#voices carry fic

[wanderinginksplot]

Voices Carry

The Null ARC troopers have heard a rumor - a Republic senator claims to have inside information about clone trooper genetic material. When they decide it's worth investigating, Mereel offers to slice the data during a simple comm call with the senator.

The mission doesn't offer much of a challenge... or so he thought. Mereel hadn't counted on a stalwart and unyielding senatorial assistant foiling his every effort.

Mereel Skirata x fem!reader

Rating: G (for now - rating WILL change)

Word Count: 800

Warnings: plans of attempted espionage

Next | Masterlist

---

Part One

“But does he actually have anything?” 

It was the question that had dominated the last hour, and the conversation was starting to circle. 

“The only way we can be sure is to check for ourselves,” Mereel decreed.

“Why would some boracyk Senator from a backwater planet have information about the kaminii gene cloning program?” Jaing asked. 

It wasn’t the first time he had asked it. What was more, Jaing’s perfect memory meant he knew he had asked the question before and Mereel was getting tired of giving the same answer. 

But he did it anyway. “Because it’s a weird lead. It’s weird that he said it in the first place. But Julgum is a karkin’ Senator. I can get through his entire library of information in less time than we’ve been talking about it. All I need is access to his office’s mainframe.”

All of this had started when Prudii had uncovered an interview aired on a fringe news source, featuring the senator from Farrfin. Senator Julgum wasn’t a popular man, mostly because of his unique and unpopular views. But Farrfin was notoriously corrupt and the general opinion was that his money had bought more votes than any of his politics had.

But the Null troopers didn’t care about politics - except maybe Ordo, who seemed to thrive on useless information. No, their only interest in Senator Julgum stemmed from the point in the interview when he said that the galaxy should be wary of clone troopers.

“I’ve received some information about the genes that the Kaminoans used,” he had claimed. “It all seems fine from the outside, but when you start to dig a little deeper… Well, let’s just say that I won’t be rushing to sign any clone rights bills into law until I figure out how far the problems run.”

The Nulls were split evenly between the two sides: Ordo, Jaing, and A’den thought it was a waste of time. Kom’rk, Prudii, and Mereel thought it was worth following up on. 

There was only one thing for it: Mereel looked over at where the figure of Kal Skirata stood, pondering the arguments in silence. “What do you think, Kal’buir?”

Silence settled over the Nulls as their adoptive father figure considered his answer. Whatever Kal Skirata decided, the group would do. That was the way it had always been, and he had never steered them in the wrong direction. Well, he had, but he always took any failures harder than the Nulls themselves did. 

“Mereel is right,” he said eventually, and Mereel felt a fierce pride spike through his chest at the implied praise. “It’s a lead, and we should follow up on any of those that come our way. Mer’ika, it won’t take you long to get into the Senator’s system, will it?”

“Not at all,” Mereel assured. “In and out in a few minutes at most. Then another day to sift through the data.”

“I think it’s a chance worth taking,” Kal said, glancing at the men around the room. Some were physically present, some were holographic, and all were watching him with the typical intensity born of being raised on the actively-hostile Kamino. “But I’m willing to hear arguments.”

“No, Kal’buir,” A’den refused. “If you think we should check it out, we will. Go for it, Mereel.”

Mereel flashed a grin, brimming with his typical confidence. “If the good senator has any real information, we’ll have it before the end of the week.”

Yes, confidence was never an issue with Mereel, but he would be the first to admit that accessing Julgum’s system was more difficult than anyone had expected.

The nearest he could figure was that the jetii had fixed up the network in Julgum’s office for him. Mereel would need the key code to access the network itself. Normally, that wasn’t much of a deterrent, but tracking down a key code took time. And this code in particular reset every few hours on an ever-changing time interval. 

Mereel was one of the better slicers in the galaxy, but even he had some limits. The effort it would take to access the senator’s office network just didn’t make sense, especially when the Nulls were working on a time limit. Even a slice code took time to construct, especially if the user wanted to keep anyone from knowing that the system had been breached.

Fortunately, there was a way around either necessity: he could contact the senator directly. If Mereel’s comlink was patched through to the senator himself, he would be able to access the mainframe and pull any (or all) information from the system without being detected and without spending weeks working on a functional slice code.

All he had to do was call.

---

Author's Note - Thank you for giving this fic a chance! Since it's shorter than my typical chapters (by a lot), I'm posting the second chapter today as well. Feel free to check it out if you enjoyed this one!

You can find other works on my masterlist or sign up for my taglist here. The taglist for these first two chapters will contain people who asked to be tagged in new series and those who asked to be tagged in Legends materials. Part Three will only be those who edit their taglist choices. I'm happy to untag anyone who asks!

Taglist: @rexs-wife @sugarpuffsstuff @stargazingthenightaway @just-some-girl-92 @kimageddon @ladysongmaster @carodealmeida @nomercyforthewarrior @boomtowngirl @quietplaceinthestars @bitchylittleredhead @blck-omen @lackofhonor @salaminus @archivedreading @hikime @808tsuika @ladykatakuri @bikerlorian @torchbearerkyle @frietiemeloen @tsedeshgishnii @justanothersadperson93 @leotatombs @mavendeb @rain-on-kamino @itsagrimm @dancingwiththeplanets @hummellchen @theclonesdeservebetter @cyarinka @ladyemxo @murder-of-crows-1 @ollovaemisc @rosmariner @staycalmandhugaclone @notvalidblogname @coruscanticoffee @crookedwiings @eyecandyeoz @fordo-kixed-rex @musigrusi @lucyysthings @dinsverdika @bombshe77 @cawyden

#voices carry #voices carry fic #star wars #star wars legends #star wars republic commando #mereel skirata #null 7 #null 7 | mereel skirata #mereel x reader #mereel x you #reader insert #reader insert fic #null arcs #star wars fanfiction #ink's fics #slow burn

[wanderinginksplot-writes]

Blog Announcement

Good afternoon! I haven't posted in a while and just wanted to give a quick update:

I am working on new chapters of existing fanfics, a few one-shots, and (as always) Rambles. I hope to start posting on a regular basis soon.

Currently, I am working on:

Gar Cyare - Yep, it's coming off of hiatus! I'm in the middle of plotting the rest of the story. I hope to have new chapters for you by mid-April or early May.

Refuge - I still need to reread this one and nail down the plot. Or, alternately, to decide that it doesn't really need an overarching plot and keep it as a fun little writing project. I haven't decided which yet.

Voices Carry - This one is definitely still in 'fun little writing project' territory! I might figure out an actual plot for it eventually, but right now, it's helping me explore the Nulls a little more closely.

One-Shots - I have a few of these I'm toying with. None that were requested, sadly, but my brain kicks out ideas occasionally that are too interesting for me to ignore.

Requests are still closed, though I occasionally put out a call for ideas for a specific character. Especially since I have a few masterlist entries for characters with only one fic and it bothers me. Keep an eye out for those if you're interested!

And, of course, this is my writing sideblog. There are no taglists. Other than occasional updates like this one, I will only post my fics on here, or reblog the occasional comment-reblog. I will tag everything with the story name and the main characters. Assuming tumblr's search function works (lol), you can find other chapters through the tags, through my masterlist, or using the internal navigation tools on every chapter.

Thank you all for your patience! I look forward to posting more regularly here!

#ink's life #wanderinginksplot-writes fics #wanderinginksplot-writes #fic update #star wars fanfiction #star wars the clone wars fanfiction #ink's fics #gar cyare #gar cyare fic #refuge #refuge fic #voices carry #voices carry fic

[electrosweaters-arts]

Sigh....sigh... when I actually design book! Poole and Hyde and draw Poole cradling Hyde's dead body in his arms like mary holding jesus begging for his son's forgiveness in not being able to save him it's gonna be OVER for you hoes :/

#sorry..sorry saw a post on my main about death being like being carried off to your bedroom during a family party- #-and hearing your family's voices and laughter as you drift off and got weird :/ #It would take me so long to actually design and draw book versions tho I might just write a fic #They're so euthanasia by will wood if anyone even cares :/ #Jekyll and hyde #the strange case of dr jekyll and mr hyde

[mishy-mashy]

Shinomori is cute. Here's a post.

He is so baby-faced. He hasn't changed at all since he was 22, to when he died of "old age" at 40

(Old age? With a face like that? 40 years old?? Gimme that kind of youth and hotness Shinomori-)

He has tiny eyebrows. Like a puppy's (rottweiler's, for example). So cute and tiny and fuffy

He naturally frowns. Look at him and his mouth and his lil nose

He has a thing about keeping his arms near his chest. He sits with his arms crossed, introduces himself with his hands over his torso, and even walks with his arms crossed toward Midoriya

He has such clear skin for someone who lived the rest of his life in a forest??? Why do Hikage and Yoichi have such nice skin despite living in terrible environments? (forest and vault + abandoned streets respectively)

Is easily scared

They knew their Quirks could be used, but Shinomori got scared of it when it happened. Even though he gave Midoriya his support and access to his Quirk beforehand. Depending on the translation; "it startled me", "you scared me", "it surprised me"

I'm not going to hold running from AFO against him because he knew he was running for his life. Who wouldn't run for their life when it's in danger? Shinomori was being chased by the strongest person in the country (and likely the world)

His sense of self-preservation is probably heightened by the nature of his Quirk to keep him out of danger too. Which makes him all the more sensitive and jumpy to danger and anything that startles him, especially when he has no warning

He's actually extremely tall, but is so socially inept and jumpy it's adorable. He's taller than Bruce.

Bruce is as tall as a vault door that the 2m AFO used.

(Meanwhile Kudo is down there-)

He has such a bad sense of humor that it's cute (his puns off Danger Sense)

It's also adorable how Shinomori just doesn't understand social conventions sometimes. He lived in a forest, so it made sense, but also— Midoriya shows up in the void to the vestige platform for the first time. He has no mouth, no clothes—and Shinomori's first idea is to stand in front of him menacingly and go: "I shall explain. I am Shinomori Hikage." SIRRRR

This.

His Ability is basically like glorified anxiety. What if something is coming to hurt him? If something can hurt him? What if that tree falls while he's under it? And the ideas come so hard they hurt (although yes, it does detect ill intent and that's what sets it off)

He talks weirdly. Formal? Old-fashioned? Listening to him speak Japanese compared to others, it just sounds a bit different. (Translated subs don't show it very well, it's the voice itself methinks)

"This too, is destiny." *about Midoriya having OFA*

Kinda wise or sage-y. He did spend his life in solitude in the forests so he definitely spent a lot of time with his own thoughts. Maybe he found the meaning of life in a centipede or something one day

For someone so cute, he is also such. A fine. Specimen???

Look at those back muscles, dang.

LOOK AT HIS CALVES AND ARMS DANG.

#i dont think shinomori was part of the resistance considering the resistance fought the society AFO was making #and shinomori wanted to avoid society and thus hid away #but i do think bruce knew shinomori because he gave him ofa before he went to fight AFO and die #and afo doesnt seem to know hikage. if he did he wouldve found and killed him. but hikage is never in afos memories #yknow what shinomori needs some appreciation too #vestiges need more attention #also i always put shinomori dealing with bruces remnants in my fics so he needs some appreciation for that #like the kids dumped on him #shinomori received OFA at 22 years old. he was around bruces age methinks #hes not some kid the resistance took in. the resistance didnt take in kids anyway #or at least we dont see them #well fic stuff banjo has the time of his life with en wrangling kid hermits that dont know what electricity is #mha #bnha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #spoilers #hikage shinomori #ofa #one for all #ANYWAY hikage is ADORABLE and needs attention #just LOOK AT HIM #id have put this post out sooner but getting the pictures is always hard cuz popups or videos not working #i like shinomoris english voice actor. i dont stick around to hear anyone elses because i died when midoriya turned into a kid in the dub #i could probably make a list like this and bruces for the rest of the vestiges #yoichis small waist lovely skin and that he probably knows how to wrap kudo and bruce around his finger? #his “my heroes” and smiling as he goes “now now you two..”? kudos low voice and nice arms and SHORTNESS? #en going “senpai” and sitting on his chair like that? looking like he exudes gremlin energy? did he get carried around by banjo and nana? #it looks like he wouldve CMONN #i didnt include it in here cuz image limit but shinomori has big hands and feet (tag limit)

[wokeuplaughing]

voice acting in mgsv

kiefer sutherland: [venom is the strong silent type] [extent of his understanding of the character so it's all he utilizes]

troy baker: [using the same voice he has used for nearly every character he has ever played]

robin atkins downes: [knows how his character has evolved from young man with dreams of war to a middle aged man haunted by his past hell bent on revenge he thinks will fix something] [putting whole pussy into role] [every line said with so much intention]

#any scene with them together is so funny because robin is fucking carrying #except when huey shows up that's the one time it's like oh there's a dynamic here #(has been writing a vkaz fic for months) man these characters have bad chemistry with each other #it's just the voice acting though #which. sucks

[dipplinduo]

So....TTPD is out.

...how in danger are we?

Yes. ✌️🤍

#some updates are spared #others are not #laughing in S&S D #laughing in DIOH #laughing in angst #laughing in MY PEN IS CHARGED BRUH #little did you know your home's only really just a town you're just a guest in #the voices in his head called the rain to end our days of wild #pulled him in tighter rach time he was driftin' away my spine split from carrying us up this hill #stitches come undone #i can fix him no really i can #trust me i can handle me a dangerous man #say it once again with feeling #how the death rattle breathing #silienced as the soul was leaving #old habits die screaming #So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street #Is it a wonder I broke? #change the prophecy #cards on the table mine play out like fools in a fable #theres so much more LMAOOO #do with those as you will #my fics #I am also debating writing an absolutely devestating oneshot just because I can #this album is lowkey my personality for the foreseeable future thanks taylor swift #you neVER MISS

[itwoodbeprefect]

i DID IT, i finally FINISHED one of ten or so attempts at bad buddy fanfiction!! 🎸 With every guitar string scar on my hand 🎸, 1527 words, extreme domestic patpran fluff warning!!

#it's been a LONG time coming. oh man #at some point the main struggle became not just Writing A Fic #but writing a fic that didn't sound to my own mind like i was writing starsky and hutch with the names scribbled out #how much of my s&h fic is my personal voice (allowed to carry over) and how much is character/fandom specific (should stay there)? #are there parts of my writing that naturally work for s&h but hinder me in bb fic? is what i Hear actually real or am i just overanalyzing? #do i feel like this sounds too like s&h because character voice for a thai series is hard to grasp for me or would this happen regardless? #DO I EVEN KNOW HOW TO WRITE (new) WORDS. #anyway. i think yes. i've found a yes that satisfies me. hooray! 🎉 #my fic #* #bad buddy #bad buddy the series

[smeddiemunson]

for the prompt! :D

37: “ Dance with me! ”

thank you for the prompt! i went about a million different ways with this one originally, but it’s christmas so you get this very personal head cannon of mine 🖤

Shoutout to peterpantomime on tiktok for the hcs about their jobs. I’m co-opting them. Idk if they’re on tumblr.

Modern AU!

37: “Dance with me!”

The elevator in Eddie and Chrissy’s apartment building had been broken since before Steve and Robin started coming around. They lived in the fifth floor as well so Steve and Robin kept taking turns to carry the gift bags up the stairs.

“I might ask Chrissy to move in with us just so I don’t have to climb those stairs ever again,” Robin moaned as they reached the fifth floor.

Steve balked. “What so I’m forced to come over here more so you two can be alone? No thanks.”

“You’re at least athletic, Steve!”

Steve frowned. That didn’t mean he wanted to climb those stairs everyday. He knocked on the door to apartment 504 instead of arguing.

Eddie opened the door with a flourish and the devilish smile on his face that Steve first fell for.

“Sweetheart, I missed you!”

Steve flushed red, hoping between the cold air outside and the five floor climb he could pass it off as something else.

Eddie smirked like he knew. He curled a hand in Steve’s most gaudy Christmas sweater (having unzipped his coat on the way up) and pulled him in for a kiss that made Steve’s toes curl in his shoes and had him whimpering for more.

Robin coughed loudly next to them. “Nice to see you too, Edward.”

“Not my name,” Eddie laughed as he pulled away from Steve, hand still firmly in his sweater. “Good to see you too, Buck. Come on in.”

Robin squeezed past them, shouting “Baby, we’re here!” as she went.

Steve juggled the bags in his hands into one so he could take Eddie’s hand in his, tangling their fingers together.

“Hi, Teddy,” he said quietly. It hadn’t been that long since they last saw one another, but with Steve taking extra bookings at the salon for people that wanted to look their best for the holidays and Eddie being responsible for the Christmas concerts at the school he taught at, they hadn’t had very much time together at all.

Chrissy came thundering into the hallway, throwing herself at Robin while she was struggling to take her shoes off, fingers still stiff from the cold, and causing them both to go careening into the wall.

“Honey!”

Steve dropped his head to Eddie’s shoulder with a laugh.

Eddie tugged Steve through the door and shut it behind him, and said, “I’ll get you a drink.”

He disappeared into the kitchen, only stopping long enough to help haul Robin and Chrissy up from their slump, then swiftly let them go again as they began kissing their hellos against each other’s mouth, cheeks, necks, and whatever other piece of skin they could easily get to.

Steve quickly skirted past them after toeing off his Nikes and shucking off his coat. Rather than follow Eddie straight to the kitchen, he went through the door that led to their living room so he could place the gift bags under the tree the four of them had spent an evening decorating and drinking the weekend after thanksgiving.

He took the box of cookies he and Robin made the night before and made sure to switch the Christmas tree lights to static rather than the blinking they had defaulted to. It wasn’t a night he wanted to have to deal with migraines.

He never wanted to, but Eddie had been talking up this tradition for weeks and Steve was going to do everything he could to make sure it was perfect.

Eddie handed him eggnog in tall glass when he came into the kitchen.

Robin and Chrissy had migrated from the hallway, looking throughly kissed, and were sat at the kitchen table with glasses in front of them while Eddie poured himself a glass.

They were the fancy glasses Chrissy stole from her parents when she finally moved out. They never called to get them back so it wasn’t as if they were missed.

Steve smiled in thanks and held up the box of cookies.

“Sugar cookies,” he explained. “Mine and Robin’s tradition to go with yours.”

“Steve made them,” Robin interjected. “I helped decorate but I’m not allowed to help cook. He’s very particular about his kitchen. Are you sure you want him helping you cooking dinner tomorrow, baby?”

Chrissy giggled. “We’ll be just fine together, I think, dear,” she directed towards Steve. “I’m particular about my kitchen too.”

Eddie mumbled something about her being all talk, but smiled innocently when Chrissy narrowed her eyes on him playfully.

“So, the plan for tonight.” Eddie clapped his hands to divert attention back to him. “We drink eggnog. Chrissy has started on that early. Haven’t you, doll?”

Chrissy giggled into her glass with rosy cheeks. “Oops.”

Robin smiled warmly and pressed a kiss to her temple, leaning to whisper something either of the boys could hear, but could see the smirk settle on Chrissy’s lips.

Steve motioned for Eddie to carry on.

“We drink eggnog. We eat cookies. We watch Christmas movies, but we always start with The Muppets Christmas Carol.”

Steve hummed. “Never seen it.”

Eddie whined. “Sweetheart, why do you do this to me?”

“Do what?”

“Admit that you haven’t seen the greatest Christmas movie to ever be made.”

“I like The Santa Clause,” he offered thoughtfully.

Eddie patted him on the cheek. “It’s a good choice, but it’s not The Muppets.”

Steve rolled his eyes. He was used to Eddie’s dramatics now, six months into the relationship, and he knew when to pick his battles.

“What else?”

“We go to bed before midnight and hope Santa came to visit,” Eddie said as if it were the most obvious end to the evening. It probably was in fairness to him. 

“And I get up early to cook?”

Eddie scoffed. “No. You get up early so we can have Christmas morning sex. You can cook when I’m done with you.”

“Is that so?”

“Can you two go five minutes without wanting to jump each other’s bones?” Robin groaned, Chrissy patting her on the shoulder sympathetically.

“No,” They said at the same time.

Despite her words, Robin looked at them with such fondness that Steve had to look away from it. Robin had been the only real family he had for so many years that having people to share Christmas with now almost scared him, probably would have terrified him if he wasn’t so excited to do it. It had been been a long time since he’d shared it with anyone other than Robin.

Eddie took the box of cookies and laid them out on a light blue tray with snowmen printed on it, clearly a novelty gift he’d been given in a secret Santa one year. He motioned for everyone to follow him as he made his way through to the living room to put the cookies on the coffee table, which had been pushed out of the way of the main space.

Chrissy and Robin came through with plates of sandwiches and a couple of bowls of chips. Little nibbles, Chrissy had explained when Steve and Robin were officially invited, to pick at through the night so no one had to cook when they could be drinking and getting into the Christmas spirit instead.

Eddie clocked the static lights with a thoughtful look. He pushed his fingers through Steve’s fringe. “Are you okay?”

Steve nodded. “Just preemptive.”

“We can turn them off altogether, if you need it. Just say the word.”

Steve shook his head. “No need.”

Eddie hummed and leant forward to press a kiss to Steve’s forehead. “Any time you need it though, just say.”

Steve pulled him closer so he could kiss him properly, chaste but no less insistent. “I love you,” he whispered against his lips.

It was still a thrill to say it.

Eddie smiled, laughed slightly through his nose, feeling exactly the same way. “I love you, too. Now go sit, let me get this movie on.”

Steve let him go and settled on the couch while Eddie poked around at the old DVD player that lived under the TV.

Despite streaming services now having almost every movie known to man available to them, Eddie and Chrissy (and Gareth, Jeff and Kevin when they lived with them during college) had spent years cultivating a DVD collection that could rival a Blockbuster.

Robin and Chrissy were already curled up together in the armchair with a fluffy pink blanket thrown over them.

Eddie got the movie on then grabbed the remote from where it had been stored next to the TV then flung himself down onto the couch next to Steve. He kicked his feet back and opened his arms, beckoning Steve to come closer to cuddle.

Steve went willingly and once they were both comfortable, he pulled the black blanket off the back of the couch to put over them.

Eddie clicked through the DVD menu and started the movie. He practically vibrated under Steve as he tapped his toe in time to the music.

Steve almost jumped out of his skin when he and Chrissy started sing.

He wasn’t warned about the singing.

But he liked to hear Eddie sing. He was good at it, and it was especially nice to hear him something that wasn’t metal music that comprised mostly of screaming, even if he didn’t know the song.

It seemed that this tradition dating back years and years, as long as Eddie and Chrissy had lived together and maybe even before then, was a well oiled machine. They fell into their roles perfectly, chattering away at each other during Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat’s opening gambit.

“The Marleys were dead, to begin with,” Eddie said gravely in an exact impression of Gonzo.  

Chrissy, in great shock returned it with a less good impression of Rizzo the Rat, “The.. Pardon me?” 

And so it continued for the rest of the movie. 

Eddie sang along quietly under his breath, but close enough to Steve’s ear that he could hear him, and quoted what Steve assumed were the iconic lines.

“It is the American way,” Eddie said, pitching his voice low but somehow nasally. “It is the British way.”

“Is that your voice for Bolgar?” Steve asked quietly.

Eddie groaned. He tucked his nose into Steve’s neck, its tip cold despite the relative heat of the apartment.

“You can’t talk like that while we’re watching the Muppets, Sweetheart,” he whispered. “You know how hot it makes me.”

Steve snorted. “Yeah yeah,” he whispered back. “Now I know your Dungeon Master voice time is just you practicing being the Muppets.”

Eddie pressed a kiss into the shell of Steve’s ear, holding him tight so he couldn’t recoil away.

“We’ve all got to start somewhere.”

Steve managed to free one of his hands so he could rub the wetness away from his ear then snuggled back down into Eddie’s hold so they could watch the rest of the movie.

By the time Scrooge had realised he needed to change his ways, Steve had to admit that he had been missing out by not watching the movie before. He had fun.

Eddie hopped up from the couch, dislodging Steve where he was still cuddled up again him, and stepped in front of the chair Robin and Chrissy shared as Scrooge started singing about having a thankful heart.

He bowed low and offered his hand out. “Christine.” 

Another part of the tradition Steve guessed.

Chrissy giggled behind her hand and scrabbled up out of the chair. She pulled at the sides of her baby pink sweatpants like they were a skirt and curtsied. “Theodore.” 

They laughed and began to dance, still singing along with Michael Caine.

Steve smiled as he watched them, sharing a look with Robin and knowing that the utterly lovestruck stare on her face was mirrored on his own. 

Eddie clocked it quickly. He let go of Chrissy, gently pushing her towards Robin, and offered both hands out to Steve. “Come on, sweetheart. Dance with me.” 

He grabbed at Steve’s hands before he could even respond, hauling him up with a strength that he didn’t look as if he possessed.

Steve rolled his eyes but allowed himself to be spun in a circle, half jumping, half two stepping. It was completely out of time and didn’t really suit the song as it was, but Steve couldn’t stop laughing.

Eddie continued to sing along and say all the lines with the characters, doing the voice for each one.

“The downstairs neighbours are going to hate you,” he laughed. 

Chrissy snorted, pressing her face into Robin’s shoulder where they had shifted to swaying in time with the credits music. She peeked out one eye at them. “Too late for that,” she giggled. 

Eddie stopped dead in his tracks, causing Steve and his momentum to slam into his chest. “What do you mean?” 

Chrissy bit her bottom lip. “Mrs Lopez came by last week while you were at Steve’s. It seems like she heard when you and Steve were here last week.” 

Steve groaned and buried his face in Eddie’s shoulder. He always said hello to Mrs Lopez whenever they passed on the stairwell. He’d never be able to look at her again. 

Eddie cackled next to his ear, not embarrassed in the slightest. “I told you you needed to be quiet, sweetheart.” 

Steve groaned again. 

“Don’t worry, dear. She’s definitely heard me and Robin before as well.” 

“Okay!” Robin near yelled. “That’s enough eggnog for you and we are not talking about this.” 

She coaxed Chrissy back to the chair, sitting down first then pulling Chrissy onto her lap. 

“Agreed,” Steve muttered. He pushed at Eddie until he let him go so he could sit back on the couch, not cuddling back into Eddie’s side and crossing his arms in a huff. 

Eddie pouted as he cuddled next to him. He pressed a kiss to Steve’s cheek, then shifted to his knees so he could lean around him to press another to Steve’s other cheek. Then another on his forehead, this nose, then anywhere he could reach until Steve was laughing and not really trying to push him away. 

“Can we watch Home Alone next?” Steve asked to the room at large once Eddie had left him alone long enough to settle back on the couch and pull the blanket across both of them. 

"Isn’t that a little on the nose for you, Steveo?” Robin asked, shooting a smirk his way as Chrissy and Eddie gasped, appropriately aghast. 

Steve snorted. “Fuck you.” 

But he didn’t mean it, in fact, he’d never felt so fond of a group of people before.

It may have been their first Christmas together, but Steve was certain this was a tradition he wanted to be a part of for the rest of his life.

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #buckingham #robin buckley #chrissy cunningham #ask #anon #prompt fill #got very carried away but I just love Christmas #Eddie Munson Dungeon Master Voice time is real #he just has conversations with himself in different voices; says the same things over and over again until he nails the voice #my fic

[horsegirlwarcrimes]

wait. kiddoS? plural??

#image source saturn-mortis #hehehehe #okay BUT #[SPOILERS] #theres not gonna be a twins reveal or anything bc i dont lovvve that trope #[scam goddess voice] i only ordered one of these. send that other one back #but i do think that moshang have more kids later on and have many headcanons about them that mighttt get explored in the short sequel #i dont think sqh carries em all i kinda think hes like 'ehhh not really into doing that again' after the first one #but mbj needs a full blooded demon heir #more than that i cannot say... TOO spoiler #svsss #WINRN #buyspeaks.mp3 #askbox #my fics

[1moreoffkeyanthem]

Being a fanfiction writer in the Real World is so fucking stupid TELL ME WHY when I busted my ass slipping on a goddamn spilled smoothie at work and whacked the shit out of my knee my first thought was “OJV Kyle moment”???? Not “oh damn that was embarrassing” or “why am I the only person here who cares about mopping”, no. Instead, my insane ass is thinking about my overly involved South Park au.

#what in the actual goddamn hell is wrong with me #sp brain worms that’s what #also I hate the Smoothie Shop Where I Pretend To Be Human #seriously considering quitting and going back to being an agoraphobic asshole who barely makes her half of the rent with freelance art shit #but (mcr voice) we carry on #bc I need to be social #PCE speaks #south park #fic writer

[wanderinginksplot]

Voices Carry

After all of the tricks and threats, your mysterious caller tries something different: conversation.

Eventual Mereel Skirata x fem!reader pairing.

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,100

Warnings: None

Previous | Next | Masterlist

---

Part Six

There had been a pile of credits on your desk when you had come into work that morning. 

Sadly, you already knew it wasn’t a bonus or even a fun mystery you could unravel between your other duties. No, that was Julgum’s charming way of letting you know that he had been invited to a fundraiser and that he needed you to accompany him. 

The first time it had happened, you had been confused, then wary. Any concerns that Julgum had unprofessional designs on you were quieted when he gave you a list of tasks for the event. He wasn’t inviting you as a date. No, he needed you to help him network, keep track of information, and usher him into a transport when he had too much to drink. 

It wasn’t a favorite part of your job, but you didn’t mind it as much as you had expected to. You were still so relieved that Julgum wasn’t hitting on you that anything else seemed fine by comparison.

Besides, you only used some of the credits to purchase clothing. You kept the rest and refused to feel guilty about it. 

That morning had been remarkably quiet, and you were using your personal datapad to browse some formal clothing that was on clearance at a local store. You had added several possibilities to your cart when the office comlink beeped. 

“Senator Julgum’s office. How may I help you?” 

The greeting rolled so naturally from your lips that you scarcely had to think about it anymore. You had scrolled to look at another option before the person on the other side of the line made any noise at all. 

“Hello.”

“Hello,” you replied, just as automatically as your first greeting. “How may I help you?”

There was the sound of a sigh, one that turned into a slight chuckle as it trailed off. Something in the voice was familiar, and you set the datapad down on your desk. There was nothing to see, of course, but you still wanted to pay attention to the call. 

“Why are you always there when I comm?” the voice asked. “Doesn’t Julgum give you a day off?”

“I’m sorry,” you apologized. “To whom am I speaking?” 

The silence stretched an uncomfortable length of time, filled with a vague sense of horror. You made a valiant effort, but you finally broke and chuckled aloud. 

The tutting on the other end of the link made you smile even wider. Julgum’s mysterious caller clearly had some sense of humor. It was late in your acquaintance - such as it was - for that humor to make an appearance, but you would take it over tricks and anger.

“That was mean,” he told you. “I’m many things, but forgettable isn’t one of them. Unless the pressure of working such long hours for the good senator is making you crack?”

Even with the censure, his voice was playful. He seemed utterly delighted that you had messed with him. Of course, you could claim to be in earnest and insist that you didn’t know who he was, but your laughter may have made that less believable.

…Besides, with everything that Julgum put you through, didn’t you deserve the chance to connect with someone?

“I don’t think I’m the only one working long hours,” you countered. “You’ve called for three days in a row trying to speak with the senator. Maybe it’s best to tell your boss to make an appointment.”

“Whatever do you mean? This is only the second time we’ve spoken.”

You believed your snort was permissible, given the overly innocent tone he had used. “Yes, we always get calls from the aides to prominent senators pretending to be the senator themselves, or Trade Federation representatives who make threats.”

“Those Federation types can be dangerous,” he told you. “I hope you gave him what he asked for.”

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t help the first one, but the second one was happier with the results of our conversation.”

“A second Trade Federation rep? What did they want?”

“If you don’t know anything about the first one, I don’t see why you should care about the second,” you said, audibly grinning.

“Clever thing, aren’t you?” His voice was amused again. “You’re right, I don’t know anything about any Trade Federation calls.”

“I thought as much,” you assured him. 

Apparently, he wasn’t finished. “But I hate to hear that you’re getting so much strange comms traffic. Tell you what: I know a few people who can set up a system to screen callers who don’t have any real business with the senator. Patch me through to him and I’ll pitch the idea. I can even throw in a discounted estimate.”

“I would be happy to let you speak with Senator Julgum. Just give me your name and your appointment time.”

His laugh was clear this time, transmitting rich and loud over the line. “You don’t miss a thing, do you? I hope Julgum knows how closely his assistant watches his back.”

“He doesn’t,” you replied without thinking. And as you were biting your lip, the man laughed again. Hastily, you added, “But it’s fine. This is a job. I get paid in credits, not in gratitude.”

“Still, he should be careful. Someone might steal you away.” You didn’t know how to respond to that, but the mystery caller didn’t seem to need any input from you for his current train of thought. “What do you look like?” 

“What?” you asked reflexively. After a beat to collect yourself, you said, “Surely you can understand why, given our current conversation about stealing people, I don’t want to answer that question.”

“Did you know you get overly formal when you’re flustered?” he asked. “I bet you’re pretty.”

The conversational whiplash was sudden and overwhelming. You shook your head, uncaring that he couldn’t see it. “I’m not. And I’m also starting to think you don’t have an appointment to speak with the senator. Do you?”

“I do not.” 

You sighed and pressed the button to sever the connection. This wasn’t a great job, but you still needed to do work that wasn’t centered on flirtatious comlink conversations.

It would just take a moment to stifle the twinge of regret you felt at having not asked his name.

---

Author's Note - I know, this chapter is slow. This story is slow. But I'm trying to flesh out their relationship at a pace that feels steady and natural. Maybe our reader is just a little hesitant to trust a stranger and Mereel could use a little slow in the breakneck pace of a Null trooper. Thank you for reading anyway!

As a quick reminder, my taglist is now defunct. You are more than welcome to follow my writing sideblog at @wanderinginksplot-writes. I tag all of my fics with the name of the fic itself, so you can see what you want and not have to deal with the rest!

#voices carry #voices carry fic #mereel skirata #star wars republic commando #republic commando #null arcs #mereel skirata x reader #mereel skirata x you #reader insert #reader insert fic #star wars #star wars fanfiction #clone troopers deserve better #ink's fics #star wars legends

[kaizsche]

are you lost, baby girl?

Kol is still working on his vocabulary as a vampire having been recently awakened, now revived as a witch in the 20th century. There is still so much to learn, explore and experience. It is his mission as the youngest Mikaelson brother to enlighten his stiff, close-minded elder brothers of the wonders the modern generation has to offer.

(Re: Kol pokes fun at Elijah once more.)

continue reading here

#kaizsche fics #tvdu fic #elena gilbert #kol mikaelson #elijah mikaelson #finn mikaelson #elena & kol shenanigans #just a silly lil fic #a prequel of some sorts of 'i come in peace' #elijah as a voice actor. imagine THAT. #posted on ao3 #one-shot #thanks to qvnthesia for supplying this idea #and to amandamonroe and natasha09 for urging me to carry on with this universe

[badolmen]

I think writers need to embrace the concept of warmup WIPs the way artists do with warmup doodles. It’s something I’ve realized is super helpful especially after a long break from writing but I’ve never seen it talked about.

#ra speaks #personal #writing #sometimes you’ve got an idea in your head you just need to get out but you’re so set on focusing on the thing you need/want to finish #that you end up doing nothing #give into the urge to write when you get it and treat it like a warmup doodle. it’s just a sketch layer. #you remember how to find your voice and set up a scene and you can carry that momentum to more important projects #it doesn’t need to be researched or referenced no googling just write with the vibes #re: I finished a fic I started four years ago bc I gave myself permission to write poorly characterized and timeline wonky fic for another #fandom that I have no intention of publishing bc it’s so self indulgent and exists solely to remind me how words work

[aeide-thea]

[fic crit, amatonormativity (blogger's own) cw]

revisited a story that i remembered really enjoying, but have had difficulty digging up for a reread because, as it turns out, it's a good 200 pages deep in the relevant pairing tag, and—

turns out that i do still really dig it, and also that the other thing i remembered about it is equally still true, which is that it totally fails to really resolve the emotional side of things! like, it's a fic full of Plot and briefly- but vividly-drawn OCs, and people from the main characters' pasts who show up in ways that work for the story but are also random enough to lend verisimilitude, and we get to see the elements of the foil's day-to-day life—what keeps them busy and burnished when they're not off Adventuring with our protagonist—in generous, engaging detail, and all of that remains really satisfying and compelling to me; but it's billed as a fic ft. a pairing, and yet all we see of that is an established, undiscussed level of ambiguous intimacy that's lovely and warm but queerplatonic at absolute most, and doesn't get tied into any sort of bow by the end, even a friendly one.

and the thing is—there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! if it weren't for the pairing tag i probably wouldn't even find it unsatisfying: it'd just be lovely warm plotty genfic, and i'd enjoy the hell out of it! but i am, for better or for worse, amatonormative enough that when i see a story with a pairing tag, i do personally expect some combination of Romance Feelings and/or sex to appear on the page, unless the author's notes inform me the relationship is queerplatonic or similarly asterisked, and having that expectation go unmet feels like a disappointment even when the fic is on all other fronts the opposite of disappointing. which i'm fully ready to accept is my own failing, rather than the story's! but. idk. pondering and processing. :)

#(i understand this is a totally useless post without citing the fic but. rude to do that! so. #just thinkin out loud here in my Thoughtful Spot (milne voice) 4 my own future reference. #inquiries privately entertained.) #anyway honestly part of me wonders if the author just ran out of time‚ as much as anything else #because it's one of those 'wrote this for a challenge‚ got carried away‚ bon appetit' situations #but another bigger part of me just thinks they don't conceptualize Satisfying Relationship Arcs the way i do! #which—maybe they're aro but also honestly i know allo writers who don't write relationships i find satisfying so. who knows really #generally best not 2 assume even if available evidence points a particular way! #anyway. truly a stupid number of words just 2 say: (re)read a thing; loved it; was disappointed by one aspect of it; #feel stupidly disproportionately let down by that‚ in the way one does when everything else was good and it got you hoping #you were Kindred Spirits and then you turn out to not be‚ not quite‚ after all #fannish things #also i guess #bookblogging

[nach0]

Jacklyn sighs, pulling the ropes away and letting bright red wings stretch out. "How many of us have told you to stop doing this now?"

Iris doesn't look at her. "They're hindrance on missions and reveal me instantly as an anomaly. That's all."

"Sure. That's why you keep them bound and hidden for as long as we let you get away with even after we get back."

#putting this here so there's pressure to write the full fic #external accountability babyyy #gotta reread voices carry to get a better sense of character voices i think

[anghraine]

As I was walking to an English class in which I used both Chopin’s “Revolutionary Étude” and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’s “Bad Reputation” to illustrate the importance of genre in forming criteria for evaluative writing, I was thinking of a conversation with my best friend about epistemic responsibility and how much our (somewhat) differing positions owe to our differently awful bio dads (his was persistently abusive, mine wildly inconsistent).

Then my brain was like: “hmm. I’ve thought about the GW2 AU with lesbian Logan Thackeray—it’s problematic but I don’t care—but what about lesbian Rytlock? It’d be a little sad to lose Steve Blum, yeah, but there are a lot of great women VAs, and the Flame Legion being so awful about ~females~ would give f!Rytlock more of a stake in all that—and wait, no, obviously this is best if it’s the same universe and I kind of love the idea of disaster lesbian Megan Thackeray vs cool badass who seems to have her shit together (but doesn’t) Rytlock ...”

#90s psa voice: this is your brain on hypomania #anghraine babbles #my little piano: music is magic #ivory tower blogging #ascalonian grudgeblog #anghraine's gaming #disaster lesbian logan thackeray au #what if. like. the hints that logan actually resents rytlock claiming priceless ascalonian artifacts as rightful loot were carried through #megan gets to have a stake as someone very consistently identified as ascalonian in the charr drama #rytlock gets to have a stake with flame legion power plays having pretty direct consequences #wlw-wlw hostility is also super fun ngl #a treeful of monkeys on nitrous oxide #fic talk