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giuliafc · 3 years

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Betrayal -- Chapter 19 and 19bis: Inside the Mind of a Criminal (snippet dal 30) + Pigella (LadyNoir July day 30)

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Betrayal Chapter 19: Inside the Mind of a Criminal

Written by: JuliaFC

Beta: Agrestebug and MyImaginationFlows

Summary: We learn the background story of Lila's father, Richard Sphinx, the new Papillon, and how he's going to be much, much worse than the first one...

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by (c) Thomas Astruc, TS1 Bouygues, Disney Channel, Zagtoon, Toei Animation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

TW: mention of extreme manipulative and obsessive behaviour and cruelty against family

Written for the "Snippet July" challenge of the Miraculous Fanworks Discord server @miraculousfanworks

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Well done, Lila. Now head back to the monk and get his staff. If there are more jewels like these, we need to get our hands on them!" Richard sat at the desk of his office, staring at the nothing in front of him. His elbows pinned on the wood of the desk, his face resting on the length of his hands. His body was wrapped in a purple and grey suit and a grey mask covered his face, making his green eyes shine.

Briefly, he broke contact with Lila's akuma and stood up; he slowly paced the room to the fireplace. His gloved hand picking up a photograph on the mantle, portraying a woman with short brown hair wrapped in an elegant blue tailleur.

He still remembered the day he'd met Melania, Lila's mother. She was a petite Italian lady who exuded elegance and genuineness at a celebrity party. She looked so out of place, and her cheerful smile was like a breath of fresh air in the hypocrite atmosphere of the ball room. He still remembered his burning passion, how much he'd wanted her—her and all she represented. She was the daughter of a rich Italian family of ambassadors, with excellent connections all over the diplomatic world he wanted to be part of. When his charming politeness managed to raise her interest, he thought he'd hit the jackpot.

Their story had been short but intense, their relationship the final tassel in the puzzle that brought him to the limelight. Before their engagement of 5 years ended, FERG, his company, was quoted in the stock exchange. Quickly rising to be one of the top companies in the market.

Everything was perfect. Then, Melania fell pregnant and had her baby. For reasons that Richard couldn't understand, she somehow started distancing her husband — him. He suspected that the accusations of him having committed several cases of fraud, and having caused several suicides, may have been part of it. But Richard had done it for her. Nobody else was important in his mind. He had to protect his family. He had to protect the people who mattered for him. How could Melania not see that?

"You're a heartless monster!" she accused him instead, when she tried to leave him and go stay with a friend; but he found her almost immediately and locked her up in her room.

The more he clenched his grip on Melania, the more the woman became distant, almost terrified. Eventually, she dared to ask for divorce and deny him the rights to see his daughter.

"His obsessive behaviour is harming me and my daughter! I'm afraid for our safety, Your Honour," she told the judge. "Only the money is important to Richard! He puts his company before the safety of his family."

Needless to say, she won the case. Since then, she kept as far away as possible and had tried to keep Lila away from him too. She had changed her surname to the plain Rossi, and changed her job many times. Until Lila was old enough to make her own decisions, she succeeded at keeping him away.

But Lila was a clever girl. Her thirst for power and her quest for attention were second to him. She knew what was important in life, that power and money were the only things that mattered. As soon as she had gained the use of a mobile phone, she contacted him (lying to her mother). They had been plotting against Melania ever since.

Now it was their time to obtain their aim. When Papillon trusted Lila to be his second in charge, Richard advised his daughter to gain as much information as she could about those powerful jewels that gave him power. Now all that hard work was paying off.

He squeezed Melania's photo in his hands, breaking the frame with his strong hold. How dare she run away from him? How dare she disregard his burning passion?

"You don't love me, you think you own me," shouted Melania when she left him, taking away his only daughter with her. "I don't want you to be a bad influence on our daughter. You terrify me."

How dare she. She was his wife, his other half, his property.

"You're mine. MINE. No judge can take you away from me."

He stared in a daze at the blood flowing from his gloved hands, where the shattered glass of the photo frame had pierced the skin underneath the suit. His eyes gleamed of madness. "I will be victorious. I will get the Miraculous of Ladybug and Chat Noir. And when I have the most powerful jewels in the world, you will come back. You will love me again. If you won't, I’ll force you to."

oOoOoOoOoOo

Gabriel closed his eyes as he placed a single red rose between Emilie's palms and squeezed her hands gently before closing the glass cover of her coffin one last time. He rested his hand on the glassy surface for an endless moment; the hand of Lieutenant Raincomprix falling on his arm way too soon for his tastes. He sighed and gave one last glance at the peaceful face of his sleeping wife.

"It's time to go, M. Agreste. Mlle. Sancoeur," said the officer.

They had spent a long time talking to SentiAdrien in Adrien's room. The boy had confirmed most of the wrongdoings that his teachers and friends had accused Gabriel and Nathalie of, and had pleaded completely non guilty regarding any involvement in his father's terrorist activities.. M. Raincomprix had decided to be safe, and was arresting both Gabriel and Nathalie.

"Mlle. Sancoeur will most likely be released when the heroes witness her double agenting, but better safe than sorry," said Raincomprix.

Gabriel glared at him as the officer moved his and Nathalie's hands behind their back and handcuffed them. He shot one last, languid glance at the blonde figure in the coffin, before having to follow Raincomprix and walk away.

To be continued… Day 30.2 — Bonus chapter

30.2 - Betrayal Chapter 19 bis: Pigella

Written by: JuliaFC

Beta: Agrestebug and MyImaginationFlows

Summary: Ladybug struggles to understand how to win against the vacuum akuma, but Volpina has to eventually face (temporary) defeat. (1687 words)

Written for the LadyNoir July @ladynoirjuly Day 30 — Rose.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey, Vacuum Lady, Aren't you tired of collecting dirt?" shouted Chat Noir as he used his baton to propel himself up. He smirked and added, "Probably not, since you've got Volpina with you. She's the biggest piece of dirt in existence!"

"How dare you," hissed Volpina and the Vacuum akuma at the same time before they both followed Chat Noir out of the way.

Ladybug gazed at the two akumas following her partner gratefully; then she put her hands to her temples and closed her eyes shut to concentrate. She picked up her communicator and dialled Alya's number.

"What's the plan, Ladybug? I saw Chat Noir jumping away with the akumas, I thought he may be trying to distract them."

"You were correct. Listen, Alya, I need you to use the water dragon. Water passes through surfaces so you will reach me in no time," whispered Ladybug to her Bugphone.

Alya smirked. "Right-o, I'm on it!"

Just seconds after their conversation, Ladybug saw water seeping through the barrier of books that towered in front of her. And, in a whirl of magic, Dragonbee Alya appeared in front of her. She wore a red outfit with the symbol of the dragon at the centre of her chest and curvy golden lines separated the red from sections of gold and black stripes. Her hair was combed in a twirly ponytail that looked like the sting of a bee. Ladybug didn't waste time and picked up her phone again, dialling Chat Noir's number this time.

"Chat, bring your whiskers back here immediately, before your transformation wears out!" she said before he could even say meow. With a gracious jump, her partner was again by her side seconds later.

"M'lady called?" he asked with a little smirk that Ladybug would have loved to take off his face with a kiss, but she knew perfectly well it wasn't the right moment.

"Alya, Chat and I’s timers are running out, we must be quick. Use the wind dragon and swoop us out of this alley and back on a rooftop."

Alya's eyes gleamed. "As you wish, Ladybug. Wind dragon!" Ladybug and Chat Noir were wrapped in a current of wind and next thing they knew, they were on a rooftop next to Nino (or rather, Thueban Jameel (1), as he has called himself), far away from the Library Maze but still keeping it in sight. The two heroes hid behind a chimney to release their transformation and feed their kwami without being spied on, and in no time they were up and running again.

"Okay now…before the akumas find us and we get stuck into that maze again. Lucky Charm!" called Ladybug. A red and black polka dotted single rose fell into her hands. "What?" she muttered, scratching her head.

"Are we going to declare our love to a vacuum cleaner?" was Chat Noir's snarky comment. But before Ladybug could say anything, the rooftop they were standing on disappeared and they all fell on the ground, facing yet another massive wall of books.

"Shoot! Here we are again…" cursed Ladybug.

The vacuum akuma reached them as well. "There you are, you fools. Did you really think you could escape? What a bunch of idiots! Tricksters, like that thief. I'll sweep you all away from existence. I wish I didn't always try to help people. I wish my heart hadn't been so kind. I'll take all the tricksters away, so maybe my boss will forgive me. I need my job!"

The four superheroes had to forcefully separate again trying to escape from the strength of the vacuum's sucking power. Before jumping off, Ladybug took a good look at the akuma and noticed that the akumatised object must be a book, which the victim was holding in her hand to create the vortex of sucking power.

Something in what the akuma had said was nagging at Ladybug. As she ran to hide from the vacuum, she went back to what the akuma had previously said: someone had stolen a book from her library and she was upset about it.

"What do you mean by trickster?" she asked when the akuma reached her once more.

A smirk popped on the victim's face. "That liar tricked me. He told me a sappy story about his family and convinced me to lend him the book without opening an account, but in the name of someone else. He promised me he was going to bring the book back in a couple of days. I'm too nice, too gullible. I wish all the tricksters would disappear!"

Ladybug's gaze fell on her lucky charm and her eyes widened. OF COURSE! How could she be that stupid to not realise before? She unified Kaalki and Tikki, becoming Pegabug. Then, with a smirk on her lips, she called for a 'Voyage' and jumped out of the maze, stepping inside the Couffaine's boat.

"Ladybug? Is there something wrong?" said Rose. That was a strike of luck: Rose was in Juleka's room, but her girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. "Jules is in the bathroom, if you're looking for her," added Rose when she noticed that Ladybug's gaze had darted around the room.

"No, I was looking for you, actually." She opened her yoyo and took out a pearl anklet. "Rose Lavillant, this is the Miraculous of the Pig. I need Pigella's help to win against this akuma."

Rose grabbed the anklet and put it on, allowing Daizzi to come out in a buzz of magic. "I still can't believe how cute you are," said Rose when she looked at the little kwami. Then, she muttered the transformation phrase and changed into Pigella.

It didn't take long for Pegabug and Pigella to find the vacuum akuma again, just in time to see Chat Noir being sucked in the vacuum when he got distracted by their arrival. The sound of Ladybug's scream echoed in the empty alley of books.

"You've got another one with you, Ladybug? I'll suck her in too!" drawled the akuma victim. But Pigella's gaze had a determined gleam.

"Why is your heart so full of sorrow? You should rejoice and be happy!" said Pigella with the sweetest of smiles on her face.

"Don't get close to me! I'm going to suck you in!" warned the akuma, but Pigella didn't just get close to her. She hugged her. The akuma was so baffled that she got petrified on the spot.

"Gift," murmured the pink superheroine and in a flash of light, a beautiful scene appeared in between the two girls, picturing a room full of books and everyone loving each other and being nice and friendly with each other. The akuma victim had tears in her eyes.

"Why are people so nasty? Why do people do wrong things, like lying or stealing? I want everyone to be happy!" The akuma leaned in Pigella's embrace and hugged her back, dropping the book that created the vacuum in the process. As soon as the akuma's grip on the book weakened, Ladybug caught it. She broke the book to release the butterfly, which she hastily captured, cleansed and released.

"Bye bye, little butterfly," said Ladybug as the white insect flew away in the sky. Then she picked up the lucky charm and threw it in the air, releasing the kaleidoscope of ladybugs. The instant Chat Noir reappeared, she was in his arms.

"I'm purr-fectly okay, M'lady," said the feline but this didn't stop the polka-dotted heroine from crying.

"Why do you always die for me? I don't want you to do that anymore!"

Chat Noir smiled softly as he hugged her tight, then he broke the hug to wipe her eyes and stroke her cheek. "I'm sorry, ma Buginette. I'll try to pay more attention, okay?"

"This new Papillon seems very dangerous, especially because he has a cunning fox like Volpina at his side. We need to pay even more attention than before!" said Ladybug as she hugged him again. He patted his hand on her back, gently drawing circles on the material of her suit.

"I'll be okay, as long as I'm with you," murmured Chat Noir into her ear.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"I'm very disappointed, Volpina." Richard's voice was tense as he spoke through the ethereal connection of the butterfly. "We were so close to achieving our goal, and now we have to start all over again! I've no time for losers!"

Far away on a rooftop, Volpina lowered her head and closed her eyes, clenching her fists. "I'm sorry, Father! I still have my Miraculous though, and the akuma."

She groaned thinking back at how Pegabug had immediately found the tracker she'd put on Su-Han's bag. She had completely underestimated how strong and skilled the monk was, and she hadn't been able to steal his staff. Besides, Su-Han seemed to have the annoying ability to see through her Illusions, which she really didn't expect.

"I will come up with a new plan to submit to you, Father, don't worry!" she said, seething in a low growl.

Richard's stern expression didn't soften. "You better. Did you get Melania to sign the document I gave you?"

Volpina took a paper from her pocket and looked at it carefully. It was a request to cease school and start homeschooling, signed by her mother. It had taken her much more than just a trick to obtain her mother to scribble her signature without noticing what it was all about. "I have it here. I told her that the school will be closed because of all the attacks and that I would stay with a friend of mine for some time." Pain flashed through her eyes as she added, "I doubt she would have noticed anyway, as busy as she is with work."

Richard smirked, hearing the hurt in Volpina's voice. "Worry not, my daughter. When we make the Wish, she will have all the time in the world to dedicate herself exclusively to us." His smirk widened when he felt the strength of her emotions. "Together we will succeed."

He cackled, and from her rooftop, Volpina sneered.

To be Continued… Day 31

Notes:

Thueban Jameel: "Beautiful Snake", from the Arabic for beautiful, "Jameel" (جميل) and the Arabic for snake, "Thueban" (ثعبان). (Thank you so much to my Beta, MyImaginationFlows, for her assistance with Arabic!) The peacock is the symbol of beauty, so I thought it would fit.

Author's Note

Hey! Here it is, this is a bonus chapter I had to write because the snippets didn't give me enough space to wrap up the battle and all loose ends. It's a second part for chapter 19, based on the LadyNoir prompt for day 30, "Rose". Let me know what you think of it.

I hope you will like it anyway and will leave me a comment. You know that comments are my bread and butter!

You're lucky today because you're getting even the epilogue and the end of the story. So… until I finish updating that, a temporary 'bug out'!

#miraculous ladynoir #miraculous love square #miraculous lb #miraculous les aventures de ladybug et chat noir #miraculous adrien #miraculous ladybug #miraculous #miraculous nathalie #nathalie sancoeur #ladynoirjuly2021 #miraculous fanworks

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emmdaenovice · 4 years

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Towards a better future #2 - Daminette

Back!

So I should probably put a few trigger warnings on this

Ah, suicide, abuse, um… depression, mature readers only?

‘If you kill us now you will regret it, the weight of two innocent, in your word’s children, weighing on your soul for eternity. Don’t you have a kid? Adrien?’ This got Hawkmoths attention ‘He’s about the same age as us, what will you see when you look at him. Will it all be worth it? all this death and tragedy for a wish? A wish that will blow up in your face?’ Chat finished wanting to back up what Ladybug said in his own way. Hawkmoth laughed once again as if Chat had said something funny, for a moment Adrien wondered what type of face Hawkmoth would make when her realises he had killed his own child, would he laugh, just as he is now? Would he be happy that the burden of his perfect son would be gone?

‘Don’t be like that’ he sneers ‘you have no idea what I want. For one I’m not here for your miraculous or even any miraculous Kaalki is just a bonus, I want to get to Paris as soon as possible you know’

‘What do you want then?’

‘A wish obviously.’ Myura pulled a bright orb of light out of her pocket placing it into Hawkmoths hand ‘I’ve found a much better way of achieving it’ he bounced the orb on the palm of his hand. Both the teens feeling a strange aura emitting from it. Though the strangest thing about this magical object that it had a shadow as black as night. The ball was only light, but it had a shadow that was absent of any light. Ladybug finally understood what it was, it was a previous wish. Tiki had told her about them before, when Tiki and Plag were brought together to make a wish that wasn’t completed like this maraculi orb or was designed to stay on this earth like the fountain of youth. Tiki said that she along with Plag destroyed all of them… Obviously not this one though.

‘I don’t want your miraculous nor do I want to kill you’ he stretches his limbs as if he had just finished a brisk walk. ‘but I wouldn’t be angered if I find that’s all that is left when I come back’ he directs his attention to Myura ‘Natalie if you please’ Gabriel handed the glasses to her. Chat immediately stiffens at the presents of Myura’s civilian name, his eyes bore down on her as he realises that his father’s partner is his secretary. Chat Noir may have a plan. ‘Goodluck with the wildlife out here’ Hawkmoth walks towards the portal Myura opened leaning onto his cane more than usual. Chat Noir caught his ladies’ eye and showed her determination. He wasn’t not ready to give up, so she shouldn’t either. He quickly tunes his attention to Natalie as Gabriel takes his last step on this side of the world.

As much as ladybug trusts her partner, she knows that as soon as that portal closed Paris, they would be doomed. She looks at her partner, fire burning in his eyes, it gave her confidence, reassurance. Who is she? How could she forget. She is Marinette Dupain-Cheng aspiring fashion designer, she is Ladybug, protector of Paris, hero to all. She will not be defeated by this, she will live on, most importantly Marinette trusts in her partner.

‘Natalie’ Chat Noir exclaimed gad to have gotten her attention.

‘Don’t try and follow us” she took a step forward.

‘Natalie wait please, I’ve always seen you as a second mother, you were always there for me, I see you every day, your more of a parent to me than he will ever be!’ he rambled quickly ‘Even if I only got staplers off you for my birthday it was still a gift it was still something. You and gorilla make my life a little less horrible’ Adrien himself didn’t himself know if those words were true or not but they were the best option to get Natalie to listen to him.

‘A… That’s impossible’ she spoke with a wavering voice.

‘As impossible as the leading fashion designer Gabriel Agreste being Hawkmoth?’ he shot back. Marinette gasped as she finally saw all of the puzzle pieces click together, it all makes sense now. Natalie took a step towards him as if to check if he were in front of her, as if she was checking if this was real or not.

‘Adrien’

‘Natalie. Natale please just this once, please do something for me’ Myura looked unconvertable and fidgeted with her fan

‘Adrien. I… I have orders from Mr Agreste’ she looked at him with such pity in her eyes. But Adrian had thunder in his veins, he would not back down.

‘I’m not asking you to go against him’ he breathed ‘ I’m just asking you to keep the portal open and call your monster off’

‘No, no I can’t do that Adrien’ she takes a step back towards the portal.

‘Please Natalie’ tears forming in his eyes ‘Please don’t let me die out here.’ whimpering he pleaded ‘Please’

‘Your abusing our relationship Adrien, I have a responsivity to Mr Agreste, but I will help you out just this once’ she sighed rubbing her head

‘Thank you Natalie! Thank you, thank you!’ he laid on the boyish charm hoping it would affect her motherly side.

‘I will keep the portal open, but that is all. Your father and I will be having a long conversation about this and your hidden extracurricular activities’ she walked towards the portal.

‘But, how am I? -‘

‘Not my problem’ she walked out of this side of the portal, back to Paris.

‘Well that went well’ Chat jokes dryly focusing his attention to ladybug.

After Marinette was finished fawning over the sheer amazingness of her partner, they quickly made a plan to escape from the vines of the Amok. After some tricky maneuvering, strength and Chats cataclysm they were free. They defeated the Amok and quickly found themselves running through the portal after the dangerous villains.

When they stepped into Paris, immediately they knew something was wrong the sky was black and it seemed that the whole city had been evacuated, or in hiding. The duo raced to the Agreste mansion, nocking down the gates in the process, which they realised a moment later was a very bad idea. Hundreds of Akumaitised civilians which could only be described as a type of un-dead zombie raced out of the mansion, with sharp teeth and snapping jaws. While Chat Noir fought off the victims ladybug quickly grabbed Chat Noir and used her yo-yo to pull them to the safety of the roof. The sky swirling with different colours of purple and yellow right above them, an unnatural occurrence that scared even the birds away.

Chat Noir guided Ladybug around the roof to his father’s study window and broke through it landing firmly on the perfectly polished floors. They attacked a couple of Akumaitised guards and quickly apprehended them, understanding why this room was so important. No longer was the room a simple home office for a lonely man holding tribute to his late wife but a giant entrance to the lair below. A magical essence one hidden by the thick layers of concrete wafted up into the room made both heroes sick to the stomach. The remanence of torture on a Kawami, going against their wishes for years. They made quick work of the cold dark stairs illuminated only by an unnatural light in the distance, and soon found them selves in a garden. Marinate and Adrien looked at each other confused by such a sight but continued on, the magical remanence of an unnatural wish getting stronger with each step they took. Finally spotting Hawkmoth and Myura the teens both prepared for a fight to see that it was too late, the villains were chanting an ancient spell over what looked like a tomb. Unable to give up ladybug and Chat Noir rain towards the villains, Chat leaped and swung his baton down towards the two. Suddenly he was propelled backwards flying in the air momentarily before landing on Ladybug, both now aware of the faint green glowing force field surrounding Natalie and Gabriel.

‘You can’t stop me now’ Hawkmoth spoke proudly ‘I have won, my wish is almost complete’ the maniac smiled tenderly at the now open casket.

Chat Noir couldn’t hear a thing, he supposed he was going into shock, a slight ringing noise surrounded him as he realised the body laid perfectly in the tomb like life chamber was in fact his mother.

‘What…’ chat whispered tears forming in his eyes. ‘What the fuck father!’ he screamed. Is this what all those years were for? He told him that she was dead. Adrian’s mother is supposed to be dead. But she’s not, she seems as if she’s just sleeping, peacefully, just as Adrien remembers her as, as if she hadn’t aged a day.

This statement got Hawkmoths attention

‘She’s supposed to be dead!’ he screams. Ladybug frozen in place her brain trying to come up with a multitude of plans but her body unable to tear itself from Chat Noir’s side. He starts sobbing as his transformation finally wears off.

‘Adrien’ his father speaks, realising the identity of one of his worst foes.’ I am very disappointed in you’ if Adrien had any sliver of love for his father it had now been completely obliterated.

‘You can’t say that to him, you don’t have the right.’ ladybug yelled forcing Adrien behind her. He was no longer wearing a suit, this time she will protect her partner. ‘You can’t bring her back like this! All magic has a price to pay. If you bring her back someone else will die’ she pleaded with her partners farther, trying to get him to see reason.

‘I will do anything to bring back my wife. I will do anything to bring our lives back to normal, my son. Don’t you want your mother back?’ Adrien shifted behind ladybug so that he was beside her, he will always be beside her no mater who or what they face they are teammates, partners.

‘Not if the cost is worse than the cause. This wish will destroy you. It will destroy the world’ Hawkmoth ignored his son and continued to chant the words of the dead miraculous language.

Ladybug called for her lucky charm, unable to think of a way out, the charm was placed into her hands in the form of a blue scarf. She recognised this scarf it was a replica of the one Marinate knitted for Adrien when she was fifteen, she turned it over and sure enough it had her signature on it.

Hawkmoth began to chant louder, and ladybug wondered why such a charm was given to her, why so specific what can she do with this? The chanting suddenly stopped, and the air was still. Hawkmoth opened his mouth to speak three final words.

‘Bring her back.’

The orb of light hovering over Mrs Agreste exploded covering the whole room in darkness, the sound of glass shattering deafening. Ladybug and Chat Noir stood still listening to the pounding pulse of their own heart. After what seemed like an eternity the lights flickered back on filling the room with a faint buzzing noise of fluorescent light bulbs. Hawkmoth dropped his transformation and stroked the hair of his wife, as he mumbles to himself

‘Everything will be better now, everything will be perfect.’

Chat Noir put a hand to his head as did ladybug, the magic in this room was so unbalanced it made every cell in her body react. She walked forward towards Gabriel with Adrien hot on her tail. Natalie now also de-transformed didn’t stop ladybug as she came up to him and punched his already bloody face.

‘You idiot you have no idea the repercussions this has, did you even think for a moment what would happen?’ ladybugs nose started to bleed as she yelled at the monster.

Gabriel ignored her and gestured towards Adrien ‘Come boy, look, your mother is finally waking up’ he kept his eyes on his wife as her eyes fluttered open. Adrien’s ears rang louder as his lady tries to stop her nose from bleeding.

Emilie slowly got up and looked around, it must have been pretty strange to see your that son and husband aged 4 years in one sleep and two women she has never seen before, one being in spandex, because she started to cry.

‘What am I doing here? I’m not. I’m not. I don’t belong here’ she sobbed, Gabriel was quick to hug and console her.

‘Mother’ Adrien whispers as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself.

‘You’re ok, we’re here, your home’ she cries more.

‘What did you do Gabriel’ she yelled at him shoving him off her. Finding that he will not answer her she turns to ladybug ‘what did he do?’

Ladybug opens her mouth to explain but no words come out. What could she tell her? Suddenly Adrien starts to cough uncontrollably and falls to the ground. Ladybug hugs him and places him on her lap, realising with the most dread that she has ever felt in her entire life that he is dying. Gabriel tries to touch them, but ladybug hits him with her yoyo exclaiming that it is all his fault. The price for brining his wife back with magic was something equal in piece to Gabriel. His son’s life for his wife’s. ladybug continues to yell at them as Emily starts to ball even more as Natalie drops to the floor, Gabriel tries to reason with them all, even saying that this is some kind of trick. Adrien put his hand to Ladybugs face forcing her to look at him, she decided that he was more important than any petty conversation. That could be put off until tomorrow.

Ladybug stroked Adrien’s hair as he looked up at her, he looked at her like she herself hung the sky above his head. Ladybug wrapped the scarf around his shivering body, and he laughs weakly as ladybug tells him that she herself made it for him. They talk as chat begins to drift off Marinette determined not to cry, going over in her head how to fix this. If she was just a little faster a little stronger a little smarter, if they looked at the temple better, it she knew what to do with the lucky charm, if they double checked Gabriel’s house in the first place, if, if she was a better guardian. As Adrien took his last breaths Ladybugs attention was brought to Emilie and Gabriel fighting and crying. Emilie needled on the ground next to her son and for a moment ladybug felt pity towards this poor woman. Ladybug watched as Adrien’s eyes closed and in his last breath left his body quietly calling out to her.

‘Princess.’

Emilie screamed and hovered over her sons’ body almost as if she was afraid to touch him, Gabriel leaned on the tomb with a single tear rolling down his face.

‘You don’t get to cry’ Emilie screams at him ‘You don’t get the privilege’ he looks up at her in confusion. Everything was supposed to get better, why is it worse? ‘Taking my son to an early grave. He deserved to live’ pure emotion rolled off the tongue and wrapped itself around Gabriel’s neck ‘I can’t live in a world where you killed him. I can’t live in a world where I don’t belong.’ Emile picks up a shard of glass on the floor and swiftly stabs it in her neck spilling a thunder of warm liquid over the entire room.

So that’s how the morning of a bright spring began, with marinate and Adrien on the floor of Gabriel’s basement covered in their own blood as well as Emilie’s. Two dead three traumatised. Or at least that’s what they thought in that moment.

When the police and the other heroes arrived, things went into overdrive Gabriel and Natalie were soon arrested, miraculous confiscated and an ambulance called. Ladybug ignoring everything else around her carried Chat Noirs body towards the entrance of the mansion, the paparazzi already there, went silent as they realised, she was covered in blood. Although ladybug felt like going home and crying till the next millennium, she instead made a statement, to end the years of terror that Hawkmoth had thrown over Paris.

‘Hawkmoth is defeated,’ she spoke like a hero ‘he is none other than Gabriel Agreste’ like a hero who has won the battle ‘he wanted the miraculous to bring back his wife’ the body in her arms weighing more by the second ‘which he found he could do without our miraculous’ Marinette didn’t realise but she was crying ‘Chat Noir and I fought this last battle, so the people of Paris can finally sleep easy’ she hiccuped ‘But unfortunately during our battle a wish was made which had major consequence on Gabriel’s son’ she breathed, the audience silence silently waiting for an explanation of the body in her hands ‘Adrien Agreste, our Chat Noir, is..’ her voice cracked. She coughed and forced herself to be reminded of who she is ‘He is dead. Along with Emily Agreste who was found in the basement of this home.’ Ladybug was then bombarded by a multitude of questions all of which she ignored, she walked through the crowd setting her best friend onto one of the ambulance stretchers and carefully removing the scarf from his neck. She called her lucky charm in a last attempt but to no avail, nothing changed. The blood that soaked them both was still there turning brown and drying in some places.

Ladybug then debriefed the police and her team and walked up to Adrien’s room. She slammed the door and de transformed, seeing the four Kawami in front of her handling the grief in different ways. She stood up and cleaned herself off. What was she to do now? She stayed there like that curled into a little ball for a while until Ryuko found her. She explained to her that Chat Noir wasn’t dead, Adrien was in a serious coma which he may never wake from. The surprisingly good news changed nothing for Marinette, he was still gone. She visited him once brining the real blue scarf that she knitted for him and a couple of other things to make his hospital room a bit more homely. He was being kept in France’s top-secret facility first introduced by the justice league. Ladybug was informed that information on Adrien’s survival is private information due to all the people wishing to hurt anyone related to Gabriel Agreste. She had no doubt that he would be looked after here. But she had no hope in him waking up, he was in a magical coma, which always complicates things.

It was a pain to call her parents and explain that she was back in Paris, they yelled at her for quite some time. She felt disappointed in herself for letting her parents down but wasn’t overly eager to tell them the entire truth. So, she made up a lie about the miraculous team needing Marinette to be Multimouse, she loves her parents but its just better this way. She doesn’t want to worry them more than they already do. Over the next few weeks Marinette found herself in a state of depression, nothing really mattered anymore. Hawkmoth was defeated. What more can she do. She tried to design a couple of outfits, but she couldn’t gain inspiration, all her designed looked so plain and dreary. For a week Marinette laid on her floor staring at her ceiling thinking about all the good times she had with Chat Noir/ Adrien. After the sixth day of this Viperion and Ryuko finally dragged Marinette out of her room to stretch her wings, ladybug knows she has to keep up appearances, but she doesn’t know how she will act when people ask her about him. She doesn’t want Paris to see her cry. Her friends from school have come over from time to time asking how she is, in their eyes its not everyday your crush dies dramatically by the hands of his own farther.

Now that Marinette is once again sailing rooftops and jumping off towers, she immediately starts to feel better, she forgets about her worries, she feels free. The wind on her face her friend at her side, almost like the good old days.

She renounces the miraculous of Nino and Ayla and attends Adrien’s funeral with a heavy heart, she teaches both Kagami and Luka on the ways of the miraculous so that they can finally graduate to being permanent holders. Marinette focuses on moving on. So how come she doesn’t feel any better.

She stands on the Eiffel tower. The clouds reminding her of that fateful day. she was completely alone not even Kawami to keep her company, she just needed some time to herself.

She realises now that she’s been preparing for this moment for a while. Marinate doesn’t want to die, but here she is, the miraculous would be in good care with the other hero’s, Alya wouldn’t miss her as a friend since she would have Lila and Nino, everyone would have a support buddy. She doubted that anyone would even cry if she slipped. If she jumped. If she did jump would her head finally stop? The hurt in her heart finally calm, she would be at peace. Wouldn’t she?

well that was dramatic

ah sorry

well you know that the main character can’t die in her own story

uh yeh

Tell me if you hate it~

#mlb x dc #daminette #maridami #maribat #miraculous ladybug #miraculous les aventures de ladybug et chat noir #miraculous fanfic #miraculous fandom #miraculous marinette #angst #xoxo

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luckyspike · 5 years

Text

Northern Exposure - a Good Omens fanfic

I was thinking about playing ‘Banished’ (top 10 video games of all time, fight me) and got this idea so i wrote some fanfic instead

this is definitely NOT going to be updated with any regularity until the murder mystery and the tornado hunting story get finished BUT i might throw out a chapter here and there as i feel like it

also everyone meet my new favorite OC of all time, Phyllis

“Heretics! Heretics!” There were cries echoing from the town square, a mass of voices raised in anger. “Heretics!”

Aziraphale was knelt in a stable, finishing the laborious task of packing - mostly books and scrolls, but also some heavy blankets and tartans, and a few other sundries - just so for a prolonged period of transport. To his right, his mule was placidly munching hay in spite of the cries from the square. Aziraphale sighed. “I’m afraid this might be rather a rough go, old chap,” he confided to the mule.

The mule, who was, in fact, not a chap at all but a hinny who privately referred to herself as ‘Phyllis’, not that anybody had ever asked, did not respond. She had expected it, when she’d seen the angel show up with two full packs and an extra satchel full of things that he probably felt certain he could find some room for somewhere. He would, although Phyllis was aware that this was largely because he believed he would, and not because the packs were capable of holding anything more.

At least, she reflected as she munched, there was a bonus: no matter how many things the strange angel stuffed into the packs, they never felt heavy enough to truly burden her. Probably comes from being an angel, she’d thought to herself the first time she’d noticed the phenomenon, and since that time had wasted no further thought on the matter. No sense in it, anyway: whatever it was he was going to do with the packs was going to happen whether she thought about it or not, and that was that.

“I don’t suppose there could have been anything more virtuous to do with my time,” he muttered as he swung the packs over her pack. Phyllis was more attuned to human (and ethereal) emotions and inflections than most mules, and over the sound of her own chewing she was certain she could sense a little bitterness and a lot of sarcasm. She began to chew more vigorously. “I was really starting to get the sexton to come around,” Aziraphale was saying. “I think a few more years, and we could have had this whole area running along quite smoothly. Optimistic of me, I suppose.”

“Heretics, heretics!” shouted the crowd in the square. Munch munch munch, went Phyllis.

“Still.” He fastened the cinch, never tightly enough to cause her any discomfort, though the load never slipped. “I suppose they are quite nice people. Could be a worse group to travel with.” He ensured the packs were secure, and patted Phyllis on the top of her rump. She swished her tail, but otherwise tried not to take offense. “I’m concerned it really will be dreadful, though.” Phyllis did not respond.

The angel was dithering now. He often did, before he and Phyllis would set off on their little jaunts, usually about Gabriel, who Phyllis assumed was the tall man-looking angel with purple eyes. She strongly disliked Gabriel. The first time she had met him, he had materialized out of the ether in the middle of her stall, and then had the audacity to remark on the quality of the straw. The nerve. “Oh, but I was just starting to get settled, as well! All those years of moving around, but I haven’t moved in - what? Ten years? I thought I could make this a base of operations, my boy, I really did.” He lip wobbled. “I do hope the sexton watches after those scrolls like I asked. Some of them are so very old …” He made a frustrated noise. “If I’d known I would have had them preserved and laid aside in London!” He groaned. “I thought they were going to let me be, I really did, you know?”

Phyllis knew. She’d known for about a week, because Aziraphale had been repeating the same old refrain to her since he’d been visited by Gabriel and informed that they were, for some reason, to be accompanying a group of pilgrims out of the city and into exile in the wild north. “Heretics, heretics!” cried the crowd outside. Aziraphale scowled at the window.

“And over such a message, all this mess!” He crossed his arms, expression deeply offended as the chant outside droned on. “‘Be kind to one another’; I tell you my friend, that Crowley wasn’t wrong when he said that would do it every time.” He sobered then, and his eyes got that misty look that usually meant he was thinking about something. “Every time.”

Phyllis swished her tail. It was a small thing, but it seemed to startle the angel out of his reverie, which she was glad for. He didn’t say anything, but he started moving again, checking over her tack and glancing into the packs at his supplies, before finally fastening the last bag closed and scritching her made. “Very well. If we must go, then we go, eh? I think they should be leaving soon.” He tied the halter on, and tugged the lead, urging her out. “Come now. It’s spring yet: there will be plenty of grass on the way.”

Phyllis sighed, and trudged after him. Certainly there would be grass, of course there would. But there would be such a lot of walking in between.

She was resolving herself to her fate - up until the lead was on, she had been holding out hope that perhaps that Gabriel twit would show up and say there’d been a change of plans - when a smell startled her, and quite despite herself, she shied. Aziraphale spun around, free hand raised.

“Who goes …” He trailed off, opened a closed his mouth a few times and then leaned forward, one reassuring hand on his mule’s neck as he narrowed his eyes at the black-robed figure with the long staff that had been waiting for them outside of the stables. “Is that Crowley in there?”

The figure pushed its hood back, and a tumble of messy red hair fell forward, across the figure’s face and broad grin, although it didn’t seem to notice. Might have been hard to, with the blindfold tied over its eyes.

“What happened to your eyes?” The angel asked, suspiciously.

“Hm?” The figure spoke. Phyllis took a step backwards, away. “Oh, nothing. No, people were just getting a bit weird about them is all, and last time I tried the glasses the rector claimed to have seen a demon in dark lenses.” He pushed the black length of cloth up, the better to wink at Aziraphale and Phyllis with one golden, slit-pupiled eye.

Aziraphale frowned. “Well. I mean.”

“Not the point. Point is, life’s easier like this. For now.” He tugged the cloth back over his eyes. “Plan on dumping it as soon as I get out of town.”

The angel was rubbing her neck in smooth circles, and although it really was very soothing for her, prompting her head to droop just a little and her ears to swing out and to the side, she had the distinct impression that the action was more to soothe his own nerves rather than calm her in the presence of the demon. “Ah. You’re on your way out too, as well?”

“Business.” He leaned against the brick structure to his right and shrugged. “You know how it is. You?”

“The same.” He tilted his head toward the northern gate, and then apparently remembered that the other person couldn’t see him at the moment. “Ah, I’m headed north.”

Crowley nodded. “Mm. Nice time of year for it. For now.”

“Suppose so.”

“What about you?” Aziraphale cleared his throat. “Ah … going north, that is. Tempting?”

Under the hood, the dark figure smirked. “Gathering intelligence, are you?” He stretched his fingers around the staff. “Can’t say, really. Shouldn’t say. But yes, broadly. Tempting. Not sure where, though. Supposed to be following somebody.” He shrugged. “Could be anywhere.”

Aziraphale’s smile faltered, although with the blindfold on Crowley never saw. “Ah. Well … I suppose I shouldn’t say good luck, but, er.”

“Same, really.” He snorted. “Wouldn’t it be funny if we were just cancelling each other out again? Both off on some daft mission to who-knows-where …” He leaned forward, onto the staff. “Could just stay home,” he murmured in a sing-song sort of way. Aziraphale scowled, and Phyllis flicked her ears. “Bet your mule likes that option.”

“Phyllis,” Phyllis whickered, because she always tried, even if nobody ever understood her. Crowley cocked his head, but didn’t say anything.

“I’m sure he does.” Aziraphale squared up his shoulders and did his best to look determined, although Phyllis was sure anybody in a 10-foot radius could smell the uncertainty on him. “But duty calls -”

“She.”

“Hm?” The angel stopped short, and blinked. “Sorry?”

“She. She says her name’s Phyllis.” Crowley jerked his chin toward the mule. “You never asked?”

“You … can understand animals?”

The robed figure looked surprised. “You can’t?”

“Afraid not.”

Crowley was quiet for a moment. “Weird, that. Anyway ah, yeah. I suppose I can do. And your hinny likes Phyllis.”

“Very well. Terribly sorry, dear girl.” He paused to pat her on the neck, and listened to the square as he did so. The angry chanting had died down, and there was a man speaking urgently. “Oh. I believe that’s … my cue, so to speak.”

“I could take care of both,” Crowley sing-songed again. “Bit of blessing here, a bit of tempting there, no one’s the wiser.”

“You can’t do blessings,” Aziraphale scoffed. “You’re a demon.”

Crowley raised an eyebrow. “Hm, can’t I? News to me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“What’d I do on the ark, then?” There was an undercurrent of mockery in his voice now. “Or that time in Hamburg -”

“Thwarting God’s will,” Aziraphale replied promptly. He tugged on Phyllis’s lead, and she took a reluctant step after him, toward the square and the North. She snuffed the demon’s robe in thanks as she went by; he may be a creature of pure, unadulterated evil, stinking of brimstone and despair and hatred, but he had told her angel her name.

The demon sighed. “Depends on who you ask, I suppose. Anyway, see you around. Maybe. Don’t have too much fun up north.” Aziraphale huffed and didn’t look back, resolutely walking onward toward the square. Phyllis did look back though - a perk of her 350 degree field of vision, thank you years of natural selection - and could see the demon listening to them go, before he pushed off the wall and strode away, staff tapping the cobbles ahead of him. He seemed to be going the opposite direction, until at the last minute she saw him stop, lift the blindfold to get his bearings, and then sharply turn down a side-street and out of sight.

It was all very odd.

Naturally, Phyllis assumed they were going to the square, where all the people were shouting again. At first she didn’t bother to try to discern what they were shouting, but as they drew closer it came to her attention that the mob’s cry had changed from ‘heretics’, whatever that meant, to ‘exile’.

Oh, dear. She knew that word. And to the north …? Oh dear, oh dear.

Her hooves were carrying her toward the square, but then Aziraphale tugged on the lead and drew her down a side alley. “We’ll meet them at the gates, I think. No sense wading into a mob - they’ll make it out of town just fine.” It was one of those Things he said, Phyllis noted. Where it might not have been true, had no basis in reality, and yet because he had said it that way, it would just sort of … become reality. She snorted, and followed after him, plodding along the street, the miraculously-light load of his goods shifting around on her back as she shook her hide and adjusted the blanket a little more comfortably. From the sound of it, they were going to be in for a long trip.

“So, er. Phyllis, hm?” Aziraphale glanced at her over his shoulder, brow knit with concern and, perhaps, embarrassment. “So sorry I didn’t … well, the man did say ‘he’ when I purchased you, to be fair.” Six months ago, she thought. That was six months ago, and the angel had still not noticed. It wasn’t as if she’d hidden anything. She was a mule, for God’s sake. “Anyway, sorry. Would, ah, would ‘dear girl’ be preferable, in that case?”

She flicked an ear. Oh yes, a very long trip indeed.

#good omens #good omens fanfiction #good omens fanfic #aziraphale #crowley #welcome to 10th century england #inspired by my fav video game #phyllis the mule #phyllis goes north #i wish i didn't enjoy fanfiction so much

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alderations · 6 years

Text

equilibrium

@lifewhatisthat HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!! I was Chosen to write for you for the R76 Valentine’s Event, and I picked the Family AU prompt because I’m That Weak for baby Sombra and Jess. I hope you like it (and that you have a good Valentine’s, of course; hopefully all the Good r76 Content going up will help!!)

The house was everything Jack had ever dreamed of, and at the same time, none of it. Mostly because they didn’t have a dog yet. He was still working on that, though Gabe insisted that they had to have enough funds to put Jesse through college, and a good college, Jackie, my son isn’t going to be writing instruction manuals for spare change in between novels. As far as Jack was concerned, Jesse could have a fantastic career as is, but he wasn’t about to get between Gabriel Reyes and his dream of well-educated children.

The house was, besides that, a mess. Even though two (long, exhausting) weeks had passed since they moved in, the hallways were still crammed with boxes, to the point where the only room in the house where anyone could actually move was Sombra’s room, because she insisted on unpacking and sorting her every possession as soon as possible so that she could continue hacking the universe or whatever. Jack had been good with guns, back in the day, but he never had much of a knack for computers, so he just nodded and listened as politely as he could manage when his daughter detailed her schemes for world domination. At least her room was clean.

Therefore, when Gabriel was tearing half the house apart because he couldn’t find a single razor anywhere, Jack reminded him that one of their children had, in fact, unpacked her stuff, and that maybe she would know where literally anything in the house was. “And you know,” he added, “all those times when I said we should really start unpacking and you said no, this is the Big Game, it’s the world cup—”

“The World Cup is a championship, Jack. It’s sixty-four matches.”

Jack fought not to roll his eyes. “You and the kids could’ve tag-teamed them or something. And then you’d have razors. You don’t trust Sombra to catch all the good plays?”

“Sombra, yes. Jesse, no,” Gabe chuckled. He had a point; Jesse had the attention span of a goldfish, when it came to things like marathoning soccer games. “You look perfectly clean-shaven. Are you hiding razors from me?”

Jack snorted. “As entertaining as it is to watch you run around like a chicken with its head cut off, I’m not actually trying to impede progress here. Why do you need razors so desperately?”

A subtle glance to each side, and Gabriel moved in close enough that Jack could catch the scent of his ruggedly warm cologne. “Jesse’s got five entire chin hairs. No better time than the present!”

“You’re teaching him to shave?” Jack struggled to keep his voice low, though he clearly conveyed his excitement well enough, by the smile warming Gabriel’s stoic face. “I would’ve helped you look if you told me that!”

Gabriel shook his head, even as he leaned in to peck Jack on the cheek and nuzzle against his hairline. “You can go find Sombra, see if she knows anything. Since, as you said, she’s the organized member of this family.”

“I’m right. You’ll see,” teases Jack as he extracts himself from the surrounding boxes and heads for the stairs. As much as Sombra tries to hide her surveillance hideout, or whatever codename she comes up with on a given week, Jack knows full well that she has taken up residence in the attic crawlspace for good.

Or, at least, for as long as an investment in some bulk purple velvet to make slapdash curtains is good. Sombra tries to be discrete, but she’s also somehow more dramatic than her father, so it’s not hard to find her. When Jack pulls the curtain back, she tilts her head to one side, but doesn’t move otherwise; of course she knew he was on his way. She would claim that she’s tracking him, but he knows that she’s just very aware of her surroundings. And it’s hard to walk quietly when you’re Jack Morrison-sized.

“Are you shaving your fingers?” he murmurs, flopping onto the floor next to his daughter. “I hope you’re at least using lotion or something.”

She snorts. “Papi didn’t teach me to shave dry, dad, don’t worry.”

Jack shakes his head and rests his hand in the center of her back, making sure that she knows he’s about to touch her before he does. “Is this some kind of new fad? Hairless fingers?”

“Yes. It’s to go with my new fashion line, Boredom by Sombra.” She pulls a tissue out of the fuschia box in front of her and wipes the loose hair off one thumb.

The pack of razors is open on the floor in front of her. They’re the really nice ones that Gabriel buys, since he considers touching up his precisely-shaped goatee to be an art form, and apparently they came with one free super-soft-smooth-curvy-gentle-feminine women’s razor as a bonus, because the one in Sombra’s hand is, of course, purple. “So. You don’t want Jesse to shave? I don’t think any of us want to know where his peach fuzz is going.”

Sombra’s mouth twists downward on one side, and she shrugs, gentle enough that Jack’s hand barely moves. “I don’t know, I just wanted to mess with Papi. It’s… whatever.”

“And what about Jesse? Punishing him for his dad’s misdeeds?”

“He totally deserves it,” she chuckles. “Little shit.”

“Language.”

She rolls her eyes and finally turns to face him. “Whatever you say, bigger shit. No, biggest shit. Papi is bigger shit.”

“Sure. I doubt that has anything to do with hoarding razors, though,” prompts Jack.

The laptop in front of Sombra’s crossed legs crackles, like interference on an audio transmission, though no sound was coming through a moment before. “Fine, I’ll bite. I don’t want him to go to college.”

No surprise there. “He knows, Sombra, and that’s why he’s gonna come back all the time, remember? That’s why we moved in the first place. So you two could both have the support you need while you’re at school.”

“That makes it sound like he’s my therapist or something.”

Jack frowns. “He’s not. We’re all going to miss him, though, and it makes perfect sense for you to worry about how our family will change when he’s not around every day.”

“You two are already like high-class military helicopter dads,” she grumbles.

“I hope that’s a compliment.”

“Of course.”

Shaking his head, Jack nudges the pack of razors closer to her. “This is a really big deal for Jess. He was worried that it would take him way longer than other boys to start growing facial hair.”

“Yeah, I know.” She’s avoiding his eyes again, looking a bit guilty but mostly like she’d rather be moping in her hideout alone. “His life is so—he has so much fun now. Things happen to him, and he doesn’t have to go digging in the deep web for entertainment all day.”

Jack presses his lips together. “Again, the fifth page of an eBay search for some obscure computer part does not count as the ‘deep web.’”

“Like you would know,” she jabs back.

“Touché.” He rubs her back in a few slow circles, then takes his hand away before she gets too tense. To his surprise, she follows the touch, and ends up nearly faceplanting in his shoulder. “You know, if you can shave your fingers, you can handle a face. Why don’t you ask Gabe if you can help teach Jesse?”

She wrinkles her nose, but still turns to look up at him with guarded hope in her eyes. “Isn’t it some big father-son thing?”

“It can be, but you’re just as important to Jesse. And you’re also the only person in this house with a clean room at the moment. As far as I’m concerned, you can do whatever you want.”

Those are Sombra’s favorite words. She jumps up and grabs the razors off the floor, and before Jack can drag his middle-aged body off the floor, she’s already tumbling down the stairs at full speed. “Hey, jackasses!” he hears her shouting. “Dad says I can do whatever I want. You’re both getting haircuts!”

“That’s not what I meant,” Jack yells after her, not that she cares.

By the time he gets downstairs, Jesse and Sombra are swordfighting with razors—thankfully still capped—and Gabe is looking on in outright horror, unable to do much once his teenage children get this wild. Jack just bites sidles up to him and wraps his arm around his husband’s waist. “See, you can’t pay any more attention to one than the other, or else they get all survival-of-the-fittest in our brand new living room.”

“They definitely get this from you,” Gabe mutters.

“Slander.”

“If you say so, Mr. Statue.”

#overwatch #reaper76 #valentinesr76 #lifewhatisthat #my writing

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dreamwreaver · 6 years

Text

Young Gabriel

AO3 Link

Day 4 of Gabriel Appreciation Week. I took a bit of a different turn on this one, hope you still enjoy it!

Certain life experiences should have been lessons to people. For example, if one did something risky and dangerous and nearly got themselves killed, well logic would dictate that you probably shouldn't do that again. Clearly, Gabriel Agreste had not learned that lesson.

And thus Enfantyrant had been born. Born of the rage a prospective designer had felt when Gabriel had called their designs simple and infantile. He had dismissed them without a second thought. Despite what any outside audience might have thought, Gabriel was not needlessly cruel for the sake of creating akumas. That wasn’t how he operated. Did he take advantage of his own cruelty? Yes, absolutely. But cruelty was rampant in the fashion world, and he was the best of the best for a reason. And now he was the target of his own akuma’s war path. Well, it wasn’t the first time, and if it could get him closer to the miraculous, it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Of course, he’d had the bonus of an assistant who was contractually obligated to help protect him, and she was incredibly resourceful.

Nathalie kept the akuma at bay, at the risk of her own self being infantilized, while he hid. In his lair. Technically speaking it was the safest place for him to be while the akuma rampaged throughout the house. At last the angry screams and howls of newly made infants began to die down and Gabriel believed it safe to return. He had thought wrong. Enfantyrant had been lurking around the windows of his mansion, peeping in to try and see where he had hidden himself. And once the akuma had caught sight of their target they let loose a blast of the infantilizing energy Hawkmoth had bestowed them with. Their goal had been to turn him into a baby, unfortunately, that hadn’t quite been the result.

When the fog had cleared Gabriel found his clothes were slightly too big for his frame, as though he’d lost a bit of weight and height all over the place. His pristine, slicked back hair fell in longer, messy tufts around his head. And he felt a sort of vitality in his body that had been exhausted for quite some time. He stood up and perhaps foolishly marveled at how his sleeves slipped past his hands. His pants had thankfully only become too long, but otherwise fit fine. That would have been embarrassing otherwise. He raced to a nearby bathroom where he saw a face that was only remembered in photographs. Himself, but younger. The akuma had been satisfied with the zap, and had left in a hurry. He was alone, alone in a mansion with babies likely overrunning everything. He would need to take care of that, but first he thought as he snagged the innocuous looking purple stone from his collar, it was probably best that he get some better fitting clothes.

It was altogether a too easy thing to raid his son’s closet. The clothes weren’t as well tailored on him, but his son had built up a bit more muscle definition than he had at that age. A benefit of all those extracurriculars Gabriel assumed. Well, it mattered not. The clothes fit better than the ones that he’d had on. But as he exited Adrien’s room he heard the sound of a miserable child. Something possessed him to go find it, and when he did he was shocked. It was Nathalie, but Nathalie as she had likely been around seven years old. The red streak he’d come to know her for was gone, and instead of the sensible bun her hair had been done up in high pigtails on the side of her head. The turtleneck shirt she usually wore was now like an oversized dress, and she was bawling her eyes out.

“Nathalie?” Gabriel couldn’t help but asking. Seems as though Enfantyrant had gotten to her too, but in a similar manner as what had happened to him, the beam had been weakened and she’d been reverted to an older state than normal.

The child stopped crying at the sound of her name, but sadness still emanated from her and she continued to hiccup as she looked around. Her face was red and blotchy from the tears, and he felt a tug at his heart. Without even thinking about it Gabriel crouched down to her level and put a hand on her head.

“It’s going to be alright,” where the paternal soothing had come from he had no idea, he certainly wasn’t like this with Adrien, but it stopped everything and she leapt into his arms, trembling like a leaf.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I-” Nathalie sniffed, “I- I can’t find my mommy!” echoed off the walls as she began to cry anew.

“Shh!” Gabriel began to rub a hand up and down her back, “It’s okay, it’s okay, let’s go and find her.” he went to put her down so he could stand up, but she clung tight to him and refused to let go. Stifling a teenage sigh Gabriel rose to his feet, one arm cradling the child as he regained his balance.

Seeing something that resembled a phone Gabriel went around the desk. Calling the mother seemed like a better idea than just wandering around Paris. Who knew how long it would take to find the woman that way. But before he could even think of asking whether Nathalie knew her home number he stopped. This phone looked nothing like what he was used to. And there were several other devices he didn’t recognize. Hesitantly he went out to touch the one that looked like a phone, and then he drew back. Nathalie had nestled her head into the crook of his neck and was watching his indecision silently, a fist curled up near her mouth. A few more times this repeated before Gabriel gave up.

“Do you remember where you live?” he asked her.

Nathalie looked up a moment and then shook her head. Of course she didn’t, where was a phone book when you needed one? He could just look up her last name and find her. How hard could that be?

“How are we supposed to find your mom if we don’t know her phone number or where you live?” Gabriel asked.

Nathalie merely shrugged, she didn’t know. Which meant he would be stuck babysitting until someone called about their missing child. Or… he could go to the police, wasn’t that the smartest decision? Then again, how would that look, a teenage boy coming in with a kid in ill-fitting clothes and no shoes? Not good. Maybe he should try and find her something else to wear, but he really couldn’t think of where baby clothes might be in this monstrosity of a house.

It was then there came a knock resounding off a door. Gabriel gulped, Nathalie tightened her grip on him. Should he answer? Where was the owner of this house? Well, perhaps it was best to let them think no one was home, then they would go away and he wouldn’t have to deal with them.

No such luck. When the knocking ceased he heard them trying the door, which for some reason was unlocked. A voice called out, “Mister Agreste? Are you there?”

It sounded female, but it was more than one set of footsteps that echoed off the ceiling as they stepped inside. The female called again, “Mister Agreste?”

Was this one of his father’s houses? Gabriel didn’t think so, his father didn’t have such taste. And when would they have been able to afford all of this? They weren’t poor by any means, but they hadn’t won the lottery yet.

A head popped into the office where he stood with Nathalie. She had bluish-black hair tied up in pigtails and wore a red and black spotted mask. A mask that matched the rest of her, kind of indecent outfit as she stepped into the room. Did he miss something? Was today Halloween? Or was someone just messing with him.

The girl’s eyes lit up in relief when she saw him, before turning to surprise.

“Mister Agreste!” she exclaimed, running into the room, “What happened to you?”

“Do I know you?” he asked, raising a brow at her, and then at her equally strangely dressed companion as he entered the room. First a ladybug, now a black cat. What had gotten into these people?

Unfortunately, the child in his arms didn’t seem to have any such reservations. When she saw the second person she leapt out of his arms with a cry of “Kitty!” and went running towards the boy. Or she would have, if she hadn’t tripped on the hem of her dress and fell flat on her face. Instantly she teared up. Gabriel braced himself for another annoying onslaught of crying, but the boy crouched down and approached her gently. Nathalie instantly brightened and launched herself into his arms, giggling happily and petting his head, tugging at his ears, the word, “Kitty!” escaping her mouth over and over.

Gabriel scoffed, why did anyone want kids? They were nothing but annoying little pests. The cat boy took good care of the child. His partner, it seemed, wanted to explain some things to him.

“Do you really not know who I am?” she asked sitting him down and taking the chair across from him,

“I have absolutely no memory of ever seeing you before in my life,” he assured her, “And believe me, I have an eye for fashion, there’s no way I would forget an outfit like that.”

She didn’t know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. So she disregarded it and continued, “My name is Ladybug, my partner Chat Noir and I are superheroes. We save Paris from villains created by the akuma sent out by someone named Hawkmoth.”

“Superheroes? And supervillains? In Paris? When did this happen?”

Ladybug glanced him up and down, “Mister Agreste-”

“Gabriel,” he corrected, “I am not my father.”

“Gabriel,” she amended, “How old are you?”

What was her aim? Instantly he took on an almost smug manner, “Are you asking because you’re interested?”

She blinked a few times before wrinkling up her nose. It was adorable, not that he’d admit to such a thing out loud, “No,” she replied firmly, “The akuma that was set loose on the city had a knack for turning people into infants. Now, while you’re not an infant by any means, I would like to know your age so that I know how much I have to catch you up on.”

“I’m-” now that he thought about it, how old was he? “Seventeen? At least, I think I am.”

“You don’t know for sure?” Ladybug pressed.

“Worried being seen with me might get you in trouble?” he was teasing her, but he couldn’t help it. It amused him to see her flustered and indignant.

She sputtered, “What?” it was said as if she couldn’t believe his audacity. Though given the way she was acting around him, this was not the side of himself he would have shown her in previous encounters.

While he mulled this thought over she seemed to recover herself, “Gabriel, in reality you are already an adult, with a son.”

“Me? A family man? I don’t think so,” Gabriel scoffed. He’d never intended to marry anyone or anything except his work, “I don’t have time for that sort of nonsense.”

“The right person can change anyone’s mind,” came the voice of Chat Noir, he held Nathalie in his arms. And the little girl had quite the sour look on her face. What had upset her this time?

“Pardon?”

“You and your wife were an incredibly famous couple,” Chat added, “Anyone who knew anything about the fashion world knew about you and her.”

“If I was so in love with her as you claim, where is she?” Gabriel demanded imperiously.

The two supers looked at each other, wondering if they should tell him. But their silence only seemed to prove his point. He laughed, “I’m not a people person, I hate people. Why would I want a family when I wouldn’t even be good at having one?”

“How can you say that?” Ladybug asked him.

“Because if I was any good my alleged wife might still be here. Since she’s not and you don’t know where she is I can only assume she walked out on me. And I hardly blame her, I don’t like people, and I don’t want to be around people. I don’t need them, and I most certainly don’t need love.”

“She disappeared,” Chat said quietly, though simmering over with rage, “About a year ago she disappeared and no one knows where or why. Not even you. But it hit you hard, you can tell from the portrait in the foyer.”

“Portrait?” Gabriel rose from his chair and walked out the door. And there, at the staircase landing he saw it. A morose, mourning picture of an older man and a young boy dressed all in black and looking somber. Why he would ever have this commissioned Gabriel didn’t know. What had happened to his older self?

“There’s another one too,” Chat added from his position in the doorway. “You didn’t even notice it earlier, did you?”

Without a word Gabriel went back into the office and on the back wall he saw a goddess in gold. If that had been his wife, then the boy must have been her child, there was no mistaking the resemblance there. But while he stood stunned by the beauty that floated before him a weight barreled into him. The little girl, Nathalie, he remembered, and she clung to his leg. But she didn’t look at him, instead setting her eyes elsewhere with a stubborn little pout. She had a crush on him? Gabriel shook his head, why did little girls always go after the unattainable? It just didn’t make any sense to him. Still, he picked her up and held her by him, and then she too looked on in awe.

“Madame,” she whispered, as though the title had come without a second thought. The sharp inhale of surprise that came after it corroborated that thought.

With a sigh, Gabriel turned back to the heroes, “Well, if your job is to save Paris, then do what you need to do. I must admit, I’m confused as to why you came here in the first place.”

“We had heard the akuma talking about you,” Ladybug replied, “We thought we could get here before it was too late.”

“Well, too late or not, if you have a way to fix this, then fix it.”

They nodded, but before they headed off Chat Noir stopped and looked thoughtfully at him.

“What is it?” Gabriel asked.

“What about Nathalie?” he inclined his head to the child in Gabriel’s arms.

“I’ll watch her,” Gabriel replied, “Unless, she has a parent who can take her.”

“She’s normally an adult too,” Chat replied, “Just watch her, and be prepared. Once we defeat the akuma everything will go back to normal. But I would recommend putting on your old clothes, just in case.”

Gabriel refrained from rolling his eyes, though the urge was most definitely there, “Fine, now go.”

A two-fingered salute and he was off. And Gabriel was alone with the child, again. As a teenager it was hard for him to relate, he’d already been through so much, seen so much, done so much. And kids, they got excited by every little thing. Which produced migraines due to incessant excitement at trivial things. Perhaps Nathalie was a bit easier, given that she actually prefered books, and being read to rather than running around bouncing off the walls. But then, she’d also expended a lot of energy crying, and reading made her tired. She asked for a nap through a yawn. Gabriel found a spot where she could not too far away. She asked to be tucked in, rather than argue it was easier to comply. But she was sneaky, this child. And as he finished pulling the blanket around her she leaned up and placed a peck on his cheek before ducking down under the covers again. Gabriel brushed a hand against the spot and had to try not to laugh. Kids, what more was there to say than that?

Later that day the Miraculous Cure swept through the city, restoring everything to the natural order. Gabriel now remembered everything, as did Nathalie. She had fumbled out an apology on behalf of her own behavior, asserting that she had definitely grown up since then and such things would never occur. He believed her, how could he not excuse her actions when something very much the same had happened to him? And part of him wanted to kick himself for saying such heartless things about his wife. He loved his wife, which was why he was doing everything that he was. But then, he remembered that he had been acting exactly his age, even under the akuma’s powers. He hadn’t wanted to get married at that age, hadn’t wanted children, hadn’t wanted a family. But now he had them all. And he was going to do everything in his power to protect them.

#gabriel appreciation week #we are miraculous #gabriel agreste #nathalie sancoeur #ladybug #chat noir #my fics

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fleetwoodmoth · 7 years

Text

Living

A small Southwestern town is experiencing viscous vampire attacks the source of which is assumed to be from the remnants of the Deadlock gang. Overwatch hunter Lunnaea Steele and Blackwatch hunter Jesse McCree are sent in for simple recon. Both of them will learn that a lot can happen in one night.

tw: Gore

Lunnaea watched as the sun began its slow decent towards the horizon, the blocky mountains in the distance starting to go from their warm red to dark purples as the sun dipped beneath them. A cold wind billowed through her hair, causing her to pull the collar of her jacket up closer to her neck. It was late winter and despite what one might assume about the desert, their nights proved to be treacherously cold. She stood on a deck made into an outdoor seating area for some bar and restaurant combo, the low hum of an acoustic guitar drifted through the airwaves. It was a nice place compared to the rest of the town which sat just North of Deadlock Gorge. In the past year or so it had been peaceful, ever since Blackwatch came through and dispatched most of the Deadlock vampire nest save for a feral that had been taken in by its commander, Gabriel Reyes. Luna’s watch beeped, prompting her to bring it into view. Your partner should be there soon, hunter – A.

“Thanks Athena,” Luna sighed.

She wasn’t used to working in a small pair like this, usually she was with a larger group of hunters, Lena, Ana, Reinhardt and the like. For now she felt anxious having someone she didn’t quite know at her back, not that she was planning on getting into any fight or die situations while she was here. They were merely supposed to pick up leads on a recent spike in vampire attacks that may be attributed to a few Deadlock stragglers that didn’t go down with the ship. It was mainly sex workers and homeless that were ending up mutilated and drained of blood in alleyways and shitty hotel rooms. It was sad really, which only cemented Luna’s resolve in taking down whoever was behind it. An added horrifying bonus was that they seemed to… play with their food, strangulation, mutilation, severed limbs that were said to be removed before death all pointed to one seriously twisted individual.

The sound of cowboy boots on wood shook Luna from her thoughts as she straightened, not bothering to glance at whoever had joined her on the patio. At least, not until they took up a spot next to her, leaning on the railing, the sound of a lighter sparking to life. Luna turned slightly, immediately cocking an eyebrow to the man beside her. He looked like something out of an old Western and if it hadn’t been for the Deadlock badge clipped to his belt she would have mistaken him for some strange local. He wore a cowboy hat, which was… unique to say the least, the tight black under armor that all Overwatch and Blackwatch agents were given was just peeking out over a worn brown leather jacket. Luna took another second to take him in, noting the six-shooter just inside his jacket, a belt with large golden letters that spelt out BAMF, chaps over dark blue jeans and of course the cowboy boots that looked just about as old as the hat he wore. He’s really wearing chaps? Is this really the supernatural I was waiting for?

“Take a picture, it’ll last you longer,” he flashed her a grin, sure enough the fangs were there, sharp and pearly white.

“You must be the partner I’m waiting for?” She asked.

“They not give you a name?” He asked, taking a deep drag from the cigar he had lit up.

“Jesse? Jesse McCree?” She asked after a moment of trying to remember what the forms had said.

“That’s me, pleasure,” he offered a gloved hand and Luna shook it.

If she was honest she was exhausted from the past few weeks that had kept her in constant action and she was a little more than a bit tired so her welcome wasn’t as warm as it usually would have been, but the tall stranger didn’t seem to mind as he turned back to the horizon which was now thoroughly cloaked in darkness, probably the reason he didn’t come out earlier. She had been working with naturals for so long she had to get used to a supernatural’s schedule again.

“You have a game plan?” He asked casually.

“There are a few places they seem to like, I thought we could hit those places first, see if there are witnesses, basic canvas.” She shrugged.

“Alright, there’s apparently a bar not too far from here, supes only. I could check that out too.”

“A supernatural only bar? In a town like this?” She asked.

Miracle Springs, an admittedly ill named town, was small and modest, places like them weren’t necessarily supernatural exclusive but didn’t quite welcome them with open arms, not to mention the fact that this one in particular seemed to be devoid of all omnic presence which was surprising in this day and age.

“It’s small don’t mean it doesn’t know how to have a good time,” Jesse winked at her, Luna surprised to find butterflies in her stomach immediately present at the sight.

She shook herself. It was a stupid girlish feeling that she didn’t want to admit she liked.

“We can hit the crime scenes and stalking grounds then you go to the bar, sound like a deal?” She asked, turning to head back inside, ready to leave the cold behind.

“Sounds good to me.”

Canvasing had, not surprisingly, been extremely boring. Not that Jesse was boring. No, Luna hadn’t had such interesting conversation while examining blood splatter before. Apparently Jesse was from around there, not Miracle Springs but somewhere nearby, he was pretty vague with the specifics. Luna had told him about her home in Kauai, the basics. It was unexpectedly quaint for such grim circumstances.

“You’ve never ridden a horse?” Luna snorted, removing the rubber gloves she had brought with her as they made it out onto the streets, the alleyway devoid of anything but vague red stains.

“Look I haven’t had the opportunity okay,” he said, sounding somewhat if not falsely hurt by her tone.

“I guess most ranches that offer horseback rides aren’t open during the night, you’d have to find someone who owned them to lend one to you.” Luna shrugged, shoving her now chilled hands into her pockets.

Despite the biting wind that whipped past them Jesse simply had one hand loosely slipped into his jean pocket, not even flinching as the gusts nearly knocked his hat from his head. They were making their way towards the end of the main strip where a corner bar was lit up in purple neon signs that they could see from quite a distance.

“That’s the place?” Luna asked.

“Mmm, The Hunt,” Jesse drawled.

“Sounds cozy,” Luna deadpanned.

They stopped a few storefronts down watching the entrance as people came and went. The windows were blacked out, the only thing evident were the various neon signs. Some customers meandered outside, talking and laughing and smoking just like the outside of any bar in any town.

“Are you sure it’s supernaturals only? Maybe I could-“ “-don’t tell me you were about to say sneak in. They can smell you a block away and you’re not the most easily resistible scents either.”

Both Jesse and Luna blinked at each other for a moment, the look on his face saying that he hadn’t meant for it to come out as suggestive as it had.

“S-So.” Luna cleared her throat, focusing back on the bar, sure that she could blame the pinkness in her cheeks on the weather.

“You go in and I wait out here?” She asked.

“In this temperature?” He asked.

Luna shrugged. True her feet were freezing even through the thick socks and boots, but she wasn’t about to let him go in there alone and not have back up.

“I’ll be fine. The motel is what? Two blocks from here? If anything were to happen you could probably hear it from your room.”

“How did you know where I was staying?” She asked, a sly smile on her lips.

“Because I’m not an idiot, and we’re staying in the same place dumby.”

Luna smiled at the weak insult, he had thrown around all meanings of cusswords during their casual conversation, the change was somewhat endearing. Luna sighed, she was extremely cold.

“Fine, but I’m calling you after fifteen minutes in there. Got it?”

“I only have fifteen minutes? C’mon, I gotta built a rapport, flirt a little.”

“Fine, twenty five. But then I’m calling you.”

Jesse beamed “deal.”

“I’ll head back, if anything feels wrong just leave. There are other ways of finding out about the local supernaturals.” Luna warned, worrying at her lip as she stared down the establishment.

“Okay mom, I got it. Go get warm, I know you naturals like that kinda shit.”

Luna smile, a tired weary smile. She nodded and turned before stopping.

“Hey, McCree.”

“Hmm?” Jesse paused, walking backwards so he was facing her.

“Be careful.”

“You got it.” He winked before spinning around and heading for the door.

Luna shook her head, feeling somewhat like a school girl again on the first day. She had made a friend. Not that she didn’t have friends back with Overwatch, but she had to admit she hadn’t hit it off with someone so fast before. She found herself smiling at the thought before shaking it off. This wasn’t the time for a high school crush, she needed to get to the motel where it was warm and wait for when she was to make her call.

The motel in question was L shaped around a parking lot that extended out into a dirt lot and which then stretched out into the empty desert night. Only two cars were parked in the spaces, a beat up old hatchback of some kind and the pickup that Luna had rented from an elderly lady that lived out on the range. It was better than renting an actual new car, one with that new car smell that was a large blaring signal that you were strangers. Not that it was easy to stay anonymous in such a small place, the eyes of the locals had been lingering on both her and Jesse all afternoon. But it helped, there were a lot of travelers passing through, looking for something out there in the desert, people who just wanted a place to stay for a few days before passing on. The office to the motel was lit up from the inside with a warm yellow glow, an older man sat at the counter with a book in hand and small oval glasses perched on a crooked nose, not even glancing up as Luna rounded to corner, fishing her keys from her pocket.

The sensation in her fingers had dulled from the cold, making it somewhat difficult to unlock to door. The room was simple, a square with a small room at the back which housed the shower and toilet, a countertop with a sink just outside of it. It was a strange sensation to wash your hands while your feet were on carpet. Surprisingly there was not only an old tv but also a freezer fridge, no mirror however. The bed itself was a queen with those tan brown motel sheets with a scratchy comforter over the top, one with a muddled and confusing print on it. Luna sighed as she clicked on the bedside lamp before falling backwards onto the squeaky mattress. As uncomfortable as it was she was exhausted and at this rate she would probably have fallen asleep. If it weren’t for the distinct sound of footsteps from the bathroom.

Jesse meandered into the bar, the interior looking just about how he had guessed. It was a bar trying to be an upscale club. Deep red sofas were scattered around against the walls, everything else was painted black, the dark wooden floors showing the actual age of the place despite its want to be young and new. Surprisingly though there were quite a few patrons littered throughout, some in small groups and others just sitting at the bar on their own, no one however was dancing to the poorly mixed dance music that blasted over the stereos. The bar tender was a young man, mid-twenties with dark black hair that was pulled back away from his face, he tended idly to the glasses and taps, pacing ever so slightly between a couple and a lone man on either side of the bar. Jesse rolled his shoulders back, straightening himself slightly before approaching, getting a leg up on one of the vinyl circular bar stools before leaning forward and flashing a grin his way.

The man smiled back, although it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“What can I do for you?” He asked, although it was in a somewhat level tone and would have been inaudible to naturals over the music Jesse could hear him just fine.

“Whiskey, straight up,” Jesse gave him an affirmative nod.

The bar tender returned it before going to collect his drink.

Luna shot up, her hand going to her pistol which had been neatly tucked under her jacket. The figure moved quickly, slashing at her and knocking her back sideways onto the bed with tremendous force. It was obvious she was dealing with a supernatural, the action had been almost lazy, a slight tap if they had been a natural. Luna rolled off of the bed and onto the floor as the intruder lunged, trying to get a good look at them as she pulled herself to her feet. They were male and honestly they looked like an elderly man in a teenager’s body. He was lean, with short choppy sandy blond hair, but his face looked like it had aged unnaturally with the rest of his body, sunken eyes and hollow cheeks, his irises a deep angry red. He was blood crazed, a certain kind of feralness that took over after one gorged themselves to excess. He looked dirty, a formerly white shirt was now covered in red dirt and what looked like grease and poking out just below the sleeve Luna could see the beginning of a tattoo, a Deadlock tattoo. Luna fumbled for her phone as she put a bead on the advancing vampire.

“You don’t want to do this,” she warned, her voice dark with warning.

When Luna’s fingers found the cool case of her cellphone the feral leapt, slashing at her with sharp unkempt claws that neatly slashed through the sleeve of her jacket. Luna’s heart jumped into her throat as she felt the sudden numbness followed by the heat of thick blood soaking into her jacket arm. This was bad.

“Here you go.” The bartender set the glass in front of Jesse.

“Thank you kindly. Say, you wouldn’t happen to be willing to give a bit of a newcomer some advice?” Jesse asked.

“What kind of advice?” The bartender asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Jesse leaned in, motioning for him to do the same.

“I’m looking for… treaty free meals if you know what I mean,” Jesse purred, trying to put on the best mischievous grin he could, making lazy eye contact as he did.

The bartender’s gaze dropped, a genuine smirk breaking his stoic expression.

“I’ve heard of a few places…”

Luna was thrown, hard, against the wall, her head ricocheting off of the drywall with a sickening crack. The cuts on her arm were bleeding profusely and her grip had weakened on the gun as she lay on her side trying to stop the world from spinning out of control. Clutched in her other hand was her cell phone, the screen bright as she tried to comprehend how to work it again, her mind sluggish from the impact. She tapped the phone icon, smearing blood across the sturdy glass like surface as she went.

“Athena call Jesse—“ Luna was wrenched from the ground by her hair, a yelp leaving her throat as she was half pulled half dragged backwards.

In the chaos and pain something slipped from her hand, either her gun or her phone but she was too disoriented to tell. She was pulled up to face her attacker who smiled hungrily at her before letting her drop. Once again Luna was able to take a second to recuperate, in her hand a phone number was being dialed.

“There’s this feral that likes to fuck with naturals, it’s kept the heat off of those of us who like to… hunt a little more freely. If you want I can—“ Jesse felt his phone buzz in his pocket, leaning away with an apologetic smile. He checked the number and sure enough it read Lunnaea Steele across the top despite him not having her number in his phone.

“I thought you said twenty five minutes,” he chuckled as he answered, sure she had gotten anxious.

What he heard on the other end made him freeze, if he wasn’t long turned maybe his blood would have run cold. There was the distinct sound of a strangled yelp followed by a heavy thud. Jesse didn’t say anything as he stood and headed for the exit, trying desperately to listen to whatever was happening on the other end.

“Luna? Luna can you hear me?” He asked as he stepped outside, there wasn’t a reply, only the sound of a sharp intake of breath before he was sure he had heard something snap followed by a blood curdling scream.

Jesse took off at a run.

Luna lay holding her now very broken arm to her chest as the feral loomed over her, he had brought his boot down on it with barely any effort. Through blurry tears and her own waning consciousness she could see the little metal pistol only feet from her. It was a pathetic attempt but she pulled herself forward with her bleeding arm, a deep red trail spreading beneath her as the feral watched, a twisted laugh bubbling up from his gut as he rolled her over onto her back before pinning her to the ground.

“So stupid to send such a weak hunter,” he hissed, the voice so warped Luna wasn’t sure if it actually came from him or from within him.

Luna could see the pistol now, barely out of reach, she returned her gaze to her attacker for a moment, steeling herself, trying to hide the absolute terror that was tying her stomach in knots. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of begging for her life. It was a quick movement, a flash before he was at her throat and she felt the hot sharp edges of teeth pierce her skin. She let out half a scream but it was cut off by the feeling of suffocating.

Jesse neared the motel, his pace not having slowed and the phone not having left his ear. She was dead. She had to be. He tried to keep up hope, he tried to convince himself she was okay but as he neared and the pungent coppery sweetness of blood met his nose he knew if she wasn’t dead already she was well on her way. Jesse didn’t even try the door, he slammed himself into it, barely a challenge as it nearly flew from its hinges. The scent hit him like a freight train, he could nearly taste it in the air, that almost florally honeyed smell he had been idly resisting while he was around her was now the only thing he could even remotely sense. Outside of that however was the fragrance of a different kind, it was nearly putrid, rotted like roadkill. It was the feral, the blood crazed one that had risen slightly to look at him.

Jesse barely had time to take in the scene before he moved, at the foot of the bed was Luna, her blood soaking the gold and brown carpet, her arm bent at a strange angle cradled against her chest, her other hand was outstretched, fingers digging into the carpet, nearly an inch or two from her fingertips was her gun. Jesse drew his Peacekeeper swiftly, the feral barely had time to howl a plea before he was dispatched, his body slumping onto Luna’s. Jesse couldn’t hear much, only his panicked breathing as his mind tried to cope with the blood and the fear that clouded his senses. He shoved the limp body from Luna, pulling her face towards him, shoving her hair from her eyes so he could see her properly. Her eyes were blown wide, terror evident as she tried to fumble for words, instead only blood came, pouring from her lips as she tried to breathe, the action making a wet sound. Jesse pulled her jacket collar and shirt from her throat, the four puncture wounds deep and messy, he clamped his hand down over it, trying to apply pressure without cutting off her windpipe.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit.”

This was supposed to be a recon mission, nothing violent, nothing complicated, he had never anticipated that they would have been spotted as hunters so quickly and easily. He wasn’t prepared for this, he didn’t know how to heal a natural. But this, this was unhealable right? There was no way she would recover. On top of the anxiety that rushed through him he felt the distinct sharp pain of hunger in his gut, the viscera covering his hands not doing anything to help quell it.

“Do you want to live?” He asked, holding her face with his free hand, trying to get her to look at him and not through him.

“Luna do you want to live!” He nearly screamed.

She shuttered slightly, mouth gaping as she tried to talk, choking on whatever it was she was trying to say. She nodded, a strangled ‘yes’ freeing itself from her throat before another surge of blood filled her mouth.

“I’m sorry,” Jesse said before lowering himself and biting down on what little skin was free from punctures, creating his own, although they were much cleaner. She writhed under him, a gurgling yelp making him feel dirty as he gently as possible stopped her from tearing way from him.

It was quick, he had to be quick, as much as he wanted to linger and drink a little longer he pulled back, replacing his hand on her throat before biting into his wrist. Luna sputtered, gasping wildly for air as her consciousness grew thin, it was the final convulsions of a suffocating human. Jesse pull his wrist over her mouth, holding it there even as she struggled to breathe around it before there was a distinct moment of stillness and quiet. Jesse sat there in stunned silence, unsure if he had succeeded before he felt her hand grasp his arm with the neediness of a starved animal. Her eyes were half open, her breathing slowly evening before she relaxed, her entire body going limp.

Jesse sat back for a moment, his entire body shaking and breath heavy. What did you do? Jesse blinked a few times, looking down at his blood smattered… well everything. He was dead. What had he done? He had broken so many laws, so many treaties and rules. Commander Morrison would have his head. He had panicked, he had tried to save her life that’s all but… but like this? He had asked, that was true, but when someone is in their final moments of suffering an excruciatingly painful dead what else would they say? Maybe no, maybe end the suffering, but she had said yes. She said yes. The sound of sirens somewhere across town broke him from his stupor. This had likely not been a very quiet ordeal, he need to think dammit. Jesse spotted Luna’s duffle bag under the bed, pulling it out and rummaging through it to find the keys to the old pickup out front. He had to get them out of there, that was just a given, he’d figure the rest out later. Jesse pulled off his jacket and worked Luna into it before throwing her gun and cellphone which was still in a call with his into the bag. He slung it over his shoulder before collecting her from the floor and dashing to the parking lot.

As gently as possible Jesse laid her across the bench seats before climbing in and tossing the bag on the passenger floor. He kicked over the engine and sped off into the night, hands gripping the steering wheel like it was going to come off. It was all a massive blur, hell he didn’t even know what direction he was headed in other than away from the little town that had caused so much trouble. He held out fine for a while, eyes straight ahead, thoughts quiet before finally it all came crumbling down. He pulled off to the side of the road as he tried to calm the frantic breathing that tightened his chest.

“Fuck. Fuck.” He hit the steering wheel with such force it dented slightly.

“Goddammit what the fuck did I do,” he shoved his hands in his hair, his hat falling to the side as he struggled to keep himself from imploding. He paused a moment before reaching into his pocket with shaking hands.

The number was easy, like remembering a home address, it was the agonizingly long dial tone that made him feel like he was going to throw up.

“Hello?” a gruff voice answered.

“Gabe? I—I fucked up—“ he looked down at Luna who hadn’t moved since they left the motel “—bad.”

#my writing #vampire/supernatural au #Lunnaea Steele #Jesse McCree #Overwatch OC

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