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kellyvela · 3 years

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Sansa, Catelyn, and Cersei are described as beautiful women in the books by several POVs. Their cheekbones, eyes, and hair are described in detail.

I was wondering, what about Daenerys? Is there any actual physical description of her in the books?

The first character that comes to my mind talking about Daenerys's look is Viserys :

“You still slouch. Straighten yourself.” He pushed back her shoulders with his hands. “Let them see that you have a woman’s shape now.”

(...) “She’s too skinny,” Viserys said.”

(...) “Smile,” Viserys whispered nervously, his hand falling to the hilt of his sword. “And stand up straight. Let him see that you have breasts. Gods know, you have little enough as is.”

—AGOT - Daenerys I

The second character is Illyrio:

“Look at her. That silver-gold hair, those purple eyes…she is the blood of old Valyria, no doubt, no doubt…and highborn, daughter of the old king, sister to the new, she cannot fail to entrance our Drogo.”

—AGOT - Daenerys I

So far: silver gold hair, purple eyes, slouch, too skinny, small breasts.

Now, according to the ASOIAF WIKI, "Daenerys has been described as fair and beautiful." Let's see:

Xaro described Dany as 'the fairest woman in the world':

"Let us speak instead of love, of dreams and desire and Daenerys, the fairest woman in this world. I am drunk with the sight of you."

She was no stranger to the overblown courtesies of Qarth. "If you are drunk, blame the wine."

"No wine is half so intoxicating as your beauty. My manse has seemed as empty as a tomb since Daenerys departed, and all the pleasures of the Queen of Cities have been as ashes in my mouth. Why did you abandon me?"

—ADWD - Daenerys III

Despite not knowing her in person yet, Tyrion called her our fair Daenerys:

"Aye." Tyrion moved his elephants. "And when the pisswater prince was safely dead, the eunuch smuggled you across the narrow sea to his fat friend the cheesemonger, who hid you on a poleboat and found an exile lord willing to call himself your father. It does make for a splendid story, and the singers will make much of your escape once you take the Iron Throne … assuming that our fair Daenerys takes you for her consort."

—ADWD - Tyrion VI

Galazza Galare called her fair Daenerys:

"I know these were not the words you wished to hear," said Galazza Galare. "Yet for myself, I understand. These dragons are fell beasts. Yunkai fears them … and with good cause, you cannot deny. Our histories speak of the dragonlords of dread Valyria and the devastation that they wrought upon the peoples of Old Ghis. Even your own young queen, fair Daenerys who called herself the Mother of Dragons … we saw her burning, that day in the pit … even she was not safe from the dragon's wroth."

—ADWD - The Queen's Hand

Jorah the creep called Daenerys 'the most beautiful that I have ever seen' that time he forced a kiss on her:

His eyes were on her breasts.

Dany covered them with her hands, before her nipples could betray her. "I . . . that was not fitting. I am your queen."

"My queen," he said, "and the bravest, sweetest, and most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Daenerys—"

—ASOS - Daenerys I

Even before knowing her in person, Quentyn called Daenerys 'the most beautiful in the world':

Tell me, my Westerosi friend, what is there in Meereen that you should want to go there?"

The most beautiful woman in the world, thought Quentyn. My bride-to-be, if the gods are good. Sometimes at night he lay awake imagining her face and form, and wondering why such a woman would ever want to marry him, of all the princes in the world. I am Dorne, he told himself. She will want Dorne.

(...) And now the most beautiful woman in the world was waiting in Meereen, and he meant to do his duty and claim her for his bride. She will not refuse me. She will honor the agreement. Daenerys Targaryen would need Dorne to win the Seven Kingdoms, and that meant that she would need him. It does not mean that she will love me, though. She may not even like me.

—ADWD - The Merchant's Man

"All dead," Quentyn agreed. "For what? To bring me here, so I might wed the dragon queen. A grand adventure, Cletus called it. Demon roads and stormy seas, and at the end of it the most beautiful woman in the world. A tale to tell our grandchildren. But Cletus will never father a child, unless he left a bastard in the belly of that tavern wench he liked. Will will never have his wedding. Their deaths should have some meaning."

—ADWD - The Spurned Suitor

Despite not knowing her in person yet, Euron and Victarion called Daenerys 'the fairest woman in the world' and 'the most beautiful woman in the world':

"The last of her line. They say she is the fairest woman in the world. Her hair is silver-gold, and her eyes are amethysts . . . but you need not take my word for it, brother. Go to Slaver's Bay, behold her beauty, and bring her back to me."

(...) "I could sail the Iron Fleet to hell if need be." When Victarion opened his hand, his palm was red with blood. "I'll go to Slaver's Bay, aye. I'll find this dragon woman, and I'll bring her back." But not for you. You stole my wife and despoiled her, so I'll have yours. The fairest woman in the world, for me.

—AFFC - The Reaver

"Aye, Captain," said Wulfe One-Ear. He was not half the man that Nute the Barber was, but the Crow's Eye had stolen Nute. By raising him to Lord of Oakenshield, his brother made Victarion's best man his own. "Is it still to be Meereen?"

"Where else? The dragon queen awaits me in Meereen." The fairest woman in the world if my brother could be believed. Her hair is silver-gold, her eyes are amethysts.

Was it too much to hope that for once Euron had told it true? Perhaps. Like as not, the girl would prove to be some pock-faced slattern with teats slapping against her knees, her "dragons" no more than tattooed lizards from the swamps of Sothoryos. If she is all that Euron claims, though … They had heard talk of the beauty of Daenerys Targaryen from the lips of pirates in the Stepstones and fat merchants in Old Volantis. It might be true. And Euron had not made Victarion a gift of her; the Crow's Eye meant to take her for himself. He sends me like a serving man to fetch her. How he will howl when I claim her for myself. Let the men mutter. They had sailed too far and lost too much for Victarion to turn west without his prize.

—ADWD - The Iron Suitor

The iron captain had no time to wait for laggards. Not with his bride encircled by her enemies. The most beautiful woman in the world has urgent need of my axe.

—ADWD - Victarion I

Daario also called Daenerys beautiful:

Daario Naharis entered swaggering. He swaggers even when he is standing still. (...) "Bright queen," he said, "you have grown more beautiful in my absence. How is this thing possible?"

The queen was accustomed to such praise, yet somehow the compliment meant more coming from Daario than from the likes of Reznak, Xaro, or Hizdahr. "Captain. They tell us you did us good service in Lhazar." I have missed you so much.

—ADWD - Daenerys IV

As you can see from the last quote, in addition to those already mentioned, there are other characters around Daenerys that constantly praise her beauty. And I'm sure I failed to quote others characters talking about Daenerys's beauty as well.

There is also the fact that Daenerys's eyes are compared to Ashara Dayne, a known beauty:

And they told how afterward Ned had carried Ser Arthur's sword back to the beautiful young sister who awaited him in a castle called Starfall on the shores of the Summer Sea. The Lady Ashara Dayne, tall and fair, with haunting violet eyes.

—AGOT - Catelyn II

Even after all these years, Ser Barristan could still recall Ashara's smile, the sound of her laughter. He had only to close his eyes to see her, with her long dark hair tumbling about her shoulders and those haunting purple eyes. Daenerys has the same eyes. Sometimes when the queen looked at him, he felt as if he were looking at Ashara's daughter …

—ADWD - The Kingbreaker

As you can see, the praise to her beauty comes from mostly dubious people, more interested in her dragons than in herself, people that wanted to use her for their own agenda than truly and unconditionally help her.

I personally think that the Targs are exactly in the line/border of beauty and ugliness. But also take note that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For Westeros, Targaryen/Valyrian look is exotic, the gold-silver hair (that can look almost white/grey) and the purple/lilac/indigo eyes. And exotic can be attractive for some people. But most than exotic, when Targaryen conquered Westeros, they established the superiority of their blood, so of course their look, incest tradition and dragon riding was stated as superior and exceptional, they even wrote a doctrine about that and called it "exceptionalism." And it's too easy to associated superiority with beauty......

Anyway, about the Targaryen look, I think we must trust in Princess Arianne Martell:

Young John Mudd has been sending out birds as well, it seemed. Near dusk on the fourth day, not long after Chain and his wagons had taken their leave of them, Arianne’s company was met by a column of sellswords down from Griffin’s Roost, led by the most exotic creature that the princess had ever laid her eyes on, with painted fingernails and gemstones sparkling in his ears.

Lysono Maar spoke the Common Tongue very well. “I have the honor to be the eyes and ears of the Golden Company, princess.”

“You look… ” She hesitated.

“…like a woman?” He laughed. “That I am not.”

“ …like a Targaryen,” Arianne insisted. His eyes were a pale lilac, his hair a waterfall of white and gold. All the same, something about him made her skin crawl. Was this what Viserys looked like? she found herself wondering. If so perhaps it is a good thing he is dead.

“I am flattered. The women of House Targaryen are said to be without peer in all the world.”

“And the men of House Targaryen?”

“Oh, even prettier. Though if truth be told, I have only seen the one.” Maar took her hand in his own, and kissed her lightly on the wrist. “Mistwood sent word of your coming, sweet princess. We will be honored to escort you to the Roost, but I fear you have missed Lord Connington and our young prince.”

—TWOW - Arianne II

Thanks for your message.

#asks #minitafan #targs #targies #beauty

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marauder-exe · 4 years

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Outburst- Sirius Black x reader

Prompt: “I'm in love with you! Is that what you wanna hear?”

word count: 1506

A/n: Hihi! This is my first full fic so id love your feedback!, Requests are open as always. Thank u :)

It fucking sucked. Your best friend, Sirius had been ignoring you all week, most days you where practically attached at the hip, inseparable and content. But one day, out of the blue, he started ignoring you, like what the fuck? Being close with the marauders since first year, you tried to ask them what was up with him, but all you received was a chorus of ‘i dunno’s . It was utterly frustrating to be honest, and it honestly hurt. You'd been crushing on him since second year, in love since third. It was hard, keeping the biggest secret from your best friend for the last four years, but you couldn't tell him, tell notorious playboy Sirius Black, that you've been in love with him since he had cheered you up with endless jokes and stories that one night you'd been crying in the hallway all those years go. It was impossible, if you told him you'd loose him, fuck up your friendship and be alone again, but if you didn't tell him, you'd be stuck, crushed under the weight of your love while he goes rendezvousing with some 6th year. You couldn't live with him and you couldn't live without him. You where undeniably, irrevocably in love with him and he hadn't the faintest idea. But today you where determined to find out why he had been avoiding you, all the moving seats away from you in classes, the avoiding you in the great hall, the library, the common room, what was it all for?

So the next day you woke up, you where on a mission, You stretched and yawned, sitting up in your bed, looking at your picture of the marauders and you, you started to get ready for the day, you where on a mission. You mentally checked your timetable, for what lessons you had with Sirius, Herbology, DADA, and care of magical creatures. Perfect Care of magical creatures was the last lesson of the day and he couldn't possibly avoid you. So your day went along, slowly may I add. Herbology, divination, DADA, muggle studies, alchemy, Sirius desperately trying to avoid your burning glare through your shared lessons, which was pretty hard. Lily had come up to you during Herbology, to ask what was up with you and Sirius, knowing you two where never out of each others sight, but you couldn't exactly give her a solid answer. Then you saw something in her eyes, a little glint of something.

“Ahhhh righttttt.” She dragged on.

“what is it lils? Do you know something? Did James tell you something? Why that slimy git!” You quickly perked up. Although you didn't miss the blush that crept on her pale face at the mention of James.

She quickly shook her head “Nope, just heard a little something through the grape vine.” She smirked.

“I swear to merlin lils if you don't tell me ill strangle you with that grape vine!”

“Ah ah ah, all in due time, peaches.” You smirked and saddened at the thought of where the nickname came from. Your very classy best friends, the marauders, well mostly James, decided it would be a great idea for you to flash the whole school your underwear. A cute set with peaches on them. Sirius stopped them after a few seconds, citing it was a bit insensitive, and he would do it to lily if James tried that again, but you didn't miss Sirius’ little whisper, ‘they do look cute doll’, You smiled, you and Sirius had always been like that, flirty. It broke your heart every time because you knew he didn't mean it. You huffed.

“Fine, lils but if I don't find out soon I will blow my lid”

She smiled, shook her head and started to walk away, she turned “You'll be blowing more then that when you find out”

what was she possibly on about?

The conversation lingered in your mind for a dew hours after, a strange strange woman she was, but you could see why James was in love with her, You longed for something like that. Care of magical creatures finally rolled around, you'd been anxious all lesson, dreading and anticipating your chat with Sirius. Classes with professor Kettleburn where always exciting, I mean the man was missing half of his limbs, for god sake. Although it passed by fairly quickly, your nerves went up and up. The end of the class came and you saw Sirius make a dash back to the castle, obviously not wanting to speak to you, the marauders drawled slowly behind, talking about whatever.

“Sirius! Sirius!” You shouted, but he just quickened his pace. As you neared the whomping willow, you quickly ran up to him, pushed him against the tree, and stuck your wand at his neck. “Why wont you talk to me?”

James, Peter and Remus quietly made a bet as the scene unfolded. “ Bets on that he’ll choke” James clearly had a lot of faith in his friend.

“I don't think he’ll tell her” Peter squeaked. Thanks man.

“Nah, he’ll tell her” At least someone believed in his friend.

“Alright 5 galleons he chokes?” James challenged.

“Bet”

“I have no clue what your talking about” Sirius said offhandedly.

You removed your wand from his neck, you where not playing this game.

“You know what im talking about, You've avoided me this entire week. Practically attached at the hip for the Last 6 years and now! Now is the time you deicide you've had enough. What is it Sirius? What are you running from? What's got Hogwarts stone faced, witty, playboy so down? Why wont you fucking talk to me?” You belted, not caring who would hear. He grew angrier from each word you spoke, until he stood his full ground, shoulders squared, looking hurt and angry.

“’m in love with you! Is that what you wanna hear?”

That's when it hit you, he couldn't, He's Sirius black, playboy extraordinaire, he couldn't possibly love you.

“Sirius…”

“What? That-that iv'e been in love with you since I saw you in first year, that my heart aches every time I see you because I know you don't feel the same, that I have to sleep with every girl under the sun to try to forget that you couldn't possibly love a man like me. You wanna hear how I notice how angelic you look in the morning, even after crashing in my bed from exhaustion? How every morning you look at the picture of us and the marauders you have on your night stand because “you always want to begin the day with your best friends” on the off chance you don't see one of us today? Or the fact that since the day ive met you ive never seen you wear a single pair of matching socks because your superstitious and their lucky? How you have books practically falling out of your dorm its that jam packed, because you want to read every book ever created? How you look so perfect without even trying? Even when you've been swimming, or not slept in days, or haven't showered in a week, even then you look unbelievably perfect I wonder what we did to deserve you being friends with us? I wonder what I did to have someone as perfect as you in my life? Huh? How ill never have a chance with you because of how undeniably perfect you are? How you deserve someone smart like Remus, or sporty like James? Someone who you would undeniably be perfect with? But they're not in love with you, I am! And as much as you don't feel the same I really hope this doesn't ruin our fucking friendship just because im fucking in love wit you!”

By the end of his speech he looked so exhausted, like the weight of the world had just been lifted off of his shoulders, while you just stood there, dumbfounded. The boy you've been head over heels for since 2nd year liked you back. You just stared, stared and stared. You where left absolutely speechless. He took that as a bad sign, a tear rolled down his cheek as he turned to walk away, muttering a quiet ‘that's what I thought’.

You had to do something, anything before he walked away. So, you ran up to him and pulled him down for what had to be on of The Most Passionate Kisses In The History Of Kisses ©. Its like all the emotion over the past 6 years had been poured into the kiss, only to be broken apart by hearing your friends dry heaving in the background, you shot them a death glare and turned back to Sirius, who had the most lovestruck look on his face.

“So, you feel the same?” He smiled.

“Of course I do, dummy” You two where so enthralled in each other you missed Peter and James each slipping 5 galleons into Remus’ hand with disgruntled looks on their faces while he just smirked

#sirius black #sirius orion black #sirius x reader #sirius x you #sirius x y/n #sirius black x reader #sirius black x you #sirius black x y/n #sirius black fanfiction #james potter x reader #remus lupin x reader #harry potter x reader #harry potter fanfiction

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dearest-bucky · 4 years

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Breath of life (One Shot)

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: After Thanos snapped his fingers and wiped out half the population of the planet, the remaining half was left more broken than ever. Some people tried to move on and make the best out of the new world they were living, others couldn’t bare to do so.

Words: 8.3K

Warnings: Angst, so much angst you better sit tight for this one

A/n: The reader’s condition with her humanity is based of The Vampire Diaries, especially the parts where Stefan would flip his humanity off and go on killing sprees. It is explained further in the story but I thought I could give you a clue as to where the idea came from.

Originally posted: May 11, 2020

Every noise suddenly stopped. Even the wind that moved through the leaves of the trees, causing them to rustle, couldn’t be heard anymore. The growling of the beasts stopped, the grunts of people fighting stopped.

The air was uncharacteristically still.

Thanos snapped his fingers and vanished through a portal. He was gone.

It was only a few moments later when screams of people started piercing the air, panicked, desperate. Then she turned her head towards him, hearing his surprisingly calm voice.

“Steve?” And then he vanished too. He turned to ashes right in front of her eyes and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She saw Steve walk towards the pile of ashes that were left behind, kneeling to softly touch the ground, a devastated look in his face.

“Oh God.” Was all he said, losing his balance and falling on the ground with a thud.

Everyone that were left soon gathered around him. Natasha, Bruce, Rhodey and Thor standing there, battered and tired, but their faces showed fear and shock too.

Everything was silent and still until a blood curdling scream that erupted from the depths of her chest left her mouth. Five pairs of eyes turned to look at her, but none of them was fast enough to move towards her as to not let her now unconscious body fall to the ground.

She woke up with a headache, in a room so white it almost blinded her. She was dizzy and unsure of her surroundings and she started to panic, frantically trying to remove the IV in her arms and the other wires attached to her body.

A nurse came in immediately, but as soon as she saw her state, she left the room hurriedly, only to return a few moments later with other people. In the middle of her panic she recognized Steve, and when he neared her bed, trying to stop her thrashing she clung to him like a lifeline and started to cry with loud sobs.

He cradled her head in his arms softly, shushing her with his voice. Eventually she had no choice but to calm down and Steve was grateful for that.

Despite her calming down, he didn’t move away from her, now sitting more comfortably on her bed and hugging her so tight he was surprised how she could still breathe. But she seemed like she didn’t care about that, her own arms linked around his torso just as tight, maybe more. She was still crying, but now it was only silent tears. She was so weary and exhausted she didn’t have the force to even sob anymore.

After a few more minutes, or maybe it was hours, not moving even an inch or letting go of him, with her face still burrowed in his chest, she mumbled tiredly. “Where are we?” Her voice was so weak and almost inaudible, but Steve’s super soldier hearing didn’t miss it.

“Wakanda. We brought you to the palace’s med bay immediately after you lost consciousness.” He explained and she could almost see it again how it all happened.

In her head replayed the moment she saw Bucky vanish right in front of her, she saw Steve’s desperation and as if she was living an out-of-body experience, she saw herself scream and then crash to the ground with a loud thud. Then her mind, just like her body, had blacked out too. Everything that surrounded her turned dark once more, and if it wasn’t for Steve’s presence keeping her grounded, she would have lost it again.

A fresh wave of tears streamed down her face and she could barely manage to wipe them with the back of her hand before speaking again. “I want to go home.”

Home. But what was home anymore? The Avengers compound in New York? That hasn’t been her home in almost 3 years. Wakanda? Definitely not. This place was filled with so many memories she wanted so badly to forget. In the last five years of her life, she had associated the notion of home not with a place, but with a person. To her, home was Bucky. But now that he was gone, she was left alone, homeless.

“Don’t worry Y/n, I’ll take care of you.” Steve whispered near her ear and she couldn’t do anything but agree. He was all she had left, the closest connection with Bucky, so she guessed it would be the right thing to stick with him.

The next day, they were all gathered near the quinjet, all that were left anyway. She stood close to Steve, always leaning to him, scared that if she moved to far he would disappear too. After saying goodbye to Okoye and a few Dora Milajes that were left, they entered the jet one after the other, heads hanging low and hurt.

Natasha was sitting next to Rhodey and Bruce, while she and Steve sat a few feet away, her head always leaning on Steve’s shoulder. The atmosphere around was heavy with heartbreak and loss and nobody was speaking, but their thoughts were all too loud Y/n could practically listen to them scream just as loud as she had before.

She had cried the entire night, exhausting herself to the limit and now she didn’t have the strength to even think anymore. She could only sniffle silently next to Steve, hoping to God she could fall asleep. At least then, she had no recollection of what had happened, she was away from the painful reality she was forced to live in.

The flight to New York was long, longer than anyone could bare to stay confined in such a small space without having to face each other and see the disappointment written across each of their figures. When they arrived though, they were met with Pepper, who looked just as bad as they did. Her eyes were red and swollen from all the crying and as soon as she saw Rhodey, she ran to hug him in hopes of consolation.

Steve hoisted Y/n in his arms, walking with her towards the sleeping quarters. He entered her old room with slow steps and set her on the bed quietly. She had fallen asleep almost an hour before landing in New York and Steve was thankful for that. He covered her body with a thick blanket and walked out just as quietly, closing the door behind him.

New York

It had been three weeks since they had returned from the greatest loss of their lives, yet they were still as disoriented as the first day. The half of the population was really gone. Hell, the half of the entire living creature. It was as if they had never existed. As if they had never been alive before. The only proof of their existence were the memories of those who were still alive. During these three weeks, there was no sign from Tony. He was considered lost too, along with the unfortunate half.

Y/n spent the days mostly in her bed, in the confines of her room. She barely moved, barely ate, barely talked. In such a short period of time all that was left of her was the shell of the person she used to be. She was grieving and it seemed that isolating herself from the rest of the world was her way of doing so.

It was just another day, just like the rest of them had been, when Natasha opened her door and entered her room with a glint in her eye she hadn’t seen during this last month. “Tony’s here.” Were the only words she said before she walked out of her room again, just as quickly as if she had come, and Y/n thought for a moment that she had imagined it all. That maybe her tired brain had her hallucinating. But she was soon proved wrong when she heard commotion coming from outside her room. She threw the blanket on the floor and got up from her bed too quickly for her own liking. Bad idea! Her vision turned black as soon as she got up on her legs and she had to lean on the bed again or she would fall down. She blinked hard a couple of times before standing on shaky legs and making the way towards the voices in the other room.

As soon as she entered, she was met with Tony yelling at Steve, disappointment and anger noticeable in the tone of his voice. She stood back, not daring to say anything as Tony continued to talk to Steve, calling him a liar and then only a moment later he lost consciousness. Y/n let out a small gasp when she saw him fall to the ground like that, so weak and tired.

After the satellite signal for the appearance of a new planet, the Avengers, or what was left of them, along with Carol, Nebula and Rocket, left on a mission, hoping they would be able to undo the Snap.

Considering the weak state she was in, not only physically but also mentally, Steve ordered her to stay at the compound with Tony and Pepper, despite her arguing and insisting that she had every right to go in that mission as much as the rest of them.

So she sat next to Tony’s bed with Pepper, chatting softly while Tony was having a much needed rest.

“Don’t lose hope just yet.” Pepper said to her, a genuine tone of voice, but she had a hard time believing it nonetheless. It was easy for Pepper to say so. It wasn’t the love of her life who turned to ashes in front of her. She had Tony back. Back and safe and close to her. Something she didn’t. She nodded her head in agreement anyway, not wanting to say anything to upset or hurt the other woman’s feelings. Don’t get her wrong, she was happy Tony was alive and well, as well as he could be anyway, but at least he was there.

After losing her parents in a supposedly car accident, which she knew was work of Hydra, Tony was the first person to support her 18 years old self, despite the fact that she didn’t need it. She had been trained by her parents her entire life the same way S.H.I.E.L.D agents were trained. She was fluent in seven foreign languages, including russian and arabic, she was very skilled in hand to hand combat, martial arts and had an impeccable mark in shooting.

She was in the car with her parents that fateful day, wanting to leave New York for a family vacation when a truck came out of nowhere and cut their way, resulting in the fatal crash that took the lives of both her parents. She was barely breathing by the time two Hydra agents dragged her out of the car and took her with them, curing her from her injuries but at the same time, conducting experiment after experiment in her body.

Almost four months later, she was able to escape from them. Not wanting to turn to S.H.I.E.L.D for help, fearing there were many corrupted agents secretly working for Hydra, she decided to go to Tony. He never asked her what happened, only welcomed her as if she was his own daughter.

She had worked with the Avengers for a while, then Nick Fury learned about her being alive and he personally asked for her help in several missions he couldn’t trust anyone else with.

The Avengers returned that very same day from their mission, their heads hanging low, pain evident in their faces, looks of disappointment and hurt shared with each other, until they all retreated each in their own room without so much of a word.

She understood immediately what that meant, but she still followed behind Steve like a lost puppy, not knowing what else to do.

He entered his room and left the door open for her to enter too and wordlessly sat on the edge of his bed, throwing his compass carelessly on the nightstand. Y/n stood silently on her feet in the middle of his room, until he picked his head up to look at her. “I’m so sorry.” Was all he said before he started crying in silence, hiding his face in his hands.

“Me too.” She replied simply and turned around to walk out of his room, closing the door with a loud thud behind her.

She ran to her room and locked the door before slamming her body on the bed, hot tears running to her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut, as if wanting to shut out her thoughts too.

Up until that day, she had been finding solace in sleep, at least the unconsciousness and blackness of dozing off was a somewhat consolation, a time off from her thoughts and feelings, but that changed too when she woke up screaming from a nightmare. She was sweating and panting hard, barely catching her breath as she opened her eyes, only to be met with the darkness of her room.

She could hear somebody knocking on her door, wanting to come in, but she couldn’t make out the words the person on the other side was saying, neither to whom belonged that voice. A few moments later she calmed down enough to really listen to the voice that was calling out to her. Steve.

She moved from her bed with slow steps and just as slowly turned the knob to open her door, finding Steve standing there with a panicked expression on his face. “You okay?” He asked and she could only shake her head in return, unable to form any words because of the lump in her throat.

He walked two short steps in her direction and wrapped his arms around her body in a secure hug and that was all it took for the dam to break free. Tears rushed out of her eyes and loud sobs left her mouth as she clung to him desperately.

“It’s okay, it’s over now.. It’s over.” He repeated as he softly stroke her hair but nothing could calm her down.

“Nothing is over Steve.” She spoke up between hiccups and sobs. “I thought I could escape the reality in my sleep, but now that is also evaded by nightmares of what happened. Nothing will ever be over. Nothing will ever be okay.”

He moved her to her bed and laid down next to her, holding her close to his body until he felt her breathing even and that was enough indication for him that she had fallen asleep again.

When she woke up in the morning, every part of her body was aching, her head was close to exploding as if she was reliving a bad hangover. Steve was nowhere to be found, despite the fact that she remembered vividly falling asleep in his arms after the last night’s nightmare. She got up from her bed with slow, unsteady steps and walked out of her room towards the kitchen, searching desperately for water and an aspirin.

As she slowly made her way to the kitchen, she could distinctively hear the voices of at least three different people speaking to each other. She paid no mind to what they were saying, wanting to just get in, get what she needed and get out, but when she heard her name, she stopped right in her tracks, straining her weary self to concentrate on the words they were saying.

“She has totally given up. She doesn’t even leave her bed anymore.” Natasha’s voice sounded distant, but the underlying worry was still evident in her tone. Y/n could only sigh at her words, she was right after all. She truly had given up, on herself, on the world, on life. What was the point in not giving up anyway? She had lost everyone she had ever loved. First her parents, now the love of her life. It seemed as if there was someone out there saying “No!” every time she prayed for happiness. Now who the hell was she to defy the greater powers than herself? No one, really.

She broke off the trance of her thoughts when she heard Tony’s voice this time speaking. “As long as she doesn’t leave her bed everything is fine, really.”

Natasha’s eyes widened at his words. What the hell was Tony talking about? But Steve seemed to understand the secret message lying underneath the spoken words of Stark.

“Tony’s right. As long as she doesn’t switch it off, there is still hope for her. We should give her time, she’s mourning the loss of Bucky, it’s only normal for her to stay hidden in her room all the time. It’s difficult for all of us, but we all know her condition. It is twice as hard for her.” Steve’s voice was compassionate as he spoke, almost soft with care and sympathy for her.

She decided she had heard enough of their talk and with careful steps walked backwards to her room again. She slammed the door closed harshly and sat down on her bed, thinking, rethinking her choices.

Her time with Hydra had been like living a never ending hell she didn’t deserve and when she finally managed to escape their atrocities, she was able to finally breathe again. They had experimented on her during the entire time they had her, but she never understood what had happened with her, not noticing anything different in her body.

It was only almost a year after her escape, during a mission in Lebanon, where she was surrounded by enemy forces that she finally discovered the product of the experiments made on her. One moment she was surrounded by agents, guns pointed at her and despite her professionalism she couldn’t help the feeling of panic that bloomed in her chest from the situation, then the next, without even noticing she had stopped her heart from beating and shut her brain off, only the survival instinct active in her entire being.

She lunged towards one of the agents, without caring for the gun he was holding and moved his body in front of hers, using it as a human shield. In a few short moments, the rest of the agents were scattered around the floor, all dead.

At first she couldn’t comprehend what was going on, but then it dawned on her, as if flipping a switch, she had flipped her humanity off, living on only her primal instincts, survival and killing.

It was difficult to understand what was really happening with her, but after some times and some very thorough analysis in the lab with Bruce and Tony, they could finally find out that as a result of all the experiments of Hydra, she was able to switch her humanity off and go on a killing spree like a hound thirsty for blood. The only problem was switching it on again.

They were still talking to each other when they heard the slam of a door echo through the halls and they were startled by the noise of it.

“Fri?” Tony was the first to ask the A.I and it didn’t lose a second to respond.

“That was miss Y/n, sir.” She replied, and upon hearing her answer, the three of them ran towards Y/n’s room. Steve opened her door quickly but cautiously, surprised to see her sitting in the middle of her unmade bed.

“Y/n? Is everything okay?” He asked her carefully, not wanting to startle her.

“Yeah, everything is okay Cap.” She answered, surprisingly calm and that scared him. She hadn’t been calm in almost two months, now seeing her unmoving like that was freaking him out.

He tried to walk towards her, slowly moving towards her bed, but she held her hand up, signaling him to stop. She sucked in a deep breath before closing her eyes. “I’m sorry.” It was all she said, a single teardrop staining her otherwise porcelain-like skin.

Her eyes fluttered behind her eyelids for a brief second before she opened them again, this time void of every emotion. Void of life itself.

Natasha gasped in shock at what happened, not believing she would do this to herself and them too, but she didn’t dare speak.

“What did you do?” It was Steve who spoke, shocked and unable to comprehend her action.

Year 2014, Bucharest, Romania

She was running, like she was always doing lately. Running to save her life which she loved to put in danger so carelessly. It was as if she got off from the pain, she had become addicted to the adrenaline rushing in her veins. The only thing she could feel when she was switched off. Another mission, somewhat successful, but considering the big mess she had left behind for the police to find and the knife wound on her ribs, one wouldn’t be so sure about using the word “success” to describe it.

The sun had already set, leaving place to the darkness of the night, giving her the opportunity to run undetected through the different alleys of the city. Despite the fact that she was bleeding too much, nothing could stop her from running. She had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide, only the instinct to make it through and survive this guiding her steps, but to no particular direction.

Her legs were almost failing her, when she turned around the corner of another alley to walk out on a somewhat lit but empty street and her body slammed against another person. A tall figure, big and strong, gripped her forearms tightly and held her at arms length, studying her face but also not letting her fall down.

“Aw, fuck.” She cursed under her breath as the man in front of her kept staring at her face, then his eyes trailed down her body, noticing the stain of blood in her black gear. He visibly stiffened at the sight of her and the english word she muttered, thinking he had missed it, but he didn’t say anything to let her know he had understood.

“Sunteţi bine?” He asked in fluent romanian, his voice a little unsure though, despite the fact that he tried to hide his growing nerves.

She only looked at him for a second, before nodding her head slowly in approval. “Da.” Was all she replied but that was enough for him to let go of her arms and move away from her and with a final look, he started walking again, away from her, moving with slow but sure steps in the other directions.

He would leave her behind, as he planned to do the second her body slammed to his, but before he could walk too far, he heard her let out a pained grunt and she fell to her knees at the corner of the street, unable to carry on anymore.

Bucky knew he would regret it and his actions would soon come back to bite him in the ass, but he couldn’t help the nagging feeling in his chest as he saw her figure, crunched down on her knees and pressing one of her hands on her side where she was still visibly bleeding. He turned around to walk in her direction again, and he knelt next to her, inspecting her wound with nimble fingers.

She had been in and out of consciousness for the last hour, losing sight of where he was taking her. It was unusual for her to let her guard down like this, but she was in no condition to be cautious.

When she opened her eyes again, she was sitting on a chair and the man from the street was still in front of her, crunched down on his knees. He had ripped off the top of her gear, leaving her upper body in a black sports bra as he inspected her wound.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was weak and small, but he heard it nonetheless.

“We should dress your wound before you bleed to death.” His reply was short, as if calculated while he took a bottle of vodka and offered it to her. “Drink.” He ordered and she only scoffed in return.

“I don’t need it.”

“Okay, have it your way.” He unscrewed the bottle and poured the alcoholic liquid on her open wound. Except a small hiss, no other noise left her lips as he settled the bottle on the floor and picked up a small needle with a thread, sewing her flesh closed.

He could listen to her labored breaths, but she never complained while the needle pierced her wounded flesh precisely and that surprised Bucky to no end. Who was this woman, wounded and so weak, but yet so strong? Even he wasn’t that indifferent to such pain.

He put a gauze over her wound and with a small sigh got up to stand on his feet in front of her. “That will do.”

She nodded her head in response and moved to get up from the chair, legs still unsteady but she was determined to leave. “Thank you.” She said before picking up her torn off top and walking towards the front door. However she couldn’t make it too far as her knees failed her once more and this time she lost consciousness, totally blacking out.

Bucky picked her up carefully and laid her down on his mattress, it was the closest thing he had to a bed in his new house. He covered her body with the thin comforter and sat himself too at the end of the mattress, his back pressed on the wall. That night he didn’t get a single minute of sleep, only watching her chest rise and fall with every breath she took while she had occupied most of his mattress in her sleep.

The sun was already out when she woke up with a groan, surprisingly loud for someone of her measure. She squinted her eyes to get familiar with her surroundings and as soon as her brain clicked in place and she was reminded of the events of last night, she visibly panicked and scrambled against the comforter to get up and leave.

She heard the noise from behind her before she saw him. He was standing near the stove, apparently waiting for the water of the coffeepot to boil.

“Who are you?” She finally found her voice to ask and he was surprised at how different her voice sounded from last night. How panicked and… Soft? He turned to face her, turning off the stove before picking up the coffeepot and filling two mugs.

Her hair was disheveled, her skin pale and her lips were chapped, but he thought that despite everything, she was very beautiful, probably the most beautiful woman he had seen in a very long time. “I’m nobody,” He replied unsure. “I just happened to be there when you passed out and I helped you with your wound.”

His explanation seemed to please her because she simply nodded her head and walked to him, picking up one of the mugs with shaky hands and taking a sip from the hot beverage. “Thank you.” She said after a while. “For helping me.” A small pause. “And for the coffee.” She swore she could see a ghost of a smile making a very short appearance on his lips, but it left so quick she was afraid that maybe she had imagined it.

“What happened to you?” He asked her cautiously, not wanting to strike any nerve or make her feel uncomfortable. However she seemed quite relaxed in his presence, unaware of who he really was. To her, he was only a random man who had helped her from bleeding out on the street, and Bucky was content to keep it that way.

“Job gone wrong.” Her voice was calm as she answered to him and he didn’t dare ask anything else. But curiosity got the best of him, and he had to ask her some more, otherwise he would burst from the edge of not knowing. So after a couple of minutes sitting in silence and quietly sipping each on their own cup of coffee, he finally decided to speak again.

“Last night you were…” He began, unsure of how to end that sentence, and for the lack of a better word, he finally managed to finish. “…different.”

She met his eye for a brief second before taking a sip on her coffee again, as if trying to gain some time to think of an answer for him. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.” She replied to him just as calmly as before.

He stared at her face, wanting to understand her more. To him she was an enigma, a mystery, and he wanted nothing more than to unravel her. He waited in silence for her to speak more, having absolutely nothing else more important to do.

It was somewhat strange, if he dared say so himself. As if the woman standing in front of him now wasn’t the same woman he met last night. Before, her eyes were void and vacant of any emotion, while now it seemed as if a storm of feelings were brewing behind her irises. He couldn’t understand what was going on with her, but he wanted to.

Y/n thought about his words for a moment, contemplating on what she could respond to him, but then she guessed nothing would happen even if she told the truth. After all, this man had saved her life. He had had every opportunity to harm her or kill her, but he hadn’t done it. Instead he had sewn her wound and had taken care of her.

“I don’t know how much will it make sense for you what I’m about to tell you, but I guess you deserve to know the truth.” She finally spoke up after a moment that stretched for far too long. So she told him everything. She told him about her life before her parents were dead, she told him about the accident that changed her life, about the experiments Hydra conducted on her, mercilessly. She told him about her condition, how she could just flip off her humanity as if with a switch, how she became a ruthless killer when she wasn’t “human” anymore. How it was difficult for her every time to flip it back on.

Bucky was captivated by her story, hanging tight to her every word, taking in everything she shared with him, not daring to interrupt her once since she began speaking. When she had mentioned Hydra he had visibly flinched, but she hadn’t noticed, too engrossed in her own story, too lost in her head to pay attention to him.

“I can flip it off voluntarily, but flipping it back on is the real problem.” She explained softly. “My friends have tried to find a solution, but apparently nothing but a black out works.”

“Well, you could go to sleep and the next morning it will be on again.” He said nonchalantly and she couldn’t help but let out a short laugh at his words. Bucky loved the sound.

“I wish it worked like that. But sleep is not the solution. It has to be a black out. Sort of like a blow in my head.” She repeated again. “Like last night. If I hadn’t lost consciousness I wouldn’t have my humanity flipped on right now.”

His eyes widened at her words, not fully understanding the extend of her condition, but eager to learn more. He was fascinated by her. “So what is it like? When you flip it off then back on?” He asked, genuinely interested.

“Well, to flip it off is easy.” She started speaking again. “It’s like a switch in my brain that I am able to control, to turn it off. It’s like nothing matters except my need to kill. There are only two reflexes, or whatever you want to call them, kill and not get killed. I guess that’s what makes me really good at my job.” She scoffed sarcastically at her own words, having grown already tired of what she did for a living. “That’s easy though. The difficult part comes the next time I open my eyes and my head hurts and it is as if every feeling I had shut out when my humanity was flipped off, crashes within me with full force, it is so intensive it hurts.”

She spent the rest of the day with him, talking, sharing her entire life with this stranger. In a way it helped with the intensity of having her humanity flipped on after so long, his presence was calming, as if comforting, but soon she had to leave seeing as it was time for her to go back to New York.

“Thank you for everything.” She said to him before leaving and he nodded his head, unable to say something else. She walked out of his door, a couple of steps away from him, then turned back and walked to him, quickly wrapping both of her arms around his torso in a short hug. At the action, Bucky’s breath hitched but he relaxed before she removed herself from him. “Goodbye.” Were her last words before she walked out, this time for good.

Year 2023, Mexico

All around her, dead bodies were scattered on the ground, yet she didn’t care at all about them. After all, it was what they deserved. Five years ago, she had chosen a very similar path to Clint, going after every bad guy she could get her hands on. After flipping her humanity off right in front of Steve she had slowly walked away from him, taking nothing with her when she left the compound.

Nobody had followed behind her, knowing very well neither one of them could make her change her mind. They had let her walk away without so much of a fight, all too tired to go after her.

“She’ll come back.” Tony had stated simply. “Whenever she’s ready.”

Now, five years and too many killings to count later, she still wasn’t planning to go back. Still not satisfied with all the blood she had in her hands. But she reasoned there was not enough blood in the world to make up for the life of Bucky. There were not enough lives, to make up for his death.

She threw her weapon on the floor, next to the dead bodies, and turned around to walk away as if everything was fine. This was her normal now. She was walking towards her bike, which she had parked at least a hundred feet away from the warehouse she had just destroyed, when she finally noticed him. As tall as she remembered him. As lean as always, broad shoulders and muscly arms rippling through the navy shirt he was wearing.

She stopped in her tracks, surprised to see him there after all this time. She knew the Avengers kept tabs on her location every time she moved, but up until now, none of them had come for her. And she was glad to keep it that way. But now, seeing Steve leaning on her bike so casually, she couldn’t help but wonder why he was there.

“Fancy seeing you here, Captain.” She spoke sarcastically, as if his presence there didn’t even bother her just a little.

“Time to come back home Y/n.” He said to her simply, as if he didn’t hear her sassy remark.

“I don’t have a home.” She replied just as nonchalantly as he spoke, and at that Steve couldn’t help but let out a dejected sigh.

“We can bring him back Y/n.” He finally said and she whipped her head up in his direction so fast she became dizzy. “We can bring Bucky and everyone back.” Despite the fact that she couldn’t feel anything, the mention of his name stirred something deep within her and she couldn’t speak another word anymore, lost in the moment, suddenly every memory she had with him rushing in her head.

Year 2015, Bucharest

It was 10 months later when she returned to Romania for the second time. After spending many months with the Avengers, working and living with them at the Tower, they had become some sort of a family to her. Weird and dysfunctional, but a family nonetheless. Wanda was one of her closest friends, their Hydra experiences something they could bond over, relating with each other more than with anybody else in the team. Other than her, Steve became a good friend, his quiet and polite self making way in her life slowly but surely.

After a long time talking with Steve about his past and his life before the war, Y/n finally gathered all the information she gave him and connected the dots in her head. The mysterious man from last year that had saved her life was none other than Bucky Barnes, Steve’s oldest friend. Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier. She didn’t dare say anything about it to Steve, but she decided to go back in Romania, hoping to find him again.

She thought about her mysterious hero whenever she would change her clothes and touch the puckered skin on her ribs that he had sewed. She often wondered how was he doing, what was going on with him, but never dared to go back to the place they had met.

Now, almost a year later and after learning who he really was, she had no other choice but to try and find him again. She knew it was a long shot trying to find him again after all this time, almost sure she would not find him in Bucharest anymore, but when she knocked on the door of his apartment she was surprised to find him there.

“Cine e?” He asked from the other side of the door and only when he heard her voice say her name, did he dare to unlock the door and open it, coming face to face with the woman he had seen too long ago for his liking. Despite the time that had passed, she looked still the same, her eyes still as kind and full of emotion as he remembered. “Y/n.” He breathed out her name. “What are you doing here?”

She didn’t answer right away, walking inside his apartment uninvited. If it bothered him, he didn’t say anything, he only closed the door behind her and locked it again.

She was looking around the place, almost everything was the same as the last time she had been there. His mattress was still on the corner of the room, a pillow and the same old comforter on it. After a few minutes of inspecting the place, she turned to face him, and finally managed to speak. “You’re Bucky Barnes.” She said matter-of-factly and his eyes widened at her words.

Here comes the bite in my ass, he thought to himself as she looked at him in a way he couldn’t quite decipher.

He stiffened as her eyes were glued on his face and as if she could read his thoughts, she spoke up again. “Don’t worry, nobody knows about you.”

“How did you find out?” He asked, visibly uncomfortable with the fact that she knew his identity.

“Steve. He talked so much about you and I connected the dots.” She explained. “It makes sense, you know. Why you don’t want to be found.” He only nodded his head at her, not knowing what else to say. He wasn’t sure if he could even believe her.

“Why are you here?”

“Honestly, I didn’t think I would find you here again, I was really surprised when you answered the door.” She let out a small breath before she began speaking again. “I have thought of you often during the last 10 months, but after talking to Steve and realizing who you were, I had to come back and see you again.” She confessed. It was noticeable it wasn’t easy for her to speak up those words, but the way she spoke them, with a sincerity in her tone, Bucky had no doubt in his mind anymore. He closed the distance with her in three short strides and placed his hand under her chin, tilting her head up to meet his eyes.

“Why?” He asked again.

Her eyes moved from his eyes to his lips, and she swallowed visibly. She wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable under his gaze, but it was somewhat intense. “I don’t know..” She started explaining, having a hard time finding the right words. “I guess, I just..”

He didn’t let her finish speaking, but slowly, allowing her the time to retreat if she wanted to, leaned his head down to meet their lips in a short and chaste kiss. He broke the contact too soon for her liking, and after another second of looking at each other’s eyes, she snaked her hand behind his neck and kissed his lips again, this time more determined.

All too soon, not even having the time to think of what was really happening, they found themselves rolling naked on the mattress on his floor, consumed by the passion in their bodies.

Her head was laying on his chest, bodies covered in a thin layer of sweat, but neither one caring about it. Their bodies and souls finally sated and satisfied, they laid next to each other, his metal fingers running delicately through her hair.

“Now what?” She asked after a long time in silence, not bearing to listen the thrum of her own heart anymore.

“I don’t know.” He answered sincerely, and she agreed with him. She didn’t know either. But that was okay.

Year 2023, New York

Returning with Steve was the best decision she could make. Her humanity was still flipped off when she arrived at the compound after all those years and she didn’t really feel anything when she met her friends, Tony, Rhodey, Natasha but she hugged them as if she had missed them. She guessed, underneath all of the hard exterior of this whole non-humanity thing, she truly had missed them. She had missed being in their presence, she had missed having them in her life, she just couldn’t feel it.

She had gone back in time at the battle of New York with Steve’s team, working with a very confused Scott to retrieve the mind stone. Steve sent her back to the compound with Scott, while he and Tony had to make another jump in time after failing with the Tesseract.

“So you’re like a soulless witch?” He had asked her at some point and Y/n only laughed at his question, not answering at all. Scott was a weird character, she concluded, but he meant well. She had met him briefly during the Civil War between the Avengers, at the airport in Germany, but at that time she was too busy thinking about getting Bucky to safety, rather than focusing on Scott or anyone else.

After that second time she had gone to Bucharest, her visits became more frequent, until she would stay several weeks with him, hidden away from the rest of the world. Every time she returned to him, she felt herself falling deeper in love with the man, and she could finally begin to control her switching-on. Her humanity was connected with her love for Bucky and now instead of a black out, it only took the touch of his hand, or the sound of his voice, for her to get back in touch with her emotions, flipping her humanity on again.

Bucky was the only person to bring her back to her senses, to bring back her feelings, her emotions, her human self. After the events of the Civil War, when he could finally live a calm life in Wakanda, he had asked her to stay there with him and she had happily agreed, knowing no other place as home but a place next to him. And they had lived a calm and happy life until Thanos happened, and he took her happiness away, he took her love, her life away.

“I still don’t feel well Bucky.” She said unsure, her head resting on his shoulder. Something had been nagging her the entire day and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Her emotions never deceiving her. They had been living together in Wakanda for almost two years, happy to spend the time away from everyone else, away from the fights and the aliens, away from the rushed life of the big cities. They were happy to live near the forest, with a beautiful lake so close to them they could run up to it and bathe together.

“Don’t worry baby, I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe your emotions are acting up after that last mission.” He tried to reassure her that everything was alright, that they were safe. “Come on, let’s go feed the goats.” He nuzzled her nose with his and pecked her lips before getting up and out of the hut they both shared, knowing she would follow behind him.

He was moving the hay around when T'Challa came with his guards, and a box containing his new vibranium arm. Y/n’s breath hitched when she saw it, the blood leaving her body in horror. She knew what was coming for them. They both knew.

“Where’s the fight?” Was all Bucky said and she couldn’t help but shiver at how calm he sounded.

Now, as she stood beside Steve, ready to face the army of aliens one last time, she couldn’t help but be amazed at the sight of people coming out of the magical portals of Doctor Strange. She saw King T'Challa with Shuri and Okoye come out from the first portal, with the entire Wakandan army behind them. From another portal came out Doctor Strange, The Guardians, Peter Parker. She was looking around frantically, waiting for the moment she’d see him, and when her eyes met his figure, her breath hitched.

“Steve…” She whispered to the Captain in a small voice and he only rested his hand on her shoulder, still stunned from what was happening.

The fighting was long and it seemed as if it wouldn’t end, until Tony snapped his own fingers, making Thanos and his entire army vanish. However, there was no time to be happy, because at that same time, they lost Tony. Everyone knelt in front of him, as a sign of respect for his ultimate sacrifice.

They were paying the last respects to him at the lake house when she felt herself fall. After seeing Bucky’s face again, so close to her, almost touchable, her humanity had flipped back on and she hadn’t even notice, until she fell down on the ground, crippled by the unbearable weight of emotions. Five years worth of emotions and feelings rushing in her heart and body, making it impossible for her to breathe, almost suffocating her.

Steve was the first to run in her direction, scooping her up in his arms and moving her inside the cabin. Bucky could only look at her from the distance, not knowing how to act.

It was only the next day when she woke up, still weak and tired, but at least the color had returned to her cheeks and she was able to breathe normally. As soon as she opened her eyes she was met with Steve’s soft features staring down at her.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” He asked her in a voice that was almost as soft as the way he was looking at her. She could only groan in pain, unable to answer. “It’s okay, you should take it easy.” He said after a moment.

“Where’s Bucky?” She asked a moment later, her voice strained and weak.

Steve looked behind his back and she moved her eyes to follow his line of sight too. When her eyes turned to the door of the room she was in, she could finally see him standing, almost leaning on the door frame, as if trying to make himself smaller. Her breath hitched at the sight of him and Steve turned his attention towards her again. “You need to calm down. Everything is okay now, but you need to calm down if you want to be able to meet him. You’re still weak and you shouldn’t overwhelm yourself with feelings.

He knew what he was asking her to do was impossible, for many reasons. One of them, it was Bucky who he was talking about, she couldn’t avoid feeling those emotions even if she wanted to. Another one being the fact that she had her humanity flipped off for too long, it would take her a long time to recover anyway.

"Please..” She could only breathe out, hoping Steve would understand what she wanted, and thankfully he did. Bucky walked towards her bed in short, unsure steps and moved to the other side of her, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed she was laying in. She moved to sit up, finally being able to snake her arms around his neck and hold him close to her body. Bucky moved up his own arms, wrapping them around her torso securely, breathing her in.

“O-oh God!” She choked on the words and she held him impossibly close to her, feeling her tears run freely down her cheeks, staining her skin and also the shirt he was wearing, but neither of them seemed to mind.

“It’s over.” He whispered in her ear, assuring her that he was really there. “It’s finally over baby doll. We’re okay.” He kept saying, petting her hair softly and keeping her close to his body.

She could feel her heart beat steadily in her chest, and she could feel his heart beat too, convincing her of his presence, and she could finally breathe. They could both finally breathe.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes one shot #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes imagines

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ellewritesathing · 4 years

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Infernal - IV

Summary: In your sleepy little town of Greendale, nothing ever slept for long. And ever since October, everything felt like it was waking up. Everything except for you, that is. One teensy trip to Hell (and an infuriatingly cute guy) later and suddenly you felt wide awake.

Word-count: 5.5k+

Masterlist Prev. | Part 4

A/N: okay okay i know you guys hate cliffhangers and i’m sorry!! hopefully this makes up for it tho 👀👀 also i’m working on some other caliban fics to post once this series is over, would you guys still like to be tagged in those??

tumblr’s formatting has been shit these past few days as well, and i think i’ve gotten most of it ironed out but let me know if there’s anything i missed!

“When she comes back to life, she won’t be scarred, will she?” Harvey asked. His voice was still full of concern, but it was softer now. A quiet kind of anxiety.

“She will not,” Caliban said.

“Oh, that’s a relief,” Sabrina breathed.

You had to admit, looking at Roz all broken and put back together again was unsettling. Not any more unsettling than finding out your mom was a demon and your dad was a psychic (maybe?), but unsettling nonetheless.

“What do we do now?” you asked, arms folded over your chest and leg bouncing to distract from how uncomfortable you felt.

“You say the spell, but first, you make your offering,” Caliban explained. Eyes rolling over from Sabrina to you. He seemed to zero-in on your nerves like a hawk would a field mouse.

“To whom?” Sabrina asked.

“Aphrodite or Eros,” Caliban said.

“What am I offering?” Harvey asked.

“Your love for Rosalind,” Caliban said. “Give it up, and she’ll be restored to flesh.”

“Give it up? What are you talking about?” Harvey asked.

“Aphrodite is the goddess of love,” Caliban said. “She’ll grant your wish, but demands your heart’s desire: Rosalind.” He looked down at the statue of your friend. “Vow to forsake your truest love, then to complete the spell … kiss her. She’ll restore to flesh once more. But if you betray your vow - if you kiss her again - she’ll return to stone and will remain that way until the end of days.”

“Wait, no! Harvey, there has to be some other kind of offering,” Sabrina said, reaching out to comfort him.

“It’s a Pygmalion spell,” you said. Your voice was still full of anger, so you made a conscious effort to soften it. Taking a breath, you went on, “The myth is that to bring his statue to life, he gave up sculpting. His true love. So there isn’t really a way around that.”

“Exactly,” Caliban said. You hadn’t met his gaze when he cataloged your unease before, but now you accidentally caught his eye. Your leg stopped bouncing. Your anger flickered for a moment. “Love for life.”

“I’ll do it,” Harvey said, not leaving any room to talk him out of it. He walked towards Caliban and took the paper from his hand.

“Say the words to Aphrodite and give her a kiss,” Caliban said.

Harvey knelt down and said some heartbreaking words that you wished you hadn’t overheard before saying the spell written on the piece of paper. He gave her a kiss but nothing changed. She was still stone.

“Nothing happened!” he said, looking up.

“Caliban?” Sabrina asked, sounding equal parts accusatory and panicked.

“His offering was rejected,” Caliban said.

“What does that mean?” Harvey asked. “Why?”

“You must not truly love her,” Caliban said, like it was obvious. Unexpected, tragic, but obvious.

“That’s bullshit!” Harvey got to his feet, squaring up in front of Caliban.

“Oh, crap,” you mumbled as you uncrossed your arms and moved around Roz to get to Harvey. You slipped your hands around his arm but it didn’t stop him from simmering in place. “Harvey, calm down.”

“Aphrodite would only accept your heart’s true desire,” Caliban said, either unbothered by Harvey’s anger or uncaring toward it. Still, he pushed. “That must not be Rosalind. Must be something or someone else.”

“Shut the hell up!” Harvey yelled as he slipped out of your hands. In one quick motion, he grabbed the collar of Caliban’s shirt and threw him against the wall.

“Harvey, enough!” you yelled. You maneuvered your way between them and outstretched your hands, one palm splayed on Caliban’s yellow t-shirt and your other fingers pointing dangerously at Harvey as Sabrina pulled him a few feet back.

“What does he know? Him and his bullshit spell,” Harvey spat. “How do we know if any of this is real?”

“Why would I lie?” Caliban asked. His heartbeat was slow and steady under your hand, more interested in your intervention than Harvey’s outburst.

“Harvey,” you warned before he could say anything else. Sabrina’s attention slipped for a second and Harvey’s hand got free. He got ready to aim it at Caliban. Your voice was sharp as knives and twice as deadly as you snapped, “Harvey, drop it.”

He looked at you for a second before unclenching his fist. The frown on his face deepened as he collected himself. Sure, you picked on him the most out of your friends, but you were always the first one on his side in a fight. You weren’t sure if your shifting alliance was making him frown or the fact that he’d actually listened to you.

“I should kick your ass,” Harvey mumbled, looking over your head to Caliban again.

“Try it again and I’ll grind every bone in your body to sand,” Caliban said, tone back to being vaguely threatening and unhelpful as he straightened up under your hand.

You pushed him back slightly and turned to tell him to knock it off, but Sabrina’s voice stopped you. “Tell us what, Robin?” she asked, clearly having a conversation that you weren’t listening to.

“Among the pagans, there’s that witch, Circe,” Robin explained. “The one that turned your friends into pigs? She has powerful magicks of transformation. She could turn your friend back into flesh.”

“For someone who’s trying to earn our trust, why would you only tell us this now?” Sabrina asked.

The lull in arguing made you very aware of how close you still were to Caliban. His heart continued to beat faithfully under your palm as yours rose in your chest. Taking a breath and a step back, you reached for Harvey’s hand in an attempt to put some distance between the two of you. Caliban gave you a curious look as your hand laced into Harvey’s, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly.

“No, it’s too dangerous,” Robin said, snapping you out of your thoughts. “I mean, Circe’s power resides in her hands. All she’d have to do is touch you, and she could turn you into any creature she’s ever seen before. And without magick, you’re no match against her.”

“I don’t have magick, it’s true,” Sabrina said. “But I know where I can borrow some.”

She told you about the hedge-witches and her plan to borrow their magic in order to attack the Carnival and bring Circe to the Academy. That way, she could fix Dorcas and Roz. How she was going to convince them to help her, you weren’t sure. You were tired of placing faith in people that didn’t deserve it.

“Okay, but I’m still going to look some stuff up,” you said when she was done. She gave you a hurt look as she readied herself to argue. “Brina, it’s not that I don’t think you can do this, but I don’t like putting all our hope in this one plan. That hasn’t really been working out for us lately.”

“Fair enough,” Sabrina said with a small sigh. “Ambrose is busy but you can look in the Academy’s library as much as you want.”

“Hell’s library is endless,” Caliban said, still leaning on the wall where you’d left him. He’d been so quiet that you’d almost forgotten he was there. Almost. “It’s knowledge is infinite. If there’s another way to return Rosalind to flesh, it’s in there. Not in some coven book club.”

“You’re inviting me to Hell?” you asked. Your voice betrayed you by sounding too interested.

“Only if my queen allows it,” Caliban said, gaze moving to Sabrina. His voice didn’t.

Looking next to you, you found Sabrina pulling a face. She didn’t like Hell at the best of times, and you doubted this qualified. “You’ll protect her from whatever’s down there?”

“As if my life depends on it,” Caliban promised.

“Oh, it does,” Sabrina said before turning to look at you. She cupped your hands in hers before giving you a warning. “Be careful and don’t listen to a word he says.”

“Trust me, that’s not gonna be a problem,” you said with a sigh as you looked over to Caliban. He wore an amused smirk as he held his hand out to you.

“Shall we?”

Against your better judgment, you put your hand in his. It was warm, hard in some places and soft in others, and the only thing you focused on as the hellfire burned the edges of vision and the world gave way beneath you.

---

“You know, this would go a lot quicker if you helped instead of just looking at me like that,” you said, not looking up from the millionth book you’d taken out that night.

But he wasn’t looking. He was studying you under a microscope and you were trying not to squirm. Curious.

When you’d gotten here, the first few minutes had been painful retching - hell was not made for humans. Then they were nervous butterflies and shaky hands - you were not made for the attention Caliban gave you. Then they were frantic sprints from shelf to shelf - hell’s library was not made for someone with a very specific problem.

“I’m admiring,” Caliban corrected, leaning closer in his chair. “For instance, did you know that when you’re focused, your forehead creases right there?” He touched the spot between your eyes, just next to your eyebrow. “Exactly like it’s doing now.”

You took a breath and slammed the book shut on the table, turning to give him a harsh look. “Did you know that when I’m annoyed, I have a nasty habit of choking nearby demons?”

“Is that a promise?” he asked, not having moved an inch from where he leaned in to touch your face. The two of you were so close now that it felt like there wasn’t enough air. His eyes dropped to your lips. A second passed and all he did was shake his head and collapse back in his chair. “The Pygmalion spell had the greatest chance of curing your friend, any of the spells we find now are likely to be too obscure to hold any practical weight.”

“Then why did you bring me here?” you asked, actively trying to put out the fire inside you and not be the first to look away.

“I have to admit that my motives were purely self-serving,” Caliban said as he stretched out, hands interlacing behind his head and elbows spread wide. “I wanted to spend some time with the person who risks not one, but two trips to Hell for her friends. Is that such a problem?”

“Considering you want to dethrone my best friend and enslave everyone I’ve ever met, I’m going to go with yes,” you said. You didn’t think that you could take him looking at you like that any longer, so you started piling books together to shelve later. A petty defeat.

“What if that was something I no longer wanted to do?” Caliban asked, sounding genuinely interested in your answer.

“You’d forfeit your claim to be king?” you asked, hands frozen in the air over a book of ancient curses.

“Hardly,” Caliban scoffed. You shook your head, telling yourself that you knew better, and kept piling up books. “But I’d be a more benevolent ruler.”

Disappointment warped into anger again. Your shoulders bunched up as you turned to him, and you tugged them back down as you threw the books in your hand back onto the table. “Yeah, of course, you think that’s better. That it makes all this better! You know, that’s your problem. You and Harvey are the exact same, you know that? You’re both so full of-”

“Shh.” Caliban raised a finger to his lips, looking around, which only made you angrier. Screw him for thinking he could tell you what to do. You were about to start snapping at him again when he whispered, “There’s something in here with us.”

Your arms fell back to your sides as you quieted down. You couldn’t see anything as you looked around the room, but the shadows seemed to grow darker. Darker and darker. They swirled into unnatural shapes as something rasped around you, wind blowing the pages back and forth on the table in front of you.

A plague upon all mortals who enter Hell.

It wasn’t so much spoken as it was whispered directly into your head, rattling around angrily as it ransacked your skull.

Death to the daughter of the winged and taloned demon of the night.

Caliban grabbed your hand so quickly that you barely had time to process the words he muttered furiously as the shadows crept closer. He pressed his other hand to the open book on the table as he finished and everything melted into a familiar white light.

You were retching on the edge of a forest by the time your sight came back again. Clutching onto Caliban’s yellow t-shirt to keep your balance, you tried to stand up straight again.

“What the hell was that?” you asked, still out of breath as you frowned at your surroundings. You didn’t recognize any of the trees or the way the land crested and fell to knit together. “And where are we?”

“Those were the wraiths of reapers,” Caliban said. He held onto your arms to keep you upright as he assessed the forest in front of you. He looked back down at you, a little more coldly than you were used to. “I told you that day on the shores to be careful in Hell or you’d draw something out.”

“It’s not like I was trying to!” you snapped, anger giving you the strength to push him away and stand on your own. You shot him a glare and crossed your arms over your chest.

“Could have fooled me,” he said. Anger tinged his words and you pulled back slightly. Cold was one thing but anger was another. “With such a dark cloud around you, it’s amazing you didn’t call the hounds themselves on us.”

“Okay, you know what, why don’t you just-” A sharp pain shot through your head and your threat died on your lips. You took a breath and rubbed your face. Humans weren’t made for back-to-back teleporting. But you weren’t human anymore, were you? “Let’s just try to get out of here in one piece, alright? Now, where exactly is here?”

Caliban clenched his jaw and his gaze flicked back to the forest before settling on you again. “When the wraiths appeared, the quickest way to get out of here was to place us in the safe haven of the spellbook. The only problem is that with all the wind … I'm not sure where we ended up.”

“Well, what was the book about?” you asked, shifting your weight from foot to foot as you looked around the forest. You couldn’t tell if the forest felt wrong because something was off or because of how things were between you and Caliban.

“Petrifaction in Greek myths,” Caliban answered. “So chances are we’re either in the myth of Pygmalion-”

“Or Medusa?” you guessed, eyes settling on his. He nodded and you bit the inside of your cheek. “So how do we get out of here?”

“We wait for the story to run its course,” he said. “We don’t have to get involved?” you asked hesitantly. He shook his head and a knot in your upper back untangled. You could get out of this safely as long as you let Medusa turn some long-dead people to stone. It felt too easy. “Then let’s find a place to wait this out.”

You chose a direction and started walking, part of you waiting for Caliban to say something and another relieved that he was letting you walk in silence. It gave you the chance to think about everything Lilith told you earlier.

“The cloud is starting to come back,” Caliban warned after maybe an hour of walking. “Are you going to tell me about what’s bothering you or are we going to wait and see what comes out of these woods?”

“I’ll take my chances with the wolves,” you said, looking at him over your shoulder. He cut the nonchalant smile you threw at him in half.

“No.” Caliban caught your arm before you could swing it back around and then stopped walking. “We’ve got nowhere else to hide if something comes after us.”

Maybe it was his steely resolve or the fact that he actually did seem concerned under that well-worn apathetic safety blanket of an expression, but you felt some part of you cave. You couldn’t tell him about Lilith - you couldn’t tell anyone about Lilith - but maybe you could talk about something else.

“What did you talk to Sabrina about when you went to Hell?” Caliban leaned back slightly and frowned for a second before recovering.

“That’s what this is about?” he asked. He must have realised that his voice came out too gently because then he added, “It almost sounds like you’re jealous, love.”

“I knew this was pointless,” you scoffed, looking him dead in the eye as you pulled your arm back. “And I’m not jealous, by the way, I’m frustrated.”

“Sexually?” You rolled your eyes and ignored the heat in your cheeks as you started walking again. A pretty trainwreck was still a trainwreck, and you had no desire to buy a ticket to ruin. Well, you had a little desire, but you stomped it down.

“I asked her to marry me.”

You stopped dead in your tracks, but you didn’t turn back to look at him.

“The challenges would end, balance would be restored.” The undergrowth crunched as he closed the distance between you, slowly and deliberately. “We’d wipe out the pagans and your life would go back to the way it was.”

A final crunch as he stopped next to you - waiting for you to say something, probably - and lifted a hand to move the hair off your neck. Slow, deliberate sparks skated across your neck where his fingers touched. If he saw the necklace, he didn’t say anything.

“That is still what you want, isn’t it?” You turned to look at him, accidentally making his hand cup your neck in the process, and said in your well-worn apathetic security blanket of a voice, “Let’s find shelter before the sun sets.”

Something flashed across his face, but all Caliban did was take a step back and let his hand fall to his side. “As you wish.”

He was infuriating.

After what felt like another eternity of walking, Caliban stopped, holding a finger to his lips. It sent shivers down your spine, reminding you of when he did the same thing in Hell’s Library. He nodded his head to the man on the other side of the lake.

Caliban dropped his head to whisper in your ear, “You were right about being in the tale of Medusa, but we were wrong about which part that is.”

“So where are we?” you asked quietly, doing your best to keep focused on the fact that he wanted to marry your best friend and not on the fact that his lips were dangerously close to your face.

“Just before the end. Where Perseus slays her and returns a god among men,” Caliban said, turning his head to look at you. So close.

“What?” you whisper-yelled, moving back in the process to look at the guy across the lake. There was no way that guy, with armor too big for him who still hadn’t noticed your presence, was going to slay Medusa. Caliban rolled his eyes at the dramatics of your outburst. “We can’t let him kill her.”

“Why not?” he asked. “The sooner it happens, the sooner I get back to Hell and you get back to your friends.”

“Because she didn’t deserve this. Any of this.” You gestured vaguely at the forest she’d been exiled to. “Poseidon was the one who raped her in Athena’s temple, but Medusa was the one who got cursed while he just got to go back to surfing or whatever the hell it is he does.” You shook your head. “We’re stopping this.”

“Y/N,” Caliban warned. “Messing with time is a dangerous thing.”

The warning was earnest enough, but that didn’t stop you from leaning in and giving him a once over before saying in a low voice, “I thought you had an affinity for dangerous things.”

He seemed dismayed for a moment. Clearly, whatever he expected you to say wasn’t nearly as manipulative as it had been, and you couldn’t tell if he was impressed or betrayed by the change of heart.

“If we intervene-” his voice was soft, like he was trying on a new way of talking to you “-we may be stuck in this time forever. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?”

You didn’t know how to answer, but something in your face must have indicated that you were on board with the risk because Caliban took a breath and continued.

“You need to do everything I say, and you can’t go off on your own. Understand?”

“Don’t step off the road, got it.”

Caliban looked at you with another inexplicable expression - maybe because you wanted to intervene, maybe because you were echoing words from the first conversations you’d ever shared - before heading off in the direction of the soldier.

“Excuse me, traveler.” His voice boomed in the near-silent forest and you held your breath. “My betrothed and I seem to be lost. Could you spare a moment to guide us out of this infernal wood?”

Perseus straightened as Caliban spoke, the mental assessment of the situation clear on his face. You shrunk behind Caliban, trying to hide your jeans and sweatshirt and anything else that didn’t belong in this time period behind his jeans and t-shirt and anything else that didn’t belong in this time period. But everything about Caliban fit, no matter where (or when) he was.

“Afraid not, sir,” he said, deciding that the oddness of your appearance wasn’t worth the risk. “I’m on a predestined quest. Best of luck on your travels.”

Perseus started collecting his things to walk away but Caliban leaned down and put out a hand, careful not to make physical contact with him. While Perseus focused on the outstretched hand, Caliban touched the helmet on the ground with his other hand. “Tell us about your quest, soldier.”

“The demon Medusa has nested in these woods. I’ve been tasked with hunting her down by the gods,” Perseus said. His face was set in a hard line, his knuckles white around the satchel in his hand.

“Surely there have been others who’ve tried to slay the Gorgon,” Caliban said, laying on the demonic charm like only a boy with his bone structure could.

“None like me,” Perseus said with a knowing smile. “Now, I’ll be on my way. Careful through the woods.”

“Of course,” Caliban said, taking a step back and holding both hands palm-up to show he meant no harm.

Though you couldn’t see it from behind his back, you knew he was giving Perseus that smile that meant he knew something the receiver didn’t. Neither of you moved as Perseus shouldered his belongings and disappeared into the trees.

You smacked his arm lightly as Caliban turned to look at you again. “What was that?” you whispered angrily. “That wasn’t stopping him!”

“You’ll remember Perseus was given three gifts to complete his quest,” Caliban said, in a way that (correctly) implied that you didn’t remember. “That was stealing the most important one.” He closed his eyes and held out his hands. When he opened them again, there was Perseus’ banged up helmet. “Hades’ helm of invisibility.”

“Now what?” you asked, voice quiet. The anger had completely dissipated from your voice; it had to or it would break whatever held the helmet together.

Caliban smiled at you as he lifted the helmet over your head. He eased it down slowly, making a clear attempt not to tug at your hair. “Now we follow him straight to the Gorgon.”

---

Even though he seemed very sure of himself, you weren’t entirely sure Caliban knew what he was doing. He kept checking over his shoulder to make sure you were still there but he was met with the emptiness of the forest instead. After the first two attempts to see where you were, you reached out and curled your fingers around his to let him know you were right there.

There. Now we won’t look suspicious.

I’m afraid that ship has sailed, love.

Then he stopped walking and raised a finger to his lips, a gesture you were slowly starting to find more endearing than annoying. “Perseus has reached the mouth of the cave,” he whispered. “Stay here and I’ll put an end to this.”

“How will you stop him on your own?” you asked, tightening your grip on his hand when he tried to slip out of your grasp.

“You almost sound concerned,” Caliban said, annoying smile forming on his face again as he tilted his head. You were glad he couldn’t see you blush under the helmet. “Have faith, love, I’ll be back soon.”

If you didn’t let him leave now, you’d never live it down. Hesitantly, you let go of his hand and watched him start towards the cave, wringing out your hands as you did. How were you supposed to wait here when rule number one was to stay together?

Technically, you thought to yourself, rule number one was to do as Caliban said, but that was never going to happen and you both knew it. Deciding that not splitting up was more important, you started following after him before you lost your nerve.

When you eventually made it to the cave, you found Caliban and Perseus in the middle of a fistfight. Caliban dodged a blow from the sword, but it left him open to Perseus’ attack with his shield.

“Yield, heretic!” Perseus yelled as he knocked Caliban to the floor.

“Oh, piss off,” Caliban spat, clearly unconcerned about the sword aimed at his chest as he started pushing himself to his feet.

You, however, were very concerned that Perseus looked ready to run him through, so you rushed forward and slammed his arm with your elbow. You managed to knock the sword out of his grip. He didn’t seem to process it for a second, but then he growled, “That helmet belongs to me, thief.”

Perseus lunged at you, and you were caught off-guard by the accuracy of his attack. He grabbed you by the throat and had you pinned against the wall. Only a few seconds passed while he strangled the life out of you, but they were a few too many before Caliban skewered Perseus with his own sword.

He choked out a few asphyxiated words as he dropped his hands to look at his wound, and you used his surprise to headbutt him into next week.

“Ow!” you whined, shaking your head as Perseus fell to the ground. “I thought the helmet was supposed to protect my head.”

“Helmets forged during the Titanomachy are hardly foolproof,” Caliban said, stepping over Perseus’ body to check on you. Or at least, where he thought you were.

He was a few inches off, and your heart melted at his attempt to touch the empty air. Lifting your hands to his, you guided him to the side of the helmet. He slipped it off gently and his bloody face broke into a smile when his eyes met yours.

“Thanks for not letting him kill her,” you said quietly.

A voice in your head politely reminded you that Sabrina hated him.

“Thanks for not listening to me,” Caliban said.

You reminded the voice that Sabrina wasn’t here right now.

There was a moment where the two of you held the helm between you in silence, hands on fire at the touch. A moment where your heart raced and you hoped he’d do something more - where you thought he’d kiss you - but it disappeared as soon as the hissing started.

“Perseus lives,” a woman said as she stepped out from the darkness of the cave. There was something in her voice that you couldn’t place. “Despite your best effort, Prince of Clay.”

“Those really weren’t my best efforts,” Caliban said, lifting the helmet so quickly that your hands were still frozen in front of you as he set it back on your head. He shut his eyes once he was sure you were invisible.

“How noble. If I can’t see her, then I can’t turn her to stone,” Medusa cooed. You turned to look at her, praying that she was right and you wouldn’t turn into a statue. She was beautiful; soft, olive skin and round brown eyes, delicate hands and a striking face. The snakes in her hair seemed to think she was pretty, too. “But I can see you.”

“We mean you no harm,” Caliban said. There wasn’t quite fear in his voice, but there was clear apprehension. “Perseus will rot if not treated and his quest will die with him.”

“No, it won’t,” Medusa said. That’s when you realized what was in her voice: sadness. “There will be Perseuses as long as I petrify the ones I love. You’ve delayed this one but you haven’t stopped my fate, and you’ll be here for as long as it takes.”

“So what do you want us to do?” Caliban asked. He opened his eyes to look the spot you were supposed to be, to make sure that you knew he was asking you, even if he spoke to Medusa. Your voice caught in your throat. “Do we go free? Leave the woods and start new lives - together?”

Medusa was close enough to you now that she reached out a perfect hand and ran a finger along his jaw. “To return home, you need to kill me,” she said, choosing not to entertain the idea of you running away together. What a nice idea it had been. “A death with dignity is better than what these heroes have in store.”

“The whole point of this was to make sure you wouldn’t die,” you argued before you could stop yourself. You didn’t know why; you needed to go home, but you still wanted something more. Medusa deserved something more.

“Everything dies, daughter of night,” Medusa said. She gazed where you should have been, but her eyes found nothing but the cave walls. “And everything gets reborn, if you wait long enough.”

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Caliban asked, already gripping the sword in his hands.

“Yes,” she said. She took a step back and closed her eyes so Caliban could look at her safely.

“Caliban, you can’t-”

“Don’t fear for me, little one,” Medusa said. Her snakes hissed in your direction as she comforted you. “You’ll see me again.”

You didn’t know what else to say as Caliban raised Perseus’ sword. With one great swing, he cut off her head. The snakes’ scream shrieked in your skull as the cave faded into white, distorting everything around you again.

“Y/N?” Caliban asked once you were back in Hell’s library. The reaper wraiths were long gone, books torn apart and strewn throughout the room. He called out for you again, this time louder and more frantic and snapping you out of your stupor.

“I’m here, Caliban,” you said, taking off the helmet and reaching out to him. “I’m right here.”

He was still bloody and bruised, but relief flooded his face as he looked at you. “I feared I lost you to the pages in the book,” he said. His voice was softer than you’d ever heard it.

“You almost sound concerned,” you said, tilting your head just like he had earlier.

Caliban smiled like he knew something you didn’t and looked down at the sword in his hands, both covered in blood from the gashes in his forearms. “Perhaps I should take you back to your friends before the wraiths return,” he said, taking slow, deliberate steps towards you.

“Perhaps,” you repeated, shifting the helmet to one hand and closing the distance between you.

Looking up at him, you were asking him to do something. Daring him to make a move. Challenging him to let you know he felt. All these questions, and you asked them without words.

He was looking down at you, too. Challenging you in his own, infuriating way.

“Would you really have run away with me back there?”

Your words hung in the air for a moment before Caliban lifted a bloody hand to the side of your face.

Sabrina hated him.

“Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing.”

He was looking at your lips, fingers light as they kissed your cheek.

“I asked you first.”

You looked at his lips, fingers less delicate as they rose to his chest.

“Yes, you did.”

Sabrina wasn’t here right now.

Part 5

Tag List: @peachesandknives @caliban-is-my-girl @t-a-i-l-o-r-m-a-d-e @music-movies @miss--moose @marrypuffsstuff @harryscarolinaa @igorsbby @foji2000 @mschfavngz @artaxerxesthegreat @thxmagic @luquincy @xealia @hotmessindisguise @olivia-west-allen

#caliban #caliban imagine #caliban x reader #infernal #chilling adventures of sabrina #caos #caos rewrite

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third-rail-vip · 4 years

Photo

Complicated

Summary:

It’d be killing two birds with one stone, she’d said. MacCready glared at the crinkled, blackened leaves of the fern sticking out of his duster pocket. His duster, which like the rest of him, was currently chest deep in stinking marsh water, facing a cluster of ferals.

Ivy and MacCready's trip to take on the Gunners is stopped in its tracks by a poor judged detour. Mac gets hurt, but he's never been very good at being cared for.

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 5625 [AO3 link] [Then I Met You - Series Link]

Mud-clouded, irradiated marsh water burned into his nose, filled his throat, and tried to force its way into his lungs.

And as if drowning wasn’t bad enough, a close second in the ranking of bad-to-worse was the gouging pain of claw-like nails burying themselves deep into his back, forcing him under water as they tried to tear chunks out of him.

A dull thought overtook him as the last of the breath left his lungs; he was going to die here.

--x--

The chill of cold water was replaced by a brief but biting gust of wind as a door clicked shut. MacCready stirred, floorboards shifted as he flexed his back and shoulders, which turned out to be the worst idea he could have possibly had - pain radiated from his left shoulder like fracturing glass.

He hissed through his teeth, taking a sharp breath in and sending a fresh wave across his body, briefly reigniting the burning sensation in his lungs. Waking up from a nightmare was supposed to be a relief, not just another chapter of discomfort.

MacCready kept his eyes scrunched closed. There was light beyond the barrier of his eyelids, low but warm. If it hadn’t been for the dull headache starting to tap away between his eyes like water torture, it might even have been welcoming.

“Shhh, shh, shh,” a voice murmured close by. “You’re okay.”

First things first, when you woke up somewhere strange, it was always best to keep your eyes shut. There was a lot you could learn when people didn’t know you were awake. Things that could keep you alive if you weren’t somewhere safe.

He took a breath in through his nose; the cold December breeze cut through the old damp scent of the room, it carried with it the smell of vegetables (tatos probably) and manure – he grimaced, trying to hide the expression of regret at his deep inhale. So, it was a farm. He listened carefully, the lows of brahmin and the quiet chatter of voices confirmed enough for him – the only danger he faced here was boredom.

As his apprehension dwindled further, he realised it was Ivy’s voice offering the soft reassurances – of course it was – and he could only assume it was her who’d just gently brushed his hair back from his sweat-damp forehead. The tender motion would be enough to lull him back to sleep if he let it, but he wasn’t ready to be drowning in his mind again, or to watch Lucy pulled to pieces, or to be yelling for his missing partner. No, it was time to wake up.

His vision was blurry when he eventually peeked his eyes open, the dull glow of an oil lantern was the only thing beating back the shadows of early evening. It’s illumination barely reached the wooden slatted ceiling he found himself staring up at.

He was laid on a mouldy old sleeping bag in a small room with broken windows, but that didn’t exactly narrow down locations when it came to the Commonwealth. Glancing out the window, the faint remnants of orange warming the darkness on the horizon told him the sun hadn’t long set.

Sat next to him, lantern light shafting through her hair and casting her face in shadow, was his partner. He smiled to himself at the halo effect doing its best to make her look like an angel – if angels sat there drinking Nuka-Cherry with a cute little crinkle on their nose from their patented ‘worry frown’.

Quick check for his other essentials; his sniper rifle was propped up in the corner by the lamp, which sat on the same small table as his hat. He reached up and patted his top pocket and felt the reassuring bulk of the toy soldier. Everything was where it should be.

“So, did I die or is this just my guardian angel coming to pay me a visit?” he croaked, with a throat drier than wasteland dirt.

“Hey you.” Ivy swiped the heel of her palm across her eye, before pushing a smile onto her lips and turning to look at him. “You had me worried there.”

Crap. He really did. That light tone didn’t hold any weight with him, he could hear the waver in her voice, see the tension in her smile. She’d hired him to make sure this kind of thing didn’t happen, but all it took was ferals and he was failing people all over again.

Now the light shone on her properly, the scratches on her face (earned in a fight he was nowhere near to help her with) put his heart into a vice-like grip.

They didn’t look as bad as before, there wasn’t blood all over her face anymore, for one thing. In fact, her hair was damp but back to it’s usual creamy white – no more essence of marsh water – and her rolled down vault suit showed she’d swapped into a clean tank top.

Come to think of it, when they’d arrived at Oberland Station it had only just been getting dark. Yes, he remembered where they were now - a cluster of shacks and a signal box huddled by the railroad tracks and surrounded by tato plants. He also remembered the welcoming committee, armed with pipe pistols and a whole heap of mistrust.

The pair of them had been caught off guard on the tracks, Ivy still in his arms – the vice tightened another twist. They were soaked, bleeding and, unless the settlers expected him to hurl his injured partner at them, they were unarmed.

He’d been about to give them the biggest f-ing piece of his mind, when the world that had started to spin around him, decided to turn out the lights.

“How long—”

“You’ve been out for a couple of hours.” Ivy hugged her knees to her chest and nodded to the IV he hadn’t even noticed in his arm. “You’re on your second bag.”

A bag of Radaway was hung up using the bedstead as a makeshift drip-stand. It had almost run through. On the ground nearby was another spent bag and an empty blood pack.

Shit. Well that would explain the headache, the dizziness and the nausea, not the mention the fever. There were only two things in the wasteland that’d do that to you; a whole heck of a lot of rads, or a couple of sips of Vadim’s moonshine.

“They let us stay, huh?” He hoped his smile could pass for something warmer than a grimace. “I wouldn’t have guessed from that reception.”

Ivy sighed and raised an eyebrow at his salty remark.

“Well, you passing out and dropping me like a sack of potatoes… tatos? Is there an equivalent?” She frowned for a second, adjusting the grip on her knees and shifting her weight to the other hip. “Anyway, I think it helped our case.”

Mac smiled. He liked her tangents, when her old world and his new one got jumbled up in her head and knocked her train of thought off the tracks. Her mental meanders had tested his patience back when they first met, but now he found it soothing to watch her puzzle things out.

Ivy leant forward and pressed the back of her hand against his forehead. Her fingers were cool – a welcome relief he hadn’t realised he needed until they soothed some of the heat in his skin.

“Your temperature’s coming back down, at least.” The last of the Radaway had run its course, so she slipped the drip from his arm. “How are you feeling?”

MacCready sat up – big mistake. The room spun violently around him, dragging a sickening groan from his lips. If Ivy hadn’t been there to grab his arms and steady him, he’d have slumped back down onto the sleeping bag.

Fat lot of good he was doing anyone in this state! Those goddamn ferals. He wanted to scream. Or shoot something. Or have a cigarette. Where were his damn cigarettes?

But he needed to keep his shit together.

“I feel like a herd of brahmin stomped on my head,” he griped, hoping he could at least manage to make her laugh. “What do you think, doc? Am I going to make it?”

She wasn’t even looking at him - wide-eyed, she was staring at his shoulder. Ever so slowly, she reached out and peeled the sleeping bag away from where blood had soaked it to his shoulder. He couldn’t hold in the pained cry when she did it.

--x--

He lined up another shot, taking two down with one bullet – a very nicely placed double headshot. Ordinarily he’d be singing his own praises, but this whole mess had the potential to go bad real fast. One tackle from a feral and he’d lost the upper ground, got separated from his partner and cut off from any hope of an easy retreat.

Once-upon-a-time, taking out ferals had been child’s play. Literally. He’d been at it since he was 10. He’d perfected the art of anticipating their shambling, diving movements. Could line up a shot with barely a glance, the same way he took down raiders and greenskins these days – it came as naturally to him as a heartbeat.

It was no boast when he claimed to be the ‘best shot in the Commonwealth’. If you asked MacCready, he was a modern-day Robin-fucking-Hood – except the beggared of the commonwealth could keep their mitts off his caps.

That had all changed four years ago, at least with the ferals it had. Now he had to focus – there was no winging this shit. He had to tell his hands to stop shaking, to count his breaths so he even remembered to take them. Every time those things showed up he had to ride the line between fear and rage - which might have been useful if he was wielding a baseball bat, but it was no damn good for a sniper.

His finger was slick on the trigger, and as much as he wished he could just blame it on the water, his palms were sweating. He bungled his second shot, it only winged the racing creature.

This was goddamn nightmare fuel.

The third shot came from the walkway above him.

“I could have got it,” he snapped, more harshly than he meant to, but this shit had got him on edge.

“I know.” Ivy didn’t even bicker back at him.

She was scared. And alone.

But he’d thank anything that’d listen that she had a good eye - he admired the clean shot between the eyes of the feral before it sank beneath the water - and that her aim was getting better every day. The trouble would come if she got overwhelmed and he couldn’t get to her.

Hell of a lot of good he was doing down here.

The pair had taken on ferals before, but not in this number and he’d not left her side the whole time. This was different. There were so many - more rising up out of the water or scuttling across the rooftops at every turn. They were closer to the Glowing Sea here, but this was ridiculous. It was like someone had set up a feral summer camp and the damn things had waited for them to get right into the centre of town before attacking.

With barely a thought, he took down another feral as it rounded the corner ahead. It was easier if he just went on instinct, less time for thoughts of consequences - and the memories of old ones - to creep in.

MacCready patted his top pocket. Good, it was still there.

“I hate getting wet,” he moaned.

“I know.” Came the reply (after a few more gunshots), this time from a few roofs down, further back into the heart of the sunken village.

MacCready made to move forward in an attempt to keep pace with her, his feet dragging through deep silt. He’d barely made it a few yards before something heavy fell with a loud splash right behind him. He definitely didn’t have time to turn around before it was on him – teeth, nails, sheer weight dragging him down under the water.

--x--

“I’m so sorry.” Ivy’s voice was so small, her eyes were swimming when she looked at him. “I really fucked up.”

MacCready frowned, confused. It wasn’t her fault he’d bled all over the damn sleeping bag. The settlers would just have to get over it.

“I took us to that awful place and you got hurt,” her voice was growing more and more frantic until it finally cracked and tears spilled down her face. “When they dragged you under—”

Oh, Ives. Did she really think this was all her fault?

He leaned forward and caught the back of her neck, gently tugging her forwards until their foreheads touched. A startled gasp mingled with a sob when he did, her red-rimmed brown eyes looking straight into his brilliant blue gaze.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself for this,” he murmured. “Yeah, sh—stuff went wrong, but we made a heck of a team out there.”

“Mac, I thought I got you killed…”

This close together, with their gazes locked, even in that dark little room, he could see the scratch the knife had made down her eye. She must have come damn close to losing it. What kind of animal could do that to a sweetheart like her. He felt his temper bubbling up, but given it was 200 years too damn late, it was about as redundant as he’d been today.

“I’m a Capital Wasteland radroach,” he smiled, bumping the tip of his nose against hers. “It’ll take more than a few ferals to kill me.”

The words tasted like bile in the back of his throat, knowing they might well be true, but the same didn’t extend to the people he loved. But then, they weren’t for his benefit, and the intended recipient had almost laughed, which was definitely something.

“I am sorry tho—”

“Ah, ah. You saved my ass, angel. I’d be feral food if it wasn’t for you.”

It was true. It had been terrifyingly close.

Ivy bumped her nose against his before pulling away, shifting back into her spot against the wall, leaving him with an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach. Her tears had dried up, and she wiped away the remaining trickles from her cheeks with the heel of her palm.

MacCready dug in his pants’ pocket for his cigarettes, pulling one out only to watch it flop and snap. He hated water.

His partner giggled when he looked across at her, a pathetic sight with his packet of ruined cigarettes. Then she laughed, really laughed. The tension from moments before finding its way out in nervous energy.

Ivy laughing - really laughing - was a joy.

First, she’d fight to hold it in, but you’d see it building in her eyes. Then the corners of her mouth would twitch, her lips desperately wanting to break open into a grin, so she’d catch it behind a hand - both if it was especially bad - like, if he couldn’t see the smile, he hadn’t won the game of making her laugh. Tears like diamonds flecked with mascara would form in the corners of her eyes and trickle down her cheeks.

He'd happily sit there with half a cigarette hanging off his bottom lip if he got to watch that sight.

Once her giggles had faded, she filled a cup with purified water for him. It’d be more soothing for his throat than a cigarette anyway, just not for his nerves. Regardless, he downed the water in one and held his cup back out for a refill, big blue eyes pleading the same way dogmeat did anytime they were cooking something tasty. Ivy obliged.

“How about I take a look at that shoulder now?”

Whether he’d like her to or not, she was already digging in her pack for antiseptic and filling a small basin with more purified water.

--x--

Removing MacCready’s coat and shirt turned out to be more of a challenge than they’d anticipated. The fabric of both were either caught in the wound or dried to his skin, and the attempted removal of them left him chewing on the back of his hand.

The pair of them sat hip-to-hip, the small of Ivy’s back resting against his knee as she focussed on her work. Outside he could Diamond City Radio playing quietly from somewhere in the settlement. It showed how hard his partner was concentrating that she wasn’t even humming along. He let the strains of Billie Holliday wash over him and tried to think about anything other than the pain in his shoulder.

“Mac?”

Ivy cast a quick glance MacCready’s way between strokes of the damp cloth she was using to stop the dried blood clinging to the fabric.

“Hmm?” He tried to sound casual, like he hadn’t just been counting the freckles on the bridge of her nose. 23.

“What does RJ stand for?” She treated him to the little hopeful smile she usually reserved for shopkeepers and potential employers.

“Where did that come from?”

“I just wondered.” And you thought it’d distract me from thinking about my shoulder trying to pull itself apart. “I can’t believe I’ve never gotten around to asking before.”

“Oh, you have.”

He grinned at the confusion dawning into a half-memory on her face. He’d been just sober enough to remember the second agreement they made on Halloween night, when they first met in Goodneighbor – one shot per question.

It’s no wonder she couldn’t remember though. Most of his memories, other than a few of her more outlandish questions, revolved around those big, bright, buzzed eyes.

They’d been sprawled on opposite sofas in The Third Rail, half a bottle of whiskey – which she obviously couldn’t handle – down and she’d just asked him (as one of the 20 questions he’d limited her to) what the meaning of life was. He’d told her to shut up and drink. Then she’d tried for his name with so much mischief in those eyes and a smirk on her lips that he’d never quite been able to take his eyes off since.

“And I’ll tell you now, what I told you then. No way. I’m not telling you. You’ll only use it to tell me off.”

He hissed indignantly at the cold hand she purposefully rested on his chest when she paused to give him an appraising look.

“That’s fair,” she eventually conceded - most likely when her hand had reached the temperature a human body should be - setting back to work, only to pause again a second later.

“Of course...” she smirked at the new idea that had presented itself to her, leaning across conspiratorially to whisper in his ear. “You might have to make a choice between that, and me making up names for you.”

“I’ll take my chances,” he replied without hesitation.

“That’s your prerogative, Rodney.”

He glared at her.

--x--

It took a couple more minutes to work the material free of the wound – and a couple more minutes of enduring every name beginning with ‘R’ that Ivy could think of – but now the damage was plain to see.

Or at least he could guess it was from the sudden lack of teasing and the expression of horror on Ivy’s face. The colour that he’d tried so hard to get back into those cheeks had drained again, and the guilt he could see in her eyes, when she flicked them to his face then back to his shoulder, was like a mirror to his own.

If the deep red stains that had soaked into his once white tank and across his shoulder were anything to go by, those ferals had made a goddamn mess of him.

“I—this might take a little while. I’m going to need to clear out the…debris…and clean the scratches before I can even think about getting a Stimpak in there.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “These deeper ones… RJ, they’re going to hurt.”

“I’m a big boy, angel. I can take it.”

Debris. He knew exactly what that meant. And damn right it was going to hurt. This wasn’t the first time he’d had to dig broken off feral nails and teeth from his flesh. At least this time he wasn’t trying to comfort a bawling infant as he did it.

When she dragged the lamp closer, MacCready knew exactly what else she’d see. The back of his shoulder and upper arm were littered with old scars. How long would it take her to spot the similarities between the old marks and the ones she was cleaning? He wondered whether she’d guess that’s what wrecked his duster in the first place.

He braced himself, waiting for the inevitable pain, trying to ignore the glint of lamplight on the already red-tinted basin of water next to him. Picking a patch of peeling paint on the skirting board, he stared at it, trying to make himself focus on what colour it might have been two centuries ago. Would it have been something fun? Midnight blue, maybe? Not likely.

A shiver ran up his spine as Ivy smoothed a hand over his shoulder-blade, her thumb tracing the lines of the old wounds with a touch as delicate as a kiss. She didn’t ask. She didn’t need to. One glance between them and she could recognise scars with a history. If anyone understood the vulnerability that came with them, it was her.

MacCready had never been much of one for looking after himself when he was hurt. He was more of a ‘rip the bandaid off’ kind of guy. Stick a stimpak in it and hope for the best.

Oh, but Ivy, she was as gentle as she could be with him, soft hands working to soothe, stopping with every groan and halted curse – if she could – whispering apologies and reassurances that she wouldn’t take much longer.

The water beside him grew deeper red with every time she had to wash the blood from her fingertips. He thought he’d bite clean through his lip when she dug out the last of the debris, it was buried deep and he could hear from trying to keep from retching as she pulled it from deep in the muscle.

The smell of the antiseptic burned his nostrils. He was such a mess, he barely even felt the sting of the carefully applied stimpak getting to work on knitting his muscle back together. Woozily he pressed his fingers to his bleeding lip, rocking forward to put his head between his raised knees until the room stopped spinning.

“Hey, that was the last one,” Ivy gently rubbed her hand up his spine and across his uninjured shoulder, quietly reassuring him. “Just got to get you bandaged up and you’ll be good as new.”

“And what about you?” he asked as she began to bandage his shoulder, glancing pointedly at her swollen ankle which was covered in an ever-increasing nebula of purple and black bruises.

“It’s just a sprain, Mac” she shrugged. “It’ll go down in time. Let me worry about you.”

--x--

He heard the gunshots, that wasn’t what frightened him. It was the scream that came after. The last he’d seen of Ivy she’d been standing up on a pitched roof – stupidly out in the open, but if she hadn’t thrown caution to the wind to get that vantage point, he’d be a dead man.

Now she was gone.

There were feral corpses bobbing in the water all around him, even more hanging off the roofs and walkways. He hadn’t realised how many were on him until he pulled himself back up, fighting for air.

In seconds his vicious memories were replaced by a new fear.

Bleeding and dizzy, he began wading through the deserted streets. He couldn’t see any more movement, not around him and not on the rooftops. And he couldn’t see her. The village was as silent as when they arrived.

“Hey partner, you okay?” he hazarded a shout.

No answer, just the echo of his voice bouncing back off deserted buildings.

MacCready started to move faster towards where he’d last seen her, forcing his body through the deep water, causing eddies and ripples to trail out behind him. He tried to keep calm but his breaths were getting shaky.

“Hey angel, you good?” he shouted louder this time.

Nothing.

“Ivy?”

It was more of a croak than a shout. There was no way anyone could hear it. He could barely hear it. But that didn’t stop the nausea rising in the pit of his stomach, or his pulse starting to pound in his ears.

No, no, no, no, no… not this time.

“Ives!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. Over and over again, he shouted, his voice mixing with the echoes as he dragged himself up the rusted fire escape onto the rooftop.

“Mac?” He almost missed it. Her voice was stifled by coughing, but it was her.

Scrambling up onto the pitched roof he’d last seen her on, he spotted a hole edged with rotten beams and snapped tiles. Peering over the edge into the gloom of a dusty attic space, he could see Ivy. She lay crumpled half on/half under a pile of broken beams with blood smeared across her face. Her ankle was caught at a weird angle. The body of a feral lay impaled where it landed just feet away.

He wasn’t sure he’d ever been so relieved to see a person in his life. The way she was smiling at him, she looked pretty damn glad to see him too.

“Did we win?”

Shaky laughter spilled from his lips, “Something like that, angel.”

“You called me Ives.”

She gave him the soft look of a woman who’d probably hit her head on the way down.

--x--

But Mac was the one doing the worrying.

It had been a long time since he’d been that worried about losing a partner. What rattled him the most was that when she’d disappeared out of his sight, his panic had nothing to do with suddenly being alone in a feral-infested swamp. He didn’t even spare a thought for the Gunner base less than a half a mile away. He’d been too wrapped up in the fear of losing her.

Ivy was giving him that soft look again now, even without the concussion. Would it be so much to hope that she actually gave a damn about him? He’d made mistakes in the past, given his trust to people who didn’t deserve, and he’d been burned.

But maybe she was different, just like he’d told her when he convinced her to help him with this dumbass plan.

“You really don’t have to do all this for me, angel, but thank you.”

Without thinking he reached out, brushed that one stubborn curl back behind her ear and cupped her cheek. It took his thumb brushing her scar for him to realise that he was the biggest dumbass in the commonwealth. Of all the things he could have done…

He was on the verge of panicking and pulling his hand away, when she pressed her hand over the top of and smiled at him. He couldn’t have imagined such a different reaction to when she’d been falling apart in front of him in Malden.

“You should let somebody else take care of you every once in a while.”

If he thought she’d been looking at him softly before, well this look coaxed all the air from his lungs, and if he remembered to breathe at any point in the future, he’d struggle.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Usually MacCready was the one who knew how to tease blushes and smiles out of her. To catch her eye and leave her speechless. How did one simple gesture have his stomach in knots?

Holy crap, he did not see this coming.

There was a creak on the wooden stairs outside their room and he wasn’t sure he’d ever resented a noise so much in his life. Their little bubble had been burst and now he could hear the chatter of settlers outside again, and the damn brahmin still hadn’t shut up – even though he’d been deaf to them just moments before. He could hear one of those damn crows squawking away in the woods nearby. Dinner was cooking, and people were laughing, and didn’t they have anything better to do than interrupt them.

Ivy gave his hand a quick squeeze and took it away from her face just as the door creaked open and one of the settlers arrived with a basin of scalding hot water - now he thought about it, after the day they just had, he probably smelled like antiseptic and stagnant marsh water. Nice.

“I’ll leave you to get washed up.” There was a flush to Ivy’s cheeks that couldn’t just be put down to warm lighting. He just smiled at her like an idiot.

“You need a hand down the stairs?” their host enquired, giving them both the kind of look that gossip was built on.

MacCready glared at the woman. Ivy might be quick to forgive, but he remembered that pipe pistol, and if he started getting shit from caravan guards, he’d know exactly where it had come from.

“No, thank you, Lynn. I can manage.” The woman bustled back out into the night air, but MacCready could hear her taking her time going down the stairs. Nosy...

Before he could help her, Ivy had dragged herself to her feet, using the doorframe to keep as much weight off her ankle as possible.

“I’ll be outside.”

“What, no bed bath?” MacCready forced a laugh. This was the crap they usually joked about, right? He was sure it wouldn’t have sounded so awkward that morning.

Ivy shook her head in exasperation, or at least that was probably what she was going for, but the grin and the blush undermined the impression.

“I was an artist, sweetheart, not a nurse,” she teased. “So, unless you’re planning on posing for a life drawing, I’m going to go and help with supper.”

A sudden panic hit him as the room emptied. What if something happened? What if something happened while she was out there and he couldn’t get to her in time.

The door had barely clicked shut before he called after her, “Angel?”

“Yeah?” she poked her head back in, curious smile in place. The wave of relief he felt after just a second, well, it was ridiculous.

“Stay close. Yeah?”

--x--

The previous night had ended up much like that morning had begun - with bickering and a meal. A big bowl of vegetable stew and a quarrel about how to get back to Diamond City, to be more precise. Not that they’d gone to sleep on bad terms, if intertwined fingers and shy smiles in the darkness were anything to go by.

MacCready watched the weather suspiciously, the morning was dull and windy, and knowing his luck, they’d probably end up hiking in the rain. He stood on the tracks with Ivy, all packed up and ready to go, but they were still undecided on the route they should take. Her ankle was no better than the day before, despite her hobbling on it and trying to convince him that she’d be able to make it the long way on foot.

“I’m telling you, if we go via Cambridge it’s actual roads and I’ll be able to walk. I might just need a little support,” she challenged him. Again.

“And I’m telling you, you’re in no fit state to try and get past raiders and muties if they’ve infested that apartment block again,” he snapped back, frustrated. “If we take the shorter route we can be back in under two hours.”

“And if there are yao guai, Mac? What then? I’m definitely going to get eaten, is what.” She folded her arms across her chest, the very picture of defiance – if it wasn’t for her standing on one leg like a lawn flamingo. “Where’s the salt? Because you might as well season me now.”

“Stop being so damn dramatic.” He rolled his eyes at her indignant look. “I’d get us there in less time if you’d just let me carry you.”

“And what about your shoulder?”

He chose to ignore that one. The shoulder in question still ached like a son-of-a…gun.

“I’ll tell you what RJ stands for.” Looking at her like he’d just upped the ante on a bet she could never refuse. “But only if we can go the shorter way.”

…got her.

“Really?”

He shook his head and stalked over, picking her up in one fluid movement and–hopefully–managed to hide the sharp pain in his shoulder. She quickly wrapped an arm around his neck to steady herself and swallowed hard – he couldn’t miss it – composing herself after being caught off guard.

“Robert. Joseph.”

She smiled, glancing away at nothing in particular, like she was trying out the feel of his name in her mind. Then she smiled at him, and it was his turn to steady himself. There was none of the teasing he’d anticipated, just that gentle warmth that always caught him off guard.

“Ok, you win. We can go your way.”

Oh, this was going to get complicated.

#it is done. finally.#maccready #robert joseph maccready #ivy kendrick #sole survivor #maccready x sole survivor #maccready x f!solesurvivor #Then I Met You #mac x ivy #fallout 4 #my writing #my oc

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courtorderedcake · 4 years

Text

Majestically Too Far Beyond, CSSNS 2020

Emma Swan is a Witch who has made (And apparently makes) bad decisions. Helping a desperate Witch out of a weird situation doesn't seem like a bad decision, even against her, runes, a tarot reading and her friend's Snow druid intuition - until it is and the consequences are very real.

Killian is a Demon with a long history of persecution against him, and his denizens are not much better off. His Angelic brother is on a mission to rehab Demonic image to prevent violence on the streets of Hyperion Heights, as some sort of Holy mission deeply rooted in millenia of guilt. Witches and Warlocks use them for parts, Werewolves see them as a threat, Angels mostly still hold on to the ancient feud regardless of their treatise, Fae stay chaotic neutral, Vampires don't care for others affairs - it's a perilous world where hate crimes happen without consequence. After a disastrous meeting, he attempts to drown his frustration with a trip to the bottom of a bottle, but ends up falling in bed with a mysterious Witch in her tower home. Soon he's missing a hand, has only the vaguest idea of what happened from the mess of blood he's woken up to, and a mirror shows that some strange, different, Witch is pregnant with his child.

RATED M for Mature Themes. Written for @cssns 2020 Beta’d by The best team ever ( @jarienn972 @ultraluckycatnd @donteattheappleshook) and Art by @kmomof4

Read on Ao3 HERE. 1 | 2

Chapter 2 - House Evil Spirits to appease of,

Part of Emma was coming to terms with the new fact that she was pregnant, then just as rapidly she reverts back through the cycle of grief, sometimes not in order. The doctor had warned her this would happen when she announced that they would be keeping her for overnight observation as a safety precaution, dropping the news that her new pregnancy hormones would also make her feel even more upside down then she had ever imagined. It was one thing to be told, but feeling it was another thing entirely.

She had gone from laughing at the breakfast menu she was handed to crying over grilled cheese not being an option, to enraged at being brought bright blue jello with her 'breakfast sandwich' made of bologna and eggs. They could not have known the intense reaction the jiggling neon goo would have given her, her magic flaring and sputtering in turn as she launched it away from her. But then again, she doubted any of the staff had spent time in a No-Magic cell. Nausea bloomed as soon as rage subsided, the food on the plastic tray too similar to what had been served to her over those long years locked away.

Now irritation was playing through multiple emotions, a new nurse violently poking her with a needle, and running some sort of IV.

"You're giving me what -"

"A hormone treatment, and a magic suppressant."

"But I need my magic -"

"Would you prefer to shrivel up and die? You'll still have enough to do daily witch activities or whatever. This helps keep the extra at bay, and your baby healthy. It needs your magic."

"Oh. Great." She laughed, half crazed at the news and the nurse's treatment. "Just great."

"Mess with their kind, and well." She shrugged, eyeing Emma's body. "An Angel wouldn't do that to you. A Vampire couldn't, and the rest of 'em could, but you wouldn't have to suffer through all this nasty magic aftermath. You're just early enough for a termination though, thank Merlin."

"I didn't do this to myself on purpose . This was never supposed to happen, at least not like this…"

"Sure." The nurse rolled her eyes as she drew out the word, clearly being condescending. "It's never the Witch’s fault; I hear it every time I'm fixing them for blowing themselves in half for not reading a spell right. You play with dark magic, there's a cost."

Emma scowled, hot tears starting and streaming down her cheeks. Her anger and ferocity that was there just moments before had evaporated without warning into a deep resignation.

"Can my brother come to see me yet?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"After they question you, sure. He can come pick you up - You're done here." The nurse pulled off the empty bag from the IV stand, throwing it in the trash.

The doctor entered, waving a hello. Emma did not notice her, too busy staring at her bump. She joined the nurse as a machine beeped, helping to take out her IV and the pads on her belly. When that was done, Emma sat up, wobbling from her strange new center of gravity.

The doctor smiled at her kindly. "We'll have your test results in a few days to a week's time. You'll feel strange and sluggish the first few weeks as your body catches up to the rapid growth, your hormones, the magic, so on and so forth. From there, you may actually start to grow as normal until you'll need the next dose of suppression. We'll schedule that out for 4 months from now, checking in monthly, but if you grow suddenly, shrink suddenly, your extremities swell, or you begin to exhibit flu like symptoms, come in immediately. If anything seems off, just give us a call. We have a twenty-four seven nurse line should you have any other questions. Good luck!"

The doctor left without much more than a precursory glance back.

Snapping her gloves, the nurse glared over her glasses at Emma. "Leave when you are ready. We got you a different outfit; it's amongst your personals there."

The nurse left in a hurry, leaving Emma to dress herself in a large pair of green hospital scrubs, her new figure completely foreign as she rubbed her hands across the smooth skin. Her once flat stomach was distended, a slight curve that pushed out stretched skin. Her clothes in the plastic bag they had given her were dirty and looked damp. The clothing she was given would have been a small comfort if the stiff fabric didn't feel so much like her old prison uniform.

"Fuck," Emma choked out, gripping the chair for support. She felt dizzy, absolutely nauseated at the idea of a baby. Her baby. She was pregnant. Something in her felt warmth at the idea, a strange, creeping feeling of rightness mixed with calm. The rest of her wanted to claw at her skin, urging her to wake up from this horrible dream.

Every time she closed her eyes, she fervently wished this wrongness was a hallucination. But it wasn't; she was still swaying on her feet every time she opened her eyes again. This wasn't some sort of nightmare, there was a baby, some creature's inhuman child inside her. "Fuck. Fuck!"

Tears began to prick behind her eyes, her face heating as she sat down on the hospital bed with her head cradled in her hands.

( You can't cry over this. This happened because of your shady dealings.

You got a firstborn child alright. Yours. )

Swallowing hard, Emma tried to banish the thoughts bombarding her.

( A baby. A baby you can love and hold, who you will never abandon. Someone you can raise the way you weren't, a second chance. Put your armor back on - for you and your child. )

Emma bit her lip hard, swiping angrily at her tears. Bottling up the emotions, she took a breath, grabbed her purse, and walked down the hallway. To her great surprise, Elsa was waiting.

"Emma, oh my stars. This is - I have no words. I'm so sorry," Elsa whispered. Emma gave a half hearted shrug, her voice still trembling slightly.

"Yeah. Well. Can I go home yet? That's why you're here right?" Emma hated the anxious, pleading edge of her tone.

"No, not yet. You have to be interviewed by the inspector detective here and then you are free to go." Elsa approached and hugged Emma softly. "I got you a nice one though, he's one of my favorites. Jones. He's an Angel - literally and figuratively. He's saved me on so many cases, I can't help but sing his praise."

"Oh Elsa. Thank you." Emma hugged her friend tightly, both of them trembling. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Elsa scoffed. "I don't know what anyone would do. Joking aside, we are all going to be here for you, no matter what happens. It's not going to be like last time." Elsa pushed back a strand of Emma's hair, looking straight into her eyes. "You won't go through this alone. We're going to fight for you, and figure this out. Luckily, our major project is postponed anyway. Until they find the Demon Prince, the council is on a hiatus."

"I just want to go home. I don't know if I can handle everyone right now." Emma mumbled. "It's bad enough David probably knows, which means Snow and everyone else -"

"Please don't push us away, Emma. We know it's a lot, but going into the unknown like this," Elsa took one of Emma's hands, squeezing it lightly. "Having a family, having faith and love - it's the only way to get through."

"Miss Frost," a low voice called from a room nearby. Elsa led Emma to a small office, smiling at the large Angel who stood on one side of a desk. He returned her smile, until Emma met his eyes. His frown was slow, not suiting his features, even when his blue eyes sharply laser focused on Emma's rotund body. She could see his muscles tense, his golden tinged wings giving the smallest of flutters. "Miss Swan."

"I'll leave you both to it, then." Elsa smiled, inspector Jones weakly returning it as she closed the door to them.

Emma sat in the only chair on her side of the desk, landing with an audible noise in surprise. Her body was heavier now. Of course sitting felt wrong. Jones grunted before sitting in his chair, his presence formidable even with his wings unopened. He began jotting down notes, not looking up at her for a long, stretched pause of silence. Emma fidgeted uncomfortably, one foot bouncing on the floor.

"Stop that at once," Liam growled, his eyes narrowed.

Emma stopped, hissing out a nervous laugh. "Sorry, I just -"

"How did this happen?" Liam interrupted, gesturing at her with clear disgust. "Dr. Mullins indicates it was against your will? You haven't been sexually active to induce conception? Explain."

"Well, I um -"

"And I must remind you Miss Swan," Liam grimaced, marking something on his paper. "Lying to me is a crime itself. Perjury."

"Yes, I uh - I know." Emma nodded with a gulp. She took a breath, centering herself, and began to tell him the entire story of what had taken place with Gothel. He listened in absolute silence, writing the entire time as his frown only deepened. When she had finished, he continued writing in the oppressive silence, until finally flicking his eyes up to glare at her again.

"Is that all, Miss Swan?"

"Yes, then I, um, got the cramps -"

"Spare me the sordid details of the consequences your illegal activity most likely caused," Liam drawled, sarcastically. He leveled his angry, burning gaze at her, and she felt like an animal being cornered by much larger prey. "Now, I have some questions for you. Answer to the best of your ability, but remember -"

"Do not lie, yeah I remember," Emma said softly.

"Who says you Witches can't be taught," Liam sneered, his voice mocking. Emma felt irritation bubble up in her gut, her surprise that Elsa liked this asshole rising. If he was a good inspector, Emma never wanted to meet a bad one. "Now. What exactly did this Gothel ask of you in exchange for her firstborn?"

"Youthful beauty and a long life, I think," Emma stated, thinking hard. "She wanted to be young forever. I told her that it wouldn't be instant or eternal, that she would have to wait. Now I know why it didn't bother her."

"Did she mention any other rituals, Miss Swan?" Liam asked.

"No, but she did say that she was in a time crunch." Emma shrugged slightly. "I don't know if that means anything."

Liam looked at her with more vehemence, still writing furiously. "Did you feel any effects at that time?"

"No, I was surprised I didn't with the amount of magic that detonated. I checked myself twice to make sure, once with a warding bind even." The strangeness of the situation and her clear confusion due to it made her voice sound foreign to Emma's own ears. Did he know how much she didn't want this? "Nothing. Then boom, today I - today this. She showed her true colors at the end, did an evil laugh and everything."

Liam hummed disapprovingly, looking over his notes. Flicking his eyes back to hers, he glared with contempt. "Let me make sure I have this all correct. So, you and this other Witch do a forbidden and illegal ritual -"

"I had no idea it was going to be this illegal, I swear!" Emma began to feel panic, her heart racing. "I thought I was helping -"

"Sure, sure, even though you already have a record -"

"That was - That was different, I was set up and I -"

"It seems like you are awfully good at being set up, Miss Swan. So what did you get out of this?" The inspector looked at her in disgust, folding his arms against his chest. "A Demon child to experiment on? Heightened powers?"

"No! No, I had no idea she would - I didn't know - I thought later on that she'd give me her unwanted child. I didn't want another kid to be unwanted. I didn't know the parentage - "

The inspector interrupted with a loud scoff, leaning forward and leering at her. "Likely bloody story."

"Detective Inspector Jones, I swear to you, I swear it - I had no idea what… I had no idea this would happen. I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to get pregnant, I still don't know what to do."

"If it is a Demonic child, even only a half-breed, the best thing to do is give them up." Something painful twisted in her gut, a deep feeling of dread and wrongness.

"I can't, I want to think about it and wait to look at options -"

"You can . You should . It will get easier the longer you are separated from the leeching thing." Liam's sneer turned into a look of pure disgust. "Don't wait, and get it out of you before it completely ensnares you in its unholy thrall."

"It's a child, sir, and my choice. I'm not making any promises -"

"No Demon has ever been innocent, not even a baby. They are inherently selfish, cruel, and angry. Your mixed breed baby will be the same." Liam looked down at his feet, his fingers interlaced as he rested his elbows on his knees. His voice had lost the cruel edge, and Emma felt her superpower activate. He didn't believe what he was saying, and as she watched him, she noticed how tired he looked.

"Inspector, are... Are you alright?"

"Miss Swan," Liam chuckled darkly, pinching the bridge of his nose before glancing up to look at her. "If I was in your position, I would worry about myself, especially if jail time was on the table."

Emma felt as if he'd slapped her, air rushing from her lungs as her heart beat rapidly.

"Jail time?" She asked in disbelief, "What about Gothel? Why are you demonizing me -"

"That is government business, Miss Swan." Liam stood stiffly, rummaging in his pocket. He fished out a card, carefully sliding it on the table towards her. "If you remember anything, contact us. Otherwise, we will be in touch. I'll have the nurse give you the proper paperwork and instructional pamphlets."

He turned, pushed the curtain aside, and Emma heard a soft whoosh of air indicating his exit. Looking down at her body under the scrubs, she cursed Eloise with every fiber of her being.

ﾟ・. ｡・. *✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ*⛧*.・｡*ﾟ.★.・.・✫*.・。.・゜

The first few nights were a string of blurry, anger, and grief strewn rampages. Elsa has taken her home, Emma unwilling to let David even see her until she had some space to take care of herself. She had sent a text, and after a lot of back and forth arguing surrounding his lengthy replies, David had conceded.

(She just couldn't right now.

Not right now. Not yet.)

A Celestial, or something similar. Most likely Demon, he had said.

Gothel had not only gotten her pregnant, but with some Demon child that could be claimed by its monstrous father for who knew what awful reason. Emma shuddered at the thought, hands protectively resting on her small swell of stomach. Pulling them away as they trembled, she cursed her body and the invader that was making her feel so attached to it. Demons didn't exactly get along with any of the other demographics, but Witches and Demons had the most volatile relations amongst any of them. Her own child might grow to hate her, all because of how much Witches persecuted Demon kind.

She could still… No. She would not terminate the baby this far along. Every part of her vibrated with the wrongness of the very idea, sending her retching into the kitchen sink. She gripped both sides of the basin, crying hot, angry tears as she came to terms with the parasite - the baby, the small baby, the life - occupying her body. As much as she tried to hate it, the only hate she could muster fell on herself and Eloise.

Part of her felt crazed, crying in her bathtub, nauseated and afraid of every implication and outcome. Laying her head back on the tile, she wondered about what she was going to do. Rubbing her new bump slowly, Emma traced the curve. Sixteen months. A doubly long second trimester, and extended third, all while it changed with her body. Mixed children generally presented like their non-Demonic parent, and the pregnancy bond would be fierce regardless of species. Although it was doubtful at this point it was even in effect despite her behavior and thoughts, Emma smiled at the thought that she already felt attached to her baby. Her own family.

Her brother was going to go insane, and her sister-in-law… Snow was always supportive and full of a positive outlook. Emma had teased her that it was an Elf thing, but her pointed ears would twitch as she blushed, and she'd mumble something about her plants helping. Smoking her pungent blends of cannabis could make anyone positive, and Emma was suddenly envious.

Regina and the coven would be on the defensive, taking over everything in Emma's life without quarter. That would be another comfort, their careful planning and patience having gotten her this far through her difficult life.

In the end, the coven, Ruby, and Snow were over shortly after her emergency summons, flying through her doorway. Ruby was a Werewolf Emma had befriended through Snow. While Regina disliked her, Emma didn't think she was any different than most humans other than her keen sense of smell and bluntness. It was these traits that immediately made it clear what was wrong. It would seem not everyone in their circles knew yet. That would take a few more days.

“Emma,” Ruby whispered, horrified, her nose wrinkling as tears filled her eyes. “What did… Who did this to you?”

"They think it is a Demon, but it's almost definitely Celestial, or something with a dynamic gestational period due to magic." Just behind Ruby, the rest of the coven began appearing, all staring on her porch as Emma ushered them in. "Until I find out the father, I don't know, although most likely it's Demonic."

Regina's head snapped up. “A Demon? Emma, what do you mean dynamic -”

The women went quiet when Emma lifted her shirt to show them her bump, explaining everything.

Emma laid her head in Snow’s lap after, feeling numb. Snow stroked her hair gently, looking at the others. Their coven was small, mostly women, but David and two other men were honorary members by means of dating or marriage. Anna picked at her braid, eyes wide, while Belle's mouth was still open from her earlier gasp. Mulan, Regina, and Merida were all business.

“I'll hunt the Witch and her Demon pet down myself, and bring him back here. We can take turns peeling away his skin -”

“Mulan,” Merida hissed, her curls bouncing when she nodded her head at Emma, who's eyes were welling with tears once again.

“I thought… I thought I was doing something good ,” Emma burst into tears, sobbing into Snow, and Belle excused herself to fetch the whistling kettle from the stove. Pouring everyone tea, they tried to figure out what to do.

“Well, you certainly can't go hunting skips,” Regina scoffed. “And this house, I mean, I get that you fixed it up but it's a dump -”

“Oh! David would be happy to have you back on the farm with us!” Snow lit up, but the thought of being around their saccharine relationship and the smell of incense, patchouli, and skunky smelling herb had her running for the toilet. The others talked and sipped tea, planning out things as Emma curled up on her bath mat. Maybe it was better to terminate, if the leap in growth hadn't made it too late. Would it be better to give it up? Her mind filled with swirling ideas, and Emma let herself get lost in her sadness.

Ruby snuck in a moment later, sitting next to Emma quietly.

“So,” she whispered quietly, and Emma cracked open an eye to look at her friend's face.

“So,” Emma rasped back, her throat raw.

“Apparently, you're going to go live with Regina in the Guest ‘Wing’, yes, not room, ‘Wing’, and work at one of Belle’s bookstores. I tried to chime in with what your input might sound like. They looked at me as if I'd eaten Anna's familiar. Not like Elsa would let me snack on knock-off Rudolph anyway. Miss Ice Queen has her fancy new council to lord over, so who knows. We could have some reindeer snacks.”

Emma snorted, a smile breaking across her face.

“Look,” Ruby started, running a hand through her hair to push back her straight brunette style. ”I know how important it was for you to be independent, Emma. I know you really cared about Neal, too. I just… There's something… There's something really off with this situation, and it's not just my nose saying that you smell weird, like dark magic weird, or my gut saying a Witch that makes contracts with Demons for a baby, knocks you up, then just up and vanishes is bad news. I want you to be safe. I called Graham on your telephone, and there's an opening at his precinct I think you might like. It’s mostly paperwork -”

“Rubes!” Emma laughed despite herself. “That's awesome, thank you-”

“Just listen. I want to meet this… Demon. I still have this feeling like something is really off, and you're neck deep in danger. Besides, you know, the Demon part of the situation. Are you sure that you can't remember, er… Well. You know?”

“No, it was literally one minute I was fine, then the next the worst period cramps of my life while I inflated. I was sort of Instant Knocked Up, just add magic or whatever.” Emma rubbed her temples, and Ruby sighed.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, Granny says that's most likely how I was conceived too.” Ruby flashed her a smile, and Emma laughed, hugging her friend tightly.

“I don't know what I would do without you, Rubes.”

“Look, I'm pretty sure Graham isn't into a menage et trois with a preggo, but I'll broach the subject.”

“You're ridiculous,” Emma laughed.

“You wouldn't have it any other way.”

ﾟ・. ｡・. *✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ*⛧*.・｡*ﾟ.★.・.・✫*.・。.・゜

Months passed slowly as Emma waited for the other shoe to drop. Work at the station was easy, filing reports and making coffee not troublesome at all. Liam apparently worked somewhere in the massive complex, but Emma made no moves to seek him out or head to the detective offices.

Her house was almost completely redone and brand new; the floors, walls, ceilings, and everything in between redone with the utmost care.

("I refuse to let you live like this and represent our coven," Regina ran a finger along the mantelpiece, grimacing when it came up dirty. "Are you sure that you have to live here?"

"What Regina means," Elsa shot her a glare as Regina shrugged, rubbing her fingers together, "Is that any of us would love to have you. Don't feel obligated to stay -"

"But don't feel like you have to leave either. David and I would love to help you fix up the place, maybe have you make a few rooms?" Snow encouraged. David nodded, his arms crossed across his chest.

Elsa clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh yes, you could make an apothecary room like the one you talked about, and a potion brewing room, a nice place to grow plants, a library -"

"And we'd all pitch in, if you wanted to make a nursery?" Mary Margaret mumbled, almost shyly. "I wanted to throw a baby shower for you since we found out, but I didn't want to overwhelm you like I feel like I always do -"

"Too late," Emma gritted under her breath, her friends already planning the event for her.)

Emma actually had eased into the idea; at first it seemed absurd that they were planning for this when the whole situation was so strange. The father was still unaccounted for, even as the test results made it clear that the baby was of Demonic parentage. Sometimes Emma thought she could feel something, a little tug, the eerie feeling of being watched, or an emotion that wasn't hers flitting through her mind, but she dismissed them easily. More often, she was fascinated by the lack of information on the bond her and this child were supposed to have.

Pouring over books, it was as if someone had removed or rewritten any passages about Demonic parenting, specifically with a non Demon parent. She had found minor information on the bond in a few books. It was supposed to be fierce, the instinct making women hysterical and unreasonable. It only got more intense when the father was around, cases of actions deemed feral surrounding the mixed couples she had managed to find. All of them had ended in tragedy, and Emma eventually found herself unable to stomach reading about them.

Or anything really, food was enemy number one on baby's list, unless it was deep fried, covered in sugar, or drenched in sweetness. Without shame, Emma had managed to eat and keep down an entire jar of marmalade with crackers.

When Snow, Elsa, and Ruby's grandmother had brought up the food options they would make if Emma would let them throw her a shower, she had caved.

( "I will make you a bear claw cake, mini grilled cheese, and onion rings, amongst other things," Granny grinned. "And I will crochet you the most darling blanket for your little girl."

Emma tried not to drool, or give in. "That's nice, but I don't think I want that many people here, you know? That detective is watching my every move, I feel like a whale, I never know which food will agree with me -"

"And I will make sure I have a never-ending hot chocolate drip for you." Granny's eyes twinkled, full of mischief. "With toppings."

"Including cinnamon?" Emma asked, unable to disguise the longing in her voice. Granny nodded firmly. "How did you know? Wait - did you say a girl -"

"I just know," she shrugged. "Call it a wolf's intuition." )

It was supposed to be small, just a few people and family, but somehow it had turned into a full on social event. Emma was grateful that she had added a few rooms in the days before, the space sorely needed regardless of how drained she felt. Even still, she loved the house. It actually felt like hers, the exposed beams and vintage fixtures mixed with tapestries, framed art, and treasured photos. Her herbs dried above a large sink, food was spread along a long bar and buffet sideboard, and people milled around her living room that she had adjoined to two more exact copies through her doors.

No need to be original there.

( Her private door stayed tucked away in the upstairs hallway, and it was unable to be unlocked by anyone but her.

That was more important than a few extra rooms she could collapse after these people were gone. )

Emma was a good sport for the first couple of hours, playing games, being paraded around to people who apparently were important in the city, and sipping hot cocoa. Elsa, Regina, Mulan, and Snow were putting emphasis on her innocence, and although it was a spectacle, Emma hoped it would work.

Two very terrible things ruined her mood.

At some point, Elsa fell away from Emma's side, returning as cake was being cut. Her face was pinched, irritability written across it as she glared down at the slice she's given.

"You okay?" Emma whispered, and Elsa blinked, looking up in surprise.

"Oh, yeah. I just - I thought my date might show up, but he's working." Elsa gritted out the last word, anger seeping into it. "He's on this case, and it's important to him because it's family related, but I want him to understand that I have family too, and I could help if he just -" Throwing up her hands, Elsa groaned in annoyance.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know anything about -"

"Emma," David pulled her up by her arm, looking around as if checking for something. "Kitchen. Now."

There's no time to protest, his grip strong and firm, dragging her into the kitchen.

"David, what the fu -"

"That detective was here, asking about you," Regina hissed, pointing out towards where guests milled. "We made sure he left, but he was asking questions."

"Questions?" Emma repeated, fear gripping her. Elsa walked in, listening to the conversation beside her.

"Like, if you had a history of criminality, if you knew and associated with undesirable magic users, if you knew who the father was or were protecting who did this to you," David said. The stillness around them seemed to tense just as they were.

"If he questions you, you make sure to tell him that you know nothing," Elsa whispered, trying to hold her hand. "Make sure you proclaim your innocence, and he'll believe you, he has to -"

"You think I haven't tried?" Emma ripped her hand away, looking at all of her friends with annoyance. "I agreed to this not knowing it was going to serve as some bullshit trial ball, where I'd be judged like this. I've searched everywhere for that woman, I have nothing to hide. She's disappeared, and not like a new identity in Guam disappeared, no. Like, off every plane of existence without a trace. It wouldn't matter if I did find her, because this is my kid. The bonds of the spell make her of my blood more and more every day. I can't just go back to the way things were - "

"What about the father?" Regina asked.

"I don't know. I know nothing about him or why he hasn't come. As far as I know, he might not. I don't know how he couldn't feel these binds. I know I feel something, but it could be because I'm practically mooing, I'm so huge, and I have these crazy urges. The hormones alone here are making me feel insane, even before you started in on me. Even before that asshole showed up because we have the entire damn city here!"

"I told you this was a bad idea, Regina," Snow mumbled. Regina glared in return.

"We - I just want you to know that no one will judge you for not wanting this, or for giving up the baby -" David said weakly.

"Shut up David," Emma growled out. Her hands rested against her stomach and she felt like she was going to fall over. "Right now, shut up and do not go down that road."

"Emma, it's making you feel attached," Regina said gently. "And if I'm agreeing with him, you know I - "

"I mean it, not another word. I'm keeping my baby, that's it. End all, be all. Say another word and I will curse your tomatoes," She pointed at David, then rounded on Regina. "And hex your wardrobe with bleach stains that don't come out. Try me."

"Fine!" Regina threw up her hands while David grunted.

The kitchen went silent, the tension palpable.

"We got you a really nice layette," Snow offered, trying to clear the awkwardness while smiling. "Come open gifts, and look at all this cuteness. "

Emma begrudgingly moved forward, her eyes widening at the mountain of gifts in front of her.

"Don't worry," Anna whispered as she pulled Emma down to sit. "I'm writing your thank you cards for you."

The crowd thinned after gifts, the night trickling on as the house emptied. If Emma had felt drained before, now she felt completely devoid of energy. The small crowd that's left hadn't bothered her, so when Snow and Regina asked her to do another walk about with them, it seemed safe enough.

She saw him out of the corner of her eye, his head nodding, laughing at something in his self absorbed sly little chuckle that makes her want to break his nose. She must have tensed because Snow was beside her and sucking in breath harshly through her teeth, the coven turning as if they could all feel the disturbance.

( Maybe they can, maybe the unbridled audacity of this man being here with another woman as he laughs with a martini glass in his hand is enough to share one collective experience of hatred. His eyes meet hers and he gives her a smirk that screams pity and humor at her expense as he lifts his glass toward her, mouthing congrats )

A figure cut in front of her, and her rage that feels like a sickening punch in the gut is coupled by this smack in the face - Neal's father grinned at her, his cane on the ground while both hands rest on its handle.

"My my my, Miss Swan," Gold smirked the same smirk that she wants to rip off his face. "When we heard, we were so surprised to not receive an invitation to this… quaint event of yours. Truly poor manners when our covens are no longer supposed to be at odds."

Regina and Elsa were there in front of her in a flash, Snow pulling her away, words being exchanged in hissed tones. Emma could barely hear over her heartbeat, over the sound of her stomach screaming at her to vomit.

"You can protect her all you want, but we know what she did. We know what it will be," Gold's voice slithered over her skin even in the bathroom. "You can't redeem her, and she will be the reason for all of your downfall. Enjoy your council while it lasts."

David shooed everyone out when Emma hastily retreated, the entirety of her patchwork family pushing inside to comfort her.

ﾟ・. ｡・. *✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ*⛧*.・｡*ﾟ.★.・.・✫*.・。.・゜

After the disaster of her shower, Emma began to feel the strange feeling of being watched even more. It became especially noticeable at night when she rocked in the nursery, sorting out piles of gifts. It felt like a presence sat beside her or hovered over her shoulder, and it began to follow her into her dreams.

They didn’t last after she woke, glimpses of a mirror, of the sound of pounding, a muffled voice that she can't make out.

The tip of the weird iceberg happened when Emma had gotten out of the shower, the steam in the room rising to fog the mirror. Dressing in pj's and heading back in to blow dry her hair, she had been dancing along to some new pop song by the Wolves of London, when her eyes caught the words.

On the fog of the mirror, her name had appeared backwards, joined shortly by the word 'Help' in a curling script that she blinked at in confusion before they disappeared.

( A baby, a Witch, and a Ghost. Just what she needs in the never ending chaos that has become her life )

Luckily, the Coven can save her ass again.

Regina glared at Emma, her judging silence lay heavily over the room. She crossed her arms, eyebrows pinching into further scorn, before asking again.

"You want me to do what?"

"Look, I know it's not your favorite thing to do, but you can and I don't have the gift or a guide like you do -"

"That doesn't make it any easier!" Regina threw up her hands, then gestured to her pantsuit clad form. "It's my body, and my mother is just -"

"I am begging you, Reg. Begging. You." Emma moaned, irritated. "The father is a complete mystery, there's a ghost in my house that I think has to do with him, and I'm scared it could be someone like…" Trailing off, she chewed her lip.

Liam's increasing push for her to choose adoption had thrown her off her game these last few weeks, his phone calls almost non stop. In a way, he was right. She wasn't the only parent, and she certainly wasn't ready to be a mom. She was no one, absolutely nothing. It wasn't as if she could raise a baby.

(Even if she wanted to, and the idea of her baby, her family enveloped in the family she chose and created, it made her feel nothing but happiness)

Regina rolled her eyes with a huff. "Fine. Fine!" she snapped, slamming her hands on the table. "I do this for you, and you owe me. I expect you to be at my whim for this."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And I'm not doing it for long." She shuddered. "Every time I check out and she checks in, I feel so just -" She shuddered again, making a gagging noise.

(Regina had done it before for David and her, to say goodbye to Ruth. It had hurt, hurt so badly, but not as much as Cora cutting the reunion short to tell her daughter to do more cardio.)

"I promise, we find his grandma or cousin or somebody, maybe whoever wrote that on my mirror, get the lead, and we're done." Emma nodded.

With another sigh, Regina laid her hands over the table, palms up, and Emma laid her own over them. A lavender spark shot from their joined hands to the air above them, Regina's head falling back while purple smoke began to pour around the table, permeating the air. Regina shook slightly, before violently snapping her head forward and blinking.

"Emma Swan, to what do I owe the pleasure of being ripped from my study?" A higher, nasal, woman's voice spoke out from Regina's mouth. "My daughter feels chubbier, and her skin is just -" Regina touched her face, making clucks with her tongue. "Oh, she is a mess! Did she break it off with that awful Warlock? Ugh, is she stress eating? I try not to pry, but I know she ate at least one slice of chocolate cake when she was out this last week -"

"Cora," Emma gritted out, closing her eyes in frustration. "Cora, Regina is fine. If she wants to discuss her love life with you, she'll call you up on the Ouija. I need your help to find someone, and I don't know the someone."

"Well, aren't you in a pickle."

"Please Cora, it's not just for me!"

"Oh, you're not interested in Regina are you? Because you are much too low a class for her breeding -"

"Oh Merlin, no, no!"

"What is it then?" Cora sighed in a bored drawl. "I've told you I can't find your family if they don't want anything to do with you, I -"

"No." Emma let her chest fall, speaking quietly. "No it's not that. I remember from last time and I have a family now." Emma took a deep breath, pushing back against the hurt in her chest. "I need to know… I need to know who the father is, and I'm having trouble. I need you to see if you can reach a relative, or friend, or someone who knows why his offspring is inside me, as well as what it is. I got a visit from a ghost, so here we are."

"Oooooh!" Cora squealed. "An enceinte pregnancy Miss Swan? An illegitimate baby? A haunting? How very risqué and daring on your salary!"

"Cora!"

"Fine, I'll check. I'll want the details of this though, so don't spare any of the juicy bits." Cora winked with Regina's face, before the woman's body went slack. After a minute, her head lifted back up, blinking slightly. "Well, Emma, what a doozy this is. This woman will not stop talking, and it's absolutely ridiculous how impossible she's being, even if she is ancient looking. Yes, I said ancient looking - well don't get mad at me, I tell it how it is - oh, I don't care who your son is, he can't be that grand if he's knocked up this wreck. Sorry Emma dear, I love you, but I mean," Cora shrugged, unabashedly.

"Cora, ask her what her name is!" Emma hissed.

"What's your name then? Oh, that's interesting. Not as good as Cora, or Regina -"

"Cora!"

"It's Milah. And she's not his mum, she's - oh he's an ex lover of yours? Juicy juicy! Sounds like Emma dear might be getting leftovers then? Oh don't be like that -"

"I need a name Cora, this is so -"

"I'm trying Emma dear, the woman won't shut up about her sweetheart. No - Really? The scandal, but - well that is so weird! Milah says that he's been hidden somewhere and no one is haunting you, but… Ugh! She's speaking so rapidly - yes, I get it, but if he wants the kid he would have come to get it, or - I am listening to you, you're not listening to me! A mirror? You should look at one, why do I have to tell her about a mirror? I mean Emma's at most average, and look at her figure now. A child will do that to you." Cora sighed, and Emma stiffened. Cora seemed to nod for a moment, before Regina's face soured further.

"Don't get smart with me, you may be an old soul but you died far younger than I did!" Cora growled, her eyes slitting at some unseen target. She turned with her head cocked, looking at Emma with pity. "I'm sorry Emma, sweet little duckling, but this woman is a nightmare. She keeps screaming at me about how this Killian fellow is the father, but it's impossible for her to see him for whatever reason. Something about a mirror? She's also absolutely ancient, I haven't seen clothing like that outside of - Pre-Babylon? Is that the robe designer or…? Don't look at me like that miss bed sheet toga, I - Emma, this woman, I swear! It's just incessant chattering, really - "

"His name is Killian? Cora, wait, don't you -"

"I understand that you were crazy in love with him, trust me, you seem crazy Milah dear. Yes, Killian is his name. A Demon of lust for vengeance. Wow, Emma, what a winner!" Cora snickered, and Emma resisted the urge to shriek. "Well, I don't care if the beast is misunderstood, he's a Demon. How touching, now please - oh come now, Gothel in the tower with the mirror? Red spire, Troll falls? What is this, Clue? Do I look like a detective?" Regina's eyes rolled, Emma desperately trying to remember the snippets that might make sense. Gothel, tower, mirror, red spire, troll falls. Killian.

Cora grew louder, her voice rising in pitch.

"Oh, how dare you! I'll have you know your cheap robes aren't exactly chic either; you need a wardrobe update, badly! You look like a ten cent frat party attendee!" Cora spat, and Regina's face pinched tight. "Excuse me? More important things, WELL , I never - Oh you rude little tart, I've had enough!"

"Please Cora, no, I -" Emma attempted, but Cora flipped Regina's hair back, sniffing with haughty indignation.

"It'll be alright Emma, duckling. It seems that your little orphan persona is perfect to parent this little babe! Shut up! No, I'm done with you, you crazy broad. Go back to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and buy some new linens!" Cora hissed, her mouth curled in an ugly snarl. "Anyways, Emma, just accept that you can't ruin a child to be like you if you're giving them a home, even if their father is some failed Demon. Or something inspirational, I don't know." She shrugged, Regina's shoulders going up in a blasé dismissal. Her eyes snapped to look behind Emma, her face contorted in rage.

"Cora. I am begging you - " Emma tried again, but Cora's focus was elsewhere, on someone unheard and unseen.

"Shut it, shut up thread count Cleopatra!" Turning back to Emma, she smiled serenely. "Tell Regina to summon me later, I need to know how she is. And tell her no more sweets, especially if she ever wants to be a wife. Ta!"

Regina fell forwards, her body shuddering as the lights flickered, purple smoke dissipating into the air. She moaned lowly, cracking her shoulders and neck as she rolled backwards.

"Dammit!" Emma exclaimed, sitting up and violently stalking to the fridge. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

"Ugh, I can taste her perfume. Bring me a beer please," Regina groaned. Emma pulled a beer and a soda out of the fridge, giving the beer to Regina. "Emma, don't you ever say that I don't love you after that." Regina shuddered again, flicking her hand to open the beer and drinking down half of it in one go.

"I know you do. You just have… You're just abrasive with it. Like a big cat, or an alligator."

(Or a wood chipper wearing lipstick)

"Shut up, and tell me how it went. Was it worth it? Mother never is, but -"

"She, uh, well she got me some information to go on. So, that's something." Emma averted her gaze, licking her lips.

"She talked about my weight, didn't she," Regina sighed. When Emma said nothing Regina drank the rest of the beer and walked to the kitchen, depositing it in the trash. Pulling out a wine glass, she reached under her cabinet and produced a bottle of wine. Emma raised an eyebrow. "Don't even start on me."

"I wasn't going to," Emma whispered.

Laying her palms flat on the countertop and bowing her head, Regina looked up after a moment's pause.

"So, what now?" She asked.

Emma chewed on her lip, thinking hard. "I have his name, or at least I think I do. I think all that's left is to, well, summon him."

(Summon him, and say what? 'Hey, Mr. Demon, I'm having your kid and thought you might like to know', as if it would care, or want anything to do with her...)

Regina's eyebrows shot up. "Not alone, surely -"

"No. I would ask Snow, David, and maybe Mulan and Belle. I know Belle would be delighted, and she has the spellbooks."

"That actually sounds like a relatively good plan." Regina nodded, then took a sip of her wine.

"Don't sound so shocked, Regina." Emma grumbled.

"Miss Swan," Regina smirked, swirling the wine in her glass before taking another sip. "If you ever cease to stop shocking me with your antics, I'll assume I have gone to meet my mother and maker."

#Courtorderedcake #September #2020 #September 1st 2020 #cssns #CSSNS 2020 #captain swan au #captain swan #captain swan fanfiction #cs ff au #CS FF #My writing #MTFB #1st

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heartwoodventures · 3 years

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Primary Access Required: Run, Rabbit, Run

Aislinn made her way into the room, giving a wordless nod of greeting to those already gathered. She zeroed in on a chair and sat slowly and stiffly down onto it, letting go a breath as she did so.

Alexi took a glance around as he came down the stairs. "Oh! So there are others around. I was beginning to wonder."

Aislinn lifted her gaze to the Hrothgar as he appeared at the edge of the room. "Aye. Here and there. As I understand it, there's to be a meeting shortly." she said, her subdued voice barely carrying across the way.

Alexi quirks a brow and leans against the door frame, arms folding. "A meeting? What about?"

Haila glanced back to nod in greeting towards Alexi. "A discussion of a not so recent expedition that one of our members organized. But I'll wait for the news to be given more officially in a few moments."

From where he sat on the couch, Mivo'to flickered his eyes, his red companion finally coming to rest atop his waist after a handful of stern glances. "Business as ever. 'Twould seem Heartwood is not to be offered reprise by the Twelve."

Aislinn nodded, glad to let someone else do the talking.

"As much as I wished to call this business the usual... 'Tis not anymore. Not after the near endless time I had with our little mechanical guests to figure out more. But once more, time to wait just a tiny bit for those coming." Haila explained, sighing as she reached for a small canteen on her side to open and take a few sips. Of what, only she knew.

Alexi Grenasch: "Either way, I've been looking for M'shara. She left the Bozjan front before me by quite a while and I had hoped to find her upon my return this morning. She wasn't at her home, so I decided to just wait here for her."

Mivo'to offered a single blink before the Hrothgar's ponderance, his still expression drifting to the slumbering rodent atop his legs. Nary a twitch pulled at his lips, thoughts drifting elsewhere as he offered an idle scratch to the Panda.

Aislinn's gaze skated away from Alexi, also avoiding his words. She just didn't have it in her to say more.

Rising Lotus was mostly watching the fish swim about as she sat on the counter before the tank, she wasn't quite sure what the latest had been with the whole situation as of late.

Once more, Haila's ears twitched, this time at the sudden sound of the front door bursting open. She stood quickly and rushed to the lobby to check. Upon seeing Altani out of breath on the floor, she went to her side, gently tapping the Viera on the shoulder as if to let her know that they were there.

Alexi sat up straight, his ears perking up at the sound from the other room! With a grunt, he stood and followed...

Mivo'to followed the attention of his Panda as its eyes snapped to the thunder of the door, swiftly exiting from its brief slumber as it scampered forth. "Twelve's name..." He murmured softly, chasing after the inquisitive beast - Only to grind to a halt upon the scene.

Altani rolled onto her back curling her fist into a ball smacking herself on her chest another loud cough coming out of her, she stayed silent for a moment before sitting up glancing to the crowd facing her, she never did much like crowds and now it only made her feel even worse as she tried to speak up "W-We...Shite...W-We went l-look for Vanriri..." Whatever she was trying to say it clearly wasn't easy as she choked up looking down at her thighs.

N'yami ears flicked as her ruby gaze turned towards the Viera who came bursting through the door, pushing herself off the pillar the Seeker turned to see what was going on. Why was Altani out of breath? The hell's happened? The confusion was clear on Yami's face, maybe she needed to come around the house more to keep up with everything.

Aislinn pulled herself to her feet, her expression blank as she followed in the others' wake.

Rising Lotus followed suit, wanting to see the commotion her self, and it felt kind weird to just be sitting there alone.

Mivo'to Laaski twisted his figure around, eyes falling upon the recently vacated study. With a raised finger, the Keeper would gesture forth, ears flapping through the air. "Pray, might we make arrangement for the Miss? She is clearly in a state of shock." He spoke, attention trailing to and fro between the trio and their newly arrived Viera. "I shall fetch water - Poor Miss is probably running on naught but willpower."

Haila Wetyios 's expression turned rather grim, so the news she'd suspected and found data on were probably about to be confirmed. She looked up towards Mivo'to and nodded. "Aye, bring some water quick. And you, take a breath first... We'll need you to tell us what happened with a clear head."

Aislinn stared at Mivo'to a moment, as if it was taking her time to process his words. Then, with an inhalation of breath, she pushed herself forward towards the Viera. "Can you stand? Do you want to come sit down?" she asked with perfunctory calm, eyes moving critically over the woman, looking for any glaring injuries.

Alexi just stood back, letting clearer heads and more careful hands tend to the woman. He just watched. He'd been waiting all morning for M'shara after he'd returned and been told she'd gone out to help someone. Now, he was getting a bad feeling from this new arrival...

Altani shook her head after a few moments, listening to reason for once she tried to simply breath, but as Aislinn spoke to her she gave a light shrug "I-Im fine...j-just-" She coughed again her throat was probably akin to a desert at the moment, but at a glance she seemed to be fine more or less, her boots were caked in mud and her clothes were drenched as she reached up pulling her goggles down around her neck, a clear ring of dust and grime surrounding her eyes "N-Not good news ive got..."

"Aye... Such seems to be the only thing that comes through these doors these days. Here, can you stand?" Haila offered a hand to the woman, then nodded towards the library." I think everyone present needs to hear what you've been through." she added, still looking intently at the Viera.

Rising Lotus inched in a bit closer to hear the woman speak, keeping enough distance where she wouldn't be in the way. She had only spoke with Haila breifly about the whole big thing they were dealing with early in the week, so she was curious what the latest was.

Aislinn's lips twitch downward at that. The only sign of any sort of expression at all. Haila was right, and though Aislinn had no idea what news Altani brought she could only wonder how many hits Heartwood would be required to take. Awkwardly, she pulled herself back to her feet, trying to be mindful of her injuries that were still on the mend. "Aye. She's right." Looking over her shoulder, she saw that Mivo'to had reappeared and made way for him.

Mivo'to reemerged after sometime, a swooshing wooden tankard clasped tightly between his palms. "Apologies, apologies, nary a clean mug in this-" He rambled, taking a plunging step forth to present the tankard of water before the Viera. "Easy does it, my Lady, easy does..."

Altani glanced away from the gaze but she took the hand shakily standing slowly pushing most of her weight onto Halia slowly wandering wherever Haila took her, but at the sight of the tankard she didnt wait a moment before grabbing it from Mivo'to chugging it down in seconds not even thinking as she dropped it the the floor "O-M-My bad..."

The uncanny speed at which the tankard had been down at least brought Haila a brief smirk. Altani didn't seem injured, that was enough for her. "Don't worry about it. Come along.." she said, leading the Viera back into the library area for her to take a seat.

Aislinn trailed after them and returned to her seat, watching Altani with a note of trepidation. She knew she had best steel herself for whatever was coming next. Mivo'to positioned themself far from the scene, arms folding upon his chest as an askewed gaze met the two Viera.

Alexi was the last to follow, taking his previous spot against the door frame. His tail tip still flicked harshly back and forth, telling of his anxiousness.

Altani let out a quiet sigh, knowing everyone's eyes were on her as she leaned back, she new it was pointless to beat around the bust so she simply let it out "...Vanriri, M-M'shara a-and...G'lewra were all...taken by the u-uh..the spider shites....allagan things...a-ate em or something...?" She didnt really know how it worked or what the hells she'd seen "T-Think they arent dead though like...ate em weirdly...pulled em into its guts with lie...m-metal tendrils or something..."

Haila nodded slowly as Altani spoke, even opting to cross her arms as she leaned absentmindedly against the couch, piecing together Altani's tale in her mind. "It took them then." she merely commented, waiting for the rest to process what had been just said before sharing what she knew.

Mivo'to lifted a brow, lips parting as an ever concerned breath passed between his fangs. 'Ate', was it? He had little knowledge on their machinations, but such a description can hardly mean anything pleasent. "Miss Haila? Any trace of what she may be describing?" He questioned, turning to their resident expert.

Aislinn tensed as she stared at Altani. So that's where G'lewra had gone. Rushing headlong after Vanriri. She shot a glance to Haila, recalling the dissection they had previously performed. "Wonder if that's what the thing's blasted cavity is for. Hauling people."

"I wouldn't put it past it's design. Who knows, maybe one of Dellont's projects for the future was to design a creature that could carry the injured back into safety like that.." Haila then shook her head some, clearly the woman had disdain for all these machinations. "How twisted can something get from it's original intention? But then again, it wouldn't have any Allagan in it if didn't do that..."

N'yami's tail tip flicked and her eyes narrowed into slits, the corner of her mouth twitched as if wanting to curl into a snarl but she controlled herself. She wasn't mad at the Viera but mad that the allagan bastards had taken those precious to her.

"They're eatin' folks now? Wern't they jus'..." Rising Lotus twirled her hand around as she tried to remember "Drainin' em before?" she shifted a bit at the thought of being eaten by one of those things, shuddering a bit.

"They were probably secured after being stunned." Haila explained as she heard her name being called, then glanced over to Altani. "Did they all fall in combat? Or was something shot akin to a lightning shard that made them fall and unable to move? Or did you see anything like I described?"

"Mayhaps it is a method of entrapment, Lady Lotus. A means to save them for a later date?" Mivo'to offered.

"I 'spose they are spiders...sorta...an' real ones do that too, web 'em up an' all." Rising Lotus replied.

"I can only fathom why - Least they are in need of a sudden surge of aether." Mivo'to paused, a chill creeping upon his neck as a shudder passed over his shoulders, head shaking to and fro as he turned centerward. "I would rather not ponder the possibilities of such a cause..."

Alexi tensed as soon as he heard M'shara's name. His lips peeled back slightly and every exhale of breath carried the low rumble of a growl. His gaze flicked between Altani and Haila. "Took them? Took them where?"

Altani nodded softly at Halia "They seemed to be uh...sleepin I guess, was to busy running and all to look...but uh...they were headed for Coerthas...n-now that im im thinkin about it..." She shook her head for a moment "W-well...honestly think its was a trap...soon as we found Vanriri they were on us..." She cursed herself, in hindsight it seemed so obvious to her that it was some sort of trap she'd done similar in the past now she was falling for the same trick.

Haila nodded once more, then looked down at the ground for a few moments. Where to even start? First, she looked up at Alexi, the one who probably needed the most answers now. "So the team that G'lewra assembled a bit recklessly didn't go too well... As far as we know, those creatures prey on any that have a gift for magic. So no doubt they had a field day.." she told him before looking back over to the group. "I won't bash G'lewra for going off like this, she must have had a plan to be tracked---at least... But are we all in agreement that no groups will be formed to go after them unless we have a clear countermeasure to their stun shots and the hordes in which they come?"

Mivo'to pursed a bottom lip, fangs pressing softly into its purplish flesh. It was clear the Miqo'te was in thought, off-colored eyes raging with one another as Haila's words echoed upon his pointed ears. Sit back? How could they? Every hour, every minute might very well stand as the last, a fate let pass. "I doubt we can sit idly by. I have no intention of rushing headlong, but surely there are measures that can be taken now - Learn our enemy's weakness, locate where our friends are kept."

"It does seem out of character for her, to be so reckless." Aislinn allowed. She didn't really need time to consider Haila's words, to her mind it was just logical. She nodded in agreement with the Viera. "I think that only makes sense." she turned her attention to Mivo'to. "Most of us recall rushing headlong into a fight not too long ago with no idea what we were dealing with. We'll work fast, but we need a plan." she told him.

Rising Lotus nodded, as much as she was generally all for jumping head first into danger, a whole swarm of was a bit out of her comfort zone, and Haila knew what she was talking afterall. "Before they only went after folks that used uh, healin' magic right? Or mostly seemed, so does that mean they've gotten a bigger...appetite?

Alexi calmed somewhat as Haila gave him her brief explanation, his fangs retracted though that growl in his tone of voice persisted. He gave a slight nod to Haila. "Agreed. We wouldn't want to walk into another trap..." he said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Though I WILL be assisting in the rescue effort. And anything else I can do to help prepare, I will."

N'yami kept her mouth shut as she listened but not only was her mother taken but so were her friends, her tail flicked behind her as plans started form in her head and what she could possibly do to save those that were taken. She would need to go track down her husband after this.

"We won't stand idly no, but at least it would be better to have countermeasures. At least a suit that is impervious to their stuns or a disruptor of the signal they all exchange." Haila commented, looking over to the Miqo'te. "If no one was drained of their aether there and then like the bodies reported around Coerthas, we can assume everyone that was taken is needed alive at the very least."

Altani stayed silent for a few moments as she recalled what all had happened, she then recalled something G'lewra had said "They did somethin odd, they just ignored me, as if I was a rock in the middle of a river they just went around me, even if I was fightin think its the only reason im here right now...but Lewra said it was my lack of mis-er Aether...?" She didn't seem so sure of herself as she finished speaking "Maybe...could send some of us...non spell casters lovers in to scout around...?"

Mivo'to offered a silent glance upon the room, an idle hand draping free of his chest, and upon his hilt, squeezing upon its worn, sturdy pommel. "Would it be unfounded to say your previous specimen has provided all it may, Lady Haila? Such a scouting party could also look to procuring another - Preferably intact."

"If that's the case, that they just flat out ignore those with lower registers of aether, then that might be best." Aislinn sighed. "As it is, I only have one aether dampener prototype ready to go."

"It's...given me quite a lot of data yes. We currently have three in our posession, two that I've almost finished fixing, and one intact. But they're all rather small." Haila informed them. At Aislinn's new information though, she glanced between her and Mivo'to. "While I would be opposed to you trying to find one by yourself given that you can be a target for them as well Mivo.. If you had a way of cloaking some of your aether, that would change things. A medium sized one would come in handy right now. Even if to establish a stronger connection to their base."

"How do you capture such things, aside from jus' smashin' 'em. Is there some way to jus' turn them off?" Rising Lotus asked.

Mivo'to trailed his gaze between the studious Haila and Aislinn, a faint hum occupying his throat. One, two, three blinks before he parted his lips, a rush of air passing between them. "Have you any means of baiting such contraptions out?" He questioned, furthering a nod to Rising's own inquiry.

N'yami raised her hand. "Can use me as bait." She said speaking up for the first time since the meeting started. "I have a lot of aether but it's not exactly aether they'd want to get their hands on."

Aislinn considered that a moment. "I would think a large discharge of aether in the area of Coerthas we know them to be should do it." she mused. "If the party is made up of those of a less magical bent, crystals might work." she stopped and looked over at N'yami. "Ahh...even better."

"As far as I'm concerned... Only aether draws them out, and they seem to be expanding territory too. Unles..." Haila trailed off, ears perking at a reckless idea that didn't seem too bad anymore. "Unless you use the smallest spider in our posession to send a signal to bring in a bigger one. You'd need to be aware of where their territory ends, but it could work. As for disabling them, while I don't have full access to this scientist's signals, the core is allagan, faking a signal from their original creators could work."

Haila glanced over to the volunteer for baiting. Her gaze softened a bit with a glint of worry. "You must be G'lewra's daughter right?... If only our reasons to meet were brighter than this..."

"An' if that don't work at least we could jus' break it's legs off, probably not too much important in those right?" Rising Lotus nodded confidently at her idea, cocking her head a bit as she thought it through a bit more. "..Though they could probably still call for it's friends if the main part is still squirmin'. Only if the first part don't work then."

Altani got a rather dumb idea but she spoke up anyway "Could get a uh, cage split it in half stick on of you in one side and the spider thing in then other? Dunno how strong the cage would have to be though." Alt shrugged lightly glancing around the room "Dunno about the things calling for its friends though...suppose just have to be faster then them? Or could bring a carriage?"

Alexi was doing his best to follow along, just listening to what the others were proposing. "Hm... if you already have specimins, broken or not, why do you need another? How will it get us into their lair to free the others?"

"'Twoud be a swift operation, nary a Ilm for failure. It would serve well if both our 'bait' and our poacher be familiar with Coerthea's terran - Or, at the very least, capable of quickly traversing the snow." Mivo'to openly pondered, flickering his attention to Altani. "Aye, holding a party in reserve would be in good order - Provide a swift getaway, and ensure the path is clear." The Keeper agreed.

"Probably wonderin' how in the hells someone so gentle and well spoken ended up with me as a kid." N'yami sighed softly to more or less collect her thoughts. "But yea, I'm her daughter, but from what you and the Old man has said these things detect aether and they go for ones with large amounts of it. If I can get a decent sized one to come after me I should be able to lock it down."

Haila nodded towards N'yami, "Aye, that would be of great help." she said to her before turning over to Alexi. "Because I need a bigger one to test their abilities... And because I may be able to snatch more data from their creator from here already." she explained, clearly reluctant as she stepped forward and opened up her strange tome as she set it down in the middle of the room. Holograms and formulas coming to life as very blurry images started to project among a constant flickering. The images in question being brief sights of doors and tubes, yet their contents were too blurred to see, one would say it wasn't even enough to call it proof of their friend's whereabouts. "I managed to get this from the smaller ones, but I can't clear the images or any recordings yet... There's also unfinished words encrypted, but I need more data to decipher them."

Alexi stepped closer as the display lit up, resting his hands on the back of the sofa and leaning forward to try and see better. He breathed a sigh as it all seemed to sink in. "Apologies, this is all quite new to me... So, we don't even know where they've been taken, other than somewhere in Coerthus?"

As Aislinn watched the flickering images a furrow formed between her brows. She couldn't be sure of what it was she was looking at. "Are these...visual recordings from the bioweapons? ...spiders. Old footage of their return point?"

Rising Lotus watched all the information float around, eyes darting around from image to image but not really understanding much of it.

"I'd say recordings, or images exchanged with the other ones. But we might be able to see where they go if we snatch a more intact and bigger one. Their signal reaches so far that even from here I can catch small bits of it. But yes, all we know so far is that it's somewhere in Coerthas, and a tad deep into that land at that." Haila said.

Alexi takes another deep breath and lets it out slowly to try and calm himself. As much as he wished it wasn't so, this plan was their only chance. "Sorry to interupt. My worry seems to be getting the better of me. Please, continue."

Altani squinted at the floating images, not really being able to make much sense of any of it she simply listened along whatever it was from the sounds of it it was promising, trying to not let herself fall asleep as her exhaustion caught up with her

Mivo'to trailed his eyes through the rough visuals, lips parting in a silent murmur, seemingly in a deep reflection with himself as he made note of what he may - Which, admittedly, was hardly much.

Aislinn nodded. "Alright, so if I'm understanding this, we need another one of those bioweap...spiders in order to collect more data and pinpoint where our members were taken. Then, the plan is to send in a team made up of non-spell casters on a rescue mission?" she asked for clarification. Just to be sure she was following all of this. Admittedly, she hadn't been her best lately.

"You've all the right to feel like that. I just wish I had more answers for now. But the images I got are very little right now." Haila said, nodding once as she waved her hand at the images, some of the clearer ones coming into view. There was a clear vision of a snake in one, and another one showed wings, and then a random scalekin that you could find anywhere in the land. "Tis the plan I can offer, at least for now. Lest I choose a more reckless option."

Aislinn made a low, uneasy noise in the back of her throat. "Well, let's try not so reckless first."

"I doubt we are short of volunteers for our first undertaking...Tis only a matter of who we choose to send." Mivo'to said.

Rising Lotus looked to Aisllinn "An' like you said, we only got one uh...anti...magic...thing, that we can use. Shouldn't be too hard to choose the non-magic folks, it's jus' that one we need to be considerin' a bit more."

"It wouldn't hurt to have a backup group watching over those that go and try to bait too..." Haila added

"Of course, I volunteer. Aside from ammunition imbuement, I've little in the way of aetheric skills or magick." Alexi spoke up.

Aislinn looked over at Rising. "Aye. Just the one. And like anything having to do with aether, it comes with a price. Can't get something for nothing. In this case, it'll dampen a person's signature but in return casting anything is that much harder. Like wearing weights." she paused. "But if it's needed, we have it."

"So you or N'yami could do it then..." Haila said, trailing off.

"Makes sense...Jus' like usin' armor I guess." Rising turned her attention back to Haila. "I can help out too, I'm used to travelin' over there, an' I ain't ever really done much magic ever."

Mivo'to curled his digits across the hilt of his blade, a rhythmic 'slip' sounding as he idly removed and insert the blade from its sheath. "Should you be in need of a soul to physically render the target null, I would like to volunteer. Familiar enough with those snow-touched wastes to make a swift departure."

Haila glanced between the two new volunteers. "That would be good then.. I'll have a device ready to try and disable the spider, at least on a small scale. I doubt it is possible to down the whole horde unless it's a direct command from their creator." she sighed. "I wished I could be of help there, but all I can do is give the tools. Lest we give that mad man more reasons to toy with Heartwood." "Probably goes without sayin, but well I can help, figure I can just scout around or whatever's needed, done a few jobs in the area so I’m a little familiar." Altani said.

"You also were the last person that saw how far they've reached into the Shroud if I'm not wrong. Drawing a small map of the route G'lewra's group did could help, as well as noting down where any report of dead bodies has taken place." Haila noted as she nodded once more. "I won't accompany you, so I believe you all who wish to go should decide on the roles each one will play. All that I ask is that no one is reckless and to withdraw immediately if more than one spider shows up."

"We've a plan, and we have our players." Mivo'to said, a previously lost spark returning to their tone as they lifted their arms, a closed fist punching into an open palm. "Let's get our girls."

Haila couldn't help but smirk a bit. "Aye, time to get everyone back safe and sound."

Alexi grunted and gave a nod to Mivo'to, then looked around to the others. "Agreed. Our friends must come home."

Rising Lotus grinned at Mivo's enthusiasm. "Aye, we'll get them back in no time, an' squash any of them things that stand in our way!"

"But I do get the ok if a large group of those spider things come that I get to at least blow up a few, yea? Don't worry I'll make sure the large one stays safe." N'yami asked.

"As long as you don't let them overwhelm you. Or get anywhere close enough to shoot a stun bullet at you, I won't complain. A whole horde coming at you isn't pretty, and I wouldn't doubt that the man behind this would still go for someone with aether related to one of his captives."

"Might be smart to have someone high up watching over everything, so if a horde of em shows we know before theyre all over us." Altani said.

Aislinn gave a single nod of her head. She turned to pass N'yami a look over her shoulder. "Before you go, the prototype is on your mother's desk." her gaze faltered a moment. "Just... cuff it to your wrist. The stone will take care of the rest."

N'yami offered a small nod. "I'll be sure to grab it, if any of ya need me I'll be in my shop off in the Goblet."

"When do we leave? Tonight? First thing come morning?" Alexi asked, eager to get moving.

"I'd say first thing in the morning. Give Altani some time to rest at least." Haila said, nodding towards the half dozing Viera. "The quicker the better, but as always, don't rush in, that goes for everyone involved."

"Agreed." Aislinn added firmly.

"Plenty an hour for rest - With such an undertaking, I would do well we all approach as alert as we may be. Our present optimism can turn head in a mere moment." Mivo'to nodded.

Alexi gave a nod and a grunt. "Then I'll be staying here to be as prepared as I can be for the morning."

Haila nodded "There's a few guestrooms open, and more than enough supplies to stock up on before leaving."

"If no one has much to share, I'd say we're set for now. I may need to find an extra hand on Allagan work though if anyone has any good contacts to put to use..."

"I can take ya to the Old Man one of these suns, he's been workin' on one of those spiders as well and he's been researchin' allagan for gods knows how long." N'yami offered.

Haila Wetyios blinked in surprise. "Please do... Two or three heads are better than one, especially when this is getting more and more personal with each loss."

If Altani had much to say she wasnt going to be saying much as she slumped over on the couch a low snore could be heard as she dozed off.

"Pray, if I may trouble you for your notes later this evening, Lady Haila. I would much prefer to know the workings of a contraption I will be so 'intimately' close to." Mivo'to asked.

Haila nodded, "I'll be sure to pass them onto you as soon as I can."

Alexi huffed out a breath. "If that's it then, I'm going to retire for the evening. I'll be in one of the guest rooms if anyone wants to go over strategy."

Mivo'to nodded, adjusting his coat. "May Twelve grant you their blessing - Heavens know we will be needing it."

N'yami pushed herself off the wall and gave a small stretch. "I'm gonna head back to the Goblet, if any of ya need weapons to pierce through the metal those things are made of give me a call and I'll work on somethin' for ya."

Rising Lotus looked to be mulling something over during the tail end of their meeting, but seemed to shake off whatever she was thinking of. "Tomorrow then, spider catchin'. Spose I ought to make suer everything is in workin' order."

Alexi quirked a brow at N'yami. "Are their hides any tougher than Garlean steel? Because I have no problem with that."

N'yami grinned. "In my shop there is, ya wanna come to the shop? I got extra beds so ya can crash there if ya like and we can work on somethin' for ya."

As the others worked out the details of their plan of attack, Aislinn rose from her seat. They appeared to have it from here and she still wasn't 100%. She needed to find some rest. "Just...try to all come back in one piece. Aside from the obvious reasons, of not wanting to lose another person, the clinic is short-staffed." she said as she made her way out. "Be safe."

Mivo'to lifted the Panda of his shoulder by its scruff, setting it beside his boots. "Pray, should any update arise, reach for my shell - I shant be but a hour's travel away." He spoke, drifting from the study.

N'yami offered a small wave. "Take care and get some rest."

Alexi nodded to N'yami, the first hint of a smile cracking the corners of his mouth. "Sounds like a much better option. Lead the way."

Rising Lotus started her way off. "See ya'll tomorrow then, I'll should be up in time otherwise jus' come get me."

#ffxiv rp #balmung rp #ffxiv crystal rp #Heartwood Ventures #Heartwood plots #Primary Access Required #n'yami synch #Altani Misair #Haila Wetyios #Mivo'to Laaski #Alexi Grenasch #Rising Lotus #Aislinn North

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lemonietrinket · 4 years

Text

Be Nice to the Baby ||| San x Reader

Summary: Your boyfriend is ‘at war’, though you can’t understand as to why Genre: Crack/humour, some angst, happy ending with fluff Warning(s): Foul language (2x s**t, 1x f**k), mild jealousy over something rather trivial Word Count: 1913 Song(s): Cheer Up - Twice AN: this is an apology for how empty my blog has been if you ignore my reblogs. truth be told i have been writing, but everything ive written so far is birthday presents (so will come out on the day) or still not ready to be published so, here is a short thing in consolation :((

~~~

“Well good afternoon, little shit,” San announced as soon as his eyes narrowed upon his nemesis. He slunk over to the sofa before crouching to be eye level, a sour pout upon his lips. “I see you’ve already decided that you rule the goddamn roost here, but unfortunately for you I’m here to remind you that this is my house, and therefore my rules, and so you better give me back my fucking chair.” When he received no response, he spat a sigh, “Wow, how immature—silent treatment? Wow. What a... childish… child you are.”

San rose to his feet, folding his arms as he would if lecturing a child or one of his group mates and stood his ground against his arch-enemy. He was met with a stony glare, unwavering in its force that quickly forced him to back down—not that he would admit it. As soon as he found his stare skittering away he sat down once again, raising his finger in an accusatory, jabbing point.

“I know what you’re up to,” he whispered, a snide laugh picking at his words, “yes! You can’t fool me. I know what your game is, what you’re playing at. You are a fool to try and best me in passive aggressive battle for I am the king!” Once again he was met with silence, that unblinking stare harrowed in on San and him alone, analysing his every move. The look was unreadable and he loathed that fact. He figured he could have ignored it, learned to get along with it but he had figured wrong—he had underestimated that look’s power, and he vowed to never make the same mistake again. This was the tipping point, something had to be done. He would not be beaten again.

“I know you believe that you are invincible but it is an arrogant belief, and I will prove it to you, as I will not let you steal my cuddles again.”

His opponent’s bright knowing eyes slid away from him as she licked her paws indignantly, paying no attention to his ‘threat’ in the slightest.

San scoffed a shocked gasp. “How dare you—you feel no remorse do you?! You will do it again—you believe there’s nothing I can do to stop you! Well, mark my words I will get my hugs and kisses before you can get a word in edge-ways, you under—?!”

A flat click resonated through the apartment as a key was slid into the lock on the front door. The creature before him immediately sat up, head raised and ears turned towards the origin of the sound, before she scarpered across the sofa towards it.

“Hey—wait—!”

Before he could even reach the doorway into the next room, the speedy lump of fluff had disappeared, followed by the creak of an opening door and concluded with a scream mixed with cooing.

“Awww, hello babie! How’s my lil sweet lionheart hmm? Yes I’m back now! I missed you too sweetie, I know you want cuddles, let me put my stuff down first ok?”

San crumpled to his knees upon the rug. It was littered with cat hair, only reminding him further to resign himself to his fate—one of which he couldn’t have even imagined back when he’d agreed to get a pet. He understood all the pros and had weighed the cons carefully but it still hadn’t been enough. He was being replaced by a cat. What a way to go out.

“Love, I’m—! Oh, you’re right here, hello!”

So preoccupied in his own wallowing he hadn’t noticed you head further inside until you chirped a greeting. You were smiling your classic beam that always raised his spirits, hobbling towards him as you tried to slip off your shoe without using your hands. Confused as to why you were making life harder for yourself he didn’t have to look far as there, cradled in your arms like a baby, was none other than his nemesis.

“Awww, was Sannie giving you a game?” his girlfriend cooed at the cat, who responded by rubbing her cheek against your shoulder. You continued to baby talk to her as you glanced at your boyfriend still moping on the rug, “Aw, baby, are you and Sannie getting along now? Are you playing well together?”

When he didn’t answer despite the fact it was aimed at him, the small clues fell together like a jigsaw and you were left sighing, “San, were you bullying the baby again?”

“What? No!” he spluttered, at last pushing himself off the floor, “Of course not! What do you take—she’s bullying me!”

“San, really?” You shook your head incredulously, stroking the cat’s with the back of your finger. “Honestly what is up with you? Why don’t you two get along? You’re not jealous are you?” you snickered.

You had been joking, teasing almost, with the last part. It seemed too nonsensical—who got jealous of a cat? It made no sense.

Cats were amazing, yes, and you knew it. You totally understood why people often chose cats and other pets, because they were just so good; they were soft and fluffy and adorable and warm and offered company even if they couldn’t talk so to speak. Each one had their own personality and preferences, it made total sense. However, to you, your boyfriend was all of that plus more—well, minus the fluffy bit for the most part, but his hair was! He was kind and supported you in a way that only another person could, he understood you and you couldn’t imagine life without him—hence why you suggested adopting a pet together. How could he be compared at all?

And yet, as soon as those thoughts crossed your mind you took one look into his guilty eyes and realised that that was exactly what he was doing.

Unfortunately the empathy part didn’t quite make it into your reactions in time. “Oh my god you are!” you exclaimed, mouth hanging open as you watched him face sour into a scowl.

“I am not jealous.”

You shook your head earnestly, a guilt-humour concoction fizzling in your gut. “No, San, wait, it—!”

With lips pressed shut he turned his back and strode off in the direction of the kitchen, leaving you alone in the living room. Exhaling carefully so he wouldn’t hear you let your cat down onto the sofa. She appeared confused, little head tilting upwards to question why you would abandon her so, leading you to hush her with a scratch behind her ear, “I’m sorry sweetheart. I love you very much I promise, I’ve just got to sort out the bigger baby of the house real quick, I’ll be back.”

Leaving her to her own devices as you chased after your boyfriend, you found him rummaging around aimlessly in one of the cupboards, mumbling the words ‘stupid’ and ‘silly’ to himself. If you hadn’t known he was grumpy then this would have been a dead giveaway. Listening carefully to what he was muttering, you worked out that he was having a go at himself rather than anyone else, and that sealed the deal for you, relief tingling in your chest.

You approached him, rolling your eyes and hiding the smile that kept threatening to twitch at the corners of your lips. “San?”

He turned but didn’t look at you because his head was kept down, having finally procured an old glass at the back of the cupboard. As he headed towards the fridge you spoke up again.

“Ok, so, if you’re not jealous, then what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong is that my girlfriend loves a cat more than she loves me!” he whirled around, features hardened yet wet at the same time, before the regret dripped from his face much like the colour did. He swallowed thickly as he waited for you to call him out as he knew he deserved.

“So... you are jealous, then.”

“Yeah,” he admitted, a bite in his blunt confession. He didn’t look at you, feeling like he’d made a right fool of himself which now thinking about it, probably didn’t help his cause whatsoever.

Unable to stifle it any longer, you let out a breathy chuckle. Yes he was a fool, but he was your fool and you wouldn’t want him any other way. While making your way over to him his mouth opened, but you cut him off before he could speak by reaching up to cup his jaw gently with your fingers and planting a kiss on his cheek.

“That,” you began, placing one on his other cheek, “is not,” and another upon the tip of his nose, “true,” you finished with a chaste one upon his lips. As you pulled away to find he seemed to gravitate towards your touch, you got your words out before he could interrupt them with passion of his own. “I love you more than anything else in the world, Choi San, and no one or thing can change that, so don’t you ever doubt it or yourself again, ok?”

He nodded and his hands swept to your back pulling you in close like he wanted. His kiss melded with yours heavily this time as the crease of his concern slowly faded away. His caress was laced with sincerity as he ran his hand to stroke your back, body melting into you.

His love would never get old, you knew that, just as you hoped his touches would never cease. His lips were warm, his embrace comforting and he smelt of home; there was nothing more that could make you happier.

When you pulled away, your breath thoroughly stolen, you leant your forehead against his as you ran your hand through his hair. Once he’d pressed a light-hearted kiss to your nose he whispered, “I’m sorry.”

You couldn’t help but giggle. “It’s ok, I just can’t believe you were jealous of a cat. She doesn’t even do anything!”

“Yeah, I know, it’s silly,” he gushed, “please don’t tell the others.”

“Well,” you pretended to think over on it, until his softened eyes widened and you decided to ease up on him if only a bit for now, “only if you don’t tell them about the time when I dropped paint on the floor and cried while trying to scoop it back up with my bare hands.”

He brought up his pinky for you to take, “Deal?”

“Deal.”

After interlocking your fingers, you took advantage of how he was leant against the counter top and laid your head on his chest, wrapping your arms around him like a teddy bear. He reciprocated by nestling his cheek into your crown while his fingertips played with the ends of your hair. He twirled the locks round the pads, easing knots out of them and very gently tugging every now and again, knowing full-well how therapeutic you found it.

“So I’m guessing this means you want more hugs and kisses,” you finally uttered, words flowing effortlessly as you relaxed fully.

“Yes, please.”

“Wow, even more?” you chuckled, inhaling deeply, “Do you want them before the baby gets them?”

San hummed. “I mean, ideally but I suppose she usually beats me to it.”

“I dunno, you could sit by the door and wait for me to come home—”

“Like a dog?”

“No, not like a dog. You’re not much of a dog… now a puppy? That’s more like it.”

“What—?!”

“I’m only teasing. So do you want the baby talk too?”

“NO!”

~~~

AN: i wrote this out of the blue from a random idea i had in the morning. meanwhile i cant write anything long even tho i plan them out and have many ideas literally every week for them. make it make sense, please.

Masterlist

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wayward-wren · 4 years

Text

The world sucks, I'm tired and have a headache, it's time to watch A New Hope again.

The opening of a star wars movie never fails to make me smile

A) the stormtroopers slipping all over the place amused me, b) the stormtroopers checking the downed troopers gives me clone feels

I love how much history and world is just implied. "The princess won't get away this time." "We'll be sent to the spice mines of kessel for sure" "

Vader's voice bring me back to being 8 and watching star wars on our little box TV.

"I have traced the rebel spy to here" Ah, must have been very difficult, running directly from Scarif. The opening is very amusing after Rouge 1

Man I love Jawas

Gonk!

Ooh man the CGI dewbacks are kiiiinda jarring not gonna lie.

Sunshine child Luke! It my boy!

Luke: What's this? R2, instantly, knowing full well what he means: What's what?

I firmly believe that Luke and Leia, being twins, have some Force connection even before meeting.

"I guess you're too small to run away on me if I take this off" HA someone doesn't know R2. He instantly denies having the message as well what a troll.

"He won't. I don't think Obi-Wan exists anymore, he died about the same time as your father." hhh my heart

Obi-Wan living his best life being absolutely feral in the desert what a legend

I love how the two wise old Jedi we see in the OT are introduced by one of them making weird screaming noises to scare off tuskan raiders and the other being a feral gremlin in the middle of a swamp. Legendary.

Dang i always forget his first words are literally "Hello there"

Alec Guinness is such a good actor dang.

"I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid" R2: boi you what you know me I know you know me come on now I will fight you.

I can't get over how much emotion Alec Guinness has that fits with the story so well. Like, I know I'm probably projecting a lot onto him because I know the story, but the amount of emotion he conveys without knowing Obi-Wan's story is amazing

Luke be like "I can't go to Alderaan. I have homework"

Yularan!

Tarkin.

I love Tarkin but as a villian and as a horrible person to hate.

"Your sad devotion to that ancient religion..." said religion was destroyed not even 20 years ago.

Okay for real though I legit didn't realise there were skeletons of Owen and Bereu smoking outside the house for years. I don't know if we were told to look away at that point or if I just blocked it out of my mind but when I realised they full on showed their charred skeletons I was shooketh.

Everytime I see a stormtrooper with one of those orange shoulder things I think of Cody it'd be wild if the trooper Ben "These aren't the droids you're looking for"ed was Cody.

Cantina music is a BOP it's fantastic

Dang Luke just reaching across the bar and grabbing the bar keeper's shirt is just rude

I love all these iconic creatures whose designs haven't changed much really over the years. It's so cool how much you see them elsewhere and they're still basically the same!

R.I.P. Greedo.

Oh no CGI Jabba.

Oh but Boba's here also this makes it okay.

"Jabba, you're a wonderful human being" I love Han.

I did not realise Han was the first to say "this is where the fun begins" I love how many inside jokes the films have with each other.

Tarkin needs to stop touching people's face without permission. He did it to Ahsoka, he did it to Leia.

R.I.P. Bail Organa and Alderaan.

"In my experience, there's no such thing as luck" idk why that hurt me but it did because everything has gone wrong in Obi-Wan's life he's literally never been lucky in his life.

Mouse droid mouse droid I love mouse droids!

Han just casually leaning against Chewie is iconic

The way Luke leans in before saying "She's rich" is cracking me up.

Mouse droid! Chewie don't scare it

Yularan full on walks past while Luke, Han and Chewie are waiting for the elevator that's wild.

Which probably means he was in the Death Star when it explodes so rip him.

Han bluffing at the radio is fantastic "We're fine, we're all fine here, now, thank you... How are you?" and his face after he says it.

*blasts the radio* "boring conversation anyway." legit one of my favourite parts of the movie

"into the garbage shoot, flyboy" I love Leia

Everytime I see Leia's outfit I get mad at George 'There's no underware in space' Lucas the beginning of Jedi is going to send me into a RAGE. it's a shame cos the movies are so good otherwise, Carrie Fisher's treatment and they way they treated her costumes and her weight just makes me so angry and I'm gonna stop before I go on a big rant. But my flatmate refuses to watch star wars partly because of Lucas' treatment of Carrie Fisher and part of me doesn't blame her, even tho she's missing out on a fantastic story.

Anyway rant over let's keep going.

'donk' the fact that they added a sound effect to the dude hitting his head cracks me up. Also implies that he's a clone cos they made Jango donk his head when entering Slave 1 in AOTC and Rex donk his head in that one clones wars episode as a reference and that makes me Sad.

3PO thinking they're dying when they're celebrating not being crushed is iconic

I love how Obi-Wan has just been wandering around this whole time

Wilhelm scream!

Aaaand now I am getting Obi-Wan and Anakin feels again.

Honestly kinda looks like Obi-Wan is disassociating somewhat he has a very blank stare and I'm projecting emotions again but still this is the first time since Mustifar he's seen the person who was his brother he must have had many Emotions. Not to mention this all happened in like... a day, he's had his past thrown in his face in so many ways

Luke being more sad about Ben's death than the people who raised him. I mean like same, but I guess he's still somewhat in shock from all that's happened

I love R2's chuckle

"Whatddya think, do you think a princess and a guy like me-" Luke, instantly: no. What a savage.

Lookout guy on Yavin IV is me and my brother's favourite background character. I distinctly remember a conversation about throwing food up to him and him having an umbrella in case it rains.

"This will be a day long remembered" Funny that, it's the day the time is calculated from in the star wars universe

Ey! I wasn't sure if the Biggs reunion scene was in this version I feel like it's not in all of them? Either way I wasn't expecting it and it made me happy and also buildup for more sadness down the line

Lookout guy again! I love him

X-wings are legit one of my favourite ships

I really do enjoy the dogfight and all the chatter over the coms

Wedge my BOY I love him

You can see Vader's eyes a couple points in that dogfight

R.I.P. Biggs

And boom. I forgot how good that battle was.

Where's Wedge's promotion/medal tho?

Man. I forgot how good this movie is and that's saying something cos I've loved this movie for as long as I can remember. I haven't properly watched it for years and it's been long over due!

Now I'm very keen to watch Empire and Jedi again because it's been even longer since I watched those!

Imma go watch the deleted scenes cos I don't believe I've seen em and then go to bed.

Huh Red leader met Anakin, wonder if that's still canon and if so, when.

Man the cantina rough cut really does show how much editing and post production brings to it.

The Tosche station scene is awesome, seeing Luke's friends is cool. They're also kinda mean. It also gives more character to Biggs which is cool! I should have watched it ages ago.

"Listen to how quiet I am you can barely hear me" Luke you nerd

See the downside to that deleted scene is that now I'm even more sad about Biggs' death.

And that's all folks! Headache is gone and I'm feeling less depressed, so I think it worked! Hopefully Empire tomorrow night, if I'm on top of assignments.

#Star wars #A new hope #Darth vader #Luke skywalker #obi wan kenobi #Leia organa #Han solo #chewbacca #Wren watches stuff

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alphacrone · 4 years

Text

for it’s better to burn out than to fade out of sight (5/?)

rating: T pairings: Yuki & Tohru (platonic), Tohru/Kyo, Yuki/Machi, other canon pairings & friendships summary: In the end, it wasn’t sadness Yuki felt, when Tohru Honda had her memories erased. No, it was anger. And anger he could work with.

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iv. i watched as the hillsides turned white with nowhere to go

***

“Be honest, Tohru. Are they treating you well?”

Tohru looked up from her lunch, tilting her head in confusion. “What are you talking about, Uo?”

Uo tore off a piece of her curry bread and chewed in an unnaturally aggressive way. “Your family. Are they treating you well? And be honest.”

“O-oh!” Tohru glanced between Hana and Sohma, who both watched her intently. It had been a week since she'd moved back in with Grandpa and his family, the renovations finally complete. The Hanajima family had bid her a tearful farewell, insisting that Tohru come by and visit frequently. Tohru was touched by their generosity, and began taking extra shifts at work so she could begin to repay them. “Of course! I’m really so grateful to them, taking me in when Aunt Mie’s going through a divorce…”

“You were there first!” Uo slammed her fist down on the desk, knocking her half-empty Pocari bottle to the floor. “Your gramps better have his priorities straight when it comes to you…”

“N-no, that’s not-" Tohru frowned. “It’s just a hard time for them, so I just don’t want to be in their way.”

Uo drew back to continue ranting, but Sohma cut her off, his voice low and calm. “Did they say that?”

“Huh?” Tohru swallowed roughly. Sohma’s expression had not changed, but there was something sharp in his eyes. “Say what?”

“You family,” he said. “Did they say you were in their way?”

“A-ah, no,” Tohru replied, rubbing awkwardly at the back of her neck. “No, they wouldn’t say something like that, I-I just want to help them in this difficult time!”

“Good,” Sohma said, and his gaze softened. “Tell me if they ever say anything that cruel. That is unacceptable behavior, especially from family.”

Tohru nodded, cheeks growing warm. Sohma was always so cool and collected, even when he was unhappy. But to see him become so cold, just because he thought her family might have said something hurtful…

“Yeah, yeah,” Uo said. “Where were they when Kyoko...? I just think you could stand to be a little more selfish, Tohru. Don’t let them bully you into doing all the chores or sleeping in a closet or something.”

“Did you know,” Hana said, dabbing her mouth clean with a pitch black handkerchief. “That in the Grimm version of Cinderella, the wicked stepsisters have their eyes plucked out by birds?”

Tohru’s mind reeled. “What? That’s awful!”

Hana shrugged, bringing another piece of beef to her lips. “Just...something to consider.”

Uo laughed, and slapped Tohru on the back. “Sorry, sorry, I know I’m worrying too much. But you have a bad habit of not telling anyone when you’re upset or in pain, Tohru.” Uo’s eyes grew sad. “Let us take care of you, okay?”

“Uo...Hana…” Tohru felt tears welling up against her will. “You guys...I love you guys…”

“Aww.” Uo scrubbed at her eyes, brushing away her own tears. “C’mere.”

Tohru laughed as Hana and Uo engulfed her in a big hug. Sandwiched between them, she felt safe and warm, cradled in a world that brought her nothing but love and kindness. She didn’t often feel this way anymore, not since Mom had died, but when she did it was always because of her friends. Tohru didn’t deserve such wonderful people, but she was beyond grateful for them.

From between Hana’s and Uo’s arms, Tohru caught sight of Sohma, who still sat across from her, looking awkwardly alone. She wished she could pull him into their hug, to wipe the strained look from his face, to banish any sadness from his heart.

Gray eyes met brown, and Sohma smiled; it was a small, soft thing, and gone in an instant. But Tohru saw it, and kept the precious memory of it safe in her chest.

She really was so lucky to have these friends of hers. Every one of them.

***

“Ugh, this house is so big, but I still have to share a room?” Kaoru griped, flopping back dramatically on her bed.

“I’m sorry,” Tohru said, looking up from her math homework. She wasn’t making great headway, but with Uo’s persistent help she was managing to understand more.

Kaoru waved away her apology, content with sighing dramatically. Tohru was secretly happy to be sharing a room; she’d grown used to listening to Hana’s light snores at night, and was afraid the silence of an empty room might keep her awake.

“Kyoko,” Grandpa said, appearing in the doorway. Tohru smiled weakly at the wrong name.

“That’s Tohru, Grandpa,” Kaoru sighed.

Grandpa appeared not to have heard. “They’re calling for you downstairs,” he told Tohru.

“Okay!” Tohru hopped up and brushed off her skirt. Despite herself, she was glad for a reason to escape from her cousin’s griping. It must be hard for Kaoru to share a room with Tohru after thinking she’d have one to herself, but Tohru was just grateful for a roof over her head. A small part of her had missed living with Grandpa.

When she reached the kitchen, Aunt Mie and Akinori were both waiting for her at the table. Kaoru and Grandpa followed after her, lurking near the stove. Their eagerness to eavesdrop made Tohru uneasy.

“Hi,” she said awkwardly. “Is something wrong?”

Aunt Mie sighed and adjusted her reading glasses. In her hands she held some papers, too far way for Tohru to properly read. “I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, but moving in was so hectic...but that’s not important.”

“O-okay?” Tohru gripped her hands together tightly. Why did it feel like she’d done something wrong? Surely they didn’t know she’d been living in a tent. Uo and Hana had been sworn to secrecy, despite Uo’s threats to ride her motorcycle through Grandpa’s living room window, and Tohru was certain no one else knew…

“Tohru,” Aunt Mie said, voice stern. “It seems like you’ve been living with unmarried men? We had a detective look into it.”

Kaoru gasped, sounding more excited than scandalized. “No way! You were living with guys? Woah!”

“W-wait,” Tohru held up her hands in surrender, face growing hot. “What are you talking about? I-I-I was living with Hana’s family.”

“Yes,” Aunt Mie said. “For a little while. But before then, you were living with three men by the name of…” She flipped a page, eyes scanning the page. “Sohma.”

“Sohma?” Tohru thought she might pass out. “Th-there has to be some mistake! I go to school with two Sohmas, but I never lived with them.”

Aunt Mie looked frustrated, but it was Akinori who spoke. “Are you calling us liars, Tohru?” He asked, eyes narrowing behind his thick-rimmed glasses.

“N-no, of course not!” Tohru struggled to keep her breathing steady. “I didn’t mean to offend you, I’m sorry! It’s just, I wasn’t living with men, I-I- Before staying with Hana, I was living in a tent. I’m sorry for lying about that,” she cried, bowing deeply to Grandpa. “But I swear, I wasn’t- I didn’t-”

“My son is studying to become a policeman,” Aunt Mie snapped. “It will be a problem if one of our relatives has a criminal record.”

“I-I don’t!” Tohru clasped her hands together, pleading. “I swear I don’t!”

“Don’t lie, Tohru,” Akinori said with a smirk. “We have photo evidence.”

Tohru’s head was spinning. Photo evidence of what? Surely their detective had confused some other girl at Sohma's house as Tohru, maybe another cousin even; Sohma had said he had many cousins.

“Kyoko was fairly rough,” Aunt Mie continued. Kaoru was still watching from behind a few potted plants, mouth ajar. “And they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” She pointed a thin, accusatory finger at Tohru. “You have to stay on the straight and narrow if you wish to continue living in this house.”

A cold sweat had broken out on the back of Tohru's neck, and her hands shook uncontrollably. Tohru wasn’t like her mother in too many ways, but she was proud of the ways in which she resembled Kyoko Honda. But if what her aunt said was true, if being like Mom wasn’t acceptable in this house…

She still had her tent, muddy and half-destroyed, tucked away under Hana’s bed. If she could just get it without alerting Hana and Uo, Tohru could unburden everyone who felt obligated to house her. She could be independent, like Mom, like someone Mom could be proud of.

“Hey, Tohru,” Akinori said, shaking her from her thoughts. He was still smirking, but there was something cold in his eyes. “Those men...they didn’t do anything improper to you, did they?”

Tohru’s blood ran cold. The room was too small, the walls were closing in on her, and all she could see were the sharp gazes of her family-

Thwack!

The room fell silent as Grandpa pulled back his palm from his grandson’s cheek. Akinori pulled back, eyes widening. “G-Grandpa?” he stuttered. “What…?”

“You really don’t know how to speak to people without belittling them,” Grandpa said, voice as light and unbothered as it always was. “Don’t mind them, Kyoko. They’re really just bad people, deep down.”

“What?!”

“Grandpa!”

“How dare-!”

“Hmm?” Grandpa seemed unbothered, smiling gently at Tohru. “They’re my dear family, Kyoko, and because of that I can endure their cruelty. But you...Katsuya always said you needed a place you could be free, and this house…”

“ Dad ,” Aunt Mie spat, fists clenched at her side. “You aren’t in your right mind, you can’t just say things like that to your own family!”

“Kyoko is our family, too,” Grandpa said simply. “Did you detective look into your or Kaoru? Me? Your cousins? My sister?”

“W-well, no,” Aunt Mie said through gritted teeth. “But no one in our family was raised by- by a delinquent!”

Tohru looked down at her feet, throat growing thick. Mom had been a delinquent, when she was younger than Tohru was now, but she’d also been the best mother anyone could have asked for. Her father’s family hadn’t stayed in touch after his death, but surely she wasn’t such a miserable creature that they could see how good and kind Kyoko had been?

“Someone’s birth isn’t important,” Grandpa said. “Kyoko loves more fiercely than any of you; she has a good heart. This behavior of yours has been disappointing, Mie.”

The room fell quiet as Aunt Mie stared angrily at Grandpa. Akinori still held onto his face where Grandpa had slapped him earlier, and Kaoru watched it all with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“I-I-I’ll start dinner!” Tohru cried, breaking through the tense silence. “How does nikujaga sound? Great!” She hurried to the fridge to begin preparations before anyone could speak further.

“That sounds lovely, Kyoko,” Grandpa called. “Thank you.”

No one else spoke again after that, but Tohru heard several doors slam as she cooked. She didn’t dare venture out of the kitchen, too frightened to see who had left.

Neither Aunt Mie nor Akinori returned by dinnertime, but that didn’t seem to bother Grandpa. Even Kaoru shrugged at the empty seats and helped herself to Tohru’s cooking, complimenting it as soon as she took a bite. Tohru gave her a shaky smile, but the absence of her aunt and cousin worried her far more than their presence would have made her uncomfortable. She hoped that wherever they were, they were safe and well-fed.

***

When the house had fallen still and silent, Tohru crept out of her room, careful not to wake Kaoru. She felt guilty, sneaking around her own family like this, but she couldn’t help but wonder just what made them think she’d been living with the Sohmas, of all people. She hadn’t even spoken to Sohma or Kyo until after she moved in with Hana. Even if she was unhappy with Aunt Mie hiring a detective to look into her, Tohru needed to know if they’d been tricked or misled by someone with bad intentions.

The papers were still on the coffee table where Aunt Mie had left them that afternoon. Tohru thumbed through them, barely able to comprehend most of what was written. She continued searching, spotting names like Honda and Sohma and Hanajima littered throughout, until the texture of the paper changed, and Tohru realized she’d stumbled across several photographs. The first two showed her leaving school, chatting with Sohma. This was odd--she couldn’t remember a day she’d left school with Sohma instead of Hana or Uo--but perhaps she’d simply forgotten. Kyo appeared in the next photo, following behind them at a short distance with a scowl. Again, not something Tohru remembered happening, but not out of the realm of possibility.

It was the next photo that took her breath away. Tohru’s memory had never been the best; she often spaced out during class and forgot important dates or math equations. Surely she could have forgotten a brief conversation with Sohma as they walked home in the same direction. Maybe she’d been preoccupied with work or school and hadn’t paid much attention.

But this photo changed everything. Because there, plain to see, was a photo of Tohru walking the same forest path she’d taken every day after school or work to get back to her campsite. Except, instead of showing her alone, ducking off the paved path and into the woods, these photos showed her walking in between Yuki and Kyo Sohma, all three carrying bags of groceries. Sohma wore a soft expression she rarely saw, and Kyo glared in a way Tohru saw constantly, but it was her own laughing face that truly caught her off guard. When had she walked home with these Sohma boys? When had she ever been so comfortable in their presence? When had she gone to the store with them, or even seen them outside of school?

Because Tohru could not deny the girl in this photograph was her. This girl, with pink ribbons and a hand-me-down dress, was undoubtedly her, but the memories of this moment were...gone. Not faded, not vague, just gone .

Tohru’s heart sank deep into her stomach. What really happened during those weeks in the woods? And why couldn’t she remember?

#fruits basket fanfiction #fruits basket spoilers #fruits basket #anna writes things #x-posting from ao3

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shannygoatgruff · 4 years

Text

My Brother’s Keeper - Chapter XI

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Modern Ivar X Modern Hvitserk

Rating: MA+18

Overall Warning: Dark story told from an emotionally distributed person’s POV with graphic and sadistic material including rape, terror, torture, kidnapping, drug use, slash, implied incest, necrophilia, and insecurity. Heavy trigger warnings.

Chapter Warning: Character devolving.Graphic sex. Torture. Rape Necrophilia. Heavy trigger warnings!

Summary: Mama always said to be their brothers’ keeper. Now there is absolutely nothing these two won’t do for each other. Boys will be boys…

A/N: This chapter might be a hard read, but it's supposed to be because Hvitserk is devolving. It's hard to explain without giving too much of the story away, but trust me, there's a reason for this. I hope I did a good job showing the struggle within the character.

Chapter XI

I don't remember this ever being so stressful. Maybe it's because we've never taken two of them before. Well, we’ve had two in the same night, but never two at the same time.

I thought it was logistically impossible, but Ivar had everything planned to the letter. He's brilliant – a tactical genius. Just being able to think of every move before it happens, all of the calculated risks, even the reactions…if I could have his looks, charisma, and his brains? I’d be the total package.

Even though every part of the plan worked perfectly, there’s still something nagging at me. All of this feels off. Of course, Ives says it’s because I’m just a creature of habit, but I think it’s more than that. We’re doing all kinds of stuff that we have never done before. We’re breaking rules, making shit up…

I’m all for him being spontaneous, but for the first time since we were kids, I can’t read him. Normally, we’re on the same page when it comes to this. We know what the other is thinking by a look or a head nod – but right now? I don’t know what the hell is going on.

He came up with this plan and didn’t tell me about it. He just did shit. Naturally, it worked out; it’s Ivar. But, he just did it...without me.

He said he didn’t want to burden me with the details, that I’ve been so stressed lately, that he just wanted me to sit back and enjoy. I know and trust that he would never do anything to hurt me, and that he always has my best interests in mind, but it’s a little scary not being able to be inside his head.

It’s empty when I can’t feel him.

This bond we share, not as brothers, but as soul mates - being two life forces that are perfectly in-tuned with every aspect of each other…that feeling...he’s slipping away from me.

Now, he’s doing shit that he knows I don’t like. Take drugging them for example – I’m not into that. There’s a big difference between getting high with someone and drugging them. When we get high together, they get to pick their party favor, sit back, and enjoy the ride. It makes our night together so much more fun because we’re both in an alternate reality before anything ever gets started. It’s kinda like Star Treking through the Twilight Zone.

But when you drug a person, you’re taking away their choice. They don’t know what the fuck is going on. They’re all spacey and shit, and I can’t tell if they really want to be there with me, or if it’s the drugs talking. I need them to be able to make the choice. I need them to submit to me and not give up because they’re high.

I know I’m being a bitch about this. He was just doing the best he could to make sure we got both of them. I can’t help but to try to think that had to have been another logical way to do this.

I wonder if Ivar knows that I went inside their house last night? I bet they didn’t know that their bilco doors weren’t locked, or that Ms. Johnson never fixed that cellar entrance from that time when we got in there to get some of her pills, a few years ago. Hmm.

I was good. I didn’t touch anything; I just watched them make love. She is beautiful and the way she looks at him is enough to make me want to lick her face. Her body is amazing. I could tell that from when she was standing in the back yard, but naked? Dainty, pale skin, soft curves...she’s gentle and he was a little too rough with her, for my tastes.

His body was the direct opposite of hers. He’s got defined muscles, hard plains, tanned skin. The way he touched her, picked her up, slapped her ass...you don’t manhandle a woman as delicate as her, like that. It took everything I had not to kill him right there.

But she seemed to like it. He turned her. He destroyed a perfect, angelic being and turned her into his personal blowup doll. That’s why they had come. I have to save her, and he has to pay.

So, what other choice did we have? How else were we supposed to get them here? Drugging them was the lesser of the evils, but fuck...this?

If it was just slipping them something, I could live with that. But what the fuck am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to go through with this if I know their names and their story?

I seriously don’t think I can do this anymore. I mean, I want to. God I really, really want to. But they're like real people now.

I guess it would have been a little weird to just take them out for drinks and not ask them anything about themselves. Well, I didn't ask, not really. That guy, Bishop…what did he say his real name was? Heahmund? Like I gave a fuck. Well, he decided to tell us all about him and his beautiful wife, Aud. And because that shit for brains doesn’t like the natural lull in conversations, we had to find out all about how they just got married and moved out here.

He's from up North and she’s from the back East and apparently, they met someone in the middle, blah, blah, blah... I don’t care about their life story. But I do care that their families back home are going to miss them.

Just talking to them was weird, too. Usually, people only talk to Ivar. But them? They were talking to me, like looking at me and everything. And the way Aud’s eyes twinkled every time she said, Fitz, it was like…wow. I just wanted to keep hearing her say my name over and over again. I almost told her my whole name, just to hear what it sounds in her mouth.

I want to eat my name off her tongue. God, that would be fucking amazing.

Maybe that’s why I started getting hot and dizzy when they got up to dance, and Ivar opens the capsules and dumps the contents into their drinks. I just wanted her to say my name one more time, without being drugged.

"Now!" Ivar's voice fills the cabin and pulls me out of my head. My eyelids feel heavy as I open them. My neck doesn't start to hurt until I reposition myself in this chair. From this new position, I realize that this guy is naked and handcuffed. He’s wearing the dog collar around his neck and Ivar is holding the end of the leash in his hand, practically dragging him around the room.

But, what is that damn rattling noise? Wait, are those the leg shackles? Where the hell did they come from? I thought Ivar got rid of those things months ago.

It hurts my neck, but I still strain it to look around them until I can find Aud.

There she is, sprawled out on the mattress, her arms tied to the metal grates of the fireplace, and her legs are tied to something that Ivar has sticking out of the floor. What in the hell is that, anyway? Whatever it is it looks sturdy enough.

I must say, Ivar's been doing a lot of work fixing this place up. He must have spent a lot of time here when I was out of it before. The lights in the ceiling work…they flicker but, at least, they're on. Most of the other shit has been cleared out, too. Between cleaning up this place and taking care of me, where does he find the time to do anything for himself? I really need to do a better job of taking care of him.

Bishop’s muffled voice is weak as just before he falls over when Ivar puts the cattle prod to his chest. If only there was a way to make him understand that my brother would just as soon electrocute him for the hell of it - it would be in his best interest to just follow along.

If dude thinks it’s bad now, just keep defying, Ivar. He’ll learn.

The sound of my chair leg scratch along the floor makes Ivar’s head turn toward me. His smile splits his face in half and he offers me a wink. "Glad you decided to join us. You woke up just in time." Now that he has an audience, I know he is not going to hold back.

Truth be told, I’m a little sad about that fact. I kinda liked them, Aud & Bishop. It might have been nice to have some friends or possibly get to know some people that Thora and I could go out with as a couple or something. I’d like to hang around some regular couples to see how they do things, get some tips on how to be normal. Judging by how far things went while I was out, there doesn’t seem to be much hope for that now, though.

Oh, well. It’s not like I can do shit about it now; unless blacking out counts. That seems to be all I can do lately. That must be why I'm sitting over here in this lumpy ass chair in this corner, like a child on punishment. I don’t even really remember what happened. One minute Aud was sucking me off and her husband was calling for her. Then I was sad because his voice was breaking my heart. Next thing I know, I’m waking up here, just in time to watch my brother break my two new friends.

"You with me, brother? Come over here, you gotta see how cool this is.” Ivar's face turns from pleasant to harsh when looks back at Heahmund, "I told you to get over there and fuck her. Now! Don’t make me tell you a third time." Did I wake up on planet Quaddork? Ivar usually does the torturing, but now he’s going to use them to do it to each other?

It’s a brilliant idea, but shit if I don’t feel bad about it.

My legs are wobbly, but I make my way over to the mattress and I swear Aud's eyes remind of Thora's when she's afraid. Just the way she's looking at Heahmund to save her, like a kid who needs their daddy to protect them from the things that go bump in the night…fuck. Out of instinct, I kneel down and touch her bare her foot. Even if I can't help her, I just want her to know that I'm here.

She's so scared, but I want her to know that she doesn’t have to be scared of me, “It's okay Thora. I'm not going to hurt you." I need to find her clothes. Her body is on display. Every man in this room, including me, can see her entire naked body. This isn’t right. She needs to be covered up, at least part of her, at all times. When she’s naked, she becomes the parts and the reaction I need and not the woman that I want. She can't be like that. Especially not here and definitely not around my little brother.

"If you don't fuck her, he will." Ivar's voice is harsh causing the tears to run faster from her eyes. "They think I'm fucking around, Serk. Why don’t you show Bishop, here, how it's done?"

I love Thora and I make love to her all the time. But not like this and I won’t do it in front of him. I have to keep something separate, something for myself. "Ivar, please. Keep Thora out of this."

"Aud." Ivar has the leash wound tightly in his hand as he kneels beside me. He strokes my hair and whispers in my ear. "Her name is, Aud."

I nod my head, "Right." That is her name, Aud.

Fuck Aud. She's not Thora. My hand trails her leg and when I reach her hip I hear a scuffle behind me. Bishop is trying to get at me. I guess Ivar’s trying to stop this from happening. I don't know how he managers it, but somehow he’s gotten the larger man on the ground and when he nods his head, I know what he wants me to do. I cover her body with my own and before anything happens, I remove the ball gag from her mouth. "It'll be over soon. I promise."

"Please help me, Fitz?" Her whisper makes my heart skip a beat. I stroke her hair back and focus on her face as she sobs her request. She's so pretty. So innocent. Ivar doesn't understand, we have to protect the innocent ones.

"It's okay, Thora.” I close my eyes as I kiss her forehead. “I'm here.” My thumbs trace the side of her face and I wedge my hips in between her legs.

I just need to look at her for a moment. I want to take in all of this innocence before I possess it.

I hear screaming behind me and it makes me turn around. My brother looks satisfied, he must have gotten his way from the man in the collar. "If you want him to stop, you know what you have to do." He gives the leash some slack before yanking it down forcing the man to kneel on the mattress. Holding his hand out to me, Ivar motions for me to come to him, "You'll have her soon, Serky. Let her husband have a turn."

As soon as her body is exposed again, I realize she's not Thora. She doesn't look like her; her body is not like Thora's. She's laid out and waiting for another man. Thora would never do something like this whore in front of me. Instead, she would be putting up a fight, trying to keep what we have sacred. She wouldn't betray me and lay with someone else.

"Heahmund?" She cries as he says muffled words into the bend of her neck, slowly positioning himself on top of her. He's taking his time, trying his best to stall. Little does he know, he’s just going to piss Ivar off more. I can't take my eyes off of them. All this human interaction is marvelous. "Just do what he says and he'll let us go," her words come out weak and choppy as she tries to reassure him.

"No, he won't," Ivar laughs at my statement. He’s squeezing my shoulders and cracking the fuck up like I just told the joke of the fucking century. I have to admit, his laughter is making me start to giggle, "He's never gonna let you go."

She turns those hopeful eyes towards me and suddenly it’s not funny anymore. "But, you can, right, Fitz?” Why is she nodding at me? Does she want me to agree with her? “I promise we won’t say anything. Please, help me?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ivar's boot come down on Bishop's hip. "I gave you an order, slave," his voice is so calm and even that it scares me. I know that tone – this is the calm before the storm. If this guy doesn’t get his shit together, Ivar’s going to get angry.

I don’t even know to describe what it looks like when Ivar’s angry. That time a few weeks ago, when he had a tantrum because he wanted to go out is nothing compared to when he loses control. It’s like his eyes cloud over to this shade of blue that’s not known to man, and his normally electrifying smile makes him look psychotic. That’s why I usually go into another room when Ivar works. I love to see him happy, but I hate watching him become a monster.

For my little brother to be such a beautiful man, his monster is so ugly. I hate the way it twists his face and how it sucks all the good out of him. It’s like he just becomes a black void, that can only destroy. I know it sounds crazy, but when Ivar’s monster takes control, he’s so ugly because he forgets he loves me.

Judging from the slow transformation in his features, I’d say Bishop’s only got a few minutes to get his shit together before Ivar starts turning, "Just fuck her, like you hate her." I don't know why I'm trying to help him. Maybe it's because I know what he's feeling. I know damn well what I'd be feeling if it was me and Thora.

Bishop pleads with her eyes and she permits him to hurt her. He's slow about it. He's trying to make it as pleasurable as possible, considering. He shouldn’t deviate from the script, just do what the fuck he’s been told. Oh well, I tried to help him. He's not listening to my advice, that’s just too bad for them. Any and everything Ivar does to them now will be on his head. All he had to do was follow the rules. Just let Ivar be in control without trying to be the hero. Now it's his ass. Literally.

Without warning, Ivar shoves the cattle prod into him, causing him to push violently into Aud, making her scream. I can’t stop laughing at the fact that Ivar's going to shock him from the inside until he gets his desired reaction.

"I said fuck her." He sends another shock to help coax him along. It’s not until the husband is behaving like a good boy, does Ivar pat floor next to him for me to join him.

I trust that Ivar knows what he’s doing. I’m sure that he wants me beside him, getting a front-row view because there’s a lesson here that I need to learn. I’m just too tired and confused to concentrate on it. My mind keeps wandering and I can’t seem to stay fully in this moment.

As soon as my head lands on his lap, his strong fingers gently rub my scalp. It’s almost enough to make me want to go back to sleep. Only, I can’t stop watching this man fuck his wife with so much force because he's afraid to have me do it. I don’t know if I’m enjoying this. It’s a little too fucked up, even for me.

"Punch her." I didn’t even realize how heavy my lids were until Ivar’s voice broke my concentration. He’s just saying the first thing that jumps in his head, now. I can tell by that boyish chuckle of his. Sending another shock to Bishop makes him react like a trained monkey. Each time he sends a charge, Aud gets another punch to her face. Each punch she gets, makes Ivar laugh. Every laugh from him, makes me wrap my arms around his waist tighter, and smile.

I can't tell who's crying harder, him or her...poor things.

Ivar's entire body shakes under my head as he laughs, but he never stops massaging my scalp. It’s the weirdest, most comforting sensation. I wonder if it feels like that for him, too. "Good dog. Now, choke her." His Pavlovian response technique seems to be working because he doesn’t even need to shock this guy into playing out his fantasy.

Without any more guidance than just Ivar’s words, a large hand wraps around his wife’s throat, but he’s not applying any pressure. “That’s not hard enough to choke somebody,” Did I just say that? I was thinking about it, but why did the words come out of my mouth? I don’t want him to hurt her. I like her. I have to protect her. If anything, I want to hurt him for hurting her. But, maybe this was his way of trying to keep her safe. Maybe by not choking her, he thought he was appeasing my brother and protecting his wife.

The only problem with his plan is Ivar knows it’s not hard enough to cut off her oxygen supply. "I'm sick of repeating myself to you, dog. You will learn to do what I say." This time when he shocks him, he doesn't let off of the button. He sends the shock waves throughout Bishop’s body in a way that makes the muscles in his hand stiffen, locking around Aud's throat.

Those eyes. All of that innocence seeping out of those eyes with each tear that rolls down her pretty face. She was so beautiful. So angelic. Now she's nothing. Those large eyes are fixed in my direction, staring lifelessly at me, begging me to help her. "Thora?" I reach my hand forward but she doesn't respond.

"You see what he did, Hvitserk? He killed Thora." Ivar's voice is soothing as he tries to console me through my grief. All the loving and coddling in the world can’t fill this empty void suddenly growing inside me. I know what I need to do. This man was twice her size and he raped and strangled this beautiful, innocent creature.

He is evil. "You thought he was your friend, Serk. But now Thora's dead because of him. He needs to be punished."

I stand to my feet in one swift motion and I kick him in the ribs. I watched him kill her. All she wanted was for him to protect her, but he was too weak to do that. Well, I’m not weak.

He is going to pay for failing her.

The cattle prod lands with a crash across the room and I'm inside of him faster than he can recover from it. "You like raping women? Do you like how it feels?" I pound into him ignoring his cries. My weight, on his back, lands him on top of her and he gently shakes her body to try to wake her up. "She's dead, fucker! This is your fault! Why didn't you just fucking listen?" I grunt my words because I'm so angry. How could he let that happen on his watch? He didn't deserve her.

The leash is wrapped so tightly around my hand that the blood no longer circulating in it. With each thrust, I pull back on it until I start to hear the bones in his neck crack under the pressure. He can't die soon enough.

"That's it, Hvitserk. Just like that." Ivar coos from behind me, his lips gently grazing my neck. I know that panting sound he makes when he’s jerking off. When I look over at him, I feel myself smile at the sight of his hand vigorously stroking his cock. The harder he jerks, the harder I thrust. It's like we're finally in sync again, pumping rhythmically with each other.

I didn't understand what he was trying to show me before, but now I do. People like Bishop, the strong ones, they deserve this. They are ones that the world bows to because they're charismatic and exude a presence that people like me don't have; they deserve to be taught a lesson. Ivar has shown me that I'm stronger than I think and that it's my job to let the rest of the world know my strength.

It has nothing to do with the act; this all about power. No matter how many muscles Aud’s husband has or how tough he thinks he is, I'm more powerful than him. She should have known that, too. She should have chosen me to be with, not him. They made the wrong choice by overlooking me. Now they have no choice, I'm the last thing they'll ever see.

Bishop's lifeless body lies limp in the corner until Ivar decides what he's going to do with him. Right now, he sees fit to just stare at him while smokin a joint and listening to music. I, on the other hand, can't get enough of Aud. I don't understand how I could confuse her with Thora before.

Maybe it was something I took before I left the house or maybe it was the helpless, innocent way she looked at me. Whatever it was, I’ve never met someone that could blur everything around me like that. For the briefest moment, I couldn't tell what was real and what was just in my head. Right now, though, being inside her now, I know the truth.

She feels just as soft and just amazing as I thought she would. She didn't see me before, but now she does. I've shown her more care and love that fucking coward she married ever could.

It’s because I need her to see that I can take of her that I can’t stop indulging in her. It’s almost like I need to show her that I’m worthy of the gifts that she's given me. She helped me get back my confidence.

She showed me how to find my strength, and she gave me back my power.

My new neighbor, Aud, saved me.

I want her to feel how much I appreciate everything she's done for me. Every time I cum, I'm hard again, just thinking about what freedom feels like. If I could figure out a way to consume her so she would never leave me, I would…I just don’t want this feeling to ever go away. I've already licked her; tasted her; bit her; cut her and loved her. What other way is there to make her a part of me?

She drove the hunger away. It's not just fed, it's gone. She did that for me. She gave me a chance to have a normal life.

Aud sacrificed herself to cure me. I will forever be in her debt.

Kissing her mouth hungrily, I turn her head to have her eyes focus on me. "Thank you." When I roll on my back to look up at the ceiling, I notice Ivar's smiling face looking down at me. "Did you have fun tonight?”

I look at the hole at the ceiling before cutting my eyes back at him. Rubbing my bare chest I start to laugh, "Ives, tonight was fucking awesome!” Gently placing a hand on Aud’s thigh, I give it a light squeeze, “Thanks, brother. I needed that.”

“Of course,” he says, winking his eye at me, “I will always be my brother’s keeper.”

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malethirsty · 4 years

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A Hard Day’s Night: Ethan Chandler

Summary: After working on both finding Mina & managing your telepathic ability, you accompany Ethan to the Grand Guignol, which causes a flood of things to be revealed.

Warnings: M/M smut (21+), Bareback (Wrap Before You Tap)

Inspired by: https://twitter.com/malethirst/status/1196862910745571328?s=21

Working with Malcolm Murray was an experience of a lifetime, but was not without problems. Ever since he & Vanessa Ives recruited your telepathic abilities to help locate Malcolm’s missing daughter Mina, you’d been working non stop. You’d had moments alone with Sembene during break, but he was more of a silent soldier, you needed someone to talk to. You could have talked with Mr. Lyle, but despite you both being closeted, you couldn’t bring yourself to, mainly cause you thought he might sell you out.

So you whiled away, all until one fateful day. The day Ethan Chandler walked into your circle, you were smitten by the American however couldn’t fully read him, it was the same with Vanessa, and you couldn’t work out why. However it wasn’t as important as striking a connection up with him. Ethan responded well, the two of you discussing things like the Demimonde, American history & his potential settling. Over time, you fell in love, but pushed the thoughts away, he was rough and tough, and would probably turn you away, you didn’t want the relationship to end. It couldn’t mean that you could avoid looking at the beautiful rugged man, his amazing long hair, his drawl, how amazing he probably looked naked.

“Y/N, are you hearing me?” Ethan clicked his fingers in front of your face, breaking your thought “Wha?” You muttered confused, Ethan grinning “I asked you if you wanted to come to the Grand Guignol tonight, Miss Ives is already going & I think she could use the company.” “So like you’d escort me like one would a lady?” The words escaped your mouth before you could stop yourself, your inward curse stopped by Ethan responding “Yeah, like that.” You breathed heavily “I guess so, 8PM sharp the production begins right?” “Yes, make sure you look your best Y/N, I’m gonna take my best man for a night on the town.” “I’ll make sure of it Ethan.” Ethan grinned at you as he walked away, you moving up the stairs, ready to pick out an outfit to wear.

As 7PM rolled around, you told Malcolm you would be out but would keep an eye out for Mina. He nodded his head in agreement, more concerned about his acquisition Victor Frankenstein, than anything else around him. You met both Ethan & Vanessa outside “Well Mr. Y/N, you look nice this evening” “Thank you Vanessa, I can say the same of you.” She smiled, which was always important to get from her as what you were able to see from her thoughts, she hadn’t lived a pleasant life, so any chance to make her smile, you’d take. “How’s the anchoring going? And how are you going to adapt it to find Mina?” Vanessa’s questions were important as going into the hustling & bustling public with telepathic abilities was like walking through a busy road packed full of noise, recently you’d learnt anchoring from her & had been locking it onto Ethan so things would be more bearable, but now you’d have to let it down a bit. “I’m sure it will go fine, it did the other night. I know Malcolm used you for most of the work, but I was able to keep it controlled when I had to attempt to seek Mina out.” “Good work Y/N, but we really must head out or they won’t let us in.” At Ethan’s prompt, you all set out to the Grand Guiginol.

The production ‘The Transformed Beast’ was quite a spectacle, thrilling the audience but you knowing of the horrors of the supernatural were not as horrified as the other viewers. You took the opportunity in less important parts to gaze at Ethan, seeing his reaction to what was unfolding on stage. Then the main actor said it, the words that would change everything “There cannot be a happy end, for claw will slash and tooth will rend!” At this your anchoring slipped. Flashes occurred, so quick you couldn’t focus back on Ethan. You saw the lead actor, leading some sort of creature backstage, you saw vampires nestled in the rafters, you saw Mina on a beach with Vanessa, Mina being bitten by some out of focus figure, then you saw people being mauled by a different figure, one that looked wolfish. Claw slashed, tooth rended & finally you saw the creature rest in the dock, time elapse as it morphed into Ethan as he awoke & started right at you, with eyes filled with pain and heartache.

“Y/N, Y/N!” Ethan was shaking you and you pulled yourself out of it “What Ethan?” You said, trying to not act like you’d seen something connected to him kill a lot of people. “It’s Intermission, you want to go out and ask Vanessa what she thought?” “Uhm, I, um” you said, trying to find your bearings, however as a dark look fell over Ethan, you knew he knew what you’d seen “You know don’t you?” He said softly, you nodded. Ethan got up & made his way quickly towards the exit “Ethan don’t!” You called out but he had gone “Ah shit” you murmured under your breath as you tore out to find him.

He was right outside the theater, which made your pursuit seem over dramatic to say the least “Ethan?” you cautioned, not knowing what would happen “Have you ever wanted to be someone else?” This was not the American you knew, this was a man who’d been through so much, close to shattering, it broke your heart to see Ethan so sad. You walked up to him & put a hand on his shoulder “I used to, but I grew used to what I had.” “And you think this is some type of gift?” Ethan asked, his voice raising “Well I don’t fucking know, I don’t even know what it is!” You responded back harshly. Ethan drew deep breaths, attempting to calm down “Mariner’s Inn, that’s where I’m staying. Let’s head back there so I can explain.” Ethan started to walk, you following behind him.

You eventually crossed the threshold and made you way to his room. Locking the door behind you, you turned to face Ethan. “So what is happening with you?” Ethan sighed “Y/N, I’m a werewolf. I turn every full moon into a ravenous creature destined to feed on flesh & blood, not caring who it is, as long as it’s carnal need for flesh and blood is fed” you nodded your head “Alright” you responded, Ethan looked surprised “Alright? Y/N, all those people” “Should not have been slain yes, but I can assume this was something you were cursed with, correct?” “Yes it was, I don’t remember seeking it out.” “So the issue should be with the one who cursed you, not yourself. Ethan, every single person at Malcolm’s house has had to step in blood, you aren’t the first and you won’t be the last. You’ve been here for me, so now I return the favor and be there for you.” “How could you be? I could rip you apart, it’s practically suicide! Why would you stand by my side through all of this suffering and pain?” “Because I love you Ethan Chandler!” The words had fallen out again, but this time you were beyond caring “I was pulled in the second I saw you at the show with that makeshift mustache, when I saw how that girl at the show had been fucked by you, I wished I could have been in her place, but as I got to know you more I started to love your personality, your kindness with Ms. Ives and myself, how you made me comfortable with my telepathy. So that’s why Ethan. Even if you can’t stand me, I cannot bare to see the one I care about distraught and upset, taking his anger out on himself for another’s curse!” You stopped, catching breath. Ethan looked shocked at all you had said.

You took the cue from Ethan’s face “I should go” “No” you turned back to see Ethan making his way toward you “I didn’t mean to take it out on you, I can see you really care despite everything, probably the only person who ever could. You really mean it?” You started up at Ethan “Every word” Ethan kissed you very deep to where a few moments passed before you split apart. You were in shock, however you were both incapable of speaking, everything already being left on the floor. Soon both of your clothes covered said floor as you fell onto Ethan’s bed, “Ride me” Ethan whisper groaned, and you obeyed. Positioning yourself above him, you lowered yourself down onto his cock, moaning out for him. Once sheathed inside your ass, you leant in for another kiss as he began to thrust forwards, him leading you in rhythm and pace, the air filling with moans from the two of you “Oh fuck Y/N, you look so beautiful. You don’t deserve to be fucked like the girl from the show, you deserve to be made love to.” Your eyes filled with tears, though more of love and some kind of happiness that you couldn’t name, Ethan looking at you understood, like he had a telepathic link & leaned up to kiss them away.

You stayed like this for a while, loving how good Ethan was fucking you. He suddenly slammed you down, taking charge of the pace, you continued to moan “Ethan keep going, I love this so much!” He grinned, picking his pace up “You’re taking me so good baby boy, clench down right there. Fuck yes” he began to grab the railing as he neared the end, you also getting close “Y/N, I’m going to cum soon, do you want me to pull out & shoot?” At this you moaned out, shooting your own load as you leaned up to kiss him “N-No, shoot in me Ethan, you’re a damn marksman, make it count.” He laughed “God Y/N, you really are something amazing. Here it comes, FUCK YES!” Ethan groaned out as he shot his load into your ass. He kissed you again, you wrapping your hands around him. Ethan for everything good & bad, was where you were most calm, and here was where you wanted to stay.

#Ethan Chandler #Male Reader #Ethan Chandler x Male Reader #Ethan Chandler Smut #Penny Dreadful #Pemny Dreadful Smut

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diazevan · 5 years

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30. Recovery

I. 356 Days Without Peter

It had almost been a year.

Since the Avengers lost, and Thanos won.

The Titan was dead, that might seem like a victory, but it wasn’t. His death served no purpose. He died the victor, and there was no changing that.

Tony struggled to move on, in the wake of devastation. It hurt to breathe every day, knowing that Peter Parker was gone.

Survivor’s guilt had made itself comfortable, pressed against his chest, slowly suffocating him. He buried his pain deep but made sure he never forgot his ridiculously intelligent, and caring mentee. They say you’re not forgotten until someone speaks your name for the last time, and Tony had a plan, to make sure the universe chorused Peter’s name, until the end of time itself. Tony didn’t sleep much, as unhealthy as that was, it did come in handy with a newborn baby. Morgan Stark.

Since Peter died, Tony felt like life stopped, as if everything around him was frozen in time. He still felt like that, the space Peter left behind would always be there, however, Morgan helped him along. Tony could now feel time passing, but it was slow. Morgan was three days old, and Tony hated letting her out of his sight, even for a second. He did that with Peter, and before he knew it, the kid was fading away. The fixation was self-deprecating but he couldn’t risk losing her too. Happy was yet to meet Morgan. He’d been in Europe when the big day came, and couldn’t make it back in time. Tony could tell he was upset that he missed such a tremendous event, but he would make up for it. “He’s here,” Tony whispered, he watched as Happy jumped out of his car and raced up the porch stairs. Morgan was fast asleep in Pepper’s arms, she smiled as Happy opened the front door. “Hey…” Tony went to greet him, but Happy simply handed him a gift bag and hurried over to Pepper. Tony stood in shock, “Um, wait.” He turned, “You know, I hate being handed things.” Happy didn’t give a shit about what Tony was saying, he was too busy cooing over his niece, “Wow.” Pepper shook her head as she chuckled, “This is Morgan.” Happy grinned, “She’s amazing.” “Hey…” Tony teased, “I’m meant to be the centre of your world, Hogan.” Happy snorted a laugh, “You sure are, boss.”

Tony narrowed his eyes, “Yeah, that’s likely.” His mouth twitched into a smile as he watched on, he hadn’t seen Happy like this in a long time, not since before they lost Peter. The kid had a knack for finding his way into the heart of those with the coldest exteriors, it took him a while but eventually, he did it with Happy. Happy took Peter’s death hard, even if he didn’t show it. He confessed his guilt, he felt responsible for Peter and wished he had done something that day, to stop Peter from joining the fight. Tony’s curiosity got the best of him, and he reached into the gift bag. His heart leapt up into his throat, as he pulled out a onesie. Not any old boring onesie, but a Spider-Man one, inspired by Peter’s suit. Tears filled his eyes as he studied it. It was one of the most adorable things he’d ever seen in his life. “Sorry, I should have warned you…” Happy eased, “I saw it, and could hear the kid telling me to get it…..I mean, he’d kill me if I’d ignored it.” Pepper smiled, with misty-eyes, “It’s beautiful.” Tony blinked away tears, “Yeah.” He wasted no time in charging over and tackling Happy in a hug. Happy let out a wet laugh, as he folded an arm around Tony’s back. This was perfect and was exactly what Tony needed. He couldn’t save his kid, but he could be damn well sure that they would remember him. II. 718 days without Peter New York City mourned Peter too. They missed their Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man and everything he stood for. Their love for him sparked a holiday. Spider-Man Day. It was a festival, of sorts; famous bands (or what was left of them) headlined, tickets sold out quickly, and streets were closed across the city. It was crazy, and Tony knew Peter would freak out if he were around to see it. Morgan’s first birthday happened to fall on the second Spider-Man Day. So, naturally, they took her. She wore adorable ear defenders, and a new Spider-Man outfit, as she’d outgrown the last. She spent the day, clapping at everything, and happily gurgling at all images of Spider-Man. They found an empty cafe for lunch, because being who they were, they got noticed. Pepper popped to the toilet, while Tony entertained Morgan. She was yet to say her first word, so they enthusiastically enunciated every word they said, in the hope, it would make it easier for her to pick up. Tony took the Spider-Man plushie he bought for her, she leaned forward in her high chair, she cooed as she held out his hands, “You want it?” He handed it over, “There you go, little miss.” Morgan blew a happy raspberry as she squished the toy, with love, “You like it?” He asked as he bopped her nose, “Me too.” Morgan flung her hands back, over excitedly, the toy fell out of her grasp onto the floor. She leaned down, frantically searching for it. “Oh no…” Tony sighed sympathetically, “Don’t worry, I’ve got…” “Pee–ty!” Morgan exclaimed urgently as she tried to reach it. Tony stared at her, with wide-eyes, “You…” “P…etey!” She chanted again, adamant in her need. “Um, okay…” Tony stuttered, in disbelief, “I’ve got him.” He picked up the toy and gave it back to her. She wrapped her arms around it protectively, the closest she’d ever get to hugging her brother, “Petey…” She said, softly, as she cradled the toy. “Yeah.” Tony hiccuped, as he brushed his fingers against her cheek, “That’s right, Morguna.” He bent over, kissing her forehead, “You’re brilliant.” Peter was the subject of many of Morgan’s bedtime stories, so it made sense that his name was her first word, but it tugged at Tony’s heartstrings as she happily chanted it, without a care in the world. Pepper skipped over, Tony looked up at her, with teary-eyes, “Honey…” She said, worried, “What’s wrong?” Morgan perked up, “Petey!” Pepper’s breath hitched as her focus shifted to their daughter, “Oh.” She knelt, Tony watched as she showered Morgan with praise, he smiled, as he wiped tears away with the back of his hand. Morgan was still too young to realise that Peter was real, not just a fairytale. Right now, Tony was content with him being her hero. III. 1827 days without Peter Time used to pass by slowly. However, as Morgan grew, it flew by, in an instant. She’d been a baby one day, and then, suddenly she was four. Tony couldn’t tell where the time had gone. It hadn’t healed the loss of Peter. That hurt was still there. Every day it followed him like a shadow, in everything he did. It was ironic, that Tony been mourning him for longer than he had known him; Peter left an impact, especially on Morgan, even though the pair never met. She idolized him, not only as Spider-Man but as Peter Parker too. She was mischievous and found her way into rooms, cupboard, places she shouldn’t be. She found a box of Peter’s old stuff, that Tony had saved from his and May’s apartment before it was sold. She loved his punny t-shirts and had started wearing them as pyjamas. Slowly, she realised that Peter was real, and Tony could tell, she wasn’t far away from wanting to know why she never got to meet him. Morgan’s grief for Peter, would one day marvel Tony’s. He knew Peter, he got to love him, and watch him grow. Morgan only had stories, and when she reached a certain age, that wouldn’t be enough, and she’d realise what she missed out on. Morgan was charging around, in her Spider-Man jumper, playing her solo edition of ‘Cops and Robbers’ which was basically‘Spider-Man and Robbers.’ She stopped, and climbed up onto the couch, next to Tony. She leaned her head against his bicep as she caught her breath. “You tired?” He asked as he twiddled his fingers through her hair. She shook her head, as she stared down at the floor. Tony could tell there was something on her mind, “What’s wrong, baby?” She anxiously fumbled with the sleeves of her jumper, “Where’s Petey?” She asked, her voice low as if she were scared to say it. “Oh.” Tony swallowed the dread in his throat, “Come here.” He gently moved her onto his lap, and locked a strong arm around her front, “You know about the blip?” “Yeah. People disappeared…” “They did.” Tony confirmed, as he brushed strands of hair out of her eyes, “You see, Peter was one of those people.” “I know that.” She held out a hand, “It’s just…where is he?” “Um…” Tony stuttered unsurely, “I don’t know, honey.” She pressed her head against his chest as she looked up at him, “Is he lost?” “Something like that.”

A knowing smile grew on her face, “I have an idea!” She escaped Tony’s grasp, and charged around the room, in a state of joy.

“Yeah?” Morgan froze, “I’m gonna ask Santa if he can find him.” Tony kept up appearances, a small smile, not wanting to burst her bubble. She charged away, in search for paper, to write an early Christmas list. Tony sniffled, as tears spilt down his cheeks. His heart was heavy and he found it impossible to breathe. Morgan could ask Santa for anything, and she was going to ask for something she could never have. IV. The day Peter returned They did it. The Avengers achieved the impossible. They were back, all of them. Everyone they lost. It took five years, and many sacrifices, but they did it. Tony would admit, he only did it for Peter. He didn’t care if that sounded selfish, screw what anyone else thought. It was true. If Peter had survived, there was no way in hell Tony would have even considered the time heist. Tony was pushed down to the ground. He flipped around, ready to fight, but the creature looming over him had the upper hand. Then, as if he’d never been gone, Peter webbed the creature up and pulled it back, effortlessly. Scott, as Giant-Man, then squished it, for good measure. Peter charged over, closing the distance between them. Tony’s heart stopped, and the air was knocked clean from his lungs. He didn’t know to do or say. When you mourn someone, you don’t expect them to come back. There are five stages of grief, but this needed a new definition. A sixth stage, to help those who got their loved ones back after going through the recovery of losing them. Peter grabbed Tony’s arm and pulled him to his feet, with ease, “Holy cow! You will not believe what’s been going on!” He exclaimed as he held onto Tony’s arm, “Do you remember when we were in space? And I got all dusty? I must’ve passed out, because I woke up, and you were gone.” He rambled, holding out his arm, “But Doctor Strange was there, right? He was like, “It’s been five years. Come on, they need us."” He twirled his hand around, to emphasize his tale, “And then he started doing the yellow sparkly thing that he does all the time.” Tony couldn’t hold back, as much as he loved to hear Peter talk like there was no tomorrow. He moved forward, pulling Peter into a hug, holding him as close as he could. “What are you doing?” Peter hiccuped, confused. God, this kid would never understand what they’d been through in the wake of losing him. How empty the world was without him in it, “Oh, this is nice.” Tony leaned, to press a kiss against Peter’s cheek, “Mr. Stark?” Tony didn’t give a shit about the battle around them, he had his kid back in his arms. He would take every precaution now, to keep him safe. He would take helicopter parenting to a whole new level. Tony stepped back, to study him. He deactivated the nanotech on his hand, so he could cup Peter’s cheek, “You’re back…” “What?” Peter raised an eyebrow, “You miss me? Tony scoffed a cry, “Oh, kid. You don’t know the half of it.” He tugged him into another hug. He silently thanked the stars, and Natasha Romanoff, for saving his kid.

Also, Morgan, whose seemingly impossible Christmas wish had come true.

V. 34 days since Peter returned Tony thought he was going to die. He put on that gauntlet, knowing that it would destroy him but that didn’t matter. The world was falling apart, and he was the one who had to put it back together.

If he died, he did it for the future of his children. In the knowledge that they’d at least be together.

However, when the prominent smell of hospital disinfectant overwhelmed his nostrils, he realised he’d survived. Wow, he loved it when he did that. Although, he wasn’t sure how he’d managed it, and he probably had more than a few people to thank.

He blinked his eyes open as ignored the annoying beeping coming from the machines around him. He could hear Rhodey, his friend was closeby, talking outside in the corridor. He was talking to May...that was May's voice. She was back and alive. Tony was spaced, but he could make out a few things; Pepper was fast asleep, with her head rested against the bed, and her hand laid on top of his. His heart fluttered, at the sound of familiar snoring that came from the other side of the room. A sound that he hadn’t heard in five years.

He turned and saw something he never thought he would. Peter was fast asleep on the couch in the corner, and curled up, rested in his arms, was Morgan. They were together, it was real. Tony smiled, knowing this marked the day, where his life truly began.

#liberty's writing #whumptober2019 #no.30 #recovery #irondad fanfiction #iron dad fiction #tony stark #peter parker #morgan stark #pepper potts #iron fam #iron family #endgame au #tony lives au #infinity war

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mercheswan · 4 years

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Dig a Little Deeper

Thanks for the tag @impractical-matters ❤️. Sorry I didn’t do it sooner, last week I went to the beach with my family and I didn’t pack the computer. To do this type of long tag games I need it 😅

1. do you prefer writing with a black pen or a blue pen? I use blue pen 90% of the times.

2. would you prefer to live in the country or in the city? City 100000000%. I can’t help it... the countryside and me do not get along well haha

3. if you could learn a new skill, what would it be? I would to know how to play an instrument. Guitar or piano.

4. do you drink your tea/coffee with sugar? Oh! I drink sugar with tea yes 😊. (Yep, I wrote it right 😂)

5. what was your favorite book as a child? Ohh I was never a big fan of reading, but I loved a book series called Lilli the Witch (in Spanish the girl’s name was Kika, I’ve just discovered that she had a different name in every country and I’m looking at my books with a sad and betrayed face haha. Why did you lie to me about your name Kika! Why!?)

6. do you prefer baths or showers? Oh I remember the moment my parents told me that I was old enough to take showers haha. I hated them! And now I don’t recall the last time I took a bath, I alway shower because it’s faster.

7. if you could be a mythical creature, which one would you be? I would like to be a witch, because I like the idea of being able to do magic.

8. paper or electronic books? I can do both. If it’s to study and memorise them I need them in paper though.

9. what is your favorite item of clothing? Dark blue jeans.

10. do you like your name? would you like to change it? I love my name. It’s my mom’s name and when I have a baby girl I would like to call her Mercedes too. It’s kinda a tradition in my family.

11. who is a mentor to you? Oh... well at the moment, I guess it would be my private tutor for the Judge exam. He is the one who controls that I study and who prepares me to pass the exam.

12. would you like to be famous? if so, what for? I do haha, I guess everyone does in some way. I would love to live the celebrity life, like a singer or an actress... but I don’t think I’m very talented for that so... 😂.

Maybe I would like to be “famous” when I become a judge because of one of my sentences. Like doing something meaningfull that could change something for the better because of it, I don’t know...

13. are you a restless sleeper? Yep haha I have trouble sleeping. I have always had.

14. do you consider yourself to be a romantic person? In a way... the problem is that I’m not very affectionate. I don’t usually do hugs and holding hands and stuff like that haha. So I guess I can look like a cold person from the outside, but deep inside I do want a love story that fills me, and someone to share my life with.

15. which element best represents you? Water. It can be cold or hot, calm or agressive. I don’t know I have always liked water more than the rest.

16. who do you want to be closer to? I guess my family, I’m very close to them, my family is my everything, they are the people I love the most in the world.

17. do you miss someone at the moment? I really don’t, I’m lucky to be able to talk or visit the people who mean the most to me.

18. tell us about an early childhood memory. I remember playing with my little brother in the living room. We have two big sofas and we used to take the cushions that they had and create a fort with them. Playing also the floor is lava and jumping form one sofa to the other.

19. what is the strangest thing you have eaten? Cocodrile, Zebra and Kangaroo.

20. what are you most thankful for? My family.

21. do you like spicy food? Nop. I hate it haha

22. have you ever met someone famous? Well... I have met famous people in Spain, like some reality TV people and also Politicians and Judges from the Spainish Suprem Court.

I also when to a CD signing of Ashley Tisdale (I’m a big fan of High School Músical 😂), i managed to get a photo with her. And I do have a CD signed of Miley Cyrus and her father.

23. do you keep a diary or journal? No, I tried once but didn’t last a week.

24. do you prefer to use pen or pencil? It depends. If it’s to take notes on the side of a book, it has to be pencil. If it’s to write in a paper, I use pen.

25. what is your star sign? Gemini

26. do you like your cereal crunchy or soggy? Crunchy!

27. what would you want your legacy to be? As I said in Q12, in the profesional department I would like to be recognised as a judge who helped make my country a little bit more fair.

I also want to be a mother someday, I would want my children to remember me fondly.

28. do you like reading? What was the last book you read? As my life consist on memorising and readings laws all the time, I don’t really read novels, only fanfiction 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

29. how do you show someone you love them? I tell them or do things for them, try to help them in any way I can.

30. do you like ice in your drinks? Yesss

31. what are you afraid of? Spiders. Like... terrified.

32. what is your favorite scent? Vanilla

33. do you address older people by their name or surname? In Spain we use (or at least I do) the word “Usted”. In English the word “you”, can be translated in Spanish as “Tú” which is informal or “Usted” which is formal and commonly used to address older people.

We also use the word “Don” if it’s a male or “Doña” if it’s a woman, followed by the name (ex: Don Fernando) to adress people in a more formal way. I used to call my college teachers using the Don/Doña + Name formula 😂.

34. if money was not a factor, how would you live your life? I would buy a big house. I would stop studying and create a law firm (I would still want to do something and help people with their legal issues)

But I would live the good life... hahah traveling, buying expensive things... 💁🏻‍♀️

35. do you prefer swimming in pools or the ocean? In pools. I’m not afraid of water but I can see that the ocean it’s more dangerous than a pool.

36. what would you do if you found $50 in the ground? It depends. If I know the person who lot then I would return it. If I don’t I would keep them haha

37. have you ever seen a shooting star? did you make a wish? I don’t think I have... ive seen rainbows... 🤷🏻‍♀️🌈

38. what is one thing you would want to teach your children? I don’t know... I would tech them to be responsible and good people.

39. if you had to have a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it? I don’t like tattoos for me, so it would be something very little in the feet haha

40. what can you hear now? The shower. My brother is in it and my room is near to it.

41. where do you feel the safest? In my house.

42. what is one thing you want to overcome/conquer? I want to be a little bit less shy... like try and get out more and do more plans so si can meet new people.

43. if you could travel back to any era, what would it be? Umm. Ancient Rome, I have studied it a lot in School and in College (we study roman law because it’s the base from Spanish and many European countries’s law) and I have always been fascinated by it.

44. what is your most used emoji? 😊

45. describe yourself using one word. Honest

46. what do you regret the most? I don’t really regret anything to the point of being very sad that I didn’t do something. Maybe... not fighting to keep a friendship, but the other part didn’t fight either so...

47. last movie you saw? Ironman 2!

48. last tv show you watched? The Vampire Diaries.

49. invent a word and its meaning. Rebozeision - Action that consist of, while being in bed, covering with a blanket creating a burrito with you in it, and rolling from one side to the bed to the other. Usually done in the mornings, while trying to accept the fact that you have to get up.

I tag @sunel0 @msmischief101 @thiamislove18 (ignore it if you don’t want to or have already done it!) and whoever wants to do it! ✌🏻

#tag game #tag challenge #get to know me #this was fun #dig a little deeper #answering questions

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godlyborn · 3 years

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i’m so used to sharing. / bailey pt. vi

date: december 22-23, 2020 trigger warning: injury, hospitals

part i // part ii // part iii // part iv // part v // part vii // part viii

Over the last week, Bailey had been getting to know Hannah more and more, the girl began to trust the woman that birthed her. They both had a lot in common. From their bursts of anger, to how they both felt so deeply that it was hard to let others see their heart. Bailey did all those things that a normal girl was supposed to do with her mother, like braid hair, and talk about boys, Bailey cherished these moments as if she would lose them.

Bailey had told her about who she was, about the dangers it brought, and Hannah, though not fully understanding it, still loved her anyway.

Hannah opened the door to the cafe where they first really talked, letting Bailey walk in first. The two ordered their usual to go. Bailey insisted today that Hannah take to the place that her and Zeus met. Bailey always wondered what it was like to have a story to tell about her parents, broken family or not.

The car ride there with coffees in their hands was not quiet at all. Hannah spent half the car ride insisting that Bailey should tell Griffin how she felt when she got back to camp, which resulted in Bailey blushing. A lot.

Hannah pulled up to a field. Bailey wondered why it was here that they met. Hannah took her to the middle of the field. Bailey tilted her head slightly in question. “You two met in a field?”

Hannah let out a small laugh. “I was on a run when I met him. It started raining and I ended up here. I insisted we go inside, but he stayed. I couldn’t help but stay with him. We were in the middle of the field, and there was lightning and thunder, but nothing touched us. It was like we were immune. Now that I know that he was actually the cause of it, it makes sense to me. I was soaked, my hair and clothes, I looked like a drowned cat, but he said I was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. Flirted with me. I think it might just have been to get into bed with me.”

Bailey let out a small laugh. “Sounds like him, if I’m being honest. I want to say there should be more of us, considering he seems like he just puts his dick everywhere, but then we have that whole more susceptible to monster attacks thing going on.”

“But yeah, this is where I met Zeus.”

Bailey smiled, “That sounds really funny, and really great at the same--” That’s when she saw it. There was a man that laid on the ground near the trees. Her smile quickly fell, standing in front of Hannah. It wasn’t long before the man morphed into a large creature. “Hannah, run!” Bailey grabbed her mother’s hand pulling her away.

Bailey’s feet hit the pavement, the pounding of her steps matched the pounding of her heart. Bailey turned to look better at the creature, her sights revealing a manticore. “Bailey, where are we going.”

“Anywhere but here, we have to get somewhere safe,” Bailey insisted, but was there anywhere safe?

Hannah couldn’t keep up with Bailey. Bailey thought about splitting up from Hannah, this monster was after her, not Hannah. Bailey’s reeling thoughts stop when she watched the Manticore pluck Hannah out of the way, sending her back. She watched as Hannah tumbled backward until Hannah was on the ground, unmoving. “No!” Bailey screamed. Bailey’s heart pounded, and she took off her bracelets, revealing the bow and arrow. She shot an arrow, missing the manticore the first time. Bailey ran again, trying to get another good shot in before it inevitably caught up to her.

Bailey notched another arrow, her hands shaking. That’s when she heard the voice at first. Focus, it said. Bailey took a breath, pulling the string back. She shot at the Manticore, the arrow piercing its torso. Not enough to kill, but good enough to injure it. She sent another one when it stumbled backward. In defense the Manticore swung it’s paw, hitting Bailey with it, sending her quite a bit of way, tumbling and rolling. The manticore sent a spike at Bailey, and Bailey who was already disoriented, didn’t have enough time to get out of the way. The spike hit her, barely but still enough to slice the side of her thigh open, releasing its poison. Bailey let out a scream, intense pain spreading through her body. Though she knew it wouldn’t be enough to kill her, it felt like her body was exploding, the pain was too overbearing and she finally blacked out.

Bailey felt peace for a moment. Everything was silent, everything was warm. Get up, she heard the voice again, as if it was willing her to wake up.

Get up! Now!

The blonde’s eyes shot open, the Manticore before her, ready to make a fatal blow. It was like something possessed Bailey, and much like she had done in the forest before, Bailey let out a scream. The wind around her picked the monster up, sending it back enough for Bailey to get up. Pain sputtered through her entire body, but it was like she ran on adrenaline.

Bailey looked around for the bow and arrow, but they were too far away. Your pocket, the voice insisted, reminding her of the mirror that turned into her ax. She opened it, her ax shooting out of it. Bailey waited for the right time. When the Manticore lifted its tail to shoot its spikes at her, Bailey rolled out of the way. Slamming the celestial bronze axe down to cut the tail off.

The wind picked up, this time she wasn’t even sure if she was the one doing it. It gave her an open window, this time. Bailey screamed, throwing her ax, hitting the Manticore. It stuck in its torso, and he stumbled a few steps before finally turning to dust.

Bailey fell to her knees, her breath heavy, it hurt to move, hurt to breath. She looked up again, her eyes trailing to find Hannah still on the ground. It was like her breath got caught in her throat. She picked up the bow, arrows, and ax, returning them to their hidden state, just in case more danger arose. Bailey collapsed next to Hannah. She brought her mother’s head onto her lap.

Bailey fished for her phone, only to find it completely demolished in her pocket. Bailey frantically looked around, trying to ignore the pain that coarse through her body every time she moved. Stay awake, she told herself, just stay awake. “Help!” She tried calling out, hoping someone was listening. Tears fell from her eyes. She looked down at her mom. “Wake up, please please, wake up,” she begged. “You can’t die, not here, not now.” She finally had someone to call her own, she couldn’t lose her. Without thinking, the words slipped from her mouth, and for the first time she said, “Mom, please.”

Bailey looked up when she heard a commotion of a group of people. She must look atrocious. “Help,” she said, her adrenaline wearing off. She suddenly felt dizzy, she caught herself on the ground, trying to steady herself. “Help, please,” she said quieter than before, as darkness overtook the edges of her vision. The last thing she saw were the people running toward her and her mother.

&&&.

When Bailey woke up again, she was connected to an IV. Her head pounded, her face hurt, every time she took a breath, she felt a stabbing pain on the right side of her torso where her ribs are. She moved her hand, as if to push herself up, only to find a brace on it, along with her body feeling like every inch of it hurt. She let out a soft groan.

“Woah, hey,” she heard a voice. She jumped slightly, wincing at the movement but turned to look at the source. Only to find Scott sitting there. “I can believe a mugging did all this.”

“What?” Bailey asked confused, only to have everything come flooding back, like a sea of regret to even danger her mother in the first place.

“At least, that’s what we all assumed, you both had no purses, and there was a cut on your leg.”

“Right,” Bailey lied. He wouldn’t understand the entirety of anything.

Scott sighed. “Bailey, it wasn’t a mugging, was it? Hannah told me otherwise.” Hannah saw it? That could only mean she could see through the mist.

“I--” Bailey tried to explain.

“Bailey, we decided that it’s best if you go home,” Scott started. That’s when Bailey could see clearly, her eyes following Scott down, to find her bags next to his chair. “For the safety of Sally, it’s best if you leave, and not to contact us again.”

“But I…” Bailey trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes. Don’t cry, she told herself. Do not give him the satisfaction of your tears.

“I’m sorry Bailey,” Scott said, before getting up, leaving the room. Bailey sat there, alone. For a few minutes, she sat there, trying to process what just happened. Bailey looked around, suddenly feeling so vulnerable. She pulled the needle from her arm, the wires away from her hands and body, the machines started going crazy. Every move sent pain through her body.

A nurse came barreling in. “Miss Fielding, you shouldn’t be moving.”

Bailey shook her head. “I want to go home, I’m leaving, get me out of here,” she rambled, not crying.

“That would be against our best advice,” the nurse insisted.

“Then give me something to sign to get me out of here,” Bailey snapped. The nurse stared at her, “Please,” she begged.

The nurse nodded, leaving to go get what she assumed was a doctor. Bailey practically stumbled to the restroom. At this point, she was crying. She should’ve never trusted Hannah, never opened her heart to her. She cursed herself for being so naive, yet again. Bailey stood at the sink, in front of the mirror. She leant against the sink, it basically held her up. She stared at her face, bruises along the left side of her face, that seemed to have started to form, swollen slightly. This was her fault. This was her fault. Bailey took a second to look at herself. She wanted to go home, no she needed to go home. Bailey took a breath. The voice that helped her yesterday, echoing in her head. Focus. Bailey looked at herself, focusing on calming down, focusing on shutting everything off. There the feeling was again, like she was watching herself from outside her body. If she didn’t feel like it was hurt, it wouldn’t hurt as much. Focus. So she did.

She took a step out of the restroom, each step sending pain through her entire body, her eyes meeting with the doctor’s. “Bailey, I’m told you want to leave. I highly suggest against that. You have bruised ribs, a broken wrist, a severe cut on your leg, not to mention a concussion. You should be resting. I highly advise you to stay under more observation.” If she could just get home, she could do all that at the infirmary and also with the help of ambrosia and nectar.

“I want to leave,” Bailey stated once more.

The doctor nodded. “I’ll get the paperwork, why don’t you get dressed. I can get a nurse to help you if you need.”

Bailey then remembered, she had no phone, no money, she had no ways to get home. “Okay, but can I,” she paused to take a painful breath in, “can I use the phone to call someone to come get me?”

The doctor nodded. “I’ll have a nurse get you something to plug it in.” With that, he left. Bailey painfully got dressed in the loosest clothes she could find in her suitcase. One of the nurses handed her the phone. Bailey thought about calling Logan or Elias, but they’d only worry. She couldn’t call Griffin because he honestly probably wouldn’t know what to do. Her mind wandered to Rory, but her sister would only worry, and Bailey couldn’t put her through having to travel outside of Camp again. Bailey’s mind then wandered to one of the last people she could think of.

She dialed their number. The phone rang only to be met by an interesting voicemail. Bailey cursed, and thought about Alec’s phone number. She typed it in, hoping it was right, and by the grace of some God, probably Tyche, they answered. Finally getting Abel on the phone, Bailey let out a breath of relief. “Abel, I need your help.”

#sp:bailey #self para #bailey

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