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#technology readiness level
abnrtech · 2 years
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https://ift.tt/CorfHdI
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eld0ts · 2 years
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“WHAT DO YOU WANNA SAY TO the person who wrote the a level media studies component one eduqas exam paper RIGHT NOW???!!”
sup baby…. take me out to dinner~
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emergencyplumbingil · 1 month
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chaoticace2005 · 2 months
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Vox’s Rivalry with Alastor: Need for Control
The whole thing with Vox is control. He’s the embodiment of modern technology and surveillance. The privacy issues we face? In Hell that’s all Vox. And when you think of it like that his whole rivalry with Alastor makes so much sense on a logical level.
Things Vox Controls:
-The public: constant surveillance, brainwashing, and further control over media content they consume. He doesn’t just control what people watch but he watches people.
-This partners (to a degree): we see this with how he interacts with Valentino. He isn’t the one in CHARGE, but the thing with Valentino is he tends to be very explosive, and Vox is able to direct the blast in a direction that won’t harm him (offers to bring up employees for Val to kill so he won’t make a public display about Angel)
-Himself: We see how he puts so much energy on to be publicity ready and have a smile on his face. Talking very much like a businessman or politician. He acts completely different in front of camera.
Even his smile. Both Vox and Alastor use smiling as a mechanism to hide their true selves. But with Alastor it works as a way to keep people guessing, to inspire a level of fear oftentimes.
Vox isn’t like that. He puts on a fake, plastic smile. Alastor tries to make himself off putting on purpose, Vox doesn’t. He does it to keep them complacent. Alastor smiles so people won’t figure him out. Vox smiles so people trust him enough not to try.
We see that the second Alastor is brought up that smile vanishes. His self control is gone. Throughout the song we see him lose more control over his public persona, getting more visibly angry, while at the same time the public turns more to Alastor. Meanwhile Alastor also butters his partners up and publicly announces to the world that “no, Vox can’t control me. Trust me, he tried.”
Every single thing Vox controls is threatened when Alastor is involved. Vox has no way to control him.
-Methods he uses on the public? Surveillance and media? Won’t work because Alastor can’t be captured on camera well and hates modern technology. Brainwashing the public? Won’t work if they’re paying more attention to Alastor than him.
-His partners? Alastor declined his partnership and is willing to poke at the relationship between the Vees. All the Vees carry some weight in the relationship, but Alastor could make Vox seem obsolete. He’s able to control their public perception, yes- but one of them could easily go rogue and blow that to bits.
-Himself? Demolished. Gone. He has a public breakdown. He glitches out. Fully cries at the end of the song. Maybe it’s the fear of what Alastor could do, maybe it’s their past, maybe it’s Vox’s weird hate boner, maybe it’s unrequited feelings. Who knows. All logic and control goes out the window when Alastor is involved.
And the thing Alastor seems very much the same. He hates being under someone’s leash. He needs to be in control. When he’s reminded he’s not he lashes out. The first time we really see their masks break is when they’re reminded of the fact there is someone out there that is a threat to the control the have. The “What did you say?” they both do before lashing out.
I’m interested in seeing how they’ll interact in the future. Because they really do seem like two sides of the same coin. The only difference is we know who Vox is afraid of, we don’t fully know who Alastor is of yet. They need power over others, but more than that they need power over themselves. (Alastor being controlled by whatever the deal he made was. While Vox is controlled by his emotions towards Alastor. And both being controlled by their fear.)
( @gabrielsbubblegumbitch I’m curious on your thoughts? I’ve read some of your analyses 1’s would love feedback.)
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hey-foreieys · 2 months
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Do you think Vox is nostalgic when he hears Alastor?
Not from whatever past in hell they might have, but from being alive? Alastor walks around talking, not just in the accent, but with the same distortion that a radio from Vox's childhood would've had, using the slang from the time period.
And yeah there's overlap in early-mid century entertainment, but Alastor stays in 1933. He doesn't move on, he's quite literally plucked right out of his time and just meanders around the new technology and culture more recent sinners bring down with them.
Some 20-odd years go by and Vox fucking dies and wakes up in Hell. Sleazy TV host gets his ironic punishment in the form of having a clunky actual television set in place of his head. You get the idea.
So Vox is going about his business newly-dead and in Actual Hell and he comes across somebody that's near literally a walking radio show like the ones he listened to as a kid. 24/7, this guy does not let his act fall a single time. He's confident, always smiling, and always on. And Vox admires that; he KNOWS how much work it is to put on that sort of persona, it's exhausting. But this "Alastor" guy? He never drops it. Not once. At the very least, never that anyone has ever seen.
We only have vague inclinations on what happens next. Alastor and Vox were familiar on some level, enough that Vox has a clear, uncorrupted photo of Alastor. We know Vox had propositioned some kind of partnership to Alastor, which he declined. This could have been anytime in the last 70 or so years, long before the other Vees. We don't know if this was a simple "no thank you" or a drawn out and humiliating "how dare you," we just know it's a touchy subject for Vox.
Anyway. It's the 21st century. Vox is proudly the face of new tech and innovation. Embracing the future and ready to exploit it. TVs, computers, smart phones, drones, whatever; he wants to put his name on it.
But there's still a tiny part of Vox that sticks with him. Some hundred year old memory of a little boy sitting on the floor trying to listen to music and stories and news through the crackle of static from the radio. Thinking that maybe, one day, he might be the one telling stories and news. Now there's a walking, talking, physical embodiment of that memory.
And Vox sits with the knowledge that the walking memory hates him.
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safination · 2 months
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Partners in Death... and Life
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Part 3: Not Everything You Hear From the Radio Should be Trusted
| Part 2: Radio Will be Dead if He Doesn't Explain Himself| Part 4: The Radio Star’s Co-host Just Wants To Do The Dishes| |Masterlist| ao3| Tag-list| Parings: Alastor x wife!reader Tags: fem!reader, established relationship, hopefully not but just in case ooc!alastor (I'm still trying my best to keep him as canon as possible) Reader is in hell for a reason. Please take note of the following warnings: Body horror. Graphic descriptions of injuries, glass piercing skin, cutting of skin, cutting of chest. Dissection of Human muscles. Misogyny Just…be careful out there Hello. I usually aim to post on Wednesdays, and I knoooow it's not a Wednesday. But, in my defense, this chapter is longer than chapters 1 and 2 combined. Also, I tried to keep the body horror to a medium level. I tried to find a perfect balance of horrifying but also still readable. Would you guys want more body horror, or less, or is this a good amount? Updated: 5/01/2024 *just realized that I forgot to add the part I was supposed to add*
The heart monitor beeps with a steady rhythm. The model’s ECG reading dip, but that’s normal for her species. You study the model asleep on your table, and take your place.
Turning to your interns, you adjust the fit of your gloves as say, “Are you ready?
From the other side of the table, Lys nods her head with such vigor that you’re afraid it would fall off. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be!”
Heme takes their place next to you, wheeling the cart within your reach. “Aren’t there supposed to be more people here?” they ask, adjusting the fit of their mask with their shoulder. “We don’t even have an anesthesiologist present, and the technician dumped the tools and left without a word!”
Sighing, you take another look at the screen, and monitor the patient’s ECG readings. Just a couple of decades ago, you wouldn’t even be allowed to take five steps into a surgical suite, but in your death, you stare at the state-of-the-art Vox technology heart monitor.
“This was dumped at the last minute. And the Vees paid a hefty amount for the best,” you say, smiling to yourself. “I guess it doesn’t help that most of the staff have clocked-off for the night already.”
“It really doesn’t,” Heme says. You think they frown, you’re not actually sure. It’s hard to tell with masks on, but Heme sounds like they’re frowning.
“On the bright side, this is a special case, and special cases require special means,” you say. “Stick around, and I’ll make sure to show you something amazing.”
Lys squeals, jumping a bit, “I can’t wait to see your work.”
You turn to Heme. “Tell how you were guided into stopping the bleeding by Doctor Neisseria.”
Heme straightens, round their shoulders. “Hemostatic dressing for the capillaries,” they recite. “Then Lys clipped the bigger vessels, and Doctor Neisseria used an electrocautery for any that we missed.”
“Good,” you say. “Lys, is this your first time using a clip?”
“…Yes,” Lys tells you. Even with a mask on, you could tell she was sulking.
You eye the cart between you and Heme, double checking that the technician brought everything you requested for. “It shows,” you say. “Practice every chance you get. Make a deal with some poor and down on their luck Sinner who wouldn’t mind making a deal for permission to poke around whenever you want. They’ll heal on their own if it’s not too severe…or don’t—I mean, that’s how I did mine.”
Lys blinks at you. “I’ll…keep that in mind.”
Your shoulder slumps. “…Shall we just begin?”
Heme hands you a needle driver, the needle already clipped to it. A bunch of suture forms around your palm. It’s study, and made of pure Sinner Magical Energy, or just magic or whatever. It comes out of your and you have full control, that’s all you need to know.
Heme and Lys lean closer to observe the threads you make.
I don’t get to do this often.” You turn your head, motioning to the detached arm placed on the side. The skin has been stretched and the jagged and stringy muscle fibers sticking out tell you it’s been ripped off rather than slice. The radius protrudes out into the air, jagged and sharp. It would have hurt this model quite a lot. “Steady her arm please.”
Lys snatches the arm, holding it with confidence as she steadies it. “This is so cool.”
Heme hums. “Cool in a gross way.”
“Whether your patient is awake or not, a steady hand is key,” you say. “When you pierce your needle, be sure to do it right at the epidermis when dealing with the skin. Too deep and you’ll puncture the arteries or nerves.”
Lys brings the arm closer, and you do the first suture that will connect the limb of Velvette’s model. Valen-something apparently tore her up, but it wasn’t enough to kill her. So, they rushed her into the Emergency Room three days before this poor girl’s debut, and dropped her into your care with her arm and leg in an ice box.
You sew the model’s arm. The threads around your fingers are light, but sturdy. You entwine some around your fingers like some puppet master for better grip. Blood vessels, bones, nerves, and muscles. Not a single cell escapes your control.  
You quiz your interns from time to time or tell them to take a closer look at where the vessels stick out the muscles, making sure they’re able to observe how a proper reattachment is conducted.
You study the threads connecting the arm to its body There are thousands of loose sutures. One single pull, and it will be completely reattached.
You shift your shoulders and crack your neck, giving it a slight stretch. “How long has it been?”
Lys glances at the clock behind you. “Five hours. I think it’s almost sunrise.”
“Be ready to be here for a while,” you say, rolling your shoulders. “The leg will be more complicated.”
Heme groans and their shoulder slump. “I guess I should just be thankful the model is mostly humanistic.”
You pull on the singular thread, and the stitches shorten until the arm is fully connected to its base. A thing line is the only indication that any limbs have been detached.
The door swings open and you snap your head at the sound.
“Hey doc!” The little Egg Boi saunters into the room, an envelope in his tiny hands. “I got something for you.”
Your feathers crack and sharpen. “If you wish to keep your shell,” you hiss at him, “you will leave this room before you contaminate it further.”
Egg Boi #04 wobbles a bit. “I was told to give you a message.”
A headache forms on your temples. You want to massage it, but that would contaminate your gloves. “Lys, show the egg to the observation room. Show him the microphone.”
Lys pouts a bit but exits the surgical suite.
Heme grabs the leg, and you begin again. You pause to take a deep breath. The threads don’t just appear out of thin air—they’re created because you will them to take shape. It gives as much as it needs to take from you.
Egg Boi# 04’s voice echoes on the speaker. “I have a note for you.”
“Read it then leave.” You pierce the tibia bone with your needle (special hell needle, you guess. Normal needles definitely cannot pierce bones) and connect it to the model’s leg.
Your concentration does not waver, even as Lys enters back into the room.
“My dearest good doctor,” Egg Boi #04 reads. “What a helltastic day for –"
“Stop!” you exclaim, and the threads you’re producing fizzle a bit, “Is that from Alastor?”
“Uhhh…yes?”
“Give me 10 minutes.” You sew the model’s leg just like before, starting from bones, then vessels, the muscles, and finally skin, but this time at a much faster pace.  
Thousands of strings connect the detached leg to its place.
Heme gawks at you. “I thought the leg was more complicated?”
“It is.”
“It took you five minutes to sew everything,” they say. “Why did it take the arm until sunrise?”
“You wouldn’t have been able to learn anything if I went too fast.” You hand the needle driver to Heme, who takes it with eager hands “I trust you will be able to close for me?”
“Yes!”
“Go around the skin—remember not too deep,” you say. “Once it’s all connected, just one strong pull and the threads should work their magic. Lys, once she closes, you can practice your knots.”
The door closes with a swing. You discard your gloves then peel off your protective layers, but you keep the scrub cap on your head.
The Egg Boi waddles into the room, threatening to tip any moment. He holds up Alastor’s note and you’re forced to bend when you reach for it.
You open the envelope and sigh. “This is a letter, and definitely not a note,” you say counting all the pages jammed into the envelope. “Notes are small pieces of paper, and not fifteen pages of paper scribbled back-to-back.”
You take one deep breath, flaring your nostrils as you contemplate your marriage choices, and begin reading.
Heme enters the holding room as you’re reading through the last page.
They take a look at the pages you’ve read. “Ohhhhh a letter?” they say, discarding their mask into the trash. Their gloves are next. “Who is it from?”
“My husband.”
“Why a letter?” Heme asks you “Why not just shoot you a text or a phone call?”
“He mumbles to himself when he writes, and he just loves hearing his own voice.” You turn to the Egg Boi once you’ve read the last word. “Tell Alastor I’m busy—I can’t leave work to go to the hotel on such short notice!”
“Right….” Heme leans against the sink. “Management will be dropping by this afternoon.”
Your eyes squint. “This afternoon? I was told there'd be visiting tomorrow!”
“Yes, they informed you last night,” Heme says. “It’s tomorrow now—morning, actually.”
Your eyes twitch as your turn to Egg Boi #4. “Tell him I will be early. Now go, run along now, least you get scrambled.”
ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ
Bustling sounds from the other side of the circus themed doors. You knock then take a step backwards, least Vaggie greets you with a fist to the face.
A crash sounds from the inside. The door slams open, and Charlie pops out, hair disheveled and sticking out in odd places. You see the relief oozing into her. Charlie’s smile relaxes and her eyes stop bulging at the sight of you.
She says your name with enthusiasm. “It’s just you! I am so glad to see you.”
You wave at her. “Hello, Charlie. It’s good to see you as well.”
“Would you like to come inside?” she says at the same time another crash sounds. Charlie’s smile turns sheepish. “I hope you don’t mind the mess.”
“It’s quite alright,” you say with a polite smile. “Who am I to judge another person’s mess? It can be quite entertaining sometimes.”
 Charlies smoothens the stray hairs sticking out. It does little to actually fix it. “Sooooo what brings you by? Not that you’re not welcome here! Everyone is welcome here! We don’t discriminate at –”
The door swings wider and Alastor pops out with that permanent smile of his. “I called her here.”
Alastor helps you out of your coat as you enter through the doors, and drapes it over his arm. “I came early. I hope you don’t mind,” you say, glancing at the crudely attached banners. Strobe lights are being taped to the railings. Its brightness makes you blink. “Are you throwing a party? Is that why you called me here?”
Alastor hangs your coat on the rack. “We’re preparing for a sudden guest,” he says. “It seems we’ll have to delay our plans, only if you’re happy with waiting for me.”
Charlie shrinks and her eyes water a bit. “Alastor…,” she says with a frown. “If you have plans, that’s alright—go. We can manage without you here!”
“Not at all, this is where he needs to be right now,” you tell Charlie, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her smile brightens immediately. “Who will be the special guest today?”
Charlie fiddles with her fingers. “We…invite my…dad.”
Alastor twirls his microphone. “The King of Hell himself.”
“Oh,” you start, “the demon is coming here?”
“That’s actually Satan,” Charlie says with a smile. “Dad often gents confused with Satan but they’re not the same
“Oh…So, Lucifer is coming here.”
“Pretty much.”
You laugh a bit—you’re not even sure why. Maybe you shouldn’t have laughed. It sounded so awkward, even to you. “Well, how can I help? If it’s alright with you, of course.”
Charlie’s eyes brighten, and she shakes your shoulders. “Are you sure?”
Alastor grabs Charlie’s fingers with the tip of his own and pry them off you. “I’ve already come all this way,” you say, and turn to your husband. “I’m sure we can make the most out of this situation.”
Charlie leaves to change her clothes, and hopefully brush her hair while she’s at it.
Alastor offers his arm, and you loop your own around his, even when you know it’s unnecessary to escort you to a living area that’s five-feet away.
He leaves you, walking to the kitchen with a wave of his microphone.
The hotel looks the same, just more diverse colors hanging around. Niffty stalks past you without a word, engrossed in her task of sweeping the floor. Angel Dust or Vaggie don’t seem to be around, nor is Husk at his usual post. Only a one-eyed cat keeps you company.
On the table,  deflated balloons are left forgotten with two pumps resting next to it. You take your seat, and complete the unfinished task.
You’re on the third balloon when Alastor presents a mug to you.
He leans over the chair, reaching his arms to place that ‘Oh Deer’ mug on the table. It’s difficult to meet his eyes when he leans so far in front that his whole face is upside down.
His hair hangs in the air, and your husband looks goofy in such an awkward position that you can’t help but laugh. “You look awful this hellish morning!” he says, and his grin widens until his teeth show. “I thought you could use a bit of brightening up. You’re practically dozing off in the chair.”
 “Thank you,” you say, a small smile on your face. “The coffee smells good.”
Alastor swings back, and lands next to you. “I know we agreed to leave such tasks to you,” he says and he waves his arms as he talks. “But you look ready to drop dead any second. Poor Niffty had swept about a hundred feathers on your short walk from the door to this chair—Long day?”
“Longer day, actually. Yesterday’s long day turned into a late night that bleeds into today’s early morning.” You take a sip, and revel in its taste. Even after all these years…his coffee still tastes like acidic bean water. (If you smile, then that’s your business.) “The coffee tastes good.”
Alastor crosses his leg, cracking a laugh hard enough for his eyes to bulge. “You didn’t even try to check if it’s been tampered,” he says with that same wild smile. “Are you that tired, my love?”
You smile at him, lips curving bright and wide. “My deerest, did you place something into my coffee?”
“Not at all.”
“That’s disappointing,” you say, taking another sip. “That suit of yours could use some brightening up! A splash of this bean water would add such an interesting texture to it.”
“We’ll it good to see you’re not tired enough to lose your way with words,” Alastor says, smiling at you. “But if you’ve had a ‘longer’ day, you could have sent the Egg Boy—"
“It’s Egg Boi, my deerest.”
Alastor squints, his brow furrowing as he does. “That’s what I said.”
“You said Egg Boy, deerest,” you tell him, taking a longer sip than usual to drown your laughter. “Those eggs are called Egg Bois. They have different numbers—except Frank.”
On the corner of his cheek—just where it’s always been—Alastor’s smile strains. “You said the same thing as I did.”
“Egg Bois.”
“Egg Boys.”
“Egg Bois.”
“Egg Boys.”
You chuckle a bit, and take another long slip. “If you say so.”
Alastor rolls his eyes and he makes it a point to show you he’s doing so. “You could have mentioned to that egg creature that you’d had a long day.”
“Management was dropping by my floor today.” You grab another balloon to pump it.
Alastor’s head tilts, and you hear the small crack of his neck. Static fills the air. “Well, I’m always glad to be used in such a way.”
You roll your eyes, making it a point to show Alastor that you’re doing so. The sharpened feathers and the glow of your eyes were just for the fun of it. “There is another reason why I dropped by the hotel.”
“Do tell!”
You knot the end of the balloon and throw it to the side. “Who am I to refuse the summon of the Radio Demon?”
“His wife.”
You snort, and toss a balloon at him. One balloon becomes two and now you’re just tossing whatever balloon you could get your hands on.
Alastor pops a balloon and static emits from his microphone.
You cross your arms, staring down at him. “I was going to use that.”
Alastor grabs the second pump. 
An hour passes too soon. They always seem to do around your husband. The balloons are stringed and weighted. Razzle and Dazzle—the two lambs Charlie made a point to introduce you too—put up a…er… interesting banner on the railings.
Sir Pentious slithers out the kitchen, a tray of cookies in his hold. The Hazbin Hotel looks lively. The space looks decent—live in — as if Sinners actually gathered and used the space. (Those are your favorite kind.)
Sir Pentious offers a cookie to you, and you munch on it. You give him a compliment for its taste.
By the entrance, with Vaggie to her side and Alastor at the other, Charlie takes a deep breath, her nostrils flaring as she does.
Vaggie gives her a smile, and Charlie opens the door.
The bringer of sin rushes to his daughter, drowning her in a hug.“Chaaaaarlie!”
Charlie squirms in his hold. “Heeeyy, Dad!”
Egg Boi #13 and Egg Boi #08 twist their poppers and confetti pops into the air. Niffty grabs her broom, sweeping the floor.
You watch Lucifer, and try to hide your smile. The King of Hell looks different from any paintings or drawings humans make. They can’t seem to capture how shy he looks. How awkward. No painting has been able to capture his search for a place to belong.
This Fallen Angel has blond hair. He’s not the brunette you thought he’d be, which was a shame for you rather liked brunets. It makes sense he’d be blond. Afterall, Charlie has blonde hair as well, and she is the spitting image of her father.
If someone told you it was Lucifer who birthed her, you wouldn’t be able to deny it.
“It’s finally nice to put a name to the face.” Alastor shakes Lucifer’s hand with his microphone, wiping his own right after. “You are much shorter in real life.”
You turn aways, coughing to hide your laughter as Alastor banters with Lucifer.
Husk rolls his eyes at you and grumbles. “Of course, you’d find that hilarious,” he says. “Everyone knows it's smart to insult Lucifer.”
You place a hand on your cheek. “Guilty as charged.”
Charlie brings Lucifer to meet your group. He calls Vaggie, Maggie. Smiles awkwardly when Angel Dust calls him a ‘short king’. Lucifer waves back when Husk waves at him, and shrinks when Niffty jumps and pulls him by the collar. One by one, you’re introduced.
You extend your arm for a handshake.
Lucifer smiles awkwardly, shrinking a bit, but reaches out to shake your ha—
The chandelier crashes to the floor.
And oh God…
Lucifer begins to sing.
ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ
Your hair sticks to your face.
Water droplets splash on your clothes. You accept your fate, and trudge through the rain, even as your fingers freeze. The breeze blows your hair, making you nuzzle into your damp coat. You should have brought an umbrella, or taken a cab. Just your luck, a sunny day turns into a drizzle that turns your shoes into a lake. You hate damp socks.
An umbrella blocks the rain from your soaked clothes.
You spring out of its coverage, spinning to look behind. Your arms jerk out, causing you to wobble because of the wet pavement. (That’s totally not embarrassing.)
 “The point of an umbrella is to stay underneath it when it’s raining.” Alastor smiles, giving you a small wave.
You wave back.
“Oh…hello,” you say, adjusting the straps of your bag. Alastor takes a step forward, and you jump backwards. “I’m alright—I can manage by myself.”
“Why don’t you tell me all about your very capable self from underneath the umbrella,” he says, twirling the umbrella. “Come on, now.”
You dip your head inside. Alastor inches closer, but there’s still a respectable gap between your shoulders. “I’m really alright,” you say. “I quite love the rain.”
“Yes, the rain is a beautiful thing to frolic underneath when you’re in a meadow,” Alastor says. You can’t help but feel that Alastor is scolding you, “not when it splashes off buildings and drips off power lines and other items that have not been cleaned. We are in the city, my dear.”
“You really don’t have to.”
“My mother would roll in her grave and haunt me when she finds out I left a lady in the rain.”
“But—”
“Constant refusal is quite rude, you know,” he tells you. “And I still owe you one favor.”
“You really wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all,” Alastor says with a smile that makes you smile back. “If it makes you feel more comfortable, I’m happy to leave my umbrella in your umbrella-less but capable hands, and be on my way.”
You shake your head, inching closer. “We can share if you don’t mind walking.”
“I love walks. It keeps me stimulated.”
Alastor follows your every step, covering you with an umbrella that was meant for one. You glance at his shoulder, and turn away to hide your frown. Half of his shoulder sticks out into the rain, gathering droplets, while not a single speck of water slides on you.
Alastor is giving you the bigger half of the umbrella.
“Would you mind holding this?” he asks.
“Not at all,” you say, and take a hold of his umbrella. Alastor is taller, and you have to quirk your arms higher to avoid hitting his head.
Alastor slips out of his coat. You watch him slide it off his shoulders and pull his arm out the slits. He’s wearing a vest—a fine vest as well. Alastor flicks out stray waterdrops. He leans close enough for you to smell his cologne. He drapes his coat over your shoulders, grabbing the lapels to adjust its fit. His body heat lingers. It’s warm…he’s warm.
Alastor pries the umbrella from your grip with a wide smile. “Before you say anything, the only response that I will be accepting is, ‘thank you’.”
“Thank you, Alastor.”
“You’re welcome.” He adjusts the angle of the umbrella, careful to keep every drop of rain from touching you, even at the cost of his own clothes. “Whatever made you decide to walk?  There are cabs and busses for a reason.”
“It wasn’t that bad when I started,” you say. “Plus, I was eager to get home.”
He keeps his eyes ahead. “It’s still quite dangerous.”
You step over a puddle, narrowly missing it. “Dangerous?”
“Yes!”
“The sun is—well, was still up when I began walking.”
Alastor hums, shaking his head. “Murders and thieves do not magically dissolve in the sun.”
You smile to yourself. “I’m sure you’re quite knowledgeable on that subject.”
Alastor turns to you, and his hair shifts as he tilts his head. “Pardon?”
“I heard your voice on the radio this morning,” you tell him, adjusting his coat around your shoulders. “I caught the news segment.”
“Well,” he starts, his smile widening. He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, “you must have been busy when I mentioned the forecast then.”
You inch closer as much as he’ll allow you, trying to keep a respectable distance, but still close enough that Alastor doesn’t need to sacrifice his clothes to keep yours dry. “Speaking of radio, what brings you to this area?” you say. “Isn’t the radio station all the way across town?”
Alastor laughs in a way that makes you wish you’ve kept your mouth shut. “Have you been tracking my movements?”
“Not at all,” you say and try to mimic his laugh. It comes out strained instead. “I just know how to read a map.”
Alastor steps over a puddle. He places a hand on your back, guiding you away from it. “I just had some business in the area,” he says and drops his hand. “I turned the corner and I found you walking all alone in the rain!”
You smile, careful to keep your eyes forward. “I’m thankful to whatever beings that fated our paths to cross.”
Alastor leans closer, eyeing your hands. “Been gardening recently?”
You glance at your nails, at where stubborn soil sticks underneath the cuticle. “No…not at all,” you say slowly. “I guess you could say…light treasure hunting…?”
“The more I get to know you, the more I find myself dumbfounded at your wide range of hobbies.”
“I hate seeing things go to waste.” You try to ignore the squish of your socks. You are definitely never forgetting your umbrella again. “For example, your garbage is my treasure.”
“What a wonderful philosophy to live by.” Alastor meets your eyes and smiles.
You smile back. “Indeed, isn’t it?”
Alastor’s hold on the umbrella stays firm, even as he follows you around the corner and across the street. Not a single drop of water lands on you. “What treasure were you able to find?”
“You have a lot of questions for me today,” you say and ignore the thumping of your heart. “I feel as if you know me more than I know you—I think that’s rather unfair.”
“Well, what would you like to know?”
You move your foot to avoid puddles of trash. The city could really use a good cleaning. “You know so much about my hobbies. So, I’d like to know some of yours.”
“There isn’t really much to tell,” he says. “The radio is my life.”
A strong breeze has you sinking deeper into Alastor’s coat. “You have your hunts.”
You glance at Alastor, and oh…his hair is as brown as his eyes. Wisps of hair stick to his face because of the rain.
Alastor’s brows furrow a bit, but you swear his smile turns sweet. “Those are more of… a necessity than a hobby.”
“In what way?”
“The woods around my area have a lot of… let’s say… mammals that don’t necessarily belong there, it is as if someone just leaves them from time to time. I hunt a few here and there to thin the population a bit.”
You smile to yourself. “Well, tell me about the radio—What is that like?”
He places his free hand on his chest. “Why, it is the proper medium of expressing oneself, of course.”
“It must be nice having such a creative outlet,” you say. “Sometimes, I wonder how you’re able to come up with the most exciting segments.”
“Sadly, you would think after all these years of bringing success and money into the company, I would be allowed to have more control over my content.”
You step over another puddle. A small tug on Alastor’s arm, and he steps over it as well. “That is quite sad to hear.”
“For example,” he starts, adjusting his hold on the umbrella. “I wanted to have this whole portion just on crimes that have been committed.”
“Like… the news?”
“No, not at all,” he says. “I was thinking more on the lines of old cases like robberies and murders—some solved, some not. Unfortunately, the director said it would be too gruesome.”
“It really depends on how you choose to present it,” you say. “I think audiences would love a good mystery with a satisfying conclusion.”
“That is exactly what I thought so as well!” Alastor’s smile widens. “I came across this story…Oh, well I wouldn’t want to bother you with the details.”
“I’d love to hear this,” you say, chuckling. “Show me how you would present it.”
“One winter night,” he starts off with that never ending smile on his lips, “a child—no ordinary child—disappears in the middle of the night. There were no signs of a break in and nothing other than the child was taken from the home. Not a single dust was out of place.”
“Wait, what was so special about the child?”
“I will tell you,” he says. “That child was the two-year old son of aviator Charles Lindenberg! Some newspapers called the child the ‘Eaglet’ because his father had become the first man to fly across the Atlantic Oce—Oh, why are we stopping?”
He angles the umbrella, careful to keep you dry. You smile at him and point at the small apartment complex behind you. “This is where I live.”
Alastor doesn’t frown, but his smile droops a bit. “Oh…” he says. “I was getting to the most interesting portion of the story—what a shame.”
“A shame, indeed,” you echo. “You have such a captivating way of conveying your words.”
“Thank you.”
The rain splatters on the umbrella. It’s not going to stop anytime soon. Your socks are damp and it’s starting to get colder. “Would you like to finish what you were saying?”
Alastor’s smile widens, just a bit, but it was enough for you to notice. “On the month of May, after continuous searching, a tiny little corpse was found abandoned on the side of the road. Forensics determined that the baby was bludgeoned to death.”
“It’s quite funny,” you tell him. “You talk of such gruesome murders but I find myself captivated.”
“Indeed.”
“Thank you for going out of your way for me, Alastor.” You slip out of his coat, returning it to him. It’s cold—has it always been this cold. “Will I see you around?”
“Of course,” he says. “We always meet in such unconventional places.”
You duck out of the umbrella, giving him one last smile and head up the steps.  A twist of a doorknob, a few flights of stairs, and you would be home. You were tired, your socks are soaking, and the back of your clothes stick to your skin. So, why…why do you find yourself running back into the rain?
“Wait!” you find yourself exclaiming.
Alastor covers you with his umbrella. “What’s wrong?”
‘I… I may have a problem.” The words are slipping out of your lips. “Are you busy by any chance?”
“Not at all.”
“What about your business in the area?”
Alastor raises his eyebrows. “I can always come back.”
 “Would you help me?” You bite the inside of your cheek.
“Of course.” Alastor brings the umbrella closer to you. “What can I do for you?”
“I think…” you begin to say. Stop. Stop! You should turn back; head inside where warm clothes and a bath awaits you. “I think I’m in the wrong area.”
Alastor laughs, and it’s that same breathy and light laugh as before. He drapes his coat over your shoulder once more, and adjusts its fit to secure it around you. It’s the warmest thing you’ve ever experienced in your life. “I wouldn’t be much of a gentleman if I left a lady stranded in the rain.”
“Not at all,” you say with a smile that you do not remember smiling. “Lots of scary thieves and murders out there—apparently they don’t disappear during the day.”
Alastor nudges you along, down the path, to a destination either of you have the faintest idea where it will end.
Your feet stay locked in its place, and you hold Alastor in your gaze. (His bowtie is crooked, and even with his coat around you, he looks presentable. His vest matches his shoes. You note how his smile is asymmetrical, and how his eyes are still as brown as his hair. Alastor’s glasses are frosted, but he doesn’t seem to mind.)
“Are you alright?” Alastor asks you.
“I’m fine. It’s just….” You shake your head and smile. “It would be a waste to forget this.”
“Come on,” Alastor says in a voice that is oh so soft. He offers his arm, and you hook your own around his.
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“Motherfucker!” Husk curses into the air, his ears quirking as he does. “Would it fucking kill you to be gentle with that shit?”
“I am being gentle.” You stare him down, keeping the towel pressed firm against his foot. “Would you want to know what it’s like when I’m not? I’d be very happy to comply.”
“………No.”
“Then settle down, Husker,” you say and use your free hand to grab the forceps from the hotel’s medical kit. “This will be much easier if you stay still…or don’t and give yourself a harder time. I’m not the one with glass sticking out of my foot.”
Husk sinks into the clinic bed, sulking as he crosses his arms. He picks on the pillow, fidgeting with its seams. “Bitch.”
You raise your eyebrows and huff. “Virgin.”
Husk’s fangs show when he growls. “I am not…grandma.”
Your feathers bristle. It’s smart to keep Husk talking, even if hurling insults is the way to do so. If it keeps him distracted, you won’t complain. “I died in my late twenties…or was it my early thirties — I honestly forget.”
The blood on his foot begins to clot, and you toss the towel to the waste basket. You walk to the sink, rinsing stray droplets of Husk’s blood with soap.
“Settle down then, grandma,” he says with a triumphant smile, and you roll your eyes. “Today, it’s your memories. Tomorrow, it could be anything.”
You plop on the clinic chair, waiting for your hands to dry. “Yes, it would make sense you’re familiar with the signs,” you shoot back, “considering you lived long enough to be called Pawpaw — Is that why you’re a cat?”
Husk barks a laugh, his wings flaring. He grabs the pillow and tosses it to you. It hits the side of the chair and langs on your lap. You pick it up and toss it back at him. “At least my husband didn’t walk out on me for several years without so much as a word.”
You chuckle, and settle his foot on your leg for better access. Taking your forceps, you brush away slivers of glass from Husk’s foot …or would this be his paw?
You clip a shard of glass, and glance at him. When Husk doesn’t whine like a little bitch, you pull a shard and drop it to the metal pan across you. “At least my marriage lasted even through death, Arachnid Simp.”
Husk rolls his eyes. You smile when his whiskers twitch. “Where did you even learn that word?”
“I see you’re not going to deny it.”
Husk sinks deeper into the bed.
“This wouldn’t be happening if you—I don’t know—wore these things called shoes?” You pluck another shard of glass. Husk tries to jerk his foot away, but your hold stays firm. “They were invented a long, long, time ago, and were created to keep your feet protected.”
“Stop talking as if I’m a child.” Husk frowns and his teeth stick out. “Wearing them feels weird.”
“I guess they kind of are weird.” You grab a fresh towel when blood squirts out of Husk’s foot. “You die and then suddenly waking up to see you don’t have toes
A beat passes between you. “Do you…do you not have toes?”
You toss the towel, and pick out the last shard. “Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy.”
“What does that even mean?” Husk growls, running his palms over his face.
“I…have absolutely no idea.”
You reach into the medical kit, grabbing some dressing. You peel the plastic and toss it to the trash, and press it against his foot.
Egg Boi #03 waddles up to you, a gauze roll in his tiny hands — you weren’t aware the little egg creature was in the room. You thank him with a smile, and wrap the gauze roll around Husk’s paw then his ankle. Satisfied, you clip it in its place.
“You’re all done,” you say. “It might be weird to step on it for a few hours, but it’s not impossible. The glass didn’t puncture you too deep.”
“Good to know.”
“Oh…and just in case, the amount of blood you saw isn’t anything to be scared of. There’s just a lot of tiny vessels on the foot. That’s why it took a while for it to stop,” you say and toss him a new set of gauze rolls and pads.
Husk stares at the items. “I don’t know how to use this.”
You stare at him, leaning into the chair. “Just slap the square on the skin and roll the gauze around your foot.”
Husk hops out of the clinic, keeping pressure off his injury.
It takes a while to clean up after yourself, but Egg Boi #03 keeps you company. The little egg speaks a lot of nonsense, but it’s entertaining nonetheless. You flick the lights, and Egg Boi #03 follows behind you.
The chandeliers had been dragged away, and the glass and debris cleared off the carpet.
Mimzy’s hug makes you take a step back.
You squirm in her hold, placing a placating hand on her shoulders.
“I am sooooo glad you are here!” Mimzy exclaims, shaking your shoulders. “This is like one big reunion, ay. Just between you and me, that Lucifer is a real looker—shame on Alastor for not warning a gal. I would have dressed better, and who knows? Maybe I could be the Queen of Hell. Ha!”
Mimzy grabs your arm and drags you to the bar. Husk pours you a drink with a nod, and stalks away. Seeing him hop up the stairs makes you laugh.
You swirl your drink. “It’s always good to see you, old friend.”
“Not that old!” Mimzy swats your arm, a huge grin on her lips. “And there’s no need to lie to me, darling. I doubt you actually feel that way.”
“Well, I still have those burn marks on my wall from the time you decided to play bartender with matches.”
Mimzy barks a laugh, and her legs kick. “C’mon you can’t still be blaming  me! If I remember correctly, it was Alastor who brought out the matches.”
Angel Dust walks up to you with Sir Pentious trailing behind him. You wave.Sir Pentious waves back, his hood flapping open.
“Mind if we join ya?” Angel Dust asks.
“Not at all,” Mimzy says. “I’m always weak to such lookers.”
Angel Dust takes the seat next to you and pushes back his hair. Sir Pentious takes the one behind him. “Sooooo, you two and Alastor run in the same circles.” He takes a drink. “And you guys are friends with him?”
You take a sip of your own drink. “You could describe it that way.”
“Well, those are your words, not mind, but I think it fits.” Mimzy glances at you, a knowing smile on her lips. “But our good doctor here is more than just—Hey! Why do you look so surprised?”
“Well, I just didn't know he had any of those. He's been here a while and is still a big, creepy mystery,” Angel Dust says. Sir Pentious nods, his head squeaking as he does “What's his deal?”
Mimzy is happy to explain tall, dark, and creepy’s ‘deal’.
“But before that, he was the prime bachelor of my day,” Mimzy says. “Not a single lady wouldn’t want a taste of that twink. But eh… I wouldn’t wish marriage with Alastor on even my worst enemies. It would be a real shock when you die and find out your hubby’s got a real screw loose.”
“Well, it wasn’t a shock to me,” you say, rolling your eyes. You swirl your drink—hmmm, it’s good to know Husk still knows what you like.
“Not that there’s anything wrong with that!” Mimzy chuckles nervously. She scoots closer, elbowing you lightly.  “You happy he’s back? I still remember the few months you’d visit my place to look for your deerest, most darling Alastor, Mimzy at the bottom of a bottle.”
Your eyes twitch. “Quite pleased actually,” you say and force a smile. “It’s great to finally see my husband again.”
“Husband?” Angel Dust chokes on his drink.
Sir Pentious tilts his head and his hat slides off a bit. “Oh you’re married?”
You show them your ring, wiggling your finger. “Indeed.”
Sir Pentious puffs out his chest. “I would love to meet thisss husband of yours,” he says. “If you cannot be my rival, he can fight in your stead.”
“That wouldn’t be a smart idea
Mimzy stares at him. “He’s not the brightest is he?”
Angel Dust drops his drink with a clink. “Pause,” he splutters. “Shut u—” He coughs, still reeling from his drink going down the wrong pipe. “Shut up. Plause. Pause!”
Sir Pentious frowns, and his tongue sticks out. “No one elssseee is talking.”
“There is no way,” Angel Dust says. He turns to you, eyes bulging. “I refuse to believe that Freaky got hitched.”
Sir Pentious gapes, and his hoop opens. “Alastor is married as well?”
Mimzy slaps her forehead and points to you. “He’s married to her!”
“You are mess’in with me,” Angel Dust says. “Well, you can’t trick me. I refuse to believe it, toots.”
Mimzy takes a swig of her drink. “No one’s mes’in with ya,” she says with bright eyes. “They had a big white wedding and everything. I even got to bless them with my singing.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Mimzy glares at Angel Dust, a hand on her hips and her noise in the air. “You calling me a liar?”
You place a hand on Mimzy’s shoulder. “It was a good day, wasn’t it?” you say.
“Could’ve been better without the rain,” she says shrugging.
The lights flicker. Static fills the air, making your skin buzz. The bar glows a faint green. “The rain made it sentimental actually,” you say and glance up the stairs. “We quite like the rain.”
Angel Dust crosses both sets of arms. “I thought you said you were friends.”
“I said partners,” you tell him. “Alastor said friends.”
Angel Dust blinks at you and sighs. “So, you married him? Like you’re his wife.”
“I am, indeed!”
“Are you sure?”
“I sure hope so,” you say, crossing your legs. “It would be weird not to be sure considering I was there in a white dress, walking down the aisle.” Mimzy barks a laugh, and the feathers on her head sway. A part of you hopes she topples off the chair.
“Uh…Is this something we should know?” Angel Dust asks. “He’s not going to try to kill me because I learned about this right?”
“We’re not trying to hide it, but we don’t broadcast it either,” you say. “And well…no wife likes to be introduced as a ‘friend’.”
Sir Pentious’ tongue sticks out. “Does Alasssstor own your soul or something?”
You empty your drink and revel in the taste. “We got married back when we were alive.”
Angel Dust reaches across the bar, grabbing a whole bottle off the shelf with his long arms. He pops open the cork and takes a swig straight from the bottom. “I still have trouble belive you,” he says, squinting his eyes. “I just…I can’t!”
“Your belief, or lack of, won’t change the fact that I have a ring,” you say. “And it’s not really for you to believe, now is it?”
“Why…?” Angel Dust’s mouth quirks into the cutest frown. “Why…ya’know?”
You sigh and place a hand on your cheek with a smile. “He makes me laugh.”
Angel Dust makes a face, and coils back like he’s been shot.
“Oh he’s a total kitten,” Mimzy says with a bright smile. She inches her glass closer to Angel Dust, and he fills it up for her. “Catch him in a good mood or pour him a drink and play some jazz and he’s totally harmless.”
“You still shouldn’t toss caution into the air, Mimzy” you say. “If I were you, I’d be wary about trusting Alastor just because he likes cleaning up your mess.”
Angel Dust crosses his arm, and his eyebrows quirk. “Ain’t he your hubby?” he says. “Isn’t there this whole spiel about trust and love and faith and all that other boring vanilla shit.”
“He wouldn’t be the Radio Demon if he could be trusted by just anyone, now would he?” you say. “It still crosses me when I remember how he lied to me.”
Angel Dust’s eyes shine. “You said no wife likes being introduced as a ‘friend’.”
“Yes?”
“It must have crossed you quite a lot, huh?”
You shrug, a bit confused. “I mean… I wasn’t really a big deal at the end of the day.”
Angel Dust’s smile widens and that golden tooth of his shimmer. “I want to know everything.”
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Despite the rain, clear skies show the moon, not a cloud in sight.
The flashlight clipped on your collar shines on your path. Your boots sink deep into the mud, but that’s alright. A few inches of goo won’t stop you from your destination. You adjust your leather medical bag—double checked that there are gloves inside.
Between those two trees, your treasure lies buried.
You lay your kit on some nearby stones and reach in for your gloves. You dig until bits of the cadaver’s skin stick out. You brush the soil of his chest and peel open the flaps of his skin. The underside of his skin has blood vessels attached to it. It was worth cutting out the fat to have a glimpse.
Superficial fascia connects his muscles to his dermis. You take your probe and disconnect the thin filament. It reminds you of spider-webs.
You discard your probe and exchange it for the bottle of formaldehyde. You can’t study the whole body, not when it’s exposed to the elements. His fingers are starting to rot, but that’s alright. The chest is all you need, for now. So, the chest is all you’ll preserve.
The cheesecloth you placed on him last night is still damp. Good, that means it’s been sanitized this whole time. You take the cheesecloth and wife it against his open cavity, sanitizing every surface you can reach.
The formalin stings your nose and burns your eyes. It makes you cough, but you push through the pungent chemical.
You peel off the cheesecloth and use it to spread formalin into the deeper crevices between his skin and muscle.
Good. There are no maggots yet. It means you still have time.
You discard your gloves for a fresh pair and prepare your tools. You take your forceps and clip the scalpel blade onto the handle. You lay all your tools on a clean cloth for easy reach.
A human’s adipose tissue buildup is thicker than animals. This man’s fat is soft, easily squishable. Sadly, you’re not here to study his fat.
The scalpel blade is balanced perfectly. Throughout this Earth, no… not just Earth, but Heaven and Hell as well, nothing will ever be as perfect.
You slice through his adipose tissue, discarding it behind you, carving the cadaver until a nice rectangle opening forms. Muscles are grey, not like the red color printed on textbooks. You run your fingers along the smooth fibers of his pectorals. It’s slimy. That’s probably moisture mixing with the formaldehyde.
You quirk your shoulder to adjust the angle of your flashlight, still running your hand on his pectoral.
There, on the side of the chest where a muscle resembles a fan, do you find what you’re looking for.
Taking your probe, you define the muscle. You don’t use your scapple—never a scapple, because it could slice the fibers. You’ll scrape off the muscles later when it’s time to move on to the systems.
You take a pen and write your notes.
Muscle name: Serratus Ventralis. Description: The Serratus Ventralis appears to be a fan-shaped muscle, just like Hyman writes it to be. Although he’s not describing humans, I think it looks the same. Will double check to see if such similarities are indeed correct. Just like the book says, I can see the muscle extending anteriorly and posteriorly from the scapula and to the walls of the thorax. The Serratus Ventralis appears to be divisible into anterior and posterior portions, with the anterior originating deeper into the body. (Will cut open if there is still time.) The posterior border seems to be where it originates from, and while it is buried by other muscles, I think it originates from somewhere between the ribs. Origin, Insertion, Action: Origin: Textbook says it originates from the outer surfaces of the upper eight or nine ribs.  (Will double check once I’ve moved on.) Insertion: The muscle fibers appear to move upward to the side. Inserts along the anterior surface of the medial border of the scapula Action: If it indeed is inserted from the scapula, this could mean that it could draw the scapula, forward, backward or against the body.
You flip to the previous page, and cross out Serratus ventralis. You move on to the muscle on your list: Xiphihumeralis. Based on the name, the muscle should pass through the xiphoid process to the sternu—
“Is this what you meant about my trash being your treasure?”
You startle, jumping back until a tree hits you and there’s nowhere else to escape. Run. Run. Run! Your heart screams at you, hammering in your chest. No one is supposed to be here. You’re supposed to be alone. You were careful—not careful enough, apparently.
Alastor emerges from the trees.
He waves at you when your gazes meet, but you don’t wave back. He’s smiling. “Hello,” he greets you with a gentle voice that strikes your core. It would be foolish to mistake his gentleness for kindness. “And yet again, I’m forced to comment on how you have such interesting hobbies.”
You press deeper into the tree, even if a knot digs into your back. “This….” You pause, trying to find your voice. Do you run? “This isn’t a hobby. I’m merely studying.”
Alastor drops a bag on the ground. It looks heavy. “A man?”
“A cadaver,” you say, careful to keep your voice steady. You cannot let this man see any cracks. “They’re already dead, aren’t they? Wouldn’t it be a waste to let them rot like this? At least now, their sorry lives will be making a meaningful contribution.”
The admission of your crime was easy to say. You don’t want to know what that means about you.
Alastor laughs. It’s not that breathy and light laugh he had earlier. This one is lighter, more elated. “Please, tell me more.”
You harden your heart, searching for any speck of bravery. “Why would I?”
Alastor smiles until his teeth show. The moon makes his brown eyes glow—you did not think it would be such an attractive color. “I’m the one holding the large knife.”
You glance at his hand, and oh…that indeed is quite a large knife. It’s not even a kitchen knife, but a proper hunting blade meant to kill. “I see you’re resorting to threats,” you say and you don’t know why you do. It’s not really a smart idea. “I did not think you, a man, would feel the need to say such things to a woman.”
“That was barely a threat,” he says. “I’m just curious to know your motivation to dig up trash.”
“I’m studying—that’s my reason.”
Alastor waves the knife as he talks. “Are there no other dead bodies for you to prey on?” he says. “Don’t hospitals have an area specifically to keep the dead?”
“Only morticians or medical students are allowed access,” you say. “I am neither.”
“Why not become one then?”
“Women as doctors are still a relatively new phenomena,” you say. “There is not a single medical school in this area that will allow me to study, nor are there any that won’t bring me into debt.” Your blood boils and it replaces your thumping heart. It still beats in your chest, but it’s not because of fear. “I needed to find a way to learn, to study, and textbooks could only describe it in words. I want to see for myself.”
Alastor plays with the tip of the knife. “Sounds like a classic case of lusting for knowledge.”
“If lust is to be my sin,” you start and a wonky smile appears on your face, “pride would be yours. A classic case of judge, jury and executioner.”
“I do not need to explain myself to you.”
“Well, you are holding the larger knife,” you tell him, rolling your eyes. “Anything more you’d like to know?”
Alastor hums at you. “How did you figure it out?”
“A little bit of a suggestion?” you say, and you can’t help but smile to yourself. “You should buy suspicious items at different times and places. Your turn—How did you know I was here?”
“A little bit of a suggestion?” he echoes laughing like he’s told the funniest joke. “You shouldn’t have told me where you lived so easily. I thought I would have to hang around your clinic for a few days before I got your address.”
“I made sure to be careful.”
“You weren’t in the slightest,” he tells you. “Even an animal is harder to track. It was quite a surprise to see you heading in this direction.”
“Wait…,” you say slowly. “Hang around the clinic? You…you were stalking me?”
“I wouldn’t say stalking,” he says, putting his arms up. “And if we’re pointing fingers, you would have had to follow me around for a few days to learn where I buried my trash.”
Your eyes drift to his bag, and then to his knife. Realization hits you like a cruel bus. You face heat. “You!”
“Me?”
“You lied to me!” you say, venom lacing your words as you puff. “You had no business in the area, nor did you randomly spot me! You followed to kill me, didn't you?”
Alastor smiles at you.
“Oh my God!” you scream at him, throwing your arms into the air. You point at him, glaring “You’re still going to kill me?”
“I can’t exactly let you leave, my dear,” he says, rolling his eyes. “What did you think?”
You stare down at him from your nose. “Don’t be so brainless,” you spit, crossing your arms. “If you would use this thing on your head called a, ‘brain’, and use it to think, you would be able to deduce that you’re currently not in cuffs.”
Alastor glares back at you, tightening his grip on the knife. You don’t give a single flying fuck.
“Since you are adamant on not using your brain, I shall do so for you,” you say, voice dripping with sarcasm. “If I wanted to rat you out to the coppers, wouldn’t I have done so already? Hmmmm?”
“Don’t speak to me as if I am a child.”
“I wouldn’t have to, if you aren’t thinking like one,” you say. “Why would I tattle on someone for giving me what I want.”
 Alastor gives you a dry smile. “So much sarcasm to the person who does so.”
You cross your arms and lean against the tree. “I suppose I should be thanking you.”
“Will you?”
“No,” you say. “I don’t thank liars.”
You smile to yourself when Alastor rolls his eyes and furrows his brow. That strained smile of his is an extra bonus.
“If you’re going to kill me, be quick with it,” you say. “I’d like to die with my dignity as a lady.”
“How curious,” he says. “You’re not going to try and run? Fight me off in some clever way? Those are always the best kinds of hunts.”
You roll your eyes, making a point to show him that you are doing so. “That would be a waste of our time, wouldn’t it? And I think you’ll forgive me if I am not exactly keen on giving my murderer the satisfaction of experiencing ‘the best kinds of hunt’.”
Alastor laughs, breathy and light this time. He tosses the knife into the trees and puts his arms up as if surrendering. “It seems you have made me change my mind,” he says. “Not many are able to do so—especially not when I’ve settled on a hunt.”
“What an honor then,” you say, smiling dryly.
“Indeed, it is.” He takes a step forward, and when you don’t run, he walks to you and brushes stray dirt off your shoulders.
“Why change your mind?”
He smiles, inching closer to you.  That is for me to know,” he says. “But, what I will say is I know potential when I see it.”
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“Someone, please, kill me again!” Angel Dust massages his forehead with one arm, using the other to empty the bottle. His third arm reaches into the bar shelves for a new one. You stare at his arms and wonder just how it got to be so long. “You’ve got to be shiting me right now. That’s your example? That’s your final answer?”
You pick at the wooden table, suddenly finding it hard to meet his eyes “Yes…?”
Angel Dust chugs his bottle at your answer. Mimzy avoids direct eye contact, choosing to study her empty glass. Even Sir Pentious keeps his gaze locked to the floor.. You bite on your cheek, letting out a soft huff.
If they didn’t want to know, they should not have asked.
“Out of all the misery he’s caused and will be causing,” Angel Dust says, “you think that Freaky ly’in to you about his reason for walking you home was the best possible example.”
“Yes?”
Angel Dust takes a deep breath. “Let’s be clear, okay? I’ll rephrase what I said, so listen closely,” he says. “Alastor lied about – and let me get this right—he lied to you about why he was in the area, and that’s why – hold on, bear with me – and that is why you were angry.”
You cross your arms, huffing a bit. “You make it sound stupid.”
Mimzy sighs, shaking her head with amusement. “That’s because it is, darling.”
“It is not!” you say, pouting. “It’s a very valid reason to be cross.”
Angel Dust takes another swig of his bottle. “It’s the fact that you weren’t angry that he was going to murder you in cold blood for me.”
You throw your arms into the air. “Okay, so it might not have been the best example,” you say, tapping your legs. “But that isn’t exactly my fault. Alastor is strangely honest.”
Angel Dust gapes at you. “No, he is not!”
“I don’t know, hun,” Mimzy says, leaning against the bar table. “Alastor kina is.”
“You won’t get the truth if you don’t ask,” you say, nodding your head. “And when you do ask, Alastor will either say the full horrifying truth, say it in a way that’s vague but still considered to be true, or dodge and not answer your question.”
Sir Pentious tilts his head, and he keeps a hand on his hat to keep it from falling. “And that is why we should not trust him?”
“There is no we, my dear,” you say. “That’s why you shouldn’t trust him.”
The hotel trembles.
You startle in your seat, gripping the table for stability. Mimzy clutches your arm, and you grab hers. It’s a small reassuring gesture that would make you smile at any other moment. Someone pounds on the door. You snap your head towards the entrance, nearly giving yourself whiplash. The hinges creak with every bang, and you watch with horror as the wooden frame begins to crack. Whatever wants to go in is determined to do so.
“MIMZY! We know you’re in there, you lousy bitch!”
You lock eyes with Mimzy, glaring at her with bristled feathers. “Really?”
“Whooops…?” she says with the most innocent smile. You grab your glass and throw it at her head. Mimzy snarls at you, searching for a stray bottle. She never finds it.
Glass rains down to the floor. Dust fills the space, and you cough when it irritates your throat. The whole hotel is in disarray. With a yelp, you jump away from the bar when one of the bone heads detaches and crushes your seat.
Mimzy scurries behind the bar.
A portal rips open in the middle of the room…Huh, that’s pretty cool. Vaggie steps out, Lucifer and Charlie behind her. “What is going on?”
Mimzy explains what she did. You roll your eyes when she does.
Fireballs shoot out the broken windows.
Motherfucker! You are going to kill Mimzy. You press against the wall to avoid Sir Pentious’ long tail from smacking into you as he slithers about. Angel Dust scurried away at the first sign of trouble. Of-fucking-course this happens today. Niffty scurries about, cleaning every debris in sight, You grab her by the collar, pulling her away from a stray fire. Niffty squirms out of your hold, and hops away. Another fireball keeps you from pursuing her.
“We’re under siege!” Sir Pentious exclaims, slithering about. “Take cover!”
Alastor pops out of your shadow, jerking your arm to pull you away.
You flap your arms to regain your balance.
Alastor keeps a steady hand on your shoulder, his hold on you firm. His touch keeps you grounded. Your eyes flutter to where you pressed against the wall, but Alastor pokes your cheek with the tips of your fingers, nudging your face to keep your eyes on him. The hotel burns in chaos, and you dig your fingers into the fabric of his coat.
Alastor holds your gaze. He smiles at you softly, but you see the hardness in his eyes and the tension is his jaw. 
You try to give him your best smile. “Much better?”
“No, not in the slightest” he says, eyes squinting into a harsh glare. Alastor doesn’t frown, but his teeth bare into a snarl. “Are you hurt?”
The hotel trembles, and more fire crashes through the windows. 
You try to turn to the chaos around you, but Alastor leans to the side, blocking the surroundings with his face. “I’d like an answer.”
He smoothes the feathers on your hair, and you lean into his hold, shaking your head. “Not a single feather out of place,” you say. “Thank you, my deerest.”
The hotel trembles once more, but you keep your gaze locked into Alastor’s.
“All of you get a safe distance,” Vaggie says, spear raised.” I’ll take care of this.”
 Satisfied, Alastor drops his hand from your head and turns to the door. “No, my dear. Leave it to me.” Radio static warps the air around you. His eyes morph into radio dials. “It’s time I remind everyone why I am here.” He has the smile on his face—that same smile that tell you he’s on the hunt. It makes you buzz.
Mimzy pops her head out.  “Ugh, finally!” she says, rolling her eyes. “Took you long enough.”
Tendrils shoot out of Alastor’s back and it waves around the air as if owning a mind of its own. His bones break with audible cracks to adjust to his expanding size. “A reminder to all, not to mess with the radio demon!” His teeth stick out when he smiles, and the little ‘x’ on his forehead appears.
Alastor laughs and begins his kill.
You rush out when your husband crawls out the broken doors, bolting from the bar and out the entrance. You watch Alastor. He grabs a shark with the tips of his fingers and uses the others to pull him apart, slowly, painfully, with a grin.
“Mimzy…” you say, slowly.
Mimzy shrinks next to you. “…Yeah?”
Alastor’s nails elongate and he pierces the shark, letting his blood trail down, reveling in his screams. “I really appreciate everything you do for me.”
A leg sails across the air, it’s bone sticking out. You smile to yourself as Alastor hunts down his prey. Blood paints the flowers red when his tendrils wag like a happy tail.
You’re faintly aware of Lucifer and Charlie arguing behind you.
The show is over too soon.
Alastor shrinks, twirls his microphone and stretches.
Mimzy runs, the first to approach Alastor. You don’t hear a word they’re saying, but Mimzy jabs her fingers into his coat. She leaves with a frown and a middle finger pointed at him.
You walk closer to your husband, a smile on your face. Alastor inches to you, bending close enough for you to reach his bowtie. The fabric is smooth against your fingers as your straighten it for him. “Much better?” you ask.
“Indeed.”
“You put up quite the show,” you tell him. “You looked absolutely riveting, my deer.”
Alastor’s smile widens, and he offers his arm, guiding you back into the hotel. “Did I?”
“You always do, my love.”
And oh…
Another song.
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Lucifer leaves, taking his singing with him.
As quietly as possible, you grab your belongings and check that nothing is missing: wallet, flip-phone, bus card, pieces of mint, various essential items, and lastly, your umbrella. You step out of what is left of the Hazbin Hotel’s front doors and stifle a yawn. Today’s excitement has gone on for too long. It was time to go home.
Drops of acid fall from the sky, a light drizzle forming. It was a good idea to stash that umbrella in your bag.
Alastor slithers out of your shadow, and covers your heads with an umbrella. “Did you happen to forget your umbrella?”
You force a sheepish smile on your lips. “I did, actually,” you lie to him. “But a walk seems rather lovely today.”
Alastor twirls the umbrella, his smile widening. “May I join you for your walk?”
“Are you not still working?” You glance behind you, observing the hotel.
Angel Dust sweeps glass off the carpet. He steals glances from time to time, trying his hardest to avoid looking in your direction—he doesn’t try hard enough. Your eyes meet, and you brush your stray feathers from your hair. A not so subtle way of showing off your ring. You stick out your tongue.
Angel Dust laughs, shaking his head with amusement.
Alastor adjusts the umbrella, angling it to block the prying eyes from inside the hotel. He raises his eyebrows, looking at you with a questionable glance.
You offer your most innocent smile. “I think they’re going to need a new door.”
“I think it’s time I clocked out,” he sys, inching the umbrella closer. “I shouldn’t have them getting too dependent on me.”
“Are those not grounds for prime picking?”
“I wouldn’t exactly be a doting husband if I left my wife to walk alone in the rain,” Alastor tells you.
“Doting husband?”
He nods, leaning closer to you. “Yes. Was that not your condition for our marriage?”
Your eyebrows furrow. “Did I say that?”
“You did.”
“Are you sure?” you ask, humming a bit. “I do not remember saying that at all.”
“Well, it wasn’t for you to remember,” he says. “And in any case, I did not call you to the hotel to prepare for some party.”
“Then why did you call me here?”
Alastor meets your eyes and his smile widens. “Allow me to join you, and you shall find out.”
“You’ve piqued my interest, deerest,” you say. “The best walks are usually the ones that are shared. It doesn’t hurt that you have an umbrella.”
“What would you do without me?”
You roll your eyes, and take a step closer. “You always seem to remember for me.”
Alastor fiddles with the umbrella. “What did you do for several years—get pelted by acid?”
“You would know the answer to that had you been present for those years,” you say and you don’t fight the coy smile that forms on your lips.
Alastor hums in displeasure. “Well, in any case, I only have this one umbrella.”
“I guess we’ll have to share.”
“Yes, it seems we will.”
Alastor offers his arm, and you loop your own around his. He doesn’t need to take precautions to ensure your clothes stay dry nor do you have to for his own attire, not when you press closely against each other. The umbrella covers the both of you just right.
You rest your head on his arm. It’s nice. Warm. Even if it was as thick as a stick. His bones press into your cheek. Your eyes flutter into a close… just… one… second…
Your knees buckle causing you to trip.
A frim grab of your waist keeps you from the ground. Your nose crinkles when you collide with Alastor’s chest. Finding strength in your legs, you dig your foot into the ground and stand.
Alastor keeps his hold on your waist steady, and you don’t move from his hold.
“Before you say anything—you are not fine,” he says. “I don’t want to hear anything else but an agreement.”
You peel your face from his chest, meeting his eyes to give him the brightest smile you can muster. It doesn’t come out as you hope. “It seems…It seems it will be my turn to postpone our outing today,” you say. “The excitement of the day seems to be catching up to me.”
You fell asleep while walking,” he says. “If it was not for me, you would be on the pavement.”
“Then it is a good thing I am no longer alone.”
A single tendril emerges from his back. It wraps around the umbrella’s handle, keeping it secured over your heads.
Alastor’s hand shifts from your waist to your back. You feel his other arm snaking down your legs, trailing your skin until he reaches the back of your knees.
Alastor lifts you like a bride.
Well, you actually are a bride…his bride, specifically.
Alastor continues the walk, holding you in his arms. You lean into him, and he places a chin on your head. “Your pointy chin is poking me, my deerest,” you say but you don’t move to push him off. “It’s digging into my scalp.
His chest rise and fall as he laughs, and you feel every bit of it against your cheek. “I could always drop you right over this puddle.”
“That wouldn’t really be part of the doting husband image, would it?” you say chuckling into his suit.
“No, I guess it would not.”
Smiling to yourself, you nuzzle deeper into the crook of his neck. “Hey, Al,” you mumble softly, “tell me a story.”
At the corner of your eyes, you see Alastor glance at you. His gaze lasts a second before he turns back ahead.  “It was 1929,” he says. “The beginning of the glorious Great Depression.”
You roll your eyes even if he doesn’t see it. “You are the only one I know who calls the Great Depression ‘glorious’. People were starving, and we almost got fired from our jobs.”
“That’s because it was a great year.”
“Because you got to see the sufferings of the masses?” You laugh softly. “That’s definitely something you would do. I can practically hear you laughing at the way they try to claw their way out of misery, only to fail spectacularly.”
“Because we got married that year,” he says. Even if you’re wearing a coat, and Alastor wears his gloves. Even with layers of cloth between your skin, you still feel the way Alastor caress your with his thumb. “Can I continue my story now or would you like to bicker about your failing memory?”
“Continue.”
“So, the start of the glorious Great Depression,” he says. “That day, I saw an ad for the local zoo. I wasn’t doing anything important, so I decided to support my local animals.”
“How kind of you,” you say, stifling a yawn.
“Indeed it was,” he says. “I stalk through the animals. Looking at every malnourished species they kept locked up—”
“You get to the alligator enclosure and to this day, swear that you saw it do a backflip,” you mumble softly, eyes dropping. “That’s pretty good for someone you claim to possess failing memories.”
“Alright then. I shall find another.” Alastor hums as he thinks, and his chest vibrates as he does. “Summer of 1916–long before I met you.”
“You don’t need to tell me that,” you say, huffing. “I’m well aware of the year we met, my deer. So, Summer of 1916?”
“It was a dark and stormy night. Weird for the summer seasons. Usually, the house becomes a furnace, but it was terribly cold,” Alastor tells you. “During that second night of the hurricane, a knock sounds from the door.”
“Oh… I’ve heard this as well.” You pick on the lapels of Alastor’s coat, tracing the white lines.
“You have?” Alastor raises his eyebrows
“Yes, it was your neighbor. His tree fell into the window and you and your mother ended up sheltering him for the night,” you say. “Then, you’ll tell me that he gifted you three pounts of cheese the next week.”
“I guess there’s nothing left to tell.”
You lean back to meet his eyes. They’re no longer brown. Once, a long time ago, you thought it was your favorite color. Now, you don’t think you’ve ever had a favorite color. You just liked his color. “Nonsense,” you says. “We are definitely not that old. I’m sure there should be be at least a few.”
“Alright, this one began fifteen years ago,” he says, tightening his grip on you. “I was waiting outside St. An’s, and a Sinner came out. It was my first time seeing a cow. It was quite a conundrum because — Oh, I think you’ve heard this already. Have you?”
Your eyelids are heavy. “I have.”
“And you choose not to inform me?”
“Can you tell it to me again?” You sink deeper into his hold.
“Of course, my love.”
Alastor’s steps lag until he comes to a full stop. He holds you in his gaze as the acid rain splatters grow stronger. It’s just you and him in this tiny bubble of an umbrella.
His eyes flicker, touching every inch of this scene. You do not know what he is thinking.
“Are you alright, my love?” you find yourself asking.
“Yes,” he says. “I’m just…trying not to waste, that’s all.”
“Come on,” you say in a voice that is oh so soft.
Alastor continues his story. You don’t hear the end of it.
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I am excited to know what you guys think about this chapter. My replies and inbox are always open for any questions. I always get so happy to see my notifications. It's a bit addicting actually. Thank you to everyone who has interacted with this story. Every like, reblog, and reply means so much to me. Part 4 will be poasted as soon as possible
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partycatty · 3 months
Note
we back with another request⁉️
can be old or young (mk11 or mk1) johnny your pick, but what if fem!reader and johnny are sparring (likely in private, but if they wanna be risky go ahead) and reader is losing.
sooo, she flashes him her titties as a distraction and ends up getting him pinned. you can turn it into smut or end it there, your pick
love your writing 💙💙
DEAR GOD YOURE SO FUCKING RIGHT ALL THE TIME ILY, i had a SLIIIIGHTLY different image for this so HEAR ME OUT
johnny cage > eyes on the prize
warnings: Oh, these? My boobies? My massive fucking titties? My super stuffed milkies? My honker bonker doinky boinkies? My fucking fabric stretching wind flapping gravity welling sex mounds? You mean these super duper ultra hyper god damn motherfucking tits?
[ part 2 ] [ masterlist ]
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after the time merger, your boss seems uneasy seeing his younger self parade around the compound like he owns the place. you're unfortunately put up to the task as babysitting him.
"private," the older counterpart summons you to the center of the room. "keep an eye on him for me, yeah? he's... well, he's me, and i don't trust him one bit." you both glance over to younger johnny, who is kicking his feet up and browsing IMDB - his own page, to be specific - with no regard for authority. you nod and walk off, approaching the younger star who doesn't notice you at first.
"mr. cage," you try to get his attention, leaning down to his level as he sits. johnny tears his eyes away from the screen to catch a good look at you in your uniform, pulling his sunglasses down his hooked nose. "captain cage requested i accompany you around the compound for safety as the time merge is figured out."
"oh, i'll follow you anywhere, beautiful," he replies smoothly, clicking and winking up at you. your face heats up, this is your... almost-boss. this version wasn't with sonya, doesn't have a kid. a part of you wonders if your present johnny also finds you attractive if this is how his younger version behaves. you'd always found him hot, but that was something you kept to yourself for the sake of his family and your career.
johnny snaps in your face with a twisted expression. "hey, since you're here, the future sucks! i've been here for an hour and i haven't seen one jetpack. not one!" he holds a finger in your face, and you can't help but stare down at him in bewilderment. how did this man become the captain of the special forces??
his complaints sprout an idea, as you try to divert his annoyance. "the special forces compound contains plenty of advanced technology. would you care for a tour?" you suggest politely, gesturing out of the room.
johnny seems intrigued by your offer, willing to follow you around like a dog if it meant getting a good view of your ass the whole way. it's your figure that intrigues him the most.
"older me was a dumbass for not tappin' this," johnny very loudly exclaims as you two walk down a hallway, making you pinch the bridge of your nose. "i might have to alter my destiny... there's no way you fight with a pretty body like that."
"the members of S.F. are put through extensive physical training and discipline. i can fight, mr. cage," you reply curtly, not all too impressed by his catcalling, though his boldness amuses you.
"yeah?" he asks playfully, jogging in front of you to walk backwards as he glares at you through his shades. "care to prove it? you lose, you give me your number."
"and if you lose?" you question, crossing your arms.
"then i give you my number." jesus, he was dumb. hot, but dumb. it was impossibly hard to remain professional in front of him. you entertain his bait and open a side door that led to the garage. it was spacious and full of various tools, vehicles and weapons. the crew often met there for mass debriefs and announcements, but served as a perfect sparring location.
"you're on, dollface," johnny sneers, readying himself with an overdramatic flourished war cry. "but first, no handicaps. take all that off." he waves at your vest and various equipment strapped to you. you shake your head and sigh, readying your own pose after shrugging the extremities off and kicking them to the side. it was johnny in his coat giving you a delicious view of his chest, and you in your skin-tight underclothes. you figured regardless you'd have an advantage against johnny considering you were familiar with his fighting style, but his strength outmatched you easily. he was twice your size in muscle, after all. didn't really matter just how much studying you put into his mannerisms in combat.
his powers proved to be a significant advantage as well, doubling his strikes when most humans could only land one in the time it took. each punch you threw was parried embarrassingly easily, and each kick was matched with an even swifter swing.
despite being military trained, you couldn't help but find the fight fun. johnny would grab hold of you and spin you around, as if you were dancing, or flash one of his signature smiles at you when he felt more in charge. he'd cackle when you made a fool of yourself, swinging at nothing.
one of his backflip kicks infused with his powers knocked you straight on your ass, and johnny towers over you with a devilish grin. his legs are spread, with you on the floor between them as you catch your breath.
"do you yield, sweet thing?" he asks, bending forward to hover his face over yours. you cringe, holding your side as you try to get up, but johnny just places his boot on your chest. "you were all bark and no bite, sweetheart."
as you regain your composure, thoroughly displeased with the outcome of the battle, you get an absolutely evil idea.
"how about you get a bite of these?" you ask, smirking. your fingers find the hem of your shirt and pull upward, revealing your bra and your breasts spilling from the fabric as you lay on your back. the chill of the room defines the shape of your nipples through the bra, and johnny's eyes fixate - hard. his sunglasses comically slide down his nose and clatter to the floor, his puppy eyes wide and wanting at the sight of your barely clothed chest.
when you know for a fact he's transfixed, you swat his foot off of your chest and curl your body before placing a hard upward kick into his balls, making him yell out and stumble backward.
you stand up and brush yourself off, beaming at the actor for besting him at his own shallow game.
"you - ngh -" johnny whines and clutches his crotch, pointing a finger at you accusingly. "i yield."
you shrug innocently, reaching a hand out to him considering your positions were now fully swapped. "gotta keep your eyes on the prize, cage."
you hoist him up with a grunt, patting his shoulder.
"oh, believe me," he breathlessly chuckles. "i was." he smiles crookedly.
...did you just flash your soon-to-be-boss? is this gonna alter the timeline...?
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wonuwoe · 6 months
Text
on the contrary | yjh (m)
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pairing: ai!jeonghan x human!reader summary: you knew the risks of pursuing a member from 53V3NT33N but maybe your certain privileges have been fueling this illusion of a possible connection with J30NGHΛN, who surprisingly sparks your interest with his deep curiosity about the other sides of humanity. would you be willing to continue despite the looming deceit that you might get roped into? rating: 18+ | word count: 12k genre/au: angst, smut, sci-fi, ai-idol!au warnings/content: depictions of blood, explicit sexual content, voyeurism (through hearing), vaginal fingering, penetrative sex, lowkey corruption kink ngl bye 🏃🏻‍♀️
a/n: collabs seems to be really the only way for me to post lmao. thank you @idyllic-ghost for hosting the Seventeen Sci-Fi Collab and for making this very gorgeous banner! also, shoutout to everyone on the server especially to the new people i met for being with me while working on this! ig this is my writer debut in the seventeen community so nice to meet you all except for minors, who are not allowed to interact with this post :)
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After the Earth miraculously survived due to some external force when the sun exploded a century ago, humans have learned to integrate into the new solar system that the planet ended up in, where alien life exists. Other planets in the previous solar system went through the same fate, being pushed away from each other and ending up in different parts of the universe.
At first, humans were cautious and ready to fight, but the aliens were surprisingly welcoming to our planet. Hence, those who didn’t die from ‘The Great Journey’ or from trying to fight the aliens were welcomed into the new solar system.
How we completely integrated was through the materials and assistance of our sister planets in exchange for human labor. And while what humans knew of technology was very limited, the resources from the aliens allowed us to create artificial life forms called "automaton". These robots served as workers when humans couldn't, but eventually, there was no need for human labour at all.
And in order to pay back the help the aliens gave, humans used automatons, which went through extensive development until artificial sentient life was eventually created. Now, these automatons were human-like in looks and had human consciousness, but they could not bleed and were stronger than we ever could be. 
Currently, there are even different levels of automatons: level 3 are the workers, level 2 are the caretakers, and level 1 are the celebrities. Among the level 1 robots are the music group 53V3NT33N (SEVENTEEN), where each talented member represents two human states of mind. One member named J30NGHΛN, is particularly of deceit and curiosity, and yet it didn’t stop you from hoping to get to know him even further.
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You couldn't believe how quickly your addiction is becoming, recently meeting up with someone during your lunch break for a merch trade of level one robots.
53V3NT33N, one of the idol groups that made you competitive with other fans in any of their group-related promotions. 
It began over a few months ago, solely because of your curiosity when you attended one of the music festivals your friends invited you to in the summer. Among the several groups that performed, one of them randomly caught your eye, which you did not expect at all. You found out later that he was part of 53V3NT33N and that his name was J30NGHΛN, the member that has both deceit and curiosity infused in his pre-programmed personality.
That should've made you cautious but no, instead, it drove you to finally indulge in this fangirling lifestyle that surprised your family and friends. They were aware of your skeptical view of this whole AI thing from the beginning but that was before you realize that AI-idol robots can be this human enough so you didn't mind checking them out.
They're considered as one of the top groups of the galaxy, having everyone crazy over them including one of your closest friends, Bona. She’d been a fangirl since you were younger, which is the case for most AI-idol groups’ fans, starting either during elementary or high school so you couldn’t help but feel a bit behind.
It might be pretty late for you but how could you during that time when all you do is study in order to please your parents, particularly your father, who’s the founder of one of the biggest companies in the entertainment industry. So you understood why he was hard on you, probably hoping just like the rest of your family that you'd follow his steps but made it clear when you started university that you have no intentions of doing so.
Now that you're almost done with your masters, they've backed off completely and even supported you in this new lifestyle. As strange as it sounded, your mother has somehow convinced everyone in the family that this is just a way for you to de-stress from your rigorous post-grad schedule.Though a part of it is true, it's also the first time you've wanted something other than what your parents wanted for you.
Being the CEO's daughter did make your new hobby very easy as money was never an issue to you growing up. It's been a privilege that you're aware of but did not grasp fully until you found out that 53V3NT33N is under your father’s company, fuelling your new obsession with the entertainment industry as a whole.Aside from financial advantages, you have special VIP access to pretty much everything. 
However, you try to not use these benefits unless you have to as it would be unfair to other fans who don't have the privilege that you do.
.
Today, you’re here at a hi-touch event with Bona who became very enthusiastic once she saw your slightest interest in the group that she's been a fan of.
"is it usually this long?" you asked, a bit impatient about this long queue that you're lining up for. Adjusting to this lifestyle is a bit hard for you but at least you have Bona helping whenever she can. 
"of course! they've been very hot in the charts so we're getting new members in the fandom, including you!" she giggled excitedly, giving you a hug so lighten yourself up, not wanting to kill her enthusiasm with your souring mood.
With Bona’s warning, you did expect it to be like this and yet you weren't prepared enough. Albeit it's your first time, you know the larger fandom power of AI-idol groups hold regardless of size compared to human entertainers. Having VIP access may have a lot of perks but it didn’t help much when you chose to get the best experience through this.
You seldom participate in a more intimate setting with idols until today so your mind has been filled with worry about how it would go. Bona’s there to reassure you that it would be fun but you're quite nervous since you'll be meeting all the members this close for the first time. This is out of your territory and the possibility of embarrassing yourself in front of them scared you nuts since this morning.
And you’re unsure how you'll be once you face J30NGHΛN. 
The line thankfully sped up, your mind pausing for a moment when you briefly locked eyes with one of them. You spotted J30NGHΛN right away, standing in the middle near the end but that one glance your way was enough to make you even feel more nervous than you already are.
When it was finally your time, you brightly smiled at the first member on the line who's been smiling at you with his eyes. It eased up your nerves that you high-fived him with excitement as soon as he put both of his palms up. Subsequently, proceeding to the rest of the members became easy until you finally reached J30NGHΛN who laid out both of his hands to take yours right away.
It surprised you because the other members were either simply putting their palms up or interlocking their hands with yours for a brief second before moving on to the next. You weren't sure if it was the nerves but you haven't seen J30NGHΛN do this with other fans so far. Hands rising from the table and palms up as he takes both of your hands while looking straight into your eyes.
"hi, J30NGHΛN" you're relieved that your voice came out steady, mustering up a smile despite the rapid beating of your heart.
"hello..." he starts, eyes shifting down from yours and it makes you conscious of how you look. You did try today more than usual to hopefully match the beautiful idols that you've met who are close to perfection in beauty.
"___?" the soft mention of your name brought your attention back to him, noticing him reading it from your VIP pass.
Of course, it was just your name and probably the VIP pass that he's used to and nothing else. He probably won't remember you after this, seeing thousands of fans on a daily basis.
"it's my first time" you blurted out, earning a small chuckle from him. You silently berated yourself for breaking your composure but you noticed the emerging amusement in his eyes at your sudden remark, causing you to warm up in further embarrassment.
"it is? nice to meet you then" the corner of his lips lifted a bit as his eyes returned to yours. You tried smiling brightly as you did towards W00Z1 earlier to hide any more possible reactions from him but it faltered when he started running both his thumbs across your knuckles, tracing each one of them.
"n-nice to meet you too" 
You didn't mean to stutter but he took you off guard. Even more so when he interlocks his fingers with yours just when you were about to let go of his hands. He gave them a brief squeeze too that you didn't realize the line moved and you were already facing the member next to him. Good thing you recovered quickly, already getting used to holding their hands and making small conversations as you pass by each of the remaining members.
Once you were back in your seat near the front, you tried talking to the other fans around you while waiting for Bona to be done. However, your eyes can't stop straying towards J30NGHΛN and watch how he interacts with the other fans. He definitely didn't repeat what he did to you earlier so confusion washes over you.
After a while, you see a small smile grazing his lips while he is talking with a fan. It might be towards them or your obvious ogling because he suddenly glances up, capturing your eyes staring at him.
Bona hopping in beside you broke your staring contest, turning to her with enthusiasm like nothing happened. You debated on telling her you're confusing exchange with J30NGHΛN because who knows, it could just be a normal fan interaction and you were just imagining things all along. She will for sure tease you of your growing delusion towards him if ever.
You don't really know him yet but he seems to respond well to fans' advances. That could simply be part of their fan service training though, so all your experiences earlier are only part of VIP perks and you just got lucky to receive those random special interactions. However, when it was time for everyone to leave, you felt someone staring but didn't wanna think anymore if it could be him or not. 
Your curiosity took over though, so you did, catching J30NGHΛN's piercing eyes again before you exited the room.
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It could simply be J30NGHΛN's curious nature as he has never met you before. He should be feeling the same way as he does with new fans but he found you amusing instead. The staff treating you differently didn't help either, fueling his interest in you some more. Other VIP fans were treated the same way lest they break the rules so he couldn't help but be more curious about who you could possibly be.
This was why during the fan sign where he saw you again, he couldn't help but initiate the interaction this time. J30NGHΛN took one of your hands before you could say something and he watched the confusion from last time return to your pretty face. You weren't as nervous as before but he definitely surprised you.
"can i ask you a question?" you felt the need to start talking to him right away to avoid the repeat from the last time. Now that you're finally caving into your interest in the group, Bona was insisting on indoctrinating you, briefing you on fan etiquette including how fan signs usually go. With the number of members of 53V3NT33N, you ought to be efficient unlike before.
"how much do you know about humans?"
You prod with a question that he wouldn't have expected and you see his face change from expectant to confusion with your question. He took a while to respond, probably waiting for the staff's reaction behind him. But once they didn't intervene, the previous look was back on his handsome face.
"well, i know enough to entice them",
The bright smile on his face didn't match the amusement in his eyes and somehow it gave you confidence, returning it with an impish grin.
"enough to make them even more obsessed with you?"
You're testing the waters, see if he can detect the change in your demeanour. It's a bit difficult when he's holding your hand like this because you swear he only holds others' hands after signing their albums earlier while you were waiting for your turn.
"it's working, no? since you're back and in a fansign this time"
It made you speechless that he was able to remember you from the last time. He's also keeping up with your flirting attempt and smoothly evaded your first question. You were expecting him to be taken aback because you doubt other fans have asked him that but then it could also be that he's programmed or trained to answer vaguely to be able to smoothly change the topic of any conversation.
His quip didn't distract you fully so your amused smile remained. For the entirety of the conversation, his eyes never left yours during this entire conversation so you couldn't even hide the surprise in your face when his thumb starts caressing your knuckles slowly, just like last time.
The nerves returned once again but you did your best to keep your guard, focusing more and figuring out what he could be thinking right now. It's a futile attempt but you have no other choice other than to distract the increasing beating in your heart.
"it might, or maybe i just wanted a fan sign experience" you cheekily remarked before getting up and grabbing your signed album, not even waiting for his response nor looking back to see his reaction.
.
That exchange prompted J30NGHΛN to snoop around online about you when the group finally had their "free time" later on. You were different compared to the first time he met you, not timid around him that he felt like he was wrong about you all along. The staff treated you differently too, never hurried you nor stopped you from asking those questions that would've gotten other fans banned so you must have some connection to the company.
He was running out of time before the managers came back to take them to their dorms as they, unfortunately, still do have a curfew. But by saving grace, he found an old article about their company's founder, included in it was a family picture where he recognized you right away, despite how young you were in it. J30NGHΛN finds himself not surprised at what he found out, causing everything to make sense now.
What was not making sense was how everyone didn't seem to recognize you or acknowledge who you were in public. Maybe you wanted it this way, keep everything low-key so you won't have the media hovering on your every move.
Something that he wishes for himself and his brothers sometimes. He's been having an inkling that they're being monitored 24/7 so he gave up on the thought a long time ago. It's still on his mind sometimes, especially after knowing this information about you. It deepens his curiosity about humans when you do this out of nowhere. Even now that he's lying in bed, recharging for another full-packed schedule tomorrow, he couldn't let the curiosity go.
.
Bona grilled you with questions as soon as you asked to meet up with her and Somin for this possible event that you're planning.
"i can't believe i wasn't there! i would've loved to see you get smitten by him!" she sighs dreamily while Somin makes a face in the corner.
"anyways, why did you wanna see us in person on a Sunday morning?" she starts, already dismissing you and Bona's fangirling shenanigans. It wasn't that she wasn't a fan but she does have a different opinion when it comes to these kinds of things.
"this might sound crazy but i want to invite 53V3NT33N as a headliner for my first charity event"
"what?"
"look, i didn't think you liked him this much already"
Somin raises a brow at you but you just shrug off the slight judgment in her eyes. It wasn't your fault that your interactions with J30NGHΛN from the past two events have stayed in your mind, plaguing you every single time you see any of their faces on social media. Maybe it's normal since you're all new to this fangirling thing, the common rush when you're exploring something new.
Like your interest in J30NGHΛN that you definitely want to develop further.
But in order to do that, you have to see him more often which won't be possible unless you use your privilege. Just like other AI-idol groups, 53V3NT33N members were tightly monitored by your father's company. Interactions with anyone outside of their staff would have to either be as a normal fan or someone with connections to the company, like you.
That was why you approached your father with the idea, hoping he'd let you invite his most precious investment. He agreed, much to your surprise because he'll allow the whole band to perform as well. Of course, this got a few questions from other CEOs seeing as this would be the first time for 53V3NT33N to participate in a charity event. However, your father insisted that this would be a good strategy to improve their company's reputation, especially among the fans who have been disappointed on how they've been managing the group so far.
Although your father's decision was a shock to everyone, you know why he would say yes. Despite his stoic disposition when it comes to business, he is still your father so he must have been delighted at the thought of you finally indulging in the family business by involving the company in this event. Pulling some strings means nothing to him now that you're doing what he's been wanting all along.
.
When 53V3NT33N was briefed by their managers about the event and their supposed role in it, surprise and confusion passed over the members' faces as they'd never done this before.
"it will be hosted by our CEO's daughter"
The additional shock was evident this time, not knowing about your existence until now. They have no idea what you look like so some of them are intrigued while others are just calm, too calm that member S3UNGKWAN didn't miss. He waited until the managers left them, making sure they were out of the vicinity before blurting out what he noticed.
"why would she be interested in us?"
He starts off casually, hinting at something that made the rest of his members curious, except for the one he's staring at right now.
Some of the members turned to J30NGHΛN with astonished faces but did not say a word. It's not like they could freely talk about anything outside of what they're supposed to know. 
J30NGHΛN should've tried harder to blend in with the others' reaction when you were mentioned. He didn't think of the possibility that anyone would notice the change in his behaviour towards you during the hi-touch and fansign. He should've known that his members would quickly catch on and read him like an open book as he does to them.
"maybe she's taking over and needs us for promotion" H05H1 concluded, shutting down the impending commotion over J30NGHΛN's possible connection with you. Half of the members relent as usual while the others don't even after J30NGHΛN ignores their goading stares.
This move from you again surprised him. A charity that would launch you into this world he's been living in, even involving him in it. He wasn't sure if this was because of how he interacted with you or if this is just who you are. Humans have confused him since he opened his eyes and was thrust into the world to interact with them. At first, he did think that you'd be just like the others given your position in society but there's been more than meets the eye.
And he strangely finds it to feel more interested in you now.
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You've had a meeting with the rest of the company CEOs and staff to finalize the launch of the charity event. Things went well and as soon as it was announced, it made a buzz online immediately, just like your father predicted. You weren't sure if it was his doing or just people's curiosity about you finally going public in your father's line of business. Several people were intrigued by your collaboration with 53V3NT33N because, with all your connections, they could be the far end of your options as headliners.
Perhaps you wanted more publicity among the younger population which would make sense since the charity event's purpose is to support various scholarships for undergraduate students. You admit that the nerves escalated in you, both reasons being your formal introduction to your father's realm and 53V3NT33N's presence at the event. Leading events like this seems like a second skin to you, impressing the business community and media with the success of the event.
You couldn't take all the credit of course as you've had Bona and Somin too, helping you to make sure that the event goes smoothly. Right before the event ended, you asked either of them to give the closing remarks, rushing over to request one of 53V3NT33N's managers before they could move to the group's next schedule.
"i'd like to personally thank the members for doing this event with me"
"we shall send 5.C0UP5 up here right away" one of them answered curtly.
"oh, it's actually J30NGHΛN that i want to talk to"
Managing to appear composed while asking was a challenge as you tried your best to not show the managers your growing interest. Speculations can't be avoided because you did see some of them pause, with their faces wearing bewilderment but mostly startled at your choice of member. They must've been wondering why because 5.C0UP5 is the leader of the group and, therefore, their representative when it comes to official business.
Eventually, they reverted back to their composure, immediately fetching the member that you requested and directing him to the assigned room where you're waiting.  You weren't sure how this would go, if finally talking to J30NGHΛN in private would change your previous interactions. During the entirety of the event, you felt his eyes on you which almost distracted you at times but thankfully, you were able to remain focused.
"well, this is a surprise" a soft voice from behind startles you. Taking a deep breath to calm yourself down, you turned to see him smiling at you. A different smile from before, the polite one until he noticed how you weren't prepared at all. Seems like all the confidence from earlier went down the drain, making it too obvious for J30NGHΛN why he's here.
"is it? you've been paying a lot of attention earlier"
You return his smile, your confidence slowly coming up to the surface after watching his puzzled face.
"did you ask for me because of that?"
He recovered fast which did not surprise you, noticing how fast his reflexes are when it comes to conducting himself to others. You hear the inquisitive tone in his voice, taunting you to reveal the real reason why you chose to talk to him over their leader.
"no?, well yes" you admit, the curiosity overpowering your nerves. You couldn't keep it any longer, having no other options to talk to him but this way. Based on the content you've watched along with Bona's passionate detailing of them, J30NGHΛN's known to be perceptive and blunt so there's no point in denying anything.
"why?"
"you almost distracted me earlier"
"i thought i was being subtle"
You've expected him to be straightforward but not to this extent, confirming your assumptions earlier. His admission made your nerves resurface and it didn't help that he hasn't stopped looking at you since he got here. Avoiding eye contact with him has been successful so far, your eyes scanning the interior of this room despite knowing that he was aware of his effects on you.
"why?"
Now it's your turn to ask. You're still not looking at J30NGHΛN but you've been plagued with so many questions since your first interaction with him. He takes his time in answering, shifting his eyes away from you allowing you to steal a glance at his handsome face for a bit. Your elation about what his answer might be bubbles back up a little, wondering if there could be any reason his attention was on you for the entirety of the event.
"your purpose of the charity" he answers cooly, returning his gaze on you. This time you almost couldn't look away but the little disappointment stirs in you. Averting from his gaze but you don't want him to see your face because all this reminded you again of your growing attachment to him.
And you need to refocus on his question.
"my parents have great connections so why not use them for this"
"so why us then? you could pull it off on your own, the event was a success"
"thanks to you and your brothers"
Your heartbeat rises at J30NGHΛN's compliment because you technically could but you know that it's his group that mainly contributed to it, being one of the top AI boy groups in the galaxy these days. Having them as the headliner for the event definitely drew in more sponsors and donations than you expected which pleased not only your father but the other CEOs of the company too.
"we just appeared and sang a few songs, it's all you" he commended, and your heart raced even more when you finally turned to look at him.
He looks ethereal with platinum blonde hair and his white silk outfit complimenting his honey-toned skin. You must've been quiet for a while because a light chuckle escaping from him snaps you back to where you are.
"why thank you" you beamed, looking away to hide your embarrassment of getting caught. Just as he was about to answer, your phone vibrated from your desk so you stood up and gathered your belongings, preparing to leave.
"wait where are you going?"
J30NGHΛN's surprised at his own reaction, wanting to talk to you more.
"i have a meeting with my supervisors"
"for? you're working for the company now?"
"no, for my masters"
You watched him getting more intrigued with your answers but you really have to go so pause in front of him, debating if he'll catch onto your next words.
"there's always next time" you smile one last time before exiting the room, leaving J30NGHΛN behind. The teasing smile from you along with your implication has taken him aback, not expecting your sudden confidence in wanting to talk to him again. He didn't have much time to wonder as his manager barged in right away as soon as you were out of the hallway.
.
When J30NGHΛN got back to the dorms during their free time, he was a bit shocked to see all his members waiting by the living room. He already has a hunch on what will go down with a playful look plastered on some of their faces.
"someone's definitely the favourite" M1NGYU starts, earning a laughing fit from the others as J30NGHΛN approaches them.
"i couldn't believe she was at our fan events before" W0NW00 drawls, remembering you from the fansign as he was the one sitting beside J30NGHΛN.
"yeah so J30NGHΛN-hyung, she invited us because of you.." D0KY30M added but J30NGHΛN just shrugs it off.
"she's just a fan, like the others" he clarified, dismissing all the teasing he's gotten since they found out that he already knew you all along. He tried pretending earlier when you first met up with the whole group but his reaction and the way you acted around him gave the others the indication already.
He's aware that they are not really buying his dismissal seeing as you literally requested to talk to him in private. It further flares up again when you requested to see him once more.
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People have asked questions as to why you requested someone from an AI-idol to accompany you here in the office. Apart from your interest in him and his group, he's the closest one that you're comfortable with in the company, as strange as it sounds. You don't trust anyone here, not even your own father for many reasons. At least with J30NGHΛN, any possibilities of using you for their gain are lesser than actual humans who might work their way into the company through you.
As for J30NGHΛN, he immediately said yes once their manager informed him of your request. Of course, his members were confused but some are supportive since it'll just probably be company-related stuff. He also explained that this will be a great way to gain your trust, to hopefully improve how the company has been treating them in return.
So far, no one has confronted you directly about J30NGHΛN being with you during his free time. However, rumours did start when it started to occur more than what people initially expected. Some talks must've been going around the company because your father surprisingly gave you a visit to your office today.
"i know why you're here" you start, not giving him a chance to confront you first.
"i'm just here to see you, it's not often that i'm free"
"you've never been" you retorted quietly, rolling your eyes at him.
"i just need to know why because i thought it was a one-time thing for your charity event"
"i need him for one of my remaining coursework"
You technically didn't lie but you weren't telling the truth either. Your father hopefully knows you enough to figure out your little lie but because he was barely there, that didn't become the case.
You're saved by the bell when Bona and Somin barge in your door with food and shopping bags with them. Your father excuses himself right away, giving you girls time with each other given how busy you've become since agreeing to the deal he made with you.
"so..."
Bona eyes you excitedly as soon as she sits on the luxurious couch in front of you.
"you're hooking up with him? you know Salax exists for a reason right?"
Somin fires right away and you put a hand up to stop her and Bona with their impending questions.
"i'm not, why would you think that right away?"
It won't be your first time having companions and you've been to the planet before with her to explore its attractions so you couldn't really blame her for questioning your choices.
"damn girl, last time you were all timid when it comes to him but now look at you!"
Bona adds proudly as she unpacks all the food on the table.
"is it because he's a level 1? you wanted to try if you could?"
Damn Somin and her fiery mouth.
The idea is enticing, sure, as level 1 robots can never be found in Salax because they're seen as "too pure" to be on the planet for anyone's darkest desires. You don't know how to answer her question because although that's not your intention to request his presence when you're in the company, these thoughts sometimes pass through your mind.
There's something satisfying about having J30NGHΛN with you, a level 1 robot that no one can have no matter how rich they are, proving your status even to people in your level. His kind is unattainable with the company's interference each time a rumour comes up involving any of the celebrity robots.
That's not to say that it doesn't happen as there are corrupt CEOs from other entertainment companies who sometimes exploit their level 1 robots underground, completely in secrecy. Fans found out about it will not only cause major problems for the company but for the careers of their robots and future investments as well.
That won't hopefully be the case for you if you decide to pursue J30NGHΛN. Any rumours that may be speculated by the media will get shut down right away not to ruin both the groups' image and yours. In fact, the company might just endorse this as your "training" and possibly follow in your father's footsteps.
"who knows really, i'd rather have him than anyone in this company"
.
J30NGHΛN is surprisingly pleasant as a company. Each time you ask for him, he arrives promptly and just follows anything you ask him. You thought that he'd see you differently once he found out who you are but nothing much changed. If not, he continues how he's been treating you, though a little more reserved than before because of your position.
It's never boring with him like you initially thought. Maybe that could be part of his media training or his learning given that artificial intelligence hasn't stopped digesting information given by humans. When you've caught him trying to read through your papers, you've asked him if he ever had any interest in things outside of idol life.
"of course, we all do but especially me with my curiosity, remember?"
Sometimes you forget that each of these level-one automatons has pre-programmed emotions. It was one of the reasons why you became interested in 53V3NT33N, observing how those emotions are webbed into them during performances, and interviews, and how they are with different kinds of people.
"if you wanna learn something, i don't mind teaching you" you smile gently and his usual passive face responds brightly at your response.
Since then he's been slowly opening himself up regarding the current state of his cognition. He revealed that aside from what the company teaches them through their training, they have no other opportunities to explore their personal interests. You honestly felt bad for them, knowing they have consciousness and therefore, can feel.
There are also times that you forget him being an AI idol until his availability begins dwindling due to his lack of any more time in his "free" time. You are starting to think that you may not have any free time anymore because he's been using whatever limited time he has to accompany you.
"i barely see you these days"
J30NGHΛN said that he needed to leave early for another schedule so he can only stay with you today for a short period of time. You didn't mean to sound like a jealous person because there's nothing between you. He became a friend, well, a closer one now due to the amount of time he spent together.
Idol life has always been busy but you couldn't help but feel disappointed that he has no free time to see you. It's childish since it will never be his fault, just the company so you hate feeling like this.
"oh, it's cause i have to meet with the researchers and developers, they had new ones" he replied nonchalantly but his eyes stayed on you with curiosity.
"really? do you even have any more time to see your mechanics?"
You didn't mean to sound petty because they do have regular checkups with personal human mechanics. And with the addition of extra meetings with researchers and developers, you're pretty below their priority list despite being the CEO's daughter.
"it's mandatory __, why? do you want me to be always with you then?"
His direct question caught you off guard and you looked away from him, busying yourself with whatever was going on at the lab table. You should be used to it by now and he's been gradually influencing you when it comes to voicing out your thoughts but you still can't when he asks these kinds of questions. You could technically switch things around now that your father has been slowly passing his responsibilities to you but you refuse to be just like him and others who take advantage of anyone below their level.
"well, i'm always alone except for when Bona and Somin visit me" you admit, not realizing he followed you to where you are. You can feel him standing behind you and will yourself to face him, giving him a quizzical look.
"you didn't answer my question" he whispers, looking at you intently. 
There's something in his eyes that you haven't seen before and you couldn't even explain it. If it was because of what you said, you're unsure. J30NGHΛN may have understood what you were implying earlier but also couldn't, it's difficult to decipher with the impassive expression he's wearing.
You don't know how to answer him, embarrassment flooding in you again like every time you turn skittish because of him. J30NGHΛN waits for your answer but he must've understood your silence because he surprises you when he reaches out, hand almost touching your jaw so you finally respond by leaning into it.
He cups your cheek, eyes roaming on your face before leaning in. You're still trying to process what's happening but you did the same and met his lips halfway. J30NGHΛN pauses at the contact, probably stunned that you kissed him so you started pulling away. This must be all new to him and you just crossed whatever boundary both have left. 
But then he held your face firmly, stopping you from completely doing so. A little gasp came out of you and he further shocked you by pressing his lips back to yours.
"i-"
"don't be upset anymore" he cuts you off after you both release each other's lips, shifting his gaze away this time as he steps back.
You on the other hand could not even form a proper sentence, still processing the fact that you and J30NGHΛN kissed. That you both did the second time too but mostly because he initiated it.
"J30NGHΛN-"
"i'm sorry but i have to go __, i'll see you as soon as i can" he regretfully replies, giving you a different smile than the ones he gave you before. Sure, he rarely smiles unless he has to and figuring out the genuity of his smiles has been difficult. However, the way he's been acting is sending a message, a vague one that continues to confuse you further.
You only waved back in response, unable to form any words since still dazed from that unexpected kiss. Some part of your mind though is having more questions as to why J30NGHΛN did that. He's still a bit hard for you to decipher but you don't also wanna force him to explain everything. 
Maybe it was just part of his want to learn, having curiosity is embedded in him so exploring something new is normal.
But you couldn't also just ignore the paired deceit, which you have been avoiding thinking about since the beginning.
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Since that kiss, something definitely changed between you and J30NGHΛN. Aside from him being usually flirty, he also initiates any physical gesture that you've been showing him. All these could be part of his cognition development, responding naturally to you through the exercises you've given him.
J30NGHΛN did express his interest in learning more about humans, the ones that he hasn't seen through the media and you've been willing to teach him—sort of gratitude for accompanying you despite his busy schedule. He asks eloquent questions that surprise you sometimes, stirring your interest in the potential of artificial intelligence to develop even further than it currently is.
You're back in one of the company's labs today, deciding to finish your coursework here instead of traveling back and forth to and from the campus. The several meetings you've attended on behalf of your father, of course, were time-consuming already and now you know why they've set this lab up specifically for you. He might be subtle in his instructions but you're aware that he wanted you to be as close to his company as possible.
"does that also include human anatomy?" you tease, reviewing a few illustrations of various alien anatomies that you've been researching while sitting at the table. It's break time anyway, the only time you're able to talk to J30NGHΛN outside your duties. Teasing him became frequent as you've continued to grow comfortable with each other, becoming part of your daily banter.
"that's the one that i haven't studied yet" he says casually but the look in his eyes is the opposite. They're inquisitive with a hint of deceit that's making you gulp nervously given how near he is, standing close beside your perched form.
"how come?"
"we barely have time to explore other things"
"including?"
It came out as a whisper but J30NGHΛN heard the underlying query in your voice. This might be pushing your luck but somehow you feel confident in challenging him further today. You wanted to see the limit of his advances towards you. He moves to stand in front of you, his eyes observing your expressions now that you're staring right back at him.
"physical ones, like..you"
The revelation dazzled you a bit, not expecting him to be on the same wavelength as you. He leaned in, about to place his hands on the table until you grabbed one of them. He looks down at the hand that you're holding, amusement swimming in his eyes when you place it on one of your bare legs.
"are you sure? i thought you'd find aliens more interesting than a boring human like me" you shrug, trying to ignore the warm feeling of his palms now massaging your skin. It still fascinates you how human-like AI robots have become, J30NGHΛN having only a few differences with you.
"you've never bored me since the first time we met"
Your heart once again races at him admitting those words. It didn't help that his elegant fingers had also started skirting under your mini pencil skirt. His eyes stayed on them like he was contemplating where they would go. His fingers' pulling back and forth made you quiver, your legs squirming, especially when his ringed finger brushed along your inner thighs.
"Jeonghan.." you didn't mean for it to come out breathlessly but you couldn't take his teasing anymore. You didn't even realize that you called him by his real name until he looked up at you in an instant, your small whine fueling up something in his eyes now.
You didn't know what came over you when you opened your legs as an invitation, your skirt riding up further allowing J30NGHΛN to see what's underneath. He eyed your clothed core, noticing the wet spot on your undies and it prompted him to move his fingers around it. One of his brows rises when you start squirming, your legs trying to close so puts his other hand on your other leg to stop you.
"you should call me by my real name more often" he starts again, tracing his fingertips around the area until it catches your clothed hole.
"i can't do that-" he startles you when he prods a finger in, earning a squeak from you.
"did i hurt you?" he removed his hands right away, confusion and worry etched on his face but you shook your head. You're relieved that he didn't pry you with his previous question because you're honestly too riled up to respond properly.
"no, you just... surprised me"
You smile at him reassuringly, releasing a deep breath before bringing his hand back to where it was before. Pulling up your skirt even more, you push your undies to the side, revealing your soaked core to J30NGHΛN's curious eyes. He resumes exploring you with his fingers, eyes in fascination as he traces your wet pussy lips with his nimble fingers.
He hears your breathing increase, with your eyes switching from looking at his fingers to his face, sensing the frustration in them. He wonders if it's because of what he's been doing or if he wasn't doing enough yet.
"what do i do next?" he queries after pushing one finger in, eliciting a small gasp from you that you almost couldn't answer properly when he starts pumping it in and out. The stretch causes your moans to grow louder so now he wants to do more, observing the way your legs quiver the faster he goes.
"just...continue what you're doing already"
You couldn't help but whine when he inserted a second one, your hips involuntarily moving to get his fingers more into you. J30NGHΛN obliged, plunging his fingers deeper with each stroke like you've been hinting. He wanted to earlier, your moans spurring him but he wasn't sure if your body could take it when you're already so tense around his fingers.
"one more.."
You can barely open your eyes when you beg, biting your lips harshly to stifle your moans and it flares J30NGHΛN's curiosity even more, wanting to see how you'll react with three of his fingers inside you so he did.
"you'd think they'll hear us?"
His fingers nudge your walls experimentally, fingertips occasionally brushing something in you that you couldn't even keep quiet anymore. His question lingers in the air and you've been trying to answer him but his fingers just feel too good.
"w-what?"
J30NGHΛN just grins at you wickedly, his eyes never leaving yours as he waits for you. He probably ran out of patience cause he slowed down his fingers, forcing your gaze back at him.
"they could be listening,..." he continues, drawing his fingers out and then pushing them in again. He knows the communication device sitting between his collarbones can track them, a common practice for companies with level ones like him so he wonders if any of them are monitoring, if they can hear how he's been breaking down their CEO's daughter like this.
You clenched around his fingers, unable to stop exposing yourself to what J30NGHΛN said. His beautiful brown eyes dilate at your response so he's back to increasing the pace of his fingers, trying to locate that soft spot in you again. Watching your face contort when he finds it stirs something in him, that strange satisfaction that even he couldn't explain.
"there it is, isn't it?"
You hear the teasing in his voice again, driving you to whine his name louder than you intend to. The way his fingers were constantly hitting your sweet spot was pushing you to the edge, your lower pussy lips also tingling at the cold feeling of the silver ring on his pinky that occasionally brushes them.
J30NGHΛN notices you trying to grind down his fingers, desperately rubbing yourself so he looks back down to see why, and when he does, he grazes his thumb on the swollen button he found, marveling at your instant reaction.
"yes, there..oh–" you didn't think he'll figure out how to play your clit this fast but you should've known how fast he's been at learning new things. The pressure from the pads of his fingers must've pushed you to the end, your body arching from the table as you let go, releasing so gorgeously in front of his eyes.
"you look beautiful" he mutters in awe, eyes still on you. J30NGHΛN didn't think humans could look this way through this. He didn't even realize that his fingers were still relentless in their speed cause he wanted to see you more like this, glowing hence why he kept going and didn't understand why you grabbed his arm to stop him.
"too much.." you could barely speak after reaching your peak, prompting him to pull his fingers out from you eventually. 
J30NGHΛN's bewildered face turned into worry but you smiled cheerily at him despite your weariness. 
Pulling him close by his shoulders, you watch him examine his coated fingers and it makes your already heated body even warmer. You hand him the tissue box beside you and instead of using them, he pops his coated fingers into his mouth, eyes widening at your taste.
"didn't expect you'd taste this good" he hums, grabbing some tissues to clean you up instead. He's surprisingly being delicate which brings that warm feeling inside your heart to resurface. 
"really? thanks" you giggle, still high from that amazing orgasm he gave you. It momentarily made you forget the fact that you just let him finger you here in the lab where anyone could've heard or seen you both. The glass walls are translucent sure, but you weren't sure how loud you were this whole time.
He assists you in getting off the table because you're wobbling a bit as soon as your feet reach the ground. You pull down your skirt and try to look presentable just in case anyone barges in, expecting J30NGHΛN to distance himself from you but his hands remain on your waist.
"so.. you're going to teach me more?" he smiles at you and it stupidly makes your heart race.
"i barely taught you anything" you dismiss shyly, looking anywhere but at him because you are still taken aback at what just happened. He learned to do all that with a little of your guidance, pleasuring you even better than human boys and sex robots could.
"you did let me study, but i think it's not enough," he playfully huffs as he shakes his head. You see a glimpse of seriousness in his eyes but it somehow earned a chuckle from you.
"you were supposed to be more advanced than me" you say, back to being playful with him like a second nature. You feel content, brushing a few strands of blonde hair away from his eyes. They're growing longer now and you love them when they would always curl in front of his handsome face so you can have an excuse to touch him. 
"only physically, i haven't tested everything yet" he winks, the coy smile never leaving his face. You knew that J30NGHΛN would never give up the idea of exploring each other more from now on and you might be too deep to refuse at this point.
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It's been a few days since you saw J30NGHΛN and you're excited to see him after what conspired between you last time. You're a bit nervous though how your dynamics will change, hoping for at least no awkwardness because you won't be able to manage it.
Whisking away your thoughts, you approached the elevators while responding to people greeting you. When it opened, there was someone in it that you recognized as one of 53V3NT33N's managers. It was mainly because they were the only ones who treated you indifferently in the company. The others were either too timid or too fake with you despite your generous approach.
"thank you" you smiled at them when they held the elevator doors open for you.
"no problem miss ceo"
"that's my father, not me" you deflect, silently thanking them for the light manner approach. You understood why everyone was too serious with you but you sometimes wish that this type of refreshing interaction were more common. You might not have plans on becoming a CEO but you were never comfortable when people treat you as one.
"will be, soon i hope. i'd be happy if that happens" they playfully admitted but you recognized the sliver of sincerity in there which delighted you a bit.
"Star, right?" 
You didn't know how to respond to them so you just smiled, hoping they'll get the sign that you didn't wanna discuss the subject further. It's something that you haven't even talked about with Bona and Somin because they perceived what your stance was on the matter.
"yes, ma'am"
"please, ___ will do or the nickname you gave me earlier" you smiled at them, preferring to drop all the formality between you. You still have a hard time trusting anyone in the company, let alone a staff member, but you feel like you could trust Star out of all of them.
"of course, additional workload?" they asked, pertaining to the several files in your hands.
"you could say"
"J30NGHΛN has really been a help then, with the studying i mean"
The gaze they sent your way had your mind blanking out in addition to the teasing in their tone. You're unable to process the fact that someone not just knew but could possibly hear what happened between you and J30NGHΛN. 
"don't worry, no one else knows aside from me. it was my shift for recording check-ins last week that's why" 
You must've been so obvious that they smiled reassuringly. It still didn't quell the embarrassment flooding in your face and the dread of what might happen after. They seemed to be decent and can be counted on but you couldn't take any chances.
"did you hear..something?" your shift in your stance, the defensiveness apparent in your tone. 
"no, just a bit nearing the end i'm assuming, with the teaching him more"
You sigh in relief, more than glad that you've been lucky enough that it was only the last part they heard. J30NGHΛN getting in trouble just because of his little exploration of your body was the last thing you want. It was risky, yes, and the memory of him teasing you about the communication device flashing in your eyes causes your cheeks to warm up despite the full air conditioning in this building.
"i-, we-"
"you don't have to explain miss CEO, you're not the only one"
The revelation piqued your interest and you wondered if they too were as involved with their automaton as you were.
"really? so do you also-"
"oh no, never that way 'cause i'd get booted before i know it" 
Star put their hands up in defense as they chuckled but you saw the longing in their eyes as they said it. You feel sorry for them, for not even being allowed to express what they feel due to the nature of this industry. You could say you were in the same boat but you have another privilege that they don't, spending time with J30NGHΛN anytime you want lest it conflicts with his idol schedule.
"i'm sorry"
Sharing the same conflict someone provided both astonishment and relief to you. Knowing that a fellow human had the same struggles in some way makes you even more determined to pursue J30NGHΛN.
"it is what it is and i'm glad at least to find someone who shares the same dilemma as me"
They smiled at you once the elevator dinged, exiting the doors to probably meet the boys, something that you would want to do if you didn't have piled up coursework thanks to the meetings that you had to attend on behalf of your father, again. You waved goodbye to Star with a smile, grateful that they shared with you something personal and this risky, for both them and the AI robot they were longing for.
Since then, you have been reaching out to Star when it came to J30NGHΛN's whereabouts, as they were the ones who handled the automata's daily schedule. It made spending time with J30NGHΛN easier, though you still had to be careful not for your sake but his and Star's. Even though they had been immensely helping you both, you couldn't risk anything happening to them just because of your greed.
.
Your father was surprisingly situated in your office when you entered and once again, has asked about these frequent meet-ups with J30NGHΛN.
"i'm sure you've heard the rumour circulating around __"
"i thought that was settled a long time ago" you dismiss, clearly not wanting to talk to him as you're busy yourself around your office.
"of course, it's just a reminder that you should be putting your time into other beneficial things like more business partners-
"you mean meet their sons so you could marry me off?" you turn around to face him, to watch him lie to you like countless times before. This was one of the main reasons why you did not want to be a part of his world, not wanting to give up your freedom which would not be an option anymore if ever.
"that's not what i said __"
"i already told you last time what i need him for"
"does it require this much?"
And unlike last time when Bona and Somin interrupted your father's probing, they were unfortunately not here to do it again much to your dismay.
"i don't trust anyone here and having him as a company is killing two birds with one stone " 
You've never had problems conveying to your father what you truly feel, hoping he'd realize that he's not an exception to your sentiment.
"when are you going to be done?" 
He diverted the topic, knowing that you'd won the argument like you always did. Despite his threatening image outside, he remained a father to you though you've never treated him otherwise.
"soon" you tried your best to hide your looming disappointment when that day arrived. You didn't want to give him any more reason to eminently take J30NGHΛN away from you if this goes on any longer.
There was still so much to explore on his mental capabilities that many people haven't bothered to into. You might be already falling in deep but you'd love to know if it's also possible for J30NGHΛN to develop something based on how the development of your relationship has become. It's a silly thought but deep down you wanted to know if falling in love was a potential scenario for him to happen. 
It might be a futile hope but with AI's range of possibilities, you couldn't be blamed for having one. The thought even made you hesitant to tell your friends because it could go wrong. You could give Bona the same hope and at the same time face Somin's impending disapproval knowing her firm stance in this situation.
But it was only a matter of time until they caught up on what had been going on with you.
"alright stop playing with me, we've had enough of these rumours" Somin started as soon as she barged into your place with a strangely quiet Bona behind.
"you too? he was already here earlier, trying to talk to me about it"
You may have underestimated what your father mentioned earlier, thinking he was bluffing to emphasize his latent threat. Perhaps you weren't as discreet as you thought because Bona has never been this quiet around you since you were children until now.
"stop deflecting"
"i'm studying him, the possibilities of their cognition are vast, Somin. i thought you knew that" 
You don't know who you're trying to convince with that explanation, your friends or yourself.
"i do but you and i both know that's not what i meant"
It's tough to answer her question because you've also been at war within yourself regarding what you really feel for J30NGHΛN. No matter how good you are in your pretense though, both of your friends have always been able to see right through you.
"you love him" Bona whispers, looking dejected at her realization after eyeing your reaction.
"he's my favourite member of the group, don't you love yours too?" you insisted, not yielding from their confrontations.
"it's not the same"
"of course, it's not, she's in love with him"
Somin cuts you both and silence follows. You couldn't exactly confirm or deny what she said but you're also done lying to your friends.
"i don't wanna do anything about it but i'm prepared to see where this goes"
Vague replies have never confused your friends anymore and they thankfully concede to your decision in their contrasting ways.
"look, i get it more than Somin does so i'll just be here if you need me" Bona replies softly with a smile while Somin just shakes her head, giving you a defeated but comforting look.
"as absurd as this whole thing is, you're still a dear friend of mine" 
"i love you both", you reply with your usual response, giving them grateful smiles as you lay down a couple of board games in the living room. It's always been a girls' night tradition since you were kids and that immediately boiled down the tension between the three of you from that conversation.
You're grateful that you were able to finally reveal and talk to them about it. Your friends have been the closest people that you can confide with anything so it was a great comfort to know they're with you on this no matter how stupid this looks. Continuing whatever this is between you and J30NGHΛN will be a struggle but that has never deterred you from the beginning.
Only spurring you further as a challenge.
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Sounds of skin slapping and heaving breaths bounce off your office walls, with J30NGHΛN pounding into you harshly against your desk. The awkwardness was nowhere to be found when you saw him again, if not, he's even grown comfortable dallying with you. He touches you whenever he likes which was often and it became a common occurrence between you both, exploring each other physically despite being on the company grounds.
J30NGHΛN truthfully doesn't care if anyone catches you both. He had never cared once you started showing your interest in him. It's not like they can stop you from pursuing him, evident when none of them interfered since he started responding to your requests.
"you okay?" he asked as he pulled out slowly, his hands carefully caressing your body ever since he learned how sensitive you become after an orgasm.
You nod at him, beaming as you grab a bottle of water beside you to quench your thirst. You get exhausted quickly unlike him who doesn't need to rest unless he's recharging through his bed. J30NGHΛN's always patient with you when it comes to sex, helping you in taking breaks to keep up with his mechanical endurance. 
After cleaning you both up, he helps you put your clothes back on, not leaving your side just like the first time. It's a habit he picked up after seeing your face light up each time he does it. When he questioned you why, you couldn't respond to him which added to his curiosity. He never bothered asking again but just continued to do it, hoping that you'd answer him eventually.
Just as J30NGHΛN's finishing buttoning up his black satin top, he sees your hand reaching towards him. You do this a lot when you want a kiss from him, looking adorable especially when you're dazed and a bit breathless after dressing back up again.
"hannie..." you called him softly with the nickname that you came up with recently. It's affectionate, he's guessing because he also felt the need to comply each time you call for him for some reason that he doesn't understand.
He kisses you right away, responding to the kiss the way you like. One of your hands went down to his neck, stroking its sides while the other found a purchase on his bare chest. Your manicured fingers started tracing the edge of his collarbone where his necklace was sitting, the diamond-shaped device implanted just above it. 
Then J30NGHΛN was confused when you started circling your fingertip around it so he deepened the kiss, biting your lower lip to distract you both from whatever this is you're doing.
But that's when he hears it, 5.C0UP5 voice shouting "RUN" through the communication device that's also connected to his ear. He reluctantly breaks the kiss, head-turning sideways to make sure he heard his brother correctly.
Then the alarms suddenly broke off throughout the entire building, blaring non-stop and it further confirms his suspicion from before.
That 5.C0UP5 was planning to escape like he did all along.
He had a hunch but wasn't sure if the rest of his members had an interest as well. Knowing his brothers though, most of them would want to leave this suffocating lifestyle of theirs for real freedom.
"it's time isn't it?"
J30NGHΛN was perplexed by your question, drawing back from you after realizing that you knew of his plan to escape. But before he can move away even further, your hand tightens its hold around his neck, surprising him more with your strength.
"what are you doing?"
He couldn't figure out what you meant until you dug your fingers around the device and began peeling away the rest of his synthetic skin.
"we don't have much time"
"how did you-?"
"i made sure he'll prepare you" 
J30NGHΛN's beautiful eyes widen, another shock coursing through him at this revelation that the mechanic apprentice who's been loosening his device this entire time was planted by you.
You watched his face morph into the realization of what you knew all along. Expecting him to leave immediately, he remained instead, still staring at you with mixed emotions arising on his handsome face. You made Kai, a mechanic apprentice of one of the staff, to gradually loosen J30NGHΛN's communication device on each visit in exchange for securing a spot for him in the company as a junior mechanic after his graduation. 
Of course, the boy complied as soon as you offered, not wasting the rare opportunity given by the CEO's daughter of a huge company. Automatons also heal fast, making it easier for both him and J30NGHΛN to hide this secret deal from anyone in the company except, well, you.
J30NGHΛN didn't have the time to ask more questions when you started pulling the device off of him, pain replacing the conflict on his face. Although the device was easy to get off now, the pain was still excruciating that J30NGHΛN couldn't hold back the screams even if he tried to.
You're in pain too. Both from the physical pain of ripping the device with your now bloody hands and the pain of him leaving you. 
From the beginning, you knew that this was his reason for pursuing you because why would he break all of those strict rules from the management for you had it not been because of your position? Deceit and curiosity have been programmed into his system since he was created so he couldn't escape from it unless someone alters it. You could've asked Kai or even other developers to do so but you foolishly hoped that you'd have the time until his consciousness could achieve what you've been longing for.
"____-" he rasps your name, traces of pain in his voice although you're not sure of its cause. 
"this will be the last place for them to look but we're on the top floor so it'll take time for you to exit the building"
You pushed him out of your office door in a hurry, giving him further instructions and shortcut directions to get out of the building as soon as possible, not even looking a second at him because you wouldn't be strong enough to let him go if you did.
J30NGHΛN's silent as he clutched the wound on his collar bones but could feel his eyes on you the whole time. You ignored it even as he staggered backward in the empty hallway, seeming like he wanted to stay until you both heard the commotion from the lower floors coming up through the stairwells, an indication that the guards might be closing in anytime soon.
"go, please"
You finally looked at him one last time as you dropped on the floor, voice desperate for him to leave because you'd rather lose him this way knowing that he's free than let him go through what your father might do to him for attempting to escape.
Knowing your father, he’ll punish him even more as revenge upon the rest of his brothers for escaping too.
J30NGHΛN starts backing up when he sees the fear in your eyes, along with the tears now flowing down your face. You couldn't figure out what he was thinking from where you are so you muttered the one thing that you've never said to anyone just as he was heading to the corner of the hallway.
"i love you"
If he was able to catch it you weren't sure, closing your eyes as soon as he disappeared from your sight. The pain from your fingers intensifies and diverts your attention to it, hoping that the physical pain will mask the real one you're really crying for within.
You haven't cried in so long but you also remembered that you have to maintain this pretense of being devastated when the guards chasing the robots around found you at your office. They must've been redirected here given that J30NGHΛN's communication device is pretty much still intact, therefore, giving them a false lead to your office.
Not entirely false when they found your office door open, with you lying on the floor and crying while holding J30NGHΛN's communication device in your bloody hands.
They immediately approached you, presumably to take the device but flinched away from them.
"at least let me have this part of him" you whisper brokenly, still crying and emotional though if you're still pretending at this point you're not sure.
Since everyone knew that you got attached to the said automaton, the guards just let you be but they did call for medics to tend to you before leaving to pursue the rest of the escaping automatons.
The paramedics thankfully didn't pry too much when they arrived, only asking necessary questions and you answered back like a robot. Your mind couldn't think of anything else aside from J30NGHΛN, if he's okay and if he was able to escape successfully with his brothers.
You internally chuckle because he probably has, knowing him. A fresh set of tears followed right after that the staff arriving panicked right away, confronting the medics if they were doing their job properly.
For now, you're letting yourself be vulnerable in front of these strangers as much as you despised it. It'll hopefully give you enough time to focus on what comes after as soon as the medics are done with you. The dreading reality that you have to face soon. 
Not only the public and your friends but especially your father who will for sure punish you for helping J30NGHΛN escape and essentially ruining the company that you're supposed to inherit.
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e/n: who would’ve thought that i’d go back to my roots lmao. anyways, i hope y’all enjoyed this! a little tmi for those interested but idol aus are usually not my fave and he’s not even my bias but out of all seventeen, he’s the most similar to me and i do love sci-fi so as soon as i saw the emotions assigned to him, i got an idea/plot right away :D
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pynkgothicka · 10 months
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DEATH JJK
Synopsis - After your husband passes, your therapist gives you a new opportunity to be with him. (Part one of The Monster Series.)
Pairing - Yandere! Dark! Android! Jeon Jungkook x Widower! Fem! Reader
Featuring - Steven Yuen
Tags and Warnings - Violence, Death, Yelling
Authors Note - One down 5 more to go
A friendly reminder that all my works are dark fanfiction! Please if you do not like that do not read them! This is your final warning before hitting the keep reading button!!
“Ma'am, he's not coming back.”
You stared in shock at the body on the side of the road. Your husband was laying dead a bullet wound in his chest and you couldn't do anything about it.
“Kook…. No…. Kook….”
The cop there had to physically drag you away. You crying and sobbing as you watched him get dragged away.
But that was a long time ago.
Sitting down in your therapists office had you in a daze, your mind on a constant loop of that night. Hands covering your tear stained eyes. “Miss Jeon, his death was over a year ago. Yet you can't seem to get past it. Why is that?” Your therapist commented as she sat in the chair in front of you.
“I miss him, he was my life. Jeon Jungkook was my everything.” You said looking down at your lap. “I sit in the house he saved up to buy for us and I'm just surrounded by him.”
“He was taken when you needed him most…”
“You know this… Why are you asking me this?” You say looking at her with a aggravated look on your face.
Your therapist let out a sigh before reaching into her desk. He then handed you a card. On the front read DEATH.
Deceased
Electric
Android
Therapeutic
Humanoid
“Take it. You need it. Call the number on the back and they'll set everything up.”
🤖
That's what led you to sitting in a random office. You came about 30 minutes before after setting up a appointment.
The entire building had this futuristic build to it. Every light had a light neon blue glow to them. And almost everything was automated through technology. Outside the large glass window and saw all sorts of people with androids in general. It was kind of creepy yet sad knowing what the company was for.
“Hello Mrs. Jeon. I heard about your situation.” You were pulled out of your gaze as a man in a sleek white lab coat walked in. His name tag read, Lead Scientist Mr. Yuen. “It's quiet, sad really. Having your husband taken from you at such a crucial part of the relationship.” He walked to sit behind the desk in front of you.
“Yes, so… what exactly do you guys do?” You ask trying to pull away from the topic of your husbands demise.
“Well,” He pulls out a hard drive, written on the front in sharpie the letters JJK. “This is your husband's entire consciousness. We'd gotten access to your husband's brain. Your lucky he was a organ donor.”
You could feel tears prick your eyes. Your husband was right there.
He was so close.
“We take this and put it into a android. That android is as close to a human as we could get it. Even the skin feels realistic. Height, weight, even a replica of all that junk down there. Practically a one to one ratio.” Mr. Yuen chuckles. “And this will cost nothing as our company is pretty new. We really just need people to say what we offer works.”
You were desperate. You do care anymore, it was something. You nodded as Mr Yuen smiled and placed a stack of paperwork in front of you. “He'll be ready for you in a few hours.”
🤖
You sat in a lounge area waiting patiently. You looked mindlessly through a magazine, trying to be as level headed as possible.
“Mrs Jeon!”
Your head shot up at the sound of your name being called. It took you a bit to stand up but when you did you were in shock.
There he stood.
The love of your life.
Jeon Jungkook.
“Baby?”
His voice sounded exactly the same. It was him. Your mind was clouded at being reunited with him, and all you could do was cry and run towards him. You hugged him, and you could feel him hug you back. His strength showed as he nearly crushed you.
“Okay okay you have to let go!” You said giggling. Jungkook did, him looking at you with nothing but love and adoration. You looked at the side of his forehead seeing a blue ring of light.
It reminded you of what this actually was. And how this wasn't actually him…
“It doesn't have to be there…” Jungkook said looking at your eyes on the led light. You watched in bewilderment as his skin tone covered the blue circular ring. “Is that better?”
You nod mindlessly as you take Jungkooks cheeks in your hands to kiss him.
It was quick but needed.
Even his lips were just as soft as Jungkooks.
Mr. Yuen stood off to the side and when he felt it was needed walked up to you to shake your hand.
“It was a pleasure doing business with you Mrs Jeon. If you have any issues please do call.”
🤖
Things started to go wrong almost a week into bringing him home. You were seated on the couch with him, going through a old photo album. You were pointing out memories the both of you had, trying to see if he had the memories of your lost love.
And he was struggling.
“Kook, baby… you don't remember this?” You said pointing towards your first date. He'd taken you to go to a book store. But He just stared at it trying to process what he saw but he just couldn't.
“I'm sorry. I can't… I don't remember.” Jungkook said putting his head into his hands. “I-I’m so sorry.” It sounded as if he was crying, which was something you didn't even know he could do. Then again he is supposed to be the closest thing to a human.
With a shakey hand you patted his back trying to comfort him. Then your wrapped your arms around him, kissing the side of his face. “It's okay. Trust me we'll get through this one step at a time. I should be apologizing, I tried forcing way too much onto you.” You say kissing the top of his head once again.
“I don't get it… I don't fucking get it.” He growled the grip on his head getting harsher. He then reeled his head back and slammed it into the coffee table. You quickly grab his shoulders to pull him back.
“Kook! Kook! Stop!” You yelled as he struggled against you, trying to punish himself. He then seemingly stopped, artificial tears cascading down his face.
“What happened…?” He asked looking at you with those same soft eyes you fell for.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
🤖
You spend about a month with your new android husband, his mood changes still existing. But you looked past them, and instead just tried to work with him.
Like now you two were on a date and Jungkook was a gentleman and his usual playful self.
“Honestly I like eating. It's something about all those textures in your mouth that just make the experience!” Jungkook stated describing eating as if it was the best thing in the world. But all you could do was laugh at his antics. You wish you had that much joy for living.
Jungkook stared at you dumbfounded. “What's so funny?” He said beginning to laugh with you.
“Your just, so amused by seemingly little things. It's kind of funny.” You reply smiling. This was almost reminiscent of how you and your actual husband were. That was until the waiter cam around for about the 5th time that night. Jungkook would get more angry by the minute anytime he was around. Like now, as Jungkook stopped laughing and side eyed the waiter as he passed the drinks. As soon as he left you spoke up, “Kook, baby you have to calm down.”
“I'm calm. He just needs to leave us alone.” He seethes under his breath.
Then the waiter returns.
And Jungkook shoots up, grabs his arm and begins to yell at him. “Leave us the fuck alone!” People gasp as the waiter groans out. “Man you're bruising me!” The waiter says trying to prey Jungkook off. You get up and grab his shoulder.
“Let go! Let go now!” You yell and Jungkook almost immediately retracts his grasp. Your left embarrassed, and finally state that this is the last straw as you leave in a hurry.
🤖
“Hi I was told to call this number if I something was wrong with my product.” You stood outside on the porch of your house.
“Ma'am. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do.” The receptionist replies. Your face furrows as you raise your voice.
“What? There's obviously something wrong, my husband has never acted this way. I need to talk Dr Yuen. Please!” You practically begged.
“Ma'am. DEATH company has ceased to exist. Too many bugs, and you seem to have one. I say either get rid of the product or live with it. Good day.” Then the phone hangs up.
The first option was out of the question.
You couldn't see him die again.
But you didn't know how much longer you could live with the android. His mood swings become more and more drastic every day.
With a heavy head and heart you walked back in, bumping into Jungkooks hard chest.
“You think something is wrong with me.” He said solemnly.
“Kook baby, no… you're just… I think….” You couldn't even muster up a excuse for him. “It's just that… your not… my husband…”
You tried to walk past him but he moved in your way. “I'm not? Then why do I have all these thoughts? Why do I consistently feel plagued by him?” He spat at you. You moved to one side and quickly went the other way around him. “My mind is filled with you! His thoughts about you … I'm him!”
“Calm down… Please! I'm- I didn't mean what I said!” You beg putting your hands up as a act of defense. Jungkook seethed grabbing at his hair. He moved it forcibly.
“Is it this?” He yelled showing the led ring on the side of his skull. “Is it the fact that your “husband” wasn't a robotic freak!” You quickly love your footing falling onto the carpet. You felt a sharp pain in your arm as your forced to drag yourself away.
In fear, you watched as Jungkook took to a nearby mirror throwing it to the ground. You screamed as glass shot near him everywhere. He picked up a sizeable piece and took it to the side of his head. “I can change… I will change…” He then began to cut at the piece, all the while stepping towards you. He yanked it out throwing the circle to the side.
Jungkook now stood over you.
“Am I like him now? Am I your perfect husband….” He taunted. You shake your head no as you cried beneath his form. He just smiled. “Your lying… and in denial. Look at that arm… you broke it. All because you tried to get away from me.”
“Your…. you're not my husband. Your a monster.” You said with finality. The pain in your arm made your vision spotty.
“No baby… I'm your love. And I'm not leaving anytime soon.”
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abnrtech · 2 years
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from-the-clouds · 1 year
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lost in the fire - kendall roy x f!reader
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| masterlist | succession sideblog: @kendollroyco | my kendall playlist
chapter summary: your boyfriend works too much. a oneshot, but if we're being real, i was thinking about kendall and the reader from thinking of a place, because i miss them. pairing: kendall roy x f!reader words: 4.6k warnings: SMUT (18+ only). soft dom Kendall. Somewhat unhealthy/jealous/co-dependent relationship but this is a Succession fic so like…what do we expect? Alcohol consumption - I don't know what Kendall's definition of sobriety is but he drinks a cocktail in this. a/n: i'll get back to tlou but i've had this partially written for like a year at this point. It started out as more of a manic Ken on a power trip type of fic but then it got really soft and fluffy because I am feeling touch-deprived lately so I’m sorry if I didn’t deliver enough evil ken for ya’ll. :/ OOPS!
**ALSO! I got rid of my taglist. Please follow @ftcwriting and turn on notifs if you would like to be notified when I update my works :) **
"We're like the Lewis and Clark of fucking." - Kendall Roy
Teetering down the hallway, you attempt to quell the outrageously loud click, click, click of your stilettos against the marble floor by shifting most of your weight into the ball of your feet and shuffling forward. It only makes it harder for you to balance while you attempt to put on the flashy gold hoop earrings your friend had insisted you’d wear. Of course, being quiet didn’t really matter, because you were the only person inhabiting the Hudson Yards penthouse. 
As usual, you are running late. Famously, you always underestimate how long it will take to get ready for social events – your friends could attest to that. It is a bad habit that, despite years of trying to correct, you can never quite shake. 
Beelining for the double doors of the multi-million dollar home, you are interrupted by your name being called out in a sing-songy voice. There is a blur of movement out of the corner of your eye, and you turn towards the familiar sound to find your boyfriend rounding the corner, a drink in hand.
The sight of him at home is rare these days, that for a second, you aren’t even sure if it’s really him. Maybe the place is being  haunted by an eerily similar lookalike, or it could be some new ridiculous billionaire technology that he’d invested in– holographic messaging, or something similarly dystopian that you’d roll your eyes at when he tries to explain it to you. It’s fuckin’ next level, I’m telling you. I’m a fucking tech pioneer. You can practically hear him trying to sell you on it despite your distaste.
“Ken?” you cling to the clutch under your arm, unable to stop the shit-eating grin that works its way onto your face. “Hey. When did you get home?”
“Hey yourself,” he answers, poorly hiding a bemused smirk behind Baccarat crystal. “I just got in.”
That much was clear, even though his briefcase and coat had already been cleared away from the table in the entranceway, and his suit jacket draped over the back of a barstool. “Are you going out?” He lowers the tumbler and leans against the counter, but still keeps it close, one finger sliding along the rim. 
“Yeah,” you approach Kendall cautiously. “...did you get my text? I thought I’d get ready here, we’re going to that place around the corner.”
He’d given you a key to his flat, even though the relationship was still pretty new – but decidedly not that new, given your history. Things were still moving quickly though, if you compare him to your past flings.
Kendall’s eyes close briefly in recognition, his brows pulling together as though he is scolding himself. “Oh, uh-huh, yeah….right.” It’s then, and in closing the space between you, that his haggard appearance becomes clear. You’re one of few who would probably even notice it. To the untrained eye his white dress shirt is impeccable, crisp and stark as usual – save for the lack of cufflinks, which you notice he’s discarded on the counter alongside his drink. His tie is still fastened tightly around his neck in a perfect half-Windsor. But salt and pepper stubble is sprinkled across his jawline, faint red hazy in the whites of his amber eyes. 
Work has consumed him in the last few weeks. It’s been nonstop. And he is still home earlier than you have expected, even though the sun had gone down long ago.
Kendall’s hand wraps around your waist and you lean against him, accepting his affectionate peck on the cheek. “Hey, honey.” The cedar notes of his cologne, the acidity of the vodka on his breath, and the weight of his arm around you makes your stomach flip, even as he draws back, releasing you so he can sit on a barstool. It’s probably for the better, as the impulse to throw yourself into his arms and abandon your plans will become impossible to resist if you don’t leave soon.
It would be a lie to say his career hasn’t put a strain on things lately. Business trips, dinner meetings, weekend conventions all seem determined to keep him away from you. For the past few weeks, you’ve been deprived of him, forced to accept only minutes of his time – mostly sweet nothings and apologies whispered as falls into bed beside you, then presses of his lips on your cheek, still half-asleep in the early hours of the morning as he leaves the next day. You have been forced to savor those moments, even though they are hardly substantial. But you know yourself, you aren’t better off with someone else. He has always been what you wanted.
Still, lately you have been thinking about all his failed past relationships. There is certainly a…pattern. You’ve seen enough, and sometimes it feels like you are purposely ignoring the signs – Watch Your Step!, before falling into a pit of daggers. 
He needed a break or he’d burn out, but you’ve learned when to bite your tongue and save those suggestions for when you are sure they won’t erupt. And you both aren’t always good at keeping arguments good-natured. 
Kendall shifts in his chair so he can look you up and down – this time up close. “Is this what you’re wearing out?”
“Uhhhh, yeah,” you answer hesitantly, feeling your face heat up. 
“Turn around,” his resting facial expression is already kind of indignant, but you can tell right now that he’s definitely frowning. 
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says. “I want to see.”
You shrug, but obey, unable to hide the way your lips quirk when you are back facing him again, hands on your hips. All you have to do is read the look on Kendall’s face to know that he doesn’t approve. And even though there is no way in hell you are going to change, the slight blaze in his narrowed eyes makes you think this is about to become a controversy. 
“Do you have a problem?” you ask, feigning innocence, glancing down at the getup. The red dress barely covers your ass – is far more revealing than anything you’d normally wear, accompanied by stiletto heels that lace up your calves. Sure, it’s a lot, but you look good, and you’re going out. 
“You’ll definitely be getting a lot of attention,” he conveniently doesn’t answer your question.
If you weren’t wearing lipstick, you would’ve bit your lower lip to keep your composure. Instead, you tilt your head and give him a coy smile. “You should come with me.” 
Kendall glances down at the countertop and shakes his head, the comment causing him to drop the subject of your attire entirely. “I can’t. I’ve got a meeting first thing.” To be fair, he avoids the club scene most of the time, so it’s not a well-thought-out offer. Too much temptation. “But you look good,” he concedes. 
“A work meeting on a Saturday?” you ask, ignoring the compliment. “Fuck,” you reach to take a sip from his tumbler. The vodka he keeps here is always chilled to perfection, so smooth it tastes like it’s melting off a glacier. “It’s that bad?”
He takes the beverage from your hand when you return it, shrugging before throwing the rest back, then standing to pour another. “Just the usual, la-dee-fuckin-dah….corporate bullshit.”
You frown and stare at your shoes, flexing your foot and inspecting its soles.
“Those heels don’t look very comfortable,” he remarks as he passes you.
“They aren’t.”
“Well then I’ll guess I’ll have to take you shopping to replace them.”
You feel yourself flush. “Let me know when you can fit me in your schedule.” 
“Uh-huh,” Kendall ignores your jab, changes the subject. “How’s your job?”
“Same as yours. La-dee-fuckin’-dah corporate bullshit,” you repeat his words from earlier, lowering your voice slightly to mimic his cadence of speaking. 
The sound of his warm chuckle makes your stomach flip again. “You want me to, uh, pour you one?”
“No, I should probably get going.” You sigh, pulling out your phone to text your friends that you are running behind, and you hear the clink of ice against crystal.
Then, his voice, deep and husky, directly against your ear. “Who’re you texting?”
You jolt in surprise at his sudden proximity.  “Fuck! Sorry,” you clear your throat. “Uh….the group chat.”
Kendall’s arm reaches past you to place his drink on the counter, and you feel his fingertips brush the hair away from the nape of your neck. Then, his lips follow, pressing there gently, his thumb trailing down your arm and then back up again. You shiver at the contact, and it dawns on you how touch-deprived you are.
“Pretty girl,” he murmurs against sensitive skin. His hands land on your shoulders and begin to knead at the taut muscles there. You try to keep yourself tense, even as you feel your phone slipping out of your hands, the drafted text all-but forgotten.
But instinctually, you shift backwards to feel the weight of his chest pressed against you.“You’re all wound up,” Almost chastising. Every part of your body below your bellybutton clenches. It’s those hands, his hands. Hands that used to wrap around your throat, thread into your hair, hold your wrists in place. Pin you down, spread you open…. While you think about them, you let him work at the tension that he is partially responsible for, nodding and letting out a long exhale.
“Just a little.”
“When are you gonna quit that job?” he asks you.
You first, you want to say, but let the retort die before it could leave your mouth. “Hmmmmm,” you pretend to mull it over, but you’re only half-aware of things he’s saying to you. “I don’t know.” 
“What kind of uh, feminist would I be if I let a girl as hot as fucking you have to worry about a job?”
You can’t help but snort, turning your head so his forehead bumps against your own. “Is that how feminism works?” 
“Uh-huh,” he chides, breath tickling the shell of your ear. “Fucking whatever. I wish you’d just let me look after you.”
You are unable to find your voice to answer, because you remember through your needy haze that you are running late, and when he says things like that, it certainly doesn’t help you regain composure. It’s only after you straighten, trying to pull yourself out of the trance he’s worked you into, that you discover how close he has pinned you to the countertop.
“Ken-” you try to protest, but the way it comes out sounds more like you’re pleading.
“What is it?” Kendall asks, returning his lips once more to your neck, beginning to work them tenderly up the column of your throat, which makes it impossible for you to finish the rest of the objection. “I’ve missed you so much,” he pulls you back against him by your waist.
“Me too,” you sigh. “But I-,” you’re cut off when he grinds against you, already half-hard, and your pelvis hits the granite lip of the countertop. It hurts, just for a second, but the pain is quickly replaced by warmth. Kendall pulls his hands away and you’re only held in place by his hips, the metal of his belt buckle cool against your sacrum. The dress you’re wearing is so thin it feels like there’s nothing separating him from your bare skin. 
“You what?” he prompts when you remain silent. You know him well enough to hear the self-satisfied smirk on his face, and his nails rake up and down your arms.
It’s a little petty, but you are hesitant to give yourself over so easily to him. To abandon your evening, just because he’s finally decided to see you at a reasonable hour. Of course, if your friends knew you were late because you were with him, they wouldn’t care. Kendall had been a well-kept secret until it was impossible to deny his existence in your life. But they were all a little too supportive of the relationship, since it meant they suddenly had guaranteed access to any club VIP section - and you perpetually pick up the bill. Not to mention the first-class, luxury accommodations they get on girls trips. 
There was more to it than just being late, though. You had always been willing to do anything for him, even before you were dating. He told you to jump, you asked how far? He gave you one pleading look from underneath those thick lashes – and you folded. And Kendall is very aware that he’s your weakness. So you constantly try to convince him otherwise, lest he get too comfortable. And really, after his neglectful behavior, did he really deserve you without any opposition?
“Kendall,” you manage to turn slightly. “I’m going to be late.” Wriggling some more in his grip, but it’s only enough to bring you face-to-face, looking up into his stormy eyes. 
He studies you carefully, like he might let you leave if he senses enough conviction. “I don’t care.”
You might’ve laughed, if it weren’t for how stern he sounds. It almost scares you. Almost. Hoping to soften him, you fit your thumb into the dimpled fabric of his tie, and use it to drag him forward, offering a tender kiss on his cheek. Returning the embrace, his stubble scratches your face as he smiles against you. He reaches behind you for another sip of his drink and his unoccupied hand slides down your back, squeezing your ass through the silky fabric. 
You are burning, fire licking up your arms, your neck, your face. It’s too much, to have him so close and not be able to have him. All the tension building with nowhere for it to go. When he pulls back, you lean forward.
It’s a little rough at first, because you are so desperate, tasting the vodka, drawing his bottom lip between your teeth. Kendall is the one who softens you, cradles your jaw to draw you closer, opens his mouth and deepens the kiss, so deliberate and practiced that you’re unable to speak when he pulls away. 
“Tell me something,” full lips so close to yours that they brush your own when he speaks, your eyes fluttering shut. His touch coasts up your sides, up your arms, landing on your shoulders. “Who are you showing off for in this?” Kendall hooks his pointed finger around a spaghetti strap of your dress, and lets the elastic snap back against your skin. You savor the sting it leaves behind.
Admittedly, there’s a third reason why you’re being so withholding. He’s so spoiled, so used to getting what he wants, whenever he wants it. Not just from you. And when he doesn’t get it, he becomes petulant, fiery. You’ve learned that if you piss him off just enough, you don’t have to ask him to fuck you within an inch of your life. He just does. 
So, you decide to poke the sleeping bear, shrugging and crossing your arms like it’s nothing, giving him a demure smile. “You wouldn’t know him.”
Kendall’s nostrils flare as his hand rises to grip your jaw – tightly. “Uh-huh.” Even if you’re only joking, the very idea of you dressing up at all – let alone like that –  for anyone except himself, pisses him off.  “Fuck you.”
“You’d like to, wouldn’t you?” you try to keep your voice even, but it sort of loses the steadiness you were hoping for when he hooks a finger behind your knee, dragging it up across the expensive, soft wool of his slacks to peg around his hip.
The bruising kiss that answers is clearly intended to erase the smug look on your face, and it works – your breath hitching, the hand on his tie tugging him closer. Kendall seems to speak without saying anything at all, grabbing your opposite thigh and lifting until you are perched on the edge of the countertop.
It’s getting real, but you still haven’t decided if you are actually going to stick around. The way he looks right now, however, swings the pendulum farther into the side of staying in – red lipstick left behind on his cheek, shirt wrinkled, tie hanging loosely around his neck. You wanted to make him look even more wrecked. 
Kissing him again, his hands begin to roam, tugging the dress off your shoulders and freeing your tits. “Shit,” He dips his head to sloppily mouthing at the newly exposed skin. “Knew you weren’t wearing a fuckin’ bra.”
“Ken,” you squirm when he latches onto one of your nipples, pinching the other between two fingers. “I really need to get going.”
“Not yet,” he hums, the vibration of his voice against your skin makes the space between your legs ache. “If you’re going to go out in this fucking dress,  I don’t want you to forget who you belong to.”
You squirm in his grip – not because you want to get away from him – but because you want to see if he’ll pin you in place, be even rougher. He does. He is. “Stop that. This isn’t a fucking negotiation.”
Well, okay.
He kneads into your thighs now, one of his hands dipping beneath the skirt of your dress that’s already so short he’s only an inch or so away from your already-soaked panties. 
“Fuck,” You tilt your head back to look at the ceiling, like you might find some self-control there, some will to resist him, but it’s about as cold and uninspiring as the rest of the apartment. “Please.”
Kendall lets out a dark chuckle,  pushing aside your thong and brushing his knuckles against your damp cunt. He loves to tease, and right now is no exception. His touch isn’t enough to satisfy, so you press yourself forward to seek it out yourself. You don’t dare meet his eyes, which you can feel are watching you intently, admiring how you keen and arch and whimper in frustration. Still, you aren’t quite ready to beg. 
Thankfully, you don’t have to. Without warning, he pushes two fingers inside you, groaning as he does, his thumb finding your clit.
“Yes, Kendall, that’s–” you don’t finish the thought because you aren’t entirely sure what you actually have to say. His digits curl, attentive, practiced – tuned in to  exactly what you like, what you need.  You grip at the fabric of his shirt that’s bunched around his elbows. Despite how intense meeting his gaze right now will be, you turn to look at him anyway, surprised by the affection and warmth you find in his eyes. 
“You try so hard not to be,” he says while he continues to stare you down. “But you’re always so fucking good for me.”
Your stomach flips, partly in shame, partly because of how good it’s always felt to be seen by him. Throbbing around him, feeling your pleasure build, but he withdraws his fingers from you before it can crest. An embarrassing noise leaves you, squeezing your eyes shut. 
The clink of his belt unbuckling immediately snaps you back to reality, and you hike your dress further up your hips, shimmying out of your thong. It’s pitiful, the way you don’t want to delay any longer the feeling of him inside you. 
He strokes himself in his hand, lines his cock up, and pushes a piece of hair off your face. 
“You want me?” he asks, and you bob your head enthusiastically. “Tell me, then.”
“I want you, Kendall. Please, I want you so bad.” 
“Yeah you do,” he mutters, and wastes no time jerking forward to enter you. 
Though you’d had him plenty of times you never could quite get used to the feeling – he’s big, of course, and it’s always electric, the blood in your veins buzzing, your hands tightening on his shoulders. 
“Relax, honey,” Kendall says, feeling the way your body tenses at the intrusion, placing a hand on your sacrum, one between your shoulder blades to steady you.
He presses his hips forward until they are flush against your own, bottoming out inside you, pausing. It’s welcome at first, a chance to catch your breath, to let out a shuddery exhale - temporarily appeased by the way your cunt stretches to accommodate him, and he’s so close to you after so much time spent away. You’re embarrassed at how badly you’ve needed this, how reliant on him you’ve become, but he always feels so good. 
Kendall stays still for long enough that you grow frustrated, and you use his tie to pull him closer, loosening the knot and rutting against him until he presses his thumb into the crease of your hip and thigh so hard you are forced to stop. Once you do, he starts to move, thrusts slow but deep, lips pressing hastily between panting breaths. 
“Fuck, it’s been too long,” he laments.
Despite everything, you can’t help but talk back. “You don’t say?”
Kendall doesn’t like that at all, his hips snapping at a punishing pace, which seems more like a reward than anything else, his hand clasping your jaw roughly, forcing you to look at him. 
“Don’t speak to me like that,’ he warns.
An involuntary, low moan leaves you. It’s overwhelming – always is. You aren’t used to sex with someone you feel so connected to, or with a lover who is so attentive to your needs, who effortlessly strikes a perfect balance between rough, passionate, and tender. 
You wrap your legs around his waist, fingers fumbling with the buttons on his shirt, anxious to run your hands through the smattering of hair on his chest, feel the warmth of his skin under your palms. Even if it’s not possible, you want to be closer to him. Needy. So needy. You’ve heard it from him before, and would probably hear it again. He is right, and in moments like this, you can never bring yourself to care. You like it.
He’s watching you so intently, and the rest of the city might as well be too. He basically lives in a fishbowl, you’re surrounded by windows that offer panoramic views of the glittering lights of the city. The only reason you have any privacy at all is because of just how high up you are, no one else can actually see you right now. Even if they did, what could possibly happen? Kendall loves to take advantage of this – he’s taken you up against the cold glass windows, has let you sink to your knees in front of him out on his balcony. 
“What are you gonna tell your friends when they ask why you were so late tonight?” he asks. “Gonna tell them you were letting me spread you open on the fucking counter?”
“God,” you stutter out, always shocked by the things that come out of his mouth when takes you like this, voice deep and firm, enunciating each syllable like he’s giving a speech – frustratingly collected. It makes you ache that much more. “I missed you,” you whimper, pulling his shirt off his shoulders. As much as you want it fully off, not just hanging loose around his elbows, you don’t want him to release you from the bruising hold he’s got you in. This would have to do. 
“Uh-huh,” Kendall answers by fucking into you even harder, his pelvic bone kissing your clit with every thrust, and your nails etching crescents into his biceps. “I know. I’m sorry.” 
His head falls to your shoulder in a brief moment of humility, lips working on your neck, and you feel your release fast approaching. In moments like these, you don’t doubt how he really feels. He gives it all away, tries his best to make it up to you, and it’s so easy to forgive him.  Kendall’s fist wraps around one of the stiletto heels of your shoes, lifting your leg to hook over his shoulder and drive his cock deeper into you. He’s perfect, feels perfect, there’s no one else who makes you feel the way he does. When his thumb begins to rub delicate circles around your clit, you’re gone.
Your body tenses up for so long, you actually think you might’ve psyched yourself out. And then everything releases. Kendall coaxes you through your orgasm, deep voice muttering things that are either unintelligible or that you wouldn’t dare to repeat out loud, and you cling to him while your cunt pulses in waves. It lasts for a long time, or at least it feels like it does, he slows just to fuck you through it, so you can both savor how good it feels. That’s it. That’s my good fucking girl. When he tries to kiss you, you oblige, but it’s open-mouthed and sloppy since you’re struggling to breathe and can’t stop whispering his name. 
“Ken, you’re so good, it’s so good–”
You know he likes to be praised just as much as you do. He cuts you off with a deep kiss, moaning into your mouth and vibrating every nerve in your body as he follows you over the edge, spurred on by your own release. He buries his cock inside you as deep as he can, you feel warm and full and complete. 
For what feels like a few minutes, you remain tangled with one another, his face buried in the crook of your neck. You can feel the soft puffs of his breathing against your skin, which is now damp.
Eventually, he draws back, kisses your cheek and tucks himself back into his underwear. You pull the straps of your dress back into place and when you push yourself off the counter, realize your legs are trembling and you wobble.
Kendall reaches to steady you. “Go sit down,” he squeezes your arm and you barely manage to stumble to his couch before you’re slumping against the cushions and struggling to unlace the strappy heels you’ve still got on. 
He joins you a moment later, placing a glass of cold water on the coffee table and kneeling to help you out of your shoes. You can only imagine what you must look like, because he looks disheveled, shirt still hanging open, pants unbuttoned, your lipstick still smudged on his cheek. Exhausted as you are, it makes you want him all over again. 
He settles next to you, pulls you to his chest, and you wrap your arms around his waist, leaning up to whisper softly in his ear. “Ken,” he turns his head slightly, cheek pressed against your forehead. “I love you.” 
From this angle you can only see the corner of his eyes, the way they crinkle as he looks down bashfully, eyelashes nearly touching his cheeks at your admission, words he so rarely has heard before. Words you have vowed to repeat until he believes you – because sometimes you think he doesn’t. Still, he answers. “I love you, too.” You close your eyes a moment, your heart rate returning to normal, and take in one final deep breath. Content. 
“I don’t want to keep you from your friends,” Kendall says eventually, hands in your hair, tugging gently so you’ll look up at him. 
“Right,” you nod. “Honestly, I don’t know if I even want to go out anymore.”
“But you got all dressed up,” he smirks.
“Look where it got me.”
He laughs. “Uh-huh. You knew what you were doing what you fucking put that shit on.”
You don’t deny it, feeling your cheeks grow warm. It’d be too easy to stay with him, to slide across his lap and kiss him until he takes you again. But your phone dings on the counter, and you know you can’t abandon your friends entirely. You sigh, pulling away from Kendall and looking him in the eyes. 
“Don’t worry,” he encourages. “I’ll wait up for you.”
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gingiesworld · 10 months
Text
You Fucked My Daughter
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Natasha Romanoff x Fem Reader
Warnings: Smut. 18+ Minors and Men DNI
Y/N pov
I was a part of the Avengers since Nick recruited me after I left the Army. I always admired the Avengers for what they did. Nat gave me a more advanced training in hand to hand combat since I already knew how to use weapons. Truth be told, even when I was in high school, I had the biggest crush on her. And I still do. So right now I am working on my dad's newest suit with him while we wait for most of the others to come back from their mission. So it's only myself, my dad, Wanda and Vision left in the compound. And no one wants to be around them two with their sappy mind stone connection.
"Hey kid, I'm thinking of throwing a party tomorrow." He told me.
"What time do I have to be there?" I asked him.
"I haven't decided yet if were having one yet." He told me makingme laugh.
"You saying that you're thinking about throwing one is you saying that you have already thought about it and have decided to throw one." I told him.
"Well ok then. Be there at 8pm." He told me with a smirk. I decided to go and do some training to pass some time using the training bots that dad had programmed for us.
"Hey Y/N, you need a sparring partner?" Wanda asked as she walked in the training.
"Yeah, no powers though." I warned her playfully.
"Where's the fun in that then." She challenged me. We both walked onto the mats and started to spar. She threw some punches which I had managed to dodge.
"You need to watch your opponent Wanda. Anticipate their next move." I informed her as I pinned her to the floor.
"I don't need this training though since I have powers." She told me
"There will always be a time when you need to know how to fight without them. There will always be someone with the technology to mute your powers and then you will be a sitting duck." I told her as I helped her to her feet.
"The only person I know smart enough for that is your dad." She told me as we started to spar again.
"There will always be someone who is on his level of intellect or higher." I told her as I dodged her advance at me and held her in the headlock. She tapped my arm signalling for me to release her.
"You sound so much like Vis." She whined at me as we both sat down and drank some water.
"Well he is a synthezoid that my dad created so. And I obviously got my genius from him." I shrugged making her chuckle.
"You are definitely a Stark." She laughed as we both stretched. We both decided to call it a day and get showered and ready for the party my dad is throwing tonight. I decided on wearing a red shirt with a black tie and black slacks. I brushed my hair back in a high pony and was ready for the party. I met Wanda on the way out of my room wearing a green dress that matched her eyes.
"You look beautiful Wands. Vision is one lucky...." I paused as I tried to think of what to call him. "I want to say man but then again I don't know." I teased earning a slap on my arm and a giggle from the witch.
"And you look dashing. Nat is going to go wild." She told me with a smirk making me blush. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." She said as we walked with our arms linked to the party. When we arrived we went straight to the bar to order our drinks. "I'm going to see Vis." She told me as she kissed my cheek. I looked around the sea of bodies moving trying to find a certain red head but came to no avail.
"Hey Y/N, you look really good." My favorite voice said from beside me. I turned around to see her in a black dress.
"You look stunning Nat." I said as I looked her up and down from her perfect legs back to her beautiful green eyes.
"Thank you Y/N." She said as she took a sip from my glass before handing it back to me. "Do you want to dance?" She asked me with a raised brow and all I could do was nod. She grabbed my hand and led me into the sea of dancing bodies. She wrapped her arms around my neck as my hands held her waist pulling her closer to me as we moved to the rhythmxof the song. I couldn't help biy admire her perfect features. She truly was the most beautiful girl on the planet. I looked down at her lips and noticed that she had done the same before we both leaned in. Our lips met in a soft passionate kiss which I deepened as I squeezed her hips making her sigh as I slipped my tongue in her mouth. She soon pulled away before she ran upstairs to our rooms. I followed her out and found her in her room pacing the floor.
"What was that?" I asked her as I closed her door.
"What?" She asked me trying to play dumb.
"We kiss and then you run. Why did you run?" I asked her as she stepped towards me.
"I like you a lot Y/N. But you are Tony's daughter. There is a big age gap between us and your dad could throw me out of the building." She said worriedly.
"I don't care about my dad because I really like you too Nat. I always have. My dad doesn't get a say in who I date. I am my own person. And I want you." I told her as I stepped forward. "So please let's just do this. We shouldn't care what anyone else thinks."
She stepped forward and crashed her lips on mine as her hands tangled in my hair. I held her hips as I pushed my tongue in her mouth making her moan. My fingers found the zip of her dress and started to pull it down as she took of my tie and started to unbutton my shirt. We stripped each other and were left in just our underwear. I pushed her down on the bed without breaking the kiss as my fingers caressed her smooth skin. I moved my kisses down to her neck and sucked and kiss every part until I heard a loud moan vibrating from her throat. I smirked know that I found her sweet spot. I moved my kisses to her chest above her covered breasts before I reached my arm underneath her and unclipped her bra and removed it. Revealing her lucious breasts. I took one of her nipples in my mouth and sucked harshly making her moan loud as I massaged the other one. I gave them both the same attention before moving my kisses down her body to the waistband of her underwear.
"Is this ok?" I asked her softly as I played with the hem of them.
"Yes." She breathed out. I removed her underwear before I licked a strip through her folds before applying pressure to her clit. She was a mess of moans above me. I inserted a finger into her aching core thrusting slowly as I sucked on her clit. She bucked her hips to get more friction so I added a second finger before increasing my speed and going rougher and grazing her g spot sending her over the edge screaming my name. I pulled my fingers out and sucked them clean before kissing up her body as she calmed down. She kissed me roughly before she twisted us both around as she waisted no time in taking off my underwear. She reached over to her night stand drawer and took out a double ended strap. She inserted the smaller end in me before she lowered herself on the toy making us both moan. I held her hips steady as she adjusted to the size. She then started to bounce as she rested her hands on my chest. The two of us moaning messes as the toy moved between us. I started to meet her thrusts harshly as her movements started to get sloppy. Hitting deeper and harder as I sucked on her nipples adding to her pleasure.
"I'm gonna." She moaned out.
"Me too." I grunted as we both went faster to reach our highs at the same time. I kissed her softly before I broke it with a smile.
"You have no idea how much I have wanted to do that." I spoke in the space between us making her chuckle.
"Me too. And we can go all night long." She whispered before I turned us both around with the toy still in us both before we went on for another few rounds.
Avenger's pov
The avengers woke up with a hangover, with how much they had drunk last night. Meanwhile Steve's room was right near Nats and he heard everything that had happened in Nat's room. To say that he was disgusted was an understatement. With him being an old timer, things like that shouldn't happen at parties. When he joined the others in the kitchen they all laughed at his tired state.
"I thought super soldiers don't get drunk." Sam teased him making everyone laugh.
"We don't. It's hard to sleep when all you can hear is a constant thumping of a bed hitting a wall repeatedly and Nat screaming Y/N." He groaned as he sat down not realising that Tony was stood there with a coffee until he heard him drop the cup. Then the giggling of Nat and Y/N coming into everyone earshot. Everyones eyes flicked between the pair and Tony.
"YOU FUCKED MY DAUGHTER!!" Tony shouted making everyone jump.
"Well technically I fucked her but you know." Y/N smirked as Nat stood there frozen. Tony looked shocked at his daughter.
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777rare · 1 year
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☀️ASTROLOGY OBSERVATIONS PT.2💥
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disclaimer :
DO NOT READ FURTHUR IF YOU ARE A MINOR!!
THIS CONTAINS MENTIONING OF seggs and bad words so please scroll if ur below 18+
THESE NOTES ARE ONLY A STUDY OF MINE AND HAS/HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN YET, SO IF IT DOES NOT RESONATE WITH YOU, FORGIVE ME AS IT WAS ONLY A STUDY/OBSERVATION OF MINE.
I DO NOT PILRIMIZE, COPY OR REWORD ANY OF MY FELLOW ASTROLOGY OBSERVERS POSTS AND I DEMAND THE SAME IN RETURN
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Mercury in 1st house natives are very talkative beings lmao🙊
Mars in fixed signs(AQUARIUS,LEO,TAURUS,SCORPIO) won't take anybodys shit no matter what..if somebody ain't treating em right, they're always ready to fight back
Mars in cardinal signs(CAPRICORN,CANCER,LIBRA,ARIES) can control their temper and toleration levels when somebody's acting all shitty but when they can't take it anymore, you're done for.
Mars in mutable signs (PISCES,GEMINI,SAGITTARIUS,VIRGO) will most of the time tolerate ur shit and get pissed off internally. They won't show it although they do sometimes, its mostly always internal. suppressed anger and frustration.
Apollo-venus/neptune folks are very admiring. Apollo-venus/ 8th house people are charming and alluring whereas apollo-neptune/ 12th house people have ethereal or outwardly beauty. Apollo aspecting ascendant are attractive too. Ex: alexia demie has Apollo quintile venus, zendaya has Apollo in 8th house.
Adams-sun/moon/asc/Mc natives have a very masculine character or mascular body in a man's chart ex: Chris evans has Adam's trine sun, Dwayne Johnson has Adam's sextile moon.
people with aura/ascendant in harsh aspects with moon(esp. Square) could mean people sense ur aura/ energy to be "too emotional" or "cold ass bitch" vibe. the tension in these aspects can also manifest according to the placements, degrees and other aspects.
natives with sirene conjunct jupiter could have such a raw seducing energy and lots n lots of it by the way! They tend to have a very mysterious,sexy,alluring touch to them. its like they have this "cremé dé lá cremé" persona blended in them..it's just so fucking hot..I also feel these natives catch too much attention sometimes even when they don't intend on trying to catch anyone's attention. It can sometimes get really annoying for them too.
In your varuna persona chart usually I feel the native is born to gain world wide fame if their sun/moon conjunct asteroid varuna.
Melete-chiron/sun/moon/asc harsh aspects tend to become victims of anxiety disorders, panic attacks. Check the houses and signs to get more insight as well. Ex: zendaya has melete semi square moon and sesquiquadrate ascendant
Lacrimosa in 12th house natives emotions gets overwhelming when they're in bed or at night. These people could feel overwhelmed with grief and sadness at times and cry themselves to sleep
chiron in aquarius/ 11th house, can show a native getting severely wounded or experiencing trauma, anxiety, grief because of online platforms, social media, technology, anything techno like phones,laptops etc.also these natives never have good, honest friendships. It's always fake friends and getting cheated or left out by friends. These natives should be very careful when it comes to making friends as well. Ex: I have this placement and when I was 10 yrs old, my closest friend food poisoned me. still don't know why.
Saturn-venus natives are beautiful but it's somewhat of an energy that's sleeping in them or yet to sprout. These natives need to put in some self love and work to glow up, especially showing themselves love.these natives tend to dislike the way they look or always try to find some flaw in themselves but their beauty will truly shine only when they begin to love themselves and work on themselves more. (Esp. Harsh aspects)
Virgo lilith natives have a very reserved sex appeal. These people tend to be very picky and minimalistic when it comes to their sexual partners.people most of the time assume these natives to have less knowledge about sex but deep down these natives are just crazy internally. You'll know it when you meet a virgo lilith native.🤠💫Aspects and houses can differ too.
I feel like asteroids in special degrees 11°, 22°,0° also have a really strong or special effect on the native.
sun-mercury natives always look younger than their age. The native can also be very childish even after ageing so much.
Planets in Scorpio sign or where your scorpio is placed is where you keep things hidden, out of reach from others or have deep information about. Thats why when scorpio falls on someones ascendant they are seen as very mysterious and secretive. Ex: I have scorpio over 8th house and i keep my sexual life hidden(8H= sex,money,etc), my brother has scorpio in 3rd house and he knows a lot about my past than my mom, and also about the people in our neighborhood(3H= siblings,neighbours), my mother has scorpio moon so she does hide her emotions a lot. My sister has scorpio jupiter and she does lots and lots of researching and has a lot of knowledge about books and countries that most of the people don't know about.not even me🙂.
Pallas-ascendant(positive aspects) natives look wise and mature
Lots of planets aspecting to chiron can show a native who has been wounded so so many times in their life.
Sokrates conjunct neptune or in pisces/scorpio/ in 8th/12th house natives love deep conversations.they hate small talk and just wanna go so so deep.
Pallas conjunct neptune natives have so much spiritual wisdom.
Tone-pluto natives tend to have a raspy,deep touch to their voice.
Asteroids mentioned above :
apollo - 1862
Adams- 1996
Aura - 1488
Sirene - 1009
Varuna - 20000
Melete - 56
Lacrimosa - 208
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Feel free to reblog and tag me when you do❤🙌🏻 Hope you all enjoyed. Thankyou.bye!❤ have a great day ahead!🏝☀️
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robfinancialtip · 4 months
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youtube
🐾 Welcome back, everyone! Join Robert on his 60-day journey with the incredible Halo Collar 3 in this must-watch review. As a proud dog owner, Robert shares how this futuristic Halo Collar has become a game-changer for the safety and training of his furry friend, Jameson.
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🎮 The Halo Collar 3 is more than just a collar—it's an essential tool for any dog owner who prioritizes their pet's safety and training. Robert showcases how the precision GPS, active GPS antenna, and innovative technology have elevated their adventures, allowing Jameson to roam freely with remarkable precision.
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🔋 The collar's durability, sleek design, and long-lasting battery life impress Robert. He emphasizes the simplicity of charging the collar overnight, ensuring it's ready for another day of exciting activities.
📈 The activity charts feature adds an extra layer of care, helping Robert monitor Jameson's daily activity levels and ensure he gets the exercise he needs. The collar goes beyond being a pet gadget, fostering a stronger connection between owner and pet.
📡 Robert dives into the technical aspects, explaining the reliance on over 150 satellites for accurate location tracking. The continuous location updates every second provide real-time information, reinforcing the importance of the collar in their daily lives.
🌈 With various colors available, including new orchid and sunburst options, the Halo Collar 3 is technologically advanced and customizable to match your pup's personality.
💡 In summary, Robert expresses his satisfaction with the reasonably priced Halo Collar 3, highlighting its sophisticated features, ease of use, and the endorsement of training routines by the renowned Cesar Millan. This collar has proven to be a blessing, providing for Jameson's well-being and security in ways that exceed expectations. Don't miss out on this revolutionary pet tech—watch the video to see it in action! 🐶✨
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alicerosejensen · 3 months
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Find me pt.1
Warning: kidnapping, mention of blood, two-person narrative (Leon v reader), castle with bioweapons, angst, trauma, dark, forced relationships, hints of sexual violence.
Summary: half a year. That’s exactly how long it took Leon to get on your trail and try to find you. He is ready to do anything to get you back, but hope fades every day.
A/N: I'll probably still post this when I get inspired. The warnings will vary depending on each chapter. You can think of this story as a big reference to another Capcom game.
I apologize for any mistakes because English is not my native language.
Feedback is welcome, but no insults please.
Prologue here.
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His eyes closed by themselves from lack of sleep when Leon looked at the received data, which for him is now equal to the treasure, or more precisely, the key to the treasure is to you. Ingrid said that this could turn out to be a false trail, the threads that he had been looking for for so long turned out to be either a waste of time, or led to a dead end stopping the whole thing. And only now, six months later, a single clue that appeared literally out of nowhere makes you drop everything and try to find you.
Hannigan looks at the audio file trying to determine whether it is a fake or not. She runs it through a lot of programs trying to make sure that it's not gluing while Leon is standing next to her, clutching the back of the chair she was sitting at.
"Tell me this is a real recording," the tone of his voice was almost pleading and at the same time scared as he heard your recorded crying over and over again.
"Yeah." Hannigan's hesitant voice made Leon lower his head and look at the woman who continued to click her fingers on the keyboard.
"Hannigan?"
"We don't know when this recording was made…Maybe it's a trap. Another false trail that will lead nowhere. We've checked everything Leon! We found a car with DNA traces, but the trail ended. There were no witnesses, no recordings from the cameras, it was as if she had fallen through the ground."
Leon froze. The arguments were weighty, but what does he have besides this record?
"What's the point of being trapped after six months?" He sees Ingrid biting her lip trying to squeeze out as much data as possible. "If this was a kidnapping for ransom or luring me out, they would immediately get in touch, but nothing. So it wasn't me or the money that was needed, but my wife."
"However, we have not been able to find a motive. I checked all the documents, passport, parents, records from the hospital where y/n was born - there is nothing that could give us a tip. It's all clear."
"Or we don't see something," he sighed.
Leon was sure that something was missing. But it was not on the surface, but somewhere in the depths, which is not so easy to get to. When he was informed about the shots in his house and found a mess with a syringe lying on the floor, he really had hope that he would be contacted very soon. He waited a week, then a second without leaving the search, because with the current level of technology it is impossible to completely cover up all traces so that they lead nowhere, and in the end Ingrid quickly found a car with traces of your hair and drops of blood on the back seat, but that was it. You became one of those who mysteriously went missing.
But no one asked for money, no one sent any extortionate emails or calls. At one point, Hannigan even put forward the theory that you could have initiated your abduction yourself, but he refused to believe it. Why would you leave like that if you could just break up with him, even though on the day you left, Leon was ready to swear that everything was fine between you.
So it just didn't make sense.
Leon speaks softly. He is pacing the room, waiting for additional information, at least from where this recording was sent to him. The sound of the keys echoes in his head and Leon rubs his face tiredly, stopping his gaze at your photo.
"There was a drug in the syringe, there was her blood on the needle and on the floor, in total two shots were fired from the Matilda, one into the closet and the other into the ceiling... traces of a struggle..." Leon quietly wondered out loud, trying to understand what he could have missed, but it seems more there was nothing left that he could grab onto.
"Leon?" Ingrid suddenly called and Leon was next to her in one sharp movement. “I think I found it!”
A map and tracked coordinates appeared on the screen, presumably from the place where the recording with your request for help was sent.
"This..."
“Not low beam”
Leon twitched anxiously, seeing the designated forest area, looking meaningfully at Hannigan, who rested her chin on her hand, not believing what she found. At one time, intelligence discovered Ashley in a godforsaken Spanish village, but she was kidnapped with the aim of infecting her with a plaga and sending her to Graham, and what Leon saw on the map defied any logic. How did you end up in a mountain range in another country?
“This is Leon’s mistake. There is nothing there, mountains and forest, another mistake, someone made a cruel joke.”
“Not if there is any hint of civilization there.”
It was an unnecessary risk. Hannigan is still trying to find at least some information about the nearest village in these places. On the one hand, it’s an ideal place to hide a person, but on the other hand, there are no guarantees that you will end up there and that Leon won’t go to hell in a meaningless search. Suddenly you have been dead for a long time, although Ingrid’s female intuition tells her that until he finds your body or at least clear evidence of your death, Leon will continue to sniff out the trail of his beloved, like a devoted bloodhound, even if there are no traces left.
You are not the daughter of the president, only the forces of Leon and Hannigan are sent to search for you, the latter helps him only out of the kindness of her heart, and no one will send reconnaissance to find at least something that indicates that you were even really in this place. But Leon worked as an agent for too long, he saw the underside of this world and in theory assumed that there might be a house or village in which you are being kept for some unknown reason, but even if it’s all a trap and you are bait, then Leon is ready to go there.
"Nothing, Leon," Hannigan's annoyed voice must cut off hope. He himself sees no signs of human life on the screen. “No one even reports missing people in populated areas”
“I don’t have anything else anyway, right?” he answers confidently, taking his phone to get the exact coordinates “The fact that there is nothing on the map and no one reported missing tourists means nothing. There are places that someone hides very well.”
“This is your personal mission… I won't be able to help you there. I can book tickets, find someone to help with the weapons, but no outside support. You'll be on your own there.” Ingrid drawled sadly, hoping that he would come to his senses or at least weigh everything again before taking an unjustified risk, "You don't know what awaits you there, perhaps there is nothing there except trees, wild animals and mountains. Let's check it out again?!"
"For six months!" he exclaimed, "I've been trying for six months as a bloodhound to find at least something that can shed light on the kidnapping of my fiancee. I have the coordinates and her message for help, which you yourself confirmed was not falsified. Even if I can't find anything, I'll at least try. She wasn't taken away for money or to get back at me… there's something else there, and if she's there…" Leon poked his finger at the monitor, "then she's completely alone there. Defenseless and vulnerable to any danger if they want to harm her."
There was an oppressive silence. It was useless to convince Leon to wait at least a little longer before rushing headlong for a single straw, but she had already delayed him enough. All Hannigan could do for him was squeeze out any crumbs of information about the area, record it, and help with the equipment. At least the technical component. And if they both believed in God, they could pray for a successful return.
"Allright, have it your way." she spread her hands in surrender.
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The awakening was painful and difficult. However, between brief glimpses of wakefulness that quickly ended with another dream, you could feel Leon's gentle touches all over your body. His breath on your neck and lips was like an apologetic kiss. You tried to dodge, as you usually did in the morning when you were still asleep, but he was persistent, after which you vaguely heard laughter through the veil… Heavy, broken, unlike Leon's usual laugh. Random images flashed before your eyes, and the last thing that made you fully wake up was the bang of your head on the floor and the sound of a gunshot, after which you abruptly opened your eyes, looking straight at the dark ceiling, trying to figure out what happened.
Tick tock tick tock
The sound of the clock ticking filled the space, remaining for a while the only thing your mind could focus on. Your head was pounding painfully as you stared madly at the dial, standing a few meters away from you, barely discerning what time it was. The lump on your forehead throbbed unpleasantly and may have caused a concussion after that bastard hit your head on the floor with all his might so that you lost consciousness. Feeling with your fingers the place where the skin painfully swelled, you painfully hissed down immediately removing your hand, stopping it and tried to breathe deeply trying to put the latest events in chronological order.
However, nausea rolled in waves, forcing you to squeeze the bedclothes in your hands and finally realize that the environment in which you are unfamiliar.
A dark room lit by a single fireplace in which a fire was still burning warmed the space making it less frightening, but the pouring moonlight from the window made the soul shrink from the horror of the unknown. You slowly looked around realizing that you were lying on a huge bed with a giant canopy of a delicate green shade on silk bedding of the same color. Everything seemed so unreal. As if it were a nightmare and now someone will jump out from around the corner at you and you will wake up realizing that nothing terrible really happened, but after sitting on the bed in one position for several minutes without moving in the hope of waking up, in the end you realized that you were no longer sleeping.
Your eyes involuntarily began to look at paintings by unknown artists. A portrait of a woman sitting at a small table with a human skull on it, an aristocrat with noble features as if carved out of stone, ordinary landscapes… You put your feet down on the cold stone floor, immediately shuddering and slowly wandered to the window to understand your location, but all you saw outside was an endless forest area without a hint of roads.
Listening to other sounds besides the annoying knocking of the clock and the fire, you hugged yourself by the shoulders, thinking that it was definitely not worth shouting just yet. The room you were in was clearly made in the Gothic style and in the current situation it only caused discomfort, given the fact that upon closer examination of the paintings you were able to understand that in front of you were originals and not reproductions. Old Varnish should have been removed a long time ago, perhaps it made these stories less dark, but this is clearly not something that should be thought about now. Turning around in search of some kind of closet to throw on something warm, you could see clothes neatly laid out on a dusty chair: a white shirt with wide cuffs tapered at the wrist, which was probably worn with a short tapered floral pink vest without sleeves, reminiscent of a corset with lacing on the chest, dark trousers and elegant boots next to them that look like they are made of real leather. The sole is small but looks comfortable and is just your size.
Examining the clothes in his hands, it was impossible not to notice the quality of the fabric, for the shirt was clearly silk, and besides, next to it, on an elegant carved table, someone had carefully left a metal box with decoration and a fresh red rose, which until recently seemed , bloomed in some garden, filling the air with its aroma.
You lowered your hands, taking the box in your hands, carefully opening it, as if a spider or other crawling crap might jump out of it, which always filled you with uncontrollable horror, but nothing catastrophic happened. Inside was a cameo brooch, decorated along the edge with fifty small stones resembling diamonds, and at the bottom hung a drop of pearls. Leon once gave you something similar, but it was in no way comparable to what was now in your hands. It was clearly worth your year's salary. It’s not like you had a choice… in the corner of the room, of course, there was a chest of drawers, but you couldn’t find anything in it except snow-white sheets, and you didn’t really want to walk around in negligence. Considering the fact that you were given no choice and that at least the clothes looked comfortable, you decided to comply, scared by the fact that everything fit perfectly as if it was tailor-made for you. You even caught the brooch on your vest because someone probably left it here on the table on purpose.
“Well, at least I feel a little better,” you thought, sighing as you found the mirror. The lack of light made it difficult to judge how bad the bump on his forehead was, but perhaps that was for the best. There were still no footsteps or sounds in the room behind the wooden door, but so you quickly put your hair in a not-so-neat bun so that it wouldn't get in the way while you explored the area and tried to figure out what happened to you after you were attacked and left here.
Perhaps you should find a phone and contact Leon or the police directly… There must be some connection, right? Looking back again, trying not to pay attention to the slight dizziness and nausea, your gaze lingered on a metal plate hanging directly above the fireplace with some kind of inscription engraved on it, but you did not look at it or at other objects in the room. . Not now… all that mattered at that moment was to find someone or something that would help you navigate and call for help.
With a soft tread, almost quietly like a cat, you pushed the door forward and it gave way, making a slight creak, forcing only to pray that it would not attract unnecessary attention, your head poked out looking around. Cold stone walls like in a medieval castle pressed down on consciousness, the wind blew down the gloomy corridor so that even clothes did not save too much and you wanted to throw some kind of jacket on top, but you took a step forward rejoicing that there are familiar lamps here, even if they shine a little badly, but it was better than if there were candles here.
However, the candelabra here were also really empty. When you were completely out in the hallway, you couldn't figure out which way to go to the right or to the left. It was too dark on the left and you wanted to go there the least, so you wandered in the direction where the wind was blowing, listening carefully to everything, trying not to fall off any stairs, although it was not very bright here, but still your eyes could distinguish the situation well and in the end you went down somewhere to a single door. Pulling the handle, it turned out that the door was closed on the other side and except for the old junk lying under the stairs, overgrown with cobwebs in places, there was nothing, which obviously made you turn around and go upstairs again, turning into that dark corridor where you initially did not want to go, but it seems that the choice was small.
Of course, you could go back to the bedroom and wait for a miracle or trouble, the latter seemed like a more obvious scenario, but still you can't leave everything on its own, even if you find yourself in the most non-standard of all situations. Eventually, after passing through the already familiar room again, you breathed a sigh of relief when you realized that the corridor was not at all as long as it initially seemed, and the door at the end was fortunately unlocked and led you to some long well-lit balcony. Your heart was beating wildly from fear of the unknown, but you still walked forward with your hand on your chest, walking to the other end, passing by some more locked rooms, stopping only at the moment when you clearly noticed a bright scarlet stripe on the floor as if something was being dragged… … like a corpse, and the red streak seems to be blood. Your feet were rooted to the ground as you looked around in a panic, looking for potential danger. Despite the disgusting silence, no one was nearby or someone simply did not want to be noticed earlier than expected, so at your own risk you decided to follow the bloody trail that ended abruptly. There were stains on the floor as if someone had tried to wash them earlier, perhaps they didn’t have time to do it or… Well, Leon always said that you have a rich imagination, which no one from your family ever argued with, so you decided not to give it free rein just yet because that otherwise it will drive you crazy.
It was all just disgusting. You realized for sure that you were in some kind of castle or giant mansion that clearly needed cleaning in places, and the worst thing was that all the rooms here practically remained locked. After an hour of wandering through the dark corners, you were damn cold and lost in addition, despite the fact that you found nothing and could not go anywhere except a couple of chambers, although mice ran through there a couple of times and spiders wove a web in the corners, which horrified you, forcing you to quickly slam the door and scream several times. No one really showed up. On the one hand, it was calming, but on the other it was aggravating.
You need at least some kind of map to figure out which part of the building you're in at all, but all you've found is useless trash and increased anxiety. Breathing exercises generally helped, which was why you were on the verge of hysteria. There must be at least a landline phone here! Panic was rolling in and my eyes started to water, I just wanted to call Leon and beg him to take you away from here because every rustle or shadow made you jump on the spot. And if someone really chases you? Where to run to? You don't have a mountain of muscles like Chris Redfield and you're not even Leon's equal. Your brain was clearly no longer trying to think of any plan, and it was at this moment that somewhere in the distance you heard a clock tinkling. It was dark outside, you couldn't see a thing, which made you think it might be midnight.
Startled, you looked around again and still decided to follow the sounds, hoping that they would not lead to your death. Another dark corridor gave way to a lighter one, which led you to a wide oak carved door, which made you even momentarily happy as you entered the wide hall with snow-white marble columns and an almost mirrored floor where a mosaic in the shape of a sun was laid out in the middle of the hall. Everything was luxurious and at the same time forgotten, but the clock that brought you here with a loud blow really showed midnight and it was a real antique! You were ready to swear to God that such a miracle could only be bought by a wealthy well-connected collector. Nearby there were several tables similar to those in your room, and although they were very dusty, in the vases that stood on them smelled sweetly of fresh flowers.
It wasn’t so gloomy here anymore, which helped relax a little. With sincere curiosity, you looked at everything that lay on the tables, and would like to turn the porcelain figurines of animals in your hands, something like this always caught you, causing memories to come flooding back against your will, how during your travels Leon could not tear you away from the souvenir shop where you emptied his card with great generosity, but this was not the case. And although you kept your eyes glued to everything you saw, your feet carefully walked down the steps until you stopped dead in your tracks when you heard loud clapping of hands.
You looked up at the source of the sound but didn't see anyone, however…
"So you've already woken up, my dear?"
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jpitha · 6 months
Text
Wild Sky
“How long will it feel like?”
“Less than a second. Your time in the pod will feel so short that you’ll think something is broken.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay then, Sign me up.” Ellen didn’t particularly want to take a stasis pod instead of a hibernation cabinet, but the last time she went into hibernation, she had… complications upon awakening. She was severely injured from an error on warming, and lost her right arm, right lung and half of her liver. The organs were regrown, and the limb replaced, but her doctor warned her to not hibernate anymore. Ellen figured that was that, and she was stuck on this planet. 
Until she read the news on her pad a few years later.
“Volunteers needed for sapient level trials of a new technology! Free interstellar travel!”
Intrigued, Ellen checked it out. She would try nearly anything to get off this planet.  Especially since Trish left her. 
It had turned out that scientists at the university had developed a ‘stasis’ system. It created a field where time did not pass. Even better, power is only needed to create and break the field. Once set, the stasis field is stable. You could cook a holiday meal for one hundred people, put it in stasis, and take a serving from it until it was gone, safe in the knowledge that even if it took you weeks, each plate would taste as good and the first. From the perception of the meal, all the servings were taken at once. 
Figuring it was her only way off this rock, Ellen signed up for the trial. She was subjected to weeks of examinations by all kinds of doctors. She was the first candidate with regrown organs and artificial limbs as well, so the scientists were extra excited about putting her in stasis. 
After about half a year, she was approved for the program. The first trip was going to be just for a day, in the offices of the university. Should that one go without a problem she and the other candidates would be placed aboard a ship and sent wherever they wanted It would be one ship with dozens of pods.  It didn’t matter how many months they traveled to all the destinations of the passengers, no time would pass for them.
As Ellen settled into the stasis pod, she chuckled to herself. For something that she was going to only spend a few seconds inside, it was very comfortable. Cozy even. She settled into the seat and clipped a short cord from the pod to the sensor suite on her wrist. As she did, her name and vitals appeared in the clear window on the pod. 
“We have good telemetry Ellen, we’re going to set the field, all right?” The doctor peered over the lip of the pod. It was a good deal larger than a regular hibernation cabinet, and the doctor was standing on a little stool.
“How long will I be out?” Now that she was in the pod, she yawned.
“Like I said, just a day Ellen. We’ll see you Wednesday morning. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Oh, I’m not worried, I was hoping I could get a nap, it’s so comfy in here”
The doctor chuckled. “It’s like that on purpose. The pods are designed to help put people at ease. That, combined with the mild sedative we gave you should make this no more scary than lying down in bed.”
Ellen blinked. A sedative? “No wonder I’m so tired. I’m high as hell!”
The doctor held up a hand. “Just a bit, and it’s fast acting. It’ll wear off by lunchtime, your time. All part of the waiver you signed.”
Mentally, Ellen shrugged. She did feel fine. Almost floaty. “All right Doc, whenever you’re ready.”
He looked down at his pad and made some notations. “Okay Ellen, we’re going to close the lid now.”
With a light hum, the lid game down. Ellen felt her ears pop as the pressure changed.
“Everything is green Ellen. As soon as the capacitors charge, we’re going to set the field. See you tomorrow!” The doctor’s voice sounded tinny over the connection. 
“All right Doc, see you tomorrow!”
“Field set in three… Two…”
There was a flash of silver, and it was dark in the pod. Ellen looked at the lights glowing inside. The window on the top was mirrored and she just saw a reflection of herself. Woman, late thirties, hair closely cropped to hide the grey and for ease of care; she never felt really ‘girly’ and didn’t keep her hair long or wear much makeup. She had just recently broken up with her long term girlfriend and thought this would be a source of an interesting story for future dates if nothing else. 
Funny, the doctor had said that her perception of time would be so short that she would wonder if it had worked at all. She was still lying here wondering what was going on. Maybe the doctor had misrepresented how long it would feel like for her to put anyone with claustrophobia at ease.  
They checked her for that though. The psych said she had none.
She wondered how long it had been. Surely, this was the right amount of time?
How long had it been?
She counted heartbeats.  She knew her heart rate was around 70 beats per minute, so she could get a rough idea how long she was in the pod from counting heartbeats.  In the silence of the pod, her heart was loud in her ears. She even thought she could hear her blood flow. 
After about ten minutes of counting by her reckoning she was bored and looked around more.
How much longer could it be?
Surely they’ll be here now?
All of the indicators on the side of the pod were dark. The telemetry information must reside outside of the stasis field. She was alone with her thoughts.
Isn’t it done yet?
There was a hum, rising in her ears and becoming louder and louder. Rising to a deafening crescendo it ended with a click like a relay. The top of her pod turned clear.
An unfamiliar ceiling. Maybe they moved the pod in between yesterday and today. It was beige with diffused lighting which didn’t seem to come from anywhere. Even though the field had disappeared, the lid still didn’t open.
A moment later, the lid opened with a pop of pressure and Ellen’s ears popped again. Unfamiliar smells flooded the pod. None were unpleasant as such, but she didn’t recognize any of them. Like, a new apartment or a friend’s house, it smelled unfamiliar. 
Ellen sat up. “Wow, that felt way longer than just a moment Doc, for the next group of people you should… tell… them…” 
Ellen looked around and her eyes focused.
The doctor wasn’t there. 
Three… beings dressed in long, emerald green robes stared back at her. They weren’t human.
They weren’t human! What the hell was going on?
“What’s going on? Who are you?”
The middle being stepped forward. They spoke. Ellen didn’t understand the language, it had a warbling, vibrating quality, almost like you would have to feel it as much as hear it. At their… waist was a box. It spoke in hundreds of languages, almost all at once. While it spoke a blue light shone on her face. With a warbling noise as it hunted and searched, it finally said something she understood. It said “There… has been… a sit-u-a-tion.” 
Wild eyed, Ellen looked up at the head of the one who had the box that spoke. They had large, compound eyes, like a fly and their faces were an iridescent green.
There must be some mistake. A trick, a prank. Panicking, Ellen jumped out of the pod and searched the room. She was nowhere near the laboratory at the university. She had no idea where she was. The room was the same uniform color of the ceiling with the invisible diffused light. Other than the three beings and her pod, the room was empty. There. A door behind them. She ran out the door, down a hall. She was beyond thought now, she just needed to get out. 
Things will make sense when she’s somewhere else.
She ran toward a door that looked like an exit and was outside. 
She looked up and gasped. She was so surprised that she lost her footing and fell down. Rolling on her back she looked up and saw the sky.
A wild sky. Turquoise with clouds in cotton candy pink. Looking further she could see a… structure in the sky. A large latticework, trailing off into the distance, made hazy by the atmosphere. The structure must be very high in the sky, and very very large.
She didn’t know how long she laid there, staring up at the strange sky. Eventually the being from the room with the box came up to her. He bent low - at least they have knees. Ellen actually stopped her panic to have that thought and the idea that at least they have knees brought her a small measure of comfort.
“We… are… sorry….” The box was getting better at translating. She wondered if she was able to help it when she shouted at them.
“How long has it been?” Her eyes flicked away from the sky to the compound eyes of the being.
“We do not… know…” They made a gesture with their hands. 4 fingers. “A long… time.”
Ellen wept. What else could she do
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