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apriumjam · 5 years

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Satsuriku no Tenshi Light Novel Volume 1 - B3 (Part 2)

Satsuriku no Tenshi - Until Death Do Them Part - B3 (Part 2)

Story by Makoto Sanada, written by Chiren Kina, illustrations by Negiyan, translations by me.

If you want to help out with translations, feel free to contact me!

Prologue | B7 | B6 | B5 | B4 (Part 1 / Part 2) | B3 (Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4) | Zack’s Memory || Index

And, as they enter the room, the door, of course, locks. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that it has been locked by someone.

“Ah…” Ray unintentionally lets out a small noise. There are no other doors in this room, as far as she can see.

(What should we do? We’re locked in…)

She’s enveloped by a strange uneasiness. The entrance has a sign that says “open/closed”, and there is what looks like a card reader near it.

(…Is there a card somewhere?)

She abruptly remembers how she had obtained a card from the computer on B7.

“It’s not really surprisin’ for the door t’ lock anymore,” Zack says, unbothered.

“Yeah…” Despite feeling anxious, Ray looks around the room. There are numerous wall-mounted televisions affixed high up, though there is no ladder to reach them. It almost makes the room look like some kind of electronics store. Peering closer, she sees some of the TVs have various scratches and marks, as if someone had tried to pull them down.

(I wonder what those are.)

In the very centre of the room is a human-shaped, black and red object.

(A body…)

It seems it’s been left there for a long time, because it’s already decaying.

(What’s that…?)

“The man who lies here…”

But the rest of the words are covered by the corpse, unreadable.

(…I wonder what’s written there…)

Absentmindedly thinking to herself, the girl proceeds further into the room. There’s a safe about as large as a refrigerator. Opening it, she finds a single, old-looking gas mask.

(A gas mask…)

She suddenly has a bad feeling. Or rather, she’s had a bad feeling ever since they came into this room.

“This room…kinda stinks.” Zack sighs, almost as if he senses Ray’s unease. Being locked up in all sorts of rooms has left him feeling rather disgusted.

(Ah?)

He feels as if he’s just stepped on something. Lifting his foot, he sees a remote control. It’s probably for the televisions.

…Come to think of it, how many years has it been since I last saw a TV?

Leaning down, he picks up the controller and automatically points it at the televisions lining the wall. Then, he presses the on button. In that instant, the television screens flicker on, showing the form of the woman they had seen earlier.

Hello, how are you today? This video is addressed to my lovely sinners!

I’m going to explain the purpose of this room now. So if you don’t want to die, better listen up, all right?

The execution method of this room is rather luxurious, if I do say so myself.

It’s tightly sealed, and the air absolutely does not leak outside. And it’s going to be filled with something very wonderful!

And that wonderful thing is…a very special poison gas to give sinners like you a gentle, endless sleep! ♪

There is, of course, a way to escape. And I’m very kind, so I’ve specially prepared a nearly useless gas mask just for you! Try to find it, okay?

Escaped prisoners are quite fascinating sinners as well…I like them, too ♪

But if you don’t feel like being interesting, just die to the poison gas, okay…?

Oh, that’s right. It’s boring if you don’t die right away, so I’ve given you a time limit.

If you go over the limit, I’ll give you an even stronger poisonous gas as a present!

Well then, in just a few moments, the poison gas will start to come into the room. Have a wonderful time!

Beep, beep!

That recording had likely been prepared in advance. As soon as it ends, a shrill siren sounds out within the room. The televisions now display an hourglass. It’s easy for Ray to guess that the time left on the hourglass must be inversely proportional to the poison gas in the room.

“…Hey, what are we gonna do?” Zack asks, his countenance somewhat deferential. No matter how stupid he believes himself to be, even someone like him can grasp the danger of the situation they’re in right now.

“She said that there’s a way to get out. So we have to work hard to find it. For now, you should hurry and put the mask on…” Walking up to the safe, Ray pulls out the old gas mask and holds it out to Zack.

“What, I’m gonna put it on?” A proverbial question mark floats above his head. It seems obvious to him that Ray should be the one to put the mask on, since she is smaller than him.

“Yes. …If you die, that’ll be a problem. That’s why you should use it.” Her voice sounds unconcerned. She can sense the gas beginning to flow into the room. It’s an odd scent that feels like it might scramble her brain.

“And what happens when you die?” Zack asks coldly.

“…I don’t know.” Ray looks away. The manner in which she answers his question makes it sound as if she thinks this is not her problem.

“Bullshit! If you die, I won’t be able t’ get outta here! Think of something!” he snarls, voice roughening due to his anger at her irresponsible attitude.

Does she really want me to kill her?!

(Maybe she just wants to have a pleasant death…?)

Though he looks into her almost artificially blue eyes, he can’t feel any emotion from them. He doesn’t even know what she’s thinking in the first place. Just that she wants to die. But he doesn’t have time to think about this, nor does he need to. But wondering about why Ray wants to be killed by him sometimes makes him feel like his heart has grown clouded with some sort of fog.

(After all, I’ve never been needed by anyone.)

“…Then, we’ll switch when it hurts,” Ray suggests, after thinking for a bit.

“Ya know, you might not care if ya die, but that’ll be a problem to me if ya do. So say somethin’ before it starts hurtin’!” Zack snaps back. He almost sounds as if he’s reprimanding her. No matter what Ray thinks, if they can’t get out of here, nothing will come out of their wishes. He most certainly does not want to die in this building.

“I get it. I’ll tell you before it hurts. So quickly, put it on.”

She’s not afraid of dying. She’s more afraid of living. But, if possible, she wants Zack to kill her. She doesn’t know why she thinks this so strongly – they had just met recently, after all. Even if she thinks about it, she wouldn’t be able to come up with a theory explaining this.

But ever since she had started thinking she wanted Zack to kill her, that has become her wish.

And Zack had also sworn.

(To God…)

So, I want to be useful to him. I have to be useful.

“…So, how are we gonna get out?” Putting on the rather unreliable-looking mask, Zack asks this in a somewhat uneasy tone of voice. There’s no way he could ever think of a way to get out of a room like this. He has to rely on Ray.

“There must be a hint. We have to find it.” She keenly feels just how much the man depends upon her. Despite her expressionless face, she earnestly feels she must do her best.

“Well then, hurry up. We don’t got much time.”

“Okay.” With a small nod, she rushes over to the dead body.

(There’s something written under this…)

She’s been curious about those words ever since they got into this room. There might be some kind of hint. Filled with this expectation, she attempts to move the corpse.

(…It’s heavy.)

But it’s more difficult than she thought. With her strength, she only manages to move it very slightly. It practically seems to be affixed to the floor.

The man who lies here is a foolish…

At least she manages to confirm that there is indeed something else written beneath the body.

“Zack?”

“What?”

“I want you to move the body. There’s something written on the floor.”

“Hah? Ya can’t even move this? Damn, brats are annoying.”

Zack’s complaint is intermingled with a joke. Lifting the body up, he moves it to the side. Though he can’t use his head like Ray, manual labour of this sort is easy.

“Oh…the leg came off.”

But at that moment, the right leg simply falls off from the corpse.

(Fuckin’ gross…)

Ray feels somewhat uncomfortable. She feels like the colour of that leg is different from the rest of the body.

(Did it rot before turning into a corpse…?)

“So, what’s written there?”

The letters continue on from where the corpse had lain before. But Zack is unable to read it.

The man who lies here is a foolish, spineless murderer who tramples upon his own life with his own two feet. Though he suffers, aware of his unsightly sin, and knows that all he must do is abandon those feet, he cannot accomplish even this. In the end, he is nothing more than a foolish sinner, his legs only to be used for wandering hell for all eternity.

Ray reads the red letters to herself.

(What does this mean…?)

Abandon his feet… Does this have anything to do with the leg…?

Near the corpse is a large puddle of blood. As she stares at it for a little longer, she realises that beneath the blood is yet something else written.

(Is there more…?)

However, only parts of the words are readable.

“Zack, I want you to look for something I can use to wipe the floor with.” If she can read it, she might able to find another hint. That’s why Ray asks him to do this.

“I ain’t a wizard, ya know.” Zack’s eyebrows furrow. Perhaps because of his idiocy, he can’t keep up with what Ray is thinking at all. And of course, there doesn’t seem to be anything he can use for that nearby.

“I know.”

“Anyway, what are ya gonna wipe the floor for? Why?”

“I want to clear up the blood here. Because there’s something written there. There might be a dust cloth somewhere or something…”

“I don’t have anything like that. You don’t got a handkerchief or somethin’ in that bag of yours?”

“…I have…a handkerchief.” Ray’s gaze is gloomy as she casts a glance toward her purse.

“Then ya can use that, yeah?”

“…Yeah.”

(But…if I use this, then…)

For an instant, her vision sways terribly. A faint blue gleam shines within her eyes. And when she blinks, it’s gone.

“What’s wrong?” Zack peers into her face. He thought her expression had changed for a moment.

“Um…I think I might be hurting a bit…from the poison gas.” Looking up at Zack’s face, who has noticed her discomfort, she answers in just the same voice as usual.

“Hah?! I told ya t’ tell me before it hurts!” Zack scowls, immediately pulling the gas mask off and shoving it upon Ray’s face.

“But, I can’t know it hurts until it actually hurts,” Ray mumbles. The mask covers her entire face. But perhaps, rather than hurting…it feels like her head is about to float away, like her feet aren’t on solid ground. It’s a strange sensation.

“Damnit, yer so quiet, I dunno if yer dead or alive!”

“It’s okay, I’m alive.”

“I know that!”

“You said you don’t know…”

“Ugh…stop yammerin’. Just breathe!” Zack barks. It seems like she just has have a response to every little thing he says.

“Okay. But we have to clean that up, quick…I’m sure it’s a hint of some kind.”

“I get it. I’ll do it, just give me the cloth!” Zack snaps, his voice growing desperate toward the end. He’ll be troubled if Ray dies. He has no idea what sort of poison gas this is, but he’s still doing all right. That’s why what he needs to do is put his physical strength to work. That’s what he instinctively thinks.

“Okay.” Ray slips her hand into her pocket in order to take out the handkerchief. But as she does so, she suddenly feels the way she had that night. However, now is not the time to hesitate. Ray pulls the handkerchief out – unwrapping the thing that had been held in it all this time, from that day, and passes it to Zack.

“Ah…so all I gotta do is wipe the blood up with this?” Zack asks, hesitating slightly as he stares down at the cute, light blue cloth.

“Yeah. I’ll help you. I have a toothbrush too,” she mumbles as she searches in her pouch.

(…It kinda feels like she’s just puttin’ on a face.)

“Anyway, why…what’s the point in wearin’ that?” The gas mask is clearly too large for Ray’s face. There are large gaps on each side of her head.

“I don’t know…I feel like it’s already broken,” Ray says. In fact, it hurts a little more to breathe than before.

“Huh? Then just throw it away! It just causes too many problems. If it hurts, just breathe less.”

“…? But you just told me to concentrate on breathing.” For some reason, Ray tilts her head.

“Ah?! If ya don’t got the mask, all ya can do is try t’ stop breathin’!” Zack scowls slightly. It’s weird that Ray doesn’t have a grasp on this, despite being smarter than him.

“…Okay,” Ray mutters meaninglessly. She doesn’t quite understand why, but she feels rather odd because of their unusual situation. Her mouth curves downwards.

“Did ya get poisoned?” Zack tilts his head slightly. For some reason, she sort of looks like she’s having fun.

“I feel kind of weird?” She tilts her head in turn.

(Weird?)

He looks are her closely. She looks the same as usual, but she also feels different. The fact that she’s utterly expressionless hasn’t changed, however.

But it’s weird that something changed at all…

“…I dunno. Anyway, yer always weird.” He’s annoyed of thinking.

“Am I?” Despite her slightly astonished expression, Ray speaks as monotonously as usual as she looks up at Zack. Her eyes are utterly hollow.

(Is she high ‘cause of the drugs or somethin’?)

Is she okay…?

“Anyway, we don’t got much time. I’m gonna clean the floor.” They don’t have time for these silly conversations. He’s fine right now, but if more poison gas comes into the room, he might not last. Determined to escape from the room as quickly as possible, he quickly begins to wipe up the floor.

(Still, this is damn annoying. I’ve never even cleaned anything before…)

With a great sigh, he continues to vigorously wipe the mess up.

(…There really is something written there.)

Ray scrubs the parts she can see clean with the toothbrush in order to see them better.

After wiping the floor clean, it really does appear that the writing earlier has a continuation.

If you have understanding of what part of your flesh has committed a sin, slice it off. Then, weight it upon the scale, along with the weight of your sin. Make them even. But know that if that happens to be your very soul, your wish will not come to pass.

(Weigh them on the scale, and make them even.)

“Zack, I want you to put that leg onto the scale,” Ray says immediately.

“Hah?! Why do I have to touch that gross shit?!” Zack automatically snarls. He doesn’t really like touching corpses. He has never liked the smell of them, either.

“Okay then.” Ray’s listless words make it sound as if she’s abandoned him.

(…?!)

Zack’s eyes narrow. That reaction is different from what Ray would normally do. That’s what he feels.

(This gas really does have somethin’ weird in it.)

As Zack stares at her in amazement, Ray walks up to the corpse and picks up the severed leg.

(…It’s heavy.)

In fact, it’s far heavier than she had expected. Perhaps because of the gas, she’s completely unable to lift it at all.

“Ugh, move! All I gotta do is put it on the scale, right?!” Zack snaps. He’s unable to bear looking at her like that. Pulling the limb out of her hands, he approaches the scale that she points out. Then he sets it upon it with a low thump. It doesn’t take him very long. And Ray becomes annoyed, perceiving herself as being useless.

(Make them even…)

Ray picks up the plates on the other side of the scale, and places them on the other side until the weights begin to match. The moment they align perfectly – there’s a sound of something unlocking in the loft above.

“Something opened?”

“Probably.”

The two of them look up toward the loft. It’s about three metres high up. And there isn’t a ladder they can climb. Even Zack can’t see what the loft looks like.

“Go check if there’s somethin’ up there.”

“How?”

“…Yeah…c’mere.” After thinking a moment, a strange glint flashes through the man’s eyes. Zack guides Ray underneath the loft. And, without any warning whatsoever, he firmly grasps Ray around the hips with his bony hands –

“Then, let’s go.”

“Eh?”

Then, easily lifts her up like a tool of some sort, and tosses her small form up into the loft.

(…?!)

Ray has absolutely no idea what just occurred. She’d just been floating in space for a second, and now she finds herself in the loft.

“Hey! Stop spacin’ out, go look for somethin’! Ya want t’ be useful, right?!” Zack urges her on in a somewhat annoyed tone of voice. She’s too still, trying to process what had just happened.

“Okay.”

That’s right… I’m going to be useful to Zack.

(I think the noise…came from further within…)

Likely because it hadn’t been cleaned in a while, the loft is full of dust. The gap to the ceiling is only about fifteen centimetres. Despite feeling a little apprehensive, Ray crawls further inside. Upon doing so, she finds a small box.

(It’s open…I wonder if the sound was this box opening…)

Inside is a small mechanism. It says “dost thou believe in God?”. Below that question is a “yes” button and a “no” button.

(…God.)

There is no indication of whose God the question refers to. But because of the gas, Ray has no strength to think clearly. She simply, immediately thinks of her own God, and presses the “yes” button. The machine emits a beep, and a card slides out of it. Ray thinks it must be for the card reader at the entrance.

(We’ll be able to get out with this.)

“Zack, I found a card.” Ray peers out from the loft to look down at him.

“Oh, good job! We can get outta this damn room.” He looks up at her proudly. However, he then realises that she doesn’t appear to be coming down.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Um…I can’t get down…” With an expression just a little bit girlishly frightened, she looks down at the floor.

“Hah?! Just jump down!”

“…I think I’ll break some bones if I do that. And…I’m a bit scared.” Despite her blank face, she speaks her true feelings. She’s not very fond of tall places.

“What the hell…ya really are troublesome.” Zack sighs. “Haah…c’mon, give me yer hand.”

“…Hand?” Ray tilts her head.

“Ya can’t get down, right?!”

“I can’t.”

“So do it!” Zack snaps, annoyed at how slow she is to understand. He holds out one of his own bandaged hands.

“Okay.” Putting the card into her pocket, Ray slowly reaches out her hand toward Zack. Grasping onto her, Zack pulls her down and holds her up for only a moment, before unceremoniously placing her on the ground.

“Thank you,” Ray whispers, somewhat unsteady on her feet.

“It’s nothin’. So, where’s the card?” Zack averts his gaze from her with a huff.

“I think that if we put this into that card reader, we’ll be able to get out.” Ray pulls the card out of her pocket and shows it to him.

“Then go on’n’do it.”

“Right.”

(…Huh?)

However, the moment she makes to walk toward the door, she’s assailed by a terrible vertigo that makes her unable to stand. She slowly sinks to the floor.

The hourglass on the televisions is about two-thirds down. Which means that the air in the room is two-thirds poisonous gas.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Zack asks, kneeling down to try to meet her gaze.

She stares up into his bandaged face with hollow eyes.

“…Damnit, ya got poisoned.”

With a tch, Zack pulls the card out of her hand and turns to the device near the door.

“I just gotta put the card in, right?”

“…Yeah.” Ray gives a small nod. Running up to the card reader, Zack attempts to do just that. But it doesn’t seem to want to go into the slot very easily.

“Aah?! Why won’t it go in?!” Unbelievably irritated, he begins to shove the card in forcibly. And then – there’s an ominous crack, as the card breaks right in half.

“Ah…?” Not quite understanding the situation yet, Zack emits a foolish sound.

“Ah…” And Ray’s mouth hangs upon wordlessly as she witnesses something she didn’t even expect.

((Ahahahah!))

In that moment, the room echoes with the laugh of that woman. The televisions once again begin to display her. It would appear that this isn’t a recording this time.

((I can’t believe it! I didn’t expect you to give yourself a game over! I’ll let you know a little something, Zack. You were putting the card in the wrong way. It’s so funny, I just can’t stop laughing! I haven’t gotten enough of punishing you yet, but…sinners have to follow the rules. After all, this was your own doing. But since you’re still looking all right, Zack…I’ll give you both a present of some even stronger gas. It’s my special gift, all right? It’s veeeery expensive. You’re such lucky sinners! Now then, make sure to suffer for me!))

The woman disconnects the feed once again.

(…I really did want to have more fun with you, Zack, but I can’t do anything about you getting a game over.)

And then, she presses a button upon her machine panel, and the gas begins to flow into the room.

▲▽

A sound almost like rain reaches their ears.

Instead of an hourglass, the television now displays a sandstorm so fierce it’s almost painful to look at.

“Arrgh! We came all this way, just open the fuckin’ door!” Zack snarls, kicking the card reader. Hearing that grating voice make fun of him just makes him even angrier. He’s additionally enraged at his own worthlessness.

(Ahh, shit…! I’m gonna die!)

He swallows harshly. He’s in an undeniably terrible predicament.

“Zack.” Ray’s voice is somewhat rough as she slowly stands up and calls his name.

“What?” Despite his rage, he turns to look at her.

“Our promise won’t be fulfilled unless we get out of here, right…?” She looks up at him with a strange expression.

“Hah?! What are ya talkin’ about at a time like this?!”

“Answer me,” Ray says firmly, staring at him with hollow eyes.

“Yeah, that’s right. The bear minimum condition is that I get outta here alive!” Zack asserts strongly, as if answering to that resolve.

“…Okay. I’ll try. But I don’t know if this will help. Is that okay?” Ray asks, her gaze far more earnest than ever before.

However, that isn’t because she’s afraid to die, or because she wants to stay alive. She simply wants to get out of here and be killed by Zack. She feels certain that, so long as Zack kills her, she will be able to go to heaven.

“Well…we might die anyway. Doesn’t matter what it is, just do it!” Zack snaps. As he looks into Ray’s eyes, it seems like a bit of light has returned to them. It’s not in his nature to wait for death to come to him. If he’s going to die, doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

“Okay. I’ll try.” Ray nods, mustering the rest of her strength.

(This gas might be flammable…if I’m able to make it catch fire, it might cause an explosion.)

Recalling a chemistry book she had read several years ago, Ray takes the batteries out of the remote controller, wraps the wire from the safe around them, and takes something that might be able to ignite – the handkerchief used to wipe the floor – and fixes it in place with the wire. Then she gently places it near the wall.

“The hell is that?” Zack has a bad feeling as he looks down at the strange object.

“…If this catches fire, it might explode,” Ray says calmly as she tilts her head to the side.

“What the fuck?! We’ll die!” Zack snaps, his eyes looking odd for a moment.

(What’s the point in speedin’ up our deaths…?!)

Ah…gettin’ killed by that crazy bitch is disgusting.

However, Ray has no time to feel dejected. She begins to calmly give directions to Zack, who hangs his head.

“So let’s quickly go somewhere we can hide.”

“Hah? Where?”

“Over there…” Ray casts a look toward the safe. It’s approximately as large as a refrigerator.

“Are we even gonna fit in there?!” Zack’s eyebrows furrow as he stares at the safe. It looks cramped. It’s large enough to just barely hold Zack’s thin form and Ray’s small body.

“Yeah.” Ray goes into the safe and urges the man inside.

“If you don’t come quickly, it’ll explode.”

“…Ugh, all right!” Feeling strangely embarrassed for some reason, Zack squeezes himself into the safe as well and shuts the door.

“Are we really gonna be okay in here?”

“Probably. It looks pretty durable.”

“I won’t forgive ya if we won’t be okay!”

The two whisper quietly in the narrow, dark safe.

“Okay. But, Zack, I want you to move a bit. I’m crushed.”

“Hah?! I can’t do anythin’ about that, this place is too small!” Zack’s voice grows louder at Ray’s unreasonable request.

“…I’m going to go deaf.”

“You brat…you’ve just been complainin’ on’n’on. D’ya really want me t’ kill ya?!”

“I do. Because you’re the only one who can kill me.”

“Then talk t’ me with that kinda attitude!”

“What do you mean…?”

“Figure it out yerself!”

Zack and Ray embark on a seemingly endless conversation within the safe, unseen by any cameras.

In that moment, they hear a terribly loud sound, and the safe begins to shake wildly. The object Ray had made had exploded due to the gas. A faint hot air blows into the safe through the crevices of the door. But the only one who feels it is Zack. He stands with his back to the door, almost as if shielding Ray.

“It’s damn hot…”

For an instant, he’s reminded of his burn scars. His fingers reflexively begin to tremble. But the sensation back then had been far more terrible. So, this is nothing to him. This is what Zack tells himself.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah…this is nothin’. So, did it explode yet?” Trembling slightly, Zack attempts to play dumb, and peers through the gaps in the door.

“It seems like it.”

Once the room outside grows completely quiet, the two of them slowly and quietly creep out of the safe.

“…Seriously.”

Zack is at a loss of words for the sight that spreads out before him. The room has been charred entirely black.

“It looks like we can get out,” Ray says. In the place the explosion had occurred is a hole large enough for a person to fit through.

“Yeah, we can finally get out!”

“Yeah…”

“What’s wrong?”

“…Um, was I useful?” Ray asks with upturned eyes.

“Huh? Ya blew the place t’ bits. Ya did good!”

“…I see. That’s good.” Ray’s voice is relieved as she hears how satisfied the man sounds. She feels her consciousness drifting way.

(I was useful…)

Perhaps Ray considers this a mission of sorts. This is the first time she has ever felt this way – this strange feeling of completion. She feels like her heart has been satisfied. However, her body feels otherwise – due to the poison gas she inhaled, she feels wobbly and dizzy.

“Hey, don’t die here, okay?” Zack says, seeing her face lose its vitality.

“…I’m okay.” Ray’s voice is feeble.

“Then let’s go. I can’t have ya dyin’, but we gotta move forward, too.”

“Okay.”

And so, the two of them pass through the large hole, and finally advance down the hallway.

▲▽

“I bet she never thought this’d happen!” Zack gives a hearty laugh as he recalls the burnt remains of that room.

“Yeah…” Ray nods, staring at Zack with eyes that might close at any second.

I wonder why…everything’s spinning…

(I was okay until just now…)

Ray stares at the ground. She can’t keep her eyes open. All her energy has left her; just keeping herself standing sends wave of fatigue through her body.

(I’m kind of sleepy…)

“Hey, can ya walk?” Zack stares at her with a dubious expression.

“Yes…I’ll try,” Ray replies, looking back at him with vacant eyes. But it’s not really a response. They’re merely canned words.

“…’Kay.”

Zack turns to walk down the dark hallway. Ray totters unsteadily behind like, almost as if sleepwalking.

She absolutely intends to walk on her own. But it’s as if she’s in that dream; it’s difficult to go forward. Her vision grows dim and hazy, and she can’t tell if she’s sleeping or awake.

(Damnit…she’s so slow…)

“Argh! Shit! How are we supposed t’ keep goin’ at this pace?!” Pulled back by Ray’s slowness, Zack whirls around and snaps at her.

“You go…by yourself?” she suggests blankly. She can’t think.

“I would if I could. But I wouldn’t be able t’ by myself.” He sighs. And – for some reason, he doesn’t like the idea of leaving her on her own on this dangerous floor.

(There’s no tellin’ when that psycho bitch’ll come out.)

“It’s okay…I can walk…” Ray sounds as if she’s trying to convince herself.

“I can’t believe ya when ya got that kinda face. Yer not okay.” He sighs lightly. There’s no way they can go further like this.

“…I’ll try,” she mumbles again. Her voice sounds like it might fade any second.

“What’s with that ‘I’ll try’ crap? Even if you try, you’ll die when yer gonna die. That might be what you want, but if that happens, my wish’ll come t’ nothin’!”

(…Wish…)

The words mysteriously resonate within her.

“That’s true…so, I’ll try even harder,” Ray says, one foot yet in a dream.

“Yer smart, but ya say the same thing over’n’over, just like a doll…” He sounds exasperated.

(…Just like a doll.)

“…What should I do?” she asks him, stock still.

“Shut up. If yer a human, think for yerself,” he answers briskly.

(If I’m human…)

I am…alive. So I’m not a doll. I’m not a doll, that’s why, I’m so tired right now…

“I think that if we stop for a bit, I’ll be okay.”

Reacting to his cold words, she finally puts the feelings in her heart into words.

“Haah. Damnit, ya should’ve said that in the first place.”

“…Yeah.”

Caught as she is between a dream and reality, Zack seems like a completely different person to her right now. Though his words are harsh, he doesn’t try to deny her. And he doesn’t expect or demand anything of her, like Doctor Danny did. Ray feels as if she can remain as herself around Zack. It’s the first time she has ever felt like this in her life.

(I wonder why Zack listens to me…)

No one in that house ever listened to what I had to say.

Her empty eyes don’t tell him a single thing about what she might be thinking about. Sighing lightly, Zack grasps her thin wrist and pulls her along. Walking quickly down the hallway, he pulls her into an alcove where the cameras can’t see them, and sits cross-legged on the floor.

“The cameras don’t see us here. I’ll wait. So do it quick.”

“…Okay.” Giving a small nod, she plops down to kneel next to him. The moment she closes her eyes, she drifts off to a peaceful sleep. It’s a sleep so deep that for a moment, Zack isn’t sure if she’s still alive.

“Hey, Ray. Make sure t’ rest so ya can walk around…yer already sleepin’!” Somewhat astonished she can fall asleep so quickly, the man blinks his long eyelashes. He stares at the girl’s lovely form. Her beautiful face looks like an angel’s as she sleeps.

(She’s so pale, she looks even more like a doll…)

I don’t like cuttin’ up dolls…

Will she be able to smile when they get out of this building…?

(Her eyes are dead, and all she says is okay and I’ll try, she’s so boring…)

“Haah…well, can’t think about dumb pointless stuff forever…guess I’ll rest a bit, too.” With a large yawn, Zack closes his eyes.

Abruptly, he feels Ray leaning against him. But it’s too much of a bother to push her off, so he simply shuts his eyes again.

Though he thinks of himself as fine, it’s still a fact that he also inhaled the poisonous gas. So he quickly falls asleep.

▲▽

And, he has a dream.

He hasn’t had a dream in years. Or if he had, they were only sad dreams full of darkness.

The dream unfolding before his eyes now is a nightmare, not even worth calling a sad dream.

But once a dream starts, it doesn’t simply end. After all, when you’re dreaming, you don’t realise it.

And so, the dream pushes itself upon him.

When Zack was a young boy, he was in an orphanage. Just remembering that appalling institution makes him nauseous. In front of Zack’s eyes, the owners of that institution, a married couple, sit upon a couch in the living room. Their conversation isn’t normal in the slightest, yet they talk nonchalantly.

It’s like a vivid movie…unfolding before his very eyes. A re-enactment of old memories he had forgotten.

“Listen, dear. The child who came in this month…when I peeked into his room because of the stench, I saw he had already become useless.”

“Oh, I see.”

“So…what do you want to do?”

“Just bury him in the garden.”

“Again? Is that okay?”

“No one’s going to look for the children here – especially since they were just thrown away here for some money.”

“…But I don’t want to. I don’t like touching decaying things.”

“How selfish…Oh, come to think about it. Is that one still alive?”

“That one?”

“You know, that one. That brat with the burns, the one that looks like a monster.”

“Oh, that? …It is. Even though I haven’t given it anything to eat…it probably digs through the trash for leftovers. So disgusting.”

“So just make it bury him. It’s fine for a brat to take care of another brat.”

“…That’s true.”

“To tell you the truth, I had it do this for me, too. Just dug like I told it to.”

“Oh? Really?”

“Perfect, right? And by picking up the leftovers, it’s just making the place stink less. We don’t have much other help, and even a monster can be useful if you let it live. Just like a tool. A fitting post for a monster.”

“You’re right about that.”

“Well then, the problem’s settled. I’m gonna watch a movie now. Don’t bother me.”

“…Oh, no, it’s that slasher horror again, isn’t it?”

“I like that movie. Get a nice kick outta those frivolous idiots getting killed.”

“What bad taste. I don’t like that movie. The murderer doesn’t even die.”

“It’s fine. Just don’t bother me. Go tell it to take care of the dead body.”

(…Monster…)

That’s right. I’m a monster. I know this. But I wasn’t born to be your tool…

(Aah…I want to kill…I’ll kill them…)

In that dream enveloped in darkness, Zack is still a boy, yet in the middle of growing. In his small hand, he grips a large kitchen knife.

“Zack…”

I hear a voice.

Ah…?

Whose…voice is this…?

Oh…that’s right.

It’s Ray…

Ray’s calling.

My name…

“…Zack.”

The moment he realises that her voice is real, that nightmare that won’t fade from his memories slowly dims.

▲▽

“…Zack.”

Ray had woken up just a bit before him. Seeing that his sleeping face is warped as if somehow in pain, she gently calls his name.

“Ngh…”

Responding to her voice, Zack slowly opens his eyes.

“…Did you wake up?”

“…Yeah.” His voice is still slightly sleepy. He feels like his brain has been eaten by worms. He feels sick.

That’s right…he’d had an awful dream.

(Why did I have t’ see that…?)

He’d forgotten it for so long – he hadn’t had to remember.

“Um…Zack, you’re a bit heavy.” Ray casts Zack a sideways glance. He hasn’t completely woken up yet.

“Ah?”

On second thought, Ray’s face is strangely close.

(…?!)

At some point when he had been asleep, he had started to completely lean upon her shoulder.

“You were clingin’ on to me first!” he snaps, pulling away.

“…Was I?” Ray’s head tilts to the side disinterestedly. Having been deep asleep, she can’t remember such a thing.

“That’s right! Definitely!”

“…I see.”

“Anyway, can we go now?” he asks, standing up.

“Yes. I feel mostly refreshed.” Her voice is clear, completely devoid of sleepiness.

“Then let’s go. We can’t take so much time.”

“Okay.”

▲▽

Zack proceeds quickly down the dark hallway without looking back.

(Shit…)

He can’t help how angry he is because of that disgusting dream. But, even if it frustrates him, he can’t do anything about the past. And that couple is already dead. After all, he killed them both himself that night –

Further down the hall is the nauseating, grotesque smell of dead bodies. That’s undoubtedly what that scent is. He’s smelt it many times, so there’s no way he could be mistaken. There is also a creepy groaning sound resonating down the hall, almost like a tremor through the walls.

(What is that…)

Straining her ears to listen to the sounds, Ray quickens her pace to catch up to Zack.

Uwaaaah…

As they go forward, the groans become even louder.

(Zack hasn’t said even a single word for a while…he really is angry that I slept…)

Somewhat anxious, Ray’s eyebrows furrow slightly.

“Zack…”

The moment she calls out, as if to stop Zack from leaving her, sirens blare through the speakers. It’s another broadcast from that woman.

((Hello! How are you two doing? In any case, you two are quite late. Just what were you doing?))

The woman’s voice is full of malice. She has an approximate understanding of where they had been resting despite the cameras not showing them to her.

“We weren’t doin’ anything,” Zack answers harshly, ever annoyed by her ever-present good mood.

((Hmph. Still, I’m surprised you managed to escape! I’ll give you a bit of praise. Heheh. I’m quite annoyed, but you deserve it!))

(I can have even more fun now.)

The woman claps her hands in applause.

((Well then, since you’ve come all this way, I thought I’d ask one more time. How about spending the rest of your lives in a jail cell?))

The woman smiles coquettishly as she sees just how angry Zack looks.

Further down the hall are the cells exclusively for her pets. None of them will ever be able to get out. The groans Zack and Ray had heard were from the sinners there, forever waiting for death.

“I already told ya I ain’t gettin’ in! Damn stubborn. And I already know it ain’t anything good, so quit askin’ me!”

((Oh my, how cold. Come now, Zack. Won’t you entertain me and become my tool?))

“Aah? Tool?” Zack scowls. That word is terribly bad for his temper.

“Even a monster can be useful if you let it live. Just like a tool. A fitting post for a monster.”

That nightmare comes to mind, whether he wants it to or not.

((Yes, that’s right. A tool. But don’t misunderstand me. When I’m talking about tools, I also mean the both of you.))

The woman’s tone and expression are quite similar to that old woman. Zack’s head hurts, like he’s just been hit in the head.

((After all, watching you two is so amusing! You made quite a strange promise, right? A dangerous, mutually selfish wish that only pushes responsibilities upon the other…you both seem to be gaining something from this, but, the two of you are nothing more than tools. Though…which one of you is the real tool, I wonder?))

The woman giggles.

(Why don’t they realise that their promise is so pointless…?)

“Ah? What d’ya mean?” It’s not that he doesn’t know the words she’s used. However, he was unable to understand.

((Oh my, you don’t know? That’s fine. You’ll understand soon. And I do like stupid children…they’re quite cute. Right, Zack? Eheheh. Now then, enjoy your next punishment ♪))

The woman cuts off the transmission.

…A tool, huh.

(…Am I really nothing more than someone’s tool?)

“Ah, I feel sick.” Zack scratches at his head irritably, looking down.

“…Zack?” Ray looks up at his face. As usual, he has no idea what she’s thinking. And he can’t see any emotions in her gaze.

(So does she just see me as…a tool that’ll kill her…?)

I don’t know. I don’t want to think right now. About anything.

“…Don’t talk t’ me right now. Let’s go.” Zack’s tone is closed-off as he speaks. He turns away as if to block everything from his sight.

“Okay…” Ray gives a small nod.

(…Zack’s kind of angry.)

She doesn’t know why. But she can tell that he’s extremely irritated.

Is it because I fell asleep…? Or is it because of that woman…

“…mutually selfish wish that only pushes responsibilities upon the other…”

(…No.)

That’s not it. The promise Zack and I made isn’t anything like that…

▲▽

Their footsteps resound down the hall.

Uoooh, uooooh…

The further they go, the louder that awful sound becomes.

(…It reeks.)

She nearly stops breathing as they turn the corner. In front of them is a wall of iron bars with no way to come in or out. There are cells on either side of the hallway, about ten each.

(This is the jail…)

There’s the scent of something rotting filling the air. There are no lights in the cells, and the hallway is still gloomy despite being lit by bulbs interspersed in the ceiling at regular intervals. Squinting into the cells, Ray can see human-like shapes crouched over on the ground.

But Zack appears disinterested, proceeding down the hall without even looking to either side.

Ray chases after him, glancing into each of the jail cells as she goes.

“…!”

And, peering into the deepest jail cell, she unintentionally lets out a cry of “wah!” and shuffles back. Something has grabbed her through the bars of the cell.

(What?)

Staring at it makes it clear that it’s a red hand that looks like nothing more than a lump of flesh. That hand desperately grasps at Ray’s thin ankle, as if asking for help.

“Ah? What is it?” Zack asks, turning back after Ray shrieks.

“A hand…” Ray whispers, staring at that reddish limb as it writhes like some sort of caterpillar.

“…Pets for the rest of their lives, huh.” Zack glowers at the hand, still laying its fingers upon Ray’s ankle. He stomps on it.

“Hah…just steppin’ on ‘em crushes ‘em up. Disgusting. They ended up like that ‘cause they chose to be her pets. Damn useless. Even worse than tools…there are people even dumber than me.” Zack laughs fearlessly, mocking the prisoners.

As he speaks, Ray stares at the hand beneath his foot. It practically looks like it’s been minced up.

(I wonder if he wanted help…)

Suddenly thinking this, Ray crouches down to touch that hand.

“Hey, don’t pay attention to ‘im. He’s gonna die anyway.” Zack sounds strangely upset by Ray’s actions.

“…He’s already dead.”

There’s no way she can help anymore. The hand won’t even twitch.

The person behind the bars isn’t breathing anymore either. She can faintly see his reddish black flesh in the dim light. Or maybe he hadn’t been breathing in the first place. After all, having been reduced to this pitiful form, like a lump of meat – he wasn’t human anymore.

“…That so.” The man sounds indifferent.

“Hey, Zack…do ghosts really not exist?” she asks quietly.

“’Course not. Ya only ask pointless stuff. This place stinks, so let’s go. We can’t waste time.”

“…Okay.”

Sensing Zack’s unusually angry demeanour, Ray can do nothing more than nod and follow him.

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#satsuriku no tenshi #satsuten #angels of death #satsuriku no tenshi ln volume 1 #light novel translations #light novel #mine #satsuten light novel

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mifithemuffin · 1 year

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when Ray explains something and Zack has to bend down a little to hear her better !!!!!!!

#he's paying ATTENTION #he's willing to Listen #not Ray's problem he's so tall!!#so crouch down if you need to lanky boy #love is stored in zack and ray!!#angels of death

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xenoshadel · 6 years

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Small Victories

Series: Angels of Death

Summary: Post-canon where after Zack and Rachel escaped, Zack wants to learn how to read. Granted it'll take some time on top of learning how to write, but it'll make a small victory of its own down the road. Warning for Zack being, well, Zack. Also on Ao3!

A small victory for Zack is finding a few snacks in the trash that still had the wrapping on. For Rachel, it’s gathering enough money to stay in the cheapest hotel they can find for a few nights. It was Rachel’s idea to beg on the streets for money, but after seeing how much more she made while people were quick to ignore Zack, the latter had more of an itch to kill someone and steal their wallet. He claimed it was easier that way, and it was a topic that didn’t have a moral victory if they could still scrounge up enough cash.

The apartment was as shabby as all the other ones they stayed at: a small living room with a tattered couch, a smaller kitchen down the hallway, a bedroom and a space with a table. Zack dropped the scythe he recently found—and grew to adore as much as his old one—on the couch while Rachel tucked the pieces of cardboard she carried with her by the bookcase in the living room.

“Hey,” Zack said. “I know you wrote things on the cardboard for people to read while you begged for a little while, but what does it actually say?”

“I wrote: ‘Homeless and cold, please spare any change you might have for food. God bless.’ Simple and to the point,” Rachel explained.

“You wrote that? And people can read it?”

“Well, yeah. Why?”

Zack narrowed his eyes in thought. “I did some thinking before you found the hotel and you offered to teach me to read. It would make things a hell of a lot easier if we split up and I knew what the store signs read or whatever papers in the alleys had to say. So I… might want to learn today.”

Now that was surprising of him to say. “You don’t sound like you want to though,” Rachel said.

“Well of course not, but like I said, it’ll be easier if I can read and I can’t exactly have people in the streets read to me while I mob them. So you down or what?”

Zack felt a little exasperated at the stare she gave him. Not of surprise or excitement, just the same dull look she always had on. He was ready to take back his words until she turned around to look through the apartment. Rachel found a stack of papers in the kitchen and the space with the table had a few pencils.

“If you insist, then yeah I can teach you.”

“Gee, no need to sound so excited now.” Sarcasm aside, Zack was a little curious when he walked over to sit on the chair across from Rachel. He picked a sheet of paper to place in front of him and had an awkward time positioning the pencil to stay comfortably in his hand. He decided against it and gave the pencil to Rachel instead. “So, what first?”

“We can do the alphabet for starters. I’ll write out each letter first and pronounce them for you.”

It seemed simple in the first few minutes until Zack started to count the letters after what seemed like a bit too many to him. “Hey, how many letters are there?”

“Twenty-six.”

“The hell? Why are there so many?”

Rachel gave him a blank look. “I don’t know. That’s just how the English alphabet was designed. Some languages have more or fewer letters.”

“More than twenty-six? Well shit. Alright, whatever.” Zack tried to follow along again, his eyes squinting at each shape of the letter. He sounded proud of himself when he looked over the easy ones like ‘l’ and ‘o’ while those that looked similar to each other gave him an annoying itch at his fingertips.

Rachel finished all the letters and started another row of shapes that looked different to Zack and he asked, “Wait, what are those supposed to be?”

“When it comes to writing, there are capital and lowercase letters. I wrote the capital letters first and those are for the first letter of a sentence or the first letter of important words, like a name. Lowercase letters then follow after it.” Rachel continued to write the letters until it seemed like the whole page was full of shapes, not noticing that Zack was already lost when she finished.

Well that made things more annoying. Zack pursed his lips. “The fuck? Why is it so complicated?”

“That’s just how the system works for reading and writing properly. Plus if you can read, you can also write.”

“Now why the fuck do I need to do that for?”

“To write notes for yourself, maybe as a reminder?” Rachel shrugged.

“I may not have a head like yours but I’m not stupid enough to forget things,” Zack scoffed. “What else, write a fuckin’ diary to talk about my feelings?”

Rachel watched him lean against the chair and kick his feet up on the table. “That’s one option.”

“Dear diary. I found a squirrel and told him my name, even spelled it out for ‘em. He ran away before I finished and the fucker hurt my feelings. Maybe writing them out will make me feel better but I still want to tear that bastard into shreds. Love, Zack.”

Rachel paused. “Some people write explicitly but most find that it helps make them feel better.”

“What does? Writing out their feelings like a sissy?”

“Well yeah. Even though it didn’t happen, imagine if you wrote it down. How do you think you’ll feel?”

“Eh? I’d feel the same? Like myself? The fuck kind of magic is writing supposed to do to me?” Zack put his feet down and leaned close to her. “Are you a fuckin’ therapist now?”

Rachel sighed, “Far from it, unless you want Doctor Danny to come back from the dead.”

“Fuck yeah I do! That way I can rip him apart for sure and the guy will be booted to hell,” Zack laughed. “Should’ve done it when I had the chance. Damn.”

“Do you want to continue or not?”

The thought of slashing the doctor’s head off was brushed away from her unfazed voice, and Zack sighed, “I didn’t say I’ll stop, did I?” He snatched the paper from her. “Lemme go through this then.”

Well, neither of them mentioned him stopping but if that meant giving him more motivation to practice then by all means. Rachel stepped around him while Zack pronounced each letter of the alphabet to himself and rewrote them on a new sheet of paper. There were a few times he almost broke the pencil from using the eraser too hard at the mistakes he made, and he kept grumbling to himself when he stopped to brush the eraser shavings away.

“Why the fuck does some of the letters look like that anyway? More scribbles but fancier, psh.”

Rachel ignored him, knowing that a response will make him more irritated with his progress. He didn’t seem too frustrated though, determined and annoyed were better ways to describe him, despite how much time he took with his handwriting.

“Ah fuck, why bother with all this if I can say words,” Zack muttered.

“Some letters are trickier to write than others, but at least try to write the whole alphabet down.”

“There you go with your orders. I was already doing that, eh?”

Zack could make the argument that the pen was mightier than the sword if he stabbed someone hard enough with it. He remembered hearing that phrase before, and he was sure the pencil will work just as fine if he was really pissed off. The sharpener was on the table and he took a few moments to use it when the lead was too dull to continue.

“You know, I found papers with writing in the place you stayed at when I went to your floor for the knife. Did you… try to write?” Rachel asked.

Zack paused. “Not like it mattered but yeah, guess I did. I knew that the alley papers with my picture were about me but it didn’t mean shit if I can’t read ‘em. Writing would’ve been pointless but I wanted to have a go to see what it felt like. Didn’t last long, didn’t fuckin’ matter.”

Rachel noticed how careful he was about making the pencil sharp and it was probably something he did back then, too. “But now it matters?”

“Because it’s important now, yeah. Sure.” He ruffled her hair, smirking when she tried to fix it. “I don’t have the greatest teacher in the world but I’m not complaining a whole lot, hm?”

He sounded a little satisfied with himself with the smile he wore, and Rachel returned a small smile of her own. He quipped at it remaining the same as ever but changed his focus onto the paper. Zack finished the alphabet and still had enough room on the bottom of the page to try a combination of words. He surprised her when she realized that he was trying to write her name, though with mild difficulty when he attempted her first name. After scratching it off to avoid wasting the eraser, he tried again with her nickname.

Zack handed the paper to her. “Well? I didn’t like how I made the rest of the letters for your name so I did that instead, Ray.”

“Not bad. It’s still legible enough to read,” Rachel said.

“I ain’t some fancy prick,” Zack snorted. “Don’t need to be one anyway.”

“Maybe I can teach you cursive writing too.”

“The fuck is that?”

Rachel smiled, turning the paper over to write her full name. To say that Zack was surprised would be an understatement when he watched her write out the letters and how they stayed connected. The loops and swirls looked more garbled than his own handwriting and he threw his hands up.

“There ain’t no fucking way that’s writing! Even I can do something like that!”

“It’s cursive writing. Something people back in the day used and some people to this day continue to write in cursive,” Rachel explained. “Think of it as writing meant to look fancy.”

“If that’s fancy then my writing is fucking beautiful.” Zack rolled his eyes. “But this isn’t necessary writing? I don’t need to know this, right?!”

“Well, it might be helpful if you came across cursive writing and knew what it read.”

“Aw c’mon! That’s more work to do and remember!” Zack glared at the writing, trying to make sense of the swirls that looked like witchcraft symbols to him. He could guess the first letter being ‘R’, but the rest that followed lost him. She was probably messing with him, though her eyes barely held any amusement for him to threaten her with, and he sighed heavily instead. “Save this lesson for much, much later, aight?”

“If you insist. I’m sure we’ll have enough paper to practice by then.”

“Shut it. I ain’t the fastest learner but damn it the pencils will be put to good use. What else do we have to write with?”

Blue eyes looked around them. “I did spot a few pens by the door, but ink and lead aren’t the only things you can use if you’re in a situation without a writing utensil. Blood can be written with as well.”

“Blood?” Zack gave her an odd look. “You got a sick mind now? Slicing yourself up to send a message to someone?”

“It sends a message in its own way.” Rachel shrugged. “If there’s no ink or lead and you still have something to write with, even your own hands, then it works.”

“And that’s batshit crazy,” Zack muttered. “So wait, when we went through all those floors and you saw some writing on the walls, you read all that?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you remember what you read?”

Rachel raised an eyebrow. The memories blurred together for her and even if she did remember, it wouldn’t be significant. “No. They weren’t important and were too vague to be helpful as clues.”

“Huh.” Zack sounded unconvinced but there wasn’t a point to ask more about it. He looked back at the stack of paper. “Well, I’ll try again on this.”

The fact he was committed to learning how to write when he was previously against it amused Rachel. She didn’t have it in her to laugh about it, let alone have her eyes do the talking, but a small smile was the most for either of them to understand the message. “Let me know if you need help with something.”

“Hey I can manage just fine,” Zack said. He was already in his mode of concentration, which frankly was something he wasn’t used to being in. He didn’t remember the last time he had to think that hard for any reason when things were simple back then, but he supposed it wasn’t as simple now.

He paused at the thought and turned to Rachel, who went to look through one of the books in the shelves of the living room. She picked a heavy one and brushed the dust off it while she made her way to the couch, and Zack caught gold writing on the cover when she opened it. A simple thing to notice, and if he was able to read the cover, it'll be a small victory of its own. And if Rachel can read the whole book without a problem, maybe there will be a day where it won’t be as… complicated for him, to put it.

He sat back at the table, his hand reaching for the pencil and he took a moment to inspect it. The point remained sharp and with a bit of movement, he can create something that was already so simple to everyone else, until one day he can be on the same page as them. Zack chuckled a little at his own joke, mainly to brush off the impending headache after using what felt like too much brainpower to him, and picked a clean sheet of paper to start off with.

“Guess it’s the alphabet again.”

Scritch scritch.

“Lowercase ‘b’ is that way… ‘D’ is that way… ‘M’ then ‘n.’ ‘P’ is… ah shit, the lead broke off.”

He picked up another pencil to resume his work. Most of the letters were written without his headache growing, and he decided to attempt something else.

“Z… nah that’s not straight enough. Or maybe that’s okay? For fuck’s sake, I don’t think it matters.”

Scritch scritch.

“Z... a…”

Zack felt silly for trying so hard, but if Rachel happened to be feeling smug about this, he will be sure to prove her wrong. Or did she ever smug? Nah, that’s too useless to think about, and he was nearly finished anyway.

“C… K. ‘Kay. Cool?” Zack looked at the paper, squinting at the letters. “Guess it does feel different to actually recognize it. Z.. a… ck. Huh.”

A touch of pride that blossomed when he read his name a few times over. That was his name he successfully wrote, his name. Granted it didn’t match the feeling he had after a sweet kill or cutting down someone that smiled too broadly, but it felt nice to do a good job at something that was still a part of him.

“Hey Ray! I got my name down!” he called out, a little too giddy at his own victory.

Soft footsteps when Rachel made her way to him and she looked at the paper. Her eyes didn’t match his excitement, but she nodded in approval. “I think it’s more legible this time, too.”

“Oh come on. Whatever, it’s good enough for the day!”

Rachel tilted her head. “You don’t plan on practicing more?”

“After learning the alphabet, reading that, and writing this?! I don’t have enough brains in me, squirt,” Zack scoffed. “Doing more would kill me, though I’m dying for a kill.”

He laughed at the subtle way her eyes narrowed at him. “I’m kidding. Maybe. I think writing in blood won’t be so fucked up after all if it’s someone else’s blood and me writing my name on them. How cool would that be?!”

“You will be identified sooner and breaking out of jail won’t be so easy after a few times,” Rachel simply said.

“Way to ruin the party.” Zack stuck his tongue out. “I’ll still do it, mark my words. Ha! Get it?”

No response from her but Zack still laughed anyway. He clapped his hands and announced the extra brainpower he used was enough to make him hungry, and he strolled towards the fridge. Rachel shook her head, gathering the papers to put away for the next day and she stopped at the paper Zack used.

He wrote his name and at the bottom of the page, he wrote her name as well. Zack and Ray, and he did seem more proud of himself when he walked away. Rachel glanced between the paper and him, who found a jug of soda to chug down, and made another little smile before she put the papers in a folder.

Life wasn’t as simple as before, but maybe it was getting better with the small victories.

#angels of death #satsuriku no tenshi #angels of slaughter #rachel gardner #isaac foster #zack foster #xeno writes #if I like a series enough for a fanfic then yeah that means I really like it #I know I'm not the only who worked with this prompt but hey #I just love Zack and the thought of him trying to write?? precious #long time no writing hello!

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zigbaby-blog · 6 years

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You Got Me At Hello

Series: The Freshman

Pairing: Zig x MC (Vanny)

Author’s note: Hey! This is my first fanfic ever, with zero experience of prior writing. I was never really a books person, but having replayed The Freshman series made me fall in love with Zig all over again. I’ve been binge reading other fanfics and it came to me that I really wanna write my own, too! Pardon any grammatical mistakes, I’m only crossing fingers that my first post on a new blog gets noticed at all.

“VANNY!” Kaitlyn screamed as she stomped her feet down the hall, stopping short right before her door. “Get the hell up! It’s been three weeks since I saw you,” slamming her room door open, “even though we live in the same house!”

She forced her eyes open only to be invited by a ray of white light, almost blinding her. With her right arm raised, blocking the sunlight coming through the window, her free hand scrambled to search for her phone on the bed. “9AM?!” She sighed, “I was only 2 hours into my sleep...”

“C’mon,” Kaitlyn shrugged, “when are you ever going to come back to reality?” Bracing herself for the giddy spells, Vanny sat herself up, staring at a random corner to avoid facing her best friend - who was now sitting at the edge of her bed, arms crossed.

Rubbing both sides of her temple, she tried to recall. All that came to her mind was alcohol, dancing with strangers, getting herself sloshed and only returning home at daylight. That explains. That explains why nobody in the house have seen her for weeks. She was intentionally shutting herself out from everyone, determined to escape from all the shits constantly thrown at her.

Before she snapped out of her memory, Kaitlyn stood up and marched towards her wardrobe, picking out her go-to oversized tee and shorts. “Let’s go,” she jerked her chin, “I’m not letting you carry on with this routine.”

“But-“

“Move. Or I’ll ring up the boys and make them come back and lift you,” she frowned.

Ugh. She struggled to keep her balance as she stood up, fighting this immense headache. Just how much did I drink? She thought to herself.

———

Dragging her non-cooperative body and what felt like an hour walk, Vanny pushed open the cafe’s door. *Ding* As if the pain in her head wasn’t bad enough, the loud chattering from students on a Monday morning and the bell that sounded on each ready drink made it worse. “Vanny!” the group exclaimed. It’s Zack, Chris, Abbie and Tyler. The whole gang’s here, she had to pull herself together. Tucking her stray hair behind the ear, she forced a smile while walking to their table. “Hey guys, it’s been awhile, huh?”

They knew she was off, and didn’t probe about her disappearance.

Sleep deprived and still half-drunk, she wasn’t ready to catch up with the clique. She needed her caffeine fix, and it wasn’t until she joined the queue that she noticed the new barista. Wow. “Yeah, that’s what you missed since you were gone.” Kaitlyn grinned. “He’s totally checking you out by the way.” She stared a little longer before responding, “He must be thinking I look like a mess.”

It didn’t take long for the line to move until it was her turn. She looked up at the counter, welcomed by a smirk on his face. Damn. She felt her cheeks flushed before quickly pointing at the menu. “Espresso?” his round, husky voice was music to my ears. “Make it two,” Vanny muttered.

She inched forward to the collection point, eyes never left sight of this tanned, buffed guy making her coffee. He looked so good in his white t-shirt, revealing what seems like an owl tattoo on his biceps. “Enjoy your coffee,” he smirked again. She could’ve swore that brightened up her morning - until the door opened behind, feeling someone walk towards her back and deliberately knock against her shoulder.

“Sebastian,” Chris shouted, “apologize.” The whole gang stood up on their feet, knowing his ill-intentions. Vanny turned to Chris, shaking her head lightly, signalling that it wasn’t worth it to start a fight. The atmosphere became intensed. All the curious eyes were on the commotion happening right at the front of the store. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Sebastian grabbed her by her arm with so much force - she yelped.

At this point, it was clear that he was out to intimidate Chris. He wasn’t pleased with the presidential election, and she was the easiest target to hit. “Hey! Back off!” Chris shouted again, livid with rage. Feeling smug, Sebastian rebutted, “Oh? Is that all you’ve got?” Without releasing any strength, he held on to her arm and gave it an excruciating twist. Vanny writhed in pain, almost losing sensation.

“OWWW,” Sebastian cried, before a loud thud was heard. With her arm finally free, she gathered whatever energy she had to look up and see. It was the barista, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles began to bruise and swell. Astonished, Sebastian got up on his knees, ready to challenge him. Yet a strong tuck at his collar made him flee.

Everyone stood frozen, dumbfounded by the abrupt situation. Slowly, chatters began to fill the cafe again while Vanny’s friends circled her. “Are you okay?,” Chris examined her arm. “I apologize for getting you into this, Van.” Guilt showed up on his face. “It’s okay... Look, it’s functioning again.” She moved the arm marked with an obvious red handprint, pursing her lips into a faint smile. “You should probably go check on him too,” Abbie nudged her while looking behind the counter.

There he was, carefully shaking his knuckles that’s now badly bruised. “Hey, thanks for standing up for us.” Vanny said, as she stood before him while clutching onto her arm.

“I couldn’t possibly watch him hurt you and do nothing.”

Her heart softened, hearing those words from a stranger. The lack of security made her independent, she never knew what it was like to feel protected. “Let me help you,” she gestured to his wound. His eyes lightened up, surprised that she entered behind the counter. As the students slowly strolled to their classes, she hurried to ice his hands. Standing so close beside him, she could smell the minty fragrance from his shampoo. She must’ve taken a deep sniff before he pulled his hands back and turned away. I was dreaming about this guy, aren’t I?

Confused, Vanny was ready to leave before she felt the touch of his fingers on her waist. “Wait,” he stopped her, “you’re hurt too.” She can’t help but scream inside, heart racing at how attentive this tough-looking guy is.

He was so near, chest-facing her while he gently took care of her arm. His heavy breathing made her relaxed. She pointed to his name tag, “Zig, huh?”

“Zigmund. Zig for short,” he took a quick glance at her reaction. “You?”

“Vanessa. My friends call me Vanny.” She grinned.

Finishing up with a cold pat, he lifted her arm and shook it with his own hand, “Fancy meeting you.” His trademark smirk so irresistible, it wasn’t until Kaitlyn waved at her from the table that she realized lines had formed at the counter. “I gotta go,” she tip-toed and whispered into his ears. He turned to meet her gaze, seemingly heard the reluctance in her tone. “Come look for me anytime, I’ll be here.”

Tag: @zigzaggersfanclub

#zig #fanfic #zig ortega #zigzaggers fan club #the freshman #playchoices #pixelberry #zigmund ortega #zig x mc

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iwriteficsnottragediesladies · 6 years

Text

Search and Seizure Pt 7

A/N: So my fren @ladevoteeshirts helped me come up with a cool plot for this installment of S&S! There are 2 bandom references in here (as long as you count Paramore. Hayley Williams is bae.) I’m tagging people who encouraged me to keep writing this fic/showed interest in it. If you want to be taken off or added, lemme know! @un-surpassable @wren-the-emo @lolisded @itsdangerousblues @kyky9103 @lizzrossstories @j2minion

It almost becomes smut, but also definitely does not.

Pre-read Epilepsy Disclaimer

You had just gotten back from the grocery store and started to put everything away. You hear Brendon enter the kitchen and soon feel his arms snake around your waist.

“Hi sweetheart,” He said quietly into your ear. The hair on your neck stands.

“Hi,” you replied not turning around, just a smile playing at your cheeks.

He slid his hands down to hold your hips.

“I missed you,” He spoke, placing kisses down your neck. You turn around to look at him.

“I was gone for a half an hour!” You smile.

“Well I was thinking about you,” He said innocently, “For a half an hour.” His tone changes. “All by myself,” he adds as he pushes his hips into yours, pinning you against the counter.

God, you love it when he gets like this. Just an ordinary afternoon turns into something hot, purely because the thought of you turns him on. You enjoyed having such power over him.

You wrap your arms behind his neck.

“All by yourself, huh?” You teased with a smirk, “Well it’s a good thing I’m home.” You take him by the hand and head to the couch, pushing him down to sit. You climb onto his lap and kiss him, lacing a hand into his hair. You roll your hips a little and pull away.

“Is this what you were thinking about?” You cock your head.

He nods hungrily and you smile, diving back in. He slides his hands under your shirt and squeezes your breasts. You sigh and slip your tongue between his parted lips. Suddenly the feeling disappears and replaced with something else entirely. Something horrible.

Oh no. Not now.

The hand in his hair becomes heavy and you let it slide down to your side. Your stomach twists. Everything becomes confusing.

This exact same situation happened when you were dating your ex--and it caused the end of your relationship. You’re not thinking clearly, but know you don’t want to lose Brendon.

Brendon’s hand moves down your body and into your panties. Your senses heightened yet fell away all at once. You jump away from him, onto your feet.

Brendon looks terrified. You’d had sex so many times and he was stunned--nothing like this had ever happened. He worried his touch made you uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry!” He says quickly, standing up and searching your eyes, “Y/n?”

“I--I...” You stumbled on your words, trying to come up with something rational to say, “I forgot to get something at the grocery store.” You had no intent to actually go anywhere and you knew you wouldn’t be able to make it anyway. You just wanted to escape it all so badly. You don’t want to lose Brendon over this, like you lost your ex. Before Brendon could respond, you were walking over to the table to grab your keys and he followed you closely.

“Stop, Baby, what’s wrong?” He asked, filled with concern. He takes hold of your arm to turn you around.

You wanted to throw up, even just spinning 180 degrees was far too much. Your arm tingled. You avoided eye contact and walked past him.

“Ij ‘ust--” You try to say.

Brendon caught the dazed expression on your face as you went by and he would know that slurred speech from a mile away. He jogs after you and steps in front of you, grasping your shoulders.

“Sweetheart, are you gonna have a seizure?” He asked, more of a statement than a question. To his surprise, you object and step out of his hold.

“No,” You replied like a defiant toddler.

“Why are you lying to me baby?” He asked gently, mostly to himself. He reached out and held your shoulders again as you became unbalanced. “Why don’t we lay down,” he directed you.

“No!” you tried to shrug off his grip, but you’re too weak. He furrowed his brow, perplexed by your refusal to admit what was happening.

As much as you try to deny it, your body inevitably betrays you. You start to drop to the floor and he immediately grabs you.

“Okay, okay,” he strains as he helps you down before placing you on your side.

He looks at you and he can tell you’re still resisting.

“Just relax, sweetheart,” he says sweetly as he pulls a blanket from the couch and tucks it under your head, “I’ve got you.”

He pulls up Zack’s number on his phone, tapping the call button as he watches over you. After a ring, the line clicks as Zack answers.

“Hey man, what’s up?” Zack greeted him normally.

“Where are you?” He asked, barely waiting for him to stop talking. His voice made it clear that something was wrong.

“I’m driving--almost home,” Zack replied quickly, “What’s going on?”

“Y/n’s having a seizure,” Brendon informed him, his voice cracking slightly. Zack knows that always happens when Brendon is scared. He tries to comfort him.

“Okay, I’m about to pass by your house soon,” Zack said, “How bad is it? Do you need me to call?”

“No, not now,” Brendon replied.

“Okay. I’ll be there in a second, alright?” Zack reassured him.

“Okay,” Brendon says.

He hangs up and opens his timer. He sees the tears dripping across your face.

“Y/n, you’re okay sweetheart,” he reassured you emphatically, still thinking about your bizarre behavior.

“I’ms-orry,” you said in a small voice, “’M a terrible w’fe.” Your words are so slurred it was hard to make out, but Brendon hears your message loud and clear.

“Shhh, Y/n, stop,” He consoles you, heartbroken that you could think such a thing. “You’re a perfect wife, baby. I love you.” He reassured you.

“Bren,” you said quietly, filling with fear.

“it’s okay, Y/n,” He says softly, “I’m right here.”

Your face falls blank and Brendon starts the timer as you start to seize. He runs his fingers through your hair and dries your tears. Some blood starts to come out of your mouth and he wipes it away.

“It’s alright baby,” He said sweetly. He continues to whisper words of comfort to you, glancing at the timer every so often. It had been almost three minutes when he hears Zack pounding at the door:

“Brendon?” he calls.

“Backdoor!” Brendon shouts back.

Zack runs around the back of the house and finds the door unlocked. He threw it open and it smacked the wall but didn’t leave a mark. He was next to you in no time.

“Jesus that was fast,” Brendon looked at him.

“I broke a couple laws, I think,” Zack panted. He glanced over to the timer. They were coming up on three and a half minutes and you started to slow down. Brendon wiped your mouth again.

“Good job baby,“ Brendon spoke softly, “There you go.”

“3:22,” Zack said aloud as he stopped the timer. Brendon acknowledged him with a nod. “What happened?” Zack asked.

“I don’t know,” He said with a sad shrug, “Maybe she forgot her meds or something. She was fine. But she did act really weird right before it started.”

“What was weird about it?” He asked.

“She was trying to, i don’t know,” Brendon tried to put it into words, "Once it started to come on, she kept telling me ‘no’ and didn’t want me to touch her, wouldn’t lay down... It was like she was fighting it.”

Zack sighed, watching you sympathetically. “Were you arguing or something before?” He asked Brendon.

Brendon nearly chokes on his own spit.

“Uh no, not at all,” He shook his head. He wasn’t about to admit what you were really doing when it started.

“Hm,” Zack said, a bit unsure. He wasn’t about to push it.

Some blood suddenly comes from your mouth with a cough.

“Oh--” Brendon reacted. Zack pulled your hair out of the way.

“Get it all out, honey,” Zack said calmly as Brendon wipes the blood away.

Both of them are noticing your eyes start to move and they know to back up.

“Hi Y/n,” Brendon started slowly, “You’re okay darling.”

You look at two figures in front of you. There were rays of warm light blurring your vision. It may even feel nice on your skin if you could understand what the fuck was happening. You start to hear something. You connect the sound to one of the figures.

“You’re safe,” Brendon says, “I’m right here.”

Your vision focuses and you realize you’re on the floor and there are two unknown men above you. You withdraw quickly, your muscles aching in protest.

“Hey hey, you’re okay Y/n,” Brendon speaks reassuringly, “It’s me baby, it’s Brendon.”

You recognize the voice, matching it to Brendon’s name and the face above you.

“Bren,” you tried, looking around, “What...”

“It’s alright,” He nodded, addressing your confusion, “We’re at home, it’s me and Zack.”

You look over and notice Zack sitting next to him.

“You had a seizure, but you’re okay,” Brendon nodded.

“Oh,” you said blankly, voicing your understanding. You push yourself up to sitting, Brendon and Zack spotting you closely. You look down at the floor and stroke your fingers through the plush carpet.

“I love this rug,” You said contently. Brendon and Zack both laugh a little at your random observation.

“It’s a pretty nice one,” Zack agreed. You look at him.

“Oh,” you say as you realize he wasn’t there before, that he must have arrived at some point during your seizure. “Hi Zack!”

“Hi Y/n!” He greeted you with a chuckle.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” Brendon asked. You thought for a moment, taking inventory of your body.

“Tongue hurts, muscles hurt,” you reply with a shrug, “Just the usual.”

He nods and you hold his eye contact.

In his brown eyes, the events of the day suddenly come back to you. You remember how the feeling started when you were kissing Brendon, that you tried to get away...

Your stomach twisted into a new kind of knot as sadness and shame pulled at you. Your demeanor changes and Zack and Brendon notice.

“I’m sorry,” you apologized lightly to them, “I’m fine now. Made such a big deal,” you laugh awkwardly. You shift where you’re sitting and look down at your hands, fidgeting with your fingers.

They are both looking at you curiously. You always feel embarrassed after a seizure, but the way you were trying to completely dismiss it was different than usual.

“I don’t think I took my medication this morning,” you shook your head, “I’m sorry, that was so stupid of me. Sure won’t do that again,” You chuckle strangely, “I’m so annoying.”

The way you were speaking, it was like you were trying to minimize what happened, as if you would be punished for having a seizure. Brendon and Zack glance at each other before Brendon speaks up.

“Y/n, you’re not annoying, why would you say that?” Brendon shakes his head, pausing before asking you cautiously, “Are you sure you’re okay, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, yeah,” you reassured them weakly with a forced smile, “I’m sorry, I think I’m just really tired.”

Brendon and Zack were semi-satisfied with your excuse.

“Well why don’t we get you on the couch and you can rest for a little while?” Brendon offered.

“Okay,” You said, fake happy. You got up quickly, much more quickly than you should have. You clearly don’t have the energy nor the stability for that.

“Easy, baby,” Brendon warned you, taking your arm as they walked you the couple steps over to the couch. Once you laid down, Brendon put a blanket over you. “How’s that?” He asked.

“Perfect,” you lie. Brendon reads you better than that--you’re cold and you have goose bumps.

“How about another blanket, just for good measure,” Brendon smiled as he draped another over you. Why are you lying to me? he thought to himself.

You snuggle up and after a few minutes you start to look sleepy.

“Alright, I think we’re good here,” Brendon said to Zack.

“Yeah, I’ll head out,” Zack replied. Zack knew that having alone time with Brendon might help whatever was going on. Brendon starts to walk him to the door.

“Thanks, Zack,” Brendon said.

“Of course. Just--text me if you need anything, okay?” Zack added, still suspicious of your behavior. Brendon nodded with an expression of understanding. They both knew something was off.

“I will,” Brendon replied.

You hear the front door close and Brendon walking back into the living room. He sits down in one of the chairs and sighs, going back over your actions in his head.

You aren’t asleep, just laying with your eyes shut. Your mind raced, thinking back to your ex, Paul. You wanted to tell Brendon about what had happened in your last relationship, but you weren’t sure if you could without completely falling apart.

What if Brendon feels the same way that Paul did? And he wants to leave you, just like Paul did?

It wasn’t rational, but your thinking was skewed. Your mind was still so fogged over with seizure, you weren’t thinking clearly.

The anxiety and pain surfacing was relentless. What if your break up with Paul was about to repeat itself? You don’t want to feel that kind of hurt again.

Tears escape from your eyes. You love Brendon. You can’t lose him. Finally you start to cry with your tears.

Brendon simultaneously realizes you’re both awake and crying. He is kneeling in front of you instantly, placing a hand to your shoulder.

“It’s okay, Y/n,” He soothed before asking with concern, “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“Please don’t leave me,” You cried, “I love you.”

Brendon climbed on the couch behind you as he spoke and gathered you in his arms.

“I would never leave you, Y/n,” He pressed a kiss to the top of your head, “Never. I love you so much.”

You can barely respond, you just clutch onto him and cry into his soft t shirt.

“Please don’t leave me,” You murmur in tears.

“I’m never going to leave you, Y/n,” He repeated sternly.

“Please,” you choke.

Brendon tilted your chin up at him and cocked his head to get a good look at you. He can see the pain deep within your eyes but he doesn’t know where it is coming from or how to help you.

“Tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart,” He said gently.

“Don’t,” you shake your head, stuck on the thought of him leaving you.

“Y/n,” he said with deep sincerity, “I am not going to leave you, okay?”

You nod hesitantly.

“Please baby,” Brendon pleaded with you, “talk to me.”

“He told me that he loved me,” you try to explain but can’t finish, “But he left.”

“Who left you?” Brendon coaxed you along, not at all understanding what you were talking about. He hoped maybe more information will make it clear.

“Paul,” you reply. You’ve never really talked in depth about your ex, but Brendon recognizes his name. “He--he didn’t want me, because of...” You gesture to the place you had been lying on the floor with disgust, “This. Epilepsy is too much, Brendon. I’m too much.”

“You are not too much,” Brendon says adamantly, “Epilepsy doesn’t matter to me. You matter to me.”

“He was tired of dealing with me,” you recall in tears, “When I had one when we were trying to have sex... That was it. It was too much.”

“Y/n--” Brendon started, but you interrupted him.

“I’m a problem, Brendon,” You assert, falling apart into desperate anger and sadness, “Tell me you wouldn’t rather have someone who didn’t have seizures all the fucking time? Brendon, he was right. I’m just a fucking problem. How long is it going to be until you give up on me?”

“Y/n, I need you to listen to me,” he said slowly, “I need you to hear me, okay?”

He wipes away your tears and cups your cheeks in his hand.

“Are you listening?” He confirmed sweetly.

You nod.

“I would never want to have someone who didn’t have seizures, because that means it wouldn’t be you. Epilepsy is just a tiny part of you. You are so much more than that. Helping you when you have a seizure is not annoying and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but by your side. Paul was a fucking dick. The way he treated you was awful and wrong. Y/n, you are not a problem. You are my solution. You are the answer to what I’ve been searching for all my life. I love you and I would never, ever leave you. Okay?”

You think you might melt, overcome with relief.

“I love you Brendon,” Is all you can muster before you cry gratefully, holding him tighter. Brendon is so glad that you finally see the truth. He runs his fingers through your hair soothingly.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” He replies, “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

You sniffle and try to collect yourself.

“I guess it’s a good thing that Paul was a douche then,” You chuckle a little, wiping your eyes with your sleeves. Brendon tries not to laugh as hard as he wants to.

“I’m very lucky to have you,” He agrees. He thinks about Paul again and becomes heated. “The way he hurt you... If I ever saw him I swear I would--”

You cut him off.

“He’s in the past, Bren. You’re my present, and my future,” You remind him, then pausing as you smirk, “But if you want to kick his ass, I wouldn’t protest.”

He smiles widely. You move closer and kiss him and he gladly reciprocates. As you pull away, he sees peace in your eyes.

“Do you want to get some sleep?” He asked.

“Yeah,” you replied, nuzzling in. He adjusts as well. You close your eyes and enjoy the easy darkness. After a few moments of stillness, you speak up.

“Hey Bren?” you speak.

“What?” He replies.

“Can we fuck later when I wake up?” You ask simply. Brendon just about dies.

“Oh my god, Y/n!” He exclaims laughing. “You’re unbelievable!”

“Brendonnnn,” you complain.

“Go the fuck to sleep.” He rolls his eyes.

You sigh a little in discontent.

“But yes,” Brendon whispers, “definitely yes.”

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think, if you want more/what you want. Like/reblog if you’re feelin’ it!

#brendon urie x reader #fanfiction #Brendon urie #fanfic #seizure #reader insert #hurt/comfort #Panic! at the Disco #Panic at the Disco #bandom #imagine #drabble #search and seizure #searchandseizure

143 notes · View notes

kv-r18-fics · 6 years

Text

Bookstore Sin

surprise, gonna post 2 sins this time!

The cold air was slowly starting to dissipate, there were days of cold snaps, but warmer days followed suit, calling for lighter long-sleeved clothing. It was a sign that Spring was just around the corner.

Despite that, not many people wanted to leave the comfort of their warm homes, which enabled both Zack and Rachel to go out in public together more. With the outfits they had, they didn’t mind the cold too much, and often stopped to get some food or drinks to warm them up and let them keep going. During one of their date days, Ray wanted to pick up something from her favorite book store, as much as Zack wasn’t too thrilled with being surrounded by books, Ray promised the man treats of his choosing if he stayed patient. Isaac hated to admit it, but she really knew for damn sure how to bribe him.

Her bookstore was a tall building to make up for its small width, which meant there was two floors littered with books. Zack’s bundle of clothes he used to hide his appearance to the public also did good work to hide his boredom and displeasure for the massive collection of tomes. They were on the upper floor, Zack was lazily sitting at one of the tables, frustratingly waiting for Ray to let him know they were free to head back out – he was out of the cold, he couldn’t complain too much about that. Ray managed to find the book she was looking for, she enjoyed all sorts of genres, and sometimes romance novels were good to pass the time with. Nothing overly cheesy like most stories, she preferred authors that kept things realistic.

Rachel sat herself at the table beside Zack, she wanted to thumb through a couple of pages before finally deciding to leave the store with a purchase, but she heard faint grumbles coming from the man. Zack was bored and agitated out of his mind, if Ray hadn’t have promised him anything, he’d haphazardly topple and smash any inanimate object in sight to cure his boredom. Ray felt a little bad that Zack was being dragged into something he didn’t particularly like doing, especially on a date day. She thought that maybe she could do something to make up for it, a kiss was too simple, and it would only lift his mood a little. Then she had a flash of their secret moment in the park.

The woman’s face flushed a faint red as she recalled the moment, they were dressed a little heavily, which enabled them to make love in the park without getting caught, even now they were dressed for the part. Zack wore a long coat, gloves, along with his favorite crimson pants and a scarf, while Ray had a medium sized coat, a short skirt, and stockings. They were upstairs, no other patrons were around, and they sat at a table, no one could see what would go on underneath.

Rachel swallowed hard, still second-thinking that she couldn’t believe she was going to cave in to a naughty desire to do lewd things in public. Zack was still spacing out from boredom, then flinched as he felt Rachel’s hand graze his lap, his bi-colored eyes looked to her, and he could see a desirous look on her face. Zack felt his cheeks grow a little warmer, then saw Ray gesture for him to stay quiet as she pressed a finger to her lips.

Zack’s heart pounded as Ray brought her hands to his pants, and began to undo the fly of his trousers. Isaac’s mind wanted to go blank right now, Ray was going to do something frisky to him and in the middle of a shop, no less. Boy, was she ever the woman of his life.

Once the pants were opened, Ray dipped her hand into Zack’s boxers, hearing him gasp, then quickly cover his mouth, as Rachel carefully pulled out his member. It was soft now, but it was faintly warm from Ray dropping hints at him a moment ago, and her fingers proceeded to gently pet at it to let his intimate part harden a little bit. Zack squirmed in his seat, he never expected Rachel to be bold enough to do this, normally he would probably suggest a sneaky quickie while in public, but he was not complaining. Ray’s fingers continued their soft pets between Zack’s legs, and felt it starting to harden, then she wrapped her fingers around the shaft to aid it in its process. Isaac huffed as he kept his hand planted around his mouth, his hips bucked up a little when her hands stroked a couple of good spots, and was overcome of the sensation of heat collecting at his thighs. The heat and stimulation was making his cock expand to its full erect length, becoming more rigid in Rachel’s grip, and enabling her to play with so much more of him.

Zack couldn’t let this happen to him alone, his foot hooked the leg of Rachel’s chair and dragged her closer to him, he removed his gloves, and he swiftly dived his hand under Ray’s skirt, allowing his fingers to play through her panties. Now, Ray was the one that needed to stay quiet, as Zack’s fingers were playing at her womanhood through the fabric of her soft undergarment.

Isaac had that gleam in his eye that said, You’re going down with me.

The two struggled to stay quiet as they engaged in secretive mutual masturbation, Ray wanted to test Zack’s resolve a little further by trailing her fingers up the shaft and let her thumb caress the tip. Isaac grunted hard, his legs threatened to close, and he buried his face in the table. Zack had to retort, he snuck his finger into Ray’s underwear and found their way to her clit, if she was going to fondle his most sensitive erogenous zone, then he was going to do the same as well. Ray wanted to moan so badly, but she didn’t want to be caught, she paused her actions for a moment, then leaned to Zack’s ear.

“Let’s try and find a better spot to hide in…”

“Kinda hard to do with my dick hanging out,” Zack grumbled.

“Button your coat, I’ll help look around…” Ray whispered.

Zack pulled back his fingers and cleaned off his digits, licking his lips as he tucked his long coat over his waist and buttoned the area up, Ray fixed up her furled skirt, and wandered around the second floor for a promising hiding spot. There was a small corner they could use, perhaps Zack’s strength could also be of help to move over and make it look like another wall of books. When the man shuffled over, holding onto his coat tightly, Rachel whispered her plan over to Zack, and it intrigued him.

“Damn, pretty fucking clever…yeah just stand over there, I’ll try and move this shit without drawing their attention,” Zack mumbled.

Thankfully, one of the shelves was small enough to push, he just had to make sure not to let it make unwanted noises against the floor, then he pulled the shelf over like a door. Now, they were closed in with secrecy to themselves.

“Better?” he asks.

Ray leaned up to softly kiss his lips, then unbuttoned the man’s coat, “Yeah, a lot better.”

Isaac smirked to Ray, and opened the coat himself to let her continue what she was doing. He picked up one her legs to let her foot rest on the other bookcase beside them, so she was nice and open for him. Zack’s pants bunched at his knees, while he slid down Ray’s panties down her waist to let his fingers have easier access. The couple continued their sensual actions of pleasing one another, Ray tenderly stroked Zack’s hard length while Zack delved his fingers between her folds. Their solution to cease loud noises was to bring themselves in a deep lip-lock, letting their moans be silenced between their lover’s lips.

“Shit, Ray…this is fucking hot…” Zack whispered.

Ray’s response was to go back to teasing at the head, feeling Zack immediately flinch in her touch, he pressed his lips against Ray’s neck to try and stifle his yelps. The woman could sense Zack wanting to be vocal, it was such a sensitive area after all. Her fingers sweetly stroked at the tip, feeling both the heat and stickiness of his precum seeping out from arousal, and to naturally lubricate his body part. Isaac’s legs trembled as his fingers slid themselves inside of Ray, making the woman writhe as well.

“Zack…if you can try and stay quiet this whole time around…mmh…I’ll…I’ll give you a treat when we get home,” Rachel whispered.

Zack raised a brow to her proposition, it sounded much more enticing than getting sweets, like she had promised earlier.

He wanted to know why she wanted him to be quiet, he thought he was doing good, until he felt her hands go back and she pulled his hand out from inside of her. Zack huffed from her action until Ray got onto her knees and quickly slid her mouth over his arousal. Isaac quickly covered his mouth, and gasped into his palm. He had to remind himself over and over of the reward if he stayed quiet, no matter how good her sucks felt.

Ray softly moaned against him, enjoying his lustful taste, and gently bobbed her head back and forth, while her hand stroked the other half her mouth didn’t cover. Zack’s cock was throbbing hard within Rachel’s mouth, and he leaned himself against the bookshelf to keep his legs from buckling underneath him. Her sucks varied in pressure, often soft, switching to firm, then maybe in between, her lips cushioned his pulsing shaft, while her tongue kept him slick and aroused as it caressed the undercarriage during the movements.

‘Gotta stay quiet...fuck…oh fuck, it feels so good…’ Zack swore to himself. ‘She’s so fucking amazing at this…’

Zack’s hips swayed along with her suckles and strokes, fulfilling that desperate need to thrust into something, he wanted to fuck her so bad. However, he also knew that he shouldn’t take the risk of cumming in a public area – it would make their secretive friskiness too obvious. Ray could hear Zack murmur out choked groans and grunts when she slurped and kissed at the head of his member, she did like to please him there, knowing how weak it made a man like him, and she savored Zack’s sinful flavor as well.

The pressure was building, Zack could feel it, he had to stop her, he can’t cum here of all places, no matter how amazing it felt. He grasped her shoulders and gently slid his erection out of her mouth, which left Ray confused.

“Are you not liking this?”

“Ray, you know I fucking love when ya’ do this,” Zack mumbled, softly panting, “Mmh…I can’t risk leaving the place a mess when I cum…”

He was right, there was no telling how hard Zack could ejaculate, depending on how turned on Ray made him.

“Stand up a sec, babe…” Zack whispered as he tugged her up, “you can take your underwear off or move the leg back, I’m gonna put it in…”

“That’ll leave a mess too…”

Zack had a solution to that, he dug in his coat pocket, and pulled out a condom.

“After our little fun in the park, I decided not to leave home without it for our dates,” Zack chuckled.

Seems like neither one could resist the other during a romantic day, Rachel decided it was best to just pull the leggings back, instead of fighting to slip her panties off with her boots on. Zack took that extra time to prepare himself, slipping the rubber out from the small packaging and onto his hard manhood. Now that it was fitted on snugly, he picked up Rachel’s leg again, and wrapped it around his waist. The legging was pulled back to give him easier access to penetrate her, and Zack guided his hard-on to Ray’s thighs. They both felt very hot, one softly gasped from the consensual invasion, while the other did from the tight warmth enveloping around them.

“It feels good, Zack…” Ray whispered.

“Heh…I haven’t even moved yet…”

One hand held Rachel by the hip, while the other grasped onto the bookshelf to keep them supported, and within seconds, Zack began to thrust inside of her. Ray whimpered as she held onto Zack tightly, the two locked lips yet again when they felt the urge to let out loud moans and other lewd noises. After Ray’s previous blowjob, Isaac was still very horny and stimulated, which made him a little more vocal than usual. He tried his damndest to stay quiet, he wanted that reward at the end.

Isaac had to move his hips a little slower than normal, they had a high probability of getting caught if the wrong noises were made. It made Zack nervous, but secretly excited. Their tongues played with one another as Zack glided in and out of Ray’s slippery heat, the couple enjoyed their taste, their warmth, and the pleasure they gave one another. With Zack’s waist rocking back and forth in erotic movements, Ray rolled her hips against his to even the work and momentum between their connection. Zack was throbbing inside of her, Ray could feel it within her quivering walls, she bit at her bottom lip a couple times when he slid against her pleasurable nerves just right, and she wanted to moan out approval. Instead, she leaned close, wanting to whisper in Zack’s ear and turn him on even more.

She wasn’t one to talk dirty, but she sure as hell wanted Zack to desire the treat she had in store for him.

“Aah…Zack…” she softly whispered, feeling him tremble from her hushed words, “I…I can’t wait until we get home…I want to give you your treat so badly.”

Rachel felt Zack tightly clench on her hip, knowing her words were getting to him, he even pushed inside of her a little rough a couple times.

“I want you to hold me down as you taste me…I know you like doing that…” she breathed, “I actually like when you do that too…”

Isaac was breathing out soft growls, then lightly bit at her neck to stop himself from slipping aroused moans.

“After that…I’m going to continue where I left off,” she spoke, “I like hearing you moan, Zack…it’s very sexy…no matter what I do, I just love hearing the sounds you make…that’s why the next time I please you, I’ll be slow and thorough with it.”

Fuck, she was making it so much harder for him to stay quiet, her words burning in his ear was turning him on so much, and he felt his body screaming at him to cum. As Ray continued her sweet words, Zack held onto her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck, and trying desperately to stay quiet. His hips continued the rhythmic pace inside of Rachel, but with her whispering sexy things to him in such a tone, it was taking him closer to his climax. Isaac’s cock throbbed with a heated ache, and already he had a sensation that he needed to release the pressure inside of him.

Soon, Ray felt Zack’s body push inside her deep, as if following his usual instinct to delve inside her as he came, her body readily took him in, and her leg pushed against Zack’s waist. Both lovers struggled to keep their silence, but couldn’t help themselves from gasping sharply, Zack felt his body reach the brink, and his hips jerked inside of his woman. He hummed out choked grunts as his member bucked inside of Ray and he was overwhelmed with the euphoric rapture of his orgasm. Ray felt the familiar thrusts of Zack climaxing, along with the hard throbs his body gave when he came inside of her. They were strong pulses that signaled his body’s need to push out the flows of semen that built up within his groin. Zack panted heavily, sliding his spent manhood inside of her a little more before slipping himself out. The man got onto his knees to catch his breath for a moment, then reached in his pocket to pull out a handkerchief to help him dispose of evidence, he wasn’t going to miss the cloth anyway.

Once the proof of their little misdeed was cast off to the side, Zack quickly grasped Ray’s hips, draping her leg over his shoulder, and quickly enveloped his mouth over Ray’s stimulated womanhood. Ray threw her head back a little as she immediately covered her mouth to silence any loud moans, she huffed as her body shook, and her hips rolled against his hungry sucks.

This may have been a treat set for the future, but Isaac wanted a sample of it – he’s been good…long enough.

Zack swirled his tongue along her slippery flesh, tasting her sinful nectar, while he sent her body in a desirous haze. Rachel bucked her hips against Isaac’s mouth a couple of times, after Zack’s moment of intercourse, she was still very aroused, and her moment of climax was just around the corner. Zack suckled and lapped at her soaked core, holding her tight, just how she said she liked it – held firmly against his mouth with no chance of escaping his hunger. Whatever excess of her sweetness he slurped, he would greedily swallow, and would drink more of her.

Ray clasped her mouth tight, she felt the heat in between her legs swarm through her, while Zack’s tongue only stoked the heat even more, her legs were shaking and her knees felt like caving in any moment. Zack was holding her up firmly, he could taste that she was getting closer to climaxing, so he was going to help her get there – by teasing at her sweet little bud just how she liked it. Rachel hummed a strained moan in her hand, Zack’s tongue flicked, suckled, and lapped at her throbbing bundle of nerves, and the pleasure she felt gradually building, was seconds from consuming her.

It took one long and savoring lick to send her over the edge, she quietly whimpered as she huffed heavily, Isaac could feel Ray’s thighs squirming underneath his mouth, as he continued his pleasing slurps. Ray felt herself get lost to the pleasure, while Zack carefully held her up, he didn’t want her to collapse and make any noise. So, Ray subconsciously leaned against one of the bookshelves, while Zack continued his suckles, getting every flavor of her climax before she came back to reality. Slowly, Zack pulled his slippery tongue away, and wiped his lips. The couple stayed in their hidden area for a little longer to rest, before sneaking back to the real world.

They peeked through the bookcase to make sure the coast was clear, made themselves decent again, moved the bookshelf to escape, and disposed of any evidence of what they did in secret.

Rachel did get her book to throw off suspicion, and when the two left the bookstore, they couldn’t hold back their laughter as they gained enough distance. They were still in shock that they managed to get away with a quickie in a public area yet again. They were craftier, and more devious, than they thought.

There was still Zack’s reward though.

Ray grasped Zack’s hand and gently pulled him as she quickly lead the way back to their house, Isaac was surprised with how very eager she was. With the comfort of having to be as loud as they fucking want now, he couldn’t blame her.

Once they made it home, Rachel tossed her book and coat to the side, then took off Zack’s coat and scarf, before nudging him to their bedroom.

“I’m going! Hold yer’ damn horses,” Zack teased.

Ray was going to have none of it, once they were in the room, she shut the door, and pushed Zack onto the bed. Where this behavior came from, Zack would never know, it was something that left him both intrigued and afraid at the same time. When she got like this, she really knew how to make him feel so damn good, but he was afraid of what she was capable of, like making him faint.

Isaac was feeling his shirt being pushed up, exposing his abs and belly to Ray, and she quickly dived her head down to softly kiss at his rows of muscle, while her fingers worked to undo the fly of his pants. Heat crawled on Zack’s face, this woman was swarming his lower abdomen with needy kisses and licks, as his lower half was becoming draftier from his clothing being slipped off.

Once his pants met the floor, Ray was going in. She slid in between his legs and began to shower his thighs and manhood with amorous kisses, then grasped at Zack’s malleable shaft, and exposed the tip to tease at it. As soon as she dragged her tongue against it, his hips quickly jerked, and he didn’t restrain his voice this time. If it felt good, he was going to fucking let her know it. Rachel did not lie about being thorough about it, she wrapped her lips around the head a couple times for small suckles before swirling her tongue all around it, starting from the outer edges, then working their way to the center of it all. One hand kept Zack’s thighs open as they trembled under her grip, she was going to do her share of holding him down while she savored his taste and prevented his waist from escaping.

“Aaah! Fucking shit! Oh god, Ray…!” Zack moaned from Ray’s attentive licks and slurps.

She did another round of swirls from bottom to top, then began to drag her tongue at the peaks. As she lightly dipped her tongue at the insert, she could taste the first drops of precum that was starting to seep out. Zack wriggled underneath Rachel’s mouth, breathing out strong moans as heat was building in his body, and his member was already expanding to its full erect size. Ray pulled back for a moment and focused her attention to the lengthened territory to explore, trailing her lips and tongue against the rigid shaft, feeling at every groove and details with her soft fingers, and softly stroked him to keep him stimulated.

“Ray…R-Ray!...”Zack breathed out, then clenched onto the bed sheets.

The woman was in a trance of sorts, absolutely hellbent to please Zack and send him on his pleasurable euphoria. Her hand kept a snug grip on the base of Isaac’s shaft, and continued to stroke him, while her mouth took in the upper half of his dick. Zack’s back arched slightly, already she was sucking, licking, and stroking at all the right areas that made him jerk and writhe. He couldn’t stay quiet for a second, he was beckoning Rachel’s name with every moan, and every moan escaped had every heavy breath. His waist began to move along with her lustful actions, matching the pace the woman had set in needy and sensual waves of the body. Ray even added to the pleasure by moaning every now and then as she enjoyed Zack’s taste and hearing his lewd sounds. They sounded so vulnerable, open, and alluring – it made her want to please him more.

Zack slid one hand behind Rachel’s head, running his fingers through her long locks and gently pressed down on her to get any good spots she missed. When she got the gist, Zack tilted his head back, and shouted out another moan, now placing both hands behind her head.

“Mmh…f-fucking…so…good…” Zack struggled to say. “Ah…yeah…”

The man’s fingers were playing through her hair, rubbing gently against her scalp, and cradling her head in between his legs as she sucked on him. Fuck, they were both in paradise at this point.

Ray’s plush lips and talented tongue, plus with her swift hand, and its snug grip, Zack’s body was screaming at him to cum. His hips bucked and swayed in her mouth, loud and sexually pleased noises escaped every time Zack breathed, and he felt his body desiring a want to ascend to the heavens to escape the lusty and sinful hellfire coursing through his body. His release was building up, giving his body the familiar and desperate ache to let it all out, and with how Ray was going down on him, it may be very soon.

Zack yelped loudly as Rachel hummed more moans on his throbbing cock, he lightly clenched his fingers, but made sure not to tangle it within the woman’s hair. Ray’s head bobbed back and forth at a swift pace, she could taste the growing abundance of precum filling her mouth, and felt the throbbing heat against her lips – she knew Zack was going to cum.

Ray pulled back a second, looking at Zack straight in the eyes as she slowly dragged her tongue against the head of his erection, followed by light suckles and kisses at the very peak. Zack grit his teeth, he felt drool threatening to escape the corner of his lips, and the heat grow within his thighs. The woman continued her assault of greedy licks before sliding her mouth back down on him, and stroked him even faster. Zack’s legs squirmed and his waist thrashed slightly, he lightly pushed down on Ray a little more, as the pleasure was seconds from taking over his body.

Another hum on his body, and it was all over.

“F-Fuck!”

Zack’s back arched as his hips bucked once more, he tilted his head back into the mattress as he moaned his climax out loud for Ray to hear, and curled his toes just from how amazing his orgasm felt. Isaac’s member squirmed in Ray’s busy mouth until it began to erupt out his deposit, filling her mouth with his sticky seed until she had to pull back from taking in as much as she could, the rest splashed on Zack’s thigh, and the final remnants were gently milked out of him. Zack’s mind floated through it all, he couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe, he could only feel, and all he felt was rapturous pleasure.

Slowly, Zack’s body ceased tensing up, and relaxed onto the bed. His chest was rising and falling from deep breaths, and Isaac appeared like he was actually on the verge of releasing his spirit for a second.

“Christ…holy shit, Ray…” Zack panted, “…just, holy shit. You’re fucking amazing at this…”

Rachel lightly wiped her lips, then softly kissed at Zack’s spent member, hearing him gasp as the lingering throbs ghosted the pleasure on his body.

“Enjoyed the treat, then?” Ray asked.

“Heh…you fucking know it, enjoyed that shit in the book store too,” Zack replied with a tired laugh, “shit, we should get frisky like that again…it’s kind of thrilling.”

“A little too thrilling, Zack…it would be kind of awkward if we do get caught one day,” Ray spoke, “we had lots of cover on our side. Though, I did enjoy it too. I just couldn’t stand being quiet any longer.”

“Oh yeah, I really wanted to shout everything to the heavens, fuck,” Zack chuckled, then felt the small drops of the thick, white fluid on his skin, “Shit, I should get this off. A shower sounds nice.”

“Mind if I join you?”

Zack quietly laughed, “No need to ask, I was gonna haul you over my shoulder into the shower anyway.”

He sat up, and did as he promised, even giving the woman a playful smack on the rear as they headed to the master bathroom. The two felt accomplished today, they may not have gone out on a romantic walk during their date, but they sure as hell made the intimate side of it interesting. A little bit of secretive sex, and a bonus for keeping quiet for a safe getaway, they really had an interesting, but mutual romantic life.

Even now, the couple were enjoying bathing their partners a little too much, and brought themselves for another round of lovemaking.

#yeah public places aren't safe no place is safe you can run and you can hide but you can't hide from your sins #fanfic sin

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daleisgreat · 3 years

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Justice League

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Despite today’s entry for 2017’s Justice League (trailer) happening nearly four years after its original theatrical release, it was imperative for me to revisit this film a month out from HBOMAX’s planned March 18th release of the director’s cut that has the added prefix, Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Where do I begin with the backstory on this one!? Glossing over the behind-the-scenes hoopla would be a disservice, especially for any of you readers checking this out many years after the fact who have no idea about how these two versions came to be. I will attempt to provide some degree of context before jumping into my take on Justice League, so please bear with me….or jump ahead a few paragraphs. Director Zack Snyder caught a lot of flak from ardent comic book fans for his darker takes and artistic direction on Superman and Batman in his two previous films, Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. I reviewed both films here already and was part of the minority who was a fan of the polarizing films. Fast forward a couple years later and Snyder wraps shooting Justice League, which is the big finale to the current arc of DC Comics movie canon much like how Avengers: Endgame was for the Marvel films. However, early in post-production Snyder suffers a family tragedy with his daughter committing suicide and has no choice but to leave his post on the film, but not before handing off post-production duties to Joss Whedon, the director behind the first two, uber-successful Avengers films.

Amidst all this controversy, the executives at Warner Bros. are receiving a ton of criticism of not wanting another lengthy, dark tome of a superhero film like Snyder’s previous efforts. I praised The Avengers and other MCU films on here before, and I love their style of filmmaking too, but one common trait among Marvel films is that they are generally more lighthearted with more gags and feel more like “soft” PG-13 experiences. Which is a good thing for those films because that was how they were envisioned from the beginning, but speculation was running wild going into Justice League’s 2017 theatrical release that Joss Whedon was under intense pressure from Warner Bros. executives to reshoot scenes to add in more family friendly humor, and lighten up the length and tone of the movie in post-production to appeal to the criticism. The result was a two hour movie that was not a hit with much of anyone. Snyder critics were not satisfied with the changes, and fans like myself of Snyder’s past films felt like his work and vision for the movie was compromised. Over the next few years, slow-but-steady support grew over social media to #releasethesnydercut of Justice League. I thought this social media movement was a pipe dream that would never seem like a possibility for Warner to dedicate those resources to allow Snyder to re-cut the movie. Eventually though, much of the original cast and crew, and more and more fans frequently kept that hashtag alive, which culminated several months ago when Warner Bros. announced that Zack Snyder’s Justice League will be releasing on its HBOMAX streaming service this coming March. Snyder’s version will be double in length at four hours, and HBOMAX was originally going to release it as four weekly episodic installments, but later switched it back to one whole film. I am grateful that Snyder is finally getting his chance to redeem himself and release the movie how he originally envisioned, and am hopeful he wins over fans and critics alike. Now with the director’s cut just over a month out, I wanted to make sure to watch 2017’s version of the film one more time before then so I can get a better grasp at what was switched up for the new cut. Are you still with me? Good, now let us proceed with breaking down Whedon’s take on Justice League.

This 2017 cut opens up with a flashback of kids doing a smartphone interview with Superman (Henry Cavill), fresh off the scene of duty which leads to an opening credits montage of the world still reeling from the death of Superman after his battle with Darkseid in Batman V Superman. This then jumps to Batman (Ben Affleck) failing at recruiting Aquaman (Jason Momoa) to join him for anticipating a new threat. That threat is the return of Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciarán Hinds), who is on a quest to regain his power by procuring three hidden “Mother Boxes.” Eventually Bats touches base with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) to proselytize aid to combat Steppenwolf. That help comes in the form of Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller). Both heroes are introduced with having conflicts with their fathers, but eventually Wonder Woman convinces Cyborg to join up, and Batman has an entertaining scene with The Flash who fanboys out at Batman after he surprises Flash in his hideout. I am conflicted with Miller’s performance as Flash. I cannot help but feel he is the one who received the bulk of the re-shoot orders to add in some extra doses of levity throughout the film, because he repeatedly chimes in with one star struck idolizing gag after another throughout. A few of the jokes actually hit, but they are a bit much and I could not help but think I would have appreciated his act more if his zany would have been dialed back by about 60%. My gut tells me that was how Snyder originally directed him, so I will have to wait to see what his cut has in store. I cannot lie and admit I was like plenty of fans online wanting Grant Gustin to bring his pristine TV version of The Flash to the silver screen instead, but I understand Warner Bros. in wanting to keep the CW-TV canon and movie canon separate….but then they did that brief Gustin/Miller crossover last year on the TV series….and well, I have no idea what to make of it other than I was cracking up throughout their bizarre exchange, so I will just link you to the clip here to decide for yourselves.

A huge mid-film clash with Steppenwolf leads to Aquaman joining the team and Batman deciding it for the best to exploit the tech used on Cyborg to resurrect Superman….it does not seem right to type that out so matter-of-factly, and the buildup for this miraculous endeavor is shockingly swift and to the point. They accomplish this feat by digging up ‘ol Supes and bringing him to the magical waters that were used to resurrect Zod in the last film, and then apply one of the mystical Mother Boxes in conjunction with electrical energy from Flash’s speed to bring Superman back from the grave. It works, and the resulting fallout from a shaken-and-rampant Superman dueling with his new Super-pals was a delightful debacle to watch playout before Lois Lane (Amy Adams) shows up to reignite Superman’s humanity. Seeing those two reunite for a couple special scenes in the film was heartwarming, but also felt rushed with their brief screen time they share together, and I am hoping to see their dynamic explored more in the new cut. The final act sees the Justice League forming to take on Steppenwolf who now has the power of all three Mother Boxes on his side for an early advantage, until Superman shows up and instantly lays waste upon him and Steppenwolf instantly transforms from universal threat to a puny-putty-squad-esque-pushover. I am all for the Justice League prevailing, and I know Superman is invincible and all that, but I was stunned to see Steppenwolf instantly crumble to the ‘ol blue and red. I am hoping for a slightly more dramatic back-and-forth encounter in Snyder’s reimagining, but I will not hold out hope for the amount of CG work involved already in Whedon’s version and cannot imagine how much it would cost to completely alter the final battle for a more enticing experience. In the aftermath of Steppenwolf’s demise is the establishing of the building blocks of the Justice League’s headquarters in a charming hint of what is in store for this superhero team. Also make sure to stick around for both stingers, as the first has an awesome exchange between Flash and Superman to answer the long-debated fan question of which hero is faster, and then a stinger of the villains to come for the inevitable sequel.

There are eight extras totaling a little over an hour of bonus features to sift through. Of the eight pieces, there are three I recommend checking out the most: Road to Justice interviews many DC writers and artists who do an intriguing abridged history of key story arcs from the Justice League over the decades. Heart of Justice is a closer look at the historic core of the team in Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Justice League: New Heroes conversely goes in-depth on Cyborg, Aquaman and Flash. If you need to get caught back up to speed on the DC films, than those three extras are a recommended primer worth checking out. Even with all my aforementioned qualms with Justice League above, I did not come out of it outright hating the film. If Flash’s humor would have been dialed back a couple degrees and just an extra 10-15 minutes added to some of the scenes that I felt were shortchanged, then I would have had a better outlook here instead. I know the average theater-goer despises 2+ hour films, and for the average theater-goer that is not a hardcore comic book fan, than this Whedon cut of the film should suit you just fine. However, I cannot get fully behind what feels like a sabotaged cut, and eagerly await to see what the four hour version from Zack Snyder has in store for me next month.

Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street The Accountant Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers: Endgame The Avengers: Infinity War Batman: The Dark Knight Rises Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve The Clapper Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed I & II Deck the Halls Detroit Rock City Die Hard Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Dirty Work Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Grunt: The Wrestling Movie Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Hell Comes to Frogtown Hercules: Reborn Hitman I Like to Hurt People Indiana Jones 1-4 Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Last Action Hero Major League Man of Steel Man on the Moon Man vs Snake Marine 3-6 Merry Friggin Christmas Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpions Revenge National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets Nintendo Quest Not for Resale Payback (Director’s Cut) Pulp Fiction The Punisher (1989) The Ref The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VIII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery Scott Pilgrim vs the World The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Slacker Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Sully Take Me Home Tonight TMNT The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild The Wizard Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Apocalypse X-Men: Days of Future Past

#random movie #justice league #DC comics #dc #superman #batman #wonder woman #flash #cyborg #aquaman #ben affleck #Gal Gadot #henry cavill #ezra miller #jason momoa #ray fisher #amy adams #zack snyder #joss whedon

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