#shaking hands with mayor cause its also the same for them
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Since its 2am and I feeling the sadness coming along, take this mayor x depressed!reader oneshot. If you want lmao
TW before hand this will contain depressing scenes/thought processes that might trigger you emotionally or something. Y'know I understood why people get triggered over sensitive topics but I had yet to experience it for myself so really all i could do was sympathize with them but like ten minutes ago I had a fucking panic attack cause I saw SH! scars and went into a fit like damn thats NEVER happened before the guilt must be finally knocking at the door, took it long enough
this story wont contain those topics but it will contain things like self degrading/loathing. So tread carefully and stay safe
also dont worry 'bout me lovelies lmao everyone has their flop days
Roughly 1.8k oneshot, hope you enjoy!
<3 <3 <3
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MAYOR X DEPRESSED!READER
Lego Monkie Kid
Context: It came back tonight. It always comes back. You don't think this pain will ever leave you, but maybe someone thinks otherwise. He's trying. You just wanna be happy.
TW: Depression, language
‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹
Go to sleep. Go to fucking sleep.
You stare at the wall; it's blank, possessing no interesting features whatsoever that could give you reason to even spare it a glance. But your eyes don't stray from that wall.
Sleep.
No. You can't.
There's nothing good in dreaming lately. No peace has come out of closing your eyes, nothing but tears and emptiness and cold. It's so cold. Your heart is gone; it its place, a small hole. Black, unfeeling. Cold. Small, because your heart was never really full, anyways.
It was never able to encompass the emotions of a normal, stable human.
That in itself is so, so wrong.
Your lip trembles.
Hands gripping the sheets underneath you tightly, you suck in a sharp breath and hold it. You're disgusted at how your breathing quaked, how it trembled with pain.
Nothing is wrong. You don't know why you're sad and you can't bring yourself to ignore it.
Thoughts flood your brain. You don't want them.
They always say the same things. Always traitorous, dark thoughts, full of self inflicted torture and misery, because everything is always your fault. All of it, all the fucking time. There's no escape from the guilt.
The awful guilt.
You don't deserve to be happy. You know why you're sad now, why you're letting these feelings eat away at the wall you've put up. But the walls are laughing, whispering behind your back. They tell you things. Things you already know but you don't want to hear.
Ugly.
So pointless.
Please . . .
Why are you here.
Why.
Selfish.
Tears flood your eyes and the wall turns blurry. Not much has changed, it's still dull and it's still what you're staring at.
No one wants a selfish person, no one in the world.
You know exactly why you feel this way, now.
It's your fault. You did this to yourself and you're not stopping, you don't care that you're falling into the hole you're just letting yourself, letting the people around you down. Isn't that so selfish, isn't that why you're so alone?
People love you.
And yet you're doing all these things to yourself you're doing this to yourself you're disappointing them.
Why can't you be happy?
Why must you be so selfish as to continue hurting like this, and not raising a finger in objection? It's pointless, what you're doing. You are pointless.
You are the problem.
The tears come fast and hot, cascading down your face, staining your cheeks, your hands, the stuffed animal you have wedged between your arms. You can't bear to look at the world, at the ugly wall across the floor. You raise your arms, covering your face with shaking hands. A sharp, stuttering inhale is made, cutting through the silence like a white hot knife.
There's no point. You've lost. You can never get better.
Because you're you and you are the problem you are what people try to avoid you are the one causing all of this pain-
You sit there.
Trying your best to cry quietly.
The stuffed animal you grip provides little comfort. You're just begging for all of this to be over. Your hands are claws, wrapping your vision in a cage of sorrow.
Your face is wet, but the tears don't stop.
They drip down your chin, onto the mattress below. Your sobs are muffled by the padded cages; your hands, trembling as they move to try and calm yourself. Try to hug the stuffed animal tighter, try to cover your face so that all you see is black. Nothing helps. Nothing will ever help.
Burying your face in the fluff of the stuffed animal, you let out a soft, pain-filled moan.
Why are you here.
Why are you like this.
No one ever wants a selfish person.
Noise sounds. It's barely registered from the thoughts circling your brain, but its the sound of a door opening, slowly. The sound seems to draw what little you have left back to the real world.
Back out of the hole.
You stiffen, shoulders hunched, eyes widening slightly behind the warm bars. Your hands lower a tad, but you don't look up.
"(Y/N)?"
They always start with that. They always say your name.
The voice who'd used it sounds deep, honeyed even. Familiar, too, so much so that you realize who it is a moment later, and your heart skips a beat. But you don't look up. You don't want to face the Mayor, to let him know what is consuming you. The guilt is impossible to counter.
"Please leave . . ." You breathe, voice catching.
Stop it stop it-
You just want everything to stop.
The Mayor doesn't listen to your plea; immediately after you'd spoken, he walks forward. You don't notice his footsteps are light, laced with the intent to not startle you.
His movements have you looking up, suddenly. With a tear-streaked expression and wide, guilty eyes, you quickly back up on the bed, rash and sloppy. All the while, your gaze is glued to the Mayor as he approaches the bed, pace hesitating only when he'd saw you scramble backwards.
"N-No, go away, please-" You whisper, throat clogged with pain and sorrow. "P-Please-"
He stops, suddenly.
Glowing, white eyes searching your face, he tilts his head.
"Sweetheart . . . you're crying?"
"I-I'm not-" You suck in a shaky breath, whipping your head to the side so you don't have to look at the Mayor. So you don't have to feel so terrible. You woke him up. You're making him worry.
The wall is what bears your tear filled eyes, now.
You try to control your breathing, try to get a hold of yourself, but you didn't expect the Mayor to notice there's an issue and decide to investigate. An escape plan is nil. You're wrong you're wrong you're so fucking wrong-
Someone save you.
"I-I'm sorry," you say, voice so quiet it could've been passed off as the breeze.
Wide eyes locking with his, you let the tears fall "I-I'm so sorry!"
It's a heartbroken whisper, full of guilt and panic and pain all wrapped in three words that shatter whatever's left of the mental wall you'd built.
You need help.
You don't want to feel like this anymore.
The bed sinks under the Mayor's weight as he takes a seat.
"My love," he says. There's a gentle tinge to his voice, laced with worry and yet careful not to cause you any more panic or guilt. He knows. He knows exactly what is wrong just by reading your eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
You suck in a deep, shuddering breath, a wretched sob finding its way past your throat.
Then, you lower your head.
It's too much. You have too much to be sorry for.
"I-I hurt people," you choke out, hands wiping away tears. But more tears drip from your eyes and onto your fingers. "I can't . . . n-nothing helps, I-I'm just so useless . . . Why . . ?"
Why why why?
Why can't you just say something??
The cold, yet gentle hands holding your wrists suddenly slide to your face. The thumbs brush away the tears, then gently lift your head so the Mayor can look at you. So he can see what a mess you are, pick you apart down to the darkest thoughts circling your brain, and then try to help. He can try. He's trying.
"You're not useless," he murmurs, leaning close. Your eyes shut when he gently touches foreheads with you. "You're beautiful."
"N-No, I . . ."
"You ask why, my love? Why has the universe has put you in so many painful things?" The Mayor's eyes are half-lidded, studying your features as he frowns softly. "Because within your suffering there is beauty."
You hiccup, keeping your eyes closed as you try to control your breathing.
It isn't working.
You must look so stupid, unable to take a proper inhale.
"M-Mayor, please s-stop," you say, voice only a tad louder than before. You can't bear to look at him. "Please, I-I don't . . ."
Fingers sift through your hair; the Mayor shifts on the mattress, pressing his lips to the top of your head before gazing at your face once more. You crack your eyes open to stare dully at the sheets, vision blurry with tears that still trickle down your cheeks.
The Mayor then brushes his thumb over one of your eyes, a soothing motion that not only calms your aching heart a bit, but also brushes away the tears.
"You are not what your thoughts say you are."
You sniff wetly. "Hngh . . . I-I just . . ."
His head dips, trying to find your eyes. "Listen to me, sweetheart. You are a wonderful person, one of the few I've met on this wretched planet that actually seek out others' benefits rather than their own. I know it's difficult to fish out the good bits in yourself because society is keen to let you know about all the terrible parts of you. All the mistakes you've made."
The tears come back with a will. Sucking in a deep breath, you close your eyes.
"You mustn't listen to them, my love," the Mayor continues softly, somewhat insistent as he brushes away the tears. "You mustn't listen to those thoughts telling you of your sins. You are perfect in my eyes."
At that, you swallow.
"I wouldn't want anyone else," the bone demon says, tone fond as he locks eyes with you. "I love everything about you."
Your vision blurs once more.
All you see in the Mayor's eyes is love. No lies.
At that, you let out a sigh and lean forward. Throwing your arms around your lover', you bury your face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent and letting your body relax. His shirt is quickly damp with your tears.
"I-I'm s-sorry-"
He shushes you gently, rubbing soothing circles in your back and murmuring in your ear. "It's all right. You're all right."
You hug him tighter. "I-I love you."
"I love you, too."
And that's all he needs to say. He lets you break down, lets you vent out your fears and your troubles, all of your emotions and thoughts. He holds you for as long as you need.
From within the comfort, you're allowed a small window to breathe. For a moment, you feel okay.
There's no way the dark thoughts will fade on the spot.
It's impossible to get better immediately.
But the Mayor offers to sleep with you tonight, and you are quick to accept.
The blankets feel safe with him close by. The world feels less cold with him so close, when he kisses you softly in the dark. It's easy to fall asleep with the Mayor's deep, soft voice lulling your eyes closed. It's quiet, and it's warm.
For now, you're safe.
You're all right.
#babes please dont be sad after reading this#i want everyone to be happy#even if it's hard#even if you never get there#its ok#lmk#lego monkie kid#lmk mayor#mayor x reader#oneshot#tw depression#depressed reader#tw self loathing#hurt/comfort#angst#sad#sad shit#pretend this oneshot is a blanket#a warm safe blanket#mayor is sane here#sane and worried
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Domania
Life in Domania was safe for us lucky few, as we were protected from the blistering cold and plummeting temperatures which were precipitated by the catastrophic meteor shower of 2058. The unlucky masses were left to fend for themselves in an increasingly harsh climate. But as long as we maintained our record, we got to stay inside.
We were told frightening stories of the adaptations and mutations that those who couldn't maintain their records developed; things like thicker skin and longer fur and hair. The monsters outside of the dome would horrify us all, why these were bedtimes stories I will never know. I'm so glad I could uphold my record and place as the keeper of lights. Inside the dome while it was still a little fresh would have meant overwhelming heat to those outside and for us outside in the outlands; the home of outcasts and failures, was below freezing. I have the most important job in the entirety of this safely sheltered city as the keeper of lights, the only person who could keep the light creating the dome going, but also the only one who could shut it off. I have seen firsthand the danger of those flying chunks of sky and the mutants themselves. I've seen mutants get crushed by the sky rocks and crawl out stronger than ever. I find the adaptations fascinating yet frightening, although my mentor is on the verge of being cast out, he still tells me not to act on my fascinations and keep them to myself otherwise I might be going with him.
“Kaya!” I was brutally ripped from my fantasies by the sound of my mentor, Will’s voice.
“Hmm” I grunted
“I’ve been calling your name for the past 5 minutes. You were fantasising again. Weren’t you?”
“Yeah” I meekly replied
“Kaya you need to stop it! Anyway, have you checked timeline recently?” He asked, a look of worry dancing across his face and shock behind his eyes when I replied with no. “No!? How couldn’t you have?”
“Hang on, I’ll check now.” I mumbled shamefully, trying to read the expression of my best friend and mentor. “It’s the same as normal. Not sure why you look so distressed though.”
“Refresh it please” He pleaded, giving me his best puppy dog eyes (they were truly adorable)
“Okay, Okay!” I said with a small giggle. I could feel his eyes watching me refresh the app telling me if I’m going to die tomorrow and how I could. Suddenly it felt like I was watching myself, I watched my eyes widen and my hands start to shake and start to hyperventilate. I was going to die at the end of the week. I was going to get cast out. This is it. I’m going to die. Then as quickly as it started, it stopped, I was back in my body, experiencing it all. “The end of the week” I said, trying to bring my breathing back to normal.
“So, it’s true… What’s your cause?” He inquired softly, “Don’t worry though, I’m going with you. Remember; till death do us part.” He joked, reminding him and me of the day we got married on a dare and swore never to leave each other.
“Till death do us part.” My soft reply came, “Meteor” I answered, upon his confused look I clarified, “That’s how I’m going to die.”
“Oh! Now I get it!” He laughed allowing me to join in. “Same, at least we’ll go down together.”
“Kaya! Will!” A gruff voice boomed “More work, less talk! Thank you.” Austin, our boss and mayor growled with the weirdest affliction on his words. He always seemed to have his knickers in a knot, its really quite funny till he threatens to have you thrown out of the dome.
Just wanted to see people's honest opinions on it! Happy reading!
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congrats Ingo, to be the first non-pokemon I’ve drawn from the pokemon series.
#pokemon#subway boss ingo#ingo#pokemon legends arceus#fanart#sneasel#i wanted to draw the tragic train lad and some babeys sloths#llorsdood#//shaking hands with mayor cause its also the same for them//#always been a fan of the train lads#putting one of them in despair is what finally got me to draw em lol#spoilers#ish
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"am I your lockscreen?" "you weren't supposed to see that!" for scooby doo
I have spent far too long working on this cause I wanted to get it just right and make sure it was still in character. Thank you for sending this prompt in because it’s so cute and I’m glad I got to write fraphne for it <3 Most likely takes place in movie canon but could also work for anything, idk I don’t have a set world here.
Scooby Doo (Fraphne) - Fluff + #12 “Am I your lockscreen?” “You weren’t supposed to see that.”
She's hanging half over the front seat of the Mystery Machine, the headrest jabbing into her stomach as she watches Shaggy, Scooby, and Velma setting up a picnic through the front windshield. (Well, it's mostly Velma doing all the work. She’s currently laying out a blanket in the grass and making sure Shaggy and Scooby don't eat the mountains of food they bought from the gas station they're stopped at.) Fred is to her left, his nose buried in the Mystery Machine’s manual as he sits behind the wheel. She knows that he’s practically memorized that thing at this point but it still amuses her how often he returns to it. As if it’s his favorite book. ...Actually, it very well may be.
“Enjoying that?” She asks, leaning over his shoulder and catching a glimpse of various diagrams.
He glances up at her and she catches a flash of blue. “Yeah! Did you know that the Mystery Machine has a solid front axle to achieve increased load-carrying capacity?”
“So that explains why it can carry all of us and Shaggy and Scooby after they’ve eaten their own weight in food.”
He laughs, the sweet sound causing her to smile. “Speaking of Shaggy and Scooby, we should probably join the rest of the gang. What time is it anyway?”
She shrugs in response as he reaches for his phone. Powering it on, the screen lights up, displaying the time in bright white numbers. But she’s more distracted by what’s under the numbers than what the time says.
A smirk pulls at her lips as she cocks her head. “Am I your lock screen?”
Eyes wide, he shoves the phone down onto the seat and tries to cover it with his hands. “You weren’t supposed to see that!”
Her smirk turns into a smile as warmth fills her chest. It wasn’t often that she made someone’s lockscreen and when she had been, it was either a group picture or one of her modeling photos. But this was Fred and it meant so much more from him.
He glances up and seems to notice her smile because his shoulders sag in defeat. “Okay, you are.”
He turns on the phone, holding it up for her to see. She remembers this day, but not him taking the photo. They had stopped at a town’s yearly fair to let loose and have some fun and had managed to play a few games-- and eat at half a dozen food vendors in the case of Shaggy and Scooby-- before the ghost of an old mayor-- whose real name was Bill, a guy who hated how the fair always increased the traffic near his house-- showed up and put an end to the festivities.
The picture was taken before the chaos, her, mid-action shot while trying to get a high score at skee ball. She can see Velma off to the side and can practically hear her explaining how each carnival game is rigged. In the background stand Shaggy and Scooby, several elephant ears stacked in their hands. But the focus of the shot is on her and that knowledge makes her heart pickup its’ pace.
“It was such a fun day-- remember how I built that amazing trap using the bounce house? And you won me that giant stuffed moose and you looked really pretty winning it...” He trails off, eyes never leaving the screen even as it goes dark.
She moves closer, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing her lips to his cheek. “Freddie that is so sweet.”
“You don’t think it’s weird?”
She’s pretty sure she could get whiplash by how violently she shakes her head. “Not at all!” She pauses for a moment and then takes out her phone, turning on the screen to reveal a selfie of the two of them, the rest of the gang photobombing in the background. “Besides, you’re my lockscreen so now we’re even.”
He grins, the expression so infectious that it causes her to do the same. Though a second later they’re interrupted by a tapping on the glass. It’s Velma looking mildly annoyed and as Fred unrolls the window, she jabs a thumb in the direction of Shaggy and Scooby. “You two better get out here before all the food is gone.”
“Oh right, lunch,” Fred says, sliding out of the van. He pauses, turning around and offering her a hand as she climbs over the front seat. “Come on Daph, let’s eat.”
#scooby doo#fraphne#fred x daphne#fred jones#daphne blake#velma dinkley#mystery incorporated#scooby doo fanfiction#fanfiction#skipps writes#they're in love your honor#also can you tell that i love working the rest of the gang into everything?#they're a family okay
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Chapter 3: Firsts Lead to Seconds
Lady Papilion sent a butterfly to the Eiffel Tower at the arranged time. She could sense the apprihensiveness and destruction of the Black Cat hero. Guiding her butterly to land on Chat’s baton, she felt the weak mindlink for between the two of them. “Hello, Chat Noir, I am Lady Papillion, your partner.” Chat started at the sudden voice in his head.
“Lady Papilion? What miraculous do you hold, how did you get it, and why are you able to be in my head?” Chat questioned.
“I am the weilder of the Butterfly Miraculous of Metamorphosis and Encouragement; the miraculous was put in my bag; and, the miraculous makes a mindlink for me to speak to you directly and give you power if we both agree.” She responded,”What miraculous do you hold and how did you receive it? I assume it has something to do with cats.” She decided to keep the fact that she knew so much about the miraculous a secret for now, she didnt trust him…. Yet.
“I am the wielder of the Black Cat Miraculous of Bad Luck and Destruction; the miraculous appeared on my coffeetable; and I can destroy anything with a touch.” Chat stated with the same amount of formality.
“We must discuss a plan for dealing with Paeon; maybe patrols of something like that. We will also need to speek with athoraties abou setting up an alert or something.”
“I agree, they need a way to contact us as well. For all we know it won’t always be obvious when there’s a…. what did you call it…. an amok?” at her nod, he continued. “Maybe we could talk to our kwamiis about communication devices and give the local government our numbers?”
“I could talk to Nooroo about that. What’s your kwamii’s name?”
“Plagg”
“Give me a few minutes I’ll detransform since I’m not in a public place.” Lady Papillion transformed without recalling her butterfly. She immediately gave Nooroo a flower petal.
“Thank You Miss Marinette.” Nooroo tiredly said.
“Nooroo is it possible for you to notify me of messages while detransformed?”
“Yes, I’ll know if a message is left while you’re not LP!” Nooroo chirped.
“Thank you Nooroo, let’s rest a bit. I told Chat we’ll be a few minutes.”
After a minute or two Marinette transformed to reconnect with her butterfly in Chat’s weapon.
“It is possible for us to communicate with the miraculous, our kwamii are able to notify us of any messages and relay responses even when we aren’t transformed.”
“Well, its settled then. Will you usually be contacting me from off-site?” The cat questioned.
“Yes, my miraculous is made to be used from outside the battles; therefore, I am not as wellprotected as you while transformed. I do have a place I can use as a base, though.”
“Ok. Can you recall your power so we can test our communicators effectively?” As soon as she heard his request, She called out her butterfly and released it from her service.
A few seconds later, her staff buzzed and beeped. Opening the top, she requested the message be read to her.
“One message from Chat Noir…. ‘How can I be of surrrvice, Lady Papillon.’”
“Respond to Chat Noir with, ‘Since this seems to be working, could you bring the contact information to the law enforcement?’”
“Responce sent…. New message from Chat Noir.”
“Read it please”
“‘On my way’” Smiling, she detransformed and retrieved a flower petal for Nooroo.
“Thank you!”
“No problem, lets make our way back to school though.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful compared to the morning; and people were flocking to Ivan to hear about how he beceme a superhero.
“I don’t have any power, guys, there was this lady in my head who gave me power and guided me through the battle!” He explained for the hundredth time. He sounded exasperated.
“This so-called ‘lady’ must be rediculous if she chose you. I would have ended it the moment it began. Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.” Chloé, it’s always Chloé. I could hear Ivan shaking in his seat.
“HOW DARE YOU!” Ivan roared, “MY LADY IS A WISE AND RESPONSABLE WOMAN AND YOU CALL HER ‘RIDICULOUS!’”
“Ivan.” I state, drawing on my calming aura. “Can you calm down? Paeon is still out there and, from what I observed, he gives strong emotions physical form.” I was too late.
Rose shreeked, “The feather! It’s back!” The blood drains from my face and I get up to leave the room. As I enter the hallway, I hear a faint “Yes, Paeon” followed by a stampede.
I ended up using a fire escape to get out of the building since no one semed to think of that. From there it was a simple affair to arrive at my greenhouse as it was somewhat out of the danger zone.
“Nooroo, did the amok take the same form?”
“Yes, it has also taken Chloé Borgeois and Mylené Harple captive.”
“Ok, Nooroo, wings rise!” The familiar warmth washed over her, leaving Lady Papillion in its wake. Feeling the rush of emotions, LP sought out Ivan once again. Bonding with a photo he had on him, she spoke, “Ivan, we meet again.”
“I am so sorry! I was just so angry at Chloé, she insulted you!”
“While I am honored you decided to defend me, Paris has changed. As much as I hate to admit it, it is no longer safe to feel negative emotions. That’s what makes Paeon so cruel.”
“I understand, My Lady.”
“Ivan, are you willing to become Ironheart once again to defeat the amok?”
“Yes, My Lady.” She smiled at his agreement and allowed her power to enter Ivan fully. Transforming him into Ironheart in a wake of lavender bubbles, she began to guide him towards the battle.
Chat Noir was already on the scene, arguing with the police.
“This isn’t a failure on our part! This is an entirely separate situation!”
“Then why is the same monster as earlier climbing the Eiffel Tower with the mayor’s daughter!”
“I don’t have all the information yet!”
“Ironheart, can you please open your palm?” I asked. When Ivan opened his palm, an image was projected into the air. Lady Papillion was siting on her throne of metal vines, her sceptre resting on her lap. One of her hands remained on the handle of the sceptre while the other was draped casually over the vines of the armrest. Around her thousands of butterflies, many different kinds, flew around her. Giving her the image of a Lady in her keep.
“What seems to be the issue, officer….”
“Raincomprix, Leutenant Raincomprix.” the leutenant seemed to be a bit intimidated by the aura of power she gave off. At a nod of her head, he continued, “As a police department, we were concerned about the resurfacing of this morning’s villain despite you two supposedly defeating him.”
“I assure you, the resurfacing of the amok has nothing to do with Chat Noir and I. The man behind the attack, Paeon, posesses an ability to physically manifest any strong emotions into beings for him to control. The victim of this morning mearly got upset enough for Paeon to exploit them again. This will most likely become a common occurrence untill we track down Paeon and strip him of his power.” The leutenant’s face fell at her words.
“We have already left our contact information with the police department,” Chat chimed in.
“We must hurry, the amok has already caused enough damage as is.”
There is a sudden rustling of feathers as the amok put it’s chest towards the sky releasing millions of feathers from inside. The feathers, moving against the wind, rose into the air taking ther form of a man in a mask.
“I am Paeon, the man who controls this sentinel.” Paeon gestures toward the amok. “I have come to rescue you from the villains Chat Noir and the Butterfly. I must retrieve their miraculous to strip them of their power. Look around you, look at all the destruction they caused.”
“Ironheart, put your palms into the air please.” When Ironheart follower her instruction, a much larger projection than earlier filled the space above him.
“Paeon, how lovely to meet you.” Lady Papillion greeted with a sickly sweet tone. “I was wondering when I would have the pleasure of your acquaintance.” She relaxed onto her throne as Paeon scowled. “I am Lady Papillion, weilder of the Butterly Miraculous of Metamorphisis and Encouragement. Chat Noir and I have not caused the damage to uor beloved city, but Paeon tore through the city using a creature formed with the hurt and rage of an innocent teen. Doesn’t that sound more like the actions of a villain?” With that Ironheart lowers his hands and lept up the tower catching the feathers in his shield. A blinding light shone from the shield and the feathers were gone.
Sensing it was time to act, Chat Noir bounded after Ironheart. The battle was short after that. A well times cataclysm and two graceful catches ended the majority of the afternoons excitement.
As soon as the heroes reached the ground, they were surrounded by the press with their questions and flashing lights. It was definitely a new experience for the three.
“Lady Papillion! Ironheart, do you plan on working together for the time being?”
“Chat Noir! What do you think of Paeon painting a picture of you as a villain?”
“Chat Noir! How long do you plan on being a superhero, and how will it effect your daily life?”
“Lady Papillion! Why dont you show your face in person?” There were so many questions and so little space that Ironheart had to send out a little shockwave to get them to back off so the small image of Lady Papillion could speak.
“Ironheart and I will each take one question.” She stated with no room for argument. “I will not appear in person as, like Paeon, my miraculous is meant for distance and leaves me more vulnerable than the average miraculous weilder.”
“I dont know if I will be selected by my Lady again, but if I am, I will gladly accept it.” Ironheart stated and then left.
“Well done, Ironheart. Remember, your protectiveness is both your strength and your weakness. Be careful.” And with that she withdrew her butterfly and released it from her service. Before she could detransform, her septre buzzed.
“One new message from Chat Noir.”
“Read it.”
“‘Purrhaps you could send one of your butterflies to Arc de Triomphe, I would like to speak with mew, winky face.’” She sighed and sent out another butterfly with a kiss.
The butterfly made its journey to the Arc de Triomphe rather quickly and promptly joined with Chat’s golden bell. “You wanted to speak with me?”
“Yes, I would like to see this base of yours so we can work together purrroperly.” Chat demanded.
“No, It would give away my identity or at least narrow it down for you. That is against what my kwamii told me.”
“Would knowing our identities not improve our teamwork, My Lady?”
“It also may hinder it Chat; so, I must say no.” she could feel his disappointment and anger rising.
“How can I trust you if I don’t know who you are?!”
“You will have to. I am goind to send a champion to heal the city. Good bye, Chat.” and she recalled the butterfly; but not before she felt his anger spike.
Feeling around, Lady Papillion searched for someone with the desire to fix everything. She sent her butterfly into a foreman’s clipboard.
“Hello, sir. I am Lady Papillion, what is your name?”
“Lady Papillion! Um…. I’m Rich Bordétte. It’s an honor to meet you My Lady.”
“Thank you Rich. I would like to offer you the ability to fix all the damage from today’s battles, even death.”
“Ok, call me…. The Worker!”
“Rich Bordétte, do you accept my offer to become The Worker”
“Yes, Lady Papillion.” The lavender bubbles covered Rich; in the same way as Ivan, the bubbles gave him a sunflower-colored hardhat, a safety vest, and a toolbelt with only a drill on it.
The Worker rose into the air and raised his dril and without ceremony pressed the button. From the tip of the drill, various butterflies and moths streamed out to the city covering everything that was damaged and anyone who was hurt or worse. As soon as the last moth landed, The Worker cried out and all the bugs rose at once flying to the sky. Below, the city looked just as it did the day before. The rubble was gone, the people were healed and all evidence of Paeon was gone.
Masterlist - First - Previous - Next
Taglist: @novemberandmay @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @slytherinhquinn @blackroserelina @buginetye @basenikon @moon5608
Hello, Jjmjjktth here. welcome to my extremely irregular upload schedule filed by a mix of procrastination and The FeelsTM.
WARNING!!! It may be one day to two or three months when i upload next!
please be patient :)
Love y'all!
#marinette dupain cheng#blind!marinette#butterfly!marinette#maribat#maybe?#idk#felinette#master fu#is a supportive mentor#the question au
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Driving In A Cold Sweat; There Is No One On This Highway
Warnings- Murder, infidelity, swearing, food imagery, shitty parents, i made Steve the villain who’s in the HOA and a politician, adult content, dark!reader, cheating, a bit of flirting, mental health joke (mental health is NOT a joke, y’all), religion symbolism, dark!steve, peggy x bucky,
Word Count- 1.9k
kudos to @blackberrybucky for being my soundboard, and @fandomsandxfiles for being my beta reader. Love y'all
a/n- This is inspired by Hypothermic by Goodnight Texas. Its really dark, and I surprised myself writing this but I like it. I also changed the landscape to desert. Leave comments if you want! As many as you like, I fangirl over my work too. All writers should, its selfcare.
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING FLUFFY AND SOFT TURN AWAY NOW; MINORS DNI
DO NOT COPY OR REPOST ANYWHERE. A REBLOG IS APPRECIATED. A REPOST IS NOT.
Bucky looks you up and down, taking you in like you are the gods own ambrosia. “So, doll. What brings you to this shit hole?”
You laugh to yourself. “I murdered somebody.”- was the sentence that also inspired this but its not in the actual story.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The radio gave out miles ago. It was emitting nothing except for crackling and static. Every now and then it would cut back to a sermon, funnily enough it’d been the same one that was on when you started your trip. Sunset was a little ways off. If you looked hard enough you could see coyotes just off the asphalt. Alive, yes. But just how long had their souls been gone? Someone was screaming.
A man. You’d heard that scream before. Seared into you memory like that steak you had for your 15th birthday. It was right next to you. Oozing blood and raw-red. You could hear the clink of the knife as it scraped against the plate. Shaking your head to clear it, you notice an exit with a gas station. “Now’s a time as good as any to stop.” Gravel crunches as you slide up next to the pump. The neon beer lights from the bar across the road are calling. But you can’t answer. The gas handle is slick and grimy, you’ve felt something like that before, but you can’t remember what. A fuzzy noise in the back of your ears gets your attention. Another truck has pulled in. Right in the spot next to yours, never mind the dozen others that are free. A bulky man steps down, his face hidden by a rangers hat.
You could tell he worked out though. And had hair in need of a washing. Clunk. The tank was full. You thought it best to leave before anyone could place you, but your stomach needed something other than greasy two-bit fast food. You glance around, looking for any sign that promised a hot meal.
“Looking for something, doll?” You let out a small gasp. He was staring straight at you now.
“Does this shithole have a place to eat? I might have to start eating the cactus.”
He lets out a soft laugh, “Yeah, there’s a diner about half mile down the road.”
His face brightens like he just thought of something. “You wanna meet me there? I’ll buy dinner?” You weigh the options. You can’t have anybody recognize you; but your cash is getting low and however you can stretch it, you must. You nod once. “Sure.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The diner is every trope you’d seen in the movies your pops watched when he got off work. Flies buzzing, neon sign flickering, checkered tile. It even had the shiny red leather booths. What a dream. “Getcha a seat anywhere, honey. I’ll be right over,” came a perky voice from the back. Presumably a waitress. You choose the booth near the back exit. Its always good to have a backup plan.
The man said he needed to get something at the mini-mart, that you could go ahead and he’d catch up. Somebody screamed right next to you, causing you to jump out of your seat. You whip your head around. No one was even in the dining area. It sounded so real. Like you could reach out and grasp the shattering inky blackness. You take a couple of deep breaths. Try to remember your happy place. Tahiti, its a magical place. Or so you’ve been told You just picked it from a magazine that was open on the coffee table the night your mother set fire to the curtains in the living room. The flames had licked up the page, burning the island resort into ash. Boots thudded as they made way to where you were. He slides in across from you.
“Um, the waitress’ll be right out,” you said softly. He barely heard it over the rickety air conditioning. He nods to show he heard. He’s sitting close. Closer than you’d thought another human would ever sit next to you again. His hands are rough and calloused. The sleeve cuffs of his hoodie are frayed; as if someone clawed at them. Eyes traveling up his body, you take in more details. The hoodie isn’t faded, its brand new. He wears a bracelet of leather on his right hand, with a charm you can’t quite see. His necklace is corded hemp, plain and understated.
A light stubble that’s maybe three days old covers his jaw. His eyes... are piercing right through you. You take in a quick breath, not being able to look away. You’d never seen that shade of blue before. He’d been watching you watching him. Quirking an eyebrow, ”See anything ya like, doll?” You start to sputter an answer but the waitress comes over. “Sorry about the wait. Here’s your-” Blue eyes interrupts her, “We don’t need those. I’ll have the special and she’ll have the ‘Its Impossible To Go Away Hungry’ plate” “Okay, then. I’ll get that right out to ya folks.”
You glare at him, he mirrors it with dicky nonchalance. “Why did you order for me?” He leans forward, tilts his head the right the tiniest fraction. “You’re starved. I really don’t give a damn what kept you from eating but I ain’t gonna let you go without giving you a meal. The steak plate is the biggest meal they have. You can take a to go box, that is if you don’t eat the whole thing.”
“Oh.” You cast out a huff, “Well, thank you.” He flashes a killer smile. Pearly white teeth in a straight line. Not an imperfection to be found anywhere. A silence falls between the two of you. You can’t decide whether its comfortable of not.
“My name is Bucky. I thought you wouldn’t like eating with a stranger. I like to doodle in the margins of my books sometimes.” “Please tell me not library books.” He scoffs as if you suggested the impossible, “Never. Do you think I’m crazy?”
“Jury’s out on that, Bucky.” He looks at you more intently now. “Really? Same could be said about you. When I first spoke to you it was like a deer in headlights. Ya running from something, sugar?” He’d said it jokingly but you didn’t laugh.
“No. Nothing like that.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Shirley came back with your plates, and two root beers. She left the check at the end of the table and Bucky swooped it up. The meal passed by in the comfortable sounds of silverware clinking and ice clacking in the cups. You both ate in record time.
You were careful to save enough for a second meal. That went into the to go container. Now both cups were drained and plates scraped clean. You start to slide out of your seat, mumbling a thanks but Bucky stops you. “Wait, won’t you sit here a while longer? I’d be kinda sad sitting here alone.” After a moments hesitation, you resume your position. “What do you wanna talk about? It can’t be the weather. Its been dry as bones for weeks.” He ponders for a moment, “You.” He shifts a little, resting one ankle on the opposite knee.
“I want to know what you’re running from, and see if I can offer...a distraction.” That shocks you. “Life? Aren’t we all running away in some form or another? I just happened to take the mobile route.” You shrug, “What do you want me to say? It was all shitty so I left it behind. And as for the distraction part, I got a whore last night, so don’t bother.” He is silent. Just sits there and gazes at you. You cock your head, getting impatient. “Am I allowed to leave now? Or do you want to talk about our feelings?”
“I slept with my best friends wife.”
“I-I’m sorry you what??”
“I slept with my best friends wife. He owns half the town, what with him being mayor and all. I couldn’t take it anymore, he’s always been the golden boy. Always been the beacon of light. I just wanted a slice of what he had.” He looks up, his eyes are dead. “She was willing, and I just... took her. There on his desk. He’d been out for lunch with some bigwig, and I made her cum twice on my cock.” He chuckles darkly. “That’d been the first time. All the other times don’t matter, he doesn’t know about those. But he does know about the time in the craft shed. Peggy did pottery.
Had a nice little workshop, it was connected to the mansion they had. I wanted to bring her pleasure in the place where she gets frustrated often, so she’d have something else to think about. Steve caught us on the floor. A big bunch of daffodils in hand. Stupid, those weren’t even her favorites.” He was gone now, lost in memories, not even knowing he was talking. “Said he had come by to take her to lunch. That was always like Steve. Expected her to clear her schedule at the drop of a hat but never doing the same for anybody. He didn’t even get mad. He just walked away, muttering something about his office.
Peggy said she could talk some sense into him. The next day I found her in the garbage when I took out my trash.” Your sharp inhale and big eyes do nothing to catch his attention. “Steve comes strolling out of nowhere, said that she was a threat to his image. Said that I need to leave or face the same. I asked why he left me alive and he said ‘So you can remember the pain until you lay down in the ground and the mice and carrion drag your body up from its silk cocoon to feast.”
But that’s not all.” He said the last bit so quietly, it was as if he said nothing.
“What?” He’s crying now, tears are forming rivers in his eyes. “She knew. She knew he was going to be there and that’s how she wanted to go out.” Your puzzled expression makes him laugh. “Don’t know many politicians, do you? Good. Keep it that way. That day when the mail came I got a letter. From her. It said how she wanted to divorce Steve ever since he became the HOA president. But she couldn’t. He had threatened her once, just once and what he said was so blisteringly awful. And he did it. He is a man of his word, after all. He kept his damn word.”
“So...she used you as an out?” He winces. You hadn’t meant to sound like that.
“Yes.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Out in the diners parking lot you say goodbye to James. Wait. No, no. His name is Bucky. He’s got a green Chevy and blue eyes. Or was it red? It doesn’t matter anyway. You back out and head for the next state, ignoring the blood leaking from the tarp in your trunk. The screams have stopped. And the moon is bright.
#dark!reader x bucky#bucky barnes x reader#bucky barnes fic#mcu#marvel fic#bucky barnes x dark!reader#bucky barnes oneshot#dark!steve rogers#moongoblin marvel writes all by herself#bucky barnes x female reader
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Marinette Cheng-Stark
Marinette is Tony and Pepper's adopted daughter. Marinette and Sabine are actually second cousins, through Sabine's aunt, Liena, who is 3 years younger than her. Marinette was born in China, she is named Marinette because Liena fell in love with the name when visiting Sabine in France. However her mother and her moved to America when she was 5. Where her mother worked under Tony Stark as the head of Robotics. Marinette is a genius and her mother encourages her to learn as much as she wants and whatever she wants. At age five Marinette is helping her mom and her team build robots and even begins making plans for her own robots. She catches the attention of Pepper Potts when she is 7, and both girl and woman fall in love with each other. Pepper purposely stops by to see Marinette whenever she is there and even takes her around the building with her. Pepper loves how intelligent she is and Marinette adores how well dressed and confident Pepper is. Tony eventually notices his PA is constantly visiting the Robotics floor when she has the time, and decides to find out why. He is a little miffed that a little girl is on the Robotics floor but before he says anything. He watches her tell one of the scientists that his math is wrong, he is surprised when the man actually rechecks and discovers it is wrong. He calls attention to himself before asking who's child Marinette was. Liena steps forward a little worried. Tony just smiles and asks if Marinette had taken an IQ test yet, then offers to pay to have it done. He then has Pepper talk to Liena about plans for it while he talks to Marinette. He enjoys talking to the intelligent girl and even talks about how he created Jarvis. Marinette, Pepper, Tony, and Liena all grow closer and soon Marinette is having sleepovers with both Tony and Pepper. Tony also starts taking her to galas and events, he doesn't drink when she is there, and soon everyone calls her his princess. Tony begins to view her as a daughter and spoils her all the time. Both he and Pepper help her discover her love for Fashion one day at a Gala when she meets Audrey and Chloe. Chloe is a bit of a brat but the two girls get along well and become friends. Marinette becomes obsessed with fashion and starts designing clothes. Tony encourages her by setting her up with sewing and drawing classes, and even starts wearing her clothes. Proudly telling the press he was wearing MC clothing.
Marinette is 9 when Afghanistan happens, and she watches Tony become Ironman and shut down his weapons. Liena can't get her daughter away from Tony once he has landed, and he ends up doing the press conference with her in his lap. She teases him relentlessly over the colors of his suit. Tony brings her along to the Maria Stark Foundation gala and charms the cameras while Tony and Obie argue. When Obie takes his arc reactor Jarvis is quick to wake up Marinette who gets his first reactor as fast as she can.
She is 10 when her mother is killed by Vanko and Tony decides to adopt her. At the beginning Marinette is hurt as Tony slowly starts distancing himself while also becoming more reckless. Marinette meets Natalie Rushman after Pepper is appointed CEO. When Tony is attacked at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Liena starts pulling Marinette away from Tony, hurting both in the process. Tony's blackout at his party resulting in Rhodes taking his suit is the final straw for Liena. She cuts off all their contact refusing to let Marinette around him. After Tony is confronted by Natasha and Fury he is pretty despondent. He spends his time alternating between videos of his Father and videos of him and Marinette together. During this time he finds the new element and quickly synthesizes it. Tony is ecstatic until he hears a voicemail from Marinette talking about the Stark Expo and how Hammer has Rhode is his exhibition. Tony leaves quickly to alert Rhode, however Vanko takes control of the drone and Rhode's armor. During the attack Liena and Marinette get targeted. Liena gets hurt badly while protecting Marinette causing Mari to barely get injured. Vanko escapes, taking Marinette with him, Tony leaves Natasha and Happy behind, determined to get her back. While Pepper rushes to the hospital with Liena. Tony successfully gets control of Rhode's suit back. Both of them fight Vanko and Tony gets Marinette back leaving his suit completely in the control of Jarvis. Jarvis and Rhodes have a standoff with Vanko while Tony comforts Marinette. After Vanko kills himself Tony and Rhode rush Marinette to the hospital to be taken care of. Once she is patched up Tony rushes her to Liena's room. Liena sobs softly cupping Marinette's cheek and stroking it gently. She tells Marinette how much she loves her and that she isn't leaving her by choice. She tells her no matter what Liena will always be with her, she just won't be able to see her.
Marinette is crying as she sits in Tony's lap holding her mom's hand to her cheek. She tells her mom she loves her and smiles at her until Liena's hand hoes liml and the heart monitor goes flat. Marinette breaks out into sobs curling into Tony's chest as she holds Liena's hand. Tony hugs her tightly, Pepper and Rhode both joining the hug as well.
After Tony pulls a few strings Tony manages to adopt Marinette two months after Liena's funeral. Marinette moves in with him and Pepper and barely leaves Tony's side except for when she has school. Tony enrolls her in a private school wanting her to be in the safest school possible, while not at a boarding school. Marinette is far above her age level, however Tony remembers how terrible it was to be bullied in high school. Simply because you were smarter then kids older than you. Instead he has her spend half the day with kids her age, and the other half with a tutor doing high school level work.
When she turns 11 she convinces Pepper and Tony to let her go to Paris with Chloe to attend school. Wanting to be with people that don't know her as Tony Stark's genius daughter Marinette Stark, but as just Marinette Cheng-Stark. The two let her go with Happy, and she promises to go back home for Summer and holidays. She and Happy stay with Chloe at Le Grand Paris. Marinette skips one grade to be in the same class as Chloe. She pendis half the day with Chloe and the other half in the library working with her tutor. The girls both giggle over the fact that Max doesn't realize Marinette is THE Marinette Stark. They spend lunch together at Sabine and Tom's bakery, and unknown to them the class begins to believe that Tom and Sabine are Marinette's parents. The class, not knowing that they aren't even Marinette's Guardians in Paris.
Madame Bustier gets herself into a lot of trouble regarding Marinette. She doesn't listen to the Principal when he tells her that Marinette's school work is just for show. She also gets upset when Marinette goes off with her tutor claiming that it is best for Marinette to remain with her actual teacher. This causes the tutor to laugh and tell her that Marinette should be with them the entire day then.
Madame Bustier tries to make Marinette into an example for the class. However Marinette refuses, causing problems between her and Bustier. She continuously never takes Marinette's side and always places responsibility on Marinette. Bustier at one point tries to punish Marinette for not doing a task that Bustier was supposed to do herself. The next day she and Damocles are pulled into a meeting between her two very pissed off parents. Tony threatens to pull all funding from the school and tells him the Mayor will pull his as well. Pepper tells Bustier that if she ever tries to do that to her daughter again she'll have her job. Bustier finally takes the hint and stops only giving Marinette disappointed looks whenever she doesn't drop what she is doing to help another.
When holiday comes Marinette is quick to say goodbye to Chloe and her father, excited to see her parents after so long. She couldn't wait to spend Christmas with them, however she wasn't overly excited for the galas they'd attend. Marinette designs all their outfits each one with a subtle theme. Tony's Ironman, Pepper's Christmas, and Marinette Paris. Marinette wears her hair in a long braid with extensions. When the press asks where she is attending school she tells them she is in Paris in middle school while being tutored in high school classes.
Its nearing the start of summer when Marinette receives a call from her dad telling her how much he loves her before the phone disconnects Chloe finds her in front of the tv crying as her father falls from a closing vortex in the sky. She leaves school two days early her and Happy immediately on a plane ride back home. When they touch down both are in the car zooming to Tony's location in New York. They arrive right before Loki and Thor are set to leave. Marinette is out of the car before it even stops sprinting past the press, Shield, and the other heros as she launches herself into Tony's arms. She sobs into his neck as he gently rubs her back telling her that he's there and that he's okay and they're both okay. Steve is stunned to see him comforting a little girl and even more shocked when Natasha smiles and mentions that she'd missed Stark's daughter.
After Loki is gone Marinette is still attached to her dad's side even as he introduces her to Bruce Banner. She simply smiles and shakes his hand telling him she's a big fan of his works. Bruce gives her an uncomfortable smile, making a small comment saying that everyone likes him turning green. Marinette wrinkles her nose telling him while she is a fan of that, she meant his other work. She told him that she'd read all his papers and thought they were fascinating. Bruce looks at a smirking Tony in shock; he simply tells him that her IQ was 187 when she was just 7 and the last test showed she was now 245.
She talks about Bruce's work with him as they get in Tony's car. As their driving Tony asks if she got any sleep and she simply snorts giving him a look in the rearview mirror.
The next day the team comes over for breakfast and finds Tony and Marinette passed out on the couch asleep.
Bruce- We got back here, they had a small staring contest until Tony stood up shouting fine. He made them both plates of food they ate then turned on a Star Wars movie before falling asleep together. I went to bed and woke up and they're still there, I didn't want to wake them.
Pepper scares everyone but Natasha and Clint when she speaks up. No one else had noticed her walk in.
Pepper-Good choice I love them both but unfortunately Tony has terrible habits and Marinette took up his coffee addiction. It's hard to get them to sleep. Anyway, pleasure to meet you all. I'm Pepper Potts-Stark and even though you busted up my tower I'm going to ignore my anger and be civil.
Mari-Glaring isnt civil Mama Pep
Pepper-Go back to sleep Bluebell
Mari-ok…
Ten minutes later Marinette sits up yawning and gently pats Tony's cheek till he wakes up and stares at her in question. Marinette scoffs rolling her eyes at him before pointing at the group of heros. Tony grunts and welcomes them to one of his homes before standing up, picking Marinette up in the process, before walking over to Pepper kissing her cheek.
Marinette wiggles out of her dad's arms and sits next to Pepper smiling softly saying hello to everyone.
Introductions go about and Steve asks why Marinette wasn't mentioned in Tony's files. Tony smirks telling them Marinette hacked the files and removed her information. Marinette blushes slightly punching her dad's shoulder.
The team plus Pepper and Marinette sit talking for a while before Tony makes a decision. He offers them all I place at the tower once it's rebuilt. Telling them he had a feeling they might want to stick close to each other for a while.
Marinette giggles and teases her dad telling him that she's glad he is making more friends than just Rhode and Happy. Tony bites back saying that he hasn't heard of any new friends on her side of the pond, causing Marinette to pout.
The group takes up Tony's offer of housing all agreeing that none of them really wanted to be separated from each other for a while.
Pepper signs while Marinette is bouncing in her seat.
Pepper-Great now I have to rearrange the tower.
Marinette- Rearrange the tower? Mama Pep! Don't you realize what this means?!?!
Tony- Here we go again…
Marinette- I have five new floors to design!! Bruce's floor is going to be the epitome of peaceful and calm. Steve's will be difficult but I can definitely tie in the style of his time period with modern day technology. Natalie's will definitely need top of the line training room, amd with Clint's! And Thor I'm going to have to look up Asgardian culture, maybe I should ask Dr. Foster, hmmm.
Natasha- Actually Marinette it is Natasha-
Marinette- Did I stutter? No I didn't N.a.t.a.l.i.e.
This causes Tony to snort covering his eyes with a hand as Pepper smirks. Everyone watching Marinette and Natasha have a mini glare off when Clint laughs.
Tony- Im going to regret this.
@blackmagicforever
@chocolateherringtacofan
#ml salt fic#marvel#iron man#avengers#miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir#miraculous fandom#miraculous marinette#miraculous ladybug#miraculous au#marienette cheng#marinette dupen chang#tony stark#pepper potts
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Your Heart
Chapter 7 -- Black Hearts
Word Count: 15131
READ ON AO3
For many, the Ghost Zone landscape would be chilling, at best, and nightmare-inducing, at worst. Unlike Earth and its well-defined limits, both natural and manmade, the Infinite Realms consisted of an infinite abyss of floating ectoplasmーif you travelled, you knew where your journey would start, but not where it ended. Most people didn’t even know when it ended, either.
Only a few experienced visitors were knowledgeable enough to recognise each and every one of its landmarks to guide them. Fortunately for Danny, he was one such experienced visitor. As well as an inhabitant.
Maybe he didn’t know the Ghost Zone like the palm of his invisible hand, like Sojourn had in his day, but seven years of travelling back and forth between dimensions had certainly outlined a pretty accurate map of the dimension in his mind’s eye. That, and the fact that the Far Frozen trusted him with the Infi-Map now and then also helped.
But even he had to admit, crossing over to the other side during his first few months as halfa had been terrifying. His past self would never have been able to believe he’d one day be flying around what was on the other side of his parents’ portal like he walked down the halls of Casper High every day of the week for four years.
Indeed. Getting to see the Ghost Zone for the first time had been even more mind-boggling than getting used to suddenly being able to walk through the walls, disappear, and fly. Compared to Amity Park, his kingdomーhe didn’t think he’d ever get used to calling it thatーwas a haunted house, sponsored by Bill Gates and provided with cutting edge animatronic and holographic technology, and open all year long.
Well, it would have been sponsored by Bill Gates if it weren’t for Vlad overshadowing him and selling the company to himself years ago.
Considering he’d rather die (twice) than buy anything belonging to VladCo, Danny found himself being very glad the Ghost Zone was no haunted house, after all.
Now, however, he’d learned to appreciate the Infinite Realms for what they were; unpredictably beautiful. The once creepy light coming from the floating ectoplasm now reminded him of the groovy vibes one got from a lava lamp. Both substances were, in fact, pretty similar! Since ghosts created their own lairs, he didn’t have to worry over solving any sort of problem related to lack of affordable housing; unlike what he’d have to do had he been, say, mayor of Amity Park? President of the United States? And the repair damages were minimum! Ghosts didn’t usually throw rocks at their own roofs, so battles inside the Ghost Zone were rare.
Of course, that last one thing was a bit of a double-edged sword. Because it meant that while he didn’t have to worry about the possible destruction of the Ghost Zone, it also meant his subjects usually blew off steam in Amity Park...which then came to bite him in the ass in the form of a very angry mob of ghost-hating citizens.
The joys of living in two parallel dimensions at the same time…
Shaking those thoughts away, Danny refocused his attention on the current task at hand; patrolling the Zone in case anybody chose to ignore his orders and go against the witches during their next visit.
He’d be lying if he said nobody had warned him of the reaction his plan would most likely get from his subjects, both Frostbite and Clockwork let him know several times, long before he even sent the letter to Lady Arcana. Well, in all fairness, Frostbite had warned him; Clockwork just kept smirking at him with those all-knowing, secretive, red eyes of his. The only real warning he’d got from him was when he asked for his opinion on what’d happen and the Ghost of Time limited himself to raising his eyebrow at him with a, “What do you think?”
When he wanted to be, Clockwork was an invaluable ally and a great mentor. But that was only when he wanted to be, mind you. The rest of the time his smug crypticness was enough to make Danny want to throw himself off of a cliff.
But they’d both been right when they told him his subjects would not react kindly to the presence of witches in their realm. Who would’ve known phantom tomatoes acted just like the Fenton Foamer? If it didn’t put him in immediate danger, he would bring some home for his parents.
In the end, the only way to convince them to let the witches in was to ensure a powerful ghost would keep an eye on them at all times. Skulker would escort them to his lair, and from then on he’d be watching them himself.
Even if the spirits had eventually given in to his request, Danny knew better. He’d be a fool to think his advice would be heeded by every single inhabitant of the Ghost Zone. He had far too many enemies for that.
While most of his adversaries had turned into more of friendly rivals than outright enemies over the years, being capable of having civilised conversations with him whenever they weren’t trying to waste him or enslave Amity Park, there were many others who refused to bow down before a halfa. Ever since Pariah Dark was defeated the first time, ghosts had got used to living in anarchy, being able to do whatever they wanted as long as they were smart enough to not invade a more powerful ghost’s turf. So following some random half-ghost’s orders after centuries of chaos and freedom was out of the question for them.
On the one hand, many of Danny’s detractors were actually as delusional as the Box Ghost. More often than not, he’d be battling rogue spirits with barely formed physical bodies who were in way over their heads. Normally a few ecto-rays, some quick banter, and a little bit of Fenton Thermos was enough to take care of them.
But, on the other hand, the few more powerful ghosts who weren’t members of his usual rogue gallery truly sought to dethrone him. If they eliminated him in the process, even better!
Obviously, the most notorious member of this group was none other than Plasmius. The older halfa had orchestrated Pariah’s return with the intention of defeating him and becoming the next Ghost King himself, after all. And for what? To have his teenage, much less experienced archnemesis steal the crown right under his nose.
Danny had to admit, if it weren’t for the high price to pay that came with the honour wearing the Ring of Wrath and the Crown of Fire (an ‘honour’ he didn’t even want to have in the first place), he would’ve enjoyed screwing over with the fruitloop like that.
Ever since he became Ghost King, Vlad’s plans had been few and in between. Maybe a few attempts at making his life a living Hell, some shudder-worthy upgrades on his Maddie Programーhe swore, if he had to listen to a hologram of his mother call that demented creep ‘lambchop’ one more time, first, he was going to barf, second, he’d see red, or in his case, greenー, perhaps a few ill-conceived attempts at getting him to join him…
Despite Vlad’s inactivity, however, Danny knew better than to think he was just getting sloppy. Knowing Plasmius and his love for playing chessmaster, he was patiently biding his time. Sooner or later, he’d hear from him, and it wouldn’t be good.
Still, even if he was his greatest enemy in terms of personal interactions, Vlad wasn’t his most menacing foe in terms of sheer danger.
Spectra and Bertrand also wanted him gone, due to seeing his intervention as interference with their misery-sucking plans. Indeed, since he became Ghost King Danny was extra careful with who left the Ghost Zone and who was absolutely forbidden from even looking at a portal twice.
For example, knowing Kitty, she’d just want to go out on a date with Johnny, and, on paper, there was nothing wrong with that. Trouble came when Johnny ogled and hit on other girls with his girlfriendーrightーbesideーhim! Honestly, if he were Kitty, he’d pummel Johnny, too. Especially because his actions more often than not resulted in a jealous ghost girl causing mayhem.
The most useful life lesson he’d learned while going through puberty was also one of the firsts: girls were scary. And that seemed to apply to all girls regardless of their species; humans, ghosts, witches, gorillas…
Spectra was no exception. Due to her need for misery to keep herself young and powerful, the shadowy ghost needed to learn how to get under her victims’ skin to exploit their weakness to the point of making them miserable enough to harvest. And, Danny knew from experience, that was far more frightening than any other ghostly power Spectra could ever possess.
She saw beyond people’s masks, no matter how carefully crafted they were, and got inside your head. Not only did she know your biggest fears and insecurities, but how to exploit them and make them all come true. She forced you to live your worst nightmares over and over, almost as if she were Nocturne's far more malevolent accomplice, reaping your fears like a farmer would reap wheat.
Spectra threw those insecurities in your face, reminding you that you weren’t good enough, explaining to you why you weren’t good enough, and assuring you would never be good enough; all in that sadistic, cheery tone of voice of hers. Just thinking about it was enough to send chills down his spine.
But what was truly the most daunting thing about Spectra was that, for years, she’d been feeding off of some poor kid’s low self-esteem and personal issues under the pretext of being a psychologist. Her office back in Casper High before he found out the truth and defeated her was full of pictures of her and sickly-looking kids; her previous victims. Dozens of kids who were completely at her mercy because she’d spent years roaming freely around Earth, blending in, long before he was even born, let alone had the accident. Dozens of kids who’d surely been as deeply traumatised as he’d been. Or, even worse, dozens of kids Spectra managed to push over the edge, under the guise of helping them.
That psychotic old hag and her lap dog had a special place in his black list just for their mere potential of becoming a threat, let alone when they truly were threatening. As a result, one of the things he wasted no time in as soon as he became Ghost King was to ensure they wouldn’t be going back to Earth in a very long time.
Needless to say, his interference with their ‘feasts’ was enough to have them declare war on him. Well, let them come. He’d be waiting for them.
Another ghost who tended to give him quite a headache whenever he felt like taking his turn at challenging him was the Fright Knight. Back in their first encounter, his first Halloween after gaining his powers, Danny believed he was a formidable foe. Incredibly powerful and hellbent on turning the world into his nightmarish kingdom, the Fright Knight used to be one of his most dangerous adversaries.
Key word being ‘used to.’ Well, that was two words, but whatever.
In their next encounter, which, coincidentally, also happened to be when Pariah Dark was released (thanks again, Vlad), the almighty, terrifying, ‘flaming sheets of doom’ Fright Knight had been relegated to errand boy.
As Danny would soon come to realise, the Ancient Spirit of Halloween was proud, but tremendously cowardly.
If he believed himself superior to his opponent, he would show no mercy. But the moment he was one-upped by someone else in terms of power, he’d cower and bow down in submission. Which made their personal relationship with each other all the more interesting.
In terms of power, Danny knew, maybe a little too smugly, that he had the upper hand. Whereas in their first battle he managed to defeat the Fright Knight just barely, years of ghost-fighting, of developing new powers, and of being in possession of the ring and crown (which he still refused to use unless it was absolutely necessary), had shaped him into a formidable fighter.
And the Fright Knight knew that, which was why he often avoided conflict with him.
In terms of respect, however, due to Danny being extremely young compared to other powerful ghosts, the way he ascended the throne and, to add insult to injury, the fact he was half-human, the medieval-like spirit refused to accept him as his ruler. Hence, his rare attempts at taking him down.
All in all, even if the Fright Knight quite wasn’t the same threat he once was, Danny knew he still should watch out for him. Because for all his self-importance, the Halloween Spirit really was undergod material, and that meant whoever employed him would be much worse than him…
Like Vlad.
Other than Plasmius, Spectra, Bertrand, and the Fright Knight, the other ghosts who challenged his rule were the god-like ones; Undergrowth, Nocturne, Vortex… But they usually kept true to their goals of world domination so it wasn’t much of an issue, in a way.
While he hadn’t had an encounter with any of his old nemesis for a while, it was all a matter of time before they chose to use his tentative alliance with the witches against him. Which brought him to his current patrol. As he oversaw the vast infinity of the Ghost Zone, steering away from Ghost Writer’s manorーanother lovely fella who didn’t quite like him, even if he surely wouldn’t try to usurp the throneー, Danny used his vantage point to make sure no suspicious activity was going on.
Just as he was about to call it a night, his eyes caught sight of three familiar silhouettes standing on top of a drifting chunk of rock not far away from him. Furrowing his eyes in suspicion, he sped up to catch up with them. In a matter of seconds, he’d flown across the distance separating him from his target until he was floating above the unimpressed expressions belonging to Ember McLain, Johnny 13, and Kitty.
The three of them seemed to be loitering around on top of the aforementioned drifting chunk of rock, looking bored and completely uninterested in anything around them. They almost looked like a bunch of teenagers just hanging out. Kitty was seated, cross-legged, on top of the bike seat, her elbows propped on her knees and her hands cupping her face. Beside her, Johnny was leaning against his bike, arms crossed. A few feet away from them, sitting on a rock with one leg crossed on her other knee, Ember was mindlessly tuning her guitar. That wasn’t suspicious at all...
Over the years, some of his most recurring opponents decided to upgrade their look, like Technusーthe guy was more fashion-oriented than Paulina Sanchez from high schoolー, while others remained mostly the same but with a few added upgrades to their modus operandi, such as Skulker.
Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, depending on how you looked at it, the hunter’s girlfriendーhe had to physically stop his gag reflex from acting up whenever he so much as thought of those two as a coupleーchose to remain true to her signature look. The same flaming, blue ponytail; the same tight, asymmetrical, black outfit; the same haunting green eyes and exaggerated make-up that contrasted greatly with her deathly pale skin…
All in all, Ember was pretty much the same. Still loud, still vying for attention, still obsessed with leading teenage rebellion through music...And she still had the same awful taste in boyfriends. Although, he supposed, in a way Skulker wasn’t as bad a catch as her best friend’s beau.
Kitty did change her outfit, albeit slightly. Though she still favored her signature combination of black and red with just a touch of green, she’d abandoned her classical red miniskirt and fishnet stockings for a pair of skin-tight, red leather jeans. Instead of her mid calf boots, she currently wore a pair of black, ankle boots. She still wore a black tank top, too, only this time it was much looserーjust like she also had the same green pendant. As for her unruly, green hair...she chose to wear it up in two twin buns, fittingly shaped after cat ears, each on either side of her head; with two loose strands framing her face. A pair of fingerless, black biker gloves completed the ensemble.
Everything about her screamed ‘biker chick’, the only thing missing was her own bike.
Maybe, tired of Johnny blowing her off, she’d decided to show him she was as much of a biker as he was, if not more. Or, maybe, she opted to dress that way precisely to remind her boyfriend and everybody else just who was Johnny’s girlfriend.
Honestly, the girl was sweet (sometimes), but she was a mystery. For all the complaining she did about Johnny, that certainly didn’t stop her from getting a 13 ーhis unlucky numberーtattooed on her right arm. Danny just wondered if Johnny had a kitten or anything even remotely resembling one tattooed anywhere on his own body.
...on second thought, he’d rather not think about it.
Johnny himself had changed a little, too, although nowhere near as much or as drastically as his girlfriend. To be honest, he looked exactly the same as always, except for his blond hair now being long enough to be tied in a low ponytailーKitty was right; it was greasyーand foregoing his trademark jacket, opting for just wearing his white undershirt and fingerless gloves, instead. But now that Danny thought about it, didn’t he use to wear a long-sleeved t-shirt, too? Whatever, back in the day it was hard to tell with his jacket anyway. Other than that, he was the same Johnny 13 who once tried to trick Jazz into becoming a vessel for his girlfriend.
Suspicion spiking up, Danny floated over towards them, still keeping a respectful distance in case Ember felt like playing a killer riff for his ears only. “What’re you three up to?” He didn’t feel like beating around the bush.
Their heads shooting up at the sound of his voice, the three ghosts looked surprised for less than a second, before adopting the same bored masks again. Though, to be honest, only the girls appeared bored with his presence, Johnny, on the other hand, looked annoyed, his eyes narrowing in distaste on him.
“What do you want, kid?” He spat.
Danny had to hold himself back from rolling his eyes. Again with the ‘kid’ treatment. It was always the ‘kid’ treatment. Never mind that he’d been a legal adult for three years now. “I asked you first, Johnny. But since you’re asking so kindly,” he deadpanned, voice dripping with sarcasm. He really didn’t have patience for this anymore, “I’ll repeat myself; what are you three up to?” He repeated, this time sounding more serious.
The biker ghost answered by letting out a puff of air, vexed. “What, now we can’t even chill in our own home? Are you going to give us a ticket for loitering or something?” He challenged, slowly making his way over to the halfa, trying to appear intimidating.
He walked calmly, almost calculatingly so, with his face morphed into a wicked grin, one that promised trouble. Once he was close enough to look Phantom in the eye, the two entered a silent staring contest, the tension between them flickering up. Even if the Ghost Kid looked much calmer than Johnny felt, he wouldn’t back down. “Your precious thermos won’t be of any help now.”
Side-glancing their testosterone levels rising from where she was, Kitty let out a huff. Hopping from the biker seat, she squeezed herself in between the two and separated them, both of her hands planted firmly on their chest. “Will you quit it, you two? Nobody’s buying this faux animosity you have going on.”
Knowing they’d been busted, the two jokingly moaned in disappointment, before sharing knowing glances and breaking down laughing. And all the biker girl could do in response was roll her eyes and shake her head, letting her face fall in her hand in exasperation while her boyfriend grabbed Danny by his shoulders and pulled him down, ruffling his snow-white hair with his knuckles. Really, the only difference between grown ass men and children was the size.
“Careful, dipstick. That techno geek of yours is going to get jealous if you keep flirting with others behind his back.” Ember said, watching everything from her rock with a smirk on her face.
“FYI, Tucker and I have an open relationship.” The half-ghost wasn’t above blowing a raspberry at her, making her roll her eyes in irritation. He also couldn’t prevent the snickers from escaping his throat at the sight of Kitty painfully elbowing Johnny on the side when he suggested if they could have an open relationship, too.
“With the way you’re constantly hitting on other girls, one’d think we’re already in one.” She pointed out hotly, her fist on her hips. “Besides, we both know you wouldn’t be able to stomach seeing me with other guys.”
“I can attest to that.” Danny added, remembering not-so-fondly the days he wistfully thought he was dating Paulina when, in truth, he was in the middle of a lovers’ quarrel. Johnny just rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, trying to play innocent.
“But now seriously, what are you guys doing?”
“You know, it really is offensive that you see us doing absolutely nothing and your first instinct is to think there’s something going on.” The biker crossed his arms over his chest, displeased.
“Oh, ignore him.” Kitty told him, putting her hand over the halfa’s shoulder. Even if it’d all been a scheme to make Johnny jealous, Kitty had sort of developed a soft spot for him. As long as he didn’t get in her way, she was one of the less antagonistic ghosts. Danny, in return, often let her and Johnny ‘sightsee’ around Amity Park, as long as they kept themselves out of trouble. “Though we really are doing nothing. Is there a reason why you’d think otherwise, Danny?”
Before the green-eyed boy could come up with a good excuse, Ember’s mocking voice beat him to it. “Oh, please, Kitkat! You should know better than that; he’s obviously got his whities in a twist because of those three harpies that so generously grace us with their presence.” She said in a fake, sugary-sweet voice. Sliding her guitar over her shoulders, the popstar got up from her seat and walked over to the other three. “By the way, shouldn’t they be gone soon? ‘Cause I’d really rather they don’t become regular visitors.”
At the mention of the witches, the easy-going atmosphere immediately tensed up. Just like Ember, Johnny and Kitty were now looking at him, expectantly. It was obvious no ghost appreciated their presence in their dimension. Coughing uncomfortable, Danny rubbed the back of his neck. How did he put this in a way they’d understand? And, most importantly, that wouldn’t encourage them to kill him? “Let’s just say...there’s no expiration date for this.”
“What?!” Growling, Ember’s ponytail flared up, a clear indicator that she wasn’t taking the news well. “What the Hell does that mean, dipstick?”
“Yeah, man! Don’t you know what those rune-reading bitches did the last time we let them near us? What do you mean you don’t know when this’ll be over?!” Johnny demanded, summoning a spectral chain out of thin air. Beside him, Kitty had a hand over her lips. But rather than looking surprised, it was evident she planned to blow his Majesty one of her famous, other-worldly kisses.
Distancing himself from them by rising up once more, his palms up in surrender, Danny tried placating them. That was the problem of having friendly rivals: everything was cool between you until you said something that irked them, then they’d try to destroy without much reservation. “Guys, trust me. I don’t like this any more than you do. But it’s our only choice! Do you seriously want to let the Ghost Zone collapse?!”
That made them settle down. But their glowing, menacing eyes urged him to go on, demanding answers. Sighing, he tried to gather his thoughts. How could he explain to them what he barely understood himself? On their next meeting he was going to demand some answers out of Lady Arcana; no way would he let her hog all the information while he remained in the dark. “Apparently, the witches are a little...rusty, you could say. They’re not as in sync with the portals as they used to be, so the Witch Queen needs to put in the effort to find a solution. That’s why it’s taken us longer than expected to put an end to this”
“And how do you know she’s not lying through her teeth?” Ember questioned in distrust. “That’s what they’re good at; if they need anything out of you, they’ll earn your trust. But the moment they’re done using you, they have no qualms as to what’ll happen to you next.”
“Ember’s got a point.” Kitty agreed. “How do we know they’re not just using us to get something out of us only to ditch us the moment they got whatever that is?” Then, she gasped as a horrible realisation dawned on her. “Even worse...How do we know they aren’t the ones responsible for everything?”
As the three ghosts began chattering and theorising amongst themselves, Danny tried to get their attention back on him. “Guys...Guys, listen...Guys, come on…” Seeing as they wouldn’t be paying attention to him any time soon, he lost his patience. “Would you just listen to me?!”
Satisfied that his abrupt outburst had shut them up, he smirked, before growing wary again. “I understand your concerns, because, honestly, they're mine, too. I know we can’t let our guards down around them; they’re not like the rest of humans. They aren’t a group of ghost hunters with advanced tech, or even more halfas who decided to turn their backs on the Ghost Zone and create their own society. They’re humans that were born with powers; they’re freaks of nature!
“But they’re also our safest bet right now. The Guys in White are too busy looking for ways to haunt me down or for stores that sell all-white clothes to even know how the ghost portals work. Not to mention, they’re too stupid to realise that destroying our world destroys Earth, too.” He rolled his eyes at that. The only thing worse than a pain in the butt was a useless pain in the butt. “Vlad would demand I pass the throne to him in exchange for his help, and we all know how that’d turn out.” He felt a small sort of satisfaction at their cringing faces. “And no ghost understands the mysterious nature behind the ghost portals. The only beings who’ve ever been able to surpass the lass separating both worlds are the witches; I’m sorry guys, but they’re really our only hope.”
“How do we know we can trust them?” Johnny insisted, not one to back down.
“We don’t.” was Danny’s reply, and he felt more defeated than in any previous fight.
The three ghosts exchanged glances, a silent conversation going on between them. Out of the three of them, Ember was the most antagonistic; if she really wanted to, she wouldn’t hesitate to attack him. The lovebirds were a different thing entirely. Most of the time Kitty was content just hanging out, and Johnny’s main goal was to please her, for things got ugly whenever his girlfriend wasn’t pleased… Having said that, just like they could act as just another couple of teenagers or young adults (he never really asked for their ages…), they could turn on him in the blink of an eye.
Dreading their reactions, Danny kept himself aloft. Close enough so they wouldn’t suspect, but far enough so he’d have enough of a head start to get the Hell out of there.
Finally, the three turned their heads to look at him. The fiery spirit was the one to speak. “And what do you plan to do about it?”
Her question sent the snow-white haired boy reeling. What did he plan to do about it? In all honesty, it was a good question. Even if he hadn’t seen Lady Arcana and her kind in actionーbeyond a floating book being shoved in his face, that isー, judging from what had been recorded in the Far Frozen’s archives and Sojourn’s journal, they were to be feared. Danny knew how to deal with rogue spirits and even ghost hunters, since his powers usually provided him with the upper hand, but actual reality warpers whose powers he knew next to nothing about? He wasn’t so sure how he’d fare in a fight against them.
Still, he was nothing if he wasn’t resourceful, and holding their meetings in the Ghost Zone gave him a certain advantage over a group of foreigners. He’d find a way. He had to. “Everything in my power.” He answered truthfully.
“I see.” Even though Ember didn’t look particularly impressed with his answer, she let it go. Walking over to her previous seat, her friends following her example, she called out to Danny over her shoulder, fluttering her eyelashes innocently. “So, anything to report, dipstick? How’s the missus back home?”
“Har har… Very funny, Ember.” The Ghost King replied sardonically. “You know I’m single.”
“Then you’d better watch out for all your rabid fangirls waiting for their chance to claim you as theirs, baby!” The popstar cackled maliciously. “Seriously, they’re like savage beasts! Lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right time to pounce.” She sighed as her laughter died down, pretending to wipe a tear off the corner of her eye. “Sucks to be you.”
“At least Dash Baxter is not part of my fanclub, unlike some other ghost I know...” He retorted, smugly. His smirk widened at the sight of Ember physically shuddering in disgust.
“That was low.” She accused, and all she got in response was a noncommittal shrug.
Eying their conversation with increasing interest, Johnny couldn’t help but add his two cents. “Cut her some slack, man. At least Ember isn’t responsible for the dude’s gay awakening.”
Grinning madly, Ember high-fived him while Kitty rolled her eyes at their antics in amusement, obviously used to them by now. And Danny….Danny didn’t know why he even talked to those guys. Flinching at the implications behind the biker’s jab, he opted to not dignify that with an answer.
“Can we change the topic to...I don’t know...literally anything else?” He begged. He’d have to bleach his brain to get the image of Dash making a Danny Phantom shrine, not unlike Paulina’s, out of his head.
Covering her mouth to quiet her chuckles down, Kitty took pity on him. “Guess who’s going to improv classes in her free time?”
Oh, Kitty. Sweet, compassionate, clingy, jealous Kitty. That was why she was his favourite...after Cujo. And Wulf...and after Dora...she was far behind Frostbite, too, that was for sure... Basically, his favourite after any other ghost he officially was on better terms with. But, hey, the intention’s what counts. “You want to be an actress?”
“It’s a nice hobby.” She shrugged before pointing her thumb at her boyfriend, looking unimpressed. “I’ve tried getting Johnny to come with me, but he just won’t budge.”
Danny pretended he didn’t notice the way Johnny, oh so subtly, inched a little further away from her. “Sorry, Babe. You know I love you, but that’s your passion, not mine.”
“And riding bikes is your passion, but at least I’m still there to support you!”
Uh, oh. The classic bike over girlfriend argument...The ghost biker had better come up with a good enough retort or Danny would be stuck trying to do damage control when they took the fight outside. And by ‘outside’ he meant Amity Park. Landing beside him, Danny elbowed the teenager lightly on the ribs.
At first Johnny just glared at him, but when the halfa returned his glare with a pointed look of his own, he caught his drill. “Don’t be like that, babe! You know I could never replace you. Thing’s just wouldn’t be the same without you.”
There was a twisted irony in the fact that the very same ghost who once tried to replace his girlfriend’s physical form with Jazz’s was the one saying he ‘could never replace her.’
Bored with his answer, probably from hearing it a million times already, the green-haired ghost just turned away from him with a huff. “And yet, that doesn’t stop you from trying. Why don’t you ask Shadow for support? I’m sure he’ll rock the miniskirt…”
Noticing Johnny getting frustrated beside him, if the way he curled his hands into fists was any indication, Danny immediately sent a panicked look at Ember, silently asking her for help. The popstar, in turn, just made herself comfortable. She stretched before leaning back on her rock, her arms behind her head. She was clearly enjoying the show a little too much to want it to stop.
Growing frustrated himself, Danny chose to take matters into his own hands. “I think what Johnny means is that, while you’re a great help and things wouldn’t be the same without you,” he sent a meaningful look the biker’s way, daring him to try and contradict him, “he fears hindering you instead.”
That caught her attention. “Really?”
A quick jab on his side from the halfa was enough to get Johnny talking. “Yeah, totally. I...I already got in between your dream once, Kitten. I’d hate to prevent you from fulfilling it ever again.” He admitted, and the somber way he said those words made Danny realise there was much more behind those improv classes than what meets the eye. Even if it was doubtful he’d ever get a clear confirmation as to what exactly that was, he had a pretty good guess.
“Oh, Johnny!” Tearing up, a hand on her chest, Kitty threw himself at her boyfriend’s arms. “I love you. And I don’t blame you for anything, you know that, right?”
He sent her a small smile. “Just because you don’t blame me doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven myself, Kitten.”
The red-eyed girl felt like tearing up all over again, but for completely different reasons. Deep down, she knew it’d be a long time before she convinced Johnny he wasn’t responsible for what happened, if ever. But for now, she was happy just touching his forehead with hers, showing him she’d always be there.
Coming to stand besides Ember, a content smile on his face, Danny just watched the couple. The popstar, on the contrary, didn’t look as pleased. “You just had to help them reconcile, didn’t you? You couldn’t let me have my fun.”
“Isn’t she your best friend?” He raised an eyebrow, looking down at her. “Don’t you care enough about her to want her to be happy?”
“I care more about her than you’ll ever know, dipstick.” Her voice was laced with venom, as if warning him to not overstep his boundaries, and...something else Danny couldn’t quite decipher.
The few times he’d seen the two girls interact, like when they haunted Amity Park just for kicks rather than some evil agenda, Danny would get the distinct feeling that there was some sort of thing going on between them. And, he had to admit, with the way their boyfriends regularly got on their nerves, Danny wouldn’t be surprised if the two decided to be each other’s Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy and eloped.
But then...there were moments like this. Moments where Kitty would look truly happy in Johnny’s arms, almost as if they never fought. And Johnny? Johnny looked at her like she was the most wonderful thing that's ever happened in his after-life. And she probably was.
Whatever happened to them, it was obvious it interlinked their obsessions with each other. And given ghosts’ complicated natures, it was unlikely they’d ever leave each other’s side. Which meant whatever feelings Ember harbored, they most likely would never be reciprocated. He wondered if Skulker knew…
After what felt like an eternity to their viewers and a few measly seconds to the couple, Ember chose to continue the conversation where they’d left it, in hopes of finally breaking the ‘cute couple’ apart. “So, how’re your classes going, Kitty?”
She also chose to ignore the dipstick’s disapproving look.
“Wha…Oh! My classes. Yeah...” She remembered; her question bringing her back from Wonderland. She cleared her throat in an attempt to clear her head and her stomach from the little butterflies only Johnny could cause her. “Most of the time it’s cool, but sometimes it’s just…” She made a face, as if that explained everything.
Danny tilted his head to the side. “How come?”
“She says the teacher’s instructions are wild.” Johnny supplied, coming to wrap his arm around her waist.
“The other day, for example,” she started, leaning closer to her boyfriend in a manner that looked almost unconscious, “he told me, ‘try to act like you care, only to don’t care at all,’” she mimicked, lowering her usual pitch to a much deeper voice, “and I was like, ‘okay...?’”
While her two friends exchanged agreements on how weird the directions were, Danny’s eyes lit up. “Oh, so like in high school!”
The three of them just stared at him like he’d grown a second head. “What?”
“You know, high school. The epitome of acting like you care when you really don’t care.”
Now, instead of looking at him like he’d grown a second headーsomething he’d actually done when trying to learn to duplicate himself, as a matter of factーthey were simultaneously staring at him and exchanging nervous glances among them. The same way a group of friends would do during an intervention. It was Johnny who broke the ice. “Yeah…” He said slowly. “I don’t think that applies.”
“‘Course it does!” Danny insisted, throwing a hand in the air as if that would validate his point, the other resting on his hip. “Think about it, in high school you’re expected to care about your marks, your extracurricular activities, hanging out with the right group...But deep down you don’t give a fuck about school and all you wanna do is stay at home playing video games, chatting with your friends, eating junk food…”
There was a beat of silence. But whereas the ghost couple wondered just how traumatic his high school experience had been, the popstar looked contemplative, a finger on her chin. “...he has a point.” She said, and now Kitty and Johnny were looking at her like she needed medical help. “Take it from me, the personification of teenage rebellion. My powers would be useless if teens actually cared about their education.”
“Hm, I guess that makes sense?” Kitty conceded. “Alright, so I gotta act like a kid in high school. Got it. Thanks, Danny!” She smiled brightly at him.
“Don’t mention it.” He waved it off.
“Speaking of high school…” Ember trailed off, and the almost predatory look on her face was enough to make Danny want to flee right there and then. “Has the great Ghost King found himself a queen yet? I know you said earlier that you’re single but, c’mon. That can’t be right. ‘Cause I’m pretty sure your last girlfriend’s that Red Huntress chick you used to date in sophomore year.”
“Dude, you haven’t had a girlfriend since high school?!” Johnny looked both personally affronted and astonished at the revelation. “Are you gay?”
Luckily for him, Danny wouldn’t have to blast him with an ecto-ray; Kitty already took care of it. “Johnny! Have you learned nothing from Mean Girls? You can’t just ask people if they’re gay!”
“Pretty sure the actual line was ‘you can’t just ask people why they’re white.’” Ember pointed out.
“Oh, that’s right. Anyway, doesn’t matter. It was uncalled for.” Then she lay her concerned, red eyes on the halfa and he couldn’t help but gulp loudly. He knew that look. He dreaded that look. It was the concerned-older-sister-looking-out-for-her-baby-brother look. Jazz had put a patent on it long ago. “Is something wrong, though? Several years without a girlfriend is a little bit unusualー”
“And worrying.” Johnny added.
“ーfor a young man. Do you want to talk about it? Or, even better, how about I organise you a blind date, hm? I’m sure we’ll find you a nice girl in no time!”
Could there be anything worse than ghosts concerning themselves over his love life? “I fail to see how that’s any of your business.” He said flatly.
Ember just looked at him like he was crazy. “Um, hello? For better or worse you are our king, dipstick. How do you plan on continuing the bloodline without even a girlfriend?”
“I could just have Vlad make me some clones…” He mumbled to himself. It was meant as a joke, but the mere thought of letting that fruitloop anywhere near his DNA was enough to send chills running down his spine.
Not hearing the halfa’s poor attempt to joke, Johnny snorted in response to Ember’s answer. Shaking his head as he walked over to Danny, his thumbs hitched at the hem of his pants, the biker draped an arm over the halfa’s shoulders in an almost brotherly fashion. “Cut it out, Ember.” He chided with no real malice, before focusing on Danny. “Don’t listen to her, dude. She’s only asking ‘cause she thinks getting laid will help you blow off some steam, enough so you get off our backs for a while.”
“Johnny!” Kitty scolded him, feeling sorry for Danny.
“What? You know I’m right.”
“Actually, he is.” The popstar admitted. “Saw right through me.”
His face flushing green, Danny pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. This could not be happening. First, they try to butt in on his love life, and now they comment of his sex life?! Somebody put him out of his misery…
“Again, I fail to see how that’s any of your business.” He groaned in dismay. He could only thank his lucky stars Sam wasn’t there to witness such humiliation. Wait a minute...Sam? Where did that come from?
As he battled with his thoughts, he’d have preferred it if his enhanced senses hadn’t caught Ember leaning close to whisper to Kitty in her ear, “Dipstick’s got no action in weeks, I tell you.”
That was it. “Okay!” He exclaimed, a little too loudly, as he clasped his hands together with a forced, cheerful grin on his face. “As lovely as catching up with you guys has beenーit was great, reallyー, I really ought to keep on patrolling. Ugh, the busy life of the ruler of the Ghost Zone. See ya!” He waved them goodbye as he took off in the direction he came from, drifting away from them.
Before he was out of earshot, though, Ember shouted after him. “While you’re at it try to find yourself a girlfriend!” Then, she mimicked putting something on her ring finger before singing at the top of her lungs. “If you like it, put a ring on it!”
As they cackled at his expense, Danny stopped mid-air. Like he’d ever let her have the last laugh… He cupped a hand around his mouth, calling out to her, “I’m surprised you’re not egomaniac enough to only reference your own songs!”
In an instant, all traces of amusement on the popstar’s face were gone, replaced by irritation. “Fuck you!” She flipped the bird at him, while her two companions now laughed their asses off at her expense.
Meeting her rude gesture with a mock salute and a cheeky grin, Danny turned around, flying away at top speed. Now that he wasn’t surrounded by a group of dimwits, he was alone with his thoughts.
More specifically, he was alone with the thought of Sam.
He really didn’t understand how her memory had popped up out of nowhere, let alone why it’d popped up right when they were discussing his love life, or lack thereof. Not that long ago, the face that would’ve made an entrance would’ve been Valerie’s. Not because he still had feelings for her, although he’d admit getting over her took him a while, but because she’d been the only girl he’d ever had a long-term relationship with.
Okay, maybe saying ‘long-term’ was exaggerating a bit. They began a tentative relationship that lasted all throughout the astounding amount of three different dates, several shared lunch periods, and two weeks.
But seeing as any subsequent attempt at dating someone new either ended in one-night stands, if he was lucky, or in half-finished dates after which the girls would tell him not to bother trying to call them, and that wasn’t even the worst outcome possibleーsometimes he’d been forced to stand them up altogether because of a sudden ghost attackー; he could safely affirm his time with Valerie was his longest dating experience.
And it didn’t even count as dating because she broke things off before they agreed on going steady. Oh, joy…
So, really, even if his feelings for Valerie had long faded, there was still that feeling of familiarity bringing him comfort.
But that still didn’t explain why he’d think of Sam of all people! Sure, they got along fine and they’d seen each other a few times already (last time at the restaurant they didn’t even need Tucker), but there was no sense of familiarity! They were friendly acquaintances, and no more.
So Sam was funny, and smart, and probably the sassiest girl he’d ever met. Sure, her wits and snark were enough to put some of his most punny opponents to shame, and he had a feeling she wouldn’t run out of puns to make during a fightーsomething even he struggled withー, not like she was the kind to make puns, anyway. And that fire that would light up in her eyes whenever she spoke about doing what’s right, and animal rightsーbecause, really, could anyone react more adorably to a Purple Back Gorilla?ー, and the occult... Or the way she stood her ground because she knew who she was and she was so confident in the person she’d grown up to be!
...So what if he needed someone like that in his life back in high school? He couldn’t change the past!
Sam was probably one of the most amazing people he’d ever met, but that didn’t mean anything. Guys could admire girls without having feelings for them or wanting to get inside their pants, now, couldn’t they? If Sam were there, in fact, she’d point out they actually should be able to admire girls with no ulterior motive.
Danny did a double-take, changing course when he was a minute shy of crashing against someone’s door. Sighing in relief as he wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead, he felt like smacking himself. Again with Sam! There was nothing going on between him and Sam!
Just because he thought she was cool it didn’t mean he was crushing on her or looking for ways to get into her bed. Speaking of...he also had the distinctive feeling she would pummel him to the ground if he so much as thought about it. He liked the feeling of breathing without wincing because one of his ribs was piercing his lung, thank you very much.
Besides, no matter how awesome Sam was, she just wasn’t his type. A guilty part of Danny had to admit, aside from his amazon chasing tendencies (thanks again, Dad), he had a soft spot for preppy girls. His first ever crush was Paulina Sanchez, Casper High’s queen bee and cheerleading captain from freshman to senior year. Even Valerie, despite losing her wealth over the Cujo accident, stayed true to her style from back when she was still popular, just...without the brand clothes.
Sam was not preppy.
He guessed that was a factor in how shocking it’d been to find out she, as a matter of fact, came from a rich family. With all the dough Jazz had later told him her family had, Sam could afford to use new shoes every single day and then throw them all into the trash when she came back home.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she preferred to buy her clothes from second-hand stores and add her personal touch later on, knowing the money would go to different humane organisations, or to buy them from independent stores.
“Those are a bit expensive.” she explained the last time he and Tucker met up with her at the You Mocha Me Crazy. “But the clothes are high quality and tailor-made, so it’s worth it.”
He couldn’t help but smile at the memory. That was Sam; always grounded and level-headed, with the greater good in mind.
On second thought, it was unfair of him to judge Sam just because she wasn’t preppy. Sure, she wasn’t his type, but she was still beautiful. How could she not be? With her sleek, black hair that looked so smooth it could put velvet to shame. Or those hazel eyes of hers that were a crystal clear reflection of her soul, full of emotion and mystery. Or her soft, plumb lips, always accentuated by her unusual purple lipstick, drawing your attention to them, almost begging you to kiss them…
The image sent him reeling, almost shooting through the eerie, ectoplasmic abyss of the Ghost Zone before he forced himself to come to a sudden halt. He could hear his heart frantically pounding in his ears.
WHOAH!
Where did that come from?!
Danny took a moment to steady his breath, using his hands to scrub his face. What was he thinking? Just like he had to tell Jazz over a hundred times in the drive back home from the restaurant, Sam was just a girl he knew. A pretty awesome girl, but just a girl.
Even if she were more than that, which she wasn’t, his life was too hectic to involve anyone else. Especially not someone who could be used as leverage against him. There would never be anything more between them. The sooner everyone accepted his life was too complicated to have a normal relationship, the better.
As Danny finally flew back to his lair, he did his best to ignore the way his heart was still fluttering in his chest.
............
They were back to square one.
Just like the last time, Danny had guided Lady Arcana and her entourage deep inside his lair until they reached the Council Room doors. Her Majesty’s two witches kept guard at both sides of the door alongside two of his own guards, while the two royals went inside to discuss. They were still far away but in front of each other, the same old large wooden table separating them. And Lady Arcana looked like she wanted to dissect him with her own hands while he was finding the sweet release of permanent death all the more appealing.
Why was it that progress never lasted with this woman?
Sitting down as regally as possible on her chair, Lady Arcana once again materialised a book seemingly out of nowhere. Only, this time, Danny noticed it was even more beautifully crafted than the last one. “I managed to bring this grimoire with me.” That must’ve been the first time she initiated a conversation. “Hopefully, it’ll have the answers we’re looking for.” Without warning, her violet eyes narrowed to slits, looking at him with as much venom as she could muster. “This is your only warning, if anything happens to this book while it’s in your territory, prepare to face the consequences.”
He’d heard of treating books with respect (mostly from Jazz), but this was ridiculous! “Wow, it must be a really important book. What is it, signed by the author?”
Sam fumed at his pathetic excuse of a joke. Great, like she didn’t hear enough terrible one-liners from hanging out with Tucker. Difference being, she actually liked hanging out with Tucker. “As a matter of fact, it is.”
That took him aback. “Wait, it’s got its author’s autograph? Really?”
She stopped leafing through the grimoire’s pages for a moment to meet his incredulous look. “Of course not! I mean it’s really important!” Bringing the book close to her face, she sneered. “What, is the crown so heavy it turns your brain to mush?”
“Oh, it’s heavier than you could possibly imagine…” Danny muttered through gritted teeth, mostly to himself. As if the Witch Queen didn’t know that already. The dark energy radiating from both the crown and the ring was pure torture, and enduring it a job made for Hercules himself. He was about to retort with a comeback of his own, when his eyes focused on the book’s cover, more specifically, on the golden letters making up its title:
Lady Arcana’s Grimoire
A spike of suspicion bubbling within him, the halfa wasted no time in pointing out his discovery, daring her to contradict him. “If you’re so smart to have a spellbook under your name, then how come you claim you don’t know how to solve the portal problem?”
If she thought she could just trick him like that, she got another thing coming. So what if she was the leader of a group of conniving spellcasters? He’d been fighting toe to toe with Vlad, the biggest, most manipulative bastard he’d ever met, since he was fourteen. Exposing her evil plans would be child’s play.
Slowly putting the book down, Sam looked at Phantom with what she was sure was the most dumbfounded expression she’d ever had. What was he talking about? “Excuse me?”
The green-eyed ghost edged around the table, getting close to her at a tauntingly slow pace. Maddening slow. When he was finally by her side, he got so close she couldn’t help but flinch back. “Oh, you know. Just wondering if perhaps you’re not taking me for a fool and pretending to help just so you and your witches can buy your time and attack us.” He got in her face, his neon green gaze so intense it almost burned. “Hm, Lady Arcana?”
For a minute, Sam just stood there, without moving an inch from her seat. Not understanding his sudden animosity. She’d be lying if she said there wasn’t tension in the air whenever the two met up, but most of the time Phantom acted cheeky around her, taunting her with his cocky attitude, as if gauging her reaction and trying to figure out when he’d get a reaction out of her. At most, he’d seem annoyed or resigned when working with her.
But this?
This cold treatment that translated itself into a literal drop in temperature in the room around her? His cool, accusing voice that made shivers run down her spine and the fire of aggravation light up in her heart? The way he looked at her like she was naked in front of him, and not in a lustful way, but in a way that made her feel like he could see right through her?
This was new, and she couldn’t say she liked it.
A dark scowl making its way to her face, the young sorceress spat. “What are you getting at?”
Danny was looking at her through half-lidded eyes, his smile more dangerous than the countless beasts lurking on the Ghost Zone’s most remote corners. “I’d suggest you undo whatever it is that your kind did to the portals, because let me tell you, I will not go easy on you just because you’re a girl.” He growled in a menacingly low tone.
Sam could only gasp in astonishment. But the feeling didn’t last long, soon being replaced with outrage. How dare he? Who did he think he was to accuse her and her people of putting their own lives in danger?! And all for what? To get back at a group of bodiless puppets? He had a lot of nerve.
“Listen up here, you jackー!”
“Uh, uh, uh!” Phantom cut her off with a sing-song voice, a scolding finger raised up and wagging right in front of her face. “A queen shouldn’t cuss like that, your Majesty. It’s not beckoning.”
The purple-eyed witch clutched the table with her hands so tightly, she could hear it splinting under her digits. But she didn’t care. He was taunting her, waiting for her to make the first move so he wouldn’t be accused of attempting against the life of the Queen of the Witches of Amity Park. After all, the punishment was different if an attack was in self-defence, wasn’t it?
She was about to make a mistake when his cocky voice distracted her. “I’m waiting, Lady Arcana.”
Again with the sarcastic tone. Why did her name have to do with any of this?! First he said whatever nonsense of having her own book, which was absolutely ridiculous because she was an avid reader, not a writer. Then he got impossibly close and had the nerve to mock her title, right before accusing her of causing the rifts, and now…
Now it hit her.
To Danny’s immense surprise, instead of retaliating, Lady Arcana limited herself to picking her precious book back up, her irate expression morphing itself into bored disbelief. “When you said I have my own book, did you mean this?”
“Considering it’s the only one with your name on it, then yes. That’s the one.” He deadpanned. What was she up to?
His eyebrows shot up to the ceiling when she sighed, looking beyond done with the entire situation. “If you must know, I’m not the Lady Arcana who wrote this book. She died centuries before I was even born. This grimoire,” she did the unthinkable and handed it to him, “is sort of her research journal. Everything she learned about magic during her time, it’s there. And since our respective species didn’t part ways until long after her death, it should have the answer to the portals as well.”
Listening to her explanation, he glanced down at the book in his hands. Gingerly skimming the pages, for he knew the witch would do well in her previous promise, Danny eyed its contents. Aside from the numerous runes he couldn’t understand and the mysterious drawings he didn’t know how to interpret, it was obvious that in spite of the book’s pristine condition, it had seen better days. The pages were yellowish and rough to the touch, their edges worn-out. And even if one could still make out the symbols, the ink was very washed-out.
In short, there was no way this book belonged to the woman in front of him.
Averting his eyes, he handed it back to get before floating over his own seat and flopping down on it. Ashamed by his actions, though not entirely convinced of the witches' innocence, he slumped down in his chair, refusing to meet her scrutinising, violet eyes.
Unfortunately for him, Sam was not having it. “Will you now stop talking about things you know nothing about?”
“I would if you at least let me know something!” He sulked, and Sam couldn’t believe to save her life that a ghost could actually act so childishly.
“Do you have the slightest idea of how frustrating it is to be at a disadvantage?” he went on. “You know what ghosts are capable of, you see them all the time on the news!” Okay, that was a wild guess, but it helped his case. “But I know next to nothing about you, and you refuse to even the ground. So excuse me for thinking you might be responsible for our current crisis because I see your name on a book that’s supposed to put an end to said crisis!”
When a few minutes went by and Lady Arcana still said nothing, he got worried. Either he’d crossed a line and ruined any chance of working together with her in the future, or he’d crossed a line and she was silently cursing him. A morbid part of him wondered if being turned into a frog would be easier than being half-ghost. Both predicaments had something in common; he could end up at someone’s dissection table.
Then, the most unexpected thing happened. “You’re right.”
Danny was so astounded he shot forward from his chair, eyes wide. “Come again?”
The halfa resented the way she rolled her eyes at him. It was a legitimate question! “I said, ‘you’re right.’” She said, leaning forward and trying to meet his eye. She was finding it increasingly more difficult, and Sam had to wonder if it was due to his previous outburst or her own shame. “We’re both sticking our necks here, working with each other. My people might be secretive, but the least I could do is even the ground, as you say.”
Even if, ideally, Phantom was the last person Sam wanted to be honest with, having to lie to so many people in her life was taking its toll on her. And she figured, as much as she hated it, he had a point. It was hard trusting someone when they always kept you in the dark. Her own experiences with Wilhelmina proved that.
But she had to make some things clear, first. “Before I tell you anything, however,” a small, amused smile appeared on her face when she saw him deflate, “I gotta lay out a few ground rules.”
Phantom sighed. “Fine. State your terms.”
“You can ask me whatever you want, and I will tell you as much as I can, but there are things I simply cannot divulge. You must respect that. Got it?”
Knowing that deal could easily become a double-edged sword, against his better judgement, Danny nodded. “Got it.”
“Very well.” She leaned back on her chair, her back straight and fingers firmly clasped together on top of the table. “What do you want to know?”
The halfa didn’t even have to think of his question; it’d been plaguing his mind since he first met her. “How does your magic work?”
Well, that much she could answer. The young queen couldn’t help but see the irony in the way she was about to willingly disclose the very same information she’d viciously guarded from Danny to the Ghost King. “What you call ‘magic’ is the art of learning to control and manipulate one’s anima at will.”
“Anima?” Phantom tilted his head to the side. Sam couldn’t help but think he looked like a ghost puppy.
She nodded as she raised one hand to her eye-level, palm up. With a snap of her fingers, the same sparkly, purple mist he remembered from the floating book accident surrounded her hand. He could only look on, stunned. “Our essence.” Lady Arcana explained, mindlessly playing with the mystical energy, watching as it slipped through her fingers like water. “Believe it or not, everyone has an anima, not just witches. The only difference is that we know how to tap into and summon it.”
“So is it like my ecto-energy?”
“In a way. There is a difference, though.”
“Which is?” He urged her, but she just shook her head.
Danny was beginning to think that was one of the things she’d refuse to share with him when she clarified. “As with the portals, that knowledge was forgotten long ago. We don’t know what makes our essences different; we just know they are.”
“And what about the spells?” Ever since Sam cryptically told him about them, Danny’d been racking his mind for answers, trying to put two and two together. But he always came out empty-handed. He just hoped Lady Arcana had the answers.
She sighed, and once again the halfa feared he wouldn’t get his answer after all, but once more she surprised him. “They’re intrinsically linked to our culture.” He couldn’t help but flinch when she sent him a meaningful look. “They’re also the reason why I call myself Lady Arcana...when that’s not my name.” She admitted quietly.
Understanding the best he could do was give her time, Danny leaned forward, resting his chin on his intertwined hands that were propped on the table in front of him. He waited with bated breath for her to speak. “To do magic, you have to know the secrets of the universe.”
“The secrets of the universe?” He repeated, eyes wide.
She nodded, pointing at her hand, the one radiating energy. “There is a secret language; the one the universe was created and communicates with. To do magic you need two things: to be in sync with your anima, and to know that secret language so you can get the results you want. Every spell we make we cast it by calling the secret name of whatever we set our minds to. Because of this system, in our culture names give you power. That’s why I go by Lady Arcana, because if anyone were to know my real name, it’d give them power over me.”
Danny had to force his mouth shut at her words. So witches were in tune with the universe on a whole different level than most people. A part of him couldn’t help but point out the similarities between the two, for if people were to find out his secret, he’d be completely at their mercy. Vlad had certainly used his secret against him in the past, the only way it didn’t do more damage than necessary was because he also knew his and could counter attack.
A part of him wished he could ask her the true questions plaguing his mind. Mostly, why? Why did her people sell ghosts out like that? Why did they choose ruining a centuries-long alliance was worth it? Why did they refuse to acknowledge the damage they’d done?!
Just why?
But the sharper part of him, the one who usually took charge of things when coming up with puns or ghost-fighting, knew that question would most likely go unanswered. And at worst it’d bring back the tension their, surprisingly, civil conversation had dissipated. So instead he chose to be the polite young man his parents raised.
“Thank you for coming clean to me, my lady. I…I understand it must’ve been difficult.” He tried to channel his best intentions through his grateful grin.
For a minute Sam just stared at the ghost in front of her, speechless. She had to admit, Phantom had proved he could be mature, albeit usually after enough jabs and pointless arguing, so it shouldn’t have come out as such a surprise that now he seemed genuinely grateful for her honesty. And yet, the sincerity in his glowing, green eyes, and the kindness radiating from his smile were enough to make her heart flutter, touched. The way he looked at her made him seem almost completely harmless, friendly, and caring.
It made him seem like Danny.
The past few days, after unexpectedly running into him in Verde Que te Quiero Verde, her mind always went back to him. A nice, warm feeling would bubble deep within her whenever she thought of his unruly, black hair, or his deep, baby blue eyes, or just his general kindness and alertness to the way other people feel… Sam would feel her face heat up whenever she remembered she still had his hoodie; or when she’d admit to herself that she didn’t know if she could ever give it back.
As nice as the feeling was, it certainly didn’t help when it clouded her judgement when she was carrying out her duties. Such as that very moment.
What was she thinking, comparing Danny Phantom to Danny Fenton?! They couldn’t be more different! Danny’s voice was rich and soothing, while Phantom’s had a certain echo that reminded everyone of his current state of being. Danny had absolutely no interest in following in his parents’ footsteps; he dreamed of being an astronaut and the Fentons had often neglected him and his sister in favour of ghost-hunting. Phantom was both a ghost hunter himself and the very ghost Danny’s parents were after!
And most importantly, Sam could actually put up with Danny’s presence, whereas she’d more than once wondered if spirits could be strangled.
While she appreciated the Ghost King’s bout of friendliness, she’d have to remind herself that he and Danny were two entirely different people. But for now, it wouldn’t hurt to show some gratitude in return. “Thank you for listening and respecting my request, Phantom.” She smiled back.
The king shrugged, the grin never leaving his face. “It’s the least I could do. Hey, if you have any questions of your own, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll see what I can do.”
Sam was about to thank him for his offer but decline anyway when she changed her mind, an idea materialising in her head. Using her two hands for support to get up from her chair, she walked around the wooden table between them and towards her host. She didn’t stop until she was almost within touching distance.
Propping herself up against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest, in the most relaxed position Danny had seen her, she spoke. “If I ask a favour of you, will you grant it?”
“Depending on what you ask.” He replied truthfully.
She guessed that was fair enough. Unfolding her arms, she used one hand to point at him. “Please, refrain yourself from wearing...” she trailed off, vaguely gesturing to the Ring of Wrath and the Crown of Fire, “that during our meetings.”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion. The only reason he wore the dreaded things in the first place was to keep her and her guards in line. If it meant not being vulnerable around them, he was willing to endure their torment. “You see, I wear these to show my very special guests just how seriously I take their visit,” Danny started, his voice dripping in sarcasm, before turning more serious with a menacing glare, his eyes glowing bright. “How do I know you won’t double-cross me the moment I take them off?”
Sam didn’t like the way this conversation suddenly turned from civil, to accusing. Again. “How do I know you won’t use them to double-cross me?”
“I believe I asked you first.”
Growing irritated, Sam clutched at her skin. “Simple; I’m not the one wearing that.”
There was a reason purple-eyed witches such as herself or Grandma Ida were so respected in their society; only they could resist the darkness their people so feared. And the dark forces radiating from the Ghost King’s crown and ring? They were vile. The age of eternal blackness, pain, and suffering they promised were enough to make her hairs stand on end. Therefore, seeing Phantom wield them so nonchalantly was a clear indicator that he was not to be trifled with.
Not uttering a word, Phantom got up from his chair and made his way to her. Sam had to fight the urge to flinch away from him in fright when he stood, imposing, in front of her. “Funny.” He said with a hint of sick amusement in his voice. “It was a gift from your kind.”
Sam could only gasp at his words, a hand to her chest and her feet unconsciously taking a few steps back. However, before she could fully register his words and react accordingly, the ground at her feet started moving, unprompted. Her body involuntarily swaying from the sudden tremors, she tried to keep her balance by hopelessly flailing her arms, in search of support.
But her efforts proved themselves fruitless when another, stronger, jolt tossed her down to the ground with a low thud. The only reason she even registered she’d fallen was the sudden change in perspective; Phantom, who, seemingly on instinct, had risen up in the air the moment the room shook, went from being in front of her to horizontal.
“What’s going on?” She choked out, too disoriented to even stand.
Noticing the turmoil in her voice, their previous conversation forgotten in favour of the current events, Danny was by her side in an instant, gently helping her up. This could only mean one thing. “Uh, no…”
“‘Uh, no?’” Lady Arcana asked, holding onto his arm for dear life. “‘Uh, no’ what?”
Before Danny could so much as offer an answer a distinct cry in a language he didn’t understand could be heard from the other side of the door. In the blink of an eye, a gust of bright yellow wind came crashing through the door, reducing it to smithereens. What was truly unbelievable, however, was the way the wind seemed to have solidified with the intention of bursting the doors open.
Fast as lightning, Lady Arcana’s trusty companions rushed into the room, looking for their queen. The teenagerーSusan, Danny believedーwasted no time checking over her leader. “Your Majesty, are you okay?!” As she asked, her bespectacled partner slid beside their queen, offering her to lean into her for support. “We were guarding the doors when suddenly the lair started trembling!”
“I’m fine, Susan. Stand down.” She reassured her. “Are you guys alright?”
“Affirmative, your Majesty.” The strawberry blonde one answered, adjusting her glasses with her free hand, the other still holding Lady Arcana by her waist. “But I believe we should leave immediately, whatever it is that’s going on, it’s not safe!”
“What is going on, anyway?” Susan hissed, clearly suspecting of the ghosts’ ulterior motives.
To Sam’s surprise, Phantom actually looked sheepish. He was fidgeting with his gloved fingers with an awkward smile on his face. “This may or may not be my fault…”
The dark-haired queen was in no mood for half-assed answers like that. “Explain.” She gritted out.
“I seem to have forgotten to take care of the latest black hole forming before it reached its mature state.” He admitted.
There was a moment of silence where one could've heard a pin drop, until Sam screeched at the top of her lungs, “You what?! How do you forget to take care of a fucking black hole!?”
“What did I tell you about swearing?” He tried to joke, but the scorching glare he received from her in return made him gulp. “I know, I know. I really meant to take care of everything sooner, but things kept popping up and getting in the way. But don’t worry, I’ll fix this.”
“How?” Susan asked, her arms folded over her chest and her eyes glaring daggers at him.
“That...I don’t know.” He admitted, looking positively sick to his stomach. “I’ve never had to take care of a black hole in this state. But don’t worry, you three can go back home. I’ll manage; I always do.”
An impending sense of doom made Sam’s stomach churn. She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling Phantom wouldn’t make it if he tried to take care of the problem by himself.
And so, with a heavy heart, she turned to her witches, getting out of Stephanie’s well-meaning but suffocating grasp. “You two go back home, I’ll stay here and help him.”
“What?!” The two screamed in unison, and Sam could feel a bewildered Phantom looking at her like she’d lost her goddamn mind. She probably had.
Lo and behold, he was right there, agreeing with them. “‘What’ is right. You can’t stay here; your people need you!”
“King Phantom’s right, your Majesty.” Stephanie tried to reason. “What will become of the clan without you?”
“It’ll be madness!” Susan squeaked, looking scared for once in her life. “If anything, we should stay to ensure your safety!”
Touched beyond belief by their loyalty and devotion, Sam gently grasped their hands in hers. She tried to convey as much calmness as possible through her smile. “One way or another, the clan will find a way to revive from its ashes, even without me. That’s the way it’s always been. But I can’t live with myself knowing I stole two children from their families, and so, I must let you go.”
“B-but...your Majesty!” Susan whimpered, tears in her eyes.
Before she’d have a change of heart, the queen turned to the older witch. “Stephanie, you’re the better spellcaster. Take Susan with you and back to the clan.” Then she turned around and picked the grimoire up in her hands before passing it to her. “And take this with you. We can’t afford anything happening to it.”
“But what about you?!”
“I will do everything in my power to return to you.” She swore solemnly.
With a sad nod, Stephanie let go of her queen’s hand and took the younger sorceress with her. With a finger high in the sky, she cried out, “Omnes viae Romam ducunt!”
In a flash of forest green light, they were gone.
Now that they were alone (for Walker’s goons had returned to their boss the moment the shaking began), Danny turned to the Witch Queen. “What’s your angle?”
“I want to help you.” She said, never taking her eyes off of his.
“But what about your people?” He pressed. “Isn’t protecting them your top priority?”
“If what little I know of black holes and your world doesn’t fail me, letting one loose would mean the end of everything we know and love. So I am protecting my people.”
He couldn’t argue against that logic.
The moment was broken by the unanticipated feeling of being pulled towards an unknown direction. Noticing Lady Arcana staggering clumsily on her feet, Danny rushed to grab her by the shoulders in an attempt to steady her. Immediately, her own hands were grabbing firmly onto his.
As stable as his lair was, staying inside during a black hole would be dangerous and extremely foolish. Unfortunately, there was no time to explain. “My Lady, what I’m about to do might seem a bit crazy, but I need you to trust me on this. Can you do that?”
“What are youー?”
“Can you trust me?” He insisted, his bright, green eyes begging.
Under any other circumstances her answer would’ve been a definite ‘no.’ Phantom was a ghost and she was a witch. Her people had been foolish enough to trust them once and it cost them dearly. But at that moment, right then and there, against her better judgement, she did. When he looked at her like his life depended on her, she couldn’t deny him anything. Somehow, that terrified her more than the black hole.
“I do.” She breathed. “I trust you.”
One moment, he smiled at her so brightly Sam feared he might blind her. And on the other, he pushed her away from him, shoving her roughly to the stone wall. Fearing the worst, Sam braced herself for an impact that never came. Instead all she could feel was a tingling sensation coursing through her body before she landed on the dirt with a loud thud, but not hard enough to really hurt her.
When she opened her eyes, she was stunned to see she was outside of the lair’s confines, completely unscathed. How did she…? Her thoughts were put to a halt when she caught something from the corner of her eye that made her blood run cold, as well as her mouth drop in astonishment.
In front of her, in the middle of the infinite ectoplasmic ocean of the Ghost Zone, stood a ginormous swirl of never-ending blackness, engulfing everything within range. As she stood there, agape, the celestial body’s natural pull began to draw her in. Burying her heels in the ground, desperately clutching at the building’s walls for support, she suddenly felt a hand around her wrist, yanking at her in the opposite direction.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Phantom’s staring right back. “Don’t let go!” He instructed with a strained voice. He was using every bit of strength he had to fly them both in the opposite direction.
“How do we stop this?!” She cried out, holding onto him for dear life.
“I’m not sure!” He called back, his own hold on her never loosening. “As I said, I’ve never had to take care of a black hole under these conditions! The universe wouldn’t happen to have a code word for stopping this sort of thing, would it?”
She could only shake her head. “If it does, I don’t know what it is!” Oh, that was just great. The one time she needed her magic the most, and not only didn’t she have the answers, but she didn’t even know enough on the subject to find a mundane solution to it. If only Danny were there, he’d know what to do. “Ugh, why didn’t I pay more attention when we talked about Astrophysics!?”
At her words, a lightbulb lit up in Danny’s head. Astrophysics, duh! How could he have been so dense to forget his own area of expertise! All he needed to do was find a way to apply what he knew into a situation with a considerably smaller amount of money involved. To be more specific, he had about $3,75 in his pocket. As he struggled to keep both Lady Arcana and him safe, he kept looking at the black hole, studying its form and comparing it to every single piece of information he knew on them.
It wasn’t until he focused on his movements that it hit him. “I have an idea, but it might sound a little crazy.”
“Would you look at that? It goes with the entire situation we found ourselves in!” The sorceress chided with fake cheer.
“You can roast me with your sarcasm as much as you want later, but now I need you to listen to me.” He took her silence as a sign to continue. “I know what I have to do; I have to fly straight towards the black hole, but since I know it’s risky, I need you to run as far away as possible. Maybe even teleport yourself like your friends.”
“Are you crazy?!”
He shrugged it off. “A little. Please, it’s our only chance.”
Every second Lady Arcana didn’t answer his heart did somersaults in his chest. If it weren’t for his hands being a bit tied up at the moment, he would’ve started biting on his nails anxiously. After what felt like hours, she nodded. “Okay, but on one condition.”
“What is it?”
“Put us down somewhere remotely safe and I’ll tell you.”
In a quick succession of movements, he went from holding her wrist to holding her bridal style, his mind too preoccupied in finding somewhere safe to notice the way her cheeks reddened at the sudden intimacy. When he put her down on the floor he could only gape as she rolled her skirt and tied it up so it now reached her knees rather than the floor. But what truly caught his eye was what she was wearing on her feet.
“You wear combat boots under your skirt?”
At that, she put on a blank face. Now it was not the time for stupid questions! “Have you ever run in high heels?”
Admittedly, he had not.
“Thought so.” She hummed. “Besides, if you want me to run away from here, this gives me a greater chance at getting away. More mobility and all that.”
“Fine, I get it. So, what’s your condition?”
She looked at him. Her initial plan was to ask him to remove the crown and ring during any subsequent meetings, but now that he was staring intently at her, waiting for her answer with bated breath right as he was about to do the unthinkable, she found she couldn’t ask such a thing. Swallowing loudly, she got close to him; closer than she’d ever been. As soon as they were close enough their bodies almost touched, so close she could make out the green blush adorning his features, she placed her hands on his chest and slid them up slowly.
Unbeknownst to her, to Danny it was maddeningly so. He could already hear his heart beating in his ears, her lavender eyes seemed to gaze deep into his soul, when he heard the distinct sound of something unclasping. Before he knew it, his cape had fallen to the ground. When he turned to look at her quizzically, she had an impish grin on her face. “In the words of the great Edna Mode, ‘no capes!’”
Despite himself, he couldn’t help but chuckle at her antics, even if said antics made perfect sense when he was about to fly into a black hole. “Okay, okay. I get it. No capes.” He grew serious again, sending her a meaningful look. “But you’d better run away, you hear me?”
“I will.”
With that they both turned their backs on each other, about to run off in different directions when Sam had the sudden urge to call out to him over her shoulder. “Oh, and Phantom?” He raised a questioning brow. “Please, be careful.”
Her request rendering him speechless, Danny limited himself to nodding before he took off in the direction of the massive swirl of energy.
Ghostly black holes were formed when two ancient lairs came into contact with each other, resulting in enormous amounts of uncontrollable ecto-energy. The usual protocol was to evacuate the areas near the decaying lairs and destroy at least one of them before disaster happened.
That was what he meant to do the other day before his encounter with Valerie forced him to spend the remainder of the day resting before going out with Jazz. By the time he felt better, he’d already forgotten all about it. Which meant he now needed to take desperate measures.
A black hole’s traction power didn’t come from its Singularity, but from its Event Horizon. In other words, it came from the swirling mass of matter surrounding it. Considering this was a rotating black hole, the Penrose Process was his safest bet. He turned himself intangible, in hopes of not being pulled into due to his lack of body mass, and flew straight to the celestial body’s Ergosphere; a region of rotating space-time around the hole.
Once inside, Danny didn’t waste a second to rev up until he’d reached his top speed, which he could only hope was enough, as he began moving counterclockwiseーthe opposite direction the black hole was rotating in.
After what felt like hours, Danny could feel his face light up in triumph when he registered the way the hole seemed to come to a halt. That was all he needed. With renewed vigour, the halfa pushed himself a little further, breaking his personal record, and forced the massive source of matter to follow his course. Only this time, rather than increase in size, it shrank ever so slowly.
Unfortunately, Danny was so caught up in the process he failed to see the side effect his plan was having on the black hole. With one last display of strength, it began to pull once more, except now the halfa had no place to go. Panicking, but knowing he couldn’t get away or all his efforts would be for naught, Danny resigned himself to his fate.
“Conjunctionis ligaveris!”
“Huh?” His brow furrowing in confusion at the sudden cry, his eyes soon widened in disbelief when he felt something wrap around his ankles and tug at him and away from the black hole.
Glancing down at his feet, he noticed the sparkly, purple, rope-like construction tied tightly around him. Trailing the rope to its origins, he gasped when he saw it was Lady Arcana who was holding onto it for dear life.
Did she just save him?
Finally, due to Danny’s ministrations, the colossal swirling void of darkness began to curl in on itself. Then, with a deafening sound, the black hole imploded in a burst of blinding light, forcing Danny to cover his tortured ears, and Sam to shield her violet eyes. Both of them holding tight with the remnants of strength they had left onto the witch’s improvised rope.
After what felt like hours, her ears still ringing, the queen lowered her arm from her face. She blinked repeatedly, willing the dark spots filling her vision to vanish. With her vision cleared, she gasped, frantically looking around in search of Phantom.
A voice behind her made her jump forward a few steps. “How did you do that?”
Whirling around, she couldn’t help but let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding when she saw the Ghost King looking at her. Although he looked far more surprised than she expected. “Do what?”
“You…”, he started. It just didn’t make any sense! “You grabbed me!”
There was a beat of silence before she spoke again. “...yeah, so?”
“You grabbed me and I was intangible!” He threw his arms up in the air, his mind still coming to terms with what'd just happened.
Realisation finally dawned on Sam. “Oh, you’re right. By definition, I shouldn’t have been able to touch you…” She trailed off.
“Well,” he pressed, “how did you?”
“I honestly don’t know.” She shrugged as she noticed the rope still tied to Phantom’s ankle, before willing it to disappear. “I just saw you in trouble and I knew I had to do something. I wasn’t really thinking when I did it, I just...did.”
She saw him mumble something unintelligible before his bright eyes lay on her, hard. She should’ve known this was coming, “Look, I know I said I’d run away. But, as I said, I saw you in trouble and I had to act! So there’s no need for you to lecture me about it. What’s done is done.”
“Actually,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous smile on his face. “I’m kinda glad you didn’t listen to me.”
Starting at his words, the two made eye contact. As she gazed, once again, upon his grateful eyes, his expression full of sincerity, she couldn’t keep her own smile from forming in her face. As they stood there, both royals could only think that, if they could work together to stop an infinite swirl of darkness, even trusting the other with their lives, then they should be able to work together to put an end to the crisis threatening their worlds.
#danny phantom#dp#dp fanfic#my fic#your heart#danny fenton#sam manson#ember mclain#johnny/kitty#johnny 13#kitty#oc#amethyst ocean#danny x sam#ghost king! danny#ghost king au#witch queen! sam#witch queen au#enemies to friends to lovers
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Take Two: The Guardian in Gotham Chapter 4
First Previous Next Ao3
Note: When italics are in quotations (“”) then Marinette is speaking French. If the italics don't have quotations, that’s people’s thoughts.
---
After patrol, Dick made his way to bed, mulling over the announcement Bruce had made at dinner. When he had seen that picture, he had wanted to join Jason on his Paris killing spree. That girl-Marinette, was it?- seemed to be in need of a better place to stay, and he was happy they could provide it to her. At the same time, he had no idea how to treat a young teenage girl! What does she like? Sports? Dresses? Both? None? He had no idea! As he lay there having a breakdown in a slight panic, he couldn’t force the image of her broken, bloody body out of his head. He wondered what kind of person that sort of assault would turn her into. He had seen greater people snap after such emotional and physical wounds.
Meanwhile, Jason, Tim and Damian were facing similar dilemmas over the girl in question.
Jason had no idea how to handle teenagers, especially ones that had been assaulted. Suffering through fucked-up shit like that would definitely leave you with some trauma. He thought to himself. Maybe we should ask her about her boundaries. His coping method involved wearing a red helmet and gallivanting around the rooftops of Gotham, looking for excuses to shoot people. He didn’t exactly think that was the best way to help her out. Sure, he grumbled, I’ll just walk over to her, hand her some Kevlar and a grapple before pushing her off the top of fucking Wayne Enterprises in hopes that she’ll get it right. ‘Cause that’s totally fucking healthy!
Tim on the other hand, was completely and utterly paranoid. Sure, he was definitely worried about that girl, considering that it looked like she had lost a lot of blood; but at the same time, he was worried about exposing their identities to her. Just one slip up, and she would know exactly what the Wayne family did at night. Not to mention that if they ended up getting injured, they’d have to figure out how to hide it from her. As he hacked into her school records, he noticed that she had filed several bullying complaints that had never been acknowledged, as well as a request to transfer classrooms that had been dismissed. Just how corrupt is this school?! He thought to himself as he saw how the principal-Monsieur Damocles- had bent to one girl’s every whim, just because her father was the Mayor! Abuse of power, and ignoring bullying reports? He thought to himself. This is not going to end well for them. With that, he completely launched himself into digging up every bit of dirt he could find on that school and it’s staff; completely forgetting about his original panic over being discovered.
And as for Damian, he was completely furious that there would be another person living in the Manor with them! Not to mention she had to go to Gotham Academy as well! He hadn’t even met this Marinette, and she was already proving to be a pain.
---
As the day of their Marinette’s arrival dawned bright and clear, four members of the family waited for the arrival of their last member and guest. Bruce was slightly nervous. He had never had a girl so young stay in the Manor before, and he didn’t know how to greet her. Did he shake her hand? Smile and wave? Shake her hand then smile? Wave then shake?
Dick, however, was full of excitement that their new guest was arriving in a couple of hours. He wondered if she knew any gymnastics, and if she would be willing to do some flexibility-related stretches and workouts with him.
All his other children were scattered throughout the city, doing various different things. Jason was up in the Manor library, reading his latest novel. Tim was in his office at WE, finishing up some paperwork he had wanted to fill out before Marinette arrived. Damian, thankfully, was at school, and wouldn’t be returning until later in the evening.
His thoughts were cut short by Tim’s arrival. As he walked into the kitchen and came back with a large mug of coffee, Jason trudged downstairs, and they all sat around in the living room continuing to work and read as they waited for Marinette and Alfred.
Half an hour later, Bruce was alerted to the gates in front of the Manor opening. They all lined up outside the house and watched as the sleek, black limo pulled up in front of the house.
They waited patiently as Alfred got out of the car and headed to the trunk before opening it and taking out a suitcase, and what looked like a foldable wheelchair. The four of them were confused. Why would she need a wheelchair? Surely her classmates hadn’t injured her that badly? Their thoughts were cut off by Alfred opening the back door on the opposite side of the car. He bent down and proceeded to open the wheelchair, before wheeling it around to face the family. When they caught their first glimpse of their guest, they were absolutely floored.
They had all seen many worse injuries during their nightly patrols, and several injured children years younger than her, but when they saw Marinette, they were shocked into silence at her battered appearance.
She was a decent height at around 5’ 4”, but compared to Bruce and Jason she was absolutely tiny. She had several dark purple-blue bruises that contrasted sharply with her pale skin as well as an angry gash covered in stitches on her forehead. She also sported a clunky cast and a thick brace on her leg and wrist. With her dark hair pulled into space buns, and blue eyes, as well as how small and bruised she looked, they all felt a rush of protectiveness flood through them when they saw her.
Their silent shock was interrupted by Jason leaning over to Bruce and whispering angrily “You said her classmates did this to her?!” At his exclamation, the other three tensed in anger at the reminder that her old friends had been the ones to injure her so severely. They were snapped out of their thoughts by Marinette speaking.
“Bonjour, Monsieur Wayne! Thank you for letting me stay in your house with you! I promise I’ll do my best to not be a bother to you and your family.” Her voice was slightly rough from when she had been crying, but she spoke sweetly, and politely. At her statement, Jason jumped in “No problem Pixie Stick! The only nuisance here is the Demon Spawn, and he’s not home yet.” She blinked up at him, before her mouth twitched up into a half-smile. “Thank you, Monsieur. I’m sorry but I didn’t get your name…” she trailed off.
“Sorry about that Sunshine, he’s Jason, I’m Dick, and the sleep deprived one is Tim.” Dick interjected. “And you don’t have to call us Monsieur, either. Just our names are fine.”
“Oh okay. Thank you Mister Bruce, and thank you Dick! I’m Marinette, but I’m sure you knew that already. You can call me Mari if you’d like. I’m not very picky about nicknames!” She laughed.
“Now if the young Masters are done with their introductions, I will gladly show Miss Marinette to her room.” Alfred cut in. “Thank you Monsieur Alfred, that would be wonderful.” The girl in question smiled up at him from her seat in the wheelchair before he wheeled her inside.
---
Marinette thanked Alfred as he wheeled her into her room. He mentioned that someone named “Damian” was at school, and that she would be attending school after she gets adjusted to the time difference. After he left, she opened her bag to let the Kwami out, and waited for their excited chattering to calm down. Once they had quieted, she spoke. “Hey Tikki? Do you think it was wrong to tell Alfred about the Miraculi being active in Paris?” she questioned as she fiddled with the straps on her bag. ”I was just so excited to meet another wielder that everything slipped out!”
The Kwami was quick to reassure her. “Oh no Marinette, it's okay. SInce you are the Guardian now, you need all the help you can get. And besides, you already recognized each other’s auras, so there was no point in trying to hide it!” She flew up to her face and patted her unbruised cheek gently.
“Oh no! I completely forgot to tell Alfred that I’m the Guardian!” She shrieked. “What if he gets mad at me for being too inexperienced?! He’ll kick me out and I’ll have to live on the streets! Then I’ll end up becoming part of the Crime Alley hierarchy, living alone in an abandoned building with a stray cat named Tommy! Tikki this is a disaster! A disaster!!” She would have continued to ramble in french, if it wasn't for the fact that Wayzz had flown up to her and reminded her that she needed to shower because she had been on an airplane and in the airport.
Several curses, near falls, and plastic cast coverings later, Marinette limped out of the shower, exhausted but clean. She quickly tied her hair onto a messy bun before changing into warm leggings (although she couldn’t fully pull one side down due to her cast) and a sweater. Gotham was cold! She let the Kwami roam around her giant room as she put her clothes into her closet.
After settling in, she plugged in her phone and texted her friends.
FashionableBug: Just got everything organized and took a shower. Turns out M. Wayne has four kids! I met Dick, Jason and Tim, and apparently Damian is at school.
QueenofMean: Maribug! How dare u not text us as soon as you arrived! Ur plane landed over three hours ago!
Snakey Boi: Chlo’s right, Mari. We were all worried bout u.
FahsionableBug: Sorry u guys. Everything was going so fast I completely 4got!
FashionableBug: Also I met a Peacock wielder!!!!!!!
You’reUnderAgreste: Really?! Buginette thats amazingggg
DragonGurl: Wonderful news indeed, Mari. They must have lots of advice for you.
QueenofMean: !!!!!!
QueenofMean: Nettie thats awesome!!!!!!
SnakeyBoi: Thats totally great!
SnakeyBoi: Also who is it???
FashionableBug: lol Luka its Alfred their butler. Tho hes more like a grandfather
FashionableBug: Anyways, I’m going to go find the kitchen. I wanna make the Kwami some macarons!
FashionableBug: Bye!!!
DragonGurl: Bye Marinette.
You’reUnderAgreste: Bye Bugaboo!
QueenofMean: Bye Bug!
SnakeyBoi: Bye Mari!
Marinette smiled as she put her phone down. Glancing over at the Kwami flying around the room, she stretched before calling out “I’m going to see if I can bake in the kitchen. Do any of you want to join me?” Before she had even finished her sentence Tikki and Kaalki were flying over to her and nestling in her bun. Laughing at their antics, she maneuvered herself into the chair before wheeling herself down the hall. She hadn’t gone very far when she bumped into Alfred walking out of another door. "Salut, Monsieur Alfred! Would you mind showing me where the kitchen is? I was thinking of making some sweet treats for my...friends.” At her statement, Tikki and Kaalki poked their heads out of her bun to wave, before hiding again. Smiling, Alfred turned to her and spoke. “Of course Guardian. Right this way.” Her eyes darted to meet his hesitantly. “You aren’t mad that I’m the Guardian?” Alfred paused and looked her directly in the eyes. “Miss Marinette, I am in no way questioning your capabilities as a Guardian. You are very powerful, and I have no doubt you will do an amazing job. I am simply upset over how you seem to have no Mentor or any form of Guidance to help you.” Sighing in relief, she smiled. “Well, my old Master lost his memories because he had to give up his memories after being compromised. I do have the Grimoire though, and I was also hoping you would help me as well?” She questioned, looking up at him hesitantly. As they walked into the kitchen, he bowed to her and stated “It would be my greatest honor to assist you, Great Guardian.” She laughed and thanked him before beginning to bake.
She hummed a simple melody designed to bring about calm and peace, and soon she was happily working in her own tranquil little bubble.
An hour later, as she was frosting the little pastries, Jason walked in, drawn by the smell of sugar and freshly baked goods. “Hey Alfred! What cooki-” he cut himself off. “Sorry Pixie Stick, I thought you were Alfred. Only he can make something worth eating in this house!”
“Oh it’s no problem Jason, I was just making macarons. My parents own a bakery, so I’m kinda used to just baking whenever.” She laughed softly
“Damn Pixie, macarons?! You haven’t been here a day, and you’re already much nicer than all my asshole brothers!”
“Yeah, well these are for after dinner, so no touching ‘till then!” She warned.
He sat at the counter and scrolled through his phone as she decorated the pastries. Soon enough, she had them all completed and proceeded to carefully take the tray and wheel over to the fridge. Before she could move an inch, Jason had leapt up and placed the tray in its designated spot. “Sorry Pix, but I’ll get that for ya. We don’t need you accidentally crashing or dropping these heavenly treats!” He laughed.
She crossed her arms and pouted up at him, before her mouth stretched into a wide grin. As she wheeled herself into the dining room, she swiftly turned her head and stuck her tongue out before disappearing through the door into the room beyond.
---
Dinner with the Wayne family was a rambunctious affair. Dick and Jason bantered good-naturedly over their meals as Bruce sighed tiredly in the background. Tim moved lethargically, downing giant gulps of coffee as he ate his meal. Damian apparently was studying with his friend Jon, and therefore wouldn't be eating with them. They all smiled and laughed as they talked through dinner. Marinette told them about her friends, before adding that they’d probably video call her tomorrow so they could meet the family. Bruce assured her that it was not a problem and added that he would be glad to speak with her parents. After eating, she headed up to her room to work on the outfit she had been sketching on the plane.
She immersed herself in designing, and ended up finally going to sleep shortly after midnight. The Kwami flew over to their little nest of pillows and blankets, and she turned off the lights before drifting off to sleep. Her dreams were plagued by nightmares of looming shadows and ethereal dark butterflies destroying the world in fire. She watched in helpless terror, stuck in her Ladybug persona, unable help as the world burned. The horrific dreamscape was shattered by the sound of her phone blaring out an Akuma alarm.
She leaped out of bed and shut off the shrill noise as she called for Tikki and Kaalki before leaping through the portal and into Paris.
She ended up in a ravaged, unrecognizable landscape covered in flames. Looks like her dream had been semi-accurate after all. The Eiffel Tower was partially melted, and fires were cropping up all over the city. The four simultaneous thuds behind her signified the arrival of her team. As one they looked upon their ravaged city and charged the Akuma.
#maribat#marinette dupain cheng#damian wayne#adrien agreste#chloe bourgeois#luka couffaine#kagami tsurugi#alfred pennyworth#bruce wayne#tim drake#jason todd#dick grayson#lila rossi#alya cesaire#lila salt#class salt
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Miraculous: Tales of Redbug & Kuro Neko
Chapter 1: Origins Pt. 1
3rd Person POV
beep beep beep beep
Luka groaned as he was woken up by the alarm, his sister's alarm. He rubbed his eyes and slowly got out of his bed. He noticed that the alarm was still ringing which meant that Juleka was still asleep, she was a deep sleep after all. He then looked over to her desk and saw the yellow sticky note with the words 'first day back at school :(' written in purple ink stuck to the mirror. Luka smiled, first days back at school were tough, luckily he had finished school the year before, and went over to Juleka's bed to try and wake he up.
He turned off her alarm which, still hadn't waked her up. "Juleka, wake up, it's time for school", Luka said while slowly shaking her, trying to wake her up, but it was no use. She had been sleeping and still remained sleeping. Luka noticed and did the only thing that he knew would wake her up. He removed the sheets from her and started dragging her off the bed by her legs.
That seemed to do the trick as she stirred and woke up. She took notice of what was going on and tried to move closer to the other edge of the bed; where her pillow was. "Luka stoooop, let me goooo, I wanna go back to sleeeep", Juleka whined as her older brother was still dragging her off the bed.
"Hmmm... how about... no.", Luka said, with a mischivious smile on his face. Juleka huffed and said, "okay, okay, I'm awake", which caused him to let her go. "Now what do you want?", she asked, annoyed at him for waking her up. "Come on Jules, it's your first day back at school!", Luka told her. "Oh how exciting", she sarcastically said, adding an eye roll too. "Can't you be a bit more excited?", he asked, knowing well that Juleka despised going to school, and most of all interacting with people that were out of her friend group. "No", she responded with a straight face.
"And why's that?", he asked, even though he already knew the answer. "Oh you know, homework, eventual exams, talking to people, getting asked to answer questions and there's a high chance that Chloè's going to be in my class again.", Juleka answered, playing with the hem of her pyjama shirt. "Three years in a row!? Is that even possible!?" "Everything's possible when it comes to Chloè, Luka, I thought that by now you'd know it.", she said, adding a huff at the end. Juleka hated Chloè, well practically everyone did apart from Sabrina, her 'slave'. "But isn't that the school's thing to decide in which class students go?", Luka asked again. Juleka just shrugged.
"She won't be in your class this year Jules, don't worry", he tried reassuring her. "She will", Juleka responded. "Won't" "Will" "Won't" "Will" "Won't" "Will". They continued like that until Luka decided to do something. "You know what, I'm so confident that she won't be in your class that I'm betting €20 on it." Juleka smiled and rolled her eyes before saying, "And I'm so sure that she will that I'm betting €20 AND the loser has to buy the winner anything of their choice" "Anything?" "Anything"
Luka smirked and said, "Well Juleka I hope that you thought this well because there is this new guitar that I've got my eyes set on..." She then smirked back and said, "Luka, I hope that you have enough money saved up because there is this nail art set that I have been saving up for too..." They looked in each other's eyes with a challenging look and then Luka held out his hand and said, "Deal?", by which Juleka responded by shaking his hand and saying "Deal".
~~~
beep beep bee-
Kagami hit the snooze button on her mobile for what felt like the millionth time that morning. Why couldn't she sleep till noon like all the others her age that she sees on social media do? She pulled the covers back on her and tried to continue sleeping in the warmth of her bed.
Why couldn't she go to normal school like everyone else instead of being homeschooled? She barely got any holidays as she had to be the best of the best according to her mother. Kagami did want to do good in school, she wasn't one to not care about her grades, but also a break once in a while would also be good. Many people would say that they would prefer to be homeschooled, but it wasn't the case for her.
She wanted to be normal; go to school, have some independence, ineteract with other people, make friends. That's what she wanted most of all; to have a friend. Sure she did go to fencing lessons, but nobody would talk to her. Everyone saw her as the formal, strict, cold fencer, but she wasn't at all like that.
Kagami just needed a chance where she could be herself.
knock knock
She huffed, there went her 'extra' sleeping time. She responded with a groggy "mhm?" and the door to her bedroom creakily opened. One of her mother's servants walked in, stood near the door and said, "Your mother is waiting for you in the dining room." Kagami just responded with a thumbs up while still laying down in bed. The servant nodded and left her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Kagami reluctantly got out of her warm bed and streched before seeing what she had first in the morning. "Fencing first", she thought while seeing her timetable for the day, "I can wear the uniform after having breakfast and shower after fencing. Mother won't know if I stayed in pjs for now anyways..." She wore her slippers and made her way downstairs to the dining room.
~~~
Luka and Juleka were at the side of Françoise Dupont school, where students can park their bikes. Luka had gone with Juleka as he had been called to work at his part-time job in the morning that day.
"Do I have to go to school?", Juleka whined. Luka sighed and said, "Yes Jules, you have to if you want to succeed in life." She huffed and muttered something under her breath which he didn't hear. She then said, "If Chloè's in my class this year will be another bad one..." Luka smiled knowingly, he knew how Chloè makes everyone's lives a nightmare. "Well if she is in your class you will win the bet, and if she isn't you won't have to be bothered by her. It's a win-win situation in the end." "More like a lose-lose situation...", she muttered, but this time Luka had heard her.
"Aw come on Juleka- hey, isn't that Rose?", he started, but changed the topic when he saw Rose, Juleka's best friend (or maybe more) climb up the steps. Juleka looked at where her brother was looking, smiled and nodded. "Then go talk to her, and say to her from me!", he said. He had known Rose as during that summer him, Juleka, Rose and another student, Ivan, had started a rock band called Kitty Section. Juleka nodded and with a "bye Luka, love ya" she went off running. He responded by saying, "bye Jules, have a great day at school."
He then got on his bike and started biking to his workplace when he saw an old man slowly crossing the road while there was an oncoming car. Luka quickly got off his bike, ran to the man, grabbed his arm and took him to the other side of the road, on the sidewalk. "Are you okay sir?", Luka asked the old man whose life he had practically saved. "Yes young man, thank you for saving my life back there.", the old man replied, "I don't know how I can repay you for your act of kindness and for risking your life for me." "Don't worry sir, you don't have to give me anything.", Luka told him, smiling, "I have to go now, have a good day sir!" He crossed the road to get his bike and continued biking to his work.
The old man walked to a side road and took out a black, wooden, octagonal box with a strange Chinese symbol on it in red. He smiled and while looking at the box said, "Thank you very much, young man."
~~~
"We have arrived at your destination, Ms. Tsurugi.", the voice of Tatsu said as Kagami and her mother arrived at Mr. D'Argencourt's fencing academy. She went there three times a week for private lessons in the morning, plus her lessons with the other fencers in the afternoon. She usually went to her fencing lessons alone but since it was the start of a new term her mother had to pay Mr. D'Argencourt for the lessons.
"Tatsu, open the doors", Tomoe demanded. "Yes, Ms. Tsurugi", Tatsu replied and the car doors opened. Kagami went out and was about to head inside the building when she noticed an old man wearing a shirt with a Hawaiian print on the floor, trying to get his cane so he can get up. She cast a quick glance at her mother when an idea formed in her head.
She started jumping, as if she was trying to catch something that was flying away, while moving closer to the old man who was looking at her with a confused look. When she got near him, she quickly bent down, gave him his cane, whispered, "here you go sir" and helped him stand up. He smiled at her and she winked back before returning to her mother.
"Kagami! Where did you go?", her mother demanded. "I'm sorry mother, but a paper flew away and I went to retrieve it.", Kagami said, smiling slightly. Her mother's blindness did have its advantages at times. Not that she wanted her to be blind, but it made stuff like she just did easier. Tomoe just nodded and started walking inside. Kagami went after her, waving to the old man, who waved back, before she went in. After both of them went in, the old man got out another box, identical to the one before but with a different thing inside, and said, "Thank you very much, young lady" before walking away without the need of his cane.
~~~
Luka was almost half-way to his job when the ground rumbled and he almost fell off his bike. He saw everyone's confused faces and then heard gun shots. He saw a lime green glow from a bit further away than he was and saw something rocky grow. Some people were taking out their phones to see what was happening and he did the same. He went on the news website and saw Mayor Bourgeois saying that all Parisians must stay home until the current situation was under control.
Then his mum called him and he answered. "Luka is everything alright?", Anarka said, with slight panick evident in her voice, "where are you? Are you already at work?" "I'm fine mum, and I still haven't arrived to work yet. I was about to head back home." Anarka breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Okay, at least you're not hurt. I went out to do some grocery shopping but I'm staying here till everything's all under control. Now head home and call me when you arrive, 'kay? And try to call yer sister, she didn't answer when I called her." "Yes mum, I will, bye" "Bye Luka", she said, and then he hung up. He got on his bike again and started cycling back to the Liberty, taking the route where there wasn't this supervillain thing.
Kagami had just started her fencing lesson when the ground shook and she fell over, shocked. Her first thought was that there was an earthquake but then she heard a very deep voice, like how monsters sound in movies. It was as if Paris was suddenly being attacked by a monster, but she reminded herself that monsters only exist in fictional stories. Mr. D'Argencourt ran over to get his mobile and it was shown that Paris was indeed being attacked by some sort of supervillain.
Nah, she had to be dreaming. Maybe she had hit her head when she fell over from the earthquake. Yes, that had to be it. Kagami tried pinching herself to see if she actually was dreaming and it hurt so she wasn't dreaming. But then how was there a literal stone monster? Her thoughts were cut short when her mother demanded that she get her things quickly so that they return home immediately. That's what she did and then the two females were on their way back to their house.
Luka arrived to his house boat and immediately called Juleka. It wasn't unlike her to forget to charge her phone or not notice when someone was calling her but he was still worried. Fortunately, she picked up after a bit. "Yes?", she said with a whisper. "Juleka! Are you okay?", Luka said. "Yes, yes, we are hiding in the school so we don't get caught. But this rock monster took Mylene and Chloè with him. I don't mind him taking Chloè but not poor Mylene!", Juleka said. Luka heard a faint snicker from someone near Juleka when she said the Chloè part.
"Are at work or back at home?", she asked. "I cycled back home, do you maybe have any idea on what has happened?", Luka said, wondering what Juleka was referring to when she said monster. "I might have", she replied, "Kim was picking on Ivan about I don't know what-" "Our drummer Ivan?" "Yes, that Ivan, he is in my class. Anyways, then Ms. Bustier sent him to the principal's office and then a giant stone monster thing with Ivan's voice ripped our class wall apart and took Mylene and Chloè since Kim disappeared somewhere." "So you're saying that Ivan got turned into some kind of monster!?", Luka exclaimed. "Yes, but I have no clue how. Maybe he will explain after he turns back to normal.", she calmly said. Juleka had always been a fan of horror movies so she loved these kind of things. "Maybe. Oh, and mum told me to tell you to call her. Tell her that I am safely home, will you?" She said that she will, and after they said their goodbyes Juleka hung up.
Meanwhile, Kagami had arrived home, luckily not attracting the attention of the thing that was outside. She asked her mother if she could go to her room and Tomoe nodded. Kagami removed her shoes and placed them besides the door before running upstairs to her room. She switched on the television and found a channel where the news was being broadcasted to try to understand what on earth was going on.
She rewinded the news a bit to when they started. "As incredible as it seems, it's been confirmed that Paris is indeed being attacked by a supervillain. The police have been struggling to keep the situation under control." Nadja Chamack said. "Be confident, the strong arm of the law will come crashing down on the...", Officer Roger said as he tried lifting an arm that was in cast, probably broken. "... I mean the other arm", he continued, wincing after lifting his injured arm.
Kagami got up from the sofa to go change when she noticed an unfamiliar wooden octagonal box on her desk. Luka had also noticed a similar box on his bed when he had walked in his and Juleka's room. They both picked it up at the same time and said, "Huh? What's this doing here?", before they opened them.
#couffaine siblings#miraculous: tales of redbug & kuro neko#lukagami#kagami tsurugi#kagami x luka#luka x kagami#luka couffaine#miraculous#its over 2500 words long#rip#the couffaines hate chloe#and they hate school#just sibling things#in the beginning#kagami is a skillful lier#that's what you get when you live with strict parents#paris is getting destroyed and juleka remains chill#hope you enjoy#leave your feedback :)#i should stop adding so many tags...#... but i cant#:D#okay okay this is officially the end#see you in the next chapter!
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Such a Joker (53)
Part 52 Here!
~o0o~
I pack two sandwiches in my purse and proceed to cover my hair with the large silk scarf. "Where are you sneaking off to?" Babs asks walking past me and downing a drink. "Secret date? I figured you would get sick of the pale faced clown." I smile at my hands. I could never tire of my boy. I'm as crazy as him, maybe more, but he would never turn me away, and I could never leave him.
"I'm married." "Even better." I narrow my eyes at her. "Babs, I'm going to see my dad." She widens her eyes. "Now you're asking for a death wish." I walk out the door, my heels clicking every step. "If you say so."
I walk into the GCPD and can sense the chaos and tension thickly canned in the air. Not seconds later two individuals start brawling over bread. "Hey! Break it up!" My father pushes them back. "For all the new people here... everyone is welcome in Haven, but there are rules. And one of them is we leave the fighting outside. Government already thinks we don't deserve help. We have to show otherwise. Gangs want to tear themselves apart outside, that's their business. In here, in Haven... we help each other survive." I hum with a slick smile as the two dispute the issue and the tension falls. Saved for another day.
I walk up to him nudging his arm. "Nice speech. I think it worked." He turns to me and gasps, but recovers quickly. "(Y/n). You're so big. No... Just-" "Pregnant, dad." He nods smiling. "So what happens when they find out the government abandoned them?" He sighs, shaking his head. I pat his back. "Come on paper man. You need some real food." I pull him into his office and remove the disguise. "Italian sub for you, and tuna for me." "You hate tuna." I smile sitting down. "They don't." I pat my swollen tummy. "So there are two of them?" I nod smiling.
"And you're happy? He treats you well?" I nod again smiling at him. "Of course he does. He's not a monster, dad." He grabs my hand over the desk and squeezes it. "I don't... like him. You know this. He destroyed the damn city for christ's sake, but he is the father of my grandchildren, and the husband of my only daughter, so I can promise you... I will never kill him." I kiss his hand and smile. "Who knew that'd be so comforting to hear."
~
I walk into the elevator with the smile ghosted over my lips. Crackling from the speaker erupts my mind causing me to shake and grab the wall in fright. "Aw, honey, I'm sorry." Ecco's voice pipes up from the speaker. I wave my hand in front of the camera with a smile. "No worries. All good here." I laugh placing a hand on my stomach. "Where is Jerimiah?" "Working down below. Would you like me to get him?" I smile up at the camera. "Let me go down."
"Uh... Miss, I think we should wait. He doesn't want you around the-" I press the button to the bottom floor faster than light. "Oops," I smirk up to Ecco as the elevator skips the main floor and descends below.
The two doors slide open revealing a steamed room with the funk of hard labor. I step on the uneven ground and see Jerimiah fanning himself as he watches his workers. I rest my hands on his shoulders and kiss his cheek. "You're working hard." He spins around with a glare. "And you're not supposed to be here." He grips my hips pulling me towards him.
"I missed you." I nuzzle into his chest. He hums as we rock back and forth. "I missed you, my love. Come on. No lady should be exposed to this heat." He places his hand on the small of my back leading me to the elevator.
Holding me the entire way up and then carrying me to our bed, never letting us go. "Are my darlings all suggled up?" He asks resting my head on his chest. The icy colored flesh proving wrong to the touch of fire on my fingers. "Yes, Jer." I mumble feeling my eyes draw to a close. "Never will I go a day without my family... even your father." He kisses my head before I can ask the question.
~
Jeremiah POV:
My workers work endlessly day and night to break the walls of the under the earth. Slowing down each day, getting on my nerves in the end. You're pushing my men way too hard. "We're not gonna break through for at least a couple more days. There is absolutely no way to make it on schedule." The leader of the pack of sweat cogs comes in.
My wife doesn't need to be kept in this filth any longer. How dare he disrespect my future. "Well, not with that attitude, you're not." I slice the man's throat, as he falls to the ground, blood flowing on the dirt.
"Now... everyone... let's reach inside and dig... a little deeper, shall we? 'Cause that's the only way you're all making it out of this hole." I hum watching their fear thicken.
Two taps on my shoulder break my gaze from the project. "Oh, Echo. Are these all the recruits?" Skinny, no brains, slim Whitted. These are my soldiers?
"Well, I thought you would want quality over quantity. Not everybody can pass a .38 caliber test of faith." I smirk thinking of the trials and tests they've suffered. "Yes... you certainly have set a very high bar for devotion."
"Oh. Almost forgot. Bruce Wayne and his sidekick Curls... Or is he the sidekick? Anyway, they tried to infiltrate our little operation here."
"Oh?" " Oh. And Curls can walk, really well, especially... for a paraplegic. Ah. And she wants to kill you." I glare at her with a snarl. This doesn't help that my wife is being cared for in the same building.
"A lot, FYI. If I see her, I'll give you a shout. Oh... and kill her." I nod rolling my eyes. Finish the job and move on for the better of my wife and children.
~
I walk into the GCPD questioning room with my scarf wrapped around my head, and my belly protruding out. Quite the look I must say. I open the door to see Victor Zsasz pushed on to the table by Harvey.
"Ow. This is a really nice table." I snicker and take my glasses off. "You do realize her thrives on the pain." The three pairs of eyes look at me. "We got a dozen witnesses that saw you walk out of that building before it went kabooey."
"Yeah. I heard some gangs had taken over." Zsasz says turning his eyes to me. "Figured, with you guys occupied, I might help myself to some of your supplies. Hey, do you guys have any canned peaches? Man, I'd trade an arm and a leg for that right now. Not mine, somebody else's. Maybe little baby Maniax's." He laughs reaching for my stomach before Jim swats his arm down.
"If you're innocent, why shoot up a city block full of cops?"
"Because it was full of cops." Zsasz and I say at the same time.
"Who were also trying to shoot me. And, guys, those were warning shots. I mean, if I really
wanted to kill you... you'd be dead. You got a pen? I want to write this guy a thank-you letter. Do the math. If I blew up a building full of people, I would have covered
every inch of my body in sweet, sweet scars. Mrs. Valeska... want to do a strip search?" He winks before my father punches him. "She's married, pig."
I lock arms with my dad and walk through the station. "Got Lucius on the horn for you, Cap."
"Lucius, talk to me." I grab the phone holding it close enough for the both of us to hear. "Haven wasn't destroyed by a bomb. It was an RPG, like the one that took down the chopper."
"You sure?"
I'm holding what's left of it in my hand right now. We found pieces of it in the rubble. It was fired through the basement window, detonated the fuel oil tank. And we're still trying to figure out exactly which rooftop it was fired from.
"Rooftop?"
"Yes."
"Dad, the only angle you could hit this place from is above. Zsasz was on the ground. Looks like you need a new suspect. I think we need to-"
"Jim! Ah. I know the wheels of justice turn slowly, so I'm here to provide- a modicum of grease."
Rushing up towards the front, Oswald, the Mayor of fallen Gotham, stands tall and proud.
"You need to leave right now."
"Still claiming he's innocent, is he?"
"Yes. And as much as I hate to admit it, the evidence is backing him up."
Harvey busts out, "What the hell's going on?" "Harvey, according to Lucius, Zsasz couldn't have done it."
Oswald huffs with a smile. "I did not expect you to go soft, Jim. Actually, I did. Behind a grandpa and all must've changed your ways. Which is why I didn't come alone." Several gunmen come out armed and ready to fire. My father huddles me close and shields me from the view of guns.
"Bring me Victor Zsasz!"
"Leave, (Y/n). Go home!" Jim pushes me away towards the doors.
~
Jeremiah POV:
I wave my hat fanning my pale skin placed upon the crippling bones. It's so damp and hot in here, but I'm freezing. My heart has gone cold without her scent around. Not a touch, not a wiff, not a glace for days it seems. Where is my angel with my bundles of joy?
"You see, a river cuts through rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence. So what do we do when we feel like giving up? Dig a little deeper. And what do we do when we can't possibly go on any longer? Dig a little deeper. And what do we..." A sharp blade stabs into my side crippling my speech. I look down seeing the masked figure in the striped coat. I gasp feeling my footing slide as the attacker shoves the blade into my stomach further.
"Deep enough?" The individual removes the mask revealing the little pussy of them all. "Well, Selina, I must say..." She pulls the blade out plunging it back in sharply.
"Don't say anything." Over and over again the blade is shoved into my side. The light dimming, the hot steam hitting my brow, the devilish laughter of my brother. This is near my end? Maybe so...
"Selina!" The rat is stripped away from me causing me to fall to the ground barely clinging to the life of happiness I have.
"Selina!" Bruce Wayne holds the fierce kitty back. "Stop. It's done! It's over."
~
The building is quiet. The entire place is quiet... Not one swing of an ax hitting limestone, making a light clink sound. Not the ring of my husbands voice calling to his men. Not even Echo meeting me at the door with my slippers and milkshake. Something is not right.
"Jeremiah?" I call out as if he could hear me from below. If not him then someone. One of the members at least, but no one came. I proceeded to enter the elevator only to see blood on the buttons and floor. They were having the graduation today, not everyone makes it.
The doors open to the pool room and I could almost drop to my knees at the smell. Thick scent of blood coating the walls. I walk out of the elevator and down into the pool counting the dead. No Echo or Jeremiah. Good so far.
I make my way down to the tunnels where silence has taken over. Just a simple lone man sitting in a chair. "Where is Jermiah?" I panic pulling my jacket closer. Could he have left me?
"Mrs. Valaska!" "Where is my husband?" "He's off in the tunnels. He's got injured. I'm supposed to take you to him." "Well, go on!" He shuffles his feet in a pace of nervousness, tripping over rocks and pickaxes. "How did he get hurt?" "Someone came in and just stabbed the boss. She was taken away by Bruce Wayne." I feel fire ignite in my blood. Selina and Bruce. What a treat. Trying to kill my husband in my own home.
Down the tunnels I hear him. Groaning in pain as Echo stitches him up. "How could you let this happen?" I shout at her. "She was fast." "And you're supposed to be faster." I glare at her as she cowers at my words.
"Don't stress, darling. It's not good for the babies."
"Jeremiah." I kneel down next to him grabbing his face. "Are you alright?" He places his hands over mine, kissing them each. "I'm still alive. One thing I've still got on my brother. How are you, my love? I'm sorry. You must've been wrecked with worry." Jeremiah pulls me into his lap. I nod with my bottom lip out. "Yes, I was. I was so scared, Jer." He pulls me to him. "Aw my darling. I know. I know."
I shift my weight slightly causing him to jet in a sharp inhale. "Oh, honey. Stitches still sore?" He nods. "Never would have happened if you wore that armor I prepared." Echo hums, causing me to roll my eyes. "That bullet makes you sentimental of the wrong things." I huff out pushing her out of the view.
"Why would you not check who was working? You always do. You're always prepared." Jeremiah places his hand on my cheek again. "I had to let Selina thrust the knife into my flesh at least once. Verisimilitude trumps precaution, you see." "They think you're dead." I think putting everything together.
Echo stands to the side bouncing with information. "What is it?" She giggles jumping on her heels. "All systems go." Jeremiah lifts himself, placing a hand on the small of my back and leading us along behind Echo.
"You could've died." I whisper looking at the dirt. "I didn't." "But you could have, Jeremiah. That's my point. You have two children growing, and soon they'll be out in this world. They need their father. You've kept me safely away, but that won't mean shit if you're not around to protect your children." I move ahead of him in a fit of fire.
A hand grabs my shoulder spinning me around. Jerehimah dips me and pushes our lips together. His grip on my arm and hip so tight, keeping me pulled to him with no fight. He pulls away only an inch, looking at my eyes, looking into the soul. "Now, you may not understand everything I do, but I do it for you and these two kids. I think and I plan for hours. You sit up in the bed resting your feet like I tell you. When you start questioning if I'm going to make it, that's when this will fall apart. You're my darling. You've been mine for thousands of years. Never doubt me, (Y/n)." He places his hands on my stomach and pecks my forehead. "Come along now. We have things to do."
Leading me through the tunnels I start to see less of the dirt and more solid grey rock already formed into tunnels. "Where are we?" Jeremiah giggles pulling me alongside.
"Doctor. I'm hearing good things." Jeremiah says holding in laughter.
What is he up to?
The Doctor nods. "The bandages are ready to come off. Your assistant thought you'd like to see the results." Echo shakes her head in praise like a dog while Jer nods his head. "Indeed, I would."
He turns to me. "You won't want to miss this, (y/n)."
The Doctor unravels the bandages on the individuals faces revealing a profile built from professional lifestyle and diets. This is Thomas and Martha Wayne before my eyes... ALIVE!
"Oh, you two look beautiful." I smile looking down at her pearl necklace. "Down to the very detail with you." Jeremiah kisses my cheek. "I love family reunions, don't you?" "More than Christmas!" I cheer and giggle.
#jerome#jerome x reader#jerome valeska#jerome valeska imagine#jerome valeska x reader#jeremiah valeska imagine#jeremiah valeska x reader#jerome valeska smut#Gotham#Gotham City#gotham cast
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Chapter One
A/N: No real triggers this time!!
WC: 1.9k
Chapter 1:
“So every person in this book is a fairy tale character?” Emma Swan says to her ten-year-old son.
The boy had introduced himself as Henry, had brought his mother to Storybrooke. Of course, Emma had given Henry up for adoption when she gave birth to him. But to have her son seek her out made Emma uncomfortable. He had come to her claiming to be the savior of the storybook world. Henry spun a tale about a curse and how all of the characters of the Enchanted Forest were stuck in a town called Storybrooke, Maine.
Henry had with him a brown leather storybook that was thick but didn’t appear to be heavy. Henry seemed to carry around with no problem. One thing Emma found off when they arrived into town was the clock tower. As she observed it, she couldn’t help take note of how it never seemed to move. She led Henry back to his mother’s house. Henry’s adoptive mother, Regina Mills, was the mayor of the town. Henry claimed she was the Evil Queen from the story Snow White. Emma found this silly. Then again, Emma wasn’t one for fairytales anyway. Fairytales are for kids.
Inside Granny’s Diner, Sam Winchester sat inside waiting for his brother Dean. Granny’s was usually closed at night since Granny went to work at her bed and breakfast in the mornings, but Ruby was always there at night to serve the night owls who couldn’t sleep.
Ruby wasn’t the only one working the night shift. She worked with Y/N Y/L/N. Hardly anyone saw Y/N working in the morning. This usually led to rumors that Y/N was hiding something. The story was Y/N stayed locked in Rowena’s shop.
Rowena MacLeod was a private woman. However, she was a businesswoman, a loan shark, if you will. Rowena was very good at getting what she wanted through these tactics. She would let her client borrow money with the promise of paying it back fairly and on time. However, many clients don’t read the fine print in her contract. Resulting in them having to pay double or triple what they borrowed. Rowena had helped Sam and Dean’s parents with a large sum of money to keep their business, Winchester Mechanics, afloat. Leaving their two sons, Sam and Dean, to foot the bill. Dean paid her as much as he could, but with not many people coming or going from Storybrooke, business was slow.
This left Sam to find a way to help Dean find a way to help pay Rowena back too. But he wasn’t having great success either. Sam had started working in Mr. Gold’s Pawn shop until he found himself interested in Law. Under Mr. Gold’s tutelage, Sam had become well versed in the laws created by the town council. This led him to also find work in the Sheriff's office as a prosecutor. Often being a rival for his own boss at the Pawn Shop. It only made Mr. Gold admire Sam more.
“Ruby, can you please help them?” Y/N begged, trying to hold back an eye-roll at the two men that walked in together, sitting across from one another. Having a conversation amongst themselves and trying to not get in an argument, again, over the amount of money they owed to Rowena. Their next payment was due within the week, and they didn’t have the funds.
“Sorry, Duckling, it's your turn. I helped them the other day.” She says, giving her a sentimental look.
Ruby had been watching Y/N and Sam’s exchanges cringing internally whenever they walked in the door, knowing Y/N would try and pass her along to either herself or Granny. Ruby heard rumors about why Y/N and Sam had disagreements, but their arguments were getting harsher with each passing day.
Y/N scoffed, rolling her eyes, grabbing her order pad, heading over to greet Sam and Dean.
“Evening, Y/N,” Dean says pleasantly.
Sam muttered under his breath a greeting, and it sounded like he muttered a nickname only her friends gave her, earning a glare from Y/N in Sam’s direction.
“What is it now, brains?” Y/N says. “Too buried in your debt to Rowena to speak louder and call me a name in front of my face?”
Dean sighed. Here they go again. “Just our usual if you would please,” he says, trying to cut the tension between the two.
Y/N nods glaring at Sam before she heads back to the kitchen.
“You didn’t need to butt in like that,” Sam scoffed. “I had it completely under control.”
“Oh sure, that’s why you and Y/N seem to fight or have some sort of disagreement every time we come in here?” Dean huffed, “Who knows whatever the hell happens when you bump into her while she’s alone at Rowena’s,” Dean sassed, “Oh wait, you’re too busy working at Gold’s shop, fighting for a chance to work a case in his place, or at the jail with Graham,” the elder brother snapped calmly.
“Says the man who works in a shop with no cars to work on,” Sam snapped back, “How’s Amaya? Did you ever fulfill your promise to help her out?
“You keep that bitch out of this,” Dean growled. “I’ll figure something out. For now, I’m gonna see if I can get a second job somewhere.”
“What do you mean? What other job could you get here? Think Granny can hire you as a short-order cook? At least she gets business!”
“It’s something to get the debt paid back to Rowena, Sam,” Dean muttered as Y/N brought out their meals. Both were polite, and their bickering died down, and they went back to talking about their days. As uneventful as they were, they had a lot to talk about.
Y/N sighed as she went back behind the counter, “Ruby, I’m gonna head to bed. Dawn wake-up call comes early.” She says with an eye roll.
“Goodnight, Duckling,” Ruby says, smiling kindly to her, “I’ll clean up.”
===========
Enchanted Forest
“Dean, is target practice really necessary?” Sam says, looking at him. “I need to be looking for Odette, not shooting powdered arrows over at the servants’ asses.”
“And what are you gonna do when you can’t hit your mark?” Dean questioned, “What of Odette needs saving from some Ogres, and you miss?”
“Is that before or after the fact that you're catching fireflies at all hours of the night?” Sam asks, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Are they for you or to feed the frog that follows you around and hides on your dresser?” he snaps, glaring at the older brother.
“I do not go out at night to catch fireflies for Amaya,” Dean scoffs, “besides, she goes out and catches her own meals.”
Rolling his eyes, Sam grabbed his red powdered covered arrows, game face on. Assuming the probability that Dean would let him win, again. Sam took an arrow from his quiver, sliding it into place. Pulling back the string once he nocked it, aiming it at his first mark, the butler, Crowley. Whom the brothers affectionately dressed up as a brown moose. The arrow left the nocking point, hitting its destined target in the center of his rounded ass.
“Hey!” Crowley muttered, rolling his eyes. He brushed off the powder as he glared at both of the brothers.
Dean was finding this amusing. The exercise was primarily for Sam. Why couldn’t he have fun too?
Just as Dean was about to take his shot, Castiel, the head advisor to his father, walked out onto the grounds. He intended to stop the game before it fully began. “Your Highness?”
Startled by the sudden interruption, Dean whipped around, the arrow released from where it was nocked, hitting Castiel square into his chest. Before he could even react, a second followed by a third engulfed Cas in a powder of blue.
“If you children are quite finished,” he huffed, dusting the powder off himself, “my liege, you have a visitor. Something about a poisonous toad needing collecting?”
Dean fired one more arrow before stalking towards Castiel, “it better not be a waste of my time. My brother and I are training.”
“Training for a lost cause if you ask me, Sir,” Crowley says, observing the body language of his employer. “For all, we know the Princess is dead as well, just like her father. God rest his soul.” He adds, making the sign of the cross.
Sam’s head turned quickly at the Butler’s words echoed in his ear. Eyes flashed in anger, rushing over towards the pair. “Take it back! You don’t get to talk about Odette like that!”
“Forgive me, Samuel. However, I truly believe this to be a fool's errand,” Crowley says, standing closer to the trio gathered in the middle of the courtyard.
“I will find her, Crowley,” the younger prince declared, “I have to find her.”
Shaking his head, Dean followed Castiel inside to handle the visitor.
Needing an actual outlet for his anger, Sam walked with a fast pace over to the stables. The staff tended to the horses, but Sam usually liked taking care of his mare. It gave him a sense of responsibility.
Sam’s mare, Onyx, was a beautiful black Friesian. Her height was just above 18 hands, given his six foot four stature, she was just as tall as he was. Sam was okay with that though. Grabbing a body brush, Sam slowly brushed out her black coat. It had become dirty from the loose dirt flying around.
Meanwhile, as the sun set on the edge of the trees in the forest, a beautiful white swan flew across the canopy. Odette had grown accustomed to the dawn and the dusk. Knowing she had to be on the lake’s surface as the moon touched it before she would become a woman again.
As per her usual routine, Odette flew over Winchester Castle. Wondering if Sam would be looking for her. Who was she kidding? Sam only wanted to marry her for her beauty. Prince Samuel Winchester didn’t care about her.
Dusk approached, the swan moving to make her graceful descent down into the crystal colored water.
“Was wondering if you were gonna be on time tonight dearie.” Rowena says, hands placed on her hips. Odette gave Rowena as much of a glare as a swan possibly could. The princess was always on time and never late. The other party that was never late was Rowena’s incompetant son Crowley.
“Evening Mother, Odette,” he greets, giving his mother a nod of acknowledgement.
Crowley’s appearances had begun to be a routine over the past week. Rowena’s son came every evening, giving Rowena the opportunity to ask her the same proposition in order to remove the curse. Marrying her son.
Much to the annoyance of Rowena, Odette answered her the same as she had every single time she’d asked. One single word was her reply, but not the one the sorceress was looking for.
“No.”
“Oh for the love of Dagda” She scoffed, rolling her eyes skyward. Eyes focused back on the maiden that stood before her. Hair glowing in the shimmering moonlight. “Need I remind you, I placed this curse on you, and I can just as easily reverse it. All you need to do, is agree to marry my dear Fergus. Once you're wed, I can give you all the riches a Princess could ask for.”
“Far better than the Winchester’s that's for sure.” Crowley adds as a comment.
“I’d rather be a swan over marrying your childish, pathetic son.” Odette snapped.
“That can be arranged.” Rowena snapped, allowing the princess to mull over her choices.
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'An savior' : an new chapter for "The woman with an strange name" is out !
Chapter Summary : After helping the gunsmith to make an delivery to 'Fort Hollister', Bell is returning to Redemption with him before the end of the day.....and the invitation to Adler's place.....
To read it on AO3, click here !
Taglist : @snowgoldwaylon , @clxudtea , @efingart , @smokeywhalee (If anyone want to be added, feel free to tell me, same thing for my main fic "Redemption of an Spirit in an Cold War')
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She did what she had to do but she never thought about what will happen during that protection of the gunsmith's wagon to deliver boxes filled with either guns, ammo or both at the same time to the US Army fort connected to Adler's gang. To say that in two days, she killed 3 person in legitimate defense....it was looking like the city of Redemption was maybe going to face more events like this that could change everything but for the moment, it wasn't the time to think about it.
It took almost more than 10 minutes for the soldiers to take out every box from the wagon and it was 10 long minutes for Bell & Woods, surrounded by walls & soldiers that were still curious about her presence here. Then, the two could finally breath freely as they were authorized to go away, leaving the fort behind them to go back to Redemption, an bit exhausted from the events of the day but for Bell, the day wasn't really over....she still has to go to that invitation with the sheriff to see the mayor....
"Woods." Bell started, wanting to have an talk with the gunsmith as they were at 1 kilometer from the city, she was curious about something that she heard about in the fort. Of course, she was still armed with the Winchester 1886 he gave her in case.
"Yes, miss ?" He said, looking in front of him at his seat, focused on making the wagon arrive at its destination.
"I have heard something about you in that fort that is making me curious." She told him directly, causing him to make an questioning face. "I heard the commander calling you 'Sergeant Woods'." She added, her eyes on her rifle before looking back at him. "You were in the army ?"
"Of course, I was." He replied, not sure if he needed to be proud or not about his service in the army. "I served in the army for almost 10 years and I resigned an year ago." He continued, giving her more infos about himself.
"I can see that war wasn't something to be proud of." Bell stated, seeing his face going slower to not be too proud of the army....must be the state of the army they saw back in the fort doing that.... "Why did you resign ?" She demanded.
"I was having enough about been ordered to do this, do that, you know." He responded as Bell was already knowing what he was talking about, Woods wasn't the man to like authority of his superiors and his voice....it was sure saying the truth. "It was at the end of the Spanish-American War that I resigned before coming here."
"You were born in here, maybe ?" She questioned but he shook his head.
"No, I was born in Philadelphia but I didn't want to return over there, it had changed too much, that civilization." He claimed, preferring the Old West than the modern technology except if it was about guns...there, he was liking it, the only exception...."And also because I wanted to stay with my friends : Lawrence & Alex." He added.
"The priest and the doctor ?" He nodded to her question, revealing two others veterans at her eyes.
"Yes, we were friends back in the days but war did change us : Mason had an troubled past so he became an priest to try to change things & Sims became an doctor, still staying in his domain like me." He expressed, an little smile on his face as the wagon was arriving in the city limits on an side road. "What about you ?" He asked her as for him, he was the one wanting to know now.
"I don't know if I can talk about this." She whispered as this subject was hard for her to talk about.
"Come on, I told you about me, talk about you." He pressed her to talk as the wagon was coming near his shop.
"Maybe later but not now." She affirmed again her opinion as Woods finally stopped the wagon in front of his armory, ending the ride back here. The two got off the wagon without any talks and they entered his shop, looking not sure to talk about this anymore.
"So, thank you again for helping me." He thanked again as she was putting the Winchester on the counter but he gestured to her. "No, you can keep it if you want, it's your reward." He explained, putting the rifle back in her hands even if she didn't have any holstler for an gun like that with her.
"I don't know..." She chuckled, checking her rifle in her hands before nodding, taking it with her. "I will buy something for it tomorrow to hold it and some bullets along it." She said, an smile on her face as she hold the rifle with her right hand by its cannon.
"You will not have to pay it, I can offer it to you." He proposed to her about that.
"If you want but only tomorrow, I've got an invitation to honor." She announced to him but on his face, it was looking that he was aware of the situation about her, Adler & the sheriff.
"Yes, I heard of it, Adler invitating you & old Lazar to his house...that's an first." He exclaimed, going back on the other side of the counter to face her, biting her lips to think about the leader here, invitating an friend and an stranger to his house. "Anyway, I hope that you're good now."
"Yeah, I'm good." She confirmed before she decided that it was time to maybe go and leave him alone, her task now done with him. "Well, I'm leaving you now, good day, Woods." She make an sign with her hat to him as he salute her as he didn't wear any hat before she left the shop.
She didn't receive any money but that wasn't something she wanted actually, an talk was just all she wanted and adding to that, she received another gun from him : an Winchester 1886. It was almost making her the most armed person in town with 4 guns on her : two semi-automatic pistols, an revolver and now an repeater rifle. But she preferred to not have too much on her, she was good with her pistols & revolver for the moment.
At first, she decided to return to her hotel room, saluting the sheriff still at his porch along the way, to put her rifle in it, not wanting to keep it when she will have to go to the mayor's house, she knows that her guns are maybe going to be confiscated by Adler's men. Once she put it back on the only chair in the room, she didn't know what she could possibly do after helping the gunsmith to make his delivery.
Now, she didn't want to kill anyone else as her last job involved her to kill 2 mexicans thieves and she couldn't go back to the sheriff, preferring to talk to him once the two were ready to go to the mayor's house and like he said, there were other person in town than him. There were either the priest, Alex Mason or the doctor, Lawrence Sims to go talk to....she went for the second option as she wanted to know how was her horse for the moment.
"Doctor !" She started after arriving near the stables where she saw him working, the door were widely open and she entered the stables, seeing him near the box her horse 'Butterfly' was.
"Oh, hello, miss Bell !" He saluted her as he was cleaning the gloves he was wearing, removing them to shook hands with her. "I'm surprised to see you here." He claimed after the shake of hands.
"I wanted to know how my horse was." She told him clearly, gesturing to the box he was near before she arrived here.
"Your horse is fine with me." He explained, gesturing to her to follow him near the box where she could see her horse, still laid down but looking better than last day. "I gave her more meds and she's looking better but I think that she should stay here for an few days." He continued, crossing his arms on the box's door, an smile on Bell's face to see her horse.
"So, I have to stay here for an few more days...." She whispered, putting her hands on the door too. "That doesn't really bother me to be honest." She revealed to him, remembering the sad nodding he did with the sheriff an day ago.
"Really ? I thought that you were an bit disturbed by that ?" She shook his head to him.
"That's okay, I met fine people in town that make me pass the time." She affirmed, her eyes looking outside the stables and removing her hands from the door.
"Yeah, I saw that you came into help with Woods earlier." He said, also removing his arms from the box to look at her. "How did it goes by the way ?" He asked her.
"It went fine if we don't count the fact that we got attacked by an group of mexicans." She replied, not sure about how she could feel about them despite their attentions. "You know anything about that ?" She demanded from him even if she wasn't sure if he was going to give an answer to her.
"Not so much but I heard things from the few Adler's guys that come to get heal." He expressed, moving away to lean against an barrel as Bell was staying at her place, her full attention on him. "They said that the gang was having troubles with an mexican gang in the south." He declared, getting Bell's curiosity to the max.
"Adler's gang seems to be at war with them, according to what I heard from the soldiers in the fort." She recited, mentioning the few talks she was able to catch in that fort from the soldiers that was passing near her when she was still on that wagon. "To change, I heard that you, the priest & Woods were old buddies from war, is that true ?" She changed the subject, seeing Sims wasn't so comfortable with talking about Adler.
"That's true, miss." He responded in an low voice, taking an ledger in his hands to check something. "We were in the US Army and our last war we did....."
"Was the Spanish-American War." She completed, cutting him gently as his eyes went wide at hearing her. "Woods told me about it, said you were the best in your domain." She admitted, causing an little smile to appear on his face.
"Woods been Woods." He scoffed, putting the ledger away back on that barrel to walk near the stables doors, soon followed by Bell. "He did tell you why we installed ourselves here ?" He questioned her and she nodded despite that Woods didn't really tell her much.
"He said that he didn't want to return to the East." She said, leaning herself against the door frame.
"Yeah but also because the sheriff, the old Lazar, I'm an friend of him so we all decided to install ourselves here to be with him." He responded to her, giving more informations about how three old veterans decided to live in Arizona in that city. "Guess that it was the good choice even with everything that happened."
"Yes, seeing this city like that isn't very enjoying." She proclaimed, looking outside, seeing the few people walking on the main road, the few wagons and also, the armed men making patrols around the streets. "How long this is happening ?"
"Been months that we all live under occupation, an few days after we got here." Sims replied, crossing his arms, also looking outside. "We could have run away but we preferred to stay despite Adler ruling the city." He added.
"You did an good choice, maybe." She suggested as living under that state wasn't an lot pleasant to do but then....her eyes were focused on someone that was passing through the street with an red dress....Miss Park....she was walking alone with an little umbrella and even of the rules....Bell couldn't remove her eyes off her.
"Are you looking to her ?" Sims asked, seeing Bell almost in her thoughts and knowing that she was having her eyes on the only person it's forbidden to look.
"Well....yeah, I'm looking at her." She answered, not even ashamed of doing so, looking back at him for an second. "It's not because there's an rule about her that we can't resist to look at her." She exclaimed, giving her thought about that stupid rule in place but then, she could see miss Park getting diverted on her way by two men behind her between two building....something was off..."Uhm....I have to go, thanks an lot, Sims." She told him, making an sign with her hat.
"I do what I need to do, goodbye miss Bell." He saluted her, going back inside the stables as Bell was slowly walking into the main street.
She knew that something was off when she saw this two men behind miss Park, they weren't looking like Adler's men to her, very different and it was looking like an kidnapping, having seen the men holding each of miss Park's arms to get in an alley between 2 buildings. She looked around her, seeing no armed men from Adler around, meaning that she needed to do the job and to maybe help miss Park. She arrived near the alley they took, preparing her two pistols below her elbows.
"Hey, let me go !" Bell could hear Park's voice in the alley as she peaked her head to discover the two men, looking like undercovers mexicans, holding her with her back on the wall.
"Cállate, chica ! [Shut up, woman !]" One of the mexicans ordered, putting his hand on her mouth to avoid her to scream for help.
"Karla la necesita para un rescate, ten cuidado. [Karla needs her for an ransom, watch out.]" The other mexican warned to his friends, giving more informations about the situation about Adler's tensions with the said-mexicans to Bell. "Debemos llevarla sin ruido y sin lastimarla. [We need to take her without an noise and without hurting her.]" He added, Bell understanding everything as she was taking her two Modele 1899 in hands.
"Claro, pero nos lo pondrá más difícil si sigue moviéndose. [Of course but she's going to complicate the job if she doesn't stop moving.]" The first mexican expressed as he was trying to stop miss Park to move too much away from him but it was then time for Bell....
"Let her go !" Bell intervened inside the alley, aiming at the two mexicans with her guns and making them almost jumpscare from their spot, the first mexican still holding miss Park against the wall.
"Gonzalez, es una chica. [Gonzalez, it's an girl.]" The second mexican chuckled, his hand on the grip of his revolver and unadvertantly reveal the first mexican name.
"Vete, no es tu problema, chica.[Go away, that's not your problem.]" Gonzalez demanded, his voice trembling to be hold at gunpoint.
" ¡Tendrás problemas si no la dejas ir! [You will have problems if you don't let her go !]" Bell spoke up, using an perfect spanish accent to them, taking an step forwards slowly to advance to them. her two Modele 1899 aiming at each mexican.
" Hablas buen español, cual es tu nombre ? [You speaking well spanish, what's your name ?]" Gonzalez asked, his hands still on miss Park's mouth and her left shoulder as his friend was still frightened, his hand on his holstler.
"Me llamo Bell ! [My name is Bell !]" She replied, taking another step arriving at almost 2 meters from the group. "I'm not repeating myself, let her go !" She asked again, returing to english, pulling the hammer of her pistols down, ready to shoot both.
"¡Ven y tómalo! [Come get her !]" Gonzalez exclaimed, making an sign to his friend to attack while he was keeping miss Park away
"As you wish." Bell scoffed as the mexican was starting to charge at but the only thing he received was an punch from her with her pistol still in her right hand, causing the mexican to fall behind him on an wall. She got her left pistol back on her holstler, keeping her right one in her hand, moving to attack the mexican against the wall.
"Putà ! [Bitch !]" Gonzalez shouted, seeing his friend getting overpowered by an woman until suddenly, he screamed in pain, miss Park deciding to bite his hand that was covering her mouth, making him fall on his ass, holding his hand in pain before getting ready to pull out his revolver until....
"Don't think about it, friend !" An voice came behind him, revealing the sheriff Azoulay himself before he punched in the voice, breaking his nose and then, moving quickly to take Gonzalez's revolver off his holstler.
"Sheriff, what are you doing here ?" Bell questioned him as he finished with the mexican, throwing him aside next to Gonzalez.
"I saw you following miss Park and I knew that there were something wrong so I decided to see what was going on." He responded, moving to take the other mexican's gun in his hand as miss Park was taking an deep breath aside.
"You're alright, miss Park ?" Bell was the one to ask that question, worried about her.
"Yeah...I'm alright, thank you, miss." She replied, relieved to have been saved by these two person as Bell offered her hand, an bit trembling in front of miss Park in person.
"I'm Bell." She whispered in an low voice, blushing to be honest.
"I'm...Helen Park, thank you both to having save me." She said, bringing an smile on Bell's face as the two shook hands, the sheriff keeping the two mexicans on the ground.
"It's miss Bell that did the work, miss Park." The sheriff told her, not wanting to share the honors as he was just here to help, it was Bell who managed to get this situation to end better. "No need to thank me." He added before Bell moved to get next to him, still blushing from talking to miss Park.
" Dile a tu jefe que no buscamos problemas con la señora llamada Bell y sus amigas.[Tell your boss to not search troubles with the lady called Bell and her friends.]" Bell ordered to Gonzalez, still holding his nose in pain who nodded.
"Si, senora Bell.[Yes, miss Bell.]" Gonzalez chuckled, seeing the deadly glare on his face as his friend were slowly getting up along with him, scared by her and the sheriff.
"Ve o te la regalamos a Adler. [Go or we're giving you away to Adler.]" Bell threatened and the two mexicans nodded, quickly fleeing away out of the alley in fear, leaving the trio alone in it before suddenly, out of nowhere, Bell could feel lips on her left cheek, discovering miss Park making an little kiss to her, blushing to the maximum she could.
"Thank you, miss Bell. You're an real savior for me." Miss Park expressed, full of joice before she start to leave the alley too, to return to the mayor's house as she needed to do and when she left, Bell's eyes never got off her, still stunned by that kind of move from her, even the sheriff couldn't believe it, making an tap on Bell's shoulder to pull her out of her thoughts....
"Wow, it seems that she like you....it's time for our invitation to go to Adler's house."
#cod bocw#cod cold war#cod black ops cold war#cod cw#call of duty cold war#cod bell#fem!bell#helen park#eleazar azoulay
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The Starving Games ft. Freddie Weasel: AKA Pt. 1 of my Hunger Games x Harry Potter crossover series (OC x Fred Weasley)
Warnings (None of these are really graphic, but feel free not to read if any of these things make you uncomfortable!!): Blood, knives, knife wound, character death(s), severe injury mention (lost limbs), dead animal mention?? (a rat)
This is the first fic I’ve ever written! I got the idea from a post I saw from @wand3ringr0s3 Comments and criticism are GREATLY appreciated and it’d be really cool to get some feedback on my writing style!!
a/n: Also if I do write more, this is gonna be an enemies to allies to lovers situation bc I <3 angst
Tagging my mutuals: @ourloveisforthelovely @darthwheezely @amrtxntia @anchoeritic @kellsslut @whizboingies @beiahadid
Darkness. Pure black. I hear noises coming from somewhere. Muffled. Echoing through the endless void around me. The noises become louder. Someone is talking. The more I listen, the louder and clearer they get. Clear enough that I can almost make out the words. Suddenly, everything goes deafeningly quiet. My ears start ringing. But then, a single voice echoes through the silence, “Seph?”. I recognize it immediately. “Maeve?” I call out. “Seph? Is that you?” she responds, her voice shaky with fear. “Yes, yes, Maeve, it’s me. Where are you?”
“I don’t know.” she responds, panic rising in her voice. “Seph, I’m scared.”
“I know. I know, kiddo,” I swallow hard, “Hey. Hey, listen, I’m gonna find you, okay? Just stay calm.”
My heart is racing. I look around for some sort of clue, but nothing but complete darkness surrounds me. I tentatively reach my hand out in front of me. My fingertips graze something. Something cold. I take a step forward and reach out again. My hand finds what feels like a thin chain. I roll it around in my fingers before pulling down on it. The space is immediately flooded with blinding white light. I blink a few times to adjust my eyes to the sudden brightness. I’m at home; a tiny one room flat that I share with my mother, sister, and our cat. Except it’s empty- no furniture, not even a door. I see my sister standing a few feet in front of me, her hands bound together by a thick rope. “Maeve!” I rush towards her. “Seph!” she cries. As I reach out to hug her I’m pushed back by an invisible force. I look up and there she is- standing inside a giant glass dome. I take a few steps back, trying to register what I’m seeing.
“Shall we draw the names?” I whip my head around to see a woman in a magenta frock standing on the other side of the room. Her dress is covered in so many frills and flounces that she takes up half the flat. On her head is a ridiculous blonde wig that must add at least two feet to her height. Her face is covered entirely in white powder, with her cheeks overly rouged, and her top lip painted magenta to match the dress. She looks like a very posh clown.
“I-I’m sorry what?”
She laughs airily, “The names, darling. Surely you remembered?”
“Remember what?”
She tsked then pulled out two smaller versions of the glass dome from the frills at the front of her dress. They each had a small slip of paper in them. “Go on. Pick one.” Her voice was incredibly high-pitched, and she spoke with a capitol accent. I stepped towards her and hesitantly reached into the bowl in her right hand. I unfolded the slip of paper, ‘Maeve Whitlock’. I stared at the name in confusion.
“I don’t understand.”
“Will you take her fate as your own?”
“What do you mean? What fate?”
The woman let out another laugh, this one high and cold, it echoed around the entire room and caused the floor to shake. Suddenly, I heard Maeve call out to me, “SEPH!” I looked back to where she was in the dome. There was a dark, shadowy figure standing behind her, holding a knife to her neck. Her hands and feet were bound to a small wooden chair, and her mouth was now gagged with a dishcloth. I ran towards the dome, panic rising further in my chest. “MAEVE!” I shouted desperately. She looked at me fearfully, tears rolling slowly down her cheeks. I banged and kicked and rammed my body at the glass so hard, I should’ve shattered something. But it was no use. I looked back to where the woman had been standing, but she was gone. The shadowy figure stood still, holding the knife to my sister’s neck.
“LET GO OF HER YOU FREAK!” I cried, banging my fists against the dome. Maeve was panicking now, her chest rising and falling rapidly, tears running down her face, her muffled pleas penetrating through the glass. “MAEVE.” I cried out; my voice cracked as the salty tears streamed down my cheeks. But I was too late. The dark figure suddenly slashed the knife across her throat, her cries stopped and she slumped down into her seat, eyes still half open, blood now seeping into her blouse. “NO!” I screamed, sinking down to the ground. The glass squeaked as my hands dragged down over the exterior. I looked back up towards the shadowy figure, only to see it was no longer there. In its place I saw myself, a satisfied smile on my face. I heard the clownish woman’s disembodied laugh echo through the flat, “What a pity,” the voice said, “you could’ve saved her! But now, I’m afraid, you must face the consequences of your actions.” The clone slowly raised the hand still holding the knife, and pointed directly at me. Suddenly, I felt the cool touch of metal against my throat. The other me winked, and I felt the blade drag deep across my neck. I started to choke, the blood pooling into my airways. I instinctively brought my hand up to the wound. My vision started turning black around the edges. I looked down to see the front of my dress already soaked in red. The last thing I saw was my own hand, holding the knife, droplets of blood falling steadily from the tip of the blade. Then, everything went dark.
My eyes shot open. All I saw was fur, and something was blocking my breathing. I sat up quickly, and the ball of fluff leapt off my face. The cat looked up at me from his new place on my lap- those big amber eyes practically staring into my soul- and meowed loudly. I sighed in annoyance. “Stupid cat.” I grumbled as I lifted him up and let him jump to the floor. I rubbed my eyes and tried to slow my racing heartbeat. My body was covered in a sheen of cold sweat. I looked down at the bed to see my sister still sleeping soundly beside me. I took a deep, shaky breath and stroked the top of her head, moving away some of the stray hairs lying across her face. I glanced over at the digital clock next to me, SUNDAY: JULY 4. 8:26 AM. Today was Reaping Day; no wonder I had that horrible nightmare. This would be my 4th year participating in the drawing, it was Maeve’s first. How unlucky it was that her twelfth birthday had only been three days prior. If she’d just been born a few days later, she could’ve been spared for another year.
I sighed and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My mother was already awake, sewing some buttons back onto Maeve’s school shirt. “Hi, mom.”
“Hi, sweetie. Did you just wake up?”
“Yeah, just now.” I yawned.
“Is Maeve still asleep?”
“Yeah.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost 8:30. Should I wake her up?”
“No, it’s okay,” she sighed, “let her sleep some more. I’ll wake her up soon.” She held up the shirt to examine her work, “Still needs a few more stitches…” She held the needle between her teeth and reached down to her sewing basket to grab another spool of thread. I looked down as I felt the cat’s bushy tail brush past my ankles. I knelt down and scratched behind his ears.
“Did you feed Tulip yet?” I asked. The fluffy, tricolor, flat-faced cat was now sitting at my feet, purring contentedly.
“Didn’t have to; he caught his own breakfast. A huge rat, which he so lovingly dropped on my pillow this morning.” My mother replied.
I stifled a laugh.
“Since you’re already up, go ahead and shower. I’ve laid out your clothes for you on the kitchen table, so when you’re done, just change into them and come back here so I can do your hair. Okay?”
“Okay.”
She smiled at me then went back to her work. I grabbed some soap and a clean towel from the small shelf near the entrance and walked out. “Make sure you don’t use up all the hot water!” she called out as I closed the door behind me. “Don’t worry, I won’t!”.
We didn’t have our own bathroom- there was one toilet and one shower per floor, which could be shared by anywhere from 5 to 20 people. There were 5 apartments on each of the 4 floors- all one room- with one bed, a stove, a sink, a small table and chairs, and some shelves for storage. Each apartment had a heater and air conditioner, but they were never guaranteed to work when you needed them. Sometimes only one side of the building would have heating, or only certain floors had AC, or only specific apartments. Often, the whole building wouldn’t have either for days at a time. The same thing happened with the water and electricity. You could never fully rely on any of the appliances being in working order. As a result, we shared a lot with other apartments. If someone’s stove wasn’t working, they could just knock on a neighbor’s door and use theirs. If only one apartment on our floor had heating during the winter, there were no objections when everyone else would come over and make themselves at home. It made it feel like we were all one family, and it was customary to refer to many of your neighbors as your aunt or uncle. This was common throughout the District, as almost everyone aside from the mayor and peacekeepers lived in small, rundown tenements, expanding outwards from the city center, which was home to the Justice building. Here, in District 8, we produce textiles. There are 6 factories in total; one of which is entirely dedicated to making peacekeeper uniforms. We typically start in the factories at 14, splitting the day between school and work. We aren’t assigned specific jobs until we turn 18. Until then, those in charge of production make requests for certain numbers of workers, and we go wherever we’re needed. Once we finish school, we’re assigned permanent job positions based on both our aptitude tests and our performances in various factory tasks. The better you do on the aptitude test, the better (or at least safer) your job will be. Those with the highest scores tend to be assigned as desk jockeys- where the risk of dying on the job is fairly low. Those with the lowest scores are sent to work in the most dangerous parts of the factories; you can always tell who works there because chances are, they’ve lost some part of their limbs...or face...or they’re, you know, missing a hand...Then there’s those whose scores fall somewhere in the middle; if they have a specific skill, like baking, or perhaps healing, they’re assigned a job based on that. The rest are assigned mid-level factory jobs, which were still dangerous, but the chances of getting to keep all your fingers were significantly higher! (But not guaranteed).
When I turned on the shower, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the water was delightfully warm. It took everything in me not to keep standing there, enjoying the warmth, until the water would turn cold. I shivered as I stepped out of the shower and quickly wrapped my towel around me. I walked swiftly down the hall and flung open the door to the apartment. I grabbed my outfit from the kitchen table. A white trapeze-line dress ending an inch or so above my knees, long billowy sleeves pulled tight at the wrists, and a mock turtleneck with tiny ruffles adorning the edge. My shoes sat on the floor next to it; dark blue suede ankle-boots with small square heels.They were a birthday present from my mother; most definitely from the black market. I got dressed and pulled up a stool in front of my mother’s chair. She combed through my curls as gently as she could, but I still winced when she pulled too hard at a knot. She braided four small plaits at the front and sides of my hair, pulling them into two larger braids that she twisted together and pinned to the back of my head. She handed me the mirror. I looked into it and smiled, “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” I turned around and hugged her tightly. She smelled of soap and clean linen, and something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on- all I knew was that it was comforting and warm. I held on a little longer than usual. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. She brought her hand up and gently stroked the back of my head. We both knew what could happen today...I tried my best not to think about it. Maeve soon came back from the shower and changed into a mod-style purple dress and black mary janes. My mother braided her hair in a similar style to mine, adding a small flower clip at the side. She looked us once over, nodded, then stood at the mirror and added a few pins to secure her own hairstyle. She sighed, “Ready?”
“Yeah.” “Yeah.” my sister and I said in unison.
My mother chuckled lightly as we stepped through the threshold.
We walked the few blocks over to the underground and boarded the train headed to the Justice building. The train car was packed. Everyone was dressed in their best (and most colorful) outfit. These types of clothes were only worn on special occasions; those above working age wore grey coveralls to work and school, and something drab and ill-fitting otherwise. As we exited the train car, I kept a tight grip on Maeve’s hand. As we emerged from the underground, our eyes were bombarded with light, and I squinted as the brightness flooded my vision. When my eyes adjusted, I spotted the registration table. I gave my mother a brief hug and went to join the girls’ line with Maeve. Soon, we’d reached the front. I looked down at Maeve, “You want me to go first, kiddo?”
She glanced up at me with wide eyes, then stared forward and shook her head.
“You sure?”
“Mhmm. I just wanna get it over with.”
“Okay.” I hunched over and whispered into her ear, “You’re gonna be fine, I promise. It’s not as bad as you think. I’ll see you in a few minutes, yeah?”
She nodded. I gave her hand a squeeze and watched her walk up to the table. I heard them speaking faintly and a few minutes later, she turned around to look at me, a nervous expression on her face. I gave her a reassuring nod then headed over there myself.
The woman at the table sat there with a bored expression. She looked to be in her 30’s, but the heavy dark circles under her eyes seemed to age her quite a few years.
“Last name?” She said. She didn’t bother to look up at me.
“Whitlock.”
“Whitlock…” she muttered, flipping through the pages, “Right, Whitlock. Persephone?”
“Yeah.”
She crossed my name off the list. “You’re sixteen?”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” she sighed, “Hold out your hand, please.” She took a small device next to her and clipped it onto my index finger. I winced when I felt the needle prick my skin. She unclipped the device then stamped my wrist with the capitol’s sigil.
“You can go join your age group, fourth line from the left.”
“Thanks,” I muttered.
She paused, then looked up at me sympathetically, “And um, good luck.”
I nodded and gave her a curt smile before heading over to join my peers. We were arranged by age and gender, boys and girls separate, all standing in rows in front of the stage. I stood waiting, and mindlessly watched the rows slowly multiply. I didn’t know how much time had passed, but soon enough, I looked up at the stage to see a woman in a bright magenta pantsuit. The hem of her skirt was decorated with a flounce of fabric, and she wore a light pink blouse underneath her suit jacket. The front of it contained so many ruffles, you could hardly see her neck. Her hair was pale blonde, and styled in a way that made it look like a cloud sitting on top of her head. Her face was powdered white, save for her blushed cheeks and glossy lipstick. Her lips were absurdly over lined, both painted a shocking fuchsia that closely matched her outfit. She approached the podium with tiny steps and cleared her throat daintily, “Welcome, everyone, to the reaping ceremony for the 59th annual Hunger Games!” People remained silent; the only reaction being a cough from someone in the crowd. She cleared her throat once more, “As always, we shall begin by watching a special film from the capitol, telling us the history and origins of this unique tradition, and to remind us why we are all standing here today.”
At her words, the two televisions turned on to display the Capitol’s sigil. It faded out, and a film about the glorious history of Panem started rolling. I tuned out and stared blankly at the rows of people ahead of me. When the film concluded, Ms. magenta up at the podium clapped enthusiastically. She was the only one. “Oh, wasn’t that wonderful?” She exclaimed, “What a rich history this nation has.”
I scoffed, that’s one way to put it, I thought.
“Now, as always- ladies first.” She stuck her hand into the large glass bowl on the right side of the podium and shuffled her hand through the slips of paper before snatching one up. She gingerly unfolded the paper and held it delicately between her index finger and thumb.
She cleared her throat and read out the name, “Maeve Whitlock.”
I felt my heart stop in my chest.
No.
My eyes darted through the crowd and I saw people make way for her as she slowly walked to the stage, shaking with every step. Images from my dream flashed through my mind- most poignantly, the image of me watching helplessly, as a dark shadowy figure slashed a knife across my sister’s throat. Panic rose in my chest; my heart beat so loudly in my ears that I barely heard myself shout, “WAIT!” Everyone turned to look at me. My breathing sped up as I suddenly felt at a loss for air, “I volunteer.” I added, my voice cracking slightly, “I volunteer as tribute.” Maeve looked back at me with pleading eyes and shook her head furiously. I avoided her gaze and stared straight ahead as the crowd parted to allow me through to the stage. I paused to grab Maeve’s hand and squeeze it tightly. I cradled the back of her head and planted a kiss atop her forehead. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment as I shakily released her from my grasp and allowed the other girls in the crowd to place a comforting hand on her shoulders as they quietly pulled her away from me. I walked up to the stage and slowly climbed the short flight of steps to then take my place just behind the glass bowl from which my sister’s name was drawn. I can’t believe I’m about to be shepherded to my untimely death because of a stupid glass bowl. I felt my hands getting clammy, and I held to the hem of my dress to keep them from shaking. Ms. Magenta smiled and stepped towards me, “And what is your name, dear?”
“Persephone Whitlock.” I stated.
“And you are…?”
“Her sister.”
“Her sister! Oh, well, of course you are!” she remarked, “Well, that was a very brave thing you just did, Persephone. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that this was a truly inspiring moment! Well done! And may the odds be ever in your favor.” she smiled brightly and turned towards the crowd. There were a few measly claps, but they quickly fell silent. “And now, let us draw our male tribute.” She stepped over to the glass bowl on her left and repeated the process. I stared blankly past the rows of people; only when she read the name was my trance broken, “Frederick Weasley.” A tall, redheaded boy emerged from the crowd. I stared as he made his way up to the podium. I recognized him from school. I didn’t know him well, but I knew he had a twin brother- George, I think- who’d lost an ear in a factory accident a few years prior, and was thus ineligible to compete in the Games, as his injury would be an unfair advantage to the other tributes. Apparently, he’d been checking the cogs underneath a broken machine when it somehow turned on and cut his left ear clean off. It was formally reported as an accident, but it’s been rumored that he did it on purpose. There were no witnesses, so no one can say for sure, but if it was intentional, I can’t say I blame him for doing it. There are very few ways you can get out of the games if you’re under 18- something as extreme as losing an ear would certainly fall under that category. I stared at the redhead as he took his place behind the other glass bowl. He was tall, at least 6 foot 4, and seemed to tower over my own 5 foot 10 frame. I’d always thought I was fairly tall for my age, and was used to surpassing most adults in height; but standing next to him, I felt like a child. His entire body was long and lean, but I could tell from the way his shirt clung to him that he was not just skin and bone. He had a well-structured face. Round brown eyes, thin lips, a prominent, romanesque nose; his jaw was clenched as he stared straight ahead and refused to look at me. Him and his brother were known for pulling pranks and cracking jokes at school- there was a strange, impish quality to his features that unintentionally revealed his penchant for mischief. Every inch of his cool, pale skin was covered in freckles. Despite his pallid complexion, his cheeks always seemed to have a slight blush to them that made everything about him appear bright and lively. However, at the present moment, his face had been drained of all colour, save for a rather sickly green tinge. No wonder he doesn’t want to look at me- poor kid looks like he’s about to puke. Ms. Magenta finally stepped forward, “Excellent! We now have our two lovely tributes! Both of whom will now be escorted into the Justice building to await further instructions; Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!” And with that, the Capitol’s sigil was once again displayed on the TVs, and its anthem blasted through the speakers. Suddenly, I felt four hands grab me by the arms and forcefully pull me backwards. I stumbled slightly, and looked up to see the two peacekeepers responsible. They continued to pull me across the stage before practically shoving me down the stairs and onto the cobblestone street. From the corner of my eye, I could see that my fellow tribute was receiving the same gentle treatment as they dragged- I’m sorry, escorted him- to the large, looming structure behind us. As they “escorted” me towards the building’s heavy brass doors, I looked back frantically, trying to spot my mother and sister. But the crowd had gotten rowdier, and they were all being jammed together as the peacekeepers continued to push them away from the stage. My breathing quickened, and I could feel the blood pumping through every vein in my body. When we reached the threshold, the brass doors opened to reveal a high-ceilinged marble hall, and a rush of cool air escaped them. So THIS is where all our air-conditioning goes, I thought to myself. Every sound echoed through the building’s marble interior. I craned my neck upwards and tried to take in every opulent detail as I was dragged down a hallway and shoved into a small room, where the peacekeepers finally released me from their vice grip. “Wait here,” one of them said. They both left and shut the door behind them. I massaged my sore upper arms. “You didn’t have to pull me so hard, you know!” I shouted at the door, “not like I was planning on going anywhere!”. I sighed and stepped back from the door. “Assholes,” I muttered to myself. I plopped down onto a green velvet armchair and examined my surroundings. The walls and ceilings were paneled in rich, mahogany wood. The square panels above me were covered in intricate carvings, complementing the elaborate crystal chandelier hanging in the center. While I assumed the floor was wood, it was hard to tell because of the heavy oriental rugs that adorned its surface. There were two large windows behind me, both framed by plush velvet curtains. They were the same emerald green as the chair, and were tied back with a thick, gold rope that had tassels on the end of it, so as to allow in natural light. There was not much furniture in the room aside from two armchairs- one of which I already occupied- a round, wooden coffee table between them, and two empty bookshelves inlaid in the wall on either side of the room. A thin blue vase containing a single white rose sat in the center of the coffee table. The smell of it was unnaturally overpowering. Something about it made me uneasy, so I carefully pushed it to the far side of the table and shifted away from it. I unconsciously started chewing on my lip. I couldn’t sit still. Sitting there shaking my leg, or playing with the hem of my dress, wasn’t helping. I let out a frustrated groan and jolted up from my seat. I continued to chew my lip as I restlessly paced back and forth across the room. The heavy rugs didn’t hide the creaking of the floorboards as I stomped across them. After what felt like hours, I heard the door creak open. I stopped in my tracks and ran to the door to greet my mother before she’d even entered the room. Her and my sister enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug which I eagerly returned. The peacekeeper standing behind them cleared his throat. We slowly let go of each other and turned to face him. “You have ten minutes to say goodbye- not a second more.” he said in a gruff voice. As my mother and sister stepped fully into the room, the peacekeeper roughly shut the door behind them and left.
END OF PART ONE
a/n: If you’ve made it this far, 1. Hi, I love you 2. Will I write more for this series? To quote John Mulaney, “Who’s to say?”.
#hunger games#the hunger games#hunger games au#hunger games fanfic#hunger games x harry potter#harry potter#harry potter au#crossover#fanfic#original character#oc#my oc#oc x character#fred weasley x oc#muggle fred weasley#harry potter oc#hunger games oc#fred weasley#harry potter fanfic#harry potter fanfiction#hunger games fanfiction#fred weasley fanfiction#fred weasley fic#fred weasley fanfic#enemies to allies#allies to lovers#tw blood#tw knives#tw injury#tw death
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Whispered Truce
Diplomatic Solution part viii
_________
Each moment that ticked by raised the levels of anxiety in Katara. Dawn drew nearer; their time was running short. What remained before them to accomplish was the most important part of their plan to try and halt the illness—no, Katara corrected herself, shaking her head, the poisoning of this town, and it was also by far the most dangerous.
When Zuko explained to her his plan of making sure this message reached the right people properly, Katara had felt her stomach twist a little. By all rights, she shouldn’t have felt much of anything—he was the one who would be putting himself in far more immediate danger, and he was still technically an enemy, despite the last few days of working together with her. But, if he did get caught, she reasoned, that’d blow their plan of alerting the townsfolk in a way that might actually work. He’d also be captured and who knew what might happen to him… She cut herself short on those thoughts. Who was she kidding? Zuko was the prince of the Fire Nation. Surely some rural town wouldn’t dare go against the word of their very own prince? Then why didn’t he just march up to the mayor’s office and order him on what to do? a voice whispered in the back of her mind. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. What was it that made him skulk around in costume as if he feared being caught? Her mind raced, but she couldn’t begin to come up with a good reason why.
With this new seed of a question slowly starting to burn a hole within her, Katara kept her eyes trained intently on the hawk mews. She crouched atop a rooftop with a clear and easy path directly toward the mews in case she needed to reach it quickly, but for now, she was simply stuck waiting, watching for any movement in the shadow of the tall building indicating Zuko’s position.
His plan was simple: grab a messenger hawk and the appropriate ribbon, trek out of town a little bit, then send the hawk back to its home mews with the “official” document he’d written, making it look, for all intents and purposes, that the letter came from the capitol itself. He’d also insisted that he go alone, so she could keep lookout, and it was only after he’d slipped silently away that she realized she didn’t actually have a way to warn him if she saw something. Part of her wondered if he’d known that all along and had deftly maneuvered things so that he would be the only one in direct danger of being caught. If that were the case, why? Why would he do that? This far into things, she couldn’t imagine for a second that he wouldn’t follow through with the plan, or try to double-cross her, but she wasn’t sure she could wholly believe he was doing it simply out of the goodness of his heart.
Guilt.
Katara sucked in a quiet breath, then nodded to herself. The green glow of the ancient caverns beneath Ba Sing Se still shone brightly in her memory, and still they stung as sharp as she imagined those jutting crystal shards would have been. He must feel guilty for what he’d done, and this was his way of trying to atone for that.
Twice now there was a peace offering between them, shaky though it might be, and Katara didn’t know what to make of it or what to do with it. Her nature made her want to take it, without hesitation, to believe in the goodness in him. But another part of her nature wanted to slap it away in anger, cold and distant, for all that he’d done to her—to the group.
He was such an infuriating dichotomy. She trusted him, but she didn’t trust him. She respected him, but she wasn’t sure she could ever forgive his choices and actions. Yet, she still wanted to, but she didn’t want to, all the same.
An exasperated noise quietly left her throat, and she closed her eyes for a brief moment. Her thoughts and stomach were all churned up threefold not only because of who she was working with and all he represented, but because there was absolutely nothing she could do in this moment. She wanted to rush down there and help him—they’d both stolen into the mews earlier, after all—but she didn’t know if her sudden appearance would cause more harm somehow than not. What was more, by this point, she’d waited too long if she were going to do anything.
So, she stewed in silence and waited, glaring at the mews.
After a few more moments, an idea occurred to her. It didn’t actually do any good to watch the mews with no way to warn Zuko, so instead she turned her attention to the surrounding jungle. On top of a roof as she was, she might be able to have enough of a vantage point to scout out a good spot they could release the hawk. The grey of predawn was slowly spreading across the sky, lightening it just enough that she could see further out. She pressed back any additional anxiety that might have risen in her belly from that undeniable reminder of their dwindling hours, and focused on searching. There. With a lingering, furtive glance back at the mews, Katara gambled that she would have enough time to slip out to the potential spot she’d noticed before Zuko would make it back. Or need help.
Her descent from the roof was silent and graceful and swift, and she wove out through the streets of the town into the greater dimness of the jungle beyond.
It was easy to navigate here, even with little sight; she could sense the water all around her, on and within the verdant thickness of the plants. Idly, Katara wondered if this was something like how Toph saw through her earthbending. Even the very air around the plants was heavy with moisture—it was a wonder waterbenders didn’t come from these eastern Fire Nation islands' clime, with how abundant and readily available water was.
What she headed toward was a tall, rocky outcropping, the dark, solid outlines standing out against the softer relief of the trees and vines around them. Within a few minutes, she reached the base of the rocks. The whole formation rose before her, tall enough that she was sure there’d be a clear view from the pinnacle back to the town. If she’d seen it clearly from her vantage point before, she’d hazard a guess that they'd at least be able to see the mews once they climbed it.
On the way back, she played with the water in the air, using it to propel her faster through the jungle until she reached the outskirts of town and retraced her steps back to the roof where she’d been waiting for Zuko.
Katara had halfway hoisted herself onto the roof proper when she noticed a dark figure at the other end. Her stomach wrenched for a moment, heart leaping to her throat in fear that she’d been noticed and someone was now lying in wait for her, until she saw the hawk on the figure’s arm jolt a little, and the turn of the figure's head gave away the telltale dull flash of the white of his mask. She let out a small sigh of relief and relaxed, pulling herself up the rest of the way and going over to join him.
“Where were you?” he hissed as soon as she drew nearer.
The sharpness of his tone took her aback. It wasn’t just anger that she heard, but… fear?
“Did everything go okay?” she asked.
“I got the hawk, didn’t I? Where were you?” he demanded again. “You were supposed to wait here for me.”
“Well, I’m here now,” she snapped. “If you think I’m just going to sit idly by, thumbing my beads and waiting, you’ve got a big shock coming.” Katara motioned back toward the jungle were she’d just been. “I spotted a good place to release the hawk, so I ran to go check it out. I was only gone for a few minutes, and I didn’t realize you needed a constant babysitter.”
He raised a hand and motioned for her to lower her voice. “Okay, sorry,” he said, surprising her. She thought for sure he was going to argue back. “I just got worried when you weren’t here, is all. Let’s go to the place you found.”
Just like that, her anger deflated a little. She couldn’t really blame him for being tense; it’d been a long night. A long last few days, in reality. His nerves were probably just as shot as hers, and, the thought occurred to her, he was probably getting his arm—and now shoulder, as the raptor shifted its position as he climbed down from the rooftop—torn up by the messenger hawk’s talons. With some effort, she managed not to sigh.
They moved quickly through the dimly lit dirt streets of the town, Katara leading the way toward the rocky outcropping she’d scouted. The jungle welcomed them with thick, heavy air and the quiet, intermittent buzzing and chirruping of nocturnal insects and creatures preparing for the eventual dawn. In some ways, it reminded her somewhat too keenly of the Earth Kingdom swamp they’d crashed into a few months ago. She tried not to dwell on that overmuch, not wishing to see what sorts of visions or nightmares a Fire Nation jungle would give her.
Fortunately, they soon reached the rocks, and Zuko nodded in approval. “This should be perfect.”
Without further ado, he began climbing up, and she followed suit, watching where he put his hands and feet with seemingly little forethought. This kind of agility appeared to come so naturally to him, and she wondered where—and when—he’d learned it. Katara imagined that the firebending prince of the Fire Nation would have spent most of his waking hours perfecting his bending abilities, but Zuko had other physical skills that surprised her, as well as academic knowledge that made sense, but still made her wonder just how much he actually knew. And, yet he still had failed to capture a couple of self-taught Water Tribesfolk and a goofy airbending kid. How could someone know so much and be able to move like he did still be such a gangly teenager?
She wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh at that or be concerned with how endearing she abruptly found it.
When she reached the top, he was already standing near the front of the pinnacle, the messenger hawk perched on a thick leather glove that he now wore. Zuko softly scratched at the feet of the bird while Katara rounded to his side and slipped the message into its back canister, attaching the black ribbon like before. She gave him a nod as she stepped back, letting him know that it was secure.
“Ready to go,” she said, startled to hear how breathless she sounded from nerves and the swift climb.
“Here goes nothing,” he muttered, almost to himself, then shifted the arm holding the hawk up and toward the town, releasing the jesses he’d been holding. “Let’s hope it works the way we want it to.”
“Yeah,” she echoed quietly, following the dark shape of the hawk with her eyes.
A few moments of silence settled around them. Katara broke it.
“Do you still feel like it’s not enough?” Her voice sounded as if it would be swallowed up by the thickness of the jungle air.
“Yeah,” he replied, not tuning his head from the town.
“Zuko,” she said, and watched him stiffen. “Thank you for all your help. I… can’t really say I know why you did all that, but… I wouldn’t have found out the source of the illness—the… poison—without you. So… thanks.”
This moment was an echo of the catacombs of Ba Sing Se, except now their positions were reversed. He was the one with his back toward her, and she was the one extending a small peace offering. Something ached in her chest, and she found her breath caught with trepidation somewhere between her heart and her throat.
“I can’t walk away from people who need help,” he said softly.
I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me, she heard herself say. That’s something we have in common, she heard him say.
Her heart pounded in her chest and she worried her lower lip. The words were right there on the tip of her tongue, waiting to spill out of her mouth. Did she dare? Could she trust him? She remembered the intensity with which he pursued the leads in the town with her, the quick anger against the mayor who poisoned his own townspeople just to enrich himself.
“Aang—the Avatar—needs help.” Her voice was small and unsure, the words almost a whisper, but unable to remain unspoken.
For an anxious breath, she was convinced he hadn’t heard her. Then, he turned to her and lifted the mask off his face, and pulled the black hood off his hair.
“I can teach him firebending,” he said, and for the life of her she couldn’t tell if he was stating a fact or asking her a question with strange wonder.
Her compulsive chuckle punctuated the oddness of the moment. “I did tell him I’d find him a firebending teacher.”
#zuko#katara#zutara#atla#Avatar The Last Airbender#renamed Diplomatic Solution on ao3#just in case tumblr is still doing that stupid ass thing#where posts with links don't show up in the tags#i'll do a reblog with the appropriate links#but you can find this completed work on ao3#my fic
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Fallout 4 Companions react to being given a unique weapon that sole made for them
(IHSJS I suck but finally here it is! <3333) ( left out Codsie and dogmeat as they cannot hold guns (well in game at least, I could just imagine the chaos if they had one dhjhajfjjdh)
With not much to do in the wasteland at this very moment, the companions were all at their respective places, MacCready patrolled Sanctuary along with Strong, Curie was down in her own science space Sole had made for her at the Sanctuary Hot Springs (its a mod and omg is it beautiful and worth it for extra junk) X6 was in Covenant clearing out some stuff to make way for sole to build new things and bring in settlers and Hancock was back in Good Neighbour doing his mayoral duties. Cait was at the NEW combat zone that Sole had gotten fixed up, now it is a pretty little hang out spot where people can practice their combat skills and take on people in friendly duels. Piper was at Publick Occurrences and Danse had also taken up shelter in Diamond City at Home Plate, Nick Valentine was browsing through files in his office. Last that leaves Preston who was held up at the castle trying to do repairs...And lets just say all them being busy...Left Deacon to his own devices...
Sighing softly with a bag full of guns and ammo, Sole stands and begins their journey to each and everyone of their beloved companions dogmeat happily walking behind them
MacCready:
Seeing Sole walk up to him as he squinted his eyes down into the old road of Sanctuary he smiles softly, lowering his gun he walks towards them as well Sole smiles at him and pulls a bag from off their shoulders ‘’here, this is for you, I mean, you don't have to use it...But I hope you like it’’ He raises an eyebrow at sole before looking down into their hands, it was a sniper that he had never seen before in all his days, even when running with the gunners he had never come across something so...Personal. ‘’I made it’’ That answered his question, he smiles and slowly places his old gun onto his back and grasps soles gift firmly ‘’Wow...Sole, I don't know what to sa-’’ ‘’Don't say anything, its a token of appreciation!’’ Sole was already running off somewhere, as always. Mac starts loading up the gun shaking his head endearingly ‘’Thanks Sole, you’re welcome RJ’’ he chuckles out trying to impersonate Soles voice
Strong:
Strong was stomping his feet around holding an old bat in his big green shrek hands, he was patrolling the outside of Sanctuary, his usual rounds. there was gates,traps and defences everywhere, but sole had a lot of enemies so he couldn't take the chance. Soles legs wobbled softly as his foot steps shook the earth slightly, Strongs ears perk up and he turns sharply to sole and stomps towards them, dogmeat whimpers slightly and decides to just lay down ‘’Master! Strong has killed so many mutt dogs!’’ Dogmeat would have coughed awkwardly if he could ‘’That's...Really great Strong!, but here I have something to give to you’’ Sole slowly and with very small struggle pulls out a machine gun, but not just any machine gun. It made strongs eyes twinkle and his muscles tense up it was glorious, he immediately grabs it from soles hands and steadies it ‘’Strong put this to good use, getting rid of dogs and anyone who dare try to get into Sanctuary’’ Sole sighs contently and nods at Dogmeat to finally stand ‘’Ill see you later Strong!’’ and they were off again
Curie:
Curie was very much in her own world, she didn't even hear sole and dogmeat come in, she didn't even notice them at all until sole came right up behind her and asked what she was up to, with a short squeal and a heavy breath Curie softly apologises and asks Sole what they needed ‘’Don't sweat it Curie I should have...Knocked?...Well anyway here! I wanted you to have this’’ it was a Syringer Rifle? Curie was confused at first as it looked very unique ‘’Ah yes I assume you made this?’’ Curie asks in wonderment studying the rifle and the different types of ammo sole had given her ‘’I did, I had you in mind’’ This made Curie blush, a stutter starting to form ‘’Oh my...Thank you, I will always put it to good use, but not too much use! ...yes’’ Sole smiled softly and gave her a small wave as they made their way out, curie sighed deeply in embarrassment but then smiled warmly to herself
X6:
It was quite a walk to Covenant, but it wasn’t too bad for Sole and Dogmeat. They have walked much greater and harsher lengths after all, but as they finally reached the gates Sole couldn’t help but to sigh out a ‘’Thank god’’, walking into Covenant Sole could see that Deezer was still selling lemonade, thanks to Curie it was now....Well...Better and that X6 was brooding off to the side of a building, his way of ‘passing time’ he actually notices Sole first and walks up to them ‘’Sir/Ma’am good to see you’re well, what brings you here today are the settlers coming ahead of time?’’ the same formal tone as always struck sole with a small laugh ‘’No X6 I actually have something to give you’’ x6 watches through dark glasses as sole reaches into their bag and pulls out a very peculiar energy weapon ‘’I made it for you, thought it could do you well’’ X6 was very flattered Sole thought of him ‘’You didn’t need to strain yourself making this’’ Sole shakes their head ‘’I didn’t its fine, I wanted you to have something’’ X6 takes it slowly from their hands and nods ‘’Thank you sir/ma’am’’ even though it was quite a stern thank you Sole could tell he did appreciate it and smiled at him before heading off
Hancock:
‘‘Alright Dogmeat, we’ve made it to Good Neighbour...Tell me why I decided to do all this today?’‘ Dogmeat woofs back at sole and they sigh softly in agreement ‘‘You’re right’‘ Sole walks all the way up to the top of the Old State House and searches around for Hancock ‘‘He must be on the balcony’‘ Sole opens the doors and there he is, Hancock looks over his shoulder and gives Sole a smile ‘‘There ya are, decided to visit this ol’ ghoul how nice’‘ Sole smiles back at him ‘‘Actually I come bearing gifts’‘ Hancock raises an eyebrow and smirks slightly ‘‘Oh didya? lets take a look see then’‘ Sole pulls out what seemed to be a double barrel shotgun but it looked a bit different than others Hancock had seen ‘‘This is for me, you shouldn't have’‘ hancock takes it in his hands and shines it softly ‘‘To show my appreciation’‘ Hancock chuckles at Soles words ‘‘Ill treasure it, truly. Thanks Sole’‘ ‘‘No problem Hancock, ill see you later’‘ and then Sole treks off again, dogmeats tail wagging happily. Hancock takes a drag off his cigarette and smiles into the sky
Cait:
Cait huffed and panted heavily as she boxed a punching bag, she was happy to be active again after ...All that mess. she felt like she owed Sole the world but sole just kept giving her new things to add to the bill one day Cait would pay them back but for now she was content back in the bettered combat zone, Cait hears a particular bark and knew Sole was there as soon as she heard it, she turns and sees dogmeat woofing happily and sole walking towards her with...quite a big bag ‘’Cait!, I see you’ve gotten a workout in huh?’’ Sole said with pointed eyes, Cait snorted roughly ‘’yeah you got that right these guys don't know what they’re in for’’ Sole smiles and shakes their head digging into their bag, Cait was confused at first until Sole pulls out what Cait thinks is some kind of powerfist ‘’Whats that?’’ Sole holds it out towards Cait and smiles ‘’THAT is for you’’ Cait was shocked, as always at Soles kindness ‘’I cant- I cant accept this you’ve already don-’’ Sole shoves it towards Cait a bit more ‘’I made it for you Cait, think of it as...A Christmas present’’ Cait snorted at the phrase but slowly took it and tried it on ‘’See! looks great on you’’ Cait smiles at Sole a bit sadly ‘’Thank you...Really Sole’’ Sole pats her on the shoulder and chucks up a thumbs up as they walked away ‘’Save me a fight alright!’’
Piper:
‘‘I think my legs are gonna give out soon, should we rest up after seeing Piper what do you think boy?’‘ Dogmeat barks in agreement as Sole opened the door to the Publick ‘‘Blue! its so good too see you!’’ Piper hugged sole gently and then pulled away with a smile ‘’wow you been lugging that bag around all day?!’‘ Sole laughed softly and sighed, a bit flustered ‘‘Yeah I guess so, but its been worth it honestly, hey I got you something I hope you like it P’‘ Sole digs their arm into the bag and starts searching around, after a while they pull out a small pistol, but it wasn't just any pistol, actually it wasn’t quite like anything Piper had seen for me ‘‘Oh Blue...You didn't have to do this’‘ Piper was almost teary eyed, it probably took sole quite a while to do this ‘‘Its alright, I wanted you to have something special from me’‘ Piper and Sole smile at each other brightly and Sole goes to open the door ‘‘Thank you Blue’‘ ‘‘No problem P’’
Danse:
Sole and Dogmeat enter Homeplate and immediately flop onto the couch, Sole moans out at the comfort her sore limbs felt and something clanks loudly alerting dogmeat causing him to jump off Sole on the couch and onto the ground to take a fighting stance, Danse slowly peeks his head out from the corner and sighs once he realises its sole, Sole slowly turns their head and smiles at Danse ‘’Heyyyyyy’’ Sole groans out slowly stretching out their body Danse sighs and slowly puts a palm to their back and then another, cracking their back for them ‘’god....Thank you, I’ve been walking all day with basically no rest, but god is it worth it’’ Danse raises an eyebrow at them and they slowly sit up and pat the spot next to them excitedly Danse takes a seat beside them as they ruffle through a bag and pull something out ‘’You remember the day we met’’ Danse was confused by the question but still decided to answer ‘’of course I do why do you ask?’’ Sole turned to smile at him and put something in his lap ‘’well that day you had given me a gun of your own, and now today, I’m giving you something I made for you personally’’ Danse picks up the unique energy weapon and then looks at Sole in disbelief, their eyes were big and full of energy Danse smiles warmly at them then down at the gun ‘’Thank you...’’ Sole pats him on the back and slowly stands, stretching further ‘’You deserve it’’ Sole chucks him a small smile and wave as they make their way out ‘’Outstanding’’
Nick Valentine:
‘‘OH NICKYYYY’‘ Nick jumps up slightly at the sound of Soles voice and sits up in his chair ‘‘God Sole, you gotta scare the old bot huh?’‘ Sole laughed softly and placed a bag on his desk taking a seat on the edge of it ‘‘What’s this? you bring more wild animals in here...Wait don’t tell me’‘ Nick started looking around for any sign of Deacon and Sole laughs ‘‘No no! I came with gifts!’‘ Nick slowly relaxed and sat back in his chair ‘‘Ah so you’re the common day Santa Claus’‘ Sole nods at his statement and pulls out a revolver pistol of some kind ‘‘i made it myself for you, blood sweat tears and-’‘ ‘‘You had me at blood Kid/doll’‘ Sole holds back a chuckle and slowly stands ‘‘what do ya think?’‘ Nick turns back to sole and smiles ‘‘I love it, you really went all out didn’t you?’‘ Sole nods triumphantly ‘‘Yes i did!...Oh and if you see Deacon anywhere...Don’t tell him I’m looking for him’‘ Nick snorts out ‘‘You got it’‘
Preston:
Sole sighed out softly it was getting real dark now ‘’I guess Deacon will have to wait till tomorrow, lets bunk up at the castle buddy’’ Dogmeat woofs and trots off to Soles bedroom there already Sole scans through everyone and their eyes finally land on the familiar hat of Preston Garvey sole with all their willpower made it over to him, softly poking his shoulder, preston turns slowly and then smiles at Sole ‘’sole, its good to see you! actually there’s a settl-’’ Sole places a finger to his lips ‘’No no...No, Preston I will deal with it I promise but can it wait until tomorrow? I’ve had the LONGEST day and I have something to give you’’ Preston blinked rapidly and then nodded Sole sighed contently and slowly pulled out a laser musket ‘’Sole this is...Quite spectacular’’ Preston was awestruck ‘’I’m glad you think so...Because its for you’’ Preston was quite shocked by soles words ‘’What? me? why?’’ Sole laughed softly and brought him into a small hug ‘’Because I care about you, and I wanted to do something special for you’’ Prestons heart swelled at their words and he grasped the gun firmly ‘’Thanks, General’’ sole giggled tiredly and made their way to their room
Deacon:
It was around 3 am when Sole woke up to soft footsteps, but ignored them right after checking their pipboy, suddenly they felt eyes on them and opened their eyes to reveal a creepy bald man wearing a red sparkly dress Sole screamed out and jumped up in bed, knocking their heads together they both yelp in pain and Sole runs to turn the lights on and points a gun at the man ‘’Sole!’’ the familiar voice helped them realise it was deacon and they grumbled tiredly ‘’Deacon what were you doing watching me sleep!...and why the tutu...WAIT have you been following me all day! I knew I felt eyes on me’’ Sole rubbed their temples as Deacon slowly got onto his knees and held out his hands, doing a grabby action at them Sole sighed deeply and bit their lip, walking over to their bag they slowly pulled out Deacons gift and laid it in his hands, he smiles widely as he pulls his hands down to look at it his eyes sparkled behind his sunglasses, it was a pistol with a silencer at the end like the deliverer ‘’Sole...You shouldn’t have’’ Deacon fake cries out and hugs onto Soles leg Sole cuts their eyes to Dogmeat and rolls them with a smile down at Deacon. with a sore body and a pulled muscle in their legs they sigh softly
‘‘It was worth it’‘
(finally finished it!!! I hope yall like it sjdihsaj <3333!!)
#fallout 4#fo4#f4#deacon#paladin danse#preston garvey#dogmeat#piper wright#hancock#maccready#strong#cait#X6-88#nick valentine#curie#curie fallout#hancock fallout#piper fallout#deacon fallout#fallout#bethesda#fallout companions#fallout 4 companions
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