#and 4500 words ago
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Flip the Board - pt 3
Part One - Part Two
This is going to have to migrate to Ao3. I'm incapable of keeping things short. I'll try to catch everyone in tags when I post part four, which will flip this to posting by chapter, rather than by scene.
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Eddie didn’t skip as he rushed out the side door of the school, headed for the parking lot, but it was close to it. Dustin was standing with his back to the school, next to the van, imitating Harrington’s frustrated mom pose, with a lunchbox hanging from his left hand, and his backpack over his shoulders. Max was leaning against the van, while Lucas argued, and Mike glowered.
Good progress, but they needed to get moving and were two party members shy of a successful departure.
Eddie hurried over, clapping to bleed off the excess energy, then flung open the door. Ignoring the random stuttered confusion, he snagged his supply and shoved it under the driver’s seat, then reached for bags and whatever else they had on them.
“What the hell?” Max asked as he yanked the skateboard out of her hands.
“Chill, Red, I’m not stealing your board, you’re coming too.”
“No, really, what the hell?” Lucas added.
“Shh, Sinclair. Hold your questions til the end of class. Dustin, you’re three for five. Did they not want to skip out? I don’t care. They have to. Do I need to go back for them? Come on. Chop chop. Where’s Robin and Wheeler?”
“I’m right here?”
“Wheeler the Elder,” Eddie amended with a flap of his hand, “You, Sir Michaelmas, are already accounted for.”
“Okay, Dustin, what shit is this?!” Mike snapped. He turned to face off with Dustin, and Lucas turned with him. “You said this was Code Red.”
Dustin was his favorite.
Kid didn’t blink, didn’t hesitate, didn’t even glance at Eddie for confirmation. Which was one hell of a thing since it was Dustin, who can, did, and would question everything he encountered -- all at the top of his lungs. It wasn’t like Eddie took the time to explain a damn thing after telling him to get the others. Yeah, Dustin tried to ask something after Eddie told him to get the others, but lunch was ending and step one had to start immediately, so Eddie sprinted out of the theater and trusted that Dustin would listen.
“It IS a Code Red.”
“How the hell would he even know to say that? He probably just overheard you talking about something and thought it would be a good joke.”
“It isn’t a joke,” Dustin insisted. “This is real. He knows something, and it’s serious.”
“Nancy graduated last year, but we’re supposed to think this is real?” Lucas said.
Oh shit.
“Just because he doesn’t know everything doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Steve gets things wrong all the time and we still listen to him!”
Maybe this meant that the vision thing wasn’t real. Eddie scrambled backwards in his head, trying to figure out if he knew that or not. He saw her around all the time. Around the school all the time. She was in Hawkins during spring break.
Whoops?
Apocalypse canceled?
Oh wait.
No. Dammit.
He remembered this. He already knew this. Wheeler mentioned it after a couple campaign sessions. Damn. So much for hope. For a second he thought he hadn’t received some insane prophetic revelation.
“She’s working for the paper right?” Eddie interrupted before Mike could yell. “I knew that, sort of. A bit. I knew she was in Hawkins. That counts. It isn’t relevant to this. Got confused. Don’t complain, Wheeler junior, would you rather I know everything your sister does? I know you hate it when Steve talks to her, would you rather it was me?”
Mike’s eyeroll was the most ridiculous, but Lucas and Max joined in.
Dustin was officially Eddie’s only child now; steadfast little shithead.
Eddie clapped again.
“Right! Dustin! Where are the other two?”
“Okay. I told the others.” Dustin scowled a promise that all this good behavior was going to be repaid with the mother of all favors, but he answered, “Robin wasn’t sure when Steve finished his shift. She only knew it was before class ended today. She went to call him and see if Nancy was in the newspaper office. She’s either gonna show up with Nancy in a minute, or she’s going to be out here to let us know where Steve and Nancy are.
“And,” he continued, “The rest of Hellfire is pissed at you. Gareth said he was going to plan a coup for Hellfire and for Corroded Coffin. I am being very patient right now. It is taking everything I have to sound This Calm, but, Eddie, Dude, you need to start answering questions before I think you’re a Russian spy.”
Eddie blinked.
“Uh.” Blinked again. “What do Russian spies have to do with demo-monsters and the Upside Down?” The kids all jumped when he said that name. He waved his hand, clearing it like a bad smell. “Dammit. Okay. Never mind, gotta learn about the communist infiltration later. Mayfield?”
“What now, Munson?”
“Don’t with that tone, Red. You have your walkman with you? Put it on. Kate Bush. Running Up that Hill. It’s your favorite song. Keep rewinding and listening until we can make you a loop tape.”
“What the hell?”
“Just put the headphones on.”
“Why should I listen to some dipshit who didn’t even know about the Russians?”
“Because you’re in trouble. The life-in-danger kind of trouble. Not the ‘you’re grounded’ kind.”
She snorted. For a second, Eddie saw how the others hadn’t noticed. She was good at fronting, if he hadn’t seen her before, he would believe it.
“Have you been having headaches? Have you been having awful nightmares and thinking you’re hearing things and been thinking about how maybe it would be easier if--” He stopped before he outed any secrets. She heard what he didn’t say, and the suddenly serious look on her face was confirmation. “Just do it. It’ll keep you safe.”
Lucas had her walkman out already, skipping past the need to understand and lunging for her bag the second Eddie persuaded him. Good. That was good. Lucas would be good at this, and if he stuck with her, that was better odds on saving a second one. Their plan, using her, using a kid as bait for the interdimensional hell wizard was bullshit, and he wasn’t doing that again. No fucking way.
He knew the bats dropped, but he also knew the ground shook and there was a noise like the world tore apart right at the end.
That was the last shot of the movie that arrived in his brain half an hour ago. A sound like the world screaming, louder than Dustin’s yelling, and then; a cafeteria.
Maybe Max and the others pulled it off. Maybe they didn’t. He wasn’t gambling on this stuff.
“Eddie.”
“Dustin.”
“Are you going to explain stuff? Cause I’m trusting you right now, but even if I was okay not knowing what the hell, and I’m not, and you know that, even if I was going to be okay with it, no one else is going to be.”
“Yeah. You don’t know about this stuff,” Mike added.
“I didn’t,” Eddie tossed back, stressing the past tense.
“And you learned about all of this while standing on a table in the middle of the cafeteria?”
For once, Nancy Wheeler’s ability to instantly override any conversation she entered was a blessing. Eddie didn’t know how to answer Mike’s question except with a plain ‘yes’ which would do exactly nothing to clarify any of this.
“Munson, if this is some kind of a joke, I will personally ensure that you do not graduate,” she announced as she joined them, deadly serious. “You have no idea how serious this is, and you can’t decide to use it as a prank the day before Spring Break because you think it’ll be funny.”
Eddie turned and smiled, “Ms Nancy Wheeler, you’re looking as delightfully felonious as ever.”
“Munson.”
“Not a joke,” he cut her off. “Robin, where’s Steve right now?”
“Well he was at Family Video, but I called and told him Dustin called Code Red, and I think he tried to spontaneously teleport to the school to help before I finished the sentence. Luckily he smacked into the edge of the counter, so he stopped to listen for a sec, so I told him to go home and we’d meet him there. But that was a couple minutes ago, so he’s probably breaking driving laws and freaking out right now. By the time we get there, he’s going to be at least half as freaked out as I am right now.”
“What is going on?” Nancy hissed.
“Normal Hawkins shit, apparently,” Eddie said, “It’s the end of the world and I know what’s coming.”
“Bullshit. This isn’t a joke. I don’t know how you found out about any of this, but this isn’t one of your games!”
The fizz of victorious energy he floated on tempered by a few points. Eddie heard the sharp edge of Nancy’s voice, and held it up against the fear as she described Vecna’s plan. There were similarities. She didn’t believe him yet, but she believed it was possible.
The others continued bickering while he and Nancy squared off.
“He isn’t joking,” Dustin repeated stubbornly.
“Oh, so our DM suddenly knows about the Upside Down and we’re just supposed to trust he isn’t making it a story?” Mike yelled.
“It’s Eddie! Of course we trust him!”
“Well,” Robin dragged out the word, “some proof would be nice.”
“You want proof that I’m not joking, Nancy?” Eddie hummed a little, and kept his focus on her. Goddamn, at least this bullshit was giving him some top shelf opportunities for dramatics. He waited until the quiet got a tiny bit tense, then quietly, simply, said, “In 1983, your shoe boxes were full of shoes. Now they’re full of guns. Pick them up on the way to Harrington’s, would you? All of them.”
“What.” Her face froze, blank.
He had more things he could say, but if he could convince Nancy, he figured the kids would shut up until they got everyone in one place. She was scary enough to buy him a little more time.
“Am I wrong?”
“How do you know that?”
“Told you. End of the world and I know what’s coming.”
She nodded once, cautious and serious.
Eddie clapped his hands loudly to break the mood, and turned back to the gremlins. “Max, Lucas, Robin, you’re with me. Dustin, Mike, go with Nancy. ”
“No, get back here, Munson, how do you know that? How do you know any of this?”
“Yeah, sorry, I would, but we’re on the clock. I’m not gonna waste time doing this song and dance twice aaaaaaaand, tragically, for me, but excellent news for Henderson; I need Harrington.”
#Flip the Board#time travel fix it#Eddie Munson#Steddie#not that they've spoken yet#but give me and eds a break#he was bleeding to death half an hour#and 4500 words ago
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Always Ever Only You Part 34 | Rooster x Reader
Summary: Without you at home, Bradley's big mouth is about to get him in trouble. As he counts down the hours until he can pick you up from the airport, you wrap up your trip to Maryland with a visit to your childhood home. However, you're not as smooth as you think you are. By the time you get back to San Diego, you are an absolute train wreck, and some secrets have been revealed.
Warnings: Swearing, pregnancy topics, angst, fluff
Length: 4500 words
Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader
This was written to accompany my series Is It Working For You? along with a bunch of my one-shots and other series, but it can be read on its own! Check my masterlist for the reading order. Always Ever Only You masterlist. Gorgeous banner by @mak-32
On Thursday morning, Bradley got to work a little bit early. He just needed to make a tiny detour to one of the database computers. He really wasn't sure if you realized that you told him Commander Patterson's first name last night, or if you let it slip by accident, but now that he knew it, he just wanted to check him out.
Every trip you took to Annapolis turned into some sort of disaster at one point or another. He couldn't imagine you were out there looking for trouble, but it sure did find you in the form of Derek or Josh. You were the most capable person Bradley knew, but he loved and respected you enough to know that sometimes you needed a break. Right now, he just wanted to bring you back home and take care of every tiny need or want that you or the baby might have. He'd honestly fucking delight in that.
As soon as he logged into the system, Bradley typed in your full name, complete with Bradshaw hyphenated at the end. A second later, your image appeared on the screen complete with lovely smile and gorgeous eyes. "That's my Baby Girl," he muttered, still captivated by this photo of you.
He forced his fingers back to the keyboard, but no results appeared when he looked for Derrick Patterson. He tried Paterson. Then he tried Derick. Then he tried Derek Patterson and saw the face of the asshole who made his wife cry over a steak dinner. Were you more emotional right now than perhaps you would usually be? Absolutely. But that was only because you were pregnant. As soon as you told him you had a positive pregnancy test, Bradley's number one concern in this world simply switched from his wife to his wife and his child.
This guy looked like a real tool. Forty-four years old. Ranked up to Commander two years ago. Worked in a simulation lab. Had the same degrees from the Naval Academy that you earned. "Yeah, well I can guarantee you're not as smart as her, you motherfucker."
He took another minute to memorize what he saw there before logging out. Maybe he'd ask Maverick about him. Cyclone and Warlock would be good resources, too. Bradley just hated that he wasn't able to make you feel safe and comfortable at the moment, but as soon as he picked you up tomorrow, he'd take care of everything.
When he started to head out to the tarmac, he literally ran into someone while he was adding steaks to the grocery list he saved in his phone. He didn't know how to cook a steak, but he'd get them just in case you were still in the mood for one. "Sorry," he muttered, not really looking up, too concerned with what else you might want.
"It's okay, Bradley."
Then he did look up into the dark eyes of Maria Wilson. "Hey," he said with a smile at your good friend. "I've been meaning to ask you... how's rooming with Bob going for you?"
"Great," she replied with a little shrug and a completely neutral expression. "He's clean and courteous, and I think the arrangement is going to work out really well."
If he didn't know better, Bradley would have believed nothing was going on. She was that good. But he did know better. He wasn't going to do Bob dirty, so he just nodded and said, "I hope it does work out. I've always felt a little bad about stealing my wife away from you."
She just laughed and said, "Like we didn't all see that coming a mile away."
He wandered off with a grin on his face after he said goodbye. He was planning on making a few stops on the way home before Jake showed up to workout together later. Bradley just had to get through one more night and then you'd be back.
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You were an idiot for eating two steaks and seventeen pounds of sides and then passing out for the night. Sure, at the time, it seemed like the best idea you'd ever had. Derek's porterhouse hit the fucking spot like nothing else. The potatoes were creamy and delectable. The brussels sprouts? A thing of beauty.
But Thursday morning, you were back to your normal routine of throwing up as soon as you got out of bed. "I get it, okay?" you gasped as you sprawled out on the bathroom floor. "I understand," you added, letting your hand settle on your belly. "You miss your Dad. Well guess what. I miss him, too. Now will you stop acting out if I promise to take you home tomorrow?"
A soft gurgle as your stomach started to settle was the response you got, and that was actually better than you could have hoped for. When you heard tapping on your hotel room door, you knew it was Cat, and you wanted to cry. You were wearing Bradley's UVA shirt and a pair of your ratty underwear and nothing else, and she'd just keep knocking until you answered.
"I'm coming," you moaned, actually crawling most of the way there. You pulled yourself up and then cracked the door open a few inches, and you were met with Cat's appraising eyes. "Hi."
"I just wanted to know if you wanted to get breakfast with me," she said cautiously.
"No, I'm good, but thanks for asking." You tried to close the door, but her foot was immediately preventing that.
"Are you sick?" she asked. "I can bring something back for you."
"No, I'm okay," you told her. Your stomach lurched, and your eyes went wide. You had about ten seconds to get rid of her and make it to the toilet. You didn't know what to do as saliva pooled at the back of your tongue. You started to gag as your eyes filled with tears.
"Hey," she said softly. "If something's wrong, you can tell me."
But you shook your head and let go of the door, making a mad dash back into the bathroom. You barely made it to your knees in front of the toilet before you barfed again. "Why?" you moaned, wiping your mouth with toilet paper before rolling onto the bath mat which had become your best friend.
"Oh my god," Cat muttered as she walked right into your hotel room bathroom. She flushed the toilet and then turned to the sink and started to fill one of the disposable cups with water. "You're pregnant," she stated plainly. "You could have told me, you know. Congratulations, by the way."
As she knelt on the floor next to you, she helped you sit up. You accepted the cup from her and said, "It's just food poisoning." She blinked at you a few times, giving you no wiggle room to lie to her. "Fine," you admitted with a little smile, "I'm pregnant."
She ran the backs of her fingers along your forehead while you sipped the water. "How far along are you?"
"About nine or ten weeks," you whispered as you closed your eyes for a few beats. "I'm just really tired and really fucking sick. I felt good last night, but now I feel terrible again."
Cat took the empty cup from your hand and wrapped you up in a soft hug. "Thank you for holding it together for the presentation. Now you need to get back into bed."
You shook your head and said, "I need to get up and moving so I can go see my parents later."
"No," she said firmly, guiding you back to the bed. "You need to rest right now. You'll feel better if you do."
Part of you wanted to make sure your suitcase was closed so she didn't see your vibrators, but mostly you didn't even care. She had a certain way about her that was calming you down, and as soon as you were in the bed, she tucked you in. You almost believed her when she told you that resting would help you feel better.
"Where's your room key?" she asked once you were curled up on your side.
You let one hand sneak out from under the covers and pointed. "Next to the TV."
She patted your shoulder and promised she would be back soon, and then she was gone. You dozed on and off while your stomach gurgled, and you missed a few texts from Bradley. When Cat eventually opened your door and let herself in, you were actually feeling hungry. And that's when you noticed two bags and a cup carrier in her hands.
Quietly, she set everything down on your nightstand including some orange juice that almost brought a tear to your eye. Somehow she knew that was what you needed when you didn't even know yourself. You sat up as she poked a hole in the lid and handed it to you, and you drank half of it down in one sip.
"You need to eat something," she whispered, taking the cup away again. "I got you a bagel with cream cheese, an egg sandwich, a few different kinds of donuts and a muffin."
You reached for the bagel, and she unwrapped it for you. "I'll pay you back," you rasped, but she shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. Just make the baby happy, and we're square," she replied as she sank down into the chair beside the bed.
But you were definitely going to worry about it. Money was very tight for Cat and Jeremiah, so you would have to figure out a way to make it even. She probably spent about forty bucks on all of this for you, and somehow she knew that a sesame seed bagel with cream cheese would go down as happily as the steaks did. You devoured the whole thing and then took some bites out of the egg and cheese sandwich before finishing the orange juice.
Then you drank some of the hot tea as well and nibbled on a muffin, and you felt so much better. Cat asked you a few questions, but she didn't pry. "Bradley must be over the moon," she said softly with a sad smile.
"Oh yeah," you told her, knowing that her ex-husband did not have a relationship with Jeremiah. "He dubbed the baby the chicken nugget." When she laughed, you added, "He's very excited to be a dad."
"He'll be a good one," she confirmed with a nod. "Now why don't you rest for a few more hours, and then I can drop you off at your parents' house so you don't have to drive."
"You don't have to do that."
"I'll drop you off and then go to the outlet mall. There are some things I want to get for Jer, and then I can pick you up again." She probably knew it wasn't a good idea to let you drive like this, and you were honestly kind of thankful that she offered.
"Alright." You fell asleep again as soon as she was gone.
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When Bradley left work, it was blazing hot out, and he had his aviators on while he walked to the parking garage. It was already late as hell in Maryland, and he was a little afraid you had already left your parents and gone back to the hotel for the night. But your phone only rang briefly before you answered his FaceTime call.
"Bradley," you sighed, looking better than he'd seen you in weeks. "Here, say hi to everyone."
You turned your phone to reveal both of your parents along with Cat, sitting around the dining room table in the house where he was finally getting used to spending his holidays. They all greeted him warmly before your mom took the phone and asked him at least a dozen questions.
"Are you eating enough without her at home? How's work? How's Tramp? When can we come visit again, because she's not giving us a clear answer?"
She said nothing about the baby, so Bradley assumed you were holding yourself together well enough that it hadn't been mentioned. "I've been subsiding on cereal. Work is great. Tramp is great. I've been thinking about starting a project to expand the upstairs into another bedroom or two, so hopefully after that's finished, you and dad can stay as long as you want."
Bradley knew they would feel like a handful for him if they stayed at the house again, but that was only because he liked being alone with you. He really wanted to take a minute to talk to you privately, but your dad took the phone next so he could show off his latest painting project. When he finally got handed back to you, apparently it was time for you and Cat to head out.
"I'll let you know when the flight leaves tomorrow," you told him. "Love you, Roo."
And that was it. With a deep sigh, he started up the red Bronco and headed to the store on his way home. He hated shopping in his uniform; he always got a bunch of looks from people, mostly women. He tried to make it quick, but it took him a little time to gather up steaks, potatoes, garlic, your favorite coffee, and all of the yellow flowers in the floral section.
He barely had all of the food put away at home when Jake knocked twice on the front door before letting himself in the house. "It's like he fucking lives here," Bradley muttered to Tramp who had been waiting for his scoop of dinner before he ran to see Jeremiah.
"Hey, man," Jake called out. He had Cat's son tucked under one arm and some weird contraption under the other, and he was wearing gym clothes. "Did you just get home?"
"Yeah," Bradley replied, unable to keep himself from smiling when Jeremiah reached out for him. He took the little boy in his arms and told him, "I had to get some stuff for my wife. You remember her. She's your favorite babysitter. She read you some books while you fell asleep, because her voice is the sweetest thing in the world."
Jake rolled his eyes. "Angel made you soft, old man."
Bradley pointed to Jeremiah. "And this little thing made you soft, so you don't have a leg to stand on."
He just kind of shrugged in response and took the child back as he said, "Go get changed. I'll meet you in the garage."
As Jake disappeared through the sliding glass door, Bradley headed to the bedroom. He stripped out of his uniform and put on some shorts and a Top Gun shirt that was starting to fit a little snug across his biceps and chest again. This was a good sign, because he wanted to bulk up as much as possible. He'd be ready to haul the baby and all of the gear around so you didn't have to.
His thoughts were on you and the baby. You. Baby. You. Baby. He couldn't wait until both of you were home tomorrow. When he walked out to the garage, he found Jake doing a few pushups while Jeremiah played with a stuffed tiger while he sat in some sort of portable crib.
"What is that thing?" Bradley asked as he reached for his lifting gloves. "A mini crib?"
Jake jumped to his feet as he said, "It's called a pack 'n play, but yeah, it's kind of a mini crib that folds up."
"Huh," he replied, eyeing it up so he could search online for that kind of thing later. "Looks handy. We're definitely going to need one of those."
Jake was frozen in place, eyes wide and jaw hanging open. "Is Angel pregnant? I knew her ass looked bigger." A grin curled along his lips, and that was when Bradley realized he had fucked up.
"Oh, shit," he muttered as his heart rate sped up and he started to sweat. You were going to be so upset. Your own parents didn't even know yet, but now Jake did, and it was all his fault.
"She's pregnant!" Jake practically shouted. "Congratulations, Rooster," he said, pulling Bradley into a hug and slapping him on the back. "You finally figured out which hole to put it in, huh?" he asked with an absolutely obnoxious grin.
Bradley glared at him. "Seriously. Nobody else knows about this yet. She might murder me if she finds out you know."
"I won't say shit about it," Jake promised, cuffing him on the shoulder before releasing him. "Damn, she must be excited. I know you both wanted this."
"Yeah," Bradley rasped, just knowing his face must be flushed pink. He ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm so fucking happy and scared and nervous, I can barely make it through a day without her here, you know?"
Jeremiah roared and held up the tiger for Bradley. He took it and made it roar back before pretending it was kissing Jeremiah all over his face. His laugh was infectious, and it left Bradley smiling.
"Damn," Jake drawled. "I think you're ready for the parenting thing."
"I know I am," he replied, fixing him with a serious look. "I'm ready."
Jake sighed and nodded. "But you still have a lot to learn. Do you know about outlet covers?"
Bradley's eyes went wide. "No. What are those?"
"How about white noise to help a baby sleep? Do you know what a convertible car seat is?"
"No," Bradley whispered, "No, I don't."
Jake settled back onto the bench and reached for the barbell. "Spot for me, and I'll tell you everything I've learned."
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It was finally Friday morning, and Cat was knocking on your door with another round of food and orange juice before you were even out of bed. When you let her in, she set everything up on the nightstand while you went to use the bathroom, and you were pleasantly surprised that you didn't need to throw up while you were in there.
"Eat as much as you can," she told you. "I asked them to give you a late checkout, so you can stay here until noon, and then we'll head to the airport."
"You're a saint," you told her with a mouth full of bagel. "I owe you so much money for this, you have to let me pay you back."
She just shook her head. "I'll let you babysit Jer so Jake and I can go out one night. Assuming I'm still in a relationship after we get bad to San Diego later tonight."
"You will be," you told her as you sipped the orange juice. "Jake isn't stupid." You paused before you set the juice down in favor of a donut. "Well... he's kind of stupid, but not when it comes to this."
Cat reached into the bag for another donut. "Seriously, if he and Bernie can't figure their shit out, I'll pull the plug and never look at another man again."
"Sometimes they really aren't worth the aggravation," you remarked, thinking back to every guy you dated before Bradley. "But sometimes they surprise you."
She didn't say anything else as she finished her donut. Then she let you take a nap, and when you got up and got dressed, you felt pretty amazing. Your stomach was gurgling quietly, and you looked okay enough to skip the makeup today.
You dragged your suitcase out into the hallway and texted Bradley, letting him know you were going to be heading to the airport soon, and he responded almost immediately.
Bradley Rooster Bradshaw <3 <3 <3: i'll meet you in baggage claim sweetheart. i can't wait to have you and the nugget back home with me
You practically moaned, and also started tearing up as Cat met you in the hallway. "When willI I be normal again?" you whispered. "All I want to do is have rough, frequent sex with my husband, but every time I think about how sweet he is, I start crying."
She laughed and said, "You won't feel normal until about six months postpartum. Just have fun running that man ragged."
You nodded and wiped at your tears. "Where's our equipment bin?"
"Already in the car."
"You weren't supposed to move it alone! It's so heavy."
"And you shouldn't be carrying anything like that at all," she scolded, pushing you gently toward the elevators. "I took care of it. I'll take care of it all day, and I'll get your suitcase when we get to the airport, too."
You sobbed the whole way down in the elevator and most of the ride to the airport. When you said thank you, Cat told you to be quiet which made you smile and also cry more. You'd get Bradley to agree to watch Jeremiah for a whole weekend. It would give the two of you some practice, and it would give Cat and Jake time alone. There was no way he was going to mess anything up.
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Bradley parked the red Bronco at the airport with a vase of flowers in the cup holder and an ultrasound picture tucked into the visor. Your flight had been delayed a few times, and he figured you were probably starving now. He picked up the container of peanut butter crackers he prepared and started to head inside, still a little too early but with nothing better to do.
He found an empty bench, and it wasn't long before Jake came strolling in with Jeremiah in his arms. Bradley stood up, jostling the snack container as he muttered, "You're not going to say anything to her, right?"
"Relax," Jake replied as Jeremiah reached for the crackers. "I won't say a word about her being pregnant. You can count on me."
That actually made him feel a lot more nervous as he opened up the container, broke a cracker in half and handed it to Jeremiah. "Okay. Just pretend you don't know a thing about it."
He watched Jeremiah get crumbs all over Jake's shirt as Jake checked his phone. "Sure. Hey, they landed. Cat said they're walking off the plane now."
Bradley checked his phone, but there was absolutely nothing from you, which was really strange. "Huh." He stood there awkwardly as he'd been left out of the loop, handing the other half of the cracker to Jeremiah when he reached for it.
He watched Jake typing one handed, and then he said, "Apparently there was a ton of turbulence. Angel got pretty sick." When he met Bradley's eyes, he kind of shrugged. "Sounds like she's in bad shape."
Bradley ran his fingers through his hair until it was sticking up at an odd angle. "What's that supposed to mean? How is she in bad shape?" He looked over toward the partition that blocked off the area he wouldn't be able to get past without a boarding pass while he started to panic. Was he going to have to take you to the hospital or something? The cereal and potato chips he had for dinner started to sour in his stomach as he started walking in that direction.
Then he saw you, and he started running. Cat had her arm around you, and she was carrying your tote bag along with her backpack while you sipped a can of ginger ale through a straw. Bradley could see fresh tears in your eyes as they met his. "Oh, Sweetheart."
"Roo," you croaked, and he closed the rest of the distance to you and carefully took you in his arms. "I was horrible."
Cat took the ginger ale from your hand, and you collapsed against him, a sobbing, shaking mess. "It's okay," he promised you. "You're home now, and I will take care of everything."
You nodded against his chest, and he let you cry. "I threw up so much. I was fine, but then it was really rough, and the baby hates me anyway." You cried harder, and then Jake was there with Jeremiah. He took the container of crackers so Bradley could rub your back with both hands. You hiccupped against him and mumbled, "You can say what you want. Cat knows. She guessed it. Then she took care of me."
Bradley wasn't surprised in the least that someone who had been pregnant before was able to tell that you were now. "Okay," he whispered, kissing the top of your head. He held you close and gave both Cat and Jake a stern look. "Do you want to go ahead and tell Jake?" he asked carefully.
"Yeah," you groaned, leaning toward Jake slightly. "I'm pregnant."
If Jake didn't get Bradley out of this debacle safely, he was going to ban him from the home gym. But he should have known that above anything else in this scenario, Jake was going to have your back.
"Aww, Angel," he crooned as Jeremiah climbed into Cat's arms. "I'm so happy for you, mama." Then he kissed your cheek and winked at Bradley. "You'll be a natural, and ol' Rooster here's gonna be a class act. Now why don't you let him take you home? I can get the bin of your work stuff."
"You sure?" Bradley asked, giving Jake a discreet fist bump as you buried your face against his chest again. You were half burrowed inside his tropical print shirt at this point, and his undershirt was damp; he just wanted to get you home.
"We'll take care of it," Cat promised. "She's dehydrated. Make sure she drinks water or gatorade. And she needs to try to eat something." Jake handed the crackers back to Bradley. "Yeah, those might work, but she really needs to keep drinking."
"Got it," Bradley replied, kissing your forehead. "Thank you, Cat."
"It was my pleasure," she said with a smile as she cuddled Jeremiah.
"Let's go, Baby Girl," Bradley whispered, leading you to get your suitcase as you sipped the ginger ale and nibbled on a cracker. He kept his hand at the small of your back as you sucked in deep breath after deep breath. "I'll get you home and into bed as quickly as possible."
You sniffed and looked up at him. "I just want you with me. That's all I wanted all week."
Your lips quivered, and Bradley leaned in to kiss you as softly as he could. "That's all I wanted, too. I'm not going to leave your side." He kept you right there with him as he scooped up your luggage, and then he had his arm around you until he got you to the Bronco. With a kiss to your perfect cheek, he opened the door, helped you in, and buckled your seatbelt.
"Thanks, Roo," you sighed, eyes closed as you leaned back against the headrest, already looking more serene now that you and he were together.
"I would do anything for you." He stroked your belly with his fingertips. "Both of you."
Five minutes into the drive home, you were sound asleep, your fingers laced with his.
------------------------
I can already feel how much calmer she is just knowing she doesn't have as much to worry about with Bradley by her side. And he's going to be so much less stressed with her at home. It's looking like next chapter could be the last one in this series!!!! I'm hoping to do some one-shots for them and then pick up with another series? Please let me know what you'd like to see during and after her pregnancy. And thank you for reading! Thanks @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls
PART 35
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#bradley bradshaw x reader#rooster x reader#rooster x you#rooster imagine#rooster fanfiction#bradley rooster bradshaw fanfiction#bradley rooster bradshaw imagine#bradley rooster bradshaw#bradley rooster bradshaw x reader#bradley bradshaw x you#bradley bradshaw x female reader#bradley bradshaw fic#bradley bradshaw fanfiction#bradley bradshaw imagine#top gun imagine#top gun maverick imagine#top gun fanfiction#top gun maverick fanfiction#roosterforme#always ever only you
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Parasite WIP is so good and I desperately want more of it! I voted for it in the poll and I’m so sad it didn’t win
Friend, I appreciate you asking after it because it really is one of my fucked-up faves that I really need to work on more, so uh . . . have all 4500 words of the prose so far all together, hahaha. Yes, yes I DID reformat this whole thing into Tumblr-friendliness all for you. THAT IS HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR APPRECIATION, FRIEND.
( so definitely we are gonna need that read-more down there, lol. )
Clark wakes up.
Clark didn't even know he wasn't awake.
"Superman," Bruce says with absolute neutrality. He's wearing the cowl. Standing in rubble. Clark is . . . not standing in rubble.
Laying in rubble. That's what Clark is doing.
Bruce is looking down at him very, very carefully, and seems . . . reserved.
Reserved for Bruce, even.
"What happened?" Clark asks, trying not to concentrate on the little seed of dread that the sight of that reservation invokes in him. He can hear the heartbeats of other League members, here and there in the wreckage of the street around them. Hear civilians and city noise. Hear Lois and Jon, distantly, and Ma and Pa, even more distant. And . . . Kara–both of her–and . . .
"We'll go with 'electrocution', but I think we can safely say just about anyone else would've been virtually incinerated," Bruce informs him, distracting Clark from his mental rundown of people he's currently worried about. "Or just exploded."
"Ah," Clark says with a grimace. Well, that explains why his head hurts so damn bad, he guesses.
At least it was him, then, and not any "anyone else"s.
He pushes himself up. Looks around. He . . . isn't sure where they are, exactly, except that it's probably somewhere on Earth and within the continental United States, judging by the architecture and signs he's seeing and the accents and languages he's hearing.
He has absolutely no idea how they got here, though. The last thing he remembers is . . .
. . . he's not actually sure what the last thing he remembers is.
Not a great sign, that.
Bruce is watching him. Like he's . . . expecting something, almost. Clark would ask, but there's an odd feeling distracting him. Something's . . . off, somehow.
Missing.
Bruce's utility belt is a new design, he notes absently. J'onn is down the street a bit and his costume looks a little different too. And Diana . . .
Diana is over across the way, and her hair is a couple inches longer than he remembers it being.
Clark would assume he was mistaken, except for the eidetic memory and all.
"Hm," Clark says.
"Hm?" Bruce says. He still sounds faultlessly neutral.
"Trying to figure out if I'm in the right reality. Things look a little off," Clark replies, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes in concentration. No unexpected sounds or scents. No particular feeling of disorientation that can't be accounted for by being apparently electrocuted. No additional pains past the dull pressure in his head or any immediately obvious peculiarities beyond the minor little scattered differences here and there in his teammates.
But something is–
"I can't hear Kon," Clark realizes abruptly. He doesn't usually especially keep an ear out for the kid, at least not deliberately, but . . .
Bruce . . . pauses.
"You can't," he says, very carefully. It doesn't sound like a question.
It sounds like something, though.
"I can't," Clark confirms anyway, glancing around again. He still doesn't know where this is. "Where are we, exactly?"
"What's the date, Kal?" Bruce asks, and Clark's heart sinks.
He answers the question.
Bruce's mouth thins.
Hell, Clark thinks.
"We're currently in Keystone City," Bruce says, very carefully expressionless. "We've been here for three days. The date you just provided me was a full fourteen months ago. And Kon-El has been MIA for roughly thirteen and a half of those months."
Hell, Clark thinks, and doesn't let himself process anything past that.
"We need to get a scan of your brain," Bruce says. "For starters."
"For starters," Clark agrees tightly.
Bruce tells Diana they're leaving, then abandons the rubble and takes Clark up to the Watchtower. Clark goes. He doesn't ask what electrocuted him or who's died in the past fourteen months or if there's anything immediately urgent that he should know. Bruce would've already told him, if there was.
And he thinks he'd choke on the question if he tried, anyway.
They go to the med bay. There's a total stranger standing in it who smiles at them when they step through the door.
"Haven't seen you in here in quite a while, Superman," the stranger observes in amusement, tapping a pen against the clipboard in their hands. "You still haven't been in for that checkup I owe you, you know."
"He doesn't know you," Bruce informs them evenly. The stranger blinks.
"Sorry?" they say.
"He was electrocuted," Bruce says. "Now he thinks it's fourteen months ago. We need a brain scan. Immediately."
"Hell," the stranger says, their eyes widening in alarm.
Clark gets the brain scan.
He and Bruce wait in a convenient exam room for the results, which seem to be taking a while. Bruce seems a bit more guarded than usual, which means Clark is standing next to goddamn Fort Knox right now. He sighs to himself.
"Suppose at this rate I should call and tell Lois and Jon I'll be late for dinner," he jokes wryly as he folds his arms, no real humor in the comment, and Bruce goes very, very still beside him.
. . . hell.
They're not dead. He knows they're not dead, he heard their heartbeats before they left for the watchtower, Bruce would've already told him if either of them were–
"They aren't expecting you," Bruce says with absolutely no intonation whatsoever in his voice. "You moved out eight months ago. The divorce is already finalized."
"Ah," Clark says, very slowly. He doesn't let himself process, again. Not–just, not yet. "What happened?"
"You left them," Bruce says, and Clark . . . blinks.
"I left them?!" he demands incredulously. Leaving Lois is one thing, horrible and impossible a thought as it is, but– "Not just–I left them both?!"
"As you explained it to me, you were no longer interested in maintaining the . . . 'persona' of Clark Kent," Bruce replies carefully, looking just past him. "You said you couldn't stand the screaming anymore. That you appreciated us . . . humoring you for so long, but you couldn't just keep walking around making excuses and lying to everyone while people were suffering and dying just because you had to pretend to be human for a while. So yes. You left them. Haven't visited since Lois finally signed the divorce papers. Haven't spoken to your parents either. You've been . . . erratic. Since Kon-El's disappearance. When we couldn't find him . . . when we couldn't even find out what happened to him . . ."
"Oh," Clark says, and his heart sinks again.
He doesn't understand, though. Kon is–he cares about the kid, obviously. Cares very deeply about him. He's pretty sure he even loves him, at this point. But he's not . . .
It feels terrible to think it, but Clark doesn't understand why Kon disappearing like that would affect him enough to stop being Clark. It's awful, and he still hasn't let himself actually think about it happening at all because he really can't process it right now, but that awful? Really? Awful enough to abandon being any semblance of a normal person? Abandon Lois and his parents entirely?
Abandon Jon entirely?
Apparently, yes.
"Technically you're on unpaid sabbatical from the Planet," Bruce tells him. "We thought you might . . . reconsider, once you'd grieved properly, so Lois pulled some strings with Perry White. He thinks you're having an early mid-life crisis and your co-workers think you're off finding yourself in South America with a bad cell phone plan."
"I guess I don't believe in satellite phones?" Clark says, trying for wry again. It doesn't work, but he tries all the same.
"This is unfair of me, but I'm going to take advantage of your current mental state," Bruce says. He's looking at the wall, though there's nothing there to actually be looking at. Not even anything on the other side, at least not according to X-ray vision. "Try to remember how you feel right now, when your memories of the past year return. Try to remember who you are right now, when those memories return."
"Why?" Clark asks, watching him carefully as he does. The corners of Bruce's mouth tighten. Just barely, but undeniably.
"You've been . . . gone, Clark," Bruce says slowly. "You won't even answer to 'Clark' anymore. You aren't the same man that I . . . that we all . . ."
The stranger comes back before Bruce has to admit to too many personal feelings or Clark can figure out what to say to any of that, which might be a mercy but might also be–
The stranger looks . . . strange, Clark notices. Nauseated, almost. And definitely distressed.
"I haven't done brain scans on Superman before," they say, their grip on their clipboard concerningly close to white-knuckled. "And my predecessor apparently hadn't done any in a while either. Last ones in the system are over two years old."
"What's wrong?" Bruce says, narrowing his eyes. Honestly at this point Clark figures a kryptonite brain tumor would really just be the icing on the cake, and frankly would probably explain some of his apparent behavioral changes and current memory loss. That genuinely makes more sense than anything else, really, even with grief and guilt to contend with.
More sense than abandoning his own damn kid does, at least.
Although a tumor's the worst-case scenario, obviously. And it can't be any worse than that, really, or any worse than anything he's apparently done to his family this past year, so at least he's braced for–
"There's an . . . organism," the stranger says, swallowing uncomfortably. "In your brain."
"What?" Clark says.
"A dead organism, now," the stranger clarifies. "But it looks like it's been there for a while. There are . . . roots. And . . . lesions, too."
"An organism," Bruce repeats very, very slowly. "In Superman's brain."
"Yes," the stranger says.
"I don't . . ." Clark trails off.
"We need more scans," Bruce says.
"I ran it four times on two different machines," the stranger says. "It's organic. It's not giving off any recognizable life signs. It seems like it might've been . . . you mentioned electrocution, before?"
"You think the electricity killed it," Bruce realizes. "And then Superman forgot fourteen months?"
"I'm not sure Superman ever experienced those fourteen months to begin with," the stranger says tightly, gripping their clipboard even harder.
Clark was in no way whatsoever braced for this.
"Fuck," Bruce says.
More scans happen after all. A lot more scans, a lot of specialists, and a lot of arguing. Everything's a bit of a blur, in a sense. Clark absorbs very little of it, and mostly leaves things to Bruce unless he's asked a direct question about his medical history. His judgment might be compromised right now, after all, whether the . . . organism is dead or not.
The emergency OR gets prepped. The red sun lamps get set up inside it.
"Should we contact Lois?" Bruce asks as Clark's shrugging into an ill-fitting hospital gown and preparing himself to possibly die in pursuit of getting a dead who-knows-what out of his brain before it can start to rot there and potentially kill him that way. "Or your parents?"
"No," Clark says. "Just get this damn thing out of my head."
If he doesn't survive the removal process . . .
They don't know what's been going on. What he let happen to himself, somehow.
He isn't going to tell them he's back just to immediately take himself away again.
He records something for Jon, just in case. It's not enough, but it's–something, he tells himself. It's something.
It's all he can bring himself to do.
He leaves the disk with the recording on it with Bruce and asks him to have Dick deliver it, if it's necessary.
Things proceed from there, and Clark wakes up again a week later in a private room in the med bay, connected to half a dozen machines and needles and tubes and directly facing the sun. Diana is dozing in the chair next to his bed. Bruce is pacing at the foot of it. They're both in costume. Clark feels weak and groggy, but he can hear half a dozen other heartbeats lingering in the hall, so presumably they were expecting him to wake up around now.
"Mm," he says. Diana snaps awake. Bruce stops mid-step.
They both look at him.
"The operation was a success," Bruce informs him. "Textbook. Or as textbook as removing a mind-controlling parasite of unknown origins from a Kryptonian brain can get for mostly-human surgeons, anyway."
"Do you need anything?" Diana asks. "Would you like us to call your family yet?"
Clark shakes his head, then closes his eyes and sleeps for another week.
"Sleep", he supposes, counts as something that he needs right now.
The next time he wakes up, he's alone in his room and disconnected from the machines and just feels . . . normal, really. Like nothing was ever wrong at all and he didn't just have major surgery that was, essentially, the equivalent of multiple traumatic brain injuries. His hair is already starting to grow back from where it was buzzed down for the surgery, and there's not even any bandages on his head.
There's no noticeable scarring, Clark observes when he makes it to the little ensuite bathroom to take a look in the mirror. The surgeons told him there probably wouldn't be, given both the methods they'd been intending to use and the nature of his own physiology, but seeing the total lack of proof of what happened to him is just . . . strange, somehow.
It feels almost like a cheat. Like it should be obvious, in some way.
There was a parasite in his head. Something controlling him. Pretending to be him. Passing for him. It could've done anything it wanted.
It did do things that Clark still has no idea about.
So many things.
He couldn't even fight it. Wasn't conscious or aware enough to, or just not strong enough to, or just . . .
He couldn't even fight it.
And he doesn't know what it did.
The door opens. Diana walks in.
"Would you like us to call your family now?" she asks.
"Yes," Clark says roughly, curling his fingers around the sides of the sink in front of him. "Please."
"Of course," Diana says with a terrible and merciless gentleness.
Clark sits down on the lid of the toilet and just . . . cries. Just for a minute.
Or twenty.
Diana kneels in front of him and holds his hands in her own.
Fourteen months, Clark thinks, all twisted up with grief and pain and so, so much regret. He missed so much. He wasn't there for Jon or Lois or his parents. He wasn't there for Bruce or Diana or the League, for either of Kara, for . . .
For Kon. He wasn't there for Kon.
Wasn't there for Kon when the kid needed him.
Kon completely vanished, and who knows if the damn parasite even pretended to help look for him? If it did anything at all for him? Who knows if Clark could've found him, could've saved him, if he'd still been himself at the time?
. . . who knows if the parasite isn't what made Kon disappear to begin with?
It took fourteen months of Clark's life, and Kon . . . Kon disappeared two weeks into those fourteen months.
If nothing else, the timing is a screaming red flag.
Clark abandoned his son and might've murdered a kid who only ever looked up to him, a kid who he was never really able to fully understand but literally named, and he can't do anything to bring Kon back or to make up for the year that he wasn't there for the rest of his family.
Their family.
God, what has he done? What has Clark done, and did Kon die feeling afraid or shocked or terrified? Did he die feeling betrayed? Did he think it was Clark doing it, however it happened?
Did he die thinking Clark wanted him to die?
Clark doesn't even know what happened to his body.
There won't be another resurrection.
Clark chokes. Diana squeezes his hands. He grips hers like a lifeline and shudders through it. The grief is a terrible, ugly thing. It's one of the worst things Clark's ever felt.
The guilt is worse.
"Lois," he murmurs finally, feeling like the weakest man alive. "Could you call . . . Lois, please, and just . . . ask if she'll come. I'll explain it all to her, just–could you call her, please."
"Yes," Diana says, squeezing his hands again. "Of course."
"Thank you," Clark says.
He pulls himself together, more or less, and Diana goes to make the call. She comes back a few minutes later and tells him Lois agreed, but needs to find a babysitter first. Clark in no way blames her for not bringing Jon along and frankly is surprised she's willing to come at all.
He's not sure what he could even say to Jon right now.
What can he?
Diana makes sure he eats something, then leaves for monitor duty. Clark tries not to overthink things. Tries not to think too much at all.
He spent fourteen months not thinking at all, though, all of it lost in one oblivious blink, so that doesn't work out all that well for him.
An hour later, he hears the Zeta platform activate on the opposite side of the base, and hears Lois's heartbeat appear inside the watchtower.
Clark exhales, very slowly.
He waits.
Lois comes to the med bay. She doesn't stop to talk to anyone on the way. Doesn't talk to anyone except that stranger Clark still doesn't actually know the name of, who tells her where to find him.
And then a minute or a millennium later she's standing in the open doorway of his room, and Clark is looking at her. Her expression is neutral, and her hair is shorter than it was the last time he remembers seeing her–the last time he was the one actually seeing her. An inverse bob, not shoulder-length anymore. He recognizes the blazer and heels that she's wearing, but not the blouse or the pants. Not the earrings or the necklace, either.
And there's no wedding ring to recognize either way.
Clark wonders what happened to his.
God, but she's still the most amazing woman he's ever seen, and he's still never once deserved a single part of her. Not even a fraction of a part.
Especially not now.
"Kal," she greets, tone just as neutral as her expression, and Clark aches.
"Clark," he says, just a little too abrupt, and Lois–pauses.
"Clark," she amends casually as she tucks her hands into the pockets of her blazer, and if he didn't know her quite so well he wouldn't have even heard the crack in her voice around his name, super-hearing or not. "Never seen your hair this short. I kinda miss the curl, not gonna lie. It has charm, you know? Very boy scout next door."
"I had emergency brain surgery," Clark says. Lois pauses again. Tilts her head. He keeps talking. "Two weeks ago, now. Just woke up again fully today."
"What?" she says, just staring at him. "You–what happened?"
"It's . . . unclear, still," Clark replies slowly. "But as far as we can tell, roughly fourteen months back an unidentified alien parasite moved into my brain and . . . took me over, essentially. I don't actually–I don't remember any of that time. At all. Then two weeks ago I got electrocuted in Keystone and the parasite died. The surgery was to remove its body so my brain could heal from the damage it did without it rotting in there."
Lois keeps staring at him.
"Fourteen months," she echoes very, very carefully.
"I'm so sorry," Clark says tightly. "Bruce told me I left you. Left you and Jon. That I stopped being . . . myself. I can't imagine how difficult that was, or how it must've felt."
"I can't imagine how waking up and hearing that none of us even noticed you were gone felt," Lois says.
"You never do pull a punch, do you," Clark says with a weak attempt at a smile.
"I'm sorry," Lois says evenly. "I should've known."
"No one did," Clark says, then . . . hesitates. "Or . . . we think no one did."
"You think that's what happened to Kon," Lois says, because of course she's already done the math, and of course she's already had the thought herself. Obviously she would've.
"The timing is . . . likely, at least," Clark says. "And really, if anyone was going to see my face and notice that a different person was wearing it . . ."
"You have a point," Lois murmurs. She steps into the room. Clark wants to hold her. He also wants to bury himself in the coldest, darkest place that he can find and never, ever let himself see the sun again.
He doesn't deserve it anymore.
"I'm so angry that I want to cry," Lois says, her voice very distant and her eyes locked on his. Clark can see her hands fisting in her pockets. "I'm so . . . god. I should've known. You never would've left Jon. Not like that."
"Bruce made it sound like the parasite was . . . very convincing," Clark says. It convinced Bruce, who may just be the most paranoid mind on the planet, so . . .
"It was," Lois agrees, still without taking her eyes off his. "But I still should've known."
Clark blinks a little too quickly. Lois tightens her jaw. Takes her hands out of her pockets and leaves them at her sides instead. Clark never thought he'd see them without her wedding ring again.
"It's been–months, I know," he says, hating himself for thinking he even deserves to say this. "For you. But I still . . ."
"I love you," Lois says. "Come home."
There is no possible world in which he could tell her "no".
Med bay makes him wait for another two hours of observation and runs some scans, but then they let him go. Lois waits with him the whole time. She doesn't call anyone or send any texts. Doesn't leave the room. Barely says a word. Hardly even takes her eyes off him, like she thinks if she blinks he's going to disappear.
Clark can hardly keep her heartbeat out of his ears, so he doesn't blame her.
He doesn't blame her at all.
They go to Smallville. Bruce had said he'd send Dick to pick up Jon from the babysitter's and get him to the farm, and as much as Clark had wanted to go straight to him himself . . .
Ma and Pa first, he reminds himself. This is going to be upsetting for Jon–most likely traumatic, once it all sinks in. And definitely disorienting. It'll be best if as many of the adults in his life as possible know what's going on in advance, so he can go to whoever he needs to go to; get whatever comfort they can prepare themselves to offer.
Clark doesn't know how to do this.
He doesn't . . .
They don't take two steps onto the farm before a familiar blur is crashing into him head-on.
"Oh," Clark manages, and Krypto barks excitedly and flies up to lick his face, tail wagging wildly as he jumps all over him. Like he's missed him. Like he's been waiting for him.
Clark nearly cries again.
"Good boy, Krypto," he tells him, quiet and rough. "I missed you too, boy."
He scratches Krypto's ears. Strokes his back. Krypto nearly bowls him over in delight.
Clark buries his face in his neck and cries a bit after all.
Lois watches.
Waits.
Clark spends . . . maybe a little bit too long crying on his dog, and then they all head up to the house. Ma and Pa are both standing on the porch; presumably they heard Krypto barking. They both look a little bit startled and a little bit confused and a lot more pained at the sight of him, and Clark swallows painfully and stops just before the porch steps.
He looks at them, and he loves them so desperately. Everything they ever did for him, and everything they've ever been to him, and . . .
"I'm sorry," he says. "I just . . . there was . . ."
God, the way this hurts.
"It was mind control," he says. "The past fourteen months or so. I was . . . I wasn't. Wasn't here. Or . . . anywhere."
"Oh," Ma says, and her eyes are instantly wet with tears. Pa blinks very quickly, his hand curling against the porch railing.
"I'm so, so sorry," Clark repeats tightly, his own hands in useless fists. "But I'm–back now. I'm home."
"Oh, Clark," Ma chokes, and then they both throw themselves at him. Clark's been hugged by people with strength far past superhuman, but it's never felt . . .
No. It's never once felt the same way as when his parents do it.
They cling to him. He clings back. Krypto barks again and swoops around the knot of them, wagging his tail hard enough to nearly knock Lois over with the force of wind it stirs up. Definitely some of the porch furniture gets displaced.
Clark feels so much.
They sit together on the porch, Krypto sprawled contentedly across Clark's lap and Lois on the steps beside him. Clark gives Ma and Pa what explanation he can–tells them everything he knows about Keystone and the electrocution and the watchtower and the surgery and waking up. They watch him just as intently as Lois does the entire time.
He doesn't . . . he doesn't mention his suspicions about what might've happened to Kon. Not . . . not yet.
He doesn't know how to. Not to Ma and Pa. Not after he brought the kid here and left him on their doorstep with no real direction and . . .
Just–he'll tell them. He'll tell them soon.
Just . . . not yet.
It's not a very long talk, in the end. Ma and Pa take in everything he says and just take it all in stride, just like they always have. Baby in a spaceship? Kid with superpowers? Son who thinks he can save the whole damn world?
Of course they take it in stride.
Clark loves them too much to even define. Too much to even wrap his own head around. They're the best people he knows. The best people he's ever known.
They don't even think there's anything for him to be sorry for.
It's . . . painful, a little, when Clark realizes that.
Or a lot.
So, so damn painful.
Clark hears the definitely-not-a-Batmobile coming, far down the road. Three heartbeats inside it. Dick, Damian, and . . .
Jon.
Obviously.
Clark strokes Krypto's ears one last time, then gets up. No one asks him why, but he supposes the look on his face must be answer enough right now.
He steps off the porch and goes to wait by the driveway.
It's not that long a wait, but it feels like the better part of eternity.
#clark kent#lois lane#clois#superfamily#bruce wayne#diana of themyscira#rinfic#anonymous#wip: the parasite
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One Piece: Soulmate AU
Always in this twilight - Crocodile x GN!Reader
Summary: Soulmates are incapable of hurting each other. As a pirate, this leads to some tragic moments midst battles. You thought you were prepared for when it might happen to you, but damn you were wrong.
Gn! Reader, Angst no comfort, no beta we die like Roger, Reader is Croc's First Mate and a former Roger pirate (Shanks/Buggy's age) but it doesnt really matter, also former slave background, congrats you are now in the place of my self insert OC, no promises on not being cringe this is literally a /reader fic, also had to make a fake crew bc we dont know enough crocs backstory HAND IT OVER ODA
Word count: 4500+
Also first fic on tumblr, idk what im doing here, lmk ur opinions. It is now 2:03am and i have class at 10:30. Might have to skip lmao
EDITS: grammar check lol. also cross posted it on ao3 - same name as my blog
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Soulmates weren't as common as you'd might assume when you first hear about it. There's an easy way to prove someone is your soulmate, but when that method is to harm them, well, it doesn't make it easy to find that person. And society gets a bit weird when you know your soulmate is out there.
you've known that some people carry around little needles to poke into strangers hoping to find the one. But that was in decent society; among pirates you more often heard tales of bullets suddenly dropping to the ground after they hit their target, or swords stopping on someone's skin as though it just hit steel. A battlefield is a hell of a place to meet the person fate had decided for you, but for pirates it had become a norm.
Not that long ago, some genius named Vegapunk did a study on how many people meet their soulmate - 1 in a 100. And that's just how many people find them. It never accounts for how many actually happily end up together. You had chosen to live your life as a pirate, so a happy ending with your supposed soulmate wasn't something you foresaw in your future.
You were always grateful most of your current crew felt the same. There was a small group among pirates that were always on the lookout to find their soulmate and then immediately retire. Your crew however like to joke that if they found them in battle, they would move out of the way so someone else could finish them off. It was a grim reality, but it was your reality.
However, on nights like these where you drank the night away, some romantic always had to bring it up.
"C'mon, did old Roger really make you so cold hearted that you don't believe in true love?"
"Pfft, you're fucking joking right?" You scoffed back. You always argued with Tink about this, but you understood your young navigator still had hope. Too bad you were the pessimist of the crew.
"It's not that I don't believe in true love," you continued. "Soulmates are real, I don't really see another explanation for not being able to harm only one other person in the world. But why limit yourself to waiting for a person you might never meet? So many are denying themselves to fall in love with someone else and then end up dying alone because they never found their soulmate."
Tink pouted in front of you. This was a tired conversation, one that was repeated every few weeks much to the chagrin of your other crewmates. But a controversial topic was always a great topic for a group such as yourselves.
"I'm not denying myself the chance to fall in love! I'm denying ever feeling heartbroken over someone who doesn't matter!" Tink tried to argue back, but you just groaned in response.
"And if you never meet the one? You'll just live and die without ever letting yourself even get a taste of what it is you're chasing." Tink glared, knowing it was futile to keep going, but the pink of her cheeks told you that the grog in her system was trying to get her to keep fighting.
It was then that a familiar tall figure caught your eye. There was your beloved captain Crocodile, trying to sneak behind everyone's back to grab another bottle for himself.
Crocodile was never much one for festivities, at least not one 'undeserved' as he might put it. While there was no battle won to celebrate, the night sky was clear and the waters calm; in the Grand Line, shouldn't that be enough to be happy about?
However tonight you weren't going to let him sneak booze and hide from the crew.
"Cap'n!" Apparently the grog was getting to you as well. "Come over here and help me crush Tink's dream of a soulmate!" You laughed as Tink gasped at your audacity. The rest of your company seemed more or less happy with how the night was going, but your captain was still less than enthused to join.
"If this is the same soulmate debate you've been going on about for the past 3 years, I will pass again. You already know my feelings on the matter." Crocodile's deep voice reverberated across the deck of the ship. Even if he wasn't giving orders, he still commanded the attention of everyone within earshot.
He gave a long drag of the bottle in his hand, and then turned to walk away. However you felt it was your duty as first mate to pester your captain into spending casual time with his crew.
"I may know your opinion, but would you be so kind and gracious to remind the rest of the crew? Perhaps?" You called out to the dark coat trying to run from the party, and saw him pause, then turn to walk back.
You could see some of the newer additions to the crew cower. You didn't blame them, Crocodile was an imposing figure, and was developing a infamous reputation as a pirate on the Grand Line. But he was your captain, and he would never hurt his crew, this you knew.
"If I ever met my soulmate," Crocodile began, "I assume it would be when I attempt to kill them." He took another sip from his bottle. This was one of the rare moments he was not puffing a cigar you suddenly realize. It made his face look younger, as though he was actually a man in his 20s as he claimed he was.
As though he knew you were thinking of him, Crocodile made eye contact with you. "When I realize I can't kill them, I'll call out for you." You felt your heart skip a beat. "Then you can finish them for me."
It was purely the grog's fault for making your face warm. The lack of a sea breeze was also suddenly apparent. But you couldn't be flustered, not when you were the one who asked for this answer.
You smiled, doing your best to brush off the tension. You were still maintaining eye contact with him after all. "Well there you have it. Not exactly the opinion I remember, but I hope I can live up to your expectations, Cap'n."
Crocodile nodded, then told you all to start to sober up or get to bed. "I don't need a crew of drunks on the Grand Line, or else we will never make it to the New World."
Your crew began to disperse and you went below deck to your cabin. You really hadn't had much to drink that night, yet your chest felt tight.
You thought you had learned your lesson, but no. Even after promising yourself you wouldn't, you became attached to your crew. Even after your last one fell apart. Even after you watched your first captain, your savior, be executed, you fucked up and dove straight into a different crew expecting it to be different.
You laid down in your bed, staring at the ceiling, the world slightly spinning. Suddenly all you can think about is when you met Croc.
-
It was little more than 3 years ago now, wasn't it? A whole 3 years since Roger died. The weight is still heavy in your chest, but not nearly as devastating as it was in Logue Town that day. You were a wreck, physically and emotionally.
After watching the execution, you were too heartbroken to join the others in pursuit of the One Piece. Your world has just officially ended, the crew was technically already disbanded, but now there was no hope of getting it back.
You ended up in some local bar. No one recognized you, and in the haze of all the excitement following Roger's death, why would they? You had just been some nobody apprentice who happened to stick on his ship after Roger saved your life.
But your sorrow did catch someone's eye.
You sat at the counter of this dive bar in Logue Town, mindlessly stirring whatever number drink sat in front of you now. You had run out of tears, and sat stuck in some frozen state of grief.
However, this sad portrait of yourself did not seem to deter someone from sitting next to you.
You paid them no mind, just staring into empty space, not enough energy to even remember you were still alive.
"You were a member of the Pirate King's crew weren't you?"
A deep voice rattled from the stranger, but it was his words that really caught your attention.
"How'd you figure?" You had paused your stirring at first, but now focused on your drink to avoid eye contact. You were a mess, you could feel your puffy eyes, and were still sniffling every so often.
"There's no reason anyone in this town should be sad that someone like him died. So, you must have known him, right?" The deep voice continued, and you could feel their eyes staring, but didn't have the strength to meet them.
"Well, you caught me. Going to take me in and see if you can get a reward? I'm afraid you won't find any posters of me though. I tended to get lost in the crowd, you could say." After that statement you finally grasped the glass in front of you and decided to knock back what was left. If this was the end of your little pirating career, so be it. It can die with Roger.
"Will you join my crew?"
Your head snapped up at that, and you finally looked up at the stranger.
Long black hair was slicked back to show all the sharp features of the man's face. A strong square jaw, a prominent, perfect nose, and pale, piercing eyes, hooded by thin black eyebrows. Undoubtedly, even in your drunken haze, you were sure sober you would agree the man was handsome.
After a moment to take in this stranger all you could manage was a "Excuse me?"
He smiled - no, smirked - and pulled a cigar out from his coat. "I could use someone with your experience on my crew." He carried on, as if you were discussing the weather outside. He lit the cigar with a lighter you hadn't noticed him pull out. Perhaps it was the booze, but looking at this guy, he almost seemed… fuzzy, around the edges.
"Having someone who once worked for the Pirate King should help me become the next Pirate King."
The stranger took a long drag from his cigar, then exhaled over the counter. You didn't know where the barkeep was now, but at the moment, it felt like you and him were the only people in the building.
You should be mad. Enraged at the audacity of someone to come up to you on the worst day of your life, and to ask you to work for them. But you felt nothing.
No. That wasn't right. You did feel something.
You chuckled. Giggled even. A small laugh that built up till you were laughing, nearly hysterically. You hadn't felt like this sort of light headed elation in a long time, and it was nice.
After taking a moment to catch your breath you finally looked back at the stranger. He didn't look upset at your reaction. He just kept smoking his cigar, waiting for an answer.
"I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."
"I am Sir Crocodile, captain of the Neverland Pirates."
"Hmmm. Well, Sir Crocodile, I can tell you now that you have no chance of being Pirate King." You smirked back at him, propping your head up on your hand as you leaned against the counter.
This response still didn't bother the man. If anything, you swore he almost seemed… satisfied by your answer. Perhaps he knows what's coming next.
"I can help you out on the Grand Line and maybe help you get to the New World, but I promise," you leaned in towards this captain, staring him down. "You will never be the man Roger was. No one will."
Yet Crocodile was unperturbed.
"So you'll join my crew?"
You leaned back and reassessed your empty glass. You cast a quick glance at the bar and then back at the other pirate.
"Sure. I don't have anything better to do anyways."
-
You thought back in Logue Town you could never feel the same way about Crocodile's crew that you felt with Roger's, but you were always the fool. Now you are attached.
Now you need a reason to leave.
You couldn't waste your time or your heart with them. You had already died once with Roger, and if you stayed any longer you know you could never leave alive. You got up from bed - still plenty tipsy you swayed over - to your dresser.
Middle drawer, back left, underneath some no longer worn t-shirts was a small box. You opened it.
There were several small scraps of paper. Vivre cards.
As a child on Roger's boat, you were ecstatic to learn about vivre cards. A simple way to know the people you loved were alive and safe, and be able to find their exact location? It was too good to be true.
When you remember the feeling of Roger's paper burning in your hands at his execution, you knew the reality of vivre cards.
Your fingertips gently sorted through the papers you had made for some of Roger's crew. Each had a tiny name written in a corner. Shanks, Buggy, Ray, Gaban, Oden, and a few others of people who had been most important to you.
Maybe you could leave this crew and seek out the others. Rayleigh had always said he would retire at Sabaody, and your crew was bound to get there soon, hopefully in a couple months. The ache in your chest; you missed your old family. This could be the excuse you needed.
With a heavy sigh you closed the box and hid it away again. Sleeping on it would be good. Sleeping away the booze would also be nice.
Maybe then the tears would stop silently slipping down your face.
-
It turns out the excuse of seeing your old crew was unneeded. The news coo was kind enough to drop a reason to leave directly in your lap.
You stared at the newspaper for a long moment. The sinking feeling in your gut still did not go away.
You walked up to the bow where Crocodile was standing. He stared at the horizon as you approached the next island, Water 7.
"Captain."
Crocodile turned to look at you, face neutral, signature cigar in his mouth.
"Morning. The news any good?"
"They want to make you a Warlord."
Your own feelings were swept under the rug as your crewmates overheard. Instantly the deck was buzzing, the news spreading and making the once sleepy, slightly hungover crew come back to life.
"This is perfect!" The helmsman Diat yelled, a grin wide on his face. "Not only do we get the Marines off our back, it's recognition that we are some of the strongest pirates on the Grand Line!"
You would have laughed at him if not for the ice in your chest. Similar celebratory remarks were made all around you, but you didn't have the strength to pretend this was good news to you.
All you could feel was an icy feeling on your back, right where you had a large scar that tore up a long faded tattoo. But time could not get rid of the mark you could never forget about, no matter how much you wanted to.
Amid the spontaneous party you finally turned back to Crocodile. Amidst it all, he was still only looking at you.
Your words were quiet compared to the raucous around you, but your captain heard you just fine.
"If you become a Warlord I'm leaving the crew."
A couple of nearby crew gasped, heads whipped in your direction and murmurs quickly took place of all the yells.
Instantly protests, people yelling your name, yelling their arguments, but it all fell on deaf ears as you stared down your captain.
Tink of all people knew it was futile to argue with you, and turned to the man of the hour. "Captain! You can't just let your first mate leave!"
Before she could continue, Crocodile interjected. "You never planned on making me King of the Pirates, right? So you never planned on staying on this ship anyways."
This evoked even more protests from the crowd. Many of them weren't sure what you two were talking about, and some had begun to yell again.
The sounds were starting to be overwhelming, and this was not a conversation that required the whole crew anyways.
"That's enough from everyone!" You yelled over the cacophony. The crew went quiet. "This is a conversation for me and the captain, the rest of you need to beat it! Do something useful, we will make a port soon."
The crowd was not placated in the least, but it was true the ship would be docked soon, and there were things that needed to be prepared beforehand.
"You heard them. Get back to work." Crocodile finished your command, and the crowd dispersed. You knew they would still be listening, but it didn't stop you.
"I refuse to be part of a crew that works alongside the Marines. If you become a Warlord you automatically become their dog - then you may as well be a dog of the celestial dragons." Your tongue burned even at the mention of the world nobles.
Crocodile took a long drag of his cigar. He looked away from you and sighed an exhale of smoke, then dragged his line of sight back to you.
"I haven't decided yet."
You bristled at this. "Are you suggesting they already offered this to you? And I had to find out through a newspaper?"
Crocodile took yet another drag, and you lost your patience with his nicotine addiction. "Answer me Crocodile."
Your captain sighed through his nose this time, some of the smoke reaching you, a familiar smell after all these years. It once may have been a nice fragrance, knowing your captain was near, but now it blinded you and stoked your anger.
"We are almost to Water 7. Let's save it for there."
-
Tensions were high, especially between you and Crocodile, when your mood worsened when he disappeared while you oversaw the docking. But you docked. You got the crew into a hotel. During this time the crew began splitting into sides, which was not something you had anticipated. But you ignored it all until finally, Crocodile returned and you cornered him into in a room alone with you.
He had no cigar, and you had no drink in hand. It was a painfully sober room.
Crocodile sighed and slumped into an armchair. He dragged his eyes across the room till they met yours. You refused to look away this time, jaw set with determination to stand your ground.
"I don't want to be the Marine's dog," Croc began. "But they offered me a deal."
"The deal that our crimes are excused? Big whoop, as long as we don't get caught it's almost the same."
"No," he sighed, a large ring covered hand dragging down his face in exasperation. "A deal to help take down Whitebeard."
That got you silent. For a moment, as you recalled every time you saw Roger and Whitebeard exchange blows and fight for days on end.
"You? Take down Whitebeard?" You laughed, but it was a dry and bitter thing. "Your bounty is $81 million berries. Your devil fruit is great and all, but it is by no means fight and beat Whitebeard good. Even if Newgate was without his crew, our entire crew would be wiped off the map. You've lost it if you truly believe that this is achieveable."
Crocodile glared from across the room. Not his usual, perpetual glare, but a genuine, freeze you in your tracks ice cold glare.
He stood up, all 8 feet imposing over you as he stalked across the room. "I have let you say plenty of cruel things to me, but this may cross the line."
But you were his first mate and you couldn't fear him if you were supposed to talk sense into him. "Cross the line? I'm not the one who is making deals with the Navy so I can sail us to our deaths at the hands of Whitebeard!" You were yelling now, no, roaring at your foolish headstrong captain.
"If you take that ship and that crew as it is now to the New World to fight Whitebeard and his sons, no one will come back alive!" Your heart was on fire with rage and frozen in fear. Rage at your captain, who is very much overestimating his abilities. Fear for your crewmates who have no idea what sort of danger their captain was going to put them in.
Crocodile was now truly enraged on the same level as you. He sneered down at you as he suddenly grabbed you by the neck - much to your shock. "I wanted you there to see me become the next Pirate King. But if you can't support me for this, one of the biggest moments in my life since I've been a pirate, then I have no need for you anymore."
With his free hand he opened the door that was behind you. A group of Marines walked in with cuffs ready. "To sweeten the deal, what better than to give a former Roger pirate to the Navy?"
You felt all the blood drain from your face, as fear for your own well being finally pierced your heart. You looked up at Crocodile, and you could feel tears begin to creep at the corner of your eyes. "You never fail to surprise me, Captain."
"Well done Sir Crocodile." One of the Marines spoke, and you could tell from their uniform it was a Vice Admiral, though you didn't recognize them.
"A public execution of a Roger's pirate should be a grand way to ring in your instatement as Warlord."
You felt the world slow down around you and felt Crocodile's grip on your neck slip at the Marine's sentencing.
Crocodile began to speak, "That was not what we agreed on," But your ears had begun to ring.
Growing up on the Oro Jackson, you had picked up some neat tricks. You found out you were hopeless with the color of observation haki, but had a special knack for color of arms. Perfect against those darn logia fruit users.
In a blink of an eye you ripped Crocodile's arm away from your neck and you made a mad dash past him. And jumped straight through a window, glass and all.
You could vaguely hear a commotion behind you as Marines ran after you, but it was lost with the ringing in your ears.
You could hear and feel your heartbeat, pounding throughout your body as you ran through the endless alleys and canals of Water 7. You could feel tears pierce through the wind rushing past your face as you ran, desperately with no objective.
All you could think about was the way the heat of Crocodile's hand felt on your neck, the cold metal of the rings that had pressed against your pulse.
Have you ever really touched Crocodile before?
…
You missed him. You didn't understand why. He had just betrayed you - fucking hell, he was just handing you over to the Navy as part of his deal to become a warlord, but god. You wanted to be with him anyways. You're not sure how long you've been in love with him; his sharp eyes, the smell of his cigars, the rings on his hands, but gods above.
You had fallen in love with Crocodile.
In your realization you slowed down. Your legs and lungs burned, you were gasping for air and not just because you had been running.
Has it always been this dark? When did the day leave you behind?
You now stood in some nondescript alley, dimly lit a golden hue by windows that lined it. It was a long alley, each end blocked by canals. How you arrived there you weren't certain. But you weren't alone.
At one end sand had appeared. And from it stepped your dear, awful captain Crocodile. You both stared at each other, both of you panting for breath.
"I didn't want it to be like this." Crocodile's voice cuts through the air to you. You knew you should run. But for some reason you couldn't find the strength.
"I didn't know they would execute you. I imagined they would send you to Impel Down." Crocodile continued to speak. You just stood there and listened as he walked towards you.
As you watched him, there was a strange look on his face. You've seen it before but still didn't know what it meant.
He stopped walking ten feet in front of you. The light was still too dim to see him clearly, but it was fine. You knew his face well enough.
"I won't let the Navy kill you. Not after what the nobles did to you, it feels wrong." You had never told Crocodile what the scar on your back was. It didn't feel like it mattered anymore.
"I think I'll feel better about this if I'm the one who kills you."
You knew this was coming. The second you saw him at the end of the alley. But you agreed with him. If you had to die at someone's hands, you would pick Crocodile over anyone else. Even if it meant he didn't feel the same about you, it didn't matter anymore. You were so tired.
It would be nice to see Roger again.
But then Rayleigh's face flashed in your mind. You still had to pay him a visit. You still had to visit Wano to see Oden. You wanted to see Shanks and Buggy find the One Piece.
You couldn't see Roger just yet.
So, in a sudden scramble, you turned around and ran.
The ground where you had been standing suddenly crumbled. You felt a gasp finally escape your lungs as you realized you almost gave up. But not yet. You had to save your crew too.
Then you finally ran out of luck. The dim light hid a hole in the cobblestones and you fell to the alley ground. You quickly twisted your body just in time to see Crocodile's scythe of sand arc straight towards you.
It hits you right in the chest, and crumbles to dust.
Confused, you run your hands through the sand that has landed on your lap. You're not cut in half - instead you just have sand all over you.
Crocodile change his mind? He was letting you go? Thoughts and heart still racing, you looked up at him.
Oh.
Oh no.
The horror on his face was plain to see - that was supposed to be a killing blow.
But he didn't hurt you.
Your hand jumped to your neck from when he grabbed you earlier. But in retrospect, you had just been shocked by the action, he hadn't harmed you.
Crocodile didn't hurt you.
No.
Crocodile couldn't hurt you.
Because he was your soulmate.
It was the look on his face that hurt you the most. The disgust, anger, horror - this man did not want a soulmate. He did not want you. So why bother sticking around?
You scrambled back to your feet. Even if he couldn't hurt you, the Marines still could.
So, with blurry eyes and a heavy heart, you ran away.
Faintly, you heard a painfully familiar voice call your name, but then all that was left was the wind as you ran.
pt. 2 (if you want, but this might be better as a one shot)
#one piece#sir crocodile#crocodile one piece#crocodile x reader#one piece fanfiction#zirowrites#x reader
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HTP Fic Recs: Hidden Gems
Have you, like me, devoured everything in the Hydra Trash Party AO3 tag and are desperate for more? Well you may be in luck.
In honor of CATWS's 10th anniversary I’ve decided, yet again, to make a new rec list so that these gems don't get buried in my overwhelmingly extensive original rec list. This list features HTP and HTP-adjacent fics that are NOT tagged as HTP (either because the author didn't know the label existed or didn't believe it applied to their fic), making them particularly hard to find, and I think, deserving of more attention.
Many of these fics don’t have much, if any, explicit noncon, but noncon is often implied or referenced and they’re all rife with other types of dehumanization and abuse so the usual HTP warnings still apply. Read tags carefully etc.
The Making of the Winter Soldier [series] by CluckU & Mumble_Bee
Relationship: Hydra Agents/WS, Zola/WS
Words: 13,700
There are a small, precious collection of things he knows for certain each time he wakes in his chair: He is a weapon. A soldier. An asset. He is being molded into the Fist of Hydra. He must prove himself. Failure is not an option.
Muscle Memory by sparklingbinjuice
Relationship: Rumlow & Bucky
Words: 4500
It had taken five minutes of fumbling but he had eventually picked the lock. The soldier wouldn’t be back for hours. Coordinates provided by the remaining, somewhat rudimentary, tracking device installed in the titanium arm indicated that he wandered the streets on weekends – watching people, visiting libraries and museums, feeding the birds. It was all so horribly human.
Reconquer, regain, recover by werebird
Relationship: Hydra Agents/WS (past)
Words: 2300
Hydra had known his body better than he himself ever could. They had taken it, reshaped it, reprogrammed it. They had birthed the Winter Soldier although they had never given him life.
Taming Winter by Runlights
Relationship: Rumlow & WS, Steve & Bucky
Words: 91,000
Notes: terrifying bloodthirsty WS
Regardless of the intravenous set pumping warming fluids into those veins, regardless of the fact that a moment ago, the guy looked on the verge of death, the Winter Soldier was out of the chair and in front of him with two steps that happened so quickly he didn’t even have time to do more than inhale. He froze as he felt the press of his own combat knife against his throat, the bite of the blade causing blood to well and slip down his throat. This was the point where he suspected people felt fear, especially staring into those unfocused cold eyes. He only felt a twisted fascination.
The Soldier’s Kittens by exclamation
Relationship: Sam & Bucky, Steve & Bucky
Words: 11,300
Notes: animal abuse/death
"Sam's a really good guy," Steve said. "I think you'd like him if you spent more time with him."
Bucky said nothing. He would not show any interest in Sam, just as he had not shown any interest when Steve had taken him to the animal shelter to try and get him to interact with the dogs there. He knew this trap and he wouldn't fall into it twice.
Flinching by Exorin
Relationship: Steve/Bucky
Words: 570
It might finally break what's left of him if Steve knew the way he's had to dig his nails into his palms hard enough to draw blood just to shape his breath into the sound of a moan.
I'm comin' up only to hold you under by anonymous
Relationship: Hydra Agents/Bucky, Steve/Bucky (past)
Words: 2100
They drag him out of his cell by his hair and toss him into a room full of identical guards. He lands hard on his knees, the force of the impact stuttering up his weak, tired body, and he glares up and them with all the hatred he can gather. He feels off-balance, like he does whenever he tries to carry himself now—the stump of his missing arm has a phantom weight he can't get used to, won't get used to.
Context is Everything by thedevilchicken
Relationship: Hannibal/Bucky
Words: 2600
"I don't understand," Bucky replied. "Recontextualize?"
"Your memories of HYDRA seem…distant," Hannibal said. "The way you speak about them is as if they happened to someone else. In order to process your trauma, you must understand that they happened to you."
Never Letting the Blood Dry by BarrenPines
Relationship: Rumlow & WS, Steve & Bucky
Words: 2500
Notes: whipping
After the mission, there were pats on the back, expressions of congratulations and thanks, and a dozen other little niceties that made his skin crawl. He’d gotten lucky, that’s all. And he’d also defied orders, departed from his assigned task. Praise wasn’t what he deserved.
#quite a few of these have less than 1000 hits#it's such a tragedy because they're so good#please check them out and give them some love!#hydra trash party#winterbones#fic recs#bucky barnes#marvel#tenyearsoftrash#Happy CATWS Anniversary!
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Jedi: Fallen Order - The Musical (Act 1)
Wait, hear me out…
Alright look, I am fully aware that trying to turn Jedi: Fallen Order into a musical is a dumb idea. I am fully aware that Star Wars in general would probably not benefit from the musical treatment. And I am fully aware that even when people hear me out, there’s not a single human on this earth that really cares or has interest in this idea. And honestly, why should they? It’s not even like I have songs to offer, because despite my music degree, I am a really lousy songwriter!
However, all that being said, I really enjoy the problem-solving challenges that come with adapting a story for a very different medium than originally intended! And when I get my stupid ideas, I want to share them and get them outta my head! So while I have a captive audience, I’m gonna share some of my main ideas for Act 1 of Jedi: Fallen Order - The Musical! If anybody actually cares to read, please like this post, leave comments, reblog or whatever so I can find my drive to finish writing out my main ideas for Act 2! (And if you are not interested in reading 4500 words of my incoherent brainstorming, go ahead and keep scrolling. I will not be offended!)
Act 1
To start the show off, I think it would be somewhat poignant if, at the end of the overture, a single light comes up on Cal and he says the line “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” before immediately transitioning into Bracca.
I imagine the introduction to the scrappers guild to be a Newsies style dance number, although perhaps not quite as happy.
The opening scenes on Bracca need to lay the foundations for the audience: who were the Jedi? What happened to them? And what is the current state of the galaxy? We have to assume, to an extent, that the audience has no background knowledge of Star Wars.
We also need to establish Cal’s current state of mind- fearful and alone. His only goal is to stay alive. He doesn’t trust anyone, but at the same time he does have friends that he cares about, such as Prauf.
Speaking of Prauf, odds are he’d be adapted into a human or humanoid character for this show. There’s nothing saying his character has to be an Abednedo, and it would be a lot of work to turn an actor into this alien character when said character is killed very early on. The actor would likely join the ensemble for the remainder of the show.
Let’s talk about Cere. Not much about her character would need to change, but without video game restraints confining us to Cal’s perspective, it becomes easier to flesh out Cere’s character arc a bit more. We can have the chance to see inside her head, and we can also have one or two scenes where she has the stage to herself.
Cere’s backstory can also be expanded on. Not only would I have her tell the story of how she tried to lure the imperials away from Trilla a bit earlier in the narrative, I would also have the scene play out onstage from Cere’s perspective so the audience actually gets to see young Trilla (and it foreshadows later when we get to see the exact same scene from Trilla’s perspective). There could also be two or three scenes throughout the first act where we get to see more flashbacks of Cere being a master. Perhaps as she gives advice to Cal, she reflects on times she had to give the exact same advice to Trilla (which could also have the added side effect of making Cal and Trilla interesting foils to each other).
Now Greez you could portray on stage a few different ways. I probably wouldn’t turn him into a humanoid character like with Prauf, because 1) he’s in the show for a lot longer, and 2) if all of your main characters are human it makes it difficult to portray the setting as “a galaxy far, far away.” For an alien species that’s meant to be so short in stature, you could potentially do him as a puppet, kind of like the way Olaf is done in Frozen the Broadway Musical, but I’d probably lean away from that because with a story as serious as this one, some strong emotions could get lost in translation. More likely, I’d try to cast an actor who is shorter in stature (most likely not quite Greez sized, but we just suspend our disbelief) and give him some prosthetic makeup and an extra set of arms that can be puppeted to mimic his real arms. (You might also be able to create his short stature by having the actor on his knees, like Lord Farquaad in Shrek the Musical, but again, you start to risk turning the character into a joke.)
As far as Greez’s character arc, it unfortunately comes off as a bit of an afterthought in the game (aside from the Haxion Brood level) but there is a bit that can be expanded on. He started off accepting Cere’s charter in an effort to pay off his debts, but he eventually comes to believe in her and in her quest. It’s not highlighted very much in JFO because a lot of that growth happened before Cal came into the picture. The most we get to see is his underlying dislike for Cal at the beginning grow into respect and eventually care. In a stage show, his arc would still have to be secondary to Cere’s and especially Cal’s arc, but he could definitely be played as a Han Solo-type character who took a job for money that slowly comes to mean more to him.
You can’t have a Jedi game, or a Jedi musical, without Cal’s best buddy BD-1. Now being a droid, and a very small droid at that, BD-1 would be puppeted onstage by an actor in a similar style to the characters in Avenue Q or Finding Nemo: The Musical. I tend to imagine BD-1 being played by a petite young woman (namely, a dancer) but nothing says it has to be. Since BD-1 doesn’t speak English (sorry, Basic!) it would be a silent role with BD’s beeps and trills being produced by a soundboard, probably controlled by someone in the booth rather than by the actor. However, the actor would bring life to BD-1 through their motions and facial expressions. And despite being a non-speaking and non-singing role, I do imagine BD-1 being front and center in every dance number!
The puppet for BD-1 would need to be lightweight and maneuverable. Due to the distance between the stage and the audience, it would probably need to be larger in scale than BD-1 is necessarily meant to be. It could feature some color changing lights that would likely be controlled by the actor. The entire puppet would be independently controlled by the actor rather than being attached to Cal’s back, however there could also be another version of the puppet that could be strapped to Cal’s back for scenes where BD-1’s absence wouldn’t make sense but a lack of contribution to the scene would make the presence of the actor onstage somewhat awkward (for example, some more personal scenes between Cal and Merrin).
Next character to discuss is Eno Cordova. He would likely have about the same level of involvement as he did in the game, although some bits of his instructions may be altered somewhat to make his quest a little less of a wild goose chase. (I mean let’s be real, he coulda just said “you need an Astrium to unlock the vault, there’s one on Dathomir, go get it.”) He would probably not be a singing role, but he would be portrayed by an actor on the stage, with the hologram effect being achieved by simply highlighting him with a blue spotlight.
Okay, now we get to the bulk of the story and our three main planets: Zeffo, Kashyyyk, and Dathomir. There’s a lot to talk about with these three locations, both individually and collectively, but let’s start with set design. For any show that features as many different locations as this one, you’d be best to have a unit set that doesn’t move that can function as all of those locations. I imagine this show having a large set with several different levels of platforms (it is a “platforming” video game after all) and the primary visual indication that we’ve changed locations would be different colored lights illuminating the cyclorama, the white backdrop at the back of the stage. Likely the choice of color for each planet would match the color of each planet on the holomap in the game (green for Kashyyyk, red for Dathomir, etc). There can also be props brought onto the stage that help indicate a change of setting, such as bringing out Greez’s pilot chair when we return to the Mantis.
As I hinted at before, Cordova in the game basically sends Cal out on a wild goose chase. Yes it’s meant to test him, but ultimately the only one of those three planets where Cal actually retrieves something tangible he needs to complete his quest is Dathomir. Now that works for a video game where there’s things for the player to do along the way, but for a passive audience who is watching rather than participating in the story, there needs to be a better reason for Cal to go to each planet. That’s not to say that Cordova should give him all of the answers, but perhaps there is something that Cal needs to retrieve from each tomb. Perhaps the Astrium comes in three different pieces. Yes, there are two tombs on Zeffo and none on Kashyyyk, but Cordova was here first after all. He wasn’t going to put back whatever pieces he found, but he also didn’t get all of them because he found another Astrium somewhere. Cal knows this because he found that Astrium destroyed in the vault. So he goes to Zeffo and through the Tomb of Eilram only to find that Cordova already took the piece that was there. BD plays the recording where Cordova talks about Tarfull and Kashyyyk, leading Cal to believe Cordova left the piece there and that Tarfull would know where to find it. He goes to Kashyyyk and fights alongside the Partisans, but he is unable to find the piece without Tarfull’s help, so he will have to return when the Partisans find him. Out of other leads, Cal remembers Cordova saying something about Dathomir, so he decides to search there. When he reaches the Tomb of Kujet, he finds that he needs the other two pieces of the Astrium to enter so he can retrieve the third. (Because in this context we can’t really use game mechanics like double jumping as a reason for why we can’t continue.) At the same time, Cere hears about Project Auger being restarted, and they return to Zeffo to search for the Tomb of Miktrull. Beyond this, the sequence of events would largely follow the remainder of the game.
Zeffo would probably be the hardest of the three planets to adapt to the stage because, with the exception of Cal’s confrontation with Trilla, not much really happens there. Much of your time on Zeffo in the game is spent traversing the land and solving puzzles in the tombs, all of which is less than exciting for a passive audience. Some kind of story beats would need to be added to Cal’s time on Zeffo (especially the first visit) that makes up for all the combat and platforming that doesn’t really translate to the stage. The story of JFO already has the slight inconvenience of being largely concentrated in the second half of the game, while in most musicals the first act tends to be longer. (And the game provides a perfect built-in spot for an intermission when Cal gets captured by the Brood, so I don’t really want to change that either.) There aren’t a lot of people for Cal to meet on Zeffo, so you could create a new character(s) and give them their own little subplot, but that runs the risk of creating one too many plot lines for the audience to follow as well as having little impact on the overall story. So more likely you would use that time to teach the audience about the Zeffo and have constant communication between Cal and Cere.
Believe it or not, at one point I considered cutting Kashyyyk entirely. But it’s important to show the early stages of rebellion against the Empire and have Cal get a taste of fighting back. Plus, the Partisans create an opportunity for a pretty fun dance number! However, I probably would cut out Saw Gerrera, simply because the more iconic the character is, the harder it is to translate them to the stage. (Obviously we’re gonna run into that same problem with Darth Vader, but we’ll discuss that when we get there.) Instead, I’d probably single out Mari Kosan as the leader of this group of Partisans, but mention that she is working under Saw. The great thing about Mari is that she’s so minor a character in the game that she can be a completely different character in an adaptation. You might even call her a completely new character with only her name being borrowed from a background character in the game. In this sense, we’d get to see the extremist side of the Partisans through her actions rather than Saw’s, but probably not until Cal returns to Kashyyyk in Act 2. (Also, if it proved necessary for the narrative, you could get away with killing off Mari, something you couldn’t do with Saw.)
I talked about iconic characters not translating well to the stage. Well, let’s talk about Wookiees and Stormtroopers. We certainly can’t go to Kashyyyk without seeing some Wookiees, but we’d want to keep their stage presence to a minimum. Creating their look in a live setting, while certainly possible, is not necessarily easy, and it quickly runs the risk of appearing fake to the point of being distracting, thus breaking the audience’s suspension of disbelief. Stormtroopers, on the other hand, would be a very easy, iconic look to recreate. Too easy, in fact. Despite the fact that they tend to be the butt of every Star Wars joke, the presence of Stormtroopers still needs to be felt as a threat, and that threat can be very quickly undermined if they are overused onstage. Not to mention, the moment you put Stormtroopers in a dance number, it becomes Star Wars Weekends at Disney World. So we’re gonna leave the dance numbers to the scrappers, the Partisans, and maybe the Dathomirians.
Speaking of Dathomir, we have to get there early. Obviously in the game you have the option to go there early on, but you don’t have a story reason to go there until much later. In the game, the crew returns to Zeffo right after they first visit Kashyyyk because Cere gets word of the Empire finding the other tomb. But in this case, let’s say she doesn’t hear about that until after Cal first visits Dathomir. We need to get to Dathomir early because 1) Merrin is far too important a character to be introduced in the second act, and 2) as previously mentioned, the second act is very story heavy and we need to shift some of that into the first act to make it slightly more balanced.
Finally it’s time to talk about Merrin! Her character in the first game was so underused and this adaptation offers the chance to expand on her story. (Although I need someone to hold me back a little, because she’s my favorite character but I need to be reminded that this is not her story. She cannot be a bigger character than Cal or Cere.) Introducing her earlier gives the audience more time to think of her as an antagonist, as they watch her repeatedly reject Cal’s attempts to reach out to her.
Let’s talk special effects, because Dathomir is where that really gets fun. Much of the appearance of Merrin’s magick can be achieved with the use of clever lighting and purposeful staging. Her ability to teleport can be mimicked by having her enter the stage in darkness and then using green lighting and perhaps some fog to illuminate her. Magick flames in her hands can be a combination of lighting and some classic magician props. (Disclaimer: Serious safety precautions would have to taken if we’re considering playing with actual fire though!) And the effects of her magick on her eyes and mouth can be achieved with black-light makeup that is invisible in regular lighting.
Now if there’s one person that tries to convince Cal that Merrin is a threat that can’t be reasoned with, it’s Malicos. As in the game, Cal would encounter this “wanderer” on the path to the Tomb of Kujet. He tells Cal that he was marooned on this planet when he came to study the Dathomirian culture, and that he has been hiding from the Nightsister, who he claims has repeatedly tried to kill him without hearing what he had to say (much like she tried to kill Cal upon their first encounter). Cal offers to help him escape the planet, but Malicos rejects this offer, stating that he has not yet completed his research on the planet (red flag # 1). Cal explains his mission, and Malicos explains that the ruins are surrounded by darkness and the magick of the Nightsisters. He tells Cal that Merrin will throw everything at him to keep him from entering the Tomb, and he tries to convince him that the only way to complete his quest is to kill her before she kills him (red flag # 2). But Cal, beginning to suspect he has ulterior motives, dismisses him and continues on to the Tomb. What Cal doesn’t know yet is that Malicos is also pulling the strings on Merrin’s side and actively trying to pit them against each other in the hopes of solidifying his control over whoever came out on top, as well as to keep them from uniting against him, which he knows would likely happen if his lies to Merrin about the massacre were exposed.
I debated a bit whether I should try to work in the romance between Cal and Merrin. Putting them together in Fallen Order definitely runs the risk of coming off rushed, and the way it was handled in Jedi: Survivor was perfect and probably could not be outdone. However, musicals don’t tend to get sequels (unless it’s Love Never Dies) and especially if we’re expanding on Merrin’s character, you can’t really write her and Cal together without there being sexual tension, and the audience will want to see that resolved, so I guess we’re going for it! (And besides, it’s my musical and I want to!) However, I still want Merrin to be an antagonist for most of the story, and prior to fighting Malicos I don’t want slip into the overused tropes of “he saved her life” or “they had to work together to survive.” The dynamic I’ve come up with instead bears a slight resemblance to Rey and Kylo Ren (cuz let’s be honest, Merrical is everything Reylo wishes it was!). Their first encounter is basically the same as the game, where she tells him to leave and sends the Nightbrothers after him. Take note that when I envision this scene, I have Merrin standing above Cal on one of the higher levels of the set (she had the high ground!). However, I’ve created a new scene between them in Act 1 while Cal is making his way back to the Mantis to return to Zeffo. He stumbles upon her praying to her fallen sisters for guidance, having taken off her hood and cloak. (Metaphorically, it’s almost like he catches her indecent.) Caught off guard and scared, Merrin prepares to defend herself, but Cal shows her that he has no intention of fighting her right now, and Merrin, knowing she wouldn’t win any fight she started in this moment, stands down. This scene gives an interesting visual representation of the power dynamics between the two of them, because where she stood high above him in her first scene, they now stand on the same level, which is made even more interesting if the actor playing Cal happens to be taller than her. Cal explains that he is leaving, but will return, and Merrin proclaims that she will be ready to face him when he does. He tells her about his mission and informs her that the Jedi have been wiped out, but importantly it never comes out that she believes the Jedi killed her family. They sing a counterpoint duet detailing their differing points of view, with Merrin stubbornly refusing to believe Cal’s Jedi “lies.” (This is actually the only song I’ve named: “Fool Me Once.” Fill in the rest of the saying.) By the time the scene ends, the audience should not yet be thinking that Merrin will eventually become Cal’s ally. However, the scene would definitely include noticeable sexual tension during their argument, mostly being in each other’s personal space for a hair too long and some extended eye contact.
Now that I’ve beaten that scene into the ground, let’s go back to Zeffo. Cal explores the Tomb of Miktrull and finally finds the first of the three pieces of the Astrium before encountering (hang onto your hats) the Second Sister, aka Trilla Suduri, Cere’s former Padawan! (Dun dun duuunnnn!!) Nothing super noteworthy changes in this section of the story except that Cal doesn’t encounter Trilla until after he explores the Tomb.
Remember those flashback scenes I was talking about with Cere and Trilla? This is what they’ve been leading up to. In the game, when Trilla takes her helmet off, the only reason we know who she is, is… well, she says so. However, if we see flashbacks of Trilla earlier in the show, now the audience recognizes the face under the mask. Now I know what you’re thinking: “won’t the voice give it away?” Not necessarily, if you’ve got a good enough actress. For all intents and purposes, Trilla and the Second Sister, much like Anakin and Darth Vader, are two different characters and should be treated by an actor as such. A good actress could make her tone and delivery so different between the two characters that first-time viewers wouldn’t put them together (as long as the playbill doesn’t give it away). But even if the audience does figure it out, I don’t think the fact that Trilla became an inquisitor is the biggest revelation in this scene. Because let’s be honest with ourselves, in terms of Star Wars plot twists, that one was a little predictable. But no, the bigger revelations are that Cere betrayed Trilla by giving up her location, she used the dark side in the aftermath, and perhaps most damningly, she has been keeping secrets from Cal.
Alright let’s talk stage combat. For this fight in particular, much like the game, it would get cut short and end up being more talking than fighting. But in general, stage combat tends to be more dance-like movements than martial arts. We’re not going for prequel-style lightsaber duels here. Plus, on stage, you only get one take, so you can’t exactly afford for anyone to get hurt halfway through. We’ll talk a little bit more about lightsaber effects later, but suffice to say, the stage combat, while important, comes second to the emotions surrounding the scene.
So BD-1 cuts the fight short by activating a laser gate between Cal and Trilla. Trilla reveals her past and sings about how you can never trust anyone before leaving. Now on stage alone, Cal finishes out the song by briefly lamenting why Cere didn’t tell him the truth. He hears another disturbance just offstage and prepares to defend himself before being hit by a stun grenade and knocked out by an unknown bounty hunter. Blackout.
End Act 1
So those are my notes on Act 1 of Jedi: Fallen Order - The Musical. I’ll be posting my Act 2 notes in the near future, but before I go, I want to quickly discuss the vocal ranges of each of the characters.
- Cal: Being a classic male hero, Cal would almost certainly have to be a pretty high tenor. However, he shouldn’t be like a squeaky tenor, for lack of a better phrase; his tone should be more round and even. (I’m just gonna say it- Cal probably shouldn’t have gay voice! I’m sorry, I don’t mean that in an offensive way, I just don’t have a better way of describing what I mean!)
- Cere: She would definitely be a low alto. (If we’re talking Broadway, I’m picturing Heather Headley or someone similar.) Not only would that be a good match for Debra Wilson’s voice in the game, but a lower singing voice is often used to portray age. It helps give the audience the impression that she is older and wiser than Cal.
- Greez: He’s a little tricky, but I’d probably put him somewhere in the mid-range, maybe a high-end baritone. I’m not locked into that though, I could also possibly imagine him as more of a low tenor.
- Merrin: Okay some people are gonna disagree with me here, but I would not make Merrin an alto. She can’t have the same range as Cere. That’s not to say I think she should have a super high singing voice, more like low mezzo soprano. But her voice should be powerful; I’m thinking like an Idina Menzel-style belter. (I mean, she is a witch, after all!)
- Trilla: Lemme start by saying that Trilla would not sing with her helmet on, so her first song probably wouldn’t be until the Act 1 finale. I imagine her having a very similar range to Merrin, with perhaps a slightly darker tone.
- Ninth Sister: We’ll talk about her more in Act 2, but she would definitely be a very low alto. She’s a big character, and generally the bigger the instrument, the lower the pitch. She also leans very heavy on the melodrama.
- Malicos: Now odds are he wouldn’t sing until Act 2, but he would definitely be a low baritone, if not a bass. I’ve been comparing him to Claude Frollo from Hunchback, both in terms of his character and his voice. So I would definitely imagine his voice sounding a bit aged, although the actor would also need to be able to do at least a small amount of stage combat, so he might have to be slightly younger than we might imagine the character.
- Sorc Tormo: Speaking of Hunchback, here we’ve got our Clopin Trouillefou. Eccentric and dramatic, Sorc Tormo would be the one to have that squeaky tenor voice that I didn’t want for Cal. (Now HE can have gay voice!)
- Jaro Tapal: I’ll throw him in because I haven’t decided whether or not he would sing, but if he does, he would most definitely be a bass.
One other note about casting: I am in my mind imagining the characters being played by actors who look similar to the actors in the game, with Cal, Greez, and Merrin all being white, and Cere and Trilla being people of color. However, the beautiful thing about a story like this is that there is absolutely no reason that you couldn’t colorblind cast every single one of the characters.
But I think I’ve rambled on enough for now. If anyone is actually still reading up to this point, thank you for indulging me! You are my favorite! Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments, because I have no one to discuss this topic with and it would make me really happy… 🥺🫶
Act 2 coming soon!!
#jedi fallen order#the musical#jedi survivor#star wars#cal kestis#bd 1#cere junda#greez dritus#second sister#trilla suduri#merrin#nightsister merrin#merrical#make it a musical#because why the hell not#i clearly have way too much time on my hands#and I hyperfixate on the most niche things#that my AuDHD ass takes way too far#I can’t believe I’m posting this#i mean jedi fallen order the musical?#who comes up with something like that? A CRAZY PERSON!!#no one’s gonna read this…
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>GOOD EVENING MY PUDDIN POPS (¯ ³¯)♡
>it is poll time!!!!!!!
>as you may know from some of my other #anais.txt posts, after hitting 50 followers a few days ago i wanted to do a special series, the road to 100 followers series, in which there would be a new shortfic/post for every 10 new followers i got
>however, you guys have very unexpectedly blown my shit UP since then and we have already hit over 80 followers!!! (i’m so grateful tytyty)
>so, i’m going to leave this choice up to you!
>would you guys prefer: the series, which would be anything from drabbles or “shortfics”(1000-2500 words), multi-character posts, HCs, or nsfw visuals. there would be FIVE (5) of these in total. OR! would you rather a completely new longfic (my “longfics” are anywhere from 4500-8500 or so words) that would be a larger celebration post once we hit 100 followers? *completely new in this case meaning it would be a fresh idea that i come up with for this specific milestone, nothing that i’ve already talked about or have in my WIP folder*
>poll is mostly for followers but i’ll be tagging my main fandoms so if you see it and want to vote, maybe stick around and see what we’re up to over here!
#anais.txt#my polls#please vote!#i want to give y’all what y’all rly want!!#haikyuu#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu smut#jujutsu kaisen#jujutsu kaisen smut#jjk x reader#jujutsu kaisen x reader#chainsaw man x reader#csm x reader#chainsaw man#csm#jjk#hq x reader#hq smut
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Alternative prologue IkeVamp
Picture
This is absolutely not canonical. MC is for sure. And I'm not entirely sure about some of the guys. Either I played their routes long time ago, or I don't really understand them. But I did my best.
At first, I start rewriting the entire prologue from the beginning. I don't like it for so many reasons… and finally find where to put this lovely thought of mine.
I turned around and saw a very unique looking man. Golden hair, golden eyes, golden clothes. I've never seen anything even remotely like this. It's like he's made entirely of gold… His name must be Mr. Gold!
But the more I did it, the more I realized that this is not what I wanna do. I had two small (were small at the beginning) scenes in my head, why should I write the rest?
So… here is my very odd version of the prologue after the introduction of the main characters. Everyone will be there except Jean. He didn't show up. What a shy boy!
It was supposed to be a joke. That's why I'm posting this on April 1st. I hope I'm not the only one who finds it funny. Enjoy.
Aproximatly 4500 words. Jeez how did it ended up that long?..
- So... Are you saying that you are all historical figures?
Comte smile one of his signature smile.
- That's correct.
- And how did you all end up in the same time period? I'm not a historian, but even I know that you are all from different times, even centuries?
- That's a really good question, Luv.
Arthur, sitting next to me, put his arm around my shoulders. I push his hand away.
- Mister, could you not touch me? I don't like strangers in my personal space.
The man blinked a couple of times, clearly pouting.
- But I'm not a stranger… I just introduced myself.
He smiles very charmingly, but that didn't change my opinion on the matter.
- That's right! We just met. So, you are a stranger to me.
Very naughty laugh from another side of the table.
- This Hondje is quite feisty.
I look at the smiling man and hold my gaze on him.
- I don't know what you call me, but something tells me that wasn't nice. So please refrain from that in the future.
Very gentle cough caught my attention.
- I have to apologize for my brother. He doesn't know how to behave with women.
I look at the angelic-looking man, and a smile somehow appears on my face.
- You don't have to apologize for him. He's not a child.
Vincent looked at Theo.
- Theo…
- No, no, no! You’ve got me wrong. I don't need he's apologies. I'd rather never talk to him.
-Ouch... that was harsh, Toshiko-san. You may have brought Theo-san to tears.…
The man sitting on the same side of the table as me... Dazai his name. I lean down to meet his gaze.
- Is this a local joke that I'm not aware of? Calling a new person by different names?
- I must apologize for my children. They are quite... unique…
I look at Comte and slowly observe all the people at the table.
- No offense, but how can they be your children if you all look the same age?
- That's another good question, Luv…
Arthur held out his hand to me, but stopped and took it away.
- Don't you like the food?
I thought my heart would definitely jump out of my chest. The voice came from right behind me. I turn around and meet Sebastian's gray eyes.
- Jeez... where did you come from?
- I've been standing behind you all this time... and you haven't even tried to eat...
- I’m… you are right…
I take a deep breath, calming my poor heart, and take a bite. Either I was very hungry, or it was the most delicious meal I've ever eaten.
A proud smile appears on the Conte's face
- Sebastian is the best cook. I still can't believe how lucky I was to get him.
- To get?
- He's just like you... human.
I was very unlucky that I took a bigger piece at that exact moment. But it instantly stuck in my throat. Don't try to think about it.… Just chew… I did as my brain said. I take a glass, presumably of water, and take a long sip before answering.
- That means... The rest of you are not human?
- Exactly.
I take another sip.
- Assuming it's possible… Who are you when?
- Vampires.
- Hmm.…
Ok. It's definitely not possible. I finally felt confident enough to look up, and realized that everyone was looking at me with a mixture of surprise and admiration.
- What?
- You're taking it better than we expected.
- Because it's an obvious lie.
- I assure you, it is not.
- Real vampires… I mean really existing vampires like bats or mosquitoes...they need a lot of blood. Like much more than their own weight.
- Really?
I bend down to meet a very surprised pink gaze. Isaac?
- You were so quiet, I even forgot you were here, cutie. But yes, it's true. Check on Google…
A very strange pause and suddenly...
- Did I hear her right? Did she just call Ai-san a cutie?
- Issak, you are blushing. Oh, she made old boy blush...
- Theo, what is Google?
- I don’t know. Most likely, something that we don't need.
- Who gave it its name? Goo goo... what is that?
- I guess you don't like the sound of it, Wolfie.
- Don't call me that! It's disgusting coming from you.
- So, in other words... you don't mind if someone else calls you that?
- Hahaha…
The last one was from Napoleon. I didn't hear him talking to anyone, but his laugh was something....
- I probably shouldn't have said that... - I mumble to myself.
Suddenly, the door opened and another man entered.
- I can't remember the last time we had such a lively dinner…
- Leonardo! - Comte exclaims.
- Oh, we have a guest… Sorry for being late. Leonardo, Leonardo da Vinci.
- Aaaaaah. Another historical figure…
- …She didn't sound impressed...
- No offense, but I'm already meet a musician whose music increase brain activity.
- Wha?
- My favorite painter of all times.
- She just called…
- At least she has taste…
- And my childhood crush.
- What is “crush" mean? - It was said in such a low voice that I couldn't make out who said it.
- Brief, but very strong, even obsessive love. Usually to a person who is out of reach.
- Thank you, Sebastian. That was very informative.
- Childhood? It could have been any of us. Well, probably not you, Dazai. No offense.
- He-he. Not taken. I would be very surprised if it was me.
- So... - I raise my voice - My point is... it's really hard to beat.
The man smiles and sits down next to Comte.
- She's very unusual…
- Actually, while my brain is still working... it's pretty noisy here… Before everything... started, I was trying to ask, who is donating blood to you?
- Oh, it's all legal. We have…
- No! I don't really care! I was asking, why is someone voluntarily giving you so much blood?
- But we don't need much.
- This is absurd!
- I like her more and more... Comte, why didn't you wake me up earlier?
- I was as mesmerised as you are right now…
- Stop it! Don't try to distract me!
- Am I really your favorite painter?
- What is the brain activity you were talking about?
- Who were your childhood crush? It's me, isn't it, Luv?
- Oh... I think I have a headache…
- Would it be better if we continued in my office?
- I don't know? Does this mean there will be less people?
- Absolutely!
The Comte gave me his usual encouraging smile, and I nodded.
(***)
Only Comte and Leonardo came with me to the office. At the very moment when we sit down at the table, Sebastian appears seemingly out of nowhere with a tray of tea.
- How does he do it?
- What are you talking about, ma chère?
- Don't mind me. This guy gets on my nerves.
- Just him? I thought all of us...
- All the others are just noisy, but this one is… creepy.
- Oh, poor Sebas, she really doesn't like you.
- I don't care what she thinks.
I'm glad to know that our dislike is mutual. A very noble cough attracts my attention.
- I know that all this information can be quite overwhelming.… Maybe you need some time…
- You said that I was stuck in this time for a month. What options do I have?
- Cara mia...
- Don't use other languages. I think I'm very lucky to have learned one, and I'm pretty sure I'm not capable of more.
- You underestimate yourself.
- Maybe so. But just... don't do it!
- If you say so…
- Well, you can stay here with us, or I can rent you a house in the city. If it suits your tastes better.
- It's a little too much for a stranger. Maybe you have another house where there are less people?
- Don't you want to live with us? Why?
That voice was coming from outside the door. And it probably belonged to Vince.
- Perhaps they are children in secret?..
- I have my suspicions about this... - behind my back. I don't flinch this time. But it's still pretty scary when he does it…
- I have another house... but my eldest lives there…
- And who is this?
- William Shakespeare.
(pause)
- He probably writes all the time. He didn't even notice me there.…
- If you like writers... why don't you stay with me. I can please you much better than he can.
- What was the point of leaving the dining room at all?..
- Ahem... But you didn't say why you didn't want to stay with us, Cara...oh, sorry... old habits die hard.
- Well... unmarried women living with... how many of you are here... 9.. 10 men… It's really bad for my reputation. Not that it matters what people think of me at this time period, I will definitely leave this place in a month. But I still don't wanna feel hostile stares at me.
- There are 11 of us.
- What?
- You haven't met Jean yet.
- Whatever… And the second... which should probably be the first… You're vampires. So... Having a bag of warm, fresh blood nearby will be too tempting to ignore.
- Sebastian has been with us for a while, and no one has ever tried to bite him.
- No offense, Sebastian, but I don't want to bite you either.
- Do you have such desires often?
Pause…
- I don't want to answer that question.
- I understood your point. So... Let's go to William. I'll ask if he doesn't mind.…
(I cannot even read Old English, let alone write. So William will speak mostly normally)
We arrived at a very nice cottage a slightly outside the city. I was surprised to see a lot of flowers in the garden. Does he even have time to take care of them? I thought this guy couldn't think of anything but writing…
Comte knocked on the door, and a few moments later the door opened. We were met by a very strange man in obviously out of time clothes. His mismatched eyes widened in obvious surprise.
- Good Comte!
- Will, I apologize for the unannounced intrusion.
- Come in.
We entered the house, and I was immediately surprised to see how neatly it was decorated. So many details. Everything sparkles and shines like a jewelry shop, no less.
- Will… I know it's a little sudden.… But could this lady stay with you for a month?
The mismatched eyes look at me as if I'm not even a person, but an object. Maybe it was a bad idea to leave the mansion after all.
- If this is that my sire wants.... I will gladly grant his wish.
- Thank you very much. I feel responsible for her well-being.
- It's not your fault, you know…
- Maybe so. But you ended up in this situation because I wasn't careful enough.
- Could you please explain to me what you are talking about.
- Oh, yes. This young lady is from the future. She noticed the door and went through it to this time.
- I thought it was impossible...
- Yes... me too… So... she will stay in this time for a month until the door opens next time.
- I see.
- Don't worry. We'll just be roommates.
- I believe he has a separate room for you…
- That's not what I meant. I mean people who live together but don't interact at all. We probably wouldn't even see each other.
- Why is that?
- I don't like to stay indoors. Taking pictures, wandering around, making small talk with random strangers… It's kind of my thing. But I also like to read books. I'm sure you have at least some…
- Hmm.…
- Wonderful. At least you don't have a headache here.
I smile radiantly and begin to look around.
- Is there anything here that I'm not allowed to touch? I don't wanna invade your privacy, so tell me in advance.
- Hmm…
- Yes, she is quite overwhelming… You get used to it.
(Some time later)
- Don't touch it!
- Why? You didn't mention it when I asked.
- Woman! What's gotten into you? Why do you need to touch everything you see?
- I don't know… I'm curious… And I didn't touch you, so not everything.
- I can't believe he just dumped you on my head!
- For a person who works with creative people, you are quite short-tempered.
- I've never met such an irritating person in my life...
- No one has ever told me that... I think we're just incompatible.
- Obviously. You said you don't like being indoors.
- I am. But I don't know this place yet and I don't wanna get lost.
- What a wonderful idea…
- What did you say?
- Nothing. Come on. I'll show you around. And you need a dress.
- Why? What's wrong with my dress?
- First of all... it's shamingly short.
- I don't think so!
- In 19th century it's too short.
- Oh... right… I forgot.
After the incredibly awkward process of buying a dress. Why do they need so many people to take measurements? I finally got outside. I need to keep reminding myself... Don't even try to breathe, it's an unattainable desire. This is not a dress, but an instrument of torture.
- Maybe I should stay indoors... - I muttering to myself
- What now?
- I cannot breathe in this...
- You'll get used to it.
- I don't want to get used to it!
Some people turn around to look at me disapprovingly. I probably don't have the right to show emotions either... Wonderful!
- So... This is the main street with lots of shops. If you turn right, you will find yourself in front of my house after a while.
- That's right… We came here this way…
- So that's it... enjoy.
- Hey! Are you seriously going to leave me here alone?
- You said…
- Right, right, I said… Sorry... See you at home…
He takes a long exasperated sigh and instantly disappears into the crowd.
- But the problem is… I don't speak French...
I take a long exhale…
- Okay. I'll figure something out...
I move with the crowd in one direction, then in another… And somehow ended up in an alley with very beautiful trees. I look around. Nobody. This is my only chance. I take out my phone and take a couple of pictures. Perfect. Well, at least I'd have something to prove that I'm not crazy. But... It's just trees, I need something more.… Oh, such a lovely church…
(This part already seems like the beginning of the route. I just cannot imagine NOT falling for him. I'm doomed)
I opened a very heavy door and entered a dimly lit church. It's empty… Interesting… I look around, enjoying the way the stained glass window casts multicolored light into the room... I walk slowly down the hall, finally find the right angle and take a shot. The echo of footsteps makes me turn around, and I hurriedly hide the phone.
Two men approached from the other side of the church. One of them had very odd white hair. Not gray, but white. I've never seen anything like that. And the other was in the priest's clothes. Right… I'm in the church, not museum. They said something, probably to me, but I didn't understand. I smiled shyly and decided to leave. I clearly shouldn't be here. But the moment I touched the handle, the door opened and the young man almost bumped into me.
- Pardon... - he said and, without slowing down, ran inside the church.
He said something swiftly in French. I didn't understand a word, but something caught my attention and I looked around. My eyes met the priest's and my heart skiped a bit. How did I not notice this before? He's gorgeous… Tall and undoubtedly muscular frame, fluffy dark hair, sharp gaze… I cannot even look away.
- Hello… Do you perhaps speak English?
I look in the direction of the voice. It was a man with white hair.
- Actually, I do.
- What brings you here? - A deep vibrating voice, and my brain just stopped working.
- Huh? - I stare at the priest, dumbfounded.
- You look so cute.… Can we play? - The guy with pink hair who had just arrived suddenly came close to me and whispered in my ear.
- Could you not invade someone else's personal space…
- What are you talking about? – A completely innocent look of confusion on his face.
- I'm talking about my personal space. And I don't like strangers in it.
- Right, we didn't introduced.
- She came to us. She has to introduce herself first.
- Huh? – And again... What is this man doing to me?
The absolutely sincere laughter sounded especially loud in the empty church.
- I didn't expect that... - The white-haired guy. Up close, I noticed that his eyes were red. Is he sick or something?
- Why are you looking at me? She probably has hearing problems…
- Right… I wouldn't expect anything less from you…
- I'm Charles. Nice to meet you! – Guy with pink hair smiled brightly.
- I'm Vlad. And this grumpy priest is Faust.
- An unusual name.
- It's not a name. But he prefers to be called that.
- I see. I'm Jane.
- Really?
I look at Vlad and feel uncomfortable for no reason.
- I have a pretty ordinary name…
- I think it's beautiful. Just like you! - Charles ones again has come too close to me, and I look at him disapprovingly.
- I just told you…
- It's pointless. He only hears what he wants to hear. - I look at Faust and somehow manage to nod. Oh, progress! I'm not as hopeless as I feared.
- So, what brings you here? – This time the question was from Vlad, and I managed to answer.
- I think… I got lost... - I allowed myself an ironic laugh.
- It doesn't seem to bother you in the slightest...
- Oh......It's been a very long and eventful day, and I just cannot bring myself to feel something anymore... I guess...
- I've never heard of this.... Docteur you?
- No. But somehow I understand what she meant...
- Lovely... - Vlad smiles and happily claps his hands.
- If she got lost… Maybe we could take her home?
- I'm not a stray kitten!
- Huh? I think you're cuter than a kitten.…
- ...I have a headache again…
- Really? I can look for a medicine for you…
- No... that's not what she meant...
- Charles, we cannot keep her, but we definitely have to feed her.
- Once again, I'm not a stray kitten!
- Welcome to my world…
I look at him, and for the first time, something like real emotion shows in his eyes. Oh... whey are green... Pretty...
There was a mountain path behind the church. I was sure I was going to die before we got up that damn mountain. It seems that this ascent will never end. But I was the only one who was out of breath. Right. They probably do this all the time…
As soon as we got to the top, Charles said something about food and disappeared. My head was spinning and my lungs were on fire, I fell to the ground, unable to stand any longer.
- You have so little stamina...
"Really? You noticed?" - I wanted to say ironically. But at the moment the top of my abilities were probably not as scary as I hoped gaze. He smirked and disappeared into the... What is it? A Castle? I just noticed...
- You shouldn't be sitting on the ground. You'll catch a cold…
After several attempts, I finally managed to stand on shaky legs. Vlad holds my hand. My breathing still resembles asthmatic in the worst possible stages. I need to practice. Walking is not enough exercise!
- Come on… I'll show you the garden. Charles needs some time to prepare the food.
He pulls at my hand, but I stop in my tracks.
-Really?
- Excuse me?
- Why all people at this time period... are so desperately trying to feed me? Do I look that hungry?
The man's eyes seem to open a little wider than usual.
- This time period?
- Don't mind me… The garden, you say.
We bend the castle, and behind it opens the most beautiful garden I have ever seen. I thought William's garden was cute, but this…
- So beautiful…
- I'm glad you like it. This is my garden…
- You mean... You planted, tended and... everything else?
- Yes.
- But it's huge! It's like... a mile long. And there are a lot of flowers… How can one person do this?
- I have all the time in the world…
Ring the bell!
- Don't tell me…
- Do you have a question?
- I have, but... what the hell, I have nothing to lose! I mean, even if I don't ask, you'll probably kill me.
His eyes widened ones again.
- Are you a vampire?
He blinks. The pause seemed to take forever.
- And what exactly gave you that idea?
I turn at the sound of oh so much familiar voice and meet with green eyes. He seemed to be much closer than I expected… How did he manage to sneak up on me unnoticed? And somehow that thought allowed me to finally talk to him.
- I don't know.… The same vibe…
- Vibe…
I take a deep breath. Don't tell me they don't have that word as well.
- I don't know... he just seems different.
- How so? People don't even suspect me.
- Well... if you don't expect something different, you won't notice a thing.
- And you expect it... So you knew…
I look at Faust questioningly.
- Charles said there was a girl in the mansion…
Wonderful. So, I got the confirmation I was asked for.
- Why do vampires find me? Does my blood smell good or something?
- You found us. So you tell. Do we smell nice?
Faust! What the hell are you doing? How can you ask this so bluntly? And my voice, which has just returned to me, disappears again.
The charming laugh attracts my attention... Vlad seems to be enjoying my suffering. Suddenly Charles jumps out into the garden and points an accusing finger at Faust.
- How could you make her fall in love with you in my absence? It's so sneaky of you...
- I'm not in love with him!
- Really? It's very hard to believe…
I'm looking at Vlad seriously.
- It's called crush. And I'll get over it in no time, as soon as I realize that he has nothing but good looks.
- You sound so sure…
- I have experience.
Yes. Experience. The first was a scientist who died before I was even born. Then a couple of actors. And finally, my college teammate. The last one was the worst. He knew and only exploited my feelings. I hate him. I hate it so much! But that's all in the past. And now... the priest. At least my addiction to unreachable guys hasn't changed…
- Did I miss something?
- You obviously did. But let's go inside. The food is waiting…
Carefully avoiding looking at Faust, I follow Vlad and Charles, who is bouncing at every step.
(***)
After an extremely delicious dinner, I finally felt relaxed. So... What should I do? I looked around and chose a victim.
- So… I have a question…
- Of course. What would you like to know?
- Do you dye your hair?
- W-w-what?
- I have never seen such a shade of hair.… You probably killed them when you did it.… Can I touch it?
- No... no! Stop it!
I begin to pursue Vlad, who is dissatisfied with my desire to touch his hair. Have know idea why.
- Voïvode? Do you need a help?
We ran around the table a couple of times before he finally realized that he was taller than me and his hair was completely safe. I got tired of running and fell down on the couch. What's next? I look at Charles.
- You can do whatever you want with me.
- No.
- Aww. Why?
- I don't know. Probably because you agree so easily.…
Charles looked at Faust very sadly.
- What? She completely ignores me.
- Lucky you!
- Vlad! What's there?
I pointed to a door that didn't seem to have been used for a long time…
- I don't know…
- Good! Let's explore…
I jump up and try to open the door, but it won't budge.
- Owww.… It's closed. Vlad!!!
- Where does she get so much energy from?
- Maybe she's 5 years old?
Oh… good idea! Thanks Faust.
(Several days later)
- Oh, candy!
- No! You cannot give her sweets! – Vlad is almost crying.
- Sorry... sorry... She was smiling so radiantly that I forgot.
I think it's time to slow down a bit. I'm desperately trying to keep a smile from spreading. I feel someone's gaze on me and meet Faust's eyes first time for a very long time. Damn, he noticed. I raise an eyebrow questioningly. But he just smirked and didn't say a word. Didn't expect that...
I'm going back to my room in the castle. I have no idea why they still want me to stay with them. I'm constantly harassing both of them. I'm too clingy and overly emotional with Vlad and, on the contrary, very cold and distant with Charles. They're really weird.
William must be overjoyed because I got lost. I haven't heard from him since the first and thelast day we saw each other. It's probably for the best. Charles regularly tells me about what's going on in the mansion. I don't know who is providing him with information, and I don't really care. According to him, all the residents are very worried about me. I have no idea why. I was pretty rude to them. Vampires are certainly strange creatures…
But my biggest problem is… Faust. I lie down on the bed and cover my face with a pillow to muffle the scream.
- How can he be so damn perfect?!?
This crush has a very high probability of developing into true love.
I'm doomed.
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Abyss
Behold the fruit of my hard work and dedication - a 4500 word MDZS Subnautica AU (part 1)! And when you think I barely knew what that was a month or so ago - character development!
Special thanks to @sasukimimochi for not only giving me alien fish brain worms in general but also for this prompt and all the feedback that's helped me improve this ficlet! This wouldn't have been possible without you!
This will probably not make very much sense without context, but I tried my best to write it in a pretty simple way so that it can be enjoyed on its own even so. The focus is more on feeling anyway!
Enjoy and see you in part 2 <3
There had never been anything more unnerving to Wei Wuxian than silence where there had always been noise, the suffocating feeling of nothing where there had always been something. And that place, that planet, had not been quiet. There had always been sound – the creatures, the currents, the mechanical whirrs of technology, the radio transmissions of people long gone, the data bank entries.
The voice of a loved one, the reassurance that they were still alive because you could see their vitals beep mechanically across a screen, endless. The promise of return, the confirmation that they were with you still.
All of that had been replaced with silence – and Wei Wuxian felt it crawl into his body like winding, lead vines, his hands going numb with anxiety as his heart rate picked up to the point of a health alert beeping incessantly into his ears. It was as though the entire world had stopped, quieted down as if in waiting, like an eager audience focused on the climax of a theater play. What was going to happen next? What would the grand reveal be, the aftermath of what had been before?
Because, before that terrible, painful silence, there had been deafening noise – screaming, growling, the sickening sound of equipment being torn into by something beyond the capabilities of human imagination. He heard it – all of it, through the communication system, and could do nothing but that. Hear. Fourteen hundred meters below sea level, four hundred beyond the capacity of his Seamoth, his beloved was fighting for his life against a relentless, wrathful monster.
And he was powerless to help. If he had tried going down, the pressure would have caved the entire ship into itself, so even if Lan Wangji did survive, there would be nowhere – and nobody – left for him to return to.
And they had made a promise, when they found themselves stranded in this hell world – that they wouldn’t both die here. That, no matter what happened, no matter what they encountered, one of them would come back home alive and stay alive – because there was someone waiting for them at home, in a corner of their galaxy they hadn’t seen ever since they’d passed through the phasegate leading them here. And they had made a promise to that little, crying face, that they would return.
And so, no matter how much his instincts screamed at him to do something, anything, come up with a plan, how can you stay idle while your husband is dying?! – Wei Wuxian did nothing but listen to the fierce fight, motionless in place, shaking, eyes squeezed shut like he was waiting for a powerful blow to hit him the same way it would hit Lan Wangji.
And then, it was over. The sounds stopped altogether, replaced with that same nothingness that Wei Wuxian had always been so desperate to fill, with music and conversation and even just the tiniest hums and responses from his beloved.
But he could do none of those things then - all that he was left to do was, yet again, to listen. Listen for the communication system to crackle to life, and for Lan Wangji to tell him that he was alive, that the creature had been defeated or at least ran off – but Sea Dragons were nothing if not vicious. And despite the prowess of the prawn suit, it had never claimed to be indestructible. If anything, Wei Wuxian was quite certain he had heard it being destroyed before the transmission cut off.
What could he even do now? He did not have enough supplies to build a second prawn suit, not on such short notice, to try to – to reach that facility as well. The only reason they’d even gone there was an attempt to find a cure for the bacterium they’d both been infected with, to try to stay alive in this wretched place until they could get out – but of course, nothing could ever come easy in a place like this.
And he doubted he could deal with the knowledge that he had lost his husband – or, should there be any left, the remains of – of the suit and the - !
His vision became blurry as he stared ahead at the ship’s controls, useless. His fists clenched, hard, and he felt his wedding band bite against his skin with the strength of his grip. Would that symbol of love and devotion now become a relic? A bitter reminder of the person he lost because he couldn’t do anything but listen to him die?
How could he allow all this to happen? Why did he not think of something, anything to prevent this? He should have never let Lan Wangji go down there, he should have –
…ei…ng – Wei Ying!
Wei Wuxian’s head snapped up, as if to search for the source of the sound. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was this just some other creature attempting to prey on him and use some form of telepathy to get him vulnerable?
Wei Ying, do you copy?
A tremor shook violently through Wei Wuxian’s body, the last of his tears flowing down his face. That was not a trick, it couldn’t have been. No matter how powerful, the creatures on that planet could not replicate Lan Wangji’s voice so well. No, that was his husband, loud and clear – and yet, “Lan Zhan…? You’re… you’re alive?”
I am here. I managed to evade the Sea Dragon Leviathan by taking cover inside the facility.
Relief flooded Wei Wuxian’s system to the point of it being nearly overwhelming, a fresh wave of tears invading his vision. His husband was there, he was still alive, conscious and his, there was still hope that they would, somehow, reunite and perhaps even leave this terrible place.
However, the prawn suit is beyond repair. I am going to have to manage on my own.
The relief had been short lived, though, as the magnitude of the situation befell Wei Wuxian again. Lan Wangji was not only alone in a strange, alien facility, but he was also largely defenseless. Whatever awaited him there… he would have no chance to survive against it.
But returning to the base, or even swimming upwards towards the Seamoth, was not viable either – for all it was worth, the alien facility was far safer than the open waters, where it was no guarantee other hostile creatures would not attack. In fact, it was more of a guarantee that Lan Wangji would die if he left the building than if he stayed inside of it.
Wei Wuxian could tell he was spiraling, and losing his head to overthinking and panic would help nobody - what he needed to be was calm, collected and rational. He would allow his emotions to take over once Lan Wangji was in his arms once more, safe and unscathed.
So, Wei Wuxian took in a deep breath to steel himself and focus on the certainties of the moment. One, his husband was alive. And two, he needed to help him stay alive until they found a way to get him out of there. Two possibilities emerged: either Lan Wangji would be able to find a safe exit, or Wei Wuxian would come up with a way to go down there and retrieve him - of course, without compromising any of their vehicles.
Considering the fact that he did not currently have the equipment to go down to the facility and retrieve Lan Wangji himself, the latter option would not be viable - so all that was left was for Lan Wangji to find a safe passage away from the facility.
As tedious as that could be, though, the alien buildings were rarely death traps – their previous inhabitants needed a means to get in and out, after all. The only question was, how did they manage to do that in a building 1400 meters below sea level, surrounded by an active lava lake and aggressive predators looming so closely?
“How’s your inventory?”
I’ve emptied out some of the storage unit of the prawn suit and still have the supplies I need. I’ve used up one of my tablets to deactivate the force field.
“Vitals?”
Optimal. I’m alright, Wei Ying.
“Okay.” A deep breath, and hands that kept clenching and unclenching to regain feeling. “Tell me what you see.”
For now, there is nothing but –
A loud, mechanical sound came through, and Wei Wuxian could hear the other gasp, startled. He felt his body tense up, heart hammering suddenly against his ribcage.
“Lan Zhan?”
The facility powered on. It was sudden.
Wei Wuxian let out a breath, trying to relax away the tension in his muscles. “Okay. Is it clear?”
Seems so. There’s… something here.
There is a pause as Lan Wangji scans the structure. Wei Wuxian feels his palms sweat as he decides to maneuver the Seamoth to the base and try to think of building something to help in the meanwhile.
According to the databank, it’s an ion fabricator. It creates ion deposits that can be then mined for cubes.
Wei Wuxian sighed, both frustrated and disappointed. “But the prawn is ruined, so we can’t use it.”
Mn… A pause, before Lan Wangji continued, There are also various artifacts here, I can scan them for you if you want. While I try to find an exit.
Wei Wuxian found himself smiling slightly, “You know I can’t resist recording some of this really cool alien data. Perhaps it will be worth something when we get back home, and I’ll finally get funding for my research lab.”
Lan Wangji’s tone softened ever so slightly.
I will do my best to gather as much information as I can. There are seven entrances I can access freely, and I believe this facility’s main purpose is exactly that, research.
The situation must have definitely worn down on him as well, despite his attempts to downplay it – and now it was the first time since he’d so very narrowly escaped death that he could think of something else but survival. He found himself wishing Wei Ying was there to marvel at the alien architecture and technology and make that place a little less terrifying, a little less treacherous.
“I’m trying to come up with something to help you, maybe there’s something I can build using our storage…”
No time for that.
“Lan Zhan-”
Have any of our sea creatures hatched yet?
Wei Wuxian sighed, deciding to give in to the deflection. He would try to find a solution regardless, but he supposed it was better for Lan Wangji not to have to worry about him as well. With all his inventiveness and prowess, even Wei Wuxian himself could admit that he could be reckless sometimes - especially when his beloved’s life was at stake.
So, Wei Wuxian’s eyes flitted towards the aquarium, in search of new little creatures. He had not even thought to look at it, overcome with dread and anxiety - however, the eggs sat motionless in the sand, no sign of any ready to leave their encasing.
“Not yet. I think they’re waiting for you.” Wei Wuxian’s voice shook slightly, feeling the other’s absence now more than ever, “Don’t let me be a single parent, alright?”
I will come back to you.
Wei Wuxian opened his and Lan Wangji’s shared data bank just so he would have something to do - something other than be afraid - and, for a moment, he became distracted with what his husband had recorded for him.
“All of this… so many species, they were so thorough…”
I believe we’ve encountered most of these, except for the Sea Emperor Leviathan. There's a preserved fetus here that the researchers appear to have been unable to utilize.
“They were looking for the Enzyme, weren’t they? Just like we are…”
How are your symptoms?
“Just like usual.” Wei Wuxian lied, and he knew Lan Wangji didn’t believe it either, but he didn’t press the issue. In fact, just that morning, right after Lan Wangji had left for the depths, Wei Wuxian had a flare up, a painful, bloody coughing fit followed by a bout of hallucinations that nearly had him destroy important components of their base in an uncontrollable rage.
If they didn’t find a way to access the Enzyme, Wei Wuxian could not help but fear he would end up being the one to hurt his husband and kill both of them in the process.
There isn’t just alien technology here.
“What do you mean?”
There is a 15th century sword here. From Earth.
Wei Wuxian tapped his chin in thought, “15th century… the 1400s… The Renaissance? Galileo, Copernicus… could some of the greatest human achievements be credited to an alien race?”
Perhaps they did not become involved, merely observed and collected samples.
“Most likely, but that isn’t as entertaining.” Wei Wuxian allowed himself a small laugh. “This is going to make Earth historian meetings a lot more interesting when it gets out.”
Lan Wangji let out a huff, almost chastising Wei Wuxian for the oncoming scientific chaos he seemed eager to cause. But in truth, he missed the other’s humor, the little remarks he would make whenever something surprised him - and the alien base was indeed surprising. Wei Wuxian would have to make do with the scans and the data, though - as well as Lan Wangji’s stories. And while he had never been much of a storyteller, he would try. He would tell Wei Wuxian anything and everything he wanted about that place as long as he managed to get out of there alive.
There was silence for a while again as Lan Wangji scanned through the artifacts and explored the area, though it was less nerve-wracking this time, because Wei Wuxian could hear him breathe, and move – and though it was not ideal, it was more than enough for now. However, the anxiety ate away at Wei Wuxian regardless – he could not be there with his husband, could not see what he was seeing, and couldn't help him.
Not to mention, Lan Wangji’s options were limited - without the prawn suit, there was not much he could do and there was nothing he could use to either defend himself or build something to escape.
The communication system came to life again. I’ve reached some sort of pipe room. There is tubing, where infected peepers swim through and come out cured.
Wei Wuxian tapped his chin again. Could that be part of the alien’s project to cure Khara’a? Had they managed to get some kind of experiment to be successful or was there something else healing the fish?
“Can you trace back where the healthy ones are coming from? Maybe that’s where the cure is.”
The tubing system appears to be built into the facility somehow, I cannot follow it…there is no exit here, either.
A cold shiver ran down Wei Wuxian’s spine, and though he had never been superstitious, he could not help the sinking feeling that settled into his gut. “Be – Be careful, alright? If there’s anything – “
There is not. And, in a softer, soothing voice, Trust me, Wei Ying. I will be alright.
Wei Wuxian crossed his arms in front of his chest, as if seeking warmth, comfort. His voice had dropped as well, unsure of whether he wanted to speak out loud or not. “This is really difficult for me, you know? You’re down there, and I’m up here, and I can’t do anything…”
I know. It will be over soon.
Wei Wuxian did not find comfort in those words at all, feeling his eyes well up again. “Don’t say it like that.”
I apologize. I meant that this… unpleasant situation will be over soon. I will not. We will not.
Wei Wuxian desperately wanted to believe that, to hang onto Lan Wangji’s words like they were the promise of the heavens and not even dare to question them. But this planet is not a place for hope, for optimism - it’s a merciless underwater jungle, hell beneath a sparkling blue surface. And there had never been room for hope in the abyss.
I have found another… doorway. It is guarded by a forcefield.
Wei Wuxian quickly wiped at his face, clearing his throat so he could speak. “Where does it lead?””
I can’t tell.
“You’ve already used up the tablet we found, though… ” Wei Wuxian all but wailed. “God, if only I could find a way to –“
I have brought a second tablet, Wei Ying. Lan Wangji interrupted, only a little bit smug about it. I was granted access.
Wei Wuxian couldn’t help a little smile. “Always so well prepared, of course my husband would foresee even the most unexpected things.”
But instead of some teasing reply back, Wei Wuxian was once again met with silence, and he realized the more time passed without hearing his husband, the more the dread he’d barely managed to stave off returned.
“Lan Zhan? What’s going on?”
There was no response. Of course, Wei Wuxian could hear the other breathe still, and nothing violent seemed to have happened because Wei Wuxian had not heard anything to cause him worry.
So then why wasn’t his husband replying?
“Lan Zhan?”
Yes. I am here.
“Are you alright?”
Do you remember the vision I had?
“With that female creature thing?”
Yes.
“What about it?”
She’s calling for me.
Wei Wuxian felt ice invade his bloodstream, his voice unsteady as he spoke. “Lan Zhan, that wasn’t real.”
It is now.
“Lan Zhan!” He all but screamed, slamming his hands into one of the ship’s consoles. “Whatever that thing told you, it wasn’t real. Don’t listen to it!”
Lan Wangji did not reply, but Wei Wuxian did not want to allow silence to take over again. He struggled to steady his breaths, quick as they were, and continued, “Tell me what you see.”
A moonpool.
“That’s…all?”
Yes.
“Lan Zhan, you’re – are you going in?”
There must be something of value here, otherwise they would not have guarded it like this.
“There could also be something dangerous they wanted sealed away. Lan Zhan, we can’t just infer on –“
There is no other way, Wei Ying.
“Did -” Wei Wuxian swallowed back his tears and the mounting despair, “Did that thing you saw lure you in there?”
Was his husband losing his mind? Was that it then? He would jump into the water, right in the jaws of whatever awaited him there, and Wei Wuxian would be left to, once again, listen to it happen? Would his husband go die willingly?!
Wei Ying, I am still of sound mind. If whatever I am seeing was trying to kill me, it would have already. But I think this is different.
It was growing increasingly difficult for Wei Wuxian to control his emotions, voice coming out louder and more desperate than he had intended. “Lan Zhan, you - we can’t just risk so much for a hunch!”
There is nothing else to do. I either take the risk, and perhaps find a way home, or I die here.
Wei Wuxian could hear the echo of his husband approaching the water, and the sound of his body disturbing the surface, little ripples hitting against him. “W-What if there is something else, what if you haven’t found it and you’re just – you’re killing yourself for no reason?!”
Lan Wangji remained ever so calm, There is nothing else. I’ve checked everything.
Wei Wuxian’s eyes scanned wildly around the base, hoping that a solution would manifest itself out of thin air for him to hang onto. “Then – then wait, I can try to upgrade the Cyclops! I-I have enough time to go find the materials we’re missing, it’s only a few things, I can already set up the map and-“
Wei Ying. I asked you to trust me.
Wei Wuxian all but slid, bonelessly, against the console, voice breaking, “I do, Lan Zhan, I trust you and I love you and I… I can’t let you – I can’t lose you. I don’t want to, and I’m-“
I love you.
It was too late to stop himself from crying now, “Don’t say it like you’ll never say it again.”
I’m going in.
“Lan Zhan…”
And once again, Wei Wuxian found himself surrounded by silence. What could he do now? Who could even know what Lan Zhan would find, what kind of creature would tear him apart without any hope of fighting back? And when - if - that happened, what would Wei Wuxian do?
He needed his husband, needed to not feel like the world had forgotten him there and was waiting for him to die just like everybody else already had. He needed to not be alone, to have someone to live for, to fight for, to make him feel like there was still a point to his struggle to survive.
And he still - A-Yuan was still at home, waiting for him. Waiting for both of them - to come back and tell him stories about worlds further away than even his imagination could take him… to tuck him into bed and kiss him goodnight, and make his favorite breakfast every morning… What would Wei Wuxian tell his son when he asked about his a-Die? That some terrible monster tricked him into offering himself as sacrifice in a strange facility deep inside a cursed sea? Wouldn’t A-Yuan ask ‘where were you then, baba? why didn’t you do anything’? What would Wei Wuxian tell him? That he was incapable? Useless? That he hadn’t even tried?
Would his son not hate him then? Would he not hate himself? Would it be right for him to keep living?
Wei Ying! Wei Ying, can you hear me?
Wei Wuxian did not react at first. There was no way that was his husband. Perhaps that creature had found a way to reach Wei Wuxian, and was trying to make him believe in delusions so he would jump into the water and let himself be killed as well.
But Wei Wuxian would not let that happen. He would not give in, and he would not allow this horrid place to kill him. If he decided he would die, he would do so on his own terms - and if these monsters had taken his husband away from him, he would not give them the satisfaction to take him too, to claim another life.
Wei Ying! I’m - there wasn’t a monster, it saved me! I’m trying to…
“Get lost.” Wei Wuxian almost wanted to laugh. That’s what that monster would want him to believe, right? That Lan Zhan was alive, so he would run out and try to find him, only to fall prey to it!
I’m - I don’t know where I am, I can’t… go on any further…
“I said, get lost!”
What an annoying creature! Did it not realize Wei Wuxian would not fall for its tricks? If only he had the equipment to go out there and kill it - kill all of them, everything, destroy the whole place, blow the whole planet all up until there was no trace left of it, of anyone or anything…
His eyesight blurred, anger simmering beneath his skin. He was having another flare up, wasn’t he? The bacterium was going to kill him… how disgusting…
Wei Ying, I know you’re angry, please, just listen…
Wei Wuxian coughed out a mouthful of blood. Why won’t the damn thing shut up already?!
“Get lost!”
Wei Ying… I know you’re sick, I know… know you don’t mean to… just… just listen… for a little bit…
Wei Wuxian heaved a long, painful breath, the pressure against his ribcage bringing some clarity to his mind. He could hear the other struggling to catch his breath, a sound far too realistic for anything on that planet to be able to make it.
What if that was indeed Lan Zhan?
Wei Ying… the cure… the Sea Emperor Leviathan is… her eggs… go and… free them and… I…
All Wei Wuxian could hear now were quick, shallow breaths - and he sprinted towards the Seamoth with all his might, more afraid now than he had ever been before. Would his husband die before he reached him with the Seamoth? Had he been so incredibly dumb to think someone was playing mind tricks on him and left his husband to die in the middle of the ocean?!
Would Lan Zhan die thinking Wei Ying let him -
The radar on the ship blinked rapidly as it detected the temperature pattern of a human being less than 300 meters away - Lan Zhan was close, a lot closer than Wei Wuxian had thought him to be. If he hadn’t snapped out of that trance, if he hadn’t -
When he got close enough, Wei Wuxian was quick to jump out of the vehicle towards the floating, aimless body of his husband. He was unconscious, but not dead - he couldn’t be dead. Wei Wuxian would never forgive himself if his mistake killed his beloved, and he would betray his promise and take his life right there.
So, with shaking, fearful hands, and tears clouding his vision, Wei Wuxian brought his husband into the Seamoth and carefully removed his helmet so he could breathe freely. But the first thing Wei Wuxian noticed, other than the slow breaths that fanned from his beloved’s lips, were two shining tear tracks down his face.
–
The vehicle surfaced with ease. Outside, the planet’s sun shone brightly on a clear sky, casting light over the wild greenery of the Mountain Island.
Wei Wuxian let the hull of the Seamoth open, warm rays of sunlight cascading over Lan Wangji’s face. He had carefully placed his husband in his arms as he sat in the captain’s seat, never wanting to let him go again, and so he anchored the ship to the shore like a sailboat, rocking with the tiny waves like a child’s crib.
Now, all that was left was to wait.
Lan Wangji had not been unconscious for long. It was likely that exhaustion caught up to him before he could make it ashore - after all, no matter how strong, he was still human. A human that had barely survived a nearly fatal attack and then ran around a strange place in search for a way out, not unlike a trapped animal seeking escape from its cage. Anybody else in his place would have been long gone - so much effort for his body to take, on top of being infected by a powerful bacterium… it was a wonder he was still alive. A miracle, even.
Running a hand through Lan Wangji’s sweat-damp hair, Wei Wuxian could not help the tears in his eyes from falling as he leaned down to leave a soft, chaste kiss over his love’s forehead. He had almost lost him - and not even because of a mindless sea monster or a twisted form of technology.
He could have killed his husband himself.It felt sacrilegious to love on him now - to touch him, to hold him. But Wei Wuxian could not help it, not as his body still trembled with the horrors that he had had to live through. Or rather, to witness. He would never forget that suffocating feeling of helplessness, the despair that came with hitting the limits of technology and his own humanity.
It flows out of him almost as smoothly as his tears do - a song so full of heart and longing and love, that the world around disappears into it.
And then, quietly, a second voice joins in, humming along the beautiful melody and the shaking voice of his beloved.
The song cuts off into sobs and I love yous, and the sound of the waves lapping at the sides of the floating ship…
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New fic! Falling Backwards. Laughing in bed together, Megamind and Roxanne reminisce about a particularly disarming encounter years ago. Or, the one in which Roxanne knows how to fence and drives Megamind to his knees. Rated M, 4500 words.
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Fic that is a hidden gem please!!
I screamed about it once, I will scream about it again.
This fic. — living in border lines - inthesquare
Here are my arguments : it is 4500 words so the writer leads you into a false sense of security like everything will be fine.
Because 4.5K don’t break you, right? Right. That is what I thought. Until I read this shit and cried harder than Choices, harder than any other MCD fic I read (like that zombie one OH MY GOD).
This fic to me represents what the Marauders fandom sometimes forget, which is the quality over quantity. I have never seen a fandom so obsessed with word count but this fic is proof that word count means shit because this is 4.5k I read one year ago and I think about AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
Just… why are people sleeping on her not only is she a lovely lovely person but the way she wrote this fic completely destroyed me.
Still, I don't believe a word with four letters can encompass the silence of your absence. There is no divine explanation for my missing you. It’s like a daily prayer.
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I know I haven’t been ACTIVE on here in a while, but I definitely could use some help if anyone is able to share this around <3
I'm currently working as a small Part time artist and DoorDash driver to make monthly ends meet. However, I've been struggling to also pay back both my roommate and my parents who have helped me tremendously during the last few months. After a couple of months of trying to do this on my own, I am seeking help through Gofundme.
https://gofund.me/e736a964
Long story short, a little over 3 months ago, I had to stop working at my waitressing job due to some compounding stress that manifested into some mental health issues. I had insomnia which made it hard to fall asleep, if at all, and underlying issues which made it hard for me to hear my alarms in the morning. Due to that, I had to step away or risk being fired from my job for missing work. I'm still struggling with insomnia and the ability to hear my alarm in the morning which makes it hard for the time being to be able to search for more steady Full Time work. The financial stress has contributed to this as well.
Recently I've been able to start taking on art commissions, along with doing Door Dash part time, which has helped me to sustain my current monthly expenses. However, there are a few bills that have come through that, while my roommate and parents have helped me with, in the form of 2 loans, have now added to my monthly expenses. My father recently on 5/27/23 also suffered a mini stroke, and was found to have a hole in his heart which he will be having a procedure done sometime this month or next to help fix. That is another reason why I'd like to be able to pay them back sooner as I know the money they loaned to me will be beneficial in helping to cover for that procedure when he has it.
Overall I'm looking to collect $4500 to help with the costs of my loan payback. All money will go towards that, along with renewing my passport, monthly expenses for groceries and fees.
The breakdown of the gofundme is:
Medical debt repayment by roommate - $2250
A Loan from my parents - a trip to visit my elderly grandmother in Japan who we aren't sure if it will be the last time we see her - $1600
Gofundme fees, passport renewal, and grocery help - $650
Since I am an artist I am going to be offering some incentives for anyone who is able to donate $100 or more towards this campaign as a way to say thank you for the help. More details will be provided through my twitter @ayumi_chan46 in the next 2 weeks in regards to the incentives.
I genuinely appreciate your help and generosity during this time, it absolutely means more than I have words for
#gofundme#Financial help#Personal#I'd be super appreciative and thankful if you're able to spread this around or for any help too#Thank you
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And you know what else! Back in Uz, after the events with Job, Aziraphale says to Crowley tearfully, "I'm like you now, a demon." He says this with a straight face knowing full well that it was the demon who saved the kids and goats and sundry other creatures, while the angels were pushing for family annihilation on a dare.
I really don't enjoy how it's so easy to draw a straight, horizontal line with no growth at all between that scene by the sea 4500 years ago and the bookshop in 2023: "Obviously you said no to hell, you're the bad guys!"
But we know, as viewers, that we've seen growth happen in Aziraphale's moral understanding. We know Aziraphale has learned what it means to be, in Crowley's words, "not just pretend-y good, but properly good." That's what each episode in especially the second season was about! Which emphasizes the point all the more. What the hell happened?
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Hi. I'm so sorry for bothering you:c but I really need all the help I can get. I have a chronic heart condition that doesn't allow me to work my regular hours. Things got serious pretty fast and suddenly, I wasn't able to pay rent. I got evicted 11 days ago, and I'm trying to raise funds to pay off what I owe to my landlord and avoid getting sued, and hopefully find a little place while I get back on my feet.
You think you could help me reblogging my pinned post to spread the word a bit? Thank you so much in advance. And I'm truly, very sorry for having to recur to this.
I'm sorry it took so long to reply, but hopefully you understand I had to make sure this was real and not a scam. It does look real, and I'm so sorry you are going through this. I've been where you are financially and it's no picnic.
Folks, please take a look at this follower's post and help if you can, or at least reblog and spread the word! Let's get this friend back on their feet! ❤️❤️❤️
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Temptation (Sigtryggr x Reader) Part 2
Summary: When you were hired as the new secretary, you had no idea your boss was the embodiment of a sex god. And by then, it was too late to quit. Can you keep your relationship strictly professional or will the temptation become too much?
Here's the second part for my contribution to @punkrocknpearls trope challenge! I hope you like it!
Warnings: mild sexual content, siblings being the worst, sexual tension
Words: 4500
Catch up with Part 1
Weeks passed into months and before you realized it, the one year anniversary of your employment was just around the corner.
All that time though, neither you nor your dreamboat boss brought up the kiss you shared at the holiday party. It remained unacknowledged yet unforgotten like a painting on a wall that you've passed by too many times to really notice anymore. Instead the both of you seamlessly returned to work like nothing had happened.
Eventually you came to terms with that. Your crush on him had only grown as time passed but you only allowed it to leak out when you were home alone. You valued him too much as a boss and respected him as a person to try and seduce him or whatever it was your raging libido begged for. He was your friend, and you were alright with that. Even if his god-like sex appeal still knocked you to your knees on occassion.
Besides, if he was even remotely interested in you, would he not have said something already? The kiss was the perfect opportunity. This only confirmed to you, he would never see you in a romantic light.
*****
You grabbed the stack of papers faxed over, making sure to straighten them neatly. With a smile to the receptionist situated in the small lobby, you headed back to Sigtryggr's office. The door was open but you still did a brief rap to announce your presence. He had told you long ago it was unnecessary, that if his door was open then you were free to enter. It felt unprofessional for you to just waltz into his office, so you compromised.
Sitting behind his dark wood desk, he looked up from his open laptop. His Thor's hammer necklace dangled over his blue tie, matching the shade of blue of his eyes causing them to pop in a riveting way. The all black suit underneath enhanced his muscular frame and the slightly dangerous aura that clung to his shadow. The man looked like he had just stepped out of a GQ magazine every day, but today in particular, he appeared ready to dominate the world.
He could dominate you any way that he wanted….
Seeing you in the doorway, the corners of his lips tilted up in a small smile. "Come in."
Smiling back, you monkey-stomped any thoughts of him dominating you. That ship had sailed long ago and was clearly never returning to shore. He was your boss and your friend. That was all the 'relationship' you would ever experience with him. So you resigned yourself to admiring what was on the menu but knowing you would never be allowed to order off of it.
"I've got the forms that Uhtred's office faxed over." You stated as you walked over to set the stack on his desk. "I've double checked them but I think it'd be prudent for Wolland to look over the second to last page before you sign them off. He knows the exact numbers needed for the project."
He nodded solemnly, moving the stack of forms beside his laptop. "I'll let Wolland know." Then those vibrant blue eyes met yours again, but with a glimmer of teasing in them. "Any flirtatious notes I should be aware of?"
"That was one time!"
"I do not think I will ever look at Finan the same."
You shook your head, even as a huge grin lit up your face. Uhtred had been in your life for many years as a family friend, and because of that, you had known Finan for just as long. The two for them were a packaged deal, not just in business but in their personal lives. There was a brotherhood that bound the two of them, something you had thought only comparable to friendships in books and movies.
And while you had come to see Uhtred as an adopted uncle….Finan was his flavor of something special. Although there was nothing romantic between you and Finan, it did not stop him from flirting with you. Of course, you fought fire with fire. Your flirtatious banter and teasing had become a running joke for the past several years.
After you were hired by Sigtryggr, somehow Finan learned you were the one to typically go through the faxes sent by Uhtred's office. You still had yet to discover how he learned this information. Thus Finan put it upon himself to sneak in random, flirty messages amongst the many forms. Normally you made a point to go through the forms, confirming you received everything you were expecting, but also slipping out the additional paper with Finan's humorous message.
Unfortunately, one time you were otherwise distracted and did not go through the forms as thoroughly as you typically did. Sigtryggr found it, tucked between some important forms, and consequently, it happened to be one of Finan's more risqué pick up lines.
The memory of Sigtryggr standing beside your desk, with a stoic face, a single eyebrow raised and holding up the form for you to read, would forever be burned into your memory. After the initial mortification, you burst into riotous laughter. Eventually, you explained the situation to your boss, who oddly seemed relieved to hear it was only meant to make each other laugh.
You leaned your hip against the side of his desk. "Also, I did get in touch with Constantin's secretary and he is able to meet in two weeks, either that Wednesday or Friday. But he is demanding to meet in person at the location. He wishes to view the land he would be purchasing as the two of you work out a bargain. At least that's how his assistant described it."
Sigtryggr hummed, running a hand over his chin. "I would expect nothing less from the Scot. He seems a good man. I will personally return the call."
"If you're certain. I thought you were supposed to be leaving early today. Wolland put in the calendar that you had plans?"
"Yes, but it can wait."
"I don't mind–"
But your response was cut off when you heard the receptionist shout from down the hallway, "you can't go back there, sir!"
Before you could even blink, Sigtryggr's hand latched around your wrist and tugged you back behind him in the same fluid motion as he rose from his chair. He stared at the doorway, his solid, immobile frame shielding you from the unknown. At any other time you would have swooned, but the panic dripping like faucet in your blood prevented that. Your free hand gripped his hand, it now sandwiched between both of yours. A childish action bore from fear but he only gripped onto you tighter.
Rushed, stomping footfalls could be heard coming down the short hallway followed by the hasty, almost stumbling clip-clip of the main receptionist's high heels following the invader.
Then a voice echoed in the hallway along with the incoming footsteps. "Siggy! Siggy! Siggyyyyyy!!!"
What tension humming in his body immediately drained, like a plug being pulled. Releasing a deep sigh, his head tipped back to stare up at the ceiling as he mumbled, "oh, for the love of Odin."
"Sigtryggr." You whispered. The concern and slight panic still sloshed around in your chest. Your boss had gone from relaxed to abruptly protective and on edge to now to some kind of resigned languid. The emotional whiplash left you clinging to him and your gaze darting from him to the door and back.
In response, he rubbed his thumb gently over the back of your hand. Of course, your heart chose to skip a beat at the simple action. "It's fine." He murmured reassuringly, yet never let go of you.
Seconds later, a man strutted through the open doorway in a pair of dirty jeans with a t-shirt and a wrinkled suit jacket over the top. With long brown hair and a day or two's worth of stubble on his face, 'disheveled' was the first adjective your mind thought of. Once his eyes locked on Sigtryggr, his whole face brightened and he threw his arms wide, almost knocking over a plaque hanging on the wall. "Siggy!"
The receptionist rounded the corner with a scowl on her face. Her gaze jumped from the intruder to her boss and back, seemingly taking a moment to debate the best course of action. Then making her decision, she placed one of her hands on her hips and opened her mouth, about to unleash upon the unexpected guest, when Sigtryggr spoke up.
"Kristin, I can handle it. Thank you." Sigtryggr soothed the obviously ruffled woman.
"Yes, sir." The woman huffed, side-eyeing the invader. "Let me know if I need to call security to escort him out."
The stranger dramatically blew an air kiss at her before plopping himself into a cushioned chair against a wall, like he owned the place.
The receptionist startled, as if physically struck by the air kiss. After a sharp inhale, she spun on her heel and stormed away, the sound of her heels retreating down the hallway.
Sigtryggr finally released your hand, giving it a brief, reassuring squeeze first. Leaning forward, he placed both hands on the desk as if to ground himself. The silence in the room was stifling and you could not help but fidget awkwardly. Should you leave? Should you stay? Who was this man that sat watching your boss with an amused grin on his face, twirling a pen around his fingers like a rockstar with drumsticks.
After a long moment, your boss tapped his desk with three short raps before lifting his gaze to the man. "Valdi, what are you doing here?"
"I came to get you!" The man exclaimed, his sudden burst of enthusiasm making you jump, especially after the tense, silent moment preceding it. The man leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees, his long hair falling over his shoulders. "You didn't forget already? No, no! You couldn't! Wolland said he put it in your schedule. The Jolly Boys of Eoferwic are going out tonight to celebrate!"
Sigtryggr sighed, running a hand through his hair. "No, I did not forget. I said I would be there at six."
"Andddd….I think that's too long. Haesten is already waiting for us, and we can pick up Wolland on the way! Please, please, brother. You promised!" He clasped his hands together as if in prayer, his eyes wide and beseeching.
"Freyja's tits." Sigtryggr groaned. "Fine."
"Ah, yes! That's why you're my favorite brother!"
"I'm your only brother."
"Still my favorite." He shrugged, his eyes drifting over to you. "And who's this? Is she coming?"
Sigtryggr sighed, tapping the desk again before making the introductions. "Valdi, this is my personal secretary. Y/n, this is my younger brother, Rognvaldr."
So this was the infamous brother you had heard stories of, from both your boss and Wolland. Seeing him now, you understood their grievances and amusement a bit better. "It's a pleasure to meet you." You replied, granting him a small smile.
He beamed back at you. "Oh believe me, the pleasure is mine to meet such a beautiful woman as yourself." He winked but in the next instant, his smile dropped and his eyes widened. His gaze rapidly jumped from you to Sigtryggr and back, an almost manic gleam shining in his eyes. "Y/n! Oh! OH! This is her? The one you talk about all the time?"
…and all your functioning brain power skidded to an abrupt halt.
Huh?
Your brain sluggishly tried to make sense of Rognvaldr's rambling but it felt like mist slipping through your fingers. Slowly, you turned your head, looking to your boss for direction or confirmation. Something to understand what was going on.
Rather you bore witness to Sigtryggr with a hand over his mouth, eyes narrowed at his brother, and mumbling 'fuck' on repeat.
Clearly Rognvaldr was missing a few social cues, or was just unaware of the rising tension in the room. Instead he seemed to get more excited, practically bouncing in his seat as he proceeded to spew his verbal diarrhea of gathered knowledge.
"I still don't understand why you haven't let me meet her before. She's very pretty. Wolland said your first kiss was at the holiday party while Haesten thinks it was earlier than that, but Wolland said with how dazed and giddy you were the rest of the evening, that it was certainly your first kiss with her but Haesten said it wasn't really a kiss since there wasn't tongue. Oh! Now I can tell father I met her first! You know he wants to meet her because you talk about her so much. Have you humped yet? Holy hell, did you do it in here? I know I'm not one for being the most hygienic person but even that is disgusting. Well, you probably know this already but Siggy's bed is massive and soft. He let me crash last week when I was drunk, which I don't do anymore since I'm reformed! But tonight the Jolly Boys are going out so I'll probably….no, definitely get drunk. Will you be at Siggy's place tonight? Oh, the couch folds out! I can sleep there or crash with Wolland. Don't let Haesten take me again, last time he shaved my–"
"ENOUGH!"
Rognvaldr's mouth audibly snapped shut, followed by a sheepish expression on his boyish face.
Hands fisted on the desk and jaw clenched, Sigtryggr glared at his younger brother for several long seconds. The atmosphere in the room was heavy and thick, the same feeling as just before a thunderstorm hits. You bit your bottom lip, eyes focused on your boss and friend, wondering what would happen next. Finally, the storm passed over when he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, dropping his gaze to his desk.
"Siggy, I–"
"Valdi," Sigtryggr interrupted with a sound nothing short of long-suffering, "just….just go."
"But–"
"I will meet you at the pub shortly."
"Good. I'll order your nasty drink for you." Rognvaldr rose, tugging on the sleeves of his wrinkled suit jacket. He took a step towards the door then swiftly turned to face you, still half-hidden behind his brother. "Oh, if you ever get bored of my brother, I'll be more than happy to–"
"Rognvaldr!"
"Alright, alright." The younger brother stepped backwards with his hands raised in surrender, the smug smirk lessened the authenticity of the action. With a bounce in his step, he headed out into the hallway. Not a moment later you could hear the shout of "THE JOLLY BOYS OF EOFERWIC HAVE RETURNED!", immediately followed by the shrill shriek of the receptionist.
A painful silence clouded the office. Neither you nor your boss said anything for several agonizing seconds. From the corner of your eye, you could see him tapping his desk with a fist, his unseeing gaze situated on his desktop. Personally, you were frozen. The carpet under your feet held you firmly in place, refusing to release you from its bonds. Your conflicting thoughts swirled and somersaulted and spontaneously combusted, leaving you whirling in confusion with all that had just happened
Finally, Sigtryggr straightened and turned around to face you fully. "I'm terribly sorry–"
"Do you think our kiss wasn't a real kiss?"
That…that was definitely not what you meant to blurt out, but now your question hung in the air, silently demanding an answer.
Sigtryggr blinked, mouth slightly open as he stared at you.
"I mean," you began sputtering, trying to backtrack and save yourself from your own self-created humiliation, "I know it was quick and all but I…I guess I thought it counted as you know…as a kiss." You finished, your voice dropping to just above a whisper.
At his continued silence, your stomach plummeted to your feet. What had you been thinking to ask that stupid question? What had you hoped it would achieve? It had been months and neither of you had said a word about it. Most likely he had forgotten all about the encounter. Yet even as you internally reprimanded yourself, your mind reminded you of what Rognvaldr had said about how Sigtryggr talked about you…
Without a word, you took a step towards the door, unable to stand the excruciating silence and your own embarrassment.
For the second time that day, his hand latched onto your wrist, this time preventing you from walking away.
"I counted it as a real kiss, as you say."
At his quiet statement, your head jerked up, meeting his intense gaze. "Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh, okay, good….um, glad we got that cleared up."
You figured now the two of you would have a laugh and go back to work, well, you returning to work and him leaving for the pub where he was expected. Your shared kiss had been acknowledged but what more could happen? Honestly, you were surprised he still recalled it.
Then to your utter bewilderment, Sigtryggr tugged you closer.
Moving slowly, he guided you to stand in front of him, yet providing you ample time to pull away. You followed his direction without question, for how could you ever deny the man anything within your power? Your skin tingled under his touch as you attempted to keep your breathing steady, refusing to let him see how easily he affected you.
With a swift lick of his lips, a torturous action for you to witness, he gently, almost hesitantly spoke. "Truthfully….it's all I've been able to think of…."
What little air your lungs contained, dissolved at his statement. Your heart sped up even as your mind crawled to a standstill.
"I have…admired you for a long time now. But that kiss…."
He closed his eyes, taking a shuddering breath, his grip on you tightening fractionally. When he opened them again, your knees weakened and your womb quivered at the naked want and longing in his eyes. Something you had never expected to see directed at you. Under his smoldering gaze, fire licked your nerve endings, making a delicious heat coat your body as it soaked in the borderline desperation in his eyes.
Shifting closer, he backed you against the edge of the desk, his body easily blanketing yours with the shared proximity.
"That kiss burned down every wall I had created to contain my growing admiration for you." With one hand still latched around your wrist, his other hand glided like water over your skin to cup the back of your neck, refusing to let your eyes waver from his for even a moment.
"I promised myself I would never put you in that position, causing you to think I would ever take advantage of you because I am your boss and have power over you. So I have kept silent. But instead of my affections waning, they have only amplified." As if sensing your unbelief, he lifted your hand to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss on your knuckles, even as his gaze never released yours from its hold. "You have become someone that I cannot imagine no longer having in my life. In whatever capacity you deem me worthy."
A silence filled in the space between his words. You were utterly dazed staring up at him. At this Adonis who was professing his adoration for you. Something your mind was struggling to comprehend.
"Say something, please." He quietly said, a hint of pleading in his voice.
"I'm debating if I should drop down on my knees for you," you automatically replied without thinking, "damn the potential carpet burn."
His own countenance lit up as he laughed and the sound left you breathless. Could he please stop being perfect for five seconds?
"I admit, your offer is tempting." He leaned forward to whisper into your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. "But I would never take without giving in kind. And while I like my desk, it is not here where I imagined having your thighs wrapped around my head."
"Sigtryggr." You whimpered.
His mouth descended on yours, and you were certain you had died and gone to heaven. His taste and touch seeped into your blood, an addiction blossoming forth. But instead of feeling like sin, it tasted like the ambrosia of the gods, something mere mortals should never chance or it would burn them. Whatever you had imagined kissing him would be like, no fantasy could ever come to terms with the heightened pleasure and perfection inflicted onto you. As he kissed you, with lips and tongue, you melted against him like ice cream on a hot day. For how could you not burn under his glorious touch? How could you not fully surrender to the lusty pleasure erupting in you because of him?
Finally your mouths unglued, a desperation for air evident. As you panted for breath, his mouth trailed down your neck, never stopping his ministrations. His hands squeezed your thighs locked around his own, while his tongue danced across your skin. For a fleeting moment of awareness, you wondered when you had jumped up on the desk behind you. All you could remember was him backing you against him and then helplessly drowning under the glory of his affections.
"I've waited so long to do this." He breathed out against your skin, in-between kisses and lazy strokes of his tongue.
"Me too. I never thought…ah, never thought you'd be interested in someone like me." You whispered, mind drunk with lust and awe of the sudden turn of events. "I've struggled to not jump your bones ever since the first day we met. I've spent months fantasizing about you."
"Fuck." He groaned, hands tightening on your body. "Do you know what hearing that does to me?"
"I can guess."
With a rumbling chuckle that sent sparks shooting through your body, he drew back, but as soon as a whimper formed on your lips, it dashed away as he pressed his forehead to yours. Your combined ragged breathing blanketed the air between you. His hands loosely held your thighs while his body stood between them, so close and yet not close enough. The fire awakened still burned, waiting to be further flamed into an all-consuming inferno.
"Go on a date with me. Tonight."
You leaned back, just enough to meet his eyes. "Tonight?"
"Yes, I know….I understand it is old-fashioned but I wish for you to understand, for me this is more than just a one-night stand. I wish to know you more than just a lover."
You blinked rapidly, mind whirling at everything that had happened. "I'd like that." And realized you meant it. However much you definitely wanted to get into his pants, because there was NO DOUBT you wanted in his pants. Besides you now had a good idea what the man was packing below the belt and hot damn, your core involuntarily clenched just thinking about it. He had a very good reason to be proud. But with his piercing eyes focused on you, waiting for your response, you realized it was more than just an itch you needed to scratch. Over all the time knowing him, you had grown quite fond of him, even if you thought he would never be interested in you romantically. How wrong you were. Now you found yourself wanting the date and all it implied afterwards.
Then like an unexpected ice cube down the back of your shirt, you squirmed when a new thought hit you. "You're supposed to be meeting your brother and Wolland tonight."
"Yes, but they can wait." When you opened your mouth to argue, he pressed a swift peck to your lips, effectively silencing you. "For how long Wolland has been teasing me about you, he will most likely buy a round for the whole pub if he heard." He finished with a roll of his eyes.
You snickered at the thought. "If you say so….and then, well, after the date?"
A wicked gleam grew in his eyes as a sinful smirk decorated his mouth. "Perhaps I'll take you up on your earlier offer….and we can test out some of your fantasies you alluded to."
Your mouth dried out, even as your heart rate sped up in response. Not from nerves. Oh no. But from a combination of excitement and thrill. The anticipation sent a shockwave through your body and your fingers automatically clutched onto him tighter.
"It might take all night." You whispered coyishly. A sense of accomplishment filled your being as you watched his pupils blow wide at your words. With this newfound power over him, you dragged your thumb down his jawline to trace his bottom lip. "I'd just hate to be exhausted at work tomorrow and not live up to the standard set by my boss."
His hands guided upward, now squeezing your hips deliciously and drawing you closer to his immaculate form."It is a good thing your boss is a generous man. I am certain he would be willing for you to take tomorrow off of work to recover."
"You think so?"
"I am certain of it, since he has no plans for you to stray far from his bed until the only name you can recall is his."
A breathy gasp slipped out at his statement, particularly how the words seemed to roll off his tongue in a dark purr that made your core clench and quiver in want. In this moment you knew without question, if you said 'yes', if you gave in, there was no turning back. For his prowess would obscure any other man's before or after him, like a supernova in comparison to a white dwarf star. More than that, his kind heart and chivalry would ruin you for any future relationships. He was a danger to your libido and heart. Yet your answer rolled off your tongue without a second thought. Never had you been more certain of anything in your entire life.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
He flashed you a crooked smile before he dove in for one more fierce, passionate kiss that left you boneless and whimpering his name. Chest rising and falling rapidly, he stepped back, although his intense gaze never wavered from you. A heated, predatory look saturated in dark promises and divine desire watched you. Silently, he held out his hand, an invitation, a beckoning, a calling to dive into the flames of his supernova. Immediately, you put your hand in his and allowed him to help guide you off his desk, answering his call without hesitation or question.
You followed him out of his office, your hands clasped together and fingers entwined. Later you could worry about the repercussions, about where this would lead, about these feelings you had been harboring for some time and apparently he had been too. If it was love tying the strings around your hearts or something else entirely.
Now all you knew was that you needed him, and he needed you. That these flames building between you both had finally escaped the fireplace and now burned freely. And the both of you were answering its summoning.
However, you did choose to ignore how cliché it was that you fell in love with your boss.
Tag List:
TLK (all) @geekandbooknerd @trenko-heart @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie @solinarimoon @errruvande-2-00
Temptation @ecarroll1978
#mzwrites#pearls 400#the last kingdom#the last#the last kingdom fandom#the last kingdom fanfic#the last kingdom imagine#sigtryggr ivarson#sigtryggr ivarsson x reader#sigtryggr x reader#sigtryggr#rognvaldr#uhtred of bebbanburg#uhtred ragnarsson#finan the last kingdom#finan#finan the agile#mz moodboard#pearls trope challenge
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can you please in extreme detail describe all of your ocs to me and their story if they have one so i can understand all of your oc posts
so im gonna do like a general summary and then under the cut will be the longer stuff ok 💙💙 okay
so the idea is essentially this magical world with all this crazy stuff happeing all the time and all these people with crazy powers and as a result the concept of superheroes are kind of made into a sport! Kasey, the peppy teen hero, and her family (aja(the tough quiet one), hutch(the funny dad one), and victor(the smarg inventor one)) are a brand-new hero team funded by this rich old man trying to build himself a cool legacy. Nina, kaseys rival, is a teenage demon employed by the villain Arkangel, who is using the games to accrue power and resources for her own mysterious plans. ok? ok.
BE WARNED THERE ARE 4500 WORDS UNDER THE CUT
soooooooo character by character breakdowns:
kasey:
the protagonist and my special little girl, Kasey is a 14 year old girl with incredible yet unpredictable powers who dreams of being a great hero! She's peppy and athletic and super excitable, though due to her reclusive upbringing she's not super socially in-tune. her heroic persona is Wildcard, her gimmick is playing cards, and her powers include teleportation, enhanced speed and senses, limited flight, glow-in-the-dark freckles, and a large variety of seemingly random abilities.
hutch:
kaseys dad and ajas wife, Hutch is a pretty chronically normalguy. when they were younger they dreamed of being a famous musician, but these days theyre just trying to be a supportive parent, which apparently includes dressing up in funny costumes and fighting evildoers these days, and thats fine. they're kind of an anxious guy whose happiest when theyre working on something with their hands, wether thats cooking, playing music, or working on their old pickup truck. idk their hero name yet but their costume is going to be cowboy themed and theyre going to essentially be the bard of the group. no natural powers, except their hair, which gets pinker when theyre in a good mood.
victor:
resident mad scientist working as a tech guy for kirby (aforementioned rich old man that runs the team), victor likes to work on magitech and fancies himself probably the greatest wizard to ever live, ever. spends most of his time in his workshop building gear for the team and working on one of his dozens of pet projects. He's a shit communicator and arrogant as all hell, is prickly and generally bad at interacting with others, though hes genuinely very intelligent, well-intentioned, and often very high-energy when it comes to his work. And don't tell anybody this, but he's also technically undead, and on a sensitive parole with the "gods" due to his tendency to get fucky with the natural order of things. he's essentially working on borrowed time, with a lot of dubious machinery just barely keeping his body from completely rotting away. His greatest accomplishment, though, will always be aja.
aja:
my best friend and the most important girl in the world ^^^^ kaseys mom and the second most enthusiastic about this whole superhero thing. not alive nor dead but a special third thing. a tendency to get overwhelmed by her emotions has led her to be a pretty reclusive, quiet person. a little mopey and pretentious, she likes literature, photograohy, and sorting her cassette collection. she's also the most efficient in a fight, as shes kind of been using martial arts and that kind of stuff as a sort of therapy for most of her life, she likes the feeling of being in tune with her body and the amount of self-control that comes with it. she adores her wife and daughter, and has a bit of a contentious relationship with victor - though she wants to be closer with him, the gap between them caused by their past feels a bit insurmountable for them both.
as for the villains, mainly we have
arkangel:
arkangel was, a very very long time ago, a human alchemist and magican studying the Grand Cosmos, the realm of what are believed to be the gods. When plague struck and, despite her prayers, killed her young daughter, she swore to tear her way into the cosmos and bring her daughter back to the world of the living. That mission has not gone so well, and centuries upon centuries later Arkangel has lost the plot a bit, her magics able to preserve her body at the expense of her mind and soul, and in-between cartoonishly evil shenanigans she's orchestrating a plot to bring down the cosmos entirely. Despite her tendency towards nonsense and general gullibility, Arkangel is a sharp and often cruel woman who holds those in her employ under high standards with little regard for the opinions of anyone except herself.
nina:
known primarily by her villain name Prophet, nishkanona prorok is a teenage demon, having used a pact with Arkangel to escape hell and a doting, yet overprotective father to live out her edgy teenage punk years smashing shit and swinging cool swords around. eager to prove her abilities, Nina was involved one of arkangels many attempts to destroy the world, this one in particular involving drawing on an ancient and mysterious power known as the Comet to open a gateway to the cosmos and release the Judge, a massive cosmopolitan beast said to be the only thing capable of destroying an entire realm. the process failed, and the intense strain of using her body as the gateway injured her significantly. Her desperation to prove herself, combined with Arkangels refusal to accept failure, have refused to let the injury heal and given Nina a pretty major dent in her pride coming into her second season as a competitor.
morningstar/luci:
the luc1-4 project is an experimental copycat AI designed to mimic an opponents strategy and siphon their powers through the nodes on its palms, and was used as Arkangel's primary footsoldier and representative before Nina's arrival left it obsolete, and it remained in storage, only acknowledged for training excercises or occassional maitenence. That is, until Nina abandons Arkangel, and Morningstar is needed once more. but years of sitting in the dark have left it resentful and beginning to question its true purpose in this world.
THOSE ARE ALL THE MAJOR CHARACTERS I HAVE DEVELOPED RN...theres a few more late-game villains and supporting cast members i want to flesh out and some worldbuilding stuff i want to explore more.
AS FOR THE PLOT. well. its all a bit vague but i have the general structure so lets lay it out!
starting out in the status quo with K/A/H going about their daily lives in the quaint small texas town they live in when kasey gets a letter in the mail inviting her to professional league of heroics and villany (note: im gonna try and come up with a catchier name but im bad at names) tryouts in New york city in response to her video audition (i think it would b cute to have the opening pages be her video audition but idk). ANYWAYS obviously they go and they do tryouts, and kaseys nervous but she does okay, but every time she needs to use one of her powers on command she just cant quite get them to cooperate and most of the teams there write her off as not pro potential. except for this weird old man, stanley kirby, who is trying to scrape together a hero team with his legacy money. see, his granddad managed an incredibly famous and successful team, but when he died kirbys father didnt see the business as worth the cost and shut it all down, and kirby wants to revive that legacy. problem is, hes never done anything successfully on his own in his life and nobody has faith in him. but he has money, and he offers to take kasey on if her family comes along to round out the team because literally nobody else wants to work with him. They agree, and when theyre touring the facility discover that victor, ajas estranged father, actually works for kirby, as kirby throws money at any project victor wants in exchange for v developing any inane comic book tech project kirby sets his heart on. aja lies and tells kasey victor is her brother, mostly because she isnt sure how to explain the. complicated history between them. more on that later. anyways, kirby cajoles victor into agreeing to be on the team because you need a 4-person team to be eligible for the maximum amount of events possible. so theyre all working together yippieeeee.
a few months pass and they do qualifiers, a team-based event that decides the rank you start the season in, and due to shoddy teamwork and general inexperience team kirby comes dead last. thats okay, theyll figure it out! the first event of the season is the opening tournament, one-on-one hero v villain brackets to show the audience and judges what youre made of. see, heroism and villany are judged on a combination of skill and style. theres gotta be balance between being a good fighter and a good performer, flashy combos, witty banter, and showstopping signature moves are the kind of thing people come here for (think fighting game-esque). victor goes in the first round and completely wipes his opponent, knocking them out of the ring in two seconds flat by cutting them off in the middle of an opening monologue. despite winning and winning efficiently, victor gets a shit score because there was absolutely no spirit or performance at all, and the guy he beat actually gets a better score just for his flashy entrance. aja and hutch also do some battles and teach us some more about how the game works, but the other important one is Kaseys opener, because she's pitted against Prophet(nina), who turns out to be a deathly efficient fighter with perfectly practiced form and a Silent Sentinel vibe that bounces pretty well against Wildcard (k)s chaotic, bubbly energy. It's a good fight, and in the end kasey barely wins, something that is INCREDIBLY frustrating for nina, and the first spark of their rivalry.
a few more events happen that set up the range of the games, establish some supporting cast, ect, kasey starts coming into her own with her powers, theres a b-plot about her school life, aja and victor have some family baggage and drama ect. but the major conflict of this season is arkangel. remember when i mentioned she wanted to use the Comet, an ancient well of mysterious cosmic power, to summon the Judge, an ancient destructive cosmic beast? yeah she hasnt given up on that, but shes needing to change her strategy. see, the comet is mysterious and everybody has a different theory about how it works, but its known that it doesnt give its power to just anybody. according to legends, it only grants itself to someone of pure heart in moments of pure need, and according to some magicians it needs something of equal power to pull its energy out. arkangel tries a few different things to pull out the energy she needs and i havent quite ironed out all the details of that stuff yet have mercy but. Somehow, She Figures It Out and summons the judge and it starts wrecking shop and there is a big awesomesauce chaotic battle. nina runs away, just fully ditchihg arkangel, and in a moment where it looks like shes about to lose, arkangel stabs aja and causes some of her hero gear to backfire and . well she is dead. this causes 2 things - 1, kasey summons the full power of the comet and just completely annihilates the judge, reducing it to an egg (its a wishing star type deal, power bends to the users truest desire and kaseys desire was to stop it from hurting anyone, which leaves it in a harmless form. she doesnt want to kill anything :( ) 2, victor freaks out. remember how hes on parole with the death gaurdians? yeah well one of these spirits is his "warden", basically this creepy ghost thing only he can see that follows him around and criticizes his life choices and makes sure hes not, yknow, damaging the fabric of reality or whatever. well AAs whole thing is that she wants 2 tear reality to shreds, so victor makes a deal that the warden will lend him its power and in exchange he'll let them arrest her, and this works out, he goes full necromancer and wipes the floor with her in seconds. its awesome. she gets arrested and dragged to spirit jail by a bunch of creepy ghosts.
after that is the next major "season". in this bit we learn a lot more about the grand cosmos and the things that live there. theyre not strictly gods, just beings of a different realm with higher concentrates of magical energy, letting them get even bigger and even crazier than stuff on the earthly realm can, and a few of the residents (which im debating on a catchy name for, cosmopolitan or cosmonaut both sound fun to me) decided to use their power to kind of sheperd the mortal realm. some are predators that eat souls, others try to maintain balance, others try to keep up the divide between the worlds, some want to tear it all down. but the section our heroes are involved with fancy themselves universe cops basically, arbiters of justice to souls who defy the natural order of life and death including, yknow, people artificially inflating their lifespans through magicks and whatnot. this is all organized by a being called the pale lady [or aomething idk] who operates this big cosmic courtroom, which is where arkangels "trial" is held to kick off the season.
i say "trial", but the question isnt really if if shes done anything wrong, its more of a character thing, like, people she knew in life who were affected by her actions weighing in on if they think she was right or wrong. this is where she explains her sad backstory, and the big conflict here is with victor. arkangel wanted to tear the system down for the sake of her daughter, and, well. his pet project, the thing hes spent most of his time working on for centuries? it isnt too different from what shes doing. a little less violent, yeah, but fundementally... well. the trial continues on and our heroes return to earth with arkangel officially condemned to sit around in heavenly prison, presumably forever.
aja is still dead. this is a bummer. bringing people back from the dead is hard, its simply not done, but if anyone could do it its victor. he explains, though, that souls are just collections of energy and that after death, souls dont really "go" anywhere, they just disperse back into the environment. this process takes some time, but because aja was kind of a patchwork project and was never technically fully alive, he has no idea if her soul could exist without her body at all, let alone if it would last, or if using the same process he used to bring her to life would actually bring her back or if it would just create a new soul in its place. so hes sort of. stuck. and his special project? well, thats not ready yet. its so, so close, but he just doesnt have the power he needs.
he wouldnt, at least. but after the trial the warden offers to make him a deal. if he agrees to hunt bounties for the pale lady and act in service when hes needed, the wardens power is granted to him to use as he'd like. much more freedom, more power, a cool new form with like a crazy scythe hand that im super excited about and will eventually draw someday. he agrees.
victor uses his power to finish his project, which he swears will fix all of this. see, hes been working on a time machine.
time travel isnt really a thing you can just DO, yknow, time doesnt really work like that, its not a tangible thing you can touch and trace and go backwards and forwards in. so its not really technically time travel. its a much more elaborate form of a type of technology he'd been tinkering with earlier in the comic, a sort of holodeck-style simulation that creates simulations based on the users memories and desires. so basically he creates this dream universe for himself, and uses it to go back to a little while before he'd brought aja to life, waaay back when.
see, the first time victor did this, he was only 19. he knew what he was doing, but he didnt know what he was doing. he was going to create life, a spark, a new soul. but you cant create something out of nothing, and the process of bringing aja to life fully killed him. upon his death, in that brief period before souls fade away, he begged the pale lady to give him more time, just to go back and see his creation, make sure she was safe. and she agreed, but when he woke up, it was far too late. six months had already passed and aja was long gone. he assumed she was dead, until a few years later she turned up on his doorstep begging him to help her. see, shes horribly lonely, completely outcast in a world she doesnt understand by people who dont know any better except to be afraid of her. she wants a little sister, someone to take care of and nurture and be with.
from this point on, the story is never quite clear. neither of them like to talk about it, and the most we see as an audience is brief flashbacks, sillouhettes and vague implications. but it ended with two people dead, aja down an arm and victor an eye, and both with blood on their hands.
victor holds a lot of guilt for everything that happened, and hes never really been able to get over it. he only ever really sees aja as this kind of... not mistake, really, he just had all these wonderful plans for her and for the life he wanted to give her and it all just. fell apart. because he wasnt prepared. he knows he couldve done, and shouldve done better, and hes going to prove it, hes going to do everything right and shes going to be so so happy this time.
but its not really real. he can kind of convince himself it is, for a little while, and he can live out this perfect life with his daughter and husband and everything is exactly how it was supposed to be. but its not right, its not her, its not his family. hes not fixing anything by doing this, hes just wallowing in his guilt and shame and abandoning the real, actual aja, his actual kid who needs him to be there. thats kind of always been his blind spot. he loves her, but his guilt keeps him from forming a real relationship with her because he can only think about how he hurt her even when shes basically begging him to come be a part of her life.
he snaps out of it and comes back, to find that, whoops, he miscalculated something and its actually been almost four months that hes been gone, literally just dissapeared into thin air one day leaving hutch alone with a dead wife and a bunch of spellbooks they could never in a million zillion years hope to understand, trying to figure out how to cope. bit of a dick move. they talk it out. they bond. eventually they do bring aja back, and as a little bonus shes actually really, fully alive this time. thats that haircut with the white streak in it, thats Alive Aja. she also gets more special powers now that shes alive and can actually use her magics(ill explain this fr one day but for now i digress)
OH slight digression at some point around this area - probably after or as a b-plot during victors stuff, the judge egg transforms again into bucket, my adorable little octopus girl who i love with all my heart i dont have a picture on hand but just trust me shes so cute and swag.
after this bit the next season of the game picks up and we start to get back to kasey, and nina. kaseys been having a hell of a time through those last four months, with crazier new powers from the comet, crazy teenage angst and relationship drama, and crazy weird dreams. crazy.
nina, on the other hand, has been totally fucked. see at some point in season1, during one of the games, she allied with this other villain, a low-level grunt called Bruiser. its a battle royale type game competing for a magic prize that gives the winner a wish yadda yadda and after becoming friends with bruiser and winning she stabs him in the back to take the prize, but feeling guilty uses her wish to make sure hes okay. hes kind of been watching out for her since, as he just kind of happened to live around the same area of the arizona desert that arkangels base is at, and hes kind of a big brother figure for nina. so when she ditches arkangel, she turns to him, knowing she cant really go home. he lets her crash on the couch in his shitty trailer, and does his best as a loser 30something who doesnt get paid enough to make sure shes mostly taken care of. and he lets her team up with him in games so she can still compete, because, despite her injury getting worse and worse, shes still determined to prove she can do this.
over the course of the games, nina and kaseys relationship gets kind of explored in some cool fun ways and they get to start to be actual friends in-between ninas "i hate you i have to be better than you fuck you" complex, and this climaxes in a big battle where nina slips kasey a fusion ring (something used for an event in s1 because its swag) and they fuse to take down like a big evil robot. its an awesome fight, but. during the battle with arkangel nina had left before kasey channeled the comet, so this is when she really realizes just what kasey had done. and it pisses her the fuck off. the one thing nina couldnt do and kasey is whipping it out like its nothing? why? why her? nobody wanted it more than nina did. nobody worked harder or needed it more. so why didnt she deserve it? what makes kasey so special? its not fair. so she punches her in the face, hard, and truly and honestly tells her how much she fucking hates her. eventually after some more Events they have a heart-to-heart about it and nina opens up about everything, about her injury and how badly she fucked up, and mostly about the fact that shes been lying about... everything.
see, ninas been telling people shes this ancient demon princess with royal hell powers, but shes actually just. some kid. her dad is like the chairman of the city council in their circle of hell or something, and shes just his daughter. she lied to sound cool. hes overprotective of her, because when she was born he was told she was particularly fragile, and so he kept her away from a lot of the things she wanted to do, making her a bit of an outcast and when his overprotectiveness turned away from just "dont participate in bloodsport" to the kind of music she listened to or clothes she wore, she decided to just get out. she made a pact with arkangel that if AA could convince her dad to let her go to earth for a "boarding school", she'd be her servant and blah blah blah. eventually it worked and ninas been keeping up the lie for the past like, three years now or however long its been. but the thing about demonic pacts is that theyre not just like, a pinky promise, theyre super dense legalese and theres a lot of consequences for breaking them, and nina is being chased down by hellhounds trying to get her arrested for breaking her pact with AA, so she has to come clean to her dad. this results in a fun little adventure down to hell for K and nina and also, nina and her dad work things out. he tells her hes just worried about her she tells him she feels like he doesnt believe in her or support her, her arc about proving herself kind of culminates in being able to accept her limits and that "pushing past" is only ever going to hurt her, you have to take care of yourself if you want to keep doing the things you love longterm, blah blah art burnout sports injuries ecetera. eventually they decide she can keep doing the villain thing, but she has to do it like, fucking safely and stuff. frm this point forward shes an ambulatory wheelchair user because i think it would be fun and awesome
theres some endgame stuff but its all a bit fuzzy! AA is busted out of space prison by an even eviler villain who wants to destroy even more stuff (so much to the point that even arkangel who was totally onboard with "destroy the great cosmos" kind of goes "hey we cant really destroy the earth i have to live there" and "wow this guy is a freak"), luci gets to be a villain and have her little arc too, kaseys aforementioned crazy dreams and crazy comet powers build up to something, but like, this is all pretty rough.
theres a lot more details.like the actual games themselves and some of the filler stuff, sidecast, some cool episode concepts, some of the more interpersonal sideplots especially a lot of the ones with hutch and all the kasey normal teen bplot which i adore but dont fit in neatly to a more concise linear summary and are also again a bit fuzzy. ANYWAYS.
also one last thing nina is a skateboarder and if kasey was playing a normal sport and not This Bullshit i think she would be either a baseball player or a track runner. also aja gets a motorcycle and she loves it to death.
OKEYYY if you havr any further questions plsz feel free to ask this was SO MUCH FUN i hope it more or less made sense!!!! thank youuuuuuuu i love youuuuuuu goodbyeeeee
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