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an-otome-cally-correct · 5 years

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What Makes Petals Red

I gave the Hanahaki AU a whirl way back when, and I didn’t realize I never posted it lmaoo. If you wanna read more of my stuff, then check here.

It wasn’t all that strange for her to be sweeping up petals in the aftermath of a wedding. They came in all shapes and sizes, their colors ranging from the purest of whites to the richest of reds, only to be scattered to the most peculiar of places and crushed under the heels of the guests as they left.

Some would have landed along the aisle, blessing the bride as she stepped into a future where she would never stand alone, while some would have settled on the seats, thrown by an overly enthusiastic flower girl that likely dreamed of being a bride herself. Some would have fallen from the arrangements that adorned the venue, having lasted as long as they could without their roots to sustain them, while some would have been victims of a curious guest, cast aside once their curiosity had been sated.

Some of the petals would be found in a haphazard pile - always near the back seats, in one corner of the hall, away from view. Petals she’d clean up from that area of the venue were always coated with a strange glaze, staining them with a thick, deep red and filling the air with a sharp, ferric scent.

Whenever she spotted petals like those, she would pause, silently wishing for even the slightest bit of peace for the heart left forever broken by the ceremony, and then she would continue with her job, sweeping up those odd petals and throwing them away with the rest of the garbage.

It wasn’t all that strange.

It wasn’t all that strange to find traces of the Flower Disease at a wedding.

The seasons she spent assisting her aunt with the family’s wedding organizing services had numbed her to the symptoms of the Flower Disease. The sight of red splattered across crushed petals, the scent of iron lingering in the air, the sound of laboured breaths in the distance - they might have once alarmed her, but nowadays, they were simply part of the business. There were no questions left to be asked.

Except sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder.

When faced with a woman on her knees, crying her heart out while petals and blood escaped her lips with every sob. When faced with a man staining both the walls and the floor red with every punch of frustration and plea of desperation. When faced with an elder nearing the end of their days and yet still seeing the reminder of their hopeless affection each time their weakened lungs threatened to give out.

Sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder why a broken heart would attend such an event, why anyone would watch a ceremony that only proved their unrequited feelings, why a person would subject themselves to that much suffering, why red would stain those petals-- But those moments of wonder were fleeting, and she never came to understand.

Frankly, she never hoped to understand.

It was easier that way.

A moment’s pity was all she could afford, and then she was onto the next assignment her aunt gave her. Only, the next wedding for them to plan was a special one.

The King of Hearts was to be married to Alice the Second, and the Queen of Hearts himself was going to oversee all aspects of the ceremony. From the flowers, to the food, to the music, to the seating - Jonah Clemence had a say in it, and although her aunt had been in the business long enough to know how to deal with such… personalities, she didn’t nearly have enough patience nor self-control. The couple themselves were pleasant people, but any decision that needed to be made would no doubt sprout a debate between the Queen and herself.

It then came to a point that working with him made progress impossible, and both she and her aunt agreed that, for the sake of the wedding’s success, she needed to take a step back. She gladly did so, relieved to be rid of the migraine-inducing Queen, but her newfound peace was short-lived. Not a day after she resigned from the assignment, Jonah Clemence marched into her aunt’s office, demanding that she be reinstated.

She vehemently refused, but then the Queen launched into the clumsiest, most roundabout speech about how much he trusted her judgement, and appreciated her input, and admired her verve, and all other sorts of sweet - yet utterly embarrassing - things, and she had never been so flustered in her entire life. By the end of it, they were both red with embarrassment, and she was certain both their hearts were hammering in their chests, a small voice in the back of her mind wishing it was for the same reasons.

After a declaration like that, she couldn’t possibly refuse, not that she wanted to anymore, and she came to see him in a new light. Jonah Clemence was still annoying, but tolerable. He still challenged her every decision, but it wasn’t out of malice or distrust like she had initially assumed. It was only out of the pure, simple want for two dear people in his life to have the wedding they deserve, and she was determined to make it happen, not just for the couple, but also for the person so fervently supporting them.

Days, weeks and months of planning, and the Queen of Hearts was always present for everything. He had turned into such a common presence that it almost felt… lonely walking the streets of Cradle without hearing him comment on a flower shop’s arrangements, or a restaurant’s menu, or a clothing brand’s aesthetic. She’d find herself counting the minutes before she could see him again, enjoying every second she was with him, dreading the hours when he was away, and as the date of the wedding drew nearer, she realized she didn’t want to spend her days without him beside her.

She realized she had fallen in love, and she swore that once the King of Hearts’ wedding was over, she’d tell him how she felt, but when the ceremony ended and all the guests had moved out into the Garden for the reception, she spotted a trail those odd petals again - crushed and bloodied, purposefully kicked to the side in a poor attempt to hide them.

Immediately, she picked up a broom to dispose of them. She had promised the Queen of Hearts that nothing would ruin this day for the King and his wife, and leaving such a tragic sight like those stained petals in plain view would simply not do. So, she swept them away as she usually would, only, she didn’t find a haphazard pile at the end of the trail.

It was Jonah Clemence, crouched down with tears streaming down his face, blood trickling from his lips and hands holding onto crushed petals.

“Jonah?” she quietly called out, his name escaping her before she could think of what to say. The Queen froze at the sound of her voice, but whatever fear or shame he might have felt was forgotten as another coughing fit racked his body. Quickly, she pulled out a handkerchief from her skirts and dropped to her knees so she could wipe away the tears and the blood from his face, all the while whispering gentle words to soothe him.

“You did your best, Jonah,” she quietly told him as she began using the sleeves of her own dress, her handkerchief not nearly enough to contain his grief. “I’m certain you did your best.”

“All I wanted… was, was for them to be happy. The both of them,” he stammered in between stifled sobs and bursts of petals. “If they found happiness, I was… I-I was certain I would be happy as well, but… but why aren’t I?”

Watching him crumble like all those that came before him, she could feel her eyes prickle with her own tears for she knew full well that his affections were a lost cause, and with how helpless his situation was, the only thing she could offer was a shoulder to cry on. She had never hoped to understand the reasons as to why broken hearts still attended weddings, but with him in her arms, she realized it could only be love.

Love-- Not the kind of love that had one wanting their beloved for themselves, but the kind of love that had one wanting their beloved to be happy.

Pure.

Selfless.

Tragic.

“I’m sorry, Jonah,” she whispered, pulling the stubborn man into an embrace, not caring for the tears and blood that would stain her dress, ignoring the ice that crept up her own heart. “You deserve happiness. You deserve so much love and joy and I’m so, so sorry it had to be this way.”

She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, on the floor in each other’s arms, with her running a hand up and down his back in an effort to soothe him while she herself fought to keep all her raging emotions in check. They only parted when someone came looking for the Queen of Hearts, and she did the best she could to make him presentable once more. He was still coughing up petals, but he was in a much better state than he was several minutes ago.

“Thank you,” he told her, quiet and sincere, as he held both her hands in his. “I apologize for letting you see me in such a disgraceful state, and ruining your dress, but… thank you for staying with me.” Gently, he squeezed her hands, and a warm expression graced his features. His eyes were red and swollen from the tears, but the smile he wore was nothing short of radiant. “I wish for your own happiness, as well…”

She managed a chuckle. “Didn’t you once say my ‘uncouth behaviour’ would scare every man I meet?”

“Only those that don’t deserve you,” he cheekily added, giving her hands one last reassuring squeeze before letting go. “Although if you do come across a man who doesn’t fear you, I would have to meet him myself. I can’t trust your judgement when it’s clouded by your emotions.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “In other words, you need to check if he’s good enough for me.” If she had heard those words before the wedding, it would have sent her heart somersaulting, but now, there was only a dull throb and a bitter taste in her mouth.

Rather than a usual roundabout reply, he just simply smiled. “I truly wish you all the best.”

She offered him a smile of her own, praying that it didn’t betray her. “And I, you.” She allowed herself a moment to savour the warm moment before gently pushing her hands against his chest. “Now go on, go. How dare you keep the King of Hearts waiting.”

“What about you?”

“I just need to finish up here, and I’ll be out shortly.”

“I suppose saving you a seat wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

With a shake of her head, she snorted. “I’d appreciate it if you’d do me that favor.” Satisfied with her response, the Queen of Hearts stalked out of the hall and joined the rest of the crowd.

Once alone, she picked up the broom again and attempted to finish disposing of the stained petals that littered the ground, only for something to catch in her throat and forcing her to cough into her palm. When she pulled her hand away, she found petals coated with her own blood. She stared at them for a long while before tossing them with the rest of the petals that needed to be disposed.

For her to be sweeping up petals like those in the aftermath of a wedding...

It wasn’t all that strange.

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whatadaze · 5 years

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day 4: favorite ship: noah boom + liv reijners

warning: this will be long and chaotic and 98% of it probably won’t make sense

I thought about not writing this but I started a couple days ago and just couldn’t stop myself. And yes, I made two posts for today but that’s how passionate I am ya know? lol...and if it isn’t obvious by now i literally have no life + post shit no one cares about :-)

This will be long so viewer discretion is advised.

Noah and Liv are good for each other.

That isn’t to say they don’t have flaws, but overall they just work. In OG skam, it was emphasized over and over again that William and Noora were very different, but it’s those differences that drew them together and for them, that worked. In the case of Noah + Liv, if they were too different from each other I don’t think their relationship would have the same dynamic as it does now.

I mean, this whole season starts off LITERALLY showing the viewers how similar they are with their morning routines. The clip feels cohesive and whole, nothing seeming out of place and as they flip back and forth from liv to noah, everything transitions very smoothly. So in a literal sense, noah and liv are similar in their ~aesthetic~ (lol), with very vintage-y, hipster styles.

But it’s so much more than the physical stuff!!!

Here’s what I mean:

1) Liv and Noah are both artists and musicians. We haven’t seen Liv draw much in season 2, but it was shown in season 1 that she can draw (look @ her insta for her sketch of imaan <3) + she’s also musically talented. Noah has a guitar so it can be assumed that he can play (unless that really is a tool to get girls lol) + he’s an artist. They both have similar interests and I’m looking forward to seeing how their passions intertwine in the future because i stg if we don’t get SOMETHING where they are using their talents together in a clip, I will riot. Also, an interesting thing to note is that when Liv is stressed or upset, she seems to push music away. It causes more stress for her. But with Noah, he seems to immerse himself in his art even more. We see that when Liv finally sees him in the funeral clip. He hides himself away in his room + sketches while the guests are all downstairs for the viewing. (don’t know how that fits into this but i always thought that was interesting)

2) They are both lonely. Yes, they both have their own group of friends but we’re all familiar with the phrase “you can be in a crowded room full of people and still feel utterly alone”. We see Liv isolate herself a few times throughout the season. The first, when she steps out for a bit during Jayden’s welcome party. Then again when she leaves Isa with the boys and goes to her room. Another when she calls her dad and gets upset in her room while her friends are out in the living room. We can see her feel alone when she’s with her friends—when she finds out about Noah’s mom, when their getting their nails done, and during the benefit—her mind is not where it should be as it continues to drift off to Noah. She’s alone because in this moment, she has no one to confide in. Noah has his friends, Gijs and Micha, but we rarely see them together. In fact, most of the times we see Noah is when he’s alone (or with Liv :-)). One thing I actually enjoyed about OG skam was the friendship b/w penatrator chris + william. Yes, they were both two fuckboys but you just knew right away that they were best friends. With Gijs and Noah I don’t really get that vibe (but maybe they’ll explore that later??? although i doubt it bc we running out of time :( ) And we see Noah isolate himself even more after his mother’s passing—literally—by closing himself off from Liv and holing himself up in his room.

3) That brings me to the third point: they both avoid seeking help. Liv is the mother of the group. She takes care of them, gives them advice, and is always looking out for them. But rarely do we see her be the one to ask for help. She doesn’t tell her friends what’s really bothering her and when Isa notices that she’s been acting weird lately, Liv tries to brush it off. Liv’s way of coping is to simply hide her true emotions, put on a brave face, and wait until she’s alone to really act on her feelings. She doesn’t express frustration to her dad even though we see her visibly upset. She writes in her journal about having a shitty day and then steps out of her room with a smile on her face. It isn’t until she begins worrying about Noah that she finally asks for help. We can see that it’s hard for her to do so, but she finally does! Noah is the same way. When he finally needs someone to lean on, he isolates himself. When Liv finally goes to him, he pushes her away and tells her he doesn’t need her pity. His first thought is that Liv isn’t there to be with him but because she feels bad for him. This shows that he’s not used to people genuinely being there for him + caring about him. Liv sees through that BS and stays by his side, and the look on Noah’s face when he realizes she’s staying is enough proof that he needed someone by his side all along.

4) And my final point is the way both communicate. I’d say both are pretty outspoken individuals and they don’t really hold anything back. From the very beginning, it’s very clear that Noah is interested in Liv and he has always been honest + open with her about that (even though she wasn’t too happy). He had never tried to trick her or blackmail her (and no, i don’t consider the date a blackmail). Noah never used Engel (no, i don’t consider that phone call as him using her) and he tells her that he wants to know what would make her believe that he is serious about her. He directly tells Liv that he is tired of the game between them and even GIVES UP. ANDDDDD MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL he IS HONEST ABOUT HIS BROTHER!!!! Liv is also pretty outspoken and from the very beginning, we see that she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She tells people how it is, makes it clear to Noah when she doesn’t want him pursuing her the way he did (going by her house which BTW HE STOPPED RIGHT AWAY) and went to noah’s house ON HER OWN with the sole purpose of seeing him AND STAYED WHEN HE PUSHED HER AWAY. So we have two characters who are very open about what they want/don’t want, and like to express their opinions (i.e.: conversation during their first date) and what i LOVED is during the clip w/ their first kiss, liv doesn’t list all these things she didn’t like about Noah. She knew that what she was feeling was true, but she didn’t think that what she felt was the right thing (going back to the whole liv being the mom and looking out for everyone else). And what does Noah do? He says he understands. Because he does. And from their first date, I think Liv knew that Noah was able to read her in a way even her close friends couldn’t.

YOU KNOW WHY!?

BECAUSE THEY’RE THE SAME.

So what makes them work?

Liv helps Noah learn that not everyone that cares about him is doing so out of pity. That there are people who care and want to help him. We see that especially during the funeral clip. Before they go to sleep, he asks Liv if she likes him, and he has this faint smile on his lips when he realizes that she really is there because she wants to be. Liv learns to ask for help from others because she wants to help him but doesn’t know what to do. And in the next few episodes, we will see Liv being the one to push Noah away (*cries*) when she needs him most and she will have to learn to accept help during a time when all she will want to do is be alone.

Another important theme in their relationship is trust. From the very first date, the topic of trust has been brought up over and over again. Noah tells Liv that he doesn’t know her well enough to trust her, Liv responds with “Maybe” when he asks if he can trust her. And after they get together, he tells Liv that he can’t wait until she can trust him. I don’t think that was his way of saying “i want you to trust me so that you have sex with me” it was a genuine desire on his end for her to fully trust him. And so when that trust breaks, it will cause a huge rift between them (*cries again*).

Anyway, that was me going off topic for a bit.

IN CONCLUSION, Liv + Noah challenge each other. It’s what draws them to one another, whether they like it or not. Noah’s life seemed pretty mundane before Liv and even as a character I have to admit that he was kinda dull and I was initially indifferent about him when he was introduced. But after Liv went off on him and we begin seeing a different side of him (someone who is playful, makes jokes, and obviously doesn’t know how to flirt), we start to view him as more than some fuck boy who wants what he seemingly can’t have. And it was a good decision on skamnl’s part to slowly develop their relationship because we know that Liv is not the type to quickly fall for someone she was not into just one season ago. This slow development is what makes us as viewers also fall in love with Noah, grow attached to Liv, and witness these two beautiful people open up to each other and fall in love

(*bawling now*).

People usually say opposites attract, but I think that what Liv and Noah share in common is what pulls them towards each other. Liv is used to being alone, being the one who takes care of others, and doesn’t like being a burden to others. Noah pushes his way into her life, and when she needs him most, he will be there for her. Noah is also used to being alone, and before Liv, I think he liked it that way. He had an indifferent attitude about everything and when he wanted something, he usually got it. Liv challenges him, and I think he sees a bit of himself in her. When they’re on their date, Liv asks him what he thinks of her. He says that he thinks she’s reserved, likes to be in control, and doesn’t trust people easily—and all of this is true—but as we learn more about Noah, we see that he’s the same way as well.

When Liv + Noah are together, they express their true feelings + emotions, which is why their interactions seem so raw and genuine. They get mad and frustrated at times, but they’re also genuinely happy. The emotions they’d usually push aside come out whenever they are with one another. Liv doesn’t hide how she’s feeling + Noah doesn’t either. Liv doesn’t feel the need to be in control around him because the moment she tries to be, Noah challenges her back (and vice versa). And although neither of them have verbalized it yet, we as viewers can see how much they trust each other already. They’ve seen each other in their most vulnerable states and that wouldn’t have occurred if there was no trust involved.

also, side note:

i’m not saying that liv + noah are mirror copies of each other. of course they have some differences (i.e.: see example of their reactions to music/art when stressed) and while liv + noah are both outspoken, I’d say the way they choose to express themselves differ as well. liv is loud—whether it be through her voice or body language—she just has this strong, bold presence about her. noah seems more reserved (vocally and physically) so when he does say something, it’s usually super impactful. there are probably a lot more similarities + differences but honestly i don’t have all day so i’ll end it here lol

OK WOW.

So if you actually read all of this, I apologize for anything that didn’t make sense (which was probably all of it tbh) and I owe you a huge thank you and a gold star. I just have a lot of feelings and used this challenge as an excuse to write it all down.

noliv4ever

#skamnl #skam nl #31 days of skam nl #god literally never asked for this

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etherian-affairs · 5 years

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Impromptu Departure

It’s the Mirak Season Finale! This one’s longer than what I normally give her. You earned it girl.

Infiltration of the Fright Zone is not the easiest task. It takes work. It takes multiple people. If you can't breathe underwater it takes disguises or distractions or both. There are patrols and locked doors and keycodes. There's also the issue that the place is massive. A sprawling industrial wasteland that stretches for many kilometers in every direction.

Mirak thinks it's beautiful. She loves a challenge and she loves seeing a planet covered in Horde foundries.

Everyone knew that this mission would be the most difficult any of them other than Mirak has ever undertaken. Sam did not even particularly want to come. In fact he definitely didn't but they made him. Operation Fright Heist was a necessity and the core team plus Sam had to go all in on it. For the future of the Horde United. For the future of Mirak.

The initial entry into the Fright Zone is easy enough. Some other members of the Horde United bring one of the stolen tanks to the border and open fire on whatever they see! Drawing patrol forces to that area! The primary infiltration team then slip in on a skiff amid the confusion. Wearing proper Horde armor for a change. Well everyone but Mirak who is lacking a helmet. She does have a cool cape on though so she can pretend to be Hordak from a distance. They soon ditch the skiff and let it slam into a structure. Causing further distraction via destruction.

There are better ways to do this but currently Mirak's state of mind limits her to the "No one can trigger the alarm on you if no one is around" school of stealth. A reliable if unsustainable approach to the art of infiltration if there ever was one.

From there it's the same way Mirak got out all that time ago. They find a Horde Soldier, or soldiers, eliminate all but one of them, and take the survivor along with them as a door opening prisoner. Just like Tim once was when Mirak needed to get out of this place.

"Is this seriously how you two met?" Cass asks Tim as they stalk through the endless corridors of the Fright Zone. Mirak's ears twitch as the question is brought up but she doesn't speak. Let Tim answer questions for Tim.

"Yeah kind of. I found her deep below Hordak's tower in some random room. Naked. She knocked me out and the rest was history." He shrugs. It speaks a lot to Tim's mental health that he decided to stick with Mirak after that but no one here is going to complain. Tim is great, after all.

"You're all insane…" the prisoner grumbles. He's been stripped of his armor, bound, and is being walked along as if he's the prisoner.

"Hey don't wrap me into this." Sam notes as he holds a stun baton to the back of the prisoners head. "They made me come along."

Mirak chuckles. Oh Sam. You're a hoot. "Movement ahead." She declares as they move forward, pulling her own weapon up. Then the moment the approaching person rounds the corner she fires on them. One shot and down. No time to play.

"How do you do that?" Cass asks. "There was almost no time to get a fix on him." She has a helmet on but Mirak can feel the furrowed brow underneath.

"Mirak grew up on an evil boat that taught her warfare." Tim interjects.

"It was a Horde Blackship, and very carefully Cass. Very carefully." Mirak's head hurts far too much to explain how to mix sound and sight to plot the position of an oncoming target and hit them with maximum accuracy.

Cass just shakes her head as Tim chuckles. The trek continues much like that. Inevitably Mirak decides checking the throne room is going to be their best initial bet. Hordak is a cyborg. He will need a surgical and maintenance system of his own and will likely want to keep it in the areas that are well and truly his own. The places underlings fear to walk.

If Hordak is present or they can't find what they're after then they'll head on to the medical ward.

As much as Mirak would love to get a shot off on Hordak she is aware she cannot win currently. She's too slow. Too clouded. Too in pain. The weakness disgusts her but she swallows it. Soon. Soon her head will be all better. Soon her body will be better. Then she'll put an energy bolt right through the Lord's lower spine and make him get her off of this rock. Get her back to her Madame. That's plan A. That's the good plan.

There are other less good, but much more likely, plans. She has prepared for those.

When they slip into the throne room Mirak stops them. Her ears wriggle. She searches for any sounds. Nothing forward. Something going on down a path to the right. Hordak is not on his throne. She looks back and nods to Sam who electrocutes the prisoner. Letting the guy drop. Mirak picks him up, wrapping him in her cool cape and the team moves forward. She tosses the prisoner off the side of the approach to Hordak's throne. Goodbye prisoner. You shouldn't have called us insane.

"Sam, Cass. Remain at the base and watch for anyone. Tim, with me." Mirak's commands are fast. She feels the anxiousness in her chest. A rare occurrence. Normally this feeling is heavily suppressed. The duo nod and take up positions beside the staircase. Trying to look like they belong there. Mirak nods to Tim who nods back, and they ascend.

The throne is… actually not the gaudiest thing Mirak has seen. Sure it's huge and doesn't actually look very comfortable but in her time Mirak has seen some absolutely ludicrous thrones. Anyone who likes gothic architecture will just go full ham on their throne and it's almost always tacky. This one's okay. Respectable even. It makes one think that Hordak probably became Lord for a reason. He has some restraint. Some appreciation for simple industrial aesthetic.

"This things huge…" Tim notes. "I kind of want to sit in it…"

"Later." Mirak snaps. She has no time for that. No time anymore.

As much as she wants to sit in it too.

They circle the throne and quickly find what Mirak hoped they would. Right there, right there behind the throne. A full maintenance array. She can see the sensors and the arms. "This is it." She says as she steps forward, looking through the darkness at all of it. Searching for a control system.

"It won't surgery murder you right?" Tim asks.

"I can override. It'll be fine." She starts to grin beneath her mask. As she searches the array they hear weapons fire. Tim glances back and curses. "Go help them." The command from Mirak is fast. "It's best if no one gets up here."

Tim nods and runs off. Mirak scowls a little. Deciding how she wants to proceed. The maintenance cycle can be truncated. No surgery just a light pruning. Enough to keep her going. Then she can rejoin the fight. That should only take a moment.

Then her eyes pick up movement. Two of the Many lights hidden in the darkness shifting. Fast. That's not good. Mirak's arm flies up, weapon in hand. Tracking the lights. As she squeezes to let loose a bolt of sickly green energy at the target some sort of six sided hex driver flies out from the darkness and knocks her aim off ever so slightly. Mirak misses. She recovers quickly, regaining her track on the target just in time for a cluster of purple strands to shoot out from the darkness and grab her arm.

Mirak growls and grabs the tendrils with her other arm and pulls hard. Dragging her assailant down into view. A human?

"Fascinating! Are you the same species as Hordak! I didn't know there were others!" The human, or Etherian more specifically, announces happily as more bundles of what is apparently her hair shoot out and grab at Mirak's body. "Oh are your legs artificial?!"

The assassin starts to fire off her weapon, twisting her wrist to try and get an angle on her assailant. This Etherian's hair is strong. Very strong. Mirak is no slouch however. Mirak lifts. She can begin to overpower it.

She also has a free arm. That's more important. She uses that very useful arm to grab the stun baton clipped to her hip! Pulling it off and firing at the purple haired monster!

"Oop! That was close!" The Etherian laughs as she manages to deflect that one as well. It's as if she can predict Mirak's movements. Suddenly Mirak is tossed aside into the machinery by hair. She's never fought something quite like this one before and she is definitely not at her peak.

Still she can win this. Again she trains her weapon toward the target, only to see the human lifting herself back into the machinery above. She fires after her, aiming to kill. Purple tendrils lashing out at her and keeping the human mobile. Tools being thrown with accuracy that's impressive even to Mirak. Knocking her aim aside or slapping into the parts of her body not covered in hard plate, possibly cracking some bone by the feel of things. All the while the voice continues, asking questions. Pondering. It's annoying and grates on Mirak's ears. This human is not a trained warrior though, that much is clear. She's not going for the kill.

Unfortunately things go south before Mirak can leverage this. Very south. The battle takes all of Mirak's limited focus. The migraines dull her senses and slow her reactions. No longer are her legs her greatest detriment. So when suddenly a hand falls on her arm and throws her into the back of the throne it takes her by surprise. It doesn't quite knock the wind out of her but it gets very close. Something cracks inside of her. She can still move though. So she gets herself up, ready to fire on the new assailant when she's grabbed again. Her favored weapon forced from her grip by the clenching strength, nearly shattering her wrist. Then a punch slams into her stomach and as Mirak collapses a second strikes her chest plate, partially collapsing it.

Lord Hordak stares down at her, scowling.

"Hordak! Hi! I spotted her looking at your stuff back here and then she shot at me! So we were fighting! It was very exciting! She looks like you are you related?!" The Etherian has dropped down beside him.

"No." He growls. "We are of the same species, but different breed. This thing is an assassin. A broken one at that. I can let you study her if you would like, Entrapta."

Mirak reaches out for her weapon, only to see Hordak kneel down to pick it up. He looks it over. Then tears it in half. "I think not."

As he moves to pull the baton from her other hand Mirak squeezes the trigger on it alongside a second button she wired in. The barrel begins to glow but does not discharge. A forced energy feedback in the weapon. Building in its capacitors. "...No closer." She wheezes.

Lord Hordak's eyes widen for a moment, he steps back. Then glares. Mirak begins to stand, chuckling softly. Then coughing and wincing. She's damaged, heavily. Hordak speaks. "What exactly do you expect to accomplish here? Do you think that will kill me?"

"Well… actually... I just wanted to get a maintenance cycle in..." Her voice is a mix of sarcasm and perhaps genuine annoyance.

Hordak raises a brow. "Feel free. It'll let me kill you while you're unconscious."

Mirak gives a hacking laugh. Weak and pained. "That is… that's the problem…" her mind goes over the situation. Her companions are likely gone. She's beaten. The only thing she has going for her is that she's holding a bomb. New plan then. Fallback plan. Failure happens. That's normal. Inevitable. She expected this anyway! New direction.

So Mirak growls, the stun baton building charge in her hand. The safeties have long been disabled specifically in preparation for this moment. It will detonate soon enough, or if she releases the trigger before releasing the feedback button. “But see… You… brought me here. And now you’re going to have to help me leave.” she gestures around aimlessly as she says that.

Hordak’s head tilts up, his eyes narrowing as he looks down at the ESS. “None of this has actually been for me.” The Lord notes with realization. Entrapta is glancing back and forth quickly. Watching the situation intently.

“Oh now you see…” Mirak rasps as she stumbles forward. “I have a problem… and I have been building a solution. All this time, and effort, and pain… building my solution… for her.” her eyes refocus on Hordak. “But I don’t… I don’t have time anymore.” she’s getting angry. “I came here just to… just to get some time… but now I cant. So you. You will solve my problem, or I will solve the problem… of you.” The baton begins to visibly vibrate. Mirak clutches the side of her head. It hurts so much.

There's a silence. Lord Hordak seems to ponder the situation. Then he makes a gesture and Entrapta slinks back up into the machinery out of sight. Mirak is at a huge disadvantage here. They can likely take her. This is probably actually the end. Mirak's never been afraid of that, a violent end is how all of her kind go out. This is a pretty good one too all things considered. Still she wishes she could have gotten home. Could have seen the Madame again.

Then suddenly Hordak speaks. "Very well."

She has to blink, actually surprised. "... Seriously?"

The ruler of the Horde nods. "Entrapta and I have been working on a project that will be of use to you, a portal off of this world. It is not done, and requires testing, but it could work. Disarm the bomb, and you can test it."

It's a bad deal. She should just lunge at Hordak and blow them both up. Yet it's what she wants. It's what she demanded. A way home. A way to see Madame.

Mirak shifts the baton and releases the feedback button, discharging the energy out of the capacitors in a violent bolt. The front actually partially cracks and disintegrates. If her design was right she should have one more buildup attempt in this thing before it's totally worthless. Either way she can bluff it. She rests her claws on the trigger mechanisms again. Mirak takes a deep shaky breath "Fingers still on the trigger…" she assures him.

"Of course. Entrapta, run interface update program 13. Implant a beacon" Hordak commands.

Mirak blinks "Interface upda-"

Then Mirak screeches as the metal arm suddenly slams a neural spike into one of the ports behind her ears. She feels a jolt go through her, her body pulls itself tight and paralyzed. Her finger remains on her baton. Electricity surges through her. Hordak is looking down at her as this happens. He looks impassive. Then suddenly a female voice chimes in. The Entrapta girl with the hair. “Do not be alarmed! You still have your finger on the trigger, as you said. I am simply installing a system update for your interface! Assuming you have one? I'm not sure if you do or if Hordak asked for this because it will paralyze you!” Suddenly Mirak feels something slide along get abdomen, and then slice into it. “Also I'm implanting a prototype of our interdimensional homing beacon! A way for us to see if you land somewhere other than Etheria. If you land. You were unlikely to agree to its installation willingly though so this is more expedient.”

The pain is excruciating but bearable for the specialist. Then it's over. Mirak gasps as she is released and stumbles forward. Hordak speaks now, walking past her. “Entrapta and I keep the hardware you need access to in my sanctum. This way please.”

Mirak watches him walk away. Then with little other option she follows. Her eyes dart around as she does. She doesn't see her people anywhere, not even corpses. Interesting.

Then suddenly Entrapta drops down beside her, a measuring tape and other tools out as she circles Mirak and takes measurements. "Fascinating! After all of that you can still walk! You must be incredibly resilient! I'd love to dissect you are you sure you don't want to just let Hordak kill you?"

Mirak growls and gives Entrapta a look. The woman leaps back in surprise, then giggles. "That's a no!"

Mirak can barely focus. Her head throbs. Her body throbs. She's damaged all over. She's having an even harder time breathing than normal. As they walk into the sanctum she stumbles, only barely righting herself. She's starting to second guess this decision. Maybe she should kill them…

"Hordak I'm not sure she'll make for a great test case! For one she's already really injured! And also she's unique! I could learn so much from her biology!"

Lord Hordak waves a hand to dismiss her concerns. "I'll give you a text book on my species biology. She will be a fine test case."

Entrapta just shrugs and moves around the consoles and terminals pressing buttons. Hordak for his part actually pulls some comically large levers. A green glowing ball lights the area up and that's the worst. Mirak has to reach up to tug her goggles back down.

The Lord and the Entrapta are talking. Something about energy levels, mainframe tests. Capacitors. It's all above Mirak. A lot of it does sound like the sort of things that one would have connected to a weapon though. That's not great.

So Mirak growls again, loudly. She speaks up for them. "I still... have my bomb… it's sounding like I should use it…" it's sounding like they're planning to just kill her.

Hordak turns. "But you won't. Because you built it all for her, didn't you?" He asks pointedly.

Mirak freezes up. How did he… her impromptu monologue. Dammit all.

"Yes, as I thought. Who is it? You want to leave so no one in this world." Hordak ponders. "someone you care deeply for, deeper than an ESS should… a previous master perhaps? Perhaps one surrounded by rumors of a sordid affair with an assassin?"

Mirak glares daggers. She can't respond though. He has her their. Of course he remembers those rumors. Mirak really thought those had died with the people that started them.

"That is what I thought. The moment I heard reports of you running around this pathetic planet instead of reporting to duty as you should have. You still serve that pathetic creature Hera." He snarls.

Entrapta just kind of looks fascinated by all of this! Space drama!

Mirak starts to raise her weapon, anger truly filling her. How dare her call Madame pathetic.

Then something stupid happens.

"MIRAK!" suddenly a curly haired brunette stumbles into the sanctum! He looks confused! Alongside everyone else!

Mirak turns. "Sam?! You're alive! What are you doing here?!"

"I got lost while escaping! And… I'm not sure what here is!"

"Oh Sam you moron…" Mirak shakes her head. At least she'll die with amusement in her heart.

Then Hordak roars and strides up to the young man. Sam cowers. Only to be picked up and thrown at Mirak! They both tumble over! "new test! Double transfer! Initiate the mainframe!"

"Ooooh! Extra mass and varying densities! This'll be good!" Entrapta cackles as she starts pressing buttons and pulling levers.

Suddenly the atmosphere is nullified and… oh hey that actually feels nicer than just having the breather. Good job Hordak you invented a nice place to hang out dome.

Before Mirak can make a comment about Sam's gasping helplessly for air there's a blinding flash and a roaring sound. Then everything is gone.

…

"Well we didn't blow anything up!" Entrapta declares happily.

Hordak brushes off his shoulder and grumbles. "Entrapta in future I would like you to be more careful about the fights you pick. If she had not been on the brink of death already it would have been quite dangerous for you, and you are valuable."

"Aww. I like you too Lab Partner!"

============

See you in four months when I resolve this cliffhanger in the first paragraph.

#mirak #my writing #t h e m #my OCs #lizard man tim #horde soldier cass

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queen-of-the-avengers · 6 years

Text

Fall Activities

Characters: Wanda Maximoff x Reader, Steve Rogers

Word Count: 1,167

Warnings: cute and fluffy

Summary: Your favorite thing to do in the fall season is bake. Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and everything else in between. Wanda, your girlfriend, doesn’t know how to bake so you show her how.

Author’s Note: This is for Kari’s @until-theend-oftheline Scarlett Stucky Quickie Challenge and this fic is based off the aesthetic below. This is my first time writing Wanda so please tell me if I wrote her correctly and if I didn’t, tell me how I can do better, please. If you have any requests, please send them in! I would love to hear what you have! This is unbeta’d and any and all mistakes are all on me.

Feedback the glue that holds my writing together

Tags at the bottom

Your favorite part of Fall is the weather, the clothes and the cold nights. You loved going pumpkin picking, having campfires, wearing comfy clothes and above all, spending it with the love of your life.

You met Wanda when she joined the Avengers after you defeated Ultron. It was sad what happened to her brother but you gained a friend. For the first few months, you two hung out because you were more alike than you thought.

You both had been taken by HYDRA and trained to be the bad guy. You both wanted to be good and to do good but were scared. You both lost someone close to you. You both made it out alive.

You two bonded over the small things and as time went on, you got to know her and started to fall for her. She wasn’t as bad as people made her out to be. You gave her a chance and listened to her when she ranted on about HYDRA and losing her brother. You were there to comfort her when she broke down because she didn't think she would be able to do this without Pietro.

You were there for her, telling her that everything would be okay. In those few months you gotten to know her, she had gotten to know you. You told her of your time before HYDRA. You would tell her stories of your childhood, making her smile as if she experienced them too.

She was the one to hold you when you started crying about your sister and how you lost her when she didn’t want to conform to HYDRA’s ways. You were all alone after you watched her get shot multiple times. They trained you to be a stone-cold killer and that wasn’t who you were.

In the span of only months, you had gotten to know not only a friend but also a lover. She was always there for you when no one else was. She was there to share the laughs and the tears, to hold you when you needed to be held.

You were the first to ask her out and she immediately said yes. You had fun dating her. You got to show her the things you could do and you got to witness her magic up close. You took her on calming and relaxing dates while she took you on spontaneous ones. There was never a dull moment with her and now that Fall is just around the corner, you get to experience your favorite season with her.

To kick things off, since everyone was out of the Tower, you wanted to make sweets. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, anything that was sweet, you enjoyed. You knew that Tony, Clint, Natasha, and Steve would enjoy the treats you made.

You got out the baking pans you would need before getting out all the ingredients. You were just about to start cooking when Wanda walked into the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” She asked, looking at the loads of food on the table.

“I’m making all kinds of sweets. You want to help? It’ll be fun. We can decorate after they’ve cooled down. I’d figure everyone would enjoy this.”

“Sure.” She smiled, going over to the sink and washing her hands. You started on the cookies since those would be easiest to make.

“How do you do this? I’ve never cooked before.” She said sheepishly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll show you. It’s easy. I remember my mom teaching me how to cook. You know, back before…” You couldn’t finish your sentence.

“I know. She would be proud of you now.” Wanda said, placing her hand on your shoulder. You smiled at her and kisses her cheek as a way of saying ‘thanks’ before separating the ingredients you needed from the ones you didn't.

“Okay, why don’t you mix these while I set the stove.” You smiled and turned to the stove. You set it for the temperature you needed before looking back. Wanda was using her powers to mix it and you quickly shut that down.

“No, Wanda, you don’t do it that way.” You smiled and she immediately stopped.

“But I am mixing it.”

“No, it’s more… authentic… if you do it with your hands. Come on, I’ll show you.” You walked behind her and slid your hands over her arms before resting them on hers. She grinned and let you do your thing. You laced your fingers with hers before grabbing the cookie dough.

“You really have to dig in there.” You whispered and started to knead the dough that still didn’t have chocolate chips. She smiled and did as you instructed.

“Like this?” She asked even though you knew she knew what she was doing. You smiled and took your hands away before wrapping them around her waist and squeezing affectionately.

“Yeah and now we have to add in the chocolate chips. Do you want a lot?” You asked and grabbed the container of the chips.

“Yeah, a lot.” She nodded. You opened the jar and shook it over the dough. Wanda paused what she was doing to let the chips fall where they may before going back to kneading the dough.

“There, you’re doing a good job.” You winked at her before popping a chip in your mouth.

“How do I know when it’s done?” She asked.

“If it feels even. If there are no more white flour or chunks of dough hanging off. It has to be one big blob.” You said before separating the ingredients for the brownies.

“Okay, I think it’s ready.” She said and you tested it out before nodding.

“You did well for a first-timer.” You grinned.

“I like doing this with you.” She admitted and you moved closer to her before grabbing her dough-covered hand.

“We can do it more often if you like.” You said with a smile and she nodded. You leaned in and she met you in the middle. You kissed her slowly to show her that you really loved her which she didn’t mind. She was always a sucker for the slow and affectionate kisses.

“Ah, I thought I smelled the oven burning.” You pulled away from Wanda and looked at Steve who smiled at the two of you. He was the number one supporter of you and Wanda. You loved Steve and how he could be such a sweetheart.

“There’s nothing in there you doofus.” You giggled and grabbed a small chunk of the dough before rolling it in your hands.

“I know. I see you’re making cookies. Can I help?” He asked with a smile.

“Yeah, you can get started on the brownies.” You nodded and Wand joined you in making small balls.

“And brownies? Oh, I love you.” Steve smiled and grabbed some ingredients.

“And cupcakes,” Wanda said.

“You’re my new favorite couple.” Steve nodded.

“Good,” you nodded and made several more balls before looking up at him. “Wait, ‘new’? We were never number one?”

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@vvishous @kendall-michele

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