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miraculouscontent · 3 years

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Didn’t Need Burrow (August 7th-September 13th)

Anonymous asked:

Didn’t Need Burrow: Ladybug and Chat Noir will be asked to participate in judging a competition that Marinette and Adrien are both a part of. Ladybug will want to vote for herself as Marinette, but Tikki will tell her(once detransformed and while she is snacking) that she can’t because then people will know that Marinette is Ladybug. Chat Noir, meanwhile, will freely vote for Adrien with no repercussions or drawbacks, and Adrien will end up winning the competition. Marinette will admit that she was “so silly” to even think of voting for herself, especially since “Adrien needs the award more so that I do” despite being rich, white, male, and “perfect”(oh, I’m sorry, “purrfect”!), since all of Marinette’s legitimate problems of anxiety, dyspraxia, and the like get thrown out the window because the writers’ perfect sunshine boy incel stand-in has a “saaad home life!”, and Marinette needs to give him pity and put his feelings above his rather than wish for her own success. Cuz Girl Power.

tbh, given the leaks script, I’d reverse that and saying that Adrien voted for LadyNoir as Couple of the Year.

Anonymous asked:

Didn’t Need Burrow: Marinette and Adrien will reveal their identities, and Marinette actually WILL be disappointed that the boy who goofed off in fights and didn’t take no for an answer is none other than her perfect modeling celebrity crush. However, rather than this being a point towards Adrien needing to learn how to improve himself and accept Marinette’s feelings, this scene is used to make HER look bad(because of course it is) and she is blamed for expecting Adrien to be perfect(despite being encouraged and told to see him as such), and told that she should be happy that Chat was hitting on her even when she didn’t like it or it got in the way of battle plans, likely by Alya, because it was her true love under the mask all along. Eventually she “learns her lesson”(ick) and comes to accept Adrichat for who he is, warts and all. Bonus if she has a flashback to when Chat said “if you saw me without my mask you wouldn’t be able to resist me” as she realizes that he was right.

Didn’t Need Burrow? More like “Didn’t Need to Think About This”

i hate it

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: Luka will be Chat Blanc "2.0"

But Luka doesn’t have Chat-level favoritism going so Bunnyx won’t be there to defend him from consequences.

Anonymous asked:

We will have Ladybug!Alya in Marinette's akumatization episode. Obviously everyone would think that she is "better" than "old" Ladybug. (Bonus points if Ladybug!Alya don't "alienate" Chat Noir, mostly by catering to his whims)

Oh, of course! No one will miss the “old” Ladybug.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: Bob Roth is akumatized into Rip Off, a supervillain with power to copy anything he sees (including powers of heroes)

Okay but that’s genius.

(I know we already had it in “Miraculer” but I like this more.)

Anonymous asked:

DNB: Now that Luka knows their identities, he will push the Love Square in a romantic manner. Stans would be totally fine with this because it doesn't interfere with their endgame :)

Well, obviously!

I’m just waiting for them to basically say that the secret identities don’t matter and, because they like one side, also means they like the other side.

Because forget nuance, am I right?

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: In the end, (after Adrienette gets together) Narrator reveals himself (herself?) as Alya with words "that's how I helped my bestie [Marinette] get a relationship with love of her life [Adrien]" or something similar.

wait, Alya, are you filming a Ladybug biography

why did you include all the humilation

why

That explains her making herself look good though.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: Luka will finally reveal that he knows Heroes' secret identities... to Alya, who obviously decide to hide from Marinette that Luka knows her identity (Bonus Points if reason provided by Alya why she is doing this is utterly ridiculous)

AAAAAAAAAAAA

I guess Luka would have to realize that Alya knows. Bonus if he tells her Chat’s identity too so love square shipping can commence.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: "Knitting Fairy" will be name of Marinette's akumatized form.

Can you say “reused design”? I certainly can, we’re used to it.

Anonymous asked:

Didn’t Need Burrow:

Luka keeping his knowledge about the identities (esp. Ladybug’s) will somehow blow up in a way for the writers to paint him in a bad light, probably ending with Marinette not trusting him. (As well as no hint of irony that Adrien did the same thing for completely selfish reasons in Chat Blanc).

MiraculousMX: Platonic soulmates!

us: Source??

Anonymous asked:

DNB: If LS gets reversed, Adrien complains about Marinette having other friends. Not just being friends with Luka or any other guys, but friends PERIOD, showing the same jealousy/desire for his 'love interest' to be isolated as Chat Noir. These MASSIVE RED FLAGS are treated as Just More Innocent Sadrien Things, because he's sOoOoOo Sad and SoOoOoO Lonely~

Oh god, now I had an awful thought that this is where Adrien getting jealous of Luka, and Luka feels bad/”knows what’s best” so he either ditches Marinette/finds an excuse to leave or makes sure that Adrien gets his time with her.

Because it’s the love square so it’s “important” that Marinette spend time with Adrien.

Anonymous asked:

Dnb: assuming the Senti-Adrien theory is true, in the season finale, Viperion joins the fight, stops SM from using the ladybug an cat miraculi by going back in time only to use them by himself, wishing for Adrien to be a real boy (and love Marinette). Of course Luka needs to give something in exchange, worst case scenario, his life.

That got really dark.

Though tbh with how much they push Luka and Marinette around, one of them will probably have to give up something huge for Adrien (they both already sacrificed their relationship, so--).

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: If Chat Noir joins Shadow Moth then he is treated by both Gabriel and Heroes as his greatest asset, even through he is still complete joke that is defeated by rest of Heroes faster than Mr Pigeon in "Timetagger". (Bonus points if Heroes defeat him by "Backhand Offhand", Offscreen or he is defeated by "Friendly Fire" from Akuma of the Week due to his own stupidity)

tbh I could probably do more sad math with “how often Chat Noir/Cataclysm is useless,” bonus if it’s put up against characters/Ladybug stroking his ego.

Anonymous asked:

DNB: Adrien's fears concerning Ladybug are made more explicit through a nightmare/vision (possibly akuma-induced) of Ladybug calling him unreliable/saying she doesn't need him anymore because she has partners she can actually COUNT on. Naturally, this is treated as Pure Sadrien Hours rather than a fair critique. Bonus if he ditches/forces her to beg for his assistance AGAIN to soothe his poor bruised baby ego.

*“Malediktator” flashbacks, but Adrien instead of Chloe*

Anonymous asked:

Didn't Need Burrow: Adrien/Chat Noir skips out on a fight/akuma attack for some spiteful, selfish reason or another. Ladybug handles it without him, either completely through her own skill or with help from Rena/other heroes. Adrien then angsts about 'not being needed', with Marinette's 'Mistake of the Day' being that she didn't cater to his pity party due to being too busy DOING HER DAMNED JOB.

me seeing that one leaked script where they talk about how Chat/Cataclysm would make things easier: *sigh*

Anonymous asked:

Didn't Need Burrow: Plagg will encourage Adrien to act even more selfishly, skipping more battles and being even brattier. This is so his stans can blame Plagg for being 'a bad influence' on their perfect angel, even when it's clear the two of them are on the same wavelength. Oooh, he's twisting his rubber arm; how AWFUL--! Adrien would NEVER do all these Awful Things he's already done if he didn't have Plagg~! What a bad kitty~!

“rubber arm” jdfkgjndfjgfg

tbh Plagg already is super laidback and doesn’t really like transforming/complains about going into battle, so this isn’t much of a stretch.

Anonymous asked:

DNB: "Gabriel Agreste" or other episodes will reveal that Gabriel flew many, if not ALL of the same Red Flags his son displays on a regular basis. The narrative treats this as though this makes Gabriel more 'sweet, sad and sympathetic' rather than illustrating that both of them are dangerously entitled and generally awful.

This sounded really intriguing as a sort of “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” thing until that last sentence kicked in.

That’s damn accurate to what they’d do too, ugh.

Anonymous asked:

DNB: Plagg is the one that discovers that Gabriel is Hawk/Shadowmoth, but is forcibly sworn to silence by Adrien. Bonus if Adrien somehow gives this command without learning what Plagg is trying to tell him -- i.e. he get irritated and orders Plagg to shut up in a way that bars him from EVER saying what he was attempting to say -- so that Adrien's stans can claim it was all a big misunderstanding and blame Plagg entirely for it. Or Marinette. Somehow.

Oh oh oh!

Alternatively, Adrien silences Plagg without realizing that he has that kind of power (like saying, “you can’t tell anyone!” and we see the magic hit Plagg’s mouth), so the fandom can say, “HE DOESN’T KNOOOW THAT HE DID IT.”

Anonymous asked:

dntb: Luka is gonna be villianised in some way for not telling Marinette he knows the identities of both of them

Meanwhile, Alya, slipping the bouncer her free pass.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: After one of the kwamis makes one snickering comment too many, Marinette snaps and tells them all to shut up (with obvious outcome). Narrative obviously equals it to scene between Gabriel and Noroo from "Sandboy" (Bonus Points if Narrative deems Marinette worse than Gabriel, because "Gabriel forbid Noroo from talking as joke")

oh my goooooood

Marinette: *snaps because she’s stressed out*

the fandom: SHE SO MEAN!!! ;o;

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: Adrien's reveal as Sentimonster just for additional souce of "sad points" for him

this DNB: i am inevitable

mystic-lionroar asked:

Didn't Need Burrow: The writers' Status-Quo allergy kicks in when someone very pointedly implies Chloe, Lila and/or Gabriel work for Hawk Moth with how many Akumas they tend to cause... only to get reminded point blank that "Hawk Moth is the sole one responsible for this mess, no one else". Cue two episodes later, both the characters and the writers' memories of this scene are erased. What erased it? ╰( ･ ᗜ ･ )╯Why, Marinette can be held responsible for this one, of course! (Me: (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻)

╰（‵□′）╯

OH MY GOOOOD

“Crocoduel” also basically already blamed Marinette for two akumatizations so at this point we’re just waiting.

Anonymous asked:

DNB: To further cement the whole 'destined to be' shlock, after the shock of the eventual reveal wears off, we get a call back to how frequently Chat Noir told Ladybug that they were meant for each other and that she 'was the only one who didn't see it'. Marinette agrees that she was silly and foolish for not recognizing it sooner, parroting Adrien's bullshit in order to further cement the notion that she's HAPPILY accepting her 'fate' to be nothing more than his personal prize.

You can’t see it but I have my head in my hands in grief.

Anonymous asked:

DNB: Adrien's gross sense of entitlement towards Ladybug will become even more explicit, with him angrily ranting about how he DESERVES to 'get the girl'. No matter how awful and nasty he gets, the narrative continues to treat him as though he's 100% right to be pissed off at her for DARING to have agency or thinking she has a say in things. As clearly, the biggest mistake Marinette has ever made is thinking she gets to have Opinions or make her own decisions. G-girl power...?

Marinette needing to be constantly told what’s best for her by other people and it’s okay because she needs to accept+follow all opinions.

end me

Anonymous asked:

DNB: The double standard between Adrien and other characters will be more noticeable. Adrien will still be put on a pedestal.

Because no one will notice Adrien if they didn’t put him on a metaphorical and physical pedastal.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: Foxy Cat and CaraBug

omg Fox Adrien.is one of the worst hero choices I’ve ever heard fjdgjfjdglfkdg

I could at least see why Marinette thought that Adrien fit the snake since the narrative gushes for him so hard.

Anonymous asked:

Didn’t Need Burrow: As a result of being written by a straight white male writing team, the show starts to use Marinette’s girliness against her. From her love of pink being mocked to the kwamis admitting(in the spirit of another DNB) that they don’t respect Marinette because she’s “too girly”, to her fashion designing being treated as a cutesy but ultimately fickle pastime(in the spirit that all teenage girls’ interests are treated), the show absolutely throws Girl Power out the window in favor of giving Marinette absolute hell for daring to present herself in a traditionally feminine way, treating her femininity as the butt of a joke that no one is laughing at. Bonus points of someone says(or even outright tells her to her face) that she’s “such a girl”, as if that’s supposed to be an insult. Alternatively, this happens to Rose instead of Marinette, as she’s just as girly if not more so than her, or it happens to both of them(regardless of whether or not it’s at the same time).

WOOOOW

I mean, honestly, yeah.

Anonymous asked:

Didn’t Need Burrow: Things other characters did that were bad will be retconned into things that Marinette did instead, or will otherwise be retconned into being her fault, no matter how improbable or contradictory. Meanwhile, bad things characters did to Marinette or good things characters did FOR Marinette will be retconned into nonexistence.

I MEAN THEY BLAMED MARINETTE FOR “SILENCER” SO--

MATTER OF TIME.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: Simultaneous Akumatization of Manon, Chris, Ella and Etta, obviously when they are babysat by Marinette, because otherwise ML Writers wouldn't be able to paint it as Marinette's fault

oh god

please no

I mean, not even just to blame Marinette for it, but I can’t even stand these kids when they’re on their own, MUCH LESS TOGETHER.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: If Adrien gets akumatized, then it would be just Chat Blanc with shoulder pads and crown

Is this a reference to my Miracle Queen post?

Because yes.

Anonymous asked:

Didn't need burrow: In Hack-San Chat Noir will pull a Sentibubler and refuse to listen to Alya with the Ladybug Miraculous as he doesn't have a brain unless he can progress the not so progressive four-sided Hellfire, which is actually still the best-case-scenario. I mean he could just not come at all, since he's only there to flirt with and seduce Ladybug with unfunny jokes.

Anonymous asked:

DNB: Adrien causes problems because of Alyabug.

ugggggh

Anonymous asked:

DNB: Alya will immediately have access to things like the creation of charms despite how long it took for Marinette to be able to do that.

Wait--

If she doesn’t, did they literally just give Alya the ladybug miraculous because they knew that Markov wouldn’t have a way of hiding the amulet on him and they didn’t feel like putting it on his model???

Anonymous asked:

Didn’t Need Burrow: Alya’s Ladybug name is “Coccinelle” aka “Ladybug” in French. Or something equally lazy such as The Red Spotted One or the Scarlett Beetle. Even if it sounds cool at first glance, it will ultimately boil down to a plain and obvious name, because apparently EVERY superhero’s name has to so blatantly relate to the animal their Miraculous is based off of. For some reason. Somehow. -_-

fhkgjfdkgdfg okay but “The Red Spotted One” made me laugh.

Anonymous asked:

Hack-San DNB’s:

• Chat Noir will be upset that Ladybug trusted her miraculous to someone else.

• There will be a comment on how Alya was a just as good, if not better Ladybug than Marinette.

• Alya’s performance as LB will be used as another instance to show Marinette made the ‘right choice’ telling her her identity.

• Using the Horse to teleport back instead giving the earrings to Alya will not be mentioned as an option.

• Scene of Adrichat being sad about ‘feeling replaced’.

Especially on that “comment that Alya is just as good, if not better,” one, it probably won’t even be used as a reassurance for Marinette like, “oh, that’s good to know that I’m not the only one who can be Ladybug,” it’ll just be praise for Alya.

Anonymous asked:

Hack-San DNB: Chat Noir gets angry with LB for not telling him she was leaving & she has to apologize for it.

(Despite making sure there was a backup Ladybug to protect Paris, unlike Chat in the NY special who left the city completely unprotected).

Convenient.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: "Dearest Family" (episode where both of Marinette's parents are akumatized) will be about Marinette learning "true value" of Chat Noir

Either that or incorporating Adrien into the family.

Anonymous asked:

Don't Need a Burrow: Psycomedian will be blatant Joker rip-off

You can just say “all akuma in the season will either be rip-offs of themselves or past akuma,” it’s okay. :P

Anonymous asked:

Another DNB for Hack-San, since we see Jagged Stone in the trailer, so if they show it..:

The “most precious possession” of Jagged’s will be Fang and not, y’know, either of his children.

I missed that trailer.

Honestly there could be some funny moments with the concept, but if Jagged is the only joke made about it then yes, I will be very bitter.

Alternatively, Jagged picks his guitar instead.

Anonymous asked:

DNB: In the Alyabug episode, Alya will either be Practically Perfect In Every Way™, or will royally screw up in a way that will somehow lead to Marinette. Either way, Cat Noir will flirt with the new Ladybug, or pull a Sentibubbler. Or both. There may or may not be a comment about how Alyabug's costume is so much better than Marinette's despite being a fashion designer.

dkfgkjdfgjf I adore how this whole thing is just, “there’s so many ways it could go wrong!”

#category: salt #Didn't Need Burrow #other: ask and answer

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ice-assiest · 4 years

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☾ MOON CHILD ☽ Part 2. Bolin x Bloodbender Reader

♡ part one

♡ word count: 9k omg I’m sorry y’all also thank you so much for the positive feedback from the first part it literally means the world to me

♡ requested by: @the-quackson-brothers !!!

♡ “maybe do where the reader is Sokka’s child/grandchild and they have Sokka personality but with more shyness to it! The reader is a waterbender and blood bender but no one knows expect for Korra and Katara. Reader uses it against Amon."

♡ Pairing: Bolin x Bloodbender Reader (Grandchild of Sokka)

♡ Warnings: nothing crazy! the teeniest bit of steam at the end and an old man w sharp teeth

“Let’s check out Bolin’s usual hangout first.” Mako suggested as the both of you uncomfortably shifted up and down on Naga’s back, still getting used to the feel.

“Alright, just show me the way.” Korra skillfully lead the polar bear dog.

The sounds of the city were loud in your ears, reminding you of its busyness. You watched as the shadows of people entered and exited buildings, the chances of finding Bolin seeming slimmer and slimmer.

“I think we should split up.”

“Huh?” Korra turned around, her expression filled with concern.

“It’s just, I think we need to find him quickly. You and Mako can go to where we were going to go, and I want check the Cactus Juice Bar.”

“(Y/N), I don’t know that sounds dangerous. You don’t know the city well and I don’t want you to get lost or hurt-“ Korra began, but it was you who cut her off.

“I’ll be alright Korra, trust me.” She quietly looked back at you, signaling Naga to stop. The three of you got off of the polar bear dog but Korra pulled you to the side.

“(Y/N), I trust you. I know this is something you already think about all the time but no matter what happens you can’t let people know you’re a blood bender. It’s illegal. And I know you like Bolin a lot, just don’t do something crazy.” She said with a whisper, glancing around her before proceeding, “Not that you would do it anyways, just be safe.” A sigh left her mouth and you could see the distress in her face.

You reached up to give her a hug but stopped in your tracks.

Clink.

Your head quickly turned to the direction of the sound, eyes scanning the dark alleyway besides the both of you.

“(Y/N)! Are you even paying attention?”

“Yes! I promise I was! I feel like I should be the one warning you not to do anything crazy, now go have fun on your date with Mako!” You teased, her eyes widened at your words.

“You ready to go?” Mako called out from besides Naga.

“Yeah!” She responded, giving you one final look over before joining him. You waved to the both of them as you watched them ride off into the distance. Now for your destination, the Cactus Juice Bar.

“Excuse me young miss,” An older man’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts as their shoulder bumped into yours.

“You’re fine.” You muttered before feeling something different, your ring. It was gone. “Hey!” You turned around, shouting at the old man that you were sure took it from you. He turned around, eyes wide as he began to run away.

You felt yourself becoming light-headed as your body filled with panic. That was you dad’s ring. How could someone casually take something that important away from you?

Anger flooded your mind as you reached for the vial of water that lay at your side. You thought of water bending but there were too many people around. He began to get farther away from you, almost lost in the crowd of Republic City citizens, but still in sight. The only way to get it back would be to-

The image of Katara’s pain filled eyes became present in your mind, you couldn’t. You simply watched as he disappeared into the sea of people with a heavy heart.

“Not even two minutes by myself and look what happened.” You said with a sigh, now officially en route to the Cactus Juice.

ｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏ

The air in the back of the truck was thick, a dispirited expression on every bender’s face. Their thoughts may have varied individually but one question bounced between them all, what’s going to happen?

Bolin’s eyes fell downwards, as one more person got thrown into the back of the truck. An old man gagged and bound like the rest of them. His thoughts then shifted to you.

“Hey kid, you want me to take off your tie?” The old man whispered; his mouth no longer confined by the cloth that everyone else had tied around theirs. Bolin looked at him in confusion, eyes wide as he tried to deduce how that happened.

“I got sharp teeth!” The man exclaimed, flashing his razor-sharp smile. He began leaning closer to Bolin’s face, the earth bender shaking his head furiously and releasing muffled grunts of protest, not wanting him to get any closer than he already was. Although it seemed that sharp teeth did not get the message as he grabbed the cloth that was tied around Bolin’s mouth with his own and gnawed his way through it in a way that reminded Bolin of Pabu.

“Oh, uh, thanks I guess?” Despite the fact that the man hadn’t touched him he still felt oddly violated.

“My name’s Rif Raf Rag and I can’t stand silence.” He said with a booming laugh, echoing through the back of the truck. Bolin cringed at the volume of Rag’s voice, wondering when the chi-blockers would come and tie them back up again.

“I’m Bolin! Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, wish it were under different circumstances.” He looked Bolin up and down. “Just kidding! I would never talk to you otherwise.” He said with another loud punch of laughter, the person next to Rag started to make muffled noises, clearly asking to be reunited with their freedom of speech.

“Lightning Bolt Zolt?!” Bolin exclaimed; the man who had seemed too large to him as a child was now someone he could meet the gaze of albeit still nervous.

“I’d take yours off too, I really would pal, but my jaw needs a break. We have all the time in the world though I’ll do it eventually.” Rag’s words rang true as not one bender felt movement of the truck, wherever they were, they were definitely stagnant.

“Now Bolin,” The old man said, snapping his face towards him. “Talk to me!”

Bolin felt uncomfortable for a number of reasons, one could be largely attributed to Rag’s lack of personal space, the other reason could be that all the kidnapped benders were looking towards the pair.

“Uhhh, why are your teeth so sharp?” Bolin asked, the smiling old man disappeared at his words.

“Get ready for a tale.”

ｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏ

Outside was a pond surrounded by peaceful turtle-ducks, small flowers and leaves shooting up from the areas around it. The calmness of it being the direct opposite of what was happening in the building that rest behind it.

“Amon sir!” An equalist rushed into the meeting room, shutting the door quickly behind him. When he looked up he was faced with Hiroshi Sato, Amon, and his principle Lieutenant.

“This better be important,” The lieutenant threatened. A meeting between Amon and Sato being quite the occasion to walk in on.

“It is! I promise,” The man began. “I was in the city when I saw the Avatar.” Despite his nerves and hesitant demeanor, his words peaked Amon’s interest.

“Continue.”

“I have reason to believe she’s going to be at the rally tonight, and I have even more reason to believe she’s bringing a blood bender. For the revelation demonstration we took one of the Avatars friends, they’re looking into his location now. I also believe the blood bender has a uh, special type of relationship with their earth bender friend.”

“Why would we need to know about that?” The lieutenant complained, “Don’t just come in here to say funny stuff-“ He began to scold but was stopped as he saw Amon put his hand in the air.

“No, all of that information was useful. Thank you, my brother.” The equalist tried to contain his giddy smile from being complimented by Amon but failed miserably.

“No, thank you my brother.” He said, leaving the room.

“What do you want to do Amon?” The lieutenant asked. Amon simply stood up from his seat, walking until he reached the window. From it he saw bird swoop down into the pond to catch a fish.

“Let’s show people how truly evil benders can be.”

ｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏ

“And I cried as I watched my true love get married to another man, anyways that’s why my teeth are so sharp. ” Rag said, closing the dramatic retelling of his life with a solemn sigh.

“T-That’s so sad!” Bolin exclaimed; eyes brimming with tears. “You’ve been through so much Rag! But you made it! You made it through!”

Zolt’s eyebrow twitched.

“That is also why they call me the love doctor; do you have any burning questions about romance? Do you have a beau? “

“No? Yes? I don’t know, I just met someone and I don’t know how to officially ask them out on a date but they’re perfect.” He began, eyes dreamily looking to the skies – or at least the top of vehicle – as he began to describe you. “They’re so smart and pretty, they like the same food as I do and they smells like flowers. When they look me straight in the eyes it’s like I can’t function anymore-” He continued, slowly coming back to reality as he noticed that the truck of mostly criminals were staring at him. Clearly embarrassed to be voicing romantic thoughts his voice trailed off. “Oops, sorry. I will now proceed to stop talking.”

“Don’t be afraid Bolin, you can tell us!” A large man said from across the truck, the group of benders had bonded in their short time together.

“Thank you for the encouragement Flaming Hot Death Vishnick, y’know if you hadn’t have burned down all of those hospitals, you’d almost be a good guy.” Bolin responded, the tone of the conversation almost being one of group therapy.

“Awh, thank you Bolin.” The fire bender responded, pleased at his new friends’ words.

“No, thank you Flaming Hot Death-“

“Would you please shut your yaps!” Zolt exclaimed, the only bender of the group that was considerably annoyed with the situation. He had his fair share of kidnappings but none where he had to listen to such, what he deemed to be, garbage.

“This is supposed to be a supportive and caring environment Zolt.” Rag said, glaring at the leader of the Triple Threat Triads.

“Even when you were a kid collecting bets for the pro-bending matches you talked too much,” At that Bolin gulped, still nervous about the fact that it was Lightning Bolt Zolt talking to him, “Listen, I’ve had my fair share of dating experience. You just gotta be confident, and be yourself.”

Bolin’s jaw dropped, did Lightning Bolt Zolt just give him dating advice?

“And make sure to give ‘em something shiny and expensive like this!” At that Rag turned his back to Bolin and flashed the silver ring that fit tightly on the lower end of his ring finger.

“Wha- that’s! How did you get that Rag?” The old man shrugged his shoulders.

“Picked it up off of someone in water tribe clothes, almost got away with it too but they felt it. Luckily there was a lot of people walking around so I lost ‘em in the crowd.”

“Rag! That’s (Y/N)’s ! The person I was talking about! Please, please, please, can I have it to give back to them?”

“But I like shiny things.” He said with disappointment as he felt the ring around his finger.

“And what could be shinier than the thrill of new love?” Bolin asked, getting desperate. Rag sighed, feeling the ring one more time.

“Fine, you can have it kid.”

“Woohoo! Thank you so much Rif Raf Rag, it’ll mean the world to her to get this back.”

“On one condition. You gotta give ol’ Rag a massage.”

Bolin gulped as he looked over the crusty old man.

For (Y/N).

He was going to get that ring back, and as he brought his feet up to the massage the old man next to him he decided if he made it out alive he would ask you out too.

ｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏ

You burst through the bar doors, surprising everyone except the man who had a little too much cactus juice.

“Carole! Bolin’s in trouble!” With your words she quickly shot up from behind the counter, rushing your panicked self over to her.

“What happened?”

“We haven’t seen him since yesterday, and Mako said it’s unlike him to run off without telling anyone.” Carole stopped, her hand moving to a comfortable position under her chin as she thought.

“He hasn’t come back here since we saw the both of you, I’m sorry sweetie I wish I could tell you more.”

Your heart fell.

“But I do have something for you, let me go get it from the back.” Carole said before quickly making her way through the door that led to the kitchen.

“I saw him.”

Your head turned towards the unknown voice, eyes landing on the same eyes that had glared at you the night before.

“But I wouldn’t tell a bender like you, and whatever’s going to happen to him he probably deserves it.” You slowly stepped towards him, trying to control your anger

“Why don’t you just tell me what you saw and we can all have a great day.”

“What, are you going to threaten me with your bending?” He asked with a smirk, other patrons of the bar now focused on the two of you.

“No, I was actually planning to use my fists.” The words came out of you harshly, paired with a sharp glare on your face.

“Bring it on.” He said, shooting up out of his seat. The hot cup of tea that sat next to him wobbled as his arm hit it, the boiling hot liquid splashing on the exposed skin of his left arm. You gasped as you heard a shout of pain escape the man.

Instinctively your body reacted, bending the hot liquid off of his arm, cooling it, then bending it back towards him.

“Ah!” He shouted, expecting the burning liquid to hit him again at full force, but instead he felt a cooling sensation. “Y-you’re healing me?” He asked, baffled as he watched you focus your swirling of the water onto the red area.

“Yup, I guess I am.” You said with a sigh, “apparently I’m not so good at this threatening people thing.”

“I hope you know I’m not asking you to heal me.” He muttered under his breath, blush fanning across his cheeks.

“Is it that hard to admit you’re being helped by bending?”

“Well, uh, you wouldn’t understand what it’s like! You’re not a non-bender.”

“Yeah I’m not. My grandfather was though, so are my parents. I have no doubt that at some point in their lives they had trouble accepting that,” You said as you continued swirl water on his arm, “But in the end they embraced it! My grandfather not only mastered all of the non-bending combat styles, but also designed machines that would work with the aid of bending.”

His eyes widened comically large, he took his good arm and pointed it towards you.

“Your grandfather was the Chieftan of the Southern Water Tribe!?” You laughed at his shock, nodding your head yes.

“The one and only. He came to see the beauty in bending and worked with it, although Gran-Gran did say he was an ass about it at first. He even told my Uncle Tenzin, one of the last air-benders, to not depend only on air-bending because reflexes and strategy were just as important, maybe even more so. I know he’d be saddened to see what’s happening right now.”

The man looked down, processing your words. In this time, you finished healing him leaving his arm, it was as good as new.

“For all I know you could be lying to me.”

You sighed, beginning to make your way to the door.

“Wait.”

You stopped in your tracks.

“I saw him get approached by Shady Shin yesterday while he was on a bench, I know that’s not much but it’s all I got. I also saw some chi-blockers in the area, I don’t know if it’s connected to Amon or not.” His voice was soft as he spoke, not daring to look you in the eyes. You smiled at him,

“Thank you so much.” You said, only to then see Carole jump out of the back-door clasping something in her hands.

“(Y/N)! Before you leave!” She said making her way towards you while slightly out of breath. “This is my lucky stone, I don’t give it to just anyone now. When you see that Amon, I want you to throw it at him for giving non-benders a bad name! If anyone doesn’t like it, they can eat a scorching hot soup dumpling.” The short shop owner in front of you radiated anger when talking about the masked man. You took the stone from her hand and held it over your own heart.

“I promise.”

She nodded to you as you left the building to find Korra and Mako, now excited at the prospect of throwing a stone at Amon.

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“Korra, fix the scarf.” You said as you looked both Mako and Korra up and down. When you found them and told them you heard Bolin’s kidnapping might be related to Amon they brought up the fliers they got from an equalist at the park with maps on the back.

From there the three of you quickly got disguises and conned your way into the building, finding Pabu along the way. You took a lot of joy in forcing Mako and Korra to pretend to be a couple.

“I knew a lot of people hated benders, but I’ve never seen so many in one place.” Mako said as he watched the large crowd ripple in waves, united only by what you could only assume was fear or hatred. “Keep your eyes out for Bolin.”

The lights snapped on, filling the large stage with a stark brightness as an announcer began to echo through the room.

“Please welcome your hero, your savior, Amon!” The audience burst out in cheers, some screaming so emphatically their faces reddened. The man next to the three of you ripped off his shirt and circled it above his head in excitement, spreading his scent to all nearby. In front of the large Amon poster on the stage shadowed figures rose from the ground, of which you could only assume Amon was one of.

The overhead lighting then flashed on; you couldn’t help the small gasp that you released.

You saw the mask that had been on all those posters. Amon.

“My quest for equality began many years ago.” he said, his hands gesturing outwards. “When I was a boy my family and I lived on a small farm. We weren’t rich, and none of us were benders. This made us very easy targets for the fire bender who extorted my father.” Amon began to pace around the stage, the bright lighting that reflected from his mask leaving a mark of terror on you.

“One day my father confronted this man, but when he did that fire bender took my family from me. Then he took my face. I’ve been forced to hide behind a mask ever since.” Gasps emerged from the crowd and from what you heard they seemed justified.

“As you know, the avatar has recently arrived in Republic City.” He said, the crowd now igniting in fierce boos that reminded Korra to pull Mako’s scarf up.

“And if she were here, she would tell you that bending brings balance to the world.” Amon paused, letting his deep voice resonate within the room. “She is wrong, the only thing bending has brought to the world is suffering. It has been the cause of every war in every era.”

At this you couldn’t help but feel as if he were wrong. There were most definitely benders that were terrible people, but you had a sneaking suspicion even if people couldn’t bend, they’d still find a reason to take advantage of others and go to war.

“That is about to change. I know you have been wondering what the revelation is, well you’re about to get your answer. Since the beginning to time spirits have acted as guardians of our world, and they have spoken to me. They say the avatar has failed humanity, that is why the spirits have chosen me to usher in a new era of balance. They have granted me a power that will make equality a reality, the power to take a person’s bending away. Permanently.”

You gulped, eyes widening as your deepest fear was realized. The three of you looked at each other in disbelief, your hands now both clinging to Mako and Korra’s.

“That’s impossible.” Korra muttered.

“He’s insane! There’s no way.” Mako said, but you felt that his confidence in his own words was wavering.

“Now for a demonstration, please welcome Lightning Bolt Zolt. Leader of Triple Threat Triad, and one of the most notorious criminals in Republic City.” You heard, but your brain couldn’t process a thing as soon as you saw Bolin being ushered on stage. The same Bolin that had been slurping noodles was now displayed in front of a crowd with his hands bound behind his back. The flash of the intense white light that shone across his face caused him to wince. Your heart began beating erratically as the chi-blockers forced him to his knees, his face twisting into one of terror as he went down with the other benders. He was finally here, but you had no way to get to him.

Your gaze fell to the palms of your hands; they were trembling. No, you couldn’t. Although the light peeking in from the full moon suggested otherwise.

“There’s Bolin.” Korra said, beginning to walk forward. Mako put his arm out effectively stopping her. The two of you looked at each other and nodded, now was not the time.

“We can’t fight all of them. We have to come up with a plan.” Mako said, eyes shifting between the both of you and the stage.

“Well then come up with a plan, Team Captain.”

Your eyes scanned the room quickly, landing on the two tanks connected to pipes.

“Those tanks,” you began, grabbing both Mako and Korra. “They’re powered by water and steam; they should connect to the pipes in the back.”

“So, if one of us goes back there and creates cover,” Mako started.

“Then we can grab Bolin without ever being seen.” You finished, the three of you nodded. Korra immediately began to make her way to the back as you could only stand and watch.

The crowd booed at Zolt, causing him to retaliate in not the most mature of ways.

“Oh, boo yourself!” He shouted as the crowd continued their passionate displays of hatred.

“Zolt has amassed a fortune by extorting and abusing non-benders, but his reign of terror is about to come to an end.” Amon announced before turning his head to the side, facing the leader of the Triple Threat Triads. “Now, in the interest of fairness, I will give Zolt the chance to fight to keep his bending.”

Zolt smirked clearly resonating cockiness as he faced the masked man. “You’re going to regret doing that pal!”

Immediately Zolt began throwing fire at Amon, the man with the mask skillfully dodging each and every flame filled burst with fluidity and speed as he approached Zolt. The fire benders eyes widened, a blue cackle of electricity shot out of his fingers in desperation, again Amon dodged it. Then grabbing the arm the lighting was coming from and twisting, Amon had positioned Zolt in such a way that his thumb could find a comfortable resting spot on Zolt’s forehead.

Both you and Mako watched in terror as the lightning coming from Zolt’s fingers began to lessen in power, slowly becoming reduced to flames, then to nothing at all.

Zolt tried to get up, his body weak from the interaction. His fist reached out in an attempt to fire bend. Nothing.

“What did you do to me?” He asked. Seeing the leader of such a notorious gang on the floor in front of Amon was almost symbolic. The power he held so large that he didn’t even have to break a sweat.

“Your fire bending is gone forever. A new era of equality has begun!” Amon said as he raised his fist, the audience did the same while they cheered. Instead your fist lay clasped at your side, sticky with sweat as Amon called the next bender forward.

C’mon Korra. You thought as the numbers began to dwindle, there was only so much time before it was Bolin.

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She took a quick glance both left and right before leaving the main area of the building and sneaking to the back. Her steps were both fast and quiet as she tried to make her ways to the pipes that you had mentioned.

Her nerves were high because of Bolin, but also because of you. With the full moon your power would be unbridled, and if anything were to happen where you exposed yourself… Korra sighed at the thought, just hoping you would be alright. She had to keep it a secret, for you. Blood bending is illegal.

While scanning the room her eyes came across a red wheel connected to the pipes. She quickly made her way over, turning the wheel as hard as she could resulting in a small stream of steam.

“What are you doing here?” Korra turned slowly, slightly hoping that in the time it took for her to turn around he would leave her alone. When fully turned she looked up to see a large man. Shit.

“Is there a problem, my brother?” She asked feigning complete innocence with a smile. Her entire face having to tilt upwards to look at him. His expression was one of undoubted suspicion as he looked Korra up and down.

“What are you doing back here?”

“Uh, looking for the bathroom?” She winced, despite using that line a lot, not once has it worked for her.

Apparently, it didn’t work again as she saw the man reach to his side and pull out a wrench, aiming for her head. She dodged it, quickly leaving harms way as the wrench hit the pipe that was behind her.

Using Mako’s scarf she tied the man’s arm to it, swinging him until she had the momentum to throw him at the three pipes. Steam began rushing out of only one.

“This isn’t enough.” She said to herself, knowing that she lacked time. Frantically she looked around the room, the only way to get enough steam would be to break the other two pipes. She turned to them and started fire bending through one of them.

“I just hope I’m not too late.” She thought.

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You watched as the water bender with particularly sharp teeth next to Bolin screamed in resistance and felt your body cringe as you heard the thud of his hitting the floor.

Bolin was next.

“Mako, I’m going to distract them until Korra gets the steam going.” you whispered, indiscreetly obtaining the attention of the fire bender. “Pretend you don’t know me, it’ll be easier. Go help Korra.”

“(Y/N) what are you talking about?” Mako asked, eyes wide. Instead of responding you pulled out the stone from Carole, kissing it for good luck.

“This one’s for Carole!” You shouted as you threw it onto the stage. The stone in its grandiose hit Amon right on the forehead of his mask, but it wasn’t enough to take it off. The crowd gasped and looked around for the rebel.

“Now give me back my friend!”

The chi-blockers closest to your row immediately tried to grab you, your hands thrusting out and around you bending a harsh wave of the water from your vial towards them, effectively knocking them off their feet. You could feel the power of the full moon surging from within you, and as you looked at the chi-blockers that were now on the ground you feared you would succumb to it.

A wave of new chi-blockers now approached you, there were too many to handle. Despite this you felt relief as you looked at the stage. Amon was distracted, for now. You watched as Mako made his way to through the door Korra had.

“Stop.” Amon’s calm voice said as his settled on you, you felt your skin crawl.

“Let the bender speak.”

Your heart dropped, the eyes of everyone from the audience now on you. You felt yourself begin to sweat, the room becoming smaller and smaller as everyone waited for your voice. You hadn’t expected this, you didn’t know what kind of game he was playing but you did know it would buy you time. The chi-blockers began to close in on you, suspecting that violence was to come instead of an answer.

Taking a deep breath you reassured yourself, “If anyone doesn’t like it, they can eat a scorching hot soup dumpling.”

“Everyone please!” You began, the volume of your voice surprising you as it resonated within the room. “These people are innocent just like you! Well, most of them.” You said as you looked at Lighting Bolt Zolt. “There shouldn’t be such a divide between benders and non-benders. I know there are bad people in the world, I truly do. Taking away bending isn’t the solution; people will do anything to gain power! Who’s to say a man that would use bending to rob a store wouldn’t still rob the store if he wasn’t a bender with like a knife or something!”

At this you looked over the crowd, scanning the faces of those closest to you.

“When one of those bad people are benders their power is exacerbated, it’s a big problem. Although I’d argue that there are good and bad benders just as there are non-benders!”

“Like the bender that robbed my store?! They’re good?!” The shirtless man shouted from the audience, a chorus of yeahs and mhms coming to his support.

“No! That’s completely not my point! Also sir, I think everyone around you would appreciate it if you put your shirt back on.” He sniffed himself, frowning before sulkily dressing himself again.

“Bending has its beauty! There are so many good uses for it including healing,” at this some people in the crowd hummed in agreement. “My grandfather was an amazing non-bender, and so are my father and mother! They’re not helpless because they’re not benders!”

“Then why do you have such a problem with Amon taking peoples bending away!?” Someone from the audience called out.

“Yeah! Is becoming a non-bender that terrible!”

“If we’re all the same then why don’t we all have bending!”

This wasn’t going well. Your eyes began to dart around in panic.

“No! It’s not like that! It’s just- “You started, but more hecklers began voicing their opinions. The room began to grow smaller as your fear doubled in size, like a darkness that was slowly engulfing every part of the room.

“Interesting words,” Amon said slowly, approaching Bolin on the stage. “for a blood bender.” The crowd gasped; how did he know?

Your entire body was trembling, they all hated you and you could feel it. You looked at Bolin on the and saw the fear in his eyes, only he wasn’t looking at Amon.

“No, I’m not!” You defended; he didn’t know. No one knew.

“We’ll see about that.” Amon said, sounding almost as if he was smiling under his mask. With a nod from his head, two chi-blockers held Bolin down and Amon began walking towards him. No, no, no, no. There was no way you could get there in time. Bolin’s face shifted into one of horror as Amon grabbed his chin, looking him in the eyes.

His thumb approached Bolin’s forehead. You were sweating, your heart feeling as if it were to come out of your chest. Vision blurry from the tears that threatened to erupt from your eyes. Nausea blossomed in your stomach and your throat felt tight as your breaths became shorter and more frequent. Your morals. Your reputation. Your promise.

Bolin.

You had to do something. With a deep breath you focused, channeling the energy of the full moon into your body. The time was now. You raised your arms and they moved so naturally it scared you, the chi-blockers holding Bolin down began to contort in pain. Their bodies twisting and spazzing as you raised them above Bolin and flung them to the side.

It felt natural.

Without another thought you bended the water from your vial to make a frozen path to the stage, running on it and melting it before the guards could even blink. Amon backed away from Bolin letting the chi-blockers surround you. In an instant the group of eight were in the air, you slammed each one down onto the stage trying your best to just knock them out.

For some reason, Amon displayed no fear. The two of you stood on stage watching each other intently. You slowly backed yourself towards Bolin while the you and Amon continued to stare at each other. The other chi-blockers stood on guard, waiting for your move.

“She can manipulate our bodies to do whatever she wants, and yet she speaks of equality.” He said. You noticed the bruises that Bolin bore on his body, and the way his arm looked bent out of shape. Anger bubbled within you filling every part of your body, infecting your mind. You wanted them all to face consequences for what they had done.

You closed your eyes, summoning a hurricane of water beneath yourself. Not only the water from your vial, but water from the entire building began to fly towards your form. You needed to hurt him. Your arms raised again, this time with deep intention and purpose.

“(Y/N)! Don’t! It’s what he wants!” You heard Bolin exclaim, but you were too far gone. You aimed all the water that swirled beneath you at Amon, the harsh currents knocking him off of his feet. With the power of the moon you were fast. You began punching hard bursts of water at him, he managed to evade some.

Your attention then went to the chi-blockers that began to interfere after noticing the severity of the situation, your hands began circling the air, moving with the fluidity of water itself. The water around you followed this rhythm, only stopping when you flung them as ice shards at the chi-blockers, pinning them to the wall behind the stage.

Your eyes then flew to Amon standing calmly, it infuriated you. Your arms raised, blood bending him. He paused in his tracks and you could see his eyes widen from beneath his mask. You then saw him begin to struggle against it.

There’s no way.

The audience held their breath as they saw Amon’s body tremble on stage. He seemed to be putting excessive force on every muscle in his body for the chance to move. His body began to shake more, you desperately tried to concentrate harder but there was nothing you could do.

He took one step. And then another.

The audience began to cheer.

You felt something familiar in the way he was resisting your bending, how was it possible. The only was was if-

“Amon’s a blood bender.” You thought to yourself right before Amon dashed up the side of the wall, knocking you down as he did so. You grunted as your body came crashing to the ground, not having enough energy to soften your fall.

“Benders like her are evil, and they should not have the power they do.” Amon said as he slowly began to approach your body on the ground. You were paralyzed in fear as his large figure leaned over you, your tearful eyes darting around only to find themselves completely encompassed by Amon.

He grabbed your chin, pulling your face towards him. You did everything you could to pull backwards, to get away from him, to get away from everything.

“After I take your bending away, you will be nothing.”

The room went silent.

The only thing you could hear was your heart beating against your chest.

Then, you felt the light press of his thumb against your forehead.

The pain you felt was excruciating.

Your muscles seized before your body began to shake. You wanted nothing more than for it to end, the searing and burning that you felt. Your throat began to feel tight as your core tightened with it, the nausea from before now becoming dominant in its presence.

So, this is what it felt like to be blood bent.

Your knees hit the floor, the echo resonating. Through the haze of the pain you could hear muffled yells coming from the earth bender that you had come to know.

“Prepare to be equalized.”

Those were the last words you heard before your world became submerged in water. The only image before your eyes was Amon, and behind him the white light of the moon.

Your world faded to darkness.

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“Korra! Are you okay?” Mako asked as he rushed through the door, accidentally stepping on the man whose body had been flung to the ground.

“Yes! I’m fine but help me break this last pipe! Hurry!” Mako nodded and immediately began to fire bend, Korra coming to help him with the copper pipe.

“(Y/N)’s distracting Amon right now.” Korra’s eyes widened at the news, she hadn’t been fast enough. Despite copper having a high melting point, the fire from the two of them released a flurry of steam. Exactly what they needed.

“I’ll go get Naga, you get Bolin and (Y/N). Meet me outside by the ladder!” Mako nodded, about to leave when Korra grabbed his arm.

“Good luck Mako.”

“Good luck Korra.”

The pair held hands for a moment before parting ways, Mako making his way back through the door he came through. The crowd has now completely dispersed, the steam had done its trick. He struggled to see through it, taking careful steps as he made his way to the stage.

At any moment he could run into his brother, or an equalist. His other senses were heightened as he attempted to evade the fog. While walking, he saw two figures. He stepped closer.

“Bolin!” Mako exclaimed as he saw his brother kneeling on the floor, as he further examined, he noticed someone else on the floor. (Y/N).

“Oh no.”

He then turned to Bolin who wore an expression of shock as he stared at the ground.

“She saved me.” He muttered as Mako made his way behind him to untie the ropes that bound him. An equalist saw this as an opportunity, trying to grab your unconscious self. That is, until he was stopped by the harsh clash of a fist striking from under his chin. Out of his ropes Bolin punched the equalist as hard as he could, anger coming over him as he saw your limp body. He picked you up gently, holding you close against him.

The two benders walked out of the building, letting the steam cover the tracks behind them.

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A throbbing pain echoed throughout your head.

Water.

Your mouth was dry, you needed water.

Slowly, you opened your eyes. The light in the room was blinding, you raised your arm to block it from your view.

“(Y/N)?” You heard a soft voice ask. Not being able to speak you let a groan out in response, raising yourself up off of the bed. Before you had time to process you felt a presence encompass you, warm and gentle in its touch. You reveled against it letting your body fall limp. Bolin. You were surprised as you felt a wetness on your face, you gripped Bolin even harder as you let the tears stream freely.

You felt the touch of Amon on your forehead, it all came back. The look on Bolin’s face while you blood bended flashed in your mind, still fresh. Hurriedly, you grabbed him. Pulling apart from your embrace just far enough to meet his eyes, noses touching. You cradled his face, pressing your forehead against his.

“Bolin, you’re okay.” You said, smiling feebly. His mouth flew open in exasperation.

“What do you mean I’m okay?! You’re okay!” He said before bringing you back into a hug. He wasn’t used to comforting people like this, but in this moment, everything happened naturally. He brought his hand to your cheeks, carefully wiping some of the tears off of your face. “The others went to go get some food, they told me to let them know when you woke up.” He said, getting up. You grabbed his arm causing him to turn around in surprise.

“Not yet.” You muttered. He gave you a gentle smile as he sat back down on the bed.

“Bolin I was so scared.” You admitted, the panic still fresh in your mind. He began to rub your back in a circular motion.

“I know. I know.” He said, eyes determined. “We’ll never let that happen again.” Albeit a bit dramatic his words rang through your mind.

“You don’t have to pretend you’re not afraid of me.” You said with a sigh, averting his gaze.

“What are you talking about?”

“You saw what I did. I fell right into Amon’s trap.” Your voice so small the earth bender could barely hear it. He fell silent, his eyes focused on the floor as he listened. “It was during the full moon, but I can- or at least could - blood bend at any time.” At this his eyes widened, the were now on you.

“That’s… Possible?”

“I was blessed by the spirit of the moon, except it’s more of a curse. The power I would feel when under it terrified me, I became scared of it. When I was hurting those people at first it was just to protect you but at one point I-I wanted to be doing it. It terrifies me how addictive it became in such a short span of time,” You brought you knees to your chest. “I promised Gran-Gran I would never do it again but, here we are.” You let out a strangled laugh, one that soon turned into a cry.

“(Y/N)-“

“No Bolin, no one should ever have that kind of power. And I thought I was the only one until-“

“(Y/N), listen. Was seeing you blood bend all those guys at the same time as well as Amon super scary to watch, yes! Absolutely! Did I think about it for a while afterwards, also yes.” Your heart panged, of course he was scared. What else could someone be after seeing what had happened, but he continued.

“Did I also see you throw a rock at Amon’s face and tell a shirtless man to dress himself while in the middle of giving an inspirational speech, yes!” With that you laughed, not fully realizing what you had done in the midst of your panic.

“Do I not really care that you were a blood bender and just really want to get to know you because you’re the nicest person I’ve met in a while, Pabu likes you, and now so does my brother I think?”

“Also yes?”

“A thousand times yes.” He said with a goofy grin plastered on his face. “I know we’ve just met but I feel like it’s been ages!”

“Probably because of the whole you getting kidnapped and me losing my bending thing.” You suggested nonchalantly, heart skipping a beat as his hand brushed yours.

“Oh right! That could be a cause of that, yes.” You giggled, causing Bolin’s smile growing wider. All he wanted to do was make you feel better. As your laughing slowed a strange tension filled the room, one you hadn’t expected. Your gaze was locked in on his, both of you feeling each other’s breath due to your sheer closeness.

“(Y/N)!” From the door you saw Korra come rushing in with a pile of bread. Bolin shot up immediately, knocking over the cup of water next to your bed. “Bolin! You were supposed to tell us if (Y/N) woke up!”

“Oh yeah! I was supposed to, wasn’t I?” He said as he filled the room with nervous laughter, “You know me! Always forgetting, right Pabu?” In response the fire ferret chirped at his side. Korra ran to you, throwing the pile of bread to Mako. As she embraced you tightly, she was also examining your injured body.

You heard someone clear their throat, looking up you saw Mako.

“Thank you, for helping me find my brother.” He said. You nodded, instead of being focused on what was being said to you your mind flew into uncertainty. What did they really think of you now?

“Here, let me go get you a tissue.” He said, his attention now on the puddle of water on your sheets.

“No, don’t worry. I got it.” You said, attempting to bend the water away from you. Your fingers moved but water didn’t. “Oh. Right.”

“(Y/N) don’t you worry, we are going to get every healer to try and get your bending back. You could even go to see Katara.” Korra reassured, grabbing your shoulder. The thing is, you didn’t even know if you wanted it back. Maybe Amon was meant to bring balance, maybe he took away your blood bending for a greater good.

The three looked at you, and then each other. Noting the solemn expression on your face.

“(Y/N), I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you. No matter what.” Korra said, the sincerity in her voice made your breath hitch.

“You helped me get my brother back, I can’t thank you enough.” Mako added, coming closer to stand besides Korra. The two looked back at Bolin, apparently it was his turn.

“You’re selfless! Gorgeous! Funny! Kind! Super strong! Compassionate-“He started before Korra cut him off with a laugh.

“I think we get the idea Bolin.” You looked at the three in front of you, all smiling and reaffirming you with their gentle gazes. It was then you knew you had found something special.

“Group hug!” Bolin shouted before taking his large arms and grabbing the three of you, pushing all of you together. As you all glanced between your squished faces bursts of laughter began to arise. It seemed Bolin could cheer you up after anything, although as the laughter slowed you couldn’t hide the feeling in the pit of your stomach.

This time another person came into the room, one you couldn’t be happier to see.

“Uncle Tenzin!” You called out; his eyes filled with relief as he saw that you were awake.

“Wha- Bolin! You were supposed to let me know when (Y/N) was awake!” Tenzin said, shaking his head in exasperation before quickly making his way over to you and giving you a hug.

“Pfft. Awake, asleep, I mean what’s the difference, right?” Bolin laughed nervously but Tenzin’s attention was elsewhere.

“(Y/N)? Are you alright? How are you feeling?” He asked panicked, looking over you the same way Korra had.

“Uncle, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” He let out with a sigh. “We were all so worried when we’d heard what happened. The kids really wanted to see you but I wasn’t sure if you were ready for all of that erhm…” He paused as he thought of a way to describe his children, “energy.”

“I’m honestly fine Uncle.” You said reassuring him. He gave you a soft smile, he had a special place in his heart for the little water bender that hailed from his uncle.

“Well, you let us know if you need anything at all. I have to leave air temple island for a bit but I’ll see you soon.” You nodded, bidding your uncle farewell leaving the previous four of you in the room with silence. Korra and Mako looked at each other before Korra spoke up,

“We’re just gonna go ahead and give you guys some room.” She said as the two of them exited as well. Just you and Bolin again.

“Oh! I forgot to bring this up before but.” He reached into his pockets, searching deeply for something with his tongue sticking slightly out. “Here it is!”

In his palm you saw your ring, immense relief flooding your heart.

“Oh my goodness! Bolin how did you find this?”

His body recoiled, face cringing as he remembered the massage he gave Rif Raf Rag.

“Let’s not talk about that. But (Y/N), I’m sure you know your grandfather, the councilman himself! The man graced with the gift of science and innovation. We’re talking engineering water-bending power submarines, we’re taking advanced math and geometry skills, we’re talking the man who took down combustion man!”

“Yes, I do know, that’s why the thought of losing this ring made me so sad. It was like I was losing the only part of him that I had.”

“No, (Y/N), that’s not the only part of him you have.” You looked at Bolin in confusion, he moved to come sit next to you once again. “You come from such a cool line of non-benders, I just want you to know how amazing you are even without your bending. You’re so smart it absolutely blows me away. Not to mention all the ten thousand amazing other things you are. I’m sure you’ll be able to get your bending back, but even if you don’t I think you could use your brain to make something awesome like your Grandpa!”

You gave him a soft smile, heart blooming at his words. Just like before you noticed your heart beating a little bit faster now that he was besides you.

“You’re too kind.”

“Nope! I’m just being honest.” He said. “And while I’m being honest…” He began, the way his fingers began bouncing off of each other exuding nervousness.

You just gotta be confident, and be yourself.

“When you’re ready of course, wouldyoumaybewanttogoonadatewithme?” He asked eyes tightly shut, saying his last sentence so quickly that you could barely register it. So much for the confidence.

You laughed at his embarrassment, although he took that as rejection.

“Oh, nevermin-“

“Of course Bolin!” You exclaimed, “I was hoping you’d ask.”

“Woohoo!” He shouted, turning to face Pabu in excitement. With his cheek exposed you decided to give him a surprise, preparing your lips to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Although as soon as he had turned around he had turned back to you.

You weren’t sure if your heart stopped or time did when your lips met. The flutter in your heart that was present before now becoming overbearing. The only thing your mind could focus on was how his lips felt against yours, and the extreme burning you felts from your cheeks. As soon as it accidentally started, it also accidentally ended.

“What are you doing with my cousin?!” Meelo yelled in an accusatory tone, pointing at Bolin as he burst through the door. Both you and Bolin pulled away immediately, embarrassed beyond belief. The expression on Bolin’s face leading you to think that he didn’t even believe what had just happened but the grin on his face reminding you he liked it.

“I came here to see my favorite cousin-“

“Meelo, I’m your only cousin.”

“Besides the point! Who are you strange man!?”

“So you guys are going to have a bunch of babies!” Ikki exclaimed in happiness, bouncing around the room. You sighed, nothing was ever a secret with these kids. Soon Pema came, grabbing the two of them and leaving with quick apologies.

“They’re cute,” Bolin said with a yawn, his face now appearing very tired.

“They are, aren’t they.” You responded, but when you looked back Bolin had already drifted off into sleep.

You stood up, making your ways to the curtains. Taking a deep breath you opened them, letting the white light of the moon that you were terrified of before stream into your room. It encased both you and Bolin, and for the first time, you weren’t scared.

ｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏｏ

“I don’t mean to dampen to mood, but there’s a pressing issue at hand.” The four of you looked at Tenzin intensely, waiting for him to continue.

“Word’s got out that you blood bended. The council wants to send you to trial.”

lmao jk y’all, I hoped you like it. Again thank you to @the-quackson-brothers

And to the other requests I have don’t worry! I’m working on them and I really appreciate them it’s just orgo 2 is kicking my behind.

Taglist: @itsametaphorbriansblog @cottage-babe2 @ajwantsapancake @bbecc-a @kiaoizz @ilovespideyyy tysm all of you, you made my entire life w your kind words ahhhhhh

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chappedandfadedvds · 3 years

Text

Nov 6th, Friday 00:10

Starting with notes, huh?

well usually I don’t give songs to these clips, only one for the weekly chapter. though I have a spotify playlist for this, and I wrote this chapter to this song on repeat at 2 am at night... so I’d recommand doing the same for this and the next clip. it is the weekly song as well Agnes Obel - Familiär

__ __ __

Never in his life had Jens been downstairs as fast as he was this night. Heart beating vast in his chest to a degree that should be worriying. Two steps at once. Three steps at once. His hand had found the door knob blind, as his eyes were transfixed on the shadow outside, behind the milky little window. He only wore his sweats and barely managed to grab a shirt to throw over before opening the door.

There he stood. Lucas. Hair damp from the light rain he had walked through. Perhaps rain was just about to become their weather. A nervous smile graced his lips, as his eyes darted up and down from the ground at their feet to Jens’s face.

It suddenly hit him, that he was here at his house at midnight on a thursday.

„You know that there is a curfew in place?“ Jens tried casualy as he wasn’t sure what to expect from this awfully dreamlike situation. Maybe it was just that, and Jens was actually fast asleep in his bed upstairs.

Lucas grinned at his words, before he reconsidered and pressed his lips shut into a thin line, thinking.

He looked up then, finally meeting Jens’s gaze.

„I almost was here on time, so I think I am safe. I’ve even got my own pair of sweats this time.“

The implication left Jens at a loss for words. So much so that Lucas swallowed uncomfortably before resuming to explain his sudden appearance after three days of ontensible avoidence.

„I’m leaving for Utrecht tomorrow at 10 and I won’t be back til late sunday evening. And knowing I won’t be able to see you, I decided to come here. It was a bit on a whim to be honest. But I think we need to talk.“ Jens only nodded silently.

„Also,“ Lucas proceeded to take his backpack from his shoulder, to open it up. Jens found him pulling out a paper box, that had been placed at the top inside. The lid was off the next second and it presented Jans with a store brought piece of cake, that definitely had seen better days. It’s tip very much dented, buttercream spread throughout the box itself. It was the cutest and best gift he had ever gotten, as it hold a single candle and a small written note: Happy birthday

Lucas cleared his throat, which made Jens look up, to find the boy infront of him blushing slightly as he actually began to sing a birthday song to him. In a whisper so soft that the rain almost swallowed it up. Jens stared at him mesmerised, as he was hit by a whirwind of emotions. From absolute adoration over this boy to confusion and dispair, beacuse not just fifteen minutes ago, he was so sure that Lucas ignored him and that Jens had fucked it all up.

„Fuck, forgot to light the candle.“ Lucas exclaimed startled. And Jens decided to just let this minute take him whereever this would go. So he laughed and leaned forward, closing his eyes and blowing the flame out in pretence. Once his eyes were back on Lucas, he was greeted by another wide smile, this time it stayed, until the boy across of Jens shivered. The lightness of the moment gone with it.

„I can also go. This might have been a stupid idea to begin with.“ Lucas rushed his words out, trying to cover up his nervosity, about to flee from Jens’s frontstep.

„We just have to be quiet, when we go upstairs, don’t want to wake my mom or sister at this time. I agree. We should talk.“ Jens stepped aside to let the boy in, who took off his shoes and then both of them were tiptoeing up the stairs, only daring to speak again, once the door to Jens’s room closed behind them.

Lucas put his backpack at the foot of the bed, before sitting down on it, the box with the cake carefully placed beside him. Jens followed him to take a seat on the other side. The two of them looking anywhere but at each other

„I’m sorry.“ They both said almost in unison, making them giggle at the odd coincidence.

„Why are you apologising? I was the one who kissed the girl.“ Jens said confused, risking a glance over. Lucas was kneading his hands, seemingly sorrowful, for a reason Jens didn’t understand.

He waited. And waited. And waited.

As long as it took for Lucas to give him an answer.

He got one in from of another question.

„What do you want out of this?“

„I...ehm...I don’t get it. What?“ Jens replied and bent down to try to get a better look at the boys face staring in to the folded hands in his lap.

„I promised myself, when I came here, I wouldn’t fall for the straight guy again.“ Lucas was barely able to keep his voice from trembling as his eyes looked dangerously close to get teary. It became clear to Jens that maybe he had gotten it all wrong, that the boy hadn’t ignored him solely for a misguided kiss.

„The others had talked so much over all your female conquests after Moyo had seen you with that girl. I’m not sure if I made this between us into more than it really is. In Utrecht I was in love for so long with my best friend who was straight. But he was always so close, and touching, and jokingly flirting with me, that I could almost imagine more, when there never was a chance for it to happen. And I really don’t want to go through this again. I can’t“ Lucas seemed to have collected enough courage to look up at Jens, with tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. It broke Jens’s heart. „I really can’t, Jens. I can’t, so if you are just playing around, or are curious but not actually interested, or are just that close with your firends, please, let me know, so I can stop hoping for more.“

Jens had been uncertain about his feelings for the last week, shocked by it’s surprising appearence, as he never deemed it possible to yearn for another boy in this way. That was until this moment right here, listening to the boy’s distress. For whatever reason his heart had decided on Lucas and Jens would just have to accept it. Labels be damned.

He took a deep breath, before reaching over to place his hand on Lucas’s, taking hold of it.

„I don’t know what I am, to be honest, but I know that you are not falling for a straight guy it looks like.“

There was the second of utter silence between them, as they hold their breath over the realisation that Jens had just thrown his strongly believed sexuality out of the window. Good riddance, he thought as in an blink of an eye, Lucas began to cry, dropping his head onto Jens’s shoulder, the boy’s hands grabbing onto the fabric of his shirt, leaving Jens to do the only thing he could think of. He pulled the crying boy into a tight embrace, trying to hold both of them upright. Gently kissing the top of his head as good as Jens could from that angle.

He supposed that he wouldn’t really catch much sleep tonight. His alarm would ring at 6:30, just enough time to get Lotte ready for school and drop her off. So roughly six hours left.

And for the first time, in a long, long time, he didn’t mind at all.

#week 2 #wtfock #skam #vds #jens stoffels #lucas van der heijden #chapped and faded #this is actually happening #:0 #i rewrote this like ten times

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forsakentoast · 4 years

Text

WildFlower

*Thought you’ve seen the last of me? Me too. Life ain’t vibing well but I’m trying. Hope you enjoy a taste of what’s to come! Thank you Din for helping me*

Hateno had provided an atmosphere of comfort, a home far from home. Whether it was watching the village children run around and play a game of chase or have a small soak off by Wild’s house, everything was just so relaxing. Even on rainy days, the heroes would often find themselves in contentment under the big tree, chatting away with Bolson and Karson.

One of the favorite places on the list to visit was the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab. And that is where some of the heroes are currently found.

“Man, it kind of sucks that the others are not here.”

“Well, you already know that Time and Twilight are wary of this place and prefer to not be near here if not needed, Hyrule.”

“I know, Warriors. But there are so many cool things here though! Like this!” Hyrule delicately took a small bottle that contained a blue beetle. “I bet Sky would have loved to see this little guy.”

Taking a closer look at the beetle, Warriors admired the blue color that donned its shell. It was kinda nice. Particularly the blue. Taking the bottle from Hyrule to get a better look, Warriors took one last look and put it back from where Hyrule got it.

Despite the lab not being big, the small space still harbored so many interesting things that the heroes loved looking through. Purah even threatened to kick them out after Sky almost knocked over some vials of green liquids and some other mishaps... Something about hard to get parts and what not to make those liquids. Curiosity was always running wild when it came to pry on boxes that obviously were labeled: DO NOT TOUCH!

When Wind let curiosity win, he barely opened the box when a shoe appeared out of nowhere, narrowly missing Wind’s head by a few inches. When Wild would tell stories of Purah’s anger, especially when she found out that her diary was read, no one really believed him… Until that fateful day. Never had they deemed Purah to be so murderous to those who offended. And never did they want to. All of them were barred from entering the lab for three weeks. Once the ban was lifted, that box was no longer there. What happened to it? No one knows. But no one rose any questions. From then on, Purah and Symin made boundaries of where off-limits were at.

“Whoa! Warriors, come look at this!”

Looking at Hyrule’s back, Warriors made his way towards the other when suddenly Hyrule turned with some weird looking thing in his hands, pointed directly at him. Warriors could not help but put his hands up and stare at Hyrule.

“Y-you should put that thing down yeah?”

“But isn’t it cool though? I wonder what it is.”

“Whatever it is, I don’t think we should touch it.”

Turning it around to show it better, Hyrule responded, “I mean… it wasn’t in the off-limits area.”

Closing his eyes, Warriors took a deep breath and mentally told himself, ‘It’s a trap. Be the bigger person and resist.’ Over and over as a mental mantra.

“And Purah didn’t say anything to not touch it. So...”

Dammit. He was right. Purah did say they couldn’t snoop or grab anything in the off-limits zones. Technically, this thing wasn’t in that zone. Plus, she didn’t comment anything on it before leaving with Wind and Wild. So it was okay, right? Of course it was.

Stepping closer to the thing and ghosting his fingers over as if it would have burned suddenly. Finally settling on the thought that it was completely harmless, Warriors took the thing from Hyrule.

“Hmmm… I wonder what sound it would make,” Warriors said as he aimed it someplace else. “I’d say… bam bam!”

“That sounds so stupid though.”

“As if you know any better,” came the hot reply.

Taking the thing away from Warriors, Hyrule gave it another once over. “Hmmmm… I think it would be like pew pew.”

“That sounds even more stupid than mine! Where would you even get a sound like that? You know what, I don’t even want to know. I think we should put it back. I hear footsteps approaching from outside.”

“I’m just going to put it on the table. Looks like it didn’t belong where I got it from.” Walking towards the table, Hyrule continued, “Besides, Purah won’t get mad. It still is in th- oh… I am falling.”

The worst of luck was going down as Hyrule accepted his fate to fall, Warriors reaction was slow, and Wild decided to walk right in at the exact moment the thing clattered to the ground, releasing a high pitched sound and shot out a beam of light towards the frozen boy at the door.

After time finally seemed to start once more, Hyrule lifted himself up from the floor and mumbled to himself, “At least we know the sound it makes.”

----

Hyrule did everything in his power to look anywhere but the disappointed stare Time gave.

Purah was looking over Wild who seemed to be responding well to the impromptu physical. One could see the way Wild was holding back on rolling his eyes when Twilight would demand he did whatever task Purah had given him.

Clutching his tunic and looking to meet the eyes of Wind, Hyrule silently begged with his eyes to have him do something, anything, to break the almost suffocating stare Time was delivering. Warriors was let off a bit easier, but not Hyrule. He admitted his crime to Time as he felt the guilt consume him a little. But this, the stare, it was suffocating. And he knew that Time was severely disappointed. Gosh… was this how Wind, Wild, and Twilight felt? He put everything to beg Wind to get the message and was greatly relieved when the young hero got the cry for help.

“H-” Wind barely opened his mouth before Time lifted a hand, effectively silencing whatever the young lad was about to say. The stare never left Hyrule.

“No, Wind. He is in time out and he knows it.”

Drat.

“Tell me, young man,” shoulders tensed as Hyrule knew who was addressing him, “Care to tell me why you were touching the age-reversing rune?”

It was hard not to sputter when two gazes were boring straight to Hyrule's soul. "W-well… uh… curiosity?" Could it have been possible to ask Hylia to take him away that instant? Relief came in the form of Warriors interjecting and taking both gazes off of Hyrule.

"You can't really blame us though! We followed instructions and this… rune… happened to be in the zone we are permitted in."

Time scrutinized the young man before him and Purah rubbed her temples.

"It would have been common sense to have left that alone and not touch it. Even if I didn't mention anything," she quickly added.

Off to the side, Legend laughed. "Ha! These two have none when paired together!" Legend did not miss the two glares thrown his way. He smugly basked in that.

"Shut up. You don't either."

"You happen to forget that you are the leader in our shenanigans, Legend. You just weren’t here to take part of the credit," Hyrule added smugly.

That definitely knocked Legend down a peg.

Instead of responding back, Legend just grumbled and spaced himself away from the two trouble makers.

All attention was turned to Wild and Twilight when a stumble and a startled sound left the mouth of the former. A small smile adorned Wild as he just slightly shook his head at the fawning Twilight did. He was not a child. He wasn’t injured. Just shot with a beam.

“You make it seem as if I got shot with an arrow.”

“A piercing beam of light is what hit you. Let’s just get you back home.”

Rolling his eyes once more, Wild scoffed, “I’m not dying Twi. in fact, I’m all well.”

“Says the one who stumbled not to long ago.”

As the bickering between the two continued, Purah interjected.

“Link will be fine. He does not have the immediate symptoms, but I do need to keep a close eye on him. With the rune still being incomplete, there is no telling how he would react. Do expect changes, young man.” Purah earned a groan as she ruffled Link’s hair.

As all other heroes set off to return to Wild’s home, Hyrule stayed behind.

“I just want to apologize. I didn’t mean for the thing to go off.”

“I am upset, but curiosity seems to run rampant with the lot of you. Just be prepared for any changes.”

Slowing nodding, Hyrule bid his farewell and left to catch up with the others.

With just the two of them, Symin finally broke the silence that enveloped the room.

“He will change, Purah. Unfortunately we don’t know how far and how deep the change will be. I just pray Hylia will watch over him.”

Sighing, Purah just rubbed her temples. “Knowing how this boy gets into trouble, it is no surprise that it follows him like a shadow. I just hope that all else is not severe and crippling.”

#toast writes #linked universe #linkeduniverse #im not dead #will be long series with a lot of chapters... hopefully #so strap on in bois #thank you Din for listening to me and giving me names and ideas #A day of curiosity thrown in the mix

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watch-grok-brainrot · 3 years

Note

it's the 28th!! there is not much time left of the year, is there? i'm gonna send you a couple more asks than usually probably, just for the sake of it. to get out things like this before the reveal where i'm gonna get back into being a shy introvert idiot!! so i've been playing my new game, ghost of tsushima, and it's!!!! good lord, the graphic of the game is stunning (for the most part, the horses look a bit weird sometimes but still cute) and the main character is such an interesting character? basically jin sakai is a samurai, the opening scene is a battle where almost eighty-or so samurai die. his uncle, lord shimura, who raised and trained, him is captured by the mongol leader kotun kahn. jin gets saved by a thief called yuna, she rescues him after the battle when she looks for things to steal from the dead bodies. when jin wakes up he basically gets his armor back with yuna, she sold it to a merchant in order to buy medecine, he goes straight to the castle where they keep his uncle. as you would expect, he doesn't succeed. instead he gets thrown off a bridge, it's fucking high and even jin doesn't know how he survived that fall. (we also get some flashbacks every now and then, apparently his father was killed protecting his people and jin blames himself because he was a coward who was too afraid to fight (he was a fucking kid and i-). so the game goes on and we help jin fight against the mongols and free the people of tsushima, he makes allies for when he takes back (his uncle's castle i believe?) the castle where his uncle is being held. which i already did by now, so the next step is getting back this other castle, (jin's castle? or his uncle's? it's from one of them) the description says that "whoever reigns the castles reigns the island," so this is kinda bad. 50% of the time i'm really just trying to figure out the fighting system with jin's hidden weapons (ajksks it's a bit complicated but i think i've got it?) and idk questioning what honor means. that's a big topic of the game. at the beginning of the game we get a flashback, his uncle asks jin what honor means. he replies with "his father's words," so his uncle asks again. jin's reply is "protecting people i guess, those that cannot defend themselves." but then later the game tells us that the things he does is not deemed honorable, which is probably a cultural thing? he attacks from the shadows if necessary, if it means saving the lives of the people he wants to protect, to take back his homeland. but his uncle teaches him that only cowards strike from the shadow, that's it's dishonorable and not something samurais do (which is probably correct idk). so yeah maybe this game is making me questioning what i think honor is and to what extent honor is worth someone's life. if it means tossing honor and tradition aside and instead saving a life, isn't that worth it? isn't that the most honorable thing you can do, putting your pride aside and saving a life? it kind of reminds me of red dead redemption 2, where arthur keeps questioning what morality means, what loyalty is. they're outlaws, they kill people but their motto is "we shoot people who need shooting, we feed people who need feeding." and "vengeance is an idiot's game". rdr2 is about a found family falling apart, realizing that maybe they don't fit together. about morality, loyalty, love, righteousness, forgiveness and the consequences of one's actions. gots is about a lot of these things too, so maybe that's why i'm so fascinated with these games.

i know i'm rambling and you probably don't care but.... i don't often get to ramble about this so please, bear with me. when i say rdr2 is about these topics, then i mean that arthur goes through a lot of bullshit. the game keeps telling us, even at the beginning, that arthur is a very mentally unstable person who has a lot of issues, his anger being one of them. we know that arthur acknowledges that because he talks to one of the girls in their gang, i think it was either mary beth or tilly, that (when you go around and kill people) he feels like he's going crazy. he's questioning why he keeps letting his rage take the better of him. lets just say this boy has some serious issues. (not saying he has almost zero self esteem but maybe i am saying that) the closer to the epilogue you come, the more you see arthur questioning himself, his life, his family. arthur is not a good man, he knows that, but he's not a bad one either. he's just trying to survive in the world that he was thrown into when he was barely a teenager. the only life he has known is being an outlaw but he realizes that he cannot continue this path, it's not possible anymore. his gang his being hunted from every side, the only way out is going north and he knows they're being expected to go there. dutch van der linde is basically his dad, together with hosea, and arthur is his obedient watch dog and errand boy. until he isn't. arthur does a major development throughout the game, from not doubting the man who raised him to openly standing against him even at the cost of his own life. arthur is.... it's hard to explain because there are so many little moments where he grows and questions himself, his worldview and who he should put his trust into. bluntly said, arthur gets sick at pretty much the start of the game, we just don't know it and neither does he. but when he knows, the little changes he has over the course of the game get bigger and more apparent. he's running out of time, he has been since a few months and it helps him realize what he wants. helping people, it makes him happy even if he doesn't want to admit that, so that's what he does. righting, or at least trying, his wrongs even if he knows that people won't forgive him. that maybe he doesn't deserve to be forgiven, it's still better knowing that he tried to make up for his past actions even if it's too late. arthur is.... he's doing the right thing by the end, well if you go with the good-arthur version if you go with the bad-arthur he is still kind of better than his past self. to summarize it a bit, dutch goes kinda crazy. micah (another gang member) spies for the agents hunting them at one point and manipulates dutch, making him even more greedy and angry and the man really lost his mind after hosea got killed. dutch has always been the one more questionable out of the two of them, but he had a codex he followed. he forsakes this codex even if he doesn't realize it. he keeps on killing and killing and killing, dragging innocent people into this and putting his own men in danger. arthur snaps, realizes that maybe dutch isn't the person he thought he was. i'm really dragging this out aren't i? arthur and john, his brother in all but blood, together with john's kinda-wife abigail, their son jack, sadie and a couple of other gang members flee at the end of the story. because they realize that this is not a life they want, that dutch has changed since they first met him and that he's not the man they used to know. and it's really hard to explain but arthur's ending hurts. it hurts so much but it's the exact moment the game built up to, his death.

this is part 1/2. will answer on pt 2.

#snowbunny asked haoppo didn't answer here #mdzsnetcc #i'm impressed with your excitement tbh #Anonymous

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princeleyjeans · 4 years

Text

Hannigram headcanon: The conclusion.

Even if season 4 never comes, we have our minds (And broken souls) to keep us company and well sated with possible endings as to how Hannibal truly wraps itself up. Even if we never come to know EXACTLY how it ends, we can guess, and hopefully, we imagine something so off peak that the creator has to confirm/deny our ideas because his heart can’t take it. Here is my script: Cliff fall, jagged rocks, bumpy thrashing against the ocean floor until a miracle sees two bodies wash up on a nearby shoreline, not so much a beach, more a spot for pathetic loners to vibe our their eternal rejection. One man sputters for breath, despite his being having multiple stab wounds in all the worst places, he’s alive, moving, looking around frantically for help while the second remains still, chest faintly bopping for air rather than it’s usual, healthy, rise and slow fall, the other is barely hanging on as their forms are get bathed in a contour of dulled reds and blues as undercover police cars line the area and several familiar faces come to the rescue, regardless of the previous violence occurring minutes ago, everyone rushes to their former colleague and fight to get him into a separate ambulance, he argues, demands to follow his partner in some vague sense of “If he dies, I need to see it for myself, to prove he is really dead”, and perhaps their boss views his request with some ounce of grief fueled mercy, or maybe he just can’t be asked to preach reason in the midst of what is a crime scene he will later have to deal with. Will Graham follows Hannibal Lecter in their shared ride to the hospital, faking simple interest in the possible, likely death of the man who drove him insane to mask a viable concern, that of a lover, that of someone dedicated to another beyond the realms of what others consider normal, healthy, and upon arrival Will makes it evident to medical staff the extent of Hannibal’s injuries, in the moment forgetting he is no longer part of the agency and what he is listing is bringing all sorts of questions, from the nurses and Jack’s crew. Once the situation is manageable, Will is patched up, deemed stable (Regardless of a few broken ribs, concussion and dislocated hip) and kept on surveillance while Hannibal deteriorates enough to warrant resuscitation, emergency surgery and soon after, time in the ICU on numerous machines to take the stress off of his body, the fight with the Red Dragon and near fatal journey to dry land taking it’s toll beyond anyone’s comprehension. For the first time, Hannibal’s life is in gods hands, his reckoning is neigh and the lord has come to collect. Days pass, questions are made, agents flutter around the hospital like bees to a dying queen and those days become weeks and Jack is battling some brothers in mourning urges while Alana and Margo offer up their home to a now discharged Will who has somehow avoided being instantly taken into custody, again...miracle, and had every file on him and Dr Lecter thrown onto a judges lap. Despite the circumstances, it is a sad time, and against everyone’s better judgement, they cannot help but offer solace, early condolences and heartfelt gifts of food, advice and lame comfort to the broken Will Graham, speaking false hope of regaining his job on the force or at the university, of a book deal detailing all the events leading to this moment, to clarity and rising from the depth of being dominated, controlled, gas-lighted, misguided and framed by the infamous Chesapeake ripper! obscuring his true identity behind the veil of a psychologist working under the FBI. Whether or not Will should be feeling betrayed, hurt, generally confused by the elements contributing to this change, his transformation has reached its peak and there is no turning back as he struggles to explore his new life beneath the microscope, behind those his holds dear and without causing anymore suffering to Alana, Margo or Jack. As you can guess, tensions, indifference and lack of love cause Will’s relationship with his wife to break down, she sees him as a danger to the family and so, takes everything, including the dogs (THAT MONSTER), his wife doesn’t blame him, but she doesn’t see the man who stood by her and her son, who loved animals and a glass of scotch before bed, whose dry humor raised enough eyebrows in their social circle to bring worried friends to her door, only for Mrs Graham to giggle them away with the flick of a wrist. Will used to be hers, now he belongs to another and Molly’s only hope is that they understand what it is they’re taking on with her ex husband. In a flurry of past, present and future coming at them from all angles in a Montague that would puts most 80′s movies to shame, Will and his friends are thrown around like rag dolls as he is tormented by romantic feelings, platonic intrigue and dreams of an echoing phone call from the hospital, there is no longer rationality in their world, only shadows, mystery and unspoken truths which send everyone scrambling for normalcy. After months in a hospital bed, Hannibal awakes and has to start his life over again, Will as his guide, his protector, the hand of god with the capability to give or take, and in such a weakened state...Hannibal wonders if all he will receive...is take. Their newfound identities are plagued by Jack’s presence in every aspect, no more than two days go by before he is there, pretending to come on behalf of the bureau who’ve offered them both a get out of jail card if they draw out other serial killers, allow routine check ins and not leave the state without permission or multiple logs of where they plan to go, the deal is not a perfect one, or something they feel they should have to agree with but with Hannibal a former shell of his previously glorious self and Will learning the ropes of double agent, no better can be asked for, especially if they want to stay on the other side of the bars. their relationship dynamic has manifested into one of codependency, of love, worship, respect and slight distrust but if Hannibal wanted to be killed by anyone, it would be his Will. always his Will. ---- I might continue this later or leave it just because my butt is too lazy to write most ways. Enjoy and if anyone wants to fight me...lemme have my coke first

#hannigram #omg #duuuuuddddeeee

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secretlyatargaryen · 5 years

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The Strings of Those Who Came Before: An Analysis of Tyrion and Tywin as Rulers, Part 1 - Justice

Many times when people talk about Tyrion as a leader and a politician and tactician they talk about Tywin and Tywin’s influence, which makes sense because of course Tyrion is influenced by his father, but I do think people give too much credit to Tywin as a brilliant politician. I don’t think Tywin was as brilliant as a lot of people, both in universe and in the fandom, give him credit for. What he was good at was projecting his authority and giving plausible deniability to anything negative attached to him, because he was in a position of power and knew how to wield that power to his benefit. This makes people, often his children, believe that he was brilliant and always right because he was good at convincing people of his authority, like a lot of violent and manipulative men are.

Tyrion was influenced by his father, and most of that influence is negative because Tywin was awful and the most awful to Tyrion directly, and I’d argue that Tywin’s influence also had a bad affect on Tyrion as a ruler and that everything good that Tyrion did as a political leader was when he wasn’t trying to emulate Tywin.

I ended up writing a lot and going on several tangents with this so I’ve broken it up into parts. What follows in this post is an analysis of Tyrion’s chapters using the keyword “justice” on asearchoficeandfire.com.

When we look at what Tyrion’s actual goals are as a leader, they couldn’t be much different from Tywin:

"So what will you do, m'lord, now that you're the Hand of the King?"

"Something Cersei will never expect," [...] "I'll do . . . justice."

I don’t think Tywin wants to do justice. Tywin wants to make house Lannister great, even at the detriment of everything else (and ironically to the detriment of his own children as individuals).

Justice is a word that is hard to define, and the question of how to define justice can be found throughout Tyrion’s narrative, particularly when he is both compared to and contrasted with his father.

"Is this how justice is done in the Vale?" Tyrion roared, so loudly that Ser Vardis froze for an instant. "Does honor stop at the Bloody Gate? You accuse me of crimes, I deny them, so you throw me into an open cell to freeze and starve." He lifted his head, to give them all a good look at the bruises Mord had left on his face. "Where is the king's justice? Is the Eyrie not part of the Seven Kingdoms? I stand accused, you say. Very well. I demand a trial! Let me speak, and let my truth or falsehood be judged openly, in the sight of gods and men."

What’s particularly interesting about Tyrion’s trial in the Vale is that even when pleading for justice here, he knows it’s his family name that wins him the justice of a fair trial.

A low murmuring filled the High Hall. He had her, Tyrion knew. He was highborn, the son of the most powerful lord in the realm, the brother of the queen. He could not be denied a trial.

Is justice really justice when it’s bought?

"Behold the king's justice," Lysa Arryn said. [...]

Ser Vardis had been singularly silent. "My lady," he said gravely, sinking to one knee, "pray give this burden to another, I have no taste for it. The man is no warrior. Look at him. A dwarf, half my size and lame in the legs. It would be shameful to slaughter such a man and call it justice."

The concept of trial by combat is so interesting, especially when we think about ideas of justice and what true justice looks like and how it is defined. A reader certainly would not call a fight to the death to determine guilt or innocence justice in any sense of the word. We would maybe call it fair, but we wouldn’t call it justice. In Tyrion’s case it’s not even fair, until Bronn offers to take Tyrion’s place (and even then, Bronn takes advantage of Ser Vardis’ honor code, so not all that fair). But then you have to go back to the original accusation that Tyrion is standing trial for, which we as readers know he didn’t commit and which there isn’t any real evidence for.

So early on in the narrative you have the question of justice and Tyrion’s interactions with this world in which justice is not often done, although the word is thrown around quite often. This is a world that Tyrion knows how to work around, because he knows what this world is like for people like him, especially if they don’t have the right family name.

He could not touch Cersei, he knew. Not yet, not even if he'd wanted to, and he was far from certain that he did. Yet it rankled, to sit here and make a mummer's show of justice by punishing the sorry likes of Janos Slynt and Allar Deem, while his sister continued on her savage course.

Right off the bat in King’s Landing, we have the contrast between the justice that Tyrion wants to do and the brutality of Joffrey, the self-interest of Cersei, and the legacy that Tywin wants to protect. Can Tyrion do justice while all his power comes from the self-serving interest of the Lannister regime?

Tyrion’s interactions with Oberyn Martell help to further highlight this contradiction.

"Would that a council seat were all Martell came to claim," Lord Tywin said. "You promised him vengeance as well."

"I promised him justice."

"Call it what you will. It still comes down to blood."

Tyrion here insists on a distinction between vengeance and justice, but to Tywin they’re all the same thing. To Tywin, of course, it all comes down to blood. When Tyrion threatens Lannister blood it doesn’t matter that he is trying to get justice for Alayaya, or that he’s trying to negotiate things with the Martells. Lannister blood is all that matters.

Oh, Tywin can certainly make a show of being just.

"Prince Doran comes at my son's invitation," Lord Tywin said calmly, "not only to join in our celebration, but to claim his seat on this council, and the justice Robert denied him for the murder of his sister Elia and her children."

Tyrion watched the faces of the Lords Tyrell, Redwyne, and Rowan, wondering if any of the three would be bold enough to say, "But Lord Tywin, wasn't it you who presented the bodies to Robert, all wrapped up in Lannister cloaks?" None of them did, but it was there on their faces all the same. Redwyne does not give a fig, he thought, but Rowan looks fit to gag.

Tyrion comments in his narrative on the irony of Tywin offering justice for Elia and her children’s murders.

When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When they go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet. Elsewise no man will ever bend the knee to you. And any man who must say 'I am the king' is no true king at all. Aerys never understood that, but you will. When I've won your war for you, we will restore the king's peace and the king's justice.

Many people point to this quote to prove Tywin’s capability as a ruler, but I think they’re missing something, and I think it can be found in the last part of the quote which is often left out. Tywin says that they will restore peace and justice when the Lannisters have won the war, but not before. To Tywin, justice is something that can be offered and taken away by those with the power to deny it. The idea that a true king should not have to proclaim himself king is about power and being able to show yourself as powerful, not about capability as a ruler. Power is a shadow on the wall, after all, and Tywin knew this.

"And when Oberyn demands the justice he's come for?"

"I will tell him that Ser Amory Lorch killed Elia and her children," Lord Tywin said calmly. "So will you, if he asks."

“Ser Armory Lorch is dead,” Tyrion said flatly.

"Precisely. Vargo Hoat had Ser Amory torn apart by a bear after the fall of Harrenhal. That ought to be sufficiently grisly to appease even Oberyn Martell."

“You may call that justice . . ."

"It is justice. It was Ser Amory who brought me the girl's body, if you must know. He found her hiding under her father's bed, as if she believed Rhaegar could still protect her. Princess Elia and the babe were in the nursery a floor below."

"Well, it's a tale, and Ser Amory's not like to deny it. What will you tell Oberyn when he asks who gave Lorch his orders?"

"Ser Amory acted on his own in the hope of winning favor from the new king. Robert's hatred for Rhaegar was scarcely a secret."

It might serve, Tyrion had to concede, but the snake will not be happy. "Far be it from me to question your cunning, Father, but in your place I do believe I'd have let Robert Baratheon bloody his own hands."

Lord Tywin stared at him as if he had lost his wits. "You deserve that motley, then. We had come late to Robert's cause. It was necessary to demonstrate our loyalty. When I laid those bodies before the throne, no man could doubt that we had forsaken House Targaryen forever. And Robert's relief was palpable. As stupid as he was, even he knew that Rhaegar's children had to die if his throne was ever to be secure. Yet he saw himself as a hero, and heroes do not kill children." His father shrugged. "I grant you, it was done too brutally. Elia need not have been harmed at all, that was sheer folly. By herself she was nothing."

"Then why did the Mountain kill her?"

"Because I did not tell him to spare her.”

This whole conversation is so characteristic of the way Tywin sees the concept of justice, as something that can be bent to twist his own narrative and the one he is creating for House Lannister, and Tyrion tries to question it but Tywin’s able to retain plausible deniability by reasserting his authority and also excusing the brutality as something that wasn’t specifically intended, but an unfortunate side effect. Tywin does this A LOT. He does it repeatedly in the SAME SCENE, when the conversation moves from Elia to the Red Wedding and then to Sansa.

I doubt I mentioned her at all. I had more pressing concerns. Ned Stark's van was rushing south from the Trident, and Ifeared it might come to swords between us. And it was in Aerys to murder Jaime, with no more cause than spite. That was the thing I feared most. That, and what Jaime himself might do." He closed a fist. "Nor did I yet grasp what I had in Gregor Clegane, only that he was huge and terrible in battle. The rape . . . even you will not accuse me of giving that command, I would hope. Ser Amory was almost as bestial with Rhaenys. I asked him afterward why it had required half a hundred thrusts to kill a girl of . . . two? Three? He said she'd kicked him and would not stop screaming. If Lorch had half the wits the gods gave a turnip, he would have calmed her with a few sweet words and used a soft silk pillow." His mouth twisted in distaste. "The blood was in him.

"But not in you, Father. There is no blood in Tywin Lannister. "Was it a soft silk pillow that slew Robb Stark?"

"It was to be an arrow, at Edmure Tully's wedding feast. The boy was too wary in the field. He kept his men in good order, and surrounded himself with outriders and bodyguards."

"So Lord Walder slew him under his own roof, at his own table?" Tyrion made a fist. "What of Lady Catelyn?"

"Slain as well, I'd say. A pair of wolfskins. Frey had intended to keep her captive, but perhaps something went awry."

"So much for guest right."

It is interesting to me that all of this brutality just happens, Tywin didn’t intend it, it just happened.

Is this justice?

There is no blood in Tywin Lannister.

"So much for guest right."

"The blood is on Walder Frey's hands, not mine."

Deniability again. There is no blood in Tywin Lannister.

"I suppose you would have spared the boy and told Lord Frey you had no need of his allegiance? That would have driven the old fool right back into Stark's arms and won you another year of war. Explain to me why it is more noble to kill ten thousand men in battle than a dozen at dinner." When Tyrion had no reply to that, his father continued.

Just because Tyrion doesn’t answer does not mean that Tywin is right. It means that Tywin is good at convincing people that he’s right.

And then from there the conversation turns to “Arya” wedding Ramsay Bolton.

"Arya Stark?" Tyrion cocked his head. "And Bolton? I might have known Frey would not have the stomach to act alone. But Arya . . . Varys and Ser Jacelyn searched for her for more than half a year. Arya Stark is surely dead."

"So was Renly, until the Blackwater."

Shadows on the wall, everywhere.

The north will go to your son by Sansa Stark . . . if you ever find enough manhood in you to breed one. Lest you forget, it is not only Joffrey who must needs take a maidenhead."

I had not forgotten, though I'd hoped you had. "And when do you imagine Sansa will be at her most fertile?" Tyrion asked his father in tones that dripped acid. "Before or after I tell her how we murdered her mother and her brother?"

It’s fitting that this conversation and chapter ends with Tywin again trying to badger Tyrion into bedding Sansa, which Tyrion points out is especially grotesque after what has happened at the Red Wedding. Tywin seems not to understand why Tyrion would want to protect Sansa and in fact directs it back to Tyrion (”Why, do you plan to mistreat her?”) because his concept of the well-being of others is, well, non-existent.

The word “justice” also comes up after Tyrion is accused of Joffrey’s murder, and again in reference to Tywin, during Kevan’s speech about Tywin.

"Do you think he would allow you to take the black if you were not his own blood, and Joanna's? Tywin seems a hard man to you, I know, but he is no harder than he's had to be. [...] Just as it fell to him to rule this realm, when he was no more than twenty. He bore that heavy burden for twenty years, and all it earned him was a mad king's envy. Instead of the honor he deserved, he was made to suffer slights beyond count, yet he gave the Seven Kingdoms peace, plenty, and justice. He is a just man. You would be wise to trust him."

George R R Martin is a master of irony in passages like this. Kevan basically makes excuses for Tywin’s abuse of Tyrion and says that Tywin is a just person who brought justice while Tyrion is being tried for something he didn’t do.

Oberyn points out the hypocrisy here very nicely.

"Men are seldom as they appear. You look so very guilty that I am convinced of your innocence. Still, you will likely be condemned. Justice is in short supply this side of the mountains. There has been none for Elia, Aegon, or Rhaenys. Why should there be any for you? Perhaps Joffrey's real killer was eaten by a bear. That seems to happen quite often in King's Landing. Oh, wait, the bear was at Harrenhal, now I remember."

At Tyrion’s trial we also see the conflict between what justice is first of all, and then the dichotomy between the desire for justice and the desire for vengeance.

"I did not do it. Yet now I wish I had." He turned to face the hall, that sea of pale faces. "I wish I had enough poison for you all. You make me sorry that I am not the monster you would have me be, yet there it is. I am innocent, but I will get no justice here. You leave me no choice but to appeal to the gods. I demand trial by battle."

(”As I cannot be the hero, let me be the monster, and lesson them in fear in place of love.”)

And if the Mountain triumphed, Doran Martell might well demand to know why his brother had been served with death instead of the justice Tyrion had promised him.

Even if Tywin had not been killed, war with the Martells seems an inevitability, and Tywin’s justice is no justice.

He had dreamed enough for one small life. And of such follies: love, justice, friendship, glory. As well dream of being tall.

It’s also interesting here that Tyrion compares his dreams of justice with the thing that marks him as different from others, his dwarfism. Is justice real, or is it only a trick on the wall for the powerful to play with?

"Are your Seven Kingdoms so different? There is no peace in Westeros, no justice, no faith … and soon enough, no food. When men are starving and sick of fear, they look for a savior."

What is justice and can true justice be done? These questions will continue to plague Tyrion as he makes his way to Daenerys.

#tyrion lannister #tywin lannister #asoiaf meta #valyrianscrolls

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demytasse · 5 years

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[Shinzaya] Hold Me Tight (Or Don’t) — Ch 3

Previous Chapters: Chapter 2 | All Chapters

—

Morning rituals were only good for their reliability—not their interest. They might conform with the trends of time; transform into something novel with new means to set the mould, but they always wound up a formulaic bore and predictable as the people who accessorised the unremarkable event. They were a mere bringer of happenstance.

Which Izaya's present gift from his trusty schedule came in the form of his nag of a friend who melded with the shadow on his left and sought to initiate any kind of annoyance. At the moment it was Shinra's hope to converse with an added twine of their dominant fingers as they walked the halls. The contact wasn’t needed, the touch wouldn’t be sincere, and their frozen palms needn't chill the both of them.

His attempts didn’t work, though he did try—and kept on—despite how Izaya shooed them away.

Izaya knew the conversation Shinra insisted would be a nuisance by default, but a day later in retrospect he’d claim that he prophesied exactly how chaotic their morning would turn, and precisely knew that detrimental intel would be gained as a result.

And if he told a soul, he’d explain how the giveaway was the digging grip around his bicep that demanded Shinra be paid attention—a tad different than the normal ritual.

“Come on, Izaya, listen! I have a brilliant scenario for club today!" “Can I stop you there?” “Just hear me out.” Izaya side-eyed his friend. “It actually involves studying, you know.” “That doesn’t instil me with confidence.”

“If you let me talk you’ll see that it’ll accomplish the opposite.”

“Ah, even more so I’m skeptical.”

Shinra huffed. It was fake.

Though Izaya could tell how patient Shinra tried to be as to not ruin what he’d undoubtedly planned in depth. Which meant he wouldn’t let up no matter how long the reveal was delayed or sidetracked—ignored with little success.

“Do I have the floor now?”

Izaya sighed, rubbed at tired eyes; revolved his other hand to indicate that Shinra should just get on with it.

“Splendid!”

He cleared his throat enthusiastically. “So like I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m aware of your proclivity to lust over my form while we change in the locker room.” “Shinra, you’ve never mentioned that,” he rolled his eyes upon instinct.

“I’ve never explained how obvious your voyeuristic tendencies are?”

“Perhaps you’re confusing me for you since it seems you’re the one paying explicit attention.”

“Well it doesn’t matter, you won’t have to rely on those stray glances and pitiably gazes after today.”

“Enlighten me, vice club president, what’s this supposed bullet on our agenda?”

Unconsciously they’d trekked an optimal route that avoided extra eyes and additional foot traffic. Still, Izaya looked about to make sure no one followed close enough to make a rumour of whatever nonsense Shina was about to explain.

“Well since you’re finally amenable I’ll cut to the chase. I've come up with a sort of team bonding exercise, a warm-up if you will, to ease ourselves into the ceremonious sex life we’ve yet to start. Thus, I propose that we entertain our teenage libidos with a rousing yet sensual strip teas—”

His perverse fantasy was cut with a solid body-check.

"Shinra, for the love of whatever god... I want none of what I so kindly prevented you from further revealing."

"You mean our bodies or the truth?"

Izaya asked deadpan, "wait...the truth?"

"Yes! Revealing the truth.”

"Which is…?"

"That you want me!"

"Rather blunt, even for you."

Shinra shrugged, "as if you don't know my spiel."

"Ah, so I do. In that case, I'll skip my own to save me the trouble."

Startled—Izaya’s hand was taken into Shinra’s grasp who sparkled in spirit.

"I was right then."

"Not even in the slightest!" He yanked his hand back, scowled while he rubbed the audacity off his skin, “don’t colour my response with your confirmation bias.”

"You're so cruel, Izaya!" Each word was whined in woe.

Stray students that Izaya feared would show up covered their ears while they searched for whom to grumble at, but only found a chilling threat. The few of them dispersed and abandoned the duo.

"Indeed, I am."

"At this rate, I'll grow old and undesirable before anything can happen."

"That's not my problem."

"Well I insist that you make it your problem! That way I can fix it just like I tend to your ailments and injuries. I won't be made a defeatist just because you adamantly deny the fact that you want me to touch you up—in more than one way."

A chuckle hung up Izaya.

"And what a touchy subject that you fail to drop. You know that I can turn you into the officials for your sexual advances and disrespect of my wishes at any time. Wouldn’t that solve my problems just as well?”

Izaya cocked his smirk and crossed his arms; expectant of Shinra’s surrender going without a hitch. In lieu of that, another form of hitch formed in Shinra’s breath as he remembered the time when Shizuo was turned-in for a dumb reason.

Still, his rebuttal was found after a shiver, hitched a ride from the relief, and realigned their pace.

"Come on now, Izaya, you know we both ignore morality; at the very least I do and admit it. So rest assured, I'll hit you up again with the idea later on."

"Oh, I hardly doubt that you will, my dear friend."

Shinra hummed—pat Izaya on the shoulder with a self-confident smile.

"Okay!"

His peculiar response ended their conversation on an awkward note, it really didn't go along with what Izaya said prior and if that weren't normal he would have taken offence that he wasn’t listened to.

Thus it was thrown aside in favour of continuing their circuit of identical corners and walkways; intentionally without a care of how close it was until homeroom.

Though the energy from before died down quickly before they started down a new avenue of discussion.

“But to be honest, I've thought about us more."

Curious of what necessitated a 'but' precursor and a drop in his tone—a mention of ‘us’—Izaya flipped attention towards his pensive friend. Whom was overly so and a little too unsure of himself.

"We're friends...right?”

Izaya tripped over his footing as well his thoughts.

“Dubiously so, but here we are."

He swatted his...dubious friend as if the tease would kill the heavy air; out of habit Shinra didn’t flinch nor release the somber tilt from his lip.

"Yeah...so,” he hesitated, “doesn't that mean you won't connect unnecessary feelings to us having sex?"

The mood dissolved into sickness as Izaya listened to the full reel.

“That's a boon, right?”

“A boon, hmm?'

"Right. I mean, it should be…" he trailed off.

"I suppose to you that’s all I am—” Izaya frowned, “rather, that’s what I am to you; a tool for your selfish whims."

Shinra readjusted the strap on his bag, further fidgeted to correct an uncomfortable hang that persisted its agitation.

“Mmm, seems you remember what this whole plan is for: to prevent me from shamefully disappointing Celty, correct?"

Is he questioning me with what he’s spouted to me?

"Tch, how could I forget the disgusting mental image of you two going at it when you keep reminding me of it?"

It was strained, but Shinra managed to slip into the reminiscent smile he wore whenever his love interest was brought up.

"How could you suggest that? Anything that involves Celty is purely beautiful. Which in respect of my angel I want to remain pure for her, despite my obviously tainted thoughts."

Once again he held some restraint and it seemed unbeknownst to the teen himself like he half-mindedly kept to an abused script rather than ad-libbing. Which Izaya decided to lean into the sudden turn as punishment or to defend his own feelings—both really.

"You do realise your logic makes no sense? Having sex strips you of your virginity."

"Naturally. Which is the exact reason that I’m purely opting for male relations, it's not quite the same as making love with a woman, but similar enough setups and motions. Therefore it keeps me a virgin in the important way.

"Although, if I’m going after an older woman, that is quite the perversion. Un-pure, in fact. Oh. Oh no… Will that tamper with Celty's purity if she goes after me: a man centuries younger than herself…?”

His prior confliction seemed forgotten for a moment as he fell into his practised character. “Get to your point, pervert.”

"Err, right… perhaps you know this, but it's said that only fools will rush haphazardly into things without regard. Which, one and the same, I’m that fool whom the wise men speak of; hopelessly in love and blinded by it. Where do you think that puts me, Izaya? I’m at the precipice of doing whatever it takes to fulfil my goal.”

To this he performed a hard pause and stared beyond Izaya’s sight into his mind, both conscious and unconscious; it unnerved him, made him sweat.

“I’m not the only one you could use. There are heartless bastards who are just as absent of a mind. Easier to puppeteer.”

“I don’t particularly have a deathwish, I’d rather mess around with you than wrestle with a dimwit beast like Shizuo.”

Shinra flinched in preparation of being mauled by violent repercussion as if said beast was actually present. If it was a joke to lighten both their moods it went ignored.

While his friend comedically struggled with traumatic memories, Izaya explicitly worried about himself. How the previous implication deemed their friendly get-togethers more as a requirement of acquaintances to fulfil a specific purpose.

Izaya watched Shinra emote through a summoned monologue while stuck on mute. His mouth flapped silently, looked playful a few separate times while he nudged Izaya with a wry wink. His bright smile would immediately fall whenever he didn’t get a response before he'd continue—defeated.

Whatever he rambled was in vain.

Though the absent audio made Izaya's internal voice scream.

Somewhere within him nagged a question of if he’d actually made up his mind—if he really wanted none of the sexual intimacy that Shinra kept offering, with or without either of them smitten. He didn’t and he wasn’t, he really wanted none of that baggage.

Yet there was tension, and it’d been eating away at his brain; the swirls of muscle that had become a victim of jealousy, a parasite that started to take over his rationale, motor skills, and more.

"...plus he's not as much my type aesthetically unlike y—"

Shinra turned mute for real as he went stiff —was killed on the spot, stood a corpse in rigour mortis.

At the changed demeanour Izaya scrunched his features to a focal point, that is until he looked down the hall. It appeared that the devil was summoned by his repeated mention—Shizuo, the dolt who'd surely wreck both of their mornings.

Moderately, Shinra began to shake. "Oh god, he heard me."

Given the grim aura that surrounded Shizuo, Izaya gathered that he was one agitation away from ornery, which bode terribly.

Izaya masked his nerves with a sigh, "Shinra that's improbable. Maybe not impossible, considering his inhuman hearing, but—"

"The hell did you manipulative bastards do?!"

As if to prove the hypothesis, Shizuo locked sight on them, his ornery scowl confirmed; with a chip on his shoulder, a prominent rip on his jacket’s shoulder.

Decidedly he must have read their racked nerves as damnation of some ploy that hadn’t been actioned, or maybe it had, Izaya wasn’t sure if Shinra had set up something fishy.

"Surprising as it is for your amateur reasoning, Detective Gumshoe, we did nothing."

Shizuo looked between Izaya and Shinra in doubt and looped through his scrutiny again. Oddly enough he settled shifty eyes on the other teen though targeted both of them—just to be unfair.

"Eep!!" Shinra weaved a hyperbolic squeal into his legitimate reason to falter.

Though there wasn’t an excuse for his dart around Izaya to create a safe base out of him, both slim and inefficient. Especially there wasn’t a good reason for Shinra to grasp onto his cover, nor was there to hold his waist fake means to stabilise himself before he wrapped them around front. It was too intimate a hold for the hostile setting, but the teen kept to his whim.

Ah...perhaps this was planned...

Shinra perched his chin on Izaya's shoulder to keep watch of their enemy.

"Prove I'm innocent, Izaya!"

"Like hell he's innocent!" Shizuo yelled.

In one sense Shinra couldn’t be proven guilty, but he wasn’t innocent. He took advantage of Izaya’s skyrocketed endorphins as Shizuo trudged closer—he pilfered them, used them. Subtly nuzzled a spot behind his ear; continued his act, but seemed flustered as his breath was shallow from underlined fear, yet focused.

It was that manipulative sway Izaya swore he liked, but now he felt betrayed by his propensity to love anything off-kilter.

Anger ran up his spine and ended in a shudder around the spot Shinra laid his head. His pulse raced furthermore as a palm rolled discreetly under his jacket and flattened upon his heart to monitor its speed.

Shinra spoke. It was loud enough to combat the hallway chatter—clearly the beast as well—but went unheard by anyone other than his victim.

“Interesting, fear really does bring you excitement. I should’ve known...”

Shinra hummed uncharacteristically pleased for scientific discovery. That or Izaya's preference had grown askew over time and made a calculated tone of a scientist attractive, repulsive given the circumstances. Though that preference could possibly be tied to his personal inspector who tested his fortitude against prior jealousy.

For a second he swore he felt their pulse sync up with the heartbeat against his back. Enough to count for evidence that maybe… Shinra toyed with both their feelings.

Regardless of what he had done to invoke Shizuo's wrath as a trap, Izaya felt he was made a lab rat, a joke.

As Shizuo swiftly decreased the space between them, he turned against his friend.

Two can play this game, asshole.

Within the last moment, Izaya overlapped their hands in tender opposition of the aggressive atmosphere, which shocked Shinra. Izaya used the opportunity to pry the leech from his back and shoved him into the battlefield.

"W-woah!"

Shinra spun and tripped, and by the look of it, his fear shot up to one-hundred percent genuine.

"Shizu-chan," Izaya smirked, "have at him."

"Seriously?!" Shinra staggered off to evade—sounded a hair amused, but looked terrified as Shizuo picked up speed.

"Don't start acting like that damn bastard, Shiiinrrraaa!"

In the distance, they were now a pair of ants.

Left on the sidelines, Izaya mused.

"You know…”

His hands formed a frame out in front of him with an eye closed for better focus.

“I don't see how anyone could get tired of this show like they do with Shizu-chan and me.”

He clicked a fake shutter, “they must have no appreciation for good humour." Izaya wished he had an actual camera to photograph his revenge—for precious school memories soon to end, not to mention good blackmail. In spite of that, he hoped Shinra would forget the discovery he made in the heat of the moment. Anything more discovered of him in that fashion would be worse than a public downfall, it would be a private tragedy. And really, it wasn’t just that he may get a bit…excited in dangerous situations; honestly, that should’ve been obvious and he knew Shinra knew that. It was probably an excuse for his shitty friend to associate sexual excitement with himself. It was a flimsy experiment with failed results, but only because Izaya already got that sort of reaction when it involved Shinra.

As his hands slid from the air into his pockets he willed his rampant pulse to normalise—much to his dismay, it didn't budge.

“My, what a pickle he’s stuck me in.”

His mood soured just like vinegar and salt, with the purpose of the sexual endeavour fresh on his mind. What his fool reminded him of—rather not his, but it was easier to say and pleasant ring.

Shinra played with his sweet spots and weaknesses; he did it too well like he paid unnecessary attention to someone who was just a target for his ploy. That in and of itself was trouble.

Izaya skipped class and club alike—he lacked the energy to struggle through their time together alone. That and he couldn't stop focussing on the undeterminable expression Shinra wore while they exchanged souls…

“...I’m at the precipice of doing whatever it takes to fulfil my goal…”

Correct him if that didn’t feel like a hint for him to pick up.

—

AN: What a slog writing this has been, ahaha...

#shinzaya #izashin #kishitani shinra #orihara izaya #shinra kishitani #izaya orihara #durarara!!#durarara #durarara rare pair #durarara fanfiction #drrr!!#drrr #shinra x izaya #izaya x shinra #fanfic #fanfiction #demytasse fanfiction #shinzaya hold me tight or don't

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verona-mira · 5 years

Note

How would myth react to being in a love and having a love rival.

Well, here is what I came up with.

Was kind of tricky to work out and hope it isn’t too far fetched.

He ran intoher by accident. Even a year after her disappearance there were stillpossessions of his queen in the palace he had hidden away and sneaked into moresecure hiding places whenever he had the chance.

Like in thisnight, when he was moving the stash of magical books to somewhere else.

The librarywas dark when he had retrieved the first books and it was still dark when hecame back for more, dawn just dusting the horizon.

But now therewas someone else in the library as well. Stepping back into the darkest shadowshe slipped to the stash, made sure it was safely hidden and then went toinvestigate.

It was ayoung woman, not older than himself, taking books from the shelves and puttingthem onto a cart. Myth didn’t know her. The rebellion of the traitor had gottensome personal replaced due to ‘questionable actions’ under the reign of thequeen.

It was thesame reason why the former advisor had been let go, allowing him to slip intothe court.

It seemedthis woman was new as well.

Auburn hairframed a light skinned face with dark eyes. From the clothes she was wearingshe was either higher middle-class or lower high-class. Well, this wasn’t hisproblem. He barely interacted with the staff at all in anyway.

Myth saw heragain, when he was forced to consult the royal library for a dictionary to better translate a contract he was tryingto make sense off.

She waschattering with a maid, passing by the shelf he was looking over and -when helooked over to identify the noise makers- she gave him a cheerful wave. Forcinghimself to stay in character of his new personality, he nodded back and thenscratched that meeting from his mind.

Then he runinto her for real.

For somereason the king was permanently shoving more work his way. On one hand, it wasa clear sign of being trusted. On the other hand, the man was most likelysimply trying to get out of tiresome and boring paperwork, now that his queenwasn’t terrifying people into respecting contracts anymore.

Myth roundedthe corner of a hallway and smashed into someone, paperwork sent flying.

They wereboth apologetic about the meeting, she embarrassed and he just done with theday, both collecting their own work which had scattered over the hallway andgoing their way.

An hour laterhe needed to hunt her down, because he was missing some sheets.

Her name, itturned out, was Elena. She had lived outside the capital in a town not far awayuntil the Great War ended and she had come to the capital looking for work,getting hired as a library.

She wascheerful, open and always up for making new friends. And she seemed to deemevery new person she talked to a friend.

Him included.

After thepaperwork incident -and yes, she did hold onto the sheets, because she didn’tknow if she could simply hand them off to another servant, proving the abilityof thinking sensible thoughts- she seemed set greet him every time they crossedways.

In thehallways, when she passed by his office, when he was forced to look somethingup in the library, it didn’t seem to matter to her.

The onlyreason why Myth didn’t leash out on her, was her ability to see when she wasinterrupting something and letting it be, leaving him alone to work through it.It was… kind of nice.

It took a fewmonths before he got a better grip on what she was like. How she was a bit shyaround strangers with no one around she knew and always willing to approach newpeople as long as she had a friend around. She didn’t like people mistreatingbooks -even had a slight temper there- and loved reading.

Myth foundhimself even slightly enjoying her company, it was way less offending than thetraitor had ever been, if only because she could stay quiet.

It took sometime for Myth admit to himself that he enjoyed Elena’s company. She was-everything considered- way less complicated than most women he had been forcedto interact with.

He likedbeing around her. He could make comments about books she understood, even makea bit of fun about how ridiculous some of the poetry books were, with theirperception of love and how it made everything just better and how marryingsolved every problem.

Then he foundhimself looking at books he had read some time ago and wondered if she wouldlike them. Was it something she may have read already? Something she would findinteresting? Or something she would put aside as boring?

Why did heeven care? His focus should be somewhere else completely, on securing andstabilizing the kingdom, so his queen would have everything she needed upon herreturn.

Why did hecare?

He… couldn’tanswer it.

Myth foundhimself thinking more about that question while living his days in hisdisguise. And then decided to just let it go.

He was workingon keeping the kingdom secured and he needed to wait a few more years for hisqueen to be released anyway.

As it was, heentered the library and found Elena joking with a young man.

She quicklyintroduced them. He was a young noble, visiting the castle and introducedhimself as Richard, complimenting him on achieving the position he had at hisage. Myth kept the conversation light and curious about the reasons about theman’s visit.

Richard was,as it turned out, visiting on behalf of his family, and had asked and receivedthe allowance to use the royal library for it.

Myth let itgot and went his way.

For somereason it bothered him that Richard was there, spending time with Elena.

And for somereason it bothered him that she was looking at him like- …like what?

When histhoughts caught up with him, Myth stilled. Why did he care that these two werespending time together? It was, all things considered, none of his business. Hehad way to much work to do anyway to play babysitter for two adults.

So why did itkeep bothering him?

He keptpondering that thought, trying to sort out his own mind.

The firstthing he really noted was, that he felt unnaturally happy and relaxed aroundher.

The nextthing was that -for some reason- he really liked her smiling at him.

And the lastfact was that for some reason he really couldn’t stand that man.

What the hellwas wrong with his mind? He would need to ponder that more…

Days blurredinto weeks and Myth found himself… strangely stressed.

He visitedthe library on occasion, always finding them in either blissful silence (hestayed a bit if that was the case) or in animated discussion (he left).

In a way hefelt… angry. He wasn’t sure at what. Like someone had intruded on somethingthat was his. Which wasridiculous. He had no reason to claim ownership to anything of the library.

Days passed,his mood riding and falling, him grumbling under his breath and the kinghearing and commenting -sounding way too amused- if he was jealous.

The commentmade something inside him freeze.

He thoughtabout it, when he was alone.

Was hejealous? He disliked Richard, disliked how he spent his time with Elena,disliked how she looked at the man, but not him-!

…was he…attached? Did he… like her?

More timepassed and Myth pondered this new revelation, remembering how comfortable hefelt around her.

…maybe heshould… do something about it?

The smallgifts were easy enough to come by.

Nothing too expensive,no reason to get intrusive or pushy. Richard did not seem to appreciate the newattention on Elena, glaring at him when she wasn’t looking.

He justraised a brow at the man, daring him to make a scene.

It still wentdownhill in the end.

He didpretend to be someone else, after all.

It was aninnocent enough conversation up to the point where fairytales came up.

There wereinterpretations thrown around, obscure ones retold (there were no books aboutthem in the library) and at some point it went to the source of this gap.

“I heard thequeen burned the books. As if it would erase everything,” Elena sighted,putting a book away, “I mean, just burning a few books doesn’t erase thecontent. There are more copies after all.”

“What do youmean with erase everything?” Myth asked, morbidly curious.

“What witchesdid. I mean, the fairytales tell you all what happened and so many of them areso gruesome!” the young woman shuddered, “I mean, these things must have beenreally bad to get written down. I’m sure you could add a few recent ones fromthe war as well!”

“We couldcall it ‘Rise of the Fairies’!” Richard added laughing, “What do you think,Mythros?”

“I rememberthat there were a few witches as well in the uprising,” he said after a shortbout of silence, fighting down seething rage and boiling blood.

“Sure! Andthe witch queen and the fairy leader were friends once! Would give it quite thedramatic spin!” she laughed, “But then it would just be a story!”

It isn’t justa are story. The tales are just a story! There is nothing true about them-!

Myth feltsomething squirming inside him, heart hammering, he forced his body to relax.

“Have fundiscussing it,” he said, voice neutral, “I have paperwork to get through.”

Later in theday, in the privacy of his own home he raged.

It was thefollowing day that he passed the painting of his queen.

He stopped and turned to the portrait.

The queen was looking down on him, eyes cold,unyielding and judging.

What had he been thinking anyway? Itwasn’t like he had time to waste on something like that. He had way more important things to get done.

ScratchingElena from his mind, he turned away from the canvas and went his way. Shouldthe two, naive idiots have each other.

His loyalty was to the queen and no one else. No oneelse was important. No one else mattered.

#request #story #Myth #Mythros #cinderella phenomenon #cp #reply

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marshmallow-phd · 6 years

Text

Prey in the Knight

A/N: So, I’m turning this into a series, possibly one for each member (help!). I do too much, but I can’t help it.

Genre: Vampire AU

Pairing: Kris x Reader

Warning: mentions of blood, murder

Summary: A sadistic vampire has chosen you as his next target. Kris had vowed to hunt him down for revenge. With you now caught in the middle, Kris will use you to get to him, but after centuries of being alone, will something be reignited in his cold, dead heart?

Tao I Kris I Yixing I Luhan I Minseok I Jongdae I Jongin

He liked being alone. No tearful goodbyes, no hurtful attachments. He was free to come and go as he pleased, no one to tie him down. Sure, after three hundred years, he had connections all over the world, but they were just acquaintances, people to just help him get through life when he needed a little extra help.

Like Luhan.

It still amused him how that little pretty boy decided to become a public worker, spending most of his days down in a basement under harsh florescent lighting that highlighted his pale, undead skin, surrounded by rotting flesh. If humans couldn’t stand the smell, imagine how a vampire felt.

But today was one of those days were Luhan’s position came in handy.

Kris needed information. He’d caught the scent of an old adversary - one he’d lost track of decades ago - right here in his own territory. A ruthless vampire who needed to be put down. If anyone in the city were to know about a rise in vampire-on-human attacks, Luhan would be the one to contact.

The precinct was busy, loud and overcrowded with people begging not to be locked up, when he arrived. No one paid him any attention as he strolled down the hallway and to the elevator, pressing the button to call it. While waiting for its arrival, the sound of tears caught his attention. Looking around, he found you, sitting at one of the detectives’ desks with a police standard jacket around your shoulders.

You weren’t wailing or sobbing hysterically. Just sitting there with a blank face as tears rolled down your red cheeks. Occasionally, you sniffed, creating the soft noise that caught Kris’s attention in the first place. No one seemed to be paying vulnerable little you any mind. It was depressing.

Shaking his head, he turned back when the elevator dinged at him and hit the button for the basement with just a little too much force.

Luhan was busy writing something down on a clipboard when he arrived. He didn’t even look up to acknowledge his old friend even though he certainly heard his steps from the hallway, maybe even from the floor above.

“I’ve actually been expecting you to arrive sooner or later,” the coroner chuckled, finally looking up.

Kris leaned against an empty slab, his hands in the pockets of his designer coat. Not that he actually needed one. He just liked how it looked.

“Well, you are basically psychic,” he teased.

“No. Just intuitive.” Luhan walked over to the wall that housed the newly arrived corpses and pulled out a drawer as Kris joined him. On the cold slab was a young woman, maybe in her early to mid-twenties. Pretty except for the thick red slash that tore up her throat. “I haven’t done the autopsy yet. I was waiting for you to arrive. Although, to be honest, I don’t really need to do one.”

Kris frowned thoughtfully. “Was it him?”

“That’s my guess.” Luhan gently pushed the woman’s hair away from her neck, showing off the side where the cut was deepest and brutally applied. “I found two puncture wounds hidden beneath the cut. Obviously vampire. This isn’t an unusual way for vampires to cover their tracks but–” he stopped.

“But what?” Kris urged.

Luhan sighed. “Did you see the girl crying upstairs? Pretty? Sitting at the detective’s desk?” Kris nodded. “This is the second person connected to her that’s died. In this exact way. And both bodies were left around like they were meant to be found.”

Kris’s eyes flashed red. The sudden changed didn’t scared Luhan like it might have with any human. He’d fully expected this to happen.

“It is him,” Kris growled. “This time, I’ll get him. And I’ll rip his throat out.”

Luhan pushed the drawer back into its holding cell, closing the door on the poor girl. “Do it soon. Before he kills someone else.”

With a hard nod, Kris turned on his heels, stalking back to the elevator to start his hunt.

“I’ll send you the target’s information!” Luhan called out after him. The taller vampire simply threw up his hand in acknowledgment.

You were waiting for the breakdown. For the moment where what you had found down in the laundry room of your apartment building to truly hit you. But the breakdown didn’t come. Tears rolled down your face, but you didn’t really cry. And that’s all you wanted to do right now.

After what seemed like an hour, the detective finally came back with a cup of tea, handing it to you.

“Thank you,” you whispered.

The detective nodded. “Now, (y/n), tell me about Jisoo and what might have happened.”

You took a sip of the bitter tea and shrugged. “I don’t really know what happened. Jisoo and I were close. We were around the same age–”

“You’re her neighbor, correct?” he interrupted.

You nodded. “Yes. For the past two years. Every Friday night after work, we’d go down to the laundry room. Hardly anyone else uses it at that time since they’re all out. We’d just talk about life, our jobs, family while doing our laundry. I was late getting off today so when she didn’t answer her door, I figured she already went down. When I got there, she was… she was–” your throat constricted at the memory.

Jisoo, lying on the dirty concrete of the basement laundry room. Bright red blood gathered around her head like a sick halo from a cathedral portrait. Her eyes were open, staring up at nothing. She looked like she’d just been thrown down to the ground, whoever attacked her not caring about the aftermath.

You shook your head, not able to voice the images to life.

“That’s okay,” the detective said soothingly, rubbing your arm as a means of comfort. “Did Jisoo have any enemies that you know about? Anyone who didn’t like her?”

Again, you shook your head. “No. She tried to be friendly with everyone.”

“Did she complain about anyone ever?”

“No.” You sighed, “No one, but Ryan from work. But he’s just a perv.”

That peaked the detective’s interest. “Did he try advances on Jisoo? Is that what made her uncomfortable?”

“N-no,” you stuttered. “He just shares a bit too much about his personal life. I met him once, when we went out. Even drunk, he never tried anything on Jisoo.”

That disappointed him. “Alright. I’ll get one of the patrol officers to take you home. Here’s my card, in case you think of anything else.”

To your relief, the officer who drove you back to your apartment didn’t say anything, just letting the occasional radio message break the silence. He saw you all the way up to your door on the fifth level. Jisoo’s own door across the hall had crime scene tape to stop anyone from entering in case they needed to gather more evidence or clues.

You thanked the officer and went inside.

Just do your normal routine, you told yourself. And so you did. You changed into your pajamas, washed your face, brushed your teeth, and climbed into bed. But it was there in the dark, with the sound of the city attacking your window, that it hit you. Finally, with your face hidden in your knees, you were able to sob at the loss of your friend.

Two weeks had gone by since that terrible night and you were sure you were losing it. Maybe you should see a therapist.

You can’t afford a therapist.

Well, maybe you should just get a new job.

But you loved the bookstore, so living in constant paranoia was your only option. It was probably only your imagination, anyway. Your very active imagination.

In the corner of your eye as you walked down the street to your job or the grocery store, you would see a looming shadow. By the time you turned to get a better look, it’d be gone. There were times where you just felt like you were being watched. But no one was ever around.

Today, though, you were a bit more relaxed once you arrived at the small bookshop you called your second home. Your mother often complained that you could do better, but you were the assistant manager and with Bruce about to retire within the next year or so, you were next in line to be in charge. Why try to start over somewhere else?

A few customers milled about the store, but you deemed it safe to leave the register. The pile of returns and donations was getting high and you knew that Dani would never get all of them put away by herself. Grabbing a good number of books, you started wandering about the store, finding the rightful places for the novels.

Being surrounded by the pages of other people’s stories made you feel better. More comfortable. The smell of old books took you back to leafing through your grandfather’s personal library. He never threw away a good book and it drove your grandmother crazy.

Finding the ‘Gs’, you started to put the book on top away until you recognized the binding. It was the last book that Mr. Kim - your favorite regular customer - had purchased before he passed. You weren’t sure of the details, but someone said he had fallen down the stairs and hit his head. It was a terrible way for him to go. He’d been so sweet, coming in two or three times a week, sharing stories of his younger days with you. You had liked to think of him as another grandparent you could turn to.

Releasing a heavy sigh, you put the book away and searched for the next one. Naturally, its proper place was on the highest shelf, just out of your reach. You looked around, but the only ladder in the shop was currently being used by Dani, who was like a living elf with her small stature. Being the stubborn person you were, you just decided that you would get it up there yourself. You stretched your legs, reached out your arm as far as it could go, and were on the very tips of your toes, but you still couldn’t reach it.

A large hand appeared from nowhere, taking the book from you and placing it on the shelf. Gasping in surprise, you whirled around to face the stranger, nearly toppling over the remaining books in your hands.

“Whoa, there,” the stranger chuckled, steadying the pile. His long fingers were just barely touching yours. They were abnormally cold, but you brushed it off to poor circulation.

“Th-thank you.” Oh, great. You had stuttered and now you could feel your cheeks getting warm. But you couldn’t help it. The stranger was handsome, tall, and there was very little room between the two of you due to the closeness of the shelves.

“You’re welcome,” he smiled. Of course, it was a dazzling smile. He bowed his head politely. “I’m Kris.”

“(y/n),” you bowed back. Clearing your throat, you asked, “Is there anything I can help you find?”

“Yeah, I was looking for your supernatural selection.” There was a shimmer in his eyes that gave you the impression that he was silently laughing to himself.

“Of course,” you motioned with your head. “Follow me.” You led him to the back where his desired taste was stored. “Just let me know if you need anything else.”

He nodded. “Thank you.”

Trying hold your smile down to a friendly level, you nodded back and scurried out of there.

You really wanted to see him again. He was attractive and polite. And tall guys were your weakness. But he didn’t buy anything and by the end of the week, he hadn’t returned to the store.

Sundays were your main day off, so you did what you’d always done and went down to your favorite little coffee café with your newest book in hand. Taking a window seat near the door, you ordered a tea and sat back in the chair, cracking open the book.

You used to love mysteries, the thrill of trying to figure out who killed the victim and why as the main character tried not to be next. But ever since Jisoo, they just gave you nightmares of finding her body. So, instead, you’d turned to classic romances, like Jane Austen. You knew it was cliché, but you hadn’t read them before and they were giving you a comfortable place to run to.

So lost in the world of Austen, you didn’t notice the leg nearing your table until it was too late. The leg jostled the table enough to spill your now lukewarm tea.

“I’m so sorry!” The other patron was already cleaning up the liquid with a handful of napkins.

“It’s alright.” You put your book down in your lap and you jaw dropped when you saw who it was that had run into your table. “Kris?”

His eyes lit up when he recognized you. “(Y/n)! Wow, this is embarrassing.” Once the table was dry, he threw away the napkins and picked up the now empty cup. “Let me by you a new one.”

“Oh, no, that-” You were too late. He was already at the counter, ordering you another drink.

When he came back, he set down your tea before sitting in the chair across from you and taking a sip of his own coffee. “So, is it your day off?”

You nodded, bookmarking your place and setting the novel aside. “Uh-huh. I like this place, so I tend to come here every time I don’t work.”

“It’s a nice little café,” he agreed. “So, how long have you worked at the shop?”

And just like that, you were telling Kris basically your life story. He told you a few vague details about himself here and there when you asked, but he always turned the conversation back to you. Typically, you preferred to be left alone when you were reading, but you couldn’t be mad at this interruption.

Kris was funny, often making both you and himself laugh. You liked the sound of it; the way his deep chuckles mixed with your own obnoxious giggles. He was smart, too, often randomly dropping facts that you hadn’t known before. He seemed to like surprising you and throwing you off guard.

After a few hours, you had to leave, but before you could stand up, he grabbed your hand.

“Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow night?” he asked.

With your face heating up, you nodded, giving him your number. He said he would call you with a time and so he’d know where to pick you up. You could hardly wait.

Kris knew this was creepy. No one had to point it out to him. But he still couldn’t will himself to move.

When you’d left the café he’d followed you, just to make sure you made it home safe. He’d been following you for a while now, trying to see if he could catch Taejo on your trail while keeping an eye on you. That sadistic vampire always liked playing with his targeted victims, killing people around them until they realized that they were next. But he never showed. And Luhan confirmed that the only person who connected your neighbor and that old man – Kim something – was you.

So, Kris had to take things to the next level. He knew that their hatred for each other was strong, so if he made his presence known, maybe Taejo would slip up or confront him. That’s what dinner tomorrow was about.

At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

He hadn’t meant to enjoy talking to you so much. It’d been nearly two hundred and fifty years since he allowed himself close to a human. To have a conversation with meaning with a human. And there you were, fascinating him with every little reaction, every little subtle movement. It was irritating him.

And yet, here he was, sitting on your fire escape and watching you sleep. He hadn’t moved much since you arrived home and settled down in your room. Even when you left to go take a shower and get ready for bed. Now you were fast asleep in an over-sized sweater and a pair of very tempting shorts.

Kris let out a low hiss at the thought, knocking his head against the glass. Dumb idea.

The sudden noise pulled you from your sleep, making your eyes snap open. Kris crouched down, cursing for the first time his too-long body as he tried to stay hidden and out of view of the window. He could hear your erratic heartbeat as you approached the window, only calming down when you found nothing. You settled back down on the bed and he decided it was time to leave.

He had a feeling he was going to be in big trouble if he didn’t watch himself.

You were on cloud nine. You’d been there for over a month since you went out to dinner with Kris and you felt like nothing could bring you down.

That first dinner with Kris was the most romantic date you’d ever had. He reserved a private balcony overlooking the skyline at one of the most in-demand restaurants in the city. You had a perfect view of the stars in the candlelight dinner. The two of you talked then entire time, never having a moment of awkwardness.

Kris was a perfect gentleman the entire night. Maybe a little too perfect of a gentleman. He didn’t kissed you goodnight and that worried you, making you think he didn’t have the same feeling about the date that you did. But that worry went away when he showed up at the bookstore the next day, just to see you.

And that’s how it’d been for a while now. He’d take you out or he’d come over to your place. At least three times a week, he’d come to the store to talk to you and keep you company. From the way he treated you to the little facets of his personality, he was everything you ever wanted. But he still hadn’t kissed you. And you just weren’t brave enough to take that step. You didn’t want to scare him away if he just wasn’t ready yet. But his lack of action was planting little seeds of doubt in your mind.

You were lost in this thought as the two of you walked hand in hand down the street to your apartment. Kris felt the sudden change in your mood.

“(Y/n)?”

You kept staring straight ahead. “Hm?”

He stopped your steps with a slight tug on your hand. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Embarrassed but not sure why, you just shrugged. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

The frown and creased forehead told you that he didn’t believe you, but he continued down the street, still holding tight to your hand. It was silence all the way to your door, even as you put the key in your lock to let yourself in. Getting a sudden sense of courage, you whirled on him.

“Do you even like me?”

His eyes widened. “What? Of course I like you, (y/n). That’s why I’ve been spending time with you.”

Your voice came out barely above a whisper as you stared down at the ground. “But that’s all you do.”

He sighed, his breath ruffling the hair against your forehead. Cautious fingers caressed both sides of your face before tilting your head up to him. A small, playful smile sat teasingly on his lips.

“You’re really cute when you’re pouting,” he told you softly.

As you opened your mouth to retaliate, he took his chance and brought his lips to yours.

He started off tender, as if he were scared you might break or run away. Kissing him back, you showed him that you weren’t going anywhere. You wrapped your arms around his neck, bring him closer to you. He trailed his fingers down your sides at an agonizingly slow pace, as if memorizing every curve. They didn’t stop at your hips like you’d expected, instead continuing down to your thighs before lifted you up and pinning you against the door.

Kris pulled away, looking up at you. “This is why I haven’t kissed you yet. I knew once I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop.”

You smirked, cradling his jaw with your palms. “Who asked you to?”

He shook his head at your challenge, diving in again and kissing you with more ferocity this time. It amazed you how he was able to keep at it while unlocking your door and carrying you inside gracefully.

Once again, you were caught between Kris and your door, now inside your apartment. You pulled away just for a second to get another lungful of air when something caught your eye. Wiggling out of Kris’s embrace and reaching out, you flipped on your light switch and screamed.

Written in thick red letters on your wall were the words “YOU’RE NEXT”.

Kris hid your face in his chest and pulled you out of the apartment while dialing nine-one-one. The authorities were there soon after. You were shaking in the hallway as they sent people in to search your home. Kris answered all questions for you and confirmed the two of you never made it past your front door. Words were going in your ears, but your mind wasn’t making sense of any of them, except one: blood.

A detective arrived at the scene, quickly speaking to one of the officers before approaching you.

“Miss (l/n)? This girl was found dead just a few hours ago. Do you know her?” She held out a picture to you. With an unstable hand, you took it and gasped.

Your knees gave out from under you and only Kris’s grip around your waist kept you from crumbling to the floor. The sobs made it impossible to answer.

“It’s her coworker, Dani,” Kris answered for you.

The detective nodded. “Is there somewhere you can stay tonight, Miss (l/n)? Where you’ll be safe?”

“She’ll stay with me,” Kris declared. Those four words made you feel so relieved you able to catch your breath and calm down just enough to speak again. You wanted away from here.

You whispered, “Can we go?”

The detective nodded and she turned away to her comrades.

You hardly paid attention as Kris drove you to his place. It was a fancy high-rise apartment building, but you couldn’t find it in you to be impressed.

Kris was patient with you as the two of you slowly made it to his home. He ushered you inside, not stopping until you reached his bedroom. Still in the dark, he handed you a T-shirt.

“You can change into that, then we’ll go to bed.” He disappeared into the bathroom after giving you a soft kiss on your forehead, closing the door behind him.

It took you a moment to function again. The effort it took just to undress and put on Kris’s shirt exhausted you. The shirt itself was big on you, stopping just above mid-thigh. Before you might have been a little embarrassed. At this point, you couldn’t find it in you to care. In automatic mode, you slipped into his bed, settling underneath the covers. Kris came out just a few seconds later, smiling just a little bit at you.

He, too, had changed. Now he was in an old shirt with the sleeves cut off and pajama pants. Sitting down on the bed, he took your hand in his.

“It’ll be all right,” he promised.

You squeezed his hand. “You’ll stay with me, right?”

He seemed shocked at your request, but he gave in, slipping under the covers with you. “Of course.”

You wasted no time scooting in closer to him, letting him hold you as you managed to fall asleep peacefully.

When you woke up the next morning, Kris was gone. A small note left on the nightstand told you that he had to check up on something at work and would be home soon. You were a bit depressed that he wasn’t there, but all you could do was shrug it off and get out of bed.

Sitting down on the couch, you turned the TV on to the news. After the weather, the anchor turned serious. A picture of Dani appeared next to her on the screen.

“Twenty-five-year-old Dani Marcum was found brutally murdered last night in her home. The police are now suspecting that it could be linked to two other deaths: the murder of Jang Jisoo and Kim Kiwon.”

Your jaw dropped at that last name. You thought the death of Mr. Kim had been an accident, now they were calling it murder?

“All three bodies were found drained completely of blood. However, the amount found at the crime scenes was not enough for authorities to say that they simply bleed out where they were found. They are not sure where the rest of the blood as gone. The only theory is that killer drained the victims and took the blood with him, possibly as a sick souven–”

The TV shut off and Kris tossed the remote aside before joining you on the couch.

“(Y/n),” he whispered.

“Why me?” you screeched, turning to him with tears in your eyes. “Everyone around me is dying and now I’m next. Why is this happening to me?”

The answer you expected was that he didn’t know. The answer you were prepared to hear was that things like this happened and you couldn’t explain it. But that’s not what you received.

Kris took both your hands in his, eyebrows pulled tightly together as he searched for words. “(Y/n), what I’m about to tell you is going to sound crazy, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”

You swallowed thickly, fearful of he was about to say, but nodding anyway.

“Okay. Good.” He scooted closer to you, meeting your eyes. “(Y/n), there is a world you don’t know about. A world you think is fictional, but is actually real. A world of supernatural creatures.”

You froze. Then you got mad.

Jumping to your feet, you started yelling. “Are you serious?! Three different people close to me were killed! And you’re going to tell me it was because vampires and werewolves are real!”

Before you could blink, Kris was in front of you, his hand over your mouth. That was impossible.

“Please, don’t yell,” he begged between gritted teeth. “I’m serious, (y/n). They’re real. Look.” He opened his mouth to reveal his two canine teeth had grown impossibly long. They shrank back again to a normal, uninteresting size. “We are real. That vampire that killed those people is after you. His name is Taejo. That’s why I’m telling you this.” Hesitantly, he removed his hand.

“W-why is he after me?” You still had trouble processing all of this, but what else could you do? The proof was right there in front of you.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “That’s just what he does. It’s his sick little game he likes to play. He finds a target, someone he thinks he can play with. Then kills those around them quickly before going after who he really wants. Those people die slowly and painfully.” He ran a hand through his hair, letting out an exasperated sigh. “I’ve been trying to find him, catch him before he can kill again, but he’s too fast. He’s older than me and more powerful. When I discovered you were his target, I knew I could finally do something.”

You lit up at that last comment. “You’ve been… trying to protect me?”

Kris flinched, looking down at you guiltily. “I… can’t honestly say that. (Y/n), I’ve been wanting to kill Taejo for the past two centuries. Back then, he killed the woman I loved before I could turn her, to protect her. Now I’m going to kill him before he can get to you. He just hasn’t shown his face yet.”

Your own face fell. “So, I was just bait?” You let out a humorless laugh. Of course you were. Why else would he just fall into your life after such a tragic event? Anger surged up side you, ready to boil over. “I can’t believe you!”

Kris took a step towards you, his hand reaching out. “(Y/n), it wasn’t like that. I mean, it may have started out that way, but now I–”

Smacking it away, you retreated. “NO! Don’t you dare try to justify what you’ve done! You played with me to get revenge! And I was stupid enough to fall for it. To fall for you! I actually was going to – ugh! I can’t even believe how stupid I’ve been!” The tears were falling now and you were frustrated with how much crying you’d done in the past month. “Just stay away from me! I hate you!”

Without thinking about it, you ran out the front door. The fact that the supernaturally gifted vampire didn’t come after you only solidified the fact that he really didn’t care about you.

Taking the stairs, you kept going until you were outside. That’s when reality hit you. You were still in Kris’s shirt and your underwear.

“Shit!” The staircase had turned out to be the emergency exit, leading out to an alleyway. Which was now locked from the inside. “Great.”

Where the hell were you supposed to go? You didn’t have your phone or wallet and your apartment was currently a crime scene.

“Well, I must say, I never pictured you looking so… delicious.”

You whirled around to find the sickly sweet voice that had called out to you. It belonged to an older man with sandy blond hair and almost sheet white skin. He was wearing ordinary clothes, like anyone else in their thirties might, but something inside you said he wasn’t normal.

“Hello, dear.”

Scared, you took a step back. Too fast for a human, the man appeared in front of you, grabbing both of your arms and pinning you to the wall. He smiled sadistically.

“You and I are going to have a lot of fun.” He knocked your head against the wall, taking away your consciousness.

You woke up hanging from a wall by your wrists. The warehouse was crumbling apart around you; windows broken in and covered by rotting wood, holes in the ceiling created by rust. The only things that seemed to be sturdy were the chains secured around your wrists that left you dangling against the cinder block wall.

“Oh, goody. You’re awake.”

The man from earlier appeared in front of you, raking his finger down your cheek.

“Kris should have known this would happen sooner or later.” He leaned close to your ear. “I always get my prey.”

You gasped. “Y-you’re Taejo?”

The psycho grinned when he pulled back. “At your service, my dear. I take it Kris ended up confessing to you?”

“Why me?!” you screamed, ignoring his own inquiry.

Taejo simply shrugged. “You happened to pass by and smell… so enticing. Your fear right now makes it even more mouthwatering.”

“You’re insane.”

“Maybe so,” he cackled. “But it’s fun. And Kris thought he could protect you from me.”

“He wasn’t trying to protect me.” You couldn’t stop yourself from correcting him. “I was just bait so he could get to you.”

Taejo shook his head. “Oh, dearie, how wrong you are. Sure, at first he simply wanted me to see him, thinking I might slip up since I hate him so much. But I’ve seen the way he looks at you, how he’d watch you as you slept, perched outside your window like a silent knight. He looks at you just as he looked at her. Which is going to make killing you even more fun.”

You couldn’t believe it. No, you wouldn’t. He was just messing with your head, playing his sick game. That’s what it had to be.

But as Taejo took a step towards you, he was suddenly pinned to the ground. Kris had his neck in his hands.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you?” Kris hissed, his canines extended, sharp and dangerous.

Taejo laughed. “I was counting on it.” With a slam, he pinned Kris to the wall next you, their positions now switched. “I wanted you here, to watch me rip her apart like I did the last one. To make you suffer before I kill you once and for all. Or maybe I’ll keep you around as a pet.”

Kris let out a monstrous roar that shook you to the core. Filled with rage, he channeled it to throw Taejo across the room. From there they were engaged in a battle too quick for your human eyes to see anything beyond blurs. All you could do was wait and see who would come out on top. Snarls and hisses echoed throughout the warehouse as they crashed into old crates, crumbling them into sawdust.

Then the fighting stopped. Kris had Taejo’s head in his hands with a leg wrapped around his torso to keep him steady. Taejo clawed at Kris’s arms, but the scratches healed as quickly as they were formed.

“Just do it,” Taejo hissed.

“Gladly.”

Crying out, Kris yanked on Taejo’s head, ripping it from the rest of his body as it went limp. He threw the head away and immediately came to check on you, breaking the chains around your wrists and setting you free. With no energy left in your body, Kris caught you before you could tumble to the ground. Sitting down, he cradled you in his arms, cupping your jaw in his hand.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, placing a kiss on your forehead. “I’m so sorry.”

You blinked up at him, confused. Was Taejo right? “Why are you sorry? You got want you wanted.”

“But I almost lost you,” he countered.

“Why would that matter?” You struggled to sit up so your lungs could get more air. Kris helped you, but refused to let you leave his lap.

“Because I love you.”

Your jaw dropped at the bold statement, but he held a finger to your lips, stopping you from interrupting.

“Yes, at first, I just wanted to catch Taejo, but you, you silly human with your blushing cheeks and beautiful laughter, made me fall in love with you. I’ll understand if you hate me and I’ll let you go if that’s what you want, but please know that it’s the truth. Besides, Taejo’s gone, why would I lie about loving you?”

You couldn’t argue with that. He got what he wanted, which was Taejo dead. You were safe again, so why would it matter if you hated him or not if he truly didn’t care?

Smiling just a little bit, you leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I think I love you, too.”

“Then I’m yours,” he replied. “Forever.”

#exo #exo fanfiction #exo vampire au #exo vampire!au #exo reader #kris wu x reader #wu yifan #kris wu #exo supernatural au #exo series

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thisisamadhouse · 6 years

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OQ Prompt Party Sunday

For the final day of @oqpromptparty here is my 7th contribution. This one is the first part of my second chapter for Join us in the shadows my DOQ Mafia AU. Hopefully I can post the whole thing later today or tomorrow. This is a response to prompt #56. One is a killer/Criminal the other one is trying to catch him/her.

Regina Mills has always been a light sleeper. She guesses it comes from her upbringing, it wasn’t rare to have strange visitors showing up at all hours of the night at the Mills Manor, and, more often than not, Regina’s eyes would pop open and she would strain her ears to catch snippets of conversations between her parents and their latest guest.

So when either of her lovers so much as shifts, she feels it and her peaceful slumber becomes a distant memory. Out of the two, it usually is Robin, Mal only needs some body heat to fall into a 7 to 8-hours coma.

He stirs some more, and she feels the chest she uses as a pillow expand as he sighs.

“You’re thinking again,” she whispers, mindful of the still blissfully unaware blonde on his other side.

His breath catches as he realizes she is awake, and despite her closed eyes, Regina can clearly picture him wincing in apology.

“I’m sorry, my mind just won’t shut down tonight,” he murmurs, drawing random patterns along her satin covered side with the tips of his fingers, making her shiver pleasantly.

“What is it?” She asks, tilting her head back slightly, and finally opening her eyes to study him.

“Sometimes I wonder how I ended up being so lucky, and I’m afraid to wake up one day and find out it was all a dream,” he replies, and he looks so positively stricken by the mere idea that the snort she was about to let out at his cheesy words dies down in her throat.

“What on Earth made you think about this at two a.m?” She wonders, bewildered, bringing her hand from its resting place above his heart to cup his jaw and turn his head towards her.

“I think about it most nights to be quite honest,” he admits, smiling wistfully at her, and she is taken aback.

“You never said anything,” she breathes out, her thumb gently stroking his cheek, enjoying the way his stubble grazes her skin as he nuzzles into her touch. He normally prefers to be clean-shaven, but sometimes they are able to convince him to indulge them.

“I was afraid to jinx it. After all why would two bold, stunning women like you keep a lowly thief like me around?” He looks down at himself with a vague gesture of his hand, his face twisting in a grimace. “Especially given how I found myself involved with you.”

He believes it, Regina thinks, startled, he really believes he is not good enough.

“Probably because, most days, you’re the one person able to keep us sane. I don’t know if you realized it but, before you came along, our moral compass had been pretty much thrown out the window,” she tells him lightly, hoping that some humour will help get him out of this funk, though the events she refers to, when he started working for them, are anything but humorous.

She knows he can’t have forgotten the smell of burned flesh and the dying screams as he had stood by after they had doused Sydney with gasoline, her former closest associate who had betrayed them when he couldn’t cope with the fact that Mal had supplanted him by Regina’s side. Unable to endure his pathetic excuses, Regina had thrown a lighted match in the barrel herself and walked away, never looking back.

Two birds with one stone, they call it: they had sent a message reminding everyone what was the price to pay for talking too much, while testing their newest recruit. Robin had passed with flying colors, his composure impressing them, and he had waited until they were in private to wonder if there may be less drastic ways to proceed in the future. The only thing that had stopped them from lashing out was the fact that there wasn’t any trace of judgement in his voice, just genuine curiosity.

“Of course, Mal would manage to bring home the only noble thief out there,” Regina chuckles softly, shaking her head with a fond expression.

“I don’t know about noble, but I’m certainly glad she did,” he counters, pressing his lips against Regina’s forehead, his gaze suddenly far away as he remembers.

A dear friend, the brother he never really had, begging for help to settle a huge debt, a series of burglaries and larcenies in an otherwise trouble-free, extremely wealthy community, an unrelenting sheriff, and Robin had found himself locked up. He had pleaded guilty, and had received a rather mild sentence, since he had no priors and had kept nothing for himself.

His wife, Marian, had never forgiven him the shame he had brought on his family though. She had divorced him a few months into his four-years sentence, deemed him unfit to be in their son’s life, fought for sole custody with no visitations rights, and won. By the time Robin got out, she had been long gone, taking not just Roland with her, his precious boy who would never know him, but also Keith Nottingham, the Sheriff who had arrested Robin.

She had packed his stuff in his car and into a garage, the key and address to which Robin got from his lawyer. Going through what was left of his possessions, Robin found an old map, closed his eyes and randomly pointed at a spot: the coast of Maine. With no clue as to where he could find his son, a fresh start where no one knew him seemed like the best option.

So, in his beat-up car, with a few clothes and whatever mementos he couldn’t stand to sell, he slowly made his way from Chicago to the East Coast, trying to enjoy his newfound freedom, finding little jobs here and there to pay for food, motel rooms and gaz. When he finally arrived in Storybrooke, he found a quaint little town, where everyone knew everyone, but asked few questions. He helped out at the local diner, Granny’s, in exchange for a room at the adjacent Bed & Breakfast, the no-nonsense, eponymous owner having a soft spot for his dimples.

He thought that he could finally breathe, but luck had not been on his side for a long time now, and he found the local sheriff waiting for him in this room one morning after breakfast. Before he could ask how the man had entered, he let him know in no uncertain terms that he knew all him.

“You see I have been appointed here to put an end to the criminal activities plaguing the county and which seems to originate from this town,” Sheriff Graham revealed, and Robin couldn’t help his raised eyebrows and the way he looked around the tranquil B&B.

“Don’t let appearances fool you, Mr Locksley. There is evil rooted deep in Storybrooke, and I want to purge it, but I can’t do it alone, believe me I tried. You are just the kind of person I need for the job,” the man explained, and Robin appraised him silently for long moments before wondering:

“If you are asking someone like me for help, I guess that this is dangerous, what could possibly motivate me?”

Graham obviously expected the question, though he huffed and clenched his teeth at the idea that Robin would not just jump at the opportunity to help the Police.

“As I said, I know all there is to know about you, if you assist me, I could help you find your son,” he bargained, and Robin immediately straightened up.

“You know where Roland is?”

“It would be easy for me to find out.”

Robin looked at the man intently, looking for any sign of deception, and the Sheriff held his gaze, unflinching.

“Alright, I will do it,” Robin finally acquiesced.

“Perfect, I don’t want to share many details just yet, I only have strong suspicions at this point, could never prove anything, so I think it’s better to work our way up. One thing I do know is that the local cab company seems to be at the center of it all, it would be a good start to find yourself a job there. I will send you a burner phone to contact me, the less we are seen together, the better.”

Robin sent an application, and not long after John, the owner of the cab company, offered him a job.

Given the trust the man was placing in him, Robin felt obligated to reveal some of his history, but John only laughed, and that probably should have worried him more that it did. The man said that he believed in second chances, and Robin was only too happy to be given a chance. He hoped that it would bring him closer to getting help to find Roland.

The first few weeks, it was pretty simple, transporting people coming and going to the airport mostly, a few packages to fetch or drop, always with the strict instruction to not open. They didn’t need bother, Robin had learned in prison how aggressive people could become if you touched their stuff, and he knew better. The Sheriff was pretty interested in the drop-offs, and he asked details about the people he transported. Robin had taken the habit to stash a notebook in his glove box to keep track of all those informations.

He got used to some kind of routine, until one morning when John gave him a special assignment: to pick up a special customer from the airport. She had had to let go of her usual driver, and John was hoping she would use their services from then on.

He gave Robin a sign with the name “Mal Drachen” written on it, and sent him on his way. Robin wasn’t sure what to expect, since he had no idea who to look for, but the tall, blonde woman in a stylish grey pantsuit and matching fedora, meaning business, certainly wasn’t it. She headed straight towards him, looked him up and down, eyes lingering long enough in some places to have him start to feel insecure and wanting to fidget, only to conclude with a “you’ll do”, and preceded him towards the car, her suitcase rolling behind her, leaving him barely a few seconds to recover from his shock before he had to follow.

By the time he had loaded her luggage in the trunk and started the car, she was already on the phone, and Robin understood very quickly that she was no ordinary client, and exactly why John had chosen him specifically. He made his way towards Storybrooke, knowing better than to disturb her to ask for the address, it could wait.

“I’m on my way home, I just got your message, what happened?” He heard her say, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. A pause as she listened intently to her interlocutor’s reply, and then: “He did what?” Her voice became low and deadly cold, it sent an unpleasant shiver running along Robin’s spine.

“This can’t go on, you tried to let him down gently, and it’s obviously not working. He needs to be dealt with… permanently, and the sooner, the better,” she continued, and Robin forced himself not to react. There was only so many ways to interpret this conversation, and he wasn’t sure that he liked where this was going. Could it be that easy? Could he have found an actual lead so quickly?

“Of course, I’m right,” she said, after another pause. “I’ll be there soon, we’ll determine the best course of action then,” and she hung up.

A silence, and then: “I must admit that I’m rather impressed with your self-control. Usually, by this point, after such a conversation, people tend to sweat and look around for the best way to flee,” she remarked, and he looked in the rear-view mirror and caught her eyes for a second before focusing back on the road.

“Well,” he shrugged. “I make it a point to respect my client’s privacy, and I didn’t hear anything that could give me reasons to worry about my safety. Two very good incentives to keep driving,” he looked up again, and saw her smirk.

“I can see why Sheriff Graham was so eager to have you on his side, Mr Locksley,” that made Robin’s blood run cold. “I hope that we can make a competitive offer for your services,” she continued, and the vice like sensation around his heart relaxed slightly.

“How do you know…” He started, before she cut him off.

“You will realise that we know everything that happens in Storybrooke, we are well established, and people around here trust us more than they do some Sheriff thinking they are God’s gift sent to save us all, until their bosses understand that they are no better than the one before and replace them,” she told him, and well he could see her point, he had found Graham to be more than a little arrogant since their first meeting.

“What do you want from me?” He asked.

“Only that you listen to what we have to say, give us a chance to present you with some options,” she replied, and Robin gulped.

“Options?”

“Let’s wait until we are in a more comfortable setting. 108 Mifflin Street will do nicely, I trust you can find it.”

He knew the address, had passed by it several times since his arrival.

The rest of the drive was quiet, her passenger was relaxed in the backseat, while he tightened his grip on the wheel until his knuckles turned white with each mile that brought them closer to their destination.

He took a deep breath after parking the car in front of the rather impressive mansion, and exited from it to open the back door for his client. He gave her the suitcase and followed her inside.

He was surprised to find a small crowd milling about, going from one room to another, some carrying packages, others on their phones or computers, exchanging papers or a few words, in what had looked like a well practiced dance.

Each of them stopped what they were doing when they saw Mal, saluting her as she led Robin towards the back of the house. She knocked once on the door, and entered without waiting for a reply. She closed the door of what Robin quickly realised was a large study and walked to the imposing wooden desk behind which another woman had been working.

She straightened up at their entrance, and Robin’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Mal Drachen had certainly been a vision, but this woman… she was truly delectable. It was the first time in years that he had such a reaction to a woman.

“Robin Locksley...” Mal introduced. “...meet Regina Mills.”

TBC...

#oq prompt party #regina mills #robin of locksley #Maleficent #outlaw queen #dragon outlaw queen #mafia au #marie writes oq

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jewishmatsuda · 6 years

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Devil From the Shadows: Chapter Three

Fandoms: Devilman Crybaby & Yu-Gi-Oh!

Rating: Mature

Summary: Ryou Bakura has to get back home and explain what happened to his friends. As much as he wishes he were done now, this is only the beginning.

Read it on ao3!

In the morning, Ryo Asuka emerged from his bedroom to start his work for the day in the main living space. There was always work to be done, and Jenny would bring him something with which to sustain himself.

He entered the main living area of his penthouse and scowled. Ryou Bakura was right there, reminding him of all the new inconveniences he had to take into account now. Sitting down where he had the night before, Ryo clicked his tongue and opened his laptop. He'd find a way to make use of Bakura one way or another.

Akira was still present as well. Bakura was actually laying on top of him, since Akira was too nice to push him off or something like that. Ryo found himself annoyed, but he ignored it and got to work.

-----

Ryou Bakura woke up slowly, gradually gaining awareness. It kept him from getting too shocked as he started to remember where he was and why.

Zorc. He was Zorc now. He could grow horns and claws and become a veritable god of darkness. He had gotten kidnapped. There were new people making his life interesting when he desperately wanted it to be dull.

Speaking of new people, he realized he was currently on top of one of them. While he was previously content to wake up slowly, Ryou was now feeling more pressure to be realistic and take stock of the situation at hand. In a smooth movement, he lifted himself up and off of Akira. He stretched without making a sound, working out a kink in his neck. Something smacked down onto the table in front of him, and he looked up with some healthy confusion on his face.

“Here's money to take the subway. Get out of my house.”

Bakura looked up from the cash to see that Asuka, who had spoken, wasn't even looking at him. Instead, he was typing away on his laptop just like last night. It went against his nature to take a wad of cash from someone. Aside from that, he was feeling particularly spiteful. “I don't want your money. Can't I just call my friends?”

“I don't care. Take the cash and leave.” Asuka deemed Bakura worthy enough for a brief glance. “You can't use my phone; I'm using it for my work. If you're going to be so obstinate as to not take the money, then you'll have to wait for Akira to wake up and ask to use his.”

Bakura was rather unhappy with that response. He looked over at Akira, searching for signs of if he was waking up, but there were none. Since he had already decided he would not be taking the cash, Bakura was left with no other option than to wait.

If he could wait for hours and days while locked inside his own head, he could deal with sitting there until Akira woke up. Thankfully, it wasn't too long before Bakura was done waiting. Soon enough, Akira was letting out a loud groan as he stretched out the sleep from his bones.

Akira opened his eyes, and he saw Ryo, and he saw Ryou. A grin spread widely on his face as he felt fondness for both of them. Ryo had been his best friend when they were kids. On the other hand, he had literally only met Ryou the last night, but they were both devilmen, and he instantly felt a connection because of that. Overall, Akira had a good feeling about Ryou Bakura.

“Good morning, Ryo, Ryou.” Akira snickered to himself. Asuka didn't even look over.

“Hey, uh, Akira,” Bakura started, scratching his cheek in a nervous gesture. “Could I use your phone for a minute? I'd like to call a friend to come pick me up.”

“Oh sure,” Akira said. He fished his phone out of his pocket and handed it over to Bakura, who nodded his thanks. After taking a moment to recall Yugi’s number, Bakura tapped it in and pressed the call button. It got through about half a ring before Bakura and Akira both recoiled at the yells coming from the speaker all at once.

“Bakura, is that you?”

“Oh my god, are you okay?”

“Guys, shut up!”

“Yes, hello, it's me. I'm fine. I'm okay,” Bakura said, having brought the phone back to his ear. He clicked the button on the side to lower the call volume. “I'm not in any immediate trouble, but, uh, if someone could come get me, that'd be nice. My phone is back at my apartment. I might be. I'd really like to leave this place, so it would be good to focus on that. That would work. I mean it, Honda's motorbike is fine. Okay, I'll get the address.”

As it was the most interesting thing happening in the room, Akira was watching Bakura speak on the phone. He looked weary, but Akira hadn't felt like a ray of sunshine the day after he got possessed either. Bakura turned towards him, and he passed on the address.

“That's the address,” Bakura said into the phone after passing the address along. “That's really it, 666. Put it in a GPS. No, Jounouchi, this has nothing to do with my personal interests. I'll explain later. Okay. Thank you. See you soon.”

Bakura hung up with a sigh, taking a moment to just breathe and pinch the bridge of his nose. Once collected, he handed the phone back to Akira.

“Thank you. You'll get a text when my friend gets here.”

“Cool,” Akira said, leaning back and opening up a brightly colored phone game. “I've got to get back to the Makimaru’s soon, so I'll walk you out when he gets here.”

Nodding, Bakura went back to his previous activity of sitting and waiting. Honda must have been really booking it, since it was only about twenty minutes later. Akira hopped up to his feet and gestured for him to follow.

“Come on, Bakura, your guy’s here,” he said, and Bakura quickly stood to follow him out. “Bye, Ryo, see you later!”

Akira showed Bakura the way out. He also explained how he should go about getting in, since he was expected to return. Bakura was particularly grateful, because Asuka was very clearly not interested in making this easier for him in any way.

“See you soon, Bakura. Don't let the changes scare you, ‘kay? We still have our human hearts.” Akira smiled widely at him.

“I'll see what I can do. Goodbye, Akira.” Ryou tried to smile back, but the results were questionable. The two of them parted ways.

Seeing Honda outside brought Ryou more relief than he could have expect, and he jogged over to him. He didn't even care that he'd need to ride on the motorbike.

“Woah, why aren't you wearing a shirt?” Honda asked, looking quite a bit thrown off by Bakura, of all people, having so much skin exposed. “And who was that guy?”

“Oh, um, there's a lot I need to explain,” Ryou said, averting his gaze. He looked back when he noticed Honda holding out his jacket to him. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Honda said. Ryou could feel his friend's eyes on him as he slid on the jacket. Just a day ago, it would have been looser on him. “Bakura, do you look different?”

“I have a lot to explain,” Ryou repeated. “Just wait until we get to Yugi’s place, okay? Speaking of, can we stop at my apartment first?”

“Of course.” Honda mounted his motorbike and gestured for Ryou to get on. “Come on, let's go.”

-----

Ryou felt something akin to dread when they pulled up to the Kame Game Shop. There was a lot that he was going to have to explain, and his friends were more than a little excitable. Furthermore, there was a lot he still didn't know.

Spending a few minutes alone in his apartment collecting himself had done him some good. He had his phone now, and he had changed into clean clothes. Even if parts of his living space had gotten upturned, it was still somewhere he was able to be comfortable and by himself. The broken window was going to be a problem later.

“Let's get inside, Bakura,” Honda said, stopping his motorbike by the back entrance to the game shop. “Everyone is really worried about you.”

Honda looked back at him, and he stalled for one last moment before getting off the back of the motorbike. He smoothed out the cardigan he was swearing and took a deep breath. Honda slid off his bike, parking properly. The two of them walked up to the back door of the game shop, and Ryou stood strategically half behind Honda in case anyone tried to rush them when the door opened.

It was a smart move. Honda opened the door and Jounouchi smacked right into him.

“Ryou! I'm so glad you're okay,” said Yugi, who walked past Jou and Honda, so that he could pull Ryou inside. “We were all really worried when you weren't answering anyone last night. I know you said you're okay, but you're not hurt, right?”

“I didn’t get hurt,” Ryou said, letting Yugi bring him into the living room. It seemed that nearly everyone was there. “I'm sorry for worrying you all like that. A lot happened last night.”

Seeing an open, single chair, Ryou claimed it for himself. He didn't want to be crowded when he was already the center of attention. Jou and Honda came in behind himself and Yugi, sitting down on one of the couches.

“Um. Where should I start?” He scratched his cheek. “That guy from the other day is involved, but there was something else important that happened before he showed up again.”

“Try starting at the beginning, Bakura,” Anzu said, and she smiled at him patiently.

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll see what I can do. Please try not to get too worked up until I’m talking, okay?” Ryou started, trying to form thoughts into words. “On whim, I decided to go through my deck last night. I spotted a rogue card, but when I picked it up, I saw that it was a card for Zorc Necrophades–”

“You have a card for Zorc?” Jounochi shouted.

“–As I was saying, that isn’t a card I’ve ever own nor one that was ever made. After I picked up the card, I felt strange and found myself being surrounded by shadows. It felt like something was trying to take over me. As it turns out, Zorc was, indeed, trying to possess me. It was a lot different from when it was the spirit, too. What I learned this past night is that when Zorc tried to take over me, he lost and I won. I’ve also learned that this had some interesting side effects.”

“He lost? You were able to beat Zorc?” Yugi asked, looking over at him with wide eyes. “That’s amazing, Ryou.”

“I thought we had already beaten the snot out of that guy,” Jou said, annoyed. “And what do you mean by side effects? Are we gonna have to beat another spirit out of you?”

“Zorc was probably in an incredible weak state, and it’s hard to explain what happened to me when I beat him.” Ryou pinched the bridge of his nose, collecting himself. “I think it would be best to show you. Forgive me if this looks odd, but I don’t want to ruin my clothes.”

Everyone in the room looked appropriately confused when he stood up and took off his cardigan. He wasn't even wearing a shirt under it. It only got worse when he began to transform.

Before them now stood a Ryou Bakura they had never seen before. From his head, he had grown two sets of white horns: large ones that wrapped around his head and skinnier ones that went straight up from the top of his head. Purple, draconic wings extended from his back and there was a matching, scaled tail below them. His skin had taken on a shade with undertones of the dark purple color the Zorc was. Ryou’s scars had darkened, and they looks jagged cracks in his skin. The devilman that stood before Ryou Bakura’s friends was a large and imposing figure with claws and fangs, and they stared in awe.

Jounochi looked like he was about to piss himself.

“I think I can go further than this, but I’m not keen to try,” Ryou said, voice rougher than before. “I’m sorry this is frightening, but it was easier to just show you. I promise that I’m still the one in control. What happened was that I gained Zorc’s power.”

Closing his eyes, Ryou shifted back to normal, or at least his new normal. He didn’t look back up at anyone until he was sitting down, cardigan back on.

“Ryou, oh my god,” Yugi said, breaking the silence. “What are you going to do? We should get help.”

“No,” Ryou inserted quickly. “You can’t tell anyone else about this. Zorc is involved, so you all had the right to know, but nobody else can. There is an explicit threat behind that from the guy who waved a gun in my face the other day.”

“How is he involved?” Honda asked. “Is he why you were at that skyscraper? What the hell is going on, Bakura?”

“That’s the next part of the story. I’m getting to it,” Ryou said, frowning at his lap. He told them about being kidnapped and the words exchanged between himself, Ryo Asuka, and Akira Fudo. “Akira said that I’m like him. He called me a devilman. He’s who you saw me walk out of the building with, Honda.”

“I don’t like the idea of you going back there, Bakura,” Honda said with a frown. “What if that Asuka guy uses those threats of his to take advantage of you?”

“This is how it has to be, Honda,” Ryou said. “I need you all to believe that I can take care of myself and that I won’t let myself be anyone’s pawn anymore. Okay? I’m stronger now.”

“This all sounds really bad Ryou,” said Yugi, concern in his voice. “We’re your friends, though, so we’ll always be here to support you. If there’s ever something we can help you with, you can tell us. We just want to help.”

“I know, Yugi. That means a lot to me.” Ryou looked over to Yugi with a small smile. “Thank you all for, uh, listening and not freaking out or anything. I know that this all must have been a lot for you all. If any of you are suspicious of me now, I understand.”

As Ryou finished speaking, it was Jounochi who stood up and walked over to him, taking his hand and pulling him out of his chair. It was Jounochi who wrapped his arms around Ryou Bakura, leading the rest of those present to do the same.

Ryou felt like he could cry, but his tears had all dried up a long time ago.

-----

After all the talk, everyone had been in agreement that they needed to lighten the mood. The next few hours were spent playing games and, for the most part, everyone losing to Yugi. It had been a lot of fun, but Ryou was still relieved to excuse himself to go home. The past 24 hours had been particularly draining on him, and all he wanted was to recuperate.

The second he entered his apartment, his phone buzzed with a text from a number he didn't recognize.

“You're welcome.”

Ryou furrowed his brows and started looking around. It wasn't until he got to his bedroom that he realized what the text was about. His broken window had been replaced. He scowled. That was something he could have taken care of himself.

“I was going to take care of that.”

“I don't give a shit.”

Of course he didn't. A moment later, Ryou’s phone buzzed again.

“You're coming over tomorrow, 8pm. Be prepared.”

“Duly noted.”

Sighing, Ryou saved the number to his contacts under “Ryo Asuka.”

#devilman crybaby #yugioh #ryou bakura #ryo asuka #devil from the shadows crossover #dave writes fic

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buckywintersoldierbarnes2017 · 7 years

Text

I should have been there.

Request from anon: I'd like to request Bucky x reader where she's like 13/14 and he found her inside a hydra base while on a mission. She's terrified at first of everything but warms up. Tony traces her DNA to figure out who her family is and they find out she's Buckys. Hydra had him breed with a mutant to create a new asset and she's the final result.

Note: I’m so sorry! I got COMPLETELY carried away with this. Unfortunately there isn’t loads where the reader is actually awake but I really hope I did your request justice with what I wrote <3

Bucky x Daughter!Reader

Words: 2,602

Warnings: Swearing, flashbacks, mentions of what could be deemed as rape. I think that’s all. If I have missed anything let me know!

Disclaimer: None of the GIFs used are mine so all credit goes to their creators <3

There were rumours that Hydra had a secret compound over in England, one of the few countries that hadn’t been overrun by them yet, and although there wasn’t a mountain of evidence to support the rumours there was enough for Shield to ask for the help of The Avengers.

The journey over in the jet was long and one of members of the team in particular was beginning to grow rather restless.

“They have shield agents in London right….so why are we having our arses dragged over here?”

Bucky was never the most enthusiastic when it came to dealing with Hydra, knowing that the smallest of slip ups could cause him to become their prisoner once more, and if that happened all the memories he had managed to gain back would be gone and he would know of nothing but his murderous ways The Winter Soldier. So his mood was already pretty low…add a ten hour flight on top of that and he wasn’t even going to try and hide his distaste for the situation.

“Yes they do Agent Barnes, and they have all been trained to an expert level in martial arts and firearms, each and every one of them…” Stated Agent Maria Hill through the comms as she remained at headquarters. “…but they do not possess the skill set each of you have and that’s what is needed when facing Hydra’s threat.”

“The bastards aren’t going to stop. For all we know the Queen herself could be-“

“You can’t think like that Buck. I know this can’t be easy for you but we need your head in the game.”

He kept quiet, knowing that his friend was right (as always!), before unstrapping himself from his seat and heading towards the front of the jet. Metal fingers gripped around the fabric of the seat Natasha was occupying as Bucky rested his bionic hand on top of it.

Although he couldn’t remember ever visiting a compound here during his time as The Winter Soldier that didn’t necessarily mean he hadn’t and he wanted to get a good view of it before the jet landed.

“It’s not going to look like much from up here.” The redheaded Avenger kept her focus on the controls of the jet but aimed her words at the super soldier stood behind her. “From the information Agent Hill has sent through it is an abandoned airfield. It hasn’t been active since February 1947. No activity has been spotted outside but thermal scans of the place have picked something up beneath it.”

“It will be a storage facility.”

His jaw clenched, fingers digging deeply into the fabric of the seat, if it wasn’t for the jet being hit by a bit of turbulence and the brunette losing his grip his hand may have gone all the way through,

“But what are they storing?” Sam asked with a quirked brow.

He had been drugged for the second time that day by his handlers. Although he only had the rare moment now where his old life would flicker back to him they didn’t want to risk allowing him to travel with a coherent mind in case he made a break for it. Even after all these years he was still one of their most important weapon and from the little snippets of conversation he had managed to pick out in his drugged he was going to prove even more important….

“Put the asset into a holding cell until he has fully recovered from the drugs. When he is coherent enough I want you to bring the female in.”

“Yes sir.”

He was thrown into the cell, landing on the floor with a heavy thud, his eyes creeping open just in time to see the door slamming shut.

“Hey….Buck?” He was snapped out of whatever memory had come back to him by the gloved hand of his friend landing onto his shoulder and giving it a gentle but reassuring squeeze. “You okay? Looked like you went somewhere for a moment there?”

His eyebrows were knitted with worry but Bucky soon dismissed his concern as the jet came in to land. Perhaps it was just a one off because he hadn’t slept all that well last night….

* * * * * * * * * *

The compound was easy enough for them all to make their way inside; to anyone else such ease in completing a mission probably would have been seen as a relief but each one of The Avengers knew all too well that it wasn’t always such a good thing. If there was no form of security outside then there could easily be a whole load of it inside.

“I think it’s going to be better if we split up guys, cover more ground inside should there prove to be agents inside.”

Steve took charge the second they stepped foot inside the main hangar of the airfield; splitting everyone off into pairs to cover different areas. Clint and Natasha teamed up as they usually did, Tony and Sam reluctantly decided to join forces, while Thor and Bruce headed off on their own – neither one of them particularly liking to be ‘teamed up’ with another.

Once they had all left Steve turned to Bucky.

“That was a flashback you had back on the jet……you’ve been here before haven’t you?”

“I don’t know. I think so….whatever memory started to come back to me probably wasn’t supposed to but as soon as I saw this place it just seemed to hit me.”

The sad look that always enveloped his eyes when he spoke of Hydra made an appearance, dulling any life that had once been inside of them, but instead of talking any further about it he moved past Steve and further into the facility. He couldn’t really remember ever being here and yet as though this place was his very home he navigated his way with ease down into the tunnels that lay beneath the hangar. There was no hesitation in his moves and Steve found himself having to quicken his own pace to keep up with his friend.

The tunnel they were in came out into a deserted corridor but by the looks of the small cells that were on either side of the wall it had once been inhabited by several people.

Once the drugs had left his system completely he was able to drag himself up into a seated position; an action of which was soon noticed by the guard that had been stationed outside his cell as he pulled something up from off the floor beside him.

“Get up freak! We have a little surprise for you behind this door.”

The Winter Soldier furrowed his brows, curious as to who the guard was speaking to, but he didn’t need to wonder for long because the door was pushed open and the mystery person was thrown into the room with such force that they landed on top of the soldier who had only just managed to get back onto his feet himself.

“Welcome to your next mission soldier…..” The guard’s face was up against the bars of the cell, a smug grin working its way onto his lips as the tip of his tongue ran itself along them. “….can’t say she’s the most attractive broad but damn she’s got some curves on her.”

“I don’t understand.” His voice was hoarse from the fact that he had been asleep for a number of hours but the confusion was still very much evident in the way he spoke his words. “What exactly is my mission?”

“You are to impregnate the freak stood before you. Now….get to work.”

As he came out of the flashback his vision came back to him to reveal Steve now stood in front of him waving a hand in front of his face to gain his attention.

“I’ve been here before. I was here for a mission.” His words were said in a rather matter-of-fact tone as he once again pushed ahead of his friend….now determined to find out what it was they were storing in….still there had been no sight of a single Hydra agent.

* * * * * * * * * *

The main control room was where he made a beeline for – if there was anything here that would tell them anything it would be in here. He was sure of it.

Upon first glance the room looked just like any other control room they had come across in a Hydra facility numerous times before but Bucky wasn’t interested in the control panels that seemed to fill the place, no, he was more interested in what lay among the shadows at the far end of the room.

“Steve? Have you guys come across anyone yet?”

He took his blue eyes off his friend as he turned away slightly to talk to Natasha through the comms. His hand raised up to the piece of technology inside his ear.

“Absolutely nothing. I’m guessing you guys haven’t either?”

“No. We’re going to keep checking the perimeter though to make sure we haven’t missed anything.”

“Okay. Me and Buck will join you shortly.”

He ceased the communication only to then hear Bucky’s voice straight away from within the shadows that he had wandered into.

“They just abandoned her. The bastards got scared and ran…”

Steve furrowed his brows, not having a clue as to what his friend was going on about but when he stood himself next to him he noticed exactly what he was stood in front of. It was a cryogenic tank and inside it was you. A young girl, no older than 14 years of age by the looks of it, and going by the flickering of the light inside the tank its power supply was fading. His eyes cast over to an angry Bucky whose jaw was clenching…..but there was something else too, something he hadn’t seen in a while, there seemed to be a small tear gathering in the corner of his eye.

“Nat we need you down here. We’ve discovered something but we need your skills at the controls to sort it.”

“I’m on my way.”

* * * * * * * * * *

You remained unconscious throughout the whole journey from the facility to the London Headquarters for Shield. Bucky couldn’t tear his eyes away from you – there was a foreign feeling tugging away at his heart as he looked over your fragile form – one he wasn’t really sure how to handle.

Upon arrival to the building Bruce and Tony rushed you to the infirmary where they started a barrage of tests to ensure that not only would you wake up from the frozen state you had been in for god knows how long but to also try and find out who you were.

The other Avengers came and went, going about their other tasks, but Bucky remained right outside the infirmary occupying one of the horribly uncomfortable chairs outside. Even if he couldn’t remember if you knew you or not he still felt like he should wait for you to wake up, be there when you do, because he knew all too well how horrifying it was to wake up in a whole other time and to have a mind that was like a jigsaw that had just been poured onto the floor from its box.

It felt like whole days had passed before Tony wandered out of the doors and in his direction.

“Barnes.” Bucky made to stand himself up from his chair but the man before him raised a hand to stop him from doing so. “You’re gonna want to be sat down for this. We ran all the usual tests on our unidentified female and she will soon wake up and go on to make a full recovery, something both me and Banner were expecting in all honesty, what we weren’t expecting to see was a sample of her blood matching with some that’s already on our database.”

“That can’ be possible though.” Confusion etched itself onto the super soldier’s face. “Now I’m not an expert on this stuff, obviously, but if her blood matched with someone else’s doesn’t that mean….”

“…that she is related to a member of this team. Yes. In fact she is their daughter.” Tony’s eyes fixed themselves directly onto Bucky’s, his stare becoming rather intense, he was waiting for the penny to drop. It didn’t seem to be happening quick enough for him and before long he revealed the bombshell himself. “That girl in there is your daughter Barnes. She has been frozen for a number of decades.”

For a good few seconds his heart seemed to stop beating entirely as Tony’s words soon started to sound like they were being spoken underwater. Everything around him became so much less important when he realised why he’d felt something towards the girl.

“Nice work soldier.” The top dog of the organisation wandered into the room that the Winter Soldier was currently residing in with a large grin lighting up his old and haggard face. “The mutant freak is pregnant which means your mission was a success. Now we have the beginnings of something that will change the world as we know it.“

He didn’t care, not in the slightest, the only thing that had mattered to him that day back in the cell was completing what had been asked of him. The fact that there was now a child involved didn’t suddenly flick on a switch inside of him and make him feel…..all he wanted was to be given his next job.

Your eyes fluttered open slowly at first but once they had adjusted to the light of the room better they opened fully. The heart rate monitor that was attached to you made your anxiety audible as the rhythm increased to a level that made it sound like the machine was going to break completely and that was when you felt something warm cradle your cheek and out of instinct you flinched; your hand shot out towards whoever had touched you, wrapping around what felt like a throat, and when you heard someone desperately gasping for air you turned your head slowly to put your gaze upon them.

Immediately your eyes widened and your grip immediately loosened its grip on the person’s throat before removing itself completely.

“I…I know you.” Your voice was barely even audible after all the decades of being unable to use it but he was close enough to be able to pick up what you said. “I have only ever seen….pictures bu-but it’s definitely you. You’re my father.”

A smile made its way onto your cracked lips before you forced yourself to sit upright so that you could hold your arms out to him for a long-awaited embrace. One which he wasted no time in wrapping you into as Tony stepped into the room.

“From the mutations we saw in your daughter’s DNA she has abilities that we can’t even begin to imagine. It will take a lot of time but eventually we will come to know exactly what it is she can do. During that time might I suggest that you make up for some lost time.” He placed a hand onto Bucky’s shoulder as an affectionate smile touched his lips. “Family is important.”

“That’s about the only thing I have ever agreed with you on Stark. Don’t you worry. This little one will never be going out of my sight again. I failed her once….I won’t be failing her again.”

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shihoran · 7 years

Text

“i don’t share”

Rated: General Warnings: - Characters: Riko Moriyama / Kevin Day, Jeremy Knox Word count: ~1700

Set during a Winter Ball before the events of the books. Kevin’s crush on Jeremy is obvious enough, that Riko takes a picture to taunt him.

Looking at Jeremy felt like watching a latenight camp fire, that warmed his face and hands and chest, but threatened to burn him alive, if he’d took just one step too close. His, Kevin’s, facade, the sport celebrity toothpaste smile, that he had picked up showed when it needed be, had melted away completely in the face of genuine enthusiasm. He would find himself smiling, a little ragged; his palms weirdly sweaty and he was wondering if Jeremy noticed it, as they shook hands the first time.

He wanted to believe it was only the first, but whenever they met he would naturally warm up and wonder why, until Jeremy smiled at him and even melted his worries away. Perhaps he had noticed and took pity on him. Kevin wanted to believe that he didn’t, and that he was just so very, very honest. Quietly, he marvelled at his own opinion, before raising a glass to his lips. And then their eyes met.

Jeremy was seated among his Trojan Teammates and their dates almost half across the hall at this year’s winter banquet. They were a mix of colours, bright and dark and sometimes sparkling; somehow a mix, but belonging; and out of all the things Jeremy could have looked at, it was Kevin’s eyes from so far away, that Kevin’s heart skipped a beat at the thought. He smiled and raised his glass to greet. Jeremy mirrored the gesture with a beaming grin, before he turned away again. His heart sunk, but scolding himself to have even considered that they would hold the look just a bit longer.

“Jeremy Knox, hm?” Riko pulled him out of the daze as he leaned in, shoulders brushing and eyes examining his face. “You keep watching their games, even outside revision meetings.” Kevin kept his own gaze fixed somewhere else, freezing. “He’s good.” Riko mouthed a drawn out “Oh”, and turned back to the hall. He chuckled. “I bet he is.”

When Kevin turned as well, he saw Jeremy openly walking towards them with two girls at his back. He almost didn’t recognize them with his eyes glued on the man, but he remembered them to be his teammates; more often than not as starting line up and in a set.

“Good evening, Knox.” It was Riko who opened the conversation as he got up and met the Trojan captain with his practiced smile and a hand. The other Ravens watched with quiet detachement, some of them leaning into another, whispering. Jeremy caught Riko’s hand in a firm shake. “Hello, good evening to you, too. How’ve you been?”

The smalltalk between the two captains unfolded quickly and easy, as Riko had a way with words and Jeremy always seemed like buzzing with energy, eager to hear and be heard. The girls behind him eyed the Ravens with a cool look, but kept to themselves most of the times. Why they were there, Kevin didn’t know. He caught the eyes of one and nodded in greeting, just to be polite, which she and the other must have taken as invitation, as they stole two chairs and gathered to his side.

“Hi. I’m Laila, and this is Alvarez.”, she said as they shook hands. “Kevin Day. Nice to meet you.” “We know.” Laila smiled at him and gestured at the number under his eye.

As they talked, they dived into the games of the last season and how the other teams have played. Alvarez remained guarded, aware of the Ravens listening and watching like stone guardians. Laila was quiet as well, but she and Kevin held up the conversation on the back of learned politeness and field of interest.

Perhaps ten minutes have passed, maybe half an hour, but Riko interrupted the conversation between Laila and Kevin, as he held out his phone towards him. Kevin took it, puzzled.

“Would you mind taking a picture of us?”, Riko beamed at him, while Jeremy winked in the back and added: “We’re on rivalling teams, but it doesn’t mean we can’t mingle off the court.”

Kevin stared at them what felt like another year and his heart skipped a few uncoordinated beats, before he unlocked Riko’s phone and got up to his feet. There was something surreal about this idea; that the Ravens and Trojans could - does he dare even think it - bond in their free time, whenever that was supposed to be. He opened the camera, tapped on the screen to make it focus and slightly bend his knees, as they both were shorter than him. He couldn’t deny the weakness in his legs though, as he watched Jeremy put an arm around Riko’s shoulders. This should be illegal. This, probably, was illegal in Riko’s book, but his expression didn’t change. The smaller man wrapped his arm around Jeremy’s waist and pulled him close, as he smiled for the camera. Kevin was about to faint.

Later the night, back at the Raven Nest, he still burned with the sensation of witnessing something that was so otherworldly and impossible to occur, that he had to sit down on his bed as soon as they arrived in their room. Riko was at the other side, pulling off his jacket, tie, and opened the first buttons on his shirt, before he noticed Kevin’s empty stare at his back. Riko’s mouth curved to into a sly smile, so very unlike his TV star persona, but so very honest.

“You should’ve seen yourself. Almost thrown your little panties at him.” He flinched when Riko moved towards him and held out his phone again. “Here. Send yourself the picture, but keep quiet when you touch yourself to it.” “Riko.” His cheeks burned with embarassement, but he couldn’t help his hand reaching out for the phone. At the last second however, Riko pulled it out of his reach.

“Changed my mind.”, he laughed, but his expression was sober. Kevin knew this kind of face. Knew this laugh. His limbs felt like they’d freeze over at any moment. A palm pressed against his collarbones and pushed him down, before Riko climbed over him and settled with his legs to each of Kevin’s sides. His eyes were dark, quiet pools that knew no emotion, and lesser, mercy. His hand slipped further up, softly pressing against Kevin’s throat.

“I don’t share.”, Riko said, his voice quiet and features soft against the backlight. “You could beg for it, though. Ask me.” Kevin schooled his expression to be indifferent, but the pressure on his throat only increased because of this. His brows pulled together, unwilling to play his game, but knowing of no escape. “Can I have the picture?” “Say ‘Please’.” “Please.”

An emotion that Kevin failed to grasp fast enough flicked through Riko’s eyes, before he was shoved into the mattress and felt the weight of Riko’s body removed off him. “You’re boring.” Riko tapped on his phone, turning the display for Kevin to see and deleted the picture in front of him. Eyebrow raised, he faked guilt. “Oops.” Kevin stared at him for what felt like a whole minute, before slowly propping himself back up and reaching out for the smaller wrist. Again, Riko pulled away; and then tossed his phone across the room on his bed. “Check it if you want, but it’s already gone. There are no copies.” “Riko.” The shorter man turned back to him, distaste on his features. He looked down at Kevin’s hand still in the air with its palm up and waiting. “Get it yourself.”, he hissed. “Not the phone.” Their eyes locked. Suddenly, the distance between them seemed to grow into something suffocating to both, that needed to be dealt with and it was better for Kevin carry the responsibility. “Your hand.”, he added, quietly.

Unlike the cold words, Riko’s fingers felt warm; but unlike his soft features, the hands were rough with calluses from trying too long and too hard to come out on top, without failure. Kevin closed his hand around it, pulling, and Riko stepped closer, with Kevin’s legs now caging him. Dark eyes regarded him, and though his body was unmoving, he was ready to lash out if he’d dare take a wrong step. Kevin knew of his cruelty, knew of spite, and hate, and his capability to hurt beyond measure - to cross lines that would have still deemed him human, and not the monster he was now. That he had grown into. When Kevin couldn’t look him in the eyes anymore, he found Riko’s hand still soft in his.

His lips met the knuckles with patience, waiting for a reaction that didn’t come, and then proceeded to mouth at the bones beneath pale skin. He trailed along the length of the digits, turned to the palm and pressed against the fingertips. Riko was rough, was relentless and unforgiving. Was a different kind of fire in comparison to the Trojan Captain. Kevin undid the cuffs, rolled back the fabric and mouthed at the blue and green veins prominent even in his shadow. A free hand skirted around Riko’s waist and pulled him closer, before he turned to meet his eyes.

Riko’s eyes were still dark, but his expression less vile and more indifferent than anything. He watched in silence, allowing Kevin to do as he pleased. He didn’t know of kindness and lesser did he know of gentle hands. Each moment spent like this was like a tight rope dance for both of them, but everytime they did, they came close to shine a light on their remaining humanity. Kevin’s thumb brushed the wrist where his lips had been, eyes glancing down at the buttons of the black shirt, catching a glimpse of fair skin beneath. Riko pressed his fingers against Kevin’s neck, feeling the heartbeat. It gave away what Kevin didn’t want to, and Riko knew. Of course, he knew.

“I didn’t tell you to stop.”, Riko said. Their eyes met again, but before he could reply, Riko’s body was yielding into him, and his lips were soft on Kevin’s mouth.

#written works #fan fic #rikokevin #riko moriyama #kevin day #tfc #the foxhole court #this started as a jeremy/kevin fic but it derailed into riko/kev because im garbage i guess #stares at my hands #sorry anon i tried #will try again later #tfc au #tfc fan fic

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commandershepardvasfuckit · 7 years

Text

I finally have some Ryder/Kandros stuff posted!

So the link to the first chapter on AO3 is on my writing page (link in blog description)

Chapter 2

This is likely going to be 5-6 chapters, so nothing too long, though I might extend it if need be.

And yes, there will be eventual smut.

Under a cut for length

“Kandros, can you authorize me so I can use the security terminal again?”

Tiran looked up from the datapad he was mulling over to find the Pathfinder standing a few feet in front of him. She looked exhausted, though in all honesty she looked exhausted from the first time they met. Admittedly the first time he saw her it was not under the best circumstances, Ryder was still reeling from her father’s death and becoming Pathfinder, however even now she looked even more sleep deprived and distraught if possible.

“I gave you permanent authorization last time, remember? And you can just call me Tiran, last names are for people like Tann” he said gently.

“Yeah, it’s ringing a bell. And People like Tann? I thought you and Tann got along?” asked Sara.

“We play nice for the most part, and as a person I don't have anything against him, but he's not the sort of person I'd ever put in charge of anything”. Tiran shook his head, how a bookkeeper was deemed competent enough to lead the Initiative was beyond him, even if Tann was seventh in line for the position.

“Yeah, he can be a bit abrasive sometimes” Sara forced a smile before making a move to the security terminal across the way, “Thanks Tiran”.

“Stay safe, Pathfinder” called Tiran after Sara as she walked off.

“And you can call me Sara! Titles are for people like Tann!” Sara called back over her shoulder to Tiran.

Tiran could not help but smile, at least Sara was feeling alright enough to still make jokes.

“Back so soon, Sara?” Tiran asked as he watched Sara approach the little cubby of an ‘office’ Tann had given him with the promise he would move Tiran into a real office once the Nexus was up and running. That was seeming more and more like an empty promise with every day that passed.

“Yeah, just wanted to check on some things with the strike teams” she said, she looked like she had not slept in days.

Tiran felt his heart sink a bit seeing her looking so rundown. All of this Pathfinder business was too much to put on to someone so young. Too much for someone who inherited it after the death of a family member, someone who never received any formal training and was thrown into the chaos from the moment they woke up in Heleus.

“You know you can check the teams from the Tempest, right?” he asked. Did I remember to tell her that? He wondered, second guessing himself.

“I know, but you know the teams better so I'd rather get your opinion on this stuff since you're the military guy” she said.

“Always glad to help. Anything in particular?” asked Tiran.

“There's a kett base on Voeld with some angaran prisoners, I was hoping you'd know which APEX team would be best for that” Sara was fidgeting with her nails. Her hands looked terrible, the nails were bitten down until they bled and the skin around her nails was torn up and mutilated from picking at it.

“Got any information besides ‘kett base’ for me to work with?” asked Tiran.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. I've got the data downloaded to my omni tool, I'll upload it to the database here” she apologized. She seemed so far away, lost in whatever was going through her mind.

“Sara,” Tiran began, unsure whether he should be asking questions, “are you alright?”

“I'm fine, just a lot going on” she responded weakly.

“Just don't push yourself too hard” Tiran said, knowing Sara probably heard that from everyone but feeling the need to say it to her anyways.

“There'll be time to rest after all this is done, just let me know what team would be able to rescue those angaran prisoners” said Sara blankly.

“Of course, Pathfinder”.

“Pathfinder” nodded Tiran as Sara approached.

“Just ‘Sara’ is fine, I’d really rather just be Sara” she said.

She was looking worse if possible. She had dark rings under her eyes, something Tiran learned that meant humans were exhausted. She was leaning on the table heavily, as if she could not support her weight on her own and her entire being just seemed so far removed from the situation.

“What can I do for you today?” asked Tiran.

“Nothing, I just got done talking with Tann and Addison and I needed somewhere to think and cool down” said Sara.

“Why not head back to the Tempest then?” asked Tiran.

“Because then I'd actually have to do something about what Tann and Addison said and there's just so many things going on without them adding more” Sara said.

“They wouldn't ask for you to do things if they didn't think you could handle it” Tiran tried to reassure her.

“They can have all the fucking faith in me they want, it doesn't mean I can just magically do everything” Sara snapped.

“I know,” Tiran began gently. He had dealt with Tann and Addison piling things on from the moment he became militia leader, it was downright overwhelming when you were still figuring out your job. “One person can only do so much, but if there's anything I can do just let me know, alright?”

“Yeah,” Sara said, “thanks. Sorry for snapping at you. It's not your fault things are like this”.

“You're stressed, but you need to do something about that before you hit a breaking point” Tiran said, taking a step to close the gap between himself and Sara. “You need to find time to destress at least a bit, or just mull over things”.

“You're probably right” Sara admitted reluctantly.

“I am right”. Tiran look a deep breath, “How do you think I deal with everything without going crazy? I'm in a position that was made up after we realized the kett were here. I signed on to be Nexus security, not some sort of military commander. I'm just winging 80 percent of what I'm doing and trying to keep people safe and trying to stay sane”.

“It's sort of comforting to know that I'm not the only one stumbling through all this”. Sara smiled.

It was a real genuine smile, Tiran could not help but smile back. There was something beautiful in her smile, from her odd flat teeth to the way her lips curled upwards and her eyes got squinty, humans were an odd species though there was something charming in how expressive their faces were. “Hey, you know if you ever need anyone to just talk with you can always come talk to me. I may not be part of a Pathfinder team or anything, but maybe talking to someone outside of all that it what you need” Tiran offered.

“Thanks, but I don’t need to drag you into all this nonsense also” Sara said.

“Everyone needs someone to talk to, I know you’re probably talking about all this with your crew but sometimes it helps to talk to someone who isn’t involved in everything” said Tiran.

“Yeah, I know, but I’d feel bad dumping all my problems on everyone else, there’s no need to trouble my crew with everything that’s going on. They have enough going on without adding to the pile” admitted Sara.

She wasn’t talking to people about any of this, Tiran realized. No wonder she always looked so stressed and rundown.

“Then why not talk about things that aren’t going wrong. You made first contact with the angara and they didn’t shoot you, that’s pretty big” Tiran smiled, hoping to cheer Sara up.

“It could have gone better though” she mumbled.

“But all things considered, I think you did pretty well” Tiran said.

Sara flushed a bit, embarrassed from Tiran’s praise. “I mean not being eaten by a new alien species is pretty decent I guess. Maybe it would be nice just to talk with someone”.

“Well, I should be done here in about an hour. I was planning on swinging by the Vortex to grab a drink, join me?” Tiran asked.

“Sure, it’s on the way to the Tempest anyways” Sara said.

Tiran laughed, “ ‘It’s on the way to the Tempest anyways’ I’m inviting you to take a moment to breathe and chat, not turning you over to Tann, you don't have to sound so reluctant. If you don't want to, you don't have to, I'm not going to be offended”.

“I just feel like I don't have the time to be spending it just hanging out, there's so much to do still” she said.

“That's why I offered. You don't have to come, but I thought maybe it might help for you just to have some down time”.

“Yeah, I probably need that” Sara said.

“Well, if you want to go meet me here in an hour. No hard feelings if you don't show, I promise” Tiran smiled.

Sara did not stray far from the militia HQ, busying herself looking over the APEX missions and data pads of intel on kett movements for the next hour. Tiran noticed Sara watching him several times, or maybe moreso staring out into space in his general direction, or maybe trying to figure out what caused him to reach out and try to help. In all honestly, he saw something familiar in her situation: waking up in a new galaxy, realizing everything had gone wrong, and then being thrown into a position without any training. He sympathized with her and just did not want her to deal with everything alone like he had been, no one should be dealing with that alone.

Tiran was able work quickly and finish compiling the data they have on kett movements near outposts and send the information to the outpost leaders so they could change patrol routes and make the necessary fortifications. He looked over to where Sara was sitting, her face bathed in the glow from her omni tool as she flipped through screens on the interface.

“All set to go?” asked Tiran.

Sara dismissed the interface before moving to get up, “Whenever you are” she answered.

The two started on their way to the shuttle. Operations was relatively quiet and the lights had started to dim to signal the beginning of the night cycle for the station, casting shadows along Sara’s face and making her look even more exhausted.

“So, I heard you’ve got an angara on your crew now. How’s that?” he asked trying to break up the silence.

“Interesting to say the least. Jaal’s nice enough, though I’ve seen more of him than I ever cared to” she answered.

“That sounds like it wasn’t intentional” how do you accidentally do that? Tiran wondered to himself as they boarded the shuttle to the loading docks.

“Oh believe me it wasn’t and boy was it a surprise. I’m the first human to see angaran dick for sure” Sara smirked.

“Sounds like there’s a story behind this” Tiran said.

“Well, a short story, I’m still not entirely sure what happened. Liam asked me to make some armor for him, I left Liam alone for a few minutes to go requisition it and I come back and Liam is shirtless, which was surprising in and of itself, then Jaal just walks in absolutely naked. That man stripped down in his room and then waltzed naked across my ship, then just left like that! I turned around when I heard Liam’s door open and there’s Jaal naked as could be right there! And neither Jaal nor Liam cared!” Sara giggled.

“Well, that’s um… surprising” Tiran stifled a laugh. “And you still don’t know what it was about?”

“Nope. The most I got from either of them was that they were trying to get to the bottom of things and get answers to the real questions. I haven’t asked why Liam needed to be shirtless and why Jaal was naked. There’s some things I just honestly don’t need answers to”.

The shuttle arrived at the loading dock. The lights had already been dimmed there too, bathing everything in a yellow glow from guide lights recessed in the floor.

“You know, I envy that you have a ship. When Tann gets annoying you can just fly off and ignore his calls. When I ignore him he just shows up in my office and makes a scene” Tiran said. “‘Kandros, you can’t just ignore my calls’ ‘Kandros, you need to submit every strike mission to me for approval’ ‘Kandros, I love making your job absolutely miserable’” Tiran mocked.

Sara hid a her giggle behind her hand, starting to relax as she just enjoyed chatting with someone.

“And here we are, the only place where Tann doesn’t bother me” Tiran said as they walked into the Vortex.

“Kandros!” called the asari bartender, “Not drinking alone this time?”

“Nope, I have the great honor of the Pathfinder joining me” he called back to her as he and Sara slid into a booth off to the side of the room.

“They seem to know you here” Sara said.

“Not to sound too cocky, but I think most people know me. I haven’t reached your level of fame yet though” Tiran said with a bit of a smile.

“Or maybe you just drink a lot” Sara teased.

“I only drink on days where Tann annoys me” he said.

“So everyday?” she asked.

“Most days” he admitted.

The bartender approached them carrying a drink, “I already know what you want” she said sitting the drink down in front Tiran, “And what’ll it be for the Pathfinder?”

“Um, what do you have?” asked Sara.

“It’s a bar, so most things. Though you’re the ‘I drink what someone hands me’ type aren’t you?” the bartender asked.

“Mostly, never really spent any times in bars or anything” Sara said.

“That’s alright, I’ve got you” the bartender said with a smile.

“Hey!” Tiran called to the bartender as she made her way back to the bar, “How do you know I didn’t want something different?”

“Because you’re the biggest creature of habit that I’ve ever seen. Except the one time you got dared to drink ryncol, now that was something” said the bartender.

“You drank ryncol?”asked Sara in disbelief. Why anyone who was not a krogan would drink it was entirely beyond her unless they had a death wish.

“Yeah, there was a krogan in here complaining and saying there was nothing good, everything here was too weak for him. He had a flask of ryncol with him and he was going on telling everyone that they couldn’t handle it and daring someone to try it, so I took a shot” Tiran said with a shrug.

“And you didn’t just pass out on the spot or anything?” asked Sara.

“No. It tasted terrible, don’t get me wrong I have no desire to drink it again, but I think krogans just like to hype it up” said Tiran.

Sara was smirking, something about that gave Tiran a warm feeling in his chest. He was thrilled to see her happy for even just a moment, just to be able to take a little of the stress off her for now felt so much more fulfilling than anything else he had done since waking up on the Nexus.

“And a drink for you” the bartender said as she returned, drink in hand. “Asari liquor and fruit juices, with a surprise”.

“Thanks” Sara said, taking the drink from her. The drink looked nice enough, it was a pink color and smelled like something between cranberry and mango, the surprise part concerned Sara though.

“Cheers” said Tiran, raising his glass.

Sara raised her own, clinking it against his before cautiously raising it to her lips to sip on it. It was sweet, almost sickeningly sweet, but that was not the surprise. Something in the drink had a menthol like quality, cooling her mouth and throat, which caused her to cough a bit in surprise.

“Any good?” Tiran asked.

“It’s different, but not bad” said Sara taking another sip of the drink.

“So” began Tiran, “what’s it like being able to travel and be able to see all these new planets?”

“It’s actually pretty cool,” Sara smiled, “when things aren’t shooting at you”.

Tiran snorted into his drink, “I think I miss things shooting at me. I’ve been cooped up here on the Nexus for too long. I signed up to guard colonists and expeditions, not to be buried under paperwork”.

“Couldn’t you have turned down the position?” asked Sara.

“Maybe, the Hierarchy always told us there was no shame on not taking a promotion if you feel like you couldn’t do it” Tiran paused, taking a drink and gathering his thoughts, “but I felt like I could do this and it turns out I can. Now I realize I just don’t want to do it. I know I’m doing what’s best, this is where I can help the most. Service over self, you know?”

A silence settled between them as they both sipped on their drinks. Sara never realized that Tiran had felt backed into his position too. That for as confident and at ease as he always seemed that he was sort of just floundering through everything doing a job that he did not want to do either.

“Hey Tiran, can I tell you something? And promise that you won’t be offended.” asked Sara.

“Of course” Tiran said.

“I always thought you were some old military lieutenant or something. Like you had all sorts of experience and you knew exactly what you were doing” Sara said.

“Old? I’m only a few years older than you” Tiran groaned, “Why does everyone think I’m like 40?”

“Probably because you act like like some old military commander” Sara grinned.

Tiran felt the same warmth in his chest from Sara grinning, even if it was at his expense. It was worth it to see her smile and relax.

“So if you’re not some grizzled old war vet, how old are you? If that’s not rude to ask” Sara asked.

“Twenty-six. I don’t even think Tann realizes that” Tiran answered.

“Look at us, a couple of kids put in charge of keeping people safe” Sara said between between sips of her drink.

“That’s alright, we’re figuring it out” Tiran said. He wanted to reach out and grab her hand, or at least a pat her on the shoulder, anything to reassure her that he had faith in her and would be there for her to talk to. Instead he resigned himself to a smile, hoping it carried the same sentiment.

The rest of their time was filled with idle chitchat, an equal mix of complaining about Tann and the bureaucracy of the Nexus, and the excitement of being in a new galaxy. Every time Sara talked about something new or interesting in Heleus that she found her face lit up in a wide smile, something Tiran was sure he could never be tired of seeing.

“Thanks for this Tiran” said Sara as she finished her drink.

“Anytime. Anytime you just want to talk let me know” Tiran felt the pleasant buzz from his drink start to set in, a low alcohol tolerance had its ups and downs. At least the bartender knowing what he liked to drink meant that Sara had not realized that he just had drank a double pour of straight up alcohol in thirty minutes.

“I should head back to the Tempest” Sara said a little disappointedly.

“I’ll walk with you” Tiran offered.

There were a few people watching them as they left the bar, but the Pathfinder and the militia leader talking was not particularly out of the ordinary. Had any of them been paying attention they would have noticed the slight way Tiran stumbled as he walked or the blue flush that had crept up his neck, but luckily the militia leader leaving a bit tipsy was also pretty unremarkable.

The walk to the Tempest dock was short and filled with a comfortable silence. Tiran did not know the last time he recalled feeling so calm. Maybe it was how quickly he finished his drink, maybe it was feeling like he made a difference in Sara’s day, either way he felt himself smiling the entire walk to the Tempest .

“I had a good time” Sara began as they reached the doors leading to the dock, “Maybe the next time I’m on the Nexus we can do it again”.

Tiran melted a bit seeing her smile wanting to chat with him again causing the blood rush to his face, making him incredibly happy that his plates would hide any blushing. “Of course, let me know when you’re free next”.

“And I’ve got the drinks next time” Sara grinned.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s on my tab, which links to the Initiative accounts, which Tann pays technically” Tiran said.

“Well, in that case we’ll let Tann pick up the drinks” Said Sara.

Tiran wanted to reach out and touch her, a hug or placing his hand on her shoulder, anything to show some closeness. He did not necessarily know why all of a sudden he wanted to close the gap between them, why after a few weeks of just seeing her as the Pathfinder somehow turned into him wanting to comfort her and get to know her. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was having the chance to talk to Sara instead of the Pathfinder, either way he was glad that Sara came with him tonight.

He reached out and gently placed his hand on Sara’s shoulder, hoping it would not be too intrusive on human standards. “Stay safe out there, Sara. I’m looking forward to the next time we can talk”.

“Hey, the kett haven’t killed me yet, have a little faith in me” Said said with a smile, “I’ll see you soon, I promise”.

Tiran smiled as he watched Sara disappear through the doors to the Tempest dock. ‘She looked happy’ he thought to himself. He felt lighter than air as he strolled back to his apartment, thrilled the Sara felt comfortable enough to want to meet up with him and talk again.

“SAM?” Sara called out from where she had flopped onto her bed on the Tempest, “Any thoughts on Tiran?”

“What do you mean Pathfinder?” Came SAM’s voice echoing in her head, something Sara did not think she would ever get completely used to.

“I don’t know, did you pick up anything weird about him tonight? I mean we’ve talked a lot, but he’s never really shown any interest in getting to know me before tonight. Is that weird?” Sara asked SAM.

“I detected above normal heart rate and dilated pupils during your meeting with him, common signs of interest or distress in all known organic species. His actions seemed motivated by a concern for your well being and his physical reactions were a response each time you spoke, and when he touched your shoulder” Answered SAM.

“Okay, but what does that mean? Was he flirting with me?” asked Sara.

“Unknown. More information is needed before I can make a judgement” Said SAM.

“That was rhetorical, SAM” Said Sara.

“Very well Pathfinder. Would you like me to monitor Kandros’s responses to you for future reference?” asked SAM.

“That’s not necessary SAM” she said.

“Very well Pathfinder”.

There’s no way he was flirting with me, Sara thought to herself, he worried because I’m Pathfinder, he’s worried because he knows I’m dealing with the same sort of things he’s dealt with, just worse.

Regardless of rather Tiran was flirting or not it gave Sara a warm feeling in her chest knowing someone was concerned about her. In the back of her mind she knew the crew worried about her and was there for her too, that she could go to anyone on the Tempest and they would let her vent, but she could not bring herself to unload her fears on them. They were going through all of this with her, the last thing she wanted was to put more stress on them. Tiran felt different though, more like an anchor or rock that she might be able to really talk to.

#MEAfics #ryder/kandros #tiran kandros #mass effect andromeda

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