#while pearl bounces off the walls until told she can shout at something

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

maaaan going back to the Commander Tatar battle cut scene for that sweet, sweet pearlina dynamic of-

Pearl: WHAt ..... IS.... THAT!?

Marina: (not looking, busy at her computer) Hold on let me google it

Marina: Ok so the giant goo laser statue that just popped out of the ocean and is aimed at our city is charging up a lot of energy

Pearl: (dancing in place with nerves) Um.... That doesn't sound good!

Marina: So, yeah. It's got enough power to destroy the world.

Pearl: HOW DO WE STOP IT!?

Marina: Hmm... let's see...

(opens up freaking MS PAINT)

Marina: I've drawn a diagram of how to save the world

Marina: The goo laser statue uses sunlight for energy, so if we tag it with enough graffiti, that should stop it

Pearl: HOW are we tagging an entire statue???

Marina: We'll use the paint bombs i just so happened to have been building in my spare time

Marina: They're still in beta though so Eight will have to set them off manual by shooting at them

Eight: 👍🏾

Pearl: And what do I get to do?

Marina: Kill the statue by yelling at it

Pearl: BUT I HAVENT DEATH METAL SCREAMED IN AGES (aka since i stopped being emo and made a band with you)- I DONT EVEN KNOW IF I CAN DO IT ANYMORE

Marina: Well you have 3 minutes

Marina: Just do some warm ups. We need Maximum Pearl

Pearl: (marina believes in her) (confidence restored) Got it. Who needs vocal chords anyway, am I right? Let's go save the world!

me, laughing and crying: your honor im love them ;A; <3

#splatoon 2 #marina ida #pearl houzuki #pearlina #. #they're sucha a pair i can't #i CANT #weapon engineer marina cucumber calm in the face of world destruction #while pearl bounces off the walls until told she can shout at something #XD #remembering why i fell in love with these two

[hello-everyfandom]

“I just got you this because I saw it and thought of you!”

Warnings: Light swearing

Pairing: George Weasley x Reader

Words: 3.9k

Summary: Your love language is Gift Giving

(This is apart of my series “Love Languages”, please check it out!)

“Close your eyes.”

“Should I be worried?” George asked quite warily. 

“Will you just-” you huffed, “Please?”

“At least let me know what I’ve done wrong before you jinx my tongue to the top of my mouth.” George jokingly pleaded.

“If you know what’s best for you,” you lowered your voice to match his joke, “you’ll close your eyes.”

“Alright, but I’m trusting you,” George placed a grin on his lips, the dimple of his left cheek becoming more and more prominent. 

“Now, hold out your hands,” you said feeling more and more excited.George hesitantly put his hands out in front of him and jokingly flinched when you touched him. His comedic flinch made you laugh as you scanned him over to ensure his eyes were shut. Satisfied with George’s compliance, you slowly reached into your bag to pull out a wrapped gift. When it was safely in his hands, George’s fingers crinkled around the wrapping paper. He opened his eyes and saw you looking excitedly from the gift in his hands and to his confused face. 

Instantly, George began to sweat. Had he forgotten an anniversary? Or a birthday? Or some other holiday? 

He cursed in his mind, fuck fuck fuck fuck.

“Go on then!” you smiled, “open it!”

George looked uncertain as he slowly unwrapped the gift revealing a small box. He lifted the box to see a small shaped coin. “It’s... uh.” He asked, picking it up and fiddling it with his fingers.

“It’s a coin!” you giggled at his confused reaction, “I bought it when I was in Russia over the summer to visit my cousin at Durmstrang.

“Oh! It! It is a coin! I love it!” George moved to pull you in a hug before you chuckled and pushed him away.

“It’s not just a coin. It’s a coin that has been enchanted.” You pointed to the head on the coin, “When you flip it, it’ll tell you whether or not someone is near you. See?” You took it out of his hand and flipped it in your hand, immediately it flipped to Heads. “For pranking, yeah?”

George looked at the coin in wonder and then again at your adoring face. “I... I love it.” He put a hand on your cheek and leaned to press a loving kiss to your lips. “But, I...”

“What is it?” you asked, holding his hand to your cheek.

“I’m so sorry, love. I think I... I think I forgot our anniversary or birthday or... I don’t. I’m so unbelievably sorry!” George spewed out.

“What!” you exclaimed in surprise, “No! No, no. Our anniversary isn’t until October!” you began to laugh, “I just got you this because I saw it and thought of you!”

George let out a breath of relief before feeling tense once again, “But, I didn’t get you anything...”

You pressed a kiss to the palm of his hand, “I don’t expect you to! It was just something for my love, that’s all.” you looked up to see George’s concern written within his brows, “Really! I just got it for you because I thought it would be nice.”

George shook his worry and began to smile, “I love you, you know that?”

“Oh, I know. I’m the most glorious girlfriend in the entirety of the world.”

“And so humble as well.” George grinned before giving you another long kiss. 

George grew up with seven siblings. While he grew up with hand-me-downs and knitted clothing from his mother, you grew up on the richer side of the Wizarding World. He wasn’t used to receiving expensive gifts and frankly felt a little uncomfortable and insecure. All the gifts you had given him must have cost a fortune, something he would never truly acquire. And although he loved his family and his upbringing, he cannot help but feel shameful at the fact that he cannot shower you in gifts as you did to him. 

It began with a new quill, then some pranking supplies, and soon the smaller gifts like the flowers you collected for him and the ties you bought turned into new robes and wand adjustments from Olivander’s. He accepted them graciously and sometimes even refused gifts as they seemed to be too expensive. With your assurance, he took them with a smile on his face but his head hanging low. 

With your anniversary coming up, George could feel the hole in his pocket becoming larger and larger and the money he had saved up had gone to ensure the twins’ ability to start their own joke shop. 

“I have no idea what to get her,” George flopped down on the couch. 

Ginny, who was sat to his left, looked up from her book.“What do you mean?” She raised her eyebrow at her miserable older brother and looked to his twin who sat on his right.

“I mean,” George groaned and placed a hand over his eyes, “What do you get the most perfect girl in the world? What do you get her that she doesn’t already have?”

Fred began to laugh, “It’s happened, hasn’t it?”

“Oh, I think it has,” Ginny chimed in.

“What the bloody hell are you two talking about?”

“Georgie, can’t you see?” Ginny grinned teasingly, “You’re whipped.”

“Like Mum’s Christmas cream, you’re entirely whipped,” Fred added.

George sat up instantly and looked at his siblings with annoyance, “Well, we already knew that!”

Fred and Ginny joined together in laughter, noting how George’s vein is popping out of his forehead. 

“Will you two stop your bloody, dumb, shitty teasing and just-” George groaned again and flopped back on the couch, “Help me?” He asked almost pathetically.

“How much did you want to spend?” Ginny asked, quieting her laughing.

“I don’t know! I just know that I don’t have enough.” George moaned.

“A necklace for the lady, perhaps?” Fred suggested making George shake his head.

“She’s already got enough necklaces and jewelry to fill an entire block on Diagonalley.”

“New quill?” Ginny added,

“No, she’s got her school supplies shipped from some store in America.”

Ginny and Fred began to suggest more and more things to which George either did not like because they were not “you” or because you already had them.

“Oh for fucks sake,” Ginny exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “What the hell can you buy?”

Fred thought for a moment, putting his fingers to his lip as he usually did deep in thought. “What if you don’t buy her a gift?”

“And what? Don’t get her anything at all?” George said sarcastically, “Good plan, you bellend.”

Fred reached over the arm of his chair and gave his twin a good wallop on the shoulder, “No, you dickhead. Don’t buy her anything.”

Ginny caught onto Fred’s idea and nodded, “That’s actually not a bad idea, Georgie, don’t buy her anything.”

“Hello??” George yelled, “Are you two not thinking right?”

“George, stop being a smart arse,” Ginny berated, “Get her something homemade instead.”

George opened one of his eyes to look at his sister who stared back at him in annoyance. “Oh.”

“Yes, oh,” Ginny mocked, “Make her something.”

George groaned again making Ginny and Fred roll their eyes. “But I can’t make anything but dung bombs.”

“Then, you’re out of luck,” Ginny stood up, dusting off her pants. 

Before she could leave, George bolted up and grabbed her wrist. “Gin!” He yelled, “You know how to knit, yeah?”

“Uhm,” she looked to Fred for assistance, “I guess, Mum tried to teach me once, but I-”

“Brilliant!” George grinned, feeling his frustration seep away, “Then you’ll teach me!”

“Georgie,” Ginny rolled her eyes, “I don’t really even know how to knit myself, nevertheless be able to teach you.”

“But, you’ll help?” He asked, putting his puppy dog face on.

Ginny looked at her older brother, her weakness, and let out a sigh, “Fine, whatever.” George shouted in victory, “But, you have to also write Mum and ask her because she knows more than I do. And... you have to tell Y/N that the idea was mine.”

George reached up and kissed his sister’s cheek making her scream in disgust, “Yes, done and done! You are the best sibling in the entirety of the world.”

George turned sharply and sprinted up the stairs to write a letter to his Mum.

“What the hell am I then?” Fred crossed his arms, “Toasted squid?” 

The following days were spent with Ginny and George trying, and rather unsuccessfully, to knit a sweater for you. Fred watched in the background making witty and snide comments. Molly had written back with such haste that Pigwidgeon was nearly on his last breath before arriving at Hogwarts. She sent many words of encouragement and told him that he was the absolute “sweetest” which was in large contrast to Ginny’s frustrated and rather harsh criticism.

“No! You’re supposed to go over not, George! Have you even been listening this entire time?”

“Of course I have,” George said defensively, “It’s just confusing, that’s all.”

“Why can’t we just use magic?” Ginny whined.

“Because then it wouldn’t be homemade, hence the word, home, little sister.” George frowned, “What does it matter anyway? She won’t like it.” 

“Georgie,” Fred pushed off of the wall he was leaning on, “Stop being such a worry-wart.” He patted a hand on his shoulder, “Y/N is the sweetest girl, just because she’s richer than Merlin knows and can afford whatever she wants and doesn’t have to care about-”

“Alright, get on with it, Fred,” George warned.

“She’ll love it no matter what.” Fred finished, sending his twin a much needed reassuring smile.

“I hope so,” George sighed and picked up the needles once again. “Now, what the hell do I do again?”

By the time your anniversary approached, you were nearly bouncing with joy. You had gotten George the perfect present, something he’d never ever expect. Thankfully, your anniversary landed on a Sunday so you woke up and rushed to get ready in the morning. George waited, anxiously, on the stairs for you until you emerged. 

Dressed in jeans and a nice blouse, George was nearly breathless upon seeing you. He gulped as you walked down, seeing the gold necklace your parents had gifted you for your last birthday and pearl earrings they’d given you after getting amazing marks on your exams. 

“Hi,” you said softly, locking your fingers with his.

“Hi, darling,” he said back, pressing a kiss on your cheek. 

“Happy anniversary.”

“Happy anniversary,” you sighed contently and began to walk to the portrait.

“Now, what shall we do on our momentous day of love?” George asked, swinging your joined hands. 

You pulled your bag up closer on your shoulder and smiled back.“I think,” you paused, “we should go on a walk. A long, romantic walk.”

“Then a walk we shall take!” George led the way, pulling you through the corridors making you giggle. 

It was a delightful day spent with kisses and fond memories. You snapped a few photos of your boyfriend with the old camera you had bought.

“Now, I’ll never understand,” George raised his eyebrow, “Why you have a camera older than time itself rather than one of those new, fancy-schmancy cameras.”

You looked admiringly at the photo your camera just printed. As it developed, you could see the two of you, cheeks pressed together, you with a shy smile and George with his tongue sticking out. Another photo you had taken moments before was a snapshot of George’s lips pressed to your cheek and you could just make out the blushing on your face.

“Well,” you looked back up at your boyfriend, “I just happen to love old, worn things I suppose. Why do you think I’m with you?” you added, teasingly.

“Oi,” he defended, “ ‘m only a few months older than you, love. And I’m not worn, I’m newer than a baby’s bottom. You’re the only girl ‘ve been with.” 

“Only? As in there will be more?” you asked, a taunting tone on your tongue. George looked at you, as lovingly and as gentle as he ever could, and thought nothing more of the life you two would have. Happy, content, any other words that describe a healthy and romantic relationship. His thoughts began to waver at the idea of how he’d only be able to afford a small flat, that is if the joke shop even took off in the first place. He thought of all the expensive things he could never afford and how you may resent him. As you looked at him, you thought of the happy children you’d have and the copious amounts of dogs and cats you’d care for. George swallowed harshly.

“Only.” He repeated. You blushed once again and leaned to kiss him. The feeling of your touch on his made George fall quicker, deeper, and madly in love. 

After dinner in the Great Hall, in which George absolutely refused for anyone to sit next to or in front of you in order to make it more “private,” the two of you were laid, cuddled on your bed. George could feel the anxiety and panic set in when he realized soon he’d be giving the girl of his dreams a disappointing gift. 

You hummed, sweet with content, and put your chin on his chest. “I’ve never been happier.”

“I’m so glad,” George ran his fingers through your hair, pushing the stray ones behind your ear. “But,” you said as you sat up, “I do believe anniversaries come with a certain type of exchange.”

“Oh?” George asked, sitting up as well. His fingers felt knotted and his throat was closing up. He had sneaked his gift in, awfully wrapped in some colorful parchment, and placed it under your bed.Be confident, George pleaded and tried his best to act cooly. 

“I’ll go first, may I please, please go first!” you begged. 

George bit his tongue, much preferring he’d go first in order to deal with the disappointment before anything and also give you a chance to dump his impoverished arse.

“Of course, darling,” he nodded making you squeal in delight. George breathed deeply and closed his eyes, holding his hands out as he usually did when you gave him gifts. In his hands, he could feel a box wrapped with a bow.

“Alright, go on!” you nodded eagerly. George let out a shaky breath before carefully removing the bow and lifting the lid. To his delight, he picked up a pair of wool socks that were embroidered with small hearts on the sides. “It’s-”

“Socks!” you finished for him, “Because you get cold feet, remember? Now, when you are playing Quidditch or cold at night, you can wear them and think of me!” George broke out in a grin and thanked the heavens for his girlfriend and all the luck in the world that it took for him to find her. “I love them.” 

“Really?” you asked, pointing at the hearts, “I did those myself!” 

“They look wonderful, I absolutely adore them.” He leaned and kissed you. 

The kiss was long as George put a hand on your neck to pull you closer. His lips moving against yours made butterflies take flight and your bones become weaker. As he pulled away, you rested your forehead on his trying to catch your breath.

“My turn?” George asked making you nod. George pulled out his crappily wrapped gift, that Ginny told him off for, and put it in the bed. 

“Oh! Wrapped it yourself, I see?” you teased. George nodded proudly, becoming more and more confident in his gift. 

As you lifted your fingers to rip the paper off, you paused and faced him with another sly smile.

“Alright! Okay, I was going to save it till the end of the night, but I simply cannot wait.” George’s eyes widened as you jolted off of the bed. “You didn’t think I only got you socks, did you?” you asked, moving towards the trunk at the end of your bed.

“No, wait, Dear, the socks are lovely, I don’t need another-”

“I know, I know, but I couldn’t help it!” you sent him a wink, “Now, this one is the actual gift.”

“Actual gift?” George stuttered.Pulling out a large object, larger than your entire frame, George clenched his jaw. You struggled a bit to put it on the bed but managed and sat down in front of him.

“Happy Anniversary, my love.” your voice made him wince a bit.

You watched in utter excitement as George began to slowly unwrap his gift. Removing all the paper, George nearly fainted seeing his gift. A new broom, one of the best in the world, something he’d never ever be able to buy for himself. A broom, costing more than Merlin knows galleons. 

“So!” you bounced, “Do you like it? I saw at your other games, that bludger took out part of the tail end of your broom and I could not live with myself if you had an accident due to a faulty broom! I went and got it myself,” you said proudly. 

“And! It’s the fastest, rarest, and nicest type of wood, with a partially enchanted seat to help you stay upright!”

George’s hands shook, holding the broom.

“I-”

“Speechless? That was my entire goal!” you raised your fist in victory. 

“Y/N-”

“I know! And, not to mention, now you can wear your socks during the game! Two gifts in one!”

“Y/N-”

“I debated on getting you new gloves, but they wouldn’t be shipped in till middle of November and-”

“Y/N,” George said softly but firmly making you look at him with concern. You had never seen this facial expression on George as his eyes were nearly welled with tears and his lip was red from his biting.

“What’s wrong?” you asked frantically, “is it the wrong size? I gave the shopkeeper your height and everything-”

“No,” George said, putting the broom to lean on the wall next to your bed. “I can’t take this.”

“What do you mean? Love, I got it for you!” you laughed, waving your hand.

“No, Y/N, I seriously cannot take this.” You frowned, 

George’s voice was shaky making your heart drop. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s too expensive-”

“Nonsense, I saved up for it!”

“Baby,” George said, small and timid, “I cannot accept any more expensive gifts from you.” 

“What do you mean?” you questioned, leaning forwards to grab one of his hands, “the price doesn’t matter to me, I literally could not care,”

“But I care.” George protested. 

You nearly began to cry as you saw a tear dripped down George’s cheek. You sat up so you were sitting on your knees and gingerly placed your hands on his cheeks.

“My love, what’s wrong? Won’t you tell me?” you whispered, rubbing soft strokes with your thumbs. 

“I...” George struggled to find the words to describe how awful he felt, “I cannot take your gifts. And... and I’ll never be able to give you these types of gifts.”

Your eyes widened in surprise before you began to furiously shake your head, “George Weasley, what in the world are you talking about?”

“I’ll never be able to give you expensive things like necklaces or pearls or nice perfumes or nice suppers at fancy restaurants. I’ll never be able to give you the gifts you deserve. You deserve to be treated like a princess or a queen or anything and I cannot give you that, I can’t.” George let out.

You thought of his words in utter disbelief. Never once did you ever think of George’s economic standing and neither did you care. 

“But you do treat me like a princess,” you encouraged, making George moan with more tears, “You do. You tuck me in when I’m all tired from classes and make me cuppa’s in the morning. You massage my shoulders when I’m stressed and you hold my hand when you know I’m anxious.” You pushed his head up so your eyes met, “I mean that, from the bottom of my heart. I don’t care if you cannot give me expensive gifts or fancy dinners or anything, I care that you love me and want me to be by your side.”

“But, you give me all these-”

“I do it because I love giving you gifts! I love seeing you smile. And not all my gifts are expensive, sometimes I give you flowers I’ve seen or biscuits from the Great Hall. My darling, you do not need to worry if I feel as though you cannot provide for me, because you provide more than enough for me. I don’t care about money or gifts or anything like that.” you assured. 

George went silent and you began to pepper his cheeks, nose, and forehead with kisses until he cracked and started to smile. 

“I’ve just got the best girlfriend ever, haven’t I?” George asked, pulling you onto his lap. 

You curled into his chest and nodded.

“Oh, absolutely.”

It was quiet between you two again until you chimed up, “Well... may I have my gift now?”

“Uhhh, it’s uhh,” George stuttered. “It’s not amazing.”

“Don’t care!” you grinned and picked up his gift. “I’m so excited, I could nearly pee myself.”

George jokingly shoved you, “Oi, blimey well don’t do that. Not while you’re sitting on me at least.” 

You shoved him back before opening his gift. George held his breath as you unraveled the present and saw his gift. Your heart nearly stopped. You picked up the sweater, moving the parchment aside, and placed it on your lap. The sweater was yellow and made with soft wool. On the front, there was a badly made daisy, the flowers you always got for him during the Spring. Touching the fabric softly, tracing over each petal you stared at.

“I know it isn’t much but-” Before George could finish his apology, you took him by surprise and wrapped your arms around his neck tightly. Pressing kisses on the crook of his neck, he could feel your smile.

“I absolutely love it.”

“Really?”

“With all my heart, I’ve never been given something handmade nor something so sweet.”

“I made it... myself.”You picked up the sweater and laughed, “I can tell. How long did it take you?”

George paused, thinking and smiling sheepishly, “A few weeks maybe.”

“And you made it all by yourself? No magic?”

“No magic,” George confirmed, “But, Ginny did help me... she and Fred helped me come up with the idea.”

You shifted in George’s lap, moving so you could toss off the blouse you were wearing and shrugging the sweater on. It was warm and smelled of honey and pine and the string he had used made you feel as if you were wrapped in a hug of his. 

“George... I don’t know what to say. Thank you.” 

George blushed a deep red as you kissed first his cheek and then his lips.

“You’re welcome, Darling. I’m just glad I’ve finally given you a good enough gift.”

“Well,” you kissed the skin of his neck, “I’ll wear it every day. But...”

“But?” George asked, wrapping his arms around your waist. 

“But, I think right now, I’d like it off,” you suggested, lowering your eyes at him.

“Off?” George asked confusedly before his eyes widened in realization. “Oh! Oh, off!”

“You’re so smart, aren’t you?” you snorted before pulling George in for another kiss.  

#george weasley #george weasley imagines #george weasley imagine #harry potter #harry potter imagines #harry potter imagine #george weasley x reader

[sisterspooky1013]

Only One Choice, Part 2, Chapter 24

Read it here on AO3 / Tagging @today-in-fic

June 1999

The air smells wet and woody, birdsongs trilling in the early morning sun that trickles through a sky light. She stretches, then disentangles her legs from the sheets and stands, walking to the window.

There is a giant soaking tub in the corner of the room, flanked by two windowed walls that afford a sweeping view of the Cascade mountains, green carpeted hillsides meeting with a baby-blue sky.

She can still recall her mother’s face when they told her the wedding would be in Washington State. “But...we don’t even know anyone in Washington, Dana,” she’d said with a bemused expression, lamenting the length of their flights with a nine-month-old in tow.

Her mother’s reaction paled in comparison to Mulder’s excitement when she’d suggested the idea; she would spend their honeymoon relaxing with a book in the tub, and he could spend it traipsing through the woods looking for Sasquatch, or ‘squatchin’ as he called it. They would reunite in the afternoon, hiking, making love, catching up on all the conversations they’d missed while in the trenches of parenting a new baby. Mom would stay at the same resort with Molly so they could see her every day, while having precious nights to themselves; something they haven’t done since she was born.

She turns the tap on the bath, a blast of water thundering into the empty basin. When it’s full nearly to the brim, she disrobes and eases in, breathing deeply to inhale the juniper-scented steam, courtesy of the resort-provided bath salts. Closing her eyes, she thinks back over it all; their chance meeting, how she was drawn to him by a force that seemed to be bigger than them both, the anguish of wanting him but feeling like she owed it to Ethan to stay together. Her eyes snap open, a memory long-buried in the recesses of her mind springing forth like a trebuchet.

The day she met Mulder, she’d been planning to take the day off to go to a book signing for an author she admires. The signing was cancelled due to a scheduling conflict and she almost took the day off anyway, but had a last minute pang of guilt knowing that the workload that week was already heavy and Trudy would struggle to manage it all on her own. So she’d gone in, she’d performed that autopsy that should have been on Trudy’s docket, and she’d filled out the paperwork, and she’d met Mulder. How delicate the balance of the universe that such an insignificant choice completely changed the course of her life.

She suddenly misses him acutely, and a bundle of nerves and excitement flutters in her belly thinking about when she’ll see him next. She’d scoffed at the idea of them spending last night apart; they live together and have a child so the performative chastity seemed to be a bit much. He said it was like a fast, that a little time apart would make it even more special when they saw each other at the ceremony, and she ultimately acquiesced.

“Meet me on a mountain top at 4 o’clock tomorrow?” he’d asked as he backed out of her room, pulling away from the desperate kisses she was planting all over his face.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” she replied with a smile, and they said goodnight.

She smiles again, sinking down until the water slips into her ears. She can’t wait to marry him.

———

He sits up and arches his back, his spine protesting the cramped accommodations. Looking over at Byers and Missy curled up in the king size bed, he regrets his decision to crash on the couch here instead of staying with Scully in their room. Not only because he slept like shit with his legs hanging over the end, but also because work takes him away from his girls so often, he’s an idiot to add another day to it if he doesn’t have to.

He stands, hands on his hips as he twists to stretch his angry muscles, and walks to the window, taking in the dense green hills and valleys that surround them. He smiles, because she could have asked to go to Mexico, or France, or anywhere on the entire Earth and he would have given her what she wanted, but she chose the place she knew he wanted to go. Selfless and giving to a fault, his Scully. Soon to be his wife.

He quietly slips on his running shoes and sneaks out of the room, hitting the hard-packed dirt trail the concierge had told him about. The quiet forest is the perfect place to be alone with his thoughts, nothing but the thud of his feet striking the ground and the twitter of waking birds to distract him. He thinks about his life, about being a child who was lonely and alone, with parents who provided food and shelter but not much more. He thinks about Molly, and how she will never know that kind of pain, that there will never be a day of her life that she is not told how much she is loved. He wonders if his dad ever felt about his mom the way he feels about Scully, and he knows it’s not possible that he did, because if so they would still be together.

He comes to a break in the trees and pauses, breath heaving and lungs burning as he watches a hawk gliding through the valley below, hunting for breakfast. How easily he could have missed this moment, he thinks. Even one small change to the trajectory of his life, and he never would have walked into the autopsy bay that day. If the courier hadn’t been sick, if he hadn’t stopped by Kirkbride’s office when he did. Even further back, if he hadn’t stayed with the bureau with the X files were closed, if Valerie hadn’t been there to encourage him, or if he hadn’t met Valerie one random Tuesday at a record store. The path was long and winding, and it led to her. It led to him on this mountaintop in a sweat-soaked T-shirt, smiling at the thought of his baby daughter, his almost-wife.

He picks up running again, the smile staying on his lips. He’s always felt like he was running away; from his painful past, his regrets, his bad decisions. Now he realizes he’s running towards; his future, a thousand opportunities yet unseen, a kind of happiness he never thought he’d know. He can’t wait for the rest of his life to start.

———

He stands in a clearing near the edge of a cliff, the lush green landscape toeing up against the horizon looking like crooked teeth. Frohike stands beside him in khaki pants and a white linen shirt, a leather folio clasped in his hands. Mulder is also dressed fairly casually, in slacks and a blue Oxford shirt, the sleeves cuffed and the top button undone.

Scully wanted this to be as non-traditional as possible, to make it their own. There is no wedding party, no tuxedo, no flower girl or garter toss. No one will walk her down the aisle, as no one but herself has the ownership to give her away. The guests are small in number; immediate family only, plus the gunmen. Monica and Dahlia are house-sitting back in DC, minding Priscilla as well as the dog, King, that joined the family after the purchase of their house in March. Bucking the idea of arranging guests by whose “side” they are on, they all sit in a small cluster, and Scully will enter from the side.

He looks out and waves at Molly, who is standing on Missy’s lap, holding her hands and bouncing up and down forcefully. She squeals and shouts “dah, dah, dah!” which he chooses to interpret as “Daddy” even though Scully told him it’s just a nonsense syllable and doesn’t mean anything.

Langly gets the signal from Frohike and hits play on a small boom box, piping an instrumental version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” up into the branches of the towering evergreen trees. He expected to feel nervous at this moment, but all he feels is excitement as Maggie scurries out from behind a line of trees and takes her place beside Bill, giving him a smile and a wink.

Scully appears from around the same group of trees and he grins broadly. He’s seen the dress, they picked it out together, but the full effect is stunning. Her hair, now grown well past her shoulder blades, is curled softly and pinned half up, brilliant red tendrils shimmering in the midday sun against her porcelain shoulders. Her dress is full length pearl satin, a slim sheath cut with off the shoulder straps. She is holding a small bouquet of pink peonies in her hands, and holding his eye with a playful smirk.

She arrives beside him and before the music stops, before Frohike has a chance to begin, he steps forward and takes her by the waist, kissing her fully. The guests laugh and he pulls away to see a confused smile on her face.

“I couldn’t wait,” he says simply.

They move through the ceremony, exchanging rings and vowing to love each other forever; promises they’ve already made to each other a hundred times. As they near the part that Scully understands to be the end, Frohike goes off script.

“Mulder has prepared some words of his own, he’ll read them now,” he says, nodding toward his friend.

Scully’s eyebrows lift in a surprised and confused expression.

“Mulder, we didn’t talk about writing our own vows,” she whispers, afraid she’s failed to complete the assignment.

“It’s okay, these are for both of us,” he whispers, and then, taking her hands in his, he reads a passage from her favorite book from memory.

“I have for the first time found what I can truly love; I have found you. You are my sympathy, my better self, my good angel; I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely. A fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my center and spring of life, wraps my existence about you, and kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.”

The tear that slips down her cheek is borne only of happiness. She looks into his green eyes and sees contentment and love, and desire. It’s not a spark, what they have, nor an ember. It’s a wildfire, a white-hot torch, an eternal flame that binds them together inseparably. They were forged in fire the moment he laid eyes on her in that autopsy bay, maybe even before.

Frohike concludes, “by the power invested in me by the State of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride…again.”

He wraps his arms around her waist, lifting her up as he kisses her deeply, a gust of warm summer wind picking up pine needles and tossing them in a mini-tornado that surrounds them both. Molly squeals “dah dah dah!” and claps for her parents.

———

She stands at the mirror, brushing her teeth. Her hair is combed out, her makeup removed, the white dress hanging in the corner of the room with the hem now tinged brown from the dirt that served as their dance floor.

Mulder appears behind her, an arm snaking around the waist of her satin nightgown. She smiles at the sight of his newly ring-adorned hand pressed flat against her belly, then leans forward to rinse.

“Ready for bed?” he asks softly, and she nods.

They slip beneath the cool sheets, curling around one another face-to-face; her leg threaded between his, his arms around her back, foreheads touching. She draws in a big breath and lets it out slowly, contentment settling deep in her bones.

“Do you ever think about all the things that had to happen in exactly the way they did to lead us here?” he asks, and she pulls back a little to look at his face.

“Yes, I was actually just thinking about that earlier,” she says with a curious lilt.

“Makes you wonder, huh, what lives we’d be leading if even just one detail were changed,” he says, tracing his finger along her shoulder blade.

“I don’t think it would have mattered, actually,” she says, and he gives her a quizzical look, silently asking her to elaborate. “I know this will sound a little far-fetched coming from me,” she begins with a self-conscious smile, “but I think it was always going to end up this way. Even if we hadn’t met when we did, we would have crossed paths some other way. Looking back over everything, it just seems like this was meant to be the outcome, even if the path to get here could have gone in a lot of different directions.”

He ponders this, remembering a conversation they had over coffee when, against all odds, she reappeared in his life.

“Like there was only one choice, and signs along the way to pay attention to,” he says contemplatively, lifting his hand to brush a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Exactly,” she replies, pressing her lips to his briefly, “it was always going to be you.”

END

#the x files #txf #dana scully #fox mulder #gillovny #msr #sculder #x files fanfic #alternate universe

[mrs-nara-shikamaru]

Monthly collabs-Angst [Shikamaru]

Prompt: "You did what?"

Words: 1564

@bakubabes-hatake

A/n: I can’t write Angst to save my life. I really tried y’all.

Light pattering tapped against the roof above. Through the window, black clouds sprawl across the sky. The air was heavy and suffocating. Heated gazes were exchanged as words which could not be taken back were tossed in the air, like they would mean nothing.  Unsure if it was 'cause you were angry or hurt by the words lingering in the open or maybe it was both that causes the prickling sensation in your eyes.  You would be damned if you were going to cry in front of him. Especially now.  Maybe he was right. Women are troublesome.

"You know, I don't understand how you could think I'm not jealous, Shika! Fuck, do you understand the pleasure I took that other women weren't interested in you! I have to second doubt everything that I do now with two blondes after your attention. For gods sake-"

"You're overreacting [Y/n]. We work together because it’s the hokage's orders." an unbelieving look flushes across you face.  Shikamaru pinches the bridge of his nose. "You're being a drag, [Y/n]."

Your face burnt hot while grinding your teeth. "Everything is a drag to you. Isn't this relationship a drag too?" The sarcasm at the end should have been noted, but with the tension in the air and the argument, Shikamaru didn’t grasp it when giving his abrupt answer.  A moment of silence fell upon both of you. A moment that was used to process what he said. Words that he didn’t mean but fell out anyways. With a sharp intake of air, you toss your hands up and spun on the heels of your feet. Shikamaru didn’t attempt to follow, unable to swallow his proud in the heat of the moment. The front door slams closed, echoing around the empty, dark house.

You curse under your breath, forgetting the umbrella inside. It wasn’t worth it to turn back. Not with the hot tears running down your face, mixing in with the cold kisses of the rain that seems to angrily come down, almost reflecting the emotions you felt.

 The villagers ran around like mice trying to get out of the rain as you absent mindedly walk home. “[Y/n]!” You stop, looking around, thinking it was just a trick of your mind. In hopes that it was a certain someone. “[Y/n]!” Glancing above, someone drops down. “Are you a thousand miles away, [Y/n]?” Ino huffs, catching her breath, giving you a slight glare. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for the last three minutes. Lady hokage- Are you okay?” You could feel the tears getting ready to burst out again.

“Ino,” You throw yourself at her. The girl backs up in surprising, catching you with ease. The Yamanaka begins question what happened out of worry while trying to sooth her friend. “We fight! Shika thinks we should break up!”

“You did what?” Ino reels back, pushing you away with a look held on her face. “No way.” In a short moment, you explain what happened. Everything from the start of the fight to the end with you walking out. Ino sighs, ‘even the most compatible couples fight’ she thought to herself. “Maybe you guys just need a cool down time. Which bring up why I was looking for you. Lady Hokage has a mission for us.” Perhaps it was best to take a few days of breathing room. A mission would get things off your mind.

When arriving to the Hokage office, you figured Lee was your other teammate in the mission. “Good evening, [Y/n]-Chan!” Lee gave you a radiating look. Thankfully not commenting on the redness around the eyes or the fact that you were soaked. The mission was simple: grab a document from a neighboring nation and bring it back safely. Easy enough.

The mission starts simply in the early morning, the smell of rain was fresh, and mist was covering the ground as the team walks away from the village. Lee ended up hearing about the couple fight you had with Shikamaru as he does his early morning exercises towards the next nation, shouting something about how the “power of youth” was necessary with arguing. You knew he was just trying to make you feel better, saying it will pass as all couples go into fights.

“[Y/n]-Chan, everyone knows how Shikamaru looks at you with adoration, there is no way he would go for anyone else. There was no need to be jealous.”

“Lee, you don’t understand women. I can totally relate where [Y/n] comes from. It’s an insecurity for us.”

“Why? If he asked them out why would Shikamaru every look at another. It would be too much of a drag as he would say.” You laughed nervously as Ino and Lee kept bouncing back at each other. It took another half a day to get them onto a different topic that didn’t involve anything about your relationship. Both parties had made valuable points that the other didn’t understand. It was when the sun was setting you gave yourself a boost of confidence. Everyone says thing when they are mad. You had said some nasty things to Shikamaru without taking his points into consideration. Everything would just have to wait till you got home.

Everything was just a drag, Shikamaru thought to himself. Guilty and regret was eating at him after last night. He promised himself he would put aside his pride for you, to apologize for words he didn’t mean. It took him all night to figure out how you must have felt and now you were gone for a mission. With a sigh, Shikamaru concluded that argument were just a drag. He shouldn’t have gotten that mad. Both of you needed space to cool your heads but the next few days would eat him alive, waiting to make things right with his S/o. It didn’t help that a bad feeling was lingering at the back on his mind. Choji did his best to keep Shikamaru mind from running into overdrive with worry. “[Y/n] is strong, they have Ino and Lee with them. Besides, I’m sure she wants to come home as soon as possible to make things right with you.”

On the fifth day, Shikamaru woke up in a cold sweat. It was raining again. Just like it did on the day of the fight. The somber grey cloud were crying this time instead of angrily pouring. It wasn’t till later on in the morning that there was a knock at the front and an injured Ino came in, like she was at the edge of tears. It didn’t take a genius to guess why she was here.

It had honestly felt like a horse had hit you and dragged you through the rocky dirt road. You scrunched your eyes at the bright light that was sipping through.  Nothing felt worse than feeling powerless and heavy. You slowly start blinking to come to an understanding of where you were. As blinding light slowly subsided you could take a look around the surroundings. Pearl white walls decorate the room as the pattering sounds tap against the window, tear drops gliding down it and disappearing at the edge. The trees rocking outside against a sorrowful wind it seems.

Your head was pounding like someone banging on a set of drums. It took a brief second to process the figure next to the bed. Asleep with their hand tightly clenching yours, as though they were afraid. A few blinks, you could put together who it was. “Shika…” Your other hand hovers just above his head, determining your opinions. If Shikamaru was still upset, he wouldn’t be here, right?

Faith seemed to have made the choice for you, waking the young man. Your eyes meet and the room is at a standstill. It must have been his groggy mind that took him a minute to react. The love of his life finally awakes. “[Y/n].” He says in a small voice. “[Y/n]!” You couldn’t help but chuckle as he jumps up stopping himself from completely engulfing you, remembering your injuries. “How do you feel? Are you in pain? Do you remember what happened?” You briefly shack your head.

“My head feels like it’s on fire but other than that I just feel heavy. I think we got surprised attacked on our way back.” Shikamaru confirmed your thought. The room fell silent again other than the heart monitor beeping next to the bed. If anything, this was the best time as any.

“So, I don’t know if this is the best moment with me being out of it but I’m sorry for being a total bitch. I can see how this relationship could be a drag.” You whisper, afraid of letting the words slip out like you were committing the biggest crime. The man besides you scratches his cheek with a mutter of his famous words ‘what a drag.’

“I wasn’t going to bring it up until you felt better, but I can’t say I’m not at fault either.”

“So, you aren’t going to leave me…?”

“Did you honest expect me too, it would be too much of a drag to find someone else. God [Y/n], you’re a troublesome woman. You told Ino that.”

“Not my best move, however I was panicking, and I needed comfort.” Shikamaru shakes her head with a subtle smile. Man, arguing was such a drag.

#Shikarmaru #Naruto #I can't write angst #I tried #rip me #My hubby #Shikamaru Nara #Shikamaru X reader #Naruto Imagine #? #Naruto Shippuden #Monthly collab

[sweetheartreader27]

Chapter One: "The Storm"

White Fang's POV:

I ran through the abandoned town, my eyes dart at the ladder that leads through the roof. I climbed up, when I'm already at the top, I start to observe the area and feel the cold wind to my skin. I knew a storm was coming, mainly because I've been Listening to Citizen Z (the only human I spoke since this apocalypse start) and from my instinct.

He's always talk about these "Delta X-Ray Delta" in short "DXD" group and Operation Bite Mark. I honestly think it's just a bunch of clowns, but who really knows. I sighed and sat at the roof to meditate focusing my hearing to the area.

"2,089!" I heard someone shout in the distance. I immediately rushed and ducked behind the little wall that was on the roof. I pulled my bow off my back and nocked a arrow on before peeking over the edge.

There was a boy around my age, walking down the street, a Accuracy International Arctic Warfare gripping tight in hand. He put his rifle on his back then pulled out a sling shot putting a gear in the sling. He aimed then shot, "2090" He said, his voice echoing because of the brick walls. It affect my hearing a little bit because of my kitsune hearing are more sensitive than a normal human being.

I looked in curiosity not even noticing the Z behind me until I heard it's growled. I turned around grabbing one of my daggers off my lower back striking through the Z's skull. The Crimson-red substance flew everywhere, across my mask, on my thighs, even in my black hair. I was used to it though...everyone was.

I turned back to the boy regaining my crouched position again. He wasn't paying ANY attention to his surroundings. He pulled back his slingshot and aimed for a nearby Z. The bad news is, he didn't notice the six Z's behind him. 'does he have a death wish or something?' I thought while aiming my bow to the Z.

The Z stumbled up right behind him as he let go of the sling for the slingshot, "2091" His voice echoed again, but that might be the last. The Z behind him tackled him to the ground. "that's it!" I said but not that loud, as it was about to bite down on his flesh... I shot, releasing the arrow from my tight grip, hitting it's skull, "thank god I didn't miss" I sighed in relief.

I turned around as fast as I could I put my bow back. I jumped to the next building which roof was lower than the other one, and I land to the ground.

I approach the dead Z to get my arrow, I looked at the boy and reach my hand out for him, without a sec, he accepted it and I pulled him to my side, I quickly take my bow from my back and nocked three arrows. I aim my bow and shot the three Z through it's head then I take out two throwing knives from my right boot and throw it to the skulls of the last two Z.

I approach the corpses and pulled out my arrows and throwing knives out on their skulls. I turned back and saw a pair of hazel eyes staring back at me. I observe his features. His raven hair, his white pearl teeth, those beautiful hazel eyes, a toned body, and lean as a fine wolf. He was attractive I admit. 'what is this...feeling?'

I turned around and walked away. 'Fang what's happening to you'  I thought to myself until...

"Hey!" He called. I tried to ignore him but I couldn't. I looked back at him, "I just wanted to say thank you" I nodded my head, luckily my mask didn't move an inch so he couldn't recognize me if we ever met again.

"What's your name?" He asked, I ignore it until I hear something. I looked up to the sky, Citizen Z was right, there was a storm coming.

Castle Point is a small town so this tornado Citizen Z speaks of, would destroy it easily. The boy looked at the sky too. "We need to go" He said. I started to run so fast and he runs as well. 'I'm glad to have these power'.

-

He pointed to a car, signaling me to get in. I climbed into the driver's seat and the boy went into the passenger. "10,000" He said. I looked up at him. "My name is 10,000." He said. I nodded. I start to feel something...

He put his hand on the roof. The car started to flip over. My hands cling to the seat, digging my nails on it as a support. The car kept spinning and spinning and I was getting dizzy

'c'mon Fang don't don't you dare to passed out'. Finally after an hour of bouncing around in that car the tornado stopped. My mask move, revealing my mouth, I quickly adjust it before 10k noticed as he regained his consciousness. "W-What happened? Where am I?" He questioned but soon got serious. I sighed. "Oh wait..." He trailed off.

I pulled myself out of the car and saw 10k behind me, 'gladly this human is fine' I shook my head to shrug that thought 'you can't fall for him Fang...you can't' . 10K smiled at me and he started walking, "Follow me" he said. 'should I follow him?', without a sec I just did what he said, we walked through some woods, running into a Z here and there but we got it.

When we came out of the woods 10k began to ran to the destroyed house. I ran as well. We came upon to the destroyed house with five other people. "Where's Warren?" 10K asked. "Over here" A weak female voice replied. A old man rushed over to the chair and started lifting it up. From there came a African American Women, who I assumed it was Warren, and she walked over to 10k and gave him a hug, "Glad to see you alive kid" She ruffled his hair and walked to me and observe, "And who might this be?" "he saved me" 10k responded. 'He?!' I was about to response, "How does someone save the Invincible 10k?" The old man asked.

A bald man walked over to me rubbing his pointer finger and thumb across his chin, "Well he seems looks like the type of-", 'okay that's It' , "She" I interrupted. Everyone looked at me and I sighed. Removing my cloak revealing my FEMININE body. They all stare at me, "10k did you know she was a GIRL?" Warren asked. "N-no coz I only see her wearing a cloak covering her body and mask covering her face" He said scratching the back of his head.

"So let me get this straight, SHE saved you, and you brought her to us and you haven't seen her face?" Warren asked. "W-Well yeah" 10k stuttered out. "You could get Murphy killed! What if she's one of those filthy bastards that kills everyone?!" Warren started shouting. They weren't paying much attention. I sighed and bow my head at them as a respect, earning back their attention to me then said, "I'm sorry If you all think that I'm one of those people you said Bastards but believe me or not, since this Apocalypse starts, I survive...alone..." regaining my stance, I stare at them behind my mask.

"Besides, I've only killed five people with a reason." I said. They all looked at me curiously. "Can we at least know your age and name?" I sighed. "name's White Fang, age eighteen" I said. "Well what about your face?" A brunette guy asked. "I-I'm sorry I cannot show my face, I only can show it to the people I...trust..." I said. "Well I'm Lieutenant Warren, this is Murphy, Doc, Cassandra, Addy, Mack, Charles and you've already met 10k. I'm guessing...White Fang hmm? isn't your real name isn't it?" Warren said.

"good guess" I said back calmly. As soon I remembered all of Citizen Z's broadcast and get the strength to ask, "Are you...Delta X-Ray Delta?" They all looked at me. "How do you know?" Addy asked. "An announcer named Citizen Z, told me every time he broadcasts from time to time. That's also how I heard about the storm." I said.

Warren sighed then said, "We'll tell you ALL about the Operation Bite Mark IF and only IF you show us YOUR. FACE." I froze, 'should...I have to?', they stare at me. I sighed 'I don't have a choice' and grabbed my mask, taking it off slowly. I opened my silver eyes and looked at everyone and they looked at me, wide eyes and mouths almost open, shocked hint to their faces "Hmm... I expected her to be ugly" Murphy said, I looked at him, "I'm sorry Mr. Murphy if I can't surpass your expectation to me" I said sarcastically. He stared at me. I smiled at him earning some gasp from the group. "Damn Murphy, first time to been shut?" Warren replied. "By the way he's the vaccine" She said.

"Oh! No wonder why he's moody, I understand" I said. "Woah" 10k muttered. "Can we trash this Huntress? She's getting to my nerves" Murphy said. "If it would happen make sure put me to the recycle bin, where the place of useful trash at least I don't bark like you do...I bite" I smiled. Warren laughed while Addy came up next to me and said, "Nah. It'll be awesome to have another badass in the group, besides, girl looks like the Apocalypse didn't even affect you!" She said while looking at my body and my face. Everyone chuckled.

"Well White Fang, nice to meeting you" Warren said. "me as well, Lieutenant" I said while smiling.

I put my cloak back and I looked at 10k, "How did you get your name?" I asked "I told you it was a lucky number" "Oh" "Let's make a deal, If I tell you the reason behind my name you tell me yours." He said raising an eyebrow.

"Sounds Fair to me" I said and soon I start to feel the weird feeling earlier.

To Be Continued.....

#10k #z nation #zombie apocalypse #fanfic #falling in love #kitsune

[rohad93]

Bellow Diamond week 2019: A work in Progress: Day 5 - Relaxation

You can read all previous days on Ao3 under the title ‘A work in Progress’

~

The echo of dripping water and melodic singing bounced off cool aqua walls.

Blue Diamond sat submerged up to the neck in her extraction chamber. Her comb sang gently as she ran it through her long hair. She wanted to look her best. She had been anticipating a nice, quiet and private moment with Yellow. Things had been very hectic the last nine rotations and they had only just returned to Homeworld.

She and Yellow had a large joint colony that was experiencing an uprising of gem soldiers that had been left behind to oversee the transition from extracting to conserving. It seemed this certain battalion was under the impression that the recent leniency the authority had shown their courts was a show of weakness.

Now they had claimed the planet as their own and were keeping other gems of the two diamonds courts as their own indentured workers.

Truthfully, they had been waiting for this. Most were pleased with the recent changes to the status quo. The new freedoms being granted, halting the shattering of off-colors unless they were a danger to others, the lift on the ban of fusion; some however saw this as a weakening of the authority, and a chance to seize power over the empire.

They had proved them wrong.

Both diamonds traveled to the colony in their ships as the rebellion had destroyed the planets galaxy warp pad.

They had learned many things from Pink's rebellion, one of which was to crush it as soon as it began, least the problem spiral out of control. This would be no drawn-out war. A show of overwhelming force would remind everyone exactly why they were the leaders of Homeworld.

White waived them off with a nod when they left, assuring that she would watch over all the courts while they were away.

Between the two of them it was over within two rotations.

The bravado the rebellious battalion of soldiers had showed from half a galaxy away from Homeworld vanished like a drop of water in desert sands when Blue Diamond emerged from her ship, veil pulled down over her eyes, a spectre the color of deepest space. Only the hard set of her mouth was visible to the shaking rebels.

They managed to rally their courage, pulled their weapons and charged. Blue’s lips dipped into a deep frown. Her gem began to glow.

“Foolish,” Disdain dripped from every syllable.

From her shining gem she drew a length of glowing blue light, materializing into a long and wickedly curved scythe in her left hand. It’s dark azure, crescent blade glinted off the rebels gems.

Blue's aura filled the air and every gem nearby fell to their knees in prayer to the goddess of death about to bring down her final judgement.

With a flick of her wrist the blade cut through the air, slicing through the rebels gathered around her feet. Glittering gems fell to the dirt like rain.

Not far away lightning crackled and lit the sky, filling the air with a buzz of dread and blinding light.

The General had come without mercy.

Yellow’s gem glowed and from it rose a golden hilt. Grasping the hilt in her right hand she freed the long double edged sword from her gem with a flourish. Lightning crackled along its straight blade in sizzling arcs. The light flickered in the cold, gleaming eyes, set in a glare. The advancing soldiers had stopped in their tracks before turning in retreat.

“Cowards,” The sunlit gem sneered.

The blade was raised over head. A bolt of lightning ripped across the sky before the blade fell, splintering the landscape and a wave of brilliant lightning surged across the ground that poofed every gem in its path.

She swung the blade to her side as she went on the offense, cutting through everything in her path with electric precision.

Soon it was over. Every rebel was bubbled for return to Homeworld for their final punishment.

To be shattered and ground to dust.

The gems that had been held captive had all flocked to their diamonds’ sides, to apologize for not being able to stop the soldiers uprising.

Steven had her endeavoring to be more forgiving, so Yellow only nodded in acceptance of their words. They were still good and loyal gems.

Blue calmed her gems with soothing and reassuring words.

They remained until the dropship of new soldiers arrived to oversee the colony. Soldiers they could be certain would do the job required of them.

Between that and all the other work that went along with it, they were a little ragged. She hadn’t even seen Yellow in five rotations.

She decided that they both could use a break, and Yellow had agreed to meet her in her extraction chamber very soon to relax.

She was eager to be alone with the austere, golden gem. Only in the quiet, privateness of her company could Yellow be relaxed, and though she hated it when she described her this way; sweet.

Violet spotted her cheeks as she thought of the the warm affectionate way Yellow looked at her when they were alone and her gem throbbed, shining a little brighter. How foolish it made her feel for all the millennia wasted being unaware of how Yellow loved her.

And oh, how she loved her back.

Something she perhaps did not voice often enough. She would remedy that when her darling diamond arrived.

So she waited,

And waited,

And waited…

Finally the last grain of her patience slipped away like the last flecks of sand in an hourglass.

Blue stood sharply, frowning. “Yellow…” She scowled as she stalked out of the extraction chamber toward Yellow’s control room.

She already knew exactly where her counterpart was. As if she could be anywhere else.

The gems she passed were quick to jump out of her way as she stormed down the halls. The look on her face had them all ducking for cover. Her Pearl followed at a distance.

“Yellow Diamond!” Blue angrily shouted as the control room doors opened and she stepped inside, allowing them to close behind her.

Yellow jolted, whipping around in her chair to look at her aggravated fellow diamond. Her Pearl also jumped.

“Blue...?” She didn’t get much else out before Blue was standing in front of her, tapping a long finger on her gem.

“I have been waiting in my extraction chamber for six cycles for you!” She glared down at the wide eyed diamond.

Yellow blinked, before turning to look at one of her screens for the time and realized that she had indeed missed their agreed upon time… by an inexcusable amount of time. She grimaced before looking back up at Blue, her fists on her hips and brows knitted between her eyes, mouth contorted in anger.

“I’m sorry, Blue.” She scrubbed at her face. “There was some unexpected work to be done. White wanted the facet and cuts of all the gems we put down in the rebellion, I’ve been cataloging them for the report.” She sighed, slumping forward, elbows on her knees.

“I didn’t get a message from White about that.” Blue said, pulling up her own screen to double check.

“No, she asked that I pass along the message, you seemed rather tired though, so I decided to handle it myself.” She waved her hand dismissively.

Any anger Blue still felt drained away. Yellow had been working tirelessly on both of their work. Taking a second look she took notice of the dark bags beneath those normally striking amber eyes and the bent posture.

“You look tired.” She observed. Yellow grunted, rubbing at her eyes.

“I’m fine.” She insisted. Blue rolled her eyes.

“This can wait, Yellow. Come rest with me awhile.”

It was a testament to how tired Yellow was that she glanced up at Blue in consideration, eyes glancing back at her monitors hesitantly.

“Please, darling.” She reached out and ghosted her fingers over Yellow’s cheek. She sighed, eyes flickering closed in response.

“Okay,” She relented in defeat after a quiet moment. Blue smiled as she stood, dismissing her screens and both their Pearls, who shared knowing looks with each other.

“Come, I want to show you something.” Blue took her hand and led her out of the control room.

They ended up in Blue’s personal chambers, something odd now took up a large corner of the room and immediately caught Yellow’s attention.

“What is that?” She asked, eyeing the new appointment to Blues quarters.

“It was something Steven suggested to me. It’s called a bed.” She smiled. Yellow walked around the large rectangular object covered in indigo cushions. “It’s for sleeping.” Blue explained.

“Sleeping?” Yellow cocked a brow. She thought maybe she had read something about that when she was researching familial relationships.

“It’s something humans do. They go inert for 6 to 8 cycles to restore their energy when they become tired.”

“That’s rather impractical…” Yellow observed.

“I agree, but Steven said that sometimes people just lay in these beds to relax alone or together. He did suggest we try sleeping though.” She sat on the bed and looked at Yellow expectantly.

“We don’t need sleep.” Yellow crossed her arms.

“We do get tired.” She countered. That was obvious looking at either one of them at this moment. “Won’t you lay and rest with me awhile, Yellow?”

Yellow pursed her lips but silently walked around to the side not occupied by Blue and tentatively sat, looking at Blue for what to do next.

“Your head goes on the cushions.” She explained, placing a hand on Yellows chest and gently pushing her to lay back on the bed.

The stiff gem lay there awkwardly, folding her hands across her abdomen and looking up at Blue.

“Now what?”

“Now, you just close your eyes and relax, think about nothing.” She stretched herself out alongside Yellow, resting her own head on the other diamonds shoulder and traced her fingers over the smooth, lustrous, facets of the sunlight colored gem. It always put Yellow at ease.

Yellow sighed quietly, and closed her eyes as she was told. Blue also closed her eyes and before she knew it, she knew quite nothing.

~ Blue eyes popped open suddenly. She felt groggy, but good. Steven had said that you would wake up when you were rested, or something could wake you up, like noises. She still felt tired, so what had woken her up?

Then she noticed the bright glow coming from the gem near her face. A scene was projecting from Yellow’s gem.

Steven had told her about this. Dreams!

Sensations and thoughts that occurred during sleep. Anything you could imagine, but you didn’t pick them, your mind just brought them up. She distinctly remembered him telling her that most people dreamed about things that made them happy. Since they were gems and their conscious resided in those gems their dreams were projected from them when they slept.

Looking up at the projection on the ceiling Blue couldn't help but frown.

There was Yellow, and standing in front of her were the rest of them. Herself, White and… Pink. A loud sound filled the room and suddenly their three forms vanished, their gems shattering to pieces.

“No!” Dream Yellow fell to her knees and gathered up handfuls of their shards in her shaking hands. “No, please… White… Pink… Blue!” tears were streaming down dream Yellow’s face as she clutched at the jagged, glittering, fragments. Movement beneath her drew Blue’s gaze to her Yellow, who was mumbling under her breath, tears gathered in the corners of her closed eyes.

With wide eyes Blue realized this was the other thing Steven had told her about.

A nightmare.

An unpleasant dream. Things that worried or scared you, your worst fears and insecurities given form.

Suddenly Yellow jolted awake, eyes wide and chest heaving with unneeded breath. Her eyes glanced around frantically before settling on Blue.

“Blue!” She breathed reaching out and running her fingers shakily and gently over the sparkling face of Blue’s gem. Making sure that it truly was whole. He fearful expression mirrored back at her in the polished surface.

“It’s okay, darling. Everything is alright.” Blue assured her, pulling Yellow close and running her hands through her hair.

“What happened?” was mumbled against her collar.

“A nightmare. I’ll explain later. Everything is okay,” Blue pressed her lips to her head. “I’m here.” Between her quiet murmuring and gentle caresses of both her hands and aura she lulled the other diamond back into sleep.

Blue continued to stroke the soft downy hair at the nape of her neck long after Yellow had returned to sleep.

After a while Yellow’s gem began to glow again and apprehension seized Blue in its cold grip.

The scene was different this time.

Suddenly she was looking at a very familiar place. Yellow’s control room.

The golden gem was sitting in her control room, tapping a screen.

She couldn’t help but snort. Of course, only Yellow would dream of work.

Suddenly a pair of hands covered the saffron gems eyes and she seemed surprised before a smile pulled her lips up. She reached up and pulled away the hands, looking up at the mystery person and Blue found herself again looking at herself in Yellow’s dream.

This time there was no splintering sound or shattered gem fragments. Only a bright smile as she came around the chair and situated herself in Yellow’s lap, as she began threading her fingers through the stiff gold hair, making the others cheeks go dark.

Blue giggled quietly. Even in her dreams Yellow was so easily flustered by her. She looked over at her Yellow, sleeping peacefully.

The usually hard lines of her face had smoothed into quiet contentment, normally stiff posture eased into languid easiness on the bed, folded into Blue’s arms.

“I love you, Blue.” The dream Yellow sighed blissfully, holding dream Blue tightly to her.

Blue smiled, cupping her fingers gently over the warm gold gemstone even though it obscured the dream from her view.

"I love you, too." She whispered, nestling closer as she let her own eyes close again.

For once in so long, completely at peace.

~~~~~~

I’m a fervent member of the ‘Blue Diamonds weapon is a scythe’ Club

#bellowdiamondweek #bellow diamond #blue diamond/yellow diamond #steven universe #fic

[cherrytart-ffxiv]

cherry wine

Purple and blue. Red and black. Gold and emerald. Hot pink. Red. Red. Red.

These are the hues that color my day. 

Zimmy’s hand is cruelly rough on my arm as he drags me through the bustling Ul’dah streets. I fucked up. I know it. I fucked up, and he was bringing me to meet my maker. My mind flashes back to the Mi’qote woman at the table, the way her eyelashes fluttered and her cheeks flushed and the way her gaze would trail to me with something like... concern? I wasn’t used to it, whatever it was. Maybe it was pity. Whatever it had been, she had been... a distraction, to Zimmy. Had she helped me? She thought she had. That was worth something, anyway.

Now, though, I was not in a quiet cafe, watching airships land and laughing at the scowl on Dallia’s face. Instead, I was in Alfie’s sprawling home. It was huge, living in the beating heart of the Goblet, adorned with every gaudy and expensive piece of furniture he could get his hands on. Zimmy’s grasp on my wrist was surely going to leave a bruise, vice-like and angry in the way he held me but all smiles to the passerby. To anyone else, it might look like a couple moving urgently through the crowds. To me, I knew, every touch from Zimmy was a threat. He was Alfie’s muscle. He was my reckoning when I’d gone too far.

Alfie was waiting when we arrived, and Zimmy wasted little time in shoving me to my knees as soon as the door closed behind us. My knees hit the marble hard, and I exhaled sharply, closing my eyes before feeling my jaw tighten. A hand grabbed a fistful of my hair and jerked my head back, and I was met with those stormy, angry eyes I had become so familiar with.

My monster. My General. My safe place.

"What did you tell that woman?” Alfie asked me, his voice too calm, too even. It did not match the tempest in his gaze. Still, I forced myself to look at him.

“I didn’t tell her anything important. I said a client preferred my hair dark red and that’s why I dyed it back-- it wasn’t important, Alfie. I didn’t tell her a damn thing that’d put you under any kind of pressure--”

I inhaled sharply. It was involuntarily, the way that water sprung to my eyes when he yanked hard on my hair. In that moment, I considered what it would be like if I pulled the butterfly knife from my boot and ran it through his chest. How satisfying would it be, to feel the rush of crimson sticking to my fingers? For how long after would it haunt me? Instead I snarled and reached up for his wrist, but before I could do anything else, Zimmy was on me. His arms came to clasp around my body and hold me there, like a straight jacket on a crazy person. 

“You let her know what you do to begin with, you dumb bitch!” Alfie’s voice was not its usual sugary purr, but a roar. A glass went soaring past my head and crashing into the wall, dangerously close to where I was being pinned. I flinched upon feeling a splash of scotch against my cheek and at the glass that showered around me, a small shard bouncing off of my jacket and onto the marble floor. 

“She guessed,” I said through my teeth. “She guessed! It’s not like it’s a fuckin’ mystery if they see me standing around on Pearl Lane!” 

THWACK!

At first, I was only aware of the stars in my eyes. After that came the acute and horrible sensation that went hand-in-hand with each slap to the face from Alfie’s cane. I heard the damn thing crack on my face, felt splinters dig into my cheek, and watched droplets of my own blood fall as I gasped and screamed in agony. My arms were still clasped to my sides by Zimmy; I couldn’t press my hand against my skin to stem the bleeding, or to ease the stinging and throbbing. 

“Don’t you ever fucking talk back to me, do you understand?” 

Alfie was eye level to me, now, crouching. As if given a silent cue, Zimmy released me, and I heard the door open and close. My head was still swimming from the blow, but I felt Alfie grab my chin, force me to look at him again. I blinked the pain out of my eyes and met his gaze, chin jutted out, defiant. I was livid. I was livid, and I was terrified. It was rare for him to get so angry, and I knew what came when he was that angry. In that moment, I wanted to see him burn. I wanted to torch his fancy house to the ground and watch his body dance in the flames as he tried to run from them. 

“After everything I do for you,” he started, his voice low and harsh, “you go around and spread my business around. Our business. Come on, Audrey, use that thick fucking head of yours! You’re supposed to smart, huh? You’re supposed to be a smart girl. Start fuckin’ act like it.” 

A sharp slap followed, delivered to the exact same spot where he’d hit me with his cane that now was leaning against a chaise lounge. I remembered picking it out with him, back when we first met. That had been a happy day. We’d laughed all through it. He hadn’t ever been cruel to me by that point. He treated me like a princess, like a fine and precious thing. And, desperate girl, I bought into it. I pretended I didn’t know what he would end up being-- pretended I didn’t know what he was. But there, in the foyer of his home, it was altogether and overwhelmingly clear what he really was, with my blood on his hands. 

“You stay away from that woman. Do you understand me, girl? You aren’t allowed near that woman. You aren’t allowed near her friends. You aren’t allowed near that fuckin’ Mi’qote doctor you met out on the Lane. You go near who I tell you to. You go where I tell you go to. And you answer me when I ask you a question! Now you’re making me repeat myself, and I fucking hate that, but since it’s you-- Do. You. Understand. Me?”

"Yes,” I said through my teeth, forcing myself not to cry at how much pain my face was in. Instead, I forced myself to savor it. It was good. Pain was good. I still felt something if I was in pain. I was angry. I was aching. I was alive.

For how much longer?

“Yes, I understand.”

“Now that’s a good girl. Is it so hard to listen to me, baby?” 

From venom he blossomed into sweetness, his grip on my chin loosening into something he considered tender. And I despised myself for it, but I was relieved. I let myself sink into the softening of his gaze. Before I knew it, though, he was pulling me back up to my feet, his hand wrapping around my wrist like Zimmy’s had before. My body tensed immediately. 

No. No. No. Not this. Not again.

“No, wait, Alfie-- please-- I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I won’t-- I won’t cause anymore trouble, I swear--” 

“Aw, baby. You’re breaking my heart with that. But you know what happens when you break the rules. I can’t make an exception just because you’re my favorite. I need to make sure it’s really drilled into that pretty head of yours. I’m sorry. I know you hate it. But it’s for your own good, huh?” 

He was dragging me down the hallway, and my fight or flight instincts were kicking in. I was thrashing against him with all the strength I could use without breaking his arm because, stupid girl, I cared about him too much to hurt him. He tightened his grip on my wrist until it made me cry out. The hallway felt so long, and the door looming at the end of it made me want to vomit. 

“PLEASE-- I don’t want to go in there, please please please, please don’t make me go in there, Alfie! Please-- I’m sorry! Please--”

“You’re pretty when you beg,” he said, glancing over at me coolly. “But you have to take your lumps like everyone else. Plus, I need you somewhere where you won’t run off while I go and talk to Zimmy, find out everything that went on today. You weren’t even supposed to be off duty. If a client cancels, Audrey, you come tell me so I can bump another on the list up to see you. You know that.” 

The door to the room swung open, and he shoved me inside unceremoniously. I landed flat on my ass and, before I could get another word out, the door swung shut in my face. I heard it lock from the outside, and it took all of my self control to not start screaming... and, admittedly, calling where I had been put a room was way too generous. 

This was Alfie’s punishment for me, especially. It was a closet that he had converted into what he called the ‘Quiet Place.’ Inside of it was a single chair bolted to the floor, a thin mattress, and a bucket to use the bathroom. On the door was a slat he opened to push through food and water. The reason that was necessary was because, once you were in the Quiet Place, you stayed in the Quiet Place for at least a day. My longest stay was two weeks. He never told me how long it would be. He just let me out when he deemed it time. 

Once inside, I sunk to the floor and put my head between my knees to stop myself from hyperventilating. The series of emotions I was experiencing practically gave me whiplash. Panic, anger, sorrow, panic again, anger that built into fury, and finally... silence. Numbness. Later, he would unlock the door and strip me down to just my smallclothes. That way, he knew I would have no creature comforts -- and, more importantly, no drugs or weapons. It was his special brand of torture. Isolation, withdrawal, and no means to escape. 

I felt like an animal that had been killed and slashed open. Every part of me felt exposed. I was helpless. To everyone else, I could stand up. I could shout back, push back, fight back. I could be a warrior. But to Alfie... to Alfie, he owned me. He could do whatever he wanted to me, and he knew I had to endure it. I had known this man since I was fourteen years old. He had not broken me yet. 

He will not. He will not. He. Will. Not. He is not going to break you, Audrey. Pull it together. Pull your fucking shit together. Think. Don’t you dare get tired. Don’t you dare think of giving up. Pull it together!

I closed my eyes, pushed them into the heels of my palms. I was tired. I was exhausted. I didn’t want to keep fighting. But what choice did I have? After everything... after every single thing that Nymeia - what a bitch - had thrown at me, I couldn’t give up. I had - I have - to see this through. 

Blood for blood. So be it.

#writing #long post #tw blood #tw abuse #tw captivity #ffxiv rp #ff14 rp #[cherry bomb] #{light of his life; fire of his loins}

[writingthingsisdifficult]

Rest

Request from an anonymous friend: Are you able to write me a tiny Gadreel thing where the reader got mugged and her jaw is broken? I got home from the hospital was week with a mouth full of wires and I’m not feeling too hot

I’m sorry this has taken so long to write – real life happens sometimes. And I hope you’re feeling better!

As always: let me know what you think. And if you want on or off my tag list.

Word count: 2472

It was going to be a fun night out, full of alcohol and distractions, but the way things are progressing, the evening is turning into a nightmare. The guy you thought would be a perfect way to take your mind off things, turned out to be a total ass, and now he’s convinced that you should come home with him, even though he’s given you no incentives whatsoever to even consider it.

After you said no the first two times, he grasped your hand, and he won’t let go. You roll your eyes and huff; a thousand ways to end him running through your brain, but you don’t really want to draw attention to yourself – you still have a case to crack, and any attention means a chance for the vampires to slip away.

“Let go of me! I told you I’m not going with you! Creep!” You slap his arm, but it doesn’t help. His grip on your wrist is too hard, and you aren’t strong enough to twist free without resorting to tricks. Tears spring to your eyes, not so much from the pain, but from the frustration and stress and humiliation. Never in a million years did you think you’d be one of those girls. “You’re hurting me!” you try again, but that just makes him tug harder, and you stumble forward, struggling to stay on your feet.

Doug – Daniel? Whatever his name is, sneers at you. “See? You’re so drunk you can’t even walk straight –“ In the background his mates are watching and laughing.

“That’s not –“ you begin, but he isn’t listening, and you wonder why you started talking to him in the first place.  An image flashes through your mind: the sombre face of an angel. A literal angel. Oh yeah, that’s why: to keep your mind off Gadreel. Being head over heels in love with an angel is just bad luck. Different species and all that. Plus, he’s never really expressed any interest in you – not like that anyway.

“No!” you say again, this time with enough force to make Doug hesitate. A wicked smile spread over your face as his grip on you loosens, and you break free with a whip of your wrist. “You know what? Screw you! You’re not worth the alcohol you’ve wasted. I’m leaving, and don’t you dare follow me!” Squaring your shoulders, you turn your back and march away, listening with poorly disguised glee as his friends holler and laugh at him.

The night outside is clear and chill, so instead of hailing a taxicab like you planned to, you decide to walk the few blocks to the small apartment you’re renting, to calm down and collect your thoughts. Nothing like a near-fight to get the adrenaline flowing.

As you walk along the neatly tended flowerbeds, you can’t help but mutter to yourself, cursing the existence of idiot boys and their entitled, tiny egos, and you’re so deep in your own little world that you don’t notice the man sneaking up on you before he pokes you in the back with something hard. Instinctively you put your hands up.

“Gimme all your money!” he demands, deliberately twisting his voice to avoid recognition. “And that pretty, pearl necklace you’re wearing.”

That makes you pause for a moment. That necklace is hidden under you jacket, and whoever is trying to make a shitty evening even shittier can’t see it. And there’s no way in hell you would ever part from that necklace. It was a birthday gift from Gadreel.

Slowly, you turn around – why, you have no idea, but you feel the need to look this person in the eyes. There’s a hunch lurking in the back of your brain – you just can’t pin it down.

You don’t realise what’s happening before it’s too late: a baseball bat hits you over the ear, and everything start spinning. Bright specks of light dance in front of your eyes, something warm and sticky runs down your cheek and chin, dripping onto your clavicle and chest. For a brief moment, you lament the ruin of your new jacket.

Every movement feel sluggish and slow, and when you open your mouth to yell at your attacker, a sharp pain shoots through your head. The ground rushes up to meet you, and his voice fills your consciousness as the world turns dark: “That’s what you get for embarrassing me in front of my friends!” The sound of bouncing wood echoes over the road as his groping hands search through your clothes, and then you hear his footsteps running away.

As silence surrounds you, you only have one thought: “Gadreel.” His name rings clear through your mind as you finally slip away into the dark.

Darkness still surrounds you as you emerge from the vast emptiness of the universe inside your mind. As you slowly regain consciousness, you grow increasingly irritated, and you don’t know if it’s because of that incessant buzzing, or the beeps that fires at uneven intervals. And why do you feel so… numb? It’s confusing you: like you’re there, but your body’s not.

Slowly you descend from the nothingness that wraps around you, becoming more and more aware of the darkness that presses in on you from every angle, like it’s squeezing you – holding you from floating away. No, wait, that’s not right. You’re not flying – there’s something solid beneath you, and something… soft draped around you, covering every inch of your body from your neck to your toes.

Oh Jesus, the temperature! You can barely stand it. And what’s with the goddamn beeping? It’s getting louder, faster. And there’s another sound. It’s familiar, but you can’t place it through the haze and the buzzing. Ah, the heat. You gotta do something about it. Maybe if you roll over, get some air on your back.

Moving feels foreign. And there’s something stopping you – something… it hurts! Like a thousand wasps just did their business on the back of your hands. With more force than strictly necessary – but let’s be frank here: you don’t really know what it will take to break free from the restraints – you swat a hand on the other; hit something hard. There’s… wires?

Suddenly you’re yanked back, but strength has returned to your body, and you try to sit up. Your arms flop around and hit your nose, and your hands feel something that’s not supposed to be there. Without hesitating, you curl your fingers under that something and pull as hard as you can manage.

It hurts. Again. You wanna scream, but a muted hnnggg is all you can muster. Heavy weights push you down, and you push back up. Cold sweat breaks over your forehead, and you feel your pulse hammering in your throat. What is this kind of hell? Is it… Hell? When did you die? The familiar sound grows louder, clearer, and you recognise words amid the fight.

“For Christ’s sake, hold her down!” a deep voice shouts. It sounds like a voice that’s used to get what it wants. Several voices respond, and the pressure on your chest and arms doubles.

To hell with this. Nobody is going to hold you down! With a massive effort, you push against it, and you imagine yourself smiling as you win.

“She’s gonna rip out the needles! Someone get me the –“ the deep voice begins, but another, softer voice interrupts.

“Let me try.”

“What the…? You shouldn’t be in here!”

There is a silent fight going on: you can sense the tension fill the air, and you hope – no, you pray that the softer voice wins.

Moments later the uncomfortable pressure on your chest is gone: replaced by a gentle, but determined touch guiding you back down.

“Y/N,” the voice whispers, “don’t be frightened. Everything will be okay.” You so want to believe the voice, and slowly, so excruciatingly slowly, you feel calmer.

The voice keeps talking to you in a language you don’t understand, but it makes you feel happy. Like all you ever wanted was to lie there and listen to that voice. But you’re so tired. So exhausted. “Sleep,” the voice tells you. “Rest until you’re ready to wake up.” It takes maybe a fraction of a second, and you’re gone.

When you finally open your eyes, it’s too bright to see anything. Your head is swimming. Nothing is as you expect it to be. But you blink a couple of times, and slowly the room you’re in comes into focus: light green walls, hideously patterned curtains, a silent TV in a corner – and a whole mountain of machines that beep and buzz and blink. And in a worn chair next to your bed, sits the one person you would most like to see in the whole world. He’s staring into the air, still as a statue, barely even breathing.

As you stir, he rolls his shoulders and turn to you. The smallest hint of a smile ripples over his face, and he takes your hand in his.

“…Gadreel?” It’s muted, and distorted, but it’s definitely your voice through locked jaws.

Gadreel nods and swallows. His voice would break if he talked to you now: the relief that you’re awake fills every corner of his being, and he’s afraid he might burst if he actually moves, and you sit in silence for a while, just revelling in each other’s company.

A nurse comes in to check on you, and when she sees you’re awake, she grins. “Oh good. You’re awake. Gave us quite a fright, back there, you did. Waking up on the operating table… that’s not something we see often. You’re strong too. Took four grown men to keep you from ripping out all your tubes and wires. Could’ve done quite a bit of damage, but luckily this fella over there didn’t follow the rules. Calmed you down for long enough so we could increase the drugs to get you to sleep.” She writes down something on a clipboard, and winks at you. “The surgeon was pretty pissed – he’s not used to lose arguments, but at least he recognised the need for this gentleman to be next to you. He hasn’t left your side at all while you slept. Well,” she says and adjusts the switch on the tube going into your hand, “everything seems to be in order here. You’ll be out in no time. I’ll leave you alone for now. Just push the red button if you need me.”

With that, she swishes out of your room, and it’s just the two of you left. Gadreel takes a deep breath and flexes his jaw. “Your jaw and cheekbone is fractured,” he begins, grateful to have something useful to say. “They put pins and wires in you to stabilise it… oh god, Y/N, I am so sorry. I was not quick enough!” He looks up and closes his eyes. “Damn this… this weakness! If only my grace was… I would give it all to you if it meant…” Dragging a hand over his mouth, he turns his attention back to you.

“I could hear you. See you. In here,” he continues with a voice that threatens to unleash Heaven’s wrath, tapping the side of his head. “Your pain, it filled me with rage, and I did not think straight. I should have gone straight to you, not…” Filled with shame, he turns away again.

You squeeze his hand, and tilt your head, looking up, around his barriers, searching for his eyes. Projecting all your love and forgiveness towards him, you squeeze his hand again.

“No,” he says, shaking his head slightly. “You cannot forgive me for this. I should have healed you, not… not gone after him. When I got back, I did not have enough grace to help you. I am sorry,” he repeats and dips his head, and refuses to look at you again.

“Hey,” you say softly, trying not to move anything. “I’m –“

“Do not speak, Y/N. I am not worth any more injuries. Allow me to read your thoughts instead.”

Rolling your eyes, you slap his arm. “This is not your fault,” you think to him, and mentally slap his head for good measure. “I’m going to be okay. These are good doctors. And yes – it will hurt once the painkillers fade, and yes, I will be angry and frustrated, but none of that is your fault. It’s his fault. He did this to me. Not you.”

“It just as well might have been me. I should have been with you.”

“Gadreel… you don’t owe me anything – you can’t be with me every second of the day. It would bore you to death – I’d rather…” You’d rather be alone for eternity and spend a few hours with him here and there, and enjoy every short, bittersweet moment. But you can’t bring yourself to think it.

The whole room suddenly vibrates as Gadreel looks you in the eyes. “No, you don not understand,” he whispers. “I should have been with you. I wanted to be with you. But I did not know how to… I did not understand this pressure in my chest. Not until I saw you, bloody and unconscious, praying my name from your mind’s prison. How my heart screamed for you. I was so afraid, and so angry. It is new to me, this urge to protect someone I love so very much. So I did the only thing I could think of: I spent what little grace I had saved up to track down that maggot that hurt you. He will not hurt anyone anymore.”

Blinking, you look at him, breathing hard through your nose. “I… Did you…” Your thoughts are a jumbled mess, and you feel like screaming, or maybe dancing – or maybe both.

“I did not kill him,” Gadreel replies, misunderstanding your interrupted question. “But he may wish I did. I do not want to speak of it.”

“Screw him! I don’t give a shit if he lives or dies,” you think, trying to slow down both your heart and your thoughts. It’s hard with the kaleidoscope of butterflies that tumble around in your chest. “You just said… um… Do you love me?” It’s better to ask, than to assume; explaining a misunderstanding is easier than to cover up a confession.

Gadreel’s face softens, and he smiles. “I do.”

“I do too,” you interrupt. “Love you, I mean.”

Breathing deeply, Gadreel leans forward in his chair and kisses your forehead. “Then I will not leave your side again, unless you ask me to.” Gently, he lifts you up in the bed and pulls you close, careful not to pull any tubes or wires. As his comforting scent envelopes you, you can’t help but smile. Everything is going to be alright.

Tagging my friends:

@awesomeahwu @brynleewolfe @funwithfanfics @babeinthebowtie @savingapplepie-eatingthings @winchesterprincessbride @savvythedork @littlegreenplasticsoldier @youtubehelpsmesurvive @blackcherrywhiskey @mrswhozeewhatsis @schwarzwaelder-kirschtorte @aiaranradnay @fandomismyspiritanimal @barneybrigade  @mogaruke @wstrumpel @whovianextrodinare @hennessy0274-blog @sushi-senpai-chan @tardis-is-mine @badasssweetsrebel @jensensjaredsandmishaslover @megasimpleplan4ever

#tw: assault #gadreel x reader #spn fan fiction #reader insert #gadreel #fanfic #rest #love #supernatural #anon request #writing is hard

[domina-alba]

Domina Alba

Hey Everyone, These are the chapters that were initially posted to Ao3 and FFN so if you’ve already read Domina Alba feel free to skip! If you haven’t read Domina Alba you can find information about the fic Here.

I

It wasn’t often that the gem Homeworld attempted to colonize worlds with intelligent life. As White Diamond ran through the halls of the hastily constructed base, her black hair sticking out even more with her own speed,  she wondered yet again if the Gem Empire needed to reconsider where they drew the line at intelligent. 

The beasts, ‘Flail Legs’ as the gems stationed there had taken to calling them, may not have been capable of discernible speech but they were certainly capable of strategizing enough to have overrun much of the eastern section of the base before any of the rest of the base had noticed.

“Fall Back!” White Diamond bellowed as she blew past a squad of Ruby’s coming in from a patrol. “Fall back to the ship now! There's been a breach” The Ruby’s panicked until her order reached the ears of one of the Agates who shoved them in the direction of the drop ship. The evacuation alarm was sounded and White Diamond kept running, her quarters and Pearl were at the back of the base. Behind her she could hear the sounds of battle and Agates barking orders. She rounded a corner and ran smack into a tall white and grey gem, the recoil knocking her to the floor.

“My Diamond! I’m sorry, so sorry” Milky Quartz 3NY said helping White Diamond to her feet. White Diamond rubbed her nose, checking that she hadn’t broken it, again.

“It’s fine I’m fine we need to get out of here.” White Diamond said waving off the quartz, She looked and saw another Milky Quartz, 6GS staring at her worried.

“What happened.”

“It’s those Flail legs, they’ve broken through the walls, the eastern section is gone,” White Diamond said, then looked around, usually there was a third with them. “Wheres 9ZQ?” She asked. 6GS and 3NY looked at each other then back at their diamond.

“She was in the Eastern section.”

“Frack.” White said. She looked behind her at the chaos then at the two quartzes. “Alright. I’m going to find her, you two get Pearl on the ship, don’t let her wait for me, get her on the drop ship. 9ZQ and I will catch up.”

“My Diamond, Me and 6GS will go, you really shouldn-” 3NY began.

“Don’t tell me what to do Quartz.” White diamond said reaching to her gem and drawing a long blue bladed sword from it. “I’m going to find my soldier, I’ll catch up. That’s an order.” Both quartzes pursed their lips and nodded, then saluted her.

“Yes My Diamond!”

“Go!” She said before turning back and heading into the fray.

Where she had just been moments before was devoid of life either Gem or Flail Leg. She ran into the first of the creatures moments after she had passed the room where the Rubies had been. It was on the ceiling above her and flipped down in front of her face, snapping at her with three mouths moments before she ran it through with her sword. The creature fell with an shriek of pain and it’s acidic blood ate through White Diamonds boots.

She jumped away from the body and saw that it was not alone, dozens of the creatures filled the hall, she could see the glint of gems on the floor, some of them in the creatures mouths. Dread shivered up White Diamonds spine. There was no way she could save them all. She glanced around as she backed away from the creatures. She saw openings, in the floors, in the creature's defenses and saw red jewels lying untouched for now. She couldn’t save them all, but she would save what she could.

White Diamond let out battle cry from deep inside her as she ran forward, and leaped over the first line of the Flail Legs,. She drew another sword. She swung with long calculated swings to attack as many of the creatures as possible. She reached the clump of rubies ,dropped the sword in her left hand, grabbed them, and shoved them in the pocket of her coat hoping beyond hope that the gems would wait until they were back on the ship to reform. She bounced with one foot off the now empty space. Drew another sword and allowed herself to glide through the enemies cutting down all that reached for her.

She landed with a roll into the empty space in the Eastern section.

She gathered a Lapis’ gem and an agates along with a hand full of assorted quartzes that weren't cracked too badly. Her pockets we're getting full but she still hadn’t found 9ZQ. The Eastern section was unrecognizable. Tables and workstations overturned, bodies and shards covered the floor. And unlike the deafening tunnel of death she had just gone through it was quiet. White Diamond walked softly through the gore and shards, wincing as the monsters blood leaked into her shoe and she cut her feet on chunks of gems.

She poked her head into each room, scanning it for 9ZQ, poofed or un-poofed. She rounded one corner and saw the flash of a blade heading for her face. White Diamond sprung back into a defensive position and then relaxed when she saw a Milky Quartz with a slightly uneven bicep gem holding it.

“Oh,” 9ZQ said with relief “it's you, sorry about that Domina.” the quartz was holding another passel of gems in the crook of the arm that wasn’t holding a push sword.

“Rather you than one of those things.” White Diamonds said “Any others?”

“Nah just me, have the ships left yet?”

“I really hope not” she said turning to find an exit to the outside of the planet.

“Not that I'm not thankful” Milky Quartz said following her out a hole in the wall and into the desert that surrounded the base, “But you really shouldn’t be doing this my diamond.”

“Father always told me that all good leaders fight alongside their people, so that’s what I’m going to do.” White Diamond said, the ships were still there thank goodness, the last of the gems being loaded on, she started to jog towards the crowds.

“Uh huh, pretty sure your going to get yourself hurt if your not careful though” Milky Quartz asked keeping up with her easily. White diamond waved it off.

“Eh, wouldn’t be the first time.” She said before sliding into the ship’s cargo bay. “Everyone out Mossy?” She asked, She handed the gems from her pocket to a nearby Peridot and nodded to 6GS and 3NY who were reuniting with their comrade.

“You and 9ZQ are the last ones my Diamond” Mossy Agate said, gesturing for the door to be closed.

“Good, Tell a Nephrite to get us into orbit while I figure out how to salvage this.” White Diamond said already making for her quarters above the command center, a relieved looking Pearl following her.

Her quarters were set up a little bit different than the other diamonds, White had more needs than your average diamond. But the privacy from the rest of the ship was worth the walk. Pearl opened the door for her without White having to say anything which boded poorly. Usually they went through a whole charade of White Diamond opening the door for her when they were alone. Her suspicions were proved right when, as soon as the door closed Pearl let her guard drop.

“What in stars name do you think you were doing Domina!” Pearl shouted at her. White Diamond, Domina to those who bothered to use the name her father gave her, held up her hands in defense to the tiny pale pink Pearl.

“I had to do something we couldn’t just leave 9ZQ behind!”

“She’s a Quartz, it’s her job, She’s replaceable, Rubies are replaceable, Pearl’s are replaceable,” The Pearl said gesticulating wildly “Your White Diamond, Domina, You are not!” Domina rolled her eyes.

“Yes yes so you tell but you know it’s not true. No one is replaceable.” Domina said. Pearl gave her a world weary sigh.

“You know other Pearls don’t have to deal with their owners being so reckless”

“Yeah but really.” Domina said letting a smile creep onto her lips “Would you have it any other way?” Pink Pearl shook her head and hugged the 6’10” Diamond, her ovaluar belly gem bumping into the buttons on Domina’s coat.

“Promise me you won’t scare me like that again.” she muttered.

“I’ll do my best.” Domina said squeezing Pearl gently.

“You better,” She said pulling away, “I will see if I can find you another set of clothes that haven’t been savaged by the local wildlife.”  Domina nodded.

“I’m going to clean up and take a nap. If any one important calls tell them I’m contemplating how best to recover from this momentary setback.” Domina said removing her coat and handed it to Pearl.

“And if they're not important my diamond?” Pearl asked with a quirk of her lips.

“You have my full permission to tell them to go frack themselves.”

#Steven Universe #Fanfiction #Domina Alba Chapters #White Diamond #Pink Pearl #Vulgaris Adamas