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#full fic should be done sooner than later
sansxfuckyou · 5 months
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i absolutely *love* writing hate/hate dynamics guys, with a healthy side of delusional toxic yaoi
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tcfactory · 6 months
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Since my brain has been full of SVSSS brainrot lately:
I want a fic where the transmigration mostly fails and Shen Jiu wakes up from his qi deviation as User002 with the goddamn System treating him like he is Shen Yuan. Trashy yellow book what??? No, he doesn't need stats on his fellow peak lords, if he is supposed to follow a plot then he wants to see the script! You wretched floating rectangle, how is he supposed to play along if he doesn't know the source material?!
The stress of having what feels like a very pushy curse or an insanely weird demon inflicted upon him makes him deviate from some minor plot points and he gets punished for being OOC a couple of times until the System takes pity on him and directs him to Airplane bro, with the very clear suggestion that if he can't remember the early arcs of the story - System understands, User! It's very long after all. UwU - he should go and discuss it with the author.
He basically kicks down Shang Qinghua's door in desperation for some clarity and maybe an explanation, right now before he works himself into a stress-induced qi deviation, Shang-shidi. Shang hamster looks at his miserable scum villain, takes a deep breath, brings out all of Shen Qingqiu's favorite snacks that nobody should know about, makes a pot of calming tea and tells him everything.
Shang Qinghua expects Shen Qingqiu to be angry, to rip into him for writing him into this wretched life. And Shen Jiu is angry, but not at Qinghua. His anxious, mousy little shidi who lives his entire life under the looming threat of a horrible, seemingly unchangeable future doesn't look like a god. Shang Qinghua, who does his best to run his peak well and look out for his disciples despite his admittance that in the story the original Qinghua did a shoddy job - he doesn't look like someone who would have put pen to paper and written a tragedy if he knew it would become someone's reality.
And how could Shen Jiu, who has seen people sell their bodies and their very dignity for a cup of stale water, judge someone for writing a very bad yellow book so he can eat? Please. Peak Lord Shen might have developed a very discerning taste in literature over the years, but you can't fill your stomach with artistic integrity, Shang-shidi. Shen Jiu understands.
So they sit and for that first evening, Shen Qingqiu listens to all the differences creeping into the story, Shang Qinghua's retelling of the drafts he abandoned due to peer pressure, the long rambling tangents of the research he's done, even if they never made it into the story. Qinghua is so caught up in having someone to talk to that he doesn't realize that Shen Qingqiu put everything that happened to Qi-ge together, somewhere between the musings about how a sword inspired by kintsugi would be so cool looking, shame that nobody ever sees the thing, and the griping about how much one of his patrons complained about Yue Qingyuan dying without ever drawing his sword.
Later, when the snacks are gone and the tea is replaced with something stronger, he tells Shen Qingqiu about the stories he really wanted to write. About how he shamefully sneaked his dream man into PIDW, just so he could have some small part to himself, and oh, Shen Qingqiu will have to remind him about demon courting practices when they are both sober again, because it sounds like that Mobei prince is down bad for him.
He leaves that night with a newfound determination. Shang Qinghua might be resigned to the whims of his System and the shackles of the Plot, but Shen Jiu didn't burn the Qiu manor down and break his chains to give up so easily. This is his world, his sect, his Qi-ge on the line, and he would sooner wrest control from the System and become custodian of the world himself than let something take away and ruin what is his. He is the strategist of Cang Qiong Sect, there is no situation he can't think a way out of and he has had enough of tragedies.
Before any of that, however, he needs to go and have a good yell at his Qi-ge, smack his stupid face and then curl up in his arms for a good night's sleep. It's long overdue.
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writingmeraki · 3 months
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unsaid, unkept, ugly emotions.
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a seventeen vocal unit imagines !
IN WHICH, the uglier side of feeling too much getting more messier than it already is for both parties involved.
(or in which for different reasons, it just seems you aren't meant to be.)
pairing : svt!vocal!unit! x gn!reader, bestfriend!jeonghan, popular!joshua, ???jihoon, fwb(?)seokmin, enemy!seungkwan.
genre : angst, no comfort, everything is messy.
warnings : cussing, messy, heartbreak, contemplation, arguements, miserable people, miscommunication, everyone gets hurt, a lot of unspoken feelings, like emphasis on that you may get annoyed.
author's note : here's my attempt at angsty feelings ( i hope it was done well enough, really i tried but it might not be for me )<3 the potential to turn each into a fic is there but for me it'll be zero ( for now!!!!) kinda nervous to post this haha it's my first svt work but also a first of this kind of work, let me know if you want more of the units! and what you thought of this :) also peep the cute colours contrasting the fic lmao
HIP HOP UNIT VER. | PERFORMANCE UNIT VER.
word count : 2.9k
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˖° ✰ ┆JEONGHAN.
The signs that something was wrong were there. For a while now. But you being the problem runner you were, you chose to ignore it.
You also knew one day they’ll catch up to you, and it seemed today was it. 
“Jeonghan?” 
He raised an eyebrow at you. Though it was his name, it sounded so foreign coming from you. 
You who never called him by his full name. It left a sour taste on his tongue as he answered,
“Yes?”
“Do-do you think we’re good?”
Did he think you were good? He was feeling good, great even. But you asked in plural and in the plural it included you. Your relationship.
What was your relationship?
“Uhh…I’m…I think?” 
You smiled at his answer. It didn’t reach your eyes, nor did it hide away the bitterness in them. “You know what I think? I don’t think we’re good. I think- I think it’s all a mess. It’s me, isn’t it? I should have never told you how I felt right?”
There. You ripped the band-aid off right from the wound. You had to, otherwise you knew your heart would be the one shattered, sooner or later, so why wait?
You knew there’d be consequences on confessing to your best friend. You knew there was always a risk to confess but the risk felt higher if it was someone you considered your best friend. A few sentences and it’s either having a stranger who you shared a past with or someone to create more memories for the rest of your time together. 
The issue gets more complicated when you don’t know where you stand. 
He couldn’t answer you, he didn’t know how to answer you. On one side, he wanted to yell at you. Yell at you for regretting confessing when it may have been the one thing he wanted to hear since the day thirteen year old him saw you beat up a guy who was bullying your brother.
On the other hand, he felt the fear consume him of the future, what if you broke up? You would never be the same, no matter what. He didn’t want to lose what he had, so he rather left it unanswered, thinking with time, it’ll fade away. Like everything does.
His feelings for you never did. A wonder how he could think yours would.
Taking a deep breath with your eyes shut,you nodded knowing your answer,
“Alright then I see.”
“Let’s take a break from each other.”
Break of what? You didn’t date, you were in a one-sided love scenario with your best friend. 
Before he could reply, he watched you walk away. Your heart felt heavier when you didn’t hear a single word or even footsteps follow you. 
His mind was the loudest and one thing he was for sure, as you walked away with each step, he could feel his heart slowly crack.
And just like that. It is over. 
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・₊ ‹𝟥 ┆JOSHUA.
Perhaps your biggest mistake was wanting someone who everyone wanted. But was it really your mistake because technically you were also part of everyone. 
You could feel his stare burn into your side as you ate the horrible cafeteria food in your college. You could somehow hear his voice, somehow know he was likely calling you to talk.
What went wrong?
Everything you’d answer if he ever asked. It began going downhill when you felt those feelings you knew you didn’t feel around anyone. Certainly when you hung out with Yeonjun or with Jimin, you didn’t feel them. 
You only felt them around him. The weird butterflies, the warm cheeks, the sweaty hands. At first you thought maybe you were actually scared of him, the intimidated type of scared. Who knew it ended up being scared of how you felt for him, how probably no one made you feel the way he did. 
Finally looking up at him, you hid all your emotions as best as you could. You certainly hoped he wouldn’t be able to know. 
But as your gaze fell to the girl beside him, you couldn’t hide them.
Choi Seora, the younger sister of Choi Seungcheol who was Joshua’s best friend since you could know. Well since that time he told you himself he knew the Choi siblings since they were kids. Childhood best friends. Knew them before you.
And she was also the girl who loved him. Anyone could see it from the way her eyes would look at him like the way one would at a treasure they’d been searching for. What she’d do for him, from what you’ve heard, what you’ve seen. There never was a chance.
It seemed as though the sign was already there. How could you compete with someone who knew him longer than you ever would? It’s not a competition if you already know you're losing. 
Your unused hand clenched under the table, nails digging into your palms, leaving crescent marks that would bruise. Perhaps it would be in a similar state to the bruise inside your chest.
It fucking sucked when you could still feel his gaze on you as you turned back to stare at your half eaten bowl of pasta. Well, excuse of a pasta.
Suddenly you felt your phone ring from beside your bowl and you knew who it was before you even looked.Without looking at the name, you moved your hand to the switch off button and shut it off.
You wished there was such a button for emotions. 
“Shua? Who are you calling?” It was empty in the cafeteria and you thought you might just puke out the pasta when you heard her sweetly call out to him as she looked at him with concern.
But for now, you’d do what seemed right. 
Leaving your bowl of uneaten pasta, you grabbed your bag and phone. With one glance at Joshua whose attention was on you but now turned back to Seungcheol and Seora as they said something, you walked away.
The last thing Joshua heard was the sound of the cafe doors closing and when he turned his attention back to what or specifically the one who had been in his mind since the first time he met, he found you were gone.
At that moment, Hong Joshua felt more miserable than he ever did before.
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₊✧ ┆JIHOON.
The lump in your throat got bigger as your vision got blurrier. You knew you should have listened to your friends.
Jihoon isn’t the type of person to be in a relationship with, babes, he doesn’t want that commitment stuff.
It’s what Karina had told you when you told her you were in love with him. Head over heels type.
But when it came to you, the determined type, the one who stood their place no matter what. The unwavering pebble in the ever-so drifting waves of the ocean. You believed that perhaps if you tried hard enough, surely the boy would see your efforts.
It wasn’t just a one-sided thing you knew. Otherwise another thing he was known for was being honest. If he didn’t like it, you were sure you’d have stopped. You didn’t think you were insane for thinking he may just like when you saw him smile at you for bringing him coffee. You didn’t think you were insane for thinking he may just reciprocate your feelings when you saw him hiding his face from complementing his work ethics. Perhaps, it was all in your lovesickness you drew these conclusions and many others. 
So where did you mess up?
“Fucking hell! Just leave me alone and stop acting like a clingy partner!” 
That’s what it got you. It was as though the words slapped you in the face. You surely did feel like it when you flinched taking a step back and your cheeks warmed in a mix of embarrassment as well as hurt. It wasn’t the kind of warmth that pleased you, it was the kind that burned you. Harshly so you felt it in your entire body.
Maybe it was your fault after all, you noticed he was having a bad day and you made the effort to go and comfort him. As you did. 
Maybe maybe maybe, always maybe your fault and always yours. 
Maybe you should listen to him then. 
Inhaling with what dignity you had left, picking up the pieces of your heart that seemed shattered the minute he finished the sentence, you glared at him and spat out words laced with an equally venomous tone.
“Fine then! You’re saying it's my fault but you know what, maybe everyone is bloody right about you! You’re nothing but a coward scared of commitment!”
“The day you’ll realize you’re nothing but a coward who gets scared at the mere thought of being in a relationship and pushes someone away because maybe there is a chance you like them, it’ll be too fucking late because guess what? I’m tired of this stupid push and pull game with you,Jihoon.” 
“Goodbye.”
You hated how your voice cracked when you finished speaking. You hated how you could not stop the tears. You especially hated the look on his face as he saw what he did, what his words did.
With what energy you had left in you, you turned around and walked away.
Enough was enough, you couldn’t win over someone’s heart who wasn’t even sure whose hands it should lay in. 
Yet one thing was sure, yours laid in his hands and right then, you sure felt like he crashed it into pieces. 
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♡₊˚ ┆ SEOKMIN.
Seokmin glowed like the moon solely rose up to soak in his light, like the stars twinkled off his radiance. Maybe,you just got too close to the sun, enchanted with its brightness, to not realize just how much it could burn you. He was your sun. No actually the sun,stars, moon whatever celestial body existed perhaps dimmed down compared to him. 
You think it messed you up completely when you kissed him in that truth or dare game surrounded by your mutual friends. You think about the stolen kisses, never more, just kisses in between the times you’d pass by in the hallways, pulling him in a cramped space and leaving with flushed cheeks and swollen lips. Again, just kissing. 
Simply put, you were addicted to him. To the way he made you feel. To the way he made you tingle when he kissed you so gently. 
You didn’t want to address the elephant in the room. Or in this case, 
What were you two?
Mingyu asked when you were sitting down in the same circle, just like the first time you’d kissed each other, with the same people. 
You hesitated and then said, uncharacteristically enthusiasm lacing your voice,
“Friends of course! Don't be ridiculous Gyu.”
You didn’t like that word, and it seemed he didn’t either as he looked away,gulping in distaste and a scoff on his face that was usually unnatural for the sunshine like a boy. Seemingly going unnoticed by you but said boy who asked the question noticed and glanced back at you to see if you noticed. He sighed when he saw you not looking at Seokmin but raised an eyebrow as he saw you in a dilemma. 
Right. Friends. Friends who kiss. But still friends…friends?
You tried convincing yourself the rest of that day that adding a label would ruin things. It always does. You should enjoy it while you can, right? It was all in fun?
So why did you feel terribly down when Seokmin refused to talk to you for the rest of the day?
“Seok?” You asked gently and he sighed exhaustingly as he looked at you,
“Please, please don’t…don’t call me that.”
The look of hurt on your face made him hate himself more because why would anyone like to hurt someone they loved?
Before you opened your mouth to speak, he continued,
“I don't think I can do this anymore, this…whatever this is. I am…sorry.”
And without a chance to ask more questions or give any answers, he turned around and walked away.
This was your fault. You hurt him because you couldn’t admit it to yourself that you…that you loved him. 
You loved him more than the universe, you loved him since the day you saw him. You were just scared you'll lose him like the way you lose all your loved ones. You were scared of risks. You were…a coward.
And now it seemed, it was too late to do anything about it.
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⠂୨୧ ˚.┆SEUNGKWAN.
Seungkwan and you were fire and water. Milk and lemons. Politicians and caring for the country’s people- Okay too far perhaps and enough of these metaphors of incompatibility to get a point.
You were sworn enemies. Despised each other in the true forms of hate. You hated him so much for the emotions he rose in you that you couldn’t stand him ruining another poor innocent soul with his devious eyes and cunning smile.
Which was exactly what he was doing with the girl wrapped around his left arm, additionally whispering probably lame jokes that made her giggle as though they were the funniest thing on earth. Lee Yuna was her name, you knew her as a cheerleader due to seeing her during your basketball games and also being somewhat acquainted because as a captain, it was apparently in your duty to know everyone especially those involved in the sports sector of your university.
You wish you could cross off knowing Seungkwan but alas, being the midfielder of the boys’ soccer team and the apparent star as well didn’t help in your case. 
“I smell something burning and oh! Would you look at that! It’s an ugly green color too!” Sakura said as she smirked at you, pretending to take a sip of her drink when you directed your glare at her. 
“Fuck. You.” 
“You wish-”
“Oh! hey cap!” A voice said before you could retort to Sakura and you turned to see Vernon smiling at you in greeting. You knew him, of course you knew all of Seungkwan’s little friend group. You frowned at him eyeing him in suspicion. He was Seungkwan’s friend after all.
“Why the frown?” Sakura snorted as he asked you,his attention going to your best friend before she pointed at him and it was as if he understood and nodded.
“Ohhh, I see what’s the matter now.”
“Someone’s” Coughing very fakely, he added, “Jealous.”
Shutting your eyes, you looked at him with a glare enough to make him shut up on his own but still you added,
“Say that again and I’ll-”
“Already giving death threats huh? Maybe you should really go check up on that stick up your ass.” Of fucking course, now is when he decided to show up.
As though his eyes had not been searching for you the moment he stepped in the party. As though he hadn’t noticed you the moment you did. As though it wasn’t just an elaborate plan to rile you up.
You looked at him and fuck. Fuck he made you so angry with how fucking good he looked despite the conditions of the party. His blonde hair shining in the colorful lights and the darn smirk on his face. 
“Kwan. How nice of you to show up! Just the person I was waiting for!” Your sarcasm could be sensed by those around, Sakura’s attempt at hiding her snort and Vernon’s brows raised not going unnoticed. They looked at each other briefly and a knowing look was exchanged.
Here we go again.
“Aw you were waiting for me darling?Hope I wasn’t too late, just got a little busy you see?”
“Clearly.” You said before thinking, the scowl on your face visible and the smugness on his face only grew larger.
“Not fond of me with someone else?” You didn’t even notice how both Vernon and Sakura had left, seemingly only Seungkwan and you, in the midst of drunk teenagers and perhaps lovesick ones, perhaps loners. 
He got closer, closer that made you clench your hands that hung on your sides, leaning down.
“Not fond of me with anyone but you?”
It was as though his voice put you in a trance, or maybe it was how his warm breath tickled your neck. And for the first time in a while you thought of what he said, deeper than you would have ever.
You weren’t sure if you liked the answer. Or what it exactly implied too.
“Stay in your limits Kwan. Don’t fucking- don’t play this shit with me.” You pushed him away as harshly as you could, even if it felt like your hands burned when you thought of what you did. Purposefully ignoring the look in his eyes. Visible hurt and a frown on his face, you turned around, having enough.
“Don’t come after me. Stay with Yuna or whoever, I don’t fucking care.” You don’t know why you said the last sentence. You also don’t want to know why it felt bitter saying it.
With that, you began to walk out, gulping the fresh air that was much needed after being in that suffocating place, suffocating feelings.
As you shut your eyes, you gulped thinking of what you were doing. Why were you so pissed off? 
And maybe you realized, you needed to check on the line that was drawn between Seungkwan and you. Perhaps it’s become too blurry to distinguish it from hatred and love.
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all written works as well as images and edits (unless credited) belong to pri. do not plagiarise, repost, re-edit or claim as yours. pics mostly found on pinterest.
writingmeraki Ⓒ 2024
feedback is always appreciated 💌
links : main navi ! | svt masterlist !
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mirandasidefics · 5 months
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But Home is Nowhere- Part 2
Pairing(s): Lucien x Plus Size Reader, Azriel x Plus Size Reader, Ruhn Danaan x Plus Size Reader
Part 2 Summary: Lucien and Rhysand argue over Reader's imprisonment, only one cell is traded for another. Lucien reaches out to an unlikely alley for support in getting Reader free.
Word Count: 6.3K
Warning(s): Mentions of injuries, mentions of self harm, mentions of body issues/insecurities.
A/N: I was too excited to wait the full month so here is part two a bit early! I apologize that this gets a bit dialogue heavy at the end. I may fix it later. This is going to be a long slow burn fic with a lot of angst. This will also have crossover with some of the Crescent City characters. It also probably goes without saying, but this will not follow canon past the events in HOSAB. Comment on this post if you want to be included on the tag list.
Series Masterlist
Previous: Part 1
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Seven days. Seven days he’d been arguing and advocating for her release with Rhysand. For seven days he listened to the same rehearsed list of excuses as to why Rhys wouldn’t budge in his decision.
“You and I both know that the gate to Velaris was sealed with blood magic. Only those whose blood is linked to the seal can pass through, which she shouldn’t have been able to do. On top of that we don’t know what world she came from. I’m not risking the lives of my family-my court, which includes you- on what equates to no more than a hunch.”  
While the High Lord’s statements were reasonable and valid points, his insistence she remained confined in that dark and dank cell was not. Lucien hastily made his way down the main steps that lead into the catacombs, thoughts of his last spat with Rhysand swirling in his mind.
“Why do you care so much about what happens to this woman?” Rhys had questioned. Lucien had asked himself the same thing; but how could he say that it was less about her and more about what she represented? That when he saw her cowering form in the corner of that cell, images of Feyre, Elain, and Jesminda flashed through his mind. He had failed the two sisters. He had failed his first love. He would sooner have the Cauldron blast him from existence should he fail to protect another innocent female. He’d kept his composure standing in Rhysand’s office at the River House long enough. A simmering rage permeated the space as the raven-haired male stared him down. A silent challenge in the already tense atmosphere.
“How can you stand your own hypocrisy?” He seethed, “You sit there thinking of yourself so high and mighty, yet a simple human frightens you? You allowed Feyre into Velaris the second week she spent with you. You allowed Bryce into your home within minutes of her crashing into our world. Yet this human…this woman scares you so much you have her imprisoned in one of the most dangerous areas of your court?”
“ENOUGH!” Rhysand bellowed, his own violet orbs simmered with rage. Lucien felt his flames rise up and encircle his palms. Rhysand’s High Lord command held no sway so he continued.
“Are you that much of a coward that you could not have just asked her a few simple questions? You couldn’t have just looked into her-”
“I could not enter her mind!” Rhys’ breaths were ragged. “Something is protecting that mortal, and it is strong enough to keep me out. So long as those shields of hers remain impenetrable I cannot trust her. I must keep my mate and child safe.” Lucien scoffed, his fire dwindled. “Which is not something I can say I see you doing for your own.”  
Lucien could still feel the cracking of bone and cartilage of Rhys’ nose as it connected with his fist. The argument surly would have resulted in them demolishing the entirety of the business wing had Azriel’s arrival not stopped the two males in their tracks. The Shadowsinger’s haggard appearance set them both on edge, but his words allowed Lucien to breathe a sigh of relief.
“I’m done with this Rhys. I cannot keep hur- I cannot do this… she knows nothing.” The High Lord merely looked between the Emissary and the Spymaster. Expression relaxed and revealing nothing, even as blood dripped over his lips.
“Bring her up to the Moonstone Palace,” the commanded was towards his brother, “Since Lucien is so smitten with the woman he shall remain with her there for the time being.”
Lucien soon found himself outside of her cell. Only darkness and cold emanated from beyond the door. He paused his own breathing, wondering if she was even still alive. The last time he saw her, she hadn’t hesitated to slice open her own skin. Azriel wasn’t far behind and pushed past Lucien to enter the room. Lucien’s breath remained caught in his throat as he took in the mangled sight of her.
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You had no idea how long you’d been in the darkness of your cell. Hours had turned into days, but just how many days you weren’t sure. You had gone silent on what you assumed was the third day. You knew nothing of how you got there, and you had no idea where to begin when Azriel-who’s name you gathered early on-asked you about the world you came from. Its not like he would believe you if you said your world had no magic, at least not in the same way it was here. Then again, that was clearly an incorrect assumption on your part. And after everything that has transpired you determined that this was no dream. It was a nightmare come to life. You weren’t sure how much more your psyche could tolerate. Surely death would be better than the horrors that would plague your mind for years to come if you were allowed to live. You prayed silently to whatever deity would listen to let you die. You started as the metal hinges of the door screamed into the darkness. 
“Mother above,” The horrified yet soft baritone drifted to your ears and you strained to open your eyes. You recognized the voice and Lucien’s warm body was immediately next to yours as you dangled from the ceiling. The male made quick work of the metal shackles holding your wrists high above your head, a bright light flooding the small space making you hiss. His large hand encircled your wrist and you could feel the skin repair itself. Lucien slowly lowered your arms down.
“Her name is (Y/N),” Azriel’s voice was barely above a whisper, as if he was ashamed of the space his normal speaking voice would take up in the small cell. As if what he said would break you further. Lucien held you up, warm hands around your rib cage holding you steady. 
“(Y/N),” His testing of your name tentative, “(Y/N), my name is Lucien…I’m going to take you out of here.” His arms wrapped around you, and you could have sworn you felt your skin get warmer, the cold melting away like ice. His grip never lessened, which you were grateful for as you weren’t sure your legs could fully support your weight.
“Do you feel safe enough to come with me?”  You couldn’t speak, couldn’t move your head in agreement. Couldn’t specify that you felt safe with him. You could only muster enough strength to cling to the front of his shirt, hoping it conveyed your trust towards him and him alone. Your eyes burned with tears. He shushed you as one of his hands rubbed up and down your spine. A footstep echoed in the chamber, and then you felt Azriel’s shadows attempt to wend their way over your bare feet. Your flinch was followed by a low warning growl, one that you felt more than heard.
“Follow me,” Azriel’s swallow was audible.
“Can you walk?” Lucien’s hand lowered to your waist, pushing you back far enough so he could meet your eyes. They felt swollen and your vision was unfocused and hazy, but you tried to keep them open so he could see that you would try your best. You shifted your weight back onto your heels and slowly slid your right foot in front of you. A lightning like bolt of pain traveled up your leg. Air harshly sucked into your lungs.
“I’ve got you,” his voice was reassuring as he continued to support most of your weigh in his arms. You took another step forward. Then another and another. His hands never faltered from their place on your torso as he moved himself to walk behind you. Ready and poised to keep you balanced and catch you should you fall. “Good girl,” he praised, “Let’s get you cleaned up so I can heal you yeah?”
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The walk up from the catacombs to the palace proper was brutal. Your legs burned from the muscle strain and you were regretting not accepting help from Lucien while you bathed. However, the last thing you wanted was to have anyone see you naked. Lucien had helped enough with getting the large sunken in bathtub filled. The scent of vanilla and lavender contrasted with the grime and dirt that filled your lungs for the last week. You had specifically asked for the water to be scalding, wanting it to burn away the memory of everything that had been done to you in the dark. The deep cold that laced your bones was finally seeping out in the hot water. A soft knock rapped on the stone archway leading into the bathing chamber. Unable to move your neck freely you covered your chest and turned to face the male. He walked over to the bench set near the tub, a bundle of cream-colored fabric in his arms. Unless it was a bedsheet you doubted that any clothing he found would fit you. Then again, magic existed so its possible that the fabric could be altered instantly. He sat on the bench and set the garment next to the towel that awaited you.
“Are you certain that I can’t be of assistance?” He looked beyond you towards the open windows that overlooked the absolutely stunning expanse of wilderness below the palace. A darkened city jutting out from the base of the mountains the only thing that disrupted the sight. You were thankful for Lucien’s offer. Truly you were, and despite the feeling-knowing- that you could trust the male, your self-conscious nature surrounding your body was too strong.
“I-” You cleared your throat of the gravel you were certain had lodged itself inside from screaming against the rocky surface of your cell, “I’m good.” The vibration of your vocal chords felt like sandpaper as they rubbed together. He looked at you then and reflexively you squeezed your arms tighter around yourself; gripping your elbows as you dipped down into the water until everything below your neck was submerged. You were grateful for the tub size making you look small. It could easily fit two full grown adults and deep enough to reach your waist when you stood to full height. It almost reminded you more of a jacuzzi rather than a bathtub.
“Then I’ll leave you to bathe in peace,” He stood and clasped his hands behind his back, “I’ll be in the room just beyond these arches. Just call our if you need anything. I’m here to ensure that you’re taken care of.” You nodded your understanding and turned towards the side of the tub lined with soaps and lotions, his foot steps retreating against the stone tiles. While you had difficulty with your range of motion, you managed to rid yourself of the dirt, grime, and dried blood from your skin. Your hair felt silky, soft, and light compared to the heavy oily mats from not washing it for a week. You had also found a razor nearby and took the opportunity to shave, savoring the feeling that you were becoming a person again. Drying off was easier with the relaxed muscles. The vanilla scented lotion felt like heaven as it penetrated your dry skin. You surmised that the bath had really only removed one layer of nightmares as you scanned your form in the mirror on the opposite wall. Your eyes first saw the plethora of cuts in every size cover the expanse of both your arms, shoulders, and collar bone from the dagger-Truth Teller-that Azriel had used during your interrogation. Next you took in the dark red and purple bruise on the left side of your jaw. The discoloration spanning from the joint below your ear to your chin. It was a miracle that he hadn’t knocked any of your teeth out or broken your jaw from the force he hit you with. Eyes trailing further down you saw a second healing bruise, its blue-green hue spanning the length of your ribs on the right side of your body. Laying down on your side was going to prove difficult still. Finally, your eyes landed on the only injury that you yourself were responsible for. The shadows had played too many tricks on your mind, too many whispers promising to break you. The psychological and emotional pain was worse than the physical injuries and honestly became too much for your soul. Something in you broke. You still couldn’t figure out exactly how you managed to grab Truth Teller from him, too focused on plunging the black blade into your left inner thigh and dragging it along the flesh. You couldn’t reach your throat, so you had been aiming for the next major artery you knew of in the hopes that you’d bleed out fast, but Azriel was quick. His attempt to get the blade back from you pushed it away from where it would do the most damage. That was the last day that Azriel brought any form of weapon with him, and the last day he put his hands on you. Rhysand had only managed to stop the bleeding, but a large and deep jagged slice remained. Had you paid more attention you may not have doubted the guilt that lined his features as he worked to heal you. You didn’t want this to be real. You still held out hope that if you somehow managed to end your life you’d wake up on the cold concrete of the path leading up to your front door. You didn’t belong here.
You shook the memories from your mind and picked up the fabric on the bench. You expected the intrusive thoughts and nightmares, but you didn’t think that they would be plaguing you so immediately. You slipped on the airy cotton tank top and loose-fitting matching shorts. You were indeed surprised they fit as well as they did, let alone fit at all. Your bare feet padded along the cool stone floor and entered the massive bedchamber. The room encapsulated a warmth with its cream and ivory base colors. Splashes of blues, teals, and turquoise giving it a calming effect.  The dark cherry wood of the four-poster bedframe provided an interesting accent color adding to the space. Lucien sat on an ivory colored couch that faced a white marbled fireplace. Sadly, the flames did nothing to help illuminate the space and only seemed to cast heavier shadows. You glanced around the room again and noticed that the bedsheets had been turned down for you, for whenever you were ready to sleep. But you knew you wouldn’t be able to get any real rest with your injuries being what they were. Rhysand had only stopped the bleeding in your thigh. He did nothing for the other injuries. So, Lucien stated he would heal those for you. Carefully walking over, you sat your self on the couch, keeping enough space for another person to sit between you and the crimson haired male. He turned towards you with a slight smile that quickly faltered as he took in your appearance. He moved closer towards you and examined every inch of your skin. His one real eye held no warmth even as a flame seemed to ignite the iris. He took your chin in his hand to get a better look at the bruise on your jaw. His touch was gentle, but even you could tell that the male was furious with what he saw.
“I had hoped some of this had been dirt,” He turned your head to the side, a finger tracing down along the side of your neck. A metallic scent permeated the air as the hand cupped the left side of your face, covering nearly the entire bruise. His gaze slowly traveled down to your shoulders and the cuts that littered and marred the skin of your arms and shoulders. The skin warmed and tingled under his gentle caress. His eyes paused at your torso, no words needed to understand that he wanted to see the injury to your ribs. You carefully gathered the material and lifted as high as your stiff shoulder and neck muscles would allow. His fingers traced the outline of the mark, and you cringed at the touch of his hands moving your fat rolls out of the way so his palms could lay flat against the skin. Embarrassment colored your cheeks. Lucien continued his healing wordlessly. He motioned for you to stand, grasping your calf and propping your leg on the cushion of the couch. Your inner thigh completely exposed to him allowing the full extent of your wound to be seen. You watched as skin healed almost instantly. His gaze then shifted to the healed scars on your upper thigh, near the junction where it met your hip. “Um…y-you can leave those,” you brought your leg back down to stand before the male, “Thank you Lucien.”
“You’re most welcome,” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. You started to pick at your already blunt nails, a nervous habit you used to ground yourself. You glanced around the room for the third time, almost not believing that you were no longer in the cold and dark. The white walls and bedding opened up the space.
“Is…is that for me?” You pointed over towards the massive bed covered in decorative pillows. Lucien’s red hair swayed with the movement of his head as he followed your gesture.
“The bed is for you,” He stood and walked over to the small bedside table to the left of the headboard, “As is this sleeping draft.” He picked up a deep cobalt vial, giving it a slight shake before setting it back down. You hummed and nodded, but didn’t move from your spot in front of the couch. It went without saying that the potion would be needed after what you experienced over the past week. And you would only feel guilty if you woke him in the middle of the night.
“There’s water for you as well,” His voice softened as he noticed your hesitation. You chewed on your lower lip. The sun was still up, but you didn’t know how its position revealed the time of day. Depending on the time of year and how far north, or south, on the planet you were, you estimated it could be anywhere from 3pm to 9pm. You supposed it didn’t really matter as sleep was sleep and you’d likely remain unconscious for several hours, Gods willing at least.
“I will be in the room next to yours,” He pointed over to a door opposite from the entrance to the bathing chamber, “If you need anything, anything at all you come to me. We’ll get you some food in the morning.” You nodded again as your eyes started to water. You didn’t want to be left alone, but you also didn’t want to take up his time more than you already were. So, wordlessly you forced your feet to move and made your way over to the bed. You crawled in under the blankets that had been moved aside. You grabbed the vial from the bedside table and uncorked the stopper. The scent of chamomile, lavender, and something unknown wafted to you. Before you gave yourself time to reconsider you downed half the contents and set it back down. Lucien was patiently waiting at the door and smiled his first genuine smile towards you.
“Goodnight (Y/N).”
“Goodnight Lucien.”
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Lucien had answered all your questions, to the best of his ability, during your first day in the Moonstone Palace. He filled you in on the basics of the Night Court and Prythian. For each bit of information he provided about the land or himself, you matched it. He also informed you that while here, Rhysand insisted that you work on finding any potential information of your world and how to get back to it in the texts that he sent. A new stack of books was brought into the small library within the palace every morning. So far, your hours of reading yielded no results. Then again, you could only read a fraction of the texts given to you. Most were in languages that you couldn’t even begin to understand. Still you scanned the tombs for any words that even looked remotely similar to names of places within your universe. Sadly, all you could find was information related to a Midgard, which was frustratingly NOT the same as the mortal realm described in Norse mythology. Lucien then explained that they had already received visitors from this Midgard that were set to return to Prythian soon. You had gathered that one of them was Bryce, but you’d not been given names for anyone else.
In addition to the books you had also been gifted a small wardrobe filled with clothing in your size. It had been awkward when the half wraiths appeared to measure you. But you were provided with some simple dresses, pants, shirts, and under clothes. Nothing fancy, which you were grateful for. Lucien explained the clothes were an apology gift from Rhysand. You told Lucien that if the High Lord was truly sorry he could at least express as much to your face. You couldn’t complain in the grand scheme of things. Rhysand wasn’t obligated to house, feed, or clothe you. He could have easily dumped you in the Mortal Lands, leaving you to fend for yourself. Although, Lucien stated that he knew of two people that would have taken you into their care. Regardless, you did as Rhysand bid, reading for hours day after day and never asked for anything in particular.
Another two weeks went by and you and Lucien developed a little routine. Breakfast followed by hours of research. Then lunch and various exercises and tests to determine if you held any sort of latent magic. Lucien explained that his initial assessment of you that first day showed nothing, but that didn’t mean you were completely without power. Truth be told you felt he was keeping something from you. Then came dinner, after which you were free to spend your time however you wished. Mostly you spent time on the veranda studying the night sky, letting the wind caress your face and hair. There was one night you swore you heard voices held within the breeze. A song encouraging you that you would find peace again. In your world the night time hours used to provide a comfort, but here there was nothing familiar about the constellations that dotted the dark sky above. Instead, the lack of familiarity just made you feel all the more alone. It wasn’t that Lucien wasn’t good company, you just felt bad that he was stuck with you. He tried really hard to get you to relax and fall into the playful banter he likely needed to survive his own punishment. While he never said as much, you had gathered that his babysitting duty was linked to your release and apology from the High Lord. Lucien made your days easy, filled with witty remarks and a warmth that felt natural. An easy friendship had definitely taken root.
However, the nights were hard. You already suffered from extreme insomnia without the added fear of night terrors. So, your sleep cycle was suffering greatly. The first two nights were dream less thanks to whatever Lucien had given you. But the third night resulted in his bursting through the doors of your bedroom at the sound of your screams. As much as you hated yourself for feeling weak, you begged him to stay in the room. He obliged, of course, and slept on the couch. His presence helped slightly. It didn’t chase away the nightmares, but it did make the darkness that permeated the night more tolerable. You had never been fearful of the night before, having even preferred it to the hustle and bustle of the day. You had always the quite of the night to bring you a comforting serenity. But since your time in the cell…you insisted on a fire in the hearth and the faelights to remain lit, believing the light would chase away the shadows that plagued your dreams.
You felt bad forcing Lucien to sleep on the couch. But you also didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable if you offered to share your bed with him. He told you about his mate, Elain, and you felt even worse that your arrival took him away from her. Even if he explained that their relationship wasn’t what would be expected between mates after nearly 4 years of being in each other’s lives. So, you kept the offer to yourself.
Today started out like any other. Lucien and you sat down to a breakfast of eggs, toast and jam with orange juice. You never really cared for tea and coffee appeared to not be available in Prythian if your companion’s confusion was anything to go by. The only difference today were the two additional place settings.
“Are we expecting visitors?” You asked. You immediately wanted to kick yourself for asking what was an obvious question.
“Yes,” Lucien answered, pouring a cup of tea for himself, “I’ve asked some people to come and meet you. As much as I enjoy our time together, it seems that the High Lord still needs convincing that you should not be kept in a cell.”
“I’m not in a cell,” You countered. However, you didn’t miss the fact that his glare told you that your new cell was just a lavish one.
“Our guests may be able to help me make a stronger case for you to be able to move freely about the court, if not Prythian as a whole.” You pondered who he would have contacted. To your understanding, not many members of the High Lord’s “Inner Circle” particularly cared for the emissary. There was also no way that members from another court would be able to hold any sway over the inner workings of the Night Court.
“So, what do they need to know about me?” You asked, spiking the yoke of your egg. In the time spent with Lucien you were able to be yourself for the most part. You held back on your swearing, meme related jokes, and slang, but tested out your sarcasm and dry humor. One of the main things you were worried about was how to speak with others. While you had manners, you had no formal etiquette training. Something that Lucien found utterly hilarious when you asked for clarification on how to address him.
“Relax, its an informal introduction,” His gentle smile reassured you, “Just be the sweet girl that I’ve come to know.” His smile widened. You gave him a doubtful look, tucking your lips into a thin line to suppress a laugh. He batted his irritatingly long eyelashes and the two of you broke out into a fit of laughter. While you weren’t cold or bitchy by any means, you also weren’t a sweet and demure woman either. No, Lucien quickly pointed out that you had a fire within you…at least on your good days. The laughter was cut short by the sound of a thud in front of you on the stone patio. Your eyes immediately tracked the large bat like wings and you stood from your seat. Metal and glass clanged against the stone as your thighs hit the lip of the table. Your chair knocked to the ground, causing you to nearly trip as you backed towards the metal railing. Blood rushed in your ears and your vision started to tunnel. Lucien was next to you in an instant.
“Hey. Hey," He gripped your right shoulder to keep you steady, “Shh, it’s okay. It's not him. You’re safe.” Your gaze remained fixed on the unknown winged male that looked on with worry etching his features.
“See what you did,” the voice of the female he’d been carrying was distant in your ears. Lucien’s other hand cupped your face, forcing you to turn towards him.
“Eyes on me (Y/N),” He encouraged, “Breathe. There you go.” Your eyes focused on his features; the jagged scar-raised and tight, the deep reds sprinkled amongst the warm honey brown iris. Your breath evened out, and you covered the hand on your cheek with one of your own to let the red head know you were okay. You took another breath and released Lucien. However, his hand remained on your shoulder. You turned back to the couple that stood on the opposite side of the space. At first glance, the winged male held features that you noted were similar to Azriel in regards to skin, hair, and eye color. Although, Azriel’s held more flecks of green than the honey gold of the male before you. The unnamed male was taller and broader, his shoulder-length hair softly jostled in the breeze. Your eyes wandered over to the female that was with him. Her striking blue-grey eyes would have reminded you of steel had it not been for the soft sadness that shown in them at your display. You hadn’t expected to react in the manner you did. Your heart still hammered in your chest. You cleared your throat and smoothed down the front of the simple sage green dress you wore.
“I-I must apologize,” You started, “I guess I…sorry.” You wrung your hands together and looked at your feet.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” the female spoke up, "It’s this idiot’s fault. We should have given you a warning.” You nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Lucien’s hand trailed down your arm to your hand. He gave it a quick and gentle squeeze before he bent down to pick up the chair you’d knocked over in your haste to get away.
“(Y/N),” He motioned for you to sit back down, “This is Cassian, the General of the Night Court’s Illyrian army, and Nesta Archeron, Valkyrie, sister to the High Lady and fellow emissary.” Lucien gestured to each as they took their own seats across from yours.
“It’s nice to meet you,” You reached across the table, your hand extended to shake theirs. When neither returned to gesture you pulled back. “Sorry, I’m used to hand shakes as a form of greeting in my world.”
“So, you are from another world?” Cassian asked, scooping some eggs onto a plate and handing it to Nesta.
“Yes, we call it Earth,” you searched the table for a spare fork, yours having fallen to the ground. When you couldn’t find one, Lucien handed you his. You raised your eyebrow at him, but he just shrugged and began to spread a blackberry jam on his toast. “And before you ask, there is no magic, at least not the same as what you’re familiar with. Also, creatures such as fairies-the Fae- shapeshifters, vampires, mermaids, nymphs, and so on - are all non-existent. Just stories that have been reduced to myths.” The two regarded you closely, listening to your spiel. When they didn’t say anything you continued, too nervous to allow silence.
“I’m not sure how I got here. There are stories of humans traveling through portals into the realm of the Fae or other worlds, but they are simply stories. Ones made to keep children out of trouble or explain natural occurrences. All prior to finding scientific explanation, of course. Like the changing of the seasons,” You realized you were now rambling, “or fairy rings-rings of flowers or more often mushrooms…” The three non-humans stared at you.
“Don’t Lu,” you warned as the corner of the male’s full lips ticked up, “Yes, I talk when I’m nervous. Yes, I’m nervous because I really don’t know how I got here. I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t understand why…I just…want to go home.” Lucien took your hand in his again, his grip reassuring and comforting.
“That’s what we’re all working on,” He assured, “There is a library that, should we manage to convince Rhys-”
“Wait, she can’t leave here?” Nesta interrupted, her eyes blazed. Cassian tensed in his seat and gave Nesta a warning glance. It was clear that not everyone knew of your predicament.
“She’s restricted to the East Wing of the palace,” Lucien clarified, “There are barriers up that she can’t pass through. Just like what Tamlin did with your sister.” If Nesta had been upset before, she looked down right lethal now. Of course, Lucien had filled in you in on what transpired with Feyre and his former home in the Spring Court. Cassian cleared his throat, his gaze falling to the other male.
“What is it you need from us exactly?” He looked to you, seemingly trying to figure out why you posed such a threat that you required to be locked away.
“I need your voice in your High Lord’s ear. I have no magic, and we’ve tried various ways to test that out.”
“Which you’re welcome to see,” Lucien interrupted.
“Yes. I don’t really know how to use a weapon, nor do I have much interest in doing so. And, as I already mentioned, up until a month ago I firmly believed that yo-the Fae were not real.”
“What did my brother say his reasoning was for holding her here?” The question was directed towards the other male.
“He can’t enter her mind.” Cassian’s surprise was not well hidden, “He believes that something or someone is guarding her-” It was your turn to interrupt your friend.
“If I was being guarded or protected, then whatever was responsible has already failed me,” Your voice was soft. A silence fell across the table, and most of the food had grown cold. You didn’t know what else to do or say to convince the General and the Valkyrie of your innocence. All they had to go on was your and Lucien’s word. Even if you were to demonstrate the exercise that Lucien put you through each afternoon with no results, how would they believe that you weren’t just pretending. A ruse to fool them. You desperately tried to quell the pinpricks of tears behind your eyes. You feared that if Lucien’s efforts failed you’d be sent back to the catacombs or worse left to rot on that-
“(Y/N),” Nesta’s clear and calm voice cut through your thoughts, “I’d like to hear more about where you’re from.” You nodded.
“What would you like to know specifically?”
“Let’s start with you. Your family, your up brining.” She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed comfortably in her lap. You swallowed and nodded again.
“I can do that.” You spent the next few hours pouring every detail of your life to the trio. Most information Lucien already knew, some he didn’t. You talked about your family and your friends. You briefly talked about your work and academic studies in music. This caught the oldest Archeron’s attention, which launched a discussion regarding your dissertation topic. The two males excused themselves as you continued to talk with Nesta. The topic changed to books and Nesta promising to bring you some of the spicier romance novels that she found to enjoy the most on her next visit; to which you were grateful as you desperately needed a reprieve from only reading books provided by Rhysand. Cassian and Lucien eventually returned as you made a raunchy joke that had you and the female High Fae laughing loudly.
“It’s time to go Nes,” Cassian set his hand on her shoulder. He looked to you and smiled. The expression was genuine. After spending the few hours you did with the male, you had concluded that he was much less frightening than the other Illyrian. At least for the time being, that is. Nesta rose from her seat and joined her mate.
“I will speak with my sister,” She told you, her features hard with determination, “It’s not right that you’re kept any where against your will when you’ve done nothing to justify imprisonment.”
“Thank you,” You smiled, “I hope to see you both again soon. I’m certain this fool is getting tired of having to entertain me.” You gave the male a wicked teasing grin. Cassian let out a booming laugh as ‘your fool’ placed his hand to his chest in mock offense.
“And here I thought you loved my company,” He stated. You laughed as you stood to join him at the patio entrance.
“Yeah, yeah,” You brushed him off, the smile still plastered to your face. The two of you said your goodbyes and watched as the guests flew off in the distance.
“I think that went rather well,” you looked to Lucien, “Don’t you?”
“Yes, it did,” He held his arm out for you to take, “Cassian agreed to speak to Rhys. He said that he and Nesta would allow you to stay in their home or at least help you get in and out of the library.” You hummed in response as you slipped your arm around his. Your mind wandered, and you felt lighter than you had since you’d been here. He walked you to your room and began prepping the couch to be his makeshift bed for the evening. The sun was quickly setting, and you hadn’t noticed that you spent the entire day talking. You paused near the entrance to the bathing chamber.
“Lu?” he hummed, looking up at you while shaking out the quilt. “Thank you, for everything.”
“Of course, sweet girl,” You rolled your eyes at the term of endearment.
“That’s sticking now isn’t it?” His russet eye brightened with mischief.
“Now that I know it irks you, yes.” You leveled a glare at his to which he just laughed. You huffed a breath.
“If you’re just going to be mean, you can leave,” You stuck your tongue out at him as you made your way into the bathing room. He continued to laugh as he excused himself to his own rooms. When he returned, you were already snuggled in your bed, breathing deep and steady.
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Next: Part 3
Tag list: @jenniferpendragon @impossibelle @sweet-chai-amore @myheartfollower
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ateez highschool/college/uni!au collection
the academic influences of our own daily lives floating into fiction gives it a pleasant splash of boring grey in an otherwise colorful world (i have no idea what i'm saying). basically, this is yutasbellybuttonpiercing's attempt to expand across fandoms to reach a wider audience and make more people happy (i wish). no, but seriously, i feel like it's finally time to introduce you to some new thangs (jail for me for One Thousand Years) before i decay in correlation with my writer's block on every single neo fic i'm currently writing. hence, i am proud to announce, more sooner than later (i haven't done anything besides work and come up with concepts for these bad boys in the past 48 hours), THE FIRST NON-NEO FICS ON THIS BLOG.
Let me know if I should put you on a taglist.
unnecessary background information that you can feel free to skip:
the relationship between ateez and i can be described as an on-off situationship with constantly changing interests, but i can finally say: they're my second ults. what started with "who's the guy with the blue shirt in wave?" has gracefully developed into a "mmmmmhhhhaaa yunho (!!!!!!)" and an equally important "GGRFAAAHSHBSGFDSHSNNSNAHHHNHHNNGGG JONGHO".
this shall be all. now, i present: the teasers.
I. kim hongjoong
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a tale of skirts, painted fingernails, a silver ring and gender trouble
status: conceptualizing...
access the full solo teaser here!
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II. park seonghwa
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how to avoid the sun
status: conceptualizing...
access the full solo teaser here!
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III. jeong yunho
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friends who diddle
status: the diddling has begun...
access the full solo teaser here!
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IV. kang yeosang
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헤헷 (working title)
status: conceptualizing...
access the full solo teaser here!
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V. choi san
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the rizzler
status: conceptualizing...
access the full solo teaser here!
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VI. song mingi
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slowly i'm going down
status: it went down!
access the full solo teaser here!
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VII. jung wooyoung
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on my last nerve
status: conceptualizing...
access the full solo teaser here!
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VIII. choi jongho
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[untitled]
status: conceptualizing...
access the full solo teaser here!
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hugmeimtouchdeprived · 3 months
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Ghost!Johnny "Soap" MacTavish x fem!reader - Prologue
A little prologue, I guess? I do want to make this into a proper fic, just a bit busy now so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to write.
English isn't my first language and this is my first fic, so please bare with me!
Inspired by @ghouljams's ghost!Ghost fics!
(Yes I did write something for this previously on a different account but ended up deleting it for reasons)
Content warning: MW3 (2023) major spoilers, major character death right at the beginning, not edited because it's 1am and I'm feeling lazy but really want to post this, please let me know if I need to add more, I'm still new to this!
Soap x reader, this one is from Johnny's POV but the next part will be reader's POV.
Original drabble | Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2
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It’s odd, really, how quick it all happened. From defusing a bomb to saving his captain to getting shot. He hadn’t even realized he was dead at first, although it should have been obvious in hindsight. No one could survive being shot in the head from point-blank range like that, not even an elite soldier.
Truly understanding what had happened took a while. Sure, he could see his own limp body on the ground as his teammates stood around him, when it was delicately put in a body bag and carried away, but it didn’t hit him until way later. It was more confusing than anything when he tried to tell them he was alright, that he was right there, and nobody would listen. Nobody would even look at him.
He watched as people came in and out of the tunnel for the next few days, doing their investigations and cleaning up the corpses and the blood, until everything went back to normal. Trains ran by as scheduled, workers hustling about.
Johnny was deep in denial for a long, long time. He can’t be dead, absolutely not. Look, he’s right here! Just- just look at him. Please look at him, say something to him. Why the fuck is everyone ignoring him?
No, actually, it’s just a bad dream. That’s what it is. He’s having a very vivid nightmare, one that feels like it just won’t end. But it will. Definitely. He’s going to wake up at base, or maybe back at his apartment in the city, and he’ll go to work and tell everyone about the weirdly realistic nightmare he just had, and they’ll all have a laugh about it.
But days turn into weeks, and he’s still there. It catches up slowly that this is no dream. He’s not going to simply wake up, not this time. He keeps going between absolute hopelessness and uncontainable rage. How could this happen? Sure he knew the risks of his job, that his life could end with little to no warning at any moment. Still, it’s almost impossible to actually comprehend once it has happened. What will his family think when they get the news? How will his poor mother handle it, if at all?
What about his team? They’re trained soldiers, best of the best. They’ve all lost friends, loved ones, teammates. They’ve seen it all before, surely this is no different. Just another Tuesday. No, they’re a family. At least in Johnny’s eyes. They must miss him, grief in their own ways.
And then there’s Makarov. Johnny can’t help but wonder where he is, what he’s doing. The 141 must still be on his tail, if they haven’t caught him already.
Johnny hopes they give him hell. For everything he’s done, and selfishly, Johnny hopes they make sure to avenge him while they’re at it.
Acceptance of this new reality comes agonizingly slow. Johnny tries to force it, tries to convince himself that it’s okay, it was bound to happen eventually. It just happened sooner than he had dared to hope. But that’s how it goes, people die, the world moves on.
He does eventually move around the underground tunnels. He could leave. At least he’s pretty sure he could if he tried, but he doesn’t want to. Maybe someday, but what good would it do now? Watching his loved ones grieve his passing, wondering how the hell they can go on. Johnny knows he was loved. He is loved. And he is full of love, even if he didn’t always show it in a traditional way. But the people around him definitely knew it, Johnny always made sure of it.
And now he’s alone.
He wanders the underground tunnels, watching the trains rush by. Makes sure to step aside when they do, still afraid of being hit. Refuses to even test it if he’d just pass right through them or other solid objects and surfaces (or maybe he does pass his hand or entire arm through some worker in a bright vest, just to see if he can. It’s not like the man will ever know anyway, despite the cold shiver that seems to go up his spine.)
Finding himself at a platform with people passing by at almost all hours of the day feels like a relief. Nobody will still acknowledge him, but the hustle and bustle fills his days with something, and that’s definitely better than nothing. It’s boring and mundane but feels less lonely. He watches as people rush to work, complain about the weather and how the train is late again, teenagers loitering around and kids playing at their parents’ feet as they wait. Occasionally he’ll see some dramatic show of goodbyes and breakups and arguments and heartbreaks of all kinds. He’ll see reunions, online friends meeting for the first time. Even watched some poor bloke propose to his girlfriend. She had awkwardly declined and quickly hopped on the next train, leaving her boyfriend on the platform. Johnny would have felt bad for the young man, if the couple hadn’t looked like they were on their first date.
He makes stories about people, especially ones who take this route often. Wondering where they’re coming from, where they’re going and why. What the lives of these seemingly regular civilians must be like. The single mom who gets on the train almost every day with two screaming toddlers in tow. The young man always smoking, ignoring the glares and the security telling him off. The old woman who comes by alone, often not even getting on a train and opting to sit near the stairs for a couple hours, a few days a week, just people watching. Just like Johnny, he supposes.
That’s how the first months go by. Johnny isn’t sure how long, there’s no point in keeping count of the days, weeks, months. He’s dead, what’s he going to do with that information? Well, he does keep some track of the days, reading headlines of newspapers and articles over people’s shoulders as they wait, just to keep some track of what’s going on in the world outside the tube network.
Yeah, it’s still boring as hell. Faces passing by, day by day.
Johnny is tempted to leave, or at least see if he can. There’s only so many things to see at a train station until it starts to numb his mind. He could probably see the world. Other than war zones and safehouses and such, that is. Do ghosts go on vacations? Can they go on vacations? Johnny doesn’t know much about what ghosts – at least he thinks he’s a ghost, or a spirit of some kind – like him are capable of. Too many movies and stories about the subject, all so similar but oh so different from one another. Guess there’s no better time than the present to find out, huh?
Those plans of leaving for good are quickly forgotten when something – someone – catches his eye one day. Not even sure why, he feels drawn to her, like a magnet. And after just a few days of seeing her almost daily as she gets on a train in the morning and returns later in the evening, it just doesn’t feel enough for poor lil’ Johnny. Whatever this is, he can't just let her be. Especially when, for a brief moment, he believes she looked at him. Actually looked straight at him.
Well, maybe he will try and leave this tunnel, after all.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! 🌷This was a fairly quick thing, just because I wanted to get this little fic started, and starting a new project is always the hardest part in my experience. Just wanted to get the ball rolling, ya know? Just getting those brainworms out.
Original drabble | Chapter 1
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linasofia · 1 year
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A Shooting Star
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Part 3
Fandom: The Hobbit
Relationship: Thorin Oakenshield x OC Vega
Summary: Lady Vega loves to sneak out to Erebor’s rampart to study the night sky, but one night, an unexpected visitor joins her. It is the beginning of a story whose end only the stars can tell.
Warnings: none
A/N: This is the third part of this fic. You can find the previous parts here.
Balin read the edict in his hand and then met Thorin’s steadfast gaze.
”Thorin, are you certain of this? I agree with you, the ancient books are in need of restoration, but not many dwarves care for old tales about the stars these days.”
”They should, Balin,” Thorin growled. ”The tales are fascinating. Some of them actually tell our history—our legacy—both the good and the bad. And it’s done in a less heavy way than any of the dusty books I read with my tutor as a young boy.” He pointed at the thickest of them all; a book with a leather cover adorned with seven stars. ”Have you ever read this one, Balin?”
The prudent white-haired dwarf in front of him shook his head, and his long beard swayed.
”You—who have read more books than anyone I know—are not familiar with the true gems in the Royal Library?” A small mocking lingered in Thorin’s voice, but Balin chose to ignore it. Instead, he shifted tactics.
”Why are you suddenly so interested in our conservators’ works? Not only do you interfere with the planning, you interrupt their current work too. Master Kvasir will most certainly question your personal interest in these books.”
”Then let him come with his questions,” Thorin muttered, and the thought of the unpleasant—but highly skilled—Master Kvasir made his mood sour. ”I do not think I need to explain my motives to him, or anyone else.”
Balin raised a hand in defense. ”I do not mean to question your motives, I am merely asking out of curiosity.” Thorin glared at him, and Balin knew better than to keep pushing his old friend for a reason he was certain he would find out sooner or later anyway. ”Very well,” he stretched his back and folded the edict, ”we shall see it done.”
***
A paper scroll with the king’s wax seal was open and on full display on the dining table when Vega returned from her visit to the seamstress. Neither her father nor mother seemed to be home, and therefore she dared to read the letter without permission. Her father’s post was clearly not for her eyes, but she could not resist when she saw the royal blue ribbon next to the roll. Only members of the royal family were allowed to use that specific shade of blue, and it was easily recognizable. The letter contained an invitation to the welcome banquet upon Lord Dain’s arrival, something Vega had never attended before. Usually, the king’s cousin stayed for a couple of weeks at the time, and several feasts were held in the meantime—all meant to entertain the large entourage traveling with him. The invitation was for the whole family, and Vega wondered what her father would say of such an event. Especially now, when the news about the delayed building start for the new giant furnace was fresh in his mind. He had worked so long for this—an opportunity to double Erebor’s capacity—and due to a single error in the agreement, King Thorin refused to sign it. She stroked the letter, fully aware that the king did not write it himself, but her heart made a flip at the thought of potentially seeing him soon again. Thorin. She closed her eyes and summoned the picture of him from their last meeting on the rampart. A sigh fell from her trembling lips—he was so distracting.
Vega did not have to wait long for an answer to her question; her father brought up the topic during their family dinner the following evening. He was pleased to finally receive an invitation to the prestigious welcome banquet, a night reserved only for the kings’s closest circle. It was considered a great honor to be invited and it was said the king used to redraw that circle every year, depending on the performance of his advisors and negotiators. Vega’s father had always worked hard and finally, he was rewarded in a way he thought was fitting for an advisor with his reputation. He admitted the invitation arrived at the very last minute, but it was clear that he could overlook this minor mistake from the royal administration. As she listened to her father’s too-long explanation of his important work, her mind drifted, as it did so often recently, to the alluring sound of the king’s deep voice. She longed to hear him speak again, and a small seed of envy grew in her heart as she thought of how her father often spent hours in the king’s presence. Vega wished it was her. She knew her father sacrificed a lot for his work, but her silly heart kept whispering about another—more unrealistic—reason for the invitation. Ashamed of her ungrateful thought, she lowered her gaze and finished her meal in silence.
King Thorin’s cousin, Lord Dain of the Iron Hills, arrived at the front gate of Erebor on a misty afternoon when the grass was damp and the air smelled of wet soil. The red-bearded lord instantly pulled attention to himself by refusing to wait for the welcome committee; he simply marched directly to the royal wing and demanded to see his kin. Dain was not a man of small words or gestures; he was big, loud and with a fiery temper—just as his cousin. Nobody who saw Dain that afternoon doubted what he longed for the most after his journey; amber-colored ale, strong Dorwinion wine, and smoked meat in large portions.
The welcome banquet would be held the following evening, not in the main hall where a very large number of people could fit, but in a smaller hall, closer to the royal wing. As Vega stood by her mirror and watched the maid tie her corset on her back, she felt nervous. The thought of the king—Thorin—had kept her awake far longer than she intended, and when she woke in the morning, she had dark shadows under her eyes. But her mother discreetly slipped her a small jar and told her to put the smooth content on the skin. Whatever miracle her mother had hidden in her drawer worked, and Vega now looked as if she had never slept better. Her hair was arranged in a festive creation, with only a few locks framing her face. The maid held up her gown and Vega easily slipped into it and patiently waited while the maid finished her work. Vega’s mother was a modest woman, despite their increasing status, but when it came to clothing on gatherings of this dignity, she was very specific in her demands. Lady Vanadis would never accept anything less than the best for her family. Vega had accepted it for evenings like this, as part of their new lifestyle, but she was not really comfortable with having someone else dress her.
When Vega entered the banquet hall, she tried to focus on her conversation with her mother, but her gaze expectantly searched among the many faces in the hall, and it did not take long before she spotted the real reason for the excitement she felt in her chest. The king was in deep conversation with his cousin, and among the guests next to him, she noticed both his nephews and the captain of the royal guards. King Thorin had not seen her, and it gave her the possibility to admire him from a distance. Vega put on a kind smile, mingled with advisors and their families, was greeted by people she dreaded she would never be able to remember the name of, and gave polite hugs to a few daughters in her father’s small circle of friends.
Massive tables stood head to head, creating long aisles between them and at the end—the table of honor—reserved for King Thorin, members of the royal family, and a large number of the king’s legendary company. Food and beverages were carried from the kitchen by an endless stream of servants, and no plates remained empty for long. The wealth of Erebor was flaunted—a reminder of the enormous treasure safely secured deep in the Mountain. Vega secured a good seat for herself, far from the king, obviously, but she could spot him if she leaned back a little. She was accompanied by a merry group of women, who—unlike her—found banquets and balls a perfect opportunity to see what was on the exclusive market, as they unashamedly called it.
Dinner lasted—as always, under the Mountain—for many hours. Vega’s mother was seated next to her father at another table and Lady Vanadis had insisted on Vega being allowed to choose her own place instead of the awful suggestion her father had; next to the son of one of King Thorin’s top negotiators. The son went in his father’s footsteps and had already made a name for himself. Privately, his reputation was far from pleasant; he was an unpredictable snake; he would always smile but hide a dagger behind his back, ready to threaten or even stab if he found it necessary. Vega assumed her father had no knowledge of the rumors surrounding the young lord, but she was relieved she did not have to endure yet another dinner in the company of a potential suitor. Even though she was a grown woman, her father still tried to steer her in the direction he thought was suitable.
As the endless servings finally ebbed, dwarves from all tables rose to stretch their full bellies, exchange words with new acquaintances, or just refill their pints from the large barrels waiting along one of the walls. Even though her company was far more enjoyable than she first expected, Vega still felt the need to be alone for a short while. A break, a chance to breathe without the constant chatter in her ears, would do her good. She excused herself and walked, without even a glance over her shoulder, out from the banquet hall.
The huge corridor held a more pleasant temperature, and the air was not filled with the heavy smell of roasted meat and ale. She took a deep breath and let her shoulders relax. A few moments were all she needed; nobody would know or miss her. Especially not her parents—or the very occupied king. She was not even sure he had seen her. But what had she been expecting? That he would come and sweep her off her feet, like the hero in that book she loved to read as a young girl? Or ask her to join him at his table, in front of his kin and friends? Vega sighed—it was ridiculous.
Dain was just telling Thorin about some recent raid of orcs near the Iron Hills when Thorin suddenly witnessed Vega rising from her table and walking out of the hall. It took him only a blink of an eye to decide, but he quickly got on his feet, muttering a few words to Dain about his needs after the many pints they had been drinking. His cousin let out a rumbling laugh and turned his drunken focus to Fili, seated on his other side. Thorin had seen Vega the moment she entered the hall together with Lord Vimar and his wife, but since his advisor was seated separately from his daughter, Thorin found no excuse good enough to approach her. Now, however, he saw an opportunity too good to miss.
He used the side door—the shortcut to the royal wing—but it gave him the possibility to leave the room without raising questions. If he hurried, he could make it to the other side, catch a glimpse of where she was going and eventually make her aware of his presence. He hastened, in a very unkingly manner, down the corridor, and just as he predicted, he saw her as soon as he turned around the corner. Thorin had to force himself to slow down; it would not make a good impression if he came storming after her. Vega had stopped by the large tapestry hanging to the left of the entrance to the hall. It was a beautiful piece—created to impress—and welcome guests to his kingdom. She must have heard him, because she turned when he came closer and the expression on her face made his heart sing. Thorin stopped at a respectable distance, suddenly uncertain if his presence would make her uncomfortable. They were alone for the moment, but a large group of dwarves were laughing and singing on the other side of the colossal stone wall. He tried to make up a reason for his sudden appearance, but as her beautiful emerald eyes widened in surprise, he found none. At least not one he could tell her. Not here. Maybe never.
Vega did not believe her eyes when she saw who was approaching her from an unexpected direction. As the king stopped in front of her, she curtsied gracefully—deeply affected by the powerful aura surrounding him. His dark hair resembled the night sky, with the light from a hundred tiny shooting stars creating the silver strands in his thick mane. His temple braids were recently braided, and his beard was trimmed to perfection. The black tunic was generously embroidered with thick golden threads, and a sharp line of gorgeous dark chest hair peeked up from the open collar. Vega swallowed hard at the sight and forced herself to meet the king’s azure gaze. The raven crown rested on his head, and Vega could not remember seeing Thorin more regal than at this moment.
“Lady Vega.” His deep voice made her shiver. “Thank you for accepting my invitation.” A small smile danced over his lips, and Vega noticed how his upper lip twitched as he waited for her reply. Confused thoughts crossed her mind. Was it possible that she was right in her silly imagination; had the letter been sent to her father with the intention of bringing her to the banquet? Surely her mind was playing tricks on her again, just as it had done on the cold rampart.
“My father was very honored, My King. Thank you.”
“And how are you faring this evening? Would you rather be watching the stars?” The twinkle in his eyes brought a smile to Vega’s face.
“There will be other nights to study the sky.”
“And other full moons,” he added. Then he lowered his voice and leaned in ever so slightly, but it was enough to make Vega’s heart beat faster. “Together, I hope.”
“I hope so too,” she whispered, but as soon as the words fell from her lips, she realized she had allowed him to see too much of her feelings. But he smiled back at her, the same warm smile that kept her awake the previous night. And she could not help thinking that he was a thief—dressed like a king—for he had truly stolen her heart.
Thorin watched Vega as her eyes glimmered, and when the sweetest blush spread on her smooth cheeks, he wondered what path her thoughts took. Could it be him—did his presence affect her in any way? He could not ask her; it would be highly unseemly, but deep down, he hoped he was the reason for her delicious reaction. He knew he was older than her—maybe even too old—but she awoke a longing in him, a feeling he accepted years ago was never meant for him. His obligations to his people and the safety of his family had always been his highest priority, and he fulfilled both duties without even thinking of his own sacrifice. Vega, however, was shaking the pillars he was standing on. His inner vault was trembling.
“I bring news which I hope you will find interesting.” He grasped a sensible reason to stay with her for a little while longer.
“My King?”
”Please, Thorin for now.”
Vega smiled apologetically but nodded. It was easier to try to think of him as only Thorin when he was not wearing the legendary crown on his head.
“I made inquiries regarding the books in the Royal Library. There is a fine collection of old books with star maps and they are all to be restored. We cannot allow them to be neglected any longer, they are simply too valuable for future generations.”
“This is fantastic news!” He could hear the amazement in her voice. ”Thank you, for letting me know of this important work.”
Vega’s face lit up in the most beautiful smile, and Thorin wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her. The exquisite gown she was wearing made him slightly dizzy, as it offered him a delightful glimpse of her body's curves. She wore her hair up and it brought his attention to her exposed, delicate neck. Her skin appeared to shimmer, and it made Thorin think that Vega truly was a rare gem. One of a kind. If anyone could match the raw beauty of the Arkenstone, it was her.
”I am glad it brings you joy, Vega.”
He really meant it; Thorin thought as he stored the memory of her warm exclamation in his heart. She had reacted exactly how he wanted, and his satisfaction mingled with her joy, until he suddenly came to think of the reason behind their possibility to meet tonight. His cousin was probably already questioning everybody at their table where the King Under the Mountain was. Thorin would have preferred to stay in Vega’s company for a while longer, but he knew far too well what would happen if Dain spotted him with a beautiful, unmarried lady. He would never hear the end of it.
”Now, if you will please excuse me, I need to see if my cousin is still reasonable,” Thorin declared with a smirk. Dain’s drinking games were well–known, and he often challenged Dwalin to follow him. ”If I do not have the pleasure of speaking with you in private again, I wish you a good night.” He allowed himself to linger in her warm gaze one final time, but when he turned to leave, his boots felt unusually heavy. ”I will see you beneath the full moon, Vega.”
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fkitwebhaal · 2 months
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(Tumblr version) FIC: I WILL FACE THE GODS AND WALK BACKWARDS INTO AVERNUS 1/10
Fandom: BG3
Ship: there’s dark urge/Astarion in here but it’s not the focus and very much in the background.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: General game warnings, this chapter nothing of note
AO3
Summary:
When her fellow amnesiac tells Shadowheart that they “hate all the Gods equally” she’s sure they must be lying.
By the time she finds them lecturing Gale about the Goddess of magic, it has become abundantly clear they they were not joking.
Or: the Dark Urge is the biggest God hater in Faerun.
This chapter: Shadowheart comes clean, the Dark Urge explains their stance on Gods and this is the weirdest form of heresy Shadowheart has ever heard.
Notes: This fic is one part comedy, one part crack played straight, one part team character study about how faith works when you can have a literal convo with god. I have a good part of it written already but decided to divide it into chapters rather than drop what will likely turn out to be a 10k+ beast on you. I've put it down as 10 chapters so far, but that might change (I’m aiming for a character from each companion POV + Dark Urge)
The title, of course, comes from the famous Drill tweet.
Fic under the cut:
Shadowheart expected a variety of responses when she finally came clean about her faith.
Mother Superior had warned her about what happened to followers of Shar who failed to follow their dark lady’s example of duplicity. Imprisonment or jail was the most likely outcome, should one be within the Gate’s limits. Outside of it provided no greater protections: Shadowheart had heard stories of followers run out of towns when their faith was discovered, she’d memorized stories of those killed for daring to utter the name of her dark lady. Those tales were frightening, but none of them stuck with her as much as the one Nocturne had told her of the Sharans who had the misfortune of being discovered by Selunites. Nocturne had overheard it from a high priestess. It was about a Sharran who’d been bound to a rock underneath the full moon and left to be torn apart by wolves, the Selunites gleeful at their screams.
She didn’t think her companions would kill her or cast her out, they needed her too much. But she was prepared for them to give her distance. If they did, it was probably for the best: the loss of company would be a reminder of her commitment to Shar. All things had to end.
(It didn’t matter that Gale complimented her on her spells, it didn’t matter how Karlach shared with her fun bawdy romance tales by the campfire, it didn’t matter that Wyll helped her up when she fell on the ground due to the pain in her hand. Loss was inevitable. She had to remember that outside the cloister’s walls).
The first person she told about her Goddess was their sorcerer, an amnesiac human who had started calling themselves Rune. She’d wondered at first if they were a fellow Sharran given the state of their memory, but it soon became clear otherwise. She liked them, despite their odd muttering about blood and one sleepwalking bard murder. They were the reason she’d managed to escape her pod on the ship, after all.
Realizing the secret would come out sooner or later, she told them of her Goddess, knowing the rest of the camp would soon find out either by overhearing or gossip. Rune stood through her explanation with crossed arms, listening to her intently. When she was done, she took a deep breath, and made sure to stand tall. She was not ashamed of her Lady. Rune could say whatever they wanted, and that wouldn’t change.
“No. I don’t care who your God is,” Rune said, after a pause. They seemed to realize she was waiting on them to respond to her query. Shadowheart wasn’t convinced. She was about to question that when they spoke next. “I hate all the Gods equally.”
Shadowheart rolled her eyes. The sorcerer did have a fondness for odd jokes, but this wasn’t the best time. “Jesting, really?” She supposed it could be worse: better they crack a joke than run her out of camp. It wasn’t an ideal response, it would be nice if Rune also saw the merit in worshiping the Dark Lady, but she knew that was going to be unlikely. For now, she’d take what she could get. Not wanting to discuss her secrets further, she waited, expecting Rune to change the topic. Instead, they stared at her, blinking once.
“I’m serious.”
They looked serious. Well, they always looked rather serious unless they were reading something that annoyed them, but this level of seriousness seemed intentional.
“You-“
“I don’t like Gods,” Rune said, waving their hand. Like this was a normal thing to say in a conversation. “Any of them. So it really doesn’t matter who your goddess is, I wouldn’t like them anyway.”
This was perhaps the weirdest heresy Shadowheart had ever heard. Most people got up in arms about the Shar part; she hadn’t heard of anyone being upset because of the deity aspect. She knew there were people who didn’t put much stock in the Gods (Wyll, for example), but outright proclaiming a dislike of all of them? That was new.
“I’ll try not to bother you about it,” Rune continued, possibly mistaking her confusion for taking offense. She would be taking offense, Shadowheart thought, if she wasn’t so thrown off. “It’s your own business. But if you ask for my opinion or try to proselytize, I’m not going to lie to you either. I don’t want to lie to friends.”
Shadowheart’s line of thought cut off at their last statement. “We’re friends?” She didn’t have many of those, outside Nocturne. At least, not any she could remember.
Rune fidgeted a little, shifting their weight from one foot to the other, but they kept Shadowheart’s gaze. It was odd to see them so visibly nervous, given they’d stormed a goblin’s camp recently.
“I think so? I don’t know if I’ve had one before,” they said, before rubbing at their arm. “Unless you don’t want to be..”
“No!” Shadowheart hated how quickly she spoke up and cleared her throat. “I mean…friends sounds alright.”
Rune nodded once. “Good.” With that, they were off, their considerable people skills absent for the moment, and Shadowheart watched them go with a mix of wonder and amusement. Friends? With a Sharran? Nocturne would never believe her.
(Would she even tell Nocturne in the end? Would she make it back to the Gate to do so? And if she did, should she? Loss was inevitable, and here she was, making attachments. It was a poor showing for a Sharran).
She pushed the thought aside. It didn’t matter. In the meantime, she could enjoy the company and wait to see how truthful Rune was about the “disliking” Gods things. It was probably just a lie to placate her. She’d seen the human lie to the cultists just a few hours prior, after all. A lie made far more sense than Rune disliking every God.
It would be much later that Shadowheart would realize that Rune was being absolutely serious.
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little-annie · 1 year
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All I Want | Ch6
Steddie | Little_Annie | Ao3
Ch.5 ⤵️
---
Eddie's POV
It's still a blurry memory in his mind, waking up to the bright lights of the hospital, beeping machines, garbled words and lips on his own. He remembers speaking to someone, but not who or why.
The day Eddie Muson had woken up was a weird one. It's just a mishmash of flashes and unrecognisable blurs of faces, sounds distant in the sense that everything seemed to be drowned out by non-existent water in his ears.
The moment was short lived, the pain in his abdomen sending him into a tailspin before the nurses pumped him full of painkillers and he was absolutely loopy for days to follow.
The next time he came to, it was much less dramatic. Wayne was at his side and the room was quiet. No loud machines or indescribable voices or sounds, just Wayne Munson in his work clothes, snoring in the chair next to the hospital bed.
Eddie had taken a moment to just breathe, trying to piece together how he'd ended up in the hospital in the first place, but there was nothing. Not a single thing had come to mind as to why his sides ached and he was confined to such a stale sanitary place.
Wayne snoring himself awake to his left, pulled Eddie's attention back from his thoughts only for the old man to nearly jump out of his seat and run to the door calling for a nurse upon seeing Eddie awake once again.
There were questions, nurses asking him his name and the current year, to list his friends names and describe the last thing he remembers.
They were all easy, well, except for the last one, but fuck, his memorie's shit to begin with, so he didn't pay that fact much mind. Though, after the nurse had left him and Wayne alone, Eddie had a few questions of his own.
Rough words around what he'd later find out to be a stitched back together lip, he asked Wayne a multitude of questions, starting off with a scratchy, "Anyone come see me?"
It maybe shouldn't have been his first question, though he couldn't help but feel an aching swell in his chest, thinking there should have been more than just Wayne at his bedside.
He recalls Wayne's face doing something funny, the man looking oddly uncomfortable before asking, "Who you expectin' kid?"
His friends for one. He remembers thinking how odd it was to not see one of the guys, Gareth especially, come strutting through the door, snacks in hand, like he had the other times Eddie had been hospitalised. Broken bones, a nasty case of the flu and one memorable electrocution and they'd all been there, laughing, hopping around, lightening the mood with their antics.
"The boys?" Eddie asked, continuing after trying to get comfortable in his damn bed, "I dunno, Gareth, Jeff. At least someone from the band?"
But Wayne had shaken his head, a sad look on his face as he had said, "Sorry son."
They'd both been quiet for a moment, Eddie surveying the bandages wrapped around his body, his stomach twisting at the thought of what could have possibly done this time him, and then he asked, "What even happened?"
"Wild dog," Wayne said rather abruptly, oddly, almost as if it was practised
Eddie had scrunched his nose in thought, still to this day he doesn't recall there ever being anything like wild dogs in Hawkins, but he couldn't help but ask, "Like a Coyote?"
Wayne had shook his head, eyes down turned to focus on the floor as he spoke, "Just some feral thing. Took a good chunk outta ya kid." The man grimaced, wringing his ball cap anxiously in his hands, "had me worried there for a while."
He supposed that was valid. But he could see the pain in Wayne's eyes as they continued to visit and sooner rather than later, Eddie found himself going quiet to spare the old man his troubles.
-
Eventually he'd been released, rolling his way through the hospital to Wayne's truck out front, needing some much unwanted assistance getting into the cab of the vehicle from a wheelchair.
That was something he definitely took getting used to, still putting up a fight for his independence to this day.
Though even when he returned home his life wasn't anything spectacular. He was still just Eddie Munson but the ride through Hawkins proved to be a surreal thing. Buildings in ruin, some torn down to utter rubble while others showed only the faintest signs of distress. It was odd. As were the still remaining support stations through town where it seemed some residents still resided or flocked to for donations.
According to Wayne, while Eddie was out, a rather aggressive earthquake shook the town to its core. Tearing fissures in its surface and ripping entire neighbourhoods apart.
As much seemed true when they had to take a different route than Eddie remembered to the trailer park, Wayne citing this would all be back to normal soon enough when the big wigs left town.
Whatever that meant.
Eddie was grateful upon arriving home, seeing that their trailer only encountered minimal damage, much of which was already repaired.
His first week back he was confined to the trailer, Wayne taking a week off of work to keep him company. How they afforded that, Eddie hadn't the slightest clue.
Eventually the boys from Corroded Coffin came around after school, bringing pop, pizza and homework that'd get left behind for at least the remainder of the evening.
It was good seeing the guys. Their presence provided some relief to his relationship with Wayne. Don't get him wrong, he loves the man and everything he's ever done for him, but Eddie needs a break every once in a while from the constant southern monotone.
By the time he was able to drive and get around fine on his own, Eddie was back at school and though he missed having something to do, a goal to achieve, he didn't miss the looks a handful of students and faculty would shoot his way. Their glares only turned up tenfold from what Eddie remembers from his past.
Along with attending school and searching for a job that wasn't drug dealing, Wayne had him running errands. If anything it was probably just to keep him busy, but it was then that he ran into Steve Harrington and some curly haired kid he couldn't help but take a liking to.
It was upon ramming his cart into Harrington's gut that a familiar flutter returned to his chest. God the man was pretty and it didn't quite help that he babysat nerds on the side either.
Eddie remembers the shimmer in the man's eyes and the blush he's sure he imagined on his cheeks. But he couldn't help for the nights to follow to wish he could make Steve Harrington blush like that once again.
Even if the guy was an asshole, that didn't stop Eddie from thinking he was the prettiest fucking thing on the planet. All that speckled olive skin, hazel eyes and plush lips. Fuck. Why'd the hot ones always have to be the straight douchebags?
But it was a surprise to him to learn from Wayne of all people that apparently Steve wasn't such a dickhead anymore? Supposedly he was part of the relief program after the earthquake, volunteering his time to repair the homes and hearts of the community.
Still Eddie couldn't believe it.
-
Another thing upon arriving home…
It was odd at first, Eddie felt like he was going half nuts, but upon ramming his foot into about six different things in his bedroom, he could have sworn everything was moved an inch to the left. Like in the month he was gone some fucker came in and moved everything around.
But that couldn't be it.
It was just... just everything felt weird. Lacking something. Out of place, not his own.
And then there were things he didn't recognize. Like a faded yellow sweater folded neatly on his nightstand, a couple new tapes he knew he'd been saving up for but hadn't purchased yet. Just weird things like that.
Fancy shampoo in the shower, the scent of citrus and cinnamon that lingered in his sheets.
The way he felt a pang of something in his chest everytime that scent flooded his senses. It was a weird feeling. A gaping something. But it remained unnamed and unmoored, lacking the connection to something that felt just outside of his grasp.
But he knew Wayne had gone to the thrift store after the earthquake, replacing items that may have been lost or damaged. Picking out things for himself, the neighbours or the donation bins. Maybe he grabbed a few things for Eddie while he was there too. Albeit, a yellow sweater that's very much not to his taste but is the absolute comfiest thing in the world. So much so it's become his sleep shirt on the nights he feels restless, it's warmth and the scent of what must be Wayne's new brand of laundry detergent -cinnamon and citrus- lulling him into a rather easy sleep.
The days dragged on, monotonous as they'd always been and for some reason, today proved to be a long one.
Eddie had managed to make it to school on time by the grace of whatever holy deity he didn't believe in. His bandages falling loose in his haste as he came crashing into his morning biology class with a rather painful flop into a plastic chair. He hadn't even made it through half of the class before he was sent to the nurse for his seeping chest wound. The thing was being a stubborn fucker, the stitches having ripped a handful of times in the last weeks.
From there on it was a blur of bitchy sneers and pointless information, but what with finals approaching and hopefully graduation, Eddie kept his head down.
It'd been a hell of a day and after running a few resumes around town after school, Eddie found himself at Family Video, exchanging pleasantries with one Robin Buckley before trading a pocket full of change for a classic horror fic and some Licorice.
He and Wayne pulled into the drive at the same time, the two of them attempting to race their way to the front door, which on Eddie's end only appeared as a slow hobble. Instead of a victory speech the old man stole Eddie's candy before he could even protest, smiling around a stick of Licorice as he mumbled something about Eddie's gimpy leg and smokers lungs.
It was nice having an evening together, it'd been a rare thing in the past and now that Wayne's back at work again after taking that week off, they hadn't really seen each other much lately. Running in circles around one another, communicating through graphic coffee mugs and notes scribbled onto sticky notes left around the trailer.
It was a nice change of pace being able to make supper together and chat about their days over a beer. Wayne seemed to have a rather boring day at the plant, no new gossip or news to be shared. Not like in the past when he'd come home to tell Eddie about Jim sleeping with Jon, while Jon's wife was sleeping with the maintenance man who happened to be Jim's cousin.
He chuckled at the memory, small town gossip and all that.
He'd told Wayne of all the places he'd applied for jobs, none of which going any further than a curt nod and a 'we're not hiring but I'll keep this on hand for when we are.' He was beginning to think he'd have to start branching into the surrounding towns if he hoped to get anything at all. The people of Hawkins having some weird stick up their ass about hiring him, applying a few towns over might be his only option.
Plus, if he graduated it's not like he could live with Wayne forever. Maybe it'd be a good thing for him to branch out of Hawkins.
Though, Wayne seemed to have some reservations about that idea that he wasn't entirely willing to share.
Eventually they ate supper in front of the TV, watching one of Wayne's ball games up until the old man had to go across the road and help old Mrs. Kelly with something or other. That's when Eddie finally popped in his rental and settled into the couch with a bag of chips and a cold beer.
It was times like these that that weird gaping something in his chest ached. It was an odd thing, the open cushion next to him feeling oddly bare and the air around him lacking something so specific but so out of reach.
It was times like these when he'd make his way to his room, pull on that yellow sweater from Wayne and burrow into the couch a little deeper. The faded yellow garment becoming something like a security blanket of sorts; it worked wonders most days. Though it didn't entirely solve that weird something, it did aid in dulling it.
Wayne entered the trailer nearly an hour later looking a little worse for ware, covered in motor oil and grime, huffing something about how 'Kathy really needs t' stop tryin' to change her own damn oil, ninety six ain't so spry anymore,' and wading off to the bathroom for a shower, only to return ten minutes later and flash Eddie a puzzling look before settling into the couch next to him, looking at him with a side eye every so often.
"What?" Eddie asked around the Licorice in his mouth
Wayne's brow furrowed, looking Eddie up and down once with a considering look before moving his attention back to the TV, "Why ya wearing that?"
There was no heat found in his tone, though in its place Eddie couldn't help but sense a sad curiosity.
"What?" He asked again, his own brows creasing as he looked at his uncle
"That sweater Son, it's not really your thing."
Eddie hummed, looking down at himself. Wayne wasn't wrong, but for some reason he couldn't help but think he was also the furthest thing from right. There was something special about the sweater, it made his heart feel fuller for some odd reason. He shrugged, pinched the soft fabric between his fingers, "Dunno, just like it I guess. S' cosy."
Wayne only hummed in response.
A day that was filled with rushing around, bleeding wounds and sneers from strangers, Eddie was glad to have a calm evening.
Eventually retiring to his bedroom when Wayne too turned in for the night, Eddie found himself laying in his bed, hanging upside down with a joint tucked between his lips and Judas Priest playing in the background.
It was then that he couldn't help but let the moments of the last few weeks play through his mind.
Finally getting back home.
Finally see the boys again.
Finally getting back into the routine of things.
Well, and then there was the Steve Harrington of it all.
He'd only seen the man once since he'd gotten out of the hospital but it only took that single moment for his everlasting crush to flare like a fire in his chest.
He hadn't stopped thinking about the man since.
Needless to say he'd found himself hoping to bump into Steve again, disappointed every time he rounded that same corner in the grocery store to find the aisle empty or at the very least void of the speckle skinned beauty.
It was a hopeless thing to try and wish his crush on Steve Harrington away. Even in Harrington's darkest days when he was a raging asshole Eddie was still a teensy bit in love with the man.
Though moping and wishing Steve to even be the slightest bit gay wouldn't change anything.
I just wasn't in the cards for this reality and unfortunately that's something Eddie's heart couldn't seem to wrap its mind around. Oftentimes would he find himself daydreaming of the man, simple scenarios that seemed all too vivid for even his thriving imagination. It only hurt his heart more knowing that's something he could never have.
Like that day when he was making breakfast and couldn't help but think what it'd be like to have Steve's arms around his waist and lips on his neck.
Or that day when he took a walk into the woods only to imagine what it'd be like to hold Steve against a tree and kiss his way down the man's body.
After that single interaction in the grocery store, Eddie found it to not only be his waking thoughts to be polluted by the man. His dreams now too being a painfully vivid reminder of what he could never have.
Near nightly he'd catch himself waking with a pillow held tightly in his arms, the memory of Steve Harrington's lips on his own fading with the night as the sun crept into the sky.
Many times too he would wake from a mid afternoon, mid chemistry class nap, with the memory of Steve's hands on his body, embarrassed by the flush in his cheeks and tightness in his pants.
He just couldn't shake the man, like he was haunted by the ghost of something he could truly only ever dream of.
Though that didn't stop him from mid joint letting his mind wander.
Douchebag tendencies be damned, given the chance he'd take it.
Given the chance he'd love Steve Harrington. Pepper him with kisses and sing him the sweetest of songs. Hold him throughout the night, below the moon and under the midday sun, whispering every beautiful word the man brought to mind against tanned, speckled skin. He'd taste the salt of Steve's flesh and melt into the sounds that left his lips as air escaped him in a gasp.
Given the chance he'd treat Steve Harrington like sunshine.
Because under all that hair and sass and rich boy attitude, Eddie's knows there's something akin to the beauty of the sun. Bright and beautiful, gold and honey. The source of life itself.
Given the chance, Eddie would let Steve Harrington be his sunshine.
It's several hours later when Eddie finds himself tangled in a heap of blankets, the moonlight streaming through his window, blinding upon meeting his eye.
The phone's ringing, incessantly so, loud and blaring and Wayne has to work too fucking early for some asshole to be calling this time of night.
Eddie pulls himself from bed with a groan, shuffling himself through the moonlit trailer until he finds the phone on the wall. With a grumpy grunt he pulls it from the hook and slumps against the panelling, letting out a groggy, "Hello?"
Instantly he thinks it's another prank call, some asshole getting off on calling 'The Freak' a murder or something else equally as creative.
Then there's a commotion suddenly on the other end of the line, a broken breath and a hollow thud.
That ache in his chest burns but he ignores it, listening to nothing but short quick breaths beating into his ear.
"Hello?" He repeats, irritation quickly creeping into his tone, "…. I swear to fuck if this is another prank call…"
The line remains silent and after another second Eddie hangs up with a huff, only making it to his bedroom door before it begins to ring again.
He stands there, watching it ring until he hears it disturb Wayne, the old man grumbling in his sleep for Eddie to answer the damn phone.
Eddie grumbles to himself, dragging his tired body to the phone only to growl into the line upon picking up, "What?"
But again he's met with silence and the occasional shuddered breaths, he's just about to give whoever it is a piece of his mind when he notices Wayne, tired and grumpy coming to the phone.
Exhausted and nearing his soon approaching shift, Wayne rubs the sleep from his eyes, "What's going on Ed? It's fuckin' three in the mornin'."
Eddie grits his teeth, combing a hand through hair, tucking the phone against his shoulder as he speaks, "Some asshole keeps callin'."
Wayne huffs, reaching a calloused hand out and making a grabbing motion for the phone, "Let me talk to 'em."
Poor fucker, Eddie thinks to himself, handing the phone off to Wayne and taking his leave, shuffling off to his bedroom only to colapse with a grunt into his bed and pass out once again.
That night, while Wayne's outside talking the love of Eddie's life down from a panic attack and Steve Harrington himself is a grieving mess surrounded by a puddle of his own tears on a hardwood floor, Eddie dreams of hazel eyes and sun kissed skin. Yellow sweater still wrapped around his body, he clings to a pillow that smells like home.
---
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silenzahra · 2 months
Note
How about 🦷 and 🦴?
In reference to this game ✨
🦷 - Rest is important. This is something I myself struggle with yet (today, for instance), but I'm trying to learn to give my body the rest it needs before it starts asking for it (I don't always succeed though...). I try to remind myself that I don't have to do everything just now, that some things take time and, therefore, they can wait. And that I'm not late (a feeling that usually comes with the fact that I'm in my 30s), and that I'll get everything done step by step. A little bit every day helps more than trying to do it all at once in one sitting. Rest is just as needed as breathing and we should all give ourselves moments of peace, relax and doing nothing. The hardest part? Not feeling guilty for it, but I really hope we as a society end up improving in this.
🦴 - There's actually LOTS of media that inspire my writing 🤭 The most obvious one is The Super Mario Bros movie, but I'm gonna be specific and link a couple of masterpieces that have inspired two fics I hope I can post soon!
-Mutually assured by @cherryfennec. I've already mentioned a couple of times that this absolutely BEAUTIFUL piece gave me an idea for a fic I've worked on, but still haven't properly written. For which I'm really sorry, it's just that I'm a very slow writer, but the idea is there and I can assure it will eventually come! And I really hope I can do it justice, it's such a LOVELY piece! 🥹💚❤️
-Luaisy wedding by @ruart17. This piece is so SWEET and TENDER! My mind immediately started working as soon as I saw it, so yeah! I have an idea for a Luaisy wedding pic, but, again: slow writer 😅 I really hope I can work on it soon, because the idea of these two babies getting married makes me so happy and emotional 🥹 Especially when seeing their faces in this piece, so full of love and tenderness, AW they're so made for each other! 😭💚🧡
So yeah! These are two (or three, if we're counting the movie) pieces that have inspired me, even if the result of such inspiration is not ready yet. But I do know it'll all come sooner or later! 🥰
Thank you so so much for asking, dear friend! 💖
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capybaraonabicycle · 1 year
Text
Impossible Women
A theory or headcanon or call it a fic if you want - about what happened to the astronaut of Lake Silencio after the deed was done (yes, this is angsty; you were warned in the subtitle)
Halfway back into the lake River realises that the suit is about to shut down. It takes a while to grasp the full meaning of that as she is quite shaken up - having just shot the Doctor who is suddenly also her husband now in an alternative timeline because she broke time and maybe he isn't dead but who knows if that is actually true or she is halluzinating by now and she really needs a long sleep and time to think this all over - but then she realises that a) a shut down suit means her air will run out BUT b) it also means she will be able to move of her own accord again BUT c) the heavy suit will keep her at the bottom of the lake rendered useless and she has to get out asap if she wants to survive.
So she does just that, forces herself out of the suit by pure unbending Pond-Williams-willpower like she did as a child, uses her respiratory bypass to not choke in the meantime and swims up to the surface. She looks back to see whether older-her will shoot at her again but everybody on shore is too busy mourning the Doctor to notice her. She knows it will not stay that way. They will hunt her - whoever 'they' are, be it the Silence, the time agents, or the Judoon - sooner rather than later. She has just killed the Doctor, at least that is what the universe has to believe. She cannot go back to Luna, they would imprison her immediately. She can't go anywhere. And yes, she realises that she probably has to go to prison to completely sell the lie, to save her Doctor. But by hell will she not go willingly. She will run, as far and as fast as she can.
She sets out to swim to shore and start on the running, when out of nowhere a hand appears, almost punching her in the face. It belongs to a young, brunette woman with impossibly large eyes and is reached out as if to help her.
"Grab on" the woman whispers and River does what any confused, sapphic woman would do in this situation: she takes the hand. As soon as she does, the background behind the woman wobbles and twists like a curtain is pulled back and then River can see a diner swimming on the lake, the woman kneeling in the entrance door.
"This will not be huge on dignity" the woman warns, attempting to pull River into the diner.
River, however, has gathered herself enough by now to wave her off and tell her to stay back. Then she heaves herself into the diner - rather gracefully if she says so herself. The other woman seems impressed and River lets her know it'll take more than some kidnapping, manipulating, time breaking and loss of her husband to render her incapable of handling herself and that she feels she is still more than able to defeat the other woman and any of her associates should they have come to take her to prison.
"We're friends of the Doctor's" the woman reassures her. "We know him in the future. I am Clara. Come along, I will introduce you to Ash."
The diner turns out to be a TARDIS and Ash - or Ashildr - turns out to be a rubbish pilot. The Doctor is nowhere to be seen but River understood on entering that this was not their TARDIS, so she didn't really expect him to.
"Where is the Doctor?" she asks once she has taken over from Ashildr and is flying them into the time vortex.
"We don't travel with him anymore" Clara says. She is eyeing River's maneuvers critically but doesn't complain. "But we knew him after his time with you."
"So he does have a future" River murmurs, hoping the two others don't notice her small sigh of relief.
"He does" Clara agrees. "You didn't shoot him back there. Only the teselecta."
River doesn't understand what they want from her then, why they have come for her. When she voices that, Clara smiles brightly.
"We just wanted to offer you a lift" she explains. "And ask you to stay with us. They will be looking for you all over the universe, in all time zones. You just killed the Doctor. Everyone everywhere and everywhen will be hunting for you. If you want to run, a TARDIS might come in handy."
"And nevertheless you want me on your team?" River asks, incredulous. Clara nods vigorously but Ashildr doesn't seem that taken with River. She is very quiet, keeping to the back. It seems like she is going along with this only for Clara's sake.
"As I said, we are friends of the Doctor's" Clara repeats. "And you're his wife. Of course we want to help you out. What do you say?"
River would never pass on the opportunity to travel in her own TARDIS with two badass women and she tells them so. The fact that she has no other place to go, either, hangs between them unspoken.
River enjoys travelling with Clara and Ashildr immediately. She does not like them at first but it is convenient and it is fun and definitely better than rotting away in prison.
She does not like Ashildr because Ashildr doesn't like anyone herself - except for Clara perhaps and she likes to show that. That makes it difficult to get closer to her. River doesn't mind, they can live together just as well without caring for another.
She does not like Clara because that woman is positively insane and annoyingly righteous in spite of it. It takes her about a day to understand that Clara is not the goody two-shoes bubbly princess she tries to present herself as and a few more to understand just how unhinged the woman is. And yet she has that annoying entitlement of a 'good person' complete with the stubborn insistence on telling people River has threatened with a gruesome deaths that River 'didn't mean it that way'. As if you would pronounce death threats to strangers without meaning them.
Clara is a very good kisser, though and River has to admit it is intriguing to see what madness she will come up with next. She assumes the feeling is mutual. They bicker and they fight and they aggressively make out after and about a month in, River is head over heels for her. She assumes that feeling is mutual as well.
What is surprising is how much Clara wants to talk about the Doctor, how often she asks her about him. Not just about their relationship or their time together. Even things as banal as how he performs certain mannerisms or how he takes his tea intrigue her. And she speaks of him solely in the past. It is almost as if she is talking about a fictional being, a mystical creature. As if she didn't know him at all. Sometimes River wonders whether they told her the truth and are really friends with the Doctor or whether this is some kind of weird, pointless charade.
"Do you want to know why she always asks about the Doctor?" Ashildr appears one night in her door, alone, wearing that same, just slightly detached expression she often sports. When River confirms, she leads her away to a room deep in the TARDIS.
It is a study, filled to the brim with manuscripts and paintings and drawings - many of the Doctor. It doesn't look much different to her office at Luna.
"This is her memory" Ashildr answers to River's silent question. "I used to have one, too, myself, at least I think I did. I can't be too certain."
"I don't understand" River admits.
"Clara is well over 200 now" Ashildr explains. "And I don't even know how old I am."
"Well, you're looking good" River tries to lighten the mood but of course it fails.
"Spare me the flirting" Ashildr huffs. "We are immortal but we have human brains. In Clara's case a dead human brain. We can't retain memory forever."
"So she tries to put it all down" River understands, running her hand over a painting of the Doctor. There is another man on the canvas next to him, older, gray curls, impressive eyebrows. She briefly wonders if he was another companion, she thinks she sees him on several of the drawings, too. "Catalogue him, study him. So she won't forget."
"You know why we picked you up that day?" Ashildr asks and River takes the question as silent confirmation. "We went to one of your tutorials for Professor Summerfield's lecture on the Doctor. When Clara found out such a study existed she immediately wanted to go. We snuck in, sat in the back. I think Clara just wanted to test her memory and find out mistakes in your approach. Feel like she still knew him better. Only halfway through she realised who you were."
River raises an eyebrow.
"Of course she knew you" Ashildr explains. "She met you, actually, there is a whole volume on you somewhere on that shelf over there. To be honest she is giving your hair too much credit in it, it is not that impressive."
"Must be in my future" River murmurs. "I don't remember meeting her before. Or you."
"Well, she didn't remember you either, had completely forgotten about you" Ashildr shrugs. "But when we were back in the TARDIS she pulled out that book and then we did some research. Found out the best possibility to pick you out of your time stream. So here we are."
"Clara sneakily employed me as a teacher on the Doctor under the guise of helping me escape?" River summarises with an incredulous laugh. "The audacity!"
"Only it won't work" Ashildr says. "Not in the long run. She can repeat the memories as much as she wants, that just hollows them out. And one day she will realise that she doesn't remember the important part. How exactly his voice sounded, the exact way he smiled. She will have a bunch of cold images and empty data and borrowed stories from you. Without new memories the old ones just fade. Trust me. I know what I am talking about."
River is tempted to say she is sorry but she knows better and bites her tongue.
"And the moment she realises that" Ashildr heaves a sigh and River is surprised by the display of emotion, "she will go back to Gallifrey and reinsert herself into her timeline. Clara will not risk forgetting the Doctor competely - she has fought too hard and she is too stubborn and she loves him too much to let that happen."
She looks onto the canvas with the grey haired man, her mouth a bitter line. "The universe gave me someone I could bear eternity with and she won't stay with me."
"I know this doesn't sounds very helpful right now" River starts slowly. "But I do know another immortal. His name is Jack -"
"- Harkness, I know" Ashildr chuckles. "You cross him eventually when you live through all of human history. I think we spent some time together, too, I can't quite remember. I guess we didn't work out finally or maybe he wasn't that immortal after all. He didn't make it until the end of the universe with Me at least. Don't know whether I want to repeat that."
"I have got a plan, though. For when Clara goes back to the trap street" Ashildr says after a while. "I am not immortal, not really. I could be killed."
River cocks her head. "Are you asking me to kill you?"
"Would you do it?"
River tries to put as much warmth into the words and her smile as she can. "Of course."
"Good." Ashildr looks around the room. "I should get you away from here, now."
"I suppose, I can't read any of this" River says reluctantly. It is tempting, to see for herself in the memories of another woman that the Doctor really is okay, that he lives on. But she knows she mustn't. Spoilers.
"It was inevitable from the beginning" Ashildr says in the hallway. "Clara and Me. How we would end up. And I knew that. But I am glad we did it. The travelling. The running. Going the long way round. And I am glad we picked you up. Kind of like one last pit stop on the way."
It should offend River to be described that way but she can't bring herself to mind. Maybe Ashildr is right. Maybe there is a time to stop running, to stop resisting, after all. Even for herself. Maybe not just yet, but eventually.
There is a prison cell waiting for her.
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simon-x-billy · 1 year
Text
Simon x Billy
Year of the OTP: March
March prompt: Acceptance
Meet my OTP: Simon Lewis, author of a best-selling paranormal book series, who keeps writing himself into his novels; and Billy Delaney, Irish handsome devil and nomadic man of mystery, who chefs internationally. AN: Simon x Billy is a slow-burn m/m first-time-bi fic (nsfw at ch. 7). TW: References to the pain of being cheated on, language, Irish-isms, massive rewrites. Event details || ao3: Full Event || @yearoftheotpevent
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Masterlist || ao3 || Start: Jan Ch. 1 || Prev: Feb Ch. 2 || Here: Mar Ch. 3 || Next: April Ch. 4
————/-/—————
March Chapter 3: My red stripe of pain
———/Simon/———
Ooh, my ass is sunburnt. In a slightly-but-mostly-not sexy way. Look at that. I’ve taken on a rather tomatoesque appearance after four hours in the meaty embrace of the sun at midday without sunblock. But even pain can’t spoil this utter relaxation and bliss I feel.
Huh. I’ve just realized I’ve never done this before — traveling to another country alone. Maybe it’ll turn lonely again later. But right now, watching a boat streaking across my view, I feel free.
And slightly dehydrated.
————/-/—————
“You have a stripe on your arse. That’s what yer tellin me, is it.”
“Yes.”
“A stripe of pain. Have you been naughty, Simon?” Billy asks with the most obscenely good looking smirk. Ew. How dare he.
“Don’t grin at me like that, you barbarian. My red stripe of pain isn’t worthy of that kind of interest, trust me.”
“Why not?” He’s pouring me his favorite wine at the hotel bar, while I wait for my table at the very-big-deal restaurant outside.
“Why n- Are you- My red stripe of pain is a boring kind of red stripe of pain, I assure you.” After a second’s very deep reflection, I’ve realized I want to know, “Why are you so focused on my red stripe of pain, anyway? Never mind. I’ve changed my mind about wanting to know that. Ugh, look at this place. I have no words,” I sigh as the sun dips toward the horizon.
“Finally noticed you’re in Italy, did you,” he chuckles. He’s chuckling. Great.
“Even I had to notice sooner or later. And though it was a little, ok fine, quite a bit later, it’s ok. I’m good with that. Look, the point is…” What was my point? (I am the essence of cool rn.)
Now he’s raising one of his eye caterpillars at me.
He squawks out a laugh and then ducks, as a few of the other patrons look up at the bar.
“Tell me I didn’t say that out loud,” I ask weakly.
“You didn’t say that out loud. But the truth is, yeh said that out loud, mate. And I’ve never heard quite that arrangement of words, ever. Eye caterpillars,” he chuckles.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I bet they keep your face warm come winter. But don’t worry, I was once described as having eye caterpillars, too.” By whom I can’t remember. But am I admitting to furry eyebrows? Fuck no. His are far furrier than mine.
“Mate, looks like your seating is ready.” He inclines his head to the side to indicate the host coming to claim me.
“Oh. Ok. Have a good night Beelee.” I waive as I say, “Ciao,” then cringe. “Oh kill me now, I said ciao.” All I can think every time I hear it is puppy chow. Or puppy ciao.
“Keep using it, til you don’t think about it anymore,” is Billy’s random advice. ”Ciao, Seemon.”
“Does he talk dirty to all the guests?” I mumble as I’m seated.
“The list of the wines, signore.” The host hands me a binder so freakin big it requires tabs. Oh look, there’s another one for their selection of olive oils, too.
I never was any good at languages. I’m thinking maybe I should have spent some time on important things, like “Where’s the bathroom? Right and left. Do you have a cell phone charger?” The essentials.
I was too focused on setting everything up for the proposal. The one I’d planned for tonight.
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…Fuck, man, I miss her. Why? Why the fuck do I miss her? Why does she get that from me, karmically? It’s so unfair.
I mean, at least I finally feel buzzed. But it’s not cheering me up. It’s just making me all moony.
…I’ve never seen a lavender sky before. Have you? This would be an impossible place to contemplate suicide. Not when you get this sky every day.
…Why does she get to have me miss her? That’s just not cool. “What did I ever do to you?” Maybe I really shouldn’t shake my fist at the sky in the middle of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Even when there isn’t somebody here to get embarrassed by me. So I’m hereby mentally shaking my fist at the sky. Screw y-
Whoa. Look at that.
Is that a freakin schooner? I mean that looks like the Pirates of the Caribbean came to the Mediterranean. I just- I can’t- It’s- It’s a freaking cruise ship. A sailboat version of a cruise ship. My god.
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That is simultaneously brilliant and an unholy alliance of two things that should not exist in the same paragraph on a travel brochure. I dunno. I’m just jealous. I’ve always wanted to be in Pirates of the Caribbean.
…You ever wonder what he or she saw when they looked at you standing there at the end? I can’t stop thinking about it. What had I turned into in her mind, right before she finally got the balls to say and do what she wanted to? How long? Why didn’t I notice the change? How much of this can I blame on myself? Because I will find the things I can blame on myself and then I’ll chew on them like an old piece of beef jerky. And my whole head will ache after, because of all the chewing.
…Towns lit up, like a diamond necklace draped aaaaaaaaaaall along the bay. I would have bought her a diamond necklace. I totally would have. I already bought the ring. Would have felt obligated to keep it in my underwear, so, at least there’s an upside to her dumping me. Oh hey look, that must be Vesuvius. Why would you want to live near Mount Vesuvius? It’s alive.
…I shake my head back to consciousness as someone steps in the way of my view and leans toward me over the back of Elijah’s seat. (That’s a joke. An empty chair for Elijah. If you’re Jewish you get it.)
“How you doin there, mate?” It’s Billy.
I don’t much like that careful, quiet tone he’s using.
“Yeah, totally. Amazing restaurant.”
“Em,” he looks back over to the kitchen and says quietly, “Mate, you didn’t eat.”
“What? I ate!”
“You ordered olives. At a Michelin-starred restaurant that people can only reserve a year to the day ahead of time. Everything ok?"
Or you call and bribe them. That can get you a table, too.
“Yeah, the olives were good.” And are still largely untouched, I see as I glance down at my plate. Yet I’m certain I’ve ordered something. Beyond the wines, I mean.
“Shit.” I now realize that the staff of the restaurant are waiting for me. “This outdoor patio is a patio all day. Doesn’t it just turn back into a patio at night? Like when the clock tolls midnight?”
“Sure but midnight’ll still be two hours away.” He pauses to look behind him and motions to someone that he’s going to sit down with me.
“Um…” I don’t know what to say. Cuz I really don’t want to talk to him rn. It’s not that I don’t - I just - I don’t want to have to try so hard to speak in complete sentences.
“You’d rather that I didn’t join you. Well, if you can put up with my less than ideal company for the next half hour, then the kitchen will be locked down and you can sit out here staring at Naples all night by yerself. Or is it me specifically?”
I snort.
Billy shifts in his seat. “Simon? You didn’t actually answer the question. You just sort of breathed loudly at it.”
I shake my head, not sure what he’s talking about.
“Leave by yourself, or sit for 25 more minutes with me.”
I feel like he’s speaking a different language and frown at him. Why is he looking at me like that?
“Mate, you’re thinkin out loud again. And for your information, I’m speaking English, with an Irish accent, which really isn’t that different to all other versions of English. Because it’s English. And I’m lookin at yeh like this cos you’re startin to scare me, yeah?”
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“Is that a rhetorical question? I’m not sure that was a question at all.”
He slides his chair back looking kinda pissy.
“What did I say?! Don’t look at me like that,” I finish in a mumble.
He stands. “Em.” It’s Billy, who is annoying the fuck out of me rn. “You’re not looking too-”
“Fuck it. Where can I sit?”
Billy takes a step back, definitely looking pissed off now, and raises his hands in an “I give up” kinda gesture. “Enjoy your solitude. I’ll just tell the owner to turn the lights off on yeh, then.” He turns and starts to walk away toward the kitchen again.
“Yes! Thank you. I’ll be able to see the view better,” I say, tapering off at the end. I hear the kitchen door close.
I go to take another sip of wine, but my glass is gone. All that’s left is the last bottle I ordered, already uncorked, thank god.
The lights go out. Finally.
————/Billy/————
“Well if it isn’t the lovely Rosalina. What brings you my way this early in the day, love?” She always blushes when I greet her this way. If she didn’t work here at the hotel, I’d be finding all the places I could make her blush. Christ, she’s beautiful. They grow ‘em like that here. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”
“It is the American on the roof. You come, please.”
That can’t be good. “On the roof?”
“Or maybe I do not speak it well. He is on the floor of his room, on the floor next to his room. He sleeps there. Maybe he drops his key in the sea? Or the window?”
“He’s asleep on the floor?”
“Si.”
“But not in his room?”
She shakes her head. So do I. What now, Seemon.
Haven’t laid eyes on him in a coupla days. Hoped he’d be doin better.
She looks very serious now. “And I do not like to see the other girls also seeing him when they go to clean. You speak English to him and you are tell him to go to his room for the sleep.”
That’s really very sweet -- she doesn’t want to embarrass him. “I do not like them seeing him like that, either, Rosalina. Thank you. You are very kind.”
“Kind?”
“You have a beautiful heart,” I say, tapping my chest. No use listing everything else beautiful about her. “And your English is improving.” She smiles, and twists away so I can’t see her blushing. Why do women do that? When are they more lovely?
She’s a coworker, Billy, she’s a coworker. I already regret my feckin principles.
She shoos me toward the stairs to the top floor, and all but flees down the hallway when I aim a smile her way. She’s sweet.
————/-/—————
Even before I top the stairs, I can already hear him snoring.
Actually, that sounds more like choking.
Aw, mate, this isn’t good. He snores until his head lolls too far to the side, then he chokes, making his head roll back against the wall, where he starts up with the snoring again. Jesus Christ, has he been choking like this all night?
He’s sat propped up next to the door to his suite. The closer I get, the more I smell fumes. It’s sickly sweet, and oof, he’s got sticky-looking drool migrating in a slow stream from his mouth down the side of his chin.
The label on the half-empty bottle says Limoncello. “Aw, mate. The pain you’re about to feel is a unique suffering.” I hate to get in his face to wake him up. Something tells me Simon’ll be mortified, but there’s nothin for it.
The hall is dim with the storm shutters bolted tight from the inside. Maybe if I shed some light on the situation… Result!
Simon choke-snorts, then groans as he attempts to shift away from the source of light. So the – oof, they stick – shutters at the far end of the hall are open. Result again.
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He mumble-whines. “Mmmfm mmmmbnnnaway.” Then there’s groaning, as if the sound of his own voice is too offensive to bear. Then growling and groaning. Until I finally hear some English I recognize. “Ow? Owwwwwwww. Nooooooo. Make it ugly again. n’Go away.”
“Make it ugly?”
“Dark. Too pretty. Hate it.” Followed by whimpering.
“How can something be too pretty?” I mumble under my breath.
“Just can.” Then he tries to roll his head toward the sound of my voice and fails. “Owwwwww?”
Probably needs a hand up. Leaning down, I can see his pulse pounding in his temple. I’d take the pain away if I could, mate. I would if I could. “Let’s get ye to bed, get ye down for a kip, mate. It’ll make you feel better, promise.”
“s’Too pretty in there. Don’t want pretty. You’re too pretty, go’way.”
I can’t help snorting.
“Said go’way.”
“Sorry, mate. Not happenin. Anyway, I can shutter the windows in there to keep it dark. The bed’ll be more comfortable for yeh to sleep it off than this floor, at any rate.”
“Don’t wanna be comfortable.”
Hm. “Here, man. Take my arm. We’ll get you sorted.”
“Go’way!” he shouts, then clutches his head and whimpers. “n’Stop being so nice. s’Disgusting. Don’like it. Don’like you. Go’way.”
“Yer lucky I’m pretendin to be hard of hearin, or I’d go ahead and leave ye here. Now take my arm and-”
“Stop it!” He tries slapping my hands away. And misses.
Shaking my head. Just shaking my head.
“Can do it myself,” he demands. But no, he really can’t. He gives standing a go, and all he manages is a high pitched sob.
“Aw, man. Go on, lemme help yeh.”
Apparently there is a threshold of stupidity with Simon Lewis, thank Christ. He holds out his arm.
But before he takes my hand, he squints up at me. “Never speak of this,” he says with deadly seriousness. “Never happened.”
As I shutter the windows and draw the curtains, he shuffles into bed, fully clothed. “Gross. Why am I sticky?”
“Aw, mate. Ye don’t want to be sleepin in those clothes. I promise yeh, mate. You get your kit off, and I’ll fetch you a wet cloth.” I hold up my hand to stop the inevitable complaints and refusals. “Enough whingeing, man, just do it.”
I come back from the bathroom to find a pile of clothes on the floor, and Simon snoring away with the sheet stuck to his face. It would be endearing if he wasn’t such a feckin pain in my arse.
————/-/————
Simon’s been silently staring out the window for 45 minutes. But not out the window with the gorgeous view. He’s staring at the rock cliff face blurring past too fast to see much of anything.
I want to reassure him that everything will be alright. But it’s not my place, and he’s not for hearin it, anyway.
And what if it isn’t alright.
I try to just leave it be, but I can’t help myself. “You alright man?”
“Why.”
“You’re usually a lot gobbier than this. I’m worried about yeh.”
“Italy was a bad idea.”
“Italy is never a bad idea.”
“Says the man not living my life.”
He’s got me there. “Ok.
As I’m pulling his bags out the boot, I feel like I can’t leave it like this. I don’t know why. It’s just unsettling seeing someone in pain like this, and not bein able to help. I wasn’t lyin -- I’m worried about him.
“Thanks, Beelee,” he says, holding out his hand.
We shake, and before I give him his hand back, I find myself saying, “Text me in 6 months and let me know you’re alive, yeah?”
He huffs out a breath and looks at me. After a moment he shifts uncomfortably, and finally says, “Yeah.”
I’ve no idea why I feel so relieved. “What’s yer number, I’ll text yeh.” Shocked be fuckin I when he gives it to me.
“Thanks, Billy. You’re a good guy. Appreciate you.” And then he’s gone.
————/-/—————
Start: January Ch. 1 || Prev: February Ch. 2 || Next: April Ch. 4
————/-/—————
17 notes · View notes
rosie-b · 1 year
Text
Love, Soft as Wings
AO3 Link (You can also read the full story under the cut!)
This is my secret santa gift for @ck2k18! I hope you enjoy it!
Special thanks to @valwaria for beta reading this fic! And, of course, a big thank you to @mlsecretsanta for organizing this event!
The wooden bench creaked under Chat Noir as he shifted uncomfortably. Around him, golden sunlight streamed through the trees of the Tuileries Garden, dancing over his inky wings and casting a long shadow on the ground. 
It had been fifteen minutes since patrol was supposed to start, but Ladybug still hadn’t shown up at the meeting spot. 
Sitting in the park, Chat Noir found himself more grateful than ever that public seating left space for people’s wings. But after waiting for so long, sitting still so that his left wing wouldn’t drag against the bench, the dull ache of his injury was beginning to come back, throbbing slightly underneath the tight bandages binding it.  
Maybe he should sneak back to the mansion for another dose of the pain medicine the doctor had prescribed, Chat mused.  
He gingerly stood up, careful not to jolt his injured wing. It only suffered a fracture in the fall, the doctor had said, but Adrien still needed to be gentle with it, or it would heal the wrong way and cause more problems later. 
As Chat Noir stood in front of the bench, a breathless Ladybug slung her yo-yo around a tree’s branch and landed in front of Chat Noir, her beetle-like wings spread wide. Her cheeks were red from exertion, and it was clear she’d been in a hurry. 
She probably just lost track of time, Chat Noir thought, smiling fondly as Ladybug took a deep breath, bent over with her hands on her knees. The welcome sight of his partner was enough to make Chat Noir forget about the slight pain in his wing. 
“Hello, My Lady! I’m glad to see you could make it to patrol! I was a little worried by how late you were, but I just knew you would never furget about your a meowzing partner.”  
Chat Noir stepped forward as Ladybug straightened to greet her partner. Stealing a hand from her side, Chat raised it to his lips, pressing a quick kiss to Ladybug’s knuckles before she playfully snatched her hand back. 
The edges of Ladybug’s lips quirked up into a smile as she looked at her partner. 
“Really, Chaton? You’re cramming two puns in one sentence now? It’s as if your sense of humor gets worse every week,” she teased, a slight strain to her voice. She was probably just breathless from flying through Paris at break-neck speed, Chat reasoned. 
“You’re complaining, but I know you like my jokes.” Chat Noir grinned as Ladybug put a hand on her hips. “Otherwise, what’s that smile on your face for?”  
Chat laughed as Ladybug looked surprised and then schooled her features into a stern frown. 
“Come on, Chat,” she groaned. “I already made us late for patrol; we don’t have any time to waste with silly jokes! I was thinking we could cover the 19th Arrondissement today, maybe check in on little August and see how he’s doing. He hasn’t been akumatized in three weeks, so we haven’t seen him in a while!” 
Nodding, Chat, too, put on a serious face, though his was much less convincing than Ladybug’s was. “Good idea, My Lady! We’ll be taking the streets, then?” 
Shaking her head in disagreement, Ladybug didn’t notice as Chat Noir’s face fell. 
“I was thinking that since we’re already technically late for our patrol, we should fly over to the neighborhood, to get started sooner. That way, we’ll be done with patrol before dark, and I can get home in time to finish a project of mine.” 
Chat Noir swallowed, inadvertently twitching his wings as he wondered how he could hide his injury from Ladybug. Normally, he would tell her about something like this, but today, he couldn’t think of any excuse for his fractured wing that wouldn’t reveal his identity. 
“That’s a brilliant idea, milady! I agree, we shouldn’t waste any more time before starting patrol. Only, doesn’t a footrace to the arrondissement sound like more fun than just plain old flying does? We’ve been sticking to the skies for days now; don’t you think it’s time to shake things up?” Chat stuck out his lower lip and pouted, knowing Ladybug couldn’t say no to him for long. 
“Oh, no,” Ladybug moaned as she tried not to be swayed by Chat Noir’s innocent, pleading expression. “You know I can’t resist the puppy eyes—” 
“Kitty eyes,” Chat Noir corrected, managing to keep his expression unchanged.
Ladybug let out a light huff. “It’s the same thing. But this time, your little ploy isn’t going to work,” she said, turning away and sticking out her lower lip adorably.  
“Aww, Ladybug,” Chat whined, wrapping his arms around Ladybug from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. Her folded wings rustled as she turned her head to look back at him.  
Sighing, Ladybug moved Chat Noir’s arms off of her and turned to face him.
“Listen, Chat, if you want to stay on the ground and start patrol a few minutes behind me, that’s fine, but I really do need to hurry this up and go home.” 
Wetting her lips, Ladybug continued, “See, a friend of mine got hurt because of me today. His wing is injured, and now he can’t fly! I need to do something to apologize, or he’s never going to forgive me,” she said thickly, sounding like she was about to cry. 
Chat Noir stared at Ladybug, forgetting about his own worries as his concerns changed to his partner’s slumped shoulders and downturned face. 
“Your friend got hurt today? Ladybug, I’m sure he understands that whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault.” Chat rushed to comfort his lady, feeling a sympathetic twinge in his chest as he thought of the guilt she must be feeling. 
“Yes, it was,” Ladybug said mournfully. “It was all my fault, Chat Noir!” 
Chat frowned, taking Ladybug’s hands in his own and giving them a comforting squeeze.
“No, it wasn’t,” he said softly. “I may not know what happened to your friend — and it’s fine if you can’t tell me, I know we need to protect our secret identities — but I know my Buginette, and she’d never hurt anyone on purpose! Whatever happened must have been an accident, right?” 
Sniffling, Ladybug nodded, pulling one hand out of Chat’s grasp to rub her eyes. 
“Then it wasn’t your fault,” Chat Noir murmured, his tone warm and reassuring.
“Chaton—” Ladybug started, being interrupted by a wet hiccup. 
“It wasn’t,” Chat Noir asserted, holding Ladybug close and rubbing her back gently. “You didn’t mean to hurt anyone, and your friend’s injury wasn’t your fault. Unless your friend is an idiot, I promise you he understands that.” 
Shuddering as she exhaled, Ladybug gazed up at her partner. “Thank you, Chaton,” she said, lips quivering as she forced a smile onto her face. 
“Anytime, My Lady,” Chat Noir breathed. 
As the golden sunlight danced around them, Ladybug threw her arms around Chat Noir, pulling him into a hug. But when her hands brushed against Chat’s injured wing, he let out a stifled whimper. 
Ladybug froze. 
“Chat Noir, is everything alright?” she asked, her voice full of concern. 
“Yes,” he hissed. “Just give me a moment. My-my wing got hurt today. That’s why I don’t want to fly anywhere. I can’t, right now,” he explained sheepishly. 
Pulling back from the hug, Ladybug worriedly looked at her partner, turning him around so she could check his wings for the injury. 
“You got hurt?! Chaton, what were you doing?”   
As Ladybug ran her hand lightly over her partner’s feathers, Chat Noir gulped. 
“Uh — you know, just goofing around.” He tried to laugh it off, but his attempt sounded stiff, and he knew it wouldn’t fool Ladybug. 
Marching around Chat to face him, Ladybug crossed her arms and glared fiercely. 
“Just goofing around? Chaton, your wing is all bound up, like it’s broken or something! I’m embarrassed that I didn’t notice before! I think you should tell me what happened,” she said, making it clear that she was serious. 
Chat Noir reached up to scratch his neck. “I’d love to explain, Milady, but it might reveal my secret identity if I tell you what happened,” he said. “Are you sure you want to take that risk? Because I’ve always wanted to find out who the girl behind that lovely mask of yours is, but you? You’d rather not know who I am.” 
Ladybug frowned, tapping her fingers against her folded arms and tilting her head.
“That’s true, but I think in this case it’s more important for me to know how your wing got hurt. You can take out all the details from the story, right?”
Chat hesitated. His story couldn’t be that uncommon, not in a city as big as Paris! Thousands of people got hurt every day, and anyway, there wasn’t really anything unique about the way he’d gotten hurt. Nodding, he smiled at Ladybug’s relieved look.
“So, then, tell me what happened to your wing! If I understand what you’re going through, maybe I can help take care of you if you need it, Chaton. I want to make sure that you’re going to be okay,” Ladybug said earnestly. 
Chat Noir found himself blushing at Ladybug’s affectionate tone. He’d always wished that moments like this meant as much to her as they did to him, but Chat knew that she probably still loved that other boy— who, he supposed, could even be the friend Ladybug said was injured today. 
Feeling a stab of pain in his chest, Chat Noir shook his head to clear it of the negative emotions in it. The pain in his wing had nothing on the pain of rejection from his Lady, but he couldn’t afford to mope when there were so many bigger things to worry about. Besides, the fact that Ladybug was willing to learn Chat’s secret identity if it meant helping him was proof that she did love him, at least as a friend.
“Of course I’ll tell you what happened, My Lady! I’m honored to know that you care so much for this poor stray,” he said lightly.  
Rolling her eyes, Ladybug made as if to push his shoulder, but then thought better of it. 
“I’ve always cared for you, Chaton,” she said. “Now, go on! We’re still wasting time, you know.” 
Chat Noir coughed. “Right! Okay then, it’s not a very complicated story. A girl I know, someone who’s really sweet and amazing — she’s so kind, Ladybug, I know you’d like her — well, she’s a little clumsy, especially around me. I usually try to catch her if she trips, so that she doesn’t get hurt. And she fell again today, but I wasn’t feeling very graceful, myself. When I tried to catch M— my friend, we both wound up tumbling down the stairs outside our school. I wrapped my wings around my friend to protect her, so she’s okay! But my left wing got fractured in the fall, so I’ll be as flightless as a normal cat for at least a week.” 
As Chat finished his story, he glanced up at Ladybug, who looked shocked. Her face had gone pale, and she was gaping at Chat Noir with wide eyes. 
Chat Noir wondered what she’d heard in the story to make her react like this.
“Ladybug?” he asked, his ears slowly folding back as he waited for Ladybug’s judgment.
Shaking herself, Ladybug wiped the shocked look off her face and forced a smile, instead. Wringing her hands together, she exclaimed, “That’s awful, Chat! But are you — really sure that’s what happened?” She sounded breathless, her tone betraying the worry she felt. 
Chat Noir wrinkled his forehead. “Yes? I’m pretty sure I know exactly what happened to myself. I didn’t hit my head, you know, so I can’t have amnesia,” he joked.  
Ladybug swallowed, her face growing determined.  
“No, no, you don’t understand! You’re saying you have a friend who’s clumsy around you, who fell outside your school today? And you caught her, because you’re just that caring, and wrapped your wings around her as you fell down the stairs? That’s how you got injured?” she asked, her eyes darting back and forth between Chat’s own.
Nodding mutely, Chat agreed, his tail lashing behind him in confusion. 
“Then… I know who you are,” Ladybug said in a trembling voice. “You must be Adrien Agreste.” Her tone was hushed, like she was giving voice to something sacred. 
Chat Noir’s mouth fell open, and he gawked at Ladybug. “You— how did you figure it out? I know I didn’t tell you anything too detailed!”  
Snapping out of her reverie, Ladybug looked embarrassed and somewhat guilty as she threw her gaze around the park, looking for a way out of the conversation. 
“Uhhh... it’s because your father told the press about what happened?” She offered Chat an unconvincing grin as she said this, pressing her pointer fingers together lightly.
Deciding to go with this story, Ladybug nodded firmly and continued on. “Since you’re taking a break from modeling until you recover, everyone knows that your wing is injured. And maybe I saw in the tabloids some pictures of what happened? And I pieced it together from there,” she said, twisting her hands together anxiously. Behind her, Ladybug’s wings were open slightly, ready for a quick takeoff.
For someone who hated liars, Ladybug certainly did lie a lot. And she wasn’t even that good at it, Chat Noir thought to himself in fond exasperation. 
Narrowing his eyes, he leaned in close to his friend. 
“Are you sure?” Adrien asked, taking note of the way Ladybug’s pupils widened and her cheeks flushed red. 
“Eep!” she squeaked as she looked up at her partner, dumbstruck. 
Chat Noir smirked. “Or are you just trying to cover up the fact that you were there when I got hurt, yourself?” 
His mind racing, Chat Noir thought of an old theory he’d had about Ladybug’s identity. It should be impossible, but— was it really?
Adrien had seen many things he once thought were impossible since he received his Miraculous. And if he was honest, he’d been hoping for this particular outcome for a very long time. 
“I think,” he said, stepping even closer to Ladybug, who retreated until the hard outer shell of her wings was up against a tree, “that your reaction seems awfully familiar to me. And I think—” he put one hand on the tree next to Ladybug, effectively trapping her. 
“I think that I know you as a civilian,” he whispered in her ear. Ladybug shivered, looking up at Chat Noir with dark eyes. 
“I can’t tell you if that’s right,” she said, her voice trembling as it came out. 
“That’s okay,” Chat Noir murmured. “I think I can figure the rest of it out, anyway. You had a friend whose wing got injured today, right? And you thought it was because of you.” He poked a finger against Ladybug’s chest for emphasis.
Ladybug gulped, and Chat Noir watched as her throat bobbed, wishing irrationally that he could kiss her. That this exceptional being, who could do nothing but amaze him, would return his affections, so that he could kiss her. 
Maybe someday, he told himself, and forced his attention back to the matter at hand.  
“Let me tell you again, Marinette,” he murmured, and heard Ladybug gasp softly. “It was not your fault that I got hurt today. If it was anyone’s fault, it was mine,” he said mournfully, looking down and taking a step back. “I’m the reason you tripped and fell. I wish I knew why my presence is so startling to you! We are friends now; you’re not afraid of me, right?”
Ladybug hoped that her partner was only joking, but she felt her heart plummet at the sincerity in his voice. His cat ears were even drooping, she noticed.
“Chaton,” she began, licking her lips, “I may or may not be this Marinette you speak of—” 
Chat Noir raised an eyebrow at her dubiously. She waved it off. 
“—but I can tell you this. Marinette Dupain-Cheng is not afraid of you. Every time she’s extra clumsy around you, every time she stutters or runs off in a panic— that’s not because I don’t like you. It’s really the opposite,” she whispered.
Her wings trembled with nervousness as she took a step forward, reaching up to her partner, to the one who’d been injured trying to protect her from her own clumsiness. To the boy who’d always cared for her, who loved her, who had given her a second chance and his own umbrella for shelter when she couldn’t possibly deserve his mercy. 
Inhaling sharply at the touch of Ladybug’s gloved hand on his cheek, Chat Noir looked into her blue eyes hopefully. 
“Are you saying you do like me, after all?” he asked, not daring to dream of more than that. 
Sighing affectionately, Ladybug rolled her eyes. “I’m saying I love you, you dork!” 
“Oh,” Chat Noir gasped, his eyes bright as he clasped Ladybug’s hand to his cheek. “I love you, too!” 
Grinning, Ladybug choked out a laugh. Chat Noir’s voice joined hers, and the two of them laughed at nothing for a minute or two. 
Finally, Chat Noir looked back at Ladybug, his cheeks stained a rosy pink. 
“So, you really do like me, then?” His tone was hopeful as he stared at his partner with starry eyes.
“Love , Chaton,” Ladybug corrected, bemused by her partner’s shyness. “I love you.” 
“You love me,” Chat Noir repeated, full of wonder that such a wonderful thing could be true. “You love me. And I love you, My Lady, so much! But I have to ask,” he said bashfully, “What does that mean for us?” 
Ladybug tilted her head. “What do you mean?” she asked. 
Chat Noir could feel his face growing warmer. “I mean, are we going to date now? Because I know you’ve always said no before, and you’re still pretending I don’t know who you are—” 
“Not anymore,” Ladybug interrupted. “I’ve given that up. You’ve figured me out, Chaton.” 
Chat grinned. “I knew it! But you avoided my question, Bugaboo.” 
Kneeling on the grass in the park, Chat Noir took his partner’s hand and looked into her eyes. 
“Ladybug, Marinette, whatever other names you go by, I love you. Will you please be my girlfriend, and let me hold your hand on dates, and maybe kiss you, if that’s okay?”  
Chat hoped that didn’t sound too stupid. Maybe Marinette would go back to not liking him if he couldn’t sound professional enough! Did he measure up to her standards of what a boyfriend should be, or would she reject him yet again?
Blushing, Ladybug squeezed Chat’s hand and pulled him to his feet. 
“I’d love to date you, Chaton!” she said shyly. “And go on dates with you, and hold your hand, and even kiss you. I want to do everything with you,” she admitted. 
Chat Noir’s face lit up. “Really?” he squealed. “This is the best day of my life! My Lady, I might kiss you!” 
“You keep saying that,” she muttered. 
Chat tilted his head. “What was that?” he asked, his face a mask of innocent confusion. 
Ladybug’s face reddened. “Say that you do! Maybe kiss me you should then,” she said, and winced at her out-of-order sentences. 
But Chat Noir looked just as happy as he had before, golden flecks in his eyes catching the sunlight as he gazed at her, a smile on his lips. 
“Really?” Raising a hand to her cheek, Chat looked deep into her eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation. 
Unable to say anything, Ladybug gave a slight nod. And slowly, as a wind stirred the branches of the trees behind them, Chat Noir leaned forward and kissed her. 
Ladybug’s wings flared out behind her as she kissed him back, happy to finally be with the boy she loved. Chat’s uninjured wing wrapped itself around her left side, soft and comforting. 
And though their kiss was sweet, Ladybug was reminded of what had led to the reveal and everything after it. 
“Chaton,” she said, pulling back from the kiss, “You’re not in any pain from the fracture, right?” 
Opening his eyes, Chat Noir blinked at her owlishly. “My Lady, how could any pain bother me when you finally love me back?” 
Pinching her brows together in worry, Ladybug fretted, “Oh, no, you are hurting! And here I’ve just been kissing you like a fool, when I should have been helping you!” 
“I’m pretty sure I was the one who suggested kissing,” Chat protested. “And you don’t need to worry about me, really. The pain isn't that bad.” 
“But it still is!” Ladybug ran her eyes over the injured wing, a worried look on her face.  
“We should get you back home, so you can rest and recover,” she said. “I know your injury isn’t as bad as it could have been, but it might still get worse if we don’t take care of it properly! You need some pain relievers, fresh bandages, and warm blankets, maybe some hot chocolate, and plenty of sleep. And don’t even think about fighting akumas until you’re fully healed!” Ladybug put her hands on her hips and frowned warningly. 
Fondly smiling at his partner, Chat Noir wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her in a warm embrace. “Thank you for caring so much about me,” he said as his silky black wing curled around her again. 
“Oh, Chaton,” Ladybug said, ruing the fact that her transformation wouldn’t let her wrap her own soft wings around her boyfriend. “I will always love you. You make it impossible to do anything else!” 
Stroking the feathers on the wing Chat draped around her, Ladybug nuzzled her face against his shoulder, enjoying the moment.  
“We really do need to get you home, though,” she murmured regretfully. 
“If you say so,” Chat sighed. “I just don’t want you to leave yet, you know? We only just found out each other’s identities! We have so much to talk about,” he said wistfully. 
Glancing up at him, Ladybug was struck by a thought.  
“Maybe I don’t have to leave.”
“What?” Chat looked surprised, but a hopeful look crossed over his face. 
“It might be risky; Nathalie might discover me, but I could stay with you at the mansion! For a while, at least; I don’t mean for too long! I wouldn’t want to impose.” Ladybug chuckled nervously. 
Chat’s gaze softened as he looked at her. “It would be wonderful if you came home with me,” he said, brushing a stray hair off Ladybug’s cheek. “And I wouldn’t mind, you know. If you stayed longer.” 
“Oh,” Ladybug said in wonder. A blush crept over her face as she looked up at Chat Noir’s lovestruck expression. “Let’s start with changing those bandages, and go from there, all right?” 
Chat smiled. “That sounds purrfectly fine,” he said, bending down to press a quick kiss to Ladybug’s lips. He smirked at Ladybug’s pout when he drew back all too soon for her liking.
Forget patrol, Ladybug thought, this is more important.  
And she pulled Chat Noir back down for another kiss, the last rays of sunlight dancing over the couple as they stood safely in each other’s embrace.
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nanamismoonchild · 1 year
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prev: chapter 2: taking ass and kicking names
→chapter 3: last name
→ pairing: demon! ot7 bts x rebel!poc OC named Afternoon
→ genre/au: science fiction, dystopian au, thriller, smut, fluff, angst, enemieis to lovers, enemies to friends.
→ chapter summary: afternoon tells her team the decision and most of them don’t take too well to it. 
→ rating: 18+  
→ wc: 6k
→warnings: misuse of authority, fighting, mention of  testing, fighting, panic/anxiety attack
→ author’s note:  this fic relies heavily on comments and asks!  it also doesn’t have a poll at the end. But what do y’all think Aliah did? also, im hoping to get another chapter out this month to make up for october and november. :D
if you would like to be tagged for this fic, please send an ask or comment below!  Or tell the ghost that’s behind you to send the message.
She was a little girl, eleven years old now, running through the forest of Disturbia. She could stop  if she wanted to but she had one goal.  She came to the clearing where the Moon settled on a specific spot, shining its glow on seven boys, who looked no older than she was. But she knew that was a lie. 
They huddled close, whispering to themselves. Plotting maybe.  
They couldn’t sense her. Couldn’t spot her from her place in the shadows.
If it was one thing the group had taught her, it was how to hide, how to run. 
She wanted to creep closer to hear what they were saying; however, the children back at the lodge were waiting for her cue. Waiting for the  girl who willingly stayed in Disturbia to save those who wouldn’t have made it to day two.  
Her goal of finding her parents was the only thing keeping her here. She had looked to only fail multiple times. Whoever owned this place hid them well. Or had already done what was promised.
Afternoon had seen enough.  She turned and prepared herself to make the long  run back to the lodge.  She halted as umber eyes  pierced through her own. She didn’t get to  scream as he pushed her into the open clearing, out of the shadows, falling on the soft grass. 
She squealed, totally unlike herself, but she had been caught off guard. “Ji-” 
“You should know better than to sneak around here, child,” the boy interrupted her.  His soft voice hid the malice that laced his words.  
Afternoon whimpered as the boy stalked towards her.  This one was the smallest of the group, but he was just as menacing and powerful as his brethren.  
The others had taken notice of them and were silently making their way over to surround her. She was trapped. 
Good.
She kicked out aiming for his privates, but he had anticipated this maneuver–it was what she always did.  He grabbed her leg and easily flipped her over onto her stomach. 
Grunting, she leapt forward, tucking her legs so that she became a ball and free-rolled. A difficult maneuver that had been perfected with practice. Afternoon rolled until she became dizzy.  Releasing herself from the roll, she sprawled on the other side of the clearing.  The group of boys stared in shock–one of them was struggling to keep himself from laughing. 
It may not have been the prettiest tuck and roll, but now Afternoon was getting exactly what she wanted. 
They were distracted for a little while. 
Afternoon schooled her ears  to listen for the tell-tale signs of running.  She could hear them in the distance, not too far from the clearing. Her hearing was getting better it seemed. They could hear them too. Better than she could.  
“We have children escaping, Jin.”
The eldest, Afternoon had learned, simply shrugged, never taking his eyes away from Afternoon’s. 
“I think our bigger problem is with us. Let them escape. They’ll be back sooner or later. It’s this one we need to worry about now.”
If looks could kill, she’d be dead ten times over now. The scalding looks they were giving her were enough to make her wish she had run this time. 
He was handsome. He would have had women and men crawling to lick the dirt off his feet if he wasn’t a brooding asshole. Lips full and red scowled in annoyance as he glared at Afternoon who tried her best not to cower under him. 
She understood that because of her actions  they were constantly under scrutiny from whoever bossed them around. They were puppets as much as she was a prisoner. 
Not that she really gave a damn. 
“How many times are we going to go through this?” Jin tried to conceal his anger but was failing terribly. 
She didn’t answer. She would never stop so long as they kept bringing innocent children to this place. She didn’t like what they did to her. At all. But it was a sacrifice that she had decided to make only a year ago.  
The boy next to him, who Afternoon thought looked more like a vampire than a demon, tsked. His pale skin had a blue tint thanks to the moonlight.  Unlike his brothers, his eyes were the most feline. A lion watching his prey’s every move.  Out of all the seven, Afternoon thought he was the scariest and paid extra attention to him. 
If he caught any of the children…she shivered. 
She stayed quiet as she usually did. As long as their focus was on her, the escaping children would be alright. 
They just needed a few more minutes.
“Jungkook, grab the girl and take her to the Room.”
Afternoon’s eyes widened. Shit. 
The Room meant more tests. 
She screamed and scratched at Jungkook’s face. He was the second biggest and strongest of his group. He was also the least demonic of the group. Bionic brown eyes stared lazily ahead while Afternoon was thrown over his titanium shoulder. Afternoon aimed for his jugular but was met with a painful throbbing in her  hand. His body on his left side was mostly a mind of titanium. A metal that Afternoon knew from personal experience was enough to knock her out for days. 
Whatever tests they ran in the Room made someone less human.  And every time she went, she felt herself 
Falling…
Falling…
Falling…
Every single time.
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Waking up was one of Afternoon’s poorest skills. Her dad had called it “ghetto,” and her mom had chastised him for labeling anything as “ghetto.” Then they would argue about what to make for breakfast. Pancakes or waffles? Eggs or sausage? Or maybe eggs and sausage?
She found herself smiling at the memory of her parents before clearing it away in her head. 
Thinking about her parents hurt. But sometimes, she couldn’t help wanting to see them smiling and laughing. Memories of the good days. 
But as always, she couldn’t change the past. She had to focus on her future. 
Aliah was still sound asleep. She could never wake up with the chickens.  She snuck a glance out of their peep-hole called a window and saw it was still dark out. Sunrise wouldn’t be for another two hours, unfortunately. But they started their days early and ended them late. 
Turning over to stare at her bare wall, she sighed. Aliah had given her a difficult decision. One day that had made her sleep restless. 
In the end, though, Afternoon couldn’t take her. Like the chief said, this was her mission and only hers. She believed she knew why the commander had put so much emphasis on Afternoon going alone. 
Those  eyes flashed in her mind for a brief second. Similar to someone from her past who could control and morph into anyone he pleased.  Whenever he controlled someone, he would lose control at times when the person fought for their mind back. They always lost so it happened quickly. 
She felt a migraine forming behind her eyes.
What she was thinking was speculation. She didn’t need to dwell on it and cause herself more stress. Neither of the demons couldn’t have crossed the invisible boundary without alerting any of the agents. 
She could hear signs of her team waking up. The flush of a toilet, the sound of a sink running (and not turning off), some giggles and whispers.  That meant she had to end her thoughts and begin her day. 
Yanking the pillow from under her head, she tossed it at her roommate. When she only got a surprised snore back, she grabbed a sandal and threw it at her dangling arm. Finally, Aliah started blinking her eyes open. 
“Afternoon,” Aliah moaned. “I swear to fucking gods if you don’t stop throwing shit at me, I’ll walk the dog with you.”
“And if you don’t wake the hell up, I’ll…”  she trailed off, trying to come up with something sassy, “make sure the demons bite ya hand.”
“Lame ass.”
“Loud snoring ass. Sounding like Bigfoot. Get the hell up.”
Both of the girls sat up and commenced their daily routine. First Aliah looked in the mirror and fussed over her braids. She was going to need them redone soon.  Then, she’d let Afternoon look at her bird’s nest of hair and help her style it into cornrows. Lastly, they gathered their shower supplies and headed into the hallway to meet with their teammates.
Dorm rooms were too small to have showers built into them. So they all used the communal restroom at the end of the hall next to Marigold’s and Lilith’s room. There were enough stalls for them to use, but they were only given a finite amount of hot water to use for morning showers. 
“Alright, you all know the rules,” Afternoon started instructing them. “Don’t turn on your hot water to the highest point as soon as you get in. That begins our time. Step in and get used to the coldness. Besides, cold showers have been proven to improve mood.”
“Do we have to?,” Holly said, her Scottish accent pronounced with sleep grogginess. 
Holly was wearing Toy Story pajamas and her hair was around 
“Yes, Holly.”
The Scottish girl sighed in defeat.
“OK, let’s get showered and then we’ll go down for breakfast. We’ll eat in one of the private rooms so we can discuss some things,” she made a point not to look at Aliah. She was afraid of how she would take her declination. “Aria?”
Aria looked up from her tablet. She enjoyed taking it into the shower for some reason. “Yes, Cap?”
“Book a meeting  room before the other floors get to them. And make sure you make it so that they can’t hack it and steal our spot like they did last time.”
“On it.” She began tapping furiously at her tablet. 
“Jack and Taylor.”
“Yah,” they both said. 
“Jack, use soap that doesn’t smell like you want every boy in here to drop dead. Taylor, don’t use so much perfume, hon.”
Jack simply shrugged, but Taylor’s jaw dropped–appalled that Afternoon didn’t like their perfume.  She loved it, but they usually tried to shower in it.
“Aliah, don’t take all damn day. Get the hell in and get the hell out. We might be able to save our hot water if you do that.”
Aliah scoffed and waved her away. 
“Let’s go.”
 Freshly showered, Afternoon felt her worry about the coming day's release with the steam from her skin. There was still the upcoming breakfast meeting that, if she were honest, she wished she hadn’t suggested.
One by one, her team filed out of the showers and into the hallway. Taylor and Jack had taken her suggestions and toned it down on their soap and perfumes. Taylor had a hint of rose and raspberries, which they had no doubt blended together. Jack’s hair was slicked back and he had applied a little mascara and gloss.  Both were fabulous as always.
Aria and Holly came out next. The two girls were hunched over the tablet,murmuring to themselves as they walked in-sync to a spot next to Afternoon. 
Finally, Aliah came out after having them wait an extra couple of minutes. Her moisturizer had her skin glistening and her baby hairs were laid. 
Afternoon shook her head, “I thought I told you to hop in and hop out.”
“You did,” Aliah giggled. “But I needed my self-care time.”
Afternoon rolled her eyes and motioned for her team to follow her.  She would not fuss with Aliah on an empty stomach.  
She noticed Holly and Aria wearing matching clothes, their country’s flag and jeans.  Aria was South Korean and Holly was Scottish. The two of them had met over a group they love online, and had become best friends during the First Year. They were recruited at the same time by the Facility, and had been so attached to each other’s hips–Chief had asked them both to be a part of the Computer Whizzes. 
When Afternoon  had met and had been offered the role of a leader, she instantly asked them to be in her group. 
Same with Jack and Taylor. The two of them had been siblings from another mother before they had been split from their families  in the First Year. Jack was a wide guy with the power of a quarterback. Taylor was lithe and delicate, the epitome of a ballerina.  Chief and Afternoon had believed that they could split into different parts of the group. Jack with Action and Taylor with Covert.  It fit them to a tee. 
Marigold and Lilith were apparently sisters and daughters of Chief, a fact she hadn’t known.  Then again,  most of her team members didn’t even know who she was.  She did know that the girls never put each other down and rarely fought. At least not in front of her.  
Aliah and Afternoon were the oddballs. Neither of them had known of each other before being recruited. Aliah was an open-book. Talked about how her mom could use the money she made as an agent.  Afternoon was the mystery. No one had known her background until last night. They still didn’t know much.  Nonetheless,  the way they had fit each other’s molding was as if they were soulmates. 
Together, the eight of them created a friendship that provided the backbone for their team. A powerful one the Facility couldn’t help but always take notice of. Even when Afternoon wished they would turn a blindeye. 
The smell of crisp bacon, sausage, and sweet biscuits wafted into her nose–it made her stomach rumble.  The cafeteria only had a few teams already sitting around. Eating their fill before they commenced the day.  To the west of the room were the four private spaces  that teams could use for classified meetings. Normally, they were always full but one sat empty. 
“Is that private room booked?”
Aria answered. “Yes. We have it until breakfast is done.” 
“Good,” she licked her lips as someone passed her with a plate full of syrupy pancakes. “Fill your plates and meet there in four. Jack, save some food please.”
Jack grumbled something incoherent but set his eyes on sausages. 
Afternoon grabbed her own plate and started piling it with sweet biscuits, cheesy eggs, and diced potatoes. 
It was typical for agents to fill themselves up each mealtime. They had large breaks in between meals and did so much in between. The agenda for Team Ace was: breakfast, sword-fighting, cardio,Afternoon would go to her leadership class while everyone else went to their various classes, lunch, and relax until dinner.  
Sounded boring and rough, but it was honestly the best time for Afternoon except for the class. 
She unlocked the door and scooted into the chair near the whiteboard. There was a marker and a gently used eraser stuck to it.  She dug in while waiting for the rest of her team. The sweet biscuits reminded her of her mom’s.  Fluffy, delicious, and a tad bit too sweet.  The eggs were cheesed to her consistency and the potatoes could not be wrong. 
A heart meal for a stressed-out girl.
Slowly, her team started trickling in with their own plates piled high.  She waited for them to sit down before asking: “We eat first or get the news out of the way?” They mulled it over before each person scooped a portion in their mouths. 
Eat first it is. 
They ate in semi-silence. The occasional burp and sound of chewing filling the air.  They couldn’t hear outside of the room, but Afternoon saw more teams stream into the cafeteria and knew that it must have gotten louder. 
After a few more minutes of eating, Afternoon was full and slid her empty plate away.  The rest of the team followed suit like a game of monkey see, monkey do. 
“I hope you guys had a good breakfast, but let’s get this meeting started. Breakfast is almost over.”
All of them nodded and waited for her to continue.  
“First, let’s address the big issue: me going to Disturbia.”
She saw everyone lean forward. Aliah raised a perfectly arched  eyebrow. 
She took a deep breath, “I am going alone. Even though the file said I may take someone, Chief said it plainly. This is my mission and my mission alone.”
The hurt on her teammates' faces pained her. She was sticking to her choice though.  A captain should always be confident in their decisions. 
Aliah looked as if she wanted to either bolt out of the cafeteria or jump across the table and slap some common sense into Afternoon. 
Jack, Taylor, Aria, and Holly appeared as if they would rather be anywhere but in that room. 
“Look,” she started. “I know it’s not what you guys want, but I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if you guys came.”
“You wouldn’t have to babysit us, Noon,” Aliah scowled.
“Yes I would.”
The group gasped audibly and shame ran its course through Afternoon. Yet, it was true. She knew Disturbia like she knew her body, and there were still areas she hadn’t explored.  Having to watch out for Marigold and Lilith, whoever came with her, and her own back was a recipe for disaster. 
She could only take herself to minimize damage which was death in this case.  
“Mate, are you sure? We could help you in some way?” Holly questioned. Her voice was shaking a little. 
“If I get any help, it will have to be from the safety of the Facility.”
Jack rolled his neck, a sign that he was unhappy. “We can’t help you fight here.”
“No you can’t. But I’ll be fine. I made it through seven years there using my own wits. I can manage a few weeks.”
That didn’t seem to settle any doubts in her team. 
Aria quipped, her tongue too sharp, “We only have five  minutes left.”
Afternoon sighed and decided to move on. It wasn’t going to help her if they didn’t agree.  
She quicked talked about their day’s agenda before dismissing them. Aliah huffed out of the room, while Aria had to carry a trembling Holly. 
Taylor was about to follow Jack out before stopping to turn towards her. 
“Afternoon, I know you’re a strong independent woman. But,” they slowly smiled, “we’re a team you can lean on.  I don't agree with your decision, but it’s one you made.  You might be our leader, but you're our friend first and foremost. We're going to stand with you, not behind you."
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Somehow, she had landed on the floor with a plastic sword aiming for her face. Aliah was standing over her with irritation written over her face. 
She had tried to deflect, but Aliah had parried and quickly swept Afternoon off her feet. Her twin blades were across the room somewhere. 
“Yield.”
Afternoon shook her head, flipped the bird, and kicked at Aliah’s shins.  Aliah defended her legs, but left the rest of her body open.  
Twisting, Afternoon shot out her legs, picking up Aliah, and flipping her over. Aliah yelped, throwing her sword away before she impaled herself.  In the end, Afternoon was on top, and Aliah was in the position Afternoon was in a few seconds ago. Afternoon placed her hands on her hips while shaking her head.  
“Anger doesn’t do anything in battle, lovebug,” she scolded. “It only weakens you. Give your enemies the upper hand. Something that will get you killed in Disturbia faster than I flipped you.”
Afternoon fell to the floor with a shocked “oof”, hitting her chin on the carpeted floor.  A booted foot dung into her back and twisted deep, sending pain signals through Afternoon. 
“Talking to the enemy does the same thing, dumbass,” Aliah spat before kicking Afternoon away.
Afternoon grunted but  didn’t yield to Aliah. If the girl wanted to be frustrated, then so be it. She had no qualms with taking multiple ass-beatings from her co-captain if it  made her feel better.  
Afternoon launched into a standing position, finding her balance and getting into a fighting stance. Left leg back, right leg forward and  slightly bent, and hands in front of her face with her right arm lower than the left, palms facing outward.  A kung-fu pose that Sam had taught her.
She cocked her head at Aliah who merely smirked and roun- about kicked. One of Aliah’s favorite and strongest moves. Her legs may have looked soft and pillowy, but they were actually made of cement and metal. When Afternoon had first met the girl, she had learned that a rookie had been sent to the infirmary for internal and external bleeding. Afternoon had sought her out instantly. 
Right now, she was at the opposite end, but thankfully, the position she was in allowed her to swing the killer legs away from her body, and maneuver behind Aliah. 
Afternoon pushed her away and heard Aliah curse. Where she had legs of steel, Afternoon had strength in her arms. Not as much as Sarah, who could pick up a heavy set person like Jack, and throw them clean across the room, but enough to defend herself. 
“I understand you’re upset with my decisi-Damn,” she had been punched while talking.  Afternoon tasted metal in her mouth. 
“Shut up and just let me hit you a few more times,” Aliah grumbled. 
Afternoon shrugged, spitting out blood and wiping her mouth.  “If you can get in some licks.”
She faked a left hook, waiting for Aliah to dodge to the right, and used her right hand to knock Aliah back a couple of steps. 
Aliah shook off her shock and again used those legs of hers to land an uppercut, sending Afternoon flying and landing with a grunt on the hard floor. She felt something crack and couldn’t make herself move. 
Damn those legs. 
She moaned, clutching her back and rolling onto her stomach. 
“You already done?”
Afternoon glared at her co-captain, refusing to let the pain squash her stubborness.  “Are you done?”
“I don’t know. We’ll see at the next match,” Aliah motioned for a nurse to come and help Afternoon. “See you at lunch, Noon.”
Afternoon grimaced as she was picked up and placed  onto a rolling cot to go to the infirmary.  Something was definitely broken, so it would take an hour or two for the nurse to work her magic. At least,  she could get some more sleep. 
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As soon as Afternoon was ready, the nurse sent Afternoon on her way. Her hip was healed and it didn’t feel as if someone were sitting on her head. 
She headed to her leadership training. A class that all team leaders had to take at the Facility. 
The class was housed in the building the university had used for its business majors. Old flyers with people in professional clothing were still on the walls. The rooms were built to resemble conference rooms and she could see a few teams talking in them as she passed to get to  her class. 
A few team leaders were already seated. She saw Leah in the front row, who gave her a small wave before turning back to her conversation. 
Chief was the teacher for her class today. 
To her surprise, Chief smiled at her, the usual smile she gives Afternoon. One that doesn’t lift entirely up, but it’s just enough for Afternoon’s day to be brightened. Today, it only confused the hell out of her.  
Chief began to saunter over to Afternoon, stopping right in front of her. The closeness was uncomfortable and Afternoon wished she could slink away and to her normal desk in the corner. 
“Noon! I’ve been looking for you.”
“Sure you have,” she deadpanned. 
“Just wanted to let you know that you have four days left.”
Afternoon failed to stop herself from rolling her eyes. She didn’t need a reminder. 
“Disobedience? Out in the open, Afternoon?”
“Last I checked, rolling my eyes wasn’t disobeying anyone, “ she scowled at her commander. “I’d like to sit in my seat now.”
Chief didn’t bother to move–only held Afternoon’s gaze. Afternoon thought she saw a flicker of red again. 
“Chief-” 
A voice interrupted her, “Chief, if you’re going to stall class trying to intimidate our best agent, then I’m going to have to remove you.”
Afternoon and Chief both turned to who had spoken.
Sangwoo , a commander of a different group of agents, had risen from his seat and was facing the two of them. He was the youngest of them but his visage had the weary lines of someone who has been in the Facility for a long time.  His hair was combed into a ponytail and laid at his neck, keeping it away from his eyes.  Afternoon shivered as those storm clouds peered into her own.  They felt so familiar. 
 Square jaw, slender nose  made for a man who was a work of art.  He was slender, but his height and aura made up for it.  He was shorter than Chief but taller than Afternoon who stood at five feet eight inches.  
Rumor had it that his hips almost made up for his slenderness. 
According to Aliah anyway. And that girl would hop on anything if it could get her through a dry spell. 
Afternoon turned her back  to turn away and find her seat.
Chief cleared her throat and stomped over to the podium where a book was already opened for the day's lesson.  She began to talk and Afternoon began to zone out as she usually did in class. There was nothing a lecture could teach her that experience wouldn't.  
It was only a few minutes into the lecture that she felt someone’s lingering gaze.
“Afternoon!” Chief yelled. 
The girl in question jumped and stuttered out a “yes.”
“What is the allotted time needed to be completely prepared for a mission?”
She knew the answer, but she hated that she had been called on. 
“A few days. Maybe less depending on the team.”
“So do you think your mission to Disturbia should take less time? You could be out of here tomorrow, couldn’t you?”
Afternoon bristled at her boldness.  Missions were confidential between commander and leader. No one outside of the team was supposed to hear details. She had only told Leah since she was a trusted friend. Otherwise, she had, technically, broken code. 
But for her commander to do it?
The room bursted into conversation. Many of the team leaders wanted to know why Afternoon had to go to Disturbia. Some of them gave her nasty looks of jealousy. As if going to Disturbia was a great feat. 
“Are you going to answer, Chananne?”
Afternoon stiffened at the use of her last name. Few people, excluding her team members, knew her last name.  Chief wasn’t included either.  The ones who knew weren’t allowed on this campus.  
She heard someone whispering, probably asking a friend about the name. She hoped everyone thought it was just part of Afternoon’s mystery. 
“Chief, I believe you’re violating a lot of rules,” Sangwoo stated.  “Watch your words carefully.” 
“I’m only asking Afternoon–”
“I think I missed how this line of questioning refers to the lesson of Rationing.” 
Their  argument did nothing to refrain her heart from beating faster and louder.  She forced her eyes closed to dispel her growing panic. 
Her name. Her name. Her name. 
She had gone by Afternoon for so long. She nearly forgot who she truly was.  
“Afternoon!” 
No, no. Afternoon is her name. Must always remember. 
Sangwoo’s eyes were peering into hers. Confusion and worry settled in the gray clouds. 
“Are you alright?” “Whaddya mean?” She heard her words slurring. 
“You passed out for a while.”
Shock sat her up as she took in her surroundings again. She didn’t remember fainting. She had only closed her eyes. It should have looked like she zoned out. 
However, the puddle of slob and the minute throbbing of her head were clear signs that she had been unconscious and had hit her head on the desk.  
The class had been dismissed and Chief was nowhere to be seen. It was just her and Sangwoo. Her face warmed as she realized.  She could practically feel the drool drying on her face. Thankfully, her hair was cornrowed or it would've been pressed flat against her head. 
“Thanks,” she squeaked. 
“Thanks for what?” Sangwoo questioned. 
“For making sure I didn’t drop dead, I guess.”
To her surprise, Sangwoo let out a breathy laugh.  His smile was boxy and made his appearance youthful.  
“Funny, Noon.”
He helped her stand and scanned her body again. She squirmed under his gaze, not used to anyone scrutinizing her except for the nurses and doctors. 
“Well, you look alright. Just a little banged up,” Sangwoo finally said after looking her over. 
“Why did everyone leave?”
Sangwoo shrugged,  “I dismissed them. Chief’s behavior was unacceptable. And weird. Almost like she’s become a-”
“Different person?” Afternoon finished for him. 
“Yes,” he said slowly. “ Extremely different. Like someone took over her body or is even putting thoughts into her head.”
Afternoon said nothing but her agreement must have been written all over her face. 
“I wonder who you know can do that.”
She frowned in confusion. There was only one person she knew could do that and he wasn’t here. But the signs were there. He was most definitely in the Facility. Disguising himself as her former respectable commander. 
Sangwoo shouldn’t know that. 
“I don’t know what you mean,” she chose to answer. It sounded like a lie. 
The man in front of her chuckled, a deadly smile growing on his face. 
“Oh, Afternoon. Have you been here for so long that you forget how powerful I am?” Before she could question him, Sangwoo began to morph before her eyes. His back widened while his hips and waist stayed slim and slender. His hair loosened itself from the rubber band holding the pony tail, and straightened to hang near his shoulder. Wisps of hair formed bands and concealed his forehead. 
The eyes should have given him away.  Hell, his whole persona was a dead giveaway. 
“Cat got your tongue, Afternoon?”  
“You shouldn’t be here,” was only what she said. Nothing else could come out as her astonishment stilled her. Her mind raced to remember when she had first heard of Sangwoo, the new commander of floor twelve.  Only a few weeks ago, right? Surely, he had to go through a rigorous interview and background check. How the hell did the Facility miss him?
“Come on,” he laughed. “You should know that I do as I damn well please.”  He leaned forward so that Afternoon was forced to lean into the desk behind her. 
Her heart pounded through her chest. She wasn’t sure if she was afraid for herself or for him. Maybe both. 
Kim Seokjin, eldest to his brothers, was violating multiple rules and regulations of the Facility. The primary rule being that no entity  from Disturbia was allowed to set a foot on campus. Apparently, the Facility was not able to follow up on that nor had they accounted for Seokjin's ability to let him do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted. 
It seemed as if several commanders were unfortunately his new playthings. 
She snapped out of her growing alarm and pulled him to the side of the room that was hidden from the door. She silently prayed that a student didn’t forget anything and would come back and see an outsider in their classroom. No one in the Facility had seen Seokjin or his brothers except for Leah and Afternoon. Leah wouldn’t recognize him now though.  
It was only Afternoon. 
“What are you doing here, Seokjin? Taking control of Chief, causing her to order me to go to Disturbia wasn’t enough? Getting into the Facility as an actual commander wasn’t enough?”
“Nope,” he drawled. 
She drew a small breath, her panic turning into unmitigated anger. 
“You have three minutes to explain why you are ruining-”
He interrupted her, “Namjoon told me to remind you of why you’re here in the first place. You’re wasting time Afternoon.”
Her anger remodeled itself into anxiety. 
Seokjin continued, “I thought the simplest way to do that was by getting you off your ass. Your ‘friends,’” he said ‘friends’ with a sneer, as if Afternoon having friends was an atrocity, “was the perfect reason to get you to come back. Save your friends and we reconvene.”
 His voice deepened until it almost sounded like a purr. “Once you’re back, we get to catch up with you. Afternoon has really made a mark on this place. You should hear the things they say about her.” “Noon! We’re missing lunch because of you. Tell Sangwoo that if he wants to stuff you during dinner then he’s more than obliged but right now we’re on a time limit.”
The playful yelling and laughing of her team coming towards the door made Seokjin roll his eyes. It was good they thought she was still with Sangwoo. Kind of bad that they thought she was getting bent over. 
“I have to go. Otherwise, someone’s gonna come in here and see us together.”
“I don’t wish to compromise either of us. I’ll change back,” he told her. 
Taking her face in between his index and thumb, Seokjin lifted her face so their lips barely graced each other’s. 
The small touch didn’t matter to him. 
“I do wish I could hold you as Seokjin, but it seems as if I’ll have to be satisfied with Sangwoo. I’ll see you at dinner. Your friend said I'm ‘much obliged to take you’, so I will.”
She barely managed a nod before getting pushed away from him. 
Afternoon made her way to the door, smoothing down her clothes and wiping at her face. It would only confirm that she had been  making out with the commander Sangwoo. 
Taylor was the first to let out something that sounded like a joyous screech. They were always ready to gossip about the masculine agents. Aria and Holly along with Jack were already heading towards the doors that lead outside. Aliah didn’t say anything but walked ahead of  her and Taylor, who asked questions like “How big was it?”  
Aliah still didn’t understand her decision. And Afternoon wasn’t going to make her understand. She had chosen her action and she was going through with it. 
Besides, only Afternoon understood why she was truly being called. Seokjin had told her as much. She was running out of time.  
“Are you actually going to go see the Sangwoo during dinner?” Taylor asked, much to Afternoon’s chagrin. 
“I dunno,” she pretended to think. “Maybe.”
“I think you should,” they stuck their thumb out pointing to Aliah. 
They made it to the doors that lead to outside. Once they opened, the afternoon sun greeted the three of them. Warmth spread through Afternoon’s body and chased away any anxiety she’d had only minutes ago. 
“She got a stick up her ass,” Taylor huffed as they glared daggers at the co-captain’s back.   
Aliah tongued her cheek and flipped them off. And like that, the anxiety came back. Not even a minute to let her enjoy being stress-free. 
“What the hell happened?” “Missy over there decided to go against you and-”
“Shut up Taylor,” Aliah snapped. Apparently, she didn’t want Afternoon to know. 
They shrugged,  “She’ll find out eventually Aliah. Admit you fucked up now rather than Afternoon finding out on her own.”
Taylor jogged to meet with the rest of the group while Afternoon and Aliah stopped to stare at each other. 
“What the hell did you do?” Afternoon demanded to know. 
Aliah wasn’t one to step over Afternoon’s toes. They were always in sync with each other. Never going behind each other’s back. 
“I’m hungry,” was all she got out of Aliah who took off running towards the cafeteria. Her long legs leaving Afternoon in a dust. 
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blackacre13 · 2 years
Note
(Sort of) sorry for blowing up your asks! But since I just saw you mention this -- would love a Carol/Abby origin story fic!! Please?? ^_^
I got a few requests for this and just posted the first one recently here , so this is sort of a part two/Carol POV since that one was very Abby POV heavy.
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She couldn’t bear to face it. That look she knew so well. A mixture of shock and horror and disappointment. Trust that she had earned and then broken into pieces, shattering it and grinding it down to dust. Nothing left to do but sweep it away, under the rug, pretending like there hadn’t been anything to break in the first place.
It was what Carol did. What she’d always done.
And though it wasn’t the same, in some regard, it was every bit the same. After all, everything comes full circle. And perhaps she hadn’t broken her own heart in the process the last time around, but she had left a piece of her soul and betrayed her best friend. Now, she was breaking her own heart and shattering that of her lover’s, who had no idea that when she awoke, Carol would be gone forever. She had to push Therese away. She had to pick up the pieces of her own life she’d run away from, no matter how painful it was to keep moving forward. She had to let go. She couldn’t drag that poor girl down with her, through the mud, with the promise of a life that most likely couldn’t ever be no matter how much she wanted it to exist. She had to release her. Like she did Abby.
Dearest. There are no accidents and he would have found us one way or another. Everything comes full circle. Be grateful it was sooner rather than later. You’ll think it harsh of me to say so, but no explanation I offer will satisfy you.
She stared hard at the fountain pen as she pressed it further into the paper, the ink angered and frustrated, seeping out excess like droplets of blood from a wound before she released her frustration and lifted the pen. It was no use punishing it. This was her own doing. She had always been her own worst enemy, after all.
She pushed people away. She pushed love away. Was it because she was afraid? Was it because she was too weak and tired to fight? The world wasn’t different enough yet, sure. But it couldn’t change without people pushing for that change, and here she was, moving backwards. Standing still. Trying to stop the clock and slip away into the familiar. Into the simple. Into the known.
And she couldn’t face Therese. She couldn’t tell that beautiful soul that she should have never gotten her tangled up in the chaos of her world. In Rindy. And Harge. And Abby.
Abby. Hadn’t Carol put her through enough? How many times had she turned Abby down or given her false hope only to let her down again? And still, Abby had come to her rescue. Had dropped everything to save her and help her, no questions asked. Carol knew she didn’t deserve her.
Please don’t be angry when I tell you that you seek resolutions and explanations because you’re young. But you will understand this one day.
She was older now. Wiser. Perhaps, still more foolish and stubborn than she should have been, but life had handed her enough lessons in the last two decades or so for her to instill some wisdom in Therese, even if she couldn’t understand it in the present. And in a way, it would be easier for Therese not to understand. For her to be angry or upset. She would have an easier time trying to erase the last few weeks with Carol. As if none of this had ever happened. The doll. The gloves. The lunch. The visit. The trip. It could be gone in the blink of an eye.
It was the people who were threaded throughout your life, that you couldn’t truly let go of. Like Abby.
Carol could refuse her advances. Could tell her she wanted her out of her life. But she couldn’t erase the little girl who had sat in the grass, fascinated by Carol and the way she could tie her laces for her. Or forget the bubbly thrill of a feeling the first time Abby had called after her, teasing, “You nitwit!”
And when it happens, I want you to imagine me there to greet you, our lives stretched out ahead of us, a perpetual sunrise.
Yes, it was better to let Therese go. To let the past go. Abide by Harge’s demands and his parents expectations for them and for Carol. Do whatever it took to be able to see Rindy, even if it meant denying her every satisfaction. Denying every bit of who she was. That took strength too, right? Denial?
She was at a crossroads again. Just like she had been that night the Ford broke down. Curled up next to Abby in her childhood bed, finally feeling brave enough to bring up the thought that always lingered on the edge of her mind and the tip of her tongue. Did Abby remember? Of course she did. Carol had never forgotten. Had never forgotten both how strange and delightful it had been for Abby to reveal such a secret to her. Abby had never kissed a boy, which was ordinary for a girl to admit to her friend. But Abby had never wanted to kiss a boy either, and Carol could never have imagined such a thing, until Abby had admitted that she had wanted to try kissing a girl.
Carol hadn’t judged or been scared. She felt trusted and happy that Abby would tell her such a thing. But she hadn’t understood it. At least not then.
But it made her look at Abby differently. It made her curious. Made her wonder if Abby’s lips were as soft as her own. Made her wonder if she would feel those butterflies in her belly the other girls talked about. She had only pretended to have them when she’d kissed boys. She had never really understood why the other girls blushed and giggled and shrieked about it. It had just been so, so. A transaction of sorts. An expectation.
And when she asked Abby to kiss her, everything changed. Everything. Carol finally understood. She understood Abby. She understood herself. But she also understood that she could never have the other things she had always wanted.
A daughter. A great big house. To be a wife.
It would be a life hidden in the shadows. A life only whispered about. There was only so much joy she could seek in secret kisses and sacred touches.
But until then, there must be no contact between us. I have much to do, and you, my darling, even more.
It would be a clean break this time. There would be no difficult conversation. No heart-to-heart to explain what she felt she had to do.
She wouldn’t see the sting she had seen on Abby’s face. The hurt in her eyes when Carol had told her that she had to start taking things seriously, tossing Abby away like a childhood toy for the sake of society and principle and not much else. The pang she had felt in her heart when Abby had let her go, only asking if this is truly what she wanted.
She hadn’t agreed. She hadn’t understood. But she had let Carol go all the same.
Please believe that I would do anything to see you happy and so I do the only thing I can—I release you.
And now Carol understood. Knew why Abby had let her walk away. Knew why Carol had to walk away now.
If you loved something, you let it go. And if you were lucky enough, maybe, just maybe, it would find its way back to you.
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downwiththeficness · 2 years
Text
The Guarantor-Chapter 21
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Summary: Frankie went to work every day knowing that there would be an end. A deadline. Reconnecting with her adoptive father, Godric, throws that deadline into question. Teaming up with Godric’s child, Eric, obliterates it entirely. With an uncertain future ahead, Frankie has to learn if she can trust the people around her, let alone herself. Eric Northman/Bisexual!Fem!OC
Word Count: ~3,200
Warnings:  None
A/N: This fic is explicit for canon-compliant blood, gore, violence, and sex. As such, it is intended for an adult audience, only. Anyone under the age of 18 should not interact with this work. I do not consent to reposting this work to other platforms. Reblog only to Tumblr.
Start from the Beginning   Previous Chapter   Next Chapter
Read on AO3  Masterlist
Frankie stared at her bank account. She’d been living in Eric’s house for over two months, had been working almost as long, and had not much to show for it. She checked and double checked the deposits, matched them to her pay stubs, and used her cell phone to confirm the math. Everything added up as it was supposed to. And yet, Frankie was still way below where she’d hoped to be by now. It just didn’t make sense.
Resigned, she closed the laptop and threw herself back onto the bed. Shame was a physical pain that bloomed hot in her chest as she thought about how she was going to have to remain where she was for yet another few months. Frankie was an adult with a full time job that she showed up every shift to work. She shouldn’t be imposing on her—God, what was he anyways?
Frankie wasn’t oblivious to the fact that something had shifted in her relationship with Eric. The partnership that they started with was definitely something more. Larger. Fuller. Their as of yet undefined relationship was completely changed, but Frankie just wasn’t quite sure what had changed. And, she was too much of a coward to ask about it, outright. Whatever it was felt too fragile to handle with her usual clumsiness.
But, it was good.
At least, Frankie thought so.
It certainly felt good.
As much as she hated to do it, Frankie quietly compared how she felt when she was with Eric to how she felt when she was with Masha—how she felt when things were good with Masha. Like before, there was a significant power differential. Masha had money, Eric had eternity. And, like before, the relationship didn’t quite feel solid. With Masha, that uncertainty had lent itself to insecurity. Down deep, Frankie had known Masha would never ‘go to bat’ for her. She felt more certain about Eric.
He’d stood behind her when Anton sent his men to threaten or frighten her. He’d literally killed to keep her alive and unharmed. And, more than anything, Eric had been honest with her. It didn’t matter if she might be upset by hearing the truth or if it might put her in an untenable situation. Eric told her the truth.
And, that was the crux of the matter.
This might be the first time in Frankie’s life that she hadn’t had to: a.) hide what she had done while under contract, or b.) hide any part of how she’d grown up. It was a nice feeling, and it had been a really long time since she’d had nice feelings.
Frankie was discovering in real time just how much the burden of her past had been, now that she didn’t have to shoulder it any longer. She was also discovering how much she was willing to do to keep from picking that burden up again.
Head rolling to the side, Frankie stared at her nightstand. Inside was a small pouch stuffed full of cash. Frankie made roughly three hundred dollars in her one shift at Fangtasia—over double what she would have made standing behind the bar she used to work at. It was also significantly more that what she made at her current job.
The urge to make the leap into a new career was strong, but Frankie felt herself hesitate. They certainly needed the help, if Pam’s complaining was accurate. And, with the extra money, Frankie could get her own place sooner rather than later.
But, the advice Godric and Eric kept giving to her about the cultural differences between vampires and humans rolled right in after she added up the pros to working at the bar. Frankie was begrudgingly admitting to herself that she was way over her head and the prospect of putting herself in real danger loomed in eerie, bright neon as she continued to think.
Standing, Frankie yawned and walked downstairs, intending to make herself a snack before bed. As she crossed into the living room, she met Eric as he was walking from the laundry room. He didn’t look to be in a hurry, his pace slowing as she neared.
“What the fuck are you wearing?” he asked, eyeing her clothes.
Frankie looked down, “Uh, leggings.”
“Why the fuck are you wearing leggings?”
Confused, Frankie made a kind of helpless gesture, “Because its after midnight and I want to be comfy.”
He pointed at the stairs, “Well, go change.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re going out.”
She blinked several times at him, trying to remember if they’d discussed going out tonight. She didn’t think so, but there had been a lot on her mind. It was possible that she forgot. When Frankie dawdled too long, Eric physically turned her around and gave her a gentle shove towards the staircase.
“Go,” he prompted, “I’ll wait on the couch.”
Thoroughly bewildered, Frankie went where he pointed her. It was only when she got to her room that she realized she had no idea where they were going and, therefore, had no idea how to dress. Tugging off her clothes, she settled for a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Slipping her feet into a pair of sneakers, Frankie grabbed her bag and went to meet Eric in the living room.
He was exactly where he said he would be, scrolling through his phone on the couch. When she turned the corner, he stood and jerked his head towards the door.
“Where are we going?” Frankie asked as she followed him out into a night that bit at her with the first dusting of frost.
The sky above them was clear, and there were so many stars twinkling down at them. Jersey didn’t have stars like this. At least, not in the city.
Eric looked over his shoulder at her, “There’s a diner not far from here. Twenty four hours. Vampire friendly.”
“Oh.”
It wasn’t until Frankie was clicking the seat belt into place that she thought to ask, “Why are we going to a diner?”
The look he gave her was flirtatious, “I can’t want to spend time with you?”
Her eyes narrowed, “You usually have a reason.”
Acknowledging her statement with a nod, he said, “Maybe my reason is that I want to spend time with you.” A beat, then, “Since when have you become so suspicious?”
Frankie’s response was deadpan, “I’m gonna go out on a limb, here, and say that I’ve always been a tiny bit suspicious where you’re concerned.”
Eric smirked as they turned off onto the highway, “Honestly? Smart move.”
“Thanks,” she replied with a coy turn of her shoulder.
The diner was close, but Frankie hadn’t ever noticed it. The sign sat back from the road a bit, partially hidden by a row of shrubs that obscured what lay behind. The building and parking lot were both modest in size, the outer paint a nice, neutral blue. Through the windows, Frankie could spot several customers already seated.
No one looked twice at a human and a vampire entering together—in fact, no one looked up at all. Their entering the room caused no more disturbance than a soft breeze on a sunny day. Eric guided her to a booth and Frankie took a moment to take in the décor while they waited for someone to come take their order.
The place was...unexpected. Brightly lit, with warm bulbs that hung from modern pendant lights over each table. Here and there, framed artwork brought splashes of color to an otherwise nondescript room. The tiled floor looked new, or recently replaced. And, most of all, everything lacked the thin layer of grease so commonly found in diners.
“This is nice,” Frankie commented, turning her attention to Eric.
Eric almost smiled, “Its discrete.”
She didn’t have time to wonder why he would want to take her to a ‘discrete’ location. The waiter walked up, bringing with him a set of menus. He handed the smaller one to Eric, the larger to Frankie.
“Take your time,” was the only thing he said before walking away.
Frankie opened the menu, perusing the offerings. It looked like standard fare, and she scanned over the familiar categories to find what she wanted. Eric was much faster, barely looking at his menu before setting it aside. Out of curiosity, Frankie glanced at the it—various types of Tru Blood detailed with far too much writing.
The waiter arrived again, sliding into Frankie’s field of vision without a sound, “What can I get you?”
Eric turned his palm up at her, indicating that she should go first.
“Basket of curly fries, please. Coke to drink.”
Eric huffed in disbelief, “That’s what you’re ordering?”
Frankie lifted her brows at him, “You got a problem with curly fries?”
Shaking his head, he replied, “Not at all.” Then, to the waiter, “A Positive.”
Snapping up the menus, the waiter gave them a tight smile as he turned away, “I’ll get that put right in for you, and I’ll bring your coke.”
With nothing to distract them, the silence that followed was a bit awkward. Frankie wished she had a set of silverware to fiddle with. Anything to keep her hands busy. She struggled to hold Eric’s gaze, her brain trying to come up with something to say.
“So,” she began, already regretting the question that would follow, “Is this a place you come to a lot?”
“Sometimes,” Eric replied, “Its quiet, and the staff know to leave you alone.”
That much was obvious. Frankie didn’t think she’d ever felt quite so alone in a room with so many other people.
“Do you, like, bring business partners here?”
“Fuck no,” Eric answered quickly, the words almost spit from his mouth, “It’d spoil the place.”
She lifted a brow, intrigued, “Oh yeah?”
He gave a definitive nod, “Absolutely. Every vampire in the county would make this their new haunt.”
Frankie rested her hand on a curled fist, “I get it. Where’s the current vampire haunt? Fangtasia?”
“You’d think that,” Eric said, leaning back in the booth, “But, our customers are mostly human. Pam keeps count.”
Frankie’s mind immediately turned to the statuesque Pam guarding the front door, eager guests corralled by a kitschy velvet rope. No doubt, her keen eyes clocked every human and vampire for what they were, deciding with razor sharp precision whether or not they’d be let in.
“I don’t want to even think about how she manages that.”
“Don’t. She has a spreadsheet and will go on for hours about how its formatted.”
Frankie laughed, “Thanks for the heads up.”
“Any time,” Eric said, his voice sounding genuine to her ears.
“Any other tips you want to share while you’re feeling gracious?”
Frankie leaned forward a little bit, not ashamed to show that she was eager to learn anything she could. Despite living with Godric for the first half of her life, she was still behind the curve. Now that it had become clear to her that there was no way she was going to remain detached from the vampire world, Frankie wanted to catch up.  
Eric thought about it, “Pam respects competence. There’s no faster way to piss her off than to fuck up so badly that she has to come in behind you and fix it.”
That made sense. It wasn’t quite the answer she was expecting, but it made sense.
“Good to know,” Frankie said. Then, with confidence, “Don’t fuck up.”
He laughed, “An honest mistake is different, Frankie. Even Pam knows that.”
She pursed her lips, “Still, I’d rather not have to spend time pulling one of her stilettos out of my ass because I’d pissed her off so badly she gave it a good kicking.”
Laughing again, Eric swiped a hand over his eyes, “That’s...an interesting picture you’ve painted.”
“Its not far off from the truth, though, right?”
“Its not,” he said, “She’s put a few stilettos in a few asses.”
Frankie rolled her free hand, saying, “See?”
The waiter brought Frankie’s coke, setting the glass and the straw down in front of her and walking away without a word. Frankie murmured, ‘thanks’, to his back and picked up the straw. She tapped it on the table a few times and pulled the plastic free from the wrapper.
Dropping it into the glass, Frankie asked her next question, “Was Godric as protective of you as he was with me? Did he keep you from other vampires until you passed the first century?”
Eyes going soft, Eric shook his head, “I doubt there was any way Godric could have contained me in my first century—at least, not without giving a direct order. And, even then, I was good at finding loopholes.”
Frankie snorted, “He’s said as much.”
Expression pinching in mock offense, Eric countered, “I’m very well behaved nowadays.”
Sipping her coke, Frankie made a noise of disbelief, “That, I don’t believe.”
Mouth opening, Eric continued his defense, “I’ll give you an example. When I was…seventy or eighty, I forget the exact age, I corralled an entire herd of sheep into a church cemetery every night for three months. The villagers thought it was witchcraft and spent the next several years performing cleansing rituals on the graves.”
For the second time that night, Frankie blinked at him, “That’s...objectively funny.”
Eric’s head cocked to the side, “You’re not laughing.”
That was true. She was not.
“I’m trying to picture seventy year old Eric herding sheep into a cemetery in the middle of the night.” She paused, “You’re kind of looking like a border collie, if I’m being honest.”
Surprised, Eric barked out a laugh, his eyes crinkling at the sides, teeth flashing. Frankie found herself laughing along with him. There was brief interruption as their meals were set down on the table, Frankie’s steaming gently and Eric’s paired with a glass.
Frankie picked up a fry, pleased with the tight spiral, “What was he like, back then?”
Eric didn’t have to ask who she was referring to, “Much the same. And, different. Vampires are like anyone else. We grow and mature with time, but some things are set in stone.”
“What’s set in stone for you?” Frankie asked, her voice softening.
His mouth closed gently, and for just a second Frankie thought he might not answer. Then, “I’m very determined, once my course is set.”
“That can be a good thing,” Frankie said as she picked through the basket for another spiral fry.
Pouring the True Blood into his glass, Eric replied in a tired voice, “It can also get me into a lot of trouble.”
“Herding sheep into cemeteries trouble?”
One side of his mouth lifted, “More like indebting myself to a queen trouble.”
“How’d you manage that?”
Lifting the glass to his lips, Eric answered, “A few bad decisions. Set a bad course for myself.”
“And you couldn’t stop once you started.”
“Exactly.”
Frankie’s eyes dropped to where her hands hovering over the still hot basket, “Can it be fixed?”
Eric’s eyes cut to the side as he considered his answer, “Not without a lot of money.”
Eyes lifting, she asked, “How much?”
“About six hundred million.”
Fuck.
“Fuck.”
“That about sums it up, yeah.”
Licking her lips, Frankie cast her eyes about the room as she thought about it, “How are you paying it off, if you don’t have the money?”
Air hissing through his teeth, Eric muttered, “Time.”
Frankie stared at him, “Time? Like, you work a certain number of years until…”
She trailed off as he nodded, his fingers turning the glass in front of him. A great many things made a lot more sense to her, and Frankie found herself tamping down the urge to reach across the table to him.
“How long?”
Eric drank deeply, clearing half the glass in what looked like a single gulp, then, “Three centuries left.”
“Doing what?”
Looking up at her from beneath his lashes, he smiled humorlessly, “What do you think?”
Frankie took a guess, “Being the Sheriff?”
“Ding ding ding,” he replied, voice forcibly bright.
Leaning away from her nearly finished fries, Frankie sighed deeply, “Look at us. Two peas in a pod.”
Eric tipped his head in agreement.
“Does Godric know?”
“He doesn’t.”
“I think you should tell him.”
He cut her a look, “Why?”
“Because,” Frankie said, “I made the mistake of not telling him and ended up in such deep shit,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “you had to step in and deal with it.”
Eric chuckled, “That was a good day.”
“That was not a good day,” Frankie shot back, even though her mouth was turning up into a smile.
Leaning forward, he fixed her with a look that said he didn’t believe a word she’d just said, “That was the best day of your fucking life and you know it.”
Swallowing, Frankie’s voice was rough as she said, “I was terrified.”
He nodded in understanding, “Everyone’s scared the moment they get a little freedom.”
She looked away, tongue rolling around in her mouth as she worked to deny it, “Still, I think you should tell him.”
“What good would it do?”
“It might,” the words stalled for half a second before tumbling out, “give him some purpose. It might make him change his mind.”
His face relaxed in what could only be described as shock. It held like that, suspended, for several seconds before his jaw set, “Godric doesn’t change his mind, not when his decision is made.”
Softly, carefully, Frankie said, “Like father, like son.”
Eric’s mouth shut so hard that his teeth clacked together. Frankie grabbed her napkin and wiped the salt from her fingers, not really caring if she’d offended him. If someone had given her a hard kick in the ass early on in her contract, she might have saved herself a lot of trouble.
“Ill consider it,” he said, finally.
“Good.”
The waiter arrived to clear the table, Eric handing him neatly folded bills in return. He slid wordlessly from the booth, Frankie following. She refused to feel bad about how tense the back of Eric’s neck was as he walked ahead. Dropping down into the passenger’s seat, Frankie resigned herself to sitting in silence for the ride home.
He surprised her by speaking as they slowed to a red light, “He thinks there’s something more for us.”
Frankie looked at him in question, but said nothing.
“On the other side of the true death,” Eric clarified. “He was ancient even when I met him, and I think he’s ready to move on to the next phase of his life.”
“What if there’s nothing there?”
“Then maybe he’d get some peace.”
She had nothing to say to that, couldn’t even hope to argue the point. If Godric wanted peace, who was she to try to deny him that? Still, her chest hurt as she anticipated the pain that would come with knowing he wasn’t there, anymore.
Sniffing, Frankie blinked back tears, “It hasn’t happened yet. Might not happen for a long time.”
Making a soft sound of comfort, Eric reached over and took her hand, holding it atop her thigh. He didn’t let go until they got home.
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