#she was SHOCKED and traumatized! she left for one MINUTE and was dragged away to a shitty hole even deeper than the one shes grown up in! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

defiblover27 · 2 years

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Alexa is a 23 year old woman standing at five foot two with an athletic build and a sun kissed tan. She has bright blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. Alexa and her husband John were expecting their first child and couldn't wait to spend the rest of their lives together. It was a cool wet morning and John had left for work, he is supposed to take time off in two weeks for the birth of their child. Alexa awoke to a strange feeling and felt around the bed. She was shocked when her hand felt wet. Sitting up slowly she realized that her water broke. She slowly got out of bed and grabbed her phone. She tried again and again to get a hold of John but kept getting his voicemail. "John, call me back my water just broke, I need you." She began to panic since she was alone and decided to drive to the hospital herself. She grabbed her bag that they had packed weeks ago for the hospital stay and slipped on her shoes. She left the house in just sneakers and a white night gown. After getting in her car she tried calling John again and once again got voicemail "John, I am driving to Mercy now, please hurry" She drove as carefully as she could but felt the panic setting in. She stopped at a red light and once it turned green began to drive. The cross traffic light never turned red and a semi-truck noticed Alexa's car a little too late and slammed on its brakes. Alexa as t-boned on the passengers side and her car smashed together like a tin can. The car rolled a few times before landing right side up. The driver of the semi jumped out of his barely damaged truck and rushed to Alexa's car. She had been knocked unconscious from the impact. The trucker dialed 911 and pleaded for them to hurry as he stared at Alexa. His eyes drifted down as he noticed her large pregnant belly "oh my god... she's pregnant." The 911 dispatcher tried to calm the trucker as she dispatched all necessary personnel. Since Alexa was pregnant two ambulances were dispatched for the fastest response time.

Sara and Dave were the first paramedics to arrive as the police had closed off the intersection and the fire crew was working on ripping the roof off of the car. After removing the roof of the car Sara climbed into the back seat and placed a c-collar on Alexa. She had a strong pulse and responded to painful stimuli. Her left femur bone was protruding out of her skin. They carefully maneuvered a backboard behind her and dragged her out of the vehicle. They placed her on a gurney and began to stabilize her. They snipped off her white nightgown leaving her completely nude on the gurney with own her sneakers on. They placed electrodes on her bare chest and listened for a fetal heartbeat. They were able to find the fetal heartbeat and moved on to bracing her left leg with a large orange brace. There was significant cuts and bruises over her entire body and a large gash on her forehead. They rolled her into the back of the ambulance as the second EMS crew arrived. One of the paramedics from that crew got in the back with Sara as Dave sped away from the scene. Two of the police cars on the scene escorted them to the hospital. In the back of the ambulance Sara started an IV and started fluids. After a few minutes Alexa's eyes started fluttering. "Wh...where am I?" she let out softly. "You've been in a car accident, you are in an ambulance right now we are taking you to Mercy Hospital. How far along are you?" Sara responded. "My water broke this morning" Alexa replied "please... save my baby" Alexa let out softly before drifting unconscious again. Sara performed a sternum rub and called out to her "Come on sweetie wake up, you have a baby to take care of" Alexa didn't respond to the sternum rub as the monitors showed PEA. Sara began strong deep chest compressions as the other paramedic quickly intubated her and secured it with a blue holder. "Update Mercy let them know we have a traumatic full arrest and her water broke this morning" Sara called out to Dave as he radioed the hospital. Sara pushed a round of drugs and continued CPR. Within the next minute they were wheeling her out of the ambulance and into the ER. They took her straight to the trauma room as Sara gave the briefing. "23 year old female, water broke this morning, t-boned by a semi, lost pulse about 2 minutes ago and given one round of drugs still in PEA". They transferred her over to the bed and positioned the overhead light as a nurse took over CPR. "Alright give it two more minutes and then we have to get the baby out." Dr. Micheal informed the team. Cpr continued for another minutes as her petite pregnant body shook on the bed. V-fib was established as the paddles were charged to 200 joules and gelled. Once they were charged the cold metal was placed against her bare chest and the shock was delivered. Her body twitched with the shock before CPR was resumed. With no response the paddles were charged to 300 joules. One paddle was placed between Alexa's breasts and the other slight below and to the side of her left breast. The shock caused her pregnant belly to bounce off the table slightly before going still again. The shock sent her back into asystole as the team continued fighting for her life. The OB on call Dr. Johnson spread betadine across her large belly before slicing her open. He used his hands to tear open her belly and had one of the nurses hold it in place. Within a minute he was able to get the baby out and the first cry of the newborn brought the spirits of the team up a little bit. They then remembered that the newborns mother was dying on the trauma bed.

Aggressive CPR continued as her now empty abdominal cavity shook around from the sheer force. The nurse felt her broken ribs jerk around with each compression. Another round of drugs was pushed through her IV as CPR continued for another minute until the drugs took effect. As the monitors began to show v-fib the paddles were charged to 360 joules and gel was reapplied. Placing them on her bare chest the shock rippled through her body causing both her arms to fall off the bed. CPR was resumed as her arms bounced up and down as they dangled off the bed. Her battered body laid lifeless as they backed away for the next shock. The paddles were charged to 360 joules as they were placed on the gelled areas of her chest from the past defibrillations. After pressing the shock button April's body shot off the bed before crashing back down again. "Still no change, charge again to 360" Dr. Michael ordered, as the paddles were being charged Alexa's nude body shook around on the table from the force of the compressions. Her empty stomach cavity was being packed with surgical gauze as they attempted to control any bleeding from the emergency c-section. The defib unit sounded off that it was charged as Dr. Michael took the paddles in his hands a nurse squirted gel onto the paddles. Rubbing them together he spread the gel before bringing them down onto her bare chest right over top the gel that glistened on her chest from previous attempts. Once everyone backed away he pressed the shock button. Alexa's chest shot off the bed and came crashing back down again, her belly shook side to side before going still. At this point Alexa converted into asystole as CPR was resumed on the new mother. An ultrasound was called for to assess any injuries that they might have missed internally. With compressions still ravaging her chest Dr. Michael moved the wand around and found that there was a large collection of blood directly around her heart and obvious damage to the aorta. "Prep a thoracotomy please, she has to meet her new child." Dr. Michael asked almost taking this case personally. The tray was moved toward the bed as betadine was squirted over the whole of her chest. They elected for a clamshell thoracotomy to gain access to her thoracic cavity. Slicing away the medical team went deeper and deeper as blood spilled out of the young woman's chest. After a few moments Alexa's chest was pried open and now she was cut open from just above her vagina all the way up to her breasts and to the side. Upon entry to the thoracic cavity a large amount of blood rushed out and was quickly filled with fresh bright red blood. Suction was applied to gain a line of sight as Dr. Michael quickly attempted to suture the aorta. After this was done he took his hands and started squeezing her heart. With each squeeze the line on the monitor jumped and showed the efforts of Dr. Michael's hands. After giving another round of drugs Alexa converted back into v-fib. The internal paddles were charged to 20 joules and lowered into her chest. The large sppon shaped paddles wrapped around her twitching heart. As the ambu bag was dropped and dangled from her mouth the shock was discharged. Alexa twitched on the table as the electricity hit her. Her heart continued to twitch inside her chest as the paddles were recharged to 30 joules. Using one hand to compress her heart Dr. Michael held the paddles in the other. Once the unit was charged everyone backed away and the higher shock was delivered. This time Alexa's toes scrunched showing off the wrinkles on her small feet and her hands formed loose fists. There was still no change but blood began to pool in the cavity. The suture to the aorta came undone so Dr. Michael repaired it for a second time. After the repair the paddles were charged to 40 joules. The cold metal was placed back in her chest and the shock was delivered. Alexa's shoulders srunched inward as her arms flailed out. Once again they were unable to convert the young mother.

Dr. Michael looked at the clock and realized they had been coding the young woman for almost 30 minutes. At that point he took out his penlight and shined it into her beautiful eyes that stared blankly back at him. "Pupils fixed and dilated, she's been down for almost 30 minutes, and her injuries are catastrophic. Does anyone object to calling this code?" Dr. Michael asked the room fell silent. "Time of death 12:17 PM. Thank you for your help". Dr. Michael announced. Alexa was pronounced dead as her heart twitched inside of her exposed thoracic cavity. The young newly deceased mother was detached from the electrodes, the ambu bag was detached, and they attempted to clean up the graphic code the best they could. Finally they placed a toe tag on her right big toe that draped in front of her small foot. They then closed her eyes for the final time. April's husband was now left with a child that he would have to raise on his own and had no clue how he would do it. All he knew is that he would try his best to raise that child to be just like their mother.

#defib #female #defibrillator #cpr #resus #resuscitation

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gayofthefae · 2 years

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Thinking about Nancy’s protective relationship to her brother and the idea of her relationship by relation to Will. Not just the cool big sister she used to be when she dressed up for their campaign, but thinking about Nancy being dragged into the upside down after investigating Barb’s disappearance and understanding then that that’s where both Barb and Will were, alive...or not.

Thinking about Mike not knowing about Barb, I don’t think, because of his absence in his focus on Will and Nancy finding and seeing the upside before Mike. Thinking about how Nancy went in “Monster” and Mike still hasn’t been - his closest being the tunnels.

Thinking about Nancy Wheeler, dragged through a tree into another dimension after investigating the disappearance of her best friend - a disappearance that occurred the night after the disappearance of her little brother’s best friend - and seeing where they most both be. Thinking about Nancy Wheeler’s understandable shock and confusion and horror at Mike being involved with the situation but I’m sure, understanding, because she went after Barb too.

Thinking about Nancy seeing the upside down and the demogorgon for a few seconds and being traumatized in combination by both her own experience and the information; the knowledge that both Barb and Will have been there for...long er than a few seconds or minutes. Thinking about Nancy being able to envision it when El went through in her mind to look in “The Bathtub”. Thinking about the horrible guilt and nuance of emotions to hear that only one of them survived because there is something to empathize with of a certain resentment there that it couldn’t have just be simple and both either way. The not ill-intended jealousy.

Thinking about Nancy always understanding a little bit better than everybody and a little bit better than anybody really thinks of. Thinking about Nancy always being traumatized by proximity. Thinking about THE WHEELERS always being traumatized by proximity. and witnessing. and not being able to save someone - or do it themselves. Thinking about Nancy Wheeler having guns, plural, in her bedroom, hidden in a shoebox - and how your room isn’t just a good hiding spot, but also likely the most accessible much of the time. Like people who sleep with them under their pillow.

Thinking about Nancy being traumatized AGAIN by that vision - being told early: not as a warning, but a prophecy. Thinking about Henry wearing her down and including that vision that we didn’t even get to see of her family dying, emotional emphasis in her own reaction when she chokes up at Mike because that is a real possibility to her more than anything because it has been and he is likely currently in danger, even.

Thinking about Nancy Wheeler, living a normal life and allowing herself fun for one night, going into the world she went missing into but not being able to do anything but see it before needing to escape, having her friend go missing and be the only one to die, having her brother involved in all this too and continue to be because his best friend is the survivor, staying involved to protect him and try to handle things before he even has to get too involved or endangered, giving away any remnants of childhood or fun like stuffed animals in garage sales because fun takes attention that’s better spent protecting the people you love, protecting Hawkins so everyone she loves stays safe and so her brother can have a nice vacation and come back to the town he left (I wish they got a reunion hug too but I’ll hope they’re saving something for s5), finding out that Mike is in danger by being SHOWN his DEATH then not being able to get a hold of him.

Thinking about Nancy Wheeler and the Wheelers’ trait of loving others so hard you love yourself less so you have more to give to them.

#stranger things #nancy wheeler #nancy wheeler analysis

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justinewt · 2 years

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Curveball - UNTIL DAWN REWRITE Chapter Four

[UNTIL DAWN-MASTERLIST]

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Summary: Things escalated extremy quickly and the things they found out... well, it was a hell lot of hard pills to swallow for a bunch of young adults that thought they were going to have a chill week end in their friend’s lodge. There was no time to waste crying and complaining. Synthya had made up her mind, she was going to find Josh no matter what, even if it led to her ultimate demise, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t try to save him after he turned out not to be dead... and then was snatched away by a Wendigo. She would get the both of them through the night, or she’d rather not survive this. Her thoughts weren’t really with her family on that one.

Words: 5.6k

Warnings: Until Dawn spoilers (chapter 8), lots of dialogues, stress, angst, blood, wendigos, blood, severed head, trauma, chase, death

Mount Washington’s Lodge, 04:23 AM

THREE HOURS UNTIL DAWN

After the bloodcurling revelation in the basement, where Synthya and Mike found Chris and Ashley tied to chairs with sawblades hanging down from the ceiling right above their heads, they had found out who was hidden underneath the psycho’s mask and it was a shock for all four of them. They saw Josh die in a gruesome and traumatic way, screaming to death only to find him laughing erratically at the whole situation. He seemed so detached from what had happened. About fourty minutes ago, Chris and Mike led him to a shed further away from the lodge. The two argued with Synthya as she wanted to come with them, fearing something might happen outside but she ultimately stayed at the house, keeping company to Ashley until Chris came back alone, having left Mike to guard Josh there. She was restless, to say the least, extremely worried and unable to sit down, she kept walking back and forth in the living room of the lodge, fidgeting her fingers nervously. The cold was the least of her worries right now. The three of them just stood there, in heavy silence until they heard a high-pitched scream outside the lodge, echoing through the mountain and a minute later, Emily was screaming frantically, pounding on the door, begging to be let in.

“Is that—?” Ashley timidly wondered, sitting on the edge of the couch.

“It’s Em!” Synthya stopped in her tracks, and the two girls ran to the door with Chris.

“Let her in! Quick!!” He opened the door and she fell to the floor, gasping.

“Shut the door! Oh my God—Shut the door!!” Chris closed it right away and Synthya and Ashley dragged her inside and helped her get back on her feet before leading her to the living room as she caught her breath, recovering from what had happened to her out there. Seeing her like this instantly reminded Synthya of her own state after she was chased by this creepy stranger a year ago. “I didn’t think that I’d make it—”

“You were screaming bloody murder.” Chris said.

“You look totally wiped—” Ashley observed.

“There was something—” Emily spoke, cut off by her sobbing.

“Where’s Matt—"

“Come sit down, sit down--” Synthya advised, sitting beside her as they settled her on the sofa. Ashley kneeled in front of her, a hand on her lap, concerned for her friend. Synthya wasn’t really close to anyone but Chris, Josh and Ashley but still, she was a quite sympathetic and forgiving person and never liked seeing anyone being completely freaked out like this.

“Did you guys split up?”

“A monster—It’s a monster--!” Emily cried out, too freaked out to hear Ashley’s questions.

“Are you okay?” Chris inquired, standing in front of the three young women.

“I’m fine, I don’t feel anything. I just need to calm down. It was moving so damn fast—”

“What?”

“I just had to get away—”

“Away from what?” Synthya asked.

“Th-there was this thing, whatever it was--!” Ashley straightened up and sat next to her.

“Em, Em, you can relax… Josh was messing with us… but we—”

“You’re not listening to me.” She shook her head, letting it fall forward.

“Wait Em… Where’s Matt? Is he okay?” Chris wondered. She looked up at him.

“Matt, oh, God…” She lamented. “We couldn’t use the cable car, so we climbed to the tower and then it fell and we were down in the mine, like way down, down in this terrifying freaking mine shaft…”

“Hold on, hold on…” He tried to slow her down.

“And then, it was Matt and me down there and… Oh, God, I think that Matt might be dead.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, what mine shaft?”

“I— I was walking down there, in the mines, and it was dark, and I found this pile and… there was Beth’s head!” Synthya felt a cold sweat running down her back, staring at Emily, processing what she just said. She knew they were dead; she saw them fall down a cliff but hearing that was rather unsettling and upsetting. Beth, and Hannah, were her best friends.

“Whait, what?!” Chris exclaimed while Synthya now stared into space. She softly closed her eyes for a second, swallowing harshly.

“Beth’s head. I found it.”

“Oh my God.” Ashley curled up on the couch. They were all shocked and taken aback by her statement.

“I think they fell down there.” She continued, in a lower voice. Synthya thought of saying that the twins fell down a cliff, but she let the words die in her throat and remained quiet. “But the worst part is I don’t thnk Hannah died, like, from the fall, not right away…”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… I feel like she was down there… like, starving to death… for weeks… when we were all up here looking for her… we had no idea!”

“Jesus, that’s… horrible…” Chris shook his head, sighing. He glanced at Synthya who was staring at her feet, her jaw clenched. She looked even paler than before, troubled by the discovery. “Are you okay, Synthya?”

“Uh?” She raised her head, snapped out of her thoughts. Ashley and Emily were looking at her and she nodded, trying to get her shit together, clearing her throat. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“Listen.” Emily spoke. “In… In the tower there was a radio and I—I got through to someone, but that was right when the tower collapsed!” Out of the blue, Mike ran in the room and Synthya stood up at the sight of him. The only thought that crossed her mind was that he left Josh on his own in the shed. She felt a sudden urge to yell at him, but she was so dumbfounded and disturbed by what Emily had told them, she just stood there as they hugged. He seemed relieved to see her safe and sound.

“What about Matt?” He frowned in worry, looking around.

“We’re trying to figure that out…” Ashley replied.

“Mike—”

“And there was this “monster” that was chasing her…” Chris added, inadvertently speaking over Synthya trying to get their attention to ask about Josh.

“She’s all messed up, guys.” He held her shoulders somehow tenderly.

“Mike!”

“What?” The moment he looked at Synthya, someone banged on the back door of the lodge and every single one of them turned their head in confusion kind of freezing in place for a second. Mike lowered his voice, glancing at Chris from the corner of his eyes. “Who the fuck can that be?”

“Josh?” Synthya and Emily looked at Ashley.

“Jess?” Chris thought.

“It’s not Jess.”

“Sorry man… but who is this?”

“I don’t know… We should check it out.”

“I got your back.” Chris said, touching his shoulder. Synthya stared at the back door, taking a step forward. When no one moved along with her, she gazed at Chris and Mike, motioning for them to come and even though she knew Chris would probably want to ask her to stay there with the others, she wasn’t about to wait for something to happen again. Mike pulled out his gun and the three of them carefully made their way to the back door. He held up the weapon, pointing it at the door. “Uh… let me have the pistol. Cause you can take whoever it is through sheer good looks. And muscle and all that… Just, uh—”

“I think I should have the gun.” Synthya cut him off with a straight face and Mike looked at her.

“Actually, yeah, no you’re right, give it to her.” Chris agreed. “I saw her at the shooting range, she… she can definitely hold a gun.”

“All right then.” Mike handed the gun to her, and she aimed at the door, one finger right above the trigger in case she had to shoot whoever was out there.

“Okay, I’m gonna open the door. You ready?” Chris asked and both Mike and Synthya nodded. His arms hanging down his body, he fidgeted his fingers nervously and jumped when Mike urged him.

“Just do it already, whoever it is has probably gone by now.” Chris eventually approached and the moment he turned the doorknob, the stranger kicked in the door and Chris fell backwards. A man walked in, staring at Synthya who held him at gunpoint, even though he didn’t really seem that impressed. She frowned, uneasy as she glanced at the weapon in his hands.

“Stop right there! Freeze—" She tried raising her voice, but he suddenly reached for the gun and almost twisted her wrist. While Chris was getting up, Mike grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the stranger.

“All right, all right… take it easy grandpa.”

“Okay. Everybody just calm down.” The stranger spoke. Synthya noticed he had a scar across his right eye, the pupil of which was milky white and when her eyes lingered on his weapon and clothes, she noticed a pair of goggles around his neck and a flame thrower in his hands and suddenly, it all clicked in. The man that was chasing her and the twins in the forest a year ago with the flame thrower. She shook her head as she stepped back, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. He walked towards them, pushing them back to the living room and she felt threatened, and when he rose his voice, she couldn’t help but be startled. “Now just move over there. Go on, move! Let me say what I came to say.” She stared at him with restless eyes, uneasy. “I’m just here to tell you what you’re up against being back on this mountain. You should never have returned. I don’t know why you did after what happened last year.”

“You mean with Hannah and Beth?” Ashley asked shyly.

“Yeah, how could you know without being involved—” Chris added. Synthya parted her lips to say something, but she gulped and let herself fall on the couch, staring at the floor. The stranger turned towards them.

“You hold onto your horses. I don’t take kindly to you kids coming back up here on my mountain.”

“Your mountain? Huh, I’m sure the Washingtons would be very surprised to hear that.” Mike retorted and the man laughed.

“Well, this mountain don’t belong to me, it’s true. But it don’t belong to the Washingtons. This mountain belongs to the Wendigo.” He went on to explain.

“What the hell’s a wendigo?” Mike wondered. There was a brief silence of confusion among the five friends and Synthya raised her head, glancing at the stranger. She looked away when she crossed his gaze and he narrowed his eyes, staring at her. She was quite uncomfortable with the man that chased her in the forest just glaring at her. She was also very confused as to why he would be there trying to give them advice and why he looked somehow less scary than in her memories.

“I knew I’d recognized your face.” He took a step towards her, and the others turned their faces towards her. She eventually held his gaze, frowning. “You’re the one that was with the two Washington girls that night. You fell over the cliff, and I pulled you up.”

“What is he talking about?” Chris wondered.

“Why would you chase us down and then save me?”

“I wasn’t the one chasing you in that forest.” She was a little dumbfounded at his answer. “It was the wendigo.”

“What—?”

“That’s what I’m trying to warn you about and listen, because I’m only going to tell you this once. It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. I got reasons I want to… Get it off my chest…”

“See? I told you!” He waved at Synthya and the Stranger. Synthya was still trying to process what the stranger said and trying to understand that he was never the one after them and that all this time it had been some monster was very hard. “He’s guilty as shit! Guilty of something!”

“There is a curse.” He said, his back to them. “That dwells in these mountains. Should any man or woman resort to cannibalism in these woods the spirit of the wendigo shall be unleashed. You’re gonna need to fing somewhere safe.

“Wait…” Synthya spoke, starting to grasp how bad the situation was if there really were creatures roaming around. She stood up and faced Mike on her left. “Josh… What about Josh?”

“I… ran off and left Josh when I heard screaming.”

“Where did you leave him?” The stranger inquired.

“In the shed…”

“Your friend will already be dead.”

“No…” Synthya brought her hand to her hair, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe Josh might be dead, really dead this time.

“No… No, he can’t be… We were just with him!” Chris got up.

“A lot can happen quickly on this mountain.” The stranger shook his head.

“No. I’m gonna go get him.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“You can’t go out there!” Ashley disapproved.

“I’m supposed to be his best friend and I let him down.”

“No… he let you down, Chris. You too, Synthya – he let all of us down.”

“I don’t care.” He retorted.

“We’re going to get him.” Synthya added, her jaw clenched. “And y’all can hate him, when he’s safe and sound too.”

“I’ll go with you.” The stranger calmly said, stepping forward.

“We don’t need your help.”

“Going alone is suicide.” He warned Chris and he and Synthya just shrugged agreeing to go with out there with him. “The rest of you- get down to the basement. Be safe. Don’t go outside until we’re back.” He came in front of Chris and Synthya and they held his gaze. “You don’t seem to understand the magnitude of the situation.”

“Well, we’re going to get Josh, aren’t we?” Chris replied.

“No, I’m going to get Josh. You’re going to help me. Do you understand?” The two friends glanced at each other and slowly nodded. “You need to follow me. And do everything I tell you.”

“Okay.” Synthya mouthed, looking at Chris, shooting up her eyebrows as they followed the stranger to the front door in silence, leaving the others in the living room. He stopped before opening the door and got a shotgun hanging beside the flame thrower tanks on his back and turned to them, handing it out to Synthya.

“That’s the end you point towards the thing you want to kill.”

“Yes. I do know how to use a shotgun, man.” She sighed, annoyed.

“I know. That’s why I gave it to you.” She was surprised by the confidence in his voice. He had probably heard Chris say she knew how to hold and use a gun, or maybe he was up there on the mountain and saw them at the shooting range earlier in the evening. He opened the door and Synthya took a step forward to follow him when she heard Ashely’s voice and she glanced to her left. The latter came up to Chris, worried, and kissed him and Synthya was torn between being excited for the two as they finally shared a kiss, and being saddened by this sight, reminding her of her own relationship with Josh. She wanted to find him, and she wasn’t even religious, but she never prayed so hard for something. This was the only thing left to do, hoping he wasn’t dead, and she and Chris would get him back and then, she would get him the help he needs, even if it means that he’ll hate her for it. She was ready to do anything to help him and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she just waited for dawn with the others, safe in the basement. She was going to face her demons and she didn’t like one bit, but it was for something worth fighting for. Synthya stepped outside and the stranger glanced at her, noticing Chris was still inside. She looked around at the dark woods surrounding them and swallowed harshly. “We need to hurry, son.”

“I’ll see you soon.” He said to Ashley before heading out, joining Synthya and the stranger in the snow. “So… so tell us. You’re the expert on these things. What’s… uh… What’s a guy gotta know…?”

“You just be careful. You follow my lead. And you stay near your friend, she’s got the gun.”

“Yeah, I’ma breathe down your neck. I’ll become like your shadow.” He joked, trying to hide how nervous he was feeling, and she briefly chuckled. Normally, she would have laughed because it was funny but right now, they were both extremely worried and anxious, unsure about what was going to happen. Nonetheless, it was reassuring to have one another to go and rescue Josh, if he was still alive.

“So, how do we kill these things? How many times do I have to shoot it before it’s dead?” Synthya asked as they climbed down the stairs.

“Well, you’d be shooting a long time.”

“You mean this shotgun won’t even kill it? Is it why you have a flame thrower? They’re sensitive to fire or something?”

“Right on the mark.” He nodded, walking down the path in front of them. “The shotgun will slow it down. The fire, they fear it, and it can kill them if you have to… See their skin if like… it’s like tough armor, unless you burn it off first.”

“That’s gross…” Chris remarked. “What are these things like? I mean, are they just crazy unpredictable or can you figure out what they’re gonna do?”

“Well… they adhere to some patterns… like any animal… or human.”

“Wh- you mean, like how? Ike they’ve got schedules?”

“Well, they only hunt at night.”

“Why?” Synthya asked after being silent for a minute, listening.

“I didn’t ask.” The strange responded.

“Any, uh, pro Wendigo tips? Like if I rub garlic all over me, they won’t be able to smell me or something?” Chris then went on to ask, his uneasiness growing as they got deeper in the woods, and close to the shed.

“They’ll still smell you.”

“Anything like that?”

“They can’t see you if you’re standing still. It’s like toads… sight is based on changes of movement in their field of vision.”

“So, if we don’t move… We’re basically invisible.”

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t recommend testing it out… unless you have no other choice.” They then fell into silence for a moment until they were about 60 feet from the shed. They walked around it and Synthya tightened her grip on the shotgun, ready to pull it up and shoot it a wendigo appeared in front of them.

“If these things… Wendigos… are, or were human… do they still have some aspect of humanity in them?” Chris wondered and they stopped in their tracks for a second.

“Well, they retain certain things.”

“I mean is it really right to kill them?” The stranger tittered. “Maybe they can be cured or—”

“They surrender human rights the moment they eat one another. There is no cure. There is no redemption.”

“I mean if they’re still human I don’t know if it’s a right to hurt them—”

“If they’ve done anything to Josh, I’m not gonna hold back. That much I know.” Synthya declared and the stranger gave her a glance before looking at Chris. Good thing she was the one with the gun.

“You’ve got good survival instincts. Lucky your friend’s there, cause when you’re staring one in the face, it’s them, or you. You feel free to take the high road. You won’t be on it for long.” they resumed their walk and came to the shed door, wide open and inside, a broken stool was knocked over next to a wooden a lamp oil and a pool of blood. Synthya widened her eyes in panick, assuming that it was where Josh was supposed to be.

“Oh my god… is it his blood? What the fuck happened?!” She inquired in fear, staring at the ground and Chris squeezed her shoulder, looking around.

“He’s gone…! We’re too late!”

“Shh! Quiet!” The stranger suddenly shushed them, and they turned to him as he lowered his voice, taking a look outside the shed. “We gotta go. Right now.”

“We gotta find Josh – he could still be out here!” Chris insisted.

“Ha-ha! First, the Wendigo, he’ll render you immobile.” He approached them, almost whispering before gradually stepping away again. “And then he strips the skin off of your entire body, piece by piece, and then he keeps you alive and aware and feasts on your organs, one piece at a time.”

“So, the Lodge, then.” Chris said, reluctant to go back just now. Synthya sighed, closing her eyes shut for a second. She couldn’t believe they were giving up so quickly and that they were leaving Josh out there on his own and in the confused and disorientated state he was in.

“Let’s go now, it might still be near!” He instructed and quickly jogged out. Chris and Synthya joined him and the moment they got near him; he ordered them to stop moving. They glanced at each other as they stood as still as a statue and after a few seconds, the stranger decided to take a careful step forward. Synthya’s heart missed a beat when she saw this slender and inhumanely tall figure in the distance. “Run! Go! Now! Now!”

“Holy shit what the fuck?!” Chris swore, stopping in his tracks abruptly when the stranger used his flame thrower and the Wendigo jumped away. Synthya was feeling this lump in her stomach again and her throat was getting sore and uncomfortable. She wanted to dig a hole and break down but there was absolutely not second to waste, and she just tried to get a hold of her breathing accelerating, getting prepared to shoot at the creature if needed. She had the gun, and she needed to be ready to use it, no matter how scared and frightened she was.

“We’re right out of the pen— We gotta get out of here!” The stranger peeked around when suddenly, the Wendigo came out of nowhere, jumping right on him and sliced through his throat, cutting his head off. Synthya screamed at the top of her lungs to the point her whole mouth felt completely dried, her eyes widened out of terror, his body fell down to his knees and then lied flat on his stomach while she stared in absolute shock at the head and the pool of blood growing around it. When Chris rose his voice and called her name, she just pivoted her body like she was on auto mode and shot in the Wendigo’s direction, pushing him away from them. He then grabbed her arm as she sobbed frantically, this vision of horror engraved in her mind, and they ran back to the lodge as fast as they could. They ducked underneath a fallen tree, and she turned around to see the Wendigo on it, ready to jump at them and end them the same way it killed the stranger. She immidietaly shoot and they resumed running to the lodge like they became track stars. As they approached the front of the house, another Wendigo popped out of the blue. She shot it without wasting time, sniffing, and they made their way to the door and Chris started banging on it. Ashley arrived and opened it for them.

“Guys!! Oh my god, what happened?”

“We gotta go, that thing was like right behind us—” The Wendigo hopped over to the door and jumped on it, breaking through the glass as they fleed.

Old hotel, 04:47 AM

“Oh my god! Guys! Thank god!” Emily sounded overly relieved to see Chris and Synthya walk pasted the door along with Ashley. They were all in a sort of small room in the basement, closed by thick mesh walls. Opposite to the door, there was a desk and half a dozen screens displaying CCTV footage of the cameras set around the house. Mike closed the door behind them. Synthya took a deep breath in; she wasn’t sobbing like crazy, but her eyes were red and despite being naturally pale, she must have looked like literal corpse, staring into space and just following Chris to sit down.

“It’s not so good up there right now…"

“Understatement of the night.” Mike said, he was exhausted too. Synthya rested her elbows on her laps and cupped her face in her hands, letting it all sink in. She was already traumatized enough, she didn’t want the sight of the stranger’s severed head to be there when she would cose her eyes because until someone came to get them out of here, she had to be fully there in order to survive and help Josh as well. She could work on everything that happened that nigh when she would see her therapist again. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate and raised her head. “Where’s the flame throwing guy?”

“Ah… yeah… He, uh… He didn’t make it…”

“Oh no… What happened?” Emily slightly shook her head, resting her hands on her hips.

“The thing it… it tore him apart… Right in front of us…”

“All right… these all the doors?” Mike inquired, walking around the room, warily looking around.

“Yeah.” Ashley nodded.

“Are you sure?”

“What are you looking for?”

“Another way out.” He walked to the screens and watched.

“Mike… I don’t think that’s a good idea. We should stay put until dawn. At least we’re safe down there—" Emily stated worriedly and he turned to her instantly, cutting her off.

“Oh? Yeah? All wrapped up like a little present with a bow on top for that thing to tear us apart on Christmas morning?”

“People will come for us. In the morning.” Ashley said.

“You don’t sound so sure.”

“That is what will happen… right, Em?”

“Uh, yeah… I mean…”

“Well, you can wait.” He retorted. “I’m leaving.”

“Mike… There’s no key for the cable car—” Emily said.

“Josh.” Synthya glance over at him as he mentioned his name. “He’s gotta have it. One of his dirty little tricks. If that fucking thing got a hold of Josh… then… we’re shit outta luck.”

“I don’t know, Mike… it’s possible…” She shrugged.

“What’s possible?” Synthya stood up, staring at them.

“It may have taken him down to the mine… I saw some horrible stuff down there… I think it’s where that thing lives… and…” She turned to a table along the wall and bent over a map spread over it, taking a look at it. She went silent for a second, picking up a book to see the map better but didn’t say anything else. Synthya walked over to Emily.

“Fuck it.” Mike exclaimed. “I’m gonna get that key. Right from that thing’s goddamned bedroom, and then I’m gonna get us all the hell out of here.”

“What’s all that?” Synthya asked, seeing a whole bunch of stuff over the table.

“It’s that old guy’s bag.”

“That guy was prepared for anything…”

“Not quite.” Mike commented.

“What is this place?” Emily wondered, pointing at an old map.

“Oh my God. I was down there. It was horrible.” He explained. “There had been a cave-in. In the fifties I guess, and these miners got trapped down there. Some of them survived but… like… fifteen of ‘em didn’t make it. There was this reporter and I think he figured out there had been some, like, big cover-up going on. I found these plans – they knew the mine was a death trap, but they let the miners keep working anyway. And… I’m not sure what it means but I found this chair, with dried blood all over the place… like somebody’s been tortured…”

“Michael, I’d like to maybe focus on how we’re going to get the fuck out of here please?”

“I’m just saying it’s weird how much crazy shit’s gone on up here…”

“What’s weird is that there’s a tunnel leading from the lodge to the Sanatorium, see?” She pointed at it on the map.

“That’s how I got back here.”

“I saw this. When I was down in there. That’s where it lives.”

“Em…” Ashley stood behind Emily and brought her hand to her shoulder, worried, for some reason and she then pointed at her, walking away. “Em, what is that…? What is that? Em, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god—”

“It’s nothing.” She tried calming her as Mike and Synthya stepped away from her as well. “I just – it bit me, and—”

“It bit you? What bit you?” Ashley cut her off.

“The, uh… the Wendigo. It’s nothing, really, it’s not a big deal—”

“Are you okay?” Synthya asked.

“Yeah. It doesn’t hurt anymore. Really. It’s not that bad.”

“Em… if that thing bit you…” Mike frowned. The situation was already tensed, learning that Emily got bitten by a Wendigo didn’t help lighten up the mood. She tried assuring him she was fine, but he didn’t seem to want to hear it or believe it. “Emily, if the Wendigo bit you… You could turn into one of those things.”

“I don’t think it works like that, Mike. It’s not fucking vampires.” Synthya came to stand next to Emily. She had no idea how this whole Wendigo thing actually worked but according to what the Stranger had told them, it wasn’t this way. One had to eat another human’s flesh in order for the spirit of the Wendigo to possess their body, or something like that. And with everyone really nervous and scared, regrettable mistakes would easily happen, so she watched Mike.

“He said it was from eating each other, remember he said that!” Ashley cried out. “It happens if it bit you, you’re gonna turn into one and—"

“Yeah, Ashley, from eating each other, not biting each other!” Synthya cut off Ashley, raising her voice in annoyance. She could see where this whole argument was heading from a mile away. “Emily didn’t eat fucking human flesh; she’s not going to turn into a Wendigo! Think for a second!”

“Emily… you can’t stay here. You’re putting us all in danger!” Mike yelled.

“Hey, Mike, just cool your head, okay? It doesn’t work like that. It’s definitely just a bite.”

“I’ve seen what these fuckers can do. I don’t want to see it again.” Chris spoke in a calm voice, seriousness on his face.

“Chris, come on, man!” Synthya looked at him in disbelief. “I’ve seen what they can do too, but the stranger never said you coud turn into one with just a fucking bite!”

“What is this, guys? What are you doing?” Emily asked, looking at each and every one of them.

“Door’s right here.” Mike pointed at the door on his right. “I’m letting you do this voluntarily.”

“Oh no,” Emily walked up to him. “you’re just making yourself feel better about sending me to my death since you know there’s a Wendigo out there ready to rip me to pieces like it did with—"

“Okay, oh my god! Will you just go!? Go! Get out of here!” Ashley aggressively told Emily and Synthya sighed. She so wanted to tell her to shut the fuck up but when she saw Mike grab a gun and aim it at Emily, she widened her eyes.

“Mike… calm down.”

“You’re going to shoot me?” Emily couldn’t believe it. “Mike…? Me?”

“This is the safe room, Em.” She started crying and begging him, but he wasn’t listening. “It’s not safe as long as you’re in it. Not for us. I’m really sorry.” He held the gun up, clenching his jaw, distressed at what he was about to do when suddenly, Synthya just stepped in front of the gun, staring at him. He grumbled, trying to get her to step away and just let him do this but he could see that she wasn’t moving any time soon and he let his arms fall down along his body, letting out a heavy sigh and walked in a circle. “Shit… Fuck… Fuck…”

“You did the right thing.” Synthya declared before checking on Emily, who was wiping away the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

“Alright, you keep an eye on her… if you see anything weird… you guys know what to do. And no one leave, okay?” Mike instructed. “It’s not safe out there. I’ll be back soon.”

“Hey, Mike. Wait a sec’.” He was about to leave the room and looked at her, stopping in his tracks. “You want to find the keys and I want to find Josh. I’m coming with you.”

“Synthya, you’re brave and all, but you just came back, I don’t think you—”

“It doesn’t matter what you think about it. I’ll rest when I find Josh.” She declared and he knew there was no way he could talk her out of it so he just shrugged, reluctantly inviting her to leave the safe room with him. She knew very well that she was still a little shaken from what happened with Chris and the Stranger, not so long ago but she couldn’t just wait around, until dawn finaly came and just pray that Josh would come out safe and sound. She woud rather die along with him if something happened, than never know what his fate ended up being. Either she saved the both of them, or none at all. Living with the fact that she preferred to save herself rather than go after him would be worst than having to become his caregiver, whatever other serious underlying menta illness he had. She didn’t know what to expect of him and their relationship once all this shit would be over, if they did survive until dawn, but whatever it would be, she woud live better knowing he was alive.

[To be continued…]

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Published (09/21/2022) by Andrea

Taglist: @cathrin2405 @kika64

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vortexparadox · 2 months

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@smokedanced asked: i'm not ready to let go of you. +reverse / martha and ten? mass effect

"Joker, we've got to go," Martha pleas with her stubborn pilot, her hand resting on his shoulder in reassurance. They've both done everything they can - she has to trust that the rest of her officers - her friends - got the rest of the surviving crew into the escape pods and away from the wreckage that was, until just minutes ago, their home. If Joker hadn't been so bloody stubborn, she doubts they'd have had time to get as many out alive as they had, but now...

Now, time was running out and the two of them were the last to leave. There was no way she was abandoning Joker, no matter how stubborn the man may be - no one gets left behind, and she shifts her grip on him to start tugging him insistently from his chair. "The Normandy's lost. You've done everything you can. I can't lose you too."

"Yeah," Joker sighs wearily, starting to help push himself from his chair. "Yeah, alright. Shit!" Without thought, his hands fly back to the control, trying to squeeze even a few more seconds of burn out of the sputtering engines. "They're coming around for another attack!"

Unable to wait any longer, Martha hauls him to his feet, wincing when she feels the crack of his brittle bones under her hands even as she half-drags, half-carries him to the escape pod, all but shoving him in just as another blast from the enemy ship causes her magboots to loose their connection to the deck plating.

Without gravity, she floats back further from the pod, and unable to reach anything to propel her towards it... As she reaches the emergency launch buttons on the bulkhead, she punches the button, closing her eyes against the sight of Joker finally righting himself, just in time for the pod door to shut and eject the pod away from the remains of the ship at the same time the destructive beam from the enemy ship tears through the space she'd occupied just moments before.

As the ship continues to fall to pieces around her, Martha finds herself floating in free space, a chill settling over her as she knows... the Doctor had had to run to her cabin where they'd stored the TARDIS to ensure its safety within the Normandy. The crew deck had been hit just as hard as the CIC, and she had no way of knowing if he'd made it in time, only...

Something was wrong... Very wrong... as her hands fly up to the hoses at the back of her helmet, dark eyes widening in horror as she realises... her air is leaking from her suit, the VI alerting her of rapidly failing life support systems.

She can't even bring herself to scream, tears falling silently as dawning horror takes hold when the weightlessness seems to fade away even as her consciousness starts to fade with the lack of air. She's falling... caught in the gravitational pull of the planet below...

Only to suddenly find herself landing much sooner than expected, with a far less traumatic impact as she feels hands frantically unlatching her helmet, blinking at the suddenly too bright light of the TARDIS console room.

Frantic hands clutch at the Doctor's coat, pulling herself flush against him, desperate to get away from the still open doors, a choked sob escaping her as the shock of the attack hits her all at once, knowing she's safer in the TARDIS than she ever has been on any other ship in the galaxy, yet not being able to fully come to terms with what she'd just experienced.

It's several minutes before anything the Doctor says even begins to filter through her panic - something about getting her to the medbay - but even then she just shakes her head, clinging to him tighter as she hides her face against his shoulder, her voice barely a quiet whimper as she manages, "I'm not ready to let go of you. Not yet."

#smokedanced #smokedanced ( tenth doctor )#expanding our universe ( ic )#voice of a nightingale ( martha jones )#shipverse || the doctor / smokedanced ( martha )#shipverse au || the doctor / smokedanced ( mass effect | martha )#doctor || smokedanced ( martha )#connection / smokedanced ( martha & the doctor )#can't have an answer for everything ( answered )

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cloud-hc · 5 months

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There are not enough words that could be strung together to possibly come close to describing what Zack is to Cloud. It can’t be done. Friends, even best friends, is inadequate.

Zack is the first person Cloud feels ever truly saw him and his worth and took him seriously, even when he saw himself as nothing - just one infantryman in the sea of them. Zack didn’t have to give him the time or day or even remember him, but he did. Cloud rejected Zack in the beginning as he rejected everyone who tried to buddy up to him, knowing on personal experience where that leads and would rather turn others away than be turned away. Zack was the only one who saw through this and stuck around anyway, eventually winning Cloud over. Though Zack outranked him, he was never made to feel less than his peer, or less important among others in Zack’s life. Cloud also didn’t feel the need to censor himself to make Zack more comfortable - as people are often offended at Cloud’s tongue and wit than taking him with stride. He could just be himself.

With his mother, he never felt really seen by her. She didn’t support his dreams for going into SOLDIER, and already had a life made up in mind for Cloud that wasn’t a life he wanted. For Tifa - despite this not being true - he didn’t feel noticed by her or that he was enough to be anywhere around her. Zack supported him, and made it clear without any shadow of doubt insecurity tried to whisper to him that he was seen.

He was his first genuine friend.

To say his time as Hojo’s labrat was the most traumatic experience of his life would be an understatement. Not only did he suffer, but he would be forced to watch Zack undergo other experimentation too, watching helplessly and being unable to do anything to stop it - even if he violently tried. They would be forced to find ways to communicate with each other undetected, find wordless ways to check if the other was okay. When Cloud was losing hope, Zack would find some way to assure him they were getting out of here alive. His confidence made Cloud believe it, and hang on just a bit longer. Even if his mind was stubbornly clinging to hope, his body would eventually fall victim to severe mako poisoning. Cloud was only able to carve one more message to Zack through a bloody fingernail -

get out of here.

It was too late for him. He could feel his body shutting down. But Zack could still get out of here and live. Minutes after scratching that into the glass, his body gives in.

[ OG TIMELINE } Next time he wakes - he truly wakes, Zack is walking away from him. Cloud reaches out, trying to say something - anything, but no sound came out. Cloud was aware again, more than he wasn’t.. he could see everything that was happening. He could HEAR everything that was happening. His body wouldn’t allow him to move. By the time he could make his body function, even if it was only just by dragging it, he dragged.. across all the blood, across all the gore, across all the bodies and weapons until he finally found Zack. His brain is still not fully understanding everything he’s seeing, what Zack’s final words to him are.. but when his eyes close, it all hits him at once.

Zack is dead. Zack is dead because of him.

The sound from Cloud was nearly inhuman. He shakes his shoulders, trying to wake Zack back up, refusing to accept what just happened. He refuses to leave, sitting there in complete shell-shock. It’s likely Cloud may have never left and died from exposure had someone outside of ShinRa not come on scene and find one survivor in a bloody massacre. The Turks arrived too late for clean up - Cloud was taken by this stranger to Midgar trying to get him aid, only for Cloud to wander off, muttering non-sense to himself when the stranger had gone to find him help.

Cloud would collapse at the station, his brain rewiring the events to rid of Zack completely as a trauma response to protect Cloud further.. for remembering Zack as he was right now would destroy him.

If Zack is dead or alive in whatever timeline, the importance to Cloud doesn’t change. There is no one Cloud feels understands him more, accepts him more, feels the most comfortable with or secure with, especially after the years of trauma they suffered together and kept each other alive and going through. His bond with Zack is unlike any other.

#.bonds

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xtodorcki · 3 years

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“Betrayal,” Levi x Reader

Summary: The 3 Titan shifters (aka Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt) had stolen the last Titan serum and you end up getting framed. While you get tortured by the military police to reveal the truth, Levi tries his best to prove your innocence.

Idk if this would end up being a series, it just might bc even tho this was requested, I’m thinking about having a spin where after the reader gets tortured, they have like a life changing moment (kinda like Tokyo ghoul where after Kaneki gets tortured, he turns into an actual ghoul) kinda like that so bear with me🤧

Warnings!: abuse and torture!!!!

It was a normal day, the only day off the scouts had and they all spent it relaxing and talking with each other. You had sat next to your boyfriend, Levi, while having a few drinks when the military police had stormed inside the place.

The sudden harsh grabs of their hands on your body, slamming you down on the hard table was enough to cause pain through your body and you had let out a wince from the impact.

Their actions had made Levi jump up and try to shove them off your body, his anger boiling at the sight of you being put into handcuffs without them barely saying a word.

“Back up, Captain and let us do our job.” The guy ended up punching Levi clean in his jaw and made him stumble back.

“What the hell are you doing?” Armin had shouted, all the scouts ready to fight with the guards as they yanked your small body off the table.

“Y/N is under arrest for stealing the Titan serum and helping the traitors get away.” They spoke coldly, making your eyes widen at their words and Levi had looked surprised.

“That’s not true! I didn’t touch it!” You shouted, trying to resist their attempts of shoving you out the door and you had looked back at Levi.

“It’s not true, you have to believe me!” The last look he had given you was disappointment and that had made your heart shattered as they put you on the carriage.

The ride back to their station was quiet, except their disgusting words that they shot at you to make you feel guilty and even a guard mentioned how beaten you were going to be after they were done with you.

Your heart ached and your body shook from the amount of rage you felt running through your veins. You were sure you already had bruises forming on your skin from the rough pushing and shoving against the table.

Levi had stood in the middle of the room, watching you get taken out the door with the small of blood running down his nose and everyone stayed quiet, looking at the Captain.

He didn’t want to believe it but why would they suspect you? Out of all people? It had made him overthink about it but the look of terror on your face as you looked at him one last time had made him feel deep down in his gut that you were telling the truth.

He was your boyfriend afterall, he knew you pretty well and have been for over a year so he was positive he would know if you were a traitor and if you stole something as big as the Titan serum.

As you were shoved inside the cell, being locked away, you were left to your thoughts and the tears threatened to stream down your face as you tried to think of everything- how did you even end up here? What led you here?

It was a painful topic to think about, to even think about being a suspect, to think about being a traitor. There was no room for you to be a traitor even if you tried.

It had taken hours before the guards came back to bring you into a empty room, tying you to a chair to ‘ask you questions’ but in reality, they put you here to enjoy the torture they’re going to do to you.

“Where is the Titan serum?” One asked, making your sad tear filled eyes to look up at them and before you could even open your mouth, he had swung his fist to strike you across the face.

The rough impact caused blood to spit out of your mouth and onto the wooden floors, coughing it up as you tried to take steady breaths but it was far too difficult.

Levi had finally went up to the station with everyone, trying to reason with the military police and talk to them about the fact that their thoughts on you were completely false.

They had surprisingly let Levi through considering he is a scout but when he got through the area he wasn’t supposed to be in and had seen you in the room, the way you were breathing heavy and the way you face was already beaten to the point where he could barely recognize your face because it was covered it blood- it made him angry.

“Have you even done your actual fucking jobs or have you been beating her this entire fucking time?!” He shouted at them, making you raise your head at the sound of his voice and your heart began to break more if that was even possible.

“We are doing our job, you’re not even supposed to be this far back here. Get his ass out of here.” The mp ordered the guards to drag Levi out and he had looked at you with a pained look, shoving the guards off of him and walking out of the room by himself.

He didn’t want to leave you there but there wasn’t a whole lot he could do except talk to the higher ups and try to prove your innocence to them but that’s a lot harder than it sounds

Throughout the night, the guards didn’t let you sleep one bit. The long hours of them beating you whether it was with a stick, a whip- it didn’t matter. They had even used knives to cut up your skin, they didn’t care- for all they know you were a traitor to them.

The amount of blood that had covered your entire uniform was sick, you could barely even keep your eyes open and handle everything. You stopped crying, you stopped screaming, you were just emotionless.

And inside your head, you had zoned out enough to not think about the pain and think about the harsh beatings they were giving you. It felt like you had changed into a whole completely different person and gave yourself a new mindset from all this torture.

And it took two days.

Two days for Levi to find proof, two days for Levi to run up to the station and slam the proof on their desks along with bringing the scouts for evidence to show them that the people who had stole the Titan serum was no one else but the two Titan shifters, Reiner and Bertholdt.

The way Levi had rushed up to the chair you were still tied in, the rope digging in your skin from how tight it was- leaving dry blood stains from head to toe.

The guards still didn’t feel bad, shit, they still thought you did it but by their boss’ commands- they had to let you go.

Your eyes barely opened when Levi stepped in the room, all you could hear was muffling of voices and a blur of his face come into view.

He wanted to kill them desperately. The way he would enjoy watching his blade slice through their skins like butter but he kept his cool, he kept it together but deep down he wanted to scream at the sight of you. You were awful.

He had scooped you up in his arms, you could barely see his face from the blood but you ended up passing out eventually.

When you had regain consciousness, Levi had barely made it back to the base. All the scouts had looked at you in complete shock and even Armin had shed a few tears while Eren threatened to kill all the MPs.

“Just leave her be for a couple of days guys, she’s in bad shape.” Levi mumbled, he didn’t want to think about it too much- he didn’t want to stare at your bloody state or else it’ll send him off the deep end.

He didn’t know what to do but simply clean you in the bath tub. He had undressed you and sat you in there, making sure to sit you up so you wouldn’t fall. You held onto the edges of the bath, your eyes staring down at the clear water that soon was dark red from your blood.

You remained quiet which worried him, he knew it must’ve been traumatizing but he thought you would at least speak up by now.

“Y/N?” He whispered, running the cloth over your body ever so gently and this is when he got full looks of your wounds.

Deep cuts and slashes on your skin, from your back to your arms and legs. It was painful for him to look at it, he knew you would need stitches for them.

“Will you be okay for a few minutes? I need to go get the first aid.” He stared at you but your eyes stayed on the water, your head tilted down and your eyes barely even blinking.

Levi had sighed, standing up from his spot and left the room to hurry to the infirmary and come back so he can stitch you up himself. While he was gone, your eyes had moved around the bathroom and the bloody cloth he was using to wash you.

Once you had catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, you stared at it for what seemed like forever- looking at the cuts that covered your pale body. Soon you started to laugh while tears filled up in your very eyes and even a few slipped down your cheeks as your laugh grew louder.

He had finally walked in the room, looking down at you and had felt a huge weight pin down on his heart. The mixed bloody tears on your cheeks and the laughter coming out of your mouth had him frozen in time until you finally caught his gaze, your laughing coming to a stop and your sobs started leaving your lips.

Levi rushed over, dropping the box and leaned over the tub to hug onto you but not so tight, making sure to watch your wounds. Your sobs had grown so loud that the scouts down the hall heard your crying, the pain escaping your throat was painful to their ears.

“Hey, shhh.” He had tried to comfort you, the guilt he felt had made him want to punch himself for not helping you sooner, it was his fault you were like this.

He stroked your hair back, tilting your head up to look at him fully and he couldn’t help but cry with you. The whimpers that escaped your busted lips had made him want to break down here and now.

“It’s okay, you’re safe.. you’re safe.” He repeated until your breathing had gone back to normal, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

He had resumed what he was doing. He grabbed the needle and thread, slowly starting to stitch you up while you silently cried in the tub, the water growing cold as your body ached. He had stitched you up in so many places that he could barely count, they completely went overboard with torturing you and he felt like it was on purpose.

When he finished cleaning off the dry blood off your naked body, he lifted you up and wrapped a towel around you. He watched the dark red water go down the drain and he cursed under his breath at the mess around the bathroom, blood everywhere.

You were silent again, numb to everything you had felt throughout the last few days, emotionless but felt the need to scream again but your throat was dry and empty and sore.

He was careful to dress you in comfortable clothes, mostly his t-shirt and some sweatpants after he made sure to put bandages over your stitches and cuts. He tugged his blankets back, laying you down and tucking you in.

Once your head had hit the pillow, your eyes shut and he sat at the edge brushing his fingers through your hair, watching you for a while.

“I’ll make sure they pay for this, I promise..” He mumbled, more to himself than to you before he pressed a kiss to your bruised cheek.

“I love you.”

Throughout the night he had slept beside you but made sure to keep his distance, he didn’t want to hurt you in any way and he knew you haven’t slept the whole time you’ve kept by the military police.

As you slept, all you dreamt of was nightmares and to you they felt so real. The way they would hit you, it felt like they actually did and when they had walked up to your bloody corpse, leaning down and even threatening to cut off your fingers.

The way their plyers had gripped onto your fingernails as they ripped it out with no remorse- it all felt too real. Your body would shake, jolt and even whimpers would fall from your lips as you slept. It had taken a while for Levi to even wake up from your movements.

“Y/N.” He tried to be as gentle as possible, placing his hand on your arm and that’s when you jolted awake, sitting up and panting.

He had removed his hand when you shot up, hesitating before he reached out for you again and when you felt his fingertips- you flinched hard, looking over at him like he was a stranger.

“It’s me.” He mumbled, your eyes adjusting to the dark and you looked at his pained expression and that made your breathing start to calm down.

“Sorry.” You whispered, wiping the sweat off your forehead and you looked down at your arms wrapped in bandages, seeing the blood start to leak through.

“Don’t be.. do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” You said coldly, moving to lay back down in bed and had your back facing him as you stared at the wall.

Levi wanted to desperately take your pain away, he wish he could trade spots and take all the damage instead. But as he sat there staring down at you for what seemed like an hour, he was afraid of losing you and afraid that you were slowly slipping away from his grasp.

He thought about comforting you, would that even be a safe option? He thought. You flinched at his slight touches and he didn’t want you to become afraid of him, he loved you more than anything.

He decided to scoot closer to you, carefully kissing the back of your head and rested his hand on a safe part of your upper arm, making you tense underneath his touch.

“Look, I know what you went through was traumatic.. believe me but please don’t push me away, I can’t lose you.” He said softly, making your eyes water instantly from the flashbacks that flooded your head, every slap, kick, punch, everything.

“Levi,”

“I just want you to be able to talk to me, you’re not alone, at all.”

“I know.” You simply said, not knowing what else to really say about the situation. You were beaten senseless, out of pure hatred, it changed you.

You decided to gently turn over to face him, scrunching up your nose at the pain that followed as you moved. Your eyes looked at his, your bruised face had made his heart hurt more than he could explain.

As you two sat there staring at one another, you carefully brought your weak hand up to caress his cheek and rubbed your thumb over his skin slowly.

He leaned his face more into your hand, the most affection he has gotten out of you and even then, you hesitated, you wanted to pull away. You didn’t want to be touched, talked to, you wanted to be left alone but you had to think about Levi’s feelings too and what he did for you.

“Thank you, for everything.” You mumbled, making his eyes instantly move to look at yours with a hint of hope in them.

“No need to thank me.”

“But I want to, for cleaning me up and trying to support me.. can I be honest with you?”

“Of course.”

You sat there for a moment, trying to think of a better way to put everything and you sighed, your lips pressing into a thin line and even that had made the pain shoot through your busted lips.

“I just- I’m not comfortable speaking about the details but what I will say is, I’m not the same.”

“Ive noticed.” He whispered, moving his hand to brush the strands of your hair back from your face and he gave you a weak smile.

“No matter what, Y/N, I’m here.. to love you, to take care of you, all of it. You’re not getting rid of me so easily.” This time you cracked a smile, squishing his cheeks playfully as you leaned over to press a quick kiss to his lips but even that caused you pain in your body.

“I love you, Lev.”

Soooo idk whether to make a part 2

But if I was, I was thinking of the reader going crazy from the traumatic experiences and even going as far as to killing the guards in cold blood— no one knowing who did it except Levi. Blah blah.

Tell me what you think

Also this one is longer and I’m actually glad and proud how it turned out. So this is why I wanna start pacing myself, it turns out better that way❤️ but my requests are ALWAYSSSSS open, just be patient with me. Mwah. Ps, if you read all that, I love you.

• Main Masterlist •

• AOT Masterlist •

( tag list: @levis-odm-gear )

#levi ackerman fanfic #levi ackerman imagine #levi ackerman imagines #levi ackerman x reader #levi Ackerman #levi ackerman headcanons #levi x reader #levi headcanons #levi angst #levi imagines #levi imagine #levi fanfic #aot fanfic #aot imagines #aot headcanons

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nyxerebus · 3 years

Text

Unlikely Companions (Daryl Dixon x Female reader/ PLATONIC! Carl x Reader)

Summary: Carl was running for his life, being chased by walkers after he went on his own looking for Sophia. When he is corned by the walker a stranger woman saves him. She is looking for her Fiancee for the old world, but offers her help returning him to the farm. They bond over the days in the woods and she learns she might have another reason to find the farm.

Words: 3.1 k

“Carl?” Lori shouted across the farm. She hadn’t seen the boy all day and was starting to get nervous. “Have you seen Carl?” Maggie shook her head. “Not since breakfast” She answered in her southern accent. “Maybe he is with Rick? Or Shane?” Lori just nodded, but didn’t feel any safer. Where was her son?

Carl was running for his life. The two walkers were closing inn. He knew better than to shout and call for help, knowing it would probably attract even more walkers, but right now he didn’t care. “MOM!” He quickened his pace. “DAD!” Two walkers turned into four as two more appeared at his side. Tears was now streaming down his face as he was sure he was going to die here. He looked back again, ready to face death. But the walkers didn’t close inn on him. Instead arrow after arrow filled the air and all the walkers dropped. When Carl turned back around, fully expecting to see Daryl standing there, was surprised to see a stranger. “Are you okay?” The stranger asked him. Carl looked up at the woman. He was inn shock and didn’t know what to say. “You got a group? A family” She continued to ask him. When she tried to approach him, he backed up. “Hey, you don’t need to worry, I won’t do you any harm. Look” She dropped her cross bow and unleased her knife from her holster. When both fell to the ground, she could see him relaxing more. “Can I ask your name?”

“Carl, Carl Grimes”

“Well, Carl Grimes. I’m (Y/N) (L/N). I’m looking for my fiancée. But I can help you return back to you family. Someone as young as you shouldn’t be out here alone”.

Carl was still unsure about her. Remembering her mother’s speech about stranger danger. But those were the rules of the old world. Here in the new world they should accept help form anyone who invites it, right? After thinking it through, he nodded. “Okay, okay. This is a good start. How far away is your camp?” Carl looked down, a bit embarrassed. “I don’t know”

“Do you know the directions?” He shook his head. “Well shit, looks like were in quiet a pickle huh?” She smiled at him, trying to ease him. “I don’t know this area, never been here before. So, I say we head in one direction and hope for the best. What do you think?” He nodded. “Great! Lets go then!”

And so they started to wander. (Y/N) in front, with Carl a meter behind. “Sooo, do you have a favourite movie or something?” He just stared at her. “What! Come on, were going to be stuck with each other for a while, might as well get to know each other”. After a minute of silence, he spoke. “Iron Man”

“That’s a good movie! Mine is probably that or Pride and Prejudice”. Carl scrunched up his nose almost in disgust. “But that’s so girly! All they do is talk about their feelings and kiss!” She looked back at him, offended by his remarks. “And!? It’s a great love story that is still relevant to this day” She played up her offence more hoping it would make him laugh. It did. “Its still so girly” He said between giggles. “Never mind, were is the nearest walker. I’m feeding you to it” (Y/N)’s giggling was now a full on laughter. “Nooo!” Carl was laughing too. (Y/N) was relieved he was laughing, afraid the incident had traumatized him badly.

Back at the farm, panic was settling inn as no one knew were Carl was. “Who was the last to see him?” Rick asked the group. “I saw him after breakfast” Andrea spoke up, she and Carol was comforting Lori, who was having a full blown break down. “He probably went out looking for Sophia alone” All looked to Shane. “I’m mean why else would he suddenly leave”.

“I think your right, but he is still healing from the gun wound, he wouldn’t get far. And if a walker got him, he wouldn’t have much fight in him”.

“My baby!” Lori cried out in agony. “We need to send out search groups, he couldn’t have gone far”. Everyone agreed with Rick. “And with some luck we might find Sophia as well” Daryl nodded at Carol. She smiled back.

The sun had set and the night was creeping closer. (Y/N) had set up an alert system around the small camp they built for the night. Barb wire around them with empty cans tied up. They would rattle if a walker came close and waking them up. It was how (Y/N) had been sleeping every night.

“Go to sleep, I’ll look out for walkers” (Y/N) said leaned back against a tree. She had laid down her sleeping bag that he could use. “I wont fall asleep” Carl complained. “Try”.

“Can you tell me a story” She looked at him weird. “Aren’t you a bit old for fairy tales?”

“Not fairy tales, stories about your life, from before this?” She still looked at him weirdly. “My mom used to tell me stories from her collage days so I could fall asleep when I was younger. Can you please?” When he looked at her with those poppy eyes, (even though it was hard to see with only their small campfire as a light source), who could say no?

“Okay kid, one story than you go to sleep. Deal?” He nodded “What do you want to know?”

“You are engaged right, how was the proposal?” She giggled at the memory but started to tell about the best day of her life:

“Daryl! What are we doing here?” She was a bit frustrated as the redneck pulled her along the streets. It was midday and pretty damn hot. She pulled down her dress skirt as the wind picked up. “Have some patience’ damn woman” She giggled at his bruteness. One of the things she loved about the man, one of many. When they stopped in front of a new bookshop, he could see the hearts in her eyes. “I dint know they opened a new bookshop here!” She exclaimed. “Saw it last night and thought you might like it” Lies. He had known they were opening here for the past month, doing everything in his power to make sure you dint know. They actually had opening night a week ago.

Now it was her turn to drag him along. It surprised her to see the shop empty, seeing as the streets were pretty full. But she didn’t think much of it. Running between shelves after shelves, the one book in hand turning into two, than four and now finally six books. But when she turned around, all the books fell too the floor. Because there before her was her lovely boyfriend, down on one knee with a ring between his fingers. “Oh my god” She whispered into the silent shop. As if on cue, the speakers played her favourite song.

“(Y/N) (L/N), you are the love of my life. And I just want to be your man’ for the rest of your life. And, shit you know I aint’ good with my emotions, but when I’m with ya’ it seems so easy. Shit, I’m messing it all up” He was stumbling over his own words, clearly forgetting a pre-rehearsed speech. “no, please continue” tears were forming in her eyes. “I love ya’ (Y/N), my Sunshine. You book crazy mad woman. I love everything about ya’. So, will ya’ marry me?” He was ready for a rejection, ready to see her walk out of his life forever. But she didn’t.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, a million times yes” Tears were streaming down her face. He stood up and kissed her. His arm wrapping around her waist, bending her down a bit so he could kiss her more passionately. Like in the movies. They only broke off so he could slip the ring on her finger, it fit her perfectly.

“Did he rent out the bookshop?” Carl asked, clearly very invested. “Yeah, cost him way too much, but he didn’t care. That idiot was never good with money” She giggled at the memories. “What about after, what did you guys do?”

“Nah nah nah, the deal was one story than you go to sleep. I can tell you more tomorrow”. Carl huffed in annoyance but turned around in the sleeping bag. “Good night”

“Good night Carl”.

“Rick, it’s been a whole night! Where is he?” Lori was completely lost; she hadn’t slept all night. To worried about where her son was. “What if his trapped, oh god! What if those walkers got him?”

“We can’t think like that! He is fine. He has to be” Rick did everything he could to try and look confident and comfort his wife, but the worry was eating him up as well. The same thoughts were running through his head as well. Those terrible images of his baby boy being ripped apart by the walkers.

“Okay, open your mouth” Carl did as instruct and tried to catch the berry she threw into his mouth. She missed, but only with an inch! “You suck!” Carl teased her. “Hey! I’m not the one with a tiny mouth!” She teased back. “Alright, lets start walking big man”. He nodded and helped her clean up the camp. “Can I ask a question?” The boy asked as they continued to walk. “Sure”

“What happened between you and your fiancée? Why aren’t you together now?”

She took a deep breath. “When the outbreak happened, we weren’t together. He was off god know where with his brother, probably bailing him out or something-” Carl looked at her questioning, “That’s another story. But yeah, we weren’t together. I was at campus and that turned into a mess, I lots a lot of friends there. Mass panic and everybody evacuated. I and a couple of other students bunkered up a dorm room. Living of the instant noodles and beer we found. That lasted maybe 4 days. So, we left and split off, I wanted to go into the woods, where he would be and the rest wanted to go to back to Atlanta. And since than I have been looking for him. Living in the woods like a mad man.” Tears started to form in her eyes when she relived the horrible times at the campus.

“Sorry I asked”. He looked down. “Its alright” She smiled at him. “What were you studying?”

“Heh, literature. Not much help in the apocalypse, I guess”.

“Than how did you learn to use the bow and hunt?”

“He taught me” She smiled at the memory, and thanked him desperately for teaching her:

“Why do I need to learn this? I live in the city, I will never hunt or live in the woods!” Daryl just scuffed at her and placed the bow he bought in her hands. He had brought her out to the woods after her classes to teach her hunting. “ya’ need to be able to fend for yourself and feed yourself” She just looked him with a raise brow, but eventually gave in. “Fine, fine. Teach me”. A smirk played out on his face, happy with his little victory. Truth be told, he needed to know that you could fend for yourself and be independent, in and out of the city. It eased him at night, in a weird way. “Why cant I learn the crossbow like you?”

“First bow, than crossbow. Alright Sunshine’”

Shoooo! The arrow flew through the air and hit the squirl in the head. “Score!” (Y/N) exclaimed. She fastened the squirrel two her belt, joining the five others she had shot. “We eating good tonight!” Carl looked at the squirrels with a lot of scepticisms. “What? Don’t tell me you’re a picky eater”

“No, it just looks so weird like that” They bickered back and front while they walked in the direction, they thought the farm was inn. They had changed their direction a couple of times, hoping to get closer and see sign of life.

They had spent the entire day walking, and as the night came closer they found a spot to camp up. Carl set up the wires while (Y/N) started a fire to cook the squirrels. While they ate, Carl told her about his family and the people they were in the camp with. “What the hell! You got shot?!”

“Yeah!” Carl had a proud grin on his face, finally having something that made him look cool. “Shit, man your tougher than me if you can bounce back like that”. He laughed and continued to brag about the experience. It was a nice conversation. He talked a bunch about his family, mostly about his dad. Clearly his hero. But than he mentioned a familiar name.

“Wait! Daryl? Daryl with a crossbow?” Carl just nodded. “Does he have a west with angel wings? Brother named Merle?” When Carl nodded again. Tears started to from in her eyes. She was going to be reunited with Daryl, her Daryl. He was alive. That night when Carl finally fell asleep, her mind wandered to all the amazing memories with the man.

It was cold in the room. The window was wide open and letting the moonshine lighting up the small bedroom. (Y/N) and Daryl was huddled together for warmth on the bed. It had been an long night. From a failed date after the place Daryl wanted to take her to was closed, she got catcalled which ended up with her having to drag Daryl of the stranger. And when they got home, he showed her his scars. She was the first romantic partner he had ever shown. The night ended with their naked, sweaty bodies pressed together, while both worked to please the other. It was their first night together, her first night with anyone. When they lied down together basking in the aftermath of their climax, it was one of the happiest times in her life. He wrapped his arms around her and puller her on top of him. Her head resting on his chest, with his arms wrapped around her, caressing her back with one hand, the other squeezing her thigh. “I love ya Sunshine”.

“(Y/N)!”

“(Y/N)! Wake up!” Carl shook her awake. “What’s happening” She immediately reached for her bow and charged it ahead of her, ready to attack any enemy that threatened them. “I can see the farm!” The night had made it harder to see a head of them, but now that the sun was lighting up the world, they could see the farm a head of them. (Y/N) realised her bow and the breath she was holding. They packed up the camp at record time, both wanting to reach the farm as quickly as possible. The walk over to the farm was quiet. When they reached the outcast of the woods, a voice stopped them from going any further.

“Well, well, well, look at that. Do you guys see this fine piece of ass” A man walked out from behind a tree with a gun raised at them both. Three other guys came out, all with their weapons raised. “Sure do boss. Haven’t seen a woman this fine in what feels like ages. I’m just aching to be inside of her”.

(Y/N) placed herself protectively in front of Carl. “What do you guys want? Our food, weapons? You can have that, just leave us alone” Her voice trembled a little afraid of what they will do to them. “Oh, we don’t need your left overs or those teeth pickers you call knifes, no baby. We want something different” He grabbed his crotch when he said the last part. “Carl, run”.

“What? I cant leave-” “Carl! Run!” One of the guys tackled her down. Holding her down on the ground. “Get the kid” The boss said to the guy closest to Carl. “RUN!” She shouted before her mouth was covered. Carl finally ran away, when the guy ordered to catch him started to run after him.

When he made it out of the forest and ran across the fields to the farm, he started to shout out for help. “MOM! DAD!”.

“Do you guys hear that?” Glenn asked the group as they sat around planning the move for the day. “That’s Carl” Lori ran towards the field and saw her son running across it being chased by a stranger.

“Carl!” All the guys saw it too and started to run to Carl. The guy chasing him, saw the men running towards him and turned around to warn the others. “Carl!” Rick finally got to hug his son after being missing for 3 days. But the hug was cut short when Carl pushed free. “We need to head back, (Y/N), the girl that helped me is back there and the guys are attacking her!” He pulled his fathers hand and started to move back to the woods, but Daryl stopped him.

“(Y/N), as in (Y/N) (L/N)?” When Carl nodded Daryl took off and ran towards the forest. The others followed, but this time Carl was pushed back behind them. When they got closer they could hear her voice yelling for them to get off. They reached the area Daryl did not hesitate to shoot the guys around her, holding her down while the main guy was cutting up her clothes. When she got her hands free, she leaped on the last guy and grabbed her knife they had forgotten to remove from her belt. When he was pushed to the ground she didn’t hesitate to stab him in the chest. She didn’t stop after one, two three or four. Blood splashed on her face and torned shirt. Her hands were covered in blood.

Rick took a step forward, but stepped on a twig that snaped in two. She leaped up and raised the knife up, ready to protect herself against another attacker. But when she saw Daryl standing there, she dropped the knife. Sobs wracked through her body and she took a stumbling step forward. Daryl closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist. He didn’t care that she was covered in blood, just happy that she was safe. She was alive.

Her knees buckled and she fell down, taking him with her. They were both on their knees holding each other and crying into each other’s necks. Right now, nobody else mattered. Not Rick, Glenn or Shane who was staring at the scene in front of them. Not the bodies of her attackers lying around them. No one. Only them as they held each other for the first time. It seemed as Carl had led her back to her family just as much as she had helped him back to his.

A/N: Part 2 is out! You can read it here : Part 2

Please ignore any spelling mistakes as English is not my first language :)

#the walking dead daryl #daryl x y/n #daryl x you #daryl fanfiction #daryl dixon #daryl x reader #the walking dead #twd #carl grimes

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ijustwant2write · 3 years

Text

The First Boyfriend-John Shelby x Reader

(GIF credit to @ilovna)

Requested by anonymous: ‘Hey when u have the time can you please do a John Shelby imagine where they are married they have been since they were young and Katie their oldest child she’s like 14 or 13 she want to bring a boy to meet her parents and y/n has to calm John down and tell him to give the boy a chance and they they do finally meet him he seems ok but then he starts being all Percy towards y/n and John gets protective and y/n gives him permission to kick him out . Hope it makes sense 😂❤️’

Characters: John Shelby x Reader (Married), Katie Shelby x Reader (Daughter)

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

Warnings: Swearing, age gap between teenagers, violence, inappropriate touching, fluff

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I groaned as I heard a thump come from upstairs, the kids screaming at each other as they bickered. Looking down at the washing up, I decided to leave them for now, they could sort it between themselves. That was, until there was a louder thud, and all of them were screaming. I dried my hands on a tea towel, checking on the pie in the oven before stomping my way upstairs. That always freaked out the children, they knew they were in for a telling off.

“Right,” I announced my presence in the boys room, where the younger girls were also playing,“what is all of this racket?”

“He snatched the toys away from me!”

“She hit me!”

“She said a naughty word!”

“He pulled my hair!”

Everyone shouted over each other, meaning I got nowhere close to an actual answer.

“Alright!” I snapped.“Before you all yell at me again, this is what we’re going to do. Girls, go back to your room, boys you stay in here. You will wait in those rooms until I call you for your baths.”

They all groaned, none of them ever liked bath time, it took valuable time away from their playing.

“I will have none of that, do as I say.” the children made an act of slumping around, the girls dragging their feet as they walked past me.“I love you all.”

They murmured ‘I love you too’ before the doors to their rooms shut, and I laughed under my breath. They certainly had their father’s dramatics and unfortunately, both of our stubborn tendencies. As I headed back downstairs, the front door opened, John waltzing in and smirking as he spotted me.

“Now this is a pleasant greeting.” he cockily said as I got to the last step, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I cupped his face in my hands, leaning down to welcome him with a kiss.“Thought you would be at the Garrison.”

“You say that like I’m there every night.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, before we both laughed.“Just got to bathe the children, then we can eat.”

His eye line was at a perfect height to stare at my breasts, and he made a point of it.“And what’s on the menu tonight?”

I scoffed, raising his chin to look me in the eyes.“Pie. And that’s it.”

“We’ll see about that.”

The door opened again, this time Katie walking in. She made a disgusted face at the sight of her parents showing love for one another.

“Ah good, you’re back on time for once. You can help me with you brothers and sisters.”

“Alright.” she replied, intending to head towards the front room when I stopped her.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“What? Nothing.”

“There must be, you didn’t protest or huff at me when I asked you to do something.”

“Come on, spit it out.” John pushed.

“It’s nothing, really!”

“Katie, we can do this all day. Perhaps you should have less time out with your mates-”

“Fine!” Katie quickly gave in, which was unusual for her.“I...I have a boyfriend.”

“You what?”

“His name is James, he’s really nice! I’ve been seeing him for a while-”

“How long’s a while?”

“Uh, three weeks, maybe four.”

John’s jaw dropped, looking at me with wide eyes before going back to Katie.“Three weeks?!”

“I said maybe four.”

“Well it certainly won’t go to five.”

“Dad!”

“No Katie, he’s just a crush.”

“He’s not! I promise I really like him!”

“But how much does he like you? How do you know what his intentions are?”

“OK police inspector,” I patted him on the chest as I stood between them,“calm down, both of you. Now, Katie obviously like this boy, so we have to respect that. But Katie, you know you have to be careful around boys.”

“Yes, I remember you saying. I was wondering...could he maybe come round for dinner one night?”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, he liked the idea too. It’ll mean you can get to know him, then you know I’m safe.”

“I think that’s a lovely idea Katie.”

“What?!” John exclaimed.

“John.” I warned him.“You arrange it with him, perhaps sometime next week?”

“Thanks mum!” Katie beamed, giving me a quick hug.

“That’s alright darling. Now, go get your brother’s and sister’s ready for their baths whilst I draw it.”

I kissed the top of her head before she rushed past her dad and up the stairs. I just laughed at John’s shocked expression, wondering how on Earth that all happened before him.

“Oh, Katie!” I quickly shouted.

“Yeah?” her head popped around the corner.

“How old is James?”

Her face dropped. She was still hiding something.“Um, he’s...he’s seventeen.”

“Excuse me?”

“He just turned seventeen! Got to go and do as you asked me!”

Right, that wasn’t the answer I was expecting. I slowly turned to face John, who had an extremely angry expression on his face.

“Seventeen?” he scowled.

“Yeah, I’m not happy about that either. But let’s give him a chance.”

“He’s fucking seventeen! He’s taking advantage of a fourteen year old!”

“Darling, calm down. Please, let’s see what he’s like. Not everyone was like you at seventeen.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“They weren’t all as charming as you.” I quickly saved, though he knew what I meant.“If he’s a little shit, we can stop her from seeing him.”

“Or stop him from seeing her.”

“John, do not traumatize that boy.”

“No promises.”

John had not been in a great mood for the rest of the week. He was constantly fussing over Katie, questioning her left, right and centre about anything he could think of. She was getting frustrated, she couldn’t even pop out to buy us bread without John asking if she had seen James on the way. I tried to stop him, but he was so persistent. He was only being like this because he wanted to protect his little girl, he knew what boys were like at that age. I was worried about the age gap. It wasn’t much, but Katie was still so young, only just becoming a teenager, whereas this boy was a year away from being an adult. I only hoped he would prove us wrong at this dinner.

We had scheduled the dinner for the following week, and the day was already upon us. Katie and I had been preparing a meal all day, feeding the kids before us so they wouldn’t act up or take my attention away. Katie was dressed in her best dress, hair pinned back with a nervous smile on her face. However, John was no where to be seen. He had been gone all day, he was at work, but I hoped he hadn’t been snatched away for Blinder business. Katie stressed over this, sitting by the window on the lookout for him.

“He’s here!” Katie announced, dashing through to the kitchen.

“Your dad?” I asked, wiping my hands on my apron.

“No, James! Why does dad always have to ruin everything?!”

“Hey, look at me,” I grabbed her by the shoulders,“it will all be fine. Let him him, we will start talking and just excuse your dad. He will be here Katie.”

I pushed her towards the door, taking off my apron and making sure everything was in order; when really, I was stopping myself from rushing out and bombarding the boy.

“Mum,” Katie called me, and I stepped out of the kitchen,“this is James. James, this is my mum.”

“Pleasure to meet you Mrs Shelby.” he politely took my hand, and I thought he was going to shake it, but instead kissed it, keeping eye contact for a little too long.

“You too James.” I smiled, wondering if he was just trying to make a good impression.“Katie’s dad isn’t home from work yet, but we can sit in the front room whilst we wait.”

We engaged in small talk, me asking about his life and if he had a job. He was a good speaker, no stuttering or wondering what to say next. So far, so good. Katie hung onto to his every word, it was a wonder her cheeks weren’t hurting from smiling so much. However, some things James said were a little...I didn’t know how to put it, but the way he spoke was as if he was wooing me, he would sometimes wink, or make a suggestive joke, which would fly over Katie’s head. I was starting to side with John, this young boy made me uncomfortable.

Another hour passed, still no sign of John, and if we didn’t eat soon, the food would burn. I tried waiting for a little longer, but I could tell Katie was starting to worry again. So I suggested we start eating without him, not having to explain why John was late. James would have to be an idiot to not know who her father was. We had only been eating for ten minutes when the back door opened, John walking into the kitchen as he took off his Peaky cap.

“Couldn’t wait for me then?” John said, no humour in his voice.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr Shelby.” James stood respectfully, ready to shake John’s hand, but he didn’t take it. I wanted to scold him for that.

James hesitantly sat back down. John took off his coat, hanging it on the back of the door, making a show of unbuckling his jacket, which revealed his guns in the holster. I rolled my eyes, this boy was only seventeen, and not one his enemies. He sat down beside me, which happened to be opposite James, a stupid mistake I should have seen coming.

“What have I missed?” John asked as he tucked into his food.

“I’ve been getting to know James, so he’s probably going to have to repeat everything again to you.” I joked.

“Go on then.”

Silence.

“Go on, tell me what you told my wife.”

"Dad." Katie hissed.

"It's alright Katie." James placed his hand over hers, and I caught the sight of John tensing up, nostrils flaring."I was just explaining how I'm working now, earning quite a bit actually. Finished school too, so I'm not an idiot."

"My brother, Katie's uncle, didn't finish school. You calling him an idiot?" John leaned back in his chair.

"N-no, Mr Shelby. I just meant that-"

"You just meant to keep your mouth shut."

"John, a word."

I stood up from my chair, walking towards the door and waiting for John there. He stared at James as he slowly got up, reluctantly following. I shut the door after us, shoving John towards the front room.

"Whats wrong with you?" I snapped.

"Why did we leave them alone?" he realised."Make it quick, he could be doing anything to her in there."

"Oh my god, John. They're teenagers but they're not stupid. Could you just give him a chance? Please?"

He huffed."I don't trust him."

"Of course you don't. He's the first boy Katie has brought home. She might end up bringing more-"

"No. No she won't."

"John, can you just relax? If we get through this dinner quick enough, he'll be gone."

"Let's just get back in there."

I moaned to myself, quickly going after him. We sat back down, Katie and James had been silent when we walked in. I cleared my throat as the silence continued, starting to ear again and hoping the others would copy. Luckily they did, we were able to make small talk, though John didn't participate.

Once we were done, I collected the plates with Katie, telling her she didn't have to help with the washing up. I thought she would be able to spend time with James (and keep her father away from the poor boy), however, James offered to help me instead. At first I was about to tell him that it was nonsense, until I saw John waiting by the front room, his eyes still set on James as Katie tried to drag him away.

“I’m sorry about my husband. He’s very...protective of his children.” I said as I passed him a plate to dry.

“I understand Mrs Shelby. He’s got a beautiful family to look after.”

“Aw, that’s very sweet of you to say.”

“A very beautiful family.”

I didn’t like the way he was looking at me. The comment before was lovely, but now he seemed to be suggesting something. Being almost an adult, he was the same height as me, if not slightly taller, and I wasn’t sure how to continue the conversation.

“I could instantly tell where Katie got her looks from, though I must say, the original is always better than the copy.”

Who did this little shit think he was?

“Honestly James, you don’t have to be stuck drying the dishes. Go spend time with Katie.”

“I’m quite enjoying myself here, actually.”

This was weird. At first, I thought maybe he was being over friendly, knowing that his girlfriend was a Shelby and her father was a Peaky Blinder; or perhaps he had some alcohol to fuel his confidence. But now I could sense he was here for something else, as if he ever had a chance.

“Oh, this one is still a bit dirty.” he pointed out.

He walked behind me to place it on the other side of the sink to be cleaned again, however, he pushed his body into mine behind me, and I froze at the action out of shock. His breath was fanning on my breath as he slowly placed the plate down, hand sliding up my arm to my elbow, before tracing across my lower back as he moved away again. I dropped the plate I was washing into the sink, picking up a knife beside me and pointing it at him.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” I snapped under my breath. It pissed me off that he didn’t look bothered by my threat.

“Just appreciating what’s in front of me.” he cockily replied.

“You have no respect for anyone, do you? I want you out of my house, now.”

“And break Katie’s little heart? Don’t think she would be too pleased by that.”

“She’ll be happy to know I got rid of a pervert. You;re never to go near her again.”

“You sound like your husband. Katie has been complaining about you two for weeks. She’ll only listen to me, and I’ll deny whatever you tell her. And how would your husband feel knowing we had this moment?”

“He’ll want to cut your balls off.”

“You know, I wasn’t sure if I was absolutely into you when I walked in. You’re beautiful of course, but the foul language...I don’t know, something about it is quite exciting.”

I chucked the knife into the sink, storming past the bastard and out of the kitchen, until I noticed the door was slightly open. I hadn’t left it like that. Continuing on, I took a big, deep breath before walking into the front room. John (unsurprisingly) had a glass of whiskey in hand as he sat in his chair, Katie sitting on the longer sofa, seeming upset.

“You saw, didn’t you?” I asked her.

She nodded, her eyes glued on the floor, they were glassed over.

“Did he touch you?” John snarled.

I sighed.“He...he did but-”

“That’s all I need to hear.”

He put down his drink, making a beeline for the kitchen. I stood in the doorway of the front room, shielding Katie from what was about to happen. James yelled out in protest as John roughly dragged him out of the house. I watched as he literally threw the boy outside onto the street, people wanting to watch but also not wanting to be involved.

“You stay the fuck away from my family. You’re lucky I don’t cut you, or do something worse. Watch your fucking back boy.”

Although I enjoyed the fear in James’ eyes, I wish he had the same look when I dealt with him. John slammed the door, causing the pictures on the wall to shake. Katie ran upstairs, upset that the boy she liked wasn’t as respectful or lovely as she thought he was. I decided to leave her for the time being, everyone needed to calm down.

“Are you alright?” John asked me, still breathing heavy.

“Yes, thank you for getting rid of him.” I sighed, wrapping my arms around him.

He embraced me, trying to calm himself down.“I love you. I won’t ever let anyone else touch you like that again.”

“I know you won’t. I’m sorry I didn’t listen before.”

“Nah, I was being over protective. He just turned out to be a twat.”

“But he’s gone now. And he won’t go near Katie again. Just know, she might be crying for a few days.”

“I’ll let you deal with that.”

#john shelby #john shelby imagines #john shelby imagine #john shelby x reader #john shelby one shot #john shelby fanfiction #john shelby fan fiction #john shelby fanfic #john shelby fan fic #peaky blinders #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders imagines #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders one shot #peaky blinders fanfiction #peaky blinders fan fiction #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders fan fic

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qslovebot · 3 years

Text

Nobody: Spencer Reid

Summary: After an accident on a case, the reader is left with trauma and anxiety. A miscommunication between her and the person she needs most (Spencer Reid) begins to eat her alive and he just so happens to be the only one there when she breaks again.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Warnings/Includes: mentions of kissing, mentions of traumatizing events (not specified), depictions of anxiety, fluff, miscommunication, angst to fluff

A/N: The song is Nobody by Mitski. Read with this for the ultimate experience.

Sometimes things felt too literal. Words start to sound weird and feel weird when you say them, clothes feel too much like clothes against your skin, the texture of any food in your mouth becomes too prevalent while eating.

These things started happening after you witnessed and endured something awful on a case. You wouldn't dare bring up the full memory in case it took over and killed you all over again. It wasn't PTSD, but it was the cause of your anxiety attacks most of the time when they occurred.

After that case, you spent a week in the hospital where they happened nearly every day and the doctors weren't much help, to be frank. The only people who really ever helped were your friends and the person you were so close to dating, Spencer Reid.

It was a long story. To dumb it down, the case event happened and you and Spencer thought you were about to die so he confessed his feelings for you and of course they were reciprocated. He asked, then and there through stuttering words, 'If we make it out of here please go out with me?" As his last bit of hope, and he kissed you before you were taken away by the unsub. He didn't endure nearly as much as you did which was why he wasn't as affected. But you had said 'yes' to that question and three weeks later, you still hadn't talked about it.

When the anxiety attacks happened, you often felt like you couldn't breathe, like the walls were pressing in on you. Sometimes you'd be with JJ when it happened. She would immediately ask you what you needed and often that would just be a hug.

Emily witnessed one at your house when she came over to check on you. She rushed over, caring voice and soft hands and told you to put your head between your knees, stroking your hair until you felt better.

Penelope made the 30-minute drive from her house every Friday night she wasn't working on a case to bring you dinner she had made and chat with you about anything you wanted.

Your friends cared for you, it was so prevalent. It was almost always that fact that was getting you through this as you continued to get better. You would return to work in two weeks because now the anxiety attacks were only once in a while and better controlled by you and Spencer still hadn't spoken to you since.

It was now nearly two weeks later. You would go back to work on Monday.

"He did come to visit you in the hospital before you woke up," Penelope said, stirring her cup of ramen. It was just another Friday and she sat across from you in your chair, cross-legged. "I don't know what's up with him if he isn't speaking to you, he seems fine at work."

You sighed, swallowing your bite. "I'm just scared that he regrets what he said and did before I was dragged away. It was those words and that kiss that got me through what the unsub did and I keep thinking about it and him..."

"It was romantic," she noted, waving her chopstick in the air. "I think you should call him, rather than just text him. It'll catch him off-guard and in-the-moment."

"Now?"

"Yes, so I can listen!"

You smiled a little, pulling out your phone as your heart began to race. What if he did pick up? What if it was awkward? What if he somehow didn't remember?

You pressed on his name, then pressed call. It began to hum quietly with pending rings. One ring, two, then five, then seven, then there was a small beep.

'You've reached Dr. Spencer Reid, uh, leave a message,' his voice said through the machine, still as sweet and youthfully scratchy. You bit your lip and nodded.

"I should have known that he didn't want to talk. Penelope, I can't stop thinking about him and he keeps ignoring my calls and I'm... frankly I'm afraid that nothing will ever happen and he'll ignore me forever."

Penelope cringed, "(Y/N), uh... there's... it's gone to voicemail and you're recording."

"Shit!" You panicked, looking at your phone. "How do I stop it?!"

"The red button!"

"That's the end call button I-" you pressed it by accident. Oh my god, the message went through. You just sat there with Penelope, both of you frozen in shock. That did not just happen... did it really just happen? Your one moment of self-pity and worry was one moment that Spencer would hear if he touched his phone on a Friday night.

The rest of the night was spent with you fighting off panic, pacing your room. Penelope agreed to stay overnight, but you could not handle the fact Spencer would hear what you said. It was humiliating to think about him hearing you stress over something like that.

This is what nagged at you all weekend, threatening the impending anxiety that was building up. Every second was agony, spent pacing and overthinking. Sleep was hard to get, so you took melatonin and your dreams taunted you with it all over again.

Monday morning you rushed to get dressed. You needed to see Spencer, no matter how hard it was to face him. You pulled on dress pants and a navy blue cotton v-neck shirt with bell sleeves. Laundry was forgotten through two days of panic, so this was pretty much the only shirt you had.

You brushed through your hair and applied your regular makeup and there, you were presentable and didn't look like you'd lost your mind over the weekend. You were going back, finally. It was somewhat refreshing if you dismissed the Spencer ordeal.

The drive there was fine. Music helped to calm you down and you listened as long as you could. Stepping into the BAU was different, it felt like you were being crushed the moment you stepped in.

"There's my girl!" Derek Morgan was the first to notice you walk in and he greeted you with open arms and a crushing hug. You smiled, letting him. It had been a while since you last saw him. He let you go after a few seconds, but his hands stayed on your shoulders. "We missed you here, things weren't as fun without you."

"I bet," you grinned, heading to your desk. You could hide your freakout well. "I missed the smell of coffee and paper in the morning."

"(Y/N), glad to have you back," Hotch said, walking down the steps. He did seem honestly glad to see you as there was a small twitch of his mouth when he approached you and Derek. "You're sure you're alright to work again? I assume today is a file day, but we'll be back out there soon."

You nodded, smiling back. "Getting there, but it's controllable now," He narrowed his eyebrows. "I'll be fine for the field and if I'm not, I can always stay at the precinct to work things out there."

Hotch looked to Derek, then back at you. "Sounds good. Again, glad to have you back, agent." Hotch shook your hand and passed you, heading into JJ's office.

"Morgan..." You started, fiddling with your fingers. "Have you seen Spencer?"

"Yeah, he just went to the washroom, why?"

"I need to talk to him..."

The day went on and of course, you saw Spencer, but he paid you no mind. Not even a 'welcome back' or anything. You were just there and it was like you never left, except Spencer didn't even look at you. He was busy with his work and you constantly found yourself watching him. Maybe he'd heard your voice mail, maybe not, but either way, he didn't seem to care anymore.

That month and a half you spent recovering- was it possible that he used that time away from you to get over you? The idea was haunting and tugged at your heart. To be the only one all-in was such an incredibly painful idea. What he said before you were dragged away into the depths of hell meant something to you and it kept you alive... and to think he probably didn't mean it...

You needed to stop thinking about it before it made you burst into a million pieces. To be surrounded by everyone who you loved and loved you back wasn't enough if you couldn't have Spencer, too. Selfish, it sounded so selfish, but it shook you to the core that he wasn't amongst them.

The day continued and more pain was endured. More overthinking, more fear, more insecurity. The day was nearing its end.

Everybody seemed like nobody when Spencer was out of the picture. You had spent so much time thinking about him in the hospital and at home in recovery, who were you without wondering you could make it work? Nobody. Without the fantasy you could be his, you stranded on some sort of island. You were nobody if not Spencer's.

So you were nobody.

It was that thought that keeled you over the edge in the parking lot of the BAU. So much fear, so much pent-up emotion, it was too much to contain and just... spilled over onto everything as your hands began to shake, followed by that godawful feeling in the pit of your stomach. Your knees gave out and you fell conveniently onto the curb next to your car.

There was nobody there, either. You were alone on the concrete curb, face in your shaking hand and the other shaking hand gripping the curb so hard your knuckles turned white. Too much, too little, everything was wrong and you couldn't face Spencer.

You looked up for a brief moment and there was a brief look at someone in a beige cardigan and khaki pants and your heart fell to the pit of your stomach- as if you were humiliated enough. Footsteps, closer.

"A-are you okay?" His voice was a little panicked, definitely not as bad as yours, though. Overall, you were just glad he was within six feet of you.

Of course, you were pretty much unable to reply. Your face stayed in your hands and you felt light fingers on your shoulder, his, and they were somewhat grounding. God, he was here and you couldn't even talk to him, you couldn't even raise your head.

"What do you need, I- what happened?" He cared. But to what extent? His hands felt frantic- they shook a little (again, not nearly as bad as yours) and they moved from your shoulder, to upper arm, to near your neck, to the side of your head. "If this is my fault, I-"

He stopped himself. How could he possibly know that it was the thought of him that sent this into motion? The voicemail didn't entail much other than he was on your mind. You hardly even noticed that you were crying from the anxiety attack until you felt how wet your hands were. Your words kept piling on your tongue and the panic rose again in an entirely new wave.

"Do you- do you need help? I can get Hotch or... Derek, Derek knows, I know, but I don't- I don't think you like me very much and I won't be of help-I-I-I-" His voice continued to ramble and you were flooded with new thoughts. How could he possibly think that you didn't like him? In those moments before you were taken, you had said yes to going out with him if you both made it out. You kissed him back then before the arms grabbed you and dragged you off. Where did the idea of you not liking him come from? It was you who was afraid he didn't like you back.

You wanted to speak, you wanted to say something but you were stuck in your own mind, desperately trying to fight this off, trying hard to calm your breathing. The most you could do was take your hand off of the curb and frantically grab his. You took his hand and you held it tight, trying to slow the sharp intakes of breath. That's when Spencer squeezed your hand and you began to feel better.

And when you did start to feel better and your breathing was still harsh, but better and you could finally move a little more, you did what you had wanted to do every day in the hospital. You leaned forward and wrapped your arms around Spencer, your arms resting around his shoulders. You needed it and apparently so did he, because he squeezed you back the same. Either it was that or he knew pressure helped. All you could do was hope it wasn't the latter.

Spencer of course buried his face in the crook of your neck like he had before and you knew now that this feeling was coming to an end. The tide was washing out and there was calm after the storm. No words, just your breathing becoming more natural and the wind over your ears. This was all that you needed.

He stayed like this with you for a good five more minutes before you could finally release him, pulling apart and your hand coming up to wipe under your eyes. He didn't speak then, either- he just watched, his face furrowed in concern.

So you spoke, "Spencer wh-" your voice cut out from still being in that state of anxiety. You coughed into your arm, tried again. "Why would you think I don't like you?"

"I-I- don't think that's the question, I- are you okay?" His hands went back to your shoulders bracingly.

You smiled a small smile, "I'm better, it's passed, but Spencer...' You slid into a whisper with the crying coming back. Had it really passed?

"Yes?" His reply was wary. As if afraid to break you, he tiptoed.

"Answer me, please."

He bit his lower lip into his mouth, sighing. "I don't know if I should, you're- you're upset."

You looked at him, dead-on, determined. "Please."

"You didn't call. Not once and I-I-I was worried and then I started to think about it and everything t-that happened before you were taken and that you probably only said and did that because you were about to-to-uh, die." He rambled, words spilling out. "So I thought maybe you didn't really like me and-"

"I was waiting for you to call, too," you actually let out a laugh. He smiled in realization. "Because I was afraid of the exact same thing. I was afraid you didn't mean it and I worked myself up- I called Friday night, though-"

"I didn't- I didn't know that-" he fumbled to bring his phone out of his pocket and he must have seen that he had a voicemail from you and nodded, a little smile appearing on his worried face. "So you did mean to say yes?"

"And you did mean to ask?" You inquired, head tilted.

"Y-yes, of course."

"Then yes," you replied, smile widening to a grin. "How is Saturday night? I think I'll be better by then."

He was positively beaming as he helped you back to your feet. "Saturday is... great. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Much better.... truthfully." You nodded excessively and Spencer began walking back to his car, but then came back quickly to kiss your cheek.

He was like a child excited to go run and tell friends, "Goodnight!"

"Night, Spence." You stood there, basking in the glory that was solved miscommunication. You weren't nobody, you were in fact, somebody. And you were soon to be Spencer's.

Tags: @ellyhotchner, @softhairedhotch, @laurakirsten0502

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lovewriting-5 · 3 years

Text

Until Dawn

Chapter 1

Chapter 2, part 1

Chapter 2, part 2

We walk down the stairs and Ashley and Chris were already in the living room by the fire. “Well...well, what took the two of you so long?” Chris asks. I had a hard time keeping a straight face. It felt good to be close with Josh again after a few days.

The four of us were talking about how cold it was in the lodge. The heat had to get turned on. I tell Josh “The fire is nice but it would be great if the heat was on.” I wrap my arms around myself for warmth. He wraps his arms around me to help. He says “Come on...”

Chris, Ashley and I were betting how long it would take him to get it started. Chris asks “How long do you think it’ll take him?” To be nice, I bet “An hour.” Ashley says “My money’s on blankets for everyone!” Chris tells him “You can do it, man. We believe in you.” She says “Yeah! Totally! Woo!” I do a chant “Let’s go Jo-osh, let’s go!” His arms tighten around me. I laugh.

There was the sound of footsteps moving around upstairs. Josh removes his arms. He tells all three of us, “Alright, peanut gallery, you know what? I got an idea.” I ask, suspiciously “What?” He continues “Okay well I am pretty sure that somewhere in this crazy place we used to have...a spirit board.” Ashley asks “A what?”

Sarcastically, Chris asks “Wow you have a ‘spirit board’?” I ask him, concerned “Wait are you saying...we should have a séance?” Still joking, Chris says “Those things are a joke, man. They don’t do shit.” Josh says with a little difficulty, “No way bro. We used to do it all the time. Me and...well...” This isn’t a good idea.

The footsteps reach the bottom. I turn and say “Hey Sam.” As she gets closer to us, she says “Hi. Hey Josh. No hot water’s kinda major oversight doncha think?” He tells her “Yeah yeah, just gotta fire up the boiler. It’s in the basement.” Turns back to Chris and Ashley, “You guys see if you can find the spirit board.”

Ashley gets up from the ottoman, “Chris, let’s go find it! It’ll be like a scavenger hunt!” Hesitantly, he says “Ummm...okay...guess so.” Josh says “Rad. You’re not gonna regret it.” The two of them leave.

Josh asks me “You up for a ride-along?” Nervously, I say “Sure.” I turn to Sam, “Sam, do you want to help us?” She looks behind me, “Uhhh...no, you two go for it. I’ll wait up here.”

We make our way to the direction of the basement. He pauses and says, mischievously “Hey. You notice how I gave Chris and Ashley a mission together? Yeah I was thinking they could use some ‘alone time.’” Supportively, I say “They are very sweet together. I wish they’d just freakin’ get on with it already.” A little too enthused, he says “I swear they just need like...something to bond over, y’know? Some sort of traumatic event to send them into each other’s arms.”

He opens a drawer and takes out a flashlight. I open the door that leads to the basement. Standing by the doorframe, it takes Josh a few minutes. He says “You know...” I ask “Yes?” He begins “I just wanted to say...” I ask “What?” Thoughtfully, he tells me “It really means a lot to me that everyone came back this year and you know, that you came.”

I smile, “Josh. I care about you and glad to hear you are doing a little better. We’re here for you. Really. Whatever you need. Whenever. We’re all gonna make it through this...together.” I give him a kiss on the cheek. He says with a sort of devilish smile, “Um...I want us to have a good time, you know...”

We continue down the stairs of the basement. Knowing that the stairs are crumbling a little, he tells me “Watch your step.” Jokingly, I tell him “I think I can handle a little old set of stairs.” Sarcastically, he says “Uh-huh.”

I follow him to the boiler cabinet. As he opens the cabinet, he says “Sorry to drag you down into the bowels.” I say “It’s fine. Like I said the fire is nice but some heat and hot water would be nice.” He says “I mean I wouldn’t want you coming down here on your own, you know?” Jokingly, I say “Such a gentleman.”

Looking around at the dark basement with a ton of boxes and the only other light is coming from the small windows. I tell him “Well it’s definitely creepy down here.” He says “Yep. Not a place to be on your own.”

He hands me the flashlight, “Here, can you...can you hold this steady?” There was a noise in the distance. I turn around to see where it came from. Now I’m starting to get a little freaked out.

I tighten my grip on the flashlight. I ask a little freaked out, “Josh...what was that?” Not believing, he says “What was what? Just shine it here so I can see what I’m doing.” I say “Fine.”

There was another sound, I turned to see where it came from. Josh says from the boiler cabinet, “(Y/N)...Can you just keep the light still so I can see, okay?”

This time I finally held the flashlight steady. He got everything hooked up. He stands up and smiles, “Nice one. Okay first things first: we gotta increase the water pressure before we get the boiler fired up.” I look at the machine, “Sounds kinda complicated.” Reassuringly, he tells me “No, it’s actually pretty simple.”

I turn the knob, waited and saw the light turn on. I pushed the button but apparently it didn’t work, “Damn!” He says “It’s okay, just try again.” I tried again but missed it, “Ugh!” He tells me “Relax...It’s not that hard. Just press the button when the light comes on.” I take a deep breath and let it out. I try again and got it.

The boiler fired up. Proud of myself, I say “Whoa!!” Josh was pretty proud too, “That’s more like it. Alright! Five, girl!” He holds up his hand and I slap it. I excitedly, say “Yeah!” He closes the boiler cabinet and locks it.

Curiosity hits me, I ask “Josh...so upstairs when I asked Sam if she would like to help...Did you tell her not to join us?” He gets a shocked expression, “What? No...why would I do that?” I tell him as I step a little closer, “Are you sure? Because I swear Sam looked behind me to see if she should.” Looking a little guilty, he begins “Well....I might -“

In the dark, damp basement there was another noise. I turn in the direction that I think it’s coming from, “What the hell is that?” I back a little closer to him. He says, jokingly “Could be a lot of things...and none of them nice...” as he wiggles his finger on my arm. I push it away, “Hey, quit it.”

He says with a chuckle “I’m just...just ‘Joshing’ ya.” “Har har.” I tell him. Trying to point it out, he says “You were really freaked out.”

Shaking my head in protest, “I was not scared.” With a sly grin, he says as he looks me up and down “No, no, you just jumped because you wanted to squeeze in some aerobics?” I roll my eyes.

After a few years of hanging out with the Washington family, I have picked up on some acting skills. I put on a terrified look and look behind him. I look from him to behind, “Oh my God - - don’t move - -“ Sounding a little concerned, he asks “What?” Sounding more terrified, I tell him “There’s something behind you.” Trying to sound brave, he says “Yeah right.”

Really wanting to get him, I continue “Josh...Seriously. There’s something back there...” He turns and looks over his shoulder. I tell him, very satisfied “Ha...Got - -ch - -ah.” Putting an arm around my waist as he pulls me closer, “Alright. Alright. Your point.” I wrap my arms around the back of his neck, “Thirty - - Love.” Josh raises an eyebrow, “What? No...Where’d you get the first point?” I ask “It doesn’t start at thirty?” He says “No. Fifteen.” I say, confidently “Oh. Well, I’m more of a ping-pong gal.” As I get the last sentence out, he kisses me.

The two of us probably would have stayed down there for awhile, if the sound didn’t happen again. We pull away. Really? I was just starting to get used to being down here.

Catching my breath, I ask “Okay, so you hear that too, right?” I look at Josh, “Josh?” He removes his arm and moves in front of me. He asks “What?” Starting to get freaked out again, “The rhythm’s like, weirdly regular...” We walk a little closer to the sound. He says “Not...No...Nothing ‘regular’ about it...”

As we walk closer to it, I place my right hand on his arm and my left hand in his right. His hand grip tightens. I ask “Maybe we should, you know, check it out?” He asks “Why?” Not really knowing what to say, I tell him “I dunno, what if it’s like, a pipe that’s about to burst or some problem with the furnace?” He tells me “Unlikely.” I say to convince him, “If it were me I wouldn’t want this place to burn down on my watch.” He pauses and then says “...Yeah. Right.”

As we venture farther into the basement, all of a sudden, a figure in a brown robe and hockey mask jumps out. Josh and I scream and run for our lives. Josh in front, says “Whoa - (Y/N) - whoa.” Along the path, I grab an obstacle and pull it down. The figure is blocked. Josh and I make it up the stairs and I try to open the door. I am struggling to get it open. The figure is getting closer.

I am throwing all my weight against this door, “Oh come ON now why are these doors locked?!” In a panic, Josh says “To...To keep out strangers!!”

I feel Josh get closer. The figure stops right in front of us, “Hey...” Confused, I ask “...What?” The figure says, again “Heeyyyyyy...” Still confused, I ask “...WHAT THE HELL?!”

The figure removes the mask and hood. He revealed himself as Chris. Thinking it is funny, Chris says “Boom! You just got monked!” I can feel anger starting to rise, “WHAT!!!” Josh says, proudly “Nice. Nice one. That was good.” First to Josh and then to Chris, I ask “No it was not. Why w...Why would you do that?”

Holding his arm out, Chris says “There’s all this cool old movie crap down here. What, was I...was I not supposed to take advantage of the opportunity?” To Chris, I ask “Are you...are you serious?” I turn to Josh and push him a little, “Were you in on this, you putz?” As he gives Chris a high-five, he says “Nope. But I wish I was! That was too good!” I tell him “Don’t high-five that.”

The three of us get back to the main part of the lodge. After calming down a little, I tell them “I’m ready to admit that your dumb little prank may have had a slight whiff of humor to it.” Chris says “Jokemaster!” I tell him to make myself clear, “I said nothing about jokes. I said your prank, which was dumb -“ Chris begins ascending the stairs. Josh walks over to the table to set the flashlight down. I wait at the bottom of the steps with my arms crossed for him.

Josh jokingly, says “Holy crap you were scared. Admit it.” Sternly, I tell him “I was not!” I begin ascending the stairs. Not giving up, he says “Come on, you totally pissed yourself!” Done with the joke, I say “Josh!”

We joined the others upstairs. I go and stand near the fireplace. Josh places his arms around my waist and places a kiss on my right temple. I whisper, trying to hide a smile “I hate you.” Knowing I can’t stay mad at him long, he whispers “No, you don’t.” I lay my cheek on his arm. Ashley walks over to Chris and notices his outfit of choice. She asks in disgust, “What...in god’s name...are you wearing?” Playing along, Chris tells her “I found my true calling.” He makes the sign of the cross in the air. Putting her hands in a praying motion, she tells him, sarcastically “Please tell me you’re going to take a vow of silence.”

Chris moves his mouth without sound. To make him quit the charade, I ask “Okay okay...Did you at least find the thingy?” Chris looks at me and pulls a board out of his robe, “Boi - oi - oi - oing! Here’s our one way ticket to the spirit realm!” Ashley says “Hmmm.”

Josh tells Sam “Sam, we got the boiler up and running. So the hot water should be working.” Grateful, she says “Thank you. I see a hot bath in my crystal ball. So have fun!”

#Josh Washington imagines #Josh Washington x reader #Josh Washington fanfiction #Josh Washington #Rami Malek imagines #Rami Malek x reader #Rami Malek fanfiction #Until Dawn imagines #Until Dawn x reader #Until Dawn fanfiction #Until Dawn

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starshine583 · 3 years

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New Girl on the Block (12)

(Are you guys getting tagged for these??? I’ve been putting all of the names on here, but it doesn’t look right.. anyway, sorry if the tag doesn’t work. I tried!!! Anyone else who wants to get tagged or asked but isn’t getting tagged, please contact me and let me know!!!)

Ch. 1 / Ch. 11 / Ch. 13 (ao3) (Journal Entries- a mini series connected to this fic)

Chapter 12: Quiet Conflictions of the Heart

Felix tapped his pencil against his textbook, staring blankly at the words that he wasn’t reading. The minutes ticked by on the grandfather clock that sat across the room next to the stairs, informing him of exactly how much time he was wasting by sitting there, and moonlight poured through the wide windows in front of him, signifying the beginnings of the evening. The fact that he started this assignment during the day and still had hardly anything done should have been frustrating, but Felix’s mind was too far lost in other thoughts for him to care.

As soon as Rosemary found out about his direct involvement with the akuma, they sent him, along with Marinette and the others, home for the day with light homework assignments and instructions to “take it easy”. The procedure was meant to help them regain composure and process the traumatizing events, but it only gave Felix more time to think.

And think.

And overthink. About him hitting the ground with Marinette, about her pulling them behind the fence only to run right out again, about her shocked and panicked expression upon being picked up by the akuma.

About her flailing body falling from the sky.

Felix set his pencil down and rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh. That scream still rang in his mind even hours later, sharp and blood-curdling, like a constant echo of a bad dream. He couldn’t help wondering what might have happened had Chat Noir not arrived on time, how she might have felt hitting the pavement, or if she would have survived at all. The very thought left him gripping his textbook and forcing a deep breath to relax. It hadn’t happened, after all. She was fine. Everything was fine..

And yet, no matter how many times he tried to push the gruesome images out of his mind, they continued to worm their way back in, fueled by how tame Allegra, Claude, and Allan’s reactions had been towards Marinette’s incredible risk of self. The girl almost died multiple times over the course of a single hour, and the only thing those idiots did was hug her and tell her that her actions were justified. Who cares if they were justified! Justification does not equate to rationality, and doing something for a good cause doesn’t always mean that it’s the right- or wise! -thing to do.

Normally, he could brush it off and ignore it. The experience had been daunting, of course, but he could accept it knowing that Marinette had learned her lesson, realized how stupid her decision was, and vowed not to do it again. The problem came with the little fact that Marinette hadn’t learned her lesson. Oh, she’d apologized and admitted that her actions weren’t properly thought through, but it was clear that she didn’t intend on waiting for the heroes any time soon. He couldn’t quite explain how he knew- maybe it was how calm she looked when she returned, as though everything had been in her control the entire time, or how she only smiled when he asked her not to do it again instead of fervently agreeing to his request -but he knew. Her entire demeanor gave way to her belief that her sacrifice had been both necessary and acceptable, and it disturbed him to think of how far she might be willing to go under that belief. What if she challenged another akuma that wasn’t nearly as polite or rational? What if she was alone next time this happened and didn’t have Allegra or Claude or himself to help her when things inevitably got out of hand? Why was she so willing to throw away her own life without a second thought?

“Felix?”

Felix flinched, his eyes snapping upwards. His mother stood next to the couch with a frown, which was odd. He hadn’t heard any footsteps approaching. How long had she been standing there?

Bridgette shot him a concerned look as she sat down next to him. “Are you alright, sweetheart? You’ve been on that same page for half an hour now.”

It’s been longer than that. He thought to himself, plucking up his pencil and closing his textbook. There was no point in leaving it open if he wasn’t going to read it.

“It’s nothing.” He muttered. “History homework just tends to be monotonous after a while.”

Bridgette narrowed her eyes at him, though her tone remained gentle as she said, “Oh, come now. You don’t expect me to believe that. We both know that you would sit and read every history book available if you had the time. What’s wrong?”

A small, bittersweet smile tugged at the corner of his lips. She could always read him well. Too well at times.

“Is it about the akuma attack?”

Felix felt himself stiffen, and he silently chided himself for it. That would be all she needed from him to know the answer.

It’s not that he wanted to hide his distress from her. He was simply unsure of whether he wanted to talk about it or not. The threat was over now, meaning all of this worrying was somewhat unreasonable, and Felix didn’t want to express irrational thoughts to his mother only for them to fade away by morning. It would just make this a bigger problem than it probably was.

Then again, watching your classmate casually wave off their jumping headfirst into an akuma and almost dying was a decently sized problem.

Bridgette lightly touched his shoulder. “Felix, honey, if it’s bothering you, then you need to talk about it. You can’t let things like this weigh on your mind unattended. It doesn’t have to be with me, but communicate with someone, please.”

The amount of earnestness in her voice caused him to avert his gaze, and he began tapping his finger on the arm of the couch. Her wording could almost be considered amusing, as he had no one else to talk to aside from her and Father. Allegra, Claude, and Allan clearly didn’t care as much about the subject as he did- not to mention, he’d rather spend his days putting up ad posters for Adrien Agreste than confide in them about anything personal -and Marinette was the cause of the problem. Besides hovering around those four, Felix was a common shut-in who proudly (and happily) hid himself away in the penthouse with his books and, on pleasant occasions, Mother’s tea.

Nevertheless, he knew that Bridgette was right. He needed to get these tangled ponderings off of his chest, but to do that, he’d have to unravel them first. Where should he start? The attack seemed as though it had happened within five minutes, yet it also seemed to drag on for hours. Time is a shaky illusion when your entire body is buzzing with adrenaline.

“I just don’t understand,” He said slowly, beginning with the thoughts at the forefront of his mind, “how they can all act like nothing happened. Marinette risked her life for no reason, and they all want to treat it as though it’s an everyday occurrence.”

“Who risked their life?”

Felix and Bridgette turned towards the stairs, where Felix’s father was now standing. The man’s eyebrows knitted together as he continued his descent, similar to how Bridgette’s expression had been a moment earlier, and in a few, long strides, he was standing in front of them.

“Oh, Francis.” Bridgette greeted with a smile. “I thought you were still working.”

“I was,” Francis replied, leaning down to give her a light peck on the lips, “but I came down to get a drink. What’s all this about someone risking their life?”

“Apparently, Marinette did during the akuma attack today.”

A disapproving hum came from him as he settled on the couch next to Bridgette. “Isn’t that the girl from school that he’s always talking about?”

Felix bristled. “I don’t always talk about her.”

A soft chuckle fell from his mother’s lips. “You do talk about her more often than anyone else, though.”

“Can we get back to the point?”

“Of course.” Francis said, lazily wrapping an arm around his wife. She leaned back against him naturally. “Start from the beginning. How did you get caught up in this akuma business in the first place?”

Felix sighed, letting his irritation quiet down before thinking back on the attack. Where were they when it happened again?

“I believe we were exiting the café.” He said. “Claude was telling some story as we walked to our cars, so we didn’t notice the akuma flying towards us until she was landing in this gust of wind that knocked us over.”

A ghost pain trailed up his back at the memory of skidding across the pavement. He didn’t get a chance to see it during the battle, but the prickling sting of the injury told him that his shoulders and back had been scraped up immensely, especially during the second blast. If the miraculous cure hadn’t healed him, he probably wouldn’t hadn’t been able to sit up straight now.

“As you can imagine, we were all terrified, since we’d never seen anything like this in person before, but Marinette wasn’t. She grabbed all of us and helped us hide behind a fence within the first few seconds of falling. It was like she hadn’t been phased by it at all.”

“Perhaps she’s simply more level-headed during a crisis.” His father suggested.

“I’d assume so,” Felix replied, “but it’s strange considering she’s usually someone who would jump at their own shadow.”

“True, but people with anxiety can still flourish in a stressful environment.” Bridgette remarked.

Felix tilted his head in a nod. He supposed that was true.

“The akuma said she wasn’t going to hurt anyone, only the buildings to get the heroes’ attention.” He continued. “But Marinette didn’t like the thought of that, saying the people in the buildings might get hurt or killed. So she decided to counter the claim by running out to the akuma to lure them away.”

“That’s very noble of her.” Francis commented.

Felix tisked. How many times has he heard that now?

“Noble and stupid. She was a powerless bystander running straight into danger. Am I the only one who sees a problem with that?”

“Sometimes you have to try to do what’s right even though you might not be able to succeed,” Bridgette said softly, “but I can understand why you would be distraught about her actions. You didn’t want to see her get hurt, and that’s not a bad thing. It proves you care.”

Felix’s gaze flicked to the ground. Admitting his recent attachment to Marinette hadn’t sounded irksome before. She was a kind and compassionate person who hadn’t failed yet in giving him a sense of satisfaction after each of their conversations. Anyone with half a brain would gravitate towards her presence. After everything that’s happened today, however, a part of him was starting to resent that sentiment. Why did he have to care for the one person who would openly throw themselves to the wolves without prompting?

“What happened next?” His mother prompted, tugging him from his thoughts.

Felix drew in a breath and continued again. “She told the akuma that she could lead them to the bigger, corporate buildings, since that was apparently what they wanted. I didn’t understand it at the time, because wouldn’t that bring more death? But looking back on it now, it was probably a ploy to stall time. I doubt she actually intended on leading the akuma anywhere.”

It was quick thinking, considering they’d all gotten attacked seconds earlier, but it hadn’t been quick enough to account for the consequences.

“The akuma accepted the offer and used more wind to carry Marinette into the air with them.” Felix paused, Allegra’s horrified cry resurfacing in his mind. “It was.. nerve wracking. We didn’t know what was going to happen or what the akuma was going to do to her later on.”

Bridgette reached forward and rubbed his upper arm, giving her silent support, and Felix leaned into her touch as thanks.

“I ran after them. I’m not really sure how, but I did.” He said, gazing absently towards the windows again. His reflection stared back at him, along with the glittering stars and illuminated city behind it. How many alleyways did he run through? Five? Seven? He knew he couldn’t see the cafe by the time he stopped, nor could he hear Allegra and the others calling.

“I followed them for a few blocks,” He resumed, deeming the exact number of alleyways unimportant. It was what came next that shook him to his core. “I thought I had lost them at one point, but then I caught a glimpse of Marinette in the air again. She looked like she was talking with the akuma again, but I couldn’t hear what was being said. Then..”

Felix briefly closed his eyes, once again trying to push the image of Marinette’s flailing body out of his mind.

It didn’t work.

“..Then she fell.” His voice was quieter than he expected, but he kept going anyway. “I’m not sure what happened. All I saw was this silver pole that came out of nowhere and hit the akuma, and suddenly, Marinette was falling from the sky and screaming.”

And screaming and screaming and screaming and screaming. He had to stand there and watch her fall, knowing full well that he couldn’t do a thing to save her. The feeling of helplessness that overtook him in that moment had been overbearing.

A classmate passing away was not something he hadn’t experienced before- accidents happened every year, and sometimes, those accidents involved Rosemary students- but he’d never witnessed their deaths personally. It was something you heard about over the morning announcements or from your teacher at the beginning of class, not something you stood there and watched in a daze, and he’d certainly never lost someone that he-- someone that was so-

“I heard later that Chat Noir saved her mid-air.” He added, if only to help his parents’ nerves. The anxiety crawling across their expressions was evident. “I wasn’t aware of that until after I went to look for her, though.”

Until after he scoured the dismantled streets and ever-increasing debris for signs of her. Until after he lifted boulder upon boulder by adrenaline alone and being torn about whether he’d want to see her under one or not. Until after he called her name till his voice was hoarse and searched relentlessly for some kind of clue, like a shoe or a purse or even blood.

Gosh, he looked for blood! Felix was out there, in the middle of a terrorist attack, looking for the lifeless corpse or the splattered blood of his classmate, and everyone wanted to act like that was fine simply because she came back alright. How could any of them be considered alright after that?

“She could have died.” He stated for the millionth time it felt like. She probably will die if she keeps doing this. “But no one seems to care. They all brush it off because she’s safe now, instead of worrying about the fact that she purposely decided not to be safe beforehand.”

Bridgette let out a breath and pulled Felix into a hug.

“I’m so sorry that you had to endure that.” She whispered, her voice full of emotion. It reminded him of Marinette’s apology back at the cafe. The way she carefully held his hand, the warmth of her palm against his- it told him, in that moment, that she truly was there and that she truly was safe again. That confirmation had admittedly been one of the things to keep him from unraveling towards the end of the fight.

Felix felt the slender fingers of his father ruffle through his hair. “You went through something that no one should have to go through, but you also made it out alive. And so did everyone else. Remember that.”

Bridgette’s cheek brushed against Felix’s forehead as she nodded. “I know it’s scary, and you have a right to acknowledge it in your own way, but don’t let yourself get carried away with the ‘what if’s and ‘what should have been’s'. You’ll never be satisfied with them.”

Felix heaved a heavy sigh and allowed his eyes to drift shut. After a full day of almost dying, almost watching someone else die, and worrying about both of those subjects for hours on end, he was officially exhausted. Felix couldn’t remember the last time he’d put so much energy into a single event.

Maybe it was best to just let it go..

~~~~~~

By the time Marinette arrived home from Rosemary, her parents were beside themselves with worry. Apparently, they saw her on the news while they were working and spent the last hour and a half trying to reach her. Marinette had been either running around as Ladybug or talking with Allegra on the phone so she hadn’t noticed her phone ringing.

They doted on her and hovered around her for a good twenty minutes, with Marinette insisting that she was fine and apologizing the entire time.

“Chat Noir saved me before I could really get hurt.” She assured, plastering on a bright smile. “And the miraculous cure healed any scratches that I might have gotten. See?-” she held her arms up and did a small twirl “-I really am fine. But I’ll try to keep my ringtone on from now on.”

Her parents’ worried looks didn’t change.

“We were hoping that transferring schools would keep you away from akumas.” Her papa lamented. “How do you keep getting caught up in these fights?”

“I don’t know, Papa.” She replied honestly. Maybe some of her partner’s bad luck had rubbed off on her. “I was hoping I wouldn’t run into any more akumas too.”

Sabine sighed and gently rubbed her daughters back. “Well, as long as you’re alright.. Would you like to see the package that came for you?”

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows, confused. “A package? For me?”

Tom nodded, a small smile returning to his features. “From a Mr. Claude Herolds. We put it upstairs in the living room.”

“Tried to.” Sabine corrected under her breath.

Marinette tilted her head slightly. A package from Claude? But what could he be giving her that he couldn’t give in perso-

“My fabrics!” She gasped, immediately shooting for the stairs. Her parents chuckled behind her, but she hardly heard them in her excitement. The fabrics finally came! How many were there going to be? What kind of fabrics? He hadn’t really specified when he talked about buying them, though she gave him as detailed of a list as she could. Oh, please, be the good ones-

Marinette threw the front door to their apartment open, coming to a dead stop as soon as she entered. The mere sight of their living room had her jaw dropping to the floor.

Claude had indeed sent her a package of fabrics, but her parents happened to leave out exactly how much fabric he had sent. There were rolls upon rolls lining the couch and the floor, hiding in the corners of the room, sitting on the coffee table and the dining room table- it was too much to count. She was quite certain that she couldn’t see the floor!

Just- Just fabrics.

Fabrics everywhere.

Marinette turned to her parents, who had since caught up to her. They shared eager smiles as they waited for her reaction, and she quickly found herself smiling as well. In fact, she found herself down right laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Who needs this much fabric for three suits? How did Maman and Papa manage to bring it up in the first place? What did the deliverer think as he loaded this up into his truck to take to one person? How was she going to fit it all into her room?

Nevertheless, despite the insanity of the situation, she couldn’t help being ecstatic. This was more fabric than she could have ever dreamed of having, and it was all of the highest quality. So, with the help of her parents and her steely resolve, Marinette got to work on carrying the “package” up to her room in the attic.

It took a while, as one would expect. They had to stop several times for Marinette to rearrange her room simply so she wouldn’t be completely swimming in fabric by the time they got everything up there. They also had to make sure she could reach her trapdoor to get out of her room, her stairs to get to her bed, and her desk to work with the fabrics in general. This resulted in her creating a sort of obstacle course with the few solid things in her room that she could stand on without the fear of breaking something.

“I can’t even believe it, Tikki.” She said to her kwami once her parents went back down to the bakery. “Look at all of this! How am I even going to use it all? This is crazy!”

Despite her words of disbelief, she had the widest grin on her face, so wide that it was starting to hurt. Claude had told her that once she was done with his suit, she could keep any of the leftover supplies, since he supposedly had no use for it. She assumed it was his own little way of paying for the outfit, even though she’d told him that she would make it for free.

Tikki zipped around the room, giggling as she inspected the different types of fabric. “You could make him ten different suits with all of this!”

Marinette laughed. “Tikki, I could probably make him thirty five different suits and still have some leftover.”

She walked over to the piles of fabric in front of her and plucked up the first one that caught her eye. It was a deep blue silk that sheened under her bedroom lights, and she smiled at the mesmerizing display. Marinette had used silk before, but nothing like this. This was the type of silk that she imagined royalty to have, something smooth and soft and slick as butter. It was incredible, and she couldn’t wait to start working with it.

Marinette picked out a few more fabrics, the finest of the bunch, and brought them over to her desk to compare the colors and theorize how they might look together. If Claude was going to give her the best of the best, she was certainly going to return the favor by giving him the most regal and enchanting suit she could muster. Not to mention, this was an amazing, probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Fabric of this quality was something she could never get on her own without saving months and months of allowance, and that was only to buy one roll. The fact that she had piles upon piles of this fabric at her disposal now was a miracle in and of itself. She couldn’t waste a piece of it.

She rolled the blue silk out across her desk to begin measuring, but just as she pulled out her sketchbook for extra notes and other things, her phone buzzed next to her, informing her that she’d received a text.

DancingQueen: Hey guys! Mom said that February eighth would work well for the sleepover if you’re all free! I think it’d be a great way to celebrate winter break.

A soft, delighted gasp passed her lips after reading Allegra’s text on the group chat. With the whole akuma battle and receiving Claude’s fabrics, she’d completely forgotten about the sleepover that they talked about earlier.

She quickly switched the calendar app to check her schedule, and her smile widened at the sight of an empty time slot. She appeared to be free that day.

Marinette found herself beginning to wiggle with joy on her rolling chair as she switched back to the messaging app. This was going to be her first sleepover with her new friends! It would also be the first time going to one of their houses! What was Allegra’s house going to look like? Would it be a mansion like Gabriel Agreste’s? She hoped it didn’t have high walls.

Another text drew her thoughts back to her phone, where a message from Claude had just appeared.

TheBetterShakespeare: works for me! What time are we gonna come over?

DancingQueen: I was thinking right after school like usual

TrebleChild: Sounds good to me :)

Marinette perked up when Allan joined the conversation. That meant most of them were going to be there! All they needed now was Felix.

She began typing.

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: February eighth works great for me too! I’ll probably stop by the house for my clothes and stuff first though lol

DancingQueen: Of course! I can send a car by to pick you up if you want?

TheBetterShakespeare: Woohoo! Mari’s coming! All we need now is Felix

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: Oh, you don’t have to! I don’t mind walking

DancingQueen: Are you sure? The walking distance is pretty far, and I totally don’t mind sending a car! (no pressure though. If you wanna walk that’s also fine!)

Marinette pulled her lip between her teeth in thought. Whatever the walking distance, she could probably just swing over as Ladybug within a few minutes. That way, she didn’t have to bother Allegra. If she got there too fast as Marinette, though, they might be suspicious.. Well, not suspicious, but curious because getting there faster than her legs could possibly carry her would be odd.

Ugh, just take the car. She told herself. It’ll be easier than carrying your luggage around while swinging through the air anyway.

TrebleChild: You think Felix is going to respond on here?

Marinette glanced down at Allan’s text and frowned. That was a good question.

After the akuma, Felix seemed to shut down. He hardly uttered a word to anyone, even after they were sent home early from school. She supposed he tended to be quiet in the first place, but it just felt different. It was as though he were in some trance, lost in the distant corners of his mind. He wouldn’t even talk to her all that much. Not that she was someone special to him or anything. They just.. They normally exchanged more comments to each other than they did on the way out of the school. Either way, she’d be surprised if he actually texted them back that night.

TheBetterShakespeare: Oh he’s going to have to respond when I’m done

Claude’s reply caused Marinette to suck in a breath and cringe. Oh, what was he going to do to poor Felix now?

Allan and Allegra appeared to have the same thought, as they quickly texted back.

DancingQueen: Oh dear

Marshmallow Man: Uh oh

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: Claude, maybe you shouldn’t bother Felix. He already doesn’t like the group

TheBetterShakespeare: LET’S

TheBetterShakespeare: FLUSH

TheBetterShakespeare: HIM

TheBetterShakespeare: OUT

DancingQueen: Claude, please-

TheBetterShakespeare: I’M

TheBetterShakespeare: NOT

TheBetterShakespeare: STOPPING

Marshmallow Man: Dude

TheBetterShakespeare: UNTIL

TheBetterShakespeare: FELIX

TheBetterShakespeare: DECIDES

TheBetterShakespeare: TO

TheBetterShakespeare: SHOW

Rolling-Eye-Emoji: What do you want?!

TheBetterShakespeare: HIMSELF

TheBetterShakespeare: Oh hey Felix!

Although she felt extremely bad for the blond, Marinette had to purse her lips to avoid laughing. She could practically hear the growl in his voice, and the image of Felix’s signature glare flashed through her mind. He had to be so annoyed right now.

TrebleChild: I’m surprised you didn’t just delete the app again

Rolling-Eye-Emoji:You know, that’s a marvelous idea.

The BetterShakespeare: NOOOOO ALLAN SHUT UP

DancingQueen: lol we were wondering if you were free February eighth, Felix.

Rolling-Eye-Emoji: Free for what?

TheBetterShakespeare: Can’t you just tell us if ur free or not?

TrebleChild: for the sleepover at Allegra’s house

Rolling-Eye-Emoji: We’re still doing that?

TheBetterShakespeare: Absolutely!

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: If you’re up for it!

TheBetterShakespeare: Mari that statement was way too nice for Felix

TheBetterShakespeare: You gotta drag him kicking and screaming or he’ll never do anything!

Rolling-Eye-Emoji: Why don’t you take a guess as to why?

TheBetterShakespeare: because you don’t know how to have fun and it’s our job to teach you

TrebleChild: Claude, you’re never going to get him to the sleepover that way

Rolling-Eye-Emoji: Claude, you couldn’t teach a cat how to climb a tree, and I know how to have fun just fine.

Marinette snorted towards Felix’s reply. She often wondered how he managed to perfect his sarcasm and cutting remarks to a fault. Did he read a book on it somehow or was it just practice?

TheBetterShakespeare: RUDE

DancingQueen: lol Felix, are you free on the eighth or not?

Rolling-Eye-Emoji: ..I’d have to check my schedule.

TheBetterShakespeare: Don’t laugh at him Allegra!

DancingQueen: Hey, if it’s funny it’s funny lol

DancingQueen: Do that please, Felix

TheBetterShakespeare: Betrayal!! I can’t believe I was naive enough to trust you!

DancingQueen: Oh whatever. It’s not like you haven’t laugh at me before

Marinette chuckled as she continued to set up the silk fabric. She almost worried about using her sewing machine for it in case it ripped, but hand sewing it wasn’t an option either. That would take way too long, and she wanted to finish this for Claude as soon as possible. (without cutting corners of course)

“Oh!” She gasped, straightening in her chair. She hadn’t told Claude about the fabrics arriving yet! He’d probably want to know that.

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: Hey Claude, I almost forgot to tell you but your fabric arrived today!

TheBetterShakespeare: Really?!

Marinette smiled and stood up from her rolling chair to take a picture of the room. She then sent the picture to the group with an added message:

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: I could barely fit it all in my room!

The responses were immediate.

TrebleChild: WOAH

DancingQueen: CLAUDE

TrebleChild: you sent that much?!

TheBetterShakespeare: …

TheBetterShakespeare: I may have gotten carry away

Marinette giggled and shook her head.

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: PLEASE feel free to get carried away anytime you like, I’ve literally never been happier

DancingQueen: lol

TrebleChild: lol

TheBetterShakespeare: Will do! 😉

Marinette smiled and set her phone down again, before rolling her chair over to the other fabrics to pick another one out. Her phone buzzed as she rolled back, notifying her of the new additions to the group chat.

Rolling-Eye-Emoji: Mother said that the eighth of February would work fine.

Marinette let out a squeal. They were all going! This was going to be the best sleepover ever!

TheBetterShakespeare: Aw yisss group sleepover!!

TrebleChild : awesome, so we’re meeting right after school?

DancingQueen: Yep! Except for Mari who needs to go get her clothes. Did you want me to send you a car Mari?

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: If you don’t mind :)

DancingQueen: Nope! I’ll make sure to tell you when it’s on its way.

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: Thanks 😁

DancingQueen: Of course! See you guys at school tomorrow!

TheBetterShakespeare: See you Al!

TrebleChild: Bye A

Our-Cinnamon-Roll: See you tomorrow!

Marinette set her phone down and let out another squeal of excitement as she kicked her legs back and forth.

Her first group sleepover with everyone!

How do you make time go faster?

Tag List: @artbyknigit @athena452 @nickristus-dreamer @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @arsaem @abrx2002 @neakco @pawsitivelymiraculous @too0bsessedformyowngood @nathleigh @lusicing @officiallydarkgeek @all-mights-asscheeks @tbehartoo @woe-is-me0 @raeuberprinzessin @lazuli-11 @miss-chaos27 @trippingovermyfeet @sadpotatoondrugs @ladybug-182 @jaggedheart11 @marinahrasauce @i-need-blog-ideas @thewheezingbubbledragon @crazylittlemunchkin @unabashedbookworm @moonystars14 @sunflowers-and-mooncakes @2confused-2doanything @magnificentcrapposts @moonnette @nickristus-dreamer @vixen-uchiha @casual-darkness @luxmorningstarr @jjmjjktth @kaithehero @itsme1598 @theymakeupfairies @xjaccyx @miraculous-ninja @miraculouspenta @swiftie-miraculer13 @justafanwarrior @all-mights-asscheeks @ira-sairain @lookatthestars1 @dahjokester

#felinette #Rosemary AU #New Girl on the Block #Marinette #Felix Culpa #Quantic Kids

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mondixu · 3 years

Text

always forever | monika [ ddlc ]

always forever - cults

fandom // doki doki literature club

gender // female

pairing // monika x reader

[ you and me, always forever ]

Traumatizing is an understatement, I thought with a sadistic smile. [Name] smiled with her. [Name] cried with her. [Name] laughed with her. [Name] was best friends with her. [Name] was the one who found her hanging in her room by a thin rope, her hands bloody. Sayori. It was incredibly shocking and disturbing, she obviously couldn't handle it. It was terrifying, to say the least. The fact that her childhood best friend was willing to commit suicide just because [Name] turned down her confession was too much to handle. Collapsing in the floor of her room, she stared at the girl she had come to know and love, her lifeless eyes staring at the floor. Skin pale. White and papery. Bright blue eyes that used to be so full of life and cheer were dull and no more. She's gone. I basked in the glory of defeating my worst enemy, my worst fear, the cause of my anxiety. Sayori was no more. Which means [Name] is mine.

[ we could stay alone together ]

Getting her up the stairs was a hassle. Now you might be thinking, oh Monika! Aren't you the world-famous, brilliant hacker who could just reprogram her, or better yet, float her up the stairs?! Well, yes. Yes I could. Did I? No. I managed to drag her limp body up the stairs and into the club room, making sure Natsuki and/or Yuri weren't in there before depositing her unconscious form onto two desks pushed together. I cautiously caressed her cheek, looking at her with nothing but love present in my eyes. My soulmate. My darling. My love. She couldn't be best friends with Sayori anymore. The bow-wearing girl would only get in the way. Did I make her kill herself? In a way, yes. Did I want to? Yes. No, but it had to be done. I know she loves me. Deep down inside, buried underneath all of the growing guilt and hatred and fear and betrayal and overall negative emotions . . . She loves me. There's no denying it of course! How could you ever contradict the fact that we're meant to be? She'll realize it, of course. [Name] will be mine.

[ you and me, always forever ]

I made sure she woke up to the gentle sound of a piano playing, a hard surface making its presence painfully known in her back as she managed to sit up. Blinking rapidly, she looked around the familiar club room, finding a piano in a corner with my figure sitting neatly atop the bench, my swift fingers delicately dancing across the keys. "M-Monika?" she inquired, confusion staining her pretty face. "W-what's going on, why did I wake up on a desk?" I only smiled at her and continued playing, yet this time, I started to sing. My voice was soft and smooth, like the pleasant surface of a freshly opened book, and yet, it had a sharp edge to it. As if I were a paper cut. Carefully standing up, she made her way over to where I was perched, smiling contentedly at her. "Monika?" Oh god, it sounded so good. My name rolling off her tongue. It was beautiful. I wanted to confess my undying love for her right then and there, right in that goddamn club room and destroy the world around us so she wouldn't have anything left to run to except for me. I wanted to tell her everything, like when the first time I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one. The one for me. The first time I laid eyes on her, Sayori was clinging to her arm as if it was her life support, the only thing keeping her tethered to the world and preventing her from floating away. I wanted to be the one on her arm. I wanted to be the one she smiled and laughed with, I wanted to be the one she couldn't live without, I wanted to be the one who would wash her worries away at my mere presence, I wanted to be the one she looked at with adoring eyes. But I wasn't. I knew [Name] had turned down Sayori's confession, as I should, considering the fact that I had watched the whole thing play out. Yet I prevented the wave of hope threatening to wash over me, and instead, pushed the salty water into a hole I had dug long before I began this stupid book club. Yes, I had been in love with [Name] for over a year. My obsessive tendencies began four months after I had first spotted [Name]. It was only little things, like making sure she and Sayori got home safely after a long day at school, when the two were both exhausted, or watching [Name]'s house all night to make sure she was okay before heading to my house to quickly get changed then rush back to her home to make sure she got to school safely. Then I unintentionally took it a little farther. Gradually progressing, I gathered the courage to discreetly follow her at school and on the weekends, just to make sure she was safe. A month later, I managed to slip a walkie talkie into her room - where she would never find it - to listen to her sleep. Two weeks later was graduation. After that, I never worked on clubs or camps or anything normal unless it involved her. I didn't bother answering my parents' questions about where I had been or what I had been doing all day and night when I rushed home to get changed in the morning. I was only concerned about her. I began to take pictures of her secretly since she never knew me that well, and it would be too suspicious if I randomly asked her for one. One wouldn't be enough anyway. My jade green walls were now completely covered in pictures of her, the only thing occasionally breaking them up being her schedules and records of the time and places I had found her alone. It wasn't enough. Once I began a new school year, I knew I would have to find a more manageable way to keep an eye on her, so I convinced Sayori we needed more members for our club, considering she was the only person who really had any friends. My intentions were much more vicious than a simple craving for club expansion. Of course, I was one of the most popular girls in school, but I wanted no friends. I only wanted a lover. And I wanted her. [Name]. Her and only her would suffice. I brought myself back to the present and widened my grin at my future lover, proud to see my months of practice had paid off. The few minutes I wasn't watching [Name] was when I practiced piano, determined to create a song that would satisfy her and make her recognize her unending love for me. And there I was, before the love of my life, playing the song I had dedicated purely for her, her and only her. Your Reality. I figured it was a fitting title, since I would be the only one she would know, the only one she would see, the only one who actually deserved her love and affection. And instead of smiling, happy tears filling her eyes, or laughing and settling down beside me, she ruined it. "Where's Sayori?" Clang. Gravity pulled a pen down to the floor. My smile faltered. "W-what do you mean, 'where's Sayori'?" I inquired, anxiety painting my features. "I mean, where's Sayori? Is she at school . . . " Her sentence trailed off as she walked towards the door, finding dark rooms and vacant halls. "What . . . ? Monika, what's going on, where's Sayori?" I broke. "CAN YOU NOT THINK ABOUT HER FOR ONCE?!" It was only red. "WHAT ABOUT ME?" Only red staining my vision. "WHAT ABOUT ME, HUH?" It was the only thing I could see. "Monika-" "WHAT. ABOUT. ME?!" Nothing stood in my way as I shot up from the stool, storming over to [Name]'s terrified face. I loved that face. That scared look. I wanted her to be scared of me. They all would be once they saw what I could do. What power I could wield. "JUST SHUT UP AND TALK ABOUT ME FOR ONCE!" Red. Paper. Cuts. Blood. Sayori. Rope. Yuri. Knives. Natsuki. Neck. Snap. Death. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Insanity. "It's just you and me, [Name]," I said as blood gradually stained the walls, my pink-tipped shoes advancing towards my frightened soulmate. "You and me. Always forever." "W-what?! Monika what's h-happening?!" She stepped back. She stepped back. She was supposed to walk towards me with love in her eyes, wanting me and only me. That was the plan. It was then that I looked around and saw the tears littering [Name]'s face. The blood on the walls. The static. I was breaking everything. And yet my twisted mind still decided to say, "You and me, always forever."

#ddlc #sayori #doki doki literature club #monika #yandere #monika ddlc #reader insert #xreader #x reader #reader #monika x reader #ddlc sayori #ddlc monika x reader #monika ddlc x reader #doki doki

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tenspontaneite · 3 years

Text

Across Shared Skin (Chapter 3/?)

“Callum,” the assassin repeated, and it was wholly obvious that he knew what that meant. “Oh, Rayla. What have you done?”

(Chapter length: 2.2k. ao3 link)

Alternate summary 1: hey. Hey, psst, Rayla, I hear you like TRAUMATIC EVENTS. I’ve got some TRAUMATIC EVENTS for you here, you want some? ….no? TOO BAD.

See end notes for alternate summary 2.

---

The meeting with the lead assassin went like this:

Rayla went out onto the battlements and called for someone named Runaan. An elf appeared on the crenelated wall, looking far taller and more threatening than Rayla seemed now. He had a bow, and – suddenly, Callum had a terrible feeling about this.

Her ‘uncle’, one of the ones who’d taken her in, the one who trained her…hadn’t she said that he was an archer? And she thought this elf here might want to kill her human soulmate for her own good? Was that something any assassin leader might do? Or…

Or, was this man family to her?

Family or not, he didn’t seem impressed by her initial attempts to call the mission off. So Rayla called Callum out of hiding. By name.

He was tense when he emerged, and tense when he saw the elf’s eyes fix on him with a dawning, angry understanding. “Callum,” the assassin repeated, and it was wholly obvious that he knew what that meant. “Oh, Rayla. What have you done?”

She set her jaw stubbornly, stepping in front of them. “We can’t choose how we meet our soulmates. And that’s a good thing now, because what I’ve seen-“ She turned her face to Callum, a silent request. He exhaled, and gestured Ezran out of the doorway.

The sight of the egg left Rayla’s not-uncle momentarily speechless. But, as she’d predicted, it still wasn’t enough. “We bound ourselves,” he said to her, severely, face hard. “There is only one way to release. The mission comes first, Rayla, do you understand?”

She exhaled, and unsheathed her weapons. She exchanged one more glance with Callum, then turned to her commander with a battle-ready stance. “No,” she said, quiet and resolute. “Peace comes first. This is so much more important than the mission.” She lifted her chin. “If you want to kill Ezran – or the king – you’ll have to go through me first.”

A snarl twisted the man’s face. “Then you will die here,” he pronounced grimly, and lunged at her.

The sheer speed of that initial clash left Callum reeling. He could hardly see anything but blurs of metal, blurs of limbs. Suddenly, he had no idea how he was supposed to help. How could he shoot a spell at one of them when both of them were moving that fast? Cursing, he pushed Ezran and the egg back into cover.

A pause in the combat: “Callum! Ezran! Go!” Rayla shouted at them, and then whirled around to dodge a sword-blow that might have impaled her. Where had the swords even come from? Hadn’t there been a bow a second ago?

Callum pushed Ezran gently back. “Go hide in that passageway, Ez.” He said, lowly. “Don’t say anything. Don’t move. I’ll…we’ll come get you when this is over.”

His brother’s eyes were wide and afraid. His arms tightened around the egg. “Don’t get hurt,” he pleaded. “Be careful.”

“I will. Now move.” He watched out of the corner of his eyes, afraid to look away from the furious conflict of his soulmate and her guardian, and only relaxed when he couldn’t see Ezran anymore. Slowly, he exhaled. He held the primal stone tightly and waited for an opening.

It came when the moon rose. As soon as the first rays of moonlight lifted over the battlements, as soon as they fell on the elves’ skin – they stilled suddenly, blade-to-blade, eyes going to the moon. In the second afterwards, they were transformed to shadow, dark and flickering against the sky. “I’ll give you one more chance to stop this, Rayla.” The assassin’s voice was tight. “See sense. You’re better than this.”

Callum knew Rayla well enough to know what her response would be to that. He didn’t give her a chance to speak it, knowing that the moment she did, they’d be moving again, and he’d have no chance of doing anything to help.

Fulminis was the fastest spell he had. The only one that might be fast enough. He drew the rune, spoke it, and let it loose.

The elf’s eyes flew to him at the first hint of electricity, and then – impossibly – he dodged it. It was lightning and he dodged it. For the first time, cold terror gripped him by the throat, and he believed all of the many, many stories he’d heard and read about Moonshadow elves.

He didn’t have much time to regret his action, because the elf had already changed target. He flipped over Rayla and headed straight for Callum, shadow-dark face contorted with fury. Panicking, he tried to draw the rune again, lifting the primal stone up as if it were a shield – Rayla cried out and lunged after her guardian-

In the space of a second, there was a sword at his throat. He felt it there, sharp and ruthlessly cold. He stared into phosphorescent blue eyes and knew with certainty that he was about to die.

And then Rayla closed her arm around the elf’s neck and pulled him back.

There was a sting of pain at his throat. A sear of considerably greater pain at his hand, clutched around the primal stone, the sword dragging through his flesh as its wielder was dragged back. It was some combination of the injury and the shock that loosened his fingers. Rayla bore her guardian to the ground, struggling to keep him in a choke-hold; the primal stone fell from a bloody hand.

He tried to snatch it up with his other hand. He wasn’t quick enough. It shattered on the battlements with a crash of magic that nearly sent all of them flying.

“Callum!” That was Ezran, shouting out at him from the doorway behind them. He’d not left after all. Callum’s fear and anger were enough to finally break him out of the shock of pain, and he whirled to hold up his bloody hand.

“Stay back, Ez!” He stared wildly back at Rayla, locked in desperate melee with her own guardian; she’d taken the opening and had brought him to the ground. One of his swords had been wrested away, the other was trapped beneath her foot. She had an arm in a vicious choke-hold around his neck while he struggled – she flinched every time his elbows hit home in her side, flinched at every well-aimed blow, but refused to let go.

And then the storm screamed itself into being around them.

It was so sudden. Just a few traces of wind, and then all at once there was a cyclone spinning into the sky, erupting around the castle with the all the rage of an unleashed god. Callum staggered, struggling to stay upright, and the winds instantly slammed Rayla and the assassin against the crenelated walls. Both of them swore, still struggling against each other.

“You must – let go,“ snarled the elf, voice hoarse past the chokehold. Callum could see what he meant; without either of them having arms free to hold onto anything, they might both be swept from the battlements within seconds. The wind already seemed to be clutching at them, wresting them ever-so-slightly from the ground.

Callum was grabbing for the wall himself when he saw the indecision flicker through Rayla’s eyes. The was a split-second of terrible resignation passing over her face; a glance out to the howling air beyond the wall. She exhaled, uttered “I’m sorry,” and then flung her guardian over the edge. He wasn’t in a position to resist her. For all that he was obviously deadly, she seemed stronger, and she’d been choking him for half a minute already.

The elf’s fingers scrabbled at the edge of the wall, and then he fell.

Rayla made an awful noise as she watched it, then gritted her teeth and reclaimed her weapons, panting with distress. In moments they’d shifted to some new form, pick-shaped, held at the ready as she struggled through the vicious winds to Callum’s side. “Come on,” she shouted, barely audible over the shriek of the cyclone. “We need to go!”

Numbly, he let her pull him into the shelter of the doorway, where Ezran was waiting anxiously with the egg. “Callum, your hand!” his brother exclaimed, and for the first time, he saw that it was dripping blood as they moved. Rayla collapsed against the wall as soon as they were out of the wind, hair still whipping around in the gusts billowing down the hallway. She stared out behind her for a moment, eyes fixed on where her guardian had fallen. Her skin was terribly pale.

“It doesn’t feel that bad.” Callum said, weakly, though he could already tell that his glove was ruined.

“You’re bleeding.” Ezran’s voice was almost indignant.

That seemed to snap Rayla out of her turmoil; she whirled around and knelt down beside him, reaching for his wrist. “I felt it,” she said tightly, and – suddenly, he realised that it was his left hand, that the pain was definitely in the approximate region of their soulmark- “I don’t know how bad it is, though.” She very carefully did not try to remove his glove. He thought he knew why.

Ezran didn’t have any such reservations. He set the egg down and pulled the glove off, making an unhappy noise at the sight of it: a long slice curving across the back of Callum’s hand, just under the knuckles; it brushed the edge of the soulmark. Rayla inspected it, face tight.

“It doesn’t look deep.” She said, after a moment. “You got lucky.” She pulled a roll of bandage out from her jacket. It was only a small thing, probably an emergency supply, but she set to work with it quickly…still being very, very careful to avoid touching the skin at the back of his hand.

“Are you bleeding too?” He wondered, thoughts so scrambled from the confusion and the pain that he didn’t even know what to ask first. “Did it get the mark?”

She lifted her gauntlet and wiped away a little blood. “Yours, not mine, I think.” She exhaled, and once more, looked out at the crenelated wall in the middle of the howling storm.

He looked with her. “…Is he dead?” He asked, uneasy, and she flinched. Her hands tightened into fists.

“The fall wouldn’t have killed him,” she said, tightly. “He still had a sword. He’d have used it to score the cliffside, slow himself down. But…” A harsh, unhappy puff of breath. “There’s rapids at the bottom of that cliff. And in this storm…”

A short grim silence hung between them. Callum didn’t even know what to say to the idea that Rayla might have killed her own family to – to protect him, them, the Dragon Prince….

Then: “Where did the storm come from?” Ezran wondered, staring out at the rising fury of it outside the doorway, so loud it was hard to hear themselves speak. There was a strange calmness building here, though. A clear spot, right in the centre. Like a walled-off circle of refuge against the winds.

Callum’s gut twisted. “Primal stone.” He said, shortly. “I – dropped it, when my hand got cut. It broke.” So much for that avenue of defence.

“Oh.” Abruptly, in that strange calm spot, it was much easier to hear his voice. Callum’s ears popped with an unfamiliar feeling of pressure, and a hint of an oncoming headache. “…What are we supposed to do now?”

“We have to get out, somehow.” Callum exhaled. “If the assassins won’t stop – if we can’t get to the king-“ And they certainly couldn’t, in these conditions- “then we need to leave. Carry the egg back to Xadia ourselves.”

“There’s no way any of us are going anywhere in this storm.” Rayla said, uncompromisingly, and he couldn’t doubt her.

“We could lay low in the secret passages for a while?” He suggested, half-heartedly, and then-

-a flash of colour in his periphery.

He turned and stared. “Is the egg supposed to do that?”

All of them followed his gaze and went still. Because the egg was glowing, and not just like it had been all along – it was shining, burning with incandescent colours like light through a prism, pulsing so virulently it hurt to look at. And then, straight through the open doorway, a bolt of lightning seemed to be sucked into it from nowhere. It was absolutely silent, without even a thunderclap to herald it, just-

“It’s a storm-dragon egg.” Rayla said, faintly, and scrambled back and away. “Maybe the storm’s affecting it somehow?”

Ezran stared for a long, long moment. A moment long enough to accommodate the absorption of two more spontaneously-generated lightning-bolts into the shell. “…Yeah, I think so,” he said, slowly. “But…in a good way?” He furrowed his brow. “Help me roll him out closer to the door?”

Callum looked at Rayla. She looked back. Helplessly, he shrugged, and she seemed to share the sentiment. For lack of any better response, they shifted the egg closer to the doorway to see what would happen.

---

What happened was this:

The damn thing hatched.

---

End chapter.

Notes:

Alternate chapter summary 2: in which I live up to my brand by traumatising one character and injuring the hand of another.

Did I say we were pitching canon off of a mountain?? WELL THAT’S NOT THE ONLY THING, BABY. *slaps roof of Runaan* this man can fit so much misfortune.

Also, rip primal stone. I WONDER HOW THIS WILL AFFECT CALLUM’S MAGE PLOTLINE.

(also, a note to my most persistent readers: I have to say, writing a scene where the mc has a sword to his throat and about-to-die vibes followed by hand injury gave me some very distinct nostalgia)

#rayllum #tdp fic #soulmate AU #tdp callum #tdp rayla #tdp ezran

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aster-aspera · 3 years

Text

Lullabye

Content warnings: past suicide attempt, hospitals, death mentions, needle mentions

Chapter 1

Masterpost

There were too many people staring at him, people looking out of their doors at all the noise and people rushing into the neighbouring apartment. Virgil sunk down onto the floor in the hallway, his breathing picking up speed, gasping sobs tearing from his chest.

They were in there, with Janus.

And Janus…

He’d been so cold. And his skin had been pale and god, Virgil didn’t even know if he was breathing anymore.

What if he was too late?

What if his best friend was gone all because he had gone out to the store? He should have talked to him before he left. He should have seen this coming.

How could he not have seen this coming?

He sobbed, wrapping his arms around himself, the memory of Janus, limp in his arms, barely breathing, a pack of empty pills discarded on the floor invading his brain.

“Hey.”

He startled, looking up at the person crouching in front of him. One of their neighbours, the girl Janus would often go over to borrow eggs, smiled at him comfortingly.

“Do you have someone you can call?” she asked.

Virgil nodded. “My phone’s inside,” he whispered. Inside, where Janus was dying. Where five paramedics were doing god knows what to his friend.

He could still feel them pulling him out of his arms, handling his limp body roughly. Virgil had wanted to yell at them to be careful, not to hurt him. He had kept his mouth shut.

“I’ll get it,” Leah said softly, getting up and walking through the door as if it was the easiest thing. As if she was just there to steal some cupcakes from them.

Cruel, selfish eyes stared at him. Eyes that didn’t care, were just curious for a show. A mother herded her kids back into the room, staying behind herself to stare.

They all needed to leave.

Leah came back from the apartment, sitting down opposite to block the stares and handing him his phone. Virgil immediately tapped on Logan’s contact, then froze. “What do I tell them?” he whispered. How did he put any of this into words?

“Just ask them to come over, if you want I can call them?” Leah suggested.

Virgil shook his head, and did as she had said, sending Logan a quick text asking them to come.

He curled up against the wall, wishing he could disappear into the wallpaper. Leah asked if she could touch him and he nodded absently, too numb to process. He could feel her rubbing his arms distantly, whispering reassurances.

Her hands froze on his arms and he looked up in confusion. She stared at the door and Virgil’s breath hitched and he curled into himself even tighter when he saw them cart Janus out on a stretcher.

He was pale and there were tubes sticking out of his mouth and he wasn’t fucking moving. Janus wasn’t supposed to look so small, so fragile. He was supposed to be sharp and witty and imposing. If he was awake he would have told all those curious eyes in the hallway to fuck off and mind their own business in that imperious tone of his. He would have told the paramedics he had it handled. But he didn’t, he just stayed there, washed out and broken.

And of course, as if the world was specifically out to traumatize everyone today, Logan chose that moment to appear around the corner, their eyes dark with worry.

They couldn’t hide the surprise and shock on their face as the paramedics rushed past with the stretcher and they reached out, as if they wanted to grab hold of one of Janus limp, useless hands. They retracted their hand before it could make contact and wisely stepped out of the way of the stretcher, turning to quickly walk over to Virgil.

“Hello V,” They said softly, kneeling down in front of him and taking Leah’s place. She gave them a grateful smile and moved away, returning to the comforting arms of her partner.

Virgil shivered as they gathered him up into their arms.

“He’s going to be alright,” they whispered into his hair. “You did so well, they’ve got him now.” They rocked him gently, pressing him close to their chest.

Virgil sobbed, burying his face into their sweater as they rubbed over his back.

“I was too late,” he gasped.

“No, you weren’t. You were there right in time. The doctors will help him now, he’s going to be okay, I promise. He’s strong,” Logan whispered.

Virgil shook his head, clenching on tighter.

“Do you think you’re up for going to the hospital with me? Someone’s going to have to go seeing as Janus has no birth family anymore,” Logan said calmly. Virgil wondered how they managed it when his own mind was only filled with raging panic over what would happen to his friend.

“I’m coming with you,” he said decidedly. He knew this wasn’t a good idea by far, but he needed to see Janus, needed to know he was alive. Logan nodded and helped him standing, keeping an arm around his waist as they walked to their car.

He survived. Virgil broke down the moment he heard the news, sobbing openly into Logan’s arms as the doctor stared at them helplessly. And if the spot on Virgil’s shoulder where Logan had pressed their face was just a little damp, well, he wasn’t going to tell anyone.

His relief soon faded as soon as they were led into the small hospital room, with machines blinking in every corner, a tube stuck down his throat, IV’s trailing into his skin. Virgil felt sick.

He didn’t react when Virgil carefully took his hand. It felt cold and clammy. Logan took a seat next to him, brushing the curls out of Janus’s face and smoothing a hand softly over his brow. Virgil had rarely seen them so gentle with anyone. He hadn’t thought Logan had the capacity to be so caring.

“We should call the others, explain what’s going on,” they said, eyes glued to Janus’s pale face. Virgil nodded. Logan got up, squeezing Virgil’s shoulder as they headed out the room.

Virgil swallowed and looked out the window. He didn’t want to be confronted with Janus’s still form. With his failure. He looked away for five minutes and this happened. He should have realized something was wrong the moment Janus didn’t reply when he left.

“You have to come back to me,” he whispered brokenly. “You can’t just do this. You promised you’d bake babka tomorrow and I was going to take you out on a hike, and…” He took a shuddering breath. “You’re not supposed to die. You’re not… I love you. And god I don’t want to lose you, not like this.”

A hand settled on his shoulder and he looked up to see Logan, smiling at him gently, tears pooling in their eyes behind their glasses.

“I told the others,” they said softly and looked back at Janus. “They all wanted to come over at once,” they chuckled sadly, “I’m not sure the nurses would agree with that.”

They sighed and sat down on the chair next to his bedside. “I wish... I wish I had been clearer about how much I cared for him. About the fact that I value him as a person, as a friend. But it is probably far too late for those sentiments.”

Virgil reached out and took their hand. “You said he’d be alright.”

Logan smiled at him.

“He will be, I sincerely believe that.”

It took three days for Janus to wake up, three days of switching out sitting on uncomfortable hospital chairs, nights spent on a bare mattress at the foot of his bed, staring at the lights of the machines reflected in the window. By day two, Virgil was ready to throw the next hospital meal he got out that window.

Patton called Virgil in the middle of making dinner and he had just enough sense to turn off the burner before grabbing Roman’s arm and dragging him out to the car.

They ran into the hospital, following the familiar path up to Janus’s room. And there he was, sitting upright and looking mildly annoyed as a doctor looked him over. Virgil nearly cried at the relief of seeing that familiar expression. He was sure Roman actually started crying.

Janus locked eyes with Virgil and his face fell, looking away.

Virgil wasn’t going to let him shut him out. He sat down on the edge of the bed and grabbed his hand, mindful of the cannula in it. “Janus,” he said softly.

Janus took a deep breath and Virgil swore he saw him blink back tears. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, still staring at the wall opposite them.

Virgil reached over and pulled him into a hug. “It’s alright,” he soothed, “Well, it’s not alright, but you’re alive and that’s… That’s all I need for now.”

Janus let out a sob and turned to hold onto Virgil properly. “I’m sorry,” he said again.

The bed dipped as Patton wrapped his arms around them too and he felt Roman settle his hand on his shoulder.

“We’re going to figure this out,” Roman said and Virgil hoped they could. He wasn’t leaving Janus again.

#sander sides #ts janus #ts virgil #ts logan #ts roman #ts patton #virgil sanders #janus sanders #logan sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #anxceit #platonic anxceit #tw suicide mention #tw suicide attempt #tw hospital #my writing #let me know if i forgot to tag something #tw death mention

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