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mikesbasementbeets · 1 year

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ok. look at these.

look. that's the same look. right?

let's take a closer look. to do that, i'm gonna have to zoom in a bit on the first one. because, as you can immediately see, the shots are slightly different. the first is a little farther away, showing both mike and el, walking next to each other, whereas the second is much more intimate, a closeup on mike's expression as he looks at will's face in the foreground. a minor but telling difference about the levels of emotional intimacy in each scene.

so, moving past that first element of contrast, let's look at each shot in full, because in both of these scenes, mike goes on a bit of a face journey before he gets to that final smiling expression, seen above.

personally, i think studying actors' body language and micro-expressions is inconclusive at best, but i won't deny that these look similar. however, it's pretty clear to me that they aren't the same.

toward el, i see confusion, intrigue, maybe pleasant surprise, followed by a glance down (to emotionally process and/or watch his step), and then a nervous but friendly smile.

toward will, i see awe, relief, and overwhelming affection, followed by a shy glance down and a slight schooling of his slack jawed expression into a warm smile.

but, again, that's just my interpretation, and i can't say with any certainty what the intention of all of finn's micro-expressions are. but from my perspective, even a surface level viewing of these two expressions depicts a very different emotional experience. however: there's no denying the connection between these two scenes. they clearly mirror each other, just like a lot of things about mike's relationships with el and will mirror each other. i don't think that's an accident.

whatever you think his sexuality is, mike is undeniably in a romantic narrative with el. beginning in season one episode three, when the concept of their romantic relationship is introduced, the narrative arc mike and el share is heavily focused on that relationship. the first scene above actually happens in that same episode (s1e3), not coincidentally almost directly afterward. and the former scene, with mike, lucas, and dustin behind the baseball field, provides very interesting context for several reasons:

first: bear with me, because we're going back to look at the context behind this context. this is only episode three of the show, but already there's a lot going on, both in text and subtext.

and since we have the entirety of their relationship so far presented to us on screen, when lucas accuses mike of looking at el romantically, we're easily able to go back and figure out where he got that impression: we can examine every time lucas has seen mike look at el at all.

the first night, after finding el in the woods instead of will, and while insisting that the next day she'd be gone and they could focus on will again, mike's behavior is directly reminiscent of benny's. taking el in, and providing her with shelter, food, and clothing.

the next day, after learning that she's in danger and changing his mind about pawning her off on his mother, mike infers that she might know something about will. when lucas arrives, he exclaims that she recognized him and knew he was missing.

later, when lucas tells her that will is their friend, she asks what that means and mike explains. a friend...

and then she displays that she might really be able to help them find will. and mike looks at her like this:

each and every one of these interactions is directly related to will. but lucas, through the omnipresent lens of heteronormativity that surrounds boys' interactions with girls (especially a group of boys who have no experience with girls... more on that in a bit), only seems to consider the fact that mike's behavior, which is undeniably about will, is being directed at el.

throughout season one (and beyond, in more subtle ways), will and el are repeatedly connected to each other through the trope of mistaken identity. will is abducted on the same night (and due to the same series of events) that el escapes the lab. hopper, in his investigation into will's disappearance, keeps running into clues about el. and mike, lucas, and dustin, sneaking out in episode one to search for will, find el instead.

later in the season, hopper eventually realizes the truth of his own more overt mistaken identity arc: while he was under the assumption that he'd been following will's trail, he'd actually been following el's. interestingly, the realization is triggered by one specific distinguishing difference, which tells him beyond a doubt that he's been looking for two different kids: their art.

though much more subtle (aka hidden in the subtext), mike's arc with his feelings about will and el follows a very similar pattern. the main difference, though, is that in season one, the swapping of places is eventually reversed but never acknowledged as such, and mike ends season one with el now missing and will back in his life, but a lingering sense of something yet unresolved.

second: (i'm not going to deep dive into this one here, because it's a whole analysis in and of itself, but i need to mention it because it is relevant) this scene introduces the recurring motif of superheroes being directly connected to mike's feelings for el, which is an association we see follow them all the way into season four and become a defining metaphor for their incompatibility.

third: lucas is the character who first introduces mike's romantic feelings for el into the narrative. and instead of giving any indication that lucas' interpretation is correct, mike's reaction is... difficult to read. his response is immediately defensive, both verbally ("what are you talking about?" "shut up, lucas,") and physically (leaning away and shielding himself when lucas hugs him). we can infer from the original character descriptions why mike might be defensive about this subject:

obviously, this description is only a vague impression of what Mike Wheeler became, but it's clear that the core elements of his character outlined here did come to fruition on screen. here, mike's insecurity is linked both to the bullying he undergoes, and to his inexperience/ineptitude with girls. and it's presented as key to his character motivation (the original concept of his character arc put forth here is very straightforward: at the start, mike has insecurity centered around bullying and is romantically inexperienced. by the end, mike has courage against monsters and romantic experience.)

in any case, this scene is the first hint of this aspect of mike's character in the show itself (the earlier scene of bullying in the show focusing on mike consoling dustin over what he’s being bullied for (“i think it's kinda cool. it’s like you have superpowers or something!”)... see my last point here… mike holds the idea of superpowers in high regard, and they are consistently connected with his feelings about el. something about the mistaken identity through-line feels apt here: mike mistakes his feelings of admiration for el as feelings of romance.) in this scene, mike is confronted with both romance (in direct relation to himself for the first time in the show) and bullying.

but due to the way this is shot, it's impossible to get a read on what mike is truly feeling. it reminds me a lot of another scene, actually...

in both of these scenes, mike's genuine emotional reaction is hidden from us. in the first, lucas forcibly hugs him, teasing him about how much he "loves" el, and in effect introducing the idea of el as a romantic prospect to mike. in the second, el hugs mike tightly, her hand still around his neck from their kiss and his arm trapped in between them, similar to the way he shields himself from lucas. we're then shown that he's signed the card on the flowers squished between them "from, mike." hm. so... not love, as lucas suggests.

we come to learn over the course of season four that this is something mike is actively struggling with: his inability to "love" el in the way that she wants, expects, and deserves. this scene, introducing that season-long arc, conceals mike's true emotional state and motivations from us, again, mirroring the first introduction to their entire romantic plot line way back in season one.

(an aside: lucas' "if you love her so much, [then] why don't you marry her?" aka the inciting event of their romantic arc, is a based on a conditional statement with the hypothesis that mike loves el. as mr. clarke might posit (in, say, season one, episode one): what's the difference between an experiment and other forms of science investigation? ...well, an experiment is a controlled test of two or more variables against a hypothesis. does that remind you of anything happening in mike's romantic narrative? something about...... [murray voice] experimenting sexually?)

anyway. then, after extracting himself from el's embrace, mike finally drops his bag(gage) and opens his now empty arms to will, before preemptively cutting himself short with a punch to the shoulder.

...did someone say internalized homophobia?

and then immediately upon being introduced to argyle, mike is called out for his presentation here not being genuine. ("it's a shitty knock-off,"/"i really thought it was ocean pacific...") we're being told that something about mike's performance is not what it seems (and may even be a case of one thing being mistaken for something else).

and speaking of homophobia...

fourth (and finally): this scene, of lucas' teasing mike about his "love" for el, which i'll remind you again is tied directly to lucas mistaking mike's behavior regarding will as being solely about el, is quickly interrupted by an onslaught of homophobia, during which mike is specifically targeted (read: tripped) by the bullies.

the juxtaposition is immediate and obvious: mike's friends lovingly teasing him, even embracing him, over a crush on a girl vs. bullies maliciously taunting them about will being killed for being queer and then physically harming mike.

(there's also something to be said about the later scene in which these bullies force mike to drop his bike in the woods and chase him to the edge of the quarry, mirroring exactly how the cops assume will must have died... and, to be clear, i'm not saying that mike himself is being bullied for being queer in the way will was. no, mike's queerness is invisible to those around him in a way that will's isn't, so his relationship with it and the ways it affects him are hidden in subtext.)

which brings us directly to the following scene in the woods. el asks about mike's injury (sustained from the aforementioned bullying, thereby linking these two scenes even more concretely) and with a little prodding ("friends don't lie"), he opens up to her about what happened, and about being bullied at school. she listens, tells him she understands (this also follows her recent flashback of brenner's abuse in the lab), and they share a "cool," "cool," and a smile.

so... let's quickly jump over from here to the van scene with will. something similar, yet notably different, is happening in this scene, leading up to that infamous smile at the end. mike is sharing his insecurities with will now, but instead of will prodding him to open up, mike, prompted only by will's "she's gonna be okay," begins rambling so much about his insecurities (while speaking in superhero metaphors) that he eventually cuts himself off, saying it's "stupid." instead of letting him brush it off, will guesses exactly what mike is afraid of: "you're scared of losing her." he gives him The Painting (a symbol of his love for mike) and a long speech about feeling lost and different, while insisting upon mike's value (you're the heart, leading us, inspiring us, etc). and then they share a "yeah?" "yeah," and a smile.

so we can see the similarity in the way the shots are set up, the progression of the conversations, and mike's visible reactions. but we can also see distinct differences, all of which together inform a significant difference in emotional weight between these two scenes.

while mike's conversation in the woods with el takes place in the third episode of season one, at which point mike has known her for less than 48 hours, the van scene is in the second to last episode of season four, and is the fourth of five heart-to-hearts mike and will have this season alone (and following three previous seasons and beyond that years of close friendship). it is also arguably the climax of their shared arc this season. on the other hand, mike and el's season one moment is part of the introduction to their storyline, and the introduction to their romantic arc. in this moment in the woods, mike is looking at el romantically (did you think i was gonna argue that he isn't? because no, he definitely is). in fact, this is the beginning of mike's entire romantic arc, which sets out to address the foundational insecurity that is key to his character. we, as an audience, right alongside mike, have just been told (by lucas) that mike has romantic feelings for el. and then we are presented with this scene. we are supposed to view this as romantic. because mike is starting to view it as romantic.

had stranger things been one season long, then the climax of their romantic arc would have been the kiss they share in the cafeteria, followed by the denouement of el's symbolic death (the gay implications of which i could write another whole essay on...). but the end of season one was not the resolution of mike's full romantic arc. by the nature of the five act structure (which is what stranger things has, being five seasons), the entirety of season one serves as exposition for our full narrative. which means, in effect, that the entire arc of mike and el's season one relationship is there to serve as groundwork, a foundation for mike's complete five season arc. season one, starting from before he even meets el, all the way through to when he eventually kisses her and then loses her, is only act one of that arc. the first act of five act structure is when the driving conflict is presented. so in the context of the entire show, for us as the viewer, mike's narrative arc surrounding the romantic aspect of his insecurity begins with his season one "romance" with el.

and we know that this insecurity is an element of the full five-act narrative, rather than being presented and wrapped in the course of the mini "self contained" narrative of season one, because we can see plainly, three seasons later, particularly during mike's heart-to-hearts with will, that this insecurity has not yet been resolved. we know this, on a basic level, from having watched mike and el's relationship struggles progress, but it is still explicitly laid out for us in season four. and will is consistently the only person who genuinely hears mike out, encourages him to open up, and addresses his insecurities, instead of brushing him off, like most other people in his life (including will at some points) have done. will understands him in a way el only claimed to in season one.

looking back to the character outline: mike has now "kiss[ed] a girl" and even "had a girlfriend" and still hasn't resolved his insecurities even remotely. in fact, after the first season arc wraps up, this romantic relationship becomes the main source of that insecurity. his difficulty navigating a real romantic relationship with el is the basis of their arc in season three. and by season four, mike is consciously struggling with being unable to tell el that he loves her. despite will's reassurances that things will be okay (which stack onto lucas' constant relationship advice in season three), mike keeps circling back around to it. because he can't move forward on the path he is on.

he has reached a point of no return, like a “fight you can’t come back from.” he is unable to find the security he is searching for in his romantic relationship with el... and this is where we arrive back at the van scene with will.

if the scene in the woods marks the beginning of the introduction of mike's romantic arc, then the scene in the van marks the beginning of the conclusion of mike's romantic arc. if the introduction of his romantic arc (season one) presents his insecurity, then the natural conclusion of that arc (season five) is security. throughout season four, mike lays out for will the insecurity that his relationship with el still brings him. he is unable to find that security with el, and, in the van scene, finds it with will instead.

or, should i say, begins the journey to finding it. because, especially after the lie that brings them into that moment, and then traumatic pizza dough freezer incident, we're still at the beginning of the conclusion. there's still a lot to resolve, but season four (alongside mike, who now understands what he's been going through) finally began moving the subtext of mike's arc into the actual text. and this moment indicates that season five will take that next step to fully, textually, actualizing it.

so, getting back to the parallel we're looking at here: each of these scenes is a catalyzing moment in mike's romantic arc. in season one, when lucas suggests that mike has a crush on el, and then what follows is a conversation with el where she is (to quote lucas) "not grossed out" by him, he actively begins his journey toward resolving this character motivating insecurity. he looks at el and he sees the possibility of romance.

and just look at him. he looks excited. hopeful. a little nervous. but... i want to remind you again: mike has known el for less than 48 hours at this point. this is the first conversation they've had in which they've related to each other as equals. for their entire relationship before this and afterward, outside of their romantic interactions (and also. often. disturbingly. concurrent with their romantic interactions...), mike's role has been as el's protector, a makeshift father figure, the elliot to her E.T. here, though, el tells mike that she understands him.

in season one, mike is twelve years old (read: pre-pubescent). he has no personal understanding of or experience with romance. dustin starts to comment in s1e2, "you're letting a girl...?" and ted later scoffs "our son with a girl?" and outside of the queer coding, what we can take from both of these (which draw back to the original character description) is that mike has no experience with girls whatsoever. (outside of, you know. family. but that's not what this post is about.)

and again, this scene happens almost directly after lucas first introduces the idea of romance between them, both to the narrative, and to mike himself, who, very significantly, up until this point, has shown no romantic interest in el. the sequence of these events is not a coincidence. 1. lucas assumes mike has romantic feelings for el. 2. el and mike have a moment of personal connection and understanding 3. mike "boys only" wheeler puts these two together and assumes the connection between them must be romance. but the expression on mike's face here isn't a representation of already existing romantic feelings. there's no basis for those. again, this moment represents for mike the potential for romance.

which... makes his expression in the van scene hit even harder. because unlike el, will isn't a stranger he barely knows, but rather his best friend of ten years. and it isn't lucas telling mike how mike feels. it's will professing his own feelings about mike, in direct response to mike's self-professed insecurities. (ding ding ding, are your alarm bells going off?) mike's expression at the end of this scene, if we're viewing it as a reprise of his season one expression, is a representation of hope for his romantic future. but this time, heading into the resolution of mike's romantic arc, with all of the knowledge and context we (and mike) have gained over the course of the past four seasons, it's directed at will.

ok. so. with the basic connection between these two scenes established, i'm gonna move a little bit sideways here. at the end of their romantic arc in season one, el disappears from mike's life and will reappears in it, effectively swapping their places (remember that we've been dealing with the mistaken identity trope between these two), and leaving the question of mike's romantic security glaringly unresolved.

and we know why - this is a five act narrative we're watching - but just within the context of the season one arc... the climactic moment of mike finally asking the girl to be his sister kissing the girl was preceded by her locating will in the upside down (leading to his rescue) and followed by a resolution in which she disappeared... and will took her place. at the end of the season, mike is left in the same place he started: playing games in his basement with will, his first attempt to resolve his arc of romantic insecurity, with el, ultimately ending in tragedy.

after season one, this arc picks up again, but this time will is the one present in mike's life. and mike's behaviors toward el in season one, during which they were undergoing a romantic story arc, begin showing up again in his behavior toward will. but unlike with el, mike's particular (read: romantic) behavior toward will happens without outside intervention, and in fact, often in spite of outside intervention. now, this isn't to say that all of mike's behavior with el was a result of others' influence. when el reveals to mike that she is on the run from "bad people," mike is immediately protective and caring toward her. however, as i've already explained, this caring behavior (which, again, we know right off the bat is not romantic because it directly mirrors the way both benny and hopper care for her) doesn't turn into romantic behavior until lucas introduces that idea.

on the opposite side of the spectrum, right from episode one of season one, mike's behavior toward will is fully self motivated, even in the face of opposition.

and as we move through season one and beyond, we can see that mike continues to rely on constant guidance in the way he cares about el (particularly and most consistently from lucas).

stranger things is, at it's horror filled core, a coming of age tale. like many of our other characters, mike's full character arc, romantic and otherwise, is about self-actualization. from the very conception of the show, his insecurity is presented as a central character flaw to overcome, while also being directly linked with his romantic fulfillment. the overcoming of this fatal flaw, the resolution of his romantic arc, and his final achievement of self-actualization are all inextricably intertwined.

the reprisal of this specific expression of romantic hope as we enter the end of mike's romantic arc is not an indication that mike is in the same place emotionally at the end of season four as he was at the beginning of season one, just with a different person now. instead, it is an indication of his romantic arc coming full circle. mike began in a position of hope for his romantic future with el, only to have the actualization of that hope (their romantic relationship) gradually degrade his romantic fulfillment and self-esteem. the longer mike and el are together, and the more serious their romantic relationship becomes, the worse mike's insecurities become. this is, i would argue, directly related to the fact that mike's pursuit of a romantic relationship with el is not due to his own genuine desire, but instead a combined result of heteronormativity (lucas assuming mike's feelings for el to be romantic), compulsive heterosexuality (mike's subsequent assumption that his feelings for el must be romantic), forced conformity (mike's attempt to resolve his insecurities firmly within these heteronormative boundaries, under the assumption that a rejection of these boundaries is unacceptable), and the trope of mistaken identity that has been following will and el since season one.

and of course i don't know with any concrete certainty what season five will contain, but based on the narrative so far, and optimistically expecting a satisfying resolution to his character arc, the actualization of his romantic hope regarding will is going to lead to true romantic fulfillment and coincide with his self-actualization (a big part of which is coming to terms with his sexuality).

now, i'm not going to conclude this whole analysis by saying, "and that's why mike is gay!" because while i think this all is a good indication of that, based on all of the context and my impression that this narrative is being presented in a way that focuses on the subtext and deeper symbolism of each of these relationships rather than being a case of specifically el vs. will, you might still have a different interpretation than me. that's fine. however, i am going to end by insisting (me when i argue with the wall), based on everything i've laid out, that this parallel and others like it (ie parallels between byler & miIeven's romantic arcs) are not evidence of mike's feelings, specifically whether they are genuinely romantic or not. this parallel serves as a narrative device in his romantic character arc... the conclusion of which is mike realizing and coming to terms with the fact that he is actually in love with will, and not el.

just to be very clear, i'm not saying these parallels alone are proof against mike being bisexual, but i am saying that they are not evidence in support of his being bisexual. again: they do not indicate that mike is romantically attracted to el. what they indicate is that will and el are foils in mike's romantic arc.

before i finish, i want to address a couple misconceptions:

1. the fact that mike actively and willingly participates in a romantic relationship with a woman means he can’t be gay. this is straight up homophobia. gold star bullshit. no.

2. mike and el being presented in a romantic light means that they have genuine romantic feelings for each other. this is a misconception of the way narrative tools are used to tell a story. going right back to my first point: it is an irrefutable fact that many gay people have romantic relationships with the people of different genders (read “the opposite sex”) before they come out/realize their true sexuality. it is also a fact that many of these gay people fully believe their feelings to be genuinely romantic before realizing that they are not. as i've already gone over, mike is twelve years old when his romantic arc begins. on the surface, his relationship with el is presented as romantic. he participates in (and even initiates) romantic behaviors because he believes that his feelings for el are romantic. in seasons one and two, mike is one of our main POV characters. we can see a romantic tilt to the way some of their scenes are shot because, to mike, while they are happening, they are romantic (keeping in mind what i said before about mike having no experience and therefore no personal knowledge informing his perspective, AND keeping in mind that many of these on-the-surface "romantic" scenes are also consistently subtextually linked (read: paralleled) to familial relationships for both of them... and i haven't even touched the cultural context surrounding homosexuality in 80's. there's so much nuance informing the way this story is being told). and we, as the audience, are supposed to read them as romantic on first viewing, because otherwise the season five plot twist, revealing the truth of mike's feelings, would not work.

it is not a coincidence that the active degradation of their romantic relationship (outside of all of the other context, parallels, symbolism, family coding, etc, that are there to hint along the way that things are not as they might seem) begins full force in season three, at the exact point when the two actually enter a real relationship for the first time, and also when our characters are entering puberty, the time during which a person's sexuality (in a general sense, but also in regard to sexual orientation) begins to fully emerge. after his season one arc with el, mike underwent another season-long romantic arc: this time, with will. it's more subtle, because (i believe) mike doesn't realize yet that it's romantic, but it's there. then at the end of season two, mike makes a choice: he encourages will to dance with a girl and he dances with el, re-writing their tragic ending from season one, but now leaving his romantic arc with will frustratingly unresolved, again mirroring the sense of unresolution from season one: mike has swapped out the end of each romantic arc with the wrong love interest.

and then in season three, now having had the experience of both romantic arcs, and now, for the first time, with both will and el right there beside him, all we can see anymore is the overt contrast between the two relationships, depicted most blatantly through the same type of visual and narrative "parallel" we've been looking at here.

but at the end of this season, instead of making a choice, mike's choice is made for him. he has a romantic moment with will, and then el kisses him, confusing the resolution of these two romantic arcs once again.

mike's season four arc closely mirrors his season one arc (searching for one love interest with the other by his side, mistaken identity trope abound), but with important distinctions: 1. mike is a little older, a lot more experienced, and has a better understanding of both the context of romantic relationships and the scope of his feelings for both el and will. and 2. mike's only real guidance in season four comes from will, and he doesn't simply listen and act based on will's advice, as he did with lucas' in seasons 1&3. now, he fully engages with will's input, pushing back against it when he doesn't agree, and accepting it when he can acknowledge its truth (up until, of course, our fourth (and hopefully final) tragic, incorrectly resolved ending). mike is finally taking control of his romantic narrative in a way he hasn't previously, and the direction it's heading in now is toward security, self-actualization, and will.

so the point of all of this is: nothing is as simple or straightforward as it may seem on the surface. the narrative has always been deeply complex and layered with subtext and symbolism. and most of all, when interpreting the meaning of anything presented directly to us on screen, context matters.

also uh. yeah, mike gay

#byler #mikesbasementbeets posts #parallels are there to be noticed. but that should be where the analysis begins. not where it ends.#this got kinda long i just wanted to be really thorough bc this kind of 'parallel = 1:1 similarity' thinking is way too prevalent #this is less an analysis and more me explaining the plot of the show but. sometimes it feels like it needs to be explained lmao #yes i lied about the ending but when you eliminate the only claim negating that conclusion....#that's. i mean that's the conclusion.#(btw the difference between comparative and experimental investigations is that in an experiment one of the variables is fixed.#something to think about)#mike wheeler

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sebscore · 11 months

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Hello I hope you are well. Can you write reader who has night terrors with Charles Leclerc? Thank you very much

KICK UP A STORM | CHARLES L.

pairing: charles leclerc x sister!reader

warnings: thunderstorm. crying.

author's note: sooo, i just realised it said 'reader’ and not 'sister!reader' lol so i hope you still like it and you're not mad that I made a little leclerc fic. I also totally misunderstood the night terrors and you probs meant nightmares, but oh well 😚

masterlist

• • • • • • •

''Y/N?''

The sudden appearance of Charles made her flinch, almost dropping her glass of water in the process. ''What the fuck.'' She tried not to yell, it was late at night and she didn't want to wake up her family.

''What are you doing? It's like-'' he glanced at the time of his phone, ''super late.'' Finding his sister on the couch at 4AM was not a sight he was expecting.

She shrugged her shoulders, placing her glass back on the coffee table in front of her. ''I just can't sleep.'' Y/N answered him, staring at her bare feet.

''Why?''

The young girl shrugged her shoulders, too embarrassed to explain her reason for being awake at this hour. ''Don't know,'' she whispered, ''I'm sorry if I woke you up.'' Y/N apologised, her wavering voice a little louder now.

''Non, non,'' Charles brushed her apology off, ''my throat is dry, I just wanted some water.'' He grew concerned at her answer. The driver couldn't take a good look at her face due to the darkness of the living room, but he had a small suspicion she had been crying. ''You okay?''

''Yes, I'm fine-''

Right as she was about to lie and assure her brother she was alright, a flash of lighting lit up the large room. The crashing thunder boomed through the city of Monte-Carlo, and by default through the Leclerc household.

''Hey- it's okay!'' Charles didn't hesitate and ran to his sister's side, sitting next to her and pulling her closer to him. The tears in her eyes glistened with each struck of lightning that was produced. Y/N hid her head in his neck, staining his shirt with her wet cheeks.

''You're okay, I'm here. I got you, chérie.'' The man kept a strong hold on her, using his body as a form of shield. ''You're fine! We're inside, nothing can happen.'' He tried comforting her with his words, her obvious distress breaking his heart.

Her fear of lightning and thunderstorms had been a primary one ever since she was a young child. She and her family had never been able to pinpoint the exact moment her phobia started or what situation had been the catalyst, but it was there and it hadn't gone away with the years that had passed.

It had begun with rain tapping on her window, which quickly turned into the sky rudely interrupting her sleep and scaring her with a large strike of thunder. As the storm went on, her room felt like it was becoming smaller and smaller by the minute. Y/N moved to the larger living room on shaky limbs and tried to be as quiet as possible so she wouldn't wake anyone up.

Charles felt like an idiot as he continued comforting his baby sister, guilt filling his mind over not realising sooner why she couldn't sleep. ''Don't worry, it's okay now.'' He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. ''You know you can always wake me up, right?''

The young girl moved her head from his neck and rested it on her older brother's shoulder. ''I know, but you've been working so much. I just wanted to let you sleep.'' She sniffled, explaining herself.

''Oh, bébé~'' He cooed, touched by her consideration of his sleep schedule.

''If this happens again, just wake me up. I don't want you to be scared on your own like this. If it's you, I don't mind.'' Charles clarified, wanting her to know she could pull him from his sleep in situations like this.

Y/N nodded, a tired smile on her face. ''Okay, Cha.'' She promised him, her fingers fiddling with his hand.

An unexpected chuckle from her has Charles turning his head towards her. ''What?''

The youngest Leclerc shakes her head. ''No, it's just… you said you won't mind if I wake you up from your sleep.''

''Yeah?''

''So who would you mind waking you up?''

Her question has him laughing now as well, glad her cheeky personality had gotten back to the surface. ''Well, I think we both know the answer.''

''Yeah,'' she mumbled, ''I know.''

''Arthur.''

taglist :: @missskid @maxiel-jpg @glitterquadricorn @stillbreathin @obsessed-fan-alert @booknerd2004-blog @kageyamama-hinatatata @reblog-princess-blog @maezenin12 @gly-exe @lighttsoutlewis @topguncultleader @jaydensluv @nora_moon @erinisrightheree @7leb-kakaw @theamazingsimp @lovelyxlily @princessmiaelicia @mehrmonga @champomiel @rowansshit @mbappebby @maemaesthoughts @g4ns3y @im_mi @gracesferrari @67-angelofthelordme-67 @harrysdimple05 @ijustwantavacation @livinglifebeingme @Judgemental-Raven

@moony-mari @uhhevie @princesselle2111 @vanishingcherry @simping4marauders @ooooohmicky @gentlemonsterjennie1 @Mayake-1 @awhoreforspencerreid @cl16lvr @skepvids @jason-todd-fangirl04 @lecl3rcw @coffeewhore18 @mikauraur @crueldinasty @anvdala

#f1 fic #f1 fics #f1 x reader #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc x female reader #charles leclerc fic #f1 x you #f1 x oc #charles leclerc x sister!reader #charles leclerc x oc

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silentmoths · 1 year

Text

At your beck and call

Its moth, crawling out of the covid cave to drop this and then going back to bed.

wont lie this idea has been on my mind for the better part of a week, but between work and then being smashed by the ol' rona I havent had the energy, plain and simple. but I'm starting to get that back.

sorry if it seems a little rushed, brain wanted it OUT.

Butler! Zhongli x CEO (Afab) Reader.

Nsfw, does this count as office AU? i think it does?, humiliation kink if you squint?, aftercare because even when he's mean zhongli is an aftercare king.

You had never entertained the thought of hiring a live-in personal butler until one of your friends had mentioned it. She’d gone on and on about how her much time having one had saved, and how it gave her the peace of mind to relax every once in a while, a luxury you can't remember the last time you afforded as the ceo of a major company, sure you had secretaries, but they only worked within the firm, and your life?

God you needed a secretary for life.

Even then. It took you a few more months to finally cave and look into it. The agency you find has raving reviews; there’s an interview process, which takes another few weeks for you to finally sit down and do. They ask you many questions about your lifestyle, and what you need out of their service, and then it’s left in their hands.

And so, a week later, you receive a knock at your door.

Tall, sharp features, immaculately dressed.

But his eyes.

Holy shit his eyes.

Molten gold, almost shimmering in the morning light as your new butler bows to you. One gloved hand over his heart.

“Good morning Miss. My name is Zhongli.The agency has analysed your lifestyle and have thus extended your contract to me.” He explains.

Well damn, in the looks department alone you’d be leaving them a five-star review.

—

Your first proper morning with Zhongli working for you was…hectic.

Your morning alarm didn’t go off, thankfully your body-clock was pretty on point, but still, you’d slept in ten whole minutes, throwing off your schedule.

You barely even noticed that your clothes had already been laid out in the bathroom as you whirlwind through your bedroom to get ready, simply picking up the neatly folded pile as you went.

You resign yourself to a breakfast smoothie as you flurry into the kitchen, you simply didnt have any time to cook, and you’d have to clean the blender when you got home-

“Ah, good morning Miss. I trust you slept well?” Zhongli asks as he places down a plate of bacon and eggs at your usual spot in the breakfast nook. You stop, blinking at him with wide eyes.

“W-whats that?” you ask him, brain still not quite with it yet.

“Breakfast?” He counters with a tilt of his head. “Simply one of my duties.”

Right…

Right you had a secretary for your life now…

And fuck, he could cook.

You don't remember the last time you’d sat down, in your own house, eating a hot, home cooked meal for breakfast…usually it was toast, or if you didn’t have time to sit, the aforementioned smoothie that you really hated, but it was better than nothing, because when else would you have time to eat during the day?

But no, breakfast had been made for you, served with coffee and even the morning newspaper. Zhongli looks…immaculate as always, smile on his face as he cleans up and announces he will be awaiting you in the car.

That first day…no, the first week was such a learning curve… between him driving you everywhere, keeping you blessedly on time for your meetings, he also seemed to know exactly what you needed, sometimes before even you knew.

He sometimes appears with a small plate of cookies, and a mug of hot coffee, made just the way you like it, just as your mood was beginning to wane, and immediately you feel better.

As the weeks stretch on and deadlines draw closer, you find that he’s also an amazing sounding board, and your nights become a little less weary with someone else there to fill the silence, even as he silently goes about tidying your home, he’s never too far away.

—

Something around the latter half of the year just really made all your client’s extra demanding.

Your staff were overworked.

You were overworked.

You find yourself staying up later and later into the night, going over plans and documents, trying to sort all of this…this mess into something cohesive for both yourself and your poor staff.

You rub at your temples with a ragged sigh. What time was it now? You don't think you want to know…

A soft clink beside you draws your attention to a fresh cup of tea and you startle.

“Oh, Zhongli…I-I thought you’d be asleep by now..” you murmur softly, leaning back in your chair. Your butler simply smiles at you, even now at god-knows-what time passed midnight, he was still dressed in his usual work suit. “You should be too, Miss.” he tells you softly, but not condescendingly, like a worried friend.

“I cant yet.” you sigh, motioning to the armageddon of papers strewn across your desk “I need to get this sorted before the next review meeting but…augh I dunno…I just…I cant concentrate.”

“That would be because you are stressed, and tired.” Zhongli points out, chuckling softly at your side eye before he shifts, walking around your desk to come to a stop behind your chair. “Here… perhaps this will help…” he murmurs more to himself than to you, and suddenly his hands are on your shoulders, lithe, careful fingers pressing into your trapezius muscles. You grunt and wince a little, having been totally unaware of how tense your shoulders had been until now.

“Shh, just take a deep breath and relax.” Zhongli’s deep voice rumbles behind you as he slowly massages at the tension, his hands are gentle, but expert, and it takes you longer than it should to realise that he's not wearing his gloves for this. “Now…tell me what the matter is…”

With another set of eyes, and a clear explanation of what you need, by the time he’s worked all the tension from your shoulders, you’ve finally got a clear plan, and immediately set to work sorting and organising the moment his warm, surprisingly soft hands finally leave your shoulders.

Once all is said and done, you turn to your butler.

“Thank you, Zhongli…I…don't think I could have done that without you here.”

You’re met with a dashingly handsome, genuine smile, and a graceful bow of his head.

“It was my pleasure, Miss. I am here to aid your every whim.”

—

Meeting after meeting after meeting.

If you had to speak to one more person demanding things of you and your company today, you were going to scream. The sight of your black sedan, waiting dutifully for you outside the sliding glass doors at the end of the day was almost enough to make you cry as you all but collapse into the back seats with a groan.

“How were the investors today, Maam?” Zhongli asks, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he watches you in the rear-view.

“They could invest in some chill.” you mutter, taking a few moments before forcing yourself to sit up, knowing full well Zhongli wouldn’t move this car an inch until you had your seatbelt on.

“I hazard to say you could also do with, as you say, some chill.” He adds as he easily merges into the busy afternoon traffic. “You’re working yourself to the bone.”

“It’s just another month.” you sigh “investors always get antsy this time of year…”

“You said that last month too, you know.”

“Did I?” you groan, pinching the bridge of your nose “Hey…when we get home…could I have another one of those massages?”

You loathe to admit how…reliant you had become on Zhongli’s ability to get the tension out of your shoulders, ever since that first night when he’d helped sort out your work with you, you’d been asking every other day or so for one, it was just so nice to relax into his care while you vented the day’s frustrations away, or soundboarded with him.

“Oh I think I can manage that.”

“Where would I be without you…?” you mumble softly as you let your eyes shut for a moment, just a moment to rest your aching eyes.

As it stands, that moment ends when Zhongli’s gentle hand on your arm rouses you. “Wh-wassgoinon?” you mumble, looking around.

“We’re home, Miss….you looked like you needed the rest so I didn’t rouse you.” Zhongli murmurs softly, reaching past you to fetch your bag.

He smells of tea, and spices…warm…comforting.

—

You groan softly as his fingers press insistently into your shoulders.

“You’re extra tense today…” Zhongli murmurs softly, leaning over to look you in the face “are you alright?”

“I-I…yeah…just…stressed I think.” you sigh, leaning your head to the side so he can get better access to your neck. You’d never admit it, but you were pretty sure at this point you were just craving his touch, you just…didn't have the time for skinship these days, how you’d managed to survive before hiring him? You had no idea.

Behind you, Zhongli hums.

“May I try…something different?” He asks quietly, rather unlike him, usually when he did something, he did it with confidence that you would be alright with it, and so far he’d never been wrong…why ask now? “I think your stress runs deeper than a simple shoulder massage can handle.” he adds when you look over your shoulder at him.

“I mean…I trust your judgement Zhongli…whatever you think I need…” you mumble.

You expect a change in his technique, maybe working a little further down your spine perhaps?.

Not to suddenly be thrown forward, chest pressed against the dark mahogany of your desk by a single,strong hand against your spine to keep you there as you gasp in shock.

“Z-Zhongli!?” you gasp, looking over your shoulder at your calm, gentle butler.

Only to find a sharp, seductive smirk plastered to his lips. His golden eyes are dark, predatory, you should be afraid.

Keyword: Should.

You watch, dumbstruck as he licks his lips, ripping your jeans straight off your legs like they were nothing, his ungloved hand grazing up the back of your thigh, and that touch alone has your eyes rolling back and a half-bitten moan falling from your lips. Gods how long had it been?

“Hmm, needy little thing, aren’t we? Thrown against your desk by your own butler and you don't even have the decency to be afraid?” Zhongli chuckles darkly as he shoves two fingers into you; the mix of pleasure and pain is enough to have your spine arching “Looks like I was right…you do need more than a little massage hm?”

“G-god…please…” you whine, the humiliation of the situation only making you hotter as he roughly thrusts his fingers, occasionally scissoring them to stretch you open, his other hand shifting from your spine to wrap around the base of your neck, holding you still as he works you open.

This new, rougher side to him…you didn’t know you wanted it...but god damn he was driving a hard bargain, plus it’s not like this wasn't something you may have thought about on a rare occasion or three… you’d just expected it to be…slower, gentler, but this? You could work with this.

“Please…? Please what?” he purrs, leaning over to nip at your ear “what do you want from me? I am at your every beck and call.” His words are low, dangerous, but genuine, and you shudder.

“You-!” you choke “please g-god, Z-Zhongli I want you to fuck me-”

One moment there’s fingers, the next moment nothing, and you want to cry, the petulant whine only being held back by the sound of a belt buckle.

“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing I’m at your service.”

And then he roughly bucks his hips and good gods.

Considering he wore such fitted trousers, where the hell had he been keeping that??

That mix of pleasure-pain is back, but more intense this time; you definitely had not been wet enough, and yet? You wouldn't have wanted it any other way, the pain added it’s own flavour to your desire as Zhongli pins you against your desk, breathing ragged into your ear as he wastes no time, setting a brutal pace from the start that has papers and stationary clattering off your desk.

“So tight” he hisses “how long has it been since you’ve had a good fucking?”

Something about Zhongli swearing like that feels so wrong, but oh, so right in the moment.

For a moment, paperwork and meetings are the furthest thing from your mind as Zhongli shoves you even further onto your desk, free hand hiking your hips up so he can slam into you all the harder, the only sounds emanating within your study are the wet slapping of skin, and your cries of ecstasy.

He’s not gentle, and deep, deep down, you’re glad for it.

You needed this, spending every damn day for the last five years telling everyone else what to do? You needed this…loss of control.

Much like everything else in the last six months, Zhongli knew exactly what you needed, when you needed it, and before you even realised you needed it.

“Whats the matter? Nothing to say?” He grunts into your ear as he grinds himself so deep into you, you’re seeing stars. “You’re always so talkative…”

You can only moan pathetically in response, eyelids fluttering as he fucks you down into the table, his words are harsh, and humiliating, but all they do is draw your orgasm closer, barely even registering what he’s saying.

Your orgasm hits you like a freight train, one moment you’re seeing stars as your butler bullies his massive cock into you, the next minute your world turns white.

—

“Shh, try not to move…I wasn’t gentle with you.” Zhongli’s tone is back to being kind and gentle after…how many orgasms did he just force you through? You’d lost count…all you know was that it had still been light out when he’d first shoved you down…now as he passes by a window with you cradled gently in his arms, it was pitch black outside.

Gentle lips press to your temple as he perches on the edge of the bathtub, holding you on his lap with one arm while he reaches over to get the water started. Wetting a washcloth to clean away a good portion of the mess beforehand.

Your body aches, but in the best possible way. You feel…breathless and comfortable, fuzzy.

You wince as he lowers you into the hot water, your muscles tensing at the sudden heat before relaxing again. Zhongli watches you with a soft look. Even coming off the back end of some amazing sex, he still somehow managed to look stupidly put together, if not even more alluring with his lack of suit jacket; it had been abandoned sometime during round… three you think? One moment it was on, the next moment, you’re being pressed onto your back, the jacket is gone, and he’s rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt up to his elbows and you’re at his mercy.

The lip of a water bottle presses to your lips, his other hand gently supporting the back of your head as you drink.

“How do you feel?” he asks once you’ve drunk your fill for now, like that switch that had turned him from the kind and courteous butler you had known to….whatever that zhongli was, had never flipped at all.

Despite this, you smile at him.

“I feel like…I need to ask you to do that again more often, Zhongli.”

To his credit, your ever-so-handsome butler laughs. It’s a warm, hearty sound, one that fills you with no small amount of joy.

“I am here to serve your every beck and call, I’m sure I can work this into the schedule.”

Taglist: @stygianoir @meimeimeirin @ainescribe @dustofthedailylife @rjssierjrie @crystalflygeo @angel-of-requiem @asoulsreverie @zomzomb1e Want to be added to the list? shoot me an ask~

#Silentmothwrites #Zhongli x reader #Zhongli x reader smut #Zhongli genshin

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jonglo · 6 months

Note

Hello:) can i request one where the reader finds out she’s pregnant before Sehun’s enlistment? And she’s scared but his reaction is really cute and happy ♥️

an: once again work has been killing me sorry for the late response.

Best Time

I hope Sehun will be seen off well for his enlistment. I can't wait for him to come back. We will miss him <3

warnings: none

genre: fluff and angst

The first snow of December fell past your windows as the world around you froze while your eyes stared at the positive pregnancy test in your hands. What you have been praying wasn't true was unfolding right before your eyes. There couldn't have a worser time for this to happen to you.

A couple weeks before, you had begun feeling a bit unwell. Starting with a couple of headaches and fatigue. This of course progressed to feelings of nausea. With the winter coming, you passed this off as the flu. That was until you had missed your cycle. Well it just so happened that after putting off the test for weeks, you finally decided to take it the day Sehun found it appropriate to announce his enlistment. You felt the anxiety rush through your body as you stared at the two bright red lines. The silence engulfed you as your hands began to shake with fear. Doubt immediately started to take over your mind as the thought that Sehun would be upset and not present for the child came over you. After what felt like an eternity, you were finally able to snap out of your trance and decided to hide the test in the back of the medicine cabinet. Allowing one big event at a time.

A couple days go by and Sehun becomes increasingly concerned with your behavior. The constant stress whenever he starts a sentence with "Babe, Can I ask you a question?" showing through your demeanor. The constant pressure of having to mask your symptoms just to ease the burden of his enlistment. In truth, you were not only scared of this situation interrupting Sehun's wish for an easy dismissal but how this would impact the child. You wanted to tell him the news but no moment felt right. You constantly felt like a burden to his plan.

You managed to keep this secret for 3 days before Sehun came to confront you about this new behavior.

"Hey, is everything alright? You just seem very antsy recently.. Is it about the whole military thing?" He asked as he sat next to you on the sofa, genuine sincerity veiling his face.

"Oh yeah, it's just a big change from what I am used to." you spat out to quickly change topic.

"You know, I'm not going to be gone that long, my position is special. The whole social service thing is different." He responds before placing a soft hand on your back. This action causing for a strong emotion to arise.

"Im sorry.." you mumbled looking down in your lap, tears beginning to swell in your eyes. This left Sehun staring at you with a tilted head.

"For what? Already missing this handsome face? That's a given.." He rolls his eyes as a playful smile appears on his face.

"No.. keeping this secret from you." You mutter while wiping the tears from your eyes and chuckling softly at his joke. He watched as you stood up and headed to the bathroom to get the test. When you returned, you slowly placed the positive test in his hand and sat back anxiously and studied his face.

"Oh my god.." He mumbled as he stared at the test, causing for you to feel sick to your stomach in fear. You quickly jumped to explain yourself.

"Im sorry for keeping this from you. I know its a terrible time to bring this up and I know it ruins the whole enlistment process but I hope you aren't mad about this.. I wanted to tell you but there was no right time for this. I just couldn't bring myself to-" You rambled until you heard Sehun's voice interrupt you.

"Oh my god!" His eyes jolted to meet with your own. "I'm going to be a father!" His eyes jumped between yours and your stomach as his excitement rushed out.

"So you aren't mad about the timing...?" You muttered, taking time to adapt to his reaction.

"Mad? This is the best timing possible! I'm on the base for like a week then home for 2 years with no active promotions. I'm free to bother you and the baby every day!" He says, grabbing your wrists and shaking them with utter joy. "Like I don't think you understand... I'm going to be a father!" He shouts before flashing you a bright smile. You chuckle in response as you watch him express every ounce of joy in his body.

"Oh my god... I have to call and tell Jongdae that i'm a better father than him!" He yells before placing a lot of wet kisses on your face, making sure to place some on your stomach as well.

He jumps up and skips to the bedroom just to share his announcement as a way to prove his greatness. You felt like 20 lbs had been lifted off of your chest as his reaction proved to be the opposite of what you expected. This time as you sat with the pregnancy test, you were filled with delight instead of pure frustration and panic. These next two years were going to be filled with bliss as long as Sehun was by your side.

From the sofa you heard the sounds of Sehun boasting about his fathering excellence, which only made you so much more confident and excited for the future of this small family.

#exo #exo writing #exo x reader #exo fanfic #exo fluff #exo sehun #exo angst #exo drabble #exo k #exo scenarios #request #lo reqs #oh sehun #sehun x reader #sehun x you #sehun imagine #sehun #sehun fanfic #sehunnie

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atlas-of-a-human-soul · 2 months

Text

A little danger, pt. 15

A little danger - Series Masterlist

Pairing: Sky of Eraklyon x mind!fairy

Warnings: angst, fluff, swearing, violence, sexual innuendos, descriptions of blood/wounds/death

———— PART 15 ————

Drawing in a shaky breath, Y/N swipes under her nose with her index finger. She frowns upon the sight of blood and the purple glow it emits.

“Keep going,” Saul encourages, his voice a steady anchor.

Her lips tremble as she tries to form words, the effort of speaking through the agony nearly unbearable. “It feels like my insides are being ripped out of me,” Y/N exclaims, her voice strained and filled with anguish.

“Maybe she could take a break,” Sky pleads, itching to stop the process himself.

“No,” Saul’s voice is firm, his resolve unwavering. “If we’re to protect Bloom, she has to erase the truth from everyone’s minds. Ours included. Otherwise, all of this was for nothing,” Saul pauses, a shadow of regret crossing his features. “And I still remember what happened perfectly.”

Violently trembling, Y/N’s tears blur her vision, though they are not tears but blood, a crimson hue that glows eerie purple. The blood’s strange luminescence casts a haunting glow around her. The warmth she emitted that had him awestruck is gone, it’s terrifying for Sky to look at her now. She sways on unsteady legs, her breath turning to ragged gasps torn from her lungs as she fights to maintain her focus.

“That’s enough,” Sky decides, his gaze hardening. He rushes to Y/N’s side, “Stop this!”

Noticing her left eye twitch, Sky realizes she’s actively fighting to keep her focus despite the distraction he provided. She won’t stop. Not until she does what Saul asked, even if it kills her. Not unless Sky makes her stop.

“Please,” his lips part in a plea as he cups her cheeks. Sky swallows thickly as he realizes she’s bleeding from her ears as well, soaking his hands.

“Keep going,” Saul speaks again sharply.

“It will kill her,” Sky says through gritted teeth, desperation creeping into his voice.

Stella jumps to her feet, her eyebrows furrowed. “Maybe Sky’s right. She’s not looking well.”

“She can do this,” Saul states plainly.

Bloom shakes her head, “She shouldn’t be risking her life over me. I can handle whatever punishment I receive.”

“Or we can just trust she can recognize her limits when she reaches them?” Terra suggests, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Musa’s eyes widen, “She’s going to die.”

Panicked, Sky shakes her body, his heart pounding with fear of losing her to the very power that always captivated him. He’s lied to her about it before – Sky loves her power as much as he fears it for this very reason. The amount of magic concentrated in her is too much for any fairy to handle, the danger looms over them like a dark cloud. If he stands by as it claims her, he knows he will never forgive himself. Nor Saul.

“Don’t do this,” Saul warns Sky who doesn’t heed his words.

In a desperate attempt to steer her focus away from the mission, Sky ignores the tiny voice in his head warning him to be cautious. When it’s Y/N, Sky is willing to toss all caution out the window.

“Don’t kill me for this,” he cracks a smile before planting his lips onto hers, hard. It’s like a collision of pure love and fear, passion and despair. He pours all the longing buried inside him, all the hopes he’s ever carried for their future, all of himself into this kiss, hoping it’s enough to break through to her. His hands tremble as they cup her face, his touch gentle yet urgent, as if he’s trying to anchor her to reality.

As their lips move together, a surge of electricity courses through him, a spark of magic that he can't quite explain. It's as if their connection ignites something within him, something primal and raw. And in that moment, he feels as if he's on the brink of losing himself, of being consumed by the intensity of their bond.

But then, something shifts. A jolt of energy passes between them, and Sky feels a sudden emptiness wash over him, as if a part of him has been ripped away. It's a sensation unlike anything he's ever experienced, a hollow ache that cuts deep into his soul.

And then, just as quickly as it came, it's gone. Sky blinks in confusion, his mind reeling as he tries to make sense of what just happened. But before he can grasp it fully, Y/N pulls away, her expression one of shock and horror.

"What... what did I just do?" she whispers, her voice trembling with disbelief. And then, realization dawns on her face, and she looks at him with wide eyes filled with anguish.

"I'm so sorry," she says, her voice choked with tears, her hands tremble as she reaches out to him. "I didn't mean to... I didn't want to..."

But Sky doesn't hear her words. He's lost in a haze, his mind swirling with memories that no longer belong to him, disappearing one by one, then hundreds and thousands at a time until he’s left a blank page, a void where his memories once resided.

“What just happened?” Stella stares at the two, confused as Sky seems to be.

Saul takes a few steps toward them. “What did you do,” Saul’s voice is oddly calm, but his eyes betray his worry.

“Sky?” Y/N asks shakily, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Huh?” Sky’s response is distant, his gaze vacant. He tilts his head ever so slightly to the left. There’s nothing in his eyes, no fear or hatred or anger….and no love. “You have something,” he gestures to her face. “Like all over.”

Covering her mouth in shock, Y/N shakes her head vehemently. “I can, I can fix this.”

“Fix what?” Saul raises his voice ever so slightly and Sky flinches at the sudden sound, though his expression remains blank.

“Why so loud, dude? You shouldn’t be yelling at her,” Sky states, his words lacking their usual warmth and familiarity as he takes a protective stance before Y/N.

“Dude?” Saul repeats in confusion, his concern deepening.

“I think I erased his memories,” Y/N confesses. “Why the fuck was he kissing me? Why would you allow him to even touch me when I was using all that power to fuck with other people’s minds?!”

“Do you really think any of us could stop Sky once he set his mind on something? Especially when you’re concerned?” Bloom sighs. “You can fix it, though?”

“I think so?” Y/N furrows her brow, her minds racing with thoughts of how to undo the damage. “I never wiped someone’s memories before.”

“Great,” Aisha mutters. “Well, I don’t think we have time to fix Sky right now. We need everyone on campus to forget, remember?”

“I don’t care,” Y/N snaps at her in frustration. “I’ve done what I could, Sky’s priority.”

“You guys really like the sky,” Sky chuckles, his voice light and carefree.

Stella tilts her head, considering. “At least he seems happy and unburdened.”

“He doesn’t even know his name,” Y/N deadpans, her heart heavy.

“We all knew you could potentially lobotomize us,” Stella shrugs. “Maybe the rest of the campus is like this too.”

“NOT HELPING,” Terra exclaims.

“Fix him,” Saul states firmly, his tone ending their argument. “Now.”

“I need time,” Y/N insists. “I could potentially make it worse!”

Pursing his lips, Saul nods. “I guess I’ll have to do what we wanted to avoid.” Sighing, he looks to Bloom. “You’ll have to wear these.”

Opening a box, he presents her with metal bracelets.

“Those look nice,” Sky goes to touch them only to get slapped over his hand by Stella.

“What are those?” Y/N asks.

“Torture devices to stop Bloom from using her magic,” Stella answers.

“You’ve had a way to stop a fairy from using her magic all this time and this is the first I hear of it?” Y/N raises her brows. “Wow.” It could have saved her so much grief. She could have used them outside of class to stop hurting everyone around her. So many people could have been protected from her outburst and Saul never once offered these bracelets to her.

“These are the terms to keep you out of confinement until they reach a decision. Bavani will convene a tribunal to determine the consequences and Queen Luna will preside over it.”

“Lovely,” Stella rolls her eyes.

Placing the bracelets on Bloom, they tighten around her forearms as if they’re embedding themselves into her skin. It looks painful, but Bloom doesn’t make a single sound.

Instinctively, Y/N takes Sky’s hand who pulls away instantly. He doesn’t even glance at her before turning to the TV. Feeling an explosion of pain spread in her chest, Y/N can’t help as tears well up in her eyes.

“Someone’s speaking,” Sky points out.

Queen Luna is making an address.

“Citizens of Solaria, I have tragic news. Rosalind Hale, headmistress of Alfea, is dead. It is a grave loss not only for the students of Alfea but for the entire realm. Rosalind was one of the bravest fairies the Otherworld has ever seen. Respected by her peers. Feared by her enemies. But fear will not dictate how we respond. There is a guilty party, and they will be brought to justice. Blood Witches. Their hatred of our kind is well known. But a heinous act such as this is unprecedented, carried out by their leader, Sebastian Valtor. Every Blood Witch following him is considered an enemy of the Crown. We will use the full weight of our military against them. And make no mistake... this is an act of war.”

“She didn’t mention Bloom,” Aisha points out.

“Maybe the tribunal will be just to get her facts straight?” Terra states.

“I know my mother. She won’t pass on this.”

Nodding, Musa huffs. “So, until all this is resolved, we are expected to go to class like everything is normal?”

“Nothing’s normal,” Y/N interjects as her eyes rest on Sky.

“I’ll take him to my place for the night,” Saul states. “I can explains some basics.”

“No.”

“He doesn’t know you,” Saul tries to placate Y/N, setting a purple spark alight in her eyes for a moment.

“I need to try and fix him and I can’t do that if he’s not with me. Besides, he doesn’t know you either.”

“I don’t wanna go with either of you,” Sky interjects. “You’re pushy and I’d rather not deal with that. And the soldier dude is too serious.”

“Well tough luck,” Y/N grumbles. “Because you will be coming with me or I will do a better job lobotomizing you this time around!”

Stella giggles nervously, “Maybe we should take things easy, okay?”

“You,” Sky smirks. “I like you. You can take me anywhere you want,” he winks.

Glancing at Y/N, Stella pales. “I did not expect that!”

Exhaling loudly, Y/N grimaces. “If I don’t manage to fix him, I will kill him.”

“And you wonder why I don’t want to come with you,” Sky mutters under his breath.

Rolling her eyes at Sky, she turns to Saul. “I’m not done with you either.”

“I have plenty to say to you too,” Saul narrows his eyes at her.

Pursing her lips, she returns the gesture. “Table it for now?”

“Agree,” Saul lifts his chin and it takes everything in Y/N not to laugh.

Shaking hands on it, Y/N sighs before turning to Sky. “Can I trust you not to run and come willingly or will I have to use force?”

Raising his eyebrows, he looks to Stella again. “You’re really going to miss out on this opportunity?”

Lifting her hands up in mock surrender, Stella mouths a ‘sorry’ to Y/N before leaving the two.

“Unbelievable,” Sky grumbles in annoyance.

“I was thinking the same,” Y/N exclaims in disbelief. Grabbing him by the strings of his hoodie, she drags him after her in anger. Sure, she’s the one to blame for erasing his memories, but is he seriously flirting with his ex in front of her?

“Hold up!” Musa runs after her, holding a box of wet wipes. “You might wanna wipe the blood first,” she gestures to her face.

“It’s a short walk to my room and I’m planning to shower immediately.”

Pressing her lips in a thin line, Musa’s eyes widen. “I’d make sure no one catches you in the light then. It looks pretty bad.”

“Will do,” Y/N waves her off. Continuing on her way back, her hands clutch to the strings tightly. He’s not fighting her on it, but knowing Sky didn’t want to come with her hurts. It’s stupid, but part of her expected it to be like in the books; memory loss trope always has them feeling drawn to each other even if their history is gone. They are meant to be into each other, to want to fall in love again, not flirt with their royal ex girlfriend.

“I’m hungry,” Sky complains.

“Okay.”

“I’m starving, like actually dying.”

Pausing, she turns around only to see him flinch at the sight of her. Is he seriously that repulsed by her? Biting her lower lip, she swallows the tears. He will not see her break. She will fix this and then she’s going to be mad at him for not falling head over heels for her on first sight.

“I have food in my room.”

“Is it pizza?” He asks, seemingly excited.

“You don’t remember your name or me, but you remember pizza?”

He shrugs. “Well, I’m hungry not horny. If I was horny, maybe I’d remember you Strange girl.”

Licking her lips, she closes her eyes. “No memory Sky is a dick. Got it.”

Pulling on the strings harder, Y/N walks ahead and Sky groans. “I wouldn’t have to be a dick if you let me leave. I mean, why do you even care?”

“Why ask if you don’t want to know the answer?”

Chuckling, Sky moves to her side. “Ooooh, do I detect some anger in your voice?” Biting his lower lip, Sky smiles. “I think I like the angry side of you more, Strange girl.”

Opening the door, Y/N grips the fabric of his hoodie with all her might and pushes him inside her room, locking the door with her magic to ensure he can’t leave. She does the same to the windows, securing every exit point.

“Have the pizza,” she points to the box on the desk. “I need a shower.”

“What’s stopping me from leaving?” Sky asks timidly.

Leaning on the door frame, she shrugs meekly. Maybe it’s the inkling of fear in his beautiful eyes that grips her heart or it’s the nerves in his tone as he asks, but she softens her voice. “Because I care about you and not even an hour ago, you really cared about me. I guess I’m hoping that sort of a thing doesn’t get lost along with memories because that affects only the head and not the heart. I can’t take away the memories your heart has of all the ways you feel about me.”

“Felt,” he corrects her and it’s like a gut punch.

Averting her gaze to the floor, she crosses her arms over her chest. Her forehead wrinkles as her eyebrows furrow and her eyes struggle to keep the tears at bay.

“Eat your pizza, Sky,” she replies softly with a light tremor in her voice. Disappearing behind the door, she covers her mouth to stop herself from sobbing openly. It’s not his fault he doesn’t remember her. Isn’t this what she wanted? For Sky to forget all about her? She tried so hard to push him away. If she wanted, this could be the answer to her wishes.

Shaking her head, she leans on her sink. Looking at herself in the mirror, she gasps loudly enough to warrant a light knock on the door.

“Uhhh, not that it’s any of my business, but is everything okay in there?”

Clearing her throat, she nods. “Yeah. All good.”

Her face is caked in blood, starting from marks running down her eyes, from her nose down her chin, in fact only a part of her forehead is clear. There are bloody tracks from her ears too. No wonder Sky flinched at the mere sight of her. She looks like a horror movie character.

In the dimly lit bathroom, the sound of running water fills the air as Y/N stands beneath the steaming shower, letting the warm water ease the icy chill that has seeped into her heart again. She watches as the ruby red blood swirls down the drain, disappearing into nothingness as did Sky’s feelings for her. As she scrubs vigorously at her skin, trying to rid herself of the remnants of what’s happened, her mind is consumed by thoughts of Sky. He’s a stranger now, it’s evident in the blank expression on his face and the emptiness in the eyes that held so much love for her. All they mirror now is the loss she feels inside.

Sky doesn’t remember her anymore. There’s no love left in him, the bond the shared is severed by a knife she wielded herself, unaware it would go straight into her heart and twist with every beat. Y/N has experienced immense pain in her life, lost many dear to her heart, but this? It threatens to engulf her entirely. She was careless and this is the result. Sky was always afraid of her doing something similar to this, but she can’t imagine even he would have expected the magnitude of what’s happened this evening.

Mother. Farah. Sky.

She lost them all.

But she might be able to save Sky. She will lose him inevitably even if she brings his memories back. This is unforgivable, she knows that. Perhaps if she were to keep Sky as he is, she’d get him to love her again. Maybe it can still be like in the romance books and they could be happy.

No.

It wouldn’t be fair to him.

Sky deserves to know who he is and how he’s become that way. Most of all, he deserves to be able to make his choices knowing all the facts. If she has to lose him in the process, then so be it. That will be her punishment, one too easy for the severity of the crime. It will kill her, but that’s what she deserves.

And in that moment, a flicker of determination opens room for a glimmer of hope deep within her. She won’t give up on Sky, not now, not ever. He was always chasing after her, unable to give up even when she didn’t deserve him. This time it’s her turn to do the chasing. Even if he doesn’t make it easy on her. When he went after her, Sky at least knew she cares for him. This is a different story.

With renewed resolve, Y/N shuts off the water and steps out of the shower, wrapping herself in a towel. Though the pain lingers, she knows she can't let it consume her. She'll find a way to bring Sky back to her, no matter what it takes. For their love is stronger than any obstacle, and she refuses to let it slip away into the darkness.

Realizing she didn’t bring a change of clothes, her heart jumps at the thought of having to go out in front of Sky with nothing but a towel wrapped around her. He’ll think she’s nymphomaniac and it will make it all worse. Holding her breath, she opens the door only to find Sky laying on his back on her bed, eyes closed and his hands on his stomach.

“I didn’t wanna touch anything since I got all this dried blood on my hands,” Sky states as he looks at her. His eyes widen and he sits up immediately. “Uhh, I, uh, what are you? What are you doing?”

Raising her eyebrows, she smirks. “Little nervous, are we?”

“Little naked, are we?”

Holding onto the towel, she shrugs. “You can wash your hands in the bathroom. There’s warm water if you want to take a shower.”

Gulping, he averts his gaze to his hands. “I, uh, don’t really have spare clothes laying around.”

“You do,” Y/N remarks. “I have a few pairs of your boxer briefs, a few shirts and I’m fairly certain you’ve left half your hoodie collection in my closet.”

Staring at her with mouth open, Sky inhales sharply. “Sorry, what do you mean?”

“If you want a shower, don’t worry about clothes,” Y/N explains as she grabs some of it and tosses it to the bed. Realizing she threw her fave hoodie he’s left, she runs toward the bed, “Oh, sorry, that one I’ll keep actually.” Grinning, she throws it over a chair and grabs another. Walking back to the bed, she slips. Falling on her left hip with a grunt, she nearly screams as she feels warm hands on her bare skin moments after impact.

“I’m not looking!” Sky exclaims as he helps her back on her feet, her towel remaining on the floor. “I’m not a creep, I swear!”

She couldn’t help the laugh bursting out of her when she notices the pink tint on his cheeks. He’s staring at the ceiling, but his hands haven’t left her waist. Biting her lower lip, she reaches for his face, cupping his cheeks.

“I don’t think you’re a creep.”

Daring to look her in the eyes, Sky swallows thickly. “I didn’t even think, I just rushed to help you. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”

Shaking her head fondly, she smiles. “I’ve never felt more comfortable than in your arms. And I know it sounds scary and overwhelming, but it’s the truth.”

With those words, he’s unable to tear his gaze away from her. She stands there, her damp hair cascading in loose waves down her back, brushing his hands on her waist, her eyes reflecting so many emotions he can’t quite decipher. There’s a resilience, a strength in her that captivates him. Looking at her now, with all the blood washed away, Sky can’t help the undeniable sense of awe. She’s not just pretty, she’s stunning, breathtakingly so. Every feature is perfectly crafted, from the curve of her lips to the sparkle in her eyes. In this moment, she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen in his life and it takes his breath away. And that? That’s what ignites a nagging sense of fear that grips his heart. She’s a stranger to him, someone he barely knows, yet there’s a connection between them that he can’t ignore. She told him he cared for her, that she cares for him, but he doesn’t feel that. What if he never does? What if she expects him to be the guy she thinks she knows and he can’t live up to that? Whoever he was to her, whoever he was in that life, that part of him is gone.

Letting his hands fall to his sides, Sky turns away. “The towel’s right next to you.”

He listens to the way she inhales, as if he’s already disappointed her. Part of him wishes he could remember, to know all he’s ever known about her, to understand why he was set aflame just by touching her bare skin, but that’s unattainable right now.

A shower isn’t.

Taking the clothes she laid out on the bed, Sky passes by her without so much as a glance. Closing the door, he finally lets out a breath he’s been keeping inside. There’s a goddess outside those doors and she looks at him like he’s all she’s ever wanted. So why did he run?

Out of the shower and dressed, Sky truly hoped she fell asleep. Y/N, that’s how he heard them call her. He likes the way her name sounds in his head, but he’s certain it sounds better rolling off his tongue.

Shaking the thought out of his mind, he peaks inside only to find her in the hoodie she took back earlier. Y/N’s sat on her bed, back against the frame. She looks up, a small smile on her lips as their eyes meet.

“Feel better?”

“I, uh, really don’t know what to say,” he manages a small smile.

“I can tell.”

“You have a photo of me on your vanity.”

“I do,” she glances at it for a moment. She took that photo during his training, right as he realized she was there, watching him. That grin of his is immortalized in her mind and in that photo.

“Okay. So we were close. I can accept that.”

Sighing, she nods. “Sky of Eraklyon. That’s your name. You’re the heir to Eraklyon…should we ever manage to free it.”

Frowning, he clicks his tongue. “That’s what you open with?”

“I don’t know what to say, either.”

Rubbing his forehead, he sits at the foot of the bed. “Don’t treat me differently, okay? I might not have memories I used to, but I’m still me”, he looks down to his hands folded in his lap.

“If I granted that wish, we’d sorta both be naked and –“

Chuckling, Sky glances at her sheepishly. “Maybe treat me a little bit differently. Like when we first met.”

She licks her lips before smiling. “We knew each other as kids. Then we were separated for a long time. When we met again, we didn’t talk for years.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. The first time we talked again, you got thrown into a wall.”

“What did I do to deserve it?”

Y/N pulls her knees up to her chest. “Nothing. You were being kind and I…don’t always have a lid on my magic.”

“So, you were the dick back then?”

Chuckling, she nods. “You could say that.” When she looks at him, her gaze is tender. There’s a softness in her eyes as she looks at him, like she sees him, truly sees him.

“Stop that,” Sky turns away from her.

“What?”

“Stop looking at me like I’m yours, because I’m not!”

Swallowing thickly, she stares at him in shock. Nauseous and lightheaded, she feels as if her heart is breaking. You can die of a broken heart, it’s a scientifically proven fact. She can feel the ache deep behind her ribs, the heart that’s beating a desperate rhythm: love me, remember me.

“I don’t know how to look at you differently,” she gives him a tight lipped smile, swallowing tears. She knows she shouldn’t take it personally, but his words almost feel venomous.

Seeing the unshed tears in her eyes, Sky sighs. Running a hand through his wet hair, he leans his elbows on his thighs. “I did say you shouldn’t bring me with you.”

“Yeah. The girl you wanted to go with is your ex girlfriend and my…well, she’s like my best friend.”

“Oh,” he looks at her again, noticing the tears have made tracks on her cheeks, but no new ones are awaiting their journey. “So, that’s why you were so pissy. Even if I don’t remember you, cheating isn’t something I’d want to do.”

“Well…we are technically just friends right now. We broke up pretty recently.” Wiping under her eyes, she huffs. “It was stupid. Our breakup, I mean.”

“Who ended things?”

“I did,” she admits. “I was so good at pushing people away and running from everyone until they give up the chase, but you,” she smiles softly. “You never give up on me. The reason you were with me tonight, why this happened to you, it’s all a result of your unwillingness to walk away.”

Listening intently, Sky moves up to sit beside her. “I think you lied to me then. It doesn’t sound like I cared about you,” Sky leans his head on the headboard, his eyes chained to hers, taking in every little change in her expression to heart. He didn’t want to make her cry again. “Did I love you?”

Y/N’s lips part with his question. She’s taken aback, hopeful and he knows he’s made a mistake. He should have worded it better instead of giving her reason to hope he feels that way now.

“Y-yes,” she whispers. Her hand brushes his out of habit. “Sorry,” she tries to pull away, but he takes her hand in his, seemingly curious. His fingers run across her palm, warm against her skin.

“Why does touching you make me feel like I’m right where I’m meant to be, yet your presence here makes me want to scream for you to leave?” Sky speaks softly, quietly, as if she isn’t meant to hear him, but she does and it hurts. It’s just the very tip of the emotions of a very deep iceberg.

“What about my presence unnerves you the most?”

“The expectations in your eyes. You look at me and see someone you love and I’m not him anymore. I’m worried I’ll never be him again and I’ll lose something that’s obviously been very important to me.” He traces her wrist with his thumb, wetting his lips. “It’s the pain in your eyes, like I stole something you can’t get back.” Gnawing at the inside of his cheek, he releases her hand. “What if those memories are gone forever and I don’t end up falling in love with you again?”

Closing her eyes, she inhales deeply. “I don’t know.”

When she turns to look at him, Sky expected tears in her eyes, but he’s breathless as he’s met with a violet hue instead.

“What –“

“I’m not going to give up on you.”

Backing away, Sky shakes his head. “What’s that supposed to mean? Why did your eyes change?”

“I’m a mind fairy and I’m the reason you lost your memories. I have to try to bring them back,” she taps on the mattress. “Don’t you want to at least try and remember?”

“I do, but what if you lose control and turn me back to a baby or something.”

Holding her hand out for him to take, she shrugs. “Won’t know until we try.”

“That’s reassuring,” he grimaces.

“Are you in or out?”

Shaking his head, he sighs. “You’re kinda crazy, Strange girl.”

Chuckling dryly, she nods. “It’s precisely why you love me.”

“Okay,” he sits back down, holding her hand tightly in his. “Ruin me for good.”

PART 16

#sky of eraklyon #sky x reader #sky of eraklyon x reader #sky fate the winx saga #sky fate #fate the winx saga #sky angst

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Text

The Invisible Woman Chapter Four: Now Your Pain Is Mine

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Jake Seresin x female!reader

TW: ANGST, mentions of death

Summary: You disappear and Jake is distraught.

Word Count:3k

You and Jake texted non-stop over the next week, trying to work out plans for a second date. Work has been busy for both of you, and he hasn’t seen you since that night. Then all of a sudden, your texts stop coming and his stop delivering.

He hasn't heard from you in three weeks, and to say he's been miserable is an understatement. Phoenix and Bradley are on the verge of ripping their hair out as Jake sits across from them at the Hard Deck moping.

"I just don't understand. The date went so well and we were trying to set up another one. Why would she just ghost me all of a sudden?" He whines and Bradley's eye twitches. It has been a nonstop pity party for almost a month and he's at his wit's end.

"I don't know, man. It's not like you were married." He says, trying to remain sympathetic to his teammate's situation.

"I know, but still." He pouts and Phoenix looks over at Bradley.

"If she shows back up I swear to God I'm kicking her ass." She mutters and Bradley doesn't even laugh. At this point, he almost hopes she's serious.

Just as Jake is about to start bitching again, the bell on the door jingles, and Phoenix looks up to see who it is. Her eyes widen in shock and she scoffs.

"Speak of the devil."

It takes Jake a second to register her words, but once he does his head whips around so fast that his neck cracks. Sure enough, there you are looking like an angel. In an instant, the pit in his stomach is gone and Jake's heart soars.

He knows he should probably take a hint, and maybe even be mad. But as he stares at your face from across the room, he can't help but be happy. Your eyes scan the crowd and his breathing hitches when they meet his.

You start toward him and his body reacts on its own accord. His breathing speeds up just slightly and his heart hammers in his chest. You stop in front of him and smile faintly before giving the other two pilots a small wave.

Your throat constricts when you see the look on their faces. They're definitely not happy to see you. Jake is still processing that you're actually here when he hears Phoneix's venom-laced voice.

"Where the hell have you been?" She spits and you swallow thickly. Jake whips to the side to glare at her and he feels a protective instinct wash over him.

"Don't speak to her like that." He bites and you place a gentle arm on his hand.

"It's okay, Jake. They have every right to be pissed." You reason and Bradley crosses his arms with a scoff.

"Yeah, no shit. This dude has been an insufferable sad sack of shit for the past three weeks. Do you know how close I was to sticking ice picks in my ears just so I wouldn't have to listen to him anymore?" He frowns and hurt shoots through you at the thought that Jake has been so upset.

"Can I join you? Maybe explain over some beers? I'll buy." You offer.

Jake scoots over immediately but you don't move to sit down, gaze darting between Phoenix and Bradley. She eyes you warily before nodding, and you take a seat.

They all look at you expectantly and you sigh, unsure where to begin. Four beers are set on the table and you chug yours, dreading this conversation. They all look at you with raised eyebrows and you set the bottle back down.

"First of all, I know how this looks. I just disappear for weeks without any explanation and then show back up unannounced." You start and Bradley purses his lips, clearly agreeing that it's suspicious.

You glance over at Jake and your heart clenches when you see that he doesn't have any hint of animosity toward you. He deserves better than this, yet here he is still completely taken by you.

"The weekend after our date, I was told that I was being sent on a mission. They told me at work on Friday and I was on a plane by five am on Saturday." You explain, and you can tell that Phoenix doesn't entirely buy it.

"It takes more than a day to get ready for a deployment. There are briefings and training involved." She argues and you nod your head.

"Usually, yes. But the SEALs operate differently. Ideally, we know ahead of time. Sometimes though, it's the last second and we don't have time to prepare. They brief us on the way there and by the time we land, we're geared up and ready to go." You elaborate and she squints.

"You couldn't have called?" She presses and you shake your head. Jake looks irritated at his friend's interrogation, but you don't mind. She's being protective, and she has every right to be.

"I can't divulge any information. Like I told Jake that first night, nothing we do is officially on record. Even if I knew ahead of time, I can't tell anybody when I'm leaving, where I'm going, or when I'll be back. That is if I even know. The best I can do is a general timeline, and even that's pushing it."

You turn to Jake and give him a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you that it was a possibility, but I wasn't expecting a deployment anytime soon. Usually, they give us time to settle into our new assignments."

He searches your eyes for any sign that you're lying, but finds nothing but raw honesty and despair.

"Listen, it sucks, sure. However, like we said on the date, the job comes first. For both of us. I can't really be upset when there's a possibility I could have to do the same thing." He assures you and a warm smile covers your features.

You look back over and Bradley stares at you for a few seconds before his lips quirk up.

"Come on." He says while standing up. "The rest of the squad missed you."

You follow him gratefully, hand in hand with Jake, and greet Bob and Coyote. The night is like every other, the pilots are all laughing and drinking while they make bets on games.

You sit in the corner observing, a distracted look in your eyes. Jake frowns as he watches you, concern washing over him. You haven't said a word since your initial conversation and it strikes him as odd. Usually, you're the life of the party, and something seems off.

He takes a second to really take you in, and that's when he notices it. He frowns deeply when he realizes you look tired. He understands better than anybody being worn out after a deployment, even a short one.

Between working long hours and jet lag, it takes a toll. But you don't just look tired, you look troubled. There are bags under your eyes that you clearly tried to conceal and your mouth is set in a hard line. He notices you wringing your hands together repeatedly and your knee bounces wildly.

Something is wrong.

He forfeits his game, ignoring the protests, and walks over to you. You look startled to see him and immediately plaster on a fake smile. That's strike three. You're always hyperaware of your surroundings, so much so that you clocked him with your back turned twice.

He nods his head toward the door and tries not to look too worried.

"You wanna step out for some fresh air?" He asks and you hesitate before agreeing. You follow him silently as he leads the way, and relax a little when the sea breeze hits your face.

He takes a seat on the deck and pats the spot next to him. You sit down wordlessly and watch the waves kiss the shore. You can feel him staring at the side of your face, but don't acknowledge it hoping maybe he really just needed a break from the noise.

Just as you think you got lucky, he speaks up.

"What's going on?" He asks gently and you look at him out of the corner of your eye.

"What do you mean? Everything's fine." You try, but even you don't believe the lie as your voice cracks.

"Don't bullshit me. You haven't said a word, you've damn near chewed off your entire bottom lip, and you let me get the drop on you. Talk to me." He insists and you look up at the sky.

"This mission…" You begin, trying to keep the tears at bay. "It was a reality check."

Jake tries not to get frustrated at your vague answer and takes a deep breath.

"What does that mean?"

You shake your head slowly as a tear slips down your face and Jake realizes just how serious this must be. He immediately hates seeing you cry, and his heart sinks when he thinks about everything that could have you so upset.

It's easy to talk about your job and how cool it is in a bar. But at the end of the day, what you do is extremely dangerous and you could easily be killed. The sudden realization weighs heavy on him, dread nearly suffocating him.

"I can't give you details but," you begin and the tears start flowing hot and heavy. "It was the closest call I've ever had."

Jake closes his eyes when the words hit him, his fear being confirmed. You look over at him finally and his heart shatters at the pain on your face.

The badass woman he's so infatuated with is nowhere to be found. His stomach twists when he recognizes the look in your eyes as fear, and he reaches up to wipe your cheeks.

Suddenly he understands why all those women he's dated decided they couldn't do it. If they felt even a fraction of what he's experiencing right now, he should send them all flowers.

He's never been on the other side of things, the one being put in the position of watching someone they care about walk away at a moment's notice.

His mind is racing a million miles an hour with thoughts of what being with you really means. It's being in the dark, and not knowing when you're leaving or if you're coming back. It's dreading a phone call and risking having his world ripped to shreds.

It's this, right now, watching you fall apart and trying to put the pieces back together. Still, despite all of that, he wants you more than anything. He can see the storm brewing behind your eyes and wishes he could make it stop.

But like he said, he understands more than a civilian ever could. He's had close calls, and he knows how much they rattle you and strike fear into your heart. You watch him intently, trying to decipher what he's thinking.

"I understand if you can't do this. It's a lot to ask of somebody, even if you've been through it yourself. If you want to quit while you're ahead, no harm no foul." You sniffle and he looks at you with such adoration that a fresh round of tears starts.

"I know the risks, and I'm willing to take them. If you'll let me. I know that there have probably been people in the past who have made you feel like you're not worth the trouble, but I would walk over glass barefoot for you. If you want me to stay, then I'm right here." He whispers and your lip trembles.

You nod your head and he pulls you into his side, smoothing down your hair while kissing your temple.

"Is there anything else you can tell me? Speaking from personal experience, talking about it helps."

You swallow several times, trying to clear the lump in your throat so you can speak.

"It's just, for the first time in my career I got scared. When you're so good at your job, it's easy to start thinking you're indestructible. That nothing can go wrong, because nothing ever has before." You explain and Jake nods. He understands that. He understands that completely.

He remains silent, letting you take your time and decide when to continue.

"I missed." You whisper and he tenses slightly. "I missed and it almost cost us the entire mission. It almost got me and my team killed. That's never happened before."

Jake takes a moment to consider his response, knowing just how delicate this situation is.

"You're the very best in the world at what you do." He begins and you hiccup. "But you're still human, Y/N. Mistakes happen."

You pull away and shake your head. He can tell you're angry. Not at him, but at yourself and it breaks his heart.

"No. Mistakes don't happen. Not in this line of work, not because of me." You snap and Jake just takes it. He knows this isn't about him.

There's so much pressure riding on your back, and despite your calm, cool, collected demeanor, he knows you have a breaking point.

He's been where you are, and he knows the best way to stop the spiraling is to distract you.

"Did I tell you how I got the callsign Hangman?" He asks. He knows he didn't, but that doesn't matter.

Your features soften slightly and you shake your head.

"When I was doing a training mission early in my career, I left my wingman because I thought I knew better. He ended up getting caught in my jet wash and almost died." He explains and you stare at him with wide eyes.

"People started saying not to trust me because I'll lead you to the gallows, and they started calling me executioner. It was too long and harsh, so the Navy denied it. Then one day someone called me Hangman, and it stuck." He confides and you blink at him slowly.

"My entire reputation and name are based around one fuck up I made when I was 24 years old. It didn't matter how much I tried to redeem myself, the damage was done. Eventually, I leaned into it. Figured if people are going to say something, it might as well be true." He shrugs and you lean your head on him again.

The crying has stopped and even though he just told you his darkest secret, all he cares about is the fact he was able to calm you down.

"That's terrible." You mutter and he kisses the top of your head.

"Nobody really knows how it originally started now, so it's not that bad. Now instead of a murderous asshole, I'm just known as a selfish asshole." He says and his entire body ignites when you let out a genuine laugh.

"My point is making a mistake, no matter how bad, doesn't make you bad at what you do. We have jobs where perfection is expected and that makes it easy to believe that you're a failure when you drop the ball. But you're not, I promise." He states and you lean further into him.

"Thank you." You tell him, and your voice is so quiet he barely hears you.

"Anytime. I've got plenty of stories to make you feel better about yourself at my expense." He teases, hands reaching down to pinch your sides playfully.

You squeal and jolt back with a loud laugh, trying to avoid him as he attempts to tickle you.

"There she is." He smiles and your stomach erupts in butterflies. The tears have washed away your makeup and Jake gets a good look at just how exhausted you are.

"How long have you been back?" He asks, and you avert your gaze.

"A week." You answer sheepishly and he turns your head to look at him.

"When's the last time you slept?" He pries and he can see you're about to lie. "The truth."

You visibly deflate and run a hand through your hair. "I've been getting an hour or two here and there. But a full night? Not since before the mission."

His eyes go wide at the revelation. "That was three weeks ago." He frowns and you nod solemnly.

"Nightmares?" He questions, already certain he knows the answer.

"It just keeps playing in my head every time I close my eyes. What I could've done differently, how it could have ended. It feels like I'm right back there and the terror I felt is so vivid."

He studies you as you talk and decides to take a chance. "I don't want to overstep, so feel free to tell me to fuck off." He starts and your eyebrows shoot up. "What if I came and stayed the night? Do you think that would help?"

You consider the idea for a few moments before shrugging. "It might. You'd do that? What if my nightmares wake you up?" You implore and he gives you a comforting smile.

"Then I'll stay up and try to help until you fall back asleep." He responds casually and you think you might just be in love with him.

"I can see you already feeling guilty, Oz. Don't, it's not a problem." He assures you and finally you relent.

"Okay, it's worth a shot." The smile that lights up his face is contagious and he shoots his feet.

"Come on then, you look like you got in a fight with Mayweather." He jokes, hand sticking out to help you up.

"That's so sweet of you." You say sarcastically, rolling your eyes. Jake lets out a loud laugh and laces his fingers through yours.

"Let's go, Princess of Darkness."

@drakelover78 @manyfandomsfanvergent @ssprayberrythings @disturbedbeautywrites @desert-fern @one-sweet-gubler @callmemana @luckyladycreator2 @bookchik26 @taytaylala12 @michalkasimp @xoxabs88xox @loveless-simp @withakindheartx @formulapierre @ccristata @shanimallina87 @k-k0129 @izz-ayes-world @kajjaka @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo @phantomxoxo @rosiahills22 @gspenc @chair-things @benhardysdrumstick @cookielovesbook-akie @dempy @wellshit6 @zbeez-outlet @sopheeg @callsign-milano @gizmodear

#jake seresin #top gun maverick #top gun imagine #hangman top gun #jake seresin imagine #jake seresin top gun #jake seresin angst #hangman angst #jake seresin series #jake seresin x reader

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oflights · 1 year

Note

Happy pride! For the drarry slice-of-life prompts, might I suggest: Harry in [whatever the first job you ever wanted to have when you grew up was] and a meetcute-at-work?

hi!! thank you!

so my mind immediately went to "marine biologist harry" because like, i was a 90s kid! of course i wanted to be a marine biologist! which then got me thinking of interesting ways to make draco meet marine biologist harry, which got me thinking of beluga whale animagus draco???? (because i was all about whales as a kid, that was the whole point of it for me.)

anyway. that's what this is? why is it 1.1k words again? who can say, i sure can't. happy pride 🌈🐳

Draco doesn’t expect to see Harry Potter while swimming in the chilly, salty depths of the St. Lawrence River.

Work had taken Draco to Montreal, and he’d booked the extra Portkeys to Quebec City and then Tadoussac without a second thought. Draco so rarely gets a chance to change into his Animagus form in an actually suitable environment, and he’s changed here before; this particular pod of beluga whales is incredibly friendly and welcoming even for his short visits, and so he’s been looking forward to this for months.

Until now, it had been all about getting into the water: making sure local friends have his coordinates in case something goes wrong; casting the proper Disillusionment Charms so no one notices a random blond nutter jumping into the river alone; letting the cold wash over his magic-warmed body for a few suspended moments, until he relaxes into the transformation and lets that magic overtake everything else.

That first moment of transformation—so freeing, so unique, nothing like Draco ever feels on land—always goes a long way to soothing the disappointment he’d felt when he’d first managed to become an Animagus.

He’d known it would be something aquatic; he’d felt drawn to the sea throughout the whole process. Even so, transforming into a beluga whale had not been expected, and after the initial sense of accomplishment, basking a little in all his friends’ delight and amusement, it had struck how difficult it would be to find opportunities to transform.

Draco had adjusted his travel plans and work trips to become colder and more Arctic, but he’d quickly learned how social whales are, and how intolerable they find it to be alone. So it became more about finding other belugas to swim with, to communicate with. Chancing upon this pod had been a stroke of luck, and Draco has missed them.

He could hear them as a human on the shore, high-pitched and soft and wailing, but it’s different as a whale. Hefeelstheir call within him like this, loses himself in it, revels in the sensation of immersive belonging he’s rarely felt before.

In moments like these, Draco loves being a beluga Animagus. It’s all worth it.

And then he sees Harry Potter.

It’s not so strange to see a team of marine biologists on the St. Lawrence. There’s a good amount of marine life here, not to mention the colony of merpeople that lives around the Saguenay Fjord that could explain the presence of magic folk. What’s really strange is that this team includes Harry Potter, not someone Draco would ever have expected to find halfway around the world from home.

Potter is dressed like he might be a marine biologist, which is ridiculous—Draco is certain he’d read that Potter had gone to work with dragons. He’s leaning over the railing of the small observation deck of his boat, dark hair blown wild and glittering with salt spray, radiating Warming Charms, grinning broadly at the friendly belugas streaming through the waters around them.

As Draco watches, still dumbfounded, Potter raises his wand and Conjures large, shiny bubbles, setting them to float over the water and delighting the belugas, who pop them with excited squeals, splashing happily as he Conjures more.

A few of the other members of the pod seem to sense Draco’s frozen disbelief and translate it as distress, swimming over to nudge him gently with their rounded heads, bonking him carefully on his flank. The movement draws the attention of Potter, who smiles at him in a way that Harry Potter has certainly never, not once, smiled at him before.

Draco has a rush of feelings that don’t entirely fit in the water. There’s old resentment, annoyance, a break of his peace—in his whale form, in the perfect, embracing cold, that all seems silly, wasteful. It’s easy to translate to a playful sort of mischief instead.

He starts swimming again, giving grateful return bumps to his concerned pod members on the way right up to the boat, Potter’s eyes trained on him the whole time.

“Hi,” Potter says brightly, giving him a wave as Draco pops out of the water. In answer, Draco gives an enormous spray of water, glittering bright in the sunlight and dripping all over Potter and a few other crew members, making them laugh. “Nice to meet you too,” Potter says. He laughs again as a few belugas follow Draco’s lead, a shower of water dropping down all around them.

Potter Conjures bubbles directly over Draco, smile widening as he pops them before they’re even fully formed. Draco leaps up higher and spots the strap of a messenger bag by Potter’s feet, and on the next bubble, he misses on purpose and takes a swipe at the strap.

The bag splashes into the water in an instant, the sound loud over Potter’s startled, “Hey, that’s mine!” as the rest of the team laughs again. It’s quick, easy swim work to duck down in the water and hook the floating strap around one fin, making sure to spin onto his side to show Potter he’s got it.

Draco takes off, squeaking happily when he hears a flat splat sound behind him, a bodyboard hitting the water. It’s followed by another splash, Potter calling out, “Give that back!” as he starts to swim after Draco.

Even with magic—infused in his wetsuit, driving the bodyboard, clear and unmistakable and disconcertingly familiar—Potter can’t exactly keep pace with a grown beluga whale. Draco revels in that for a few viciously satisfying moments before he slows only long enough for Potter to catch up, to reach out between Draco and the bodyboard, and to catch hold of Draco’s fin—before speeding up again and taking Potter with him.

He tows Potter back to shore, spurred by his laughter and exhilaration, the way he’s ignoring the alarmed shouts of his colleagues from behind them, delighting in the clicks and squeaks and lovely, encouraging calls of Draco’s pod.

Draco bumps up against the rocks where he’d jumped in, knocking Potter against them until he takes the hint and climbs up, eyes wide and amazed. There’s another moment where Draco hesitates—it’s always hard to change back after feeling like this, to want human feeling again, worse still to take away some of the magic of what Potter has just experienced.

But he wants to change back, wants to see the look on Potter’s face. He recasts the requisite Warming Charms and pulls himself back into his human form, landing on the rocks next to Potter, gasping unfamiliar human breaths for a few seconds before he gets his bearings and braves a look at Potter.

Potter, who still looks just as amazed, still exhilarated, and somehow not at all disappointed. His eyes sparkle familiarly, and Draco blinks and feels nothing of the old resentment, like he’d left it all in the water in that first, tall spray.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Draco says, holding up Potter’s stolen bag.

#drarry #drarry fic #oflights #asks #hmmihaventdecidedyet #fic prompts #my fic #also i love how i have multiple prompts asking for nyc-based settings and i've written a quebec one first smh #nyc doesn't have belugas tho #and i will write those too i'm excited!!#plus you can keep sending prompts if you want more of whatever the hell this was lol

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ametrinearrows · 5 months

Text

Trip Up

The anticipation hung heavily in the air as YNN Snap stepped into the ring, readying herself to face off against Carmella. The cheers of the crowd in the stands echoed around her, fueling her determination. Little did she know that this match would almost become the biggest turning point in her friendship with her best friend, Corey.

The match progressed in YNN's favor but she could sense something amiss as she watched Corey stand from his seat at the commentary table and walk over to ringside. It was out of the norm for him and the fact that it was his wife she was facing only made the gut feeling she had worse. Suddenly, when the referee couldn't see what he was doing, Graves grabbed YNN's foot causing her to fall. Upon landing a sharp pain ran through her arm as she tried to catch herself.

Carmella, ever the opportunist, swiftly delivered a match ending move, securing the victory. Fury mixed with physical and emotional pain welled up within the YHC haired girl as she realized what had just transpired. Her emotions consumed her as she held her hurt arm to her body to stabilize it. She turned to Mr. Graves, her eyes burning with hurt and anger. "Why would you do that?!” YNN questioned as silence fell over the audience. "I can't believe you!"

Her words stung him like venom as she slid out of the ring and walked up the ramp to the backstage area. Corey watched as the medics met her on the stage and the guilt hit him like a tidal wave when they escorted YNN to the back. He never meant to hurt her in any capacity, he just knew what he was told to do and he did it. But he hurt his best friend in the process and that was worse than any blow he could ever take.

After the show concluded, Corey retreated backstage, seething with guilt and regret of what he had done earlier in the night. He knew he had made a grave mistake, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing his friendship with YNN. So, he went in search of the YEC eyed girl.

Corey treaded through the maze of corridors of the backstage area, searching for any sign of the YHC haired girl. He searched everywhere he could think of from the clinical station to her locker room. He even stopped to check with Stephanie and Triple H in case they had seen her but had no luck.

When he finally found her, YNN was walking out of the arena with her left arm in a temporary sling. His guess was she was waiting until the morning to get it thoroughly checked out. The girl was known to push off going to a medical center if she thought the injury wasn't bad enough.

"YNN!" Corey called out to her right before she could make her exit. "YNN, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you didn't know that I was going to do that." He said as he finally caught up to her.

YNN rolled her eyes. "Of course, I didn't know, Core. " She said as she turned around to face him. "If I had known my arm wouldn't be in this death trap and I wouldn't have to go for X-rays at eight o'clock in the morning. All I was told was that I was supposed to score that match, nothing else.”

"YNN, I swear I didn't know. They told me to do it over the headsets and that it had been gone over with you and Leah." He explained with a guilty look across his features.

The YEC eyed girl sighed. "So, you really had no clue that we didn't know?" she questioned.

Graves shook his head. "I swear to it."

YNN sighed once more, the feelings of anger she held against the man subsiding. "I believe you."

"I didn't mean to get you hurt either. I'm sorry. Leah has already chewed me out for it too." He explained.

"Did she know that they were having you trip me up like that?" She asked.

Corey shook his head. "She's up there tearing them a new one right now and I'm sure that Steph and Hunter aren't too far behind her."

YNN's eyes widened at her best friend's words. "Are you saying they told no one but you?" He could practically see the steam pour out of her ears. "Those sons of bitches have something else coming to them when I get my hands on them."

Graves reached out and placed his hand on her unhurt arm, and like many times before, he started running it up and down it in a comforting motion. "Trust me, sweetheart, I have a few words of my own for them."

Just then, Carmella came running up to the two of them. "My god, YNN, are you alright? I saw your face when you landed, how bad is it?"

YNN shrugged slightly. "Med team said they suspect it's a fractured radial bone, but I won’t know for sure until the morning.' she said, which made Corey feel worse than he already did.

"Damn it, YNN, I'm sorry." He apologized. "I didn't think you would get hurt."

"Core, will you stop apologizing?" She asked. "I think established that it wasn't entirely your fault."

"Let the man apologize," Carmella said and placed her hands on her hips. "He at least could have given you a little bit of a warning before he just, you know, grabbed your ankle like that."

"Yeah, well, I kind of already hurt his ego a bit on national television so I think we can call it even." YNN stated and looked back over at Corey who just nodded wordlessly. "And, God forgive me, if they make this whole debacle into a storyline, I'll kill them. I don't mind wrestling my friends, I don't necessarily mind getting hurt and my ass handed to me from time to time. But I don't like that they almost tore apart a friendship that predates and will outdate my time in this business like they are playing Gods. It doesn't sit right with me. If he hasn't heard from Steph already, Vince will hear about this."

Both Corey and Carmella nodded at their friend's statement, knowing just how she felt. But it was Graves who was the one to speak. "Couldn't agree more, but let's get your arm better first."

"Right." Leah said. "Dumbass actions can wait. Your well-being is more important."

YNN nodded and adjusted the bag that weighed down her right side and Corey was quick to take it from her. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm ready to get out of here anyway."

"Okay. Let's get you out of here then." He said and led both the ladies out to the rental car.

#ametrine arrows #ametrine arrows imagines #wwe #wwe x reader #wwe imagine #wwe imagines #Monday night raw #smackdown #Corey graves #Corey graves x reader #Corey graves imagine #Corey graves imagines #Corey graves fanfiction #wwe fanfiction

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penig · 10 months

Text

a question of power, Pt 1

"Hastur was a Duke of Hell. Crowley wasn't even a local counsellor." Good Omens, the Book, 1990, p. 186 of my (apparently 1st edition, 1st printing, sweet; too bad the dust jacket's so torn up) hardback copy.

This is probably the only definitive statement concerning Crowley and Aziraphale's power levels we will ever get. Between Gaiman and Pratchett's cavalier attitude toward worldbuilding and the ineffable accounting of supernatural powers that human minds can't properly conceive, we're on our own quantifying this stuff. Certainly anything we figure out now may be confirmed or contradicted or cast in an entirely new light when we finally have the entire story in front of us.

Will this stop us from trying before we get all the data in hand? No, of course not.

Personally, I only care insofar as it relates to characterization, but to some people it matters a lot. And Crowley looks a lot more powerful than a local counsellor, on the face of it, in the video adaptation. (Which is where the "Crowley was Raphael" headcanon comes from. Personally, I despise that headcanon, but you do you.) Whereas Aziraphale often comes across as barely powerful at all, and reluctant to use what power he has.

This is unsatisfactory for those of us who want equality between partners. And we want to be satisfied with the story, don't we? So let's look at what we've got and examine the ways we can justify seeing them as equals, and where that gets us.

First, and most obviously: Crowley can stop time. That seems really powerful, and we don't see anyone else do it - which doesn't mean nobody else can. The way we see it used, however, implies that it's not something other angels and demons are accustomed to. Crowley stops time as Satan comes up through the ground, even though Satan is presumably more powerful than he and Aziraphale put together by several factors. So either he expects Satan not to notice it's happening, or he expects the effect to stop when Satan notices and acts to end it. Crowley also stops time when they swap bodies and checks to see whether anyone's looking, the implication being that it's not a showy power, that unless someone in the know is looking straight at the phenomenon, they aren't likely to notice it.

What if stopping time is a specialist skill? What if it's a power routinely used only by starmakers? In fact -

In the S2E1 teaser, we see Crowley crank up the new nebula to start it running. What if what he's doing there is not just powering the nebula itself, but initiating time in that area of space, to give all the processes the room they need to happen? What if that's his role, or part of his role, among starmakers - not building stars, directly, but starting time for them, or switching them over from the outside-of-time angelic workshop to the material plane where time runs? What if he's one of the few angels ever made who ever learned that skill? And what if, being the curious heedless little bugger he is, he extrapolated from that skill and taught himself how to do the reverse, and stop time in a localized area?

That's a lot of what ifs, but it would also explain a lot, reasonably parsimoniously, including the question of why nobody else is hanging around the nebula ready to hold the scroll for him and he has to call in Aziraphale to lend a hand. Everybody else had finished up their part of the job, and gone home. I am open to other suggestions, but I quite like this one.

Second, in the second series he easily accesses a file which should only be available to thrones, dominions, or above. When the archivist goggles at him he shrugs it off - he used to work with those guys, and they never change their passwords. But why did he have their passwords? Was he their supervisor? Was he a higher rank and security clearance? This, and Saroquel's recognition of him, are the best evidence the Raphael people have gotten to date.

Okay, sure if that floats your boat - but I've worked in a lot of offices. I've never had a supervisor who was any good at system security (or the work itself, not the work I was doing). Even when I was temping, I generally knew more passwords than the boss did. In my offices, the person who knew all the passwords was the snoopy little clerk who a) had legitimate reasons to get into everybody's workstations, b) read over people's shoulders, and c) liked to know what was going on and be one up on everybody else, including playing pranks on them. What's more likely, that somebody put Crowley in charge of other angels, or that his coworkers were the kinds of people who set passwords like "password" and Crowley was a nosy bastard? I rest my case.

Third, he drove the Bentley through hellfire and on to Tadfield, still burning - but we know, because God said so directly in the show, and the authors implied it in the book, that this is because Crowley had developed what, for a demon, was basically a superpower: he could imagine things, including that he and his car were getting through the fire, and shape the world with it. If we adopt the popular fanon that the Bentley is sentient and supernatural in itself (possibly as a result of prolonged contact with Crowley and Aziraphale) he even had help there. It's a power that doesn't originate with his demonic nature, but with his acclimatization to Earth.

Fourth, he can detect things that are obscure to others, including to Aziraphale. He "smells" when the hellhound finds the Antichrist. He can tell when someone's looking. He clearly has finely-honed senses. The only other character who seems able to do anything unusual with the sense of smell is (of all angels!) Sandalphon, who can "smell evil" in the bookshop, but apparently can't tell the lingering scent of a demon who sat all night in the space drinking from Jeffery Archer books. This seems more subtle than we are accustomed to think of power, and it may in fact have been developed out of relative helplessness, a skill honed by hypervigilance, rather than an innate trait. Or it could be innate and individual, or tied to the type of angel he originally was, or related to his beast aspect - we simply don't have enough information on the point.

All the other powers we see him use - shapeshifting, size change, transformation of objects, passing unnoticed, influencing living people (and plants, and rats, and cars), transportation along the telephone lines, mending his car - are things that seem to be routinely available to angels and demons of all ranks. He calls fire to sign the invoice for the Antichrist, but it's a modest amount of fire compared to what Hastur lights a cigarette with, and seems to hurt him. Driving 70 miles per hour in central London must involve superhuman reflexes and a capacity to clear people and cars out of his way. It's all treated in story, and can easily be assumed by the reader, as bog-standard demonic factory settings that anyone can do.

This is probably as long as anybody wants to read through, so I'll have to make another post about Aziraphale and the relative power levels between them.

#good omens #good omens book #good omens series 1 #good omens series 2 #meta #power #non sims

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