Can we please have Chapter 5 of "Sane in Darkness" please???
Sane in Darkness
Yan!Kinger x Reader – Ch 5
No warnings
(A/N: I just recently saw the finale, so in my mind it takes place after that. I was feeling some fluff, enjoy!)
Kinger had been acting a little strange all morning — well, stranger than usual. He kept disappearing and reappearing, muttering to himself. You didn’t think much of it until Caine announced the day’s adventure with enthusiasm.
“Today’s adventure is… a peaceful night under the stars! Complete with blankets and snacks. You’re welcome!”
You quickly realized Kinger had pulled Caine aside earlier and actually requested this. The thought made your chest feel warm.
Caine led us through a portal. Twinkling stars stretched across the sky, a soft breeze blew through, and colorful blankets were scattered across the ground with baskets full of tasty-looking treats. The rest of the group was excited, spreading out and chatting loudly.
But Kinger gently took your hand and led you further away from everyone else, to a quiet little area near the edge of the hill. There was a perfect spot — a big soft blanket, pillows, and a small basket just for the two of you.
“Is this okay?” he asked, suddenly looking a little shy even in the starlight. “I wanted somewhere… quieter. Just us.”
Your heart fluttered. “It’s perfect.”
You both settled down side by side. For a while, it was wonderfully peaceful. You leaned back on the pillows, staring up at the stars while Kinger pointed out silly constellations he made up on the spot.
“That one looks like a confused centipede,” he said, making you laugh. “And that cluster over there… That's you. Beautiful, obviously.”
Every so often he’d call you “honey” or “beautiful” so naturally it made your cheeks heat up. His hand kept finding yours, fingers gently intertwining. When you shivered slightly from the breeze, he immediately tucked you closer against his side.
“You’re warm,” you murmured, relaxing into him.
“I run warmer when you’re near me,” he replied softly. “I like having you all to myself like this. No one else is getting your smiles tonight."
You tilted your head up to look at him, his gaze on you felt intense. Not scary… but devoted. Like he was memorizing every second.
“I asked Caine for this adventure because I wanted to do something nice for you,” he confessed, voice low.
You reached up and gently touched the side of his face.
He leaned into your touch, eyes half-lidded and content. For a long time, you just stayed like that — cuddled, stargazing, sharing quiet conversations and snacks. Every now and then he’d press a soft kiss to the top of your head or your temple, murmuring sweet little things that made your stomach flutter.
“You’re my favorite star, you know,” he whispered at one point. “The only one I want to keep looking at forever.”
The rest of the group was far enough away that their laughter felt distant. For once, it really did feel like it was just the two.
When you eventually started getting sleepy, Kinger pulled you closer so your head rested on his chest. His hands wrapped around you securely, one hand rubbing slow, soothing circles on your back.
“Stay with me a little longer, honey?” he asked softly.
You smiled against him and nodded, letting the gentle starlight and his warmth lull you into a peaceful, comfortable daze.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PT3 OF SANE IN DARKNESS
Sane in Darkness
Yan!Kinger x Reader - Ch 3
(Sfw: suggestive / yandere elements if you squint)
(A/N: you guys must really like him I did not expect to make a part 3! okay enjoyy!)
It had been weeks since the last blackout with Kinger. Weeks of stolen glances, lingering touches during group activities, and you slowly losing your mind. You couldn’t stop thinking about him — the low calm voice in the dark, the way he kissed like he’d been starving for you, the terrifying clarity behind those asymmetrical eyes. You didn’t know if you were scared, flustered, or… something more. Every time you tried to sort through your feelings, you short-circuited and you ended up avoiding being alone with him.
Until today’s adventure.
You and Kinger were the first two out — some ridiculous Caine game involving exploding pies and invisible ladders. The penalty? Sitting in the “Losers Lounge,” The moment you both popped into the room, the main lights seemed to dim. Only a giant glowing red LED sign reading LOSERS remained, casting a dim, blue glow across the room. Just enough light to see each other.
Kinger turned toward you slowly. In the blue-tinted darkness, his usual frantic energy was gone. He was calm again. Focused.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said softly, voice like warm honey. He took a measured step closer, giving you time to speak.
“I… I don’t know what to think anymore,” you blurted out. The words tumbled from you in a nervous rush. “Every time the lights go out you’re… different. You kiss me like that, say those things, and then act like nothing happened. I can’t stop thinking about it. About you. It’s driving me insane, Kinger. I don’t know if I’m terrified or if I—” Your voice cracked. “I don’t know what I want.”
He closed the distance without hurry, one large hand gently resting on your waist while the other rested on your face. His touch was steady, grounding, and far too tender.
“You don’t need to be scared,” he murmured, thumb stroking slow circles against your side. “I’ve been waiting for you to say it. All those times in the dark… I meant every word. You’re the only thing in this circus that feels real. The only thing worth staying sane for.” His hand slid up your back, pulling you closer until your bodies were nearly flush. “I want you. All of you.”
You were trembling, anxious and warm under his gaze. But when he leaned in, you met him halfway.
The kiss started mutual — soft, hesitant on your end, patient on his. Then it deepened. Kinger made a low, satisfied sound against your mouth as he tilted your head back, kissing you with that same hungry intensity from before. His hands roamed — one cupping the back of your neck, the other gripping your waist possessively, pulling you tighter against his chess-piece frame. The kiss grew steamy, slower and heavier, his body pressing you back against the wall as warmth spread between you. You clutched at his robe, a soft whimper escaping into his mouth that only made him kiss you harder, like he wanted to claim every sound.
When you finally broke apart, you opened your mouth to say something — anything —then suddenly you heard a dramatic pop.
Pomni stumbled in, looking disoriented. “Ugh, I hate this adventure— wait.”
You panicked and immediately tried to push Kinger away. “W-we weren’t—! This isn’t what it looks like!”
With a quiet chuckle, he simply pulled you closer instead, one hand wrapping securely around your waist as he held you against his side. “No need to be embarrassed, sweetheart,” he murmured, loud enough for Pomni to hear, his voice still low and velvety.
You stilled. Face burning hotter than the sun, you buried your head against his chest in pure shame, unable to even form words.
Pomni stared for a beat, then slowly grinned. “I knew it! Oh my gosh, I knew it. Jax is gonna lose his mind when I tell him.” She backed toward the wall, already looking way too amused. “Don’t let me interrupt~”
Kinger has his hands on the wheel in the 10 to 2 position as he enjoys a romantic drive with you. The gold hour shinning through makes you look entrancing that he can't help but to lean over for a kiss.
VS
You pulling away from the kiss, laughing softly at the sight of Kinger's hands on the toy steering wheel. Turning the toy accordingly as you drive the car and appearing to take it very seriously, your passenger princess dork.
so i was just gonna do more Jax stuff
but then the gears started turning
the hampster wheel started spinning
and thanks to a certain betie by the name of @/kenniilovesthethicc
we've together assembled some hcs for the alien au
does it count as hc if it's our au...
anyways
here they are!
Kinger
a tree-like species, and he's got a crown-like pattern around his head
that's where the nickname came from
one of the higher ranked on the ship
mostly does tech support/engineering
Queenie is fine in this AU also, she's just stationed a few systems over
so there's still longing but it's less tragic this time
she's also a Legally Distinct Tree Species™ with her own crown pattern
speaking of Queenie she has her own mini-ecosystem in her bark
Kinger normally hates bugs around him. but well she's softened him to them
hasn't really interacted with Reader all that much
but he would probably love to see the kind of coding languages we have
Ragatha
more of a cephalopod species, instead of yarn hair it's tentacles
ey! get your mind away from that gutter!
imagine like a much more alien version of an Inkling-Octoling
but with prehensile tentacle hair.. very useful (no I'm not jealous)
she definitely uses them as extra limbs for grasping stuff
but also is kinda prone to bumping them into stuff and people
super apologetic every time it happens too
works as medical/xenobiology
has a huge fascination with alien creatures used for work (like oh idk.. horses)
maybe a little overbearing when it comes to sapient xenobiology
and when she's assigned to do a more thorough (still non-invasive) exam on one of the new Terrans?
hope you're not squeamish around tentacles.. she lwk does her best work w them
Gangle
researches alien cultures and such, especially the arts
her species are kinda like feather stars but with like much longer feathers/feelers
they can kinda adapt their "body" to any shape they prefer
their 'true body' is usually in the center of their 'torso' regardless of form
and the 'ribbons' can adjust based on where they are, i.e. their 'hands' are more sensitive feelers than the rest of them
Gangle here still has the two faces, though it's a bit different than in the circus
think more like Good Cop and Bad Cop from The LEGO Movie
her mask/face can spin around and each of her two 'faces' has like a different personality
one of them is incredibly timid while the other is very excitable and eager
her species has that dual personality with their two faces and they can sorta switch
kinda like a mix between Good/Bad Cop and also Celestialsapiens from Ben 10 on that front
she has insane fixations on arts an animations.. definitely still a space weeb lol
if you have any media fixations she will not only listen to you infodump but also ask questions
really excited for when she'll be given the green light to dive into Earth media
Zooble
they kinda just do whatever they're assigned to, a jack of all trades if you will
kinda low-energy on the surface but they do actually try to some degree
their species are like. almost ghost-like but not really? (fuck I'm bad w explaining)
they have a kind of 'core' that's their real body but they can like 'possess' objects to make a proper body shape
each individual has their own body preferences. some of them just use full mannequins while others kinda mix-n-match
Zooble is the former.. but they're also having a ton of trouble finding an assortment that they feel fits them
they do carry a few limbs for more practical use, though those are about the only parts they use on a consistent basis
special arms for longer reach, special a-grav legs for difficult terrain or similar, etc.
Jax definitely knocks their parts off purely to fuck with them
Ragatha has also accidentally bonked them apart like a lego character by mistake sometimes
lwk considering magnetic clasps to keep their limbs attached so they don't fall apart easily
bc normally once one of their species gets the parts for their True Self they kinda hold together better
sorta like when that one ghost in UT becomes so furious she merges with the Mew Mew doll
they haven't interacted with the Terrans much but they're mostly neutral on us so far
though also wondering if we'll have some ideas that'll get them their ideal body
Pomni
trying to figure out what the hell to make Pomni was a process
do i make her a Space Jester™? do we dive into the uncanny valley?
well thanks to a certain bestie, her species is basically space kitsune
their ears resemble jester hats and they're lil silly fopies
they can also basically do simple illusions. they get Minor Illusion as a Racial Feat
despite writing this au for x reader i still support the funnybunny agenda
Pomni is smol compared to Jax. she can perch on his back without bothering him
they also totally 'hang out' by her just chilling in his tummy. neither admit to it publically ofc
imagine that her race also instinctually likes small and snug spaces. so that's that too
she's basically just an intern on the research ship, doing smaller chores and stuff
oh yeah also her species do age and mature slower than most species
and they grow extra tails when they hit certain age milestones
in Earth Years she's mid-20s and has two tails by now
the tails don't really grant them more power like Kitsune. just a sign of age
hasn't actually interacted with a Terran directly yet.. only been assigned intern stuff
(idk ive only heard a few stories online from interns)
but from what she's picked up she finds us really interesting
definitely gonna be curious when she finds out about our mythology trickster foxes...
Jax
the lanky hare creechurr you're already familiar with
definitely a "showing up for the paycheck" kind of guy
as seen he definitely has a habit of eating people
imagine that his species either has like a weaker digestion
maybe some of them genuinely use it as a sign of closeness sometimes
he kinda does whatever he gets assigned to do kinda like Zooble
jack-rabbit of all trades (i am not sorry)
though he's usually not put on assignment with Zooble. for obvious reasons
although he's recently been assigned more to a particular Terran specimen 👀
he somehow gets a lot of data out of them.. so they put him on the jobs more often
bites as a sensory thing. a bunch of stuff in his room has his teeth marks in it
definitely gnaws on bones like the feral entity he likes to behave as sometimes
likes to tuck himself away into the most cramped and uncomfortable looking places sometimes
secret naps in-between the wall panels type shit
(definitely not projecting this nope not me)
totally has flavor preferences for people he's eaten but would never admit that out loud
once again big thanks to ken for helping with the ideas
brace ya'llselves bc there is in fact more Alien Jax coming :>
(also this is my first time doing this hc format, pls be gentle)
I need to turn off the lights and make out with that old man. His sane voice drives me nuts I need to hear him moan and whimper pls pls pls im so normal rn
(A/N: this is not proofread I just wrote this at 12am bare with me.)
@ashhades @0det4ri-f4n @skykaykay
The circus had been "glitching" more frequently, Caine keeps calling them "minor system adjustments" but everyone knew better. You just didn't expect it to happen again so soon.
You were making your way back to your room, trying to find a safe space away from Jax's teasing, he hasn't shut up since finding Kinger and you in the tent. the others have stopped bringing it up...mostly. but you could still feel their eyes on you whenever kinger was nearby.
the lights flickered once. twice.
then everything went black.
a familiar static hum filled the air. you froze, heart already kicking up speed.
"wasn't hard to find you, was it?' that same low, calm voice murmured from behind you, much closer than you expected.
"kinger...?"
his large hands found you easily in the dark, like he already knew exactly where you were. one settled on your waist, the other gently cupping the back of your neck, guiding you backwards until your back met his chest, he felt steadier this time. more sure.
"I've been thinking about you." he whispered against you, his voice had that terrifying clarity again, "last time, you looked so cute...all flushed and embarrassed because of me."
his fingers brushed slowly up your side, tracing your ribs through your clothes with deliberate care.
"I didn't get to finish what I wanted to do." he confessed softly. "I hate when you're away from me."
you swallowed hard. "kinger, we should-"
"shh" his hand slid up to gently cover your mouth, not hard, just enough to silence you. "just for a little longer, let me have you."
he turned you around in his arms until you were facing him. in the darkness, you couldn't;t see anything, but you could feel him, the warmth of his body, the way his hands trembled with barely contained need.
his thumb brushed your bottom lip like he had before, only slower this time. more reverent.
"you have no idea how long I've wanted this. how many times I've watched you smile at the others and wished I could keep that smile for myself"
he leaned in. you felt his presence overwhelming you, the faint feeling of his face against yours.
then, (somehow?) he kissed you.
it wasn't rushed or clumsy. it was deep, slow, and possessive, like he was trying to pour every feeling into that single kiss. his hand cradled the back of your head, tilting you exactly how he wanted while the other arm wrapped around your waist, pulling your body flush against him. the kiss felt warm, like longing.
a tiny, desperate sound left your throat. kinger made a low, satisfied hum in response and kissed you harder, like he wanted to memorize the shape of your lips, the way you trembled against him.
he only pulled back when you were both breathless.
"mine" he whispered, so quiet it felt like a secret. "you're already mine, you just don't know it yet."
you were still dizzy, lips tingling, when-
BZZT!
the lights slam back on.
kinger yelped, jumping back and bringing his arms up like he'd been caught committing a crime.
"wha-! what happened? where are we?" he spun in a circle, eyes wide and frantic as he looks back at you.
"what were we doing?"
you stood there frozen, face burning crimson, lips still slightly parted and stinging from the kiss. your legs felt weak.
kinger blinked and waited innocently. "were we hanging out? I seem to keep forgetting what I was doing when I'm with you, that's becoming a habit isn't it?" he tilted his head. "you look very warm. are you feeling alright?"
before you could even attempt to answer, you heard a annoying familiar voice ring out.
"seriously?" jax's voice rang out, full of glee. "knew we'd find you guys huddled together!"
pomni and ragatha followed behind, looking exhausted. "sorry, we tried to keep him occupied."
ragathas eyes went wide as she looked at your flushed face. "oh dear."
you wanted the floor to swallow you whole. Kinger, completely unaware, gently took your hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"well, at least you weren't alone, right?" he said brightly. "Im sure that would've been scary."
you could only stare at him, heart racing. you glanced down at your hands interlocked.
