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nierly-amazing · 2 months

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Open the Memory Cage: Chapter 24: Shenanigans

Thank you so so much to jJohn313 for being a huge support and kickstarting me into writing again! This still would be in fic limbo (heh) if not for him!

Summary:

Take two…three…four…seven…eight…

[Read on Ao3]

[Like my work? Support me on ko-fi!]

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Chapter Text

“Don’t you think it’s a little weird to be meddling in someone’s love life like this?” A2 grunted and handed 9S a bag of fruit. “How many picnics have you had so far?”

“We’re not—” 9S snapped. “I mean, we’re trying to—” he slams the lid of the picnic box. “Shut up.”

A2 shrugged and walked off.

11S rolled toward them on an old office chair. "Let's see. So far you've been to the flower fields, the cool spot by the factory where you got attacked by seagulls, the amusement park where you all nearly got killed by that bunny robot..." He leaned back in his chair which gave a threatening creak. "...the spot by the desert where Jackass was testing her new explosives..."

"Yes, we remember," 9S sighed.

11S continued as if he didn't hear him. "...the entrance to the Forest Kingdom because you remembered 21O and 6O can't reach the library without falling apart, aaand the desert oasis that got hit by a sandstorm."

9S glared.

"Okay, geez." 11S rolled away.

“A2 does have a point,” 2B said. She casually slipped a few sandwiches behind the shelves. “Should we really be doing this?”

“It’s fine, it’s for the greater good!”

“The greater good? What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry about it, let’s go!”

6O dug into the bowl of apples and settled herself on the frayed, vaguely plaid blanket. “Thank you so so much for inviting us to another picnic!” she beamed.

“Of course!” 9S said with a mouthful of PBJLT. He scrunched his face up while swallowing the mess.

The Scanners had gotten more creative with sandwiches for their picnic since the previous attempt was less than impressive. Since they lacked the old recipes for condiments, they had to make do with whatever substitutions they could get their hands on. Plus, the thought of killing an animal to put part of its flesh on some bread when they didn’t need to eat seemed—as 42S put it lightly—pretty fucking disturbing.

9S was skeptical at first at the choice, but 13S and 14S assured him they taste-tested them beforehand.

I don’t think they know that ‘taste-testing’ means making sure it passes the test. He quickly washed it down with a glass of fresh-squeezed juice.

At least the drink was good, if a bit chunky.

2B and the Operators each took a sandwich. The Operators quickly tossed theirs behind them when they thought no one was looking but 2B took a few small bites from hers. She made an expression 9S couldn’t decipher and set it back on the plate.

After a bit of idle chit-chat, 9S messaged Anemone to call. Thankfully, it came a lot sooner than before.

“ Geez , Anemone, why do you have to keep calling during our picnics like that? Can’t it wait?” He faked a heavy sigh.

“What do you mean, this was your id—”

“Right! We’ll be there in ten!” He nearly batted his pod out of the air to close the channel.

The Operators both tilted their heads at him.

“I’m so sorry, Anemone needs us again. It’s so inconvenient!”

“What did she need you for?” 6O asked.

“I dunno but it sounds important.”

21O simply looked at him then at 6O. They shrugged.

9S stood and dusted crumbs off himself before he grabbed 2B and turned on his heels. “We’ll be back ASAP! Bye!” They took off at a brisk pace toward the nearest building, dodged behind it, and waited. And waited. And waited. Again, nothing happened. The Operators kept nibbling on the fruit only and engaged in what seemed like small talk.

9S sighed louder than he anticipated. 2B gave him a questioning hum.

“Man, I know these things take time and like I’ve said before we just gotta be patient with them but maaaaaaan.”

“Maybe we can stay the whole time next time,” 2B offered as she peeked out at them.

“Well, they definitely won't say anything in front of us.”

“No, I mean,” she paused and leaned back toward him, “I would like to have just one uninterrupted picnic to spend time with all of you.”

9S sat up straight. “Oh.” He shifted his gaze to a trail of ants on the wall. “Ohhh, 2B I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about that. I was so focused, I didn’t—”

“Nines, it’s not that big of a deal,” 2B snorted.

“You sure? I feel like I’ve been messing up a lot lately.”

“I’m sure. It’s nothing compared to what I’ve—”

“Hey!” 9S put his hand over her mouth. “Don’t talk like that!”

2B whined.

“ 2B ,” he pouted.

“Okay,” she said, muffled through his fingers.

He pulled his hand back and bumped his forehead against hers. She blushed.

After a minute 2B spoke up. “You know, if I can’t say things like that you can’t either.”

“What?”

“You can’t say you’ve messed up like that.”

“But that’s not the same! That—” 2B slapped her hand over his mouth. “Hey!”

“ Nines, ” she said in the same tone he did.

“Yeah, yeah.”

2B snorted and headbutted him.

9S headbutted her back, pushed her against the wall, and pressed his knee between her legs. Her arms slid up his back as he leaned in for a kiss.

“I love you, 2B, don’t ever forget that.” He pressed his fingers to her thigh.

“I love you too, Nines. But…” She grabbed his hand.

“Hm?” He leaned back and looked at her with half-lidded eyes.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Oh, right.” He coughed and shifted his legs. “Anyway, you’re right, let’s just have a normal picnic next time!”

---

The next picnic was not, in fact, a normal picnic.

“How was I supposed to know we set up between a moose and her baby?” 9S exclaimed over the ruins of their picnic. “Pod only scans for machines, not wildlife!”

“You still picked the spot, son .” 21O crossed her arms.

“Not sure I like you saying it that way.”

“It’s fine you two!” 6O said while she rubbed her wrist. “The moose didn’t hit me, I just fell! It doesn't hurt that bad. It's not like I have glass bones or paper skin or anything!”

“Still, we need to be careful,” 21O sighed. She turned back to 9S. “ You need to be more mindful when choosing a location. Might I remind you what happened last time...times.”

“Hey, why are you singling me out? 2B helped pick—” His words caught in his throat.

2B looked at him with a frown.

“Er—sorry, 2B. It’s not anybody’s fault. Let’s just find a new place before the moose decides to come back with reinforcements.”

“Fine,” 21O huffed.

6O sighed.

2B finished bagging up all the supplies in their muddied picnic blanket and threw it over her shoulders. It hit her back with a loud crunch.

“Oops.”

9S held back a groan.

---

They re-set up at the top of a shrubby hill and dusted off the surviving fruits. 9S nestled himself in 2B’s lap and popped a cherry in her mouth. She bit down a little and her expression softened as the sweet juice flowed into her mouth. And then…

Crunch.

9S sat up. 2B kept crunching but tilted her head at him. He bit his lip.

“Nines?” She swallowed.

“Nothing, it’s fine.” He gave her another cherry.

6O and 21O each took a handful of cherries.

Crunch.

9S cringed. The crunching continued. Inside him a battle waged. He picked up another cherry. He looked to 2B, 6O, and 21O as they happily munched and crunched the stony pits. He looked back to the cherry, shrugged, popped it in his mouth, and bit down.

Crunch.

Well, at least their teeth weren’t made of chalk or anything.

“Wow, humans sure had strong teeth to be able to eat lots of these,” 6O mused between crunches.

“...Yeah,” 9S said. “Y’know, I kinda prefer it without the seed.” He spat one out into the grass. He nodded. “Mmm, much better! Try it!”

6O and 21O shrugged and spat theirs out too.

“Agreed,” 21O said after a moment. 6O nodded, too.

“I like the crunch,” 2B said and popped another in her mouth.

Crunch.

9S bit the inside of his lip.

“Hey, 2B?”

“Hm?”

“I bet I can spit this further than you can!” He aimed and fired a seed into some bushes a few meters away.

2B’s eyes lit up and she immediately shot her seed out further than he could ever dream of, which sprayed him with cherry bits in the process.

She covered her mouth. “Sorry!”

9S snorted and wiped his face. He began to laugh. He grabbed another cherry and shot its seed after 2B’s, much further than before but nowhere near hers. He coughed on a bit of juice and tried again, still laughing.

6O joined in, then 2B; they took more cherries and shot the pits out over and over. A warm feeling grew inside him and he leaned against 2B. She hummed and leaned back but only until she got another cherry. She angled her head with laser precision and launched the seed.

“Come on, 21O!” 6O nudged her. “Join us!”

“I don’t see wh—” She rolled a cherry between her fingers and looked at the others smiling like dorks. A small smile grew on her face. “Oh hell, why not?” She popped the cherry in her mouth and with a deep breath launched the whole thing a few meters away. A small bird sitting in the brush nearby pounced and flew off with the treat.

“Good enough,” 9S chuckled. He leaned against 2B once more and hooked his arm around her for support. 21O huffed and tried again.

9S felt something welling up in his chest. “I’m really glad you came back to us,” he hummed. “I missed this.”

21O raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? We’ve never done this before.”

“I mean like…” He pinched his chin. “I don’t know how to explain it. I know we haven’t done anything like this but it feels right. Like in another universe, this would have been a normal experience for us.”

“Yeah, I feel that,” 6O nodded. “Despite being so distanced from each other back with YorHa, there was still that feeling of…family.” She looked at 21O but looked away when she returned her gaze.

2B pulled 9S closer to her. She didn’t speak but the look on her face made 9S feel warm.

“Despite everything,” 9S murmured, “the four of us still managed to get out of this alive. More or less.”

21O wiped her eyes and nodded. “Despite everything, we’re still here.”

---

How was the picnic?

It was great!

We shot cherry seeds from our mouths.

Ah. Ok. Did they confess finally?

No. But we might be getting close. Maybe.

You gotta invite us next time.

Yeah, we’re kinda jealous. You have all that good food all to yourselves.

Well, there is a lot of food, yes.

You’ve had six picnics and never with ussssssssss!

What’s stopping you from having your own?

…Good point.

We’re gonna need more supplies.

Easy peasy! I’m a pro at these things now!

Anyway! They’re gonna start getting suspicious about you leaving all the time if they haven’t already.

Do you think it’s time?

For the ultimate romantic getaway?

The what? Oh, the Lunar Tears?

Yeah, why haven’t you gone there already? That’s like the easy way to get a confession from at least one of them.

True, but I’m worried if that doesn’t work then nothing will.

Maybe just leave them be after this.

Nobody asked you.

Knock it off.

Hmph.

She’s right though. If this doesn’t work then give them a break for a while and see what happens.

I guess. Well, let’s make sure this is The One.

We’re gonna need some candles and the best sandwiches we can create!

Just fruit is fine.

#nier #nier automata #automata #2b9s #9s2b #my fics #my shitposts #my fic #open the memory cage #memory cage

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another-whump-sideblog · 2 years

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Jane’s Pets Pt. 33: Hanging by a Threat

TWs in the tags

Masterlist

Breaking point | Stress positions | Reluctant caretaker

Kit has been spending a lot of time with you. They read to you for hours, filling the silence. They also walk you through exercises you can do to get some movement while bedridden. You’ve been able to communicate yes and no through blinking twice and once, respectively.

Kit gently sets down the book they’ve been reading. “Are you… good?”

It takes you a moment to realize you’re crying. You blink once.

“I know it’s a dumb question, but I can’t really ask what’s wrong. Are you in pain? Well, I know you’re in pain. Are you in more pain than normal? Do you want me to get some ice packs?”

You blink once again. You don’t want them to leave.

“So it’s emotional? Are you sad?”

You don’t know. You blink twice.

“It’ll be okay. I know it sucks right now, but it will get better when you can walk again. We’ll spend lots of time outside and eat lots of… saltines. It’ll be good. There are things to live for.”

You close your eyes.

“Just hang on.” They pick the book back up. “And until things get better, we can pretend we’re in another world. Where were we?”

~-~-

Kitty does not like Puppy. They hate her. They hate the way she waits for permission to eat and sleep and speak, the way she obeys immediately without thought. They hate the way that she doesn’t even seem disgusted with torture, just acts like it’s a fact of life. They hate her.

It’s hard not to feel a little bad for her, though. Especially while they can hear her crying in the other room.

She was made to hold stress positions all day today. She hadn’t even done anything wrong, Jane was just in the mood to see her suffer.

It’s impossible to sleep while she cries in the other room. Kitty gets up.

They make some homemade ice packs and grab a coloring book. All the pictures have been colored in, but the backs of some of the pictures are still blank, ready to be drawn on.

Kitty marches into Puppy’s room and sets the stuff on her bed. “There. You can stop crying now. Let those of us who are allowed to sleep get some rest.”

Kitty leaves the room before they can see Puppy’s face.

They didn’t give her anything to draw with, though. No point in a coloring book if you don’t have anything to color with. Kitty hesitates outside their room. Puppy has stopped crying. They could just go to bed.

Kitty finds a packet of colored pencils and brings them to Puppy’s room.

“I don’t know why I care. I shouldn’t. I don’t like you.”

Puppy nods. She slowly applies the ice packs to her sore muscles. For some reason, her lack of distress pisses them off even more.

“Of course you don’t care what I think. I’m not your master. Why would you care if I like you?”

Puppy shakes her head. There are a lot of things that could mean, but one sticks out more in their mind.

“You… do care?”

Puppy nods.

“Oh.” Kitty sits down next to Puppy. “You don’t act like it.”

Puppy shrugs. She’s really not so bad, up close. Actually talking to her, Kitty realizes she’s not as much a mindless robot as they thought she was.

“…I don’t know why I hate you so much.” They admit. “You’re just- you don’t fight back. You just do what she says, no matter what. Like you really are a puppet. I’m afraid that I’ll become like you.”

The words spill out of their mouth before they can think about it. It’s true though, isn’t it? They’re terrified of ending up like her. Of hitting some breaking point and being unable to fight back. They hate that she represents a possibility of what could happen to Kitty. That she was weak enough. But Puppy herself?

“You’re not so bad.” They whisper, so quietly that they don’t think Puppy can hear them. Puppy wraps an arm around their shoulder, and despite their aversion to touch, they don’t pull away.

Puppy is only alive because of the threats Jane has made, to hurt innocent people if she kills herself. That’s the only reason she’s hanging on. She would’ve killed herself a long, long time ago if not for Jane’s threats.

With Kitty by her side, though, she finds that she’s not that upset about being alive anymore.

A/N: Let me know if I should tag anything else! I hope it was clear that the last two scenes were flashbacks 😅

Tag list: @eatyourdamnpears @ghostsinthecloset

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jade-eclipse-li · 6 months

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I don’t understand how robots have different intelligence.

You computers have higher and lower quality.

And we can’t help it if someone is dumb.

From War of Cybertron: Siege

If there’s anything left of the champion who clawed his way up from the pit of... of the hero who thought to fight for all of his people, if there is truly a spark of goodness left in you, Megatron, there is another way.

What way?

You could join us.

I swear my heart stopped

We were protecting ourselves.

We were trying to protect you.

If you’re to stay here, you don't fire on anyone unless ordered to. Understood?

If my chair falls down in the middle of the night, i don’t care if it’s gravity or someone moving it, I’m calling it paranormal activity and that I’ll die.

It could be a robber.

They’ll die with me.

Not everyone deserves redemption.

I would rather die believing that they do.

Once you bite down on something, keep biting even if you are down to your last fang.

Spiteful.

You mean “biteful”.

One more word and we’ll feed you to my kid!

They’re kidding, i don’t eat junk.

Eh, what’s with this C-3PO rip-off?

Don’t kill the messenger, or the messenger will kill you.

I brought you Frankincense.

Thank you.

I brought you Myrrh.

Thank you.

MyrrhDER-

No-

Punch me in the face.

Punch you?

Yes, didn’t you hear me?

It’s usually subtitled.

You’re not gonna kill anyone, right?

Nah I’m just gonna kill myself.

You don’t have a nervous system.

I am a nervous system.

“We are the only obstacle blocking our way forward.”

Great phylosyphy

“Sometimes, you just have to blow scrap up.”

It’s just even better

Did you have to stab him? I know he’s a jerk but seriously? You’re better than this.

You weren’t there. You didn’t hear what he said to me.

What did he say?

“What are you going to do, stab me?”

That’s fair.

How is the ark repairment proceeding, engineers?

Ugh, scrap!

We’re uh, proceeding.

#incorrect qoute #ask away!#incorrect quotes #jade/eclipse #family memes #memes #funny memes #daily memes #war of cybertron #transformer #optimus #alpha trion #elita-1

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wpdariacutnes · 11 months

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🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳

Me: and more enifing spishis dyfrent filings a why not

💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙

generally dogo is pink what is it without these little Krobi you can see the gender if there are little pink dots on it's a girl and if it's blue small short it's a male and if it's violet it's no longer a life rezan because blood a parents a tetrodotoxin is wery to much get hot egg and same be mix dys a born and fell dead a take so long a hot plases that's why caves but so the tail is more for decoration than used as a real tail, something like shells

Well so enifing female dogo look frendly or nickname greengodo ( because kids a born is same dogo as egg sametime) but one is stigul how are the dates because the male regular ones have the same thing that the saliva is more glass but they don't open it all, they just wag their tail so much that then it is broken off and also used to pick up for a female so same did a male like enifing not work a high rezans so nextgen lost tale a enifing be so happy to mach a fatcher or matcher no rezan fellout tale self but yes female can open paste size 27 to the course of the patner something like male there he also does a date only if they are neither podryane but domiation knows animal life finks it supposedly has two tooth sideburns and more tooth so 4 but only baby a more gorw das lost dys a take nomal human Are yeah that sline what female produces is so toxic it could kill 56 humans or robotshuman if it's just both a save only self but if it produces saliva it means live high hormones are too much and stego can beat toxic attacking a human because his or her territory but the date of the genre works not typically picking up or calling other genres on the date without this sline because if there is more on more may have sans for the egg damn these females do it more carnivorous than the little ones male did because not hart open but same and if he seems to be interested in a little, then ablo runs that she dominates the partner that logic has stopped him permanently or just that he's more excited as a guy or another that he's afraid to stand next to her

A male dogo a nickname terrixgodo is more not so toxic a female done because the sputum is more of a limit than the female bottom heating the blood itself i.e. when it's small, you can fart and when it's female, it's not because there is too much of this toxic when it bites more take babys a distans no herts nor bites a dyfrent kids das more take a fight training or pie without 8 hours father lived his children so that they could fight afterwards but children feel more cuddling than biting or other types of children do as they want and he is supposed to look after them without so many hours and when the date is, they open their mouths only to 21 size or like a normal person and because they have a fluffy tongue that it's mega meki than usual same do a female a introsting a female but dys

dogo kids just greendogeo a nickname dys a code child a dys greengodo is cute not lie is cute look a normal dog and same size a parents dog a born a reddy like get human dog but enifing egg a dys a fanely get out is so same toxic a only robot parnets get toxic in saide a body and be dead a reddy even picking out the skin of this hedgehog is so cute that it can fit this skin, no matter how old is the one who eats the skin of the restaurant and if they are in danger, then no mouths a more spikes (something like those fish stones dys black ball )that this supposed opponent can hit this spike in the soybean bitch that he already suffocates right away and has sparkles in his eyes and dead now and the child walks without a problem safe and sound save too unfortunately the victims are war so over 47 not save a dys get a spikes

🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳🐣🍳

Coffy enifing is colors a coffe das normal look oki dizaine wery frendy a eat and make chokolrobot staws like chokolade/sorbet/bomb chokolade and fake egg in toy insaide so same a not hot cooking a normal eat dys not baby insaide

A male coffy more nickname brownicoff no is not cute birds they are something a mix of beaver Shortly they damage the cause of the area which inhabit no domination but more normal and water that is, on the code and water does not damage the crooks are lying on the ice to rest but if you jump into the water yourself, you will risk your life because they attack the robot also a few bigger than themselves because speed if they pull the dul into the water the speed of the water without this osomnik is 4500 spid, so how would a colonel come in like it wouldn't survived to female are slow because female have 2500 spid or hedgehogs like colonel save self But enifing so frendly a woking next a not in water do whatever wona a hem sleepy or take self a dyfrent eat

A coffy female nickname is brownisorbet because is more look skini a normal oso canda look like kids a born yeah eyes can glow a night like cat but more big is eyes so enifing not so good spid because more wona take be lazy enifing take sun or sleep a can fund dys type so self not look self kid a take self a swiming (knows a so sleepy matcher)only the victims are the robot children of another species without the careless behavior of the other species of parents and thus the loss of kid a dyfrent type only the tooth has more that the shroud is tooth but they have smaller tooth's on the sides a male only a big a wery big one tooth truikont so woman bit is das bit but not felloff enifing body element more get a kidsidrom a get bit a dys type and how the hedgehog male po have such a sharp shape truikont tooth that the clover is already torn off the whole and slow a dead a lost blood

A kid coffy a nickname is das borwncookis because is so smole like cookis enifing more a male a born a egg and colors so hart like cookis they do not have tooth a enifing attaking maybe it's softer or something too soft (like ruba, they are not have tooth) and onlu size 24 a be male a female get size 44 a king get a size 56 and when there is a date, yes children ring a bell like a mixed frog ring just like that little show

A king coffy canda introsting nickname like brownwood why is wood because a colors like wood in saide mouth is more pastel colors not hart be can see a black Tongue they are more fluffy or if they move, even the powder will spill out on the wood joints a parents a king a dys coffy get 660 size and For the first time, you can also have this powder with the effects of 770 strong vanilla flavors not so sowing because so big but not limit get egg because a male king get 660 size and how be woman not bit a smole fell is more huge like 775 size das is queen now deam niby a sames bit take cedar but more woder and normal woking mix a size is a huge a canda dys same rezan a how kid be huge like 550 size on king a baby sametime a egg but they are more aggressive but generally they have the speed of a teddy bear so it's a little better to wait like a cedar than this one individuals when they notice an intruder in the field are more aggressive than other ordinary species of this species

💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙

#gachapon megaman ver #megamancomunity #mereal #wpexpleing #parents take rule #youtube #art 2023

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heeseung-min · 2 years

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[11:23]

Heeseung watched you slept soundly on the bed, he laid beside you and pulled you close to his warm body. Your lips tempting him and made him left kisses on you when you were still sleeping. Oh,how he really loves doing this with you.

"Hyung, wake up. Your time is over now it's mine"

Heeseung rolled his eyes at the sudden voice. He just wanted to stay with you without any disturbance but too bad that's not how it works when seven boy fall in love with you.

Yes, you read it right. Seven boys. Heeseung,Jay,Jake,Sunghoon,Jungwon,Sunoo and Riki are their name. They fall in love with you to the point they are obsessed with you. At first, you don't know about it and just be friends with them. But, one day when you found the truth where you saw various pictures of you in one room at their house you realized how crazy they are towards you. When you wanted to go out from there, Riki caught you and laughed when you struggling to escape from him. He may be just a kid but that doesn't mean he's not strong. With another help from Sunghoon and Jake they successfully cuffed you on the bed. You always fight them and trying to escape from their house but failed to do so. They shot your legs and torture your mental to make you only being dependant to them.

"Baby, wake up. Let's eat"

"ummm....five minutes"

Jay laughed when he heard that. After Heeseung went out he sat beside you on the bed and holding your hand waiting for you to wake up.

All of them found it difficult to share you at first but then they realized it's better to share then watch y/n end up with one of them only. They also did a timetable to make sure everyone can spend their time with you.

Sometimes, you still think about run away from this house but they will always remind you to not do that.

"What are you thinking about, honey?"

"nothing..."

"Don't even think about escaping okay? You don't want we shoot your legs again,right?"

Like a robot, you automatically shaked your heard showing how you dislike it. It brought smile to Jay knowing they finally succeed made you to stay with them forever and ever.

Jungwon and Riki decided to play hide and seek with you. You and Jungwon being the one who hide while Riki will find both of you. You guys were playing at forest behind the house and the forest was huge and you still can remember how you got lost while running away from them.

You and Jungwon went separate way to make Riki's task became hard. However, as you tried to find a place to hide, there's this feeling inside you telling you to escape from there. You shaked yourself to prevent from any voice manipulating you but you couldn't help but to run to the other way so you can get out from here. You heard Jungwon and Riki calling for you but you kept going running far away from them. Heeseung, Jay, Jake and Sunghoon were at town so they are impossibly can get you. But, just when you finally thought you can escape your right ankle got pulled and you fell down really hard that made your head a bit dizzy.

"Baby, do you forget that I always walk around this forest?"

Sunoo. You fucking forget Sunoo. Oh y/n, you are so unlucky. Sunoo smiled at your panting body. You looked so tired from running just now. He took a syringe that has liquid on it and insert the needle inside you to make your body lost its sense.

"Baby, you still need a training"

You woke up when you felt someone caressing your face. You opened your eyes and saw Jake was staring at you with a pity eyes. You started to feel scared and uncomfortable. When you turned around, you saw Sunghoon was finding some tapes to play on the tv.

Fuck. The tapes. The one where it shows how they killed those who wanted to "take you away" from them. You grabbed Jake hands and shook your head trying to gain some sympathy for the boy as you know he has a soft spot for you. Unfortunately, luck was not on your side when Jake could only give you a forehead kisses and telling you it will be better.

"This is for your sake,darling. We wouldn't do this if you don't run away from them."

"I'm -I- I'm sorry please Jake. I don't want this. Jake, please tell hoon to stop it please I'm so so sorry."

"Quit it y/n. Jake, let her go and tie her hands and legs to the bed. She need to get a training again."

"Hoon, I'm sorry please no I don't want to watch that."

"If you don't run away, we will already have a movie night together but yeah you can count this as a movie night too. We will come bac after two hours."

You screamed when Jake and Sunghoon left the room. You closed your eyes because you didn't want to see what was happening on the screen but that didn't mean you couldn't hear. You really tried hard to cover your eyes but too bad your hands were tied and now you are suffering.

Two hours has passed and the tape was done playing but you still can hear the scream of the victim and how they begging for their life. You didn't realize anything else until you felt someone untied the ropes. You quickly jumped on them and hugged them tightly.

"Please, I'm sorry I won't do it again I don't want to hear it anymore I'm so sorry"

Heeseung caressed your back gently and letting your tears fell to his shirt. You stayed in that position for 10 minutes until Heeseung pulled your face slightly to look at him.

"You learn your lesson,right? Don't do that again,okay?"

"..okay...I'm sorry...."

"It's okay honey. Let's clean you up and we can sleep together after this. You can apologize to other tomorrow."

If making you watching their vlogs of killing people will make you obedient to them, they will do it again and again just to make you stay with them together.

ayo its been a long time since i posted...hope you guys like this one🥲 thank you for following me and liking my work🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️ i feel so appreciated i hope you guys have a nice day😊 pls stay healthy

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tomsparkyr · 2 years

Text

𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

summary: but when he saw you fall from his grasp, he could not bare to lose you again.

masterlist part one, part two.

peter parker x fem!reader

warnings: finally a happy (??) ending, little angst, redemption and peter finally gets the girl </3

the bold in the third half of peter means the past chapter/past scene current peter is watching :)

part three to: gone and forgotten + slipping through his fingers.

don’t steal any of my work, thanks!

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐃 been eating Peter Parker alive for the past 6 months. It has been 182 days without you, Y/N. 182 days since Peter had last ever willingly spoken to someone.

You’re all that’s on his mind.

His head is constantly flooded with the thought of you. Only you. His mind will not focus on anything but the moment he lost you, the moment he lost everything important. What was there to live for if you weren’t here?

He hasn’t tried to move on, he couldn’t. The only people supporting him were his friends and Peter began to believe they were going to grow bored of him. Because everything he loves, he loses.

That’s why he went on that stupid school trip in the first place, to take his mind off everything that had the slightest relation to you. But no, things still go to shit even when he believes he’s hit rock bottom. The one time he trusted someone out of your friendship group since you; decided to stab him in the fucking back and frame him for killing the asshole by saving everyones lives.

Thanks for the great fucking trip, Midtown!

So that’s how he’s here, stood infront of an middle aged man with four robotic arms as a look alike for an octopus.

“Do you know a Peter Parker that is Spiderman?” Dr Strange questioned, pointed to the boy holding a possible permanent face full of confusion as his weight shifted from foot to foot, staring down the intruder he had never heard nor seen of before.

Dr Octopus looked intently at the so called ‘Peter Parker’ and nodded his head, “Yes.” eyes still trained on the boy infront of him.

“Is that him?” Strange raised his voice, now putting the pieces together. Dr Octopus shook his head, “No.”

Peter stared between the two quizzically, unsure on how to comprehend whether he was offended that another Peter Parker was known more than him or the fact that another Peter Parker actually exists?

“Oh, God.” Strange sighed, rubbing his temples furiously as he walked hastily from the scene. Peter wasting no time on following the Sorcerer. Speeding up his pace, he noticed the stress rolling off Steven as the man had turned to face the Spiderman from previous facing his back to him.

Swallowing all his worries, Peter spoke “Can you please explain what is going on?” Pain strung through his voice. Ever since that night he failed, he is and will always be on edge. Afraid to get something wrong. Because the last time he was wrong, he lost his world.

Strange lifted his head up to Peter. “After I shut that spell down, we started getting visitors for every universe.”

Peter heart stopped. “The multiverse is real?” He gasped. An entire separate universe existed exactly like his. Exactly like his?

“When you say multiverse, do you mean another versions of people have different fates than one’s supposedly in here?” Peter said barely above a whisper. Dr Strange’s face turned hard, teeth gritted and shaking his head.

“I know what you’re thinking, Parker.” He walked up to him, slowly lowering his hands onto his shoulders. “But she’s gone.” He spoke sternly, slightly brushing against his shoulder before he gave him a sympathetic look.

Peter stood stationary in his space, head not following Strange as he walked off. A frown itching its way onto his face as tears swelled in his beautiful eyes, sniffles held back as he thought about her. It felt as if something was lodged in his throat about to spill out sobs at a simple mention of your once existing presence.

After seeing a so-called ‘Dr Octopus’, Peter wondered what other villains his doppelgänger’s must have fought. Strange had mentioned a Lizard like human thing? One who was previously his dad’s friend/co-worker who didn’t have an arm, then attempting to create a cure for this and somehow turning himself into a Lizard and trying to turn everyone else into one too. Sounds like a damn good movie to Peter.

His mind wondered into more depth of superhero business, then to stumble onto the teeth gritting question. Would he be back? Would the man who took everything away from him and everyone who loved her be back to tear his heart into two again? He only wished he would. To watch the man he hated with every bone in his body grow weaker under his fingertips.

Peter didn’t realise how long he was standing there until Dr Strange tapped him on the shoulder, telling him to follow his lead immediately.

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𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 the odd box, twisting it reluctantly as the last thing he would want to do is break Dr Strange’s property.

“Care to explain what this actually is?” Peter exclaimed as he waved the object in the air slightly causing Strange to cringe.

“No time for that.” Steven walked up face to face with the boy, “This son of a bitch won’t come to you…” He stared intensely into Peter’s brown eyes, now holding onto the box with him.

“So you’re gonna go to him” He said before pushing the box harshly into Peter’s chest caused him to completely float from his vision.

Peter’s body flung back to his surprise and within a millisecond on strobe coloured lights, he landed unexpectedly on a further away electric tower. Landing on his face, Peter groaned loudly unaware of where the hell had Strange forced him to and who he was referring to.

That was until he saw three clear figures in the distance.

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“𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄! 𝐈’𝐌 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 just take me! Anything to let her go!” Peter bargained. He didn’t care what happened to him now because as long as he knew you were safe, he’d be okay even if it meant him sacrificing all he has.

Goblin chuckled in your direction hearing the boy that still loved you scream in desperation at your demise. “Looks like he hasn’t forgotten you.” He taunted in your face, grinning at the fear creased into your precious face. Your bottom lip quivered, “Please.” you whispered feeling the blood ooze from your cut forming from your eyebrow to your cheekbone.

Osborn’s laughter stopped at you sudden words, having not spoken since he had caught you in the first place. Your words of retaliation made all the fun he had experienced so far stop, you had finally given up with his actions as he had become bored of toying with you in an instant.

As his smile dropped, so did you.

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𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 Peter realised where he was. For the second time in his life he saw your life flash before your eyes as your body dropped.

Peter’s feet moved itself as he flung himself towards the scene, watching his past self cling onto your body to soften your landing after smashing through layers of glass. He watched Goblin fly inwards to where past you two currently lay, current Peter ready to intervene.

His feet landed unsteadily on the smashed platform, stumbling on his own feet and perching over the edge to watch himself be kicked square in the chest and seeing your frail body hang from his web he knew would snap within a matter of minutes.

Lunging himself, Peter attempted to get to your body before your fate repeated itself. That was until past Peter and Goblin flew into him, blissfully unaware as another presence was the least of their problems as they watched you dangle far from the ground.

This sent Peter flying back, hitting his spine hardly on a pole attached to the clockwork which was holding you up right now. The reaction of his hit sent him falling flat on his face afterwards, coming face to face with your body slipping away from reality as the web snapped under the pressure of going cogs.

Peter forced himself off the edge, following your lead downwards to watch he wished you would experience together, whether that was good or bad.

What broke Peter most was to watch your sweet face screw up in acceptance. He had to watch you know your fate before his past self had even recognised you had fallen. Your beautiful features looked so broken. How could he let you think these things without his past selves attention devoted on your outcome before him-selves.

What felt like slo-motion, Peter reached his hand out to yours. Faring away, he webbed yours to his.

He did what he couldn’t do last time.

Your body jolted only inches away from the floor you didn’t miss last time.

He could see your face drop in shock, eyebrows upturned and mouth slightly ajar, letting out heavy panting before Peter dropped and coming face to face with you.

A sob racked through your body as you stared into the cut out eyes of Spiderman. Shaking your head and ripping off his mask to caress his pale face. “You’re okay, you’re okay.” He brushed your fallen hair out of your face as your fingers tangled into his messy hair from the lack of space in the mask. Your head buried itself into the crook of his neck as the two bodies became one as both of you sobbed in each others presence.

Peter clung on, knowing this was the last time he would ever see you.

He couldn’t bring you back to his universe as much as he wished.

Peter would just have to forever live with the fact that you may be gone in his universe, but he can always remember he got you as much as it breaks his heart and crushes it into a million pieces. And another version of himself can live the life with you he will forever envy for as long as he lives.

Just remember Peter, you got the girl.

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IM SOBBING IM SO SORRY BUT THAT THE END IMS SKSKSOS SORRYRUSK

tags (let me know if wanted to be removed!)

@tom-softie

@i-have-a-basic-taste-in-men

@awesomebooklover17

@badass-yn

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#peter parker masterlist #peter parker x you #peter parker oneshot #peter parker fluff #peter parker angst #peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #peter parker fanfiction #peter parker fic #peter parker #spiderman angst #spiderman x reader #spiderman

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absolutepokemontrash · 3 years

Text

MC is Half Demon and They Look Awfully Familiar

(Underground Tomb edition!)

Hello friends and degenerate sinners, this is basically a mini headcanon set for Luci’s kid!MC about how the incident with Luke and the Grimoire would go down in this AU to tide you all over until Part 3 comes out! Enjoy!

It was a normal night in the good ol’ HOL... Lucifer was doing paperwork at an ungodly hour of the night, Beel was in the kitchen, and Mammon was screaming and running for dear life. Ah... sweet normalcy.

The custard incident remained the same, MC got force-fed custard and Beel threw a truly fantastic hunger tantrum that culminated in the wall connecting to MC’s room collapsing.

Cue lecture from Luci-father.

“I am very disappointed in you three.” Lucifer rubbed his temples as MC, Beel, and Mammon awkwardly stood in his room. Mammon of course, was trying to avoid the death glares MC was giving him. Poor bastard.

“Especially you two, MC and Beel.”

“Whuh?!” Mammon sputtered. “What about me?!”

“I expect this from you. These two on the other hand,” Lucifer raised an eyebrow at MC who was awkwardly trying to suppress a laugh at Mammon’s aghast expression. “Should know not to act like this.”

“We’re *snrk* sorry, father,” MC paused to try and muscle through a giggle. “It won’t happen again.”

“He ate my custard...” Beel pouted.

“So, MC won’t be able to use their room anymore due to the wall... collapsing.” Lucifer gave Beel a pointed glare.

Mammon smirked, and if he were sitting on a couch, we would have leaned back and kicked his feet up. “Well, obviously since I’m a kind and generous soul I’ll open up my room for poor MC to stay in. My babysittin’ rates are quite high though-”

“BABYSITTING?!” MC snarled, giving Mammon a death glare that could probably kill lesser demons.

Lucifer felt a twinge of pride upon seeing his child give someone his signature bone-chilling glare, if he weren’t supposed to be disappointed he would have given MC a pat on the head and let them hang Mammon from the ceiling.

“Uh- heh- MC, I’m your favourite uncle! Me babysittin’ ya should be an honour!” Mammon was sweating bullets and desperately looking to Beel for help.

“Levi is rapidly approaching favourite uncle status.” MC crossed their arms and huffed.

“Levi?! Wait- does that mean I was your favourite-”

Lucifer was almost tempted to stick MC in Mammon’s room just to have MC punish Mammon so he could get some sleep, tragically, his common sense won out. “MC will be staying with Beel. He has an extra bed in his room after all.”

MC looked over at Beel and smiled. “Could be worse, right? I’ll replace the custard.”

Beel’s smile upon hearing the last part could have lit up the entire Devildom. What a sweetie.

MC still chilled in Beel’s room. They finally got to ask more questions about Belphie, and Beel is more inclined to share what’s up because MC is his big bro’s kid after all!

Because of MC’s half demon-ness, they hadn’t met Belphie at that point in the story unlike in canon. They were just curious about their missing uncle. They ALSO already knew what Belphie looks like because Lucifer gave them an in depth tour of everything and he pointed out all the portraits.

MC, being the sadistic sweetheart they are, went out and bought themselves and Beel replacement custard. MC made sure to eat it right in front of Mammon.

But my oh my, who was texting them? *gasp!* Luke!

MC obviously let their little angel buddy into the house (Luke did not know about MC’s parental situation at that point, keep that in mind). Luke was fun to tease a little after all! And it was nice to have another kid around, but MC would never admit it.

Since MC had literally no reason to be afraid of their dear old dad, they went right up to him and asked him if Luke could stay over. No fear.

“Father?” MC leaned on the doorway to the backyard, Lucifer was playing fetch with Cerberus. MC had never seen someone play fetch so robotically.

“Yes, MC?” Cerberus’ middle head dropped a slobber covered squeaky toy into Lucifer’s gloved hand, the other two heads snapped at the middle one.

“Can I have a friend over?” MC asked, trotting over to give Cerberus some pets. On the first day the dog had tried to eat them, but after giving him some much tastier bacon treats, Cerberus was sweet as pie. Murderous and dangerous pie, that is.

“Do I know this friend?”

“Yes, it’s Luke. Can he stay over?”

Lucifer wrinkled his nose and rolled his eyes. “Cerberus is right here, you have access to a dog. Why on earth would you bring the chihuahua over?”

MC snorted and gave Cerberus’ right head some scratches behind the ears. “He’s not a chihuahua all the time, come on, it’s for the good of the exchange program!”

The two had a stare down for a little while, and to his absolute horror, Lucifer felt his resolve cracking. This child of his was too adorable for their own good. “Fine, MC.”

“Yes!” MC fist pumped as Cerberus’ middle and left heads tried to join in on the ear scritches.

“But note,” Lucifer continued. “I expect a full report to give to Lord Diavolo on this whole experience.”

MC frowned and debated sticking their tongue out at their father, they decided against it. “A paper? On a sleepover? Really?”

“Yes. Really.” Lucifer gave MC a flick on the nose. “Like you said, it has to do with the exchange program. Now go make sure the chihuahua doesn’t die and leave you with a mess to clean up.”

The look of complete terror Luke gave MC when they told him that Lucifer said he could stay over was completely worth the paper they were going to have to write.

“What?! You weren’t supposed to tell him I’m here!”

“He said you could stay.”

“Why?! Oh no... did he demand your soul as payment or something?! MC! You shouldn’t have put yourself in that nasty demon’s debt! Don’t worry, I’ll get your soul back somehow.”

MC should have been offended... but they weren’t. I mean, could you stay mad at Luke when he just offered to fight arguably the second most powerful demon in the Devildom to get your soul back?

Now that Luke’s presence in the house was known to everyone, the challenge was no longer keeping Luke hidden, it was making sure Luke didn’t say anything that would get him killed and making sure none of the demon bros made Luke cry.

Mammon was the main culprit of the teasing because Lucifer actually had better things to do. And he had a (totally not a) date with Diavolo so he’d be back late and wouldn’t be home to tease the chihuahua.

Mammon’s status as favourite uncle was hanging by a thread by the end of the first day.

Asmo thought Luke was positively adorable and also very annoying. He offered to paint MC and Luke’s nails. Luke declined, but MC was all for it. (Their cuticles were a MESS by the way, they needed the manicure.)

Luke’s nails were painted gold to match the gold on his outfit! Asmo was quite proud of his work, and was very offended when he was not allowed to try and braid Luke’s hair.

“It looks so soft!”

“You’re not allowed to touch my hair, demon!”

Satan still disliked MC on the basis that they were just a mini-Lucifer and hung out in his room or the library to avoid them and Luke.

It was incredibly annoying when Luke and MC burst into the library to look for cookbooks and treat recipes after Luke told MC about his baking endeavours. Satan debated ordering a pair of ear plugs on Akuzon...

Or perhaps a laser gun...

Both would make him stop hearing the children’s grating voices.

“You two, be quiet.”

“We haven’t spoken since we got in here...”

“You’re breathing too loud.”

Beel remained the only brother who was actually decent to Luke, they all played Go Fish in Beel’s room.

Levi was in his room playing his new video game just like in canon, but he could hear Luke and MC running around outside his room.

He was fully prepared to do that introvert thing where you stay in your room until you hear someone say goodbye to the guest.

Levi’s eyes were glued to his computer screen, just eight more skeleton monsters to kill and he’d get the achievement! His attention crumbled the moment he heard the dreaded sound of...

Guests...

“Hey MC! Whose room is this?”

The sound of a door opening and closing down the hall caused Levi to jump in his seat. Oh no... his worst fears were realized! There was another person in the house!

“That’s Asmodeus’ room. Luke you shouldn’t go around opening everyone’s doors-”

The sound of another door opening and shutting made Levi pause his game and look at Henry 2.0 for help. Maybe if he jumped into the tank and wrapped himself in his tail he’d camouflage into his surroundings...

BAM!

AAAAA! Not enough time! The guest was drawing nearer... he was going to have to... *barf*... SOCIALIZE!

“How about this room?”

Levi braced himself for the incoming social contact... Fs in the chat everyone...

“We shouldn’t bother Levi, let’s do something else.”

HAJEKDJSJSJSJD- BEEL! BEEL JUST SAVED LEVI’S LIFE!

The poor third born slumped back in his seat, the awfulness of socialization avoided. He uh... hadn’t actually left his room in maybe three days... maybe he should actually go outside... enjoy the nonexistent sunlight, y’know?

...nah. Levi went back to his game.

Since the kitchen was broken, Beel, MC, and Luke went out and get AkuDonald’s. They were all out of the toy that Luke and MC wanted so that trip was a disaster! A disaster I say!

Just the image of Beel happily chomping on his eighth burger while Luke and MC angrily pick at their fries makes me want to laugh.

Now the question you’re all waiting for, did Lucifer try and kill Luke and Beel and then MC for trying to take the Grimoire?

N O

“Whose room is behind that door?” Luke pointed to the door to the attic staircase.

MC shrugged and hit their knuckles against the door a few times. “It’s just the door to the attic. My uh- Lucifer said not to go up there because it’s just full of old junk.”

Normally MC would scoff at the idea of being told what not to do and do it out of spite, but MC was a child, and like most children, they hated scary attics. They hadn’t even attempted to open the door in the month they had lived in the house.

“Hm, maybe he’s hiding something...” Luke puffed out his cheeks and knocked on the door. When met with no answer, Luke turned the doorknob. The door creaked open, and the two peeked inside.

A tall spiral staircase greeted them as they tentatively stepped inside. Not so-good Lord, the room was freezing, but it didn’t seem to bother Luke as he walked further into the room.

“What do you think’s up there?” Luke asked, craning his neck to try and get a look at what could be at the top of the stairs.

MC shuddered and crossed their arms. “Like Lucifer said, junk. Nothing important.”

There was a tingling feeling at the base of MC’s neck, their hand flew to the spot only to find nothing, but the uneasiness didn’t cease. Something was very... very off. A shudder creeped up their spine as Luke stepped closer to the staircase.

“Come on,” Luke tutted, placing a hand on the railing. “Demons are known liars!”

Luke was quite difficult to be friends with sometimes, MC had to admit.

With every step Luke took up the stairs, the sense of dread brewing in MC’s gut grew, but they remained rooted to the spot, it was almost like something was physically stopping them from getting closer to those stairs.

Luke stopped on the sixth step and craned his neck to look up again. “Hello?” He called out.

His little voice echoed up the staircase, he was met with no reply for a moment, until a massive shudder wracked both his and MC’s spines.

“Hello.” A voice replied.

Quick as lightning MC dove forward, taking three steps up the stairs despite what felt like electric shocks stabbing into their skin, and yanked Luke back down the stairs and out the door, closing it behind them. MC heard a lazy, carefree chuckle reverberate through their head, and a message that only MC could hear.

“Leaving so soon, Lucifer?”

...

Spooky right?

Anyway- back to Luke and MC being idiots together.

They headed back to Beel’s room to watch some Devildom kid shows, I assume Tom and Jerry just played on repeat.

Luke explained the reason he ran away from Purgatory Hall, and MC legitimately debated whether or not they should throw Luke out of the nearest window for all the jabs he was taking at demons.

“Simeon was going to go out for tea with Diavolo! He even said that I could ask Barbatos to instruct me on the finer points of baking!”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“They’re demons, MC! Simeon and I are angels from the Celestial Realm! We shouldn’t be consorting with demons.”

Once again, bless Beel and his lack of murderous rage when it came to anything other than food.

“MC, Lucifer would be upset if you broke a window.”

“What’s he talking about?”

“Nothing Luke, nothing you need to worry about.”

Don’t worry, no angels were harmed during the visit.

On day two of the extended sleepover, Luke and MC decided to go running around the house again.

“And this is the basement.” MC put their hands on their hips and kissed their teeth as they looked around the Underground tomb. “Perfectly creepy.”

Luke shuddered. “Is this house nothing but one creepy room after another..?”

MC smiled and stuck out their tongue. Their fear of the attic did not extend to the underground tomb. Not that they were actually afraid of the attic or anything...

“Why? You scared some big monster is gonna getcha?” MC teased.

“No!” Luke gasped. “I’m not scared!”

MC began to walk backwards into the darker depths of the tomb, their teasing tone echoing off of the walls. “Then come on! Don’t be chicken!”

Luke looked back and forth from the door out of there, to the rapidly disappearing figure of MC, he rushed after MC.

“I’m not scared of some dark basement.” Luke huffed.

“Why not~?” MC snickered. “There could be ghosts down here... tortured souls of those who were damned to Hell for all eternity~!”

MC swiped Luke’s hat and placed it on their head, Luke jumped at the sudden contact and began to try and get the hat back from MC.

“Stop trying to scare me!” Luke yapped, MC laughed and began to jog deeper into the tomb.

“Maybe there’s a monster that eats chihuahuas down here too! Who knows!” MC twirled the hat with their fingers and ran a little faster when Luke ran after them.

“I AM NOT A CHIHUAHUA!”

Sure, maybe it wasn’t the best course of action to tease and scare one’s friend instead of telling them what they said earlier was mean, but MC wasn’t the best at decision making.

When MC reached a dead end, they stopped and looked around, Luke crashed right into them. He managed to swipe his hat back from a now disinterested MC.

MC’s gaze landed on a book being held up by a statue, they padded over and looked up at it.

“Luke, do you know what that is?” MC asked, turning to look at their now very miffed friend.

“The... book? I don’t know.”

Truthfully, MC didn’t know either. During their first tour of the house, Mammon had interrupted the Underground tomb segment and Lucifer had to cut the tour short.

“It’s uh...” MC pursed their lips and tried to think of a convincing lie. “A spell book. Lucifer told me that it makes your magic really really strong, so he stuck it down here to hide it from Solomon.”

“Did I now?”

MC and Luke screamed and whirled around, there stood Lucifer himself, not looking terribly pleased with the two of them.

“MC, care to explain why you and the angel are so close to the Grimoire?” Lucifer’s words were icily calm, and MC knew that meant if they didn’t come up with a good explanation they’d be in big trouble.

“W-we were just playing down here...” MC trailed off, looking to Luke for some kind of backup before realizing what a stupid idea that was.

“Y-yeah! We were just-”

Lucifer stuck his thumb over his shoulder and glowered at the two. “Out.”

“Yes sir.” Luke and MC mumbled as they stepped away from the Grimoire, Lucifer relaxed slightly as the two walked past him and down the hall.

When the two got back up to Beel’s room, Luke suddenly gasped and turned to MC.

“You said it was a spell book!”

After that, MC got the feeling that Luke was no longer welcome in the house. What was the big deal about almost touching the Grimoire anyway? It could only override pacts and control demons-

Oh.

Balls.

Simeon got called to pick up Luke and before the two of them left MC assured Luke that he could come over and hang out anytime as long as he texted first.

Beel said Luke could come over and bake when the kitchen was fixed, poor Beel would have to do without Luke’s baked goods for a little while longer.

MC rested their chin on the coffee table they were kneeling in front of, stewing in annoyance. Their unfinished homework was practically mocking them, but the Demonology textbook was not what had them in their funk.

“MC, do your homework.” Lucifer said from the living room couch, he was comparing his phone to notes in a binder that was placed on his lap.

A grunt from MC caused him to raise an eyebrow. Their grasp on demonic language had improved, but Lucifer did not approve of them using their new skill to sass him.

“MC.” Lucifer chided, MC turned to look at him with a deadpan expression. “If there’s something wrong, either tell me, or do your work without complaining.”

MC turned back to their homework and tapped their pencil against the textbook, before puffing out their cheek and turning back to Lucifer.

“What’s in the attic?”

For the briefest of moments, Lucifer froze, he forcibly relaxed and went back to his work.

“Junk.” Lucifer replied. “Did you try and go up there?”

MC shook their head. “No, I went into the staircase room, but not up the stairs.”

Lucifer’s eyes flashed, he then took a deep breath and looked at MC. “Good, there’s nothing of interest up there anyway. If you did go up there you might break something or hurt yourself.”

“Okay.” MC sighed, trying to push the voice from the attic out of their mind. “What about the Grimoire? Why is it down in the tomb?”

Lucifer could feel his patience growing thinner and thinner with every question. “So it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

“Why not just destroy it?” MC asked, their question wasn’t meant to be taken as an insult or be malicious, it was just legitimate curiosity. “Wouldn’t that be safer?”

The first born hesitated before he answered. He looked over MC, before shaking his head. “...I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

MC’s eyes narrowed, but they went back to their work all the same. It would be about ten minutes of quiet before MC spoke up again.

“When Belphegor gets back from the human world, you’re going to have a lot of explaining to do, huh?”

Lucifer’s eyes snapped up to look at MC, who still had their back turned to him as they scribbled notes from the textbook. His grip on his DDD tightened as he replied.

“Why do you say that, MC?”

MC didn’t seem to register their father’s clipped tone, and shrugged. “Beel said that he isn’t answering his texts or calls, and when he sent up a letter Belphegor didn’t respond to that either.”

“The life of an exchange student is a busy one, as you can see.” Lucifer forcibly injected his last bit of remaining calmness into his words as he gestured at MC’s homework. MC laughed at that.

“Yeah well, I still make time to call my friends and ren back up in the human world.” MC giggled. “And I’m sure those text notifications about his older brother discovering that he has a child would make him pick up the phone.”

“Belphegor might have a much larger workload.” Lucifer retorted, trying to keep himself from snapping at MC.

“But still, you’d think he’d call his-”

“MC-” Lucifer snarled, MC whirled around, the fear and shock in their eyes caused anything Lucifer was going to say to die in his throat.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, before Lucifer took another deep breath and turned back to his work.

“Not right now, MC,” Lucifer whispered. “I’m working.”

...

To be continued...

#Obey me #Obey me!#obey me shall we date #obey me! shall we date?#obey me headcanons #obey me! headcanons #Obey me MC #Obey me Lucifer #Obey me Asmodeus #Obey me Satan #Lucifer’s Kid #Obey me Beelzebub #Obey me Mammon #Obey me Belphegor #Obey me Leviathan #Obey me Luke #when I say to be continued- I mean more diverging from canon #I have a feeling the lovely London family trip went smoothly... totally

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midday0nightmares · 3 years

Photo

31 - a week later.

Previous chapter a rat.

m.list.

warnings: this series contains themes of yandere\mafia, blood, violence, mental health, drugs, non-con.

author note: this is pure fiction and it is not intended to romanticize any of the situations mentioned bellow.

3 days after.

“Jeno .. can I ask you something?”

“Sure” he replied,

jeno too has changed, he has become more caring towards you like he was stepping to fill jaemins place, while jaemin was occupied.

Jeno was more controlled, he didn’t show much, if you didn’t know what had happen you would have believed everything was fine.

“What’s gonna happen to me if..? You know” ,

you leave the questions unfinished, but jeno understands what you wanted to ask.

His mouth opens to speak but closes shut again, he takes a minute to think before he answers “I don’t know”.

His honesty although appreciated didn’t help at all.

“but, I will do my best to make sure you’er taking care of” he reach to hold your hand over the table, gently squeezing it to reassure you.

5 days after.

You saw less and less of jaemin.

The stress of it all was getting to you too, you were agitated.. you blamed it all on jeno.

“Why don’t you just confess?”,

your question was loaded with hostility.

He looked at you, a desperate look on his face, he told you over and over but still he tells you again,

”it’s complicated sera”.

You scoff, his answer seemed more like an excuse than a genuine answer. “what’s complicated? You did it, you are the one who should be facing life in prison not him” you pointed at jaemin’s closed door.

He exhales, his eyes close “you don’t know what you’er talking about”.

“You killed him!” You contain to argue but he gets up and leave, ending the conversation.

Tears of anger pooled in your eyes, this is another level of injustice.

6 days after.

You were quietly munching on your cereal, jeno sat across form you sipping on his bitter coffee.

The mood was tense, unstable.

The neglected tv flashed a breaking news strip that caught your attention, it was about the murder in a diplomatic’s son house, “turn the volume up” you ushered jeno.

“.. it has been determined that the leased apartment falls under diplomatic amenity and no further investigations could be carried”

You looked at jeno, “dose it mean that they’er closing the case?” You asked, carful not to get your hopes up, he remind quiet for a minute before he nods “ yup, I guess they are”.

You jumped out of your seat, squealing with happiness “yes! Yess thank god” you grabbed his arm to share the joy but he didn’t move.

He wasn’t happy, nor relieved.. he didn’t seems to feel any thing.

You top your small celebration, “what?” You asked.

“Nothing” he stood up ready to leave, “clean up when you’er done”.

he leaves you to your wild thoughts to run the worst case scenarios.

Today

The week slowly rolled over with much tension and uncertainty, jaemin has been called to the police station couple more times, you swear each time he comes back, he has aged years.

You wanted to be by his side but he didn’t even look at you when you tried to call him this morning, if he’s not out then he’s locking himself in his room. you tried knocking on his door, to get him to at least eat a proper meal but he didn’t answer. Each attempt has been met with either complete silence or a sharp temper, he would lash at you then quickly apologize.

This is not how you wanted your first semester to begin, you attended the first week of your online classes but you couldn’t really focus on what has been said, not with a disaster hanging above your head ready to drop at any minute.

And as much as you wanted to blame it all on jeno, you couldn’t anymore. The case is closed, but why is jaemin still being investigated? Could it be because of you? Did the police knew you were taken? Was it your fault?.. you tossed and turned in your bed, it felt cold and empty without him, you missed him so much. After a long string of pillow thoughts, slumber finally took mercy over you.

“y\n..”

An unfamiliar voice calls your name.

“y\n”

the whisper gets louder, your body tip over and fall off of an edge to an endless darkness.. you jerk out of the nightmare, drenched in sweat and gasping for air.

You clam yourself and push the heavy covers off of you, dragging your feet to the kitchen for some water, you don’t bother turning the lights on, you open the fridge door and take a bottle. The icy water clears the clouds in your mind only for the grim reality to take its place, jaemin might be taken away.. you dwell on the scary thought.

You turn your head to see the lights of jaemins room were on, your heart clinches, he’s still awake at this ungodly hour.

Opting not bother him, you head back to your lonely bed, but the dark figure in the balcony almost gave you a heart attack.

You recognize the man, it’s jaemin.. his tall figure was standing in the dark, the phone was pressed to his ear, his demeanor was agitated, shifting his weight form one foot to the other, you couldn’t hear anything but you can tell he wasn’t happy.

You turn to see if jeno was in his room, his lights were off and his shoes were by the door. you always had the impression that they were close, partners in crime. they did all their nasty work together, but why is it only jaemin who is in this mess right now?.

“You can’t be serious !”

Jaemin’s loud voice comes clear through the thick glass, his hand running through his hair seemingly wanting to rip it from the roots out of frustration. You can tell he was angry, desperate.. he keeps shouting but you can’t make out what he was saying. you step closer, as close as you can without being seen by him, you try to decipher his muffled voice,

“I am your son! Your only son”

you’er not sure if that’s what he said..

He speaks in a lower voice before he removes the phone from his ear, ending the call. He punches the wall next to him, he was beyond pissed.

You move to hide behind the curtain to avid angering him more, he opens the door and steps inside slamming the glass door behind him.

“I can see you” he deadpan says in the dark, since there’s no one other than you, he must be talking to you and you make the quick decision of coming out before he losses his temper.

“Im sorry, I had a nightmare and I got up to drink wa..” You try to explain yourself but he waves his hand with not much care “Yeah yeah” and you stop talking.. he walks to his room, the dull city lights illuminating his backside, his shoulders were slumped, his back hunched with heavy burden, the sight of him broken made your heart twist inside your ribcage.

“Jaemin” you call him without a plane, he stops and looks at you, “Are you okay?”, stupid question..

Although it’s dark, you can feel his eyes burning holes into your face.

“Do I look okay?” He retorts,

You answered him with a small “no”

he turns to walk to his room but you speak again, “I can help you if you tell me what wrong”, bold statement.

He stops again and heavy sighs, your heart thumbs in your chest as you wait for him to speak, but all you get was a scoff, “why don’t you just know your place huh?” he asks with much condecindence, although you know he didn’t mean it, his words still hurts.

“Just stay out of my way, you have done enough already” he adds more sharp words, twisting the planted knife in your heart.

“I just wanted to help you and be here for you” your voice breaks and you hate yourself for it, but you chock and the tears starts to gather in your eyes, he huffs and looks up to the ceiling, impatiently waiting for you to recompose yourself. But his cold nonchalant demeanor triggers more eruptions inside of you.

the words escapes your mouth before you have thought of them.. “all I wanted was to help you, but you keep me away form you! you don’t tell me anything, no one is telling me anything! I don’t know what is happing or if I will see you when wake up the next day” you rant through the sobs, your voice getting louder and louder, and when he was fed up with you he shuts you down with a loud scream “shut up”.

Jeno comes out of his room, bewildered and alert.. he stands in the background watching the fight evolves.

“You are not my girlfriend” he walks towards you, making you feel small and insignificant, “I don’t own you anything” his tall stature looms over your short one, that cuts deep.

you look at him, you stare into his eyes, challenging him to take what he said back but he doesn’t.

“Yeah?” Your voice barely comes out, “fine then I guess I have no reason to stay here anymore”. you turn and stomp to where your bed is to collect your few belongings, he follows behind, his steps shaking the ground beneath you.

“where the fuck do you think you’er doing?” He asks but you ignore him, more so you couldn’t speak due to the choking knot in your throat, but your lack or response angers him even more, he grabs your arm and turns you around with much force, that it almost dislocates your shoulder, you whimper at the pain but he doesn’t care, his grip tightening even more, his eyes glazed with a dark, sinister layer.

“Jaemin!” Jeno warns, but it does nothing as another screaming match breaks between you, with him asking you the same question, not really waiting for an answer, and you shouting whatever comes to your mind first, curses, accusation, anything to hurt him. you don’t know who started it first but hands were being thrown, jeno was trying to break you apart, but eventually, jaemin overpowered you and threw you over his shoulder like a rag doll, your kicking and screaming did nothing against him.

“Jaemin” jeno shouted at his friend who was in a trance, muttering the filthiest insults under his breath.

“Where are you going? Jaemin!” jeno tries to reason with him. at this point jaemin was like a robot, marching to his room, he kicks the door to his bedroom open, he slams you to his bed, knocking the wind out of you.

“Jaemin! Calm down” jeno was trying to stop whatever jaemin was doing, he kneels and opens his safe, jeno’s voice getting louder, you were paralyzed with fear everything is happing so fast for your brain to form a response.

Jeno was trying to pry jaemin’s hands out of the safe, “come on! don’t do something you’ll regret”, jeno was almost begging him to stop.

jaemin finally broke out of his trance and turned to jeno “get out!”,

but jeno stood in his place like a pillar, his presence seems to clam jaemin, he takes a deep breath and pushes his hair back “I know what im doing” he speaks calmly this time before he turns back to you, you swallow the thick knot “jaemin please..” pleadings to spare your life were timid but loud enough to be heard, your body crawls as far away from him before the wall stops you.

He kneels down and reaches again inside the safe, for a second the time has stoped, everything moved in slow motion.

He takes out a metal handcuffs out of the safe, the blood that was frozen in your vines moved again, you let go of a breath you didn’t know you were holding.. jeno does the same “fuck..” he must have thought the same, he too believed jaemin was about to kill you.

Your limbs fell weak and cold due to the withdrawal of the adrenaline that filled your bloodstream, you feel sick, dizzy.

The bed dips under jaemin’s weight next to you, your head falls back into his soft pillows, aimless tears rolls down your temples, you give him your hands to cuff. you are worn out, you surrender.

He takes both of your arms and cuffs them to the headboard of his bed, your eyes meet, you don’t look away and neither does he. He looks down at you.. his eyes pours inside of your soul.

Dark circles beneath his eyes, dry lips, heavy eyelids but still, still handsome as ever. he leans down to kiss your watery eyes, “for my sanity sake” he whispers between the kisses.

He throws his covers over you, and turns the lights off before he leaves and close the door behind him.

#nct dream #nct 127 #nct yandere #nct mafia #nct smut #nct fluff #nct jeno #nct jaemin #nct reactions #nct imagines #nct scenarios #lee jeno #na jaemin

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wondereads · 2 years

Text

Personal Review (04/24/22)

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Why am I reviewing this book?

I've been looking forward to this book for ages, and I got a copy as soon as I could. It took some time before I could actually read it, but I finally get to review it!

Plot 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

In a world invaded by Hunduns, huge aliens that have trampled over human civilization, humanity is reliant on Chrysalises, robots made from Hundun shells. Chrysalises protect the last of humanity, but they require both a male and female pilot, and it usually leaves the women drained or dead. After her sister is killed by a star pilot, Zetian swears to get revenge, but she won't stop at just one pilot.

You can probably see the similarity to other pieces of media, but the plot similarities end there. Rather than a focus on the conflict with the Hunduns, the story is really all about the corruption among the humans and Zetian's rise to power. Sure, they go out and fight, which moves the plot along, but the majority of the plot is taken up by Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi gradually increasing their standing and pursuing the truth about Chrysalises.

Now, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I must warn against starting it now. The second book, Heavenly Tyrant (which might not be the last), is scheduled to be released in Spring 2023. See, that's a very big issue because the cliffhanger for this book is truly insane. The plot twist was amazingly shocking without feeling as though it was pulled out of nowhere, and I am completely hooked for the next book.

Characters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Zetian is a fun character because she is completely and utterly ruthless. She wants power, and she's going to get it, regardless of who she has to manipulate, destroy, or kill. She's a very good example of a character who can be morally reprehensible while still pursuing a goal that would improve the world in the long run. She's the epitome of "the ends justify the means", and it makes for a very interesting character.

There are two love interests in this book, but not in the way you're thinking. Another thing that sets Iron Widow apart is that it features a polyamorous relationship between Zetian and two boys, Shimin and Yizhi. Shimin is the horribly traumatized pilot that Zetian is paired up with after she kills her first partner, and Yizhi is a friend from her hometown and the son of a media kingpin. The three work very well together in my opinion. For example, Yizhi balances Zetian and Shimin's hotheadedness without holding them back. Even if they didn't get much time due to plot interruptions, I can see their relationship developing very well.

The side characters were sometimes flat, but there were some with more nuanced personalities. For example, the other concubine pilots (yes, that's what they're called), are rather interesting because they are some of the few women with power in this society. Seeing how they adapted in different ways was both intriguing and frustrating.

Writing Style 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I wouldn't say anything about the writing that particularly stood out to me. Something I noticed was the first-person POV. I'm partial to third-person myself, but YA books do tend towards first. I did like how Zetian's cold nature came through in her narration, and I also liked that we could see her inner struggles up close and personal. On the other hand, I would've loved to see something from Shimin or Yizhi's perspective, but I can't have my cake and eat it too.

The pacing was pretty quick, but I wouldn't consider anything rushed. Despite the political bits interspersed between the action, I was never bored, and it never seemed to lose momentum.

Meaning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Zetian is a cold, ruthless, morally-gray protagonist, and the story lets her be just that. There is no lesson for her to learn, no morals forced upon her. Zetian pursues power through all sorts of dubious means from physical intimidation to torture, and she's allowed to do all those things. Once she achieves actual political power, responsibilities and consequences do fall to her, but not in a way that implies she was wrong to pursue that power. Books will often condemn characters, especially female ones, for being power-hungry, so this was a breath of fresh air.

Overall 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

This was an amazing book. On top of being pretty well-written, it was just fun to read! It was engaging, it had a unique situation for the characters, and a great female main character with unpunished ambition. I'm on the edge of my seat for the next book; that cliffhanger was cruel! I definitely recommend this book for a fast-paced book that toes the line between fantasy and science fiction.

The Author

Xiran Jay Zhao: Chinese-Canadian, 24, Iron Widow is their debut novel, cosplays in their free time

The Reviewer

My name is Wonderose; I try to post a review every two weeks, sometimes once a week, usually over vacations. I take recommendations! Check out my about me post for more!

#books #reviews #iron widow #xiran jay zhao #fantasy #sci fi #ya

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theflowerofthecommonwealth · 2 years

Text

Power Armor Punch Part Fifteen

Masterlist

Lucille: *sighs* I guess I'm going to go hang out with Hancock.

Nick: Hancock's in Goodneighbor, last I remember. You're going all that way by yourself?

Lucille: I mean... Curie's busy running the hospital, you and Dogmeat have to take care of Jasmine. And the robot's are on permanent guard duty. So yes.

Nick: Do ya have to go...? It can wait, can't it? I sure could use more company, specially now.

Lucille: I might make things worse. Set her off again. At least on the way to Goodneighbor I can rid the streets of raiders-

Jasmine: (Frowns. While Lucille isn't her favorite person right now, she sure doesn't want her to get hurt or possibly killed out in the Wasteland. Plus, Nick really could use someone to talk to right now…. She shifts again, tapping on Nick to get his attention) (Signing, her hands still shaking) “She should stay….” (Resting her head back on his chest, the headache not being very friendly still)

Nick: Hm? You sure?

Lucille: What did she say?

Nick: She thinks you should stay.

Lucille: ...Is she serious? I slapped the sense right out of her and she wants me around?

Jasmine: (Only nods against Nick chest. Like she said, she doesn't want to see her adoptive sibling get hurt or possibly killed…. again…. Even if said sister slapped the trauma right back into her and stabbed her with an unwanted stimpack and told her to kill herself)

Nick: Apparently so...

Lucille: ... *pulls the chair away from the bed and sits. She doesn't want to be close. She's already caused too much pain as it is. She starts to think she's turned into a monster Nick keeps warning her about. She killed Tektus and replaced him with one of DiMA's synths. She killed everyone in the Brotherhood. She blew up the Prydwen, then the Institute... now everything she's done to Jas... she sits staring at her hands*

Nick: You in there, Luce?

Lucille: Hug-? *looks up suddenly* Oh. Y-yeah... I- I'm here...

Jasmine: (Whimpers softly, tugging on Nicks coat. She is half afraid that she is about to make another dive for the IV still sticking in her arm, its somehow still getting more daunting)

Nick: *takes her hands* Better, doll?

Lucille: *thinking about all the lives she's taken in self defense... the families she's probably broken. The screams... she copes by helping people- by keeping herself busy*

Jasmine: (Nods, hiding her face back in his coat so she doesn't have to look at the IV or the leg restraints. She just tries to focus again on the sound of his inner machinery, which is now a comforting sound in her mind)

Nick: *it's a little more hectic sounding than normal. He's very worried for Jas*

Lucille: *but right now... she's still... the only time she's still is when she's asleep. Her mind starts to dwell on Patriot's suicide note. She tried to get everyone out of the Institute she tried to save them. Maybe he's right. Maybe she's vile and horrible. A murderer...*

Nick: *to Lucille* Kid?

Lucille: *starts to think maybe the world would be better off without her now she's done everything she set out to do...*

Nick: Lucille!

Lucille: *starts again* Huh-?

Nick: You've been really studying your hands with this... intense morose expression on your face for the past 10 minutes. You sure you're alright?

Lucille: I'll be fine, Nick. Just got a lot on my mind...

Jasmine: (Moves again to stroke Dogmeat on the head a few times, starting to cry a little again now that her energy has somewhat replenished. She recognizes the lost/distant tone and look on Lucille as she herself has been like that for years. But she can only cast the older women a teary glance. Lucille had tried, she was TRYING. That was the best thing someone could give or do out here, and there were too little of those people)

Dogmeat: *sad whine, this time at Lucille*

Nick: No. Out with it. Something's eating up my partner bad so it's my business to know-

Lucille: I said I'm fine... I've coped this long-

Nick: ... With the incident in the vault or something else?

Lucille: ... *lowers her head, stroking a scratch in the old synth hand absently*

Jasmine: (Hides her teary face back in Nicks coat, not wanting to say anything or draw attention)

Nick: Talk to me, Lucille. I gotta know. I can't help ya if I don't-

Lucille: Maybe I don't need help, Nick.

Nick: Like Hell you don't!

Lucille: *looks away* Nick... please... Just focus on Jas. It has nothing to do with you.

Jasmine: (Flinches and bites back a cry at the sound of Nick raising his voice, but otherwise remains still as tears still trickle out of her eyes. She hopes that Lucille at least talks with Curie about her troubles…. Although she understands if she doesn't)

Nick: If you won't talk with me at least with Curie...?

Lucille: ...No. It's no one's issue than my own.

Nick: Stop. None of this martyr bullshit. You need to talk to someone about this. Whether it's me or your wife, I don't give a damn. Just... whatever it is, don't let it eat you away.

Jasmine: (She can feel Nick tensing and hear it in his voice, which makes her flinch and almost cry out again. But she really hopes that Lucille talks with someone, before she ends up like her…. And lord knows Jas can tell when she sees a good person, and Lucille is one of them, even if she doesn't feel like it sometimes)

Lucille: ...Fine. You want to know what's wrong? I'm a murderer, Nick. I've destroyed so many lives just to get to this point... I... I may have built up 88... built up other settlements... People might call me a... a "hero"... but I caused to much pain. I've brought too much suffering. And I just keep doing it and doing it over and over again! Maybe I should just... dissappear.

Nick: *surprised by what he's hearing*

Jasmine: (She is really good at reading peoples energy and basing off her actions off them. The problem is that right now she is going into flight or fight mode based off the growing tension, even though there isn't anything wrong. So she just bites back other whimper and flinch, waiting to see what happens while making sure no one can see her tears. She is also partly surprised by Lucilles words, she never looked at the older women as a murder or destroyer. She just saw her as a Mom and a wife who was trying her best to help….)

Nick: No... You said it yourself. You've done so much good-

Lucille: At what point does that whipe the blood from my hands, Nick? You wouldn't make the same excuse for DiMA.

Nick: I certainly wouldn't make the same excuse for myself, either. I was with you through the worst of it. Unless you're lucky enough to live in Diamond City or at the very edge of the mountains, you're bound to put a bullet in someone's head out here- better it be self defense than cold blooded murder. Self defense, which, might I remind you, comprises most if not all of our death count?

Lucille: *looks down silently*

Nick: People will still suffer regardless of you dying or not. People might suffer even more if you suddenly disappeared. You've done a lot of good for this place. You made it home for a lot of folks... You have people who depend on you, look up to you... people who care a whole lot about you... our lives would be a hell of a lot darker without you in them.

Jasmine: (Remains still and silent, keeping her thoughts clear so she doesn't wander and make things worse by bursting into sobs)

Lucille: *solemnly* Okay... Thank you, Nick.

Nick: *still studying her with concern*

Lucille: *wants to hug him but he seems to have his arms full, so she just sits in silence, rubbing the scratches on her robot hand*

Jasmine: (Still a tense in Nicks arms as she snuggles closer to him as she cries softly. It’s been a hell of a day and she is just vulnerable to any kind of negative energy so this was more draining then it should have been. She is happy however, that Lucille at least listened to Nick and she hopes that the older woman sees the truth…)

Nick: Ssh... *rubs Jasmine's shoulders* You're safe, doll.

Lucille: *blinks at the hand. It had been through Hell already before it was hers. Everything she's been through. Every insane adventure- it was carved into that piece of machinery while belonging to the synth in front of her.* I owe you my life yet again, Valentine.

Nick: Eh. What's a little life debt between friends...?

Jasmine: (Relaxes at his words and comforting touch, taking a slow breath as her tears still fall. She is still surprised on how she can still be crying when she is exhausted beyond herself)

Nick: *starts to hum, holding his younger adopted daughter close to him*

Lucille: *sighs. She missed his singing. He rarely does it.*

Jasmine: (Her tears keep falling, but she fully relaxes again and even has a small smile at his singing. She still has her head rested on his chest, listening to his tune and inner workings)

Curie: *comes back in to check her IV. She quickly switches it out*

Nick: *pauses singing for a moment* You think you could take off her leg restraints? I think she'd get better sleep that way.

Curie: For now. But please alert me as soon as she starts to wake. *starts taking the leg restraints off*

Nick :Of course.

Jasmine: (Stays still for once, not having any energy to protest the IV so she just whimpers again and hides her face back in Nicks coat)

Curie: *finishes taking the restraints off* There we are. *looks to her wife* Are you doing okay, my love?

Lucille: As well as anyone can be in the wasteland, sweetheart.

Curie: Okay... *kisses her helmet*

Jasmine: (Shift's, moving her head to glance again at her legs just to assure herself that she is still fine)

Nick: Nothing's been cut. You're safe.

Lucille: *smiling behind her helmet* Go on... we'll talk later.

Curie: Yes, of course, my love... *smiles from around the corner of the door at the love of her life*

Jasmine: (Looks up at Nick with teary eyes, tilting her head) (Signing) “I have to make sure…” (Glancing down again) (Signing) “It can feel real again… No matter how long its been” (Sighs to herself. She gently starts stroking Dogmeat again, starting to really feel tired)

Nick: Again, I'm sure there's medication we can find to help with that...

Lucille: What's up?

Nick: The hallucinations again...

Lucille: Which ones?

Nick: The more benign ones. The kind you can feel and see despite the contrary.

Lucille: Got it.

Jasmine: (Sighs before taking a deep breath again. She has had enough meds and everything else for one day….)

Nick: Not right now, obviously... For now, rest.

Lucille: *looking off into space*

Jasmine: (Tilts her head, looking back at Nick with a frown) (Signing) “If you mean sleep, I don't want to do that again.”

Lucille: You gotta sleep at some point...

Nick: She would if it weren't for the nightmares.

Jasmine: (Shakes her head at Lucille, blinking rapidly) (Signing) “I hate sleeping, even without the nightmare.”

Nick: I know... I know... but your hallucinations will get worse without it.

Lucille: Listen to your Dad, Jas.

Jasmine: (Sighs, shaking her head again) (Signing) “Not convincing me this time. I can go days without sleeping, I will be fine.”

Nick: That's not healthy and you know it. Look- *exasperated sigh* I know you don't want to sleep because of the nightmares and how vulnerable it makes ya feel, but you have to.

Jasmine: (Huffs, looking at Dogmeat to avoid looking at Nick and Lucille. She starts stroking his puppy head again) (Signing) ”I already slept enough today, I will live, Im fine.” (Truth be told, she was barely awake right now. She wasn't laying down or resting her head on Nick chest so she didn't fall asleep. Sleeping just sounded like the worse thing right now…)

Nick: *huffs back* And you'll suffer for lack of it.

Lucille: Don't be difficult. You're just making things harder on yourself and everyone else around you- including Nick.

Jasmine: (Signing) “If I needed to sleep, I would sleep.” (Quickly wipes her still teary eyes. Honestly, she is just straight up too scared to sleep again, as she is almost always. Although, she had the worlds best guard dog laying right besides her)

Nick: Well at least try... *lays her down and throws a blanket over her*

Jasmine: (Shakes her head in protest, she would sit right back up if she wasn't so worn out) (Signing) “I’m not going to.” (Blinking rapidly)

Nick: Yeah. Yeah, you are. *gently strokes her head and starts humming to her*

Jasmine: (Huffs again, looking away) (Signing) “I can keep this up, you know that.” (She takes in a deep breath, feeling the exhaustion take over but she is not willing to let it win…. again)

Nick: *signs back as he keeps singing his daughter to sleep* No. No you can't.

Lucille: *smiling at the sweet sight* I'd almost assume the old Nick was a father at one point...

Nick: *starts signing at Lucille* I never said-

Lucille: I'm not very good at sign language. Sorry.

Nick: *stops sitting briefly to answer her* I never said he didn't have cousins... or a little sister.

Lucille: A sister? What was her name?

Nick: *smiles sadly for a moment* ...Jolene.

Lucille: Jolene? Like the song?

Nick: Funny. You are aware the name predates that by a few centuries, right?

Lucille: *laughs* Yes, I know!

Jasmine: (Signing, her hands shaking a little) “Yes I can.” (Starts pinching her wrists to keep herself awake. She doesn't register their conversation due to her mentally battling herself to stay awake)

Nick: *takes her hands to stop her*

Lucille: What was she like?

Nick: Oh, brilliant! She had a real knack for machines- grew up to be one fine mechanic. *smiles* You remind me of her sometimes...

Jasmine: (Huffs in protest, weakly trying to twist her hands free while slightly trashing her legs. Shes more determined than ever not to fall sleep again. Seems to her every time she fell asleep, things only got worse and worse…. For herself and others…)

Nick: *returns his attention to Jas* Please try to sleep... for me.

Jasmine: (Shakes her head, looking at him with her wide teary eyes, still struggling a little) (Mouthing) “I do not want to, I am scared….” (That was a big understatement, but he could probably see that)

Nick: Well, tell me what you're afraid of? Maybe we can work on that...

Lucille: Maybe it's of me...

Jasmine: (Pulls her tremblings hands back) (Signing) “You saw almost exactly why…. Also if I sleep, things get worse…. So I am NOT sleeping.” (Her tears slowly start to fall for the hundredth time today, her eyes looking straight back into Nicks)

Nick: *sad sigh* Things will get worse if you don't sleep...

Jasmine: (She just stares up at him, not able to come up with a good enough comeback)

Nick: So please try... *pets her head* I'll still be here when you wake up..

Jasmine: (Sighs, closing her teary eyes with a sob. She really doesn't want to sleep….. And she still wasn't planning on it)

Nick: *keeps petting her head, sadly looking over at Lucille*

Lucille: *worried about him... this is a pretty stressful situation he's been dealing with for a good day or two*

Jasmine: (Scoots a little closer to Nick, taking in another deep breath before its cut short by a half sob. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel a little safe, it was just that she was still scared on what could happen while she slept to herself and others…)

Nick: *strokes her hair* Let me worry about everyone else. You sleep...

Jasmine: (Reaches out and holds his free hand, letting herself start to drift off. She still didn't like it, but she so was overly tired. She reminded herself that her Dad and guard dog would keep her safe… They wouldn't let anything happen to her.)

Nick: *gently squeezes her hand, glad she's finally getting some shut eye*

Lucille: *seeing the detective act so fatherly is making her miss her dad*

Jasmine: (Musters everything in her willpower to mumble the same words again) (Barely audible) “I love you Dad…” (Didn't do justice for all the trouble she caused and is, but she hopes that Nick sees that she is grateful at least. Even if she didn't deserve any of this goodness and kindness….)

Nick: *small kind smile. Softly* I love you, too... kiddo...

Lucille: *eyes tear up a little, not that Jas or Nick can really see it. She remembers pulling all nighters studying for her law degree and faintly saying the same to her dad when he checked in on her before leaving for work at the police station. Remembers the gentle forehead kiss as she drifted off into a 2 hour nap before having to get up for class later in the day*

Jasmine: (Shuffles closer again, her breathing evening out as she finally falls asleep cuddled up next to Nick and Dogmeat)

Nick: *heavy sigh, thinking about the cruelty such a sweet girl like her endured... if he were a lesser man he would have given up helping people long ago with how vile the Commonwealth, pre and post war, could be. However, it's exactly that reason why he persists... If he were a lesser man, he would have wiped his hands clean of Jas. Close the case early. Maybe not give a damn whether she lived or died- but he does. More than he can really grasp. It hurts seeing such a gentle soul in pain...*

Dogmeat: *rests his head on Jas's shoulder in his sleep*

Lucille: *hugging herself lightly... all she can think about is her dad...*

Jasmine: (Sniffs on some tears in her sleep, snuggling into the blanket)

Lucille: *Quietly* Daddy... *quietly sniffs*

Nick: Luce? Are you crying...?

Lucille: Wh- No... sinuses...

Nick: ...Ah. Well then you'd be happy to hear I saw your father in her memories.

Lucille: *breath catches*

Nick: Turns out she stole evidence from the Cambridge police lock up and he was the unfortunate cop who saw her as she tried to make a sneaky escape.

Lucille: Was this... before-

Nick: Yeah. It was. Looked a little younger than what I have on file...

Lucille: *voice breaks. Softly* Daddy...

Jasmine: (Sleeping, thankfully somewhat peacefully)

Nick: Then he ended up chasing them through town. Never caught 'em though. Poor guy probably got reprimanded for it the moment he got back to the precinct.

Lucille: *sniffs sadly* And probably took it in stride... he was that kind of man...

Jasmine: (Sleeping still)

Nick: I doubt he would have let anything bad happen to them...

Lucille: Heh... probably let them off with a slap on the wrist... if their sad enough probably give them a shock blanket and cups of instant hot cocoa... *sniffs* The kind with the marshmallows in it...

Nick: Hehe... probably. They are just kids after all, seeking the truth.

Jasmine: (Sleeping, her nose scrunching in a cute way)

Lucille: What were they looking for again...?

Nick: The truth behind their father's death and where Jas came from. *frowns a bit in thought* Poor girl was found on top of the garbage as an infant...

Lucille: Gees. And I thought you had it rough.

Nick: Well, there's waking up on top of the trash with another man's personality and memories, knowing how to walk and talk, then there's being a literal baby... *More solemnly* I'm just glad someone had the decency to take her in and raise her as one of her own after such a rough start.

Jasmine: (Shuffles in her sleep)

Nick: *pets her head a little*

Lucille: I miss him...

Nick: Hm?

Lucille: My father... I miss him.

Nick: *looks down at Jas in thought then back at Lucille* ...He was a good man.

Jasmine: (Stops shuffling, her head now turned to be facing Dogmeat)

Dogmeat: *still curled up, snoozing away*

Lucille: He was a good father... *sniffs* I wish I could hug him... one last time.

Nick: *a memory flashes of Jenny, then another of Jolene... he nods understandingly*

Jasmine: (Her free hand that is draped on her chest twitches while her eyebrows scrunch slightly, still sleeping but it is a sign that something is creeping up already…..)

@lucilleandherrobots

#fallout #fallout 4 #fo4 #fallout oc #fallout original character #nick valentine #fallout 4 curie #fallout fanfic #dogmeat

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whatifyoulivelikethat · 3 years

Text

mango, m | jjk | 1

pairing(s): jungkook x reader

summary: A love story between bad boy Jeon Jungkook and a strange girl with mango eating obsession.

warnings: rated M (18+) - please be warned this story will eventually touch on parental abuse and suicide; suggestive words/actions; mentions of nightmares plaguing the reader; non-idol!AU - university!AU; badboy!Jungkook x sociallyawkward!reader, ft bestfriend!Hoseok and friendly!Namjoon

yes it’s MAMA 2020 JK, it do really be like that

–

You felt a tap on your shoulder.

“Did you do the Chemistry homework?”

You chewed the piece of dried mango in your mouth slowly. You knew that smooth voice. It was hard not to know it. Everyone at this university knew that voice, for better or for worse. You put down the book you were reading for your seminar class – Neuromancer, by William Gibson, translated into Korean. You turned your head, only a bit. Not facing him.

“I’m not about to let you cheat right in front of the professor, Jeon Jungkook.”

You heard rustling, rearrangement, and the seat next to you was suddenly filled with leather and denim, black hair with too much gel in it, and cheekbones higher than your GPA, which was quite high, both weighted and unweighted.

“Come on,” he whined in his deep voice that was not meant for whining. “You always sit in the front now. Move a couple rows back so I can copy.”

You reached into your messenger bag and pulled out another piece of dried mango. Placed the orange fruit in between your teeth and held it there, moving it from side to side. Jungkook was watching your mouth with his dark chocolate eyes. You sucked it into your lips and chewed.

“Why do you think I always sit in the front row, hm?”

You lifted your book again and continued reading, Chemistry homework right in front of you on the lecture hall’s narrow table. You didn’t bother to look up again until the teacher called for attention. Jungkook was no longer sitting next to you.

You had your eyes closed, leaning back against the wall, Samsung buds tucked safely in your ears, violins serenading you. Chemistry was going to start soon, but you had gotten here far too early. You wanted to read more of Neuromancer, but the class discussion was going to be on chapters one to three and you were already on chapter ten.

It was a bad habit, but you had many of them.

You felt movement next to you. Opened your eyes.

“You look different today,” Jeon Jungkook remarked. Smirking, with his black hair slicked back, different leather jacket, weird silver-coated pants. Holding his backpack by one strap, far too deflated for it to be containing much. Your messenger bag was smaller, but full of papers shoved into folders.

You tilted your head and reached into your bag. Pulled out another piece of dried mango, sticking it in between your teeth. Turned it around with your tongue, coating it with the sugary outside.

You were wearing a high-necked black dress, long-sleeved with a short skirt. Velvet, patterned tights with thorned roses and black boots with a ten-centimeter platform.

You sank your teeth into the softened mango and sucked it into your lips.

Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

You closed your eyes and didn’t open them until you heard the professor opening the lecture hall with his keys.

The outfit you wore last Chemistry lecture was an oversized purple sweatshirt and short black skirt, with opaque purple tights and black sneakers.

You were standing in the school store, picking up three packs of dried mango.

You brought them to the counter, to the student cashier. She rang you up and handed them back to you. You walked out, shoving them into your bag. Catching the eye of a certain someone.

“You shouldn’t eat so much sugar,” Kim Namjoon teased, nudging you with his arm.

Your eyes shifted to him and you slowly opened a bag. Shoved one in your mouth.

“They’re not that high in sugar,” you replied. “Read the nutrition facts.”

Namjoon rolled his eyes. “Added sugar. Fruit is still sugar.”

“Mother Nature wouldn’t try to kill me.”

Namjoon raised his eyebrows. “Um, viruses? Bacteria? Other human beings?”

“Viruses and bacteria are objective. They do not have desires or motivations,” you replied calmly, chewing. “Human beings are an abomination.”

“Still natural.”

“Then ‘artificial’ would have no meaning.”

“Artificial is defined as made by human beings.”

“Human beings are made by other human beings.” You stopped at a door, the seminar class. “The line is blurred.” You opened the door and entered, seeing the ten other students as you sat down in the middle, pulling out Neuromancer. Namjoon sat down next to you, pulling out his dog-eared book, wrinkled from being dropped in puddles. It was a stark contrast to your pristine copy.

“Did you finish reading?”

“Yeah,” you said simply as the lecture began.

Today, you wore pants.

Baggy, black, thick denim jeans with an oversized black sweater. A thick black belt, tight around your waist. No graphics. Hair down, too messy to have been brushed. You turned in your Chemistry homework at the front of the class and went to the far right. Sat down next to the wall where you knew the seat next to you was broken.

Last night was plagued with nightmares. You hadn’t gotten any sleep at all. You missed the first bus and, instead of your usual habit of being early, you ended up being on time today. In your book, on time meant late.

Nothing was going right today.

You watched the professor collect the homework.

You looked away, pulling out another book. Prey, by Michael Crichton. It was taking you a while to read this one. You had to look up words. English wasn’t your first language and the book was heavy with scientific terms. You cursed your lack of knowledge. It felt like you were losing some of the meaning by not knowing English well enough.

“I had to look for you today.”

Your nails curled into the softcover of the book.

Jeon Jungkook slid into the seat below you, grinning. Too much slicked black hair, leather creaking as he settled. Eyes dark like a starless sky.

You reached into your messenger bag. The plastic rustled as you felt around. Only two pieces left. Sigh, of course. You pulled one out. Placed it in your teeth. Spun it with your tongue. Jungkook watched, looking up at you. You snapped your teeth into it.

The piece sticking out of your lips fell.

Jungkook’s right hand shot out and caught it before it touched the ground. Ink black tattoos winked at you. Small ones, one of a smiley face with x’s for eyes, one of a heart, another of a king’s crown. One by one, his long fingers curled open, revealing the small piece of dried mango.

You chewed, eyes flickering to his face.

Jungkook smirked and pulled his hand back. He inspected the fruit, the curved part where your teeth had sliced into. Then he popped it into his mouth, eyes shifting to you.

But you were already reading your book, nose deep and ignoring him.

“Just let me try.”

You frowned, but held out your hands.

Jung Hoseok, your childhood best friend, inspected your nails. He had a row of tools in front of him. You were in his shabby little apartment. He didn’t attend university. He was a street dancer, sometimes a backup dancer for idol groups. He choreographed for a few lesser-known idols too. You knew Hoseok was going to get his big break soon.

You two rarely saw each other anymore.

He asked last week if he could practice painting your nails. He had odd hobbies like that. Hoseok liked fashion too. He was wearing colorful beaded bracelets, vintage white t-shirt, and loose gray sweatpants. Pink headband and a green hair tie holding up his bangs like a sprout.

The only reason Hoseok was your best friend was because you didn’t have any other friends, thus making him the best by default.

He began to file your long nails.

“Do you have a preferred shape?”

You blinked at him. “I don’t care.”

Hoseok smiled. “I think pointed nails would look good on you.”

“Okay.”

You were still wearing your baggy black jeans. Hoseok’s honey brown eyes went from your nails to your legs.

“Are you okay?”

You gave him a blank look.

Hoseok put down the glass nail file. “I’m sorry I haven’t been a good friend.”

You shook your head slowly. “You’re busy. I think all your hard work will be noticed soon. You’re blowing up on Instagram.”

Hoseok’s eyes went wide. “You made an Instagram?”

“Only to follow you. I haven’t posted anything.”

He gave you a grateful smile. The tiny dimples on the sides of his lips appeared. “Thanks.”

You nodded. The sides of your mouth moved up robotically. Hoseok nudged you, picking up the glass nail file again.

“Don’t pretend smile. I can tell.”

“Sorry.”

Minutes passed. Hoseok blew the filed keratin away gently and wiped your nails with some acetone. He held out the colors. All bright. You picked the violet and he grinned.

“You can talk to me.”

“It’s always the same shit, Hoseok.”

He frowned, painting cautiously. The harsh scent of nail polish filled your nose.

“Even if it is,” Hoseok murmured, trying not to disturb his careful work. “Talking about it will help you vent.”

“Catharsis is scientifically proven to be completely useless and sometimes amplifies the condition.”

Hoseok gave you a displeased look.

“Sorry.”

He sighed at your apology. He had told you many times before to stop apologizing for nothing. You just did automatically. Trained from repeated years of trying not to be a nuisance. Trying not to be there when you were obviously there. Hoseok tapped the purple against his palm, trying to prevent it from getting goopy.

“You can stay here,” Hoseok remarked. “I said you could.”

You shook your head. “You can barely pay your own electricity bill. And you’ll never get laid if you live with a ghost.”

Hoseok laughed. He had a fun laugh, a great one that was real and genuine. “You can joke around.”

You smiled.

Hoseok could always make you smile at least once.

Today it was a tight black leather skirt with a baggy white dress shirt. Black tights with a pinstripe design, silver and black ankle boots. Black turtleneck under the white shirt. And your purple fingernails with yellow smiley face nail stickers, done by Jung Hoseok himself.

You had thought about wearing your baggy jeans again, but seeing your painted nails made you change your mind for some reason.

You sat in the front row of the Chemistry lecture hall. Pulled out Prey by Michael Crichton once again, phone handy to look up translations. You had ten minutes.

The creak of leather squeaked next to you. Instantly, your left hand slid down.

You left long fingers encase yours suddenly, stopping you from reaching into your messenger bag. Your teeth sank into your lower lip. The strong fingers held you tight, stroking your knuckles. Slight calluses, filed and well-kept nails.

“I like your nail polish.”

You ripped your hand out of Jeon Jungkook’s grasp. Shoved it into your bag and pulled out a piece of dried mango.

Didn’t look at him.

Just put it in your mouth and chewed, staring straight ahead.

“You look cute today.”

Chewed.

“Did you–”

You stabbed your finger to the desk, taking your book from it. Didn’t say anything.

He copied your homework.

“You alright?”

Namjoon stood up as the seminar class ended.

“You were quiet today. Usually, you have a lot to say.”

You placed your papers in your folder mechanically and looked up at him. “Was I?”

Namjoon nodded. “Kind of missed having your devil’s advocate point of view.”

Your head lowered. You stared at your left hand for a second. Remembering the feeling of Jeon Jungkook’s hand clutching yours.

“Have a lot on my mind.”

There were no packs of dried mango on the shelf.

None.

You went to the cashier. Asked when they would restock.

“Some guy bought all of them.” The cashier frowned. “I’m sorry. I know you’re the only one who buys them. I’ll reorder and keep extras behind the counter from now on.”

You stepped out of the school store. You only had a few pieces left. You took your phone out of your pocket and checked the nearest grocery store. It was only a few bus stops away. You began to walk out of the student common area, calling the number. Asking if they had dried mango in stock. They did. Could you keep three bags behind the counter? They could. You said you would be over right away.

Black leather right in front of your face.

You walked around it.

It followed you.

You stopped and hung up. Slowly raised your head.

Jeon Jungkook stared at you. He was holding a bag from the school store. It was filled to the brim with packs of cellophane-wrapped dried mango. His black hair was slicked back, eyebrow raised. Eyes so dark that they reminded you of a bottomless pit. No smirk this time. Serious, his dark brows furrowed.

You gave him a black stare. Then you tried to move around him.

He grabbed your upper arm tightly, shoving the bag into your chest. You recoiled, but he grabbed your other arm and clamped it over the plastic. You pushed it back at him and he planted his hand down on your forearm, firmly.

You felt a little tick in your face as a muscle tensed. You did not look at him.

“Call them back,” Jungkook stated. “Tell them you don’t need it anymore.”

Your eyes shifted back and forth.

“I don’t need your charity.”

“Do it.”

His hand was immobile on your forearm, fingers burying in the loose white fabric of your dress shirt. Your other hand held your phone. You awkwardly redialed the number and brought it to your ear. Told the pleasant lady that you found some dried mango, but thank you for holding it. She said it was no problem and told you to have a great day.

Jungkook let you go.

You ran away, clutching the bag.

When you arrived to your own shabby apartment, you dumped the packs dried mango all over your bed, a rainstorm of crinkled plastic. You were panting from running. Heart beating so fast you thought you were dying.

You lived in the poor part of the city. The apartments were like coffins, one room, tiny kitchenette with one stovetop, one sink. A tiny bathroom with a shower. No living room, just your twin bed in the center. You lived alone, because your mother worked overseas to pay for you to go to university.

The other parent could never come looking for you anymore.

You stared at the packs of dried mango. Why had he done that? You didn’t understand.

You didn’t understand Jeon Jungkook.

The landlord came by, knocking on the door. You backed away from the pile of mango and opened the front door, seeing the old man’s face.

He smiled at you. Thanked you for paying for in advance. You nodded mutely. He looked past you, at the bed covered in dried mango. Asked you how you were doing, if you were okay. You nodded again, not replying.

The old man smiled at you, somewhat sadly. Pity in his eyes. But you couldn’t speak to him. You couldn’t reply. You didn’t have a pack of mango with you, so you were voiceless.

He told you that if you ever needed anything to let him know.

You nodded, silent.

The old man bowed and let you be.

You closed the door, locked it. Back flat against it, breathless. Winded from nothing. Your eyes flickered to the bed. Something came over you. You stalked over to it. Then you shoved the plastic bags of dried mango away, off your bed, throwing them everywhere. Watching them fall, one by one, tumbling, tumbling, thundering plastic all around you.

You panted hard, staring at your hands. At the purple nail polish, chipping a little.

You wondered when the nightmares would finally go away.

You sat in the front row in the Chemistry lecture.

Red skirt, oversized grey sweater. Opaque black tights. Black sneakers.

Staring straight ahead. Chewing on a piece of dried mango.

Trying to hold on.

You hadn’t slept at all last night. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was apathy. In the morning, you had thought about wearing baggy pants again. But those purple nails winked at you, only a few smiley faces clinging on. Hoseok would have told you to wear something nice, if you called him then.

So, you wore a skirt and waited for lecture to start, chewing.

You reached into your bag, fishing for another piece. It wasn’t there. The plastic pack of dried mango was gone.

You jerked your head abruptly. It was being held out to you, from the tattooed right hand of Jeon Jungkook. He stared at you. Dark eyes so intense it felt like hellfire. Hair slicked back with too much gel. Leather jacket over a black shirt.

He did not speak this time.

You tried to take the bag, but he held it tightly. Pried open the opening a little wider, tipping it to you.

You reached in. Grabbed a piece.

Jungkook watched you. In between the teeth. Turning it with your tongue, licking off the sugar. Sucking it in, making it disappear into the pink canal.

He lowered the packet, putting it back in your messenger bag. Took out your book, handing it to you.

He did not speak.

Your hand grasped the softcover copy of Prey. Jungkook kept staring at you. Your eyes went to the book. To the words on the page. Away from Jeon Jungkook and his piercing eyes.

“Did you get compliments on your nails?”

“One.”

Hoseok smiled cheerfully as he gently took off the purple nail polish. It still stank of acetone though. “Oh? Did it feel nice?”

“I don’t know.”

Hoseok tilted his head, frowning. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Your eyes shifted. “I don’t know because I don’t know if it was a genuine compliment or a ruse.”

“Ruse for what?” Hoseok quipped, planting the cotton ball on your nail and holding it down.

You thought of that slicked black hair and those corrupting black eyes.

“Hoseok.”

“Mhm?”

“Why did you suddenly have an interest in painting nails?”

Hoseok paused. His honey brown eyes flashed up to you. Then he looked back down at your hands.

“Because it is a frivolous thing.”

You blinked at him. He wiped your nails clean. He tapped the bottle of base coat, along with a top coat and the same bright colors.

“It is something purely for fun and vanity. It has no real meaning and is only good for self-care.”

“Did you rehearse this?”

He held up the bottle of base coat and frowned at you, closing his eyes and trying to remember the rest of his speech.

“It is something you won’t do for yourself, so I want to do it for you.” His brown orbs found yours. There was something conflicted in those eyes. “I want to spend time with you. I want you to know this. I want you to remember you have a friend when you look at your hands.”

Your lips parted.

“I can’t be there and hold you when you wake up from the nightmares.”

You looked down, down at your lap of your red skirt and grey oversized sweater.

“I know I cannot make them stop. I know I cannot change what has happened to you or make it better.”

Hoseok held your hands tightly, even though you weren’t looking at him. Held you, voice apologetic and hurting for you, feeling for you when you tried so desperately to feel nothing at all.

“But I want you to remember, every time you look at your hands. You have a friend.”

“I like your nail polish.”

Your nails were neon pink and green, with small flower stickers. Hoseok said the top coat should keep the stickers on better this time. He was learning. He said YouTube helped.

You reached into your bag, but a piece of dried mango appeared next to your lips. Your eyes traveled up that those well-kept nails and the tan hand with the tiny tattoos, up the leather sleeve, to the slicked-back black hair and angular jaw of Jeon Jungkook. His pink lips had a tiny mole under them. Those dark chocolate eyes stared at you.

“Eat it.”

Your hand reached for it, but he shook his head once.

“Eat it,” he repeated.

You leaned forward, the fabric of your purple sweatshirt bunching. Caught the dried fruit with your teeth, pulled back. Turned it in your mouth. Sucked it in and chewed.

Jungkook seemed satisfied. His eyes went down to your black leather skirt and black pinstriped tights. Black and silver ankle boots. Eyes back up, stopping at your thighs. Then he looked up at you.

And for once you weren’t nose deep in Prey.

You were staring at him.

“Give me your phone.”

You unlocked your phone and handed it to him.

Jungkook found the messenger app and typed in a new message. You watched him. He typed your name into the text bubble and sent it to a number. Then he handed your phone back to you.

You took it.

masterpost

#jungkook x reader #jungkook x you #jeon jungkook x reader #jeon jungkook x you #jungkook fanfic

959 notes · View notes

rosiehunterwolf · 3 years

Text

Never Put Off Until Tomorrow

Prompts: Chores and Video Games

Word Count: 4,850

Characters: The squad + Pixal

Timeline: between seasons 11 and 12

Trigger Warnings: None

Summary: …what can be done today, yada, yada, yada, we all know the saying. So do the ninja- when Master Wu is drilling it into their heads every minute of every day, it’s kind of hard to forget.

Naturally, it only takes them a week (and the biggest new video game in Ninjago) to do so.

Read on FFN.net

Read on Ao3

Tumblr work under the cut

“Get that gun out of his hand! Without it, he’ll be defenseless and we can take him down easily!” “I’m trying, Jay!” Lloyd said through gritted teeth. “One wrong move and he’ll get me with that thing!”

“Use your powers!” Jay raised his sword and dove at the enemy, forcing him to turn and face him. As their swords clashed with a loud clang of metal, Jay quickly pulled back as Lloyd shot a blast of power at the attacker, who promptly collapsed to the ground.

“Alright! Way to go, green ma- look out!”

Lloyd shrieked as someone suddenly jumped on him from behind, skewering a sword through his skull. The green ninja fell to the ground and vanished in a puff of smoke.

The ninja blinked at the scene before them, speechless.

Jay suddenly let out a whoop, leaning over to high-five Kai. “Way to go, bro! You’re so good at this game!” “He came out of nowhere,” Lloyd huffed, tossing his control to the ground. “He didn’t even give me a chance to fight back.”

Kai reclined, putting his hands behind his head. “Work smarter, not harder, green machine.”

Lloyd scowled, and Nya shot him a sympathetic glance. “Hey, Lloyd, you lasted a whole ten minutes longer than last time! You’ve drastically improved.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Kai winked. “Even Jay couldn’t beat me, I wouldn’t expect you to.”

Cole shook his head. “Dude, you’re unchecked! We’ve only had this game for a week and already, you’re insane. Let’s just say I’m very glad you’re on our team.”

“I’ll say,” Zane agreed. “The Critical Conquest Gaming Tournament is going to have some of the best gamers in Ninjago. You’re good, Kai- we all are- but we all need to be at the top of our game if we want a chance at winning.”

“We got this, guys,” Nya assured. “We’ve fought off serpentine, ghosts, the Overlord, Oni- winning a city-wide video game tournament should be a piece of cake.”

“Speaking of cake-”

“No cake,” Jay snapped at Cole. “Not until we’ve won this thing. I need you to practice.”

“Dude, chill, I’ve been practicing!”

“Then can you show me your double twist dash-melee maneuver?”

Cole blinked at him. “My what?”

“That’s what I thought. Here, let me show you. We’ll try until you’ve got it down.”

“Who put you in charge?”

“You did. Literally. You guys chose me to be the team captain for the competition.”

“Whatever.”

“Lloyd, come here, so he has someone to practice on.”

“Why me?” “Because you need to work on your stealth. Kai got that jump on you surprisingly easily. You’re a good fighter, Lloyd, but fighting doesn’t matter if your enemy kills you before you have the chance. Practice your stealth and dodging on Cole.”

“Ready to get your butt kicked, bud?” Cole reached his hands out, cracking his knuckles before picking up the controller.

“Ha! You wish. The only one who will be getting their butt kicked is-”

The sharp rapping of something against the floor interrupted him, and they turned to see Master Wu standing behind them, his gaze disapproving as he clutched his staff firmly in hand.

“Students, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Uhh, practicing for the Critical Conquest tournament?” Nya said. “I thought that was pretty obvious!”

Wu glared at her. “I know what you’re doing. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut all this short. The six of you have many chores to do.”

“Chores?” they cried in unison.

“The past week since you bought that game, you have done nothing but sit around on that couch and play it. In all that time, your chores have piled up. Now, I’m cutting you off. They need to be done, now.”

“But Master!” Jay pleaded. “The tournament starts in only a few hours!”

Master Wu smirked. “Well, I guess you better be fast, then.”

---

The ninja stared down at the alarmingly long list Master Wu had given them, no one speaking a word for nearly a solid minute.

“Why,” Kai groaned, “did we ever put all of these off?”

“Why didn’t Master Wu just let us wait one more day to do the chores?” Jay complained. “The tournament would be all over then!”

“Well, he didn’t,” Cole said. “So there’s no use in complaining. We might as well get started.”

“Alright, guys, if we’re going to get through all of this before the tournament starts, we’re gonna have to divide and conquer,” Nya said. “Let’s see. Zane, Lloyd, you guys take the kitchen. Jay, Cole, you can check the vehicles to make sure they’re operating properly- wait, scratch that, Cole doesn’t know shit about mechanics. Besides, putting you two alone together is never a good idea.”

“Hey!”

“Zane, you go with Jay on the machines. Cole, you’re with Lloyd. Kai and I will work outside on raking and fixing the training course.”

“Hey, no fair, you just gave yourself the easiest job!” Cole grumbled.

“I’ll inform you that raking leaves is very mundane!”

“Yeah!” Kai snapped. “Especially when it’s cold out like this. I’m gonna freeze my fingers off!”

“You’re the fire ninja, you’ll figure something out,” Nya snapped. “C’mon, let’s go.”

“Hey, Cole? You think this is so easy? We can trade places! You wanna trade places?”

“Actually, I’ve decided to be nice and let you take this one.”

Kai glared at him. “You’re only saying that because you know I hate it!” Cole leaned back against the table, smirking. “Maybe.”

“Come on, Kai, we’re going.” Nya grabbed his hand and yanked him out the door.

“I guess we better get working,” Cole sighed. “Jay, Zane, you guys need a copy of your tasks?” Zane shook his head. “I’ve got the list committed to memory. And there’s a lot to do, so we better go.”

As they left the room, Cole turned to Lloyd. “Put a check mark or something by the things the others are doing, so we can see what’s left for us.”

Lloyd made little marks next to the tasks, his pencil slowing as it reached the end. His frown deepened. “I swear, this list is getting longer. Some of these are just ridiculous! Polish the counters? Clean out the oven? Dust the tops of the cabinets? Who does these things?”

“Normal people, Lloyd. It’s not my fault that we’re so busy saving the city that you’ve never done anything more than the most basic chores in your life.”

“I’ve done chores!” “Darkley’s doesn’t count, bud. I bet the only thing you did there was clean spiders out of your bed.”

“They were fire ants,” Lloyd grumbled.

Cole turned on him with wide eyes. “What?”

Lloyd stiffened, suddenly seeming to realize what he had just said. “Uh… I mean… don’t tell Kai, okay?”

Cole stared at him for a moment, before sighing. “I’ll let it go, this once. But only because you’ve had a lot worse things than fire ants since then. Those kids are jerks, though.”

“I know.”

“... They really did that?”

“Yes, Cole! Do I need to show the scars to prove it?”

“No! I was just- you know what, forget I even said anything. Let’s get to work. First up, doing the dishes.” They turned towards the sink, where dozens of dirty plates and cups had accumulated.

“Seriously? Doesn’t anyone ever clean off their dishes after eating?”

Cole shot him a look. “Name one time you did that.”

“Okay, so never, but we’re ninja, not dishwashers! What do you expect?”

“Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today, Lloyd.”

Lloyd groaned. “I can’t believe I’m missing Critical Conquest for this.”

---

“Jay! You’re supposed to be repairing the sentry cannons on the Land Bounty!” “Chill out, Zane, I’ll get to it in a minute-”

Zane suddenly snatched the remote control out of his hand. “Jay! We’re never going to finish in time for the tournament if you don’t focus! Stop playing with toys!” “It’s not a toy!” He gestured towards the small remote-controlled robot. “This thing is going to be a major distraction! It could make it or break it for us in battle!”

Zane eyed the robot skeptically. “This. Distract our enemies?”

“Well, I was going to make it into a smoke bomb, but someone kept pestering me!” “Look, Jay, this isn’t the time to work on your inventions. You can do that later. Right now, you need to fix the sentries.”

“I already looked at the sentries,” he whined. “They were completely fried in our last adventure. I have to rewire the whole thing.”

Zane blinked at him. “Isn’t… that kind of your job?”

“Yeah, well, it’s hard work! I don’t want to do it! I’ll take any other chore on your list.”

“Well, someone needs to do it, and you’re the only one who knows how.”

“Not true! Why don’t you ask Pixal?”

He gestured towards the nindriod, who was tinkering with what appeared to be a small metal box.

“Pixal,” he called, walking over to her, “do you know how to rewire the sentries?” “Yes, but I know for a fact that Jay does, too. I’m not doing it for you.”

“Aww, come on, Pix,” Jay groaned. “Why don’t you have to do anything while the rest of us are all working our butts off?”

She glanced wryly at Jay’s little robot, who was waving cheerfully at her. “I wouldn’t exactly call it that. But I’m not helping because I already did all my chores while the rest of you were playing video games.”

Jay went pink in the face, and even Zane felt himself avoiding Pixal’s gaze.

“Critical Conquest is very important,” Jay muttered.

“More important than making sure all our weapons are operational? Or restocking the medbay?”

“We can do those things any time! The competition is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

“Actually, there is another one next month-”

“Shut up, Zane. With our luck, we’ll probably be fighting evil nindroids or will be locked inside a different realm by that point, anyway.”

“I’m not helping you,” Pixal sniffed. “So I don’t know why you’re still here.”

Not taking Pixal’s… not-so-subtle hints, Jay leaned in towards her. “Whatcha workin’ on?”

Pixal eyed him warily. “... It’s a jetpack. I wanted to make something more compact in case I was in a situation where I couldn’t use the Samurai X suit.”

“That’s cool! Although, it might work better if you recalibrated the engines to-”

“Jay,” Pixal said sharply. “I know what I’m doing. Please go work on your chores.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled. “No one ever lets me have any fun.”

Zane shook his head, wandering over to the Earth Driller where he was working on replacing the paneling that had been damaged in the Oni incident.

He couldn’t have been doing so for more than fifteen minutes when the sound of a small explosion interrupted him.

Zane jerked to his feet, dashing over to where the sound had come from.

Jay had jumped back from Pixal’s jetpack, which was now black and smoking.

Of course it was.

“What happened?”

Jay scratched his head nervously. “Well, you see… I really didn’t want to work on those sentries, so when I noticed Pixal stepping out of the room for a moment…”

Zane sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Are you alright?”

Jay grinned. “Right as rain. Not even a scar like last time!”

“Okay, that’s good, now I feel less bad for saying this- what were you thinking?”

“I couldn’t help myself, Zane! She calibrated it all wrong!”

“Well, evidently, you were the one who did it wrong, seeing as it exploded within five minutes of you getting your hands on it.”

Jay jumped nearly a foot in the air. “Pixal! You’re back! Ah… um, I’m really sorry about your jetpack, I was only trying to…”

Pixal marched forward, snatching it off the floor. “It doesn’t matter, it’s done now.”

“I can fix it-”

“You’ve done quite enough,” Pixal snapped. “Why don’t you just go finish your chores now?”

“But-”

Pixal held up the burnt jetpack, shaking it lightly. “You owe me.”

“Fine,” Jay groaned. “I’ll rewire the stupid sentries.”

---

“If I have to rake one more pile of leaves, something is going to end up on fire.”

“Well, luckily for you, that was the last of them.” Nya set down her rake, rubbing her hands together. “Now we just have to dispose of the leaf bags.”

She and Kai glanced over towards the towering pile of leaf bags, and Kai groaned.

“It’s going to take forever to throw these all away!”

“Kai, the dumpster is just on the other side of the Monastery wall!”

“Yeah, but we can only carry a few bags at a time, and we’re going to have to make so many trips!”

“Well, unless you’ve got a better idea, we don’t have a choice.”

Kai paused, his eyes lighting up. “Wait-”

“No, Kai, we are not burning the leaves.”

“I wasn’t going to say that! Although… it’s not a half-bad idea…”

“Kai!” “Okay, okay, no burning! What I was going to say was, why don’t we just toss the bags over the wall and into the dumpster?”

Nya frowned. “We’d miss half of them and then have to go over there anyway and pick them all up.”

“No, we could do it like in Critical Conquest! Remember? The ground-bash move? This is just like that!”

“Kai, that’s just a video game. This is real life!” “Yeah, but wouldn’t it still work?”

Nya frowned, stepping forward and eyeing up the roof of the Monastery. “I suppose if we got the right angle… we’d have to make sure an ample amount of newtons were applied with each hit to reach the correct velocity… and of course we’d have to take into consideration factors like density and wind acceleration per second and its tendency to carry-”

“Okay, okay, enough with your science-y nerd stuff!”

“It’s just basic physics, Kai. I mean, there are a lot of external factors to consider that wouldn’t be present in a lab setting, although I still think it would be quite simple-”

“Would it work or not?” Kai interrupted. “Yes or no, I want a one-word answer.”

“Yes. We just need to get the proper positioning-”

“Can I be the one bashing the bags?”

Nya sighed. “Only if you do exactly as I tell you-”

“Whoooooo!” Kai cried, running off to grab the rake as he swung it around fiercely. “Who’s ready to bash some leaf bags?”

“Kai! I said to do exactly as I say-”

---

Despite Nya’s initial trepidations, the process did not end up being a total disaster, and they actually ended up getting the chore done decently quickly. Now all they had left to do was to test and recalibrate the training course.

Nya glanced down at her watch. Only an hour and a half until the tournament started. Her chances of getting extra practice on those tricky combos were looking slimmer by the second. Hopefully, Kai’s mastery of the game, Jay’s high skill levels, and Cole’s advanced items and power-ups would be enough to help them beat-

“Nya!” Kai shrieked. “I said, turn it off!”

Nya snapped out of her thoughts, glancing up at her brother, who had been knocked to the ground by a whirring training dummy. “Oh, shit!” She spun towards the controls and shut them down, jogging over to Kai. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think so, I just-” Kai reached for her extended hand, pulling back with a sharp cry as they made contact.

“What?” “My hand,” he grimaced. “It hurts like hell.”

---

“You can’t throw out the Eggo Waffles!” Lloyd insisted, grabbing at the box in Cole’s hands

“Lloyd, they expired three days ago.”

“So what, they’re still edible.”

“They’re going.” Cole gave the box a strong tug, jerking it out of Lloyd’s hands and dropping it in the garbage. Lloyd huffed, crossing his arms.

“Kai would’ve let me keep them.”

“No, he wouldn’t have, because he doesn’t want you to get food poisoning.”

Lloyd paused for a moment, before amending, “Jay would’ve let me keep them.”

Cole sighed. “Yeah, and then you guys would’ve eaten them, and we would’ve ended up with two sick ninja.”

“I wouldn’t get sick! I have these super cool powers that protect me-”

“We don’t have any proof of that. We still don’t know exactly what your powers do.”

“Which means we can’t rule that out yet!”

Cole rubbed his head. “Out of all the people I could’ve gotten stuck cleaning out the freezer with… it had to be you. The one who gets emotionally attached to frozen waffles.”

“I am not emotionally attached-”

“Are you kidding me? He can’t play with this on! This thing is stiff, it seriously restricts his movement!” “It’s not a question, Jay, he needs to keep it on!”

“Is it actually that bad, though? Couldn’t he skip it for one game?”

“Not unless you want it to get worse!” Cole and Lloyd exchanged a glance and stepped out into the hallway, where the other four ninja were gathered.

“What’s going on?”

Zane opened his mouth to speak. “There was-”

“Kai!” Lloyd interrupted suddenly, darting over to him. “What happened to your hand?”

Cole blinked, realizing for the first time that Kai had a swathe of bandages wrapped around his hand.

Kai yelped in pain as Lloyd touched it, and the green ninja recoiled, his eyes widening in guilt. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!”

Nya rolled her eyes. “Don’t apologize, Lloyd, he’s fine. He’s just being a big baby about all of this.”

“Am not. It hurts!”

Zane stifled a sigh. “Kai, it is only a bad pulled muscle. Apart from being painful and needing plenty of rest, it’s nothing serious.”

“Well, you don’t know what it feels like,” Kai snapped. “It’s a lot worse than ‘nothing serious.’”

“I scanned you. I am quite certain my diagnosis is correct.”

Nya snickered, and Kai shot her a look. “Shut up, you. You’re the one who did this to me.”

“You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention!” “Yeah, well, you’re the one who was supposed to be-”

“Guys!” Jay cried. “Can’t you see we have more pressing matters at hand? Severe injury or not, Kai can’t play Critical Conquest like this. And he’s our best player!”

“Alright,” Lloyd said. “So we don’t have our best player anymore. That’s bad. But Jay’s still a beast! And Cole, and Nya, and everyone except me, basically-”

“He could be the worst player in all of existence and it still wouldn’t matter,” Cole pointed out. “We need six players to compete or they will disqualify us.”

“But if Kai can’t play, we have no one else! There are no backups!” Nya huffed, turning on Jay. “You’re our team captain! Why didn’t you prepare any backups?”

“Because we know no one else! We live in an isolated monastery at the top of the tallest mountain for miles, what did you expect? Besides, I wasn’t anticipating this to happen!” Zane frowned. “Well, if Kai can’t play, and we have no backup, then our only choice is to drop out-”

“Wait!” Jay cried suddenly. “I think I might have an idea of someone.”

---

“Please please please please-”

Pixal raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you really think begging is going to change my mind?”

“Please, Pixal, we need a sixth player, and you’re the only person I can think of!”

“Why would I help you after you blew up my jetpack?” Kai gaped at him. “You what?”

Jay fought back the heat spreading across his face. “That’s not important right now! Pixal, I promise I’ll fix it, just please compete with us!”

Pixal frowned at him, which wasn’t the most reassuring answer.

“C’mon Pix- I’ll do anything.”

“I don’t know, Jay-”

“We’ll do all your chores for the next month.”

“What?” “We will?”

“Jay, what the heck! We never agreed to that!”

Pixal smiled at him. “I would’ve accepted it if you offered a week, but that’s very generous of you.”

The others shot him smoldering glares, and Jay groaned. “It doesn’t matter, we don’t have time for this.” Glancing down at his phone, he sucked in his breath. “We’ve only got an hour until the tournament! Zane, can you teach Pixal how to play?”

Zane blinked at him. “In an hour?”

“Just cover the basics. We don’t have time for perfection. Just teach her as much as you can before the tournament starts.”

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do.”

As soon as they were out of the room, Jay wheeled around, moaning. “We are so hooped! She doesn’t know how to play! Kai, how could you be careless enough to injure yourself?”

“Oh, sure, blame the victim!” Kai snapped. “Would it kill you to show a little sympathy to your injured teammate?”

“You pulled a muscle, you baby!” Nya groaned. “Pixal’s a fast learner, hopefully, she’ll get the hang of it.”

“Fast learner or not, nothing can beat hours of experience,” Lloyd said. “Let’s just hope the other contestants aren’t as good.”

---

“These dudes are insane!”

Jay continued to scroll through the queued-up players, examining their stats, his jaw dropping. “How much have these people been grinding?”

“So much for an easy win,” Lloyd grumbled.

Zane and Pixal walked into the room, holding their controllers. “I think I’ve done everything I can with Pixal. The competition starts in five minutes, I suggest we get ready.”

“Alright.” Jay turned towards Pixal as Zane worked on setting up the game. “We’re going to need your help, but since you don’t have experience, I think the best move is to have you stay behind us and play defense.”

Pixal smirked. “I’ll do my best.”

“Guys, we have to queue up!” “Are the headsets working?”

“They’re ready, what about the controllers? All charged?”

“We really shouldn’t be checking these kinds of things literally three minutes before the tournament, but yes, they are.”

“Hurry, guys! It’s about to start!”

Zane blinked at the screen. “Jay… you named our team the Fast Chickens?”

“It’s a good name!” The others groaned, and Jay glared at them. “We’ll see who’s complaining when we win this thing!”

Jay fidgeted through most of the opening speeches from the hosts of the competition as they went over rules and procedures. And, after what simultaneously felt like both a million years later and only the blink of an eye, the game was finally starting. They got lucky with their spawn point, and after a few minutes, were able to collect some good resources and get a good start. Cole, Zane, and Nya were able to take down some of the weaker groups before they collected supplies while Jay and the others continued collecting and building up defenses.

Checking the score count, he could see there were already twenty teams down in various parts of the map, and he knew his team had been responsible for felling three of them. Jay couldn’t stop himself from smiling. It seemed like nothing could be going better.

That is, until they suffered a major blow on the southwestern flank of their territory against a high-level team- the CrownViolets, they called themselves. (Which was nowhere near as cool sounding as the Fast Chickens, Jay totally wasn’t insecure about that at all.) After a fierce fight that ended up costing them several lives- and robbing Zane of his last, taking him out of the game- they realized they couldn’t win this fight and backed down, sacrificing a sizeable chunk of their turf.

While still monitoring that boundary, they decided to primarily focus on expanding in the other direction. Their tactic seemed to be working well, and although the CrownViolets kept on encroaching on them from the boundary, the other teams weren’t backing down, and although none managed to defeat the rival team, they were certainly taking their tolls on them. Jay hoped that the other teams would eventually take the Violets out for them, although he had to admit that would be extremely lucky.

They were getting down to the last few teams in the tournament. When the top ten were remaining, special, more deadly weapons were hidden around, and with them, teams began to fight back harder. The Fast Chickens held their own, but by the time they were down to two teams remaining- them and the CrownViolets- both Jay and Lloyd had been killed and eliminated. Only Cole, Nya, and Pixal remained. The CrownViolets still had four players left, but they were weak. If the ninja were strategic enough, they could still win this.

But Pixal was a major hindrance. She had been plenty good at holding back and defending them, but now, with so few left, she was going to have to start playing a more active role. If only Kai had still been there.

“Alright, they’re somewhere around here.” Nya’s character pulled up her radar. “There seems to be two of them right up ahead-”

“Alright, Pixal.” Jay leaned over her shoulder, coaching her. “You’re going to have to start getting offensive. Nya says there’s only two, so there shouldn’t be a problem, but there could be an ambush, or these two could have higher health. We don’t want to take any chances. While Nya and Cole rush them, you should stay back and shoot at them with your launchers. Your character has good accuracy scores.”

There was a flash of purple, and muffled shouting, and Nya froze. “There they are! Let’s get them, guys!”

The three plunged into the fight, and although it was a tough battle, their opponents were relatively low on health, and they ended up eliminating the two CrownViolets- unfortunately, with the loss of Nya before doing so.

“It’s just the two of us left, Pixal,” Cole said, “but there’s also only two of them, as well. We can do this. Just stick close to me. They’re around here somewhere.”

“And that somewhere is here!” Pixal shrieked suddenly, whirling around.

Cole’s eyes widened. “One of their teammates must’ve sent out a distress signal before they died!” He grappled for his weapon, but in his haste, his grip was sloppy.

Pixal, however, barely hesitated, diving at their opponent and attacking in a flurry of blows. Jay’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head as she performed a complex combo it had taken him a full day to learn.

Zane smiled at all their gaping mouths. “I told you to have faith in her.”

Cole was evidently shocked too, and within a few moments, he was dead- although not before delivering a nearly fatal blow to his opponent. Pixal quickly finished him off before turning to face the last remaining player.

“Be careful, Pix,” Jay warned. “She still has pretty high health. Don’t get cocky, or take dumb risks.”

“Dumb risks are your thing,” Pixal corrected, not even batting an eye as she darted past her opponent, slashing her with her sword.

The CrownViolet wasn’t giving up, though. She pushed back, throwing down a smoke bomb and suddenly pushing Pixal down from behind. Pixal rolled out of the way, missing her sword by inches, and sprung up, taking the moment of surprise to her advantage to knock her opponent down. As the rival started crawling away, Pixal’s character took a potion, powering up a special move. The opponent knocked her down as she was waiting to power up, but before she could get a good attack in, Pixal was ready and was blasting her a beam of light.

The girl’s avatar fell to the ground, dead.

There was a beat of silence, then their living room erupted in cheers.

“Pixal! You did it! You won the game for us!”

“I can’t believe it! We actually won! Without Kai!”

“Hey,” Kai yelped. “That didn’t sound like it was meant to be a compliment.”

“What do you mean,” Lloyd said. “That was totally a super nice thing I just said about you.”

Kai narrowed his eyes. “A bit backhanded, don’t you think?”

“Guys, none of that is important!” Cole cried. “We won! Out of all the gamers in the city! We actually won!”

“But I have to know,” Jay insisted. “How did you get so good at the game?”

Pixal shrugged. “I guess you pick up a thing or two watching your team play a game obsessively for the past week.”

Jay blinked. “You’ve been watching us?”

She scowled. “I’ve been doing the chores in here, lightning brain! Repairs, laundry, picking up after you- you’ve just been too obsessed by your game to even notice me!”

“Oh, really? Uh, that’s my bad…”

“Speaking of which, you promised to do my chores, and I’m looking forward to a nice, relaxing evening off.”

“Did I?” Jay laughed nervously. “Hey, did I ever mention that the tournament winners get a cash prize-”

Pixal handed him a mop. “Nice try. Although I still expect my fair share of the earnings by the end of the week. Good luck.” The ninja just gazed at her in horror, and she laughed.

“You’re going to need it.”

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