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xxkiller-muffinxx · 4 months

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I'll always be there for you

Clay x inventor! reader

Summary: You are an inventor from Putt Putt Village. Using the golf course for building things that can aid the trolls. You were the best! Until you moved to Pop village, where you have to impress all of the trolls to make a good first impression. Then with the help of Clay��s affirmations you wind up doing just that

Words: 1009

Warnings: All of this is fluff

A/N: I admit it, I hated trying to figure out Clays character without having to watch the movie again. I have watched so many videos just trying to get it right and it's been likean earworm, tearing me apart from the inside out. That's why at some point it feels a little more headcanony than other parts. (we dont get enough of Clay honestly.) Anyway this was fun to write, I can't wait for you all to read it! Happy New year everyone!

❉❊❉

You groaned as you came out from under the machine. It’s a machine that doubles glitter. It was just to be a little in spirit of returning to troll society, but it’s turning out to be the hardest machine you’ve ever worked on.

You dust glitter off your arms and adjust your clothing. A part of you feels embarrassed to be working on a glitter machine like this. You have so many other projects and your working on this to be cool to other trolls? You’re close to giving up when-

“Hey! I’ve been looking for you! I asked around town and- What. Is. That.” Clay stopped in his tracks as he pointed to the large (but not too large) glitter-covered machine. You sigh and brush yourself off, inherently spreading more glitter.

You cover your face in embarrassment. “No, it’s nothing, just a thing I’ve been working on.” You say, not expecting Clay of all people to show up suddenly and notice your big “surprise.” Your cheeks flushing a deep shade of red.

Before you could protest, Clay was already inspecting the machine.

“Clay-”

“It’s a party machine!”

“Clay, don't do this.”

“Or it’s a…sun bathing machine.”

“You’re not serious please just-”

“Ooooor it’s a Glitter doubler machine that doubles one piece of glitter into hundreds more.” Clay look at you as if he was correct and you groaned in embarrassment. He walked over to you and stood next to you. “Can’t hide anything from me, you know this. What’s wrong?”

You frown, crossing your arms. “I feel like I’m doing too much to impress these new Trolls, I mean glitter machine? Someone has to have already made that.” You say as you nervously bite your nails. Clay’s arm wraps around your neck and pulls you into his shoulder.

You lean into him, grumbling your grumbles that he loves so much. Clay shrugs slightly. “Well, if you’re doing too much than…they’d want you to do more.” Clay sends you a serious look and you instantly recoil, he can’t be serious. Clay interjects your thoughts “I know it sounds crazy but have you met Viva’s sister? She’s crazy when it comes to going big or going home. She never goes home.”

You snorted at the sentiment, but looked at your invention and frowned. “But what if it explodes when showing off? That defeats the purpose! Everyone will hate me for sure.” You we’re becoming a nervous wreck the more you thought about it,

Clay’s hand went over your temples, beginning to rub gently at them to stop any sights of an inventor's headache. “Okay okay, bring it back down. There you are.” He said, nipping your chin with his thumb and index finger. You laughed, mostly because your neck was ticklish, but also because you blush hard ever time he does it.

Clay looked you in the eyes and crossed his arms. “Let’s think about disasters; after you build it huh?” He offered, you rolled your eyes and he clicked his tongue at you. “That’s my girl, now let’s get to work!”

✩✪✩✪✩

Now, you stood next to clay for your first test. When suddenly, glitter sputtered out the sides and the top. You groaned. Clay then pointed out that it's doing one thing they wanted, but not another. “Okay, we're doing something right and something wrong.” You look at the machine and feel a sense a pride in it now.

“Okay, well, obviously it's something on the sides. I have to cover those up somehow.” You'd deduce and giggle when Clay made a mock surprised face. “Alright let's do it!”

✩✪✩✪✩

You laid on the ground stomach full after Viva brought you French fries and meat circles. You were halfway to a food coma when Clay asked “This isn't just about the machine right, the change is hitting you too?” he asked, looking at you with worried eyes.

You just nodded. “I understand change is hard, but this? This is crazy. Moving entirely out of Putt Putt Village for this? It's enough to make your skin crawl.”

“Well just so you know your are not the only one, every other troll is in some kind of tiff about it too. I mean I had to give up my admin house.”

“You hated living in that thing.”

“Quite the contrary, it was actually delectable beyond reasoning.”

“You always do the voice when I'm right. Just admit it alright?”

“Nothing to admit.”

“I sometimes hate that I love you.”

✩✪✩✪✩

Finally, the moment had come, everything fell into place. You decided the go big or go home approach would be best. So now you had a small glitter volcano, it's small, adorable, and simple. However its just big enough to where you can't go home.

Surprise surprise, everyone adored it. Glitter trolls have already been caught bathing in it, but you only build the machines, you don't monitor them. You are in Poppy’s pod getting a mouthful about how great that glitter-cano is. Then when you came out you got more compliments! It wasn't until you and Floyd were eating lunch together that Clay even asked. “So, did everyone like the-”

“YES! They loved It! They all loved it so much that they told me they liked it and I've never felt greater!” You squealed as you looked at the pin Poppy had given you. It wasn't much, it just said “You did it!” even then you still were pretty stoked.

Clay smiled. Leaning on his hand as he looked at you. “That's awesome! I'm so proud of you.” he reached across the table to offer a high five, and you smirked and took his hand. He was confused until you pulled him to meet you in the middle to accept a kiss on the forehead.

He slapped a hand onto his forehead and you laughed softly. “Thank you for being my number one Clay.” Clay admittedly blushed, but he'd never say that he did. He waved a hand.

“It's nothing, you know I'll always be here for you.”

#fanfiction #trolls #trolls band together #trolls fandom #trolls fanfic #trolls fanfiction #trolls franchise #trolls x reader #dreamworks trolls #clay x reader #trolls clay #trolls clay x reader #trolls 3 #clay trolls #brozone x reader #brozone

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gaypirate420 · 9 months

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Moonshine and Starlight //Dream*

Dream* of the Endless x witch!GN!reader.

Summary: Morpheus helps you sleep.

Angst/Fluff. Dream and Reader being divorced..

A/N: Probably ooc because I haven't written for my husband for so long.

"What's the matter, Matthew?" The words of the King of Dreams echoed through the wide halls of the entrance to his palace.

The Dream Lord found his raven very busy in another matter, that being melting onto your touch while he nuzzled on your lap.

"We have a visitor, my lord." Was all the raven could respond as your gentle fingers brushed down the feathers of his head making him caw.

"Why are you here?" He asked not really knowing what tone should he use with you.

"I'm afraid I'm not here because I wanted to see you, but because I have a problem with dreams, my lord." You said mockingly as you caressed the feather's of the new raven before standing up and meeting his star filled eyes and long figure, those black ropes dripping down the marble floor.

"Enlighten me then. What kind of problems are dreams causing you, dream witch?" Morpheus muttered with the silky smooth voice that you adore, you took his arm and begin to walk, seeming so normal, muscle memory perhaps.

"It must be something important if it makes you come to my palace after two hundred years. Something that goes beyond the centuries of knowledge you possess." He spoke gently. You smirked and looked at him and although his gaze remained emotionless but you know when your ex-husband is teasing you.

"A client of mine. She's been having this— weird dreams about her family telling her very specific things." You explained as you begin to walk alongside the Endless, the night sky that lied above your head on the palace's ceiling captured your eyes.

You stoped for a moment to look at it, missing it's beauty.

"I've been looking inside her dreams, trying to decipher their meaning." You continues with a tone of slight frustration before meeting his gaze, noticing his starry eyes looking at your every moment.

"You came here just to ask the meaning of some mortal's dream?" Morpheus asked as his eyes took in your image, you smirked again and shaked your head.

"No. I don't give up that easily, Oneiros." You smirked with smugness, the Dream Lord mimicked your smirk.

"I never said you did. Why is it that you're here then, moonshine?" He asked as he walked you through to the large halls of the palace.

Moonshine, what a nickname to give someone, specially coming from the Lord of Dreams. The Endless that finds you as bright as the shine of the moon, a signal of light in darkness.

It's been so long since he's mutter such nickname.

"Well, It's been costing me my sleeping hours, but that's not new— the things is when I do sleep I have dreamless rest or the most horrible nightmares." You whispered, there was a linger of anger on your tone.

"I came here to ask you something, Dream."

"Ask away, moonshine."

"Have I done something wrong? Something to deserve this punishment, perhaps?" Your whispers makes him stop on his tracks, his eyes meet yours. The Lord of Dreams face had an expression one of confusion and deep sadness.

"Do you think that is my doing? You think of yourself worth of a punishment so severe?" He whispers back, his eyes looking at your tired eyes, the darks circles under them.

"Do you think I would do such thing as that to you?"

You stayed silent, looking away from his gaze. His pale hand cupped your cheek, you gasped and a silent tear fell down your cheek which was wiped by his thumb that consequently held your chin and make you meet his eyes once more.

"The answer is no. I am not punishing you because those night terrors that invade your sleep were not send by me, moonshine." He whispered with such conviction.

As in saying "Believe me. I could never harm you."

"And you have never wrong me nor this realm. You've been an impecable aid and- companion for me." He stated, you smiled and felt yourself blushing, a yawn scaped your lips and his gaze softened.

"Am I boring you, moonshine?" Morpheus smirked you looked at him with sleepy eyes.

"It's not my fault your voice is so comforting and I'm- exhausted for my work and the horrible sleep I've had." You explained before smiling.

"Comforting?" The Dream Lord asked, you nodded and looked up at him with a smile.

"Soothing. Perfect for listening while you fall asleep." You explained before yawning again.

Feeling his hand on the back of your neck and in a matter of second you were lied down on the softest of mattresses, resting your head on a pillow that could pass for a cloud.

You looked up and met the most beautiful night sky you've ever seen, pink and purple surrounded with constellations.

The bed itself was almost floating in between marble floors and the night sky.

This is the room of Dream of the Endless himself.

"Why are you not sleeping yet?" Morpheus's voice snap you back to reality, you meet his eyes that now shine with the reflections of the galaxy that surrounds you.

"I dunno, maybe you've lost your touch." You teased, The Dream Lord furrowed his eyebrows but his lips let out a soft chuckle.

"Perhaps you're just stubborn." He whispered while his slim finger caress your cheek, you leaned on his touch so quickly that it made you disappointed in yourself but it felt so good.

"Those nightmares won't bother you again, my moonshine." Morpheus stated as his fingers kept moving across your face with delicacy.

"Why am I in your room? There's like two hundred guest rooms." You asked as your eyes closed. Dream fell silent for a second.

"Because I- want you here." He started speaking so softly almost as if he was embarrassed to say it, you nodded for him to continue.

"Your precense on The Dreaming has been missed, the creatures of the dreaming had voiced that sentiment many times." The Endless continued, his mouth still slight open, you could picture him trying to find the right words.

You nodded once more, it always difficult for him to speak his emotions and needs.

"The haunted dolls of my shop miss you." You spoke sleepy, The Dream Lord arched his eyebrow and smirked as his hand moved to your hair, touching it with a hint of shyness, thinking if he's still allowed to do such motion. Afraid of crossing any lines or boundaries.

"The- dolls? Do you miss me, perchance?" He asked with a uncharacteristically shy and insecure voice, you opened your eyes.

"Do you, Oneiros? Or just the creatures of your realm?" You snapped back with a smirk. He leaned closer to you, the stars in his eyes shining bright, his thumb stroked your bottom lip as his eyes got lost on yours.

"Yes." Morpheus whispered with a discreet but playful smile once that 'yes' was heard by you.

"I do miss you, moonshine."

You closed your eyes once more after his words, so much sincerity and raw devotion within such a short sentence.

"I miss you too, starlight." You whispered back with a smile, Morpheus smirked and kept stroking your hair.

How has he missed that nickname.

A play of words with the one he has for you.

Starlight. The light of a start that accompanies the shining moon at night. He wonders how, of all things, you could see him as a star.

The drowsiness was unbearable now for you.

The last thing you felt before falling asleep was a gentle kiss on your forehead.

"Sleep well, moonshine." Morpheus whispered against your ear, making you fall into a deep and much needed rest, filled with the sweetest dreams one could imagine of.

And of course, The Dream king holding your hand all the time, supervising these dreams.

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A/N: Heyyyyyyy, it's been a while since I've wrote for my husband, ugh, I love him, I always enjoy writing for him, it just so right. Hope you liked this!

#the sandman #the sandman x reader #the sandman x you #the sandman x male reader #morpheus x reader #morpheus x you #morpheus x male reader #dream of the endless #lord morpheus #x male reader

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fandomrose · 5 months

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Neuvillette post 4.2 reverse comfort.

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This fic is canon compliant. Almost character study-esque.

Friend's to almost lovers

I believe that post 4.2 he would begin opening himself up more to humanity and therefore would begin to consider romance even if he could lose them to time.

There will be some spoilers but they are more implied than anything.

I kept it Gender neutral and as appearance and trait neutral as I could as such it should be friendly to most.

Anyway please enjoy. 💙

The clean-up and relief efforts post-prophecy were almost complete and Fontaine was almost back to functioning like normal. You were aiding some of the Maison Gardinale and Gestionnaires with cleaning up the inside of the Palais Mermonia, a commission you were taking on as a Fontaine-based adventurer.

At around midday Lady Furina arrived at the Palais and immediately went to see Monsieur Neuvillette. Not an odd sight but the expression on her face and her complete lack of acknowledgement of anyone else's presence was odd. Whatever it was that she was seeing Neuvillette about, it was serious.

Worry pricked the back of your mind for the couple of hours that she was in Monsieur Neuvillette's office for. If Sedine noticed your mild distress she never mentioned it, just giving you an extra slice of cake for lunch. It was around lunch that rain started to fall steadily from the sky.

You and Neuvillette weren't the closest of companions but you had a pleasant enough relationship with the man. It could be said that you were one of the people he had allowed himself to get close to. And you held a, in your mind, healthy amount of affection for the man. As a result he and Lady Furina were on your mind the entirety of your hired time.

When it came time for the end of your shift Lady Furina finally emerged looking exhausted and you swore you could see a couple of tear tracks run down her cheeks as she briskly walks through the Palais office. You wonder in the back of your mind if you should check on her but before you can make up your mind Sedine approaches.

"Um hello, I was wondering if you have the time to take this water to Monsieur Neuvillette? I know it is the end of your contracted time with us today but ah,-" She gestures to a waterproof box labelled 'pyro treated Mondstadt spring water.' It looked far too heavy for a Melusine to carry.

"Ah Sedine of course I can. Don't worry about it." You pick up the box, struggling with the weight a little, there is quite the volume of water. You guessed a stressed Neuvillette craved fresh spring water. You nod to Sedine before approaching Monsieur Neuvillette's office. Sudden nerves overtake you as you remember Lady Furinas visit. You take a deep breath and knock on the door gently with your foot.

"You may enter." Monsieur Neuvillette answered the knock and you push the door open gently with the same foot you knocked with. He sounded tired as well though that was unsurprising, as far as you were aware he was almost single-handedly trying to lead Fontaine in the relief efforts.

"Hello Monsieur I was asked to bring this to you- 'pyro-treated sping water from mondstadt.'"

Neuvillette looked up from his desk and relaxed a little upon seeing you there. "Ah hello, thank you for bringing that to me, please just rest it on one of the benches." His voice sounded strained and tired as he spoke, a far cry from how put together he typically sounded.

"Neuvillette-" you began, as you put the box of water down on a bench. Seriously though why does this man have so many benches and sofas in his office? "-are you alright?" You wince slightly, unused to offering comfort to a stoic man.

Neuvillette pauses clearly debating whether or not to say anything. You begin to doubt yourself just as Neuvillette, uncharacteristically quiet and hesitant, speaks up. "Could I- trust you with something? It won't be too detailed but- I could use some advice... if you are willing." I note that the rain outside seems to be growing heavier.

"I- of course-" you walk closer and stand by his desk giving him your full attention.

There were a few moments of silence, Neuvillette clearly debating what so say and how to say it.

"I feel conflicted-" you almost startle at the suddenness of his proclamation, staying silent you just listen. "I understand my function and my duties, I understand Furina and her need for a rest after all of this and I understand what we must do for Fontaine to prosper once again." He pauses again deep in contemplation at how to say what he wants to say. "I understand why this happened and why- certain things I cannot say had to happen but. Even with this understanding I feel grief at this turn of events. Everyone is safe and Furina is free to live a normal life, I understand my position and I am whole. By all accounts I have everything I wanted and yet I cannot bring myself to be happy."

You feel stunned, you have never seen Neuvillette like this, the rain was coming down like it did on the day of the Great flood. And there were tears? Yes tears, screaming down his cheeks. He didn't even seem to notice them. The next words out of his mouth break your heart a little. "Why? I don't understand."

After a mere moments hesitation you step around his desk and stand before him, the action grabbing his attention. You lift your hands to hover over his cheeks. "May I?" You whisper. Neuvillette looks a little confused but nods anyway. You place your hands on his cheeks and wipe his tears. He seemingly unconsciously leaned into your touch "I don't, and can't know the extent of these feelings as I don't have all of the information but, it sounds like you are grieving. Not to mention the built up stress that the prophecy and its event have likely caused you. And I can assume that conversation with Furina was not a wholly pleasant one?"

He simply shook his head sadly taking your hands away from his face. He looked like he wanted something but couldn't figure out what. You pause and open your arms, again he hesitates, confused, but steps into your embrace and gingerly wraps his arms around your shoulders, you feel him tremble slightly. You figure he is likely unused to physical contact.

You open your mouth to speak again but Neuvillette beats you to it. "I just don't understand why this time is different. My chest hurts when I think about it and my head starts to ache. And I know the rain is causing trouble for everyone, we are trying to dry Fontaine not drown it again."

"Um- I know this may be a controversial statement but I don't think you need to understand emotions, and why you are feeling them, in order to feel them in the first place. Just let youself feel, catharsis is good for the soul. Or so they say."

Neuvillette pulls back from your embrace looking conflicted again. "Catharsis hmm." Neuvillette looks out the window frowning at the sight of the rain. Your gaze follows his. It was hard to know what he was thinking, he always was difficult to read.

Silence falls again but a question that follows something he said earlier pops into your mind. "Neuvillette..? Why would the rain be your fault?"

Neuvillettes gaze turns to you and he sighs ".. you know don't you?"

You definitely had your suspicions, you've been around him when it's raining enough to make connections but consequence is not causation and you thought it was silly at the time, even with his long life. But his response..

"You are the hydro dragon aren't you Neuvillette."

"Yes" He said simply and easily as if admitting that was the easiest thing he'd done all day. You couldn't bring yourself to be surprised it made too much sense.

"I see, that make sense" was your own equally as simple response.

Things went quiet again but it was still raining, lighter but still raining. "Neuvillette, what do you think about what I said? About 'not needing to understand' and 'catharsis'?"

"Wouldn't understanding emotions make it easier to feel and express them?"

"Not even regular people understand emotions or why they happen. Alot of the time they 'think' they do though. And there is nothing wrong with that we all have things we don't understand, and yet we push through and do it anyway. You didn't understand why you were asked to be ludex but you still did your duty. So why is a lack of understanding stopping you from experiencing the emotions you feel?"

"... I don't know how to answer that. Truthfully I don't know myself."

"How about we stop trying to use our brains for now? We can just feel, let yourself have time to grieve Neuvillette. If you are worried about the rain.. well there will be less rain in the long run if you let your emotions run their course now."

Neuvillette looked down at his hands that were resting on his cane then back up at the window. "How do I do that?" His voice sounded oddly small in that moment. He desired to let it out but couldn't figure it out.

"Think of what was upsetting you and let it run through your mind. Don't will those thoughts away just let it happen."

"... can I hold you again?"

"You can" You answer quickly sensing the mild desperation in his voice. Neuvillette dismissed his cane and almost fell into your arms. You could feel him trembling again as you watched the rain get heavier. You almost unconsciously started rubbing his back as he quietly cried into your shoulder. You get the sense that while the saying is 'hydro dragon hydro dragon, don't cry' that this hydro dragon has not yet actually cried. You lose track of time at how long he embraces you but eventually the sky clears. Night has fallen and the moon and stars almost appear to shine brighter.

I feel Neuvillette take a large shaky breath before he removed himself from your arms once more.

"Thank you. You really are a wonderful person." Neuvillette's voice was tired but he did sound slightly more relaxed. You find your face heating slightly at his words, feeling unused to such praise from him.

"It's not a wonderful trait to be there for someone you care about. It's only natural."

"Hmm I suppose but that doesn't stop you from being a wonderful person with wonderful traits."

The bluntness of his words only seemed to heat your cheeks further. You say nothing as you take up a spot next to him looking at the clear sky. A new closeness between the two of you that you can only imagine what could happen between you next.

And for Neuvillette the events of the past few weeks had opened up the dam he had unconsciously built between him and the rest of Fontaine. He now, like Furina, wanted to experience what it was like to be human. His waters ran free and, as he looked at the stars shining in your eyes, he began to long for an experience he previously thought impossible for him.

#neuvilette genshin #neuvillette x reader #Neuvillette/reader #hurt/comfort #genshin impact 4.2 spoilers #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #i love this man dearly #i wish to kiss his head and give him a hug #and do water tasting with him #and go on a walk or something similarly fluvial #gn reader

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unluckilyimnot · 2 years

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His crush is crying (college AU)

Characters: Mikey, Mitsuya, Inui, Rindou, Wakasa

type: light angst, hurt to comfort, fluff

wc: ~2k

note: if you're not a kpop stan you won't care much but I missed my favorite group that came to Francfort and I literally want to cry till I die. I'm sacred for the next chapter too, so many things to cry for

Mikey

Since Mikey got to know you, you were kinda his to his eyes - in general. He probably hasn't thought about how much he cares about you since he always cares a lot about his friends. That being said, he got the habit of waiting for you at the end of your last class so you can have fun with him and his friends after that to relax. It’s not like he's dedicated in class in the first place so he doesn’t care if he has to leave to meet you.

Walking nonchalantly to your class, his hands in his pockets and Draken on his tracks, he was taken aback to see you crying in front of it. Your hands messily whipping your eyes and cheeks with short sobs and he couldn’t help but rush to you. Taking your hands away from your face, he took your face in his instead. His heart was racing as he checked you entirely before locking his eyes with your red and puffy one.

“Why are you crying ?” His protective instinct is on, and he won’t leave you alone if you’re not alright again, with him. You shake your head, assuring him it’s nothing much but he’s not letting you go. His grip on your hand tightened and as he pulled you in his arms you could hear his panicked heartbeat even though he didn't seem that concerned. You lean into his touch, letting him hold you as you cry in his embrace, hiding you from the world.

As much as Mikey feels better to have you in his arms when you’re weak and fragile like this, he prefers when you’re there because you laugh so much that you almost fell or just because you’re in a flirty mood. For some reasons, his heart was screaming to never let go of you now, and to protect you at all cost.

Mitsuya

When he heard your little voice whining his name behind him, all Mitsuya could do was stop what he was doing and turn around to see you scamper to him, holding one of your hands with the other. He’s used to it by now, since he initiated you into design, you two spent a lot of time together and it wasn’t a surprising scene. He thought you'd hurt yourself a bit with a needle again and that’s why you were coming to him. He doesn't mind, he finds you really cute in fact because of that.

“What’s up sweetheart ?” he playfully says, but when he sees you crying, his whole expression changes into a more serious one. Mitsuya stands up to look at your hand as you arrive in front of him. You’re a bit of a crybaby, he knows it and he never made fun of you for that. You were at ease with him thanks to that. Slowly opening your hands, he saw more blood than he expected and an actually pretty ugly cut.

“Sit down, I’ll take care of this. It’s nothing, don’t worry, it just bleeds a lot,” he says sweetly to reassure you, whipping your tears with his thumb slowly before caressing your cheek a little. His heartbeat fastened at his own move but the blush on your cheeks was worth it. As you sat down, he was quickly back with the first-aid kit and soon there was no more blood and a bandage was wrapped around your fingers.

“There, nothing to cry about anymore now,” he smiles at you while stroking your hand. You simply nod, thanking him sweetly.

Inui

When you text him that you have something to tell him, his first reflex was to tell you to come over. First because he doesn’t really like your roommate, second because since there’s no one at his place, it’s better to talk freely and you love gossiping - including being mean sometimes. Not that he cares at all, but you just like to talk to him and he won’t complain about spending time with you.

Let’s say that Inui wasn’t ready to have you almost falling in his arms, on the verge of crying as soon as he opened his door ; that wasn't what he expected from a little ‘I need to tell you something’ at all. Bringing you with him to his room, it was really better that his own roommate was gone. He was dead worried when you started to mumble about what happened with your roommate but he couldn't understand a single word you were saying. Making you sit on his bed before imitating you, he asked you quietly to calm down so he’ll be able to process what you were saying. You take a few deep breaths before telling him everything from the start.

In the end, it was just another argument with your mean roommate that made you cry one more time. He couldn't understand why it always makes you go through all of these emotions and doubt yourself when you weren’t doing anything wrong. It was beyond his ability, Inui couldn't empathize with you on that.

What was sure though, was that he hated seeing you cry, not that he was able to handle it well. He was simply holding your hands, stroking the back slowly to make you feel comfortable and safe while listening to you. Inui knows he can’t make you change your mind and doesn’t want to hurt you by saying stuff that would just make you feel dumb. He prefers to hold you when you need it and let you stay over at his place if he feels that you’re still not feeling good.

Rindou

He likes the fact that some rooms are always empty in this building, he’s not the type to like crowded places here. People tend to assume that he likes their company when he, in fact, doesn't care at all and gets pretty much annoyed when some people come to him with big, fake smiles. Passing by the rooms with a bored expression, some noises catches his attention. Confused, he started looking from where it was coming. Peeking an eye in every room he passed through, he finally found it.

Looking in for a second with confidence, Rindou got back behind the door as soon as he saw who was inside. It was his crush inside the room, you, face down between your arms, sitting by yourself. It sounds weird to him because you’re the type to like being with your friends in general and you’re rarely seen alone. That was before he heard you sniffing and some choked sobs. You were crying ? Thinking for a second to know if he’ll go check on you or not, he reminded himself that you’re not especially friends or anything, so it was better to leave you alone. Taking a step out from behind the door with a sigh, he was thinking to himself that he’ll ask someone else to know what happened even if he was worried.

“There’s someone ?” you ask suddenly, whipping your nose with your sleeve. You lifted your head just when Rindou was in front of the door and a curse left his lips.

“I didn’t mean to bother you, I’m leaving, don't worry,” he just said, trying to ignore your red eyes and the mascara that runs a bit down your cheeks. You scoff.

“Do whatever you want, you can’t possibly do worse anyway,” you add, leaving your head in your hand. Those words filled with loneliness and pain made him change his mind : it was impossible for him to leaves you alone right now. Walking slowly next to you, hands in his pockets, he leans back on the chair next to you. He wasn’t looking at you, too worried that you’ll be ashamed of your looks at the moment.

“Wanna talk about it ?” he simply asked, not wanting to rush you.

“No,” you whispered, still not moving, just letting your gaze get lost. You were surprised by his calm attitude, but it makes you feel at ease. “I just… don’t want to be alone. Can you stay ?” you questioned, unsure of if he would ever say yes to you since you’re not very close.

To your surprise, Rindou approves and takes a seat next to you. Next thing you knew, he took your head and leaned it against him, softly stroking your hair without saying anything. Without understanding why, you started to cry again. With a blush on his cheeks, Rindou promised himself to find out what happened and to beat the shit out of anyone who made you cry, but for the moment, he just wanted you to feel safe.

Wakasa

You told him to wait for you outside and that you’ll meet him soon, but it’s been fifteen minutes and Wakasa started to lose patience. You planned to confess to your crush today and you were excited yet anxious beyond anything. It was important for you and, even if it hurts his own feelings because he loved you, all he wanted was for you to be happy. Nevertheless, waiting that long for you to come back to him, arm in arm with another wasn’t something he was particularly enthusiast for. Wakasa would rather like to be alone in his room to resign himself.

Walking around while thinking, he was taken out of his thoughts by your hand pulling his sleeve slowly. He expected you to be all smiley and glowing but it was actually the opposite. Your eyes locked on the ground and the broken expression you had was enough to say that you got rejected. He didn’t say anything and didn’t let you do it either, you don’t have to justify yourself. Instead he throws his arm around your shoulders and guides you to the train station.

“Let’s go, you can stay over tonight and we’ll order pizza,” he said with his usual unbothered tone. He doesn’t let go of you all the way back to his place, always having an arm around you or holding your wrist. He is surprised you haven't cried yet, but you look so empty and dead inside, he knows that the moment you’ll break down you won’t be able to take care of yourself for a while.

You came here so often that it’s almost your second home now. You take a seat on his bed, waiting for him to get back from the kitchen ; his TV being in his bedroom, you spend most of your time here. Wakasa was back with different drinks so you can pick whatever you want and take a seat beside you. With a sigh and not in the mood for anything, you lay lazily on him, allowing him to move and make you sit between his legs. Draping his arms around you, he waited for you to open up if you’d like too.

“He is already with someone,” you finally said, breaking the thick silence. “He only sees me as a good friend, the pretty, funny one that he never thought would love him.” Your cracking voice sent bad chills down Wakasa’s back and the next second you were crying in his arms.

“He needed more than me,” you manage to say between your unstoppable cries, barely letting you breathe like you needed it. And there was nothing he could do but hold you closer and closer till you’ll be fine again.

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wen-kexing-apologist · 1 month

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Bengiyo Queer Cinema Syllabus

Not to sound repetitive but, I had a busy couple weeks, but finally had a second to return to @bengiyo’s queer cinema syllabus. I am currently working my way through Unit 4: Heartbreak Alley, the totally light-hearted, definitely not agonizing section of the syllabus where I get to watch countless acts of violence be committed against queer people. Thank fuck I have Lesbians waiting for me at the end of this unit. The films in Unit 4 are: Bent (1997), Strange Fruit (2004), Boys Don’t Cry (1999), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Parting Glances (1986), Philadelphia (1993), The Living End (1992), Holding the Man (2015), Jeffery (1995), and Boys on the Side (1995).

Today I will be talking about

Parting Glances (1986) dir. Bill Sherwood

[Run Time: 1:30, Available: tubi and fubo, Language: English]

Summary: As Michael and Robert, a gay couple in New York, prepare for Robert's departure for a two-year work assignment in Africa, Michael must face Robert's true motives for leaving while dealing with their circle of eccentric friends, including Nick, who is living with AIDS.

Cast:

John Bolger as Robert

Richard Ganoung as Michael

Steve Buscemi as Nick

Well, I have to say this was very much not what I was expecting for the first AIDS related movie of the syllabus. After some pretty hefty violent deaths of queer characters in the first half of Unit 4, I was very much anticipating the heart wrenching tragedies to continue immediately once I hit the AIDS epidemic portion. But Parting Glances very much subverted my expectations of what I was walking in to, because honestly…so much of it was lovely.

It’s not that tragedy is not a part of this movie, it is, it’s just hidden under the layer of friendship, community, and love that feels like the core theme of the film. I am thinking about the party at Joan’s and how much happiness and celebration was happening there, with community abound, and yet how Michael kept telling people they should call Nick because he would appreciate it, showing just how much Nick has lost of his own community since his HIV/AIDS diagnosis.

I really loved how real these relationships to one another felt, the way that Michael and Robert were playful with each other, the way that Nick sat on Michael’s lap so casually for a few minutes when Michael cooked him dinner, I loved the conversation Robert had with his ex-girlfriend, the young and hopeful queer boy who wished to live forever. I just loved watching the queer community be a queer community.

Even in the moments that get a little dour, where Michael gets especially weepy with Nick, those scenes did not make me sad, did not destroy me the way other films in this syllabus have, because that is just grief. Grief is a mighty and terrible thing, but I find beauty in it as well. I find beauty and loveliness in the fact that those tears came from Michael finally admitting to Nick that he loved him, that Nick got to hear himself that he was loved, especially when so many people seemed to have fallen away from him after his diagnosis. I find comfort in the conversations about death that Michael and Joan have together, because those are conversations I’ve had, they feel familiar, they feel like a natural part of life, perhaps they should not have to feel those points so soon, but Nick himself is right, living forever is the only thing none of us can do.

I really loved that we saw Nick when he was at a stage in his illness where he was simply being careful, but was still full of life, energetic, that he was able to be a support system for Michael and was not only being tended to. We know what is coming, but we are not made to see it. I was really in to what the film did with it’s use of ominous backing track, that Nick could hear it, that it felt like the progression of his illness, that it felt like a sense of impending doom, a cloud that hangs over Nick.

Throughout a lot of this film I found myself thinking about The Inheritance Part One & Part Two, a play written in 2016 based off of the book Howard’s End by EM Forster. I saw this play a few years back and was lulled in to a false sense of security that this would not be a play about AIDS because it was set in the relatively modern day with a focus on younger queer characters, but ohhhhhhh how wrong I was. Towards the end of the first part, we hear a story from a character named Walter, an older gay man that lived in the same building as the main characters, and he recounts the story of his life, how his husband, Henry, built a farm outside of New York city for the two of them to live in…right around the time that AIDS started decimating the area. How that distance still was not good enough for Henry so he would leave on business trips, because his fear of catching AIDS was so strong.

Walter tells the story of when he went back in to the city for the first time, and ran in to a friend he used to know, who had acquired AIDS and was on the brink of death. He talks about how when Henry was away, he brought that kid to the farm Henry had built to hide from AIDS, and Walter cared for that boy until he died. Walter talks about doing that again and again and again and again, dozens of times, he would go in to the city, bring a friend back home, and care for them until they passed.

^[sidebar: I very much do not like Robert]

Part of the play ends with Walter being asked what it was like at that time, Walter asks the main characters to name someone they know, they give a name, he says “they’re dead. Give me another name, he’s dead”. For what felt like minutes, name after name after name is called and name after name after name is dead. When I saw that scene I broke down in the theater, I cried for the entirety of the walk back to the train station, I was brought to the brink of tears at the thought of that scene for a month after I saw the show.

I mention this because it was all that I could think about while watching Robert and Michael interact with one another, while seeing this plot unfold. Robert fleeing New York while Michael stayed to care for his dying friend. Knowing that Walter and Henry stayed together after all was said and done, after Henry had stopped running from reality, and the death rates had slowed; then seeing Robert decide not to go to Africa, and how Michael did not show any signs of planning to break up with Robert knowing, despite knowing how Robert felt too settled, how Robert had chosen to go, despite knowing that Robert was running from loss, and running from being a support for Michael when the love of his life finally dies.

So despite the fact that Parting Glances didn’t evoke the same feelings, though I felt like overall it was a relatively upbeat, uptempo, gentle film, the current underneath it all, the dying underneath it all, the tragedy is right there but it is just out of reach.

Favorite Scene

I think my favorite scene is when Joan and Michael are laying in bed together, holding stuffed animals at Robert’s going away party while they just casually talk about death and dying. It just felt very much like a conversation I have had with my best friend on multiple occasions, especially lately because we've had a number of deaths happen in our lives recently. And yes, my friend and I both match the type of conversation part this scene, and also the beating each other up with stuffed animals part of this scene.

Obviously we do not spend enough time with the other characters at the party to know exactly what is going on in their lives, and there is not doubt many if not all of them have lost loved ones to AIDS, but we know that Joan and Michael are really the only two people who go and visit Nick, and it feels so symbolic of the weight that they are shouldering caring for their dying friend to have the only two people who have not cut themselves off from Nick be sitting together, in another room away from all the other gay attendees, discussing, speculating, joking about death.

Favorite Quote

We all know the real right answer is: “Straight men are jerks. Gay men are jerks. Straight women are jerks. That leaves lesbians and they are off in their ivory towers laughing their heads off at the rest of us. I should’ve been a dyke”

But I am going to go for the more serious:

“...look at the others, waiting, wondering if some innocent moment of pleasure long past can set them up with the ultimate form of [German word my subtitles did not state]... I’d like to stage a piece in which all of the performers are people who are terminally ill, can you imagine the intensity, the concentration, the purpose”

This is said off-handedly in a conversation between Joan and a heterosexual male artist who was attending the party. I put it here for two reasons: a) the first half is a very succinct commentary on the state of the queer community (at least who were at the party) and feels like general commentary about the movie’s premise as a whole. Especially because Nick talks about how he didn’t realize how long the gestation period of HIV was, and by the time he started taking protective measures it was already too late. b) because the second half is just the most pretentious, absolutely mindless, careless, and shitty thing to say to someone who is actively losing a friend to a terminal illness. This fucking hetero artist came in to a room full of queer people and decided that dying people would be great to put in to his next project for ~The Vibes~ and I love that comment so much because first, it shows how much he Does Not Get It, and second because of how much disgust is baked in to Joan’s “Excuse me” as she leaves before he can finish his thought.

Because to say that to someone who is watching loved one after loved one after loved one die before their eyes is an absolutely disgusting thing to do (in my opinion).

Final Score

8/10

Up next, Philadelphia (1993)

#bengiyo queer cinema syllabus #queer cinema syllabus #parting glances #parting glances the movie #parting glances (1986)#unit 4: heartbreak alley

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aloneinthehellfire · 1 year

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Chapter 13: Enemies

Season One | Season Two | Season Three

[Raining Hellfire Season Three]

Word Count: 3794 words

Warnings: swearing, mentions of killing, death/mourning, possession, visions, literally a creature made out of flesh, confessions,

[A/N: whew. that's all I'm gonna say. whew]

Enemies

“I’m going to kill the Mind Flayer.”

Your proclamation had caused an out-roar from your friends. But El’s screams had distracted them enough to run to her aid. Steve had tried to stay with you but you only insisted he go to the others, that you needed to be alone to mourn.

But you had lied. You didn’t need time to mourn. In fact, you were far from feeling upset. You were angry. You needed to find a way to track this thing down and kill it yourself.

The others had gathered around the fountain, struggling to help El. Something had started moving in her leg, causing immeasurable pain. In the end, she had used her powers to pull it out herself and in a turn of events, Hopper had killed the thing.

In that time, you had been sat next to Jack’s lifeless body. He was covered in a sheet you had found covering a display in the mall. You knew you should have helped, should have been there for the girl you cared for like a sister. But you just couldn’t do it.

“Hey, kid.”

You tilt your head up to see Hopper walking to you, eyes shifting to the covered body you kneel beside. He went down on one knee, placing a hand on your shoulder.

“You’re back.” You try to smile, meeting his eyes. But only a twitch of your lips happened before your eyes misted with tears.

Instinctively, he pulls you in, your head buried into his shoulder as silent tears fell down. This wasn’t the same raw emotion you had felt before. It was the realisation that Jack was never coming back to you.

“I’m so sorry.” He soothes, pulling away as you wipe your tears on the sleeves of your jumper.

“It’s my fault.” You whisper and he takes a breath, shifting your body so you faced away from the painful memory.

“Look at me.” Hopper instructed. When your head started moving back to the white sheet, he situated himself in front of you, “Hey, kid. Look at me.”

You reluctantly meet his eyes, lips pressing tightly together.

He sighs, shaking his head, “None of this is your fault. You should never blame yourself. Jack… he loved you. I know for a fact he would do anything for you.”

“It shouldn’t have happened.” You cry and he hugs you again.

“No. No it shouldn’t have.” He agrees.

The conversation comes to an end and he holds you there for a while. Hopper was always someone that cared for you, as you cared for him. It wasn’t really a father-daughter relationship like he had with El. If anything, he was your friend. He had realised a long time ago that you didn’t need another parental figure to tell you what to do. You needed someone to listen.

“Listen, kid.” Hopper finally says after you pull away, “I gotta go do something important. And…”

Once he pauses, it catches your attention and your eyes fly to his. Hopper rarely ever struggled with words when it came to you. It had to be serious.

“You’ll be safe, right?” You question and he sighs before a small smile stretches onto his lips, just below his moustache.

“I’ll do my best.” He slowly nods, looking away and back down to where everyone else gathered, “And you’re gonna be okay. You’ve always been the most stubborn kid I knew, and I for one understand just how strong you can be when you put your mind to it.”

“Thank you.” You smile before shaking your head, “Is El okay?”

“She’s strong too.” Hopper simply says with a chuckle, “I expect you two will be looking out for eachother.”

“Always.” You say sincerely and he nods at that, slowly standing.

Hopper had insisted you join them downstairs but you told him you weren’t ready. He understood, needing to leave to be the chief the town never understood how much they needed. His words had changed your perspective on things. He was right, after all.

You were strong when you put your mind to it.

Your mind had cleared, focusing on the black dust living inside of you. Images burned into your eyes of the Mind Flayer, people melted and formed into a giant monster. Then, Billy.

He wasn’t like the others that had been possessed. It wasn’t the Mind Flayer controlling him or you’d be able to feel it. This was something else entirely. Your memory led you back to the figure in your visions, pieces of everything connecting into a terrifying nightmare.

The Mind Flayer wasn’t your only enemy.

“Y/n?”

Your eyes snapped open, turning your head to see Steve walking towards you cautiously.

“Hey.” He greeted you as you stood up from the ground, glancing down at Jack. “I, uh…”

“I don’t want to leave him here.” You say, eyes avoiding the body next to you, “I know it’s probably the last thing I should be worrying about and I know there’s no way we can-”

“Hey, hey.” Steve closes the distance, gently placing his hands on your cheeks. “We’ll try. Okay? He… he deserves a proper burial.”

You close your eyes, nodding.

“… yeah.” You open your eyes, meeting his. “After I kill this thing.”

He sighs, shaking his head slightly, “Look, Nance was just telling me that this thing is like thirty feet tall and is a weapon literally made out of-”

“People.” You finish and he blinks. “It’s got some pretty mean tentacles too.”

“How do you know that?”

“Oh, you know, just another failed Y/n adventure.” You sigh, the humour lost on your voice.

“When did this happen?” He frowns.

You don’t respond. Instead, you place your hand over his. “Do whatever you have to do, but… I’m not leaving.”

He shakes his head. “I wasn’t-”

“Yes you were. I heard everything.” You attempt a weak smile, “You’re gonna go with Dustin to help him out with a high frequency radio while the others either go to the Russian base or get the hell out of here.”

“I really need to work on being quiet.” Steve frowns, “But- no. You need to go with them. Or me. Whatever gets you away from this damn mall.”

“It’s on its way here.” You whisper. “Don’t ask me how I know, but I do. And I’m not leaving.”

“You can’t-”

“Yes I can.” You smile this time, his thumb rubs mindlessly against your cheek, “I’ll be okay. Trust me.”

“What if you’re not?” Steve’s voice is quiet, eyes focused on where his thumb touched your cheek. “I thought you had died in that base, Y/n. That woman… she showed us your blood. I heard you screaming and I- I thought-”

“I’m here.” You nod and his eyes shift back to you. “I’m Y/n Mayfield. I always survive. It’s kinda what I do. But… I can do this. Trust me.”

He squeezes his eyes shut before leaning forward so his forehead touches yours. “I’ll come back for you.”

“Good.” You laugh sadly, “You’re kinda my ride home.”

He laughs with you, opening his eyes once again to meet yours. “I hate you sometimes.”

“I love you too.” You whisper and his eyes widen.

You think you’ve made a mistake until his lips press against yours. Something in your chest felt lighter as his hand slips around your neck to hold you closer. It’s only for a few seconds before you suddenly pull away, a chill running down your spine. He frowns.

“It’s here.” You say, moving away from him. “You need to go.”

“I-” He starts but you’re already walking away, disappearing into the bathrooms.

“Steve!” Dustin yells, alerting him that he needs to move.

With a sigh, he heads to the boy, risking another glance behind him. You both knew better than to think this love ever stood a chance.

“You should have listened”

You’re staring into the mirror, eyes fixed on the figure behind you. It still didn’t have any defining features other than its long arm, making it increasingly harder for you to figure out how to end it once and for all.

“You’re not going to win.” You say and, surprisingly, your heartbeat stays the same.

“How many more have to die before you understand?” The deep voice sounded irritated. You didn’t even realise it had any emotions.

“Understand what?”

“You play a bigger part in this game than anyone else” It creeps closer to you, “You will be their end”

“Not before I kill your nice little pet.” You smirk, eyes darkening until black consumed its space.

It seemed genuinely surprised at the control you suddenly had, stepping back before it slowly started fading away, the vines surrounding you turning to dust as everything shifts back to the Starcourt mall bathroom.

You let out a deep sigh, leaning against the sink while taking heavy breaths. Goosebumps trailed along your skin and you straighten.

It was time.

You exit the bathroom, turning the corner to see the white sheet that covered the body of someone you loved. As you pass, you reach down, gently brushing your fingertips along the hand that lay uncovered.

“I’m going to make this right.” You whisper, a tear rolling down before you stand back up and head down to the ground level of the mall.

As you reach the fountain, an echo of pants and squeaks from shoes sounded from the entrance and you frown, running over. Your eyes widen.

“Y/N!” Max yells, helping Mike carry El into the mall with a panicked look on her face while Lucas is following closely behind with Will.

“What- what the hell are you doing here?!” You run over to them, helping them prop El up against the fountain. “You’re not supposed to be here!”

“Billy disabled our car.” Mike pants and you stare out at the windows, seeing the headlights of the Camaro in the distance.

“Shit.” You mutter. You look at El, worry weaving your eyebrows to furrow. “Are you okay?”

“I will be.” She tried to smile at you, wincing when she shifted her leg.

“Y/n?”

You spin around to Jonathan’s voice as he runs into the mall.

Instinctively, you run towards him, pulling him into a hug. He held onto you tight as you both laughed despite everything.

“Shit, where the hell have you been?” You ask your friend, a heartfelt smile on your lips.

“Me? What about you?” He laughs before someone else runs into the mall.

“He’s not leaving and there’s no way we’re getting out of here without a car.” Nancy says breathlessly before coming to a stop, seeing you. “Y/n.”

She walks closer to you, biting her lip. “I heard about your uncle… I’m so sorry.”

To her surprise, you close the distance and hug her tight. She returns the favour, her grip just as tight.

When you finally pull away, you glance behind them at the headlights in the distance. “Billy?”

They nod and you sigh, shaking your head.

“We need a car.” Nancy explains, eyebrows furrowed. “Or a way to fix the wagon.”

Jonathan lets out a gasp, practically jumping.

“What- are you good?” You ask and he points upwards.

“The car!” He runs towards the escalators and you and Nancy share a confused look.

Nancy’s eyes widen as she realises what Jonathan was talking about. “The car that El threw. Maybe it’ll have the car part we need!”

She quickly follows him before stopping, realising you aren’t by her side. She frowns at you.

“Jack’s up there.” You say quietly and her face drops. She walks back, grabbing your hand and giving it a squeeze.

“We’ll be right back.” Nancy says and she doesn’t leave until you give her a nod.

While the others try to flip the car, you walk to the Starcourt entrance, looking out at the blinding headlights in the distance. Billy was in that car.

As if he sensed it was you, the car door opens and he steps out, staring back.

“I’m so sorry.” You whisper into the darkness. There was no way he could hear you from that distance but he suddenly lowers his head and climbs back into the car. It was eerie, to see him just sitting there.

You are about to go back inside when goosebumps trail along your skin again. You look up to the sky, your breath hitching in your throat. As a shot of lightning lit the dark red sky, a hauntingly familiar shadow loomed over the mall. Except it wasn’t just a shadow this time.

Now you knew why Billy wasn’t attacking.

You immediately sprint back inside the mall, looking for the others. Jonathan is looking around the space, muttering something under his breath as Nancy stands by the car they’ve managed to flip over.

You notice Will reach his hand to the back of his neck, Max glancing upwards.

“Mike...” She says and he turns to her.

Soon, the kids are all looking up as you run across the space, opening your mouth to warn them. But you’re too late.

Glass shatters to the ground as your friends all run out of the way, ducking for cover. You come to a skidding stop, stumbling backwards when the Mind Flayer belts out a terrifying screech.

You scramble to hide behind the fountain, chest heavy as the monster enters the mall.

You hold your breath, not wanting to alert it to your presence just yet. This would have been a lot easier if it was made out of the dust. Only then would you be sure that it wouldn’t attack you.

Glancing out from behind the fountain, you notice it slowly creeping towards the car that Jonathan, Nancy, Lucas, and Will were hiding behind.

“Fuck.” You mutter under your breath, pressing yourself back against the fountain.

They weren’t supposed to be here. You were meant to distract the Mind Flayer and kill it at its weakest when the others had managed to destroy the gate. But now, if you tried anything, it puts every single person in this mall in danger.

“Griswold Family, do you copy?”

Dustin’s voice was muffled and you spin your head around, trying to locate the radio. Mike’s had been smashed by the Mind Flayer but there was always another laying around, benefits of Dustin Henderson insisting every one of his friends had a radio on them at all times. You finally spot it under a fallen mannequin, a jacket laid on top of it so the sound didn’t reach the creature’s radar.

It was close enough for you to reach your arm and strain your fingers to grab hold of the object from the safety of the fountain.

All of a sudden, you hear a crash behind you and you crane your neck to see Mike, El and Max all run into the Gap store, the creature noticing their efforts. You hold your breath as the Mind Flayer releases small tentacles from its body, small rows of teeth attached to the end that made your body shiver. One went into the Gap, one searched around near the car and the other… headed straight to the fountain.

“Give me a break.” You mumble, trying to quietly shuffle yourself around the fountain once the tentacle got closer.

Your fingers finally grasp the antenna of the radio and you gently pull it towards you.

You were so focused on the action that when the tentacle came into view, you almost screamed. It was right in front of your face, weaving through the air until its teeth faced you and stayed motionless.

You slowly turn your head to look at the Mind Flayer just in time to see Lucas poke his head out, slingshot at the ready. Your eyes widened. Was he going to try and kill it with a slingshot?

When he released the rubber band, however, it sent the stone straight into a display balloon and created a noise for the Mind Flayer to focus on. The tentacle in front of your face retreated, barely missing your head as you ducked from its touched and pulled the radio towards you.

With that distraction, the group behind the car also make a run for it, heading straight to the pizza place and you smiled relief. The service hallways.

You knew where they were headed. If they managed to get to an exit, they could fix the car out front and get the hell away from this place.

And you could give them the distraction they needed to do so.

With the Mind Flayer’s back turned, you sprint towards the front exit, desperately trying to locate Nancy’s car.

“Dustin? Come in!” You yell into the radio, running fast through the darkness.

“Y/n?” Steve’s voice rang out and you almost cried in relief.

“Steve! Listen, Nancy’s car broke down and the others are still stuck at the mall. I’m going to try and distract Billy while they fix it but-”

“What? No. I’m coming to get you all the hell out of there.”

“Just…” You slow to a stop, looking around you and finally spotting the car, “If anything goes wrong, promise me you’ll get the kids out safe.”

There’s silence before Steve finally speaks again, obviously hearing the fear in your voice. “I promise.”

You turn off the radio and sprint to the Wheeler’s wagon just in time for Lucas, Will, Jonathan and Nancy to round the corner and reach it before you.

“Oh, thank god!” Nancy ran up to you, hugging you for a brief moment before turning to Jonathan.

“Where’s Max?” You look between them all, “Mike and El?”

“We don’t know.” Jonathan frowned, popping open the hood and installing the starter cables. “We’re gonna see if we can spot them once I get this car working.”

In the distance, a car engine starts revving and you all turn. Billy.

“Get the car started. Go!” Nancy yells, stepping out with a pistol in her hands and aiming it straight at Billy.

Jonathan slams down the hood of the car, sliding into the driver’s seat at Lucas and Will sit worriedly in the back.

“Nance, you can’t shoot him.” You say, standing next to the girl, she glances at you.

“And what? Let him kill us?” She frowned.

“He’s not- it’s not him. He’s being controlled by something-”

“The Mind Flayer, I know.”

“No! It’s something else, he-” You stop, staring at Billy’s car. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Behind you, the wagon’s engine starts sputtering. Jonathan yells in frustration as he desperately tries to get it started.

“Shoot the car.” You say and she furrows her brows.

“What?”

“His car. Shoot it.” You nod, looking to Billy. “Then get the hell out of here and I’ll take care of him.”

“I- how?”

“Trust me.”

And then, the tyres from the Camaro screech into gear as Billy tears off towards you and the others at full speed.

Nancy fires her gun twice, aiming for the tyres. The car doesn’t slow. She open fires, bullets tearing through the car. It wasn’t going to stop. You squint against the approaching headlights, trying to see Billy. His hands were gripping the wheel tightly, eyes set on his target.

But it wasn’t Nancy he was staring at. It was you.

“But there are others ways of destroying you”

When realisation hits you, your breath hitches. Billy wasn’t chosen out of coincidence. He was chosen for you.

You take off from your spot, running away from Nancy and the car full of your friends, testing the theory.

And, sure enough, Billy swerves the car, changing course and heading directly towards you.

“Y/N!” Nancy screams, desperately firing the gun. “Get out of the way!”

But there wasn’t enough time for that. With the speed Billy was going at, you’d be flattened regardless of if you moved out of the way. He was set on you like a homing beacon. If you moved, he moved with you.

You try and time it right, deciding to dive away at the right time to avoid any real damage. The Camaro’s headlights blind you just before another car crashes straight into it, swerving the car in the process and knocking Billy out cold. You jump out of the way, landing on your front just as the Camaro bursts into flames.

You turn your head to see Steve and Robin stumble out of the mystery car, a little dazed as they stare up at the Mind Flayer.

Steve's eyes drift to yours, a shaky smile on his face.

"Anyone order a heroic service?" Robin offers a grin, but her fear for the creature above her was already set.

“Get in!” Nancy yells to them as Jonathan pulls up in the car.

You slowly stand, body a little bruised, as the Mind Flayer focuses in on the wagon. Shit.

“Y/n! Come on!” Everyone yells at you. You start to run over before a loud clang behind you brought you to a halt.

You turn to see Billy stumbling out of the burning car, using it as a crutch to stand on his own feet. He whips his head up, his glare meeting your eyes.

You weren’t making it to the car.

You turn around, shouting to Jonathan. “How do you feel about taking the Mind Flayer for a walk?!”

He widens his eyes before giving you a brief nod, putting the car into gear and revving its engine loud enough to catch the creature’s attention.

Pulling away from Starcourt, the Mind Flayer immediately follows the wagon and you turn back to Billy just as it passes over your head.

“Billy.” You walk towards him, hands held out.

He pants, eyes fixed on yours. You get closer, making sure to leave enough distance between you in case he lashes out.

“It’s not you.” You shake your head, Billy’s face twisting into different emotions as he winces. He was trying.

“I’m right here.” You continue, eyes tearing as you watched your childhood friend struggle with himself, “You can fight it, Billy. I know you can.”

“Y/n…” He grimaces in pain, looking up at you. “I-”

A loud buzzer sounds from the other side of the car park and his eyes leave yours. You turn to the noise and your heart leaps to your throat.

The automatic gate opened and three figures walked out into the parking lot before abruptly stopping. Billy locked eyes with the red headed girl, his features darkening before his head rolled back to you.

“Perfect”

The deep voice spoke through him and he slowly straightened.

“No.” You whisper, glancing back at Max. “No, Billy. I know you’re in there! Don’t hurt her!”

A small smirk appeared on his lips, eyes flashing black and causing you to stumble back in horror.

“Billy’s gone”

Chapter 14: Part 1: Billy ->

taglist: @gnnnne / @beepisbeep / @paintballkid711/ @eddiesbirdie/ @livasaurasrex/ @darktimelegends / @jackierose902109 / @mvrylee / @chervbs/ @eternallyvenus / @nervouscatsuit / @f1nn-wolfhard / @hereiamhereigo / @ladybug0095 / @fangirling-4-ever / @astrolockley

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reanimated-alice · 11 months

Text

count on me | b.h. x gn!reader

a.n.: i wrote this instead of sleeping. sorry if it comes out a lot like my steve comfort fic. just needed some soft billy tonight.

warnings: fluff, mentions of blood, ab*se, bruises, crying

You knew Billy’s home life was rough. You’d seen the bruises, the black eyes. You’d heard enough from Max to make your own inferences.

You and Billy had been dating for almost eight months now. You’d been skeptical at first, having heard the rumors about him sleeping around and being a playboy. However, things were pretty great.

Whenever Billy looked at you, he visibly relaxed. The tension left his face and shoulders, his smirk became a genuine smile. Anyone could see how he felt about you.

You were pretty happy, too.

——

Late one night, you were woken up by a tapping at your window. Ever since people started disappearing in Hawkins, you’d learned how to become a light sleeper.

Quietly, you crept over to the window. You pulled the curtain aside just enough to see through.

Billy was there, tapping against your window. It was dark, so you weren’t sure, but it looked like one of his blue eyes was darker around the edges than the other. Your heart sinking, you dropped the curtain and pushed open the window.

Billy was silent as he climbed into your room. You flipped on the lamp next to your bed and what you saw made your heart sink even further, if possible.

“Billy…” you breathed. His left eye was dark, his nose had dried blood underneath it, and the neckline of his shirt had blood on it as well. His knuckles were raw and bleeding.

He must have punched something on the way here, you think.

Billy sat on your bed, still not saying anything. You didn’t ask questions, just walked to your bathroom and grabbed your first aid kit and a wet washcloth.

You gingerly began rubbing the blood off of his lip and chin. If his nose was broken, you didn’t want to cause him more pain. Then you moved onto his knuckles, wiping them off with the washcloth and then pouring hydrogen peroxide onto the open wounds. This was the first time Billy made a noise since he’d gotten here.

You wrapped bandages around his knuckles and quickly ran downstairs to get an ice pack for his eye. When you came back, you stopped in your tracks.

Billy hadn’t moved from the spot on your bed, but his shoulders were hunched and his body was shaking. It was obvious he was crying.

Oh, Billy, you thought, your heart breaking for him.

Billy really tried to keep up his carefree, tough guy routine all the time. You were one of the few people that ever gotten to see this soft, vulnerable side of him. It was one of the things that made you absolutely positive of his love for you.

You walked back in front of him, handing him the ice pack. You went over to your dresser and pulled out the clothes he had left the last time he’d stayed over. It was just a pair of sweatpants and a shirt, but it had to be more comfortable than the jeans he was wearing now.

You knelt down in front of him, placing your hands on his knees. Billy looked down at you, his big blue eyes full of tears. You wanted nothing more than to take him into your arms right then and there, but knew you wouldn’t let go of him if you did. And you wanted him to be comfortable.

“Billy,” you whispered, caressing his cheek. Billy leaned into your touch and you wiped his tears away with your thumb “Would you change your clothes for me? And then you can get into bed with me?”

“Okay,” Billy said, his voice thick with tears. He stood and grabbed the clothes, walking into your bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

During the few minutes he was in there, you were able to start an incense stick and clean up the first aid kit.

Billy emerge from the bathroom with his clothes he came in in his hands. You took those from him and set them on your desk. You took his hand and lead him to your bed.

Billy crawled into the right side, while you were on the left. Once you were both settled under the covers, he pulled your body to him and buried his face in your chest.

“You can count on me, Billy,” you whispered, beginning to run your fingers through his hair soothingly. “I’ll always be here for you.”

Billy nodded slightly, making no movement to let you go. It was okay, though. You loved him, so damn much. There was nothing you wouldn’t do for him, and you knew he felt the same.

The both of you finally were able to fall asleep, wrapped in the other’s embrace, protected from the world.

#mine #billy hargove x reader #billy hargrove #billy hargrove x you #billy hargrove x gn!reader #billy hargrove x gender neutral reader #billy hargrove stranger things #no use of y/n #fluff #tw: blood #tw: parents #tw: abuse #my works #alice writes

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ashintheairlikesnow · 2 years

Note

⛑ for kauri?

⛑ - Some tender first-aid got this for Chris, too, and I think we should have some Chris and Kauri time

CW: Kauri's Poor Life Choices, drug use, bandaging referenced domestic violence, Kauri's Total Lack of Self-Esteem, accidental whump

Takes place during Chris's time at Nat's safehouse, probably before the end of the second year

"There we go." Kauri soothes, holding Chris's wrist with gentle fingertips just barely touching freckled skin. He wraps the gauze carefully, letting it unroll from its spool even as he tightens it over the gauze pad pressed to the cut. "There, it's okay, Chris. You're okay."

"I just, I, I, I just wanted to, to, to help with dinner-" Chris's face is ruddy with tears, shiny with the tracks drying as he rubs viciously at them with the back of his other hand. Red hair falls over his eyes, growing out by now but not long enough that he'll consent to a haircut yet. He sways to one side, then stops himself, but his hand starts to move, then, rubbing over the seam of his jeans along the outside of his thigh, back and forth, back and forth, seeking the comfort of the rough texture and the thread.

"It's okay," Kauri repeats. "It's okay."

"It's, it's, I'm, I'm so stupid, I can't even c-cut up a bell p-p-p-pepper-"

"You're not stupid." Kauri's eyes are sparkling a little more than they should, his smile is slightly hazy, but Chris doesn't ask what he's on and Kauri doesn't volunteer the information. He had shown up on the front step like this, beautiful and a little scary. "You were just surprised, that's all."

Chris sniffs, hard, rocking forward and back when Kauri lets go of his arm, looking down at the bandage haphazardly applied. Then he looks up at Kauri, slightly sidelong, not quite looking at his eyes. "You, um. Are you okay?"

"Me?" Kauri tips his head to the side, smiling and sunny. Brilliant and sparkling, and he's so high he can barely stand on his own. Antoni is taking a shower, and other than Krista and Ant, Chris is alone in the house, everyone else is out. Krista will fuss and Antoni will press his lips together but no one will tell Kauri to stop. "Of course I am. Why do you ask?"

Chris hesitates, then reaches his uninjured hand up to graze his thumb over Kauri's cheekbone. "You, you, you have a black eye."

Kauri pulls away abruptly, pushing himself to his feet, turning as if to hide the smear of bruising Chris had already noticed. There are more bruises around one wrist. "You're not the only one who's stupid sometimes, Chris."

Chris swallows the pain - he knows Kauri doesn't mean it, not about Chris, even if he always means it when he says it about himself - and stays where he is, swaying side to side. "Did your boyfriend hurt you?"

Kauri laughs, bitter and brittle as glass. "I don't have a boyfriend. Just some guy. Some... just some guy."

"Did he, he, he, um, did he give you-"

Kauri's head whips back to him and Chris swallows the end of his question.

"It's not important," Kauri says, flat. He runs a hand back through the wild tangle of black curls. There's fingernail polish on his nails, black to match, and the leather bracelet that hides his number is buckled so tight it must be painful, too.

There's a speaker playing music off a playlist that Jake made for Chris of all the songs he's mentioned liking since he came here. The song switches, a softly strumming acoustic guitar creating a wistful, pulsing beat with an electric melody over the top before the drums kick in.

I walked through the door with you, the air was cold but something about it felt like home somehow-

Kauri pauses. "I know this song."

"Yeah. Jake, um. Jake says not to to to to tell you. That he has this album. I don't know, um, what it is, but-"

"I do." Kauri throws his head back in laughter that's so sharp and loud it makes Chris jump, his heart skipping a beat. Then Kauri turns and looks at Chris, holding out his hands. He leans over, grinning, but it's a rictus, not an expression. "Jake's sentimental, he just likes to pretend he isn't. Dance with me, Chris."

"... what?"

Oh, your sweet disposition and my wide-eyed gaze-

"Dance! I want to dance. Come here." Kauri moves and takes his hand even though Chris hasn't moved yet, pulls him so close their bodies are pressed together and Chris shivers. Kauri's face is an inch away from his or less. His breath is warm against Chris's cheek.

"Kauri... we, we, we aren't supposed to-"

"I'm not going to kiss you, Chris, I just want to dance."

"... okay. I, I, I can do that."

He's scared of Kauri, a little, when he shows up like this. Too scared to say no.

"Good." Kauri slides arms around him. He moves Chris's arms up around his shoulders, and Chris feels the heat coming off of him like a furnace as they sway to the music. Kauri lays his head on Chris's shoulder even though Chris is shorter than he is or maybe they're the same height. His wrist aches, but Chris bites his lip against the pain. He can't pull away.

He isn't made to be able to pull away.

It'll be fine.

Kauri would never hurt him.

And I might be okay but I'm not fine at all-

Kauri's hair tickles his neck for a while, prickles and irritates where Chris's collar once was, but he never says anything. He lets Kauri lead their slight, soft movements to the beat, feels his own pulse beat not quite in time with the song.

At some point, he feels a shudder go through Kauri. The older man's shoulders are shaking. His breath hitches, soft as a whisper, but Chris knows that sound. He's made it himself, so many times. Chris pulls him even more tightly against him, telling himself to be brave. "Kauri-"

"Don't." Kauri's voice is tight.

And you call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest-

"Kauri, please-"

"I said don't, Chris. I don't want to talk about it."

I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here cause I remember it all too well-

"Kauri, what, what, what's wrong-"

Kauri's hands press to Chris's shoulder blades, fingernails digging in. The kitchen light buzzes overhead, a sound Chris can hear but no one else can, apparently. Except Kauri, sometimes.

"I'm so stupid, that's what," Kauri whispers, lips moving against Chris's neck, his earlobe. "Not you, you're great, but I'm... I'm so fucking stupid, Chris. Why did I think I could go? Why did I try to start over?"

Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it... I'd like to be my old self again but I'm still trying to find it-

"What?"

"They're all him," Kauri says, voice low. "In the end. Everyone just ends up being him all over again. I think they're going to be different, and then they're not, and why do I keep trying?"

'Cause there we are again when I loved you so-

Kauri pulls away, violently, sending Chris stumbling back until he backs into a chair and trips over the legs, crashing to the ground, landing on his injured wrist with a soft cry.

Back before you lost the one real thing you've ever known-

Kauri's eyes widen and he leans forward to offer Chris his hand, only for the younger man to flinch away from him instinctively. Kauri freezes, blue eyes wide, no longer hazy.

The guilt in them is glittering, crystal-clear.

"Oh, shit. Chris, I'm sorry-... it was an accident, I didn't mean to-" He freezes, hearing his own words, and Chris watches Kauri's heart shatter as he hears himself saying what's been said to him already, a thousand times before, by people who have hurt him.

"What happened?" Krista is in the doorway, ponytail skimming her shoulders. "Oh, Chris, oh no-"

"Oh, god," Kauri whispers, and backs up. "Oh my god-"

Antoni is right behind Krista, the two of them moving to Chris, who is curling up around himself, looking down at the ground, shaking his head back and forth. He's not listening to them.

But he can hear Kauri's intake of breath, watching.

Antoni turns to look over his shoulder. "What happened, Kauri?"

"I-... I was just-... we were dancing and I-"

"What happened to your eye?" Antoni's eyebrows furrow. "Oh, Kasha, no."

Kauri's jaw works, his chin goes up, and he turns without a word and walks out the front door, slamming it behind him.

"Kasha, wait-..." Antoni takes in a deep breath "Take Chris back to Jake's room," Antoni says softly, meeting Krista's eyes over Chris's head. "I will go after Kauri."

"After Kauri," Krista echoes, but nods, and helps Chris stand. The music has changed, Chris hates the new song even though it's been his favorite. It's too happy, and there can't be happy music over a moment like this.

Antoni goes out the door, leaving Krista and Chris alone in the kitchen.

Chris hears him call Kauri's name, already faint, and knows that Kauri is running-

Antoni is running after him.

"Call Jake," Chris whispers. "We, we, we should call Jake."

"Call Jake. Um, I think he's... with his girlfriend, with Addie-..."

"I want Jake."

Krista swallows and nods. "I want Jake, too."

@burtlederp @finder-of-rings @endless-whump @astrobly @thefancydoughnut @newandfiguringitout @doveotions @pretty-face-breaker @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow @boxboysandotherwhump @oops-its-whump @cubeswhump @whump-tr0pes @downriver914 @whumptywhumpdump @whumpiary @orchidscript @nonsensical-whump @outofangband @eatyourdamnpears @hackles-up @grizzlie70 @mylifeisonthebookshelf @keeper-of-all-the-random-things @canniboylism

#erase to control #Kauri's Poor Life Choices #drug use tw #drugs tw #trauma recovery #domestic violence references #referenced abusive relationship #black eye #recovering whumpee #chris the strawberry blond romantic #imperfect survivor #oh kauri #angst angst angst

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mostthingskenobi · 5 months

Text

CASSIAN'S RECKONING - Chapter 13: The Redemption

CHAPTER SUMMARY: A little more hurt/comfort. Or maybe it's more accurate if I say comfort/hurt…

Please consider supporting me on Patreon.

READ THE FIC ON AO3

THIS IS A WHUMPY FIC W/GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE. PLEASE HEED THE TAGS ON AO3.

——————–

CHAPTER 13: THE REDEMPTION

Jyn had forgotten how disorienting living on a freighter could be; without the military’s strict time keeping, she would have lost track of ‘day’ and ‘night.’ Even so, she forgot to eat, refusing to leave the medical wing as she followed Cassian through his treatments, experiencing her own emotional turbulence along the way. From the moment the Ghost docked with the Redemption, Jyn disappeared into a nebulous state where she muddled time and relived old fears.

Cassian’s injuries were so widespread and varied the medical staff concurred bacta submersion was his only chance for survival. The doctor’s report was a grim reminder of how much a body could endure without dying. Though most of the cuts on his skin were superficial, each showed signs of salt-based caustic abrasion; his blood samples revealed evidence of multiple toxins that induced massive inflammation, including in nerves and organs; he had a separated shoulder, seven broken fingers, a blaster wound, and first degree burns around his forearms, biceps, and neck. None of this torture accounted for his emotional trauma, nor the physical toll caused by deprivation from food, water, and comfort.

Jyn hovered in the freighter’s medical wing for days. At the beginning she spent hours waiting outside the triage, fearing the worst. After Cassian went into shock aboard the Ghost, she and Melshi administer first aid; she hoped their best was enough to save him. When the Redemption’s medic came to speak with her, Jyn resisted the urge to shrink away; he assured her that, thanks to Rogue One’s actions, Cassian had a fighting chance. The medic offered to stich up her injuries. She’d nearly forgotten about the cuts and bruises that marred her own brow; she lay on a sterile table as he cleaned, sutured, and dressed her gashes, numbly wondering if Cassian had laid there only moments ago. Jyn wanted to cry and sleep and disintegrate. She was tired of facing challenges, of rising to the occasion; she craved slowness, silence, calm.

Did she even know what such things felt like?

After the medic finished, he volunteered to bring her to Cassian. She followed him down a narrow corridor and turned into a dark room where numerous bacta tubes stood upright with ethereal blue lights illuminating each tank’s base. The man led her three rows back, nearly to the column’s end, and there she found Cassian, already floating in the healing elixir. She stared defeatedly, her face aglow in the dark, lit by the tank’s blue hew. Jyn reached out and placed her palm against the glass, willing Cassian to know she was there. His features were soft, relaxed, his hair delicately undulating around his face.

“Did he ever regain consciousness?” she asked the medic who waited nearby.

He clasped his hands together nervously. “No.”

“Do you think he’ll live?” Part of her hated that she needed to ask the question, but her nature had always demanded blunt truth.

“He’s very weak,” the medic replied cautiously. “All we can do is hope for the best. Let the bacta do its work.”

Jyn haunted the halls for days, walking up and down, never able to settle anywhere for long. After what felt like an eternity, she was informed Cassian was being moved to the main medical ward—a huge room full of beds.

She sat by his side until yesterday when he unexpectedly woke with tears in his eyes.

The doctors had finally declared Cassian stable, and with that knowledge she allowed herself to sleep. Her chair was positioned directly next to his bed, her body bent forward, head on her arms, resting on the mattress next to him.

She woke when she felt fingers push into her hair. Jyn sighed gently before turning into the touch. Then her eyes shot open, remembering where she was, and she twisted upright. Cassian cupped her face, affectionately running his thumb over her cheekbone. “Hello,” he smiled weakly.

She wanted to throw her arms around him; instead, she clasped his hand in hers and pressed it tighter against her cheek, squeezing her eyes against the tears that threatened to come.

“You’re still here.” Speaking required a great deal of effort. His voice was tired and dry.

Once Jyn managed to get her emotions under control she said, “I didn’t want to leave you.”

His eyes were very dark and sunken but they had their twinkle back. “Every time I woke up, I saw you. Even in the bacta tank.”

“You were conscious in the bacta tank?”

He barely managed to shake his head. “No, not really. I just remember little flashes here and there. But you were in all of them.”

They held onto each other, their grip tightening. “After everything you’d been through, I didn’t want you to wake up and be alone.”

He carefully traced her stitches. “Are you hurt?”

“It’s a little tender but it’s nothing to worry about.”

“Who did this to you?” His tone was calm, inquisitive, not demanding.

“Melshi.” She couldn’t keep from smiling because she knew the information would surprise him.

Cassian was clearly shocked. “He and I are going to have words.”

“I made him do it. It’s possibly the meanest thing I’ve ever done to Melshi.”

Andor snorted. “I don’t know. Breaking his nose with a shovel was pretty mean.”

“He told you about that?”

“Of course. When he first brought you to Yavin he told me you were a bloodthirsty bitch and that I should watch my back.” He almost laughed but it hurt too much.

Jyn grinned. “I didn’t make a very good first impression.”

“He warmed up to you eventually.”

“If you’d been slaving away on Wobani, you’d have hit Melshi in the face with a shovel too if it meant going free.”

“We’ve already been down that path, haven’t we, Cass?” a new voice spoke as it approached.

Jyn and Cassian turned to see Melshi and all of Rogue One walking through the medical ward toward them. Cassian withdrew his hand and Jyn stood up to welcome their friends. Everyone circled around, warmly greeting each other.

Bodhi offered Jyn a steaming cup of coffee and a boxed lunch. “We came up here to bring you food. I don’t think you’ve eaten for a few days.”

Her heart swelled. “Thank you.” The smile she gave her friends said more than any words. She sat down and started eating while the others gathered near Cassian’s bed.

“You’re looking much better than the last time I saw you,” Melshi said.

“Yeah,” Bodhi agreed. “How are you feeling?”

Cassian shrugged. “I’m tired and really cold, but I’m OK.” He flexed his hands. “Though my fingers still hurt.”

“Tarkin is an old bastard.” Melshi grimaced.

“Was,” Baze corrected.

“Right,” the sergeant agreed. “A dead old bastard.”

“What?” Cassian looked around at his comrades, completely at a loss.

“He couldn’t know,” Chirrut reminded the group.

Everyone looked to Jyn. She swallowed a bite of food before leaning closer to Cassian. “Tarkin is dead. Princess Leia brought the Death Star plans back to base, but she was tracked. There was a battle over Yavin. Some rookie rebel pilot blew the Death Star to hell and Tarkin along with it.”

Cassian’s eyes became huge. “It’s been destroyed?”

Jyn nodded.

“Scarif…the plans…someone got them?”

The entire group nodded, each one of them smiling.

Cassian felt his pulse increase in a wave of gratitude. Everything they had suffered as a team and as individuals was suddenly cast in a different light. All the sacrifices, all the dark decisions, even getting captured and tortured was suddenly worth it because their plan had worked. Rogue One had succeeded. The Death Star was destroyed and all at once the Empire didn’t seem so invincible.

“According to Princess Leia,” Jyn continued, “Tarkin was on the Death Star when she escaped, so we’re assuming he was on board when it was destroyed.”

Cassian remembered the last time he saw the Grand Moff. “He was headed there to interrogate her.” He looked up at his friends. “Tarkin was transferring me to the Death Star with him. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I’d be dead right now.”

The narrowly avoided perdition made Jyn’s stomach turn over.

“I know you all took a terrible risk for me,” Cassian said, humbly. “I’ll never forget it.”

Baze clapped him on the shoulder, eliciting a wince from the rebel commander. “You’re worth it.”

“The bad part is Yavin was compromised,” Melshi said crossing his arms over his chest. “They’ve had to abandon it, which is why we’re floating around in this thing,” he gestured to the ship that stretched above them.

“So, we don’t have a base?”

“Nope. We’re basically an armada until further notice.”

A silver 2-1B medical droid rolled up and interrupted the conversation. “I’m sorry, but this many guests are not allowed in the wards. You’ll have to leave.” The group protested but the droid would not be overruled. Herding them toward the exit it turned to Jyn. “You too, Lieutenant.”

Her surprise changed to concern and she looked to Cassian for guidance.

“Go on,” he assured her. “Get some sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”

Chirrut appeared at her elbow and took her hand. “Take comfort, Jyn. He’s burning bright in the Force again.” The guardian smiled warmly.

With one last glance over her shoulder, she allowed herself to be ushered away. Cassian could sense it unsettled her. They were both all too aware each parting could be their last.

The 2-1B droid returned to Cassian’s bedside and pulled a privacy drape around the area.

The rebel instinctively became tense. “What are you doing?” He was painfully cognizant of his vulnerability; not only was he bogged down by IVs and monitors, but he certainly didn’t have the strength to protect himself if needed.

“Doctors have ordered a small treatment for the gash on your eye,” the medical droid replied as it pushed a narrow trolly near Cassian and began arranging a protective cloth under his head. “It’s nothing to worry about, Commander. The procedure is painless and of short duration.”

The droid lowered the bed so Cassian was lying flat before positioning itself near the crown of his head.

He became so tense that his fingers went cold and his muscles began to shake.

The 2-1B reached for something on the trolly.

“Wait! Wait,” Cassian demanded. “Tell me what you’re doing first.”

The droid tilted its head and looked down at him. “It is a gentle bacta eye wash. I will spray a mist locally on your eyelid and brow.”

“My eye is fine,” Cassian replied too forcefully. He knew it was a lie but he didn’t care; after the IT-O interrogator tried to cut his eye out, he didn’t want anyone coming near him, especially not a droid.

“Commander,” the docile machine said evenly, “if you wish to avoid long-term complications, this treatment is advisable.” 2-1Bs were programmed to care about their patients, and this unit was particularly gentle. “If you feel uncomfortable during the procedure, I will stop.”

Andor clenched his teeth, realizing the droid was waiting for his permission. He couldn’t bring himself to speak, so he simply nodded.

“Very well,” it said as it retrieved a small spraying nozzle from the trolly. “Please close your eyes.”

Cassian did as he was told.

The instant the mist touched his skin his heartrate skyrocketed. He breathed heavily through flared nostrils, overwhelmed by memories of ice-cold salt water ripping through every cut on his body.

“Please remain still, Commander.”

He tried to comply, grinding his teeth and squeezing his hands so tightly they ached. Only minutes ago, he had felt like the Empire was less invincible, but now he realized he was still firmly in their grasp. “B!” he shouted. “I can’t!”

The mist instantly turned off and a soft towel dried his face. “My name is 2-1-B, Commander.”

Cassian shook violently as his bed rose back to its standard height. “Right. Sorry,” he muttered.

“It’s quite all right.” The droid replaced his pillow with a clean, dry one. “I was unable to complete the procedure. Perhaps we can try again later?”

Cassian gave a reluctant nod.

“Get some rest,” the droid said gently before opening the drape and motoring the trolly back to the supply closet.

Once he was alone, Cassian closed his hands over his eyes and tried to come to terms with the bleak realization that, thanks to Tarkin, he now had a new set of obstacles to overcome.

END NOTES

NEXT CHAPTER IS CALLED “THE SPOILS" - Jyn gets a chance to do some real good for Cassian.

Thank you for reading!

Likes, comments, and reblogs are very welcome!

Much love!

——————–

READ IT ON AO3- Kudos and Comments Welcome :-)

READ CHAPTER 1 “The Razor”

READ CHAPTER 2 “The Scythe”

READ CHAPTER 3 “The Cold”

READ CHAPTER 4 “The Expendable”

READ CHAPTER 5 “The Truth”

READ CHAPTER 6 “The Detritus”

READ CHAPTER 7 “The Salt”

READ CHAPTER 8 “The Power”

READ CHAPTER 9 “The Betrayal”

REACH CHAPTER 10 “The Ruse”

READ CHAPTER 11 “The Reprieve”

READ CHAPTER 12 “The Ghosts”

READ CHAPTER 13 "The Redemption"

READ CHAPTER 14 “The Spoils”

READ CHAPTER 15 “The Interrogation”

READ CHAPTER 16 "The Rogues"

READ CHAPTER 17 “The Absolution”

READ CHAPTER 18 “The Reach”

READ CHAPTER 19 “The Hologram”

READ CHAPTER 20 “The Divide”

READ CHAPTER 21 “The Cost”

READ CHAPTER 22 “The Fallout”

READ CHAPTER 23 “The Wounds”

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roegadynroost · 7 months

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FFXIVwrite 2023 - 19 Weal

The weal on Ghena's face had scant begun to come down before she was in the ring again. Her attacks brought her comfort, her sword brought her peace. Her master would not see her so disheartened not when she had yet to be so defeated in anything she'd done. The highlander man was never gentle with her, not in battle, and now more than ever Ghena needed his steadfastness to pull her from her misery.

It was not easy to stop thinking about the days events.

Her mother had yelled and spat at her like a coeurl wounded. She'd accused her of being all sorts of unsavory things before striking her, and it was only then that her cowardly father deigned to step in and pull her away from Ghena.

"You've RUINED us." Pristine Petal shrieked in her husbands arms, a picture perfect thespian. One would think she were the one that had been struck "And all for what? So that you can trounce about like some ill-bred lowborn trollop?"

Ghena didn't dare to look up, she was crumpled on the floor, her vision blurry as tears spilled from her eyes into the wine-colored carpet below. She didn't want to see how the maids stood there and didn't dare come to her aid. She didn't want to spy her father comforting her mother instead of her. She didn't want to be there at all, but to know that there was no one that cared enough to help her was beyond painful.

Ghena knew when the truth came out she would be in trouble. A merchants daughter, dueling for fun in the Coliseum. One of her fathers associates had her followed and tracked, and she had been caught.

"You are no longer a part of this family." Pristine Petal's voice bit out.

Ghena didn't know how long she'd been staring at the floor, but it didn't matter. Finally she looked up from the carpet to her mother, then to her father, a pleading look on her face and a wish for pity in her voice.

"I-I'm sorry mother, father. Please forgive me?" Ghena warbled, unable to hold in her cries. She didn't want her parents to hate her, she'd always done everything they'd wanted, only to mess up this once. Only to take what she wanted this once. Surely they could find in them to forgive one misstep.

"Perhaps some time on the streets will teach you a lesson." Scorched Earth looked away from her, unable to meet her pitiful gaze. He agreed with his wife, of course.

Ghena hadn't bothered to say anything to them after that. She stood on wobbly legs, with only the clothes on her back, and she made her way through the city to the one place she knew she would be safe. She hadn't bothered with a disguise, she'd left everything behind.

A few of those in the guild hall looked confused when she'd stumbled in like a drunk vagrant, her hair mussed and her clothes wrumpled. It was finer than anything she'd worn in the ring, but still between her reddened cheek and her puffy eyes, she looked a right mess.

When Halldor recognized her he whisked her away from prying eyes to a more private place in the guildhall, where he allowed her to cry her sorrows into his shoulder. He'd been as much unprepared to deal with a crying maiden as she had been to deal with the day, but before the day gave way to night he'd outfitted her in new gear, and dragged her off to practice with him.

Halldor pulled every bit of malice from her. He'd had her shedding her given name and taking on her moniker, and cursing her parents and their bastard monetarist friends. They fought until she could no longer keep hold of her blade that night.

Every day from then on too, she fought, she struggled and she hurt.

But she never cried again.

No, as a matter of fact before the year had ended she'd won well over a hundred matches, she'd saved coin and gained favor, and then just as quickly she retired from the life of a Gladiator.

Anyroad Ul'dahns oft say.

And she did take any road she wished after that.

#ffxiv #final fantasy xiv #final fantasy #roegadyn #femroe #roegadame #ff14 #final fantasy 14 #female roegadyn #ffxiv fanfiction #FFXIVwrite #ffxivwrite2023 #Ghena #Ghena Orionne #ul'dah #gladiators

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punisheye · 1 year

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He's shuddering in the sidecar, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead into his eye and onto the metal of the bike, two fingers lodged into a bullet hole in his stomach to try and dig the damn thing out before his healing closes the bit of metal inside permanently. "Could-- could you try to-- ah-- be less bumpy for-- for a sec?"

It's getting dark. The last dregs of sunlight reach out weakly from the horizon, a glow of pink and orange against the growing navy. With it comes that bitter nighttime desert chill. He doesn't really feel it right now, whipping past his face and making his ears burn as he tears through the desert like a madman, his bike roaring, sand spitting up behind them. He has a white-knuckled grip on the handles and his teeth are clenched so tight his jaw is starting to ache.

They were jumped by bandits about an ile back. Tracked into the middle of the desert and then ambushed. Vash had suffered the worst of the assault, because he got in the way of a bullet meant for Wolfwood, while Wolfwood came out of it with a slice on his cheek with minimal bleeding. The other guys are worse off, but they're alive due to Vash's insistence. Wolfwood's pissed about the entire situation.

There are no settlements for iles and neither of them really carry around first aid because they don't ever really need it on the go. But now Vash is sitting there with a goddamn bullet in his gut and Wolfwood's speeding through the desert to find somewhere they can stop to dig it out.

"Get yer damn fingers out of there!" He barks, ignoring the request. "Fuckin' seriously! Don't piss me off more!"

He only speeds up more. On the horizon he can make out a vague shape in the dark, a small building that looks unoccupied. No lights. When he gets closer he notes it's an abandoned gas station. There's no plant for it nearby. They probably had to pack up and leave. If it hasn't been looted completely, he'll just grab things from inside. Wolfwood skids to a rough stop out front and cuts the engine off, and practically kicks the doors off their hinges.

It takes some throwing things around to find anything. A roll of bandages. A pair of pliers when he really goes digging. Not much else. Wolfwood clicks his tongue and marches out, finding Vash crouched beside his bike trying to dig into his gut fucking again.

"C'mon," he grumbles, kneeling in front of him and smacking his hands away. He's surprisingly careful with what he does here: fumbling with the buttons of that coat so he can reach underneath easier, pulling the shirt underneath up enough to expose the wound. It's still bleeding around the bullet. Vash has some weird freaky alien healing shit going on, but...

Wolfwood can't help but worry. He scowls, reaching into the wound with the pliers to wrench the bullet out. It's shiny with blood. He tosses it into the sand and he uses his hand to stall the bleeding until he can tear a bit of the bandage from the roll he found with his teeth, replacing his hand with it. He uses water from his canteen to clean off the blood from his hands and the gash on Vash's forehead. Wolfwood's far from a doctor, but he knows not to worry too much about that one. Head wounds always bleed a lot.

"Don't run in front of bullets, dumbass," he bites out, fixing the buttons of Vash's coat back into place. Wolfwood meets his eyes and his hands linger on his coat, and then come up to Vash's shoulders to firmly say, "Be more careful."

... He's worried. He's always fucking worried. Not even because this guy's brother told him to protect him, but because somewhere along the way he actually started giving a real damn about his well-being. Wolfwood doesn't want to see him hurt. It's all irresponsible and infuriating, a jumble of frustrating emotions, but he can't help it.

The tremble in his voice is minute, but it's there, when he lets out a shaky breath, drops his head, and says, "Please."

#amoirsetpacis #ask.#erm. i got carried away. giggles. hi #nonisola

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atqh16 · 2 years

Text

Overcoming Distance

7th/Last Chapter. AO3 here

When it happens, no one is surprised except for Naruto who was unsurprisingly surprised.

Anyone who didn’t know anything about the two best friends (and even some people who did know them) would have assumed that Naruto was the one who wanted to volunteer for the carnival fundraiser and had forced Sasuke to join him when really it was the latter who’d brought it to the former’s attention and in turn, the blonde had brought it to the attention of all of their friends. Naruto had just naturally assumed Sasuke was joining but it’s not like the Uchiha had put up any fight against it.

By the time their friend group had met up to discuss the event, Sasuke even had a few suggestions ready to be thrown into the pile of what each of them could contribute.

The only ones who couldn’t join were Sakura who had back to back projects and assignments to be finished for medical school, Neji who was already volunteering that day as an instructor for an event at the local dojo and Ino who was helping her father for a scheduled catering event that had booked their family business for almost the whole day.

Nagato, the coordinator for the fundraiser, a charity that was aimed at raising money to provide aid for refugees, had been ecstatic and in near tears to see so many people sign up as volunteers. By the time the event came around, almost half of the stands, stalls and activities were being handled by the group alone.

There was a wide variant of things the group had decided to do. Kiba and Juugo had both opened up a petting area with animals that were up for adoption with the fees going to the charity. Their small fenced area was filled with loud yapping puppies and the quiet mewls of kittens being held by both child and adults alike. Sai and Gaara managed a play pen that kept kids entertained with arts and crafts projects. Though somewhere along the way it had become a face painting area when a 6 year old said they liked Gaara’s forehead tattoo and wanted one for herself which of course meant a dozen other kids wanted in on it as well. But if you passed their area, the smiles on both Gaara and Sai’s faces were both sincere even under all the smudged ‘artwork’ they got from kids who wanted them to share in the fun too.

Choji could be found behind a grill and wok, frying up Katsu chicken and burgers while Tenten neatly arranged them into their seperate bento boxes. Complete with rice balls decorated with seaweed cutouts that made them look like pandas. Hinata stood beside a steaming pot of miso soup ladled into seperate containers and topped with colourful wheat balls that were a favorite among the younger crowd.

Shino had an insectarium exhibit set up where a surprising amount of children and adults were ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ over his collection. You could tell how much time had passed by the sound of children screaming gleefully and dramatically as they reacted to Shino’s insect show that he held every half hour. Which was basically just him taking out each insect from its cage or jar in turn to let people look up close. The loudest screams in particular came when he took out his Pink Toe Tarantula that he’d lovingly named Hachi or ‘Lucky Number 8’. Shino had never claimed to be original.

Lee was meant to be resting after coming back (victorious) from a Track & Field competition the previous day but no one was surprised when he showed up anyway and started entertaining children and adults alike by showing off his athletic skills. The last he’d been seen was effortlessly doing push ups while perfectly balancing 3 kindergarteners on his back as a gaggle of other small children and their parents were cheering him on.

And in the center of it all, coincidentally, was Naruto, manning a stall surrounded by every kind of plant imaginable from cactuses, waist length lime trees, orchids in every colour conceivable and even herbs in small pots arranged in a chaotic mess of basil, rosemary and sage. Everything that could be grown under the sun and outside of it could possibly be found spread all around and under their tent. And Naruto was energetically bouncing from one customer to the next, effortlessly explaining and answering questions, giving his recommendations, advice and suggestions all while leaving Sasuke at the cashier to deal with the monetary exchanges. Though the Uchiha didn’t mind. Whennever there was a lull in the clientele at the cashier he’d find himself distracted by the way Naruto was enjoying himself immensely. Flouncing from one sapling to seedling, waving his hands exuberantly as he undoubtedly waxed poetry about the plant being scrutinized by a potential patron. There was barely anyone who left barehanded after spending even 5 minutes with the blonde. The most bought item were succulents which, Naruto proclaimed confidently, were great plants for beginners who were afraid their carelessness and memory would end up making their newly bought plants suffer due to lack of care.

By the last hour of the fair, most of the plants were gone, and after waving goodbye to their last customer, Naruto trotted his way to Sasuke’s side, an ever widening grin on his face when he sees the makeshift money till they were using was filled to the brim. A part of it would be given to Ino to cover for the cost of the plants her family’s flowershop had provided for them but the rest was going to the charity.

Sasuke gives Naruto a slightest uptick of the corner of his lips before both of them turn to cast their eyes at the rest of their friends. Kiba and Juugo were running after the few animal that hadn’t been adopted to get them back into their cages. Gaara and Sai had a rainbow of colours decorating their face in the form of everything from misshapen flowers to stick figures and Kanji spelling what the duo assumed must have been the names of some of the children. Sai was putting away all the art craft materials while Gaara himself was busy finishing off his ‘artwork’ on one last preteen. The kohl around his eyes squinted at the far edges in concentration before finally releasing the child who ran excitedly to show his mother what looked like a pikachu on his cheek.

Everyone else was also packing up and Sasuke turned to look at Naruto again when he heard his name being called.

“Thank you. I wouldn’t have known if you didn’t find out about this. We might have missed it completely”

The Uchiha rolled his eyes. Of course, the dobe wouldn’t give himself any credit for being the one to actually rally their friends to partake in the event in the first place. But his chiding is left twisted on his tongue at the sight of Naruto gazing at him with his gleaming sea blue eyes and a grin shining so brightly it could replace the sun.

Instead, he leaned forward and met his best friends lips with his.

The squeak of surprise is expected but when Naruto gave no other form of protest, Sasuke allowed himself the luxury of lingering their kiss just a little longer before he pulled back.

It had been a chaste one so Sasuke can’t help but be amused when Naruto took a sudden gasp of air as if he’d been deprived of it for too long. Sasuke met his stare but his own eyes bore no confusion, no fear, no embarrassment. They simply reflected a peaceful contentment as if what he’d done hadn’t just given Naruto an earth shattering revelation.

“Did you just-“

“I did”

“But… why?”

“Usuratonkachi, why do you think?”

The blonde took way too long mulling over his answer, “You like me?”, he finally said tentatively.

Sasuke simply raised an unimpressed eyebrow at his best friend’s deduction, “I think kissing you means I feel more than just ‘like’”

“I know but… it doesn’t feel like there’s a right word to describe it”

Sasuke tilted his head to the side in a peculiar show of agreement at the sentiment. What he was certain though, was that what he felt for the other had grown beyond simply being platonic. He doesn’t know when it had done so but he feels that any curiosity on the matter to be irrelevant to what was happening now.

“So, what do you think?”

A crimson tinge flooded Naruto’s tanned cheeks and he turned his eyes away and rubbed the back of his neck, “I don’t know. I don’t have any experience in this sort of stuff. I mean, how can you tell the difference?”

Any other person might have seen Naruto’s hesitant demeanour to be a rejection but Sasuke isn’t just any other person. For all the affirmative statements Naruto has made in confidence about his dreams and his beliefs about the good in the world and the good he himself wants to bring into it, his best friend can find himself tongue tied over many other topics. But knowing what his upbringing was like, Sasuke is not surprised. Naruto wasn’t mincing words when he says he doesn’t understand. The blonde had grown up being so deprived of affection that when he'd been given some, it had washed over him like a wave. All in one. He might have seen love being potrayed in different ways in movies but that didn’t mean they taught him anything about it other than at a surface level. Other than the fact that it existed. They didn’t teach him how to decipher the distinctions.

Slowly, giving Naruto the space and chance to pull back if he felt the need to, Sasuke brought up a hand to palm the blonde’s cheek.

“I know that happiness doesn’t even begin to encompass what I feel when I’m with you. I know when I look at you, I feel safe. I know I want to hold you and be held by you. I know I want to do more than just kiss you. But most of all I know I want to do everything, with you knowing that you are the most important thing in my life and I will never feel for anything or anyone the way that I feel about you and if I have to spend the rest of my life proving that then I’ll do it gladly. I want to spend my time hearing you whine about not being able to find your favorite ramen flavor. I want to argue with you about how Kurama is leaving his fur all over my clothes when I come around your apartment. I want to hear you scold me when I stay up too late for class and not take enough rest. I want everything you are, good and bad, everyday, anyday. As long as it’s with you”

Naruto’s eyes seemed to widen even more at his words but whatever wonder that Sasuke could see in his irises were marred by downturn of his eyebrows, wrinkling the bridge of his nose

“What if you change your mind? What if this is just, I don’t know, a phase?”

“Do you remember what you said when I asked you what you meant about me being your friend?”

“Of course I do”

“Do you think you’ll ever change your mind about it?”

“no”

“Can you trust that I won’t either?”

The look Naruto gave him for his reply looked like something inside his thoughts had finally clicked.

“But-”, the Uchiha adds carefully, “-you need to know I’m not expecting anything from you. You don’t have to feel the same way”

Naruto hurriedly shook his head as if trying to wave away his best friend's last statement. “I don’t know how I feel. But I know that I want everything that you want too. All of it”

The smile Naruto gives him as he said it, was fragile but it grew stronger every second as he realized what all of it meant.

“So, what do we do now?”

In reply, Sasuke pulled him in and their lips met again but this time Naruto kissed back.

And if neither of them notice money exchanging hands between their friends who’d been watching their interaction then it’s probably better for everyone’s sake.

#sasunaru #naruto uzumaki #sasuke uchiha #overcoming distance #My writing #mine #naruto

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nightcall99 · 1 month

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Notes from 25.3.24

There was sponge cake in the break room today and I didn't have any. I never pass up on free food, let alone dessert. All I've had to eat today is one pastry from the bakery for lunch. I don't know if it'll keep up like this but I think so much energy is percolating through right now and food is too 3D and impedes on that process. I'm still drinking water though.

I woke up early this morning and something told me to just keep lying down under the blankets and listen to some music. I listened to the same track over and over and a lot of negative emotions came up. I felt so angry towards my mum. She has never accepted me for who I am and yesterday when she asked me Why I'm Not Normal, it actually really hurt me. I thought I had shoved it down but it came back up. She talked about me behind my back to my relatives. Every time I got goaded into snapping by my uncle, no one came to my aid. Even my sister sat there playing dumb. There has never been any love or kindness in this family. Just duty. I'm not good at communicating in Vietnamese but it got to the point where tears were running down my face as I was looking up on words on google translate with which to destroy my mum. I wanted to say, You better be careful mother, because if you keep going I will make both you and father want to die with the things I'm about to say. Don't you dare stand there looking at me and asking me that when you verbally abused me every day for years and used physical punishment when I was a child. I witnessed domestic violence, animal abuse and god knows what else I've shoved deep, deep down so I'll tell you Why I'm Not Normal and It's Because Of Both Of You. I'm really happy you were able to forget everything that happened though, must be nice. It felt like I was never going to break away from these feelings. Like they had me in a choke-hold and would forever.

LOL. But then it all evaporated. I had the best day at work after. HAHAHAH. It definitely felt like I was cord-cutting. That energy had been there for a long time and it needed to be released.

I think JZ is back. Well, I never knew him from before he went so it's like I am just discovering who he is in the first place. And I'm... genuinely interested. He's that student from the dream a few days back who was travelling back and forth from the camp to Japan. I barely talk to this kid but I had a convo with him today and it was nice. I wouldn't have minded if it had kept going. We finished at 9pm and he's one of the few male students who is actually gentlemanly and will stay back if you're a female, to make sure you lock up okay. What a legend. Also that 18 year old girl who works on the shop floor EA, is definitely there. Yesterday when I came back from that depressive episode in my car, she happened to be on break too. I still had some time left so we both sat on the ground near the dumpsters and passed a vape back and forth (btw, do it). The conversation was vibing. Then when the shift was over and she said goodbye before walking away, I felt her aura playfully jab at me. I felt it. It was the same type of jab I felt coming from SM when he looked at me. But his was ominous because of his personality. Lol.

It doesn't feel like this needs to be advertised, if it is real. As in, usually I would be running to the group to tell them but we're past that now. If you are to experience it, then you'll experience it. It's another idea on offer and maybe it doesn't serve and that's that. Anyway, it feels like everyone is in observation-mode. There's a tentative, foreboding and erratic feeling in the air. We're all waiting.

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the-storm-chaser · 5 months

Text

Co-wrote a short story with @facemeandperish when we had to afk for a couple of weeks from Tyranny of Dragons.

Sky and Kigane (the goliath warlock who thinks he is a death domain cleric) went on a scouting mission to find the Red Dragon, and this was the conversation that transpired. The story is in the perspective of Kigane mostly

(I appreciate this doesn't make much sense out of context, but I'm just proud of helping write this after not writing properly for so long)

(....it is long. TW: Torture, body horror, general unpleasantness)

It was raining again. Kigané tilted his head up towards the sky, tracks of rain running down his face like tears, silently thanking Thelaya for this gift of water, and thanking Her brother Manethak for giving His sister the idea, to better aid a hunter alone in the wilds of the world. These things were instinctual, almost granular to the nature of the goliath, that deep well of spirituality that came from living so close to the knife's edge of starvation in the High Ice expressed in the everyday actions of Gods that stood clear within every breath one took.

He carefully removed the eyepatch, airing out the hollow space of his skull where an eye had once sat, before the red hot spike of a Cultist torturer had removed it, and much of the flesh surrounding it. It had only been the blessing of his God that had saved his life, yet now this was all awhirl inside Kiganés skull, for there WAS no God speaking in his ear, only some creature out of nightmare; a monster from a screaming city, with skin as red as blood, that spoke in riddles and half measures as though this were the creatures native tongue.

“Questions for another time.” He muttered to himself, refocusing on what lay ahead. Akmos had asked for aid, and Kigané was loath to refuse, for this aid came at the cost of the Cult, and perhaps with these deaths the screams in his head would lessen, just a little.

He rose from his crouch, beginning the hunt once more, though his usual stalk was interrupted by the approach of the blonde girl. “Akmos says we need to keep moving, the dragon we're looking for is nearby '', she said, a restless staccato on her sword hilt betraying her nerves and excitement both. This girl was undisciplined, yet in a manner that Kigané knew well; the frantic undisciplined behaviour of one who has seen awful things, and lived long enough to regret it, the sight burning away behind their own eyes. Yet while Kigané had embraced the wrongs done to him, had forged them into armour and weapons both, to better avenge those who had died in such awful ways, the girl seemed content to run from her devils, into drink and into the wandering broken life of a sellsword.

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

After teleporting away from the monster that the Dragon had made of himself, Kigané made camp, perhaps 3 miles from the Dragon’s lair. A simple campsite this; a low overhang to trap smoke, food and water aplenty nearby, and far enough from roads or deer pathways that only sustained hunting would be able to find them. He coaxed a small fire into life. To be sure, he could have used the magicks that roiled inside him, but there was a quiet peace, a reminder of his upbringing, in doing things like this by hand. It didn’t do to forget the simpler pleasures of goliath life, even if you were the last of your people.

After setting up what he presumed to be her hunter’s trap, the girl came to the fire warming her hands before her gaze went blank, sighing before she spoke “What happened in the cave….I….I never thought I would see that monstrosity again...what in the heaven’s are we dealing with?” Her voice was still shaking, her hand reaching into her bag for a stale roll that she had obtained, presumably from Akrahan.

“Nothing from one of your heavens” Kigané replied, “More something from a Hell. It had replaced part of itself with that metal Akmos has for an arm, did you notice?” He asked.

‘I….did….’ The cob had seemingly disappeared before her hand reached back into her back, pulling out the shard of metal that strange kobold had gifted her. ‘Chardylnn...the supposedly cursed metal’. She grimaced, shifting the shard between her fingers.

“I know very little of metalwork.” Kigané said, straight-faced. “If one were to need an arrow, or a carving, then I can speak to the nature of wood grains, but metalwork was never a part of the High Ice, so you would know far more than I in this.” He continued

‘I know what to look for in common metals, and I have some knowledge on rarer materials ... .but this ... .this doesn’t feel ... .right’.

“Right?” Kigané questioned. “Metal is metal, no? Oh to be sure, this thing is rarer and possibly more dangerous than ordinary stuff, but surely that is but the songs of the old and superstitious?”

‘Not all metals are equal. Some metals have unique properties…unique resistances. Whatever Chardylnn is…’ She looks down at the shard, a look of horror on her face. ‘...What did it do to that dragon?’

“That I cannot tell.” Kigané said, a troubled look passing over his face. “That thing talked about the metal as though it were a weapon to be mastered. Whatever it seeks from this metal, nothing good comes of it, that I can tell you.” He continued.

‘That we can agree…’ She returned the metal to her bag, hesitating for a moment before looking up at the goliath, her expression hinting at anger and confusion. ‘Then what the Hells were you thinking trying to swing at the damned thing?! Do you realize how idiotic that was?!’

“I thought that was what we were there to do.” Kigané said, as mildly as he could manage. “To be sure, we were a small party, but if a dragon attacks, I will attack it in turn.” He said, a savage cant to his head as he spoke.

‘Akmos CLEARLY said reconnaissance! NOT, I don’t know, ‘OH WE CAN DEAL WITH A GIGANTIC BRUTE BETWEEN OURSELVES! ARE YOU HEARING YOURSELF??’

Kigané leant back slightly, to better watch the girl as she worked herself into a fury. Stress, panic and fear mixing into a heady cocktail of violence, yet there was something more there, something Kigané was missing. “That thing had wasted power on its own cultists, and was close enough to touch. My attack bought us time, if nothing else. We could have killed the thing, if Akmos had aided us.” He said.

The sheer horror on the Blonde’s face only worsened, leading the following to occur. The blue gem she wore on her neck crackled, arms outreaching toward the goliath before grabbing onto his cloak, shaking him violently. ‘Wasted power?! HE WASTED NOTHING. THAT THING IS A FONT OF POWER,YOU GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATE WHAT THAT THING IS CAPABLE OF.’ Her grip loosened slightly…and trembled, her tone following suit. ‘That thing has razed villages….towns…..a cultist was nothing…you are a fool to think you can strike it down on your own-’

Kigané followed her motions, allowing her to ‘shake’ him back and forth as she spoke. Panic made men and women stupid, and it was usually better to let that fear out, than swallow it like bitter poison. As she spoke of the cultist, Kigané closed his eye for a brief moment, to better remember the screams of the bastard as he burnt. As he opened his eye again, he leant in closer to the girl, hunching down slightly to get closer to her face so she knew exactly how much he meant his next sentence. “Bastard deserved worse.”

She was taken aback by the motion, but she continued, not phased by the Goliath’s actions. “You think what they got was mercy, then?’ She released his cape, backing up slightly to allow him some space.

“Goliath tactics are brutal, to be sure.” Kigané said, inclining his head in agreement. “I fight in much the same way, no matter whom I fight. The Cult is different to a normal foe, but only in scope.” He said.

It was clear she wasn’t buying his lies, her cold glance spoke as much. “I know how you fight normally …and that is a load of piss if I ever heard it.’ Her eyes narrowed before her hands found another cop, ripping into the roll without taking the time to swallow ‘You do fight differently…I’ve seen you. You seem to enjoy their pain…it’s almost sadistic.’ There was a twinge of disgust before she devoured the second roll, demolishing it before his very eyes…even if he swore it was stale.

“Sadistic?” Kigané protested mildly. “To be sure, I acted more aggressively than I usually would, but that is only because it is just the two of us out here, and so I can act more like a goliath, among those who have experience of the tribes. As for the rest of your points…”

Kigané sat back and watched the fire for a moment. Sometimes now, he swore he could still see that awful city he had been taken to against his will, but only in fire. Shaking his head, he quirked a smile at the girl, attempting a moment of levity, “We goliath are different to other men. We revel in competition and tests of our worth, and combat is the best test you’ll ever get. The satisfaction you saw was twofold; part of me does enjoy their pain” He said, fighting to keep the satisfaction from showing on his face, “and another part of me just enjoys winning against a foe. Surely the tribe you lived with would have had similar ideas about combat?” He asked, trying to keep the conversation from turning to deeper matters

She raised an eyebrow, almost demolishing the roll before his eyes. 'I think you are mistaken as to what I mean.' Brushing the crumbs off her garb, she shifted to face him, a frown on her face. 'Sure, I do know about some goliath traditions….but torture isn't one of them. That isn't common amongst your people, unless that's tribe specific. The griffon riders did no such thing-'

“The Griffon Riders lived in the mountains, from what you’ve told me.” Kigané interrupted. “Each tribe is its own distinct polity, and those of the mountains don’t know the first thing about surviving the High Ice, much as I would have no idea how to survive in their home. Quite rightly, there I would be called brutal and monstrous, but on the High Ice, to kill a man by any means is normal, if awful. As for torture,” He said, “torture is a tool to be used.” He said, grim memories of the High Ice colouring his tone.

Her gaze returned to the fire, sighing as she shifted her posture, hugging her knees. 'Well, you're not there any longer, and I'd wager your abilities to commune with the dead offer a less grim approach, perhaps a mercy in some cases.' She grimaced, fiddling with her bracers. 'What you're suggesting is torture, regardless of intention…it makes you no better than-'

“Better?” Kigané said incredulously, cutting her off again. “When one hunts monsters, one becomes monstrous. They are monsters, willing to do anything to win, and thus we must be the same. I am willing to destroy the Cult, by any means necessary, so long as none have to suffer as my people did.”

'So you are willing to become like a cultist?' Her response was sharp, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Yes.” Came the instant response.

'Then that makes you no better than them' disappointment laced her voice, her hands clenching into fists. 'I thought you'd be better than that, Swiftkiller'

“I never said I would be better than them.” Kigané said, bleakness colouring his voice. “I just said I would win. Then, once my war is over and my purpose fulfilled, I can finally sleep.”

Only the sound of crackling flames could be heard for a few moments, the sellsword trying to find the words for a response. Kigané poked the fire with his sword, watching the flames flare up in response, waiting for the girl's response. The flickers seemed to startle her, prompting a response.

'What's the harm of trying to be? Sure, the cultists need to be dealt with, that's not up for debate…but you can be so much more than this…surely?' She paused, concern fleeting on her features. 'I don't know how you are tied to this mess, I don't know why Akmos chose you for this…but we have a chance to end their tyranny as a group…why not work with them, with their methods. They're not perfect, I don't think any of us are ... but you can try…no?'

“I could,” Kigané said, nodding in agreement. “I could keep my tribe alive through songs and words and art and a thousand other things. I tied myself to you and the rest because I knew you would fight the Cult, and that even should I die, I had helped defeat a great evil. I was chosen for this because I am the monster you all refuse to be, because monsters, loath as you might be to accept this, get murder right. I do not wish to leave this group, but I will not compromise what I am, I will not seek the company of men and women to delude myself about what I truly am; a monster that, when its task is complete, will bend its neck for the axe with joy in its heart.”

The blonde grimaced at his answer, a chill clearly running up her spine. He had made her uncomfortable, not that he cared. It was the truth, his every word rang with it, and the haunted look in his eye told her everything she needed to know about how he truly thought about himself.

'What…made you believe that?' The question came out as a whisper, hesitancy lacing her tone, as if too scared to know. 'What made you think that's all you're worth?'

“The world is a cruel place, child.” Kigané said, a note of affection lacing his voice; her questions, and her knowledge of Goliath norms and customs made him, in the recesses of his own mind, treat her remarkably like a young Goliath child. “Monstrous acts deserve death, no matter the cause. I was sacrificed on the altar of the monster as a child; I knew my purpose from the time I was weaned, and my fate was written into my skin from my birth.” He said, gesturing to the tattoos on his skin, which if one looked close enough, would reveal themselves as actual normal skin.

'But are you tied to that fate?' She would look up at him, worry in her eyes. 'I don't agree with your methods, but you are your own person, are you not? You have the right to choose your own path, your own future….well…if we live long enough to see it.' She shook her head. ' What I mean is, you don't have to follow that path. You have a choice, we all do. Fate means nothing…' She let out a dry chuckle, a wry smirk on her lips as she looked down.

“Tied to my fate?” Kigané said, amusement lacing his tone. “I chose this fate a long time ago. My people don’t believe in fate in the same way you humans do, Kavaki gave us the right to rail against fate, and try and change it in our own ways. But this fate is worthy.” He continued, “Dying with a song on my lips as I destroy a Cult that would seek to destroy the world?” He said, stretching his arms wide, as if listening to acclimation only he could hear. “Why would I not seek that fate? That I perform monstrous acts is lamentable, to be sure, but the end would be the same anyway. I was damned from the moment I was born.” He said, shrugging his massive shoulders, before quirking a smile at her. “Might as well make a decent song out of it, no?”

'Just because you were born into it, doesn't mean it was meant to be. Hells, if I were to continue my fate, I wouldn't be here, I would be back in Luskan, battering away at yet another sword back in the forge.' She waved her hand at the fire, a red gem glistening in the light. 'I was taught how to fight for the purpose of learning how my weapons worked…I was never supposed to do this for a living, not by a long shot.' There was a fondness in her words before the coldness returned, her eyes closing. ' My fate was shattered the moment the Cult raided Luskan. They destroyed the future I was supposed to lead, and if the gods willed it, I should have died to that-' she cut herself off, her fist clenching as her grip round her knees got tighter, pausing to recompose her thoughts.

'As the gods had it, however ... was for me to survive. I'm not sure if I can call the two years in that damned orphanage living…but I survived I suppose. I lost my family, my home and friends…my future livelihood. The moment I was thrown back onto the streets, I wasn't sure how to proceed, but in the midst of the Everlasting Rime….I had to do something so I wouldn't starve.' She shrugged, resting her chin on her knees. ' I wasn't the best sellsword, but that's all I had to offer, so that's what I relied on. I didn't have a plan, I didn't know where I was bloody sleeping that night…but I made my own way. I found a new path.' She tilted her head to the side, looking over to the Goliath. 'It wasn't ideal, and I have no idea if I made the right choice, but I rewrote my path…and so can you. So can the others if they so chose.'

Kigané listened to the girl ramble, patiently biding his time, until a cut off sentence caught his attention. As she finished her proselytizing, he leant in slightly closer, the flames giving him an almost demonic cast to his face, and said "Should have died to what, exactly?”

Her expression grew pained. 'Who do you think?' Her gaze returned to the flames, eyebrows furrowed. 'While the Cult were few in number, they had enlisted the aid of a damned red dragon horde, or that’s how it seemed.. What else could raze the town to the ground within hours?'

“So you nearly died, and changed your life.” Said Kigané dismissively.

'I should have died. I'm certain of it.' She paused, her gaze growing blank. 'I…saw the horde. One of them targeted my home, seemingly targeted me…it was too close….and I swore it laughed at me.’ Her expression started to go twisted, almost entranced with the flames.’I- I didn't have a chance to run…I-I…' her speech sped up, her voice growing shaky as she began to remember. The cold sweat from before returned, eyes widening as her memories danced in her vision.

“Breathe girl.” Kigané said, recognizing the signs of battle shock. In his tribe, it was normally the case that a person would succumb to such shock after being forced to perform monstrous acts to survive the winters of the High Ice. He laid a single massive hand on her shoulder, gesturing for her to copy his breathing.

The motion caused her breath to hitch sharply ,bringing her back to her senses with a wince. Her hand shifted to her torso, ‘Trying to….’ She gritted her teeth, trying to steady herself.

That was odd, Kigané cocked his head to one side, trying to work out if the girl had been injured in the fighting, and coming up blank.

“Regardless of…that…” She continued, “I have a chance to stop them…to get answers perhaps. That’s why I accepted Akmos’ offer, to try and close that chapter for good.’

The fire crackled as Kigané thought back over their travels, trying to think of if the girl had been injured. The goliath flinched, just barely, as the memory of losing his eye intruded for a brief second. At the thought of his eye, the infernal itching started again, and, unconsciously, so used to being alone, Kigané lifted the eyepatch to scratch at the mess of scar tissue that had once been an eye socket. The entire surface of the socket was covered in burn scar tissue, once a livid red but long since faded to a shocking bone white. There was no eyelid left to hide the ruin of his face either, hence the patch, and no vestige of an eyeball either, the Cult having been remarkably thorough in their attempts to cripple the goliath boy that had slaughtered their friends, if such monsters truly had friends. He could feel the girl’s eyes on him, but he didn’t acknowledge it.

‘What…did that?’ Concern laced her voice as she grimaced.

”Torture”, came the grim response. “I was not always as wise as I am now.” He said with a dark chuckle, acknowledging the raised eyebrow with a slight nod. “I was young and full of youthful daring, and I challenged an entire enclave of the Cult at once to combat. I killed many that day, but was eventually beaten down and tortured. A hot iron to the eye does wonders for one's desire to escape, I’ve found.” He said, raising a sardonic brow of his own.

“You must have your own share of scars from your time on the road though?” He said, clearly trying to move the conversation from his time under a knife.

Her expression was one of shock, then softening with understanding. They were dealing with the cult, she should have understood what they were capable of, or she would have been an ignorant fool fighting against something she didn’t fully understand. There was a pause, clear hesitancy before she spoke.

‘I suppose you could say that…’ Her head dipped, looking back towards the bonfire.

“You spent a year with The People, did you not?” Kigané asked, his eyes suddenly horribly sharp. “Tell me, did they ascribe to the tradition of sannleikur fyrir sannleika?” He questioned, using one of the old Goliath dialects.

Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, confusion crossing her face before shaking her head, not recognising the phrase. ‘I d-don’t think so. It doesn’t ring a bell.’

“Truth for Truth.” He said, the capital letters almost slamming into place mid word. “An old tradition of The People, where those who are to be brothers trade truths, and receive them in return. For example, I might ask you ‘what happened to your family’, and I might receive a question on how to kill a dragon in return.” He said.

‘I…understand the notion…’ She paused, thinking before a moment a flash of realization flitted across her face. Had she cottoned on to his intent, yet she continued regardless. ‘...I do have a question to ask you, so…’ She grimaced before looking over to him. ‘What truth would you want to know?’.

“You hold onto your side, and flinch from fire. What happened to cause these things?” Came the swift rejoinder.

Her eyes closed, gritting her teeth. It was clear that *something* had happened to the lass, but the goliath wasn’t too sure as to what. The girl started undoing her belt, Kigané instinctively looking away as the girl's shirt was raised, old habits of having the shit kicked out of you by women four times your size dying hard. Once the movements had stopped, he carefully looked back at the girl once the rustle of cloth was silenced, only to behold a horror.

‘A permanent reminder of what killed my family.’ Her hands undid the bandages that bound her torso to reveal her Truth. The scar tissue was pulsing, rancid looking with flecks of yellow and orange shifting under the broken skin. It didn’t look natural, unhealed under those ointment-soaked bandages. It was a burn alright, but based on her stories, a burn should have healed within a couple of years…it shouldn’t remain looking so fresh after all this time.

A hiss of breath escaped the Goliath’s mouth, mind running through every paranoid possibility of why such a thing had happened. “What is this?” He asked. “That’s no burn, burns heal, and you say your family died near on a decade ago.” He exclaimed, almost rising from his seat. “You got this scar from a dragon of some sort?” He wondered aloud. “What kind of twisted magery did they infect you with?” He said, purest concern in his words.

‘I don’t know.’ Her reply was flat, clear that this questioning was no novelty. “Countless healers…mages…shamans and scholars have asked the same question.” Her eyes wandered over to her bag, the faint orange glow coming from within intriguing Kigané for a brief moment before her words dragged his attention back to her conversation. ‘During my time at the orphanage, the sisters would enlist any healer they could to work out what they wouldn’t heal. Sometimes it did nothing…sometimes it only inflicted pain worse than this did.’ She let out a dry chuckle, then started to wrap the wound back up. ‘All of them came up blank with a solution, so numbing agents are the best they could give me. The recipe hasn’t changed in five years…don’t fix what isn’t broken…I suppose.’

“This is a burn,” he said, gesturing to his still bare eye. “Whatever happened to you is not natural.” He said emphatically.

‘It wouldn’t surprise me if it wasn’t. The dragon hit the forge…my father kept all kinds of exotic metals with unknown properties in there. Who knows what it could do in an explosion…and if they formed into unstable alloys…they’d have less of a clue.’ She adjusted the shirt back to where it was, attaching her belts. ‘What’s done is done. I have no answers, and neither do those who know more of healing magiks. I do what I can to tolerate the pain…that’s all I’m able to do.’

“You have tried healers in the past?” Kigané asked, receiving an affirming nod in response. “I have no power in those arts, all the gifts my God gave me were decidedly violent in their application.” He said with a rueful smile. “But we have healers among our companions, and it is proper that members of a tribe care for one another. Have you not checked with our Paladin friend?” He asked. “I have seen him heal men and women with naught but a laid on hand, after all.” He added, seeing the look of doubt on her face.

The girl sat back down, leaning back with a thoughtful look. ‘That’s a good point. Although…is there any point?’ She sighed, folding her arms. ‘If it's not known to even scholars, how would they be able to get a different result…n-not trying to be rude, of course…’

“Can’t hurt to try, can it?” Kigané said with a broad shouldered shrug. “It clearly causes you pain, and limits your stroke.” he said, his mind suddenly connecting WHY the girl had such an odd sword stroke on her left side. “But that is a question for another time.” He said, waving off further conversation. He leant back, his face taking on the resigned look of an old saint being burnt at the stake. “I owe you Truth.” he said, unconsciously slipping back into Goliath.

There was a nod in response before she looked over to him, a curious look in her eye.

‘I appreciate that my question breaks Goliath traditions somewhat…but why do you go by Swiftkiller when you have other names?’ She leaned forward, looking up at him. ‘Goliaths have several names, and I suspect that yours would follow that tradition….what are yours, and why don’t you use them?’

“You are not blood of my tribe, so I will forgive your ignorance.” Kigané said. “Among my tribe, it is custom to go bare named, that is,” He elaborated, “using only the use-name, among those not of the tribe. True names are long, and the High Ice breeds a need to shout fast, lest something important fall or die.” He continued. “As for what they are,” he breathed in a long, slow breath through his nose, “My True name, the one my mother gave me long before the tribe cast me out, was Kigané.”

There was a curious weight to the name, or perhaps that was only in his own mind. He’d almost forgotten the boy Kigané, lost as he had become in the cloying hell that was his Death Name, Swiftkiller. “I am of Clan Athunataké.” He continued. “So, properly, my ‘full name’ as you humans deem it, would be Kigané Swiftkiller Athunataké.” he said, inclining his head, regal as a king or a cat, in greeting to the girl.

The gesture prompted a smile from the blonde, pondering on the new information for a few moments ‘So you still follow some traditions.’ She once again hugged her knees, resting her chin on them. ‘I don’t know if you still go by those other names…but it’s nice to know you’re not just *Swiftkiller*... it adds more humanity to it…if that makes sense…’

She paused, almost hesitant to ask. ‘...Would you ever use Kigané again, or is that long gone?’

“Were I among my people, I still would.” Kigané said with equanimity. “But among my tribe, the traditions are clear, and a poor son of the High Ice would I be if I abandoned the traditions of my people.” even if they abandoned me. The implication was there for the girl to pick up. The reality, of course, was a lie. Swiftkiller was his Death Name, the name he was buried with when he went to the Gods Grounds. Kigané was literally dead, impossible to revive, save by abandoning his course, and that, he refused to do, so that the dead might finally sleep restful in their grave in the High Ice.

‘...I see.’ Her gaze returned to the flames, closing her eyes in thought. ‘I won’t push it further, there’s weight in a name and I respect that….I was just curious if my suspicions were correct….that’s all.’

“There are chains to a name, you mean.” Kigané said. “Chains of love, and family and tribe and lives not your own. I have none of those, for my family is gone, my tribe has left me, and all I have left is war, and the Gods.” He said, a savage cast coming over his face as he spoke.

Eventually, the girl rolled into her blankets, Kigané sat, long into the night, staring into the flames, trying to ignore how the pop and crackle of the fire so easily became the screams of his tribe. Eventually, once the girl's breathing had evened out, Kigané looked the girl over from his perch by the fire. Immediately he saw he’d been mistaken; her breathing wasn’t even at all, short jagged bursts of air forcing their way out of her throat as she curled over her burn. Her fingers clawed at the area of the burn, leather armour deforming just slightly at the force of her clawing fingernails. Clearly, she was either lying about the intensity of the burns damage to her, or, the more disquieting thought occurred, it was getting worse. Kigané sat and worried, long into the night before at last, exhaustion claimed him.

#sky #dnd verse #rune knight #goliath #warlock #tw:torture #tw gore

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imagine-that · 2 years

Text

Shoot Your Shot

Pairing: Nick Amaro x reader

Warnings: Mentions of gunshot, blood mentions, swearing, spoilers for season 16 finale episode if you haven’t seen it yet

Requested by @tintinxtintin ❤️❤️

“Amaro what the hell did you do?” You ask frantically as Nick looks at you while they wheel him away on a gurney, a sheepish grin on his face and his blood coating his shirt.

“I’m not sure what you mean detective. A little tumble here and there never did anything to anyone.” He shrugs weakly as his eyes flutter open and closed, hiding a smile. His voice was muffled by the oxygen mask on his face and you rush to keep up with them.

You roll your eyes and give him a pointed look. “Really Nick? What happened?” You sigh, your head in your hands out of stress.

He doesn’t respond so you jump into the ambulance, ignoring Liv calling after you as the doors shut.

While he’d been in court with Johnny Drake, you’d been working on another case Liv needed someone on. You’d finished your investigation this afternoon and went to the courtroom to find your team and watch the rest of the case but when you’d gotten there, they were pulling Amaro out on a stretcher.

“Y/N, I have- I have to say something. I have to tell you something.” He says frantically, trying to sit up and making the paramedics have to pull him back down flat on the gurney.

“Is it what the hell happened?” You ask again, crossing your arms. He sighs, about to answer but the paramedics stop him by starting to check his vitals and giving him oxygen. You bite your lip out of stress, seeing the blood staining his shirt.

You take deep breaths as you feel him squeezing your hand comfortingly watching with tears pricking your eyes as he starts to go limp and the paramedics rush to his aid, trying to keep him awake and lucid. You knew how this went, you’d faced your fair share of shootouts and casualties in your team but it still terrified you to watch Nick go through it.

The two of you had become close since you’d joined the squad. He was the first to be even a little bit welcoming to you and the two of you quickly bonded over your passion for the job. He was without a doubt your favorite person to work with.

The bus drove down the road to the hospital and you take another deep breath in order to collect yourself. You knew the rest of the team would be there soon so you felt you needed to strengthen yourself a little before they did.

As the ambulance approached the entrance, you stand to get out of the way of the paramedics as they pull the gurney inside, the siren ringing in your ear as you hop out after them, running to catch up.

“Sorry, family only past this point.” A nurse says, stopping you in your tracks.

“I’m a part of his squad, we are his family.” You say sternly but still, he shakes his head, pointing a finger towards the waiting room.

“If it were up to me these people could all be with their found family, you included. But I can’t lose my job. I’m sorry.” He says sadly, walking away to find one of his patients.

You sit down in the waiting room with a huff of annoyance, numbly watching gurneys and beds pass by with patient after patient, trying to think clearly over the waiting room full of cops trying to find their information to do with their officers.

You’d only just discovered that Nick saved a lot of lives but it came as no surprise to you. He had always been a knight in shining armour.

“y/l/n!” Liv shouts, running into the waiting room and over to you, startling you out of your daze. “Where is he? Is he ok?” She asks, clearly completely stressed out just as you were.

“They wouldn’t tell me anything. He seemed ok but then he started losing consciousness and they gave him more oxygen and I-I don’t know what happened past that.” You sigh. She sits next to you, her hands trembling.

“Shouldn’t you be trying to handle the bastard who did this Liv?” You ask hoarsely, staring at the floor.

“He’s dead. There’s nothing more to handle than the body and the finished report. But that’s my partner in there and I need to know that he’s ok before I go back to work on this.” She says. You nod, resting your head in your hands.

“Nick you better be ok.” You murmur into your hands, leaning back in the chair and grabbing onto Liv’s hand for dear life.

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

You’re woken up by the nurse from before sitting next to you and tapping your shoulder lightly. At first you’re groggy and agitated but you realize where you are and you force yourself to become alert, looking at him with wide hopeful eyes.

“Your guy is alright. He suffered in surgery, he was shot in the liver and the knee so it was a lot but the doc says he should make a quick recovery. For gunshot wounds anyway.” He explains and you breathe a sigh of relief. “You can go see him now, right down that hall.” He adds, pointing down a narrow hallway.

You jump up and thank him, all but running to the room.

“Hey there sunshine.” He says as you enter, smiling up at you.

You walk over and lightly slap his arm, making him look at you in shock.

“You’re an idiot. You could have died!” You exclaim, glaring at him.

“Y/N, he opened fire on me. In a courtroom! I did the best I could to protect the people in that room. So I got a little hurt now but if I didn’t I’d be dead. I’m here now. And so are you. That’s what matters.” He promises, grabbing hold of your hand and squeezing it again.

“You said- you said you had to tell me something... was it that?” You stammer, keeping his hand in yours so tight that both your hands are white.

“Y/n, you don’t have to hold so tight, I’m not going anywhere.” He promises with his usual charming smile.

You tilt your head at him, silently telling him to get on with it.

He laughs weakly, sighing in surrender. “Alright. Fine, I’ll tell you.” He groans. You sit and wait for him to continue patiently.

“When Johnny D shot me at first it was in the knee cap. I didn’t realize what’d happened fully at first, I was in shock, full of adrenaline. But when I realized, it hurt like hell. I thought for sure I was going to die right there. Then he shot me in the liver and I definitely thought I was dead. I shot at him but I didn’t think that it hit. I half expected he’d shoot me in the heart or the head and get out of there.” He explains slowly and with every word you squeeze harder without thinking.

He winces though and you quickly loosen your grip on him.

“Anyway, while that was happening, I was in so much pain but all I could think about was 3 things; Zoya, Gil and you. My kids were the obvious but all I could think was that I couldn’t die without getting to tell you...” He starts, his Adam's apple bobbing as he pauses.

“To tell me?” You ask, biting your lip and hoping that it’s what you’d wanted to hear from him for so long.

“To tell you that I love you. I’ve loved you since our first case together when you put the asshole in his place and cuffed him, since we went for our first after-work drink and since what feels like forever. I know you probably don’t feel the same and I’m being a little pathetic and desperate here but I can’t go another day without telling you. You only live once and I want to live in complete honesty with my team.” He blurts, making you smile at his rambling.

“Nick.” You say, trying to grab his attention. He still keeps going on so you call his name again a little louder.

“What?” He says, looking into your eyes for the first time since you had started talking.

“Kiss me.” You say simply. He blinks at you for a second, like a deer in headlights. But a second later he leans forward as much as possible, taking your face in his hands carefully and gently pressing his lips on yours. You lean forward so he has to lean back into the bed, not wanting to make him do too much movement. He tries to take charge again but you gently and firmly get him down onto the pillow, pulling away from him with a warm smile.

“I’m in love with you too Amaro.” You say, grinning like a mad person.

“Really? Cause I couldn’t tell from that little beso.” He smirks teasingly and you laugh, grinning wider at his spanish.

“You should speak in Spanish more often. It’s pretty hot.” You giggle, glad to see him smiling.

“Te quiero hermosa.” He says just to prove your point.

You giggle again, giddy at the accent in his words. “Verdict is in: I’m right.” You grin again, making him laugh at your lame pun.

“The team is gonna be shocked.” You state, making him grin again, groaning playfully.

“Liv isn’t. She was aware. She’s actually the one who suggested I suck it up and clean up my act for you.” He chuckles, knowing his partner would never let him hear the end of it.

“Of course she did.” You giggle, both of you laughing at this point. “Well, they’ll find out eventually. But right now, it’s just you and me. I think I kind of like that idea.” You add, biting your lip with another coy smile. He reaches out and grabs your hand again, pulling it onto his chest where you can feel his heart beating, making you feel completely blissful. He smiles back, making him glow despite his current position in a hospital bed.

“Me too.”

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