#dagger will tell you that the day his brother 'died' was the best day of his life (lie) because it allowed him to reach his full potential
Note
3 and 5 for Dagger, 6 for Dragula
3. Has your OC killed a friend/family member/loved one?
Yes! His adoptive father, Thatch, and his brother (kinda). After he was taken in by nomads as a kid, he never really acclimated well and rejected any attempt at making them his new family. He only cared about his little brother Casey and trying to protect him. He constantly clashed with Thatch even though he defended him a lot from clan elders and other members and generally protected him from facing the consequences of his actions (he was a troubled kid, unsurprisingly lol). Dagger harbored a lot of anger and trauma from his biological father that automatically transferred onto Thatch despite him being a generally Decent Guy and Father Doing His Best with two traumatized orphans. But they argued a lot throughout their life together and eventually Dagger totally snaps and kills him (stabs him 30 times oops). Sometime during those 30 stabbins', Casey interrupts and in wave of panic and adrenaline and blind rage, Dagger ends up cutting Casey's throat. It's a total accident but he watches his brother bleed out in front of him before he runs. Leaves the clan before anyone finds him (and is officially branded Raffen). Little did he know, Casey is actually found by a clan medic and is able to be saved in time! But Dagger lives several years believing him to be dead, and it's one of the biggest defining moments of his life, because without the single thing in this world he actually gave a shit about, he allows himself to detach completely and become truly an unhinged monster and thus its the start of the man the myth and the legend himself.
5. What is your OC’s moral code?
Well. its broken lol! He essentially sees other people as pawns to be used or toyed with, so he generally has no problem ruining lives. "If you got a problem with it square up and stop me" kind of deal. His worldview is shaped around survival of the fittest, and he sees nothing wrong with this. Be the Bigger Monster. If someone isn't willing to stoop that low then it means they're weak and free game and he's probably doing them a favor by killing them. The only people who he won't are children, the outliers in his mentality. Children should be taught to survive. They don't know any better, they need a good example. He'll show them a good example. He'll kill everything around them and then give them a knife. He's practical and realistic (so he believes). He doesn't get attached to anyone (he's just repressed). The only thing in the world that matters is blood. (All of this of course because he witnessed something very bad when he was very small and he never wanted to feel that scared again).
6. Would your OC make a deal with the devil?
There was a time where he was more of an idealist and he wouldn't, but he becomes a bit jaded and detached and for the right price he might. But not for anything like money or status and probably not even power. If he was going to go that far it'd be for something bloody and vengeful and scorched earth. It'd have to be very worth it for him to have a leash around his neck (again.)
#dagger will tell you that the day his brother 'died' was the best day of his life (lie) because it allowed him to reach his full potential#nothing holding him back! no emotion! no love! just killin!!!!#they both died that day!!!!! and they were both reborn#but the whole thing genuinely haunts him :) only time in his life he let himself cry! and boy it was maniacal. laughing. crying.#hes fine :)#also it should be no surprise that his Nemesis(TM) is a kid who grew up as a witness to his violence#someone who is both a mirror to him and a consequence of everything he chose to do and be#sorry that im long winded v.v it will happen again#ty tho#oc: dagger#oc: dragula
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Not Again - Part Nine
Summary: Y/n is desperate to try and get home, willing to face near death again to try if she must. Azriel is not willing to let her risk herself, and fortunately neither is the rest of his family.
Warnings: she’s a little angsty
Series Masterlist
-Part Nine-
“You’re not trying it again,” Azriel snarls, arms crossed over his chest, “We don’t even know what went wrong in the first place, you could’ve died.”
Y/n sighs, rubbing her temples, they’d been at this for hours now, surrounded by the inner court. So far, no one seemed to be on her side, least of all Azriel. As soon as the words had left her mouth he’d been seething, that quiet calm mask replaced by burning rage.
“Give me the book of breathings and I’ll figure it out,” Y/n snaps back, bearing all of her teeth at him, “I must have misread something. Maybe the ancient busy body will have answers for me.”
“You’re not going anywhere near that book!”
“Az, chill out,” Cassian says, gripping his brother’s arm, “Let’s all calm down and think for a damn moment.”
Y/n slumps into her seat, glaring at Azriel as he paces on the other side of the table, the only thing keeping them from lunging at each other and tearing out each other’s throat. He glares right back, shadows whipping around him like they might grab her and strap her to the very seat she sits on to keep her from trying the spell again.
“Azriel’s right,” Feyre sighs, “That book was holding you hostage, and the book of breathings has done the same to me, I don’t want to risk you getting hurt again, or worse.”
“I’m not a child in need of your protection,” Y/n says, ice cold and guarded.
“No,” Amren says then, “But you are stranded and in need of our help. We will not risk ourselves because you want to foolishly run head first to your death.”
“Y/n, it’s in your best interest to take it slow, and let us help you,” Rhys chimes in, “I felt something when you opened that portal, something dark, powerful. There’s something out there, and whatever it is took an interest in out dear Y/n here.”
Y/n’s shoulder lock up, and Azriel’s glare turns to ice, “You already knew that didn’t you?”
“What was it?” Nesta leans on the table, steely eyes staring directly into Y/n’s soul.
“I don’t know,” she says, holding that piercing gaze, not backing down an inch, “I heard something, when I was trapped. Something cold and wicked.”
“What did it say?” Azriel demands, stepping closer to the table that separates them, multiple times in the last hour she’d been half tempted to leap across that table and fight it out with teeth, fists, and daggers, “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“Oh please.” She rolls her eyes, and she can see the exact moment it crawls beneath his skin, he looks half tempted to strangle her, “It’s kind of hard to talk when you’re to busy shoving your tongue down my throat.”
“I’m sorry,” Mor says, looking at Az with wide eyes, “What?”
“Listen, princess.” Azriel leans on the table, ignoring Mor, ignoring the rest of his family who look between the two with varying degrees of alarm, “I don’t give a shit about this whole, I’m tougher than the world act, you’re scared and I know it, I can fucking see it, so go ahead and tell me what the fuck it said.”
She practically hisses at him, leaning forward in her seat, arm in casual reach of the blade at her thigh, “You don’t fucking know me, shadowsinger.”
“That’s enough,” Feyre snaps, “if you two can’t be civil together one of you can get out.”
Azriel looks ready to argue but one sharp glare from his high lady has him backing down. He turns on his heal, taking three long strides away from the table, putting distance between them like it would cool the raging flames in their eyes.
“What did you hear?” Feyre asks calmly, that air of dominance in her voice, High Lady, a queen in her own right.
Y/n holds her head high, meeting Feyre’s eyes, she may not be a queen but one day she would be, and she would bow to no one, “It told me to pay the price, gods killer’s kin.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Cassian asks, “Why can’t these things just say what they mean?”
“When my mother banished the gods to that hell realm to die,” Y/n says, “It would seem not all of them did. And whoever survived is demanding the price my mother was supposed to give.”
“And what price is that?” Azriel’s voice is deadly soft.
She could feel the anger radiating off of him, not necessarily at her, not necessarily not at her. He was angry that she’d nearly died, that she was willing to do it again if it meant going home. He was angry at her for being so damn stubborn that she wouldn’t listen, that she wouldn’t let him play protective fae male. She was angry to, so gods damned angry at the Wyrd for handing her this fate. For bringing her here in the first place, for putting her in their lives, in his, only to take her away again.
“My life.”
Azriel felt the words echo through him, bouncing around in his skull, each syllable cracking another piece of him until he was on the verge of shattering. My life, my life, my life, her life, her life, her life, her, her, her. Sharp stabbing pain in his chest like each word was a ash arrow through his sternum and directly into the heart beneath.
“No.”
“You don’t-“
“No,” he growls again, gaze matching Y/n’s, fire and ice pushing and pushing against each other to create a storm.
“We don’t know what this thing is,” Rhys interjects, “If it’s an actual god like thing, one of Quinlann’s Asteri, or something else entirely. Amren will search that dreadful book for answers about the gate. You two, will sit and calm the fuck down, and the rest of us will get back to work.”
The High Lord’s voice held an air of finality, no room to argue, even Y/n slumped in her seat, letting some of the cold fire go out. Amren is up and out the door as soon as Rhys stands, grumbling something beneath her breath about ungrateful little girls that has Y/n glaring between her shoulders like she was imagining that dagger strapped to her thigh buried between them.
“It will be alright, Y/n” Feyre lays a gentle hand on the female’s shoulder, “We will get you home, and if this god wants a fight, we will give it one.”
Azriel notes the shattered and broken look in Y/n’s eyes as she nods at his High Lady. He is so busy examining each of her motions that he doesn’t notice his family file out, doesn’t notice the concerned eyes and subtle glances between him and the female before him. She won’t look at him, he can tell she is actively trying not to meet his gaze. Fine, if she wanted to play the silent game, he’d play it and he’d win. They were going to have this out one way or another.
He sits across from her, arms crossed over his chest, eyes searching her face for any motion, but she sits still, that absolute fae stillness that looks like she isn’t even breathing. If it wasn’t for the steady beat of her heart in his ears he would think she wasn’t.
They sat there in silence, neither willing to be the one to break first. She stares at the wall beyond him, he stares at her face.
The tension in the room is suffocating, Azriel’s shadows are the only movement, the only sound, whispering in his ears, she’s upset, help her, comfort her. He wants to scream, to tell them to mind their own business.
He knows she’s upset, he knows and there’s a part of him that wants to take her into his arms and hold her, to tell her it’s alright and that he’d help her figure it out, but there’s an even bigger part of him that wants to keep yelling, to grab her and shake her till she stops and actually listens to him. He wishes he was like Rhys, that he could go into her mind and show her what she had looked like, trapped in that spell, he wishes he could show her the terror in his heart. How could she be so gods damned stubborn that she would even think to try it again, to put herself through that again, to put him through it again. Because if she did it, he would be right there beside her, and he would burn all over again to keep her safe.
Both of them were to stubborn to break first, they sat there for nearly an hour before Azriel stood, that far away look in his eyes that meant Rhys was talking to him in his head. He didn’t say anything to Y/n, only sending her a warning look before stalking out the doors and jumping from the balcony. She was half tempted to follow, to take her talons directly into his back, to get the fight she’d been itching to have with him. Instead she sat there, staring at that same blank space on the wall, mind spiraling down and down into that dark portal that ate up the Walking Dead book.
She wishes she still had it, that she could figure out how it all went wrong. She was so sure she’d copied those marks perfectly, spelling out the name of her home meticulously. Orynth, Terrasen, she’d learned how to write out the name in the Wyrd marks as a child, she knew it like the back of her hand. It should’ve worked, the gate should’ve worked.
When it had opened, she swore she could feel home on the other side, lands of pine and snow, the smell of the kings flame blooming across the mountains. It was right there, just beyond her reach, and that was when she’d felt it, when there had been something else, something dark that took her mind and whispered those words. Which god had survived, which one now demanded her death, she wasn’t sure. Quite frankly she didn’t want to know.
Whoever it was, they were angry, angry at her mother for what she had done, for the deaths of the other gods, and for that, they would take the one thing her mother cherished beyond anything else, Y/n. They would take her, using the power in her blood to make the lock that would bring them home, squeezing every last drop of life from her till there was nothing left.
Azriel knew he was going to walk into the River house and be bombarded, the question was, who would get to him first.
“Who needs a babysitter now?”
He glares at his brother, “Shut up, Cassian.”
“No, no, I’m going to enjoy this,” Cass grins at him, “I’m surprised you actually came down here, with way you two were staring each other down I was sure there would be some rough-“
Azriel sends him a warning snarl, “Watch it.”
Cassian only grins wider, holding his hands up in mock surrender, “I’ve never seen someone get under you skin like that. I’m surprised it took this long for, how’d did she put it? For your tongue to end up down her throat.”
Azriel was seconds away from sending his fist into his brothers face when Rhys opens his office door, “I’m surprised you’re not in a bed right now.”
Cassian’s roaring laughter fills the hall way and Azriel doesn’t hold back the fist he sends straight into Cassian’s stomach. His brother breathlessly laughs, even as he doubles over. Rhys’s eyes sparkle in amusement and Azriel sends him a look that dares him to say anything else.
“Why did you call me down?”
The High Lords humor vanishes just like that, it’s enough to even sober up Cassian, “Amren found something.”
No, no, no, no, “What is it?”
“The book of breathings was very talkative, it kept telling her that the storyteller should have heeded its warnings,” Rhys sighs, leaning against the door way, “With enough snarling Amren was able to wring a solid answer out of it.”
Azriel felt like throwing up as he asked, “What did it say?”
Rhys gives him a look, one that seems pleading, “That the Wyrd brought her here for a reason, as a gift to her, and it was angry at her for not accepting it.”
Cassian sighs, “What does that mean. What gift?”
There’s a moment where Azriel thinks Rhys won’t answer. Whatever it was, Az isn’t completely sure he wants to know. Whatever that wretched book had to say, it couldn’t be good.
“Fate brought Y/n here as a gift to her,” Rhys says again, taking a deep steadying breath, “Brought her here as a gift to her and her mate.”
Everything went quiet, the air, the best of his heart, quiet. No sound, no breaths, nothing. Just that word, mate, her mate.
“Az.”
He didn’t know who said it, Rhys, Cassian, his shadows, he didn’t know, he couldn’t hear beyond the echo of the word, mate, mate, mate, mate.
“Who?” He chokes on it, drowns in it, mate, mate, mate, “Who is it?”
He could feel it, like a tendril of shadow that reaches far far above the city, to the red cliffs, to the house carved into it’s side.
Rhys gives him a pitying look, “Brother, who do you thi-“
A soft tug, on that shadow, so faint it feels like it slips between his fingers.
“Who?” He pleads, breaking beneath it, mate, mate, mate, “Please.”
He collapses beneath the weight, knees digging into the soft plush rug beneath him. His brothers don’t move, they let him get crushed beneath the word.
“The book said it was a gift,” his brother whispers, “a gift to the storyteller and the shadowsinger.”
Mate, mate, mate, mate. That tendril of shadow firmly in his grasp, and on the other side, sits a storm of ice and fire. His mate, sits on the other side, high above him in the House of Wind, mate, mate, mate, mate, mate.
She is his mate.
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#acotar#azriel x reader#acotar x reader#azriel#rowaelin daughter#rowaelin#not again#a court of thorns and roses
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Tom and Jake's Relationship
Story: The Dagger Posse Universe
Word Count: 2k (oops)
TW: Mentions of death, Mentions of illness, Mentions of pandemic, Mentions of funerals, Mentions of burials, References to prostitution, Mentions of hanging, Starvation. Think that's it.
A/N: Been sitting on this one for a while. I wanted to show the kind of relationship that Jake and Ice have, and I sure hope I was able to give you even the slightest glimpse into how much they care about one another. Please enjoy!
The epidemic that swept the small town of Maverick was as quick as it was devastating. It slaughtered several of the different townsfolk, and left several with no family left. Tom had been there to comfort Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and a small Bradley Bradshaw when Nick and Carole had been lowered into the cold, dark earth of the desert. Bradley had been so young, and he had clung to Maverick's leg, hiding his face away. Tom wasn't sure if it was to keep from seeing his parents like that or to keep his parents from seeing him like that.
They had been good, kind people. Goose was well liked by most and Carole was well liked by all. Both always having smiles for whoever had the fortune of encountering them. And they had been fighters, holding out until they couldn't find the strength to draw another breath.
Tom had been walking aimlessly down the streets of Maverick after their funeral, searching for what, he didn't know at the time. The day had been cold and eerily calm, like the desert mourned with the sheriff too. The image of young Bradley clinging to Maverick's leg as he tried so hard to keep a brave face replayed in his head. The only time he cracked was when the men began to lower the coffins into the graves below, and the boy had shed a single tear and let out a solitary sob.
Tom's heart broke for the son of his friends, but he knew that Penny and Mav would take good care of him. Still, it wasn't easy to lose your parents, especially at such a young age.
He rounded a corner near the edge of town, stopping short at the solitary figure that sat huddled on the foot of the stairs leading up to the back of the butcher's shop. Mossy, green eyes popped up to look at him, and Tom was taken aback by how gaunt the poor boy looked.
"Jake," he nodded, looking him over. There were dark circles under his eyes, skin pale and he definitely looked thinner than the last time the older man had seen him.
"Sheriff," the blond nodded back, voice barely audible as he slumped back in on himself. Tom felt a pang run through his heart at how tired he sounded. A boy of eight years shouldn't be sounding like that.
"What are you doing, Jake?"
"Sarah didn't make enough to feed us again," the boy whispered, eyes closed in defeat. "I always tell her that I found food somewhere else so she gets enough to eat without worryin' about me. Sometimes the butcher will give me scraps that I can cook."
"How long has this been going on?"
He shrugged. "Since Ma an' Da' died."
Tom's stomach lurched. A couple of weeks then. The sheriff knew he couldn't go on like this. He knew that Sarah was doing her best to provide for her and her brother, but there was only so much a girl of fourteen could do unless she chose to sell herself. Tom wasn't going to let that happen. He owed it to their parents to take care of the two.
"Come with me, Jake," he murmured, causing the boy to look up at him in confusion.
"What?" He frowned, stumbling to a stand. "Why?"
"We're going to go see Penny about a meal."
"I can't afford that, Mr. Ice," Jake exclaimed, despair in his eyes. Tom shook his head, placing a gentle hand on his shoulders to guide him back into town.
"Don't you worry about that. I'll get you sorted out."
And Tom had seen to it that Jake ate regularly, cooking him meals and sending him home with leftovers as often as he could. He had even taught him to hunt, and the boy was a halfway decent shot when he wanted to be.
Soon, Jake was old enough to work, and Tom made sure the boy was being paid fair wages, working odd jobs to earn enough to support him and his sister.
"You're not workin' too hard, are you, Jake?" He asked the young man one day. Jake had looked at him with a tired smile, rubbing at his eyes as he answered.
"No, Tom," he sighed. "I'm not working too hard. Just earning my living."
Tom had hummed, but made sure to slip a couple of extra dollars into the boy's pouch when he wasn't looking. Winter was coming up, and he knew Jake was in need of a new pair of boots. It had been too long since he bought the last pair, and it would do him no good to run around without proper footwear. Now that he thought about it, it wouldn't hurt to give him a couple more dollars for new clothes, so into the pouch it went.
Tom couldn't help the smile that grew on his face at the sight of Jake in his new trousers and boots two weeks later.
"What are you grinnin' about?" Jake had asked him, brow furrowed in curiosity. Tom just shook his head and chuckled.
"Don't you mind now."
Tom knew that Jake's heart was in the right place, but he could have done without the extra grey hairs.
"Bradley's problems are his own," he had groused to the blond. "You shouldn't go gettin' into trouble for someone who's fighting their own demons, son."
"Bradley is my friend, Ice," Jake had sighed, sipping on his beer at the bar. "I'm not leaving a friend to walk through hell alone."
Tom felt a twinge of pride. Jake had grown into a fine young man. Loyal, strong, kind, and clever. All things a man should be, Tom supposed, but Jake's loyalty was a double edged sword at best.
"I'm not going to be able to bail you out of these predicaments for forever, you know," he had grumbled, sipping on his own beer. Jake huffed out a laugh, patting the older man on the shoulder.
"I don't expect you to," he grinned, shooting him a wink. "One day I'll have enough money where I won't need to do this anymore. Maybe I'll even build you a fancy new house while I'm at it."
"Every single one of these grey hairs is because of you, you know," Tom scowled, shoving the younger man lightly.
"I think they make you look distinguished."
"Smartass."
Now this was something Tom hadn't expected. Of course, he knew that Jake had his fair share of flings with the women in town, but he had never seen the boy so transfixed before. And it appeared the young lady had taken an interest back in him, though the more he observed the two, the more he wasn't sure she knew the extent of her feelings.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you son?" He had remarked to Jake one day after the young lady had left him standing in the middle of the street. Jake squared his shoulders back, and despite his grin, Tom saw a look of quiet determination in his green eyes.
"I'm going to marry that girl one day, Tom," he had declared.
"Pretty sure she has to like you first."
"I'll get her to like me," the blond shot back. And for a moment, Tom was taken aback. In Jake's eyes was a mixture of two things the older man wasn't sure he had ever seen before: nervousness and longing.
"Give it time," Tom cautioned, squeezing Jake's shoulder. "A girl like that needs to be earned, not won."
It was now or never. Tom had convinced the marshal to go and get a drink to ease some of his tension, and now was the only chance he would get to free Jake. Tom was never going to let the boy hang, he couldn't let it happen. He knew there would be grave consequences for himself for letting Jake go free, but he wasn't about to let him down. While Bradley had always had Maverick, Jake had always had Tom. Tom wouldn't let the only son he had ever known leave this world by the end of a rope.
He stopped as the front door creaked open to reveal you, a bedraggled wreck as you stared at him. Now this was a surprise. Tom was sure that you wouldn't show up, after all it was late and you were a lady if nothing else.
“You shouldn’t be here, darlin’,” he drawled, placing his feet on the floor. “This ain’t no place for a lady such as yourself.”
“Where is he?” You asked him, stepping into the room and quickly closing the door behind you. Tom heard Jake call out, and as you moved towards the back room, he stopped you.
“Are you sure you’re ready to see him like this?” He asked you quietly, lips pressing into a thin line as he continued to study you. You stared at him with fire in your eyes, a fire that had Tom's mind blazing in curiosity. What a tough little thing you were.
“Please,” you murmured, your eyes never wavering. “Please let me see him.”
Tom stared at you for a moment longer before glancing at the door. Any chance of getting Jake out now was gone the second you stepped foot through the door. He would have to come up with another plan, but for now, the least he could do is let the two of you see each other.
“You have five minutes, Scout.”
Tom was still thinking about the way your eyes had sparkled as you saw the wanted poster for Isaac Cassidy. He could practically see the cogs in your head turning as you played the part of the damsel in distress for Beau, but Tom could see now that you were no fool. No, you were more than capable, and he supposed that you had come up with a plan of your own.
"That girl of yours sure is something," he had mused to Jake, watching the blue light of the morning filter into the jail.
"You have no idea," the young man croaked back. "I love her, Tom."
"I know."
"I don't want her to see my hang."
Tom paused at that. He had already come up with a contingency plan, but a feeling inside of him told him that you were hard at work making preparations for your own handiwork.
"Somehow," Tom drawled, "I don't think she will."
There was a moment of silence between the two of them.
"I'm sorry, Tom."
"What the hell are you sorry for?" Tom rolled his eyes, earning a sigh.
"I'm sorry for how things ended up. You always warned me to stay out of trouble, and now here we are."
"Yeah, well," Tom sniffed, pushing out of his chair and heading for the door. He had to speak with Maverick before time was up. "Maybe you'll listen to me once you get out of here."
And with that, he walked through the door.
Tom watched as Jake led you down the road, the crowd crowing eagerly behind him. He had to hand it to you, you were a cunning, ruthless lady. Not many people could have pulled off what you did, and Tom could count you as one of the few people in this world that left him impressed.
He supposed that Jake would try to stay out of trouble moving forward, but trouble had always had a knack for finding Jake if nothing else. Tom let out a sigh as he watched the young man place a gentle kiss to your forehead, squeezing you tightly as you continued to walk towards your home.
"You comin'?" Bradley asked him, an impassive look on his face. Tom nodded, turning to start making his way through the crowd. He wasn't one to take delight in death, but he was certainly one to make sure that no harm came to the people he cared about. Isaac Cassidy would die today in place of Jake Seresin. Tom would rest easy knowing that the boy he raised would stay safe for another day.
#dhtn#don't hang'em til noon#drabble#jake hangman seresin#jake seresin#hangman#jake hangman seresin x reader#jake hangman seresin x you#jake seresin x reader#jake seresin x you#hangman x reader#hangman x you#jake seresin imagine#jake hangman seresin imagine#jake seresin fanfiction#jake hangman seresin fanfiction#hangman imagine#hangman top gun#top gun hangman#hangman seresin x reader#hangman seresin x you#hangman seresin#dgu#dagger gang universe
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Something Out of a 90's Rom Com
Hi All! Sometime in the last couple of week I made it past 500 followers! A big thanks to all of you who are reading, liking, commenting and reposting my fics! It means the world to me that you enjoy them so thank you!
So here we are back with another Robert 'Bob' Floyd x Reader
Based on Bob's love for love and 90's rom coms (a little nod to Lewis’s dad Bill). It's a bit unbelievable and stupid but aren't all of those movies!
I was tagged in @jostystyles top tracks writing challenge to celebrate 2.6K. Congrats! My prompt was "I'm in love, accidently in love" from Accidently in love by the Counting Crows.
No real warnings I don't think. A bit of swearing, ejection from a jet and just pure fluffy goodness!
Here’s my masterlist if you want to read other things I write!
I hope you enjoy xox
Bob Floyd was a romantic, always had been. All he ever wanted was to fall in love with the one. But meeting anyone special was proving to be difficult. Between his babyface, nerdy looks, and awkward, wallflower personality and the fact he had a job that meant long periods away, he hadn’t attracted a lot of interest.
His friends, particularly Hangman, always had a good-natured plan to find him a date or a funny joke about him needing to get laid. The one about having the ability to light a black flamed candle during a Halloween full moon, was his current favourite.
At 31 years old, Bob had never been in love, well except for the massive crush he had on the girl who lived down the street when he was 11.
He just couldn’t help but want to fall stupidly, madly, hopelessly, head over heels in love with the one.
Bob was a little lonely and his right hand was certainly very overworked, but for the most part he was okay with waiting to find them.
You see, 90’s romantic comedies were Bob’s guilty pleasure. He loved watching them with his ma growing up, and after she died, he kept on watching. Firstly, it was because they reminded him of her, but then he grew to appreciate how the characters would fall accidentally in love, in the most ridiculous of ways.
Gradual feelings for your annoying stepbrother, or your teacher when you’re an undercover reporter in high school, or even the sex worker you hired because you were lonely, were the order of the day. So was realising you were in love with the feminist you were paid to date or the arty girl you bet you could make into prom queen or your best friend when they were about to get married.
Your sworn enemy would really end up being the love of your life, or you’d meet up with a stranger you met through talk back radio and live happily ever after. Or like, his ma’s personal favourite, you’d save your pretend comatose fiancé then fall in love with his brother.
He knew those movies were stupid, but Bob secretly hoped that something like that would happen to him.
Sadly, it looked like it he might never get the chance, seeing as he and Phoenix were about to burn into the ocean in the middle of winter.
They had been a successful, formidable team since their first mission with the dagger squad years ago and Phoenix had become the best friend Bob had ever had. They’d been through a lot together but surviving a second ejection from a F-18 seemed pretty unlikely, especially since this time they’d been shot out of the sky.
“Eject, eject, eject!” Phoenix cried out, voice clear and calm despite the fact they were about to abandon their burning aircraft at low altitude and plunge into the almost freezing temperatures below.
Bob didn’t hesitate and grabbed the ejection rings, lifted his head, pulled hard, and was propelled into the air. The rest of the sequence happened on pure instinct, and he anxiously searched the sky, making sure Phoenix had followed. He shakily let out the breath he was holding when he saw her parachute deploy safely seconds after his, and Bob braced himself for the rough landing in the frigid water.
……
Even with adrenaline coursing through Bob, he could tell he was injured. At a minimum, something was pretty wrong with a shoulder and some of his ribs. The ocean had done little to soften the impact of landing, and despite his best efforts to position himself correctly, he’s pretty sure he’d fractured an ankle.
Given the high risk of spinal injuries, protocol stated he should inflate his one-man life raft and stay put, but his seat kit had become detached, and he’d lost it somewhere. At least he had his life preserver around his neck keeping him afloat and there was no way in hell he wasn’t going to find Phoenix. Thankfully his glasses had remained intact under his flight helmet, and he could make her out in the distance.
Bob managed the slow, excruciating process of sidestroke, and conserving as much energy as he could, he made his way towards her. The cold water made it a little difficult to breathe and it pricked him painfully all over his body, and his shoulders and sternum screamed with the effort of swimming.
“Bob!” he heard Phoenix shout as he got closer. He had no idea how long it took him to get to her, but she had managed to inflate her life raft and was inside it, using her hands to paddle towards him.
“Nix… Nix are you okay?” he managed to grit out as he came up alongside her and lifted what he hoped was an uninjured shoulder over the lip of her life raft.
Phoenix barked out a teary laugh. “Not really. My collarbone I think, maybe more. Where’s your raft?”
“Fucked if I know.” Bob chuckled and winced as pain bloomed in his chest with the movement.
Her mouth lifted in a small smirk. “Ah… I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you swear Bob.”
“Pretty sure it won’t be the last time today.” He gave her a wry smile and tried to keep calm despite his short breaths and the pins and needles stabbing his extremities from the near freezing water.
“Shit it’s so cold. Is your SATCOM workin’ Nix? Our last coordinates showed we were maybe 20-30 miles north-east from the carrier before we had to eject.”
“Yeah, it’s transmitting. We gotta get you out of that water asap.” Phoenix said anxiously.
Bob shook his head at her. “Too injured. Don’t think I can pull myself up.” And she tried to haul his large upper body out of the water resulting in almost tipping herself out of the raft.
A painful groan ripped from both of them, and Bob stopped her from trying again. “Don’t Nix. You’ll hurt yourself more. There’s not enough room and you don’t need to be in the water too.”
“It’s like that wooden door in ‘Titanic’ all over again. Just don’t let go this time, Rose!” Bob laughed lightly despite the overwhelming situation. His body was shivering, and his heart was pounding. He had started to slowly turn a little numb, so at least he couldn’t feel the pain in his body as much anymore.
Phoenix glared at him with red rimmed eyes. “You and your 90’s fucking rom coms.”
“To b-be fair. I don’t think ‘Titanic’ is cl-classified as romance when a thousand p-people die,” he stuttered as his teeth started to chatter.
“Shit you’re gonna freeze. Bob, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault,” she said softly, pain lacing her voice.
Bob grabbed her hand with the one he had on the raft and squeezed. “N-no way. Don’t you say s-sorry. You d-d-did everythin’ you could, and it helped the t-team get out of there. G-got a couple of good shots off b-before we w-went in… I’m the idiot who l-l-lost their seat pack. Nix just, j-just keep talkin’ to me. Make me laugh. Till s-s-search and r-rescue come.”
He wasn’t an idiot. Even though it was daylight, floating in the frigid ocean in a flight suit, the signs of mild hypothermia were already setting in. If he was lucky, Bob maybe had 45 minutes until he was unconscious. But he needed to keep himself and Phoenix calm and he was pretty sure his calculations about their position was correct.
“You know when we get back, Bagman’s gonna double down on his efforts to get you laid. Near death experience and all that. He’ll probably even offer to fuck you himself.” Phoenix laughed faintly and squeezed his hand.
Bob managed a small smile. “I’m s-sure Roo will h-have somethin’ to s-say ‘bout that. I k-know you g-guys think it’s s-stupid but I d-don’t really c-care ‘bout that, w-wanna be in…”
“Love. Yeah, we know. We think it’s sweet Bob. Have a feeling it’ll be just like those shitty movies you like so much.” Phoenix smiled at him warmly as she interrupted, holding his hand over the side of the raft.
“H-hope s-so. N-not picky how it h-happens. L-love at first s-s-sight or some s-stupid mix up, f-friends who f-f-fall in love. P-pity I d-don’t have the r-r-right equipment or m-maybe you and I c-c-could have ended up together.” Bob joked as he stammered violently from the cold.
“Oh so you swear and you’re a shit too now? You’re right, your cock’s lost on me. I just hope it doesn’t freeze before SAR gets here,” she snickered softly, although her watery eyes showed how upset she was.
“C-can’t feel my dick r-right now s-so it’s entirely p-p-possible it could f-fall off before I g-get to use it a-g-gain,” he snorted weakly. Bob’s brain was starting to go fuzzy so he might be imagining it, but his ears pricked up at a very faint mechanical sound. “D-do you h-hear that N-nix?”
Phoenix listened intently and whipped her head around in every which way, and a small, relieved smile crept over her face. “I think I see it in the distance. I’m gonna set off my smoke flare.”
Bob didn’t follow any particular religion, but he closed his eyes and said a silent prayer to whoever was listening, that Phoenix and himself would be rescued, preferably with all appendages still in working order.
The acrid smell and the sizzling sound signalled that she had ignited their only flare. Bob’s legs and arms were almost completely numb, and he started to feel drowsy. Phoenix must have noticed because she grabbed his upper arm with a tight grip.
“Hey Bob!” she shouted loudly, and his eyes opened at her voice, and he saw the bright, red-orange smoke billowing upwards. “Stay awake! They’re almost here.”
He nodded his head slightly and he fought to keep his eyes on her. “M-maybe todays the d-day I m-meet the one. G-got the r-ring and everythin’…”
“Bob! Hey! Talk to me. What ring?!” Phoenix shook him to keep him awake.
Her jostling kept him from nodding off. “M-my g-g-grandma’s ring. S-s-somethin’ told me t-to put it in m-my flight s-suit t-t-today.”
Phoenix laughed breathlessly, maybe at his comment or in relief at the sound of the helicopter above them. “Where the hell did you think you would meet the love of your life out here?”
Bob was so very tired but vaguely registered someone drop and land in the water, and his eyes grew heavy again as they started swimming towards him and Phoenix.
“M-m-maybe they’ll f-fall out of t-the s-sky…” he mumbled sleepily.
“Holy shit. Robbie…” Bob heard a sweet female voice call out to him before his vision blurred and everything faded into black.
……
YFN sat quietly in a chair next to the bed in medical and let her gaze fall on the man lying in it. Now that he was no longer soaking wet and hypothermic, and not wearing his flight helmet, she could really appreciate how handsome he was. Curly sandy brown hair, long eyelashes, freckled nose, strong jaw and a pouty bottom lip.
His glasses were on the table, so she took the opportunity to play with his curls and trace the features of his face with her finger softly, before she decided it was probably weird to touch a sleeping person like this.
Instead, YFN took his hand in hers and looked at him in part concern, confusion, and awe as she remembered the events of the last couple of hours.
She had been on standby as a SAR for the dagger squad’s mission. They were considered as the finest aviators the US navy had to offer, so ordinarily search and rescue were never usually needed. But the order had come through about a missing F-18 and YFN and the team had been deployed immediately.
When she’d heard Lieutenant Bob Floyd was one of the aviators that had ejected after been fired on by an enemy aircraft, her spine stiffened. Surely it couldn’t be the same Robbie Floyd who she’d had a huge crush on when they were kids. She didn’t even realise they had both ended up in the navy.
But once YFN was in the water, she took one look at the near unconscious man and knew he was one and the same.
After what felt like an eternity of YFN working on him while he was barely conscious in the helicopter, his gorgeous blue eyes fluttered open from behind his wire frames and the relief she felt was immense.
And so was the overwhelming feeling of love.
Even though Robbie, or Bob as he was now called, was very drowsy from hypothermia and in a lot of pain from his multiple injuries, she swore he recognised her and silently mouthed her name.
Then he started mumbling stuff about fate, love, and soulmates and then all of a sudden, a diamond ring was placed on her finger.
The timing and the situation was entirely ridiculous. Plus it was really unprofessional to accept a proposal from an injured, confused man that she just rescued from the ocean.
But YFN couldn’t help but hold hope it was real, the whole thing was just so goddamn romantic.
It was like something out of a 90’s rom com.
YFN was snapped out of her thoughts by the pilot she recognised as the infamous Hangman. “Well well well. What do we have here…”
He had Bob’s pilot Phoenix in a wheelchair, and they approached her. “Who would have known all ‘baby on board’ needed to do to find the future Mrs Floyd was to be shot out of the sky,” he said with a cocky drawl.
YFN shook her head at him and took her hand off Bob’s. “What?! No… I’m not.”
“But you’re wearing his grandma’s ring.” Hangman smirked as he pointed at her hand.
YFN looked at and fiddled nervously with the beautiful foreign object on her finger. “Ah yeah I am. But he put it on there for safe keeping… I think. And he was slipping in and out of consciousness. That doesn’t count as a proposal.”
Phoenix fixed an intense gaze on her. Even though she was wounded and sitting down, she was very intimidating. “It counts. I was there. I saw the way you looked at him. You love him.”
She wasn’t wrong. When they had locked eyes on the helicopter, it was like some magical, fated moment that only exists in the movies and it felt like a kaleidoscope of butterflies had been released in her chest.
But she didn’t want Bob’s friends to know that she’d fallen instantly in love, so she stood her ground. “You were high on morphine.”
“Don’t care. It happened. You’re Bob’s fiancé,” the pilot countered.
“Darlin’ he let you strip his clothes. I’ve been practically shoving him in front of every single person with a heartbeat for years and he’s never even bat an eyelid. But with you… poof… he’s naked.” Hangman laughed as he made magic gestures with his hands.
YFN turned bright red and squeaked. “He had hypothermia, and his flight suit was freezing cold! I was warming him up!”
“Mmm-hmm,” he winked as he flipped a toothpick in his mouth and YFN rolled her eyes at him in frustration.
Phoenix raised an eyebrow at her. “So if you don’t love him, why you haven’t taken off the ring yet.”
Panic began to rise inside of her, she knew she was found out. “I ahh… umm… it’s stuck?”
Phoenix remained unwavering with her stare.
YFN sighed. She gave up denying it and admitted her feelings. “Okay fine. Yes! I’m in love. Accidently in love! I have no idea what happened.”
She looked at them incredulously and started muttering, “I mean who finds the boy who lived down the street that you had a crush on when you were like 11 in the middle of the ocean 20 years later? There’s no way he meant any of it. Right?”
“I knew it. You do know him. You kept calling him Robbie.” Phoenix said smugly and YFN nodded.
Phoenix’s expression changed and she smiled warmly at her. “Look Bob might have been out of it, but he meant it. He’s been waiting for this for a long time.”
YFN’s eyebrows nearly shot into her hairline when she heard Hangman practically squeal in delight. “This is too fuckin’ good! An American hero is shot down and rescued by the girl next door from decades ago. They fall instantly in love and he just so happens to be carrying his grandma’s engagement ring, so proposes while he’s near death! It’s just like one of Bob’s 90’s rom coms.”
She chuckled and looked lovingly at Bob’s resting form and without thinking brushed back the curl of hair that fell on his forehead and smiled at the others. “He still likes those huh? I remember watching them with him and his ma. Her favourite was ‘While…”
“While You Were Sleepin’.” A southern voice croaked out and YFN’s head whipped back to look at Bob who was watching them with a small smile on his face.
“Robbie.” YFN breathed as she took in his cerulean blue eyes. She wasn’t sure what to do next so she blurt out, “Do you… do you want your glasses?”
He nodded and she picked them up and placed them gently on his face as he watched her closely.
“Hi YFN,” he said simply.
She smiled at him and wordlessly offered him water with a straw to his lips and he took a few sips. YFN was mesmerised when he caught a droplet on his lower lip with his tongue and blushed when she heard Phoenix snort a laugh.
“So Bob. How long have you been laying there pretending to be asleep?”
A wry smile spread across his face. “Long before you two came in.”
YFN gasped as she realised, he’d been awake when she’d been caressing his face. “You ass!” she cried out embarrassed and the other three burst out laughing.
“Ow ow ow.” Bob moaned and clutched his ribs at his outburst.
“Serves you right. God you probably think I’m some kind of creep.” YFN muttered.
Bob reached for her left hand and threaded their fingers together. “Not creepy if you love them.”
YFN looked at him in shock. “You… you love me?”
“Of course I do. I opened my eyes in that helicopter and saw you and I just knew. Accidently in love, same as you,” he grinned widely at her.
He lifted their hands and kissed the ring on her finger. “Accidently engaged as well. Although I don’t really remember if you said yes or not.” Bob chuckled.
YFN paled and ripped her hand away and hastily tried to remove his grandma’s engagement ring. “Shit. I knew you didn’t mean it.”
“Keep it on. Please.” Bob said firmly, and she stilled at his words. He gazed softly into her eyes, “YFN, as out of it as I was and as crazy as it is, I meant it. I meant every word.”
She frowned when he winced a little as he moved forward and cupped her face tenderly with his large hand. YFN looked reverently into his eyes and smiled as he stroked her cheek with his thumb, and she leant into it.
Suddenly, the sound of Faith Hill’s ‘This Kiss’ filled the room and they both turned to look at Hangman holding his phone up with a shit eating grin on his face. “What? Rom coms always have a song playing when the characters finally kiss.”
YFN watched Phoenix tip her head back laughing, and Bob snorted and rolled his eyes at their friend’s idiocy. She thought the stupid moment was perfect and exactly like the movies, so she pressed her lips to her distracted fiancé’s and kissed him for the first time. Bob hilariously squeaked out loud and his eyes widened comically, and she giggled against his lips before he finally got with the program and kissed her back.
……
5 months later
Bob stood in his dress whites under the simple arbour of flowers, calm but excited while he waited patiently for YFN’s presence so he could put another ring on her finger.
This time fully conscious.
“Well Bob. You called it. The day we ejected, you said the one would fall out of the sky, and she did.” Phoenix his ‘best woman’ smiled warmly at him.
He smirked back at her. “I’m so glad my dick didn’t freeze off.”
Hangman, who was Bob’s other groomsman, snorted from beside them. “Well we’re all aware it works. You fucked a baby into her in record time.” And Phoenix elbowed him in the ribs and Bob chuckled.
“I hope you and YFN like the song I picked for the ceremony.” Hangman said, eyes twinkling mischievously.
Bob sighed. The decision to let him pick the music was probably going to come back and bite them in the ass. “It better not be ‘White Wedding’ or ‘Like a Virgin’ or somethin’,” he moaned, and Hangman winked at him.
Phoenix snickered. “Don’t worry Bob. Bagman did good. You’re both gonna love it.”
The celebrant tapped them on the shoulder signalling the ceremony was about to start.
Bob gasped when he turned to face the end of the isle and saw YFN beaming at him. She looked breathtakingly beautiful. A huge smile overtook his face when he realised that she was wearing a replica of the dress in ‘The Wedding Singer’. YFN had started watching 90’s rom coms with him, just like she had when they were kids, and that movie was his favourite.
And then the music started.
A stupid grin spread over both of their faces as they gazed adoringly at one another, and they burst into laughter at Hangman’s choice.
Come on, come on, jump a little higher
Come on, come on, if you feel a little lighter
Come on, come on, we were once upon a time in love
We’re accidentally in love
Accidentally in love
Accidentally in love
Accidentally in love
Accidentally in love
Accidentally in love
Accidentally in love
Accidentally in love…
#bob floyd#robert 'bob' floyd#robert floyd#bob floyd x reader#robert bob floyd x reader#robert floyd x reader#bob top gun#top gun maverick#phoenix top gun#hangman top gun#x reader#lewis pullman#bob top gun fic#top gun fic#top tracks writing challenge
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Oh no! How? How could you “fix” it and stick to canon story line?
If you’re crying. I know I’m gonna be too!
I'm fuckjng sobbing right now, Tats, it's bad
Major Character Death warning for below the cut
So, I don't know if it's just me but the main reason Soap's death just sucked in like a bad storytelling way is that it felt so anticlimactic? Like, there was a bit of emotion but it was lacking and just felt weird and out of place. And then the scene with his ashes? Just like did he not have family? Was this something after an official funeral for him? That scene also just felt really fucking awkward.
Anyways, yeah I "fixed" those issues. In other words, I'm here with proper storytelling to make it hurt like it was supposed to.
When Ghost and Gaz are coming in, just after the bullet is fired, all Price can hear is the broken, desperate way the lieutenant screams for Johnny. After the bomb is defused, and they're all standing there when the realization hits. Ghost is already on his knees, hands hovering just over the bloody wounds on either side of Soap's head. For a moment, the only sound is the ragged, heavy breathing from Ghost as his whole body trembles.
Price can't even get the words out to update Laswell. Can't force himself to use the proper terms. Just manages to blurt out with a broken cry that "Soap is gone". And those three words are daggers to their hearts. Gaz lets out a small whimper and he turns and looks away because he just can't bear the gruesome sight before him. And Ghost lets out a sound so unlike him, no one really knows what it was. A growl, a whimper, a plea, a confession?
The quiet, mournful whisper of "You're supposed to be with me" doesn't go unnoticed by Price and Gaz.
In the plane, heading back to wherever, Soap's body carefully concealed and hidden away. And Ghost finally speaks. Tells them of a private conversation the pair had before everything kicked off. How Soap told him he'd want a proper funeral, nothing fancy but a send off nonetheless.
Ghost tells them how Soap wanted him, Simon, to go to the spot in the mountains overlooking the water and spread his ashes.
To let him go.
By the time Soap's family is notified and arrangements are being made, Ghost is nowhere to be seen. He's disappeared, vanished like the specter he's rumored to be. And Price is doing his best to assist with the arrangements, doing his best to notify those he'd think deserve to know that John "Soap" MacTavish is gone.
And Gaz is struggling. He feels he's lost two best friends. He feels like he's mourning alone, lost without the lieutenant there.
Lost without Soap and Ghost, Ghost and Soap.
It's the funeral now. Soap's family is a wreck, yet just like him, they're facing the dark with mournful smiles, not letting the darkness of the day chase their light away.
Laswell is the first to approach his parents. She praises their son and how well they raised him; saying he was a good man and a good soldier. Saying he died to save hundreds more. That they should be proud of how selfless and brave a man their boy was.
Price is the second. He apologizes. He never expands on why he's so bloody sorry. He can't. He can't bear to tell them that the bullet should have been for him but Soap took it instead. That Soap sacrificed himself for him. Because Price doesn't believe he deserved to be saved like that.
Gaz is the third. He tells them he'll miss his "brother", that he wishes they were all meeting under better circumstances. The conversation doesn't last long; Gaz walks away before he loses composure.
Alejandro and Rudy are next. Alejandro tells them of how Soap saved his life, how he is eternally grateful for the man. He tells them they should be proud, and yet that it is still okay to mourn the loss of a hero. Rudy prays with Soap's mum.
But the one person to never approach them is Simon Riley. He stands off to the side, looking lost yet emotionless all the same.
Soap's mother asks Price and Gaz something: "What about him?"
Price tries to deflect it, tries to say she shouldn't worry about others, this is her son's funeral after all. But she stops him. She tells him that "while he rarely spoke of you all, he spoke highly still. So I ask you, what about him?" And Price doesn't have an answer.
Gaz tells her "He's dissociating really bad. He's just not coping well at all."
And Price speaks on how special the two were. How they survived some serious shit together, just the two of them. How they were an unstoppable duo, a perfect pair on and off the field. That "wherever Simon went, Johnny followed."
The procession is rough on everyone. Price and his father take the front end of the casket, while Soap's brother and Gaz take the back. And as they walk down the aisle, the reality sets in for everyone there, and there's not a dry eye.
All except for Ghost. Who remains at the side, expressionless and slightly unfocused.
A candle is lit for him, and a line forms before his casket. Alejandro, Rudy, Price, Ghost, and Gaz.
Alejandro salutes first, and Rudy follows.
Price's arm raises firmly despite the quivering of his breath.
Ghost's arm raises slowly, like he's moving through water and his face ever so slightly twists with an almost confused pinch of his brow.
Gaz is the last to salute, eyes squeezing shut as tears fall down his cheeks.
But in that moment, something changes. Simon sees Johnny smiling at him. He hears himself ask "Are you with me?" only to hear the distant whisper of "Always, Lt."
But Johnny wasn't with him.
Johnny never got to know how much Simon loved him.
And Ghost broke. His hand dropped as his knees buckled, a painful cry worming its way out of his chest. Sobs rattled him as he put his head to the ground, the cold stone of the church floor seeping into him. He cried and sobbed and wailed, kneeling on the floor with his head to the ground. And he begged, he pleaded, he confessed
You're supposed to be with me
#*fucking sobs*#*screams in pain*#I did this to myself#now everyone else has to suffer as well#john soap mactavish#simon ghost riley#soapghost#ghostsoap#kyle gaz garrick#captain john price#mcd#mw3 spoilers#cod mw3
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GranEssex Chronicles: Chapter 19 - A Free Man's New Life
The next day Meta, Fettuccine, Mercury, and Rebecca arrived at the GranEssex. When asked why she was coming with, Rebecca replied that she wanted to see her old friend, even if she was nervous about it. Understanding this, the entire group allowed her to come along and of course, Erhard and Kurabe were waiting for them at the front of the ship when they arrived.
"Sensei, I'm back!" Meta waved towards his mentor as he ran up to her.
Kurabe smiled. "I see that. Welcome home."
The youth then turned to Erhard. "Well, Erhard. How does it feel to be a free man?"
"It feels good. Of course it's only been a day, I still have a lot of adjusting to do."
But that wasn't all that the puff was told. There was one other thing he was told on the way back to the ship by Kurabe.
"So, you're going to be the head doctor here then?"
"Yes, it was Kurabe's suggestion." The doctor then looked at Fettuccine and shook her hand. "Thank you."
"It's not just me you should thank, you should also thank Meta. Honestly, I probably would have been dead if it wasn't for him."
Erhard nodded in understanding after a moment of silence. "I see. I was already going to thank him, but I wanted to thank you first."
She giggled in reply. "Well, thank you for thanking me first then."
"What do you mean when you say that you would have been dead?" Kurabe asked, an aura of concern now emanating from her.
"I'll tell you about it later, sensei. But right now, there's someone that wants to meet you, Erhard." Meta said.
"Really? Who?"
It was then that he noticed Rebecca, who looked at him nervously. "Hello, Erhard..." She uttered in a voice that really did show how she felt about the situation.
The man's eyes widened. "...You're alive...you're actually alive. When I regained my memories, I was so sure you would have been gone, just like the doctor. It's truly good to see you again, my old friend."
The woman hugged him as she began to cry. "It's... so good to see you, too."
"If I could cry, I would be doing so..." Despite these words, his voice made it sound like he was and after a moment, he spoke once more. "I take it you helped them free me?"
His friend nodded. "Yeah, it was my testimony that helped you."
"Thank you."
"It's not a problem. I'm just happy that you're no longer locked up. I hope you can live a happy life now."
"I believe that won't be a problem." He smiled.
"I'm glad!"
"What will you do now, Rebecca?"
"Honestly... I'm not sure. I think I might go back to being a doctor. It's the most I can do to make up to those who died because of my brother and step uncle."
"Well, you can always work here if you'd like." Kurabe offered quickly.
"I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll do it at a later point."
"Well, the offer is always open. Can never have enough doctors."
"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."
"Will you be staying for the day at least?" Erhard asked.
"At least long enough for you to comfortably move in." She then chuckled. "Which might be more than a day, knowing how you are."
"Very true."
"Besides, I want to catch up with you after all these years."
"As do I."
The two smiled at each other before walking into the ship leaving Meta, Kurabe, Mercury, and Fettuccine.
"Now Meta, what happened?" Kurabe immediately asked, slightly startling her student with how sudden it was.
"Fetty's life was in danger twice. The first was an assassination attempt that was easily thwarted. The second time, Fetty was stabbed with a poison dagger by Wade Forde. She would have died if I didn't use my lighting magic to slow the poison down while Rebecca worked on the antidote."
Both of them seemed to noticeably blush at the last sentence. Instantly, Kurabe picked him up in a hug.
"I'm proud of you, Meta. You did the best you could and saved two lives. Be proud of yourself."
"I... thank you, sensei..."
With a smile, she let go and turned to the interrogator. "Now with that settled, Fettuccine, Reedy sent me a message. He says you can stay here for one day, but you must return to him first thing in the morning tomorrow." The warrior said.
Fettuccine smiled. "I understand!"
"Good, because while you are still here you are still technically under my supervision. I have a mission for both you and Meta."
"What's that?" Both of them asked.
"The two of you, and you too, Mercury, will be showing Erhard around the ship. I'd do it myself, but I'm needed for a meeting with the General."
Her student tilted his head in questioning. "What does the general want?"
"Monthly check in about the budget, our division, etc. Boring stuff that is necessary to get through." She then smiled as she looked directly at Meta. "Don't worry, I'll have plenty of time to make you chicken parmesan for dinner later."
"Alright, I'll look forward to dinner then."
Kurabe only smiled.
"Well, should we get going then?" The youth asked his friend and the vice captain.
"You're free to join the tour if you wish, Rebecca." Mercury said.
"I think I'll be naturally joining you because I want to spend more time with my friend."
"Then let's get moving. We'll start with the most important place first." The vice captain said.
The two looked at each other before nodding and following the group.
"What is the most important place, Mercury?" Erhard asked.
"The cafeteria."
"...well, I guess that's a bit obvious for Star Warriors." Rebecca said.
"...It was Mercury that called it the most important place." Meta mumbled.
"I thought that it was Star Warriors who ate a lot..." Erhard nodded in agreement.
"We're soldiers. We also need food for energy, it has nothing to do with enjoying eating. If we're not training or sleeping, we're eating to refuel." Mercury explained.
"I guess that is true."
"There's no guessing. The three most important places are the cafeteria, the training room and the infirmary. But everyone needs food, even for crew members that don't fight."
"I think we get it now."
"Besides, Erhard, when was the last time you had a proper meal anyway?"
The man took a moment to think about it. "...over 100 years ago, I think."
"Then that's another reason to go there first."
"As long as it's better than the food in prison, that'll be enough for me."
Mercury chuckled. "Don't worry, the food here actually has flavor."
"I see..."
The rest of the group seemed to chuckle at that reply.
---------
In a few minutes they arrived, the cafeteria was as busy as ever.
"I've never seen so many people in one place, besides that tournament." Erhard said in surprise.
"Well, there's a lot of people in the combat division. It's one of the largest in the Organization. Not only that, but this place is also almost never empty. There's always a group of people here at all times."
The doctor seemed to look at Mercury in a questioning manner. "Is there any reason for that?"
"People returning at various times for food."
"What do your soldiers do then?" He then asked.
"The usual schedule for them is train, eat, sleep, train, eat, sleep. The only time this gets disrupted is when there's a mission, but even then, the first thing people usually do upon returning is either eat or sleep."
Rebecca gave a sad look at that reply. "...that sounds like a sad existence."
Mercury shrugged. "Not really. Everyone here is allowed to do whatever they want. Some people only train for a few hours, some not at all. A lot of people tend to spend a lot of time just relaxing. Kurabe lets everyone, with a few exceptions, make their own schedules."
"I assume Meta is one of those who trains a lot?" Erhard asked.
"I am. I have to be strong in order to protect everyone."
"Anyway, our soldiers' training regimen aside, it's time to eat."
The group nodded.
"So, what's being served today?" Meta asked.
"It's buffet day. Meaning just go and pick whatever looks tastiest." Mercury replied.
While Meta and Fettucine looked happy, Erhard seemed to look nervous.
"What wrong?"
"I'm not sure what I want..." He uttered shyly.
"Oh, is that all? Just pick something at random. Here, try this egg roll." Mercury said, handing him one.
"But there's still so much food..."
"And? Just eat man, this is your first meal as a free man. Pig out a little."
The doctor only continued to look nervous.
"Mercury, I think I understand what's wrong." Meta said. "He's not used to having so much choice."
Mercury smiled. "I know, but Erhard, that's why I said pick stuff at random. Don't think, just act. Enjoy yourself."
"But still... I'm not sure..."
The woman sighed. "Then I'll make a plate for you, but only this once. You need to relearn how to be independent."
He silently nodded. The female Limet stepped away for a moment and returned with a tray of food.
"Here, take this plate." She said, handing him a stack of food.
"Ah, thank you." He replied as he sat down at the table with the rest of the group. "What all is it?"
"I don't know, I picked at random. I know I grabbed some mac and cheese, that's always the first to run out of stock."
"I see..." He said as he took a bite.
"So, what do you think?"
"I'm not sure if this is just because I'm so used to prison food, but this is really good."
"I told you the food here was actually good."
"It is."
"Well then, keep eating, Erhard. You've earned a good, real meal."
"...It's been far too long. I honestly forgot what real food tasted like."
"And just think, you'll be able to eat food like this every day now."
"I think I like the sound of that." He replied with a smile, something he's been doing a lot more often. It made Meta himself smile as well. "Shouldn't you be eating a bit more, Meta?" The doctor then asked.
"...I'm saving room for dinner."
"Ah, I see."
Mercury giggled. "It's because Kurabe's going to spoil him."
"Ok." Was all Erhard could say, seeing as he had no clue about what kind of relationship Kurabe and Meta have.
The woman seemed to notice this and explained. "Let's just say Kurabe can sometimes be less like his teacher and more like his mom."
"I see."
"Isn't it also because he's her star student?" Fettuccine asked.
Mercury stared questioningly. "...No? For all purposes she is his mother, she did adopt him after all and would be his legal guardian."
"She's my mentor. That's it." Meta replied bluntly.
"Don't need to be a lie detector to tell that's a lie." Fettuccine smirked.
"Enough about me, we're here for Erhard and making him feel comfortable."
"Well, having conversations with him will make him feel comfortable, isn't that right?" Rebecca asked.
"Then change the topic." He grumbled.
"Ok, what would you like to talk about, Erhard?"
"What is the purpose of this division?"
Mercury immediately answered that quick reply. "We're the muscle of the Organization. We do escort missions and anything that requires fighting."
"And how many doctors do you have?"
"Depends. We have 6 people who can perform medical treatments, but they also do other chores. We don't have a dedicated doctor."
"You do now."
"And we're grateful for it."
"I'm the grateful one. I can do what I want as a free man now. It'll be strange sleeping in a place that's not a fridge, though."
Mercury chuckled. "I mean, you can change the temperature of your room if you want."
"That's not really the point I was making, but yes that's true."
"Plus, you have an actual bed now."
"That's another thing to get used to."
The group nodded.
"I have a question, will Erhard be forced to participate in battles?" Rebecca asked, concerned for her friend.
"He will be required to have some form of self-defense training in case the ship is invaded, but he will be specifically relegated to treating the ill and injured."
"So, he's going to be safe from conflict for the most part?"
"Yes. Again, he'll need self-defense training, but he won't be sent into battle."
"Then that's fine."
"I assume he's fine with self-defense training then?"
"Yes, as long as he doesn't get sent out to fight in a war. He's a healer."
"He won't. It's only in case of invasion."
"Then I have no objections, but what do you think, Erhard?"
The man took a moment to think. "...as long as I'm not required to fight, it'll be fine."
"You won't be forced to fight. Only those on the ship designated as knights and warriors will."
"I see. Thank you for letting me know."
"You're welcome."
The group then continued to eat in a comfortable silence.
---------
In a few minutes, Erhard was done with his plate. "Thank you for the meal. I quite enjoyed it."
Mercury smiled. "You should say that to the chefs then. But that can be later, now we have to take you to our next destination."
"And where is that?" He tilted his head.
"The infirmary. That's where you're probably going to be spending most of your time at."
"Indeed. I'd expect to spend the most time there."
"Then let's get moving. I'm sure you're excited."
He nodded and followed after Mercury.
"So, Erhard, how skilled of a doctor are you?" Mercury asked.
"I believe I'm quite skilled."
"In what fields? Like your specialties?"
"Surgery. I'm very good at surgery."
"That's an understatement and you know it. My father always said you were the best surgeon in the galaxy!" Rebecca commented.
"You're the best!?" Meta asked in awe.
Erhard's entire body turned pink. "I'm... I'm not that good..."
"Yes, you are, and you know it."
"N-no, I'm not..."
"Well, at we least we know he's modest. Erhard, do you any fears or phobias that we need to be aware of?" Mercury asked, hoping for a way to make him feel comfortable.
"Not that I know about..."
"You mean nothing that can be controlled, don't you?" Rebecca added.
"Yes."
The entire group instantly knew what they meant by that.
"I see..." Fettuccine was the one to break the brief moment of silence.
"It's fine. I have no phobias, or any allergies or anything that will require special assistance."
"I see. That'll make things easier." Mercury nodded.
"I would ask the same of you, but I guess I'll find that out when I do your patient intake form."
"I suppose you will. Are you a licensed psychologist, too?"
"Yes, I am."
"I see. I'll keep that in mind..."
Erhard tilted his head in curiosity. "Do you need my help for something, Mercury?"
"Maybe, but that's a topic for behind closed doors..." The woman replied, lowering her hat to cover her eyes.
"I see. I would be happy to have you as my first patient."
"Hey, Metty, what is she talking about?" Fettuccine asked innocently.
"...Sorry, but that's not something I should reveal lightly. You should ask her yourself."
"Oh... hey Mercury, what are you talking about?"
Mercury glared at her, but quickly looked away. "PTSD. That's all I'm telling you."
Fettuccine looked at her for a moment but just shrugged. "Probably just bullying..." She thought.
Meta seemed to notice this. "Did Reedy not tell his crew about what happened?"
"Now, should get we back to moving?" He was broken out of his thoughts by Mercury.
"I'm fairly excited. Which is saying a lot, I haven't felt excitement in such a long time." Erhard said.
"That's because you haven't had a reason to be excited." Rebecca giggled.
"Yes, that's true. Even the times I was let out of my cell weren't exciting, since I would be quickly put back in anyway."
"What, so you weren't excited when you heard we were going to prove your innocence?" Fettuccine asked with a pout.
"That's different. I was excited, but that kind of excitement was because of hope. My current excitement is that of getting to experience a new office."
"Besides, I think you can already tell he's not the best with emotions." Rebecca added.
"That too."
"Sounds like someone I know." Fettucine giggled.
"Who?" Meta asked.
She only continued to giggle, to his confusion.
---------
Soon they arrived, Erhard getting a good look around, his face gaining a whimsical look.
"So, this is my new workplace."
"Yes, and you'll be able to decorate it however you like whenever you start."
"Decorate?"
"Yeah. Decorate. To make it more custom to you."
"I see. I don't know where to begin with that."
"Well, just put around books, plants, photos, whatever."
"That's not what I meant, but yes, that's true."
"What do you mean then?"
"I have no belongings. I need to buy items for decorations, but I don't know what I want."
"Oh, don't worry, Kurabe bought you a few things to get you started and you can collect more as you work."
"When did she get the time for that?"
"Online shopping..."
"...What's that?"
"She bought things on the computer and had it sent to the ship."
"It seems that a lot of technological advancements had been made while I was imprisoned."
"Yeah, especially in the medical field. So you'll have to read up on that."
"No, that won't be necessary. One of the few things they actually allowed me to do was to keep up with advancements in the medical field. They needed me to still be a skilled doctor, despite me being a prisoner."
"Good. Now I won't have to hear Kurabe whine about how she wasted money on the latest equipment for you..."
"Yes, that is good. What else did she buy me?"
"A couple of books to help you with diagnosis and some picture frames."
"That is very nice of her."
"If you have any other interests, just let her know."
"I will. I will need to gain some interests first though."
"Ok."
"Did you not have interests before?" Meta asked.
"I did, but it's been so long since I actually had interests. I don't know if what interested before interests me now."
"Well, we'll help you find some interests." Mercury replied.
"I'd appreciate that."
"Maybe reading would be a good place to start..."
"I'd rather not something related to my job. I'll have to do enough reading as is."
"What about cooking?"
"Where would I cook?"
"Realistically, you can use anything to cook, but we'll worry about thinking of interests for you later."
"Right."
Meta turned to Mercury. "Where are we going next?"
"The training room. While you're not a soldier, you still need to know where it is. Sometimes our soldiers get carried away with training, if you know what I mean."
"I understand. Lead the way." She nodded and left the room.
---------
During the walk Erhard couldn't help but notice the looks people were giving him, or rather the lack of looks. He had gotten used to people looking at him with disdain, but there was none of that now. It felt, nice. Rebecca also seemed to notice this and smiled.
"It's moments like these that show me just how good it is to be free."
"And I'm happy for that." She replied.
"Alright, we're here. Go ahead and take a look around." Mercury told them.
The doctor nodded in reply and started looking. "And I thought the training facilities back at the school were impressive. The equipment here is truly extraordinary."
"Of course it is. The combat division is arguably the most important division in the Organization."
"Says who?" Fettuccine spoke up, slightly annoyed by that comment.
"No arguments please." Erhard quickly interjected.
However, the woman pouted. "I would like to know who said that!"
"I did, right now." Mercury deadpanned.
"No! Who said your division is the most important!"
"I said arguably. For someone who is supposed to be good at making people talk, you sure are bad at listening."
Meta rolled his eyes as an argument broke out.
"I said no arguments." Erhard said again, this time his gaining a dangerous edge to it that made them both stop.
The youth seemed to be slightly amazed by that.
"A good doctor must be able to control any situation." He explained.
"Indeed." Rebecca nodded.
"Is that why you two are always so calm?"
"More or less."
"And why you didn't seem bothered when treating Fetty's poison?"
"Yes."
"I see."
"That and after a while, you just get used to certain situations." Erhard added.
"Even people dying?"
"No. That's the one thing someone should never get used to."
Rebecca nodded. "Even if we seem to not be affected by it, it actually hurts us a lot to see a patient die."
"Once death no longer affects us, that's when a doctor loses their soul. That's what my teacher taught me."
"And that's the reason why you were absolutely innocent, isn't it?"
"No, the reason I was innocent was because I didn't do it, but that is a good way of looking at it."
"Of course. You didn't do it because you couldn't have done it."
"Yes, that is true. Meta, what is your opinion on death?"
The youth became silent for a moment before replying. "Well... that's difficult for me to say. I came from a planet that was full of death and at first, I thought it was simply a part of life that I didn't think twice about. Not that it isn't a part of life still, just that it's not something people should be used to. Like... I don't worry about my own death if I'm completely honest, but I'm more worried about the deaths of the people I care about, if you know what I mean."
"That's very much like a doctor. The operating table is very much like a battlefield. We put everything on the line to save our patients lives. Our lives are of no importance, only that of our patients. However, that's only when on the battlefield. Make sure to value your own life when you can. You can't protect others if you don't take care of yourself."
"I see..."
"Let me put it this way. Say you lose a hand. You would still be strong, but nowhere as strong as you once were. Meaning you'd be worse at protecting. You need to value yourself just as much as you value others."
"Ok."
"Good. Now then Mercury, where to next?"
"Oh right, we need to show you your room."
"Very well. Lead the way." He said as he followed her out the door.
---------
Due to Erhard's more delicate job, his room was very different compared to the bedrooms that the normal soldiers had. Inside his room, he had a desk and a mini-infirmary in his bathroom. He also had a softer bed than usual.
"I understand the mini-infirmary and the slightly larger desk, but what's the reason for the softer bed?" Fettuccine asked.
"Normal beds are specifically used to help our soldiers get used to sleeping on any kind of surface. Since Erhard isn't a soldier and we need our chief doctor to be at full throttle, Kurabe decided a more comfortable bed would be better." Mercury explained.
"But both me and sensei's bed are also really soft..."
"In your case, that's because your current room was a former guest room."
"And sensei?"
"She's the leader. Believe it or not, it's actually a rule made by the General that the captains and vice captains of every division have soft beds. Don't ask me why, not even Kurabe knows why that's a rule."
"...why do I have the feeling that was specifically meant for her...?"
Mercury shrugged. "As far as I know that's always been a rule, even before she became a captain."
"Certain members of the intelligence division are also exceptions." Fettuccine said.
"Like who?"
"Generally, anyone that use their brain a lot like me, Parmigiana, Granita, Minestrone, and Bicerin."
"Well, that makes sense."
"Yup!"
Erhard sat down on his new bed, feeling how comfortable it was. "It's been so long since I've sat on a bed."
"Now lay on it and see how it feels."
Erhard did so, staring at the ceiling. "Soft. I like it."
"Is it comfortable enough for you?"
"Yes, this will do nicely."
"Alright, is there any other place you want to show us?"
"Really only one area left that's super necessary. The meeting room."
"Come on, let's go." Rebecca said as she pulled her friend off the bed.
"Of course. Lead the way please."
His friend turned to Mercury and nodded.
"So, what do you think of the ship, Erhard?" Meta asked.
"I think it's quite a nice ship. Honestly not what I was expecting from a combat force."
"You have Kurabe to thank for that. She works hard to make sure the GranEssex is the best ship it can be."
"Yeah, it is. It's also not overly clean like the VictoriousArc, which is an extra bonus." Fettuccine said.
"How is that an issue?" Erhard asked.
"It's a bit blinding."
"I see. That's, strange."
"My older brother is strange..." Mercury sighed.
"Your brother is the leader of that division I take it. Why work here then?"
"Kurabe invited me and she's my best friend."
Erhard smiled. "I see."
"Yeah. I also just need a break from him at times."
"Why's that? Is it merely a sibling thing?"
Mercury stared at him for a moment. "Yeah. I lived with him for most of my life and, as much as I love him, he can be a bit overprotective at times."
"I get it. He views himself as your protector, or something like that."
"Yeah, because he has been my protector since we were kids."
"I see. It makes sense you would want to branch out. Like the cells of a body, they began in one spot, but spread out as time goes on."
"Indeed."
---------
Soon, they arrived at the meeting room.
"There's not a whole lot to see, but take a look around if you want."
The room was the same way it was when Meta first saw it, but the doctor seemed to be particularly interested in the area.
"What's up, Erhard?"
"The ceiling. Oh, you didn't mean literally. I'm just remembering the lecture room at the school. The doctor's hour-long lessons and speeches. I can still hear them clearly."
"...are you ok?"
"I don't appear to have any physical abnormalities. Oh, you didn't mean it in that way. Yes, I'm fine. Just feeling... nostalgic."
"Are you sure?"
"You need to understand. I haven't felt nostalgic about anything ever since I lost my memories. Right now, being nostalgic at all is the greatest feeling."
"I know, but aren't you sad or emotional?"
"Emotional, maybe. Not sad though."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm happy. Happy to have a past to remember again. I know if the doctor was here, he'd be patting my back and telling me to celebrate."
"I see..."
Admittedly, Meta didn't really understand it. If something like this happened with his mentor, he probably would be unable to handle it.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm sad he's gone, but I already sorted my feelings about it before you all arrived. I'm fine, so there's nothing to worry about."
"I see..."
"Alright that's pretty much it. Meta, Fettuccine, you're both free to go." Mercury said.
"Ok. I hope you enjoy your stay here, Erhard."
The two younger soldiers left the room, with Rebecca following after them. Mercury was about to leave, but was stopped.
"Mercury, I believe we're behind closed doors now."
"There are better places to talk about it, Erhard." She replied simply.
"You're right. So let's head to my office, shall we?"
She froze for a moment before simply nodding.
"Then let's go."
---------
Upon returning to the office, there was a brief moment of awkward silence.
"Let's not make this more difficult than it needs to be. Tell me, Mercury, what is troubling you?"
"This is difficult for me to talk about even though it's been probably a couple months at this point... but... I was attacked..."
Erhard looked at her, studying her body language. "By attacked, you mean to say someone, or something attacked your core."
"Y-yes..."
"A hivemind tried to assimilate you, am I correct with that assumption?"
She began to shiver. "Yes..."
"That explains everything then. You tried to hide it, but I noticed you've been wary around me. I take it you find it hard to trust other Limets?"
"That I'm unfamiliar with, yeah."
"Because you're afraid one of them might turn out to be another Hivemind, yes?"
"Of course! I never want to experience that again!"
"Of course, that's completely reasonable. However, I ask that you try to remain calm, Mercury. Now listen, your fear is completely rational. But you cannot allow yourself to be a slave to that fear. It will get in the way of your daily life. If you wish, I can prescribe you some medicine to help you deal with this."
"I'm not a slave to it!"
"Oh really? Then are you saying you can walk up to a random Limet and talk to them without freezing in fear?"
"I can!"
"Mercury, calm down." He told her, making her snap out of it.
"I said I can."
"Then care to explain why you haven't been sleeping for the past few weeks?" He asked.
"How did you?"
"Kurabe told me."
She paused and then huffed. "I'll be fine now that we had this talk!"
"No, you won't." Erhard interjected. "It's obvious that this is still affecting you. Mercury, I am not your enemy. My job is to help you. So please, relax and tell me everything that's on your mind." He told her, his calm yet powerful voice making her listen to him
"...Are you sure you want to deal with all of that?" She asked him.
"I wouldn't be much of a doctor if I wasn't prepared to listen to my patient."
"I'm not a slave to it, though. Even Meta thought that and he was wrong."
"You may not be a slave right now. But you will be if this keeps up. ...Mercury, did you know that I had a sister? Like you, she was the victim of a hivemind attack. She survived, but the mental strain caused by it drove her insane and left her in a comatose state. She passed away shortly after."
Mercury was left speechless.
"My sister tried to act as if it didn't bother her. She tried to carry all of her baggage on her shoulders. She refused to involve others with her issues. Does this remind you of anyone?"
"...Me." She slowly admitted.
"Mercury, I don't want what happened to my sister to happen to you. Please, I'm only here to help."
She became silent. "...is that true?"
"Everything I say is the truth. It's my code as a doctor."
"I didn't know you had a sister."
"My family all died before my incarceration. Given that many of my family records were destroyed, that's not surprising. I didn't know I had a sister until I got my memories back."
"...what happened to your family?"
"My parents died from an incurable disease. What happened to them and my sister were part of why I chose to enter the medical field in the first place. Other than wanting to help people of course."
"I see..."
"Mercury, you can only get so far shouldering everything by yourself. Please, let me help you." He said, holding out his hand.
She remained silent.
"It's alright if you're scared of me. Honestly, I would be surprised if you weren't. But I'm just here to help. You may not trust me and that's fine, but I'm serious when I say I just want to help."
"I know..."
"Then please, take my hand."
She nodded silently and took his hand slowly.
Erhard smiled. "Very good. Now Mercury, I cannot make this decision for you, but I suggest you and I meet up once a week to talk about your issues. Will that be doable for you?"
"Yes."
"Then I look forward to working with you."
"Same."
Erhard then looked at the clock.
"My, would you look at the time. I believe today has been quite productive. Thank you for showing me around."
Mercury smiled. "No problem. I hope that you like it here."
"Yes, I think I will enjoy my time here, in my new home."
"I hope so." She then and walked out of the room.
In a few minutes, Rebecca entered.
"So, what will you do now?" Erhard asked his friend.
"I think I'll continue medical work."
"That's good. Will you be staying here, or will you travel somewhere else?"
"As much as I want to stay here, I think I owe it to those who died because of my brother and Veno to help their families."
"I see. That's very much like you. I hope you can come by and visit sometime."
"I plan on doing so."
"Good." He then hugged the woman. "Take care of yourself, old friend."
She hugged him back. "I will. You take care of yourself as well."
"I will. It was good seeing you again, Rebecca."
"It's good seeing you, too." She then chuckled nervously. "It's funny... I plan on staying here a few days but we're acting like we won't see each other again..."
"Well, it has been quite a long time since we've last seen each other. Though that might be an understatement."
"Yeah, I know... is it fine if we just spend some time together?"
"Of course." She then blinked. "Oh, right. I managed to get you something for your room. Do you want to go see what it is?"
Erhard blinked too. "Yes, I do."
She smiled and took his hand before walking out.
---------
When they returned to his room, Erhard instantly saw what was different. There was a plant in his room.
"Yeah, I thought I would pick up a Christmas cactus for you. I remember you saying how much you loved it when dad's bloomed."
Erhard smiled at his friend and at his new plant. "I love it, thank you Rebecca."
"No problem. I just hope you have enough time to take care of it."
"Time management is one of my specialties."
Rebecca giggled. "Right, right. That's why you were my father's star pupil, anyway."
"You weren't too far behind you know."
"Yes, I know."
"Right. You're free to sleep in here if you wish. I can take the chair at my desk."
"No, there are open guest rooms. You deserve to sleep in a bed after what you've went through."
"Very well. But you can stay in here until it's time for you to sleep."
"Very well."
"In fact, we can both share the bed. I don't mind."
Immediately, Rebecca blushed. "Do... do you even know what you said?"
"That we can share the bed. Is there something wrong with that?" He asked, completely clueless.
"How can you not know if you're a doctor!?"
"Pardon? I don't see what being a doctor has to do with sleeping."
Rebecca facepalmed at how innocent and oblivious her friend was.
"Do you have a headache? Perhaps you should lay down."
"No, I'm fine. Thank you."
"No, I insist. You must be tired."
"I'll just head to my guest room then."
"Or you can sleep in here. This bed is more than big enough for two people, if you're worried about space."
"I know, but aren't you embarrassed!?"
"About what? It's not as if we'll be doing anything other than sleeping."
"I know but... it's still embarrassing..." She said, blushing even harder.
"Are you sure you're feeling alright? Your face is burning red."
"I'm just embarrassed, that's all."
"Why?"
"Just... being so close to you..."
"But we're close now, aren't we? I don't see much of a difference between standing next to each other and sleeping next to each other."
"It just feels more intimate..."
"Rebecca, I haven't slept in the same room with another person in decades. Please, just for tonight."
"...why are you so insistent?"
"Well, you said you wanted to stay with me for a little longer, yes? That's why."
"...is that all?"
"Do I need another reason?"
"That you simply don't want to be alone tonight?"
"I feel that better describes you."
"What about you then?"
"I wouldn't mind the company."
"...when you say that, it means yes." She sighed.
"I see. Fascinating."
"Yes, it is."
"Then shall we partake in the activity known as sleep?"
"Sure, you first."
Erhard nodded, laying down flat on his back. Almost immediately, he fell asleep.
"...he must've been more tired than I thought."
He could then be heard snoring, a sign that he was truly unconscious.
"...yeah, he really was tired." She smiled. "Not that I can blame him."
Sighing, Rebecca laid down next to him.
"Good night, Erhard."
As if knowing what she said, the man himself mumbled a "good night" in reply. Erhard smiled, for he finally was at true peace.
#kirby fanfic#granessex chronicles#meta knight#fettuccine kirby#mercury kirby#kurabe#erhard#art of rikka
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hotd recs
It is time for another rec post. As I am still in my HOTD phase, it means i’ve read enough fics to make a list. Mostly Lucemond & Rhaegon, more fics to be added in the future!
LUCEMOND
Tides
Viserys doesn’t die after the infamous family dinner. Winds blow, tides rise, things change.
Or the one in which Lucerys doesn’t lack cockiness, Aemond is trying to keep himself sane, and they keep meeting on the edges of the raging world.
right before all the song and dance (wasn't brave enough to tell you).
“Do you think he would have loved me?” Luke asks, his voice wavering, no more than a whisper. His eyes are unfocused, trained on the sky, as if he’s searching for something. Searching for him.
“My love,” Aemond chokes out, his face contorted in pain, his heart bursting, finally, “I would, I do.”
Or, the one with the time loop.
naked in that garden
Aemond only saw his half-sister’s second natural-born child for the briefest moment before the babe was sent away from the capital.
The Black Prince
Lucerys Velaryon is a saved prince returned home with no memories and no dragon. Something on Dragonmont keeps calling to him.
Aemond Targaryen is a prince riddled with guilt and grief who refuses to be a puppet on a string any longer.
In all the lives I lived before this one
Lucerys isn't so much spirited away to fairyland, as much as he goes of his own accord.
full fathom five
(Aemond’s nephew is almost always a shadow at the edge of his gaze, a silent thing that he somehow glimpses at a distance, around the corners of the halls or across the room).
but that was then
It is the night of Aegon's wedding, and Aemond wants.
cut off my wings (and lock me up)
Aemond considers him for a moment longer, gaze flicking up and down with the pleased glint of a smug cat. Then he turns toward their host. “Lord Borros, be my witness: by the ancient customs of our House, by the ancient rite to wed fire and blood, I declare a marriage hunt on Lucerys Velaryon.”
Wiping the Dirt From His Hands
Or, Luke survives his alteration with Aemond and is taken by Larys to Harrenhal.
Trapped
After Lucerys' family died in the fire, Aemond takes him under his wings. The younger man's memories all shatter apart. He needs Aemond to lean on, but Lucerys is still trapped in his past.
RHAEGON (some + daemon)
there is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
i.e. Aegon hears something after the Dinner from Hell™ and decides to go after it. He does not want to be king, so he claims allegiance to the future queen... and her consort. Might be the best thing he has ever done, and will save everyone.
of pain and pleasure
"I don't have to tell Alicent," she paused and placed a hand on his leg. "But you must do something for me first, sweet brother."
Aegon shivered under her touch, and she didn't have to look down know that he was still hard in his breeches. "What do you want?" he asked nervously, quiet as a mouse. With her other hand, Rhaenyra twirled her dagger in her hand, relishing the weight and the power it gave her.
"Kneel."
valonqar
who does aegon seek in the brothels of king's landing? otto's spies tell him the truth, but not the whole truth.
happiness
In which Aegon comes of age and slowly pines for his older, wiser half-sister.
Who Am I, If Not Yours?
Or: Aegon manages to escape being crowned, flying to Dragonstone with a proposal of marriage and submission.
you will always be my favorite ghost
“Marry me Rhaenyra and end all of this.” Aegon mutters, clasping his hands, an almost prayer.
He stands there in all his eerie beauty and Rhaenyra cannot help but think that of all the broken things he is the most dazzling one.
OTHER
Delusions of a Saviour
Aegon remembers dying - very painfully and with little dignity. When he awakes to the day his children are born, he is determined to stop the war for the throne and prevent his family from dying (and himself. He is very much invested in not dying again).
To do this, he realises he needs to:
1. Stop Lucerys from being a twat and actually show Aemond he is sorry for taking his eye.
2. Stop Aemond from, also, being a twat and actually stop his brother from killing his nephew (and also Aegon himself).
Somewhere along the line he becomes a matchmaker, with a little help and guidance from his sister-wife.
'tis the damn season
ex-childhood friends and almost-lovers Rhaenyra and Alicent have to reunite for Christmas at the Targaryen’s Dragonstone Manor. it goes about as well as one would think (very, in the end).
#fic recs#hotd recs#lucemond#lucemond recs#rhaegon#rhaenyra targaryen x aegon ii targaryen#alicent x rhaenyra#rhaenicent
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Choices
Fandom(s): Trials of Apollo
Summary: Nico faces the grim reality of losing another sister to the Hunters of Artemis. He has convinced his father to change his mind and fight for their dysfunctional family, surely he can make Reyna change her mind, too.
Rating: T (swearing, people being bitchy)
Words: 1800
AO3 link
“Why?”
Reyna had been waiting for him to arrive. She had barely flinched when she felt that cold, bizarre feeling that meant somebody shadow-travelled nearby.
Nico saw her shoulders rise and fall as she sighed.
“Don’t make a big deal out of this,” she asked.
Nico scoffed.
Only then did she turn around.
“It’s not the same.” Reyna stated.
The same. No need to clarify.
I’m not like your other sister who abandoned you at the first chance. I’m not like your other sister who died days later because death was better than dealing with an unwanted little brother.
“Isn’t it?” Nico asked, his voice hard. “You’re not joining those fucking Hunters, then? All miscommunication. The rumour mill in Camp Jupiter is insane.”
Reyna’s expression became a stony cold wall. Emotionless.
“Don’t be immature,” she chided him. “Yes, I’m joining the Hunters. No, it’s not the same, because I’m not a twelve-year-old girl who doesn’t know better. I made a founded decision.”
Nico crossed his arms. “Yeah, founded. Founded by all that marketing bullshit they use to convince people. First that condescending bitch Zoë, and now Thalia, the giant hypocrite. She hated them, and now she goes around replacing the ones who die.”
Reyna took a deep breath. With her face devoid of emotion, and Nico feeling too many emotions himself, it was hard for him to know if she was exasperated, tired, or about to stab him with a dagger.
But, to be frank, Nico didn’t give a shit. If he got stabbed, so be it. Reyna needed to understand this was a mistake. A huge, massive, regrettable mistake.
“I know how Thalia used to feel about them,” Reyna told him. She leaned back on what would become her former desk, half sitting on it, and mirrored his crossed arms. “She’s told me all about Zoë too. And her version of what happened to Bianca, Nico.”
“Her version?” Nico rolled his eyes. “There’s one version. Artemis convinced Bianca to join the Hunt, had no better idea than to be kidnapped a nanosecond later,” he ignored the rumbling of thunder in the background, “and then darling Zoë took her on a quest she wasn’t ready for where she was murdered because not a single one of those assholes in the quest had a second thought about a girl who didn’t know shit about demigod life joining them!”
Reyna opened her mouth to speak but Nico wasn’t finished.
He shook his head. “And all for what? Because Percy and Thalia wanted to get Annabeth back. All for infallible, perfect Annabeth Chase. My sister’s life wasn’t worth shit next to hers to any of the people in that quest. And neither does yours.” He sneered. “The moment somebody Thalia loves is in danger, you become disposable. She won’t hesitate to put you in the line of fire.”
Reyna put a hand on his forearm. “You’re being unfair.”
Nico pulled his arm out of her grasp. “I’m telling you the truth. You don’t believe me? Look at the facts. Any Hunter dies? Thalia has them replaced before she can even learn the former one’s names. There used to be a dozen when my sister joined. By the Battle of Manhattan Thalia had doubled that number.” He put his hands on his hips. “A bunch of them died then, and by the time you met them, Thalia had already got the numbers up again. She doesn’t care! They’re statistics to her!”
“That’s not true, Nico,” Reyna insisted. “Thalia cares a lot more than you think. Hell, she probably cares more than Zoë did. Most of the girls there have been rescued from tough situations; from abusive partners, sometimes their own families… Thalia’s only helping them have a better future.”
Nico snorted. “Oh, forgive me, I didn’t know she was doing a saint’s work. And here I was, thinking the best way out of a toxic relationship was therapy. Clearly, joining a group of eternal maidens who are taught to hate, mistrust, and shun out men is much better. With the addition of dangerous monster hunting. How fun!”
“If you’ll be a little shit about it, you can just leave,” Reyna snapped. Her façade broke and Nico saw she was both hurt and annoyed. “I do want to talk to you about my decision, but I won’t if you’ll just stand there and complain without listening to my side.”
“Fine,” Nico said. He grabbed a chair from next to the wall, and sat straddling it, leaning on its backrest, looking at Reyna. “Go ahead, explain your betrayal.”
Reyna rolled her eyes again. “You’re dramatic, patronising, and right now, publicity to Thalia’s cause against boys. Be a man, shut up, and listen.”
Nico frowned but stayed quiet. She wanted to talk, let her. There was nothing she could say that would make him change his mind.
“Do you remember how you said you didn’t feel part of Camp Half-Blood?” She began. “How you never fit in, and you struggled to try because you felt whatever you did was never enough, so why bother?”
“You fit in perf— you’re a praetor!”
“Ah, ah, ah,” Reyna raised a hand to stop him. “Ahora me toca a mí. Yes, I was a praetor, so was Jason, and look how quickly he decided to join Camp Half-Blood, where he felt more comfortable. Having power isn’t the same as being happy in a place, you know? You’re powerful in your father’s domain, would you stay there forever?”
Nico first thought it was rhetoric, but she seemed to be waiting for some sort of reply, so he shook his head.
“I love Camp Jupiter,” she stated, and her voice shook with emotion. “But I also think I’ve done more than my fair share to keep it running. I’ve led them through two wars! I’ve given them years of my life.”
Nico swallowed a comment about how they would likely be the last years of her life, because, let’s face it, lately the Hunters, ironically, had a reduced life expectancy.
“Thalia’s offer is one of being able to have a life,” Reyna said. “I won’t have to lead, I won’t have to think for everybody else, shoulder that responsibility.”
“Will you be happy, though?” Nico asked. He tried to keep the venom in his voice to a minimum. “Is it really a life to be your age forever, and run around the wild without a care for the world?”
Reyna shrugged. “It’s better than this. Besides, what do you want my life to be? To grow up, get married, sprout out a couple of kiddies?”
Nico made a face. “Yes, that’s what I want you to do, have children. You know, Reyna, believe it or not, I’m aware it isn’t the 1940s anymore. I simply don’t think having no responsibilities will make you happy. And the Hunters they— they’re just not a good option.”
“Is there really any other reason than what happened to your sister to make you hate them?”
“Do I need any other reason?” He demanded, he felt his heartbeat quicken again. “Other than them letting my sister die? I’ll give you another reason: they take advantage of girls when they’re vulnerable. They’re like mythological mormons! They convince you to join their cult but they fail to give you other options.”
“Mythological mormons?” Reyna sighed. “Your issues with protestants aside—”
“Gods, it’s not about the protestants!” Nico waved his hands as if trying to grab an idea from the air. “You’ve always thought Hylla’s decision to join the Amazons was rushed. You’ve said it yourself, you think they only managed to convince her because she was in despair.”
Reyna’s face shone with anger. “She wasn’t in despair. She was broken. She’d been hurt time and time again by those brutes in Blackbeard’s crew. If you knew what they did to her, you’d understand why she joined some weird group who kept men in line. But the Amazons did sweep in when they saw somebody vulnerable, Thalia and the Hunters don’t do that.”
“You’ve told me they went for girls in abusive relationships, forgive me for assuming that puts you in a vulnerable situation,” Nico argued. “They offered my sister a life free of any burden when she felt overwhelmed, and they —coincidentally— asked you to join the immortal sorority of man-haters when they knew you felt weird and left out.”
“That doesn’t make me vulnerable,” she insisted. “And for your information, Thalia’s been asking me to join for ages, ever since the quest to get the statue back to New York.”
“When, of course, you weren’t vulnerable, it was a perfectly unstressful situation,” Nico deadpanned. He leaned on the back of the chair again. “If your issue is that you don’t want to have sex with people, then maybe go to a pride-parade dressed in purple, don’t abandon your whole life on a whim.”
“You know,” Reyna said. “I’m not sure if you’re worried I’ll abandon my life, or that I’ll abandon you.”
Nico hesitated for a second. “Both. I’ve already been abandoned once by a sister because of the Hunters. I’d rather it didn’t happen again. But you wouldn’t just be abandoning me. You’d be abandoning everybody.”
Reyna walked towards him, she knelt in front of his chair.
“I won’t abandon you,” she promised. “I’ll come back, I’ll see you as much as I can. It’ll be like going to university, that’s all.”
“Let’s, for a second, pretend you can keep that promise,” Nico suggested. “Let’s pretend you’re one of the lucky few who live for centuries. What happens when all the people you know are dead?”
Reyna swallowed. “I don’t know. I don’t see the future. I’ll have the girls.”
“The Hunters Thalia replaces every less than a decade?” He wondered. “Those girls?”
She shook her head. “It’s my decision. I’m making it, sound of mind, having considered the pros and cons —regardless of whether you believe me or not—, and not being led in a moment of vulnerability.”
Nico huffed, shook his head, and stood up.
“All right,” he said. “I give up. You want to leave your friends and family, your life and responsibilities, off you go.”
“Thank you for understand—”
“I don’t,” Nico cut her off. “I don’t understand it. I’m mad as hell.”
“For somebody who didn’t grow up as an only child, you seem to love the word ‘I’.”
Nico scoffed. “Right, sorry, I keep making things about me. Let me make this about you. Remember when you said, in front of both camps, that you used to have a home, but now you had two? Well done, Reyna, by choosing the Hunters, now you have none.”
He turned and left the room, shutting the door with all the strength he could muster.
#first of all i love that it's 1800 words it's beautiful#nico di angelo#reyna avila ramirez arellano#pjo#hoo#toa#pjo hoo toa#riordanverse#pjo fic#mis fics#tagthescullion
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Nights Are For Nightmares And Contemplation
Summary: Written for AI-less Whumptober 2023 Day 25. Set during RttE’s ‘Enemy Of My Enemy’. Dagur has a nightmare caused by the events of the day and it causes him a moment of contemplation.
Warning: /
Rating: Teen and Up
Characters: Hiccup, Toothless, Dagur
Pairing: /
Words: 1 325
Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon
Prompt: Nightmares, Flashbacks
Whumpee: Dagur, Hiccup
Author’s Notes: This is the idea that originally inspired Day 12, 'Numb.' If you still remember what that one was about, I'm sure you'll see when exactly I got the idea. :')
Enjoy!
@ailesswhumptober
XOXOX
Alone on a ship, Dagur startles awake. He’s covered in a layer of cold sweat, his heart races, and his breathing is shallow. He pants and rises, sitting up in bed with his legs thrown over the edge. He tries to regain his composure, but it’s difficult. With a hand, he grasps at his tunic.
A nightmare is what put him in this state and Hiccup had played the lead role.
He used to dream of him for three years while he was trapped in the dungeons on Outcast Island. Some were violent- typical for the old Dagur- but some were good, a little too good. These were the kinds he certainly won’t be telling his brother about.
But the nightmare he just had, it is nothing like any of the dreams he’s had before, whether good or bad.
It felt so real… He was watching himself sleep when a dark figure walked into the room. Another stood in the darkest corner of the captain’s quarters he is in. There was something familiar about the both of them. The first figure approached the bed soundlessly, climbed up on top of him, and raised a dagger high above their head before plunging it into his heart. It was a quiet assassination, the only sounds were his breathless gasps. Blood pooled in his body, in the bed beneath him, flooded from his lips. And then he died. The second figure simply watched it happen.
Dagur feels like he knows those figures, he knows which two people in his life they’re supposed to represent.
His siblings, Hiccup and Heather.
It’s quite likely that his dream tonight has been caused by the events of the day. Hiccup and Toothless crash landed on his lonely little island where he was spending his days in quiet exile and contemplation. The latter got hit by a dragon root arrow and Hiccup was in danger of facing a ship full of Dragon Hunters all by himself, they were the ones who had shot them down. Dagur decided to help him out, keep his brother from being caught and worse.
He tried his best, but it hadn’t ended well. The antidote for Toothless’ Dragonroot poisoning had particularly horrible side-effects on Night Furies, something they all found out the hard way. Hiccup did not take it well, believing that it was all a part of his scheme to finally kill his beloved dragon. It ended in them getting caught by the Hunters they were hoping to avoid.
But it wasn’t any of that that must’ve caused the nightmare he just had. It must be how they were caught.
Reeling in shock from Toothless’ screeches of pain, Hiccup turned towards Dagur and screamed at him that he would kill him.
And then he tried very hard to succeed.
He got violent. His outrage dragged them down a river, away from Toothless, but even after being thrown around like ragdolls by the wild current, Hiccup still saw red.
A fight happened, Hiccup ended up on top of Dagur.
His hands around his throat.
And he squeezed until Dagur could no longer breathe.
Dagur gasps thinking about it, the memories intrusive as they claw their way back in. The way Hiccup had glared at him, eyes dark with hatred and brimming with tears from believing he lost Toothless. If the Hunters hadn’t found them in time, Dagur fully believes he wouldn’t be here tonight, suffering in the aftermath.
He caused that. The pain his brother felt, that anger… if it was anyone else who gave Toothless the antidote, he would not have reacted nearly as severely, he would have trusted the process. But because it was Dagur, he drew the conclusion that he finally killed his dragon after such a long time of trying and it sent him right over the edge.
Somehow, Dagur finds it in himself to lie back down, though sleep will escape him for the rest of the night. He stares up at the ceiling, spotting the cracks and spots in the wood.
This is why he left the Hunters, the Berserkers, and decided to do better. Because both of his siblings, one by blood and the other found, were out for his life at least once and he can’t blame them for that. After every wrong committed against them, he should honestly call himself lucky to be alive today. Today, he can still do something about it.
He needs to do better, be better.
Hiccup and Heather need their big brother in order to heal.
-XOXOX-
As far as Toothless knows, Hiccup just woke up from a nightmare. It woke him up, too. It is hard to stay asleep when your sensitive hearing picks up on a yelp followed by panicked breaths.
The dragon barely got to raise his head to check up on his Rider when said Rider already wrapped his arms around his neck, knees kneeling on his stone bed.
And now here they are; completely still.
Toothless is afraid to move, not wanting to give Hiccup incentive to pull away. His arms are around him, squeezing, his face pressed into his scales and his breathing barely under control. He doesn’t know what he was dreaming about, but he can guess it has something to do with the events of today. Events Hiccup neglected to share with the rest of the Riders.
They couldn’t hide the fact that the Night Fury was still a little under the weather and so they did tell them about the Hunters, but Dagur was never mentioned. Astrid gave Hiccup an earful about not looking after his dragon well enough and Toothless about how he should stop enabling Hiccup so much. Then she sent them both to bed. It did happen to be quite late when they all finally got back.
They and the other Dragon Riders, who were searching for them ever since Astrid realized Hiccup and Toothless left this morning without her.
But a lot has happened today and Toothless is not sure if just one of those things is the cause or all of them combined.
As he contemplates, Hiccup tries his best to calm down. He was never much of a crier, but the tears refuse to stop coming and he is not very successful at getting his breathing under control either.
He cannot stop thinking about today, about the things that happened. Toothless got shot with a dragon root arrow because of him, he suffered the antidote because of him, but worst of all… He tried to kill Dagur.
He can still remember the rage. The way it filled him in an instant, how his blood boiled within his veins, when red was all he saw, and that there was only one thought in his mind; kill Dagur.
For all he'd done to him, his friends, for finally succeeding in killing Toothless.
But that was not what was actually happening. His dragon just had a bad reaction to the dragon root antidote and Dagur was genuinely trying to help for once. Just as when he was telling him that his yearning of vengeance for what Viggo Grimborn had done and was doing would eat him alive from the inside.
And it is. Because if it wasn't… maybe he would not have reacted so violently. In hindsight, he remembers Dagur begging for Hiccup to listen to him, but he had not listened, he was too angry to.
If he actually succeeded… Gods, he doesn’t want to think about it.
The thought feels suffocating, he squeezes his dragon’s neck as if that will make it all better. It’s like he’s trying to squeeze the thoughts out.
It doesn’t work. Not even when Toothless pulls him closer and wraps his forelegs around him to return the embrace.
Because Dagur is right. Vengeance eats a person alive. Viggo is changing him and he is not sure if there is a way back if he lets him.
#ailesswhumptober2023#ailesswhumptober#day 25#httyd fics#httyd movies#rtte#race to the edge#hiccup haddock#hiccup whump#toothless#hicctooth#dagur the deranged#dagur whump#my fanfics#Nights Are For Nightmares And Contemplation
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Keep Your Eyes On Me • Chapter 23
Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x F!Mitchell!OC
Summary:
Elizabeth “Ghost” Mitchell is the daughter of what some would say is the most decorated Naval Captain. But when she is called back to North Island for a special mission she is forced to face her past loves, past hurts, and past losses.
Warnings:
violence, swearing, PTSD, war, mental illness & probably more
Word Count: 4,099
Status: 23/23
Cross Posted: A03 • Wattpad
Story Masterlist
May 25, 2022
I have been to many weddings. Never thought I would be at my own. But here I am. Being poked and prodded by my future mother-in-law and Penny. But I will say, I've never looked hotter. I wanted the wedding to be small. And it certainly is. Immediate family with a few exceptions. 45 people in all. Dad offered to use his landing strip and hanger for the wedding and reception. Honestly, I let Natia and Danielle plan it for me. They know me the best and they seemed very excited to oblige.
I've never been happier. I love him so much. Jake just knows how to make a girl swoon. His vows were more beautiful than I could have dreamed of. I love him. And I never want him to leave. But I do have to let him go. Our honeymoon of stealing Penny's boat will have to be on hold. The Daggers got called to duty and neither of us are sure when he will come back. So we shall share this night before he leaves in the morning. All the daggers are going except me and Nat. Me for obvious reasons, and Nat since her and Bradley are pregnant.
August 9, 2022
I was just notified that Pa passed away. I wish I was there with him. He was a rock in my life for so long. And I failed to be able to be his when Ma died. I just wish I could have done more.
August 12, 2022
The plastic stick on the counter has been staring back for the past hour. I should say sticks plural. I think I emptied everyone that I could find in Natasha’s bathroom. I'll have to buy her a new box. I should book an appointment to see how far along I am. I can't be a mom. I don't want to ruin them.
Turns out I'm four months along. I’m so unsure what to do. Jake is still deployed. We still have no clue when he's coming back. I'm too scared to tell him. We have only talked about kids once. And we said maybe in a year… not… now.
November 4, 2022
Jake is coming home today. Me and Natasha are on our way to see our husbands. Husband. Still so weird to say. I still haven't told him about me being pregnant. We barely were able to talk. And I asked Natasha not to say anything to Bradley. I wanted Jake to find out from me.
If I'm being honest, the whole thing was rather movie-like. Seeing him again was a relief. He shaved his mustache though. He will have to grow that back. Jake was happy to see me, he was shocked to see the bump. We go to the OBGYN in a few weeks.
January 20, 2023
Hello diary, this is Jake speaking. I've been informed by my dear love that I have to write everything she says if I'm going to journal this day for her. She is busy breastfeeding our lovely baby boy. Henry Patrick Seresin, 8lb 9oz 20in long. Gorgeous blue eyes like his mother. And my charming good looks. Born with a full head of curly brown hair, Liz says to put down how that's because of her “brown person genes”.
I have taken my diary back from the hands of Bagman. The labor was hard. Quick. But hard. Not really because of the pain, but because Henry was facing the wrong way. Luckily he flipped and I didn't need to be cut out of me. Once he was flipped, I had him out fairly quickly. We didn't know Henry would be Henry until he came out and we saw he was a boy. Henry is named after Jake's eldest brother. I had told him how Henry was my medic when me and Dani were shot down. Our worlds have been intertwined for so long that we only saw it fitting. Patrick is his middle name because that was Pa’s name. I’m excited to see where this adventure takes us, but I’m just nervous. I hope I’m a good mom.
January 23, 2023
Well don’t you know it. Natasha went into labor and now I’m an aunt to two beautiful little girls. Carol and Ashlynn Bradshaw. We were able to be hospital roommates. Bradley seems to be overjoyed to have more girls in his life. I always saw him as a girl dad.
April 13, 2023
I recently decided I would like to start a focus group. Or at least a place where vets can come and speak about whatever is on their hearts. Sure, the VA offers these things but sometimes I think it feels impersonal.
July 4, 2023
Jake and I decided to come to Hawaii to show off our little bundle to John and Natia, who is also conveniently pregnant with her third baby. Seeing John again after so long feels really great. He seems to be coping well with his prosthetic. Especially when his kids decide to steal it and he has to hop around and chase them.
December 25, 2023
Christmas with Dad was amazing. I got to see Amelia again. She’s blossomed into a beautiful young woman. She has a new boyfriend which I find amazing. Though I will say, Dad seems a bit peeved to have to go through this again. But playing with Henry seemed to calm his “new boyfriend visiting for the holidays” jitters. Penny and Pete have been nothing but a help. I love them so much.
February 4, 2024
Jake has been promoted to Captain. The ceremony was beautiful and I can't think of anybody more deserving. He is truly an inspiration. And I’m glad to call him the father of my child. He has many more responsibilities now.
August 19, 2024
Twins. When the OBGYN told us we were pregnant with twins, I felt like I was gonna explode. I thought one more would be okay. But two more? Oh my… but Jake and I have gone through worse. And we can do this.
February 7, 2025
Me and Jake bought a ranch. My focus group has grown exponentially. We thought it would be a good idea to expand upon it further, and have a place where veterans and their families could retreat and recover from the horrors that is war. Now I get to remodel an entire new home instead of remodeling Danielle’s. I’m sure she will appreciate it. Besides, if we are going to have three children, that's a little harder to consolidate in her home. I’m excited to get back in the saddle and go back to something that was such a big part of both mine and Jake's childhood. I'm excited to give that experience to our kids.
March 14, 2025
It’s your friendly neighborhood Jake here. I decided to write down a little something since Liz is busy resting after giving birth to two more beautiful boys. Peter Ray Seresin 11lb 2oz, 19 in long and Duke Weston Seresin 12lb 5oz, 20in long. Both are identical with their mom’s green eyes and another batch of curly black hair. She does produce some smokin kids. Henry doesn’t know how he feels but he’s only one so he has a while to make up his mind. Anyways, I figured she would want me to write a little something in here. She hates not having something written every day. Mark my words though, I will get a daughter.
January 20, 2026
It’s Henry’s second birthday! And let me tell you, I’m so in love with this little bundle. He honestly is already a smooth talker. I think he’s been hanging out with Jake too much. Luckily, Carol and Ashlynn knock him down a few pegs. Though I think I see a budding romance between him and Ashlynn. Henry requested a fighter pilot wedding so he can be cool like his mom. Which Jake feels a bit dejected because he's not the cool parent apparently. Henry’s words not mine. But it does make me puff up my chest.
July 29, 2026
Happy birthday to me. The big ol’ four oh. 40 40 40. Scary. I’m middle-aged now… Jake has decided that I’m not allowed to do anything. The kids are with Dad and Penny. Jake is taking me somewhere I’m not entirely sure. He’s flying us there in our Cessna I fixed up. Not as old as dad’s but it certainly was in bad shape. Basically, it’s a new plane.
This man took me on a three-day retreat to Alaska. I’ve always wanted to come here and it’s a pilot's wet dream. I love it here. There are so many Native people here. Feels like home. We are doing a forested camping trip. Really survival based and it's just… perfect.
December 27, 2026
Beating the odds of my age, I am pregnant again… but after this, I’m cutting it off. Jake didn’t have to convince me too much to have another. I have heard that after three, you might as well have four and while I don’t traditionally think you should have a baby just for the heck of it, Jake really wanted to try for a girl so here we are. I could use some more estrogen in the home anyways. And a girl we have. We decided to find out the gender beforehand. The look on Jake’s face when he saw we were having a girl was priceless. He already had a name picked out. Diana Sky Seresin.
May 12, 2027
Danielle decided to come over. She’s been a busy woman. She and Bob ended up getting married. Now, she’s pregnant with her first baby. Honestly, Bob and Dani are adorable with one another. It’s amusing seeing a badass, tatted-up woman with little ol’ Bob. Though Bob isn’t very little… I hate that I know that. He’s also tall… but he’s always been good with our children so I know he will be good with his own.
June 3, 2027
Welcome ladies and gentlemen. It’s your friendly neighborhood savior speaking. Me and my darling wife would like to introduce to the sacred diary, little miss Diana Sky Seresin. 12lb 2oz, with curly brown hair and get this, heterochromia - one green one blue. She is currently being fed by beautiful Lizzy. The boys seem to be excited to have a little sister of their own. Being around Bradshaw’s girls really helped with that I think.
September 22, 2039
Henry has started dating. I'm honestly surprised he hadn’t started sooner. He always talked about the girls who would annoy him. And honestly, seeing the young girls who would always seem smitten with him was amusing. I suppose he was more focused on school. But at the ripe age of 16 I’m guessing he was ready to focus on himself a little more. Her name is Violet, she’s a gorgeous girl. He’s taking her to North Island. Taking our plane. He truly knows how to woo. Probably learned it from his dad. I hope they have a nice time.
December 9, 2040
Date night again!! Tonight it was my idea. Decided to take Jake to the Army v Navy game. To say he was psyched would be an understatement. Being able to go back to his alma mater was certainly a treat. Though I will say, I did cheer for Army. Unfortunately for me, Navy won, but alas he had a really good time and that's all I could ask for.
August 27, 2041
We just finished moving Henry in to college. He’s going to the University of Texas. His father is very proud. Texas forever in his pretty brain. Henry is a bit upset that he and Violet will have to have a long-distance relationship but I told him that he has strong blood and it’s nothing a Seresin or a Mitchell hasn’t had to do before.
April 1, 2042
Um… I’m sorry for the tear stains. It’s um… I’ve failed to write this so many times. It’s hard for me to even talk about it still. Um… dad is dead… He um… died in his sleep. Old age was what the doctor said. His funeral was yesterday. 80 years old. I miss him so much. I was hoping I would die before anybody else could die… it’s selfish I know but… I didn't want to lose him. I love you, dad. I miss you so much. Tell Uncle Ice hello, and say hi to Uncle Goose hello for me and Bradley.
January 12, 2043
Jake decided to retire from the Navy. He’s an old coot so that seems to make sense. He wanted to be home more. And honestly, we make a good enough living here on the ranch. The kids are happy to see him more between school and whatnot. And honestly, things seem to be evening out. Things have still been hard emotionally. I miss my dad more and more as the days pass. And the kids aren't home as often. They're getting older, and more busy with their extracurriculars, and Henry is in college. Duke and Ashlynn started dating recently which I find rather adorable. Everything will be okay. We are all doing okay… I just have to remind myself of that.
April 26, 2056
60 years old and still having nightmares. This one was particularly cruel… I don’t even want to go into it. I just want this mental torture to end. I ended up waking up and checking the home. I needed to make sure that everyone was safe. I love them so much that I can’t let anything happen to them.
Elizabeth sighed softly, standing up with a light groan, her bones sore. She made her way back outside and towards the stables. She needed to get away. After her horse was tacked, she climbed on and began her late night, or really early morning, ride. She passed by the cabins provided for their veteran guests and walked until they were on another overlook. She loved her overlooks. She climbed off her horse, smiling softly at the small memorial they had placed up there. For both of Jake's parents, both of hers. Ma and Pa, and a few others they had lost along the way. She sat down on a log before finally breaking down once again.
She thought about her life and all the things she had been through, all the people she was able to meet and know and grow with. It was overwhelming. Her kids are married. Her friends, thankfully, still alive. And then, having it all ripped away in another dream. Another nightmare that kept clawing at the back of her head, images of her friends and family horribly ruined by her.
She didn't know how long she was there. The sun was now a foot over the horizon as she went through her panic attack. The world around her felt like it was shrinking in, making her feel trapped. So much open space only for it to be ripped away. Fresh air, gone.
It wasn't until she felt the gentle hands of her lover. Her man, her soulmate. His kind, blue eyes wrinkled with age, as he held her face. His white hair peeked out from under the cowboy hat he wore. He leaned down, kissing her softly before pulling slightly away.
“Just keep your eyes on me, sunshine, keep your eyes on me.”
Authors note: thank you so much for reading my fanfiction. this is a giant milestone for me as it is the first series ive fully completed. i have been writing for i want to say a little over 8 years now. so thank yo to all of my readers who have supported me through this. and thank you so much to my bestfriend for being my beta reader and editor. she is truly amazing and i implore you all to go check out her stuff her info is below :)
Editor(s): @delicatenightfury
FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED...
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#top gun#top gun maverick#top gun 2#top gun fanfiction#jake hangman seresin#jake seresin#jake seresin fanfiction#jake hangman seresin imagine#jake seresin fic#jake seresin x oc#hangman#hangman fic#hangman fanfiction#hangman fluff#hangman top gun#hangman x oc#hangman seresin#top gun hangman
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The first quarter of the year is almost over, and it has been filled with so many great books! In case you haven't been able to catch up on all of the new releases this year, why don't you check out these?
Spice Road (The Spice Road Trilogy #1) by Maiya Ibrahim
Delacorte Press
In the hidden desert city of Qalia, there is secret spice magic that awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. Sixteen-year-old Imani has the affinity for iron and is able to wield a dagger like no other warrior. She has garnered the reputation as being the next great Shield for battling djinn, ghouls, and other monsters spreading across the sands.
Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother, who tarnished the family name after it was revealed that he was stealing his nation's coveted spice--a telltale sign of magical obsession. Soon after that, he disappeared, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes. Despite her brother's betrayal, there isn't a day that goes by when Imani doesn't grieve him.
But when Imani discovers signs that her brother may be alive and spreading the nation's magic to outsiders, she makes a deal with the Council that she will find him and bring him back to Qalia, where he will face punishment. Accompanied by other Shields, including Taha, a powerful beastseer who can control the minds of falcons, she sets out on her mission.
Imani will soon find that many secrets lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes--and in her own heart--but will she find her brother?
The first book in an epic fantasy series set in an Arabian-inspired land with secret spice magic. Raised to protect her nation from the monsters lurking in the sands, sixteen-year-old Imani must fight to find her brother, whose betrayal is now the country's greatest threat. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads
The Cartographers by Amy Zhang
HarperCollins
Ocean Wu has always felt enormous pressure to succeed. After struggling with depression during her senior year in high school, Ocean moves to New York City, where she has been accepted at a prestigious university. But Ocean feels so emotionally raw and unmoored (and uncertain about what is real and what is not), that she decides to defer and live off her savings until she can get herself together. She also decides not to tell her mother (whom she loves very much but doesn’t want to disappoint) that she is deferring—at least until she absolutely must.
In New York, Ocean moves into an apartment with Georgie and Tashya, two strangers who soon become friends, and gets a job tutoring. She also meets a boy—Constantine Brave (a name that makes her laugh)—late one night on the subway. Constant is a fellow student and a graffiti artist, and Constant and Ocean soon start corresponding via Google Docs—they discuss physics, philosophy, art, literature, and love. But everything falls apart when Ocean goes home for Thanksgiving, Constant reveals his true character, Georgie and Tashya break up, and the police get involved.
Ocean, Constant, Georgie, and Tashya are all cartographers—mapping out their futures, their dreams, and their paths toward adulthood in this stunning and heartbreaking novel about finding the strength to control your own destiny. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads
Last Chance Dance by Lakita Wilson
Viking Books for Young Readers
Leila is crushed when Dev, her boyfriend of four years, breaks up with her right before graduation. Just when she's thinking she wasted her entire high school experience on a dead-end relationship, her best friend Bree reminds her that Last Chance Dance is just around the corner.
A high school tradition, Last Chance Dance gives all the students one last opportunity to find love before they graduate. All Leila has to do is submit three unrequited crushes to the dance committee and if any of her crushes list her too, they'll get matched. Presto: new relationship, just like that. To her utter amazement, Leila is matched with all three of her choices--and with someone she never, ever expected, Tre Hillman, her chemistry partner and low-key nemesis.
Though at times skeptical, Leila embarks on her Last Chance Dance mission--trying out her matches and going on dates. If Dev wasn't her true love--then maybe someone else is. She knows it's definitely not Tre, even though he seems more and more determined to convince her he's right for her.
But thoughts of Dev keep sneaking back into her mind, and as graduation and the dance approaches, Leila must figure out what--and who--she really wants. It's her last chance, right?
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11, 13, 15, 25 for any wip!
Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.
This took so long, because I could not decide.
On the one hand, my one WIP that could answer all of those questions is Thorns; but they are also all answered in the WIP intro.
On the other hand, I felt the itch to answer those for Heal my Wounds, which is by no definition a WIP anymore. Whatever, I’m on the no rules website.
[ID: The text Heal my Wounds over a picture of a mountain landscape. End ID]
11. What is your WIP’s aesthetic?
hot summer days / sword training / coffee (with milk) / is that a dagger or are you happy to see me / a dimly lit tavern / broken glass / a layer of dust inside an abandoned house / knife to the throat (flirting) / too much alcohol and too much blood / it should have been me / complicated families / let’s run away together
13. A little bit about your protagonist?
Bit cheating; there’s 2.
Valadan had no easy life. His mother died at his birth, his father blamed him for it, and his brother did his best to raise him, but was just a child himself. After their father’s death, they had a fallout, and he left his home to become a mercenary.
Almost ten years later, he’s had more rough than good times. His current job pays rather well, considering he does nothing but get bossed around by some stuck up noble, while her group of scholars stares at rocks all day.
Josephine had all she could ever have dreamed of; wealthy parents, a good education, a guaranteed increase in ranks at the Order of Fire. Who cares that she never wanted any of that?
Between boring rocks and duties, the last thing she needs is a mercenary who disregards her every order. It’s only two weeks, she tells herself, then she’ll never have to see him again-right?
15. A little bit about your antagonist?
There is none, so that totally evens out the two protagonists.
25. Easiest character to write?
They were both similarly easy to write; Valadan perhaps a bit more, because I had so much more of his backstory thanks to Damien’s stories.
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English Rose - A Bradley Bradshaw Story
Chapter 7
I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's very angsty and delves into Emily's backstory...
I won't be updating until Wednesday now as I'm away down to London for a few days.
Taglist: @bratshaws
Emily woke up on Monday morning and immediately beamed, she hadn’t gone to bed until late as she and Hayley were up talking until about 1am for her, she had so much to tell her about her now boyfriend, and Hayley was thrilled.
She hadn’t heard her best friend so happy and full of life in so long, her mother and brother made sure that was eradicated from her very existence by the time she decided to leave England, and Hayley couldn’t blame her, if she had to put up with half of what Emily had been through she would have upped and left years ago, Hayley thought the only reason she stayed in the end was because of her, she knew Emily wouldn’t have wanted to leave her, but now hearing her this happy, she knew it was the right thing for her completely.
Emily must have been laid staring at the ceiling for a good half hour before she finally started to get herself up and moving for the day. She tapped her phone screen to see what time it was, 08:46, still early, considering she hadn’t actually fallen asleep until gone 2. She glanced down and saw several notifications, so many in fact she had to scroll the lock screen to see them all. She laughed as she saw the whole of the Dagger Squad had requested to follow her on Instagram and be her friend on Facebook, Bradley had sent her a soppy good morning text and Hayley had sent her an equally as soppy goodnight text, she let out a happy giggle moving her finger so she could see the rest of her notifications.
The breath quite literally hitched in her throat as she looked down at her phone, there were two texts. Two texts from people she had hoped to never see or hear from again, she realised that was unrealistic but she had hoped for at least a month she might have some peace, as it happened she had no such luck.
Mum: You think you can run away from your family? You stupid, little bitch. We will find you and bring you home. Mark my words.
Charlie: I can’t believe you left us. How could you do this to Mum? We’ll work out where you are Emily, I promise you. You can’t hide forever.
Suddenly the world started to close in on Emily, her vision was fuzzy and her ears were ringing, the phone slipped from her grasp and landed on the floor with a thud, closely followed by Emily’s body collapsing into a heap on the floor as she became unable to hold herself up. Her body soon became wracked with sobs and she started to shake violently, they were going to find her and take her home, back to that hellhole.
She had tried so hard to escape, times before she tried to run away but lost her bottle just before. Emily’s mother and brother were awful, her mother the worst, the alcohol turned her into a demon, and her brother for some reason idolised his mother, he could do no wrong in her eyes, but Emily seemingly could do no right. Her Dad looked after her and cared for her but he had died, ten years previously in a car accident, right after he had dropped Emily and Charlie off at school. That’s when the drinking got the worst and it never got any better. The day Michael Walker died was the day that Emily’s life truly fell apart. She had tried to put a brave face on for the last decade, passing her GCSEs and A-Levels with the highest results in the school and getting her place at University, but nothing was ever enough for her mother. To Caroline Walker, Emily was a major disappointment, she would be used as her mother’s verbal and emotional punch bag, have glasses and objects launched at her over the slightest inconvenience. The final straw came two weeks before Emily boarded her plane to California. Emily had come in from a shift at the pub she worked at, her mother was drunk as per usual but was a lot more aggressive than usual. Caroline decided that she would once again blame Emily for the death of her father, a vitriol of verbal abuse followed and as Emily was trying to get away from it Caroline had pushed her into the side of the fireplace. She knew she couldn’t take much more of this, she felt as though if she had stayed in England her mother may have ended up killing her.
Emily’s cries had got so loud that they had alerted Maverick who had come in from his morning run, he thought it was Penny or Amelia at first but then remembered that there was a parent/teacher day at the school so both had left early that morning. He then realised the cries must therefore belong to Emily. He jogged up the stairs, gently knocking on her door, after there was no answer he quietly opened it and peeked his head around it, gasping as he saw the young girl crumpled in the middle of the floor crying her eyes out. He acted quickly, not thinking twice as she scooped her into his arms, she then circled her hands around his waist and pulled him tight to her, crying even harder than she had before.
“Hey, hey it’s okay, whatever it is, we can sort it. Are you feeling homesick?” That last sentence made her wail even more, so he assumed, quite wrongly, that she was homesick. The pair stayed like that until Emily calmed down slightly, her sobs becoming sniffles and hiccups every time she inhaled.
“Th-Thank yo-you” she mumbled, pulling herself away from Pete as he released her from the hug. Her eyes were all puffy and bloodshot and she had tear tracks running down her cheeks.
“Not a problem, but what was that about?” he questioned.
“No-nothing” she replied, looking down at the floor.
“Well, it’s not nothing is it. You’re sat hyperventilating and crying in the middle of your bedroom floor. That is nothing”.
“it’s complicated” she replied, taking the biggest deep breath possible, still not looking Maverick in the eye.
“Well, kid, I’m not leaving this room until you explain to me why I’ve just walked in on that”. He forced, moving his hand to her chin and forcing her head up so his eyes met hers.
“erm, well, so. I kinda came to America because I needed to get away from my Mum. She’s an alcoholic and, and, well she makes my life a living hell”
“How does she do that, Emily?”
“She’s abusive Pete, she has been for years, verbal, mental, physical. You name it, she’s done it to me”
Maverick let out a sigh, he hated this. How could anyone hurt a girl like Emily? He hadn’t even known her a week and he had already worked out that she was one of the sweetest people you could meet. “So, Emily. I don’t mean to be blunt, but… what’s happened to make you cry this morning?”
The girl said nothing, just passed him the unopened phone and directed him to the two texts that had sent her into a panic. He gasped, looking between the girl and the phone a couple of times before he spoke again. “Emily, Emily look at me.” She looked up at him, her eyes glassy as tears were brimming at the surface of them once more. “They will not take you back, they won’t. We won’t let them. If they find you they won’t come near you, I promise you that. We will protect you.”
“We?” she questioned,
“Me, Penny, Brad-“
“No. He can’t know about this, he only asked me to be his girlfriend yesterday. This will scare him off”
“No, it really won’t, Bradley will want to protect you Emily, that’s the type of man that he is”
“Even so, I’m not ready to tell him yet. Can I just be normal for a bit longer?”
“Well, I won’t go behind your back and tell him if you don’t want me to, but I will tell Penny. She needs to know in case this happens again, so she can look after you, okay? But I mean it, Bradley will want to look after you when he finds out about this”. He smiled at her, giving her shoulder a squeeze as he did so.
“Thank you Pete. I really do appreciate it.” Emily said, getting up from the floor and placing herself on the bed, calming herself down with every breath that she took. Maverick tapped her on the knee and he stood up and made to leave the room, turning back to Emily who looked at him expectantly as if she knew he were going to speak again.
“I guess I should also say congratulations, Bradley told me he asked you to be his girlfriend last night”, he winked at her as he left and closed the door leaving Emily alone with her thoughts once again.
She decided to delete the two messages from her phone and block both contacts, she then opened another text and smiled.
Bradley: Good Morning gorgeous, hope you slept well. Wanna meet at the beach for a walk later?
Emily: Good Morning Lieutenant, I would love too. See you at 3?
Bradley: Sure thing sweet one, see you soon <3
Emily held the phone to her chest, inhaling deeply as she finally got rid of her hiccups and sniffles, she really was lucky to have these incredible people around her, like Pete said, they would look after her now and although they scared the living daylights out of her, her family wouldn’t be able to touch her, not with the Daggers around.
#bradley bradshaw x midsize oc#bradley bradshaw#bradley rooster bradshaw#top gun maverick#top gun rooster#rooster bradshaw#top gun movie#top gun#maverick
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Welcome to my laziest written chapter yet. I was having a lot of trouble trying to get this into words. But for a couple chapters the story will be like this. Kinda like the old Chinese book “journey to the west” lol.
Chapter 10:Rivers and valleys
Deseret looked out at the wagon train now that she was back in the wagon. The pioneers had to take a break in a place unfamiliar to her for the rest of the winter. She didn’t know what or where it was but people kept calling the place Iowa.
“What are you looking at?” A voice came from behind and scared her.
“Hey! Why do you insist on scaring me!” She screamed. John laughed. He had hurt his leg earlier in the day and was sitting in the wagon.
“Why would I not insist?” He laughed again.
“You know how I feel about getting scared like that.” She had tears starting to form in her eyes. She hated the feeling of fear. It reminded her of what she had lost.
“I’m sorry I always forget.” He apologized. While their older brother Brigham Jr. was staring daggers into johns back.
Deseret got out of the wagon to begin walking again. Maybe find Mr.Young and tell him what just happened. She walked up towards the front to try and find him.
“What do you think you are doing?” He had found her instead. She slowed down her pace to match his.
“John kept trying to scare me so I came to walk with you.” She said.
“Fine, I guess you can stay out but only if you stay by my side. Understood?”
“Yes Mr.Young” She happily chirped.
It didn’t take long for people to notice and laugh along the trail again. Although to her something felt off. She had questioned it before but never gotten an answer. Why didn't people remember her as Mr. and Mrs.Smiths adopted daughter? She just didn’t get it. People have said that she reminds them of ‘that little girl the smiths took in’ but that was as far as people remembered and said. Curiosity got the better of her. She went and asked one of the other adults.
“What happened to Mr. and Mrs.Smith’s girl?” The question shattered the woman she asked.
“You’re too little to know such things.”
“But she was my best friend!” She lied through gritted teeth. She didn’t like lying but something was wrong.
“Oh. Oh my.” The woman responded. “Well you see the little girl they had went to heaven.”
“Really?” This was a bit confusing. Deseret was walking right there beside the woman was she not?
“The night Mr.smith died,she died.” The woman paused for a moment, “let us not talk about it anymore.”
She was dead? Impossible Deseret was standing right there. If I died, why am I here? She pondered to herself.
“Ah Des, did you make a new friend?” Mr.Young was back.
“I just had a question for her, that's all!” She smiled.The woman nodded before wandering off within the group.
“It’s good to see you so active and happy again. You don’t typically talk to people you don’t know like you did in the past.” Mr.Young pulled the girl along. “There is a river ahead and I would hate for you to be left behind”
Mr.Young barely finished his sentence before a loud gunshot ran out. It echoed through the train.The wagons halted once again but not for a peaceful meal this time. Deseret felt herself get picked up. Brigham Jr. also heard the gunshot and panicked. So he arrived to take her back to the wagon.
“Hide.” Was all John could say before more gunshots were heard. She didn’t need to be told twice as she ducked under some furniture. John and Brigham also hid with her. But not before Brigham covered the three of them in a quilt to hide them better.
Des was squeezed between her two brothers. They sure weren’t letting her get hurt. She almost always felt safe around them.
“What’s going on?” John whispered.
“People are just trying to attack and steal from the wagons.” Brigham responded quietly.
“What?” John spoke softly. Des lifted the blanket a bit so she could see what was going on. There was loud yelling but she couldn’t make out what was being said. But Brigham noticed and pushed the blanket down more. Another gunshot was heard but this time it sounded like it hit its target.
The three panicked again. Was someone dead? Des peaked out again. The woman she had spoken with earlier was now lying face first on the ground with a bullet wound in the back of her head. Des was shocked but she didn’t make a sound. Her mind was running circles around her head. What was going on? Before they knew it though the people had left with their stolen money and a stolen life.
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Waiting for cold air
" In the short period we fell in love, but loving you is blue ."
The cold wind hugged me as I peeked out of the window.
"Maymay is forecast to move slowly westward or remain almost stationary in the next 12 hours before gradually accelerating westward towards Central Luzon. On the forecast track, the center of this tropical cyclone may make landfall in the vicinity of Aurora by tomorrow evening or Thursday early morning before it traverses the landmass of Central Luzon. It may be downgraded due to remnant low due to the frictional effect of the landmass." A man forecaster said.
I notice these past few days we experience nonstop rain, the flood barely went down, a lot of classes got suspended and many families are stranded in their houses.
" Cheska it's already sleep time, close the window it's so cold " shouted my mama from our room
" Okay mom," I said while closing the windows
Today is one of those rainy nights, many people might hate it because of the cold but for me, this is the best weather to sleep in. I run the distance from our living room to our room and see my papa peacefully sleeping due to tiredness.
"Ate come here, let's play," my younger brother says
"Stop it, Lucio, it's already your sleep time, and your papa might wake up " my mama angrily said.
Lucio sadly walks closer to me, with teary eyes and a sad voice "maybe next time" he whispers I barely understand. I feel so guilty looking into his eyes.
"don't be sad, let's just sleep mama would be angry if she saw us still awake "
" But I'm still not sleepy ate" he whine quietly
" You want me to tell you a story "I whisper when our mama slightly moves
" Yes ate, mama always says that she will tell me a story but she always forgets "
I laugh quietly " Maybe because she already showing signs of being old " and both of us laugh. When we both stop laughing, I deep breath and start recalling the story
" In a small community beside the seaside, Princess Ursula lives, she has long wavy hair with a dark color skin tone, a deep set of eyes, and not too tall nose. Many men from other tribes were fascinated with her but she's not interested in them."
"So, she is like a goddess to them ate?"
“Yes, but her beauty is not the only thing they admire, they also admire her leadership and kindness. At a young age, she already ruled her tribe successfully and many tribes were envious. She already learns how to use a dagger at the age of 7.
“Where is her parent ate?” my brother curiously ask
“Her parent died when she was five and since then seniors and warriors in her tribe train her to be a great leader. One day a group of strangers, suddenly appeared on their island, the warriors get alert by it and they gather all of their swords and hid women and children. Princess Ursula led her tribe and waited for them to attack.
But when a group of men appear in their front they got shocked by their look, all of their clothes have mud stains, and some of them were injured or had bruises, aside from that their appearance looked strange with white skin tone, tall noses, blonde hair and fluffy eyes ‘where in the earth these people came from?’ Ursula said from her mind
The group of people get surprised and fell to their knees, they lift their hands as a sign of surrender and shouted.
“Oh, pls help us, a group of tribes suddenly attack us while we get lost in the forest.” One man said while sobbing
Ursula felt pity while looking at them “Put your sword down and call Nina Amania, we need to help them.” In just one-word, people start lifting injured people carefully
“What are doing Ursula, we don’t even know them. What if they have hidden agenda? What if they are after our tribes?” Tatang Lindo said he is a senior in our tribe, I understand his point, he just wants to protect our tribe.
“’ Tatang, I understand your point, don’t worry I will take all the blame if they do something to our tribe”
By that Tatang Lindo feels assured, he knows that Ursula will make sure their tribe were safe.
In the evening the tribes prepare a feast to welcome the unexpected guest, they also learn that they are from Spain and got lost in the middle of travel in Indonesia. Ursula just observed everyone, from children who are happily playing, from women who are happily dancing, men and older who are happily drinking, and their guest who are happily vibing and look so fascinated by what they watch.
But while observing their visitor, one man catches his eye, Miguel. He notices that he is also the one who pleads earlier. Miguel have shining eyes, blonde hair, tall nose, and his body was so good compared to his colleagues.
Ursula didn’t notice that she is staring at Miguel for too long. She got shocked when he suddenly appeared in her front.
“Oh, hi there princess,” Miguel spoke
“Thank you for helping us. What can we do to match what you do to us”
“Just don’t betray us” Ursula strongly says
Miguel takes back from what she says and laughs “I promise you my princess we will never betray you” And smile sweetly
Since that night Miguel and Princess Ursula became close, everyone in the tribe was shocked because the old Princess was so awkward interacting with men, but now they see their Princess laughing with Miguel while playing with other children.
they decide to walk to the seaside a place they always go at this place you can visibility see the other island, from white and clear water to fine and white sand.
"your island is so beautiful princess," Miguel said
"well our ancestors really take care of this island, and now it is our job to protect and preserve it"
" it must be hard for you to become a leader at your young age, you suppose to enjoy your life as a teenager, but you ruling a community" Miguel unconsciously says
Princess Ursula looks at Miguel, and she feels weird cause it is really what she feels, at a young age her parent died, and since then she train many things and didn't have time to enjoy her childhood
for the first time, someone knows what she feels
finally, someone understands what she feels
and that Miguel.
It’s been 7 days since Miguel's group stock to the island, and he would be lying if he said he is not enjoying his stay there
“Miguel I just want to remind you of our goal here, so don’t ever dare fall in love with that stupid princess” Miguel already know that he has already fallen for the princess.
“by this Tuesday a boat will go here to get us, so we need to hurry up and get all the gold” Hernando greedily say
From the very first he knows their plan but falling for the princess is an accident
Monday. Monday evening night he decides to confess his feeling to her. He decides to become honest with her. In front of the seaside, the place that they always go to.
“Princess Ursula” Hernando sweetly calls Ursula
“yes,” Ursula says while not looking at him
“let’s meet later, seaside, I will say my true feeling”
Because of what he says Ursula slowly and confusedly looked at her “what?”
“later,” he says and doesn’t want to thrill.
It was already 5 in the afternoon, and Miguel getting ready to leave. When Nicholas one of his friends runs to him “Miguel lets go, the tropes are already here and the mission was already okay we need to get out here before they found out” Miguel came along without a choice, and really feels guilty about what they do and sad that he didn’t have a chance to confess to Ursula about his true feeling
On the other side, Princess Ursula patiently waited for Miguel. Its already 10 in the evening but their no sign of Miguel
“Princess Ursula, Princess Ursula, the visitor is nowhere to find and the gold is also missing” Dindo one of their servants shouted while running
After hearing that Princess Ursula felt broken “I thought you’re not like others” a pair of tears fell in her eyes.”
Cheska suddenly stops talking when he notices that Lucio is already asleep. He kisses his brother's cheeks “good night silly kid”
She felt sad while remembering the story ……... well, she really can relate to it
After all, she is Princess Ursula reincarnated still waiting for Miguel until this timeline
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how can your muse become a better person?
how does your muse show gratitude? do they?
how does one earn your muse's vulnerability?
how can someone break your muse's heart?
does your muse wish they could change something about themselves?
when was the last time your muse cried and why?
where is an area that your muse might need reassurance for?
silver could show a little more empathy. he's been stuck in survival mode for so long, so concerned with his own safety that he sometimes forgets to think about others. he's done great acts of empathy when faced with major violations of basic rights to people, but in day to day interactions he knows he could be more understanding of others. he could be a little more patient and friendlier.
blue used to not show gratitude well, but he is far better at it now. he's changed so much and he will always show it where he can. he gives verbal thanks and shows a lot of respect, he does his best not to squander anything he's grateful for.
vulnerability is hard for andromeda. you have to prove that they can trust you, you have to spend months proving that they can trust you mean them no harm. you must be kind. you must have a pure heart. you have to build a friendship, a good and strong bond before they will even consider vulnerability willingly.
reminding gracie of how their parents chose research over them. reminding gracie that they always chose their research over his own safety and their own. that there is a huge possibility that their parents died for nothing, that everything they worked for and chose over them was nothing but myths. reminding them of their feelings that they were just a burden and never loved.
wallace wishes he could let go of his guilt. logically he knows there was nothing he could have done, but he still feels it pulling him down like an anchor into a sea of despair. he wishes he could believe he isn't at least partially responsible for all those deaths, but surviving that attack 3,000 years ago when so many were slaughtered so fast left him feeling like he should have done more. like he shouldn't have survived. he wishes he could take away that survivor's guilt because it eats him alive so often.
lillie cries a lot at night and frequently, when there's nothing to distract her from her thoughts and worry for the future. though things are presently okay she's afraid of what her future holds, what she will face, and how her brother is going to react to the things she needs to tell him about ultra space and her time there. she's so afraid. and being alone makes it all sink in and the emotions bubble up into tears. and if it's not the fear it's the pain of what her mother said and did to her and her brother. there's still so much hurt, so, so much that still feels like daggers in her heart and she knows nothing will ever undo what her mother has done.
archie needs reassurance that he isn't a coward or weak. that he did the right thing for himself by leaving alola for a while. he feels like he abandoned his duty and spit in the face of the tapu for leaving, even if he did get permission to leave. he feels like if he were stronger he could have toughed it out, he could have gotten his shit together in alola. he knows he's being hard on himself for having those thoughts but it's hard not to believe he did wrong by doing what he needed to do for himself.
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