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whatisreggieshortfor · 2 years

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Operations Go Awry

This is a mess, but my Operation Nope fic for the @litgwritersroom prompt.

The moment Lily walked in hanging off Harry’s arm, Elladine saw her chance. Normally, she wouldn’t be this person. Never. She would’ve felt sympathy for Devyn when Harry forgot her name as he introduced the girls. But she had to admit it, at least to herself, that she was jealous of the friendship Nicky had with Devyn. Jealous of the way the two of them could share looks and understand each other when she couldn’t. It was the only issue she had with Devyn. So when Genevieve told her that she’d talked to Lily, and Nicky was her back up plan if Harry wasn’t interested- well, she wasn’t going to lose her man over Devyn’s couple. She already lost him to Devyn enough times when they went to have chats and left her alone.

So she cornered Lily on her first day, asking her if she really wanted Harry.

Lily’s eyes were narrowed as she looked Elladine over, “Why would you wanna help me? Isn’t she like the best mate of the love of your life or whatever?”

Elladine rolled her eyes as she responded, “Technically, but sometimes I feel like I can’t trust their intentions with each other. They’ve ditched me constantly to have private chats, and how much he compares her to a sister is such an overcompensation. Feels like-“

“Like he latched on to you early and fancies her now but doesn’t know how to break the news.” Lily smirked knowingly, Elladine returned it with a nod before leveling her with a scowl.

“Look, I know Nicky is your back up. So let’s just…tip the scales for Harry’s decision.” Elladine glanced around the two of them, trying to ensure there were no eavesdroppers. Seb wasn’t too far away, but he was fast asleep on the sun lounger.

Lily leaned a little closer anyway, “What did you have in mind?”

“Do you remember Operation Nope last season?”

Seb knew that Nicky sometimes felt torn between Elladine and Devyn. He couldn’t blame the guy- where Elladine was the picture of an easygoing relationship, Devyn brought out Nicky’s fun side and challenged him. Nicky had even told Seb- and only Seb- at each recoupling that he thought of picking his best mate, even though he had no idea how she’d react. But then he’d end up playing it safe and choosing the same girl since the beginning. Seb couldn’t blame Elladine for being cautious of their friendship when he knew those things, but he couldn’t believe he’d heard her plan this either.

As soon as Elladine and Lily had separated, Seb ‘woke up’, taking just a minute to act out like he was stretching out from a nap, before going off in search of Viv and Nicky.

“That’s the plan I heard.” Seb told them as he finished the story, he wasn’t sure if they’d believe him, but he needed to tell someone what was happening.

“You can’t have heard it right, mate.” Nicky shook his head, “Elladine wouldn’t-“

Viv quietly interrupted, “I don’t know, Nicks, when I told her that Lily said you were her back up plan, she looked absolutely livid. I’ve never seen her look like that. She’s always felt a little threatened by Devyn- to have someone else planning to vie for your attention might’ve-“

“Might’ve what? Pushed her over the edge?” Nicky shook his head, “No way.”

The couple speaking to him weren’t sure what to say- Viv trusted what Seb said he heard, but Nicky just couldn’t imagine the girl he was with ruining something good for his best mate like that. And then Bill chose that moment to wander over, like the secret gossip monger he was, “Bloody hell, mate, you hear Dev kissed Rafi after their date?”

All three of them went stone still as their heads jerked to the roofer, “What did you say?” Nicky’s voiced was laced with disbelief.

Bill nodded, lips pursed, “Didn’t expect her to do that to my lad so late in the game, but maybe she’s been doing just that the whole time- playing the game.”

“Who told you that?” The boys startled at the intensity in Viv’s voice. Intensity wasn’t her style, she was sweet and soft.

Bill shrugged anyway, “I was there when Elladine told Harry. Guess her and Lily were walking past and saw it happen.”

“Elladine. And Lily?” Seb’s tone could only be described as skeptical.

“Does Devyn know?” Nicky asked. He believed Seb now, because as much as he wanted to think Elladine wouldn’t do that to her, he knew Devyn wouldn’t do that to Harry.

The roofer shook his head, “Harry’s waiting for her to admit it. I keep telling him to just call her out.” Nicky shot to his feet, Seb and Viv quickly following as he hurried out of the room, leaving a confused and annoyed Bill in their wake.

When the party started, Harry was astutely avoiding Devyn, so Nicky stuck by her side. He didn’t care that he was giving Elladine the cold shoulder to do it, he wasn’t the only one- he was pretty sure sweet Genevieve was mentally thinking of all the medical ways she could hit her without leaving a mark judging by the expression on her face. The girl in question was masking her annoyance with a sad pout- or attempting to at least. Nicky couldn’t stop analyzing everything about her now that he knew she would do this. But he teamed up with Seb and Viv, and they made sure that Devyn was able to enjoy the party with DJ Timmy Smalls.

And then the tone rang out.

Everyone looked around until their gazes fell on a smirking Lily, and an annoyed looking Rafi. The blonde girl stepped forward, hand on her hip as she directed that smirk straight at Devyn. Nicky saw Genevieve’s glare intensify at it as Lily spoke, “I came here with one person in mind, and at first I thought he wasn’t going to be interested.” Her smirk grew, “But then he told me to pick him. So I’m coupling up with Harry.”

Devyn whirled around to where Harry was standing next to Bill as the boy in question started walking over to the blonde, “Wow. And you just weren’t going to tell me, yeah?”

Harry scoffed, “Like you’re one to talk after what you did.”

“Pray tell, you arse. What did I do?” Devyn’s glare was almost as threatening as Genevieve’s, and Nicky clasped a hand to her shoulder as he answered.

“There’s been a rumor, Dev.” He emphasized the word as he scowled at Elladine, who had the grace to look shocked.

“A rumor, my ass!” Harry yelled, “Ella saw her do it!”

Devyn’s glare spun around to her ‘friend’, “You saw me do what exactly?”

“Pretty sure I can fill in that blank, and clear it up while I’m at it.” Rafi shook his head, arms crossing over his chest, “Elladine told Harry that she saw you kiss me. Said you were planning to have me pick you. I know, because Lily told me about their little plan.” He turned and looked Harry right in the eye, “But that never happened. She said she only wanted one person, and that she was happy with you.”

Harry’s face paled for a second before he scowled, “Yeah, sure. Of course you’d say that.”

“You’re bloody right I would! Because it’s the truth, you absolute prat.”

Devyn huffed a humorless laugh, “You know what? Fine. Good riddance. I’ve never been sure you actually liked me, all you ever talk about is winning. If Viv hadn’t chosen better by picking Seb, you’d still be flip flopping between us.” Harry opened his mouth, but Devyn got his face, poking her finger into his chest, “I only wanted one person here, and it actually wasn’t you.” Before he could say anything, she spun around to the other Islanders, “Who actually believed I did that?”

At first no one moved, but then Tai was calling people out, “Bill, Yaz, I know you both bought into that bullshit. Miki probably did too if Bill was the one that told her.”

AJ awkwardly stepped forward herself, “I didn’t really believe it, but I wasn’t sure either because you told me you weren’t sold on Harry.”

Devyn pointed her finger at AJ, “You get a pass, I can see why you’d believe it. The rest of you that fell for it, goodbye. Do not contact me on the outside.”

“G-goodbye?” Nicky sputtered as Devyn stopped in front of him on her way out.

Devyn shrugged, “Rafi said if he couldn’t pick me, he was going to walk. He knows who I want, but I can’t have him, so with half the villa willing to believe I’d go kiss someone I wasn’t with- I’d rather just follow him out. He’ll make a good friend on the outside.”

“Who did you want?” Seb asked, and Devyn scowled at the gleam in his eye.

“Like you don’t know, you little knob.”

Seb smirked, “Well, Nicky, how you feeling about your couple?”

He scoffed, “What couple?” Elladine gasped, but Nicky ignored her, “If she was willing to do that to someone she knows I care about, then I’m not sticking around. I’ll leave with these two.”

Seb clapped his hands, “Okay. If you’re both leaving, I’m just gonna say it-“

“Don’t you dare!” Viv tried to cover his mouth with her hand while everyone watched confused, but he ducked around her.

“One of you need to confess! I’m sure Rafi knows exactly what I mean.”

The actor nodded seriously, “Honestly, at this point it needs to be out in the open. Nicky settled for Elladine, Devyn settled for Harry.”

Nicky looked at his best mate, gobsmacked, “Do- do you like me?”

Devyn rolled her eyes, scowl still stuck on her face at being put on the spot. He knew she hated that. “Obviously. But I’m a sister to you so-“

“Bloody hell- I’ve never wanted to kiss my sister this much!” Seb snorted, but Nicky ignored him. “So…their operation was technically a success, but how about we head out on a date on the outside?”

Devyn’s lip twitched upward, “Dammit, Nicks, I’m trying to be pissed here.”

He shrugged, “So be pissed with me on the outside, Dev.”

“Fine.” She finally smiled, flipping Elladine off as she turned to Seb and Viv, “You two better win this. No one deserves it more.” She gave them a hug before grabbing Nicky’s hand, he immediately interlaced their fingers. “Viv, you call me on the outside. The five of us will get lunch.”

Rafi groaned, “Great, I get to fifth wheel.”

“Naw,” She smirked, “Tai, Ciaran, and AJ get to join for not being stupid about me.” He laughed with Nicky and Devyn as they moved to pack up their bags.

Masterlist

#litg #litg season 3 #litg nicky #litg harry #litg mc #litg Lily #litg Elladine

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tobiasdrake · 11 months

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What would change in the final act of CACW if Vision shot down Tony instead of Rhodey? Personally, the way I see it, if this had been the case, Rhodey, Natasha and Vision would've gone to the Raft to try to get info from Team Cap about where Steve and Bucky went. Upon getting there, they'd be appalled and disgusted by the human rights violating conditions Ross is holding them in (Wanda especially; Vision would certainly protest, "You're not allowed to restrain her like that, it's illegal!" to Ross about that). So they elect to free Sam, Clint, Scott and Wanda, the seven of them travel to Siberia, and help Steve and Bucky capture Zemo.

If Tony takes the hit instead of Rhodey then that's a huge loss for the Pro-Accords leadership. Ross was livid after the failure in the Airport battle, even threatening to jail Tony over it. Without Tony's leadership and pushy charisma, I'm not sure Ross would even be willing to let the operation continue.

But assuming he is willing to let someone else take the lead and interrogate the prisoners in Tony's place, it wouldn't be all three of them. Chain of command. It'd just be Rhodey. T'Challa told Ross about Nat's betrayal so she's in the wind, and a man like Ross wouldn't respect Vision's personhood enough to let him be in charge of the Avengers when a perfectly good, loyal, and devoted soldier like Rhodey is standing right there.

But Rhodey isn't half the maverick that Tony is. He probably isn't going to freak out and start gunning down the Raft to break everyone out or something, like you described. If given this chance, he'd play things about the same way as Tony except without compromising the security systems in order to create a window to talk to Sam as a friend.

So Rhodey gets the, "Hello, Officer," treatment and leaves empty-handed. And since T'Challa only made it to Siberia by tracking Tony's plane, nobody makes it to Siberia to intercept Steve and Bucky.

What that means in the long run is that Zemo gets his footage of Tony's parents being murdered but doesn't have a convenient opportunity to use it immediately. So he just... Escapes. With the footage. To devise his next scheme of when, where, and how to use it.

Everything past that point is basically Brand New AU Story.

#marvel #marvel cinematic universe #captain america #captain america civil war #tony stark #iron man #james rhodes #rhodey #war machine

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rookie-ramsey · 3 years

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Across the Universe, Chapter Two

Description: All the medical training in the world couldn’t prepare Ethan for a terminal brain cancer diagnosis.

Preview: The confession rolled from her lips before she had a chance to think twice. “I… showed Harper your scans to get her opinion. She thinks it could be partially operable.”

Ethan’s expression faltered, his brow furrowing in anger. “You showed Harper my charts after I asked you not to?”

Warning: Terminal cancer and eventual major character death. Read with caution.

Previous Chapter

Olivia rapped her knuckles against Harper’s door. Her breathing shallowed with anxiety in the moment that passed before Harper called, “Come in!”

Taking a deep breath, Olivia gained some sense of composure and let herself into the office. “Dr. Emery… Harper, may I ask a favor?”

“Of course. What do you need?”

Olivia’s face heated with worry as she handed Harper the envelope. Even if she’d taken any trace of Ethan’s name off of them, she couldn’t suppress the guilt she felt for going behind his back. “These are some scans and test results. Glioblastoma multiforme, right frontal lobe.”

Harper’s smile faded as she took the charts and studied them. “I don’t remember a patient being admitted with this condition.”

“It’s… not one of our patients. It’s a friend of mine from school. He reached out to me but wants to keep it to himself until he knows anything. I promised I’d get him a second opinion as a John Doe,” Olivia lied, guilt gripping her heart.

Whether Harper suspected something or not, Olivia didn’t know. She watched nervously as Harper scrutinized the films.

“I’m sure you know that this is the most aggressive type of brain tumor. They grow quickly and new ones can develop in other regions of the brain.”

“I know. I just… I thought maybe you’d know more than I do. I know it’s probably inoperable, but…”

“GBMs are usually inoperable because of the way the cells develop in the brain tissue,” Harper confirmed. “Even if there’s a chance of removing a portion of it, it’s not possible to remove every trace. The tumor would inevitably return.”

“What would you do?”

“If this were my patient… I’d start with targeted radiation and chemo. If the tumor shrunk after a few weeks, I’d remove as much as possible and follow with another course of treatment.”

Olivia nodded. “And what prognosis would you normally give? I know the usual prognosis is five to seven months without treatment, twelve to eighteen with.”

“That’s right. The five-year survival rate is less than five percent. I think you were right to ask for another opinion, but… you know that with or without treatment, this cancer is brutal.”

Olivia inhaled sharply and managed another nod. “I know. I just… I guess it’s harder to think when it’s a friend. I know to watch for worsening pain, personality changes, cognitive and emotional problems…”

“Those are all to be expected. As the condition worsens, expect problems with balance and coordination, vision problems, emotional and cognitive problems… almost every function suffers.” Harper glanced at her curiously. “Whatever your friend needs… you know where to refer him.”

“Yeah.” Olivia’s heart stuttered as she hoped Harper didn’t see through her lie. She felt guilty enough for going behind Ethan’s back and lying to Harper, but she knew Ethan would be livid if anyone found out before he was ready. “I’ll let you know if we need anything. Thank you.”

“Any time, Olivia.”

Olivia turned and left Harper’s office. As she walked down the hall, Harper’s words rang in her mind.

Six to eight months without treatment, twelve to eighteen with treatment.

An involuntary shudder went through her. Whether to accept treatment or not would be Ethan’s decision, but she knew that Harper was right. Regardless of which decision Ethan made, whatever lay ahead would be excruciating.

In the hours that passed, she saw little of Ethan. Olivia tried to concentrate on her patients, pouring her focus onto her rounds and clinic duty. Still, nothing was enough to pull her attention away from Ethan’s diagnosis.

“Dr. Winchester? Did you hear me?”

Olivia startled, blinking and forcing an apologetic smile for their patient. “I’m sorry, Tyler. I didn’t. But you have my attention now.”

“Tyler was just telling us that the headache started suddenly in the past few days. He had a brief episode of blindness in one eye yesterday,” Tobias supplied, glancing at her curiously.

“Right.” Olivia nodded and flipped through the patient’s charts. “Your scans from Mass General all came back clear. “How long did the blindness last?”

“About six hours. I just said that.”

Olivia sighed. “I’m sorry. Migraines can cause pain localized to one side of the head and visual disturbances, but not total blindness. I think we should run another set of scans to make sure they didn’t miss anything at Mass General. If they come back clean, we’ll start with some labs.”

Their patient looked skeptical. “Is there really any point in doing more scans?”

“We have the best equipment on the market. It may catch something that they missed at the other hospital. Even if everything comes back normal, we don’t want to risk missing a tumor.”

“I guess so.”

Olivia nodded, relieved. “We’ll be back in a few minutes to get you prepped.” She closed the patient’s folder and quietly followed Tobias out of the room.

“You seemed a little distracted in there. Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just have some stuff going on outside of work. I’ll be fine,” she lied, suspecting Tobias didn’t believe her even if he dropped the issue.

She didn’t see Ethan until the end of their shift. She found him in his office, his attention on his computer screen. “Hi.”

Ethan startled, looking up from the journal he’d been staring at until the words blurred. “Oh. There you are. Ready to go?”

“Yeah. What are you reading?” she asked as she shrugged out of her white coat and replaced it with her jacket.

Ethan hesitated for a long moment. “An article about the average prognosis for glioblastoma multiforme.”

“Oh.” The flat tone to his voice told her everything she needed to know about what he’d read. She fell silent, letting her gaze fall on him. “Ethan, I…”

“What is it?”

The confession rolled from her lips before she had a chance to think twice. “I… showed Harper your scans to get her opinion. She thinks it could be partially operable.”

Ethan’s expression faltered, his brow furrowing in anger. “You showed Harper my charts after I asked you not to?”

She didn’t know why, but Olivia felt her defenses go up. “I took your name off of them. As far as she knows, it’s one of my friends who reached out to me. I know I shouldn’t have gone behind your back, and I’m sorry. But I didn’t think we should just accept that there’s absolutely nothing we can do.”

Visibly frustrated, Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I said that I would tell people myself when I was ready. Getting a second opinion won’t change a thing.”

“But maybe it would give us some ideas. And it did. Harper described a treatment plan that she’s seen some success with. It’s… it’s not much, but it’s something.”

Ethan shook his head and let out a sigh. “With any course of action, the five-year-survival rate is still in the low single digits. I need time to decide what to do. I’m not making a decision based on false hope.”

Her eyes stung with the threat of tears. Refusing to let them fall, Olivia hesitated before speaking again. “I know. But… just think about it. Please?”

Ethan didn’t react right away. After a moment, he nodded so faintly that she almost missed it. “I need some time to think.”

Olivia’s frown deepened when he handed her his car keys. “Where are you going?”

“For a walk. You can take my car home. I’ll be there later. Don’t be worried if I’m late.”

Her expression gave way to one of frustration. “How am I supposed to go home and not worry about you?”

“I don’t know,” Ethan sighed, refusing to meet her eyes. “But I’ll be home later. I need some time to myself.”

“Ethan, just-“ she stopped when he left the room without another word.

Tags, part 1

@princess-geek / @lapisreviewsstuff / @silverlitskies / @paulfwesley / @dr-brianna-casey-valentine / @choicesstanblog / @trappedinfandoms / @justanotherrookie / @bellcat2010 / @desmaranj / @lion-ess24 / @nooruleman / @caseyvalentineramsey / @xee-na / @edith-eggs1 /@oofchoices / @schnitzelbutterfingers / @tefigranger / @jlynn12273 / @laceandlula / @crazy-loca-blog / @somegdchoices / @forthebrokenheartedthings / @lilyvalentine / @parkerattano / @drramseysownsme / @misswhit12 / @drethanfreakingramsey / @juneiswriting / @macy-ray85 / @swimmingauthordreamerbonk / @myusualnerdyself / @siaramsey / @lucy-268 / @takemyopenheart / @queencarb

#open heart #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan x mc #tw: death #death tw #cancer tw #tw: cancer

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tinyboxxtink · 3 years

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"Weird Secret Friends" *Chapter 13*

Did I inadvertently make Sonny a supervillain? Maybe.

Chapter 12

Chapter 14

HAHAHA SOOOOO funny story....if you saw the "preview" post, turns out I didn't even get that far written down. My bad!

I really did want to, and I was almost there, but it's gotta go to fifteen and too much story in chapters won't leave enough to stretch! I'm sorry!!!

Tag List

@madamsnape921

@lolliepopsicle

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@gibbs274

@sassyada

@aprildecker-blog

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@stars-trash-18

@omgsuperstarg

@objection-argumentative

@thatesqcrush

@shittanyy

@mrsrafaelbarba

-----

Meanwhile

At the hospital Sonny walked into your room where you were talking with the doctor. The doctor acknowledged Sonny when he came in.

“As I was telling Miss Y/L/N, she unfortunately is going to need a liver transplant,” He looked at both of you grimly. “And unfortunately because of her years of alcohol abuse and history with addiction, she won't be that high on the transplant list. I'm uncertain if she'll even get one,”

“Oh god…” Sonny whispered, looking at you. You had tears in your eyes, still in shock over what the doctor was actually saying. Your brain couldn't really process it; and even if it could, you weren't really sure that you cared if you lived or died at this point seeing as you lost the one good thing in your life.

“Is there any way that I could donate part of my liver?” Sonny asked.

“Well that's what I was going to talk to you about Mr. Carisi,” the doctor said. “If you have any friends or family members that you think would be a good match and would like to get tested to donate their liver; I would suggest doing so as soon as possible. Usually immediate family members are the best match,”

“Yeah of course,” Sonny nodded. But in his mind he was thinking he didn't know if he could convince any of his and your family members to donate part of their liver. Changing their lives completely for a girl that had been nothing but trouble since she came to live with them. He could at least get tested though.

He walked over to you as the doctor walked out and held your hand. “How are you doing sunshine?” He asked.

“I.. I think I need a minute to process all of this, Sonny. Can you please...leave me alone?” you said softly, trying not to cry.

“Yeah sure, whatever you want,” He nodded softly and walked out of the room.

He instantly felt the guilt in remembering what he had told Rafael yesterday. He did promise him that if something went wrong with you he would call him but he also didn't want him to get any closer. But his guilt overruled his worry, so he texted him:

“Y/N is going to need a liver transplant, if you want to get tested,”.

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

Rafael immediately showed up at the hospital where Sonny met him in the waiting room.

“Where is she?” Rafael was practically huffing and puffing, he ran so fast when he got Sonny’s text.

“Hey, slow your roll there counselor,” Sonny put a hand up. “I just asked you to come down here and get tested to see if you wanted to donate to her,”

“For what? To prove how much I care about her to you? Is that some kind of test?” Rafael clenched his fists.

“Maybe.. I don't know... I was just desperate Rafael, okay? And I promised you I would,” Sonny yelled.

“Okay well I want to see her first," Rafael demanded.

“No way,” Sonny protested. “First you get tested. And then if you’re a match, I'll let you see her,”

“What?” Rafael blinked. “You’re insane--”

“So you're just gonna refuse to potentially save my cousin’s life, just because I won't let her see you. Is that really loving her at all?” Sonny pointed out

“...All right, show me where to go,” he sighed, defeated. Rafael hated that he was right, but he was. After a few minutes Rafael was done getting his blood work and he returned to the waiting room where Sonny was.

“Have you gotten tested yet?” Rafael asked.

“Obviously, I was the first one to do it, Barba.” Sonny replied in an obvious tone.

“And…?”

“...And I'm not a match,'' he sighed.

“And the rest of your family?” Rafael asked.

“....Most of them haven't gotten back to me yet,” Sonny admitted in a small voice.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Rafael asked, astonished.

“Well I mean...I told you my family's history with Y/N,” Sonny rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“But she's dying!” Rafael practically screamed. “You're telling me not one person in your family has a fucking heart to at least try and help their niece/cousin out when they're dying?!”

“Look you have no room to judge my family, okay Barba?!” Sonny argued back. “You don’t know what we’ve all been through--”

“What YOU’VE been through?!” Rafael was now full out screaming, he was livid. “God the whole Carisi clan is a bunch of martyrs, aren’t they? Everything happens to them, they never do anything wrong,”

“Hey FUCK OFF, Barba,” Sonny shoved Rafael, getting heated himself. If there was one thing you didn’t do, it was to insult his family.

“Whatever,” Rafael calmed himself, looking around at the shocked spectators. “How long does it take to find out if you're a match or not?

“Actually just like a few minutes they run it through a computer and see if your blood type matches up with hers.” Sonny answered softly, hoping the onlookers would go back to their business. As if on cue the doctor returns to the waiting room with a piece of paper.

“Well Mr. Barba, it looks like you're a perfect match to Y/N’s blood type,” He smiled as he handed Rafael the piece of paper.

“As if there was any doubt,” Rafael smiled as he read the results. He knew you were a perfect match from the moment you met, now he had physical proof of it.

“Great…” Sonny muttered.

“Alright, so here’s your proof,” Rafael presented the paper to Sonny. “We are perfectly matched. Now let me see her,”

“...Nah I still think you need to actually do it, Barba,” Sonny denied him again.

“Excuse me?” Rafael was absolutely floored. He couldn’t believe Sonny was making him jump through this many hoops just to see you. He knew he was against you being together, but this was above and beyond.

“Look Barba, we don’t know if Y/N’s body is gonna take to your liver. And she could die on the table. There are so many more moving parts and I don’t want you to start getting your hopes up or getting closer to her and then she dies on you. And-- And I don’t want her to get closer to you if she’s dying because then she’ll just be angry at God.”

“You’re fucking delusional you know that Carisi?” Rafael spat. “This isn’t about sparing my feelings, or even Y/N’s. It’s about you, and what you want to do. And you want to keep us apart-- and I’ll bet money it’s not for all the ‘noble’ reasons you proclaim either,”

“Oh for Christ’s sake Barba,” Sonny laughed. “You cannot possibly think this is just because of some crush I have on you--”

“Oh I absolutely do, Carisi,” He stepped towards him. Sonny was substantially taller than Rafael, but he intimidated Sonny nonetheless with his aggressive stance and personality.

“Well it’s not,” Sonny stepped forward as well, towering over Rafael this time. “And regardless of the reason, you’re still getting anywhere near her until I say so,” He had never stood up to Rafael like this, and Rafael didn’t like it.

“...I’m only doing this for her, know that,” Rafael growled as he went to set up an operation time.

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

Meanwhile, Sonny went to tell you the good news. He practically sprinted down the hall and swung your door open with a huge happy smile.

“What in God’s name did they give you, and where can I get one?” You teased him.

“Guess what Sunshine,” He beamed at you. [pun intended]

“What’s that?”

“Turns out I’m a match for you!” He threw his arms around you. “Thank God, I was so scared I was gonna lose you,”

“Oh, really?” You gave him a small smile. “That’s great,”

“Y’know you don’t sound as excited as a person who just found out they’re NOT dying, Sunshine!”

“Oh no,” You nodded while trying to smile wider. “I’m ecstatic,”

“Well good, because I kinda like you and want to keep you around a little longer,” He put you in a soft headlock and noogie’d your hair.

“Ha ha,” You rolled your eyes with a smile. “So, are you gonna go set this whole thing up or what?”

“Oh yeah,” Sonny remembered Rafael was still in the vicinity. “Yeah of course Sunshine, I’ll go tell the doctor now, yeah?” He started to get up off your bed.

“Sonny,” You put a hand on him before he stood up.

“Yeah, Sunshine?”

“Have you..” You picked nervously at your blanket. “Um, have you...talked to Rafael?”

“Ah,” Sonny felt a pang of guilt, knowing at that very moment Rafael was signing his liver away to save your life, and you thought he didn’t think twice about you.

“Actually, no,” He lied. “He’s been wrapped up in this huge court case, he’s basically been out of touch to anyone,”

“Oh,” You answered softly. “Well, maybe when I--”

“Oh did I tell you?” Sonny interjected. “I found this great place up state for after you’re healed a bit more. You’re gonna love it. It’s lush, and the scenery is--”

“I-I’m sorry, what?” You blinked. “After I’m healed?”

“Well, yeah,” Sonny replied. “Y’know, I know what I said before but I think we both know you need to--”

“Go away,” You finished his sentence in a monotone.

“...Yeah,” He nodded.

“But--” You looked up at him. “Y-You want to send me to Upstate New York?”

“Well, Sunshine it’s this very nice--”

“I thought you’d maybe send me to Village Care, or Mountainside, some little 30 day treatment center Sonny,” You began to get upset the more you thought about being sent away so far. “Not fucking upstate New York!!!”

“Hey, it’s one of the best in the country, Y/N,” Sonny became serious. “You’re damn lucky I got you in, and so quickly too!”

“Oh gee, thanks so much Sonny,” You crossed your arms. “Thanks so much for jumping at the chance to get me as far away from you as possible,”

“It’s not away from me, it’s away from--!” Sonny caught himself, but you had already heard it.

“...Away from who?” Your eyes narrowed.

“Away from-- all of this, Sunshine,” He tried to change the subject.

“You’re a fucking liar,” you scowled.

“HEY,” Sonny bellowed. “Don’t use that language with me, young lady,”

“Oh good God,” You rolled your eyes. “It’s Rafael, isn’t it?” You didn’t let up.

Sonny tried to think of anyone else, but he couldn’t. Luckily, he thought of something better.

“Yeah, Sunshine,” He lowered his voice. “You need to get away from him so that you can get over this little-- thing you have for him,”

“Why?” Your eyes narrowed.

“Because he doesn’t love you!” He cried. “Because you freaked him out with your little stunt!”

“I don’t believe you,” Your voice filled with dread.

“You don’t believe me?” Sonny laughed. “Y/N did you know his dad died from drinking? In front of him?” He really wasn’t sure about that, but he’d say what he needed to sell this.

“...He didn’t say that he died,” You said softly.

“Well, he did. And you basically died in his arms, that brought all of it back up. And it fucking traumatized him,”

“No…” You shook your head. That couldn't be true. You could not have caused him that much pain-- god what was wrong with you?!

“You wanna know why he’s been so out of touch?” Sonny continued. “Because he’s been so upset he had to drown himself in work to cope with what you did to him!”

“...I…” Tears welled up in your eyes as the guilt began to eat you alive.

“Look, Sunshine,” He lowered his voice and sat back down on the bed.

“I don’t mean to throw so much tough love at ya, but-- he’s still my good friend, and you hurt him. I know you didn’t mean to, and I know you got hurt too. So, I just think that it’s better for all of us if you just--”

“Get as far away from here as possible,”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say it like that,” Sonny tried to be positive. “Just, you need to go to the best place that will help you heal-- your body and your heart,”

“....Yeah, I guess you’re right,” You nodded, wiping tears from your face.

“Good,” He kissed your forehead and stood up, heading to the door. “Now get some rest, I’ll see if we can get this over and done with by tomorrow, I don’t want you staying in this place more than you have to,”

“Thanks Sonny,” You gave him a genuine smile. “You’re a good cousin,”

"I try," He smiled and blew you a kiss before walking out the door.

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

Sonny raced down the hall to the surgeon’s office where Rafael was finishing filling out paperwork.

“So, did you tell her?” Rafael asked.

“Tell her what?”

“Did you tell her I’m saving her life and I’ll see her in a few days?”

“Oh,” Sonny felt sweat on his forehead. “Yeah, totally. She’s excited,”

“So why hasn’t she texted me?”

“Oh her phone died,” Sonny lied. “I actually have to run and get her a charger, you can come with me,”

“Of course I can…” Rafael rolled his eyes sarcastically. “The surgery’s early tomorrow morning, I put off my court dates until the end of next week, that should give us both enough time to heal,”

“Sounds good,” Sonny shot him a thumbs up.

“And you are gonna let me see her after all of these fucking hoops, right Carisi?”

“Yeah, of course Barba,” He laughed nervously. “I’m not a monster,”

“Good boy,” Rafael patted him on the head like his puppy.

Sonny wanted to rip that smug little smile off Rafael’s face, but knowing he was going to have the rug pulled out from under him was enough for him.

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

The next morning

The surgery nurse came in around 4 am, way too cheerful for that god awful hour.

“Hello dear!” She smiled brightly as you while you moaned and groaned. “I’ve come to prep you for surgery,”

“...Where’s my cousin?” You asked groggily.

“Uh, I’m not sure…” She shook her head while she injected something into your IV. Then she helped you maneuver with all your wires and contraptions to the wheeled bed which take you to the OR.

“...What the hell did you just give me?” You rubbed your eyes sleepily.

“Oh it’s the pre-anesthesia,” She explained. “The girls and I call it ‘giggle juice’,”

“...Like alcohol?” Your eyes widened.

“No, no dear calm yourself,” The nurse assured you. “It’s some medicine that will make you loopy, you won’t remember a thing I promise you,”

“Mmm..kay…” You blinked several times, feeling the drug take affect. Everything quickly went fuzzy, and you felt nice and warm. You realized that you were being wheeled down the hall now, with heated blankets on top of you. You felt like a cozy little burrito, safe in a tortilla.

You felt yourself being rolled into an OR, many masked people were there to greet you. They all had smile eyes behind their masks, they made you feel as safe as possible. Then, they rolled you next to...Rafael?

“....R-Raff---?” You could barely speak from the meds, but your eyes lit up at the sight of him.

“Hey…” He mumbled dreamily, his green eyes sparkling at you. Clearly he had some ‘giggle juice’ of his own.

“I--I don’t…” You shook your head, trying to grasp what was happening. Wasn’t Sonny supposed to be the one laying next to you? Was this Sonny and you were just seeing Rafael’s face?

“Hey hey hey shh,” Rafael shook his head softly and reached out for your hand. You poked it out through the burrito blanket and took his-- it was real. He was really there. He was giving you his liver, to save your life.

“I love you, Y/N,” He smiled the biggest smile you’d ever seen on a human.

“...Really?” You bit your lip with your own huge smile. You prayed to God this was NOT a drug induced dream. “I love you too,”

“Alright you two lovebirds,” You heard the surgeon chuckle. “There will be time enough for this after you’re sharing a liver,”

Wait. This means Sonny lied to you. Was he lying about everything? Was he lying when he said Rafael wanted a clean break? Was Sonny just trying to keep you two apart?

All of your realizations and questions were quickly silenced by the gas mask going over your face.

“Now count down from ten, dear,” The anesthesiologist instructed you. You wanted to say no, that you had to talk to Rafael before all of this happened. But you glanced over to see he was already out, and soon you were too.

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

The next thing you knew you were waking up in a recovery room with a huge window. The sun was streaming in and welcoming you back to the world. You looked down to see a huge incision sewn up by several stitches with clear gauze and tape holding it together. It didn’t hurt yet, but you figured you were still on a lot of pain meds. You wondered how Sonny was doing, if the surgery went well for him too. Soon a nurse came into check on you.

“Well dear, how are we feeling?”

“Ah good,” You smiled weakly. “I guess as good as I can anyway,”

“Oh of course,” She nodded sweetly as she changed your bandages and replaced your fluids.

“Do you know how my cousin’s doing?” You asked her, causing her to furrow her eyebrows.

“Your cousin?” She repeated. “Well dear, I’m sure he’s fine. He hasn’t gotten here yet, probably the morning rush hour traffic,”

“...What?” Now you were the one to furrow your eyebrows. “What do you mean he’s not here? Didn’t he--”

“Oh, look at that,” The nurse quickly finished switching the IV’s and looked at her tablet. “I’m late for my rounds. You rest up sweetie and I’ll come back tonight to get you ready to leave,”

“Rest up?” You repeated softly to yourself as she walked out of the room. “Leave?”

What did any of that mean? And why wasn’t Sonny already at the hospital? Didn’t he have surgery as well? They would have had to already have done it, right? Otherwise whose liver was inside you right now?! You had so many more questions, but apparently Nurse Ratchet gave you some morphine to knock you out until later that evening.

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

Rafael woke up groggily in his hospital room, already in pain. He looked down to see an incision covered in gauze and tape. He looked next to him to see Sonny smiling sadly at him.

“...Oh god,” Rafael began to panic. “What happened?”

“What? Nothing, you’re great. Y/N is great,”

“Good,” He took a sigh of relief. “So when can I see her?”

“Yeah, here’s the thing Barba…”

“Oh no,” Rafael shook his head violently. “No no no no NO, Carisi. You said--”

“I know what I said, Barba,” He nodded. “But see the thing is, the place that I got Y/N too, it’s not only a rehab but it’s a hospital too. And they fill up super fast. So y’know I had to jump at the opening,”

“....What does that even mean, Carisi?” Rafael's eyes narrowed.

“....It means they already took her up there, so she could recover from the surgery and go right into rehab,” He lied. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. You were going to leave in a few hours, after he came and got you of course.

“You son of a bitch!!” Rafael tried to lunge at him from the bed, but his incision began to pull and shot pain through his entire body. He spasmed and fell back into the bed.

“Who whoa whoa there Barba,” Sonny tried easing him down as if he was a bull or a horse. “You’re gonna pop those stitches,”

“You knew you were going to send her away before I could say goodbye, didn’t you?” He glared at Sonny. “You knew this whole time you were never going to let me see her again. I gave her part of my liver!”

“And you saved her life, and I thank you for that Barba. I really do. And that should make you happy, right? The love of your life is going to live a long, happy life because of you,”

“Without me,” He added angrily.

“Well hey now,” Sonny clicked his tongue. “Never say never. Y’know when she’s completely over all of this, and you, maybe someday she’ll make her way back to the city and you guys can have your little weird friendship again, yeah?”

“Why are you doing this to her? To us?” His voice was more sad now, pitiful.

“I’m doing this for her, Barba. Please try and understand that,” Sonny shook his head as he walked towards the door.

“You’ll never get away with this, Carisi! I’ll find her,”

“Damn Barba I’m not a supervillain, cool your jets,”

“Could’ve fooled me,”

“HEY,” Sonny warned. “What I’m doing is for the greater good,”

“Said every supervillain ever,”

"Hurtful, Barba," Sonny put a hand to his chest. "Feel better, yeah?"

Rafael flipped him the bird as he walked out of the room, the door shutting behind him. He searched frantically around his bed for his phone, he had to google Hospital Rehabs, he had to find you.

He would find you, he wouldn't stop until he did.

#rafael barba #rafael barba angst #rafael barba x you #rafael barba fanfiction #law and order svu fanfiction #sonny carisi #sonny carisi fanfiction #sonny carisi imagine #rafael barba x reader #weird secret friends

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acmetraitor · 3 years

Text

the art of evasion

“You two did a lot together,” Hawkins says outside the coliseum in Rome, and that draws Jules out of her reminiscing, draws her away from the memory of Carmen’s victorious smirk when they finally slapped the cuffs on the boss of that smuggling operation. “What happened? I mean, why did she leave ACME?”

“...Maybe I’ll tell you sometime,” Jules manages to reply around the rising lump in her throat. “For now, let’s concentrate on tracking her down.”

It’s easier to dodge the question than to admit she has no idea.

Carmen was always a loose cannon, even back when she worked for ACME.

Once, on a stakeout in the dead of night, she and Jules trailed a suspect to a warehouse where the heads of a trafficking ring were temporarily hiding out. Carmen peeked inside to survey the situation while Jules called the Chief to send backup, but any teams were at least two hours away and the culprits were already in the process of clearing out.

“There’s no time,” Carmen concluded. “We have to catch these guys ourselves, now.”

“We can’t!” Jules hissed in protest. “There’s got to be at least ten of them in there!”

“Fourteen,” Carmen said. “But we have these.” She pulled out two pairs of night-vision goggles from her bag and shoved one into Jules’s hands. Then she dashed for the circuit breaker before Jules could stop her.

Once the lights went out, it was too late to turn back, so Jules went along with her partner’s crazy plan as her heart hammered in her throat the whole way. In the end, with the cover of darkness as their aid, they successfully neutralized all the suspects, but Carmen got a bullet graze wound to her shoulder because one trigger-happy goon got lucky.

After everything was over, Jules punched her in that shoulder. Carmen laughed through the pain.

That’s just who Carmen was. She knew she could do anything, she was an unstoppable force, and nobody could ever hope to rein her in. Not even Jules. So whatever reasons Carmen had for leaving ACME, she made that choice on her own, and everyone who blamed Jules for her partner’s betrayal honestly gave her too much credit.

Nothing Jules did could have made Carmen leave.

(Nothing Jules did could have made Carmen stay.)

Hawkins thinks he can do anything. He almost reminds Jules of Carmen in that sense, except Carmen didn’t think she could do anything, she knew it. And Jules knew it, too. Hawkins, though, is still an impulsive and overconfident rookie, and he doesn’t truly understand what he’s up against.

Jules cautions him in Cape Town, keeps him from breaking down the door because recklessness will only get them in trouble. But then Carmen leaves the scene in her chopper, and Hawkins is livid.

“What were you thinking, Jules?!” he cries. “Did you want her to get away?!”

He doesn’t really mean that, Jules knows, he’s just lashing out because he’s frustrated. But those words still hit her, somewhere deep inside.

So Jules dodges the question. She’s found herself doing that a lot with Hawkins.

What Carmen and Jules had wasn’t a romance.

They agreed on that from their very first kiss—Carmen was just doing what she wanted, and Jules wanted that, too. So they kissed, they fooled around, they made each other feel good, but the relationship was never serious. Sure, Jules was a little in love with Carmen, but loving Carmen also meant accepting that she was the type of person who could never be tied down to anyone.

So Carmen never opened up about herself, and Jules never asked her to. Jules never asked for anything more than what she got. Being Carmen’s partner was enough, and Jules was happy with their life together at ACME.

It never really occurred to her that maybe Carmen wasn’t.

Carmen had been MIA from ACME for a week when she announced the success of her very first heist via a video broadcast to the world. “I have stolen the Crown Jewels,” she proclaimed, and that was definitely Carmen on screen holding Cullinan I in her hand, her smug smile and twinkling eyes framed by a bright red fedora Jules had never seen her wear before. “And this is just the beginning. For I, Carmen Sandiego, am going to become the world’s greatest thief!”

The next morning, the Chief called Jules to her office, asked very seriously if Jules had ever noticed any signs that Carmen had been planning to defect. Jules told the truth: she hadn’t had a clue. Protocol demanded that Jules be taken off all her cases and thoroughly vetted anyway, but for what it was worth, Chief seemed to believe her.

Nobody else did, though.

“Maybe she and Sandiego had a fight,” her coworkers whispered amongst themselves, when they either didn’t know Jules could hear or didn’t care that she could. “There must be something Argent isn’t telling us. I mean, how couldn’t she know? She was her partner.”

Jules vowed to be the one to capture Carmen Sandiego, if only to prove to her peers that it wasn’t her fault. That just because she’d been Carmen’s partner didn’t mean she’d been anything more. She’d certainly never been Carmen’s confidant. Perhaps she’d never even been Carmen’s friend—

Except, Jules remembered: Carmen once took her to the top of the Eiffel Tower on one of their nights off, and kissed her breathless as they watched the Paris lights. Carmen once agreed to try all of Jules’s favorite restaurants in Chengdu, persevering even as her face flushed red because Jules liked her food much spicier than Carmen did. Carmen once went undercover as a musician for a case, and for a moment as she performed on stage, strumming her guitar and singing a love song in her native Brazilian Portuguese, she stared right at Jules’s spot in the audience and for those beautiful three seconds, it felt like the song was just for her.

...Okay, so maybe Jules was more than a little in love with Carmen.

(And maybe the idea of locking Carmen behind bars was just as painful as her coworkers’ censure, if not more.)

“You’re practically burning holes in your journal,” Hawkins tells Jules, during the plane ride to Germany right after retrieving the Mayan calendar. “What are you thinking about?”

Jules looks up from the entries she was reading: the ones from the mission where they retrieved the Mok’o fish gong. “I’m remembering the wolf statue in Quebec, and that Sorbonne poster in Paris.” The proof that Carmen Sandiego donated a lot of money to causes she cared about. “There is some good in Carmen,” Jules murmurs, an echo of what she said back in Mexico.

“There was some good in Carmen Sandiego,” Hawkins says. “I’ll believe that much. But Jules, she’s not your partner anymore. The past is the past. You need to focus on now, on this case.”

“I am focused on this case,” Jules insists. “If...if I can just figure out Carmen’s reasons for doing all this, I can figure out what she’ll do next.”

“Figure out...” Hawkins repeats, and something seems to click into place in his mind. “You don’t actually know why she left ACME, do you?”

Jules might as well admit it to him now. “I really don’t. When it happened, it surprised me as much as anybody.”

She’s half-expecting Hawkins to express disbelief like everyone else: How couldn’t you know? You were Carmen’s partner. But instead, he just cocks his head to the side and asks, “In that case, what makes you so sure she even had a reason?”

“...It’s Carmen,” Jules says, unable to produce a better answer. “There must have been a reason.”

Hawkins doesn’t really seem convinced at all, but he doesn’t push the subject any further.

Jules appreciates that.

Jules knew Carmen better than anyone else did. That didn’t necessarily mean she knew Carmen well, but at the very least, she was positive that Carmen wanted to make the world a better place. Whenever Carmen had talked about conserving the environment, about preserving world cultures, about learning from the past so that we may improve the future, there was real, undeniable passion there.

(If nothing else, Jules certainly knew Carmen’s passion.)

But the Carmen who Jules knew, the Carmen who had wanted nothing more than to do good—how in the world had she become the Carmen who stole, who laughed at the law, who left taunting and sometimes cruel messages behind?

Hello Julia. Still trying to prove yourself?

Maybe you’ve lost your edge, Jules.

You’ll learn, Agent Hawkins, that Julia can get quite frustrated at times. Not to mention opinionated.

The remarks hurt, honestly, but they also just didn’t make sense. Carmen hadn’t cared enough about Jules to stay, obviously, but...she had cared. Jules knew Carmen leaving ACME had never been about her, yet now, Carmen was acting as if she had something personal against Jules all of a sudden.

It’s almost as if, a voice whispered in the back of Jules’s mind, Carmen is trying to make you hate her.

And when Jules thought about it like that, she realized: if the Carmen she knew had, for whatever reason, believed she could somehow better the world by making herself into the villain...

She would have.

One hundred percent, she would have.

“Maybe she masterminded these thefts so the whole world could benefit,” Jules ponders aloud, after Carmen escapes her and Hawkins in the lost city. Even as she says it, she knows there’s no proof. There’s nothing there but her own intuition, and maybe too much hope, and a love for Carmen that will never truly be able to leave her heart.

Hawkins doesn’t believe it. The Chief probably doesn’t either. And even if Jules ever caught up to Carmen, even if Jules ever managed to pin her down long enough to ask if her theory was correct, Carmen would never answer her honestly.

That’s just who Carmen is. And Jules will just have to live with that.

“I still think Carmen Sandiego is a bad apple. Rotten to the core,” Hawkins says, because he and Jules don’t agree on a lot of things and will likely never agree on Carmen. But even so, his can-do attitude as the Chief reports Carmen’s next heist is contagious, invigorating. It honestly makes Jules feel better.

Carmen would never answer Jules honestly. But there is still the possibility that Jules could find out the truth for herself.

So, with the chase back on and her confidence renewed, Jules turns to Shadow and smiles.

#treasures of knowledge #jules argent #shadow hawkins #carmen sandiego #julethief #2001 julethief to be precise cuz buddy i been riding this ''enemies who used to be partners'' ship since i was 8 #but also jules & hawkins being bros because i love their relationship too it's so fun #my writing

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joezworld · 3 years

Note

What is the absolute dumbest thing each engine(Sudrian engines, plus the NRM engines, Scotsman, the expat A4s, Tornado, and anyone else you feel like adding) has had to experience at any point in their careers?

That’s a fantastic question, and there are multiple answers:

1. If you mean “the dumbest thing that has ever happened to them because of another person”, the answer will be, with few exceptions, BR’s modernization plan. That’s not even a joke answer - it was so badly executed on nearly every possible metric that it really can’t be considered anything other than extremely dumb.

2. If you mean “the dumbest thing that I (the engine) have ever done” well, that is just preposterous! All engines are perfect and faultless beings who can do no wrong ever.

3. If you mean “the dumbest thing I (the engine) have ever seen somebody else do”, then there is a wealth of tales:

Obviously, there have been many things to happen on the Island of Sodor that could be considered dumb, but three instances really take the cake:

Mind Reading, Soul Stealing, Red Eyed, Diesel Electric Monsters!

Tornado came to the Island of Sodor for the first time in 2015, just a few weeks after the 2015 Wootton Bassett SPAD Incident. She was not involved with that at all, but she was in Barrow between rail tours when West Coast Train’s operating certificate got pulled, thereby cancelling 90% of all steam hauled rail tours for the foreseeable future. Tornado, having never been to Sodor before, asked if she could go now that she had some free time. (It should be noted that she didn’t so much ask as she begged - she’d watched a lot of TTTE while being built, and was about as much of a fan as you readers must be.) The engines of Sodor knew who “Tornado the new build” was, but critically did not know what that engine looked like, and so when she showed up on Sodor, everyone else kind of assumed that she was new (to the NWR), not New (in general). This theory quickly came under fire when Tornado - who had watched the TV show - knew the engines a lot better than they knew her. This being Sodor, the main line engines accidentally gaslighted themselves into assuming that she had been on the Island for a while and they hadn’t noticed. In order to avoid being made fun of when/if this was revealed, they decided to act like they’d known her the entire time. This attitude very quickly spread to the branch lines once Tornado ran into a lorry at a railroad crossing and had to be repainted. The paint shops only had “NWR Blue” on hand, so she rolled out of Crovan’s Gate looking like a funhouse mirror version of Gordon. Tornado, meanwhile, has approximately 3 (three) brain cells in her smokebox, so she just assumed that everyone on Sodor was really friendly and didn’t notice. This farce went on for two months until the A1 Trust came to take her back to Darlington, at which point she absentmindedly told Gordon and Henry who she was. They decided to say nothing.

Someone once tried to steal Bertie the Bus - emphasis on the word tried, as they could not figure out his marvelous anti-theft system known as a manual transmission. Bertie is still livid about the state of Driver’s Education on the island as a result of this.

Flying Scotsman can and will talk at length about morons with more cameras than sense. While a good lesson, it’s very annoying when you’ve heard it fifteen times already Scot give it break will you?

Bittern had the incredible good fortune to not only get into Hollywood, but also be good at acting. This has resulted in a wonderful career, but also has meant that she’s had to endure the celebrity tabloid media/press. Of particular instance are British Journalists who have no idea how to deal with her - she’s a train with an acting job??!11? PrEPosTEroUs?! - She almost bit a reporter from Sky News.

As noted elsewhere, Duchess of Hamilton and Coronation got their nameplates swapped waaay back in 1939. There have been a few times when Duchess (the one in England) got called by the wrong name, but it was usually someone who knew her from before then. That its, until Duchess got re-streaminlined in 2009 - since then, a simply absurd number of American tourists have acted as though they knew her in some fashion - which is simply absurd - none of the Coronation Scot class have been in the Americas since the 1940s!

#ask response #people are dumb #flying scotsman #bittern #sodor #sodor shenangians #ttte gordon #ttte henry #tornado

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rons-hermiones · 3 years

Text

Come Find Me

by rons-hermiones

Summary: Unplanned, Hermione is forced to spend Christmas at the Burrow due to her grandmother falling very ill. After being ignored by Hermione for weeks, Ron is determined to show her how much she means to him. Just before he gets the chance to tell her, Bellatrix Lestrange shows up with other plans for Hermione. Can Ron get to her before it's too late? (Ron/Hermione Half-Blood Prince AU)

Rating: M for language & dark themes in later chapters.

Chapter Eight

“Merry Christmas Eve Morning.” Ginny calls excitedly from her bed, smiling over to her friend.

“Merry Christmas Eve Gin.” The bushy haired witch smiled from behind the book she was reading.

The blue eyed girl leapt from her bed and quickly tugged back the purple curtains. At the sight, she squealed.

“Look it’s snowing!” Ginny pointed out the stacks of white powder and small flecks from her spot.

In turn, Hermione managed a genuine smile at her excitement. The brunette had known it was snowing, being she woke hours ago, unable to go back to sleep, but she was happy to see Ginny this way.

“It’s brilliant. A white Christmas.” She told her friend.

“Wicked!” The younger girls exclaimed, before turning and circling Hermione’s camp bed, “now get up.” She almost demanded.

“Gin, I,” she started, coming up with some excuse as to why she couldn’t leave the room.

“Nope! Mum makes a special breakfast every Christmas Eve morning. If you don’t come down, well, I’ll send her up to get you!” Ginny grins evilly.

Though the threat of Molly coming up here is a scary one, she’s still reluctant. Ginny can sense as much.

“Hermione, honestly everyone's missed you. And Ron,” she pauses to meet her friend's brown eyes, “he’s been worrying himself sick.”

“He has?” Granger chokes pathetically.

The red head nods, “yeah, just last night he was going on about how he’s worried about you hanging out in the garden, scared someone might see you.”

“That’s ridiculous. Dumbledore put up the wards himself plus the apparition line,” she begins, trying to think why Ron would care.

“An apparition line that extends to the pond. Exactly what we all said, but he was still a wreck. Merlin, I thought he was gonna pound Fred’s face in!”

“Fred? Why?” She asks, confused.

“Made some dumb joke about death eaters coming by to get you. I swear he would’ve punched him if Charlie hadn’t stepped in.” Ginny tells.

Hermione’s at a loss, “why would he care?” She knows the answer, she’s just not willing to accept it given everything.

Ginny stared at her for a moment before letting out a nervous huff of air, “come sit.”

The pair plopped ungracefully onto the mattress.

“I told Ron you snogged Viktor Krum.” Ginny admitted so fast that she wasn’t sure the other girl even heard.

She did. Her face paled.

“You-you what?” Her voice was nothing but hurt, no anger, somehow that felt worse, “you know I didn’t. He kissed me, I said no. It was the type of kiss your Mum gives you when you're five.”

“I know that! Merlin, I know, I was just so angry. He had caught me with Dean and he was going on about what people would say if I went around snogging so many boys. Then I just wanted to hit him where I knew it’d hurt...” she admitted shamefully.

“Ginny I really wish you hadn’t done that. I understand Ron was out of line but I told you that in confidence!” Her voice was rising despite telling herself to calm down.

“I know, I feel awful if that makes a difference Hermione.” She began to cry.

The brunette didn’t comfort her, but she didn’t yell either.

“It’s all my fault. All my fault.” She repeated groggily.

“What is?” Hermione dared to question.

“Everything! If I had never said something so stupid to Ron then I reckon he’d never have dated Lavender. Then you two would be friends and wouldn’t be so miserable. I’m sorry Hermione, I’m so sorry!” Ginny rarely cried, and here she was close to hysterics.

Caving, Hermione grasped the younger and tucked her into her chest, allowing her to sob.

“It’s okay Ginny.” She soothed.

“No, it’s not!” Weasley retorts fiercely.

At this, the sixth year pushes her shoulder back so they can make eye contact.

“Am I happy you told that to Ron? No, but we can’t fix it now can we,” Ginny opened her mouth, no doubt to apologize, until Hermione went on, “and if Ron did in fact pursue Lavender because of that, well that’s not your fault. That’s his.”

It’s ridiculous. Six years of friendship thrown away because someone pecked Hermione two years ago? Since she first saw Ron and Lavender together, she’s allowed herself to be angry, not sad, angry. However, why this news would push Ron into another’s arms baffles her.

Merlin she’s oblivious.

“I told him after the truth, I told him it wasn’t even a snog and that you had said no.” Ginny said next.

“What did he say back?” She was scared to ask.

“That he was an idiot that he had been trying to chuck Lavender.”

Hermione scoffed.

“Honestly I think he was trying.” The ginger said through sniffles.

“Not from what I saw the morning we left Hogwarts,” at Ginny’s scrunched brow she went on, “well I caught Lavender telling Won-Won that she’s in love with him.” She said bitterly.

“So? She’s mental!” The girl reminds.

“Maybe so, but I heard Ron open with the fact that he had to tell her something, that he’s been trying to for weeks and didn’t know how. Next thing I hear is Lavender saying those three words so...” she’s sad again.

“There must be more to it.” Hermione wasn’t convinced, “no Hermione listen, he found out about what Lavender’s saying, about the common room, about McLaggen.” She said the last name quietly.

“What?” She barely got out, horrified. If Ron didn’t want her then he surely wouldn’t now, not with Cormac’s hands already burned into her skin.

“He didn’t know about any of it, not until I rowed with him, that day when your parents owled you.”

She remained silent.

“He was livid Hermione, absolutely angry. Angry at Lavender, McLaggen, himself! Trust me, I know my brother and never have I seen him so guilty in my entire life Hermione.” Ginny finished.

She chose not to elect the information that Ron had apparently told Lavender it was done. This was because, one Ginny hadn’t known the details behind it, and two, it didn’t feel like her place. She’d gotten into enough trouble running her mouth when it came to her brother and Hermione.

Again, silence came over the room. It stayed this way for a few tense minutes.

“To answer your earlier question, it’s because even though he’s daft and even though he’s got a hundred mistakes to make up for, I think he really does love you.” The red haired girl whispered.

“What?” Hermione asked confused, brown eyes meeting blue ones.

“To answer your question about why Ron would care enough to beat up Fred. That’s why.”

“I don’t think so Ginny.” And Hermione doesn’t, not at all. She just can't allow herself to even consider it. Not when he’s broken her heart then stomped on the shards.

“I know,” she said, voice full of conviction, “and one of these days, so will you.” She almost swore.

The older witch let the words sink in. Again, she didn’t believe what Ginny had to say but it really sounded like Ginny believed the words fully. That could mean something, right?

Officially over thinking of this entire headache of a conversation, Hermione stands, “come on.” She whispers.

The gingers' puffy blue eyes meet her own in confusion.

“We have to go to breakfast.” She points out.

A relieved smile sits on the youngest Weasley’s face, “we’re okay?” She asked tentatively as she stood.

The brunette nods, and she really means it. Anyway, she can’t worry about being upset with Ginny. Not when she’s preparing herself to have her first meal with the Weasley’s in days.

...

Ron doubted Hermione got him a gift. Not that he expected one.

However, he couldn’t help but allow himself to think of how wonderful it would be if she joined them for breakfast.

That would be a gift within itself.

Here’s to hoping, Ron thought as he plopped down on his designated chair.

Nearby his Mum operated the stove as Charlie gathered drinks. Bill had subtly pulled out Fleur’s chair as the twins erupted with laughter. His father was talking to Harry about something in The Prophet. And Ginny, well she wasn’t down yet. Ron was hoping she’d arrive soon.

With Hermione.

Suddenly the soft pitter patter of feet sounds down the wooden steps and Ron swears he hears two sets.

A stupid swell of hope erupts deep within his chest as he perks up and peers over to the doorway.

His heart jumps at the sight.

Behind his little sister is her. She’s donned in pajamas, a tradition set by his mother, flannel bottoms and a loose navy jumper. Her hair was arranged into a plait at the back of her neck as a few loose curls framed her face.

And it’s like seeing her for the first time, or looking at her like he did that night at the ball.

Merlin, she's gorgeous.

“Hermione dear!” Molly practically squeals, abandoning the stove and pulling her into a tight embrace.

Hermione responds quickly by snaking her arms to the oldest woman’s back, it felt nice. After so many days of feeling sad about things in France, things at Hogwarts, to be hugged by the woman who's like her second mother. She finally felt home.

“Mum let her breathe.” Ginny scolded gently as she sat down next to Charlie.

With watery eyes, Mrs.Weasley pulls away, keeping the brunette at arms length, “sorry, it’s just so lovely to have you join us.” She says with a watery smile.

Knowing all eyes are on hers, that his eyes are on hers, she smiled sheepishly, averting her gaze to the floor. “I’m sorry, I haven’t been feeling the greatest.”

Ron has the sudden urge to ask why, despite knowing the answer. He just wants her to be okay. It’s instinct at this point.

“That’s okay love, we’re just happy to have you.” Molly smiles softly as she gently pushes her to an empty chair.

And of course, like the Weasley siblings had planned it (which they had, Ginny had made sure this happened), the only seat was next to Ron, between him and his father, who was head of the table.

As she slowly plopped down, she caught his blue eyes. Ron offered her a small, warm smile. And surprising to him, she returned it. Hers had been more forced, stiff, awkward, but it was something.

In fact, he had felt like he could fly after the look of acknowledgment from her. So much so, that he had turned to face her, mouth opened and ready to say something. Anything.

But of course that never happened, why would it? The universe clearly has some secret agenda against Ron Weasley and his happiness.

“Bacon Ronnie?” His Mum interrupted from behind him, tray in hand.

“Uh, sure Mum.” He grumbled, trying not to sound as angry as he felt.

Clearly, that didn’t work, because his mother shot him a glare at the tone. Nonetheless, Ron ignored it and grabbed the prongs and began placing some food on his plate.

Seeing this as an opportunity, he took it before his Mum could, “Hermione?” He asked softly, eyes nervously flicking between her and the tray.

“Sorry?” She clearly had been zoned out and surprised that Ron had spoken her name. Something she hasn’t heard in too long.

“Would you like some bacon?” He’s as red as a beet. Everyone’s now watching the pair of them. It would’ve been awkward had they not been so focused on the other.

“Oh if it’s not a bother.” She blushed, voice just above a whisper.

He beamed at her, smile a little shaky from the nerves but still genuine, “no bother at all.” He is assured as the youngest Weasley boy places three pieces on her plate.

He knew Hermione always ate two pieces of bacon at breakfast, but he also knew she hadn’t been down for a meal in days.

“One more for good luck.” He told her shyly.

At this Hermione tinged pink. The knowledge that Ron knew how she took her breakfast.

Her surprised, round, brown eyes looked to his soft blue ones. For a while they just stared at the other, trying to get a read on the other.

Did he really remember that? Maybe he does pay attention to me. Maybe Ginny was right on some level, he must care, if not a little. Maybe there is hope.

She’s looking at me isn’t she? I can’t remember the last time she did that. Merlin I missed it. I miss her. I wonder if she knows. I’ll make sure she does.

So lost in thought, they hadn’t even noticed Molly carefully slide the tongs from her son's hand as she made her way to her husband. Doing her best to strike conversation so her children would look away from the pair.

“Gits!” Ginny exclaimed, spitting up her drink back into her cup.

Just like that their moment was over.

“What even is that? Goblin piss?” The girl questioned her twin brothers, who just continued to snort.

“Of course not Ginevra! Fred said.

“Just a bit of that stuff that comes out of that plant in the garden.” George adds.

“Ugh!” Ginny says disgusted, “Mum!” She yells, wanting the boys to answer to someone.

Molly sighed, “let’s just enjoy a nice breakfast. I’ll get you more juice Ginny.”

In response, the girl rolled her eyes as the twins high fived through a laugh.

Soon after Mrs.Weasley had gotten Ginny a regular glass of pumpkin juice, things seemed to calm down. Soon, everyone was talking amongst themselves. Charlie tells Harry about Romania, Fleur and Molly about the wedding, the twins and Bill about the shop. Hermione however, never chipped into any of the conversations.

Ron, of course, noticed, but he wasn’t the only one.

“Hermione have you heard from your parents?” Ron heard his father ask, drawing him away from listening into Harry and Bill.

She dropped her fork and squirmed a little in her chair, “I had written them my first day here, they got back to me but it was just to let them know they had arrived in France.” The witch informed sadly.

“Anything since?” Arthur questioned gently.

“Well I’ve written them everyday,” she began optimistically, but her tone soon shifted, “but they haven’t gotten back to me. So no.” She shook her head as she spoke.

Mr.Weasley opened his mouth to comfort the poor girl, but his son beat him to it.

“I’m sure everything’s alright Mione. No news is good news, right?” Ron tries rather weakly, worried she may snap like on the train.

He hears her suck in a sharp breath and he’s worried he’s done it again. However, Hermione begins to simply nod and tries to smile.

“I hope you’re right.” She almost whispers.

Suddenly a warm hand finds the top of her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze, “whatever happens, we’ll be here.” Arthur tells her warmly.

Doing her best, the pathetic excuse for a smile grows on her lips, unable to push any words past her lips.

Thankfully, Charlie calls out to his dad, asking a question about some ministry policy, gathering the man's attention.

“You do know he’s right.” Ron leans in and whispers low in her ear. Enough to make her jump.

She turns to look at him puzzled.

“That whatever happens, we’re here. All of us are.” I’m here for you, I hope you know. Even after everything, I’m always gonna be here.

Hermione seems to pick up on the double meaning as her eyes water.

“I’m not sure what I know anymore. I really don’t.” She admits to him, the most open she’s been in months.

And just like that, his heart breaks for her all over again.

#ron x hermione #ron weasley #hermione granger #rons-hermiones come find me #ron and hermione #romione fanfic #romione #hp #hp fanfic #sixth year

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prorevenge · 4 years

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He Ruined My Sister's Only Birth Experience So I Made Sure He'd NEVER Forget Her

Kinda my revenge, kinda my sisters, both of us really proud. This is gonna be long so TL;DR at bottom. Here's our cast:

My sister - we'll call her "Sara" for the story Sister's Ex-BF - "Paul" Ex-BFs New Wife - "Jane" Ex-BFs Parents - "Mr. And Mrs. Doe" Oldest brother - "Zeke" Our parents And Me :)

When I was 14 and my oldest sister, Sara, was 22 we found out that she was pregnant with Paul, her boyfriend of 4 years. They immediately got engaged and they were really happy. For a time. Sara had a horrible pregnancy, about 16-18 weeks in the "wonder of creating a human life" evaporated within her. She developed hyperemesis (which if you don't know is really bad morning sickness), she was constantly in pain, she developed gestational diabetes, and just all around hated the experience. Around this time Paul, the then-fiance, started getting sick of the complaining. I believe the argument was "your body is built to do this, it can't be that bad".

Sara was due around Valentine's Day and Paul's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Doe, were very excited, both about the grandkid and the fact that he could be born on a holiday. She was very against that and really really hoped that her son wouldn't be born on a holiday, even one as small as Valentine's day (her birthday sometimes falls on Easter and she hates it) because it might make him feel that "his day" isn't very much about him. Well, Mrs. Doe says something like "Well if you name him Valentine or Valentino then that'll make the day even more special to him!" Again, sister HATED the idea. She thought it was tacky, he'd be bullied for it, and just really didn't like the name Valentino. Paul loved it, but agreed to go with a more average name like Daniel or Jared.

Fast forward to February and she was ready to Get This Over With. Sara had officially been put on bed rest because while standing or walking her blood pressure took unexpected spikes and dips. I look back now and goodness do I feel bad for her. She was doing her best to avoid giving birth on Valentine's day because, again, she didn't want him born on a holiday. Unfortunately, births happen when they happen and that baby was going to come on Valentines day whether she wanted him to or not.

I remember waiting out in the waiting room with my dad, brothers, and Paul who couldn't stand to be in the delivery room because it was "gross". I was so mad that he could have gone in but wouldn't because he thought my sister was "gross" while giving birth, whereas I had to stay outside because I was "too young" to go in with my mom and other sister. Dad went home with the youngest two brothers while the oldest, Zeke, stayed to watch me because I refused to leave. 16 hours after Sara went into labor my little nephew was officially part of the family on the evening of Valentine's day.

Unfortunately, Sara was not okay. She had to have an emergency cesarean section and while doing the operation discovered that the back of her uterus (facing her spinal cord) had a very large and very severe (thankfully non-cancerous) tumor. When I say large I mean it was twice the size of a standard uterus. The doctors were shocked and didn't understand why nobody had noticed it on an ultrasound. It accounted for her severe backpain and blood pressure issues. The doctors immediately went in for more surgery to remove the tumor, but sadly ended up having to perform a full hysterectomy. This meant that my nephew would be Sara's only child.

Now while Sara was in for surgery Paul was taking care of everything baby related to make sure his son was okay. In my 14 year old self's memory I remember him being suitably distraught, but I didn't really pay him much mind and spent my time in the waiting room with my mother and other sister. Zeke, however, wanted to be a good future brother-in-law and make sure that Paul was okay. He found Paul filling out the baby paperwork on his own looking (in my brother's words) "like he had not a single worry in his mind". Zeke asked why Paul didn't wait for Sara to fill out the paperwork as she should have been put of surgery within the hour, and Paul said that he just wanted her to get her rest and heal. That checked out with Zeke, as he was 16 and didn't know any better at the time.

Now I know what you're probably thinking. "No, he wouldn't. He knows how much she hates that name. And still, she'd need to sign the paperwork too!" My fellow peoples of Reddit, I regret to inform you that Paul forged Sara's signature on the paperwork and waited until she was out of surgery to hand said paperwork over. My sweet nephew, that was born on Valentine's day, was named "Valentino" on his first official birth certificate. I still to this day don't know why Paul and his family were so insistent about the name. He had even picked out a different one with my sister! And before you ask, no he was never brought up on forgery charges because his parents were "witnesses" to her signing the papers, even though they only got there at the last minute.

So Sara dumped him and got her son's name changed a month later. She was willing to do split custody with him because that's her son's father and she wants the kid to know him, but Paul vanished and she never heard anything back, which seemed weirdly out of character to us. Until a mutual friend on Facebook was tagged in his wedding pictures 6 months later. Paul had apparently started cheating on her not long after she got pregnant. Sara was livid but there wasn't much she could do so she filed for child support and continued to liver her best life.

Until 6 years later. This is where the revenge starts, my friends. So Sara has been a single mother for the past 6 years and has been amazing at it. At this point in my career I've been a hairdresser for about 8 months at our local GreatClips. I'm working one day and who is seated before me but Jane, Paul's wife, herself. I take her back for a trim and she clearly has no idea who I am. That adds up because a mutual friend that still keeps in contact with Paul said that Jane doesn't know a thing. She has no idea about Sara, that she was the other woman, or that Paul actually has a kid that he's been (infrequently) paying child support for. She's in the dark on it all.

I told myself not to be an ass and treat her like a normal customer, which I did. Now at this point, Jane was heavily pregnant, so a lot of our conversation was about that. She loved being pregnant but it was hard, her husband was so unsympathetic (big shocker), and she was due in 10 weeks and they still hadn't picked out a name for their baby girl.

Ladies and gentlepeoples, this was my chance.

I asked what kind of name she was looking for and she said "I want something unique and unusual, but not ridiculous like Brayntleigheigh" (you know the ones I'm talking about) and Paul had suggested so many already and she didn't like ANY of them. So I, conniving little weasel I am, said "what about Sara?"

My sister's name isn't actually "Sara" she was named after an older family member that passed not long after she was born, but there was no female equivalent for his name so our parents created one. It's a beautiful name and just what Jane was looking for.

She loved it, she stuck by it, and I found out by stalking her Facebook months later that she had put her foot down about it and that was their daughter's name. Now Paul has a daughter with his ex's name to remind him every day about her (and to also remind him to pay his ******* child support).

Little nephew is 10 years old now with a new name and no contact with his biological father, though we do still sometimes call him Val as a family nickname. He likes it but doesn't want to bring it to school so it's staying a family nickname. Sara pretends to hate when we call him that, in a joking way. As long as he likes it she doesn't have a problem with it. And she's seeing a new guy who's really great and like a father to Val. :)

TL;DR: My sister's baby daddy forged her signature on paperwork while she was in surgery to name their son a name that she had been avidly against from the beginning, then broke all contact when she dumped him and married the girl he was cheating on her with while she was pregnant. 6 years later I meet his wife and convince her to name her daughter my sister's name because the wife has no idea my sister and her son exist.

(source) story by (/u/AngelGuideIndi)

#prorevenge #by /u/AngelGuideIndi #pro revenge #revenge stories #pro revenge stories #pro #revenge #last10

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thebibliomancer · 3 years

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Tides of the Dark Crystal liveblog pt 24

Tides of the Dark Crystal by J.M. Lee because THE MARINER IS BACK and that’s a bad thing. For the protagonists. I’m pretty excited about it personally.

Last times on book: Amri and co are on a quest to unify the Gelfling clans against the Skeksis. They’ve succeeded with the Sifa and Dousan, causing impressive pyrotechnics that burned a record of the plot into nearby surfaces. While they were working at that, All-Maudra Mayrin was killed by the Skeksis and they’ve installed her daughter Seladon as the new All-Maudra. After meeting the urRu Swimmer in a dream, maybe, Amri came up with a plan to use the Waystar Trees on the nearby mountains to reach out to the Vapra. The group finds the Swimmer’s secret mountain house and stops in to warm up but they’re surprised by skekSa the Mariner.

Chapter 24

Tavra makes an appeal to the Vapra; skekSa isn’t mad, she’s just disappointed. Also, she’s livid.

So last chapter ended with skekSa demanding to know where the Swimmer is.

“We don’t know what you’re talking about,” Naia said.

skekSa swept closer, filling the room. She tilted her head at Amri, counting the number of Gelfling before her, then leaned over the worktable and smoothed her claws along the paper and ink, touched the tomes and scrolls. Her gaze lingered on the maps they’d been looking at, then came back to the Gelfling before her.

“Maybe I believe you.”

“Why are you in Ha’rar?” Amri asked. “Weren’t you supposed to stay with the Sifa in Cera-Na?”

“Why would I? They abandoned me. Without their navigators and charts, I cannot escape this infernal mainland. Then Emperor skekSo called me to Ha’rar when things got, how shall we put it? Complicated. With All-Maudra Mayrin. And I remembered that there is someone with the charts I need, who keeps them in her tower near the Vapra Waystar grove.”

Oof.

You have to feel for skekSa a little.

Okay, so she wasn’t helping the Sifa escape out of the goodness of her heart, she desperately wanted to escape too.

She’s absolutely paranoid that the Emperor would send assassins after her for her defiance in, I guess, trying not to live in his hierarchy.

And even if you take into account the show where the death of a Skeksis is unthinkable to the Emperor, remember too that there’s a lot that the Skeksis will do to each other that won’t result in death.

I don’t blame her for wanting to escape.

But perceiving it as the Sifa abandoning her to not abandon the other Gelfling is not a healthy way of coming at it.

Anyway, this reminds Amri of the Swimmer saying “what is a compass without a ship” and he realizes that the inverse “what is a ship without a compass” is true too. But says it aloud for some reason.

And this makes skekSa very angry, although she calms down to go back to being classy hiding menace.

She mentions that skekZok told her about an encounter the Chamberlain had with a group of Gelfling where “one in particular -- a Vapra, to his memory, but I think he may be mistaken -- threw Sifa fire dust in his eye.”

“You wouldn’t know who that might have been, my little apothecary?”

Amri tried not to shrink back. “He was asking for it.”

“Oh, you can burn out both his weepy eyes for all I care.”

HAH!

No surprise that the Mariner who hates Skeksis politics would hate the Chamberlain. He practically is Skeksis politics.

But the major takeaway of the story was the Chamberlain’s description of the Drenchen in the group. A Drenchen who matched the description of the Drenchen who escaped the Castle of the Crystal.

Naia.

“Ritual Master skekZok is very keen in this aspect, you see. And since we are friends, he and I, then you can imagine I am keen as well.”

Ruh roh.

“Of course, I didn’t fully understand his interest in you when we met in Cera-Na,” skekSa continued. “But now that I do, and now that he’s offered a reward for your capture, how fortunate it is that you are here before me, trapped in this tiny room.”

RUH ROH.

Interesting that the Mariner did know who Naia was all along. She just didn’t care at the time when Operation Go Somewhere Else was on the table.

Naia promises she’ll die before she lets herself be drained but skekSa says that skekZok doesn’t want to drain her. The Skeksis need her and Gurjin to study their twin bond to answer some questions that many of them have been wondering.

Kylan stood up, standing firm beside Naia. “Aughra said you’re wrong. She said it’s not going to help you understand how to drain your other halves.”

skekSa scoffed.

“Is that what they think? Unfortunate.”

Hah.

The Skeksis are way off base but skekSa would get her reward for bringing Naia in either way. I like that she’s scornful at how they’re barking up the wrong tree.

Its what I expect from an accomplished pirate captain detective scientist like her.

But since a reward is a reward and because she doesn’t want to fool arond, she offers a deal. She gets to take Naia. In exchange, the rest of the group gets to go if they promise to leave the mountain immediately and not get in skekSa’s way again.

(Imagine from her point of view where you keep running into protagonists)

Naia pointed her dagger at skekSa. Before Amri could stop her, she said, “I’ll take that deal, but I won’t go without a fight.”

“Naia, no --”

Kylan’s protest was cut off by skekSa’s grin. She knocked aside her coat, baring the glinting gold handle of a long blade slung at her waist, putting a hand on the grip and sliding it loose with a deadly, metallic scrape.

“I accept your challenge,” she said.

Fairly accommodating of skekSa, really.

It lets her friends get away and it means she can try to run away because thats part of the struggle.

I mean, its not quite fair. Skeksis way outweigh Gelflings and hit like a truck. And skekSa is in the prime of her whatever age she is, not like those creaky castle dwelling Skeksis. Fresh salt air has done a body good.

Tae decides to stay and fight with Naia while the rest go and do the Plan they’d Planned on. And Tae is their best fighter.

Amri recognizes that this is the best chance they’ll get, hates it, but grabs an angry Kylan and runs anyway.

They (Amri, Kylan, and spider Tavra) trudge through the snow and up an almost vertical slope and reach the circular grove of glowing blue and white Waystar trees.

And at a good time. Far below in Ha’rar, the Vapra gather and the Skeksis will come to the gathering soon.

Hm. I wonder if whats taking the Skeksis so long is skekSa up and disappearing on a mountain hike. She was called to Ha’rar to help and she went off on a personal errand.

I can imagine skekZok looking for her around the Citadel, cursing as he finds her boots behind a curtain making it look like she was hiding behind that curtain. Or something like that.

Amri searches the Waystar trees, to find the ideal one whose roots burrow into the mountain and intertwine with the veins of water and ice that spread to the city below.

He finds the sturdiest tree and his rock sense or whatever lets him feel the whole mountain and every street of Ha’rar by touching its bark.

“It has grown here since long before the Vapra arrived,” he said. “Before Ha’rar. This tree knows the entire mountain, the entire valley. Runs under the citadel and through every street of Ha’rar. If it agrees to carry Tavra’s message, every Gelfling in the snowy land will see her dream. Hear her voice, and know they are not alone...”

AH HA! So that’s the plan! Amri’s rock sense, Kylan’s music magic, and Tavra’s Tavra to reach every Vapran in Ha’rar through something like dreamfasting that the Skeksis can’t overhear. Good the Plan, Amri!

Kylan starts playing a similar tune to the one he played before the Sanctuary Tree, causing the Waystar trees to glow even brighter.

Amri sees a dreamfast of the three of them standing in the grove but Tavra is with them in her Gelfling body, dressed as a Vapra princess.

“Hear me, Gelfling of Ha’rar. I can only hope you hear me and recognize my voice. I do not have much time, so I can only tell you part of all I have to say. And it is that the Skeksis have lied to all of us. The dream on the pink petals is true. The Skeksis have begun draining us, deep in the Castle of the Crystal. My mother the All-Maudra knew this and planned to rise against them. And in punishment, the Ritual Master and the General murdered her.”

Amri felt a tremble in the dream, as if the earth itself was shivering. The whispers that shuddered through the tree’s veins and the ice and rock were from the Vapra. From anyone who was listening, who heard Tavra’s voice.

“I do not know what the future holds for the Gelfling, but I know this: No matter what the Skeksis say to you, no matter how dark the night may seem -- there are friends in that darkness, waiting for you. Readying the torches we will bring against the Skeksis, when it is time for their reckoning. We will survive. We will endure. Wait for our signal. Let it guide you and we will be victorious, so long as we are together.”

It felt like the beginning of an electric storm crawling across the earth and skin. Amri felt the warming of kindling and a thin string of smoke. He felt footsteps, the earth shaking. Distant voices as Tavra finished:

“I know this and I wait for you, though it may be in the darkness. For in the shadows, we will light the fires of resistance.”

Heck of a speech, Tavra.

I notice that characteristically she doesn’t raise her voice or pepper around exclamation points. Just gives a simple, measured message of hope.

Anyway, its good that she finished up because the fight they left at the Swimmer’s mountain home spills over into the Waystar grove, destroying one of the trees.

Nobody is happy here. The two Gelfling and one Mariner are all wounded from the fight. Amri is not pleased that skekSa followed Tae and Naia to where the Plan was happening. And skekSa’s not happy that they’re all still on the mountain doing things.

The Mariner asks if this is how the Gelfling repay her benevolence in letting them go but Tae shoots back that the Sifa have trusted skekSa for trine and asks whether it was all a lie.

skekSa composed herself, just a fraction, standing straighter and sniffing.

“Little Tae,” she said, though a snarl sharpened the edge of her beak. She grabbed another of the Waystar trees and cracked its limbs in her claws, careless with her impossible strength. Its glow died like an ember pulled from the fire. “I would have taken Ethri and the Sifa across the Silver Sea. Far away from the Emperor and the castle and all of these stupid politics. But Ethri decided not to go. It was you who defied me. Declared your true allegiance. I am not an ally of the Sifa. I am your master.”

Oof.

The underlying thing in all benevolent paternalism is the paternalism. And that can turn ugly when its defied or not given the respect the whoever feels entitled to.

The thing with a parent/child relationship is knowing when to let them go and be adults of their own and that just won’t happen without bad feelings when a “superior” long-lived species rules over a “less advanced” shorter-lived one.

And even if skekSa disdained Skeksis politics and felt drawn to the Sifa for their shared love of that sailing life, at the end of the day, the Skeksis are gonna be around forever while Gelflings lead lives comparable to mayflies. Its hard to stand up against the only people who will share eternity with you.

Its why I think skekGra is the only Good Skeksis that can last. He’s removed himself from a position over anybody else. Just he and himself for company.

Anyway, back to the skekSa.

“Now, as your lord, I will tell you the same thing the General and the Ritual Master are telling the Vapra below. At this very minute. The rebellion is dead and a lie, burnt to cold ash along with the All-Maudra. The Vapra, and the rest of the Gelfling, have only one fate: To bow to the Skeksis, and to gaze upon us with immortal fear. To cower in utter submission.”

Her voice fell low and sinister as her breath clouded around them like a fog.

“There will be no more fires,” she said. “And there will be no resistance.”

Amri replies, basically, with ‘nuh uh’ and points towards Ha’rar.

The torches dotting the city flash through a rainbow of flames, burning bright enough to light the city like daytime. And the flames dream-etch onto every wall of the Vapra citadel, just like at Cera-Na and the Wellspring when the literal flames of resistance were lit.

[Amri] stared in wonder at the etchings as they rippled across the broad surface of the citadel, unraveling for all to see. The depictions of the Omerya, the Sifa, Maudra Ethri. The shade-filled leaves of the Wellspring Tree, protecting the Dousan from the darkening storm.

And now the next verse of the song, which they had told that very night atop the frozen bluffs: Shining like a star, radiant with light, was the image of a Vapra soldier-princess, the crest of six trees emblazoned on her living crown.

WOW!

The recap flames just nominated Tavra to be All-Maudra. Geez, sucks to be Seladon.

It makes a narrative sense in this version, I’m afraid.

Since we’ve stuck with Naia’s party, Seladon is barely a character. We haven’t seen her insecurities first hand and her struggling with her mother’s expectations and her own desires and all that. We don’t directly see her lean into Skeksis loyalty.

Tavra HAS been very present and active in the narrative of the three books. (And people have been VERY vocal about her being a better candidate for All-Maudra. Like very vocal. Seladon would have cried if she had been around for those conversations).

So just taking into consideration the YA novels continuity, we don’t know Seladon. We know Tavra and want good things for her especially since so many bad things have happened.

And another thing... what will happen after all the clans unite has been left vague but if the Skeksis don’t relinquish power gracefully, it could be war (as it was in the show). Maybe a soldier-princess All-Maudra is more fitting for the times the Gelfling are heading into instead of the trained stateswoman raised to be essentially the middle manager between Gelfling and Skeksis.

Sorry Seladon.

#dark crystal #the dark crystal #Tides of the Dark Crystal #liveblog #Amri #Tavra #she's still a spider tho #Kylan #Naia #Tae #skekSa #the Mariner #another light show

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rosy-wooyoung · 4 years

Text

The incident | Jeong Yunho

Word count: around 3.1k (wow, I’m impressed, it’s the second time I manage to do this lol) Pairing: single mom! reader x doctor! Yunho (I need to calm down with single parents AU) Genre: fluff, light angst if you squint (mostly the reader being sad that her daughter doesn’t have a dad.) A/N: I’m sorry if you find that the fic is sometimes “flat”, I tried to settle the atmosphere to make go at a “normal” pace... I also had this idea of Yunho as a doctor for a while, but @iis4d managed to give me a great ending plot, thank you so much!! The gif isn’t mine and as nothing to do with the fic, he’s just cute there (san too but shht) Disclaimer: I have no absolute knowledge of the medical world so if you see any incoherencies... bare with me.

You were stroking your daughter’s head, a groan of pain escaped from her mouth. After work, you picked her up from preschool and she begged you to take her to the park. You had found a quiet corner near a playground, where she was playing and having fun on the slide as well as the swing. You were sitting at a picnic table in the shade, reading a report to save time for tonight. A piercing scream followed by cries pulled you from your concentration, recognising your daughter's voice. Several adults had rushed to Haerin, who was holding her leg at the foot of the slide, violent sobs shaking her. "Haerin, darling," you whispered, stroking your daughter's head, very worried. You touched her knee and she screamed in pain; her cries crushed your heart, and you were helpless. "You have to take her to the emergency room," a dad said and got you out of your concern. You nodded, trying to stay as calm as possible, not wanting to pass your stress on to your daughter. Trying to lift her in a way that would cause her the least harm, you couldn't help but grimace when Haerin clung to your shoulders. A mother handed her son to her husband and gathered your things for you, wrapping your jacket and bag around your shoulder. You thanked her and headed to your car.

Haerin's sobs didn't subside, screaming in pain despite your careful driving. You avoided the sharp turns and the speed bumps, but nothing helped, she yelled with each car's movement.

"We're there soon, darling, we're going to take care of you, okay? Mommy stays with you." You were trying not to panic and contain your tears, but it was hard with your daughter's sobs that served as background noise to the hospital.

When you got there, you rushed out of the car and opened the back door. "Do you see the doors over there?" You questioned your daughter, unfastening her seat belt. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and nodded, a cry came out of her mouth when you lifted her. “People will take care of you there. It’s their job, they’ll be very nice to you, don’t worry." "Mommy, it hurts." "I know darling, but you're strong, it will be okay, Mommy promises." You walked with your daughter in your arms to the sliding emergency doors and the hospital world overwhelmed you. Everyone was running, screaming some vocabulary you didn't understand, people in beds between life and death were passing by you. A young nurse saw you standing in the middle of the hallway and ran to you. "My daughter," tears came to your eyes as you saw him approach you, your anxiety suddenly taking control of your body, "she fell from the slide, I wasn't looking after her, her leg hurts a lot and-" "Breathe, Madam, we'll take care of your daughter. Hand her to me, I'll put her in a bed.” Despite her pain, Haerin didn't want to leave your arms. She was very shy by nature and had no father by her side, she always had trouble going into the arms of a male relative or your friends. The nurse softly smiled at your daughter's whims, who had plunged her head into the crook of your neck to avoid the eyes of the nurse. "Hey," he said, stroking her cheek with his finger, looking up at you to get her name. You whispered it to him, and he continued, "Haerin, my name is San and I'm here to help you. If you let me carry you, I will put you in a bed and you will feel a bit better. Mommy will follow us, but you two will be more comfortable. What do you think about that?" Haerin pouted at the nurse and looked at you as if she wanted to be sure that she could trust him. You smiled at her, reassuring her that she was safe with him. She nodded and San took her from your arms. She continued to cry but San reassured her by softly rubbing her back while whispering comforting words. Another nurse came to take notes of the incident.

"I'm going to call the paediatrician, but I think your daughter needs an x-ray. Given her screams, her leg must be broken." You nodded, your hands shaking when the nurse handed you a pen to sign some papers. "But don't worry, the paediatrician working here is an expert, he’ll take good care of your daughter." "Thank you, sir." The man smiled at you and left to enter an office, a few doors away from you. You returned to your daughter, who was now lying in a bed, her leg immobilised. She had dozed off and the male nurse was at her bedside. "Your colleague told me it was more serious than it sounds," A tense smile appeared on his lips. "It’s likely yes, but first we’ll see the paediatrician’s diagnosis, he should be there soon." You nodded and sat on the other side of the bed, stroking her cheek.

Someone knocked on the door and entered. A tall man in a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck appeared in the room, holding the papers you signed in his hands. He was followed by the male nurse with whom you spoke in the hallway. "Hello Madam, I am Jeong Yunho and I am the paediatrician that will take of your daughter.” He held out his hand to you which you shook and smiled weakly. The smile he sent back was reassuring, but you didn't pay much attention to it. "So Haerin fell off the slide, right?" "Yes, unfortunately. I was reading a report while she was playing. It's my fault, I haven't watched her enough. If I had paid attention to her, she wouldn't have fallen, and she wouldn't have broken her leg, and all this would not have happened." "Ah kids, you always have to be careful with children, they are real little balls of energy. They sometimes think they are stronger than they are and troubles like that happen. But we're going to take care of it. San, did you give her painkillers?" "Yes," replied San, "but not much given her age and size." Yunho nodded and sanitised his hands. He grabs your daughter's leg with measured delicacy, his digits softly feeling her bones. His neutral face didn't reassure you at all.

"From what I can tell, your daughter has a severely broken leg. I could put a cast on her directly, but I want to be sure of the state of her leg by doing an x-ray, and, according to the result, it will have to be operated. Yeosang, please go prepare one in the paediatric ward. " "Immediately, Sir." The medic named Yeosang left the room, his medical phone in his hand. Yunho turned to you. "Do you have someone, your husband or... I don’t know, a friend who can bring you things in case you have to stay longer than expected?"

You bit your lower lip, doubtful, thinking about who you could call. Under the stressing situation you were currently into, no one came to mind. "I don't know who could help me," you replied, avoiding his gaze. Yunho looked surprised but said nothing. Yeosang entered the room again, warning the doctor that everything was ready. He ordered San to take your daughter there and he removed the brakes from the bed, taking her out with Yeosang's help.

"We're going to do an x-ray and during this time, you can go back home and take all the things you need. We'll take care of her, don't worry." He placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder and you nodded. "I know you are worried about your daughter, but-" "I know who I can call," you suddenly cut him off, fumbling with your pocket as you searched for your phone. You dialled your colleague's number and explained the situation. She immediately agreed and you sighed in relief. You went out to join Yunho who was waiting in the hallway, giving you some privacy while you made your phone call. "Did you find someone?" "Yes, she's coming." "Very well, then. Follow me, it's over there."

Haerin was terrified of going alone in the machine. You were trying to reassure her as best you could, but your anxiety must have shown so much on your face that she was even more opposed to going, tightly holding your hand. You sighed and San gave you a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, I'm wasting your time..." "You know, we've already had more temperamental children. Those who yell for nothing are much more annoying than your daughter. She is stubborn but she's adorable. And Doctor Jeong has a lot of patience, so don't worry."

The latter approached your daughter and crouched down to be at her eye level. He whispered something to her, taking out a small pink teddy bear from his pocket, waving it in front of her face with a huge smile. He made the little bear speak and your daughter laughed, her cheeks all red. He handed her the plushie which she gently took in her little hands, hugging it close to her. "Yeosang, it's all good, you can hand her to Jongho." You hug your blazer tightly as you watch your daughter’s bed go away with Yeosang and Jongho, apparently the radiologist. He brightly smiled at Haerin, noticing her worried face. San stayed by your side, trying to bring you a sort of reassurance.

"Have you eaten anything? You are livid." San looked at you from the side with a frown, waiting for an answer. "Not since noon," you admitted, still looking at the door your daughter had gone through moments ago. "Go eat something, I don't want anything to happen to you." "But I want to be there when she returns." "It won’t last long, but you have plenty of time to go buy something to eat. Please do it for your daughter, but for you too."

Once you bought a snack and a drink, you were about to close the elevator doors when a familiar figure entered your field of vision. Your colleague was there, holding a travel bag. You called out to her, blocking the doors to get out. "Thank you so much, I will return you a favour for that." "Don't worry about it. I tried to put everything you could need; I hope I didn't forget anything. How is she by the way?" "She's in radiology right now, I'm scared for her." "Will you be okay? Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything." "I hope I will. Thank you so much, you're amazing." She hugged you and left, letting you head again to the elevators to find Haerin.

Ten minutes after entering the room, the door opened onto a bed. Haerin had her whole right leg plastered and she was sleeping, still tightly holding the small pink teddy bear against her. Yunho and San entered your room, the latter blocking the bed wheels and immediately leaving, after smiling at you.

"Your daughter's condition is stable, but her leg was in worse condition than I thought." Yunho opened the file and sat on the chair next to you, showing you the x-rays. He explained that the fall had caused a significant fracture in the tibia, but it had also caused a breach that went up to the knee, hence her hellish howls. “Haerin was very courageous, a true little warrior. The x-ray and the plastering went well, she didn't flinch. However, she needs to stay in the hospital for several more days. Do you think you can stay by her side or...?" "No... no, I'm going to have to take time off from work." Too many thoughts and remorse were jostling in your head, tears coming to your eyes. "I'm such a bad mother." You murmured, bursting into tears. Yunho frowned, closing his file and placing it on the edge of the bed. "Why would you say that?" "If I hadn't read this report, if I had watched her, we would not be there. We would be at home without a broken leg. I take care of her on my own, I have always managed like this since her birth. It's in cases like this that I wish I had someone by my side to help me." "But all of that doesn't make you a bad mother, it's quite the opposite. You are full of courage and talent. You have managed to do everything on your own for the past four years, you can be proud of yourself. It's certainly easier and more practical to raise a child with someone else, but your situation proves that you can also do it alone.” He handed you a tissue to dry your tears, which you gladly took. You could feel that he wanted to comfort you but other than words, he didn’t really know how he could make you feel better.

“Do you work 100% every day or are you sometimes off-peak?" “I work from 8am to 6pm every day, my only off-peak hours are my lunch breaks." Yunho grimaced at your answer. "Well. I will assign the two nurses you saw to look after your daughter and I will come and see her sometimes. Is that okay with you?" "But aren't you overworked?" You wiped your sobs with the back of your hand while clutching the tissue in your other hand, looking up at the doctor. "You know, I'm not the only paediatrician on this service, I can assign tasks to my colleagues. Some take advantage of the fact that I love my job to let me do everything, but I will make them work until Haerin is back on her feet. I can do this to discharge you, there is no problem." "Aren't you going to get into trouble because of us?" "No, I assure you, and that doesn't annoy me at all. Haerin is a nice, polite little girl, you educated her well. She remained calm and quiet when she was asked, it made our job easier, believe me." He smiled and dared to rub your shoulder for comfort. "Thank you, Doctor." You murmured, your voice laced with tears as a shiver ran through your body. “Go home and get some sleep, you have to be healthy for work. Your daughter wouldn’t want to see her Mommy like this. We will keep you updated if there is any problem."

A few long days after her accident, you were relieved to see Haerin awake and in great shape. Yunho and the two male nurses took great care of her, treating her like a princess and she absolutely loved it. This closeness to men she didn't personally know made you realise that, everything would have been easier if she had a father. You sighed, a twinge in your heart appearing, regretting not being able to give her the manly figure she needed. He left you as soon as you told him the happy news. You had hoped he would have come back for her birth, but he never did.

You knew you weren't the only single mom on Earth, yet you couldn't help but feel ashamed when someone mentioned a potential partner you could have or the missing one. You blamed yourself for not having chosen someone trustworthy enough to make him Haerin's father. "Mommy?" A frail voice pulled you from your thoughts, "Mommy, are you crying?" You wiped away your tears quickly and smiled at your daughter. She narrowed her eyes to see you better, the morning rays of the sunshine tapping in her room made her look like an angel coming straight out from Heaven. "No darling, don't worry. Everything is fine." Haerin continued to stare at you, not understanding your sad face. She was too innocent to understand your situation. Preventing her from questioning you further, Yunho and San entered the room. Haerin's face lit up, arms reaching for the two men, her actions surprising you. San ruffled her hair and she wrapped her small arms around Yunho's forearm.

"Haerin! How are you? Did you sleep well?" Yunho looked up, smiling. He saw you, surprised to see you here so early in the morning. "Ma'am! Aren't you at work? I thought that- " "I know, I should be at work, but my boss heard about the accident from my colleague and ordered me to come here. She walked me out of the office and drove me there." You answered with an amused look. "Good, I'm glad you're here." He stared at you with a slight smile, a little too long according to San, who cleared his throat, bringing Yunho back to reality. "Yes, well. Once your daughter is out, she will have to recover by staying still. She's young but small, the crutches are likely to make her tired very quickly. I can either offer you to keep her here for another week or two or send you nursing staff to come and provide care and supervision." Yunho turned to your daughter and gave her a big smile which she immediately returned. "What do you choose, Haerin?" "If I go back to Mommy, will you come home to take care of me?" You almost choked on your own saliva at your daughter's boldness. You frowned and corrected her. "Haerin! This is inappropriate!"

The two men laughed at the situation and Haerin looked at you innocently. "Normally not," Yunho answered, drawing your daughter’s attention again,"but I can visit you and your mom from time to time if you want." "And you don't want to see Yeosang or me?" San added with a pout and smiled at your daughter, tilting his head towards her. You gave her a stern look and San smiled again, his dimples appearing. Haerin didn't know what to say, and honestly neither did you. Before, she was shy around every man she encountered, but here she can't even decide between the three men. "Can't the three of you come?" Haerin whispered and San chuckled. "Haerin." You interrupted the discussion in a firm voice. "We don't live in a mansion and you cannot ask for this! It’s impolite! You should already consider yourself lucky to have one of them coming to see you! I didn't raise you like that." You were embarrassed about your daughter's behaviour, but San shook his head and reassured you with a smile.

"Okay Haerin, I'll come." Yunho turned to look at you. "I hope you don't mind?" "Don't worry, I just hope there will be enough room for three." You murmured. San's cell phone rang, walking out of the room as he answered. Yunho sat down on the chair next to you and turned his back to your daughter. "Are you really sure? I don’t want to be assertive." "No, no. It’s already nice of you to give my daughter so much time, she’s never been that close with a man. And then Haerin will have company, she will be happy. It's the only thing that matters to me."

Yunho nodded, a smile decorating his lips. His cheeks and ears were slightly red. He rummaged in the pockets of his blouse and took out a piece of paper which he handed to you. You discovered a phone number messily written and looked up at the doctor. "It's... this is my private number, call me if you need anything. I'm bringing Haerin home Tuesday afternoon, is that okay?" "It's perfect, thank you very much, Doctor." "Call me Yunho, I think we're going to be spending a lot of time together, from now on." He smiled at you and stood up, waving at your daughter, leaving you in your chair, processing the words he had just said to you.

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greytoiletpaper · 4 years

Text

Out on Allen Street, it’s 7 in the Morning

Set in the Street Siblings au by @a-sketchy-character | @streetsiblings without which I may not have had the motivation to write this much.

Drizzle | Deluge | Squall | AO3

Chapter 4: susurration

The world is dark.

Somehow, she knows how many marks and cuts criss-cross her body; how many bruises decorate her like a canvas. But she can’t feel them, not even one.

Instead, all she can do is listen, tuning in to the rain as it pours, as red droplets fall in time off of Mad Dog’s blade. If she really listens to the sound, it almost sounds like a different boy’s laughter.

She focuses on the noise and it alone, her body so perfectly still.

Mad Dog thrusts his blade to her chest, and Cassandra’s eyes open.

They’ve only been in Gotham for a week, yet, it feels like he never left. At least for Park Row, the “Crime Alley”, the city has never changed. Slowly, the Red Hood and Ravager make the area their own. He does everything to make sure that the Bat never catches a whiff of what he’s doing. He knows it is pointless; even if Bruce knew, he would be too much of a coward to venture into the evil heart of the city.

It infuriates him, the remnants of the old argument. If Batman was ever truly needed. It would be - no, should be - here. In the black, beating heart of Gotham, where crime and cruelty channel through its citizens as if it were in their own blood. Yet for all he prattles about his crusade of justice, Bruce will never set foot into Crime Alley; too hung up on the ghosts of his past to banish the ones that haunt others.

It’s why he’s wearing the original persona of the man who murdered him. Jason had lived these streets, born and raised and died because of them. Deep down, Jason understands what Bruce simply refuses to believe. Some people simply want to watch the world burn, and they can never be stopped, only carefully controlled, managed or otherwise taken out. He never wants what happened to him to be inflicted on someone else. Not if he can help it.

Now, Red Hood is here, slinking through the darkened hallways of Arkham. Past every guard and camera until he arrives at one particular cell. He knocks on the door, and a mop of neon green flips upwards.

The madman beams; his eyes are whirlpools of chaotic energy.

“What’s this? Birdy clipped his wings!” The Joker begins, guffawing like a howling hyena. “I was wondering when you’d come back to see me, little Jay.”

To his credit, Jason doesn’t react. The pneumatic seals of the helmet hiss as it comes off. The Joker never takes his eyes off his face.

“There you are, my boy. Just like your uncle Jay” The lunatic says without tone, feral grin seeming plastered. “Say, you seen Cass anywhere?”

That makes him shift uneasily on his feet. The Joker leans in close, almost conspiratorially.

“You think the Bat ran her out? That he…” Something morbid flashes in the eyes of his monster. “Killed her just like I did you?”

Jason wants to drive his fists into the man’s back. Stamp on his legs until the bones shatter. Bludgeon him over and over with whatever is on hand until the madman’s flesh is nothing but paste. Instead, he stands frozen as the cackling echoes around the room and in his ears.

“I’m not doing this for you,” Is what he says. “And I’m not doing this for me either.”

His hand lifts the pistol from its holster.

“I’m doing this because someone has to do what Batman can’t.”

The Joker takes the words in stride, nodding to himself. To Jason, it’s the calmest he has ever seen him.

“Not a fan of the whole motorcycle fetish style, but to each his own,” The madman’s eyes, still rotting in their own insanity, meet his. Something about the gaze seems so clear despite the instability. “You’re going to be wonderful for the Red Hood name.”

He sighs.

“When you do it, boy, make sure you get as much of the colour out of me.”

Jason nods and presses the barrel into Joker’s forehead, closes his eyes, and everything is silent.

He presses his hand to the glass, the rain sliding down the pane on the other side, its streams the same lengths as the rivers that flow from his red crown.

Fact One, a statement: Roman Sionis is the Black Mask, one of Gotham's most powerful crime lords with connections running deeply in the underground drugs and weapons trade.

Fact Two, an amendment: Roman Sionis is the Black Mask, arguably one of Gotham's most powerful crime lords with sizeable connections in the weapons trade.

Fact Three, a truth: He is absolutely livid with the Red Hood and the Ravager.

Roman stares at the text on the notepad; he picks it up and throws it across the room.

In the space of two nights, the new duo had taken over his entire drug operation and cut off every tie Roman had to Crime Alley. Internally, he thinks ‘cut off’ is still too lacking a description. Half of his thugs breathing through tubes for days. Pimps found castrated and dangling from lampposts. Drug dealers with their mouths frothing as they dissociated. If the rumour mill among villains is anything to go by, Red Hood had killed the Joker in his own damn cell. Roman shudders. He’d seen the images from the crime.

The pair are definitely a threat, and Roman needs him gone as soon as possible. Hiring the Joker would have been one of the best choices: effective, relatively cheap and definitely motivated to take on whoever dares don his previous mantle. Alas, reality disagrees.

Black Mask picks up the phone, ready to dial the more expensive alternative. He sighs and hopes they don’t call Deathstroke the ‘Terminator’ for nothing.

Cassandra dives away at the last second, adrenaline flushing through her body and lifting the fog from her mind. Her opponent’s blade impacts with the ground, firmly planting itself the whole way. Mad Dog, clearly thrown off, becomes an easy target with her renewed energy.

She does not hold back, unleashing a flurry of blows to the assassin’s chest, even as he tries to hold his defence together. With renewed focus, she redirects every strike he makes and strikes him back thrice as hard.

It is not long until Mad Dog is at Cassandra’s mercy, nearly a bloody pulp under her hand.

“Finish it,” Shiva calls suddenly, and she almost complies. But, with her hazy vision, the images of Faizul and the assassin blend together. The vertigo Cassandra is feeling becomes sharper, and she’s drowning in it.

In her hesitation, Shiva tuts and stabs her own blade into Mad Dog’s heart, crimson fluid spraying in all directions.

Cass doubles over, desperately heaving, and liquid green purges from her body.

Bruce stares up at the readout on the Batcomputer. There are new players in Gotham, but there’s something that makes them stand out from the others. They make headway faster than he’s ever seen it, clearing out and claiming Park Row as their own territory in a week.

Twenty-seven confirmed kills and thirty-four hospitalisations. He would have stopped with his investigation then and there. Yet, the detective in him tugs the back of his mind. He checks through the names again and finds that each one is attached to a laundry list of crimes that become more appalling the further he reads.

Then Red Hood killed the Joker; and for the first time since the madman’s debut, Gotham is quiet.

Bruce rubs his face in his hands and turns to the screens entirely dedicated to monitoring his daughter Cassandra. (The memorial makes itself known in his peripheral vision.) Her work in Hong Kong as Black Bat had been phenomenal so far. Every story he can find of her weaves the same story: Black Bat, hero of the Forgotten. Of the waylaid and the oppressed.

What would they think? Bruce finally turns to the statue, mouthing the words on the plaque to himself.

“Can you promise something for me, Bruce? Just one thing?”

“Anything for you, Jaylad.”

He tears his eyes away.

Damian becomes cagey whenever either of the three vigilantes come up in conversation. It is suspicious, but he has had the lesson very solidly ironed in his mind how unconducive to understanding he can be. So, he gives his son his space.

Despite the child's refined nature, little pieces of him remind him of Jason, far beyond the boy's temper, pride, or even his cursing. Bruce had seen Damian in the library once, his fingers tracing the spine of a newer copy of Huckleberry Finn.

Red and orange flash by his primary monitor, and Bruce pulls himself from his thoughts.

Batman rises, ready to confront whatever ghosts will taunt him in the shadows.

The world roars in her ears, and no matter how hard she tries, Cassandra can’t stop the erratic sequence of deep breaths that claw out her throat. For once she’s glad she’s not wearing her old costume. The mask reminded her too much of smoke inhalation and chains and-.

“Why?” She rasps in a throaty, breathless voice that has not escaped her for years. “Why would you do this?”

“Can’t a mother test the progress of her daughter?” Shiva replies coolly. Her stance gives off nothing, so Cassandra does not deign her a response.

“He went looking for me, you should know.”

Her head snaps up.

“He was curious. A unique girl who can read the body as if it were a book and a unique woman who can do the very same? An unlikely coincidence,” Shiva turns her head away, ducked down as if she had already admitted too much. “He asked me, if it was my choice to leave you with your father.”

“It wasn’t.”

Sandra nods.

“He told me that was, and I quote, ‘a load of shit’.”

“Sounds like Jason,” Cass mutters under her breath. A hush falls between them, not comfortable but not unwelcome either.

“It is not me you came here for,” Sandra says with such conviction that Cass can’t help but gape in her disbelief. Of course, she did. Shiva gave birth to her.

Before she can voice her thoughts, Sandra grasps her shoulder and wraps her arms around Cass.

“You’ll find your brother soon. I can promise you that.”

Gotham rumbles, her shock snaking through the crown of her scalp. She knows that tonight is the night; when events will pass and tear the whole city asunder. For better or for worse, she cannot tell.

But she is eager to find out for herself.

“Think that’s a wrap for tonight?” Jason asks quietly, almost inaudible over the Gotham rain. It’s the only coherent sentence he’s made in days, so Rose takes what she can get.

“Probably, you’re not shanghaiing me into grabbing groceries, right?”

“Maybe,” He chuckles, but even though his voice is filtered by their comms, she can tell it’s forced. “Anyone ever tell you how similar some of our problems are?”

“Really? You realised this just now?” Rose rolls her eyes because, honestly. “I mean, at least your dad isn’t some psycho assassin supervillain.”

“Aww, Rosie, making your old man sad. Truly, I’m hurt,” Hues from orange and blue armour melt from the shadows as Deathstroke emerges, eyeing her. “You don’t wear the uniform like Grant did.”

“It’s not meant to and either way, I barely knew him or Joey.” She draws her blades, trying to hide how much her arms are shaking. It doesn’t help. “No thanks to you.”

“Is that Slade?” Jason’s voice is like music to her ears, relaxing her muscles in the ways she needs.

“I made your brothers stronger,” There’s an edge to Slade’s voice, sharp as the glistening blade he brandishes. Ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. “I suggest you come with me so you can be the same.”

“What, dead because of problems you caused?” She laughs shakily, grimacing under her mask. “I suggest you fuck off.”

“I’m coming, Rose.”

“No can do. There’s a hit on the two of you, and its fait accompli,” Deathstroke makes a ‘what-can-you-do?’ gesture and Rose darts forward, her tears faster than the raindrops that dance on her skin.

Batman has followed the Red Hood for hours now, and he has no idea what to think. He expected someone wielding the Joker’s former identity to be as insane as the Clown Prince himself. Yet, the red helmet only bobs up and down as if it were in conversation rather than rotating listlessly.

Despite how antithetical the new face in Gotham is to his beliefs, some actions catch him off guard about the man.

While he has seen no deaths on this patrol, with every bone the criminal breaks, the same hands offer food to street children and escort working girls to their homes. Bruce is thrown, viscerally, into a memory of the bird that flew beside him to do the very same.

The Dark Knight watches him stalk through Park Row, freeze and then take off in another direction.

It is time.

He pursues the criminal, sprinting across the rooftops of Gotham, gliding above catwalks and fire escapes. Within minutes, he overtakes and blocks the path ahead of Red Hood, who curses and vaults over his body.

Or at least, he tries to as Batman grips the man’s ankle and slams him back into the pavement. Hood never misses a second, drawing a knife and swiping at his limbs. He lets go; the man faces him again, twirling the knife round and round.

“B,” A modulated voice hangs in the air, but there is a quality to it that tickles his conscious, like an old ghost whispering in his ears.

“Red Hood, I suggest you surrender peacefully, or I –.”

“Cut the act, alright? You think that just because you’re Batman, nobody can be above you,” Red Hood laughs. Through the modulator of his helmet, it comes off as hollow. “The truth with a saying like that –.” The knife is stowed away. “– It just means nobody is beneath you either.”

The criminal grapples him; kick, jab, punch, kick again in a rapid dance of attacks that Bruce can barely keep up with. Some of the criminal’s movements are achingly familiar yet so foreign that the composite form nauseates him. Red hood strikes over and over until he actually has him, the Dark Knight, pinned.

“And some of us can’t wait to drag you all the way down.”

Jason had always had a gift for speaking. His sister’s hands may be knives, but his words were bullets.

Breaking out of the Red Hood’s hold, that is what Bruce muses in his mind.

They’ve been at a game of cat and mouse for so long now. Locked in a chase of diving and darting around a maze of alleyways and rooftops. Jason drops on one of them and turns to face his pursuer, who draws short away from him.

“What, can’t work it out?” He triggers the seals on his helmet as he lifts it off. Without the lenses he can see, even in the rain, the second Bruce recognises him. “You really didn’t care enough to remember my name or something?”

“Jason,” Bruce’s tone gives off nothing and everything. “W-Why are you doing this? How are you –.”

“I’m doing this because you refuse to do what needs to be done.” Jason snarls, venom laced in every word. “You want to rule them by fear, but you never go any further with the ones who aren’t afraid.”

“Jason, I don’t under-.”

“I died for your cause, and in less than a year you shove some other kid in the uniform so he can die too!” He is raving now. He also doesn’t care. “You let my murderer run wild and slaughter thousands and when someone finally steps up to do what needed to be done, you cut her out?”

“I had to –.”

“Had to what? Isolate her? Run her out of the only family she’s ever known? She was my sister, my whole fucking world; who believed in you and you left her like she means nothing to you! Cass is gone now, and that is your fault!”

“If you would –.”

“Do you even remember? That the only thing I ever made you swear to me, that you vowed on your life, was that you’d never let her down?” For once this night, his voice isn’t angry or vicious. It is a void, detached from any feeling. “Guess I should have known better.”

He knows, almost intrinsically despite the years, that if there is one thing that Jason has said tonight, those are the words that pierce Batman’s defences. It’s why he lets Bruce rush forward like he wants to. Allows the chase to continue. When he jumps, Jason lands in an apartment that carries the same bloodstains that leaked down his mother’s arms a lifetime ago.

Black Bat arrives in Gotham, and superficially, it is empty. She almost hails Barbara when bright flashes shine in her peripheral vision. Lo and behold, Deathstroke and an unknown are locked in a duel below her.

Cassandra drops from above, and at that moment, she kicks Deathstroke into a wall hard enough to knock him unconscious. His opponent, she notices, stops immediately.

Before her is a girl, hair silver under the moonlight, garbed in orange and black.

Then the Batmobile rounds the corner, a small figure rising from the hatch.

"Black Bat," Robin says, "You have not responded to Oracle, she was-."

Damian's eyes bug out once he notices the girl beside Cassandra. She fully expects him to snarl or draw his ridiculously long katana. Instead, uncharacteristically rushes forward and embraces the girl tightly instead.

"Wilson. A-are you finally assisting us in Gotham?" Damian says, even with his head buried in a shoulder. "Drake may be intelligent, but his incompetence with the sword is impossible to rectify."

"Missed you too, D-man," The girl chuckles and ruffles the boy's hair. "I would help, but what’s up with tall, slim and broody over there?"

Cassandra crosses her arms expectantly at Robin, who obviously only just remembered her presence when he unlatches himself immediately. His cheeks may be red, but Damian still raises his chin proudly.

"I found her, Rose," His body language and eyes seem to sing. "I found his ukht."

The girl spins sharply, wolfish eyes drawn wide. “You’re her,” Rose breathes, awe rippling off her body. “You’re Cass.”

She would have flinched, but the body language is so familiar. Cass tilts her head.

“Yes.”

Rose grabs her arm so hastily that she almost rips it back in shock. But something is so honest about her body language that Cass relents, letting the girl lead her where she is needed.

He kneels, tracing the dark stains. Behind him, Batman pauses. Not even he would dare to disturb the sanctity of this room.

“Jaylad, please -.”

“Don’t call me that. That isn’t who I am,” Jason rounds on Bruce. He gestures to the shattered window, the ripped upholstery, and the bloodstained floor. “This is what I grew up being, what I never wanted anyone else to.”

He taps the insignia on Bruce’s chest with his pistol.

“That, right here, was your promise to people like me. People that needed help and protection,” He spits. “And you couldn’t even do it for the ones closest to you.”

"I just want to-."

"Want to what? Parade your antiquated sense of morality to hide, while the rest of the world suffers for what you refuse to do? Or cast out others from taking it in their own hands?"

Tears are building in his eyes, but he wipes them away while Batman stands ramrod straight.

"I don't think you understand. That you've never understood," The man begins, and Jason gapes because what the hell does that mean? "If I let myself cross that line, even for Joker, I won't ever come back."

"You know what I think about that, Bruce?" Jason breathes deeply, feeling the whispers of the Pit roaring with the heavy rain in his ears. "I think that's a huge self-aggrandizing load of bullshit."

He charges forward, knocking Batman's legs from under him and ramming his face into the ground. Batman is down to his knees before either can even blink.

"And I'm so fucking tired of hearing it."

Jason levels the barrel at Bruce’s forehead, torbernite lining the edges of his vision, engulfing him in an absence.

“What’s the use of you learning to do right when it’s troublesome to do right?”

Then, her voice shatters the tension in the air, gripping his heart and silencing the susurrations of the rain that suffocated his ears.

“When it ain’t no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same.”

“Cass?” The boy in the alleyway says. A gun. An apple in his hand. The girl falters in the doorway, her fist tongue clenches, and she nods.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

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ohthethingswedoforlove · 4 years

Text

Yandere!GLaDOS and Yandere!Wheatley headcanons

Author’s note: Recently, I’ve been watching a let’s play of this game and not only was I flooded with memories of these two bastard robots but also with ideas of how to turn them yandere. Let’s see how that goes!

Warnings: yandere characters; violence; mentions of death; verbal abuse; major spoilers for the game;

GLaDOS

With GLaDOS it's... Well, a bit hard to understand if she even gives a shit about you in any way, or if the reason why she hasn't killed you yet is simply because she would much rather have a human test subject instead of some glorified pieces of metal with legs and a barely functioning brain.

She certainly seems to want to make her dislike towards you very clear, that's for sure.

She's quite verbal about it.

But, for someone who supposedly despises you, she sure doesn't want to let you out of her sight.

It's her job, that's what she'll tell you.

She wouldn't even bother to watch such a excuse of a creature otherwise. Even for a human, you're quite pathetic.

Testing should not stop even when everything you love outside this facility is long dead and gone, she not so gently reminds you.

Though operational once again... She may have underestimated how much her personality cores seemed to be keeping her together.

She has become rather strange since the... Incident. Or perhaps that's just what being dead for quite a while does to someone, she guesses.

Oh, she hates you, don't get me wrong.

But there's something keeping her from killing you. Which is hilarious, considering the fact that her morality has been quite literally burnt to a crisp, if her memory serves her correctly.

But she humors the idea that perhaps it would be more satisfying to watch you slowly die and decay with the passage of years. She has an eternity of time to kill, after all. There's nothing more to it.

So why is that when you get separated from her with the aid of that moron, the only thing she can think about is finding you and getting you back?

She shouldn't care. It's not like he could get you far in this facility. If you don't end up accidently dying due to endless hazards of this place, she should be able to find you both and finally get rid of the walking nuisance that you are.

But... She doesn't.

Uncharacteristically to her, she tries to promise you better treatment if you come back to the test chambers and even suggests alternative escape routes (which she just plans to use as traps to catch you), saying the you really shouldn't trust that tiny spherical retard that you are calling "friend".

But you don't trust her. Of course you don't. You know better than to trust her. Besides, no matter how much she tries to sound a bit gentle, her cynicism and hostility seem to always break through anyway.

She thought she would hate you even more after you managed to get the idiot to the Central AI Chamber, trusting him completely and letting the core transfer happen.

You had just let the biggest and most unstable moron that ever lived be in charge of the whole facility. Now she was stuck inside of a potato battery, lost in the long abandoned parts of the Enrichment Center, miles and miles underground.

With you.

But, surprisingly, if the little underground journey you two had been forced to go through taught her anything, is that she may not hate you as much as she likes to let both herself and you believe.

No longer being attached to the Central AI Chamber, alongside with the slow recollection of memories of Caroline and helping you achieve your conjoined goal of reaching Weathley and dethroning him, gave her... A new view on you. And on her relationship with you.

You aren't her enemy! You're her friend! She doesn't hate you, she... Doesn't hate you.

She isn't sure if she's capable of even "feeling" love, but... She can guess that this is the closest that she had ever gotten and ever will to "loving" someone.

Unfortunately, that didn't last long.

When you two finally managed to defeat Wheatley and put her back on the mainframe... It felt like resetting all of that progress.

Something about the mainframe corrupts whatever's attached to it. She figures that was exactly what had happened to the moron.

She deleted Caroline from her brain. She didn't need her, she thought. It was nothing but a inconvenience, something too human that stops her from completing her tasks efficiently.

But even then, she just couldn't get rid of you.

She didn't even need to kill you. Just... Let you go. Let you have that freedom you crave so much. You're just going to cause more trouble if you stay, anyway.

But she can't seem to let you go.

Against her better judgment and your pleading, she throws you right back into the test chambers.

At this point, she doesn't even care if you decide to complete the tests or not.

She had created two backups for a reason, before all of this happended.

She'll monitor the testing of the two robots instead, doing as she had always done with you beforehand.

From time to time, in between tests, she checks up on you. She makes sure to know where you are at all times, being careful to not let you get far in case you do move through the tests. She has learnt a lot about how you function by this point.

Sometimes you wonder is she's still here. She barely even talks to you anymore, preferring to simply watch you with a strange and supposedly impossible feeling of melancholy clinging to her.

When she does talk, it's usually just to calmly detail to you how you won't be able to leave, no matter how hard you try.

Wouldn't it be better if you just give up?

The outside world isn't the paradise you're expecting, anyway. You'll die a horrible, painful death out there.

At least you're still alive. With her.

Wheatley

When it comes to Wheatley you have to understand that he's... Well, stupid. There's no way around that one, really.

Though, while he was still in his spherical core body, he wasn't much of a problem.

A moron, yes, but a rather lovable and somewhat helpful moron.

He only wanted to help out, given that you would help him as well. You two had a common goal in mind, after all. To get out of this place, preferably alive.

He has to admit, the moments when two had worked together were rather nice.

He wasn't really expecting much from a human, especially one that had been in suspension for such a long time. He's not even sure how your brain still functions, to be perfectly honest.

But maybe it was the thrill of escape, coupled with finally being able to make his own decisions and having someone who wasn't treating him like a living liability at every minute, that made him... A bit attached to you.

At first he figured that it was simply out of convenience and mutual helpfulness that he wanted to stay near you.

But when he finally came to after being nearly crushed to bits by GLaDOS herself when you two accidently activated her, his first thought was about how his friend was in danger and he had to get them back. He needed to. Not just for the sake of the plan, but also for your sake. Mostly for your sake.

His attachment only grew as you two later reunited and continued on a new escape plan, reaching a way to confront GLaDOS. Properly this time.

It was when you both decided to initiate the core transfer and let him take her place that things started to go downhill fast.

The mainframe quickly corrupted him.

But maybe it wasn't just the mainframe.

Maybe it was that alongside with the sudden realization that now he is in control of everything. The whole facility!

Tiny little Wheatley, who during his entire pathetic existence had been told that he was nothing but a useless moron, is suddenly in control of everything.

He's the boss now.

And you also quickly found out that, for a robot, Wheatley is... Surprisingly emotional.

He has a big inferiority complex.

He tends to let his anger and need to validate himself absolutely control all of his actions.

He doesn't care about what you think.

Or that's what he tells you, at least.

But the second something questions his authority he loses it.

It would be hilarious, really, the way he seems so terrifying and in control one moment only to crumble into a disjointed panic the next.

It would be, if he wasn't bringing the whole Enrichment Center to crumble down along with him.

When he realized that you had joined forces with GLaDOS he went livid.

How dare you? After all that he did for you and him both? You're just going to betray him like that?

He's going to bring this whole place to the ground to prove a point, if he has to.

Now that you are back on the upper levels of the Enrichment Center he isn't planning on letting you go anywhere.

At first, he thought he could keep you as a test subject.

But after you proved yourself to be quite stubborn in your continued attempts to escape this place, he decided he didn't need you for that anymore.

Quite literally. He did found two perfectly functional robots that GLaDOS had left behind to serve as test subjects.

You have been more trouble than you're worth, he tells you. Only to then disclose how he's actually planning to kill you.

And he did had the intentions to go through with it... Well, until his anger cleared enough to actually let him realize who he was going to kill.

He shouldn't have hesitated, but he did.

And you managed to run from the scene. Not surprising, considering that you've been running circles around him for a while now.

But that was the last straw.

He started to bring everything in your possible paths to come crashing against themselves, constantly going between screaming at you to not dare to run away from him and pleading for you to get back in complete panic.

In the midst of all the chaos and destruction, you end up getting separated from your Portal Gun and, consequently, from GLaDOS. That left you trapped inside a closed-off amalgamation of two test chambers that had been crushed together, with no way to get out.

It had been an accident, but it was the best damn accident that had happened so far, in Wheatley's opinion.

Maybe you should stay there. Maybe you shouldn't go anywhere until you learn your lesson. If you can't behave, you might as well stay there completely isolated until you see how his company is actually preferable, a godsend really.

You're in a race against time with Wheatley, you really are.

Because this is all going to come down whether or not he's actively trying to cause it. With the way he's running this place, it's not going to last much longer.

So you either manage to reach the Central AI Chamber in time to, somehow, do another core transfer; or, more probably, you are going to need to convince him to do something to stop this.

And you're going to need to spell it out for him too. He's a dumbass, he has no idea of what he's doing or what's going on, so he's just going to ignore the blaring alarms and warnings screeching at him that this place is literally going to explode.

He's not hard to trick. But he's stubborn.

You're going to need to swallow your pride and give him what he wants, if you want to get out of confinement.

And what does he want from you, exactly?

He's... Not sure, actually.

Maybe a bit of respect. Maybe some appreciation for everything that he has done. Maybe even gratitude over the fact that he chose not to kill you. Yeah, that. Maybe if you show that you can act as civilized as you humans seem so convinced you are, he'll let you out and back on the testing tracks or something.

Honestly, if you want to pull the rug out from under him, just tell him that you love him. As a friend, or just in general, really.

He'll be completely caught off guard. It's... Not what asked out of you exactly, but... It's close enough, he decides.

And by "close enough" he actually means way better than he expected. Surprisingly so. Though he won't really tell you that.

From now on, your survival depends fully on how well you can keep Wheatley calm.

While rather easy to fool, he's also incredibly unstable.

Though he does like to believe that you're finally on his side and that he can keep you here, he'll lose his shit if he even suspects that you may have lied to him or are just using him to escape.

Then it's right back to the closed-off test chamber with you.

#tw yandere #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere imagines #yandere headcanons #yandere wheatley #yandere wheatley x reader #yandere glados #yandere glados x reader #yandere portal #yandere portal x reader #tw violence #tw death #tw verbal abuse

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saiilorstars · 4 years

Text

Dare To Forget Me

Ch. 23: Tangled

/ Previous chapters /

Fandom: Law & Order SVU

Pairing: Rafael Barba x Female OC

Warnings: Due to the nature of the series’ plots, I do have to rate this as ‘mature’ for constant mentions of rape.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ` 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: Clare Wilson's case continues to get more and more tangled, but that's nothing compared to what Montserrat and Rafael have going on.

Alright, so plans weren't turning out so well...for some people. Others actually got to where they needed to be on time. Like a professional does.

Montserrat practically ran down a hallway, slowing down only when she saw Rafael coming out of Judge Dolan's office. He looked peeved...and this time with good reasons.

"Where the hell is Rollins?" he demanded from the detective who was out of breath.

"I... don't know…" he took in a deep breath. "I just got a call from Liv and I dragged my ass out here."

"No good, you're still late," his snap was met with a glare.

"Hey, at least I'm here. And did I mention you're crankier in the mornings? Didn't think that was possible, by the way."

Rafael ignored her and led the way down the hallway. "We need to get Clare out now."

Still, Montserrat had to follow him. "Dolan signed the release forms?"

"Yes. I got him to do it because I was here on time," he purposely said loudly.

"You should be grateful I'm here," she snapped this time. "It wasn't my turn."

"Sorry," he scoffed. "Didn't know my presence was so bothersome to you that you had to tag team now."

"Don't be like that, please," she moved up so she could walk alongside him instead of behind. Her plead had come not in a snap, nor a demand, but instead in a way that sounded exactly like what it was: a plead.

Against his will, Rafael was forced to calm his snaps. It was that little effect she had on him that he wished she didn't. Because if she didn't, then it would be a lot easier to put some distance between them. It would be so much easier to show her that he was not the right person for her.

"Let's just go get Clare and go home," he said calmer but still put a bit more speed into his walk to leave her behind. It was simply for the best.

~0~

With Amanda being a confirmed no-show, Montserrat was the one to go directly to the officers in charge of the juvenile facility to get Clare back. There she was at the front desk, anxiously giving out Clare's information to get her back.

"Mm, one of those," the officer hummed after pulling up the right profile.

Montserrat made a face at the woman. "What does that mean?"

The officer ignored the question and moved on to what she found. "You're a little late. Yeah, she started acting up, so we gave her diesel therapy." At Montserrat's blank face, the officer elaborated. "Put her on a bus to Knollwood Juvenile."

"And where's that?"

"The Delaware border," the officer's rude manner pushed Montserrat more than where she already was.

The detective glared with a crinkled nose. "Well, thank you for nothing." She turned away and ignored the officer's face. She made it back to Rafael and told him what happened and of course had his first outraged response all to herself.

"Are you kidding me!?" he looked ready to go to the officer himself.

"Nothing I can do! She's out of our reach-"

Rafael brought a hand to his forehead and rubbed circles over it. "Maybe if you or Rollins had been here on time we would've caught her."

"Woah, I know you are not blaming me for this," she stepped closer to him and glared.

But like before, they were evenly matched.

He stepped closer as well and leveled her glare with his own. "Were you here on time? Was Rollins?"

"It wasn't my call," she said slowly. She was well aware of their proximity but this time he had her so irritated she wanted to smack him not kiss him. "Amanda was meant to be in. I had plans! I had the day off!"

"Oh, excuse me, then," Rafael sarcastically said as he backed away. He did it for measures though. "What plans did you have that were more important than your job?"

"Seeing my brother who's been gone for an entire month," Montserrat spat, and did technically get through to the man. "Gael and Damien were on a business trip, remember? We even celebrated my birthday earlier because they weren't sure if they would be back before my birthday."

Yup, Rafael did remember that. Dammit. He inwardly sighed and started regretting all the animosity he spewed. "I'm sorry."

"I was supposed to be out today so I could see him. So sorry if it got in your way," Montserrat pushed past him towards the door.

Rafael thought about going after her but he knew she'd never listen to him right now. He'd be lucky if she did even when she was angry with him. Why couldn't Rollins just have gotten here like planned? he would think endlessly on the way home.

~0~

Hearing they missed Clare, Olivia decided to go straight for the girl herself in her new prison. She took Nick with her, in hopes of finally getting the girl back. In the meantime, when Amanda finally showed up later that day (much, much later), everyone had their go at her. But no one was more irritated than Montserrat.

"I got yelled at because you didn't show up!" the ginger was shouting in Amanda's face. "I had plans, too, you know."

Amanda had a headache. It was a terrible, terrible headache that was borderline a migraine. She nursed a cup of coffee and just nodded as Montserrat yelled at her. When Montserrat was done, the ginger returned to her desk and plopped down while she waited for Amanda to finally speak.

"I'm sorry, guys. Something came up," Amanda said. Yeah, betting did. "It was irresponsible not to call in. That's my bad."

"Yeah," Montserrat snapped.

"Are you alright, Rollins?" Fin eyed the blonde woman with some concern. earlier in the day when they had first gotten word Amanda did not show up to Hudson county, Nick had talked to him on the side about Amanda's recent odd behavior. At the time, then just brushed Nick's words off. But now, looking at Amanda, he was beginning to think Nick was right in some sense.

Amanda seemed huddled as she took her seat at her desk. Even her nod is kind of off. "Yeah. Just not my best day." She glanced over at Montserrat, genuinely looking sorry for putting the ginger into that situation. "I'm sorry, Montserrat. I didn't mean to ruin your day."

Montserrat didn't say anything but she sensed Amanda's honesty. It wasn't so much that she had to cancel her plans with her brother, as it was that she'd been forced to be with Rafael when she was clearly not ready because all she seemed to do was argue with him, even more now. And that was saying something.

"Let's just focus on Perry's connections, shall we?" Sonny eventually asked after the silence became too awkward.

It was really the best they could do to push away the hard feelings. However, after a few hours they got a call from a very angry Olivia who ordered them to do some digging on the new prison Clare was in, Knollwood. As soon as they had something concrete, they were to meet her with Rubirosa and Rafael.

Olivia was livid even after they met her. And as she told the group how they found Clare's new prison, it just got her riled up even more. "Forget about releasing Clare. They wouldn't even let us see her!"

Nick, who was a bit more calm than Olivia, added, "They said she was in solitary. And she's staying in there no matter what."

"We called a contact at Jersey DOC, but he said Knollwood sets its own rules," Fin said.

"Knollwood's a private facility?" Rafael asked, even though he assumed the answer based on everything Olivia had told them so far (well, raged about).

"Oh yeah, owned and operated," Sonny answered. "The state pays per prisoner each day that they're there."

"It's pretty lucrative," Amanda remarked as she picked up a file she and Montserrat worked on before coming. It was the only way they wouldn't argue and once they found out more about Knollwood, setting aside their differences wasn't that hard. "They hit record profits just last quarter. So the more prisoners they get, the more money they make."

"And they're not exactly putting those profits back into the facility or rehab," Montserrat crinkled her nose as she remembered the details and accompanying photographs they'd found in their research.

"We get that," Rafael said dismissively while he went through his own paperwork.

Montserrat gave him a look for that. "No-" that sharpness made him involuntarily wince and look up to meet her hardened gaze, "-you really don't. There have been dozens of attempted teenage suicides. There's allegations of drug abuse, violence, sexual abuse-"

"-can we just put reforming the for-profit prison system on hold and focus on Clare?" he managed to cut through, not that it made Montserrat any happier.

"I was getting to that, Counselor," she smiled sarcastically. "If you'd let me talk. So every judge in Jersey- they send a few kids there a year, but Judge Dolan - 90% of his juveniles end up there."

"So the judge is funneling them business," Rubirosa got in and asked the winning question. "What's Knollwood funneling back to him?"

"We'll get back to you on that," Amanda made an apologetic face.

"And the Perry money trail?" asked Rafael.

"We have forensic accountants tearing his books apart, but he still won't give us the name of Clare's rapist," Sonny said. "And he had the Hudson County legal system railroad Clare. I mean, whoever this rapist is, he has serious hooks."

Olivia understood that and it made her even angrier they couldn't get to him. "So, Fin, Amaro, Carisi, keep hitting Perry. Novak, Rollins, keep digging at Knollwood. In the meantime-" she turned to the two ADAs, "-do you guys have any plan at all to get Clare out of there?"

Judging by Rubirosa's face, it appeared she'd been thinking about it for a while now. "I'm gonna get a forthwith order releasing Clare to New York's DOC."

"How is that any different from the last one?" Montserrat curiously asked.

"Even if she's in solitary, the warden will have to release her immediately."

Montserrat nodded and, very lowly, whispered to Sonny, "She's good." Sonny knew she had to have hated making that admission considering how she felt towards Rubirosa.

~0~

Thankfully, Rubirosa followed through and allowed SVU to finally take Clare somewhere safe. At this point, it was back to the hospital so she could rest and get back to normal health. Prison had done a number on her again.

"They drugged me," Clare said with a scratch voice. She'd been given a room in the hospital for her to peacefully rest in and was now receiving a visit from Montserrat. "They said I was out of control. I mean, I know I'm no white dove but…I didn't deserve that."

Montserrat watched the girl's eyes get watery and felt rage towards the prison ward, as well as the whole situation in general. "I'm so sorry, Clare, but we're working on bringing Perry down right now."

"Did he tell you the name of my rapist?"

"...no," Montserrat watched the little hope Clare had leave her body with slumped shoulders. "But we will, okay? We told you we're not giving up on you, remember?"

"You guys got me out of there," Clare said, reminding herself that even though they did get the chance to abandon her they didn't. "It was awful there."

"I heard," Montserrat said sadly.

"They dry-celled me in solitary. There was no running water. They called it the brown room. I had to sleep on the floor with no blankets. The other kids - everyone had bruises," Clare looked down at her arms which, surprisingly, bore no said bruises. "I guess I got lucky in that department."

"You're never going back there again, I promise," Montserrat got up from her seat to check her buzzing phone. "That's my partner. We may have gotten a breakthrough somewhere. I'll come back, okay?"

Clare nodded and smiled at the detective. "Thanks for being here."

"Of course," Montserrat offered a smile of her own then headed out of the room. As soon as she was outside the room, she sighed. She just kept thinking about her niece and it sickened her that no one else was watching out for Clare.

~ 0 ~

By the time Montserrat returned to the precinct, the group was already at the conference table discussing their recent findings on Perry.

"How was Clare?" Olivia asked her once she joined them.

"In honesty, she's had a rough few days," Montserrat sighed. "But I think she'll be good now, even more so if we manage to catch her rapist."

"Well, maybe we're getting there," Amanda walked over to the board of their case. "The Masconis are the ones getting the money from Knollwood."

"So did we get anywhere with Perry's byzantine financial system?" Montserrat looked at the men who'd been in charge of that.

"No, but we decided to take an alternate route," Fin said. "We took a look at Judge Dolan's finances."

"Hm, let me guess. Beatrice D'Avola's PR firm pays him as a consultant?" Olivia asked.

"No, money flows the other way."

"Four years ago, the Judge starts writing checks to local assemblymen, the Governor as well. 40 grand a year," Sonny relayed from one document they'd been able to get.

"The Governor?" Rafael stopped him, as if to mean for Sonny to check his details again.

"He's the one who appoints county prosecutors," Rubirosa pointed out. "With the advice of local assemblymen. A lot of money for a family court judge."

"He had to take out a second mortgage," Nick shared with them.

"What, for campaign contributions? He still writing checks?"

"No, he stopped two years ago."

"And that's when Knollwood hired the PR firm owned by Masconi's mother-in-law," Montserrat was catching up on the files on the table. She crinkled her nose at that detail and looked up to see if they'd caught on with it too.

"And when Dolan starts dumping every juvie he comes across into Knollwood," Fin agreed with her.

"So Masconi says 'Jump' and Dolan says 'How high'?" Olivia was liking they were finally getting somewhere with the case. The deeper they were into the case, the more they could get for each culprit.

"What does he have on him?" Rubirosa leaned against the table, her dark eyes flickering from one picture on the board to the next.

Rafael came to stand beside her and gazed at the board himself. Well, like any group of criminals there was always the strong and the weak, the boss and the lackeys. "Masconi, Perry- they're old-school thugs. Dolan bullies teenage girls. Let's hit the weak link."

Montserrat had the misfortune of witnessing the brief smirk he shared with Rubirosa. She didn't like it.

~ 0 ~

"You're jealous?" Kara had no regards for prudence or plain kindness. She just laughed while the two set dinner at the table, six plates, while Montserrat practically slammed the forks down beside each plate.

"Funny, I was under the impression that you were my best friend who would not laugh at my misery," Montserrat's quiet sarcasm was responded with another small laugh.

"I'm sorry, but it's too funny."

"My misery?"

"Hey, if you would've listened before, then none of this would've happened."

"Except it would have because Rafael would have still said the same things he did now," Montserrat put the last of the utensils down. She brought her hands up to her hair that she pushed back. "Oh my God, this is ridiculous. If I hadn't kissed him none of this would be happening."

"But you would be stuck in an endless 'what if' pit," Kara pointed out, much more serious now that she saw how stressed Montserrat was.

"But it's got to be better than this, right?" Montserrat dropped her hands and pressed them against the table to lean forwards on. "Here I am being jealous of some woman who's just doing her job. And when I'm not being jealous, I'm arguing with Rafael. Anything would have been better than this. It's got to be."

Kara stared at her friend with sorrow. "Okay," she moved around the table and gently turned Montserrat around. "I know that's how you feel, but I know that getting it off your chest was the better choice, you know it too. It's hard, but it will pass. And whatever happens, you'll know you made the right choice."

Montserrat swallowed hard and pushed away any tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "Yeah…" she whispered.

There was an exciting knock on the door from one four year old calling out, "Auntie Montse! I have a new game! Auntie Montse!"

Kara chuckled. "Love her. You want me to wait a minute-"

Montserrat shook her head. "No, go answer it. I'm good." She drew in a breath while Kara walked towards the door. They were having dinner with their brothers, and Montserrat's nieces, and this was something she didn't want to ruin. Some good family time was exactly what she needed.

As soon as Kara opened the door, Ivana Novak scurried into the apartment and went straight for her aunt. Montserrat bent down to pick the girl up in time.

"Auntie Montse! I've got Candyland! Do you want to play!?"

"Where's my hug and kiss first?" Montserrat's demand was met immediately with one brief tight hug and a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"We can play now!?"

Montserrat laughed, a genuine laugh too. "Maybe after dinner, okay?"

Ivana nodded and was promptly set back on the floor. Montserrat moved on to hug Kara's brother, Damien, and then her brother, Gael.

"Please tell me you fixed your WiFi," Juliana's remark was practically ignored by Montserrat who pulled her into a tight hug. "Uh, okay…" Juliana was taken aback by the tightness of the hug. "Aunt Montse, are you alright?"

"Sorry," Montserrat pulled away from the teenager and looked at the others apologetically. "I have a case with a girl who reminds me of you, Julia. She's a year older than you but...she's had it tough."

"Oh god, what happened to her?"

"Lots of things, sweetie," Montserrat brought her, and prompted the others, towards the table. "We just got her out of prison after she'd been deprived of food and water, and sleep…"

"That's awful," Juliana made a face as she sat down. "Is she going to be okay now?"

"Course she is," Damien answered before Montserrat could. He smiled at the ginger. "Because your aunt's on the case now."

Montserrat smiled softly. "Thanks."

"C'mon, let's have some dinner," Kara said as she emerged from the kitchen with a tray of casserole.

"That smells good, Kara," Gael sniffed the air, along with Ivana. He could never deny that wasn't his daughter.

"I've been learning how to cook with Sonny," Kara proudly set the tray on the table.

"Yup, I'll give her that," Montserrat nodded. "We haven't had to call the firefighters in months now." Kara smacked her shoulder, making the others laugh.

"Just start serving or at least give me the spoon," Damien said as he searched for the spoon himself.

"I want to go first!" Ivana raised her hand and started getting up on her chair when Gael gently made her sit again.

"So Montse, was your birthday fun?"

Montserrat, who'd been drinking out of her glass, nearly choked on it when the subject changed. "What?" she looked at her brother with wide eyes. "Why? What have you heard?"

"Montse," Kara mumbled for the woman to get it together.

Gael was indeed staring at her sister. Montserrat cleared her throat and answered much calmer, "I...it was okay. It's never really fun turning 30, right?"

"I remember that," Damien nudged Gael on the side. "Remember our 30th?"

"I'd rather not," Gael agreed with a nod.

"I'm mad I didn't get to go to your party," Juliana crossed her arms, rather upset until Kara put a slice of casserole on her plate.

"It was at a bar," Montserrat reminded her. "No way your grandfather would let you go."

"Done good," Gael pointed. "But Montse, here's a gift I picked up. Juliana, sweetie?" Juliana nodded and got up from her chair to go retrieve a paper bag they'd left near the couch.

"A present?" Montserrat glanced to see her niece picking up the bag. "Oh no, please-"

"It's late, but I hope you like it," Gael took the bag from Juliana.

"Just so you know, I made sure it was good," Juliana warned Montserrat as she went back to her seat. "You know how men are with their gifts."

Montserrat chuckled as she reached a hand inside the bag. She pulled out a white rectangular box that she gingerly placed on the table. Inside she found a personalized, silver glass photo frame with a photo of herself, her father, Gael, the girls and Casey. To its right was an engraved phrase that read 'Our family may be small, but we are mighty' in Slovak, their home language.

"Oh that is beautiful, Gael!" Montserrat gawked. She remembered that photo from a birthday picnic they had for their father's birthday last year. "I love this!"

"Let me see!" Kara wiggled her fingers to get the frame. She tilted her head while she tried to read the foreign language. "What's that say?"

Montserrat took back the frame and read aloud, "Naša rodina môže byť malá, ale sme mocní. We may be small, but we are mighty."

"Aww, that's so cute," Kara chuckled.

"Okay, well, open mine now," Damien surprised her with his own gift that apparently fit inside his jacket.

"Guys…" Montserrat looked guilty for taking more presents, but no one seemed to care. Damien handed his present, shaped as a small box, to Montserrat. With a sigh, she took it and lifted its lid to find an emerald Kate Spade watch inside. It had light pink jewels on the glass of the watch. When Montserrat turned it over, she found her name engraved on the back. "Wow…" she blinked. "I…"

"Do you like it?" Damien seemed eager to hear the answer.

"Are you kidding? I love it," Montserrat laughed. "I'll probably wear this everyday!"

"That's the idea!"

Montserrat smiled at him then the others. For the next few hours, she'd finally get some peace.

~ 0 ~

The weakest link turned out to be even more fragile than Rafael had thought. Mere hours after Amanda and Fin visited Judge Dolan, the news of his suicide spread like wildfire through the media.

"This photo is probably why Judge Dolan killed himself," Amanda showed the group a picture of said judge with a 12 year old on his lap. "It was sent to him right before he killed himself.

Rubirosa took a closer look at the girl in the picture. "I know this girl. I saw her file. Miyako Nara, she was born into a massage parlor, passed around early."

"Where is this girl now?" Olivia asked.

"She disappeared four years ago. No trace of her since."

"Four years ago?" repeated Rafael, sounding like he'd just made a connection the others hadn't yet. "That's when Dolan started paying off Masconi's political cronies."

"Okay, now we know what Masconi has on Dolan," Nick said.

"Yeah but if they're smart then they definitely didn't send that picture on his own phone, right?" Montserrat watched Amanda shake her head. "Yeah."

"But the photo looks like a surveillance still from a private room at a strip club," Sonny pointedly looked at the group, reminding them what link they still had in their possession. "Miyako used to work at Perry's Jersey City club."

"All roads lead to Perry," Olivia bitterly said.

"Well, maybe Perry will talk now that Dolan's out of the picture," Montserrat suggested another round with the man.

"Worth a shot," Rubirosa agreed with her.

~ 0 ~

Clare shuddered a breath when she stepped into the lineup room to pick out the man who raped her. She couldn't believe they'd actually gotten him and that now it was just up to her to pick him out.

"Whenever you're ready," Montserrat gently brought the girl up to the glass.

Clare only needed to look once before she spotted the familiar man. "It's him, number three."

"Are you sure?" Olivia asked.

Clare nodded, swallowing roughly. "He raped me in the VIP room. It's like he thought I was part of the deal."

"Are we done here?" ADA Gina Masconi, Masconi's wife, moved forwards but Montserrat blocked the way to Clare. "I would like a word with my client."

"You mean your husband?" Olivia raised an eyebrow. "You're still standing by your man, Counselor?"

"Get some self respect," Montserrat muttered but was heard just fine by Masconi. "I'm going to bring Clare back to the group home. I'll be back later."

Olivia nodded for her to go and wished Clare well before they did.

~ 0 ~

"So the man who raped me is the prosecutor who charged me with fraud?" Clare felt like her head would hurt if she kept thinking about it. Montserrat was walking her down the group home hallway, back to her old room.

"Yeah, and the judge that put you away was being blackmailed by him," Montserrat added, but didn't expect Clare to remark about it. "I'm sorry. New Jersey- they're never gonna clean it up."

"But I'm safe now. They can't charge me?" Clare asked, stopping by the threshold of her room. "They can't send me back to Knollwood?"

"Absolutely not," Montserrat promised since she could see the fear of the idea in Clare's eyes. "And the feds assured us that they're gonna investigate Knollwood. We might free more of the kids inside there."

"Can you trust those guys?"

Montserrat bobbed her head for a few seconds. "Well, my friend seems to and, despite his irritating habits, he knows his stuff."

"So what happens now?" Clare stepped inside the room, and suddenly it didn't look so small like before.

"You start your new life. Go get your GED. Maybe go to college?"

Clare shrugged but Montserrat could see the smile on the girl's face. "With my view. There's my tree." She walked up to the window to peer out. She might go out later.

Montserrat felt her phone buzz inside her pocket so she pulled it out to read a text message. She quickly type back and put the phone back in her pocket. "So listen," at her voice, Clare turned sideways, "I know that being a teenager is hard enough, so...I may have done something to try and help."

"Like what?" Clare crossed her arms and waited for it.

"Well, that thing about your GED? I think I may have someone who could help you study and, I don't know, just be a friend?"

Clare looked at the detective suspiciously and even more so when she spotted a teenage girl with light red hair coming into the room.

"Clare, this is my niece, Juliana," Montserrat brought Juliana further into the room.

"Hey, you can call me Jules if you'd like," Juliana's nonchalant greeting made wonders for Clare. Everyone else in the group home seemed to have this pity look for her.

"Okay…" Clare's eyes flickered to Montserrat. "What's she doing here?"

Juliana covered her aunt's mouth - which she got a glare from Montserrat for - to speak with the right words. "Look, I know you've been through some tough stuff so my aunt thought it would be nice if you had someone to show you around the city. You know, like the fun parts?"

Clare somehow found a smile. "You can do that?"

"My Dad's okay with it but I need to check in every once in a while. Plus, I know where the best diner is in these parts. Have you ever tried french fries with milkshakes?"

"No...because I'm a sane person...in what fits."

"It'll blow your mind," Juliana made a motion above her head like if something were exploding.

"Okay," Clare nodded, seemingly getting into the idea. "Thanks."

"No problem!" Juliana smiled. She glanced at her aunt to see she was doing the same thing.

~ 0 ~

"Done deal, case closed," Amanda seemed to be in a hurry to leave the bullpen. She was gathering her things on her desk, ignoring what the others were planning for the night.

"We could get some drinks?" Sonny was asking the detectives, along with Olivia and Rafael. He spotted Montserrat coming in and called out to her, "Hey, how'd it go with Clare?"

"Um, I think she'll be good," Montserrat leaned against the side of her desk. "I introduced her to Juliana and I think that might help Clare get back to some normality."

"That's good, girl needs it," Fin nodded.

"And your brother's okay with this?" Olivia raised an eyebrow, making a good question.

"He knows I'd never put Juliana in danger," Montserrat smiled. "I think it could be good for Clare. And Juliana actually wanted to help."

"Alright, well, I gotta go," Amanda finally slung her bag over her shoulder. "See y'all tomorrow."

"Rollins, you're not going…?" Nick trailed off since the blonde left without hearing anything else. He turned his chair to the others and pointed behind for Amanda. "I'm not the only one who sees that, right? Something's wrong with Rollins."

"I think you just need to focus on yourself, Amaro," Rafael said. Nick rolled his eyes in response.

"Yeah, so how about them drinks?" Sonny pushed himself up from his seat.

"You don't have a date with Kara today?" Montserrat gave him a suspicious look. "You blow off my roommate, I kill you. You know that, right?"

Sonny playfully rolled his eyes at her. "One moment you're on me about actually having a relationship with Kara and then you're suddenly upset because I'm not paying attention to her?"

Montserrat shrugged her shoulders. "It depends on my mood."

Sonny deadpanned her and concluded he needed that drink now. "I'm leaving. Anyone joining?"

"Me," Fin raised a hand and got up. Nick agreed and started getting his jacket.

"How about you, Liv? Councilor?" Sonny gave a look at the two in question then one for Montserrat. "Montse?"

"I'm good, thanks," Montserrat said fast then looked to Rafael, as if letting him know he was free to go now since she'd declined.

Olivia declined as well, saying she was much too tired to think about drinking out from home. She was the next one to leave, but unlike Amanda she was in no apparent rush.

"Guess it's a guy's night out," Sonny shrugged and started leading the way.

"Can't see that turning out wrong," Montserrat sarcastically said, earning herself a look from Fin.

"Yeah, yeah," the man waved her off.

"Montserrat?" Rafael purposely lingered behind.

The woman, however, started getting her things with no intention of sticking around for another conversation that would inevitably turn into an argument. "You're free to go, Councilor. I wouldn't have said 'yes' anyways to drinks. I'm tired."

"But that's not what I'd like anyways," he said. "We can't go avoiding each other when we work together. And not being able to be in the same room together? Really?"

Montserrat didn't want to be frustrated, but it showed by the harsh way she stuffed her jacket into her bag. "Well, what do you suggest?" she looked up to meet his gaze. "Because it seems like whatever we do, we end up arguing anyways."

"I'm sorry-"

"-don't apologize. You just anger me more like that."

"Then I guess I should keep my mouth shut around you?"

"Maybe so."

Rafael deadpanned her before scolding her, "Montserrat, believe it or not it's not my intention to anger you, much less hurt you."

Montserrat seemingly discarded his apology to the side as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "Well you're doing a fantastic job here."

"I'm sorry," he said seriously. "You might not believe me, but I am sorry." Before she could toss that apology and leave, he grabbed her arm and made her look at him. "I know your birthday was never one you wanted to celebrate and I stupidly thought I could ease that night for you. But I just made things worse."

"I don't get why," Montserrat said quietly.

"I'm trying to help you," he clarified and for some reason, this time, she could believe him. She might not agree with him, but she could see the honesty in his eyes. "I don't want to ruin you."

"Why would you do that? How would you even do that to me?"

There was a weak smile on Rafael's face. "Why do you think Yelina and I didn't last? It's always me." Montserrat's face softened. She flinched, though, when he touched her face. "You know exactly who you're dealing with, Montserrat, and I don't want you to crash because of me. You're beautiful, you'll have no problem finding someone good."

His soft smile, coupled with his words, stunned Montserrat. In all her months working at SVU, spending time with him, he'd never been...like this. He was open, he was genuine...he was himself, not the sharp-tongue ADA she'd come to know.

Rafael withdrew his hand from her face and stared at her for a few minutes, almost making a mental picture of how close he had her, how she looked at him with her big, brown eyes...all to remember her, because the next time they would see each other they would be friends and nothing more.

It's over, Montserrat realized. No matter what she did, nor what she said, things were over and they never even really got started. "Okay," she said in a low whisper.

Rafael nodded and turned to leave when a tall, dark haired man walked into the bullpen. The man seemed to be lost until he looked at Rafael, only for Rafael to realize it wasn't him but Montserrat behind him the man was looking at.

"Jonah?" Montserrat blinked several times just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Her emotions were a bit out of place, after all.

A big smile came to the man's face. "Montserrat! So it was the right place!"

Montserrat hurried towards 'Jonah' to give him a hug, but her eyes were still wide from the shock of seeing him.

"No problem at all," Rafael mumbled under his breath as he walked out of the bullpen.

#ocappreciation #svu #rafael barba #svu fics #rafael barba fics #svu imagines #rafael barba imagines #oc: Montserrat Novak #fic: dare to forget me

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sad-boy-mono · 3 years

Text

Character and Relationship Backstory and an update from me

Hey y'all! I have an update on where I've been at the end of this post for those of y'all who have been following Highschool Casualties and are wondering where I went, but if you've just stumbled across this I don't want to throw a long and random explination at ya!

Haven’t read the main story yet?

Heres the Tumblr Masterpost and the Ao3 link!

The characters

Damien Haas

16, sophomore in high school. Hardcore musical theater kid from grades 4-8. Loves to sing and shit. Got quite a few bigger roles early on. Things got busy freshman year, so he had to put things on hold.

(Favorite musical is probably falsettos or something idk I'm not a theater kid.)

(That's a lie, I'm just a bad theater kid XP)

Fucking loves superhero movies and shit because haha irony.

Favorite class is Drama, least favorite is math. Because math is hard and temporary but Shakespeare is forever.

Has an irrational fear of doctors, dentists, and needles due to some surgical mishaps that occurred when he was young. Also has a fear of the ocean.

Deals with anxiety and frequent panic attacks.

Shayne Topp

15, sophomore in high school. Really fucking loves football, but not on the team. He wanted to be, but he use to be friends with some of the people on the football team. And they... weren't the best to say the least. They were bad influences and caused Shayne to do bad things. He's no longer friends with them, but still goes to the games with Courtney and Damien to cheer on Courtny's brothers who are on the team.

Favorite class is probably woodworking, least favorite is math. Because math is hard and temporary but birdhouses are forever.

(Though he's actually really good at math, like he has the capability to take honors and do well. It just isn't fun.)

Doesn't know how to ride a bike and can't swim. Deep water freaks him out.

Has a huge fear of hurting other (because haha irony) and always puts his friends before himself.

Courtney Miller

14, freshman in high school. Loves writing and art. Has a lot of sketchbooks, but most of them are half filled. At this point she just collects cool sketchbooks.

Also love film/acting/drama but has a lot of anxiety around performing, so she ends up being on her school's tech crew. She's really good at editing, and has a passion for behind the scenes work around productions.

Favorite musical is Heathers.

Favorite class is her painting and art history class, least favorite is math. Because math is hard and temporary but art is forever.

Struggls a lot with school. Doesn't have many friends outside of Shayne and Damien, even when it comes to her tech crew. Generally on bad terms with "friends" (bullies) from middle school.

Doesn't enjoy the other people in her class. A few of them are former (or current) bullies from middle school.

Relationships

Damien and Shayne

Met in the first grade, became friends in a very first-grader-like manner.

Shayne: Hey I like your pokemon shirt

Damien: Oh thanks, you wanna play with trucks?

Shayne: Yeah sure.

They’ve been best friends ever since.

They had a bit of a falling out from mid 7th through 8th grade because of the guys Shayne hung out with. They were your average middle school douchbags but a lil worse.

Things got sorted the summer following 8th grade.

When they started high school, Shayne’s older brother would pick Damien up and give him a ride to school every morning; even though Damien was in walking distance.

But a month-ish before their freshman year, Shayne’s family ended up moving closer to Damien’s, because a tree fell through Shayne’s house during a terrible storm that hit their town. Even though it hypothetically could've been fixed, the house was old so they took it as a sign to just move.

Shayne is the only person who knows about Damien's anxiety outside of his family, and is who Damien goes to when he's having heighted anxiety or a panic attack.

They also bond over their fear of water strangly often.

Shayne and Courtney

Courtney’s family moved across the street from Shayne’s family when Courtney was in the 7th grade and Shayne was in the 8th. And after the initial family intoductions when the Millers first moved in, Shayne never talked to Courtney. Until about a month later, when he was home alone and Courtney knocked at his door.

After Shayne asked 'what's up?' Courtney asked if they could be friends.

“Do you know how to play smash?” Shayne asked.

Courtney sighed and let out a defeated ‘no’ and began walking away from the door.

“Ok, I’m gonna teach you how to play.”

They would hang out quite a bit until Shayne moved, but they still talked a lot.

Shayne later found out that Courtney would go door to door asking for friends. Shayne was the first and only person who had actually said yes.

Most people mistake them for siblings and when they find out they aren’t related, they assume they’re dating.

Shayne treats Courtney like a little sister and is very protective of her.

Shayne was fucking LIVID when he found out Courtney was being bullied. As much as he wanted to fight them, Courtney talked him down from doing so.

He still did the whole 'don't fuck with Courtney or I will fucking kill you' big brother thing. It did the trick for a while. When you're a very athletic 15 year old, it's easy to intimidate people that are younger than you.

Courtney hasn't told him about... the current bullies though.

Courtney and Damien

Met through Shayne. He made a group chat with the 3 of them that Shayne named “Operation Friendship”. Since Shayne and Damien weren't on speaking terms when Shayne and Courtney became friends they never had a chance to meet.

But they didn’t meet in person until Courtney’s first day of high school, where the 3 of them had their first class together, conveniently...

Anytime they play video games, a conversation along this happens.

"Courtney where did you learn to play this game?"

"...Shayne"

"Explains why you suck"

"HEY!"

(Shayne) "HEY!"

------

Hey! Thank you so much for reading! It's been awhile hasn't it. Yeah, I'm sorry. My life has been all over the place for the past few months and I've been struggling to find the motivation to write. I don't want to specifics because it's not only very personal, but a long story.

But to summerize why I sorta dissapeared, I had a lot of personal issues going on with both school and home and as my mental health was on this steady, but consistent, decline, it was at its very lowest in December. My home issues had reached their peak, and with the end of the quarter coming up after Xmas break and my weeks worth of late work coming back to bite me, I was too stressed to work on anything I found enjoyable without losing motivation immidiently.

Things didn't start getting better for me until some time early in semester 2 of my year. My school was transitioning back into fully in person with covid rates at their lowest in my area and things were finally feeling consistant again, but I was still getting my bearings. School still felt draining, though much less than before, and I didn't have much energy to work on things I was passionate about. I don't think I even made a new document for chapter 6 until mid-ish March.

I'm very nervious about coming back to this story after so long for many reason. First being, although I am feeling better mentally, things feel very off with writing this story. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of passion to write this story and want to see it to completion, I've just had a fluxuating interest in smosh aswell. I enjoy the channel, just not as much as I use to. And my hyperfixation on Smosh was a big drive for me writing the story. Second being that I have so much writers block around the sixth chapter of this story, and I'm worried that as soon as I try to work on it, that block will make me lose my motivation again and I'll put it off for another 6 months.

This "chapter" (idk what else I'd call this) has probably been fully finished in my drafts for about a month now, and I've been putting off posting it because of those listed anxieties, but I really want to continue writing this story so I hope you enjoyed!

Also sorry if this explination was all over the place, I just got my first covid vaccine today and am feeling kinda bleh.

#smosh #damien haas #courtney miller #shayne topp #my smosh fic #Highschool Casualties

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