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headinthestaticsky · 3 years

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The Phenomenon of the Immortal Sun: Jasper Hale x Fleur Swan, Chapter 1

Summary: It was time for Fleur Swan to become Fleur Hale/Whitlock. She has started to adjust to the lifestyle of a vegetarian vampire as well as her powers, which she seems to develop a new one once in a while. But what happens when something happens that none of the Cullens are prepared for.

"Nature will get her way Though you took her for a fool Walking on the lake Frozen under you."

Run Cried the Crawling by, Anges Obel

When Bella got home from Vegas with Edward at her side it was the most pissed off my dad had ever been at her. He knew she would throw out the "I'll move away." Card on him but he wasn't fazed by it anymore. She was married, and a adult... he couldn't stop her. It was satisfying to see dad finally stand up to her, letting go of the fear of losing her. Bella eventually developed a guilty look on her face while Edward tensed by her side. She decided that she would have her honeymoon after Jasper and I got married, since dad would know we would both be out of the house. It confused me since she would have to wait 5 months just to go on her honeymoon, it also delayed her changing into a vampire. Since they both agreed to do it on there honeymoon.

Regarding me however my eyes are still a dark red rose color, which completely puzzled the Cullens. It confused me as well...knowing that after a year of transformation my eyes should be golden by now. I had never drunken an once of human blood but, my eyes were just as red as they were when I first turned. My blood lust got a lot better and I was beginning to gain control of my powers. It turns out I am also a shape shifter in a sense... I can transform myself into anyone I wanted to be. Things seemed to have calmed down it was nice to have a moment of serenity.

I stood in my room which was now void of my items being out on display. They were instead all in boxes stacked up on top of each other. Dad helped me out earlier in the day, it was nice to spend so one-on-one time with him while I still lived here. Bella was packing up too, excited to finally leave the house and become a vampire. She wouldn't let dad help her out however and spent her time locked up in her room. Probably waiting for Edward to enter and talk with her. I just sat down on my bed looking at my surroundings when I heard Jasper enter through my window.

"I was waiting for you to show up." I said grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him in for a kiss.

"Mmm, hello to you too." Jasper said.

"You're not going to believe who accepted my RVSP'd to the wedding..."

"Who is it?"

"My mom, her new husband is coming with her too."

"I hope they won't cause any trouble." Jasper grumbled.

"Well... the last thing I said to her was when I moved back down here when I was 15...I told her that next time I see her would be at my wedding. I then told her that she would enjoy the the open bar and her speech for me would be her barfing all over the place. So umm... be prepared for that to happen." I explained trying to hold in a laugh at the face Jasper made.

"Damn love...you're brutal sometimes."

"Thank you... that is so sweet to say!"

"You better get down to our place... Alice and Rosalie are waiting for you so they can throw you a Bachelorette party."

"Yeah... they'll probably break the house trying to get to me." I said and then began to laugh.

"Have fun darlin." Jasper said softly.

"You too, if Emmett, Edward, and Dean got you a stripper I will murder all of them."

"Don't worry about that darlin, we're merely going out to the woods to hunt bears... maybe a few mountain lions. Besides Edward won't be there anyway"

"Oh fun...wait, Edward won't be there?"

"Yeah... it seems he still holds a grudge after I called him a boy before the battle."

"Only a boy would be offended by that." I said

"I better go love you." Jasper replied and pecked my cheek.

"Love you too." I did the same thing, pecking his cheek. He left a few seconds afterward leaving me alone. I pulled on pair of boots and ran downstairs.

"I'll see you later dad, Rose and Alice are throwing me a little party."

"Alright Petal, love you."

"Love you too!"

I arrived at the Cullen's house in record time, my tracking ability had improved greatly. I zoomed up to the door and before I could open it Rosalie, Esme, Bree, and Alice stood there with excited smiles on their faces.

"The party has arrived." I said jokingly.

They all laughed and ushered me into the lounge room.

Bree had been living with us ever since the end of the battle, she struggled to conform to the diet after living off of human blood so long and she couldn't leave the house much since she was presumed dead. But Jasper has been helping her out a lot.

"I can't wait to see what you did with the venue outside... can I take a look?"

"No, you may not, Rosalie and I all agreed that you shouldn't see it until tomorrow. It'll be great with the pictures."

"Okay okay... is the dress finished?"

"Yes, now that you can see." Rosalie said, dragging me down to her room. A large vanity was set up with hundreds of makeup products. I turned around and saw my dress... it was beautiful.

(I know the dresses aren't exactly the same but just pretend the one showing off the back of the dress has sleeves haha.)

a"Oh my gosh Rose, you know my style so well."

"You're going to look beautiful tomorrow." Esme said, her gracious smile still on her face.

"Thank you guys so much... for everything."

"No problem Fleur, I can't wait for you to officially be a part of the family." Alice replied.

"So, how is everything back at home?" Rosalie said, already playing with my hair.

"It's tense...dad's pissed at Bella, Bella is pissed at dad. I still can't believe she actually eloped."

"Doesn't surprise me any... Bella's priorities have certainly changed." Alice grumbled.

"Yeah... not gonna lie though Alice they've always been like that, she just hid it from you guys pretty well."

"Yeah... I guess so." Alice said disappointment was on her face.

"Let's talk about something else...Fleur, did Jasper tell you where you two were going for your honeymoon?"

"No... he wants it to be a surprise, I can't wait to see where we're going."

"I'm sure it's going to be fun." Alice said, nudging me playfully.

"If I could blush right now, I would." I said.

Timeskip: The next day.

"Rosalie this is like we rehearsed it... smile and don't kill my mother." I reminded her.

"I'll try my best... Why does Bella have to be a bridesmaid again?" She said, brushing back my long black hair.

"Because I don't need my mother talking my ear off saying how selfish I am."

I saw Alice shake her head before going back to steaming my dress in the background.

"Fleur, Rosalie? Where are you guys?" I heard my dad call out.

"In here dad!" I called back.

"Renee get your butt up here your daughter is getting married. Get over this stupid grudge." I heard dad yell. Rosalie, Alice, and I all laughed.

"Aww, you look beautiful Petal." Dad said, smiling at me. I said Renee in the background she had a shocked look on her face.

"Thanks, Dad, you can thank Rosalie and Alice for all of this. Mom? You gonna come over? I'm not infected with anything you know."

She scoffed and walked up to me, we both gave each other fake smiles.

"Did you get plastic surgery? Your face looks... I don't know more sculpted." She said.

"No mother I just aged... the last time you saw me I was 15, I'm 20 now." I lied, everyone knew most vampires' facial features perfected when fully changed. But I couldn't exactly tell her that.

"Okay..." She said in a skeptical voice. I heard Rosalie growl behind me.

"Renee knock it off." Dad said he had a curt look on his face.

"Well since it's your wedding day we thought you needed something blue." Renee started, her face didn't look too happy.

"And something old, besides your mother." Dad joked, Rosalie and Alice let out a chuckle.

"Nice Charlie," Renee said rolling her eyes.

Dad then opened a jewelry box that had a hairpiece in it. I knew it was grandma swans.

"It was Grandma Swans, I added the Sapphires though, I thought it matched your ring pretty well. When the time comes around you can give it to your daughter." Dad said he handed it to Rosalie so she could put it in my hair.

"Aww thank you so much dad." I said I was lucky I didn't have my dress on yet so I could hug him.

"Should've saved this for Bella." Renee grumbled quitely.

"Oh no I forgot her veil, Rose could you come with me?" Alice asked.

Rosalie hesitated before answering.

"Sure..." They walked out a few seconds later.

"So... you stuck true to your guns. I didn't see you until your wedding day." Dad just looked at the two of us and walked out.

"Yep."

"How many men did you date before you got engaged to this one. I know how bored you can get." Renee said, implying I sleep around a lot.

"He's the first and only man I've dated." Renee's reflection was shocked in the mirror.

"Well... I knew my Bella would do that but... not, you." She said in a condescending voice.

"You have no idea what Bella has done."

"So who is he?" Renee said, ignoring my previous statement.

"His name is Jasper and he's an amazing, kind human being." I answered back, pride-filled my voice. I could suddenly feel Bella's presence behind the wall in the other room listening in on us.

"Sure... we all know women like you say that when the men have slept with you."

"You're childish insults do not bother me anymore mother."

"What childish insults? I'm stating facts." Renee said, acting innocent.

"Yeah, facts you convinced yourself are true."

"All I know is if my Bella wouldn't gotten married so young. So let's cut to the chase how far along are you?"

'I'm not pregnant Renee, I need to go help Rose and Alice find that veil." I got up to walk away when I got an idea.

"Oh by the way, Bella got married at nineteen in Vegas."

Renee just stood there in shock. I smiled in satisfaction.

"Enjoy the open bar!"

#jasper whitlock x oc #jasper whitlock #jasper hale x reader #jasper cullen #jasper hale #jasper hale x oc #carlisle cullen #emmett cullen #esme cullen #alice cullen #edward cullen #twilight saga #bella swan #twilight

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make-sterek-canon · 3 years

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That night I saved you || PolArm oneshot (KinnPorsche The Series)

Getting hurt being somebody's bodyguard is part of the job. It's inevitable.

Getting killed is another thing entirely. In Pol's eyes, it's unacceptable. Even more if the one at risk is Arm.

“That night I saved you”

[Pol’s POV] (Italics = emphasis/others; italics and bold = thoughts)

Extremely warm night. Sticky climate. His suit is completely ruined from all the sweat and dirtiness. There's also some blood mixed in there. Snot too, probably. Pol can't tell.

He's holding Arm down with one hand and the gun with the other. Arm is unconscious and not even responding to any external stimulus. All Pol can feel is his heart beating in his chest. Too slow to be noticed but it's something, some hope in the dark situation they're in.

Pol needs to get Arm out of there and fast or he'll lose him, and he's definitely not ready to say goodbye just yet. Maybe not ever.

He pushes the button on his earpiece but dead silence welcomes him from the other side. He takes off the damn thing rather violently. Time to put into action his last resort then.

"Pete! Pete!" His shouts fill the air. The bullets are still flying around and there's too much noise. He waits a few seconds, then tries again. Calling Pete desperately. Unrelenting sweat is falling down his face and neck, wetting even more his white (not anymore) shirt.

"Here!" He hears, and he sighs in relief.

"Listen! Can you handle it? I need to get Arm some help, he's in bad shape!"

"Go, I'll cover you!

That's all he needs to get going. Ducked behind a pile of sturdy-looking boxes, Pol tries to pinpoint Pete's position so he'll know where to move. Judging by his shouts he might be somewhere to the right and if Pol remembers correctly there's an exit that way. He needs to move to reach it though and it's easier said than done since he still has to protect both himself and Arm from getting hit by stray bullets. The only way is staying crouched while dragging Arm's motionless body.

Unresponsive as his fellow is, Pol is taking longer to do just that. He also needs to call someone to come and get them because they took Pete's car this time and of course he's the one that has the keys.

Pol curses under his breath. He'll definitely make a copy for next time. If there was a next time. There is still the possibility that none of them will survive the night after all.

After countless and torturous minutes he finds himself closer to the right side exit. This abandoned warehouse is big but not enough to get yourself lost.

Fortunately, no one has seen them and Pol hopes it stays that way for a bit longer.

"Hang in there, Arm. We're almost out."

He hasn't moved yet and Pol is starting to think that he's been dragging a corpse all along, but the sole thought is quickly getting to him and there's no time to lose.

The air is even more stickier and dense outside than inside the building, and Pol is heavily wheezing from the effort. Resting Arm's back against the facade, he places a hand on his chest to support him while taking the phone out with his free hand. Scratch that. He decides against it when not even two seconds have passed. They were not going to make it if they had to wait for someone from the major clan to come.

"Think, Pol. Think..."

Raising his eyes he suddenly notices an old gray Sedan some meters away, parked on the side of the smaller building, part of the main one but detached.

"This better work."

Hauling Arm as carefully as his own banged up body allows him, he walks to the vehicle. It should be easy to open since its windows are not armored as Pete's and the rest of their cars. Or if it's a getaway car as Pol suspects he could probably find the keys nearby, placed there for the owner to grant a fast escape.

First things first, he rests Arm against the car and checks to make sure it isn't open before looking for the keys. Crouching close to the driver's side tire Pol sticks his hand in the space between the car's fender and the tire, finding the keys on top of it. Bingo. After grabbing them he gets up and when a shot rings out, his hand opens on instinct dropping them to the ground. The bullet impacts against the gravel right next to where Arm is and Pol's breath stops working for a second, scared that he might have been hit.

"Where do you think you're going, scum? Put your hands up and turn around. Slowly."

Pol does as he's told, facing the man. He's pretty much average looking, not as big in size as Pol and he's definitely tired if his labored breathing is any indication. He has to take him down. And fast.

The quietness doesn't last long when the man steps forward with his gun still raised. The distance is shorter and Pol takes that chance to surprise his enemy, crouching down and getting some gravel to throw it to his face. That gets him a shout in response and he promptly throws himself against the man next to take the gun away. It flies off somewhere. But that's not the end of it. The man only needs a moment to collect himself and he attacks Pol. Avoiding blow after blow, he counterattacks when he has the opportunity, but he's not fast enough to block a sudden kick to the ribs. Falling to his knees in agonizing pain, Pol raises his head to look at the man, who's got a karambit and is brandishing it right in front of his face.

"Very nice... Just stay there like the dog you are. Fucking useless." He snickers and Pol flinches in disgust. "Your fuck-buddy must be dead, huh? Don't worry, you'll be following him soon enough..."

Pol glances Arm's way and his eyes tear up but he bites down hard on his lower lip to prevent the tears from falling. It's highly efficient since the pain distracts him from feeling anything else. He's not going to give the bastard the satisfaction to seeing him cry. Not for his own life, but for his fallen friend. The defiant look Pol sends the man's way makes him smile sadistically.

"Ah, that look... I'm so gonna enjoy butchering you like I would do a pig..."

A sudden movement causes Pol to look behind the man, a bit to his left. The man notices but it's not enough for him to turn around or even move. There's no time since he already has a bullet embedded in his skull. The dead body falls forward right into Pol but he moves before it touches him.

Still kneeling, he looks up at the shooter. Vegas.

"Empty promises... I hate people who are all bark and no bite the most." He says, with a gravely tone full of disdain.

And suddenly it's like a staring contest. But this time there's neither winner nor loser.

"Where's Pete?"

Pol is not sure if he should answer though he somehow knows that Vegas means no harm to his friend.

"Still inside."

"Get the fuck out of here or I'll finish you off. Less Kinn's bodyguards means less threats to my clan."

"Why won't you then?"

"What?"

"Finish us off."

"Let's just say that a certain someone wouldn't like that. Be grateful."

Guess who.

With nothing more to say, apparently, Vegas turns around and walks to the main building, gun in hand and ready. You can still hear some commotion happening inside. Pol watches him go for a second before getting up to get the keys from the gravel to open the car. He checks on Arm then, looking for his pulse in the neck. It's there. Weak, but there. Pol heaves a sigh of relief.

Getting him inside the car is not as easy at it looks but he manages to lay him down on the back seats. Pol is still not sure how is he that unconscious but he suspects he was brutally hit with something, and he worries that Arm might have a concussion since he's bleeding quite profusely from the head.

The road is completely empty on their way back and Pol speeds through it with too little care for anything else than getting Arm the help he needs.

Pol is so focused that he swerves and almost goes off the road when his phone rings unexpectedly, strident in the silent car.

His heart still in his throat, he answers after a few more tones ring.

"Pol, it's Pete."

"Hey... How are things there?" He asks the best he can, trying to steady his racing heart so it could return to normal.

"Calmer. I- I think we did it. The cargo is ours" Pete's voice is wavering a little, and Pol is not going to ask how they got it since he already knows. They had outside help and if Boss Korn found out he'd be anything but happy. But he won't say a thing. He's never been a whistleblower and he won't start now.

"Casualties?"

"Not many. We came prepared after all."

"Yeah..." Pol distractedly says, looking at Arm through the rearview mirror.

"What about Arm? Where are you taking him?"

"Where do you think?"

"Dr. Top? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Pol grips the steering wheel so hard that both his hands start hurting, and he asks with his teeth clenched. "I don't have many options at the moment, or do I?"

He doesn't trust the man either but it's also true that there's nobody else they can go to. Dr. Top is as mysterious as he is a good doctor, and he'll treat Arm fairly.

"Ok, ok. Do what you have to do."

Running a trembling hand through his thick and slightly sweaty hair, Pol exhales slowly. "Pete, Arm... he... I'm not sure if he's alive. He hasn't moved or anything since before we left. He had a pulse when I got him into the car, but it was weak. He... he may be dead for all I know and fuck, I'm not okay with that..."

"Pol, you need to calm down," Pete says softly. "It's going to be okay, you hear me? He's gonna be alright. He's one of the toughtest men I know. So stop thinking. It's definitely not helping."

"It's just-"

"No, and whatever you might want to say? Just keep it for when he comes around. Okay? Call me when you get there."

"Yeah."

"Pol."

"Yeah, alright. I'll call you."

"And... ?"

"Stop thinking. I got it the first time, Pete."

"Just in case you forgot."

"Right... See you."

"See ya."

Then Pol hears a "Vegas, what the f-" and suddenly the line is cut off.

He doesn't move or says anything for a while, but the silence becomes too much and he feels the need to fill it.

"Vegas came to help... Can you imagine? That sadistic bastard helping us... Well, more like helping Pete." Pol mumbles, looking in the rearview mirror from time to time. "He saved my life. I'm not sure if I should be grateful or scared. I owe him, big-time." He doesn't know what comes into him but in a flash, Pol hits the steering wheel quite violently. "Fuck, Arm. Talk. Open your damn eyes. Can you at least hear me?" Regret washes over him the second he explodes. "I can't believe I'm doing this... I'm sorry. Fuck. I'm sorry. I should have been there for you sooner. If you die...” Don't you dare die on me.

The Anakinn residence comes into sight, imposing and in complete darkness except for the lights on the front facade.

Next to it, Dr. Top's house lies. It kinda looks like a cabin and it has all the comodities and necessities but if he lives there is basically because it is in his contract. Other than that, he comes and goes at will. No questions asked.

Getting out of the car Pol opens the back door to take Arm out. He doesn't even care about leaving the car open since it's not his and carries Arm bridal style towards the house. The entrance light turns on before he reaches the wooden door and it opens, showing the doctor in silky maroon pajamas. He's the definition of tall, dark and handsome. That's probably why Boss Tankhun and Vegas' brother Macao are head over heels for the man.

"Sleeping, Doc?"

The man smirks for a microsecond and urges Pol to get inside. "Leave him on the dining room table." He quickly follows the orders. It was like someone had told the doctor that they were coming because the table was clearly prepared for an emergency. Leaving him there, Pol steps back. That's when he takes a moment to evaluate Arm's state by himself. He's too damn pale. But other than that he looks like he's sleeping.

"Can you tell me what happened to him?" The doctor asks while checking Arm for vitals and shining a light into his eyes.

"I don't really know. I wasn't even close when it happened." Pol explains. "But I guess he was hit with some kind of weapon or thrown against something..." He stops talking, swallowing hard when he notices that his voice is breaking.

"It must be a concussion... Has he been unconscious the whole time?"

So I was right. Pol nods, not trusting his voice just yet.

"I'm gonna need you to be vocal, Pol. Get yourself together and talk."

"Y- yeah, he's been like that since I found him lying on the ground."

"That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Pol clenches his fists. Son of a...

"Okay, you can wait outside. Drink some water. Eat something. Do whatever you want, but get out of my sight."

"What? No-"

"Yes, Pol. You're making me uncomfortable, and you don't want Arm to suffer the consequences, right?"

Frowning and still with his fists clenched, he barks a resounding negative, storming out of the dining room after glancing at Arm for a brief second.

If he lets himself get carried away and closes the door with more force than necessary nobody can really blame him.

Pol doesn't know how much time he spends sitting on that awfully orange colored sofa, but he's been dozing off for a while, his eyes opening and closing non-stop.

But he knows he obviously lost the battle when he's startled awake by a hand shaking him. His own grabs that hand determined to get it off him in the worst way possible but he's promptly stopped by a familiar voice calling his name. "Pol, it's me."

Pete's delicate face welcomes him when he opens his eyes. "Pete. You're here." Surprise follows and he sits upright. "Why are you here? I thought you were with V-"

"He dropped me off and went back to work. He's got some unfinished business to attend..."

"Yeah, I can only imagine." Pol snorts, running a hand through his hair and clearing his throat. He feels it scratchy, like something got stuck there.

"Have you drank or ate anything? I don't want to be that person but you look bad..." And it must be true when his friend is looking at him in such a worrisome way. He doesn't even get upset for not having called him.

"I just can't... I feel like throwing up every time I think about it. Arm..." The reality hits Pol in that exact moment he remembers why he's in the state he is in. "Fuck. Arm. Pete, how is he? Do you know? Has the doctor talked to you? Is Arm... ?"

"Stop. Man, you're freaking out and that's not going to help either of you," Pete tries to calm Pol, taking his hands between his. "He's alive. He's fine. But he's not waking up. Dr. Top said that it'll probably take some more time for him to come to his senses. He also said that he's suffering from a severe concussion and that he's lucky he has no brain damage. So it's just a matter of time until he..."

"I want to see him." Pol declares, getting up in such a rush that it desestabilizes him for a second.

"You're going to hurt yourself even more. So stubborn..." Pete mutters, frowning while holding him by the elbows. "Has Dr. Top checked you up? Ah, don't bother answering. I already know what you're gonna say. Sit, for fuck’s sake."

"I need to see him," Pol almost begs. He just wants to see with his own eyes that Arm is alive. Is that so hard to understand?

"No, it's not." It's almost as if his friend had read his thoughts but he just said it aloud. "You know, it should have come as a surprise... but it just makes perfect sense. You are always together, and don't let me get started with those meaningful stares and little touches... Say, when you do you think it all started?"

"What do you mean?" He's still not ready to admit it out loud. Not if he can help it. So he chooses to play dumb instead.

Too bad Pete doesn't think the same.

"When did you fall in love?"

"You're being more nosy than usual..."

"I'm just curious."

"Should I ask you the same then? About you and that... man?" Pol answers back, quite forcefully.

Pete stills for a moment, with his eyes being the only thing giving him away. "I guess I deserved that one."

Feeling bad, Pol quickly backpedals. "No, I'm sorry. I just don't want to talk about it. It's not the moment nor the place."

"You're right," Pete shrugs sending him a tiny smile. "But don't think this is over."

"Oh, trust me. If I know you, and I think I do quite well, I just know you're not dropping it out anytime soon."

"Just delaying it. Because you look awful and I pity you."

Pol can barely contain a laugh. Pete is that good. He's a ray of sunshine among the darkness that lives within them. Even when he's had it really bad himself. Being a ball of happiness is his greatest charm.

"Okay, jerk, now make yourself useful and take me to him."

“Methinks you should ask nicely,” Pete pouts, obviously faking being upset.

“Well, me thinks you're being ridiculous.”

“Ah, you're no fun...” Sighing, Pete puts an arm around Pol's waist, and he instinctively puts his right arm around Pete's shoulder as support. "Alright then, I'll take you to your lover boy. He's rocking the Sleeping Beauty look, let me tell you."

"I'm telling him once he wakes up."

"Oh yeah? Then I'll tell Boss Tankhun to punish you later.

Pol snorts. "As if I hadn't had enough beatings for two lifetimes..."

"At least you weren't almost killed like a million times. Those guys were ruthless. The bullets kept coming and I thought I was a goner."

"You don't know the half of it," he mutters shaking his head, remembering how Vegas had saved his ass. Probably the same way he had saved Pete's if you think about it.

It seems like while Pol was asleep Dr. Top had moved Arm from the dining room to the guest room that was next to the kitchen and the toilet. Not by himself, of course, but with Pete's help.

The bedroom is neither big nor small, and it looks cozy with that warm wall decor paper beige colored with golden motifs. There are some paintings and portraits here and there, and a wardrobe in the bottom right corner, not too far from the full sized bed.

Arm lies there, still a bit too pale but he doesn't look like he's dying anymore. Pete was right in his Disney comparison and Pol cracks a smile.

"Whistle if you need me. I'll be in the living room." Pete interrupts his train of thought and he just nods, following his friend with his gaze as he leaves the room and closes the door behind him.

Turning around, Pol walks to the bed and sits on the right edge, facing Arm. His hand moves before he can think about it and he places it over Arm's heart. His heartbeat is steady and Pol closes his eyes to calm himself. They're both safe and together. Together... As if the touch was burning him he removes his hand from Arm's chest.

"I'm going crazy... There's no other explanation." Pol sighs, running a hand through his hair as a nervous gesture. "You really need to wake up, Arm. That doctor freaks me out and I don't like the thought of you spending the night here. I want us to go home."

It's right then when Pol notices that Arm's hand is palm up on the sheets in a clear invitation. After clenching and unclenching his fist a few times, he closes the distance and grabs Arm's hand with his own, lacing their fingers. He's almost tempted to kiss the back of his hand, but what he does is leaning towards Arm to whisper in his ear in a soft tone: "Are you going to leave me hanging? I didn't peg you as a cruel man..."

At first Pol thinks it's his brain playing tricks on him or maybe a muscle reflex but when it happens again it makes him lose his breath. Something is squeezing his hand. Leaning back a little, he looks into Arm's chocolate eyes, unblinking. Awake at last.

"We're even then, because neither I pegged you as a romantic man..." His voice sounds extremely hoarse but it's like music to Pol's ears.

Wetting his lips, he smiles from ear to ear. "Ass."

This time, neither of them smile in solitude.

~~o~~

Hi!

Writing this second oneshot was a challenge. It almost killed me, haha. But it was fun and I loved writing it. So worth it!

I hope you guys like it ^^

Here’s the first ArmPol oneshot I wrote. This one is a continuation. Kind of~

I’ll probably write a third one (last?) and maybe a Vegas/Pete spin-off!

Now go give the teaser for the series some love.

Thank you! <3

~Aeriel

#kinnporsche #kinnporsche the series #polarm #armpol #jobbas #basjob #fanfiction #my creations

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backtobasicbellas · 4 years

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hi friends, just wrote something in honor on 10 years of victorious. don’t think i’ll put this one on AO3, but feel free to enjoy here!

you think you know better

Word Count: 3,451 Relationships: Tori Vega/Jade West

The last thing Jade wants to do is play Tori Vega’s wife in a play.

However, Sikowitz is being a total gank and now she’s here, multiple rehearsals in having to pretend she’s in love with the stupid brunette. It’s already one thing that her ex-boyfriend’s playing her son. How on earth is she also supposed to pretend she’s happily married to Tori?

Jade knows that her acting kind of sucks right. She knows it does and she knows Tori’s acting sucks too because she hesitates even looking at Jade too long when she reads a line or touching her in the slightest of senses. True to her craft, Jade is usually able to put personal feelings aside for the sake of whatever project she’s working on, but something about this is different. Something about Tori frustrates her to no end that not even being forced to play love interests in one of Sikowitz’s weird plays is able to push those feelings aside.

“I love you,” Tori says with squinted eyes and an awkward punch on the shoulder.

“I love you,” Jade answers with gritted teeth.

Seriously, this is painful.

“Uh no you don’t,” Sikowitz interrupts loudly, shutting his notebook and slamming it onto the empty seat next to him.

Despite his clear frustration, Jade inwardly sighs in relief, glad she doesn’t have to keep up the act for another moment. She hardly even hears Sikowitz and Burf’s exchange, too focused on the fact Tori is standing way too close for their comfort levels.

“You girls are ruining this play.”

Sikowitz’s comment brings Jade back into focus, and she almost feels bad because it feels like she’s disappointing Sikowitz - which, honestly, is kind of difficult to do.

“Why?” Tori asks.

“Andre, Beck, take five,” he nods at the two boys, who gladly take the break and walk away rather quickly.

The teacher turns his attention back to Tori and Jade and says, “This is our fifth rehearsal and you two aren’t getting any better at playing a believable husband and wife - BURF BE QUIET!”

Jade’s shoulders jump just a little at the outburst, but something in her stomach doesn’t sit right. She can’t believe she’s letting Tori ruin her acting like this.

“Meet me at Nozu tonight. 7 pm,” Sikowitz tells them sternly, putting his playbook in their face as he begins to walk away.

Jade’s jaw visibly drops at his comment. Tori’s the one who vocalizes the same thought they’re having.

“But I don’t wanna g-”

“Nozu!”

“But why are you-”

Sikowitz then starts yelling gibberish, to which Tori and Jade both just stare at him like he’s crazy.

“At least let us-” Jade tries, but Sikowitz just yells louder.

“SEEYOUBOTHATNOZUATSEVENPM,” he yells, angrily stomping out of the room.

They stare after him for a moment, then Jade feels Tori look at her.

“So...are we just...not rehearsing…?”

Jade gives her a look before she scoffs and promptly storms out in a similar fashion as her teacher. She’ll be damned if she has to go to dinner with both Sikowitz and Tori.

Jade goes.

Not at all by choice, of course. Sikowitz tells her later in the day if she doesn't, she’ll receive a failing grade for the play. So Jade sucks it up and drives to Nozu, praying that she can sit for a few minutes, get a free meal, and then leave without too much suffering.

She walks into the restaurant, eyes wandering, hoping the other two haven’t arrived yet.

“JADE!”

Her head snaps, seeing an overly unenthusiastic Sikowitz waving his hand wildly in the air. Tori is sitting next to him, something similar to a grimace on her face. Jade only rolls her eyes, dragging her feet to join them at the bar. She purposefully leaves a seat between herself and Tori before sitting down.

“Okay I’m here,” she announces. “Why?”

“Because you two need to learn how to play a husband and wife believably,” Sikowitz tells them.

“What does that have to do with sushi?” Tori asks, clearly irritated.

Jade hides a smirk; she doesn’t mind when Tori shows other emotions than being the sweet, goody two-shoes she’s always been.

“Listen, I once had to do a show where I had to play a man in great pain. So to prepare, I threw myself down a flight of stairs.”

Jade and Tori only stare at him, unsure if they should even respond.

Sikowitz adds, “You wouldn’t believe how many times I hit my head.”

“Yeah we would,” Jade supplies without hesitation.

“We really, really would,” Tori nods in agreement.

Sikowitz ignores them both, continuing on, “Now to prepare for your roles, you two must date.”

Jade stares at him, wide eyed.

“So, have fun,” he concludes, standing up from his stool.

“What date?” Jade snaps.

Sikowitz points at the two of them. “This one. It begins now at,” he pushes up his sleeve to reveal nothing but his bare wrist. “Seven-oh-twelve p.m. You two will stay here, eat, chat, drink and giggle until the restaurant closes at midnight.”

Jade is absolutely not going to be forced on some dumb date with Tori. She immediately pulls herself up from her seat.

“Forget it, I’m leaving.”

Tori follows suit. “Yeah, me too.”

“Ah!” Sikowitz warns, making the two of them freeze and turn to him. “If either of you two leave before midnight, you both get an F for the semester.”

“Sikowitz,” Tori lets out in a whine, stomping like a child on the verge of a tantrum.

“It’s fine,” Jade insists, mainly to get Tori to shut up as she slings her purse over her shoulder. “He’s gonna know when we leave.”

Sikowitz gives her a look. “Oh yes he gonna.”

The two just stare at him, as if wondering how much worse this can get.

“I have two spies watching you. Sinjin and Burf,” he informs them, pointing to both of them awkward and lanky boys from their respective spots.

Jade looks at Sikowitz again, unable to believe she’s being forced to sit through this. Tori glances at her and it’s clear she’s in the same boat.

“Happy dating,” Sikowitz tells them before he’s slipping out the door.

Jade shares a look with Tori before they’re both slouching back into their chairs with a glare.

“Excuse me,” Tori says in her stupidly sweet voice.

Jade hates it.

“Hi, my date and I were wondering if you had a flight of stairs we could throw ourselves down.”

Jade has to school her features because she’s surprised at Tori’s comment. She keeps a straight face, but honestly, she’s impressed.

She’d never let Tori know it, though.

After sitting there moping for a moment, Tori lets out a sigh.

“Let’s at least order food,” she suggests. “I’m hungry.”

“Fine, we’ll eat in silence,” Jade decides.

Tori gives her a look to which Jade pointedly ignores before she’s shoving a menu Tori’s way.

When they order, the waiter just looks at them hesitantly, as if he doesn’t quite understand what’s going on, but when Jade glares at him he turns and sends their orders in without having to be told twice. Jade groans. She isn’t sure how she’s supposed to survive this night.

It’s just uncomfortable silence for the most part, one Jade is trying to eat through the best she can, but then Tori starts slurping on her soup and really, didn’t anyone teach her better?

“NO!” Jade shouts when Tori’s slurping for the third time in the past five seconds.

Tori side eyes her, slurping another spoonful just to spite her. Jade resists the urge to smack her arm.

“Worst night ever,” she states, sifting through the remnants of her meal with her chopsticks.

“Oh, you think I’m having fun on this ‘date’? ‘Cause I’m not,” Tori responds with a glare

“Then let’s not talk,” Jade suggests quickly.

“Fine!” Tori agrees.

Jade feels like she’s won at least a small part of her night, turning back to her food, but of course, Tori has never been a quiet one.

“You know-”

“Ugh!” Jade groans, as if she’s physically in pain at the sound of Tori’s voice.

Tori rolls her eyes, staring at the ceiling for a second before she says, “There is no reason you and I shouldn’t be able to sit here and have a conversation”

“I’ve got a good reason.”

“Which is?”

“I don’t like you,” Jade reminds her in a duh voice.

Tori raises her eyebrows, taking it as a challenge. “Really? You can’t think of one good thing you like about me?”

Jade pretends to think about it for a moment before she says, “I like when you’re sad.”

Tori looks at her before she lets out a scoff. Jade shrugs like there’s nothing else Tori should’ve expected. Because really, she should’ve seen it coming.

“Okay, try again,” Tori tells her, turning to face her again. “Reach down into your twisted, bitter soul and see if you can find anything nice to say about me.”

Usually, it doesn’t go like this. Usually, by now, Tori gives up and just lets Jade have the last word. Something about this piques Jade’s interest in conversing now, a side of Tori that only she’s really been able to pull out of her.

“Uh okay,” she begins, thinking for a moment. “Your singing isn’t...awful.”

Tori nods, a sardonic smile on her face. “Thanks so much.”

“Now let’s hear you say something nice about me,” Jade suggests.

“Sure,” Tori relents. “Um, I admire how you’re never afraid to say what you think.”

“That’s stupid.”

“See?”

Jade rolls her eyes. Stupid Vega’s getting better at this, she notices.

“Now your turn again,” Tori says.

“Uh,” Jade starts, and the first thought that comes to her mind - well, she can’t have Tori the satisfaction of knowing that. But she’s got nothing else so, “I guess some people might say, that from certain angles you’re pretty.”

She’s suddenly focused on poking her chopsticks through her rice and definitely not looking at Tori. She can feel Tori’s eyes on her though, and when she risks a side glance she notice the way Tori’s lips lift up into a small smile.

Jade ignores the feeling in her gut.

“You could say I’m pretty,” Jade suggests, trying to stop Tori from smiling like an idiot.

There’s a pause and then, “You are pretty.”

Jade looks back at Tori then, and Tori can only manage a shy smile and a shrug. Jade hates how it makes her a little soft. Then, as if they both notice the air has shifted, Tori and Jade look back at their meals and take a bite, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

Jade thinks this night couldn’t possibly get weirder.

...until it does.

Jade’s met her fair share of annoying, overly-confident boys at Hollywood Arts alone, but these two are a whole new level. Every glance she shares with Tori is confirmation enough that they need to get rid of them like now.

“Sing us a song!” one says.

“Yeah we wanna hear a little songy-song action,” the other chimes in.

Jade thinks she’s just going to smash both of their heads onto the table. But wait - songs. What was that lesson with Sikowitz the day they cast themselves into the play?

With a new idea, Jade turns to Tori, concealing a smirk.

“You hear that? They wanna hear a little songy-song action,” she says smugly.

Tori stares at her like she’s crazy for a moment, and Jade almost screams because how is Tori this dense - but then she’s smiling along the moment it clicks. A big smile with a nod, and Jade knows Tori’s acting when she sees it.

“Okay, we’ll sing you a song,” she agrees, standing from her chair.

Jade follows her to the DJ’s makeshift station, smirking at the back of Tori’s head.

“Hey.”

The DJ looks up.

“Break’s over,” Jade tells him, crossing her arms.

“What song do you want to sing?”

“Um,” Tori squints, leaning over to inspect the song list.

Jade feels the eyes of the boys on them.

“T305,” Tori answers, looking up at Jade with a knowing smile.

Jade looks down at the page, finding the listing. She smirks. Not bad, Vega.

It’s not the first time they’ve sung, but Jade is pretty sure it’s the first time they’ve sung together by choice, and the first time it’s just the two of them. She finds herself enjoying this, performing with Vega. It’s no secret that Tori’s always been a good singer - that much was clear from day one, but for once Jade isn’t looking at her as a threat.

Maybe, just maybe, everything with Tori isn’t a competition. And of course, making two idiot boys squirm never hurts either.

As the crowd applauds them, the two boys silently make their exit. Neither of the girls notice though, because Tori is throwing an arm around Jade as she laughs, and Jade lets her without complaint, and maybe they’re finally getting somewhere.

“That was phenomenally better!”

Sikowitz is outright applauding them the following day at rehearsal. Sinjin and Burf lookin with glee. Even Beck and Andre are impressed by the looks of it.

“See? Doesn’t acting like this feel better?” Sikowitz asks.

Jade shrugs. “It’s alright I guess.”

She won’t give Sikowitz or Tori the satisfaction of knowing that yes, being able to fall into a role like this feels immensely better than forcing herself to go through the motions with someone she hates.

“Seriously that’s stop good stuff,” Andre nods. “How’d you guys do it?”

Tori smiles, like it’s a secret only for her and Jade. “Oh you know, just a date night at Nozu.”

Jade suppresses the smile that wants to appear on her face. It’s kind of fun, like an inside joke no one else will quite understand with Tori. Tori wears her heart on her sleeve, she is open and honest and welcome to those who approach her. To have something with her, even if it’s just a dumb forced date night, is something Jade holds on to.

She misses the way Beck looks at her curiously, as if trying to understand the new dynamic between them.

They start hanging out. No, actually, not really. It starts as Tori suggesting they go over lines together after school in the days leading up to opening night and Jade agreeing. That’s all.

But Jade finds herself laughing more than she should. She finds herself finding less and less reasons to snap at Tori - though, don’t be mistaken, she is all for pushing buttons and poking fun. Tori can handle it, this much Jade knows.

But Tori always surprises her, coming up with a sassy remark or a quick comeback when Jade leasts expects it. It keeps Jade on her toes and for the first time in a long time, she doesn’t think about missing Beck.

“Why did we hate each other?” Tori sighs, stretching back on her couch the night before opening day.

“Did?” Jade asks with a smirk and a quirk of her eyebrow. “I still hate you.”

Tori rolls her eyes, giving her a look. “Well, I, for one, don’t hate you. I don’t think I ever did.”

Jade looks at her. “I know you never did. You definitely have every right too, though.”

And it’s true. For all Jade’s thrown at her, Tori has never once retaliated as hard. She has always forgiven Jade, even taken the blame when Jade’s the one who pushes and pushes. Tori has done nothing but forgive Jade time and time again, and Jade isn’t even quite sure why.

Tori looks at her curiously, her head doing an adorable tilt.

“I think I like us better as friends.”

“Who said we’re friends?”

Tori scoffs, pulling a pillow out from under her and smacking Jade with it. Jade laughs, grabbing another pillow and hitting her right back.

Jade is having a stupid pillow fight with Tori Vega in her living room, but she can’t find it in her to stop smiling.

Opening night is something like a dream.

Jade loves opening night of plays, honestly. There is something about it that is so unique, that there’s never anything quite like it.

(There is also the fact that on the opening night of her play a few semesters ago, Tori made sure it happened exactly as she’d hoped.

She tries not to think too hard about that, though.)

The black box theater is packed despite it only being an in-class play, and Jade thrives off the full room. Something about the acting tonight elevates it all, and she knows Tori can feel it too from the way her eyes shine the entire time.

“You are no sleepy loser,” Jade tells her, squeezing Tori’s arms in comfort. “You’re an astronaut.”

Tori looks at her for a long moment, long enough for something to bubble underneath Jade’s chest.

“I love you,” Tori tells her in a deep voice.

“I love you,” Jade replies without missing a beat.

Her voice is so soft and genuine, she truly doesn’t know where it comes from.

Tori pulls her in a hug then, and Jade wraps her arms around her tightly. Sikowitz leads the audience in applause, and when they finally pull away, Tori is looking at her with a smile as if to say we did it.

As they take their final bow, Jade holding Tori’s hand, two voices become louder than the rest. Standing back up, Jade’s eyes fall to the back row and her stomach drops in dread. Tori is hitting her shoulder, starting to say something, but Jade cuts her off quickly.

“It’s them,” she says, grabbing Tori’s arm. “It’s them.”

Tori gives her a confused look, but then she’s looking into the audience herself and her eyes widen.

“What do we do?” Jade asks.

The boys are beginning to stand up and it’s clear they are trying to make their way over.

“Run,” Tori decides. “Run Nancy.”

“Yes, Walter,” Jade nods without hesitation, grabbing Tori’s hand and practically sprinting to the back of the theater.

They exit the room and down the hall, both of them tugging off their wigs and Tori pulling off her fake mustache in the process. They end up in Sikowitz’s classroom by the end of it, breathless. The two of them look at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter, unable to help themselves.

“God I’ve never been so scared in my life,” Tori admits through her laughter, clutching onto Jade for support.

“Tell me about it,” Jade breathes out, shaking her head in disbelief.

When they’ve finally calmed down enough, they are still holding hands, wigs discarded on the nearest chair. Tori is so close and she smells like her dumb fruity perfume. Her eyes still shine brightly, and Jade can’t help it.

She kisses Tori. It only lasts a moment, soft and quick, but it’s enough to both know it wasn’t a mistake. Jade pulls away, and they’re both left staring at each other with wide eyes. Tori is clearly surprised, but at least she doesn’t look upset.

“Did you just…?” Tori asks in a quiet voice.

“I..um, yeah. Guess I did.”

Tori bites her lip. Jade hates how good she looks still with her hair tied back and pinned in place from the wig.

“Can you do it again?” she asks, uncharacteristically shy.

Jade smirks then, pulling Tori into her again.

Maybe they end up making out in Sikowitz’s classroom while everyone is looking for them, but hey - it’s better than the janitor’s closet.

When they finally return to the dressing room, Jade holding Tori’s hand, Beck and Andre are already changed and Robbie and Cat are also there, hanging out.

“Where have you guys been?” Beck asks. “There were two guys who were looking for you.”

“We didn’t want to see them,” Jade tells him.

He notices their hands and quirks an eyebrow, silently posing a question. Jade only raises her eyebrows in response, pulling away from Tori to change out of her costume.

“Oh you know,” Tori shrugs, biting her lip to hide a smile. “Around.”

Everyone exchanges a look, but none of them say anything further about it as the other two change.

And when Jade kisses Tori in front of everyone at Nozu later that night, Tori gives her a big smile.

“I knew you didn’t hate me,” Tori sing-songs.

“Don’t push it,” Jade teases, but her arm rests comfortably around Tori, not minding when Tori slides her hand into hers and kisses the back of Jade’s hand softly as Cat tells a story.

#victorious #tori x jade #jori #fic #minific #mine #tori vega #jade west

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snowbellewells · 4 years

Text

Self-Promo Sunday: I’d Know You Anywhere

This one has been on my ff.net account for some time, so I apologize to anyone who’s gotten this far thinking it’s a brand new story. It's much longer than any fic I've posted on here before, other than my CSSNS werewolf fic, more involved, and has a completely AU non-magic setting, somewhere around the timeframe of the season two premiere. It's meant to be intense and suspenseful with some slow burn romance building as it goes along. There are elements of different movies I love, from 'The Bodyguard' to 'Sister Act' in here, and most of the police/FBI knowledge I'm using comes from television, but I hope it still melds into its own unique thing and that readers will enjoy it. Definitely still CS, and I'd definitely still love to hear what people think as it goes along.

** It seemed like the perfect time to bring it back though, since @sherlockianwhovian gifted me this stunning fic cover art as a Christmas present!! Thank you so much! I’m just thrilled and really can’t stop looking at it!! :)

Can also be found on A03 and ff.net

Prologue

'Keep going…faster…don't look back,' her mind repeats in terror as her feet hit the pavement over and over. Emma Swan clutches her son's small hand in hers even tighter. She is desperate, knowing he is stumbling, tired, and confused, but not daring to slow down or stop. "Just a little further, Henry," she breathes, trying to comfort him, though her mind is its own horrified blank, and she doesn't know what she's doing or where she's going.

'Think Emma,' she orders herself, forcing a deep breath and trying to focus.

People call out bets, various machines ring and whir, coins rattle and clink, men and women push in all around them until she and Henry are like salmon swimming upstream. All Emma Swan can do is keep looking over her shoulder, praying they haven't been followed, praying they won't be caught.

She had only wanted to ask a question. Things had been routine, normal. She had gone to Spencer's office, wanting to make sure she had the correct job assignments for the day. As head of security at The Kingdom, Vegas' ritziest hotel and casino, and proud of the position which was admittedly an unusual one for a woman, Emma liked to make sure the owner, George Spencer, was pleased, and that she and her team were aware of any new problems or red flags which might be on her boss' radar. She had given her customary curt knock, thought she had heard no answer, and stepped in – as she often did. What she had seen instead shattered her reality in one sweeping moment.

Where she had been expecting Spencer's aged but still imposing figure sitting behind his rich, mahogany desk, Emma had instead seen him holding a revolver against the temple of a very familiar figure, held in place by two of his henchmen, Greg and James.

Emma is no naïve innocent; she'd always known there were shady dealings at her place of employ – though she had never been involved in any of them. Walking in on cold-blooded murder, however, is still a nightmare she can hardly believe. She had frozen for a second, thankfully making no noise, and she honestly isn't sure if she was seen or not. She had quickly backed out, and let the door close silently, then she was running to she, Graham, and Henry's living quarters.

Tears keep streaming down her face, and Emma can only hope that Henry doesn't see; she doesn't want him to be any more traumatized than he must be already. Her hands shake beyond her control, no matter how valiantly she fights to stay calm for her little boy. She simply can't stop seeing the blood, hearing Graham's body thump against the floor, and the horror of that silent moment, viewing her boss' evil look of self-satisfaction and fearing she had been detected. It had taken her only seconds to reach the elevator up a floor, mere minutes to slip into the room she had left Henry contentedly playing in, and scoop all the clean clothes in her dresser drawer and then Henry's into a large duffle, tell her son (with what she'd attempted to make a look of bright-eyed excitement) that they were going on an adventure, take his hand, pull him to the door, scan the hall, and then slide them both into the elevator again unseen.

"What happened, Mama?" Henry looks up at her now, confusion plain in his open, trusting gaze. She doesn't want to frighten him, but she can't risk slowing down to explain, or for them to be heard, so she leans down to give him a quick, gentle squeeze and rub his arm.

"It's okay, Baby," she whispers, looking him right in the eyes, willing her little boy to believe her. "Mama won't let anything happen to you. It's gonna be fine. But we have to be very quiet right now. Can you do that for me?"

Henry nods seriously, as sweet and agreeable as always. For a second, Emma is unnerved once more by the feeling she sometimes has, that her child is a small adult trapped in a five-year-old body. At any rate, Henry says no more, simply holds onto her trembling hand, clutching his beloved Snow White and the Seven Dwarves picture book under his other arm.

The elevator pings as they reach the lower basement level of the casino and the employee car park. Emma debates frantically for a moment whether she should try to find Graham's battered Jeep or not. 'He certainly can't need it anymore,' her tangled thoughts weep bitterly. She decides against the search though, realizing that the parking garage is large and full, and she will waste valuable minutes hunting. Yes, they can make better time driving than on foot, but only if they get into the vehicle and away before someone finds them. Instead, she pulls Henry at her side up out of the lower level onto the packed city street.

Rushing, but not running conspicuously, down the Vegas strip, the night drapes around them in flickering shadows lit and spun by the dancing lights of casinos, quickie chapels, all-night diners, and hotels. Henry trips and nearly goes down, only the fact that she's clutching his hand so tightly prevents his fall. Crying out sharply, he forces Emma to stop for a second, seeing that he has dropped his favorite story. She stoops to grab it before some passerby can knock it away, then scoops both it and Henry up in her arms and keeps going.

She still glances behind her constantly, praying she won't see the known faces of any of Spencer's goons. There have been no running feet following them or angry voices shouting for her to stop, but Emma can't slow the racing of her heart or shake the sense of being chased, of not being far enough away to be safe.

Seconds, minutes, and then nearly an hour slide by. Emma is almost stumbling from exhaustion as well, exertion from hurry, fear, and carrying Henry nearly pushing her beyond the limits of her endurance. Her little boy hasn't made any more noise; she knows he is trying to do as she asked, but she can feel his slender little shoulders shaking beneath the hand she rests on his back, and feels his silent tears wetting the skin at her neck where he has buried his face. "It's okay, Baby," she soothes in a panted whisper. "We're about to stop and rest."

Emma feels his nod, agreeing with her as he always does. Her heart breaks a bit more for her little boy. How is she going to tell him that "Papa" is gone? That they no longer have a home to go to? That she is as lost and scared as he is?

They are nearing the edges of the gaudily-packed street now; there are still bars and restaurants and motels, but the whirl of beckoning bulbs and cacophony of sounds have faded a bit. She stumbles into the most nondescript – and admittedly seedy – motel in sight and makes her way straight to the check-in desk.

"Single room for one night," she states simply, keeping her head down and face partially hidden behind Henry's body. The clerk doesn't ask any questions, simply takes her cash, hands her a key, and slides a clipboard with the sign-in sheet across the desk to her. Thinking quickly, Emma writes 'Mary White' as her name, hoping it's much more common than 'Emma Swan', though she doesn't quite know how the alias comes to mind so quickly.

Nodding to the clerk, she turns away and heads down the hall, letting herself and Henry into the simple room at the far end. She bolts the door firmly behind them and tries to quell the fear inside her insisting they can't stop, they aren't far enough from danger yet. 'Henry's only five,' her mind berates. 'You have to let him rest. And you have to make a plan, calm down, regroup. They didn't see you leave, they can't trace cash, and you used a false name. You don't even know that they're after you.'

Sighing tiredly, Emma lays Henry down on the bed, takes off his sneakers, and then covers him up warmly. She slides out of her own boots and work blazer, leaving her tank and slacks on, in case they have to leave suddenly. It is nearing midnight, but she sets her alarm for four a.m. anyway, wanting to be moving on again before the rest of this nocturnal pit stirs. She isn't at all sure she will sleep anyway – not without sickening images replaying in her head – but she can push her body no further tonight. Where they go from here is a question she has no answer for yet.

Tagging: @kmomof4 @laschatzi @therooksshiningknight @searchingwardrobes @spartanguard @whimsicallyenchantedrose @hollyethecurious @killian-whump (it takes a bit to get there but there is some real whump eventually) @sherlockianwhovian @thisonesatellite @profdanglaisstuff @resident-of-storybrooke @jennjenn615 @optomisticgirl @effulgentcolors @let-it-raines @gingerchangeling @carpedzem @teamhook @revanmeetra87

#self promo sunday #cs ff #cs modern au #cs FBI au #witness protection au #cs mc au #i'd know you anywhere #prologue

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socksual-innuendos · 5 years

Note

j grahams and emi

So idk if you wanted them as seperate characters or how they handle together but I’m gonna do both...all three? Y e a h

A Realistic HC

For Joshua, he’s prone to skin conditions even when he’s careful. His skin no longer acts like normal skin and can’t create the slightly acidic environment that helps kill microbes. Because of this, if he isnt thorough in cleaning himself, he can end up with skin infections or microbial growth very easily. I also think he has to dry himself off thoroughly after a wash or that he cant have wet bandages or clothes sticking to his body for too long. This would keep moisture close to his body which would again allow something to start growing on him. To slightly build off of this, I do think he smells a bit mossy at times.

For Em, I see her age starting to catch up to her after the bullet. She’s felt it before but NV events really lock it in. There’s plenty of ache, plenty of soreness, plenty of injuries that take a while to heal. She still loves what she does, but some mornings she just wants to go back to bed.

For both? Not certain, but I don’t properly know who kills who, or if either will at all. I think a big arc for Emi would be letting him go, at least in the target sense. She’s a headhunter and her desire to be the one to put Graham down is actually what allows them to start growing closer as friends. He’s so easily replaceable by different people she’s met, yet the fixation she has for being the one to kill him allows him to become more to her (she still wants to kill him though)? In the end he throws it all away and dropping their friendship completely is a choice Emi easily makes but, she could still return to Zion to see him one last time (not that he would see her, if she’s careful) and get her final kill. They’re both tough bastards, and they both have wills of steel, but I’m not entirely certain they would even get to that point.

Not realistic, but hilarious,

For both? It would def be Emi pegging him. While I think Emi would be able to do it and I laugh at the prospect that Graham gets off to it and is deeply ashamed by that, I cant work it into their story naturally. Still though, he gets the shocker at some point, and it goes about as well as you’d imagine.

For Em, I love to exploit her 10 Agil in stupid ways. I’m talking full spiderman shenanigans. She just abuses that grappling hook of hers in ways that doesnt make physical sense and you know what? This is fiction for a reason, and the frog has decided to drop in.

And Graham uuugh-- This might be more realistic headcanon taken a bit far but like, him reverting to a gross teenage boy when no one is looking.

Heartbreaking HC thats fun to inflict

God what isnt fun to inflict on Emilia. I cant think of anything canonical to her story immediately but anything that leaves her without Cam in some fashion kills me. Em can endure a lot of shit but her sister is her rock in all cases. In fact a whole au i have is based around Camila just not being there, and Emi is Much Different. I think the loss of Cam is the best heartbreak though. Emi can’t handle it in any capacity, and unless she has somewhere to focus that grief and pain she’s immediately unhinged.

You can never make me feel bad for Joshua buuuuuut— I think about how a lot of folks don’t mention that once shit is said and done, he probably feels conflicted over Caesar’s death. Edward being alive meant Joshua didn’t have to think about much aside from the anger, but now that he’s gone from the world? Graham has nothing but the past to focus his rage at, and 30+ years of friendship and ruling together heavily overpowers five years of denial and assassination attempts. Now hes left to face the loss, and its an unprocessed loss. And its also a loss he cant talk to anyone about because no one mourns the wicked. I fully believe that he has very few avenues allowing him closure over this, and that it will conflict him for the rest of his life.

For both uuugh, I think they’d make amazing partners if Graham could get over his pride. At the end of the day Graham’s need to fill his leader role inevitably prioritizes image over interpersonal relationships. Being a trade route away from Vegas, he’s basically Em’s neighbor and she was open to the idea of them staying friends. He however made his choice and he will die lonely on his throne. Given their dynamic, there’s so much potential between these two that will never get explored because Graham is well, Graham, and no matter what alternate routes rock bottom gives him, hes going to try and climb right back into his war chief role.

What I ignore canon for

A lot of shit, lmao. For both of them, I am overwriting a lot of the climax dialogue and HH ending. Emi prevents him from killing Salt purely because she is pissed and doesnt want him to have his satisfaction. She’s angry he dragged her into this, she’s pissed she cares about Chalk and that she couldn’t leave him, she’s angry that Joshua abandoned her (leading to her being injured) because he’s obsessive. She wanted that dog to sit and she made him do it, one way or another. They hate each other a while, and whether he realizes it or not I fully believe Joshua is less receptive then on to her because she managed to force him down. I have a lot of thought about how the endings to Honest Hearts should actually be switched, but this is an Ignore Canon answer for Joshua.

Emi I ignore a lot of in game mechanics for. She broke Raul out first and he was her first and main companion for a while, a lot of Lonesome Road story gets ignored because it fucks with her story previous to NV, and she does head straight to Jacobstown via Quarry Junction. Emi is an old and seasoned bird, she can handle herself and knows the roads. Because of this the game goes a little backwards for her, and her biggest struggle was trying to get into the Strip (She really pissed off Mick and Ralph at first, and in the end they eventually sold her the damn fake pass lol).

For Joshua, I think his endings slides should be switched for the choices you make. I want to see a Joshua that is resentful about the courier talking him down. I want to see him going full force after that, angry that he was again controlled into going against his beliefs (see: blame shifting him losing faith during Legion Time as Edward’s fault). Let me see Joshua acknowledging he went full emotional bitch when slaughtering Salt, let him be more mindful of not losing himself to emotion later on when he’s leading the tribes. Let his path come from within rather than having a third party trying to make him ‘good’. He’s a self made man in the sense that everything he’s done is because it’s what he wanted, or what he does to fix things is because he had saw issue within it.

#joshua graham #Emilia Vazquez

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disappearingground · 4 years

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PRODIGAL DAUGHTER Jenny Lewis

Blurt Magazine February 20, 2009

Last year the Rilo Kiley vocalist took a vacation from her band, visited her hometown, and wound up with a solo album.

By A.D. Amorosi

Going back and forth between the past and the present, the inane and the barely passably sensible is pleasing to Jenny Lewis.

That’s her life and that’s her wife, what with having spent the better part of growing up absurdly in one brand of show-bizzy limelight or another; a child of vaudevillians and entertainer-types, a kid actress, a country-tinged pop band chanteuse, a mistress of wordy Saddle Creek-y solo album (Rabbit Fur Coat) éclat.

“And now is my time,” says Jenny Lewis crisply. “My time.”

Not just because she’s away again from that old California gang of hers – the now decade-old Rilo Kiley that she birthed with guitarist/one-time paramour Blake Sennett. Or that she’s simply releasing her second solo effort in two years.

Jenny Lewis has produced Acid Tongue – a damn-near live album that’s got no Pro-Tools, is all analog, is far less wordy than her previous recordings, and whose vocals were tracked as they were happening. Lewis produced it with some old close friends and brought in a few pals to play and sing.

But it’s her.

You can’t help thinking that having her return to her childhood home (the one between Las Vegas and L.A.) of Van Nuys to record Acid Tongue wasn’t just the work of healing old wounds (“Badman’s World”) wounding old heels (“The Next Messiah”) and reconstructing the Oedipal Complex for 2008 (“Jack Killed Mom”), but rather some sassy shout-out of independence and huzzah-huzzah-hoorah-ness.

Besides, there’s got to be some particular self-satisfaction at work; of divinity, silliness and narcissism that would allow her to place her face on the cover of this new album done up as dozens of acid blotter tabs.

“Well, you may as well have a laugh,” says Lewis, about her lysergic cover art. “And if you were to drop a tab, you might very well see as many mes standing before you.”

That doesn’t sound so bad.

From the reaction to 2006’s Rabbit Fur Coat – produced by her bud Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes stalwart Mike Mogis – a couple-hundred Jennys would be great. She did three tours around that solo effort alone. But it’s always seemed as if Jenny-philes have wanted more of her. No sooner than people liked Rilo’s quirky irked brand of indie-country-pop, Lewis’s soulful squint of a voice and panicky character-driven lyrics (2001s Take Offs and Landings on Barsuk), they wanted the band to go major label and her to go solo. The moment she released something small and the band hit the majors (with 2007s Under the Blacklight for Warners), people wanted more solo stuff from Jenny.

Everybody seems to be waiting for something from her.

“I don’t know why they’re waiting. I’m incredibly stubborn and I probably won’t give them what they want,” she says plainly. She is her own driving force and won’t be cadged into doing more solo projects. She does records with whatever speed and volume because she is not yet satisfied. “I never am and never have been. I want more. I never assume that I’ve done all that I can do. That just happens to be one of my character traits.”

Jenny Lewis dictates the pace. Things have been as such since she decided to become a writer and singer.

Stop.

This is not the question where you ask her about the childhood acting thing. This is the question about the through line that exists between those careers; the one beyond “Show biz.” She goes on to tell me a family history.

Grandmother was a head balancer and dancer with Moscow circus. Grandfather was a small time criminal and singer with vaudevillian Burt Lahr who fell into depression and out of music when Lahr left the act to pursue the role of “Cowardly Lion” in The Wizard of Oz. Both of her parents were musicians who had a lounge act in Las Vegas and were on The Ed Sullivan Show.

“My birth was just a continuation of family business,” she giggles. “But it was also about the continued avoidance – for me – of avoiding the straight life, a regular job. That’s what show biz presents itself as always, a viable option from doing normal 9-to-5 stuff.”

So maybe it’s all one big gesture. But I’m not here interviewing a Jenny Lewis of Facts of Life fame or a Jenny Lewis star of the touring version of The Lion King or a Jenny Lewis known for hosting a reality show and singing for Disney.

Without sounding too lofty, this brand of Lewis found a deeper aesthetic direction, an art form amongst the entertaining bits.

“That’s the only difference I think… I am a writer,” she says. That’s what led her upon meeting Blake Sennett to write their first song together, “Eggs.” “It was before Rilo Kiley. At least before we were called Rilo Kiley. It was on the first day we met.” Sennett had a guitar riff. She had a four track. He laid it down and she wrote stuff over it.

But this is not a Rilo Kiley story.

“Yes,” Lewis says quietly, when I ask if she feels like she and Rilo have grown up together. “In some ways; but I don’t know that we’ll truly grow up.”

Yes. Most of her Rilo Kiley lyrics are less personal than those on her first solo album. But on the new Acid Tongue there’s a darker, deeper mix of the personal and the character-narrative. “There’s so much more Rilo stuff so there’s been more to experiment with and more time for it. But I was comfortable enough here to do both character-driven songs and personal ones.” Does that mean she’ll find a zone in Rilo in which to do both? Or is she better off keeping the personal tunes like “Tryin’ My Best” to herself and for herself?

“To know that there’s someone else you’re singing about can weigh just as heavily as a song you’re singing about yourself,” says Lewis. “Sometimes the personal songs are easier. Sometimes the personal songs bore me.”

She’s tired of hearing of hearing herself complain about stuff. “That is until I write another song about me complaining about stuff.”

Maybe she’s getting better at being solo than Rilo Kiley-ing. She doesn’t know yet. Lewis can say that this Acid Tongue experience – recorded in the same studio where Neil Young did After the Gold Rush and Nirvana did Nevermind – was the most comfortable she’s ever felt in the studio; so comfortable that she was able to sing the songs in their entirety. “The whole record is live, live singing, live playing. I haven’t been able to do that in the past. This may sound a little hippie dippy-ish but I just never felt free enough to do that. I was always self-conscious in the studio.”

Her three weeks spent recording Acid Tongue were planned, but ever so loosely. If they could pull it off the live haste and pace – great.

The title song’s first line – written who-knows-how-many-years-ago when she was living in her Silverlake apartment where she wrote 90 percent of all of her songs – was the start of the record:

I went to a cobbler to fix a hole in my shoe/he took one look at my face/and said “I can fix that hole in you”/“I beg your pardon I’m not looking for a cure/I’ve seen enough of my friends in the depths of the God-sick blues”/you know I’m a liar.

The line didn’t dictate what would happen next. Nor does it sound like anything else on the album. “But there was just something about that first line coming to me; the idea of someone having an answer for you, a solution to something, the sadness of that,” she trails off. “It was a feeling I wanted to go with.”

So Lewis and her co-producer pals Farmer Dave Scher, Jason Lader and songwriter/beau Johnathan Rice, along with musicians/singers Chris Robinson (the Black Crowes), Zooey Deschanel, M. Ward, Benji Hughes and Davey Faragher, all got Acid-ic. So did family members like her vibraphone playing uncle, her singing sisters and – amazingly- Elvis Costello.

“Once we got to the studio it was good and flowed very quickly,” claims Lewis. “We could pull it off. We could play it live. Which is so weird, to have to make a point of that, because that’s what music should be. But I’m a child of the digital revolution.”

I stopped to finish a thought I‘d had earlier: that if she’s having such a good time with people other than Rilo Kiley, is she worried that she might be better at being solo than a Kiley-ite. She’s not. She just wants to make the best music possible with whatever bunch of people she makes it with. She didn’t start playing music to be burdened by her relationships and be miserable. She wants to enjoy myself.

“Now’s the time.” Not just because the moment out there is good. But, not to sound hippie-dippy-ish… “The moment within me is good. I’m just starting to understand what I do.”

And that understanding is? “I’m just learning how to trust myself musically. I’m learning that you don’t have to say as much to make a point.”

True, that. Yes, the inspiration of Laura Nyro’s Gonna Take a Miracle – the spare soul momentum, delirious melody, awestruck joy and the lean accompaniment of the trio of singers that was Labelle – was the backbone for Rabbit Fur Coat. So, too, was a loquaciousness and a series of multi-syllabic phrases that filled every crevice of every song.

Acid Tongue – lyrically – is more economical than that.

“That was a conscious decision. Going back and listening to my older songs I think I was trying to prove something – overstating the obvious.” So she went back over Acid Tongue things and scaled back the syllables. That happened, too, because this album was as much about the total package as it was the worried words and dark passages. The expansive, sometimes-psychedelic harshness is a far cry from Nyro’s stewing Tin-Pan soul and Lewis’ mom’s favorite songwriter.

“Plus the location was more important” says Lewis, discussing Van Nuys’ California’s Sound City Studios. “We were all inspired by the records that’ve been made there. Plus, returning to where I grew up was timely. I needed to address things about my personal life, my past.”

Lewis isn’t so completely revealing as to what she was addressing. You don’t necessarily need her to do so, save for the fact that she expressed pain at having to drive past her childhood home every day as she rode to the studio and then realized that she couldn’t run from things bottled up.

“You cannot run from feelings. You will be unwell. They will affect all that you do. It will ruin your health. In order to do that, I had to make this record there.”

Ask her to focus on the track that best reflects that search for addressing those feelings, for picking at your emotions: she chooses “Badman’s World.”

There’s a certain line that listeners should seek out during that haunted song. Lewis doesn’t know if it’s a necessarily poignant phrase. But it was important enough to stop the recording of another track – “Sing a Song” – as she came up with a twist on “Badman’s World.” Lewis started playing “Badman” on piano only to have the rest of the band join in and the control room ops continue taping.

The line is about scorpions. Originally it was about her and another person being two scorpions in one bottle. Now, it’s about one of those scorpions getting shot by Lewis. Which one gets shot is a mystery worthy of J.R. and Dallas.

“You have to take responsibility,” says Lewis, when asked what the point of the “Badman’s World” is.

Yet the whole album seems to be about her taking responsibility.

She won’t take full credit for the economy of its lyrics not matching the ferocity of its sound. Lewis credits her co-producers and mentions Johnathan Rice. “The four of us together formed one great person.”

That she’s brought up Rice twice and that she’s made music in close proximity with another one-time paramour, Rilo’s Sennett, the questions arise about it being hard or desirable to work with someone you’re having a loving relationship with.

“It is what I do and what I’ve done. It’s just very natural. I’m always thinking about music. Every time, every day, writing words, listening back, criticizing myself. It’s nice to have someone who is up for sharing in that at all times of day at all hours.”

It is a risk, she knows, because you’re chancing personal happiness and the longevity of the relationship. But she knows she has to do it. “You got to do it. And as a woman playing music, it’s nice to have someone by your side… because I am a coward,” she giggles. “Seriously. I’m lucky to have had talented dudes around me.”

Speaking of talented dudes, Elvis Costello worms his way into the conversation in the same fashion he wormed his way onto Acid Tongue. Apparently she first spoke to the British lion when having Christmas with a friend’s father – Costello drummer Pete Thomas. Costello phoned to wish Pete merry-merry, got Lewis on the phone, got her to appear in his “Monkey to Man” video (“I did an awkward walk-by clutching a purse”), then wound up dueting on “Carpetbaggers” when Rice was up for the low singing parts.

“I emailed him. He responded. And in exchange we recorded some of his songs. The vibe was so good there that as soon as we finished mixing, Costello went into make his own record there.”

Like Costello grabbing a lick, all the heavy heady sad moments that fill Lewis’ Acid Tongue are ripe with lightness of being, of funny moments and gentle sessions. The funniest seems the sweetest – the mad-mad-Jim Morrison moment of “Jack Killed Mom.” While the whole song seems to seethe with its death knell promise (“I had to kill off the mother character that was so prominent on Rabbit Fur Coat,” says Lewis), it is her harmonica-blowing dad, jazz-bo Eddie Gordon, on the track.

“I was so tired of talking about my mother from that last record that having my dad play on it was just hilarious. Having him and my family and my friends in the studio felt like an honest record.”

Now let’s back to those acid tabs.

#publication: blurt magazine #album: acid tongue #year: 2009 #mention: cover art #mention: family history #mention: rilo kiley formation #person: blake sennett #mention: songwriting #mention: recording process #song: acid tongue #song: bad man's world #person: johnathan rice #person: elvis costello #song: jack killed mom

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narrative-arts · 7 years

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Daniel’s really cool script for the group project, which is here because I don’t have MS Word anymore as my computer decided to break and I sure as Hell ain’t gonna pay for MS Office, especially since I got it for free in the first place: Version The Second

Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer FPS. Game modes usually consist of one team having to capture or push an objective whilst the other team must thwart their efforts to do so. There are of course other multiplayer classics such as: ‘King of the Hill’ and ‘Capture the Flag’. Since it’s strictly a competitive multiplayer game, it features no linear storytelling. There are narrative elements, such as heroes talking to each other before games start and in-game cosmetic items that suggest some sort of character background, but other than that, there is no storytelling.

Blizzard (the game developer) decided to tell the story of Overwatch across different mediums as they realise that certain mediums are better for telling certain types of stories. As senior game designer Michael Chu said, “Like if we do a comic, comics are better for telling certain types of stories”.

Prior to the games release, Blizzard released six comics and nine animations. Not only were these created in order to get people excited for the game, these comics and animations were released as a way to give certain in-game characters some sort of context. Despite the games release on 24th May 2016, Blizzard continues to produce comics and animations as a way to develop their characters.

The comics started initially as promotional material for the game. The first comic ‘Train Hopper’, released 21st April 2016, establishes the character ‘McCree’. Of course this may get people excited for the game as some people would want to play as McCree, hoping that he is as exciting in-game as much as he is in the comic. Although the game has been released, it continues to be updated on a regular basis, with new content and events that usually contain new customisation options for characters. The most recent comic, ‘Uprising’ (released 5th April 2017), tells a story that occurs previous to the time that game is set. It features many of the in-game characters looking somewhat younger and some of which wearing outfits that at the time, weren’t available in-game. This led to speculation that this comic was being used to tease the newest in-game event and what new cosmetic items it might contain. It turns out that these speculations were correct, as on 11th April, the ‘Uprising’ event was added into the game, along with the skins featured in the comic.

The comics and animations continue to be the games main storytelling device. An example of this would be the character ‘Ana’. She was the first character included into the game after its initial release. She was given two comics as well as a comic-styled animation as a way to give her some sort of context and show how she fits in with the other characters. Her animation for example, revealed that she is the mother of Pharah, a character already included in the game. Two days after Ana’s release into the game, the comic ‘Old Soldiers’ was also released as a way to develop her further and to tell her current story. A lot of Ana’s in-game quotes are stereotypical of what a mother would say, such as “Want me to tuck you in?”, and some of in-game imagery of her features her taking care of a young girl. Although this makes it obvious that she is somebody’s mother, this may be somewhat confusing to someone who hasn’t watched Ana’s accompanying animation. This shows that both the comic and animations are used as the games storytelling device, as there is almost no way to get any sort of narrative satisfaction from the game, without having knowledge of the comics beforehand. At least this is used to be the case.

Not only did the Uprising event include many new cosmetics, it also included the addition of little information boxes that explain characters, as well as some of their skins. Moreover, the new gamemode is a co-op mode lets you and four other friends take part in where the comic left off. I am aware that there was a similar co-op gamemode for the Halloween event that did the same thing, but for the Halloween comic. However, I am going to continue to ignore this as the Halloween comic serves no part in the overall plot of the Overwatch franchise, as it was a one-off fun event.

So essentially, this update added story to the game. Well, I say story but it isn’t exactly “storytelling”. If you’re playing the game for narrative satisfaction, then chances are that reading these information boxes is going to give you just as much narrative fulfilment as reading ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. I sincerely doubt that anybody has noticed these, let alone taken out the time to read any of them. In fact, I’m willing to bet that I’m the only person who has scoured the entire hero gallery for every one of these information boxes and read them all in order. Do they add anything? No, not really. They’re more of a way to say, “This person is…”, or, “This skin looks like this because…”. Sometimes they just point out the obvious, such as how we are told that the ‘Young Genji’ skin, is young Genji. Thank you, but I kind of figured that out already, due to the fact that the skin is called ‘Young Genji’, and that he looks like a normal person as opposed to some sort of ridiculous armour mod for ‘Fallout New Vegas’. I didn’t think that the context to some skins was that important. I just assumed that they looked that way because they’re more interesting than the regular skins. I suppose I shouldn’t be too harsh though; some of the information is completely new and unheard of before. Whereas some information could only previously have been found out by reading through the Overwatch wiki, I suppose this makes it a tad bit more convenient. Although, knowing that this is what Soldier 76 wore when he was in the army, really doesn’t immerse me anymore into the game. If anything, it takes me out of the immersion, as this states that this is what he looked like when he younger, yet the skin clearly shows him being older and looking more like ‘Major Chip Hazard’.

Anyway, moving back on track, fans who have read the comics may get more satisfaction from the game as they will know more about the history and personality of the characters. In the comic ‘Reflections’, it is revealed that the character ‘Tracer’ is a lesbian. Those who personally identify as LGBT may therefore enjoy the game more as they will now know that the game is giving them some sort of representation. The game itself makes no reference to Tracer’s sexuality, so this knowledge can only be gained by those who read the comics.

Moreover, the Overwatch comics and animations exist simply as additional content. The game can still be enjoyed without any of this content, but those who are left still wanting more can also be satisfied. For example, the comic ‘Junkenstein’ was created to promote the in-game Halloween event, as well as to give it some sort of story. The events of the comic are non-canon as it features certain characters that don’t align with each other, altogether in a cosy suburban home. Similarly, the little advertised ‘Winston’s Journey to the West’ is a tapestry that was created as a parody of the Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West’. It coincided with Chinese New Year, which was the in-game event at the time and so the characters featured in the tapestry are seen with their Chinese New Year inspired skin. As this was all done for free, this shows that Blizzard may be doing this as a passion project and simply because they want to create more content to add to the universe of the game. Neither of these two necessarily add anything to the game, however, they are both nice additions and show how dedicated Blizzard is to making Overwatch an enjoyable experience. Similarly, the comic ‘Reflections’ doesn’t necessarily make sense as it doesn’t really take place in the same dystopian world as the game does, however, it is interesting nonetheless to see characters outside of a combat situation.

The comics and animations are all available for free on the Overwatch website and YouTube, meaning that anyone can get involved in the world of Overwatch. Also, the fact that they continue to make comics shows that although they may have started as promotional material for the game, they are now simply made out of passion for the game. Blizzard themselves actively encourage fan-made content, therefore, the constant flow of comics and animation can be seen as inspiration for fans.

All of this is done for free. Blizzard made a net income of US$ 223 million in 2015. Being the same company that made ‘World of Warcraft’, they simply have the money to create content for free. On release, Overwatch was available for £36 on PC, or £45 for the ‘Origins Edition’, which is the standard edition for consoles. Many people were unsure if this price was unjustifiable for a multiplayer only game, however, once you have paid for the game, you get all of its current and future content for free. Any extra money comes from Overwatch merchandise and the in-game microtransactions, which only get you in-game cosmetic items that can be earned for free anyway. As the comics and animations are available for free, this shows that they exist perhaps as a way for people to feel as if they are getting their money’s worth.

Although the comics and animations can be enjoyed on their own, chances are that they’ll be much less enjoyable if you haven’t played the game. Each comic and animation tends to focus on one character or small group of characters, meaning that each comic doesn’t really connect as they don’t follow an overarching plot. For example, in the three most recent comics, we go from Tracer during Christmas in ‘Reflections’, to Torbjörn and Bastion in ‘Binary’, and then to a whole cast of characters in ‘Uprising’, which acts as a prequel to the time in-game.This may make it difficult for those who haven’t played the game to get all that invested in the Overwatch franchise as its narrative is told in such an unconventional way.

In conclusion, comics compliment the Overwatch game by developing and providing context for the in-game characters, as it would be much less effective if the game did so itself. Although they may have started as promotional material, the fact that Blizzard continues to create Overwatch comics and animations on a somewhat regular basis shows that they create this content out of passion for the game, especially since it is all for free and available to anyone.

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