added)

#george #george weasley #wealsey twins #weasley #george weasley smut #george x reader #smut #hogwarts smut #george smut #weasley twin smut #hogsmeade #daddy #kitten kink #hickie #hickie kink #skirt #skirt kink #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter #harry #potter #harry potter smut #hogwarts #weasley and weasley #weasleys wizard wheezes #george weasley fanfiction #hogwarts fanfiction #george weasley x y/n #george weasley x you #george weasley x reader

[staticscreenwriting]

LOVE LIKE THE MOVIES // BUCKY BARNES // 4

Four - Casablanca

Masterlist

Summary: This is a story of boy meets girl. The boy, Bucky Barnes, finds himself thrown into a world that seems so different from everything he’s ever known. The girl, (Y/N) knows entirely too much about rom-coms and is quite particular about the way she eats her popcorn. Bucky meets (Y/N) a few months after returning to NYC. He knows almost immediately that becoming her friend is inevitable. This is a story of boy meets girl. This is a story about love. (Bucky Barnes x female!Reader // a few spoilers for TFATWS)

“ You dressed up! “

God damnit. He should’ve known. He really should’ve. Sam stands by his side, shit-eating grin splitting his face in two. He should’ve just worn a plain sweater and no one would’ve commented on it.

But then would she look at him with that joyful sparkle in her eyes and that gorgeous smile? Maybe the little dressing up that he did do, and all the teasing comments from Sam, are worth it if means she’ll look at him like that.

“I didn’t dress up.” Doesn’t mean he has to admit it. No now, not ever.

“ Uh, your jeans are cuffed. You’ve never done that!” (Y/N) points out to which Sam chimes in with a loud “that’s what I said!” words dripping with amusement.

“ It’s just my jeans, it’s not a big deal.”

“ And you quiffed your hair!”

Bucky glances towards Sam who stands beside him with the biggest smile any person has ever displayed in all the times humans have walked this earth. His joy at Bucky’s obvious discomfort knowing no boundaries and, if it weren’t at his own expense, Bucky would even find Sam’s amusement quite contagious.

“ You totally did! He totally did! I didn’t even notice. Hi,” he says and shakes (Y/N)’s hand “ I’m Sam.”

“ So nice to meet you, Sam. And you dressed up too! As a sexy Ghostbuster!”

Bucky can basically feel Sam’s ego inflate at those words and he knows, for a fact, he’ll never hear the end of it.

“ That’s right! I am a sexy Ghostbuster. Not a regular one. That’s exactly what I was going for, thank you. Man, I love her already.” Sam says, directed at both, (Y/N) but mostly at Bucky.

“ You look lovely too, by the way,” Sam points out and for the first time since they arrived, Bucky gives himself a moment to take her in entirely. Not just the little things, the twinkle in her eyes, the warm radiance of her smile. Her. All of her.

The blue and white checkered pinafore dress she’s wearing reaches down to her knees, her legs are covered by white knee-high socks and at her feet, a pair of ruby red heels sparkle as the light reflects against them.

She looks beautiful but what really makes Bucky’s heart skip just a tiny fraction of a beat is the fact that he knows who she’s supposed to be and, whether she did it purposefully or not doesn’t matter, he feels included for the first time in so long.

“ You’re Dorothy.” his lips produce words that his brain didn’t sign off on. They just slip out. They hold so much weight that even if he’d acted fast enough, he doesn’t think he would’ve been able to hold them back. They’re so seemingly insignificant but they hold a meaning that Bucky isn’t sure anyone will ever fully comprehend. Steve would’ve but Steve is — not here.

He hopes (Y/N) understands even a small fraction of what it means to him. And when she smiles, he thinks she might.

“ I am. Do you like it?”

“ You look beautiful. “ And she does. She really does.

Sam is grinning away like he’s just heard the best news and Bucky isn’t sure if he prefers this to his outright laughter at his discomfort or not. This smirk seems like some inside joke Bucky doesn’t get. Like Sam knows something he doesn’t.

“ Can I get you guys something to drink? Beers? “

“ That would be great “ Sam replies.

“ Grumpy? “

“ Sure.”

He can’t get drunk, that’s one of the little things the Serum changed about him. It’s not like he’s here to get drunk anyway but to feel the enthusiastic buzz that alcohol can wash through your system, would be nice. He hardly remembers what that felt like.

He’s gonna drink some beer either way though. It gives him the feeling of fitting in, of belonging with the crowd. Even if he knows that’s one big lie. Sometimes you have to lie to yourself to keep your heart from breaking.

Kim isn’t a friend. Not really. She’s a friend of a friend who somehow always tags along whenever (Y/N)’s friend group gets together. She’s never actually invited but she’s always there anyway. Tonight is no exception.

She’s dressed in some kind of last-minute DIY deer costume, one of those that have been popular a few years back on Youtube, and the way she smirks at (Y/N) as she enters the kitchen already makes the metaphorical alarm bells go off in (Y/N)’s head.

“ So, I didn’t know you know celebrities. “

“ What are you talking about, Kim? “

“ Oh, you know! “ Kim announces and slides up next to (Y/N), casually leaning against the kitchen counter. “ Do you think he can do some cool tricks with his metal arm? “

“ Who are you talking about? “

Obviously (Y/N) is well aware of who Kim is talking about. There’s only so many people with metal arms and only one of them finds himself at this very party. Still, she doesn’t give Kim the satisfaction of reacting to her ridiculous comment. Maybe, (Y/N) naively hopes, repeating her question will make Kim realize just how rude and offensive her words really are.

“The winter soldier! Who else. That’s him, isn’t it? “

“ No.”

“ You sure? I’m pretty certain that’s him.”

“ His name is Bucky!” (Y/N) clarifies, fixing Kim with a stare that conveys just how serious this is to her. “ And he is not some kind of circus freak or entertainer or something. He is my friend. “

Kim shrugs her shoulders so casually that it sends shivers of red hot rage through (Y/N)’s body. The audacity of this woman. “ Okay sure but he is the Winter Soldier, right? I don’t know why you’re acting so sensitive right now. Chill, girl.”

“ Fuck you, Kim. You are so disrespectful towards my friend. He’s so sweet and genuine and wonderful and he deserves to be seen for all that he is. He is not here for you to stare at like a caged animal and he sure as hell ain’t here to be reminded of his painful past. If you can’t treat him like a normal person, please leave. “

There’s a look on Kim’s face that (Y/N) hasn’t seen on her before. One of utter disbelief. One that lets her know that this was the last thing Kim was expecting. And for a little moment, a huge wave of triumphant enthusiasm crashes over her.

“ Whatever.” is all Kim replies once the shock has settled. With a pout on her lips, she shuffles out of the kitchen and back into the crowd. (Y/N) can’t tell for sure if she’s leaving but there’s no doubt in her mind that at least she won’t be harassing Bucky anytime soon.

A bitter taste settles on (Y/N) tongue, as she thinks about Kim’s words again. About the sick and twisted thoughts that reduce Bucky to little more than a human animatronic. It’s disgusting and so so sad and she just hopes Bucky hasn’t heard her say those things.

As she steps out of the kitchen and rounds the corner though, her hopes are squashed. There’s the usual pain on his face, the one that’s perpetually etched into his features as Bucky leans against the wall. But mixed in between, there’s something else. A confusing mess of emotions she can’t quite place. She knows though. He’s heard every last word.

“ Robin came over, started talking to Sam about some band I don’t know. Thought I’d come see if you need some help. “

“ Bucky, I — “

“ It’s fine.” He interrupts her. (Y/N) doesn’t think it’s really fine. Sometimes people just get so used to saying they feel fine, they actually start believing it. Only fine is not something you want to feel forever, is it? Fine shouldn’t be a permanent state. Fine should be temporary. A path to good. To great. To happy.

“ You sure? “

“ Yeah. I uh — I appreciate what you said.”

“ Oh sure. And I meant it. You’re my friend and you deserve all the good things life has to offer.”

He doesn’t know if he agrees with that sentiment. No, in fact, he’s sure that he doesn’t agree. While he is free of the pain that bound him to Hydra, he will never be entirely free of the guilt his past has put on him. One, he thinks, makes him undeserving of so many things. Like friends. Like happiness. Like love.

And yet it’s nice to know that other people see in him what he may never see in himself.

“ Now let’s go rescue Sam before Robin ropes him into some kind of wedding preparations.”

She says, hands Bucky a bottle, and then grabs his free hand to pull him towards the other side of the room where Robin, dressed as Jessica Rabbit, gestures around wildly as she talks to Sam.

At first, (Y/N) doesn’t even realize it but then she notices that the hand holding hers feels different. It’s not as soft to the touch as a hand usually is. The glove is warm and smooth under her skin but she wishes she could touch the metal. It’s not some kind of weird, misplaced fetishization or some sensationalism. It’s the fact that the arm is a part of Bucky as much as his eyes or his smile or his perpetual grumpiness. And she wants to know every part of him for they make him who he is, and who he is is wonderful.

3 hours.

It’s been 3 hours since they arrived at the party. 3 hours of music he doesn’t get from artists he doesn’t know. 3 hours of staying painfully sober while everyone around him gets exponentially more drunk. 3 hours of pretending not to notice the looks he’s getting.

3 hours and then it got too much. He’s well aware that this isn’t his time. By all means, he shouldn’t be here. Not like this. Stuck in a body that doesn’t match his actual age. Forever reminded of the fact that he’s not meant to be here. Usually, he tries to ignore that. Tries to learn about new things, tries to understand.

This party puts a mirror right in front of his face though. Makes it painfully obvious that this is not where he belongs.

What a party pooper he is. He’d hate himself. If his old self could see him now, standing alone on a balcony because he didn’t like the music inside. His old self would think of him as a coward. His old self is probably right.

“ Grumpy, what are you doing out here, all by yourself?”

For a second the music from the inside spills through the doors and into the serene night, only to be cut off a second later when (Y/N) steps onto the balcony and closes the door behind her.

“ Are you not having fun? “

“ It’s not that. It’s just —”

Just what? Bucky has no idea how to put it into words. It’s moments like this one where having Steve around would be so helpful. He’d understand and he’d know what to say. Steve always knew what to say. Steve just didn’t know when to shut up.

“ You don’t have to explain yourself to me. Ever.” (Y/N) says and bumps him with her shoulder as she leans against him looking out at the New York skyline.

“ I appreciate it.”

“ I was hoping you’d like my costume,” (Y/N) confesses after a moment. “ I feel like I tell you so much about all these movies you missed out on and I don’t know, maybe it’s silly, but I wanted you to feel in the know for once. Does that make sense? “

Bucky bites his lip for everything he wants to say is not something you tell someone you’ve only just befriended a few weeks ago. Never has he felt the need to spill his heart, with all his sorrows and fears and dreams, to anyone. Not until tonight. But it’s too much to burden her with. He can hardly carry the weight himself. To put it on her would be an awfully selfish thing to do.

So he just nods his head and smiles and he says “thank you” like it doesn’t mean anything when really it means the world.

“ Okay well, since I can’t bring you to the party — “ (Y/N) says and fumbles her phone from her dress pocket “ — I’ll just have to bring the party to you.”

For a moment she just types away on the screen before a familiar tune sounds from the speakers of her phone. A familiar tune, to Bucky. One he remembers dancing to when he was a whole other man.

Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Cocktail fills the air and Bucky’s lips unwillingly lift into a smile.

“ If I remember correctly,” (Y/N) says and reaches out her hand to him “ you owe me a dance.”

Bucky laughs and shakes his head, but grabs a hold of her hand anyway “That’s not how it works. You can’t just say someone owes you something simply because you want it.”

She’s so close now. He can see the lights reflecting in her eyes, can feel her chest lift with every breath she takes.

Here’s the thing about loneliness. After a while, you get used to it. It becomes a part of your life, of yourself, like breathing and sleep. You don’t even realize that you’re missing something. Until one day you’re chest to chest with a beautiful girl who thinks you’re wonderful and worthy of her friendship. And it’s then that you realize how lonely you were and how much it hurts and how much you’ve been missing the touch of another.

“ I’ve always wanted to dance through the night. Ever since I’ve first seen Moulin Rouge in the cinema.” (Y/N) says and they start to slowly but surely sway to the music. It’s tentative steps at first, shy and unsure. Barely there moves but there after all.

Sometimes it’s enough for things to be small. The big moments, the important ones don’t need to be big at all. Some of the most important ones don’t demand a lot of space and yet they take up all the space in your heart.

“ Do you remember your first time seeing a movie at the cinema? “ she asks, looking up at him with her starlight eyes.

It’s not a memory he can recall. It’s one of those that have been lost in the shuffle. Like a sweater you love that’s been lost in the laundry or a picture frame gone missing during a move.

“ I don’t. I do remember my last trip to the cinema though.”

“Yeah? What was it?”

This memory is so vivid, it could’ve happened yesterday. He remembers the old dusty velvet seats. He remembers the propaganda spot shown before the movie, the one that put a feeling in his gut as if he’d just swallowed a sack of bricks, now knowing what was to happen but expecting it. He remembers Ruth Dillinger and her gorgeous blond hair and the way it smelled like soap and flowers. And he remembers the movie.

“ Casablanca. Saw it on a date with a girl.”

“ Aw, you took her on a movie date? Lucky girl. “

“ I don’t know if I’d go that far. I wasn’t half as respectable of a guy back then. Was more interested in sneaking a kiss in the dark than taking her to see a good movie. “

“ Did you do the whole, yawning-arm-around-the-shoulder thing?”

“ Obviously.”

“ Oh, you were just a regular casanova, Mr. Barnes? “

“ For sure. “

New York feels alive with the power of possibility. Of a night being more than a night. Of small moments being big and big moments being so tiny and intimate and small. New York feels alive with emotions. Ones Bucky doesn't understand and couldn’t understand. But either way, he feels happier in that tiny insignificant moment than he had in a long time.

“ I’ve never seen Casablanca.”

At that confession, Bucky pushes away from her a little so he can properly look at her, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“ What? It’s a classic. I have good reasons for not having seen most of your movie recommendations, what’s your excuse? “

She smiles bashfully and shrugs her shoulders “ I really don’t know. I just never got around to it. I feel like it’s such an important movie, it asks for a special occasion. Like seeing it at some fancy cinema or in concert or something. You know? “

Bucky only chuckles before pulling her close for another soft sway around the balcony.

Only the serenity doesn’t last very long as the aggressive drumming of some EDM song penetrates the quiet and Sam steps out onto the balcony.

“ Hi guys, uh — am I interrupting something ?”

“ No, no. That’s alright” (Y/N) exclaims, sounding a little flustered as she pulls away from Bucky and presses pause on her phone, plunging them all in silence.

“ I’m gonna get going in a moment. Need to catch an early flight tomorrow morning. “

“ Aw, so soon? Well okay but it was so nice to meet you Sam. You’re welcome at any future party or just drop in at the diner whenever you’re around.” (Y/N) says and pulls him into a hug.

“ I will don’t worry. Told you, I like you already.”

They share another quick hug before (Y/N) excuses herself to get Sam’s jacket from another room, leaving Sam and Bucky alone on the balcony.

“ Do not say a word!” Bucky orders as he notices yet another grin forming on Sam’s face.

“ I didn’t say anything.”

“ But you want to. I can see it.”

“ What would I possibly say, Buck? That you’ve got it bad? You know that yourself. “

“ It’s not like that.”

“ Okay, if you say so. “ Sam complies and lets another silence fall over them.

That’s until he speaks up yet again “ You dance. Man, I can’t believe it. Hey, can you waltz?”

“ Shut up! “

The party is slowly but surely winding down. A lot of people have left by now.

Some are asleep on the couch. On the floor. Against the wall.

A few are still lingering around, talking in low voices. Slurred words, tired eyes, light hearts.

Bucky tries not to step on anyone as he maneuvers his way around the apartment, trying to find the room where (Y/N) put all the jackets. It’s time for him to go, no matter how much he wants to hold onto the moment. He’s tired and the party is as good as over. And anyway, he hasn’t seen (Y/N) in a while.

“ Psst, Grumpy“

(Y/N) peeks out from behind a door, beckoning him closer. As he steps into the room he’s embraced by a warm amber glow coming from a string of fairy lights that frame one wall.

On her bed, (Y/N) sits and leans against the headboard, balancing a laptop on her legs. The wall behind her is covered in photographs. Some of her, some of people he doesn’t know. There are pictures taken at concerts, theme parks, the beach. She’s smiling in most of them. Happy. Memories of a lifetime forever caught on film.

This, Bucky realizes then, is something he wants. Not right now but eventually. To make memories. Ones that last. Ones that don’t get taken away from him. And someone to make those memories with him.

“ Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you,” Bucky asks as she pats the blanket and he sits down on the bed next to her.

“ I’ve been looking for this movie and I finally found a decent copy we can watch.”

“ Now? “

“ Yes now. It’s supposed to be a really good one. I think you’ll like it. “

Bucky’s tired. He honestly just wants to go home and try to find at least a few hours of sleep. But she does it again, that thing where she smiles and his heart does the weird fluttery thing. And he can’t say no to that. Why would he ever want to say no to that?

So he scoots backward to rest against the headboard as well and his eyes take in the swirly white font on the screen spelling out Casablanca over the black and white image of a map of Africa.

His smile won’t be suppressed anymore. It takes over his face like it belongs right there.

"Thought you were waiting for a special occasion?"

“ I was and I found it. Now, what’s the romantic lesson I can learn from this one? “ (Y/N) asks as her head comes to rest on his right shoulder.

Bucky considers it for a moment, tries to recall exactly what happens. Some details are fuzzy, some lost altogether. But he remembers the core of it all. The love shared between two people.

“ It is about sacrificing the thing you want most in life to make sure the people you love are safe and happy. It’s about putting the one you love above yourself and breaking your own heart in order to keep theirs from breaking. Love is selfless, never selfish. And love is worth it. I think that’s what it’s about. “

“ That’s a lovely sentiment. But so sad too.”

Bucky only nods in agreement and as the title credits roll he wonders if he’ll ever get the chance to really figure out love. To fall for someone and love them so much he’d give up everything to see them happy. Even himself.

Though they call it the city that never sleeps, New York seems to grow tired. It grows calm and quiet and maybe for a second it falls into a slumber in the same way that both Bucky and (Y/N) fall asleep, cuddled up on her bed, while Ingrid Bergman flies away on a plane and Humphry Bogard walks into the black of night.

Bucky hasn’t slept in a bed in months in fear of nightmares and terrors lurking in the dark corner of his mind.

That night he doesn’t have nightmares. In fact that night he dreams. Of slow dancing on a balcony with only the stars bearing witness to the moment. He dreams of red slippers and fairy lights and black and white movies.

That night he doesn’t have nightmares. Only sweet dreams.

Taglist // if you want to be added or taken off just message me :) //:

@zaynzierulez // @je-like-you // @dracoxxyoflam // @jackiehollanderr // @majo240820 // @kay-gilles // @booksb4looksstuff // @jckie94 // @charmed-asylum // @shawnie--jo // @yllwtaxi // @tailsoflightning //@giuliarogers

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky x female reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x f!reader #bucky barnes imagine #bucky imagine #avengers imagine #avengers imagines #marvel imagine #marvel imagines #james barnes x reader #james barnes x female reader #winter soldier x reader #he has too many names idk what else to tag

[kuekyuuq]

At this point, I see things regarding Supercorp this way...

(Mxaybe... in another universe... *sighs*)

My head-canon for the show:

Lena had a crush on Kara since day one and vice versa. She tried to deny it, deny herself the ‘luxury’ of personal attachment... but Kara was quite persistent, and cute, and sweet, and warm, and such a dork, and... yeah... Lena got confused when she developed similar feelings for Supergirl, and then her disagreements with Supergirl caused her to not-like her anymore, but still felt physically attracted to her - damnit. Since oblivious Kara did not respond properly to her flirts (and they both verbally friend-zoned each other), Lena resigned to gaze and long for her in secret, thinking Kara was straight. Neither her short and tragic re-encounter with Jack - an unresolved comfort from her own past - nor her sudden enemies-to-lovers thing with James (Kara's ex of all people) could quite quench her craving for Kara's closeness and warmth or her verbal tension-filled jab-throwing matches with Supergirl. After the reveal, Lena was more hurt over her 'friend' betraying her trust, keeping a secret from her (yes, that's a double-standard, Lena! ...girl's got deeply rooted issues) than 'Supergirl' using her alter-ego to take advantage of Lena (which, hands down, Kara actually did on some occasions - so, ironically that one would have been objectively valid, but, hey, feelz shape our perspectives). She went through her lashing-out phase, only to realize she can't live without Kara in her life. And really wants to do good. Yes, that too... ...and it only took her trying to brainwash the whole world (good intentions and the road to hell) and Lex back-stabbing her a couple of times, to see the light and join the good guys for good... to be more like Supergirl, in her own small way...? Y'all know what I mean ^_- She came crawling back, continues to try hard to prove herself worthy, longingly watching on every time Kara and Alex hug, desperate to keep her sunshine-impersonated in her life, whom she truly loves, despite how much she tried to convince herself she did not...

...

Meantime, Kara is an alien (yes, I bold that, bc, people tend to not think this through). From a totally different culture and all, having suffered great trauma and entering Earth's culture during her puberty/informative years. A Kryptonian who crushed for Humans (males - James, Adam - and apparently 4 other dudes she broke the noses of when kissing) and other aliens (Daxamite Mon-El) ...uh, and even couldn't stop herself admitting how she likes how nice Lucy (female Human) smells (the most prominent other time such a statement was made, was when everybody was swooning over Kal). Who only in her adulthood realized homosexuality was even a real option, outside of high-schoolers slurring at each other. (And I am not saying, Kara is gay, as in lesbian... she incidentally spoke true when she denied that in the pilot. Repeat after me: “Kara is an alien.” ..I’d call her pan, but am also aware, that the textbook definition doesn’t include ‘all species’... so.... there’s that.) Kara, who so desperately hard tried to fit in, she got absolutely used to others telling her what she's supposed to feel and think.

...who crushed hard for Lena at first sight (possibly, also star-struck). But both Clark and Alex, her most important people to look for help, guidance and reference, told her any Luthor was bad news.

There was Mon-El, whom she didn't even like, at first. When he lied told her he wasn't in love with her, she was utterly relieved. She was all “Oh, golly. That’s unexpected and awkward. What now?!” when he confessed to her, and tried (and failed) to let him down gently. (I am actually convinced, that Kara was more ego-hurt, that he moved on to Eve so quickly, and.. where she and James ended things once Lucy was out of the picture, Kara only started thinking/feeling differently about Mon-El when he was taken... just sayin’ I maybe spot a pattern there.) But, Alex told her, that she had a thing for Mon-El and that she should give him a shot... ...even when Lena got involved with Cadmus, and Kara found herself passionately defending the youngest Luthor against ALL her friends, when she could not explain her bone-deep trust in Lena but by "I can see it in her eyes" and other instinctually tainted expressions... Well, she and Mon-El made it work, they were actually a sweet couple when they weren't butting heads... Didn't stop Kara from having mixed feelings when Lena ran into her ex. And yes, Kara did mourn Mon-El. If only for the concept of what they had together, but I do think, she did feel love for him... Me thinks, Kara would be one of the people who simply can not separate physical and emotional. So by kissing and sleeping with him, stronger emotional attachments came to be. Not to invalidate them, but... personal history is important.

....long story short, Kara kept trying not to stand out. Lived and loved on the safe-side, hurt one too many times by circumstance. And yet kept feeling drawn to Lena, kept trusting her, kept wanting to reveal herself to her - despite what everybody else said. But, emotionally and 'culturally' on the safe side.

Kara friend-zoned herself.

The reveal happened and... Lena HURT her and Kara STILL kept her hope and trust up... and while towards the end of it, being incredibly hurt and worn out, she still let Lena back in. And within 24h decided that Lena came through enough times and Kara was ready to accept her apology...

And then Lex happend (again) and Phantom Zone...

Now...

[*] My head-canon for RL:

Katie is such a natural flirt, that even though the SG writers (after introducing both Lena and Mon-El to the show) have been told "no gay Supergirl" by the CW in 2017, Melissa just never knows what hit her...

Director: "CUUUT!" Melissa: "--...wait, what? I'm married. I mean... huh?" Melissa: "Wait! We have to redo that! We were told, not to-" Katie: "To what?" Melissa: "...uh, the Supercorp-thing... you know... the heart-eyes?" Katie: "What heart-eyes?" *raises an eyebrow the typical Katie-way* Melissa: "...the... um.... you..." Katie: "Wait, did you-..?" Melissa: "Me!? Oh, no. I am married!" Katie: "What has that to do-... Are you okay?" Melissa: "Yes!" Katie: "Okay, then." *Katie swaggers off stage & hi5s one of the writers on her way out* Melissa: "...darn it." *calls Chris* "Honey, I love you." Chris: "...it happened again?" Melissa: "..." *Chris starts laughing* Melissa: "...so not funny."

So, yeah, that's where I am at. Kara friend-zoned herself and Lena is totally mush for the Girl of Steel. ...and Katie is just being Katie :)

Also, I am currently 99% sure Supercorp will not be endgame. But I would be 100% pleased to be proven wrong.

[* In all seriousness, do not bash on the actors, please. They are just doing their jobs, have a life and family, real relationships and feelings. So, my above 're-enactment' is completely fictional, purely for light-hearted entertainment and not meant to do any harm or spread any hate or to be actually transcribed onto the actual, real people. We do not really know these people! They - and the writers, too - do bring characters to life that we invest in - for that they deserve our gratitude. My gut feeling (or shipper-heart feeling?) is, they are doing their best to sneak Supercorp in whenever they can - not to bait, but because they may actually not be allowed (yet..?) to make SC text but see the same chemistry we do. Have fun, but be respectful, please! We can disagree with the CW's executive decisions - although, we do not really know what’s going on bts - and express our dismay, but do not in all seriousness spread hate.]

#supergirl #supercorp #kara danvers #lena luthor #melissa benoist #katie mcgrath #supercorp endgame #fandom #fandom thoughts #rambling #musings #fun #Kue doing Kue-things #6x07

[magpie-scribbles]

Ahhh I’m bit late but here is my part of the BNHarem ~*Collab*~

Title: Call Me

Pairing: F!reader X Maijima Higari (Power Loader)

Rating: E

Word Count: 5.8k

Warnings: Smut, sex work, older man younger woman 

Higari sighs, his metal tipped fingers tapping on his work table 11pm, 11 pm and he still had so much to do. Normally he relished having work to do, rather being a busy bee than not, but lately the stress had been catching up to him. The academic year was in full swing, and with more villain activity than usual he was beginning to wear...A lot of his projects (pet projects) were starting to fall behind because frankly he was too stressed and found himself getting upset with himself when he made mistakes or miscalculations, which seemed to be happening a lot in his overall raised tension.

Realizing he wasn't going to make any progress aside from going in circles. He slumps, plunking down onto the stool next him, thumping his head against the metal of the workbench and just...sitting there allowing himself to cool off...or perhaps it was wallow…

Bzzzzz bzzzzzzz he feels it as much as he hears it as an incoming text reverberates through his skull. He tilts his head, just enough to glare at his cellphone on the far end of the workbench; he could ignore it, he could...but he doesn't. With a groan he sits up leaning over to swipe the phone up to see the notification.

Oh...Nemuri.

"Heeeyyyyy, how you doing???" She follows up with a few heart emoji.

To someone on the outside looking in it might seem like she’s flirting, or that they had something going on. But he and Nemuri had been good friends for so long that he doubts he could ever see her as anything but.

"Fine" He types out simply, not in the mood for banter, he hopes she's not putting together a last minute bar hop.

"Ooooo"

"That rough huh?" 

"Stressed?"

The texts come in rapid succession. He sighs.

"I'm fine" He repeats; though it's nice to have someone that worries about you from time to time.

It takes her a moment to respond, he can see the little typing indicator, bounce along the bottom off his screen and then stop and then start again.

"Did you call her yet?? 👀👀👀" Her response finally comes and he groans.

He had a feeling she was going to bring this up sooner or later.

"No I haven't called her yet" He replies, grumbling to himself as he hits send harder than he needs to.

"You should, she could really help you relax 😌" He can practically hear he voice through the illuminated text on his screen, goading him.

He can feel his face heat up, he wasn't a prude...this was just...he wasn't a prude!

"Kayama" now beginning to wish he never picked up the phone.

"It's not just about sex Maijima, where's your head??😏😏😏" now she was just being cruel, he shakes his phone in his gripe blowing out a puff of air, wishing he could berate her.

"In all seriousness tho, she can help you out, it's her job, she's really nice!" She adds.

He sighs, deflating a bit, mulling over the idea for a while...he thinks he still has the card Nemuri gave him. 

Reaching into the front pocket of his jeans he pulls out a crinkled card, oh, yeah he had definitely washed these pants a few times. Luckily the card had been printed on heavy sleek looking cardstock. And even with the edges slightly worn and the the paper somewhat crinkled, no expenses were obviously spared as the elegant type face remained readable even after a few trips through the wash...which was good for him because if it hadn't then he'd have to ask Nemuri for the details and that's something he would not want to live through. 

He sighs, looking from the card to his phone, weighing his options...he was very stressed and Nemuri said it didn't have to be about sex...not that he didn't like that! ...Damnit…

Suckling on his teeth he slowly punches in the number printed in embossed gold.

___________

You settle down into the pillows and blankets of your freshly laundered bed, wondering if you even want to try and read the next chapter in your book that sat on your nightstand. The sheets were still warm from the dryer and damn, it was tempting to just nestle in and go straight to bed.

BBBZZZZ BBBZZZ

Your brow furrows, the sudden sound brings you out of your very important and very difficult decision. For a moment the sound eludes you as you listen for it again.

BBBZZZZ BBBZZZ

Oh fuck that was your phone, your head whips to the nightstand again; the illuminated screen blocked by the book you had just been considering as the device vibrates beneath it.

You grumble, you know it could be a client but most of them had the decency to not call this late…well most of them did. 

Grabbing your phone you gaze down to the screen, cocking your head when you see a string of numbers you've never seen before, hmmm.

Reclining back into the comfort of your pillow pile you answer.

"Hello this is L/N F/N speaking." You say, all business; not one to ever come off as unprofessional even if it was a spam call.

There was a long pause; you almost repeat yourself when you hear someone clear their throat.

"Miss L/N, this is Maijima Higari....uhhh, Kayama Nemuri said I should contact you." His voice is soft baritone with a bit of gravel to it, he seems very uncertain, but you know who he is right away.

To be honest you had been quite curious about him since Nemuri had told you about her fellow hero and coworker.

You worked a lot with heroes, some high profile ones too, but you've never had a client that was also a support specialist, or as Nemuri had put it, a keen inventor. You were intrigued.

"Ah Mr. Maijima, Kayama mentioned you-" you begin.

"She did?" He interrupts and you can hear him shifting away from the phone "motherfucker"  you hear the breathy hiss, and you have to keep yourself under control because you did not want your first conversation with the man you had been interested in hearing from, to be you laughing at him.

He must have realized you can hear him because there's more scrambling on the other end of the line.

"Sorry 'bout that...Nemuri...likes to talk." He sighs.

You chuckle warmly; she had mentioned he was somewhat proud and what she called "aggressively" shy.

"She definitely can be quite the gossip." You reply and you hear him groan. "Though I assure you, it's all good things Mr. Maijima."

"Somehow that doesn't put me at ease at all…" he huffs, and you can't help but let out a small laugh.

There is a pause again, and you decide to gently encourage him.

"So what can I do for you Mr. Maijima?" You ask gently.

There's shifting on the other end of the line again and then a small cough.

"I've...I've been stressed lately, like...more than usual and Kayama said that you might be able to help with that." You can tell he's a bit uncertain on how to ask for your services.

"Of course, I'd be more than happy to help, just tell me what you need and I'll set up an appointment. " You recline further into your pillows.

"Uh well...fuck I've never done this before…" he sighs.

"That's perfectly alright." You reply, waiting for him to continue.

"...I-I don't know?" He says finally and you smile, you like when they're honest; not trying to show-off.

"Of course, we can figure everything out along the way." You hum and you hear him sigh in relief.

"Alright, yeah." 

"How about I put you in for this Friday at 8pm, I'll make sure that we have the whole night free to get you settled." You make a mental note to put that in your planner (not that you could forget, you were surprisingly eager to meet him.)

"Today's Wednesday." He says in reply.

"Yes?"

"So you mean in two days? The Friday in two days?" You suppress a chuckle; definitely needed to relieve some stress.

"If that's an issue I'd be happy to-"

"NO!...No it's fine, just surprised is all." His voice trails off and he clears his throat. "Sooooo so how do I do this?"

You pause for a moment considering. There are a few luxury hotels and venues you've preferred to use in the past...but...you decide to throw caution to the wind.

"Let me give you my address." You reply, a very rare option you give to only your most trusted clients; but he was good friends with Nemuri and you trusted her judgement whole heartedly.

"Oh!...are you sure you're okay with that? I understand if you don't want to do that, safety and all, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable" You smile, he was already quite the charmer even if he didn't know it yet.

"No need to worry, I wouldn't give it to you if I didn't want to." 

"Okay, if you're okay with it." He replies warily and you smile to yourself.

"I'll send you a follow up text with my address and a reminder of the time; is this an okay number to send that to?"

"Oh yeah, sure."

"Perfect, well Mr. Maijima, I'll let you go and I'll send you my info."

"Yeah, sure...uh thanks for this Miss L/N." He replies.

"It's my pleasure." You reply.

He gives you a quick goodbye and then the line goes quiet; chuckling to yourself you scoot down further into your blankets and quickly add Maijima Higari to your schedule. Before opening Maijima's number and adding it to your contact list.

Nemuri definitely seems to have good taste in friends (well you're one of them.) He has certainly caught your attention...in a good way.

_______

Higari groans, while body deflating as his muscles relax somewhat...that was one of the most nerve-racking calls he'd ever made.

God he probably sounded like an idiot. 

Huffing, he looks back at his phone and opens up his chat with Nemuri.

"I called her" he writes before getting up from his workbench with a groan, back popping as he stretches.

His phone buzzes a moment later.

“Maijime it’s like 11:30 at night!” Nemuri’s text reads; he pales and looks at the time on his phone. 

Fuck....now he felt like an ass. He goes to respond, not even sure if he should defend himself or brush it off when another text comes in from a new number. Cocking his head he swipes it open.

“Hello Mr. Maijime, it was a pleasure speaking with you tonight, I have you all booked for Friday at 8pm and I look forward to spending time with you.” he swallows thickly, reading over the message a few more times, taking note of the little hearts on the end.

“This is her job, this is her job, she’s just being nice…”  he mentally berates himself.

Reading over the message one more time he responds.

“Thank you Miss L/N.” he pauses and then adds “Sorry ‘bout calling you so late, lost track of the time.” he hits send before he can chicken out, and shoves his phone in his front pocket; out of sight out of mind 

It’s only a few seconds before he hears the buzz of his phone again and he scrabbles to get it, not even sure why he put it away in the first place.

“Nothing to worry about sweetie, I’ll see you Friday.”

Higari decides he needs a very cold shower and then promptly after needs to put himself to bed...he’d deal with Nemuri tomorrow.

_______

You decide against the silk robe after some debate, donning luxurious Egyptian cotton instead. You'd rather not scare him off or look too presumptuous, after all he might be satisfied with your other talents, though Nemuri had said he could do with a good Fuck. You had of course laughed at her crassness, but you couldn't help but feel a spark of warmth in your belly, it surprised you, it had been awhile since you had, let alone for a potential client. 

You needed to be professional.

Giving yourself a once over in the mirror you found your attire agreeable. Your robe was a little longer than the ones you usually wore for your clients, coming to brush against your knees. But it was your favorite, plush and warm and while a bit promiscuous it was also classic. 

Your hair and makeup was in place and you gazed down to your phone

7:45pm

You hadn't received and cancelation call or text so at this point all you could do was wait.

Padding through your apartment on your way to the lounge you make a few quick mental notes.

Did you have both red and white wine as well as a few stiffer drinks just in case ready? Check.

Bottled water on ice as well and had you tea kettle ready with an assortment of teas just in case? Check and check

A few hors d'oeuvres, nothing too over the top? Check.

You come to settle on your favorite chaise as you finish your little check off; yes you believe you had everything ready…

Your intercom pings, and you quickly get to your feet and shuffle over, pressing the talk button.

"Yes?"

"Miss L/N, there is a Mr. Maijima here to see you." The doorman's voice responds.

"Yes of course please have him come up." 

"Of course ma'am."

To be honest no matter how long you had done this you could never quite figure out what to do with yourself while you wanted for a client to come up to meet you. Nothing ever seemed natural or smooth... it irked you. You wondered what other consorts did, maybe you should ask a few of your colleagues next time you go out for drinks-

There's a firm knock on your door, jarring you out of your thoughts. 

Giving yourself a quick once over you, smooth down your robe and slap on a warm smile before opening the door.

"Mr. Maijima, I'm so glad you came." You move out of the way, opening the door further to allow him in.

"Uh thanks, yeah me too." He lets out a nervous laugh as he shuffles inside. 

He was quite charming. Nemuri had shown you pictures but pictures can never do enough justice to some people. 

He was dressed in a bomber jacket, dark pull over and well worn jeans and boots. He looked comfortable, the perfect amount of dressed down; he looked like himself, not trying to put on airs like some of your clients. 

"Let me take your jacket while you get your shoes." You say warmly and he gingerly shrugs out of the fabric.

"Thanks." He replies as he leans down to untie his boots.

"Nice place you have here." He replies as he looks around from his lowered position. 

"Oh thank you!" You tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear as you look around your place fondly. "The main foyer is a bit much though." You add with a chuckle thinking to the decadence of the building's main entrance.

"Was pretty swanky." He replies nearly finished with his second boot.

"I assure you I'm much more down to earth." You reply and he perks up at that, you eye him curiously.

"Hehe, earth." He laughs and it takes you a moment to remember he's the Excavation hero and you let out a laugh, surprised by his humor.

"I wouldn’t have guessed you'd also be a man with a good taste in jokes." You reply and extend you hand out to him as he tucks his boots away. You have always been a fan of so-called bad jokes.

He seems to like that and puffs up with a smile, slipping his large hand into yours. Oh it was warm and rough; Nemuri did say he was good with his hands. 

"How about we settle in." You say nodding your head towards the lounge.

He nods and swallows thickly, still visibly unsure, but obviously not willing to back down.

You smile at him and gently lead him out of the entryway. 

As you lead him further into your apartment you had taken note that while he was untying his boots he could have very easily looked up your robe, but instead all of his attention was on you, his sharp grey eyes peeking out from a thick fringe of fiery hair. He was watching and listening to you not ogling you, it made your heart warm.

Yes, you had decided that he was certainly a catch.

You lead him into the lounge motioning for him to sit anywhere and he takes his place in one of the plush armchairs across from you chaise. You wish he would have opted for a closer seat but you want him to be comfortable first and foremost.

"Can I get you anything? Wine? Something stronger? Water, tea?" You ask.

"Uh water's fine right now, thanks." He replies and you crack open one of the water bottles and pour it into a crystal tumbler.

You hand it to him and leave the water bottle close to him on the coffee table.

"Thank you L/N." He replies and takes a sip.

"Please call me F/N." You say as you settle on your chaise, he pauses for a moment, mouth full before swallowing

"F/N…" he parrots, voice surprisingly gravelly despite the water he just drank.

You smile and nod your head.

He fiddles with the empty glass in his hands before looking up at you with genuineness; your heart flutters and you’re once again surprised by your feelings.

"Call me Higari."

_______

Higari slowly begins to relax as you talk, his posture loosening and his voice becoming less tense and formal. When he finally laughs fully at one of your jokes, you feel warmth wash over you in a pleasant wave of contentment. 

Despite his obvious relaxation you can’t help but notice he shifts every so often, adjusting his back or subtly rolling his neck. Small ques that make you realize that he wasn't only mentally stressed but physically as well. 

"Higari." You catch his attention as he excitedly tells you about a project he's working on. "Sorry to interrupt but is your back bothering you?" You ask softy and he blinks at you in surprise.

"Oh sorry, that noticeable?" He chuckles. "'S probably from hunching over a workbench all day." He's trying to wave it off, not make you worry.

"Would you mind if I used my quirk on you?" You ask gently, not wanting him to feel pressured. 

"Uuhhh, you haven't already?" He looks a bit confused and you can't help but let out a hearty laugh.

"Of course not, I would never use my quirk without your permission." You smile and you watch as his cheeks turn ruddy with blush. "Might I ask what you thought my quirk was doing all this time?"

He leans back a bit huffing softly to himself, trying to control his embarrassment. 

"Make me relax I guess?" He mutters under his breath and you smile fondly, happy that he truly was relaxed around you.

"You’re sweet, while my quirk does help people relax, I wasn't using it on you." You reply sitting up and gently patting the space next to you on the chaise. " could I show you, I'll stop if you don't feel comfortable."

He observes you for a moment, mulling over the idea or trying to pump himself up you're not exactly sure; but then he slowly gets to his feet and walks over to you.

"Never done this before…" he says softly as he looks down at you, trying hard to be open and honest.

It's one of the sweetest things you've ever had happen with a client and you gently take his hands and pull him down to sit next to you.

"That's perfectly alright, whatever you are comfortable with, whatever you want Higari." You say gently and give his hands a reassuring squeeze.

He looks down, his hands are so large in yours; turning them over in his he brushes the metal tips of his thumbs against your palms reverently, and you swoon a little bit. 

"Show me you quirk." 

You feel pride well in your chest.

"I would love to." You smile before adjusting a bit. "Lay down on your stomach, there should be enough room for you to lay down fully." 

He complies, seemingly throwing caution to the wind, but you can see the tremble in his arms as he lowers himself to the plush cushion of the chaise.

"I'm going to sit on your thighs is that alright?" You question.

It takes him a moment to respond and when he does it's a breathy "yes" and you're glad he's facing away from you so he doesn't catch the shiver that runs up your spine at the tone of his voice.

Slowly you crawl up his body, careful to let him feel every move, to let him know your position until you are sitting comfortably on his muscled thighs, your legs tucked on either side of him. He lets out a shaky sigh as you reach out and run your hands from his shoulder blades down to the small of his back.

"My quirk works best with skin to skin contact, you are certainly welcome to leave your shirt on or remove it." You begin your typical overview of your quirk when he moves beneath you suddenly, almost setting you off balance as he reaches behind his head. Fisting the fabric at his back and rucking it up over his head, fluffing up his hair as he does before letting the article of clothing crumple to the floor.

You're too surprised to move from his sudden boldness as he settles back down, neatly crossing his arms beneath his chin. 

After a few moments you manage to pull yourself together and you slowly, gently lay your hands back on his now bare shoulder blades and oh! Beneath your palms he is trembling; now you desperately wanted to sooth his frayed nerves.

"My quirk allows me to admit frequency through my skin, that I can channel into vibrations." You tell him gently as you smooth down his back again, slowly activating your quirk.

He tenses for a moment and then begins to relax into your touch.

"It can help muscle relaxation and promote blood flow." You continue as you knead a knot along his lat. 

"It ah- sounds like your quirk is definitely a benefit." His voice is breathy, almost sighing as he falls further into your touch.

"I like to think so too." You say fondly, you were really starting to enjoy his company and his kindness. "You were talking about one of your inventions earlier when I interrupted, I would very much like to hear more about it." And it was the honest to God truth.

He hums in contentment and from his position on his folded arms you can see a genuine smile grace his lips.

He quickly eases back into his explanation and his ideas as you allow you quirk to sink into his skin while you massage his tense muscles. Honestly you could listen to him talk for hours, even if you didn't quite understand some of it; it was fascinating and his passion and enthusiasm was a pleasant warmth that enveloped you.

Slowly his muscles begin to ease up under your ministrations and his voice begins to get more husky and more lax. You’re not exactly sure when he stopped talking but you suddenly notice the silence and the absence of his pleasant voice.

"F/N?" You blink, gazing up from you hands, to find Higari staring lazily up at you through the fringe of his hair. His stare is hypnotizing

"Yes?" Your voice is breathier than you would have liked.

For a moment he doesn't say anything and then he shifts, starting to roll on his side and you gingerly move to sit beside him, you barely have anytime to take in his sudden change when his large hand comes up, fingers brushing against your jaw tentatively.

"Can I kiss you?" He asks softly and you definitely swoon, you hand coming up to press his touch closer.

"I would like that very much." You hum, your blood singing at the thought of his lips on yours.

Slowly he rises up and you can feel him moving against you and as he does you feel his lower half brush against your hip and the strangest combination of pride and desire fills your chest as you feel the hardness straining against his jeans.

Everything seems to still for a brief moment and then his nose brushes against yours and you suck in a shaking breath as his lips press against yours.

It's like firecrackers, zipping along you skin, you feel your toes curl and you lean into him. He groans against you and slings his arm around your shoulders pressing you to him, your chest flush with his bare one. 

You sigh against him and he takes a moment to adjust, tilting his head, teeth clacking against yours as he slots himself against you.

You feel as though you are made of feathers, your whole body alight as you kiss him back feverishly. It's been awhile since you felt this and you can't get enough.

Letting out a small whine you smooth your hands down his ribs bringing them around to rest on his lower stomach; you feel the muscles jump against your fingertips and then he trembles against you letting out a wonderfully gravelly moan that reverberates in his chest. 

Then he's slowly pulling you back with him, laying back down against the chaise, tugging you on top of him. He pauses moving away to catch his breath, a hand coming up to smooth over your hair. Your breath hitches as you take him in; he's beautiful… his cheeks stained with blush, his grey eyes gazing up at you half lidded and hazy, pupils blown so wide the irises are halos of near silver.

"Can we…? Is this okay?" He asks hesitantly and you have to stop yourself from squealing in delight.

"It's more than okay Higari, I would love to." And you mean every word of it. 

He groans, lips parting to wet them before he cups your face in his hands and pulls you back down into a fiery kiss.

It's almost feral the way you move against each other, palming and smoothing down every inch of skin that you can. He slowly pushes your robe from your shoulders, the belt the only thing keeping it from coming free completely, and he lets out a strangled sound when he realizes you're wearing nothing underneath.

You quickly grab one of his hands and press his large palm to your breast and he quakes beneath you as he begins to knead the soft flesh. You instantly melt into him, moaning and moving against him in your excitement, his metal tipped thumb coming to press against your pebbled nipple. 

He's wonderful beneath you, shedding his shyness as his lips move from yours, coming to place open mouthed kisses against your jaw and neck. 

Your hands continue to roam across the wonderfully compact muscles of his torso, fingers pausing to flick at his nipples before moving to dig into his sides before sliding down to rest on his belt buckle.

You pull away and he lets out a whine as you sit up, gazing down at him, watching as his chest heaves. You wet your lips, thumbing his buckle to get his attention and his gaze darts down to where your hands rest, just above the straining tent in his jeans. Slowly his gaze drags up your body and then…

"Please…" It's breathy and needy, and you can help but let out a small moan as you nod and get to work.

You quickly divest him of both his pants, boxers and socks, leaving him wonderfully naked and needy beneath you, and oh is he a sight to see. 

Taut muscles tensing against soft skin, a smattering of coppery hair on his chest that tapers down his belly to a thatch of curly short hairs framing his perfectly sized cock that now lays dribbling against his stomach.

"Oh Higari, you’re beautiful." You purr, running your hands down his chest.

"Got nothing on you…" he grunts arching into your touch, practically begging you to go lower.

"Such a charmer." You reply with your finger sliding teasingly over his weeping head.

He arches, pale column of his throat on display for you as he lets out a moan.

"Y-you're perfect." He husks and you feel your chest swell with pride.

You pull back for a moment, much to his displeasure, but that quickly changes as he realizes you're removing your robe.

You quickly take the condom out of your pocket before discarding the clothing to the floor in a heap. Laying the rubber next to your calf for easy access. 

Straightening up you perch on his upper thighs and then slowly move your hips.

"Can you feel me Higari?" You hush knowing full well you’re dripping all over him. "Can you feel how wet I am?"

He lets out a needy moan and his hands come to clamp down on your hips as he rolls his hip, cock thrusting up into the cool air of your apartment. 

"Please, please, F/N...please." His words are soft and airy and you absolutely live for them as you roll your hips again, hand smoothing down his aching length.

"Anything you want love." You hush him and grab the condom, he's already so far gone he doesn't even perk up at the sound of the foil tearing.

You need him to pay attention. Tapping his hip bone he slowly comes to focus on you.

"Watch me Higari." You say and you slowly roll the condom onto his straining length.

You want to absolutely pamper him as he makes small little hiccups as you smooth the rubber down him before gently grabbing his base, moving up onto your knees hovering just over him.

"Watch me Higari…" you repeat and he's enraptured as you slowly sink down onto him, bottoming out on him completely in one go.

"Ha-ah!" He arches hands pushing you impossibly closer as he thrusts up into you though there is no more room left to fill.

Oh he's perfect, filling you to the brim, stretching you deliciously as he becomes an unabashed mess beneath you.

You try to move, but his grip is bruising, abdominal muscles tensing as he tries to keep himself in control.

"Higari." You sooth and he looks up at you, lips parted and eyes holding so much adoration it nearly knocks you over.

He lets up his hold after a moment and you lean forward, placing your hands and his chest to steady yourself. You give him an affectionate stare before you rise up, keeping just the tip of him inside before swiftly curling your hips and spearing yourself on his length.

He practically howls and throws his head back, and oh you want to see more of this, want to see him come undone.

You begin a rhythmic deep pace, making sure to swallow him whole on each downward roll of your hips. Higari is already a mess beneath you, now completely out of his shell on full display. In the back of your mind you briefly think he could have been a porn star if he put his mind to it.

He pushes you out of your thoughts as he grips your hips once more and tries to aid you in your movement, you can't help bit smile.

"Relax Higari, this is about you, I'll take care of everything…" you breath and he swallows thickly.

"Wanna help." He slurs "ha! You're so good, soso good." 

"Next time." You're even a bit surprised by how sure there will be a next time and Higari seems to take note of that as well as you watch his gaze unfocus and refocus.

You continue your pace, though your thighs begin to ache, it's too delicious to even think about slowing down; the way your positioned has your clit rubbing against his pubic bone with each roll of your hips.

You can tell he's getting close, the way he trembles and the way he tries to jerk up ever so often out of sync with you. His gaze catches you and for a moment you feel like your drowning. It's then you feel the pad of his thumb press against your clit; you gasp and look down to watch his metal tipped finger swirl around your delicate bundle of nerves, cock disappearing lewdly inside of you with each roll of your hips.

"Gonna, cum, wan' you to cum with me." He husks, bringing your attention back to him and suddenly you're on the cusp, the precipice. 

"Oh, yes, yes...Higari." your head lolls as you allow him to help, his hips thrusting up to meet yours.

And then he's curling, body tensing as he lets out a breathless moan, mouth slack and eyes fluttering closed as he starts to cum. 

That's what pushes you over the edge, his debauched display. And as you tumble over the edge, stars bursting behind your eyes, and toes curling you briefly wished you could feel him pumping you full.

It takes you a moment to come down from your brief jaunt in paradise, sagging against him, panting. You feel his grip on your hip loosen and he brings his other hand to your thigh, thumb coming to sooth over your skin.

You sit in silence as he softens inside of you and you know you should get up and tidy up a bit, but you're basking in the afterglow and you can't find it in you to care that much.

Higari lets out a pleased sigh and he looks completely and utterly satiated and relaxed; it warms your heart.

The next words that come out of your mouth surprise you.

"Stay the night." You whisper almost shyly and it quickly catches his attention.

He cocks his head observing for a moment.

"Do most of your clients stay? I don't want to intrude."  

You honestly are afraid to answer because the answer is no, they don't, and you suddenly feel so raw and exposed it almost scares you.

He must pick up on your nervousness because he gently cups the side of your jaw, brushing some of your sweat damp hair away from your face.

"I'd love to." He says and you feel your heart soar as you nuzzle into his touch.

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[mr-and-mr-diaz]

Prompt: ABO-verse: Omega Buck not having his safe space at his loft, starts hanging at eddies more, nesting there. Eddie buying softer blankets, etc for buck. But doesnt comment on ti, not to freak or embarrass buck,

Hi Anon! I started to write this and then writing did that thing it does where the story spirals out of control and it deviated ever so slightly from your prompt. If this doesn’t quite scratch the itch, feel free to send the prompt again and I’ll have another stab at it. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

Instinct

“I’m back!” Buck called out, purposefully dumping all his bags loudly on the floor. Sure enough, moments later, a rumpled looking Albert and Veronica emerged from the couch, looking sweaty and happy. 

And reeking of sex. 

Albert and Veronica were both betas, so their scents weren’t as strong but after pairing their natural scents with all the sex they’d been having, it had taken over Buck’s apartment, stifling the comforting scent he had worked for months to build and layer with each visit from friends and family, each time he nested in a different area of the house. Before Albert had started dating Veronica, the couch had smelled of the last time Buck and Christopher had cuddled and watched How To Train Your Dragon. A week later, the scent was gone and Buck couldn’t bear to sit on it.

He sighed, then turned to put away all the groceries.

“How are you, bro?” Albert asked cheerfully.

“Um... yeah, great. Uh, you?'' Buck felt so ungrounded in his own home, a restlessness that didn't let him focus on any one thing. In his periphery Albert continued to talk, Veronica throwing in a word or two but it was all white noise in Buck’s ears. He felt unhinged, ungrounded, just needed...

“Yeah, definitely.” He threw out noncommittally then dashed upstairs to his loft. It has to be somewhere around--yes! A bulky sweatshirt, the letters LAFD already beginning to fade from wear. Eddie had worn the sweatshirt last time he’d come to visit, Christopher cradled to his chest as they played video games. Buck gripped the shirt in both hands and fell onto his bed, the shirt pressed over his nose and mouth, gasping.

It didn’t matter why these scents grounded him more than anything. It didn’t, damnit! There was no use thinking about it, reading into it. Eddie was his best friend and Buck adored Chrsitopher, so of course their scents brought Buck comfort. That’s all there was to it.

Buck continued to tell himself this as he lay there, muscles melted in relaxation, mind calmed. Eddie’s alpha scent mixed with Christopher’s omega scent soaked into his pores and time ceased to exist. 

“...uck? Buck!” Buck startled back to awareness at the sound of Albert calling him.

“...uh?”

Albert’s eyes tracked to the shirt Buck had been holding over his head then back to Buck and he smiled sympathetically. Buck blushed and shoved the shirt to the side with a scowl. He didn't understand Albert's look--it's just a shirt!--but he didn't like it either.

“Eddie called me. He said something about Christopher’s bedtime, you weren’t answering your phone...?” Albert’s eyes strayed again to the shirt and Buck felt his face heat.

“Right, yeah. Uh, is he still on the line?”

Albert shook his head. “He said if you were sleeping to just leave you, but--”

“No, thanks. I’m on my way.” Buck leapt out of bed and grabbed his keys, hustling down the stairs before any more of Albert’s questioning and sympathetic looks could make him feel even sillier than he already did.

It’s nothing.

Nothing.

 ***

“Is Buck gonna stay with us tonight, dad?”

Eddie looked down at his son, a smile breaking through on his face. If Christopher only knew how much I treasure him helping me keep Buck in our lives...! “I’ll ask him, mijo, okay?”

“Okay!” Christopher snuggled deeper into his blankets, the scent of a happy young omega filling the room. “I want to make pancakes with him again in the morning.”

Eddie smiled and placed one more kiss on Christopher’s forehead. “Goodnight mijo.” Then he turned out the light and stepped out, closing the door behind him. 

Quietly, Eddie tip-toed to the main room. “Buck?” No response. He took a cursory glance around the room. “Buck?” Sill nothing.

That’s odd. Perhaps the omega had already gone home. The thought made Eddie’s heart sink. He’d been hoping to spend some quality time with Buck, talk and relax. Buck had been looking worn and stressed lately, his scent off and not the usual contented, happy omega that Eddie was used to.

Wait.

Going down the hallway, there was a fresh trail of Buck’s scent, reeking of stress and want. Eddie followed it. Is Buck in my room? The thought sent a thrill through him that he quickly squashed. This isn’t the time for that. And you don’t even know if that's what he wants. You’re friends. Eddie would respect that boundary with Buck or die trying. 

The scent went past Eddie’s room, farther down the hall. The only rooms left were the small sunroom that led out onto a small backyard, and--

“Buck?”

Eddie made out one of Buck’s socked feet, toes curled. It had been over a week since the last time Eddie had remembered to do laundry, and the room was filled with LAFD t-shirts and sweats, uniforms, pajamas, Chris’s school clothes and more. All the clothes had been crammed into the overflowing hamper, waiting patiently for Eddie to have a spare moment to start a load.

They weren’t in the hamper anymore. The hamper had been up-ended into a mound on the floor and buried in the clothes, Eddie’s most recently used LAFD sweatshirt pressed tightly to his nose, lay Buck, his eyes closed, relaxed, breathing deeply.

“Oh Buck.” Every instinct in Eddie was screaming at him to claim Buck on the spot. He’s ours, you know it! And whether he realizes it or not, so does he!

But it wouldn’t do. Eddie knew now about Buck’s background, his alpha parents who had barely taken the time to feed and clothe Buck, pausing to acknowledge his existence only long enough to yell at him when he messed up. Maddie, bless her kind heart, had taken over looking after Buck, but the particulars of the alpha-omega dynamic was largely foreign to betas. 

Buck unearthed himself slightly from the pile and looked up at Eddie, face flushed and eyes glazed. 

“I... I don’t know why, I just... please don’t make me leave.” Buck’s voice was husky and low, and tinged with shame. “I... with Albert and Veronica, and--and my apartment, it smells... not like mine anymore.”

And we do. Eddie finished for him in his head as Buck buried himself in Eddie’s shirt once, more, curling deeper into the pile.

“It’s okay, Buck. Shhh, you're okay, everything’s okay.” Eddie approached slowly. Poor Buck didn’t realize the consequences of not having nested for too long. He’d always had his home or his jeep. Nor did he know the implications of what he was doing, what it meant. Eddie knew, but he knew just as certainly that this wasn’t the time to talk about it. For now--

“Come on, Buck. Up you get.” Eddie reached out, one hand grasping Buck’s shoulder, and the other taking his hand.

Buck keened, high and distressed. “No, no. I want... I don’t know why, Eddie, but I felt so empty and stressed, so stressed, and now--”

“It’ll be okay, Buck. We’ll bring the shirt with us, but I don’t want you sleeping on the floor, okay? Come on, baby.” The endearment slipped out before Eddie could stop, but he had no regrets as he felt Buck breathe in deeply then grasp his hand back and sit up.

Carefully, so carefully, Eddie pulled him out of the pile of laundry, resisting his own urge to bury himself where it now smelled like Eddie-Christopher-Buck, home-home-mine--

“Eddie?”

Eddie refocused and pulled Buck toward his chest, making sure that Buck’s grip on the sweatshirt was secure as he gently moved him back down the hall, tamping the fierce wave of possessiveness that surged in him at the sight of Buck leaning against him, soaked in their mingled scent, eyes still unfocused as he breathed deeply.

“Let’s go to bed, Buck.”

“Is... Is that okay, Eddie?”

“Only if it’s okay with you, querido. Don’t worry, it’s just to sleep, so you can get a good rest. We've got a twenty-four hour shift starting tomorrow, I can’t let you go in there looking as rumpled as you’ve been the past few days, okay? But only if you’re comfortable with it.” Eddie would have to speak to Bobby tomorrow. As a fellow omega, it was far more appropriate for Bobby to explain to Buck what his instincts were telling him. What Eddie’s instincts were screaming in return. but for now, Buck needed to nest somewhere that his instincts told him was his.

Theirs.

“Okay, Eddie. I’d... I’d like that.”

Me too. That voice in Eddie’s head whispered as he pulled Buck toward the bed and settled him down, tucking him snugly in the comforter that smelled of Eddie and a bit of Chistopher. 

"Eddie--" Buck's hand reached out and Eddie cupped it between his own.

"Shh, baby, I'm right behind you." Eddie kicked off his shoes and climbed in behind Buck, still clothed. He lay a hand on the back of Buck's neck and moved it up and down, stroking between his scent glands and his soft hair. “Christopher wants to make pancakes with you tomorrow before we go. That okay?”

“Mmm. L’v to cook w’ Christ’pher...” Buck mumbled and reached for Eddie, snuggling in deeper, drunk on their combined scents as he drifted off to sleep.

#buddie #buddie fic #evan buckley #eddie diaz #christopher diaz #buddie au #buddie abo #abo fic #abo au #911 #alpha beta omega #nesting #shweet shnuggles #scenting #ALL THE SCENTING #sue answers #Anonymous #911 spoilers #season 4 spoilers

[duskholland]

Breaking Windows (Peter Parker)

Summary: You’re Thor’s daughter and may have a teeny tiny crush on your classmate and fellow Avenger, Peter Parker.

Word count: 3k

Warnings: Action and fluff! There’s a fight scene and a minor injury, but it’s nothing too gruesome. Also like one swear word? Otherwise just fluff.

A/N: This is my first piece of writing in...a year and a half? Ish? I’m nervous to post it but I really like how it turned out! It was requested and I love the concept and had a great time writing it, so thank you anon! I hope you like it too :D

“Please, Y/N, I’m begging… There are ways to escape a building that don’t involve leaping from the fifty-third floor.” 

You scoff loudly. “Peter, I can fly,” you remind him. You stretch your hands above your head and let out a muffled groan as your muscles tense and flex, the tension of the previous battle draining away as you walk into the Avengers compound, your companion following just behind.

“And?” Peter squeaks. You glance to your friend and feel a little bad when you see the concern in his eyes. “You could still get hurt.” His eyes narrow. “Look- you still have glass in your hair!” 

You bat clumsily at your head, hands scraping through your messy locks. “Got it?” 

“Nope.” 

You pause abruptly, irritation causing you to furrow your eyebrows. “Stupid glass,” you mutter. You’d already spent several minutes picking shards from your hair, and several hours more regretting your choice to dive through that window. Not that you’d ever admit that to Peter. 

“Do you want me to get it?” Peter asks, voice gentle. He’s eyeing a spot just above your left temple.

You sigh, deflated and defeated. “Yeah, please.” You bow your head.

Peter shifts a little closer, and for the first time you become truly aware of the circumstances.

Now seventeen, Peter’s shoulders have filled out and he stands full and stocky, the worn reds and blues of his spidey suit clinging to the definition of his arms and chest. When you move your gaze up, you see ashy black lines clinging to his jaw, and a bit of soot nestled up against his ear. The wildness of his brown hair as it sticks up in all directions really adds to the whole just-escaped-from-battle look he has going on. 

You smile quietly as you feel his fingers knock through your hair, and remain silently still as he works his magic. 

Maybe you have a tiny crush on Peter. Maybe. But you’re both seniors at Midtown, and you’re both also superheroes who have to work together, so it’s complicated. Far too complicated. 

But that doesn’t mean you can’t admire him.

“Got it,” Peter says. He’s part way through bringing his hands back from your hair when there’s a sudden burst of noise, and from around the corner comes two all-too-familiar figures.

“Oh- what do we have here?” You can practically hear the smirk in Tony Stark’s voice as he swaggers forward.

Peter quickly snatches his hands back, jumping away from you as if he’s just been caught doing something incredibly sinful. 

“I told you,” Thor’s voice bellows. “Two young ones like these. Keep them together enough and… Well, I told you.” His eyes flick to you, a loose grin on his face. 

“Shut up, dad,” you mutter. Embarrassment flames the apples of your cheeks as you scowl at Thor. 

“Oi.” Tony and Thor are in front of you now, and Thor’s got his arms crossed. “I’m just saying.” You receive an affectionate scruff of your head from your father. 

“No canoodling on official Avengers business,” Tony chimes in, voice lilted with tease. “Don’t tell me I’m going to have to start separating you both now.”

You groan, exasperated beyond belief. You’re tired, sore, and dirty from spending the last two hours fighting off New York’s newest threat, and now you’re dealing with this. “Goodbye,” you say, and grab Peter’s arm before he can complain. You drag him away from Thor and Tony and across to your room, slamming the door behind you as pointedly as possible. “They are so annoying!” You groan, resting your forehead against the cool wood. 

“They call us immature.” 

Your and Peter’s laughs mingle in the air, and you turn to meet his tired gaze. His cheeks are flushed and his lips a cherry red, and you find yourself momentarily losing your breath as you take in just how cute he is. 

“I should go shower,” you say, after a moment of looking. Peter nods his head.

“Yeah, me too.” He scratches at his arm, looking down at his feet. “See you in class tomorrow?” 

You nod, moving away from the door so he can shuffle past you. “Definitely.”

Peter’s hand rests on the doorknob for a moment of indecision, before he blurts- “No more spontaneous jumping out of windows, yeah? You’ll give me a heart attack.” 

You grin. “But it makes my cape look cool!” You protest.

“I don’t care!” Peter’s laughing, but he’s still frowning. “You’re my partner- you- you have to be safe.” 

You feel your heart melt. His eyes are round and soft and flooded with concern, and he’s staring at you bashfully. “I’ll be safe,” you promise. You’re starting to feel a little guilty now. “Besides, if ever I’m not safe, I’m pretty sure I know someone who’ll be near that can save me.”

Peter tilts his head to the side. “Who, Thor?”

“No, silly.” You reach out and push his shoulder, rolling your eyes. “You!”

His cheeks flame. “Oh…” 

“Unless you don’t want to save me?” You tease, rocking back on your heels. He looks frazzled, and you can’t help but swoon slightly as he runs a frustrated hand through his hair.

“No, no. I’ll save you.” Peter finally twists the doorknob and steps aside, preparing to head out. He looks up to you, a mischievous grin on his face. “My life would be pretty boring if you weren’t around to keep it interesting.” He raises a hand in a friendly wave as he walks away. “See ya tomorrow!” 

“Bye!”

You quickly shut your door and immediately press your back against the wood, sliding down until you’re resting on the floor with your knees pulled to your chest. You groan quietly, hands fisting your hair as you try to calm your racing heart. 

“God damnit,” you mutter. You close your eyes and all you see is Peter and his stupidly cute lopsided smile floating behind your eyelids. You sigh, and open your eyes to instead stare up at the ceiling. 

Maybe your crush is growing a little out of control. 

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

It’s the following week when it happens again. 

One moment you’re sat in maths class, mindlessly scrawling the answers to the pop quiz (turns out Midtown is a breeze compared to the education you got on Asgard), and the next the hairs on the back of your neck are standing on end as a cold feeling of dread sweeps through you. Your eyes dart up, finding Peter’s from two rows of desks away, and a moment later the both of you leave the room without a word.

“What is it?” You ask him, digging through your bag as the two of you walk quickly down the corridor of the school. Luckily no one’s around to gawk as you pull out your sword and quickly change out your jumper for your cape.

“Looks like it’s those Chitauri scrappers again.” 

You’re at the end of the corridor now, and you peer out of the window to see Peter’s right: in the distance you recognise the same glowing purple light from the battle the week before. You eye the staircase to your right, and realise you’re on the fourth floor of the school.

“Race you?” You offer, hands already on the window sill. You jerk up the glass panes and feel the cool afternoon breeze rush onto you. The feeling of the wind on your skin is like no other - being the daughter of Thor, the God of Thunder, certainly has its perks. 

Peter grabs your shoulder just before you’re ready to launch out into the city. He’s traded his clothes for his suit, but his face is still there, a deep worried line between his eyebrows, his mouth pursed with worry. “Be safe.” 

His hand is on your shoulder, and he’s looking at you with such care and adoration that you just can’t help yourself. As if you’re two opposing magnets, suddenly his arms are around you and your mouth is on his, your lips connecting in a hot kiss. You melt into his body as you grab at his hair, his mouth feeling so good against yours. It feels like it lasts a blissful, wonderful infinity, but you know it’s only a few stolen seconds before you pull away. There’s a moment of silence, of you looking at him, and him looking at you, his head tilted a little to the side, and you know that a line in your friendship has been crossed. But is that such a bad thing?

“Last one there is a loser,” you say, after a moment. There’s a smile fixed to your face so strongly that you doubt you could drop it, even if you tried. You reach up and ruffle his hair before turning your back on him and launching yourself out of the window. 

Wind rushes past your face as you soar across the city, happy laughter escaping your mouth. Your sword hangs off your belt as you do a few spins through the air, just because you can, and you have to concentrate extremely hard in order to calm down from your unbelievable high as you approach the dangerous scrappers. The last time you’d had a run in with them, they’d scarpered before you and Peter could apprehend them, taking with them several thousands of dollars worth of alien weapons. Today, you can’t afford to let them get away. 

When you’re nearer the action zone, things pull into focus. It doesn’t look good. There are around twenty scrappers spread down the busy high street, but unlike last time, they are now equipped with the dangerous Chituari technology that they’d stolen from Tony’s lab. They have blasters of all shapes and sizes, and you can already see scorches on the side of buildings and rubble littering the streets. Though some of the Avenger team have already arrived, the civilians haven’t yet been cleared, and you feel your heart sink as you notice how near some of them are to the danger.

The communication device you’ve got shoved in your ear buzzes to life now you’re in the vicinity of the team, and it’s only a moment later that you get your instruction. “Y/N, clear the street with Peter. We’ve got this for now,” comes the stressed bark of Ironman. You mutter an affirmative agreement and quickly swoop down, landing on the street with a loud thump.

You begin scattering the crowd, using your sword to offer a barrier from any flying debris and laser beams that might harm the screaming people. After about a minute of your work, Peter shows up, swinging from between the towering buildings of the city before landing next to you. You hear him get similar instructions and look to him, flashing him a quick smile.

“I beat you,” you yell, voice rising above the noise. You continue to usher the civilians out of the street.

Peter scoffs, his voice static through your earpiece as he swings around, roping back the bricks and scaffolding that threaten to topple onto the street. “Barely,” he responds, breathless. 

The both of you work together until the street is cleared and all that remains is around ten of the scrappers. They’ve made some considerable damage, even with the Avenger team slowly taking them down. You survey the scene before shooting up into the sky and stretching out your hands. Time to do some real work.

Closing your eyes, you concentrate for a moment on the sky, imagining the power seeping from the clouds into your hands, building, building, building, until…

With a crack of thunder, you blast a large pile of their weaponry with a lightning bolt, causing a few of the scrappers to fly through the air, crashing into the ground where they remain motionless. You hear a few whoops in your earpiece and smile, but only for a moment, because a second later, you’re being shot at by four remaining canons, their dangerous purple strikes skimming uncomfortably close to you.

“Shit,” you mutter, zipping away. They seem intent to pull you from the sky, and with each second, you feel the strikes getting nearer to your skin. As you’re forced to concentrate on dodging them, getting in only the occasional blast at the ground, you hear the static voice of Tony in your ear again.

“You alright being our live bait up there?” He asks. “We have a game plan. Distract them.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” you say, pausing to curse as you feel a blast graze your side. “Just hurry.” They’re getting angry now, and you watch as the scrappers focus in on you, seemingly oblivious to the rest of your team on the ground who are slowly approaching them and picking off the weaker outer members.

You continue to pirouette in the sky, doing your best to be a distracting force. After a few minutes alone, you feel the air shift and look behind you to see you’ve been joined by your father. “I can do this by myself,” you say, not unkindly. You watch him shrug.

“Looked like fun up here. Finally some challenge.”

And you work back to back, combining your strength as Gods of the Sky to pinpoint the few remaining scrappers on the ground, just as the ground team swing into action. Before you know it, there’s only one guy left, and he’s glaring up at you with such piercing hatred in his eyes that you feel a little scared. He has one final shot with his canon before he’s webbed up by Peter, but much to your horror, the blinding purple light of his weapon pierces into your leg and you tumble from the sky, pain ricocheting through your body as you curse. Too blinded by agony, you wait for the inevitable collision with the dusty concrete, eyes screwed shut. 

It never comes.

Instead, you feel chords of tight stringy material wrap around your body, and swing away from the ground. A moment later, you’re gently lowered to the road, and meet it with a soft oomph. You pry your eyes open and see layers of white sticky spider web wrapped around your entire body, and let out a watery laugh between the tears of pain. 

“This- This is gonna take me so long to get off,” you whine, clenching and unclenching your fists as you’re surrounded by the rest of the team. Your head lulls to the side, and your eyes find Peter, who’s now crouching by your head. At your feet, you see Tony, and feel a cold pressure on your leg as one of his machines gets to work stitching you up. Wincing bravely through the pain, you look pleadingly to Peter.

“I can help you,” he says, face white with worry. He keeps glancing to your leg. “Uh- that- that was really impressive,” he mutters, forcing his gaze to your eyes. Grasping the importance for distraction, he clears his throat. “Until the point where you got blasted out the sky, that is,” he adds. 

You laugh, the noise slightly strangled but still alight with appreciation. “It was epic,” you agree. “Did you get them all?” 

Peter nods, his fluffy hair shifting in the wind. “Yep. Got all the weapons too. They’re taking them all into custody now.” You look back and see Thor roughly shoving the remaining conscious men into the back of a van. 

“That’s your leg bandaged,” Tony announces. You look down and see him looking at you, arms crossed. “Try to stay off it for a few days. I know how you Asgardians are, so please, make sure to rest-”

Before he’s finished talking, you’re already on your feet, shaking out your leg as you marvel at his handiwork. It feels like brand new, the pain now just a distant throb. 

“Thanks,” you say, beaming.

“Rest it,” he threatens, shaking his finger at you before moving off to help the others.

And then it’s just you and Peter, alone in the middle of the carnage of the street, a pocket of serenity amidst the chaos. 

“Thanks for saving me,” you say, a little shy, now. You would’ve been fine if you’d crashed straight into the hard concrete, but you’re feeling particularly smitten now as you look at Peter, his face still pinched with an element of stress, but more relaxed now you’re up and about. 

“‘S okay. Said I’d save you, didn’t I?” He replies. He reaches out and pulls at some of the stringy web that still covers your body, and winces. “This might take a bit of work, though.”

You laugh, and stretch your hand out to where his is resting on your side. Your fingers wrap around his and you slowly intertwine them, a tentative movement until he pushes in against you, connecting your palms and squeezing your hand warmly.

“We make a pretty good team,” you say, swallowing nervously. You meet his eyes, his brown eyes warm and inviting, and feel your heart pulse in your chest.

“We do,” he agrees. He steps a little closer, cheeks blooming with a rosy pink. “Maybe we should work together again sometime.” 

You nod. He’s directly in front of you now, your hands still laced together. After a moment of just looking, you lean in and press a soft kiss to his waiting lips, your bodies slotting together gently, perfectly. It’s just a small kiss, but in the seconds that span out afterwards, your foreheads press together, and his breath fans out across your face. Your eyes are closed, and for a moment, you feel everything slotting together. 

“Oi!” There’s a holler from the end of the street, and you peel back from Peter to see your dad glaring at you. “Stop that.”

You laugh lightly. “Go away!” You respond, and quickly tug Peter in the opposite direction. “They’re going to be so annoying about this, aren’t they?” You mutter, jerking your head back in the direction of the team, whose eyes burn into your backs as you and Peter hurry away.

“Yep.” Peter rolls his eyes. “Guess we’ll just have to deal with it.”

You nod your head slowly, your heart feeling lighter than ever before. “I guess we will.” 

And what follows may or may not have involved a secluded alley and lots of kissing, but you’d never tell. 

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

any feedback? I would love to hear any thoughts you have on this!

masterlist

#Peter parker #Peter Parker x reader #Peter Parker imagine #Peter Parker x y/n #Peter Parker oneshot #I LOV MY SOFT SON #my writing #odinson!reader #avenger!reader

[gumnut-logic]

Warnings: Virgil/Kayo

He was her idiot.

-o-o-o-

Her Idiot

He expected to find her in the gym.

But she wasn’t there.

A quick search of her room and most of the rest of the house proved she wasn’t there either.

He bit his lip. If Kayo didn’t want to be found, his chances weren’t good.

The hangars also failed to reveal his girlfriend and an hour later he started to worry.

“John?”

“I’m sorry, Virgil. Don’t ask, she has already scarred me for life last time I told Gordon where to find her when she was upset.”

“Gordon?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, that explains the retaliation. What did she do?”

“I’m not going there. Trust me, you don’t want to either.”

“C’mon, John, I’m worried about her.”

There was silence at the other end of the line.

“Please, John, you can put all the blame on me. I just need to make sure she is all right.”

“You’ll fix my shower?”

“Your shower?”

“My shower.”

“When did it break?”

“Hasn’t broken yet, but I’m sure it will if I point you in the direction of a beach on the north-west side of the island.”

“Thanks, John.”

“I am hiding behind you, big brother. Your girl is scary.”

He smiled. “I know.”

“Hmph.”

Virgil signed off and, grabbing a hat and sunnies, set out for the northern side of the island.

It was late afternoon, but the sun was still at burning strength, so it wasn’t long before he was uncomfortably hot in his long shirt. So he shed it and tied it around his waist, leaving a thin tank top his only protection against the sea breeze.

it was wonderfully cool on his bare skin.

He made good time, jogging part of the way, keeping an eye out for their missing security specialist.

It hadn’t been a good day.

A cascade of poor luck had seen Alan, Kayo and a young woman trapped in a house during an aftershock in Japan. The ground beneath the house had fallen into the river that had undercut the foundations. Kayo had had to make a choice between saving her brother or saving the civilian.

She had tried for both.

Lost the civilian.

And only just managed to catch Alan, who had consequently swung into an exposed beam and gashed his leg open, severing an artery in the process.

It has been bad.

Her yell for help had torn at him, but he had been responsible for six other civilians at the time and had been unable to respond immediately.

Gordon had made it first on the scene. By the time Virgil had been able to make it to her side, she had shut off from the world, her expression ice as she held her wrenched shoulder.

She hadn’t said a word to anyone on the way to the hospital. Virgil stood beside her as Scott questioned the incident.

He sat beside her as they waited for Alan to get out of surgery.

And stood behind her as his little brother woke up.

Now, three days later, finally at home, his little brother was safe in bed in his room, and she had vanished.

He walked past the little cliff and beach they had dubbed ‘their beach’ and continued further around the island. The trail became rocky from that point onwards and he had to clamber over several spots where a path wasn’t really possible.

He still couldn’t find her.

“John?”

“If she breaks my furniture, you’re buying me all new.”

“John.” This had gone beyond a joke.

“Climb down to the beach, there is a small sea cave.”

“There is?” He clambered over jagged basalt, cursing under his breath as it scratched his palms.

“Haven’t you explored the island, Virgil?”

“Uh, been busy. And I don’t have the advantage of Tracymaps.com satellite view.”

“Perhaps you should come visit more often.”

“Yeah, sure, John.”

His brother’s vague snort answered that one fairly clearly. They both knew separating Virgil from Two was not a good idea, for anyone.

He hurdled over a last chunk of rock and his feet hit sand. The little beach was bleached coral white with a scattering of weathered basalt. The high tide line was sketched out with shell and debris from the last major storm, and in the cliff lining the shore the debris disappeared into a darkness where the cooling basalt had left a natural cave that the sea had since chewed on.

Virgil whispered into his comm. “John, is that cliff face stable?”

“Of course. Do you think I’d let our sister under it if it wasn’t?”

“Okay, I get it. Sorry, reflex thought.” A pause. “Does she come here often?”

“Virgil, I keep many secrets. It is my job. I’m already lined up for crucifixion having told you where she was, I’m not going to be drawn and quartered for extra fun.”

“A little over dramatic, don’t you think?”

“She’s your girlfriend, you tell me.”

“She’s your sister.”

“Exactly. I have no protection, despite those twenty-two thousand kilometres. Just remember that this is on your head. Thunderbird Five out.”

A mumble under his breath, “FAB.” And Virgil approached the cave.

It was small but deep. A handful of rough and weather-worn stalactites hung from the entrance like teeth.

“Kay?” His voice was eaten by the darkness, but there was a slight change in the shadows as her face turned to look at him. As his eyes adjusted, and he belatedly remembered to take off his sunnies, her figure, seated on a rock protrusion towards the back of the cave, became clear. “Honey?”

“I’m going to kill John.” It was muttered under her breath and he doubted he was supposed to hear it, but cave and acoustics did it for him.

“You do realise you have him terrified.”

“Obviously not terrified enough.”

“You can blame me. Leave him out of it.” It was firm, but it needed to be said.

She unfolded like a cat, her slim body straightening in the darkness. Her shorts hung low on her hips, her crop top leaving her belly bare. She’d obviously come out here for a run, but it hadn’t been enough. She stalked towards him. “Blame you?”

Despite himself, a spike of concern shot through him. She was half his size, but he knew she could take him on sheer skill alone. Sure he could pin her with his mass, but he doubted she would give him the opportunity.

But then this was Kay, the woman he loved.

“Blame me.”

The little cave blocked the sun and chilled his skin. He shivered.

She walked right up to him and barged into his personal space, simply looking up at him. Then simply stepped around and walked past without saying a word.

He turned to follow her and the sun blinded him for a crucial moment. He grabbed for his sunnies, but in that split second she was gone.

Damnit.

“Kay?” He stepped out onto the empty beach. “Kay!” How the hell had she done that? “For Christ’s sake, Kay, I’m worried about you!”

“You should be more worried about Alan.” Her voice was smooth as honey, from above and behind. He left a gouge in the sand as he spun, looking up to find her crouched on the cliff above the cave.

“Alan is fine.”

“Lucky boy.” She stood up, still cat-like and turning, began to climb further up the hill behind the beach.

“Kay, please!” He made for the rockfall that had allowed him onto the sand in the first place and threw himself up the climb. It appeared that his lot in life was to chase those he cared about. Scott knew how to throw a marathon when he didn’t want to talk. How the hell had he managed to end up dating his brother?

By dating his sister.

If his hands hadn’t been scrabbling over sharp basalt, it would have been a facepalm moment.

“It wasn’t your fault, Kay!”

“Yes, it was.” She was gaining distance, she was just too damn fast.

“No, it wasn’t.”

She stopped and turned towards him, anger in her eyes. “How was it not, Virgil? I let her die and I nearly got Alan killed.”

“It was shitty luck. Sometimes things just happen. You saved Alan. He is recovering.”

She stared at him, her lips thinning to almost non-existence.

And he saw it in her eyes. The fear, the horror and the anger, always the anger. He wanted to reach out and draw her into his arms, hold her tight and reassure her that it would be alright.

But it wasn’t alright. A woman had died.

Kay was out of reach.

And she turned away.

“Kay?”

“Leave me alone, Virgil.” She started climbing again.

“No.”

“Please.”

“No.” And he started clambering over rocks again.

She stopped and turned angrily again. “Why not? If you think being in a romantic relationship gives you the right to harass me, Virgil Tracy, think again.”

He straightened. “No, I care, Kay. That’s all. If you think I’m going to leave you out here to beat yourself up, you’re sorely mistaken.” A pause. “And if you think this is simply because of our current relationship, you’re obviously amnesiac.”

She glared at him as he continued to climb over the damn rocks. “You’re right. You’ve always been a pain in the ass.”

He chose to ignore that, and focussed on climbing without taking the skin off his palms.

Damn the sun was hot.

He could feel her eyes on him, but he refused to look up. Part of him was questioning his decision to come out here and butt in on her grief. Maybe she didn’t need him? Maybe she could handle herself. Maybe he was being an ass. But the thought of her suffering alone and berating herself, like he knew she was, for a twist of fate that would have burnt any of them...his heart just hurt.

So maybe he was being selfish. Maybe he was out here for his own reassurance that she was okay.

But goddamnit, he loved her and she shouldn’t have to face this alone.

“You’re bleeding.”

He couldn’t help it, he jumped. “How the hell do you do that?”

She was crouched on the rock just above him, her eyes scanning him up and down. A smirk appeared on her lips. “If I told you, I would have to kill you.” She nodded her head in the direction of his right hand. “You’re bleeding.”

“It’s just a scratch. I didn’t think to bring my gloves and climbing equipment.”

“You don’t need to follow me.”

“Yes, I do.” And he continued to climb until he was eye to eye with her.

“Why?” It was whispered.

“Because I love you.”

“You are going to use that as an excuse for everything, aren’t you.”

“Possibly.” He sat on the rock next to her and stared out at the ocean. “I remember a beautiful young girl hiding behind her father’s legs, staring out at the five of us. You had a bruise on your cheek and you were afraid to speak to any of us for days. Dad said you had fallen and hurt yourself.” He looked sideways at her. “But that is not what really happened is it?”

She was staring wide-eyed at him, fear in that beautiful green.

“Having the Hood as a member of your family couldn’t have been easy.”

“No.” It was forced from her, a rush of exhaled breath. “Virgil, don’t.”

He stopped. Every muscle in her body was wound like a spring. Flight or fight was on her face and he feared he had gone too far, touched topics that should never be touched.

“You’re not alone anymore, Kay.” He didn’t dare reach out, fearful that she would flee.

But she simply turned away, staring out at the ocean. “I know.” Whispered. “But I can’t afford...”

He waited.

She looked at him and the fear was back. “I can’t.”

He held out an arm, simply offering himself. “You don’t have to.”

Her eyes bounced from his to his arm, obviously assessing what was on offer. There was a battle in her gaze.

“Come here, love.”

The war flickered over her expression again. “You really are a pain in the ass.”

He dared to smile just a little. “But I’m your pain in the ass.”

“Yes, you are.” It was whispered as if it was a decision made. She dropped her legs over the edge of the rock and sidled up next to him.

He let his arm drop around her shoulders and drew her in gently. Just like he had wanted to do since he had set eyes on her. Leaning over he kissed her hair. “Love you.”

“I know.”

He just squeezed her tighter.

They sat there as the sun headed towards the horizon. No words said. At one point, she unwrapped his arm from around her and placed his hand in her lap, turning it over to expose the scratches on his palm. They were minor, but she glared at him anyway.

He shrugged.

She wrapped his hand in both of hers and kissed his knuckles.

He grinned.

“You idiot.”

“But I’m your idiot.”

She groaned and rolled her eyes.

But she didn’t let go.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds fanfiction #thunderbirds #Virgil Tracy #kayo kyrano #virgil/kayo #I have a fondness for this one #nuttyfic reblog

[velociwrangler]

server promptfest: joey/kate

SO I’M BACK ON MY MEDS AND TRYING TO CRAWL BACK ONTO THE WRITING WAGON

I did a little prompt fest in the Dead by Baelight server! I don’t think they’re really good enough to throw up on AO3 but I am  fond enough of them to share. please be prepared for their short and  rough form, as it was an exercise in low-pressure writing :)

dead by daylight, kate/m!killer, anonymity & lockers, for @obscurefrost​

this one was heeeavily inspired by @crit-afterdark​‘s gorgeous Joey art here. most of the promptfest fics were around 500 words, and this one was more like 1600 LOL. please go and gaze upon her work

Some people just don't learn. That's one of the things that keeps Kate sane in this place. That no matter what they suffer, no matter how often it turns foul, there will be people lunging for the rescue, fighting for each other. She loves them for it, these strangers. What else can you do?

The thunder of the heartbeat in her ears just won't die. The world is pulsing and red around her and Kate shoves her elbow into the splintery surface of the door, legs shaking, and closes her eyes. She's fighting to keep herself upright. Running out of time, she thinks. Running out of time, running - just leave damnit - But it stays and it stays and she's afraid of the creak of the hinges, grimacing tautly against the pain. Just a little longer, she tells herself, but it's not up to her. The heartbeat dies, abruptly. Kate grabs for the door, pushes her shoulder against it. If she can mend, if she can press her wounds together the strange fevered sickness of death's door that Legion's masked members inflict will - Too late, too little time. Her legs fold under her and she crashes to the floor, teeth grating together. The air of the basement is thick and torpid, and she feels every inch of her bruised body. If she starts to crawl up the stairs, will she find a silhouette waiting, returning to find her? She tries to swallow her cries of pain, muffling them with bitten lips, cramming the back of her fingers against her hands. No one is coming for her. She can sense them, far corners of the trial grounds, hiding or bent to their tasks. Tonight's trial had not been a forgiving one. The heartbeat suddenly blooms again and she stiffens. She doesn't want to bleed out, but that logical thought doesn't keep the surge of adrenaline and terror from happening, doesn't prevent her heart from thumping like a rabbit's against her ribs. Come on, she tells herself, trying to summon the aggressively cheerful voice she'd summon to drag herself back out on the road, to promise one more hour before a motel, let's just fucking get this over with and have a little peace and quiet, folks. And then she sees a silhouette, the soft tread of a boot. A light build, but bigger than Nea or Ace. Her vision is swimming and uncertain. "What are you doing?" she slurs, feeling a surge of affection and impatience at once. "Run. You have to run." His head cocks to one side and he comes closer. Cautious, as if his ear is perked for a killer's footstep above. "At least hide," she says. Her voice sounds far away to her own ears, sleepy and scolding. "Don't be a martyr." Closer he comes, weaving around the edge of the wall and crouching down beside her. Kate still has her medkit clutched in her hand, more from a reflexive unthinking stiffness of her fingers than from any real strength of grip. She sighs, half-laughing. "Okay, sugar," she breathes. "If you want to play hero, give me a shot?" Some people just don't learn. That's one of the things that keeps Kate sane in this place. That no matter what they suffer, no matter how often it turns foul, there will be people lunging for the rescue, fighting for each other. She loves them for it, these strangers. What else can you do? Her mind snaps back to the present. He reaches down and methodically works her fingers free of the handle. She slurs, "oh, sorry," and he pauses, then finishes. Her hand drops to the floor, fingers curling. A split second hesitation. The heartbeat is still loud and insistent in their ears. The killer must be patrolling close, determined to find her. Her unknown companion pops the medkit open and looks over its contents. "Syringe," she says dreamily, "I'll be right as rain...I dreamed of it and it gave me something nice this time, right? Instead of just air freshener." She hopes her voice is quieter than it sounds in her own ears. She seems to have lost the knack of whispering. He finds it, lifts it up, and then brushes her hair back. She sighs, feeling gloved fingers brush her throat, The briefest sting in the curve of her bared shoulder. "Now you run," she mumbles. "Or he'll find you." The man stays crouched, easy and relaxed on his haunches, waiting for her. She wishes she could see his face; she's met survivors just about this bold before, devil may care after living too long in this place, but she can't place him. "At least hide," she says. Strange moments like these in trials are odd spots of macabre fascination, always. When the urgency gives way to light-hearted fatalism, when all you have are each other. "Get in the locker." She shivers on the ground, feeling a prickling wave travel from head to toe. Whatever is in the syringe - no matter what material it mimics, no matter what shape the Fog gives it to be crudely recognizable - it's as natural and recognizable as the Fog itself. But as long as it does its job, she'll take it. "Get in the...." She reaches out and tries to grasp his pant leg. Her fingernails scrape and slip off. "Sugar," she says again, that strange giddy mix of endearment and annoyance bubbling in her veins, "stop being a dumbass." When he moves, she slumps against the ground in relief and closes her eyes. But then she feels his hands on her again, and he picks her up off the ground, cradling her against his chest. She murmurs something incoherent, confused, and then hears the locker door open: his grip shifts on her, keeping her pinned to his chest by the waist as he walks them inside. The door closes behind them. She slumps against his chest, obliging, and they are squeezed together from shoulder to hip. His legs fit between hers, the coarse fabric of his pants brushing her inner thighs, and he keeps her on her feet with the pressure of his body alone. Which is. A problem. Just until the syringe finishes, she thinks. Just until - But the syringe working moves over her in a prickling wave. Her body feels hot and tender. Whatever it's doing to her, whatever strange machinations it performs inside her body, it makes her shiver and flood with sensation, nerves on overdrive. The warm weight of his body against hers is secure, persistent. His pelvis presses the crease of her shorts against her and she shivers. A little sound escapes her, involuntary and high-pitched, and he lifts on gloved fingers. It grazes both of their mouths, they're so close, when he presses it to his lips and whispers, "shhhh." The first time he's spoken, she realizes, but it doesn't give her many clues. Still no clue as to who he is. Is he a new survivor, or will she be real embarrassed when they stagger out of the basement together? "Sorry," she tries to whisper back. It probably comes out too loud. Her face is flushed, and the cool damp air of the basement is banished by their bodies together in such a close space. His breath, soft and steady, grazes her mouth. "Sorry," she repeats, "I'm..." "Hn?" he says. Has he never used the syringe before? She tries to hold still and not rock against him, tries not to rut pleadingly against the line of his body. Her fingers curl into the loose sweatshirt around his frame and a vivid image flashes through her mind: of pushing her fingers under it, smoothing her hand across his lower stomach and dipping her fingers under the hem. It's an absurd thought, especially because the heartbeat hasn't eased. Has the killer really fixated on this one down, or is he chasing someone else? She tries to remember if a generator has gone off while she's been bleeding out. "Feels like - " she gasps, and then he presses against her, rocks his hips slowly and deliberately inward, and she realizes she's been squirming without meaning to, and her fingers in his sweatshirt having been giving weak little tugs. She moans and tries to cover her mouth, but it's hard to maneuver her hand up. He kisses her. Presses his mouth to hers to silence her and she feels a rasp of fabric. From far, far away, distant alarm bells begin to sound in the back of her head. But she's still woozy, and the effects of the syringe haven't worn off yet. If anything they've gotten worse, because neither of them are helping her calm down. He presses even closer, which she didn't think was possible, and one gloved hand rucks up her shirt and settles on her waist, flexing against her skin. "He'll find us," she protests muzzily, and he gives a huff of laughter against her lips. She's still holding onto his sweatshirt anyway, tugging and guiding his body against hers desperately. He's settled into a slow, hard rhythm, grinding against her through both of their clothes. If she could cant her hips, wrap her legs around his waist, guide him where she really wants it - she'd probably have come already. But instead it's pressure, flares of just right there yes god and then rocking away, a tease that disintegrates the last fragments of her reservations. She sinks her teeth into her lower lip and shoves both hands up under his shirt, moulding them against the lines of his back, feeling his muscles move with the rhythm of his hips even in this confined space that cramps their bodies together. "Please," she whimpers, "oh, fuck - " He lowers his head and puts his mouth on the wound that downed her, the red slash that gouges down over her shoulder and upper chest, just as the syringe kicks in and it closes. The bright, violent burst of pain as his tongue strokes over it crashes her headfirst into orgasm, even as, in this last moment, the alarm bells in the back of her head go klaxon-loud and she realizes -

#dead by daylight #kate denson #dbd legion #legion joey #fic tag #joey x kate

[princessdevy03]

Tumblr Exclusive!!!!

Author’s Note: Happy birthday to @anybodihearme! I know it’s late but it’s done. Don’t fight me! I’ll fight you, damnit! 

Birthday Surprise

Kevin leaned his head back and sighed.

The city whipped by outside the window of the Uber Eddy ordered as quickly as the thoughts in his head.

“Rolf has the dogs and Nazz is holding my present from mom...”

“Ed is gonna cut the grass Saturday…”

“Sarah’s gonna make sure the guys at the shop are on schedule…”

“Johnny’s got the shop…”

As the city gave way to the countryside, he closed his eyes to lock away the blue of the sky that reminded him of a certain set of the eyes he hadn’t seen in far too long.

Edd was stuck across the country at his dream job as a director of a biomedical lab in the Pacific Northwest. His and Kevin’s relationship started there because Kevin was stationed at a nearby US Navy base as a Marine, but when Kevin’s dad passed away, he came back home to West Virginia to take over the family auto body shop as his contract was up and decent mechanics jobs were hard to come by without moving down the coast to even more expensive locales.

Edd said they’d make it work, but Kevin was wary.

His career in the Marines took him to Hawaii, Germany, Japan, Korea, Texas, and England.

Every duty station led to new heartbreak as every other guy or girl just couldn’t handle being in a long distant relationship.

Edd was the first who seemed to understand, but he was also the first person that got Kevin to think about life after he couldn’t handle being in the Marine Corps anymore.

The stress of dealing with his PTSD and trying to juggle being a good son, good friend, and a good Marine was tough.

And when romance was involved, his being all in could be the most stressful thing of all.

Edd had always been a bit high strung when it came to how he liked his home to look, how he applied himself to school and work, but his love for his family and friends was easily given as breathing.

So while Kevin would be there with gifts, surprise dates, and mushy compliments, Edd was more likely to suggest getting coffee before spending the day running errands and grabbing a quick bite to eat before Kevin had to be back at the barracks.

But the sudden cross country shift had them rethinking about how to keep the love flowing.

Kevin would send flowers everyday and Edd would call him every night.

Up until about a month ago.

The texts were short, but he’d still get a good morning text and he started sending GrubHub to the shop every Friday with donuts and a box of coffee from Dunkin’.

Kevin would be lying, though, if he said that Edd ignoring his Duo calls didn’t have him feeling some kinda way.

But Edd did suggest that Kevin head up to the dude ranch in the mountains for his birthday to get away from work and his lingering issues with closing his father’s estate.

“I’ll call you when you guys have dinner, and I’ll make something with you and it’ll be like having dinner together,” Edd had said when Kevin finally got a hold of him two weeks ago.

Edd was dressed in his lab coat that looked like it was losing a fight with the chemicals in the lab and he needed a haircut and some sleep if the bags under his eyes were any indication of what he was feeling like at the moment.

Kevin felt a tinge bad that he had a snarky attitude in the texts he had been sending, and Lort his voicemail messages…

Edd’s work was desperately needed in the middle of the current global health crisis they were living in, so he hadn’t been purposely ignoring his man, but he could make time, right?

But with the world being on a tight lockdown, dinner via video call would have to do.

When he got to the ranch, the fresh air had him feeling a bit better.

And the horses…

Growing up, he’d spend at least a week every summer with his whole extended family at the family ranch in Wyoming, so riding horses was second nature to his bike and motorcycle.

When Edd suggested going riding in the Cascades one long weekend, Kevin started falling in love.

Having a long weekend to himself on the beautiful creatures would be just what the doctor ordered.

Eddy knew about this particular ranch from his leadership networking conferences and got Kevin a deal, and let him use his Uber Black membership to get a ride there and back provided Kevin didn’t steal any of the horses.

Once he laid eyes on the black stallion with blue eyes in the field behind his cabin, he knew he was gonna have a hell of a time keeping his promise to keep things on the ranch…

When he walked in the cabin, he was pleasantly surprised to see a shoebox on the bed of his favorite brand of riding boots.

“I wonder what color he got this time,” he chuckled to himself.

For the last five years, Edd would get him a new color of boots for his birthday.

“I think they’re green,” a voice coming from the bathroom said. “I don’t think I’ve gotten you green ones yet.”

Kevin doesn’t remember screaming but it took a good ten minutes for him to stop shaking after he scooped Edd in his arms and tossed him on the bed.

Once his heart beat returned to something resembling normal, he looked into sky blue eyes and frowned.

“You’re here.”

“Yes,” Edd chuckled and Kevin rolled his eyes as he sat up and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“And ruin the surprise?!” Edd laughed. “Nah.”

“What about work?”

Kevin knew Edd’s work was leading the charge to get the United States out of a pandemic it hadn’t seen the likes of in a good century. He just didn’t like the idea of Edd blowing it off, even if it was his birthday weekend.

“I can’t really do anything about it now,” Edd sighed, feeling a bit guilty about the slightly white lie. “It’s back to the lab techs to sort through the latest findings, so I can take a few days.”

“But just a few?”

“I’m sorry, Kevin,” Edd said softly as he rubbed his arm. “But we’ll make the most of it. I’ll even make dinner.”

Kevin’s stomach growling echoed around the quiet room in response to this as the dinner bell rang.

Dinner on the ranch was simple, you could take a picnic basket back to your cabin or have dinner in the open field off the side of the main house’s commercial kitchen. If you opted for the latter, there was a story time with one of the permanent ranch hands, embellishing the history of the ranch, as everyone ate at the huge picnic tables that circled a large fire pit.

Once the sun went down, the fire pit was lit, small brown paper bags filled with blocks of chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers were passed around, and more than a few ghost stories told.

But not a single twang of a banjo was heard, just the soft strumming of a six string guitar dueting with a low harmonica. And the low moo of a cow or two.

Kevin and Edd opted for dinner in the field as Kevin was eager to see the temperament of the horses before trying to pick which one to make his own over the long weekend, after which they fed a snack or two to the horses before they went to the barn for the night. Then it was s’mores and ghost stories with a lil stargazing and a nice, long leisurely stroll back to the cabin.

Kevin honestly didn’t want the night to end, even if his body was nearly begging him to sleep.

Edd’s wasn’t, though.

As soon as they walked in the door, Edd had him pinned against it, deftly locking the deadbolt with one hand, the other undoing Kevin’s pants.

And the breeze blowing through the valley gave Kevin his second wind.

Edd’s beanie was gone as fast as their shoes, they walked out of their pants as Kevin walked them backwards to the bed.

“God, why do you have to over dress so much?” Kevin whined as he undid the buttons on Edd’s shirt, thankful he hadn’t worn a tie.

“You look good, you feel good,” Edd huffed as he undid his cuffs and then batted Kevin’s hands away so he could pull his shirt over his head.

Kevin always thought he looked good, but he looked even better now with his dick in his mouth.

His hands ached as he grasped silky strands as dark as the night sky. The few silver highlights looked like stars, but Edd rather he see color bars.

Kevin squeezed his eyes tight, flashes of technicolor sparking with every jerk of his hips as he fucked his boyfriend’s face.

It seemed cruel, Edd grabbing his ass to take him all the way in, like he didn’t care that Kevin’s yearning and frustrations were aching his jaw, but he loved the man so much that it felt good to do this.

Right until Kevin tore himself away.

Edd sputtered but Kevin grinned.

“Stop your whining, Dork. I brought my chaps and my good sweats.”

“You are not riding in sweats and chaps,” Edd laughed as he shoved him on the bed and went to get his lube out of the bathroom.

“I do what I want!” Kevin protested. “It’s my birthday and I do what I want!”

“Your birthday isn’t until tomorrow and committing crimes against fashion shouldn’t be a birthday wish!” Edd cackled as he leaned against the door and juggled the silicone lube in his hands

“Well, riding your dick is, so get over here!”

Edd couldn’t argue because he really wanted Kevin to ride his dick. If he hadn’t been so shell shocked that he had shown up or so hungry or so eager to see the horses, he’d told him to hop on sooner.

But watching him finally relax and put the stress of work out of his mind was worth it.

Especially since what he had planned would knock him out for the rest of the night.

A ride would mean Edd would have to be on his back, at least to start, so while Kevin flipped their positions, Edd guided him to his side and told him to get his horse ready.

Kevin shrugged his shoulders and went to put his head between his legs, but he nearly choked when Edd started to work a finger in his ass. Edd nearly stopped, but Kevin popped his ass out and Edd’s finger went deeper as Kevin took as much of him in as he could.

“Fuck,” he softly moaned when Kevin spread his leg a bit more, gently massaging the joint where hip met thigh with one hand, using the other as an extension of his mouth.

It was hard to focus in a moment like this but Edd had plans.

And so did Kevin.

When he dropped the lube so he could add another finger in, Kevin snatched it up.

Edd figured he was gonna use it to slick him up and get the show on the road, as it were, but he cried out like a whore when Kevin put his mouth to the tip of his dick, spread his lower cheeks with his greased up hand and whispered, “Get to work.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

His mind was tearing apart at the seams while Kevin sucked him off and played with his ass. He held on by fingering him as fast and hard as he could.

Kevin liked it rough and it was his birthday weekend. The present from Edd’s strong right hand was AMAZING. The left one gently playing in his hair was sending goosebumps all over and when the A/C kicked on, Kevin nearly exploded as the added sensation of cool air on his hot body was absolutely enrapturing.

Edd must have been feeling the same way because he pushed Kevin’s head away from his cock with one hand, but the other grabbed his waist to make him come sit in his lap.

“C’mere.”

Then the room spun.

Well, Kevin thought it did til he realized Edd had spun him around to sit in his lap, but facing away from him and towards the mirror.

And Kevin had never seen Edd’s hands move so fast before.

He gripped the sheets as Edd lifted him up, spread his cheeks, and slowly but firmly pulled him full into his lap, filling him up with everything he had.

The stack of pillows on the bed gave him enough of a cushion to sit up, spread Kevin’s legs, and give the order.

“Ride. Me.”

The visual was mind blowing.

Kevin was flushed, glistening with sweat, his dick throbbing against his hard abs, and Edd wanted a show.

He moved against the fullness in him slowly, enjoying the electrifying numbness that spread all over his body. His fingertips reached for Edd’s hands that were caressing his chest, and that gapped tooth mouth sunk into his shoulder on a whine as he gently kissed his knuckles and started to ride him.

Hands were everywhere, in his hair, turning his face to kiss him senseless, gripping strong arms to hold onto some sense of reality, pawing at his abs, squeezing his chest, playing with his nipples to get him to moan like a slut so in touch with themselves that you can’t help but touch them like they want you to.

But they never broke their gaze in the mirror.

As Kevin lost control, his dick leaking with cum, Edd held on...to his dick.

“Fuck, yes Baby! Just like that!” Kevin screamed as he rode him harder, his movements putting porn stars to shame.

“You gonna cum for me?” Edd whispered and Kevin whined as he nodded, his hand reaching around to grab Edd’s hips to make him fuck him hard and senseless.

“Harder. Faster. Edd…,” his words came out disjointed, but he had to say something! “Dear God, pleeeeeease.”

The bed creaked as Edd pulled him close with one arm, stroked him off with his free hand, and jerked his hips as fast and hard as he could.

Watching the man in his lap jerk once, then twice as he came in his hand was so fucking sexy; jaw dropped, eyes wide in elated shock, legs kicking, both hands around Edd’s one that was stroking him into oblivion.

They had never done it like this before and Kevin wasn’t too sure he’d live til his actual birthday the next day if they kept it up. But he didn’t care. Seeing himself in the mirror like that, as the object of all of Edd’s desires was enough.

That orgasm, tho!

Edd checked his smartwatch then giggled.

“Happy birthday, Kevin.”

Kevin gave him a weak thumbs up as thanks while his thoughts slipped away.

He awoke the next morning, dressed in clean boxers, still slightly embarrassed Edd had to drag him to the bathroom and back again, but no shirt, hearing Edd whisper into his phone.

“Yes, Megan,” Edd said, “I got it all right in front of me. I’m going to see about making some moves later this week but I don’t see why I can’t do it from here.”

“Do what?” Kevin whispered confused and feeling nosy.

Edd squeaked when he noticed he was awake and then said, “I gotta go. I’ll call you Monday with my final answer.”

“Wha? Why are you working?! It’s my birthday!” Kevin pouted. “And that’s my shirt!”

Edd looked down at the shirt he was wearing.

It was an old Marine Corps PT t-shirt Kevin used to wear around Edd’s apartment out west. Actually, the red head left several of these t-shirts in Edd’s apartment when he moved back East and Edd would sleep in them often because it was his way of keeping Kevin close after he left.

“You left it in my house, so it’s mine now,” Edd grinned and Kevin’s ready to fight!

“Stupid dork with his stupid smile,” Kevin thought to himself knowing good and damn well that Edd was right.

“So!? It’s still my birthday,” he half pouted trying to figure out a way to get back at Edd for...working?

“It is,” Edd nodded as he got up to join him in the bed. “What would you like to do today?”

“For you to stop working,” Kevin snarked and Edd laughed.

“I am off til Monday,” he shrugged and Kevin honestly frowned, not that he wanted to talk about it but he did need to know.

“Do you have a ride to the airport?”

“More like,” Edd sighed and then let the words tumble out all at once as he stared holes into his hands, “Iwaswonderingifyouwantedaroommate.”

“Wha?”

“Well, I said-”

“I know what you said, Edd.”

Edd finally looked up at him and he doesn’t remember seeing Kevin ever looking this happy.

“Well, it’s just that, in order for things to keep progressing smoothly, they need a new lab director out here because Dr Stavian is retiring.”

“And they want you to come out and do it?” Kevin asked as he pulled him into his lap.

“Well, yes, but only as an interim because I don’t have my doctorate degree.”

“Yet.”

“Kevin.”

“It’s been like four years, Edd!”

Edd made a face because when he had run into Kevin again after so many years away, he was a year done with his masters program and didn’t have any desire to go back to school. He was just too burnt out.

Kevin figured he just needed a break because he had been in school the entire time he had known him. He couldn’t imagine him stopping forever.

“Listen,” Kevin told him as he gripped his twitching hands still, “You said that Justin said that they’d pay for it when you’re ready and apparently you don’t have much of a choice if you move back this way.”

“But I don’t want to lose you!” Edd protested and Kevin looked at him like he had two heads.

“HOW?!”

“School is an all consuming thing,” Edd sighed. “I can’t really focus on us if I have to go to class, then the lab, then work everyday for the next four years, at minimum.”

“You can if we live together.”

“Wait a min -”

Kevin laughed as he saw the wheels turn in Edd’s head and said, “You just asked if you could move in Mr DoYouNeedARoommate, like I’m gonna let my boyfriend just be my damn roommate. So how hard would it be if you went to school and we lived together?”

“You might have to move actually, because the commute from your place to the lab is like 45 minutes. Add in the campus and you’re looking at a good hour and a half.”

Edd thought he had him til Kevin shrugged and said, “So we move. Be closer to Ma that way anyways.”

“What about the shop?!”

“The further away I am from that place, the better,” Kevin laughed. “It’s one of the joys of being the boss. Besides, Johnny lives upstairs so he keeps the place in line. I just do paperwork.”

“Oh.”

Kevin smirked as all of Edd’s arguments died away.

They could make it work.

“We can do this, Edd,” Kevin said softly as he gave him Eskimo kisses. “Just go back to school and let me worry about the rest.”

“Especially since we ain’t paying for it!” Edd laughed and Kevin snorted.

“Damn straight.”

“I thought you were bi.”

“I’m about to bite that ass,” Kevin grinned but the breakfast bell rang and the smell of fresh bacon had to be indulged.

They took a picnic basket back to the cabin for lunch after their morning ride and used Kevin’s hotspot to look for apartments and houses to rent closer to the labs and university as the ranch’s free wifi was sketchy. A quiet neighborhood not too far from Kevin’s mother’s retirement community seemed the perfect place to start and Edd sent out a few online applications while Kevin made arrangements for dinner.

They rode the black stallion together to a grove of apple trees for a picnic at dusk and discussed the plans they made.

And make out like teenagers.

But the first mosquito bite had them racing back to the cabin as neither wanted to have any more awkward scratches in public than necessary after this trip.

They led the stallion back to his barn and walked slowly back to the cabin, Edd taking note of the constellations overhead.

They collapsed into the bed in a tight cuddle, worn out from their excursions for the day.

“You know, tomorrow is Saturday,” Edd said as they laid in the content silence.

If Edd was mentioning Saturday…

He didn’t know where Kevin got the birthday hat from, but it was a much better outfit than the sweats with chaps.

Especially when one needs to be ready for a day in bed with your homieloverfriend.

#kevedd #reg!kevedd #reg!kev #reg!edd #kevin barr #eddward vincent #for anybodihear me #happy birthday #birthday present #birthday fic

[kerwritesthings]

Here Comes The Sun

Summary: Sometimes the love we give and the love we feel drive us to do crazy things in the name of that love

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: soft and lovely and feels, however we be getting naughty my friends - smut alert! 

Author Notes: This was sketched out a totally different way in my head. I had started that way. Then we took a turn to the smutty. Oops? #sorrynotsorry

This is part 5 in my series (whose name is still TBD) – the first four parts can be found here on my masterlist. No need to read them as most can be stand alone, however it helps give a little more context to the verse I’ve created if you do.

Many thanks to @whenidance​ & @sinplisticshawn​ for being my sounding boards to my insecurities and concerns with heading this way.

It’s fascinating to you to have such an inside look at his process. You’ve seen bits and pieces before, the tail end of the work on the last album. But this time, you have the chance to see things formulate at the very beginning. He’s taking it easy this week, partially because you’re around through the weekend but he’s also still coming off the high from Sunday. Your neck and his collarbone bearing the marks to prove it, aside from the few new pieces of hardware sitting on the piano downstairs that confirm it.

His room at the beach house has a massive window seat tucked into a wide bay window that faces out over the hill and down to the water. When he’s not been with you or in the studio, you find him tucked into the cushions, guitar strewn across his lap and journal balancing precariously on one knee.

It’s exactly how and where he is Wednesday morning when you finally wake up, missing the rumble from his chest behind you. “I should have known,” you say, half caught in your throat as you stretch. You look over at the clock on the bedside table and realize it’s earlier than you thought.

“I didn’t wake you up did I?” he asks, finishing a scribble on the paper before looking up at you fondly. “Something just hit me, and I wanted to get it down before I forgot. I was going to come wake you in a few when I was done. I do believe you and I have somewhere to be today.”

“Beach day,” you sigh happily. “Me and you and the sun and a cooler full of strawberry limeade and warmth and sand and did I mention the sun?”

He laughs brightly, “Should I leave you and the sun alone?”

“Perhaps Shawn, perhaps,” you smirk before bounding out of bed, his laugh bigger than before.

The weather is perfect that day, and the fact that the house has private beach access makes it even better. The two of you can truly relax and let go without worry. It’s been a while since you’ve been able to completely disconnect like this, even just for a few hours. You are both looking forward to it.

Making your way down the path hand in hand, beach bag slung on your shoulder and a cooler in your free hand, two chairs in his other, you can’t help but smile wider as the sound of the waves gets closer. “You lucked out finding this place,” you say. “Killer set up, the house and a private beach? I’m shocked it’s not more well talked about.”

“It’s not that old, plus I think the guys who own it are super selective. Don’t blame them. I really like the vibe here; it feels right and super comfortable, plus I like being a little out of the way. I’m already trying to talk my way into another block over the summer, especially when I know I can steal you away again. There’s still more places in that house I need to have my way with you in, like that gigantic outdoor rainfall shower,” he grins wickedly as your feet hit the softer sand.  

You bump your hip against his and pull your hand back, “You’re incorrigible. Now, come on, I don’t want to waste any of this precious sunshine.”

You quickly dump all your belongings down to the sand setting up your little encampment for the day, far enough from the water to not get soaked by an errant wave, but still close enough to enjoy the views.

“I like this,” he says catching your hips in his hands before you go to lay on the blanket spread in front of your chairs, fingers dancing over the raised subtle pattern of your bathing suit while he mouths at your neck. You fight back the moan bubbling in your throat, leaning more against him instead. The deep berry tankini was definitely a little different than what you’ve worn before and you’re not too surprised he took notice.

“I don’t remember seeing you wear it. You look good in it. Really good. But remember, it’s a private beach,” he whispers as he nibbles at your ear, his hands skating up your sides. “I think it may look better tossed over the arm of my beach chair.”

“Shawn,” you whine, winding a hand back into his hair to tug at his unruly curls. “Don’t tempt me, honey.”

“But I want to tempt you,” he skirts his hands over your breasts, one hand cupping your left, while his fingers carefully trace the flesh peeking out above the hem of your suit on the right. “I want to have you right here on this beach. I want to make you come, baby. I’ve thought about it so many times since I got here and saw how secluded this sand is. We can finally do what we couldn’t in Mexico.”

Your mind flashes back to the moonlit walk on the beach in December, the wandering hands, his hot lips tracing over your shoulder, your mouth worrying a spot on his chest over his heart. You both wanted that memory, that moment of just more, but there was too much risk. As it was, you were pushing the boundaries on a beach where you could be discovered at any moment.

He slips his left hand down to your hip, pulling you flush against him. You’re bombarded by sensations; his bare chest against your back, his breath puffing more against your ear, and he’s impossibly hard against the soft swell of your ass. He dips his right index finger to tease and track across your nipple.

“Damnit Shawn,” you moan, pressing back against him. “You’re making it really hard to say no to you.”

“That’s the point,” he whispers, shifting his lips down your neck and across your shoulder, licking and biting his way over your skin. “It should be yes Shawn yes. Loudly. In that throaty voice of yours you get when you’re so turned on. While I’m inside you. Please baby.”

What little resolve you have left is fading and fast. He’s grinding against you now, slowly and methodically while his left hands trails from your hip across your stomach, his pinkie and ring finger sneaking under the waistband just to keep his hand against you. You know the risk is as minimal as it can be, but there’s always a chance. The last thing either of you need or want are pictures of a tryst leaked out. But the fucks you normally give are wearing down to nil.

“Fuck,” you bite out, squirming from the stimulation he’s providing and your eyes fluttering shut. The hand still threading around his curls grips tighter, making him groan against you.

“Let me make you feel good. Want you to fall apart on my tongue and fingers first, then slide into you to feel you come around me,” he sighs out, pulling you against him tighter, rutting into you harder.

Something breaks, snaps quickly like a rubber band, and you turn in his grasp. You loop your hands around his neck and surge up on your toes to sip from his lips.

“It’s so damn hard to say no to you, especially when you’re this wound up and so damn convincing. But, there’s too much sand for some of that, as much as I really want to come all over your mouth,” you mutter between gasps and the biting kisses that are progressively getting wetter. “Compromise? Fuck me, make me come on our blanket. Then I’ll make you come, riding you nice and slow on your beach chair, Shawn.”

“God yes, baby, yes,” he breathes out harshly against your cheek. His lips then start wandering down your jaw while pushing you back towards the sun-warmed cotton and his hands slide over you to take a firm grasp on your hips. Next thing you know he’s shifting you up, moving your legs to sling around his waist to tilt you gently down onto the old patchwork quilt. He eases down onto you, slotting one of his legs between yours and leaning on his forearms, just putting the right amount of his weight against you.

“I’m going to take my time with you,” he says into the soft skin of your neck, his tongue doing wicked things against your pulse point. “Going to take advantage of laying you out in this sunshine you love so much, show you exactly how much I love you, how much I adore you, exactly why I love making love with you.”

Your hands wander across his back and down over his ass, but then you grasp onto one of his biceps and his shoulder as he sucks down hard. You hiss out an exhale, your right leg coming up to hook against his hip as your hips tilt into him. He soothes the spot ever so lightly with just the tip of his tongue. He’s just started and he’s already making you lightheaded.

“I want to hear you, don’t hold back,” he asks, tracing a haphazard pattern across your neck down to your collarbone. He noses at each of the straps on your shoulders, sliding them down until they fall loose around your elbows. He slides his hands down your arms, lifting yours through the loops and then drops them into his hair. Your fingers find purchase around the swirls of his dark curls.

“Need to spend a little quality time here,” he purrs, his fingers pushing your top down to free your breasts. His mouth is wicked, you know this firsthand, and he’s proving it again. He alternates between lapping at you, sucking at your nipple and nibbling, lightly biting at the pebbled flesh while his pointer finger flicks over the other he’s not latched onto. You lose track of how much time his face is nestled there, and you can’t help but let out a chain of needy mewls and gasps. You crave more friction. You want nothing more to grind more against him, your hips start bucking against him. He knows he could make you come just from this, but you don’t want to come that way. Not today.

You tug at his curls to try to pull his mouth away, whimpering his name loudly, “Shawn, please, baby.”

His lips leave your nipple with a loud pop, shiny and red. He grins cheekily at you, chin propping up on your sternum while his fingers start their way down to the ties on your suit. “I’m not nearly done with you yet, dear. Need to make sure you’re nice and wound up, oh so wet for me,” he explains, nosing at the underside of your breast, while his hands make quick work of your top, then moves his attention the bows at your side.

“Damnit Shawn,” you keen out as he yanks the bottoms from you tossing both piece of your suit over to land on the seat of your chair, his hands kneading at your ass. He shifts himself down the blanket while he licks his way down your stomach, taking his time to leave marks along the way, ones that will last for a few days. But of course, because it’s him, he adds in blowing a raspberry or two on the way to make you giggle. He nudges your legs open, his head leaning up against your left thigh. You lean up onto your elbows to look down at him. He just looks at you for a few moments, eyes wide and dark, his fingers twitching against your flesh.

“Oh sweetheart,” he murmurs, his right index finger brushing ever so gently over your clit, then down to your entrance. “I know you said there’s too much sand, but I’m sorry, I might just need to take a tiny little taste. You’re so wet for me. God, that’s so hot.”

He draws his index finger into his mouth, sucking at the pad carefully, eyes wide open and locked onto yours. You squirm, partly from being turned on, partly from the look on his face. He gives you no warning, his lips going immediately for your clit with abandon. He’s overwhelming you, not expecting his mouth on you, alternating between kitten licks, sucking and teasing you with the tip of his tongue. You gasp, crying out his name loudly, your hands flying back into his hair. You’re not sure if you want to pull him away and off you or push him in closer.

“Shawn baby, please,” you choke out, breath catching. “I want to come around you, I need you inside me. No more teasing. I want you, need you.”

He looks up, a devilish grin across his face and is mouth is slick with you, “I love hearing you all breathy and fucked out for me.” He quickly wipes his mouth hastily with the back of his hand before leaning down for a bruising kiss. With him slightly preoccupied in trying to untie his shorts, you lean up and it’s your turn to catch him by surprise, knocking him onto his back.

“Change of plans, I’m riding you here and now,” you husk out, hovering over his knees making quick work of the knot he was struggling with, sliding his swimsuit off. If you weren’t so worked up, you’d make him squirm like he did to you, work him up with your hands and then your mouth. Right now, though, you want to fuck him. Badly.

Once you’ve tossed his suit aside, you go to reach for him. However, he’s got his right hand wrapped around his hard cock, stroking over it loosely and slowly. “C’mere baby,” he rasps out, half smile quirking his lips.  

You’re mesmerized for a moment, watching him. It’s unfairly gorgeous, he’s gorgeous. You push his hand away gently, tracing a finger over his tattoo as you move, lining up your hips to his. Instead of sinking down onto him right away, you taunt him a bit, sliding the head of his dick through your wetness, nudging the head against your clit a few times. You can’t help but throw your head back and whine. His hands fly to your waist, pulling you down onto him as he grinds up against you with a deep groan.

“Can I slip inside you honey?” he bites out, pupils blown so you only see a small ring of golden around them as he pulls you down against him again. “Let me fuck you now baby, let me make you come. You know you want to.”

You nod, biting your lip, stretching up to your knees. He brushes your hand away, holding himself up so you can sink down. But not before teasing you one more time, flicking at your clit a few more times, first with his thumb before the head of his cock again.

“Shit Shawn,” you sigh out deeply as you slide down slowly, taking your time to feel, to enjoy the stretch and fullness. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

He grasps onto you easily, letting you be in control of the speed, but you can see the clench in his jaw as you finally bottom out on him. “There you go sweetheart, you feel so good. Tight and warm around me,” he says through an exhale.

You can’t move yet, despite the amount of times you’ve enjoyed each other lately, it still takes you a moment or two to get used to him, especially when you’re on top. Even more so when he gets all mouthy like he is today. He twitches ever so slightly and slips just a bit deeper. It sends you reeling, whimpering and your head lolls back while you brace your hands on his chest.

“I should say I’m sorry but I’m not, not when you look that beautiful above me, blissed out,” his eyes soft, hands drawing loops across the tops of your thighs. “Whenever you’re ready.”

You start easily, a light rock, a swivel and circle of your hips. Your fingers flicking at his nipples. His eyes close, only for a moment though, his lips part as he takes a deep breath. Increasing the speed of the grinding, consciously clenching around him while still buried deep inside you, it makes him grip your knees tighter, his knuckles turning white.

“If I can’t hold back, you can’t either,” you fight out, watching him bite his lip, eyes still locked onto you. “I want to hear those delicious sounds from you, Shawn.” You slide up off his cock slowly, then slip back down quickly. It earns you a growl. Both slow on the up and down, a sigh with a head loll to the side. Quickly up and a slow way down, a hiss through his teeth.

After a few passes at each, you try to keep him growling, making faster passes, you bounce quicker on him. He braces his feet up, hands shifting to squeeze your hips and he starts meeting you for each thrust. He leans up, lapping and sucking at your breasts again. You can feel the build up at the pit of your stomach. You chase it, moving faster, grinding your hips on the down for stimulation on your clit.

“Baby, shit. I’m getting close, can you, touch me please. Make me come, I want to come, I want to come for you,” you babble out, so near blissing out completely.

He takes hold and surprises you this time, flipping you onto your back without sliding out. He pushes deeper, hitching your left thigh up over his hip and leaning your calf up against his arm. Your eyes start to flutter closed, overwhelmed. “Let me see those pretty eyes of yours. I want to see you when you fall apart and fall over the edge, when you come all over my cock,” he pleads, hips snapping into you.

His hand slips between the two of you, thumb making the up and over loop that he knows drives you over the edge. “Come on baby, just let go. Come for me,” he leans down, whispering into your ear before biting at the lobe.

That sparks everything. You lock eyes with him and cry out, arching your back. Your hands dig into his biceps as you shake, clenching around his dick. It overtakes you like a warm wave. He coaxes you through it, slowing and easing as you come down, nuzzling your neck.

“Damn,” you say, somewhere between a sigh and a whimper, hands making their way up to the nape of his neck. “Holy shit baby.” He’s still shallowly shifts his hips against you. Trying to respect how sensitive you are after you orgasm, but still being wound up himself.

“Your turn, I know how badly you want to come too,” you mutter into his cheek, twirling the damp curls at the base of his head. “I’m ok, take what you need honey, I can’t wait to feel you come inside me.”

“Fuck,” he bites into your shoulder as he speeds up, strokes getting deeper and faster. He hitches your leg up again, this time up over his shoulder. “You felt so good coming around my dick, baby. I’m not far off, you have me close.”

You skate your right hand down his ribs, grabbing a handful of his ass pushing him closer and he fights back a growl. “No holding back, sweetie. Feel it all. Just come. Let me feel you coming deep inside me. I know you want to.”

A few more stuttered thrusts and he’s grinding his hips as he tips his head, groaning your name deep and loud as he comes. He eases your leg down and leans fully down onto you, his head finding that spot he loves so much where your neck and shoulder meet. You feel his warm breath coming back down to normal, while your fingertips map the muscles of his shoulders and back.

“This was so much better than I even imagined,” he sighs happily, dusting kisses across your collarbone before leaning up onto his forearms to look at you. His smile is easy and soft, content and relaxed. He tucks a stray strand of hair up behind your ear. “I am so lucky to have you, in general, but then to have you like this? That you let me love you this way? I’m grateful. I love you; I love you more than I think I can say. Words aren’t enough. This isn’t even enough. You’re all encompassing. You’re everything you know?”

You get misty and can’t help but lean up to kiss him sweetly.

“Sex so good my little songwriting rockstar is speechless?” you tease with a giggle.

He starts to tickle you, “I’m trying to be sweet and loving here and you have to go be a smart ass.”

“But I’m your smart ass, the smart ass who knows exactly how you’re feeling. The one who loves you just as much. The one who doesn’t want to have anyone else other than you,” you say, cupping his cheek. “I love you Shawn, so much that it’s scary and exciting at the same time. I don’t want to know what it’s like not to love you.”

He turns to kiss your palm before leaning down to kiss you ever so gently, “Come on, let’s go take a dip. Don’t even think about putting that suit on yet. I have more plans for you. I promised my girl a day in the sun and I’m not letting her down.”

TAG LIST: @whenidance​, @justinndavis​, @sinplisticshawn​, @hollandraul​, @fallinallincurls​, @itrocksmysocks​, @rainbowshawn​, @lasingphomustra​, @illumecherry​

#shawn mendes #shawn mendes imagine #shawn mendes fanfic #shawn mendes fanfiction #shawn mendes oneshot #shawn mendes story #shawn mendes smut #shawn mendes fluff #shawn mendes blurb

[fic-for-fic-sake]

Stupid Cupid

Pairing: Steve x reader 

Description: Just a short little drabble for Valentine’s day, yes the title is inspired by that song from The Princess Diaries. 

Cupid, or Eros as you knew him, was really a jerk. You’re a demigod, daughter of Apollo, and you had insisted that you were better at archery than the god of love. It was in your blood after all, er- Ichor. Anyway, you boasted your skills and challenged Eros to a friendly competition, but being the spoil sport he is, and gods being gods, he decided not to show up, which was fine by you. 

You were hanging around the Avengers compound about a week after the competition having purged all thoughts of it from your mind. You were reading a book in your room when you felt the telltale sting of an arrow in your forearm. 

“What the hell?” You questioned, looking up from your book only to find a red shimmering arrow protruding from your left arm with a note attached to it. ‘We’ll see who’s the better shot now...have fun.’ Eros. Damnit, you knew it was a love arrow. Unsure of whether or not there would be any wild boars around for you to fall madly in love with you grabbed a scarf from your dresser and tied it over your eyes. You knew most of your fellow Avengers were out of the facility today but you weren’t taking any risks. 

You were okay for the first hour, you listened to your favorite podcast, Lore, and found yourself forgetting you had the blindfold on altogether. The trouble only started when you could feel yourself getting hungry. You internally cursed yourself as you exited your room and felt your way towards the kitchen. You couldn’t hear any noise so you figured you were in the clear. 

Hesitantly, you lifted up your blindfold to make yourself a sandwich, not risking slicing your hand open on an avocado. It would be fine, in and out in ten minutes tops. If someone came in you could just slip on the scarf and no harm would be done. 

Rummaging around in the fridge and humming to yourself you missed the soft footsteps of Steve Rogers as he came into the kitchen from the gym. Instead of making his presence known he just enjoyed watching you by yourself, he thought it was funny how you acted when no one else was around. 

Meanwhile you continued humming as you piled your arms high with ingredients, so much so that you couldn’t see over the plastic tubs of food. Closing the fridge with your foot you placed everything down on the counter and cursed yourself as your precariously placed stack fell. Before you could even think about picking it up your eyes landed on the super soldier in front of you. Shit. Your heart started hammering so hard in your chest you thought it would pop right out and your mouth went dry. You could feel heat rising up to your cheeks and a thousand butterflies flap in your stomach. 

“H-hi Steve.” Your words caught in your mouth, positively tongue tied over him. Had he always been this gorgeous? Beautiful sandy blond hair that sparkled thanks to the natural lighting of the floor to ceiling windows. Sparkling blue eyes that looked just like the Mediterranean during the peak of a summer afternoon. Beautifully sculpted arms that you longed to throw yourself into, he was heaven. 

“Hi yourself.” He teased back, amused by your change in demeanor. “Whatcha makin?” 

“Um, just, just some lunch.” You breathed back, toying with a stray strand of hair, pulling it around and around your finger as you fluttered your eyelashes at him. God, he was really something else wasn’t he? “Do you want some?” You questioned eagerly, desperate to keep him with you. 

“Yeah sure, I’ll have whatever you’re having.” He smiled, wondering what had gotten into you. You were never this flirty with him, not that he minded. It was funny to see such a different side of you, you were usually more witty with him, spewing biting retorts like it was your job. 

“Okay.” You giggled as you started preparing his lunch too. Your teeth sank into your bottom lip in 30% concentration but 70% because you thought it looked hot and would impress Steve. When you were done you walked around the island to his side of the counter and put his plate in front of him. As you passed behind him to take the seat next to him you trailed your index finger along his shoulder blades in what you hoped was a suggestive gesture. “Hope you enjoy.” 

Steve almost choked on his lunch he couldn’t believe how forward you were being. He could feel his face turn as red as his shield. He reached out and placed his palm on your forehead, checking your temperature. “Are you feeling okay?” 

You leaned into his palm, loving the feel of his skin on yours. “Mhm, just fine Stevie.” You assured him with big puppy dog eyes. He tried to pull his hand away from you but you protested and grabbed for his hand, lacing his fingers with your own. Much better. Suddenly you didn’t care about your lunch, you just cared about Steve, only Steve. You paid no mind to your growling stomach or full plate, you just moved your chair closer to his and rested your head on his broad shoulder as you kept your hand entwined with his. 

“You’re not gonna eat anything? I thought you were hungry.” Steve commented, looking down at you resting on his shoulder, feeling equal parts of adoration and confusion. 

“Nope.” You said, popping the ‘p’, “I just wanna be with you, as long as you’ll let me.” You said dreamily. You took your other hand and dragged it up and down Steve’s arm, appreciating the muscle definition. “Has anyone ever told you that you have the best arms?” You questioned, using the opportunity to wrap his arm around your shoulder and nuzzle your head into his side. 

“N-no.” He replied, choking slightly on his food. Seriously, what was happening with you? Sure he had flirted with you but he never thought that you got the hint, maybe he had been wrong. 

You spent the rest of the day with Steve acting like a deranged schoolgirl in love. You hardly ate or drank anything unless Steve absolutely insisted. 

“Doll, you haven’t eaten all day, I’m worried.” He would say, nervousness lacing his words. 

“Hm, doll,” you began, rolling your mouth over the ‘o’ and sticking your tongue out to accentuate the ‘l’, “I like it when you call me that. Makes me feel special.” You said, looking at Steve as if he hung the moon and stars, which, he totally did. 

Later that night when he tried to leave you to go sleep in his own room you practically threw a tantrum. 

“Where are you going?” You whined, pulling his arm so that he would stay in your room, with you. 

“Doll, I’m going to sleep, I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“Don’t leave me Stevie, please?” You questioned, wrapping your arms around his thick neck muscles and lacing your hands behind his head, trying to make yourself as irresistible as possible. 

“Are you sure? You wouldn’t feel more comfortable here by yourself?” Steve asked, a slight blush working its way onto his facial features. He didn’t want to push you to do anything you didn’t want to. 

“I won’t make a move, scouts honor.” You promised, holding your hand in a mock boy scout gesture, “I just wanna be with you, just hold me.” The way you said it, the sheer innocence in your voice made him weak in the knees. He had wanted to do just that for so long so how could he say no? He followed you into bed and let you adjust so that you were using his chest as a pillow. “G’night Stevie.” You yawned into his shirt. 

“Goodnight sweetheart.” Steve replied, placing a soft kiss to the crown of your head and watching as your eyelids fluttered shut and you drifted off into a peaceful sleep. 

The next morning you woke up from a wonderful sleep, the best sleep you had in awhile. You tried to turn on your other side but there was something slung across your stomach holding you down. The more you woke up the more you felt the presence. It was behind you as well, radiating a comforting warmth. You almost fell back asleep until you felt a gentle breath fan across your head, what the hell? Waking up fully now you realized that there was another person in bed with you. Fuck. 

Yesterday came back to you in a sobering tidal wave of memories. The arrow, seeing Steve, spending all day with Steve, acting like a complete idiot around Steve, asking Steve to spend the night. Shit. Tentatively you tried to move yourself out of the soldiers grasp but he shifted under your touch, pulling you back against his warmth. 

“Don’t go, not yet.” He said, voice rough in the early morning hours. Oh. Even though the love spell had worn off that was still incredibly attractive. 

“Bathroom.” You whispered out to him, hoping he would let you go for that. Luckily, you were right. You quickly darted out from under Steve’s arm and went to the bathroom, gingerly shutting the door behind you. 

You splashed water on your face and were about to go back outside and deal with the man in your bed when something caught your eye. A piece of golden paper pinned to the wall with an arrow through it. 

Hope you enjoyed my arrow, next time you challenge me it’ll be longer than 24 hours. P.S. The arrow doesn’t make something out of nothing, it amplifies feelings that are already there. Have fun with the soldier cuz.

#steve x reader #steve rogers x reader #valentines day drabble #valentines day fanfic #reader insert #mcu fanfic #cupid arrow

[ghostbloggerghost]

How many pizza boys does it take to change a light bulb?

There is no punchline, it’s just what I did this week

12/15/2020

It’s been a rather intense month, so I’m a little sad to say I don’t have a ton to report this week. Which I guess could be okay depending on your perspective. We return to your regularly scheduled pizza boy mishaps and Henry sightings! After everything that’s been happening, this week felt slow. Work has been mostly normal, and I brought Old Linda some groceries again. So I guess that's the weirdest thing- I got to see the inside of her house. 

We were, of course, social distancing. And it was only because, as I was leaving some stuff on the porch for her, she cracked the door open and asked me if I actually wouldn't mind bringing them into the kitchen and changing a light bulb for her. Old Linda is kind of small, and a little hunched, so I'm sort of betting she would have difficulty on a ladder, or not be able to reach. Her ceilings are pretty high. I said it wouldn't be a problem, but wanted to make sure she was okay and that we could make it as safe as possible for her. She said she set up and wiped down a ladder already, she was going to actually go to the living room. She left some cleaning wipes and things, and asked me to just wipe everything down when I was done. I also offered to put away groceries for her, but she said no- she had to wipe them down first. She told me to just change the bulb and maybe, if I could, put the ladder back out in the shed after.

After waiting a couple minutes for her to get to the living room, I enter, crossing through some sort of long forgotten sitting room into the kitchen. I set the bags on a table in the corner of the room. For the size of the house the kitchen isn't too big. It looks like barely enough space for the table she has wedged into the corner. It feels a bit dated, like it was last re-done in the 70's or so. Wood cabinets, looking like the varnish has worn away in some places. The floor is a tile pattern, though it looks like there are some chips and cracks around the edges. The fridge and stove are a sort of off moss green color, and wood paneling can be seen around the edges of the room, like by the seating area. I momentarily pause, just looking around the kitchen. 

There is grey light coming in through the window over the sink, and I can see a mix of decaying and overgrown plants on the windowsill. I walk over to the sink, washing my hands, and sprinkling some water over the plants, before drying them. I turn to the ladder set up just off center of the room. Glancing around I see the lightbulbs on the counter. Checking to make sure the ladder is steady, I head up. Even with the ladder, I can only just see into the light itself. It was more of a glorified step stool than a ladder, but I'm able to reach the bulb and twist it out. Though not without sending a cascade of dust over the room. I climb back down the ladder, shaking dust from my hair and face. I suppose thanks to my mask I'm not sent into a fit of sneezing, but I still hear a small sneeze behind me. Turning around I spy Henry, crouched under the table, tail lashing, and of course, glaring.

"Hey bud, sorry about the dust- Just gotta put the new bulb in, and I'll be out of your way."

The response to this was of course more glaring, though it did come with another sneeze.

"What?" I hear from down the hall.

"Nothing, sorry Linda, just the cat sneezing. I knocked down some dust."

"Henry, you leave the boy alone. Can't feed you if I can't see my damn hand in front of my face."

"I'll be done in a minute, no worries."

I head back up the ladder with the new bulb, twisting it into place. I pause for a moment making sure it's in right before starting back down the ladder. There is a growl, and suddenly Henry is underfoot. I clumsily stumble from the ladder. Thankfully I caught myself on the table instead of bouncing my head off it.

"Damnit, Henry," I mutter to myself.

I push myself up, dusting myself off again, and glancing around for Henry, but I can see no sign of him now. I feel like I've become rivals with a cat. I'm just not sure if they are trying to kill me or begrudgingly save me. I still have my doubts about Henry being a cat at all, though mysterious vengeance would seemingly describe a fair number of cats. I wipe down everything I can, and wash my hands again. I also double check to make sure the light works. I can see faint snow flurries beginning to drift down outside. I fold up the ladder and yell to Old Linda-

"Linda, you're all set- need anything else before I put away the ladder?"

"There is an envelope on the table for you- watch yourself out there."

"Ah, Thank you. Stay safe Linda- Let me know if you need anything."

I let myself out. Peering into the shed, I set the ladder just inside the door. I glance around at the collection of old gardening tools and weird parts that have made their home in this small, slightly listing shelter. As I make my way back to the road, I spy Henry in the window. I stare back at him for a moment before waving and making my way home.

I did have my EMF reader with me, and had it on in my bag, but I don't think it picked up anything while I was in Old Linda's house. Which is a bit of a bummer, it certainly made enough strange creaking and distant rattling noises to be haunted.

I hope everyone is staying safe throughout the holidays and enjoying themselves as best they can! It’s still a ways off, but remember that virtual holiday party I mentioned? My gf wants me to pick up the decorations for it this week, since I have to leave the house to get groceries anyways. We could probably wait a bit- but it feels like we may be close to going back into full lock down again soon. Better safe than sorry, right? Until next time-

Stay safe- and stay haunted!

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#Ghost Hunters #ghosts #Stay Haunted #haunted #old house #old linda #henry #cats #my writing #writing #fiction #short story #my fiction #ghostblogger as in haunted not as in I write for you #blogger #localcryptids #cryptids #pizza #delivery

[saikostories]

Nanbaka - The Peculiar Guard pt3

“Any pain?”

“No…”

“Can you move your hands?”

“Yes…”

“Your recovery is as quick as always.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

Theodora bowed to the doctor in respect for all he’s done. However it was all the same. Once again she couldn’t feel anything. The numbness was back. Samon had came in the next day and asked about her condition. After some final testing, the doctor let her go. Now out of the hospital gown, she was now wearing just casual attire. An oversized black sleeved shirt, black skinny jeans, and black riding boots. Her hair hadn’t been brushed, causing it to be fluffy at the top and hang a little over her eyes.

To her she felt the most comfiest like this. She wasn’t having to hide herself anymore.

It’s the whole reason why Samon had to come. The Warden wanted to talk to her. She knew all too well. It was actually making her nervous and anxious to go. Theodora prepared herself for the deja vu of ‘you’re fired!’ in big bold letters with a stamp on her head. It was the inevitable to be honest. She just wished it wasn’t this way, or so soon.

“…I’m gonna be fired, huh?” Theodora muttered to Samon, keeping pace with him.

“I… can’t answer that…” Samon said quietly.

“Yep. I’m fired…” Theodora said like it was a confirmed statement.

“Hey, it might not happen.” Samon quickly intervene her negative thinking. “Maybe she will—”

“Samon.” Theodora cut him off, looking at him directly in the eye. “You know as well as anybody that my restrictions were as clear as daylight. No one must find out of my true gender. I must listen to the orders of my Supervisors at all times. My mask shall be worn 24/7, unless my Supervisors themselves take it off. Technically, I’ve broke each one of those rules once or twice already… She has every right to fire me.”

Samon hummed softly, unable to counter her claim. He could only sigh and put his hand on her head and ruffle her hair.

“Have some faith, will ya?” Samon grumbled. “You always tell people to be happy. Take your own damn advice for once, damnit. Even if you’re not in the same building with me, it’s still better having you around than anything else…”

Theodora just stared at Samon for a moment before smiling softly. “Good to know you haven’t changed a bit either…”

“Is that a good or bad thing?” Samon asked, looking almost defended.

“Who’s to say~”

“Oh, so now you go back to normal!”

“Heheh…!”

After some friendly jabs here and there, the two found themselves not too far from the Warden’s office. Samon lead her through the area and right to Head Quarters. Once they got to the room before the Warden’s office, Theodora spotted familiar faces. When she entered the room she noticed how it got really quiet. And she hated it.

Samon noticed this almost instantly. He ushered her forwards to the much dreaded Warden’s office. The Supervisor knocked on the door and waited for his call to be received. Hearing her voice, Samon opened the doors and gestured Theodora forwards. Very reluctantly, Theodora stepped forwards and walked in side until she was standing in front of the Warden’s desk. She held her sharp gaze, dreading the conversation itself.

“Good morning, Nicci. How is your body doing?” Asked the Warden, probably to get her relaxed and calm.

“I’m fine, ma'am…” Softly said Theodora. “The doctor told me I can do normal things besides stay soaking in water. Other than that, I can do whatever…”

“That’s good to hear.” Said the Warden. Her gaze sharpen, as if that was even possible, showing that she was now serious. “…You understand exactly why you’re here, yes?”

“Yes, ma'am…” Theodora nodded.

“Let’s go over it, shall we?” Spoke the Warden as she flipped open a file on her desk. “I gave you strict guidelines for you to follow. You were to do follow the orders of your Supervisors, not enter or access any high ranking areas, behave yourself as a good guard, wear the mask given to you 24/7 unless told so, and you were supposed to hide your gender from any and all inmates. You’ve broken about half of these rules within the few weeks of being here. Am I wrong?”

“No, ma'am…” Theodora said honestly.

“I gave you those rules to follow and yet you broke them.” Spoke the Warden with a bit of a growl at the end. “I would’ve just let this go, but in the end your identity as a female was revealed, especially to the inmates. That was our number one guideline that you had to follow. I understand that it was because of those burns and cuts, but you still got found out…”

Theodora kept her head down, her lips pressed tightly together, as she couldn’t deny the woman.

“I know it may seem unfair to you, but you must understand my position.” Stated the Warden. “Not only is it my job to keep this prison safe and running, but I can’t allow a woman working here as a guard. Maybe I can put you into a different job section, like the malls or even the lab research. But… I can’t allow you to be a guard anymore…”

“…!” Theodora’s body was very tense as her face contorted in pain, trying not to cry.

“Miss Warden, please, are you sure there’s nothing we can do?!” Samon suddenly exclaimed, shocking both women. “Theodora is a great kid. She works hard, she gets along with her coworkers, and the inmates even enjoy her. Hell, that chief at Building 13 had been asking about her yesterday in concern at the feast! You can’t fire her!”

“Are you saying that with assertion, or are you saying that because your emotions?” Asked the Warden, her hard gaze causing Samon to falter for a moment.

“E-everyone knows how she’s beneficial…” Samon said and was now standing next to Theodora. “She was able to stop No.15 from going berserk. If Hajime hadn’t beaten that kid half to death, Theodora would’ve gotten the kid to calm down and stop his rampage! We shouldn’t let her go just because of her gender!”

“So you want to have her stay and put her at a risk instead?” Harshly spoke the Warden before Samon could say anything else. He stopped, flinching at her tone. “There is a reason why we have Nanba, then the Nanba Women’s Prison. We cannot risk Theodora to be a guard here as a woman because any of the prisoners might lash out and assault her. I will not allow her to be placed on the line like that, and I know you wouldn’t want that either. This is a prison, not a playhouse. Theodora will pack her things and will be taken back to America.”

“T-then at least—”

“Samon, stop.” Theodora interrupted him, stopping him from causing more trouble. “You know better than anyone to question the Warden’s actions. She’s made her decision…”

“But where will you go?!” Samon asked her, his voice rising in anger. “You said it yourself that you don’t have anywhere else to go!”

“Samon,” Theodora grabbed both of his shoulders and forced him to look her in the eye. She smiled at him and spoke calmly. “Calm down… It’s sweet of you to try and allow me to stay, but we have to listen to the Warden. Her word is practically law here. I’m grateful for all of the wonderful things you’ve done for me, as well as everybody here. So, thank you for everything, and please just listen to the Warden…”

Samon stared at her for a moment, clearly hurt by this. His eyes darted all over her face, trying to find some sort of sign that she was just joking. But, as Theodora is in these situations, it’s clear she wasn’t. He could only tilt his head down, trying not to look at her again. Theodora could only try to stay together before turning to the Warden and bowed to her in thanks and respect.

“Thank you for everything, ma'am…” Theodora said calmly, still holding a smile on her face. “I am grateful for the risk you took with me and allowed me to be here. Just… may I ask one thing?”

“What is it?” Momoko raised a brow at her as Theodora stood up straight.

“It’s about… Inmates No.15 and No.634…” Theodora said softly. “After the interrogations once everything is clear up, please just… take care of them.”

“What do you mean?” Asked the Warden, her eyebrows raising slightly in surprise.

“This is just what I understand from their conversations…” Theodora said. “So, I may be wrong, or possibly right. But, from how I heard it, it’s clear that those two know each other. Musashi, No.634, provoked Jyugo, No.15, in order to gain some sort of information. He wanted Jyugo to go into a rage and reveal himself as a 'monster’ to everyone. I don’t know why he did that… Why he so strongly focused on Jyugo. But, from what I heard through bits and pieces, the main reason is for those shackles on Jyugo’s neck, wrists, and ankles. I think… I think that’s how Jyugo’s body could morph into blades…”

“The shackles, hm…?” The Warden leaned towards her and rested her lips against her hands. “Tell me, what else do you believe that happened?”

“Well…” Theodora thought for a moment. “Jyugo is kind of tricky to read, but it’s not hard for him to get along with someone. But… I never thought he had the capability to attack somebody. Clearly I heard Musashi spoke to him, and… Apparently, Jyugo took out Musashi’s eyes with those blades. This was in the past when they were cellmates, though… There’s that bit of a motive, but… I think he’s more or less after Jyugo’s shackles. I don’t know why, but, he wants them… Thing is, I don’t think it’s for good. Sorry I can’t be of much use…”

“I see…” Muttered the Warden. “Thank you for sharing that with me. Is there anything else you would like to say?”

“…Well, I never really did ask what I wanted…” Theodora looked her dead in the eye. “Please allow me to talk with the inmates of Cell 13 before I go. I want to make sure they’re alright… They have a right to know about my situation…”

“Why would you ask for that of all things?” Questioned the Warden. Even Samon looked curious.

“Those guys don’t trust just anybody, you know.” Theodora said as if it was obvious. “I know they have questions, and I know they’ll want answers… If you just kick me out of here without telling them a single thing, you’ll never gain their trust ever again. They can help Jyugo with his problems—I know they can. He’s just this troubled kid with this fucked up ability that we don’t even know anything about. But, if you lose their trust, they won’t ever tell a soul about the information they know. There’s a reason why they’re in Building 13… And I know they trust me… But I need your own trust, Ms. Hyakushiki, to talk to them and explain everything to them… They need trust, and I can provide it…”

The Warden held her gaze, silence taking over the room. Theodora was dead serious about it. It was clear from the expression she held. Samon could only stare at her in surprise at her sudden change in demeanor. 'Her eyes… They’ve got sparks in them again… Did she already bond with those guys so soon?’

"You do realize the risk of what you’re asking for, right?” The Warden asked her.

“Those boys wouldn’t dare lay a finger on me.” Theodora stated, as if offended by what the Warden was getting at. “Plus, they know quite well that I can knock them out in a matter of seconds if I have to. Yes, they’ve done some fucked up things in the past, but they’re still human. They’re good kids. But of course, officers like yourself find that hard to believe, am I right…?”

“Theodora, don’t anger the Warden…!” Samon hissed at her.

The Warden and Theodora had their eyes locked onto each other, neither of them faltering. After a long staring contest between the two, the Warden sighed loudly.

“…Fine.” She said. “But if anything happens, you’ll be responsible for it. But that won’t change the fact that you have to leave by the end of today.”

“I understand, ma'am.” Theodora nodded before bowing to her. “Thank you!”

“That’ll be all…” Muttered the Warden before spinning around in her chair so the back was facing them. “You’re officially fired from here on out, Theodora Nicci.”

“…Yes, ma'am.” Theodora said softly.

The Silverette turned around on the heels of her feet and rushed out of the room. Once she was out of the Warden’s office she paid no attention to the Supervisors in the room. She ran out of the room, wanting to get to Building 13 as soon as possible. The Supervisors in the room could only sigh, believing she was in an emotional state and ran off. When Samon exited the Warden’s office, they went to him for questions.

“It appears that she took the news harshly…” Muttered Kiji. “To be frank, I don’t blame her in the slightest…”

“Yeah, but it’s a little sad don’t chya think?” Mitsuru spoke up in his usually loud voice. “She looked forward to this job, but she ended up getting fired for being a woman. I just find that unfair.”

“What the hell are you guys talking about?” Samon inquired, looking almost insulted at their words. “Theodora understands perfectly well for why she was fired. Hell, she was prepared for it and had to calm me down. Plus, she was fired for breaking her guidelines and for becoming found out. You make it sound like she’s a fragile human being who just lost her mom.”

“But why did she run out of the room like she did?” Asked Kenshirou.

“She’s going back to Building 13 and talking with the inmates in Cell 13.” Samon stated with a sigh. “She convinced the Warden to let her talk to them. She wants to let them know of her circumstances and let them know about why it has to be this way. I can tell she’s doing it because she doesn’t want them to feel like she betrayed them or something… She’s always been like that…”

“So she’s not upset about being fired?” Asked Kiji, looking clearly surprised.

“Of course she’s upset.” Hajime spoke up, causing everyone to look at him. “She wanted nothing more than this job. Even I can see that. If she had a choice, she would probably stay here forever. She just trust those brats so damn much that she wants to give them a proper farewell, right?”

“Basically. And the fact that she has nowhere to go. She can’t get a job because she was an inmate… This was her lifeline.” Samon muttered. He couldn’t lie he was worried. Sure she could go back to her mothers but could she stay there forever? Knowing Theodora Samon had no doubt that her pride wouldn’t let her.

“ the poor girl…” Kiji spoke up, with an equally worried look.

“Talking about Theodora… she really hates your guts you know Hajime.” Samon said bitterly.

"What? Why?” Hajime looked at him, almost as if he was surprised.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'WHY’?!” Samon shouted at him. “YOU BEAT NO.15 RIGHT OUT OF HER HANDS WHEN SHE CLEARLY HAD HIM UNDER CONTROL! IF SHE DIDN’T SCREAM AT YOU TO GET OFF OF HIM THEN YOU PROBABLY WOULD’VE KILLED THE KID! SHE’S FUCKING PISSED, BUT DOESN’T SHOW IT!”

Hajime felt his eye twitched, knowing quite well that he was going to get lectured like a child. “I didn’t hit him that hard… I only used my fists…”

“Yeah well you could have used a rebound club”

‘Oh brother…’ Hajime thought. How he was going to fix this he really didn’t know.

***

'Cell 13, Cell 13…’

Theodora was running all over the halls.

As soon as she got off of the monorails she ran through Building 13. She didn’t want to waste another minute of not being able to talk to the guys. She strongly felt that they deserved to know everything that’s happened. They did see she was a woman after all. It only made sense to her. So, she proceeded running.

Weaving through the halls, she eventually made it to their cell. She was breathing softly through her mouth, trying to catch her breath as she stared at the sign. Cell 13. She could sense sudden nervousness in her stomach, but she knew this was right. Taking a step forwards, she knocked on the door and made sure her face could be seen through the bars.

“What? If it’s Hajime then forge—” Uno stood up, only to abruptly stop at the sight of a woman standing at the bars.

“What is it?” Rock asked, causing him and Nico to look over and repeat the same actions as Uno.

“Ahem… Um…” Theodora found herself picking at her helm of her shirt sleeves. “…Hey, guys… It’s Theo… Could I come in…?”

“Y-y-yeah, s-s-sure, totally!” Exclaimed Uno as his face turned beat red.

Theodora looked down the halls and made sure nobody was there. She then opened the door, since she had the keys still in her pockets, and entered the cell quickly. She closed it behind herself, not wanting to raise an alarm to Seitarou or Yamato. She backed away from the door before facing the group. They all just stared at her as if she was an alien species. It honestly didn’t make her feel any better and gave her deja vu moments…

“Can we… sit down and talk…?” She asked.

Not even a second later did they accept. She had been startled by their sudden response, but had calmed down quickly. Knowing she was restricted onto a time limit, she wanted to make sure she answered any and all of their questions. They all sat at a table. The three boys sat on one side while she sat on the other, facing them as an uncomfortable silence took over. Theodora knew they weren’t used to woman but this was on a whole new level of awkwardness…

“Soooo…” Rock spoke up, but trailed off as soon as he did so.

“You’re a…” Uno trailed off, his eyes darting everywhere but her.

“…A girl, right?” Nico finished the sentence.

“Yes, I am…” Theodora answered.

“It’s so weird to see you like this when we thought you were male…” Rock said honestly, scratching the back of his head. It actually caused her to smile slightly.

“I get that a lot…” She replied.

“So, we’re you here?” Nico asked, smiling as brightly as ever. “Did you take time off or something?”

Theodora’s face darkened and she frowned. “About that… I came here because… Because you all deserve answers. And, I have to do that now because I got fired from my job…”

“What?” Rock questioned, his eyes shooting wide open.

“Wait, you got fired?” Uno questioned, looking very shocked and possibly enraged.

“Let me explain, okay…?” She said softly, which appeared to calm everyone’s nerves. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. “As you all know, I have a criminal record. I first became an inmate at age 12 and at age 14 I had gotten thrown in Nanba Prison. I was released after 4 years and have been scouring for jobs ever since. You can’t gain money without work, after all. But, as all businesses would have it, they wanted nothing to do with me. Eventually I got a few jobs and began making money, but… it wasn’t enough. I became desperate, so I sent a request specifically to the Warden.”

“A request?” Questioned Nico.

“Yeah, for a job here…” Theodora said and continued. “She read my request and my resume and brought me here. After a lot of talking, she eventually gave me the job. But, on very strict conditions. I had to wear that black mask unless the Supervisors took it off of me, since the mask would only react to their finger prints. If the mask was harmed in the slightest, as if I were to try and take it off, the hooks around my ears would pierce right through my ears as punishment. I was restricted into high ranking areas and I couldn’t go anywhere without the Supervisor knowing. On top of it all, I had to disguise myself as a man instead of a woman if I wanted to become a guard here…”

“But, why go through so many lengths to be a guard of all things?” Rock asked.

“I was desperate…” Theodora admitted. “After I got out of prison I had been living with my family until I figured out what to do with myself. I was giving online classes to finish my education because I was thrown into prison for so long… I tried looking for jobs so I could live on my own, but everyone turned me down. Nobody wanted to associate themselves with a criminal. That’s just how the world goes…”

“But why did you dress up as a male guard?” Nico asked. “Couldn’t you have stayed as a woman, though?”

“Absolutely not.” Theodora shook her head at him. “If any of the male inmates found out, I would have been in major trouble. You have to understand, hardly any of these inmates have seen a woman for years. To have one in the prison as a guard, a person who interacts with them everyday, they wouldn’t hesitate to go after me… Whether it be for sexual or violent purposes, it was just too risky… So, the Warden instructed me to be a male inmate.”

“Hold on just a second!” Uno exclaimed, looking very puzzled. “You said you were an inmate in Nanba Prison for four years, right? How the hell did you stay as a prisoner if you were a woman this entire time?”

“Well, the guards didn’t even know I was a woman at first…” Theodora said and scratched the side of her cheek in an embarrassed manner. “Because of my body structure at the time, they just assumed I was male. They had no idea I was female until I was requested for a physical examine by the doctor a week after I was put there. That was when they found out…”

“How the hell did they mistake a woman for a man?” Rock asked, almost looking pissed.

“Well…” Theodora stared at her lap and uncomfortably shifted in place. “…I crossdressed as one all the time. I… even took a few hormone pills to try and change my gender…”

“Wait… What.” Uno murmured.

The three could only stare at her in bewilderment. Theodora sighed, not really wanting to explain that part of her history, but knew that she had to. 'I’m already this deep into it, so what the hell.’

“Ever since I was born… I was different.” Theodora stated. “Being diagnosed with HSAN and all, it was hard. Pills were a regular thing at home, and nobody really liked me. It’s ironic how so many people in prisons enjoy me, but never the outside world, eh? Hehe… Kind of pathetic. Anyway, getting back on track, remember that dark point I kept telling you guys about? How I kept mentioning it?”

The three nodded their heads in unison.

“Well… Part of that dark point was that I never liked myself…” Theodora admitted in a heavy manner. “I had a lot of mental and emotional pain, unable to make friends and had to rely on my family… But my family wasn’t enough… I began sneaking out of the house frequently and did some bad things… One of them involved me taking so hormone pills off of the street. I always had this grudge against myself for being a female I always hated the restrictions girls had compared to men. So, the more older and I got, the more of a man I wanted to be. If I could take back those moments, take back the pills and the running away, I would…”

“Why? What happened?” Nico asked innocently.

“I was an idiotic fool for trusting pills off of the street.” Theodora stated bluntly, clearly annoyed with herself as she told the story. “I was so stuck on wanting to be a man that I ended up fucking myself over. I followed a man I shouldn’t have. Theft, GBH, all of that I did because I was angry. People were living a life I wanted but couldn’t have. As strange as it sounds, I’m grateful for being thrown into Nanba Prison… They got me help when everybody thought I was hopeless in saving. The Doctor here helped give me the proper pills to regain my femininity and help me out of that dark state I was constantly in. Samon, the Supervisor of Building 5, was a big help in that, and I’m forever grateful for him… All the guards kept my gender a secret to everybody else, and hardly any inmates knew. Those who did kept quiet for my safety.”

“Wow, never thought prison guards could be so civil…” Grumbled Uno.

“Not all of them are bad…” Theodora smiled at him. “It’s just how you hold your perspective to them… But, I’m not hear the lecture about that… Anymore questions you guys have?”

“I do! I do!” Nico said and raised his hand in the air. “How come you’re so strong?”

“That's… honestly something we don’t know…” Theodora admitted. “I’m just freakishly strong. In the end my family and doctors just believed it was because of my inability to feel pain, causing myself to not really know how to control my anger. But, my father knew how to teach me, so he did his best to teach me how to hold back and all.”

“Alright, now I’ve got a question.” Uno spoke up and pointed at her. “Is your name really Theo? I mean, being a girl and all…"

“Yep.” Theodora nodded her head. “My name is actually TheodorA. But my last name was kept since I didn’t want to change it. Plus, if there was prisoners still here that knew me, I wanted them to realize it was me, just like I had with Shiro!.”

“Huh. So it’s easier to remember since there’s practically no change… That’s boring! You could have gone with something so cool! Like Roberto or Something.” Muttered Uno.

“And Uno’s any better?” Theodora raised a brow at him while smiling in amusement.

“S-shut up…!” Uno stuttered as his face immediately grew red.

“I like Theodora better than Theo.” Nico said and smiled at her. “It sounds nice! By the way, how many siblings do you have?”

“Three. I’m the oldest.” Theodora answered. “Two brothers, both twins, and one sister. They still live with my family.”

“If I do my math right… Does that mean you’re 20?” Uno asked.

“Yep. Almost 21” Theodora nodded.

“You’re older than me…!” Exclaimed Uno, somehow looking heartbroken and shocked.

“Of course I’m older than you. Technically, I’m not legally to be allowed to become a guard…” Theodora said softly. “You have to be at least 21, but the Warden let that slide. I’m actually surprised she didn’t use that against me, too…”

“Wait, if you’re leaving today that means…” Rock looked down at the table in a sad manner. “You can’t even say goodbye to Jyugo…”

The light atmosphere quickly became heavy. Everyone was looking down now, clearly feeling the heaviness of concern for Jyugo. Theodora was as stiff as ever, clearly upset by that fact. He was right. She couldn’t even say goodbye to Jyugo…

“Do you… Do you know if he’s alright…?” Uno asked her after gulping down the lump in his throat.

“…I wish I did…” Theodora replied softly, her eyes becoming hollow again. “Being the rank that I am, or… was… I have no authorization in knowing. All I really know is that he’s in critical condition and being kept in the underground cells… But, of course, no visitors are allowed… Not even I can get down there…”

“So, there’s nothing we can do for him, huh…?” Nico asked quietly.

“No… No, there is…” Theodora said firmly and gazed up at the three. “My deadline is today. I have to collect my belongings and go back to America. But, you three will be here for him. I need you to do me this big favor. Jyugo may or may not come back to Cell 13 because of the actions he had taken at the Tournament. Either way, I know you guys can get through to him. He’s not some monster that we have to hide from. He’s just a troubled kid who needs all the help he can get… And I know you three are the help he deserves… Can I trust you? To watch out for him, and keep him in line from using those weapons like he did?…”

“Do you even need to ask that?” Uno said and began smirking. “We know Jyugo better than anybody. Yeah, even we don’t know much about him, but like you said. He’s just a snot-nosed, bratty kid who needs all the help he can get. You just leave him to us, 'kay?”

Theodora stared at him for a moment before smiling at him. 'I knew I can rely on you guys… I know you can help him. I just know it…’

“But… do you really have to go…?” Nico asked softly, still looking upset.

“Yes, I do…” Theodora said and smiled sadly at the table. “The Warden’s words are basically law here. My deadline is the end of today. But, I know I need to be quicker than that. I… really should get going… before anybody else gets in trouble…”

“Grrr…” Uno fumed in his seat before slamming his fist on the table. “It’s not fair! If anybody should be fired it should be that damn demon Hajime! Why does it gotta be you…!? If anything you were the only one saving Jyugo’s ass! What the hell!”

“I know…” Theodora said, her tone cold and dark. This caused the boys to be silent and listen. “I know it’s unfair. I want nothing more than to stay here. I want to joke around, tell deep stories, rile the Supervisors up into fighting with me and just goofing around. But… that’s not how it is…”

“Aren’t you mad, though?” Rock asked her.

“Of course I am…!” She said shakily. “I’m sad that I have to leave… I’m sad I can’t tell Jyugo the things he should hear and hopefully make him understand… I’m angry at the Warden for not letting me stay because I am a woman. I’m angry that people don’t understand that many people here are just misunderstood and need help. But… most of all…” Her voice got deeper as her fist were tightly clenched, actually straining the bandages on her hands. “…I’m pissed at Hajime Sugoroku for practically putting Jyugo on his deathbed… Heartless bastard…”

Theodora practically sat there, fuming in her seat as her own body was shaking with rage. It actually caused the three before her to break out into a nervous sweat. But, they all could empathize with her, knowing exactly how she feels in different amounts. Just as fast as she had gotten angry, Theodora took a deep breath and calmed herself down. She relaxed and looked at the three with a hollow gaze.

“…I have to get going…” She said softly. “My ride to America is a long one… I have to contact my family and all. I’m sorry I couldn’t talk more to you all. None of you deserve this shit…”

“It’s not your fault.” Rock said calmly. “As harsh as it is, we understand where you’re coming from.”

“Yeah, thanks for visiting us!” Nico said cheerfully. “We’re really glad that you got to tell us your story!”

“And… Could you try and visit us sometime…?” Uno requested in almost a quiet manner. “We ain’t leavin’ this place anytime soon, so… yeah…”

“I wouldn’t mind visiting…” Theodora smiled warmly at them. She stood up slowly and bowed to them. “I thank you for listening.” She straightened. “…I put all of my faith in you. Tell Jyugo I’m sorry I couldn’t talk to him properly before going… I wanted to speak to him one more time before going…”

“Yeah, we’ll tell him…” Uno nodded to her.

“Thank you…” She said softly and turned towards the door. She stopped and looked at them again. “Just remember this for me, okay? Nobody’s born evil; it’s all in the perspective of the person who sees what’s wrong or right. Everybody deserves a second chance… Even a bunch of hopeless misfits like us. You all take care, okay?”

“You take care yourself.” Uno said and waved to her.

“Hit the best restaurant for me.” Rock said and waved.

“Bye-bye, Theodora!” Nico exclaimed and waved frantically.

Theodora giggled at them and waved lightly. “Goodbye…”

Opening the door, she stepped out of the cell and closed it behind her. She walked a few paces away before slapping her hands over her mouth, stopping to lean against the wall. Tears overflowed again and ran down her face and through her hands. She tried hard to stop it, or to at least muffle any type of sound from coming out. She had no idea why such an amount of tears were flowing from her eyes so quickly in such large amounts.

She just didn’t understand…

…But at the same time, she did.

***

“Here, this was all I could find…”

“Thank you, Seitarou.”

“Do you need help carrying anything?”

“Thank you, but no thank you, Yamato.”

The two men could only watch as Theodora packed a very small cardboard box. It was mostly of clothes, but there was a few items like photos or even a pin. She even packed the mask she was restricted in for memory purposes. She made sure to be constantly aware of it and keep it hidden from others just for safety precautions. She placed the last item in before putting the lid over the box. She turned to the two men and bowed to them in respect.

“Thank you again for everything. I am grateful for your compassion.” She said.

“There’s no need for that!” Seitarou said and had her straighten up. “We were just doing our jobs and being ourselves, after all. Even if you acted as a guy, you were still yourself through and through. It was nice having you around…”

“Mm…” Theodora averted her eyes for a moment, trying not to be sad anymore.

“You could always have a different job here, you know.” Yamato informed her. “I’m sure if you talked with the Warden she would allow for your stay!”

“It’s a nice thought, but I highly doubt it.” Theodora said softly. “I’d just be trouble and to be honest I want to be able to talk to the inmates, the guards… I don’t want to go back to being a lab rat. Even if I’m the one doing the testing.”

“You never told us what happened to land you in jail in the first place… you were only twelve weren’t you?” Seitarou asked. Theodora smiled weakly and nodded.

“Maybe you could visit sometime?” Seitarou suggested. “I’m sure plenty of inmates and guards wouldn’t mind that.”

“True…” Theodora nodded and smiled. 'But it would cost me a fortune to travel to Japan…’

“Are you sure you’re going to be alright?” Yamato asked her in clear concern. “We could always give you some money on hand if you need it.”

“No, no! I couldn’t!” Theodora rapidly waved her hands and shook her head. “Please, don’t! Keep your money and save it. I’m covered from the paycheck from this week. I’ll get by…”

“Take care, okay?” Seitarou said. “I’m sure you’ll find a job soon. With your personality and determination, anybody’s bound to hire you!”

'You forget the fact of my criminal record…’ Thought Theodora silently.

“Train hard! You’ll need those muscles in top shape to be ready for anything!” Yamato said and began flexing his own arms to emphasize his point.

Theodora let out an honest laugh and smiled at the two. “Thank you, again. I’m seriously grateful for your hospitality here…”

“You’re always welcomed to visit.” Seitarou said before leaning in and whispering to her. “Even though it’s against protocol, I’ll let you in and visit the inmates in their cells if you want.”

“S-seriously…?” She looked at him in shock. “You would really do that…?”

“Of course! You may have been an inmate in the past, but you will always be one of us!” Exclaimed Yamato with a cheerful laugh. “Nothing can change that, ha ha ha!”

“Guys…” Theodora covered her face with her hands. “You guys are making me want to cry…!”

“A-ah, please don’t! Did we say something offensive…!?” Seitarou panicked.

“N-no, no!” Theodora sniffled loudly and recollected herself. “I’m just… really thankful, is all…”

“Take care of yourself now!” Yamato said and lifted her box to her. “We’ll be waiting to see you again soon, I hope!”

“I-I’ll try…” Theodora smiled and took the box from him. “I can’t thank you enough…”

“It was nothing, seriously.” Seitarou said and waved his hand. “Have a safe trip back home, okay?”

Theodora nodded curtly to him, still smiling warmly. “Goodbye…”

“Goodbye, Ms. Nicci!” Saluted Yamato.

“Good luck!” Waved Seitarou.

Theodora waved softly at them before turning and exiting into the hall. She closed the door behind her and sighed heavily. It’s just been an emotional two days, that’s for sure. Pushing herself off of the door, she stared at the boxes in her hands and sighed again. It was really hard to let this place go considering she had plenty of good and bad memories here. But, she was grateful for them all.

Taking in a deep breath, she pushed herself off of the door and began walking down the hallway. She stood tall and had her chest slightly puffed out, trying to remain confident and strong. Even though it was a short time being a guard, she was happy for every minute she had of it.

Thinking through the memories, she couldn’t help but giggle at the fun ones. She remembered when coo the Guard Cat had accidentally walked against Seitarou’s leg and scared him so bad he fell out of his chair. Or when Yamato had bursted into the room and demanded group workouts, causing Seitarou and her to run away and hide from him until Hajime came. Or when Jyugo snuck out of his cell again and she witness him draw on Hajime’s sleeping face, but had said nothing and acted like she hadn’t witnessed it.

'It was fun while it lasted…’ She told herself as her smile returned onto her lips. ‘Time to go home.’

***

Days had passed since Theodora had left and gone back to America. Yet for some reason, the mood around the prison hadn’t lifted. Everyone knew that something was missing to the overal aura. There was Jyugo who was still unconscious and held up somewhere and now Theodora was gone. Building 13 cell 13 were quiet and didn’t even try to escape. How could they? It wasn’t fun without jyugo and without Theodora, Hajime was now boring.

Samon had watched her go. He gritted his teeth at the fact that he couldn’t stop her. What the warden had said was final. He had to leave it at that.

Hajime had come back from his three day suspension and had expected to come back to utter hell breaking loose. Yet there was nothing. Not a peep.

“Why is it so dull here…” he groaned with his hat over his face. He didn’t miss the usual escaping from cell 13 but he couldn’t deny he was bored.

“Did you finish all the extra paperwork handed back from the warden?” Seitarou asked. Hajime nodded.

“Did anything happen when I was gone?” Seitarou shook his head no. “Really? Not even one escape?”

“Nope. They just stayed in their cell.”

“Hmm…. what about you Theo?” Hajime turned around and saw the empty chair.

Damn it. He had forgotten that he no longer worked here.

“We got a post card from her.” Seitarou said as he took a small postcard from the desk. “Every building got one. She says she doing okay and that she wishes every one the best.”

“Oh? Where is she now?” Hajime said spinning on his chair and throwing his hat up and catching it.

“She’s back working on the farm. Apparently she’s sleeping in a small apartment of the barn with the horses, so she’s not homeless but it takes a cut out of her wages.” Hajime turned around to look at the voice from the door way.

“What the heck are you doing here?” Hajime asked the newly arrived Kijiwith a groan. He was bored but he really didn’t want the company of a feather-brained pheasant.

“I’m just dropping off some finished paperwork that I had to do because you were off for three days. I think it’s tragic. Working in the heat and with all the heavy machinery. The poor girl’s skin must be suffering…” Hajime growled and turned back to looking at the CCTV again.

“It’s not my problem. I told her not to go-“ Hajime couldn’t finish his sentence since Kiji had hit him on the head hard.

“SHUT YOUR TRAP! YOU CAN’T TALK SINCE YOU PRACTICALLY BEAT THAT INMATE TO DEATH! SHE HAD TO DO WHAT SHE DID OR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN YOU FIRED!” Hajime rubbed his head and groaned at how he was only doing his job. Kiji rolled his eyes and let out a sigh of desperation. “Seriously Hajime… half of the inmates are bored out of their minds because she’s gone. They seemed to have liked her a lot. It’s only a matter of time before they start a mini revolution unless we do SOMETHING. The warden is hearing all of it from the monkey and the dog… she really was useful in keeping inmates calm…”

“So?”

“SO? SO!? WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OF BRINGING HER BACK FOR GOD’S SAKE!”

Hajime groaned again. He couldn’t lie that the inmates were a lot better staying in their cells but he also couldn’t hide the fact that he liked having Theo around. It meant a lot less work for him, and maybe he would feel a lot less guilty.

“If I don’t mind asking? What are you going to do?” Seitarou said softly. Kiji smiled and for some reason, Hajime had a reaaaally bad feeling about this.

***

“Do you really believe this’ll work…?”

“No idea but we’ve at least got to try!”

“You may want to calm those emotions of yours down. They might just ruin our chances of helping her…”

“All we have to do it talk, right? Shouldn���t be too hard.”

“Of course you of all people would say that…”

The four Supervisors of Nanba Prison were making their way to the Warden’s office as fast as possible. They had each tried to convince the warden to bring Theodora back. The inmates weren’t moving from their cells at all. Not even to eat. When the guards did visit them, they were restless. It seems that Theodora had built up a much stronger bond than they had thought in just a small amount of time. It was key that she came back so the prison could go back to normal. As weird as it was for all four to agree on something, especially a human being who was a past inmate, they all can see a type of use for her abilities.

Even though this act might demote them, or even get the fired, they were still determined to do it. Well, mostly Samon. Practically everyone could see his growing fire of wanting to convince the Warden, and everyone knew why. He was an open book, basically.

Knowing Mitsuru was inside of the Warden’s office, the four went right on it without knocking. The entered just in time to see a red-face Warden with her fist up, ready to pulverize Mitsuru, only to stop at the sounds of the doors. The sight of her murderous intent was enough to make all of them shiver. The Warden Momoko stared at them for a moment before dropping Mitsuru onto the ground without a second thought.

“…It’s rather unusual to see you four barging into my office at once.” Calmly spoke the Warden as she sat back down in her chair to recollect herself. “Is something the matter that needs all of you four here…?”

“Yes, ma'am, there is…” Samon dared to spoke up, but it was clear he was nervous.

Mitsuru, now back onto his feet, patted Hajime’s shoulder and snickered loudly. “Good luck, brothaa!”

The dark skinned man walked out of the office cackling, making Hajime want to smash his skull in. Once he disappeared, they all focused their attention onto the Warden.

“It’s about Theodora Nicci.” Spoke Kiji.

“Nicci? Again? I have already made my decision and the answer is no. I am NOT bringing her back.” Momoko’s eye twitched at the name as she raised a brow at them.

“It’s not a question of whether we want her to stay-“ Kenshirou began.

“We need her to stay.” Hajime said interrupting him. Kenshirou growled at Hajime finishing his sentence.

“She doesn’t belong here in Nanba Prison. She’s just a criminal.”

“Please hear us out, Ms Warden, before you make any final decisions.” Kiji spoke up, trying to keep the conversation calm and civil. “We all have our reasons for being here. Please hear us out.”

The Warden stared at them with her sharp gaze before sighing softly. “Fine. Since you seem so intent on making your useless point valid, you may proceed…”

“I’ll go first.” Kenshirou said and stepped forwards. “After much debating, many of us Supervisors have agreed that we think it’s best for Theodora to stay. Looking at her capabilities, flaws and strengths, we all strongly believe that we can benefit from having her around.”

“We all have our own experiences with her, and some aren’t that great,” spoke Kiji. “But, that woman is something special… We all can see that, despite our different opinions about her.”

“If you saw her in action first hand, I can assure you that you would change your mind, ma'am.. though the inmates are supposed to stay in their cells, that is all the do. Some of them don’t even leave to eat or to exercise. They developed a bond with Theodora that made them calm and not feel the need to rebel against us. Now that’s gone, they’ve become restless and agitated and no matter how much force or power we show, nothing’s going to change without Nicci.” Samon spoke up, trying hard to keep his voice calm and not show emotion. "Theodora is…”

“Not supposed to be here.” The Warden stated harshly, shocking the group. “I understand that Nicci has the ability to connect to people. I know that. It’s the whole reason that I allowed her to be a guard in the first place. But, we agreed her gender be kept a secret, and that didn’t even last longer that three weeks. She got found out. And yes, I know it was from the attacks from both inmates No.15 and No.634. Because of that incident, I cannot allow her to stay in this Prison anymore.”

“May we ask why, ma'am?” Kiji asked, wanting to know her reasons.

“It’s pretty obvious why.” Momoko stated bluntly. “She’s a criminal. She was even our past inmate No.7 of Nanba Prison. Not only that, but I gave her strict guidelines for her to follow if she wanted to be a guard. Nicci broke almost all of them. She agreed to it, too. And, as for her to be a female, I cannot allow her to stay as a guard. There are too many risk of her getting injured or assaulted and I will not stand for it! I will not risk her own well being just because she’s 'nice’ to have around… You all are here, acting on your own emotions instead of reason. I will not allow such childish reasons to go against my own…”

“Now hold it right there.” Hajime spoke up, agitation clear in his voice, and shocking everyone by his blunt rudeness. “I was the one in charge of her this entire time. And I can assure you, ma'am, that she didn’t break any of her guidelines. She never touched any official documents, or went into high ranking areas. She always came for my permission to go somewhere, and that would usually either be the bathroom or the cafeteria. For the mask, I’m to blame for that. I took her mask off whenever she was in the office and told her to put it back on if she was to ever leave it. And she can’t be blamed for being born a female. She did her best to stay hidden and did a damn well job of it. I take full blame for her and her actions. I’m already suspended for three days as it is. If it means getting her ass back here and staying, then I’ll willingly will have it longer.”

Momoko stared at Hajime in utter shock. Hajime had always been one to keep his tone in a respectful manner towards the Warden, always to try and never offend her. So for him to go ahead and allow himself to curse right in front of her, talking directly at her, was utterly shocking. She couldn’t help but feel angry and possibly… jealousy?

“She is a criminal.” Momoko stated, clearly trying not to show her anger. “We don’t know if she might turn on us the moment she doesn’t like something. How do we know she won’t turn on us, or even the inmates? She is not to be trusted, and that’s that!” Momoko stood from her seat, glaring at each individual. “Theodora Nicci is fired from being a guard and will never be allowed to visit this island ever again. That is my orders…”

“She has every right to be here just as much as us!”

“She’s a well admesary and is sharply minded. Please, think about this for a moment, your Warden…!”

“That girl will not remain here any longer! That’s final!”

“But we can benefit from having her around! Please think about this properly, madame!”

The four Supervisors were all hotly arguing against the Warden, everyone on their feet and clearly fuming with different emotions. The Warden was staying stubborn and strong, but the four kept throwing facts at her barrier, trying to get through. It was clear that this argument was possibly getting out of hand already…

“Please think about this for one second, ma'am! Please!” Samon said and began listing everything he knew about Theodora. “This kid is amazing, okay? She’s sharp and clever, which is what caused her to be transferred into every building around. She knows how to act the part when given and she can damn well do it properly. Her strength can even rival Hajime’s, and that’s saying something! And what’s even more amazing than that is the fact that she can get anybody to trust her! That’s something hardly any of us can do, especially since we’re the guards!”

“She is a criminal and should have never came here!” Yelled the Warden. “How do you know she won’t turn against us and cause trouble just like she did in the past?!”

“Because I was the one to help her!” Samon exclaimed. “I got her out of that shit hole she was in! I got her back on the right path! Why? Because that was my job, and I care about that kid more than my own life!”

“See? This is what I meant!” Exclaimed the Warden. “Your emotions are all out of whack! None of you can even see straight…”

“We can see perfectly fine, Ms Warden,” Hajime stated as he tried not to growl. “Are you sure you’re not the one with your emotions out of whack? Because you aren’t even listening to what we’re trying to tell you!”

“Nicci is somebody we want as one of our guards…!” Kenshirou spoke up, his tone being a lot calmer than anybody else’s. “That girl has gotten us to crack multiple cases with over half of the inmates when she was in prison herself. She gathered intel all because she knew of the right things to say. If she can do that again, then we mind even be able to figure out this mystery with No.634 and No.25!”

“You want her to go underground?! Where all of the rapists and convicts are?!” Exclaimed the Warden. “She’ll get teared to shreds the moment she steps down there! She only got away with it back then because of those hormone pills she was taking to change her gender! But she’s still a woman! I will not risk her own safety by her staying!”

“Oh, please!” Kiji interjected, clearly being fired up himself. “Did you see how she fought against those two rogue inmates in the tournament? Or even when she fought Samon?! She can handle herself just fine! Hell, we all know she was holding back that entire time! She can do much worse damage if she wanted, and we all know that! Her being a woman is a pathetic excuse for her to not stay here, miss!”

“Plus, she isn’t a criminal anymore!” Samon fired at the Warden. “You said it yourself, she’s a civilian now! Stop calling her a criminal when she has served her sentence two years ago!”

“That still doesn’t wipe her record clean, and I know about her terrifying strength!” Shouted the Warden. “Her HSAN is a problem and we all know it! She got her own body burnt when she fought No.634 and she kept fighting! She almost got killed by No.15 because she 'cares’ about him! I know there’s one thing to care about your inmates, but she makes it sound like they’re her own children! Which they are not! They are criminal who have been put into Nanba Prison for a damn good reason!”

“That’s why so many people trust her!” Hajime exclaimed. “The reason they get so attached to her is because she cares for them! Because she talks and listens to them! Remember the day she left this shity place? Even our worse prisoners were sobbing because she was gone! Hell, even Shiro, the chief from my Building, is glad to have her back in the prison!”

“I don’t care if she makes them feel better! This is a PRISON!” Shouted the Warden. “It’s suppose to be a shithole for everyone around! It’s suppose to teach these scum that this is what happens when you break the law! Not reward them!”

“Do you even realize all of the things that Theodora has done here?!” Samon exclaimed. “Not only did she figure out some cases for us, but she had also stopped people from killing themselves! She stopped a man from committing suicide! And that man was one of my guards! How many people do you know can say that, huh? She has stopped people from creating riots in the buildings! Hell, three of my own inmates that trust me have told me they’re glad to have her back because she had went out of her way to help them when nobody else wanted to! The week she got out of prison, I gained a letter from her, telling me she donated a bunch of her hair and blood. What criminal goes ahead and does that?!”

“We need her as an ally!” Interjected Kenshirou. “There are prisoners we have now that will refuse to talk and give us their full trust. If we have Theodora, she can gain us all of those things, and maybe even more!”

“And what happens if she gets hurt, huh? What happens then?” Growled the Warden. “She is still a woman, and will get targeted by everybody who finds out! You all are saying that you’re doing this for her, well—news flash—so am I! She was the first ever female prisoner to be placed in a prison full of men, and refused to go anywhere else. Everyday she was here I just waited for a report of her being assaulted. I waited for it, dreading it, because in any prison around the world, anything can happen. I will not have her stay here and relive that dreadful wait for a call or report that she was rape. I will not have that!”

“It never happened back then and it won’t happen now!” Samon said. “When it comes to putting her foot down about her body, she’ll break the ground when it comes to it! Even with her working here she has always been surrounded by guards. There was never a time she wasn’t safe with our care. Hell, Mitsuru had been using the cameras to keep an eye on her just for safe keeping! Theodora needs to stay here as a guard!”

“Why? Because of your pathetic excuse for feelings?!” Yelled the Warden. “I don’t care if she made you or others feel great because she 'cared’. We don’t know a single thing about what she’s thinking. For all we know, this entire thing could’ve been an act! She doesn’t care about you or anybody here, and that included everyone here!”

Everyone went quiet. Samon was shaking with rage at how unfair this was. When he received her postcard, he could tell that she was having a hard time. He could see the marks from where she had been crying. If anything she was barely hanging onto life. He need Theodora here. He needed to make sure that she was okay.

“You’re wrong…” Spoke up Samon. Everyone turned to look at him. Even Mitsuru who had just entered seemed surprised at the tone he was taking.

“That’s pretty cold for even you to say, Miss Hyakushiki.” Mitsuru said. “Not, I don’t interact with this kid a lot, but I’ll say for certain that you’re absolutely wrong when it comes to this kid.”

“You don’t know a damn thing about her, Ms Warden. If you did, then you would understand that she cares more about anybody in this damn building compared to anybody else! She cares about everybody here! The guards, the prisoners, the workers— she cares for them all. Her HSAN stops her from physically feeling object and temperature—not her feelings! She knows herself better than anybody here, and sometimes, She just needs a reminder of that. We all do sometimes… I respect you a lot, ma'am, and I know your job is stressful, but don’t you EVER tell me that She doesnt care, because you don’t know shit about her!” Every body stood there speechless. Samon had the most respect for her than any guard. For him to speak so out of turn and so boldly, it was like he was begging for his own death sentence. Samon couldn’t think properly. Theodora had to come back. Where she was, it wasn’t home. She wasn’t happy. She needed Nanba, and Nanba needed her.

“What did you just say?” Growled the Warden as she looked ready to kill.

“You have very good points as well in this argument, and I’m glad that you care enough for her own safety, but you’re just provoking us into giving you a reason to kick us out! You’re not listening to what we have to say! You’re hearing, but you just don’t want to give in and say you’re wrong!“

"He’s got ya there.” Mitsuru smirked and walked more into the room. “Listen, Ms. Hyakushiki. Nobody wants Theodora gone. Hell, she even managed to calm down a raging No.15. Lots of people trust her, and that in itself should be enough to make her stay. Give her another chance.”

“But…!” The Warden looked prepared to fight, but not words came from her mouth.

“This girl is someone you want as one of your guards.” Mitsuru said. “Heck, she even manage to surprise you when she came in here! I doubt there’s ever going to be another time where these four all agree on something without argument, okay? Even I think this is something you should do.”

“All we’re asking is to give Theodora another chance…!” Samon said, sounding very much calmer than before.

Momoko stood there in silence. She looked at each of their faces to see their serious expressions. It was clear that each one of them felt strongly about this decision. With a sigh, Momoko tilted her head down as she felt a smile suddenly pull on her lips.

“I see now…” She said calmly. “Guess I really was just blind with emotions…”

The Warden suddenly turned and went back to her desk. She sat down in her chair and wore a serious expression.

“As much as I don’t want to admit it… I may have been wrong.” Spoke the Warden, which honestly surprised Samon. “Like Mitsuru said, it’s very rare for the four of you to agree on something, much less willingly argue against me about it. That’s rather daring for you all… And, you all gave strong points.”

“So, does that mean…?” Kiji trailed off.

“Theodora Nicci.” The Warden spoke sternly, eyeing all the supervisors sharply. “She has her job back. If she’s so convincing as you five idiots say she is, then I trust that she’ll convince the inmates who saw her as a female to keep quiet about it. I only ask that she keep dressing as a male because there are many prisoners here who won’t hesitate to harm her if they discovered her true gender. She will still have to follow the guidelines I had given her and act like this whole event never happened. She will still be working in Building 13 under Hajime’s orders…”

"Y-yes, ma'am…” Sulked the group.

“As for the rest of you…” The Warden sharply glared at them. “You all get double the usual workload than usual for one week. “Samon you will go to America to get her. I expect her to be back by the end of the month ready to start up again. Think of it as punishment for rudely talking towards your superior as you have and barging in without my consent…”

“Hajime…” The man’s head perked up and stared at the Warden, signalling he was listening. “…You had confidence that she can help inmate No.15. Do you still have that confidence?”

“Yes, ma'am.” Hajime nodded her head. “I strongly believe if she was given a chance that She can convince him of behaving. He trusts her enough for her to get close to him. If She can just talk to him personally, then she can show him that what he did was wrong. I know with a bit of help, she can put him onto the right track. All She needs is time…”

“Hm…” The Warden seemed to ponder for a moment. “…After he wakes up from his coma and is properly interrogated, then she may talk to him again. I’ll count on her and you to make sure that he doesn’t use those blades against anybody, especially his fellow inmates.”

Hajime nodded obediently.

“Now get out of my office.” The Warden ordered and turned her chair to them. “We can’t have the Buildings left unattended forever…”

“Thank you, ma'am!” Everyone exclaimed suddenly, being slightly too loud.

The Warden simply waved her hand, telling them to get out. Once they were out did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“I knew we could do it…!” Samon exclaimed.

“You, Monkey… have a death wish.” Kiji said whilst looking into a small compact mirror.

“I can’t believe you spoke to the warden like that.” Kenshirou muttered with a shocked expression on his face.

“Believe me I was terrified that I would get fired instead…” Samon whined. “I can’t believe it worked though.” His mood instantly picking back up.

“Are you sure you two aren’t cut from the same cloth?” Kiji chuckled, who was smiling at himself through the mirror. “I’m just glad my makeup is still intact. I thought if I frowned any longer I would have become a hot mess…”

You’re always a hot mess.“ Hajime stated bluntly.

"You can never simply be nice, now can you?” Kiji scoffed at him.

“When are you leaving for America?” Kenshirou said in attempt to change the subject.

“Immediately.” Samon said putting a fist in his hand.

***

Working on a farm in Colorado was tough.

There was the heat.

The fields.

The bugs.

Theodora would spend hours plotting and cutting and harvesting. She worked so hard that she started to get blisters on her hands.

Samon had spent a total of three days trying to get there. He had a rough idea of where the farm was thanks to Theodora’s post cards. But he didn’t know how far away it would be from the main town. He pulled up at the bottom of the hill and looked up at the house standing at the top. It was a retro type house, with red and white beams that decked its framework. It looked like a typical American ranch with its white picket fence. As he began to walk up, he looked around himself. The area wasn’t half bad. There was plenty of open spaces and the views were a wonder. The problem was that it was just so hot.

As soon as he reached the top and looked down the driveway he couldn’t see Theodora. Instead his gaze met with another mans. A much shorter and rounder man, in a pair of dungarees and a white vest. With a cigarette in his mouth, he didn’t look like the most friendly man in the world. Yet Samon knew he had to talk to him at some point.

“Excuse me sir?” Samon began as he walked closer to the house and closer to the man who said nothing. “Are you the owner of this farm?”

“Who’s asking?” Samon stopped walking for a bit as he took in the man’s gruff voice.

“My name is Samon Gokuu and I’m looking for Miss Theodora Nicci.”

“Nicci? What the hell do you want with her?” He shouted whilst puffing on his cigarette. “She’s busy.”

“Well do you know where I might find her? I need to talk to her about something quite important.” The man stood there taking in Samon. For once he wasn’t in his usual Nanba Prison guard uniform. He was wearing a dark red shirt tucked in to a pair of black combat trousers and a pair of black doc Martins. The man sighed and nodded to the left.

“She’s in the fields. Walk that way and you might catch her. But make it quick. I ain’t payin’ for her to talk. Otherwise I’ll take it outta her pay. Got it?” Samon nodded. Clearly he wasn’t going to negotiate the terms of their encounter. If all went to plan, Theodora wouldn’t be in this job for long.

Samon walked for about half an hour before he spotted Theodora in the fields. At first it was hard to catch her since he couldn’t see much in the long grass. However, in the middle of the field, he could spot the familiar sight of silver hair and the sound of grass being sliced.

Theodora, had been cutting grass with an old scythe. She still had the same black jeans and matching riding boots as when she left Nanba. Expect for this time, she wore a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Samon watched her bring the scythe above her head and swing it down with ease. He marvelled at how strong she was. Scythes were extremely heavy. To be able to swing it without shaking or dropping it was impressive. As watched her, he could see thanks to her sleeves being rolled up her arms. They were bleeding. Even her knuckles were red and cut. Before he could say anything, Theodora stopped.

“What are you doing here Samon?” She turned around and swung the scythe so the wood rested on her back whilst she held it with her forearms. Samon had forgotten how good her hearing was.

“We need to talk.”

***

It was four hours later that Samon could finally talk to Theodora. Mostly because if she had stopped working, she wouldn’t have been payed. Now they both sat on the hay stack in the stables.

“This is where you sleep?” Samon asked looking around. “It stinks of horse shit. How can you even sleep?”

“With great ease. I work for so long in the fields that I’m just too tired to care.” Theodora said as she picked at a piece of straw. “I couldn’t find anywhere to stay. So at first I was just hiding. Then old man dick caught me and said that I could stay here as long as i did extra work. He’d charge rent out of my salary too. Called it interest. I call it drinking money.” Samon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This was extortion. Theodora looked much paler as if she was going to collapse any minute now. Her body looked so jaunt and skinny, he honestly thought she was going to break in half.

“Have you been at least eating well?” Theodora stood up and walked over to the horses to give them a brush. ‘She was clearly avoiding the question’ Samon thought. “Nicci?” He repeated expectingly. She shook her head.

“I haven’t eaten in about a week.” Samon opened his eyes wide.

“Seriously?” Theodora nodded.

“The nearest store is 16 miles away. I’m not allowed to use the truck just in case I steal it and never come back, I mostly just take a slice of bread or a cheap bottle of wine from the kitchen when I really can’t take it. It’s not like he notices it. He’s drunk most of the time.” Once the horses were groomed, Theodora pulled out a cigarette packet from her back pocket and put it in between her teeth. Samon noticed it was the same kind that the man he had spoken to had. She had probably taken them when the man wasn’t looking.

“I didn’t realise you smoked.” Samon said. Theodora shrugged and went to sit on the hay stack in front. In the dim light Samon could see better how bad she looked. On the sleeves of her shirt, stains of blood had splattered. He also noticed that two of her fingers on her right hand had been taped together. “What happened to your fingers?” Theodora looked down at her fingers.

“I broke them.”

“You what?”

“I think it was in the wagon. I was loading something in and must have trapped them under one of the carts or something. Didn’t even notice it until a couple of days after I came. They should be okay now.”

“And your arms?” Theodora didn’t speak after that. Instead she just puffed on her cigarette and wiped the dry blood off with a wet sponge. He sighed and walked over to her. Taking the sponge, Theodora’s eyes grew wider. When she tried to take it back, Samon tapped her hand and continued cleaning her arms.

“What are you doing here Samon? It’s clearly not for a social call…”

“I’m here to tell you that you got your job back.”

“What?” Theodora couldn’t believe it. The warden gave her her job back? Why? When Samon was done he stared into her eyes. They really were something. They were the deepest blue he had ever seen. Theodora started back into his yellow eyes and a shiver went down her spine. “I can’t go back.”

“What? Why not!?” Samon said loudly.

“You know why not! After everything that happened…. do you honestly think I will be welcomed back with open arms? Look at me Samon, I’m a criminal and I always will be.”

Samon blinked a couple of times before scoffing at what she had said. “That is the most ridiculous shit that I have ever heard.” Theodora frowned at him as if to argue back. “No I’m serious Nicci. You and I both know that you love that job. You need that Job. We need you at that job..” Theodora made another confused expression, clearly not understanding what he meant. Samon sighed loudly and rolled his eyes.

‘How can she be so dense?’ He thought to himself.

“Listen okay?” Samon spoke up and was now kneeling in front of her. “After you ran out of the warden’s office, we couldn’t just let you walk away from here. So we each tried to convince the warden to let you stay. Unfortunately it didn’t work and since Hajime was on suspension we had to continue working. But the aura was so wretched there. Inmates were furious and demanding that you be reinstated… they wouldn’t come out of their cells to even eat. That’s how much of an impact you put on just being there.” Theodora’s eyes began to tear up as she listens to Samon.

“You’re a remarkable person really. Yes you tend to piss him off more than anybody and sometimes you can be a selfish brat….” Theodora laughed as Samon said this with a smile. “But you never really mean any harm. You’re still young and figuring things out in your life, but you’re much sharper than any normal human. The inmates tend to bond with you almost instantly and have such a vast amount of trust in you compared to anybody else.”

“But…. why….? The warden’s words are practically law there. Why don’t you guys just let go…?” Theodora questioned.

“Because… and in the words of that stupid gorilla… you’re an annoying, shitty brat that you made us care about. Look kid, you know the basic concept of the world better than anybody. But, you have this strong belief of showing people kindness and getting them to trust you. Ever since your four years in Nanba, we all noticed the drastic change in demeanour of all the prisoners there. As stupid as it sounds, you have a gift.” Theodora couldn’t believe what he was saying. Her tears spilled onto her cheeks as she shook her head and placed her hands on her arms.

“No… no… no I… you’ve got it all wrong I… I’m not… like that…”

“What I’m trying to say here is that you’re important okay?” Samon said in a fast manner, showing his desperateness. “You’re a good kid who had hit a dark path, alright? But you grew up and got out of that path. The day you left Nanba was like a phenomenon! Grown men were crying after you left. Grown fucking men who have done worse shit than you ever had. Your ability to bond with people is incredible, okay? And we all had agreed that the warden wasn’t seeing that. You even bonded with us without realisation. You’re a clever little girl who is able to sympathise with anybody you meet. Your morals somehow affect whoever you speak to, you know. It’s like you give them a piece of yourself to connect them. It’s nothing we’ve ever seen before.” Theodora laughed a little through her tears and Samon reached his hand up to wipe them away. He took her hands in his and looked at how beat up they were. She probably didn’t even feel how much they hurt her. Then again, she probably didn’t feel his hands either.

“Plus your HSAN is a hassle, but your strength is quite a strong suit of yours. Or at least from what I can see when you pushed that tractor up the hill as if it was nothing earlier on today. Your greatest talents are your own flaws. You’re emotional, even though you feel nothing. Your strength is enough to kill you, but you never die. Your speech causes chaos yet you can calm the most chaotic of people. As much as I have to do what the warden says, I don’t believe that you being gone is right.” Theodora stopped smiling. The warden didn’t want her there so how could she go back? What’s more… how could she have forgotten about the warden?

“H-h-hold on for a moment!” Theodora exclaimed, looking utterly shocked and in disbelief. “L-let’s think about this logically, o-okay….!? Look. I broke almost everyone of my guidelines. Even Hajime knows for a fact that I broke them. Hell,I even got my gender found out when that was my number one ticket out of that place! I have every reason to be fired!”

“No you don’t.” Samon said shaking his head defiantly. “You never touched a single document or went into a room of a high status. You always listened to what Hajime told you, even at the tournament. You jumped into that fight between those inmates because you knew they were going to kill each other, or, someone else entirely. Hajime took your mask off whenever you were in the office because that was the deal that you two had, just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean shit when it comes to this job, because you proved perfectly well that you can take down anybody if you wanted. There is no reason for you to be fired.”

“B-but…” Theodora couldn’t find any words to counter him.

“Look, Theodora….” Samon lifted her chin with his finger so she was staring directly into is eyes instead of at the ground. “You know perfectly well that us four supervisors hardly ever agree on a damn thing. But we all agree that you need to stay as a prison guard. You need to stay at Nanba. We need you.”

“N-no… No, you don’t…!” Theodora denied and shook her head. She stood up and ran out of the stables, palm on her forehead as she tried to calm down her breathing.

“What do you mean no?” Samon scoffed and followed her. “I think I gave plenty of reasons why you should stay.”

“L-look, you all know I’m a hot mess, okay?” Theodora spoke frantically, trying to counter his claims once again. “I’m just some… brat that can barely feel shit and who knows hot to act because, in case you haven’t already noticed, that’s all I do, okay? I act! Okay!? Hell, I don’t even know what’s true anymore! You don’t want me…!”

Samon fumed at her words. Without even hesitating, he punched her right in her jaw, knocking her to the ground. Theodora held her cheek and gazed at Samon in such disbelief and shock that not even she could fathom what to do.

“You did NOT just say that.” Samon growled at her, baring his teeth at her as he yelled. “Do you even realise what the hell you’re even fucking saying? ‘Can’t feel’? ‘Acts all the time’? Because I know that ain’t FUCKING TRUE! I know you better than anybody here, and you gave me this same type of shit five years ago alright? What did I say to you back then? Because I KNOW that you remember. WHAT DID I SAY!?!?”

“… ‘N-no one is incapable of feeling anything… it just matters on who acknowledges them or not’…” Theodora spoke softly as tears were welling up in her eyes. “Y-you t-told me to grow up, a-and figure it out… b-because no emotionless person would jump I-in front of a sword to save someone’s life…”

“And you grew up, didn’t you?” Samon yelled at her. “You grew up and figured it out. I know you did, because anybody who knows you can figure you out like a book. So don’t you fucking dare give me that acting shit, because I know that it isn’t true! You might not be able to ‘feel things’ but I know that you have the biggest fucking heart in this entire fucking country… plus japan. What did you promise me the day you were released from your sentence there?”

“That I wouldn’t go back down that path again…” she whispered quietly, but it was loud enough to hear.

“Get your ass up and say it again.” Samon ordered. “Stand up!”

Theodora slowly got up to her feet and Samon stood right in her face, continuing to shout at her. She just stood there, staring at him, seeing the raw emotions he was screaming at her.

“SAY IT AGAIN!!!” Samon shouted in her face “SAY IT ONE MORE GODDAMN TIME!!!”

“I-I won’t go down that path again…” she said a bit louder, her voice shaking with clear emotion.

“AGAIN!!!” Samon shouted one last time.

“I’M NOT GOING DOWN THAT PATH AGAIN!!!” She shouted back in his face

“GOOD!” He yelled. He took a step back, keeping eye contact, and dialled his voice down until it was soft. “You’ve already hit hell. Climb your ass out of that damn depression and prove to me that you’re not going down that road again…”

Theodora nodded her head, her lip quivering violently. She was clearly trying not to cry, her face contorted into a wide mix of emotions. Theodora tilted her head down and rubbed her eyes roughly with the palm of her hands, trying to push back the tears that just won’t stop falling down.

“Geez… and I thought Hajime was harsh… to think you had it in you to explode like that. Do you abuse your inmates like this all the time?” Theodora teased.

“S-SHUT UP!” Samon shouted at her, looking very flustered. “YOU BASTARD DON’T KNOW SHIT!”

Theodora released a laugh, which sounded a lot like a sob. Samon softened his face as he looked at her, watching her cover her eyes as she was widely smiling, soft laughs escaping her lips. Her body was shaking and he was pretty sure she was crying again.

“Th-thank you!…” she whispered, her voice cracking at the very end. “Th-thank y-you!”

Samon’s lips parted a little in shock, before taking a breath and walking over to Theodora. Before she could say anything, samon’s arms had wrapped around her in a hug. She was much taller than him, so he rested his head on her shoulder. She kept quiet and listened to his soft breaths.

“You don’t need to cry anymore. I don’t know what happened when you left Nanba, or how you managed to get incarcerated at age 12… but you don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to. I hope maybe someday I can be trusted with that knowledge but as for now… hang in there a little longer okay?”

Theodora gulped down the lump in her throat and nodded to him.

Samon….

***

Samon had stayed the night at the farm since he hadn’t booked any accommodation. He had intially planned for Theodora to accept right away. He also didn’t expect the farm to be so far away. Instead he found himself lying in the hay, facing her, with one of the horse’s riding blankets draped over the both of them. He could tell that Theodora was cold by the way that she was shivering. He looked at her eyes. They really were an ocean blue. He also noticed that her hair had grown longer to just below her ears. It was still boyish short but longer than it used to be. He though it suited her well.

“I was seven when I met him.” Theodora’s voice broke the silence between them and Samon looked at her intently, prepared to listen. “I was coming home from school with cuts on my knees. He was there by the bus stop and I was all alone.”

-

‘Hey you.’ Theodora stopped and stared up at the man. He was a tall and skinny man. One that she hadn’t met before.

‘Me?’ She asked him whilst pointing to her chest.

“Yeah you. Come here.” Theodora stood still. She remembered school telling her about strange men that waited for little girls. If they met them, they were to run away. “I’m not going to bite you if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m a friend of you dad’s.”

“You know my dad?” She asked him. He smiled coyly and folded his arms.

“Sure I do. I used to work with him. What’s your name?” Theodora thought hard about this. If he did now her dad then surely he wasn’t a stranger…

“Theodora Nicci.”

“Theodora!? Well it’s me! Paul! I used to baby sit you when you were a baby! Don’t you remember me? Uncle Paul?” She shook her head and took a step back. He laughed a little and shook his head. “Of course you don’t. You were only two.” He crouched down to her level and gave her a small smile. “Do you still have that barbie I gave you for your third birthday? The one with the pink dress?” Theodora nodded.

“That’s my favourite one. Wait- you were at my party?”

The man nodded. “Did you have a clown?” Theodora thought for a bit and then nodded. “Well I was the clown!”

-

“He was way too good. He could pretend all he wanted. He just had to say certain things that would make me believe he truly was who he said he was. For example if I had a clown at my party like every other normal kid or if I had the most wanted toy by little girls. I didn’t have to know who he really was. I just had to have the idea planted into my head.” Samon’s heart was racing.

‘A child predator. That’s what she’s describing. That scum bag. That bastard.’ Samon thought over and over again.

“He was there everyday. At the bus stop. When I came home from school. He’d always bring me something nice too. Like ice cream or a flower or a new toy that I really wanted but couldn’t have. He was my only friend. Then one day I came home from school crying. That was the day people said I was a freak for not being able to feel anything, and because I was starting to become freakishly strong. They called me a boy and excluded me from everything. That’s when he gave them to me.”

-

“What are these?” Theodora asked as she spun the pill bottle in her fingers.

“They are magic. When you swallow these, you can be a boy. All those people that laughed at you and called you a freak… won’t be able to anymore. You’ll be a completely different person.”

Theodora widened her eyes in wonder and excitement. “Really? All those mean people will go away?” He nodded and carefully, Theodora put them in her pocket.

“Thank you Paul.” She said sweetly before giving him a hug.

-

“The more I took, the more it worked, or at least I thought it did. If anything, it would make me less hungry. When I did eat, all I wanted to do was throw up. Paul told me it was natural. That I just had to keep eating at least once a day. He also told me not to tell mom or dad. He said they wouldn’t understand and would try to stop me.” Theodora looked at her hands. They were shaking now. Samon reaches out and put one hand on hers as if to say that he was there. Theodora smiled and nodded, continuing her story.

“These pills seemed to have killed all the fat on me, making me much skinnier. I was naturally taller than most of the girls anyway. Eventually, he gave me new ones to try. I think he had created them and without questioning him I did. The side effect was that I became more rebellious. I’d sneak out now and again to meet up with him and his group of friends. They’d train me physically so I could get stronger and i at one point thought that they cared for me. Truth is they didn’t. He just used me as a lab rat and his cronie. I broke into several hospitals to steal medical supplies for him for his new drugs which obviously was tested on me. The new found energy from these street drugs meant that I got more and more… vicious. I’d vandalise and destroy things, steal for myself what I wanted and when someone pissed me off, I’d beat them up. Paul seemed so proud of me. Eventually… he asked me to do something.”

-

“You want me to what?”

“Come on Theodora… it’s not like you haven’t done it before… this’ll be eeeeaaaasyyyyy.”

“B-but I’m 11… I-I can’t do that…”

“Sure you can! Plus you’re going with two other people!” Paul could see the look of doubt on Theodora’s face. It was annoying him how pitiful she looked. “Theodora.” Paul called out sternly. She lifted her head to look at the man she thought to be her second father and the scowl he was giving her was frightening.

“Y-yes p-Paul?” She shivered as the look of disappointment grew on his face.

“Who has helped you become the person you wanted to be?”

“Y-you Paul.”

“Who has consistently looked out for you?”

“You P-Paul.”

“Who bought you toys and nice clothes and taught you the feeling of true happiness?”

“You Paul.”

“Exactly. So… you are going to go with the two men, and you are going to BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THOSE TWO PEOPLE WHO OWE ME MONEY! You are going to GET THAT MONEY and BRING IT BACK TO ME. And you are going to make sure that THOSE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO CROSS ME!!”

Theodora nodded and looked to the ground timidly. Paul sighed and walked up to her, crouching down.

“I’m sorry for yelling Theodora… but you need to learn that it isn’t fair that they get to feel happy and sadness and pain whilst you don’t. I’m doing this for you. I’m creating this world for you.” Theodora nodded and hugged Paul tightly.

-

“When we got to the house Paul had told us to go to, it turned out that one of the girls who went to my school lived there. It was her parents who owed Paul money.”

“Nicci…” Samon called our to her finally realising where she was going with this.

“I beat them up pretty bad. I’m not going to lie. There was blood everywhere. I was covered in it. I threw the first couple of punches. Just to get him to give us the money… which he did in the end. But there was something I was missing. I didn’t like how he felt fear and pain every time I hit him. I wanted to feel that but couldn’t… and it made me so angry so I just kept beating him and beating him.” Theodora let out a sob as she tried her best to make out the next few words. “Eventually I didn’t even know if he was alive or not. The next day… the next day…. I went into school and his daughter was there.”

-

“You monster! How could you do that to him!” The girl slapped Theodora in the face, causing everyone to stop and stare. “You’re nothing but a freak and a devil! I wish you didn’t exist!” The girl cried out loud in front of Theodora. Soon everyone was watching them and whispering. Anger boiled up inside Theodora.

“Leave me alone.” She said menacingly as she pushed the girl with her shoulder.

“Did you know he’s in the hospital because of you! Daddy might die because of you! You should be locked up! Hey! Are you even listening to me!? You don’t belong here! You belong in a ditch and forgotten!”

“SHUT UP!” Theodora spun in her heels and pushed her. Only… she pushed her too hard.

-

“She ended up falling over the stair railing and landing on the ground two floors down. She broke her leg, her arm and cracked her head open. I was so afraid that I ran all the way to Paul for comfort… or at least I would have. A dozen police cars were lined outside and arresting him. Turns out the drugs he was producing were killing people or making them go insane. I ran and a couple of weeks later after I turned 12, I was arrested and sent to a jail in North Carolina. You know the rest from then on…”

“Theodora… I… thank you for telling me… I honestly didn’t know…. that man that was dealing drugs at Nanba… the one that killed himself… was he?”

“No he was just some psycho drug addict. He wasn’t working for Paul.”

“Shit….”

“The sad thing is that when I was released from Nanba… I found out Paul had escaped from his jail in Chicago. He tracked me down and tried to get me to join him again. He had a new batch of drugs he wanted to test and with my new strength and increased ability to not feel anything, I was his target. Almost every day at my apartment, I got offers from Paul to join him. When I refused, I was shown what it was like to refuse Paul. I couldn’t feel any of it. But that’s what made it worse. It just reminded me of when I was little. How everyone could feel things that I couldn’t. At first I thought maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. If I got caught I could try to get sent to Nanba wheee life was at least okay. But then I remembered everything you told me, and all the time spent working with me to become a better person. So in desperation, I tried to go talk to Paul myself and tell him I was done. It seemed to have worked….”

“But?”

“But the people in the car that knocked me down and tried to drown me by throwing me into a lake had other ideas.”

Samon sat bolt up right and stared at Theodora. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. For all he knew, Theodora could have relapsed or worse, could have died.

“No matter what I did, they kept coming after me. Eventually Paul got bored and said I had to pay him a sum of money for all that invested into me.”

“How much?”

“$275 000 dollars.”

“WHAT!?!” Theodora nodded.

“I didn’t have that kind of money obviously and I wasn’t about to steal for it. So I did what any body would do. I cut my hair and sold it. Alongside blood and almost all of my stuff in the apartment that I was renting. I even donated bone marrow… which got me some cash.”

“Bone marrow!?” Samon screeched in shock. Theodora nodded her head.

“It still wasn’t enough. So Paul did the next best thing. He every day for a year came to beat me up. All I could do was take it. Once the year was up I was free. I agreed and that’s what happened. Only he forgot to mention how he was going to do it… let’s just say that I’m glad I had HSAN or the pain would have killed me.”

Samon couldn’t speak. He had been trying to get Theodora to tell him her story ever since she had been first admitted as an inmate to Nanba. Now he officially realised why that was so hard for her.

“When that year was done, I decided enough was enough. I couldn’t trust that he would leave me alone. I also couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t track my family down. So When I became a guard at Nanba, I was relieved to hear that he had been put into custody again. This time for life, in Poland. So far everything’s been a-ok at home. So for once I can relax.”

Samon leaned back onto the hay and looked up. He couldn’t even fathom how much Theodora had been through. All because of this one man. It reminded him of Liang a bit and his story. Yet yours was still completely different, it still had some similarities.

“Theodora?”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for telling me.”

“Hm.”

“I mean it. I’m always worried about you. I’m always wondering if you’re okay or if you’re not. It hurts me when you don’t smile. I don’t know why but… I want you to always be happy. I want you to not be stressed or in danger… I… want to…” Samon couldn’t finish his sentence since theodora’s soft snores filled the room. He turned to look at her figure.

‘She looks…. so peaceful…” Samon thought. Slowly, he reached over and pushed a small silver strand of hair from the face behind her ear. ‘She looks kind of… beautiful… no! Snap out of it Samon…. you need to focus on getting her back to Nanba.’ As he watched her, he could feel his heart beating out of his chest. Anger fuelled him at the thought of Paul. He traced with his fingers slowly each scar that littered her arm. As he did, he couldn’t help thinking one final thing before sleep took him.

‘I’m not letting anybody hurt you like he did. I promise you.’

***

Everything was quiet at Nanba prison. It had been for days.

In cell 13…

“Unooooo…”

“Whaaaaaaaaat….?”

“Your move.”

Uno, Nico and rock were bored. There was nothing else to say other than that. They were bored and lonely and angry.

They had not seen Theodora.

Or Jyugo.

And Hajime who had been gone for three days seemed less and less fun to play around with when either of them weren’t there.

Instead they stuck to playing card games and eating candy bars that Nico had stashed one time from god knows where.

“Right roll call time….” the inmates heard Hajime call from down the hall. Instead they just huffed when they heard the familiar knocking on their inmate door.

“Go away Hajime.” Uno yelled without turning around. “Unless you brought Jyugo or Theo back we ain’t moving at all.

“Yeah! Not even to eat!” Nico shouted as he placed another card down in the pile in front of him.

“If we die here, it’s your fault for beating Jyugo up and making someone lose their job.” Rock said as he looked at his cards. “Damn it uno! You win every time!” He yelled as he slammed his cards down in defeat. The blond laughed and turned to Nico.

“Nicooooo?” The green haired inmate looked down at his cards and folded. Uno le tout a small whoop of joy at his win.

“Yes! That’s the game boys! I win, AGAIN!!! Hey Jyugo did you see that-“ uno looked to the side expecting to see the Japanese boy. When he didn’t, he lowered his head as a dark aura surrounded him. Rock and Nico sat with their own dark auras. “Damn it. I forgot. Jyugo isn’t here.”

“Where could our poor little Jyugo be?” Nico sand sadly.

“Probably lost and alone… tied up somewhere…” rock said.

“Wait a second…” uno snapped his head up and the other two inmates looked at him surprised. “Isn’t Hajime supposed to say something like ‘you guys are being ridiculous babies!’” Uno mimicked Hajime’s rough voice whilst scrunching his face and shoulders, stamping his foot and waving his arms in the air. Nico stood up and did the same expression.

“Yeah! Like ‘why can’t you ever stay in your cells!’”

“Or ‘you guys were trouble from the day you ever came here!’” Rock joined in.

“I DO NOT TALK LIKE THAT YOU STUPID BASTARDS!!” They heard Hajime yell behind them.

“Yes you do.” Uno said turning around to face Hajime. “You sound exactly like-“ uno stopped mid sentence and stared at the door of their cell.

“Uno? What’s the Matt-“ Nico said turning around and looking at the door too.

“Yeah, you stopped mid sen-…. oh.”

Standing in the doorway with their roll call clip board was Hajime….

And someone else.

A guard.

Who was overly skinny.

Kinda tall.

Silver hair that fell just below his ears and spiked up a bit at the ends.

With a black metal face mask.

“Hey guys…. I… I guess I’m back?” Theodora said softly through the mask, yet loud enough for everyone to hear. Silence rang out in the cell and Theodora could swear that if it continued like this, everyone would be able to hear her heart thumping in her chest.

Suddenly the room exploded into chaos.

“THEEEEEOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!”

Before Theodora had any time to stop them, they had wrapped her up in their arms and squeezing her as tightly as they could. It took them a couple of seconds to see that in by doing so… Theodora couldn’t breathe.

“Guys… can’t… breathe…” They all let go of Theo before they started questioning her. What happened? Where did she go? How was it like? She tried his best to answer as much as she could without Hajime growling at her in the background. But after a couple of minutes, it was evident that he wanted to go back.

“Come on. We’ve got work to do. I’m sure you will find another way to catch up with them later.” Hajime said as he began to leave the cell.

“Wait! How can you take Theo away from us! We’ve only just got him back!” Nico pleaded as he grabbed on to Theodora’s waist again.

“Jesus, they really do cling to you…” Hajime muttered. “Like a mother…” Theodora giggled awkwardly and tried to prise him off her.

“I’ve had three younger siblings and helped raise them.” Theodora said, trying not to be annoyed with what Hajime has said. “Of course I act this way, it’s like second nature. I’m only 20 years old and I’m already being called a mom, urgh…”

“It’s kind of hard for you to deny it when Nico’s clinging to you like that.” Uno said.

Finally she managed to get Nico off her waist and smiled at him. She really did remind her of her brothers and sister. Particularly Eva…

“So… what did I miss?” Theodora asked Hajime excitedly. After being away she was definitely excited to start up again. Hajime looked over at her and grumbled.

“I’m gonna be off for three days again, the warden asked me to deliver so documents to another prison regarding an inmate from building 2 that we just transferred out of here so you’ll be working with the other supervisors…” Theodora nodded and walked behind Hajime for a bit whilst looking at the hallways and cell doors that she missed.

Suddenly, Hajime stopped in the hallway and didn’t turn around. It almost made Theodora trip over him.

“It’s good to have you back, kid.” Theodora’s eyes widened. Never in her life did she expect Hajime of all people to say that. Theodora cleared her throat and opened her mouth to say something. The only problem was that no words came out. Hajime snickered and continued to walk.

As soon as the two guards entered the break room, Theodora couldn’t contain the surprise on his face as she saw all the supervisors waiting for her. She immediately ran up to Kiji and hugged him. She could smell how overly perfumed she was and for the first time, she could actually really say that she missed it.

“Samon told me what you did…. y-you guys…” Theodora let go of Kiji and looked at them all, looking as if he was ready to cry again. “Th-thank you… Thank you so much!”

“Aw, there’s waterworks!” Mitsuru laughed and held his arms out to give poor Theodora a hug. “Nobody likes a pretty lady crying! Wipe those those tears, girly. You’re back bein’ a guard!”

“I-I’m just h-happy is a-all…!” She stuttered after hugging him tightly. Kiji waved a white cloth at her.

“Imagine if my makeup were to start running! It would be awful dear, awful!”

“It always is awful” Hajime muttered behind Theo.”

“WILL YOU STOP CRITICISING MY BEAUTY! AT LEAST IM NOT BALD YOU GREAT BIG OAF!”

Theodora laughed at their interactions. She gave Kiji one last hug and thanked him. Kiji just awed at her and squeezed her tightly once again. Once out of his death grip, she went towards Kenshirou, staring up without a word. He just stared back, unsure of why she was directly in front of him. She held her arms out like a child, causing him to sigh deeply.

“Are you really 20?” He questioned, but allowed him to him him nonetheless.

“You know you love it…!” She whispered in a joking manner.

“That’s enjoy, now down.” Kenshirou said and got Theodora off him.

“You still give people dog commands? That’s weird man…” Samon commented to him.

Theodora now stood in front of Hajime, basically having the same situation with Kenshirou. But instead of putting her arms out, she just held out her fist up to him. Hajime sighed in relief and just bumped her fist. But before he could pull his wrist away, Theodora grabbed onto it and glared harshly at him.

“I know you’re going to be interrogating Jyugo after your trip.” She said in a soft, cold manner. “But if I find out that you hurt him in the slightest,I will beat you up so harshly that I’ll be thrown back into prison…”

“Yeah… got it…” Hajime muttered. She released his hand but still looked irritated.

“You still angered angered me and upset me, but…” she sighed softly. “I’m grateful that you helped defend me. Thank you…”

“Yeah, well, go thank Samon.” Hajime muttered. “Without his constant ranting of ‘it’s not fair!’ then it never wouldve happened. It was like he was a five year old…”

“You wanna fight, you bastard!?” Samon growled and shook his fist at him.

“Samon.” Theodora’s voice chimed, causing Samon to immediately look at her. “Thank you for everything…. you never give up on me and I’m grateful…”

“Yeah, well…” Samon scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed manner. “Seeing you in America just proved what I was worrying about… you weren’t living there… you were surviving. I couldn’t just let you be like that if I knew that I could at least try and do something…”

“Yeah, I bet you were sobbing.” Hajime said to Samon.

“You really are trying to fight me, aren’t you!?” Samon shouted at him.

Theodora grinned widely, looking like a child on Christmas Day. She loudly thanked them all before running out of the room as fast as possible to try and get some work done at least. The five men could only sigh and watch her go. For someone who says she can’t feel anything, she sure was beaming more than any person they had ever seen before.

***

Theodora smiled at the ceiling as she was leaning back in her chair. Yesterday, after getting her job back, she ran so fast to building thirteen that she almost broke the offic door by accident. Telling Yamato and Seitarou everything, they ended up hugging and congratulating her. Yamato even offered to take her drinking, since she was the legal age in Japan, but she politely declined.

In the end, them along with a few supervisors (Samon and Kiji of course) offered her dinner. She was pleasantly surprised at house it went. They weren’t bad at all to be around, but Yamato’s loudness from partially getting drunk, could have have been avoided. But, she had fun. After telling the two about her job and everything, that was when she went to the guys in cell 13 with Hajime.

It was actually a nice end to the day. But, it wasn’t fun going back and collecting her wages from the previous month that she had forgot to collect before she was fired. Theodora has made sure that the boys still referred to her as a ‘he’ and as ‘theo’. She still had guidelines after all. But that didn’t matter as long as she had her job.

“So.” Theodora spun her chair towards Seitarou to face him. “One of the other supervisors will be coming to the building to watch over it, right?”

“Yes that’s correct. Since Hajime is off on his three day trip, we need someone to cover for him.”

“Mm…” Theodora hummed. She still had a bit of a grudge against Hajime but, she couldn’t quite hate him. “I wonder who it will be…”

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?” A shrill cry came from outside.

“Huh? What was that?” Seitarou stared at the door in surprise.

“I’ll check it out.” Theodora said and stood up.

Grabbing her mask, she attached it to her face and exited the room. She went to the source of the shouts, knowing quite well that it came from cell 13. It was hard to not detect their voices really. Popping her head into the room, she saw Kenshirou standing in their cell. ‘Ooooh, so he’s the supervisor for today….damn it.’

“DORA!” Shouted Nico.

“Huh?” Kenshirou looked bewildered as Nico ran past him and to the door where Theodora stood.

“Uh…!” Theodora was surprised by his actions, watching him once again cling to her waist while giggling wildly. “Nico I told you to call me theo!”

“But Dora is so much cuter!” Argued Nico. “Don’t you agree?”

“I’m a guard. I’m not supposed to be cute.” Theodora started while sweat dropping at him.

“Hajime was right… you are like a mom…” Kenshirou murmured. Theodora laughed awkwardly and tried to pry the green haired inmate off her again. “anyways what are you doing here.” Kenshirou asked her. “Don’t you have paperwork to do?”

“I’ve already done half of it.” Theodora said calmly. “Plus, I heard the guys scream and came to investigate. Turns out it was just you, so yeah….”

“I feel like I should be insulted…” Kenshirou murmered again. “Well, since you’re here, you might as well help me.”

“Hm…?” Theodora tilted her head, showing that she was listening.

“Right here it says that no.25 has an appointment with the doctors for his medication.” Stated kenshirou, showing her the paper. “Since he’s literally attached to your hip, could you take him down?”

“Stop saying stuff that refers me to a mom.” She said in clear irritation.

“Yo, Theo! Take us with you!” Uno said with a raised hand.

“Yeah, we haven’t done it in a while.” Rock added.

“You two will stay here.” Kenshirou instructed, glaring at them sharply. “Only no.25 has a doctor’s appointment. If you have medical troubles you can schedule your own!”

“What? It’s not like we’re going to do anything!” Exclaimed uno.

“Plus, we’ve done this before. It isn’t anything unusual.” Rock said.

“They’re my emotional support group!” Nico said, still clinging to Theodora’s waist.

“Can you let go now, Nico?” Theodora asked him. “You’re making it kinda hard to stand…”

Kenshirou seemed to ponder about letting them stay or go. Personally, Theodora didn’t want them coming. It happened one time and she got so angry with them in the end that she gave them all good whacks to the head. Needless to say, they hadn’t requested to go since they knew her only as the annoying newbie guard.

“Just stay here.” She sighed. “It’ll be easier for me that way. Plus, I rather not find a sign on my back that says ‘but kisser’ in all capital letters… I’m lookin’ at you, Uno. Don’t even try denyin’ it.”

The long haired male looked shocked, but didn’t even try fighting him about it. Theodora patted nico’s head, causing him to look up at her in curiosity.

“Come on. Let’s go get your medicine.” She said.

“Okay!” Nico said, finally releasing his monkey-like grip and skipping merrily away.

Theodora could only sigh and followed him out of the door. He acted just like his younger sister, Eva, if not exactly like her. Even though he was sometimes a handful, Theodora couldn’t help but smile at Nico and eva’s similarities.

Carefully, Theodora lead Nico to the doctor’s office. As they walked, Nico engaged Theodora into some small talk. At first it was just light hearted, talking about shows and whatnot. But the next question Nico asked caused Theodora to frown deeply.

“Hey, is Jyugo okay?” Nico had asked.

“… I wouldn’t know. They’re keeping him away from people—islolating him. I can’t go see him until Hajime gets back.”

“Dora… sorry, Theo….” Nico spoke softly. Theodora hummed, showing she was listening. “… what’s going to happen to Jyugo…?”

“I don’t know…” Theodora said quietly. “As hard as it is, we’re going to have to put our faith into Hajime for now…” Theodora crossed her arms. “But the warden wants me to talk to him… try to rehabilitate him, in a sense. If I can get him to trust me, I can get him out of that shitty place.”

“So you’ll help me?” Nico asked, trying to summarise what she said.”

Theodora nodded. “Yes, of course.” She ruffled nico’s hair “I care about you guys. I want to help you all in anyway I can. I’ll tell you everything I know, in hopes that one day, you’ll do the same in return…”

Nico tilted his head up, staring at Theodora in slight confusion. She’s not much for catching onto hidden meanings and such, but she did feel like there was a second meaning behind Theodora’s words. Like she was referring to something. It was kind of… off… but before he could ask, they had already made it to the infirmary. Theodora knocked on the door before entering, Nico, following closely behind her.

“Excuse me, Dr. Otogi, it’s Nicci.” Theodora spoke up. “I came here to bring Nico from cell 13, building 13, to you for his daily check ups.”

“Fine…” sighed the elderly man. “I’ll be with him in a moment or two…”

Theodora’s eye shifted towards the other figures in the room. They were two familiar boys that had fought against building 13 in the tournament. Those two would be honey and trois. Theodora was curious as to why they were here, but didn’t question it.

“Hey you’re the pretty boys who lost to Uno in tournament, huh?” Nico said loudly.

‘Of course he would point that out…’ Theodora felt her eye twitch. ‘Sometimes I really do wonder if he’s actually 16… then again, I know men who are even more childish than that, but they have their excuses…. still irrititating though….’

“Quiet, you…!” Snapped the one known as honey.

“Why’re you guys here?” Nico asked, all threatening intent going past his head.

“The injuries we sustained from hyakunin isshu haven’t been healing well.” Said trois as he and honey gazed at their fingers.

“How can you be injured from that…?” Theodora raised a brow, bewildered by his claim.

“It’s pretty bad. Take a look.” He said and held a magnifying glass to them.

Theo took it and held it close to his finger. She and Nico tried observing the supposed injury, but even she was having difficulty finding it. Nico pointed it out and Theodora could only feel her eye twitching in annoyance.

“How many millimetres long do you think that is?” Nico questioned.

“They’ll need to create an even tinier measurement in order to tell.” Theodora sarcastically said and put the magnifying glass down. “Some injury that is. There’s no need to even be here with itty bitty cuts like that.”

“We know, but Kiji insisted that we come here.” Honey said after sighing.

‘Why am I not surprised?’ Theodora thought to herself. “Let me guess…” Theodora adjusted her voice so her could mock kiji’s voice. “‘Upupupu! We wouldn’t want your precious skin to scar now, would we? Upupupu!’ Some shitty reason like that, right?”

“You nailed it…!” Honey said, shaking as both inmates tried not to laugh.

“That was remarkably similar…!” Trois said, trying not to laugh himself.

“When it comes to mimicking, I’m one hell of a guard.” Theodora said and winked at Nico, causing him to silently gasp and grin. She looked to the two inmates and began to take off her white gloves. “Let me show you guys what real sounds look like. Nico, go do your check up, okay?”

“Okay!” He nodded and went to dr. Otogi.

Taking off her white gloves and rolling up her sleeves, she revealed her scarred arms. The two inmates gasped at her, even touching her skin to feel how rough and scarred it was. It was clear they were disturbed, but also fascinated by it.

“I always thought scars would be rough” said trois.

“The rest of the skin is rough, but when following the scars, they’re actually soft.” Honey pointed out.

“How did you get so many?” Questioned trois.

“Eh, not really sure.” Theodora shrugged and pulled her arms away and began to fix her sleeves and gloves. “Some from fights, others from working on a farm with heavy equipment and the rest are just little accidents I stumbled into.”

“How are all those ‘little accidents’?” Questioned honey, finding his casual behaviour about it odd.

“You’re talking Tom a Nicci, don’t question it.” Stated dr, otogi as he had been hearing the entire conversation. “He’s got a genetic disease called HSAN, or hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy. It’s a sort of disease that interferes with his nerves from allowing him to feel anything, if you were to give him an ice cube or a burning coal to hold, he wouldn’t know the difference. He’s unable to feel a single thing in his body.”

“Really? I’ve heard about it, but I never really knew what to make of it.” Trois said, clearly surprised.

“Yeah, it’s pretty uncommon.” Theodora said and shrugged. “I get into accidents at lot, a lot of times finding strange cuts or bruises from bumping into things without realising it. I was a real hassle for dr. Otogi when I first got here.”

“And you still are.” Scoffed the old man as he was examining Nico carefully. “You’re just as freakish as this kid here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Theodora asked, crossing her arms as she didn’t enjoy the words that he used.

“What, you don’t know?” He questioned her. “This kid is affected by those factors around him. He can mimic anybody despite any and all factors. But, it’s nothing to be proud of. Being as weak as he is and all, it’s a miracle that he isn’t dead. You know how deadly qigong is. The medicine he takes prevents him from doing that. When he remembers to take it that is…”

“Hehe… yeeeeaaaah, sorry about that.” Apologised Nico in an embarrassed manner.

“I see.” Said Trois. “So that’s how he was able to fight so well…”

“Remind me not to get on his bad side….” said Honey.

“I promise to take them next time! So, can I have my medicine today, please?” Asked Nico towards the doctor.

“Jeez…” signed the old man before he turned his head to an opened door. “Hey kaguya, can you bring in no.25’s medicine?”

“Yes, doctor.” Spoke a robotic voice.

With a few whirls of gears and a bit of metal clinking, out of the room stood a woman with a tray, holding a bag on top. Well, not a human woman. Kaguya was a machine, created by the doctor and scientist of Nanba prison… the otogi couple. She looked as pink and shiny as always to Theo…. and, as always, the men flocked to her like magnets.

“I’ve brought the requested medicine.” Spoke the Android.

“Woo-hoo! Thank you as always, kaguya!” Exclaimed Nico as he went for his medicine. “What’s today’s flavour?”

“Today’s flavour is ‘cheap candies’.” Replied the robot.

“Yay!” Cheered Nico. “Can I rest my head on your lap again, kaguya?”

“If you’d lend me your hand, I would kiss it.” Honey said as he was down on one knee in a bow.

“Would you care to join us for some tea this afternoon?” Asked Trois, smirking flirtatiously at her.

“And so we can match, I must ask… what colour panties do you plan to wear?” Honey asked passionately.

“I would like to know the type of fashion and percentage of lace used in your bra.” Trois said seductively.

“Trois! Don’t you think that is a bit of over kill to ask her for her bra type?” Honey asked, a frown appearing on his face.

“At least I kept it above the waist.”

“WHAT KIND OF PERVERTS ARE YOU!?!?!?” Shouted Theodora, baffled that someone would even dare as to ask a woman about her undergarments.

“You stay away from my daughter or I’ll dissect all of you!” Threatened the doctor, causing the three to scurry away from him.

“Nico, promise me you’ll stay away from those two.” Theodora spoke softly but also very seriously to him, whilst pinching the bridge of her nose in dispair.

“Um, okay.” Nico innocently nodded, unsure as to why she seemed so protective.

“C’mon, we’re goin’” Theodora said. “Thank you dr. Otogi for your service. We’ll be going now!”

“Hold it, you. How have been the burns on your hands?” Dr. Otogi interrogated her.

“No pain, swelling, or any of the above.” Theodora stayed quickly. “If anything happens, you’ll be the first to know. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

Theo quickly got out of the infirmary with Nico, making their way back to his cell. She could only imagine the vein on her forehead throbbing in irritation. Usually she was one to be okay with something perverted once in a while, but asking a woman about her underwear for a date, regardless if she was human or not, was most definitely not one of them! As she silently imagined beating the two inmate’s heads in, Nico was tossing his medication in as if it was candy. After a while of walking, Theodora noticed that her hands were throbbing. She really had to be wary of that from now on.

“Hey Theo?” Nico spoke up.

“Hm…?” She hummed out, trying to calm himself down.

“Dr. Otogi said you got burns on your hands. Is that why you’re all bandaged up?” Nico asked.

“It used to be… but from working on the farm it made the burns blister. I also broke my finger so I was trying to keep it straight but it’s all better now.” Theodora looked down at her hands. “I bet if I had the proper nerves, I would be feeling pain, but uh.. you know… I don’t.”

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to grow up without feeling pain…” Nico said, causing Theodora to become quiet. “… what was it like?”

“You know how you get pins and needles in your leg and you can’t feel it or move it for a bit?” Nico nodded. “Well it’s a bit like that… except I can move and it’s all over my body.”

“Woah… how did you cope?”

“… that’s a question for another time, okay?” Theodora said softly. “I’m not too comfortable with talking about that…”

“Oh, okay. Sorry” Nico said looking down at his feet.

“No need to apologise.” Theodora said. A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes as she looked down at him. “hey… when we get back to the cell, want to distract Uno for me while I fill up a bucket of water to dump on him?”

“Totally!” Nico exclaimed.

Theodora laughed and high fives him. She wrapped her arm around nico’s shoulder and ruffled his hair as they walked, laughing together as they schemed. Theodora couldn’t help but relate to Nico to his sister Eva, but she knew there were still a lot of differences between them. If anything, Nico would probably be the closest one of the four in cell 13 to relate to her. She couldn’t help but think of him as another little brother.

***

“here you go, Coo.”

“Mreow~~~”

Theodora fed Coo his lunch. Since Hajime was gone, she took it upon herself to feed coo the cat. Coo had taken a liking to her since Hajime had left. She was rather pleased when he stroked against her leg for attention, or laid in her lap while she sat at her desk. No matter what, animals always had a liking to her compared to humans. It was a mutual feeling she held when growing up, but that was understandable. She was wise about it now and has finally found an ability to respect people now.

Just as she stood up from feeding coo, the door to the office swung open by a crying Seitarou. She held her arms out and watched as Seitarou fell into them, clinging to her like a lost child. Honestly, she was used to it at this point.

“Why is everybody so mean to me!?” Sobbed the older man.

“Hey, what’s wrong, Seitarou?” She asked calmly.

“I-I went, to go check on Cell 13,” sniffed Seitarou through gasps of breaths, “and I-I found Building T-Three’s S-S-Supervisor there. A-and, and, AND THEY YELLED AT ME! I only asked if there was a-anything they needed was all…!”

“Again…?” Theodora sighed and stroked Seitarou’s hair, knowing to just let him sob it out. “Just sit down and I’ll go talk to them, okay? I have some gum in my pocket. Want some?”

“S-sure… Thank you, Th-Theo…” Stuttered Seitarou as she gave him a piece of gum.

“Stay here, okay?” She said kindly before exiting the room.

Once out of there, she marched towards Cell 13 and began rolling her sleeves up. She entered, seeing Kiji arguing with Uno. Just catching a small amount of the argument was enough to set her off. She sharply looked at Rock and Nico, seeing them stiffen under her cold gaze.

“Did you two yell at Seitarou?” She asked as Uno and Kiji didn’t even notice her there.

“Nope. It was them.” Nico said and ratted out Uno and Kiji.

“We’re innocent about it this time, we swear.” Rock said, also pointing at Kiji and Uno.

“Thank you.” She turned away from the two.

Not even a second later she marched right over to the two. She went ahead and punched each of their heads, causing the two to hit the ground and hold their heads in pain. An irk mark was clear as daylight on her head.

“That’s for causing Seitarou to cry, AGAIN!” She said and marched towards the door, stopping and pointing right at them. “And for your information, your talk about being more handsome is pathetic. Please take your heads out of your egotistical asses and bring it to your IQ’s. Oh, wait! That’s six feet under the ground! Now you have something to cry about, so go sob it to your imaginary girlfriends, because we all know neither of you got any!”

Theodora, having said what she said, stepped out of the room and slammed the door shut. Clapping her hand together as if to get the dust off of them, she walked right back to the office. Kiji and Uno sulked in the corner, holding the bright red lumps on their heads.

“So brutal…” Uno sobbed softly.

“To think he would hit me too, uhohoho…!” Sobbed Kiji.

“I’ve never seen Theo look so angry…” Rock murmured to Nico. “I’ve seen him annoyed and all, but this…?”

“Yeah, he’s pretty protective of everyone.” Nico whispered back to him. “he told me he always beat up the neighborhood bullies who hurt his siblings…”

“Oh, I get it.” Rock said. “He imagines us as his siblings. He is really strict, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he even disciplined his own siblings…”

Nico nodded his head, agreeing with what Rock said.

But neither Uno or Kiji heard as they were pitying themselves from Theodora’s harshness. To be frank, the two inmates agreed that they both deserved it. Even if Theodora went a bit too far…

***

“…Then I insulted them.”

“Damn, you’re as brutal as ever, eehehe!”

Today was now day three of Hajime’s suspension. And, to be quite frank, Alloisia was so glad that it was Samon. If it was somebody like Mao Nimajita, the Supervisor of Building 2, she was quite confident that she would kill somebody. Theodora explained her run in with Kiji yesterday, having to rant to somebody about it, and Samon was snickering along at her tale.

“Anyways, getting back on track.” Samon coughed into his hand to wipe the smirk off of his face. “Was there any trouble with the inmates besides that?”

“Nope.” Theodora shook her head. “They’ve been good… Except for two newbies who began fighting in the cafeteria yesterday, but Shiro took care of it. The cafeteria can always be trusted to him if anything going on.”

“I don’t doubt it…” Samon said, when in reality he was flat out lying. “…So, how’s it like to have your job back, eh?”

“It feels good.” Theodora said, smiling at the ground, not like he could see. “Very good…”

Samon hummed out just as they got to Cell 13. Using her key, Theodora opened the cell for him. But when he saw how the inmates were inside, he instantly became fuming. If there was one thing Samon hated, it would be lazy inmates.

“GET UP YOU LAZY PUNKS!” He shouted at the three.

“E-easy, Samon!” Theodora said and began blocking his way so he didn’t strangle anybody. “Calm down, man! Kiji went on an angry rant on them yesterday, and it was basically my fault. I had to kick Kiji out of the Cell by one in the morning because he was literally causing them to—”

Theodora stopped at the sound of loud footsteps. Even Samon stopped as they wondered where it was coming from. As if it was a sudden spell, the three inmates yelped in horror and scrammed out of their beds. Just as the two guards began wondering what was going on, they were suddenly shoved to either side as none other than Yamato busted through the door.

“KNOCK KNOCK, GENTLEMEN!” Greeted the noisy Japanese man. “HOW ARE YOU?! ARE YOU ALL READY FOR SOME MORNING TRAINING?!”

Yamato gazed around the room, find the inmates nowhere to be found. Samon and Theodora just stared up at Yamato from their spots on the floor.

“Hold on, they aren’t home.” Yamato’s voice dialed down as he turned to leave. “I must be hearing voices, then. I guess i’ll go then, until next time!”

“Hey, hey, hey, hey!” Samon shot up and grabbed Yamato’s shoulder to stop him. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, Yamato!”

“Inmates…” Samon pulled Nico out from his hiding spot. “Out of their cells?” He opened a closet to reveal Rock.

Holding his infamous staff, Samon exhaled and slammed the end of it against the ground. This caused Uno to fall from his hiding spot, which was the ceiling. Theodora, back onto her feet, could only gaze at where he had been on the ceiling in confusion.

“You know that’s not possible, Yamato.” Samon said to the other male. “This is Nanba Prison, after all.”

“The hell did he get up there…?” Theodora wondered to herself in shock.

“Oh! There you are, guys!” Happily exclaimed Yamato as he marched closer to the three. “Let’s move onto the training course, shall we?!”

“Don’t make us, I’m begging you!” Uno exclaimed desperately. “I get so sore the next day, don’t make me do it!”

“Exercising is supposed to be leisurely!” Exclaimed Rock while Nico trembled behind the two under a blanket.

“What type of exercises is Yamato making them do…?” Samon asked.

“Deathly brutal ones…” Theodora said darkly, paling herself at the thought of exercising.

“If it’s coming from you then it must be human torture!” Samon exclaimed, shocked by her claim.

“No, not really.” Replied a voice from behind them.

Startled, they both whirled around to see the familiar masked face of Tsukumo, or inmate No.99. Theodora relaxed at the sight of him while Samon was still stiff as a board.

“WHO THE HELL’RE YOU!?” Samon yelled at him.

“My name is Tsukumo, but my designated number is 99.” Said the supposed 'ninja’.

“No.99 loves to exercise, so he’s always with me at this time of day.” Explained Yamato. “He’s very passionate about exercising, it’s fantastic!”

“A Japanese man must train constantly!” Said Tsukumo while nodding. “Yamato’s exercising routine is perfect for my training!”

“Here they go again, the Japanese freaks…” Muttered Uno.

Samon paled at hearing them say that, astonished they were so serious about it. He looked at Theodora to see her standing right behind him, clearly not wanting to join their training.

“I like exercising, I really do, but not when it comes to Yamato…” She said softly so only Samon heard. “I like Yamato and all, great guy really, but he terrifies the shit outta me…”

“Oh, come now, Theo! You’re wonderful when it comes to training! Nothing can reach your limits!” Complimented Yamato, trying to get her to join.

“Nobody can humanly reach his limits because he doesn’t physically give himself any.” Samon stated bluntly as she hid behind him. “Nicci will physically train until he literally drops. By then, he has to be taken to the medics for making himself go unconcious. He won’t be joining your training.”

"THANK YOU!” She exclaimed, still clinging onto Samon.

“Oh, fine! But next time you will be joining us, Alan!” Declared Yamato. “We’ll turn up the heat of it just for you to feel the burn of training hard!”

“PLEASE DON’T!” Theodora and the four inmates yelled in horror.

“Hey, is everything okay in here?” Seitarou popped his head in. “I heard loud yelling, is everybody okay?”

“By the why, do any of you guys heard of how Jyugo’s condition is?” Asked Tsukumo.

“I’m afraid we have…” Uno said, speaking in a heavy tone. “I’m afraid he came down with a terrible case of 'idiopathic-raw-oyster-tremer-cell syndrome.’”

“That sounds quite serious.” Tsukumo said.

'HE’S BUYING THAT BULLSHIT?!’ Theodora screamed in her head in shock at his idiocy.

“The doctors tried everything they can do but in the end…” Nico trailed off, his voice beginning to shake.

“Don’t tell me he…!” Tsukumo’s eyes went wide in shock.

“Don’t sugar coat it…” Uno whimpered, as if prepared to sob.

“He’s dead…” Whispered Rock.

“Such a tragic loss…!” Sniffled Nico.

“Let us spend this day in mourning…” Spoke Uno.

“Jyugo…! No…!” Tsukumo tried not to cry.

“Well, even training can wait for some things…” Yamato said, clasping his hands together in prayer.

“Our condolences…” Seitarou said, doing the same.

“You…” Theodora fumed and punched Uno, Nico, and Rock in the head. “…JERKS!”

They all cried out and held their heads in pain. Theodora was utterly fuming at this point. She understands that they want to get out of training, but they could’ve used a better method! She never likes it when people joke about deaths, especially ones that aren’t even true!

“Don’t fuckin’ make lies like that, you pieces of shit!” She yelled at them, her voice drawing out a strange type of city/italian accent. “There’s nothin’ I hate more than lies like that, you hear me?!” She then pointed at the others except Samon. “And you three! Don’t believe every effin’ word that comes outta their mouths, got it? Jyugo’s still in a coma recoverin’ just fine, okay? He ain’t dead.”

“Oh, that’s relieving.” Tsukumo said, now calming down and turning back to normal.

“And you three…!” She turned to them and grabbed them all by the back of their collars, beginning to drag them away. “I ain’t done with you yet. Think of this trainin’ as punishment for pissin’ me off!”

“Let us go! We’re sorry, okay?!” Begged Uno as he began to try and struggle against her, now becoming irritated by her. “What the hell’s with that accent anyways?! It’s like you’re entirely a different person!”

“Blame my mutha…” Theodora muttered, thinking about how her italian mother talks.

“What, this is just how I talk!” She would exclaim every time Theodora pointed it out. “Everybody in the family talks like this, al'ight. My mutha always talked like this, your aunt always talks like this, y—hey. What'da gigglin’ for?… So what if my 'talk’ sounds like 'chalk!’ *sigh* Child of mine… Just you watch, the olda you get, the more your Italian side will show, capisce?”

“Oh, splendid!” Exclaimed Yamato from behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Good to know we’re all joining! Let’s start off with the usual push ups, sit ups, then running, huh? Then we can go straight for the balance beams, ah ha ha ha!”

'I can’t believe I got myself into this…’ Theodora murmured in her thoughts. 'I am not prepared for “the burn"… My hands have already had enough of that. I’m not joining, but these bastards are…’

***

"Oh, Supervisor! It’s good to see you after three days.”

“Please don’t leave again…”

“Why? Were there any problems while I was gone?”

“No, I guess… The three didn’t find out anything, but it was stressful…”

Today was finally the day that Hajime would come back from his trip. Theodora never thought she would be glad to see Hajime back again. After yesterday she felt guilty about harming the guys, but she was very defensive when it comes to saying stuff like 'someone died’ when in reality they’re completely fine. Plus they were trying to use it as an excuse to escape training, which was something she will not stand for.

But afterwards she ended up getting teased by Samon because she went 'mafia’ on them. It was a huge inside joke between them and a few inmates. But she honestly can’t say she was too proud of it. Either way, she was just grateful Hajime was back. But… she was concern for Jyugo.

“Of course. This job isn’t some luxury after all.” Hajime told her, probably jabbing at the fact she was almost fired. “I’m assuming you took care of most of the hard work?”

“…Kinda, I guess.” She shrugged her shoulders. “The inmates of Cell 13 have been real feisty lately. Well, Uno has been. The other two have been honestly quiet. It’s quite clear that they’re concerned for Jyugo…”

“Speaking of No.15, are you going to see him, sir?” Seitarou asked.

“Yep.” Hajime said and looked at Theodora. “But, I’ve got a job for you to do.”

“Huh…?” She lifted her head up, confused as to why he would say that.

“C'mon.” He gestured her to follow him, which she immediately did. “Head over to Building 4. I spoke to Kenshirou a bit earlier today, and he said he wanted you to come with him to speak to No.634.”

“What? Why?” Theodora asked, almost in a defensive manner. “That guy fried my hands, and almost cost me my job. I’ve got nothing to say to that brat…”

“Yeah, well,” Hajime sighed in clear annoyance. “Kenshirou begs to differ. I think he only wants you to go and talk with him because of 'your way with words’. If you can get that guy to trust you, then we might be able to interrogate with him properly.”

“You guys put way too much faith into my words.” Theodora groaned softly behind him. “You make it sound like I can make people trust me by blinking my eyes. It takes time for them to put their faith into me. Hell, it took Jyugo a week or two to trust me.”

“Yeah, because you kissed the kid.” Hajime shot at her. “Of course he would hardly trust you after that. He thought you were a man who was trying to sexually assault him.”

Theodora made a noise in the back of her throat, clearly displeased he brought that up. She was really hoping he would let that go. Releasing a sigh to calm herself and a scratch to her head, she got back on track of the conversation.

“…Fine. I’ll go see Kenshirou.” She grumbled reluctantly. “He’s in Building 4, yeah? I’m guessing his little arsonist is being held tightly underground over there. But I swear to god, if he even tries torching me again, I’ll make sure it’ll be forever impossible for him to procreate ever again…”

Hajime silently cringed at her claim, remembering how she had kicked No.634 so hard that practically every man felt that pain. Didn’t help that she’s got inhumain strength…

Eventually she departed with Hajime and went to Building 4 as quick as she could. Getting there she was greeted by his guard dogs. As tempted as she was to pet them, she refrained from doing so. They kinda have a grudge against her anyways so that’s out of the question…

Walking through Building 4, she went straight down to the Underground, knowing exactly how to get there. After all, she did get thrown down once in awhile. Once she descended downwards, she was quick to find Kenshirou standing at the entranced into the underground. She could only assume he was waiting on her.

“I see that you finally arrived.” Kenshirou said, as if he was annoyed with her. “Took you long enough for you to get here…”

“It isn’t like my building is your next door neighbor, Kenshirou.” She said calmly. “Anyways, you wanted me to come to help interrogate…?”

“That’s right.” Kenshirou nodded to her. “But, let me do the talking. If you feel the need to interject then go ahead. If you could get No.634 to trust you well enough, then we would be in a bit of an advantage. You tend to have the ability to rub your emotions onto people, so if you can do that here and make him calm, we might just get somewhere…”

“So, I’m practically worthless here.” Theodora said bluntly. “I know you’re great at your own interrogations and all, but I find it hard to believe that you just want my help to make friends with him. Is there something else you want from me?”

“Not really.” Kenshirou said. “But, I wouldn’t mind a second opinion on the matter. Think of it as your training as an officer. No.634 refuses to talk unless he can talk to No.15.” This grabbed her attention. “Hajime will be interrogating No.15 while we’ll be doing the same to No.634. We’ll allow the two to talk, but…” He holds up a large walkie-talkie. “Not face to face, of course. After that, I’m sure we can grill him of everything he knows…”

“…Okay, I see you strategie…” Theodora muttered. “But what happens if the conversation goes sour? What’ll we do if either of them go out of whack?”

“That’s why you’re here.” Kenshirou said simply. “I’ll be relying on you to keep the conversation calm. Can I trust you enough to turn the conversation around if it starts getting bad?”

“…Yeah, alright.” Theodora nodded. “I’ll do my best to keep it calm and peaceful. If it’s through the walkie, I can probably calm Jyugo down too if it gets bad. I don’t want Hajime hurting him again… I’ll follow your lead…”

Kenshirou nodded to her before turning around. She quietly followed him through the underground. There honestly wasn’t many inmates underground, but there was enough to make her be careful. Once they got to Musashi’s cell, she was surprised he didn’t really appear to be… hostile. He was restrained to the wall, unable to really escape. She wondered if he could melt those cuffs off if he wanted to…

“No.634, are you comfortable in there?” Kenshirou spoke coldly, knowing not to let his guard down with this guy.

“Yeah, if I think this could get any more dark, wet, and tight I’d think I’d be stuck in your ass.” Commented Musashi with a smirk clear as day on his face. “Makes me miss the good old days in solitary.”

“File a formal complaint. And how did you know it was dark?” Questioned Kenshirou.

“Lucky guess.” Musashi shrugged. He paused, as if listening carefully. “Who’s the second one—the guy behind you? I know that ain’t Jyugo… Did you bring a bodyguard for protection? How cute.”

“Nah, he just figured that he should bring the bitch who destroyed your balls.” Theodora said snarkily, her own smirk curling onto her lips.

Musashi made a sound and jolted against his restraints, as if trying to move away from her. It honestly made her feel delighted he was uncomfortable with her, but it wasn’t why she was here. Theodora sighed, wiping away any hatred emotions she had and stayed calm. Kenshirou would beat her ass if she riled the inmate up.

“Look. We’ll give you a chance to talk to Jyugo, but only on the condition to tell us everything that we want to know.” Theodora said, now becoming serious. “Don’t leave a single detail out. I wanna hear everything you know…”

“Fine. That was our deal from the start anyways.” Musashi said. “Now can you girls hurry it along? I want to hear Jyugo talk, not you.”

'Yeah, he’s a little shit…’ Theodora thought and looked to Kenshirou. The older man took out the walkie-talkie and placed it right to the outside of the cell. He informed Musashi that this will be how he can talk to Jyugo. Turning it on, Musashi waited a moment before he could talk.

“Hi, Jyugo. Can you hear me?” Called out Musashi, as if he was taunting him. “I guess you’re still in the infirmary, huh? Enjoy that bed while you can…”

“Get to the point, 634.” Kenshirou ordered him. “If this is just a social call I’ll end it.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’ll talk.” Sighed the inmate. “I’ll just cut the crap and let it all out now, alright. What I’m lookin’ to talk about, it the man with the scar. You said you were lookin’ for him, right? Well, to tell him the truth, so am I. I was wondering how much you know about him. How old is he? Have you heard his voice, or seen his face? Whatcha got?”

“No, I don’t.” Growled Jyugo’s voice from the walkie. “That’s what I was hoping to learn from you… I know he has a scar on his neck, and that he’s the one who put me into these 'shackles.’ Aside from that, nothing.”

“Well, boo.” Musashi said and hanged his head as if disappointed. “I kinda figure that it would be all you would tell me, but I figured it was worth checking.”

'You bastard…! You destroyed an entire area and provoked the kid just to have some talk?! What the hell…!’ Theodora fumed in her thoughts.

“The whole reason you want to find this guy is for him to take those shackles off you, right?” Musashi questioned him. “That’s all you want?”

“That’s right.” Jyugo replied, his tone sounding bored or flat. “If he can get these things off, there’s nothing that’ll stop me from getting these things off…”

“So he bust off your shackles and then what? You’re done?” Musashi asked him.

“Yeah…” Jyugo replied. Theodora found that rather strange.

Musashi chuckled, only to go out into full out laughter. He was kicking his feet in the air like it was the most hilarious thing he’s heard in decades. But, Theodora could tell he was pissed…

“That’s all you want?!” Musashi yelled at him through the walkie. “You seriously hulked out on me and blew your cover over something that STUPID?! Ha! If you wanted those damn things off than you might as well cut your hands and feet off! Oh right, there’s one on you neck. Ahahaha!”

Theodora was about to slam her fist against the bars, but was stopped by Kenshirou. She glared at him, seeing that he was telling her 'no’. Getting the point, she pulled her arm away, and listened to Musashi.

“I knew somethin’ was off about you!” Musashi growled at Jyugo. “You got no use for those shackles, Jyugo. I really wish you’d let me have 'em…!”

“Musashi, why’re you so obsessed with taking my shackles?” Jyugo asked. “What do you want them for?”

“Ahahaha!” Laughed Musashi. “The shackles themselves don’t mean anything to me. If it means to an end, that’s all. All they are is a way to get closer to that man, and when I make sure that I do, I can kill him!”

Jyugo made a surprised sound, probably surprised by Musashi’s declaration. “You want to KILL him…? Why take it that far…?”

“When he first put those shackles on you and forced you to take that form, what did you think…?” Musashi asked. “You felt like a monster, right? I felt the same… The difference is that I’ve been like that for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t a power, per say. For all practical purposes, I was diseased. You can’t imagine who I had to suffer through the peculiar constitution I was born with…!”

Theodora had calmed by Musashi’s words, now finding this story interesting. But at the same time, it made her feel like she could empathize with him. 'Maybe… Just maybe…’

“I was in constant pain, afraid of the next explosion.” Musashi continued. “Then the man with the scar showed up. He said he was a scientist, and promised to release me of my suffering. But that wasn’t what he planned to do. He just wanted to use my physical idiosyncrasy for his own research…”

“That can’t be… Your powers are way beyond science…” Jyugo whispered in clear shock.

“Think about who we’re dealing with here, Jyugo.” Musashi said. “Those shackles he slapped you with are beyond science, too. Beyond normal science, anyways. But he isn’t normal—augmenting the human body means nothing to him! I started out as a freak, but once he was done with me I turned into a bonafide monster… Straight from the fires of hell and able to control them… I tried torching his ass, but he sliced right through my flames with those same blades of yours, Jyugo. That’s how I lost my right eye, too… That’s how it went down for me. Kinda feels like we’re in a support group, right?”

“Are you saying… the man with the scar had a pair of shackles like mine…?” Jyugo questioned.

“You got it.” Musashi smirked. “His blades were exactly like yours, and I would know.”

“You’re telling me there are two sets of these things…?!” Growled Jyugo before he screamed in anger. “DAMN HIM…!”

“Do you understand what I want those shackles now?” Musashi asked him.

“Yeah… I get it…” Jyugo muttered, still probably seeming with anger. “You need a way to match his power…”

“Bingo~” Musashi sang. “You have a very special weapon, Jyugo… The only blades in the world that can cut through my flames. Imagine if I had that weapon! With it and my fire, I’d be pretty strong. If I can use his own tool against him along with my fire, I could manage to take him down, don’t chya think?”

“That’s some stupidly optimistic thinking.” Jyugo stated bluntly. “You don’t even know if that’s possible.”

“I don’t care…” Musashi said. “If there’s even a chance of success, then I’ll use it to end his life. He won’t get away with what he’s done. I’ll make him pay. And if I die too, so be it. As long as I get to murder that bastard first… I’m willing to walk myself to the gallows! Well, that’s how I used to think…”

“What.” Theodora spoke up, clearly surprised by his sudden change in attitude and speech.

“Wait… is that…?”

“It’s impossible now. I can’t light up anymore.” Musashi answered and shrugged casually, not letting Jyugo wonder if Theodora was there. “It’s pretty weird. It’s all a little fuzzy but, I think the doctors here put something in me. I don’t know what, like a… computer chip? When it detects the heat given off before ignition it automatically suppresses my powers. I actually tried, of course, but I can’t seem to trigger it. It was an old coot and an old hag with a sailor’s mouth.”

'OF COURSE IT WAS THEM!’ Theodora facepalmed, knowing she shouldn’t be at all surprised. 'But… I would be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved by it… At least I can be at ease, knowing he can’t harm any innocents in an escape attempt…’

“Seriously…? They can do something like that?” Jyugo questioned.

“It’s the Otogi couple, of course they can.” Theodora found herself speaking up as she was rubbing her own head in irritation. “Always developing new technology—never satisfied with how it is now. As much as I’m grateful for them, I’m just as annoyed that they’re still the same old bats that they are…”

“Ha! Sounds like you got some personal problems of your own.” Musashi said.

“Well, that isn’t wrong…” Theodora murmured, finally calming down.

“Is… Is that Theo… As in, the guard Theo…?” Jyugo questioned.

The girl sighed softly and bent down to the ground next to the walkie-talkie. “Yeah, it’s me. Good to know you’re as flat sounding as ever.”

“Why’re you over there…?!” Jyugo asked, suddenly seeming fired up.

“It’s not like I wanna be.” Theodora replied calmly. “Since I’m a newbie still I was brought down here for an 'example’. Believe me, I rather be other there and seeing how you’re doing than over here…”

“O-oh…” Murmured Jyugo. “A-anyways, back to the topic here. Musashi, what’re you getting at here? I don’t get your point in all this. If you know it’s impossible then why’re you all telling me this now?”

“I don’t know. Guess I just felt like it?” Musashi said and shrugged, clearly having a deeper meaning to his words. “Maybe I was just curious in you learning about all this would make you feel? I’ll catch ya later, sweety~”

Theodora clicked the walkie-talkie off, annoyed that Jyugo is oblivious as ever. Grabbing the object, she handed it to Kenshirou as her mind whirled with the information Musashi gave. It actually made a lot of sense, but it angered her that they caused so much trouble that could’ve been avoided. They’re lucky that nobody got hurt with their recklessness.

“Hey, Inu, mind letting these cuffs off?” Musashi called out to them. “My arms hurt and I’m tired.”

“Idiot, I can’t do that.” Kenshirou snapped at him, angered by his rudeness.

“…Inu, eh?” Theodora smirked at Kenshirou. “Sounds perfect to me.”

“Don’t encourage him, you’re a guard, not an inmate anymore.” Snapped the man.

“Oh, just because I’m a guard doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop teasin’ you guys.” She said and waved at him. It was clear Kenshirou was regretting bringing her here. “Anyways, you might as well let the dude out of those cuffs. He can’t use his powers, much less fight either of us. Plus, he might be more willing to tell us more if you let him out of the cuffs…”

Kenshirou stared at her for a moment before turning to the nearby control panels. “If anything goes wrong, you’re to blame…”

“I’ll be surprised if you don’t blame me.” She commented, watching as the cuffs released Musashi’s arms.

“Phew… This feels way better.” Musashi said, rubbing his arms and wrist and standing from his spot. “Thanks.”

“Now, time for you to hold your end of the deal.” Theodora said colding, surprising the man. “Now, this is what I understand from your story. You were born with the problem of human combustion and it was a nuisance to your life. After a lot of incidents, you got caught by the police, right? That man with the scar explicitly targeted you because of your powers. Any idea why?”

“Hell if I know.” Musashi responded, stepping closer to the bars. “I think he was just usin’ me as a toy. Something to make time go by…”

“Hm…” Theodora clicked her tongue, clearly not believing it. “You’re smart, right? Think with that head of yours. What made you a target? How did you get caught by the police, and how many of those incidence happen? I don’t believe that the guy who messed with your body is your only grudge against him. I find it hard to believe that one man can simple do all this hell without the slightest bit of help. Was there something that stood out, did he have an accomplice, did he have a strange accent—we need to know, Musashi. So, tell me every. Single. Detail.”

“You’re straight forwards,” Musashi comment and smirked again. “Fine… You really wanna know that bad? Well, I’ll tell you…”

Musashi went into detail, just like Theodora ordered him to do. She actually sat down on the ground and listened, hearing about how he grew up and how he had a harsh life. She really did begin to empathize with him. Yes, it was hard going through being called a freak, but it didn’t sound so bad until he got to college. It really did go down to hell from there on. Once he finished his tale, she honestly pitied him. Seeing him, sitting down cross legged just like she was reminded her of a child. He was just some broken kid who got his life practically ruined by a selfish, inhumain person…

“…All of that was true, not like I can prove it.” Musashi finished his story. “The prison ended up burning down. There’s no evidence of what happened there. I don’t really expect you to believe me… I lost at any chance of revenge once my flames were taken from me. But knowing that is strangely relaxing… That’s not to say my thirst for revenge is finished. But if I’m being honest, I wish I came here a lot sooner… Just kidding.”

“No, I believe you.” Theodora stated, clearly shocking the man. “I know when a person’s lying. And, you’re being down right honest. You did what I asked and kept our deal. Plus… with your information, and whatever information Jyugo may have, we can commend an investigation to be taken place and hunt down that bastard who did this to you guys. Who knows how many people he harmed…”

“Wait, hold on.” Musashi spoke up. “You seriously trust me? Just like that? No interrogation, or even threats of violence?”

“Why would I do that?” Theodora asked him. “Us guards aren’t here to beat the living shit out of you guys. Our jobs are to make sure you follow the rules and protect you from any sort of threats. That’s our job. I care about the inmates here, alright? I care about every single person who can be changed for the better. Not everyone here is some psychopathic douche who needs to be restrained and kept away from the world. There are people out there, just like you, who grew up a shitty life and either got framed or went down a dark road. I know because I went through a lot of shit you went through.”

“Really…?” Musashi mumbled in disbelief.

“Mm-hm…” She nodded her head. “Ever heard of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy, or HSAN? It’s a genetic disease that prevents me from sensing the difference between hot and cold, soft or rough. I can hardly feel pain and my 'limits’ are inhumanly high because I can’t give myself any. I’m a freak who can’t feel shit. People hated me as I grew up since I couldn’t control my strength properly. The only ones who cared and supported me would be my family. I’ve been tested on by many doctors, most wondering just how it works or, just seeing what I can do. My dad, who’s actually an immigrant, knew how to help me. My mother sometimes lost her temper with me, but would come back and try again with me. Growing up as a freak was hard since nobody liked me. Eventually I went down a dark path and ended up in prison multiple times. Then, I ended up in Nanba. They straightened me out and I served my sentence. Now, here I am, working as a guard and doing a lot better.”

“That’s almost comical to hear.” Musashi said. “Sounds too good to be true. Are you seriously not lyin’?”

“Believe what you wish.” Theodora shrugged. “But just know that I never lie about my past. By the way, you said you were born in Germany, right?”

“Yeah, what of it?” Musashi asked.

“How’s it like over there?” She asked, her eyes holding a type of shine to them. “My mom is italian while my father was an immigrant from Germany. He’s told us stories about living there, so I’m genuinely curious about it.”

“Seriously…?” Musashi looked so puzzled and confused. “How does this conversation go from you telling about how you can empathize with me, to you being fascinated by me being raised in Germany?”

“Who knows.” Theodora innocently shrugged while smiling. “I’m just some freak after all, but that’s okay. I learned my mistakes and paid the price for them. Now, it’s up to me to make up all the time I wasted in jail.”

“Huh…” Musashi shook his head at her. “You really are strange. Especially from being a criminal and becoming a guard. That’s some type of shit you’d hear in a show or somethin’.”

“Recently I’ve been getting that a lot, too, haha.” Theodora chuckled in amusement. “But, just know that you’re honestly not alone, okay? You said you wanted revenge on the man with the scar. Well… Help us figure out more about him and that accomplice of his. If something comes to mind—an accent, or the type of cologne he wears—tell us. If you want your revenge so bad, help us throw that guy’s ass in jail.”

“Huh…?” Musashi looked confused, or at least surprised by her.

“What he says is true.” Kenshirou finally spoke up after so long. “Seeing your abilities and No.15’s blades are enough proof that your story is true. I’d be a damn fool if I didn’t believe it. Also, it wouldn’t be the first rumor that I’ve heard of inmates being used for human experience. In fact, that was the subject I was working on in my days with the police.”

“Seriously?” Musashi looked surprised. “If that’s true then why…”

“Why haven’t I done something about it?” Kenshirou finished his sentence before explaining. “Because much like you I was unable to convince anyone that it was real. I recovered numerous reports of my findings but the accounts I gathered were rejected. My superiors labeled them as 'baseless rumors.’ Over time, I gathered this was a subject they weren’t interested in. I know a cover up when I see one. My hands were tied as a policeman so I resigned—continued my investigation as a correctional officer. I won’t stop until I expose the truth.”

“So you’re willing to go that far, eh?” Musashi said, looking amused. “I guess the time will be well worth it when you showed them you were right.”

“Wrong~” Theodora sang, catching Musashi off guard. “You honestly don’t know a damn thing about Kenshirou if you believe that’s the case…”

“Whadda mean?” Musashi asked.

“I will not turn my eye to wanted corruption.” Kenshirou stated. “There are crimes worse than perverting the justice system for personal gain. And these experiments are in flagrant disregard of human rights. Such acts are grossly immoral… I swore an oath to uphold the law. These repulsive criminals will not be allowed to walk free! They must face justice…!”

“You’re getting kind of intense…” Musashi commented. “You might care about this more than I do.”

“Good to know you’re finally catching on.” Theodora jokingly said and got back onto her feet. “Even I can’t allow something like that to happen any longer. Turning people into criminals just to use for their own personal gain… It’s sickening. Those bastard do deserve to die, but not until they pay for it in a court of law and are imprisoned themselves. No matter what, justice will always prevail in the end…”

“The people who did this to you…” Kenshirou kneeled down and held out his hand to Musashi. “…They will be punished, I swear it.”

“I’ve been hiding this since I’ve got here, and there are plenty of reasons why I might lie to you…” Musashi said, clearly confused. “Why take me and my word for it?”

“You’re basically all we have.” Theodora stated calmly. “You’re just a victim in this, just like many others. I don’t doubt that you could be lying, but I rather take your word or it. I want your words to be true. Because if they are, it just means that we have the ability now to go after those men and punish them for their wrong doings. We’re putting our bets on you, Musashi. But we can’t do that, if you don’t trust us…”

Musashi was silent for a moment, seeming to contemplate what they were saying. Eventually, his usual smirk found it’s way back onto his face.

“Huh…” He muttered. “Ever since I was put in your care, there’s something I’ve always thought… I’ve been wanting to say this for a while now…” Musashi had his hand into a fist and placed it onto Kenshirou’s open palm. “…You’re way too serious, man.”

Theodora could only smirk, glad that he actually put his trust in them. She could tell that even Kenshirou was content with what he said.

“It wasn’t easy but you finally learned how to shake.” Kenshirou said, surprising the two next to him. “Good boy.”

“Wait a minute, what do you mean 'learn to shake’!?” Musashi asked. “I am not a dog to teach tricks to!”

“It was a joke.” Kenshirou said.

“No one’s laughing!” Musashi exclaimed.

“Actually, I’m laughing,” Theodora giggled, having her arm hugging her stomach.

“THEN STOP LAUGHING!” He yelled at her, causing her to laugh even louder. He pulled his hand away from Kenshirou, placing it on his head, and sighed. “Ugh… You sound like such a girl but it’s hard to tell…”

“Huh…?” Theodora immediately stopped and listened to him.

“What do you mean by that?” Kenshirou questioned.

“You said before you were the person who kicked me where the sun doesn’t shine, right?” Musashi said pointing at Theodora. “Back then you yelled at me for calling you a 'woman’. Then you come here and say that you are. But… I’m just not getting that. Your voice isn’t much help since you change your pitch all the time, and the vibrations from the ground is just… weird. So, tell me the trust: are you a girl or a boy?”

“I’m not allowed to answer that, but…” Theodora bent down and grabbed his arm, placing it right under the sleeve of her left arm. “…Are the vibrations telling you now?”

Musashi waited a moment before letting out a soft surprise sound. Theodora just chuckled and pulled her arm away, holding her hands behind her back and straightening up. She looked to Kenshirou as he stood up as well.

“May I go back to my building now?” She asked him.

“Yes, you may.” Kenshirou nodded. “I’ll lead you out of here.”

“Alright.” She looked to Musashi. “Goodbye, Musashi. Maybe if Kenshioru will allow it I’ll try to visit again.”

“I’ll think about it…” Muttered the man before walking.

Theodora rolled her eyes and began following him. They didn’t speak until they were out of the underground. Since Musashi’s senses are rather heightened, she didn’t want him knowing what she was saying to Kenshirou.

“That went surprisingly well.” She commented.

“Yes it did.” Kenshirou agreed and looked down at her. “It appears that, once again, you have gain the trust of another inmate by just talking. You truly are something…”

“Yeah, well…” Theodora sighed. “You probably would’ve gotten your results without me. I still don’t get why you wanted me to come down…”

“Because…” Kenshirou eyed her sharply. “You have the ability to help rehabilitate the inmates. That’s why I asked for your help.”

Theodora just stared back at him, surprised by his answer. She never really had much faith in her 'ability’ because it’s just her casually talking. They make it sound like a big deal when all she does is just treating them like a human being. Looking away from Kenshirou, she gazed at the hall before her.

“…I’ll be honest,” she spoke up. “I wanted to punch him so hard for doing what he did. Hurting Jyugo, destroying the stadium—seriously, what the hell! If he just wanted to talk to him about it he should’ve just talked to him, damnit!”

“For once, I agree…” Kenshirou muttered. “But, we did get a lot more information than we asked for. Enough to make it into a case…”

“Want me to make a report?” Theodora asked him.

“Please do.” Kenshirou said, looking her dead in the eye. “I’ll need all the support I can get on this. I trust that you will try gathering information yourself…?”

“Leave it to me…” She said smirking at him. 'That bastard’s gonna pay for hurting Jyugo and Musashi the way he did. I bet there’s countless other victims, too… I’ll make him pay, just you watch…’

***

Scribble scribble scribble.

“Aaaaand done…!”

Theodora leaned back into her chair, putting her hands on her face and groaning into them. As soon as she got back to Building 13 she began writing diligently on that report Kenshirou asked her to do. She wanted it done as soon as possible. She closed the report and clipped it together so the papers wouldn’t escape the folder. The story she learned from Musashi had left a bad taste in her mouth.

A man who is only known for the 'scar on his neck’. It was horizontal, then was crossed with three lines going down. As if someone sliced him on the back of the neck. 'It’s quite a dangerous place to get injured in…’ He’s a scientist, or doctor. Either way, he is highly intelligent. Probably disturbed as well, but no one can see it. To classify him, the word would have to be 'sociopath’. He’s very disturbed but he doesn’t show it, and probably has lots of awards and is well respected.

But for his associate… 'Elf’… He’s probably one as well. But, he is just an underling from how Musashi talked. He ruined Musashi’s life, wasting his time on going to the same college and trapping Musashi to a life of crime. He likes blabbing his mouth, and gets carried away with it. 'But I think it’s more to it than that…’

“Oi, Nicci.”

“Huh?”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Theodora spun around in her chair to see that Hajime called her. She pushed her lingering thoughts on Musashi’s past and focused on Hajime instead. She hadn’t seen him since he told her to go see Kenshirou this morning. It was already past lunch.

“Yeah, Hajime?” She questioned, showing her attention was on him.

“An inmate just requested to talk to you.” Hajime said and thrusted his thumb over his shoulder. “He requested to talk in private with you, so keep your radio on if something happens. He’s waiting in one of the vacant cells down the hall. It’s Cell 123.”

“They want to talk…?” Theodora muttered, her eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. “Who’s asking for me?”

“The idiot asked me not to say…” Grumbled Hajime. “Don’t worry. This is someone you get along with, so don’t worry. I can’t believe I’m doing this for him…”

“O-kaaaay…” Theodora muttered before standing up. “Strange, but whatever. I’ll go see the person, whoever the hell it is…”

“Hold it.” Hajime order as she was about to walk by.

She stopped and faced him, only to watch his hands grab either side of her mask and take it off. She was bewildered by he would do that considering the fact that the Warden used it as a reason to fire her! It’s only been four days since then, she wants to keep her job, thank you!

“W-what’re you—”

“You have a knack for yapping your mouth off.” Hajime stated bluntly. “Plus, I figured you might want this off when talking to the kid. You’re still staying in Building 13, so it’s not like the Warden will see. Not get going.”

“Uh… Alright…” Theodora muttered softly.

Being genuinely confused, she exited the office and went towards Cell 123. As she walked to the cell, her mind began whirling in confusion. Why would ask for her specifically? All the inmates know her by now, and all of them tolerate her, so it could be anyone. Hajime said 'kid,’ so that limits it down. But who could it—

Theodora found herself right outside of the cell. She stared at the sign before looking at the door. He said he knew the person, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have her guard down. Being cautious, she grabbed her key and opened the door. Stepping inside of the cell, she was shocked to see who was in it.

“Oh, you came.” Spoke none other than Jyugo. “Took you long enough…”

She blinked at him, unable to respond.

“U-um… You… uh…” Jyugo felt like his skin was burning under her eyes.

The door behind her swung close, locking the two inside. Jyugo stared back at her, wondering what was going on with her. She just… wasn’t talking. Standing there, staring. It was honestly creeping him out and making him feel more nervous than before.

“Are you just gonna stand there all day, or…?” Jyugo spoke, wanting her to do something.

“JYUGO!” She basically screeched, startling the poor boy.

Theodora lunged forwards, wrapping her arms tightly around Jyugo, almost knocking him down to the ground. Jyugo could help but feel flustered. Even when he saw the guys again none of them showed him affection such as this. Plus, nobody ever hugged him like this so…

“Are you okay!?” She asked, pulling back and cupping both of his cheeks. “You’ve been out for days! I’m not seeing scars, so that’s good… Did Hajime hurt? I swear to god I’ll skin that bald gorilla—”

“H-hey, take it ease!” Jyugo exclaimed, trying to calm her down. “I’m fine, I’m fine! If I wasn’t okay I wouldn’t be out of the Underground cells by now…”

Theodora was quiet for a moment before hugging him again. Jyugo, not really knowing what to do, just kinda wrapped his arms around her in an awkward manner.

“I’m so glad you’re okay…!” She whispered to him. She pulled away and held his shoulders so he would still be looking at her. “You had me worried for so long. I thought Hajime really killed you for a moment there… Thank god you’re fine, ugh…”

“U-uh, yeah, s-sorry…” Jyugo muttered.

Theodora smiled widely at him and laughed lightly. She released his shoulders and stepped back. “Sorry, about that. I, uh… couldn’t help it. I’m just… I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I-it’s fine…” Jyugo said. “I saw the guys earlier… They told me a lot about you. Uh… I heard you lost your job when I was still out of it…”

“Oh, yeah, that…” Theodora frowned before smiling. “Yeah, that’s a bit of a long story… Which, you honestly deserve to know. So, um, where to start…”

“Wait,” Jyugo spoke up a bit louder than before, causing Theodora to stare at him and let him talk. “I, uh… I need to say this, to you especially. I’m sorry, for everything… At the New Year’s festival I went completely berserk and tried to harm everybody. I swung at you so many times, and yet you still kept trying to stop me and calm me down… I hurt your hands, trying to… hurt Uno… I’m a complete idiot, and I have no idea how to make that up to you. So, please…” He bent down to the ground in a begging position, his head practically touching the floor. “…Please allow me to start over…”

Theodora stared at him for a moment. She got onto her knees and tapped his head, forcing Jyugo to look up at her. She smiled widely at him, completely catching him off guard.

“It takes a lot for someone to admit that they were wrong.” She said, her voice soft and calming. “For you to come here and explicitly tell that to me directly takes a lot of courage. I commend you for that.” Her hand went to the side of his head and ruffled his hair affectionately. “I’ve already forgiven you, Jyugo. I never blamed you in the first place. Don’t you worry about any of it, okay?”

Jyugo could only stare at her in shock. He tilted his head down, his body beginning to tremble as he tried not to cry again, especially in front of her. Theodora, taking notice, wrapped her arms around him again while chuckling.

“It’s okay.” She said softly to him. “Sometimes we all need to just cry. Just let it out, Jyugo, let it out…”

Now it was basically impossible to keep it in anymore.

Jyugo hid his face against her collarbone, tears just falling down his face again as he was sobbing another round. His hands were grabbing fistfulls of her jacket as if it was his lifeline. Theodora just held him, listening to his violent sobs and cries. She was rubbing his back, just like she would do to anybody really, while her other hand stroked his short black hair.

She didn’t dare to move until Jyugo did. She stayed in that position with him for who knows how long. Eventually, he eased up, his eyes not watering anymore and he became very quiet. The only thing Theodora could hear would be his breathing through his mouth, but that was understandable. The grip on her jacket was released and now lightly placed on her back. The teen’s head just rested against her chest, once again hearing and quietly listening to her heartbeat.

'It’s so… calmly… and warm…’ He thought, unable to really comprehend anything.

Theodora just kept stroking his hair while her other hand rubbed his back up and down. It was a deja vu moment for her, remembering how her siblings would always cry. It was literal instinct at this point in time of what to do. Eventually Jyugo pulled away, hiding his face by looking at the ground as his bangs concealed his face.

“S-sorry…” He whispered softly.

“Don’t apologize. It’s okay.” Theodora said and patted his head twice, causing him to look at her. “To be honest, I’m used to it thanks to Seitarou…”

Jyugo let out a small laugh, putting his hand against his face to hide it. Theodora giggled softly with him and tugged on her sleeve. She forced his head up to face her as she wiped his eyes from the tear stains and any snot that hanged.

“Don’t worry about anything, okay?” She said softly to him. “I bet the guys did the same as me. But, I doubt about of them let you sob it out, huh? Sometimes we just need to let it out, you know? So don’t be afraid to cry. You’re human, Jyugo. You have every right as a living being to cry. Do you feel better now?”

“Yeah… Thanks…” Muttered Jyugo as he wiped his own face with his sleeve. “I didn’t mean to ruin your jacket…”

“Ah, screw it.” She said and began to take it off. “It needed a washing anyways. Don’t matter to me. I’ve got five of them.”

“Wha… Why so many?” Jyugo asked.

“I keep ruining them.” Theodora said and got her jacket off and placed it next to her. “I keep getting snagged by corners without realizing and I end up ripping them. I’ve ruined about three this past week. Three. Seitarou was so shocked to see just how ruined they got he said I could cosplay as a walking zombie.”

Jyugo chuckled at her tale, finding it ridiculous how she managed to do that. “That’s a lot of money, huh?”

“Oh well.” Theodora shrugged and rolled her eyes.

The teen eventually stopped laughing and instead began to stare at her. “You… really are a woman, huh?”

“Yes, I am…” Theodora nodded her head. She took her hat off and began ruffle her short hair. “If I wanted to be a guard, I would have to conceal my identity. This is a prison full of men, so it was for my own safety. I talked to the others about it and they promised to keep silent about it. Back when I was 15 I took a dark road and tried to physically change my gender, which didn’t work out so well. My gender was hidden from everyone until exams came, then I was found out. I refused to get moved, so the guards ended up keeping it a secret and I continued to act like a male for four years. Once my sentence was served, I went back to being a normal female.”

“Sheesh… That sounds harsh.” Jyugo muttered.

“Not as bad as some other things but, eh.” Theodora shrugged. “By the way, my real name is TheodorA, not Theodore. But, since I’m still a guard here, you will have to call me Theo still. Nico doesn’t listen and keeps calling me Dora, but, whatever…”

“Theodora…” Jyugo tried the name out. “Not really much change from Theodore I guess…”

“I had to keep my gender a secret, but I ended up getting revealed thanks to the tournament, Because of that, I was fired. But, thanks to a lot of Supervisors, they convinced the Warden to let me stay. I’m glad because… I really wanted to see you again.”

Jyugo stiffened immediately, his face beginning to turn red. He tilted his head down, hoping to god that she didn’t notice.

“R-really now…” Jyugo mumbled.

“But, I’m going to be honest…” Theodora said calmly, but looked very serious. “You scared the shit out of me back there. I thought you were going to die by Hajime’s hands… And… Your eyes weren’t at all the same… I now understand your rage, and why you acted that way, but… Never do that again!”

Jyugo flinched at her tone, suddenly finding himself being scolded by her.

“You could’ve hurt somebody, badly!” She continued to rant. “I know Musashi provoked you and hurt you, but you shouldn’t have done that! I’m glad nobody was harmed, and this ended up better than I imagined it to, but you seriously caused a mess! If someone provokes you, don’t act out on your feelings. Never act out on your feelings like that every again, okay? Emotions always blind your way of thinking. Promise me you won’t do that ever again!”

“I promise…” Jyugo said, keeping eye contact with her. “I’m sorry for scaring you and everybody else like that…”

“Well…” Her voice softened and she ruffled his hair again. “I’m just glad you’re allowed back here. It would’ve been annoying go down in those underground cells. It take a full twenty minutes to get down there, and that’s subtracting the walking!”

Jyugo just stared at her grinning face. It was so weird to him how she kept ruffling his hair, speaking so soft and nicely. It was beyond his understanding to why she cared so much. He knew it was 'her job,’ but it was much more than that. It was like… she had known him for years. Like she grew with him. He never really had this much affection given to him in one day. As weird as it was, he didn't… hate it. He couldn’t understand the beating in his chest as he stared at her. It was just too confusing…

…But, he knew he liked it.

-

“Hello, Theo. It’s been a while.”

“Indeed it has. How’s Building 5 for ya?”

“It’s been the same.”

“Good.”

Theodora was surprised by the sudden call from Rock this morning. She had went over to see what was up, only for him to ask to bring Liang over for lunch. He explained to her how he wanted to show Liang just why he wanted a stone over. Even though probably would’ve scoffed at his request, Theodora willingly agreed to it. She even worked a bit of her charm to get Samon to agree to it, much to his dismay. So, here she was, bring Liang to Building 13. It’s been a long while since she’d talked to him.

“I’m still trying to understand why I’ve been requested…” Muttered Liang, clearly suspicious of Rock’s intent.

“Rock isn’t trying to pick a fight, alright?” Alloisia said calmly, knowing what he was thinking. “He just simply wants to have lunch with you and talk. Nothing wrong with that.”

“But he is my rival! Rivals don’t eat and talk like a bunch of women!” Liang said.

“Oi.” Theodora sharply glared at him, causing Liang to stiffen.

“Y-you know I don’t mean any disrespect.” Liang defended himself to escape her anger. “I’ve seen most women in my country gossip to each other than men do. You know me well enough to know I respect all women…”

“Just makin’ sure…” Theodora muttered before looking forwards again. “But seriously, stop worrying about Rock. He’s honestly a good guy. I don’t know what happened between you two, but I think he wants to make up for it. At least sit down and see what he has to say, okay?”

“Hm…” Liang looked away from her and glared at the walls. “…Fine. I’ll see what he wants…”

Theodora smirked at him knowing he could see it (it was lunch after all so she could have the mask off), but Liang could tell she had a type of smugness in her eyes. They arrived to Building 13’s cafeteria and Rock immediately spots them. He waved them over, sitting with the rest of Cell 13, and Theodora escorts Liang over, much to his dismay. She even took a seat next to him to hopefully make Liang a little more at ease.

“Thanks for comin’!” Rock said, smiling widely.

“Not like I had much of a choice…” Liang murmured and eyed Theodora before looking back at him. “What do you want?”

“Here,” Rock held a slice of pizza out to Liang, which puzzled him. “Give it a taste!”

“If you brought me here to eat pizza, I’ll have you know that the Chief in Building 5 makes that, too.” Liang stated.

“And I’m sure he does it when he can but without a stoneoven it doesn’t compare.” Rock said with a smirk.

“Stone oven…” Liang murmured, clearly displeased by the word.

“That’s the prize Rock wanted from winning the New Year’s Tournament.” Jyugo said as he and Uno were watching him.

“Yeah, I remember…” Liang muttered.

“It took them a long time but they finally finished installing it!” Uno said.

“Is that so…?” Liang said and eyed Theodora as if to confirm it.

“Yeah, it took a while to do it.” Theodora nodded. “I heard they almost burned the kitchen down trying to instal it correctly. The Old Man would’ve given those guys more hell that Shiro could possibly do, hehehe…!”

“This piece was cut from the very first pizza that came out of that oven—you’re looking at a piece of history.” Rock said as Shiro came over and loomed over Liang. “Shiro was really excited to make it. See? Look at how happy he is!”

Theodora looked up at Shiro’s face, then at Liang’s. She couldn’t help but snicker softly at his fearful expression.

“That’s his happy face…?” Liang whispered, obviously intimidated by him.

“Hurry. Take a bite while it’s still hot.” Rock urged him.

Theodora, knowing Liang was being stubborn, rolled her eyes and grabbed a piece herself. Knowing he was watching her in confusion, she took a bite of it since she hadn’t tried it herself. Her eyes widened in clear surprise, not really expecting it to taste so good.

“Oh, wow, this is good!” She exclaimed, looking joyful. “I honestly didn’t expect that. It reminds me of home.” She looked to Shiro and gave him a thumbs up. “I compliments go to you, my good sir!”

Shiro just nodded to her in appreciation. Liang could only stare at her as if she betrayed him, his eye twitching in annoyance. She just shrugged at him innocently.

“What? I can’t deny good food when I taste it!” She exclaimed. “Eating is probably my favorite time of the day. You know about my condition.”

“Oh, right…” Liang muttered.

“Wait, you mean the HSAN?” Rock asked, causing Theodora to nod. “RIght, right, right! You said something about only to be able to feel things with your tongue, right?”

“Mm-hm.” She nodded. “When I was a kid I was a big foody because of that. Since I can only sense with my tongue, breakfast, lunch and dinner became my favorite parts of the day. But seriously, Liang, try it. It’s good, I swear!”

“You did get brought here, after all. "Jyugo spoke up, grabbing Liang’s attention. "The least you can do is give it a try.”

Liang became a bit silent after that. In a sort of reluctance, Liang took the slice from Rock’s hand and examined it. Slowly, he brought the slice to his mouth and took a bite, the group watching intensely for his reaction. His eyes widened in shock as he swallowed.

“Delicious…!” He exclaimed softly.

“Isn’t it though?!” Rock exclaimed, becoming so excited he was standing up from his seat. “Pizza baked in a stone oven has a superior taste, texture, and even smells better! And that’s just the start. You can cook bread, meats—anything! I’ve been dreaming about this for ages. I’m glad they could let you come here so I can show you why. Thanks again, Theo.”

“You are very welcomed.” Theodora said, spinning her hand and raising into the air as if bowing.

“Ah ha ha! This is delicious indeed!” Yamato exclaimed. He was sitting at the end of the table, eating a slice of pizza with chopsticks along with a gigantic bowl of rice.

“That bowl’s huge, Yamato…” Theodora murmured, staring at him in shock. “Just… Why’re you eating that with your pizza?”

“You get it, we Japanese eat rice with everything!” Yamato exclaimed through a mouth full of rice.

“No, no I do not considering I am American and not at all Japanese.” Theodora stated firmly. “Hell, I don’t even look Japanese, have you seen my arms in the sun!”

“At any rate, we’re pretty lucky we get to eat food this good.” Uno said and turned to Rock. “I appreciate it, Rock.”

“No prob!” Said the big guy, grinning cheerfully.

'Rock is honestly a gigantic kid.’ Theodora thought as she stared at his expression. 'He kinda is underappreciated. I should fix that some time. I bet he wouldn’t mind it if I tried giving him some recipes to keep…’ As she thought that, Rock went on a huge rant of why he enjoys a stone oven so much. Liang looked overwhelmed by his attitude.

“I feel like Rock wants to become Shiro’s apprentice someday.” Uno said, looking towards Liang.

“I can definitely see that…” Stated Liang.

“That would actually be awesome if that happened…” Theodora said quietly, clearly enjoying that idea.

Hearing a few familiar stomps, she looked up to see Shiro walking over to them. He came up behind Liang and placed a very familiar container in front of him. Theodora recognized it as a bamboo steam basket. They had those everywhere in Building 5. Shiro placed it in front of him and lifted the lid up, revealing two large pieces of food.

“Are those…” Liang could only stare at them in surprise.

“I told Shiro you were coming over, so he learned how to make Chinese food.” Rock explained.

“They’re peach buns…” Liang reached for one and held it. He slowly brought it to his mouth and took a bite. He looked shocked, only for his face to show total bliss. “So good… It taste like I’m visiting home.”

Theodora couldn’t help but grin at his expression. Seeing Liang’s happy expression was always something she cherished seeing. Back when she was in Building 5 she has alway tried to get him smiling since he was so serious all the time. 'Everyone deserves a type or laugh or smile sometimes…’

“Good job, Shiro! A Chinese native just complimented your cooking!” Rock exclaimed to the man.

Even Shiro’s face turned red with appreciation, glad he could get such a praise. Theodora couldn’t help but laugh at his expression, glad to two over-serious men could be joyed today.

“You know… I don’t think I’ve ever sat down to enjoy eating like this.” Liang said in realization.

“Seriously?” Jyugo questioned, obviously surprised by his words.

“I’ve always looked at the consumption of food as a chore,” Liang said. “One essential to retaining my training regiment.” Shiro began to pour a cup of tea for him. “But taking in the aesthetics of a meal, enjoying its aroma and flavor…” Liang smiled and picked up the cup of tea. “It’s a nice use of time.”

“I’m glad.” Rock said, catching Liang’s attention. “You’ve lost weight since the two of us first met, right? I was worried when I saw you at the tournament. This should help, though. The only thing you get from fighting are injured and people who are pissed at ya. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had plenty of those. I’m over all that.”

“Oh yeah?” Jyugo questioned.

“I did the math and eating’s way better.” Rock said. “When you eat you get full—that feels awesome. And everyone smiles when they eat something good. We get to eat something tasty everyday—we should count ourselves lucky.”

“A-fucking-men!” Theodora said and slapped the table, causing Uno to snort and start laughing. She then elbowed Liang. “And you didn’t want to come. Someone just got proven wrong.”

“Yes,” Liang chuckled lightly at her. “You always did have a way of being right all the time…”

“I wouldn’t say that, but…” Theodora shrugged jokingly, laughing when Liang pushed her shoulder to knock her down.

“Anyways, Rock…” Liang looked back at him with a serious expression. “I’m sorry for what I said in our fight. I called your dream ridiculous—but I was wrong.” Liang stood up from his spot and gave a short bow. “Xie xie. The meal was delicious. Thanks for sharing.”

'That’s my queue.’ Theodora stood up herself. Being the guard who took him here, she had to be the one to bring him back. She waved at the boy’s goodbye before turning to catch up to Liang with ease. Once she was beside him and copying his pace, she was glad to see the soft smile on his face.

“…Was that so hard?” She said to him with a big smirk. Liang laughed softly.

“No, I gues not…” He said before lifting his head and smiled at her. “I’m glad you brought me. Thank you, Theodora.”

“If you want, I’m sure I can get the Old Man in Building 5 to cook you peach buns.” She said and winked at him.

“No, no.” Liang lifted his hand up and waved it. “You already pulled enough strings as it is. I’m just grateful that I could taste a bit of home away from home today…”

Theodora smiled at him before looking forwards again. “Okay…”

A comfortable silence fell between them, walking side by side back to Building 5.

-

“Why do I have to come now?”

“Because I was directly ordered to go get you.”

“They why did you allow Qi to come?”

“Because I can.”

“Good to know you’ve been the same as always, Theo.”

Theodora just shrugged at Qi’s comment. After bringing Liang back to his cell Hajime had contacted her on her radio. He asked her to bring Upa down towards a gaming room because Nico asked for it. Thankfully she hadn’t left the building otherwise she’d be annoyed as all hell.

Turning back around, she went to go get Upa. But, of course, Qi decided to come along. Why? To get out of work. As much as she shouldn’t let him off of the hook, she allowed it this once. It’s been awhile since she’s seen them so why not? Upa clearly disagreed with her, but she obviously ignored his complaints. Once she got to this new game room of Nico’s, she was utterly shocked by the sight.

It was a gigantic arcade room. From what she knew, this was his reward from the tournament. She knew he wanted the latest games but she had no idea they’d go this out of hand with it. It was actually a pleasant surprise for her.

“What the heck…?” Muttered Upa as he did not seemed pleased. “Did you seriously bring me here in the middle of my meditation? What the hell, Theo.”

“Hey, I just listen to orders, don’t blame me.” Theodora said flatly and held her hands up in defense. “…But you gotta admit, this place is pretty cool.”

“MASTEEEER!” Nico suddenly came into view, flailing his hands in excitement as Upa went behind Alloisia’s leg at his sudden appearance. “COME ON, LET’S PLAY SOME GAMES!”

“WHOA, slow it down, kid!” Upa shouted, having his arms out ready to attack him. “I do not recall agreeing to be your master!”

“But you did say you’d think about it if I beat you in the tournament.” Nico said to him a lot calmer than before.

“Yeah, well I did think about it. I decided I don’t want to.” Upa stated harshly.

“Huh?!” Nico exclaimed in shock.

“Could you be anymore harsher on the kid, jeez, Upa…” Theodora groaned and rubbed her head at his usual behavior.

“Yeah, what’s your hold up?” Qi questioned him.

“Maybe that’s because you aren’t a qigong master.” Upa retorted.

“Ah, yes, because of course that is the case.” Theodora said sarcastically and bent her upper body more towards Upa’s height. “Seriously, Upa. If you keep being this nitpicky you’ll never gain a disciple to teach.”

“You don’t know that!” Upa snapped at her. “And stop bending forwards like that, I get that you’re tall! Stop rubbing it in my face!”

Theodora could only roll her eyes and shake her head at his usual antics. She straightened up, only now realizing the rest of Cell 13 was here as well. It honestly shouldn’t surprise her. The group hardly goes anywhere without each other.

“Hey, you there.” Jyugo spoke up and pointed at Qi. “You’re the guy who slept at the top spinning event.”

Qi stiffened, being guilty as charged.

“What? You tagged along uninvited to get out of work?” Rock questioned, hitting the nail on the head.

“Kinda scummy…” Uno commented.

“Why’re you calling me scummy? You only just met me!” Qi said.

'But… it is kinda truuuue…’ Theodora thought but didn’t dare say it. As she thought that she heard a familiar frustrated monkey-like screech. She turned, knowing exactly who it was, only to hear the familiar voice of Kazari. She turned back around and pretended she heard nothing, knowing it would be easier that way.

When she did turn back around, she saw that everyone fled to their own devices. Seeing that they would all stay here, Theodora began to look around the place. It’s been a long time since she had been around so many games. Passing by a few she smiled softly.

'I remember all of these types of games…’ She thought to herself. 'It’s been so long, too. I wonder if that place is still standing in my old hometown…?’

“Having fun?” A voice snapped her out of thought.

Turning her head, she spotted Jyugo behind her. She shrugged and looked back to the game she had her hand on as she recalled a few memories.

“I guess…” She replied to him. “It’s been years since I’ve played a videogame… When I was younger I always snuck out of my house… Most of the time I went to the local arcade in my town. I always carried a bag of coins with me so I could play. I was utterly addicted to it…” She looked and smiled at him. “Those were some good memories…”

“Huh…” Jyugo muttered and turned his head, watching Uno and Rock battle it out on some dancing game.

“I’m surprised you aren’t playing any.” Theodora said and faced him, catching Jyugo off guard. “Why aren’t you playing any games? They’re all fun. You should go join the others.”

“I… rather not…” Jyugo muttered, looking away from her.

“How come…?” Theodora crossed her arms, genuinely looking concerned. “Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing like that.” Jyugo shook his head. He gazed at the floor as he looked embarrassed. “It’s just, that… I don’t know how…”

Theodora blinked her eyes owlishly for a moment before smiling softly. “Want me to teach you then?”

“Huh?” His head shot up. It was now his turn to blink owlishly at her.

“I’ll teach you how to play some games if you like.” She offered. “I haven’t played any in years, so I’m pretty rusty. But I can definitely teach you the simple concepts if you want.”

“Uh, no thanks.” Jyugo said and looked away from her. “I’m fine just watching…”

“…Okay.” She said and shrugged, knowing to just leave him be. “If you ever want somebody to teach you anything, you can always ask me. I’m willing to help.”

“Why though…?” Jyugo asked her, clearly surprised by her words. “You always want to help so much… Why is that?”

“Well…” Theodora gazed softly at the ground, having a bit of a melancholy expression on her face. “…I’ve always had people helping me as a little kid. Still to this day, I need a little help with thing every now and then. I guess you could say… I just want to simply make up for the times so many people have helped me. I like helping people. It makes me glad to see them happy…”

“Oh…” Jyugo muttered, understanding her point of view.

“If you ever change your mind about those games, just ask, 'kay?” She said and winked at him.

Theodora turned and walked to a different game. Jyugo was so thankfully she turned after that, because he was damn well positive his face was redder than a fire hydrant. He literally spun around and leaned against a gaming system to get his head together so he would stop blushing!

Unaware of his situation, Theodora went around the place. She was fascinated with every gaming system they got and placed it here. It was really impressive. Eventually she stopped at a machine she hadn’t seen in years. It was one of those claw machines where you have to try and get a prize. She saw the guys surrounding it while Jyugo was on the stick. She walked over to see what was up, only to see Jyugo luck out and drop the object.

“You touched it that time.” Nico said to hopefully make him not so upset. But that wasn’t happening with Rock’s mocking laughter.

“You really are trash at everything but jailbreaking, Jyugo.” Uno stated bluntly.

“C'mon, give 'im a break.” Theodora said and nudged Uno’s arm with her elbow. “These machines are hard. I lost plenty of times to these things. They aren’t easy in the slightest.”

“For you that is.” Uno commented and tugged Jyugo aside. “Here, let me show you how.” Uno began controlling the machine. “Look, it’s all about your angle. You wanna grab the head straight.”

They watched in amazement as Uno gained one of the plushies. It went down the little shoot and Theodora grabbed it out of the slot since she was standing right there. Her eyes widened as her mouth went into a wide grin.

“Oh my god, it’s a mini Jyugo!” She exclaimed and laughed a little. “Are there mini us’s in there…!? However made these deserves a high five, oh my god!”

“Yeah, there’s a bunch in here.” Uno said and instantly spotted one and went right for it. “Hey, I think I spotted a mini Nico.”

The little doll went down the shoot and Nico grabbed it. Theodora gaped in amazement at the little, adorable details on the dolls. She honestly couldn’t help the gushing feeling she had. She was a sucker for small things.

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Nico exclaimed as Uno stood by, grinning happily to himself.

“They really did an amazing job here.” Theodora said happily as she was trying to remain as a calm headed adult.

“Hey, is that what I think it is?” Jyugo questioned and pointed at a plushy inside.

“I think it is!” Uno said and went after it. He gained yet again another plushy. Jyugo took it out and held it out.

“It’s a mini Theo.” He stated.

“Aaah! It’s so cute!” Theodora couldn’t help but loudly gush over the plushy, gazing at it in his hands. “They put a little mask on and everything! Oh my god…!”

Uno, Jyugo, and Rock stood there with shocked expressions written all over their faces. Nico ran off somewhere, trying to look for Upa, but that didn’t stop him from hearing Theodora’s exclaim. The older woman looked up from the plushies, her smiling face now falling as she suddenly looked horrified in realization.

“…I just squealed, didn’t I…?” She whispered softly.

They all nodded their heads.

“…Fuck.” She hissed, turning away from them and bit her finger as her face turned red.

“…THAT WAS ADORABLE!” Uno exclaimed, suddenly hugging Theodora, which shocked her as she became stiff as a board. “I will get you anything if you make that face again, I swear to god! That was so fUCKING CUTE!”

“W-what the hell…!?” Theodora muttered and got out of his arms, looking immensely uncomfortable.

“You never act girlish like that in front of us! That was the most cutest thing coming from you!” Uno said quickly and all in one breath. He was trying to hug her again, but Theodora’s arm was out to prevent him from getting closer. “Come here, you deserve another hug!”

“N-no! Fuck off!” She exclaimed, her voice getting deeper as her face was all red. “I am anything BUT cute! Are you on crack or something?! AND STOP TRYING TO HUG ME!”

“Well, Uno kinda has a point…” Rock murmured as he, indeed, found Theodora’s squeal cute.

“Nope! That’s it!” She immediately turned and climbed onto one of the gaming consoles to get away from Uno. “STOP SAYING I’M CUTE, DAMNIT!”

“Are you always like this when showered in affection?” Uno asked her, trying to poke the air at her. “You’ll willingly hug anybody but when it’s the other way around you freak out. What’s up with you? I know you’re weird but this makes you even weirder.”

“I-I’m not used to it, okay?!” She yelled at him. “Lay off, will ya?!”

Uno just laughed at her, finding her reaction utterly hilarious. The same can’t be said from Jyugo as he watched the entire thing silently, trying not to burn holes into Uno’s head. Now this feeling was something he could do without…

“Come on, Master! You should play with us, too!” Nico said, grabbing everyone’s attention as Upa turned away from him.

“I don’t want to.” Upa said, being the stubborn goat he was.

“Aw, but it’s really fun, I promise!” Nico whined, trying to convince him into joining.

“Heh. I guess he’s scared he can’t do it!” Uno taunted loudly.

“No, I totally could!” Upa exclaimed, now facing Uno for mocking him. “Such a simple task is beneath me.”

Seeing this action take place, Theodora put her hands under her armpits and began flapping her arms like a bird while making chicken noises at him. She was still sitting on top of the game consoles cross legged with the little Jyugo plush in her lap.

“Bawk! Bawk! Bawk, bawk, baaaaaawk!” She taunted towards Upa.

“What was that?!” Upa growled at her and pointed directly at her. “You’re supposed to be the peaceful one, aren’t you?!”

“Sorry, what?” She said as a smug smirk took place on her face. “I couldn’t hear you over the BAWK! BAWK!”

“That’s it!” Upa stomped on the ground and marched over to the claw machine. “I’ll show you both who the real chickens are!”

“Oh, please do.” Uno said and leaned against the machines Theodora sat on.

Theodora leaned forwards, her arms around the Jyugo plushy, officially hiding it from view as it remained in her lap. Upa went for a plushy, but it slipped out of the claw. It was silent for a moment before Upa threatened to obliterate the machine, both Rock and Nico having to restrain and stop him. Upa grew very frustrated, his temper being nothing more than a hair trigger.

“I forgot how intense he gets with these things…” Theodora murmured as she was stoic faced again, ready to jump into action if she must.

“What do you find so amusing!?” Upa yelled at Nico, who stood right next to him.

“You look like you’re having fun, that’s all.” Nico replied.

“AAH I’M NOT ENJOYING MYSELF EVEN REMOTELY! I JUST REALLY HATE LOSING, OKAY?!” Upa shouted and slammed against the machine, causing the plushy he grabbed the fall through.

He became quiet at the realization of winning the plushy. Which happened to be a mini version of himself. Almost dumbfounded, Upa bent down and grabbed the little plushy.

“You got it on your second try, way to go!” Complimented Nico.

“Heh… That was… easy…” Upa said, smiling at the doll.

Theodora couldn’t help but smile herself. Upa is honestly hard to handle, but Nico seemed to be just doing fine with that. She couldn’t help just imagine what it would be like if Nico kept doing stuff like this with Upa. 'Nico’s a pretty special individual… I wonder…