#it very slowly got slightly better but then i had Another migraine the other day (ugh and a left brain one at that) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

xxdragonwriterxx · 3 years

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Hi! how about one where Levi and his fem s/o sleep together for the first time and reader finds out that Levi sleep talking about how much he loves her and that he's very lucky to have her in his life. The next morning when they wake up reader teases him about it and he's very embarassed? Thank you so much, I’m sorry for my bad English. I love you❤️

A/N: Hello anon! 💕Thank you so much for requesting, this idea just had my heart melting and I loved it because I sleep talk all the time (when I actually manage to sleep) so it was fun to write based on experience (curtesy of my sis & friends telling me about my sleep talk endeavors). I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to get it out to you, my ADHD has been really out of control lately. I really struggle with it sometimes, so I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for too long. I’ve also been having horrible migraines on and off for the past couple days so that’s what the beginning of the story was inspired by 😅. Thank you so much for your patience, I really appreciate it. Also your english is absolutely fine, love! I hope this is what you were looking for! ❤️

🐉Song Recommendation: “The Ghost on the Shore” By: Lord Huron” 🐉

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🔥Woman of My Dreams 🔥

(Y/N) knew she was supposed to be working, helping Captain Levi with his massive load of paperwork, but she couldn’t focus for the life of her, too distracted by the pained look on her captain’s face. He must’ve felt her watching him, because he glanced up at her, his eyes distant and slightly glazed but narrowed, silently telling her to get back to work. She scowled at him and turned her gaze back to the stack of proposals in her lap, chewing on the end of her pen as she attempted to refocus on the words in front of her. Despite her best efforts, her mind kept straying back to the raven-haired man at his desk, his occasional grunts and annoyed sighs alerting her to his struggle.

(Y/N) was always in awe of her boyfriend’s work ethic, constantly left wondering how someone with so much stress could still manage to push forward. He never seemed to fail at anything he tried, and he constantly pushed his mind and body to the limits, foregoing the need for rest and food in favor of getting everything done in one night. But while that part of her would always be proud of him and his ability to do so much, another part of her hated it. She hated how he’d sacrifice his own health for the sake of others, pushing himself until his body nearly shut down. Tonight, was one of those nights.

She knew Levi had a horrendous migraine. He was usually prone to the headaches that seemed to crack the skull open, but this one seemed particularly awful. He was constantly massaging his forehead and his eyes were unfocused and filled with pain. Tiny whimpers and groans would occasionally escape him, showing her just how much it was affecting him. Levi was usually able to push through the pain and suffer in silence, but this migraine of his seemed intent on making him as miserable as possible. He hadn’t finished more than two pages of work since they had started, and it was clear he was nearing his breaking point.

Knowing his preference for powering through the pain, (Y/N) usually left him to his own devices when he had a migraine like this, trying to make his life easier in more subtle ways like bringing him tea and helping him with more paperwork than usual, but this time, she refused to ignore it. It was clear he was too stubborn to admit he needed to rest and someone had to look after him and make sure he didn’t kill himself.

Setting the remaining reports off to the side, (Y/N) stood from his couch and made her way over to her lover. Before he could react, (Y/N) leaned over and snatched the pen he held from his grasp, throwing it behind her so it could land randomly somewhere in the office.

“(Y/N)! What the hell?” Levi snapped, his voice raspy and filled with exhaustion.

“I’m tired of watching you work yourself to the bone. Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

Levi shook his head, “(Y/N), I’m fine.”

(Y/N) crossed her arms, “Like hell you are. Now, stop being stubborn and step away from the desk.”

“Don’t forget who you’re talking to, (Y/N),” Levi said darkly with a huff. “I am still your captain.”

“Well you won’t be anymore if you overwork yourself to death,” (Y/N) retorted. “And don’t forget who you’re talking to. I’m your girlfriend, which means it’s my job to worry about your wellbeing, especially if you refuse to do it yourself.”

Levi glared at her, but he was secretly touched by her sentiment. It had taken him a while to get used to the feeling of being loved and cared for, but once he had, he had grown greedy for it. He never showed it, still uncomfortable at the idea of being vulnerable around others, even his own lover, but he would always love how she doted on him, how she made him feel like he was worth something. That if he died, he wouldn’t just be mourned because humanity had lost its strongest soldier. He would be missed, remembered for the man he was rather than just how society had painted him to be. His eyes roved over her usually kind face, now twisted into a frown as she glared right back at him, refusing to back down without getting him the rest he needed. He honestly didn’t know why he was being so stubborn, he knew she was right, but he still struggled to accept her help, almost feeling weak for succumbing to something as trivial as a migraine.

As if she could read his mind, her gaze softened and she let out a gentle sigh. Moving around his desk to stand behind him, she leaned down and laid her hands on his shoulders, squeezing and massaging the muscles with her firm fingers. Levi was embarrassed by how quickly he reacted to her touch, immediately leaning back into her grip. His head lolled against the back of his chair and his eyes closed in bliss, temporarily ignoring the blistering pain in his head.

“Feel good?”

Levi hummed.

“See? Accepting help doesn’t make you any less of a man. Getting the rest and relaxation your body needs doesn’t make you weak by any means. Everyone needs the proper energy to take care of themselves, you especially. You’re too important to lose, especially to something as pointless as self neglect. So please stop working tonight, for me.”

Levi was silent for a moment, fighting with himself over the urge to finish his work anyway or fall victim once again to your undeniable charms as well as the insistent demands of his own body. Just as he was about to open his mouth, ready to attempt one last refute, a fresh wave of pain washed over him, making him gasp. A hand flew to his head, his teeth gritted in pain as his very skull seemed to throb. Through the haze, he vaguely felt (Y/N)’s hands tighten on his shoulders and knew there was no way he was going to get out of this. Once she had made up her mind about something, there was no changing it.

For once, Levi didn’t fight it when (Y/N) guided him to stand from his chair, biting his tongue to keep from gasping in pain as the sudden movement made his head split. He stumbled and started to fall, only to be caught by his lover, the strong woman bearing his entire weight as if he were nothing but a feather. A light blush made its way to his cheeks despite the pain that was starting to make his vision blur. He knew he shouldn’t be shocked, she was in his Special Operations squad for a reason, but she never failed to impress him with her unexpected strength. (Y/N) walked slowly and carefully, making sure to avoid jostling him as she made her way to his bedroom. Nudging the door open, (Y/N) picked her way over to his bedside and pulled the sheets back before gently easing him onto the mattress, ignoring his protests when she began stripping him of his uniform.

His blush got a little darker as she worked on removing his clothes. Their relationship wasn’t new, but it hadn’t been very long either, and they still hadn’t crossed the boundary of physical intimacy yet. He knew she had no ill intent, but it still didn’t stop him from feeling relatively shy at the thought of her seeing him without his uniform.

(Y/N) felt butterflies in her stomach with each article she removed, but she shoved down her embarrassment and awe at his breathtaking form and focused on making him as comfortable as possible. She stopped once he was finally stripped to his boxers and neatly folded his uniform to place on the lone chair in the corner of his room, knowing it would bother him all night if it was thrown around half-hazardly.

Levi’s soft groan of pain brought her back to his bedside, and she quickly shimmied the blankets out from under his legs so she could throw them over his body, taking the extra time to tuck him in as comfortably as possible. As soon as he was nestled beneath the soft blankets, (Y/N) moved to his bathroom to get him some water, holding the glass to his lips for a few sips to help lessen some of the pressure in his head. Finally, she left to grab a small bucket to place beside him just in case he had to vomit in the middle of the night, knowing it might be difficult for him to reach the bathroom if he was dizzy and disoriented.

Placing her hands on her hips, (Y/N) surveyed her work, nodding once she was satisfied with his set up. Flashing him a sweet smile, (Y/N) turned for his bedroom door, her eyes soft and full of love as she watched him.

“Goodnight, Levi, I hope you feel better,” She said, opening the door and stepping through it.

“(Y/N).”

(Y/N) paused, her hand on the edge of the door as she peered back around to look at him, “Yes?”

“Stay with me. Please?” Levi asked, the blush on his cheeks getting even darker as he averted his gaze.

(Y/N)’s eyes widened in shock. She and Levi had been dating for nearly six months and yet he had never asked her something like this. She knew they were going at a slow pace, she knew Levi struggled with expressing his emotions, but she had always been content to go at whatever pace he was comfortable with, knowing he was still very new to the idea of a relationship. It had taken him several weeks for him to even get to the point of treating her differently than the other soldiers on his squad.

She had never doubted his love for her, even when her friends had seemed skeptical in the beginning. She could see it in his eyes, but it had taken him a long time to be able to express those hidden feelings physically and vocally. She didn’t mind, she was fine with being patient and had waited for him to come to her, allowing him to have the time he needed to find his words and indulge in discovering his own love language. It was fun in a way, a little adventure between the two of them. It made every new sign of affection from him mean so much more than normal; every head pat, every kiss, every hug, making her feel as if she had just conquered the world.

It was because of those experiences that she was able to understand the importance of this moment. Her shy, reclusive, severely touch-starved boyfriend asking her to share his bed with him, exposing that vulnerability to her, albeit innocently, was a huge step in a new direction for him.

The thought made her nervous, not wanting to impose on his personal space or make him uncomfortable with her, but it also filled her with immense pride. He trusted her and only her to be around him when he was at his most vulnerable.

Swallowing her anxiety, (Y/N) nodded and shut the door again. Picking her way across the room, she quietly maneuvered her way to his bedside and slid beneath the covers beside him, trying to make as little noise and movement as possible to avoid causing more pain to his head.

Levi grunted a little as he shifted onto his side, facing away from her while she reached over to the bedside table to diffuse the lantern flame, bathing the room in darkness. Levi felt (Y/N) shift until she was laying on her side, facing his broad back, the covers pulled up to her shoulders.

“Goodnight Levi,” (Y/N) murmured.

“Mmm, goodnight,” Levi muttered, the pain in his head coupled with her soothing presence making him drowsier than normal.

(Y/N) smiled when she felt Levi fall asleep, his light snores and gentle breathing filling the otherwise silent air. She was glad he was finally getting some rest, but she knew she would be up for a while. She had had insomnia for as long as she could remember and knew it would be a long time before her brain would shut up long enough for her to get some rest. It was that shared trait between her and the Captain that had allowed her to get close to him in the first place, late night talks with tea leading to moonlit confessions on the roof of their headquarters.

(Y/N)’s smile widened at the memory, and how uncharacteristically nervous the normally stoic Captain had been when he had turned to her that fateful night and practically spat his feelings at her. She knew how hard it had been for him to admit them to her, and she had a small inclination to say that Erwin and Hanji may have been the ones to force him to do it, but that just made the memory all the more special to her. It showed her that he really did care for her, that he was willing to lower his carefully structured walls and bare his battered heart for her alone. It was why it didn’t bother her that he didn’t shower her with compliments. It was why she was never disheartened by his lack of physical or vocal affection.

She’d be lying if she claimed she didn’t get a little lonely sometimes, and she couldn’t say she didn’t sometimes wish he could call her beautiful without hesitation, but she didn’t let it get to her. She loved him, and she knew he loved her, so she’d wait for however long it took for him to grow comfortable around her, even if that meant she had to reel back her own feelings for a while.

Closing her eyes, (Y/N) was trying to coax sleep to take her when a sudden quiet murmur made her open them again. She waited, wondering if she had imagined the noise, when she suddenly heard it again. It was soft, and very quiet, but it was no doubt the voice of her lover, muttering something. She knew there was no way he was talking to her, he would’ve spoken louder than that if he was.

The thought made her stifle a surprised giggle as she suddenly realized that Levi was talking in his sleep. She knew he’d be embarrassed if he found out she was listening, but she couldn’t help herself, her ears straining to try to catch some of the words. Silence settled over the room once more for a moment, nothing but the distant sound of the wind blowing outside filling the air, but soon enough, the murmurs started back up again, more recognizable words spilling from his lips the longer he talked to himself.

“No…, that’s not…mmm.”

“S-Stop that!”

“Mmph, no… I’m not...”

(Y/N) stifled another laugh as Levi started getting feisty in his sleep, turning to face her with a slight frown marring his features. His eyes were still firmly shut, confirming that he was indeed sleep talking, but the argument he was having with some unknown person in his head seemed to only be getting more intense.

“That’s not true!” Levi suddenly shouted, his voice raspy and muffled by his pillow.

“What’s not true, Levi?” (Y/N) whispered, deciding to tease him a bit. She knew he would probably be annoyed later, but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, she wasn’t about to pass it up.

“That’s not true.” Levi said again, his voice lowering in volume but hardening in tone, “Of course I show affection!”

(Y/N) brought a hand to her mouth and bit her knuckle, trying to keep her giggles from waking him up, “Oh, really? When do you usually show affection?”

Levi’s frown deepened and his jaw tightened, “I show affection when I’m with (Y/N).”

(Y/N) blinked, not expecting her name to come up in this midnight conversation. Lowering her hand from her lips, (Y/N) sat up to rest on her elbows, her eyes sparkling as she looked down at her sleeping lover.

“How do you show (Y/N) affection?” she asked, curious to see what he would say.

Levi let out a quiet, defeated sigh, his frown disappearing into an expression that looked unexpectedly like guilt.

“Listen, Hanji, I…” Levi trailed off for a while, the air thick with (Y/N)’s curiosity. So, it was Hanji he was talking to in whatever dream he was having. The thought spiked her curiosity even further, making her heart pound in her chest. It wasn’t uncommon that Levi would be annoyed with Hanji, so the argument at the beginning of his dream made sense, but he almost never talked about his relationship with anyone but Erwin, not trusting the energetic scientist to keep from teasing him and spreading rumors about them. She knew they were together of course, that was impossible to hide from her, but he always denied her details whenever she asked.

“Shit… I… I can’t believe I’m about to do this…” Levi muttered, a slight scowl reappearing on his features.

“Do what?” (Y/N) whispered.

Levi took a deep breath, his fingers curling around the edge of the sheets to squeeze in his fist, as if he was being forced to do something unpleasant, “Hanji, I need your help.”

(Y/N) had to fight to hold back a genuinely shocked gasp. Even when he was just dreaming, she had never imagined in her entire life that she would hear that sentence come out of his mouth. She suddenly wondered if she was the one dreaming, and this was just some elaborate scene her brain had made up.

“Um, sure, Levi, what do you need help with?”

A deep breath rattled from the depths of his chest, “How do I... show (Y/N) proper affection?”

“What do you mean?” (Y/N) asked breathlessly.

Levi grunted in his sleep, his knees rising beneath the sheets to curl against his stomach. “Do I really have to explain it, Hanji?”

“Yes.”

“Fine, you idiot,” Levi grumbled, “I just… I just don’t know how to show her how much she means to me. I’m so fucking lucky to have her. She’s been so patient, so amazing, never complaining about my inability to be romantic, but I’m tired of being unable to be there for her. I’m tired of looking around at the other couples around us and seeing how loving they are, only to know that I can’t do the same for her. I’ve had enough of treating her like a normal cadet on my squad. She deserves so much more than that, she is so much more than that. She shows me every single day that I am loved and cared for, and it makes me sick that I struggle to do the same.”

(Y/N) had her hand back over her mouth again, this time to stifle her sobs instead of her chuckles. Her eyes were lined with silver as she gazed down at the love of her life, her heart thundering pleasantly in her chest. While it was true that she had never had a problem with waiting for him to get more comfortable with her, she couldn’t deny the feelings of elation she was feeling with every word that poured from his mouth. It didn’t matter that he was asleep, it didn’t matter that he didn’t even know he was talking to her. All that mattered was that he was finally saying the things she had secretly burned to hear for months.

Levi sighed, “I just love her so damn much. She’s the woman of my dreams, and I don’t think I can go one more day without her knowing that…”

Swallowing the sob that threatened to crawl past her lips, (Y/N) brushed his raven bangs to the side and leaned down to give him a sweet kiss on the forehead.

“Believe me, Levi. She knows.”

The small smile that appeared on his face made it impossible for (Y/N) to hold her tears back this time, the warm, salty liquid sliding down her cheeks to land with soft taps on her pillow. Despite the fact that his eyes were still closed, (Y/N) gave him a watery smile of her own and reached over to wrap an arm around his waist, pulling herself closer to his warm chest and curling into his body.

“I love you too, Levi,” she murmured before closing her eyes, the smile still on her face as she fell asleep easily for the first time in years.

____________________

Levi could feel himself slowly being dragged back into consciousness, but for the first time since he was a little boy, he didn’t want to wake up to the slightly more bearable hell of the day. Usually, what little sleep he got was riddled with nightmares, screams of his comrades as they either begged him to save them or blamed him for their early deaths. He was usually plagued with dark, bloody thoughts and visuals that made him wake in a cold sweat, his stomach swirling so violently he was occasionally reduced to emptying the remnants of his dinner in the middle of the night. He never enjoyed being tired or facing the titans day after day, but at least the real world kept him busy with training and paperwork, keeping his demons at bay.

But today felt different. He felt warm, comfortable, as if the sun’s rays were cuddling him in a warm nest. He felt content and unafraid of closing his eyes for the first time in years. A part of him was suspicious of the change, tempted to open his eyes and find out what was making him feel so comfortable, but the bigger part of him didn’t want to leave this unexpected bliss so soon, afraid that opening his eyes would chase away the feeling before he could truly relish in it.

He sighed through his nose, nuzzling his pillow in an attempt to coax his mind back into the warm embrace of sleep when a sudden movement against his bare chest made his eyes snap open, ready to rip someone to shreds. His stinging words immediately died on his tongue when his silver gaze snapped to the (h/c) haired lump nestled against his skin. Ah, that explained why he had slept so well, even with a migraine, which had thankfully disappeared overnight.

Levi couldn’t help the smile that curled at the edges of his lips, the look in his eyes softening as he watched his love sleep against him. An innocent, giddy sense of wonder filled him at the sight of her, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never had a woman fall asleep against him before, many people finding him too cold and standoffish to find comfort in him. But here she was, the most gorgeous woman in the world, cuddled up against him as if he were a warm pillow, her hair splayed out over his chest like tangled silk.

She was so fucking beautiful. He couldn’t get her out of his head. The past few months had been the best he had ever had, his life now full of love and happiness and soft laughter. As he stared at her, his heart about to burst out of his chest, Levi couldn’t help but reach out to her, his fingers brushing her cheeks ever so softly, making his skin tingle with how soft she was.

His hand immediately drew back when she scrunched her nose cutely, her eyes squeezing shut as her mouth opened in a wide yawn. A part of him felt sorry for waking her, but as she opened her glittering (e/c) eyes to look up at him, the other part of him felt more satisfied at seeing her cute expression.

“Good morning,” (Y/N) mumbled, her sleepy, raspy voice sending a jolt of something electric down his spine.

“Morning,” Levi said, unaware that his own deep, husky morning voice was making (Y/N)’s stomach flutter with early morning butterflies.

“Sleep well?” (Y/N) asked.

“Surprisingly, yes,” Levi said, moving his arms from around her body so he could stretch them above his head with a satisfying crack.

“It sure sounded like it.”

Her comment made him pause and glance at her, the mischievous look in her eye making a wave of nervousness course through him.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing,” (Y/N) purred, causing his anxiety to spike, “I was just unaware that you talk in your sleep.”

Levi froze. He talked in his sleep!? He didn’t know he did that! He supposed it was normal for him to not remember the event, and he had never slept beside another person in his life, aside from his mother when he was a toddler, so it made sense that he had been unaware of this unexpected habit, but that didn’t erase the anxiety that swirled in his gut.

“O-Oh?” Levi asked softly, cursing his stutter.

“Mm hm,” (Y/N) said, her smile only widening as she watched his reaction, her eyes glittering playfully.

“Um, what did I say? It better not have been something stupid,” Levi muttered, trying to fight the blush that threatened to rise to his cheeks. He almost didn’t want to know, but with the way she was smiling at him, it looked as if he had said some revealing things.

“Well, you were arguing with Hanji for most of it,” (Y/N) said, watching with a deviant smile as her boyfriend relaxed, an obvious expression of relief on his face.

“Tch, I do that when I’m awake, idiot.”

“You also said you were head over heels in love with Eren Jaeger.”

(Y/N) couldn’t hold back her laugh when Levi started choking on his own breath, his sharp inhale of shock getting caught in his throat.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” (Y/N) said with a cackle, smirking even more at the dirty glare he threw her as he coughed, “It was a joke, I promise!”

“Fucking hell, brat…” Levi muttered, covering his face with his arm.

“You did call me the woman of your dreams, though,” (Y/N) said quietly once her giggles had subsided, a light blush dusting her cheeks despite herself as she recalled the wonderful memory.

Levi didn’t choke this time, but his eyes did go wide, his lips parting in shock. He knew she was being serious. Immediately, Levi was filled with a confusing blend of joy and horror, happiness that he had finally gotten the chance to tell her his true feelings about her, even in sleep, and horror that she had found out in the way she did, while he was unconscious and having an argument with Four Eyes about god knows what. Levi couldn’t fight the blush that rose to his cheeks, his skin stained red as embarrassment washed over him.

He didn’t know what to say. He was floundering, trying to think of something, anything to either confirm his sentiment or try to divert the conversation, but nothing was coming to mind. His brain was blank, nothing but the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears overwhelming his senses. Suddenly, a soft hand grasped his wrist, gently tugging on his arm until he had removed it from covering the silver eyes she loved so much. Leaning over him, her eyes were glazed with unshed tears as she locked her gaze with his, showing him all of the emotions she couldn’t put into words before leaning down to kiss him.

He unintentionally let out a groan when her lips met his, his tongue immediately reaching out to dance with hers as they tasted each other, slow and sweet and loving. When they finally parted, both of them gasping for breath and smiling as if they had just found the way to world peace, Levi saw that a few tears had escaped to stain (Y/N)’s cheeks.

“I love you, Levi Ackerman. I love you for you and all of your little quirks, and I always will.”

Levi felt himself get choked up, but he swallowed past the lump in his throat, focused on making the goddess in his arms feel the same way she made him feel.

“I l-love you too, (Y/N), y-you really are the woman of my d-dreams.”

Levi hated that he stuttered, but he let out a sigh of relief as he finally managed to push the words past his lips. (Y/N) choked out a joyful sob as pride filled her chest like a roaring lion, making her skin glow as if she were something from a fairytale, taking Levi’s breath away. Sitting up, Levi met her half way for another soul-searing kiss, his heart calling out her name as he allowed himself to relax with the kiss, melting into her affection as if he were dipping into a warm sauna, his heart throbbing for the woman who was his entire world.

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mariaalenkoshepard · 3 years

Text

Sleepless

“You’re easy to talk to, Kaidan,” she admitted. He smiled back at her.

“Well I’ll always be here when you need to talk, Commander.”

Kaidan gets to know Maria a little better one sleepless night

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Kaidan quietly huffed in frustration, pulling up the time on his Omni-tool. It had been over three hours since he had bunked down, and he was beginning to think that sleep just wasn’t going to happen for him tonight. He briefly considered just staying in bed – any rest was better than no rest at all, after all, and with his migraines he wouldn’t be able to take a stimulant later if he crashed – but the idea of spending another minute tossing and turning was enough to drive him insane.

He kicked off his covers with a sigh and quietly made his way to his station in the mess hall; if he couldn’t sleep, he may as well get some work done. Besides, it would look better if he did crash later.

He had expected to find the mess empty – the ship only ran with a skeleton crew at this hour – but as he rounded the corner, he saw Shepard sat at the table. Her hands were wrapped around a mug, and she had a faraway look on her face. He couldn’t help but smile fondly.

Day by day, Kaidan found himself getting to know the woman behind Commander Shepard, as she slowly lowered her walls and allowed herself to just be. A woman who was gentle, inquisitive, sometimes shy, and often deep inside her own head. Who made him feel safe talking about his past and never judged him or pitied him. A woman who was stronger than anyone he had ever met, who had been through the kind of hell that would break or harden anyone else, but she came through the other side still strong, still kind.

And the more he got to know her, the more intense his feelings for her became. What had started off as a small crush had quickly snowballed into something a lot more.

Which was... unfortunate; she was, at the end of the day, still his commanding officer.

He sighed, and Shepard finally noticed him, sitting up straight, eyes focused, sharp, ready. Commander Shepard.

“Kaidan. Is everything alright?” she asked.

“Just fine Commander.”

She examined his face with concern.

“Are you getting a migraine?”

Kaidan shook his head, touched by her worry.

“No, I’m alright. Can’t sleep is all.”

Shepard visibly relaxed and gave him a soft smile that made his heart beat a little faster.

“Me neither. I thought I’d make some camomile to try to wind down.” She lifted her mug slightly as if to punctuate her point.

Kaidan smiled and gestured to the empty seat across from her.

“May I?”

“Of course.”

He sat, nodding towards the mug in her hands.

“Is it helping?” he asked. She shrugged.

“A little,” she said unconvincingly.

Kaidan frowned. From this short distance he could now see the dark, heavy circles beneath Shepard’s eyes. Her nails were bitten down to the quick, and her fingers gripped her mug a little too tightly. He wondered just how many sleepless nights she had had.

“Are you alright Commander?” he asked.

She smiled, and it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” he said carefully, not wanting to overstep. “You seem... stressed.”

The smile faltered, and Shepard let out a soft laugh.

“Nothing gets past you,” she said, then sighed. “I haven’t been sleeping well. For a while now,” she admitted. Kaidan hummed sympathetically.

“Have you spoken to Doctor Chakwas?”

“Yeah. She offered me some sleeping pills, but I don’t like to take them. Makes me feel... unfocused.”

“It can’t be worse than running on no sleep though, can it?” Kaidan asked gently. Shepard shifted uncomfortably.

“It’s...” She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, mentally debating over whether she wanted to share the truth. After a few moments, she decided she did. “After Akuze...”

She paused to gauge Kaidan’s reaction. He leaned in slightly, face attentive, waiting for her to continue at her own pace. She appreciated it.

“I couldn’t sleep at all. Every time I closed my eyes... I was back there. So the doctors gave me sleeping pills.” She gripped her mug tighter. The pressure helped keep her grounded. “They helped me sleep, but... even when I was awake, I felt... hazy. Like I was half dreaming.” She lifted a hand to her mouth to bite on her nails. Seeing that they were already bitten down to nothing, she instead began tapping her fingers against her wrist; one nervous habit for another.

“I didn’t feel right. I felt numb. And... it’s worse. Than fear, or pain. If you’re hurting, at least you know you’re alive. On those pills... I felt like a ghost.”

She had never spoken to anyone about this outside of a therapist; never felt like she could. But Kaidan made it easy. He made her feel safe. No one had made her feel that way since she lost her parents all those years ago. She felt like she could tell him everything.

“I haven’t taken any kind of sleeping aid since then. I can’t. I don’t want to... not feel, again.”

Kaidan said nothing for a moment, taking it all in. He wanted to reach out, take her hand in his in reassurance.

He didn’t. He couldn’t.

“Thank you for trusting me with this,” he finally said. Shepard gave him a small smile.

“You’re easy to talk to, Kaidan,” she admitted. He smiled back at her.

“Well I’ll always be here when you need to talk, Commander.”

“Maria.”

A pause.

“I’m sorry?” Kaidan asked, not registering her meaning for a moment.

Shepard looked down into her mug, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. She had said it impulsively, but she decided to commit.

“You can call me Maria. When we’re alone. If you want,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kaidan would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little surprised. She had told him before that he didn’t have to be so formal when they were off duty, but... well, he’d never heard anyone call her by her first name, not even Anderson, and he was like a father figure to her.

He watched as she ducked her head, biting down on her lip, a nervous habit he’d noticed often. Her warm olive skin was slightly flushed, and she looked... vulnerable.

Oh. She feels it too.

It became suddenly clear in that moment. What he felt for her... she felt the same way. He knew, right then, as sure as he knew his own name.

It shouldn’t have made him happy. It was against all the rules.

He was happy anyway.

“Okay. Maria,” he said softly. Her name felt at home on his lips.

She looked up at him, her face surprised, before she smiled, a real smile that reached her eyes, dark brown and warm and filled with affection. Affection for him.

He wanted to kiss her right then. Take her face in his hands and meet her lips with his own, show her just how special she was to him. For a moment, he even considered it.

He didn’t, of course, but that was okay. For now, this moment was enough.

(I hope you enjoyed this little ficlet. This is my first fic in... 2 years now? Feedback would be very much appreciated!)

#shenko #shenko fic #mass effect #kaidan alenko #my writing #fshenko

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annabethy · 3 years

Text

under the mistletoe, watching the fire glow day 6: in the emergency room

Character A and Character B meet in the ER on Christmas Eve,, Percabeth

Annabeth likes to think that Christmas Eve is meant to be spent with the people you love most. For the past few years, she’s spent it with just her and Percy, both of them cuddled close on the couch with movies playing in the background.

It’s meant to enjoy the lights around the city and drink hot chocolate as you watch the snow fall. When she was little, she never really got to do any of that with her family, but now she has Percy. The absolute love of her life.

He makes her feel loved and cherished, and she quickly builds Christmas memories to last her a lifetime. The day that Annabeth used to dread is now the one day she wishes more than anything that she could live in forever.

So it’s safe to say Annabeth is fascinated by the bright lights. She would spend eternity surrounded by the blue and green and red lights, wrapped in the love of her life’s arms, if she could.

Annabeth smiles as Piper plants a cookie into her hand. She has to admit that she’s a bit saddened that Percy had to work on Christmas Eve, but she also supposes that’s what comes with being a doctor. She would be fine, anyways. She still had her friends, and then all of actual Christmas Day with him.

That’s what she thought, anyways, until she took the first bite of that cookie and her throat started closing up.

All havoc breaks loose as people start screaming around her, and she wants to tell them to calm down, but her vision starts to spot because she can’t get enough air. She hears someone say something about anaphylaxis, and the next thing she knows, she’s inside an ambulance under those beautiful blue and red flashing lights.

She’s injected with a heavy dose of epinephrine, and she starts to feel marginally better, and by that, she means she can at least wheeze in a breath of air. Everything is kind of blurry, which is a shame. New York City is beautiful on the night of Christmas Eve. Thanks to the cookie, or at least she’s assuming that was the culprit, she’s instead stuck inside of an ambulance that is all too loud and making her feel nauseous.

The EMTs roll her into the ER, and she distantly thinks that these lights don’t even hold a flame to the ones outside. As she looks around, there are a lot more people than she would’ve expected to see on this night, and she suddenly understands why Percy had to come into work. He’s so selfless and perfect, putting others before himself, and there’s something really hot about him when he’s in patient mode. God, she loves her husband so much, and she’s only a little bit high right now, but she wants to just grab his face and kiss him and—

“Annabeth?”

She turns her head to the voice, and her eyes take a few moments to adjust before she notices Percy coming towards her, alarmed.

“What happened!?”

She tries to speak, but her throat really hurts right now. She thinks an EMT tells him instead before Percy waves him off and takes the gurney in his hands himself. She’s placed in a room off of the ER, and there are quite a few other people hooking her up to a machine and pricking her with needles. She doesn’t quite like the way that everything feels to be moving in slow motion, sound faded in her ears. She is only brought back to a screeching halt when Percy calls her name for what she’s sure isn’t the first time.

“Annabeth,” he says, looking her in the eyes. “Are you okay?”

She blinks. “I’m fine,” she says, but her voice sounds super strained to even her own ears. She begins to look around the room and notices, sadly, that there are no longer any colorful lights. Just obnoxious white led lights.

Percy pulls a stethoscope from his white coat pocket, his hand snaking underneath her shirt to reach her back. “Can you take a breath?”

She does as he says, her skin lining with goosebumps at the cold feel of the metal. He moves it around again, asks her to take another breath, checking her lungs, checking her heartbeat. He pulls away again, and she nearly whines. As he loops the stethoscope around his neck, his hands come to press to her cheeks, his thumb caressing the smooth skin.

“Poor baby,” he says, pouting.

Annabeth pulls her head away from his grasp, but he follows her. “Don’t baby me.”

“You went into anaphylactic shock,” he says. “Let me baby you."

Annabeth scowls, but Percy presses a sweet kiss to her forehead anyways. Her fingers find the top of his scrubs, curling around the fabric, and he just lets her. She knows that he does his best to not let people grab his clothes, so it’s cute that he lets her do it. It’s nice to know that he has a soft spot for her that he doesn’t exhibit with anyone else, and it makes her grin.

“What are you smiling about?” he asks softly. He’s leaning over her slightly as he pulls a small flashlight out of his pocket so he can shine it in her eyes.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” she asks.

“I was working until my wife rolled up into the ER unable to breathe. Near gave me a heart attack.”

“But I’m all good now,” she says, weakly pushing him away by the chest. “So go away.”

“I’m the doctor, and I say that you’re not all good until I say so.” He grabs her hand and kisses each of her knuckles before curling her hand into a fist and pressing it against his heart. “You feel that?”

“You were scared,” she teases, concentrating on the steady thumps against her hand.

“Of course I was.”

She smiles softly, pouting her lips for another kiss. When he obliges, she giggles, poking him in the face. “You nasty. You just kissed a patient.”

He gives her a look of adoration. “It doesn’t count when you’re already my wife, silly.”

“You’re also treating family, so.”

“I’m the only person on trauma that’s available right now,” he says.

“Does this even count as a trauma?”

“My heart experienced trauma,” he admits, brushing her hair away from her face. “It was highly traumatic hearing your name.”

“You love me,” she teases.

“Aw, you caught me.” He coos at her and presses kisses all over her face. “I love my wife so so much.”

“Did you know that a cookie almost took my life today?”

“I heard. I’m just wondering why you ate a cookie without checking first.”

“Piper gave it to me.”

“Attempted murder,” he says playfully. As he caresses her head, fingers threading in her hair, he asks, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m much better now that I get this sexy doctor taking care of me.”

He smirks. “Sexy, huh?”

“Very. And now I get to see you on Christmas Eve!”

“I’m not sure this was the best way to see you on Christmas Eve, baby. I don’t like seeing you hurt.”

“The only thing that hurts is my head because of these bright lights.” She glares at the lights as though they’ll dim in fear.

“Do you want them off?”

She shakes her head but continues glaring. “Need something to keep the Christmas spirit up.”

“Nothing like a festive migraine, right?” He moves to turn the lights off anyways before coming back to her side.

“Can you do me a favor?” she asks, fingers scratching at her arm languidly. He pushes her hand away from her skin, scolding her for scratching at the hives that have forced. She scowls at him, but he just grins.

“What do you want, love?”

“Come cuddle me.”

Percy throws his head back and laughs. “Now that might get me fired.”

“I’m not worth it?”

Percy’s thumb traces over her bottom lip. “You’re always worth it.”

And so is he, she thinks.

Percy crawls into the bed anyways, laying down by her side. It’s nice having someone willing to break the rules for her. She thinks he would have done it anyways even if she hadn’t asked him to stay with her. She rests her head against his chest, and he begins to rub her back slowly. The mess of wires is a bit uncomfortable, but she’ll live as long as Percy keeps rubbing circles into the itchy skin, as long as she can feel his body heat warming her in the cool hospital air.

She dozes off a little bit only to wake up coughing for air again. Percy becomes alert for a second, and he pulls an oxygen mask off the wall, holding it to her face. He keeps it there for her as she settles back down, and she begins to fall asleep against him again.

She’s sure that someone walked in to find them like that, but Percy doesn’t move. He stays there until she wakes back up again, and then she is much less tired and much more chatty.

“Can we watch a movie later?” she asks.

“If that’s what you want to do.”

“But we have to open presents first.”

“Of course,” he says, humoring her.

“What did you get me?”

“I can’t tell you that,” he chastises softly. “It would ruin the surprise.”

“How about you tell me now, and I pretend to be surprised later.”

Percy kisses her once. “Come on. Just wait a few more hours.”

“Oh my god, you got me that car I wanted, didn’t you?”

Percy snorts in her face. “Sure.”

“And a new house, right?” “Where do you think I’m pulling this money from, babe?”

She nuzzles his neck. “What did you get me then?”

“I got you a coupon that says you may request one baby.”

“So you got me a coupon that says we can bang mercilessly?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a lame gift.”

Percy gasps, tickling her side until she can’t breathe again. He stops as she starts wheezing, but he’s then pinching her arm lightly. “That’s so mean.”

“Just tell me what you got me for Christmas!”

“You have to wait and see!”

She sighs but gives in, laying against him again. The rest of Christmas Eve is spent like that, Percy sitting by her side listening to Annabeth talk his ear off. It’s not the Christmas Eve she ever expected, but it was certainly one to remember. When she got discharged a few hours later with Percy ending his shift, he takes her on a long carried at four in the morning so that they can look at all the pretty lights she missed out on.

And when they get home just as the sun begins to rise, they immediately both go to sleep. Percy’s arms are snug around her waist, his face pressed against her back. He says it’s because he wants to listen to her breathing and make sure she’s okay, and she makes sure to tease him endlessly for it.

In reality though, she doesn’t mind in the slightest. Christmas is spent with just them, and Percy tends to her the entire day. She takes full advantage of it, and she may have called him Dr. Sexy way too many times, but Percy just smiles and pulls her in for a kiss each time she does.

When it comes time to open presents, it turns out that he really did get her that coupon, which she makes good use of, but he also got her the extra band to her wedding ring that she’s had her eye on for months, and everything is absolutely perfect. She never would’ve thought that the best Christmas was the one where a cookie nearly murdered her, and Percy was her hot doctor, but here she is.

It’s not at all a normal Christmas, but it’s certainly a special one, and one she wouldn’t trade for the world.

#percabeth #percy jackson #annabeth chase #pjo #percy jackson and the olympians #my writing

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albino-whumpee · 3 years

Text

It was a sunny day

SO, I finally wrote the accident. God I had so so many doubts about this part. But hey, its ok. its just for fun. 778900´s POV first before we dip into Robert´s.

This is a series, here´s the Masterlist

Taglist: @castielamigos-whump-side-blog @giggly-evil-puppy @cowboysrappin @haro-whumps @burtlederp @neuro-whump @comfortforthepain @whumps-the-word @whole-and-apart-and-between @broken-horn @ashintheairlikesnow @rosesareviolentlyread @crowned-avery @starnight-whump @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @as-a-matter-of-whump @whumpasaurus101 @grizzlie70 @boxboysandotherwhump

TW// dehumanization, slavery, human trafficking, narcotics and syranges, death, child death, car accidents, dub-con, dub con touching (sexual), kind of spicy, blood, conditioning, defiant whumpee, curse words, This one is messed up, so please be careful when going through it.

It had been two years.

778900 had been waiting for two years for someone to take him. As the days passed, as he tried completing his training with as little “incidents” that ended up in him getting yet another set of fresh bruises, the hope of getting out was starting to die out.

He tried being good.

He tried to do everything the handlers ordered him to do. Did his positions, however humilliating they were, ate the flavorless nutrition meals, kept his head down and his attention sharp. But it was useless. One way or another, he would fail.

So he payed attention to even the tiniest detail.

How the handler´s watch would always mark 5 am when they were told it was night, how the blond handler´s hands always stayed a moment longer than necessary when he was on position training, how the cooking classroom was essentially the handler´s meal prep, the direction all handlers walked to when they talked about “going for some fresh air”; How the handlers would shift the camera in the hallway next to the handler´s room after taking a boy with them for whatever lame excuse they would put and finally, how the medic at the facility kept syringes with a powerful narcotic in her coat´s pocket just in case.

You signed up for this

A voice inside his head told him, before he stared at the handler´s clock and found the needle pointing at five, just as expected. As he went to the medic´s office to receive his daily dosis of vitamins. “Special treatment” was not quite the reason he had to take them. It was just them making sure the precious money and time spent training him, wasn´t wasted on a defective product.

He didn´t remember anymore, but he had come weighting half the acceptable for a boy his age and size. It was no surprise he fainted with just a stretching routine. It had gotten better with the vitamins, but the handlers were forced by the medic to not beat him if he fell to the ground.

He was deeply thankful for the woman to go that far for him even with the handler´s threats. So, so very thankful he got vitamins thanks to her kindness. Or so he made it seem, as she allowed him to give her a hug. Not sensing at all his hand taking out the syringe before responding to her “take care” with a bright smile on his face that distracted her from his hands.

You wanted to not make any decisions for yourself.

He heard deep inside his head as he added something to the sauce for the dish they cooked at class that day. The trainee sneaked glances at the blond handler coming to his table to watch him clean up after cooking, noticing the last boy went through the door with his handler, he knocked the sauce all over him. Loudly. So fashionably eye catching, the blond whipped his head to laugh at him.

“I-I´m sorry, I didn´t see it and…I´m so sorry” He stumbled on his words, acting as if he was cleaning himself up. Smirking to himself, the man pulled him up and started cleaning him.

“Jesus, what a waste. How can you be that clumsy?” he asked him, not exactly sounding annoyed to put his hand over his chest. Slowly, 778900 took the man´s hand and passed it down his torso.

“Thank you…” he said with a honey toned voice, making sure he pressed his hand right above his crutch, noticing the hungry look the man gave him, he rocked his hips on his hand, letting out a breathy moan. With his hand teasing the edge of his trainee shorts, the albino leaned to whisper on his ear, “…For helping me clean up” he finished with a little pop, “We have position training after this, but I will need a bath…” almost to emphasize, The boy pulled the man´s dripping hand and pressed it to his lips. 778900 gave him a kiss on the cheek as he pushed one glaced digit into the stunned man´s mouth. “Please. I wouldn´t like anyone but you to do it” he had said in that needy voice he would hear romantics talk in sometimes.

He took off his finger to let him speak, but he could still feel the warmth of his tongue licking him clean.

“Where did you learn to talk like that?” the man asked him wetting his lips, before the trainee gave him a bratty pout and leaned on slightly closer.

“Does it matter?”

The man had bitten the bait. Or more accurately, licked it. Directly or from his hands. The boy had even moaned to encourage him to continue. In his bliss, the man was completely taken by surprise when the albino put his hand over his mouth and felt something puncturing his skin and then warmth began spreading through his body. He felt his limbs growing so heavy suddenly, he slouched over the boy.

“Shh” the albino trainee whispered on his ear as he passed his fingers through his hair “Be a good boy and go to sleep for me” he said, putting away the empty syringe while staring at the turned off camera on the edge of the room the whole time.

A moment later he had crawled below the man and started undressing him after futilely trying to cut off the shock collar on his neck with a kitchen knife. The boy took his clothes and covered his hair with the little cap with “WRU” embroided in bright blue, making sure to cover his neck properly.

You signed up for this

His mind rocked back and forth as he kept his head down. Navigating the halls to the handler´s room in a quick, anxious pace that tried to avoid every suspicious eye. The trainee waited a second for the men to come out of the handler´s room to sneak inside. He couldn´t make up any letters as words without a migraine attacking him. So he guided himself with the drawings on the level map.

Silently, he came out of the room with the elevator on the far right on mind. He walked the same direction as them when they said they would “go get some fresh air” but found a handler and a few boys cleaning the halls. It was part of their training. He quickly noticed the handler´s eyes fixing on him. So, he took one boy and quietly directed him to clean over a spot on the other side. Far from them. The boy obediently followed his instructions and he patted his back before walking to the elevator.

I signed for this

He told himself as he extended the card over what he assumed was a card reader. There were no buttons but to open and close, so the only way to get out was only through the handler´s and executives cards, each designated to an specific floor. Of course, that was something the panicking, albino trainee didn´t know. He only had the Handler´s card by pure chance, but for his audacity, he was rewarded with the doors closing to feel the vertigo from going up.

And I fucking regret it.

There was a loud ring when the doors opened up again to a floor, and he prayed, it was the highest point. That there was a door conducting outside.

And it was.

He pushed it open and found above, the almost forgotten sky. The sun was already high up and just a few clouds spotted the vast blue.

It was a sunny day.

He stepped out without letting go. The view of trees, the sun on his skin and seeing how blue the sky was, drove him to tears quick enough that he didn´t notice there were other handlers smoking there.

“Hey, got some reds? I ran out” one of them asked, eyeing him for a second before a frown formed on his face, “Who are you? I have never seen you” He ignored him, heart throbbing on his ears as he tried walking past them, into the woods, “Hey!” one of them launched himself to grab his wrist, pulling on the uniform enough to find the barcode and numbers. “HOLY SH-” the man couldn´t finish before 778900 whipped his hand back and sprinted towards the forest. As quickly and as far away from their screams and their batons and the range from his collar as his feet could carry him.

Unknowingly, going straight into the highway.

He could hear their yelling getting lost behind him. Adrenaline helping him to outrun them. He jumped and knocked over a few bushes on his way. Tearing the clothes apart in his rush. Sweat made his forehead slippery enough for the cap to get lost somewhere on the way, but he couldn´t stop.

So he kept running until finally, he felt concrete under his oversized boots. He didn´t know how far he had run, but he knew he wanted to collapse right there and then as the haziness of hunger overcame him. He couldn´t stop now, but he allowed himself to catch his breath with his hands on his knees.

It was a second.

Just one second.

However, it was all it took to pass from breathing triumphantly that he was out to be in front of a van driving pass the limit.

It was one second when he curled into himself and the van turned to his right, avoiding him by mere centimeters and crashing violently into the other side of the highway. Turning and turning and turning.

The boy rose to his feet when he stopped hearing the metal crashing into the pavement. The world seemed to slow down then. As his chest heaved making his wayt to the turned around car, hoping there had only been one person aboard, his heart leaped. He had seen too many shadows, too many clothes scattered around.

Then, he heard the screams.

For a hot second he stayed still, considering he could simply turn his back on it. He would be in serious problems if they found him… but he had provoked it, hadn´t he? It would be his fault if something happened to the poor people inside the van. If they died… they would have died on a sunny day.

People shouldn´t die on sunny days.

A voice different from the usual, a voice that made him irrationally sad, told him.

So, he tried to rush to help, but felt the familiar bolt of pain on his neck. So much stronger than normal, he fell to the ground, his hands up on his neck before he could register he had screamed. There were a row of convulsing bolts that pinned him down. The electrifying pain took away his consciousness bit by bit.

He let out a whimper as someone grabbed him by the uniform´s shirt and started beating him. Reflexes too slow to put up his hands to defend his head or face. It took little more than two hits to draw out blood. To make his ears ring and his eyes to mud everything. But he didn´t need to see or hear to know it was the blond handler, pissed out of his mind.

He was barely awake when his head was pressed against the concrete, while he was roughly handcuffed on his back, before being pulled up. Only to be slapped when he couldn´t stand for himself, and then, thrown into the unforgiving cold of the van´s floor.

The car started so quickly, as he tried to pull himself up the ground, he couldn´t avoid slamming the back of his head against the door´s sharp edged lock.

From then on, it was black.

—-

“Yeah, yeah. I called an ambulance” the man shouted into his phone as he drove back to the facility. A pissed voice on the other side yelled at him loud enough to make him separate the phone from his ear, “Do you fucking think this was on the manual? They´re supposed to be fucking broken! How the hell did he get his hands on a narcotic? How the hell did no one notice? He´s white like a paper sheet for fucks sake!” he screamed back, hearing attentively to the voice “What? No, he´s fine. Just some scratches and- FUCK” The wheels burnt when he stopped the car to whip his head towards the blood pond on the back of the van. Fuming, he passed his hands through his hair, failing to hold a frustrated scream as he slammed open the doors and checked for a pulse.

He sighed in relief before he passed the barely breathing boy to the front, wrapping a discarded scarf around his head before fastening the seatbelt and driving back.

“Jesus, kid” he shook his head, eyeing the unconscious boy next to him “Couldn´t you have tried to escape in a less flashy way?”

When he got back, he begged the doctor he had stolen the narcotric from, to treat the boxie. To give him the strongest serum they had, because it wasn´t only him risking losing his job or worse.

She had no other choice than to agree. In the worst case, he would have brain damage. Putting aside the possible motor damage luckily they would be able to fix before anyone noticed, however, a colateral would be damage to his short term memory. Meaning, he would do things without being able to recall them later. In the optimistic side, it wouldn´t last forever. He would remember some things eventually. Hopefully much time after he was bought. When he wouldn´t be the company´s problem anymore.

Hoping it would be that way, she began treatment.

The man made his way to the handlers above, then. The men laughed at his incompetence, but he had made up his mind.

“I´m gonna quit”

“Right call” one of them said.

“None of you will talk about this. EVER. Nothing happened. I´ll even pay you, but none of this ever happened, understood?”

The men exchanged looks before smiling at their ex coworker “And what are you gonna do about the van?”

“Bad accident, four people died in situ. A four year old between them I heard”

“And the doctor too. The one that CEO´, was marrying on March. Heard CEO´s on the hospital as well” the blond handler gulped. “Guilty, Sanders? Want some serum to forget like the boxie?”

“Nothing. Happened” The men said through gritted teeth. The other two stared at him before pulling their hands up. What did they care anyways? If they had cared about humans pain, they wouldn´t be in that line of work. Well, beyond their own amusement.

When Sanders went away to write his resignation letter, both handlers stayed there for a while. Looking at the sun go higher and higher. No clouds on sight. It was the kind of day kids would use as an excuse to go outside. The perfect day to go on a picnic. To grab your partner and have a nice date. One of them wondered if they people on the van were going to do just that when the boxie jumped on the highway.

“What a pretty day to die though” he said, sipping on their cigarette looking up at the sky.

—

A few months later, “nothing happened” made the freckled twenty year old college student, the costume order box boy for a broken hearted CEO and two years later, a lonely, grieving woman take out 778900 out of his box.

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amazingphanisnotonfire-imagines · 3 years

Text

Riverdale//eyes bright, uptight, just girls

Request: Riverdale imagine the reader older sister who is a senior and is throwing a party and stuff and the reader parents want her to date this guy who she knows is no good and the reader doesn't want a boyfriend yet but her dad wants her to date the guy and stuff like that to call him son one day and stuff and the reader and her parents argue in the kitchen and the guy is trying to force her to and her older sister won't help at all and is being smug. U can think of an ending after that w. the core 4.

hey! trigger warning: parents not listening and a bitch of a sister, as well as a very rude boy. please don’t read if you think this may upset or trigger you.

Parties have never really been your thing. They’re more more Sarah’s, if she isn’t attending one she’s throwing one, no matter if you’re parents have said she can or not. And because she’s the favourite, she always gets away with it and you’re stuck cleaning up.

You think maybe it’s because your parents are big on parties, not high school ones, but just in general. They like any excuse to show off their perfect family and their perfect house and to parade you around their friends like show dogs. It’s their way of telling their friends that they’re better off than they are.

Tonight however, it seems that luck isn’t on your sisters side. Because as soon as your parents walk through the front door, three days too early and are greeted with drunk kids spilling sticky beer all over the custom made rug, she is already scrambling to come up with an excuse as to why there are well over 150 teenagers all trying tarnish the family home.

You watch Sarah practically jump over a sofa to stop them from walking in any further and the lively party soon dies as everyone watches Sarah and your parents have a staring competition. Sarah may have the edge because of how wide her eyes are.

“Hiii, mom...dad.” She gulps and kicks a plastic cup underneath the sofa...as if that’s gonna convince them that the hasn’t invited most of the teenagers in Riverdale and let them run riot through the house.

You and Betty share a look and you feel her shuffle closer to you.

Despite it being your house, you still had to fight for a place on the couch, and when Betty turned up looking just as pleased as you were to be there, you gladly made a space for her.

Betty had stayed by your side for the majority of the night, only getting up to get both of you drinks. She knows how much you hate parties, at least ones where your sisters in attendance which is most of them, and the two of you usually spend the night gossiping about the very large friendship group your sister has amassed.

You watch your mom look around the living room and with each piece of beer stained furniture she see’s, her face falls more and more.

“Kitchen.” She stares straight at Sarah before pushing past her.

“Now.” Your dad adds before following his wife.

Sarah follows your mom and dad into the kitchen, her head hung low as she shuffles through the crowd. They part for her, patting her shoulder and giving her sympathetic looks before the three of them disappear through the door.

As soon as the kitchen door closes, the front one opens and the party spills out into the street. Drunk kids stumble back home, some laugh and some cry. Some stand at the bottom of the yard and puke while their friends rub their backs. A few of them have already passed out the grass in front of your house and you know as soon as your dads finished letting Sarah get away with murder, he’ll be turning the sprinklers on in order to get them to leave.

Betty has already started to collect the rubbish strewn around her feet and you unenthusiastically join. The two of you don’t have to say anything, you’re always there to help the other clean up after yours sisters mess. Veronica and Archie soon join in and for a few minutes it’s actually surprisingly fun.

There’s just you and your friends. Archie’s throwing rubbish at Veronica making her squeal and run away while you and Betty watch on in amusement. But every good thing has to come to an end and you hear the kitchen door creak before your dad’s head pops out around it.

“Y/n, can you come here for a minute please.” He calls.

Betty grabs the rubbish you’ve collected and sends you a reassuring smile. You let out a loud sigh before accepting your fate and pushing the door open.

Betty joins Veronica and Archie, all three of them watch the door swing a few times before shutting properly and they share a look.

“Sarah’s an ass.” Archie mumbles and the two girls nod in agreement.

When you walk through the door, the room falls silent, and you feel the eyes of your entire family on you, watching you as you slowly walk towards them.

Your mom rubs the side of her head, the migraine that made them come home early in the first place get stronger. And your dad rubs a hand over his face as he tries to figure out what to do and who to blame.

“I told you, I did all of this so Y/n and Ben could get to know each other a bit better.” Sarah argues and your eyes widen.

“What? I didn’t even know Ben was here.” You send her a glare and your parents look between the two of you.

“Aw, that’s disappointing.” Somebody says behind you and you feel your skin crawl. Your shoulders hunch slightly and you swallow the lump in your throat before turning around and facing the green eyed boy. “Because I certainly noticed you.” He whispers and you have to stop yourself from puking.

Ben.

Ben Anderson and his family are well known around Riverdale. Similar to the Blossom’s they’re crazy rich, crazy powerful and well versed in the world of criminal activity. At one point they owned half the town, but they’re slowly selling it off to private investors for a profit so they can go after Greendale next.

His mom Sophia is ‘friends’ with basically everyone in town, however she is constantly bitching about them behind their back...including your own family. And it drives you mad to watch your mom bend over backwards in order to be invited into her very exclusive book club.

And his dad, William is basically a carbon copy of your own. Business focused and a little bit absent. You only ever see William at parties, you’ve never once bumped into him at the grocery store which is very difficult to do in a town this small.

But despite all their suspected crimes, Ben is by far the worst.

Benjamin Alexander Anderson is the worst boy you have ever met. But for some reason he’s everybody’s favourite. He’s snobby, pretentious, creepy and a bully. But Sarah and her friends love him. And for some reason your parents also love him. It seems sometimes they love him more than they love you.

It’s not uncommon for you to come home from hanging out with your friends and for him to be already sat at the dining room table with a grin too wide for his face while your parents motion for you to sit beside him.

And thanks to Sarah constantly telling them how good it would be for the family if you and him were to get together, he seems to be around an awful lot more recently.

‘think of the family’

‘think of your future’

‘think of how good it would look for us to be able to call an Anderson son one day and welcome him into the family.’

“I knew she wouldn’t agree to a date with him so I thought if I threw a party they could get to know each other a bit better in more of a natural environment. It’s just word got out and more and more people turned up and I couldn’t get them to leave. Nobody ever listens to me.” She says, her tone turning sickly sweet as she stares at your mom doe-eyed.

Your mom sighs and her expression softens before she looks at her husband. Your dad looks between you, Sarah and Ben before also sighing.

“Great.” You mutter. Another one won by Sarah.

She sends you a sly smile and you glare in return but you’re soon interrupted by your dad coughing and the two of you turn your attention back to him.

“Y/n.” He starts and by the tone of his voice you already know where this is going. This is his lecture tone, the one he uses when he’s trying to convince you that he’s helping but instead he actually just wants to help himself. “Why don’t you give Ben a chance. You could do a lot worse.”

“Because I don’t want to. For the millionth time I don’t and I never will like him. I would genuinely rather stick a fork in a plug socket, be resuscitated and do it over and over again until I died a painful death, than spend more than two minutes with him.”

“Y/n!” Your mom scolds.

“Ouch.” Ben huffs and you send him a sarcastic smile.

“Why can’t you just be more like your sister?”

“What? And date anyone that gives her a hint of attention?”

“Y/n!” Your dad shouts.

“Mom!” Sarah practically screams. “Are you actually gonna let her talk to me like that.”

“Calm down Sarah. Y/n, apologise to your sister.”

“No.”

“Y/n.” Your mom hisses and you huff at her loudly.

“Fine...I’m sorry.” You say through gritted teeth. “Can I go to bed now?”

“Not until we sort this out.” Your dad says.

“I don’t and I never will want to date him.”

“Come on. One date isn’t going to hurt. You never know, you actually might like me.” Ben says, and the smirk grows on his face as he sends you wink.

“That’s very, very, very unlikely.” You deadpan and your mom tuts behind you.

“Y/n, that’s rude.”

“What’s rude is you trying to set me up with an asshole. I’ve told you before I don’t want a boyfriend. I’m only 17 and I have far more important things to focus on other than boys. So please just drop it.” You shout.

“We just want what’s best for you.” Your mom pleads and you send a look to Sarah.

She could stop all of this. She knows she could. She could convince them to think otherwise and they would. They’d drop it and you’d be able to go back to only mildly hating your family.

But that’s not how Sarah works and so instead she just shrugs before sharing a smile with Ben.

“No, you want what’s best for you.”

“Y/n Y/l/n!”

The kitchen door swings open and Veronica, followed awkwardly by Betty and Archie walk through it. Your mom opens her mouth, ready to argue some more but Veronica quickly interrupts before she can say anything rude.

“Mr and Mrs Y/l/n. Has my dad told you about the latest deal he’s made?” Veronica cuts in. A bright smile on her face as she steps between you and your parents. Instantly your dad shuts up and his eyes lighten up as he and Veronica talk about the next dodgy dealing that Hiram Lodge is involved in.

You let out a breath of relief, and send a grateful smile towards Betty and Archie, who now both look a little more confident in their abilities to deescalate the situation.

Archie directs his attention to Sarah and and Ben, both of whom looked like they’ve sucked on a lemon as they watch Veronica gracefully change the subject and bring your mom into her business conversation.

“I think your brother’s waiting for you outside.” Archie tells Ben. “And if I were you, I’d leave with them.” His voice low as he takes a step towards him. Ben looks at Sarah, and then you before lastly at you parents. Sarah’s expression hardens as she shrugs at him and starts picking at her nails.

You, Betty and Archie watch him leave, mumbling quietly under his breath, before Betty turns he attention to Sarah.

“Hi Sarah!” Her tone seems happy, and if you didn’t know her you’d think that she was genuinely greeting a friend. However there’s something lurking just behind her eyes that seems more sinister and for the first time in a long time, Sarah actually seems a little scared. “Remember I’ve known you for a long time, and I know a few things that your mom wouldn’t be too pleased to find out. So why don’t you leave Y/n alone and I won’t tell anyone that you slept wit-”

“Fine.” She says through gritted teeth. “Goodnight.” She says quickly before rushing out.

“Hey, is it okay for Y/n to stay at mine tonight. My mom’s been asking about her for forever.” Veronica asks and your dad nods quickly. “Great! Y/n, let’s pack a bag.” She says before pushing you out of the door. Betty and Archie follow the two of you up the stairs, whispering to each other as they go.

You notice Sarah standing outside of her door but she disappears as you pass and a weight lifts off your shoulders.

“Thanks guys.” You smile at your friends, happy to be in the comfort of you own room. “Betty? Who did Sarah sleep with?”

“Oh, I have no idea. I just guessed that she’s done it with someone she shouldn’t have and I suppose I was right.” She grins making you laugh. “Now come on, let’s go sneak Archie into Veronica’s so we can all have a proper sleepover.”

“It’s definitely not the first time she’s snuck him into her room.”

“Shut up!” Veronica laughs and throws a pair of socks at you. “Why don’t we invite Jughead? Where is he?”

“Do you honestly believe you’d see Jughead at a party, let alone a sleepover? He’s too busy writing or something.” Betty replies.

“Yeah, but Veronica has a lot of spare rooms.” You wiggle your eyebrows and she pulls a face.

“Come on!” She huffs, pushing you gently. Archie dumps a load of clothes in your bag and quickly zips it up before throwing at you. You’ve never left your house quicker before, and as the four of you make your way down the street, Betty making a list of snacks to buy and Archie trying to convince Jughead to join you, you feel yourself smile properly for the first time in a long time.

support my writing! if you want!

#riverdale #riverdale imagine #archie andrews #veronica lodge #betty cooper #jughead jones #archie andrews imagine #veronica lodge imagine #betty cooper imagine #jughead jones imagine #trigger warning #tw #tw abuse

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super-secret-sick-fics · 3 years

Note

hii you said that requests were open so i was wondering if you’d want to write an iwaoi sick fic? like it’s a middle of a practice match agaisnt some school and oikawa feels sick but doesn’t tell anyone beforehand?

Hello and thank you for the request!! I hope this is kinda what you wanted. I tried :) sorry it took me a minute!

An Off Day: an IwaOi Sick fic

Pairing: Sick Oikawa, Caretaker Iwaizumi

Words: ? (I didn’t get a count sorry—longer though)

Warnings: fever, passing out, cursing

————————

It was a dull day.

Oikawa sat in class, his head resting on his palm, and everything just felt faded. Existing as a human today seemed like entirely too much work.

He wasn’t sure what it was, but his entire day, his surroundings, his overall demeanor— none of them were as vivid and bright as usual. Things were just...off.

He felt off.

A lethargic and overall blah feeling clung to him like a thick winter coat, making him feel like he couldn’t breathe and leaving his head muddled. He didn’t know what was going on with his body and it was incredibly frustrating.

Oikawa scoffed to himself, ignoring the curious side eye from the girl next to him, and resolutely decided to ignore the dull, blah feeling. Surely if he willed himself to feel less blah, then that would put the pep back in his step. Besides, this was his last class of the day and then it was time for practice.

They were playing some no-name, no-skill team in what Oikawa deemed a “charity” practice match. For the other team, it would be a learning experience. For Seijoh, it would be another victory to add to their running total.

Class finally ended and he stood up to head to the club room. Immediately, his knees buckled and black spots danced in his vision. A small hand grasped his upper arm and held him steady. Once the spots cleared, he saw the small girl who sits next to him looking up at him, concern etched into her face.

“Oikawa-san? You look pale. You should go home and rest. I’m sure they’ll be okay without you at practice today.” He shook his head.

“I just got up too fast. Thank you for helping me out,” he smiled and she hesitantly let his arm go. She nodded, grabbed her bag, and left the classroom.

Oikawa, much to his dismay, was still dizzy though. He placed his hands on his desk and ducked his head, squeezing his eyes shut while he waited for it to pass.

In the club room, he met up with Iwaizumi and chatted with his other teammates here and there, resolutely ignoring the fatigue thay plagued him.

Warm-ups came and went and their coach went over the rotation for the practice match. All the while, the lethargy he felt never went away like he thought it would. In fact, it seemed to be increasing and there was now a dull, consistent thudding in his head. Maybe it was more than just an off day? Maybe something was wrong?

He didn’t get much time to explore the new thoughts, because the other team arrived and their practice match began. Oikawa was right; the other team wasn’t a challenge in the slightest. The fact that it was any easy game didn’t make him feel any better about his complete lack of game.

Nearly every single one of his sets was wrong. Too high or too low. Too far left or right. The ball wasn’t settling in his fingers the way he needed it too and it all irritated him to no end.

He couldn’t concentrate. Every now and then, the court tilted dangerously sideways and he had to consciously ground his feet to bring it back to equilibrium. He was starting to feel weak. His limbs weighed about 1,000 lbs, making every lift of his arms to set the ball or movement of his legs to cross the court a Herculean effort. All he wanted was to curl up on the ground and take a nap.

“Hey, you okay?” Matsu walked up to him during a break between serves and put a hand on his shoulder. He was frowning. Oikawa glowered at him.

Was he okay? No. Of course not. He was 98% sure that he had a fever. Would that stop him from playing? No. Of course not. This was an easy team to beat. If he couldn’t push through this, then he wasn’t worth anything to his team.

“Yeah. Fine.” He snapped. Matsuhana put his hands up and backed away. Play resumed.

It was just a cold. He could shake this feeling if he just pushed through it hard enough. If Oikawa was confident of anything, it was his ability to ignore negative feelings and punch through bad moods.

That confidence slowly drained out of Oikawa along with any energy and focus he may have had the longer the game continued.

The two teams switched sides of the court and Iwaizumi appeared at his side.

“Hey, what’s the deal? You okay? We should have taken this set a long time ago,” he grumbled, his usual grumpy tone setting all of Oikawa’s already frazzled nerves even more on edge. His lip curled as he glanced over at his best friend.

“Thanks, Iwa-chan, I didn’t realize,” he sneered. Iwa’s eyes widened and he blinked comically. Oikawa would have made a joke if he wasn’t feeling so shitty.

“Don’t take it out on me, Trashykawa,” Iwa’s eyes narrowed, “your sets have been off all match.”

Oikawa felt like he was slapped in the face because he knew that. Of course he was more than aware that not a single one of his sets hit their mark yet. It was eating away at him and it made his stomach churn. He could do this though. He would not let his team down.

“I know,” he muttered. Iwa’s face changed again, but Oikawa’s vision blurred and he couldn’t make out what expression the ace had. He walked away.

“Oi, come back here a seco—“ Iwa started but was cut off by their coach.

“Iwaizumi! You gonna stand around and talk all day or are you gonna let us resume the match?”

He glanced one more time at Oikawa before getting into position. Oikawa thought maybe he looked concerned or upset or something, but he honestly didn’t have the energy to figure it out. It was all he could do to stand up right.

The set continued and each passing second was an eternity to Oikawa. Black spots popped up more frequently and he had to squeeze his eyes shut quickly and exhale to keep himself from passing out. It was a losing battle.

The dull thud in his head grew into a steady pounding that took up residence behind his eyes, leaving him vaguely nauseated. It was getting harder to breathe, even though he wasn’t running around like he normally would be. The gym swirled and he blinked several times, but it wasn’t going back to normal. The sounds of shouting and squeaking shoes faded away, replaced by a strange roaring sound.

Oikawa realized very quickly that he was in serious trouble.

“Oikawa!” Wataru’s shout cut through the roaring and sent a sharp pain through his head. As quickly as it left, the roaring in his ears returned and with it, his vision completely blacked out. It took all his effort to call out for help.

“Iwa-cha—“ the sound got caught in his throat and his body crumpled to the floor.

The next thing he knew, Oikawa was staring at the ceiling. He blinked a few times and groaned. The lights beaming down on him reminded him of the migraine he definitely had and he shivered. Why was he on the ground?

“Tooru? Oh thank god,” Iwa’s face entered his field of vision (and blocked the light, thankfully). His voice was shaking and desperate, adding to Oikawa’s confusion.

“Iwa-chan?” He said feebly.

“Are you okay? What hurts? Fuck, Tooru. You scared the shit out of me,” Iwaizumi was frantic, his hands cupping Oikawa’s face, making the sick boy cringe. Touching was no good. He didn’t want that right now.

The corners of Iwaizumi’s mouth pulled down and his eyebrows scrunched. He moved one of his hand’s to Oikawa’s forehead and the other to his own. His eyes blew wide.

“Holy shit, Tooru! Why didn’t you tell anyone you were sick, dumbass?”

Oh. He’d been caught.

“Would you believe me if I told you I didn’t know?” He smiled weakly up at his best friend, who scoffed in return.

“Idiot,” he mumbled before turning his head towards somewhere above Oikawa. The lights pierced Oikawa’s vision and he moaned when his head pulsated. He tried to curl up, but Iwaizumi was already trying to get him standing.

“Coach, he’s got a fever,” Iwaizumi shouted across the gym and Oikawa’s knees buckled. Luckily, Iwa’s arms were securely around his waist.

“I’m gonna take him to the club room and call one of our moms to come pick us up. Do you need me here?”

“No, go take care of our idiot captain,” their coach responded, his arms crossed over his chest. Normally, Oikawa would’ve squaked at the insult, but it was taking all of his attention to stay awake.

“We got this man. Go handle the child,” Makki snickered.

“Mean, Makki,” Oikawa managed to whine as he and Iwa stumbled out of the gym.

By the time they got back to the club room, Oikawa was sweating profusely, panting, and leaning almost all of his weight on Iwaizumi.

Iwa led them to the back of the clubroom and guided them down to sit against the wall. Oikawa shivered and immediately curled into Iwa’s side.

“How the hell did you let it get so bad, Shittykawa,” Iwa questioned. His tone held more concern than malice and it settled Oikawa’s nerves ever so slightly.

“Mmm, so warm Iwa-chan,” was all Oikawa could respond with. Iwaizumi scoffed, but threw an arm around Oikawa’s shoulder and pulled him closer anyway. The setter smiled.

“Yo, who should I call?” Iwaizumi asked, his tone still lacking its normal gruffness.

“Everyone in my family is working right now, Iwa-chan. No one is going to pick up,” Oikawa said. His throat was getting sore now. That means he’s sick sick. He frowned. Another shiver shot up his spine.

Iwa sighed, “okay. I’ll call my mom. She won’t be able to get here for at least half an hour though. Will you be okay until then? We can take the bus if you want.”

Oikawa nuzzled into Iwa’s shoulder. The smallest hints of his cologne were still present, despite getting sweaty from practice.

“No. No bus. We’ll want for Auntie, if that’s okay with you?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll call her.”

“I’m sorry, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa yawned. His eyes started drifting closed. Man, did a nap sound perfect right now.

“Don’t apologize, Tooru. Just scared me,” Iwa muttered and Oikawa felt the ace’s nose nuzzle into the top of his head. He relaxed further, in spite of the chills running through his body.

“Get some rest. I’ll wake you when my mom gets here,” Iwa whispered and Oikawa couldn’t remember the last time he sounded so soft. At least towards him anyway. Iwaizumi pulled Oikawa down gently so the setter’s head was pillowed on his lap.

Oikawa fell asleep to Iwaizumi’s gentle hands carding through his hair.

#iwaoi #sick oikawa #fever #fainting #haikyuu sickfic #caretaker Iwaizumi #my fic

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adrenaline-roulette · 3 years

Text

Four Eighths

Pairing: Four x Eight (Reader) Word Count: 8K+ (She’s a doozy!) Warnings: Language, angst, very basic medical procedures *Disclaimer: Hey again guys, so sorry about the delay with this chapter. But I’ll admit, I actually got this posted a lot sooner than I thought I would! So kudos to me I guess? I just want to say a huge thank you to all of those who have been with this story since the beginning, and those who have joined us along the way. This isn’t the end of this story, but I just want to let you all know how much you all mean to me. And please remember, if you read this story and you like it, give it a like, a comment and maybe even a reblog if you think your followers may like it? I know there isn’t much happening in the 6 Underground fandom these days, but the only way to keep it alive, is if people keep reading and writing for the characters!

All my love my dudes ❤❤❤

Probably best if you check out the other chapters first..... One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten

Chapter Eleven: Don’t let me fall, at least not alone

“Four? Can you hear me?” Billy felt weak, and highly disoriented. His head was spinning, as if he actually was fighting a migraine, unlike the one he was supposed to be faking…. Faking, why was he faking a migraine again? “Four, stay with us!” The voice continued calling out, though why was this person yelling out a number? A name sure, he could understand that. But calling out random numbers? That just served to confuse him more.

“Four, god dammit! Keep your fucking eyes open!” This was a new voice now, one which sounded just as Billy’s eyes had slowly drifted closed against the harsh fluorescent lights above him. How strange, surely these people weren’t addressing him were they?

“Four, please just stay with us a little longer! Five, how are you going with those injections?” The same voice from before was firing orders, her voice holding an edge of fear and concern. Suddenly a shadow appeared above his closed eyes, and carefully he peeled them open, relieved to not be greeted with bright lights, and instead by a shadowed figure. “Billy, please just keep your eyes open for me. You’re going to be fine, I swear.” She was whispering to him, or at least that’s what it sounded like. Though it was hard to be sure, especially as he struggled to keep his eyes from falling shut once more.

How had things turned out like this? The last thing he could recall, was speaking with a woman dressed in white at a reception desk. Then it had all gone blank for him.

*****

You paced around the small living room of the house you had all been calling base for the past few weeks, sucking in deep breath after deep breath, all the while clutching your arms around yourself in a tight embrace. “Nope, I can’t do it. I cannot do this guys!”

Two looked up at you from her gossip magazine, having taken great pleasure in the abundance of French reading material. She was the only one of you in the group to have settled into your temporary accommodation, and was fitting in with the locals perfectly. Rolling her eyes at your outburst, she returned to her reading. It wasn’t that she was being unsupportive, far from it actually. It was just that she had reached her limit of words of support, forty odd minutes ago, at the beginning of your breakdown.

“Yes, you can. You know you can! We’ve been over the plan hundreds of times now, everything is in place. Weapons are stored in the hospital, the Lushnick’s are there, we’ve seen them! Everything is working out according to plan. Four will be on his way to Emergency within a few hours, then it’s all up to us. We can’t leave him.” It was One’s turn to play reassurer this time around, and he was the first to raise Four as if knowing it would get a rise out of you.

You whirl on the spot, eyes growing wide and pupils blown. “I never suggested we leave Four! I ju– I just don’t know if this mission is a good idea is all?”

One sighed, squaring his shoulders before smoothing his hands down his turquoise scrubs. “Eight, if you had one shot, or one opportunity. To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would capture it? Or just let it slip?”

You stare at One, blinking slowly as silence fills the room. “Is – Was that Eminem?” You stammer, shaking your head gently, as if to clear the fog which had settled there. Surely you were mistaken, One couldn’t be quoting Lose yourself, right?....

“Does it make it any better or worse knowing this isn’t the first time he’s used that as a motivational speech?” Seven grins, winking at you impishly.

“I think what makes it worse is knowing that no matter what reaction he got last time, he still decided to try it again!”

“Touché, and dude, get yourself a better speech already!” Seven smirks, patting One on the shoulder as he walks by and towards the kitchen. His uniform shirt half buttoned as he goes.

“Why does everyone know that song straight away?” One groans, looking genuinely confused.

“Because it��s the bloody 2020’s! And not to hate on Slim or anything, but for the love of god, replace your ipod shuffle, and listen to some new music. Please!” You plead, as the startling thought of One thinking lose yourself was a new song creeped its way into your mind, causing you to shudder.

Five steps out of the bathroom, a cloud of steam billowing out behind her. Looking like the absolute goddess she is, with her hair wrapped in a fluffy towel, and a robe concealing her, she fixes you with a strong look. “Eight. You are ready for this. Upon our first mission, we were all terrified. But we pulled through, one way or another we did what needed to be done, and look where we are now. I know what you’re feeling, we all do. We’ve all been there, trust me. But the only way this will work, the only way we will be able to get to the Lushnick’s, is if we stick together and work this mission just as we’ve planned. That means all of us. We can’t be a member short, not this time.” Without waiting for your response, Five walks away, closing a bedroom door behind her.

You have no response, no witty retort. Nothing. Not that it would matter, Five wasn’t there to hear it anyway. Chewing on your bottom lip, you turn back to One, who still looked somewhat put out by your ipod comment. “Has anyone seen my uniform?”

*****

Just after 11am, Billy made his way to the hospital and into the Emergency department, cradling his head between his palms, and groaning in mock agony. His earpiece was safely tucked in his ear, providing him contact with his team. Contact which he had been severely missing these past few weeks. At first it had been bearable, what with your secret texts on your burner phone. But when One had arrived at the safe house, it had been harder to sneak messages, until finally they had ceased all together. But hearing your voice now, ringing through his ears, he felt like he was home. Despite walking into a hospital.

“Genevieve Lushnick is on the move. Last seen leaving Ward 11A.” You advise everyone.

“She finished her rounds in Paediatrics much earlier, not sure where she’s headed now.” Five recalls, the sounds of crying infants in the background of her voice.

“Usually her roster would have her checking on Geriatrics in Ward 7B next. But She’s already been there. That was her second visit of the day.” Seven advises, though he sounds confused. To be fair, so does everyone else. Genevieve was changing up her routine, something she hadn’t done at all during their surveillance of her. So why now?

“Hold on, let me see if I can track her down through the live camera feeds.” You suggest, the sounds of your fingers flying across a keyboard breaking the silence which followed.

Billy’s concentration on the conversation happening in his ear is cut off by a woman dressed in white sat at the Emergency reception desk. A nurse from the looks of her. “Bonjour, comment puis-je vous aider?” She blinks wide amber eyes up at Billy, who stares back confusedly.

“Uh, En-English?” A part of him wants to chastise himself for not learning French for this mission. But knowing he was playing the part of a tourist he allowed himself some leeway in the preparation department.

The nurse smiles further, though the more teeth she shows the more forced it looks. “Of course. How may I help you today sir?”

“I just flew in a few days ago, and I have an awful headache. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. All lights are too bright, I feel weak, my head is pounding, and I feel nauseas.”

“Has this just begun, or is this an ongoing issue?”

“No, it just started this morning. I took a couple of paracetamol to help when I woke up, but they’ve done nothing.”

The nurse nods her head, looking down at her computer, as Billy adds in a groan for effect. Just as the nurse asks for personal details, One appears from the behind the desk. “Goodness, what’s wrong with this man? He looks like death on two legs!”

Billy repeats what he had just told the nurse, with One nodding along, and playing every part the good doctor. “You need to be seated immediately. Someone, bring me a wheelchair!” One calls in the direction of the wardsmen who are stood around the waiting room. “Jennifer, you need to be more familiar with signs of a migraine. This young man, what was your name sir?”

“James.” Billy moans, falling back into the wheelchair once it appears behind him, laying his head back for added effect.

“Yes, James could have collapsed at any moment. Please be more mindful next time.” One warns, a harsh glare in his eyes directed at the young nurse.

“O-of course Doctor Cleavers. It won’t happen again.”

Billy can barley contain his smirk at the sound of One’s alias, covering his attempted chuckle with a well-timed groan.

“Does anyone have eyes on Gregory?” Two whispers harshly into her earpiece, causing Billy to flinch slightly, just as one does the same. Christ, Two needs to keep her tone down!

It’s Three’s turn to respond first now, who sounds quite proud of himself as he speaks. “He’s up in theatres, doing God knows what to God knows who.” The sound of a trolley filled with rattling dishes being pushed, barely making his mumbled voice audible.

One moves around behind Billy, kicking up the brake on the wheelchair, and pushing him towards the swipe pass activated doors, leading to the Emergency treatment area. The deafening silence flowing through both his and Billy’s earpieces cause the two men to glance at each other nervously.

“How long ago did you see Gregory heading to theatres?” You ask, an edge of worry hinting at your tone.

Yet another long pause, until. “During breakfast rounds… I suppose two hours ago, maybe?” Three no longer sounds sure of himself, which sets in a sinking feeling in all those on the team.

“He was scheduled to finish surgery one hour ago. Has anyone seen him this past hour?” You snap back, perhaps more of a bite in your words than you had intended.

“Negative.” Replies One in a quiet voice, while smiling at fellow doctors as he pushed Billy.

“No.” That was Two.

“Nope.” Five now, who had been awfully quiet so far.

“Neither.” Three mumbles, likely feeling as dejected as he sounded.

“Well you know I haven’t.” Billy smirks. It was a risk him speaking to the group like this, but currently with his head tilted back, and staring up at the ceiling as he was being wheeled down a corridor, no one really paid any attention to him.

“I’ve only seen Genevieve. The two haven’t been together all morning sorry.” Seven whispers.

“Fuck me…” You breathe out, slamming your fists down on the desk. “I can’t see either of them on the live feeds!”

Carefully, Billy lifts his head once again, turning over his shoulder to peer up at One, who was frowning and staring dead ahead. “Is there a problem Doctor Cleavers?” He mumbles, keeping the act up for anyone who may pass.

“There very well may be.” One mutters, only glancing down at Billy for a brief moment.

The two continue down the corridor for another few minutes, the bright clinical lights beginning to bring on a genuine headache for Billy now. Finally, they come to a stop in a large treatment room, multiple beds lining the walls, all encircled by blue curtains. Some had been drawn for patient’s privacy, while others remained opened. In the centre of the room was a large desk where Nurses and Doctors hurried to and from, collecting and depositing various prescriptions and clinical orders. “James, are you able to stand to bring yourself over to the bed?” One asks, raising his voice enough to somewhat put on a show for those nearby.

The temptation to ask One to pick him up is almost too great to pass up, but knowing that somehow it would come back to haunt him, Billy opts for standing himself. “I think I can manage, thank you Doc.” Standing slowly, Billy pivots on the spot, and shuffles over to the bed, hoisting himself up and laying back.

“We’ll need to bring your fluids up, I’m worried about you becoming dehydrated. We’ll need to cannulate you. Have you ever had a cannula before?” One asks, waving for a nurse to come and assist him.

“No, I don’t think I have.”

“Not to worry, it’s relatively quick and painless.”

The nurse hurries over, and listens as One fires orders at him, orders which he had picked up from watching medical shows, mostly scrubs…. “We need James on a drip ASAP, get that started now!”

“Right away Doctor Cleavers.” The nurse agrees, before moving off to grab the necessary equipment.

Billy turns his attention to One, raising his eyebrows in concern. “Are you seriously going to stick a needle in me?” He hisses, emerald eyes flashing in fear.

One shrugs lightly, turning away from Billy to keep an eye out for the nurse. “Well, I’m not going to be injecting you. Can’t say the same for the nurse though.”

Billy wants to scream, at no stage during the briefings had there been any mention of him having a needle jabbed into him! Hell, if there had been any discussions of such a thing, he likely would’ve backed out! Perhaps that was why there was no mention? The nurse reappears, and preps his work station, all the while One, or Doctor Cleavers stays around to supervise the proceedings, occasionally chiming in with his theories as to what the cause for his sudden pain could be.

“Four! One! They’re coming!” Your voice breaks through the stinging sensation of the needle, panic flying through Billy’s veins. “The Lushnick’s! I finally found them on the cameras, they’re headed straight for-” Your voice is broken by puffing breaths, and the sound of your feet pounding on the tiles as you sprint from somewhere else in the hospital.

“Emergency.” Billy finishes, as the two people who he had been staring at photographs of for months now, strut into the treatment room, patients and doctors alike parting like the red sea as the couple head towards Billy and One. Four sets of eyes meet, and no member of either team is willing to break concentration.

“We’ve been expecting you.” Genevieve grins, her canine teeth almost too pointed, like fangs brushing against her ruby painted lips.

“Thank you, Eric, you’ve done a wonderful job here.” Gregory turns to the nurse and nods his head, the nurse returning the gesture and leaving the group.

“Eight for Four, come in Four!” Your voice shouts in his ear, causing Billy to flinch away.

“Ah, that must be the rest of your team I take it? Not to worry, we have our people taking care of them as we speak.” Genevieve shrugs, before turning to One. “Seeing as you’re so good at playing Doctor, you’ll be pushing your friend. He won’t be awake much longer. I would hate for him to collapse.”

At these words, Billy shoots up on the bed, his head spinning as he does so. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Genevieve waves him off, her nails painted the same shimmering ruby as her lips. “Surely you don’t expect me to give away our secrets? That’s not how people like us work.”

One steps behind Billy’s bed, and begins driving it forwards, following behind the Lushnick’s with a scowl. Billy could see the wheels in his mind turning, as he tried to formulate a plan of escape, though from every way he looked at it, they were pretty well fucked. He could feel his body growing tired, and his mind becoming clouded and dazed, whatever they had given him, it was taking over his body quickly, and any minute now he would be useless to the team.

*****

Fuck! The entire team had lost the Lushnick’s! How did that even happen? Seven was supposed to be trailing them, he had been doing so every other day perfectly, but what the fuck had gone wrong today? Your fingers fly across the keyboard, frantically switching between all the cameras in the hospital. Some provided a live feed, while others only offered playback, but at this point in time you would take what you could get. Window after window pops open on your monitor, squinting at the slightly pixelated images to try and identify who was being filmed.

“There!” You practically scream, causing one of the guards walking past your office to jump, turning a concerned look your way. “Sorry, just uh – finally got a fly that’s been harassing me all morning.” You blurt out, though with a shrug, the guard walks on, either having bought the lie or not caring enough to question it further. You gaze back at the image on your screen, it was from one of the playback cameras. Both Gregory and Genevieve were spotted seven minutes ago in one of the staff only corridors, leading between the imaging department and emergency. “Seven minutes…. How long does it take to get there?”

“Three! Come in Three!”

“Bloody hell, no need to yell Eight. What is it?”

“On your delivery route, how long does it usually take to get between X-ray and Emergency?”

Three pauses to think, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he does so. “Roughly twenty minutes.”

“We’re fucked.”

“What? What does that mean?!”

You ignore the frantic questions streaming from Three, the others shortly joining in with their own confusion. But you didn’t have time to address their concerns, right now there was only one thing on your mind. Beating the Lushnick’s to the Emergency room. With your heart hammering in your chest, and breathing coming out in desperate gasps you turn back to your computer, snaking your way into the hospital power grid.

You know how to do this, it’s just like what you did for your museum heist way back when you had met One. But for some reason, your brain can’t seem to summon the image of what you need to do. You could try a keyboard smash now that you’re in the controls, but that could seriously damage literally everything… “Come on, just think dammit.” You snarl at yourself, clasping your hands into fists, and pressing them against your temples.

Eyes springing open, you fix a harsh glare at the blinking screen before you, asking for a password. “Y’all Lushnick’s are fucked.” The password it simple to guess, trust the Lushnick’s to use their fucking last name as a password. They may be smart in what they do, but they sure as hell know nothing about internet security. The screen turns black, with a 3D model of the hospital slowly building itself on your screen. With each scroll of your mouse, the model shifts, and enlarges to a new section of the hospital. A blinking blue bar in the top left of the screen offers a text space, and going on a hunch, you type in ‘Geriatrics’ and press enter. The model disintegrates into tiny pixels, before rebuilding just the section you had searched. “Brilliant…” You whisper to yourself.

The geriatrics ward of the hospital consisted of one main power source, with a backup which would boot up and provide energy to the most necessary equipment and lights in the event of the main grid failing. “Five for Eight, come in?”

“Eight here, what’s going on?”

“I’m being followed. There’s security blocking off just about every exit on this floor, and no matter where I go, there’s someone behind me, or waiting for me.”

“Has anyone else got this issue?” You call out, eagerly awaiting replies. There’s a resounding yes in response, with the only discrepancy coming from Seven.

“A couple of guards caught up to me in 11B, they’ve brought me along to help catch the infiltrators.”

“So they don’t know you’re a part of this?”

“Seems like it. And from what I gather, they aren’t onto you either…”

“Perfect, Seven stay with your team. There’s about to be a Code Blue in geriatrics. I’ll put the call through to all security to get to the ward, that should give the rest of you time to escape. Rendezvous in Staff corridor D.”

You don’t wait to hear the replies from your team, once again your body working quicker than your mind. Your hands already working on shutting down the power to the Geriatrics ward. You should feel worse than you do, you were putting innocent people’s lives at risk. But the one thing which had been drilled into you from the begging was, the team comes first wherever possible. It was Seven who insisted on this. But who were you to argue with him?

Your eyes are glued to your screen as you watch a warning light appear over the 3D model you had been working with. ‘WARNING! Main power grid will be turned off. WARNING!’ It was rather polite of the system to warn you of the damage you were about to inflict, however the flashing red image did little to stop you. With one final mouse click, a new pop up appeared on your screen. This one somehow even more urgent, despite no red flashing lights. ‘WARNING! Main power grid for geriatrics has now been turned off. Back up system now operating.’ An alarm was blaring throughout your office, warning you and all security who remained nearby of a system failure. “All units. Repeat, all units to Geriatric ward immediately. Power failure. All units report.” You instruct through the P/A system.” Instantly, you watch as two security guards’ race past your office, down the hall and towards the stairwell.

“Five, have they gone? Can you get out?” You ask carefully, keeping your voice low in case of any security stragglers.

“Yeah, they’ve all gone now. Jesus Eight, what kind of a system failure did you make?” You can hear her laughing now, though you know the doctor side of her is genuinely concerned as to what chaos you had caused.

“Nothing that should cause any real harm, but it’s done the trick.” You smirk, locking your computer and stepping out of the office.

You knew the security alert wouldn’t deter the Lushnick’s, hell even if the building was on fire, you doubt they would stray from their current target. But if your calculations were correct, you still had at least five minutes to warn One and Four of their impending arrival. Your heavy combat boots pound against the tiles, sprinting your way towards corridor D, praying the others would already be there, or at least arriving soon. Pressing your index finger against your earpiece, your voice sounding frantic even to you. “Four! One! They’re coming!”. They had time, they had to have time….. But with no response from either, you try again. “The Lushnick’s! I finally found them on the cameras, they’re headed straight for Emergency!”

Nothing, not a single word from Four or One. This wasn’t right, they were supposed to have time still, plenty of time to get out of Emergency and meet you and the team. But as you round the corner to Staff corridor D, there’s no One, and sure as hell no Billy. “Thank God you got here alright!” Five gasps, running over to you and wrapping her arms around you. You had never known her to be much of a hugger, but you suppose high stakes situations like this could change a person. Checking over her shoulder you spot Three, Seven, and Two all talking amongst themselves. “Where’re Four and One?” You ask timidly, stepping away from Five’s embrace slowly, and looking between her and the rest of the team.

No one seems inclined to answer you, which only serves to send a deep chill down your spine, and for a solid mass to feel as if it had been lodged in your throat. Pressing on your earpiece again, you try calling for the two again. “Eight for Four and One, come in both of you.”

There’s again no reply, and your heart feels like it’s being strangled. “I heard some of the guards talking. There was talk of a couple of intruders being found…” Seven begins, his dark eyes meeting yours, with a look which could only be described as true sympathy.

Sharp, electric static echoes through your teams ears, all earpieces but yours going haywire for five seconds, before silence once more. “What the fuck was that?” Three snarls, ripping the piece out and glaring at it between his large fingers.

An all too familiar voice speaks slowly now in your ear, but as you look around you realise this voice was only speaking to you. No one else could hear her. “Well, who do we have here. You’re not the Doctor, I would recognise her voice anywhere. And you’re obviously not the French one, unless you’ve managed to disguise your accent, which I truly doubt. So who are you…”

“I’m not playing any of your sick little games Genevieve. Where is the rest of my team?” You hiss, causing the others to look up and over to you.

“Eight? What’s going on?” Two asks carefully, stepping towards you slowly.

“Who are you talking to? Three asks, lifting his brows up.

“Ah, see. There’s the French one! I knew you had to be someone else! Eight was it? Oh how interesting. So what, did another one of your team die? Is that why you’re here?”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about! I’m not someone’s replacement.”

“Oh aren’t you? Well that just makes this even more special then doesn’t it? Tell me, which one of these charming young men is Four who you seem so concerned about? Is it this ruggishly handsome tall fellow who keeps glaring at me? Or is it the pretty blonde, with the gorgeous green eyes, who’s having a hard time staying awake right now?” It’s an involuntary reaction, but at the mention of Four, your breath catches in your throat, causing a small gasp to escape your lips. “Ah, the blonde it is..”

“What have you done to him? What can’t he stay awake?”

“My my, so many questions! If you didn’t want anything to happen to him, then maybe you shouldn’t have used him a bait silly little girl!”

“Where the fuck is he?”

“I suppose I could tell you, it would be rather enjoyable to see the look on your face as we operate on him, while there’s nothing you can do about it…”

You don’t wait to hear anymore, ripping the earpiece out and throwing it as far down the corridor as possible. “Theatres. The Lushnick’s have Four and One. They’re about to do something to Four.” You gasp out, barely able to catch your breath, as tears prick the backs of your eyes.

“Shhh, Eight it’s going to be fine, I promise.” Five offers, soothing her palm down your back gently.

“Don’t you dare make empty promises.” You growl, shaking her off and racing down the hall, towards the stairwell.

*****

“What have you given him?” One growls, glaring between both the Lushnick’s and Four who lay on an operating table, barely moving and occasionally groaning. He rattled his arm against the handcuffs which kept him bound to a side railing. He was completely useless, both to himself and to his teammate.

Genevieve turned to him now, regarding him with a cold stare. “I hardly see why that matters now? You can’t do anything to help him, especially not in your current predicament.” She chuckles darkly, before turning her attention back to Gregory. The man barely spoke a word, but the sick sadistic smile which had been growing across his lips these past few minutes, was enough for One to get a better sense of his character.

“At least tell me what you’re going to do to him!” One tries again. He was running out of questions, and by the looks of things, time too. He had hoped he would be able to keep the Lushnick’s occupied long enough for you and the rest of the team to get here, but ever since Genevieve finished her conversation with you, she seemed all the more eager to get this started.

“Well that’s the fun part. Greg doesn’t know yet! Here’s how this works. Greg cuts the patient open, has a bit of a poke and prod around. Takes out what he wants, and then stitches ‘em back up! You never know what will be taken!” Genevieve grins, pressing a red kiss to Gregory’s cheek, who only grins broader.

One has to fight back to urge to both vomit, and throw punches, instead opting to glare at the duo. “You’re both sick, and you’re going to rot in hell once we’re through with you!”

Genevieve waves him off, turning her attention to Four, who was more unconscious than conscious now. Though he occasionally made a slight jolt, or mumbled a quiet sentence. “Should we wait until he is a bit more under before beginning the procedure?”

Gregory turned to her, lifting a brow in curiosity. “And risk the others getting here, before it’s too late for them to rescue him?”

Just as his words die off, a loud crash against the operating theatre door causes both Doctor’s to glance towards the sound. The crash was quickly followed by another, before a gunshot can be heard echoing throughout the circular room, the sound of a heavy body hitting the ground following. “Greg…..” Genevieve whispers, turning to the Doctor, as the double doors slam open. The metallic hingers screeching under the sudden movement.

“Where the fuck is my boyfriend?” You scream, pistol raised, and aimed directly at Genevieve Lushnick. Seven and Three stand beside you, each holding a gun of their own, with Three aimed at the nurses in the theatre, and Seven poised to fire upon Gregory. Two and Five stand either side of them, aiming at the guards behind them who were writhing on the ground, though they both remained vigilant for any further arrivals.

Gregory lifts a scalpel and hovers it directly above Four’s abdomen, poised and ready to cut. “Ah, you must be Eight.” Genevieve grins, taking a careful step towards you, as Gregory lowers the scalpel closer to Four’s bare skin.

Seven aims at the wall just above where Gregory stands, the bullet ripping a hole in the sterile room, causing Gregory to jump back almost an entire foot. “Don’t even think about trying that again.” Seven hisses, fixing the Doctor with a glare.

“Now now, there will be no need for violence.” Genevieve begins, before taking a look at the guards who were slowly bleeding out in the entry way. “At least, no more violence that is.” She steps forwards again, fixing you with an interested eye. “My goodness you look familiar. Have we met before?”

“I’m positive I would recall meeting someone as wicked and vile as you.” You spit, keeping your pistol trained on your target, your eyes following her every step.

“Hm, yes I suppose so.” You were now engaged in an odd type of dance, Genevieve was slowly circling around you, and you followed her every move, moving in a circle on the spot. “This is where the negotiations begin, I imagine.”

“There will be no negotiations. You tell us what you gave Four, you let him go, and we take you to the authorities who will make sure you both rot in a prison cell for the rest of your sorry lives.”

Genevieve shakes her head no, still walking in her slow circle around you. From an outside perspective, it was that of a lion circling its prey, though to your perspective, you had the upper hand. Or at least, you had the weapon. “No, you see that doesn’t work for us.”

“Fine. You tell us what you gave Four, you let him go, and we kill you both right here, right now.”

Genevieve shakes her head again, looking over to Gregory who was clutching the scalpel for dear life. “Eight, something’s wrong…” One calls, looking over to Four. The young man was beginning to convulse on the operating table. His skin was flushed in tiny pinprick sized red dots, and his chest was rising and falling in rapid laboured breaths.

You chance a glance over to Four, and your heart stops. Something was horrendously wrong. “Five, go check on him!” You screech, turning your full attention back on Genevieve as Five races past you. In a split second, you pocket your gun in the back of your jeans, and lurch forwards, fists griping into the collar of Genevieve’s shirt. You hold the fabric with such ferocity the seams popping in her shirt is almost audible, but your blood is pumping too loudly in your ears for you to hear. “Tell me what you gave him!” You’re practically screaming now, directly in her face, yet Genevieve doesn’t seem phased at all. She was used to outbursts such as this, granted they were typically from a grieving mother or father, and not someone threatening her life, but none the less, it felt like just another day in the office.

“Not until we strike a deal!”

There’s only one thing running through your mind as your eyes lock onto Genevieve’s, the training fight you had had with Three all those months ago. Only this time, there was no one fighting back, you had the power. Your leg steps behind Genevieve’s left, and you sweep out with your entire weight, releasing her collar just as her knees gives way and buckle beneath her weight, and she crumbles to the ground bellow you, her back smacking the hard tiled floor with a crack. Instantly, you’re on top of her, kneeling down against her stomach and pinning her to the ground.

“You bitch!” She shrieks, coughing as she attempts to regain the breath you had knocked out of her, though with almost your entire weight leaning into her now, it was unlikely she would.

“I’m terribly sorry. I guess I lost my footing.” You smirk, pressing your knee harder against her. Causing Genevieve to cry out in pain.

Gregory races forwards, his scalpel dropping to the ground in his haste. “Get off of her!” He calls, wrapping her palms over your shoulders and attempting to tear you away.

Three steps in, shoulder barging him in the stomach and sending the Doctor crashing to the ground beside his wife.

“Guys! I think Four’s having a severe allergic reaction to whatever concoction he was pumped full of!” Five yells, a stethoscope looped around her neck, as her frantic eyes meet yours. “Is he allergic to anything you know of?”

You stare back at Five, your mind going completely blank, you feel like a deer caught in headlights. Surely Four would’ve told you if he had any allergies, right? And perhaps he had done just that, but standing here now, with all hope resting on your shoulders, you couldn’t think of a single thing which may be useful in this situation. Shaking your head, a growing sense of dread filling you, as the rest of the team remain silent. “I- I don’t know….”

“I can give him an Epipen, but I need to know what he’s either had, or what he’s allergic to so I can get him the proper antidote!”

Tearing your eyes away from Five, you look over to One, who not only felt but looked entirely useless, chained to a handrail on the opposite side of the room. Your eyes searching his for an answer. Your mission was to capture the Lushnick’s, and right now, that was exactly what you had done. But if you kept them as they were now, as prisoners, Four could die….. Was that a sacrifice you were willing to make?

All One could offer was a gentle half smile, shrugging his shoulders slightly in his compromising position. He couldn’t offer you an answer, hell you couldn’t even offer yourself an answer….

Carefully, you release some of the pressure from Genevieve’s stomach, just enough for her to look up at you in surprise, blinking wide eyes up at you. “Tell me what you gave him, and we’ll let you both go.” You mutter, fighting back the urge to swallow back your own words.

A wicked smirk unravels over Genevieve’s lips. The kind of smirk which one would associate with a wicked stepmother, or evil queen from a Disney film. “Deal.” You release more pressure from your hold on her, until she can breathe properly once more, and Three steps away from Gregory, giving the man a swift boot to the hip just to make his point. “We gave him a combination of penicillin, general anaesthetic, codeine…” Genevieve stands, as does Gregory, both stepping backwards towards the door. Your team moving out of their way upon looking at you for clarification. No one wanted to move, that much was obvious in the frantic looks the others were throwing your way. But at the same time, they all knew the price they would have to pay if they kept the Lushnick’s as they were now. A price no one was prepared for.

“There was some paracetamol mixed in too….” Genevieve continues. They were at the doorway now, hand in hand, gazing behind themselves to make sure the way was clear. “Hm, what else?”

“Gosh, I just can’t recall.” Gregory shrugs, an evil smirk crawling its way over his lips. His eyes glowing with malice. “I simply have no idea what ese they’re may have been!” He calls with enthusiasm, before both pivot on the spot, racing from the theatre.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” You shriek, your sight going red as you sprint after them down the corridor, pulling your gun out as you give chase. Genevieve looks at you over her shoulder as they reach the stairwell, regarding you with a look of familiarity.

“Eight! Eight, it’s not worth it!” Two yells from the doorway, watching you with a deep concern. She knew what you were capable of, your whole team did, but not the Lushnick’s. And from the looks of things, they didn’t care either. You stop halfway down the corridor, releasing the safety on your pistol and firing three shots at the door Gregory hand his hand pressed against. He jumps backwards in shock, glaring back at you, pure fury masking his features.

“Yes Eight, listen to your friend. She seems to be the brains of this group. We wouldn’t want you getting hurt now would we?” Genevieve snarls, baring too many teeth to be considered even remotely friendly.

Aiming the pistol once more, you line up your sights, finger hovering over the trigger. One shot, that’s all it would take. A bullet to the middle of Genevieve’s forehead would kill her instantly, and Gregory would have no choice but to surrender. “Are you going to kill me? Shall I say hello to Kellie when I see her?”

You stare at Genevieve, her words ringing through your ears, and sending a jolt of shockwaves straight down your spine. In that moment of hesitation, the Lushnick’s push through the stairwell door, and flee.

You’re paralysed on the spot, staring after where the Lushnick’s had stood moments ago. They recognised you. They knew who you were and why you wanted revenge. But how? It had been years since you last saw them, you had been a child! Surely you looked different now from back then? But they knew you! They remembered Kellie… A gun shot rings down the corridor, the sound of metal clanging to the tiled floor following directly after.

“Eight! What happened?” One yells, now free of his handcuffs, and jogging down the corridor to meet you. You hadn’t moved. Still stood with your arms raised, and gun pointed to where Genevieve had stood.

“They – They knew me.” You gulp, putting the pistol away with shaking hands, and turning to look up at One. Tears were brimming in your eyes, though you refused to let them fall. At least not yet.

“What? But how?”

“I don’t know! That’s the fucking problem.” You hiss, storming away from One back towards the theatre. Once back, chaos surrounded Four, with everyone racing around him handing various different equipment and medications to Five, as she prepped some kind of antidote perhaps. “How’s he doing?”

Five looks up at you, regarding you with a careful mix of sympathy and hope. “The EpiPen gave him enough adrenaline to wake up again, though he’s extraordinarily groggy. Now I’m just tyring to figure out exactly what to give him to counteract the other shit that’s pumping through him.”

You nod your head in thanks, knowing you would find the time to thank Five properly once all of this was over. “What can I do to help?”

“We need to try and keep him awake, he keeps coming in and out of consciousness.” Three replies, as he passes Five a vile of clear liquid.

“Four? Can you hear me?” You ask carefully, stepping over to him and squeezing his hand tightly. His warm fingers curl around yours in reply, before falling limp against your palm.

“He’s out again! Wake him up!” Five yells to those in the room.

“Four, stay with us!” You plead, pressing a soft kiss against his knuckles. To hell with anyone seeing the act of intimacy, if One wanted to give you shit for it, he could do so when you were all in the clear. Though checking the room, you can’t find One or Two for that matter, they must still be in the corridor where you had left them?

Slowly, Four blinked his eyes open, frantic emerald flickering around the room and searching for something, or someone. Just as his eyes landed on yours, they fell shut again, and his body spasmed once more.

“Four, god dammit! Keep your fucking eyes open!” It was Seven yelling this time, his voice booming above all other noises in the vast room.

“Four, please just stay with us a little longer! Five, how are you going with those injections?” You can hear the tears in your voice as you beg for him to open his eyes again, but they remain closed. Turning to look at Five, she looks frazzled. Her hair which had started in a neat, slicked back bun, was now hanging loose down her back, and was wild with frizz. She looks up at you, not quite in a glare, but with enough ferocity behind the look that you know better than to bother her anymore.

Leaning down, you card your fingers through Four’s blonde curls, brushing away a few stray locks which were plastered to his forehead with sweat. Barely more than a slit, his eyes open and stare directly up at you. “Billy, please just keep your eyes open for me. You’re going to be fine, I swear.”

Three looks over at you, his ears perking up at the use of his teammates real name. It was one thing to use names in privacy back home. But during a mission, however failed that mission may be, now that was new. Shaking his head, he spots One and Two heading over, but with grim looks on their faces. “What’s the plan?” Two asks, her eyes locking with Three’s.

“There isn’t one, not really. We just need to keep him awake.” Five sighs. “I think I know what to give him to help, but I want him awake when I administer it. If it works correctly then it should knock him out for a bit. If he’s already unconscious when I give it to him, then I won’t know if it’s doing more harm than good.”

One turns his attention over to you now, lifting one brow as you meet his gaze. “Any idea what will keep him awake?”

You pause, clutching Four’s hand tightly, and staring blankly at One. “Trivia. He loves random trivia facts!” You blurt out after a beat of pause. All eyes turn to you in surprise, no one quite knowing how to respond to this information. You shrug lightly, averting your gaze from One’s. “We play a lot of trivial pursuit back at base.”

Seven is the first to break the silence, though not to mock you as you had thought would be the case. Instead, he looks down at Four. “Hey mate, did you know high heels were originally invented for men. Imagine Three chasing down the Lushnick’s in stilettos.” He laughs, which causes Four to stir slightly, his eyes opening just a tad.

“Fuck, you’re right. That did work.” One blinks in surprise, running a hand through his short hair.

“Of course it did. I know Four, I know what works on him.” You mutter quietly.

Without looking up, Five smirks to herself. “You sure do kid.”

There’s no fighting the embarrassment which claws within you. Perhaps now wasn’t the time to be making suggestive comments… “Alright, keep ‘em coming guys!”

“Um okay…. Uh, Canada has more lakes than anywhere in the world.” Seven offers unsurely.

“Those greedy fucks….” Four moans, causing everyone to pause, before laughing quietly. Good, his sense of humour was still intact, that’s surely a good sign!

Two steps closer, and looks down at Four in deep concentration, before leaning back slightly. “David Bowie, he did not in fact have two different coloured eyes. One of his pupils was permanently dilated after he was punched in the eye during an argument over a girl.”

“Bugger me, really?” Five pipes up, both brows raised in surprise. “I always thought he had one blue and one brown eye.” She shrugs, priming a syringe carefully.

Slowly, Four was waking up. Granted he wasn’t exactly moving very much, but his eyes were opening, and he was grinning somewhat at the facts that were being thrown at him.

Staring down at Billy, something pops into your mind, a fact which you had learnt years ago at school but never shared with anyone else. “Okay, here’s one for you. Madonna’s like a prayer, is actually not about praying, it’s about giving someone a blowjob!”

Silence follows, and you swear you could hear crickets chirping. “Why the fuck is that something you know?” Four groans quietly, his eyes searching all over your face, before finally meeting your own.

“Shit, I don’t know… I also didn’t think that would be the fact that would wake you up the most! I was hoping someone else would say something after me!” You grumble through a grin.

“Nothing could possibly beat that fact.” Four chuckles weakly, squeezing your hand as tightly as he could muster.

Five turns around, holding a full syringe in her right hand, and a sterile swab in the other. “Glad you’re awake. What I’m about to give you however, is going to send you right back to sleep. Sorry about that. But I assure you, next time you wake up, you’re going to feel amazing.” She grins, ripping open the swab, and swiping it over the inside of his elbow.

For the second time that day, Four winces in pain as a needle plunges through his skin. Squeezing his eyes shut against both the sight of the injection, and the stinging pain. Whatever Five had given him was fast acting, and soon enough Four finds it nearly impossible to reopen his eyes now that he’s closed them.

“Move him into the wheelchair there, it’ll be easier than carrying him out of here.” You suggest, pointing to the blue cushioned wheelchair in the corner of the room.

One, Three and Seven all nod their agreement, and move around the operating table, getting into position to lift Four. “Count of three…. One, two, three.” Three instructs, as the men lift Four who simply groans in protest. You watch his limp body be carried across the room, your heart aching at the sight. ‘It could be worse… He’s just asleep.’ You repeat to yourself, once again fighting back the tears which had remained ever present at the corners of your eyes.

Three pushes the wheelchair as you all follow in a daze. Your mind felt as if it were a million miles away from the current situation. For the briefest of moments, you had genuinely considered murdering Genevieve. Never once had you thought yourself capable of doing such a thing. But yet, there you had been. Gun poised, and trigger finger rearing to go. If it hadn’t of been for her words, then she would be dead…

The escape route was an easy one, especially with security still trying to figure out what had gone wrong on the geriatrics ward still. Swiping the keys to an ambulance at the docking bay, you load Four inside the back with Five to monitor him. One drives, Three and Two sitting beside him up the front. While you and Seven sit quietly in the back. Occasionally your focus returns to Four, but mostly you stare out of the back windows, watching as traffic zips around you. You nearly killed someone today… What sort of a person were you becoming? And did you even like the person you were turning into?

Four Eighths taglist (If you would like to be added, please let me know!) @sj-thefan @not-the-cleavers @jinxfirebolt18902 @softnorris @dear-vista @mixer2b @rintheemolion @shane-isa-shame @keithseabrook27 @tammykelly @himarisolace @buckingpeterparker @cailin-lefantasy @riddikuluslysirius @vivalakatee @pxroxide-prinxcesss

My Masterlist for all my other nonsense!

#four eighths #four x reader #number four #billy four #ben hardy/ billy #ben hardy/ four #ben hardy/ billy x reader #ben hardy fanfic #6 underground #6 underground four #6 underground fanfiction #billy/four #four x eight #four x you

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barnesbabee · 4 years

Text

‘Yes, Mr. Choi.’ || C.S [2]

Summary: Most bosses give you work, this one however got you worked up.

Pairing: Choi San x Reader

Words: Over 1k I bet

Genre: Smut, Angst, Sadness?

A/N: Definitely doing a part three to this, I’m loving this concept lol

[1] [2] [ꜰɪɴᴀʟ]

It was only when you got home that night and sat down on your couch with a bottle of wine that you realized what you were doing to yourself... Seeing that man, letting him control you... It was damaging you. You’d never agreed that you would be exclusive to him, but every time you even tried to see another man, to have a date with another man it didn’t work out.

No one was as enticing as Mr. Choi, and you couldn’t take him off of your mind. You knew you should have backed down once you stopped trying to find someone else, someone who could replace him and give you emotional support, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do it...

You loved to see his hungry eyes on your chest when you went to work with a blouse that would expose your breasts slightly more than usual, or the way his stare lingered when you purposely bent down to pick up something that had “slipped” from your hands. His pretty lips, his narrow eyes, his perfect, smooth skin... Every little detail from him drove you crazy. And you couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to him than just work and sex.

You were already attracted to this side of his, but you had to admit that sometimes you hoped for more at the end of the night. Maybe to share that whiskey with him? Maybe understand why he is the way he is? You had never tried, you knew it wasn’t ‘his thing’ and you didn’t want to disrespect that, as he’d made it very clear that work was all he really cared about. After all, wasn’t it better to have sex with someone you could bond with?

You eventually passed out on the couch, the tiredness of the previous “activities” combined with the wine had drained every drop of energy in you.

The phone rang, waking you up from your deep slumber. You picked it up immediately, having no idea where you were, what time it was or who was even calling.

“Hello?” You asked.

Your voice came out raspier and quieter than you expected, a side effect from the wine and from having literally just woken up.

“Ms. Y/N, do you realize you are two hours late? I should have to punish this unacceptable behavior later today...”

Mr. Choi.

Before you could reply, you carefully processed his words. Two hours!? You stood up quickly, almost crashing on the floor immediately after, since you were quite dizzy from all the agitation and confusion and looked at the clock on the wall, and then at the state you were in: you were still in yesterday’s clothes (your panties missing) and you reeked of sex and alcohol. There was no way you could make it to work today in time to do anything... You still had to shower and fix yourself, and work was about half an hour away (if there was no traffic).

“Uh, I’m sorry Mr. Choi, I don’t think I will be able to make it today. I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier but I woke up with a horrible migraine and feeling terrible. Once again, I’m sorry for the trouble.” You lied.

“Oh...” The disappointment in his voice from losing his late-night fuck was quite obvious, but he quickly regained his composure “Well then, I’ll expect you to be here tomorrow, be well, Ms. Y/N.”

As soon as he hung up you threw your phone on the sofa and rubbed your hands with the palms of your hands.

What the fuck is going on!?

You hushed to the bathroom, quickly removed your clothes and makeup and jumped in the shower.

The thoughts from last night came back rushing, and the idea of having to say goodbye to your ‘relationship’ with your boss was unpleasant, although it started to seem like the best choice.

The sooner you let go of this man, the sooner the blissful thoughts of you moaning underneath him with his hand grasped around your neck would go away.

You’d decided that that night you’d stop by the company and have a talk to him. He always stayed overtime, whether it was to fuck you or to work, and you wanted to be mature about the situation, not handling it like a teenager fling gone wrong by texting ‘it’s over xoxo’.

The day seemed to go by as fast as possible, and the moment you dreaded soon came. You stood in front of his door, heart beating fast in your chest as you kept thinking if this was the right choice to make... Your head said yes, but your body and heart screamed no.

Eventually you knocked on the dark hardwood door. You couldn’t see it, but the man inside was startled, who could it be at this hour? Everyone had gone home long ago.

He put down his pen and laid his glasses on his desk. The man approached the door slowly and placed his hand on the handle.

You, who hadn't heard the familiar ‘yes’ allowing you to come in, had already turned around to leave, thinking he wasn’t there after all, but the door behind you opened.

“Y/N? Did you change your mind?” San asked with a smirk, confused and surprised.

The man nearly didn’t recognize you, as you weren’t in the usual office outfit he was used to seeing you in. You had no makeup on, your hair was loose and you wore a Bordeaux summer dress and a light jean jacket.

You turned around and gave your boss a faint smile. He stood by the door, tie undone but still attached to his neck, his shirt slightly buttoned down and hair messier than usual. You almost wished he wasn’t there...

“I’m sorry to bother you Mr. Choi, but I needed to talk to you.”

Your boss was taken aback with this answer, but stepped away from the door and motioned you to get in nevertheless.

His eyes never left the hem of your dress that settled just below your ass. San wanted to take you right there and then, but he let you talk first.

“We need to stop this.”

Your bold request, that to him had come out of nowhere, hit him like a slap in the face. His expression immediately changed and his eyes locked with yours.

“I’m sorry?” He asked, for a second thinking he didn’t properly understand what you had said.

You sighed and crossed your arms.

“Look, this we have” you started, pointing between you and him “is fantastic. I love it. But every time I try to go out on a date, every time I try to fall for someone and move on with my life I... I can’t. I can’t because none of them makes me feel what you do.”

“So what’s the problem then!?”

“The problem is then what!? We just fuck for the rest of our lives!? San I wanna have kids, I want to have a life besides work, sex and nights out. This is fun now but what is it going to feel like when I’m almost forty!? You don’t start building your life at forty. At forty you already have kids and a stable relationship. And I can’t love someone and imagine a life with them when I go on a date and think how much better you are than them. We need to stop this so I can start my life, we’re not getting younger San.”

That had been the second time you addressed him informally. You only ever called each other by the first name when you were fighting.

The man’s eyes fell to the ground upon realizing that you did have quite a good reason. You made sense, what you were saying made sense. He was honestly expecting a love confession, and that would have been so much easier... This had never happened to him and he was... confused. He was confused that a woman wanted to stop having sex with him, and that only made him want you more.

San approached you and grabbed your hips. He pulled you closer and kissed just below your ear. You didn’t stop him, and you didn’t pull away when he kissed you passionately.

He pulled away and gave you your signature smirk.

“One last time?...” Mr. Choi asked, his hands traveling to your ass and pulling your crotch against his.

Your body melted into his, and you decided that one last time wouldn’t hurt, just a small goodbye. You nodded as you bit your lip.

His lips attacked yours and his hands pulled the skirt of your dress up, to expose your panties. Your rolled your hips, making your womanhood grind against his already hard cock. San picked you up and sat you on his desk.

The man pulled your panties down until they hit your ankles as you fondled with his belt and zipper. Once you had stripped him from his underwear as well, you started stroking him slowly. He moaned into the kiss and bit your bottom lip.

You then lined the tip of his cock with your entrance, waiting for him to move. He looked down and pushed inside of you, slowly, as if appreciating the view one last time. San held your hips tightly and bit on your neck, making you moan his name.

“Louder.” He demanded and spanked your thigh.

You screamed his name louder, and that only fueled him to go faster. San squeezed your thighs, and your hands found their way into the inside of his shirt, leaving red marks on his back. The both of you soon came, with loud moans and lewd words, but you didn’t let go. Neither of you wanted to let go. Moments like these what kept you both excited for what was to come later that day when you woke up.

You had a gorgeous, trustworthy man dick you down and he had a woman willing to play along to whatever he suggested. He had taken you for granted, he knew that now, but he never thought that after a year you’d call the quits.

Eventually you had to pull away, and he pulled out from you.

You looked at each other with a saddened expression as you composed yourselves in front of each other for the last time.

As you made your way to the door, you chimed “Goodbye Mr. Choi”, not even lingering for long enough to hear his response.

You dreaded the day that was to come. You didn’t want to see him and know that he no longer owned you the way you loved oh so much. Thank God it was Friday and you only had to see him for another eight hours for the time being.

The next day you were quite gloomy, obviously, but the same couldn’t be said about your boss.

He had the same calm and composed expression he always had in the workplace, and oh how you wished he’d show some emotion for once.

The day was going as it usually did, and you became distracted by all the work and your and your co-workers by lunchtime.

When you came back however, you saw a scene that made your world crumble. You were setting down your bag in your desk when Mr. Choi approached a new co-worker of yours. She was a year or two older than you, thin, hair dyed blonde and dark eyes that she covered by wearing colored contacts.

“Ms. Hyejin, could you stay for a while after work? I’d like to discuss something with you.”

Guess it wasn’t that hard overcoming all that sadness from yesterday.

#choi #choi san #san #san ateez #ateez san #ateez #smut #kpop smut #kpop #ateez smut #angst #kpop angst #san smut #choi san smut

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methethgfan · 3 years

Text

The 45th Hunger Games

“Give up, Chaff!” he shouted behind him, “If we don’t kill you, your hand will!” He was absolutely right. There was now a glaring hole where once his hand used to be. Chaff took off his shirt and wrapped it around the wound to stop the gush of blood - he probably had a few minutes left before he would eventually die of blood loss. He glanced over his shoulder and looked at their sweaty faces and tousled blond hair. But he also saw the sparkle in their emerald green eyes and a triumphant smile playing on their lips. Not yet. He still had one last move left.

The arena: This year the tributes were transported to a rural arena with broad fields, large hills and sparse forests. The weather was pleasantly warm, now and then the cool wind sent a shiver down their sun-warmed backs. The idyllic landscape was inhabited, among others, by cows, sheep and goats, which roamed some fields and were apparently disinterested in the tributes. The Cornucopia enthroned on a green pasture in the middle of the arena and housed a lavish number of supplies as well as an impressive arsenal of weapons. The selection of weapons turned out to be very diverse: in addition to the usual weapons, the tributes also had pickaxes, hand saws, pitchforks, shovels, sickles and scythes at their disposal, typical agricultural tools that attracted the interest of tributes who came from predominantly rural districts. Most of the tributes rejoiced in their good fortune, but for a few there seemed to be a catch. Never before had there been such a perfect arena that also looked so innocent. It soon became apparent that their concerns were justified, for the arena was extraordinarily deadly. Aside from the grazing animals that attacked anyone who approached them, the arena had something phenomenal. Once in a while, the tributes would encounter silver spheres, about the size of golf balls, floating in the air. If they got too close to them, red letters would light up on the display - "detonation - touch for deactivation". They then had five seconds to move out of the bomb's range. If they didn't, the bomb would attach itself to them until it was deactivated again. If one deactivated the bomb, the red letters were replaced by green ones - "disarming - touch for activation". There had never been anything like this ever before in the Games.

The tributes: The tributes were pleasantly surprised when they saw the arena for the first time. The camera showed the two boys from Districts 10 and 11 whispering "Home." at the same time. Everything seemed calm and peaceful. But the fact that there were bombs in the arena that could activate at any time scared most of the tributes, especially the Careers. At least they had a realistic chance against an armed opponent. Against bombs, however, they could do nothing; they were just as helpless against them as other tributes. How unfortunate that they hadn’t understood one thing - it was not the bombs that they should be frightened of, but the tributes whose eyes lit up at this exciting news...

The names of the tributes were…

Day 1 – The Bloodbath: Somewhat unusual this time was that several tributes ran away right after the Games started, without even being tempted to collect some supplies first. Still, there were enough tributes for the Careers to try out their favourite weapons...

24. Wright Maybridge (age: 14 | skill: x | training score: 3 | mentor: Wyatt Ellio | days survived: 0): Male tribute from District 5. While many of his competitors either ran straight at the Cornucopia or moved away from it, Wright ran in circles around it and collected all the supplies he could get his hands on as he ran. Thus, he was able to collect the supplies without being in the line of fire. However, this didn’t escape the attention of the girl from District 1 who sent a knife into his left temple.

23. Shay Carter-Milding (age: 18 | skill: quickness | training score: 7 | mentor: Lennox Byrd | days survived: 0): Male tribute from District 9. Shay had very fast reflexes. He demonstrated the Gamemakers how he dodged small balls thrown at him by several trainers at the same time. In doing so, he could bend and curve his body in such a way that it appeared as if he had no bones at all. In addition to his relatively high score, he also scored additional points in the interview with his self-confident and self-deprecating manner (”So Shay, how was your first impression of the Capitol?“ – “I thought it was slightly better than home, Caesar.“ – “‘Slighty better?‘ Why so?“ – “You’re not living in shacks like we do in District 9. I guess that’s the only bonus. But aside from that, I don’t really understand what all that fuss is about, no offense. But how on earth are you able to endure all of the … colourfulness? Yesterday I looked at a bright yellow building for a few seconds and already got a migraine!” - “I guess you get used to it all the time, Shay. Or is anyone here who’s got a migraine? No? See? I told you!”). The viewers were amused and hoped to see more of this boy in the arena. The Gamemakers, on the other hand, were curious to see how Shay would do during the bloodbath since he had such fast reflexes. But would he even participate in the bloodbath? Indeed, immediately after the opening signal, he ran towards the Cornucopia. He trusted his reflexes (even if he was a little worried about being hit by a knife after all). He dodged the knife of the girl from District 1. He also dodged the knife of the girl from District 2. But then the spear of the boy from District 2 pierced his back - Shay hadn’t assumed that the boy could throw his spear that far. The viewers were a little disappointed that Shay was out of the picture so early. But there were still other tributes left...

22. Modesty Merdow (age: 16 | skill: x | training score: 3 | mentor: Capitol trainer | days survived: 0): Female tribute from District 12. Modesty had neither attracted much attention during the training nor during the interview. But the scrawny girl with tired eyes and mouse-brown hair became memorable during the bloodbath: instead of moving away as quickly as possible from the girl from District 2 who targeted Modesty and threw one knife after another in her direction, Modesty ran straight at the girl in a zigzag. The girl from District 2 became increasingly panicked and took several steps back but continued throwing at Modesty. Just as Modesty was about to throw herself on the girl, a knife hit her in the chest.

21. Yvette Densford (age: 14 | skill: x | training score: 4 | mentor: Aspen Burrows | days survived: 0): Female tribute from District 7. Yvette was the cousin of Aspen Burrows, who had won the Games six years earlier and was her mentor. But as much as he tried to encourage her, Yvette knew from the beginning that she wouldn’t survive the Games. In an interview with Caesar Flickerman, she spoke very candidly with him about her imminent death (”I hope it's quick and painless. I had a beautiful life, but unfortunately far too short.” - “Maybe you will be able to continue this life?” - “I don't want to lie to myself, Caesar. I know what I'm capable of and what not. The Hunger Games are out of my league. But what have I done to deserve this?”). In fact, Yvette died in the first few minutes of the Hunger Games. The girl from District 1 hurled a knife into her neck. Yvette pulled the knife out, staggered forward, and then collapsed to the ground.

20. Kestrel Pernen (age: 15 | skill: x | training score: 3 | mentor: Volt Lansee | days survived: 0): Female tribute from District 3. Kestrel had originally turned away from the Cornucopia because she had wanted to run straight into the adjacent forest. But then she had decided otherwise because at that very moment a small backpack had caught her eye nearby. She ran towards it - almost at the same time as the boy from District 12. They squabbled with each other over the backpack for a moment, which did not escape the attention of the boy from District 4. He ran up to them and pointed his crossbow at Kestrel. The boy from District 12 let go of the backpack, rolled off to the side, and then ran away. Kestrel, however, was oblivious to the District 4 boy standing behind her, and grinned, lifting the backpack as the arrow struck her in the neck.

19. Dimelza Corlin (age: 15 | skill: bodily strength | training score: 8 | mentor: Belle Surie | days survived: 0): Female tribute from District 10. Dimelza was one of the few tributes who had received an offer from the Careers to join them. They had watched her throw herself on a trainer in the wrestling station, which they had been very impressed with. Aware of her better chances of surviving, Dimelza agreed. But she wouldn’t survive the initial bloodbath. After the Games were opened, she ran for the weapons as previously agreed upon. Only five meters away from the Cornucopia, a knife pierced her neck. The knife was actually meant for the boy from District 10, but Dimelza had run straight between him and the girl from District 2, who stared guiltily at Dimelza's death body.

18. Stans Mayersbee (age: 16 | skill: flexibility | training score: 6 | mentor: Woof Luxor | days survived: 0): Male tribute from District 8. Stans impressed the Gamemakers with his talent for doing splits both when sitting and standing. He could also do several backflips in a row or prance while doing a handstand. However, his impressive talent could not help him during the bloodbath. He ran toward the Cornucopia but was immediately targeted by the boy from District 2 who fatally wounded him with a spear. Stans fell to the ground while the carnage around him continued. The viewers had already written him off, since he had been lying motionlessly on the ground for several minutes. But then he moved - very slowly - and laboriously pulled out the spear that had pierced his stomach. While the Careers were busy with the supplies, Stans crawled across the pasture toward an adjacent grain field. Just as he had almost reached the platforms, he was noticed by the boy from District 2, who ran up to him. He then threw himself on the ground next to Stans and mimicked him as he crawled around on the ground, panting (“My bad, I thought I had killed you. I really need to work on myself, don’t I?”). Meanwhile, the Careers cheered them on. Then the District 2 boy got up and plunged a knife into Stans' neck (”Pathetic!”).

17. Linola Habborn (age: 17 | skill: juggling | training score: 6 | mentor: Suede Deer | days survived: 0): Female tribute from District 8. Linola survived the Cornucopia bloodbath, even though she had come the closest of all tributes (except for the Careers) to the Cornucopia. Luckily for her, the Careers had been busy elsewhere, so she had been able to grab a backpack and make it to the wide cornfield unharmed. But since the grain blocked her view and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was moving nearby, she decided to hide in the adjacent forest instead. However, she ran straight into the arms of the Careers who had just gone in search of more victims. She turned around and ran back into the cornfield, hoping that the Careers would not follow her. Sure enough, the Careers stopped again and eyed the cornfield suspiciously - but not the girl from District 1, who used her sword to clear her way through the cornfield (”Darling, I think you’ve mixed up the games. We're not playing hide and seek here. Come out, so I can explain you the rules.”). Then she stepped on something soft: Linola had simply laid flat on the ground. The girl from District 1 grinned broadly (”You know, at least you tried.”) and stabbed Linola with her sword.

16. Toomer Mintle (age: 12 | skill: x | training score: 2 | mentor: Volt Lansee | days survived: 0): Male tribute from District 3. Toomer had run into the woods right after the start signal without even glancing at the supplies once. The gruesome death of the boy from his district last year, who had ventured into the Cornucopia at the beginning of the Games, had been permanently burned into his memory, preventing him from doing the same. Two hours after the bloodbath, however, he was tracked down by the Careers who had been combing the forest for more victims. The boy from District 2 impaled him with his spear. However, wanting to keep his weapon (for the hovercraft would retrieve the boy's dead body and with it the spear that was still stuck inside him), he stepped on the little boy's back while pulling out the spear with ease. His cold-bloodedness impressed some viewers of the Capitol but confirmed the prejudices of the other districts regarding District 2, a district they truly despised.

15. Cayley Mills (age: 13 | skill: x | training score: 2 | mentor: Jetta Nell | days survived: 2): Female tribute from District 6. Cayley had been one of the first tributes to run into the forest after the opening signal. She had simply been too afraid to join the bloodbath, and not even the tempting supplies had been able to change her decision. Since then, she had stayed mainly in her hiding place (a bush). There was a stream very close to her hiding place, so she was able to appease her thirst at any time. But since the beginning of the Games she had not eaten anything. Previously, she had nibbled on a plant, which she had regretted very quickly because it turned out to be a stinging nettle. As a result of that, she hadn’t touched anything again. During the second night, right after the hymn had been played, she roamed through the forest because she had discovered a strange animal (an opossum) near her hiding place. Suddenly, she caught a whiff of the appetising smell of grilled meat, and noticed a flickering light among the trees a little later. Driven by her curiosity and the thought of warming herself at the campfire, she tiptoed towards it. The Careers were sitting around the fire talking to each other as if they were at a summer camp rather than the Hunger Games. Cayley had just positioned herself behind a tree when a branch snapped behind her. She turned around and looked into the face of the boy from District 1, who had gone for a pee and was now looking down at her with a sinister grin. His greedy eyes reflected the light of the campfire. He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the other Careers. (”Guys, look who is our guest tonight.“). Cayley was rooted to the spot with fear, she didn't even try to run away (”Oh, no need to be scared. We are nice to our guests, aren’t we, guys?“). Then he pulled out his sword and plunged it into Cayley's back (”Well, usually.“). After the cannon shot, he disposed of her body like garbage and then returned to their campfire where they continued their conversation as if nothing had happened.

14. Rheese Hayfleak (age: 16 | skill: stamina | training score: 7 | mentor: Farina Arden | days survived: 2): Female tribute from District 9. Rheese was a very fast runner with above-average fitness. This was also what she showed to the Gamemakers: for a full fifteen minutes she ran on a treadmill at highest speed. The Gamemakers were anxious to see if any of her opponents would be able to catch Rheese in the arena. But little did they know that Rheese would be running from something else instead. None of them were surprised that Rheese was the first to reach the Cornucopia, where she shouldered two backpacks and ran away before the other tributes had even come near the Cornucopia. Afterwards, she hid until her supplies were used up. On the third day, she was marching to a nearby stream when she first came across a bomb. She didn't know exactly what it was but trusted her gut instinct that told her to get away as quickly as possible. So she turned around and ran. To her horror, the bomb followed her. Rheese pushed the bomb away several times, lurched to the ground, climbed on trees - but nothing stopped the bomb from floating after her. Then she turned around and took a swing at the bomb. At that moment, the bomb detonated right in front of her face, ripping her body to pieces. The boy from District 10, who had hidden behind a tree, watched in horror as a hovercraft collected Rheese’s body parts.

Day 3: On the third day, the Careers roamed the arena in search of more victims. They were all in good spirits, talking loudly and joking around - until they suddenly stopped. Just inches away from the District 4 boy’s face hovered a silver sphere. The Careers instinctively took a few steps backward. None of them had encountered a sphere before, so they didn't know that it was a bomb. But their gut instincts told them nothing good. And when the bomb followed them soon, it was clear that they had to get away from it as fast as possible. “To the lake!” one of them shouted. It was the boy from District 4. Of course, who else would have come up with this idea? The Careers turned around and stampeded. There was a lake only about a kilometer away from the Cornucopia. The boy from District 4 ran ahead and was the first to jump into the lake. His allies, however, stopped at the shore and stared at the water as if it were lava. After a moment's hesitation, they jumped in and dove under the surface, as the boy from District 4 had done, and who still hadn't come up to surface. The girl from District 2 stared curiously at the bomb floating just above her head, until the boy from District 4 pulled her under the water as well. At that very moment, the bomb finally exploded, and the Careers gradually surfaced. The boy from District 4 swam gracefully to shore but suddenly remembered that his allies couldn't swim. Although he could have simply left them to their fate, he decided to go to their aid. In the meantime, the Careers tried with all their strength to stay above the surface. One by one, they were pulled out of the water by the boy from District 4. He had saved their lives – and even they, as Careers, were rational enough to realise that.

13. Ashton Ellmere (age: 16 | skill: adventurousness | training score: 4 | mentor: Capitol trainer | days survived: 4): Male tribute from District 12. It was destined from the beginning for Ashton and the girl from District 5 to meet one another in the arena. Both were highly adventurous and unafraid of any risk, no matter how big it was. If they were going to have fun, they were both in. They shared the same interests and had also visited the same stations during their training in the Capitol, following each other around inconspicuously. On the second day, when Ashton had gone in search of edibles, he came across the girl from 5 who had laid down on a huge rock, soaking wet, apparently sunbathing. He stepped out into the sunlight and clapped his hands once. Alarmed, the girl straightened up and stared at him from the opposite bank of the stream (”It would be more fun with the two of us working together, don't you think?”). The girl stared at him indecisively, seemingly weighing her words. Ashton knew that he just had to keep talking to her (”If I had wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have alerted you beforehand. I don't have a weapon with me either. But if you don't want to join forces with me, I'll walk away and strike out on my own.” - “Why should I ally myself with you? What is there that you could offer me?" - “I'm from District 12, I’m experienced with explosive devices as we use it in coal mining. Surely you've seen the bombs by now.”). The girl stood up unexpectedly and calmly walked towards him (”Yes, and I've already thought on something.”). And so their alliance was formed. Their goal was to bring down the Careers with the help of the bombs. They spent the following days exchanging ideas about explosive devices and working out a plan. They would blow up the supplies at the Cornucopia that would force the Careers to go foraging just like the rest of them ("You know we could get killed, right?" – "Sure. But isn’t it exciting?” – "Yes, and how! I can't wait.” – “Let’s turn up the heat on them – quite literally!”) But before they disposed of the supplies, they wanted to help themselves for a while. They regularly spied on the Careers and waited until they were gone. Then they took everything they could carry with them. The Careers didn’t notice that someone else was regularly stealing their supplies. Instead, they secretly suspected that one of them was the thief. But on the fifth day, they wouldn’t have to worry about their supplies anymore - because Ashton and his district partner planned to finally put their plan into action...

12. Bina Remington (age: 14 | skill: risk-taking | training score: 3 | mentor: Ronan Magnoly | days survived: 4): Female tribute from District 5. Bina was very inquisitive and experimental by nature. This was something she was born with, as her entire family consisted of scientists. Even before she participated in the Games, she had always thought about how she could use her brains to beat her opponents. The boy from District 12 came in handy because he could add to her knowledge while watching her back ("Bombs are basically pent-up energy. We have to find a way to let that energy out at a later time."). Then, at dawn on the fifth day, they went looking for bombs and found them a short time later - two bombs floating side by side in a clearing. Bina and her district partner could hardly believe their eyes when they realized the bombs could be defused. Tentatively, she reached her hand toward one of the bombs and the camera showed her index finger pressing a button above the display and then her hand closing around the bomb. Her district partner did the same with the other bomb ("What are we waiting for? On to the Cornucopia!"). They had thought it all out. The Careers wouldn't be back at the Cornucopia until sunrise because they were going hunting in the meantime. They would place the bombs on each side of the pile of supplies so that all the supplies would explode. Then they would hurl stones they had collected onto the pile to cause a chain reaction, if possible. Sure enough, the Cornucopia was empty. While her district partner placed his bomb, Bina kept an eye out for other tributes. Suddenly the Careers appeared! They hadn’t gone hunting, but had hidden at the edge of the forest, because they had finally understood that a thief regularly tampered with their supplies. Impressed by their cleverness, they ran excitedly toward the two tributes, who had not expected their appearance. Bina turned to her district partner and saw him standing motionless, waiting for the Careers. Determination showed on his face. She understood what he was up to. She stepped back immediately and was already turning when the first Career reached the pile and the whole world blew up. Bina and the Careers were knocked off their feet and flung through the air. Despite the severe burns on her back, Bina picked herself up and ran into the forest. But as the adrenaline rush faded, pain hit her at full force, and she slumped. The cannon went off half an hour later.

11. Shore Shylock (age: 18 | skills: athleticism, crossbow | training score: 10 | mentor: Rivo Blakeley | days survived: 4): Male tribute from District 4. Shore had been the only Career to show the Gamemakers not only his skills with a weapon, but something entirely different as well. He had balanced on a beam and had done a handstand and a somersault on it without losing his balance. He was able to keep a cool head in risky situations and, unlike his fellow competitors, didn't rush into anything. Nevertheless, he knew that his chance of survival was much higher with them. The waters in the arena contained very few fish, but all the more various forms of seafood. But when Shore had filled an entire basket with seafood and offered it to his allies, they had declined and watched in disgust as Shore had prepared the seafood and eaten it with relish. The explosion at the Cornucopia caused him severe burns while his allies escaped with only minor burns. They all showed great distress at the sight of their dying ally, who had protected them all from the bombs and saved their lives but had fallen victim to these bombs himself. Shortly after the cannon had gone off, the girl from District 2 remembered something Shore had told them a few days ago: she opened her water bottle and dripped some water on Shore's face. The other Careers did the same as the hovercraft circled above their heads. This was a funeral ritual in District 4. This was how they paid their last respects to the boy who they owed their lives to.

10. Maeve Somerley (age: 16 | skills: athleticism, herbology | training score: 8 | mentor: Adair Moss | days survived: 8): Female tribute from District 11. Maeve and her district partner were childhood friends. They didn't see each other as friends, but family, since neither had siblings. Although they couldn't have been more different from each other, they completed each other. Perhaps that was the reason why their friendship had lasted so long. Not even their participation in the Hunger Games could break this close friendship. The audience understood by their shocked faces and firm handshake at the Reaping that they were probably no strangers to each other. Caesar Flickerman's question confirmed their assumption ("I believe in fate. And if fate has planned for me to go into the arena with my best friend, then it must have a valid reason. Both of our goals will be to make sure the other makes it back home."). In the arena, Maeve and her district partner showed how serious they were about their promise to each other. Both were selfless and always concerned about the wellbeing of the other. They were also very practical. As an apothecary's daughter, Maeve knew a lot about herbs and was able to throw a delicious herbal soup together in no time. She taught her district partner everything she knew about herbs, a knowledge that was of inestimable value. Since she was lighter than her district partner, she climbed trees to collect fruits or look for other food resources. On the fourth day, they were attacked by a hungry wolf pack because they had unknowingly entered their territory. Maeve jumped in front of her district partner to protect him from a charging wolf, and together they put the wolves to flight. On the sixth day, their friendship was put to test again. Maeve had a high fever and shivering attacks. Her district partner did his best and cared for her, among other things, preparing herbal teas, putting wet rags on her forehead, and trying to bring her fever down with a sweating cure. But both knew that only a proper medication would help her. Her district partner didn't have to think long about how to obtain it ("I'm going to search through the Careers’ supplies." - "You're not going to do that. I don't want you to die because of me. It wouldn't be worth it." - "Who says I'm going to die?" - "I'm serious, Chaff. Please. Don't. I would never forgive you."). Her district partner assured her that he wouldn't do anything, but Maeve still didn't believe him. She was so tired that she kept drifting off to sleep. And her district partner took advantage of that. He gathered firewood and lit it to set the Careers on the wrong track. Then he made his way to the Cornucopia and positioned himself at a safe distance. Time was running, he had to find a cure immediately and return to his hiding place. The Careers noticed the rising smoke and ran into the forest. That was his chance. He ran toward the Cornucopia and rummaged through the supplies. Meanwhile, the Careers had turned back - they had smelled a rat. But he wouldn’t run away. When the Careers were only a few minutes away from the pasture, he finally found what he had been looking for. He jammed the first aid box under his arm and ran back into the woods. Once at his hiding place, he shook his ally by the shoulder ("Maeve, I've got the medicine! Quick, wake up!"). But Maeve didn’t move. He was still shaking her, even though deep down he knew that any help came too late ("Maeve, what's wrong with you?"). When she still didn't move, Chaff panicked ("No! No! Wake up! You can't do this to me! You promised!"). Then he hugged her lifeless body and cried for her.

09. Axle Welmourth (age: 16 | skill: camouflage | training score: 8 | mentor: Yaw Balfour | days survived: 9): Male tribute from District 6. Axle had a great talent for camouflage, but compared to his mentor, a true camouflage artist, he was only an apprentice - Yaw Balfour had owed his victory largely to his camouflage skills. He even taught Axle a few tricks. Axle demonstrated his talent to the Gamemakers by moving from one area to another in the training station for natural habitats, camouflaging himself like a tree, a sandhill or a rock. In the arena, he also camouflaged himself in compliance with his environment. For this purpose, he used solid or moist earth; fruits its juice he squeezed; plants that he rubbed against his body so that their green colour rubbed off on him and things like that. But he was never fully satisfied with himself. He knew that what he actually needed was awaiting him inside the Cornucopia - industrial paints, brushes, adhesives. And to be honest, he also wanted to impress the viewers a little with his talent. After much hesitation, he finally decided to visit the Cornucopia on the fourth day. He spied on the Careers for a while, and when the coast was clear, he ran to the supplies and quickly rummaged through them. Just as he was about to reach for a pack of coal, grinning, he heard footsteps. It was too late; he couldn't run away anymore. Panicking, he looked around for a place to hide and then did something no one had expected: he hid in the pile of supplies! He pulled a crate a little toward him and squeezed himself through the open gap. Inside was a hollow space. The Careers didn't notice anything at all. And so they spent the whole night only a few meters away from another tribute of whose presence they were completely unaware. Fortunately, Axle had camouflaged his clothes with soil, so the bright green colour of his jacket didn't send him to the knife. Afraid the pile would collapse if he pulled out some food, he didn't touch the supplies, but just sat quietly amidst them until the Careers left for the forest again in the early morning hours. But before Axle ran back into the woods, he grabbed as much as he could hold - including the pack of coal. The viewers were blown away! Although Axle was invisible for his opponents even if they went pass him, he was still sensible for the animals roaming the arena. They couldn’t see him either but smell him. Very intensely, with all the industrial colouring on his body. Some decided to stay away from him because either the smell was too much for them or they didn’t trust this unfamiliar smell. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for other, more fearless creatures like wolves. Axle had to change his hiding place several times because the animals wouldn’t leave him alone and follow him around. He was especially cautious at night when the wolves would come out of hiding. It took him a few days to understand why the animals were attracted by him, but it was already too late. Axle ran away from the wolf pack that was chasing him. He intended to jump into a nearby lake but didn’t make it there. Another wolf pack joined the chase, and soon, Axle was encircled by them. When the cannon went off and the hovercraft appeared to collect his ripped body, most viewers preferred to look away.

Day 10: When the boy from District 11 was wandering alone through the woods on the tenth day, he was attacked by vultures outside the entrance to a cave. He ran but didn’t know how to get to safety. Then he suddenly lost the ground under his feet and fell down five meters. He hit the ground hard and stared up: he had fallen down a slope. The boy tried to pick himself up, but then stopped because he felt too dizzy. A few hours later - he had tried to climb up the slope in the meantime - he heard footsteps from above. Someone was standing at the top and staring down at him. He recognized the flaming red hair: it was the girl from District 4. That’s it. It's over. But nothing happened. Then, very slowly, something moved down toward him. Ropes, knotted together. He watched in disbelief as the girl from District 4 lowered the rope to him. The boy from District 11 pulled himself up, and realized that the girl from District 4 had disappeared…

08. Cimber Grove (age: 18 | skills: bodily strength, javelin | training score: 10 | mentor: Brutus Ornathy | days survived: 11): Male tribute from District 2. Cimber was a quarrelsome person by nature. He craved every opportunity that gave him a reason to argue. Not even his district partner was spared from him ("Of course you had to get the girl from District 10 of all people! She was the one we desperately needed in the arena." - "I didn't mean to do it! She got in my way!" - "Don't make me laugh! You can tell those fairy tales to someone else."). Cimber didn't let others boss him around. And when the District 1 boy did just that, he tried to scowl him into silence ("I don't remember any of us appointing you our leader. So you have absolutely nothing to say to me. Besides, I also scored a 10, just like you, if that’s the reason you think of yourself so highly."). But Cimber didn’t stop there. He kept taunting his allies ("Shore, shut up and go catch fish or whatever it is you do in your spare time in District 4." or "I could have sworn I saved another sandwich. I'm sure you ate it, right, Sparkle? You eat so much, as we all know."). His allies just ignored him, which infuriated Cimber even more. But when their nerves were raw after two tributes had blown up their supplies, they couldn't take his malicious comments anymore. The District 1 boy grabbed a knife, pushed Cimber to the ground and stabbed him repeatedly ("Just - shut - your - goddamn - mouth!"). When he was done, he wiped his bloody hands on Cimber's face and then spat in his face. Capitol’s favorite (8th-place).

07. Lysandra Rodd (age: 17 | skills: archery, knife-throwing | training score: 9 | mentor: Severin Quinn | days survived: 11): Female tribute from District 2. Lysandra was the only child of miners whom she wanted to support financially by winning the Hunger Games. That's why she volunteered - much to the dismay of her parents. Lysandra found her district partner as repulsive as the others, but he was from her home district after all, which meant that his victory would be beneficial for her family, if she herself did not survive the Games. Therefore, she tried to mollify the rest of the Careers whenever Cimber criticised them again. Even Lysandra was not spared from his tirades ("So much food. I bet that's all new to you, isn't it, Lysandra? Since you and your family are on the brink of eating each other out of hunger."). When the District 1 boy lunged at her district partner, Lysandra tried to intervene yet again. In response, the District 1 girl rammed a sword into her back from behind, sealing her hopes of victory. Capitol’s favorite (7th-place).

Day 12: The tributes were startled out of their sleep by the sound of fanfares. Xander Holliehopp, the Hunger Games announcer, spoke to them: “Greetings, final contestants. I’m very sorry for breaking your sleep. I just wanted to let you know about a Feast that’s going to take place today at the Cornucopia. We have provided food bags for you that contain everything that you’re longing for! But there’s a twist. Once you’ve reached the Cornucopia, you’ll see only three food bags. That’s three less than the number of tributes who are still in the running. It’s because each food bag is meant for two tributes. I’ll now read out who shares a food bag with whom: first foodbag – Districts 1 and 11; second foodbag – Districts 1 and 10; third foodbag – Districts 4 and 7. So first come, first served! … Oh, I forgot to mention. The Feast starts now. Good luck!” It took a few seconds for the sleepy tributes to realize. Immediately they jumped to their feet and then made their way to the Cornucopia. When they reached the edge of the forest and looked at the Cornucopia, six pairs of eyes could be seen on the screens, looking determinedly at the food bags only forty meters away from them…

06. Leeper Garrison (age: 17 | skills: axe, fire-making | training score: 9 | mentor: Tilia Hemlock | days survived: 12): Male tribute from District 7. Unlike most of his opponents, Leeper operated more cautiously in the arena. Although a thoroughly dangerous opponent, he had been advised by his mentor to take his time and hold back until only a handful of players were left (of course, this suggestion came from none other than Tilia Hemlock herself). But Leeper defied her advice by charging straight into the Cornucopia at the start of the Games, grabbing an axe, and making a run for it. Later, however, because of his guilty conscience, he decided to follow the advice and stayed in his hiding place most of the time. Finding food was difficult for him, but fortunately he had come across peppermint in the forest, which he often used to make tea in order to suppress his hunger. During his time in the arena, Leeper lost weight drastically. He longed for a decent meal that would help him regain his strength - and indeed, on the twelfth day, a glimmer of hope sprouted in him after Xander Holliehopp announced a Feast. Leeper hesitated at first - by now he had become used to spending most of his time in hiding. So he felt a little uncomfortable at the idea of running into the rest of the tributes again. But his empty stomach finally persuaded him to run to the Cornucopia. When he reached the edge of the forest, he was relieved to find that no one had yet touched the food bags on the feast table. Again Leeper defied the advice of his mentor, who had explicitly advised him not to rush, because he was already running towards the plain. Meanwhile, the other tributes had been thinking about the safest way to get their food bags. Only a few more meters, then he would have reached the table. He stretched out his hand and - woosh! An arrow pierced the collar of his jacket and nailed him to the Cornucopia. Leeper, at first completely perplexed, assumed that the Gamemakers had somehow shifted the ground beneath his feet. But then he saw the girl from District 4 running towards him with a bow in her hand and it dawned on him. The girl grabbed the food bag and ran away. The boys from Districts 10 and 11 also appeared but neither deigned to look at Leeper as he helplessly hung over the ground. Then, when the girl from District 1 showed up, Leeper tried even more desperately to free himself from the arrow. In his panic, it didn't even occur to him to simply take off his jacket. When the girl stood in front of him, Leeper kicked at her and swung his axe threateningly, but it was in vain. The girl pierced him with a sword. If Leeper had followed his mentor's advice, he might have even survived the Games - but perhaps he was doomed to fail from the start. Capitol’s favorite (4th-place).

Day 13: The girl from District 4 had set out to drink water from a nearby stream when she was attacked by a brown bear. She ran away and shot an arrow into the bear's chest while still running, but the bear was just too gigantic to go down. Then she ran against a rock wall. The bear continued to head towards her and the girl shot another arrow at it but missed. Paralyzed with fear, she leaned against the rock wall and closed her eyes. But nothing happened. She opened her eyes a little and saw that the bear was lying on the ground. The boy from District 11 stood over it with a bloody knife in his hand. Their eyes met for a second, and then, without saying a word, the boy turned around and ran away.

05. Rowden Cye Thomsy (age: 16 | skills: archery, climbing, herbology | training score: 9 | mentor: Auburn Elsher | days survived: 14): Female tribute from District 4. Rowden Cye (pronounced "rowan sigh") caused a stir from the very beginning. But not because of her talents and not because of her looks, but because of her unusual name ("So... Rowden Cye. Before we start - what's the meaning of your name? I think we're all very curious about it!" - "Well, Rowden derives from the word "rowing". That's what us people from District 4 do as often as breathing. And Cye is my mother's maiden name. She didn't want it to be forgotten. Yes, that's pretty much the story behind my name, Caesar."). The audience was very impressed with her clever answers, and found her very likeable. When asked how she would do in the Games, Rowden Cye replied, "I think I have good chances. After all, I won't be going into the Games alone, I'll be going with my allies. We get along quite well and each of us can contribute something different to the alliance."). This surprised many viewers because they felt Rowden Cye didn't fit in at all with the Career pack. There was something lovely about her - the short, flaming red hair; the freckles; the teal eyes and the warm smile. The other Careers gave the impression of being unpleasant contemporaries. At the start of the Games, Rowden Cye ran straight at the Cornucopia, grabbing everything she could get her hands on, including the only bow in the arena. The District 2 boy ran past her and shouted to Rowden Cye to defend the other side of the Cornucopia ("Yes, I will, let me find a weapon real quick!"). But she didn't seem to care about the rest of the tributes at all. No, she didn’t even notice them. That wasn’t unusual because not every Career set out to kill their opponents immediately. But then Rowden Cye did something that surprised the spectators yet again: she simply ran away. Quite inconspicuously, while the other tributes were still fighting. Later, after the bloodbath was over and the Careers were standing amidst the corpses strewn across the meadow, they finally noticed her absence. It would have been an understatement to say that they had been merely angry. No, they were raging with anger. The boy from District 1 hit the Cornucopia ("That sneaky rat. I'll set her hair on fire once I find her. You can bet your life on it!"). But not all Careers had been surprised by Rowden Cye's betrayal: the District 4 boy had known that Rowden Cye wouldn’t ally with them because she had confided in him just before the Games. Out of loyalty to her and his district, however, he had kept this from the rest of the Career pack ("We don't need them. We could survive on our own." - "Yeah, we could." - "Shore, you know you're a better fighter than all of us." - "So what? There's still no guarantee. Countless Careers have lost their lives because they had decided to fight on their own." - "Well, that's your decision. I just hope that you won't regret it someday."). Rowden Cye had taken several weapons, backpacks and food supplies with her - including the one bow the girl from District 2 had been desperately searching for. In her hiding place - a shelter directly behind a bush that she had camouflaged with leaves and snares - she laughed to herself while examining the contents of the backpacks ("Four idiots at one go!"). The longer the Games went on, the more often she risked things like taking a bath in the lake or frying seafood under the glaring sun. Among other things, she prepared seaweed soup, which caused a mad dash for restaurants in the Capitol that had seaweed soup on the menu. When she spotted the boy from District 11 on the tenth day, she surprised the viewers again by reaching for her backpacks rather than her bow. She took out several ropes and knotted them together. Then she tied the rope around a tree trunk, tied a tight knot, and lowered the other end of the rope to the boy. He was, after all, just a helpless boy who had fallen down a slope. Killing him wouldn't be right. It would be a cowardly thing to do. He deserved a fair fight at which he could defend himself properly. Rowden Cye did so without having ulterior motives, but her mercy and helpfulness towards this boy would pay off later. At the Feast, she nailed the District 7 boy to the Cornucopia. She hadn’t intended to kill him, but merely wanted to stop him from taking her bag of food without hurting him. The fact that she had managed to do this from a considerable distance deeply impressed the Gamemakers. Rowden Cye deserved at least 11 points! The next few days she spent mainly in her hiding place where she rested. She already had enough to eat. But soon she got bored, and although she didn't need it, she went in search of edible plants. Suddenly she heard heavy footsteps - the pair from District 1 appeared among the trees! Rowden Cye turned around and ran toward the Cornucopia. Arriving on the plain, she turned and shot an arrow at the girl from District 1, hitting her in the right shoulder. Then she aimed at her district partner, but he had gotten too close, so Rowden Cye drew her sword and engaged in a fight with the boy, as a result of which she slashed the boy's chest. The girl from District 1, in the meantime, continued examining her wound. But a little later, she, too, joined in. Rowden Cye did her best and wounded both tributes without taking any damage herself. But she knew that couldn't last forever. She tried to knock their weapons out of their hands, and managed to do that with the boy from District 1, when the girl from District 1 stabbed her with her sword. The viewers were endlessly saddened by her death, but also impressed by the two tributes from District 1 who had managed to eliminate such a dangerous opponent. Capitol’s favorite (1st-place).

04. Sair Barnard (age: 15 | skills: food procurement, practicality, trapping | training score: 8 | mentor: Falcon Seafield | days survived: 16): Male tribute from District 10. Sair had a very interesting face: almost every inch of his face was covered with brown freckles, his eyebrows were uneven and bushy, and his large, dark brown eyes were speckled with green and yellow. That Sair had survived the bloodbath at all was a miracle, because he had been very close to being killed by the girl from District 2. When he saw his district partner slide to the ground a few meters away, he stopped in horror. He hadn’t had much to do with her, but that she of all people had died instead of him made him sad. For a moment, Sair and the girl from District 2 looked at each other, and when the girl lashed out with another knife, Sair turned around abruptly and zigzagged away. A few hours later, he came across livestock in a pasture, and, smiling from ear to ear, he ran at them. He had helped out on a farm in District 10. But suddenly the cows, sheep and goats roared out and chased him all over the pasture. Sair jumped over the electrified fence at the last moment, saving himself from certain death. Shocked, he stared at the mutts that were staring at him hostilely from the other side of the fence. This wasn’t his lovely home. This was the cruel reality he was faced with. He had seen the true colours of the arena. From then on, he moved more deliberately in this new environment that always had a surprise in store, and approached everything with the utmost scepticism. Although he had initially assumed that the arena wouldn’t be very different from his home, Sair realized that the opposite was the case: the arena offered very few food resources, and he didn’t know much about edible plants. After he couldn’t catch any prey with his traps, he, too, was drawn to the Feast at the Cornucopia, where he almost died. Sair had run onto the plain and snatched the food bag. But at that moment, the knife of the girl from District 1, who shared a food bag with him, had pierced his ankle. Sair fell to the ground lengthwise. The boy from District 11, who had already grabbed his food bag and turned around, stopped and looked down at Sair. Then he shouldered him and ran back into the forest. There he put Sair back down and was already turning to leave when Sair held him back ("No, don't leave me. Please, don’t."). Please. Don't. The same words his district partner had said just before she died. The District 11 boy stopped without turning to Sair ("I can't." - "Maybe you'll think differently after I have shown you what I'm capable of." - "That's not… That’s not the reason." - "Then let me thank you." - "You don’t have to. I won't be able to protect you, anyway."). The boy from District 11 walked a few steps before stopping again ("Since I've been in this arena, I've been alone. I just can't get used to this loneliness. I promise you that I won't be a burden to you. And to be honest, you remind me of my brother. Please, Chaff." - "Fine. But you’ll keep your promise, all right?"). A new alliance had been formed from which both sides benefited. Sair told the boy about his discoveries, for example, the mutated livestock. The boy showed Sair edible plants. But one thing in particular had piqued the interest of the boy from District 11 ("Bombs, you say? Where are those bombs?" - "In the deep forest. They float. Why? … You're not planning on searching for them, are you?" - "Why not?" - "The girl from District 9 was torn to pieces." - "Too bad for the girl from District 9."). The boy was obviously serious. A day later, they found a bomb. Sair stood behind a tree, but his ally kept walking toward the bomb. After deactivating the bomb, he simply put it in his pocket! He did the same with another bomb a little further away. Sair stared at the boy in dismay ("Are you out of your mind?" - "If you can manually deactivate the bombs, you can manually reactivate them." - "And what if you accidentally activate them?" - "Then I'll be blown to pieces. But that‘s my problem, isn't it?"). The boy from District 11 stowed the bombs in a tree trunk, into which he had previously carved a cavity with a knife. They spent the following days walking around, collecting fruits and plants, and further examining the arena. Sair was curious about how the boy’s district partner had died, and after hesitating for a while, he finally dared to ask the boy. But the latter ignored his question and lay down to sleep. On the last day in the arena, Sair and his ally were wandering in the woods again when they were surprised by the tribute pair from District 1... Capitol’s favorite (5th-place).

03. Sparkle Rednam (age: 18 | skills: sword fighting, knives | training score: 10 | mentor: Lovejoy Fair | days survived: 16): Female tribute from District 1. When Sparkle stepped onto the stage at the Reaping and the cameras pointed at her, she made an unkempt appearance. Her hair looked like it hadn't been combed in days, her clothes were worn out, and the colour of her shoes was almost faded. While hardly any tributes mounted the stage in brand-new and spick-and-span clothing, at least they paid attention to a neat appearance; after all, the whole country would be watching them. Additionally, Sparkle lived in District 1, where people were a lot better off and meticulously paid attention to their appearance. Caesar Flickerman, who was an expert in human nature, brought this up during the interview as well, but in a very discreet way ("How do you like the clothes people wear here in the Capitol?" - "Mundane things like fashion aren’t really my cup of tea. What do I get from being a pretty fighter? Nothing. What really matters is your brains."). Her serious and reserved attitude intimidated some of her fellow competitors. In the arena, she also demonstrated how fearless she was. She had no trouble combing the vast cornfields for tributes or searching for food in the caves, whereas her allies shied away from it. Sparkle also joined the Feast, intending to collect the two food bags that were meant for her and her district partner. Her district partner was secretly glad that he only had to stand guard and not run toward the Cornucopia himself. But Sparkle was too late: the boys from Districts 10 and 11 had already run back into the forest with their food bags. She ran after them for a while, but lost sight of them. Angrily, she returned and told her district partner about it. Then both looked at the sky and held out their hands expectantly. But the sponsors didn’t want to reward their tardiness. Soon, they would have their revenge on the two boys… Capitol’s favorite (6th-place).

02. Emerald Shadis (age: 17 | skills: close combat, herbology, sword fighting | training score: 10 | mentor: Tulip Marylle | days survived: 16): Male tribute from District 1. Emerald golden hair fell wavelike on his shoulders. His emerald eyes were stunningly beautiful. He had broken his nose several times during training in District 1. The viewers knew from the start that this boy would make it very far. Surprisingly, he wasn’t only good with weapons, but also with plants. In District 1, he had helped out in his parents' flower store and often collected plants of all kinds for them. This made him an even more dangerous opponent because he knew about medicinal plants, and thus, didn’t have to rely on medicine from the Cornucopia or sponsors, as was usually the case with most of the Careers. During his interview with Caesar Flickerman, however, he didn’t reveal his secret talent ("Most people probably think I only have a knack for weapons. But that's not true, so get ready for a surprise in the arena!"). That way, he kept the audience on tenterhooks who were eager to find out what his secret talent was. It was also the perfect way to attract the attention of potential sponsors. Whenever one of his allies had a stomach aches, was exhausted, or felt unwell for some other reason, he would prepare an herbal mixture in no time. He did this not because he cared so much about the wellbeing of his allies, but because he wanted to impress the viewers, and he did - he collected the most sponsoring gifts of all tributes. However, he knew he couldn’t feed on plants all the time. His craving for a real meal lured him to the Feast, at which both he and his district partner went empty-handed. Once again, a tribute had scored them off - the boy from District 11 of all people! That was enough. He would make sure they would receive their punishment... Capitol’s favorite (3rd-place).

01. Chaff Morten (age: 17 | skills: bodily strength, food procurement, practicality, resourcefulness, stamina | training score: 10 | mentor: Seeder Augury | days survived: 16): Victor of the 45th Hunger Games from District 11. Chaff’s family belonged to the upper middle class, thanks to his father’s job as the gardener of District 11’s mayor. However, Chaff regularly helped out in the orchards for extra money. His life was marked by tragic losses. His mother and infant sister had both died in childbirth and his grandfather had died of the flu. Chaff had been a little boy back then. In the years that followed, he quickly got used to it, and death became a part of his life. He was very talkative and sociable. Although hardly anyone laughed at his jokes, it still made him special. Despite delivering one joke after another during his interview with Caesar Flickerman (and even raising a laugh), he was perceived as a serious opponent by his opponents. And rightly so, for he was tall and well-built. Added to this was his extensive knowledge of plants, his extraordinary stamina, and many years of practice with scythes, which he had used regularly during his work in the orchards. The Careers had watched him out of the corner of their eyes until on the third day of training, they had brought themselves to propose an alliance to him. Since Chaff was always found in the company of his district partner, they made the offer to her as well. Chaff replied that he would reconsider the offer, but neither he nor his district partner were interested in an alliance with the Careers. In truth, they deliberately kept the Careers in the dark, and made fun of them. That didn’t escape the Careers’ notice: the tribute pair from District 1 was particularly furious over the fact that tributes coming from District 11, a slum, were making fun of them. During the bloodbath, he ran straight into the Cornucopia, shouldering a backpack and picking up a knife before running into the woods where his district partner was already waiting for him. They explored the arena together, and never left each other’s side. After her death, Chaff was in shock. He stopped eating and wandered around the arena disorientated until a fall from a slope brought him to his senses. After being rescued by the girl from District 4, he vowed to repay that debt. He hated owing anyone anything. The boy from District 10 reminded him of his district partner whom he hadn’t been able to help. His presence reassured him, and sometimes he imagined that his district partner was sitting in his place instead. Chaff had initially rejected this alliance because he was afraid of losing an ally again. But part of him just couldn't help it. The death of the girl from District 4 saddened him, but he didn't let it show. The viewers would understand that he was crying for his childhood friend, but they would certainly not show him the same understanding again for someone else. On the last day, Chaff and his district partner went in search of edibles. While his district partner searched for edible plants below, Chaff climbed a tree to collect its fruit. But they were not alone there. "Thieves must be punished!" said the girl from District 1 with a sardonic grin before she cut off Chaff's left hand with her sword. She had been waiting for him in the tree. Chaff fell to the ground and saw his ally slide to the ground with a knife stuck in his stomach, right in front of the boy from District 1. Chaff turned around and ran away. The tributes from District 1 took up the chase. But Chaff was fast, even though he was missing a hand and lost a lot of blood. “Give up, Chaff!” the boy from District 1 shouted behind him, “If we don’t kill you, your hand will!” He was absolutely right. There was now a glaring hole where once his hand used to be. Chaff took off his shirt and wrapped it around the wound to stop the gush of blood - he probably had a few minutes left before he would eventually die of blood loss. He glanced over his shoulder and looked at their sweaty faces and tousled blond hair. But he also saw the sparkle in their emerald green eyes and a triumphant smile playing on their lips. Not yet. He still had one last move left. Chaff ran to his previous hiding place and hid behind a tree. "Seriously?" the girl from District 1 said, laughing. "All this way we ran for nothing? So you could just hide behind a tree?" Suddenly, something flew through the air and landed right at the feet of the tributes from District 1. They stared at the silver spheres lying on the ground, but by the time they had realized what it was, it was too late. With a deafening BOOM!, the two bombs detonated, tearing the District 1 tributes to pieces. Chaff fell to the ground. His face was pale, and he was no longer moving. The hovercraft appeared out of nowhere, collected him and the doctors scrambled to save Chaff's life. If the victor died, they too would pay with their lives....

After his victory, Chaff changed. He was no longer the joyful boy he once was. Only when he was drunk again did that boy show up again, the boy he had locked away years ago. He didn't talk about his Games to anyone, for he lived through them enough in his nightmares. Maeve - Sair - Rowden Cye. He never forgot those names, their faces. How could he? They followed him wherever he went. Five years later, a boy won the Games who had been through a similar experience. This boy was one of the few he could confide in because he could relate to his pain. His name was Haymitch Abernathy. Capitol’s favorite (2nd-place).

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*Capitol favorites attracted Capitol citizens’ (and therefore whole Panem’s) attention the most. Various reasons for this included their unique skills, impressive deeds or exciting storylines. More screen time made it easier for them to survive in the arena compared to less noticed tributes (e.g. in terms of sponsor gifts). Also, there was a lower risk for them to be exposed to the Gamemaker’s arbitrariness (e.g. mutts, different dangers) due to contributing to the viewer’s excitement. The higher their placement (1st, 2nd, 3rd…), the better. Nevertheless, the possibility of encountering dangers in the arena was never completely ruled out.

Sorry for any language mistakes. English is not my native language. Please let me know about any mistakes I have made.

I’d be grateful for your feedback! I spend A LOT of time writing all of this, so I’d really like to know what you think.

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Finished recaps: The 1st, 6th, 16th, 25th, 36th, 45th, 49th, 50th, 65th, 66th, 68th, 69th, 70th, and 71st Hunger Games

Upcoming recaps: The 22nd, 62nd, 72nd, 73rd, and 74th Hunger Games

#hunger games #catching fire #mockingjay #thg #panem #suzanne collins #fanfiction #survival

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snowdice · 3 years

Text

Big Bang (Sort of) Editing Story [Day 48]

I started writing this fic while editing my Big Bang story, but am going to continue doing it for other things now that Kill Dear is out. I will write and publish 100 words of the story every time I finish doing whatever task I’m doing. If you’d like to block these proceedings, please feel free to block the tag proofread stories. I will reblog this post with the parts of the story I do today. Edited chapters are linked; everything else I’ve done so far is under the cut.

My Master Post Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18

Ugh I have so many boring things to do today, so have this.

Chapter 19

Thomas sighed in relief as the door to the royal wing finally came into sight. He was exhausted from his journey to Lamir for many reasons. Beyond just the physically taxing journey, he’d also had to deal with the emotions of loosing someone he had thought of as a friend while also trying to help her young daughter who had just had the crown thrust upon her.

Now he just wanted to see his own child and curl up into bed. He smiled at Owen and Kalani as he approached. “Is Logan here?” he asked.

Owen nodded. “The prince and his royal advisor are having a slumber party.”

Thomas smiled. “Of course, they are,” he said.

He said goodnight to the two guard as they’d be getting off duty soon even if he did manage to drag himself out of his room again tonight and walked past them into the hall.

He walked past the room where they kept the jewels, though was unsurprised to see that the room was unlatched as Patton loved playing around with the different jewelry and had probably left it open when he grabbed them. He was however surprised when his son’s room’s door was thrown open, as Logan usually couldn’t stand for the thing to be open with or without him in it.

Thomas didn’t think much of it however, and simply walked over to look inside. He was surprised when he didn’t see his son or Patton and instead saw that the only person in the room was a young boy that Thomas did not recognize. He was seated in one of Logan’s chairs and had his head tilted looking at himself in the mirror. He seemed to be trying to get a look at the ornament on the back of his head, and Thomas felt his heart seize a little bit when he recognized the hairpin.

He hadn’t recovered from that gut punch when the boy’s eyes drifted and met his in the mirror. There were a couple of long seconds where the two of them stared at each other in silence.

“Hello?” Thomas finally managed to get out.

Panic. There was suddenly horribly intense panic in the child’s eyes, the likes of which Thomas had never seen before. Thomas could only blink dumbly as he hopped to his feet like his seat was suddenly made of hot coals and then threw himself across the room to the opposite side from Thomas.

He looked around himself, back to the wall and considered Thomas with wildly spooked eyes. Clearly, he realized that he was pinned in Logan’s room by Thomas being in the door.

The boy dropped suddenly and disappeared under Logan’s bed.

“Uh,” Thomas said, confused and shocked and still a bit in pain from seeing that piece of jewelry in use. He crossed slowly over to the bed and bent down to look under it, moving the bed skirt slightly to the side. He saw a small shaking blob curled up into itself under the bed. “Um, hi,” he said softly.

The blob did not respond except to continue shaking.

Thomas frowned and settled himself onto the floor. “It’s okay,” he said softly. Had he been here stealing things? Thomas had to wonder as he wasn’t sure why someone here for legitimate reasons would be acting so terrified of being caught. Though, that posed the question of how he’d gotten past the guards, and why Logan hadn’t noticed him. “I’m not mad,” Thomas said. “You’re fine.”

The boy looked up briefly from his knees looking terrified. Thomas tried to smile at him gently, but that just made him hunch into himself more, his breathes coming faster. That wasn’t good.

“No, shh,” Thomas said softly. “It’s okay. I promise it’s okay.” He did not seem to believe him, and Thomas winced. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t just leave him here but trying to talk him down himself didn’t seem to be working.

Luckily, a familiar voice spoke from behind him then. “Dad?” Logan asked.

Thomas looked back at him. Both Logan and Patton were standing at the door, a couple of pieces of jewelry in their hands. They seemed very surprised to see him.

“You… seem to have a guest,” Thomas informed them.

“I…” Logan said, beginning to edge into the room like he was expecting something to blow up at any moment. “Yes.” He got to Thomas and squeezed himself between him and the bed, putting a physical barrier between Thomas and the boy. Confused, Thomas took a couple of steps away without challenge. “That,” Logan glanced behind him. Patton had moved to the opposite side of the bed from Logan and Thomas and had gotten to his knees to look under it. “That is Virgil.”

Thomas blinked at him. “Virgil?” he asked.

“He’s… new to the castle,” Logan explained. Patton started speaking softly the boy, but Thomas could not make anything he said out. “Patton and I… invited him to a sleepover.”

“The guards didn’t mention anything,” Thomas said, sure that they would have warned him if there was a stranger in the royal wing.

“Uh, well, Virgil is… shy and we didn’t think you’d be back for another week. So, we snuck him past them.”

“Shy?” Thomas asked doubtfully. That was a lot more than shy.

“Particularly of adults,” Logan said.

Thomas took a moment to let that sink in. “Oh.” He was… scared of adults. Thomas could imagine many reasons why that might be the case and none of them set well. “I see.”

“Hey, no, sweetie, stop that,” Patton said, sounding distressed. Patton had managed to draw Virgil out from underneath the bed, though they were both still mostly hidden behind it and Thomas had no question in his mind that if he went to step towards them, Virgil would be back underneath it in a moment. Currently the boy seemed to be clawing at his own head. “No, baby shh,” Patton said, trying to stop him from tearing the pinned in hairpiece out, Thomas realized. “I’ll get it out,” Patton promised him. “Just calm down and let me do it.” He sounded close to tears, and Thomas couldn’t particularly blame him with the way the boy was acting. “You’re hurting yourself, baby.”

He must know, Thomas realized. If Logan had known he was here, then he must have allowed him to use that hairpiece. He’d probably even told Virgil that it belonged to his dead father. Now he was probably terrified that Thomas would be mad at him for touching it, especially when he’d come in to find Virgil alone without Logan to explain.

Patton managed to get all the pins undone and placed the piece delicately on the bed before wrapping himself protectively around the boy and hushing him.

Logan was looking back at them as well. He looked between the puddle of upset on the floor and Thomas. “Could…” he said. “Could I maybe come and see you in a few minutes, Dad?”

“Of course,” Thomas said. “Of course, I’ll go wait in my room. Take as much time as you need.”

He was careful to move slowly as he stepped towards the door, so the poor thing didn’t notice him move and mistake it for him approaching. He closed Logan’s bedroom door softly behind him feeling even more drained than he’d been before as well as anxious and a bit sickened. He went to his own bedroom to wait for Logan.

Chapter 20

Logan let out a slow breath as his father closed the door behind him. That could have been very, very bad. He turned his attention to Virgil and Patton. Patton had curled himself around Virgil as much as physically possible and had tucked the boy’s head under his chin.

Logan slowly rounded the bed and knelt in front of them. “It’s alright,” Logan said, cautiously moving to put a hand on his shoulder. Virgil didn’t pull away. “I asked him to leave. It’s alright.”

Virgil tilted his head slightly too look at him. Logan rubbed a circle into his back as he slowly got control of his breath.

Logan smiled softly at him and reached out to touch his cheek with a gentle hand. “You… didn’t hurt him. You didn’t even try to hurt him.”

Virgil shook his head.

“Why not?” Logan asked curiously. “It was a perfect opportunity.”

“Promised Patton,” Virgil mumbled, and the idea that perhaps the thing that had saved his father’s life was a pinky promise just about gave Logan a migraine, but then Virgil ducked his head. “And it would make you sad.”

“I see,” Logan said, heart in his throat.

Virgil kept looking towards the floor, his eyes starting to fill with tears again. “Are you going to turn me in now?”

He was shaking and barely holding back a fresh wave of tears. Logan knew of course that no one would hurt him here if he turned him in to his father and the guards, but he also knew that Virgil would be terrified if he did so. He was already terrified. Logan didn’t want to know what he thought the fate Logan would be condemning him to.

“No,” Logan said before he could even truly think it through. “No, I’m not.”

“You’re not?” Virgil asked.

“Well, there wouldn’t really be a point, would there?” Logan asked. “The reason we planned to turn you when father got back in is because you posed a danger to him, but you have just demonstrated that is no longer an issue.”

“Really?” Virgil asked, sniffling a bit and Logan saw Patton’s arms tighten even more around him.

“We will have to figure out a better cover for you than just that you’re new to the castle, but I believe it will work fine. No one besides the two of us would ever guess your origin anyway.”

“S-so I can stay?” Virgil asked, “and you won’t throw me into prison or execute me?”

“I promise you were never going to be executed Virgil,” Logan said. “Even if we turned you in, but yes you can stay with us. We’ll figure out a backstory for you that doesn’t involve assassinations and you’ll have to keep up the lie, but I doubt anyone will question it.”

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Virgil said, chocked up. “Thank you. I really didn’t want to go.”

“Well, you’re our friend now so there will be no going anywhere,” Patton said kissing him on the cheek. Virgil relaxed back into his hold, pleased with the affection.

Logan smiled at them both. “Can I see your wrists, Virgil?”

Virgil blinked but offered them and Logan tapped the restraints doing a quick incantation. They popped off after a moment.

“You’re letting me go?” Virgil asked, eyes wide.

“Of course,” Logan said. “We’re not just going to keep you prisoner for no reason.”

“That’s…” Virgil said, eyes watering as he clearly was trying not to cry. “You’re the best people I’ve ever met.”

“I wish that was not so clearly the case,” Logan replied. He slowly reach up and set a hand on his shoulder. “I’m going to go speak with my father. Patton will stay with you.”

“Okay,” Virgil agreed, seeming a bit hesitant.

Logan smiled softly and leaned forward to gently touch their foreheads together. “I will be right back,” he assured. “We will finish our slumber party, though perhaps we will table the rest of the dress up activity for another night.”

He stood then, leaving Virgil in Patton’s capable hands to exit his own bedroom and cross the hallway to his father’s. He took a brief moment to compose himself before knocking on the door.

“Come in,” his father called.

Logan opened the door to see his father sitting on one of the armchairs in his room. Despite the almost disaster that had taken place a few minutes ago, Logan found himself smiling at the man. It was nice to have him home.

“Sorry about that,” Father said.

“It was more my fault than yours. If I knew there was a risk of you coming home today, I wouldn’t have left him alone.”

“Is he alright?”

“I believe so,” Logan answered. “Patton is with him and will certainly smooth out any lingering distress.”

“Good,” his dad said. “That’s good.” There was a pause and then he gestured at the seat beside his.

Logan settled himself down on it. “How was your trip?” he asked. “You’re back a week early.”

“Yes,” Father said. “The trip went better and worse than anticipated.

“How so?” asked Logan curiously.

“Well,” Dad said. “The purpose of the trip was to convince the new queen of Lamir, Cecil not to ally with Mocnejsi, but by the time I’d arrived there wasn’t really a risk of that.”

“Why not?”

“After investigation, it turned out that Cecil’s mother had been poisoned by an assassin from Mocnejsi.”

“Oh,” Logan said, mind already racing.

“They figured out that one of the young women who had been hired on in the kitchen for the winter had done it, and had learned her origin when they questioned her,” Dad informed him. “Considering Cecil was immediately approached for an alliance with Mocnejsi, their aim was likely to manipulate her going forward because of how young she is. Luckily, Cecil is a smart girl and has the help of her mother’s advisor as well as her own. By the time I got there, my only real role was to extend my condolences and reaffirm out alliance. I would have stayed longer, but the possibility that Mocnejsi may think to attack us in a similar way hastened me home.”

“That…” Logan said. “That is wise. I assume you are going to institute more security.”

“I am, yes,” Dad replied. “I would like your input on plans in the coming day.”

“Of course,” Logan agreed.

Dad smiled at him, “But for now,” he said, “I think it’s time you get back to your slumber party and I get to finally go to sleep.”

Logan nodded and got to his feet. He leaned over to hug his father perhaps a bit longer and harder than was strictly necessary, but Dad did not seem to mind at all. “Goodnight,” Logan said.

“Goodnight, son.”

Chapter 21

Virgil woke with something soft but kind of stringy in his face. That was weird. He didn’t know what in the closet would feel like that. In fact, as he woke more he noticed more things that he couldn’t sus out the origin of, particularly the warmth curled up against his side. Curious, he blinked open his eyes. Oh, right. Patton.

The soft stuff in his face was Patton’s hair and the warmth next to Virgil was the rest of the boy’s body. Patton had all but refused to let Virgil go last night after Logan had taken off the restraints and Virgil hadn’t minded the attention. They must have fallen asleep together in the piles of pillows and blankets on the floor.

Virgil brushed his hair gently away, internally (for fear of disturbing him) shaking his head at him. He’d fallen asleep hallway on top of an assassin. He had no self-preservation instincts. He looked at his wrists. It seemed no one had any self-preservation instincts. This of course, included himself as instead of running off when free in case they decided to turn him in after all, he had fallen asleep on the floor with Patton too.

He looked to the side and saw Logan was already awake, reading on one of his chairs. He seemed to sense Virgil’s eyes on him because he looked up after a moment.

“You can get up if you like,” Logan said. “He is a heavy sleeper and won’t wake up if you squirm out of his grip.”

Virgil frowned, unsure if he wanted to risk it.

“I have breakfast ready for you.”

Okay, Virgil was going to risk it.

He carefully squirmed out of Patton’s grip, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead in apology for leaving him before getting to his feet.

Logan handed him a plate of eggs and toast when he walked over and gestured to the chair next to him. Virgil sat there to eat while Logan continued to read.

Virgil ate his food quickly, and then glanced over at Logan once he was done. Virgil was honestly at a bit of a loss. Usually, they came and got him out of the closet only once they were ready to do something, but Patton was still sound asleep on the floor and Logan looked engrossed in his book.

Virgil fidgeted slightly, unsure what he should be doing or even if he should be doing anything. Considering Logan hadn’t given him any instructions, he should probably not do anything. He didn’t want to screw up the first day of… whatever this was now.

Logan glanced over at him after a few minutes. “Don’t forget about the potion,” he reminded.

Virgil nodded and stood, walking over to the closet since it would still be in there from the previous morning. It was about half gone now and it had gotten to the point where Virgil didn’t feel any immediate affects from it anymore other than some warmth. It basically just felt like drinking tea.

He said as much to Logan when he walked back over to him.

“That’s good,” Logan said, “it means it has been working. It has healed any damage it can from malnutrition. Any internal organs that were damaged should be mostly healed. You may even notice your eyesight getting slightly better. Your immune system should also be boosted. You will likely also find it is easier to gain muscle and while you likely will never be as tall as you could have been, you will likely still grow a few inches during your next growth spirt.”

Virgil studied his hands where they were sitting on his thigh now as though he could see the changes that allegedly had already taken place in his body. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

“Of course,” Logan replied, eyes already back on his book like it was some normal thing and not a huge kindness he’d bestowed on Virgil before even really knowing him. As though Virgil didn’t just owe him more than just his life going forward.

They sat in silence then for a few more minutes, before the was a soft sigh from the floor and Patton started to wake. He sat up and looked around. His eyes landed on both Virgil and Logan sitting together and he seemed to light up.

“Good morning!” he chirped.

“Good morning, Patton,” Logan said as Patton popped to his feet, “I have breakfast for you.”

“Thank you Lo,” Patton said, throwing his arms around Logan’s neck, and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Virgil presumed from the lack of surprise on Logan’s face that this was normal for morning Patton, not that the fact surprised him considering how night Patton acted.

He still managed to be somewhat surprised by the fact that Patton turned to hug Virgil a second later. Patton’s lips were pressed briefly to Virgil’s head and then he turned to grab the plate Logan had saved for him.

“So, what are we doing today?” Patton asked.

“I was thinking Virgil and I could continue our reading lessons if he is not opposed,” Logan said. Virgil nodded, happy with that prospect. “Other than that, I have no plans. I have already spoken with my father before the two of you woke. He is going to spend most of his day catching up on things he missed and said I could take the rest of the day off royal duties.”

“A whole day to relax then!” Patton said, happily chewing on his toast. “Reading sounds fun, but we should do something more active too.”

Logan hummed. “We can show Virgil the courtyard after the reading lessons,” he said.

It took a moment for it to register, but then Virgil froze. “Wait,” he said. “We’re going outside?”

Logan raised an eyebrow at him. “Yes.”

“So, we’re leaving your room?”

“Are you alright with that?” Logan asked cautiously.

Virgil nodded quickly.

“Oh,” Patton said at his enthusiasm. “I guess you have been cooped up a while, haven’t you?” He smiled sadly and turned to Logan. “Maybe we can do reading lessons in the garden.”

“That would be satisfactory.”

“Great!” Patton said. He looked over at Virgil. “If we’re going out, we should probably put your hair up and get you in some clean clothes.”

Logan nodded. “You finish eating, and I will help Virgil find something to wear.”

Logan found him an outfit, though it was a bit baggy on Virgil and the hem of the shirt went halfway to his knees. When Patton finished breakfast, he sat Virgil down and carefully worked a brush through his hair.

“Can I braid it?” Patton asked.

Virgil hummed his consent. Having his hair brushed and done up by another person was a lot more enjoyable than he’d anticipated. He’d liked it when Logan did it the night before, though he had to very firmly push away thoughts of where that led.

“Okay!” Patton said after a few moments. “You look good. Ready to go?”

Virgil nodded and they both led him out into the hall. He paused before they got to the door. “What about the guards?” he asked hesitantly.

“I’ve already given them the same story as I did Dad,” Logan replied. “They know you’re here.”

Virgil still hesitated.

“It’s okay,” Patton promised. “Here, hold my hand?”

Virgil took the offered hand immediately, and Logan stepped in front of them both. Virgil felt himself relax a bit knowing the prince was between him and the guards.

They led him to the door.

Logan greeted both of the guards at the door, and they said good morning back. Both of them glanced at Virgil curiously for a moment making him shrink into himself, but they quickly averted their gazes.

Patton pulled him past them without incident and soon they were in the small dining hall Virgil had passed through his first night here. He remembered how he’d snuck around at the edges of the room in the shadows with the aim to kill the king, but now he was being pulled through the middle with the prince having just wandered past the royal guards in broad daylight like it was nothing.

It was so strange, and Virgil still couldn’t totally believe this was happening. The retraced his exact steps back down the spiral stairs near the kitchen and out of the door he and the nice gardener had came through. He could even see the shed he’d been hiding in from here. With a blink, he remembered they were going to the garden, and he wondered if he’d see the man again.

For now, he just looked around them as Logan and Patton led him past the garden shed towards an area with many trees. Orange and yellow leaves were starting to fall from many of the trees.

They made a satisfying crunching sound under his feet as he was led to a tree. He had seen the group of trees when he’d first arrived here and had even thought about hiding amongst them instead of in the shed, but they’d seemed scary in the dark. They were pretty in the daylight, however, and Virgil found himself tilting his head to watch the branches sway in the slight wind.

Logan sat down under it and pulled out a book and some writing materials from the bag he’d brought. Virgil settled down next to him so they could both look at the book at the same time and Patton flopped down on the other side, immediately setting to work tying fancy knots in the yarn he’d brought with him. Patton shuffled slightly to the side so they bumped shoulders as Logan opened the book and started Virgil’s reading lesson.

Chapter 22

Patton bit his lip to keep from laughing or awing. “Do you like the flower, Virgil?” he asked.

Virgil glanced up at him briefly and then his eyes returned to the flower he’d found. “It’s nice,” he said.

They’d finished the reading lessons and let Virgil explore the garden a bit. He’d found a dark purple and yellow flower (a pansy, Patton thought) and seemed to be endlessly fascinated by it. He’d been staring at it for minutes now, almost as though he expected it to do something. Patton did not quite understand his interest, but he was still adorable.

Logan sat next to him and the flower, smiling at him softly. “I imagine you’ll enjoy the garden in the spring,” Logan said. “There are many more flowers then. Of all types. We’ll have to show you all of the best spots. Mr. Deknis has a particularly good eye for colors, and it is always quite beautiful.”

“Who is Mr. Deknis?” Virgil asked.

“He’s the head gardener,” Logan said. “He’s a nice man, though a bit prickly when it comes to his garden. We may see him today if he’s in this part of the garden.”

“Would he have been the multrum I saw in the gardening shed when I hid there?”

“Ah, yes, that would be him. I was unaware you interacted with anyone in the castle.”

“He caught me in his garden shed, but he wasn’t mean,” Virgil said, he tilted his head curiously at Logan. “Why…” he trailed off.

“Yes?” Logan asked.

“Why is he the gardener?”

Logan looked confused, “Well,” he said, “I guess because he wants to and is good at it.”

“No,” Virgil said with a frown. “I mean. Shouldn’t he… he’s…”

Logan seemed to think hard for a moment. “Right,” he said. “You’ve been under a blood compulsion. I’d guess you would have only worked with multrums in the military.”

“I guess I didn’t realize that they could be other things…”

“Of course, they can,” Logan said. “Their abilities don’t make them any less of people. Mr. Deknis likes to garden so he gardens.”

Virgil blinked at him.

“…Of course, all things considered, that may not be a familiar concept to you.” Virgil turned back to look at the flower instead of answering. “Right,” said Logan.

There were a couple of awkward beats of silence. Patton bit his lip and happened to glance up. “Oh,” he said. “Speaking of Mr. Deknis.” He gestured to the gardener who was coming up the path between the trees.

Logan sat up on his knees as Patton waved at him. He saw Patton and turned to walk towards them. “The two of you had better not be up to mischief in my garden,” Mr. Deknis called, his voice a bit gruff. He clearly did not see Virgil who had laid flat on his stomach to stare at the flower.

Logan rolled his eyes automatically. “We were just reading Mr. Deknis,” he said. “Your piles of dirt are safe.”

“No mud cakes?” Mr. Deknis asked skeptically still coming towards them.

“It has been a literal decade…”

Patton saw when Mr. Deknis was close enough to see Virgil.

He stopped in his track and looked down at Virgil who was already watching him a bit warily. “Hello,” he said, his voice a lot softer than it’d been a few moments before. His expression completely flipped in a moment to something very gentle when he saw Virgil and the cautious look on his face. Virgil did seem to have that effect on people.

“Hi,” Virgil replied.

Mr. Deknis looked at Logan and then at Patton and then back at Virgil. “This is our new friend, Virgil,” Patton offered.

“Hello, Virgil,” Mr. Deknis said with a nod.

“Virgil, this is the gardener Mr. Deknis.”

“He’s not nearly as grumpy as he sounds,” Patton assured.

“Well,” Logan said, “yes he is.”

Mr. Deknis shot him a look that only served to prove Logan’s point if Patton was being honest. Logan just smiled back. Mr. Deknis apparently decided to let it slide because he turned back to Virgil.

“It’s good to see you again,” Mr. Deknis said. “Are you feeling better?”

Virgil nodded. “I’m a lot better,” he said. Mr. Deknis considered him for a moment, clearly reading how true that statement was. Patton was glad he seemed satisfied with the answer.

“I see you’ve met these two.”

“Yeah,” Virgil said.

Mr. Deknis smiled slightly. “Be careful with this one,” he said, pointing to Logan. “He’s a bad influence.”

Virgil frowned in confusion. “He’s the prince,” he pointed out.

“And a bad influence,” Mr. Deknis repeated. “He’s a beacon of irresponsibility and mischief and he corrupts that one,” he nodded to Patton.

“I am completely responsible,” Logan replied.

“Need I remind you of the cucumber incident.”

“I was 8,” Logan said.

“I know how old you were,” Mr. Deknis replied, “and you are hardly any older.”

“I resent that.”

Mr. Deknis just smiled and turned back to Virgil who was watching the interaction with pure curiosity.

“I just picked a few more of those apples for Patton’s mom to make into apple sauce. Would you kids like some?”

Virgil glanced over at Logan and Patton.

“That would be nice, thank you,” Patton replied for them all, standing up. Seeing that, Virgil also climbed to his feet.

“It’s back this way,” Mr. Deknis said, inclining hid head back the way he’d came and then turning to lead them that way. Patton followed him. He glanced back to see Logan put his hand on Virgil’s shoulder and give him a gentle push to get him going. “So, what are you kids up to today?”

“We wanted to show Virgil the garden and courtyard,” Patton said. “He’s been cooped up inside for a bit.”

“I see,” Mr. Deknis said. He glanced back at Virgil. “Feel free to come out in the garden anytime you like. As long as you don’t go about purposefully destroying stuff, I don’t mind you being out here.”

“I won’t destroy anything,” Virgil promised instantly.

“Well I hope you manage to keep that attitude even while befriending the large upright groundhog behind you.”

Virgil looked a little bit nervous. “He’s just teasing Virgil,” Patton assured. “He loves Logan.”

Mr. Deknis glanced back again and seemed to read the same thing Patton had read on Virgil’s face.

“Yes, of course,” Mr. Deknis said. “I have simply known the prince for a long time and joke with him in that way often. Logan is aware of that.”

“Indeed,” Logan agreed, his hand squeezing a bit on Virgil’s shoulder. Virgil relaxed a touch.

Mr. Deknis stopped and reached down into a bucket next to a tree. “I wouldn’t offer my apples to people I don’t like,” he said, tossing an apple underhand to Logan. Instead of trying to catch it, his eyes widened and he dodged out of the way.

“You would however throw apples at them despite knowing they have never been able to catch things.”

Mr. Deknis just rolled his eyes fondly, but Virgil frowned and turned to Logan. “You don’t know how to catch things?” he asked scandalized. “You should know how to catch things. What if someone throws a knife at you?”

Mr. Deknis looked… probably the right amount of concerned about that statement coming from a 14-year-old’s lips.

“Haha, yeah,” Patton said awkwardly. “Maybe you can teach Logan how to catch things Virgil, but later. Right now, why don’t we just get the apples and then show you the courtyard.”

Virgil was still frowning, but he did not argue with Patton’s suggestion.

Thankfully, Mr. Deknis did not push, though Patton did have to dodge many a meaningful side eye. He might… need to make sure he did not get cornered by the gardener in the coming days… or brush up on his lying without lying skills.

For now, though, he just handed out the apples, not tossing them this time. Virgil thanked him softly and Patton could see the way the usually fairly gruff man went all melty at that. He even slipped an extra apple to Virgil for later which Virgil perked up at.

Patton and Logan pulled him away gently after that so Mr. Deknis could go back to work, but Virgil seemed happy with the apples and copied Patton at waving goodbye to him cheerfully.

Despite the fact that he liked Mr. Deknis and he’d been nice, Patton still took a calming breath when they were no longer at risk of lying about something and getting caught by the man’s powers. They went back into the castle towards the courtyard.

Chapter 23

Logan was unsurprised that after showing Virgil the large courtyard, Patton almost immediately decided to instigate a game of tag. They were, after all, here with the goal of getting Virgil a bit active after having had him only in Logan’s room for weeks.

He was also unsurprised that Virgil seemed confused about the concept of tag, and Patton had to explain the game in detail to him.

It made him wince, but he still was unsurprised when Virgil went about inquiring after the consequences of losing the game.

He was, however, very surprised when, after getting all of the facts about tag settle, Patton was chasing after Virgil trying to tag him and suddenly the boy disappeared.

Patton almost ran into a wall in his confusion. He stared at his hands stretched out and just a couple of inches from touching the wall for a moment, before slowly looking up.

“Virgil!” Patton exclaimed. “What?”

“What?” he asked.

“…What are you even hanging onto?”

“The wall,” Virgil replied.

Logan walked closer to the two of them and tilted his head up to look at him. Virgil had jumped up and somehow managed to find hand and foot holes on the seemingly smooth wall. He climbed about 5 meters above their heads and was peering down at them curiously.

“Okay,” Logan said. “New rule. Virgil is not allowed to scale walls during tag.”

Virgil frowned down at him. “Why only me?”

“Because Patton and I cannot do that anyway,” Logan said. “We would not be able to actually play if you remain up there.”

Patton glanced over at him and reached over to touch Logan’s shoulder. “No tag backs,” he said. Logan glared at him. “Why don’t you come down sweetie?”

“But Logan will tag me,” he said.

“Well, honey, that’s part of the fun,” Patton reasoned. “Don’t you want to try being it?”

Virgil seemed to consider this for a long moment. “Okay,” he agreed.

To Logan’s terror, he simply let go of the wall, falling straight down and landing crouched. He blinked at Logan. Right. With a start, Patton took off, so he’d have a head start. “No tag backs means a 10 second head start for me,” Logan reminded. Virgil nodded, and Logan reached out to poke him in the arm before immediately running off in the opposite direction as Patton.

Logan’s strategy worked out since, knowing he couldn’t go after Logan for a few seconds more, he chose to turn and go after Patton. After finding one of the statues to hide behind on the edge of the courtyard, Logan risked glancing back.

Virgil was faster than Logan (and likely Patton) had accounted for. Patton had gotten a good head start on him, but Virgil closed it quickly. Patton shrieked as Virgil barreled into him, bringing them both to the ground.

“Virgil!” Logan heard Patton giggle. Logan figured he was more than okay despite the tackle. “This isn’t how you play tag!”

“I combined tag and tackle hugs,” Virgil declared, making Patton giggle more.

“That’s very innovative, honey,” Patton said. “Now are you going to let me up?...Virgil… I’m counting down your 10 second head start in my head, and if you don’t let me up I’m going to tag you again.”

This did not seem to have the intended effect as Virgil did not remove himself from Patton’s person. Patton laugh when it became clear he was not going to move and began counting down “7, 6, 5, 4, you’d better let me go sweetie, or you’re going to get tagged again.” Virgil did not seem to care. “3, 2, 1.” Patton reached up and bopped him on the nose. “Tag!” he declared.

Logan was surprised when Virgil instantly jumped off Patton at that. He whipped around.

‘Oh,’ Logan thought as the boy’s eyes narrowed in on Logan immediately, ‘I see.’

“Virgil was already halfway across the courtyard towards him before Logan could even think about running away. There was no way that he was fast enough to outrun him. Perhaps he could outthink him, he thought. His eyes scanned his environment in the seconds he had left and landed on a large square piece of stone that held flowers in the spring. It was just full of dirt now, but it was still about waist high. Perhaps if he kept that between them, he could outmaneuver him. He sprinted towards it and scrambled to the opposite side from where Virgil was heading.

He really should not have been as surprised as he was that Virgil did not even slightly slow as he approached the planter box, instead grabbing ahold of the side of it and vaulting over it. Logan stumbled back, bracing for impact, but instead he just got a quick tap on the shoulder.

Logan blinked at him.

“I don’t know if you would be okay with tackle hugs,” he explained.

Logan considered him. “I would be okay with a nontackle hug.”

Virgil happily jumped forward to hug Logan, pressing his nose into Logan’s shoulder. Logan chuckled and patted the top of his head. “Six,” he said, “5, 4, 3…”

Virgil bolted away suddenly, actually making Logan stumble a bit. He paused just out of reach of Logan, looking at him with anticipation. “2,1,” Logan finished with a raised eyebrow. He already knew he was being played with, but he indulged him by starting towards him. Virgil danced out of the way, eyes alight. Logan sighed. “Is this truly how it’s going to be?” he asked.

Virgil didn’t answer, but to watch him with wide, excited eyes.

“Fine,” Logan said. He dashed towards him again, only to have him continue to maneuver just out of Logan’s reach each time Logan went forward. He’d call it taunting if there was any sign of malice in it.

They ran around the courtyard in spirts of Logan charging at him and Virgil expertly dodging. Eventually Patton came closer to them. Logan could tell that Virgil was aware of his presence, by how he glanced back at him briefly, but considering he was not ‘it,’ it seemed he chose to disregard him. However, he was not aware of the way Patton winked at Logan as he walked up behind Virgil.

Logan, on the other hand, knew exactly what was happening. He went to spring for Virgil again, and Virgil again moved to dodge, but this time Patton grabbed him around the waist, allowing Logan to actually tag him.

He turned slowly to face Patton who started to giggle immediately at the perplexed look on his face. It cleared into something else as soon as he heard Patton laugh. “Traitor!” he claimed. “We were on the same team and you betrayed me.”

“I just thought we should probably have mercy on poor Logan,” Patton replied.

“Hmm,” Virgil said, eyes again full of that playful mischief Logan had not seen until today. “Plea for mercy not accepted.”

Patton once again half-shrieked half-laughed as he was pounced on. The two of them went rolling across the grass, Virgil clearly keeping the rolling going longer than it should have as they made it a good few meters.

Virgil sprung off of him a few moments later.

“Oh, is it my turn?” Patton inquired with a huge smile. He slowly got to his feet. “Hmm, I’m probably at about 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!” He took off after Virgil, but Patton had a bit more endurance than Logan, so instead of doing quickly calculated lunges at Virgil as Logan had done, he just ran at him full tilt without stopping.

Virgil ran from him, though Logan was pretty sure he was intentionally slowing himself down a bit so Patton had some amount of a chance. He kept turning to check behind him and make sure Patton was still somewhat close as he ran.

Which is why he didn’t see the imminent disaster in time.

Chapter 24

Thomas should have been paying more attention, but his mind had been on the meeting he’d just had with the castle guards about increased security in the wake of the possible threat from Mocnejsi. He’d decided to take a brief walk around the courtyard to clear his head but was still distracted with mulling over the options that had just been presented to him. He stepped into the castle courtyard and did not have time to step out of the way of the much smaller body rocketing towards him. Virgil slammed into his front, but not before Thomas got a good look at his face.

Virgil’s expression changed dramatically in the few seconds between him registering Thomas was there and running into him. For the briefest moment, Thomas could see that he must have been having a lot of fun. He’d caught the wide smile and sparkling eyes as Virgil turned his head back from looking at Patton who was chasing him across the greenery. He’d looked very happy which made it all the more painful to see that happiness die in and a few instants. When his head had turned back towards Thomas, there was a flicker of confusion at something being in his path.

Then, clearly everything about the situation registered, because his eyes blew wide in horror as he tried to stop himself, but there was no way he’d be able to in time. Thomas saw that fact register on his face the moment before he hit. Gone was any trace of happiness or joy in that split second. All that was left was dread that had no place anywhere near a children’s game of tag. It was the expression Thomas would expect from someone who felt ice give way under their feet in the middle of a lake they had thought was frozen solid.

He hit hard, but he wasn’t nearly big enough to actually harm Thomas. Thomas was thrown slightly off balance but managed to stay on his feet. He reached out a hand to his shoulder automatically to steady the child. There was a moment of pseudo calm where they both absorbed the impact and stilled.

Then, the boy’s shoulder slipped out of Thomas’s grip as he went crashing to the ground in a move that made Thomas wince for the state of his knees. Thomas couldn’t quite grasp what was happening for a moment as Virgil face planted onto the ground in front of him, but when he did, Thomas couldn’t help but flinch and take a step back from him.

Thomas had been bowed to before, of course, seeing as he was a king, but this was not out of respect or courtesy or even just tradition. This was out of terror. He was begging for mercy and it made Thomas feel sick.

“I’m sorry,” he said, meek and shaky into the ground, and there was almost something worse about the fact that he did not beg for forgiveness with his words, but only his posture. The way his breathes came far too quick and shallow said he was likely on the verge of a panic attack, but he was not blubbering through apologies or even not speaking at all. He gave a clear, if shaky, apology, and waited for whatever he thought Thomas planned to do to him. There was no way that was not learned.

“You don’t…” Thomas stuttered. “You don’t have to do that. It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry,” he said again, but he reacted in no other way. He did not even react when Patton made it to his side and knelt down next to him. Patton’s hand hovered over his back, clearly wanting to touch down, but he pulled back on that instinct.

“Virgil, honey,” he said softly. “It’s okay. No one is mad. It was an accident.”

Virgil did not react to this at all.

Thomas caught Logan’s eye as he hurried over to them himself. “Sorry,” Thomas mouthed. Logan just nodded and turned his attention to his friend.

“There is no reason for any of that,” Logan said, his voice firm, almost clipped. “You are not in trouble. Now sit up.”

Virgil did respond to that, slowly shifting back on his knees. He kept his head down looking at the ground. “Sorry,” he said again.

“I…” Thomas said, surveying the three kids on the ground in front of him. Thomas slowly sunk to the ground to be at their level. Virgil was tracking his movements out of the corner of his eyes, his head still bowed and his shoulders tensed. “Hey,” Thomas said softly. “Were you three playing tag?”

Virgil hesitated, eyes flickering as he debated whether he should respond or not.

“Yeah, we were,” Patton answered for him after a moment of stressful silence.

“Well that’s fun,” Thomas said. “I’m sorry for interrupting the three of you. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Virgil glanced up at him for just a moment before looking away again. Patton apparently felt it was safe enough to touch Virgil, because he settled a hand on the boys shoulder.

“Yeah, we’ve just been having a fun day,” Patton said, carefully matching Thomas’s light tone. “We went to the garden and did some reading. Then, Mr. Deknis gave us some apples.”

“That’s nice,” Thomas replied. “He’s been talking about the new apples he’s been growing. He’s been working on them for years and they’re just beginning to bare fruit this year. I haven’t gotten a chance to try any yet. Are they any good?”

“They’re very good,” Patton told him. His hand rubbed slowly on Virgil’s back. “Isn’t that right, Virge?”

Virgil nodded a bit, a little less tense now, but still nowhere near calm.

“Well, I’ll have to try them soon,” Thomas said with a smile. “Thank you for the information. Now, I’ve got to get back to what I’m doing, but I hope you three have a good day.”

“I’ll see you later, Dad,” Logan said.

Thomas nodded and pushed himself to his feet. “Goodbye you three,” he said before turning away towards the door back into the castle. He paused to take a breath when the door closed behind him, cutting off the courtyard. There were a lot of thoughts to shirt through in regards to that conversation. He hated that Virgil was so obviously terrified of him. Both of their two interactions had ended with the poor thing panicking on the ground. He wished he had some idea of how to help him or at least someone to talk to about it.

Maybe he’d go visit Mr. Deknis himself and not just for the apples.

Chapter 25

“Alright,” Patton said, pressing a kiss to Virgil’s forehead. “I’ve got to go back to my room for the night. Will you two be okay?”

“We’ll be fine,” Logan said. “It won��t be particularly different than the last two weeks.”

Patton nodded and leaned to the side to squeeze Virgil in another hug. He’d been clingy since the incident in the courtyard, and Virgil had been appreciative considering he was still pretty shaky from it. He was still surprised he’d touched the king of Prijaznia (let alone ran into him) and lived to tell the tale.

“Goodnight, Pat,” Virgil said because he was pretty sure he wouldn’t leave if Virgil didn’t.

“Night Virge,” Patton said with a smile before standing up from where they’d been sitting on the ground. He reached over to hug Logan who was sitting on a chair. “Night Lo! Put the book down and go to bed.”

Logan looked up from his book with a frown.

“It’s almost midnight,” Patton scolded.

Logan sighed and set his book down. “Very well,” he agreed. “We will get ready for bed.”

“You better! I’m going to come and wake you up early in the morning.”

“Early in the morning for you is 9am,” Logan scoffed.

Patton stuck his tongue out at him as he walked backwards out of the door.

Logan gave his book a mournful look once the door closed and Virgil almost giggled. “I won’t tell on you,” he said.

Logan thought about it for a few moments. “No,” he finally said. “We should probably get some sleep.”

Virgil nodded and pushed himself to his feet.

“We should probably both take a bath after sitting in the dirt today,” Logan said. “Do you want to go first or should I?”

“Don’t care,” Virgil answered.

“You can go first,” Logan offered.

Virgil felt himself smile. “You just want to finish the chapter in that book,” he accused.

“Perhaps,” Logan conceded.

Virgil just grinned and walked over to his closet to grab one of the outfits he’d been given for pajamas. He chose a pair of baggy shorts that went past his knees and the huge soft black sweater Logan had found in the back of his closet. He headed into the bathroom, noting Logan had already picked up his book again.

Logan may have declared the both of them dirty enough for bathing a few minutes before, but Virgil was cleaner than he thought he’d ever been before coming to the castle. Logan had taught him how to use the tub and what soaps to use for what a couple of days after he’d arrived and had suggested he clean himself regularly.

Virgil didn’t mind. The tub was enchanted to warm the water inside of it and Virgil loved it. Though, that had the negative affect of making it very difficult to leave.

He cleaned himself up quickly, so he’d have a few minutes to just sit in the water before he felt like he needed to get out and let Logan have a turn. He changed into his pajamas, pulling the crescent shaped protection charm out of his day clothes pocket and storing the warm to the touch stone in the short pocket. He used the clip Patton had made it to pin it to the cloth to make sure he wouldn’t lose it.

Logan was engrossed in his reading by the time that Virgil exited the bathroom. He did not look up as Virgil approached.

“Your turn,” Virgil said to him.

Logan clearly just barely managed to tear his eyes away from the book. “Right,” he said. “Yes.”

“The book will be there in the morning,” Virgil reminded.

“I know,” said Logan sadly as he set the book aside.

Logan never took much time in the bath, so Virgil quickly went about getting ready for bed the rest of the way. He put his day clothes in the basket Logan had for that purpose and started to straighten out the blankets and pillows in the closet.

He heard Logan come back into the room a few minutes later.

“Virgil,” Logan said. “What are you doing?”

Virgil looked over at him. “Getting ready for bed,” he answered, confused.

Logan frowned at him. “You don’t sleep in the closet anymore,” Logan said. “That’s only for when we were worried you might escape.”

“Oh,” Virgil said blinking over at him. “Right.” He felt a slight pulling at his chest. He liked the closet. It was warm and soft. Patton had taken a lot of care with how he’d arranged all of the pillows and blankets. It was the best place he could ever remember having to sleep in his life. Yet, he did not argue. He knew getting to sleep out in the open was supposed to be a reward and he wasn’t about to reject it.

Virgil stood and closed the closet. He tugged on the bottom of his sweater, stretching the fabric between his hands as he watched Logan pull down the covers of his bed and settle down onto it. Cautiously he walked over towards the bed. He wasn’t sure where he should lay down exactly. He dithered for a moment before bending down to sit on the floor near the right side of Logan’s bed and then laying down.

There was shuffling on the bed above him and then Logan’s head popped over the side to squint down at him. “On the bed Virgil,” he said.

Virgil looked up at him in shock. “But it… I’m…” He trailed off and there were a few seconds of silence.

“It is just a bed Virgil,” Logan said.

But it wasn’t ‘just’ anything. Virgil was pretty sure touching the bed of a royal family member without permission would be considered a capital offence. At least, it would in Mocnejsi. Yet, Logan was expecting him to just… crawl into it?

“Please just get up here,” Logan said. Virgil’s caution at touching something he was definitely sure he should not be allowed to be touching wared with his resolve to repay his literal life debt to Logan by doing whatever he wanted.

Feeling honestly a bit sick to his stomach, Virgil slowly pushed himself back to his feet. Logan scooted back over to the left side of the bed, and Virgil cautiously sat down on the empty side of the bed. After a second of hesitation he slowly laid down, his head hitting a soft fluffy pillow. He jumped when Logan flopped the covers on top of both of them.

Virgil took a long moment to absorb the situation while Logan took off his glasses and reached over to turn off the light next to him. He’d never slept in a bed before, or if he had he’d been too young to remember. In the orphanage there was a lack of actual beds due to overcrowding and there had always been someone bigger and stronger that Virgil didn’t dare fight for the use of them. During training, none of the kids had a bed. Only a few of the higher ups had ones at the more permanent training sites. There were very few situations where any of the assassins, at least a Virgil’s level, would be allowed to touch a real bed.

The light switched off, plunging them into darkness.

“Is this…?” Virgil said, eyes still pointed towards the ceiling even though his eyes had not adjusted to the darkness enough to be able to see it. “Do you want… things?”

“Things?” Logan asked.

Virgil did not move his head, but he did reach over and put his hand slightly above Logan’s knee. Logan didn’t move, so Virgil slid his hand up.

Virgil’s wrist was grabbed immediately and pulled firmly away from Logan’s inner thigh. He did not let go afterwards, his fingers squeezing hard, but not quite painfully. “Never,” Logan said, his voice harsher than it had ever been even on the day when Virgil was nothing more than an intruder with deadly intent. “Never offer anything like that to anyone ever again.”

“I was just…”

“I know what you were doing,” Logan said, voice icy, “and it inadmissible. Never offer that again for anything. Do you understand me?”

“I... yes.”

“Promise me.”

Virgil took a short moment to think. “I promise,” he agreed.

“Good,” Logan said, releasing his hand. His voice got softer too. “Good.”

They were silent for a long time after that, though Virgil had no delusions that Logan had fallen asleep. He could almost feel the tension.

“Sorry,” Virgil finally said softly.

“It’s not something you should be apologizing for,” Logan replied. The bed moved as Logan shifted and a hand lightly touched the top of his head. “Just… never.”

“Okay,” Virgil said. He shifted slightly after a moment until his head was in the crook of Logan’s arm. Logan brushed the hair out of his face with the hand that had been on his head.

“Goodnight Virgil,” Logan said.

“Goodnight,” Virgil responded. They were quiet after that, though Virgil was still awake for a while yet and Logan’s hand slowly stroked through his hair for a while. Eventually though, Virgil relaxed into mattress. He stuck his hand into his pocket and curled it around the charm in his pocket. The bed was nice, he thought. It was soft and warm… and safe. He finally fell asleep.

Chapter 26

Patton did their new special knock on the door so Logan and Virgil would know it was just him and they didn’t need to hide the fact that Virgil was sleeping in the prince’s room. He didn’t wait for a response, however, and just shoved open the door. He was surprised to see that Logan was not already out of bed and wondered for a moment if he had broken his promise stayed up way too late reading like he was sometimes known to do. Yet, then, Logan spoke from the bed. “I’m awake,” he called.

Confused, Patton stepped into the room. Logan wasn’t one for lazing around in bed; usually he was out of bed the moment he woke.

He stepped over to the bed and had to stifle a smile when he recognized the problem. Logan was awake, but Virgil was still sleeping, and he was half on top of Logan, his arms wrapped around him.

“Why don’t you just squirm out of his arms like you do me?” Patton asked, keeping his voice low.

“He isn’t like you,” Logan said. He did not bother to quiet himself at all.

“What do you mean?” Patton asked amused.

In answer, Logan started to move as though to squirm out of Virgil’s death grip on him. In response, Virgil made a pitiful mewling sound in his sleep that landed like a piercing blow straight to the heart. Logan stopped moving immediately and Virgil shifted to grip Logan tighter.

“Aw!” Patton said.

“It’s not cute,” Logan insisted. “I’ve been stuck for hours and I have to pee.”

Patton chuckled. “Alright, alright, I’ll save you.” He rounded the bed to Virgil’s side and crawled up on it. “Virgil, honey,” he entreated softly. “I think it’s time for me to get cuddles so Lo can get up.” Patton softly touched Virgil’s shoulder and pulled at him gently. He reached forward to carefully pry Virgil’s arms off of Logan.

Virgil made a more confused than heartbreaking sound this time, turning towards Patton so Patton could wrap his arms around him. Logan managed to scoot towards the edge of the bed.

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Logan made it off the bed and dashed towards the bathroom as Virgil’s arms came around Patton and squeezed. Patton laughed and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. After a few moments, Virgil’s eyes started to flicker a bit.

“Good morning, honey,” Patton said softly. “Did you sleep good?”

He hummed sleepily. “Beds are nice,” he said. Patton felt a slight pang at that because it implied he didn’t get to sleep in beds very much, but he chose to shove that aside.

“They are,” Patton agreed. Virgil’s eyes started to close again. “Honey,” Patton laughed. “I think it’s time to wake up now.”

Virgil made a sleepy whining sound, squeezing Patton tighter. “Don’t you want breakfast?” Patton asked. That question managed to make Virgil open his eyes again. “I was thinking we could go down to the kitchen to eat that way it’s nice and fresh and I can introduce you to Mama real quick.” He neglected to mention the fact that they really did not have a choice. Mr. Deknis had blabbed to Mama about Virgil, and worse, had apparently mentioned that Virgil was skinny. As soon as he’d gotten home yesterday, he’d been met with an already worked up Mama firmly insisting that she meet Virgil sometime today.

He wasn’t going to tell Virgil that though, because he thought it might scare him away from both Mama and Mr. Deknis.

Virgil thought about the prospect of breakfast for a long moment. “Fine,” he agreed. “I’ll be awake.”

“Good,” Patton said. He reached up to bop him on the nose. Virgil narrowed his eyes and then bopped him back making Patton giggle. He sat up then, and Virgil let him. “Let’s get you something to wear and do your hair,” Patton suggested. Virgil nodded and reluctantly got out of bed, just as Logan returned to the room. “We’re going to go downstairs for breakfast,” Patton told Logan. “That way Virgil can meet my mom.” He gave Logan a significant look and Logan nodded once in understanding that this was not a choice.

Logan and Virgil got dressed, and Patton did Virgil’s hair up nice, before Patton led them out of the royal wing. They went down the main staircase instead of the spiral staircase that went right to the kitchen, mostly because it would be very busy, and Patton thought they should probably eat in the main dining room anyway. He could feel Virgil getting more anxious as they entered the busier part of the castle, and he stuck close to either Patton or Logan from the time they hit the top of the steps all the way to the main dining room.

There were a few people in the dining room already eating breakfast when they arrived. Virgil’s curiosity seemed to temporarily overwhelm his anxiety as he looked around the large hall and at all of the people there. Patton looked around trying to see it through his eyes. He’d been running around this place since he was little, so he never really thought about how big the room was or how grandly it was decorated, but Virgil was just seeing it for the first time. Patton smiled at him as he guided him to one of the seats. There was already muffins on the table so Patton grabbed one and plopped it in front of Virgil.

Virgil frowned down at the muffin dubiously. “You just… keep food out in the open?” he asked.

Right.

“It’s fine, Virgil,” Patton promised. “No one here would have put anything in it.”

Virgil narrowed his eyes and looked around at the other occupants of the room suspiciously.

“Honestly,” Logan said. “No one even knew we would be down here for breakfast. Nobody would just put something in random people’s food for no reason.”

Virgil gave him a look like he’d just told him people could in fact breathe under water. Virgil was really from a… whole different world, wasn’t he?

“It’s really fine,” Patton said. “Logan and I have eaten things on the table like this a lot.”

“I’m surprised your not dead yet,” Virgil said.

Logan rolled his eyes and reached for a muffin. Virgil slapped it out of his hand and onto the floor. “Really?” Logan asked.

Virgil narrowed his eyes at him. “No eating unsecured food!”

“Virgil,” Logan groaned.

“I bet you don’t even know what common poisons taste like.”

“No,” Logan said. “I don’t because I don’t worry about being poisoned on a daily basis!”

“You should!”

People were starting to look over at them. Patton shot an awkward smile at the woman a few chairs down.

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“Just don’t eat the muffins Logan,” Patton said under his breath.

“I do not understand why-”

“Because it’s stupid as he-”

“Shush,” Patton commanded out of the corner of his mouth, “people are watching, and Virgil is just a normal castle resident.”

That shut the both of them up at least.

“No muffins for now,” Patton said. “I assume it’s okay to eat the things they bring straight from the kitchen.”

Virgil looked a bit leery of this still, but he nodded.

“Good,” Patton said, “then we’ll just wait for that to get here and then everyone will be happy, right?”

Logan opened his mouth and Patton turned to glare at him.

“Right?”

Logan closed his mouth, though clearly, he did not want to give in so easily. They’d be doubtlessly rehashing this conversation once they were alone again.

Patton caught sight of one of the kitchen workers he knew fairly well come out of the kitchen and deliver food to a group of people who were there before them. She caught sight of them and walked over likely to ask them what they wanted for breakfast. Patton watched out of the corner of his eye as Virgil tensed, eyeing her approach suspiciously and she slowed under his glare.

This was going to be a long breakfast.

Chapter 27

After an, honestly quite aggravating, breakfast full of Virgil’s cognitive distortions about the likelihood of being poisoned, Logan was relieved to finally be able to leave the dining area. In consideration to those serving breakfast, Patton did not lead them through the door in the back of the dining room that went directly to the kitchen, and instead took them out of the room and down the hall to a different entrance. This one had a guard stationed across from it as, despite what Virgil may believe, the castle workers did consider the possibility that someone would want to sneak into the kitchen for nefarious purposes.

Said guard, of course, saw nothing wrong with the prince and the head chef’s son entering the side door even with the bonus stranger. In fact, he may even have known Virgil could be coming through this door if Ms. Heart had mentioned him.

Though Virgil hadn’t managed to catch it, Logan knew enough about Patton’s mother that he’d surmised that she had insisted Patton bring the boy to meet her. It was bound to happen at some point anyway, Logan knew, and he wasn’t particularly worried. After all, this was Patton’s mother. Virgil himself didn’t even seem particularly concerned.

Logan had seen him panic and, while he tugged a bit at the sweater he was wearing, the motion was not particularly fervent, so he was likely just slightly nervous.

Of course, that may be because he did not know Patton’s mother specifically wanted to meet him and just assumed that they were starting the necessary process of introducing him to castle residents with a low risk person.

When they entered the hallway, Logan could already hear the usual noises of the kitchen: the clattering of plates, the bubble of conversation, and the sound of Ms. Heart’s voice calling out instructions.

He did see Virgil hesitate, but Logan couldn’t sus out why and Patton was already ahead of them and opening the door into the kitchen. It was fairly calm for the kitchen considering it was meal hours. Logan imagined that Patton had chosen the time between when the day guards ate breakfast before their shifts and the night guards after their shifts on purpose. There was still a bit of chaos as dishwashers attempted to catch up during the lull and a few orders were still being made, but overall the mood seemed, to Logan at least, to be light as Ms. Heart ordered her kitchen around.

Yet, Virgil clearly did not see the situation the same way that Logan did. He froze when the kitchen door swung open and some of the workers turned to look at them. He took a step back, bumped into Logan, startled violently, realized it was Logan, and then side stepped to hide behind him. Logan looked back at him in confusion, but Virgil said nothing, proceeding to mutely peer over Logan’s shoulder.

Patton had moved over to greet his mother as she wiped her hands off on a rag. She glanced over at Virgil and Logan and Logan saw Virgil shrink back a bit.

Logan could see Ms. Heart’s eyes soften as she tracked his movement. She turned to the woman next to her and said something before moving to remove her apron and hang it up in its designated area. Virgil’s hands clenched in the fabric of Logan’s shirt when she turned back to him.

“It’s fine, Virgil,” Logan told him, but Virgil didn’t seem to believe him. Luckily, Patton had turned back and seemed to realize something was amiss.

He stepped back over to them. “Hey, honey,” he said. A plate clattered in the kitchen and Virgil just about ripped Logan’s shirt.

Patton frowned sympathetically. “Too loud?”

“Virgil,” Logan said. “You are digging your fingernails into my skin.” Patton shot Logan a glare. “What?”

“How about,” Patton’s mom suggested. Virgil’s fingernails dug more into Logan’s skin. “We go to my office.”

“I think that’s a good idea, Mama,” Patton said. “Come here, Virgil.” He reached over to touch one of Virgil’s hands and had to pull a bit to get him to release Logan. “It’s back that way, away from the kitchen,” he said when he managed to twine their fingers. He stepped around Logan, probably so there was still a buffer between Virgil and the kitchen and tugged him in the correct direction.

Ms. Heart shot a glance at Logan and Logan felt irrationally like she was trying to read his thoughts. Logan smoothed his features out and turned to follow Patton and Virgil towards her office.

As head chef, Ms. Heart had a small office where she could plan menus without the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and have meeting with people who needed to discuss dietary needs and restrictions. It was very well organized, but still looked fairly messy because of the numbers of decorations she had in it. She had a tendency to keep everything that Patton made her, thus she had his childhood drawings on the wall and little projects stacked on her desk and on the shelves. A lumpy cat statue acted as a paperweight on a stack of papers on her desk and there was a vase of fake flowers (as it could not actually hold water) sat near the window.

By the time Logan entered the room, Patton was trying to coax Virgil into sitting down on one of the two mismatched chairs, but Virgil was having none of it. He had turned to face the door and was yanking at his sweater in nervousness.

Logan noticed that Ms. Heart did not come far into the room, instead pausing near the door. She did, however close the door to give them privacy, and that seemed to distress Virgil more.

She seemed to contemplate him for a moment. “Hello,” she said, her voice softer than Logan was used to hearing. “You must be Virgil.”

It seemed as though he were willing himself to magically shrink, but he still replied. “Yes, ma’am,” he said quietly.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said. “I’m Patton’s mom.”

“I know, ma’am.”

“There’s no need to be formal, Virgil.”

He hesitated. “Okay,” he said somehow quieter.

Her eyebrows drew together in concern, and it seemed that she decided to result to her default way of making people more comfortable. “Would you kids like some candy?”

Logan saw Patton’s hand squeeze Virgil’s lightly. “That would be great, Mama.”

She nodded and walked forward towards her desk. Virgil turned so his back was never to her. If she noticed, she didn’t react. She just grabbed a small tin off one of her shelves and took the top off. “How about a peppermint candy?” she asked.

She offered the tin out to them. Virgil stared at it like it was a venomous snake. Logan decided to act, stepping forward and taking three of the pieces of peppermint candy from the dish. He stepped over to Virgil and Patton and held out his hand, offering Virgil first choice out of all three.

He hesitated before glancing between Patton and his mother. He must have decided that Patton’s mom wouldn’t risk poisoning Patton and took one of the pieces. Patton took another one of them and popped it into his mouth. Logan ate the last piece.

“Thanks,” Virgil said to Ms. Heart before placing his piece in his mouth.

#proofread stories #not writing

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levbug · 4 years

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𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃'𝐕𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐔𝐒 — 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐢.

#pairings ー pro hero! midoriya izuku x gender neutral! reader (slight izuchaco)

#warnings ー terrible angst lmao (this is my first lolol). also, did i name this after a meme? y e s

#wc ー 2.1k

the heels of your formal shoes clicked against the linoleum tiles, echoing softly around the empty hallways. you much rather preferred this peace and quiet as opposed to the loud and energetic home of the wedding goers outside. they were beginning to give you a migraine with all the excitement and happiness that they radiated. that, and the overpowering scent of overpriced perfume and leather shoes.

you hummed quietly to yourself, leisurely making your way down the hall. the bride and groom's rooms were just about here, if you remembered correctly. you chuckled softly as you heard the loud squeals from one of the rooms, presumably from the bride and her bridesmaids, which only confirmed your assumptions.

you were so deep in your thoughts that you didn't hear the faint creaking of the old wooden door, nor the hand that shot out to grab your wrist.

your training at u.a and had given you exceptional strength and reaction time, but whoever had grabbed you was at least ten times stronger. you thrashed and struggled as much as you could, hoping your captor would lose their grasp over you, but to no avail. their grip only tightened.

"calm down, will you?" a soft voice whispered in your ear. a smile formed on your face at the familiar voice, and you immediately stopped trying to land blows on him.

"izuku!" you exclaimed, wrapping your arms around him. the taller boy returned your hug, nuzzling his face into the nape of your neck. you did the same, relishing his familiar cologne and the way his unruly hair, despite it having been gelled, tickling your cheeks gently.

"i missed you." he mumbled, bringing you closer. "i've missed you, too, big guy, but uh—" you wheezed, tapping his shoulder to tell him he was holding you too tight. he let go of immediately, shyly scratching his pink tinted cheeks. his hand was still on your waist, as if he didn't want to let go of you, but you didn't say anything.

"s-so, how are you?" he asked awkwardly, trying to look you in the eye but failing to do so, instead opting to stare at the space behind you.

you smiled at the sudden shift in his demeanor, finding it endearing. even after all these years—even though izuku had grown more confident in himself, he was still that same shy boy you met in middle school all those years ago. it was nice to see that the fame and money hadn't gotten to his head, unlike some other heroes who had let their ego grow too big for their own good.

"i'm doing wonderful, izuku!" half-lie. you could have been doing better, if you were being honest, but now didn't seem like the time to tell him that. "how about you, 'zuku? seems you've gone and gotten yourself a wife!" you took his calloused hand gently from your waist, rubbing your thumb across the scars that had marked him over the years. though he had learned to control his quirk, it seemed that he still went 'plus ultra' at times.

you stared at the man before you, smiling at his flustered state. he was dressed in a suit and tie, since they had decided on a western-themed wedding. he looked extremely attractive, albeit a little uncomfortable in the formal clothing, you had to admit, all with his unruly hair contrasting his pressed clothing.

midoriya cleared his throat, moving his hand away from your waist. you were slightly disappointed, but didn't say anything, nor did you show it. "uh, well, future wife." he corrected, chuckling softly. "though, not that it really matters." midoriya began to mutter. "ochaco's gonna be my wife in a few hours anyway, so there's basically no difference. oh my goodness, i'm going to be a married man in less than a few hours! i don't think i can handle that!would i even be a good husband? i think we should call off the wedding—"

"woah, buddy, calm down." you held the now-hyperventilating midoriya by the shoulders, helping him to sit on one of the nearby couches. the apple of his cheeks were now a bright red, and his chest was rising and falling rapidly with each breath he took. your mouth formed a small slant as you frowned.

"i don't think i can do this, (first name)." he said, tears trailing slowly down his cheek. "i don't think i can carry on with this? what if ochaco suddenly decides she doesn't want to marry me? what if we aren't as perfect for each other as we thought?" he turned to you, green eyes wide and frantic.

as much as it pained you to see midoriya end up with someone else, it hurt you more to hear him doubting himself. midoriya was one of the bravest, kindest, and most considerate people you knew, and to see him in such a vulnerable position just reminded you that even the greatest people had their insecurities.

"oh, 'zuku." you sighed, resting your forehead on his suit clad shoulder. he smelled faintly of aftershave and like flowers, which you hadn't noticed previously. midoriya nuzzled his face into your neck out of habit, the moisture of his tears gathering on your nape.

"i know you may not see it yourself, but you're truly wonderful, izuku. ochaco's one lucky gal to have snatched you up." you chuckled softly, ignoring the bitter taste in your mouth. "i don't understand how you can doubt yourself, 'zuku. you're so brave, and kindhearted, and you've always put others before yourself. you're literally made of hubby material." you felt the low rumbling of midoriya chuckling against your collarbone, the sound alone bringing a small smile to your face. "and if you seriously think that ochaco would leave you, bakugou might have hit you harder than necessary."

midoriya had begun laughing now, removing his face from your neck. his previously sorrowful and anxious eyes were now twinkling with amusement. you smiled at the sight, glad to have been of service.

"thanks, (nickname), i really appreciate that." he chuckled breathlessly, holding your hand between his. you felt your cheeks warm at the way your hand seemed to mold perfectly in his, as if the world was mocking you, saying 'this man could have been yours.' you two sat in silence, just enjoying each other's company.

"you know," midoriya spoke after a while. "i used to have the biggest crush on you." he admitted with a light blush on his cheeks. you cocked your head to the side, slightly confused. midoriya continued. "to be honest, i only ever accepted ochaco's confession because i thought i never had a chance with you, as bad as it sounds."

if you didn't the universe was playing with your feelings before, you were sure that it was now. "o-oh?" you choked out. "why'd you think that you didn't have a chance with me?"

ever since you had met midoriya on your first day at u.a, you had been attracted to him instantly. his shy yet determined personality just drew you in, like a moth to a flame. for years you had desperately hoped that he would one day confess that he returned your feelings, and even went as far to wait for him even after your graduation. but it never came.

until today, it seems. on his wedding day.

the irony of it all pained your heart. here was the moment you'd been fantasizing of since you were a first year at u.a, but it didn't go as you had expected. you didn't feel the butterflies that you had expected to feel. you didn't hear the birds singing. you didn't feel sickeningly in love. you just felt sick.

"i don't know," midoriya sighed, leaning back in his seat. he ran a hand through his curly green hair, mussing it up even more. "i guess i just thought you were always too good for me." inwardly, you screamed at your past selves for being the densest humans on earth. "that, and whenever i came near you, bakugou would always stare daggers at me." he chuckled awkwardly.

you disregarded his last comment, sitting rigidly beside midoriya. your eyes burned with tears that couldn't seem to fall, and your heart was beating irregularly slow in your chest. there was a weight on your shoulders that made you feel like you were carrying the entire world's burdens on your shoulders, alone.

"(first name)?" midoriya placed a hand on your knee, looking at you with concern. he stared at you with those damned green eyes. the same green eyes that you had fallen in love with. the same green eyes that you had spent nights thinking of. the same green eyes that stared back at you as if he hadn't just confessed his past feelings for you. "are you okay? you're looking a little pale."

"i-i'm fine." you tried to smile, but you couldn't find it in you. it was so selfish of you, to be honest. this was another woman's groom, and here you were about to cry because he had returned the feelings that you had assumed were unrequited? 'that's real shallow.' you reprimanded yourself.

"are you sure?" he tilted his head innocently to the side, looking like a cute puppy. you stood abruptly, unable to handle to pain in your chest. unfortunately, you were feeling a bit woozy and swayed a little as you rose to your feet. "hey, why don't you sit down? i can go get you some water—"

"i said i'm fine!" you snapped, pushing his hand away from you. the hurt look that flashed across midoriya's face made guilt envelope your entire being. "i'm sorry. i suddenly got very dizzy, is all." you lied.

midoriya pursed his lips into a thin line. he knew you well enough to know that you were lying. still, he didn't say anything, knowing it would get you nowhere if he forced you to tell him the problem. "are you sure? can i get you water, at least?”

you shook your head, eyes not meeting his. "it's alright, izuku. we've got to go now anyways, it's almost time for your wedding." you said with a small smile. it didn't quite seem right, though, midoriya noted. it didn't seem to reach your eyes.

"o-oh, right!" he scratched the back of his head, checking the time on his watch. he noticed your stiff movements as you hastily scrambled out of the room, muttering a small, "good luck, izuku." on your way out. he could only call out for your name as you stepped out of the door, not knowing why you had suddenly gotten so strange. was it something he had said?

you watched with tear filled eyes as uraraka slowly made her way down the aisle, the ever present blush on her cheeks made more prominent as she made eye contact with her groom. she was dressed in an elegant white gown, her short brown hair styled flatteringly around her face.

you snuck a glance at the groom, who had glassy eyes as he watched the love of his life make her way towards him. a small pang of hurt echoed in your chest as you watched him take her hand in his, just as he hand done with you just a few minutes previously. you bit your lip to suppress the low cry that threatened to escape.

the rest of the ceremony went by in a blur for you. the words of the officiant barely registering in your brain. you were too busy imagining that it was you standing with midoriya at the altar. that instead of uraraka, you were the one holding his scarred hands, staring into his eyes lovingly and giving small shy smiles if you would catch the eye of some of the guests that you had invited.

but you were launched back into reality as the officiant called out for any objections. you were tempted to raise your hand and profess your love for the green haired pro-hero, but held out, knowing you'd not only ruin your friendship with him, but also your friendship with uraraka, who was beaming with joy as everyone stayed silent. you loved midoriya, but you treasured uraraka just as much.

your tears seemed to finally be able to flow freely as you watched midoriya cup uraraka's cheek gently, as if she were the most fragile thing in the world and one wrong move could destroy her. you looked around to see that you weren't the only one crying. though, you were sure you were the only one crying for your own selfish reason, as opposed to the other guests who were crying from the sweetness of the now-married couple.

a lump was caught in your throat as the two newlyweds descended down the aisle, the green haired man catching your eye briefly. the only thing that echoed in your mind as he looked away was the reminder that it could have been you walking with him.

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angelanimedesaray · 3 years

Text

Through the Looking Glass Chapter 7: Revelation

AN: Ah, yes, finally. This chapter. That is all hahaha. Also they’re probably young teenagers at this point. 13, 14 years old, roughly.

Characters: Levi, Reader, Reader’s Mother (Mentioned)

Pairing: (Eventual) Levi x Reader

Warnings: Language

Word Count: 5050

<----Previous Chapter Masterlist Next Chapter---->

*Reader's POV*

For the first time since Levi first appeared in your life, he didn't disappear shortly after arriving. He stayed with you until his fever finally broke.

Keeping him hidden from your mother was nothing short of a miracle. You didn’t want him getting discovered and sent somewhere else to recover, because what he needed was to be here after what happened to him--he wanted to be here, too, from what you could see.

In order to hide him, he had to stay in your tent the entire time, which you declared your fort to your mother and were allowed to keep as long as it didn’t get in the way, and you washed everything when you were done. That meant you had to shift it off your bed and make it a little smaller, but Levi still had plenty of room, and you could still fit underneath.

You didn’t do much while he was in the tent, though. He was sick, and he spent his time with you recovering, wrapped up in blankets and getting medicine every twelve hours while you kept up a steady stream of water and occasional Gatorade to help him get better. You would crawl into the tent and lay down next to him when you had the time, telling him stories and simply keeping him company. You strategically smuggled him bowls of canned soup when your mom wasn’t home because of work or she had to make a grocery run, so he wasn’t going hungry.

There was one point when his fever got really bad, the point your mom used to tell you was right before it broke when you were sick. You spent the whole time next to him, gently sponging his head and murmuring quiet reassurances and stories to him while he shivered and moved restlessly, occasionally murmuring out feverish nonsense, calming slightly when you would brush the hair from his face. Since it calmed him down, you kept doing it, running your fingers through his hair while you talked softly to him and he rested. With how much he slept in the couple days he was with you, you wondered how much rest he actually got back home.

There were a few heart-stopping moments when you thought your mother might catch you hiding Levi in your room, but you managed to play it off each time, either by claiming you were playing a game in your tent, or hiding Levi under the blankets, or claiming it was a kids only tent, and giants weren’t allowed. Typical kids stuff to keep the tent area off limits.

When Levi’s fever finally broke, he was still out of it and drained, but you could tell by a simple touch on his forehead that he wasn’t burning up anymore. It was a relief, with a pressure lifting off your chest you hadn’t known was there to see that he was going to be okay--at least in regards to his health. You still stayed with him, though, curled up next to him in the tent and even falling asleep there beside him.

When you woke up the morning after his fever broke in the tent, he was gone, and at long last, you finally questioned what happened, and considered the impossibility of his knack of disappearing into thin air. No longer did you think it could have simply been from inattention on your part, or that it was in any way normal. Especially because you knew that he was not in any state to have gotten up and left on his own before you woke up.

So what was happening?

*Levi's POV*

Levi sat cross-legged in the open space he’d recently managed to find, hands loosely held together in his lap as he gazed down at the grassy ground, sunlight shining down on him from the hole above him. He was lost in his own thoughts, confused and faced with an impossible reality, which was why he’d sought some refuge in a quiet space by himself, complete with fresh air filtering down from the surface.

He’d managed to make it up to the surface. Briefly, but after what happened to him, he was extra determined to force his way to the surface if he had to.

Based off how well Y/N had lived, Levi had assumed that she would be somewhere within Wall Sina, and all he would have to do would be to evade the Military Police long enough to find a street familiar to where she lived. He covered quite a bit of distance looking for her home, or at least something familiar from his time with her. The longer he spent topside, though, the more he realized nothing looked like the place Y/N lived, even at the centermost, opulent part of Sina where the wealthiest lived.

She wasn’t up there. All this time, he’d thought she was somewhere just above his head waiting for him, when really…

Levi let himself get caught and thrown back after that realization. Originally he’d thought if he found her, they might be able to figure something out so he could stay. That went out the window when he realized she wasn’t there. If it wasn’t for the fact that he still wanted to live somewhere other than the Underground, somewhere clean and free of the filth underground, he might have thrown out any idea of going to the surface after realizing it wasn’t anywhere close to what he’d thought it would be.

It was still better than the Underground, and he still wanted to find a way up there. The glaring question remained, though…

Where the hell was Y/N? He knew all that time spent with her wasn’t some strange continuing fever dream--it was real. He couldn’t explain it--how he got there, what sent him there, or even where there was, but he knew it was real, that she was real.

Where was he supposed to go from here?

Levi closed his eyes, running his hand slowly through his hair as he tried to grapple what he knew and figure it out from there. Carriages that didn’t need horses, smooth stone streets, intricate clean water systems, colorful, variety of foods easily on hand, light without fire inside homes…

And how had he gotten there in the first place? When...it was happening, it had been like he was being thrown between reality and a nightmare, except he’d been painfully aware that both were reality. But he hadn’t moved from either spot as he went back and forth. He’d stayed in the same pinned position in one reality, and was held in her arms in another, with no time passing when he’d...jump between the two.

None of this made sense to him. He thought he was going to be sick again, or at the very least give himself a painful migraine.

The smell in the air changed, the breeze and natural sunlight disappeared, and Levi lifted his head instinctually, opening his eyes to find himself cross legged on Y/N’s bedroom floor, looking up at her as she turned from where she’d been getting up from her desk, freezing in place when she saw him just...sitting there.

And the mystery continued.

Anger rose inside him--not at her, more at the situation he found himself in and the complete, nonsensical nature of it all--and he got to his feet before she could react, his eyes stormy.

“What the fuck is this?” Levi snapped, arm spread out to indicate the world around them. Knowing that simple sentence could easily be taken out of context and misconstrued with how out of the blue it was, he pressed on before she could answer the first question. “None of this is normal, it’s not even possible! A person doesn’t blink and find themselves somewhere else entirely--and I don’t even know where here is, because it sure as hell isn’t in the Walls!”

She hesitated in front of him, teeth biting down slightly into her lower lip as she endured his outburst, concern and a reflection of his own confusion in her gaze. “I think we need to talk.”

“You don’t say,” he said bitingly.

She ignored his sour tone, putting her hair up and heading for the door. “C’mon--this is probably a conversation to have in private, and we’ll have a better chance of that if we’re out of the house when my mom comes home,” she said. Levi followed with an impatient air, watching her scribble a note to her mother telling the woman she was going to be at the park before they headed out of the house, Levi falling into step beside her.

“Last time got me thinking about this whole situation, too,” she started quietly as they walked, eyes fixed forward and a small frown on her face. “I still don’t know what happened, and I don’t expect you to tell me, but your sudden appearance and then your later disappearance, whatever happened in that clearing…”

She let out a slow breath, eyes cast downwards for a moment. “When we were younger, I didn’t think anything of it--it was just normal for us, you know? But after that, it was a bit of a rude wake up call. I started thinking about what little you’ve told me about where you’re from and how much you haven’t encountered before.” She turned to meet his gaze. “You said you were from someplace called the Underground, right?”

Levi nodded, gaze fixed steadily on her as he waited for her to get to the point instead of ramble on about a bunch of things he already knew because he’d been the one to experience it or he’d come to the questions on his own.

“Well, I looked into it to see if I could find the place you were talking about. I came up with things like the Underground Railroad, or a bunch of clubs, a general reference to any shady business that isn’t done in broad daylight or to anything that’s done in secret with an exclusive group, a reference to the activities in 1920s Prohibition, shows, shopping centers underground, but I couldn’t find a place called the Underground that was an actual city like you...well, vaguely described. It doesn’t exist.”

“I live there--I’m pretty certain it exists,” Levi deadpanned, all the while trying to figure out what parts of her explanation meant. 1920s? Surely she didn’t mean a decade--they were only in the 800s.

“Yes, for you it does, but here, it doesn’t.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Okay then--these walls you just mentioned back there--what did you mean by that?”

For some reason, some strange kind of dread was settling in his stomach as they spoke. “Wall Maria, Wall Rose, Wall Sina, the three walls on the surface that keep out the Titans from destroying the rest of humanity.”

Y/N did a full stop, blinking rapidly and visibly leaning back as she processed that information as if she’d never heard of such a thing before. The sinking feeling in Levi’s gut seemed to solidify.

“We are going to come back to that, but for now, proving my point,” she eventually said, resuming her pace. “We have nothing like that. Sure, there’s the Great Wall of China and what’s left of the Berlin wall, but we don’t have any Maria, Rose, Sina, walls. The only titans I can think of are the beings that came before gods in Greek mythology. And I’m pretty sure humanity isn’t on the brink of destruction, because there’s billions worldwide.”

Levi held out a hand to stop her, doing his best to hide just how disturbed he was right now. Once again, he wasn’t recognizing some of the names she threw out, and what she was starting to suggest was crazy talk. “That’s impossible.”

“That’s my point--well, what I’m trying to say is going to sound absolutely insane. I’ve never been so glad in my life to read and watch a bunch of fiction,” she said with a slightly wistful look on her face before turning to face Levi entirely. “I don’t think we’re from the same world--or even the same universe,” she said, throwing her arms out wide.

Levi stared at her for a few moments, long enough that she put her arms down and asked, “What?”

“You’ve lost your damn mind,” he said flatly, turning to walk away and continue down the path. She jogged to catch back up, letting out a frustrated huff.

“I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the only explanation I’ve got--have you got something better?” When Levi hesitated, she plowed forward. “I know you’re real, and you know I’m real--we’ve established that by now. You know where you come from, I know where I come from--and you’ve seen where I live, we’re here right now! So the Underground, these walls, whatever those Titans you mentioned are, they’re real, for you, but they’re not here where I live.”

“This has to be some kind of hallucination,” he muttered, a hand pressed to his forehead. It made sense. Maybe he wasn’t as adjusted as he thought he was, and this was a running hallucination he’d developed in his own mind to help him cope with his shit life.

Though he knew he wasn’t smart enough to come up with half the shit he saw when he was here.

But another world? That was insanity. It couldn’t be possible--it couldn’t!

Y/N grabbed his shoulders and made him face her, her face suddenly filled with surprising seriousness. “It’s not a hallucination!” she nearly shouted in a tone much harsher than he thought she might have intended for it to come out. “We’re both real--I can feel you, you can feel me. I’ve taken care of you, and you’ve helped me. We’ve played together, I’ve given you food, I’ve carried you on my back. I’m real, and you know it, just like I know you’re real despite what everyone else says.”

There were angry tears in her eyes, and for a moment, Levi got the sense that there was a lot more going on here with that exclamation than their current discussion. He was going to have to pry into that a little more later, but right now, they had to settle on a reality.

“Say I believe your crazy theory,” he said, easily pushing off her arms with one smooth motion as he spoke. “How the hell am I getting thrown into another world, or another universe, without any time passing in my world? And why, for that matter?”

“Time doesn’t pass in your world when you’re here?” she asked in a puzzled voice. Levi shifted uncomfortably.

“No. Except once,” he muttered, looking away, though he was certain that was an exception and had more to do with bouncing between--

Shit, he was buying into this already, wasn’t he?

“I don’t know how or why, I’m not Einstein, I just know it’s happening,” she said with a huff, starting back on the path again. The forest was coming closer, the same one they’d been in last time he thought, and a part of him recoiled inside at the thought of going back to the clearing.

He really hoped she had more tact than to try and bring them there.

“Also, why the hell aren’t you freaking out about all this? You’re way too calm,” he scowled.

“I’ve had time to go over my theory and come to terms with it. It’s the only explanation I have, so it’s the one I’m going with.”

Levi fell silent, frowning as he walked with her, that sinking feeling in his gut growing more prominent and defined.

If he believed her, and this was all a different world...that meant that no matter how much he clawed and fought his way up the food chain, he wasn’t going to reach this place. All of it was...unattainable, because it didn’t exist in /his/ world, and he never got to stay in this world.

It was fucked up.

And maybe that was part of the reason why he couldn’t accept it.

No, what he couldn’t accept was that he got to be teased with glimpses into another world, of a life he was denied and could never really have. The fucked up parts were the believable parts, what made this easier to swallow.

He could never stay, and there wasn’t anything like this for him to find in his world, so it was something he could never have shoved into his face but always slipping out of his grasp.

It fell perfectly in tune with the shit life he’d had so far.

Y/N grasped his wrist lightly, pulling him in the direction of a forest path. He lightly pulled his wrist free this time, and she turned her head away so he wouldn’t see her reaction. He was still following her into the forest, though--he just wasn’t letting her pull him along like a limp doll.

“I figured now that we know this is what’s happening--what might be happening--” she corrected after seeing the still-doubtful look on his face. If it was their reality, it was going to be a while for Levi to actually swallow it. “We can at least talk to each other about our realities. It might help us figure out what’s going on. Or at least make it more real. And we’ll know more about each other.”

Her tone sounded like she was trying to stay positive, but Levi was currently too caught up in the shitty end of the stick he was left holding while she seemed ecstatic, like she was discovering new land and reading a good book. It made him feel sick. She got all the good parts of this situation, a friend and a discovery, but what did he get? He was the starving man in front of the feast he couldn’t have.

“What’s the fucking point?” he said venomously, and she came to a full halt at his tone, taken aback and--now he could see it--hurt by his tone. But he pressed on, hurt and angry himself at the unfairness of the situation. “Sure, it’s all great for you, so fucking exciting, but me? My life’s shit. Before I found my way to the surface, I thought this was right there if I tried hard enough, but now--now you’re telling me it’s a whole ‘nother world. What the fuck is this for me other than the universe showing me more shit I can’t have? What’s the point if I’m just going to keep getting kicked back into the goddamn dirt every time I see this place. It doesn’t even fucking matter, does it?” Levi fumed.

It had to be the most he’d ever spoken to her at once, and here he was using it to shoot barbs at her. But right now he was too mad to care.

Her eyes were downcast, lips pressed together, shoulders slightly hunched. She might have been on the edge of tears. In that moment, he started to regret his barbed words. Yes, he was angry. In the past he’d envied her what she had, but it had always been soothed by the thought that he might be able to reach it in the future. He didn’t have that anymore. So far, he’d always been here in flickers, a few days at the most before he was inevitably sent back to the exact moment he’d left.

What did it matter if he couldn’t stay? What did it matter if nothing changed? This was her reality, she got to stay here, while he was kicked back into the dirt--literally. He hated it, and he thought a part of him might hate her for it.

“It’s still real, though,” she said softly, her voice a mere whisper and trembling with her barely held back tears. “Your time here isn’t any less real. It still counts for something.”

”...I didn’t want you to be alone…”

”I’m happy you came back, Levi.” “Me too.” “You’ll have to go back though, right?” “Yeah.” “Promise you’ll come back, again?” “All Right.”

Piano music filtered through the air, soft and gentle, even if it occasionally stuttered or halted under fingers that were still learning.

“I won’t leave, Levi. Not really. I’ll always be here when you need me most. I’m usually here waiting and looking for you to come back, anyway.”

”Let’s get you home so you can get clean.”

He was surrounded in warmth and comfort, a hand gently rubbing his back, another small body curled up close to him, offering him companionship and care...

”You’re going to be okay...I’m right here…

Levi looked away.

She was right. He was just letting his anger get the best of him. It still mattered. Every bit of it. Or was he really going to say that every kindness she’d extended to him meant nothing because she happened to--damn, he was admitting it--be from another world? No. Those kindnesses had meant everything to him--especially when they first met. When Kenny left. And recently…

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, feeling chastised by himself for speaking so harshly to her and making her tear up. Shit, what was wrong with him?

She didn’t say anything. The silence stretched a little longer between them before she spoke up again.

“Tell me about where you come from?” she asked timidly, and Levi looked at her doubtfully again, thinking of all those times he’d stayed quiet to shelter her from his reality. Now he knew even the surface was worse than anything she had to deal with here, after that comment about humanity not being on the brink of extinction and Titans not even being a reality here.

“I want to understand…” she hesitated, withdrew into herself a little, and backtracked to rephrase her words. What had she been about to say? “Maybe if I know more about where you’re from, I can understand why this is difficult for you? I don’t want to be insensitive or ignorant, I just...I just want to help. And I can help better if I know,” she finished in a tiny voice.

“You don’t want to know about where I’m from--” Levi started to say dismissively, but she cut him off with that rare spark he kept glimpsing returning for a brief moment.

“I do,” she said firmly, a hard edge in her eyes before her features softened again. “Besides, if you explain what your world is like, it might make explaining mine a little easier.”

She always charged in headfirst with the emotional stuff before adding the emotional stuff to try and be convincing.

He didn’t like the thought of exposing her to the dark underbelly that was his world, but she was so earnest--she really did want to understand, and as long as he’d known her, she’d always wanted to help in some way or another. She’d always been helpful and caring, and he really hoped that talking about a place as dark as where he came from wasn’t going to taint that.

“Fine.”

He would talk about it, but he was still going to try and water it down for her sake. She didn’t need to know the gritty details, just the general gist of what his world was like. He could spend his time focusing on the technical parts and gloss over the graphicness of his life.

The two of them kept walking down the path until they found a stump to sit on just off the path, sitting side by side on the rim of the stump as they started to talk about their worlds, where they were from, what it was like, and answered questions from one another about certain details or things they had.

He felt shaken after their conversation.

The way she talked about her world, it made it look like Levi was stuck in the stone age or something. Machines that did chores for them and performed crafting tasks that for him there were entire professional trades revolving around, transportation without horses, boats that flew in the air, lights that ran on some kind of power like lightning, machines to control the temperature inside houses, a world brimming with people and no man eating creatures bent on destroying them.

Besides man itself.

Hell, he began to wonder why there would be any interest in his world once he realized just how behind his world was. Of course it was a different world, but still, it was even less interesting when Levi was trapped below ground and couldn’t tell her much about the world above him besides what he’d heard in stories and the brief glimpse he got running around trying to find her.

She did slip up and say that it was like something out of one of her dark fantasy books, but she’d caught how insensitive that had sounded and quickly apologized, cheeks burning.

There was plenty to talk about and discover about their worlds, but after a while, their throats started to hurt from all the talking, and they grew quiet. Leaning against one another on the stump, Levi gazed up at the canopy of trees above them, listening to the sounds of the forest and Y/N’s breathing beside him.

“Levi?” she eventually asked in a soft voice. He shifted slightly to look at her, wondering what she would ask about next.

“What happened? The last time you where here?” she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

“You don’t want to know,” he said bluntly, voice coming off stiff and distant.

“I’m not stupid. I know it was bad. I know you got really hurt...and there’s only one way there was that much blood afterwards--”

“Stop asking,” Levi cut her off, pulling away and standing up again to walk a few steps away and try and cool down. Not only did he not want her to know what had happened, to not realize where he lived was that dangerous, but he didn’t want to be thinking about it, he didn’t want to be reliving it.

He turned back to face her, and she’d pulled her knees up to her chest, looking every bit the kid that they both still were. Though they sure weren’t acting like it. His situation explained itself. Hers? She was starting to show a maturity beyond her age with how she’d handled the last experience.

Now that he thought about it...even when they’d been smaller, with all the times she’d asked to play games and have fun, she’d had an...awareness, about her. There was the discussion they’d had after she’d been beat up at school, and the time when her parents were fighting about her father going back to war. Hell, she’d said it herself when they were younger that she’d noticed he didn’t play enough. Just because she was always acting carefree and playful around him didn’t mean she lacked maturity. She might have been doing it for his sake this entire time.

He needed to give her more credit. He still wasn’t going to willingly dump the fucked up parts of his life on her, but at least he could be a little wiser about her maturity and know better than to treat her like an ignorant child, even by accident.

“Okay,” she relented, her voice still low and soft. “But Levi? If you ever need to talk, or anything else, I’ll be here...okay?”

Levi didn’t answer or nod, looking back at the ground. He knew she would--she always had been so far, even if she didn’t understand. He knew she’d be there in the future, as long as he kept coming back here.

After a few more moments of silence, Y/N got to her feet again, facing him fully. “Well, we should probably head back to my house--it’ll get dark soon, and if my mom comes home and I’m gone for too long she’ll freak out. I can play the piano for you some more!” she offered cheerfully.

She really was on a mission to bolster his spirits whenever they were together, wasn’t she? Still, Levi shrugged and walked back over to her. “Knock yourself out,” he said casually, though he did feel that spark of interest inside him. He did like listening to her play the piano, and he never turned her down when she offered to play.

As they were walking back, something occurred to Levi, and he looked up at Y/N with slightly narrowed eyes. “Earlier...you said no one believed you when you mentioned me? You had your stuff taken for lying that one time, but you said you didn’t lie.”

Her face fell slightly, and she nodded reluctantly. “When we were younger my mom just wrote it off as me talking about imaginary friends. But when I kept talking about you despite being old enough to grow out of it, and I kept insisting you were real, they got worried. It stopped for a while after you brought me home because the cops had seen you too, even if it was briefly. But now...she has me seeing a doctor because I keep insisting you’re real.”

Levi’s eyes widened slightly, the seriousness of that statement falling over him and a few of her words shifting into sharper clarity and impact. He hadn’t known she was having to defend his existence over here--he hadn’t even known she’d told anyone else about him. And to hear her mother thought she was crazy talking about a boy her mother had never seen but had somehow followed them through all their moves across the country. It seemed like she was a hair’s breadth away from being called crazy, all because she refused to deny that he was real, even if he wasn’t around.

No wonder she’d reacted so strongly when he denied this was happening and it was some sick hallucination.

His jaw clenched, as did his hand at his side out of her view.

It was the best answer he could give. A sense of solidarity, and a removal of doubt from the one person she’d thought wouldn’t deny the reality of what was happening.

“I know you’re real, too.”

Next Chapter---->

Levi Tags: @clary-quinn @humanitys-hottestsoldier @whalerus @sunny-flo

Through The Looking Glass Tags: @artist-bby @kaz2y5-pie @tartheyes @super-peace-fangirl @huntersbunker @nefelimalfoy @soft-levi-girl-blog @honeygivemeachainsaw @regalillegal @sugas-daddy7 @cathyannecookie @chaoticshepardplaid @roayaloveslife

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hitsuackerman · 4 years

Text

What in the World? (Akaashi Keiji x Reader) pt.1

Akaashi Keiji.

There was no denying that this man was gorgeous. An excellent volleyball player, holder of a pretty face, and downright respectful. It was no wonder you watched yourself slowly falling for the vice-captain of the Fukurodani Volleyball club.

There was only one problem.

You don't belong in his dimension.

(haikyu!!-bnha crossover)

links: part 2

“Are you sure you didn’t inhale the fumes?” Todoroki asked with concern. To the others, it was non-existent but to you it was clear. His gray and blue eyes were such a comfort to the rapidly growing situation the both of you just diffused.

Waving your hand around your face, you felt a tugging sensation on your palm. Going with the flow, a faint glow of yellow formed on your palm. Slowly, the fumes that your body inhaled exited your mouth. Todoroki watched as the smoke began to swirl in suspended air. Once there was nothing more to pull on, you concentrated your quirk on the smoke till it seemingly vanished.

“Do you remember what the report said about the dude’s quirk?” You asked. Despite being interns at his father’s agency, Endeavor decided it would be a good experience if both of you worked together on a case. Things were going quite well till the villain pulled out a smoke-gun.

“His quirk was water related.” He recalled. His hand rested on your back as he led you towards a park bench. “The reports the old man gave me had no information regarding that gun he just used. It would be better if we had you checked once we get back to the agency.”

“Yeah. I was thinking about that.” Beginning to walk, you had noticed how he was limping. “You got hurt? You’re limping.”

“It’s nothing.”

“I can heal it you know…” You nudged his side a bit. Knowing just how dense this boy was, you decided your next words would hold no meaning to him. Of course, it didn’t. The relationship you had with the heterochromatic boy was simply platonical. And he too felt the same way. “I wouldn’t mind going down on my knees to fix you up.”

“In that case…”

Stopping on your tracks, you went down on one knee and faced your palm on his boot. Once again, the yellow light glowed from your palms. Seeing how it was slightly brighter than a while ago, you had to admit that half-and-half was good at concealing pain. Though the history behind that always tugged your heartstrings.

When the light died down, Todoroki tapped his foot and balanced on it. Nodding that he was feeling much better, he patted your head and gestured for the two of you to proceed in walking.

The entrance was now a few meters away when a dull pain began forming on your temple. Trying to massage it out, the blast of cold air from the air conditioning did nothing but to worsen it. Noticing that your lips were paling, Todoroki extended his arm for support. Accepting it, the both of you were now heading up to his father’s office.

If this was before Endeavor took the no.1 heroes spot, there was no way in hell that you would intern for him. No matter how much Todoroki would ask, despite the healing nature of their relationship, you found it too awkward knowing the both of you were once the objects of an arranged quirk-marriage. Thank the gods Endeavor thought things out and began to consider your friend’s feelings.

“How was the mission?” He asked. Ever since the high-end Nomu fight, Endeavor laid off the flame-beard and flaming hero outfit. There were times where it felt as if you were speaking to Enji and not the hero himself. It was… comforting in its own ways.

Todoroki did the courtesy of explaining everything that had happened. When it reached the part of the fumes, Endeavor’s eyes landed straight on you. Noticing how your breathing was a tad labored than usual, lips growing paler by the minute, and the mere fact that you were sweating was alarming.

“Good job, the both of you.” He nodded with approval. “(y/n). Make sure to head to the labs and get yourself tested for any remnants. I trust your quirk but your safety is key. Other than that, the two of you are free to go.”

The trip to the lab was quick thanks to Todoroki. It was a bit intense, seeing all the test tubes, glass containers, and heroes wearing lab coats. But the dull pain was now growing more than ever. Despite activating your quirk, it seemingly had no effect.

“Step here, (y/n)-chan.” One of the heroes instructed you. Watching him typing away was not calming. Todoroki may have been on the other side of the room but it almost felt as if your sight was getting foggier by the minute. The headache was practically a migraine now. When the machine above you purred to life. “Just stand still and it’ll be over~”

Doing as told, you tried your best to relax your tensed muscles as the machine began to slide down. Looking at your friend, you squinted your eyes and felt sick to the stomach. With the migraine doubling with pain, all you could do was grit your teeth and clench your fist.

And that’s when things began to go wrong.

Everything around you spun and seemingly became distorted. The last thing you saw before passing out was the hero stopping the machine and Todoroki rushing towards you. With your body succumbing to whatever pain you were experiencing, it did not occur to you that your body barely hit the cold floors.

Instead, you woke up with a loud scream and labored breathing. The room was relatively dark. Standing up, you rubbed your eyes and walked towards the closed window. Upon sliding the curtains, you were met with an unfamiliar sight.

A house.

Where was UA?

Turning around, you surveyed the room and only just noticed how things were different. Whatever poster you had stuck to your walls, the barbells you kept, the hero outfit you had just newly laundered, and the All Might wall clock were now… gone.

Slapping yourself, you felt the stinging sensation and rubbed it off. Your eyes widened and immediately, you activated your quirk. Swallowing a ton of your saliva, you felt your knees grow weak. Dragging your feet to the bed, you flopped your ass and stared at the weak glow on your palms.

Transferring your hand to your chest, you relaxed yourself but only failed in doing so. The rapid beating of your heart was still present. Glancing at the clock, you saw how it was now 6 in the morning. Not wanting to cause a scene, you took a very deep breath and decided to sneak around whatever household you were in.

Slowly opening your door, your eyes followed the hallway leading to a staircase. With one foot outside your door, you could make out 2 other doors on the same floor. A small sound coming from downstairs caught your attention. Making your way down the stairs, you saw picture frames hanging on the wall.

Seeing that it was you with memories you couldn’t remember, a small shiver crept down your spine. Yet, all those pictures were of you and none of your supposed parents. How were you supposed to act when you would confront them? Recalling your hero subjects, the best you could do was to assess whether you were in imminent danger or not.

“(y/n)?” It was unsettling how that voice was familiar yet at the same time foreign. “Are you awake honey?”

Entering the kitchen, you were met with a splitting image of your mother. Basically a doppleganger with how uncanny they were. The only thing different about the scenery was how she was using her hands to cook and not her quirk. Watching her tilt her head, your eyes absorbed each of her movements. The way she covered the pan, the way her features morphed into worry, and how her soft hands rested on your forehead.

“You look scared, honey.” There was no malice in her voice. “Did you have a bad dream? Would you want some (favorite food) to calm you down?”

“N-no. I, uh, I’m fine.” You tried to smile but seemingly failed to persuade her. It was in the tip of your tongue to call her your mother but it just felt too off to do so. Still, her actions clearly showed she intended no harm. “Just nervous, that’s all.”

“I see~” She giggled and went back to cooking the food. “You have to be knowing this is your first day at a new school.”

First day? New school?

“No need to worry, (n/n). It happens for students to transfer in the middle of a school year.” She reassured you. Picking up a trace of sadness in her voice. What the hell happened to make you transfer? “Besides, Fukurodani is a powerhouse school. One of the best here in Japan.”

Things were still vague. No matter how much you tried to puzzle things, you were only left with even more questions. Weighing options, you opted to risk out a statement.

“I’m sorry, for causing trouble…” The sudden clang of utensils hitting the ground followed by being wrapped in a stranger’s arms was a bit too much. Feeling how her shoulders began to tremble, instincts kicked in and you found yourself comforting your ‘mother’.

“Don’t ever say your sorry, (y/n). None of this was your fault to begin with.” She pulled you in a tighter hug. “It was the best for us to leave that bastard of a man.”

‘Okay. So apparently my old man is an asshole here and we got away, I’m about to introduce myself to a bunch of strangers, and the school I’m heading to is Fukuro-something. Shit.’ Those were the words running through your thoughts as your ‘mother’ caressed your cheek and planted a kiss on your temple.

“C’mon little missy~ Get ready for school and eat some breakfast.”

All you could do was nod and walk your way back to your room. Out of curiosity, you opened the 2 other doors. Flicking the switch on, you were met with a storage room and another bedroom. Humming with half satisfaction, you now found yourself taking a shower. Concentrating on your quirk, it was the only thing that made you feel at home. However, it was not calming that your quirk only felt 30% present.

With your uniform on, you were now chewing on a very delicious breakfast. Much better than what your real mother made back home. The small talk you had with other-mother gave you no other information. The only thing that calmed you down was how she was going to take you to school.

Now seated in her car, your eyes scanned the environment. It was very different from home. The house, the neighbors, the fact that no heroes were running or flying every few blocks. It felt peaceful here, you had to admit. An unsettling peace that you were not used to.

The drive was silent till the car turned to the corner and there you saw it. Your new school. By now, it was safe to assume that every single person here was quirkless. First day jitters began to enter your stomach. Luckily, your quirk worked with those feelings.

"Do you want me to pick you up?" Your other-mother asked as she reached for her purse. Taking her wallet out, she handed you some cash. Seeing how you were hesitant, she took your hand and placed it on your palm. "Just to wish you luck."

"Thanks…" Pocketing the cash, you unbuckled yourself and managed to give her a genuine smile. "I'll walk home, mom."

Watching her leave you alone in an unknown environment made you want to hide into a corner or even just to skip and learn more about the world you live in. Luckily, not a lot of people took interest in you. Stepping towards the entrance, you rummaged through your bag and found the instructions, Fukurodani Academy leaflet and, letter of transfer to be handed to teachers.

It took awhile but you finally found your classroom. Sadness flooded you knowing your crazy classmates weren't there to greet you or piss you off early in the morning. Sliding the door open, you were met with an ordinary class. The teacher, ready to welcome you.

"Ah yes!" She ushered everyone to settle down. "So we have a new transfer student today. Come in, come in!"

Very different from Aizawa. That's what your first impression was. Entering the room, you were now facing the class.

"(l/n) (y/n). Nice to meet you all." You almost mentioned your quirk but somehow closed your mouth before you could speak any further. Handing her the letter, you fidgeted with your fingers.

"Oh… You're from UA." Come to think of it, you didn't open the letter. Though it was sealed so you chose not to. Still, the prospect of UA being here was odd. "Quite far from here though, if I may comment."

"Well, the farther the better I suppose." You shrugged and smiled.

"Go ahead and take that empty seat by the back." She said and tucked the letter into her clear file.

The walk of shame towards your seat was as expected. Eyes glued on you as if you were displaying your quirk in a circus. Taking your seat, you let out the breath you had been holding. You survived with barely any information.

Not bothering to check your schedule, you faced your seatmate.

"Uh, what subject are we having?" You whispered.

"Physics." He answered. His side profile was undeniably attractive, you'd have to give him that. Stealing a quick head to toe, his build screamed that he worked out but not too much. With the assumption that he does not have a quirk, you guessed he'd have to be an athlete. When his gunmetal blue eyes met yours, you retreated within a second.

'Way to look like a creep on your first day.' You scolded yourself. Taking your physics book, you prepared yourself for what the day had to offer.

It was hard to concentrate during lessons. The lecture was one you've already taken. Your mind began to wonder, how was Todoroki? The last image you had of him was foggy. How were the others and their internships? Did Deku break some bones again? Probably.

Chuckling at the thought, you started to twirl your pen. Mentally, you wrote down a list of what to do during break.

You would read through the conversations of your phone. Did you have any friends here who you might be able to milk information from? Next, you would have to look up what kind of school UA was in this world. After that, you would snoop around the old photo albums to make sure other-mother wouldn't suspect a thing. Lastly, you would try to figure out a way back home.

When the last bell rang and the class now ready to go home, you packed your bags and practically ran towards the school's main gate. The walk to home would be quite long so a head start was needed.

Taking your phone out, you scrolled through the contacts. Not a single familiar name was listed. Clicking your tongue, you opened the messaging app and scanned through the conversations. Internalizing that some chats had been fresh and recent, you included the task of checking out social media sites to get to know yourself more.

Getting tired of the messages, you kept your phone and took in the view. The creeping sunset casting reddish hues across the buildings. It was similar to home. Home. Would this place be your new home?

"Fuck this." You cursed and fought back the urge of bawling your eyes out.

This mission would be long and the ending unknown. Sighing defeatedly, you picked up your pace and continued the journey back to your foreign home.

- - - - -

a/n: oya oya i actually spent a lot of thought in this fic lol~ but if ya’ll wanna be updated :) tag list it open :) feel free to comment if you’d like to be tagged! take care and see ya’ll in the next upload <3

#akaashi x reader #akaashi keiji x reader #akaashi keiji #akaashi haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #akaashi is very pretty #bnha crossover #haikyuu x bnha #i have no idea how this happened but it did

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