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hollybell51 · 3 months

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Trevor Holden (0115) x Philip Pearson (3326)

Travelers (2016)

Word count: 11.5K

Summary: Philip has made some bad decisions. This isn't one of them.

Content: Smut, hurt/comfort, bit of fluff (I guess?), Philip is horrendously down bad, Trevor is too, making out, hickeys, hand jobs, blow jobs, anal, fingering, dirty talk (like a tiny bit dw), Trevor calls Philip "man" during sex, top Trevor/bottom Philip in an attempt to avoid Trevor's accidental twinkification (I fear this may have backfired), (there are honestly switchy moments too so idk if I'd label it as anything other than a healthy flexible dynamic), Philip's hallucinations, the age gape is mentioned but just in passing, implied/referenced drug use (guys c'mon it's Philip), everything canon typical. This takes place after s3 e3. I may have missed some things so lemme know if I should add anything xx

Notes: Happy valentines day! What even was season 3 honestly these two are so fucking whipped for each other it's stupid. How can anyone look at them and see anything but a married couple who are deeply, disgustingly in love with each other. Honestly. I'm so upset that this got cancelled (even though I lowkey liked the ending) so my insufferable ass is probably gonna deal with that through taking matters into my own hands. Also side note this is the first time I've posted m/m so don't be too mean I actually don't really know how men work so... yeah. Shit's been rough lately, breakup and car crash in the space of two days so I actually haven't proofread this sorry (there might be mistakes but that's ok because to err to be human <3) and also I’m literally a (queer) girl and I know nothing about gay (man) sex and it shows. You have been warned.

Philip had woken that morning (morning? Or afternoon? He can’t remember. It doesn’t feel like it had been morning when he’d finally swum up out of Marcy’s sedative) with Trevor in his bed. Well, it wasn’t Trevor, not really, but it was still nice. Not Trevor was smiling at him, wriggling closer, his hand finding Philip’s and pulling it towards his chest. Philip had blinked and he had shimmered, dispersed into light, reformed. He’d blinked again and Not Trevor was gone, and then the real world was flooding in and he half wished he hadn’t woken up at all.

It’s been happening more and more often lately. Philip looks up from the computer screens and Not Trevor is already smiling at him. Not Trevor interrupts him with a kiss as he walks past. Not Trevor pads barefoot with a towel wrapped around his waist out of the bathroom and winks as Philip watches him go. Philip kneels next to the couch to pick up a ball bearing he’d knocked off the table from under its edge and when he looks up Not Trevor’s legs are either side of him and he has his head tilted back, shirt discarded and he’s panting hard. Philip has no doubt what that particular version of himself had just been doing. On the flip side, he pushes his chair back to take a break and Not Trevor grins up at him from between his legs, he leans over Philip from behind and slides his hand down his front, braces himself against the shower wall, tells Philip to turn around and get on his hands and knees and a million other things and Philip curses the update because none of those images are ever going to leave his head.

Philip’s not too proud to admit when he likes someone. He’s human, after all, even if some days he doesn’t feel it, and Trevor is beautiful. It’s not just his host, either, although it probably helps to have been blessed looking like that, but there’s something about what 0115 and Trevor Holden have become — Philip’s Trevor, the team’s Trevor, 0115’s own Trevor — that pulls Philip in like a magnet. His joy is addictive. His enthusiasm for life, while it sometimes grates on Philip’s considerably less enthusiastic nerves, is infectious and maybe what people say about opposites attracting each other is right. Not even opposites, really — Philip doesn’t think they’re opposites, but he knows they’re not so-called twin flames — but something about Trevor balancing Philip. Pulling him out of those particularly dark little holes he knows it’s all too easy to get stuck in. Hell, he fell into one last night.

So Philip’s been peeking into other timelines and it’s been fueling the Trevor thing and now he’s waking up and half wishing that what he’s seeing is real. He wants to reach out and grab Trevor and never let go. He wants to stay in this bed with him and never have to do another mission again and just be and let humanity save itself. But, he tells himself firmly as he swings his legs over the side of the mattress and pauses, letting his body stabilise and adjust, that is not going to happen. No amount of wishing will make it.

Carly and Marcy have explained, as best they can, and he really does feel bad for pulling that kind of shit when they’re all under stress, when nothing feels like it’s going right for anyone and they all have their own bullshit to deal with (he knows all about that, thanks to the update), but Aleksander’s face is still on the computer screens and Philip also knows Mac and Trevor will follow through. And that is where his brain snags for the second time today. Trevor, who found him on the floor and called Marcy over, “panicked” is the word the medic used, and then took off to kill a kid — to help Mac kill a kid. Trevor has faith in the Director, in the Grand Plan, Philip knows that as well as anyone, but he still cringes at the thought of what his roommate — because calling Trevor friend doesn’t quite feel right when he’s seen what he looks like when Philip is not going to complete that thought, they’re past coworkers, and he doesn’t feel like the other guy’s teammate anymore — must be thinking and feeling and doing right now.

But then, after a few hours of Marcy and Carly doing their best to help him and Philip doing his best not to scream or break something or walk out the door and never come back, the Messenger comes through and just like that it’s all ok again. Marcy and Carly are relieved. Philip is relieved. A massive weight has been lifted off all their shoulders, so why does he still feel so heavy?

He walks through erasing Mac’s memory like he’s walking through a dream, manages not to stare too long at the insubstantial vision of Trevor’s hand on his knee as they take their leader back to his house and (not uncarefully) deposit him in his bed. They leave. They drive back to ops. Marcy asks if he’s alright and he nods, doesn’t miss the way she says something too quiet to make out to Trevor as she heads back to David. Carly stays for longer, cleans a gun, then makes her exit with a firm hand on Philip’s shoulder and a tight smile. Then they’re alone, and Philip is staring at the screen with a cup of something (he thinks it might be tea, but it’s not hot anymore) he doesn’t remember getting in his hand.

He doesn’t even hear Trevor approach until the engineer sighs, settling himself next to Philip’s shoulder.

“The mother even speaks Romanian,” he says, steaming mug cradled in his hands.

Philip glances at him and he shrugs. “Well that’s great, I’m obviously happy about that.” And he is, he really is. The woman smiling in the photograph looks like a kind person. She doesn’t have the sharpness about her eyes that Aleksander’s previous foster parents did, and maybe the familiarity of the language will help. He knows it did when they rescued the boy in the first place. The word rescue, even just in his mind, leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. He could have avoided the whole mission — putting Trevor and Mac through that — if he’d just stuck to what he was supposed to. There’s no way that this wasn’t some sick lesson. But still… “Why didn’t we start there?”

Trevor pauses before he answers, eyes still locked on the computer screen, brow furrowed. “That wasn’t the path he was on.”

Sometimes Philip forgets how old Trevor — 0115 — is. He doesn’t act like an old man, as much as the others (Philip included) call him that and joke about it, as much as Trevor himself is open and just as willing to talk about the fact. But there are moments like these when Philip can see 0115’s plural lifetimes of experience and knowledge and wisdom poking through that barely adult face, and it catches him off guard. He’s not put off by Trevor’s age, Truth be told, he’s not sure if anything could put him off Trevor, but it can still be a little unnerving.

“You don’t need to explain that part to me.” Philip tries not to sound annoyed, because he isn’t. Not really. “What I'm asking you is why we didn’t get a mission to change his path in the first place.”

Again, Trevor shrugs, and on anyone else the gesture would look flippant. Not him, though. Nothing’s ever flippant with Trevor unless he wants it to be. “Maybe we did. The Director has to thread the needle on billions of possibilities happening to billions of people in a billion different places all over the world. If it seems hard to understand the steps that lead to a particular outcome, it’s because it’s literally impossible for any of us to understand that.”

Philip can feel Trevor’s eyes on him, but he doesn’t look up. “I hate that.”

There’s a pause, and he feels Trevor shift infinitesimally closer. “Yeah,” he says. “But you can’t argue with the results.”

This time Philip does raise his eyes from the screen, turning in his chair to face his roommate. The other guy is perched on a filing cabinet, and Philip has the distinct urge to tell him to just get a chair. He looks a little ridiculous; elbows on his knees, feet resting against the desk (he really wants to tell him to get a chair), cup in his hands and that look that’s so sincere he’d laugh if he saw it on anyone else. It’s so… him and Philip can’t look away.

Trevor sighs, leans forward and sets down his cup, his feet slipping off the desk as he twists to face Philip. “It wasn’t your fault,” he tells him.

Philip shakes his head, looking away. He wishes he could believe Trevor, wishes he had just an ounce of his conviction. “It was. By definition, Trevor.”

“You were trying to save him.”

“And I made things worse. The Director was teaching me a lesson, I know it was. I know… I know I shouldn’t have tried to interfere.”

“Hey, hey.” Trevor’s hand is firm and warm on Philip’s shoulder. “You tried to do what you thought was right. And yeah, it didn’t really work out, but it’s in the past. We can’t change that.” He stops, as if realising the irony of his words, then, “Nobody blames you, Philip.”

“They should.” I do.

Trevor is close enough that Philip can see the evening sun gilding the tips of his eyelashes, and his voice is so gentle it hurts. “What good is it gonna do now, huh? How is holding onto all that shit and dishing out blame and responsibility gonna help anyone?”

Philip doesn’t have an answer for that, but he’s not sure if that matters. Not sure if he could speak even if he wanted to, because Trevor is still touching him and Philip must have slid his chair closer because he doesn’t remember the gap between them being this small. Trevor is searching Philip’s face, and he can practically see the cogs ticking behind his eyes — which, up close, never fail to suck Philip’s focus like a vacuum.

“It’s not your fault. It was never going to be your fault, Philip.”

Philip swallows hard, tongue darting out over his lips. It’s too quiet and too loud all at once, and he wants to look away and he never wants the moment to end. The world is blurry, all he can see is Trevor, his skin is too tight and Trevor’s simultaneously too close and not close enough and then he is leaning the last few inches and all Philip can think is that this has to be another timeline. Things like this don’t happen to him, at least not this him, and—

Oh. Oh.

Trevor’s lips are soft against his own, the hand that had been resting on his shoulder sliding up to hover almost hesitantly at his jaw. Philip can feel his own heart beating at a million mph, his blood rushing in his ears, and without even realising it he’s kissing Trevor back, tilting his head and pressing closer, Trevor’s skin so warm against his.

The thing about what Philip sees — hallucinations, illusions, visions, whatever he calls them — is that he doesn’t feel it. He didn’t process the warmth of Not Trevor’s hand when it had been resting on his leg in the car or against his own that morning. He hadn’t felt the press of Not Trevor’s shoulders between his thighs, hadn’t felt the rush of breath over his skin when Not Trevor had laughed and kissed his cheek. And he certainly hadn’t felt the slick softness of Not Trevor’s tongue brushing over his lip.

Oh, is all Philip can think again as he lets Trevor part his lips, the barest hint of his tongue sliding against his. A question. A warning. A test. Of course, the answer is yes. Philip knows in his soul that the answer will always be yes for Trevor, no matter what timeline they’re in. He feels himself sinking, floating, and when he pushes back against Trevor and slips his own tongue into his mouth, he can taste the tea he was drinking. Trevor is warm and sweet and Philip has never tasted anything so good and now his hand is moving, fingers tangling in Philip’s hair and if it weren’t for the rushing in his ears he could have sworn that Trevor gives a pleased little hum.

Philip wants to stand, wants to crowd closer and take Trevor’s face between his hands, stand between his legs and feel the press of his body against his own. He wants to feel Trevor’s skin on his, wants him under him and on top of him and everywhere he can think of. He’s pretty sure that Trevor’s knee is blocking him from getting any closer, that and the fact that he’s still sitting in his chair.

So, as much as it pains him to do so, Philip pulls back from Trevor’s mouth and pauses, heart still thundering, breathing hard, and looks at him. Trevor’s lips are kiss swollen and still parted, his eyes dark and locked on Philip and Philip alone. His hand doesn’t leave Philip’s hair, thumb moving in a tiny arc over the skin under his ear and he knows that even if he wasn’t a Historian, even if he wasn’t hardwired to remember everything, this moment would be ingrained in his brain forever.

“Are you…?” Trevor starts, watching as Philip pushes himself to stand, his eyes following his every move, head tipping back. He wavers, and for a moment he’s shirtless and sweaty and his cheeks are flushed pink. Not Trevor tilts his head to the side, teeth digging into his bottom lip, and Philip blinks. His Trevor is still watching him, a hint of concern marring his face.

Philip just nods, watching Trevor’s hand trail down over his chest, coming to rest right over his heart. He wonders if he can feel how hard it’s beating. He looks so serious and sincere, and Philip still can’t believe that this isn’t just because of the update. This is real. This is happening here and now.

“Philip,” Trevor murmurs, voice thick. God, Philip could listen to that all day.

He dips his head, and he’s sure that Trevor is smiling as their lips meet again. Philip is painfully aware of where his legs aren’t quite touching him, just resting either side of his hips, but that doesn’t matter because Trevor’s hand is sliding down his torso to sit feather light on his hip, not quite on the waistband of his pants but close enough that Philip feels blood rushing quickly downwards. He places his own hands firmly either side of Trevor’s face, feels the muscle there twitch momentarily, the mechanism of Trevor’s neck and jaw sliding smoothly like well oiled machinery as he kisses him deeper, harder. His fingers curve perfectly around the back of Trevor’s neck, and this time he’s sure when he hears the little sound slip from the engineer, muffled by his own tongue. It is going to drive Philip insane. Trevor is going to drive him insane. He already is.

“Philip,” Trevor says again, and Philip really can’t help but push closer. The edge of the filing cabinet is hard against his thighs, the metal cold through his jeans and somehow that is what brings Philip’s spiralling, out of control, too-much-too-fast brain back to the present. And then it clicks, and a stone sinks deep in his stomach. Trevor is distracting him, taking his mind off a truly terrible day because Philip did something stupid last night and Trevor found him this morning. He breaks away, breathing hard for an entirely different reason now.

Trevor’s hands stop him from going far, his eyebrows furrowing into that familiar concerned frown. “You alright?”

“I…” Philip stops, takes a breath, swallows. Yes, he’s alright. He’s more than alright with Trevor kissing him, with kissing Trevor. But here and now… Philip isn’t sure how to voice that. He knows Trevor wouldn’t judge him, not after Jenny. Trevor isn’t someone from the 21st, where sex is currency and intimacy is a completely separate thing. Trevor, like most from their time, knows that there’s more to it than that, he knows about Jenny because Philip has told him about Jenny and that whole mess and he trusts Trevor not to ignore all that. But…

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Trevor says, and Philip unfreezes. “I didn’t think it through. I know it’s been rough, and I don’t wanna rush you or—”

“Are you trying to distract me?”

Trevor stops, his frown deepens and he shakes his head. “Not really. Maybe a little.” He sighs. “I mean, I didn’t kiss you to distract you. But if I am… is that a bad thing?” He takes a deep breath, his fingers curling on Philip’s hip. “Do you want me to stop?”

“I don’t…” He isn’t sure what he’s supposed to make of that. It’s not what he wants to hear, but it's not what he doesn’t want to hear either. Truth be told, he doesn’t even know what that is. All he knows is that Trevor means more than 21st century sex and he is in way too deep here.

Philip does not consider himself brave. He knows people in the future who would say he is just for being here now, but the truth is, they don’t know what they’re talking about. He is not brave, he simply exists. He is a piece in a machine and there is nothing brave about that. But this is different. This is Trevor, and Trevor has always made Philip feel like more than that. Like he’s a person, and more importantly, like that person is worth something. And no, Philip doesn’t want Trevor to stop. He would be happy to live in this moment forever, and that’s the problem. Philip swallows. He will be brave.

“I don’t want you to be a distraction.”

Trevor draws back, a tiny wrinkle forming between his eyebrows. “What do you want me to be?”

Philip almost curses, swallows again, looks at his hands. “I want you to be you. You… You mean something to me, Trevor. I want this to mean something.”

Philip isn’t brave enough to look back at Trevor, but he doesn’t have to be. The other guy’s hand is on his cheek, tilting his face back towards his, and when their eyes meet all Philip can see is the familiar warmth and understanding and joy that Trevor somehow carries within himself no matter what. “It does,” Trevor whispers, and kisses Philip again.

This kiss tastes different. It has to, Philip supposes as Trevor inches forward on his perch, gripping his shoulders, his arms, his waist, his hips. Trevor really does mean something to Philip, more than he ever would have guessed he could. It’s not because of the visions, and it’s not because Trevor is kissing him now. It’s everything else. It’s Trevor bringing Philip a fastfood meal after he’d been shot. It’s the wordless hands on his shoulders when he’s the first to arrive at the garage and the last to leave. It’s the undiluted wonder and awe in his face when he looks outside. It’s the insistence that he’ll come with Philip, even if it’s because he doesn’t fully trust him — because whatever the reason, Philip likes that he doesn’t feel alone. The reminders that Philip is human, just as human as Trevor, because sometimes that is the hardest thing to remember.

And Philip really does feel like shit for this morning. For last night, when he’d seen the mission come through and he’d sat there, frozen, and debated calling out Trevor’s name just to see another face and hear his voice, feel another person touch him and remember. But he hadn’t been brave last night. He’d run, and had left Trevor to find and clean up the mess he’d made. He feels his chest tearing apart, ripping violently right down the middle.

“I’m sorry,” he gasps, tearing himself away from Trevor’s mouth.

“What for?” Trevor frowns.

Philip swallows. “Last night. This morning. All of… that.”

The understanding is so clear in Trevor’s eyes, followed quickly by sadness that hits Philip like a punch. It resolves and shifts, and Trevor’s lips twitch into something that could be called a smile. “You scared me,” he says.

“I know. I didn’t mean to.” An eyebrow raise at this, and Philip goes on, “I wasn’t trying to. I just… I don’t even know. I was going to tell you when it first came through but I just… I just couldn’t. You know?”

Trevor nods, and Philip knows he means it. This is the guy who interrupted Grace Day’s TELL, for God’s sake. He doesn’t blame Philip for Aleksander. Things might get murky and complicated sometimes, but at the end of the day Trevor understands when it matters. “I wish you had,” he tells him. There’s no blame or resentment in it, just a statement of fact. “We could have worked something out together.”

Now it’s Philip’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Worked something out?”

“Ok,” Trevor concedes, “maybe not work something out. But you didn’t have to be alone. You don’t have to be alone, Philip. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

It’s so much. It’s too much, and Philip is too heavy for this. So he just nods, watches as Trevor slides off the filing cabinet and stands before him. Philip lets him put his hands on his face and can’t stop himself from leaning into the touch. It doesn’t matter how small it makes him feel. Doesn’t matter that Trevor’s breath hitches in his chest when Philip keeps going and kisses him again, doesn’t matter that he can’t even begin to express what’s swirling in his update-addled, over-full and under-nourished brain right now. They’ve got time. Philip can untangle it all later.

He pulls Trevor closer, so close he wonders if he can feel the beating of his heart against his own. He can feel his breathing, the expansion and contraction of his lungs and the rush of air on his cheek, the heat of his body and oh, yeah, ok, Trevor’s hard. The thought of that alone has Philip aching, hips pressing into Trevor’s, their jeans hard and rough between them. Something just this side of a moan slips from Philip as Trevor presses back, his hands once more finding Philip’s hair and commanding him to kiss him harder, kiss him longer, kiss him deeper. Philip is only too happy to oblige.

Trevor hums into his mouth as Philip reaches between them, fingers skirting the hem of his shirt. Trevor gives him an insistent nudge and that’s all Philip needs to slide his hand under the fabric, run it over the hot skin of his hip and the planes of his stomach, bunching his shirt up like it’s nothing. Philip wants to map out every cell of Trevor’s body, commit every curve and dip and hollow to memory like he’s memorised every TELL and candidate and major event. He passes his hand over Trevor’s ribs, up the centre of his abdomen, higher to his sternum and back down again to grip his waist. Touching him isn’t enough. Philip needs this man.

Trevor’s grip on his hair tightens momentarily when Philip’s lips move from his own to his jaw, down the column of his neck. These kisses are wet, open mouthed, not quite careless but hardly neat, and if he goes any harder he’s going to leave marks. He isn’t sure if that’s something Trevor wants, but the other man’s head is tilted to let Philip continue, so he sucks — oh so lightly — at the spot where neck and shoulder meet.

“Fuck,” Trevor hisses, fingers curling, hips grinding against Philip’s. Philip can literally feel his brain emptying of all thought except that he needs to make Trevor do that again.

“Hm?” he asks, just in case (just in case what? He doesn’t know), and Trevor nods. So Philip does the only rational thing and sucks again, moves his head and does it to another spot, and now that he can see the darker patches of skin on Trevor’s neck, he never wants to stop.

“Philip,” Trevor whispers, voice cracking. His throat moves as he swallows, hard, and Philip pointedly grazes the spot with his teeth. He tastes like the cheap soap they keep in the bathroom, and even though it’s the same one Philip uses day in day out, on Trevor’s skin and up this close it is somehow more. It’s Trevor, and Philip isn’t sure he’s ever going to be able to casually use the stuff again without this moment flooding his overly accurate historian brain. As desperate and insane as he knows the thought is, even as he has it, Philip wants to lick every trace of that soap off Trevor. But his shirt is still bunched around his chest and Philip can only reach so much of his skin around it.

“Off,” he murmurs, pulling back just enough to see Trevor’s tongue dart over his lip, his eyes dark.

His voice is husky and raw when he speaks. “You too.”

“Here?” The realisation that they’re still at the desk seems to strike Trevor the same moment that Philip fully processes it, eyes darting around the room.

After a moment, Trevor shakes his head. “No,” he says, untangling himself from Philip enough to take his hand. “No, come on.”

Philip has never been led into his own bedroom. He’s never watched someone else’s hand pull at his, met someone else’s eyes over their shoulder, stumbled to keep up with someone else through his own door. Never been pulled onto his bed by someone else. He’s been pushed, which was exciting and fun and hot at the time, and he’s done the leading, and the looking back and the steadying at the inevitable stumble, but this is new. If Philip is completely honest, it’s a little unnerving.

But then Trevor is facing him, reaching for his shirt and pulling it over his head and all Philip can think is holy shit because all that football pays off. Trevor’s mouth curves as he steps towards him, like he knows exactly what Philip is thinking. Which wouldn’t be that hard, since Philip isn’t exactly trying to keep a straight face.

“You tryna catch flies, Philip?” Trevor asks him, and Philip feels his cheeks heat. He hadn’t even realised his mouth was open.

“Sorry,” he mutters, eyes locked firmly on Trevor’s face. His smile. The collection of red marks dotting his neck.

Trevor just shakes his head, stepping closer. “Don’t be.” His hands settle on the hem of Philip’s own shirt, his fingers barely brushing Philip’s skin. “But,” he goes on, “this isn’t fair.”

“Oh, fair,” Philip echoes, raising his eyebrows. But he’s already taking over from Trevor, shrugging off the shirt and dropping it like it’s nothing (and it isn’t really, not when he has Trevor standing before him like this). “Better?” he asks.

Trevor looks away from his face, and Philip can almost physically feel his eyes sliding over his torso, stopping at his chest, lifting back to his face and gleaming with something that he can only describe as incredulous excitement. “What’s that?” he asks, as if he doesn’t know.

“Piercing.” Because that’s what Trevor’s looking at, and if Philip’s completely honest, he feels a little… proud? He’d had his doubts when he’d first discovered the ring through his nipple, and had been more confused by it than he had by the ear and nose piercings. He can understand jewellery where people are going to see it. He’d done his research on piercings and tattoos outside of the training on 21st century behaviour they’d all taken, at the same time as he’d taken a deep dive into tattoo symbolism (he’d been suddenly consumed by the fear that his host’s tattoos meant something he should know about, which hadn’t really been the case but Philip still thought that it was better to know than not). He hadn’t found much to convince him that the solitary ring through his nipple of all places was a particularly groundbreaking way to modify the body, but now… Now he thinks he might get it.

Trevor is shaking his head, eyes still glued to the little piece of metal. “That’s so…”

“Weird?”

“No, it’s—” He stops, laughs, grins at Philip. “It’s really hot.”

Philip can feel his eyebrows shooting up his face. “You think?”

“Yeah, I… I don’t know why.”

“Oh, ok.” That’s… unexpected. Philip knows that his host isn’t bad to look at, and he knows that some of the reasoning behind piercings is for attractiveness. He’s studied the face that he now calls his in the mirror a thousand times, he sees the body that he now inhabits every day and as far as 21st century guys in their late twenties go, it’s really not bad. Of course, there are the track marks and the occasional (lately more frequent) shadows under his eyes, stubble if it’s been a particularly rough few days (Trevor’s newly almost-permanent presence helps with that, even if he doesn’t know it), but hey, if Trevor’s standing here right now he knows he’s got something going for him. But the look in the engineer’s eyes when they meet Philip’s again makes him feel like a damn artwork.

Trevor’s grin broadens, and before Philip can even begin to reconcile what that’s doing to him Trevor’s lips are on his once more and he’s being pulled hard against him, skin to skin, heart to heart, Trevor’s hands roaming over his shoulders and his back and his waist and his ribs and his chest and Philip is moaning into the kiss like… he doesn’t even know what.

They’re moving, almost tripping over each other and it’s a miracle either of them can keep their balance, but then Trevor’s knees hit the edge of the bed and they’re half falling onto it, a little uncoordinated but does that really matter when Trevor is still pulling Philip close, smiling even as his tongue dances alongside Philip’s? He’s all too aware of where his body is, where his leg presses between Trevor’s and his arm is locked, holding his weight off the other man.

Trevor, however, has both hands free. Gooseflesh prickles across Philip’s chest and stomach as he trails his hands over his body, electricity sparking when his fingers skirt the waistband of his pants. He feels Trevor smile again, and his breath hitches in his throat. Shit, he’s never going to be able to kiss anyone else again. He doesn’t even want to kiss anyone else. Ever.

“Do you want this?” Trevor murmurs against his lips, the tips of his fingers just dipping below his waistband and oh fuck he hadn’t realised just how badly he wanted that.

Philip nods, then groans when Trevor palms him because even through his pants his hand is a million times better than his own. The other guy curses, does it again, and Philip’s teeth dig into his bottom lip. His eyes are dark and sincere, flicking between Philip’s own and where his fingers are curling gently around his clothed cock.

“Can I?” Trevor asks. Philip has never nodded faster. He’s not even entirely sure what Trevor’s getting at, but he’s happy to let him touch him however he wants, wherever he wants, and he trusts him completely. Of course he already knew that — you kind of have to trust your team, after all — but he’s only just realising that he’s trusted Trevor as more than a team member for quite some time. Probably right alongside everything else that’s become more than a team member with Trevor.

Philip isn’t wasting time philosophising, his attention fixed firmly on Trevor’s hand which is back at his pants and oh that’s what he meant. He helps out, shoving his pants down and off with less grace than he’d like, underwear following suit. The air is cool on his hot skin, and for a moment he feels oddly exposed. Then Trevor is pushing at his hip, tongue darting over his lips again and there’s almost an urgency to his movements.

“C’mon, just— Hold on a second—” he says, still attempting to manoeuvre Philip.

He almost laughs at his eagerness. “Trev, give me a second, man. What’re you tryna do?”

Trevor pauses, his thumb running in a tiny arc over Philip’s hip bone — he’s not sure if he’s even doing it consciously. “Swap.” He nods to the mattress, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Maybe it is and Philip’s just lagging behind.

“Oh, ok.” He shrugs, half climbing and half rolling sideways. “You could’ve just said that.”

“Yeah, I know, I…” He sighs, rubs a hand over his forehead. “I keep getting caught up. Sorry.”

Trevor getting caught up in him? In Philip? He doesn’t quite know how to respond to that, so he just shrugs again. “I’m that irresistible, huh?”

The look Trevor shoots him is anything but joking. “You have no idea.”

Philip opens his mouth, shuts it, shakes his head in awe. Who would have thought? “C’mere,” he tells Trevor softly, and the gravity is lifted as he smiles and practically bounces down beside him, pressing his lips to Philip’s. They’re getting better at this. Not that they were bad, of course, but they fall into the easy rhythm of each other much more quickly now. There’s no fumbling or searching or exploring, it’s familiar and Philip never wants that to end.

Trevor’s hand is resting on Philip’s chest, warm and firm and now Philip is sure he can feel how hard his heart is beating. He stretches up, chasing Trevor as the other guy pulls away, but he can only do so much. Trevor smiles and gives him another quick kiss, almost chaste, the kind that Philip definitely doesn’t imagine he’d give him when their day to day paths cross in the garage. When he leaves to get food. When he comes back again.

But that thought is wiped away before Philip’s mind can snag on it, because Trevor is spitting into his palm and wrapping his fingers around Philip’s dick, gentle and slick and warm and Philip curses softly. It’s almost almost perfect.

“Like this?” Trevor asks, eyes fixed on his face.

Philip swallows. His voice sounds odd even to his own ears, husky and strangled. “Uh, little harder.”

Trevor squeezes, and it’s all Philip can do not to fall apart right there as his grip tightens and his hand moves. “This?”

He feels the breath catch in his throat. “Yeah. Fuck Trev, that’s perfect.” And it is. It really is. There’s only so much his mind can come up with, he thinks as he takes in Trevor’s strong arm and large hand moving rhythmically over him, feels the heat of his body where it presses against his own and listens to Trevor’s breathing and soft hum of appreciation in response to his own moan. No matter what the update lets him see, no matter what he manages to dream up by himself, it won’t compare to this.

Trevor is leaning closer, and Philip shivers as his breath hushes over the skin of his shoulder, his neck, then practically gasps as Trevor kisses the hollow under his jaw. He makes to turn his head, meet the other guy half way, but Trevor doesn’t let him. He kisses his jaw again, nudging him away and Philip just lets him. He even turns his face, just a little, but Trevor notices and his chuckle sends molten heat shooting straight down his spine. Trevor’s lips are moving, up over the muscle of his neck, tongue darting out to taste his skin. Philip gets it now, and then Trevor is whispering “this ok?” and he’s nodding (how could it not be?).

“Fuck,” he breathes as Trevor sucks at the spot, and Philip really gets it. It’s not like hickeys are foreign to him, but this is something else altogether. Trevor’s hand is still moving firmly on his cock, maybe a little slower than he himself would go but damn is it good, and now he’s working his way down Philip’s neck to his chest. The tiny burst of almost-pain followed by the soft heat of Trevor’s tongue has Philip arching towards him, hips jutting shamelessly into his hand as he does his best to stop the embarrassingly desperate sounds he’s on the verge of making from escaping him.

“Philip,” Trevor murmurs to his clavicle.

“Hm?” Philip answers, lifting his head enough to meet his gaze. He half wishes he didn’t, another blazing hot spark of pure need rushing through him.

Trevor either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care. He presses his lips to Philip’s skin yet again, gentle and oddly tender given that he’s still jerking him off, looking at him through his lashes (Philip wonders if he’s doing that deliberately. If he knows what it’s doing to him). “You don’t have to be quiet,” he says softly, and there’s another kiss. Lower this time, on his pectoral.

“I’m— I’m not—” Philip breaks off in a rush of air when he feels Trevor’s teeth graze his skin.

“Not what?”

Philip doesn’t even know what he’d been getting at, but it sure isn’t important. “Doesn’t matter,” he breathes.

“You sure?”

“Mhm.” Then, as Trevor’s thumb slides over the sensitive head of his cock, “Fucking hell, Trev.”

“Is that—”

“Yes. Yes, oh my— Fuck—”

Trevor’s mouth has found his nipple. Maybe it’s a little weird, but Philip is hardly in any condition to be thinkin about that. Trevor’s tongue is flicking over the ring cautiously, gently, and it feels really good. Better than it has any right to.

“Ok?” Trevor asks, kissing the sensitive spot.

“Yeah.” Philip swallows, bites down on a moan and then remembers Trevor’s words. You don’t have to be quiet.

This time, when Trevor’s hand tightens and moves over his aching cock, he groans, and feels Trevor’s body shudder against his. Philip brings his hand up to run across Trevor’s strong shoulders, down over his spine and back up again. He hums, and his hand speeds up every so slightly.

“Oh fuck,” Philip moans, “fuck, Trev, keep doing that.”

“Yeah, don’t worry.” Trevor’s voice is low and rough, his chuckle little more than a breath of air. “I’m not… I’m not stopping.” The engineer raises his head, his teeth digging into his bottom lip as he studies Philip’s face like he’s trying to memorise it. Philip is torn between holding his gaze and looking away, heat coiling low inside him, and again he jerks in Trevor’s hand. Trevor laughs again, moving hard and fast and if he keeps that up Philip isn’t sure he’ll last another minute.

“Trev,” he gasps, gripping his shoulder hard enough that he almost feels bad. “Fuck, fuck.” Yeah. Philip’s really articulate when he chooses to be. He wants Trevor inside him, wants to be inside Trevor. He doesn’t care where, exactly, he just knows that he needs to be closer, deeper, needs to feel their bodies blur into one, but right now he isn’t spending particularly long dissecting that thought. He’s got time.

“‘Salright,” Trevor murmurs, as if he knows exactly what Philip’s thinking. “I got you, man.”

Philip feels himself tremble and tip, bliss rolling up through his spine. He might be saying Trevor’s name, might be cursing, or the sounds might be just that; wordless and primal and torn from deep within him. Trevor works him through the high, and as the electricity coursing through Philip cools to static, his hand slows and finally withdraws to rest on his stomach. They don’t speak for a moment, their breathing and the ticking of the clock the only sounds in the room. Philip doesn’t look down, he knows his stomach is a mess, and chooses instead to turn towards Trevor.

The engineer grins, then drops his eyes pointedly to Philip’s stomach. He feels his cheeks heat, but before he can say or do anything Trevor is bending and sliding down the mattress and Philip thinks he knows what he’s about to do but he doesn’t know what he thinks about what Trevor is about to do. Then his tongue is flicking over Philip’s abdomen and his skin is twitching, a small sound that’s half shock and half pleasure catching in his throat. Problem solved, he supposes.

“Alright?” Trevor asks as he withdraws.

Philip just nods, pushing himself to sit up. Trevor smiles and leans closer, his lips soft and gentle against Philip’s. This kiss is almost chaste, reassurance and a kind of confirmation (of what, Philip isn’t sure) all at once. He’s only too happy to reciprocate, his body pleasantly warm and heavy and buzzing with Trevor, Trevor, Trevor, whose chest is pressing against his own.

Philip pulls him closer, hands sliding over the smooth muscle of his arms and shoulders, cupping the back of his neck as he slips his tongue into Trevor’s mouth. He can taste himself on the other guy’s tongue, a thought that has his brain spinning excitedly out of control and his stomach launching into an olympic level acrobatics routine. Does Trevor like the warm saltiness still clinging to his tongue? Is that what Trevor would taste like? God, Philip wants to find that out.

Gently, he shifts and nudges at Trevor’s shoulder until he gets the message (faster than Philip had earlier) and lets him push him onto the mattress. His legs fall apart easily when Philip pushes his own between them, and when he moves and his thigh comes into contact with Trevor’s crotch he practically arches off the bed. Philip stifles a laugh.

“Something funny?” Trevor asks, eyebrow raised when he ceases his assault on his mouth to look at him. But he’s smiling. Flushed, eyes dark and shining, lips swollen and pink and still parted as he breathes hard, but smiling. Philip can feel his brain going into overdrive to store that image perfectly.

“No,” Philip shrugs, letting his eyes trail lower over Trevor’s torso (the guy has actual abs, which Philip is going to be thinking about for a long time).

“No? What’s that look for?”

He debates it for a moment, then, “I’m memorising.”

Trevor frowns. “Memorising what?”

Philip presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth, “You.” He pushes his leg firmly in between Trevor’s, basking in the breathy little moan it draws from him, “That.”

“Fuck, Philip,” he whispers as Philip moves his hand down his side to his hip, across the faint V under his belly button to skirt the waistband of his pants (why the fuck is he still wearing pants?). Philip isn’t even sure if he means to do it, but Trevor’s grinding against his leg and looking up at him like he’s the only thing he’s ever wanted. He thinks he might just cum again, right here right now.

“Can I?” he asks, already dipping his fingers below the line of fabric.

“Yeah, yeah sure.” Trevor seems almost surprised by the suggestion, as if it’s the last thing he expected.

Philip pauses, frowns. “You sure?”

This time, Trevor’s voice is firmer. “I’m sure, Philip.”

Philip nods, breath hitching in his throat. Trevor’s eyes are fixed on his hands, but he can’t look away from the engineer’s face. He gets Trevor’s pants undone, pulls them down, finally tears his gaze from Trevor’s flushed cheeks and wide eyes and parted lips and—

“Jesus, Trev.” There’s a sizeable wet spot on Trevor’s underpants, the outline of his cock clear and hard and fuck, the dude is big. Philip’s mouth waters.

Trevor doesn’t seem to know what to say to that (which is doing things for Philip that he doesn’t want to even begin to address), but it doesn’t matter. Philip eases his underwear off, and, softly and with plenty of opportunity for Trevor to stop him, wraps his fingers around his length.

“This ok?” he asks, watching Trevor’s face carefully.

“Yeah—” Trevor’s voice cracks, and he tries again. “Yeah, that’s… that’s good.”

“This?” Philip moves his hand, ignoring the little thrill that goes through him as his fingers come into contact with the moisture already gathered on Trevor’s tip.

“Yeah.”

“How about this?” Philip squeezes, watching Trevor’s teeth sink into his bottom lip and his head fall back as he whispers something that sounds like a “yes”, and holy shit has he got a jawline. He’d almost be jealous if he wasn’t so caught up admiring Trevor like this. If he wasn’t so far gone on him. If he wasn’t busy sliding down Trevor’s body, his face now level with his hand.

“This?”

“F—fuck,” Trevor gasps as Philip licks the tip of his dick, head whipping up to stare at him.

He pauses, waiting. “Ok?”

“Yeah, yeah that’s… that’s fine.” Trevor’s throat moves as he swallows. “You don’t have to, though.”

“I want to,” he shrugs. “Do you want me to?”

Trevor nods fast enough that in any other situation it would be comical, and Philip can’t help but smile. He bends, places a soft kiss at the junction of Trevor’s hip, then licks him again.

Trevor moans, his hand drifting up to wind through Philip’s hair.

Philip just smiles and flicks his tongue over the sensitive slit.

“Stop teasing,” Trevor whispers.

“I’m not.”

“You are,” he protests. “It’s not fair.”

“Fine,” Philip shrugs, and before Trevor can say anything else he’s opening his mouth, relaxing his tongue and taking Trevor as deep as he can.

“Oh fuck,” he says, his fingers tightening momentarily in Philip’s hair. “Oh, you— Jesus.”

The room could collapse right now and Philip wouldn’t notice. His senses are narrowed and focussed to the hot weight of Trevor’s cock in his mouth, the smell of his sweat and skin and his own spit (not pleasant, not exactly, but addictive nonetheless), his half stifled moan and the faint saltiness of precum. His hand works what doesn’t fit in his mouth, slow and firm and sliding easily with his makeshift spit-lube. His tongue swirls around Trevor’s cock, mapping every curve and ridge and vein.

Philip raises his eyes as he hollows his cheeks and sucks, relishing the almost-whine that slips from Trevor. Again, he sees the engineer as he had been on the couch — chest heaving, gleaming with a light sheen of sweat, head tipped back and eyes closed. But this is better, because this Trevor — his Trevor — is already looking down at him, biting his lip, the unfairly defined muscles of his stomach tense and moving in time with his rapid breathing. A groan reverberates through his chest, and it’s all Philip can do not to smile.

“Wish you could see yourself,” Trevor whispers, the hand that isn’t tangled in Philip’s hair twisting the sheets.

In lieu of speech, he raises an eyebrow.

“You’re a fucking wet dream, Philip,” he pants, and that is not what he expected to hear. It catches him off guard enough that he falters, his own surprised half moan making Trevor’s hips stutter up against his hand. His mouth.

“Shit, sorry,” he says quickly, but Philip is shaking his head. Don’t worry. It’s ok. He gives what he thinks is a reassuring suck, his free hand settling on Trevor’s hip — as if he’d be able to do anything if he decided to face fuck him. As if he’d want to.

Trevor curses again, softly, his eyes not leaving Philip’s face. He’s trying to be gentle, Philip can tell, and he feels something inside him melt because of course he would. Even as he whispers “fuck” like that and moans like that he’s still trying not to hurt him — as if he ever could. Philip doesn’t even know if he’d really care at this point.

“Hm?” He doesn’t stop, moisture pricking behind his eyes as he relaxes his throat even further and practically swallows Trevor’s dick. His hand is sliding so easily now, slick and a bit messy and maybe it should be gross but nothing is gross with Trevor, who was licking Philip’s cum off his stomach just before and has seen him at his worst and has clasped his shoulder and pushed him through. He moves faster, a little harder, and Trevor’s hips buck up again. Before he can apologise, Philip’s thumb moves in a tiny arc over his hip. He hopes Trevor understands.

“Fuck, fuck, yes,” he gasps. “Please, Philip, I—”

He can’t stop himself from moaning, an embarrassingly desperate sound. He could listen to Trevor forever, feel him like this forever, replay the movement of his body and the rough crack of his voice and the delicious tension of his fingers still gripping his hair until the Earth stops spinning. He wants to, future be damned. It’s a feedback loop, Trevor’s body jolting towards him as he tips his head back, Philip’s own need surging hot inside him, and he’s gripping Trevor tighter and taking him deeper, revelling in Trevor’s moans and gasps.

“Hold on,” he says suddenly, and Philip freezes.

“You alright?” he asks, withdrawing with a wet “pop,” his hand still resting on Trevor’s hip.

He nods quickly, his hand slipping from Philip’s hair to rest against his jaw. “Yeah, I’m fine. Better than fine.”

“Ok,” he frowns, “then what’s…?”

“Do you…” He pauses, thinks, swallows. Tries again. “Do you want to go… further?”

Philip feels his heartbeat quicken, mind racing with the possibilities. He’s never taken that particular step, but if he wants to with anyone, it’s Trevor. And hell yes he wants to, wants to go as far as is humanly possible and never come back. He’s seen so many variations of further now, he can’t pick what this could possibly be, and not knowing is oddly thrilling.

“We don’t have to,” Trevor is adding hastily, his hand sliding down to clasp Philip’s shoulder. “It’s ok if you don’t—”

“I do,” Philip interrupts. “I really, really do, Trev.”

Trevor nods, shuffles backwards before pushing himself to his knees. Philip follows suit, steadying himself against Trevor’s shoulder. His hair is falling into his face now that Trevor’s not holding it back, and he half wishes he had an elastic band with him. Even if Trevor seems to like putting his hands in it.

“It’s hot when you do that,” the engineer says as Philip pushes his hair out of his face.

He arches an eyebrow. “I think you’re biassed.”

“Maybe a little,” he shrugs, “but I’m not wrong.”

Philip really needs to learn how to respond to this kind of thing, because at some point simply kissing Trevor isn’t going to be sufficient. But it’s working for now, so he’s got time. Trevor hums softly when he pushes closer, his skin hot in all the places it’s touching Philip’s. Philip cups Trevor’s neck gently but firmly, his tongue sliding easily between Trevor’s parted lips and he wonders if Trevor can still taste himself in Philip’s mouth the way Philip can. He shifts, electric heat surging through him when he feels Trevor’s hardness press against his hip, blood rushing downwards in sympathy.

Trevor moans, grinding lightly against Philip, the kisses rapidly descending into something too messy to be called a kiss at all by any stringent definition. It’s more like Philip licking into Trevor’s mouth, Trevor licking into his, a whirl of tongues and teeth and lips that somehow has Philip moaning too, striving to get closer to Trevor in any way he can. He knows exactly what he wants now, and, as if Trevor is reading his mind, his hand is sliding down his side and around his hip to rest on his ass.

“Is—?”

“Mhm.” Philip gasps as Trevor squeezes, just gently, but God he wants his hands everywhere. If Trevor touches every inch of his skin, he thinks, it still won’t be enough. But damn, this is a good start.

“Turn around,” Trevor murmurs against his lips, drawing back enough to make eye contact with Philip.

He doesn’t waste time, as much as it pains him to break away, but when Trevor’s voice is that low, that husky, that raw with want, it’s worth it. Trevor’s hand doesn’t leave his hip, half guiding him as he faces the headboard.

“Holy shit,” Trevor says, and Philip glances over his shoulder to see the other guy’s eyes locked on the tattoo sprawling across his shoulder blades. “I didn’t know there was more.”

“Uh, yeah,” he laughs. “Neither did I at first.” He shivers as Trevor runs his hand across the inked skin, tracing the points and whorls of the design. He’d actually forgotten about it, as he does most of the time (until he has to do a double take when he catches sight of it in the mirror), but something about the awe and fascination tingeing Trevor’s expression makes him think that that’s not going to be a problem in the future.

“Fucking hot,” he proclaims, bending to kiss right between Philip’s shoulder blades. He does it again at Philip’s sigh, then again, then lower. He traces the line of his spine with kisses, fingers curling over his hip, and Philip’s not sure who it is who moves close enough that Trevor’s erection presses against him. Either way, it doesn’t matter because Philip is definitely the one who pushes further back against him, and Trevor is the one who pulls him to do it again.

“Fuck,” he breathes, because now that he’s feeling the hot hardness and the size of him against his ass, Philip isn’t sure if the spit still coating Trevor’s dick — copious though it may be — will actually be enough.

“You alright?” Trevor asks.

“Yeah.”

“Philip.” Trevor rubs his shoulder, gentle but insistent. “Why’re you so tense?”

Philip sighs, rolls his shoulders, forces them to relax. This is Trevor, who is not going to hurt him, and who he trusts with his life. More than his life. “I’m fine,” he says, “I just… haven’t done this bit before. And you’re kinda big.”

Trevor chuckles at that, shuffling around so he can see Philip’s face. “That’s ok,” he assures him. “We don’t have to—”

“I want to.”

“Then I’ll go slow.”

That… is actually really reassuring. The tension leaks from Philip, and he offers Trevor a smile. “Ok. Thanks.”

“You’ll tell me if you wanna stop, yeah?”

Philip just nods, then Trevor is moving again and he has to twist over his shoulder to catch his smile. He leans into Trevor’s touch as the engineer’s hand skims his arm, his shoulder, his back, up his side and down again to his ass. They move together, slowly and carefully, and Philip feels the last vestiges of his nervousness slide away.

“Can I?” Trevor asks, fingers slipping lower. His voice is soft, but Philip doesn’t miss the way his breath catches when he nods. Trevor’s fingers are wet with spit, and when he pushes one inside Philip there's only a little resistance. “Ok?”

Philip nods. It’s an odd sensation, and he isn’t entirely sure if he likes it yet, but he trusts Trevor. He makes himself relax, focusses on Trevor’s free hand where it rests on his hip because he knows he likes that, and lets him move. He doesn’t mind it, he decides, especially when Trevor bends and kisses his shoulder. There’s a bit of pressure, a slight burn and stretch, and now there are two fingers inside him.

“Ok?” Trevor asks again, and again Philip nods. He’s starting to think that he might like this, and Trevor’s still going slow but now his fingers are curled and yeah, Philip likes this.

“Yeah,” he says. “That’s good.”

“You sure?” Trevor whispers against his skin, and this time when he pushes into Philip it really is good.

“Mhm,” he breathes, teeth digging into his bottom lip. Almost involuntarily he rocks his hips back onto Trevor’s hand, and feels the other guy smile.

“Alright.” He continues for a moment, and Philip’s more than happy with that, but then when his fingers withdraw they go all the way and Philip actually misses the feeling. Misses Trevor inside him, even if it’s just his fingers. He hears Trevor spit, another sound he’s all too familiar with, then something bigger than a finger is poking him and his heart skips a beat.

“Ready?” Trevor asks.

Philip swallows and nods for what feels like the millionth time today. “Yeah.”

Trevor pauses. “Ok, bend over a bit? And maybe…” He pauses, then, “Do you wanna, uh, hold onto something?”

That’s probably not intended to turn Philip on this much, but it does. He does as Trevor says and leans forward, bracing his hands on the wall, spreading his legs when he feels the pressure of Trevor’s hand between his thighs. “Like this?” he asks.

Trevor’s voice is husky when he answers. “Yeah, perfect.” Then he’s pushing gently into Philip, who presses his lips together because Trevor feels bigger than he looks. It’s not really painful, and he’s going slow, and the spit lube helps, but it’s still more than his fingers and Philip can’t help the way his breath catches in his throat.

“I’m alright,” he assures Trevor before he can ask.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, just… gimme a second.”

“Tell me when.”

Half of Philip wants to turn around and kiss Trevor for that, the other half wants to shove himself backwards and just take it from there. But he’s got enough of his brain left in his head to know that that would be a terrible idea, so he breathes deeply and waits until the faint burn fades and all that’s left is the pleasant stretch and fullness. “Ok,” he says after a moment, “you can, uh, keep going.”

He half expects Trevor to do just that and push deeper, but instead he feels him pull out. He spits again, and this time the slide is easier, softer, further. Trevor curses softly, does it again, and now they have a rhythm. It’s slow and measured, careful, and Philip finds that it’s easy to relax into the movement of their bodies, to let Trevor rock into him and just brace against the wall — which is not even bracing anymore, more like stabilising.

“Fuck, you feel good,” Trevor murmurs, the words sending Philip’s mind spinning.

“So do you,” he replies and revels in the tightening of Trevor’s hand on his hip. This time, when Trevor thrusts into him, he does push back and meets him halfway, something between a gasp and groan falling from his lips.

“Alright?” Trevor slows just a little, concern clear in his voice.

Philip thinks he might melt on the spot, but instead he smiles. “I’m fine, Trev. you don’t have to be so… careful.”

“You sure? Cause I don’t mind. I said I'd go slow.”

“Well…” Philip pauses, glances over his shoulder. “Can you go a bit harder?”

“Yeah,” Trevor answers, and maybe it’s Philip’s imagination but he sounds a bit breathless. “Sure. Tell me what feels good.”

Then he’s moving again, pushing deeper than before, and Philip is telling him that that feels good and Trevor is doing it again. It’s not much faster, but it’s somehow more, and Trevor’s gripping his hip damn hard now. Philip hopes he’ll have bruises.

“Fuck, Trev,” he moans, arching into it, dimly aware of the bedframe squeaking faintly. “Fuck, that’s— that’s fucking great.”

“Yeah? Not too — ah — fast?”

“No,” Philip assures him. Then, “Faster?”

“Shit, ok.” Trevor speeds up, and now he’s hitting something deep inside Philip that has him stumbling over Trevor’s name and pulsing with need. Before he can do anything about that Trevor’s strong arm is sliding around his torso, pulling him back against his chest and his hand is wrapping around Philip’s dick for the second time today as he continues to rearrange his guts. Philip knows he isn’t going to last long.

“Fucking hell, Trev,” he gasps, because that’s really all he can do. He’s surrounded by Trevor, the engineer’s mouth warm and wet on the skin of his shoulder, his hand firm — just how Philip likes it — around his cock, Trevor’s own cock stroking what feels like every inch of his insides, his warm chest damp with sweat and pressed to Philip’s back. If he died right now he’d go out with a smile on his face, because he’s pretty sure it doesn’t get better than this.

“Oh God,” Trevor groans. “You feel like fucking Heaven, you know that? You’re Heaven.”

Philip didn’t know that, but he probably could have guessed from the desperation of Trevor’s combined fist and hips. He feels the words against his shoulder, feels Trevor’s warm breath stirring his hair and it must be all that damned football because he hasn’t faltered once. Philip can’t wait to make him. “You’re talking,” he manages, but any impact it might have had is lost in the unsteadiness of his voice. Maybe he’s still sensitive from his earlier orgasm, maybe it’s just that this is so much more intense, but he can already feel the tight coil of pleasure building low inside him.

“Yeah, I’m — fuck, Philip — I’m talking.” He gives a particularly hard thrust, and it’s all Philip can do not to collapse right then and there. Trevor is going to be the death of him, and he’s going to say thank you when it happens.

“Don’t stop,” he pleads — fucking pleads. “Shit, Trev, don’t stop.”

“‘M not,” Trevor pants. “Don’t worry, I’m not fucking stopping.” And he isn’t. If anything, he’s going harder. “I’m— shit, fuck, fuck, Philip I’m gonna— Philip, where do I—?”

Oh, is all Philip can think. “In me,” he blurts, because protocol 4 isn’t going to be a problem and this is the 21st century.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Fuck, Trevor I’m so— I’m gonna—”

Trevor is groaning deeply, spilling hot and thick inside Philip and with that, white hot bliss explodes through his body. He’s dimly aware of Trevor’s chest heaving against his back, his own name being chanted like a prayer, an incantation, and Philip’s never loved the sound of it more than he does right now. Right now it really is his name, and he knows he’s never coming back from this, and that he doesn’t want to. He thinks he says Trevor’s, too, over and over and punctuated with curses, but how is he supposed to do anything else when it feels like this?

Trevor’s movements slow eventually until they stop altogether, the only sound in the room their ragged breathing and the rustle of the sheets and Trevor pulls out and flops onto the mattress. Philip mourns the loss of the feeling of fullness for a moment as he adjusts to the sudden emptiness, forcing his arms to unlock and relax, his legs to shift — he hadn’t realised they were shaking, but now that he has he can’t stop it — and collapses next to Trevor.

“God, Philip,” he whispers to the ceiling, then raises his head and smiles.

“You alright?” Philip asks. Idly, he traces a circle over Trevor’s heart.

“I am so alright,” he sighs, breathes a laugh, turns to lie on his stomach and looks at Philip over the muscle of his arm. “You?”

Philip smiles too, his whole body heavy and satisfied. “So alright,” he echoes softly, and if he wasn’t so completely boneless he’d lean over, press his lips to Trevor’s, soft and careful. Instead, he stretches out alongside Trevor. He can feel his cum leaking out of him, and the rational part of his brain says that’s gross and he should clean it up — along with the mess on his stomach. The irrational part of his brain that had his heart speeding up when he watched Trevor lick him clean earlier says it’s hot. Either way, Philip is not getting out of this bed any time soon.

“What?”

He blinks, jerks out of his thoughts. Trevor is frowning, still turned towards him and close enough that when Philip extends his pinkie finger it meets warm skin. “Nothing,” he says. Then, because he’s not brave enough to say what he really means, “Do you wanna stay?”

The wrinkle disappears from between Trevor’s brows and he pretends to think. “Do I wanna get up, get dressed, walk up the loft stairs and try to go to sleep by myself while I know you’re down here?” He scoffs like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, and maybe to him it is. But he still asks, “Do you want me to?”

“I just want you,” Philip breathes. It doesn’t quite sound right and he’s not even sure if it’s really what he wants to say, but it’s close enough.

“You just had me.”

“No,” he sighs, “I mean this. I want this.”

“Oh.” Trevor’s face softens. “Right. Well, you’ve got it, Philip.” Slowly, he wriggles his hand close enough to lace his fingers with Philip’s and pulls their hands towards himself, lips brushing his knuckles. Philip thinks his heart is going to burst, and since when is he such a sap? Must be something about Trevor that makes his brain fly out the window.

He slips his hand from Trevor’s to run it down the curve of his spine like he’d wished he could this morning, mapping every vertebrae as if the world is depending on it. And maybe his is. He watches the smooth motion of muscle and bone and ligaments and skin as Trevor shifts infinitesimally closer, mesmerised by the simultaneous complexity and simplicity of the movement. The dying light cascades over Trevor’s back and neck, glancing off his hair, pooling on his cheek, catching on his eyelashes as he blinks and suddenly he understands artists.

Philip has always appreciated art in a practical sense (if there is one), as a historian, admired the richness and depth of the maker’s mark on the world, their cry to be seen and remembered. But in that moment Philip understands the need to capture and render, share, immortalise. For the first time, he doesn’t know if his memory is enough to hold Trevor as he is now, smiling softly and extending his arm, his own hand sliding over Philip's torso. He blinks and the feeling fades enough that he can move to accommodate the engineer as he shuffles across the space between them and drapes his body over Philip’s, lips pressing oh so gently to his pulse point before he lays his head over his heart. Philip knows he’ll never be able to capture this, and for a moment he wonders if how much is lost is equal to how much is preserved. If it’s greater. If it’s less. He swallows, turns and kisses Trevor’s temple, decides it doesn’t matter. He has this now, and he is determined to take it for all that it’s worth.

“Memorising?”

“What?”

Trevor shrugs, shifting closer still. “Are you memorising me again?”

Philip can’t begin to explain, but Trevor’s on the right track so just smiles and says, “yeah,” sliding his arm around his shoulders and holding him close.

“Me too.” The engineer's body jerks with a soft chuckle, but he presses against Philip anyway, his breathing deep and even and his arm heavy across Philip’s chest. Then, “Can’t believe you’ve just been walking around with this.”

Philip cranes his neck, looking down at where Trevor is staring at his chest. Or rather, his piercing. He almost laughs because of course that’s what Trevor’s stuck on.

“Doing missions with a ring through your nipple,” he goes on. “I can’t believe I didn’t know.”

“That’d be a weird conversation,” he snorts. “‘Hey Trev, wanna see this random bit of metal through my fucking nipple?’” Because Philip is aware that it’s weird, and that’s part of the reason he hadn’t exactly shown it off. Not that he would have had any excuse to, or wanted to, but still.

Trevor tsks. “Yeah, but… I don’t know. Does it hurt?”

“Uh… no?” He thinks for a minute, frowns. “Sometimes, a little. Sometimes I forget it’s there and it gets stuck on stuff.”

“Jesus. 21st century, man, I’m telling you.”

“Yeah. I know.”

There’s a beat of silence, then Trevor’s lips are pressing against his chest and he’s whispering, “I still think it’s hot as fuck,” and Philip, despite himself, is smiling. Whatever he sees in other timelines, and whatever else happens, he’s glad he exists here and now. He’s glad he woke up, and he’s glad he’ll wake up tomorrow — and this time it won’t be to an illusion.

Note: guys I'll be real for a sec I have no idea if this is any good. It feels ok right up until butt stuff gets involved so maybe this is a sign that gay porn specifically isn't my calling and I should just stick to YN shit (which is so sad cause I wanna write destiel smut and I wanna write more about these two silly little dudes). I wrote this originally where Philip just sucked Trevor off and they called it a day but it just genuinely did not feel right and it would not leave me alone and it just kept playing out in my head (something) like this so I wrote it and I'm not feeling the itch anymore but what I am feeling is really unsure. Any feedback at all would be so so appreciated (I feel like that ant with the bindle)

#fanfiction #fanfic #travelers netflix #philip pearson #travelers #trevor holden #philip x trevor #trevor x philip #smut #gay stuff

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hikennosabo · 4 months

Text

#tristampparty day 9, episode 9: millions knives

i've been forgetting to tag @tristampparty in my recent posts whoopsies

so. episode 9. going to just... climb into the microwave ahead of time. get nice and cozy in there. let's. go.

okay let's hit the start button on that microwave now mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm beep beep beep beep

uagh his fucking expressions in this scene... and him playing "his" side of the piano, then reaching to "vash's" side of the piano to play the dramatic part. it's a cry of loneliness!!! from his heart!!!! AUAHAHGHGH

i remember seeing a post a while ago pointing out that knives cutting off vash's arm means they can never play the piano together anymore and that fucking HURTS, man.

i think we need to take the time to pay extra attention to knives's expressions... the character acting in tristamp is really good all-around

overworking them "cuts them off"... i guess it makes them unable to maintain the connection...?

knives touching the glass... reminds me of just before he absorbs the first plant in the manga.

the contrast of the city lighting up beautifully with the horror of the last run... man.

wait... city...?? this... this isn't july, right? the platform/corridor they're standing on looks the same as the one meryl and roberto end up on in the second half of the episode, but the plant containers on the wall are different so i don't think this is the same place... but we started the episode in knives's piano room, which IS in (not-yet-)july, so this must be close by because the alarm went off, which i'm assuming is connected to the plants somehow...??

also wait, we don't see this level of development from the outside. like in the faraway shot when vash spots this place. am i misunderstanding. it's only been 5 years since the crash, so idk if this much development would be possible in that time BUT the guys who show up said they overloaded the plants to speed up "reconstruction," so... uhhhhh... am i missing something?! am i dumb?! 😭

me every time knives makes an expression that hurts me deep in my heart: look!!!! look!!!!

screencaps absolutely do not do it justice, the way his expression changes... horror, shock, grief...

the timing of vash arriving... the cruelty of the humans, the way they talk about the plants... knives's sadness, his grief and rage--wait one of the randos gets his arm cut off

lost arm count: 6

as always i feel like there's a lot more to say but the only thing i'm feeling is my heart hurting so bad :(

vash might be speaking for himself here, too.

hmmm, he says this, but knives dismisses it as if he doesn't believe it. i wonder... i don't think rem would lie about this... but i wonder if conrad would. lie to knives, i mean. like is knives dismissing this just because he's clinging to his own beliefs or did conrad - who i'd think would be more knowledgeable about plants than rem given his position - tell knives something else?

AGAIN, "SINNERS" WITH THE CAPITAL S!!!

i forget, do we see how vash got his gun in the manga? knives gave him his gun in 98, too. interesting that knives is the one who gives vash his weapon in at least 2 out of 3 canons...

hmmm. in the manga, this scene was when knives learned about the black hair thing and drastically changed his plan, deciding he needed to absorb plants. here, though, it seems knives was already planning the higher dimension connection stuff, although he hadn't put it into motion yet. because the plants here are just... being used normally (""normally""), not stored for future higher dimension connection purposes or absorption purposes. knives does still "change his plan," though, i think, when he realizes vash won't cooperate with him. i wonder if/when we'll get the black hair reveal in tristamp. i wanna see knives with his black streak.

conrad and luida know each other... luida DID mention conrad by name last ep, but considering his position it wouldn't be that weird for her to know of his existence without actually knowing him, but no, they actually know each other...

ugh, when knives tells vash to kill luida, he's asking vash to choose between humans and plants, and it just hurts because. knives and luida are both his family. he loves them both.

wait knives with the lace up knee high boots... the drip...

this is the face he makes right before he gives way to anger. man.

he sees rem in luida and lashes out... vash saw rem in her too... ugh. my heart.

going frame by frame again and knives has a bandage on his arm... why? it doesn't seem to be part of his outfit, he doesn't have one on the other arm. there's on on his right leg too, under the boot?? why...

also i like how knives rides the pull of gravity to get close enough to cut vash's arm off. that's a fun detail

lost arm count: 7

the difference in context of knives cutting off vash's arm in tristamp vs trimax... it's a canyon... a canyon of difference...

once again screencaps don't do the character acting justice, the microexpressions he makes... the disbelief, the shaky laugh... he's about to cry. vash couldn't point the gun at luida. but he points it at knives. and then he stands up and turns away, and the way his voice shakes?? dude. he's crying.

but also why does he say it'll take a century to build a world of plants? where is he getting that number from? later in the episode, zazie says that a century is nothing to plants, but knives is like. six. a century would probably still feel like it'd be a long time to him. is that his own personal estimate of how long it'll take to execute his plan? is it conrad's?

wolfwood doesn't react at all when brad says this. funny, but also why.

i hope they can. i hope they can make up. (<- crying screaming and throwing up)

reminds me of vash saying he'll save knives in 98. im gonna throw up

IM GONNA THROW UP!!!!!

it's so weird that ZAZIE is the one explaining earth. like they know a LOT about it, huh? what it looks like, what the life on it looks like (looked? should i be using past tense?)... who told them all this? knives? conrad? this isn't common knowledge either, even honors student meryl doesn't know anything about earth. but why? a lot of knowledge was lost when the ships crashed, and time has passed, but... why would the state of earth and the reasons for the colony ships not even be taught in school? the survivors from when the ships crashed were FROM earth. (well, i guess some of them might have been born in space, but...?) did they not teach their descendants about what happened? were they ashamed? or is this another thing that conrad/EoM/whoever is suppressing information about - and if THAT'S the case, why?

uuaaaghhh i'm writing this post late again and it's 3am and i can't think. sorry this was mostly incomprehensible screaming

#tristampparty #trigun talk #june speaks

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justabox17 · 11 months

Text

Silk Song

Miguel O'hara x Teen Reader

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"Ey, bruv"

Miguel turns to Hobie, questioning the character next to him.

"Who are they?"

Hobie nudges the character, they whip around and look up at the man.

"Hmm?"

Hobie points to Miguel and she nods, turning to the man with a slight bow.

"Names Katlyn but you call me Kat, Hobie here thought id be useful to you guys since I already can dimension hop"

Miguel stands there, baffuled that Hobie now just introduces this character.

"Hobie, whyd you just bring her here"

"She's 15 im not letting her out on her own and plus shes deaf"

Miguel is just confused.

"So whos watching her?"

"Gwen, my drummer"

Miguel tries to compact this down, he walks over to the two.

"So you bring a fifteen year old arachid human who figured out dimension travel because you have someone else to watch her"

"That I trust"

Hobie adds with a smile, Kat turns to Miguel and reachs her hand toward his arm. Hobie nudges her and she dives back.

"She's also strong, very strong"

Miguel sighs and turns toward the character a few feet away.

"Can she read lips?"

"Yes i can, how much cant you lift?"

Hobie signals for her to cut it out and she nods, defeted she retreats behind the two.

"She's...going threw something"

Miguel judt nods and walks off, Hobie following with Kat behind him. The three tour around, reaching the canon, training room, etc.

"Miguel?"

He turns to Kat and nods his head.

"Nevermind"

He turns and away, Hobie sighing at the shy outstreach to Miguel. Pulling away the two break off from Kat who is observing Spider People.

"Listen Kat's shy and quite itimidated by you but by that outstreach of hope you need to soften up a bit, she already sees you as a competitor and someone to look up to, kay bruv?"

Miguel nods and the two merge with Kat who somehos is now holding a bagel.

"How'd you get that?"

Kat turns to the Hobie, paint covering her mask, the suit mimicing the pattern of paint like a chameleon.

"Some guys swong by and got paint all over me then another older spider gave me this bagel and swong after the group"

She explained, Hobie and Miguel just confused at the girl.

"Proud of you"

"Huh?"

Kat jumps up, landing and hugging the brit.

"She usally beats the hell out of people"

He says pattinf the girls back, she pulls away and fizzles like a shooken up soda.

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"So how'd you find dimension travel?"

Miguel asks as the two sit down. Kat pulling out a slim white necklace around her neck, Miguel holding back shock.

"Well after i finishe collage I created a partical exelerator in my garage-"

"Tou created a partical exelerator in your garage, with what?"

Kat leaned it, shock coursing threw her body.

"Copper, anyways I was able to reiderate the massive machine over and over again, figuring out quantum machanics and eventually i started to harvist the energy i was making, then it starts to spit bits of goo out which i collected"

She paused, another bagel dropping from the sky, she peeled off her mask, long blonde hair and soft pale skin exploding from the mask as she munched on the wheat.

"Well i was bit by a spider which dunked itself into the partical liquid, i compacted the machine with my new found powers, one day i got too close and was zapped into earth dimension 441. I was able to make a exelerator as small as a tennis ball then i zapped myself back home after forty three years but when i returned I was fourteen"

Miguel just sat and listened at the girls story, she spent fourty three years in another dimension then found herself home. She's smart, quick too.

"After i got home i started to send things threw the liquid, from one vat to another, like a portal! I started to throw bits of the liquid back into the exelerator which wasnt smart i uhh...killed myself doing it"

Miguel looked at her confused.

"How are you here then?"

"Thats the thing, i was stuck inbetween quantum plates, when the exelerator and liquid combined it exploded killing fourty three million people, wiping secter D and part of E off of the grid."

She paused, finishing the bagel and wiping a tear from her eye.

"So after i had died for my sixtenth time i found out the way back home, a splotch of this liquid was floating in beta 17 and I spent four lifetimes getting it and leaving, when i got home i was fourteen and a half, passing my half birthday that day but i was greeted with corpeses and scorched earth"

Miguel nods in sympathy, the lose of her family and friends mustve taken an emense toll on her.

"I uhh guess that was my canon event as you said, after that I built my particle exelerator this being whats left of me and my family"

She gestured to the small necklace looped in her hands.

"After fifty or so years i ended up in Hobie's dimension, apparently i waswanted and my home dimension found a way to jump dimensions but not effetionaly. Me and Hobie entered my home dimension and he was nearly killed. After collasping the government we escape, Hobie pointed out to me that time there was slower than anywhere else, fourteen days passed when i left and came back."

Miguel speaks up.

"So this dimension could have a agmented time dialation compared to the other dimensions?"

"Yes, the slowest ive found was 779, every day there was fourteen years in Hobies world"

Kat jumped up and caught another bagel.

"The fastest was 87768 which every decade was about ten minuets in Hobie's dimension"

"So do you live with Hobie?"

Kat nodded and tore another bit from the bagel.

"Wouldnt that be a little akward?"

"As in?"

Miguel sighed.

"Nevermind, whats the time dialation here?"

"Oh only a few fractions of a second about 0.00000093 second off from Hobie's place"

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cophene · 22 days

Text

034 || ☆ ⁺ « ENTITY ON ITS OWN.

previous chapter || next chapter || table of contents

pairing : vento aureo x gn reader summary : with virtually nothing left in their credit account, a gang of space thieves turn to the richest man in the galaxy to give them a job worth millions. too bad those never come easy, even with stand abilities and pretty-faced crew notes : sci-fi au, multi-chapter fic, sfw, doesn’t follow canon plot word count : 3.2k+

★˚⋆ WHAT THE FLACK IS GOING on here? you nearly said before you remembered that you were currently in Bruno’s body and Bruno didn’t say things like that. You forced yourself to tamp down on your alarm and reached for your composure.

“Abbacchio,” you said. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not Abbacchio. That’s Abbacchio,” he tipped his chin at Fugo’s prone form. “I’m Fugo. We switched souls somehow. It must have been a Stand attack.”

You heard everyone crowd onto the bridge. There were a few gasps and hissed swears.

“What the flack happened here?” Mista snapped, except the effect it had in Trish’s voice nearly made you snort.

“What’s wrong with Fugo?” Trish asked, rushing over to him.

“Did you guys have a shoot-out here or something?” Narancia asked, surveying the damage with his hands on his hips.

“Explain yourself,” Bruno said to Fugo, using the exact mix of steel and exasperation you would have.

Fugo sighed, wiping his hands on his pants. It was only then that you noticed he had been crouched over Abbacchio to apply a healing patch to his forehead. “We went briefly unconscious a little while ago. Abbacchio and I woke up at the same time and encountered each other on the bridge. Needless to say, seeing each other in our own bodies caused some alarm. We both assumed it was some kind of Stand attack and started shooting at each other. I managed to clip Abbacchio over the temple. It wasn’t until we started talking that we realized what was happening.”

“You shot Abbacchio?” Narancia said. “How’d you manage that? Your aim is shit.”

“He wouldn’t have gotten me if having our bodies switched didn’t throw me off,” Abbacchio grumbled from the ground.

“That’s a lot of blood, are you sure he’s going to be alright?” Trish asked.

“It’s just a scratch,” Fugo said, frowning. “You’re awfully concerned for once, Mista.”

“The Stand attack affected a few other people too,” you said. You pointed out who everyone was, surprising yourself when you managed to keep all of the switched identities straight.

“Wait, who are you?” Narancia said, squinting at Trish. “JoJo?”

“I’m JoJo,” JoJo piped up. “That’s Abbacchio.”

“Abbacchio’s the one who got shot,” Abbacchio said flatly, still on the ground. “That’s Narancia.”

“But I’m Narancia!”

“I’m Mista, flackbag.”

“But I thought JoJo was Mista!”

“I thought JoJo was Trish.”

“Trish isn’t JoJo?”

“You’re all confusing yourselves for nothing,” Bruno said. “We’ve all been paired off. Whichever person’s body you’re in, they’re currently in yours. Just remember that.”

Narancia scratched his head. “Great, now I’m confused. Who am I again?”

“What about the two of you?” Fugo said, looking between you and Bruno. “Did you switch?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” you said. “The Captain and I went unconscious but we didn’t switch souls. We might not have been in range.”

“Which reminds me. We still have to check on Polnareff,” Bruno said.

Mista scoffed. “What’s there to worry about? If we’re all paired up, there’s no one Polnareff could have switched with. He didn’t switch with the Captain or Bruno. He should be fine.”

“Yeah, and he was already unconscious,” Narancia added.

You realized a beat too late that as Bruno, you had to be the most concerned about Polnareff.

“We don't know what this Stand is capable of. Dr. Polnareff might have experienced different effects because he was already unconscious.” You shrugged. “I can go by myself. I just want to check on him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Trish said. “You said it yourself: we don’t know what this Stand is capable of. We should all stick together before anything else happens.”

And so, everyone made the trek to the med bay. Even though you shouldn’t have been, you felt a twinge of apprehension. Most likely Polnareff was fine. Most likely nothing had happened to him.

You made sure to push inside the med bay first. The silence inside struck you hard. The usual blur of beeping and low tones was completely gone.

Polnareff’s healing pod was dark.

“What’s wrong with the pod?” you said, immediately going to check on the console. It seemed to be working fine, except that all of the vital information and internal tracking displayed zero. That didn’t happen unless no one was in the pod or—

Well.

You pressed the button to open the pod’s lid, leaning over to peer at Polnareff. Even though the monitors couldn’t lie, you brought your fingers below Polnareff’s jaw, trying to find a pulse.

It was there. Or else your mind was desperate enough to imagine there was one.

“What’s wrong with him?” Bruno asked. He was just managing to keep the panic out of his mind, pretending to be distantly concerned instead of terribly so.

“His pulse is weak,” you said. “I’m going to try to wake him up. The tranquilizer should have worn off by now, right, Fugo?”

He nodded.

You struggled to prop Polnareff up in a sitting position, gratefully thanking Mista when he came up on the pod’s other side and helped you out. You could see Polnareff’s eyes flickering beneath his eyelids. He was still alive.

You looked back at the rest of the crew. “Should I…”

Bruno grit his teeth. “You might as well.”

Firmly, but still gently, you took Polnareff’s shoulder and shook him. “Dr. Polnareff. Dr. Polnareff, wake up.”

You were just about to slap him when a voice made you turn around.

“Don’t waste your time. I’m over here.”

You glanced at the crew, all of them looking as confused as you did.

“Dr. Polnareff, where are you?” you said, looking around. The voice hadn’t come from his body, which scared you. If Polnareff’s soul had been switched, who had he switched with?

Or maybe, what?

“Look down.”

You looked down at the ground. Near Narancia’s feet, something was moving.

Your stomach sank. From the tight look on Bruno’s face, he seemed to have reached the same conclusion.

“Narancia, pick up Coco Jumbo,” he said woodenly.

“Huh? Uh, okay.” Narancia stooped to pick up the turtle, tucking it under his arm. “How’d you get down there, buddy? Did you fall or something?”

“Yes, I did fall, actually.”

Narancia nearly lost his grip on the turtle. His eyes widened, and so did everyone else’s.

“Hold on. Polnareff?” Trish said.

“I’m afraid so.”

You couldn’t believe this. Polnareff’s voice was coming out of Coco Jumbo’s body. A flacking turtle.

Polnareff had swapped souls with a turtle.

JoJo frowned. “But Coco Jumbo is a computer, isn’t it?”

“Even if it wasn't, it’s an animal,” Abbacchio said. “Wouldn’t that make them different?”

“You’re wrong on both accounts,” Polnareff said, sounding resigned. Narancia was too freaked out to keep holding the turtle, so he set it on the nearby table.

“Coco Jumbo is no mere computer,” Polnareff continued. “Before I converted it into one, it was a real, live turtle.”

“What do you mean by that?” Fugo said. “How is that possible?”

“All living things have souls. That’s just the way things are. So by extension, all living things are capable of wielding Stands, same as humans. This turtle was unique in that it actually did possess a Stand, one that enabled it to keep a great deal of space in its shell. An entire little room, almost. It’s accessed by the key. Because of that, I was able to place the components of a supercomputer within this room and use the turtle as a holding shell. The computer is real, it’s just not the turtle.”

“So the turtle was alive this whole time?” Mista said. “It told us it wasn’t, though.”

“Just another line of code I included when I wiped Coco Jumbo’s memory banks. Having a live turtle would bring up too many questions.”

“We never even fed it,” Trish said. “How did it not die?”

“Does that mean the turtle’s soul is currently occupying your body, Dr. Polnareff?” you asked, trying to get everyone back on track. “Won’t that be … a problem?”

“I am currently dying, so yes, it may be a problem,” Polnareff said wryly.

You leaned towards him. “Dr. Polnareff, what’s going on? You don’t sound as concerned about this as you should be. I mean, nearly everyone on the ship has switched souls.”

Somehow, the turtle’s eyes managed to widen. “Nearly everyone?”

“Bruno and I didn’t switch souls,” Bruno said. “We must have been too far away from the Stand attack.”

You were probably the only one who caught the significant glance Bruno shot in Polnareff’s direction. Something unspoken passed between the two of them, and Polnareff seemed to understand to keep his mouth shut.

“You’re right that I’m not concerned,” Polnareff said instead. “In fact, I’m not even surprised. It is, after all, my Stand that caused this.”

You had woken up in Bruno’s body. Polnareff was inside a turtle, and now he was saying his Stand was the one who had attacked your crew. Things just couldn’t get any weirder.

“Anyone else’s head hurt like a bitch right now?” Mista muttered.

“I never should have agreed to help you,” Abbacchio said.

“It must have been an unintentional attack,” JoJo said. “Since Polnareff’s soul was also swapped. Why would he have done that to himself?”

“You would be correct,” Polnareff said. “As a result of Silver Chariot, nearly all of you have switched souls. Or rather, Silver Chariot Requiem.”

Fugo’s head whipped toward the turtle. “Your Stand was pierced by the Arrow?”

“My Stand’s nature with the Stand Arrow is complicated. Because of the tranquilizer, my body was put in a shut-down state. My Stand took that as a sign that I was on the brink of death. Having been struck by the Arrow once before, it took on its Requiem form to carry out my final wish.”

“That being to protect the Stand Arrow,” you said.

“Well, just call your Stand back and tell it to put our souls back,” Narancia said.

“Silver Chariot Requiem is no longer under my control,” Polnareff said tiredly. “It has ceased to be my Stand and is now an entity on its own. It has made off with the Arrow. I do not know what it will do next.”

“So there’s no way to put our souls back?” Trish asked in a small voice.

“If we kill it, will that kill you too?” Abbacchio said.

“I am as much at a loss to that as you are. I have never encountered anything like this before.”

You retreated away from the crew to think. Polnareff’s Stand had the Stand Arrow. It was the one responsible for switching everyone’s souls. The best thing to do would be to get the Arrow and just give it to Zero. The soul thing could wait.

You were about to give out a command but remembered at the last minute to rephrase it as a request.

“We need to find Dr. Polnareff’s Stand,” you said. “There has to be some way we can defeat it. Or at least switch our souls back.”

“I’ve already found it,” Fugo said grimly, looking down at his holopad. He’d switched devices with Abbacchio at some point and was now in possession of his actual holopad. “Going by the ship’s feeds, it’s in the engine room, moving up to the galley.”

“Something bad always happens in the engine room,” Narancia griped.

“Bring me with you,” Polnareff urged. “Even if I no longer have control, I still have extensive knowledge of Stands. I may be able to help.”

Bruno surprised you by saying, “JoJo? If you would?”

Everyone moved yet again to the engine room corridor. Although this ship wasn’t actually the Passione, you had never felt uneasy on a ship before. You liked to think it was your home terf. It was the part of the reason why the encounter with Sale and Zucchero had rankled you so much. Your ship was your safe haven. It was wrong that anyone or anything could be able to force its way in and threaten you.

You tried to think of whether or not the ship would be able to withstand a full-scale Stand assault. Attacks from not only Silver Chariot Requiem, but blasts from the Pistols and Aerosmith, Spice Girl, maybe even Purple Haze if it came down to it. You might end up destroying the ship. It was good that the Stand was confined to the ship, but you would have preferred any fights to happen outside, in the open.

“You’ll have to be very careful if you decide to use your Stand,” Bruno said beside you. He spoke from the corner of his mouth, careful not to let the others overhear. “We need to make sure we’re near each other and aware of the intent. We can probably get away with summoning our Stands if the other person needs to. But we need to make sure we don’t sustain damage. Any injury made on the Stand—”

“—is made on the user,” you said, annoyed. “You don’t need to tell me. I know that. Besides, it’s mostly your Stand you’ll have to worry about. Party Rock is rarely used in combat.”

Bruno nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The air seemed different inside of the galley. Maybe it was your imagination, but it seemed colder, thicker. You spotted Silver Chariot Requiem immediately, a dark shadow in the corner of the room, with a brimmed hat and tall boots. It had a heavy, shuffling gait. It seemed to suck all of the light around it into its body. Clenched in one of its hands was the Stand Arrow.

It was the first time you were seeing it in the flesh. It was the length of your forearm, gleaming and wickedly sharp. It might have been mistaken for a decorative piece, but the power it exuded was unmistakable. All of a sudden, you wanted to hold it. To feel that power in your own hands.

Get the Arrow for Zero.

Get it now.

Get it.

Now.

“It doesn’t seem like it notices us,” Abbacchio said. “It’s not reacting to us whatsoever.”

“Is it blind?” Narancia wondered.

“No, because that would be you,” Fugo said.

You lurched toward Chariot Requiem, the intent feeling in your chest too powerful to ignore.

“It’s like we could just grab the Arrow,” you said. Chariot Requiem made no sign that it noticed you, that it even cared about you at all. It just kept moving along, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. You reached over its shoulder, fingers only a few inches away from the Arrow…

“Bruno, wait, we don’t know what it could do to us,” Trish said, and you jerked your hand back.

“You could use Sticky Fingers to detach its hand and grab the arrow then,” Mista suggested, only for Fugo to slug him in the arm.

“That’s a terrible idea,” he snapped.

“Seems like a good enough idea to me,” Abbacchio said, shrugging.

“I think we should try it,” JoJo said. “We’re all here in case something goes wrong.”

“I’m not sure what Chariot’s effect would be on another Stand,” Polnareff admitted. “If you’re willing, Bruno, you should use your Stand.”

You and Bruno glanced at each other. He nodded imperceptibly, and you positioned yourself as though to withdraw your Stand.

“Sticky Fingers!” you called, and Bruno timed his Stand perfectly, having it appear at the exact next moment. You put on an expression of focus as Sticky Fingers crept toward Chariot Requiem, leaned over its shoulder.

The sound of a zipper echoed throughout the engine room. With a loud smack, Chariot Requiem’s arm fell on the floor. You all collectively held your breath, waiting for it to retaliate. To your immense relief, it merely continued on its way, walking out of the engine room entirely.

“No offense, but your Stand is really stupid,” Narancia said to Polnareff.

“I can’t believe that worked,” you said, and Bruno withdrew Sticky Fingers. With a grin, you crouched over the arm and reached out to pick up the arrow.

You didn’t get the chance. You screamed as Sticky Finger’s arm suddenly appeared in front of you, reaching for your throat.

But no. It wasn’t going for you.

It was reaching for Bruno. In your body.

You panicked. You lunged to block Sticky Fingers’ arm, realizing belatedly that it might end up puncturing your throat instead.

“Bruno, get down!” Mista shouted, shoving your head down. He fired frantic shots at Sticky Fingers, but the arm disappeared as quickly as it emerged. You barely had time to catch your breath when Abbacchio barked at everyone to get on the floor.

The Pistols were yelling maniacally. They had managed to redirect the elector pulses Mista had shot to ricochet around the engine room, and seemed intent on hitting one of your crew. You clamped your arms over your head, the Pistols’ voices shrill and piercing.

“Mista, call them off!” Bruno yelled.

“I can’t! They’re completely berserk!” Mista shouted back.

“I’ll just shoot ‘em down with Aerosmith!” Narancia called over the din.

Fugo screamed, “You flackbag, you’re going to take someone’s head off!”

Chariot Requiem meandered back into the engine room, and the Pistols’ rage fizzled out at its presence. While they wondered to themselves what had just happened, Chariot Requiem calmly stooped to retrieve its arm and the arrow before reattaching it to its socket. The limb fused smoothly back as though it had never been removed. Unconcerned, the Stand lumbered away again, leaving you all shocked in its wake.

“What just happened?” Trish said.

“Chariot Requiem doesn’t just magnify our abilities,” JoJo said slowly. “It … somehow, it can control our Stands too.”

“But how is that possible?” Mista said.

“JoJo is right,” Polnareff said. “Chariot Requiem is able to control your Stands by some measure. If you go after the Arrow in any way, your own Stand will be the thing that attacks you.”

Narancia shook his head. “That’s flacking crazy. No way that can happen.”

“It just did,” Abbacchio said, getting to his feet.

You looked down at the ground, horrified. If what everyone was saying was true, there would be no way to get back the Stand Arrow. No way to get it to Zero.

You felt a twinge of pain in your chest.

You couldn’t fail. Not now. You just couldn’t. You couldn’t bear to imagine the disappointment Zero would feel, how angry, how devastated.

A shudder went through the ship and you felt your stomach drop. Everyone looked up instinctively as the lights flickered.

“We passed through Bend Gate I,” Fugo said.

Mista swore. “What are we going to do? Zero is going to be waiting for us.”

“We should still have time to deal with this,” Narancia said. “I mean, it’s not like he’s going to be right there—”

From above, you heard the comms system on the bridge begin to blare. Everyone rushed to the bridge, but you had a feeling you already knew who it was.

“We’re getting hailed,” Trish said, leaning over the comms console. It was strange to see Mista’s body there instead of at the weapons console.

“I’m guessing it’s Zero?” Bruno said.

Trish shook her head slowly. “No. It’s … it’s an Imperial ship,” Her face went pale. “Belonging to Prince Donatello.”

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#kismetva #jjba #jjba x reader #jjba fanfic #golden wind #golden wind x reader #vento aureo #vento aureo x reader #gender neutral reader #sci fi au

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imsparky2002 · 1 year

Text

Miraculous Twins AU - Meet the Other Classmates

Adrien Agreste

Only recently became rich due to Chloe's mother discovering his father's work last year. He was used to being relatively low-middle class, so all this money is a new thing for him.

Still a sunshine boi, but has more of a backbone. Not taking anyone's crap, whether it be Chloe or his father.

A lot more like Cat Noir, despite not having the Miraculous. He was known as the class clown for the longest time. Adrien's always in the mood to crack jokes and makes his classmates smile.

Uses his newfound wealth to try and help his classmates, as well as the rest of Paris.

Still dresses the way he did when he wasn't rich. Always wears casual and unassuming clothes.

Him and Marinette are good friends (no attraction to each other in this AU).

Loved his mother and fell into a depression after her passing. He wants to use his new found fortune strictly on others, since he sees no value in it for himself.

He was just seen as the class clown for years at DuPont, but becoming rich has boosted his social status at the school. He doesn't like this, and wants people to just see him as the same old Adrien.

Alya Cesaire

Still a newsy-type girl, Alya is a lot more professional. She always makes sure to have sources, and presents the Miraculous blog as less of a fan site, and more of a unbiased news channel. She also runs a more passionate subreddit for Miraculous info.

Always looking for the next scoop, but knows not to get too close to the action. She doesn't want to put herself in danger.

A fan of Ladybug, but finds Paon to be more intriguing to catch on camera. He always seems to be evading her when she asks for interviews.

Marinette is supportive of Alya's plans, but Marc openly shows skeptiscm about her ideas. He is terrified of anyone finding out about his and his sister's identity.

Very much against finding out the identity of the heroes. Believes that they have a right to their privacy, and if they wanted to reveal themselves, they would've done so already.

Doesn't accept any info about the Miraculous wielders without a source. You wanna say you're best friends with Ladybug? Ok! Show a source. No? Then get outta here. (There will be no Alya salt in this house.)

Nino Lahiffe

Possibly the chillest dude in the world. Nino's a fun-loving guy who's goal in life is to make tunes and movies. He doesn't care about being popular, or what people think of him, he just follows his own groove. (The best I can describe him is like a mix of Michael Mell from Be More Chill and Ron LaFlamme from Silicon Valley.)

Despite being a party guy, Nino takes school seriously. He's got a knack for English. It's not that he really likes school, he just knows he has to graduate so that he can diverge to a career path he wants.

Unlike his girlfriend, he doesn't see the big deal about Ladybug and Paon. He appreciates them and all, he just sees them as "a dude and dudette" going out and helping people. Ladybug and Paon actually appreciate Nino, since he treats them like ordinary people instead of idolizing them.

Has a strained relationship with his little brother Chris (Who's 12 in this AU.), but for different reasons. Chris is the opposite of Nino. He's high strung, extremely intelligent, and sees himself as more of an adult than Nino in certain cases. He also feels insecure about his small stature and the fact he still sounds like he's 8.

Chloe Bourgeois

In a way, she is a million times nicer than Canon Chloe. For instance, she never bullied her classmates, treats Sabrina with respect, and never acted like a spoiled brat.

However, she's still not the kindest one in school. The best way I can describe Chloe is like Tony Stark but without the Iron Suit. She's snarky, arrogant, and always has a smart-ass quip for everyone she interacts with. She has an ego the size of Jupiter and will always be willing to show off for the adoration of others.

Despite this, she never uses her money to hurt others. She genuinely wants to be friendly to others, and has never sought out to hurt them.

Her classmates have a better relationship with her. Of course, they still see her as arrogant and obnoxious at times, but she doesn't have any enemies.

If a classmate has a birthday party, she will make sure to send them an extravagant gift, and throws the best sleepovers and hangouts at her house.

Her and Marinette are more friendly enemies than rivals. They love upstaging one another, but they never cross the line into outright hurting the other.

Tries to get in close with the Miraculous Twins and sees them as a way to gain popularity with Parisians. She doesn't worship Ladybug, but sees her as a opportunity to gain influence.

Hates her mother for treating her and her half-sister Zoe like garbage.

Luka Couffaine

The only person in the world who could be chiller than Nino. He's a nice and easy-going dude with a love for rock and roll. Makes sense that they're best buds who collab on musical projects together.

He's a little more easy to anger in this AU, but only if he feels his family or friends are in danger, or if he's being lied to in a way that he doesn't understand.

Very sage-like for a 15 year old. He does meditation and other breathing exercises to maintain a feeling of zen.

The Dupain-Cheng and Couffaine Siblings have a friendly and long history together. They can relate to each other when it comes to twin problems. Luka was Marinette's pretend boyfriend throughout elementary school.

Tries to give more confidence to his twin sister, Juleka.

While he's friendly with everyone, he really likes to have quiet hangouts with Ivan and Nathaniel. Also likes to hang with Kagami.

Has a hatred for corporate culture, and wishes that Chloe would stay away from his music career, though he still holds no ill will towards her.

Is upset with his mother for not revealing the truth about his father.

Max Kante

The smartest kid in the class, and has a love for technology and math.

Helps out some of his classmates with homework for free. He makes sure that other kids at school promise not to pick on him if he agrees to be their tutor.

Loves to share trivia and statistics about various things to everyone at school, but will stop himself from doing so if he thinks the situation doesn't require that.

When Marinette beat him at a video game, it excited him. Finally he could face a worthy opponent!

He is fascinated by the technology used by Ladybug and Paon. Wonders where it came from.

Alix Kubdel

An athletic tomboy full of spirit and drive. There's nothing that's too dangerous for Alix.

Aside from roller skating, she loves street art and works on projects with fellow artist and friend Nathaniel.

Though she's asexual and aromantic, she gives advice for Marc on how to win Nathaniel's heart.

Shares her father's love for history. Her and Max have frequent discussions about historical events.

Her and Kim are always doing dumb and thrill-seeking dares.

Has a rocky relationship with her older brother, Jalil. He has gone down the rabbit hole and become a conspiracy theorist.

Le Chien Kim

He may be confident and hotheaded, but Kim is a jock who has a soft side.

His best buds are Max and Ivan. Kim and Ivan have protected Max from bullies since elementary school.

He can be a bit insensitive at times, but he means well.

Kim has a love for pop culture and all things nerdy, despite being a jock.

He shares a bond with Marinette and Marc, since they all share an Asian heritage (Kim is Vietnamese, while Marinette and Marc are half-Chinese).

Mylene Haprele

A meek and kind girl who has a love for activism. Wants to create a greener and brighter future for Paris.

Has a passion for acting, loves taking part in school plays. Prefers to act in more realistic roles.

Prefers Paon over Ladybug, she likes that he has a personality similar to her, and that he doesn't get involved with the media.

Not as much of a coward as she is in canon. She still gets scared, but it's more over Akumas than anything else.

Her and the rest of the Girl Squad serve to be Marinette's voices of reason when it comes to making Marigami a reality.

She is Afro-French in this AU (I felt it insensitive and cultural appropriation for a white girl to be wearing dreadlocks.)

She may be small and shy, but you don't wanna make her angry.

Rose Lavillant

A bubbly and friendly girl. She has a heart of gold and her supply of optimism is endless.

Rose is bisexual and is dating Juleka Couffaine.

She's a pastel goth compared to her girlfriend who is a traditional goth.

She likes ballet and knows a few moves despite not wanting to become a professional ballerina.

She is perky and sweet, but god help you if you mess with her loved ones or friends.

Her and Juleka help each other out with family issues or Rose's illness.

Rose suffers from chronic migraines, meaning that Rose avoids areas of stress or loud noises.

Rose is the only person that Juleka can never scare, this just makes the goth love her even more.

Juleka Couffaine

Still very shy, but a bit more confident thanks to her twin brother Luka being in the class. Still part of the Girl Squad (Rose, Mylene, Alix, Alya, Marinette), but also has a friendship with Nathaniel, Marc and Ivan. There's also the fact that she's dating Rose.

She would not get akumatized for feeling invisible. She feels accepted and appreciated in the class. She would probably get akumatized due to family issues.

Holds resentment for her father who abandoned his family before the twins were born. Wishes she could find him, and only wants to get revenge if he knew her mother was pregnant. Also holds worry for her mother, who has started talking like a pirate all the time.

Is very close with Luka, even if they bicker and fight sometimes. Their favorite thing to do together is writing music.

Embraces her creepy vibe in this AU. She loves all things horror, and likes to playfully scare her brother, girlfriend, and classmates. Never takes it too far though, except on her enemies or bullies.

Rose and Juleka have a YouTube channel where they roleplay as the villainous couple Reflekta and Princess Fragrance. They were the ones who allowed Marc and Nathaniel to use their villains for the webcomic. The goth girlfriends love acting like evil clowns, and Marc and Nathaniel agree that the two would be perfect to play their villainsonas in a live action adaptation.

Sabrina Raincomprix

Chloe's best friend and second in command. A lot like the Pepper Potts to Chloe's Tony Stark.

Advises Chloe on social situations, what to say and how to keep classroom PR in a positive direction.

A lot more openly intelligent here, she's the one who makes sure Chloe doesn't embarass herself, or negotiating with other classmates to help them out with problems.

Her and Nathan share the same father in Roger, but have different mothers. Roger had agreed to be a surrogate father for Nathaniel, since his own father was sterile, and had gotten Nathaniel's mother and Sabrina's mother pregnant around the same time. They have a more connected relationship as a result, and this means they hang out more frequently.

One of the smartest kids in school besides from Max.

Ivan Bruel

The gentle giant of the class. He's a big guy with a soft voice and a gentle soul.

Extremely emotional intelligent, is able to read all of his classmates' personalities and understand how they would act in any situation.

Shares a love for activism with Mylene. She was his first ever friend in kindergarten, and they are currently dating in school.

He and his buddy Kim are taking part in a secret school wrestling group. They share a love for exercising together.

Has very little self-love for himself. Whenever he gets angry, it's usually directed at himself.

Loves to drum, but is a terrible singer.

His father is Russian, and named his son after the character of Ivan Drago from Rocky.

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koulakoukoula2003 · 2 years

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Hi so I was wondering if you could share some your headcanons for Erwin x reader modern AU but if somebody's already asked or you've done it already than that's ok 🙏🙏

OF COURSE, ANON *stretches fingers*

Erwin x Reader Modern!AU Headcanons

You two met one morning completely randomly when you both discovered a bakery that makes the finest croissants in town

You bumped into him and god were you the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on "i- i'm so sorry!"

he chuckled "it's quite alright,"

you two kept finding each other every day at the exact same hour in the exact same bakery so as you can see, things were bound to happen

you could have never guessed that this man was rich. you only found out on your first date that took place in the most expensive restaurant in the city and he paid the entire bill no matter how much you insisted that it wasn't fair

so yes, whatever AU we're in, this man's got money, you cannot convince me otherwise

he's got exceptional manners, a real gentleman from the way he treats you, holds your hand, spoils you

but uhhhhh you've no idea what his job is about LMAO you've no idea how he makes all that money and wellllllll you'll probably never find out

listen, erwin smith is a morally grey character in canon, and in my opinion, he is a morally grey character in every universe you find him

i mean, he's got a company that makes phones and laptops and gadgets like that but that's a brand that no one's heard about and no one's buying?????

and this man's got money somehow????

something's totally fishy here

ahem TW but drug trafficking LMAO

yeah totally, he's the man who'd do that stuff and I KNOW this is not mafia!boss AU but hear me out

the man's got bigger goals, and he needs money to achieve them

so he does not hesitate to go to the not-so-moral side of the industry

but let's be honest, who DOESN'T do drugs in our current state am i right (me lol)

he hates the government no matter the country we're talking about (don't we all lmao)

he believes EVERY SINGLE CONSPIRACY THEORY you can think about, like conspiracy theories about covid??? HE KNOWS ALL OF THEM and he's come up with his own LMAO

he's extremely smart and his biography is impressive af the man's got a million degrees

so now the story can go two ways. you guys just sleep together for a few months and you guys don't really feel anything for each other.

ORRRR you accidentally find out about his illegal business and you leave him but the time you two spend away you realise you have fallen for each other so he finds you months later and tells you he loves you

and maybe you have to come in terms with the fact that you will stand by the man you love no matter how dangerous and immoral his job is.

Alexa, play "off to the races" by lana pls

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dr-spencer-reids-queen · 1 year

Text

Identity: Part One

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.6k

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there is any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

"An earthly kingdom cannot exist without inequality of persons. Some must be free, some serfs, some rulers, some subjects." - Martin Luther

You could listen to Spencer talk for hours about anything and everything. You may not understand it all, but just the sound of his voice makes you feel at home and safe. Derek, Emily, and JJ may not understand or even be interested in any of it, but you'll always be his number one fan.

"A popular theory among leading astrophysicists estimates that the hyper matter reactor would need about ten to the thirty-second jewels of energy to destroy a planet the size of Earth. Now, Lucas said it took nineteen years to build the first death star, right? But if you look at the new essential chronology, there's a testbed prototype for a super laser that spans—" Derek shakes his head and stands up, already walking away from Spencer. "Where are you going?

"Taking back the last five minutes of my life."

Derek looks over to you who has heart eyes at Spencer. He truly doesn't understand, but he's glad Pretty Boy found someone interested in the things he has to say.

"It would have taken him a lot less time to build the first death star based on the technology that he had, right?" you ask.

"You understood all of that?" Emily asks in shock.

"What, you don't?"

"You're both weird," Derek shakes his head and starts to leave the bullpen.

Spencer frowns at his comment, and you scoot closer to him in your chair.

"He's my weirdo," you grin and look up at Spencer with a loving smile, "and I love him."

Spencer turns that frown upside down and leans down to kiss you. You keep it short and sweet, but nothing short of loving.

"You two are so cute," JJ comments with a smile as she passes by you.

You pull away from him and notice Derek isn't with you anymore. He is by Gideon's old office which is now Rossi's office.

"You can't go in there," Spencer says, already out of his seat.

You, Emily, Derek, and Spencer all head over to Rossi's office and enter with caution. There are unpacked boxes stacked in the middle of the room with the walls bare as can be.

"Don't you want to know about this guy?" Derek asks.

"I do," Emily backs him up.

"I got it all memorized," Spencer brags. "His books, his bio, everything."

"Yeah, books have sold over a million copies. There's a million reasons not to come back, if you know what I'm saying."

"We really shouldn't be in here," you say and stayt by the door.

"Taupe walls," Emily ignores you. "That's a negative color--cold and distant. You know, emotionally, Taupe is linked to loneliness and the desire to escape from the world."

"I just figured the guy's walls would be covered with plaques and commendations."

"Maybe he hasn't had time to decorate. He did just move in here," you say.

"What happened to the moratorium on inter-team profiling, guys?"

"Come on, Reid, team? I don't think this guy knows the meaning of the word. Y/N knows all about that, don't you?" Derek moves to the unopened boxes and opens one up, removing an oil painting. "Oh, I found something. Looks like some type of religious art. Original, maybe? Definitely expensive."

"It's renaissance art," Spencer says, his interest peaked. He walks further into the room, and you sigh before following him. "This could be an original, but it's hard to tell. Regardless, it means he's into the classics."

"What else?"

"Uh, Italian, strict catholic upbringing, and probably believes in redemption."

"Well, I believe in a lot of things," Rossi says from the door. You freeze up just like everyone else, but he isn't done. "Catholic, yes. Italian-American, fifty-two years. Strict upbringing, not so much. Now, the artwork, that's 15th century, original. Cost more than my first house, and as for the wall color, it's just a base coat. Painters will come in and finish tomorrow. Now, if you're all finished, I think JJ and Hotch are ready for us. Isn't that how a team works?"

Rossi puts you all in your place easily and efficiently. All four of you are quiet as you leave his office. You can't look him in the eye as you pass by him, but you do rush to the briefing room to put this behind you.

Once everyone is inside, JJ begins.

"Over the past fourteen months, three women have been reported missing in Great falls, Montana. Michelle Lawford, Jennifer Hillbridge, and Darcy Cranwell. All young caucasian brunettes. After an extensive search, all were presumed dead by local authorities."

"He has a type," you say, noticing how all the females look very similar.

"There's now a fourth woman, Angela Miller. This morning, she and her car went missing from a small grocery store while her husband and son were inside. Forty minutes later, state troopers spotted Angela's car on the highway. When troopers tried to apprehend the driver, he blew himself up with a grenade, putting one of the troopers in the ICU."

"Are they sure that she wasn't in the car with him?" Spencer asks.

"They went through the wreckage, and it appears she's still missing."

"Did troopers get a look at the guy before he died?"

"Caucasian, stocky, brown hair, mustache, and early forties. He has a scar on the left side of his face."

"Do you think Angela's still alive?" Derek asks Hotch.

"Since the other missings were never found, we don't know, but he only had her for forty minutes, so we have to assume she is."

You conclude the meeting so your team can get to the plane as fast as possible. Once everyone was inside, the pilot took off. You're sitting next to Spencer, and he takes out a map of the area before also removing some markers from his bag. He begins to write on the map, and Emily chuckles from her seat across from you two.

"You know, I could have gotten you a coloring book at the airport," she jokes.

"I'm creating a topographical map, weighing down and geocoding all key locations looking for algorithms."

"Yeah. That's exactly what I thought you were doing."

"It's called a jeopardy surface. It's a way of narrowing down where the unsub could reside," Hotch explains, "and by default, where he may be stashing Angela."

"You know, it says here the guy had a fully loaded gun, so we know he had options. Why the grenade?" Derek wonders.

"He wants to be remembered," you say at the same time as Rossi. You blush and let the older man take the lead on this time. "He wanted to be sure to take as many cops with him as possible. He knows he's out gunned, so he waits. There are some very committed people in those parts who love their fire power almost as much as they hate us."

"Militia."

"They're heavily armed."

"I can understand that, but hand grenades?"

"It's not uncommon for militia members to have military experience. Oftentimes, they resent the structure and get discharged, and they form their own paramilitary governments."

"Dental records are on their way to Garcia. I'll tell her to check the military first," JJ says once she overhears the conversation.

"Prentiss and I will go meet the husband," Hotch says, and the black-haired woman nods in agreement.

"I can walk the other abduction sights," Derek offers.

"Everybody else, set up base, and work on geographical profiles. Establish contact with the locals, and tread carefully. They'll be watching us."

Hotch gets up to use the restroom, and Spencer caps his marker and puts it down for a small break.

"Are you really interested in the stuff I have to say?" he asks you quietly, but Derek hears since he's sitting next to Emily.

"I could listen to you talk for hours," you say honestly.

You lean against his shoulder and look at Derek who is giving you a weird look. You reach up and wipe your eye with your middle finger, subtly flipping him off. He just grins at you and shakes his head. He may not understand half of the things Spencer says, but he can see how happy you two are together.

Once the plane landed, Derek, Emily, and Hotch went their separate ways and the rest of the team went to the police station. JJ has been trying to get in contact with Militia Newsletters to try and figure out what they know and if they could help spread the word around, but she keeps getting hung up on.

"Hi, this is agent Jareau with the FBI, and--" She groans and pulls the phone away from her ear. "That's the third time I've been hung up on."

"Try not saying FBI," Rossi advises.

"A woman is missing. You'd think these people would want to help us."

"They do want to help. The missing woman, not us."

JJ's phone rings, and she places whoever it is on speakerphone for all to hear.

"Go ahead, Garcia."

"You were spot on, crime fighters. Military records match. Francis Goehring, forty-two years old. He did a year in the army but for a bad conduct discharge. Highlight of which was an arrest during a bar brawl in which three other people were hospitalized. He also appears in the federal database for aggressive militia groups."

"You see a last known address?" Rossi asks.

"Yes, it's a compound just outside of town. It's coming your way. Oh, he also has a wife that doesn't appear to live with him. Diane Marie Goehring. She lives in Shelby which is a few hours away."

"Have the state police bring in the wife. Reid, Y/N and I will go make friends with his neighbors."

You and Spencer look at each other and get up, not wanting to argue with the man. Not after violating his privacy earlier. You three head over to the address which is on the other side of town in a not-so-great area. It's a trailer park of some sort, and you head over to the main trailer which is the manager's. He'll know where Francis' trailer is by heart.

You and Spencer are ahead of Rossi, so you knock twice on the door. An older man that doesn't look too happy walks up to the screen door, but doesn't open it.

"What the hell do you want? Can't you read?"

You look to the right and see a "No Soliciting" sign.

"We're not salesmen. We're with the FBI," Spencer says.

"FBI? You're not serious. You look like a pipe cleaner with eyes. I could snap you like a twig."

"Hey, watch your mouth," you snap, but Rossi quickly intercepts.

"Good thing they're not alone. We're here because this was the address listed For Francis Goehring."

"I haven't seen him in months."

"We'd like to see his residence." The manager isn't too fond of this idea, so Rossi continues. "Francis Goehring abducted three women. We're looking for a fourth. He took her while her husband and son were in a store. This isn't about us, it's about a woman from your community."

The manager sighs and grabs his keys before leaving his house.

"I'll show you his place. Piece of advice, pipe cleaner, with the way you're wearing that gun, it's like you're begging someone to take it off you."

You let Rossi and the manager go ahead of you two, and you stop Spencer before he can go further.

"You're very handsome," you say and kiss his cheek.

"You're very beautiful," he smiles back.

You two quickly catch up to the two men and enter Francis' trashy house. It's not nice at all, and it's very trashed like he didn't care how his place of residence looked. The manager lets you three in and steps back, grumbling on his way back to his own trailer. You three fan out, and you walk over to the table with a bunch of mail on it.

"He clearly doesn't sleep here. I can only assume he uses this place for mail," you state.

"Odd choice of reading material," Rossi comments on the survival magazines and gun catalogs.

"Uh, speaking of reading material, I've read all your books," Spencer says, trying to make conversation with him.

"Thanks."

"Um... one thing that always kind of struck me as odd is that you really just sort of glance over Ruby Ridge. I mean, you don't... you don't have to tell me," Spencer stutters.

"So, here is your opportunity to show off what you can do," Rossi says, cutting off Spencer. "Please, tell me what kind of man Francis was."

You look at Spencer and he kind of steps back, and you feel bad. All he wants to do is talk to Rossi about his achievements, but Rossi doesn't seem interested in it.

"Okay," you nod, looking around the room and deciding on where to start.

From the moment you stepped inside the trailer, you could see the angry red energy that Francis left behind. The entire trailer is oozing with it, but you're able to sift through it to help you create a picture of who Francis was. You look to your right at the table of mail and briefly see Francis angrily slam down letters he got from the military. He mists away and your attention is called to the back of the room where a small bed was. He didn't use it to sleep on, but he did some pretty terrible things to his wife, Diane.

"Francis was a very angry man by nature. He had a short temper, and going into the army only stowed that part of him temporarily. He was dishonorably discharged for a brawl. He was an abuser, especially toward women. He often raped his wife, and when the militia found out about it, they kicked him out."

You look at the box at the end of the bed that's closed. There is no way you could know what's inside of it, but using Francis' energy, you conclude that he made home videos of the abuse he conducted towards women. You look behind Rossi and see Francis sitting at his desk and labeling the home videos. There are so many of them that he made, and it breaks your heart.

"He had a very dominant personality that enjoyed making home videos of the women he raped and abused. You'll find the videos inside that box by your feet, Rossi." The older man looks weary at your assumption, so you encourage him. "Go ahead. Open the box."

Rossi bends down and opens the box, sifting through the contents of socks and other clothing items before coming across a bunch of home videos that Francis made.

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Two things. The energy he left behind is centered around that box. He was very passionate about his videos."

"And the other thing?"

"He's right behind you labeling them." Rossi whips his head around, but Francis isn't anywhere to be seen. He knows Francis died, and he shakes his head before standing up again. "You can't see him, but I can. I can connect with his spirit, and I'm able to see him."

"Like a ghost? If they happen to be real."

"Oh, they're very much real. I've been in contact with a few ghosts, and it wasn't fun. But, I'm seeing Francis' spirit, not his ghost."

"What's the difference?" Spencer asks in complete curiosity.

"Ghosts are similar to psychotic human beings, incapable of reasoning for themselves. Spirits on the other hand are the surviving personalities of all of us. Ghosts are tied to the location of their death, usually a sudden or tragic one, and they often don't realize that they are dead. In most cases, they have 'unfinished business' as the deceased person does not accept the way in which they died. Spirits, on the other hand, are not tied to one place. It is believed that spirits are discarnate entities, meaning that they are the soul that has survived when a person dies and no longer has a physical body in which to reside. They are free to move from one dimension to another and can return to us at free will. Most people can't pick up their signals, but I have antennae strong enough to connect with them."

You can still feel uncertainty from Rossi, but you're going to let him process that in his open time.

"I would love to try and convince you, but we really don't have the time. We should get these videos back to the police and over to Penelope.”

wanna be tagged? add yourself to this document! if your tag has a strike through it or it’s not linked, it means doesn’t work. find out why!

@averyhotchner @lets-be-gay-for-the-angel @fan-girl-97 @inkstainedwritergirl @estrela-rogers @werewolfbansheelove @kwbaby24 @redsalv20 @joonie-centric @xs @sixpencespencee @boygenius-reid @meganskane @prophecyflame @babydee17 @darlingisntit @fandoms4ever97 @spencerreid-187 @snakeythesnake @nomajdetective @scarletstarrs @hc-geralt-23 @fairytalesforever @bluetreecloud20 @lucyysthings @slightlyvicked @zephyrmonkey @aysixdy @louderfortheback

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dailydragon08 · 10 months

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Maybe you’ve spoken about this elsewhere but: do you remember the first time you watched Star Wars? Was Luke your guy from the beginning (he certainly was for me!), and what did you initially like about him?

I actually haven’t said before! My dad was actually the one who got me into Star Wars. He loooooves it and constantly talked it up so much when I was a kid. I had the whole Endor tree village play set with all the action figures and remember playing with them before I even watched any of the movies. I knew going in Luke would become a Jedi, so he was already my fav cuz cool powers.

I remember my dad making a whole thing out of watching ANH (idt the prequel trilogy was out yet, but they were in the process of filming TPM?). Like we got comfy on the couch with a million pillows and blankets and made popcorn and everything. I was 10, so I got the Parent Hand slapped over my eyes when they showed Owen and Beru’s bodies lol. But I looooved the movie. Like was just so obsessed with it and then just inhaled everything Star Wars related.

I remember liking Luke and thinking he was cute, and having a massive crush on ROTJ Luke. To this day, I think that’s probably a big part of the reason ROTJ is my favorite. But I don’t think I really fully appreciated who he was as a character till later. I remember having a bit of a crush on Han when I was little too and just loved how badass Leia was.

I think I’ve talked about this before, but now especially as someone who unfortunately has my own trauma, Luke is just so personal to me. He’s been through a lot of trauma and I think people forget that cuz he tends to be very loving and sunshiney. But that’s also WHY I love him so much, cuz that loving, sunshine nature is a conscious choice that is very hard to make and takes a huge level of strength to maintain after all he’s been through. Like in canon, he’s bullied growing up, loses his family in more ways that one (Owen & Beru getting killed, watching Obi-Wan die, Vader knocking down the pedestal Luke put Anakin up on with the dad reveal and just completely changing how Luke sees himself and his family name, even having to rescramble how he sees Leia in his head post-twin reveal if you wanna get really detailed, then watches his dad die right after he gets him back), fights in a LITERAL WAR and is made a commander (which in the radio drama, I think happens because his CO gets killed and they’re just like “congrats, you’re promoted”) by his early twenties. Like he has SO MUCH SHIT happen to him by the end of ROTJ and he’s not even 30. I don’t think anyone would blame him if he had become bitter and angry, but he DIDN’T. Like I had some issues with his characterization in TBOBF, but he’s still the same kind, nurturing, gentle Luke.

Speaking of kind and nurturing, I think I was just always drawn to how he’s such a polar opposite of all the toxic masculinity stuff that’s popular with male characters in the media. We need more male characters who are gentle and kind and sweet and loving and that doesn’t take away from their strength or is pointed at in canon as being “weak” by their peers. Me characterizing him this way is also a big part of why I was not a sequel fan (no shade to anyone who likes it and obviously, this is just my personal opinion; but Luke is just very personal to me cuz he’s a symbol of yes, you CAN make it to the other side of your trauma without being a broken mess).

Sorry this got away from me a bit 😅

#luke skywalker #star wars #asks open

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lumiereandcogsworth · 4 months

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okay I know it’s technically weeks away BUT valentine’s day has been in my mind and I’m curious how Adam and Belle celebrate 👁️ (did this holiday exist back then? I have no clue)

LOVELY okay so every valentine’s day since i’ve been writing for these two yahoos, i just generally assume they go all out for the day. adam’s love language is gift giving so whether it’s in canon or modern au, you know that guy is getting belle a million gifts and they’re going to fancy dining establishments and seeing a show and all that good stuff. but your question made me want to dig in and actually look into the history of valentine’s day, SO I DID THAT!!

as i suspected, it is super super old. the oldest story is in 270 AD, when the roman empire had been at war for some time. apparently the soldiers were tired of fighting and wanted to marry their sweethearts and settle down with families. but emperor claude ii was like uhhhmmm No. so he made marriage briefly illegal?? but there was a priest called valentine who was still secretly performing weddings, defying the law for love!!! but emperor claude ii found out and threw him in jail. BUT THEN valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard!!! and supposedly, according to the legend, right before his execution, ON FEBRUARY 14th, he left a heart-shaped letter to the daughter and signed it “from your valentine.”

AND THAT IS SOOOOO ROMANTIC HELLO!!!!! defied the law AND died for love. A KING!!

valentine was declared a saint by pope gelase i in the 5th century, after the collapse of the roman empire.

the holiday didn’t become a thing until the middle ages, when the catholic church was trying to fight a pagan holiday for the roman god luperculus that was celebrated feb 13-15. the church was afraid of losing their power amidst europe so the pope made feb 14 st. valentine’s day to honor the guy who sacrificed his life for love.

there is ALSO a story specific to france, that in 1415, the duke of orléans was captured and taken prisoner in london and while he was there he was apparently writing love letters to his wife in france. and i guess there was one (or multiple?) specifically dated for valentine’s day, so it’s considered some of the first Valentine’s Day Letters™️ in france. because before that, in france, letters weren’t really exchanged on the day, it was more a social thing, like a singles mixer in the streets. single people go out and try to pair up. and anyone who is bitter can have a little bonfire and burn images of their exes. but that got out of hand quickly and the government banned that. hence the letter writing became more common.

and this is my own speculation but i would assume that gift giving only took place amongst the upper class at first, and then eventually the trend caught up in varying levels for everyone to the point that we’re at today! where a gift for your beloved on the day is quite common 💝

but anyway there’s your little history lesson!!!!!! was fun to flex my historian muscles thank you 🤓🤓🤓

to answer your question, basically, adam spoils the heck out of his wife and belle lets it happen because she’s as head over heels for her husband as he is for her. in canon they’re probably always in paris. they save their bigger trips for their anniversary and also they just travel a lot in general for king & queen reasons. paris is their home away from home ❤️ they probably stay for nearly a week, (this may vary depending on the ages of their kiddos, of course, they don’t like to leave their Babies for too long 🥺), go to a couple different shows, opera, theater, dance, etc. go for horseback rides, go to a ball (i’m debating if they put on a valentine’s day ball or if they attend one already happening. it’s super likely that adam wants to host it though because he loves hosting. But i could also just see a ball already taking place since it is a Known Holiday. but EITHER WAY THEY’RE DANCING!), and yeah just in general they’re being super in love and gross. i enjoy thinking about this day for them in modern au too, just because it’s a tad easier for my mind to picture, but yeah it’s definitely a holiday they love. they love a day dedicated to love ❤️

also i wrote this last year, it’s short and QUITE lovey dovey, Of Course.

#me when i remember i majored in history 🥴#WHEW! what a rush #lmao thanks though. i knew it was old and wasn’t worried about them not knowing about it BUT it was super fine to get the DEETS #*FUN!#tis a well established Day of Love by the time we get to my babies 😌 THANK GOODNESS!#thank you king!!!#alex tag #answered #batb headcanons #adelle #batb 2017 #history

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bugeyedfreaks · 1 year

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About your ppgxrrb post, as someone who’s in the shipdom for years but now only like it because of certain famous fic, I agree.

Pretty sure some of the shippers would agree with it too but a lot of them are excusing their toxic behaviors as just the boys being toddlers + doesn’t know any better since most of the fics takes place when they’re teenagers/older. I disagree with the whole “they’re kids they don’t know any better” excuse cause they’re fictional characters and they’re just born bad/evil, and its not that deep

…I ended up writing a whole lot and I’m gonna cut it just so I don’t clog up everyone’s dash with my Deep PPG/RRB Opinions. 😆

Yeah, ugh, it wouldn’t bring me down so much if what you said wasn’t such a prevalent line of thought, but if there are some shippers who would agree with what I wrote before… I don’t understand what would compel them to ship the characters in the first place! I can’t understand it! I’m not saying, “You’re a bad fan/person if you ship [XYZ]!” I know people who genuinely love the original PPG series, people who I also genuinely love and cherish and think are amazing and wonderful and yet… they ship it, to my constant confusion. For years and years. 😂 I’ve even read that one fic and… I swear, I tried, I wanted to like it, I was told it was written true to the show and I Wanted To Believe… but how can the main premise be “true to the show” when it’s already 100% antithetical to who the characters are in canon in the first place? I sadly could not enjoy it. Like I said in my post, they would never be the redeemable bad boys because they’re literally pure evil. And I get suspension of belief in fan creations, I understand that fanfic is people’s way of… I dunno, indulging their fantasies in their favorite media or whatever, and I’m not vilifying anyone for daring to commit the ~atrocious~ sin of… wanting their faves to find true love. 🤣 …but what’s the point if the characters you write just turn out to be shells of how they actually act? At that point you should just go for it and make up your own original characters. Embrace the cringe!

A while ago I got really inspired and wanted to write a PPG fanfic for the first time in a million years, and since most of the story in my head included the villains in a large way, I felt kind of forced to try to add the boys (because, speaking of things that get me down, you will never get any substantial visibility on AO3 or whatever if you don’t at least include them in the tags, no matter how creative or novel your fanfic may possibly be) so I started thinking about this whole idea of how they’d really act towards the girls all grown up. I never wrote down anything substantial because I abandoned the fic, but I came to a general conclusion that 1) Brick would be complaining that the girls weren’t following traditional gender roles (i.e. the ones made up by creeps involving sandwiches and ladies making them in the kitchen for him), 2) Butch would be foaming at the mouth to sex up any girl that moved (wham, bam, thank ya ma’am… his love of carnage and leave ‘em for dead mentality would get reflected in his mixed up hormones in the worst possible way), and 3) Boomer would be the white knight who would complain and cry and eventually flip out Bubblevicious style about why none of the girls were dating himmmmmm and whyyyyy oh my goddddd he was so niiiiice to themmmmm so because of that THE THOTS MUST PAY! 🤣 They are the examples of “toxic masculinity,” like… true toxic masculinity. They canonically thrive on the toxicity. That’s why attacks against it weaken them! It‘s never suddenly changed their bad behavior for good ever. They could be beaten again and again and, instead of accepting that maybe their worldviews are bad, maybe applying some self-introspection to their awful ways and adopt any sort of good behavior, they would always ultimately double down. In the fic world, they’re grown guys, and they should know better, but it would be against their basic canon nature to want to.

…again, I’m not trying to be a downer on anyone who indulges in it, this is just an explanation of why I really can’t gel with it and just my thought process behind why that is/how I think they’d actually act. The popular depiction of them as ultra hottie bad bois who secretly have true hearts of gold under all the blatant misogyny just feels so untrue to canon to me that suspending my disbelief whenever I see the kajillion fics and fanart out there of them successfully winning the girls’ hearts is… tough.

TL;DR:

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hurrakka · 10 months

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oh man. theoretically in a l4d au luis would've helped develop the green flu yeah? sure it's a naturally occurring virus in l4d canon (maybe. we're not really sure where it comes from cus ceda doesnt say shit but ellis mentions the government using bio-bombs in one of his keith stories so it could be a bioweapon?) but this is an au we can do what we want.

anygays im just imagining leon getting infected. we know better-safe-than-sorry-guy (i call him scout cus his va is the same as scout from tf2) is human when we first find him but experiencing extreme paranoia and some compulsions then a few minutes later he fully turns, going from able to speak and function to choking and growling and fully mutated (either into a hunter, boomer, or smoker) so there's always the possibility of a rapid transformation too. im thinking leon falling behind a bit while theyre walking because he's coughing and chokin and shit n he falls to his knees and luis is all like "bro whats wrong!!" and he gets to watch as leon Turns Before His Eyes. even better if he turns into a hunter cus if you look closely at their models they don't have eyes. we can't be exactly sure what Happens to their eyes when they turn but the two most popular headcanons are both equally brutal-- either Luis has to watch Leon's eyes quite literally melt out of his skull or he gets to watch him claw his own eyes out. Fun!

BUT there's graffiti in one of the safe rooms arguing over how long it actually takes to turn-- whether it's 20 minutes, 2 hours, overnight, or some other wacky chunk of time. so there's also the thought of Leon turning slowly. progressively becoming irritable and irrational and confused and him slipping in and out of conciousness for days until Luis goes to check his temp one day and he fucking Lunges.

and if leon turns and luis makes it out alive imagine the Guilt. he feels awful enough in re4 canon when there's a cure,,, but the green flu mutates too often to develop a proper cure for it. if leon gets infected and he isnt immune then he's just. done. theres nothing that can help him at that point. and luis already feels so goddamn guilty about the millions of people he's killed and now leon's gone too and he cant help but visualize every single person who had somebody ripped from them by his hands.

oh man and if luis has to put leon down? its joever. that man would Never recover. i dont even know if he'd keep trying to survive at that point. maybe just for that shred of hope of developing a cure (even though he knows it'd be damn-near impossible but it's the only thing hes got, dammit) and stopping this whole disaster.

coughs. sorry for the rambling i simply have been obsessed with l4d for going on 12 years now so <3

I had to lay down for a moment bc of the feels and potential outcomes in the event luis lives on while leon well...yeah (thinkin abt how buddy from re damnation would jus turn as well since leon is no longer there and that made me big sad dgkrnekhbfgnjklh) Since the re verse has like morbillion viruses, the green flu existing would be plausible so its just another stonks moment for umbrella lol. But yeah luis would absolutely be devastated. He probably doesnt have the guts to pull the trigger, least he can do is to restrain leon for a while and tries to find whatever humanity he has left in his nonexistent eyes. Tho in my witch!leon hc I think luis may have a chance to keep leon around??? Since witches seem to have the most humanity among the infected (and thats not saying much) he could probs observe him a lil bit without getting eaten right away. It would just be a warm bodies scenario ngl (i just watched that movie recently so this is huge copium dksfghbshgndfh) Honestly Im glad l4d fandom still alive after all these years. That game will always be goated and it was one of my high-school obsessions. I used to do crossover stuff back then and Im back to doing it now. Time rly do be a flat circle

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tvrningout-a · 10 months

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SLAMS MY HANDS DOWN!! spoilers below for my pals who haven't seen a.tsv yet! we're talking about miguel, the disaster man himself!

if you're a personal blog, do not reblog this or i'm biting your ankles.

hello, hi, i've got some thoughts on miguel that'll probably be better supported once i read through his comics, but!! i've been thinking about miguel and the introduction of his character, how he says he doesn't always like what he has to do, but he knows he has to do it bc he's lost too much to stop. we find out he's talking about his daughter. from another dimension or not, he still loses her after forming an attachment to her, and this causes him to become our antagonist for more than one reason. but let's back up a lil bit.

when we first meet miguel, we see he can be quippy, funny -- he's still clearly not a happy-go-lucky kinda guy, but he doesn't appear quite as harsh as he is with miles. we even see him go against his original decision to leave gwen behind, even if it's at jessica's prompting. he's swayed bc he can't ignore her predicament, feels sympathy bc like her, there's some stuff he doesn't know how to fix either.

miguel knows she hasn't experienced all of her canon events bc her dad is police chief and alive. he knows she's close to miles. he knows she's a liability, but against his better judgement, he lets her join. he doesn't always like what he does, and sometimes he just can't do it. sometimes he's faced with the individual, and he can't follow through, leave someone behind to fend for themselves.

i think this is absolutely the case with his daughter gabriella. he found that universe where he was happy with a daughter, and initially he was just watching over what could have been. it was harmless if not painful at times. but then he's murdered in this other dimension, and he knows he should stay out of it. if he died, it was supposed to happen. but he can't leave it alone. he can't leave gabriella alone to fend for herself. so he takes a risk to save the individual -- he thinks about the person rather than the world.

and it ends up biting him in the ass. he loses gabriella and her world, singlehandedly ( so we assume at this point, at least ) causing their destruction by simply taking the place of that dimension's miguel and disrupting his canon death. he realizes then that he can't let himself prioritize the individual. he has to prioritize the world, no matter how much he'll hate it at times, because he'd rather feel guilt over a million uncle ben's than a million universes with billions of people in each one.

whereas miles has to learn in the first movie to focus saving on one person vs. the world, miguel has to learn the inverse, and it sucks. he doesn't always like what he does, but he knows he has to do it because either 1. nobody else will ( and he can't exactly blame them ) or 2. he can't ask anybody else to do it. " being spider-man is a sacrifice, " and he's already lost his daughter, seen first-hand what meddling in the canon leads to. he'll make the sacrifice of making those tough decisions if it means nobody else has to lose their dimension.

which is why things go so far off the frikkin rails with miles. i don't think miguel recruits spiders who haven't gone through certain losses ( with some exceptions like gwen and pav ) bc he knows it'll cause conflict when they find out they have to let certain people die. that's exactly what happens with miles, and bc he's the original anomaly, bc miguel and co. still don't know what might happen if he saves his dad, bc miguel is scared and can only think of the day he lost gabriella, he... chases down a teenager and gets waaaay too heated. he definitely projects some of his own guilt upon miles bc he wouldn't have ever known about gabriella's universe if not for all this anomaly business. he wouldn't have gotten her killed if he'd never needed to help put the multiverse back in order.

in the end, though, it's still miguel's own fault. he knew better, he knows better, and all he can do is try to stop miles.

#oh i am not proofreading this rn so if you see a typo no you don't asdfg #also to be clear i'm not saying it's okay that miguel reacted the way he did with miles!! i'm just trying to explain his mindset #and also point out that he's not just a brooding character -- he's got soft spots like anybody does #and he really does want to be able to save the one person but he just can't #the trade off could be an entire universe and he can't live with that #ANYWAY!!! let me stop bc i just wrote seven paragraphs about this dude asdfgh #headcanons | miguel

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djinn-ale · 11 months

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Heavy breathing I SEE STARBEE AND I NEED HEADCANONS THEY FRENS SHJHHHF

LMAO HIII um im not actually a starbee shipper nor am i really a headcanons haver 😅 HOWEVER i am a huge fan of whatever the fuck was going on with their exrid almost-friendship-mutual-i-need-to-fix-him ghost bee arc dynamic so i do have some thoughts on them under the cut if u are interested. as for headcanons i have exactly one (1) and its this:

t4t? nah. tvt (they fight behind maccadams at 4 pm every week)

i need to preface this by saying i absolutely hate what the autobots stand for in idw1 and i despise rid2012 with a passion, especially for how they wrote bee (autobot regime police brutality sweep??????????????). despite this, i am incredibly delusional and so i pretend that what happened isnt real. also it's been awhile since i read/skimmed through any tf comics, so i could be misremembering things or forgetting events, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

first of all i think they probably had a lot of issues with each other over the whole leadership thing. like, imagine being the guy whose own worst enemy is his leader, and has fought his entire life throughout the war to usurp him and take over his faction. like youve got so much goddamn beef with this guy and you hate everything he stands for and he hates you and you've suffered so much at this guy's hands, and after so many years, through your own scheming and plotting and killing you're able to stand at the top of cybertron as its leader!! and then in strolls the guy from the opposite faction who is The Optimus Prime Numero Uno guy, and in case that wasnt enough, he was literally handed the leadership role on a silver platter. somehow he doesnt even want the role - thinks he's too unprepared for it or some shit. idk, i just think that theres a lot of foil potential here that was missed, and instead bee was just reduced to the guy cracking various "im dead" jokes while nitpicking every single action starscream took. sure there was some back and forth between the two with morality and Why Didn't You Just Do The Right Thing and whatnot, and their bantering was fun (especially the part where bee actually disappears for a bit after screamer tells him to fuck off) but i think it couldve gone a lot deeper, and a lot more personal. what im trying to say here is that it's Very Bumblebee to try and fix literally the worst guy he knows (barring prowl), but realistically i dont think he wouldve done much to change 4 million years of habits and flaws and the 50 mental illnesses starscream had built up (if anything, starscream mightve taken the actions bee "convinced him to" regardless of what was said - remember how he kept convincing himself that bee was just "his own guilty conscience" - meaning that everything bee says is something he already thinks about, whether subconsciously or not). instead, starscream shouldve been able to convince bee to stop parasocialing op. like, i know bee being op's Most Son Ever and his belief in op being infallible is one of his biggest character flaws, but it wouldve been really cool and awesome character growth for bee to be like Wow, i actually dont think op shouldve annexed the earth that one time in the name of the matrix or whatever.

tldr if starbee was more mentally ill they wouldve been closer to each other. and also hated each other more. and then canon wouldve been so much more enjoyable to me.

#maccadam #transformers #ask #anonymous #im sorry i started spewing meta when u were looking for a headcanons post LMAO but uh yeah #a lot of this stems from the issue with american comics always taking a shit political stance. fuck police btw. the decepticons were right #i also take issue with barber for turning bee into a vehicle for starscream character development instead of it going both ways #like bee is persistent but i know his ass would not have came out of that the same person #im not sure how coherent this but anyways thats my stance on idw starbee (romantically or not) 👍

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echantedtoon · 6 months

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A Champion Time For The Heart Ch6 The Entrance Ceremony

You had a ...peaceful time helping Mrs. G in the kitchen cooking up some lunch for the guys...but by the time they all came back it might as well have been their dinner instead. Victor looked tired but still smiled, probably still happy to be able to get home and see all his family and friends, and in his possession was a small little pokeball and a new band around his wrist. That must've been the extra starter pokemon from Sonia! When his mother asked him about it, he answered that Victor had in fact received a small eevee to help him on his journey to over come the gym challenge. Well that was a nice thing for Sonia to do. It was also nice to just to listen to him talk about the small adventure he had taking pictures for the online blog he had. And made Gloria squeal with delight upon surprising her with a handful of polaroid pictures for her pokedex book. Next thing you knew it was already night and you were fast asleep....Only to be woken up VERY early in the morning by Silver grabbing at your face demanding food. ..Whelp. You couldn't go back to sleep now even if you wanted too so with a groan you got up and dressed, and went to go fix Silver something to eat. Only to be stopped again when there was a knock at the door. Confused you went to go answer it, but was surprised when you saw none other than Leon there.

"Leon?" You blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Y/n!" He greeted giving a smile. "I decided to swing by before I head back."

"Back? You mean you're leaving now?"

To confirm your question he nodded again. " Yeah! But I didn't catch the morning train, got lost in the dark hours of the sun rise and somehow ended up circling my way back in front of my own house." He gave a sheepish chuckle and one hand came up to rub his head. "Not sure if I should consider myself lucky or not, but now I have to wait for the afternoon train at Twelve."

You rolled your eyes but smiled. Yep! That was definitely something Leon would totally do, game canon or not. You shook your head before looking back to him, not minding the Sobble who jumped onto your overalls and started climbing up you like a cat would. "Are you looking for Gloria? Her Mom said she left I think."

"Actually I was looking for you!"

That certainly caught you off guard as you blinked and your Sobble finally managed to flop itself over your shoulder as you blinked and pointed to yourself, "Me? Why?"

He looked over for a moment still rubbing his head nervously before closing his eyes and sighing. "Y/n...Never in a million years did I think Hop or Gloria would think taking off into Slumbering Wield would be a great idea, and honestly..That place is so unexplored and full of dangers I wouldn't be even caught lost in there." He looked back up to you. "Those two could've gotten seriously lost or...well I don't want to think about what could've been worse. I don't know how you figured out how they were in there, but that was some quick thinking on your part. As Champion I should thank you for your efforts, but as a big brother I could never thank you enough. But I'd like to try." He smiled real widely at you with that goofy grin you always saw.

You stood there for a moment brain processing what he said, before asking, "Huh?"

He chuckled at your reaction to him. "You lost all your stuff being chased by those wild corviknight right?" He gestured towards the door. "There's a local market and clothes store just across from the Pokemon Center in town. If you're going to be traveling all over the place with Gloria then you're going to need your own separate stash of clothes and food to sustain yourself. I can help in that department."

You stared......Was...W-Was Leon offering to BUY you new clothes?? Your brain finally clicked back to normal and you instantly shook your head holding up your hands. "N-No! I couldn't ask you to do that!"

"And have you travel around Galar with no supplies at all?"

That made you pause. You didn't really have any supplies did you?.....Literally nothing but the clothes on your back, a back pack, and one pokeball for the sobble on your shoulder. And now that he mentioned traveling with barely anything-.....You were REALLY under prepared and hadn't even thought of that! No food, barely any clothes, and overall no money at all to buy things with. So in much easier terms, you were absolutely hopelessly broke. BUT Leon was offering to pay for anything you needed- NO! You shook your head. You only helped out because you knew someone would be in danger and you knew the things had to progress in game if you wanted to get home. It'd be wrong to accept money just because you helped him out....But then again you still had nothing, and it'd be better not just for you but for Gloria too if you guys needed supplies for two people traveling around a giant region for who knows how long. Plus Leon is THE Galar Region Champion! He's the most popular person in all of Galar with millions of fans. Logically he'd probably have cash to spare for the supplies and not put a dent in any of his paychecks and you DID need the supplies. So technically he'd be helping out Gloria as well as endorsing her too if she insisted on having you come along.

"I mean-.." You started raising a brow. "Are you sure? I really don't mind and you don't have too!"

"If I didn't I wouldn't have offered, Y/n!" He gave a smile and again gestured towards the door. "Plus..I could use someone to help make sure I didn't get lost on the way there again. I wouldn't want to loop in front of my house again."

Well....Considering all the factors and that he was totally willing- "I mean....Sure! Ok!" You nodded and smiled. "I'm gonna need some supplies if I'm going to be traveling I guess. And since you're offering I guess I can't say no. Oof!"

That earned you a friendly pat to the shoulder from Leon as he smiled. "That's the spirit! Mrs. G won't mind if we leave now. She's already busy anyways."

You nodded in understanding and when he gestured for the two of you to leave again, you walked your way over to the door, Leon being the polite gentleman he was opening the door for you as you stepped out back into the world and the two of you were off. Walking down the road and passing all the normal things you all had done previously on your way towards the Center, which was pretty easy to spot as it was bright pink. And again people awed and waved at Leon as he smiled and waved back. At one point stopping and agreeing to take a picture with a young boy who couldn't have been much older than five or six as his presumed mother took his picture, before thanking Leon and allowing the two of you to continue on they're way. The smells of flowers and vegetation was in the air. You didn't see Hop or the twins on your way there though despite being out catching more pokemon. You just hoped they didn't decide on going back into Slumbering Wield again. Once you two got to about the center, Leon turned to you and gestured for you to follow him to the left past as a couple of elderly ladies walked past the both of you, both giving Leon a 'WOW!' kinda look. The building he led you too was a brick building with a green and white striped awning over the doorway and a sign above it reading 'Postwick General Store'. In front of the store was a couple crates of you assumed crops the local farmers produced.

"There it is!," Leon explained to you walking towards it as you two got close to it. "Should have everything one needs if they're going on a journey. It's where I got my supplies for my journey long ago, so it should have everything you all need." He assured as you two finally got near it. Once again reaching out and opening the door for you, a small bell going off above you, to which you thanked him and walked in. The inside was cool, and it ...looked exactly like a regular convenience store with a bunch of shelves with things labeled with prices and a few freezers stuffed with more foods. "See? What'd I tell ya?!"

Before you could say anything a different voice caught your attention. "Well, Well. As I live in breath." Both of you looked over to a counter and a middle aged man with dark brown hair and mustache smiled from behind the register. "If it isn't little Leon the champion, eh? Last time I saw you, you weren't much bigger than a beanpole. Now what pleasure does this old soul have to have you walking in here?"

The purple haired man happily waved to him. "Hey, Mr. Frederick! Long time no see!" He happily patted your shoulder. "My friend here needs some supplies, and being the best store in Galar, I thought you would have just the things we needed!"

The old man laughed and nodded smiling. "Well you ain't wrong! Look 'round and see if there's anything to your liking."

That was enough signal for Leon to grab onto one of those convenience store baskets and nod towards the food on the shelves. "C'mon. We'll want to find non perishable foods that'll last longer for long trips! So they should be in-..." He gave the aisles a look..and rose a brow. "Uh.."

"In the last aisle to the left," the older man corrected him.

Leon pointed to the left. "What he said! I remember now!" You chuckled at him, but he seemed to ignore them as he walked over and you followed. Taking a look at the aisles they seemed to stacked with the regular food you'd find in stores like back where you came from, and the aisle you guys went too could have what could only describe as camping foods. All packed away in plastic wrap and such so well they looked like a hiker's paradise. Especially when Leon hummed at what was available. "I guess a couple trainers already been here. Usually there's a whole lot of this available. But y'know what, that's perfectly fine." You watched curious as he just started grabbing a ...lot more than what you were expecting as he started just grabbing handfulls of packages from the shelves before you. "You can never go wrong with lots of rice and sausages."

"Uh..." You raised a hand.

''There's also plenty of pasta and salad mixes too," he mumbled to himself grabbing more handfuls of plastic wrapped packages of instant foods, "I think you'll like the moomoo cheese here. I used to use these a lot as cheese usually lasted a long time, like these bean tins here. Although steer clear of the pungent root. It's edible but has a strange smell too it. Coconut milk is also good to have on hand, canned moomoo milk is always good-"

"Leon," you interrupted his rambling as he hummed and looked to you. And you pointed to the now almost overflowing basket, "Isn't that uh....a little much for just me?"

He looked confused for a moment, before looking to the basket and seeming to get it. "OH! Nonono. I was grabbing some for the guys as well. ....I...probably should've mentioned that before we got here I guess, but it slipped my mind." He gave an embarrassed smile. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright." You assured him as he turned. "I think that's really nice of you to help us like this anyways."

"Well, a journey is never easy and if I can make it easier for them I will." Well you couldn't argue with that. By the time you two had walked out of there, Leon was holding two bags and you were holding two after helping to separate them between the four of you after paying the man with what must've been this world's version of a credit card, and you once again started following him after he turned to you once out of the store and said, "Follow me!" He nodded ahead of you and there was something you recognized. It was the clothing shop you'd encounter in the beginning of the game. It looked fancy compared to other buildings in town, with mannequins wearing clothes in the window, Sign above reading 'Cothes Mart'. "We can grab you two or three outfits in there and that should be that." He paused...before grunting and turning back over his shoulder. "Oh no."

you stopped and looked at him, before glancing at your sobble, then back to Leon again. "What?"

He stared at the pokemon center. "I forgot to stop by the center for something." He turned back to you. "And I have limited time...Here! How's this? Go inside there-" he nodded to the store. "And ask for Martha, she's the lady that owns the store. She knows my mom since she shops here all the time. Tell her that I sent you and to put it on my mom's tab, I'll digit my mum the money to pay for yours!"

You gave him a deadpanned look. "Leon, no offense, but wouldn't that just look like I'm trying to bum off you? If anyone could do that, then it probably would've happened a lot more with you in a lot of identity theft."

"Oh yeah! Tell her 'I got lost on a barn's roof!' That's the code I set up with her after one of my getting lost sprees. Hehe," he gave a nervous chuckle and you couldn't help but roll your eyes. How could anyone get lost and end up on top of a barn? Only Leon you supposed.

You nodded. "Alright. Won't you get lost? No offense."

"None taken. Ill wait for you outside the Center, just be sure to make it quick. I don't think I'd want to miss my second train of the day."

You nodded before the two of you parted ways, you going towards the building, semi heavy bag of foods in your hands towards the double glass doors. Once you reached the door open, a small bell went off and you stood in aw at the fancier looking store than the previous general store. There was....a LOT more included in here than you remembered in game. Much more clothes racks. Much more shoes on shelves. Much more bags. And MUCH more shelves of clothing.

"Good Afternoon, Young Lady." The lady's voice spooked you enough to make you jump, nearly knocking the chirping sobble off your shoulders as you turned to a middle aged dark brow haired lady who looked about the same age as Gloria's Mom as she smiled at you cheerfully. "Welcome to Clothes Mart. Feel free to ask for help if you need anything."

"Uh...." You blinked before clearing your throat. "Y-Yeah?....Martha?" You asked hesitating before pointing at her and she nodded.

"That's me! How can I provide you excellent service today?"

....You looked around a little bit before walking up to her, a few other ladies and young girls were looking at the clothing, this Martha raising a brow as you approached. Eyeing the others around you before clearing your throat and looking back to the slightly confused lady with uncertainty. "Uh...I got lost on a barn's roof?"

She still looked confused for a moment before her face instantly went from confused to overjoyed like a person had waved a full stack of a million dollars in front of her face. "OH! Of course. Would make sense since the Champion is in town." You sighed relieved as she stood from her place behind the counter with a smile. "Although I wasn't expecting Leon's cute country gal coming in.~ And just in time by the looks of it." She gave a criticizing eye over the overalls and green gum boots you wore.

It took a moment for you to register what she had said, and your Sobble gave this Martha lady a scowl as she looked you over. ...And you instantly held up your hands, red faced. "WHA- OH NO!! DEFINATELY NOT! I'M NOT-..HE'S...W-Were just..Friends." Well...You couldn't say exactly that you guys were friends since you've only know him a total of what...two or three days at most outside of a video game. But it was the only thing you could think of to call this.

She paused to look at you for a moment but shrugged. "Small mistake. Any friend of Leon's is a customer of mine." You lightly scowled at her as she smiled and sat back down. "Do let me know when you're finished, Ma'am. And don't be afraid to ask for assistance!"

"R-Right. Ok." You quickly shuffled away shaking your head from the encounter and looking at the Sobble. "Can you believe that?" The Sobble chirped and nodded in agreement with your statement and you couldnt agree more. "My thoughts exactly."

It didn't take long for you to pick out just a few shirts, two black with a pink pikachu and green eevee, and a blue one with an arcanine, and some plain black sweats to go with them. A pair of really good sneakers, a plain blue dress you thought was nice, and a jacket. Before you realized that it'd be impossible to carry it all with your small old backpack. Probably why Victor didn't want to take it in the first place you thought, but managed to find a rather large grey plaid rucksack, it was perfect with it's multiple pockets and size. You were quick to try and check them all out as this Martha lady wanted to chat but you didn't feel so talkative after the way she seemed to judge you with her eyes and quickly just left as fast as you could after she had apparently finished punching everything into someone's online tab she kept and wishing you a "Champion Time, with your 'Friend'!" and to "Stop by anytime!". Man you couldn't walk out faster and get outside holding the heavy bags of clothes and food you had gotten. Thank goodness because you surely just wanted to get back to Leon and help him back to the train station. Just your luck too as you walked past the Postwick's general store and towards the center, you managed to catch sight of Leon. He was leaning down and signing a small girl's book while her assumed mother watched.

"LEON!!," you called out and he looked up smiling at you waving a hand, one of the bags hanging from your wrist.

He waved a hand back, finished signing whatever the excited young girl was holding out to him before nodding to her and her mom before picking up his two large bags and walking towards you as you continued to walk towards him. "Hey!" He greeted once he was close enough smiling. Glancing at the new backpack on your back and the new bag in your hands. "I see you got some new kicks! Good! Sorry I took so long, but I got a lil caught up as you could see."

You smiled rolling your eyes, "I know. And it's fine....Are you sure about all this stuff tho? It's really no big deal-"

"Exactly!" He stated with a wink. "It's no big deal to me either, and I'm not bothered in the least." He gave that wide champion grin. "I make it a habit to use my position for as much good as possible, especially now with the power crisis." He turned to walk back down the road towards the train station and you followed.

"Power...crisis??" Oh yeah! Wasn't there a plot in the game involving that kind of thing? You tucked away that information just in case.

He nodded as you two walked. "Yeah. Been having it ever since I was about sixteen. The Chairman's been trying his best to help and look into the problem, I think?? But so far there hasn't been much progress unfortunately."

"Oh. I see..." You glanced down to the bags he held. They looked a wee bit fully than you last seen. "What did you get at the Center anyways?"

He seemed to perk back up at the mention. "OH!" He held up the bags. "Some more things that trainers would need for the long trip! Potions, antidotes, one or two revives and awakenings, and a few healers. Trust me. They're going to need them for their pokemon in case there's no pokemon center nearby to help them."

You nodded as the two of you continued to walk all the way to the train station, still no signs of the two children. You remembered someone saying that there was a lot of wild pokemon on Route 2 so maybe that's where they went?? The two of you walked the rest of the way to the train station and he was nice enough to hold the door to the station open for you to walk in, you thanking him. The inside wasn't anything special. A bunch of waiting seats, a man in a small stall like area who seemed to not pay attention to you, what must've been this world's version of an ATM next to a vending machine along side the far right wall, a clock above them, and a pay-to-enter entrance to a grey and yellow train. Well, at least Leon won't miss his evening train. Speaking of Leon he seemed ecstatic.

"Phew! Made it just in time! And not a minute too soon it looks like." He glanced at the clock on the far wall and frowned again. "Ten fifty eight! It's going to leave in two minutes!" He quickly turned back to you and you blinked as he held out the two bags. "Shoot! I'd sworn we had more time! I have to get on before I miss the second train in one day! Could you give these to the kids for me!?"

You took the bags from him as he nudged them towards you Sobble chirping in curiosity at them as you blinked again. "W-W-Wait! You're not saying good bye to them first?"

"Well I kinda don't have a lot of time," he said gesturing between the clock and train, "I can't be late for this one!''

"Oh right!" Your eyes widened at the clock. There was now one more minute before noon, when the train leaves. So you pushed Leon who blinked. "You should get going then! You only have one minute!"

"OH RIGHT!!" He quickly turned and made a run for the pay-to-enter entrance, once again taking out what must've been a pokemon world's credit card and either letting the machine scan it or pushing it into a small slot in the side, you couldn't tell past his cape that swished around with his movements. He managed to get past the bars and stopped at the other side to give you one last smile. "Thanks for helping! Maybe we'll get to see each other again-"

HONK!!

Both of you jumped at the loud train horn going off and you pointed. "LEON!!"

"I KNOW I KNOW!! BYE!!" Grabbing his hat he ran to the double doors that opened and closed behind him with a whoosh noise.

You sighed in relief and the train chose that exact moment to start pulling away with a metal groan. Followed by the click-clacking noises you knew only trains could make and you sighed. You did end up just sitting down in one of the waiting seats arms and feet sore from carrying all the things with yo-

"LEON!!" You and your Sobble jumped, the small pokemon tumbling into your lap as you turned your head and a familiar purple haired boy came running in and you whipped your head around to the blur of Hop rushing in. Sliding to a stop in front of the entrance to the train watching as it continued to go past. "AH MAN!" He deflated with a sigh. "...I'm too late."

"Hop?"

It was his turn to jump and snap to you as you sat there with a brow rose staring at him. And he relaxed. "Y/N! What are you doing here? WAIT! Did Lee come through here already!?"

Your Sobble chirped in annoyance righting itself up at Hop, and you nodded as the last car of the train flew by. "You just missed him actually...Hey. Where's Gloria and Victor?"

He groaned and reached a hand up to rub his head. "Ah man. I really wanted to say good bye...Oh. Glory's battling Victor down the road." He pointed his other hand out the door. "I was kinda hoping I'd get a chance to see him go, y'know..." He looked at you again and seemed surprised at the bags around you...and pointed. "Hey. What's all that you got there?"

You blinked for a moment before looking to the bags, and smiling. Holding out one to the younger boy. "Leon left you guys a fair well present."

You perhaps should've seen it coming when Hop's excitement was reignited when he heard Leon left him a present and you gladly handed over one of the bags to which he opened up in a hurry but looked utterly confused at all the healers and camping food until you explained the reasons why Leon got them all for him. Which he understood with a nod. And after a moment more of resting you decided to walk back with him towards the road, but the two of you ran into another familiar face in the form of the twins. Or more like she almost ran into the two of you as she ran into the train station pulling her brother behind her as you got up from your seat. Your sobble still sore over how many times he already fell from your shoulder and so resorted to gripping your shoulder sleeve harder.

"Geez Glory!," Hop commented raising a brow, "What's gotten you in such a hurry? I thought that was my thing."

"Sorry," she apologized leaning over to look around you and Hop at the station, "Did Leon leave yet? You said somethin' about stopping him so we could say good bye."

He again sighed and slouched a big bag in his hands. "Yeah he's gone back to whatever he was doing. I suppose I can't catch a train after all." ...He gave a small smile though. "But I guess I can't complain! He's the Champion! So of course he's gotta be like SUPER busy! We'll come face to face again soon enough!"

Gloria smiled back and nodded in agreement. "YEAH! Besides, maybe we'll see him at the Opening Ceremony tomorrow!"

You nodded at them. Although you knew he wouldn't be there as in game if the current events kept up, but you didn't want to break their hearts or anything so soon.

"Are you endorsed trainers?," a man's voice asked from behind the three of you turned around to the man in the small store like stand in the train station. His smile widened as he nodded to his side where a stack of books was settled. "Would any of you three be interested in joining in our charity dex events?"

"Charity dex?," you asked obviously confused.

And the man nodded again gesturing to the two different book stacks one smaller than the other. "Yes! For just five dollars you can purchase one of two dex books and enter the dex challenges to win a variety of prizes! All proceeds goes towards the power crisis fund raiser."

There was that mention again about the power crisis. You wondered how dire it was exactly. Gloria seemed to take interest in it though and walked right up to the stand staring at the books. "....What's exactly the challenges?"

"Well there's the Poke-Dex challenge and the Curry-Dex challenge?" He explained holding up one of the small books, it had a picture of a plate of some kind of food etched into it. "The challenge is too take a picture of every labeled curry, or pokemon, on the pages and when your albums are fully completed, you turn in into your local pokemon center to claim your prizes! And there's no time limit. It's all for charity and you get a neat scrap book out of it. We already sold a few to some people on their way on the train. Would you be interested in joining one of the dex challenges?"

"I dunno. Sounds like a scam to me, Glor," Hop commented glancing at the books. "I always thought photography was Victor's gig. And we're already got the gym challenges ahead of us tomorrow.......Glory?"

Dexes?? As in completing the entire pokemon dex for this game?? Was this how it was manifesting in this game? You guessed so. It WOULD be weird if Gloria just discovered her pokedex had a limit of numbers in order to 'complete' it like a game's challenge. but a curry dex?? You faintly remembered there being some kind of food challenge in game but you couldn't remember it too well.

"I can't believe you wasted twenty dollars on two scrape books and camera film." Hop gave a small frown at the rolls of film and books Gloria was carrying along with the bag of goodies provided by Leon from earlier. "You don't even have a polaroid camera for all of that."

"No, but Victor does! I'm sure he won't mind if I take his old one." She gave her brother a look and Victor rolled his eyes. "Besides! It'll be fun and easy! Just fill up a whole book with pictures of pokemon and curries! How hard can it be?"

Hop's face deadpanned. "That's not exactly what I meant."

The four of you had left the train station not longer after that and had taken a small detour to the grocery store you were previously in that morning so Gloria could buy herself a decent amount of film rolls. It was crazy how many rolls of film you could cheaply buy in this world for a mere ten dollars, although you were sure Hop disagreed. So you decided to change the subject by asking them a question.

"So," they both turned to you, "We're leaving for the Entrance Ceremony tomorrow morning right?"

"YEP! Bright and early! The morning train leaves at seven thirty sharp and we have to get our Dynamax bands from Professor Magnolia tomorrow! So we're gonna have to get up real extra early if we don't want to miss it. These train conductors are always on time, whether it's a good or bad thing. But those bands will be worth it to be able to dynamax and complete our Badge Circles!"

"I see. ...What's a badge circle??" You don't remember hearing anything like that from the game even when you played it way back when. "I don't think I know how these gyms and badges work."

They both gave you a confused look and for a moment you thought you goofed up before luckily Gloria unknowingly saved face for you when a look of realization came over her. "OH RIGHT!! You're not from this region so you wouldn't possibly know how the gyms work!" You thanked whatever god was listening for this great save as Gloria happily explained. "You see there's ten gyms each with their own gym leader unique to their own type of pokemon, but in order to compete in the finals at the end of the year you only need eight badges to complete your Badge Circle. A Badge Circle is like a puzzle but instead of carboard puzzle pieces you use badges to make it, then you present it to the official board who helps host the Gym Challenge. They're also the ones who's going to be checking to make sure your endorsements are legit at the Entrance Ceremony," she explained as you listened. Never knew when this info might come in handy later. "That's where four of the gyms are optional. While usually they give you they're own unique piece for the Badge Circle..Both Rock Type and Ice Type Gyms offer the same shaped badge. So does the Fighting and Ghost Type Gyms. So usually you'd pick either one of the two choices, grab it, and then move on. Lots of people don't see the point of battling both gyms for the same piece as it's not required." She smirked before pointing a confident hand forward. "BUT NOT ME!! What's the point of me joining the Gym Challenge if I don't at least try out every gym at least once! We have a full year until the finals anyhow! That should be plenty of time for me to get what I need!!......Plus...m-maybe because I'm also kinda hoping to get some pictures and a few autographs. It's not everyday you get to see such famous people. Hehe."

You rolled your eyes with a smile. Just like a teen meeting a famous person but Hop sighed again. "I just don't see why you're going through all of this trouble. Won't it make more sense to just focus on one thing?"

"Hop you need to broaden your horizons a bit! It's gonna be our first times away from home! It's not just about the Gym Challenge!" She smiled widely at him. "It's about seeing new things! Meeting new people! Getting to see all kinds of new pokemon! It's...." Her smile dropped for a bit as she looked down. "It's actually a bit scary.....but I guess that's what's also making it so exciting." She smiled again. "Plus I know you're also doing the challenge so it's not like I'll be going into it alone right? Ill have my best bud and bro going through it with me!"

Victor looked off to the side and Hop stared at her for a moment before clearing his throat and nodded looking away. "Y-Yeah! You're right. "

"See? Told you! It'll be fun! And I'll have Y/n as a traveling buddy anyways! So it should be fine."

You nodded in agreement as the three of you continued to walk back towards their homes, and both children mentioning the new pokemon they had been able to catch while out on their little adventure today.

"So how many pokemon did you guys catch?," you asked curiously.

And Gloria proudly answered, "NINE! And Hop caught five!"...Before she hummed. "Although Vic seemed to have o' bit of trouble with it."

You did a double take at the two. "Wait. You guys caught fourteen pokemon between the two of you in the few hours I was gone!?"

"Yeah! Hop's really lucky! He's got a shiny butterfree!"

Hop gave a sheepish smile and in a similar fashion to Leon raised a hand to rub the back of his head. "Well I guess I was just lucky to catch it off guard enough to catch it in the farmer's meadows."

Oh yeah. Weren't shiny pokemon a pokemon born with a rare color variety compared to most of their other kind? Wow. Well it sounded like the two of them certainly had a fun time out and about. "Wow. It sure sounds like you guys had a fun time." The three of you were coming up to the roads that split into to directions to both of the children's homes.

Gloria nodded again. "Hey! Hop! Come over to my house so I can practice my camera."

Victor's brow rose again, "Don't you mean my extra camera?"

"Same difference! If I take pictures of all the pokemon we caught then it'll be good practice and give me a head start on the challenge! Plus who else would have a picture of a shiny butterfree?"

He sighed. "I swear you can bounce forward on anything like a ball."

You chuckled as the three of you made it to Gloria's house. Finding her mother in the kitchen cooking food and the first thing you noticed was the delicious smell coming from the kitchen stove, whatever she was cooking smelt of spices and your stomach growled. She looked up for a moment and smiled at the three of you, asking what the bags were for once she noticed, so you explained to her what had happened with you and Leon that morning as the two kids went off towards the door outside. She chuckled when you explained how Leon got lost on his way to the train in the early morning and got lost to only somehow end up back in front of his own home. Calling him 'a sweet young man for helping the kids out like that' and asking how your day went. Overall it was pretty well and you soon found yourself sitting down at the kitchen table resting yourself from all the walking around town you did. It was still fairly early in the day being only twelve something in the afternoon- You jumped when your Sobble all of a sudden chirped curiously and half climbed onto the side of your head to look towards the opposite side of the house as a flash of light came from one of the windows from outside. A minute long pause. And then another went off. A total of fourteen flashes with about a minute pause between them and while you tried to wrangle your sobble from your face without hurting it and it was enough to catch Mrs. G's attention as she stared with a brow rose.

"Gloria, what are you kids doing? I hope you're not practicing electric type moves near the house" her mother demanded. "You already almost caught your bed on fire from teaching your scorbunny Ember inside!"

"It's fine Mum!," Gloria's voice came followed by her head appearing in said window and waved what could only be described as a polaroid camera. "We're taking picture of our pokemon! Can you believe that I already have fourteen pokemon for the dex challenge!"

Her mother gave her a confused look placing a hand on her hip, "Dex challenge? What are you talking about?" She asked just as her Munchlax came toddling him yawning with another green pokemon behind him. He must've smelt the food and woken up you figured.

However Gloria's eyes lit up with a gasp! "Make that soon to be sixteen! You caught a Budew!?"

"Oh?" She glanced at the pokemon at her feet glancing up at her. "Oh yes. It was one of the two that always hangs around the flower beds. I always thought they were rather helpful for planting so I thought-" She paused as Gloria was already gon-

BANG!!

Both of you and the three pokemon jumped and turned to Gloria in the door's entrance camera in hand and scorbunny at her heels as she grinned at the Pokemon at her mother's heels before lifting the camera at them. "SAY CHEESE!!"

"Gloria! What are you-" She was cut off by two flashes that blinded you for a moment and you reached your hand up to cover your face as a white coated your vision. "GLORIA!!"

"Whoops. Sorry Mum!"

"WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING!?"

"Taking pictures of pokemon. Duh."

"I can SEE that! Or I would if you hadn't blind sided me.....Wait. Isn't that Victor's camera? What on earth were you doing playing with it!? You know that's not yours!"

You groaned and rubbed your eyes as they contined to talk. You trying to rub away the white dots that came with the flash as your sobble sat there. And you suddenly felt a small hand pawing at your face, as if your sobble was mimicking the movements you made at the attempt of clearing your vision. It was cute....But it would've cuter if you could see it.

"But Mom," Gloria pleaded, "It's for a good cause I promise. There's this Dex challenge and if you fill up the entire book with pictures when you can win something! Plus it's fun! And he's totally cool with lettin' me borrow it!"

"Only cuz ah now you'd just take it anyways!," Victor called from outside.

"Well watch where you're pointing that thing! The last thing we need is you blinding someone."

"Yes, Mom." "Sorry Ms. G."

You finally opened your eyes still lightly rubbing them as you blinked and your vision was slightly blurry, but it quickly cleared revealing the two teens and their mother standing there as they looked at you. And Mrs. G held out a hand to you.

"Oh dear. Are you alright, Y/n?"

You nodded. "Yeah. I guess. It was just real bright for a moment." You paused as the camera was held out pointed at you by Gloria.

"Hey, Y/n. Can I take a picture of your sobble?"

A picture of your- "Oh. Yeah sure! Just lemme close my eyes for a minute." She nodded as she held the camera up to her face and you slammed your eyes shut as the words left her mouth.

"Hey Sobble!" The pokemon turned to her. "Say cheese!" Another flash of white lit up everywhere and your sobble chirped in surprise as his eyes went wide and it swayed as you reopened your eyes. Gloria smiled as the camera made a whirling noise and a moment later a perfect picture of you with your sobble staring towards the camera came out through a slot in the bottem as she grabbed it. Examining it with a smile. "Yep! That makes seventeen now!"

You gently took the sobble off your shoulder and into your arms as it swayed wide eyed, before shaking it's head and scowling towards the three teenagers, letting out a very loud squeak of annoyance at her before leaning back into your arms like a cat would still glaring at the two of them. You kinda felt bad so you ended up scratching it's back making it give a pleased sound and smile after a moment. What a cute newt thing!

"Hey Glory. Shouldn't we be dropping off some of your pokemon at the center for your rotomi boxes?," Hop asked

Gloria nodded before looking at him. "Hey. Doesn't your grandpa have a purrloin?"

"Yeah he sure does."

"Think he'll let me take a picture of it?"

"I don't see why not! C'mon!"

"Wait! What about lunch?!," Gloria's mother called after them already running out the door. She stood there for a few moments, before sighing and shaking her head. "I swear! If those two were pokemon they'd be rapidashes for how fast they head off to things."

You chuckled at her. The rest of the day went by very quickly. You had ended up helping Mrs. G clean up after she had started cooking and she gave you some curry as a thanks. You never had this kind of dish before. It was some rice with some kind of red sauce with the same spice smell from earlier, but neither of you were complaining as you ate. It was actually pretty good. Nice to have a peaceful meal considering the past couple days with how chaotic they were. Although you did have to keep your sobble from trying to grab food from your plate and to appease it you fed it a few peices of pokemon food after Mrs. G offered. Gloria and Victor didn't return until later that evening where you assumed she had dropped off some of her pokemon with Hop. The camera secured around her neck by a strap and her hands was one of the journals you noticed she had purchased. So you asked about it and her face lit up and she showed the both of you the eighteen pictures she had taken along with a bunch more Victor had given, something about him not needing them anymore anyways. Some of them you had recognized. Gloria's scorbunny. You and your sobble. Mrs. G's two pokemon of course, and a couple of Hop's. Including a yamper like Sonia's. What you didn't recognize was a few new ones which she gladly told you the names of them. But the most surprising one was her phone but it looked as if it was posessed by a rotom. When asked Gloria explained that it was perfectly normal for someone to have a rotom phone with their very own rotom. She probably assumed you didn't have any of that back in 'Kanto'. Time flew by and other than Mrs. G scolding Gloria for snapping a picture of the curry she had saved her for dinner, it was pretty easy for you to follow your routine before once again falling asleep on the couch and dozing off for the night. Until the very next day of course. You were just laying there peacefully snoozing away peacefully until you felt a harsh shake on your shoulder and a light was shown on you. Of course you being asleep ignored it in favor of turning over on the couch and curling into the blanket even more. Again a harsher shake made you groan in protest at whoever was trying to kidnap you from slumberland.

"Y/N!!" A young girl's voice shouted fairly close and loud next to your ear. Startling you awake with a snort, sitting right up and blinking and rubbing your eyes at the harsh light that extended on you. "Time to wake up or we'll miss the train to Motostoke!"

"Uuuuuhhh," you groaned peeking your eyes open and blinking groggily up at the form of Gloria smiling at you. You yawned a bit. "Gloria? Wha-....*yaawwn* What time is it?"

"Six o four in the morning!," she stated happily before leaning back up and it took you a moment to figure out it was still dark in the early hours of the morning and the light was coming from the light bulb above you. "You need to hurry up and get ready before we're late! I still need to pick up my Dynamax band from the Professor too!"

"M' up," you mumbled reaching a hand out to slowly toss off the blanket from your form as Gloria backed away.

She turned as you both heard her mother's tired voice call to her, asking what was up. What you needed to wake you up was a nice hot shower so that's exactly what you did. Dragging yourself out of bed, you trudged into the bathroom and took a deserving hot shower, brushing your teeth, and opting to instead of the overalls lent to you by Mrs. G wore the black shirt with the Eevee print, slacks, and the non rubber shoes you also picked up. By the time you came out, with everything else in the gray plaid bulking back pack of yours, the smell of food was already in the air and it didn't take you too long to find out why when you look over and saw Gloria holding what could've only been described as a plain waffle in one hand obviously in the middle of eating it, and going through her big brown back pack with the other as her mother looked at her.

"Uh huh. And are you sure you got plenty of clothes?," Mrs. G asked raising a brow, "Extra pokeballs? Your region map? How about the revives Leon was nice enough to get you?"

"Yes Ma!," the teen mumbled half way through eating, "I already went through this last night!"

"Well it never hurts to double check! Especially since you can't lose that endorsement letter or else they won't let you register for the challenge at all," she looked up and noticed you before smiling, "Ah! Y/n! Good morning, Dear. I hope you slept well."

You nodded shifting the backpack over your shoulders, "Yeah thanks! ......Hey. Where's that sobble?" You rose a brow while looking on the floor. Strange the little guy wasn't around.

"He was hungry so I gave him some food to tide him over for you. And speaking of which you must be hungry. I'll get you some breakfast. You aren't starting off your trip on an empty stomach."

"But Mom! That's gonna take even longer! Vic's already waiting for me! We still need to grab the dynamax bands before we go and we'll miss the train if we wait-"

"How about you guys go get the..bands and I'll *yaaawwn* meet you at the train station?," you suggested. You weren't really in the mood for any arguing in the morning, and to be honest you were hungry and the idea of starting a long trip on an empty stomach just didn't appeal to you.

You were lightly surprised when Gloria agreed to it and after a few more moments of going through her pack, left with Hop you assumed, as her mother kindly handed you over some food. More waffles but you weren't complaining. Your sobble at some point noticed you were awake and soon enough you felt that familiar feeling of the little guy crawling up your clothes only to plop itself into your shoulders. It really liked being carried around didn't it? Your muddled mind didn't know when but sometime after you finished the pancakes you were out the door bag in your hands, one hand holding it and the other digging through it to make sure all the few belongings you did own for now were secured. Sure enough you found the non perishable food Leon had given you, the few clothes, and of course your Sobble's pokeball tucked somewhere in the bottom of it all. You decided to keep your sobble out for the time being as it seemed to enjoy being out. The early morning light was starting to peek through with the light pinks and yellows of the sunrise. Already as you made your way to the train station, you saw the farmers and their wooloos out in the fields. Early to bed early to rise you guessed. You saw no sign of the teens besides Victor who waved at you and gestured for you to come wait with him, guessed they were still getting the dynamax bands from the professor, even as you walked right into the train station. So you did the only thing your tired self could do. You once again plopped yourself into one of the seats tiredly and waited for the two to arrive. It couldn't have been that long(or maybe it was but you didn't notice) but you perked up at a familiar voice.

"So out with it, Glor! How many did you catch again?"

"I already told you eight! You saw me take pictures of them yesterday remember?"

"Oh right! Sorry that's just the sleep talkin'. " You turned to the door as the young voices got louder. "But look at how many you caught! You're well on your way to building a fine team! I caught myself a special one not to brag."

" I KNOOOWWW!! I'm so jealous you caught a shiny before me!" Gloria walked right into the train station with Hop right behind her.

He shrugged with a proud smile. "Well what can I say? I'll make a difficult rival."

"Where are we heading again?"

"The Gym Challenge will begin Motostoke and our train's waiting so let's go-" He paused finally looking away from her and seeing you two sitting there. Upon catching his eye you smiled and waved mumbling something like 'Good Morning'. And he smiled. "Hey! Y/n you're here!" You stood up to meet them with a light yawn as they approached. "I thought you'd be on the train already.''

You chose not to mention you haven't gotten any money to pay for the ticket entrance and waved. "Nah. I said I'd wait for you guys at the station and I wanted to keep my promise." Looking to Gloria you noticed something around her neck, so you pointed and asked. "Hey. Isn't that your brother's camera?"

"Aye." Victor rose a brow crossing his arms at his sister. "Don't go runnin' 'round crazy with that thing if you value ye life." He jabbed a thumb to the awaiting train. "Anyways it's nearly seven thirty. We should probably get on before it takes off." He suggested and the lot of you agreed. Walking towards the small gate-

"Not so fast you three!," an older but familiar lady's voice cut through the air and the three of you all turned around as a result.

Hop's golden eyes widened. "Wha-? What're you doing here, Mum?" He asked turning around just as the two mothers of the children walked right in. You were confused at first two, before seeing what they were holding in their hands and you immediately understood why they had followed you here.

"I knew this day was coming since the moment you chose Grookey as a partner, Darling," the older woman smiled fondly at him, a smile you remember your own mother used to have way back when. She held up the small rolled up thing in her hands. "You took off so fast you two didn't take any sleeping bags. Did you forget you probably won't be able to afford hotels most of the time or won't be able to sleep in one every night? You can't expect a free bed around every corner."

Both looked immediately sheepish as Mrs. G spoke. "Professor Magnolia was kind enough call and let us know that you three would be setting out now." She held up a small looking back of her own. "So here. A little last gift to see you well set on your way. All the kit you'll need for camping! And the reason why you should always double check BEFORE you take off like your brother." Gloria made a face and looked away before her mother made her take the small kit, which consisted of a small compact tent you could carry over your shoulder and another sleeping bag, before crossing her arms with a frown. "Honestly! I swear you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to your neck sometimes."

"HEY! I only forgot this one thing," she protested and her mother hummed.

" Ah yes. Like you forgot to tell me about how the two of you snuck off into the Slumbering Wield." In an instant she froze and you could've sworn a little color drained from Gloria's face in that moment. "And yes, I heard the news from young Leon. I'm glad someone bothered to tell me!" She sighed and her other hand was held out to you. "Here we are! A bit of pocket money for your journey. Buy yourself a little something at the pokemon center. Maybe some potions or something!"

You stopped and blinked at the small twenty bill in her hand before shaking your head. "Oh no! I couldn't possibly take your money! I-"

"Happened to save my child from a dumb idea. It's not much but something tells me you could use it anyways."

Well......It wouldn't hurt to have some money on you in case of emergencies even if it wasn't much. So you reluctantly took it from her. "I....Thank you."

She nodded to you before turning to Gloria and pointing a finger at her with a serious look. "Now. Remember that Scorbunny will battle to the very end for you so don't you go pushing the poor dear too hard! Come home to rest anytime that you need. After all east or west, home is best." She smiled. "No matter what happens out there, if you and your partner are together I know you'll be fine. Take my advice to heart Sweetie. As long as you have your pokemon at your side and the energy to carry onwards, you'll naturally find that you always have a smile on your face."

Gloria stood there for a moment before nodding to her mother and you blinked when she all of a sudden hugged the older woman, seemingly startling her too for a moment before she smiled and hugged the child back tightly like any mother would....Well except maybe yours. She was always seeming to be too busy working or making sure you worked hard to get good grades or worked hard enough to help out with the bills with your after school jobs. You didn't notice the frown come over your face as Hop mimicked his friend in giving his own mother a hug who like the other mother mirrored a smile and hugged back patting his head followed by Victor.

"Remember. No matter what happens out there, if you and your partner are together, I know you'll be fine."

Hop smiling pulled away and gave a big grin. "Thanks Mum! And just think of how lucky you are!" He raised a determined fist. "Mother to the first ever pair of Champion Brothers! Because I'm certain to be the Champion next! You'll see!"

She nodded in agreement but her face was amused. "Of course you will, Darling. Anyway, do have fun and take care of yourselves. And don't be too worried about not winning. You're welcome back home anytime."

Home huh- A loud train horn sounded off startling the five of you into turning to the train, then you happened to glance at the clock hanging upon the wall and noticed that it was seven twenty eight in the morning. Two minutes before seven thirty and the deadline for the train's departure. So you decided to point this out, having the two kids make a worried frown before taking a few steps back.

"We'll be off now!," Gloria explained lifting her hand a moment to give a quick good bye to the two mothers and turning to the train. "C'mon guys! We're off! Don't want to miss the train!"

You nodded in agreement tailing right after her with Hop behind you. "Wish us luck! Not that we'll need it!"

As the mothers waved good bye, the four of you went towards the gate and watched as Gloria slipped a single dollar into the slot of it. It made a ping noise and you guess it unlocked because the four of you easily slipped by and towards the train. The grey and yellow train's doors slid open with a whoosh sound as the three of you entered just as another horn sounded off startling your sobble a bit making it cling to your shoulder harder. Inside was who you assumed to be a train conductor who gestured for you all to exit through another door to the right which lead to the passenger cars and other people who happened to be on the train with you four. There was about fifthteen other people with you so the lot of you had to go to one of the back seats. Yellow painted metal bars were everywhere along with Blue seats with a table between the two of them. Above each pair of seats was a small area to put luggage. You sat down just as the train was starting off. Gloria breathing a sigh of relief from all the weight she was carrying. You assumed she was carrying more than you already along with the camping equipment she was given just a few moments ago. You ended up looking out the window and watching the station and small town of Postwick move away from your view and starting on your way. Beside you Gloria sighed and slumped into the soft cushioned seat.

"Man. We just left and I'm already feeling beat."

"Well look on the bright side," Hop suggested, "We're finally heading out on our journeys! And Lee told me Motostoke is a good place as any to start off an adventure."

"Oh really? How come?," you asked curiously as he explained.

"Well besides the obvious Opening Ceremony going on there. Motostoke is surrounded by a giant piece of land called the Wild Area. It's a real sight! There's all sorts of wild Pokemon just wondering about everywhere you look! Plus you can camp out, do a spot of fishing, and sight seeing! I don't think I could ever get tired of it!," he explained smiling widely, "But I don't think we'll be able to see it. The Entrance Ceremony's in the town not the wild. But on a lighter not! There's loads of brilliant trainers and all kinds of pokemon out there waiting for us! My excitement's running ahead of me faster than this train can go!"

"Yeah? Well it's too bad. Would've loved to take a couple more pictures." Gloria sighed leaning more against the wall of the train. " Im already starting to understand why Victor likes it so much. Like I wouldn't make it a living like he wants to but it's a nice hobby."

You nodded agreeing with her and extended your arm to allow your sobble to crawl along your arm and onto the table, watching as it curiously crawled up to the window and looked out at the world passing by. You all sat there for who knows how long chatting, the kids pulled out their phones and showed you a few pictures of what looked almost like a castle's high walls and beautiful scenery surrounding it. It was quite lovely. At one point someone said it would take at least a few hours to get to the town so all of you had plenty of time to relax but you couldn't help but let your mind wonder. What was happening back at your home? Was your mother worried about you suddenly going missing? What happened when she went to wake you up but found you completely gone? Did she call the police to file a missing person's report yet? Counting today it would've been five days that you had disappeared and that must've been worrying. And if this happened to just be a crazy dream you surely hoped you would wake up sometime soon. You were soon snapped out of any bad thoughts though. How? Simple the train suddenly slowed down out of no where it caught you off guard and you ended up hitting the table in front of you your poor Sobble chirping in shock as it was sent tumbling across said table and into Hop's extended arms as he thankfully caught the poor thing before it could splat onto the floor below. What the world was that!? Your head turned as Gloria nudged your side. you gave her a questioning look about to ask if she was alright but she pointed out the window and you looked. There was.....Nothing but nature?? Which wouldn't be strange since it was the out doors, and you WOULD have chalked it up to just being another stop on the way to Motostoke but then why did the train suddenly stop like that? Granted you never rode on a train before but you were pretty sure they weren't supposed to stop suddenly enough to ram yourself into a table. One of your hands rubbed your sore ribs where they had hit the table, surely leaving a bruise later but no real damaged luckily. So why had you all suddenly stopped in the middle of seemingly no where? Around you other people were also noticing, muttering to themselves, some getting up to peer out the windows or to take a couple steps up the alley way as to walk up to the engine car.

"Attention Passengers!," a man's voice blared from a loud speaker somewhere, "Due to some unfortunate events beyond our control we have decided to take a quick stop at Wild Station. We apologize for any inconvenience and to please wait patiently while we fix the issue. We thank you for your cooperation."

"Wha- Wild Station? That's just outside the town!," Hop exclaimed holding your sobble in one arm while staring at a map on his phone with the other. Confusion on his face. "Why didn't they just stop inside the city?"

"Let's find out!" Gathering her things into her arms Gloria was quick to jump past you.

"WHA- Hey wait!," you called out extending an arm out to her as she darted up the car past other people.

You stared after her for a few seconds before turning to Hop who shrugged and got up to after her which you followed obviously. The three of you hurried after her as Gloria trotted up to the exit and with a whoosh the doors opened with her stepping out and the two of you followed. On the other side was another train station. Only this one had slightly different colored brick walls and there was a whole bunch of leaves and twigs scattered about. Besides the four of you there was a couple looking over a map in one corner of the station looking confused and lost, a map just sitting in the waiting chairs, and someone who looked to be in some kind of uniformed green vest.

You gave a confused look around. "Where the heck are we?"

"Ill check!'' Before you could respond Hop had already turned to the man in the vest and asked, "Hey, Mr. Station Master!" The man hummed and turned to him. "Isnt this the Wild Area? What're we stopped here for?"

The man sighed crossing his arms. "Yes....This is the Wild Area Station makes no mistakes. I'm sorry to tell you that the train is halted due to a flock of wooloo."

"WHAT?!," both you and Gloria said at the same time.

A giant herd of wooloo!? Oh great! Now what were you all supposed to do?

Hop however wasn't the least bit concered. "What's there to be sorry about? This is brilliant!"

Gloria gave him a look that looked like he just did something crazy. "What is?"

He excitedly smiled widely at her. "This Wild Area is massive!" He explained the sobble in his arms giving a noise of annoyance at his sudden movements. "There are loads of pokemon to battle here! You don't get it do you, Glor? This is the best possible place to put together the greatest team!"

"I don't think we should be taking off, "Gloria pointed out and you nodded agreeing. "We have to get to the Entrance Ceremony soon or else we'll be considered forfeiting our sponsorships entirely!"

"That's the smartest thing you said all day," Victor mumbled.

"They take it that seriously?," you asked lightly surprised as she nodded.

"Something about a long time ago a lot of trainers tried to sneak their way into the challenge by claiming they were late to register or something like that. Since then the rules have been pretty strict. Which is why I want to register first and then come back here if I have a chance."

"When is the deadline?"

"Midnight. And as much as I'd love to explore around...Im kinda nervous about securing that spot."

You could totally agree with her on that point Buuut- You pointed behind you. "But the train's going to be backed up for a while by the looks of it. Maybe we can walk? How fair is this Motostoke?''

"Let's step out and see. The map said it shouldn't have been too far away I think."

That wasn't a bad idea and with no objections the four of you stepped out and what you saw made you pause. As soon as you stepped out you were hit with the strong rays of sunlight making you blink but once your (f/c) eyes managed to get a hold of themselves...Well....Breathtaking was a pretty good way to describe it. A giant meadow stretched as much as you could see with a giant lake, a few scattered trees, and A GIANT WALL! A giant wall was set up with a few bridge like structures to the right and you could see a few very tall buildings/structures ahead. You saw what you thought was oil rigs movie, a giant clock which reminded you of Big Ben back in your world, a few sky scrapers, and a few other things you were too far away to make out. Over all it was a very strange but pretty sight as the wind blew through the trees.

"Look at that!," Hop said in awe pointing at the buildings which must've been a decent half mile away. "That's Motostoke way off that way! And between here and there are countless new pokemon waiting to be met!"

Gloria hummed. ".......Well it would be cool to explore somewhere we won't get in trouble I guess."

"EXACTLY!!" He pointed towards the meadow. "Im itching to just see what's out there. It's not too far away and we can probably spare a couple hours. I mean we have until Midnight right? And we left pretty early in the morning."

She hummed again. "Well when you put it that way it does sound like fun!" A smile crossed her face again. "I can take a whole bunch of pictures for my scrapebook! And catch a few more pokemon of course."

You weren't sure that was a good idea- "Well well. You two running off again?"

The three of you turned- You blinked surprised. "Sonia?," you asked. True to your word the orange haired professor's assistant was walking right towards the four of you with a smile. "What are you doing here? I don't remember seeing you get on the train."

"Of course you didn't. I didn't enter the train through the station right side of the station," she smiled. "Besides. I figured it'd be an opportune time for me to travel for my research." Sonia gave a sigh and looked to the ground shaking her head. "My grab gave me a proper earful in her own way. 'Those two young trainers are setting out on a journey, but what are you doing with your life?' Her words not mine."

"Ouch Professor," you commented, "That sounds rough." You didn't mean to be so blunt but you kinda understood how she felt. Your mother had asked you similar things to that while simaltaniously pushing you to study more, go to college, and get a job-

Sonia waved you off. "Ah. Never mind that. Nothing to worry yourselves over. " Her eyes lowered back to the teens next to you. "Besides I've been more curious about that pokemon you two met in the forest. I'd been thinking I should look into it so the timing works out fine! If I discover something really huge then maybe even Gran'll admit I got some talent."

Pokemon- OH RIGHT!! You nearly forgot the legendary pokemon they saw in the fog. Although you were still unsure what it was exactly. A thought suddenly struck you. In the game Sonia would uncover some amazing things important to the plot of the game. If ONLY you could remember what it was!

"Yikes." Hop made a cringe face. "Being an adult got it's own challenges eh?"

You frowned and gave a chuckle and shake of your head which made him look at you. "Oh you have NO idea."

"I said you needn't worry about it," Sonia stated a little more firmly. "I'm glad to be on the road really! It's been ages. It'll be great fun to fish and camp and rough it outside again."

"Uh huh. Well you have fun with that! Meanwhile.." He turned with a smile. "I heard there's natural dynamaxing pokemon in the Wild Area! I'm off to go stick my head in as many of those red dens as I can find!"

"Not. So. FAST! Mr. Impatient!" He yelped when gloria grabbed him by the hoodie and with the same frown as her mother stared at him when she yanked him back. "We only got here and you want to run off again into the wild??"

"Oh c'mon Glory. I promise Ill meet you up back at the Entrance Ceremony."

The young girl hummed. ".....What time is it by the way?"

"Oh." You glanced to sonia as she rolled up her sleeve and glanced at her watch. "According to this it just turned Eleven thirty in the morning."

She hummed and slowly released her friend. "Fine. But let's agree to meet at the Entrance Ceremony at six or seven in the after noon. That should be enough time for the both of us to explore and get to the town before it gets dark." She gave a concerned frown. "I really don't want you hurt or lost."

Hop paused for a moment before looking away coughing his cheeks having a light pink hue. "Um....YEAH! I can totally do that!"

Her smile returned. "Then it's settled! Can't lose my rival before I even join the challenge."

"GREAT!!" He turned again. "I'm going to battle the snot out of a bunch of dynamax pokemon and fill in the tale of my legend!" And he ran off.

"DONT YOU DARE FORGET HOP!!," Gloria hollered after him.

Victor sighed before looking at Gloria and You, "I'd better go with him and make sure he doesn't really forget. I'll see you two later."

Both you and Sonia shared a chuckle at their childish behavior before she looked at you. What cheek. Dynamax pokemon are really on another level you know." She glanced to Gloria. "You'd better dynamax your partner pokemon too if you want to take on opponents that strong." She directed Gloria to the wild. "He's right about red dens. You'll find spots here and there in the Wild Area that emit a red beam of light. If you think you're up to it, check it out. They're usually cave openings with dynamax pokemon inside. But PLEASE be careful. It can be dangerous at times. I wish Hop would've waited for me to warn him before he ran off like that."

Gloria nodded in understanding as you looked down to your sobble climbing up your leg. Hop must've put him down when you weren't looking. "I understand Sonia! You don't have to worry about me!"

Sonia nodded to the two of you. "So with that Ill leave you two off here. The Wild Area is waiting for you. This is the start of your real adventure. Take care now."

You watched as she turned to walk away and....you weren't sure what really compelled you to say it in that moment but you reached your arm out after her. "Ms. Sonia!" She stopped and turned to you with a hum. You paused uncertainly if you should say anything. Would it affect the progress of the game's route? "I just....wanted to let you know that....You really are a great scientist already. And you're going to find a lot of things."

She blinked at you in surprise for a moment not sure what to make of your words, but settled on a smile and nodded. "Thanks. Your kind words mean a lot but we'll have to see what I actually accomplish. I wish you the best sights and experiences of Galar a tourist like you can have!" Before she turned and walked her way towards you assumed Motostoke.

"Wow." You jumped and looked to Gloria who smiled. "That was really nice of you. Even if it was a little out of no where."

You shrugged. "I guess I know how she feels a little bit. Sometimes a few kind words is what someone needs."

"Lee always says something similar, but I think he calls it 'champion encouragement'." She suddenly snapped her head forward and pointed. "Well you heard Sonia! I want to try out my first dynamaxing battle before I take on any gyms! We got about seven to eight hours to get some battling and sight seeing in so I say we give this day all we got!"

-time skip five hours forward-

You lost track of how many times Gloria pulled you along this way and that....but it was an eventful few hours.

You lost count of how many pokemon Gloria tried to battle. Key word being 'tired'. The first pokemon she tried to battle was one you remembered. An Onix. A. GIANT. MASSIVE!! AND CRANKY!! ONIX!! Probably didn't help Gloria snapped a picture of it before trying to battle it. You had to literally grab her and drag her behind you as you ran. Terrified scorbunny at your heels as it charged towards the two of you. Not the greatest start to be honest. But it wasn't as worst as her first dynamax battle. She had found an opening in the cliffside of a cave with red aura around in, one of the dynamax dens and she ran into it without a second thought with you chasing after her. Inside the dark was lit up by a GIGANTIC DIGLETT with the red-black cloud hovering over it's dynamax form. You nearly fainted then and there but when the thing ROARED you felt like you were about to have a heart attack!!! Your sobble poor thing made a small squeal of fright before forcing itself into your backpack to hide immediately. Things just went downhill from there when in the middle of the battle Gloria decided to dynamax scorbunny and all of a sudden you both were having a very hard time standing up from the shaking ground and the debry the attacks caused to the point you literally yelled that you both had to leave then and there but she couldn't hear you past all the noise and therefore barked orders to her gigantic scorbunny from her holding onto the ground. With you clinging onto the cave's wall for dear life hoping it would be over soon. Thankfully it did. It was all a blur really. You vaugly remembered Gloria somehow capturing the diglett and returning scorbunny to it's rightful size. And you two carefully climbed around disheveled cave floor until managing to get out of the cave....where the both of you collapsed onto the ground.

"HOW THE HECK CAN STADIUMS HANDLE THOSE THINGS!?,'' you yelled out dizzily into the soft grass. In the game you didn't have to worry about debry being flung at you or the ground giving away suddenly. BECAUSE IT WAS A GAME!! REAL LIFE POKEMON DYNAMAX BATTLES WERE NOTHING LIKE THE GAME!!"

Gloria raised a weak hand. "T-They were made a long time ago with top professors, contractors, and researchers to build them strong enough even a dynamaxed monchomp with the strength of a thousand earthquakes couldn't shake it. Dunno how but man I'm glad they did."

You could 100% agree with that! It took a minute for the both of you to recover before the two of you got up, dusted yourselves off, and went off again. Gloria managed to resume battling and taking photos of a few pokemon. Although some of the pictures were so blurry from the pokemon moving they would be no use at all and she didn't catch a lot of the pokemon she tried to battle. But she did win a few and even had two other dynamax battles within the dens you guessed the boys didn't come across. Catching one of them but not the other as you struggled to not lose your lunch or have a heart attack both times. You were not a fan of wild dynamax battles after that. At one point you even came across what Gloria explained was a wild berry tree and demonstrated how to get the fruits off them by forcibly shaking it until a couple berries fell off it. They all had a somewhat bitter taste you didn't like when you tried them tho, but your sobble seemed to enjoy up as you handed them right over when they extended their....hands?? Paws??...towards it. You couldn't remember how much time had passed before the two of you finally had a chance to sit down under the shade of a tree and have a break. Gloria took the time to go through all the pictures she took, must've been about thirty, but only twenty one were salvagable. Curious you took a peak at the pictures she showed you. The pokemon she got pictures of were a onix(of course angering it-), roselia, vespiquen, and a few others. Not a lot but certainly a decent haul for her. It was you who eventually asked the question-

"Hey. What time is it?"

Gloria responded by quickly pulling out her phone and checking the time on it. And she blinked. "It's four twenty seven! It's already been about five and a half hours!"

"Wha-" You looked up to the sky. Didn't look like sunset yet, but it was definitely about late after noon. You two hadn't even noticed the time fly by. "We've been out here nearly all day!"

With a hum gloria quickly scrambled to pick up her things. "I think we better head to Motostoke now. I don't really know how long it'll take to walk there and I did promise Hop we'd meet him there."

You nodded scooping the confused sobble into your arms. The walk there was pretty uneventful as you two walked what must've been half a mile, your eyes widening the closer you got, until you finally got there......AND. IT. WAS. NOTHING. LIKE IN GAME!! The entrance to Motostoke was all bricked with a medieval ages meets industrial period kind of look. All the buildings you could see were brick other than the familiar pink pokemon center and there was A LOT MORE people and buildings than in game you remember....makes sense you supposed. This was a real world and so of course there would be a lot more people and buildings. It was so crowded you were certain if Gloria wasn't walking beside you, you were sure you would've easily watched her. The first place you two stopped was the pokemon center where Gloria went inside to heal her pokemon from todays battle and put away any new ones she caught into those Rotomi box things. You were busy marveling at the busy streets and environment around you. You had never been in a city before let alone a town like this so it was quite a shock for you to see. This place even had GIANT WORKING GEARS BUILT INTO IT'S VERY WALLS!! It was like a real steampunk town. But once she came out she.....stopped and stared around her.

"So which way to the ceremony?," you asked her gazing at a few stores lined across the street.

She looked really unsure now fidgeting with the straps of her bag and looking around her. "U-Um...I don't know."

You snapped your head to her. "You don't what?!"

"Im sorry!" She apologized looking around. "I know it's here! I just.....don't know exactly where in town."

You wanted to facepalm but decided not too to avoid hurting her feelings and looked around as well as people and their pokemon passed you two. No signs of Hop or any indication of a ceremony anywhere in sight. No other trainers, no signs, certainly no ceremony!

Gloria suddenly held up her phone. "Maybe I should call him? He might already be there waiting for us-"

"HEY YOU TWO!!" A familiar voice called out and to both of your relief you turned and walking towards you with a shopping bag in one hand, yamper at her feet was your saving grace Sonia waving at you. "Over here!"

"SONIA!" Gloria smiled. "Boy are we glad to see you! We ran into a 'Leon situation' here."

That made her laughed. "Oh really? Real ace of you to make it through the Wild Area. And a Leon situation huh?"

Gloria nodded sighing. "We're kinda lost. Do you know where the ceremony is?"

"You're first time in a city and already lost? But Motostoke is big right?" Gloria nodded and Sonia smiled. "Not to worry. Sonia is here to show you around a bit."

"Thanks, Ms. Sonia." Gloria politely smiled at the older woman. "Could you point out where we gotta go?"

Sonia hummed. "The Entrance ceremony huh? I get a bit worked up when I think how exciting and moving it was to actually stand on a stadium's pitch for the first time." Sonia smiled off thinking of an old memory most likely. She shook her head. "Anyways. Brilliant young trainer who braved the Wild Area! Do you remember what your goal in Motostoke is?"

"I'm here for the Gym Challenge!," Gloria shouted determined smile on her face and Sonia nodded.

She nodded. "Yep! The Gym Challenge Opening Ceremony!" She pointed behind her at the busy street. You Guess since she once too here attending the Gym challenge with leon as kids she would know where it would be. "Use that lift over there to get to it K? OH! By the way the ceremony tomorrow is being held at the Motostoke Stadium ok?"

......You looked at Gloria. "There's a stadium here AND a second ceremony tomorrow??" Gloria shrugged at you.

"Well, laters!" She waved a hand at you two. "I'm going to swing by the shops while I'm here but don't forget to register at the Stadium,k?" Gloria nodded and Sonia went to tur- She stopped. "OH! I forgot. I got you a little something." Reaching into her coat pocket and fishing around, she pulled out what looked like at first glance some kind of training card before holding it out to Gloria who curiously accepted it...And her eyes WIDENED at it.

"NO!! WAY!!" She stared wide eyed between the card and Sonia. "Is this what I think it is!?"

She giggled. "Yep. I know Leon already sent myself and Hop a couple so I figured it would be the perfect start off to your own collection."

Gloria gave off a girly teen squeal and practically shoved it into your face making you blink. "OH MY MAGIKARP!! LOOK!! I GOT A LEAGUE CARD!!" You blinked and true to her word it was a card. And on it was a picture of Leon sitting down looking off somewhere. She smiled widely pulling it from your face. "Thanks so much So-...." She blinked. "Hey where'd she go?"

You shrugged. "I guess she left. Come on. We better get going."

She nodded ad the two of you made off for this lift at the end of the street. Along the way you guys passed a few stores. A flower shop, a cafe, a book store, a record shop, a barber shop, and another clothes shop. Once you two were at and on the lift....you became unsure again.

"Um. Now what?"

"I dunno..." Something caught her eye as she looked over and pointed. "hey what's that?"

"What's what?"

"This panel has a button." She pressed it.

"AH!!" You instantly fell to your bottom and Gloria grabbed onto the small pedestal as the lift suddenly lifted the two of you up and around, until it suddenly stopped again and you groaned. Pushing yourself up...and hearing a snicker. You shot a look to the teenager who was snickering behind her hand. "Nice to see you're still standing." You muttered pushing yourself up to your feet again and looking over, in front of the both of you was a giant building with glass doors, in front of the doors was two men in some kind of uniform and sunglasses like some bodyguard and some man with.....A Pokeball head?? Was waving to a few people passing by. A mascot maybe??.....You pointed at the building. "You think that's it or what?"

She went to answer but someone already beat here to it. "Gloria! Ms. Y/n!" Both of you looked over and the boys was making his way towards the two of you. "You made it too? "

You rubbed your aching back. "Yeah. Where are we?"

"Motostoke Stadium! This is where the Opening Ceremony will be held!" He exclaimed excitedly pointing to the large building behind him. "Everyone'll be watching the Opening Ceremony for the Gym Challenge! My mom, your mom, the whole world!! It's getting me a bit nervous really." He shook his head. "Naw. This isn't nerves. I'm only trembling because I'm so excited!"

"Well I say we go it and get registered before it gets too dark," Gloria suggested.

"You're right!" He turned back to the stadium still pointing. "Come on, Glory! It's time the world knows our names!"

As the three of you rolled up to the doors one of the two men standing in front of the door held one of their hands out in a clear stop motion in front of you four.

"Can I see your sponsorship letters please?," He asked holding out his hand and Hop didn't hesitate to pull his out of his pocket and have the letter over to the man in the meantime the twins had slung her backpack off her shoulders and went digging through it. You hoped she didn't forget it all the way back in Postwick. The security guard carefully examined the piece of paper in his hands. Running a hand across the red unbroken seal, holding it up to the light, and then taking a small device out of his pocket. A small green light came out and scanned it for a few seconds until there was a small ding from the machine and the man nodded before handing it back to him. "Head on inside and sign in Trainer. Next!" Saying a quick thanks Hop quickly snatched the letter back just as Gloria pulled out her own (thank goodness she still had it) and handed it to the man who repeated the same process from before he too handed them back hers and allowed them to go. But when you made a move to follow them he held another hand up. "Sorry, Ma'am. Only registered trainers, staff, and authorized personal are allowed inside. You'll have to wait out here. It's the rules."

You paused for a moment before looking at Gloria uncertain who smiled. "It's alright Y,n. Just wait for us out here ok? It shouldn't take too long. I mean we're just signing in!"

"Well...Alright if you say so." You gestured to a nearby bench. "I'll just wait for you two over there ok?"

They agreed and left you standing outside the stadium as they went inside. Not that you minded waiting of course. Your feet ached and your shoulders from carrying around your backpack all day, so plopping on the bench you gave your sore body a rest before slinging your pack off your shoulders. Your sobble had decided now would be a good time to fully crawl out of your pack from where its been hiding out this whole time and you let it climb on you when you placed your bag down with a sigh and leaned into the bench. FINALLY allowing yourself to rest for a while. You waited for a little while as people passed you, going up and down the lift and and streets as the body guards still stood there making sure no one entered without permission. A few teens Hop's age excited including" one boy with bright white fluffy hair and a long pink coat and you thought he looked rather grumpy. At one point you thought you heard a happy yell from somewhere but ignored it as it was probably a child playing somewhere. The sky slowly turning to a light pink as it got later in the day. Eventually the two did come back out but with what looked like white work out bands on their wrist that didn't have the dynamax bands on them. You waved at them as they walked right on over to you.

"Hey guys. Did everything go well?"

Victor nodded before smiling, "Although we might have to part ways for a while."

She gave her brother a confused look. "Whatcha mean?"

"I've decided to join Hop on this little adventure If he doesn't mind."

"Really!? That's awesome! Of course!" Hop was quick to agree with a friendly punch to Victor's shoulder. "Why wouldn't I want one of my greatest pals joining me while I write my legend? It'll be grand to have a traveling buddy of my own!"

"NO WAY!!" Gloria's large smile returned! "Oh this is great! We'll be able to see each other for a while more. I haven't been able to see you since you went on a journey last year so this is totally a win win for me in everyway!"

You nodded. "Oh. How'd the registry go?"

She waved a hand. "Oh y'know. We got our Challenger Bands we're apparently supposed to wear all the time so everyone knows we're a part of the registered trainers group. Our own League cards for the challenge. And we got to meet some of the rival trainers in there too! I liked the Sherry girl. She seemed really shy."

"I heard she was sponsored by the Gym Leader Milo but I can't be too sure," Victor replied before looking up at the sky. ".....But in any case I believe we should all head to Budew Drop Inn before the actual ceremony tomorrow." He turned to Gloria. "That way I can show you all the new pictures of pokemon I've gotten. You can use them for that dex challenge thing you told me about."

They turned and you nodded in agreement standing up and grabbing your bag, your sobble grabbing onto your bag as your hoisted it back over your shoulders and followed them guessing they must've known the way.

"By the way how many pictures of pokemon did you add to your collection?," Gloria asked glancing at her twin.

"Um." He made a thoughtful face. "Well let's see. Nessa's Aquarium has at least one of every water type pokemon...and with how many nature preserves I've stayed...and with the hundreds of tourists with different regions pokemon....and trading pictures with fellow photographers from different regions at the International Photographers Expo..........Six hundred thirty four different pokemon!"

There was silence for a moment.

"........WHAT?!"

The four of you made it down the street and over to the six story building that certainly looked like a fancy hotel. Along the way the children explained that the Chairman had not only endorsed as well but apparently paid the hotel in advance to allow all the trainers to stay the night before the actual ceremony took place the next day and the challengers were officially given the go ahead to start their journey. But a small surprise awaited the four of you yet in the hotel when you walked in and you looked around. There was a couple potted plants, two pairs of stairs leading up to another level with furniture, a sign in desk, and an elevator like a regular hotel but the thing your eyes were drawn to was the golden statue. It reminded you of those knights in ancient fairy tales. The golden man stood with his sword held up to the sky, a gleamering shield on his other arm in defense, and his face one of determination to not fail. Quite the craftsman ship. And standing right in front of it with a small yamper at her feet was-

"SONIA!" Gloria loudly greeted startling the poor lady and making her turn around.

Upon seeing who it was she sighed and smiled. "Oh it's just you guys. You gave me quite the jump scare there. But it looks like you both got yourselves registered." She nodded to the arm bands before her gaze drifted to Victor as she blinked. "....Oh. Hiya! I don't think we've met."

"This is my brother, Victor. He's gonna be with Hop for a while. But what are you doing here? I thought you were going out to study."

"Yeah." Hop chimed in. "What are you doing at our hotel?"

"Oh!" She shifted the many shopping bags in her arms. Guess she did go shopping while here after all. "I'm researching the mysterious pokemon that are said to be in the Slumbering Wield. I reckon if I look into some of Galar's lengends I might figure something out. Care to join me?" She gestured to the statue. "You're here already anyways."

"SURE! It'd be fun!" She turned to you."Hey. Y/n new to Galar. I don't think she even knows the legends."

"That's perfect then! While you're doing that, Im gonna go stand in that long like up there and secure a spot for us ok?"

"But I-" You raised a hand as theVictor turned and walked away leaving you with sonia and the other two...and you sighed. "I don't think I was that way when I was fourteen."

Sonia chuckled. "We were all like that at one point or another. But would you like to hear one of the legends? A newbie to Galar like you might enjoy some foreign tales."

"I'd like to hear too!"

You stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "Why not? I was just cast out from the little tribe."

She chuckled even more before she turned towards the statue. "Alright then. I'm sure you've seen the statue then.''

"Yeah." You rose a brow looking back up to the handsome man's golden face. "Who is he anyways?"

"It's a statue of the hero who once saved the Galar Region. I can run through the legend right quite if you fancy?" You nodded and that was all she needed to continue. "Long ago a great black storm covered the Galar Region." She gazed back to the statue. "People called it 'The Darkest Day'. The land was assaulted by gigantic pokemon but they were defeated by a single young hero bearing a sword and shield. This statue here is meant to depict the young hero of that legend. We still don't understand what kind of sword and shield the hero actually had. And what this 'black storm' is supposed to be is just another mystery. Whatever it was, it blotted all the skies across Galar. I suppose that tracks with it being 'the Darkest Day' but still..."

Hop blinked blinking at the golden statue's face and scratching his head. "Huh...I suppose that hero must've been about as strong as Lee then. Looks like you're going to have your hands full with plenty research though, Sonia. Black storms and swords and shields and all..."

"You'll be alright Sonia!"

She chuckled. "Heh. Thanks. I'll muddle through somehow. Don't you worry." She shook her head. "But legends aside. You three are staying at the hotel tonight though, right? Shouldn't you check in?"

"Probably so. Victor's holding our place in line." With a smiled similar to Leon he smiled widely at her. "And we'll look out for you too, Sonia! If we hear anything about any hero or whatnot we'll tell you!" Gloria nodded with a hum.

Sonia bowed her head in thanks to the two. "Thanks so much. Even if you don't find anything the thought's appreciated." As the kids said good byes and walked around her to a stair case you paused as she lifted her head and gazed at you. "I hope you enjoyed my little tale."

You smiled and nodded. "Yes. It was really entertaining. Thanks for telling me."

She nodded. "And thanks for taggin' along with the kids this far. I know we're practically strangers but there's just....I don't know....really good aura about you." You chuckled. You? Really good aura? That certainly was a first. "I'm sure Lee appreciates it too. He's always so worried about Hop. He practically raised him after all-" All of a sudden it was like a switch flipped off in her mind and her happy smile went to a sudden shocked face. "Oh no. I didn't mean to mention that. Please forget I even said that."

Your brow rose confus- "Y/N! C'MON! We got our room key already!"

You looked up to Gloria's call before back to Sonia before waving good bye and leaving. Wondering what the heck that was all about. Oh well. You had bigger things to worry about- Like the the fact that the three kids had gotten into a fight with four punk rockers!! You had just walked up the stairs and instantly was face to face with the three teenagers up in the faces of four people who dressed in black and red from their face paint to their outfits shouting something about they're going to cheer someone on and no one could stop them. You couldn't tell between the seven people shouting at one another and the front desk clerk trying to calm them down. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE YOUNG GIRL WHO STOPPED IT ALL!! She walked up the stairs and stopped next to your shocked state. A look of shock coming over her own face for a moment before she sighed and that snapped you out of your trance long enough for you to look at her. She was a teenager same around the same age as the other children with black hair tied back in two ponytails by red ribbon, a pink dress, with a black leather jacket and boots.

"What are you lot doin' here?" She had asked in what sounded what a brittish accent but you were sure Britain wasn't a thing in this world. Instantly the fighting stopped from the punk rockers as the they looked to her shocked like a couple toddlers caught taking candy. One shouted what you assumed was her name. Marnie you thought? As they stuttered out excuses. "I know you all are terribly curious 'bout the other gym challengers, but you gotta show a bit of restraint." Well it was nice of her to settle them down before she apologized. "Sorry 'bout them. They're just a bunch of my fans. Call themselves Team Yell and follow me around. cheerin' for me. I think they've let it all go to their heads a bit.....Come on you lot. Back home with you now!" She sighed as they guiltily slunk away past you down the stairs. "They're just so caught up with wantin' to support me and all that they tend to get a bit short with other Gym Challengers. Sorry if they caused you any trouble."

With that she simply walked past the lot of you, got her room key, and just walked away like it never even happened. You were still in a bit of shock but shook it off in favor of getting to the room you'd be bunking in with Gloria and have a small break from today. The inner workings weren't too different from the hotels you've been to before and was more than eager to plop yourself down and have a rest. The rest of the afternoon was a blur. At one point all three kids were sitting around the bed helping sort through Victor's collection of photos and helping Gloria glue in quite a lot of them into that small book of theirs. Hop mentioned about calling room service and Gloria suggested the four of you order each a different curry to help her fill in a bit of her curry challenge book as well. Which you had no problem against. It was free room service and you were interested in trying some of this world's curry since it was supposed to be world famous as Sonia told you. You ended up randomly choosing Sweet Curry as someone phoned it to the front desk and waited for it too arrive. It was pretty good. But it wasn't too different from Mrs. G's curry you had tasted other than the sauce on the rice tasted a mildly hot enough to be sweet. Of course that didn't stop Gloria was taking your curry's picture along with Hop's that had a massive egg in what was call a bitter boiled egg curry, Gloria's was a dry smoked tail curry(you hoped that wasn't an actual tail, and you think Victor's was leek curry with some kind of veggies decorating the plate. You ended up letting your sobble finish what food was leftover after you ate and soon you two found yourselves bidding the two boys good night and went to finally rest for the night. After getting a quick shower you decided it was best to go to bed since the actual Ceremony was tomorrow. Gloria had gotten the bed and you borrowed the sleeping bag Mrs. G had given Gloria. As the darkness slowly consumed your vision as your eyelids drooped you vaguely registered your sobble climbing on one of the shelves.

.........

CRASH!!

Both of you were startled away in the dark from a giant crash and a couple panicked chirps before you were tackled by an invisible spooked sobble burrowing under your arm as Gloria turned on the lamp to reveal the pokemon's mess.

"Y/n! Your sobble knocked over the shelf!"

"Uuuuuuhhhhh!!!"

#pokemon leon x reader #reader x leon #leon x reader #pokemon leon #pokemon sword #pokemon shield #pokemon sword and shield #pokemon swsh #a champion time for the heart

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englishstrawbie · 2 years

Text

Serendipity (35/?)

Fandom: Station 19, Grey’s Anatomy

Characters: Maya Bishop & Carina DeLuca

Summary: A chance meeting at a bar leads to these two idiots falling in love. Follows canon and fills in the gaps of their relationship that we didn’t get to see on screen.

Also @ AO3.

* * * * * * * * * *

Do Better

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. - Maya Angelou

They arrive at the station just before seven o’clock, tired and weary. Ben meets them in the parking lot; he has already seen the video – one of millions of people by now – and they fill him in with what really happened as they head inside. Maya trails behind at the back, her body lacking its usual bounce and enthusiasm for work. Feet drag across the floor as they trudge up the stairs towards the beanery. No-one has had any sleep and, despite the relief they share that Dean and Sullivan have been released without charge, the mood is deflated.

She is still thinking about what happened yesterday and how she handled things. She knows Dean thinks she got it wrong by bringing in the police, but what else was she supposed to do? They were off duty and she had to follow protocol. The girls are safe and she had done everything she could to get him out of jail, so that had to count for something. Still, she can feel the weird vibe between them and she doesn’t like it.

They are faced with another twenty-four hour shift, although she has already offered to call in C shift and switch the rota so that they can go home and get some rest – except for Maya herself, since tomorrow is the annual inspection and she needs to make sure the station is prepped and ready. It is the last thing she needs to worry about.

“When’s shift start again?” Jack asks, too tired to even retrieve his cell phone from his pocket and check the time.

“In about an hour,” Andy tells him as she follows him through the door.

“At least they didn’t hold Joyce as long as they held us,” Dean comments.

“Wait, did they drop all charges against her, too?” Vic asks.

“If they did, it's only 'cause someone filmed it,” Ben says.

They head straight into the break out room, finding a place to flop – a chair, a sofa, the floor. The mood is low and sombre.

“How vile do you have to be to lock up the mother of a kidnapped kid?” Travis says with disgust in his voice.

“And the firefighters who rescued the kidnapped kids,” Andy says.

Dean sits down in one of the chairs, leaning back and turning his head to look at her. “The black firefighters," he points out. “Just the black male firefighters.”

Maya’s instinct is to tell him he is being too sensitive but she knows it is not true. Maybe she was naïve before, but she can’t hide use that as an excuse any more. She has seen it with her own eyes. She steps into the room and looks around at her team. They are exhausted and it shows in every inch of their bodies. They might be used to intense stress and sleepless nights, but this is something different.

“You guys sure you want to work?” Maya asks them, expecting them all to want to go home. There is nothing she can do to change what happened yesterday, but she can give them time off to process it all – like she needs to do. “You must be exhausted.”

“The alternative's bringing home all this rage to my perfect little girl,” Dean says, “so...”

“Plus, today's inspection day,” Sullivan reminds her.

“No, that's tomorrow,” Maya says dismissively. She has been planning for this for months, she knows the date.

“I have it in my calendar for today,” Sullivan says. “And until recently, I was supposed to be the one doing the inspecting, so...”

Maya’s stomach drops. Shit. She can’t have got it wrong, can she? All eyes are on her as she pulls out her phone and checks her calendar. Yep, there it is, marked in red to remind her of its importance.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Maya cries. “Oh God.” She could kick herself for her stupid mistake, how did she get the date wrong? She feels the room deflate even more, if that is possible. She sighs heavily. “The inspection determines our budget for the entire year.”

“We'll reschedule,” Ben says diplomatically.

“Doesn't work like that,” Sullivan says. “They don't reschedule, we'll just fail. And I don't mean to be selfish, but...”

Maya feels her eyebrows arching in anticipation of what he is about to say.

“You're allowed to be selfish,” Vic tells him. “You're allowed to be whatever it is you need to be today.”

Maya knows she is cutting him some slack after he raced into the burning house behind Dean and helped save the two young girls, so she doesn’t say anything.

“I need to make a good impression,” Sullivan insists. “I need us to make a good impression. I can't lose anymore, I can't lose this house. I have a career to rebuild.”

It is important to Maya too – her first inspection since being promoted to Captain. She has a lot to prove in this male-dominated world. She knows that the fire department is full of people who think like Michael Dixon, who are watching her every move, who will jump at any chance to criticise her. She has no idea what they will make of yesterday’s events, or two of her team being arrested, or being caught up in a viral video that shows the Seattle police department in a bad light. She is pretty sure the Chief isn’t going to be happy about it, but that is a battle for another day.

“Okay, okay, look,” Andy says, standing up from the stool on which she was perched. “We know who we are. We've been prepping for this for weeks. We have to get this house in tip-top shape, let's just put our heads down and get through today.”

Maya nods, grateful that Andy’s pep talk has stopped them all from spiralling into despair at the thought of all the work ahead of them to be ready for Battalion Chief Gregory’s visit later that day. They start to move, dragging themselves to their feet.

“Okay, okay – we can do this,” Maya says resolutely, despite the guilt she feels at having to put them through their paces on a day when they really need an easy shift.

She leaves them in the break out room, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket as she makes her way downstairs to her office. She hasn’t checked in with Carina since their phone call last night and, with everything else going on, she longs to hear her girlfriend’s voice, telling her it will all be okay. Somehow, when Carina says it, she believes it.

Knowing she had an early start today, she doesn’t feel guilty about calling her at seven a.m. and hits the dial button, disappointed when it goes straight to voicemail.

“Hey, Carina. Just checking in. I hope your day is less eventful than my night was,” she says, trying to keep things light even though she feels a heavy weight on her shoulders, bearing down on her. She walks into her office. “Today is the annual inspection, which is the most important day of my captaincy so far,” she continues, dropping her bag on the floor and shrugging off her Gilet. “…and I thought it was tomorrow, so I'm not ready. I haven't slept or showered or eaten, or processed what I witnessed last night.”

She sits down on the chair in the middle of her office, momentarily relieved of the tension she has been holding in her body. “…and now I'm rambling on your voicemail because I miss you and – oh God, what if we fail? What if I fail?”

What if she does fail? She can hear her father’s voice in her head, telling her off for being distracted by silly nonsense instead of keeping her eye on the goal. It has been this way ever since she gave up running and decided to become a firefighter, her natural instinct to lean on his teachings and to wonder what he would tell her to do whenever a difficult situation arises. He doesn’t appear very often these days, but it is a habit she is still learning to break. She doesn’t need his approval any more, she has nothing to prove to him – but she is still the woman he moulded, still with a drive to succeed at all times.

“That is…”

The voicemail cuts off and she looks at her phone with despair, before throwing it onto her desk. Maybe Carina will pick up the message before her first appointment of the day and call her back with some words of wisdom.

She shakes the thought of her father out of her head. It is because she is tired, she tells herself. It is because she is wound up, because she is worried about her team and the inspection, and hasn’t seen her girlfriend for forty-eight hours.

Desperate to get out of the clothes she has been wearing for far too long and into something clean, Maya heads into the bunk room and shreds herself of her clothes, dumping them unceremoniously on the bed. She freshens herself up as best as she can and changes into her uniform. A ping alerts her to a message and she opens it quickly, happy when she sees Carina’s name.

About to video call.

Maya frowns. It is not like Carina to send her such short, curt messages. A video call comes through and she picks it up on her laptop for a bigger screen, sitting down at her desk. She can see immediately that Carina is in the car.

“Hey, should you be video calling while you’re driving?”

It is the firefighter in her that always worries about safety first. She has seen too many road traffic accidents caused by people distracted on their phones.

“It’s okay, Andrea is with me,” Carina says.

Andrew shifts the phone so that he comes into view alongside his sister.

“Hey Maya.”

“Hey. What’s going on?” Maya asks, curious about where they are headed so early in the morning when she knows that Carina should be at work.

“Andrea saw Opal at the hospital this morning,” Carina says. “She got into a car, we’re following her now.”

It is not what she was expecting to hear. “You’re what?” she exclaims.

“Did you see her yesterday?” Andrew jumps in before Carina can say any more.

“Yesterday?”

“Carina told me about the two girls who got abducted,” Andrew says. “Did you see a woman with red hair?”

“No, the house belonged to some guy called Bob,” Maya says. “There was no sign of anyone else.”

She is putting two and two together, and getting five.

“What makes you think they’re connected?”

“Okay, look, we don't have a lot of time to explain, alright?” Andrew says impatiently.

Maya doesn’t like sound of this at all, especially if Andrew is dragging her girlfriend into something that has the potential to get messy.

“Carina, are you okay?”

“Yes, we are safe for now, but...”

Maya doesn’t hear any more, as Ben walks into her office with his cell phone in his hand.

“Hey, Bishop, I just got a million texts from Andrew DeLuca, saying...”

He trails off when Maya picks up her laptop and turns the screen towards him so that he can see Andrew.

“Oh.”

Ben and Andrew exchange greetings as Ben walks around Maya’s desk, meeting her in the middle.

“Look, I've been trying Bailey a bunch, but...” Andrew starts.

“Yeah, she's finally getting some sleep, so don't bug her,” Ben says, protective of his wife. “What do you need?”

“They saw a woman at the hospital this morning and they think she's associated with what happened last night,” Maya says, although she still can’t connect the dots. But for as long as Carina is caught up in all this, she is going to go along with it.

“Yeah, well, we're not gonna let her get away this time,” Andrew says doggedly. “And she's got to be connected somehow to the guy that your team brought in last night. It's too much of a coincidence.”

Maya wants to disagree – it feels like a leap. But then she remembers yesterday, and her reluctance to believe the two desperate mothers until it was almost too late, so she is prepared to take that leap for now.

“Did you call the police?”

“Yeah, 'cause that worked out so well last night,” Ben comments.

Maya knows he is right to be cynical, but this feels way out of their control and she really is not comfortable with Carina and Andrew getting themselves involved in this without any back-up.

“Yeah, we tried the police, but they told us they'll follow up,” Carina says.

“So, your plan is just to follow her?” Maya questions.

Just because the police aren’t prepared to help, doesn’t mean that the next best thing is for her girlfriend and her brother to be playing car chase with a woman who might be a child trafficker. Just the thought of it is crazy.

“No, my plan is to not let this woman kidnap and torture other teenagers,” Andrew says.

“If we can follow her to a location or... or her home or something, at least we can give the police an address,” Carina says.

At least Carina has some sort of plan, but it still makes Maya feel anxious. Her mind is spinning as she tries to make sense of all this. They have just come from a messy situation, she doesn’t want Carina being dragged into another one – especially if it puts her at risk.

“Okay, Carina, this is crazy. You can't just follow some stranger all over the streets of Seattle,” Maya says.

She is ignored as they get distracted following Opal down a side road.

“She's stopping, pull over,” Andrew instructs his sister. “Pull over.”

“Who's stopping? Opal?” Maya asks, her frustrations starting to show.

“Okay, DeLuca, DeLuca! What are you doing?” Ben asks, equally frustrated.

They are both ignored this time as Andrew and Carina watch what is happening out of the window. Maya just hopes they are at a safe distance not to get spotted.

“She's talking to some man,” Carina says.

Great, now there is someone else involved in this. They have no idea who this guy is or what his role is in all this.

“Okay, Carina, these people could be really dangerous,” Maya points out.

“Yeah, they're dangerous to teenage girls,” Andrew says. “That's why we're here.”

“Stay in the car,” Maya pleads with them. At least they are safer in the car, she thinks.

“Look, you want to help? Cut through the red tape and get the police here right now,” Andrew says.

After yesterday’s fiasco, Maya has no idea how she is going to get the police on side, but she will figure it out – just as long as they stay safe. Maybe Officer Wicklund will be willing to help. After all, he looked pretty sheepish when he was confronted with the video of what had really happened and could no longer hide behind Schneider’s version of the truth. Maybe she can capitalise on that.

“Okay, we're on it,” she says. “Just please wait for the police.”

“We will,” Carina agrees.

“I'm not making any promises,” Andrew says.

Maya’s shoulders slump in defeat, her eyes staying on Carina, who meets them via the screen. She shoots Maya a look that tells her she will try, but they both know how determined Andrew is to catch Opal. She also knows that Carina will do whatever she has to do to support him this time around, especially since they had learned he was correct about Cindy Wright all along.

Maya slams the laptop shut in frustration. She shoots Ben a look that tells him not to say anything as she stalks over to the phone and picks it up, dialling the local police station.

“Officer Wicklund please,” Maya says when someone answers.

Wicklund takes her call at least, and is co-operative when she fires a series of questions at him and is willing to provide her with some information, but he is reluctant to help her push the case up the ranks to the right person.

“Okay, thank you.”

From the other side of the room, she hears Ben leaving a voicemail message for his wife as he matches her pacing up and down. When he hangs up, he turns towards her.

“Okay, I think Miranda has records, but I can't reach her,” he says. “I think she took a sedative.”

“It's okay, they were able to look up the incident at Grey-Sloan without the report number, but the detective assigned to the case is not in today,” Maya says.

“So?” Ben challenges her. “I mean, can't they get another detective? “

“They said they would try, but that it would take a while to process and to get them up to speed,” Maya says despondently.

“Unbelievable,” Ben says, shaking his head. “What about Ryan's old captain? Can he do us a favour?”

“Captain Rendon?”

It is a good idea – and the only alternative they have right now.

“We can try,” Maya says. She picks up the phone and dials another number, waiting for someone to answer. “Captain Maya Bishop, Station 19. Can I have Captain Rendon, please? I'll hold.”

“Um Andrew, he's…?” Ben starts to ask, but she cuts him off.

“He's stable,” Maya says. “He's been on his meds for months. He's getting sleep. He's good.”

She sounds more confident that she feels. She knows it is what Carina would say if she was here and, even if she is silently worried that Ben’s concerns might be justified, she is going to have his back.

On the other end of the phone, a police sergeant tells her that Rendon is unavailable right now. “”Will you please leave a message? Captain Maya Bishop, Station 19. It's urgent.”

Aggravated by the constant barriers, Maya puts the phone back in its holder, then immediately slams it into place four times before letting it go. Ben’s eyebrows raise and she shakes her head.

“Sorry. I’m just worried about what they’re getting themselves into, that’s all. I’d feel a lot more comfortable if they had back-up.”

Her gaze drifts through her office door to the entrance to the barn, where the team are working hard to get the station in top shape before today’s inspection.

“I don’t have time for this,” Maya says. “The inspection…”

“Some things are more important,” Ben reminds her.

“I know.” Maya lets out a sorrowful laugh. “I learned that the hard way yesterday. I got it so wrong.”

Ben raises his eyebrows curiously, but doesn’t ask her what she means.

“Are you gonna tell them?” Ben asks.

“You think I should?”

“After what they all went through yesterday, it’s not fair to keep them in the dark.”

“I don’t know,” Maya says with a shake of her head. “Miller…”

“Miller’s allowed to be pissed,” Ben says.

“I know that,” Maya says. “I just… you know how they’re gonna react when I tell them.”

“They?”

As soon as she says it, she knows how it sounds.

“I didn’t… I mean…”

“Yeah, I know,” Ben says, more kindly than she thinks she deserves. “Look, if there’s a chance that Andrew’s right and this woman they’re following, Opal, is connected to those two girls getting kidnapped, then maybe we need to give them the back-up that the police aren’t giving. Maybe there’s a chance to finally catch her.”

Maya tips her head to one side. “How are we gonna do that? The Chief is going to be here in…” She checks her watch. “… two hours.”

“I have no idea,” Ben says. “That’s way outside of my pay grade.” He steps backwards and holds out a hand, gesturing towards the door. “But you still need to tell them.”

Maya takes a deep breath and nods her head, then strides forwards, Ben close behind her. They head into the barn and she walks around the back of the fire truck to where the team are working hard.

“Listen up – announcement!” she says loudly, getting everyone’s attention. “Carina and her brother, Andrew DeLuca, are...” She falters, looking at Ben who shrugs. “They think they have eyes on one of the kidnappers.”

“Jada and Shanice?” Vic asks.

“No, no, the girls are okay. The girls are safe,” Maya assures her. “The guy from yesterday is still in custody, but we think his partner was at the hospital last night.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Carina and Andrew are doing what?” Jack says.

“Following her,” Ben answers.

Andy’s eyebrows arch. “Following her?”

“Correct,” Maya says, barely meeting her eyes. She knows what Andy is thinking just by the tone of her voice.

“Okay, good,” Vic says resolutely. “So, what do we do? How do we help?”

“I take it the police aren't rushing to the scene?” Dean says, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

“There's a lot of red tape,” Maya admits.

“Right, but you just keep calling it in,” Dean chides.

Maya looks at him, but he turns his gaze downwards. She understands why he is pissed at her and she doesn’t take the bait.

“Okay, look, I'm going. I'm just gonna take the aid car and…”

As soon as Ben says it, everyone else jumps in, offering to go with him. Maya feels torn, the inspection is too important to mess up but she knows that Ben is right – Carina and Andrew can’t do this by themselves.

“You can't all go, not if we want to pass inspection,” Maya reminds them.

“We just say that we're at an incident,” Dean suggests.

“It's not an incident, Miller,” Maya says, losing her patience a little. “Right now, it's just my girlfriend and her brother chasing someone in a car.”

“Wow, you really gonna just…”

“I'm what, Miller?” Maya challenges him.

She can feel his frustration with her – she is frustrated too. She doesn’t know what to do. She is the captain, the leader, and she feels like she has no power and no control in this situation.

Before they can get into it, Ben jumps in.

“Okay, I'm going. So who's coming?”

The team continue to squabble, all of them wanting to get involved. Dean is the loudest.

“Miller, Miller, you cannot get cuffed twice in twenty-four hours, man. For Pru,” Jack points out. “Maybe I can get some leverage as lieutenant or something.”

“Or something?”

Maya decides to step in, giving a command as captain.

“Gibson, Warren, go. The rest of you, there is still a lot to do around here.”

There is a part of her that wants to jump into the aid car with them, but she needs to be here when Gregory shows up.

Ben and Jack dash off to the aid car, while the others go back to their chores. Maya starts to retreat, until she hears Dean calling out after her.

“Aren't we gonna wait for the cops like you made me wait yesterday?”

Maya stops and turns.

“I told you what was going on in that house, I told you that I wanted to go in. No, and you ignored that black mother's cries because you waited on a cop who refused to help her!”

She wants to interject but she doesn’t know what to say because she knows that there is nothing she can say, so she just takes it.

“Those girls had to set a fire to get your attention, when you…” he takes a breath. “…you could have just had my back!”

Maya watches as he shakes his head and walks away. She can feel the rest of the team looking at her, curious about her reaction to Dean’s attack. She lowers her eyes and walks away, her face flushed with embarrassment. They know it is not like her not to bite back, but she can’t – not about this. She knows Dean is right. She let him down.

She heads back into her office and picks up her cell phone. The screen lights up with a short message from Carina, telling her that they have just pulled up outside the train station. She is about to fire a message back to her when Jack’s voice comes through the radio.

Captain Bishop, we have plate numbers for the police – VTQ 864. These are Idaho plates.

Maya picks up the radio. “Copy.”

She writes it down on the notebook in front of her, then picks up the phone and calls the station again.

“This is Captain Bishop…”

The sergeant on the other end starts to tell her that Rendon still isn’t available, but she won’t allow it this time. She has had enough of getting the brush off.

“No! I need to speak to him, now!”

After a bit more pushing, Captain Rendon finally comes on the line.

“Captain Bishop,” he greets her. “I hear you’ve been very persistent with my desk sergeant.”

“I’m sorry, Sir, but this can’t wait,” Maya says.

She dives into the whole story – the kidnapped girls from yesterday, the kidnapper at the hospital where a known child trafficker was seen early this morning, a pair of doctors from Grey Sloan on their tail (she avoids the part about her personal connection to them) and two of her team hot on their heels. She gives him a description of Opal and the plate numbers that Jack gave her, and he puts her on hold for five minutes while he does a quick check.

“Well, it seems your friends are on to something,” Rendon says when he comes back on the line. “This woman, Opal, is known to us. She’s been under investigation for some time thanks to her links to a child trafficking ring. The vehicle you gave us? It’s registered to a Robert Corson – he’s the man you came across yesterday. As well as the house here in Seattle where he was keeping those two girls, his name is also against a rental property in Boise, Idaho. If you’re right that Opal was at the hospital, I suspect it’s no coincidence. It’s likely that they’re moving kids across the border. I’ve spoken to the detective who’s leading this case and he’s on his way in. I’m sending Officer Patterson out, he’s one of our best and most experienced. We’re bringing in the FBI too. Where are your friends now?”

“Uh, Seattle Center train station,” Maya tells him, re-reading the message from Carina.

“Tell them to sit tight, we’re sending our people there now.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Maya says. “Thank you.”

“You know, if Tanner was around, he wouldn’t let this one go either,” Rendon says.

Maya feels a sadness wash over her at the mention of her friend.

“No, he wouldn’t,” Maya says with a small smile.

Rendon passes on the details of Officer Patterson so that she has a direct line to him, before ending the call. As soon as she can, Maya picks up her radio.

“The car is registered to Robert Corson,” Maya says. “He's the guy from last night. The Idaho plates mean that they're probably trafficking over state lines. FBI's getting involved and the cops are on their way.”

She hears Ben’s voice in reply. Copy that, Captain.

Maya is just about to call Carina to let her know when she sees Dean walking out of the barn with a bucket and cleaning materials in his hand. She wants to make peace with him, but she knows it is not going to be easy. Still, she has to try to make things right.

“Miller, good news,” she says, catching his attention. “The FBI engaged and the local police are on scene.”

She knows she sounds too formal, but she is keeping her guard up in case he is ready to get into it with her again.

“That's good to hear, Captain,” Dean says, his tone polite. She can feel them at odds and doesn’t like it. He gives her a respectful nod, then turns and starts to walk up the stairs.

“Dean,” Maya calls after him, softening her tone.

Dean stops and turns, retracing his steps back down the stairs.

“I’m sorry,” Maya says. “I got it wrong yesterday.”

It is a simple apology but she knows that anything more will sound like an excuse. She waits to see if does anything to repair their friendship.

“It might be a minute before I graciously accept your apology, Captain,” Dean says eventually.

It is not a cold reaction, but it isn’t exactly warm either. She hates that the exchange feels so awkward, but at least he doesn’t throw it back in her face.

“Understood,” she says.

Dean makes his way upstairs, as Maya turns and goes back into her office. She picks up her cell phone and goes to call Carina’s number, pausing only when she hears someone being greeted at the front desk. She panics. It can’t be Gregory already, he’s not due yet. She steps outside to investigate, relieved to learn it is a young guy with a broken finger who has come in hoping for some medical assistance. All it needs is a bandage, and she leaves him with Larsson, dialling Carina’s number as she heads back into her office.

She answers after a couple of rings.

“Maya, we have no news,” Carina says.

“I do,” Maya says. “The cops are on their way.”

“Ah great,” Carina says. Maya can hear the relief in her voice.

“Okay, thank you. Thank you, Maya,” Andrew says. “You know, you're my favourite girlfriend Carina's ever had? And there's been a lot.”

“No, don't listen to him,” Carina says.

Maya laughs, glad to hear them both joking. Except the momentary relief from the intensity of this morning doesn’t last long.

“She’s getting out,” she hears Carina say.

“Who's getting out?” Maya asks.

She hears Carina call after her brother – No Andrea! – and she starts talking in Italian. Maya is lost as to what is happening, but the relief she felt at finally feeling some control over the situation quickly disappears.

“Okay, what’s he doing?” Maya demands to know.

Carina continues to call out after her brother. “Maya, I have to hang up.”

“What? No, no, no… don’t hang up!”

The line goes dead.

“Fuck!” Maya cries into her empty office. She throws her cell phone on to the table and drops into her chair, her head in her hands.

She tries calling Carina back, but the line is busy. A couple more minutes and the police would have been there. Why the hell did they have to get out the car?

Maya sits and watches her phone, hoping Carina will call, but it sits silently on her desk, taunting her. She has no idea what to do now. The silence annoys her, until it is broken by the sound of crackling from the radio.

Captain Bishop, they’re getting on a train. Now, we're not sure where they're headed, but we're driving to the nearest train station now. Tell the police to standby.

Maya picks up the radio. “What? Why? Why did they...” She gives up trying to understand what the hell is going on. “Okay, okay, okay.”

She leans back and grabs a folder from the shelf behind her, and flips through the pages to a map of the train network.

“North or south?” she asks into the radio.

“We don’t know,” comes Ben’s reply. “Wait – I just got a message.”

Maya holds her breath as she waits for an answer.

“South. They’re heading south.”

“Copy.”

Maya picks up the phone and dials the cell phone number that Rendon gave her.

“Officer Patterson? This is Maya Bishop from the Seattle Fire Department,” she introduces herself.

“Ah yes, Captain Bishop, thank you for your help today,” the police officer says. “We’re almost at the train station.”

“About that – the suspect, Opal, is on the move. She’s about to board a train heading south.”

“Which station?”

She double-checks the map. “South Lake Union.”

“Okay, we’ll head there too.”

He ends the call and Maya falls back in her seat, sighing heavily. Her eyes fall on the clock on the wall. The time is ticking closer to Chief Gregory’s visit and he is due in just over one hour, but she knows it is possible that he will turn up early to catch them out. She can’t just sit here and wait for news, it is driving her crazy.

She wants to call Carina, to check that she is safe, but if they are on a train following Opal then Maya doesn’t want to draw attention to them by making Carina’s phone ring.

Instead, she stands up and heads into the bunk room, stripping her clothes and changing into her Class A dress uniform. Her heart isn’t in this inspection, her head certainly isn’t. Her team have pulled it together without her help, despite everything they went through last night. She needs to remember to tell them thank you when this is all over. Maybe they can reschedule that day-drinking they had planned for yesterday, once everything has calmed down.

Once she is dressed, Maya looks at herself in the mirror. She usually feels such pride in her uniform, in the two stripes on her sleeve, but today that pride feels tainted. It doesn’t mean anything if they are not making a difference – and how can they make a difference when there is so much red tape holding them back? When every step they take is judged instead of supported?

She knows she will be criticised for what happened yesterday – despite what happened to those girls and her team. She will probably get criticised for today too, for letting Ben and Jack go out in the aid car when no emergency has been called in. She cares about that, of course she does; she wants to be good at her job – she wants her superiors to think that she is good at her job – but is she truly good at her job if she doesn’t fight against the things that her gut is telling her are wrong?

She has a choice, and she has made her decision by the time Andy shows up in her office.

“Helmets are polished, hoses are stacked. You could eat off the floor in the beanery,” Andy announces. “I know it's not much considering everything, but my dad always taught me, sometimes you take it from the outside in, and from the outside this station is looking pretty good right now.”

She leans back against the cupboards and watches as Maya straightens her desk.

“Battalion Chief Gregory's gonna be another hour, at least,” Maya says.

She can’t do this. She can’t be here, not when her girlfriend is chasing a criminal across the city. Not when she doesn’t know what is going on. Her dress coat feels heavy and she starts to remove it, disappearing into the captain’s bunk and hanging it up in the small wardrobe inside.

“Copy. You want me to make sure that…”

“I want you to be in charge of the station while I'm gone,” Maya says. She emerges from the bunk and walks over to the door, grabbing her SFD jacket. “I can't just stay here while Carina's...”

“Wait,” Andy objects. “Hold on… Maya, this inspection defines your role as captain; as the...”

“…first female captain of Nineteen, I'm aware,” Maya says. She sits down on the chair to change her shoes. “But I can't play by the rules I witnessed yesterday. The whole first female captain thing implies that if I don't play by every single rule, then I'm failing. And if I don't do this job like the men before me did it, then I'm not up for the task. But I played by every single rule yesterday. I went against my gut and those girls had to set a fire to save their lives because I was playing by the rules. Because I was worried about how it would look on paper. And these people, these disgusting, soulless human beings are kidnapping children and holding them hostage and selling them.”

She stands up, the words falling from her mouth as she lets all her frustrations out. “And there is something more that we can do. So, I'm gonna show up.” She turns and grabs the keys to the fire command car from her desk. “I'm a first responder. I'm gonna respond, and if that means it's the last day as the first female captain, then I can live with that.”

It’s not really a choice, she realises, and she is so resolute that Andy knows there is no changing her mind.

“I'll get everyone in their Class As,” she says. “Go.”

Maya shoots her a grateful smile as she rushes out the door. She jumps into the fly car and puts the siren on, speeding through traffic towards South Lake Union train station. It has already been ten minutes since she last heard from Warren, which means that Carina and Andrew are probably already on the train. She dodges traffic and pulls into the underpass just seven minutes later.

Ben and Jack get out of the Air Car when they see her pull up next to them.

“What's the status?” she demands to know as soon as she gets out of the car.

“They should be pulling up soon,” Ben says.

Maya is relieved to know that she has got here just in time. “Okay. When the cops get here, we'll post at both exits. Can you send me the photo of Opal that Andrew sent to you?”

She heads towards the station entrance, pulling on a mask as she walks, and calls over the first security guard she sees. She doesn’t have time to get into any detail, but trusts that her badge and status as Fire Captain will give her the credentials she needs to command him to follow her lead. She tells them to look out for a woman in her forties with red hair and shows him the photo of Opal.

“Bishop!” Ben calls out to her.

Maya scurries back towards the aid car. “What?”

“Carina just text me. They’re pulling into the station now.”

In stroke of good luck, or just coincidental timing, Maya hears sirens and turns just as two police cars pulls up behind her. An officer steps out of one and walks towards them.

“Captain Bishop?”

His name badge reads Patterson, the cop that Rendon sent her way.

“We have the doors covered.” She holds up her phone. “This is a photo of Opal.”

Patterson recognises her straight away from the file he was sent. “She's a 4100 suspect.” He turns to his team of officers. “Let's go. Take the right side and the left side. Let's move!”

They disperse, heading in different directions. Maya has been on a few stake outs with the police, but usually at a distance. Today she is right in the middle of it as she follows the police officers to the station entrance. All eyes are on the recently alighted passengers, all blondes and brunettes so far.

“That’s her!” Jack calls out.

“Here we go,” Patterson says under his breath.

An officer steps up to her. “Ma’am, freeze!”

The woman spins as the officer grabs her arm. “Hey!”

It’s not her, it’s not Opal, and Maya sighs with frustration. They are so close, they can’t miss her now. They keep looking, eyes on everyone who comes out of the doors.

“Over there, over there!” Ben suddenly says. “There, there, there!”

Maya spins and sees the red-headed woman, as sure as she can be that it is Opal. She has to stop herself from launching forwards, holding back and letting the team of officers do their job.

Patterson grabs his radio. “We think she’s exiting the north side of the building.”

His team surrounds her. “Ma’am, freeze!”

Opal feigns confusion. “What’s going on?” she asks, putting her hands in the air.

She doesn’t fool anyone though and Maya watches from a close distance as she is cuffed and read her rights. She turns to share a look with Ben and Jack as Opal is put into the back of a police car. She is not giving much away, her body stiff as she is guided into the back of the car.

“It's interesting how they didn't shove her face into the ground,” Jack comments.

As the police car pulls away, they make their way back towards their vehicles. Maya pulls out her cell phone and goes straight to Carina’s number.

“We should let Carina and Andrew know,” she says.

“I’m surprised they’re not here,” Ben says, looking around in case they have caught the end of the show.

Before Maya has the chance to make the call, the radio crackles.

“Aid car nineteen, are you still at South Lake Union?”

Jack grabs his radio. “This is nineteen, yes we are.”

“We’ve had reports of a stabbing victim in the main concourse, can you attend?”

Maya stops, her body frozen. Jack turns towards her, his wide, shocked eyes looking at her over the top of his mask.

“Copy. We’ll be right there.”

Ben is already on the move, pulling open the back of the aid car to grab the gurney.

“Bishop? Maya?”

Maya shakes her head. No, she’s not okay.

A stabbing victim, that’s all they said. But there is a heavy feeling in her stomach.

She starts to run, ignoring the car horns that scream at her when she crosses the road without looking. She charges up the steps and into the station, weaving through the crowds as she makes her way to the main concourse.

As she runs, there is only one thing on her mind:

Carina.

#station 19 #grey's anatomy #maya bishop #carina deluca #station 19 fanfiction #my fanfiction #serendipity #I'm so close to putting a final chapter number on this fic!#(but I also keep changing my mind lol)

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