An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Title: A Twist of Fate
Fic Type: AU Setting
Available Chapters: 2
Summary:
Curiosity was considered both a valuable trait and horrible vice of mages. It was his own curiosity that got Khadgar shipped off from the only home he had known.
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
The door of the tower then opened with a loud groan and squeak of its hinges. Khadgar looked and found himself staring at a tall, slender gentleman that reminded him a little of a weasel. The man’s hair was dark brown, reaching just above his shoulders and well kept. He was dressed in fine red and black suit. But the detail that took away from his immaculate appearance was that he was wearing horse’s blinders.
Khadgar watched as the man who had brought a broom and dustpan began to clean up the glass. It was then he found his voice and spoke up. “U-um, e-excuse me, sir…?”
At first, the man in red didn’t respond. It was after another attempt of Khadgar trying to get his attention he looked up at him. His eyes scanned over the youth, his face was a mask of pure of boredom. It was hard to tell what he was thinking as he looked the mageling over. The man then made the slightest frown before he finally spoke. “I take it you have business here?”
Khadgar caught himself staring and scrambled to hand the man his letter of introduction. “Khadgar.”
The man in red gave a confused blink before he eyed the letter but made no move to take it. Instead, he looked up at the boy with a quirked eyebrow.
“Of Dalaran.” Khadgar abruptly continued. “Khadgar of Dalaran, in the Kingdom of Lordaeron.” His face grew hot the more he talked. Words surged forward like a broken faucet. “I was sent by the Kirin Tor. In the Violet Citadel. In Dalaran. In Lordaeron.” The mageling's voice went higher in pitch with each sentence as embarrassment engulfed him.
“I see...” the man in red said before the slightest hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Well, Khadgar of the Kirin Tor, in the Violet Citadel, in Dalaran, in Lordaeron, I am Moroes. I’m the tower steward and Castellan of Karazhan.”
“Castellan…?” Khadgar blinked and looked around at the town surrounding the tower. “That’s like a governor, isn’t it?”
“Hmm, awfully astute of you...” Moroes said in a mildly sarcastic tone. He then set the dustpan and broom aside and clasped his hands behind his back. “Yes, Master Medivh owns the tower and the land surrounding it. It’s my job to keep things in ship shape and running while he performs his duties.”
Khadgar blinked, his eyes widened a little. “Is the magus a nobleman?”
Moroes gave a small shrug. “He is, but the most the Master calls himself is an ‘over glorified landlord’.”
Author’s Note: You can’t fail Fictober if you stop caring about the deadline. I’m still writing and that’s good enough for me.In this chapter we delve into some shippy territory.
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Day 5: “Take what you need.”
Khadgar was thankful that Modera had interrupted his meeting with Turalyon. He was truly thankful that his friend was finally home but it truly hit home how different he was. It was only natural of course, everything changed with time, even Khadgar himself was different from who he was years prior.
The illusion of a pleasant visit was shattered quickly, Turalyon was there to convince Khadgar (and Dalaran) to rejoin the Alliance. Their conversation quickly turned heated, the deaths of innocents in the Burning of Teldrasil being thrown in Khadgar’s face. That in the end, Jaina’s warning before she left Dalaran was proven true.
“Where’s your sense of justice, Khadgar?” Turalyon’s words echoed in Khadgar’s head.
Khadgar was horrified by the actions of the Horde, as were many others who held higher rank in Dalaran. Already there were whispers of ‘concern’ creeping up. Those that wondered if Khadgar was truly up for the job of leading the Kirin Tor. It was politics, political rivals saw a means of ousting him from his position and promptly begun sewing the seeds to do so. Khadgar was certain that challengers were going to rise up soon. They would drag his name through the mud, scrutinize everything he had ever done, and question his mental capacity given the wicked curse that was still upon him.
Part of Khadgar would have been glad to simply give his position away, he hated being stuck in roles of leadership. But another part of him held fear, not for himself but the citizens that lived in the city. Members of the Horde who were ousted out of the city by Jaina had returned looking to rebuild the lives they had lost. Khadgar did not want a repeat of the bloodshed in the streets of Dalaran that was now an ugly stain on the city’s history.
At the rate things were going Khadgar wasn’t sure if he’d be in power for much longer. He was struggling to juggle the responsibilities he had to both Dalaran and Azaroth as a whole. He didn’t have time for the politics yet the safety of the citizens could be at stake if he didn’t. It left Khadgar’s head a mess of loud fears and tangled thoughts.
Finally reaching the door to his office, Khadgar’s hand rested on the doorknob and hesitated to turn it. Modera had interrupted his ‘chat’ with Turalyon mentioning someone else was seeking an audience with him. Khadgar was thankful for the excuse to end the conversation and leave but now he’d probably have to deal with even more trouble. With a deep breath Khadgar steeled himself and opened the door.
Someone was standing in his office with that back to the doorway. At first glance they appeared to be one of the many adventurers that roamed Azeroth. They dressed simply, with a flare of charming style. A black, hooded doublet that was worn over a loose, comfortable white shirt with puffy sleeves. Their hood was pulled back, revealing a head of long hair that was the color of red wine. They turned around to face Khadgar and offered a warm smile to the Archmage. Their emerald green eyes were the giveaway as to who this visitor really was.
“Medivh…?” Khadgar muttered in surprise. He was expecting the magus to disappear, that it was simply wishful thinking.
Continued on AO3
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Other Fictober Fics!
Day 1:
“Can You Feel This?”
Day 2:
Day 2: “People like you have no imagination.”
Day 3:
Day 3: “How can I trust you?”
Day 4:
Day 4: “Will that be all?”
Day 5:
Day 5: “Take what you need.”
Day 6:
Day 6: “I heard enough, this ends now.”
Summary: Drinking and taking advice from Lothar are not always the best of ideas--especially both at once.
Author’s Note: Third ever published fic for the WoW fandom. :D I hope that you will enjoy!
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Lothar had to admit that Medivh’s apprentice wasn’t a bad kid. A bit naive with a tendency to be a little sassy, but his heart was in the right place at least. Better than a good chunk of those ‘spell chuckers’ from Dalaran. Khadgar was decent company when he and Medivh would visit Stormwind. He’d sometimes join Lothar for food and drink and would willingly listen to stories of battle and of his youth. (Something that many other younger folk would try to squirm out of.)
But Khadgar enjoyed listening to Lothar’s tales. The boy was like a sponge, he’d take in each story or bit of advice and let it soak it in. Mages were an odd bunch, they prided themselves on their logic yet many were still romantics. Especially with the subject of love. It was spoken of like it were some kind of elusive creature or something that only existed in novels.
It was hard to remember just how the subject turned to romance. All Lothar knew was that he and Khadgar had perhaps a few too many drinks. The boy’s face was flush and his lips were a bit loose. It was when Khadgar talked of being in love but being unable to act on his feelings that Lothar made a horrible mistake.
“Boy, listen to me!” Lothar said while setting his stein on the table. “You spell chuckers need to stop dancing around this stuff! If it’s not you, it’s Med or some other mage lamenting! It’s not that difficult!”
Khadgar stared at Lothar as though the man had grown another head. He then broke eye contact, his cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red. “B-but it’s not that easy, there are some rules and...other issues.” He then began to count off reasons on each finger. “Some mages are set up in unions to produce even better mages. Magic and emotions don’t exactly mix well. Anger, loneliness, and love are considered particularly dangerous.”
“All those are excuses!” Lothar huffed. “Honestly! What’s the worst that could happen if you just come out and say how you feel? If they say ‘no’ then you suck it up and move on. It’s far better than sitting there and stewing in the could haves and would haves! That kind of thing drives a man mad!”
Khadgar sat silently for a moment, allowing time for Lothar’s words to sink in. He fidgeted a little with the cup in his hands and looked down into his drink. Khadgar was unable to look Lothar the eye, part of him wanted to believe the older, more experienced man. “You really think so?”
“I know it!” Lothar said while pointing at the boy. “I’ve had plenty of regrets in my life. Quite a few from moments where I could have said something and chose not to.”
Khadgar was quiet for a long moment, contemplating Lothar’s advice. His finger tapped against the side of his cup before he gave a small nod. “You’re right...” Khadgar then took one more deep sip from his drink and set the stein down. “You’re absolutely right, the worst is that they’ll just say ‘no’. I’m going to tell them!”
“That’s the spirit, lad!” Lothar smirked and raised his stein in a small toast.
“Right now.” Khadgar said while standing up from his seat. He stumbled a little as he made his way towards the door.
“Wait, what?” Lothar’s smile fell and shifted into a frown. He then looked at a nearby clock, his eyes widened a little at seeing the time. Lothar started to get up from his seat to go after the boy. “Khadgar, wait! It’s almost midnight!”
“I know!” Khadgar called out as he left. “It’s perfect because I know exactly where he is!”
-o-o-o-o-o-
Lothar had begun to suspect that he might have made a huge mistake. He followed the sound of banging to the guest chamber hall. Lothar swallowed as his suspicions grew when he heard Khadgar call out to a certain room’s occupant.
“Master Medivh? Are you awake?” Khadgar called out while he knocked on the magus’ door. “I need to speak with you!” He knocked again, louder and more insistent. “Please wake up!”
Lothar was about to round the corner to go over and grab the boy but came to a halt at the sound of the door opening.
The bedroom door jerked opened to reveal a disheveled, half asleep Medivh. His long, dark hair stuck up in awkward ways, he yawned and rubbed one of his eyes. Upon seeing Khadgar the magus squinted, as though he wasn’t sure the boy was really there. The scrutinizing look then shifted into concern. “Young Trust, has something happened? Are you alri-”
“I-I’m…! I’m in love!” Khadgar abruptly announced, cutting Medivh off in mid sentence. His heart was pounding in his chest from both fear and feeling. Saying those three words caused excitement, anxiety and love to churn about in his chest like a brewing storm. His heart felt like it would burst at any moment. He looked Medivh in the eye and declared it more clearly, more confidently. “I’m in love!”
It was certainly the most bizarre thing Lothar had seen all week. It was like watching a pigeon trying to court a hawk. It looked awfully silly and it didn’t take a genius to know that it would end poorly.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Author’s Note: A huge thank you to Clareobell and @yourhumblelittlenarrator for their input and helping me refine this chapter! And another big thank you to everyone that's been enjoying this story! this chapter took a little longer than I intended but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Reviews and feedback are very much appreciated and really help me keep things going! Thank you for reading!
Story Summary: After a devastating personal tragedy, author Toshinori withdraws into loneliness and depression–at least until a face from his past comes back to remind him that heroes are not just for the fiction he writes.
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The teakettle on the stove roared to life with a shrill shriek that pierced the heavy silence; it snapped Toshinori out of his stunned state. He reached over and with the flick of his wrist turned the stove off. The Teakettle’s screaming died into a soft hiss and he regarded it enviously. He never thought he’d be jealous of something’s ability to scream. The writer’s gaze moved to the cellphone that rested on the kitchen table. He was in a ‘meeting’ with Aizawa and the phone was set to speaker so his hands could be free to make lunch. With the way things were going, he had lost his appetite.
“If you want the book finished then just let me write the damn thing!” Toshinori snapped irritably. “You complain about deadlines and progress but then you just stand in my way!”
Aizawa’s tired sigh could be heard from the phone. “That’s not my problem, you’re the writer, it’s your job to figure it out.”
“I am doing my job, I’ve been writing and rewriting!”
“And they’re still shit.” Aizawa grumped back venomously, then added, “I’m not accepting any of these chapters.” His voice grew voice firm as he continued. “The more I read the more it pisses me off! I want you to go back and fix all of them.”
“Just a damn minute,” Toshinori said, his temper bubbling dangerously. It took everything he had to reign it in but his blood was still boiling. “I sent you three of those chapters ages ago and you said they were fine. Suddenly all five of the latest chapters I sent aren’t good enough?”
“Correct, they’re not.”
“Could you at least have the decency to explain why?” Toshinori asked, he tried to keep his voice in check but anger still seeped into his words. “I checked and double checked my formatting, grammar, and spelling. I comb through everything three times before I send anything to you. Can you just tell me what I’m doing wrong?”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Thank you all for your patience!
Author’s Note: I'm so sorry for the delay! I wanted to wait until I had a little of Chapter 13 worked out before I posted Chapter 12. I know this one is a bit short but I couldn't fit as much as originally intended into this chapter because it either didn't fit or weighed it down so I decided to go for quality over length. I am currently working on the rough of chapter 13 and have gotten a decent sized chunk done. I'd love to hear your thoughts and somethings that you might be looking forward to in this story. Feedback is greatly appreciated and really helps me in writing this! Thank you for reading!
Story Summary: After a devastating personal tragedy, author Toshinori withdraws into loneliness and depression--at least until a face from his past comes back to remind him that heroes are not just for the fiction he writes.
-o-o-o-o-o-
-A Few Months Later, April-
Sardines. Smelly sardines packed tightly into a tin can that barreled off at stupid speeds. Izuku never liked sardines much so by extension he hated traveling by the morning metro. He stood there tightly snug between other passengers on the tightly packed carriage. A little luck seemed to be on Izuku’s side though he was able to get as spot standing next to the doors. He would have a quick escape and got to watch the world speed by. A welcome distraction from the claustrophobic atmosphere. His eyes focused on the grubby glass surface of the window. Izuku could see the tired faces of the commuters next to him their details blurred into nothingness the further back he looked. It was his own face that bothered him the most though. Izuku’s own face was pale and his eyes were filled with anxiety. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the window. There was nothing to worry about, he was just another kid on his way to his first day of school. No big deal.
The train slowed itself to a crawl as it approached the next station. Passengers pushed their way through the crowd and off the carriage. One stumbled into Izuku and broke his train of thought. On reflex he apologized even if it wasn’t his fault. He mentally kicked himself as he could imagine Uncle Toshinori tell him to quit it. It was a horrible habit that his uncle was trying to help Izuku break. With new people on board and the train started to move again. Izuku let his mind wander and found himself pondering about the other passengers.
Author’s Note: Probably going to be a oneshot but I rather like this idea and I might want to write out how Izuku and Inko met Toshinori in this AU. I’m a little unsure about this AU but it’s a lot of fun to think about. I’d love some feed back on this and if you’d like to see more then please tell me!
Original Space Heroes AU Idea Post
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You could tell a lot about a galaxy from space pirates. They were an odd bunch, often cobbled together from bits and pieces from various planets and systems. Different sizes and shapes, some made for environments that one could only dream about. Wonders of evolution, adaption, or medical advancement. And then there were those that had abilities that just pissed Izuku off.
Like acidic spit. There was always at least one guy with acidic spit.
Izuku managed to scramble out of the way of the corrosive liquid, barely making it. A loud 'hiss' sounded as the acid hit the rock that was behind him, burning any organic matter that was on it. It spurred the boy into a mad dash to put some distance between him and the pirates.
“Watch it, you asshole! That brat's got the artifact!”
Izuku could hear their voices bouncing off the ruins that littered the area. They were all that was left of an advanced civilization, crumbled and decayed with time. They provided cover from blasts from an all too trigger happy pirate and few hiding places. But as the pirates spread out through the ruins they managed to force Izuku out into the open to find another hiding place.
“Come on out, pup!” the group's leader cried out. Izuku remembered hearing one of the others had called him 'Thane'. “Borgia's already gobbled that spindly fella who was with you earlier!”
Izuku felt his stomach twist as a sick feeling seized him. He felt his heart hammer within his ribcage as his mind took him back to that moment. 'Borgia', was a mish-mashed monstrosity of parts that pounced on him in an ambush. The mere memory of its rancid breath was enough to make Izuku wretch a little. The fact he was forced to leave Toshinori with that thing nearly made him puke. Izuku's hand shot up and covered his mouth as he tried to calm himself.
All Might? Dead? Fat chance…
Izuku held onto that thought and carefully peeked out from behind a broken statue. He then eyed each pirate he could see and mentally took them apart. Two looked very close to human, they relied on guns, which could mean they didn't have anything too outrageous in terms of abilities. And then there was Thane. He was a mix of man and beast, likely a body modification. He had toughened skin that looked a little like plated armor but if Izuku had to guess, his weakness looked to be his underbelly.
“How about a trade?” Thane called out, a feral toothy grin spread across his face. “Give us what you found and ya can have some of your buddy's bones to bury.”
Izuku felt his eyes sting. He wiped the beginnings of tears away before he moved his hand to the pouch that rested on his right hip. The last thing Toshinori said to him was to run and keep the artifact safe. He promised he would be fine. Izuku's hand rested on the pouch, but then moved to a gadget hooked to his belt next to it. He pushed the bright red button which lit up as it made a small 'beep'.
“One for All: Full Cowl...” Izuku said under his breath. Energy crackled around him in the air and he felt it course through him. It felt like a fire had roared to life within him and was coursing through his veins as the power reinforced his body.
“Hey, I'm getting a reading over here!” another pirate called out as she saw the readings on her hand held scanner suddenly spike. When she caught a shadow move from the corner of her eye her hair bristled and shifted into sharp quills. “Something's he-!”
A loud crash cut the pirate's words off before she could finish. A couple of the others ran off to find her while Thane tensed kept his ears perked. More shouting was heard, this time accompanied by blasts that died down all too quick. Thane's nostrils flared as he he huffed. He had his group spread out to force the kid out into the open. He didn't think the brat could turn it around and use it to his advantage.
With raw power burning within him Izuku sped through the ruins. He had to get out of there, he had to reach a more open area. An energy blast then flew ahead of him and impacted against the wall of an old building. The explosion kicked up a cloud of dust and dirt that swallowed everything around it.
Izuku coughed as he choked on the air, his eyes stung and he desperately wiped at them. He couldn't slow down, not now! He had to keep moving!
Keep running…
Izuku felt a chill run up his spine when he heard the words echo out from the depths of his mind. But he did as they said and forced himself to keep moving. He could almost open his eyes again but they were sore and flooded with tears as they tried to flood the dirt out of themselves.
“There he is!” Izuku heard a voice call out ahead of him. It was followed by the sounds of several sets of footsteps charging towards him.
JUMP!
Izuku didn't think twice before kicking off the ground. He didn't need his eyes to feel that he had just launched himself high into the air. The wind whipped about him as he flew, he just managed to force his eyes open only to regret it. The ground was coming at him a bit too fast to prepare himself for a landing.
Izuku hit the ground hard with a loud 'thud', the impact was enough to make a small human shaped crater in the dirt. Everything had gone dark, only lighting up when he was grabbed by the back of his exploring uniform and hoisted off the ground. Izuku found himself staring at a set of very sharp teeth that belonged to Thane. His eyes flicked up and locked with the pirate's, only to widen when he felt his belt being grabbed. Izuku then began to wildly kick at Thane and managed to strike him hard in the gut. Once again the boy met the ground but he scrambled to get some distance between him and the pirate.
Izuku felt the right side of his belt and found the pouch was still there but something else was missing. He looked up and saw that Thane had the gadget with the glowing red button. He could only watch as the alien dropped in and stomped on it once it hit the ground.
“Aww, look at that...” Thane said with mock sympathy. “Looks like your little booster machine went and broke! No more powers for you, pup!”
Izuku looked up from the smashed machine, briefly met Thane's gaze, and then looked past him. His eyes light up and an impish smile spread across his face. “That thing has nothing to do with my power. I was just calling him...” Izuku said as he pointed behind the pirate.
Thane made no move to look behind him at first, figuring it was a stupid trick. But then he heard the distant roar of an engine coming from above and getting closer. Slowly, Thane looked over his shoulder and his jaw slowly went slack.
He was greeted with the sight of a hovering cruiser ship that was colored in red, silver, and blue. Thane's heightened sense of sight allowed him to see the gaunt man that was with the boy earlier. His encounter with Borgia certainly left him battered and bleeding. But his eyes defiantly burned with a mix of pride and fury. Thane could feel that man's gaze pierce through him like a sword. It was when the guns of the ship moved and aimed themselves at him that Thane raised his hands in surrender.
“That's what happens when you underestimate All Might...” Izuku said as he pressed a red orb against Thane's back.
“What did you say?! All Migh-!?” In a bright flash of light Thane vanished.
Izuku looked into the orb and saw the small shadowy figure of the beast man trapped inside it. He knew that Thane wouldn't remember the last few seconds before being trapped in the stasis orb. A side effect that could be handy at times. Izuku then looked up at the ship, smiled and gave a thumbs up.
-o-o-o-o-o-
“Twenty pirates and then the reward for this thing...” Toshinori said as he looked at a small silver disk. He then dropped it back into Izuku's bag before setting it down on a table. “We'll be eating good for a while.”
Izuku gave a small, weary smile. “I hope we get do get a nice bonus, usually these retrieval missions aren't this dangerous.”
“Pirates and villains are getting bolder...” Toshinori explained as he walked over and took a seat next to Izuku. “With All Might gone that's one less thing for them to worry about.”
Izuku bit his lower lip before he got up from his seat and hurried off. He came back with their first aid kit and placed it on the table before opening it. “We have to patch you up...”
“It's not as bad as it looks, it's just a few scratches...” Toshinori said as he watched Izuku take out cotton and disinfectant. He huffed out a small sigh as the kid showed no signs of taking his word for it. Toshinori sat still as Izuku started dabbing a disinfectant soaked cotton ball against a cut above is right eye. His eye twitched slightly when he felt the disinfectant burn.
“That 'Borgia' thing was really scary...” Izuku said as he finished applying the bandage. “I almost thought you didn't make it.”
“I wouldn't let a punk like that do me in.” Toshinori said with a small smile. It faltered a little when he noticed Izuku was staring at him, studying his detail. “Kid, I'm fine, really...”
“Your movements aren't right, you seem a bit tense, a little stiff at times. You weren't like that yesterday...” Izuku pointed out.
His studying gaze locked onto Toshinori's left side. Izuku coaxed him to give him his left hand to check for damage. He moved Toshinori's hand and then started to move the rest of his arm. When Izuku saw the older man twitch a little at the action, he frowned.
“The old wound's acting up again, isn't it?” he asked. His frown was replaced with a look of worry as he eyed the area where the injury was. “You should probably rest for a couple of days.”
“It's nothing serious, my boy.” Toshinori waved it off. “It's just a little flare up.”
“Could you please just listen to me?”
“Alright, alright, bed rest it is then...” Toshinori said as he huffed out a small sigh. He could see a look of relief spread across Izuku's face. Toshinori reached out and lightly ruffled the boy on the head. “You are the 'Prince of Nonsense'.”
Izuku could be a bit frantic at times but in all fairness it wasn't without reason. If he wasn't careful and let himself die the kid would be alone. Toshinori knew too well how scary such a thing could be, especially in the vastness of space.
“Kid, you're just like your mother.” Toshinori couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. “Man, if only she could see you now...”
Izuku's smile became a little more solemn when he heard that. “Do you think she'd be proud of me?”
“Oh yeah, you are so cool!” Toshinori said, his voice full of confidence. His smile then twitched and faded slightly as a thought seemed to hit him right then. “She'll probably then turn right around and kick my ass.”
Izuku snorted and then started to laugh.
“You think I'm joking, but I'm not.” Toshinori said as he laughed with the kid. “She's going to be so pissed with me when we find her.”
Izuku smiled fondly. “You still really think that we can find Mom out there?”
“Midoriya my boy, I've told you hundreds of times already that I don't lie!” Toshinori said as he ruffled the boy's hair. His gaze was drawn to one of the windows of their ship. He could see the planet they left behind steadily shrinking into the distance. It reminded Toshinori of a time years ago when he made a promise to Izuku, who was so little at the time. “I got no intention giving up on your Mom.”
Author’s Note: A quick, raw rough draft of a horror short. No title just yet, I’ll come back and refine it and give it an actual title when I have time. If I like the finished product enough I’ll narrate it.
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Keep going. One step in front of the other and you'll be home in no time. It was the little mantra Sarah kept repeating to herself in the back of her mind as she walked.
She was lucky, her job happened to be at a corner store that was just a quick jog from her house. Sarah enjoyed working there, the people there were pretty good, it being easy to joke around with them. Even the boss, Tony, was an easy man to get along with.
Tony had done Sarah a couple of favors so when he asked that she do a week of evening shifts she couldn't bring herself to say 'no'. She hated doing them, not so much for the shifts themselves but rather the walk home after. The quick jog that it took to get to her house became a much different trip at night. As silly as it sounded, Sarah was afraid of the dark, a remnant of childhood that never quite left her.
Most of the trip home was pretty well lit. There was plenty of light from the tiny strip mall next to her neighborhood. But it was that final stretch that was always the toughest. The street that Sarah lived on only had one light. It was in the very middle of the street's length and gave more of a dim glow instead of really lighting up anything. Then there was the fact that her neighborhood was shrouded in trees. Each home was built on old properties which them quite a bit of space from each other. Trees and bushes lined a few of the properties, ensuring privacy from one another.
During the day it was actually a lovely place. The mix of trees and homes gave the neighbor hood a serene feeling. A night it was like a dark void that looked to suck you in. The dull glow of the single street light often reminded Sarah of the lure of angler fish in the cold dark of the deep oceans. Your attention was drawn to that light as you'd walk through the darkness. It made it feel less pointless and more insidious. While her eyes were glued to that light just how easy would it be for someone to sneak up on her?
Thoughts like that were exactly why she hated walking home at night. She could never stop herself from thinking them. Her heart would pick up pace and her breathing would become deep as she'd go on high alert. Her own neighborhood that she grew up in was no longer a place of comfort, it became a place where she was easy prey for whatever hid in the darkness.
One foot in front of the other, you're almost at the driveway. Just a little further and Sarah finally reached her door. It took actually entering and locking the house door behind her to calm herself down. She had made it home safely and was exhausted from fearing for her life. Inside the safety of her own house her brain began to reason with her just how silly it was for her to be so afraid in the first place. Sarah decided that regardless of how ridiculous it sounded, she was going to ask someone to walk or drive her home. She was not going to put up with almost giving herself a heart attack for an entire week.
That night Sarah finally found peace in bed with the warm glow of her TV. It provided enough light and sound to ease her into sleep. She lied in bed wrapped in a warm cocoon of blankets, warm and safe with the horrors of night locked outside of her house. She was far too gone to notice the door of her closet slowly opening.
Note: This is what you get when your best friend decides to smoosh OTPs together. RPing wise this is actually a really fun ship to work with believe it or not. I never would have thought I'd like this OT3 as much as I did.
-o-o-o-
As much a Barnaby didn't want to admit it, he had to admire Antonio. It wasn't a matter of attraction or feelings like it was with Kotetsu. Instead Barnaby had respect for Antonio's strength and stamina. He had watched them already go through a rough round of sex but Kotetsu still wanted more. Antonio was more than happy to oblige the lusty glutton.
The bed shook with their rocking, Barnaby sat next to them as an audience. It was like he was invisible to the two of them as Antonio plowed into his best friend with no mercy. It amazed Barnaby how the two of them seemed feed off of each other and knew how to drive the other crazy.
He sat there, hypnotized by the way Antonio's body worked as he made love to Kotetsu. He watched how his muscles would move and twitch with each thrust and roll of his hips. How his hands knew how to touch Kotetsu and draw out sudden gasps and throaty groans. Barnaby felt his own heated cock twitch with need as he looked on in amazement and envy.
Antonio knew how to pleasure Kotetsu in ways Barnaby didn't. He watched them, studying their actions in hopes of learning. Maybe, just maybe Barnaby figured that he could eventually nudge Antonio out of the picture. It was an immature and childish idea, that much he knew. But he was young and despite his agreements he didn't really like the idea of sharing. The whole thing blew up in his face in the end but at this point he didn't mind so much.
Barnaby could see that Kotetsu and Antonio had a deep connection even if it didn't seem like it to those on the outside. Perhaps it was from their long history together or their mutual love for Tomoe Kaburagi. More than likely he would never know.
A sudden cry from Kotetsu snapped Barnaby back to reality. He swallowed and his grip tightened on the pillow he had been holding. It being used to hide his throbbing erection from the older men. His heart hammered in his chest as he watched them writhe before him. Barnaby's eyes were then transfixed on Kotetsu, watching his rhythmic, labored breathing. A shiver crawled throughout Barnaby's body. It was then that he noticed how sensitive he had become with his arousal. He let out a shaky breath as he continued to watch them craving touch and affection.
Barnaby slipped one of his hands behind the pillow and paused above the rim of his boxers. He wasn't sure who's position he wanted to be in more, Kotetsu's or Antonio's. He ran his finger over the tip of his cock and felt it throb with need. Barnaby licked his lips and was about to slip his hand down his boxers but froze when without warning Kotetsu locked eyes with him. Those golden brown eyes were wild and hungry. They moved to look at the pillow and where the blond's hand was. Barnaby felt his face heat up with embarrassment and he pulled his hand away. Again he hugged the pillow, squeezing it with both his arms.
The corner of Kotetsu's mouth tugged into an impish smirk. He was enjoying the fact that Barnaby was watching them. Seeing the usually calm and collected Barnaby all flustered and hot stirred up the worse in Kotetsu. He wanted to see more of that look of need on his face.
Antonio reached up, seized Kotetsu's chin and forced him to look him in the eye. Kotetsu's smirk faded and morphed into a sheepish smile. Antonio let go as he leaned in and pressed their lips together in a possessive kiss. Kotetsu reached up and jammed his fingers into the bigger man's soft hair. His other hand raked his too short finger nails along the skin of Antonio's back.
Barnaby felt his own lips tingle as he watched the forceful but loving kiss. He ran his tongue over them desiring to be kissed and held like that.
Antonio broke the kiss to allow them both a chance to breathe. Kotetsu looked up at him, panting and face flushed. His eyes were softer and gleamed as he smiled up at him.
Antonio smiled, leaned in and pressed their foreheads together. "Te amo..." he croaked out lowly, so it could only be heard between the two of them.
Antonio smiled at the look Kotetsu gave him right then, a mix of love and disbelief. No matter how many times Kotetsu heard those words they hit him hard. He blushed deeper when Antonio planted a kiss firmly on his cheek as if to reassure the fact that he was loved. Then without warning he began to thrust his hips deep into him again.
"A-Ah! Fuck...!" Kotetsu yelped when Antonio hit his sweet spot. He gritted his teeth and grunted as that spot was rammed once more. His body jolted when he felt Antonio wrap his large hand around his cock and gave it a squeeze.
Barnaby watched on, his breaths deep and in tune with their rhythm. He felt light headed and his heart pound in his rib cage as he watched Antonio work Kotetsu's cock as he thrust deep into him.
"GAH! S-Stop! I'm...gonna...! U-ugh!" Kotetsu shouted. His body tensed and coiling like a spring only to twitch and spasm as he orgasm and spilled all over Antonio's hand and himself.
Barnaby's fingers gripped into his pillow, his knuckles going white. He almost tore the poor thing apart. Barnaby started to calm as he watched Kotetsu stare up at the ceiling, his body rocked as Antonio rode out his own orgasm. Barnaby swallowed when realized how dry his throat felt. He was sure must have looked like a dog panting at the sight of a raw steak.
A few moments later Kotetsu started to come back down to earth from the high of sexual release. For a few moments he was in the past, when times were better and his bed was always full. He was with both Tomoe and Antonio. The three of them lied tangled together after a wild night as they talked of a bright future. One for their strange but loving family that died before it could ever happen.
That thought was what brought Kotetsu back to reality. Tomoe was gone and Kotetsu was still trapped behind walls he set up around himself. Walls that Barnaby found a crack in and tried to chip his way through. That crack was now a hole and both he and Antonio were calling him to leave his self-made protective prison. Kotetsu wasn't ready yet, he didn't know if he ever would be. But he knew that he was cared about and loved, perhaps that was a step in the right direction at least.
Kotetsu looked away from the ceiling and his sight landed on Barnaby still holding that silly pillow. The corner of Kotetsu's mouth twitched into a smile and a chuckle forced its way out of his throat.
"Little Bunny, come lie down with me." Kotetsu said as he patted the space next to him on the bed.
Antonio had already moved to the other side of the bed and watched them as he laid on his side. He smiled as he watched Barnaby struggle to move to lie on the other side of Kotetsu. The kid had his own little 'problem' that needed relief. There was a swell of pride that came from making Barnaby hard from watching them do the deed. That kid was desired by women and men all over Sternbild and here he was getting hot and bothered by a pair of old horny fools.
Kotetsu rolled on his side to face Barnaby. He then reached over and pulled him in so they were lying close together. Kotetsu kept his arms wrapped around him, his eyes were alight with mischief. "Tonio, puede hacerse cargo de el durante unos minutos?"
Barnaby blinked confusedly when he heard the strange language tumble out of Kotetsu. It a couple of seconds before he realized that it was Spanish. "What does that meeeeeeEEEE-AAH!?!??!"
Without warning Antonio reached over Kotetsu and slipped his hand down Barnaby's boxers. He gave the brat's neglected erection a firm squeeze before roughly stroking him.
Barnaby gasped and let out a strangled moan. Kotetsu had him trapped, hugged close in the man's strong arms. Barnaby bit his lip as he groaned and his hips bucked into Antonio's merciless grip on their own. He felt Kotetsu kissing him on the cheek and breathing into his ear that it was okay to come.
It only took a few more strokes and Barnaby's body shuddered as he came hard into Antonio's hand. His body trembled as the waves of climax coursed their way through his body. Barnaby felt a kiss firmly planted on his forehead and Kotetsu telling him how good he was. He shivered his breathing was shaky as his body tried to calm down. Kotetsu still held him close and Antonio pulled the covers up to keep the three of them warm. Barnaby's heart was still pounding but it was slowly starting to calm. His eyelids were starting to feel heavy and his mind began to drift into the cloudy realm of sleep. Barnaby felt safe there, held close to Kotetsu with his strong arms. Even Antonio, who pressed flush against Kotetsu's back and holding him around the waist, was a comforting presence.
Barnaby let out a deep sigh and snuggled closer against Kotetsu and let sleep claim him. Maybe he wouldn't mind more nights like this.
-The End-
If you liked this and want to see more of my Tiger & Bunny writings you can find them on AO3.
