#CHAPTER 63 WOULD HAUNT ME FOR DAYS | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bratshaws · 1 year

Text

goodness gracious 97. brb x oc

a/n: this chapter was fun. FUN I SAWY ( THE WEDDING CHAPTER IS COMING AAAAAAAAAA)

check out the fic's playlist made by the sweet @wiipes !!

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: f l uf f, again Martha is a witch

chapters:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44

45/46/47/48/49/50/51/52/53/54/55/56/57/58/59/60/61/62/63/64

65/66/67/68/69/70/71/72/73/74/75/76/77/78/79/80/81/82/83/84

85/86/87/88/89/90/91/92/93/94/95/96

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!!)

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @shrimping-for-all @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix

@lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

@emilybradshaw @j-6o @louisahale @leobabbyyy @kulicny @winter-run @ktjmac @graciereads @bigpoppajes

“Thanks for letting me come,auntie.”

‘Why, there’s no problem tesoro.” her aunt steps back to let Beatrice enter her house, Bailey yapping a greeting by the brunette’s feet as her aunt closes the door behind her, “I was just finishing some paperwork.” Beatrice only nodded, wringing her hands together nervously, “Is there something wrong?”

“I…I think so.” Beatrice follows her aunt to her kitchen, where she sees that there’s a kettle on the stove, the smell wafting about resembles chamomile and if it was chamomile she’d accept a cup immediately. She could feel her nerves tingling. “I mean…I think I’m hearing things.”

Her aunt showed no change in her reaction, in fact she started humming while grabbing glasses from the cabinet above, turning off the stove when the kettle began to whistle and put it aside to cool down, “Is that right?”

“Yes, like…baby voices.” she whispered, looking around herself in fear the voice would show up again, “Child voices, someone saying ‘mama’ and laughter too.” she couldn’t see but Martha’s little smile widened as she explained about it, walking to her freezer to grab some ice cubes, cracking the mold to pop them out and drop them inside the glasses. “And I don’t know if the house is haunted or I’m haunted or I’m hallucinating because of stress.”

Martha hums, checking the temperature on the kettle and smiling when she noticed it was much cooler than before, pouring inside the glasses with a plop of honey over the ice cubes. Beatrice waited for her aunt to say something,anything, but she heard nothing, she even leaned closer thinking her aunt was whispering something about it “Auntie?”

‘Yes, darling?”

“Why…um…well,I’d like your input since you are,” she waves her hands, “Kinda open about those types of things.”

When Beatrice was eight years old her aunt said that she saw people wandering around the house that she knew weren’t there. Beatrice wasn’t supposed to have heard that since it was past her bedtime and the adults were chatting by her parents’ patio, but she got curious…then she couldn’t sleep alone for two days, begging her father to sleep on the ground in her room while her mom slept in the same bed as she did.

Martha turned her torso to give her niece a look, a knowing look, her eyes dropping subtly to her stomach - which Beatrice didn’t notice since she was busy chewing the corner of her nail - moving her eyes back up with a smile, “Well my darling, what would you like to know?” Martha questions, grabbing the now cold tea filled glasses and handing one to her niece, who slowly sips the sweet concoction, giving her aunt a look from the glass’ rim.

“Well,” Beatrice says once she licks her lips, ‘Am I haunted?”

Her aunt laughed elegantly, covering her mouth with a hand, earning only a more confused look from the poor brunette who just wanted an answer, “Oh, my sweet darling. You are not haunted.”

“Then I’m going crazy.”

“No, you are not going crazy.” Martha laughs again, wetting her throat with the ice tea and then setting it aside, putting her glasses up to her hairline, “You are getting in contact with your deepest wants. And this one is in a hurry to come.”

Beatrice blinked, looking at her aunt as if she grew three heads, “I…” she clenches her eyes, almost feeling a headache coming, then shakes her head, “I don’t understand, this…voice…is my want for a baby? It’s because I want to get pregnant?”

“Hmmm…in a way.”

Another stupefied blinking, “Auntie,I…” she sets the glasses down, tenting her hands together below her chin, “I love you,I thank you for paying for the wedding and everything you are doing for us, but what in the actual fuck does that mean?”

Martha’s smile never seemed to waver, much to Beatrice’s desperation as to what was going on?? “Well…how can I say this…” her aunt puts the glass aside to lean her face on a hand, using the other arm to support the opposite elbow, “There’s someone who’s very eager to show up and see you two.” this time it was Beatrice who was silent, furrowing her eyebrows and digesting her aunt’s words.

It takes a couple minutes, but Beatrice eventually widens her eyes, “Wait…are you telling me that…this voice is just…our future child?”

“In a way.”

What the fuck.

What the fuck!!

Beatrice felt her legs turn to jello, immediately using the kitchen island to support herself upright, keeping her eyes in the whorls and patterns of the marble top in hopes she could keep herself awake. She didn’t know what to do with that information, what should she do with that information??

There’s no way that’s what it was, her aunt was just messing with her. Okay, maybe her family had this weird Sicilian supernatural powers that she still couldn’t understand but there is no way that her aunt was talking about her future child with Rooster.

There’s no way!!! It makes no sense!It’s not logical!!

Children aren’t…heard until they are born. They aren’t a speckle of dust that grows conscience one day and decides to haunt their future mother with laughter and voicing ‘mama!’ every now and again. That’s not how things worked.

And yet to her aunt it made all the sense in the world, of course the disembodied voice would be her future grandniece/grandnephew because everyone in her family was just normal like that, “Auntie.” Beatrice finally says after seconds of silence, “...you know that you can’t just say that and expect me to accept the information,right?”

“Well,” Martha shrugs, “It happened to every woman in the family.”

Wait,what?

The confusion returned to Beatrice’s face, her eyebrows furrowing and lips pursing in a question that never came out, “I’m sorry, what?”

“Every woman in the family had those.” she says, waving her hands - the movement making her bangles hit one another - “Those voices,I did, your mother did, your sisters did. You just have to ask them.”

“How the fu– no one ever told me anything about that??” this was just a prank, right? This had to be a pre-marital prank she didn’t know about, “Auntie, that’s not possible.”

“Your nonna had it too, your other aunts, your cousins, it’s quite normal.” but her niece looked ready to yank her hair out by the root, offering her aunt a confused look that only got stronger and stronger the moment she started to pace around the kitchen with her hands on her hips, “It’s how you know.”

“Auntie,I–” she pressed her palm heels to her eyes, groaning quietly, “I don’t know how to take that information. Are you saying I’m pregnant??”

“No,I’m saying you will be.”

Why was her family so cryptic?

“Oh, oh! That makes me feel so much better.” Beatrice laughs dryly, once again dropping her weight on the kitchen island, her elbows this time and her hands covering her face, “How long is this going to last? Because it is a bit creepy.”

Martha sips her tea again, looking to the side in thought and smacking her lips before replying, “It’ll stop by your wedding.” she explains, “Actually, no, it’ll happen before that. Maybe…by the end of the month.”

Beatrice still looked stupefied, trying to understand what the fuck was happening. She told no one about the disembodied voices with the exception of her aunt and Michael and– oh my God, it makes sense. If this happens only with the women of the family then Michael wouldn’t have any idea! Right?

Was she really putting thought into this? Was she really considering it?

Her nonna used to know when people were pregnant, would it really be so crazy that this is part of the family tradition? Beatrice sighed heavily, rubbing her face from forehead to chin and finalizing with her teeth gnawing on her knuckle bone, shaking her head softly, “So…it’s just the baby letting me know it’s coming.”

“Yes, pretty much.”

“...how come I’ve never heard about this?”

Martha hums, supporting her chin on her hand as she thinks about it, “Well, it’s something that is still a bit…strange,” Beatrice’s unimpressed stare was completely ignored by her mystical aunt, “So it’s not talked about often, but we all mentioned it in passing once or twice.”

Again, what was Bea to do with that information? The disembodied voice was letting her know they’d arrive soon? How does she tell that to others? To Rooster??? She can’t tell him that, because while it is crazy she didn’t want him to have his hopes up before something actually happens. Not to mention she hasn’t stopped the birth control shots yet, the ladies at the clinic suggested she stops taking a month before her wedding so her body would have enough time to ‘restart’ itself in a way.

Beatrice chews her lower lip with all this new information, clearly not the one she was expecting to receive considering she was sure she was just haunted and horrifyingly enough she could handle that more. “Wel…thank you auntie.” she mutters, straightening herself on the kitchen island, “I will…uh…I don’t know, keep that in mind I guess?”

“It’s nothing to be scared about.” but it was something to be very confused about. Beatrice hums positively, still biting her lower lip,tapping her nails rhythmically on the marble top with her leg bouncing with nerves, “It’s something wonderfully new.” and strange “And you won’t be alone in this.”

“Wait, so…did Cynthia also know about Éwoyn and Bibi before?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“...so…it’s not only a family thing, my sisters-in -law also can have that…”

“Yes, of course, they have the Schiavoni inside–”

“Aah!Aahaha, okay,” Beatrice holds up both of her hands, “I know, I got it,I understand, that’s very gross I don’t need this image in my mind.” she shuddered, trying to shake the horrible vision the best she could, “I-I’m going to go home now,I have…things to do.” she honestly just wanted to get out and dunk her head inside the pool and scream. “Thank you auntie, for um…explaining it.”

“Why, it’s my pleasure.” her aunt’s smile turned mysterious, “I cannot wait until it’s time.”

Again, why was everyone in her family so cryptic???

After dunking her head inside the pool and screaming, startling Jolene in the process who just watched her owner do this from the side with her eyes comically wide, Beatrice started walking around the house, trying to think of something to do, anything, that could ease her mind.

So, not only she wasn’t pregnant, she was just hearing her child talk to her because that’s a thing in her family that no one ever decided to share with her, meaning that she also wasn’t crazy, she was just…dreaming of it. Honestly, considering everything,Beatrice was slowly warming up to the idea that her child - that wasn’t even planned yet - decided to haunt their mother until they were born.

Or before the wedding that is, according to her aunt. Either way, it was nice to have an explanation - as weird as it was- to why she was hearing things.

But now she was restless, she was walking around the house with a towel wrapped around her hair and Jolene followed her everywhere. Beatrice chews her lower lip, looking up at the room where the voice began, looking back at the pittie who just wagged her tail before marching up the stairs.

The room was, obviously, still blank. But Beatrice looked around for a little while, running her hands on the walls and standing in the middle of the room. She half expected to hear the child’s laughter again but it was silent. After turning on the light, because of course she stood in the dark for a good while before noticing it was lacking luminosity, Beatrice looked around the room and bit her lower lip.

She could imagine this room being a baby room, she could…but honestly she’d like to do something herself. Maybe paint something herself. “Maybe I shouldn’t think about this yet after all I just found out my unborn child is trying to talk to me.” she laughs awkwardly, giving Jolene an exasperated look, one that the pittie just tilted her head in confusion, “I know, Jojo, crazy shit.” but the idea of painting this room was still present.

Beatrice walks out of the room after a while, keeping in mind that yes, she was going to work on it after some time but not now. There were still things to be resolved about the wedding, things that had her full attention.

Just like the slow roaring of the Bronco entering the garage. Beatrice widened her eyes, he was already home? How long had she been with her aunt? Jolene almost tripped over her paws as she rushed downstairs to greet him, her whole body shaking with excitement. Beatrice stood on the upper steps to have a better look, seeing Rooster open the door and immediately baby talk the pitbull, picking her up and letting her lick all over his face.

Jolene was always a very affectionate dog, but it was clear to see that Rooster was becoming her favorite person. Speaking of him, he looked up from the pittie after he heard a soft chuckle coming from the stairs, smiling at Beatrice and putting Jolene down, speeding his step to meet her halfway, “Hi,” he coos, leaning his head closer only for the brunette to recoil, “What?”

“You are covered in dog slobber, Roos.” she laughs, even more when he pouts, “I can’t kiss you like that.”

Bradley sighed, because she was right, but he did sneak a quick kiss under her jaw for good measure, “I’m going to take a quick shower and then,after I expect all the kisses,ma’am.” he smirks, walking around her to their bedroom. Beatrice waits until she hears the water running to step into the bathroom herself, leaning on the bathroom sink with her arms crossed.

It doesn’t take too long for his head to peek from behind the dark shower doors, arching one eyebrow at her, “You want to join me? There’s space for the two of us.”

“I already showered, Roos.” she smiles, pointing to the towel on her hair, “I’m okay just watching.”

“I’ll remember to put on a show for you then.” he winks, disappearing back inside the shower, “How was your meeting with Martha? You said you had to see her today.”

Beatrice rubbed her hands together, how to explain to her fiancé what happened that afternoon? “Oh uh…it was fine.” she shrugs even if he couldn’t see, “I was um…asking her input on something,” it wasn’t a lie, she technically asked her aunt some other things too besides the obvious baby haunting, “About if I should invite my cousins or not.”

“Who? The triplets?”

“Yep.”

Bradley’s shiny upper body appeared from behind the door, a blue loofah moving over his chest as he washed himself, “I thought you didn’t want to invite them.” she was so focused on following the water droplets that rolled down his pectorals to his six pack that it took her a few seconds to reply, snapping her eyes upwards when he cleared his throat, “Eyes up here and now down here, thank you~”

He disappeared back into the shower and his fiancé’s cheeks were bright red, “Oh um, I didn’t but I thought about it and if I don’t invite them it’ll be worse. Their mom is my dad’s youngest sister and I know he wants her to come too…I guess I’ll have to invite them. I mean, what do you think? I’d like your opinion on this too.”

“I don’t really care much about them,” he begins, “You did tell me they tried telling you shit back at your aunt’s wedding and you dealt with them, but honestly whether they come or not doesn’t bother me as long as they keep to themselves.”

“Hm.” the chances of that happening now, after Beatrice put them in their place, was quite high, “Well…I think it’d be only fair. I don’t plan to get married again-”

“I’d hope not!I’d be very upset if you did!”

Beatrice laughs, watching him shut the shower off and pull one of the towels from the outside to dry himself the best he could, walking out with it wrapped around his waist “If I did I’d end up marrying my ex.” she jokes, and he immediately looks up at her in surprise, “...it’d be you, Brad, you’d be my ex.”

He narrows his eyes at her, “That’s mean,” he chuckles, stepping closer to her so he could wrap his arms around her waist and drop kisses on her jaw and neck, “You can’t tease me like that, as your husband to be I feel very offended.” but neither of them could hold back their laughter, in fact they just started chuckling like teenagers in the bathroom. The laughter died down, with his eyes traveling all the way down to her lips, “I’m all clean, ma’am.”

“Yes, you are, you smell really good.”

“And now, “ he whispers with his head getting closer, “I think I said I wanted my kisses, and I want my kisses.”

Beatrice smiles, cupping his face with her hands so their lips would meet in a deep kiss. One that was more than welcome, with Beatrice squeaking in surprise when he picks her up by the thighs and settles her down on the sink, “Roos!” she exclaims once she breaks the lip lock, her voice trembling as his teeth found that specific spot under her jaw that drove her insane, “W-We,I–” but the moan broke out of her before she could stop it.

And honestly he looked so good, he smelled so good and he was still a bit damp from the shower…and he was just wearing a towel, it was easy access. But she, amazingly, found an ounce of self restraint and gently pushed on his chest, “Roos, I need to fix our dinner.”

“It’s leftovers.” he replies immediately, wetting her pulse with his tongue, “You can warm it up later,I’m in no hurry.” but his stomach had other plans, because he was in fact hungry, growling out in complaint at his words. He sighs, then glares down at the six pack, “Traitor.”

Beatrice laughs even harder, kissing the tip of his nose before he puts her down, “There’ll be time for it,” she smiles, kissing the tiny scars on his chin instead “Later.” his plush lips curved in a little pout, trying to keep her inside the bathroom with him but she gave him a look, one that drove him insane because it was so innocent yet so sexy he just let her go, “I’ll be waiting for you downstairs, okay?”

Bradley groans but nods, watching her sway out of the bathroom with his hands rubbing his face, “Fuck,she’s got me good.” he murmured to himself, but Beatrice heard it, her cheeks heating up as she walks out of the room.

Today was a bit crazy, and maybe she’d comment about it with Bradley later if there was a chance - they were going to be married, he already knew her family was crazy, so what else was there to hide really? - and she hoped he understood.

But before she went downstairs, she stopped by the little room, watching it’s blank walls with her arms crossed over her bust. She tried to imagine it, she really did, even closing her eyes and picturing what it’d look like.

Neutral colors, maybe with some pop of reds and yellows, some flowers, forest themed, some mountains too. A crib on the corner, a dresser, maybe a rug in the center where she could see a small body seated, playing with a toy. The tiny person on the rug turned their head towards her in a few toothed grin. “Hi mama-”

“Bea?”

Beatrice snaps her eyes open, looking over her shoulder to where Bradley was, fixing his sweatpants on his hips and frowning, “You okay? What’s the matter?”

“Oh, um…nothing, just…” she licks her lips, “Just thought I saw something. Nothing to worry about.” she holds her hand out to him, interlacing their fingers once he takes hold of it “Come on, we need to have dinner.”

#bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x oc #top gun maverick #bradley bradshaw x reader

100 notes · View notes

chidoroki · 10 months

Text

182 Days of TPN - Day 76

Chapter 76: “The Battle Begins”

That’s certainly one way to make the dinner come to a screeching halt. It’s obvious Bayon isn’t happy about his little secret getting out, but Leuvis is probably bummed about it too. Dude already had dibs on Emma and that was before finding out she’s from GF.

The escapees really could not have picked a more unfortunate trio to send out and investigate A08-63. Of course Emma, Ray and Yuugo were the best options in terms of skill & smarts, but their quality definitely puts a huge target on each of their backs.

I like how the view from inside the closet gives the impression that the children are hiding there but acts no more than a fake out to us when we learn in a couple pages that everyone is already safe with Lucas underneath the windmill.

If hearing the music is enough to send the GP newbies into a panic, just imagine how some of the older kids like Oliver must feel after living here for years. That melody certainly haunts his nightmares.

The way he calms everyone down is so sweet. He’s such a fantastic leader. And a very handsome lad. Damn season two for giving us the wrong white-haired boy.

I always think about how horrible it must be that they can never hide under the windmill during any of the usual hunts. Not saying they should hide every child down there all the time, because the poachers would definitely get suspicious and tear the whole place down looking for them (thankfully they’re so hellbent on hunting for Emma at the moment), but if they did somehow locate the secret passage, then it would jeopardize everything that James had hidden there. Also, this is the first time the rest of the children are meeting Lucas.

Not me laughing about how those fifteen minutes have more suspense, action, strategy and does wonders for Emma’s character development than all of season two put together.

I dunno how the kids managed to prepare an explosion in one day but the way they only use it for a mere distraction is kinda crazy.

Favorite panel/moment:

I’ve always liked how Paula comforts one of the younger kids but also takes notice in how much Oliver is stressing out over the hunt starting earlier than expected. Of course they’re close friends and despite all the sudden chaos, she still remembers to check in on him and ready to assist if needed.

#the promised neverland #tpn manga #182daysoftpn #chidoroki used chatter

8 notes · View notes

bereft-of-frogs · 4 months

Text

✨ Fic Writing Review 2023 ✨

@aurorawest tagged me in this an age ago but there was always a chance (however slight) that I'd maaayyybe finish something else before the end of the year (I did not) so I held off. But! It's time for the 2023 review.

Words and Fics

103, 870 words posted

Technically only 1 fandom, but then like...3 subfandoms? (Star Wars: Fallen Order, Prequels/JA-era, and A New Dawn/The Last Padawan)

14 fics

1 ongoing WIP, 2 multi-chapter, 10 oneshots, and 2 chapters added onto my OC repository, 2 series

most recent drop: we are made of our longest days

longest: technically the whole of the dark ocean duology at 50,304 but also just part 2: to stand at the edge of the sea (25,752)

shortest: found a tape that was blank (1,392)

Top Fics by Kudos

closure, and the lack thereof (98)

omens and all kinds of signs (72)

with teeth, we've come this far (66)

(dark ocean duology) part 1: the deep sea is a haunted house (63)

(dark ocean duology) part 2: to stand at the edge of the sea (59)

and some love for the bottom 5 because my favorite is among them: 1. a shadow resides by night (13), 2. follow me into the endless night (16) 3. p.s.: wipe the salt off of my skin (30), 4. I feel like I'm borrowing all my time (33), 5. take in a breath, fill your lungs (34)

My fandom fic events in 2023

just the usual whumptober taking up most of my autumn

Upcoming Events and Projects for 2024

for 2024 I think I'm going to try out like a 'leapfrog' method, where I focus on finishing a first draft, then let that percolate while I work on the next first draft on the list, then backtrack for the second and so on...I think this makes sense. I liked focusing on one project at a time last year and I'm hoping that gets me to make progress on the 4-parter that I really, really want to write and keep putting off.

omens and all kinds of signs (chapter 3)

manipulation/hostage thing (?) (part 1)* - I really need a better working title for this, this is not actually describing what's going on

the haunting presence / serial (part 4)**

the haunting presence / serial (part 3)**

manipulation/hostage thing that turns into an undercover thing (part 2)* - god these working titles are just so pithy aren't they

the haunting presence / serial (part 2)**

the haunting presence / serial (part 1)**

omens and all kinds of signs (chapter 4)

We'll see where that brings us in the year....and if I get derailed haha. If I make it through this I have a sick!fic in development and a myriad other bullet points of vague ideas, inspiration lightning might strike on one of them.

Last word: I spent the first third of 2023 so convinced I would never write again and in a not-great place, to clear 100k posting on ao3 was truly a relief and sharing all of this with you all has been a joy. Thanks for being there and I hope everyone has a happy New Year!

Rules & Tags below the cut! ***(ok let's be real, you all know me, I didn't actually tag anyone because I'm a mess of social anxiety and I always feel like I'm bothering people with tags (even though I am NEVER bothered by tags, but I can't apply that to myself for some reason, in my own mind I'm just uniquely annoying, but we don't have time to unpack all that--) but anyway, I put the rules there and the summaries for the two mystery upcoming fics if you want to see those or reference the rules!

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

I am too shy to tag anyone but if you're looking for an excuse to post some stats and goals use this as an open tag!

That should probably be one of my '2024 goals' to get less shy. ah well.

*This is a holdover from the 'psychological' whumptober prompt, I started it in October but knew it deserved more time and energy that I could give it on a deadline. The sort of core of the first part is my take on a 'fandom staple': the Haxion Brood finally gets the jump on the crew and they get entangled in a plot that's perhaps unnecessarily complex due to the interference of a...like 'HR consultant' Sorc Tormo hires, who attempts to manipulate them into carrying out their dirty work. Part 2 (it's a duology again folks!) picks up a bit after the end of part 1. Because to get out of the part 1 situation they end up owing someone a favor, and the calling in of that favor sends the crew on an undercover mission to a super-secret Imperial construction project. Clearly still developing some stuff, I don't have a working title or a good way of summarizing events, but I have a lot of dramatic scenes and everything pretty well outlined.

**Ah, my four part serial killer drama that I have been saying I've been saying I was going to work on for months. Years. This is going to be my year, I swear it! 'Why are you writing it in reverse order' it just makes more sense to work backwards, and part 4 I have the most clear plot outline for. Yeah it's fairly straightforward in general, a mysterious serial killer stalks Jedi through 4 generations. Possibly inspired by My Literal Nightmare, aka 'someone is secretly living in your house' (aka phrogging??? I learned there was a term for it while doing research for nanowrimo, I just thought I was being paranoid and sleep deprived during an insomniac period a few years ago lol) (it's a long story haha). But yeah this mysterious murderer who seems to not really exist at all, and vanishes like a ghost for years at a time.

#writing wrap up 2023 #thanks for tagging me! sorry I did not get over my shyness to tag anyone haha #please truly consider this an open tag if you've been waiting for one

5 notes · View notes

offtorivendell · 3 years

Text

I don't understand the theory that Az and Gwyn are mates - at all.

Do not screenshot this post.

Full disclosure: I also didn't read any of their interactions as definitively romantic, though I know others differ.

I got more of a potential sassy friendship vibe from them whereas, the moment I read Az and Elain together, I had a sneaky feeling her marriage to Graysen wouldn't eventuate - and the hints have only got stronger since - but that's not why.

I know that something "sparked" in Az's chest at the end of his bonus chapter, but that is easily explained by the Lightsinger theory, which, in my opinion, has possibly been set up since ACOWAR, when Feyre mentioned that the Cauldron "sang its siren song" (chapter 63, when it abducted Elain). SJM loves to insert little nuggets that we won't notice until much later. This may (or may not, of course) be one of them.

Please don't misinterpret this; I'm not saying Gwyn will be evil, I don't want her to be evil. "Good" or "nice" female characters shouldn't have to go bad in some way to be worthy of being written, and SJM has not yet done that in TOG or ACOTAR (I haven't read CC, so I could be wrong). This could be a power that Az helps Gwyn master for Good; these lessons could possibly open up an avenue for them to talk, and maybe have the necklace come up? That's if it even reached her. Side note - I also don't want either Elain or Gwyn to suffer through a love triangle. They both deserve better. It also may not have been Gwyn at all, but Clotho, who was there to meet Az.

But I'm getting off track.

The following quotes suggest, to me, that Azriel and Gwyn are not mates; having said that, this is obviously not a prerequisite for a romantic relationship, so ship whomever you like - books are meant to be fun. For all I believe the text most strongly supports Az and Elain, I have a soft spot for well-written E!ucien... and anyone with Tarquin. 🙂

This passage exists in ACOMAF, chapter 49:

Rhys roared in pain, arching against me. I felt the impact—felt blinding pain through the bond that ripped through my own mental shields, felt the shudder of the dozen places the arrows struck him as they shot from bows hidden beneath the forest canopy.

These passages exists in ACOSF, chapter 68:

Cassian stared toward the castle. “You think she’s alive?” The question haunted him with every breath these last few days. “You’d know if she’d died,” Azriel said, pausing his work and looking up at Cassian. He tapped his brother’s chest with a scarred hand. “Right here—you’d know, Cass.”

There was no arguing with the logic of it, even if Cassian’s heart screamed at him with every flap of his wings to fly back home.

And this passage exists in ACOSF, chapter 76:

Rhys crouched at her side, gripping her hand. Panic and terror and pain warred on his face.

It is canon that:

Feyre felt "blinding pain" through the bond, enough that her shields couldn't stop it, when Rhys was shot from the sky by the Hybern soldiers who were tracking his magic - before she knew they were mates.

Azriel himself reminds us of this bond-property, when he comforted Cassian that Nesta was still alive while competing in the Blood Rite. This is after solstice, when their bond locked into place. A whole other post could be dedicated to just why/how Azriel knows what it would feel like to no longer feel a bond.

Az was urgent when speaking about Briallyn having kidnapped Eris; in contrast, he was logical with his reasoning to follow Eris to see what might happen, rather than planning to take him as soon as possible. Cassian, on the other hand, struggled from the moment he knew Nesta had been kidnapped.

Cassian also didn't notice Az experience any pain, when we know Gwyn was severely injured in chapter 68, to the point that Emerie had to carry her up the final climb on Ramiel. Given that SJM likes her hints, if they were mates, we could have seen Az stumble or trip, at the very least.

Rhys felt pain when Feyre was in labour with Nyx, though this could also be interpreted as emotional pain.

Am I missing something?

#anti gwynriel #azriel #acotar #acomaf #acowar #acosf #acosf spoilers #elriel #shadowsinger #cassian #nessian #nesta archeron #feyre archeron #feysand #gwyn

145 notes · View notes

sassyduckqueen · 3 years

Text

Miraculous: Rise of Anatis 63

And that's Kwami Buster. This was pretty fun to write so I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter will be some OCs akumas so that will be fun :) anway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter :D

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Sixty-Three: Kwami Buster

Luka sighed as he sat on his bed, taking a deep breath and trying to keep a steady pace. He had woke up again from another nightmare. This time it had been the Mob Boss related one, causing him to wake up screaming. The Captain had rushed in and hugged him, telling him it was ok. He had been crying but calmed down after a while. The Captain had gone to get him a drink while he tried to calm his breathe. He jumped a little as she came back in and placed a water on his bedside. She sat on his bed and gave him a soft smile.

"Do you feel calmer?" She asked, causing him to nod in reply as he picked up the water and downed half of it. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was just about Mob Boss again," He replied, putting the glass down on his side table before bringing his knees up and hugging them. "...You don't hate me, do you?..."

"Of course, I don't, lad," Anarka gasped, moving closer and hugging him. "I love you so don't ever think otherwise,"

"R-right," He nodded, giving her a weak smile as he returned her hug. "I love you too, Ma,"

She gently rubbed his back and placed a kiss on his head.

"Do you want to try and get back to sleep?" She asked, making him nod. She gave him a smile and gently placed another kiss on his head before leaving his room. He waited for a few minutes before he heard her watching tv again before he jumped up as Tikki flew out. He transformed and climbed onto the roof before catching the akuma that Hawkmoth had sent for him before sitting down and waiting for the rest that would come. After two hours, he caught another one before letting out a sigh and waiting for another ten minutes. No more came, causing him to let a sigh of relief before he released the butterflies he had caught. They flew off but one of them landed on his nose, making him smile a little before it flew off. At least, he knew the butterflies themselves weren't evil. Just like the akumatized, they were tools for Hawkmoth to use. He jumped down and slid through the window, detransform as soon as he did. He caught Tikki and walked over to her little bed, setting her on it before he went into his draw and took out a cookie for her.

"Thank you," She smiled as he stretched. "Are you gonna try to sleep now?"

"I should, shouldn't I?" He replied as she ate the cookie. He climbed back into the bed and curled up as Tikki continued eating her cookie. Hopefully with the summer holidays coming up, he would be able to take some time to relax. Maybe even catch up on some much needed sleep. He yawned to himself before curling up and closing his eyes, drifting in a dreamless sleep.

~Next Day at School~

"Ok, Class!" Mrs Mendevileve shouted, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. Luka looked up from his notepad as she waited for everyone to look at her. "As I said at the beginning of class, I have an announcement to make. This Thursday Afternoon coming, your usual class with me will be covered by Mr Damocles as I have applied to be on the show Alternative Truth and my application was accepted. Now I expect you all to be on your best behaviour understood?"

"Yes, Mrs Mendevlieve," The class chanted as the bell rang, signaling lunch time. Luka got up and grabbed his bag, opening it and putting his books inside. Tikki was curled up inside snoozing, making him smile softly. He closed his bag and walked out of the room before Marc rushed over to him.

"H-Hey, Luka... um can I j-join you for lunch?" He asked, looking at his hands. "N-Nathaniel's at the d-dentist today so I was hoping I could sit with you and Marinette... if that's ok?"

"Of course, Marc," Luka smiled, making the shyer boy smile as they walked over off the room. "H-How's things going?"

"They're ok," Luka replied, making him looking at him. "What about you?"

"Ok I guess," Marc replied, playing with his hands again. "I... I was wondering something..."

"What's up?" He asked, looking at him. He felt more jumpy than usual.

"I... I'm thinking of going to therapy for my anxiety..." Marc muttered, looking down. "I... I hope you don't me asking you actually. I know you don't know me too well compared to Marinette and Nathaniel but... you've always been really nice to me and you seem wise so I was hoping for... advice?"

Luka looked at Marc in surprise, causing him to gasp and look down.

"T-That was stupid," He muttered, frowning. "I shouldn't have asked-"

"Oh, no... no, it's not stupid at all," Luka smiled, making Marc looking up at him. "Honestly, I think that if you think therapy can help with your anxiety then you should definitely try it out but it can be rough as well so be prepared for that,"

"R-Really?" He gasped, looking at Luka. "T-Thank you... I think I want to but... I don't know... maybe I'm overthinking things... urg and now I'm projecting onto you... I'm sorry..."

"It's fine," Luka smiled as they reached the canteen. Marinette was already sat there with the rest of their friends. Luka smiled and waved back as she waved at them before he turned to Marc. "If you want, I could ask my therapist about how ways for you to get help with your anxiety,"

"R-Really? You would do that?" Marc asked, looking at Luka with surprise. He gave Marc a soft smile and nodded, causing the younger boy to grin. "Yes! That would be great. Thank you,"

"I haven't done anything-" Luka started but Marc shook his head.

"Y-You have," He replied, glancing at his hands. "For one, you don't judge me and you listen to me. You didn't laugh at me either. I tried to bring it up to my dad and he kind of laughed at me. He isn't a bad man but he doesn't understand the whole mental health thing. He's of the opinion that men shouldn't cry and well... I'm not a typical 'man' as you can probably tell... I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"It's ok, Marc," Luka smiled as he picked out his food. "Juleka rambles a lot when she gets nervous... but I think it's brave that you want to tackle your anxiety,"

"Thanks," Marc smiled as they grabbed their trays and sat down with the others. "C-Could I also watch the next show you guys play? I r-really want to go to a concert but..."

"It's too much?" Luka asked, causing him to nod. "Well, we would love to have you at one of our shows. I'm not sure when we're next playing though.... but well, we could do something during the summer holidays,"

"Oh yeah... that would be great," Marc smiled as he sat down. Marinette gave them a smile as they sat down and began to eat before the group began to talk about their summer plans. Luka just listened in and occasionally put in a bit of insight or suggestions. He knew he wouldn't be able to make too many plans with his commitment to be a hero but they didn't need to know that. Felix let out a sigh and explained he would be going back to London for a few weeks while Kagami mentioned she might have to visit Japan for a week if her father had time. Luka couldn't help but frown a little as she had never mentioned her father before and he didn't exactly have fond memories of her mother. Mostly because he had been eaten by her when she was Ikari Gozen. While it didn't haunt his nightmares, it still freaked him out but mostly because she had been part car. Still he had been rescued and it's not like he could tell Kagami that it was him who got eaten. As far as she was aware, it was Anatis but still it counted. He mused to himself as he ate his lunch. He hadn't thought about it during Miracle Queen's attack or that day at all but he never thought he would be eaten by a giant centuror or swing around Paris on a yoyo. It was really quite amazing what he could do as Anatis... yet his connection with Feng haunted him and the old mage wasn't much help as he had seen him, he didn't exactly say much. He hoped that changed soon. He jumped a little as he felt someone poke his cheek. Marinette grinned at him as he looked at her.

"You zoned out..." She stated, making him blink before he chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry... was thinking about things," He replied, making her give him an endearing smile. He blushed a little at her gaze. "What did I miss?"

"Nino's has a DJing gig lined up," She replied, making him smile. "We're all invited,"

"Awesome," He smiled, turning to the fellow musician. "That's wicked, dude. Well done,"

"Thanks, Bro," He grinned, gleaming under Luka's praise. "I'm extremely excited but nervous,"

"I bet," Luka nodded. "But you'll be great,"

"Luka's right, Nino," Adrien grinned, making him smile even more. "I'll try and get my dad to let me go but I'm sure I can... come to the wrong address again,"

"I can cover for you, depending on if I'm able to avoid Japan," Kagami added in, making Adrien nod. "Does anyone have any other plans for the summer?"

"Not really," Alya replied, poking her food with her fork. "Apart from babysitting that is,"

"Me and Ivan will be going to some protests for environmental changes," Mylene added in, making people nod. They continued to talk about their plans until the bell rang. Luka said his goodbyes to the others and headed to the library for a free period. He took out his books and read up on his studies as Tikki stayed with him. However, he happened to glance up at the right time, causing him to see a black blur fly by. He frowned and opened his bag, causing Tikki to look up with concern.

"I just saw a black blur flying by," He stated, making her blink before an annoyed expression came onto her face. "Tikki?"

"It's Plagg!" She gasped, making him frown. "A large wheel of cheese has been appearing in the science lab every day for the last week. I told him off last week when I saw him go by during your gym lesson but I guess that stinky sock keeps on eating it,"

"What?!" He gasped, standing up and clearing up his books before he rushed into the science lab. He burst through the door and crossed his arms as soon as he saw Plagg eating. He looked up as he was able to take another bite. Tikki flew out and minicked Luka's pose.

"Luka! Sugarcube!" He grinned, making the two frown. "How nice to see you!"

"You said you were going to quit!" She gasped, making him chuckle.

"How could I?!" He gasped, hugging the cheese. "I can't resist such irresistible beauty!"

"Plagg, you could have been seen," Luka pointed out, walking over. "What if someone thought Lady Noir went to this school?"

"What?! Nooo! She doesn't!!" He gasped, making Luka raise an eyebrow. "I swear,"

"You're a terrible liar," He stated, gently flicking Plagg's nose lightly. "But for the sake of not wanting to know her identity, I'm going to ignore that,"

"Look, I'm sorry. It just smells so good!" He gasped, making Luka sigh. "It's magic cheese!"

"It's obviously a trap!" Tikki gasped, making Luka pinch his nose before he picked up Plagg and held him.

"Plagg, you are not to visit this every again," He stated in a serious manner. "If you do, I will get Lady Noir to feed you nothing but mild cheddar. Got it?"

"You wouldn't!" He gasped but Luka gave him a look, making him gasp again as he realized he was serious. "Ok! Ok! You have my word but can I finish this slice?!"

"No, you need to return to Lady Noir," Luka replied, making Plagg sigh but he knew the boy was right. He flew up and sighed, looking back at Luka with a sad expression but Luka crossed his arms and gave him a look. "Go,"

"Alright, alright," He gasped, flying off through the wall. As soon as he was gone, Luka and Tikki let out a sigh and walked out of the classroom. As soon as they were out of sight, Mrs Mendelieve moved out from under her desk, clutching her net. She had intended to capture the creatures but she had no idea that Luka had known who they were but apparently he did. Now that she knew the black cat was associated with Lady Noir, it made sense. It was a known fact that Luka was friends with Anatis but... well... she had never seen him and Anatis in the same room together. No one had and now she thought about it, they did look very similar but surely she would know if her student was the superhero... right?

~Thursday Afternoon~

"Mr Damocles!!" Alya gasped, standing up as he looked at her. "Can you confirm rumors that Mrs Mendeleiev isn't here today because she'll be appearing on the alternative truth TV show?"

"Where everything isn't always truth," Kim gasped, standing up and making a tick sign with his arms. "But nothing's really false!"

He moved his arms into a cross position as Mr Damocles shook his head.

"It may be truth that she discovered a scientific discovery of utter most importance," He replied, making the class gasp before they asked if they could watch the show, making Alix facepalm.

"My brother is one of the guests as well," She muttered as Mr Damocles agreed and had them move to the Library. They cheered and got up, heading to there as they discussed what she might have found. Marinette couldn't help but smile a little as she walked with Alya. She glanced over as she walked inside and saw Luka sat at the table, doing his homework. As if on cue, he looked up and gave her a smile with a small wave. She smiled back and walked over.

"What's your class doing here?" He asked as Mr Damocles came in and set up a tv.

"We're watching Alternative truth," She explained, making him nod. "Why don't you watch it as well?"

"I should focus on my homework," He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But... A few minutes won't hurt,"

"Ok!" She grinned as she sat on the ground near him. Alya sat next to her as the show began. Kim naturally quoted the slong as Alec did before Mrs Mendeleiev was welcomed on. He excitedly pointed her out, making Luka smile a little as Mr Damocles told him to sit down. Alec explained the rules of the show. All Mrs Mendeleiev had to do was convince the panel of experts that her theory was real. Though Marinette and Luka weren't sure if you could call XY, Mr Banana and Manon experts on science. However, he was interested now so he looked up as she cleared her throat.

"What you are about to witness is proof of the existence of interdimensional beings with incredible powers," She stated, making Luka bit his lip. Of course, she had set up the cheese. "Who can move through matter and seem to be attracted to aged cheese,"

Luka frowned deeply as he continued to watch. This was not good.

"I discovered the first of these creatures just before the christmas holidays," She explained, making Luka feel even more pale. "I soon discovered a second creature not long after the akuma Reflekta attacked. Since then I have been observing them closely. Now for my proof. Watch,"

She gestured to the video on screen, showing her observing a plate of cheese by hiding in a cupboard. It appeared nothing was happening.

"You can't see the creature itself as they're not filmable but right now, it is eating the cheese while the second creature tries to get it to leave the cheese alone," She explained before walking over to the screen as it zoomed into the cheese. "But look right there! You can see the cheese been eaten over time,"

She walked back over to the stand and turned to the screen again.

"Given that I was unable to capture these creatures on film, I've mades sketches of them, to give you an idea of what they look like," She declared, showing the images. Despite that they were badly drawn, it was quite obvious that it was suppose to be Plagg and Tikki. A number of the students watching looked pale, recognizing them as kwamis before Chloe cleared her throat with a nervous look. Luka just stared at the screen in surprise.

"What even are those suppose to be?" She asked, looking around and hoping that someone else got the idea. Luckily, Max did and pushed up his glasses.

"I doubt this show is scientific at all," He replied as Marinette got up and carefully slipped out. She made her way quickly to the bathroom and locked the cubical before opening her purse. Plagg flew out with a look of shame.

"Plagg, that was really irresponsible!" She gasped, making him look down. He wanted to justify it but he knew she was right. "You could have been captured,"

"I'm sorry, dollface," He mumbled, playing with his paws as she held out her hand. He floated over and sat on them. "But at least we can't be seen on film and we can fly through through things,"

He looked up to see if it had helped but Marinette looked upset.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hungry?" She gasped, shaking her head. She was blaming herself. "I could have gotten you extra cheese,"

"I.. I wasn't really... I was just been greedy..." He admitted, looking down. Marinette's eyes soften a little. "I really am sorry. I owe Sugarcube an apology too. She was right as usual and tried to stop me... as usual, I didn't listen..."

"Sugarcube?" She asked before it clicked. "As in Tikki?"

He nodded.

"So it really was her... but that means..." Her eyes widen as she realized. "Wait a sec! If Tikki was there too then that means she was here in the school, which means Anatis is a student at this school... just like me?!"

"Whaat?! Nooo!!" Plagg gasped, flying up. "Sugarcube has like a second sense when I get into trouble so she just followed it! That's all!"

"Plagg... you're a terrible liar," She stated, making him frown. "But I know if I try to work out who Anatis is, I'll have to give up been Lady Noir and I don't want that. I know Master Fu will find a replacement but I don't want to leave Annie alone so I won't try to find out who he is,"

~Back to Luka~

"It's time for our jury to vote and tell us if they think the theories are true or false!" Alec shouted as Kim did the same before he sat down as Mr Damocles stared at him. Luka was hoping they would vote her theory as false and that would be the end of it. Alec walked over to Alix's brother, causing Kim to point him as Alix groaned in embassassment. "Jalil Kubdel hypothesized that pyramids are in fact alien spaceships that came down to earth because they ran out of gas. What do you think?"

The panel's lights turned green, meaning he had won.

"Our jury has been convinced," He stated, turning to the camera. "Jalil succeeds!"

"Whoa! Your brother's won! Awesome!" Kim gasped as he shouted true or false. Alix looked over with an expression of sheer embarrassment before giving a thumbs up to Kim. The next contestant got two out of three votes, meaning they had won and then finally it was Mrs Mendeleiev's turn. She looked at the panel with a stern look as Alec read out her theory. However, none of the panel thought it was true. Luka silently let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Mendelieve but your fake video footage failed to convince our panel," Alec declared, walking over to the panel as Mr Banana told her to stay Peachy.

"It wasn't fake I swear!" She gasped as a security guard walked over to lead her from the stage. "This is an authentic, major scientific discovery!"

"You're welcome to come back when you've captured your cheese eating creatures," Alec laughed, making Luka frown. He never understood why he had to be mean about it. However, Mrs Mendevlieve ripped her arm from the security guard.

"Wait! I have a witness!" She called out, making the camera turn to her. "One of my students interacted with these creatures just the other day! He knows they are real! Just ask him! His name is Luka!"

However, the panel ignored her and the security guard pulled out as Luka stared at the screen with shock as the show ended. He quickly got up and left the room before anyone could question him, heading to the bathroom. He quickly rushed past the lockers, failing to notice Marinette walking out of the girls room before he headed into the bathroom, locking a cubical. Tikki flew out as he held his head in his hands.

"I should have known she was in there!" He gasped, looking up at Tikki. "Now people might work I'm Anatis! Oh no! Hawkmoth might work it out! Tikki, we need to be ready in case! Spots on!"

He transformed into Anatis before sighing. His yoyo vibrated, making him take it out before he watched the video, discovering that Mrs Mendeleiev had become akumatized. She was demanding Anatis show himself with his kwami and to bring Luka as a witness with a wicked smirk on her face. If they didn't turn up, she would drop the vault that had the show host, Alec, trapped inside. It was obvious that Hawkmoth and her suspected that he was the same person and know it would be impossible for him to show up as both Anatis and Luka but he had to find a way too.

"This is bad..." He muttered, frowning to himself. "I need to work out a plan to convince her and everyone that I'm not Anatis..."

He shook his head and exited the window, heading to the TV studio. He got there as she threw the vault of the building, causing him to throw his yoyo and wrap it around the vault, stopping it from failing. He yanked it up, causing it to land on the roof. He spun open the lock and opened the door, releasing Alec who rushed out as Lady Noir landed on top of the vault.

"Turns out the answer was true," She grinned. "Annie defies the law of science,"

"Anatis is secretly the student rockstar Luka Couffaine... true or false?" Kwami Buster asked, smirking.

"False," Lady Noir stated, making her blink. Anatis knew she was lying but she was also trying not to believe it or confirm that it was true. "I've seen Mr Couffaine and Annie together so sorry but you and Hawkmoth are wrong,"

"Then I'll just take your kwamis and see who's under the mask," Kwami Buster declared, firing an beam at them. The two of them dived away and dodged her attacks before throwing their own weapons towards her. She dodged them and fired at them again. "Back off, kids! I'm a scientist!"

"Yet you chose to go on a TV show that isn't run by authentic scientists!" Anatis shot back, diving behind a pillar as Lady Noir dived behind an air vent. "I hope your kwami has learnt his lesson,"

"Oh he has," She gasped, making him nod. "I'm sorry for his actions though. I hope you and Tikki are ok,"

"We're fine," He smiled, throwing his yoyo out. Kwami Buster dodged it and fired at him. He jumped back as she missed before she fired at a pole, breaking it. It fell towards him, forcing him to move. With him distracted, she fired at him and caught him in the beam. "So Kwamis don't exist huh?! Well, here's the proof!"

"Anatis!" Lady Noir called out as he tried to back away and resist. He could feel the beam pulling on him and he felt Tikki been yanked out of his earrings. He dove to the side as she got ripped out, hiding behind the vents as Lady Noir gasped. "Annie!"

"I'm ok but don't come over here!" He called out, making her frown and dodge as Kwami Buster fired towards her. He glanced around, hoping for a solution but without Tikki, nothing lit up. He looked around the corner and gasped as Kwami Buster began to walk over to him. However, Lady Noir summoned her power and used it on one of the billboards, causing to almost land on Kwami Buster before getting her attention so she was more focused on firing at her. Luka crawled under the debris and out of the fire escape. He would have to thank her later. He rushed down the fire escape stairs and out of one, glancing up at the roof as Lady Noir dodged and engaged Kwami Buster. He let out a sigh and ran off as fast as he could to Master Fu's.

~Back on the roof~

Lady Noir jumped around, dodging the beams of Kwami Buster as she distracted her, hoping Anatis got away. She knew he would go to Fu's and get help. Her mind kept flicking to the idea of Luka and Anatis been the same person but she pushed it back and ignored it even if it did make sense. She jumped up on a beam and spun around as Kwami Buster fired at her. She went to run off but Kwami Buster fired at her again and again, revealing she had trapped her on there.

"Now I'm gonna seize your kwami, cat! Truth or False?" She declared as she fired at her, capturing her in her beam. Lady Noir groaned and tried to pull back but she could feel Plagg been ripped from her ring. Seeing a crane bucket, she dived into it as Plagg got sucked from her. She let out a sigh of relief as she looked around and found the controls as Kwami Buster moved over to her. She pressed it, sending the bucket down. She climbed out and under the debris before escaping out of the fire exit. She rushed down the stairs and into the building, looking for a room to hide in. She opened a door and hid inside as she heard kwami buster coming down the stairs. She glanced around the dressing room before coming across a leather jacket, Mr Banana's suit and a domino mask. She took out her pigtails and turned them into a single plait before taking the yellow leggings out of Mr Banana's suit and putting them off. She put the leather jacket on and zipped it then added the mask, tying it over her face. She grabbed Mr Banana's boots and put them on before looking out of the door. She didn't look too similar to Marinette but she just had to hope no one who knew her saw her. She carefully made her way outside of the room and to the exit.

~At Master Fu's~

"Master!" Luka gasped as he burst through the door, causing Master Fu to sit up. "Tikki's been captured and Hawkmoth might work out my identity!"

"You're aware of the consequences of that," He stated, making Luka nod.

"I know!" He gasped as Master Fu got up and took out the miraculous box. "But I'm gonna fix it and save Tikki,"

"I know you will," Master Fu replied, taking out the box and placing in front of Luka before he opened it, causing the drawers to pop out as Luka glanced at them. Almost instantly, the fox and the mouse lit up as a plan began to form in his mind. Kwami Buster lured him there because she knew he couldn't be in two places at once but what if he could. "Luka Couffaine, you must pick a miraculous. Only this time, you wouldn't be giving to someone else. You will wear it yourself until you can get Tikki back,"

Luka nodded and began taking out all of them, putting them on as Master Fu gasped.

"What are you doing?" He asked as Luka placed the circlet on his head, causing it to turn into a thin headband as he added the others. "I know you've merged miraculous before but merging this many could drive you insane,"

"Don't worry, Master," Luka smiled as he slid on the snake bracelet, freeing Sass before placing the mouse miraculous around his neck. It turned into an amber donut amulet as he clipped in the goat's hair clips. "I only need the mouse's power. I'm just wearing the others to free the Kwamis. I need their help for this plan,"

He put the last of the miraculous on before standing up.

"Mullo! Get Squeaky!" He declared, causing Mullo to get sucked into the necklace. It lit up and turned black with pink mice on it before he did a backflip, creating his outfit which was gray bodysuit with dark gray sides. He threw his arm to the side, creating his gloves that were black with pink rims. The pink light created his boots that were black with pink heels. He moved his hands over his hair, turning into gray with pink highlights before moving his arms downwards over his face, creating his mask, which was pink and gray with a black trim. He caught the pink energy in his hands, creating a jump rope. He jumped over it a couple of times before it turned into his belt, completing his look. "And now I'm Mousekin,"

He walked over to the window and opened it before stumbling and gasping a little as he fell to the ground. Master Fu looked at him with worry.

"Are you sure about this, Luka?" He asked, frowning as Mousekin pushed himself back up.

"If I don't then who will defeat Kwami Buster and help Lady Noir?" He asked, looking to Master Fu. "To capture her akuma, I need to get my Ladybug powers back first so I need to save Tikki. To that, I'm gonna let myself get captured. Kwami Buster wants Kwamis so she can have them. She won't think anyone else will be able to get inside her backpack so she won't be expecting it. I call it the trojan kwami move,"

"That's very clever," Master Fu nodded. "But how are you gonna pull it?"

"That's why I need the mouse," He replied, taking out the jump rope. He jumped over it before spinning the rope around him and throwing it into the air. "Multitude!"

The rope wrapped around him and glowed, disappearing into his boots that lit up. Slowly, he got smaller as he divided into a number of mini versions of himself. He walked over to one of them and took the fox miraculous off, handing it to the other mouse. He took it and put it on before holding out his hand.

"Mullo! Trixx!" He called out, placing his hands together. "Unify!"

The pink and dark gray on his outfit turned orange as a flute appeared on his back. An orange triangle appeared below his collar on his neck, showing the fox miraculous hanging there and he gained an orange trim on his boots. The pink highlights turned orange as well as did his jump rope. He jumped onto the miracle box as the original mouse gave one of the others the snake miraculous and whispered something to him, getting a nod of him.

"And now I'm Foxkin," He declared, grinning before he turned to the Kwamis and the rest of the Micekin. They nodded at him before climbing into a number of the kwami's mouths as Fluff flew over to him. He jumped into her mouth, causing them to fly off as Master Fu looked worried.

"If Anatis fails this time, Hawkmoth will get all of the miraculous," He declared, closing the window.

"He has never failed,"

~Back at the Studios~

Marinette ran and dodged Kwami Buster's beam as she chased her before she jumped over and grabbed her arm, causing to her struggle as she tried to pull her arm from her grip. Kwami Buster smirked and went to grab her ring, making Marinette panic.

"Charge!" A male voice declared, causing the women to look over as a number of Kwamis charged towards them. Kwami Buster let go of her, causing her to fall on the ground as she began to fire at the kwamis and chase them. Marinette let out a sigh before one of the kwamis flew over. She recognized them as Sass and Long, causing her to raise an eyebrow as Sass opened his mouth and revealed a small boy sat inside. He resembled Anatis but also looked a little different.

“Annie?” Marinette asked as she looked at the tiny boy sat in Sass’ mouth. He had pink and gray hair and wore a simple gray boy suit with black sides, black boots and black gloves with a pink trim . His mask was gray and pink with a black outline. He gave her a soft smile before shaking his head.

“No, I’m Mousekin,” He replied, making her blink. “Anatis asked me to help out. One of my brothers will need your ring for our plan to work,”

“Brothers?” She asked as a kwami she recognized as Longg flew over. It opened its mouth, revealing another boy identical to the current one. “You’re twins?”

“Nope, he’s me and I’m him. The mouse gave the original me the power to split into multiple versions of myself. Only we’re small,” The original one replied. Or she thought he was the original one. He might not be. He jumped out of Sass’ mouth and landed on the desk as his brother did the same thing. She blinked before taking her hand out of the costume and looking at her ring. As if sensing her hesitation, the little mouse boy gently put his hand on her costume. “I promise I only want to help you and Anatis,”

“Alright,” She replied, taking her ring off and passing it to the other mouse boy. He smiled and moved it over his head so he was wearing it.

“Don’t worry, Lady Noir. I’ll get your kwami back,” He replied before turning to the other one. “You remember the plan right?”

“Of course,” The original mouse boy smiled as the other one nodded and jumped back into Longg's mouth before he turned back to her. “We need to go and meet Anatis on the roof but first,”

He took off a bracelet and held it out to her. It was the size of a ring but the moment she took it off him, it turned back to it’s real size. She blinked as she realized that it was the snake miraculous.

“Anatis thought it would be a good idea to have you use that,” He stated, making her blink. "He said the transformation words are Sass, Scales Slither,"

"Alright," She replied, slipping it on. It turned in a rose gold bracelet with an infinity symbol in the middle. She held up her arm and turned to Sass. "Sass! Scales Slither!!"

Sass got sucked into the bracelet, charging it up before she spun around, causing her hair. to turn into a long plait. Unlike her Lady Noir form, it was loose and the top part resembled a cobra's hood. She had a silver bead at the end of it, sealing the braid. It was dark green in color and faded into dark teal. She swiped her hand across her face, creating her mask that resembled a snake before she held up her hands, causing a teal light to move across her body, creating her outfit. She wore a teal blue suit with dark green and teal green details. She had thigh high boots with diamond details on them and she had large yellow diamonds on her hips. She had a thin belt around her waist and her gloves were just over her elbows. Her eyes were snake like and her lyre appeared on her hip, completing the look. She leaned down to Mousekin and gave him a smile.

"How do I look?" She asked as he looked up at her.

"Very pretty," He smiled, making her blush a little. "What do you want me to call you?"

"Call me Queen Cobra," She replied, holding out his hand. He climbed on it and she moved her hand to her shoulder. He climbed on and sat on it, holding onto her hair as she ran over to the fire escape. They rushed upstairs but stopped outside of the door. "So what's the plan, Mousekin?"

"The mouse with your miraculous needs to get captured but we need to stay hidden," He replied as they opened the door and peeked out. "If Kwami Buster sees you, she'll try and capture the snake kwami, which will reveal you but we need to make sure she doesn't win hence the snake's ability. Anatis said it's a save point,"

"It is. Second chance," She replied, flicking it. "We now have five minutes,"

"Ok," Mousekin nodded as they slipped outside. However, Kwami Buster fired at them and caught them. Queen Cobra managed to flicker the bracelet back before Sass got captured, making her frown as she returned back to the moment before. She tried a different way but Kwami Buster caught them again, causing her to flick back her bracelet again before she frowned."Something wrong?"

"We almost got captured twice," She replied, making him frown. "She sees us straight away,"

"Hang on," He replied, pressing his hand to ear. "Any Micekin listening, can you provide a distraction? Me and Queen Cobra need to get pass Kwami Buster,"

"On it!" One of them replied, causing him to jump down and rush out. Seeing Kwami Buster facing away from them as a number of kwamis flew around her, he waved to Queen Cobra, causing her to rush out. He also made a mental note of the helicopter that was filming the fight. The two of them hid behind a vent and looked out.

"Good job, Mousekin," She smiled as she picked him back up and placed him back on his shoulder. He nodded and kept a lookout, smiling a little as he saw Long get captured. The trojan Kwami was in place.

~Inside Kwami Buster's Weapon~

"It looks like your owner has failed us, Tikki," Plagg gasped as the other kwamis appeared inside. "We're doomed,"

Longg and Pollen flew over, making them look at them before they opened their mouth, revealing two of the Micekin. Plagg gasped in surprise as they jumped out.

"Anatis?!" He asked in surprise as they looked up at him.

"I told you my owner is the best!" Tikki grinned, proud of his plan.

"I'd never abandon you, Tikki," He smiled as the other one nodded. He turned to him. "Ready for the next part?"

"Sure," He replied, holding out his hands. "Plagg! Mullo! Unify!"

He joined his hands together as his outfit gained green where the pink and dark gray was and two cat ears appeared on his head before the other Mousekin held out his hands.

"Tikki, Mullo!" He called out, moving his hands together. "Unify!"

Like his other selves, he gained red where the dark gray and pink was before black spots appeared across the rest of his suit. Catkin looked at him, getting a nod of him before holding out his hand.

"Cataclysm!" He declared, charging up his hand before placing it against the inner wall of the container. It cracked it before it blew up, freeing the akuma and the kwamis. Catkin and Bugkin climbed back into the mouths of Longg and Pollen before they flew out. Bugkin jumped down, along with the other micekin as they saw the akuma flutter up. He threw his yoyo in the air, summoning a lucky charm which was a small bowl. It flew and landed on the akuma, trapping it as the other kwamis and micekin held it down. Mrs Mendelieve looked around confused as Longg flew over to Queen Cobra. Catkin jumped down and ran over to her, turning back to his normal form as the mousekin on her shoulder jumped back down. He took off the ring and held it out to her. "Your ring as promised,"

"Thank you, mysterious mousekin," She smiled, taking it and putting it back on before the two of them ran back over to the others.

"Foxkin, can you hear me?" Bugkin asked, causing Foxkin to over from the vent and gave him a thumbs up. "Phase 3,"

"Got it," He replied, taking out the flute and holding it to his mouth. He played the tune, creating the ball of light before he threw it. "Mirage!"

A few seconds later, Queen Cobra looked up as Plagg sat on her shoulder as Anatis landed back on the roof, making her smile. He knelt down as Mousekin walked over to him.

"Great job, Mousekin. Thanks to you, we got our kwamis back," He smiled before looking over at Queen Cobra. "You took my suggestion I see,"

"It really helped," Mousekin replied as Queen Cobra grinned.

"Awesome job boys!" She yelled out, making them both smile before Anatis stood up and released the akuma. He threw his yoyo and captured it before freeing the purified version. He picked up the bowl and threw it up in the air, releasing the cure and fixing everything as Queen Cobra came over, making sure for Mrs Mendeleiev to hear her as Mousekin reformed into his full size. "I'm sorry my kwami headed to that middle school, Annie. I don't know why he did but I'll keep a better eye on him,"

"It's ok, Lady Noir," He smiled. "Would you mind taking the teacher back? I need to get Mousekin's miraculous,"

"Oh right, you need this," He gasped, taking it off and turning back into Luka, causing Queen Cobra and Mrs Mendelieve to gasp in surprise. Anatis looked at him with a surprised expression. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You weren't suppose to take it off yet," He replied, making Luka frown. "I normally take it back after we've left the scene... especially since..."

He glanced up at the helicopter in the sky. Luka frowned as he saw it before sighing.

"I'm sorry," He replied as Anatis placed his hand on his shoulder.

"We all make mistakes, Luka," He stated, making the boy nod. "But this means I can never give you a miraculous again,"

"Right," Luka replied, nodding as Anatis turned to Queen Cobra.

"Lady... I mean... Queen Cobra... I'll get Luka back home if you can get Mrs Mendeleiev safe,"

"Of course," She nodded, turning to the teacher as she turned to Luka.

"So you're not Anatis?" She asked, making him shake his head. "I see... well, would you three be willing to testify that I really did make a discovery?"

"We can't," Anatis replied, making her frown. "The Kwamis are how we get our powers. Revealing their existence to the world would help Hawkmoth,"

"Oh!" She gasped, frowning. "I didn't think of that... I'm sorry. I put you and my student in danger. I'll keep your secret,"

"Thank you," He replied before swinging off with Luka. Queen Cobra lead Mrs Mendeleiev out of the building and the helicopter flew off, seeing the fight was over. Foxkin waited for a few minutes before he carefully walked over, tired from the merges before swiping his flute across the illusion.

"Reality!" He declared, making all the damage and the other micekins appear with the lucky charm. He remerged all of them and turned back to Anatis before catching the akuma and releasing the cure for real this time. The kwamis cheered around him before he dived off the building and headed to Master Fu's while keeping an eye out for Lady Noir.

~Hawkmoth's Lair~

"Breaking news, an ally of Anatis was revealed to be none other then Luka Couffaine, son of Rockstar Jagged Stone," Nadja Chumack declared, showing footage of Anatis and Luka in the same place. Gabriel frowned as he turned it off. He was so sure he had discovered Anatis' real identity but there was no way for the two boys to appear in the same place as far as he knew but at least, he could cross Mr Couffaine off his list of who Anatis was.

"One day, Anatis, I will discover who you are," He growled, glaring at the dark screen. "You and Lady Noir will fall to me and I shall have my wish!"

~At Master Fu's~

"Lady Noir returned the snake miraculous," Master Fu replied as Luka put back the other miraculous. "Your plan was well thought out but are you feeling ok?"

"A little tired but otherwise ok," He replied, looking up as he closed the box. "Lady Noir and my identity are safe. As far as Paris and Hawkmoth will be concerned, Luka is the holder of the mouse miraculous or at least, he was and I think Plagg has learn his journey. As for me and Lady Noir, we won't be looking into each other's identity. We know the rules,"

"Yes, she said something similar," He replied, smiling. "Clearly, you two are the best choice for the Ladybug and the black cat. I'm glad that I don't have to take away your miraculous. You know there is no miraculous owner in all of history has been mentally or physically strong enough to wear that many miraculous at one time,

"Really?"

"Yes, you are truly something else, Luka," He smiled, making Luka play with his hands in a shy manner. "Now why don't we talk about something more fun? Do you have plans for the summer holidays?"

"Well.. actually... I do,"

------------------------------------------------------------------

Next Chapter: Coming soon

18 notes · View notes

wu-sisyphus-gang · 3 years

Text

Motion Sickness Chapter 63

pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq

"Well, are you?" I asked Jasper.

"Am I what?" She returned from her place by the counter.

"Going to shut down the strikes. She made some pretty good points about the Grimm," I said. I leaned on one of the tables, my massive sword handle extending over my head.

"No… I told you we aren't even in charge of the strikes really. It's a bit of an avalanche that's carrying us along. And if we don't get on board we'll be left behind," Jasper returned. "I'm not saying that she didn't have any good points. And maybe the only way to get real change going is with the elections. And Robyn Hill is basically a shoe in over Schnee. Especially down here in Mantle. Money can only buy you so much. Might be for the best if things were to die down."

"But you're not sure," I affirmed.

"How can I be? Nobody's sure. It's the Cetra condition. The Happy Huntresses are about defending Mantle, though. They've been at it for a while and they've done some real good. Maybe they're right about this too. I certainly don't think the military will shoot on the crowd but if they do it would be bad."

"The Happy Huntresses don't seem to like me which is a point in their favor."

"Oh pssh. None of that. You do fine."

"So, I'll just come by again later?" I asked.

"Yeah, really sorry about this, cutie." She winked. Her fox tail swished around in the air behind her in a brownish-red and white flare.

I ignored that last bit.

Neo tugged on my sleeve from her position by my side.

"What?" I asked her. "Want one of their drinks?"

She held up a finger to her lips as though deep in thought. Then shook her head.

"Then I have no idea what you want." I turned back towards Jasper. "We'll be back later. I'm going to go scope out this Adam Taurus and the protests. I might end up having to kill him after all."

"If you say so. See you later tonight."

"Yeah well no promises, especially if I end up in a fight."

Neo and I strode out and mounted my motorcycle. "You are being a needy bitch today, Neo. What's up with you?"

She shoved a finger in out of a rounded hole made of her other fingers. "Not happening. Didn't happen. I would remember something like that."

I was like seventy-five percent sure. Maybe a hard seventy.

She shrugged at me, somehow making the gesture teasing. An 'if you say so.'

"I do say so." And I did. It did not happen.

No matter what she herself implied. I would remember. I would know. Sure the night before was little more than golden blurs. And sure I somehow ended back up at the motel with all my armor and gear.

Anything could have happened after I really started drinking and the morning when I woke up. Anything but that, that is. The warm memories I felt were probably from The Den not from you know… sex… with Neo.

I rubbed a hand over my face hard.

"Neo you're fucking killing me. You know that, right?"

She grinned and nodded.

"Yeah well even if it happened once it's never ever happening again. I'm too fucked up to be doing that level of drugs again, that was a mistake. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm also too fucked up to be having sex with you."

I looked down at her as she frowned and slapped me on the arm.

"No points against you. You're drop dead gorgeous. But, well, tough shit," I returned. "For me and for you."

I revved up my motorcycle. Neo straddled behind me and flickered into a disguise for while we were driving. She was wanted, more so than my own form. No reason to give some patrol-man a reason to pull us over and start calling for backup.

And she couldn't exactly cover every camera we came across while driving. There were too many on the main roads and we went by too fast. So this little disguise helped.

She was still gorgeous in her double, with bright green eyes and dark black hair, just as long as it was when she was in her normal form which was to say waist length. Neo had that otherworldly angel-esque appearance some hunters got after a few years with aura.

It was a cure all to wrinkles and blemishes and left the user looking out of this world. Neo was no exception with her tight stomach being exposed and her muscular, relatively long smooth legs in those heels propping up her butt. Her short stature didn't detract from her beauty.

Huntresses, man. They were just like that. Like they came from another planet. Maybe I was a bit like that too, though. If I could be so arrogant. I'd had aura most of my natural life. Tall, blonde, and huntsman, I recalled a conversation in GaiLong I had with an old man about it. He told me not to be dense. I attracted more than my fair share of looks. More than my fair share.

Ruby had been like that. Beautiful like a little angel. Her hair and eyes stood out unnaturally even amongst huntresses. Yang, of course, was staggeringly gorgeous with her blonde mane of hair and lilac eyes. Weiss had a sort of pristine crystalline look to her that had drawn me to her immediately. Like she was multifaceted. Like a cut diamond. Blake had that bookish appeal but translated over to the huntress side of things it made her stand out in any crowd.

Pyrrha… well it went without saying with Pyrrha. Her emerald eyes and bright red hair flashed behind my eyelids every time I closed my own. She haunted me, Pyrrha Nikos did.

Even Jasper had started to have a bit of that. Stomach and face like a supermodel and long legs to boot.

Huntresses, man. Ain't nothing like 'em. Aura was a hell of a drug. It turned people into angelic beings.

But Neo was no exception. When I first arrived at Beacon I thought I'd have been lucky to have sex with someone as gorgeous as she was.

Now the thought only filled me with a slight sense of dread. A mix of betrayal and hurt welled up from deep inside me. Even though I had no right to feel that way. My feelings about it weren't valid. Not then when I'd first arrived at Beacon, all my feelings from then were fake. And not now when I was cruising around like a monster.

I rolled up on where the miners were picketing. It was near the open pit mine I'd been at for the bombing. They'd lined up around it, eight or ten people deep. They were armed with protest signs and little else from what I could see. They had no weapons.

Could Ironwood really open up and fire on a crowd like this? Would that really solve the negativity problem or just make it worse? I could see it now, a swarm of Atlesian Robots mercilessly breaking up the protest with sleek assault rifles.

I thought it would make things worse. For sure, for sure but my opinion hardly counted for squat, did it.

By the crowd there were police officers lined up around the perimeter. They probably had standing orders to leave the crowd be but break up any fighting. They looked nervous. As they should before a mob like this.

The people were baying for change.

From the protestors' signs they were demanding safe improvements to their work and higher wages. Nothing crazy, at least in my opinion. In my estimation they would get it. They deserved it. These people weren't hunters. They hadn't signed up for danger. They wanted their working environments to be safe so they could go home and see their families every day.

There was nothing crazy about that. Nothing insane. These people already should have had that. Mining should be one of the safest occupations. It could be done right. It didn't have to be a dangerous, well, a minefield. Save that for the hunters.

I guess the collapse of this mine, artificial or not, had been a bit of a breaking point for the people. I trolled around the crowd for a few hours. Traffic was ground to a halt in places as the protest spilled out onto the streets, blocking vital arteries of city flow beyond the capacity to reroute. It backed up traffic for miles and miles. It was unbelievable.

It was a mess. I could confess that. But it seemed like an easy enough decision at the top level. Capitulate, and nobody would have to get hurt. Of course if old man Schnee cared more about people than the profits his company could pull in, then people wouldn't be protesting, would they.

It was hard to see him winning the election to the council with open picketing happening against his company but Atlas got a vote too and they were separated from all this. One of the benefits of keeping the people of Atlas and Mantle segregated.

It was gross but effective. Keep the different stakeholders in different places and there would be no need to capitulate. I didn't hide the disgust I felt and let it roll out onto my expression. Jacque Schnee could keep his company rolling the way it had been and become a council chairman. He could have his cake and eat it too.

pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq

I never found Adam Taurus.

It wasn't exactly a point of shame for me either. The entire Atlas military couldn't find me but then again I was driving around in broad daylight with my own illusionist. It made me wonder if Adam had his own illusionist. Like maybe someone like Emerald Sustrai. She was an illusionist too.

What I managed to do instead was drive around and observe the absurdity of the crowd for a few hours. If I needed to find Adam Taurus bad enough I would use Aurum. Not drive around lost.

Still it was good for me to see the crowd and feel their negativity for myself. It was easy to talk about it and have it all get lost on you what ten thousand angry people really felt like against your skin. Or aura. Whichever. They felt mostly the same to me. Maybe it was my short lifespan with a relatively long period of having my aura activated but I could hardly tell a difference.

I could feel Neo riding behind me with her cruel cold. I could also feel the crowd. Blazingly hot. Burning me up. Throngs of people fired up over a common reason. A common goal.

I wasn't much of an empath but even I could feel the negativity. Ren had always been better than me at that. Ruby had been too. What did it say that I was able to feel the negative emotions rolling off the crowd like a tsunami?

It meant that even a layman could probably notice it and pick up on it. The walls of Mantle had probably been under twenty-four seven assault by the Grimm. Meanwhile Atlas rested above, safe and sound. Connected to Mantle only by shallow guide wires for the gondolas and trams.

A shallow spider web that connected the two cities. Never crossing, never overlapping, but allowing the transference of people and ideas.

They probably felt none of this rage. Atlas was an island in a sea of negativity and Grimm. Albeit a floating island but an island nonetheless.

How could two places so close together feel so disparate? Was this how the segregation had remained mostly in place for so long? How long has things been like this with Mantle's red hot rage and Atlas's grey cold apathy?

It unsettled me, the stark difference between the two.

I shifted on the bike and Neo scooted down closer to me. She kept a single arm around me and under my plate.

"Well Neo, what do you think? Think we should cut this off and kill Adam Taurus?"

Was I just hunting for a reason for me to kill someone. Maybe. Salem was driving me mad. I at least had that as an excuse.

"Of course killing Adam Taurus won't end this. We'd need to get that Dyne guy. We started this, though. We're responsible for it, to one degree or another."

"I feel bad. Last night I was getting wasted in The Den and this shit was happening down here. You couldn't even tell how bad things are from up in Atlas. All the people down here, if you even care to look and see them, just look like ants."

I rolled back up on Seventh Heaven in the evening. There were more cars parked outside than normal. I marched up to the place and walked inside with a jingle of the bells.

It was relatively crowded. It had all the members of Avalanche inside, looking as they did before with their red bandannas. Then it had another man in a white mask, red hair and a long katana. He had the horns of a bull on him.

There were two more guys inside. A taller white skinned gentleman with a white shirt, green trousers and a green vest with red trimmings. He had only one arm. The other was cut off at the elbow with red bandages around the end. He had a wiry tail like that of some kind of big cat.

Another man was in there but his opposite arm, his right, was cut off at the elbow. He was taller, taller than me, with black skin and black hair. He had thick brown boots and a brown vest with green trousers and a darker brown under shirt. He had a thick bushy bear tail.

Everyone turned to look at Neo and I as we walked in. We were the only humans in the room.

"Cloud…" Bisque said in greeting.

"What're these humans doing here?" The man in the white mask gestured his blade forward at his hip towards me.

"We invited them, before we knew this meeting was going to happen," Jasper said.

The man with the katana growled at me. I stared him right down back. It would be inaccurate to say nothing scared me, but not this asshole.

"He worked with us. He's a mercenary who helped us blow up the mine. He fought the Turks. He's cool," Wenge said.

"You did that?" The taller dark skinned man asked.

"I did." I nodded.

"Why would a human do that?" The masked man asked.

"Money. Information. Take your pick," I shot back.

"I don't like your attitude. And I do recognize her. She's Neapolitan. She used to work for Roman Torchwick."

"She works for me now. You got a problem with that then we can take it outside."

He growled and stepped forward towards me. A hand held him back and his chest from the man without his left arm.

"I'm Dyne. This is Barret," Dyne introduced. "We could use the help of a skilled merc. The picketing is losing steam already. We need to set a fire under Schnee's ass."

"Avalanche was telling us about another operation, one to sink an SDC freighter," the man without his right arm continued, Barrett was his name. "Make them beg for the miners back."

"They told me about it. I recommended that they wait," I said. "I take it you gentlemen want the operation to go ahead?"

"That's right." The man with the sword said. "If you think you're up for it. If they think a human like you can be trusted."

"Avalanche has one of my retainers." I pulled my pipe out and lit it. I made myself look comfortable.

"Oh Cloud can I get you anything to drink?" Jasper asked.

I looked down at Neo. She nodded. "Just one of those house specials for Neo. I'm good." I'd had enough to drink the night prior. "And who's this?" I nodded at the man with the Katana. "The rest of you were polite enough to introduce yourselves."

"I'm Adam Taurus."

"Ah," I said. "The man on everybody's mind. I might get paid to kill you tomorrow."

He grabbed his sword but he didn't draw it.

"Is that a threat."

"A little." I exhaled smoke in his direction. "It's the truth. Think you can take me, Taurus? Wanna dance?"

He growled at me.

"I, for one, like you, Cloud. What was your last name?" Dyne asked.

"Strife. It's Cloud Strife."

"Well I think we just may be able to work together. Avalanche has your fee? You'll do this op for us?"

I smoked and nodded. I looked over Dyne's head at Avalanche. They were giving me pleading and grateful looks.

"Should be cinch," I said. "We can discuss my payment later."

pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq

-WG

5 notes · View notes

digitalta · 3 years

Note

( you probably get these a lot but...here i am)

i've read antithesis about 3 times, i always stopped reading around chapter 66 because it was too painful, but it's one of my favorite works in fanfiction. i convinced my sister to read it (it's like...the second fanfiction she's ever read) and she's absolutely engrossed, and today is the day i finally finished reading this tragic masterpiece. (now there's a void in my heart).

what i mean to say is...thank you (for the angst, for the drama, for the comedy, for everything). i don't know what to say or even how to say it, this is such a humane and tragic story that touched me so much that i can't even formulate a semblance of what i really want to say and what it means to me. so, thank you.

oftentimes i found myself so entranced in your writing that i feel like i didn't register the best pieces of writing and identified what could be some quotes to add to my all time favorites.

by chance, do you have a compilation of antithesis's best quotes or poetic tidbits you can share with us please?

and thank you, really ♡

So, I got this Ask a few days ago, and I’ve been sitting on it and looking at it constantly.

First- no. The number of messages never EVER take away from the meaning behind them. I could receive four messages, or four hundred, and I treasure each and every one. You are an individual with completely unique experiences and views. You deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, not thrown into a list of messages from nameless people.

Reading the story isn’t easy for some people. It’s all a matter of perspective, and how we can connect with it and how we can hurt from it. I am so proud of you for finishing it, and finding meaning at the end.

There are...sections? Of the story that I am incredibly proud of. Pointing out quotes from memory is impossible based on the insane length of the fic.

So I tried to find individual portions that meant a lot to me, as an author and writer. I have a style of writing that I started to refine much further in the story, which appears often in the end. Surrealism and lyrical twist that is more akin to poetry than standard literature. Those lines are the ones I’m most proud of.

A few more popular quotes are those I still enjoy.

Truth be told, moments I actually enjoy appear in the middle and towards the end.

Ch. 36: "I could have been raised to kill Potter." Adrian tried again, desperate in his attempt to scare the man.

"You could have been," Remus agreed, with the faintest glimmer of sympathy, "And if you were, I would give you freedom to live away from expectations or requirements. I would give you an opportunity to follow what you want to do, and not what you were raised to do."

"It wasn't your fault Adrian," He repeated carefully, "and I'll tell you that every day for however long it takes for you to realize that. You weren't abandoned because of who you are. It wasn't your fault."

Ch. 37: He had never thought of her as someone with individual dreams and desires, an individual life that everyone would mourn and miss and remember.

She hadn't...she hadn't (or had she always been?) a person, in his eye. She was just an object, a possession of the wrong side…He had left her behind, left her lying in a pool of water too weak to stand or speak. He had turned his back on her and left her on the floor.

Ch. 38: The man's eyes were bulging, his hands were gasping against his torn and butchered chest.

"He is prey," Nagini simplified, "Prey are eaten."The man gasped something wetly, it sounded faintly like a plea.

What had he done. What had he done?

Ch. 40: "I know, I just...I do things on my own." Adrian paused, trying to elaborate but struggling with the words.

"Ah, I know how you feel." Remus smiled slightly, something nostalgic and yet so terribly pained, "We all have our own burdens to carry."

Ch. 40: Luna noticed, and she smiled something soft and sad."You know, I think you'd be a wonderful thestral.”

Ch. 44: She turned, opening her mouth and displaying saliva and venom soaked teeth, as long as dinner plates, "And do you, Cerastes, have anything to your name that make others cower? Or are you a hatchling child who dreams of prey far too large for his teeth."

"That's not true," Adrian shook his head in denial, knowing his face was flushing ugly with his anger. His scars itched and his eyes were burning and his nose was filled with disgusting snot.

"Are you crying?" Barty asked, sounding like he was going to burst out laughing, "as if the Dark Lord would find you useful!"

"Master," Lutain unhooked from Barty's leg, slithering across the distance, "Master that is not true,"

"It is," Adrian swallowed, a lump the size of a walnut was lodged in his throat.

Ch. 45: "That's why you wore this dress." he realized, speaking out loud as the epiphany struck him. "So people would stare at you. Instead of staring at me."

"People always stare at me," Luna offered dismissively, "I'm different and people don't like that. I think it scares them, like thestrals do."

Ch. 46: Luna smiled enchantingly, "Adrian you're good at spells."

"I'm really not," he automatically blurted.

Luna's eyes searched his, flickering from one back to the other, "Why are you arguing? Why do you think you're so...mediocre?"

"Because I am!" Adrian blurted, face feeling warm as he flushed against his will. Luna's spell faded out. She whispered it once more, squinting into his face as if looking for something in particular.

"I don't think you are," She confided, "I think you're brilliant."

Ch. 46: Adrian's throat moved three times as he nervously swallowed, "I...I'm not good enough n-"

"I'm afraid you're going to do something stupid for the approval of someone that doesn't matter."

Ch 50: "I tried, but the little demon went savage on Mundungus again, stabbed him with a fork and looked right happy with it." Sirius grimaced.

Ch. 50: "How was your summer?" Luna asked curiously. "You look terrible."

"You know, most times you're supposed to compliment me first." Adrian dryly commented, "It's wonderful to know you're so sweet."

Luna shrugged, "You look like something's eating you."

Ch. 50: Skylar's jaw flexed, twitching as he refused to look away from the window, "Cedric really...I saw Cedric die. I saw him die, and you saw someone die, right in front of you, years ago."

"I was young," Adrian swallowed, his throat felt dry, "I barely remember it."

Skylar gave a single bark of laughter, bitter and sharp, "You don't- you don't just...just forget about it."

"Yes you do." Adrian blurted, not even hearing the slightly pained whine in his voice.

Skylar looked haunted, "I...I remember his eyes. They...Merlin, his eyes."

"I don't think I'll ever forget it," Skylar admitted quietly, "What Cedric looked like. Laying there, on the grass. He, he was just...alive, and then… and then he wasn't."

"It wasn't your fault." Adrian spoke, his voice a hoarse whisper.

Ch. 54: “You’re not unlovable, silly.”

Ch. 56: “I could set this entire room on fire,” Adrian mused quietly. “I could burn this entire house down and kill you. burning people smell a lot like burning meat.”

Sirius realized, that he was afraid. He was quite afraid actually.

Ch 57.: Adrian stilled, pausing as if in thought. He looked at Remus with half lidded eyes, the yellow far too bright to be anything but alarming. "Do you like me, Remus?"

Remus felt as if he was mourning for the loss of something gone, which was impossible. Adrian was right there, but he felt so far away. He felt as if he had changed truly, as if something hideous had condemned him to something so foul, he had accepted it.

"Of course I do," Remus spoke, voice strained and distorted through his distress, "Adrian, you know I do. Why would you ever think I wouldn't?"

Ch. 58: "I thought I was insane." Adrian mused without much emotion, "Disturbed. Psycho. Spastic. Mad. Mental. Thick. Freak." Adrian's body twitched in a small spasm, "Loony." he practically hissed out.

Remus breathed through his nose carefully, "Who called that to you?"

"Nobody," Adrian murmured quietly, "Everyone. They think it, everyone does. Selwyn has a few screws loose. Selwyn is a freak."

Remus gently set aside the comb and scissors. He ignored the few scraps of hair, and instead slid forward slightly so that his weight was a nearby presence for Adrian.

"That isn't even my name," Adrian whined, shaking across his shoulders, "I- I just want to be good."

"You are good, Adrian." Remus assured him, "You're exceptional."

Ch. 60: "Oh I know," Adrian hummed back, carefree as if truly it was barely of importance, "my life is a tragedy. I think I hadn't cared to truly involve myself to my full capabilities. Now...now with a deadline, I think that It's time for me to step forward."

Ch 60.: "You love me," Adrian whined out like a dying animal. (Which, he supposed, he was).

Ch. 63: I know what it is like, to be unmade.I know what it is like, to be nothing.And through that, I know I am not.

Ch 64.: "I'm surprised you never noticed, in all honesty." Adrian mentioned with a wry smile, "after all, professor. I have my mother's eyes."

Ch 65.: For now, all Adrian had was himself.In the sweet smelling heather and deep earthy peat bogs out of sight, in the moonlit shadow of a moss covered mountain which towered over an isolated cobblestone road cut from the mountain itself; Adrian found peace.

Past Chapter 65...honestly, each chapter is filled with absolutely gorgeous one liners. I pulled out small quotes above that I found really stuck out to me, or had some sort of important meaning. It would be impossible to pull out every single quote, basically because it would take so much time.

What’s your favourite?

#antithesis #shadowed malice #harry potter fanfiction #oceanbreeze7 #adrian selwyn #man what a tragedy #ask me anything

20 notes · View notes

phenomenal1500 · 3 years

Text

The Blood In My Veins | Black Sails

Chapter 64: XXXVIII

For Chapter 63: The Ludicrous Plan click here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the incident I started because I suddenly broke by the news, I apologized to Jack and we now were standing on the dock, waving him goodbye. Jack's plan was to return to Nassau, find out where Flint was going, and execute him. My heart dropped at that thought, but somehow there was some kind of truth in what Charles and Jack had discussed when I tried to fall asleep on Charles' lap to calm down; Flint is the only man who will continue the never-ending circle of violence in Nassau and it had to be stopped.

~~~

1 month passed

~~~

It worried me that Jack hadn't written to us from where he was located to Philadelphia, not even to Anne, and I paced through the blue room.

It bothered me to not know what was going on back in Nassau and I knew it was bad to stress about it, but I couldn't relax with the thought of Nassau's future being in Jack's hands. Not that I believed he wasn't capable of fulfilling his mission or something, but I was just way too concerned about his welfare and as for the rest too.

My ankles and feet were throbbing and they started cramping which forced myself to sit down for a moment.

Charles went to visit Anne to see if she was already fitter and didn't want to wake me so he left on his own, locking the door behind him to keep me secured and safe while I was slumbering.

I didn't like to awake alone, but sleeping was becoming increasingly difficult for me and I get why Charles let me sleep in. It takes so terribly long for me to have a solid sleeping position, to finally fall asleep and then to stay asleep that Charles wouldn't dare risk my health by waking me up and taking me with him. A soft click, made by a key opening a lock, was heard coming from the door and I saw it open slowly. I was going to get the gun from underneath Charles's pillow, but I could tell from the hand and muscular arm that it was Charles himself. I let myself fall back onto the bed and my aching back bounced a bit back from the cushiony mattress.

"I woke you?" Charles asked, letting his heavy leather jacket slide from his shoulders to hang it somewhere next to the door.

"Nah, I woke up by some movements in here." I gestured to my abdomen as I placed my hands on either side of it. I had reached the time that my pregnancy was visible to people and it was even more visible now that I was laying on my back. "I guess it has your fighting spirit." I chuckled.

"Or yours." He grinned. "I hope he or she isn't as stubborn as you are. That would be a bigger problem."

"Hey. Says Mr. it's my fucking way or it's no fucking way!" I bursted out in laughter as Charles tickled me and I begged him to stop, not being able to take it.

I couldn't stand tickling.

It was my true enemy and Charles knew exactly where to do it.

After our laughing session, he dropped himself next to me and ran his rough hand gently over my growing stomach.

He loved to feel how his child was developing even though he always denied it when I accused him of it.

"And? How was Anne?" My eyes found his.

I hadn't seen Anne on the streets for a long time and was hoping that she had already recovered from the horrible fight she had to endure.

"She is fit. The wounds and bruises in her face have properly healed and the deep scars on her palms are less deep and painful so it's possible for her to hold onto things."

"Well, at least that's something positive today."

"Having a bad day?"

"I'm concerned for all our welfare." I began and folded my hands together as I sat up straight. "And my feet hurt." I wasn't the type to nag about pain like this because I didn't want people to be anxious about little things, but the pain was annoying as hell.

"And your back?"

"Still the same.... as usual." I sighed.

"I can help you." Charles raised a brow at me and I nodded while laughing.

"Fine." I smiled and he raised to his feet to sit before me and to pull the warm slippers off my swollen feet. "You know, Charles-...."

"What?" He hated the playful tone in my voice that I spoke up with and knew what to expect.

"Since you and I came back together and you and Flint left the rivalry behind the two of you, you softened.... you've noticed that yourself too?"

"Yes and I hate it." He hissed at me as he let his thumbs glide down my foot while putting pressure on them. A man like him messaging my feet and denying the fact he had become more soft towards me while doing so made me smile even more. There was a long silence as he continued to massage me and neither of us had noticed that a letter had been shoved under our door. I wanted to get up, but the Captain had already seen it and soon walked over to the letter on the floor. Who the fuck could it be? Charles unfolded it to reveal a neatly written letter. "There is no name on it." Nervously I stared at the man with the letter in his hand and he furrowed his eyebrows a few times as he read it in his mind.

"What does it say?"

"A man has arrived in the bay. A man who belongs to our group of sailors."

"Jack?" I questioned and the man nodded at me, gesturing I could be right. I quickly jumped up and put on my boots that were placed to the left side of the door, not wanting to waste any time. When I was ready the man next to me held out his hand.

"Shall we?" I chuckled as I took his hand in mine and together we walked out the room, locking it behind us.

~~~

We walked with big strides to the harbor and there he was, Jack Rackham, the one who could rescue Nassau from Woodes Rogers' grip. Of course we all had our roles to play, but he was the one who had to take the last step to succeed. I bit my lip, hoping he indeed had succeeded, but we couldn't ask him yet.

He was embracing Anne.

Charles and I had stopped on a corner to let them have their privacy and time because Charles and I both knew how hard it was not to be able to come close to one another. "Charles! Naida!" The once exhausted man was hyped up by the company of Anne, and Jack was now targeting us. Charles had shook his hand before pulling him into a hug and I chuckled when Jack pulled me along into the hug.

"Nassau is ours."

~~~

"I was able to sail to Skeleton Island with leads given by an old sailor.... whose heart stopped along the way.... and when I arrived, I encountered both Flint and Rogers there. I picked up the survivors and grudgingly allowed Flint to take command of the pursuit. Then after our ship left the inlet, Flint had commanded to ram into Rogers' ship and that's how we got closer and were able to board it. First it was a fair fight, but he soon was clearly outnumbered and I managed to defeat him, preferring to humiliate him, instead of killing him so I could avenge Edward Teach. After all that I sailed back." Jack explained as we were gathered around in the big blue room Charles and I had stayed in.

We were told to wait there until Mrs. Guthrie was done with her meeting with her husband and his partners and so Anne, Max, Jack, Augustus, Charles and I sat across the room with Jack telling us what had happened.

"I'm happy you're back."

"What about Flint?" I threw the question in the conversation without emotions visible and Jack swallowed. I wasn't mad at him, but I was just curious and nervous for what the answer would be.

It had haunted me for days.... weeks even.

"Captain Flint is no longer a concern to Nassau." Jack stopped for a moment to sit beside me on the bed. "But he's not dead. He was taken to the Savannah plantation, to retire there, and money changed hands to have him incarcerated. I heard it took a while to calm him down on the way there, but that was put to an end when the information about his former lover, Thomas Hamilton, leaked. Thomas Hamilton was located there and Flint started to embrace the fact, Naida! He was okay with leaving Flint behind to return to Mr. McGraw." My heart had lowered to a steady rhythm when I heard that Flint was finally getting the rest he deserved.

"Thank you, Jack." He nodded.

"Now! Think about the fact that within a day or two, we can go home and live the lives we earned!"

~~~

2 months passed

~~~

Nassau had become a legitimate flourishing port with the new Governor being Augustus Featherstone. Piracy was now of course strictly disapproved of. Well, that was supposedly so that Nassau retained a good image and no longer attracted armies. Nassau was finally secured and we finally were able to have a proper life. As for piracy around the world; Even if we, the heart of pirates, would retire.... there would always be someone new stepping out of the shadows. Piracy will always live forth and Jack, Charles and I would make sure of it.

~~~

A/N: This Fan Fiction meant so much to me, but what meant more to me was the likes and the comments and the readers who read it along the way. I never expected so many people to enjoy it, but it happened nonetheless. There will be one more chapter coming about the future of Naida and Charles after this one and that will also be the last. I'm happy and grateful for the skills I learned while writing this story and I'm also very grateful for you readers for giving this story a chance! 🤍🖤

7 notes · View notes

anna-justice · 4 years

Text

Lost or Found - 9

Summary: As Jay, Hailey, Kim, Adam and Kevin start their junior year in the wake of a tragic summer, the past year of their lives comes back to haunt them. If you enjoyed Pretty Little Liars, this is for you! *UPSTEAD/BURZEK High School AU

...

9 - Happiness is a Butterfly ...

Hailey leaned against Jay’s truck while she waited for him, once again he was her ride home. The events from the night before replayed in her head and she couldn’t keep the smile off her face when she saw him walking toward her. They hadn’t spoken alone since it happened, they had seen each other in class of course, but they were surrounded by their friends. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting from him, as close as they had gotten she still couldn’t read him. She wasn’t sure anybody could.

The smile on Hailey’s face was priceless as Jay approached her, his stomach churned with guilt, but Adam’s words were ingrained in his brain. He enjoyed the fleeting moment of complete happiness while it lasted, pretending that he wasn’t going to have to end whatever existed between them in a few short moments. As much as he hated it, it wasn’t fair to her. She deserves someone who knew exactly what they wanted and how they were feeling and not wrapped up in all the shit that they were.

“Hey stranger.” She said smirking, Jay took her in. She was leaning against his truck, and for some reason the sight of her pushing herself off of it had him feeling some type of way. Her blonde hair was falling down over her shoulders, which was a rare occurrence, and her black ripped jeans were a perfect fit.

Jay snapped out of his trance, suddenly realizing that she was probably watching his eyes scan her body. “Hey.” He rounded the truck to the drivers side, “Good day?” He asked over the roof.

Hailey used the running board to launch her small frame into the front seat, causing Jay to stifle a laugh. “Yeah, you?”

Jay nodded, “Pretty good.” He revved the engine and pulled out of the parking space. “Adam almost glued his hand to his face during shop.”

Hailey laughed, “I wish I could’ve seen that.”

“Don’t worry, I took pictures,” Jay said, giving her a cheeky grin.

Hailey returned the favor, turning to look out the window. She watched the houses go by and placed her hand on the center console next to where Jay’s was already resting, she kept her eyes trained on the blur of trees. She waited patiently for the moment when he would intertwine their hands, but moved hers back to her lap when she realized it wasn’t coming. Pink flush tinted her cheeks and she didn’t dare look at him now.

Jay grimaced as Hailey pulled her hand away, it took everything in him not to take it out of her lap. He wasn’t quite sure how to go about the whole situation, he cared deeply about her and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. That was the very thing he was trying to avoid. The selfish part of him wanted to just say “screw it” and be with her, life was short, they all knew that now. But all the reasons why he kissed her were also why he shouldn’t have.

“Hailey--”

“Jay don’t.” She said, finally turning to face him. “Don’t explain anything please. I get it.”

Jay swallowed hard, “I’m sorry--”

“Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen.” She cut him off again.

Jay considered trying to explain again, but he figured it was a mute point. He wasn’t going to be able to get a word in.

In the passenger seat Hailey’s eyes stung. Out of all the ways that she could have imagined this conversation going, she wasn’t prepared for this one. Hell, it wasn’t even a conversation, but she knew exactly what would’ve been said. Hailey didn’t want a half assed explanation or an apology, it had been a mistake, he had made a mistake, there was nothing that she could do about it. Groveling or talking it out wouldn’t dull the pain in her chest, thankfully she had gotten pretty good at ignoring the feeling all together.

She busied herself on her phone, texting Kim to see if she could come over. She was in some serious need of girl time. As soon as she responded Hailey spoke up. “Can you take me to Kim’s house please?” She never looked over at him, she kept her eyes trained on the road.

Jay nodded and took the next left instead of right. The drive was short, and Hailey already had her seatbelt unbuckled before they even reached the driveway. “Hailey, I’m sorry.” He said as she got out.

“It’s fine, Jay, really. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that she slammed the door.

…

Less than 10 minutes later Jay found himself sitting in Adam’s room. He thought he was going to be spending the afternoon with Hailey, but obviously plans changed. Instead he was sitting on the floor with his U.S. History textbook open in front of him. Homework stopped for no man, or stalker for that matter.

Adam groaned, spinning around to face Jay. “Have you done the pre-calc homework yet?”

“Man, I haven’t even started.” Jay said, cracking a smile.

“Damnit.” Adam grumbles, “I’m never going to finish this, Wilson is a tyrant.”

Jay knew exactly what Adam was talking about, their history teacher, Mrs. Wilson had assigned them three chapters to read plus notes and it had to be done by the next class. Which unfortunately was tomorrow. “I’m halfway through chapter two.” Jay said, holding up his scribbled notebook.

“I’ll give you the answers to half of the pre-cal work if you give me your chapter one notes.” Adam proposed. Jay chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t want your pre-cal work.” Adam glared at him, but Jay handed him the notes from the first chapter anyway.

“I love you.” Adam said as he fake prayed to Jay, who kicked his hands away. “I don’t know how the girls are doing it, AP, I swear Kim is taking twenty-five of them this year.”

Jay nodded in agreement, “I don’t either.”

The two worked in silence for a long time. Finally Jay broke it by sighing dramatically. “I’m done.” Adam cocked an eyebrow, “With the history shit.” He reluctantly pulled out his pre-calc textbook and flipped to the correct page. The assignment sheet said problems 35-63, it was going to be a long night

“So, did you talk to Hailey?” Jay looked between his homework and Adam, math was sounding a lot better than the latter at the moment.

“Yep.” Jay said, avoiding Adam’s gaze. “Translating log functions…” He trailed off, attempting to get Adam off his ass.

It worked for a few minutes, Jay had managed to get a few problems under his belt before Adam spoke up again. “Okay, it’s killing me. What happened?” Adam leaned forward in his chair, smirking slightly.

“Nothing really.” He sighed, chuckling a bit. “She didn’t even let me get a word in.”

“Sheesh, that bad?”

Jay shook his head, “I honestly don’t know, she just said that she understood and I didn’t have to explain.”

Adam cocked an eyebrow, “I don’t know if you are the luckiest son of a bitch in the world or if you are just out of touch with reality.” Jay shrugged. “You sure she’s not pissed?” Adam asked.

“One hundred percent.”

…

“I’m pissed.” Hailey said to Kim as she ran her fingers through her hair. She had told Kim what happened as she paced around the room, Kim sat on her bed clutching a pillow. “I completely understand where he is coming from. I get it, there is so much going on right now, neither of us really needs to be in a relationship right now.” She stopped her back and forth motions. “Just--why did he kiss me just to shut me down?”

Kim shrugged, giving her a kind smile. “I don’t know Hailes.” Kim didn’t know how to comfort her friend, Adam was her first boyfriend and they had jumped right in the deep end, so far it had worked out well for them. She watched Hailey cautiously as she stared into the full length mirror leaning against the wall, she fiddled with her shirt, pulling it away from her stomach. Hailey stuck her leg out in front of her, looking at herself in a different way. Kim sighed, “Hailey, stop.” She said.

Her friend turned to face her, her eyes glassy. Kim jumped up and hugged her, ignoring the fact that Hailey was not a hugger. Hailey pulled away a little while later and wiped under her eye. “I’m sorry.” Kim kept a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I don’t even understand what’s wrong with me. I just-I just keep thinking about Erin.”

Hailey felt terrible, feeling jealous of a dead girl was not a good feeling. Not only that, but how can someone make you feel self-conscious from the grave? She hated comparing herself to Erin, she just couldn’t help it.

“Hailey you are allowed to be upset about this.” Kim said. “You can understand him and forgive him and still be upset.” Hailey nodded, hating herself for yet another moment of weakness. First with Jay, now with Kim, she was letting her walls down more and more. Telling them about her dad had been a step in the wrong direction, letting people in only got you hurt, today proved that. “You wanna go get ice cream?”

“Yeah.”

…

Jay was pretty sure that his pile of homework was endless, he had finally gotten back to work after he and Adam’s short conversation about Hailey, but he wasn’t getting much done. A familiar ringtone sounded throughout the room and both of their heads shot up. Looks like they were done for the night. Jay grabbed Erin’s phone out of the bag and read the message out loud.

Blocked ID: There’s already been one heart broken today, let’s make it two. It’s time for the heartbreaker to go back to his old ways. Call Kim and end it.

“No. I’m not doing it.” Adam said.

“Adam--”

“No Jay.” He ran his hands through his hair and down his face. “She is my person, she gets hurt either way, I can only protect her from one.”

Jay nodded, he wasn’t sure if he could let go of Hailey if he had to. There had to be a way to save everybody. “We should probably go over there.”

“Let’s go.”

…

Fifteen minutes after Hailey and Kim were headed for Kim’s car. It was parked in the free standing garage behind their house. Kim unclasped the latch on the door and pushed it up, entering keys in hand.

“What are you thinking? Scoops?” Kim asked.

Hailey turned to face her, ready to respond, but there was a loud crack. “Ki--” She tried to scream, but before she could the dark shadow reached her and the baseball bat made contact with her head.

Kim woke up groaning, she didn’t remember how she had gotten where she was, but she knew her head hurt like hell. She pried herself on the floor and scanned the room. She was pretty sure she was in her garage, it was dark so obviously the door was closed and her car was running.

She began to panic, “Hailey? Hailey…” She breathed out, her chest felt heavy and as she stood up she used the wall for balance.

Hailey woke up to the sound of her name, she touched her hand to her forehead, pulling it away to find it red with blood. Kim eventually reached the driver side door and pulled as hard as she could, causing herself to go stumbling backwards. It was locked.

“Kim?” Hailey asked, pushing herself up. Her head was swimming. “What happened?”

Kim fought back tears as she yanked the handle again. “I don’t know, but we have to get out of here.”

It was in that moment that Hailey understood the gravity of the situation. They were trapped with a running car. She thought back to the safety training classes they had in middle school. There was no doubt that they were both suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, they needed to stay awake.

“Do you-Do you want to try to lift up the door?” Hailey asked, stumbling over her words. Kim nodded and they both got to the garage door as fast as they could. “Ok, 1-2-3.” They both pulled with all their strength, which was fleeting fast.

Kim took a breath, “L-Let’s try a-again.” Hailey positioned herself again and the girls pulled with everything in them. There was no way that door was budging. Kim’s eyes filled again, this was the closest to death that she had ever been and she wasn’t ready for it.

Hailey looked around, trying to find anything to get them out of there. She spotted a tennis racket leaned against the back wall and she rushed toward it. “Kim! We can try and break a window.” There was no response. “Kim?” Hailey panicked when she saw the way Kim had herself braced against the car, her chest heaving.

“Hailey I can’t breathe.” Hailey took that as an opportunity to jam the handle of the rackett into the driver’s side window. It didn’t make a dent, she hit it again and again, but in her current state she wasn’t strong enough. Kim gagged and then proceeded to empty the contents of her stomach onto the floor. Hailey gave up on the rackett and rushed to her side. “Oh shit, Kim.” She knew that wasn’t a good sign. Kim fell to her knees and Hailey went with her, trying to keep her from hitting the floor too hard. “You have to stay awake.” Kim nodded, bracing herself against the floor. She needed help. Her phone.

Hailey pried herself off the floor once again and maneuvered herself to the garage door when she had first gone down. It had to be around there somewhere. She heard a thud behind her and turned to see Kim collapsed on the floor. The fast turn of her head sent her tumbling into the wall and she ricocheted onto the floor. Hailey laid there completely helpless, she was out of strength and out of time.

Adam pulled into Kim’s driveway with Jay in the front and Kevin in the back. He was a nervous wreck and was out of the car before it was completely in park. “Kim!” He shouted. They checked the backdoor, which was the only door her family used, it was locked and no lights were on in the house.

“Hailey?” Jay yelled, neither of them were answering their phone.

Kevin walked towards the garage, he heard a rumbling. “Dude do you think someone’s in there?”

“Hailey!” The voice got Hailey’s attention, causing her to lift her head up off the floor. “Hailey, where are you?” The voice shouted again. Using every ounce of strength she had left, Hailey kicked the garage door and let her head hit the floor again, hoping that it would be enough.

All three boys heard the thud against the door and scrambled to get it open. The sight in front of them was terrifying, they all gasped and sprung into action. Jay was immediately at Hailey’s side, he flipped her over and pressed his hand to the gash on her forehead. “Hailey, stay with me.”

Hailey’s eyes fluttered open, but only for a second. The image of him leaning over her was coming in and out of focus, almost to the point where Hailey thought it was a dream. “Jay?” It was barely audible, but it was music to his ears.

“Yeah Hailes. It’s me, I’m here.” He said, grabbing her hand. “Hailey’s awake!” He called to Adam and Kevin, Kevin nodded before relaying information to the 911 operator. He had called amongst the craziness.

“Kim’s not.” Adam cried out, clutching his girlfriend in his arms. “Man she threw up and she’s not responding.”

Jay grimaced, he was splitting his attention between the two of them. He felt for Adam, but he had to keep Hailey awake. “Did you shake her?”

“Jay, I tried everything!” He yelled back, Jay realized it was a stupid question the moment he asked it, but he didn’t know what to do.

He focused on Hailey again, who’s eyes were threatening to close again. “Hailey, Hailey, you’ve got to stay awake.” He said, gripping her hand harder. “You’re safe, everything is going to be fine, but I need you to stay awake.

Hailey squeezed his hand, showing him that she understood. She focused on taking deep breaths, she felt like she could finally breathe again. The sound of sirens was a welcome assault to her ears, in what felt like no time she was in the back of the ambulance, but in the process she had been ripped away from Jay.

The paramedics were telling her the same thing Jay was, that she had to keep her eyes open, that she had to stay awake, but they weren’t as convincing. And after fighting for what felt like hours, Hailey let herself drift away.

…

A/N: Wow this was a long chapter! First, I’m sorry for writing Adam like a little bitch but I love him and I think he’s funny. Second, I know Hailey is a little softer in this than she is on the show, but they are still in high school and I feel like she would be more emotional and unpredictable at this age. Thanks for reading!

#jay halstead #hailey upton #upstead #upstead au #kim burgess #adam ruzek #burzek #burzek au #kevin atwater #erin lindsay #chicago pd #chicago pd au #one chicago

26 notes · View notes

ozkamal · 3 years

Quote

Wisdom notes1. It’s not who you are underneath it’s what you do that defines you 2. Stop living other people’s stories and start writing your own 3. We are all gonna die, not all of us get to make a difference 4. Just cause you know you are capable of something doesn’t mean it has to happen again 5. Every weakness contains within itself a strength 6. Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up. 7. In order to be what we are, we have to come out of what we are not 8. It’s not the size of a soldier in a fight, it’s the size of the fight in a soldier 9. some of the best things in life are by accident 10. you can lose to your enemy, but you must not lose to fear 11. if your looking for revenge, you should start by digging two graves 12. sometimes the scars you can’t see are the ones that hurt the most 13. sometimes the rain must fall for us to appreciate the sun 14. train yourself to let go, of everything you fear to lose 15. a man does not cry because he is weak, he cries because he has been strong for too long 16. not everyone can be trusted, even your shadow leaves when your in the dark 17. don’t trust anyone too much, remember the devil was once an angel 18. you didn’t fail, you just found out, eg:100 ways how not to make a light bulb 19. I failed over and over, that’s why i’m successful. 20. it isn’t what you got in life it’s what you make of it 21. people do not despise the thief who steals to satisfy himself when he is starving 22. a mans loyalty is tested when he has everything. a woman’s is tested when he has nothing 23. you have to be odd to be number one 24. trust takes years to build and yet only seconds to break 25. never regret a single thing that made you happy 26. make the plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, throw away the plan. 27. don’t be afraid of losing people, be afraid of losing yourself trying to please everyone around you 28. when we stop checking the monsters under the bed that’s when we realise they were inside us 29. sometimes she’ll keep you down but also somehow be the one to keep you up 30. From strangers. to friends. to being together but then back strangers but with memories 31. it hurts a lot when she breaks up with you. and gets together with someone else really quick... it just don’t feel like she cared, but sometimes you gotta let fate take you by the hand 32. you lost interest so fast.. my world ended before it even started 33. you can love somebody just by being attached. see loyalty is a action u can love or hate me but u still have my back 34. as dr seuss said, “i always knew looking back on the tears would make me laugh. but i never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry 35. sometimes it’s hard to know what haunts you more, the memories of her, or the memories of how happy you used to be 36. it’s not that your life sucks, it’s just you done want to think that it doesn’t 37. love never ends, it’s the strength to try that does 38. silence can be just another word for pain 39. not everything lasts forever, people change, people grow apart. don’t force anything 40. absence makes the heart grow stronger 41. it ain’t about how hard you can hit.. it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward, that’s how winning is done 42. tomorrow is never promised 43. the most painful thing isn’t a cut or a broken bone, it’s seeing memories slowly become memories 44. better to have a short life doing what you love, than a long life living miserably 45. when a man loves a woman she becomes his strength 46. pay close attention to the people who don’t clap when you win 47. if your the smartest person in the room then your in the wrong room 48. a great future never requires a great past 49. everyone is the hero of their own story 50. the only time you should look back is to see how far you’ve come 51. there’s four things you can never get back, the word after it’s said, the moment after its missed, time after it’s gone and trust after it’s lost 52. they say you never knew what you had until it’s gone.... truth is, you just never thought you’d lose it 53. think of it like this, it hurts to let go... but sometimes it hurts more to hold on 54. out of all the things we learn in school, no one teaches us how to love ourselves 55. there comes a time in life, where you realise that nothing will ever be the same. And you realise that from now on, time will be divided in two parts, before this.. and after this 56. it takes absence to value presence 57. it’s not about the happy ending, maybe it’s about the story 58. it’s crazy how after so much, you become strangers again 59. words may sting, but silence is what breaks the heart 60. sometimes it’s not the person you miss, it’s the feeling you had when you were with them.. 61. in life there’s the people that tear you down, and the ones that build you up. but in the end, you’ll thank them both 62. you know a million words won’t bring them back, and you’ll know because you tried, neither would a million tears, and you’ll know... because you cried 63. the worst feeling is never being lonely, it’s being forgotten by someone, you’d never forget 64. you’ll realise how you waste so much time on certain people, but in the end sometimes they weren’t worth a second of it 65. there is always going to be some truth behind every “just kidding”. some knowledge behind every “i don’t know” emotion behind every “i don’t care” and pain behind every “it’s okay” 66. being happy is a very personal thing and it really has nothing to do with anybody else 67. don’t let something that’s long gone, control you. it’s time to let go 68. it’s amazing how one day someone walks into the life, and suddenly you don’t know how you every lived without them 69. someone once asked me if i knew you a million and one memories flashed through my mind.. but i just said i used to 70. at the end of the day, your not always gonna say and do the right things. and that’s fine, your not here to be perfect, your here to be real 71. going back to a relationship is like rewatching a movie, and hoping for a different ending 72. the worst kind of sad, is not being able to explain why 73. Life is the most difficult exam. Many people fail because they try to copy others. Not realizing that everyone has a different question on their paper 74. the difference between, like, love and in love is the same difference between, for now, for a while.. and forever 75. everyone can make you smile, but not everyone can make you happy 76. the most difficult part of moving on, is accepting the other person already did 77. it’s sad how the people you were once so close with. can become just another person you don’t know, not their just a stranger with your secrets 78. one day someone will break you so bad.. you will become unbreakable 79. you can close your eyes to things you don’t want to see, but you can never close your heart to things you don’t want to feel 80. if you think photos aren’t so important, wait until they’re all you have left 81. giving someone another chance, is like giving them another bullet, because the first one missed 82. the truth is.. we don’t mature with years, we mature with damage 83. consider how hard it is to change yourself, then you’ll realise what little chance you had in changing others. 84. everyone has a story, and everyone has something that changed them. so never judge someone by the chapter you walked in on 85. in life sometimes there is no next time. No timeouts, no second chances. sometimes it is now or never, things change, friends leave. and life doesn’t stop for anybody 86. can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be? 87. it’s sad how you can go from speaking to someone non-stop, to never speaking to them again, in an instant, it’s like you could have just stayed strangers 88. it’s important to realise you can miss something, but not want it back 89. your current situation, is not your final destination 90. it’s never to late to be what you might’ve been 91. you start with such a simple hello, but end with such a complicated good bye 92. in order to move on, you need to understand why you felt what you did, and why you no longer need to feel it 93. telling the truth and making someone cry, is better than telling a lie.. and making someone smile 94. it’s not the goodbyes that hurt, but the flashbacks that follow 95. some would say people who say it is what it is are dangerous, i say those people have just been hurt to the point where they no longer care 96. if you don’t go after what you want. you’ll never have it. if you don’t ask, the answer is always no and if you don’t step forward, your always in the same place 97. live today the way you want because nothing else is more real than the moment you have in your hands 98. people come and go, but life is simply about... seeing who cares enough to stay 99. one of the most messed up things the world will ever do to you, is let you meet the right person. at the wrong time 100. apologise for your mistakes not your feelings

https://www.reddit.com/r/quotes/comments/n0o67m/i_have_made_a_list_of_quotes_from_movies_and_from/?utm_source=ifttt

#IFTTT #reddit

3 notes · View notes

capnmarvell · 4 years

Text

I’m bored so I decided to put together my theory on what the first cour of season 2 is gonna look like. This is pretty standard, but I wanted to put this out there so I can see how off I was when the season starts.

Spoilers under the cut!

Episode 1: Chapter 43 & Ending of Chapter 45

I think it makes a lot of sense that the first episode of the season be this, because it reintroduces a lot of the main characters we deal with (Tohru/Kyo/Yuki/Uo/Hana/Momiji/Haru) while also introducing, officially, Rin and establishing her relationship with Haru and their break up. Also reminds the audience of the gang’s teacher, Mayu, as she will come up a lot more later.

Episode 2: Chapter 36 & 42

Starting the episode off with Yuki and Tohru visiting Ayame��s shop, especially after my guess of the first episode is a good because in Chapter 43 Yuki notices Kyo protecting Tohru, and then here he “flirts” with Tohru because that’s what he thinks he’s suppose to do. Plus, we already got a sneak peak of Mine in the season 1 second cour opening, so it makes sense to me that they’d introduce her early in season 2. And based on my own shot my shot of the season 2 trailer, it can be assumed we are getting another Prince Yuki Fan Club episode, so makes sense to make this whole episode Yuki-centric by making the second half of the episode about the club trying to find out if a girl Machi is going to be on the student council.

Episode 3: Chapter 46 & 47

Already established in season 1 ep 25 that summer is coming soon, so this last school related episode needed to be within the first 5 episodes, I think. We get Uo bringing up meeting Kureno, and the Career Goals & Parent/Teacher conferences set up for after summer break, Kyoru!, and Shigure’s laundry metaphor. And with the first half having a lot of Kyo, it balances out with ending the episode with Yuki’s quality time moment with Ayame.

Episode 4: Chapter 48 & 49

Okay, don’t hate me, but....I feel like they won’t include the Haunted House portion of Chapter 48. I get that it’s very funny and a fan favorite, but the big moments in that chapter were the announcement of summer vacation, and Rin’s introduction. The Haunted House was filler. Since we already got Rin’s introduction, I think the episode will have some additional stuff with Kakeru and Machi, as they are important but we don’t see them for 14ish chapters after this so they’ll want to have a bit stronger introductions so new fans remember them.

Episode 5: Chapter 50

I was debating what they would combine Kureno and Uo’s chapter with, but then I kept thinking ‘there really isn’t any other chapter that would make sense.’ So I would guess they might give these two their own episode. They might throw in more filler between Uo, Tohru, Hana, and Megumi at the end, or with Kureno to establish him more, but otherwise this episode will solely be about them I think.

Episode 6: Chapter 52 & 53

A much anticipated Kyoru episode for my anyway, with Kyo and Tohru visiting Kazuma at his home. We get introduced to a favorite small character of mine, Kunimitsu, but we also get introduced to Kyo’s birth father. Combining this chapter with chapter 53 also helps segue us into the Summer House arc, gives us another touch of Rin, and more details on the Hat.

Episode 7: Chapter 54 & 55

The Beach House arc is very expansive, but with the Hatori chapters it’s a nice break up of them. 54 and 55 have nice fun bits, lulling the fans into a false sense of security of what these next few episodes will entail. The last 15 - 10 minutes will have that bit with Tohru reacting to what Hiro said about her parents, and Kyo being the only one to notice that something is off with her.

Episode 8: Chapter 56 & 57

Like I said, a nice break before we get to the dark stuff. And even then this episode would get pretty sad since we’re learning about Mayu, and her own past with Hatori, Kana, and Shigure. But it gets lighter towards the end with Mayu and Hatori reuniting and hinting at the two of them finding happiness with each other. We also don’t see much of the two together again until the end of the series, so I’m hoping for a bit more hints of the two seeing each other later on in the anime - since we got more scenes with Ritsu and Mitchan I want more Mayu and Hatori!

Episode 9: Chapter 58 & 59

And here we go into some “fun” times. Smashing watermelons and Kyo and Tohru talking about their parents, Akito arrives at the Summer house, forcing the zodiac away from Tohru and Kyo jokes on you Akito, Tohru is happy being alone with Kyo, Akito and Yuki have their private confrontation, we find out Yuki was the one who saved Tohru when she was lost, and we also get Yuki’s internal “confession” of ‘I love you’ regarding Tohru.

Episode 10: Chapter 60 & 61

Definitely gonna be building up some tension here, Akito there lurking over them all, pulling the zodiac away from Tohru, as well as Tohru finally meeting Rin. Great cliffhanger for the episode too, with Akito dramatically demanding they bring Kyo the next day.

Episode 11: Chapter 62 & 63

WOW. This is a very big episode for Kyoru fans. We get Kyo and Akito’s confrontation, as well as learning about their bet, and Kyo’s realization that he is in love with Tohru, and the flashbacks showing Kyoko and revealing that Kyo appeared to have known Kyoko as a child. It’s a very big episode, but also leads into an even BIGGER episode. I can only imagine the stress we’ll all be feeling.

Episode 12: Chapter 64 & 65

Oh, the biggie. I, personally, am not ready to see my boy Momiji getting hurt, but we’ll have to. We have Tohru and Akito’s confrontation and Akito telling her of the zodiac’s destiny, including Kyo’s, and Akito’s role in the zodiac as well. We also have Tohru’s introduction to Kureno, and Tohru’s decision to break the curse.

Episode 13: Chapter 66 & 67

Now, I would think the first cour would end with the Beach House arc, but the first cour of season 1 ended with episode 13, so I think this will also be ending with episode 13 too. Plus, with the second teaser trailer, we hear Tohru say “I want to try to break the curse.” And she thinks that to herself at the end of Chapter 65, but she also says that to Kazuma in chapter 67, so it’s not too out there to think that’s where the clip is from. And, we are introduced to the remaining members of the Student Council working with Yuki, which makes sense to me to introduce the last of the members before the end of the first cour. So I think ending the first cour with them returning to school and Tohru reaching out to Kazuma for knowledge on how to break the curse is a good ending point, and sort of wraps the whole first cour up nicely.

#fruits basket #fruits basket spoilers #fruits basket season 2 #fruits basket anime #fruits basket manga spoilers

74 notes · View notes

brightbeautifulthings · 4 years

Text

"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy."

Fun Fact: I ran a David Foster Wallace blog (andtoyouitsjustwords) for about two years while I was in graduate school. I closed it down and moved the content I wanted to this one when I finished school and realized I wanted to read Every Book Ever, not just the literary ones, but it was a fond time of my life, and he remains one of my favorite authors.

Tumblr doesn't have a large Wallace fandom, but @infinite-jest-again, @sylvanshiner, @gayjewish, and I are banding together for the summer's slowest rereading of Infinite Jest. I'm super excited to be revisiting a book that blew my mind the first time I read it--but I was also trying to pound it in a month on top of classes, thesis, and teaching. I expect this experience will be a lot more chill, and the slow pace will allow us to pick apart every detail (or, as Marie put it, to "notice the water " 😂). We'll be using the schedule designed by the Infinite Summer people, but where they average around fifty pages a day, we're giving ourselves a week for each benchmark for Infinite Slow Summer!

Week 1 (p. 1-63)

"I'd tell you all you want and more, if the sounds I made could be what you hear" (p. 9).

[tw: drug/addiction mention]

I love the first chapter of this book. Wallace really hits the ground running with what is chronologically the last event of the novel, and this scene sets up a near-endless string of questions for how we got to this place. It's clear that something terrible has happened to Hal Incandenza, and while he's having no trouble with a coherent thought process ("I am in here" (p. 3).), he is devastatingly unable to communicate with anyone in the room. I'd argue it could almost work as a short story because the metaphor made concrete is so strong. It's an inherent flaw of communication that what I'm saying may not be exactly what you're hearing, that there's always that gap, however small, in understanding another human. We've all felt that "familiar panic at feeling misperceived" (p. 8) at one time or another. For Hal, this is not a metaphor; it's terrifyingly physical. ("I am not what you see and hear" (p. 13).)

Somehow, Wallace manages to inject humor into a scene that, upon closer inspection, is utterly haunting, but the image of Avril Incandenza running around her garden screaming, "Help! My son ate this!" (p. 11) about a bit of basement mold never fails to make me laugh. The following Erdedy chapter also ends up being humorous with him splayed in indecision in the middle of the room (possibly another philosophical anecdote made concrete in Buridan's donkey). For both Hal and Erdedy, the ritual of getting high seems as addictive as the drug itself. It's reassuring, I think, to start the book off on a strong note, in case we worried we were in for a thousand pages of tedious slog. It can be both, but it's often heartfelt, insightful, and funny as well, and the payoff is well worth the effort. I could probably write paragraphs about every chapter in this section; I don't know how Wallace manages to pack every page with so much meaning, but there's nothing haphazard about this book, despite its size and varied focus. Everything seems to be there for a reason.

"...and some days presents with delusions about people's mouths moving but nothing coming out" (p. 30).

Hal's conversation with a professional conversationalist who turns out to be his father (J.O.I./Himself) is loaded with potential plot points and philosophical intention. J.O.I. is under the impression that Hal doesn't speak, but he seems to be alone in this; Hal is obviously talking to him in this scene, but the way that he talks is fascinating. As Marie pointed out, so many of the conversations in this book are non-conversations. All the characters struggle to communicate, and communication is a topic Wallace struggles with throughout his writing career. Hal has a really specific way of responding to how a person said something instead of what they said. He's commenting on the grammar and vocabulary of Himself's speech rather than on the content of it (grasping the mechanics more than the meaning, which is symbolic, basically, of Hal's entire problem), while Himself seems to have a pre-arranged script in his head regardless of the responses he gets from his son. The result is an utter failure to convey meaning on either side. Like a lot of Wallace stuff, it's funny on a surface level and haunting beneath that, since Hal and Himself's inability to talk to each other drives so much of the novel's conflict.

I'm including a Q&A section under the cut where I attempt to work out some of the major plot events of the story and keep track of the questions I have as I'm reading. However, since this is a reread for all of us, it will contain overall spoilers for the novel. Proceed with caution if you're not familiar!

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS. TURN BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Questions & Working Theories

[tw: drug mention]

Q: What happened to Hal? (Obvi) - Hal purposely ate the DMZ. He even says in this section, "I cannot make myself understood, now. Call it something I ate" (p. 10). I never bought this explanation, though, because later in the book it seems like Hal is making an effort to come off drugs. - The mold Hal ate as a child had long-term effects, and something (coming off drugs?) may have triggered his current condition. Also supported by, "Call it something I ate" (p. 10). - Aaron Swartz has a very convincing theory that Hal accidentally ate the DMZ when The Wraith placed it on his toothbrush. (Again, supported by above.) Hal is an excellent communicator but lacks feelings, and J.O.I. was attempting to create something that would draw his son out of himself. - Hal was injured when the A.F.R. attacked Enfield Tennis Academy. There's a weird line in this chapter: "I once saw the word KNIFE finger-written on the steamed mirror of a nonpublic bathroom" (p. 16). This is likely also the work of The Wraith, indicating some kind of violence, perhaps the A.F.R. attack on Enfield.

Q: Why was Hal hospitalized "almost exactly one year back" (p. 16)? - The side effects of the DMZ were first starting to appear. - Hal was injured in the A.F.R. attack.

It's clear, also, that this was when Hal met Gately. Although they never have an on-page scene together that I recall, Hal refers to the two of them attempting to dig up J.O.I.'s head to find the Entertainment, alongside a masked John Wayne.

Q: How did Gately, Hal, and John find out about the Entertainment in order to dig it up? How did they discover where it was hidden? - Himself actually mentions that the cartridge has been implanted in his head when he's talking to Hal as a posed conversationalist. However, this is all the way back in the Year of the Tucks Medicated Pad, when Hal is only ten-going-on-eleven. Hard to imagine that Hal remembered what was basically a throw-away comment, let alone understood its meaning.

Q: Who is mailing out the Entertainment? - Swartz suggests that it's Orin Incandenza, who later under threat of torture releases it to the A.F.R. This seems well-supported by the text, since the initial cartridge is mailed from Arizona, and it's conveniently sent to a medical attaché with whom Avril probably had an affair (per J.O.I.'s conversation with Hal).

Q: How did Orin find out about the Entertainment?

Q: What happened to John Wayne that he can't win this year's WhataBurger competition?

Q: What "sordid liaison" (p. 30) with the M. DuPlessis, who dies in a later chapter, did the Incandenza family have?

#david foster wallace #infinite jest #infinite slow summer #infinite summer #infinite jest readalong #yrstruly

13 notes · View notes

lywinis · 5 years

Photo

Prompt List | AO3 (Chapter 22/22)

62. “Do you have a ride home?” | 63. “I am home.”

------

"Right, time to leave the garden."

Crowley had been right, in a sense. They'd been following a path since Eden, ever since he'd come down off the wall to hand off a flaming sword in a rebellious act of love. Aziraphale wasn't one to scoff at prophecy, but there had been a sense of...wiggle room, perhaps, when it came to their roles as a part of protection and temptation. He'd certainly strayed across lines more than once in pursuit of both the truth and what he felt was right.

Now, they'd entered entirely uncharted territory. Agnes Nutter's remaining prophecies had been burnt without reading, Anathema Device rejecting a future that was written. Anathema had taken her freedom and become her own person. Aziraphale thought that was an admirable thing, even though the prophecies had been burnt.

While Aziraphale might have liked a look at them, it wasn't his decision, and frankly, the more he thought about it, the freer it felt.

Agnes had granted them their freedom. It seemed like since that day they'd swapped and gone to their 'deaths', it had been one foot in front of the other for the angel and the demon. The path led in circles, up and down and through, but always together. It had, for lack of a better term, been business as usual--Crowley was a demon, after all, and Aziraphale had his own opinions about doing good works--but it was laced with an underlying tension that the angel hadn't felt since his time upon the Eastern Wall.

He wondered if Crowley felt the same, as though they were waiting on the universe to exhale, and for life to resume its comfortable familiarity once again.

It wasn't that he faced this new life with trepidation; on the contrary, Aziraphale had found a sudden relish for trying new things. Crowley, as well, had seemed to take what the day gave them with surprising grace, so long as he was woken after twelve.

They had spent almost every day together, after their subsequent judgments by their offices. They'd been left blessedly alone, free to do what they liked. There was nothing to stop them from just...being. It was an interesting change, this rapid closeness.

Aziraphale had a long memory. Being immortal, he knew that it was important to preserve it, too. He'd taken to jotting down his meetings with Crowley, the date, and the context. Like celestial bodies in orbit around each other, they'd stayed constant, but growing ever closer. In the Beginning, he'd spent a long time without seeing the demon Crawly. Noah's little boat trip had marked the first of many seemingly random meetings.

As time wound on, so did they, crossing paths more and more frequently. While Aziraphale hardly believed in serendipity, though Agnes Nutter was the exception, it seemed as though when he trod the world, all paths lead back to Crowley sooner or later.

Over the span of millennia, Aziraphale had grown to enjoy these meetings. Friendship was hard to come by when one was lucky to see another angel in the span of centuries, much less years. Centuries became bi-century meetings. Bi-centuries turned into Crowley turning up once every couple of decades. Then every couple of years. Soon, it was rare to go six months without at least seeing Crowley once.

Now, he saw him every day.

Aziraphale felt as though he'd been missing this, as though a piece of him had slotted neatly into place and he'd finally become complete. Happiness wasn't rare for the angel; he'd always found joy in life on earth, even though it was small and sometimes taken like a thief, basking in the background radiation of a proposal between lovers or a child's first pet. His own happiness had become something of a verdant luxury, however, coating his life in a fine sheen of enjoyment, like he'd walked into the muggy air of the greenhouse Crowley kept on top of his flat.

They'd just finished a particularly good lunch at Petersham Nurseries, the plants pleasing Crowley to no end and the food delighting Aziraphale's palate (though Crowley had made approving noises at the rose petal Prosecco). Now, they rambled, as they'd taken to doing, just strolling the streets and people watching, talking about everything and nothing.

He'd never had so much fun.

Their day was ending, though it had been a good one. They found themselves in a familiar haunt, strolling through St. James park, solidly side by side. Crowley looked up at the sky. Aziraphale followed his gaze, watching how the clouds grew heavy with reds and oranges, pinks easing in as the sun sank below the horizon.

"Getting late," Crowley said, lifting his brows at him, almost like it was a question rather than a statement.

Aziraphale felt a pang of regret. It had become more common, now that familiarity had bred fondness for the demon. Contempt was for people with no compassion, who hadn't spent six thousand years learning that there was more to Crowley than his appearance and carefully cultivated reputation. Their day really was coming to an end.

They would part, only to reconvene in the morning.

"It is," he agreed. They were standing by the water, the ducks long having abandoned their search for Russian bread and herding themselves to their nests for sleep.

"It's been—" Crowley started, then stopped. Aziraphale waited, knowing that sometimes Crowley needed a moment to get out whatever was coiled in his brain at the moment. "This has been..."

"Nice," Aziraphale supplied.

"Eurgh," Crowley replied, reflexively, looking as though he were holding his gorge back.

"Acceptable," Aziraphale tried again.

"Yeah," Crowley said. He frowned, as though this wasn't the right term for it. Standing shoulder to shoulder on the bank of the pond, Aziraphale was inclined to agree.

Nice had been the better term.

"I've found myself looking forward to each day," Aziraphale commented, quietly.

Crowley's focus shifted to him, and Aziraphale could feel his eyes on him, even as he lifted one shoulder in a shrug at the demon.

"I have," he said. "I know that we've counted millennia, but these days, where we do Nothing at all? I've come to see them as important. I've got a long memory, and I can't remember the last time I've had such...a satisfying day as the days I've spent in your company since the world didn't end."

"That's so..." Crowley huffed a little laugh. "Yeah, all right. I suppose they've been rather...mm."

Aziraphale felt the corners of his lips tugging up. "Was that you admitting I'm right?"

"Not at all. Stopped clocks are only right twice a day," Crowley said, the beginnings of his own smile showing hints of white teeth.

"I'll pretend that was a yes," Aziraphale said airily.

Crowley laughed. "Give you a lift home, angel?"

Aziraphale's smile faded. "No, no I don't think so."

Crowley's mood whiplashed as he focused on Aziraphale. "What's wrong, something I've said?"

"No," the angel said, turning to Crowley. "Just your terms. I don't need a lift home."

"Anywhere you want to go, then," Crowley tried, ducking his head just a bit to try and get a read on Aziraphale's face.

"Crowley, you can't take me home." Aziraphale shook his head a little. "You taking me home implies you leaving. That's not possible."

"What—"

"Wherever you are, I feel most at home, I mean," Aziraphale said, blurting the words that had been fluttering behind his breastbone. They'd been there since Rome, possibly the Wall. It had taken him so long, so so long to even consider that Crowley could feel the same, it was hard to keep the words that filled his nights and days like books in his shop.

They'd leapt from his mouth as though he'd been born to say them, despite their nervous quaver.

"Aziraphale," Crowley said, his voice soft. That tenderness that he tried so very hard to keep hidden, to keep locked away at the core of him because it would betray them both. Aziraphale's heart ached to gather that tenderness to himself, to return it in kind.

"Crowley," Aziraphale said. "Please don't be upset but—"

He reached up, cupping the demon's face and leaned up on his toes to press his lips to Crowley's.

It was hardly his first kiss; he'd been kissed many times, by many people. It had been a greeting long ago, without the romantic connotations. But this...it was the first he'd ever offered up, willingly. Crowley's mouth opened in a sigh and Aziraphale remembered belatedly that he was the Original Sin, temptation incarnate, and he took what Crowley had to offer, tasting the prosecco on his tongue even now as he sipped at his lips in long, greedy draws.

There was the hint of apples, and Aziraphale thought that perhaps it was just Crowley.

He gave a giddy, shaky sort of noise, delighted to take the lead in this, until he felt how Crowley trembled.

"Aziraphale," he said again, his voice husky and sounding wrecked as he breathed the name against the angel's lips. As though he was the penitent at altar and offered himself because he had nothing left.

Aziraphale realized they were standing in the middle of the park. He carefully disengaged them, pressing their foreheads together.

"Come home with me, Crowley," Aziraphale said.

"All right," Crowley said, his eyes half-lidded and lazy behind his sunglasses. His pupils were wide, drinking in the angel's flushed face.

Aziraphale couldn't help his smile. He offered Crowley his hand, and after a moment, the demon took it.

The universe exhaled, and he saw that it was good.

#Good Omens #Ineffable Husbands #Crowley #Aziraphale #lywinis writes #get ur shit together tumblr #let me do readmores without having to repost shit!#dragons-bones

42 notes · View notes

eddycurrents · 5 years

Photo

Abe Sapien: The Secret Fire - “The Shadow Over Suwanee”

Words: Mike Mignola & Scott Allie | Art: Sebastián Fiumara, Tyler Crook, & Max Fiumara | Colours: Dave Stewart | Letters: Clem Robins

Originally published by Dark Horse in Abe Sapien #24-26 | July-September 2015

Collected in Abe Sapien - Volume 7: The Secret Fire | Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible - Volume 2

Plot Summary:

Abe makes it to Suwanee, Florida, where an Ogdru Hem towers over the town and the frogs plague the shoreline. There he reminisces about the good old days and befriends a few townsfolk, while pondering his past and future.

Reading Notes:

(Note: Pagination is solely in reference to the chapter itself and is not indicative of anything within the issue or collections.)

pg. 1 - Sebastián & Max Fiumara essentially shifting the art style slightly to have solid black shadows and more angular, simple features in order to give these flashbacks the feel of Mike Mignola’s own art is very, very nice. It gives this flashback the added feel of something consistent with that time period in the comics’ publishing history. Plus it just looks awesome.

pg. 2 - Seeing Bruttenholm just before his expedition from Seed of Destruction is bittersweet. We know what’s coming right after this and it gives Abe’s reminiscences a sad tone.

pg. 3 - So is seeing Hellboy, Liz, Abe, and Kate all together. Earlier, “simpler” times. With the end looming in BPRD: Hell on Earth and Hellboy himself dead and in hell, this nostalgia is a killer.

pg. 4-5 - This bit of Abe recounting his journey and kind of driftlessness is interesting. It kind of gives a summary of what’s ideologically got us to this point, without necessarily going into minutiae.

pg. 6/7 - Gorgeous double-page spread here showing us the destruction through Suwanee and the Ogdru Hem that towers above it all. It think it’s a neat little touch that there are golden arches sticking out from the water.

pg. 9 - It’s always interesting when the townsfolk already know of Abe and the Bureau. It kind of shows how information like a government institution dedicated to hunting these monsters would spread like wildfire. No pretending that it doesn’t exist.

pg. 10 - Also, this frog attack seems to justify the gun and the stance they had when Abe initially burst forth from the water.

pg. 12 - This is just gorgeous art from Sebastián & Max Fiumara and Dave Stewart. Half a house is just chilling. And the sadness on Isaac’s face when they’re talking about nobody making it out from the sinkhole that opened up when the Ogdru Hem rose tells an endless story of loss.

pg 13 - I think it’s interesting that this one specifically made frogs. Not hammerheads or those other zombie monster things. It’s like the different Ogdru Hem release different mutations.

pg. 16 - I’m not sure tentacle fish would be very tasty. Would probably disagree with your stomach. And genetic make-up.

pg. 18 - Still a big difference between Abe and the frog people.

pg. 20 - Underwater ghosts haunting their resting place, unable to leave. Quite sad again. I like that the feeling of being lost, of weightlessness underwater, and having no fixed direction for the ghosts is also told through Clem Robins’ placement of the word balloons. They’re all at angles, making it feel weird.

pg. 22 - Abe essentially finding out that Isaac’s wife’s spirit is trapped at the bottom of the sinkhole is more sadness. I also like the slight stylistic shift again here for the photographs.

pg. 23 - Lloyd seems to be sowing some seeds of doubt when it comes to Abe. This seems to happen a lot and is exactly what Abe was talking about earlier in regards to people consistently trying to connect him to the frogs and the Ogdru Hem.

pg. 26 - Haunting. Also, there’s an interesting bit here about why Isaac and Autumn stay in Suwanee, even though the town’s lost so much and Isaac lost his wife. That staying in town, staying in their parents’ old house is kind of an act of defiance, one of survival, saying “I’m still here” so that they don’t lose their home too.

pg. 28 - This little character moment is very nice.

pg. 31 - This is perfect. It’s great to see Tyler Crook provide the artwork for this flashback. A very nice continuation from the end of The Mysteries of Unland in Witchfinder. We wanted to know what happened between Abe and the Mere in that epilogue and here it is.

pg. 34 - That’s...different. The Mona doesn’t seem to like Abe much. Which is kind of weird. You’d think it would recognize him as the supposed father of the new race of man.

pg. 35 - It does give us an opportunity to see more eel action, though.

pg. 37 - Also, there’s a reiteration here that Abe is something else. He’s not a frog person, nor does he seem to fit in with the eelfolk. That gives us a partial answer to what the eelfolk also are, without necessarily being explicit in the telling.

pg. 38 - It’s just a bear. Nice to see normal nature at least trying to survive.

pg. 40 - Also, this petty jealousy of Lloyd over Abe getting close to Autumn is just weird. It seems to give a better perspective as to why he was thinking of Abe as connected to the frog people earlier.

pg. 44 -That can’t be good.

pg. 46 - Another mutant fish. And the gas coming.

pg. 47 - I think it’s kind of foolhardy for Abe to swim directly into the gas, just because Grace’s words haunt him.

pg. 48-50 - Abe fighting with the Ogdru Hem here from within is just neat. Also, the shift to just Max Fiumara doing line art here for Abe’s “hallucination” is interesting.

pg. 51 - Langdon Caul, holding aloft his genesis egg, speaking that Hyperborean language to fight off the Ogdru Hem is weird.

pg. 53 - This seems to hint that Autumn was taken by one of those monsters. Also weird that the ghosts actually seem to be able to communicate here. It’s almost like Abe has entered into some kind of substrate realm where the Ogdru Hem and their infection operate on a different level.

pg. 54 - Poor Isaac.

pg. 55 - Although not explicit, there’s the definitely implication here that Autumn was turned into that frog that Isaac just killed. What with the broken basket and discarded jacket. At the very least she just got eaten.

pg. 56 - The world doesn’t seem so lucky.

pg. 59 - Poor Isaac. No closure on his wife. No closure on his sister. This is just a horrible state for him to be in.

pg. 61 - Even more monsters await. Ominous to see them pick up on the occultist’s path again.

pg. 63 - I like the idea of the shaman operating in areas more than just with Howards and Panya.

pg. 64/65 - Great double-page spread again here giving us a look at what the first men after the Hyperboreans did with the power that they had.

pg. 66 - Nice warning. “Hell would be better than where you’re going” doesn’t fill me with the warm fuzzies.

Final Thoughts:

There are many times throughout this Abe Sapien series that I’ve been reminded of the Swamp Thing run from Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, and Rick Veitch. The “American Gothic” arc of Alec travelling across America and coming across horrors in particular, but it goes beyond just a similar premise. There has been a continuous tone and atmosphere throughout the Abe Sapien book of that horror laying just beneath the surface of modern America, just waiting to come out in the new world apocalypse. It’s exemplified through the dark and slightly distorted artwork of Sebastián Fiumara, Max Fiumara, Tyler Crook, and Dave Stewart. Here specifically, but also broadly across the series.

Mike Mignola and Scott Allie also give a very light Lovecraft touch here, with “The Shadow Over Suwanee” paying a kind of tribute to “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. It’s not as overt as many Lovecraft homages, but there’s a nice nod through the ruined town and the frog people. It’s funny, though, that the shadow referenced in the title here is more a literal shadow cast by an Ogdru Hem towering over the town.

d. emerson eddy might be an unspeakable horror.

#Give 'em Hellboy #Hellboy #Abe Sapien #The Secret Fire #Mike Mignola #Scott Allie #Sebastián Fiumara #Max Fiumara #Tyler Crook #RaisingHellboy #293

14 notes · View notes

worldcakecakecake · 5 years

Text

Feliciano and the King of Hearts

Chosen by the gods as the Queen of Hearts from the moment of birth, we follow Feliciano’s story as he grows into royal life, learns to rule, go against age old customs, and his relationship with his husband to be, the King of Hearts.

Chapter 1 I Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5 I Chapter 6I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 IChapter 9I Chapter 10I Chapter 11I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15 I Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19I Chapter 20 I Chapter 21 I Chapter 22 I Chapter 23 I Chapter 24 I Chapter 25 I Chapter 26 I Chapter 27 I Chapter 28I Chapter 29 I Chapter 30 I Chapter 31 I Chapter 32 I Chapter 33 I Chapter 34 I Chapter 35 I Chapter 36 I Chapter 37I chapter 38 I Chapter 39 I Chapter 40 I Chapter 41 I Chapter 42 I Chapter 43 I Chapter 44 I Chapter 45 I Chapter 46I Chapter 47 I Chapter 48 I Chapter 49 I Chapter 50 I Chapter 51 I Chapter 52 I Chapter 53 I Chapter 54 I Chapter 55 I Chapter 56 I Chapter 57 I Chapter 58 I Chapter 59 I Chapter 60I Chapter 61 I Chapter 62 I Chapter 63

I continue to take forever posting, but please be patient, work …plus a lot of traveling now that I’m back in Europe. Posting this from Germany, more specifically and fantastically, from the Heart’s Kingdom capital, Berlin. I hope you enjoy and continue to await updates…even if sometimes they take months.

… Also, WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HAS NSFW

Chapter 64

They couldn’t explain it as anything else. It had been dark magic, Khaos’s magic especially. Ludwig had created dark magic with ease, letting it control him and be used to attack Feliciano. When they had announced it to a room full of dignitaries, all those eyes fell on him with question, fear and precaution, some who stood by him moving aside, fearing that he was capable of releasing it that instant. Ludwig hadn’t been able to take that silence, those judging eyes, as if they were glaring to Khaos instead of the Heartian King. He left the room when he couldn’t take that aggravation, hands tightening, biting his lips to not let himself shout, scream, even tear up for the castle to see. The slam he gave to the doors as he exited made many cringe, while others thought on how they could help, some beginning to know that they had to begin the books of generational power and Khaos’s dark magic.

It took three days for Feliciano to fully heal and be allowed leave of the nursing room. He did so with energy and elation, the type that made many question if he had truly been hit by a dark spell.

More important than anything was meeting with Ludwig, embracing and assuring each other of their ever-present love, as well as ready to research and find out about this new side his king just presented.

Ludwig hadn’t come to visit him at all during his time in the nursery room, and when he finally exited, he wasn’t there either, just the pierce to bring him into gloom. He settled off to look for him, many in the castle telling him the same of not knowing whereabouts, of how they had barely seen him the last few days and how haunting things had felt in the castle since. He checked their room, any rooms of leisure, kitchen, dinning, hall, even the ballroom. He only managed to feel his presence in the King’s library, hidden well between its many items, Feliciano knew.

Nobody, only but the King was allowed entrance unless they deemed it so, but Feliciano had already snuck in there enough and his desperation to see Ludwig was stronger than whatever old rule. He gently made his entrance, trying to make his steps subtle, the taps to be confused with the grand clock in the room. He settled deeper into the many old shelves of books, deep into its engulfment, not spotting Ludwig yet and fearing he wouldn’t be here either. That’s when he caught the sound of fabric, as gentle as his steps, Feliciano only catching it because he heightened his senses to find his beloved. He didn’t reveal himself instantly, watching instead as Ludwig leaned back on an old stack of books, playing with a deep red ribbon, wrapping it rather harshly around his hand. He didn’t word, stressed, and Feliciano feared he was even trying to hold his breath as he made this exercise. He would cover his hand in the ribbon, turn it about as if trying to find some change, before he untangled and started again in his other hand.

“Amore…” he called gently, thankfully not startling him, only an empty rise of his eyes, before he turned back to his activity. He gave him no greeting, not even something whispered, like back in those days that he pretended he wasn’t there. Feliciano would not let that happen again. He let himself come near, wrapping his arms around his own, laying on his shoulder, and despite whatever blocking Ludwig tried to do, he leaned towards it, for once stopping his wrapping, breathing and actually relaxing.

“I missed you,” Feliciano started.

“It was…only three days.” Although he had missed him as much, holding himself from letting his arms wrap around him.

“Are you…are you all right?” Feliciano then took his face, forcing him to look into him, watching the other soothe in those bright brown eyes.

Ludwig sighed, given up to them. “I hurt you…I am not,” he managed to admit, trembling as he raised his hands, dearly placing them on Feliciano’s arms, ever so softly pulling him closer. Feliciano let himself fall and completely be depended on his arms, his chest, his usual embrace.

“I’m certain that it wasn’t you.”

“Feliciano-”

“I know you would never, ever, do something like that against me.” He hated to mention this, but they had to address it. “You hold Romulus’s tainted dark magic…we…should have expected this,” he saddened.

Ludwig sighed, becoming looser. “I shouldn’t have done this either way…I really should have…kept my distance in the end. I did what I did to protect you…and I failed horribly at it. Our marriage only made this stronger…this wasn’t supposed to happen…this isn’t what I was planning.”

Feliciano only held tighter, insulted, biting away tears. “No,” he scolded rather harshly in this comfort. “Our marriage was our destiny, our happiness and just the strength this kingdom needs.” He looked up to Ludwig again, shinning eyes resonated well in this dark room. “I am blessed to have you as my husband and will risk anything to always keep you mine. We got Khaos’s books for a reason and I promised you that we will find a way to deal with this with the information. I admit we were focused on other readings and we could have momentarily forgotten…but it’s never too late to get you in control of it, to even use it in our favor,” Feliciano trusted and hoped.

“After what I did to you, I refuse to use that magic again.”

“The best way to come into terms and control it, is by accepting it. Whether you like it or not, it’s still a power that’s part of you and it’s there for your disposal. I know it’s scary and…with what happened to me especially, but we’ll be really careful, and make sure you learn everything so you can make something that is Khaos’s yours. I’m sure you won’t do this again.”

Ludwig felt like he hadn’t smiled since the day of the accident, chuckling and taking a dear hold of Feliciano’s hand. He raised it to his lips to kiss in length, then letting it caress over his jaw.

“I was also in the same position when…finding about all this and…having to use Augusta’s harp. It is intimidating, but…I’ve learned that the best way in dealing with it, is facing it head on, unafraid and confident.”

“When did you become so wise?” Ludwig chuckled.

“I am Queen of Hearts, Ludwig! I have to show my position proud.”

“Even when you cry when you read those horror stories?”

“Of course!”

“And when you’re the real rainbow cookie thief.”

Sudden silence.

“How did you know that?” Feliciano trusted to reveal himself.

“You left them in our room, plain to see.”

“Fine, I might be Queen but I still don’t know how to behave.”

They laughed and enjoyed from this small innocent moment.

Thus the studying began, the intense reading that kept Ludwig awake for hours in their shared bed, Feliciano most of the time having to take the books away from his hand so he could focus on getting some rest. Egildhard and others who had dedicated to learning about dark magic, would sit on for hours with Ludwig, getting him to try basic spells, getting that very control he wanted and even other difficult tactics that he did well to master and grow. Ludwig begged for the confining spot they had for this specific kind of training, no one but his given teachers, healers in the area at whatever emergency and ready cleansing potions that Ludwig liked to take afterwards, hoping it could wash away any evil.

After weeks, Egilhard found him ready to join Kiku and Feliciano in their usual battle training. That day, when Ludwig had entered the room, he did so shy and hesitant, afraid to even look at his usual opponents, who in turn smiled and were more than glad to have him back.

“Ludwig! You are back with your rulers!” Egilhard called out from his usual watching spot, the same smile as the Queen and Jack. Feliciano had to hold himself from jumping and clapping.

“Well, the rules had remained the same. I encourage you to try out everything you have learned. We have healers in the vicinity, and we will act quicker than last time if anything. Are you all ready?”

The three nodded, taking their positions, Ludwig the one that looked the most nervous.

“Begin!” Egilhard called out.

Feliciano started and went again with that energy orb spell, but this time, proof of his practice and power increase, he created many more, the training room a beautiful show of lights, and, which was indeed new to Ludwig, there was a reflection on the floor, like that of water. He knew there was reason for it, but for now, it didn’t show any effect. Kiku knew what it did though, having practiced on a spell that avoided its attack, using it to slide through this reflection like ice, ready. Feliciano began to swing dangerous balls of light like it was a game, picking any random one and just hurling, creating quite a beautiful show to Ludwig. Kiku, now unsheathing a pretend sword, began swinging, breaking them apart with a spell of his own. Feliciano, seeing his approach, did the amazement of getting as many orbs as possible to circle like a large ring, pushing it towards Kiku, sparks exploding beautifully in the reflection, hurling and tiring Kiku in silence, now having no other choice than to sit and regain energy, hoping that Ludwig could take it and distract Feliciano.

The King was actually fearful to face him, especially after these new spells that reminded well of his coming as Ace, but he did have to practice himself, and show his King power, and so he ran and began to formulate something in his mind.

Seeing his approach, whatever the reflection held, Feliciano intensified it and so Ludwig found himself slowed, weakening, every movement more of a force to make. Ludwig knew there was something in the dark spells he could use, that could liberate him, but still so hesitant, still so fearful.

When the force of this spell became too much, basically constricting him to slight pain, Ludwig decided on releasing and testing. He conjured a dark rope like light, managing to whip it to the floor, crashing like glass the reflection under him, revealing the familiar terrain of the training room, where he could move as he wished again. Before Feliciano could bring it back, that very same rope that still lingered he used to wrap around Feliciano’s leg, making him trip and loose his spell all completely. Feliciano quickly stood after cutting the rope with a spell of his own, then creating hardened red shields, ready for the close-up combat. Ludwig engulfed his hands in a dark magic, surely to intensify his punches. He was nervous as he walked forward, fearing what it could do if he didn’t keep his control, but Feliciano’s believing smile as he came closer made him smirk too, bringing forth the confidence to let him throw the first punch.

They kept well in their battle, both their spells doing well to defend and attack, in their deadly rendezvous giving just the time needed for Kiku to fully regain himself. He cut right between them, skillful, hidden, without any kind of expectance, leaving both Ludwig and Feliciano surprised as he managed to stop the dark magic Ludwig had used in his hands. There was a moment of impression as Ludwig now looked to his normal pale hands, Feliciano just as wondered, it was the weakness that Kiku did well to use and trip them.

Kiku stood ready for surely the battle that would come to him, sword, energy spells around him that grew like flowers, ready to act as a shield at whatever their fierceness.

Ludwig and Feliciano gazed between themselves and decided to go at him together. They struck their hands, and from its unwinding they created strong lighting bolts, lighting the entire arena in fierce colors that had many of the soldiers moving back. They stood back to back, uniting, intensifying and making it grow across the room. Kiku was frightful.

In coordination, exact, as they should be one mind as King and Queen, did they raise their hands and omitted their attack. Kiku tried what he could to hold it down with his sword, but it was too powerful, and so he had no other choice than to find cover in a makeshift rock in the area. Ludwig and Feliciano let the lightning dance around the room, loving its splendor and then feeling proud to know that they made it with their combined magic. Kiku couldn’t leave them in that for long, and so he settled on strong wind spells, enough to misdirect the direction of the lightning until Ludwig and Feliciano had to cover themselves. They continued using their combine magic to create a shield to protect them. It was in its shadow that Feliciano got an idea.

“I’m going to make this shield grow and blow, but I need you to use a Polynia spell with it.”

Ludwig’s eyes widened, being that a dark spell. “What? No! We haven’t done that combination! It could go horribly wrong!” He heavily worried, using instead more energy to keep the shield going.

“The books do say that it can be combined with other magic! We won’t know until we try. It's best if we do it now to practice and see where we could go with it!” Feliciano was so sure and ready, for once Ludwig being the one that feared, still crouching in his position as he kept the shield alive. He breathed, knowing that he could be just as brave, just as powerful and daring.

“All right,” he decided, with a determination that made Feliciano smile.

“We’ll make sure Kiku doesn’t get hurt,” Feliciano promised, beginning in silence the spell that made the shield grow as he wanted. Ludwig, still slightly as fearful, began his own incantation, finding concentration and control when he directed the movements of his hand to the ground, letting the spell arise, combining its air with the magic they used for their shield. In amazement to all, they saw the shield grow and even diminish, destroying every spark of lightning Kiku had taken to his control, now heading his direction, ready to attack the poor Jack with all its force. Kiku had no escape, summoning the hands of surrender that made Ludwig and Feliciano win.

In an amazing instant of cease, in a single slash of their hands, the spell engulfed the lightning to nothing, and the shield was gone, peace once again in the training room.

What came next were applauses, from Egilhard and the present soldiers. It was not the kind of reaction they were expecting, but the three royals had smiled, standing and joining to present themselves and hear Egilhard’s new words.

“Beautiful work! The three of you! Kiku, you broke a dark spell! How did you do that?”

“It was an intensified Zara spell. I actually read about it in one of Khaos’s books.”

“We will practice well that spell the next few days then…everyone will,” he called out loud for even the soldiers. “And a combine of dark and Heartian magic, amazing! This is the kind of thing you all should do here! Releasing everything you can do to grow our advantages. Ah, each day I see you three fighting here, I grow even more hopeful.” And the three agreed, with a breath of relief to keep their minds at bay with issues about the war.

“We shall continue our practices in three days’ time.”

“I don’t believe there’s an issue with practicing tomorrow either,” Ludwig told.

Egilhard raised an eye, “sir…isn’t it your birthday tomorrow?”

To be honest, with all the planning, dark power training, calculating, establishing and law enforcing of taking kingship the passing weeks, Ludwig had all forgotten about his own birthday, seen in the width of his eyes, the stilling of his being, his words froze as he tried to find an explanation that didn’t involve telling them that he forgot. The others saw it obvious enough though, smirking.

“I believe I should give you a day to unwind and calm yourself from all the turmoil of war planning, to celebrate a day as the one of your birth. So then, till next time,” Egilhard smiled, making his way to leave, along with several soldiers that followed him, ready for their own training regimen.

Usually, when it was a royal’s birthday, especially a king’s, a new one at that, it was celebrated in the usual lavish ball, but Ludwig had denied it this time, instead just asking for a dinner to spend with his family and some time to relax without any kind of imposing duty. As promised, no rushing servants for the job of the day, no scheduled harsh training, no war planning, no signing, no law abiding, just no one coming to him to break a calm that he had long missed since turning king. He had forgotten the last time he had woken this late in the morning. This time he could enjoy just gazing and cuddling with his husband, not even words to interrupt the serenity.

“I want to give you your present now,” Feliciano gleamed, raising in excitement.

“You got me something?” Ludwig was honestly surprised.

“Mhm!” Feliciano stood from the bed and headed over to one of the many drawers in their wardrobe, an area that had been protected by Pookie for a while now, who would hiss and growl every time Ludwig tried to reach for it.

“Good job,” Feliciano congratulated him, picking up a wrapped package, cuddling Pookie before he took his spot in the bed again, handing over the gift, wanting Ludwig to immediately open.

Too slow in Feliciano’s opinion did Ludwig rip the red packaging with a golden bow, until he was presented with a book, a richly decorated one of trees and birds, probably the most beautiful book cover Ludwig had seen in his life. He stared in utter aw at its design before he read the tittle. “All the Adventures of Dietrich and Irmhild…all of them, this actually has all of them,” Ludwig gazed upward to Feliciano curiously, but still with a shine in his eyes that weakened him to childish wonder.

“Yep! All the stories collected from all over the provinces of the Hearts Kingdom. It even has versions from the Japanese province,” Feliciano glowed proudly.

“How…did you find this?”

“It took asking a bunch of Vikings,” Feliciano laughed. “I was looking for a copy for some time now and read that there was a complete collection somewhere in the Norwegian Province. I contacted Lukas and he managed to find it. In return, I paid him a trip to visit his brother in the Spades Kingdom.”

Ludwig already held the item dear, flipping through to the pages to see it golden, well intact, nothing to prove of age or mold. The stories were divided in their province of coming, with art and borders that brought more enchantment in Ludwig’s eyes.

“This is…this is…amazing, perfect, beautiful…thank you!” He was truly taken, not expecting such a touching and rare gift already so early in the morning of his twentieth birthday. He couldn’t keep his eyes off it, tempted to already begin its reading.

“Do you still like them as much as we used to when we were kids?”

“To be honest, not as much, after all, so much time has passed and I grew other interests, but the stories are still dear to me and I was already thinking of re-reading some, just…never had the time or chance.”

Feliciano cuddled closer, his arms well wrapped around him as they belonged. “Well, you have most of the day, and you can read me a story every night before going to sleep,” he fluttered beautifully, Ludwig chuckling and bringing him more into his arms, his eyes detaching from the book for once to stare into his.

“I’ll be glad to.”

And Feliciano kissed him in thanks and expectation.

Ludwig was in the book the entire day, hours in one of the reading rooms, Feliciano in his own book as well, holding to each other’s hand as they lost themselves in the stories the pages presented, relaxed and like time was now truly theirs.

Around the midafternoon, Ludwig and Feliciano joined the cooks in making a cake, a pink one with fruits and marshmallows that towered high. For their dinner, the dessert was imposing from its sitting in the table, none really eating all the food as they wanted an instant piece. There was enough for the whole castle to eat. Ludwig and Feliciano had enjoyed many pieces, had even brought along with them to their room to enjoy as Ludwig read.

“…they had saved the couple from the deep waters, not minding at all entangling in its current and soaking their traveling clothes,” Ludwig read, resting on the floor, leaning his head to the bed, on either side of him Feliciano’s naked legs as he instead took seating on the bed, taking constant bites of the cake pieces they had brought.

It was like Feliciano was keeping him caged to keep on reading the story and Ludwig did not mind, one arm wrapped around one leg, caressing sweetly. “They had lost time of the day to continue their traveling to Tokyo and so had found settling in an abandoned church along the way. They covered what they could to keep it warm, making a dazzling fire and hanging their clothes to dry from there. The sounds of the night worked well like lullabies, the air enchanting, beautiful, making their gazes between one another heated and wanting…” Ludwig suddenly halted, reading that part again, getting some wrong connotations from what was supposed to be a children’s tale. Thinking perhaps just him jumping to conclusions, he continued.

“…their want for each other could not be held for much longer. They knew they had to act, especially in such a beautiful night, with just the air, just the romance they could succumb to, all their private wishes for once to be released the closer they came, the more their hands looked for more of their skin.” Yes…this was happening. As he rummaged through the next pages of this particular story, Ludwig realized that what followed was a detailed telling of the two main characters’ love making.

“Um…”

“Why did you stop?” Feliciano wondered, not at all perturbed, enjoying still from his cake. Ludwig wondered if he had even heard.

“Feliciano this is…uh…” how could he even word it?

“Come on, Ludwig, it’s nothing we haven’t heard or read ourselves.”

“But these are…childhood heroes…having sex.”

And Feliciano still shrugged. “These are from the Italian tales that were meant for adults. I had heard about it, just never actually…read it to truly see.”

“You really…don’t mind?”

“All natural thigs, Ludwig. Go on, I find parts like these to be beautiful and they’ll be lovely in your voice.”

Ludwig blushed, only getting more shaking.

“Don’t worry.” Feliciano leaned and placed a kiss on his head. “It’s just us. Think of it as part as any other story you’ve read till now.” He smiled in that accepting way that had Ludwig sighing and agreeing, making himself as comfortable between him as he had been for the night.

“…they kissed with that fire blazing behind them, its fuel heating more of their kiss, of the daringness to continue threading free skin.”

Feliciano hummed, loving indeed how the words coming from Ludwig’s mouth made him feel just as heated.

“Dietrich had for so long loved Irmhild’s legs, and what an honor it was to finally have them to his holding however he pleased, threading and taking to his wants.” It was in that exact moment that Ludwig took strong notice of the very pair of legs he found attracting himself, covering well both his sides of vision, now colored and glowing beautifully under the dim lighting of the room.

“He continued forward until he reached his center, drinking his glory, his shouts bringing heavenly glow into the church, more blessing than whatever ritual had long ago taken place.” Ludwig began a soft thread and scratch, his words and tone working an enchantment that had Feliciano slightly moaning. Ludwig smiled as he noticed what his words were doing, taking more embrace of those legs, letting his face lean and fall on them.

“He was above him, taking well the delicacy that laid under him, wanting to his ruling, for no one to dare to take from him and-” Ludwig had been persuaded by the color of Feliciano’s skin and the images in his head enough to fall to the temptation of a kiss. Feliciano hummed and swayed to the kisses placed, Ludwig letting the book close and fall to the ground uncaring. He turned to face both those legs in their entirety, kissing, licking all over them until he dared begin a soft thread up. He took the inner fullness and softness of his thighs, slightly biting, salivating it all in his owning, hands caressing their own way up, until they teased at the hem of his underwear, fingers escaping to take better hold of his backside, as velvet as his legs, pushing him more into his mouth, until he could kiss all his hips.

Feliciano moved wherever was necessary to give him more access, even letting those fingers begin the removal of the garment, kissing behind in its thread down his leg until it was off and he could focus back on his center, which he readily began to take into his mouth. It was surprising how daring he sucked and licked, like an experienced art, that familiar nervousness forgotten to pleasure his lover how he knew and could. To Feliciano, Ludwig’s mouth was already above the reach of great pleasure, his loud moans now decorating the room, letting himself fall to the bed slow, sometimes arching when Ludwig sucked just the right spot.

His mouth on his member was not enough, Ludwig wanted the taste of his stomach and sides, which he began to take, leaving an occasional bite that increased the strength of Feliciano’s shouts. How he loved it, only making him bite harder, hands now caressing at his back, while Feliciano let his own hand traverse his own, as well as his hair and strong arms.

Further up Feliciano’s chest Ludwig went, leaving the ground of the floor until his body joined Feliciano on the bed, on top of him as he decorated him whole in kisses. Feliciano could now wrap his arms around him, scratching, pulling, leaving his own kisses against Ludwig’s head as he instead left them on his collarbone and neck. Ludwig reached Feliciano’s mouth, a kiss heated and passionate that had them writhing across the sheets, always asking for more, driving themselves madden for each other, only a need for a breath enough to dispatch them, into a lock of eyes that kept them frozen in that moment.

Their want was clear, the moment of initiation there and in that silence it was decided, more assurance in the way Feliciano threaded his fingers gently across Ludwig’s face.

“Do we…tonight?” Ludwig still wanted to question aloud.

“Yes…” Feliciano accepted so blissfully already.

“Are…are you sure? Are…you ready?” Ludwig was ever as nervous, but his want was stronger tonight.

“Definitely.”

Ludwig could tell in the utter epitome of dream he represented, taking his face yet again to land him back on their kiss, on wild hands threading the necessary to heighten, to slowly remove articles to reveal more of their skin to small fires that glowed in the room.

Finally, there was a moment that their naked bodies laid against each other, an exhilarating enough that warmed them, painting them red and giving shivers of delight. Ludwig managed so Feliciano could have his head rested by their pillows, checking constantly they were both comfortable in the bed, his eyes and hands getting distracted and placing them once again to grab, to feel and soothe against that amazing skin that continued Feliciano’s hums. Their groins rubbed deliciously together, that cradle of their hips electrifying, having them already grabbing to the sheets tightly as if dear life was hidden in their silk. But Ludwig wanted that depth, and Feliciano wanted him entirely inside him, needy and humming that request, words lost in the foggy haze of their passion. Ludwig could understand it though, letting one hand start a soft thread from his feet, down his legs, to his thighs, his ass, and finally his entrance, testing a single finger, a widening and wetting spell under his breath as he inserted, spinning softly, creating that needed space as well as louder moans and mewls from Feliciano’s mouth. Delightful they were, having Ludwig smirking, testing to do so faster, harder, earning the roll of eyes, arch and screams that he wanted. He dared a second finger, trying the third, until he knew Feliciano was ready to take his own erection, yet he halted, he stared, to that last bits of virginal essence, shown more physically in the promise necklace that still Feliciano wore, the only item on his naked chest.

Despite how dark the room was, Feliciano shone still as reddish, orange and even rose as a sun, truly a beauty, a majesty worthy of being Queen and an Ace, and Ludwig felt so small, so human, but he was to dare at heaven, take it and enjoy from it as if he belonged to be a god as well. Feliciano breathed out, air in heat that tainted him in more colors of love and passion. Ludwig could not remove his eyes as one hand traversed through the bedside table, scourging until he found a familiar red collar.

He remembered how Gilbert had given it to him shortly before they had left on the trip around the four kingdoms, to use if ever this very moment occurred. Ludwig to this day was surprised that it had survived all the countless of things that happened, to be able to wrap around perfect to that delectable neck, one that Ludwig reached to kiss as he angled his hips, tip where it should, body ready, hands gentle and kisses loving. They both enjoyed those kisses, not minding its lengths, its distractions for what was meant to happen next.

“Is it all right?” Ludwig was ever cautious.

“Mhm,” Feliciano nodded, with a slight tremble, one that didn’t make Ludwig so sure.

“Feliciano, are you really-”

“Yes, please, I am,” he was able to convince still, a devotion Ludwig could see clearly in his eyes, that raised his hips, took Feliciano’s hand tightly, laying them as comfortably as he could upon the bed.

“I-I’m going to, okay…”

Feliciano nodded once again and afterwards Ludwig began a smoothing push, both admitting soft, different, but the deeper Ludwig went, Feliciano’s soothing expression grimaced and groaned, away from singing moans. The immense pleasure that started surrounding Ludwig wasn’t worth seeing Feliciano like this. He was ready to depart, but Feliciano raised his hand and kept a strong hold on his shoulders, potent enough to even have his nails piercing the skin there, slowly raising his legs to wrap them around Ludwig.

“Do-don’t worry…please continue,” Feliciano wanted to push on. He kept telling himself that he was ready, that a little pain was not going to ruin it. He could take it.

Ever so careful and worried, Ludwig pushed on slow, hating how Feliciano proceeded to cringe, but he was following the demands of the pushes Feliciano managed with his legs, until Ludwig knew for sure that he was buried deliciously and fully inside him.

It was glorious, like truly engulfed in unimaginable heights, but through that cloudy haze of pleasure he could still see Feliciano’s pain, having to pull himself from this heaven, away from thrusting on like instinct and his want called for, but love and care for Feliciano showed stronger as he lay still, breathing heavily above him, gazing between one another as they let themselves be adjusted and discover. Oh, this was enough, this was fulfilling, amazing, Ludwig wrapping well around him, intermingling breaths and settling with that welcoming of their sex.

“Are…are you all right?” Ludwig managed to word somehow.

Feliciano could only nod, as the piercing passed, as ecstasy began to make its entrance, as light came, as Feliciano’s small groans turned into melodic moans.

“It-it’s, wonderful,” Feliciano breathed out in dream as it slowly turned into the bliss so many had spoken about. Oh, it was so much more than words, or tales, or even pictures. It was an union unlike any, as they said, becoming their one, their power, released in this air of grandeur pleasure.

“You…you can move now,” Feliciano sounded almost hypnotized.

“Are you…really-”

“Yes, I am, just please…” his legs tightened around him, bringing his hands to his back, caress as sweetly, a wonderful touch to add to their present union. “Let’s give in.”

The content, the adoration in his eyes and even the way his body relaxed to the pleasure was just enough for Ludwig, who began to pull, then, in a wonderful friction, in, his first thrust announced in a loud moan.

“More…” Feliciano asked, expecting the strengthening and speed of that fulfill. But Ludwig remained cautious, and despite the amazement and the continuing increase of dreaming haze in his mind, he began slow, with sweet caresses, kisses against Feliciano’s neck that assured him more that Feliciano’s moans were now of indeed deep pleasure.

As the assurance grew, he confided to give in to speed, to take more of those depths, relishing on the skin surrounding him, joining Feliciano in decorating the room in their sounds.

“More…” Feliciano begged more loudly, and this time, oh truly this time, did Ludwig let himself give fully in, harsh, with speed, force, all sparks of lighting and beautiful storms in their bed. It shook, it bounced with their force, all red, all shouts, their union ruling and giving more sparks of love to continue them in those thrusts, in wraps of arms, kisses, strong, wanting to keep that bliss, their heaven. Ludwig quickly learned to use well the strength presented in his body, it aiding to find a spot that had Feliciano losing sense of all the tangible around him.

Only but Ludwig, oh only Ludwig, taking in his all to something that was turning to his mightiest need. They repeated words of love, of makings of strength and speed, until that wanted forever had to reach a peak that they had to accept if even unwanted.

It exploded, it tainted magnificence, they fell harshly but ever so comfortable in their arms, in that comfort, Feliciano still keeping his legs strong around Ludwig’s waist, and Ludwig kept himself inside him, still relishing by knowing well that he was in his queen’s depths, taken for him, all for him, only for him, Ludwig repeating that claim in unintelligible words, kisses and even bites of showcase.

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” was their mantra, kisses continuing until exhaustion reached them, until they desired sleep, although wanting to remain in the sweat of what was their deepest passion, together, wraps well around them. Part of Ludwig wanted to hope he could keep himself inside him for all the night, to always keep them unified, hoping for new pleasures to easily pick up and start again. Comfort had won though, content in the naked press of their skin, their easy breaths as they settled into sleep, well into their crooks as continuation of their love making. Ecstasy it was even with eyes closed, in dreams.

Unnoticed went the change of Feliciano’s promise necklace, now red with a beautiful white floral design, uniting in the center to the usual heart of the kingdom.

The promise had been fulfilled, kissed then by the sudden entering of a single red rose petal.

#gerita #Feliciano and the King of Hearts #fatkoh #f&tkoh #gerita fanfiction #gerita fanfic #gerita fic

26 notes · View notes