#at my dads block has you could only vaguely hear the music echoing so it was actually really nice | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

frankchurchillsaysrelax · 4 years

Text

Malex week day two: trope day - This is something I affectionately refer to as the “there’s only one coffee shop to lovers” au

Michael has been going to the same coffee shop since his first day at UNM over two years ago. At his core, he is a creature of habit, so when he found a place that served coffee almost as good as the Crashdown’s on his first try, he didn’t bother looking anywhere else.

This was his place, filled with his people. There is Thomas, who never cares if he takes over two whole tables to work on a paper and Ashley who always sets aside the biggest cookie-of-the-day for him when she knows he has an exam. The owner, Gus, gives him a job when he stays behind on campus during the summer months instead of going back to Roswell.

It’s during one of these shifts that it happens. The southwest isn’t known to get much rain but when it does it never comes quietly. Monsoon season brings storms between one breath and the next, torrential rains starting in the blink of an eye highlighted by bright streaks of lightning and the echoing boom of thunder.

Michael runs the three blocks from his apartment with only his jacket as cover and finds the shop is closed. He quickly pulls the keys from his pocket and lets himself in, calling out for Gus or Ashley as he does. Thomas has already gone home for the summer but the others should be here. It’s quiet inside, so quiet he immediately knows that the power must have gone out at some point. It explains the emptiness.

He makes quick work of grabbing a couple of tea towels from behind the counter to keep himself from dripping all over everything and simultaneously pulls his phone from his pocket. One new message glows brightly back at him.

“Hey kid, you really need to learn to answer your phone. Power’s out so no need to come in. If your stubborn ass does turn up, don’t go back out into this thing y’hear me? Alright, call me if ya need anything. Bye.”

Michael shakes his head at the familiar exasperation he can hear in Gus’ voice. Something about the man has always reminded him of old Sanders. He’s just about to call Isobel and check on things back home when a figure walking down the sidewalk catches his eye out the large picture window.

He’s tempted to pretend he didn’t see as soon as he recognizes him.

“What the hell, Manes?” Michael shouts through the now partially opened door. “Get in here!”

Alex Manes. Michael didn’t believe in having an arch-nemesis, but if he did it would be Alex Manes. They grew up together in Roswell and Michael would have sworn the youngest Manes son would have followed in his brother’s footsteps and enlisted after graduation. Instead, Michael had walked into his first day of Music Theory I Freshman year to see a familiar face.

No one really knows when or why the animosity between the two of them formed. It might have been when they were twelve when Alex in all his wannabe rockstar glory told him if he wasn’t serious about making music he had no business playing the guitar. It could have been during their eighth grade camping trip when Michael was caught kissing Alex’s best friend, Maria. It could have been Senior year when Michael tried to ask Alex to prom and was flat out rejected.

Whenever it started, the tension between them had only grown stronger since the start of college. Alex, with his stupid sexy hair hanging in his eyes that are always rimmed with the perfect amount of eyeliner, had found Michael’s haven in the small hole in the wall coffee shop and invaded it with his constant presence. Normally they had an unspoken agreement to stay at least two tables away from one another and pretend the other doesn’t exist, but during the summer when Michael was working he had to put aside his feelings in the name of professionalism.

Technically, he isn’t working now.

“What the fuck are you doing walking around out there?” Michael locks the door behind them and motions for Alex to stand still while he runs behind the counter for more towels.

“It’s not that bad, Guerin.” Michael throws the towel at Alex’s face, his eyebrows raising with unguarded judgment. Alex doesn’t take the bait, focused on running the towel over his hair, and taking off his soaked hoodie to reveal the now see through shirt pressed tight against his skin. He glares when he catches Michael staring.

Face flushed, Michael turns around and busies himself with taking two chairs down from a nearby table, pushing one vaguely in Alex’s direction.

“I’d offer to make you a drink man but, uh, power s’out.” Michael shrugs, taking out his phone in a clear gesture that says he is done talking.

Several long moments pass. Michael texts Isobel and then Max when he doesn’t receive a response.

“My dad’s here,” Alex admits softly. Michael’s head snaps up so quickly that a wet curl flies out before slapping him on the face. His fists clench without permission at the mention of Jesse Manes. His gaze is soft as it traces Alex’s face looking for any new injuries. Michael’s known about his father’s violence for years, another reason Alex hates him he’s sure.

“He showed up for a surprise visit and I,” he pauses, his fingers starting to tap a random beat against the table between them. “I just had to get out of there.”

Michael can’t blame him. He thinks he’d probably choose walking through a summer storm over being near Alex’s father too. He takes a moment to watch Alex a little closer now. He can see the way his eyes flit toward the windows every few seconds and the tension in his shoulders that slightly pushes them up toward his ears.

“Feel free to hide out here as long as you want.” He forgot how pretty Alex was when he smiled.

“Thanks, Guerin.”

It was going to be a long night.

#malexweek20 #malex20 #my fic #malex fic #malex #roswell new mexico #total honesty: this is a first draft #and this was originally going to be longer #but that didn't happen #because it is 3 am and i actually do need sleep #yes i am a mess #malex week 2020

65 notes · View notes

whoknowsbud · 3 years

Text

Stand Mutation AU DiU

Again, this is FILLED with body horror and somewhat loose connections to the recent epidemic but they are there. There’s also a massive amount of angst around the Nijimuras.

See the first post & explanation here

Morioh is under a sort of quarantine. Due to not being contagious, it may be more of a research center, to keep research subjects in one place. When people start getting infected again (from the arrow, of course) there’s a pretty massive panic, from people assuming the virus must be evolving. So, aside from finding Josuke, the Speedwagon Foundation has Jotaro there to find who’s using the arrow.

Josuke is pretty much Crazy Diamond; his pompadour is basically a massive diamond helmet, with a heart-shaped front, a few thorny details from dad. Skin might be a little shiny, or sparkly.

Okuyasu begins as extremely feral and rather monstrous, but over time becomes more human. His form becomes smoother, until the infection becomes localized on his right arm. He has the common headlight eyes and his normal hair, but with the black mark covering above his eyes & reaching the tip of his nose, in addition to his scar.

Keicho is also fried, and is basically something of a human-transformer mix. Green camouflage body, bandages around his head, gun arm, helicopter blades in his back… Looks a little like something you’d expect to see if the Terminator had real flesh, with additional machine parts..

Koichi gains the common headlight eyes and starts turning green first. Following, not overnight but still fast, comes the beak, tail, and his lower legs become wheels. He does not lose any of his ability or evolve in the same way, but does change. As ‘act 2’, he regrows his legs (the wheels now his feet), his beak becomes more of a reptile snout, and he’s more armored. As ‘act 3’, he’s back to looking more human. The wheels are now just his heels (yes, heelys), and his tail is shorter.

Yukako… maybe fully made of hair? Or just the same as canon...

Tonio can just imbue his food with the sort of healing power. That or he grows the Pearl Jams on his body, which is very disturbing, so we'll probably go with the first. His power is extremely limited with this infection, which upsets him quite a bit. He can strengthen your body and all, but what can it do with stand shit? This isn't the flu.

Rohan’s arms are like heaven's door's hat; just the yellow lines outlining them. Depending on mood, desperation, & writers block, his sketchy-ness spreads more through his body.

Shigekiyo is a bunch of Harvests in a trench coat! Original Shigechi is essentially the ‘queen bee’ so to speak.

Mikitaka is an actual alien (cause fuck you, we do what we want). Planet was probably overrun by the virus, and he left to… either help other planets with it or prevent it or something… That or just. To find somewhere he can live a better life.

Tamami… probably just about the same, but creates locks on himself as well, for each victim currently affected - not because of guilt or anything, just to make sure they’re still in his control should they separate.

Hazamada is pretty much just Surface.

Akira is, basically, a toxtricity (amped, of course.) But yea, basically take RHCP, give it rocking hair and music ability, and there ya go.

Yuya basically sends his own feet, which gains a vague body to go with them.

Kanedaichi is SuperFly. A few bug decals on the tower maybe… He uses radio waves to communicate, and an unsettling doll to make himself known… Tickle me Elmo.

Terunosuke appears to be origami, with his face drawn on. Despite this, he can’t actually change his overall form.

Yoshihiro is probably the same as canon...

Kira’s mutation is much more subtle than most. His skin is pink, he has Killer Queen’s eyes, and very sharp and stiff ears. He hides most of this with makeup, contacts, and clips his own ears, to live under the illusion that he's 'just a normal guy'. When he feels stress, his face starts turning translucent, so you can see his skull - which reveals that his ears are more part of his skeleton. His hands frequently explode, and his sweat is explosive.

Stray Cat is just the same as in canon.

As mentioned earlier, the Nijimura’s story here is (I believe) even more upsetting than it is in canon. Though Angelo doesn’t happen, Josuke’s grandfather is dead.

Keicho finds the arrow, as he did in canon, but nicks himself in the process. He (somehow) hears the Speedwagon Foundation is looking for it and, realizing the arrow played a big part in the infection, panics. This makes his infection, which was already starting to mutate him, go wild. He turns feral in a different way than most; he guards the arrow, obsessing over it - like their dad over that ripped picture. Okuyasu, of course, tries to get through to his brother.

His body isn’t completely developed; the helicopter blades are half-stuck in his body and his gun doesn’t work. So, when Okuyasu tried to reach him, Bad Company only understands that someone is approaching the arrow, and attacks him… With the arrow. Fully aware of what the arrow did to his brother, Okuyasu is at peace with what’s going to happen to him. His only family is like this, and they don’t even remember him… How much worse could losing his own mind be?

The house is said to be haunted, so when Josuke and Koichi pass it, they stop to look. Koichi mentions, now that he understands a little of the infection, that he wonders if the ‘ghosts’ ‘haunting’ it are just more victims. Josuke realizes it's likely, and tells him to call Jotaro and wait outside.

Koichi calls Jotaro and does not wait outside; he goes in after Josuke, gets lost, and ends up finding the room Bad Company is in.

Meanwhile, Josuke’s struggling against Okuyasu, who may or may not be crying. Josuke realizes this guy really is a victim, and thinks he must be able to help. So, when he does take him down, he tries to fix this, only to feel terrible because this is another thing he can’t fix. But he can’t stay, because Koichi screams, so he has to run.

He finds the room, but it’s obvious that whatever attacked Koichi hasn’t left, and he’s worried this’ll go horribly wrong if he runs in, but if he doesn’t, Koichi’s probably going to die. This is when he hears the bass boost ‘bbbvvvrrrrrrrrr’ and he spins, ready to fight, but Okuyasu’s already erasing the space between them and Koichi, and now he’s in range for Josuke to heal him. Josuke’s not sure what’s happening, but it’s obvious Okuyasu isn’t going to attack. So, Josuke’s healing Koichi, and trying to figure this all out, “so do you… have a sibling here?”

He nods, looking at him with pleading eyes, begging for something. Josuke starts thinking aloud, “they must be infected, too… uh, you... want me to fix them?”

He's nodding so vigorously it looks almost painful, and this is when Koichi wakes up, and he shrieks because what the fuck is that. Josuke makes sure he's okay (Koichi's irises are turning bright yellow, but he can't worry about that right now), and has Okuyasu watch Koichi.

Okuyasu is surprised that he's being trusted like this; but Josuke's already ripping the door off the frame, holding it in front of him like both a shield and battering ram, and he's charging in.

Koichi is far, far too tired to move himself, so Okuyasu carries him away from the fight. But Okuyasu starts fidgeting, worried. He's hearing shots, explosions, and yelling, and there's a lot of smoke. Obviously Koichi's worried too, so they kinda sneak back over to get a look, and what koichi sees is... alarming, to say the least.

Uninfected, you don't see the full quality of his skin, and his helmet just looks like a weirdly solid block of hair. But now koichi's getting the whole picture, and… He's gorgeous.

His body is suddenly shining and sparkling from the armor, his skin almost glittery, and the massive diamond form encasing his head reflects light like a goddamn disco ball - it's all almost blinding

Sexuality crisis ahem so anyways

Josuke eventually gets Bad Company down, and he's trying to heal him, but the light suddenly comes on. They all know someone else is here, so Okuyasu - not wanting anything to keep his bro from getting fixed like he was - runs in to intercept the form coming fast, but Keicho's a little faster

But instead of going for the arrow, it's Okuyasu he targets.

Okuyasu and Josuke are alarmed at this; he'd shown that he only cared about the arrow, why do this? Why go after Okuyasu, before he even got the arrow back?

But Keicho's looking at him - even as this electric being's arm goes through his stomach, his eyes are focused on his brother.

"I act on my orders," he says, whereas before the only thing he ever said was "the arrow", "follow orders"... things like that.

Because Bad Company had been ordered to protect the arrow at all costs

But Keicho Nijimura did that to protect his brother

Which clearly worked against him but moving on

Okuyasu makes this cry, this wail, and Koichi can feel the hurt echoing in him and wishes he could've done something as the being takes the arrow into the light

But Josuke realizes there's a fuse box in here, and its being overloaded, and they need to get out right now, so he grabs the two survivors and jumps out the window.

He ends up being hurt pretty bad splinters of wood dig in his calves and his back, but he's gotta make sure these two are ok.

Josukes not sure if that actually helped, because he's crying so so hard now, and the three just sit there for a while

Okuyasu looks at josuke, crying, pleading... Josuke knows what he wants

"I saw it," he chokes out, "you should know.. Ididn't bring him back, I barely reached him… You did."

Jotaro spots the building when the room explodes and comes running, of course relieved to see these kids are sitting outside, safely... Well. Not dead. Josuke asks about Okuyasu.

"Yea that happened to me, he'll be fine. It's pretty common."

Then he sees Koichi's eyes are a little different and just fuckn grabs the kid and stares super close for a few minutes

Irises are yellow, but more important, the whole ball is getting kinda... segmented? Like... there are creases forming. W/e - they're slowly becoming headlights.

It's an uncomfortable minute for these children, until Jotaro lets him go and says (usual deadpan), "you've been infected."

Then jotaro sets him down and says, usual deadpan, "you've been infected." And Josuke freaks out, assuming he was the cause.

So, Jotaro has to explain that - no, the only way to become infected is if you or a (close enough) relative is injured by the stand arrow. Okuyasu jumps on the phrase, practically barking with desperation. Jotaro, having gone through a rather similar stage, figures it out pretty quickly, "you know about it… where is it?"

“Is that what that weird arrow was back there," Josuke wonders around, jumping when Jotaro focused on him, "well, uh… some electric thing took it… after killing this guy's brother."

Jotaro can't really do much with that, so he moves on, "alright, you three get to the Speedwagon building, I'm gonna do a walkthrough."

They agree, but Okuyasu's looking at the house & not moving Josuke & Koichi try to reassure him about keicho, while Jotaro just walks right in to investigate.

After a minute he comes out carrying Weird Frog Dad who's holding the ripped picture, "what is this." Okuyasu makes this "aa!" sound while the other 2 are Shook.

Okuyasu's looking at Josuke, though he's already moving, but Jotaro stops him, "this can't be fixed." Josuke's like "but i gotta try" and does, and newsflash it doesn't work, but he sees the picture and fixes that and at least that's sweet

So, nearly on the opposite side of the emotional spectrum, the next day we see Koichi skating to school. At first he's very weirded out, tries to hide it, but then he realizes "wait. The town's full of infected people, this isn't that bad." His mother and sister, of course, freak out, but Koichi knows enough to explain it all and put them a little at ease.

Also he does not end up with Yukako, they both deserve better. Like, yea she probably still has her obsession, but it gets handled after the first time. It takes a little while for her to adjust to... not.. doing any of that. But they're both way healthier for it. Not cool or healthy to date your fixation or stalker

7 notes · View notes

the--blackdahlia · 5 years

Text

Too Young to Fall in Love Chapter 51 (Dirt!Nikki x Reader)

Title: Too Young to Fall in Love 51

Summary: Nikki Sixx was a hard partying musician on the strip. He never expected to fall in love with anyone, until a girl knocked on his dressing room door looking for a ride home and took his breath away. Just like everything else Nikki did; the drugs, the money, the music; Nikki went hard with love. (Y/n) Bass never expected the bassist of Motley Crue to be the one to shake her calm and calculated life up. She had a plan. Graduate school, become an epic producer, and watch from behind the scenes as her brother’s band rose to fame. Nikki and (Y/n) were perfect for each other, too bad her brother, Tommy, didn’t think so.

Series warnings: Smut (18+ Please), drug use, language, referenced miscarriage, drug overdose, mentioned attempted suicide, out of character moments for everyone in the band, the timeline might be a little screwy but it’s fanfiction! I know nothing of music production and my medical knowledge is really screwy, so it won’t be accurate.

A few months later

“Babe! I’m home!” Nikki called out as he came through the door. “Stopped at the bakery and got the cake! And those cupcakes you like!” It was quiet downstairs. “Babe?” He sat the baked goods on the island and headed into the house. He made his way to the nursery, where he could hear music playing. (Y/n) was decorating, wanting everything to look perfect.

“(Y/n).” Nikki said softly. She jumped and turned to look at him.

“You scared me!” She laughed. “So, what do you think?” They had went with softer, neutral tones, and the paint had just finished drying, so (Y/n) was putting up all the decorations. Cute little animals playing instruments.

“It’s perfect.” Nikki smiled and wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her bump. “Everything is amazing.” He kissed on her neck, holding her close. She moaned softly, then glanced at the time on the watch Nikki was wearing.

“Shit!” She called out. “Everyone’s going to be here in like an hour or two!” She pulled away from Nikki. “I need to get a shower and...and…”

“Babe, relax.” Nikki smiled. “I got the cake. Pizza is scheduled. You just go get a shower and calm down, okay.” He kissed her gently.

“What would I do without you?” (Y/n) asked, kissing him again.

“Be a lonely, but still a really hot, producer in New York.” He smiled at her. “Or be married to Bret Michaels.”

“Oh, don’t remind me of that.” (Y/n) shook her head. “Okay, I’m getting in the shower. Be out in a bit.” She headed towards the bathroom while Nikki went downstairs to get ready for their guests; Vince and Vanessa with Dean and Samantha, Tommy and his new girlfriend (Pamela had the boys this week), Athena and her new husband, and Mick going solo, as well as (Y/n)’s parents. Tonight was the gender reveal. Nikki and (Y/n) didn’t even know what they were having yet. The doctor had wrote it on a slip of paper and put it into an envelope, which (Y/n) took to the bakery to have a cake made. It was chocolate icing, but inside would either be pink or blue.

About an hour and a half later, the pizza arrived, along with Mick and (Y/n)’s parents. Mick helped Nikki get it all set up while (Y/n) finished getting ready. Vince, Vanessa, and the twins were next, followed by Athena and her husband James, and then there was Tommy, being fashionably late, but no girlfriend in sight.

“She, uh, didn’t want to come.” Tommy shrugged. He leaned over to Nikki. “I haven’t been dating. Don’t tell (Y/n). She worries about me after prison.”

“Well, I wonder why.” Nikki laughed. “It’s cool man. Your secret is safe with me.”

“So, when do we find out what this little sucker is.” Vince asked (Y/n) as she walked past him.

“Once we cut the cake but this pizza smells really good.” She grabbed a few pieces and smiled down at the twins. “You both are just so cute!”

“Well, Dean keeps stealing Sammy’s bow all the time, and Sammy likes to bite.” Vanessa laughed. “Those two are going to be a handful. You think your brother and your husband are the terror twins? I think my little pumpkins here are.”

Conversation flowed throughout the evening, Tommy giving vague answers when asked about his girlfriend and Mick saying he was just fine being single. Vanessa and Vince alternated between feeding the twins and feeding themselves. (Y/n) smiled. This was her family. She never thought in a million years that the most notorious band in metal would be sitting together in her living room, waiting for a gender reveal while making small talk like they hadn’t just been doing coke off of naked strippers about ten years ago.

“Okay guys, are we ready?” (Y/n) asked, standing up. Nikki and (Y/n) made their way to the kitchen, everyone else in tow. The cake sat there, ready to be cut. Nikki handed (Y/n) the utensils.

“Be my guest.” Nikki told her, kissing her cheek. (Y/n) cook a deep breath and cut a piece, laying it out on a plate.

A pink cake.

“We’re having a girl!” (Y/n) gasped, hugging Nikki. “Oh my god!”

“We’re having a girl!” Nikki echoed, holding his wife close to him. He had never dreamed that he would be a dad to a little girl. She was going to be so loved and protected, because she had not only her three uncles in the room who wouldn’t hesitate to hurt anyone who hurt her, but a long list of musicians that Nikki and (Y/n) had befriended over the years.

Nikki and (Y/n) Sixx were having a girl.

****

“I don’t know anything about shopping for girls.” Tommy said. “At least, not baby girls. Big girls though, I can buy for.” Tommy said as they passed by Victoria Secret.

“Vanessa was in charge of getting everything for Sammy, so I’m at a loss.” Vince shrugged.

“I haven’t bought baby clothes since the 1970’s. And I’m pretty sure I was drunk then.” Mick added. Nikki sighed. He should’ve just invited Slash or something to join him on this mall trip. He wanted to start buying clothes for the yet unnamed baby. He might have been going overboard with buying baby stuff here recently. Most people assumed that the mother would be the one going crazy. But not in (Y/n) and Nikki’s case. Nikki wanted everything to be absolutely perfect.

“So, any names yet?” Tommy asked as he looked at a display in the window at a music store. A small poster was hanging in the window, with a picture of him at his kit that said “Tommy Lee Uses Vater”. “Dudes, check me out!”

“Good thing we’re not visiting a music store in the 1980’s. Sober Tommy pointing out every picture of himself would get real old, real fast.” Mick grumbled.

“I should’ve just left you losers at home.” Nikki sighed. They headed into the baby store, looking extremely out of place. Vince had recently died his hair a deep red, Tommy looked like he had been pulled from the hip-hop block on VH1, Mick looked like an old man shopping for his grandchild, and Nikki was in all black with tattoos.

“Can...can I help you?” A young girl greeted them.

“My wife and I are having our first child, a baby girl, and I might be going a tiny bit overboard.”

“Oh, congratulations, well we have a great selection of girl clothes over here,” she gushed and showed him all the latest clothes for baby girls.

Nikki and the guys all looked at all the ruffles and pink around them. “Do you think she’s be mad if I dyed some of this black?”

“I think there’s a store on the strip that has baby clothes,” Tommy told them.

“I guess we can try,” Nikki shook his head, “I’ll buy some of this just in case though. I don’t want her getting mad at me.”

“Man, she is so laid back about this. Compared to Nessa pregnant, she’s pretty chill.” Vince told him.

“And her favorite color is black.” Mick shrugged.

“True,” Nikki nodded. “Then let’s go Crue!”

****

“Look at this onesie!” Tommy called out. “It’s so cute!”

“Yeah, but her dad isn’t the drummer dumbass.” Vince said, smacking the back of his head. Everything in the store was rock based, and Nikki had already found a couple

“Can I get it custom?” He asked. “My uncle is the best drummer in the world type of thing?” Vince found matching t-shirts for the twins. He wasn’t sure if Vanessa would actually put them on the kids, but they were cute.

“Hey, aren’t you those guys from Motley Crue?” A guy asked.

“Uh, yeah.” Nikki said, looking over at him.

“Dude! You guys were so awesome! I got laid for the first time when Home Sweet Home was playing.” He high fived Tommy then headed about his shopping. The guys looked at each other with smiles on their faces.

“Oh man this looks good,” Nikki said as he grabbed a onesie. It was a Motley Crue onesie, black with pink trim and the band's name in pink.

“Get it. I dare you.” Tommy laughed.

“You don’t have to dare me,” he laughed, “I’m getting it”

“Baby Aphrodite is going to be the best dressed baby in all of LA.” Tommy laughed.

“Not naming my daughter after a Greek goddess. Especially not Aphrodite.” Nikki shook his head. “(Y/n) have a few ideas for names. But we’re not certain on anything until we meet her.”

“What? Are you thinking of something like Olive or something?” Vince asked with a laugh. Nikki stayed quiet. “Wait, really?”

“I said that we’ll know for sure when we see her.” Nikki told him again, grabbing another onesie. “But yes, Olive is on the list.”

“Olive Sixx.” Mick said as they bought the stuff and headed out.

“I didn’t say we had a great list. Just that we had a list.” Nikki pointed out. “It’s a work in progress but we still have some time.”

“Ok, dudes I’m starving let’s go eat.” Tommy smiled and clapped his hands together.

“When are you not starving?” Mick asked. Nikki pulled out the little onesie and smiled, running his fingers on the fabric. He was going to be a dad, and he knew he was going to be a better parent than his ever were.

****

“I feel so fat.” (Y/n) groaned as she sat on the couch with Vanessa, watching the twins on the floor. “My feet are swollen, my ankles are the size of an elephant, I’m either sad, horny, or hungry. There’s no in between.”

“Welcome to pregnancy,” Vanessa smiled. “But you look gorgeous. And I bet Nikki can’t get his hands off you.”

“He said that he’s already looking forward to more kids.” (Y/n) told her. “But I look awful. I don’t get where ya’ll are getting this gorgeous look from or whatever.”

Vanessa hugged her, “because you are drop dead gorgeous (Y/n) Sixx!” Vanessa looked to the twins and sighed as they crawled around the small space they made in the living room for them. “Nikki not able to get his hands off you should be proof of that.”

“How are you and Vince doing?” (Y/n) asked. “Last I heard, you were convincing him to get snipped.”

“Well, I’m good with just two. Plus he has his two other kids so four kids for him should be good enough,” Vanessa sighed. “I just don’t want to risk anything bad happening.”

“Nothing bads gonna happen.” (Y/n) rubbed her arms. “And, if you decide you want another set of twins later on, it can be reversed.” She teased Vanessa. She watched as Dean reached out and stole Sammy’s bow, making her cry and try to bite her brother. “Wow, you were right about that.”

“Terror twins! I told you.” Vanessa took the bow from Dean and fixed Sammy’s hair.

“The boys are going to drop a new album soon. I just hope the tour is after the baby comes.” (Y/n) sighed. “Could you imagine me being in labor and Nikki in Europe?”

“That would drive him crazy,” Vanessa laughed. “But aren’t you in charge of scheduling it? Since it’s the label you guys created?”

“He’s not letting me do anything.” (Y/n) sighed. “I think the miscarriage from the 80’s still haunts him. He wants me to take it easy. I’m going stir crazy.”

“Talk to him hun,” Vanessa smiled. “I mean I can understand where he’s coming from but you guys are past the miscarriage point.”

“I know we are, he knows we are, but he’s still scared.” (Y/n) told her. “He’ll still wake up in the middle of the night, pull me to him, and tell me he’s sorry. It’s been years Nessa.”

Before Vanessa could reply the guys came back with bags on their arms. Nikki walked up to (Y/n) and kissed her on her head.

“How are you feeling?” he put the bags down.

“I’m okay.” (Y/n) smiled. “Think I can do some work for the label soon?”

“As long as you don’t get stressed I think we’re ok?” he held on closely to her.

“Nessa! I got some shirts for the twins.” Vince said excitedly. One was blue, one was pink. Both said “I’m cute, mom’s hot, dad’s lucky”. “What do you think?”

Vanessa smiled at him, “I love them and you’re still getting snipped,” she gave him a pat on his cheek before handing Dean to him. “Your son loves to make his sister cry, and your daughter loves to bite.”

“Well, as long as it keeps the boys away, right my little man?” Vince asked, smiling at Dean. Dean gave Vince the biggest smile. Nikki pulled out the small camera (Y/n) had bought him when she found out she was pregnant and snapped a picture of him and Vince. The small camera came in handy when he was on the go.

“Someday we’ll have camera phones. That’s what the guy on TV said the other day. That soon, we’ll have really good cameras and computers in our pockets.” Tommy told them.

“Yeah, but nothing will beat the real thing.” Nikki laughed.

“So, when is the pregnancy photoshoot?” Vanessa asked. (Y/n) looked at Nikki. They hadn’t really thought of it, but (Y/n)’s mom had been bugging her about it so she could send pictures back to Greece. Nikki smiled at (Y/n) and rubbed her back.

“Well, maybe we could plan something out in the backyard with Jett and Ziggy.” He shrugged. “I know they’re just going to love their little sister.”

“But I look like a house.” (Y/n) groaned. “I don’t want anyone to see me like this. It’s bad enough you guys see me like this.”

“At least she’s not throwing stuff at him.” Vince mumbled under his breath.

Vanessa smacked him lightly, “honey, you look lovely! I can help you with hair and makeup.”

“But…” (Y/n) sighed.

“No. It’s going to be great!” Tommy told her. “As long as there are clothes on in the photoshoot, I’ll be happy.”

“Yeah, I was going to do a naked photoshoot to send to your aunts in Greece.” Nikki sighed. “Seriously, where did all the brains go?”

“My little sister stole them.” Tommy said, not sure if he was insulting himself or complimenting her.

“You could always save the naked ones for your private collection,” Vanessa smiled.

“Oh, I already have plenty of those.” Nikki teased.

“Gross!” Tommy called out. “I don’t need to think about that.”

****

(Y/n) sat on a bench, her hands resting on her belly while Nikki snapped the pictures. Ziggy and Jett had posed in a few, but a squirrel ran by and Nikki hadn’t been able to reel them back in. So (Y/n) was going solo for the rest of them.

“Are you sure you don’t want to be in them dad?” (Y/n) called out to Nikki. “I mean, it’s not just me that was involved in this!”

“I could set the timer,” Nikki said as he grabbed his tripod and began to line the shot. “Ok, so everything is set.” (Y/n) stood up so Nikki could run over and wrap his arms around her and place his hands on her belly. Once he got the time set, he did just that. (Y/n) leaned back against him as the camera went off.

“I bet you look very handsome in it.” (Y/n) said with a smile.

“You look better,” he muttered as he kissed her as the camera went off again. They took a handful more pictures before Nikki went to develop them. (Y/n) lounged outside.

“Your daddy and I love you very much sweetheart.” (Y/n) whispered to her belly. “We can’t wait to meet you.” She rubbed small circles and smiled. She had never thought she would be this happy. She looked at the house with loving eyes. Soon, they would have a family there.

****

“Vanessa, my belly feels tight.” (Y/n) told her a few months later. They were out and about for the day while the boys did interviews and made their rounds. “And little miss thing is all over the place. It’s like she’s breakdancing or something.”

“She might be getting ready to come out,” Vanessa gave her a smile.

“You think?” (Y/n) asked. “Nikki will be in a panic if I’m not with him when I go into labor. You know it as well as I do.” She laughed a little.

“Well she sin;t going to come out today, I hope,” Vanessa chuckled. “But it sounds like she’s getting herself in the position to come out.”

“Dramatic, just like your daddy,” (Y/n) sighed. “Gotta make sure you make a big entrance and put on a show, right?” She rubbed at her belly. She looked at he stroller the twins were in. “Nessa, you’ve got to see this. Get the camera from my purse.” She told her. The twins were fast asleep holding hands.

Vanessa grabbed the camera and smiled as she took the picture, "I need to get a copy of this."

"Of course." (Y/n) smiled but then groaned.

“(Y/n)? Are you ok?” Vanessa rushed to her. “Maybe I should call Nikki.”

"She’s mad about something." She rubbed her stomach. "I...maybe we should call. But he's on TV with the boys."

Vanessa pulled out her phone and called Nikki, “Damn it.” she cursed, “It’s going to voicemail.”

"Leave a message and I'll just go on." (Y/n) gasped. "Little lady your daddy will be upset if you come before he gets here."

Vanessa left Nikki a message as she led (Y/n) back to the car, “I’m taking you to the hospital.” she said. “I think they should check you out in case you are in labor.”

"Okay, not gonna argue." They got the twins in the car and headed towards the hospital.

****

"I heard a cell phone while we were on stage." Tommy checked his. "Wasn’t mine."

“It was mine,” Nikki sighed. “This is Vanessa’s number,” he put the phone to his ear. “She thinks (Y/n) is going into labor. I got to go.” NIkki rushed out of the studio before the guys could say a word.

“Didn’t we come with him?” Vince looked at the guys.

"Nikki wait!" Mick called out. "Your our ride!"

The guys all rushed after him and piled into the car. Nikki drove like a bat out of hell to get to the hospital. He tripped over himself as he ran to the nurses station gasping for air.

“Wife… in… labor…. Friend… brought… where?” he gasped.

"Nikki!" Vanessa called out. "She’s in being seen." Just then (y/n) came out.

"Guys?" (Y/n) asked.

Nikki rushed to her voice and went in side, “(Y/n) I’m here. Are you ok?” Nikki rushed to hold her hand. “Is little lady coming out?”

"No not yet. she just is being a dramatic little girl." (Y/n) smiled. "Are you ok?"

"I… you…baby…" he tried to catch his breath. "I got scared I was going to miss it."

"Guess she's running drills." (Y/n) laughed.

“Once I get you home I’m going to have to come up with something so I don’t miss the real thing,” he smiled.

"What if you're on stage or at another interview? It could be on the national news." (Y/n) laughed.

"Then everyone is going to know that little lady is here to rule the world," he caressed her cheek and kissed her.

“So you’re okay?” Tommy asked, sounding a little worried. (Y/n) smiled.

“Yes Tommy. Honestly, just tired right now.” (Y/n) told her brother.

“Little lady wanted to keep us on our toes,” Nikki chuckled a bit. “She’s good, and I about had a panic attack.”

“I’m sorry honey.” (Y/n) told him. “I’m ready to go take a nap. Do you have to go back anywhere?”

“Nope I think that was our last interview,” Nikki looked at the guys who gave him a thumbs up.

“Good. Now which cute guy wants to take me home.” (Y/n) laughed, giving Nikki a smirk.

“Hey,” Nikki pinched her nose playfully. “Only cute guy taking you home is this guy!”

“I said cute. Not extremely handsome.” She smiled and kissed him.

“Hey now. No kissing. Kissing leads to more babies once that one comes out.” Tommy laughed. “Go rest. Who knows when my niece is going to make her world debut.”

“Come on sweet girl,” Nikki smiled. “Let’s get you home.” He led her out to the car. Vanessa kissed Vince.

“How much did he freak out?” She asked, looking at him and the other guys.

“He almost left us at the TV station after the interview,” Vince shrugged and smiled. “How did the kids do with you guys?”

“(Y/n) has a picture she’s going to have Nikki print off for us. But the babies were asleep in their stroller holding hands.” Vanessa to him with a big smile.

“I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that little lady is going to make her appearance at the most inconvenient time.” Mick told them with a shrug.

“Now that's what I want to see,” Tommy said as they all watched Nikki help (Y/n) into the car. “I kind of want to see him freak out when it actually happens… remind me to get the camcorder ready though.”

“Oh, we won’t let him live that down.” Vince laughed.

“Wait, Nikki’s taking (Y/n) home. He was our ride.” Mick told Tommy. Mick and Tommy turned to look at Vince and Vanessa, giving them little pouts and puppy eyes.

“Come on you clowns,” Vanessa sighed. “But that means you’re on baby duty!”

“Hehe, she said duty.” Tommy laughed. Vince handed him Dean. “What’s that smell?”

“That’d be the duty.” Vince laughed.

“WHAT?” Tommy smelled Dean and put him at arm's length. “Dude that is not funny! He smells like one of Nikki’s old pairs of underwear from the Theater of Pain tour!”

“I don’t want to know how you know what the smells like.” Vanessa shook her head. “Give me my son, I’ll change him and you can walk home.” Tommy sighed and looked at Vince. He hadn’t really changed too many diapers, since Pamela did most of that.

“Come on drummer, I’ll show you how it’s done.” Mick grumbled, taking the diaper bag from Vanessa and leading him to the bathroom to help him change the baby.

Forever Tags: @anathewierdo @dekahg @marvel-af-imagines @feelmyroarrrr @nanie5 @imboredsueme @gemini0410 @aiaranradnay @babypink224221 @mogarukes @xxwarhawk @sandlee44 @shatteredabby @caswinchester2000 @supernaturalwincestsblog @lauravic @mrsambroserollinsacklesmgk @teller258316 @horrorpxnk @tommyleeownsme @marvelismylifffe

Motley Crue Tags: @primal-screamer @waywardprincess666 @twistnet @saint-of-los-angeles @vader-kai @motleyfuckingcruee @sharon6713 @kawennote09 @2dead2function @nikkisixxwiththebass @iamtiber-andtiberismusic @jayprettymuchomw @charlyallise @you-know-im-a-dreamer @sweet-dreams-on-butterfly-wings @estxxmotley @arianareirg @the-normal-potato @nikki-sixxtynine @jjjjjjjoshdun @just-a-normal-fangirl18 @stella20131991 @tarahell @wowilovenikkisixx @i-want-to-shoot-myself @motleycrueee @sams-serialkiller-fetish @getbackhonkycatt @are-you-reddie54321 @flamencodiva @scarecrowmax @major-tom-is-a-junky @anyasthoughts @bandaids-not-groupies @ilovetomkeiferslips @kaitieskidmore1

Nikki Sixx Tags: @daisystuffsstuff @unknownoblivion @deakysblueoutfit @fandomshit6000 @sixx-mckagan

Too Young to Fall in Love Tags: @kingbouji3 @leximus98 @thekidbakerinthetardis @crystalbaby12 @shawnsstxtches @knockemdeadgirl @deansgirl1993 @haileynicoleseavey17

#too young to fall in love #Motley Crue #nikki sixx #nikki sixx x reader #nikki x reader #the dirt #dirt!nikki sixx #dirt!nikki sixx x reader #dirt!nikki x reader #dirt!nikki #fanfiction

46 notes · View notes

notgonnarememberthis · 4 years

Text

A Compromising Engagement - Chapter 4

Well at least quarantine is good for one thing. It’s really kicked me in the ass to focus on my creativity again rather than allowing academics to crush me all the time. Like I’ve been making major progress on an artwork that I started back in January, baked a cake from scratch, AND finished this update. I am also looking to maybe possibly update The Lying Angel at some point. It’s gonna be a long quarantine so buckle up lads.

Throughout the night she could feel two pairs of eyes on her the entire time. The first were Sherlock’s, of course. His eyes never strayed far, studying the crowd among them every once in a while as faces cycled in and out of her vision all sharing the same words. Too many she doesn’t recognize, the few she could pinpoint were associates of Morland. He knows her sentiment, he’d more than an earful on the way there.

It had started with an envelope lying on their doorstep, the neat script of an invitation. The words are vague but with Morland’s signature at the bottom they’re not all too surprised. It was her mother’s call, however, that cleared the air real quick.

“Is there a dress code for tonight?” Her mother’s words catch her off guard as soon as she answers the phone. A familiar ache of dread spreads through her, could she be having a bad episode or worse did Watson herself forget their plans.

“Tonight?” She echos, eyes meeting Sherlock’s as his head peaks up from the cold cases he was studying. He tilts his head in concern but she simply waves him off.

“Please tell me I didn’t get the dates mixed up. I basically forced your brother to cancel all his appointments tonight so that he could be there.”

“Mom what are you talking about?” She huffs a little impatient.

“Your engagement party of course.” Sherlock’s head snaps up this time, clearly listening in the entire time. He mouths a few words of panic which she returns in kind. “I know your step sister received one too because she gave me an earful over you not telling her about your engagement. Now I’ve never met Morland but your brother did look him up-” Her words drone off as the information clicks into place.

Morland has set up an engagement party for them, without their notice. Anger courses through her entirely before her mother’s rather cross words come back to her once again.

“Joan Watson, you are not missing out on your own engagement for a case do you hear me? The man or woman will still be dead tomorrow and I’m getting pictures.” She curses under her breath.

“No mom, there’s no case.” Sherlock drops his head into his hands rubbing his eyes in frustration. “I’ve got to go. Sherlock is calling.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Watson tilts her head back trying to summon every ounce of patience she has. It’s not her mother’s fault they’re in this situation. Well, not entirely.

“Wear your black dress that you wore to Oren’s wedding. Gotta go mom. Love you.”

It’s a test, that much they’d figured out together. Sherlock supplements the gestures of a happily engaged couple: kissing her on the top of her head, guiding her to and fro with a hand placed on her lower back, whisperings in her ear which were just nonsensical facts in order to get a laugh out of her.

None of which could distract her from the other set of eyes on her. Morland bounces from person to person using this moment as an excuse to further his own relationships with various shady figures.

“Joan!” A familiar voice brings a brief sense of relief. The faceless crowd parts for Lin to strut through arms wide for a hug. “This party is… wow. I mean I’ve been to some parties in my time but I’m pretty sure I just saw John O’Hara.”

“I’ll go get us some water.” Sherlock excuses himself. For a brief second she wants him to stay. While uneasy, his presence brought a sense of safety. A unity together in a crowd of unknown.

“This better not be some undercover stunt because I canceled a really high profile meeting just to be here. Not that this won’t look great on instagram but it was a lot of zeros.”

“No it’s real.” She feels a touch of guilt for lying to Lin, part of her thinks that’s why she tried to leave her out of this. The excitement in her eyes as she spots the ring is a little too much to bear as rapid fire excited words spill from her step sister’s mouth. A mix of talk about a dress, maids of honor, all of it too overwhelming and too fast.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Dark lined eyes pop into her vision. “Is your car the dark mercedes parked on the side of the road? I think you’re about to get towed.”

“What?” Lin screeches. “We’re not done.” She states before running off as fast as she can without plowing over ten people in the process.

Kitty throws her a glance, it’s enough to tell her Kitty knows everything. Whether it be that she’d deduced it or Sherlock told her everything she couldn’t tell. At that moment she didn’t quite care either. “Had to come in and save you. Looked like you were about to pass out.” She flashes a crooked smile scanning the crowd. “Where’s the lucky man? Do I have to go to his rescue too.”

“Thank you.” Watson sighs with a fond roll of her eyes. She can’t say much, not here, but she’s thankful for her presence nonetheless. “I take it you got the invite.”

“Of course, wouldn’t miss mom and dad’s engagement for anything.” Watson flashes her a warning glare but doesn’t correct her. “I’m not going dress shopping with you.” She warns.

“Hopefully I’m not either.” She keeps her voice low, Kitty probably didn’t even hear her over the crowd and the music but Sherlock taught them both enough about reading lips that she catches the meaning.

“Well you better get moving before Lin realizes she’s not being towed and uses the march back to plan your bachelorette party.” She nods, the words immediately kicking her into gear.

There are very few moments in life where Watson wished for a drink, she’d sworn off most when she became a sober companion. However, her patience is razor thin at the moment and it’s just waiting on a tipping of the scale.

She nearly jumps out of her skin when a hand wraps around her arm pulling her towards the hallways and into an empty room. She doesn’t fight the movement, actually rather thankful for the few moments where she can drop the act.

It takes her a few more seconds than it should for her to connect that the face in front of her is no other than Hannah Gregson. She looks different out of her uniform, her hair curled over her shoulders and adorned in a red dress. Watson braces herself for yet another round of questioning.

“Do you want to explain why the hell my dad called me telling me to check on his two detectives on my one day off? Or why they’ve supposedly gotten engaged without telling my dad which I had to listen to him rant and rave about for an hour. Or the next call from Bell asking if I could take his place and stake out an engagement party tonight. Did I mention it’s my day off?”

It takes Watson only a few seconds to piece together a story. “We’re investigating Morland.”

“Sherlock’s dad?” Her spine straightens, the frustration sliding off her features and the professionalism of an aspiring detective taking over. “What are you two into?”

“He took over Moriarty’s empire after she stepped down. It was a method to protect us. Sherlock thinks he’s gotten in too deep. He didn’t trust his father before but now it’s worse than ever. He thinks he might be operating for bad people.”

“Do you trust him?”

“That’s what I’m here to find out. We set up the engagement story to get into his element. Let him think that we had no idea that he’d do all of this.” She gestures to the party just outside the doors. “Let him control the invites which is why Bell and Gregson got some. If it were up to me or Sherlock they’d be left out of this.”

“Kitty too?”

“Yes.” She casts a glance toward the door hoping with all of her power that he wasn’t standing right behind the door listening. She may have lost him in the crowd when she was trying to get lost herself. Just as the thought crosses her mind she watches a shadow approach and linger, blocking the tight beneath the doorway. “Tell Tommy and Marcus we’re both sorry. We wanted to tell them about the engagement sooner but everything’s been happening so fast. Sherlock wanted to keep it secret but now.” She gives off a half chuckle casting her eyes to the door so that Hannah can catch up to what she’s observed.

Morland? She mouths the name, not even giving Watson time to nod before she continues the conversation. “Fine but you’re getting me another day off. I’m not the consultant babysitting service.”

“Thank you Hannah.”

She lingers rocking on her feet for a second. “Am I supposed to say congratulations or?” Watson lets out a forced laugh shaking her head. A swift knock interrupts her response, Hannah’s face falls into the veneer of perfect calm.

“There you are Ms. Watson.” Morland greets with a smile.

“Congratulations Joan.” Hannah offers a smile before nodding to Morland excusing herself out of the conversation. She watches as the younger woman leaves closing the door behind herself with only a slight hesitation.

“How are you enjoying the party?” The question feels like a trap in itself. He knows exactly how she’s been faring. He’s had watch on her all night, be it himself or his lackies. Honestly, she wouldn’t be surprised if he’d planned it all along to separate her and Sherlock so they could speak alone.

“What do you want?” The question comes off colder than intended but her patience has wasted away. All of this: the people, the chatter, the monotonous orchestral music constantly playing; she can see how Sherlock needed to get as far from it as possible.

“Is it not enough to try to make my son happy?” She rolls her eyes moving to step past him but he steps in her way instead. “We are celebrating, are we not?”

“This is not celebrating.” She counters with a raise of an eyebrow. “This is business.” While the crowd blended together she knew the types; wall streets, politicians, CEOs. All the types that send her and Sherlock’s skin crawling and the furthest from their choice of company.

“Nonsense, my son was engaged.”

“Is.” She corrects narrowing her eyes, “And Sherlock spoke with you before and made our wishes more than clear. We are not pawns to be used in your game. We wanted to keep this private and instead you announced it to our family without giving us time to do so ourselves.”

“I was under the impression that you already had told your mother.” He shakes his head with an ‘apologetic’ sigh. “I’m only trying to do what’s best for him.”

“What’s best for him?” She scoffs. “He’s a recovering addict and you’ve filled this place with alcohol and at least 22 people who are high and that’s only the ones visibly so. How is that what’s best for him?” She stops taking a steadying breath. “We’re leaving. You can keep your money, keep your protection, hell, keep the Brownstone. I want you out of his life.”

“You cannot keep him from me, he is my son.” The threat sends a chill down her spine but it’s not enough to sway her.

“He may be your son but he is my partner. Now move.” Truth be told in her head she’s hoping he doesn’t, for a moment she lets her mind linger on the image. He steps to the side allowing her to walk past.

“Does he know he’s not my only son you’ve slept with?” His words stop her dead in place. She spins slowly taking in his self satisfied smile. Before she can think better of it the sound of the slap resonates through the small room. She turns to retreat again only to find herself face to face with Sherlock.

His eyes are darker than she saw after Michael Rowan attacked her in their home, holding a barely contained anger vibrating just beneath the surface of his skin. He takes a step toward his father but she places her hands on his chest.

“Please, take me home.” Her voice tremors, her actions settling in on her. His face softens as he looks down at her. His hand takes hers, the skin still stinging from the impact of the slap. Wordlessly he guides her out, shielding her from curious onlookers and concerned family alike. Later he would send a message to Mary and Lin both explaining what had happened, probably Kitty as well. For now, however, his main concern is the woman trembling in his arms.

It’s not until the cold winter air hits her face that the tears start sliding down her face. Guilt weighs heavily on her shoulders. They’d built up this story, this lie, to keep their home but she had to blow it all up. She gave Morland exactly what he wanted.

“Watson.” She doesn’t look up at him. She doesn’t ask how much of that he’d heard. Truth be told he’d probably been lingering since Hannah pulled her aside.

“He doesn’t know.” The words come out so raw that it hurts. “He can’t throw that in my face when he doesn’t know.” Sleeping with Mycroft was a mistake, yes. She came to terms with the fact that she couldn’t take it back long ago. However, he was kind to her. He felt like the first person other than Gregson and Bell united with her to protect Sherlock. Someone who’d do anything for him. When he died it- “He doesn’t know.”

“I do.” Sherlock whispers pulling her into an embrace. “Thank you Watson.” He places a kiss on the top of her head as her carefully pieced together front crumples.

As she mutters apologies into his jacket he only pulls her closer.

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

@tamarknott @averageinside

You can also catch me here!

Twitter

Instagram - Art

Ao3

FFN

#joanlock #sherlock holmes x joan watson #sherlock x joan #elementary #elementary cbs #elementary AU #joan watson #Sherlock Holmes #morland holmes #can you tell i don't like morland #maybe #fake engagement au #Fake marriage au #a compromising engagement #it's good to be back #yall ready to fuck shit up?

3 notes · View notes

paragonrobits · 6 years

Note

Can you write a drabble of Star Butterfly meeting Optimus Prime?

Sure thing!

I read more’d it because it wound up longer than the four or five paragraphs i intended to do~

Star walked in an easy way, humming gently in a sing-song tunethat was almost catchy but just far enough on the side of 'what theheck is that' to put the tone of discordance into her music, justenough for other things that might have been listening to be put off.It was a free kind of sound, an echo of the wildness in her heart,and a few birds flew by, lured by her presence. They probably shouldhave taken note of the grass growing around her into bizarre colorsthat the human eye wasn't capable of perceiving, or of statues shemoved past blinking and getting off their pedestals to lodgecomplaints with the city over their poor upkeep.

Magic was a little bit alive; a little bit feral. Itpiled up and leaked out and flooded into everything, finding a homein any kind of shaped form or concept expressed on this materialplane, and Star exuded it like a thundercloud raining down on a dryplain. Apart from the noise and general chaos in her wake, sheresembled a storm cloud in several other respects.

Normally she might at least acknowledgethe weirdness springing up in her wake – if only to encourage it,since she took the view that Earth was a pretty boring place most ofthe time and good use some enthusiasm – but her attention wasfocused on a large truck idling against the street, slowly rollingafter her with the grace of a king.

No, she supposed, glancing back at itwas an awkward shyness that might have surprised her closer friends.Not like a king. She knew kings; her dad, for one, the innumerablemonarchs of the magical realms, a few Earthly monarchs she'd hoppedinto the lands of the dead to bother when no one else was around toplay with. She tended to find a lot of them to not exactly beterribly pleasant folks.

Whereas the semi truck, amonstrously big vehicle all painted in vibrant reds and blues andexuding so much majesty that it was pretty much what you'd get if youharnessed the power of a gorilla into a vehicle, had a quiet dignityand solemn air to it that reminded her of, of prophets. Youcould definitely see this truck wheeling up a mountain, listening toWhoever spoke up there, and coming back down to tell the people whatit had seen.

This was a truck that spoke with thelaws of the heavens. Star had seen it years ago, back when she'dfirst come to Earth; just a brief passing glance during a short tripto Nevada to see what the fuss was about with the mountains there.There had been other vehicles there too; a pair of motorcycles –one blue and ready to tear up the road, the other a serious policemotorbike – a dour ambulance that just looked plain grumpy, abattered DeLorean with a few parts missing or blown off, a big pinksemi truck just as big as the red one, and skulking in the shadowshad been an RV as big and brooding as a tyrannosaurus, and they allhad one thing in common.

All things were a little bitalive, as she understood it. Magic made things alive sometimes but itdidn't have to. The more complex thingswere, the more alive they became. Life was a funny thing; it poppedup everywhere. And in this universe, the one Marco and his planetexisted in, it liked to take shape in metal and plastic, steel andtin. Machines could live, every bit as flesh and energy did. Andthose vehicles, seemingly ordinary and old and battered by too muchharshness, they shone like lightning bolts to her senses.

She remembered the truck lookingright at her – and she didn't know how it could do that withnothing to actually see with but it did that anyway - and sheremembered stories that had been old when her kingdom was barely new;tales of this universe, of ancient heroes and wars for the right tobe what you wanted to be; of prophets that battled tyrants, andcalled monsters their brother. And she had seen the symbol upon thattruck's grill – on all the vehicles there, in fact – and it was asymbol she had seen in old books; a sign of divinity,freedom and the right to choosewho and what you were.

And it had taken her years towork up the courage to come back here, leaving behind little magicalsigns she was sure the truck would follow up on, and here it, here hewas, and now she had no ideawhat she was gonna do.

'Honestly, I didn't think I'd get this far,' sheconsidered, and came to a stop as they found a relatively quietlocation. The truck stopped as well, turning the corner and its hugewheels slowly grinding to a stop. She could nearly hear gearsshifting laboriously. Age wafted from it, him, like cold steam office. There were mountains thatseemed younger than this entity, and that was a big deal forsomething that was genuinely alive.

“I think it's okay for you to, uh,show yourself?” She rocked back and forth, humming again out of avague desire to hear more noise.

The truck beeped, almost honkingbut gently so. It was barely a noise, almost a modulated whistle fromthe horn. A voice issued from it, deep and soft, withan accent she couldn't quite place but figured was probably somethinglike Space Texas. “I am myself,little one,” he said gravely. “In this shape, or any other.”

She tilted her head. “Huh?”

Various sections of the truck shifted,very gently. It reminded her of someone getting up and stretching abit. “This shape is me. Where I to stand up, it would be just asmuch me as I am now.” A slight pause. “With greater chance ofattracting attention. You wouldn't want the people here to have theirday disrupted, would you?”

Star considered this weightily. Shehadn't thought about it much. In her opinion anyone's day could use agood dose of disruption; a bit of chaos was good for the thinkingbrain-meats! She found the idea of protracted calm to be vaguelyoffensive, but it was very difficult to argue with that voice. Subtleharmonics had a teacher quality to it; there was no disapproval in itbut there was, so to speak, a hint that disapproval could be adefinite option if you didn't watch it, Young Lady.

Normally paternal orauthoritative disapproval had about as much the same effect on her asa chocolate hammer trying to smack a furnace, but the idea of OptimusPrime being disappointed at hersuddenly made her brain sink right out of her head, down into herstomach and marinated in guilt juices before zipped right back andinsisting that she watch herself, you FOOL.

(None of that, incidentally, was reallya metaphor. Being a quasi-dimensional being has its odder traits whenit comes to consistent anatomical details, and its a lot weirderstill when you were as soaked full of raw magical potential as Starwas.)

She saluted. “Yes sir! Optimus! Sir!”

“Please don't,” he asked gently.“You're not one of my Autobots; you have no obligation to addressme as a superior.” A brief pause, and he added, “Your highness.”

If Star had more than a cursoryinterest in etiquette and the very subtle ways that inflections alonecould be used more efficiently than a sword, she might have realizedthat he'd turned the tables on her, one upping her in the game ofcomplicated titles. She missed it, but that wasn't too surprising.She just giggled, bouncing down on her feet. “Come onnnn~” shesaid, sing-song again and her mood rebounding to a different planeagain. “I wanna see your cool robot form, sir! Pleeeeeease?”

The truck exuded polite obstinance.Eons ago, ancient senators and Functionalist ministers had despairedat convincing little Orion Pax to transform out of his block-shapedalt mode to deliver a report. Millions of eons of eternal warfare hadeven put a bit of an edge to his stubbornness.

“...I know you fight weirdsupervillians and evil space monsters in this city all the time!”Star said, trying another tack, with just the right amount ofwheedling in her voice. “And Detroit, too? You transform all thetime to fight then! I wanna seeeee~!”

“Yes, I do transform frequentlyduring a need to do so in public,” Optimus mused. One of his wheelsrevved slowly, in a manner identical to someone putting clasped handstogether. “To fight monsters. And do you see any right now?”

“...I could make some?” Star saidhopefully.

“I would rather you not, yourhighness. My point being, the people of this city are use to seeingme active only during times of great peril.” A slight pause, tomake his point. “They would likely assume this is such a time, andreact accordingly.”

“Ooh! That sounds fun!”

“I fear I am not getting theright impression across.” Optimus had to acknowledge that Starrather reminded him of some young, feisty and particularly stubbornSparklings he'd known; Rodimus, his and Elita-1's firstborn, had beenlike that until... wait, no, he was still like that, Optimus notedwith amusement. Bumblebee was a more accommodating child, but hadfancied himself a schemer, somethingthat never failed to fill parents with both pride and frustrateddread. And of course, when he himself had been younger... well.

The humans had a term; 'hell raiser'.It hadn't been even half of what Orion Pax had gotten up to. Becominga revolutionary and toppling the Functionalist system had been alogical progression.

A thought occurred to him; he'd rarelymet beings from actually outside his universe – and he wasn'tentirely sure if the divine presence of Primus counted, and it wasn'tsomething he care to speculate on – and he'd certainly nevertraveled beyond it. This seemed to him to be a rare and fascinatingopportunity for some... what did the humans call it? A culturalexchange?

“I suggest a proposal,” he saidsolemnly. “You can travel to other realms than this. Correct?”

“Yeah-huh!”

“If you agree to allow me to visitthem alongside you, I shall do so in my bipedal form!”

“EEEEEEE!” She bounced up and down,clapping and turning several trees into very confused whales made ofwood with tiny little bug legs. They walked off, and their destiniesled them to become lawyers, but that is not our tale today. Variousother magical weirdness happened around her as she tried to think ofa place that would appeal to Optimus. “Um... um... let me think?”

“Take all the time you require, youngone.”

“Okay.” she paced aroundthoughtfully. “Uh... how about the Autochthonian Realm of Brass andShadows? The realm that comprises the body of the Machine-Titan,Autochthon the Great Maker? It's all full of robots and people makingposes, you'd like it!”

“Your information may be rather outof date. The titan Autochthon reformatted himself into Primus eonsago. The Realm of Brass and Shadows is my homeworld, Cybertron, now.”

“Dang it! Hmm. Sigil, the City ofDoors? It's very easy to get into, there's all kinds of need thingsthere? Like, uh... libraries and-”

“LIBRARIES, YOU SAY.” Optimus' tonehad a sudden raise of excitement.

“Ooh, yes!” She thought thatsounded kind of boring but it was nice to see him hyped up.

“Ah, yes- wait. I forgot, we mustn't.I and my Autobots have been banned from there for sixteen more humanlifetimes.”

“For what?” Star asked, put out butcurious.

“...It is not for me to say,”Optimus said after a moment, with just an edge of awkwardness to it.“There was a trailer full of rubber chickens, sixteen pots ofgrease, an authentic copy of the Necrotelecomnicon, the multiverse'sthird largest ball of yarn, and... ah yes. Exactly onecomically oversized noveltymonocle.”

“I don't get it!”

“I didn't either but I stillallowed the Dinobots and Aerialbots to put on that street improvperformance. And for their sins, we are barred from the City ofDoors.” He sighed longingly, for the libraries. “And I never evengot to see what they were going to use the ball of yarn for.”

Star immediately vowed to exploit timetravel just to go back in time and see what happened there. (And thenrecord the whole thing. And put up the videos on the Multiverseinternet, if it looked funny.) “Okay, so Sigil is no good...”

She brought up a dozen otherpossibilities, which received varying degrees of enthusiasm fromOptimus Prime. She was determined to find one that suited hisinterests; she would see her hero's most famous form, or she wouldengage in shenanigans trying!

In between her proposal to visit theElemental Realm of Ranch Dressing (a pretty niche realm, and notlikely one that would be healthy for his mechanisms or tires) andpaying a brief stop to the depths of the mind-realms to bop from onedream bubble – self contained realities made from memories,feelings and time lines that could have been, which made them handyfor exploring what ifs – that she remembered something.

For it has been asked, what doesa hero like Optimus Prime actually do forfun? What does a prophet of Primus, the champion of Cybertron, andthe living face of everything the Autobots stand for do when nothingis terribly pressing on him? Most people assume something along thelines of ceremonial dueling, or perhaps combat races. But they wouldbe wrong; he had quite enough fighting in his day to day, he didn'twant it in his recreation.

What Optimus Prime reallyliked to do, Star would learn,was... well. He liked to read. And throw basketballs at unsuspectinghumans, or drive around mountains while blasting 80s rock ballads forno apparent reason, but mostly reading.

“Hold a moment,” he said. “IF youwould... what did you say before?”

“What? About the Realm of EternalItchiness? It's really kinda overrated.”

“No, no. Before that.”

She thought about it. “The AkashicLibraries?”

“Please elaborate.”

“It's, um...” as she explained itto him, the Akashic Libraries, or the ones she knew of, could bedescribed as the sum total of all human knowledge, all possiblestepping stones to enlightenment that had ever been discerned or feltor written down in all creation across the multiverse. This was a bitof a misnomer, of course.

It wasn't just humanknowledge in there. Humans wereyoung, yet to reach their full stride as a civilization in terms ofnavel contemplating questions. Every species that had ever thought,their memories and words where in those libraries. Every book thoughtburned, it was there. Every scroll smashed to hide its contents, acopy of it was in those libraries. Every data track, every binaryengram, every single conceivable method of storing thoughts andleaving them for others to read and learn from them, was in thoselibraries.

Cybertron was long gone. It'sknowledge, lost but for the few relics and archives the Autobotswhere able to hide away with them before the Decepticons laid theirown world to ruin. So much had been lost, never to be regained, but,in the Akashic Libraries... they were there. They were waiting to beremembered.

Optimus' engine revved up at thethought of that, of all the civilization's memories dwelling withinthere, countless alien societies and their thoughts waiting to belearned, their languages understood and their texts comprehended-

“I believe,” he said, trying veryhard to contain his excitement. “I would like to visit there.”

“Neat!” Star said, summoning up aportal. “Fair warning, we'll probably get lost and have a wholebunch of weird and silly diversions before we actually get there.Rule one of traveling the multiverse.”

Optimus said, “I believe Rule One is'do not be incautious with small, wrinkly, smiling old bald men'.”

“I think that's just for in general!Not for traveling the multiverse, specifically.”

“Hrm. A good point.” There was abrief pause as he receive a notification. “Pardon me. One of mysub-commanders wishes to have a word.”

“Okay!” She turned away and hummedhappily to herself.

Optimus spoke in Cybertronianpulse-speech, incomprehensible to most organics, and thus entirelyprivate. “Optimus here.”

The growling, bassy voice of Grimlock –a rare beastformer who had chosen to reformat himself so that hisprimary form was a beast mode rather than a bipedal humanoid frame,and his alt mode was whatever vehicle he'd scanned lately –responded. His normal difficulties with language were considerablyreduced in this particularly intimate form of speech. “Prime. Did Ijust hear you plannin' on going on some cosmic hunt with a weirdmagic kid-thing?”

“...Perhaps...”

“Are there gonna be shenanigans!?”Grimlock demanded.

“Almost certainly.”

“And you're going withoutus to have fun adventures!? Waitfor some of us before I drag you home and make you sing atSwoop's music night!”

Optimus shuddered, but held firm. “I'mso sorry but I do believe you're breaking up-”

“Am not! You know the rules; no funadventures on your own, we gotta come with! It's no fun leavingeveryone else off.”

“Yes but- wait. How did you knowabout my conversation with the cosmic magic princess?”

“Oh, I know all kinds of things aboutyou. I spy on you all the time! I have achieved supreme consciousnessand exist in all points simultaneously, and I gaze into your mind andknow it at all times.”

“...I doubt that.”

“Yeah,” Grimlock admitted. “Imade that up. I actually have Swoop flying a couple thousand feetabove you with a really goodcamera. Say hi, Swoop.”

“TOP OF THE WORLD, MA!”Swoop screamed cheerfully. Swoop had decided to only speak in popularmovie quotes this month, and they were just going to have to put upwith that for a while.

“I shall take this underadvisement.” Optimus spoke next to Star again. “Your highness, Ihave been informed that at least one of my Autobots wants toaccompany us.”

Star bounced up and down happily again.“Ooh! Which ones?”

“I'm not sure.” Optimus rang upGrimlock once more. “Who wishes to come along?”

Grimlock counted them off. “Uh, let'ssee. Elita-1 says she's sick of you having sweet adventures while shehad to be all responsible and scrap, so she wants to come with. Igotta go, no question. Dad Wheeljack is probably gonna show up so, beready for that. And the kids want to come, too!”

“Ah, the Technobots. Which ones?”

“All of them. They're combined intoComputron and refuse to split up so... yeah. Be prepared for that.”

“Understood.” Optimus returned hisattention to Star. “I have excellent news, and some veryunfortunate news.”

“Gimme the good stuff first!”

“Firstly,” said Optimus. “We havea set group and they will likely ensure your safety. My fellowcommander and wife, Elita-1, shall be coming. One of mysub-commanders, Grimlock, will also be attending.”

“Which one is he?”

“...He is the RV that transforms intoa robot tyrannosaurus.”

Star made an excited noise that couldnot possibly be translated into human terms without the use of acouple foghorns, a very startled cat, and a full orchestra.

“As well as one of his fathers,”Optimus continued. “And his children. Who are presently fused intoa super-giant robot and unlikely to defuse any time soon.”

“OH MY GAWD THAT'S EVENBETTER!” Star got so excited she fell over, flopping in place andvibrating with joy, what a wonderful day this had become.

#star vs the force of evil #optimus prime #transformers #crossovers #my writing #fics #randomnumbers751650

9 notes · View notes

multicatnoodles · 5 years

Text

MinJi’s Merman Part 4

Summary: Hansol recalls a memory when he sees the merman in the tank.

Word Count: 1,623

Fandom: Seventeen

Characters: Hansol, Minghao, Mingyu, Seungkwan

Pairings: None

Triggers: Blood mention

Other: supernatural creatures au, part of “Tales of Sciltroa”

AO3 link Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

The room was bigger than the other aquarium rooms. It was open in the center with some small tanks lining a few walls. Against the far wall, was a huge tank filled with several fake plants. There were various fish swimming around in it. But what was in the center caused the corners of Hansol’s mouth to tug down. A merman sat in a little hollowed out part of the rock wall. Hansol knew something was wrong. Something was very wrong. He couldn’t quite figure it out until the merman noticed his presence and turned towards him. A conversation from the other month replayed in Hansol’s memory.

***

Hansol had gone to an event in Daejeon his friend Minghao was throwing. It was an event for Sciltroans only and everyone who was someone was going. Personally, Hansol was attending simply because Minghao asked him to. He was never one to judge others, but the last time he was at an event that had more than five different species mixed together didn’t end well. Though he did suppose it was the ogre's fault for insulting the small faery which insinuated the fight. Either way, Hansol had fled before things got too rough and Hunters showed up. He had nothing against Hunters, he just didn’t feel like filling out all the paperwork of being an eyewitness.

Nevertheless, Hansol showed up to the club Minghao rented out for the night. Loud music could be heard from a block away. Inside was packed as various creatures danced, drank and mingled. Since no Munprarians were allowed in, everyone was free to be themselves. Animal shifters had ears and tails out. Faeries’ wings glittered under the changing lights. Warlocks had their marks on display. Vampires smiled wide enough to flash their fangs. Hansol silently prayed to whatever deity was listening that no one got too drunk and started a fight.

He weaved his way through a throng of people trying to find a familiar face. It was hard with the amount of people, but one did catch his eyes. He couldn’t recall the name of the faery. Yet he was certain he had seen him around before. Yes. He definitely had. He remembered the red hair falling into pinkish purple eyes. He remembered the moon and star earrings. He remembered the soft pink dragonfly-like wings. The short faery was most definitely the one who had been in the fight last time. Hansol quickly changed directions just in case. He really did not want to be around if another fight broke out.

Hansol made his way to the second floor of the club. His eyes scanning for Minghao. He found the vampire leaning over a rail overlooking the dance floor with a glass full of presumably blood delicately held in one hand. Hansol called out to the elder who perked up and turned to face him with a grin.

“Glad you could make it!” Minghao shouted above the music.

“Yeah. Hopefully it doesn’t end like last time.” Both chuckled. Minghao returned his gaze to the dancefloor. Hansol stood beside him and looked down, “Someone peak your interest?”

“Not really. It’s just Jun,” Minghao pointed and Hansol followed to see where he was pointing at. Down below, Jun- Minghao’s half brother- was dancing with a brunette haired demon. Hansol couldn’t see the demon’s face, but the red and black wings prodding from the back seemed familiar. “I hope Jun knows what he’s getting into with that high ranking of a demon.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Hansol reassured him. The two continued to chat for a bit. At some point another one of their friends, Mingyu, joined them. It was a bit odd to see the tall male with his wolf ears and fluffy tail on full display. He usually kept them hidden even around other Sciltroans. Something about his hearing being overly sensitive and not liking people trying to feel his tail. Hansol never questioned it. It was Mingyu’s choice to do as he pleased.

“Did you two hear?” Minghao asked suddenly, “About the kid who disappeared from Jeju?”

Both Mingyu and Hansol shook their heads. Minghao sighed and rested his head on the palm of one hand. His gaze still on the floor below as he spoke, “Apparently a merman was kidnapped. He went out for a night swim by himself. When he didn’t come back in the morning, his mother grew worried. Hunters found his bike and all the belongs he took with him still by the pond.”

“Who do they think took him? A Sciltroan or human?” Mingyu inquired.

“The Hunters had the local pack in the area check it out. They said it was hard to tell, but seemed like humans.”

“That’s horrible… How would they have even known?” Hansol asked, fear lacing his voice.

The vampire shrugged, “I don’t know. Keep an eye out for him both of you, please.” It wasn’t so much as asking, but telling them to do so. Minghao pulled out his phone and opened up his gallery, “I had them send me the most recent picture of him available.”

Hansol looked at the photo. There was a boy smiling widely with his arms wrapped around an older woman- most likely his mother. He had short blonde hair and soft brown eyes. His face was full. He didn’t look much older than Hansol which made his stomach churn. Minghao put his phone away after a few minutes.

“In his true form, he has a blue tail with pink fins,” the elder informed.

***

Blue tail with pink fins. Blue tail. Pink fins. Blue tail. Pink fins. The words echoed in Hansol’s mind. He stared at the merman in the tank. He looked at his face. It was a bit chubby, but looked like he wasn’t being fed properly. The merman had long blonde hair with dark roots growing in. His tail was a pale blue with pink fins. There was no doubt. This had to be the missing boy.

The merman was looking at him with his head tilted. He seemed confused. Hansol stared into his eyes, “You… You’re the merman who was taken. Aren’t you?”

He watched the merman form an x with his arm before tapping one of his ears. He could see his lips moving, but no sound came out. The glass is sound is soundproof… Just my luck… Hansol looked around to see if there was anything for him to write on and with. Nothing. Absolutely nothing useful was around him. He looked back at the merman sadly. The merman still looked confused as he swam a little closer to the glass. The two held eye contact with not much else to do.

Hansol vaguely remembers bringing his hand up to the glass. He didn’t really mean to, but it seemed like the right thing to do and instinct took over. The merman broke eye contact to look down. Hansol could see the other bringing his arm up as well in the edge of his vision. They locked eyes again.

It felt like forever that Hansol stood there. Finally after some point, he reluctantly dropped his arm and stepped away. He kept his eyes trained on the merman as he took several steps back. Once he was several feet away, the glamour shifter turned away and walked out. He went straight back to the hotel. His thoughts were clouded and jumping all over the place. He was trying to figure out what he could do.

In the hotel room, Hansol called Minghao. He didn’t bother checking what time it was in Korea currently, if Minghao was even still there. It didn’t matter. The vampire never slept. He was rarely ever too busy to pick up a call. He picked up on the third ring. Hansol didn’t give him a chance to say a single word, “Hyung. I think I found him. The merman who was kidnapped. I’m sure it was him.”

“You- what? You mean Boo Seungkwan?”

“If that’s his name, yes. Blue tail with pink tips. Blonde hair. Brown eyes. Who else could it have been?”

“I’ll send you the picture real quick. Are you absolutely certain it was him.”

Hansol’s phone pinged as the picture was sent. He looked at and remembered the face of the man in the tank, “Yes. One hundred percent certain. Hyung he was underwater for over fifteen minutes without coming up for air or a tank. He has the same face and tail. It was him. What do I do?”

“Hmmm… You should inform the local Hunters. They’ll take care of it,” Minghao explained, “They’re trained for these kinds of things.”

“How long would they take?”

“Uhh… I don’t know… They’d need to get evidence and such first. Is it a Munprarian keeping him captive or a Sciltroan?”

“Human I believe.”

“Then they’ll have to play by human laws which could take a while. Wait. Hansol, you’re not thinking of taking matters into your own hands are you?”

“Hyung. I have to help him. And fast. He looks under fed and tired and like he isn’t being treated properly which he probably isn’t. I can’t wait while the Hunters sit around trying to collect evidence.”

“Hansol you’re alone. It’s dangerous-”

“I know.”

“... Then be careful. And at least inform your dad before you bust him out.”

“You know my dad wouldn’t let me. He’d tell me into the police.”

Minghao sighed, “So you’re going to try and break Seungkwan out. Without your dad knowing and without telling the Hunters. Then what? You bring him to the hotel, then tell your dad what happened and bring him back with you? That’s it?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re only there for a week. Act fast.”

“I will.”

0 notes

mischievousmoonhunter-blog · 7 years

Text

Shadow of the Stars

A Captain America and Winter soldier story

Jaylin Rogers has always struggled with being the daughter of Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, mostly because of her lack of freedom. After a failed attempt to do something about this, her life is changes forever when a shadow from her father’s past returns to haunt her.

Chapter One

@skeletoresinthebasement @38leticia @purplekitten30 @fetalpositionokay @lokiyoulittle @all-hail-the-fandom @fanfictionreblog @chipilerendi --------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

‘Damn it, Steve! You’re not coming with us!’ ‘You’re not telling me what to do, Tony!’ ‘You are too involved in this!’ ‘That’s exactly why I should go!’ ‘You are not yourself! You’ll endanger the mission!’ ‘No, I-' the moment I set foot into the room they shut up, their heads snapping in my direction. I had been hearing their angered voices from afar, right through the door and walls of the Tower. They hadn’t intended me to come across them fighting,; they tried to settle their differences when I wasn’t around, and usually I tried to steer clear from any arguments. This time, however, I was unusually drawn towards their fight. Tony and dad stood opposite each other, their faces tense. Dad was glaring, while Tony seemed more aggravated and almost tired. He didn’t seem to be worried about my father’s clenched fists, or how close he was standing. Tony stood with his feet slightly apart, steady, determined to hold on to his own right. Both stepped back when they realised it was me. I stood stiff in the doorway, not sure if I should come nearer or if even wanted to step into this bubble of negativity and anger. However, I had to say something. My heart demanded it. ‘You’re going after him.’ It wasn’t even a question. Only this subject could make my father so tense and emotional. It was Tony who pulled himself together first. He took another step backwards, straightening his shirt. It was one of his dark t-shirts with attention seeking graphics. ‘Yes. And we are going, while your father stays home,’ he said explicitly. At that, dad shot Tony one of the deadliest looks I had ever seen him give anyone, including myself. Before he could restart their argument, I stepped in. My voice trembled slightly when I spoke. ‘Dad, don’t go.’ Instantly, dad was a fish on dry land. His mouth moved, but no sounds came out. ‘What?’ I let my breath escape through my nose. This had to be approached with deliberation and logical arguments, for my dad’s eyes betrayed his heart had already decided. ‘Tony’s right. You are too involved. It’ll make everything even more dangerous.’ Instead of looking satisfied at getting support, Tony’s face fell. Frustration crossed his face. ‘I’m sorry, Steve. This is best.’ Dad looked at me. Betrayal flickered in his eyes, before it settled into acceptance. His eyes carefully scanned my face. ‘You must be right. Perhaps I can’t think straight anymore.’

Side by side, dad and I watched as Tony, Natasha and Sam set out on their mission. They all hugged me before they left, even Tony. ‘Keep your father safe,’ he told me quietly. He glanced at dad, who was trying really hard to keep his face straight. I knew it was difficult for him, knowing they were going to trap his friend, and he wouldn’t be there. But we couldn’t just hope Bucky would recognise him and come willingly. The last time we’d seen him, he’d still been HYDRA’s weapon - the well-oiled machine programmed to destroy us. They might have been going after HYDRA for a while now, it had not been until very recently they had found traces of their most lethal force. This only meant that even with most of HYDRA gone, he knew how to use the shadows to stay unseen. ‘Please, try not to hurt him,’ I whispered. ‘I know he’s done many… horrible things. But I swear, it wasn’t him. He didn’t know what he was doing. He- he helped me.’ Tony shot me a worried look. ‘He shot and kidnapped you, Jay.’ ‘I know. Still…’ How to explain the things I owed Bucky? How could I ever explain to anyone who had never experienced how it was to be ripped from your own mind I wouldn’t be there without him? Perhaps I should tell them more, about the drawings, the whispered memories, the quiet help in the darkness, but I hadn’t. I just couldn’t bare it to let myself go back to that prison again and tell anyone of that bond I had formed with this broken human being. Tony looked sympathetic. He probably thought this was some form of Stockholm syndrome. ‘Please, Jay. Look after yourself, too.’ As they all left after their concerned goodbyes, I realised that I was their broken human being. They had seen me shattered, and knew it wouldn’t take much for me to fall in fractures to the ground. So, even though they were the ones tracking the most dangerous assassin that had ever lived, it was only my wellbeing they were worried about.

Without either of us making a sound, dad and I turned around, returning to our separate rooms. However, not until we’d looked each other in the eye, giving a subtle nod. We would just have to wait - wait, and hope for the best. On moments like these, I realised how much my father and I were alike. Both realised we needed some time to sit alone, going over all the thoughts in our head. We could’ve sat with each other, using empty words to reassure each other everything would be alright. But we had never benefited from empty promises, even if meant to calm us. In my room I sat, with my knees curled up to my chest, trying not to feel. Because there was simply too much to feel; a fear like a cold, metal hand around my heart… accompanied by a guilt – it was my guilt towards my father, who had wanted to go so badly. But I just couldn’t let him; if he’d get hurt, or worse… I just couldn’t lose him. Besides, I told myself dad would probably be too distracted to be of any help. He’d only endanger the mission and the team… right? Suddenly, images of my dad, hurt and bloody, crawling on the ground, arose in my mind. His hands were shaking terribly, as they tried to find grip on the rough floor. Then they slipped from something shiny and metal. A rough edge cut his hand, he cried out and pulled his hand back. More blood fell to the earth. Something vaguely red and blue came into focus. Even though it was badly damaged, I recognised it nonetheless: it was my father’s shield. The shield I had grown up with. The shield that was practically my brother and which I had despised so many times. Yet, when I saw it like this, without barely any paint left, dented and scratches more than ever before, and broken in half, it crushed my heart. This isn’t real, I reminded myself. This is only my mind losing it again. I gasped for air. I gasped again, and again, and again. Air, I thought, I need air. But it didn’t enter my lungs. It seemed to disappear the moment it touched the inside of my mouth. The walls started spinning, the bed started waving. The ceiling was coming down, or was the floor moving up? I didn’t know anymore. I only knew I was dying. I tried to cry out, I tried to tell dad he should watch out, that he had to live, because I needed him. No voice. Only gasping. While rocking back and forth. No! This isn’t really happening; dad is in this building. He’s safe. This. Is. Not. Real. I clenched my jaw, determined to keep my lips pressed together. At fist my brain screamed at me I would suffocate, that I would choke myself. Then the rapid breathing seemed to slow down, and the world stopped spinning. I let my nose do the inhaling and the exhaling. My mouth had been blocked by my trembling fingers from the moment I started making weird noises like a dying fish. They were wet, just like my face. My eyes stung. My vision was still blurry. I fell over, my face pressed into my pillow.

What was I doing? I wondered. How could I ever support dad? And how could I ever help Bucky once they’d retrieved him? In this state I was no help to anyone. Music, I thought. I need music. Music would calm me down. Still with trembling fingers, I managed to squeeze the small earbuds into my earholes. I wiped the screen. It didn’t work. A small trail of water remained. Quickly, I wiped my hands dry and pressed upon the buttons until familiar, repressing melodies filled my ears. However, it still wasn’t enough. My heart was still pounding too rapidly. I needed something else, something to distract me. Running. That’s what I had always done in my former life. I couldn’t go outside. Frankly, I didn’t have any desire to do anything of the kind, but I could still stretch my legs.

Thud. Thud. Thud. My footsteps echoed quietly around the bright hallways. I watched the outside world, with its city lights and tall buildings; its roads and tiny cars; its people, going about their ordinary lives. A city free from dangers it would never know. Behind it all, the sun slowly started to set. It approached the skyline until only its fierce rays protruded from behind towers, all very unlike this one. The sun glistened from a thousand windows hurting my eyes, yet I didn’t look away. I kept looking, and I kept running, until a familiar quinjet appeared between the stars in the already dark sky.

Chapter Sixteen

#bucky imagine #avengers imagine #bucky x reader #reader x bucky #Bucky Barnes #the winter soldier #Steve Rogers #captain america #sam wilson #falcon #natasha romanoff #Black Widow #tony stark #Iron Man #Sebastian Stan #Shadow of the Stars #captain america x daughter

20 notes · View notes