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solarbird · 7 years

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Old Soldiers, Chapter 13: feeding the spiders

AO3 link

"Good girl," Amélie cooed to Ourson, her little black tarantula, a surprise gift from Lena the previous Christmas. "Back into your habitat. I will give you two crickets, one at a time."

She'd spent an hour cleaning Ourson's tank, replacing the soil, cleaning the little shelters where the spider liked to hide, scrubbing the shallow water dish, making sure the spider-safe plants were healthy in their hidden pots. The curlyhair didn't really need, or care, about the plants - but Amélie liked how it made the enclosure look more real, more like the Costa Rica from which the species originally came.

"I think you will be moulting soon," Widowmaker said, quietly, more to herself than to Ourson, who surely knew the truth of it better than her keeper. "I should make sure you are happy before you begin." The large spider did not need very much care, really - as pets go, Lena picked a nicely low-maintenance animal - and Amélie did more than really necessary, and enjoyed it.

"Go on," Widowmaker said, prompting the spider to the ground. It took a moment, but Ourson figured out that this was her home, and stepped lightly onto the new bedding. A moment later, and then there was a cricket, and she pounced, frighteningly quick, surrounding it with her legs and stinging, venom paralysing her prey in moments. Amélie cooed again, "oh, you were very hungry, weren't you? Well, there will be another once you are finished with the first."

When she was very young, Amélie had a fear of spiders, which she now found a little embarrassing, and more than a little ironic. But that was long ago, before she knew herself how to sting.

"Amélie!" shouted Lena, bursting in from the landing pad's exit corridor. "I'm home!"

The Widowmaker replaced the habitat's lid and turned to her lover, smiling the broad smile reserved only for her, and spread her arms wide. "Come to me, cherie!" The two women collided and spun around in the common room that they'd started thinking of a little bit as the family room, which is fairly silly for a Talon base, but not untrue despite it. "I am so happy to see you again." She leaned back and looked into Venom's brown eyes. "I see you've been dropping the sniper kit - have you checked in with Dr. Mariani yet?"

"Nah," said the junior assassin, "I wanted to see you, first." She kissed her wife, gently. "I've missed you so much. Overwatch is wretched. Please tell me we have a mission this week, I want somethin' to go right."

The spider chucked. "Oh, no, I'm so sorry." She returned Venom's kiss, and pet her head gently, running her fingers through that mop of hair. "A mission - pleasantly, we do, and it should be stimulating. I was saving that news for tomorrow, but... what happened?"

"Lemmie get checked out by th' doc first," said the occasional sniper. "It's a long story."

-----

"You're doing well," said the Sicilian doctor, from behind her scanner console. "Could you shift your eyes the rest of the way back, please?"

"'Course, doc." Lena pushed the last of the gold out of her iris. "How's that?"

"Very good. Dilate your pupils, let me check the cornea? Thank you." The doctor had Venom look across eight compass points as small white lights danced around Lena's vision. "All very good. No visual centre confusion around the lack of blind spots?"

"Nothin' I've" - she chuckled - "...seen..."

Dr. Mariani smiled. "Yes, yes, your jokes are terrible. But your eyes are not. Shift dilation back to baseline? Thank you. Yes, everything looks very good."

Venom blinked a bit - shifting her iris felt like nothing, but somehow, dilating and undilating her pupils still felt just weird.

"Well, this is all, ah, very healthy," she said. "There is one thing, but - do not worry, this is not a health question, you are fine. Did you use your chronal accelerator as Mockingbird?"

"Yeaaaaaaah," said the assassin, stretching the "a" sound. "Sorry. I knew it might mess up your data collection, but when Angie pulled that little demonstration of hers, I just... wasn't ready for it. I teleported across the room."

"I thought so. Quite understandable, from what you described." She smiled wistfully. "I wish I could've seen it myself."

"Some of the data got messed up?"

"Eh, there is a... very small bias shift. I can, ah, compensate, yes. It is probably from the slipstream - unless you happened to be near a powerful antineutron entanglement array at some point."

"Wot's that then?"

"A big hummy thing, might make you tingle."

Lena laughed. "Amélie didn't go with me on this one, doc."

The doctor smirked. "I didn't think so. But I understand, your ambassador friend, he is a scientist, yes? He might have one."

"Might do. Want me to ask him?"

"Eh," she waved her hands, "it is not important. I will remember it can happen." She closed the padd and shut off the scanner. "Your blood chemistry is perfect, your metabolic tests are exactly on track - you'll feel warm for a little while, like usual, eh? And hungry in, ah, probably a few hours. Drink extra water until you feel the hunger. Good?"

"Yes'm. And... thanks for comin' out on such short notice."

"It is no problem, I want these readings for my own work, you know. Thank you for letting me take them." She backed away from the examination table and motioned to the door. "Now, shoo, get out of here - I want to make the last ferry home."

"Roger that. Thanks, doc!"

-----

Venom fanned herself as she sat on the couch, back up to her normal temperature, and feeling it. "Terrible, yeh?"

Widowmaker - sitting across the low driftwood-grey coffee table, apart from her wife until she fully recovered - frowned, and shook her head. "I do not know where even to begin." She cast about, and picked one topic of the many. "I would not think one of Gabriel's plans would be so fragile. I know that no plan fully survives first contact with the enemy, but still."

Lena nodded, and drank from her rather tall glass of water. "It's not all his fault. The intelligence wasn't accurate, and those weren't ordinary Los Muertos street rats, but t'be honest - we were sloppy. And y'can't be sloppy like that."

"I hope you, at least, hit your shots," the elder sniper said with sardonic amusement.

The younger assassin snickered. "'Course I did, luv."

"So now, it is our turn?"

"Nope. I've agreed to give 'em another shot."

"When you voted against even the first?" She gave her wife a thoughtful look. "I am surprised."

Venom frowned. "I... I didn't want to. I moved to hand it over, in fact. But..." She ran her hand through her hair. "Y'shoulda heard Mei. You'd understand if y'did. Her whole team got left to die in Antarctica..." She shivered. "I'm not the only one who wants t'see him pay. She just wants it done all out in the open."

The spider hummed, and sipped at her afternoon glass of wine. An Italian table wine, a bit sweet, but not so far as a dessert wine, with hints of almost apricot. "Public justice, courtroom justice - but there is no small amount of revenge to that, as well."

"I dunno?" Lena said, sipping again from her water. "Mei..." She looked over at her wife with half a smile, not sure how to put together the words, realised she was trying to say two things at once, and picked one. "She's not like that. She reminds me of... who I used t'be, y'know? I used to believe in all that a lot more than I do now - and I don't want to be the one to take it from her."

Amélie gave her a knowing look across the top of her wineglass. "You know the only justice he'll face is whatever we deliver ourselves."

"Oh, yah, I know." Lena leaned back against the couch. "If I thought tryin' him would do any good, I'd maybe have different ideas - no matter how much I hate him. But they'll rehabilitate that bastard in nothin' flat. You and I both know it. People like him never get what's comin' to them."

The spider smiled. "Which makes this exactly the sort of job you like us to take on."

"Not so sure of that, either. You haven't seen the video yet. Lemmie show you."

She replayed the Amari video, highlighting the key points, and then her own, more recent video, showing the identical outcomes. "We'll need Angie's help to take him down - keep him from doin' this trick - and even she doesn't know how to make that happen yet. Figurin' it out's gonna be hard work. I don't think she'd do it to help us kill him - but for Overwatch, for a capture? She'll sort it in a week."

Widowmaker frowned. "That is indeed a complication. But I can't imagine even the best nanosurgeons could restore an adequately pureed brain, and I have some delightfully messy rounds."

Venom's grin returned, this time properly wicked. "Maybe. I like the idea. But I'd rather not risk it - you didn't see her revival demonstration." She frowned, and maybe even shuddered a little. "That was scary, and I know from scary. If he can do that..." She shook her head, and put it out of her mind. Why ask for trouble?

"It sounds to me like we should get her and Doctor Mariani together sooner, rather than later." She pointed with her wineglass in the direction of the base's medical laboratory. "Even if it's not on our preferred terms."

Tracer took another sip of her water. "I did get her to admit she's not ageing."

Amélie hummed, a little pleased sound. "So, at least, that much was accomplished."

"Yeh. Baby steps."

"So. The plan is that we let Overwatch fail again..."

"I'm gonna do my level best to help 'em succeed. I have to. But yeah, assuming..."

"...then we know how to kill him. But if we're wrong, and they take him into custody? Can you live with that?"

"Then..." the junior assassin scowled. "Then... I suck it up. Overwatch hands him over to the ICC, they score big political points, which'll help keep PETRAS act pressure down to a simmer. He gets off light - least, for a while, 'till he's out of the news." She smiled a very hungry smile, "And then, when everyone's forgot him again, we take him out for good. On the quiet. Everybody wins."

Widowmaker smiled. "Ah - the best of both worlds. Finesse, across time."

"I can in fact time-travel, love." She took another big draw of water, and felt her stomach shift. "Oooh, there we go. There's the ol' appetite. I am peckish. Feel like dinner?"

"I thought you would never ask."

#widowtracer #tracemaker #tracermaker #widowmaker #talon tracer #tracer #geanna mariani (oc)#venom #cw: spiders #also on ao3 #overwatch #overwatch au #domestic fluff #pet care #presents

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thisthinghasclaws · 7 years

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Remembrance [2] (Newt Scamander x Reader)

Word count: ~1900

Part 1

It only felt like seconds before you started regaining consciousness. Your body was slowly restoring feeling into your limbs. You were attempting to open your eyes when you heard something moving near you. You stiffened slightly before relaxing, realizing that if you acted like you were still out it might leave giving you time to try to get away.

It seemed to have worked because you then heard some muttering and a door open and shut. You opened your eyes and sat up slowly to see a semi-familiar looking room that was littered with various items. There were also stairs that likely they led to a second floor. You slowly stood up from the camp bed to test the strength of your legs. Once you were sure your legs worked normally, you tip-toed to the door and peeked out.

What you saw outside rooted you to the spot. Was I drugged?! This can't be real... I feel fine. You stepped out of the shack and looking around stunned. It was exactly like the place in your dream with all the different habitats surrounded the shack. There were the creatures too, though none of them seemed to have been startled by your appearance.

All of a sudden you heard a rustling of trees to your right. You immediately ran the other direction, the realization that you have been kidnapped setting back in. You searched desperately for an exit or way out or something to get you far away from whoever decided to nab you off the street.

I've been drugged, my brain must have used my dreams to “fix” reality...right. You could've sworn you heard your name being called in the distance, but you continued to run. You didn't know how they knew your name and you weren't going to find out. Running through different environments, you started to feel more and more hopeless. Out of all the dreams, you've never seen an exit out. Maybe this is a dream.

You had an impression you were going in circles. You shouldn't have tempted fate because you suddenly were face to face with the shed. Pausing unsteadily, you sat down between the shack and some crates and got your breath back. You closed your eyes wishing to awake back in your bed, but you had no such luck.

You stiffened when there was an abrupt blur of bright green and blue as something flew past. You were just about to relax when you were suddenly face to face with a colorful bat-like creature with skeletal wings and spikes. You yelped loudly in surprise as the creature seemingly trapped you in your hiding place and howled as if to call something over to your location. You didn't dare move so as to not provoke it. You heard footsteps on your left followed by a tutting noise which interested the creature before you. Your eyes never left the creature fearing it would attack when you looked away. With a few more calls from the person, the flying thing in front of you finally returned to whoever called it. As soon as it left clearing you an exit; you ran. You didn't get far before you were stopped by someone’s arms gripping you tightly so you wouldn’t get away.

“AHHH! LET ME GO!!” you screamed, thrashing about and abandoning all your thoughts about this being a dream.

“Y/N please! I’m trying to help you! Please trust me Y/N.” your captor pleaded, “I can explain, please, just stop resisting.”

You didn’t trust him for one second and continued to struggle against him. You turned to glare at your captor, hoping to surprise him so he would loosen his grip.

“YOU!!” stopping your struggle, he kidnapped you; mister ‘I'm sorry, but no we've never met’. All your fear was replaced by a burning rage, “WHO ARE YOU?! HOW DO YOU KNOW ME?! WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?! WHERE AM I?! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!”

“Y/N, calm down please! If you would come with me for a second…” he said as he practically dragged you into the shed, sitting you down on a crate.

“You didn’t answer my questions mister.” you growled, not quite trusting him but you thought it would be a better option to listen to his explanation.

The wavy haired man didn’t reply at first instead he looked to be mixing different things together. “It would be better if you just drank this” he said with beseeching eyes, handing you a bottle of purple liquid.

You stared at the bottle not convinced in the slightest. “And you expect me to trust you! You’ve lied and kidnapped me, and now you want me to drink that!”

He gazed at you for a moment, towering over you, before threatened saying, “Yes. Because if you don’t, I will force you to.”

Cowering a little at the sudden threat, you steadily took the bottle from his outstretched hand. In an immediate spur of bravery you stated, “Give me one good reason I should drink this instead of throwing it at your head!”

“Fine.” he said, “Surely you’ve felt like you forgotten something. It probably started when you found yourself crying in an alley.” He looked at you with the most pleading and heartbroken eyes you’ve ever seen, “You have to believe me.”

You peered at the liquid, questioning your next move. Well… He was right… What have I got to lose. You downed the drink before passing out unexpectedly.

~~~

So many memories came flooding back it was hard to concentrate on just one of them at a time. You saw you and Newt, yes Newt was his name, helping different creatures from all over the world. You saw memories of happiness, stress, confusion, jealousy, and even love. You loved Newt.

~~~

You slowly, groggily woke up, feeling a pair of arms holding you close. You really didn’t want to deal with all the new memories and emotions that you acquired. Before you could stop yourself, you started crying out of happiness. I’ve finally remembered!

You felt the arms around you tighten, pulling you in closer. “It’s okay Y/N, I’m here… I’m here…” Newt whispered to you.

“Newt!” you exclaimed, pouring your soul out in the form of tears, as you hugged him back, “I remember now… I remember. It’s my fault, Newt, I shouldn’t have suggested going back to New York.” you cried.

“No, love. I should have been more careful.” Newt said.

You looked up at him getting lost in his eyes, relief covering his face, glad you were finally back in his arms. Newt couldn’t hold it anymore, so he pulled you into a passionate, almost hungry, kiss. You wrapped your arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. You broke away to get some much needed oxygen and relaxed in his arms.

“I missed you.” Newt whispered.

“I’d say me too but I only just remembered.” you teased.

The door suddenly creaked open but there wasn’t anything that appeared to have opened the door. “Dougal?” you said .

The demiguise revealed itself and ran straight to you, hugging you tightly. “I missed you too.” you said, hugging back.

You suddenly remembered something or rather someone, “Queenie!” you gasped, “She saw me one day. She knows my memory was wiped.”

“Then I guess it would be a great time for a visit.” Newt said.

“I agree.” you said, “Where are we? And don’t say ‘in the case’.”

He laughed, “Your hotel room. Figured that if things… Didn’t work out I could… you know.” Newt hesitated.

“We should go now.” you stated, getting out of Newt’s arms and setting Dougal down, “They must be worried sick! Wait, what’s the time?”

“It’s sometime in the morning, maybe 9 o’clock.” Newt replied.

“Okay, good. I wouldn’t have never forgiven myself if we woke them up at three in the morning.” you laughed.

You climbed up the ladder with Newt close behind. You waited for him to put on his coat before immediately clinging to his arm, ready to disapperate. Newt pulled out his wand, giving you a small smile which you returned happily, and disapperated out of the room.

~~~

Once you appeared outside the Goldstein’s apartment, you knocked immediately. You soon heard a “Coming!” from the other side of the door.

The door opened to reveal a confused Tina. “Y/N! Newt. W-What!?... Are?” she stuttered out, completely baffled.

“Queenie told you didn’t she? It’s fine I remember everything!” you quickly reassured.

Tina let out a huge sigh of relief and was about to say something when you heard a squeal as Queenie came around a corner and bear-hugged you.

“Oh thank god you're okay!” Queenie exclaimed, “Newt must’ve been devastated.”

“You have no idea…” you heard Newt mumble.

“So how did you get her memory back?” Tina asked Newt.

You then saw Queenie smirk and giggle in amusement. “Wow, Newt. You were that desperate weren’t you? A little extreme don’t you think?” she teased. You noticed Tina becoming confused and a little frustrated by the fact she didn’t know what her sister was speaking about.

“Well… It worked didn’t it?” Newt replied, putting a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“Nothing extreme about being kidnapped by the man from your dreams.” you smiled at Newt.

Tina let out an audible gasp in surprise, “Alright you two! I’m going to make tea and I expect you to tell me what happened starting from the beginning.”

~~~

You and Newt told the Goldsteins (mostly Tina) the “adventure” you both had as well as catching up with Queenie and Tina.

“Well, it was nice to see that everything is alright, but you and Newt should probably leave soon in case MACUSA finds out I’m harboring a criminal.” Tina stated.

“Newt, what does she mean?” you asked, surprised.

“Ah, yes, that… Um… I’m not aloud to set foot in America for six months since we were endangering human life.” Newt said, “There’s more to it but I’ll tell you when we get back.”

“Ah, okay… Well let’s go then.” you said.

You said your good-byes and disapperated back to the hotel. You spent the day renewing your visa for a longer stay, checking out of the hotel early, and listening to what happened with Newt after you got obliviated. The next part of the day was spent spending time with Newt’s creatures.

After walking to Newt’s, well both of your, apartment from having dinner at a pretty fancy restaurant (Newt’s idea), you let out a huge yawn. “Well today was exhausting.” you said to yourself.

“I’m going to check up on the creatures.” Newt said, “I’ll be back up in about an hour.”

You nodded and went in the bathroom to put on your pajamas and to brush your teeth. You got in bed and tried to get to sleep but thoughts of today were still swimming in your head.

Newt came up about an hour later, got ready for bed, and got under the covers next to you. You were still awake when Newt came up, so you immediately rolled over and cuddled up to him, putting your head on his chest and wrapping your arms around him. He responded with holding you closer and kissing the top of your head.

“I love you.” he whispered.

“I love you too.” you replied, as you drifted off to sleep.

A/N: OH HELLS YEAH IT’S DONE!!! Hope y’all enjoyed this!

#newt scamander fanfiction #newt scamander #newt scamander imagine #newt scamander x reader #newt scamander fanfic #newt artemis fido scamander #fantasic beasts and where to find them #fbawtft #fanfic #fanfiction #queenie #tina #goldstein #dougal

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