#I love the prague gang so much | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mrs-johansson · 10 months

Text

Strangers in the night - Scarlett Johansson x Fem!Reader

Part 16:

Date night for the Avengers?

Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson step out to dinner with the Cole sisters. Evans and the Civil Rights lawyer, Léa Cole went public with their relationship a couple of months ago and now they are hanging out with two of Hollywood’s highest-grossing actresses. Johansson seems to be spending her week in Los Angeles as Y/n Cole is shooting her new movie Bombshell. The two have been getting close this year, making multiple public appearances together. The Black Widow actress is set to star in Cole’s first directing film, Jojo Rabbit later this year. Sources say: “They enjoy each other’s company a lot. Y/n is a big fan of Scarlett’s work and they easily bond over their shared passion. Scarlett enjoys how exciting and new Y/n’s approach to the comedic history script is and both of them enjoy working together already.” The two’s relationship seems to be as private as possible. Maybe there’s more to it than we see.

I mean it’s not that bad. The last sentence is maybe the worst but other than that, there’s nothing wrong with it.

***

“So, you’re leaving for Europe, right?” Ellen asked from the opposite chair from me. “Yes, that’s the plan. But I’m gonna jump back home for just a couple of days before that,” I said. “Where exactly in Europe though?” “Prague in the Czech Republic. Very beautiful city.” “And are you nervous? I mean this is your first directing job. How are you feeling about that?” “I’m nervous of course, but mostly I’m expected. Taika is a very good friend of mine and it feels much easier to start all this with someone like him by my side. And of course the amazing actors on the cast, it’s really a privilege to start this journey with amazing people.” “Speaks of the actors in the movie,” Oh no, there we go. “Scarlett.” She said and I nodded. “You’ve been hanging out a lot recently, how’s that going?” She asked with a smile. She seems genuine. “Great, we’ve been going over the script a lot, preparing for shooting. She’s an awesome person, so yeah we’re friends.”

***

“Y/n,” Scarlett called out from the kitchen. “Yup,” I answered. “Come here for a moment.” I got up and walked to her. She was just fixing up some quick dinner while I dealt with some late stuff for the traveling stuff and our arrival, accommodation for the whole staff, and things like that.

“What’s up?” I stood next to her, watching as she moved around. “I was thinking…” she started and suddenly I got nervous. Don’t know why, I just did. “Yeah?” I cleared my throat and glanced at her face, looking for any sign of what she’d say. “And I thought maybe we could share an apartment while we’re there. I mean the staff and everyone wouldn’t think anything of it, but if they do, honestly I don’t care. And it could be fun, Rose will be there too, and I’m sure she’d be happy too.”

I smiled so widely, my face started to hurt after a while. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her and the way how casually she just said that. “I would love that. I’m just saying Rose and I will gang up against you,” I smirked and she laughed. Her cheeks rounded and slowly turned a shade of pink. “Oh I’m sure you will,” she looked at me after she turned off the stove.

Her light eyes were lit by the kitchen lights, while also showing the shadow of her nose on her left cheek. She had her glasses on which I adored so much. Her hair slicked back roughly, and her white shirt hung off her shoulder loosely.

“Scarlett, I love you.”

I couldn’t hold back. I just couldn’t. I love her. With every fiber of my body. She has it all. She makes me laugh when I feel the most dull, she brings me joy after a long day. Her thoughts make me wonder, while also fascinated. Her genuine laugh after the worst joke I made is my proudest moment of the day.

“And I love you,” her words felt like fresh air after coming up from under the water. That smile on her face is something I will never ever forget. She is different from everyone who I’ve dated before and it is probably the biggest blessing.

I pulled her into the most emotional kiss we probably shared so far. My hands on her cheeks and hers around my waist, holding me close. I had goosebumps from all the love I felt in that moment and I’ve never wanted to leave that moment. It was heaven on earth.

***

Telling our friends I think was the best idea in this time of our relationship because it was really going strong. Everyone was so happy and supportive which was the best feeling ever. I felt very secure in my place and so did Scarlett and it was so easy to share our love. We already talked about telling our families, and I felt really happy and at ease.

This week though, I fly out to Prague with Taika first then the cast joins us next week. I packed everything last night and I was ready to go.

The city was a dream. It was a whole different world than New York and I was very excited to explore all this. I settled into our temporary apartment and sent Scarlett pictures of the place, which by the way looked fantastic.

Taika and I started preparing everything. We got the table read ready for next week, checked the filming locations one more time, got to know Prague a little and it was quickly next week when everyone arrived.

***

“Y/n!” Rose started running as soon as she touched the ground. Stepping out of the car Scarlett was quick to notice me waiting for them in front of the apartment building. Her adorable smile was one of the highlights of the day.

“Careful there,” I called out to the little girl, and in a second she jumped into my arms. “Heeey,” I caught her and hugged her close. “I missed you, honey,” I kissed the side of her head and pulled away to see her face. Her blonde hair was cutely curled with a flowery clip attached. “I missed you too.” Although I noticed a little scar on her nose. “What happened to your nose, Rosey? Did you bump your nose?” I asked brushing a little piece of hair out of her face.

“I fell in school. We were playing,” she said while holding onto my hand. She is the cutest person. “Yeah, did you cry?” I asked softly and she shook her head and I dramatically gasped. “You didn’t?” “Big girls don’t cry,” she said proudly and I smiled. “You are a big girl, huh?” I stood up and then picked her up, turning to her mother.

I embraced her with a tight hold and let out a relieved sigh as soon as she wrapped an arm around me. “Hi baby,” her delicate whisper made me smile, and leaned my head against hers. “Hi,” I simply said since Rose was very close to me to hear anything.

“Should we check out your room, big girl?” I asked Rose and she smiled widely and nodded. “Let’s go then.”

***

The next day we got to the table read and I was nervous to talk in front of everyone. Taika and I sat in the front middle, and all the actors were around the long tables. Scripts, water, and nameplates were strictly placed for everyone. Once everyone settled down Taika looked at me with a reassuring smile. “I’ll start. Don’t be nervous though,” he patted my shoulder and stood up.

He made everyone laugh and honestly, it was worse going after him. I felt the pressure. I nervously looked around and my eyes quickly found Scarlett who was already looking at me. She sent me a soft smile and a small nod. Okay, so it’s visible that I’m freaking the fuck out.

The next thing I know, Taika just sat down and everyone was waiting for me. Okay, just look confident.

I stood up and cleared my throat before smiling lightly. “Hello everyone. I hope everyone got to settle in nicely and got to get rid of jet lag, if you did I’m jealous,” the room chuckled or at least smiled. “I’m very excited for all of us to work together, I think we all have very great opportunities to learn from each other. Taika and I worked on this for a while and it means the world to us that it finally comes alive and we couldn’t have imagined it better, thanks to you. And honestly, I just wanted to say thank you for being a part of our project. I hope you guys will have fun and enjoy this amazing city. And thank you again,” I let out a sigh and not gonna lie I got emotional a little bit from this.

I haven’t really realized what we’ve been doing for years with Taika. It is finally coming alive and I can barely process it. It’s an indescribable feeling.

***

Later that day, the whole cast was set to go out to dinner to get to know each other better.

“It wasn’t that bad right? My speech. Did I look scared as hell? I think I was even crying while talking,” I rented while also doing my makeup. Scar was getting Rose ready since she was already done.

“It was great. You looked relaxed honestly. It seemed like you knew what you wanted to say and everyone saw how grateful and excited you were. It was cute,” she said. “From your perspective maybe.” “From everyone's perspective. It was great, believe me.”

***

Weeks passed and I was having the time of my life. Directing was something that I enjoyed so much. It was a lot of work, yes but I loved every second of it.

“Let’s go from the top. Roman, you do what you did so far, it’s amazing buddy,” I smiled at him and he did too. “Thank you.”

“Alright, ready everyone?” I looked at Scarlett and she nodded, then at the crew and when it was settled I turned back. “Action!”

Once the cameras started rolling, Scarlett was unbothered by the outside world. Seeing her work just made me more in love with her. She was so passionate about it and it was amazing to see her do this.

***

Opening the door as quietly as possible, I slipped into the apartment like a fucking ninja. But then I saw the kitchen lights lit.

Taking off my shoes I slipped further into the flat. “Scar?” I whispered and the next second Scarlett’s popped out in the dim lights from the kitchen. “You’re home late,” she whispered, a sad smile on her face. I guess I look tired.

Dragging myself to the kitchen, I reached for my girlfriend, holding onto her hand first and then hugging her. “Why are you still up?” I mumbled with my eyes closed, my head resting on her shoulder. “I was learning lines and I couldn’t sleep,” she said. Her speaking vibrated off of her skin. “You okay?” I lifted my head and she nodded with a smile. “Of course, just tired that’s it,” she gave a kiss on my head and let me go. “You want something to eat? We had takeout for dinner, I got you some in case you’d be hungry,” Scarlett moved to the fridge. “I just want to sleep,” I yawned, waning against the counter. “Let’s go then.” “I’m gonna shower though,” I stood straight on my feet and made my way to the bathroom, but before that, I glanced into Rose’s room and saw her fast asleep in her bed.

Taking a shower I was moving so slowly but I managed to get into my pajamas after it. Scar was already in bed, reading her script and highlighting things with a pink marker. “I feel like my brain is not working,” I scooted into the bed, pulling the covers up until my neck, turning towards Scarlett. “You’re in tomorrow?” She asked. “Not until lunch,” I sighed. “Then you sleep until then, you’re gonna exhaust yourself,” with one more soft kiss on my lips, she put the script aside and turned off the light. As soon as she settled in, I cuddled up to her side. “Sleep well baby,” her arms wrapped around me. “You too, I love you.” “And I love you.”

#gxg #scarlett johansson imagines #scarlett johansson x you #scarlett johansson x reader #scarlett johansson x female reader #scarlett johansson #jojo rabbit

52 notes · View notes

alegje · 30 days

Text

I don’t think too many people know this, but I am obsessed with World War II. I can’t even count how many documentaries I have watched on the subject. I’m not a war buff and it’s not anything to do with the actual fighting that I pay much attention to. My fascination lies with how Hitler and his gang of horrible, despicable, lackies gamed the system and convinced a nation of people that groups of people that he saw as not human didn’t deserve to live anymore and need to be eradicated from the Earth. I don’t understand how this atrocity could have happened and why so many people did nothing to stop it. I don’t understand the hate you have to have in your heart to murder innocent men, women and children because of their race, sexual orientation, disability, or view of how the world should be different than how they thought it should be.

I watched a movie called Zone Of Interest recently. This movie focused on the Commandant of Auschwitz’s home life and family living right out side the walls of the camp in a lovely house with a huge back garden. They had local Polish women working in the house taking care of the children, cooking, cleaning, etc. Jewish prisoners delivered food and household items to them in their stripped jumpsuits. The children frolicked and played with their toys in their ladderhosen and pretty dresses whilst gunshots went off in the background. Many scenes really got to me in this movie. In one the wife got a delivery of items that the officers had just taken off of the newest prisoners to the camp. She looked through the bag and took out what she wanted and then instructed her house maids to go through the rest and take what they wanted. She then took her items to her bedroom. One item was a full length fur coat. She tried it on and whirled around in it in front of a mirror. The other item was a red lipstick. She sat down at her vanity and put the lipstick on. She did not display any remorse for what she was doing at all, she just took the items like she deserved them. The other scene was the wife taking her mother on a tour of her back garden. She is showing her all the things she planted and the paddling pool they built for the kids all whilst you hear in the background some Natzi solider screaming in German, someone else screaming in agonizing pain, and more gunshots. The last scene that really got to me was the end where they were showing a cleaning crew going through their daily duties cleaning the part of a camp that displays a mountain of shoes that belonged to the prisoners, a couple of prisoners stripped uniforms, and some other items belonging to prisoners. How do you see these items everyday and not cry. But, then you have to think about the fact that these people are just doing their jobs and see these things everyday so they might be anesthetized to them.

One Life is about an Englishman who got 669 Jewish children out of Prague right before it was invaded. One man decided he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing while these children were in eminent danger needed to be helped. I cried so much at the end of this movie.

0 notes

prcserpina · 4 years

Text

exams are garbage & i’ve been in the library every day every day all day for the past 3 weeks BUT. i have bizarrely met so many wonderful people this exam season. like somehow today i’ve been in the physics library since 9am & will be here until like 11pm & my exam is tomorrow & this has been the case for a week straight but my anxiety? non-existent. my ? social happiness & fulfilment? 10/10. my study group is the fucking cutest & i’ve seen so many of the lads in lectures over the past year and a half & never spoken to them until now but they are ALL so sweet and smart and oddly quirky in their own ways & fun to be around and kind even if sometimes a little arrogant which is. valid because they’re all mad smart. i’m rambling but rly i am so happy

#it was daunting at first bc it was literally just me alone in a room w 15 guys & a lot of them are older than me or just straight up.#smarter than me. but i've now learnt 2 assert myself & we've all learnt so much from each other & now we have this lovely group of 20 ish #of us who've been in meeting rooms / at this massive table in the phys library working together & we had some qs to prep in advance for this #nuclear / particle phys exam so after we all spent a couple of days doing them ourselves we got everyone together & took over a seminar room #& collaboratively blitzed through the answers so it was 20 minds prepping together instead of 1 #& it was just so good i've always been like 'i'm a lone worker' but evidently i ust wasn't working w the right people #ALSO now Two Whole other girls are also part of the group so that's gorgeous & iconic #one of them joined bc she saw us working together & knew me from the trip to prague last summer n i didn't realise how lovely she was ugh #highkey they are the only reason this depressive episode i've felt bubbling for the past couple of weeks hasn't spilled over #& i know it will after exams but that's fine bc at least exams will be done. n i will have gotten through them bc of the gang <3 #diary

6 notes · View notes

ixalit · 3 years

Note

Part two!!!

HTP Rec List Part Two, because not everything fit in one post due to the picture/divider limit

(Here’s part one)

Love, Pandora by coffeestainanalyst

3k, stucky

noncon is referenced but in the past, this is very much an aftermath fic, graphic flashbacks, objectification, victim blaming, self hatred, consent issues

Summary:

Written for a kinkmeme prompt asking for Steve & Bucky to be in a relationship post CA:TWS. Everything seems fine, until they raid an abandoned HYDRA base and find graphic evidence of Bucky's sexual abuse by HYDRA.

To quote the prompt: Cue horrible, painful, mortifying shame on Bucky's part (coupled with the fear that Steve certainly couldn't want him anymore now that he's seen exactly how soiled Bucky is) and Steve who's so horrified and angry with the perpetrators that he just barely keeps it together enough to reassure Bucky that he's not disgusted with him.

Pictures Came With Touch by Nonymos

6k, stucky, steve/bucky/sam

standard winter soldier trauma umbrella, past rape/non-con, touch-starved, non-consensual drug use, sex pollen, but no sex, cuddle pollen if you will, with a side order of angst, mutual pining, pre-OT3

Summary: So, there's this drug that makes the Winter Soldier addicted to his handler's touch and Barnes got a surprise dose and now he imprinted on Sam and it's been a long goddamn battle and Sam would just like to go to bed, please.

Happiness In Slavery by @hanitrash

10k, 4 chapters, complete

Steve/Bucky, Bucky/Rumlow

rape/non-con elements, restraints, hurt no comfort, no happy ending, dead dove: do not eat, hydra sex dungeon? Yes please!, bottom steve rogers

Summary:

Steve is captured while on a mission and wakes up in a very uncomfortable position, surrounded by some very familiar people. Apparently HYDRA knows it can't break his body, so they set out to break his spirit instead.And as it turns out, even the great Captain America can be broken.

Wash This From My Hands by nevtelenwriting

10k, stucky,

graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con, oral sex, electrocution, non-consensual touching, threesome (m/m/m), kinda threesome anyway, brainwashing, mind control, handcuffs, torture, implied past relationships, post captain america: the winter soldier, object penetration, forced orgasm, rough oral sex, non-consensual oral sex, forced blowjob, dead dove: do not eat, inappropriate use of stun batons

Summary:

Steve miscalculated. This was his fault, all of it.

Steve, Sam, and Bucky are hunting down what is left of Hydra operations, half fueled by justice and vengeance, and the gnawing need to keep Bucky safe. They fall in over their heads.

yes, yes of course this is going to hurt by alcibiades

1.8k, bucky/winter soldier, stucky

hallucinations, pre captain america: the winter soldier, non-consensual drug use, solitary confinement, dehumanization, all the winter soldier tags, dissociation

Summary:

Hydra trash meme prompt: During a programming session, Bucky Barnes vividly hallucinates being raped by the Winter soldier. Additional warnings for a little bit of body horror and mention of spiders. Proceed with caution.

They leave him in a cell that has no windows and a heavy metal door. He slumps into a corner; his body is shaking all over, freezing cold and wet with some kind of icy slurry that drip-drip-drips into a puddle around him. He tries to ask them where he is, what they're doing, but his tongue is like a lead weight in his mouth and the best he manages are a few wordless groans.

"Leave him there," says a voice from outside the door, as it swings closed. "He'll be back to normal in a couple of hours."

For What It’s Worth by throttlegainwell

11.7k, stucky, steve/hydra agents

graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con, protective steve rogers, protective bucky barnes, hurt steve rogers, hurt bucky barnes, hurt no comfort

Summary:

When he found the safehouse, after it had been scoured for evidence, he’d personally taken it down to studs. He recognized the room from the tape.

What he hadn’t recognized so far was any of the men from the tape. None of them had surfaced, none had been so involved in Project Insight that they hadn’t run for the hills when defeat was on the air. And he knew their faces. He knew them. He knew their ugly jeering voices and their obnoxious laughs and their appendectomy scars and at this point he might even recognize their dicks at a urinal.

He’d know them the second he saw them. If he saw them. Part of him hoped that Bucky wouldn’t, but Bucky seemed to remember a lot more than he claimed, so it seemed a stretch too far.

As he rather violently found out seven months later, on a side street in Prague at two thirty-three in the morning, it was.

Handler Protocol Mandate 384 by @hanitrash @buckybleeds

6.5k, 3 chapters, complete

Steve/Bucky, Steve/Bucky/Sam, past Bucky/hydra agents

dubious consent, bucky barnes recovering, dissociation, sam wilson does not get paid enough for this shit, whump, angst, hurt/comfort, hopeful ending, everything hurts but it gets better, bottom bucky barnes, service too steve rogers

Summary: Sam winds up in over his head when a very specific type of programming gets triggered at the abandoned HYDRA base.

Give Me Your Filth by @dsudis

15k, stucky

graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con, torture, waterboarding, flashbacks, panic, restraints, hurt no comfort, internalized victim blaming

Summary:

"I don't care," Bucky said. "I don't care which one was you and which one was someone else. You're underneath me now. It's my turn. I do things now, and you lie there and take it."

This was going to hurt.

the day when I rose at dawn by radialarch

5k, stucky

graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con, hydra made them do it, fisting, oral sex, pining, post captain america: the winter soldier

Summary:

The one where they go undercover as the Winter Soldier dragging a captive Captain America back to his masters.

In Hydra, Vine Do You by Quarra

27.5k, 2 chapters, complete

Steve/Bucky, Bucky/Hydra agents, Steve/Hydra agents

graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con, gang rape, consentacles, plant monster steve, predicament bondage, gags, butt plugs, orgasm delay/denial, forced orgasm, multiple orgasms, cock & ball torture, non-consensual body modification, medical experimentation, multiple penetration, overstimulation, dehumanization, breath play, whatever the plant version of oviposition is*

*see ao3 for more tags

Summary:

While the Asset is in the middle of an experimentation session with the Chem Sci department, an emergency happens in another lab. One of the other experimental creatures escaped its containment cell and the Asset is ordered to go take care of it. He's hosed off, plugged up, geared up, and sent upstairs post-haste to deal with the problem.

Unfortunately, the Asset is still flush with drugs that make him incredibly aroused. When the escaped creature notices, he takes an interest.

Much to the Asset's delight.

Four Across by @justanotherstonyfan

5.7k, stucky

graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con, oral sex, conditioning, triggers, hand jobs, anal play, knife play, comeplay

Summary:

Written for a prompt on the Hydra Trash Meme

So say HYDRA uses the Winter Soldier to seduce people as a spy as well as to assassinate people. Some people like it vanilla, some people like to dominate him - and some people want to be dominated by him. He's conditioned to be dominant when triggered by a certain word or phrase. There's a word/phrase to turn dom!WS off too, but the character of your choice has no idea what it is. They didn't mean to trigger this aspect of the Soldier, they just happened to say the wrong thing.

#fic recs #hydra trash party #bucky barnes #steve rogers #stucky #asks

38 notes · View notes

clansayeed · 3 years

Text

Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ― Chapter 9: The Arrival

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ⥽

They fled New York with one purpose. Find, hunt down, and return with a way to kill a vampire god. They abandoned their loved ones and survived the City of Shadows; had their trust broken and darkest secrets brought to light. All that... and Gaius still won anyway. But now that they have nothing to lose, Nadya and her friends are finally ready to do whatever it takes to see the King of Vampires overthrown.

They just have to avoid a vampire population eager to gain favor with their new monarch, the ruthless Order of the Dawn, and whatever plans Gaius has that involve Nadya captured and brought to him alive. So... easy-peasy, right? The worlds of both dark and light hang in the balance. The time has come for the Bloodkeeper to embrace her destiny. So if anyone wants to clue her in on whatever that means, now would be great!

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing reimagining project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

TAG LIST: @googlesentmehere, @cess02, @hellyeah90sbaby, @tayab12, @saratustra4, @imnotdonewiththeelementalists, @thepotatobleh,

*join the Tag List here!

⥼ Summary ⥽

It's the night of Vlad's masquerade ball, the most prestigious social event a vampire can attend. An entire ballroom full of faces and names every vampire in Europe knows... and apparently Nadya is going to upstage them all.

content warnings: language

[READ IT ON AO3]

A pretty big chunk of their plan relies on the staff of the Tepes Estate being just as snobbish and uppity as the man they serve.

So thankfully at least something is both easily predictable and surprisingly convenient.

Staff all around, and none of them pay the pair of them much mind. Beyond the fact that they get told by more than one footman that “guests really shouldn’t be back in the staff corridors” and receive multiple warnings about how “the Count has ensured all guests for the evening, (said while looking down the biggest snooty nose in all of Prague no less) no matter their prestige, will receive adequate time to sup on the serving staff,” and that they “really shouldn’t be allowing an undisclosed human on the premises but will look the other way this time,” Nadya and Cadence are pretty much left to their own devices.

Which means scurrying out of sight before any lone particularly loyal member of the Tepes household decides to go narc and everything ends up exploding in their faces anyway.

Because there’s no way on earth these full-face masques of theirs are providing any damage cover should their plans go KABOOM!

Nadya casts another look up at Cadence as they come across their umpteenth fork in the road. Watching him decide between right or left is starting to feel as nerve-wracking as actually choosing which direction they ought to go.

“You’re sure you know where we are?” You’re sure you know we’re going the right way?

“I’m starting to feel like you have less than zero faith in me, Nadya.” He probably thinks the glance down her way is a reassuring one. But the masque over his face is almost too neutral. It’s just a mask but it feels like it’s trying too hard, you know?

“That’s not it at all. This place is just…” A lot.

He barely remembers to reach back and take her by the hand before he chooses left in a hurry. Who knows how much time they’ve wasted just trying to find their way through this seemingly endless castle.

“It takes me a moment to recall the map Serafine showed me before we left, but I’m… ninety percent sure I know exactly where we are.”

“And the other ten percent?”

“Is trying to keep an ear out for party noises. So if you’ll zip it, thank you.”

Admittedly Nadya would have a lot more faith in this plan if it wasn’t just the pair of them, proven stumbling disasters that they are, relying on the apparently flawless memory of a man who literally introduces himself as ‘the one with amnesia.’ She understands the rationale behind it, just as she understands the rationale behind everybody else going through the front door like an entourage of normal party-goers. They have three prestigious faces and what Jax and Lily lack in clout they make up for in being practically invisible as nobodies to this upper echelon of attendees.

But shoving the two bigwigs of their gang — well, the most recognizable face in any room of vampires and the obviously human girl losing her freakin’ mind amid a cluster of the heartbeat-less undead — through the staff entrance with nothing more than simple masks to disguise them and trusting them not to mess up finding their way among the rest in time for some famed big reveal they still don’t know the full-on details of…?

Well if they live through this long enough to chronicle this part of their journey, nobody is ever allowed to even so much as imply via metaphor that Nadya never trusted her friends wholly and completely.

Actually if they’re talking about chronicling stuff, better they leave these more vague and improvised parts of their master quest to the footnotes. That way they can pretend they knew what they were doing the whole time.

For example Nadya isn’t gonna let anyone write down that she got so wrapped up in her thoughts about what may or may not get written down that she walked face-first into a brick wall.

OW.

Not a brick wall, actually.

Cadence turns around and catches Nadya’s mask just before it falls and shatters on the ground. Thank you vampire super-speed.

“Are you okay?” He asks, wide-eyed and worried, hesitant to give her back her disguise to take stock of how she really looks.

That’s such a loaded question though, so Nadya ignores it and rubs the redness on her forehead instead.

“Why’d you stop?”

The vampire takes a moment to look up and down either end of the corridor and even around the next corner. When he’s satisfied they’re alone he pries his own mask off with a groan; practically peeling his flattened hair from where its been stuck to his forehead the moment he put the darn thing on.

“Because,” with pursed lips he blows his fringe out of his eyes, “I’ve been talking this entire time… and even when I ramble you usually have some two cents or other to pitch in.”

That’s fair. Nadya takes back her mask with a sheepish shrug. “Sorry, got distracted.”

“That much is obvious. Care to share?”

“Not really. Care to keep going?” Not like they’re exactly full of free time, here.

He sweeps his arm in an after you motion, but keeps pace with Nadya’s shorter stride. “I can hear the string quartet by now. We’re close, but they haven’t begun the announcements Serafine told me to wait for.” So maybe they have a bit of free time. Got it.

Only now she can’t stop thinking about what will be on the other side of the big grand ballroom doors.

And Nadya without her set of note cards to at least help her through her dumb speech all because her dumb dress has no dumb pockets.

“You know I still don’t get why they wouldn’t budge about you not being discovered.”

“You don’t see me complaining,” Cadence says with a shrug; and actually now that he points it out…

“No, I don’t.”

He doesn’t need to look at her to know exactly why she says it that way, either. It’s not the first time they’ve had this talk. Probably won’t be the last either.

His sigh sags from his shoulders to his fingertips. “‘Surprise warmonger back from the dead’ might accidentally eclipse ‘reincarnation of the vampire Goddess.’ Can’t have that, now can we.”

“Cadence.”

“Nadya.”

They turn another corner in complete silence. Nadya’s ears strain to hear this quartet of his but nope, not close enough for her poor human ears quite yet.

Finally Cadence seems to decide on something. Gathering himself up all the way to his full height while fiddling with the porcelain in his grasp. “Actually… Serafine and Kamilah gave me the option. When they talked about prestige all this week it was largely assuming I might be able to pretend just enough to add to their collective fame. But they gave me the choice as to whether or not I wanted to try.”

“And you said no.”

“Of course I said no. I don’t envy you, Nadya. You have to do this regardless of whether or not you want to. But for the first time it feels like I’m not in that position, and I want to take full advantage of it.”

His face falls, voice going somber. “Surely you can see why.”

She can. She did, in the flesh, and while he’d been useful at the time she can still close her eyes and remember how easily Cynbel had threatened Jax, hurt Adrian and Serafine; how callous he’d been with her life even though she’d agreed with him at the time… Not to mention all the implied things that come with Serafine, always calm and cool and collected, losing her freakin’ marbles every time he ended up a part of the conversation.

He continues. “I don’t think I could have pretended to be him if my life depended on it. And if you think about it, your life does depend on it in a way. I couldn’t risk you like that. Not after how kind you’ve been to me.”

Her fingers brush over his arm. Cadence either takes it the wrong way or chooses to give a purpose to something so small; he bends his elbow and lets her arm slide into his like a proper escort to a proper ball.

“A lot of people’s lives depend on me pretending to…” Nadya can’t quite say it though, so she swallows it down. “I just have no idea what I’m supposed to do when we get there.”

“Understandably.”

“Seriously,” offering him a wry and dry smile, “that’s all the advice you’ve got?”

He mulls it over for a good and proper think. The effort is more than appreciated even if it doesn’t actually yield results. At least this way she gets to vent it out before messing up royally when the time comes.

Cadence stops first — their linked arms jerk her back and to turn and face him. “I wouldn’t call it advice, per se,” gee—great, “but maybe we both suck at pretending because we ought to be accepting, instead. Accepting who we… were. Possibly, in your case. That way we still have the chance to move on.”

It’s a sweet sentiment, but Nadya can’t help the way her nose scrunches up slightly.

“I don’t think that applies to this case, Cade.”

“Fair enough. Can’t say I didn’t try.” And that makes the pair of them laugh, no matter how weakly. Something neither of them knew they needed, nor how badly they needed it.

It doesn’t last long… but it doesn’t need to.

“You’ll figure it out when the time comes Nadya. You usually do.”

Usually.

In wordless agreement she and Cadence don their pretend masques with mutual reluctance. At least he doesn’t have to breathe in his. But it’s easier this time to see what his face really says beneath that neutral doll-like expression.

She smiles at him in return. Like many things these days they can’t quite see it, but the feeling is there.

When they get close enough that Nadya’s ears no longer strain to catch the occasional tittering laughter or melodramatic voice, Cadence diverts them yet again. This time for a staircase he just so happens to catch sight of out of the corner of his eye.

He keeps her close; closer than before. Practically hovering over her like a shadow less than a step behind her the whole way up. She pauses when he pauses, she waits when he waits, and trusts him enough to know her faith isn’t misplaced but some explanation would be swell any time he’s feeling his usual chatty self.

Crouched close to the ground (which is a feat for him, for her not so much) Cadence crooks a finger at Nadya to join him in inching steps along the carpet towards the railing overlooking the main foyer below.

Nadya is, understandably, hesitant. “What if someone sees us?” What if someone smells me, hears me, all-of-the-aboves me?

“Same principle as before.”

“Keep close and your blood will cover me up?”

He nods. Not like she really has any other choice. Well, that and the more snatches of conversation she plucks from thin air the more curious she is.

And when has her curiosity ever not won out?

Cadence’s cloak comes heavy around her other shoulder and all but smothers her. She grabs the edge and pulls it tight while making sure not to jostle it from his shoulders. For some reason she can’t shake the feeling like she’s hiding behind a curtain with her feet sticking out underneath.

But they’re here, so they might as well take advantage of it. So Nadya joins him in peering through the stone balusters to the hustle and bustle happening below.

The foyer had been beautiful already during her visit with Serafine and Jax the other night — Nadya would even go so far as to assume it was nearly completed. That assumption would have been vastly incorrect.

It’s not her contacts; she’s not seeing double. Every bauble and ribbon and glittering glassy gem brought along the entire family. There’s practically no surface without something shiny added in some form or another, and in many cases that shiny thing has a shiny thing has a shiny thing of its own on top.

On their own the decorations probably look gaudy and too-much. But when you fill the room with graceful vampires all dolled up in unique fashions and splendors everything else is lost in the background. Tasteful would probably have ended up the equivalent of a fifty-buck Party Town Supply budget. So at least the Count knows his audience.

She should be looking for their friends… and she is. But Nadya tells herself it’s being a good and thorough secret agent to observe all the other guests along the way. Two birds and all that. But it’s not easy to just sweep her eyes over the assembled masses in search of a few key faces. Not when each masque is a face all its own.

You’d think there are only so many combinations of colors, designs, and styles to make before they start getting repetitive. But that couldn’t be farther from the case. She gets it now, seeing everything and everyone from way up high and afar like this. The importance of not just the masque itself, but having the right kind of masque above everything else.

Masquerade balls are about hiding and blending in; being just another face in the crowd.

Les Visages de la Gloire is the exact opposite. And even that feels like the most watered-down way to put it she can think of.

A gentle weight falls on Nadya’s back and she shudders a gasp. When had she stopped breathing? Not for fear of being caught, but at the beauty of it all that could only be described as—literally—breathtaking.

Faceless in their full face-coverings and headdresses each more ostentatious than the last; not important enough to show who they are but still in competition with each other — still with deeds to announce and reputations to uphold. Half-masks covering the left side, the right side, the top of one and the bottom of another and all of them made uniquely for a single soul and nobody else.

Some vampires have masques that match their costumes. Others clash in a way that can’t be anything other than on purpose. Even from a distance Nadya can see the difference between carefully crafted metalwork and porcelain painted with glossy lacquer; can compare wood carvings with rich varnish and contrast that with the vast rainbow of matte colors on terracotta. Most are adorned with embellishments and jewels heavy enough to make her neck hurt just by looking at them.

Nearly all take full advantage of the fact their wearers won’t end up suffocating on the other side.

And I’m supposed to show them all up without so much as a sheer ribbon over my eyes? Yeah, Nadya’s confidence takes a knife to the gut just thinking about it.

“Over there.”

Not like Cadence’s finger isn’t pointing down to a massive crowd or anything, but that’s exactly the point — forgive the pun.

Though they can’t quite see double doors leading inside the castle from the exterior from their hiding spot, the sudden hush that falls over the idle crowd offers up an equally dramatic entrance.

It’s the kind of arrival that would be filmed in slow-motion. The kind that pans up from the purposeful echo of each expensive step; dragging over the exquisite details of their costumes in one long smooth glide all the way to the big reveal. And what a reveal it is.

Kamilah’s spindly masque may be made of steel but it curls over her sharp features with all the grace of a silken thread. It’s a face covering by only the thinnest margin of definition, with too many gaps in the framework to even pretend to conceal her identity. But after taking in the rest of the crowd… it’s obvious she’s the kind of face — the kind of presence — that simply can’t go unrecognized.

Everything about Kamilah, from her posture to her raised chin to her not-at-all-faked aura of superiority, demands recognition.

On the surface she’s the woman that Nadya knows; that she trusts and cares about so so much. But look beneath, something all too easy to do — like sweeping aside a mist, it’s impossible to miss how she’s so much more.

The Bloodqueen has arrived. And the entire foyer is speechless before her.

Without even moving a muscle the closest groups stagger back several more steps. Dozens of them nearly tripping over themselves and each other in their haste.

It’s no surprise that the space is quickly taken up by the two figures flanking Kamilah’s sides.

Serafine’s masque isn’t so much a mask as it is a scrap of lace just wide enough to earn the collective approval. As if anyone here doesn’t already know who she is regardless. But that’s how she can pull the look off if Nadya is remembering her explanation right.

No one would dare partake in Les Visages without knowing—without introduction—the woman who started it all.

Some final vestiges of their psychic connection tugs Nadya towards her; not physically so much as emotionally. Even without seeing Serafine’s features up close there’s a bittersweet ache in her chest that’s definitely not Nadya’s own.

The vampiress can offer up all the scarlet-lipped smiles she wishes. They are all hollow and fake. The simple act of being here causes Serafine nothing but distress.

And then there was Adrian.

Who, in comparison to Kamilah and Serafine, makes the women nearest him seem positively giddy and gleeful to be here tonight.

He wears his tailored costume perfectly; that wasn’t in doubt. It’s the masque that leaves him stony-faced. Gold rich and dark that catches every little flame on the chandelier over his head that covers his eyes but can’t hide the tension wracking his jaw.

He and Kamilah both wear near-identical rich crimson garnets inlaid just beneath their masque’s right eye. Shared stones for a shared Maker. But along his edges are thin metal spires, short but wicked sharp, that vary from the same gold, to steel, to a coppery hue.

A second glance confirms Nadya’s suspicions; Adrian isn’t the only one with those kinds of embellishments along the edges of their masques. Scouring a few of them from the crowd, the way they carry themselves and mirror Adrian’s ramrod-straight posture answers a question she didn’t know she needed to ask.

If the garnet labels him and Kamilah both as Turned by Gaius, then the spikes are the mark of the soldier. Any soldier; but one worth recognition for their service.

Which is everything Adrian doesn’t want. Everything he had worried over, and was working now towards overcoming in the wake of his past.

Nadya ducks her head hastily to catch her tear before it falls. Thankfully she’s quick enough. If only she could wipe away the reason for it just as easily.

Pull yourself together, girl, she scolds, and it’s just enough to do the trick and pull Nadya’s focus back to everything around them. All the stillness and nothingness and the way a room full of the undead hold their collective unnecessary breath waiting for what will happen next.

Which is exactly the kind of attention-grabbing showstopper the three of them are supposed to be. All eyes turned on the prestigious trio they are together, and away from Nadya and Cadence one floor above.

All focus on who they are, why they’ve come, what they will do; and away from the practically invisible dynamic duo that slips through the crowd towards the closed ballroom doors.

Behind her, Cadence lets out an impressed little “hah” when he finally manages to pick Lily and Jax out of the crowd. “I completely missed them. Did you see them sneak in?”

“No,” answers Nadya, but that’s actually a good thing. That was the whole point.

Without a word Kamilah takes one step forward. Her aura of command acts like an invisible shield that parts the rest; holding them at a respectable distance.

But the sudden shifting of the mass of faces and their masques gets dangerous when it turns right in their direction. If even one wandering eye looks up, they’re done for!

Without a word the vampire pulls Nadya backwards, letting the force of his bulk pull them out of eyesight in the nick of time. That was a little close, huh.

Nadya doesn’t get the chance to thank him though.

The moment she opens her mouth a loud echoing clang rings out below them, followed by the distinct shuffle of something heavy being dragged achingly close to the foyer’s marble floors.

Neither of them needs to risk sneaking a look.

Right on time. The ballroom doors have finally opened, allowing the first wave of prestige to spill forth out to the grand dance floor.

And though the shuffling of boots and sharp tapping of heels fills the vacuum of stunned silence as the attendees start to move, it’s not nearly enough noise to drown out the sudden and familiar exuberant laughter of delight that echoes across every polished surface below. The kind of laughter designed to be projected across adoring crowds; and carefully rehearsed to always seem full of intriguing promise.

What Nadya wouldn’t give to borrow a little of Vlad Tepes’ seemingly endless confidence for her own performance… looming ever-closer and starting to pick up real steam.

“Remember my lovelies! Faceless and no-names, see yourselves inside. New blood and the lucky virginal attendees right beside them!”

Her full-body shiver of discomfort is more than warranted. But Nadya only wishes she could be surprised at his… unsettling word choice.

“I’m suddenly very glad to be up here.”

She snorts at the wide-eyed stare looking out from Cadence’s mask. “You and me both.”

“Yes yes darling, oh you look a treat. And you there — you must tell me the story behind that engraving later, you simply must.” It’s really to their luck and benefit that the Count likes hearing himself talk so much. They can stay far away from the railing and still keep tabs on what gauge of prestige is next to be welcomed into the bal masqué proper.

They just have to wait until everyone—Vlad included—is inside. Everyone but the most prestigious of the lot of them. And when all eyes are (once again) on the Bloodqueen herself… they’ll have no choice but to witness Nadya’s arrival.

Having Kamilah by her side might just give her the kick in the metaphorical pants to do this thing. Not the literal though. There’s no way this practically bleach-white linen getup will survive a boot print, and especially not to the rear end.

Down below there’s a momentary lull; all but shattered by Vlad’s returning laughter now pitched higher than before.

“Why there you are, Serafine! Here I worried I had somehow lost track of your arrival in the excitement.”

His words are followed by two unmistakably wet noises; which Nadya prays are just over-dramatic kisses to her cheeks.

“Surely you jest,” she teases good-naturedly; said with all the humor of someone whose smile can’t possibly reach her eyes, “I see before me you follow the old traditions quite well. Showing the prestigious their due, their arrival witnessed by all who look to them in admiration.”

“Well of course! It makes for the grandest of entrances.”

“Ah, yes,” the elder vampiress croons, “and as the illustrious host yours would be the last, non?”

“Don’t worry darling — I would never claim credit for your centuries of contribution to our dwindling community.”

“Meaning?”

Somehow Nadya just knows Vlad throws his hair back unnecessarily as he laughs again.

“You can enter just before me, of course.”

“Then when, may I ask, might you suggest my blood-kin Adrian and I make our entrance known, old friend?”

Unlike Serafine, who at least pretends to smile while enduring the torture of his conversation, Kamilah’s question is cold and clipped. It rings with all the disinterest of the Kamilah that Nadya had met so long ago — and she’d place good money on the single raised eyebrow hiked high enough to be seen over her masque, too.

But if anyone could render Vlad speechless…

Nadya struggles to hear something, anything, until she catches the faint rustle of stiff and expensive fabric moving with haste. Vlad’s gesture of greeting, no doubt.

Just like she has no doubt that Kamilah and Adrian don’t humor him as long as Serafine has. It certainly explains the flustered, hasty way his next words tumble from his tongue with practically no filter.

“All the best surprises are the ones that sweep one off his feet. My humble gathering of our kind—nay, our family—from the nearest branch to the farthest root is made absolutely resplendent by the honor of your presence!

“Your Majesty, mon cherie —” —a beat, his attention likely shifting to Adrian— “— and Sergeant Adrian Raines, just when I had resigned myself to an evening of only the old and antiquated in renown. Here you stand before me, as handsome as the day we first met.”

Nadya quickly schools her bewildered expression — too long and it might get stuck that way. But that is flirtation if she’s ever heard it. Not good flirtation, but nevertheless.

“Vlad, as… lively… as ever.” Adrian just barely recovers, but now she’s dying to know what he had almost said instead. “Hard to believe it’s been nearly seventy-five years since last we met. Time… flies so quickly.”

“Oh pish posh,” replies the Count, “you wouldn’t know it but for the calendars. My memory of those chiseled features of yours obviously needed a refresh.”

He’s barely finished speaking when he gasps, clapping his hands together delightedly. “Speaking of memory! You’ll have to forgive my fright. As you all know surely, my recollection skills are of world-renown. Yet the sight of you all almost thrust me spiraling into self-doubt.

“And not without good reason! As I could have sworn you — the both of you, that is to say — had… cast aside your former titles.”

It’s just like before. Everything that pops into his head said without a filter all the way up until what he’s saying isn’t as vapid as it was at the start.

It must be so easy to write Vlad Tepes off at first glance. Just look at the public opinion of the guy. Nadya had, she’s humble enough to admit it. But the hard truth is that he is Vlad Tepes; he is Count Dracula.

But whether he’s all the things the myths and legends claim or not it can’t go ignored that he knows what he’s doing (even if it doesn’t seem like it). He knows how to play a crowd, how to stroke an ego. He’s a master of misdirection.

Has nobody pitched a Vegas residency to this guy yet? Seriously?

But if he thinks he’s going to out-wit someone like Kamilah he must have those leather pants on just a little too tight.

She doesn’t address his comment. Brushing it aside proves a much more important point.

“Shall Adrian and I wait patiently here while you and Serafine follow through, then?”

Vlad must be used to playing the ‘host with the most’ card, because he hesitates. But Kamilah wasn’t asking — she was just being polite.

“Yes,” he finally agrees, though surprisingly less strained than Nadya would have expected. “I would not dare nor dream of presuming your prestige. Nor would I separate the grand entrance of the progeny of our King.

“The three of you will have a most celebratory announcement, I give you my word.”

Did she hear that right?

Serafine offers a gentle tittering laugh. “I see no reason why you and I should not enter together, ma puce.”

“We shall.”

Vlad’s words die to the sound of heavy heels across the foyer floor. Too many steps to be one of her friends; but certainly more than enough for them to bring a person across the length of the room to where they are gathered.

Of course something is going wrong. They should have anticipated something going wrong. They had, her brain reminds her, and probably thinks its being helpful by doing so.

She dares to inch just close enough to catch a glimpse down below and spoiler alert — it isn’t helpful at all.

With his head held high, Marc Antony makes a bold statement in taking Kamilah’s hand without it being offered. Then he goes a step further with a half-bow and a kiss pressed to the back — or the ghost of one. He barely manages it before she yanks it from his grasp — in surprise, in anger, that’s not the part that matters.

With everyone fixated on the two oldest vampires in the room, Adrian dares to steal a glance of warning up to the railing. Wide-eyed and with pursed lips, the message when he gives the tiniest shake of his head is clear.

Nadya retreats, practically crab-walking backwards.

Cadence tries to help her sudden shaking panic with an arm over her shoulders. It’s the thought that counts.

“What,” he asks worriedly, “who is it?”

“Antony,” Nadya exhales, and the man goes rigid beside her. “It’s Marc Antony.”

#bloodbound #playchoices fanfiction #playchoices #kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #adrian raines #serafine dupont #jax matsuo #lily spencer #marc antony #oc: cadence smith #vlad tepes #fic: oblivion bound #oblv: new chapter #oblv: bound by destiny ii #; my fics

21 notes · View notes

thuviel · 3 years

Text

got tagged by @snufkinshat to share some music so get ready to be exposed to my weird music taste xD

1. favourite song at the moment:

Achilles Come Down - Gang of Youths (I may or may not have listened to it multiple times a day on repeat for weeks...)

2. a song you associate with your favorite ship:

I’m not a big shipper but Dear Fellow Traveller - Sea Wolf gives me Shadowgast vibes, especially if it’s Essek’s POV and if you see the “love” as his hunt for knowledge about the beacons

3. a song that could be about you:

Wind In My Sails - Chase Coy

4. a song you find overrated:

Pick pretty much any pop song on the radio

5. a song that reminds you of a good memory:

A Little Priest - Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter Me and my friend were obsessed with Sweeney Todd when we were like 16 and while we were on vacation together in Prague we kept singing this song pretty much everywhere we went, including our own ridiculous improvised translations into Norwegian... good times xD

6. last song you listened to:

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - John Owen-Jones (I like this version better than the original tbh)

7. a song that makes you laugh:

I’ve No More ... To Give - Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq, Damian Clark (not that many songs that make me laugh but this one is a mood lol)

8. a song you want your mutuals to listen to:

All of the above, but also May I Stand Unshaken - D’Angelo in case you haven’t played Red Dead Redemption 2 bc I will never stop thinking about that story and this song is beautiful

I’m tagging @wingsofthenorth @idlewildly @kivran @grzaniec @deadgirlrising @kloud and anyone else who wants to do it!

#thanks for tagging me!#tag game #about me #misc

8 notes · View notes

coeurdastronaute · 4 years

Text

Essays in Existentialism: Stud 9

Previously on Stud

“It’s been awhile.”

“Near a decade?”

“Well there was that convention in Prague. Maybe six, seven years ago?”

“And the reunion at the Hargrove Estate.”

“The presentations in Oslo?”

“I think… I think that was right around when m mom--” Lexa furrowed as she tried to place the time that seemed to slip away from them. “I guess Prague was the last time.”

“Five years then,” her old friend from college nodded thoughtfully. “Time is a dangerous thing. I hate it.”

The lounge was intimate, dimly lit and clean, freshly modeled despite being an ancient and ritzy institution in its own right. Dark woods were illuminated by soft lights, large paintings covered the walls in dark gold frames. The chairs were velvet and the drinks were perfectly crafted from the best labels. The clamor of the familiar crowd in suits and ties and diamonds and dresses was just a murmur behind their secluded table

Maggie James hadn’t changed a bit, just matured into a fulfilled version of herself, or so Lexa liked to imagine. She still had deep brown eyes and a heart-shaped face. Still had a soft smile. Her hair was cut shorter now, above the shoulders and wavy. Her demeanor was more assured, more herself, than the unsure girl in college, or even the graduate assistant at a presentation in Prague.

“I have to say, I hadn’t expected to hear from the CFO of one of the largest companies on the planet after reading my lowly article and research.”

“I don’t know about lowly,” Lexa smiled after sipping her drink. “I thought it was a good article. And your research was thorough.”

“I just observe and postulate. Those other companies were the ones doing the hard part.”

She was naturally demure. Maggie was not someone who had to work for a living. Her family owned an ancient merchant conglomerate and she was vaguely related to a Kennedy and a Duke or something. And though she had her phases, Lexa remembered her from school as someone who wanted to do her own thing. She didn’t cut up her black card, but she sure didn’t care to rely simply by biding her time. Lexa always liked that.

They hadn’t been especially close, just gravitated to similar circles and were in the same degree program, naturally leading to an affiliation that boarded somewhere between acquaintances who knew too much and friends with no actual ties.

The real surprise had been when Maggie actually returned the phone call Lexa gave after a few weeks of obsessing over the research and generally annoying her girlfriend with facts and tidbits, filling up a notebook with her own questions, ideas, and things she’d read. She’d garnered a lot of attention with her article and research. It almost wasn’t worth it for her to return the call of a somewhat acquaintances, somewhat friend that she hadn’t seen or heard from in upwards of six years. But Lexa’s last name was on buildings in almost ever major city, and regardless, she got a return call.

“I did call you about the article, but also to catch up,” Lexa promised.

“And remember those good times in college?”

“We did have a few of those, didn’t we?” she grinned, looking over her glass, earning a shaking head and heavy sigh and smile.

“Much to my girlfriend’s chagrin.”

“You actually told her some stories?” Maggie raised her eyebrows and chuckled. “And she let you come tonight?”

“Encouraged it actually. She’s sick of hearing me rave about your work and research. I’m allowed to have an intellectual crush on you, and that’s it.”

“She’s a saint.”

“You have no idea,” Lexa agreed and signaled for another round. “Last I heard, you were engaged to some Lockeridge. Didn’t work out?”

Maggie held up her hand and wiggled an empty ring finger.

“He didn’t particularly care that I was interested in anything other than the usual marriage retirement activities like kids and needlepoint or whatever.”

“A shame.”

“I heard you decided to go outside of the pool or acceptables,” Maggie shrugged. “I only have a few questions: How, and how did your father take it?”

“You know my dad. He wouldn’t know acceptable if it shook his hand. He actually adores Clarke. And it was sheer luck. She just happened to be best friends with a mechanic I use to fix up old cars.”

“Kismet.”

“How did your parent’s take the loss of a Lockeridge hyphenation?”

“Mom went into full mourning, black outfits for a week and three weeks in Italy,” Maggie recited as Lexa laughed. “Dad complained about his lost deposits on venues.”

“And now?”

“Now, I research sustainable and ethical management in corporations.”

“I meant--”

“I don’t even own a car, so I haven’t run into any mechanics, and I was almost hoping you’d broken up with your saint and that’s why you’d called.”

“It actually our three year anniversary next month.”

“Disgusting. You’re buying the drinks.”

They both shared a smile and shook their heads, amused at themselves and the situation of their lives, both wondering how they hadn’t taken the time to be better friends, although a few drunken make outs had certainly ended any hopes of that back then.

“I’m assuming you want to talk to me about the article and your company?”

“I was having fun catching up, but I take sex off the table and now you’re all business.”

“I know your time is valuable, and I don’t want you to think you have to waste it catching up,” she explained, leaving Lexa slightly baffled.

“Your time is valuable too, and honestly, I am kind of having fun catching up. I kind of fell out with the old gang after Mom.”

“I heard you did the falling.”

“Probably,” Lexa nodded in agreement as she swapped out her empty glass for a new one. “I worked myself raw for three years straight.”

“But you still hear some of the rumblings from the old guard?”

“Some. Care to fill me in on more before I proposition you?”

“Intellectually?”

“Strictly.”

Maggie took a large sip from her drink and eyed the girl across from her, at ease and amused at their conversation, ever charming and wildly sexy without even meaning to do it, Lexa was someone who made her attention feel like nothing else mattered, and anyone would want to be within her company to experience it. All were welcome, but it was a blessing to hold her focus for an extended period of time, in any capacity. Maggie remembered making out with her in the bathroom of a club. She remembered making out with her at a party on the Lower East Side. She remembered Lexa’s messy waves, leather jacket, and fiery eyes that remained, even a decade later. But they weren’t for her anymore, and she was alright with the disappointment if it meant working with her.

“Did you know Emma Hunton-Blather?”

“Not biblically.”

“I wouldn’t imagine so. She’s an ultra-religious mommy blogger now.”

“Yikes,” Lexa winced.

“And Francine Christenson already divorced twice.”

“I think I saw one of those.”

The evening was easy. The drinks flowed and the two caught up with their previous acquaintances. Lexa was grateful that it was going well considering how nervous she was about approaching an almost stranger.

The drinks kept coming and before she could talk shop, Lexa was drunk and just enjoyed having fun.

XXXXXXXXX

“I love her.”

“Oh god, not this again,” Clarke groaned, rolled over, and tugged the pillow with her over her head.

“Not like I love you. I just am fascinated by her research.”

“Is that what you call her boobs?”

“Oh no,” Lexa shook her head, wobbling slightly as she plunked down on the edge of the bed and began awkwardly tugging off her shoes. “I can’t even seen boobs that aren’t yours boobs. I am boob-blind now.”

Despite herself, Clarke smiled at her drunken girlfriend. It wasn’t often that she came out, and when Drunk Lexa did, she often enjoyed it. There wasn’t any jealousy against Maggie James, just that Clarke liked a little more attention than she was getting with this new project. She also wished this old project hadn’t made out with her girlfriend, but that was neither here nor there. She’d feel the same way if Lexa was obsessed with recycling. She’d hate it and vote for global warming to make her stop fixating.

Before she could finish with her shoes, Lexa flopped backwards, fully clothed and half on the bed.

“Clarke. Hey, are you sleeping?”

“No, darling. I’m up.”

“I wish I’d never made out with Maggie, because I think we could have been have friends.”

“Good. Keep not making out with her and you can be.”

“Ahhhh,” Lexa pointed at Clarke and laughed before letting her arm fall back down.

“Plus, you could use more friends.”

“Nah. I don’t.”

“You do.”

Clarke moved, putting the book she’d fallen asleep reading on the night stand and moving her way around the bed to help the pitiful thing that couldn’t get undressed. She stayed at Lexa’s strictly because it meant sloppy drunk needy Lexa. She also expected her about two hours earlier.

“You need more friends. It’s good to have them.”

“I have Gus,” Lexa listed, counting on her fingers as her girlfriend tugged off her shoes for her. “And Aden, and Anya, and Dad, and Indra, and um. And Maggie. And, um… uh…”

“Only one of those are age appropriate, not related to you, and not salaried.”

“And you! You’re my best friend. Who needs more than that?”

She didn’t mean to, but Clarke smiled at that as she moved to unbutton Lexa’s shirt, earning a smile and laugh despite already closed eyes.

“Oh, are you getting me naked, Ms. Griffin? Naughty naughty.”

“How much did you drink?”

“A little bit.”

Clarke just shook her head and pulled Lexa up so she could pull off the shirt. She moves to the pants next, instructing her to lift her butt so she could tug them off. Lexa remained fairly still as Clarke searched for a spare shirt for her to sleep in.

“Hey, hey, Clarke. Hey,” Lexa called in a whisper.

“Hm?”

“You really are my best friend.”

Clarke smiled, her cheeks growing warm as she slid the shirt over the drunk’s arms and head, careful not to poke an eye or pull hair. Tenderly, she got a rag from the bathroom and wiped her face as best she could, earning almost purrs of contentment with the treatment.

“Are you ready for me to fuck you?” Lexa ventured, wiggling her eyebrows. “I’ve been thinking about it all night.”

“You’re drunk.”

“And you’re beautiful.” Clarke pushed her girlfriend’s shoulders so that she fell back in bed easily. “Perfect. You can be on top.”

“Get under the covers. It’s time for bed.”

“Fine, but you should know that I am a good lay.”

“I’m aware,” Clarke grinned as Lexa climbed in obediently.

“I’m like really good at giving you orgasms. And you seem to like them.”

“Oh, I do. But I’m tired and you’re drunk.”

“Those are two true facts,” Lexa nodded and yawned, rolling into her usual spot. Her arm was held open until Clarke joined her in bed.

The lights off and the pair finally ready for bed, Clarke snuggled into her spot and felt Lexa’s warmth, enjoying the feeling of having her back.

“Hey Lex?” Clarke whispered as arms held her tightly.

“Change your mind about sex?” Lexa returned. “I’m still down.”

“No. I just wanted to tell you that you’re my best friend, too.”

“Good.”

Her arms pulled tighter and Lexa kissed Clarke’s shoulder before falling into a very contented drunken slumber.

XXXXXXXXX

Lexa loved her office. She loved that it was quiet and that even though she had taken a smaller role in th day to day operations, it was still there for her to work, uninterrupted and unimpeded. She loved her desk. She loved her view. She loved the certainty that came behind sitting her name plate, as if it told her who she was. There was a certain power that she took from it all.

“Thanks for coming down,” Lexa offered as Maggie took a seat across from her desk. “I think i forgot to explain what interested me most about your research at drinks the other night.”

“Yeah I think the fourth round of whisky made it a little difficult to keep track of complex ideas.”

“I had a good time.”

“Me too.”

“My girlfriend let me know that I need more friends. The problem being that I don’t particularly like or trust most people.”

“Or you’re too busy to put the effort into it. I get it. Trust me,” Maggie nodded, relaxing slightly as Anya brought in some coffee and placed it between them. “Thank you.”

“I was told that all my friends work for me or are related to me,” Lexa explained as she sipped her coffee. “And even though I would consider us friends, or potentially friends. I want to hire you.”

“I already have a job.”

“Yes, but I have lots of money.”

Maggie snorted at that, smiling, amused at Lexa’s candor.

“I have lots of money too.”

“I knew you would say that. I also knew that there wasn’t much I could offer you to sway you away from a fun research and doctoral position at a great university. I’m sure you find teaching rewarding.”

Lexa stood from her desk and grabbed a folder from the corner, carefully looking it over in her hands.

“The interesting thing I found in your report was that you were advocating for a system that not one single major corporation would even contemplate putting into existence.”

“I’m sure some--”

“Free housing? College tuition? Four day work weeks? Work from home? Private insurance? Officer salary cuts? Who in there right mind is going to do that?”

“I thought you were interested in my research.”

“I am. Because my job was killing me. And I have a hypothesis for you.”

“I think that’s my job.”

“You haven’t accepted yet,” Lexa reminded her as she leaned against the front of her desk. “If I implement your suggestions, will I not hate my job anymore?”

“There’s no way for me to measure that.”

“True. Will I feel better if we are a more ethical and knowledgeable company?”

“Yes.”

“Will we turn a profit?”

“According to my data, yes. Although the scale of your business,” Maggie shook her head. “I wouldn’t even know where to start hypothesizing on when.”

“Hypothetically,” Lexa continued, smiling at how easy it was to get her interested. “What would you need to start testing your hypothesis? In real time. At this company.”

There was a quiet that settled as Maggie stared at the CFO. Long and tall, Lexa crossed her arms over her chest, the mystery folder tucked under her arm. Her shirt was folded precisely up to her elbow, her collar pressed and pointy, her glasses perched perfectly and her hair coiffed with enough effort to look like it wasn’t trying at all. She didn’t betray a thought though.

“Off the top of my head, I’d need access to everything. I’d need months of internal research and auditing, plus at least a handful of accountants and assistants. I don’t think you understand what you’re asking.”

“I do.”

“You can’t.”

“In this folder,” Lexa grinned, and held it in front of her friend. “Is one of our middling branches based in London. I want to give it to you.”

“A company?”

“Kind of. I want you to hire your team. I want you to help me implement your changes. I want to create a better world. I had to think of something that no one else could give you, to entice you. Is it working?”

“Consider me enticed,” Maggie nodded, slowly accepting the folder and flipping it open, her mouth slightly agape.

The buzzer on Lexa’s desk sounded and she pushed off, walking back to her chair.

Ms. Woods, the car is here to take you to the airport.

“Thanks, Anya. Give me a few more minutes.”

“Going somewhere?”

“Three year anniversary weekend,” Lexa smiled. “I had a bit of a rough year last year, but it’s all coming back around.”

“You are incredibly good at multitasking. You’re pitching me while planning an epic event and doing how many other things.”

“Take the week to think about it. Everything you need is in that folder.”

“I’m going to need more than a fifteen minute meeting with yout see if this is even for real.”

“It’s real,” Lexa promised. “We can figure everything else out together, when you accept.”

“If.”

“I’ve been told I’m very persuasive. Take the week. I’ll be back next Tuesday and we can talk more then, if you’d like.”

“I thought maybe a consultation, but this is…” Maggie shook her head and stared at the folder before shutting it quickly. “Hell of a friend.”

“Come on, I’ll walk with you out,” Lexa offered as she grabbed her bag.

XXXXXXXXXX

The ranch was still slightly visible in the sunset, the timing only slightly off with their arrival for the romantic weekend escape. Tall pines and cedars eclipsed it while the mountains stood tall and purple in the distance against a firestorm of clouds in the fading summer light. The cabin was one of her favorite places on the planet, and she couldn’t think of anywhere more secluded and perfect to hide away from the world with her beautiful girlfriend to celebrate three absolutely life-changing years.

“I would have been happy with just a hotel room downtown,” Clarke chided as she entered the giant house. “This is too much.”

“I figured it was a good excuse to use this place. It’s been years since I’ve been out,” Lexa explained as she dropped their bags in the foyer.

She made sure everything was stocked and prepared and the staff wouldn’t be around. The caretakers didn’t mind a week off, and she was just excited to be away from the city and back somewhere quiet.

“Is this the ranch your mom liked?”

“Yeah, she’d make us spend a lot of spare time out here.”

“I can see why. It’s beautiful.”

“She designed it. Found an old hunting lodge and decided to convert it to a modern home. It was her labor of love.”

“Thank ou,” Clarke smiled and hugged her girlfriend before kissing her cheek. “Show me around.”

Lexa wasn’t particularly good at feeling so good, but she’d been excited and planned everything for the past month. So she took Clarke by the hand and showed her the grand room, the high ceiling and giant windows that looked out at the trees and the mountains as far as the eye could see. The fireplace was already roaring and inviting, but she took her toward the pool and hot tub area that went from outside to inside. She excitedly told her stories about being a kid, and all the stuff her and Aden would do.

By the time they made it to the bedroom she wanted, Clarke flopped onto the bed and gave up trying to figure out where she was in the maze of a house.

“So we get this whole place to ourselves for the next few days?” Clarke asked as Lexa gracefully slid beside her in the giant bed.

“Mhm, so go ahead and just take your clothes off now. I actually should have told you that at the door.”

“But I brought very cute lacy things you like me to wear.”

“Oh, wait, yeah,” Lexa nodded eagerly. “That’s all you can wear.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m yours.”

“And sappy.”

“Incredibly.”

But it was perfect, and Lexa didn’t care that her girlfriend was mocking her. She leaned forward and kissed her. She pressed Clarke into the bed and went about the task of celebrating.

XXXXXXXXXX

“I need you to carb up because I have a few more things planned for you,” Lexa explained as she reached forward and took another slice of pizza.

“Shut up.”

“I mean it. Dad keeps the W stored in the garage and I have waited three years to--”

“You can’t be serious,” Clarke laughed and shook her head, pressing her palm over her chest with how amusing she found it.

They were tangled in the sheets. They were tired and sated and happy and now nearly full from the dinner of pizza and beer.

“That’s the real reason I decided to come here,” Lexa grinned. “The romantic, candlelight bath and fireplaces, and privacy were all a ruse. You’ve been ruse-d.”

“I can’t believe I’ve kept you around for three years.”

“Me neither.”

“I should get a medal.”

“I agree completely,” Lexa decided as she hopped up from the bed. “Wait right there.”

Nearly tripping over herself, the CFO took the corner out of the room so quickly, Clarke was certain she hit the wall. The sound of padding bare feet could be heard in the bed, and for the life of her, Clarke wasn’t sure why it made her fall a little more in love, if that were even possible.

In a flash, Lexa returned, hopping into the bed, quick to hide whatever was in her hands.

“This was supposed to be a year of no gifts,” Clarke chided.

“I’m terrible at following directions. I don’t know if you knew that or not yet, but it’s a harsh truth you should start to understand.”

“You should listen to me.”

“I should,” she nodded and held out a velvet box. “I’ll start tomorrow.”

Clarke eyed her girlfriend warily and frowned at the blatant lie. But Lexa shrugged and smiled, nudging her to open the box.

“Oh, Lex, this is…”

The keychain was a tiny logo of Lexa’s company. It was plain and simple and cost exactly $2.95, and now it was dangling from Clarke’s finger as she furrowed and smiled at it despite all else because it was certainly not what she was expecting.

“It’s too much. You shouldn’t have.”

“You deserve the best,” Lexa explained, scooting closer. “Last time we did this, I wasn’t read. You weren’t ready. It wasn’t right. But now...I think it’s right. I think I want to be with you all of the time. I want to come home from business trips and see you. I want to cook dinner together. I want to sleep with you every night. I want to live together.”

Her hair was a mess, and when she was nervous, she talked with her hands. Clarke watched the entire thing without moving a muscle, because she might scare Lexa if she did. Instead, she looked at the key chain in her palm and listened.

“You’ve been making a lot of moves lately, Woods.”

“Well, the girl I love keeps pushing me to do better.”

“What if you get sick of me?”

“I won’t.”

“What if I get sick of you?”

“We’ll get a big place, so you can ignore me when I bug you,” Lexa promised.

“You’re ready for this?” Clarke asked, giving her a hard look.

“Very. Are you?”

“Very.”

Before she could say anything else, Lexa launched herself at her, and Clarke was tackled and kissed happily.

204 notes · View notes

qqueenofhades · 5 years

Text

Aziraphale and Crowley decide to go travelling.

They have been on Earth for over six thousand years, but they’ve not actually seen that much of it. They’ve been soldiers posted at a garrison, responsible for the blessings and/or temptations despatched in the British Isles for jolly well most of that time, and they can’t just faff off whenever they please. (As well as, of course, the unspoken fact that neither of them will stray too far from the other. Aziraphale’s had to handle the Irish-related bits since the fifth century, when a killjoy bloke named Patrick chucked the snakes out. Pity, that – Crowley, being red-haired and fond of drink and trouble, would love to come back, but alas.) They have moved out of London and to that cottage in the South Downs, itself a change after living in the city for almost five hundred years, but it doesn’t take long for them to realise that without constant marching orders to await and no destruction of the world to avert, they’ve got… time. And one morning Crowley suggests, and Aziraphale somehow finds himself agreeing, that they just bugger off and see the lot of it. Or at least make a start.

They don’t travel like humans who want the big flashy commercial bits: the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, the Sydney Opera House, Disneyworld. Aziraphale thinks at first that they’ll just ride in Pullman cars, something he has always rather wanted to do, and is dismayed to learn that Pullman cars went the way of the dodo in 1968. Failing that, they should just fly, or miracle themselves. He’s taken aback when Crowley thinks it’s funny to insist on human transport, though Crowley himself was responsible for many of the recent innovations of the airline industry and has to admit, the first time they’re stuck in economy class aboard an over-booked jetliner with a screaming child behind them, he may have overdone it. They are subject to delayed trains, packed buses, leaky ferries, and the delights of something called a moto, which Aziraphale might have enjoyed more if he wasn’t screaming the whole time. Course, Crowley loves it. Nothing but respect to any mad bastard brave enough to drive that fast in Rio de Janeiro.

(‘Oh,’ Aziraphale says softly, as they stand at the very top of the hill, beneath the vast shadow of Christ the Redeemer, and think back to that promising fellow they saw nailed to the branch in Golgotha, and gaze down, down, down at the green mountains and the glittering city and the sun-blazing sea. ‘Oh, my.’)

They argue about where to go next. Crowley thinks Russia is too cold and Aziraphale thinks India is too hot, but they end up in both anyway. Aziraphale is entranced by a night at the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, and they wake one morning in the thick air of a humble guesthouse along the Ganges, smelling the burned offerings of the temple and listening to the splash of bathers and the chittering of the monkeys that stole their curry. They are generally pegged for gormless Englishmen wherever they go, or at least Aziraphale is; something about him just screams bum bag and floral-print shirt. Crowley manages to deter any local trouble by being himself, or if need be, flashing a strategic glimpse of his eyes. Not that that always works. A bunch of clubbers in a neon disco in Rome think it’s very chic.

(Crowley doesn’t like Rome much. He can barely walk round the city without looking like a jitterbug, and Aziraphale refuses to let him pop in on the Pope one morning in his skivvies, give the old man a good jolt. Supposedly it’s romantic, and watching a sunset over the Colosseum, hand in hand, Crowley can admit it’s got that going for it, memories of the lions that used to be big here notwithstanding. Nonetheless, he is relieved to leave.)

‘Look at me,’ Aziraphale beams, having ordered them a scrummy spread in Greece a few days later. ‘Real gentleman of the world, don’t you think, my dear? Pity we can’t see the Parthenon from here, but I suppose I can always – ’

‘If you say so, angel.’ Crowley lights a cigarette and tempts the loudmouth bastard blocking the view to go home and rethink his life. ‘Take another look now.’

They go to New York so Aziraphale can see a Broadway show, whereupon Crowley wonders how America has got into such a mess even with nothing whatsoever to do with him. Wants no part of that, thanks. They pop up to Canada after, which turns out to mostly be more Canada, though Crowley nearly hits a moose driving at ninety miles an hour down an empty highway and that would have good and discorporated both of them. They wind up at a tiny roadside motel where the only sound are the crickets and the distant sigh of passing cars, where it is deep summer and green and slow, and they lie on the bed with Aziraphale’s head on Crowley’s chest and neither of them say a word.

They drive down to San Francisco and fly from there to Tokyo, which delights Aziraphale with its proximity to sushi, clean and precise public transport, and miles of convenience stores to supply every imaginable item. Everyone looks somewhat surprised when he speaks Japanese. Crowley is just tall enough to regard doorways with suspicion, and cannot slack his vigilance when going through them. One such mishap leaves him with something of a lump when they arrive in Istanbul. Aziraphale’s wallet gets pinched in the Grand Bazaar, then after a brief and exciting episode involving a snake head, hastily returned. ‘Mesopotamia,’ Crowley remarks breezily. ‘Always an adventure in these parts, isn’t it, angel?’

They make their way down into Africa, where Crowley insists on paying homage at Freddie Mercury’s hometown in Zanzibar. Aziraphale snaps a photo of him at the sacred site and supposes that will be going into pride of place in a frame back at the cottage. They’re both burnt brown and riotously freckly, at least in Crowley’s case, and Aziraphale has acquired, under his dearest’s expert tutelage, a succession of fashionable sunglasses. They walk along a deserted beach in Cape Verde and sleep curled together in a hammock with waves lapping soft on the sand. Get on a boat headed to some island in the middle of the Atlantic, out in the arse-end of absolutely bloody nowhere, and gaze up at more stars than either of them, a pair of celestial beings, have ever seen in their lives. These do not fall, or burn, or break. The heavens do not brim with fire, nor does hell rise up. The world is at a point of perfect stillness.

‘We should get married,’ Aziraphale says one night, as casually as if it’s something that has only just occurred to him. ‘I mean… for the tax purposes.’

Crowley turns to stare at him as if it is the stupidest thing he’s ever heard. ‘Tax purposes?’

‘I just…’ Aziraphale opens and shuts his mouth. He still owns the bookshop, since he couldn’t bear to part from it, though he’s hired a couple of bright young things to run it. But of course, tax purposes do not actually have a rum thing to do with any of his reasons for asking. ‘If you didn’t… didn’t want...’

Crowley kisses him, hard and sharp and hungry. They don’t say more about it then.

They narrowly escape a hurricane in the Caribbean. They go on a trek through the Andes of South America, whereupon Aziraphale does not enjoy himself at all and has to shout at Crowley to stop leaping up hills like a lizard. They go up to Norway and putter along the fjords, and Crowley gets very drunk and pretends to be Thor. (His hair is growing out again, and he could throw lightning and thunder if he wanted to.) They hop to various cities in Europe on weekend discount-airline deals and go to the Christmas market in the Old Town Square of Prague. The really delightful thing about all this travelling, they discover, is the ability to come home together. Pop along on the train from Luton or Stansted or Gatwick or Heathrow, crunch up the walk with their bags, unlock the door and collect the post on the mat and go into the kitchen, make a nip of supper and crawl into bed together, half-packed suitcases dropped on the floor. It’s a lovely cottage. The houseplants are verdant and properly terrified, and the books cover every flat surface.

‘We should get married,’ Crowley says, on a flowering spring night in Vienna. ‘Horribly antiquated human institution and all that, but…’ He trails off, then shrugs elegantly. ‘Tax purposes.’

‘I thought, my dear,’ Aziraphale says, taking a sip of his wine, ‘that was originally my suggestion.’

Crowley’s yellow eyes sparkle at him. In this light, they are almost gold, rich and depthless, and Aziraphale would be very happy indeed to spend the rest of forever drowning in them. Placidly the demon says, even as his fingers interlock with his angel’s under the table and hold on tight, ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

#good omens #good omens ff #good omens fanfiction #ineffable husbands #crowley x aziraphale #queue #this brought to you whilst i am travelling home myself #i have feelings about this k

3K notes · View notes

friendofspidermannedleeds · 3 years

Text

Fictober - Day 27

Prompt #27: “give me that” Fandom: Spider-Man (MCU) Rating: G Warnings: None Characters: Roger Harrington, Michelle Jones, Ned Leeds, Flash Thompson, Betty Brant, Julius Dell. Words: 1801 Summary: Mr. Harrington listens to the four lost students’ conversation and begins piecing together clues about Peter’s strange behavior.

---

Roger is frozen in disbelief for a moment, staring at his student and her four-hundred-year-old weapon. But teacher mode quickly kicks back in.

“Give me that.” He grabs the mace out of her hand and lurches forward slightly at its unexpected weight. He ignores the twitch at Michelle’s lips as he rights himself, trying not to appear strained.

“Where are the other three?” He asks, scanning the area and hoping they’ll materialize.

Michelle shrugs. “I don’t know. I should text Ned.” She pulls out her phone and begins typing.

Roger frowns. “When did you get separated? How—and why, were you carrying a historical artifact?”

Michelle doesn’t look up from her phone. “We, um, we tried to run for cover to get away from the monster thing, and we hid in the Crown Jewels vault, thinking it was secure.”

“You took this from the crown jewels??”

She looks up. “Um, yeah? I needed to defend us from some drones. I’m sure ‘Her Majesty the Queen’ understands.”

He overlooks the apathetic snark that’s typical of Michelle, trying to get more information.

“Those drones were in the vault? Why do you think that is? They kinda appeared halfway through the commotion from what we could see.”

“From what you could—did you all watch the entire battle?” She looks a bit troubled.

“Sort of, we couldn’t see everything, and I’m not sure I’d call it a battle. It was all very confusing, but we saw that Mysterio flying around and another superhero that looked kinda like Spider-Man if his suit was black, but they kept going in and out of sight—are you alright, Michelle?”

She’d developed a look of concern during his recap. Now, brow furrowed, she’s typing furiously again. “I’m good. Ned, Betty and Flash are coming to meet us.” She looks back up. “Did you see any—was the battle…intense? Like could you see Mysterio and Spi—the superheroes, fighting the drones, or like… each other, or what?”

Roger figures Michelle’s bummed she missed a historic event—he knows she’s usually the first to analyze any conflict and likes to get her facts from the most unbiased source.

“We really couldn’t tell. But I assume superheroes wouldn’t fight each other…anyway, are the others okay?”

She points behind him and he turns to see Ned, Betty and Flash hurrying over to where they stand.

“Are you three alright?” He asks.

Ned and Betty nod as Flash, who’s still livestreaming, exclaims, “We almost DIED!”

Roger bring his free hand to his head, but after the ridiculous events of this entire trip he can’t say this information shakes him much. “Well, glad you didn’t.” He holds up the mace. “We need to return this artifact to its proper place, and then we can meet up with the group, they’re waiting for us.”

Michelle jumps at this. “I can take that back, I know where I’m going.”

“I’ll go with you!!” Ned exclaims, but Michelle shakes her head and widens her eyes, then jerks her head toward an oblivious Flash.

Roger can’t follow whatever silent language the kids are using. “I’d prefer we stay together, gang. Michelle, lead the way.”

The walk to the tower drags on longer than Roger would like, as Flash is in front of him and livestreaming the entire way. He’s spouting all kinds of insane information—Roger wonders how much of it is true, and how much is exaggerated.

“We were trapped in this vault with Spider-Man’s bodyguard—”

“No, no, that’s not—we don’t know who he was,” Ned interrupts, running from behind and pushing his way into Flash’s video. “Just some official-looking guy in a suit, said he wanted to protect us—”

“And he didn’t protect shit, the drones had lasers that cut through the vault, and they were obviously targeting us, probably because Spider-Man follows me, and we thought it was the end, you know? So we all share our deepest secrets, and this bodyguard guy says he’s in love with—HEY!” Ned has knocked Flash’s phone out of his hand. Whether or not it was purposeful or an accident, Roger’s not sure.

“What the hell, Leeds?? You know how much this phone costs?” Flash drops down to pick up the device.

“Sorry, it was an accident—”

“Like hell it was, c’mon, man, what’s your deal?”

“My deal is it was an accident, Flash—”

“Boys, boys!” Roger interrupts, and they cease arguing glumly. “Now I think we’ve all had a very stressful time on this trip, so let’s just calm down and get along for the rest of today, alright?”

They both nod shortly, Flash pocketing his phone and glaring at Ned as they approach the entrance of the Crown Jewels exhibit.

“I’ll just drop it off here,” Michelle says, and Roger nods, thinking it’s best they avoid talking to security about the situation. Would he insist they follow standard protocols under normal circumstances? Absolutely. But today has been anything but normal, so he hopes his lack of rule-following won’t serve as a bad example for the kids.

On their way back, with the four students in front and Roger carrying up the rear, Flash starts babbling about Spider-Man again. Roger listens with interest, confirming that the figure he saw with Mysterio was the New York superhero and wondering why he’d be in London, of all places.

“So Leeds, how d’you know Spider-Man’s bodyguard?”

Roger notices Ned’s flustered demeanor has returned. “I didn’t know him, I just—we don’t know who that guy was, Flash—”

“He said he worked for Spider-Man and he was there to rescue us, why are you being so weird about this??”

“I’m not, you’re the one who’s weirdly obsessed with Spider-Man—”

“It’s because of Parker, isn’t it? I bet he’s tight with Spider-Man and just doesn’t wanna share.”

Roger’s suddenly invested in the scene before him as if it was part of a teen drama. Ned and Michelle exchange wide-eyed looks, conversing in their silent language again; Flash is impatient; Betty is oblivious. She speaks next.

“I thought it was, like, already established that Peter doesn’t really know Spider-Man, just that he met him a few times through his internship.”

“That’s true,” Michelle jumps in as Ned’s head bobs up and down, “it’s not like they’re pals or anything.”

Flash scoffs. “Obviously Spider-Man’s not best friends with a loser like Parker, but the dickwad does have connections. He even promised he’d get me an autograph.”

Ned looks incredulous, Michelle looks surprised, and Betty looks jealous.

“Are you serious?? Do you think he could get me one, too? My little brother loves Spidey—”

“Newsflash for Flash,” Michelle interrupts, “Peter was messing with you. His connections aren’t that good.”

“And how would you know?” Flash turns on her. “Oh, that’s right, he’s madly in love with you.”

Michelle stiffens for a moment, Ned’s mouth gapes wide open, and Betty looks congratulatory.

“Wait, really MJ? Are you and Peter an item now?”

“How could they be,” Flash answers, “Parker disappeared yet again, missed watching his buddy Spider-Man fight while he’s with some German family members or whatever.”

Ned nods. “Right, Peter’s staying with family in Berlin—”

“Actually,” Roger finally interrupts the students’ dramatic dialogue, “his aunt contacted me a little earlier and said he’s going to join us here in London, once we’re at a hotel, while we wait to see when our flight is rescheduled.”

“He is?” Michelle asks more eagerly than Roger’s accustomed to.

“That’s the word.” He replies.

The kids carry on squabbling amongst themselves as they continue the trek back to the group, and Roger lets his thoughts wander again. Now that they’re all talking about it, this idea that Peter knows Spider-Man doesn’t seem as far-fetched as it once had. If the superhero’s bodyguard really did try to protect the kids from the drones, then that action begs the question—why? It can’t be that the hero follows Flash’s livestreams, as much as the attention-starved student may wish that were the case. But if Peter is friends with Spider-Man because of his internship, then his desire to protect the kids might be understandable.

That explanation still leaves Roger with a million questions. He still doesn’t understand why Peter just can’t seem to turn in his homework on time even though he’s the smartest in the class, why he’s acted so strangely and recklessly on the tour bus, and why his constant disappearances have continued into this transatlantic trip. Peter being friends with Spider-Man can’t explain all of that.

What if…

Roger immediately throws out the insane possibility his mind is begging him to entertain. Peter’s a nice kid, but he’s a genius nerd, not a superhero.

He tunes back into the kids’ conversation as Flash’s voice is questioning loudly.

“Where’d you get that mess of a necklace, Michelle? You weren’t wearing it earlier.”

“From the guy who works for Spider-Man,” Betty answered, “right MJ? That’s what was in the tin he gave you in the vault?”

“Ew, what? That old guy is gifting you jewelry?” Flash scrunches his face. “That’s gross, plus Parker’s gonna be mad jealous—”

“No he won’t, because the necklace is from Peter!” Ned blurts out, then shrinks back at a piercing glare from Michelle.

Roger can hardly believe what he’s hearing.

The man they keep talking about, Spider-Man’s bodyguard, gave Michelle a necklace from Peter. The kid’s aunt says he’s in Berlin and will be returning to London just because she wants him home. Peter was missing during the battle with the fire monster in Prague. Spider-Man, New York’s hero, is in London.

Roger could spin the information however he chose, but the most obvious explanation is this—Peter Parker, junior, is Spider-Man.

Oh, help.

The small group finally reaches the rest of the class. The kids begin sharing what went down from their different vantage points, and Julius greets him with an update.

“The tour company called and said we have a hotel for the night, I booked the rooms for twelve—”

“Make that thirteen, Peter’s coming back from Berlin.”

“He’s what?” Julius looks confused. “I don’t understand that kid, Roger. You know, maybe Brad was right, there is something shady going on with him.”

“I’ve learned not to question him. He’s a troubled boy, Julius. He’s been this way ever since his uncle died. We can’t bring attention to his anxious behaviors—he’s an orphan, his life is tragic enough as it is.”

Julius nods. “Okay. Okay. I get it, I get that.” And he leaves it alone.

Roger breathes a sigh of relief. He’s just taken his first step into a new role he’d never prepared for in all his years of training to be an educator—a superhero student’s secret-keeper.

Oh, help.

#fictober20 #roger harrington #flash thompson #michelle jones #ned leeds #betty brant #my fic #fos fic #fanfiction #this is such a mess #i allowed myself one long and unedited fic for fictober #and it's this two-parter #more for my own enjoyment than anyone else's #that would be why it's a mess lol

11 notes · View notes

kamilah-the-bloodqueen · 4 years

Text

Kamilahs Character Development Part 2

Note: This is all 100% my opinion. If you disagree that’s perfectly fine, I’d love to hear what others think of her I just don’t want drama or anger. Please enjoy and forgive me because this is long and may need a 3rd part. :/

Starting off with the arrival of Lily and Kamilah in Prague.

Okay so, again let me reiterate that Kamilah showing concern for MC is endearing and adorable, but doing so in front of Adrian, Jax and Lily takes it to a different level in my eyes. I’ve seen SOs act differently around their friends, even with their GF/BF around, so for Kamilah to openly express concern for MC felt soft and open and vulerable to me.

I thought that this scene really carried a small, but somewhat significant weight in their relationship. It showed that while Kamilah was still healing from old wounds, MC had started to see past them. Kamilah saw that MC didn’t judge her for her past, MC cares for her for who she is becoming instead of who she was. Kamilah shows MC how she has hope in a small way, by stating that MC reminds her to look forward and not feel guilty for her past it’s a piece of the puzzle of Kamilah beginning to forgive herself. (Not entirely forgive but seeing that maybe, because of MC she’s not as horrible as she believes she is for her past sins)

This scene strengthens what I’ve just said. Kamilah beginning to open her feelings about her self doubt, her self hate is something even I struggle with. She’s beginning to see herself as WORTHY which is an amazing step forward for her, especially after seeing she resented herself for everything she’s done. She’s not just forgiving herself but she’s also including MC in that process, letting her KNOW her affects on her and how she’s changing her. It’s a soft scene that makes me heart bubble.

I thought this scene was incredibly foreshadowy (now that I know the ending of BB). I also thought that this scene subtly showed us that Kamilah has forgiven herself. While this may not be the total case, by telling MC she’s ready to be hers I saw this as Kamilahs way of showing she feels she’s changed enough to be good enough for MC. I wouldn’t be able to be in a relationship with someone if I resented myself, obviously Kamilah didn’t see herself as worthy of love or affection, and by stating this to MC I thought it was a clear indication of her seeing herself as worthy.

This scene really hit me differently. Kamilah has finally forgiven herself (again my opinion) and not only shown MC it was because of her influence and affection for her, but this was Kamilah saying to MC exactly HOW much weight that carried. She’s ready to SHARE a life that she thought she never DESERVED with the woman who softened and opened her up. This step forward for Kamilah felt so significant to me, this was a step that I know I can’t easily take, so it was admirable to see her begin to shift her relationship with MC to a deeper and more open standpoint.

I’m going to discuss MCs death scene without a picture because I don’t want t have to write a part 3 because I know some people won’t read it. Kamilah stating that MC “is the most wonderful person” she’s ever met was a display or true affection from the bottom of her heart. We could sense the sadness and fear she carried, believing MC was going to die. Reflecting back on Book 1, Kamilah didn’t give two shits about MC, and was willing to kill her by her own hand. Look at the dynamic change. She’s not only devastated that the man she hates took a woman she loves from her but she’s devastated for her death, something she didn’t care about in the beginning of their relationship. (While it can be argued that she protected MC I felt it was more fueled by the rest of the gangs desire to protect her in previous fighting scenes. In this situation it was so much more personal.)

Fast forward. When MC is brought back after clawing her way out of her grave, if the (fucking paywalled scene) is bought Kamilah shows that she thought she’d lost her. That she’d been crying and visiting her grave. THAT was something that truly striked my heart string. Kamilah grieving over a human, a “mewling mortal.” This scene (above) was again another sign of Kamilah openly showing displays of affection for MC. I think that each and every time Kamilah told MC her significance, her ability to amaze a 2000 YEAR OLD VAMPIRE, is stunning. That shift in admiration for MC was something that I as a person don’t always do.

Okay. We have to address this. Kamilah YEETS her ex of 2000 years off a plane to protect MC. Like, if someone did that for me, boom I’m yours please marry me. Not only was this a protective move on her part but it was also a sign on her true affection for MC. Standing up to your ex can be so difficult and we have to take into account that they were together for 2000 years. This change, this scene was just amazing to me. Her protectiveness of MC never ceases to amaze me.

The “I love you scene.” Another fucking paywalled thing but whatever. This. THE I LOVE YOU SCENE. I don’t think I HAVE to explain the significance but I will anyways. Kamilah tells MC she never thought she’d be able to say those words again. We can sense that brokenness and PTSD from Gaius’ crusty fucking ass. She says it anyways, that’s how DEEP her affection for MC runs. Like I know people say “I love you” after a week sometimes but a character that was as broken and wounded as Kamilah in the start finally being able to say that and mean it was just like +20000 affection and character points.

Here we go we’re going to need a part 3. Hang on guys. I apologize. It’s just the images being at a max of 10.

#kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #mc x kamilah #bloodbound #kamilah the bloodqueen post

65 notes · View notes

inspector-montoya-fox · 4 years

Text

#11 - A Tangled Web

Setting: oh, boy...... where do i even start with this one? welcome to your worst nightmare, or as Sly puts it a well-fortified gothic nightmare. if you thought Jailbreak was the embodiment of fear, A Tangled Web is ten times that. i mean, it doesn’t really develop any of the previous Prague characteristics because they’re the same, but the towering buildings really hone the spookiness. developments in the story also add to the fear factor. the Contessa has been ousted from Interpol and is now facing newly-promoted Neyla’s wrath. i’m thinking about what Hitchcock said on suspense and how having a bomb go off is scary, but having the people anticipate the blast is even scarier. that’s the case here. war is about to erupt and the gang is caught right in the middle of it all. although the fighter planes are casually attacking the castle and tanks are roaming the area throughout the episode, the operation establishes that full-out war is the climax for this episode. despite all this, the gang is united again and is ready to take down the Contessa. i absolutely love how there are two areas in this hub: Neyla’s side and Contessa’s side. Neyla’s side is a charming European town, reminiscent of Jailbreak’s hub. Contessa’s side is an intricate maze, full of arches, bridges, stained glass windows, crypts, dungeons and a cottdamn cemetery. similar to The Predator Awakes, i often get lost when playing this episode. the hub’s two areas also highlight the war aspect because it shows how there’s two indefinite sides to the subject, even though both characters (Neyla and the Contessa) are villains. essentially, the gang is a tiny league of their own swept up between a boiling feud. the safehouse is placed upon stairs to show how the gang doesn’t belong on Neyla’s side. as soon as you walk down those stairs, you face the danger of ruthless tanks (one of the game’s most annoying “guards”). the gang is definitely not welcome here. the hub’s architecture comes into play a lot throughout the episode: you have to climb the highest high to get to the Re-Education Tower and crawl under sewer tunnels to get to some of the crypts. some crypts are water-based, some are medieval trap-based, some are full-on coffin-based. and the missions really emphasise this as most of them have the gang traverse through a variety of rooms. fab.

Characters: before i touch upon the Contessa, i just wanna say, Carmelita’s back, after an episode of being completely MIA. yeap, right off the bat we find out she’s being held captive by the Contessa, who wants to turn her brain into mush. things are looking dire. for Sly, this brings back memories of Clockwerk’s lair. we haven’t seen Carmelita this defeated since she was Clockwerk’s hostage. this just further proves what a force the Contessa is. i love Carmelita’s lines in this episode (e.g. Let me out of here and I'll readjust your face!). Sly calls her his violent little princess and honestly that encapsulates everything. A Tangled Web overturns everything we thought we knew about Carmelita. after missing out on an entire episode, she’s being held captive for the majority of this one, and when she’s finally freed, she’s out of control. so we see two new sides of Carmelita: first restraint and then extra-powerful. the latter is due to her taking control of the tank at the end of the episode. she blasts the Contessa’s blimp down and even gets her hands on one of the Clockwerk eyes for a bit. Carmelita’s frenzy eventually winds down when (we’re informed via cutscene) that the gang helps her make a quick escape. so, basically, she’s back. let’s talk about the Contessa. as i’ve said above, the Contessa is an absolute force. i’m so happy to see a female villain surpass the other villains and their brute force. mind over matter, baby. absolute savage Jean Bison can’t follow up the Contessa’s act because he’s just plain muscle. in A Tangled Web, the Contessa is in her prime. i don’t know if she thrives under pressure or something, but she’s reached a divine level, elevating her persona and delivering PRICELESS dialogue such as I'm above all that, above good and evil. this episode is what makes her my favorite villain. SP gave her the “psychology trait” and took that to its full extent by having her psychoanalyze every character, almost drive Carmelita mad, and then try to hypnotise Sly. similarly to Rajan, the hub’s architecture resembles its baddie by having all those arches and tunnels resemble the Contessa’s spider legs. in the end, we get to fight her, head-to-head. it’s a great bossfight, albeit simple. but i want to focus on the dialogue during the bossfight. we have a character that knows Sly. again, only Clockwerk was that familiar with the Coopers. the rest of the villains up until this point (up until Dr M, that is) have been goons and crooks. but the Contessa, having researched Sly and his psychological profile, actually knows him. i know i speak for all of y’all when i say that You're an ignorant child playing dress-up in his father's legacy is A Tangled Web’s absolute climax. because it hits so hard. oof. it all just culminates and gives this marvel of a character an awesome conclusion. so now, we naturally have to talk about Sly. it’s been a hot minute since the raccoon’s had some character development. after being double-crossed, trapped and then had some reconnecting with his friends, he’s back. and he feels kinda different. i mean, he’s still the fun-loving, sarcastic Cooper we all love, but i think he’s started considering the gravity of the situation. Sly 1 saw Sly gradually realize what he was going up against, level after level. in Sly 2, he had to be cocky enough to get betrayed and thrown into jail before coming to the realization that the stakes are high. the episode starts with Sly saying Time for a little payback in full seriousness, and ends with him saying I tried to put it all out of my mind. This Klaww business was spiraling out of control and I knew that my gang was at the center of it. yeap. this set of episodes has definitely changed Sly. and i think having the Contessa mention his dad really pushes him even further. when he says sHE’s GOT THE EYE!?!!!? you really feel it (?). and finally, Neyla. ah, we finally get to see her true colors (at least that’s what we think). the cutscenes’ animation really does a great job in outlining what a war mongrel she really is. stomping around with her Timberland boots and barking out orders, having a hoard of tanks and fighter planes follow her. she’s absent for the majority of the episode but finally makes a grand entrance at the end. and the deception is brilliant. SP presented her as an angry war leader, had her hide in her HQ for most of the episode and only showed her making offensive moves towards the Contessa. so we were all shocked when she sneaked into the Re-Education Tower at the end. it was so un-war-mongrel-like, further proving that Neyla can easily shed her skins and how versatile she is. she’s like the yin to Sly’s yang..... until she gets stuck in a web.... *sigh*

Themes: when i say war, you say theme: war theme ! hear me out, this episode is very character-driven, but the themes are heavy too. having the episode take place right in the middle of a war is a new direction for the series. in the past, every episode had a different location and different aesthetic, but it was usually the gang stealing stuff in the night. here, we’re in an active warzone. the fighting heightens tensions and adds pressure to an already tough situation. the theme also embodies the characters and the hub. if Neyla is the embodiment of war (tanks, planes, etc.) and the Contessa is personified by her gothic estate, it further highlights how the former has the latter quite literally surrounded. tanks have driven the Contessa into her estate, surrounded by water, and the planes keep attacking the buildings inside. all this might and fury places the two villains onto pedestals. the theme is present everywhere: the Prague sky is especially red in order to exhibit the wrath of war, some of the missions take on a destructive nature (Mojo Trap Action, Tank Showdown). we all know war never ends well, and that’s exactly what happens: the gang is forced to flee at the end, barely managing to obtain both Clockwerk eyes. lastly, the fear theme is still present from last episode, but ties in with the war theme. the architecture, the guards and the missions still emit fear, but fear of war overshadows everything else. so, essentially, the war preserves the fear aspect and even sharpens it. and then, there’s the theme of defiance which fits in perfectly with the war theme. we’ve reached the end of this set of great episodes and the characters are fed up. as i’ve mentioned above, after Carmelita breaks free, she wreaks havoc. she’s been warning the Contessa about breaking free and there was doubt, but she succeeds and that shows defiance against her captor. Sly defies Neyla, after she double-crossed him. this is the first encounter between the two after what went down in India and the chase is great. both are defiant in their own way and that’s why their remarks bounce back. and finally, Sly’s defiance towards the Contessa. i mean, she’s been pulling the strings and been suppressing the gang for two episodes straight so it’s only natural for Sly to beat the shit out of her. and again, the dialogue here is absolute gold. there’s even defiance towards Bentley, when Sly doesn’t stick to the plan and goes rogue (lmao). i guess the last theme, or rather motif, here ties into the theme of defiance, because it’s mischief and tricks. i mean, it’s a form of defiance, so there you have it. even though the situation is extreme and the stakes are high, the gang seems to be having as much fun as ever. in Stealing Voices, there’s that great gag with Bentley imitating Neyla. Tank Showdown sees Murray try to fit into that tiny-ass tank in a cartoony manner and then squash all the guards in his way. Ghost Capture has Sly break a coffin in order to unleash pesky ghosts and then try to capture them by taking pictures of them. and i’m sorry, but every time General Clawfoot blurts out gibberish i crack up. there’s contrast between the war’s grimness and the way the gang handles the missions, and it’s great. i guess it’s comedic relief during harsh times.

What I Like: the character development, the themes and the quotes! i mean, analyzing this episode is my favorite thing about it. it’s a reminder that Sly 2 has the best and most well-constructed narrative in the series. favorite detail would have to be the guillotine. it’s so fun cutting the rope and watching it drop. so yea.

What I Don’t Like: i’ll be honest with you - this episode’s missions weren’t the best. they felt like small tasks to build up an excellent, narrative-driven operation. i mean, abducting General Clawfoot was a brief one and Stealing Voices felt too similar to Ghost Capture and Mojo Trap Action. and, sorry SP, but having me drive the tank as Murray twice felt like punishment...

Quote: deciding what gets included here is literally the most difficult thing i’ve ever had to do. how can i pick between utterly ICONIC lines such as Weren't you listening? She was an Evil Wolf Priestess and You're an ignorant child playing dress-up in his father's legacy. the latter never fails to send shivers down my spine. i honestly can’t do it. the whole damn episode is a fucking quote.

#back to regular programming #this took FOREVER to write #this is the most theme-heavy and analysis-thirsty episode in Sly 2 #BUT #this essay is made even more powerful because my last essay was on why Thieves in Time sucks #so my timing is excellent as always #he he he #sly cooper #episode project #let's all collectively bask in this episode's absolute greatness

19 notes · View notes

nala-raines · 4 years

Text

The Things I’ve Changed

Authors Note: Just letting everyone know what I changed for my fanfic.

First my MC (Nala) was possessed by Rheya’s powers, and let them go to be with Adrian, she also had to let go of most of her vampire abilities (as well as the weakness). The only ability she has left is healing and immortality. She is still stronger and faster than humans, but she has more speed than strength.

The second big thing is that Gaius didn’t kill us. Right before the coup Adrian led against him in the 1920’s. Gaius went for a walk alone and found a bloodkeeper that was attacked by a feral (that fell in love with a random vampire), she was wounded about to die, but as her last act she removed Rhya’s control over Gaius. He pretended to be a dirtbag, and proceeded to openly favor Kamilah’s and Adrian’s council. He let go of Rheya completely and gave all of his love to Kamilah and Adrian. He encouraged Adrian and Kamilah to move on from everything he told them to do and apologized a few hundred times for everything they had done under his command. In the 70’s he left to find out what happened to Xeno and left Kamilah and Adrian in charge as his Queen and Prince. Baron, Vega, Pryia, and Luster (whoops I mean Lester 🤣) (I’m leaving cause I want to and it’s not technically a mistake 🤣) got severally annoying so they formed the council.

The things in BB1 happened almost exactly as we know it. But Pryia is the one who managed to manipulate Jameson and the gang to get the blood of the first. They still go to Paris, Prague, and Greece. But the MC pulls Elias out of the UV beams at the compound before they hit him (so, he lives. Yay). You know the rest of the story from there. Manhattan is destroyed, a bunch of former-clanless vampires get kidnapped, most of the gang get their butts handed to ‘em, the MC gets stabbed, Adrian says ‘I love you’ but she dies before he can finish. I still cringe, every time I hear that. The worst way to go and not traumatizing at all (But of course it's traumatizing). But she turns into a vampire.

The first half of BB3 happens as before, right up until the plane ride to Tokyo. At first glance Adrian and Kmailah are ecstatic to see him but the sense something is wrong. They still throw him out the door of the plane, and they feel really bad about it and Nala (my Mc) comforts Adrian. Everything happens as before until Gaius finds them at Takeshi apartment. Now, Nala is able to stop Takeshi’s death by grabbing Jax’s sword and blocking the (supposed to be) killing blow to Takeshi. She looks right into his eyes, finds Rheya’s control and removes it just like in the same chapter. He collapsed to the ground, filled with regret, and screaming “Not again. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT B*TCH GOT IN MY HEAD AGAIN!!!” Kamilah and Adrian comfort and he apologizes several times, all even of the go to the Five’s club, Gaius tells everyone about the island and his desire to help kill Rheya. We still get that private time with Adrian, and the rest transpires as before and the consequences of releasing Rheya’s powers that I mentioned earlier.

In conclusion, Gaius is good, Takeshi lives, Elias lives, and sadly Lily is still dead. Also, after a simple test by walking out in the sunlight, proved that Adrian was no longer affected by it. I changed so much because I felt like it, and it will help my story make sense. Changes are that I will rewrite this story in the future where both Jax and Lily live.

P.S. I also decided that Nala was able to save Marcel by pulling him into the closet and slamming the door shut. Or course the feral tried to get in, but She screamed, Adrian heard her screaming, so he ran over and killed the feral. After the feral had managed to punch a hole through the door and scratch Nala.

9 notes · View notes

thelucyaddams · 4 years

Text

Return

Part One

A/N: Just had this idea of Lysimachus being alive and being reunited with Kamilah. It will have more parts. Hope you like it :).

MC's name: Lucy

MC x Kamilah

Words: 1124

Dead. That's what he had told him about his sister. For thousands of years he made sure he wouldn't find out the truth, made him his soldier, his slave and then when he wasn't useful anymore he left him all alone in this world.

He still remembers his first encounter with him. The Undying Centurion appeared on the battlefield all of a sudden and killed many soldiers without getting hit and by the time he had to face him his whole life changed.

Today he wasn't an honored soldier anymore. Now he was just a man wandering through the streets of Alexandria in Egypt and living a simple life. He was a teacher for History and Sports at a local school. Working with children was something he enjoyed very much. Sometimes he would even give extra lessons for students that needed more help. Lysimachus never minded.

Fixing and tuning cars and motorbikes was a hobby of his. He even dealt with them. Cars have interested him ever since they were invented and to cruise around town in the middle of the night was something he enjoyed very much. Especially when driving fast.

Apart from that he liked to train fighting with and without a weapon. Once a week Lysimachus taught children and teenagers how to protect themselves. He developed a very own style and thought it's important for them to know what to do in dangerous situations.

Fighting reminded him of his sister. Kamilah always wanted to train with him and show him what she was capable of. She wanted to prove herself although Lysimachus told her how proud he was and how skilled she already was. It was never enough. Kamilah was a real perfectionist.

A nostalgic expression was on his face as he looked at the old rag doll. It was one of Kamilah's few toys from when they were children and it was one of the two things he had to remember her. The second item was a necklace with a small wooden horse-shaped pendant. She had let it made for him and gave it to him before he went to war. Lysimachus would always treasure it and it reminded him of their bickering about his wooden horse. The one his uncle had given him. Every time Kamilah tried to tease him by stealing that damn toy and he would always manage to get it back until she did it again.

Lysimachus smiled a little. He dearly missed those times and especially her. His dear sister. A tear managed its way down his cheek as he put the doll in an inside pocket of his jacket. The only place it belonged to was near his heart.

His gaze fell on his packed suitcase. Vlad Tepes also known as Dracula invited him to his ball in Prague. He did it often but Lysimachus only attended it a few times. Lysimachus met him in Rome for the first time. It was when he was on a class trip. One night Lysimachus strolled through a market at night and eventually ran into Vlad. The fellow vampire was very flirty as he noticed and Lysimachus found it very amusing at times. No matter how much Vlad tried to seduce him Lysimachus wouldn't grant him more than one or two kisses now and then. It's driving Vlad mad because one thing was sure. The kisses of a Sayeed weren't just normal kisses.

With one last glance through his small bedroom Lysimachus took his suitcase and left his home.

It was a small house with two floors with only the bare necessities. There were his bedroom, a small guest room and a bathroom on the second floor. Downstairs were the living room with a cooking area in a separated corner of the room. Also there was a small room where he could wash his laundry and another bathroom but without a shower.

Outside was a small courtyard with a garage next to his house. There was also a water pump in his courtyard where he spotted three black stray cats lying around.

He smiled and walked up to them. The cats always came here and begged for water but also for food and attention.

The cats looked up curiously. One walked between his legs and affectionately leaned its side against his shin. Lysimachus knelt down so he could pet them.

"I won't be here for a few days. Take care of my home would ya?", he whispered while petting them lovingly.

Lysimachus used the water pump to fill the bucket underneath it with fresh water. The cats liked to drink from there.

"See ya soon.", he said one last time before he got into his car and finally made his way to the airport. It was a blue sports car, one of the few luxuries he would spend his savings on.

Over the years he built up quite a fortune and could live like rich people if he wanted. But he didn’t because that’s not who he was and who he wanted to be.

—————————————————————

"Kamilah! Lily!", Lucy shouted through the airport as she spotted her friends.

She grinned and jumped right into Kamilah's arms who was a little stiff at first but melted into the hug a little. Before the vampire could say anything Lucy pulled her into a long loving kiss which she returned.

They had missed each other badly and when Kamilah heard about what happened in the club with Serafine and the Order she couldn't help but to worry about her cute little human. The one person that crashed through her perfectly build up walls like it was a piece of cake and filled her heart with a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time. A feeling she never knew she was still capable of feeling it.

Lucy proved her wrong. First she denied it of course. But over time she allowed herself to lean into the feelings Lucy made her feel and it filled her with happiness and joy.

Maybe if they manage to stop Gaius and survive... Maybe she can take the next step and truly live again. A life she would like to share with her precious human by her side. A time where Gaius isn't any more but a memory.

Eventually they parted and Lucy was pulled into a tight hug by Lily.

"Don't you forget about your bff!", she complained playfully.

Lucy chuckled.

"I could never forget you, Lily Spencer.", Lucy said emphasizing her name teasingly.

"Come, let's go to my office and talk about important things.", Kamilah said already making her way for the exit.

"You have an office here?", Jax asked.

"I have one in every capital city.", Kamilah answered.

"Tz, should've known. Will never understand you rich guys."

Kamilah just ignored his comment and the gang finally made their way to her office.

Part Two

#kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #bb mc #bb kamilah #bb fanfic #lysimachus sayeed #bb lysimachus #adrian raines #jax matsuo #lily spencer #bloodbound

29 notes · View notes

sealinne · 4 years

Text

Quarantine Tag Game

I was tagged by @moonwich (thank yeo/)n since i dont really have energy to do anything else right now here are the answers.

1. Are you staying home from work/school? I am and I was past uh... almost year.

2. If you’re staying home, who’s there with you? My parents and sister.

3. Do you have pets to keep you company? Cat by the name of Freya, snake by the name of Yarnball and crested gecko called either Rorschach, Rarach, Mr Bananas, Triangular head or Coconut Son.

4. Who do you miss the most? My bros... And open teahouses to hang in with the whole gang. But I still visit @snejkha from time to time. Which is great \o/

5. When was the last time you left your home? About 15 minutes ago I was on roller blades and seen a common kingfisher and some ducks at the river.

6. What was the last thing you bought? Candle and magnesium.

7. Is quarantine driving you insane or are you finally relaxed? I have been living the same for... long time. And I grew comfortable in not seeing people.. Which probably sucks.

8. Are you a homebody? I love being inside and alone when im inside and alone and I hate going out... But once im out with people or just out there in general I dont want to go back... perpetual uncertainity of a cat thats not sure where it wants to be.

9. What movies have you watched recently? The Fabulous World of Jules Verne aka Invention for Destruction by Karel Zeman.

10. An event that you were looking forward to that got cancelled? Screening of Fleabag the play in local ArTe cInEMA and Welcome To The Night Wale tour in Prague but it just got moved... Also ANIFILM festival of animated movies.. but that also just got moved..

11. What’s the worst thing that you’ve had to cancel? well I didnt cancel..but school did.. the date for finishing our final works in school got moved

12. What’s the best thing that you’ve had to cancel? I dont know... Im either chill..or my rotting brain forgot

13. Do you have any new hobbies? Still same..Still same..slowly continuing on my final school project and procrastinating by drawing fanart

14. What are you out of? Crickets for my gecko... also some sweets.. I better buy something tasty when i end up going to the city again

15. What music are you listening to? Franz Ferdinand, Talking Heads, Red Elvises.... Tom Lehrer

16. What shows are you watching? I havent started anything new, but im thinking about rewatching Punisher for about 5th time... Or Red Dwarf.. Or Twin Peaks.

17. What are you reading? Crime and Punishment... But im realizing its not the best move for my mentality right now... so ill get to rereading The Master and Margarita.... I cant be re-reading Discworlds forever

18. What are you doing for self-care? ughhh... probably.. *shrug* eating some chocolate.. thats about it.. oh yeah i bought a candle cause i wanted a nice smell but it was without a scent and i didnt notice in the store cause i didnt want to go sniffing around with the mask on.

19. Are you exercising? I go rollerblading every day... or on a little trip along the river... walking on mostly abandoned rails for like 1km trying to not loose balance, doing occasional arabesques..I hope it counts as an exercise

20. How’s your toilet paper supply? I dunno like 7 rolls for the whole family, well get more when their gone.. People here are fortunately not going CrAzY over toilet paper.. or not too much.

21. Have you made any changes to your hair during quarantine? No.. As in i havent brushed it in around 7 days.. So thank you for the reminder.. but thats how it be even without quarantine.

Oh yeah im supposed to tag someone right..uhhh

here goes @looking-for-clues , @tarakau , @snejkha , @georgestorey8 @hervissa...

11 notes · View notes

lordeasriel · 5 years

Text

here’s my impressions on chapter 20-33, i finally finished the secret commonwealth, about fucking time, honestly:

I love the man in Prague, which I know the name but don’t know how to write because Audiobook™. I love how the separation of daemons is more common than we thought, it does make Lyra’s world more interesting.

“So the whole universe was complicit in his pain and terror.” “Spirit is what matter does.” I love how Pullman is efficiently driving me into another existential crisis. I will not elaborate.

“For a moment, she was reminded of her own father.” Big ouch. There’s constant mention of Asriel; but Lyra never calls Marisa by her name, when she mentions Marisa, that is.

Johan something truly resembles asriel in many ways, won’t blame Lyra there.

“Nothing it’s only itself.” I’m genuinely losing my mind here. I love how even scientists call Lyra out on her Brande bullshit. Which is bullshit because even I know that, based on the explanation we got.

“By water and by land.” This part was mindblowing; I did not expect a twist like this, so it felt awesome. I had to pause for a moment to gather myself lmao.

Marcel angry with Olivier: might as well send the Inquisition after him lmaooooooo I cannot, he sent the entire CCD after Bonneville, talk about holding a grudge.

“I think he wants to use it for some evil purpose, but if I can stop him, I will” Bruce Wayne is that you? lmaooo Malcolm is so, ugh, I don’t know, I like him but he feels boring at times, but sometimes his chapters are awesome.

They now call the theologians “Scientists”, that’s cool. Maybe a symptom from the people who came back from Holy War? They did had contact with people from other worlds. Or maybe Lyra’s world is progressing naturally, I mean, they can’t stagnate forever, it’s against the law of nature.

Lyra wandering through Constantinople reminds of Asriel’s aloofness, especially movie! Asriel. I hope show! Asriel is like that too.

Brother Mercurius is a sociopath lmaoo That whole chapter was so funny. The dude sees everyone being slaughtered, the first thing he does is take advantage of it. We’ll learn he’s Marisa’s cousin in Book 3.

Marcel deposing Binaud lmaooo that bitch is cunning and resentful, the first thing he did was take down the CCD dude who interrupted him LMAO oh god, relatable.

Malcolm irritating Bonneville lol That whole conversation was funny, but Malcolm should have killed him. Bonneville is annoying.

Bud Schledsinger 😭😭😭😭 If he dies, I’ll kill Pullman.

I’m glad Bud and Anita survived. I was prepared to angry tweet at Pullman. Do not fucking touch Oakley Street. Do not fucking touch Hannah Relf either. Do not fucking touch anyone *spray gif*

Glenys Godwin is a BOSS, my dudes

“We’re disassembling OS because you’re counter modern” “Sounds to me like you’re Marcel’s new little bitch then” that was basically the dialogue and I love it. For a moment I thought she was going to meet Marcel and I had a Stroke™

I’m just angry that it makes so much sense that Oakley Street is being shattered like that, I mean, politicians are bitches to higher powers, we all know that. Also that speech from the chancellor is just so similar to what I’ve been hearing recently on TV, truly terrifying.

I’m a lil annoyed with Malcolm but okay, it will pass. I like his spies scenes so much, because I like spies, that’s the summary of it. Now the poem thing, the parallel? Cheap writing and also very cheesy and cringe. He’s 31, but he acts like he’s 13 sometimes.

I did miss Marcel’s POV by the end, but I guess it’s fine, it’s fine, I’m fine. (Narrator: She was not fine.)

I loved Alice’s chapter but I think it’s quite idk senseless. As in, it added absolutely nothing to the story other than a plot for the next book. But I love Alice so I’ll take this ok, ok.

I did skip chapter 31 aka the chapter where Pullman had a fucking stroke and decided to write a fucking attempt of gang r#pe and I won’t comment on that because all this does is make me angry and I’m not in the mood to be angry.

Lyra’s chapters by the end (27/28 and forward) were much more fun and nice to read because she did stop talking about Will and that’s a relief. She finally got some grip back, but I still wish we had the og Lyra back.

I’m very intrigued about the roses, the Magisterium agenda, and the red building, all the French that I don’t speak lmao, but also confused and I’m hoping a second reread with the physical copy will make me understand things better.

So, honestly, I think it’s an average/okay book with great moments and a great potential for a sequel, which is exactly what it is; it is meant to be a bridge. I have seen people saying they don’t like grumpy, sad Lyra, but that’s what I like about her the most and her relationship with Pan. Except her sadness is almost entirely about Will or surrounding Will and I think that’s unacceptable, not to say diminishing. I think Will should be the last thing she should be thinking when her fucking soul is on the loose, but oh well, as a reader I have to just deal with it and ignore it like I did with the other books. I like how Pullman portrays her depression nicely, and she doeos hurt over Pan, it’s beautiful and sad.

I think Sir Phil’s worldbuilding game is stronger here, the world feels larger and livelier and certainly more diverse. Some characters are a bit flat and predictable, especially Marcel and Olivier; Olivier was funny on his first two appearances, but then he became boring and cliche. He has no purpose, but paired against Malcolm and Marcel, there’s fun to be had there; Marcel is predictable, I was expecting more complexity from someone who is related to Marisa Coulter, but I guess that’s that. His agenda is a mistery, but not quite, given that I feel like what’s he thinking about doing is exatcly what he is doing and that’s... a shame.

I also feel like Pullman’s prose has evolved marvelously, it’s so elegant and enchanting, you can easily be taken by it. But I feel like some points of the story are a bit weak or just there because he need to fill a gap. The feeling the ending of TSC leaves me is that his editor asked him to stop writing eventually because he overdid his page count and so he did. It’s very anticlimatic.

I like the spies bits and the folklore bits, but mostly this book feels like a huge filler, 800 pages of absolutely nothing extraordinary happening except here and there. I like what we learned about the daemons, and how separation is more common than we think, and I stand by my Separated! Marisa x Monkey theory. Overall I like the book, I just feel a bit underwhelmed.

I’d love to discuss some theories though!

#tsc spoilers #effie reads the book of dust #the secret commonwealth

8 notes · View notes