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merlinfic · 3 years

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group ask for lost fics #32

Hi y’all! Below are a few lost fics that us mods just can’t seem to find. That being said, we’re hoping that you lovely followers are able to help! If anyone knows any of the fics below please reply below or send in an ask with which anon/user and group ask that the fic corresponds with!

Note: previous group asks and all lost fics!

Anon 1 asked:

Hello! First of all thanks so much for everything you do for the fandom! Also, I’ve been trying to find a fic for a while where Merlin and Arthur are both super into each other and Arthur keeps trying to seduce Merlin but Merlin thinks he has to remain pure until the dragon tells him that’s not the case w Arthur and I was wondering if you could help! Thanks so much 💖🥰

Thanks to statistical-nightmare for suggesting Touch Me (Not) by veronamay!

@ohmytimeturner14 asked:

Hey! I'm kinda getting back into the merlin fandom and I was looking for a fic I once read and can't find it. It's a sick fic where merlin gets sick with pneumonia I believe. Can't remember how long it is, at least 3k and most likely under 20k? I think part of it had Morgana offer to read to Merlin when he was sick? I think it was Merthur but I couldn't swear to it. Love your blog, Keep up the good work!!!

Hey! I love your blog. You always do such an awesome job.

I lost a fic, its at least 5K probably leaning twords 20 though. It involves Merlin getting sick, I think pneumonia. I remember that at one point Morgana reads him a book when he's sick, and Arthur almost leaves to get Hunith because he thought Merlin wouldn't make it. May have something to do with a formalwear tunic that made him cold and got sick, but that might be a different one. I also think he was going to go to a party of Gwen's before he got sick?? sorry if this is kinda vague

Thanks to fractalinferno for sending in Midwinter Festival by Miss_Em!

Anon 2 asked:

hello!! yay the ask box is open again!! 🥺 I’ve been going through the asks for a quartermaster/007 thing but I can’t find this particular fic where Merlin was Q, and closer to the end of the fic he gets kidnapped on a train (to be specific.) It’s slash, but not pre-established, happens during the fic. Arthur bursts into Merlin’s apartment and manages to have flashback about the laptop’s password or smth too! Thanks in advance!

Thanks to wiggly-jiggly-higgledy-piggledy and overworked-bookworm for suggesting You Only Live Twice by storyforsomeone (WIP)!

Anon 3 asked:

Hello! I was wondering if you'd be able to help me find a fic. The only thing I remember from it is that both Arthur and Merlin are in the crystal caves and Merlin sees Arthur's death through one of them and completely freaks out and comfort ensues with Arthur. Sorry it's so vague but I'd love to see if you can find it! Thanks again!

@eyra-j-nee asked:

Hi!! I’m looking for a fic that was on ao3, (TW: non con) in it Merlin was assaulted in the stables and he called I think both killgarah and aithusa come and won’t let anyone pass into the stables except gaius and eventually Lancelot. Arthur figures out it’s Merlin and I can’t remember what happens after that. I’ve looked through your hurt and abused Merlin tags and I didn’t see it. I can say it’s not “all of himself” by StormDancer but they are very similar! Any and all help would be appreciated. As always THANK YOU for what you do, this blog and your hard work is a godsend!!

Thanks to fangirl485 for sending in The Fire of a Dragon by ma_r (check warnings!)

Anon 4 asked:

hi I am looking for a fic, it's post canon au and magic is legal, arthur & gwen aren't married though and all the people of Camelot are used to see Arthur and Merlin together or near each other and one time they don't, so they ask merlin who tells them that the king is on holiday today so they come to merlin with their problems and even after the holiday is over they still come to him and start calling him lord and Arthur is very amused and they get together at the end of the fic

honestly I'm a little annoyed that I remember this much but not the name of fic but I can't find it in my bookmarks, so thanks

Thanks to onceandfuturekid for suggesting King of My Heart by illiterateowl!

Anon 5 asked:

hello! i was wondering if you know about this one fic where merlin receives a purple tunic as a reluctant gift from arthur and he worries about it because it's the colour of royalty. i think it was gen? i can't really seem to find it and this is very vague, so im sorry. thank you for all you do!! <3

Anon 6 asked:

Hi I’ve been looking everywhere for one particular fic. It’s pretty dark and modern au. Merlin is immortal, has lost his memories, not thinking clearly, and is suicidal. Arthur is reincarnated and has the urge to kill. They somehow? come to an arrangement, and Arthur “consensually” kills Merlin, and then is filled with regret. But it kind of “resets” Merlin so when he comes back his memories are restored and he’s ok again? Any ideas??

onceandfuturekid asked:

hi I'm looking for a fic where there's a new servant master (?) who is harming servants so arthur disguises himself and pretends to be servant and merlin & gwen take him under his wing,,, also the servant master (?) was a druid I think or atleast banished from them and was looking for power of emrys

Thanks to atlantablack-chaotic and avery28 for sending in The Serving of Servants by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle!

Anon 7 asked:

Hi! I've been looking for this but can't seem to find it and I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could help me. It's a genderbend!Merlin. The story basically follows canon with Merlin becoming Arthur's manservant just that on top of magic she has to hide the fact that she's a woman and when things go "further" Arthur thinks he's forcing himself on Merlin, since he can't "feel his desire". Thank you do much for your help! ❤

Anon 8 asked:

Hi, I've been trying to refind this fic for a while but I'm having trouble finding it. I can't remember much of it which makes it difficult, but I just remember that Merlin gives Arthur a gift, which I think is a ring, and he finds out Merlin had magic and questions whether Merlin enchanted it against him. It's in the canon era where Merlin is his servant.

Thanks to fractalinferno for sending in A Little Roughing Around Never Hurt Anyone by melennui!

@emritz86 asked:

Hi, it's been a while I asked smthng. Caught up with work and stuff. I read a fic where Merlin was a doc and married to Arthur but Arthur didn't like Merlin at first and didn't even let him enter to their bedroom. Later he realised how awesome Merlin was and tried to reconcile but Merlin already thought about filing divorce. Do not remember the name but I'm certain I read it and saved it somewhere. Anything similar would be great too. Thanks.

Anon 9 asked:

Hey! I was wondering if you could find a fic for me where everyone thinks Arthur is dead and then Merlin goes to look for him but the knights are like he’s dead and Merlin says something like “half my soul resides in him. I would feel his death like a wound” ps this blog is literally my life

Anon 10 asked:

I'm looking for 2 kind of similar stories. The first is a canon au where Merlin is actually a dog that Arthur finds in the woods. I remember toward the end they both get injured and Arthur is frantic when he wakes up. Asking Gaius where his dog is.

The second is modern au where Merlin is blind and Arthur is reincarnated as his seeing eye dog. I don't remember much more than that, sorry. Thank you for all the work you out into the fandom. MUCH MUCH appreciated!

Thanks to fractalinferno for suggesting Familiar To You, Strange To Me by TheYaoiChick for the first part!

@gaylord1027 asked:

Hi,

Do you know of a fic where Merlin was raised by Balinor in the cave after Hunith died and Merlin has some for of mental affliction. It starts with Arthur coming to them for help and then he wants to protect Merlin. Nimueh is in it and she befriended Merlin and died when Balinor lived to keep the balance.

Anon 11 asked:

I was wondering if you knew of the fic where Gwaine and Arthur are fighting to see who's merlin's best friend but in the end they realise it's Lancelot

Thanks to fractalinferno for suggesting Merlin's Favourite by OwlsWithFins!

#other: group asks for lost fics #other: fic find #other: lost fics #mod danielle #sorry for the long post lmao #we have A Lot of asks

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blissfulparker · 4 years

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Seasick→pt. 10 Peter Parker

Summary→ when you give one lie to your mom that you have a boyfriend, she ends up buying an extra ticket for a cruise you guys are going on. Now you’re stuck looking for a fake boyfriend and eventually drag peter in. Except you and peter both like each other and don’t know how long you can last pretending.

Warnings→small amounts of smut, mostly fluff

A/n→the way I thought I posted this a long time ago-anyways here is part 10 and I hope to put part 11 out as the final part! It has been so much fun thank you all for everything 💗💗

Masterlist for seasick

When you wake up, your vision is blurry. Your eyes puffy from crying and the bed is cold. Peter is nowhere to be found. The bathroom door is wide open and his phone and shoes are gone. One more full day until you were back in Miami, getting on a plane back to New York. All you two needed to do was last one more full day.

“Peter?” you call out hoping he's still in the room.

Nearly falling out of bed you grab the nearest pants near you. Pulling them up and grabbing your phone to go out and find him.

“Woah!” He opens the door with two coffees and a bag in his hands. He sets the bags down and you fall into his arms.

“Where did you go?” you hold onto him.

“To get breakfast....sorry i didn't think that it was a big deal i just--” you shake your head and rub your eyes.

“No, sorry, thank you i just...i think i was still dreaming when i woke up,’tis all.” you tell him and he wraps his arms around your waist.

“Are you okay?” he asks and you nod.

“Yeah, I'm okay.” you tell him and he smiles softly.

You let go of him and look over to the coffee.

“Regular black, two sugars, pump of hazelnut on the left.” he tells you and you smile picking it up. After all those late night studies at each other's house, he has your coffee order down. Everyone has everyones coffee orders down within your friend group.

“Thank you.” you take a sip before setting it back down.

“Your family have anything planned?” he asks, kicking off his shoes.

“Not that I know of, then again it's only 9:30 in the morning so all of them are still dead asleep. except for maybe my aunt and mom, they like to work out in the morning and then have these weird juice cleanse.” you tell him and he sits next to you on the bed.

“So our last day is a free day?” he asks and you shrug.

“I dont know.” you tell before his phone goes off pulling you from your moment.

“Whos that?” you ask. Ned blow up his phone with texts.

Ned: did you guys die?

Ned: you can thank MJ for buying her the red bikini!

Ned: are you guys like a thing yet?

Ned: okay i know your not dead, shes posting things

Ned: dude answer!

Ned: oh, right, phone on silent while you two fuck. Making up for all the years i bet

“May.” He lies swallowing hard, not wanting to answer Ned with you by his side. “She wants me to bring her home a mug.” he throws his phone across the bed to not deal with it anymore.

“Aw tell her i say hi!” you tell him before getting your coffee and slipping back into bed.

He joins you back in bed, laying on his side and keeping his distance.

“Y-yesterday, you told me you wanted to transfer for me. Were you being serious?” he asks and you roll over to face him.

“Yeah. i already told you it was stupid to try and transfer because i had a crush on you. I'm not going anywhere. I'm really happy at Columbia.” you tell him and his hand goes to pull the strap of your tank top up.

“So you actually like me?” he asks looking down at your lips. “For real?”

“Yes peter, why would i joke about this?” you reach your hand and brush his hair with your hand. He likes it when you touch his hair, even when it was in study sessions and you came by and messed up his hair as a tease.

“I just can't believe all these years I've waited for this moment and it's happening on a boat, in the middle of the ocean, with your family who probably hates me, with the most painful sunburn on my back.” he tells you and you laugh a little. You reach over to place a kiss to his shoulder before one on his neck and come up to ghost over his lips.

“You know,” your hands trail down his arms and fall just in front of his sweatpants. “We never finished last night.” you tell him and his eyes wide a little, you make him nervous, he doesn't want to hurt you.

“I don't want to hurt you.” he whispers under your touch and you plant a kiss to the corner of his lips.

“You won't,” you start to move on top of him. “I promise you won't.”

Before you can even get on top of him he pushes you into the bed and crawls on top of you. His hands find their way under your shirt to take you all in.

“Tell me if i'm too much?” he asks as he takes off his shirt and starts to work on your sweats. His hand reaches into his sweats to find wallet he brought with him to get coffee and pulls out a condom. You let out a small laugh and he looks up at you with a scared look.

“You always carry condoms for when you're hooking up with girls in hotel rooms?” you ask and he smirks a little.

“I mean only the ones that I've had a crush on for years and tell my feelings to.” he teases.

“And how many girls have that been?” You playfully ask and he strokes your cheek softly before pressing a soft kiss.

“Just you.” his lips are soft as they meet yours, he tastes softly of coffee and mint toothpaste but you like it. You like the softness of his lips and you like how gentle he is with you.

Maybe years of waiting, years of lying in bed where you wished it was him with you and all the times you watched him run off without someone you knew wouldn't last was now over. All your waiting is now over.

“I don't want to go to lunch.” you roll over reaching for your phone. You lie naked in the bed, wrapped up in sheets; it was the first time Peter truly saw you like this. The kiss in the ocean was basically nothing compared to this as you now felt his arms wrap around you. “Or dinner, or anything that involves them.” you move away from checking the time to rolling back over to him. His hair chocolate brown as it sticks to his forehead but also fluffs up at the top. His hand comes over and strokes your cheek softly as he presses a soft kiss to your nose.

“Actually,” you continue on. Your eyes meet his and for the first time it gives you the strangest butterflies. He makes you feel something you've never felt before, love. As cheesy as it sounds, he makes you feel pure love for the first time. “As strange as this sounds, i don't want to leave. Its surreal that you actually came. That moment you said yes when I was basically crying and ready for my humiliation and downfall with my family, as dramatic as that sound. i was filled with joy but i was also so scared. I didn't think you ever liked me. That this would ever happen you liked girls like Gwen that were blonde and social, got along with everyone and it was like a couple out of a movie. I liked you since I was a freshman in highschool but I was so scared of loving you at the same time. That weird phase you went through where you were constantly ignoring everyone I thought you hated me, then you go and date Gwen and everyone knew you had a crush on MJ at one point.” you laugh and so does he.

His hand finds yours, it moves away from your cheek and finds yours and interlocks his fingers with yours.

“Mj and i really never would have worked out.” he admits and then looks back up at you finding your eyes again.

“But I knew I liked you ever since the day you gave me half your sandwich because May forgot to pack mine. Or that time when we went on a field trip and I got mud on my new shoes and you stayed behind to help me wash it out. But most recently europe when you asked me if i was okay when i was-” he caught himself. Maybe you weren't ready for that part of his life yet. It was too dangerous and you were too sweet. “I was sick and couldn't go to the opera.” he swallows his words thinking of a quick and believable lie. He thinks that was his excuse back then because Ned had told everyone he had the stomach flu and flash made fun of him for a week. If only he could tell everyone who he was.

“You didn't miss much, but it was concerning that you were missing from the opera when there was a huge threat in the city.” you shrug and he looks down.

“When we get back,” he asks, this time a little more worried. “Will we be friends or more?” he asks. It was a stupid question honestly and he knew the answer in a way but wanted to hear you say it.

You don't say anything, you softly move to plant a kiss on his lips. He grows a soft red and you want to laugh at this effect you have on him.

“Peter parker.” you say with a straight pretending to be serious face. “Will you be my boyfriend for real This time?” you ask trying to hide the nerves running through your muscles. A goofy smile forms on your face as you thought asking peter to be your boyfriend would be different, would be home in New York.

“Will you be my girlfriend for real?” he teases and you nod. He doesn't say anything more before reaching in and covering your face in kisses. Soft laughs escape your lips and on your last day in this what felt like a cursed cruise, you for once were happy. Happy in peters arms and everything felt real, no fake kisses, no fake touches, nothing was fake anymore it was just you and him.

Permanent Taglist: Permanent Taglist: @hoodiesparker @dahliaspidey @parkersvibes @itssss-a-bean @ppkrtingle @myfinalwords @bocauhl@tinyplanet-explorers @sincerlyfan @softbaby-tom @awesomeblackcottontail @rosebeegraham @stormyholland @unicorn-princess-1999 @spideyyypeter @marshyrebelcloud @oh-epiphany @yeahimcrying @highlydisfunctional1 @disgustangg @pterstingle @quacksonhq @starlightparker @reblogsfics @tomsrebeleyebrow @dreamyyholland @imaginashawnns @alilpunkrock @peterspideysenses @lovely-valllll @lowkey-holland @hannaholland1811 @kthemarsian @maryjane23 @jillianaholland @dummbiesshort @paracutepants @heartofholland @quacksonhehe @tomhollandssecurityguard @th0ttie4tommy @ladykxxx08 @bellelittleoff

Seasick: @jackiehollanderr @itscaminow @just-a-little bit-of-everything @th0ttie4tommy@hotel-colson @peterparker2003 @silver-winter-wolf @mskathrinak @teen--marvel @teenwishes08 @rish0217 @j2supernatural @hollandprkr @applenter @p-nutbutters @popluckbih @tomshufflepuff @hurricane-abigail @thechersupramacy @danicarosaline @spideyyeet

#peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #peter parker fluff #peter parker series #peter parker x y/n #peter parker x you #peter parker au #peter parker angst #peter parker fic #peter parker fan fic #peter parker smut

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rosedavid · 4 years

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the fear of knowing

Pairings: Merlin & Gwen friendship, slight Gwen/Arthur

Canon Divergence from 4x08: Lamia

Warnings: brief descriptions of violence and execution (not graphic)

Description: Gwen discovers Merlin’s magic when they are fighting the Lamia. This leads to her having to reevaluate her views on magic and Merlin himself.

Please ignore any mistakes - I wrote this very quickly with no editing because I am lazy lol. If you enjoy this, please consider reblogging :)

...

Gwen lunges toward Lamia with a sense of courage she never knew she possessed. All she registers is Merlin being dragged away before she just acts. Although not as competent with a sword as a knight, she manages to wound Lamia, who lets out a pained shriek. It’s enough to incapacitate Lamia into letting go of Merlin. Gwen stumbles to the ground along with Merlin, who immediately places himself in front of her. Lamia only takes seconds to recover before she hovers over the two of them again, ready to strike.

Gwen can’t hear anything over the pounding of her heart. She grips Merlin’s tunic sleeve tighter, looking over to him as if for the last time. She expects to see fear and guilt etched upon his face. What she sees is gold.

Merlin’s eyes are glowing gold. One of his hands is outstretched, mouth just about to open. Gwen gapes at him, her gaze torn between him and Lamia, wondering what will happen next.

But Gwen doesn’t have to wonder long, as suddenly a sword stabs Lamia through the back, revealing a worried Arthur. Merlin’s eyes fade back to normal, as if the golden hue was never there to begin with. Shakily, Gwen chokes out his name, then surges to greet him. She clings onto him, practically leaping into his arms. A sob forces its way out as they hug, but she refuses to let herself feel weaker than she already does.

“You carry on, don’t worry about me.”

Merlin’s voice breaks them from each other, and Gwen is brought back to the reality of everything that just happened. Arthur heads over to help Merlin up, while Gwen hangs back, still shaking.

After a few bickering remarks, Arthur rejoins Gwen. She wraps an arm around his middle, reveling in the comfort someone familiar brings her. Because suddenly, her whole view of Merlin has been turned upside down. Merlin, the one who Arthur beckons to follow behind them to safety, is a sorcerer.

Everything feels too overwhelming. Lamia was harrowing enough, but to have this newfound secret suddenly revealed to her? That makes her feel all the more anxious. She sticks close to Arthur as they head back to the village. If Merlin is suspicious of Gwen, then he doesn’t let anything on. She sees Merlin rubbing at his back, as if in pain, and she swallows down the immediate need to help her friend. It’s just too much right now. Besides, Merlin appears to be doing alright, if not a bit bruised, so Gwen figures it’s okay to keep her distance for the time being.

They return to Camelot soon after the knights are all deemed well enough to travel. Things are uncomfortable with the knights, as well, after everything that occurred, so Gwen mainly just stays to herself or with Arthur. She doesn’t know what else to do.

When the castle finally comes into view, Gwen heaves a great sigh of relief. Maybe now everything can finally get back to normal. However, as she glances at Merlin, she realizes that nothing will never be the same again. Even as she gets back to work, she can’t stop thinking about it all. Lamia. The Knights. Merlin.

Gwen’s had a rocky past with sorcery. Obviously, she’s grown accustomed to not having any sorcerers around because of the ban on magic in Camelot. Gwen was raised to fear sorcery, to view it as something purely evil. Still, Gwen’s father always taught them never to hate anyone, that they should always be kind and true to themselves. So, despite Uther’s views on the vileness of magic, Gwen never outwardly detested magic. In fact, for a long time, Gwen was sort of indifferent on magic. She never thought of it as some terrible thing, but she also never associated it with good. What she does associate sorcery with is fear.

She’s always feared sorcery, whether it be because of the dangerous those with sorcery pose to the kingdom or because of the horrible things that happen when sorcery gets involved. Gwen could never stand the burnings; the smell of fiery flesh and screaming is something she’ll never forget. And then, it all became unimaginably worse when her own father was executed on the crime of sorcery, a crime he didn’t even commit. And the nightmares are horrific. She had hoped they would vanish after time, but now she knows better. Still, she wakes up some nights gasping for air as she cries, fear flooding through her veins. So yes, magic scares her.

But when she thinks of Merlin, one of her closest friends, she can’t imagine ever being fearful of him. Besides, he just saved her life. If it wasn’t for him, for his magic, Gwen may not have made it out of there alive. She knows that Merlin would never hurt her, and she trusts him with her life. He’s always there for her, no matter how tough things may get. And Merlin has always had such a kind heart and giving personality. He makes everyone around him happier, even Arthur (though he’ll never admit it). So, even though Gwen equates sorcery with fear and death, she can’t possibly equate Merlin with anything other than goodness and light.

She feels so conflicted between her views of magic and her views of Merlin that she ends up avoiding him for a good couple of days. When Arthur asks her about it, she talks it up to everything she’s been through, which technically isn’t a lie. She hates lying to Arthur, but she can’t find it in herself to tell him the truth. Similarly, she can’t find it in herself to tell Merlin that she knows.

And the longer Gwen thinks about it, the more she understands. As the months pass by, she observes Merlin in a different perspective, and slowly but surely it all starts to come together.

The first thing she notices is the way Merlin tenses when Arthur, or anyone else for that matter, mentions magic. Immediately, it’s as if Merlin’s on constant guard. Gwen doesn’t know how she didn’t notice Merlin’s reactions before. His expression drops to something serious, and his eyes hold a deep worry in them, traveling far beneath the surface. You can tell he’s trying his hardest not to react, but now that Gwen knows his secret, it’s like she has another view into his behavior. She can see every nervous fidget, every hand clenching into his trousers, the strained nod he sends Arthur when Arthur declares some type of lookout or attack on a sorcerer. She may not be able to understand everything that Merlin’s feeling, but she can tell it’s eating him up inside.

And that’s just the first of it. She also begins to notice that Merlin does a lot more work than he appears to do. In addition to being Arthur’s manservant, Gwen often finds Merlin coming back to Gaius’s worse for wear. He always brushes it off if she asks, usually claiming that “Arthur worked me too hard at training, the prat,” or “I had a run in with a ditch while collecting herbs for Gaius.” But she sees the weariness behind his smile, the complete and utter exhaustion in his gait. She knows that he’s been doing a lot more for all of them than he’s ever let on. Gwen only wonders what he’s hiding behind his mask.

Through the months, Gwen’s mood shifts from fear to anger. Anger that Merlin kept this from her. She thought they were best friends, that they told each other everything. Gwen has certainly told Merlin everything. But this part of Merlin that he’s been hiding from her makes Gwen feel like she doesn’t even know him at all.

However, after the anger passes, Gwen starts to feel a bit guilty about it all. She’s been keeping Merlin’s magic a secret for all of a few months, and already the toll of keeping it has been weighing on her constantly. She can only imagine what Merlin’s been going through if he’s had his magic for the whole time he’s been in Camelot. But the part that makes Gwen feel the most guilty it that she never noticed. She always expressed her concern for Merlin, of course, but whenever he used a typical excuse, she assumed everything was fine. Even those times when things seemed a bit more than suspicious, Gwen never thought twice. All this time, Merlin has been guarding this secret in fear for his life, and as far as Gwen knows, he’s been dealing with it alone.

So, as conflicted as Gwen feels about everything, she comes to realize that it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter that Merlin is a sorcerer because Merlin is her friend. And as Merlin’s friend, Gwen can’t stand to hide from him the fact that she knows about his magic.

They’ve interacted plenty of times since that day, but to Gwen they all felt forced, like she was pretending. She wants to feel that bond of friendship again. She cares for Merlin, as she knows he cares for her, and she wants to make everything right again.

Of course, the day that she chooses to do it ends up being the worst possible time.

Gwen awakens that morning with one thought on her mind: Tell Merlin. So, after eating and attending to her morning duties, she immediately heads to find Merlin. She goes to Arthur’s chambers, first, as that’s where Merlin usually is in the mornings. To her surprise, she only finds Arthur in there, eating his own breakfast.

“Good morning, Guinevere,” Arthur greets, surprised.

“Good morning,” Gwen greets back, smiling as he stops eating to kiss her cheek. “You haven’t seen Merlin, have you?”

Arthur rolls his eyes at this statement, already confirming the answer to her question before he even responds. “That idiot didn’t even wake me this morning! He’s just lucky that I didn’t have anything pressing to attend to. When he gets back, though, he’s definitely going to pay with some time in the stocks.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh?” Gwen asks, knowing that Arthur doesn’t truly mean his threats. “I’m sure he’s just busy with chores for Gaius. Let me know if you see him, though. I need to talk with him about something.”

“Or at the tavern,” Arthur adds under his breath, earning a stern glance from Gwen. He eases up. “Fine, I’ll let you know. But if you find him, you let him know that I’m this close to firing him!”

Gwen smiles. “Of course. I’ll see you later, Arthur.”

With one last kiss goodbye, Gwen leaves Arthur’s chambers in search of Merlin yet again. She heads down to Gaius’s next, hoping that he truly is there helping out the Physician. When she arrives, though, she only sees Gaius searching through some potions.

“Ah, hello Gwen. What can I do for you?” Gaius asks.

“I’m afraid I’m just searching for Merlin. You haven’t seen him, have you?”

Gaius raises an eyebrow. “No, I haven’t. He wasn’t here when I got up, so I just figured he was with Arthur. Is he not?”

“Arthur hasn’t seen him. Gave me quite the earful about it.”

A worried expression appears on Gaius’s face, and Gwen has a feeling that it’s from more than just him wondering where his missing ward may have gone. She hesitates before asking the next question.

“Gaius....could his disappearance have something to do with his....abilities?” Gwen asks gently, biting her lip.

Gaius startles a bit, staring at her openly before putting a blank expression back on. “I can’t say I know what you’re talking about.”

“Please, Gaius, I’m really worried about Merlin. I know about everything--the magic. I found out after Lamia, and I’ve been keeping it a secret from him that I know, but now I feel like I need to tell him, but he’s missing and I’m worried that it’s something serious--”

Gaius places a hand on her arm. “Calm down, Guinevere. I have to say, I’m surprised that you know, but Merlin never has been the most careful with his magic.”

“So do you think that’s why he’s gone? Is it something to do with him protecting us again?”

Gaius sighs, rubbing his brow. “I can’t say for certain, but usually that’s what his disappearances end up being about. Usually, he tells me what’s going on before wandering off, at least.”

“He could be in danger,” Gwen realizes. “I have to go find him.”

“You must stay here, Gwen, where it is safe. I don’t know what kind of trouble my boy has gotten himself into now, but I’m certain he wouldn’t want you to risk your life on top of that. He comes out of these things.”

“But how does he come out of them?! Maybe he survives, but at what cost? He’s throwing himself at danger for our expense! I have to help him.”

Gaius relents. “I understand, but please be careful. Who knows what Merlin is up to this time. I would advise you to take a knight, but I have a feeling you wouldn’t listen.”

Gwen shakes her head. “I can’t risk them finding out about Merlin. I might not be completely comfortable with the idea of his magic yet, but I do know that Merlin is my friend, and I will not betray him. Now, do you have any idea of where I might start looking?”

Gaius thinks to himself for a moment before remembering,��“Merlin did say something last night about going to the forest for more herbs. I didn’t think anything of it, after all we are running quite low on some items. We typically gather herbs down by the creek.”

“The forest creek. I’ll start there, then. Thank you, Gaius.”

“Thank you, Gwen, for being such a loyal friend to Merlin.”

Gwen smiles, nodding her farewell to the Physician. She only hopes that her loyalty proves true enough that she can find Merlin.

...

The forest has a strange air to it. The lack of any wind makes the trees stand unnaturally still and silent. Despite the bright shining sun that morning, there’s a dark mood within the forest as she wanders through it. In one hand, she holds a sword, the same one she wounded Lamia with months ago. It seems silly, but the sword reminds her of her bravery, and it gives her strength.

As she continues on her trek through the forest, worried thoughts play through her head about what condition she might find Merlin in. Gwen doesn’t know what she would do if she lost her closest friend.

Gwen reaches the creek bed, but Merlin is no where to be found. She isn’t surprised, as she figured that Merlin wouldn’t be out for so long merely collecting herbs. Gwen continues searching as the day wears on, only stopping to drink and eat, replenishing her energy.

Gwen walks a long distance in search of Merlin, though she never strays into unfamiliar parts of the forest in fear that she won’t find her way back. Her feet ache horribly, and her body is weak, but she refuses to give up before nightfall. The sun rises and sets, and soon Gwen is left searching in the near dark with only the stars to guide her. She’s about ready to call it quits, as she can’t search for Merlin properly if she gets incapacitated herself, when she suddenly hears a deep, loud noise in the distance.

She chases after the noise, despite not knowing what the noise could possibly be. The noise sounds again, only softer, and Gwen continues to trace it as best she can in the dark. Brush scrapes at her hands as she hurries through the foliage, following her only lead she’s had all day.

Finally, panting in exertion, Gwen stumbles into a clearing. Although it is dark, she can make out a familiar form kneeling on the ground next to something. Gwen shudders in relief and sprints over to him.

“Merlin!” she calls out, hitching up her dress as she goes. The figure startles, turning toward the noise. As she gets closer, he comes into better view.

“Gwen?!” Merlin asks in confusion, standing up to greet her.

Gwen smacks into him, clinging on tightly to his form. He winces, but clings back to her just as tightly. An odd chirping noise interrupts their reunion. Gwen pulls away, only to find what looks like a tiny baby dragon at their feet, white as snow, and a cracked egg. She gasps in surprise.

“I-I can explain,” Merlin stutters, grappling for some sort of excuse. Meanwhile, Gwen kneels next to the creature, cooing at it. The dragon snuffles, scooting closer to her in caution. Gwen offers a hand, allowing the dragon to come to her. It stretches out to sniff at her, obviously deeming her acceptable as he comes closer to nudge into her hand with another adorable chirp. Gwen giggles, stroking the strange feeling skin with her palm as the dragon continues to nuzzle her.

“Adorable. What’s its name?” Gwen wonders idly as she scratches at the dragon’s neck.

“Aithusa, her name is Aithusa,” Merlin replies, still shocked at everything that’s happening around him. “Gwen--why are you here?”

Gwen stops petting Aithusa, who continues to explore the world around her. She stands again, facing Merlin. “I was worried about you, of course! No one knew where you were, Merlin. You could have been dead!”

“Well, I’m obviously alive,” Merlin jokes. Gwen smacks his arm.

“That’s not funny, Merlin!”

“I’m sorry, really.” He pauses, in thought. “...You don’t seem very surprised by the dragon.”

“Oh, I am a bit. I didn’t expect you to have hatched a dragon egg, but I’m not surprised that you’re getting into something magic related. That’s actually what I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

Merlin plays dumb. “W-what? What are you talking about?”

“Do not think me stupid, Merlin. I have known about your magic for a while now, since the Lamia incident. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I was trying to wrap my head around everything.”

Merlin gapes at her, face paler than normal. His fingers twitch, and he looks around, as if ready to bolt from her. She takes a step forward, ignoring his flinch, and brings him into another hug. He hesitates before cautiously hugging back.

“So, you don’t hate me?” Merlin wonders, still on edge.

Gwen chuckles. “I don’t hate you, Merlin. I don’t think I could ever hate you. I’ll admit, I was confused and hurt at first, because I’ve been taught to fear magic my entire life. I never would have expected you to be a sorcerer. But then, it all began to make sense. You’ve been protecting us all this entire time.”

She feels the heat of Merlin’s blush against her cheek. “It’s my duty to protect my friends and Camelot.”

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t honest with you about knowing.”

Merlin pulls away this time, looking her in the eye. “You’re sorry?! I’m sorry, Gwen. You’re my best friend. I should have been honest with you about my magic from the beginning, but I was scared.”

“You’re my best friend too, Merlin. And you don’t need to be scared any longer, not around me.”

Merlin smiles, appearing lighter than before. The feeling of Aithusa pawing at her leg gently interrupts the moment. Gwen looks down, unable to do anything but smile at the baby dragon.

“Don’t worry, little one. We haven’t forgotten about you,” Gwen coos, reaching down to pick her up. Aithusa trills happily at the attention. “Speaking of which, what are we going to do about her?”

Merlin scratches his head. “I hadn’t really thought any further ahead.”

Gwen rolls her eyes. “Of course not. Honestly, you men are all the same sometimes. It’s a good thing I’m here to help now. What if we find her a nice cave to reside in where no one will discover her?”

“That won’t work, at least not now. She’s a baby, she needs someone to care for her constantly. I thought Kilgharrah would naturally do that, but I guess I should do it myself.”

“Kilgharrah?” Gwen questions, then backtracks. “Not now, later. You do still have a lot to explain to me, Merlin. Don’t think you’re getting off the hook quite so easily.”

Merlin laughs. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Well, I suppose we’ll just have to bring her to Camelot for now. Only temporarily though! Maybe you can disguise her.”

“Disguise her? How?”

Gwen stares at him. “Magic?”

“Oh, oh yeah! Maybe. I’d have to consult some of my books, though. Maybe she could be disguised as a large bird, like an owl.”

“We’ll figure out the details on our way back to Camelot. Also, just so you know, Arthur is probably planning your punishment as we speak.”

Merlin groans. “Of course. That prat. You couldn’t convince him otherwise?”

“I tried! But you know Arthur. Besides, I do think you deserve a bit of reprimand after leaving to hatch a dragon egg! You could have been seriously hurt, Merlin.”

“I know, but I’m alright, I promise.” As if to confirm this, Aithusa hops from Gwen’s arms over to Merlin’s shoulder, sniffing him. Merlin chuckles, sweeping a hand over her flank. She happily chirps and curls around his shoulders, fitting perfectly.

“You’re still going to get checked out by Gaius when we get back.”

“Fine, if that will convince you.”

Gwen glances over at Merlin, knowing now that she’s finally seeing him for who he really is. “I’m glad I know, Merlin.”

“I’m glad you know, too.”

#merlin fic #merlin #gwen pendragon #mergwen #merlin fanfic #merlin fanfiction #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #fanfiction #mergwen fanfic #friendship #magic reveal #canon divergence #merlin 3x08

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fishoutofcamelot · 3 years

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I am once again thinking about a BBCM Mystery Skulls AU. Now, for those of you who are so woefully unaware of what Mystery Skulls is, allow me to set the scene.

(This ended up WAY longer than I was expecting, so I decided to put it all under the cut-off)

Merlin, Gwen, and Arthur have been friends since high school. Gwen is a spunky yet affectionate employee at a book store and despite her cutesy pastel aesthetic she has a bizarre interest in the occult/paranormal.

She came up with the idea for the three of them to form a ghost-hunting troop, and they call themselves the Mystery Skulls. And while Merlin and Arthur aren't nearly as invested in the idea as she is, since this is pretty much her hyperfixation, they are both very supportive nonetheless and enjoy going on adventures together.

Gwen has a pet lizard named Kilgharrah, and it's been in the family for a very long time, since before she was even born. Are lizards supposed to be able to live that long? She's never really given it much thought, but sometimes it seems almost...intelligent. Unnaturally so. Nevertheless, the weird and unexplainable is kinda their whole brand, and Kilgharrah has become something of a mascot for them, so they all let it slide.

Arthur is the Fred of the group. Muscular and almost-but-not-quite-a-himbo, he's the one driving the van with a cocky grin. Fearless, popular, everyone loves him, and besides some family issues he's got a good life. He and Gwen are in a relationship, and they're very lovey-dovey about it. He doesn't know much about the paranormal, certainly not as much as his girlfriend, but the idea of punching a ghost in the face is very alluring to him.

And then there's Merlin. He lives with his uncle Gaius due to...unexplained family drama, but the two of them have a good thing going. Gaius runs a mechanic shop on the edge of town, but his age is starting to catch up to him so Merlin has slid in as his replacement. Which makes sense, considering Merlin's near prodigy level of skill with machines. He's the one who fixed up an abandoned beat-up van and offered it up for their ghost-hunting endeavors. He quite likes Kilgharrah, ever a fan of pets and animals and the like, and Kilgharrah appears to begrudgingly return the sentiment.

Merlin has been third-wheeling Arthur and Gwen since high school. But he's not bitter about it, really he's not. He definitely doesn't feel left out, doesn't feel like an outsider, doesn't constantly worry that they would prefer it if he wasn't around, doesn't constantly feel forgotten and cast aside as he watches them get so absorbed in their two-way whirlwind passion. Not at all. So Merlin sits and smiles, because he truly is happy for his friends, and he pretends the loneliness doesn't bother him.

One day, they decide to investigate a mysterious cave. There are rumors of it being haunted by some kind of demonic entity. Merlin, as always, says it's a bad idea and they should turn back. Arthur, as always, teasingly calls him a coward. Gwen and Arthur exchange excited grins at the prospect of facing a real ghost. Merlin watches them wistfully, longingly. He fails to notice the way that Kilgharrah is getting increasingly anxious the closer they get to the cave.

Merlin has a really bad feeling about this cave, and a gut feeling tells him to go back to the van and head home. No one heeds his instincts.

There are two diverging paths in the cave, and Merlin dreads the moment that Arthur will inevitably suggest they split up. They usually split up between Merlin and Kilgharrah, and Arthur and Gwen. Because of course Arthur will want to pair off with his girlfriend.

Arthur notices that Merlin is scared, which makes sense because Merlin is always scared during their investigations. Gwen is sympathetic yet encouraging like she usually is - but notices that Merlin is more frightened than usual, so she suggests that Arthur pair off with Merlin instead this time, while she takes Kilgharrah. This doesn't make Merlin feel any better.

Arthur and Merlin head down one path in the cave, which eventually leads them to a cliff. All the while, Merlin keeps hearing whispers. Whispers that speak of horrible, macabre, terrible things, and all those whispers keep rattling in his mind like sharp-edged marbles. Arthur says he hears nothing at all, and they both conclude that Merlin is just hearing things.

He is not, in fact, just hearing things.

Arthur comes to the edge of the cliff and peers over to see the sharp, jagged stalagmites at the bottom. He beckons Merlin to come over and check out this cool view - but Merlin can't.

Merlin is...frozen. Petrified. Unable to move because of all the whispers attacking his mind from all angles, pounding into him with a righteous headache. His thoughts have turned to static, and his vision is quickly growing dark. Starting at his fingertips, his arm begins to go numb. The numbness gradually crawls deeper and further into his body, until he knows no more.

The spirit of the cave, the demon, the entity, whatever it is...it sapped into him through his misery. Through his loneliness. Through his pain. His pain has made him vulnerable for possession, and the demon plans to take full advantage of this.

The possession begins at the fingertips, its demonic wispy presence infecting him from the hand up. By the time its control has reached all the way to Merlin's face, it has enough strength to surge Merlin's body forward while Merlin himself is unconscious.

The half of Merlin's face that is still free from possession remains slack and unaware, but the half that has fallen into the demon's clutches is alight with a grin. It pushes Merlin's hand into Arthur's chest and gives a powerful shove.

As Arthur falls from the cliff, he doesn't have time to notice how Merlin's normally blue eyes have turned a sickly green, nor to notice the jaundiced hue pervading his friend's flesh, nor the spectral mist clouding all around Merlin's body in a haze.

No. As Arthur falls, as Arthur crashes into the ground and feels a stalagmite rip into his chest, all he sees is the half of his friend's face that has been contorted into a demonic smile.

Meanwhile, Gwen and Kilgharrah's path led them down a different part of the cave, and eventually they reach the bottom of a deep chasm filled with stalagmites.

Gwen spots Arthur at the top of a nearby cliff and waves up to him, but her excitement is short-lived as she watches him fall. Watches a stalagmite pierce his chest. Watches blood splatter everywhere.

It is said that if someone wishes for something passionately and profoundly enough as they die, then their dying wish might be granted. In this case, Arthur wishes more than anything for Gwen not to see him die. To not remember this. To just forget.

His wish is granted, and Gwen faints from the sheer force of his dying wish turning all her thoughts into static.

Kilgharrah sees the demon at the top of the cliff. Sees the wretched beast puppeteering Merlin's flesh, and snarls.. How dare that horrible thing possess one of his humans!

You see, Kilgharrah is no ordinary lizard. But rather, a very ancient and very powerful dragon masquerading as such, tasked with the protection of Gwen's lineage - the reasons for which only he is old enough to know or remember.

But while he is supposed to look after just Gwen, he has taken quite a liking to her friends as well. All three of them are under his protection, and it would be a disgrace to let this pitiful demon steal Merlin away under his watch.

So Kilgharrah unfurls from his false lizard form and embraces his true form - that of a massive dragon - and does whatever he can to purge the demon from Merlin's vessel.

Unfortunately, there's only one thing he can do. Since the demon has so vehemently lodged itself in Merlin's arm, quickly spreading out through the rest of his body, Kilgharrah has only one option left to stop the demonic infection.

Hating himself for it all the while, Kilgharrah bites off Merlin's arm.

A day later, Gwen wakes up in the hospital. Not only can she not remember watching Arthur die, but she can't remember anything to do with Arthur at all. She wakes up in the hospital with no recollection of how she got there, her pet lizard a blood-spattered coil on her lap, and with everyone telling her that her best friend Merlin is in surgery.

When Merlin wakes up, he also has no recollection of what happened to Arthur. He remembers going into the cave, splitting up...but everything goes blank after that. He doesn't know where Arthur is. Doesn't know what happened to his arm.

And he certainly doesn't know why he has become so debilitatingly afraid of Kilgharrah. Kilgharrah, who is by all accounts an ordinary lizard, but in Merlin's dreams transforms into a massive beast with bloody teeth.

Gwen gets a glazed look in her eyes and suffers horrible migraines whenever anyone mentions Arthur, so Merlin eventually gives up trying to remind her. Her memory problems have made her a lot more...scatter-brained, and although Merlin gets easily spooked he's willing to go to a thousand seances if it'll help Gwen act like her old self again.

He also tries to go back to the cave, but it has mysteriously vanished from where he knows it was meant to be. Gwen says that if a place is haunted by something powerful enough, it can change its own location, or can make it so that it will only be found if it wants to be found.

But Merlin refuses to give up. He uses the spare parts lying around his uncle's shop and builds himself a mechanical prosthetic, and loses himself in a never-ending quest to find his friend, to figure out what happened to his arm, and to find a way to restore Gwen's memories.

When Arthur wakes up, he discovers he has turned into one of the same ghosts he and his friends used to hunt. He looks down and sees his body, bloody and broken and cold as it lays impaled on a stalagmite. He can't look at it for long without feeling sick.

He also feels angry. Very, very angry. While his death had happened fast, too fast, he can clearly remember Merlin pushing him. Merlin, who he thought was his best friend. Merlin, who he grew up with. Merlin, who has always been there for him.

Surging with betrayal and fury, Arthur's now spectral body floats out of the cave. He has only one objective on his mind: vengeance.

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forestwater87 · 3 years

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Hey! It's the one who wanted fanfiction writing advice and how to sorta join the fandom. So, I am currently writing a werewolf! au for Gwenvid, and I was wondering if I could ask you something (well, multiple somethings lol)? One, what are things you would like to see in a Gwenvid fic? Two, do you have any advice for writing a good first chapter? Mine is kind of short and not too good, but yours are super good. Three, how would Gwen react to becoming a werewolf? Scared or excited? Thanks!

Oooh, fun! I don’t know if I’m the best authority on this, but I think I have a couple followers who might also have some good insights. Let’s see . . .

Things I personally go feral for in Gwenvid fics:

That UST. Pining, longing, yearning -- whatever you wanna call it, all those little glances at each other then looking away when they get caught staring, getting distracted by a brush of skin against theirs or the other one looking amazing just out of nowhere, standing too close without realizing it and then awkwardly coughing and backing away . . . all of it. These two goobers in love with each other and completely oblivious is just . . . idk, it’s obviously personal preference, but that will-they-won’t-they dance is one of my favorite things about pre-established-relationship Gwenvid, and something I never get tired of. (Also, just saying: werewolf transformations have the distinct side effect of the werewolf waking up partially or completely naked in the forest. It’s a scenario ripe for awkward and/or hilarious situations.)

If they’re in an established relationship already, it’s all about those little domestic things. I mean, there can be domestic things even before they’re dating, because they live together for like 3-4 months out of the year so they have a routine going, but things like one of them keeping the light on for the other without thinking, making coffee/tea and leaving everything laid out just the way the other one likes it, communicating (or even arguing) with just a look, all the casual lil touches of two people so comfortable with each other that it’s automatic at this point. It’s an essential part of fluff that I sometimes feel is overlooked in favor of more dramatic hurt/comfort (which is also excellent, to be clear).

BANTER! It’s not so much a canon thing as a fanon one, but the artist formerly known as Ciphernetics basically established flirty teasing and back-and-forth as a staple of Gwenvid’s charm in their earth-shatteringly beautiful fanfiction (that I can’t link because tumblr softblocks posts with links, but if you look at my blog for like 10 seconds you’ll be able to figure out what I’m talking about), and I think everyone’s writing, including my own, needs more banter. They’re so different, after all; why not have them butt heads in a fun way?

Please please please don’t do NSFW if you’re uncomfortable with it, but there is nowhere near enough of it in Gwenvid-land. Just because we’re wholesome doesn’t mean we can’t also be kinky! (Oh man, I just realized I have no idea how old you are. Uhhhh if you’re not an adult just skip this one on by! Or if you are an adult and this ain’t it. It’s like it wasn’t ever here! Poof! I should probably just delete this, but maybe it’ll awaken a spark of inspiration in someone. Lord knows I haven’t been driving the smut train for a while, so I’m just hoping someone else will do my job for me. Plus Gwen would want me to include this suggestion, especially if there are werewolves involved.)

You know, there’s not a lot of action-hero Gwenvid out there, is there? Most of it’s relationship melodrama and domestic fluff, which I love -- obviously, I write it literally all the time -- but with a werewolf AU you have the opportunity for gratuitous violence, and both David and Gwen have proven they can kick a whole lot of ass and deal out (or take) a lot of pain. If you need two people fighting monsters -- or fighting as monsters -- you could do a lot worse than those two. It’d be a fun change of pace that’d work well with their character dynamic.

Writing a first chapter:

I don’t have a ton of advice here that isn’t pretty common, but the biggest thing is to start in the middle of action. This can range in terms of drama: a camp activity going horribly wrong, a nightmare, maybe even David discovering Gwen’s a werewolf. Your story doesn’t have to go in chronological order, after all, so if you have to backtrack in later scenes or chapters that’s not a bad thing in the slightest!

It’s much better to start with a really exciting, gripping situation and then backfill in the information that matters than starting off with all that boring worldbuilding and exposition. Don’t get me wrong, that worldbuilding and exposition are necessary, but they’re also like . . . I dunno, salt. It’s essential to the recipe, but no one would say it’s their favorite part of a meal, and having to eat a whole pile of it before they get to the good stuff wouldn’t be enjoyable at all. It’s better sprinkled throughout to add flavor to your story as needed.

I like that metaphor! It’s kinda cliche, but I think it still gets the job done.

So yeah, start with something exciting and know it’s okay for your readers to go, “wait, what the fuck’s going on?” That’s kind of a great thing, actually; it establishes mystery and introduces higher stakes, and just gets your readers going. It’s also more fun to write, which is good! (For example, I just read a really great book call The Chill, which opened with a woman tying a bag over her head, weighting herself down with chains, and throwing herself into a river to “join the work.” Who is this person? What work? Did she know she was going to die -- it definitely doesn’t feel like a suicide, but what else did she think was going to happen?? I’m instantly on board, even if the next few scenes were focused on establishing exposition and actually kinda boring. It’s all about that hook.)

To be fair: I don’t do this all that often in my own fics. For every “starting the story with a botched assassination attempt,” we have “starting the story with waking up.” It’s important to have a first chapter that matches and sets the tone of your story; if it’s going to be a rip-roaring action/horror adventure, you’re going to want to start things off with all that stuff I mentioned before. If you’re writing cute fluff, there’s nothing wrong with your in media res chapter opening being an adorable fluffy scene. Compelling doesn’t have to mean scary or action-packed, but more serve as a teaser for what the rest of the story is going to bring. I’ve been leaning on action or thriller stuff because a werewolf AU implies some level of creature-feature monster spookiness, but any tone works as the start of a fic, as long as it’s not “here’s a laundry list of the universe’s rules,” because that’s boring and you can weave that into the rest of your story later.

As for your other comment, short isn’t bad at all; in fact, if you want to make your first chapter a really short, compelling scene, that can be a great way to draw people in. But I also am a proponent of writing until it’s done, and couldn’t stick to a page or word count to save my life. My chapters are all over the place, and sometimes I’ll randomly chop them up if I feel like it’s going too long but usually I don’t bother. The more you write, the more you develop a feel for when the story, chapter, or scene needs to end, but as you’re starting out you might wanna snag a beta to help you find that stopping place.

Wow, this is long! Awkward! Sorry about that! I’ll make this last one short:

Gwen the werewolf:

I can’t imagine any universe in which she isn’t psyched as hell. I think she desperately wants to be more special and important than she is, and having a sexy monster superpower would only be a good thing to her, regardless of whatever its drawbacks may be. She might get tired of certain aspects of being a werewolf as the honeymoon phase wears off, but in the beginning I think she’d be excited and maybe even relieved.

Anyway, I hope that helps! It’s a lot of rambling, but I imagine you’re used to that by now. :)

#ask forest #campcamp #gwenvid #yeah i'm putting this in the main tags even though it's long as balls #fight me #cc gwen #campcampfanfan

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tomcat-acaphe · 4 years

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CPR Masterpost

Roughly 54% of Americans know CPR. That is shockingly low.

So, for those who don’t know, only half know, need a reminder or think they know but don’t, let ya boy educate you.

Pre-Physical CPR: Remember DRS (Doctors!)!

D: Danger. Is there danger nearby? Oftentimes people go into cardiac arrest due to, say for example, touching an electric fence and getting electrocuted. Following on from that example, are they still attached to the electric fence? Is the patient still in danger? If they’re in danger, leave them and don’t do CPR. Still call an ambulance though.

R: Response. Shake em, shout at em, call their name, anything! If they respond with words, don’t do CPR. They’re probably just out of it.

S: Shout for help. You’ll ideally want as many people who can do CPR around as possible. ALSO, CALL AN AMBULANCE.

Physical CPR: Remember ABC.

A: Airway. Lay their head back and open their mouth. Make sure the airway is clear.

B: Breathing. If they aren’t breathing, they’re in danger. Lay your head down on its side near their cheek. Use your eyes to also look if their chest is moving up and down. While doing that, if you can’t hear/feel the breath after ten seconds, they aren’t breathing.

Please note there is also a thing called Agonal breathing. If they’re gasping like a fish out of water or not breathing properly, THEY ARE DYING. It’s a brain reflex, they aren’t actually getting any oxygen.

C: Chest Compressions. Start 'em. Do them until you either physically can’t or the ambulance arrives. This is why shouting for help is important. Compressions are very exhausting and if you’re not physically fit you’ll tire quickly and need to alternate.

Extra Note:

Sometimes, if you’re really good and really lucky, the person may wake up. Often this is temporary. Still keep doing compressions. If they become verbal and tell you to, quote enquote ‘piss off, geroff me!’ There’s a good chance they’re alive now.

How To Do Compressions Properly:

Place the heel of the hand on the breast bone at the centre of the person’s chest. Place your other hand on top of your first hand and interlock your fingers.

Position yourself with your shoulders above your hands.

Using your body weight (not just your arms, trust me, if you just did your arms you’ll get very tired very fast,) press straight down by 5-6cm (2-2.5 inches) on their chest.

Keeping your hands on their chest, release the compression and allow the chest to return to its original position.

Repeat these compressions at a rate of 100-120 times in a minute until either: an ambulance, you get exhausted or you feel slightly tired and have a friend who can take over.

If all this is too complicated to remember, don’t worry. If you put your phone on speaker, the person on the other end will walk you through it in real time. If you can’t take away anything else from this, please take away this fact.

Misconceptions:

Q: Do I have to do mouth-to-mouth?

A: Nope! In fact, I’d advise against it. Mouth to mouth actually does little to help the patient and is arguably detrimental due to an exchange of germs. Just stick to chest compressions.

Q: Do I have to sing Nellie The Elephant?

A: Also nope! Any 100-120 BPM song is fine. There’ll be a list below.

Q: Am I pressing hard enough?

A: No. Unless you’re pressing 5-6cm or 2.5 inches down, you are not. It looks weird and wrong, but that’s because you’re literally acting as their heart for them. If you’re questioning if you’re pressing hard enough, you probably aren’t. If you think you are, push a little harder. It’s possible and very easy to not push hard enough, but there’s no such thing as too hard. Push them so hard they make a hole on the floor if you have to.

Q: Oh no! I heard a rib crack!

A: That’s good! Oftentimes, the ribs have to break in order for you to actually have any hope of successful CPR. Don’t stop because you heard a rib crack. There’s no such thing as pushing too hard. There is such a thing as not pushing enough. It’s better to have a friend alive with a few broken bones than your friend dead.

Q: The patient is a woman and I’m scared that if she wakes up she’ll sue me for touching her breasts. Should I risk it and perform CPR anyway?

A: Don’t worry. You’re protected by the Good Samaritan Law. I’m not a lawyer, so if any one who knows the law could possibly fact check me on this personally, but the Good Samaritan Law states:

“The Good Samaritan Law offers legal protection to people who give reasonable assistance to those who are, or whom they believe to be, injured, ill, in peril, or otherwise incapacitated.”

So even if the patient does wake up and your vital readings were wrong, the law should be on your side.

If you think someone needs CPR, don’t question the legal trouble it’ll get you in later. Just do it.

Q: Don’t I have to check for a pulse?

A: You could, but breathing is much more reliable. Locating a pulse can take a while. (Sometimes people can only feel it in their wrists, some people only feel it in their neck. There’s no one guaranteed location. Everyone is different. Unless you know that person extremely well and know their best pulse spots fir some reason, (I’m not judging your friendship,) chances are it’ll take at least 30 seconds to locate a spot. This is especially hard when someone doesn’t have a pulse.) Breathing, on the other hand, is much more reliable and quicker to do, (10 seconds check, let’s say you were slow and took 2 seconds positioning, that’s 12 seconds max.) Time management is extremely important during CPR and every second counts. I understand most American places recommend checking for a pulse, but everywhere in the UK, (including NHS.gov and the British Resuscitation Council (used by all nurses and doctors as gospel, pretty much unheard if outside of professionals apparently?) My mum also said so.

Songs that are 100-120 BPM to sing instead of Nellie The Elephant: (Feel Free to Add!)

Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd) (100bpm)

Tainted Love (Straight No Chaser) (100bpm)

Through The Fire And Flames (Dragonforce) (100bpm)

Breaking The Habit (Linkin Park) (100bpm)

This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race (Fall Out Boy) (100bpm)

Dancing Queen (Abba) (100bpm)

Hips Don’t Lie (Shakira) (100bpm)

Gives You Hell (All American Rejects) (100bpm)

Icicles (The Scary Jokes) (100bpm)

Rock Your Body (Justin Timberlake) (101bpm)

Steppin’ Out (Joe Jackson) (101bpm)

Welcome To Tally Hall (Tally Hall) (101bpm)

Cecilia (Simon and Garfunkle) (102bpm)

Semi Charmed Life (Third Eye Blind) (102bpm)

99 Luftballons (DDR) (102bpm)

Stayin’ Alive (Bee Gees) (103bpm)

Stronger (Kanye West) (104bpm)

All Star (Smash Mouth) (104bpm)

Hard To Handle (The Black Crowes) (104bpm)

Rolling In The Deep (Adele) (105bpm)

Good Day (Tally Hall) (105bpm)

Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Jet) (105bpm)

Numb (Linkin Park) (107bpm)

Set Fire To The Rain (Adele) (108bpm)

Stronger (Britney Spears) (108bpm)

Eye Of The Tiger (Survivor) (109bpm)

Just The Way You Are (Bruno Mars) (109bpm)

Hollaback Girl (Gwen Stefani) (110bpm)

Another One Bites The Dust (Queen) (110bpm)

Till It’s Over (Tristam) (110bpm)

Grenade (Bruno Mars) (110bpm)

Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley) (113bpm)

Under Pressure (Queen and David Bowie) (113bpm)

Banana Man (Tally Hall) (113bpm)

Two Trucks (Lemon Demon) (114bpm)

Uptown Funk (Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars) (115bpm)

What Doesn’t Kill You (Kelly Clarkson) (116bpm)

Once In A Lifetime (Talking Heads) (117bpm)

Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepsen) (118bpm)

Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) (118bpm)

Bad Romance (Lady Gaga) (119bpm)

Just Dance (Lady Gaga) (119bpm)

Poker Face (Lady Gaga) (119bpm)

Tik Tok (Ke$ha) (120bpm)

Teenage Dream (Katy Perry) (120bpm)

DJ’s Got Us Falling In Love Again (Usher) (120bpm)

Revenge (Captain Sparklez) (120bpm)

If you want to check your favourite song is one you can use but it’s not here, go onto the website tunebat.com and type in the title. It will tell you the BPM and other fun facts like what key it’s in.

Sources:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/first-aid/cpr/

http://www.resus.org.uk

My Mum (Registered Band Six District Nurse (Going for Master’s Degree currently.)) (She read and fact checked this for me. Thanks, Mum!)

http://tunebat.com

My own knowledge having this drilled into me from a young age. (From sources above, especially ‘My Mum.’ You can’t find that website anymore.)

#cpr #medical #important #I don’t usually ask for reblogs but #please reblog #you don’t have to but if this gets around it could save a life #if anyone has any corrections PLEASE TELL ME #I may debate you on it but its only because I want my research to be as accurate as possible

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hovercraft79 · 4 years

Text

Magic

Chapters: 1

Word Count: 5,703

Fandom: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)

Rating: Teen

Warnings: general family discord

Summary: Still roiling from Hecate’s entrapment in the mirror, Ada and Hecate cling to one another, thankful for the chance to be together. Just in time. As Agatha’s influence grows within the school, they’re going to need each other more than ever.

Notes: This fic covers the Week 7 prompt ‘confession.’

The title of this week’s fic is from the title of Olivia Newton-John’s song. Yes, that one. The one from Xanadu. The movie I actually own a DVD of. Don’t judge me - seeing it as a child was a very formative experience. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, the movie stars Newton-John as a muse, Michael Beck as an artist in need of inspiration and Gene Kelly as a washed-up musician. And they were all on roller skates. I said don’t judge me.

Once again, this fic is much improved by Sparky’s faithful editing.

No matter how hard she tried to avoid it, wakefulness kept creeping over Hecate. She snuggled deeper into her pillow, which was warm and cozy and… breathing? Hecate’s eyes popped open. She lifted her head and found herself gazing into the serene blue of Ada’s eyes. “Ada?”

“Mmm… Good morning,” Ada smiled warmly down at her. “Afternoon, really.” She traced her fingers softly over Hecate’s cheek, which was now imprinted with the weave of her jumper. “Glad you’re back.”

Hecate leaned into Ada’s touch. “Glad to be back.” She shifted, her shoulder starting to ache – a lasting memento of her time with Mistress Broomhead.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Grunting, Hecate shook her head. “I’m wearing sports clothes… and a splotchy red herringbone pattern on my face.”

“Like I said…” Ada winced as Hecate shifted again.

“I’m sorry… I should mo—”

Ada covered Hecate’s lips with her finger. “When you were trapped in the mirror, I had this moment… You were gone and it was all so real… you might stay gone forever. That made me realize… well, that I’ve been a foolish old woman.” She traced Hecate’s eyebrow and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve found someone to love and, for reasons I can’t comprehend, she loves me back. How could I let some responsibility I never chose get in the way of that?” She lifted her chin. “I can’t. Not anymore. So… if you want to budge up because you’re uncomfortable, then do so. But if the only reason you’re moving is because you think I want you to, I can assure you I’d prefer you stay exactly where you are.”

Eyes shining with tears, Hecate nodded before burying herself in Ada’s arms. Sighing, she let herself melt against Ada, warmth flowing through her as she felt Ada press a soft kiss against the top of her head.

The noise from the Dining Hall spilled into the hallway despite the closed doors. Hecate paused for a moment to listen. Normally, the cacophony of nearly one hundred teenaged girls was enough to set her nerves jangling. Not now. Now the boisterous noisiness provided its own sort of comfort – a reminder that she was where she was meant to be. Even though she’d been trapped in the mirror little more than a day, the differences still haunted her. One of those differences had been the girls. As Ada always said, happy girls are noisy girls. The girls in the mirror had been eerily quiet.

Shaking herself back into the present, Hecate pushed through the doors. She’d spent most of the walk to the Dining Hall steeling herself for another meal stuck between Geraldine Gullet and Gwen Bat. At least Gwen could carry on an intelligent conversation – in a voice that didn’t sound like she was scraping a burned potion out of the bottom of a cauldron with a metal spoon.

She scanned the teachers’ table, stopping short when she realized that only one of the Cackle twins was present. Ada, she guessed, since she was seated at the end of the table.

“Care to join me?” Ada asked, suddenly at her elbow.

Once she’d managed to swallow her heart back down into her chest, Hecate nodded. She followed Ada to the table, eyes moving back and forth between her and her sister. She’d overlooked Agatha’s lack of glasses, simply assuming because she was in Ada’s usual chair that she must be Ada.

When they arrived at the table, Geraldine pulled out the chair between her own and Agatha’s. “Here you go, Miss Cackle, we’ve saved a spot just for you.”

“Thank you, Miss Gullet, but I’ll take a spot down here. I have a few things to discuss with Miss Hardbroom.” Ada sat down and patted the chair beside her.

Hecate gingerly lowered herself into the chair, feeling a bit more like the world was as it should be.

-----

Geraldine groaned for the third time in as many minutes from the chair in front of Hecate. Rolling her eyes, Hecate checked the time on her watch again. The weekly staff meeting should have started ten minutes ago. It wasn’t like Ada to be late. On the contrary, she preferred arriving early to take advantage of the weekly order of pastries and all the latest gossip.

Finally, Agatha stepped to the front of the staff lounge and began the morning’s agenda. “We have a few items to go over. First, as you all know, every four years the Magic Council sponsors the Witchcathalon competition. Magical schools from across Britain compete for the honor of representing Britain in the international finals. Now, after a disappointing finish four years ago, my sister and I are determined to see Cackle’s reclaim its status as champion. Please develop your action plans to improve our performance and have those ready by meeting-time next week.”

Hecate struggled to focus as Agatha droned on about inconsequential things, snapping back to attention when she started discussing their latest OfWitch inspection results. Surely they should have waited for Ada to deliver that information. “As expected, Cackle’s Academy scored well.” She let the pleased twitter spread through the room before allowing it to subside. “However, my sister and I are disappointed to say that the score wasn’t perfect in most areas.” Agatha summoned a short stack of papers and floated them out to the teachers. “As you can see, our greatest area of weakness is Health and Safety. Only one teacher scored a perfect one hundred percent. Let’s all give Miss Gullet a round of applause.”

An anemic smattering of applause dribbled in, petering out quickly. Geraldine’s gloating smile faded into a pout.

“Since we have such an exemplar of Health and Safety with us,” Agatha carried on, “We’ve assigned Miss Gullet to conduct regular inspections of the different areas so that she may offer her expertise to any of our teachers who might need it.” This caused Geraldine to resume gloating like a puffed-up toad.

“Well done, Miss Gullet,” Ada said as she entered the staff room at last. She nodded at Agatha. “Please, do continue.”

“We’ve just finished. Dismissed, all. Don’t forget your action plans for next week.”

Her crumpled report in her hand, Hecate snatched up the rest of her things so she could leave, but Ada signaled her to stay.

Ada approached her sister, hands clasped tightly behind her back. “Sister, didn’t you tell me I was to expect a mirror call from the Great Witch at nine o’clock? I was meant to call her at eight o’clock.”

“Oh…” Agatha blinked innocently at her sister. “Did I get that wrong? Oh, dear. I suppose that’s how it goes as we age, forgetfulness you know. After all, you’re older than I am.” She grinned at Ada. “Well, no harm done, I’m sure. Have a good day, sister. I’ll see you for our portrait sitting this afternoon.”

Ada started to respond but snapped her mouth closed so quickly that Hecate could hear her teeth clicking together. She took a deep breath before facing Hecate. “What’s wrong?” she asked, seeing the anger radiating off Hecate.

“This is what’s wrong.” Hecate sent the report floating into Ada’s hands, unwrinkling it as it went.

Plucking the paper from the air, Ada scanned through it. “I assume the issue is your ninety-seven percent in Health and Safety?” Ada cocked her head. “Ninety-seven is a perfectly good score, Hecate. I know you’d prefer to make full marks, but—”

“I should have made full marks, Ada. I was docked three percent because the inspector found an unsanitary terrarium of Mus musculus on my desk.”

“Mice? I’m sure it was just an oversight or something—”

“My students were practicing the identification of crow’s feathers compared to raven’s feathers and their inherent properties. Miss Gullet’s Spell Science classes, however, were working on holding spells. May I remind you what creature is considered best practice for use in teaching a holding spell?”

“I’m well aware that it’s mice, Hecate. I’m sure there’s a perfectly innocent explanation for it.”

Hecate simply raised an eyebrow. For a moment, neither woman would back down. Then Ada vanished the report and sighed again.

“Fine. I’ll concede that innocent is not an adjective typically used to describe Miss Gullet.”

“I should say not,” Hecate agreed, drily.

“Will you come to the portrait sitting this afternoon? Once your classes are over?” Ada’s hopeful tone was hard to miss.

“Hmmm… watching you and your sister sit for a portrait… that sounds quite as exciting as watching toadspawn dry.”

“That’s a yes, then?”

Hecate waggled her head back and forth as she pretended to think it over. “Of course.”

-----

Sitting for a portrait. Hecate snorted. That was certainly false packaging, she thought. The session had started late, thanks to the twins bickering over what to wear. Hecate had quickly turned her attention to studying the Ostium Alternis as they kept at their squabble. They’d finally compromised on dress blouses and skirts, neither of them happy with the choice, but Agatha particularly dissatisfied. She’d fussed and fidgeted the entire afternoon, irritating everyone involved. Of course, there was a price to be paid for that, Hecate thought, smirking every time she looked at the portrait. Ada, seated, looked lovely and kind in her red dress. Agatha, on the other hand, stood looming and dour in her dark blue dress. Hecate hoped she would be present when Agatha finally saw her likeness, though she sympathized with Ada for the tantrum she would have to endure.

As expected, Agatha’s first glimpse of the portrait provoked another disagreement. Hecate was pleased to say Ada more than held her own, finally sending Agatha retreating with scathing last words: “Perhaps you’ll learn not to act like the arse end of a troll with the artist painting your portrait!” A chortling Hecate had been forced to dematerialize for several long minutes after that, buzzing ears be damned.

“I’ll pay for it for weeks, you know,” Ada said with a grim sort of humor. “No doubt she’s brewing up some sort of revenge even as we speak.” She handed Hecate a cup of tea and a biscuit. Ada waved her cup at what was left of the mirror – a few shards stuck in a broken frame. Pulling Hecate free had caused it to shatter. “You’ve been studying that for hours now. Any brilliant epiphanies?”

“I’m afraid not.” She glanced at Ada. “I know I was in there for scarcely more than a day, but… I keep dreaming about it. I… I know that this is my life, the one I’m meant to live, but…”

“It’s no small thing to be given a glimpse into what might have been,” Ada soothed. “When mother said things on the other side would be different… well, I must confess that I worried that you would choose to stay.” The white-knuckle grip on her teacup belied the calmness in her voice. “Freedom is no small thing to give up. Plus, you still had Pippa, Indigo was alive and well… I hardly know why you’d come back.”

“Freedom for me, perhaps, but at what cost? Pippa’s freedom? That’s quite the devil’s bargain. And yes, Indigo seemed happy enough, but a whole school of other children was miserable.” Hecate set her teacup aside and threaded her arm through Ada’s. “Most importantly, you were not you. The Ada in that world was a cruel, vindictive harridan. I wanted my Ada back.” Stepping in front of Ada, Hecate cupped her cheek. “You are more than enough to bring me back, Ada Cackle. Whatever that other life may have promised, it didn’t have you. You are my first choice.” Her lips trembled into a smile, and she brushed an errant tear from Ada’s cheek with her thumb.

Ada could feel her cheeks heating. “And you mine.” They stood together, enjoying the feeling of just being, knowing they shared the same feelings. After a moment, Ada cleared her throat and pointed at the mirror’s remains. “It still doesn’t explain this, does it? I can’t imagine any of our girls getting into something like this, but it seems even more farfetched that anyone else would try to harm one of the girls.”

Turning back to the frame, Hecate tilted her head, lips pressed in a thin line. At her sides, her thumbs rubbed furiously across her fingertips. “I don’t think it was meant for one of the girls.” Ada’s eyes flew open wide. “Veronica said it wasn’t there when she hid in the alcove the first time. That was already after curfew. If someone meant to harm one of the students, why place the mirror after they were all meant to be in their rooms? Why not place it there earlier in the evening?”

“It certainly seems likelier that it would be meant for an adult, but still… one of the teachers?” Ada staggered backwards, landing heavily on the sofa. “Then… you’re saying it was meant for you? You were doing rounds that night!”

Hecate chewed at her bottom lip, hesitant. “But I wasn’t supposed to be, remember?”

Ada’s eyes roamed the room as she thought about it. Dropping her head in her hands, Ada groaned, low and mournful. “It was Thursday. My night. I was so worried… I just… I don’t think it even occurred to me. You’re scheduled to do rounds on Wednesday.”

“That’s right. Indigo’s… anniversary had fallen on the previous Wednesday. You’d offered to trade so I could have the evening free after my appointment with Miss Hagsmet.”

“But you already had a detention scheduled for that Thursday, so you took the next.” Her face puckered as she processed the implications of that. “Who would want to do that to me?” Ada’s expression hardened as Hecate said nothing. “It wasn’t Agatha.”

“I didn’t say that it was.”

“But you think it could be,” Ada pressed.

“It could be almost anyone,” Hecate conceded. “It could even be nothing more than a student prank that got out of hand. The only thing I know with absolute certainty is that I didn’t place that mirror in the hallway and neither did you.” She chuckled softly. “I’m also fairly confident it wasn’t Gwen Bat.”

Ada tried to picture Gwen laying out a trap with an enchanted mirror. The image brought a rueful smile of her own. “I would tend to agree.” She pushed herself up on unsteady legs. “I’m going to send out a directive to all the staff – no one is to do rounds alone until further notice. We need to find out what it takes to create an Ostium Alternis.”

“I’ll start researching straight away.”

-----

Hecate squeezed her eyes closed, trying to work up enough tears to quench the burning in her eyes. She’d spent almost all day in the library, researching the Ostium in the restricted section. Miss Inkwell had announced to the handful of students present that the library would soon be closing for the evening. Snapping her book closed, Hecate floated it back to its place on the shelf.

Few books had mentioned an Ostium Alternis Vitae. None explained how to create one. The book in Ada’s office had been the only one with the spell for rescuing someone trapped in one. Hecate rolled her shoulder, trying to loosen it up after a day of little use.

A soft tapping caused her to open her eyes. “Miss Inkwell, apologies… I was just…”

“Thinking? Sleeping? Passed out from lack of food? You’ve been in here all day.” She waved a pair of dawdling girls along. “I take it you haven’t had any luck finding whatever it is that’s kept you in that chair all day.”

“Let’s say thinking, shall we?” Sniffing deeply, Hecate sent her notes back to her rooms. Whispering in a back corner caught her attention. “Depart, girls! Curfew begins in ten minutes!” She called in her most Miss Hardbroom-y voice.

“You know… as the librarian, you could let me help you find whatever it is you’re looking for.” She leaned closer. “Rumor has it there’s been a magic mirror floating about.”

Hecate felt her stomach drop. While what had happened could hardly have been kept secret with Veronica Catsear’s involvement, she and Ada had hoped that tales of her mishap wouldn’t spread through the castle with quite the speed of balefire. “Thank you, but… it’s a bit of a personal matter.”

“Bats. Just when I was hoping to find out who’s the fairest of them all.” Miss Inkwell sighed dramatically before magicking out the table lamps. “Suit yourself, just remember – all you have to do is ask. I can assure you of my discretion. It’s why I’m here. Librarians don’t search and tell, you know.”

Hecate choked on her own saliva. She’d heard that phrase before. In another library that wasn’t quite this one, from another librarian that wasn’t quite Miss Inkwell. Faint memories of a small envelope flickered into her mind. “Th-thank you,” she stammered, already rushing for the door. She was halfway to the corridor before it occurred to her to transfer.

Scrabbling to keep her feet after her sloppy landing, Hecate flung open the door of her clothes cupboard. She rifled through her clothes, missing it twice before she found the sports uniform she’d been wearing when Ada pulled her back into this reality. She fumbled in the pockets until her fingers closed around an envelope. “It’s real,” she breathed. Part of her had feared she’d imagined it. With trembling fingers, she opened it and pulled out Miss Inkwell’s results. She scanned through it before reading it through more carefully. She’d done it. The other Miss Inkwell had found out how to undo the marriage scroll. She needed to take the note to Ada straight away.

Didn’t she?

Hecate leaned against the cupboard with one hand, studying the note she held with the other. The elation she expected to feel hadn’t materialized. Instead, a new strain of anxiety twisted in her belly. They wanted this, didn’t they? Even though it was made of paper, the note weighed like a stone in her hand.

Breaking the marriage scroll is a beginning, not an ending, she told herself. Again and again. Hecate pushed herself upright. She convinced herself that it didn’t matter. Ada needed to know that they could be released from one another. She slipped the paper back into the envelope before tucking it up her sleeve and spelling it into place for safekeeping.

Hecate transferred to the hallway just outside Ada’s office. As she lifted her hand to knock, she heard raised voices coming from inside. Lowering her hand, unsure of whether to knock or go away, Hecate wound up listening to the row – a rambling brawl that covered everything from childhood disagreements, pedagogy, the color of Ada’s hair… Hecate could hardly follow the train of it.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of glass crashing against stone, then silence. Jerking away from the door, she transferred around the corner just as Agatha stormed out. She’d barely rematerialized when Agatha slammed into her.

“Get out of the way!” Agatha rammed Hecate’s bad shoulder as she passed, spinning her around.

Hecate stumbled against the wall, knocking the air out of her lungs. Bent at the waist, hands on her knees, she sucked in air, trying to catch her breath.

Gentle hands stroked her back. “She shouldn’t have done that… I’m sorry you’ve had to bear the brunt of our argument.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Hecate gave her a tight-lipped smile. “I was eavesdropping outside the door.” She took a deep breath, slowly blowing it out. Wincing as she straightened, Hecate rolled her shoulder, vainly trying to ease the ache.

“I thought I felt your magic nearby.” She wrapped a steadying arm around Hecate, resting her hand on her hip. “I could do with… well… I rather think I could do with a glass of wine. Care to join me?” Hecate nodded and allowed Ada to lead her into the office.

Once they were inside, Ada set her protective wards. She didn’t care for any more disturbances tonight – she certainly didn’t want to hear anything more from her sister. She magicked another log onto the fire and a bottle of wine on the coffee table. Hecate stepped forward, but Ada held her back.

“Let me.” Ada warmed her hands with a tiny trickle of magic and placed them on Hecate’s shoulder. She let the heat soak in for a moment before rubbing light circles with her thumbs. Hecate stiffened for a moment but didn’t move away. Bit by bit, Ada increased the pressure, pleased when Hecate’s rigid posture eased. She shifted her hands down, massaging the muscles just below her shoulder blade. A satisfied grin spread across Ada’s face as she felt Hecate relax beneath her fingers. “Does this help?”

“Not really,” Hecate admitted, “but it feels delightful while you’re doing it.”

“Good enough for me,” Ada said, chuckling. She pictured the pattern of pale scars that ran down Hecate’s shoulder, tracing where she thought they went with her hands. Someday she wouldn’t have to rely on the memories of one brief glance she’d had of the injury when Hecate was in the infirmary. Someday, she’d be able to run her fingers across Hecate’s bare skin. “You know… any time you want one of these, all you have to do is ask. I’m more than willing.”

Hecate reached up and placed her hand over Ada’s. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Turning her head, she pressed the back of Ada’s hand to her cheek. Since she’d returned, Ada seemed to have come to terms with her role as Sealkeeper. Hesitant touches and warm words had become almost routine, though neither had worked up the nerve to share that first kiss. Hecate’s chest warmed at the memory of a late-night walk on the roof, ostensibly to check the wards, when Ada’s hand had slipped into hers, their fingers lacing together.

The note up her sleeve practically burned against her skin. Ada deserved to know that they could end their marriage. Fake marriage, she reminded herself. But now didn’t seem the right time. Ada was obviously still rattled by her argument with Agatha. Moreover, Hecate knew the massage was soothing Ada’s jangled nerves as much as it was her shoulder -not that she would complain about why she was getting a massage. Later, she said to herself. I’ll tell Ada later. To Ada she said, “How about we have that glass of wine?

-----

Even from her spot in the back, Hecate could see the strain Ada carried as she conducted the weekly staff meeting. A glance at the table, still piled high with sweets, told her Ada wasn’t the only one feeling anxious. Typically, the weekly treats, from Cosie’s Old Mill Tea Rooms in the village, were devoured before the meeting ever started. Today, it seemed that no one had much of an appetite. A week of Geraldine Gullet, prowling the castle with her clipboard in hand, had left everyone frazzled and annoyed. After her second ‘inspection,’ Hecate had banned Geraldine from the potions lab. Tamping down her irritation, Hecate refocused her attention on Ada.

“I just know that this year will be Cackle’s year in the Witchtathlon compe—” Ada stopped when Agatha loudly cleared her throat. A dimple that only appeared when Ada was particularly annoyed showed clearly at the corner of her mouth. “Yes, Agatha?”

“I noted that both Miss Gullet and Miss Hardbroom have listed Penny Pestle on their teams. The rules state that a girl may compete in only one event. She’ll have to be dropped from either the potions or the spells competition.”

Hecate narrowed her eyes. “Miss Pestle won first prize in her Second-Year potions project – as did each girl on my team during her second year.”

Geraldine twisted around in her seat. “Well I’m bloody well not giving her up! She’s the best Spell Science student in her form! You can just pick some other girl to lose in potions.”

“Ladies!” Ada raised her hands, signaling both women to stop. Geraldine huffed and turned back to the front while Hecate glowered daggers at the back of her head. “We’ll sort it – after I’ve spoken with Penny myself.” With a few last details about upcoming events for the week, Ada dismissed them. She stepped into the hallway to wish each one a good day as they left, stepping back in as soon as she realized Geraldine and Hecate had not left the staff room.

“I tell you, you aren’t gettin’ her!” Geraldine insisted, her voice even more nasally than usual. “Just because I’m not going around trying to get my way by cozying up to the Headmistress…”

“I beg your pardon!” Hecate drew herself up to her full height. “I don’t know what you’re insinuating, Miss Gullet, but my personal life is none of your business. I’ll have you know—” She cut herself off as Ada stepped between them.

“I believe Spell Science with the First-Years is starting, is it not?” Ada asked, her voice treacly sweet. “Let’s dive back into this cauldron later. In my office.”

“It’s not bloody fair!” Geraldine spat as she stalked out of the room.

Ada turned back to Hecate just in time to see her transfer away. She blew out a gust of air, irritated with Agatha, with Geraldine, with herself… She hadn’t been so foolish as to think that her relationship with Hecate would go unnoticed, though she’d hoped they would have time to find their footing before it was fodder for the gossip mill. We haven’t even kissed yet, Ada groused. They shouldn’t have to deal with this nonsense this early. Shaking her head, Ada went in search of Penny Pestle.

As expected, when Ada pulled the girl from Witchory, Miss Pestle wanted to compete in potions. Miss Gullet would no doubt snap a broomstick. A prickle of a headache started at the base of Ada’s skull just from thinking about Geraldine’s screeching voice.

Lunch came and went with no sign of Hecate. Ada took the opportunity to tell Geraldine that Penny wanted to compete in potions. She tried to offer some alternatives, but Geraldine would hear none of it, moving to an empty seat on the other side of Agatha. Ada tried to ignore their dramatics and focus on her food, but she couldn’t stop casting furtive glances down the table. She didn’t manage anything more than pushing her peas around her plate. She gave that up when Agatha slid into the chair next to her.

“I must say, Ada, Miss Gullet is rather displeased. I do hope you aren’t showing Miss Hardbroom any… special privileges.”

Running her tongue along the inside of her cheek, Ada inhaled a long breath. “I spoke with Miss Pestle, Agatha. Miss Gullet never asked her to compete in spells; she simply put her down. The girl wants to compete in potions. She’s already begun practicing with the other girls on the team. It has nothing to do with Miss Hardbroom.”

Agatha faked a smile. “That’s good to hear, sister. I’m sure you can see how one might… wonder. Especially if Hecate gets the girl for her team…”

“The girl she actually asked to be on her team.”

“Miss Hardbroom is getting all those expensive new cauldrons while the rest of us are told to tighten our belts,” Agatha added.

“Mother authorized that expenditure last year, as you well know.”

“As you say,” Agatha quickly raised her hands to ward off any protest. “But even you must admit it looks… inappropriate. It certainly makes one wonder what her… motivations might be. A young, attractive thing like her?” Agatha made a point of looking Ada up and down, lingering on her midsection. “I mean, I can see why you’d want to show her special attention, but her? Well… they do say love is blind.” She slapped the table. “I’ll let you get back to your lunch.”

Ada watched her sister leave, taking what was left of her appetite with her. Perhaps Hecate had the right idea when she chose to skip lunch. She forced herself to make small talk with Miss Swoop before taking her leave. Her mood was already ruined. She may as well work on the monthly expense reports.

One by one, the First-Year girls filed out of the potions lab, still giggling from the effects of their laughter potion. Ada idly wondered if a nip of the leftovers would improve her day. When it seemed the last girl had exited, she stepped into the room, softly closing the door behind her. “Are you avoiding everyone today? Or just me?”

Hecate glanced up at her before continuing to clean up after her class – by hand, a sure sign that the day had gone widdershins for her, too. “Everyone but you,” she said, finally. She folded her hand towel into precise quarters before placing it carefully on her workbench. “I tried to speak with Miss Pestle this morning…”

Ada stepped further into the lab. “Yes, she said she wishes to stay on the potions team.”

“Did she?” Hecate tapped her fingers against the casing of her pocket watch. “I didn’t have the opportunity to speak to her directly.” She cut her eyes to the floor and didn’t look up again. “When I arrived at the classroom, I overheard her discussing the matter with Mavis Spellbody. Before I could announce my presence, I heard young Miss Spellbody tell her that she needn’t worry about anything because – and I quote – ‘Miss Cackle is sweet on Miss Hardbroom so she won’t take you off her team.’”

Hecate was still staring at the floor. Ada stepped closer, close enough to gently lift Hecate’s chin. “She’s not entirely wrong you know. I am a bit sweet on you.”

“It’s not funny, Ada. The students are speculating about… about our… love life.” Hecate’s cheeks burned in embarrassment. “We don’t even… we haven’t even…”

Ada cupped her cheek before letting her fingers trail down Hecate’s arm and tangle with hers. “It’s all right, dear. All in due time.”

Her hand felt warm in Ada’s. “Perhaps I’m overreacting. We’ve never said we’d keep this…” she shook their joined hands back and forth, “a secret. I just can’t stand the thought of being the subject of staff room gossip. What must people say?”

“I don’t want to keep it a secret either. We’ve done nothing wrong. We’re doing nothing wrong. Not that I’m looking to get snogged in the middle of the Dining Room, but…” That, at least, got a weak smile. “As for what they might say… I can tell you what Agatha said. She said the only reason an attractive young woman such as yourself would be with a relic like me is either because you’re using me or I’m using you.”

“That’s not so different from what Geraldine said to me this morning.” Hecate pulled away. She didn’t know if now was the right time, or if there would ever be a right time, but she didn’t feel right about keeping her secret from Ada any longer. “I’m afraid I have a bit of a confession to make…” She pulled the envelope from its place in her sleeve. “When I was in the mirror, I asked that Miss Inkwell to help me find a way to break the marriage scroll. Everything was so topsy-turvy.” Hecate looked up at her and shrugged. “She found it.”

Ada took the envelope from Hecate’s outstretched hand and tucked it into her pocket without reading it. “You’ve had it all this time?”

Hecate nodded. “I should have told you straight away… but we always seemed to be in the middle of something. I’m sorry.” She closed her eyes, waiting for Ada’s anger, or worse, her disappointment, to hit. It didn’t.

“I suppose things have been… topsy-turvy.” Fighting down an unexpected feeling of disappointment, Ada took up Hecate’s hand again. “Well, I for one say ‘good riddance’ to that scroll. I don’t want our future to be forced on us, Hecate. As much as I want us… I want any joining to be our choice.

“And as for Miss Gullet,” Ada sighed, “I heard what she said.” She took Hecate’s other hand in hers. “They aren’t what matters, Hecate. You are. We are. Agatha is just… being Agatha. And ten years from now, Geraldine Gullet will have moved on and you’ll still be here.”

Hecate pulled abruptly away. Turning her back to Ada, she hugged herself and staggered a few steps towards the door. “It still all comes down to that, doesn’t it?” Her voice broke. “It’s always going to be hanging over our heads.”

“What are you…” Ada could feel the blood draining from her face into her gut when she realized what Hecate meant. “NO! I’m not talking about that. Hecate…” Hurrying to her, Ada wrapped her arms around Hecate from behind. “I only meant that we will still be together, my dear. I hadn’t even thought about your confinement.” She felt Hecate relax against her, just a little.

“What does it even matter? In fifty years, everyone will be gone, and I’ll… I’ll still be here.” She twisted in Ada’s arms, wrapping her own arms around Ada’s waist and crying into her hair. “I don’t even think this cursed confinement will let them remove my corpse when I die. I can’t even be buried in the Hardbroom family plot.”

Ada rocked her gently back and forth, cradling the back of her head with one hand whilst rubbing soothing circles on her back with the other. “Sshhh… that’s a long ride down the river, dear. Who knows what could happen between now and then?” Ada pulled back just enough to see Hecate’s eyes. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. I hope that when the time comes, that you’ll be with me in the Cackle family plot. With your family.”

Hecate buried her face again and sobbed even harder. Ada kept rocking her. “You can’t… mean that,” she managed to choke out.

“I’ve never meant anything more, Hecate. You’re my first choice. You’ll always be my first choice.”

#hackle summer trope challenge #hackle #hecate hardbroom #ada cackle

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padfootagain · 4 years

Text

A Crimson Christmas (II)

Chapter 2: Erika

Here we go for the next part of my Steve Rogers series! Will be focusing quite a lot on some character building for the reader, and some cute things with Steve. As several of you seemed to appreciate how I started the first chapter, I tried to make something similar for this chapter too. I hope you all like it!

Gif not mine

Word Count: 2417

18 000

400

150 000 to 300 000

It is a strange thing to sum up an event in numbers. It makes one's head spin, and yet it never quite stirs the true horror of a tragedy or joy of a miracle. Yet, most of the times, when trying to describe an event, using numbers as a first weapon is almost a reflex, an automatic response of our brain as it tries to grasp something it can't hold.

If one wanted to sum up the sinking of the oil tanker Erika in December 1999, off the shores of Brittany, they would use the 4 numbers written above.

The first is the number of litres of gasoline that were released in the ocean from the cracked hull of the ship.

The second is the number of days it took for the fuel to cross the distance from the wreckage to the shore.

The third is the number of kilometres of French coast that were polluted by the floating gasoline.

The fourth, and last, is the estimated number of birds that died in the catastrophe.

Numbers though are but abstract quantities, and if one wants to truly describe the event, there is no other way but to attempt to draw a fair picture of the shores at the time.

The scenery is easy. December 1999, a lot of grey and blue as a storm rages out. The violent waves end to pierce the already weakened steel skin of the oil tanker and cause its carcass to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Its sailors are saved, but the shipment, 30 884 tons of petrol, is partially released in the Atlantic Ocean. The attempts to stop the black wave to reach the coast are cut short by the storm that shakes the sea at this time of year.

11 days later, the first pools of gasoline touch the islands that stain the French coast.

4 more days and 400 km of coast are completely covered by toxic oil.

At first, it is but a few dots staining the sand, some grey caught in the foam left by the waves. A few hours later, there are large blocks of black sticky substance all over the seashells. The next day, the rocks, and the paint of the boats, and the sand are barely visible at all. The army is sent to clean the shores, but the scale is too great. Volunteers join in, with shovels and sponges and knives and brushes in an attempt to clean up every rock, every grain of sand.

Walking through a beach at this time is walking midst soldiers and volunteers. Every step is a fight against the sticky product, with boots sometimes buried ankles deep into the dark petrol. It is the fresh salty smell of seaweeds replaced by the sour one of gasoline. It is cliffs falling in black sand instead of the blue sea. It is bodies of birds stranded all over the place.

What did it change? For the people living on the coast, it is still today an open wound. If one tries to talk about the incident with the local population, they will be met by a pair of sad eyes and the tale of Christmas holidays spent ankle-deep in gasoline.

For the world? Nothing. Just one more incident to add to the long list of chasms carved in the environment.

For you? Everything.

You remembered the long ride from Saint-Malo to the western coast. First holidays since you entered University. For this first semester, you were majoring in all subjects, but you already had a vivid passion for bio-ecosystems, and in particular, marine biology.

Then the Erika sank. It was natural to go and help. You remembered Christmas day spent breathing the toxic petrol until it was all you could smell. Your boots buried in the sticky, black slime. Shovels and shovels digging the polluted sand. Soldiers all around you, but despite all this help, it wasn’t enough. You knew everything the gasoline would touch would surely die. It would take years for nature to heal. It had taken a few hours and a few minds craving for money to destroy it all.

You were picking up your fifth dead gull of the day. The gasoline, stuck to its feathers, made it impossible for it to float, and impossible for it to fly. Most of them had drowned, and all you could do was pick up the corpses.

You had ventured further than the rest of your friends, closer to the rocks now barely visible in all this black, when you heard a loud cry. A cormorant, without a doubt. You needed only a few seconds to spot the bird, covered in oil already, struggling to escape, struggling to avoid drowning, struggling to survive…

Somehow, it was just too much. After all you had seen that day, it was the last thing you could endure. You didn’t think at all as you ran across the slippery rocks and jumped in the salty water, trying to keep your head above the petrol.

You grabbed that poor agonizing thing in your arm, trying to keep it afloat, and you didn’t let go as it tried to escape.

The sea was far from calm though, and the thick layer of gasoline made it impossible to swim. At the first big wave, you were submerged, swallowing a bitter gulp of mixed salty water and fuel. You heard then the distant voices of your friends calling after you, they sounded scared, and you realized that you were too. Another forceful wave had you pushed against the rocks and you hit your head hard, and all went as dark as that bloody gasoline…

The rest was a blur. You remembered waking up in a hospital bed a week later, a real miracle. You should have died, that was what everybody said. But you didn’t, instead, somehow, you lived with new abilities.

You didn’t know where they came from, and were too scared of what any doctor could do to you if you ever showed any sign of abnormality, you had seen too many movies and read too many books to ignore the threat of becoming a lab rat. Years later, the Avengers formed, and you were spotted by Nick Fury. What had happened in your mind when you accepted to join them, you didn’t know. You reckoned that in the end, it was worth it all. This moment now, especially, made it all worthwhile.

After all, seeing Captain America wearing mascara and red lipstick was a sight to see.

"Mets tes lèvres comme ça!" the ten-year-old girl instructed Steve as she pursed her lips to show him what she wanted him to do, and he imitated her.

"Parfait!" she clapped her little hands in excitement as she added even more red to Steve’s lips.

"Gwen, laisse-le tranquille," your brother admonished, trying to rescue Steve from the excited child. But Steve merely smiled.

"It’s okay, we’re just playing," he reassured the worried father.

"Lèvres! Comme ça!"t Gwenn called Steve back into position and he pursed his lips again.

You picked up your phone and sneaked a picture, that you immediately sent to the entire Avengers WhatsApp group. With the different timezones, you reckoned you would have no answer before a few hours, but it was worth the wait.

It was true that joining the Avengers had meant a lot of changes, a lot of risks, a lot of pain. But it meant that you had met your best friends as well, and you couldn’t refrain a tender smile as you watched Steve play with your niece now.

"Y/N… the coffee is growing cold!"

You reached absentmindedly for your cup and warmed the beverage again. Your sister gave you a look.

"Cheating again."

"Controlling water has to have a few advantages. My drinks are always at the perfect temperature!"

She rolled her eyes.

"So, for how long are the two of you staying in Saint-Malo?"

You merely shrugged as an answer.

"We don't really know. I mean, we're supposed to just stay for the holidays, but I guess we don't know what to do next."

"Ha… retiring superheroes… poor you. You will definitely not have the complete retiring allowance now! Does that even count as a job, superhero?"

"I don't think it does. Shit… I've lost all these years…"

The two of you giggled, but your father did not.

"You should think about what to do next. And you could stay here. It's home."

"Papa, it's not that easy."

"Why not? Because monsieur muscle over there won't move here for you? So, you could be with your family."

You and Steve exchanged a glance.

"Well, we… haven't really talked about that," Steve tried to elusively respond, but it failed.

"You've spent years living a dangerous life. It's time to settle down. And you have to think about financial security now."

"Papa…"

"You need to get a job. A real one."

"Saving the Earth was not a job important enough for you?" you fired back, feeling more and more annoyed.

"You wasted years over this superhero adventure. I'm not saying it was useless, of course not. And I am proud of you. But you sacrificed your life during all this time. You didn't settle down, you didn't think about having a family, you didn't think about your old days… And I think it's time for you to have a normal life for a change."

You considered his words, and realized there was wisdom in them. You didn't quite like the way he put it, but you couldn't deny that you had spent years putting your life on the line. And maybe he was right, maybe now it was time to think about your own happiness before everyone else's.

"And you?" your father turned to Steve, his tone accusatory. "Don't you want her to be happy?"

Steve was playing your fake boyfriend, yet, he didn't need to lie to answer that question. And you could see it, deep down, in the depth of his blue eyes, that he meant the words he spoke. That was what friends were made for, right?

"There's nothing I want more than for Y/N to be happy, sir."

It was hard to look away from his baby blue eyes for some reason. Despite his funny look, covered in make-up, you didn't want to laugh at all. You just… wanted to keep on looking at him.

You guessed that you were letting your thoughts drift too far, and forced your brain to focus on your family again.

"We'll see, papa," you gave your father a smile. "It's not that easy to decide what to do next. It was our life for so long."

"I haven't forgotten how much you had to sacrifice," he mumbled in a dark tone, and you knew that he was referencing to the years you spent on the run with Steve.

You heaved a tired sigh.

"We've talked about it… countless times. It was my choice to make, and I agreed with Steve. You would have preferred for me to become a pawn that could be used by governments whenever they wanted?"

"Of course not. Governments couldn't be trusted…"

"Then why are you still bringing that up?"

"Because I didn't see my daughter for two years, that's why!"

You heaved yet another sigh, and Steve finally stood up from his spot on the carpet where he had been playing with Gwen. He took some cotton and started to clean up his face.

"I think we've both had a life that was out of the ordinary for too long," Steve spoke with a slow, quiet tone, his voice deep and calm showing he had been giving the situation a lot of thought. "It's hard to imagine what to do with the life we have left. I think… we just need a little time to let it all sink in, the truth that it can be over, that we don't have to be the ones in charge anymore. I think… we had both come to be at peace with the idea that we didn't have the choice of a life of our own. Now that we do, it feels strange. We don't really know what to do with it. Personally, I've never been anything else. We just need a little bit of time, to get used to it all. Then, I'm sure the decisions will come to us quite naturally. In the meantime, we just want to enjoy Christmas."

He reached for your hand, and you guessed that it was just for the act. Just because he played your fake boyfriend. It would be logical, if you were a couple, to be holding hands then, you reckoned. He was right. Besides, it felt safe to hold his hand.

"You know, I think I'm very tired after our long journey and everything. We should go to bed," you proposed.

Your grandmother finally joined the conversation.

"I've forgotten the blankets."

"I know where they are, mamie, don't bother."

But she was already walking towards the bedroom, and after you bid goodnight to your family, while they were getting ready to go as well, you and Steve joined Martine in the bedroom she had prepared for Steve and you.

You were not surprised to find that she had already put the blanket upon the bed.

"Oh, I forgot," she explained, but you were not fooled.

There was a short silence, before she heaved a sigh.

"Your father is worried. He always is. He's just not good at showing it. He does it all wrong."

"I know."

"It doesn't matter what you choose to do next. We're all here for you. Et puis, je l'aime bien, ton petit Steve," she added with a tender smile towards your 'boyfriend'.

He gave her a warm smile.

"I'm glad you like me, I've spent a lovely afternoon with you, Martine," he answered.

"Tomorrow you can show him the town," your grandmother instructed you.

"Yes, I will."

"Goodnight, les amoureux!"

You could only bury your face in your palm. She had to call you lovebirds, of course… if only she knew the truth.

"Bonne nuit, mamie."

The second she closed the door behind her, Steve and you exchanged a tired glance. It was more than time to go to bed. Tomorrow would be a brand new day. And there was much to do, and many questions to find answers to.

********************************************************

Taglist : @ponycake27 @horsesreign @xinyourdreamsx @jbluevelvet @notkeppeki @daynigt-dreamer-stuff @fudgeflyss @stuckupstucky @snek-shit @suchatinyinfinity @i-padfootblack-things @buckybsarmy @heyohheyitsgabi@jigsawlover10 @emyyjemyy @addictedtofictionalcharacters @staringmoony

@marvelcapsicle @madamrogers @rishlo @theshortegg @blacklilyqueen

#Steve Rogers #steve rogers x reader #captain america #captain america x reader #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers imagine #captain america fanfiction #captain america imagine #imagine #fanfiction #fanfic #writing #mcu #mcu fanfiction #mcu imagine

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kzesl · 5 years

Text

So I saw a random post about Merlin, and it reminded me how much I loved that show, and now I want to read fic again. Arthur-centric fic, because he was my fave. The trouble is that I rarely find the type of fic I want to read, because Merlin is a fandom fave, or at least that’s the impression I always got. Where are all the Arthur-centric writers? I already wrote two fics in this fandom when I couldn’t find what I wanted to read, and I don’t feel like writing another. I want to read it, not write it.

Anyone have any recs?

A reincarnation fic would be nice.

But not one where Arthur is a spoiled businessman that behaves the same way as he did in the first episode of the show, as if he had never learned anything in his previous life and is doomed to always repeat the same mistakes. And Merlin showing up will automatically make him remember, and change his behavior to how it was at the end of his previous life. No. Not that.

I want Arthur who is an old soul, but not like Merlin who is immortal and has been alive for all this time. I want Arthur who has been reborn many times, has lived many lives since Camelot and now. I want Merlin who keeps not meeting Arthur because he has certain expectations, and the new Arthur never meets them. I want Merlin who passes by Arthur on the street and does not recognize him. Because he is still Arthur, but he is not that spoiled prince form episode one. (Arthur doesn’t always look like Arthur we know. Sometimes he does, and those lives are hard.). I want Arthur who remembers, but not from the moment he was born, but he always remembers when he reaches the age he was when he died, that first time. Arthur was made by magic, originally, and Albion never forgets that he is hers. I want Albion that cries for its King and I want Arthur who can hear it, even before he remembers.

I want knights who are sometimes there and sometimes not. Morgana, who is always his sister, in every life, and Mordred who is sometimes his brother, sometimes his son/friend/grandson/uncle, always there (sometimes a frenemy, but never an enemy, not a mortal one, not after that first time Arthur was reincarnated and Mordred turned out to be his son). Imagine Arthur waking up, after remembering everything in a dream, when being mortally wounded by Mordred is still fresh in his mind, only to find his son, standing in the doorway and clutching a teddy bear, because he is afraid of the monsters in the dark. His son, who looks like Mordred did, when he was a child. Not exactly, because genetics, duh, but enough for a terrible expression to appear on Arthur’s face, one that makes his son flinch away in fear (Arthur never forgives himself, despite it being completely understandable).

I want Uther and Ygraine, sometimes happy, sometimes divorced, and sometime they never meet. I want Uther who is not bitter and angry and murderous. Not in every life, at least. Not in most of them, either. Give me a very kind Uther, for a change.

I want magic. More subtle, different, but still there. Maybe just in traces, or maybe as strong as it ever was. I don’t know. Both options are good.

I want a fic that focuses on the life when Arthur and Merlin finally meet again, but I want subtle hints at what happened in previous ones. They don’t always have to be explained.

I want Arthur to see Merlin first.

I want some drama. Because it’s been a long time, but some betrayals run deep. Merlin is a manipulator. He has his reasons for doing things, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a liar. The road to hell etc.

Give me Gwen, who is sometimes his wife and they never meet Lancelot and they are ridiculously happy. And sometimes she is already married to Lancelot when they meet. Sometimes she leaves Arthur for him. Gwen always loves Lancelot more, if she ends up meeting him. In one particular life Arthur meets her, falls in love with her again and she falls in love with him and he never does anything because Lancelot might show up, and it will hurt too much when she leaves. But Lancelot doesn’t show up in that life, and they are both miserably in love with each other, until the day they die. She asks him why, once, and he doesn’t know what to say so he says nothing.

Lancelot is a bad man in one of his lives, just because he is the purest cinnamon roll of them all and him being actually bad (not under-the-spell bad, but bad) would be fun to explore. Or maybe not horrifically bad, but still a criminal with dubious morality. An art thief, maybe. And Gwen works at a gallery. Ta-da.

Modern jobs for everyone. Gwaine being an accountant, doing an office job, and living for the pub nights. He is actually some sort of spy undercover (still lives for the pub nights). Elyan being a pub quiz master, during the weekends, and Percival a kindergarten teacher, maybe.

Leon, a detective, and Gaius a drug dealer (okay, maybe just make him really young and a gamer). Ugh, I don't know, there are just so many options. Maybe someone gets reincarnated as a really famous person. Leon as Ed Sheeran. Or Adele. They don’t have to stay the same gender in every life.

Morgana remembers sometimes. That first life, or them all, Arthur doesn’t know. (One night he wakes up and cracks an eye open to see her standing in his room, with a knife glinting in her hand. He closes his eyes and waits.)

She never says anything. Not until Merlin comes back into their lives)

Kilgarrah in some form, because the Dragon needs to be there to cryptically annoy everyone.

Some villains, the spice of life.

Gen or any pairing. I love gen, but I also think that the show was incredibly slashy and Arthur/Merlin was really strong. But whatever. Rare pairings can be fun and delightful.

In this life, they all remember, whether on their own, or because Merlin has waltzed back in. Dynamics are a bit weird at first. People calling each other the old names, using old titles, court etiquette, round table at the pub, speaking an old language, outsiders being freaked out and wtf. They need to be expelled from a pub at least once. Bring back the Merlin is in the tavern, Sire. Just because. Arthur being kingly, but in a good way.

Happy ending, because they all need it, and I need it, okay?

I’m going to stop now, because this is too long as it is. It was not meant to be this long. Or go in this direction. Sigh.

#merlin #bbc merlin #Arthur Pendragon #fic #fanfic #fan fiction #headcanons meta fic musings

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traincat · 5 years

Note

I saw on your Twitter about your love of Spider-Man ships, and I was wondering if you could expand on them? I know about Peter/MJ and Peter/Gwen, but that's about it. (And maybe Peter/Liz? Idk if that's just an MCU thing or not.)

I love, love, love the women of Spider-Man and I think 616Spider-Man has some of the best love stories and some of the best romanticchemistry in comics. PeterGwen and PeterMJ are the big ones, along withPeterFelicia, but he’s had a number of relationships over the years – CissieIronwood (Marvel Team Up vol1 #80-81, #90, Annual #2), Marcy Kane, Deb Whitman,an implied casual hookup with his neighbor Bambi, a thing with his work wife,reporter Joy Mercado – okay this one didn’t actually happen-happen,but it happened in my heart, and they did kiss. I love her and will refer toher as his work wife forever. But let’s start at the beginning, since you askedabout Liz Allan. PeterMJ and PeterGwen are considered the big Spider-Man lovetriangle, but Peter was involved in plenty of romantic drama before either MaryJane or Gwen was ever introduced on the page. One of the big things I loveabout Spider-Man are how, even after the romantic relationships are over, theseries lets its female characters continue to have big roles in Peter Parker’slife, and that’s the case with both Betty Brant and Liz Allan, the leadingladies of the original Spider-Man love triangle. PeterLiz is athing, although it’s very different from the way the MCU portrayed it, so let’sstart there.

Liz Allan: Liz is one of the longest running Spider-Mancharacters and one of the few to debut in Amazing Fantasy #15 along with Peterhimself, Flash Thompson, Aunt May and Uncle Ben. While Peter initially had acrush on Liz, who was at the time dating Flash Thompson (everyone in theSpider-Man friend group has dated everyone at one point or another), Peter soongot over it when he met J Jonah Jameson’s secretary Betty Brant – only for Lizto develop a crush on Peter after. She openly flirted with him, causingtensions between Peter and Betty and Peter and Flash both.

(Amazing Spider-Man #17)

Liz faded out of the picture for a bit after confessing her feelings to Peter at their high school graduation in Amazing Spider-Man #28, only to make her return in Amazing Spider-Man #132, when Peter encounters her wandering the streets exhausted and troubled over her step-brother, Max Raxton, the Molten Man, a one-time supervillain who would later reform.

Liz later met Harry Osborn at Betty Brant’s wedding and the two quickly fell in love and got married. (Everyone in Spider-Man has been involved with everyone in Spider-Man.) They have one son together, Norman Osborn Jr. They probably should have thought on that name a little more. (Harry has a second child with a woman named Lily Hollister.)

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual #17 – everyone in Spider-Man has also made out with everyone in Spider-Man, regardless of relationship status.)

Peter and Mary Jane even lived in the same building as Liz and Harry for a while, up until Harry’s death (long story – he got better). Liz took over Oscorp in the wake of Harry’s death, briefly had a relationship with Daredevil’s Foggy Nelson, and eventually became CEO of Alchemax. Recently, she and Harry got back together in Amazing Spider-Man #789.

Some Liz issues:

Amazing Spider-Man #1-28: Liz has moments scattered all through the high school years, including ASM #6, where she develops a crush on Spider-Man, ASM #17, where she schemes to get Peter to attend a meeting of the Spider-Man fan club, ASM #25 when she first meets Mary Jane, ASM #26 where she breaks up a fight between Peter and Flash, and ASM #28 where she confesses her feelings for Peter.

Webspinners #9: A more modern Spider-Man high school flashback, Peter finds himself in trouble when he accidentally ends up with both Liz and Betty believing they’re going to prom with him. An excellent look at how smothered and trapped Liz felt as a teenager.

Amazing Spider-Man #132-133: Liz makes her reappearance.

Amazing Spider-Man #153: Liz asks Harry out, starting their relationship.

Amazing Spider-Man#166: Liz and Harry announce they’re getting married.

Amazing Spider-Man #172-180: When Liz is arrested for attempted robbery, she temporarily leaves Harry, believing herself no good for him.

Spectacular Spider-Man #85: Liz announces she’s pregnant.

Amazing Spider-Man #260-263: Mary Jane and a heavily pregnant Liz are kidnapped. Harry, in an attempt to rescue them, ends up captured as well. Later, Liz gives birth to her and Harry’s son.

Spectacular Spider-Man #178-184, #189-190, #200, #204: The Child Within/The Harry Osborn Saga. Haunted by his father’s evil legacy and poisoned by the belief that Peter killed his father, Harry spirals back into the Green Goblin and Liz’s family falls apart. The Child Within (Spectacular Spider-Man #178-184) is one of my favorite storylines of all time, a truly haunting read. Content warning for childhood abuse, including childhood sexual abuse, not of Harry but definitely paralleled against Norman’s abuse of Harry. In #189-190, Harry kidnaps Liz, Normie, and Liz’s stepbrother Mark. Spectacular Spider-Man #200 is the death of Harry Osborn, and in my personal opinion one of if not THE most stunning comic book issue of all time. In #204, Liz and friends receive Harry’s video will.

Peter Parker #75: Norman Osborn returns from the dead and threatens Liz. Also has some good Liz&Flash content.

Marvel Knights Spider-Man #7: Peter and Liz attend Midtown High’s reunion.

Amazing Spider-Man #581-582: Harry Osborn, returned from the dead, attempts to right some wrongs for Liz.

Amazing Spider-Man #789, #799-800: Liz and Harry rekindle their romance, only to have their children kidnapped. Cards on the table: I hate this story arc and think it’s terrible! But I do love every panel with Liz in it, so, that’s the toss up.

Liz has also made some recent appearances in Eddie Brock’s Venom series.

Betty Brant: Like Liz, Betty’s one of the longest running Spider-Man cast members. The title of Spider-Man’s first girlfriend is commonly and erroneously granted to Gwen Stacy, but Peter actually first dated Betty Brant in 616. First appearing in Amazing Spider-Man #4, Betty worked as J Jonah Jameson’s secretary and she and Peter quickly became close.

(Amazing Spider-Man #7 – another common error is assuming Peter’s always been awkward/shy around girls. “Nothing, baby… for at least an hour!” Smooth.)

(Amazing Spider-Man #11)

Betty and Peter’s relationship wasn’t without its own issues, though. Betty was jealous of Liz’s flirtations with Peter, but things really came to a head when her brother, Bennett Brant, was murdered. Betty blamed Spider-Man for his death, and Peter felt that this meant he could never tell her his secret identity. They still continued the relationship, complicated by the appearance of Ned Leeds, a reporter for the Daily Bugle who was also interested in Betty. Though she loved Peter more, Ned seemed to offer Betty the stability she craved. After his high school graduation, Peter planned to propose to Betty (yes, at age eighteen, with a part time job, and still living in his aunt’s home, he planned to propose, because Peter Parker LOVES proposing) but things didn’t go as planned.

(Amazing Spider-Man #30)

After a long engagement, Betty finally married Ned Leeds in Amazing Spider-Man #156. The two left for France, where Ned was on assignment. Ned worked long hours and Betty found herself completely isolated, alone in a country where she didn’t speak the language. She left Ned and returned to New York, where her and Peter’s feelings for each other were rekindled.

(Amazing Spider-Man #189)

Peter and Betty’s affair was short-lived after Ned returned. While he and Betty attempted to reconcile their marriage, it continued to deteriorate, and Betty sought comfort in Flash Thompson, who had at this point become one of Peter’s closest friends. The two would have an on-again, off-again relationship for years, and through it all Betty’s remained one of Peter’s most important relationships.

(Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #20)

Some Betty issues:

Amazing Spider-Man #4: Betty’s first appearance.

Amazing Spider-Man #7: Peter and Betty begintheir romance.

Amazing Spider-Man #10-11: When Betty disappearsfrom town, Peter goes after her – only for Spider-Man to become embroiled in anincident that leads to the death of her older brother, Bennett.

Untold Tales of Spider-Man #12: Betty’s backstoryrevealed, including the details of the relationship she had before Peter, andwhy his thrill-seeking disturbed her so deeply.

Amazing Spider-Man #30: Betty reveals that NedLeeds has proposed to her, and Peter plans to propose to her himself, only forthe shadow of Spider-Man to come between them.

Amazing Spider-Man #156: After a long engagement,Betty and Ned marry. Peter is the best man – I can only assume because Neddidn’t have any friends. Betty and Ned leave for Europe.

Amazing Spider-Man #184, #186, #188, #189, #193, #195: AfterMary Jane turns down Peter’s marriage proposal, he finds Betty waiting for himin his apartment, where she tells him she’s separated from Ned. She and Peterbriefly engage in an affair before Ned returns.

Spectacular Spider-Man #96, #97, #98, #100: Withthe cracks reappearing in her marriage to Ned, a chance encounter throws Bettyand Flash Thompson together and the two begin seeing each other behind theirrespective significant others’ backs.

Spectacular Spider-Man #107–110: The Death of JeanDeWolff. Betty becomes important in the closing act of this story when she’sattacked by Sin Eater, causing Peter to fly into a rage.

Amazing Spider-Man #275, #280, #283, #284: WhenFlash is framed and arrested, suspected of being the Hobgoblin, Betty’smarriage further crumbles. Twice Peter witnesses Ned be physically intimidatingtowards her, once grabbing her in the middle of the Bugle offices. Betty andFlash reunite.

Amazing Spider-Man #289, Spectacular Spider-Man #128-129: AfterNed’s death in Spider-Man vs Wolverine, Betty cracks under the stress andsuffers a mental breakdown. Flash attempts to help.

Web of Spider-Man #40-43: When Betty joins a cult(look, I love her, but she makes some bad decisions) both Spider-Man and Flashgo to extremes to get her out.

Spectacular Spider-Man #148: During the Infernocrossover, Flash and Betty are both haunted – him by a false Spider-Man, andher by the specter of her dead husband.

Web of Spider-Man #91-93: I will simply describethis story as Betty, Get Your Gun.

Daily Bugle #1-3: In this three issue blackand white miniseries, Betty’s on a case and Peter plays guard dog.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #20-22: In thewake of Civil War’s identity reveal, Peter and Betty talk about his beingSpider-Man. Also an insect lady tries to eat Flash or fill him with eggs orsomething like that. Betty continues to have her gun.

Amazing Spider-Man #583: The time Marvel put Obamaon the cover and tricked everyone into buying a whole issue of Peter and Bettyhanging out. It’s a really cute story, though, and one of my favorites forthem.

Amazing Spider-Man #665: Spider-Man’s out forblood when Betty’s the victim of a violent mugging. Also establishes Peter andBetty’s movie nights.

Venom (2011): Betty’s a major character for most of thebeginning of Flash’s Venom run, through issue #21 – Flash’s secret status asAgent Venom threatens their relationship. Also her brother shows back up! Youknow, the dead one. Comics, they do that.

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #42: I don’t like the plot ofthis issue, but it is some of the most recent Peter&Betty interaction, andthe opening scene features them at a fortune teller’s parlor and it is verycute.

#salazarastark #betty brant #liz allan #peter parker #spiderman #comic recs #traincat talks comics #*replies #long post/#sorry for the wait!#this post kept trying to eat itself

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myotishia · 5 years

Text

In the air part one

Fandom: Torchwood. Trigger warnings: None I don't think but tell me if I've missed anything. Characters: Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, Elise Carter (oc) Rating: Teen and up

Blurb: A relaxed wedding dress fitting turns into a new case for the team as the streets are suddenly abandoned.

“How does your leg feel?” Asked Owen as he pulled on his gloves.

Elise shrugged and pulled up the side of her skirt to show her bandaged thigh. “Sore as hell, but no more than I’d expect. How long until I can put weight on it properly?”

“You were lucky, it didn’t hit the bone or any major blood vessels so you can maybe put your full weight on it again in a week or so. I was more worried about the chance of infection.”

“I tried to keep it away from the mud.”

“You did pretty well, but gunshot wounds are a bitch. Even clean shots that are treated immediately can get infected and that’s how you end up in surgery.” He removed the bandage and dressing as gently as he could, happy that the wound looked clean.

“How is it?”

“Your leg’s going to drop off.”

She rolled her eyes. “Asshat.”

“It’ll be fine, just keep it clean and dry. I’ll redress it for you this time.”

“Thanks. How are you?”

“Me? There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“A guy almost killed you.”

“And you shot him in the hip. Keep still.” He continued treating her thigh, knowing that it must be hurting. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had a gun pointed at me.”

“That’s scary in itself.”

“Tosh said your watch was broken.”

“I’ll fix it after we’re done here.” She took it from her wrist, turning it over in her hands. “The casing and screen look fine. The fall probably just knocked a wire out of place.”

“I didn’t think you’d still need it.”

A short silence filled the room, neither party wanting to speak about her missing friend.

“I’m still going to have the dreams or whatever they are. My weirdness isn’t completely gone.”

“You sound sure of that.”

“I am. Time travel comes at a price. I’m ok with that.”

He looked up from his work. “You think you can still time jump?”

“Only twenty four hours either way, at most, but it’s something. I don’t know the distance I can go yet.”

“You shouldn’t use it. You don’t have someone who knows how to control it anymore.” Owen had never looked more serious in his life. “Just let it go and be human for a while.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course I am!” He snapped, throwing his gloves into the bin.

Elise sat up and reached out for his arm. “Owen… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to …”

“Just leave it... You’re going to be on desk duty for a while. You’ve got to write up your report about the Pharm anyway.”

“Owen… When I’m all healed up would you mind training me to be a proper field agent?”

“Me? You realise I’m the Hub fuck up. You might want to go to Jack for that.” He smirked.

“You’re reckless, stubborn and trigger happy... but that’s what makes you good at what you do. I know I run into things and just say fuck it to the risks but I wouldn’t even be here if I didn’t.”

“We’ll talk about it once you’re healed, for now you’ve got paperwork to do. And tell Tosh her girlfriend’s crazy.”

“Will do.” She smiled.

Ianto placed Elise’s morning coffee on her desk. “I hope you’re going to be better than Owen was on desk duty.”

“Oh?”

“Have you ever seen the shining?”

“Really? That bad?”

“Luckily an axe won’t put a dent on most of the doors here. It only ended when he cut the cast off his leg and told us that if he didn’t go out soon he’d start posing bodies around the Hub out of boredom. I believed him.”

She laughed into her mug. “I promise I won’t go posing bodies around the place.”

“If you want to get some fresh air tomorrow I’ve got a wedding dress fitting to get to. You can come along if you like. You’ll probably do a lot of sitting around but it’s better than being stuck here.” Smiled Gwen, finally able to think about her wedding in the quiet moment.

“Thanks. That sounds fun. I’ve never even seen a wedding dress in real life before.”

Both Ianto and Gwen looked a little shocked.

“What? I’ve never been to a wedding and we didn’t have a bridal wear shop anywhere near where I lived.”

Gwens look softened, returning to her previous excitement. “You are going to have so much fun. I’ve got some cake samples to pick up too.”

“What makes wedding cake different than other cake? I know it’s fancier but what makes it specifically a wedding cake?”

“Normal cake goes off after a week. Wedding cake seems to last forever and can be used to build bomb shelters.” Ianto said drily before returning to his duties with a smile.

“Oh, don’t listen to him. It’s mostly just because it’s fancy but I really want it to actually be edible.”

“How is Rhys?”

“He’s fine. Taking everything in his stride as per usual. He’s not as paranoid now he knows what I actually do.”

“That’s fair.”

“Though I think he’s still a bit iffy with Jack.”

“Also fair. I don’t think he knows the difference between casual conversation and flirting.”

“Sooo, how’s things between you and Tosh?”

“Good. Really good.”

“She does seem so much happier than before. It’s nice.”

After a very entertaining dress fitting that reminded Gwen that she needed to eat even if she was stressed they headed out. Elise being a little slow as she moved with one crutch. On the street it seemed eerily silent. As it was lunch time it should have been bustling but only the birds made a noise. Workers from the surrounding shops looked out of their windows, just as confused. Gwens police instincts kicked in when she saw a car with its doors left open, shopping bags left abandoned in the road.

“Wait here. I’ll be right back.” Said Gwen before rushing across the road to one of the opposing shops to talk to one of the staff. They seemed in shock.

“What happened out there?” She asked, trying to seem like just any other person walking onto the scene.

The worker, a young man who wore a lanyard around his neck emblazoned with the stores name, just shook his head. “I… I don’t know. Everyone just started walking down the street. All at once… They just turned and walked off like zombies.”

“Did you hear anything strange? See anything?”

“No. I was putting the new posters up in the window and it was like someone flicked a switch… Is it one of those flash mob things do you think?”

“No idea… Thanks.” She returned to Elise who was leaning on the bridal stores wall.

“He see anything?”

“Apparently everyone just turned and walked off down the street.”

“Should we follow?”

“Get in the car. We can call it in on the way.”

Elise took her phone from her pocket and got into the car, dialling into the comms line for the Hub.

“Having fun ladies?” Jacks voice rose from the device.

“Having a blast, just a quick question, is the rift doing it’s happy dance?” Elise asked.

“We’ve had a few spikes, why?”

“Well, everyone on the street got pied pipered a few minutes ago.”

“Any idea where they’re heading?”

“We’re following now.”

“Don’t get too close. We’re on our way.” He hung up the call.

Ahead of the car a large crowd walked in unison, seemingly in a trance. Gwen repeatedly pressed the horn but they didn’t even flinch. She parked up to the side and took her comms earpiece from the glove compartment.

“Wait here. I’m going up ahead.” She said, not waiting for a response.

Elise opened her door and pulled herself out. “You shouldn’t go alone.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to look.” She rushed off ahead of the entranced people.

They all seemed to be converging on a car park outside a large garden centre. Due to it being closed that day there were no cars but as Gwen managed to push her way through the sea of people she saw where they were all going. A large sinkhole had formed, dropping into darkness. The people around her stood around the edge, unmoving. No matter what she did she couldn’t wake anyone.

As sudden as it had began, it ended. All at once people began looking around, confused before a panic broke out at being that close to the edge of the sinkhole. People scattered in all directions and Gwen had to admit she was a little thankful for being on the inside so she didn’t get trampled.

Jack looked over the edge of the now sixteen foot wide sinkhole, light hitting a perfectly flat obsidian surface below. The whole car park had been cordoned off with temporary plywood walls, usually used to keep people out of construction sites, much to the displeasure of the Garden centres manager.

“At least it’s stopped.” Jack turned away from the hole. “What do we know?”

“Fuck all.” Owen began.

Tosh interjected, “Noone remembers anything. One moment they were in one place and then they woke up here. Though whatever it was didn’t seem to affect anyone in a building when it started. There was a spike in rift energy but nothing big enough for this.”

“How far did it span?” The captain stepped away from the edge.

“A mile radius of the holes centre.”

“Sounds like we’re going to have to get down there.” He picked up a nearby rock and tossed it into the hole. It landed with a light tap and skittered across the obsidian surface as if it were ice.

Ianto and Elise had been sent to speak to the Garden centre manager and sat in the womans sparse office.

“This is all I need. This whole place has been falling apart since last Sunday.”

“Falling apart?” Asked Ianto, keeping detailed notes as the woman had spoken chaotically before and it was easier to keep up with what she was on about in bullet points.

“Yes! First every last fuse in this place blew. Even the ones in the plugs. Then my staff start calling in sick. They didn’t sound bloody sick. Then we had a new palette of apple tree saplings just shrivel and rot overnight for no reason. Same day we had a flock of pigeons slam themselves into the building in the middle of the bloody day. We had kids screaming and crying and noone wanted to clean that mess up. Then! As if it couldn’t get worse the water has to be turned off because some bloody thing’s in it. Do you know how much water a garden centre needs to keep running?!”

“Ma’am… Can we see the water please? And the apple trees if you still have them.”

“As long as you get that sinkhole filled in you can do what you like.”

“Well, if you could show my colleague here I can gather my things to get some samples.”

“Yes. Yes. Maybe you’ll get more than that useless plumber did.”

The manageress lead them down to the main warehouse and Ianto quickly walked back to the SUV to grab some gloves and sample jars. When he returned the manager was still complaining at Elise.

“It’s everywhere in the building and god the smell!”

“I’m sure we’ll find the source ma’am.” Elise droned, barely paying attention.

“Oh good, you’re back. Here.” The woman turned the tap and a black, oily looking liquid started pouring out. Ianto had just taken the sample when the smell hit them. It stank like rancid meat with a heavy tint of iron. The manageress ran off to throw up in one of the bins.

Elise turned off the tap. “Jesus. Did something die in their water tank?”

“They don’t have a water tank. This is from the mains.” He held the small plastic jar up to the light but even the relatively bright sunshine couldn’t permeate the liquid.

“I don’t now if it’s the water or the bigass hole out there but this place gives me the creeps.”

He had to admit the place, though otherwise completely mundane, did make him nervous. A creeping dread that rose up his spine and made him want to jump at every sound. He looked around for the dead saplings as the manageress was still hunched over a bin. In the corner of the warehouse, nearest the loading bay, sat a palate of potted saplings. Each was withered and mould had started to develop on the surface of the soil. Using a set of clippers and a hand trowel he took samples from one of the pots, the same smell that came from the tainted water oozed from the cuts on the plant. Ianto stood back as his stomach turned.

Elise made her way over to the exhausted looking manageress. “We’ve got what we need. We’ll contact you as soon as we know more. Why don’t you head home. It’s not safe to work around tainted water.”

The poor woman nodded.

Outside, Ianto took a deep breath, appreciating the fresh air. He still couldn’t shake the nervous feeling.

“You feel as out of sorts as I do?” Asked Elise, sitting in the back seat of the SUV with her arm over her eyes.

“Do you think it was the water?”

“We didn’t even touch it.”

Ianto paused before an idea came to mind. He leaned over to one of the computers, setting up a sound sensor to monitor all frequencies.

Elise pulled her arm away from her eyes. “What’s up?”

He looked over the levels on the screen. “Infrasound.”

“Huh?”

“It’s very low frequency sound, anything below 20Hz. Not audible by humans. It’s usually used for underground monitoring because it doesn’t disperse the way higher frequencies do. It can cause nausea, paranoia, nervousness and in the worst cases, hallucinations. A lot of ghost sightings come from it.”

“Is that why we feel like crap?”

“Looks that way. It doesn’t explain the water though.”

“Do you think that’s what made the birds dive into the building?”

“Maybe but I don’t think so. It can mess with their directional mapping but it doesn’t make whole flocks suicidal… I’m going to go and tell the others.”

“I’m gonna stay here and rest.” She put her arm back over her eyes. “So much for desk duty, eh?”

Owen stepped down onto the obsidian surface, double checking his safety line just in case it collapsed. Jack had already ventured down into the sinkhole but Owen had been fooled before by Jacks oddly catlike grace. The sinkhole was unusual in that the walls didn’t have any kind of overhang. It had fallen away and left what looked like carved walls of earth. Walking across the glasslike surface it became clear that whatever it might be was hollow.

“Can you see any sign of a hatch?” He asked, finding it hard to focus his vision on the light absorbing stone.

“Not a thing.” The captain crouched down, running his fingers over the surface, hoping to feel more than he could see. He suddenly pulled back, a sharp pain shooting through his fingertips. A thin line of blood dripped from each finger and down onto the floor where it was absorbed. A loud rumbling filled the area and Jack turned to run back to the ladder.

“Out now!” He ordered.

Owen did not need telling twice, clambering up like a frightened ape. As soon as his feet were on secure earth he turned to make sure Jack was right behind him. The previously flat surface was becoming an upside down pyramid made of many steps. Starting at the centre each layer descended, threatening to pull Jack down to what he guessed would be a very nasty, if temporary, death. He reached out and grabbed the ladder that was thankfully secured from above and wrenched himself up. His cut fingers sliding but thankfully not dropping him. Ianto and Owen took a wrist each and pulled him up and out of the sinkhole.

“The fuck was that?!” Asked Owen, looking back at where he’d been standing.

Jack looked down at his hand, at the paper fine cuts that decorated his fingertips.

Owen took a swift trip back to the hub with Elise, wanting to test the samples that Ianto had gathered. He could only do a certain amount in the field and the this had stopped being an oddity and started being a very dangerous case.

The ‘water’ sample showed traces of blood, grey matter and microscopic bone fragments, all slowly rotting. The blood, though decomposing and tainted did present as a mix of human and animal. The apple tree sapling cuttings were rotten on the outside but the very centre showed new growth, soaking up the tainted water from its soil. Even the mould sitting on the surface of the soil showed signs of death and regrowth.

“The thing is drinking people?” Asked Elise from a safe distance.

“It looks more like the liquid’s being pumped into the plant to change it.”

“That still sounds like a vampire plant.”

Owen suddenly stepped back from his work, switching on his comms awkwardly with his shoulder. “You all need to get away from there. It needs to be quarantined. Everything that’s been tainted already needs to be quarantined too. That includes you Harkness!” He turned to Elise. “Did you touch anything?”

“No. Ianto took the samples and he was wearing gloves. But the garden centre staff did.”

“Shit! Get a list of their staff. They need to be isolated. Call it a possible biological weapon. We’ve got a building we can use as a hospital. I need to know how many people have already been infected.”

When Torchwood is in a full outbreak alert they work shockingly quickly. They’d already rounded up many of the staff and they did not look healthy. Owen tested himself for infection before the others even got back and after a very fast decontamination shower he pulled on a hazmat suit and got to work on his team. Elise, Ianto, Tosh and Gwen were all clean and had to go through the same process. Jack was not so lucky. His fingertips were already showing signs of infection. Owen suspected it was working faster on him as it had infected his blood directly.

He was taken to the ‘hospital’ and given a room, not arguing as he knew Owen wouldn’t do all this without a very serious reason.

“Owen, what’s this going to do to me?” he asked, no longer able to move his hand.

“It kills its host and then brings them back with that meat sludge in the pipes. Maybe your body will be able to fight it off but…”

“It’s ok. I understand. I’m leaving this up to you.”

Owen replied with a nod and Jack resigned himself to staying where he was. The infection was spreading too fast for him to fight and he just hoped that when he came back it would be gone. He lay down and tried not to think about the burning sensation rising up his arm. At least Owen would have a test subject. Owen leant on the wall outside of the room, reflecting on what a disaster this had all become. He hated the idea but he might have to call in UNIT for help. No, not yet. They might try and blow up the obsidian structure and spread it even further. He needed to know what would happen to a mammal at the point of death and he hated the idea of using Jack.

Gwen watched the infected rat plod lethargically around its tank. She felt so sorry for the creature that was obviously in pain, its tail blackened and bone exposed. If it hadn’t been a pandemic level issue even Owen may have put it down by this point. The rodent stopped and fell onto its side.

“Owen... “

He’d asked her to call him at the moment the animal passed. Under the hazmat suit he looked haggard, trying to keep all of his patients from rioting out of fear. A screen next to the tank showed that the rats heart and brain function had stopped. It was then that it twitched.

Gwen jumped at the movement but even she knew that random electrical signals can do that to a body just after death. What didn’t usually happen was the body getting back onto its feet. The dead rat moved to the side of the tank, testing where it was before backing up and ramming the side. The tank was undamaged but the creature continued trying to ram into the side. Owen signaled for Gwen to move to the other side of the table with him. The rat changed its trajectory. It was actively trying to get to them.

“It’s a... “ Gwen began.

“Don’t say it… Make sure anyone that gets too far gone is restrained out there.”

Twenty hours had passed since the people out in the street had been drawn to the sinkhole and the virus was mostly contained but as Tosh looked up from her power nap her stomach dropped. The tv she’d left on for some white noise played a news report. It was happening again and this time people were carrying meat and livestock towards the obsidian pit. The entranced people crashed through the cordon as if it weren’t even there and lead the animals onto the steps. Each edge seem to slice through the creatures like a knife. Those caught under its spell were feeding it. She shot up to report what the news had been showing, rushing past Jacks room. She stopped for a moment and looked over at the captain. He was pale, hunched over and holding his head.

“Jack?”

He looked up with unfocused eyes, agony etched into his face. “Calling… It’s calling… Won’t stop…”

“The pit?” She dared take a step into the room.

“It wants food… powers it… Machine… Controls… us.”

“It’s a machine? What does it do? Jack?” Another step closer.

“Heart… It... a heart…”

Another step. She was pulled sharply back by Ianto as Jack lunged for her. He pulled her out of the room and locked Jack inside. Jack roared and slammed his fists against the door, unable to fight the infection any longer.

“I heard him too. Come on.” Ianto said, finally releasing his grip on his coworker.

They ran to report what they’d been told and Jacks condition, trying to think of some way to end all this.

Ianto and Gwen pulled on their body armor and respirators before heading towards the pit. Covered head to toe in kevlar they moved towards the centre, diamond bladed saw in hand. Sparks shot into the air as the saw cut into the stone. In retaliation the pit began to rise and flatten itself out again as if that would protect it from the blade. The chunk of rock finally fell through, landing with an earth shattering boom. No going back, they descended into the structure.

The walls were smooth and as black as the exposed part had been but the floor was white, like bone. Red veins pulsed around the edges of the floor. They followed the crimson vessels deeper, finding that the smooth walls gave way to what looked like cogs, grinding dryly. Any oil having long dried up. The further they walked the more machinery clanged and screeched, louder by the moment. Many of the vessels began to converge and wind together like muscles, pulsing. Even through the respirator Ianto felt like he could smell that rancid stench that had attacked his senses from the tap.

The bundles of vessels lead into a final, huge chamber. Its walls were slick and crimson, the vessels emptying down them like a fountain. Below the pools churned and bubbled. Finally in the centre, held up like a marionette was a figure. It stood over nine feet tall and its leathery skin clung tightly to its horribly emaciated form. It looked as if it had been dead for centuries until it opened its eyes, blind and milky. It began to move with a horrible creaking and a familiar grinding from its ribcage, the pools of blood being drawn towards it. The metal tubes that snaked into its head rattled and groaned.

Back at the hospital all had gone silent but only for a moment. Every one of the infected began shrieking and trying to fight their restraints, all facing in the direction of the pit. It was so loud that Owen feared some may destroy their own vocal chords. He could just hear the awful noise of joints dislocating, under the screams, as the patients pulled their restraints with no concern for their own wellbeing.

Gwen and Ianto aimed at the huge creatures head. It looked around as if something or someone should have been running to its aid but it found itself abandoned. Both agents fired at once, each bullet leaving a perfect hole through its head that poured out more of the rotten viscera. It thrashed, only succeeding in pulling the wires that held it up from its skin, before finally falling limp. Still the cogs moved. Ianto pointed up to the creatures chest that still clanked and werred. Gwen stepped forward and gritted her teeth before grabbing onto the skin of the hanging figures abdomen, pulling as hard as she could. The membrane tore away to reveal more gears, mummified flesh still stuck to the metal. In the very centre an obsidian core sat, turning slowly.

She moved out of the way as a very angry Ianto revved up the saw, lifting it up and pushing it as hard as he could into the core. It sparked in a shower of red and white before everything fell still.

The hospital was suddenly silent, all movement stopped and Owen hoped beyond hope that whatever had happened hadn’t killed every one of the people under his care. He was almost relieved when he heard the garden centre manageress gasping and sobbing as she looked at her dislocated wrist.

After hours spent sending people either home or to local hospitals Owen unlocked Jacks room. He looked his usual self, seemingly napping quite happily. He opened one clear blue eye and smiled.

“I think I broke the door.” He pointed to a fist sized hole in the door.

“You’re feeling better then.”

“I don’t remember anything after climbing into that sinkhole. Usually when that happens there’s alcohol involved and I don’t wake up alone.”

Gwen and Ianto got back to the hub and immediately headed to shower. Their clothing, hair and even shoes stank of rot. They both felt like there wasn’t enough soap in the world to wash it away but it was worth a try. They were separated by a wall but sound travelled well in the tiled room.

“I could sleep for days after this.” Gwen said as she ran shampoo through her hair for the third time.

“That’s the plan. My shoulders are killing me.”

“Well you did hold that saw over your head.”

“I was annoyed.”

“Remind me to never annoy you.”

The Hub was quiet for the next three days while everyone recovered from their exhaustion. The pit was filled with concrete and paved over and life went on as if nothing had happened. That was always their best case scenario. Forgotten. A myth.

Inside the Hub was different. No one was ever really forgotten, especially when their leaving happened to coincide with an injury. Elise sighed to herself, feeling the bandage around her thigh through her trousers. The quiet in her mind had become more noticeable as the days passed and it left a dark fog in its wake. She missed their quiet conversations and always having someone there. She couldn’t let herself dwell on the matter, she had to let it go.

She stood and stretched, able to stand and limp around without her crutch, at least for a little while.

“Have you read it yet?” Asked Jack, leaning on her desk.

“Read what?”

“The letter that was left for you.”

She shook her head and sat back down in her chair. “I can’t even look at it right now. I copied it onto my own computer, my phone, a USB stick so I could whenever but… Not yet. I will, but not yet.”

“You should. It might help you.” Jack looked behind her as Owen placed his hands on her shoulders.

“Mind if I borrow this?” He asked as she jumped in surprise.

“As long as you bring her back in one piece.”

Jack took his leave.

Elise turned to look at Owen. “What do you need?”

“You looked uncomfortable and I’m bored.”

She laughed softly.

“Come on, I don’t want your aim getting rusty if I’m going to be the one blamed for training you. You should be fine standing for a bit.”

“Sounds good.” She stood and slowly limped after him.

“And when you’re healed up we need to work on your running speed.”

“I’m not that slow.”

“Tosh can run faster than you in high heels and a skirt. Yea, you are.”

“It’s not my fault that you’re all related to sodding racehorses.”

“Up your game Carter.”

“Don’t use my words.” She slapped his arm playfully.

#Torchwood #jack harkness #ianto jones #gwen cooper #owen harper #toshiko sato

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rkcheri · 5 years

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its early, the sun only just peeking through his window but hyunjoon finds himself wide awake. it’s been like this the last few days, the teen unable to stay asleep and his natural morning person vibes getting him to woke up much earlier than he needs. not that he cares, before it use to give him time to fix everyone something for breakfast–but since he’s having trouble cooking with one hand, lately he’s been using it to catch up on reading. today was different though.

since he knows the odds of him being able to meet up with his cousin today are slim, the teen decides he’s going to send her a message instead. but not just any message, no hyunjoon was going to record her a video message.

the two of them have near weekly face time dates, something that became even more precious to him with what happened only a few weeks ago– ( it’s weird to him though how much time has passed since the accident ) –and he knows that feeling is equal on jihyun noonas side. the older girl not often having time away from her training and idol work to visit with family. the time he had with her that week had been very precious to him. but that doesn’t make him love their video calls any less.

he thought about calling her but he wasnt sure if she would be busy or not. and if she was sleeping he didn’t want to disturb her well needed sleep. after all, luxe seems to be so busy which is great because he wants her to do well, but he worries for her health sometimes. so he settles for the video message for now. they can always call later.

the video opens with a still sleepy looking hyunjoon. he hadn’t yet changed from his polar bear pajamas and his hair was still sticking a few odd ways. “hi noona~“ he greets, setting his phone up so he wouldn’t have to hold it and giving the camera a little wave. a smile pulls across his cheeks–all gummy and happy. ”it’s just around five am, but you know i’ve never been one to sleep in long. and i wanted to get this recorded before i head to school. mom’s driving me today, so i won’t worry about being late though.“ he gives a small laugh. showing so much emotion than he normally does–even with jihyun. whether it be the sleepy state he’s still in, or the effect of what happened in November is unknown. it could also just be because of what today is.

”happy birthday, jihyun noona~. i’d sing but i don’t wanna.“ he teases a little, but his words are filled with love. the teen vanishes a little from the frame and some shuffling is head before soon there’s a kitten stuffed animal in his hand which he carefully props up on his lap–making sure not to bump his arm stll in the sling. ”i was going to wait until you could visit to show you but i got too excited, this is my gift to you! he doesn’t have a name yet, i thought i’d leave that to you. but i thought he kind of looked like me.“ he holds the kitten up with his good hand and shows off how they both have unamused looks. the black kitten looking just as bored as hyunjoon always seem.

”i thought you could take him to the dorms with you and then when you start being too silly, he can give you this look for me.“ he can’t stop the grin that forms, knowing jihyun can’t stop him from teasing like this. but its all out of love. hyunjoon tends to get too shy if he is too mushy so he sticks to light teasing.

”anyway–i bet you have to work today but i hope you get to celebrate a little, and mom said to come over anytime and she’ll cook you a big dinner. jaewon will be annoyed i didn’t wait for him to wake up to record with me, but i’m sure you’ll get one from him later.“ his brother was not an early rises like hyunjoon, and the teen was not going to wait to send his noona a video.

”happy happy birthday, and have a super super good day~i love you, jihyun noona.“ before he ends though something comes to mind and the teen’s smile widens a bit before he breaks into singing jihyuns parts in luxe’s debut song. he of course all the lyrics to every song in the album at this point. ”cheri noona, fighting~!“

she grows another year older and while most things come day by day, today was one she’d been anticipating for quite a while. it was the start of a new dawn, it was going to be her first birthday since she debuted and it was weird to think about. but much like many of the years prior, nothing really special happens. of course she knows of the girls plans for a small party at the dorm and the influx of birthday messages throughout the day are one to be accustomed to, but other than that, jihyun finds her day passing by rather quickly.

only coming to a stand still when she finally is able to take a break and breathe. allowing herself a moment to step back from practices and vocal lessons with coach kim to look at the messages that have gathered in her inbox, to reply to each of them respectfully and diligently through her clumsy keyboard tapping and hidden laughter behind rumpled sleeves.

they were a joy, her friends and family, of those who were able to send their regards to her during the day. gwen and grayson had already called her ahead of time, knowing they’d be busy at work when the day actually arrived. her mother and father had video-called her at 6 in the morning when they had found time and it was all for the best.

it isn’t until she’s scrolled to nearly the bottom of her inbox, that she realizes that among the texts from her family’s group chat, she’s yet to hyunjoon’s birthday message to her. it has a frumpled line sitting upon her lips as she continues to scroll, trying to find a hint of a message. and while she knew she shouldn’t be upset, and that there were plenty of other more important things on her cousin’s plate at the moment, she couldn’t quite help but feel a bit disheartened that she hadn’t received anything from it ( yet ) ; at least, that was what she had told herself before she scrolled to the very bottom and found his message laying there in wait.

it takes a total of two seconds for jihyun to open the message and press play; shoving her ear buds into her ears almost immediately at the sight of the video. while it wasn’t exactly what she had expected upon realizing that she had received a message, the video itself was endearing and jihyun couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of her cousin’s sleepy face; hoping that he hadn’t gotten up earlier than he needed to for her benefit.

( even if just a few minutes prior she was about to throw a fit because she couldn’t find his message but details, they didn’t matter )

it isn’t long before the sight of a furry friend makes it’s appearance and jihyun can’t help the soft aw that escapes her lips at the gaze of the kitten in her cousin’s hands. only when it registers that the kitten could be hers does jihyun sigh, feeling a tad guilty at the thought – even domo wasn’t with her in the dorm, how could she bring a kitten.

despite it all, she adores the gift, vowing through text to see if the kitten could come live with her in the dorm ( through a quick text with manager sera and kyu ) before sending another thread of texts to her cousin.

・・ sms › › hyunjojo 👺 ☇ the kitten is absolutely adorable! ☇ i love him! 🥰💕❤️ ☇ i’ll name him joonjoon! ☇ but i have to ask my managers if we can keep him in the dorm ☇ do you think you can take care of him for me in the meantime? ❤️

#・・ 지현bday18 ›#rkhyunjoon #i Finally answered adsakdsa cries why are they so Cute #a CAT !!!!#we will have to ask .... the managers but cries she'd probably have to keep him w hyunjoon cries or rome .....#submission #( * ✦ ∙ —— the lees . )

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dabllsittlespace · 6 years

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Part three: Protect them

I got a little excited with this ABO idea.

Summary: Just when Max thought his life wouldn’t suffer any more changes, he finds something new.

Warning: mpreg

Max had never been all that fond of Cameron Campbell. The man reeked of trouble wherever he went. The fact that he kept coming and going, along with the FBI constantly asking for his whereabouts, only made Max dislike him even more.

The man was a criminal, he was one hundred and fifty percent sure of it.

And yet David didn’t seem to see that. David adored Mr. Campbell, looked up to him, praised him. It made Max want to punch the redhead in the eye. The fucking idiot did anything the larger man (an alpha, Max later realized), wanted him to, no matter how strange it was.

God, how Max had wished David would just open his eyes one day, and see Cameron Campbell the way he saw him: a conniving con artist who cared about no one but himself.

Then, that day came.

It had been the day Campbell had tried to frame David for his crimes. The day Max had easily seen through the older alpha’s charade and foiled his plans in a matter of minutes.

The day David’s heart shattered.

Max felt stupid at not having realized it before. The excitement with which David prepared that last dumb activity proposed by ‘Samboy Kidwell’ (What was it again? Self Dummy Woodcarving? Some shit like that.) should have given him enough of a clue that he had something important to say. Something big to tell everyone.

And in the end, it was ruined before it had a chance to start.

Max had successfully foiled Cameron’s plans and saved David from being blamed for countless crimes. David had overheard Campbell’s confession, the FBI got even more proof that the guy was a piece of shit, everything turned out for the best.

At least, that’s what he had thought. Until later in the day.

It didn’t go unnoticed. David was hurt my Campbell’s actions. He was deeply hurt. The omega man did his best to hide it from the children, to be as joyful as he always was, to try and make everyone excited about the camptivities.

And concerning the other kids, it did work. But Max? He was sharper than that. He could see through is mask. And by dinner time, it had even started to break.

Whatever David had meant to tell Cameron, he needed to tell someone else about it. He had been ready to tell it, and now it was tearing him apart.

So when the counselor pulled Gwen over and lead her to his cabin while the campers ate dinner, Max knew he had to follow. He had to know. Whether David wanted him to or not.

He had sneaked out of the cafeteria room and made his way over to David’s cabin, making sure not to be spotted. He had pressed his ear against the door, wanting in on the dirt.

David was crying. Not that usual whiny crying of his, it was different. It was desperate. Hopeless. Miserable.

Gwen was there by his side, comforting him the best way she could. Max had barely managed to listen to what they were saying, but he had caught enough of the conversation to fully realize what was making the redheaded counselor so upset.

David was pregnant. He was carrying Campbell’s child.

Max had let out a loud curse before running away from the cabin, heading straight to the pier to have some alone time.

It had infuriated him. Just the previous month, his parents had sent the counselor their consent for him becoming Max’s guardian. Which, after also getting Max’s consent, David had accepted.

But that? That changed everything!

David wouldn’t be able to look after both him and the baby alone! It was more than certain he’d have to make a choice, and Max knew David would never get rid of that baby, regardless of who the father was. The omega would never forgive himself if he even as much as thought such a thing.

The only other option, the one Max knew David would certainly pick, was for him to be given up. To be abandoned again. Just like his parents did before, David was sure to turn his back on him now.

He had been sure that was what was going to happen. Absolutely sure.

So when David had come out of nowhere and had pulled him into a hug, he had been too surprised to be able to react the way he usually did, with screaming and insults and kicking.

The tears were still fresh in on David’s cheeks as he had whispered to him lovingly. “I’m not going to abandon you, Max. I’ll find a way. I’ll work it out. I promise.”

Max didn’t know why he had cried. Why he returned the hug. Why everything seemed to make him so scared.

But David’s words, for some reason he couldn’t fathom, gave him hope. Made him believe that everything would be alright. David would work it out. He always did.

That was how Max had ended up in David’s bed, head gently pressed against the counselor’s still flat belly as the young man slept. Max, however, couldn’t bring himself to fall asleep, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind as he felt David’s warmth against him.

At first, he had felt jealousy towards the lifeform growing within his guardian. After all, that would be David’s biological child. Something Max wasn’t. That baby would be more important to David. Closer to him than Max could ever be.

Now, though, as he mused over it in the dark, his thoughts differed. He and that baby, he just started to realize, were more alike than he had at first thought. Just like him, that child has a father that will never care about them. That will never be there when needed. Also, they’ll both have David. Biological child or not, David will give them both all the unconditional love a parent can give. The omega wouldn’t leave any of them behind, Max was no longer doubting that.

They would be a happy family. No matter what got in their way.

His thoughts were interrupted by the slow creaking of a door. He remained still, frozen in place. Someone was walking in the cabin, but he wasn’t sure who. Gwen, maybe? Perhaps she came to check in on David? After all, omega pregnancies were complicated. She had good reasons to be worried.

A dark figure approached. Tall and bulky, it loomed over them like a predator eyeing a prey. Max looked up at the intruder, and instantly his fear was replaced by anger. His alpha instincts kicked in, and he positioned himself over David’s belly, staring the intruder right in the eyes, daring and threatening.

“Get. Out.” He whispered harshly at the much bigger male.

Cameron Campbell stared him down, hunting knife still firmly held in his hand, ready to strike any second. Max was aware of the dangers of facing a much bigger alpha than him, let alone armed. But he couldn’t just lie there and do nothing.

He had to protect David and the baby.

Campbell didn’t seem bothered by Max’s warning, slowly hunching over then, eyes fixed on David as his grip on the knife grew firm.

Then, he froze. His nostrils dilated as a new scent invaded them, a scent Max had grown used to due to being around the young counselor for so long. The mixture of pine, wet dirt and a sweet, oh so very sweet, new smell was for the first time being sensed by the man.

Blue eyes widened, their gaze landing on the sleeping omega’s abdomen, still under the protection of Max’s body. Could it be? Was it…?

“Is… Is that…?”

Max’s eyes narrowed into thin slits, menacing.

“Out.” He whispered again, making sure not to wake David up. The last thing his guardian needed was to have a scare in the middle of the night.

Campbell looked to the side, noticing something in the corner of the room, illuminated by the moonlight. It was the mannequin David had done of himself, for the camptivity picked by ‘Samboy’. It stood there, still with the exact broad smile David always wore, holding something in its wooden arms. A bundle, made of straw.

The knife fell to the ground.

Blue eyes were wide with realization as the older alpha took a step back. He had almost killed a pregnant omega. And with his child, no less. An attempt highly punishable by law. If he got caught, he’d spend the rest of his life in prison, only because he intended to kill David. All his other crimes combined wouldn’t give him as much of a hard sentence as that little attempt.

Max’s gaze followed the man’s every move, eyes barely blinking as he stared him down. He gave zero fucks about Cameron being the father. If he laid one finger on David or the baby, Max wouldn’t rest until he had the man’s head embalmed and placed over the fireplace.

But, he soon found out, he didn’t need to worry. For with one last, fearful glance at David, Cameron ran out the door. Away from there. Away from David. Away from his responsibilities. Like the coward he was.

The adrenaline rush dropped, and the tension in Max’s body decreased. Careful not to wake David, the young boy got off of him, retreating back to his initial position, with his head gently pressed against the counselor’s belly as he started to calm down.

At that moment, all he felt for Cameron Campbell was hatred. Hatred for what he had done – plus what he had tried to do - to David. And the fact that he ran from it all.

Max knew then, as he lied there beside David, with his forehead against the omega man’s abdomen, that he would have to take the lead. He was an alpha after all. And with Campbell running off, he was the next alpha in their little ‘family’.

And he was more than determined to do his job as an alpha: to protect his family. To protect David and his child.

It was the least he could do. He owed David that much.

#camvid

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spideyxchelle · 6 years

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Sorry I know you probably have so many prompts. But I was wondering if you would maybe write something around a soulmate au. Something in which earth is a place that soulmates exist and as peter and mj get to know each other they realise that perhaps they are each other’s.

hey friends, we are just getting right down to it when it comes to the prompts, aren’t we? YAS FAM. okay. one soulmate au coming up. i did TRY to be funny and then it got angsty. i’m so sorry.

in this world soulmates exist.

they do not show up in the form of a tattoo (someone’s name, or the first phrase they ever say to you, or the last). nor is it that the whole world is in black and white until you meet your soulmate and then suddenly the world is technicolor. no. not that either. in this world soulmates are not exactly fool proof. see, everyone on earth is born with an extra finger and when you meet your soulmate it falls off. WHICH IS SUCH A BAD VERSION OF THIS UNIVERSE! like, losing an appendage is traumatic. and often people are so distracted by LOSING A FUCKING FINGER they don’t bother to look up and see who is around to mull over who might be their soulmate.

meeting your soulmate in a crowd is horrible. fingers just falling off, crowds screaming, its not a fun time.

but if you happen to work through the trauma quick enough to pick up on who ELSE just lost a finger you get a soulmate. good for you.

when peter meets michelle jones on the first day of high school they are not the only people in the room that meet their soulmate. four different sets of couples lose fingers that day. AND BEYOND THE TRAUMA it is also very confusing. like, wait, which of us are soulmates??? the people that lose fingers are Gwen Stacy, Michelle Jones, Laura Rene Scott, Charlie Weiderman, Peter Parker, Joshua Ranzino, Frank O’Neill and Stephanie Patelli. which means everyone and ANYONE is game on the soulmate pairing.

Michelle Jones immediately takes herself out of the running of figuring this mess out. the other seven students really want to know, are dying from the curiosity, but MJ could give a shit. she has more important things to do than figure out the whole high school sweetheart/soulmate puzzle.

which leaves the soulmate puzzle a little one-sided. Frank and Josh are both gay. so they figure out their soulmate situation pretty quickly into freshman year. Laura and Stephanie figure their shit out at the top of sophomore year, too. which leaves it down to Charlie, Peter and Gwen (and silently MJ). and the Charlie, Peter and Gwen saga becomes a thing. because Gwen and Peter hit it off. and Charlie is shy and awkward and there is no way that he’s Gwen’s soulmate.

she’s sweet and popular and adorable. and looks at Peter like he shines. which means that Charlie must be it for MJ. which is a bummer because she wants nothing to do with the soulmate business.

and its awesome. for Peter. Gwen is great. Gwen is, actually, incredible. and he falls in love with the smart, funny Indian girl within a month of dating. and he tells her he’s Spider-man a few months after that.

being soulmates with Gwen Stacy eliminates the pressure of his relationships with everyone else in that circle of eight kids that found out they had soulmates that first day of school. in fact, it makes it easy to be their friends. especially MJ. when Frank and Josh found each other and Laura and Rene the following year, Peter would silently lay awake at night and consider Charlie, Gwen and MJ as potential soulmates. it was maddening, insane and hurtful at times. but now, with Gwen, he can just be their friend. and he finds its incredibly easy to be friends with MJ.

she’s a genius. and she’s witty. and funny. and pretty. and figures out Spider-Man stuff all on her own. actually, she forces herself on to team Spider-Man with Ned and Gwen. and its awesome. their little team of four is great.

they become so close that he starts to talk to her about Charlie. because he’s so happy with Gwen that he really wants that for MJ. she always gives him a weird look. it’s almost longing. but he doesn’t notice. he can’t. he has stars in his eyes. and whenever he brings up Charlie, MJ brushes it off. “ugh, would you stop going on about Charlie fucking Weiderman?” Gwen always sweetly interjects, “Charlie is really cute, MJ. and nice.” to which Peter always jumps in, “see? cute. nice.” but neither Gwen nor Peter ever get through to her on the case of Charlie Weiderman.

actually, nobody really talks to Charlie at Midtown. if Peter is a dork and bullied by the masses, Charlie is invisible. only nice, wonderful Gwen Stacy ever takes the time. she is his science lab partner and sits with him at lunch so he isn’t alone. she’s sweet. GOD. peter loves her.

quick note about soulmates: when your soulmate dies you feel it. and the hand where you lost your finger blackens. a symbol of your loss.

and in every universe, in every version of their story, Gwen Stacy dies because of Spider-Man. in this world Gwen gets kidnapped their senior year of high school by some alien calling for revenge on behalf of Thanos’ defeat. and there is nothing peter can do but beg and plead for this otherworldly creature to let her go.

it is the wrong choice of words.

the alien lets her go. and she falls, falls, falls. when peter closes his eyes every night for the next year he will see her falling. the fall never ends. until it does. until he doesn’t save her. until she hits the ground and ceases to be, ceases to breathe. whatever gwen stacy was in life, she is not in death.

peter begs for her to wake up. he wants to see her eyes, he tells her. nothing he says brings her back. and that’s when he expects the pain to shoot through him, for his hand to blacken. it never does.

somewhere across town Charlie Weiderman doubles over and screams. his hand blackens. the pain does not ebb away. he has lost what he never had.

peter barely notices that his hand never changes. he is too overcome with grief. only when tony points it out to him back at the compound does it hit him. he was never gwen’s soulmate. it does not make the loss any less. but it causes a different kind of sting. she was never his to begin with. he stole time from her real soulmate. he suddenly dreads seeing MJ or Charlie. one of them will bear the mark of losing the love of their life.

he does not go to school for two weeks after Gwen dies. and when he finally does pluck up the courage to go to school, Charlie is no where to be found. he meets MJ’s eyes across the hall and she crosses the distance, brushing students out of her way, to throw her arms around peter’s frame. he chokes back a sob and hugs her so tightly that they sway. when he finally pulls away from her he cannot look down. he does not want to see if he took her soulmate from her.

she smiles sadly, cups his cheeks with both hands (neither of which have blackened and decayed) and shakes her head, “it wasn’t me, peter.”

in the throes of grief (because gwen was MJ’s friend, too…they both lost something) there is something suddenly between them. a spark of recognition. if it was not mj. then it was charlie and if charlie was gwen’s soulmate. then that makes her……his.

the sadness of losing gwen is too crippling for the pair of them to even acknowledge the terrifying truth between them. they spend weeks grieving with ned. team spider-man isn’t team spider-man without gwen there.

charlie never comes back to school.

slowly, the mornings stop being colorless. and they find joy, the three remaining members of team spider-man. they heal together. a beautiful, fractured thing. and somewhere around graduation peter says it. the thing neither he or mj have had the guts to say out loud. “so, you’re my soulmate.” she shutters, like his words are a physical wound, “i guess. yes, i am.” “and you’ve always known,” he suddenly realizes. and all of the years of her avoiding him, of being unwilling to join the search for soulmates when the eight midtown students all first met. it all makes sense. the way she has looked at him. she was always waiting. waiting for him to look at her back.

“soulmates aren’t a guarantee,” she whispers, “somebody can be your soulmate and still hurt you….or leave.” mj has never spoken about her mother before. and he had never asked. now, he has a hunch as to why she has never been around. “that doesn’t mean it’ll be us, em,” he scoots closer to her so their knees touch. the discovery of her touch is miraculous and something he wants to spend the rest of his life learning better. “it doesn’t mean it won’t,” she says breezily, but he can sense the pain underneath.

“let me spend the rest of our life proving you wrong, then?” he says. and he nearly flinches at how hokey it sounds. but he can’t help himself. mj is undeniable. he’s not sure how he missed it for so long. the obvious spark between them. he realizes, like a lightening strike, that he likes her and he loves her. and that is somehow all together different than him and gwen. mj is his best friend.

she gnaws on her lip and curses, “you fucking dork.” but she doesn’t say no either. and that’s how they begin. friends. and it makes everything else that comes after so much more special.

when they come to school the next day holding hands ned whoops in glee. mj rolls her eyes. and charlie weiderman, holed up in his room across town, begins to fester and plan.

#headcanon ask #spideychelle

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